The Colony: Descent (The Colony, Vol. 3), page 1
Copyright © 2013 by Michaelbrent Collings
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PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF
MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS
THE COLONY: RENEGADES (The Colony, Vol. 2)
"Fast pace in your face, the action doesn’t stop…. This bestselling author has done it again…. I didn’t want the book to end…." – Horror Novel Reviews
THE COLONY: GENESIS (The Colony, Vol. 1)
"Once again Michaelbrent delivers a smashing novel with The Colony: Genesis, the first book in a proposed new series. From start to finish, this novel is a fresh look into the world of apocalyptic proportions, brought on by anyone's guess.... the action and intrigue throughout is almost non-stop. I read it in less than two days, and I'm glad I did." – Horror Drive-In
"5 out of 5 stars.... I couldn't put it down." – Media Mikes
"One hell of a roller coaster ride!” – Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award ®-winning author of Flesh Eaters and The Savage Dead.
"I barely had time to buckle my mental seatbelt before the pedal hit the metal...." – The Horror Fiction Review
"What a refreshing read. This is the first of a series and if this is any indication of what's to come, count me in! .... If I could, I would gladly give this novel a 10 star rating." – Horror Novel Reviews
STRANGERS
"Highly recommended." – Hellnotes
"Collings is so proficient at what he does, he crooks his finger to get you inside his world and before you know it, you are along for the ride. You don't even see it coming; he is that good." – Only Five Star Book Reviews
"Move over Stephen King... Clive Barker.... Michaelbrent Collings is taking over as the new king of the horror book genre." – Media Mikes
"STRANGERS is another white-knuckled journey that demands to be read in one sitting." – The Horror Fiction Review
"Michaelbrent spins a tale that keeps you enthralled from page to page…. Overall I give this novel an A." – The Horror Drive-In
DARKBOUND
"Really good, highly recommended, make sure you have time to read a lot at one sitting since you may have a hard time putting it down." – The Horror Fiction Review
"In Darkbound you will find the intensity of Misery and a journey reminiscent of the train ride in The Talisman…. A proficient and pedagogical author, Collings’ works should be studied to see what makes his writing resonate with such vividness of detail…. You will not be disappointed in this dark tale." – Hellnotes
"Darkbound travels along at a screaming pace with action the whole way through, and twists to keep you guessing throughout.... With an ending that I didn't see coming from a mile away, and easily one of the best I've had the enjoyment of reading in a long time...." – Horror Drive-In
THE HAUNTED
"The Haunted is a terrific read with some great scares and a shock of an ending!" – Rick Hautala, international bestselling author; Bram Stoker Award® for Lifetime Achievement winner
"[G]ritty, compelling and will leave you on the edge of your seat.... The Haunted is a tremendous read for fans of ghoulishly good terror." – horrornews.net
"The Haunted is just about perfect.... This is a haunted house story that will scare even the most jaded horror hounds. I loved it!" – Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award®-winning author of Flesh Eaters and The Savage Dead
APPARITION
"Apparition is not just a 'recommended' novel, it is easily one of the most entertaining and satisfying horror novels this reviewer has read within the past few years. I cannot imagine that any prospective reader looking for a new read in the horror genre won't be similarly blown away by the novel." – Hellnotes
"[Apparition is] a gripping, pulse hammering journey that refuses to relent until the very final act. The conclusion that unfolds may cause you to sleep with the lights on for a spell.... Yet be forewarned perhaps it is best reserved for day time reading." – horrornews.net
"Apparition is a hard core supernatural horror novel that is going to scare the hell out of you.... This book has everything that you would want in a horror novel.... it is a roller coaster ride right up to a shocking ending." – horroraddicts.net
"[Apparition is] Riveting. Captivating. Mesmerizing.... [A]n effective, emotional, nerve-twisting read, another amazingly well-written one from a top-notch writer." – The Horror Fiction Review
THE LOON
"It's always so nice to find one where hardcore asylum-crazy is done RIGHT.... THE LOON is, hands down, an excellent book." – The Horror Fiction Review
"Highly recommended for horror and thriller lovers. It's fast-moving, as it has to be, and bloody and violent, but not disgustingly gory.... Collings knows how to write thrillers, and I'm looking forward to reading more from him." – Hellnotes
