The Dam (Part 2)

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(Excerpt from “The Dam”)

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”Copernicus! Where you put the wrench?”

Denver had learned to be patient with his long standing workmate’s incompetence but after the umpteenth time losing the same tool, things got a little frustrating. ”Sorry, bud.” He called back, appearing from out of nowhere. ”Just went out for a leak, is all.” A gust of cold air blew through the room before being cut short by the slam of the metallic door.

”Man, that’s three times in one night.” Denver complained. ”Looks like you’re bladders got a harder time holding up than your brain.”After shooting him a sharp glance, Copernicus shuffled over to the toolbox and began rifling through it’s contents.

”You know, this whole damn project is a waste of valuable time, right?” He said with a drawn out sigh. A rusted spanner from the plastic container, clattering to the floor. “You really think Brian has thought this through? I mean, you seen what those “things” are capable of. This wall-on-steroids is just gonna buy us a little more time to await our inevitable, miserable deaths.”

Denver scowled in anger, hurling a packet of cigarettes at him. It stuck the back of his head, taking Copernicus by surprise. He spun around, rubbing the area of contact and staring daggers in return. ”You imbecile! Brian has single-handedly saved the lives of countless men, women and children. He also lost most of his family, with the exception of Annie. In case you conveniently forgot. That man is the reason your stank ass is still alive right now. And you can stand there and talk shit about him like that?” Copernicus though it best to not say anymore, but instead watched on like some humiliated child.

”You gotta remember. Nobody knows how to stop ‘em. To this day, all we’ve been doing is running. So what do you think it best to do? Lie down and simply get slaughtered like the others?” Denver shook his head in disappointment whilst moving over to pick up the crumpled packet off the ground. ”The way I see it, we got one shot. Nothing more, nothing less. Those… those damn… Whatever they are… Well, we gonna give them the fight of their lives, even if it means at the cost of our own. Do you feel me?”

Copernicus stared up at the ceiling into nothingness, contemplating Denver’s words. He shrugged his shoulders and curled his lip at him. ”I guess you’re right. But it doesn’t mean we can’t be scared though.”

”Nobody said you can’t.” He reasoned in return. Walking back to the other side of the cabin, the wooden slates beneath his feet creaked under the pressure. He swept aside the makeshift curtain and peered out the window. The top of the dam was barely visible under the pale moonlight. At either side, he could just about make out both miniature outposts where two recruits would be on guard duty. He imagined for a fleeting moment what if Copernicus’s prophetic vision came true and they were, in fact, all doomed. He shook the depressing image from his mind and shifted his gaze downward. From halfway up the huge vertical concrete slab, the ground below was pitch black, save for four static circular beams of light illuminating the earth below. They were each placed in strategic positions so as not to allow anyone or “thing” to get passed unnoticed. Denver replaced the oily rag over the window and moved to the table in the corner where sat a bowl of potato chips and a diet coke. Scooping a handful up, he chomped down hard as Copernicus continued his search for the missing wrench.

”Man, I swear I put this thing back. You sure it ain’t over there with the other mess?” He beckoned at a moderate sized pile of junk and scrap metal near the entrance way. ”Of course not, you nitwit! You don’t think I looked there already? Either you find it or I’ll have no choice but to radio it in to the guys and request a pickup. They’ll be asleep now but believe me, I’ll make sure they know “who” was behind their unwanted disturbance. Now, look harder. The sooner we get this god forsaken project finished down here, the sooner we can get out of this shithole.”

Copernicus exhaled hard. ”You know, this is the one time some help from you would be…” A faint cry coming from outside alerted them both. Denver darted to the window and glared out at the dam above. He screwed his eyes into slits to hone in on the commotion but could hardly see a thing through the black of night. Copernicus remained motionless, frozen in stunned terror. His mouth hung open like a salivating dog. ”Den… Denver. Is everything… OK out there?” Through the fog of his stunted capacity to think rationally, he knew full well that if an attack took place now, they were the first ones in the firing line. The tow cables would take at least half an hour to prep. They were nothing but sitting duck

Denver scoured the top lip of the dam, desperate for answers. Then, the shrill wail of a siren pierced the night air. His body tensed up, fear racing through his veins. He turned his attentions to the earth far below and gripped the edge of the window pane for want of passing out on the spot. The beams of light cast upon the ground were no longer still. They writhed in a formless squirming multitude of black, thick skins. Masses of pulsating bodies rhythmically pushing forward toward the basin of the dam.

Denver gulped in horror, before looking back at Copernicus. His face appeared ghostly white against the dull glow fanning out from the ceiling above. He whispered, in what seemed like a stifled wheeze.

”There’s… Thousands of them.”

Hope you enjoyed this story, please look out for more on the way... (author: @ezzy)

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