Necrocide

PART 3: Chapter 60

PART 3: AARON'S LAST DAY

Aaron sat up on the ground and looked toward a massive, rectangular building mostly hidden behind trees. A wide crevice replaced a corner of the building facing toward him and the three Deadmen that brought him there, almost as if a bomb was detonated in that portion of the building. Dread overflowed Aaron's body just by staring into the darkness of the building's interior, and it didn't help that blood appeared to be tinted on the edges of the crevice.

"What is this place, Harry?" Aaron asked.

"This is where it all began, mates," Harry replied. "This place was the beginning of the end."

"What are you, a narrator?" Jade chimed in. "You make it sound like something cool is about to happen."

"I mean, this is the first time the three of us have been here," Kyle said. "It'll be interesting for Harry to show us around."

"Speaking of which, Harry," Aaron said, "what do you mean by 'the beginning of the end'?"

"This is where the Deadmen came from, mate," Harry continued, staring into the infinite darkness of the crevice leading into the facility. "This is where I came from. I don't know what went on in my past, but the last thing I did before I died happened in this building."

"So this was your resting place?" Kyle said.

"Sir, does it look like I'm resting?" Harry retorted.

"I know. I was trying to be cool like you."

"Are you wankers done yet?" Aaron shouted. "I'm a little busy turning into a flesh-eating monster here!"

"Hey, that's rude, mate," Harry replied. "We're not monsters. Just misunderstood."

"No, he's serious, guys," Jade said. "Once he's become one of us, no one will be able to understand him if he wants to make a point." She and Harry helped lift Aaron to his feet. "Just out of curiosity, Aaron, what exactly are you looking for?"

Aaron didn't say anything. He just brushed the dust off his pants and made his way into the building, disappearing into the darkness.

"Aaron!" Harry shouted. "Wait up!"

"Why the hell is he going in if he doesn't even know the place?" Kyle asked.

The three Deadmen ran in to join their friend. Apart from the grey morning sky outside, no light entered the building. Aaron had to feel his way toward a door, nearly slipping on a puddle of some unknown liquid. "Shit," he said as he caught himself. "Anyone know where the light switch is?"

Nobody responded. "Let me rephrase that," Aaron continued. "Does anyone know what a light switch is?"

"You mean this thing?" Jade replied. Aaron couldn't see her anywhere, but the sound of a flick in the dark was followed by a brief crackle of the lights above. Aaron instantly regretted having the lights turned on as the first thing he saw  was a large pool of blood covering the entire floor, from the crevice they entered to the door leading out of the room.

"Shit!" Aaron exclaimed, nearly slipping on the blood again. The lights continued to twitch on and off, momentarily leaving them in the dark before shining a light on their path a second later.

"Yeah, that's Archibald you're standing on," Harry replied. "Bloodletter said we used to call him Hermes."

"Where's Archibald?" Kyle asked.

"I already told you. We're standing in him. All that blood caked to the floor and wall is him. He got caught in the explosion when Bloodletter made this giant hole."