MR. GRAY (aka THE MERIDIANS)
"... an outstanding read.... This story is layered with mystery, questions from every corner and no answers fully coming forth until the final conclusion.... What a ride.... This is one you will not be able to put down and one you will remember for a long time to come. Very highly recommended." – Midwest Book Review
RUN
"[A] tense and intense scary sci-fi chiller/thriller.... RUN is a winner, as fast-paced as it should be, cinematic and gripping, lots of fun but with moments of poignancy and disturbing paranoia." – The Horror Fiction Review
HOOKED: A TRUE FAERIE TALE
"Hooked is a story with depth.... Emotional, sad, horrific, and thought provoking, this one was difficult to put down and now, one of my favourite tales." – Only Five Star Book Reviews
"[A]n interesting and compelling read.... Collings has a way with words that pulls you into every moment of the story, absorbing every scene with all of your senses." – Clean Romance Reviews
"Collings has found a way to craft an entirely new modern vampire mythology – and one strikingly different from everything I've seen before.... Recommended for adult and teen fans of horror and paranormal romance...." – Hellnotes
RISING FEARS
"The writing is superb. The characters are believable and sympathetic... the theme of a parent who's lost a child figures strongly; it's powerful stuff, and written from the perspective of experience that no one should ever have to suffer." – The Horror Fiction Review
Dedication
To...
Dave Butler, Carter Reid, Paul Genesse, Larry Correia,
Jess Smiley, Frank Cole, Howard Tayler,
and all the other authors and artists who make the fan conventions feel not just fun, but comfortable…
and to Laura, FTAAE.
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1
“So… what do we do? About her? About… the
No one else had wanted to say it. And Ken was a bit surprised that Christopher had been the one to get the words out. To say what they were all thinking. Even Ken himself.
What were they supposed to do?
The entire building seemed to shake. A horde – dozens, hundreds, thousands? – was somewhere above them. Coming fast.
Called. Summoned by Ken’s own child. By his baby, by the two-year-old girl his wife was even now holding onto, clamping the toddler’s arms down with one arm, Maggie’s other hand covering Liz’s little mouth.
But was that true? Was it Liz?
Or something else?
Liz didn’t speak like that. She said “Lizzy poops” or “Sez-me Stweet” or “Up-up-up!” She didn’t look at adults with cold eyes and say, “You are not family. You are renegades.”
But Ken’s mind kept replaying it. Kept hearing her saying just those words, those impossible things.
Her little nostrils flared above the line of Maggie’s fingers. She was breathing calmly. No longer screaming. But Maggie’s hand didn’t move away. Ken’s wife was staring at him, and it looked to him like she thought all this was his fault. Not just whatever was happening to Liz, but the strange behavior of their other daughter, the predicament they were now in, the fact they were on an unknown floor in the middle of a dark building, even –
(even Derek sacrificing himself saving her saving Maggie and keeping her from being bitten because I couldn’t I wasn’t strong enough or fast enough but he was oh God he was so fast too fast and he went down the crane and saved her but took the bite and changed and fell and was gone)
– for the fact of the apocalypse itself. Like Ken was the one who had changed the world, had rained death on the globe in a ten minute transformation that ended life as they knew it.
She glared at him. And that was another small death.
He looked away from her. To Aaron. The cowboy’s eyes were inscrutable. Ken couldn’t tell if the man was implying that they should leave Ken’s daughters behind, or take them with, or was just thinking about how to destroy the universe. The guy said he was an ex-rodeo clown, and that might be true. But he was also much more than that. He was good, and brave, and had saved everyone time and again. And he was the most dangerous person Ken had ever met.
Ken shifted his gaze to Dorcas. She was shivering. Shock or pain, he couldn’t tell. She was shrinking against Aaron, clearly drawing warmth and strength from the slightly shorter man. Her right arm was broken. Aaron had made her a sling earlier, but it was little more than a rag, the memory or intimation of first aid. Her face was a collection of bruises strung together by expanses of dried blood and split skin. The effects of a zombie who had gone insane – as they all did when they received grievous head wounds – and tried to beat her to death before Aaron saved her.
She looked at Ken for a moment. Then her eyes flicked down. She wasn’t looking for answers on the floor. Guilt had shone in her eyes. She wanted to run, wanted to escape, wanted to flee the monsters. And Ken could tell that included his daughters.
“I can’t believe this.”
Ken turned to the last member of the group. A late arrival, Buck was carrying Ken’s other daughter over his shoulder, hanging slack and loose as she had been for a while now. She had acted strange as well, vacillating between normal behavior and actually trying to be caught by the things that pursued them.
Ken didn’t want to hear Buck’s thoughts. The big man had mostly been a whiny pain in the ass. He had even attacked Ken for not letting him die at one point. So he didn’t want to hear the plans of a man who had already given up. Because Ken hadn’t given up yet.
Give up.
Give up.
Give in.
Give up.
Give in.
Ken shuddered. He realized he could hear the zombies’ growl. The low, thrumming sound that preceded them like lightning before a clap of thunder. And like lightning, it could be devastating. It seemed to have a psychic effect, a subliminal exhortation to annihilation. Hearing them could tip a survivor to submission.
Give up.
Give –
“You hear me?” Buck looked livid. His voice rasped in the near-darkness that gripped them all. “I can’t believe you. Any of you.”
He looked at each of the party in turn. Ken saw Dorcas look away from the man. Her expression one that suggested she knew what the big man was going to say next. Knew he was going to suggest leaving the girls – or worse – and not didn’t just know, but agreed with his inevitable next statement. Hated herself, but agreed nonetheless. Aaron’s expression mirrored hers.
Buck’s gaze reached Maggie’s face. He shook his head. “You’re their mother,” he nearly spat. Then he adjusted his grip on Hope before spinning to glare quickly at Christopher and then settling his eyes on Ken. “We’re not leaving anyone behind,” he said. “Not anyone.”
Then he spun on his heel and strode into the darkness.
2
Ken looked at Maggie. Only for an instant, then she was off and nearly running after the big man holding their other daughter.
She didn’t ask what he thought. Didn’t look like she cared.
Christopher went next. Still trying to staunch the flow of blood from his broken nose, and from the way he kept brushing at it Ken couldn’t tell if the young man was more upset about his cracked face or the blood on his designer shirt.
Aaron looked at Ken. “Can you walk on your own?”
Ken nodded, though he didn’t know if he could or not. He had a pair of adrenaline shots running through him, and he figured that was all that stood between him and total systemic collapse.
What do I have? An hour? Twenty minutes? And then what? Unconsciousness?
Death?
Will Maggie even notice?
He turned away from that last question, which, strangely, bothered him more than the idea of dying. And not because he didn’t know its answer – rather, because he was afraid he did know the answer. And didn’t like it.
Aaron motioned for Ken to move ahead. Ken nodded. The cowboy held Dorcas tightly to him, waiting for Ken to go forward. Following the light that Christopher held as it bounced through the wreckage of the One Capital Center building.
“Hey!” Christopher’s voice was excited. “You gotta check this out!”
“What is it?” shouted Aaron.
“It’s… well, it’s cool!”
Ken looked at Aaron and Dorcas. The cowboy arched an eyebrow – a fairly expansive sign of emotion for him. Dorcas rolled her eyes. Or at least one of them. The other was swollen shut.
Christopher was an enthusiastic kid. He also liked to scale the outside of buildings – and had apparently enjoyed the pastime even before the world turned to crap. So his idea of “cool” allowed for a much wider range than that of most people.
Aaron gestured for Ken to go ahead of him.
Ken took a step. Then heard something. He looked behind them.
And saw a pair of glittering eyes in the darkness.
A zombie.
3
The thing pulled was on its stomach, pulling itself forward on a single hand. The other arm was missing at the bicep, the stump crusted over with a yellow, waxy substance that Ken had seen before. The zombies secreted it, much like the acid they could also use to burn through flesh or bone or steel with equal ease.
The thing’s body ended at the sternum. Where the rest of it had gone, Ken couldn’t begin to guess. How it was still moving, he had no idea. It was wrong. Just like everything else in this world, the concepts of mortality and injury had turned on their heads.
