The Trojan Project

Chapter Two-2

“I'm going to drop Josie and Becky off at Laura's, then I'll drive up to Top Meadow. Would you keep an eye on things here? I know I couldn't leave the herd in better hands. I shouldn't be too long. I'll take Betts with me. If the men are up there she'll find them.” Then she had another thought. “How did you find the herd this morning?”

“These here are from the fields around the farm, they were a bit slow to move at first, but they seem alright now. I'll go and get the others shortly. Why do you ask?”

“When I looked out of the window, the animals in the lower fields appeared to be lying down. If you think they need the vet Tom, go ahead and call him. Pete's very proud of his stock, he wouldn't want them to get sick.” Her smile was tense. “But I know we can rely on your judgment.”

Driving down the lane, Sarah glanced at the children through the rear view mirror. She was relieved they hadn't been affected by her argument with Tom. They weren't used to her losing her temper. Becky, however, was happily peering out of the window, while Josie seemed to be drawing another picture. Sarah smiled to herself. No doubt this one was a present for Laura.

Rounding a bend in the highway, she pulled up sharply when she saw something lying in the road up ahead. At first sight, it seemed like a large bundle of partly burned rags. But no! Looking closer, she was able to make out the form of a man.

Thinking he had been in an accident, she turned off the engine and jumped out of the car. Now, with the engine silenced, she could hear him crying out in pain. “Wait with Becky,” Sarah called out to Josie, as she began to run towards the man. “Stay in the car!”

“I'll help you,” she called out, as she came closer to the figure in the road. “I'll take you to a doctor.”

At the sound of her voice, the man made an effort to raise his head. Until he heard her speak, he hadn't realized anyone was there. At last someone had come. He had no idea how long he had lain there. But he mustn't let her touch him. By God! She mustn't touch a single part of him.

“No! Go back… go back.” His voice was slurred. Sarah could hardly make out what he was saying.

“Don't… come… near… me.” He spoke slowly, finding it difficult make his mouth move properly.

“No!” she shrieked, as he turned towards her. His face and hands were so horribly burned – yet at the same time they were shining. No, shining wasn't the right word, they were glowing. Even in the bright sunlight, there was a positive glow radiating from them.

Repelled by his terrible disfigurement, Sarah took a step backwards. “My God! What happened here?” She peered down the lane, expecting to see his vehicle. Had there been an accident? Was his car burnt out? But the road ahead was clear. “What happened to you?” she repeated.

Recognizing her voice, the figure strained to lift his head higher. “Sarah! Sarah!”

Taking a closer look, she caught her breath. Though barely recognizable through the charred flesh, she was able to make out the features of Dave. This was Laura's husband.

“No! No! It can't be!” she cried. “Have you been in a fire?” Fumbling in her pocket, she pulled out her mobile and tried to press 999. “I'll call an ambulance.”

As she waited for a response, a thought struck her. “Was Pete with you, Dave? Did you see him?” Now hysterical, she fired questions at him. “Where is he? Tell me! Where's Pete?” Inching forward, she noticed Dave's clothes weren't only burnt and ragged there was something else. They were wet – they looked sticky.

“No! No! Stay… away!” Though faint and slurred, his speech was desperate. “For God's sake, Sarah, don't… touch me. Back there a bird touched me and… Get away… quickly!”

She could hardly understand him, but the urgency of his tone caused her to stop in her tracks. At the same time she also noticed something running down his face and hands. Sweat perhaps?

There was still no answer from the emergency services and she shook the phone violently. “What's the matter with this damn thing?” She stabbed her fingers on the buttons again. This time there was a hissing sound; similar to the one she had heard on the telephone in the farmhouse. But after a few seconds the line went dead.

“What's happening? Why can't I get through to anyone?” Feeling helpless, Sarah looked down the lane. Why wasn't there anyone around? Where was everybody? Normally this lane was buzzing with farmhands moving livestock from one field to another.

“Go… back.” Dave struggled to form the words.

“But I must get you to a doctor.” Sarah's voice trembled as she fought back the tears. “And then I have to find Pete. He didn't come back from Top Meadow. I was on my way up there when…” She looked up at the hills ahead. “I was going to take the children to Laura's before going to find him.”

“No!” Dave's voice was becoming more slurred. “Laura's… dead. Pete's… dead.” He croaked.

“They can't be!” she screamed out at him. “What're you talking about? I don't believe you. Pete isn't dead. He can't be dead. Not dead.” Sobbing hysterically, she repeated the words over and over. “Not dead! Not dead!”

“I'm so sorry, Sarah.” Dave's voice was but a whisper.

“No! You're mistaken, Dave. My lovely Pete isn't dead. He's up there, on Top Meadow. He's checking the sheep. I'll find him. He's up there!”

Pointing towards the hills, she screamed out Pete's name. “Pete! Pete! Answer me!”

But there was no answer. There was no sound at all, except for the eerie echoes of her voice, as Pete's name rang around the valley.

“No, you… must… go…” Dave was finding it difficult to form the words. His mouth would no longer move properly; he couldn't hold on much longer.

Sarah's head was reeling. Her legs felt like they were about to give way beneath her. She took a few deep breaths, hoping the sudden gulp of fresh air in her lungs would help her recover. But was the air fresh? Perhaps it was contaminated with whatever had caused Dave's demise.

Slowly, she looked around, not really knowing what she expected to see. What did contaminated air look like? Well, she had been standing here for several minutes and she was still alive. Or was she? Of course she was! She was still thinking, breathing. Even Dave was still alive – only just, but he was still alive. Whatever it was that had inflicted this terrible thing upon him wasn't in the air – well, not anymore.

“At least let me help you back to the farm,” she said, turning back to Dave. “Tom's there; he'll call the doctor. Then I'll come back for Pete.”

Moving closer, she realized the liquid moving down his face was too thick to be sweat. It was more like treacle. What was it? She watched as the thick substance continued on its course and hung threadlike from his chin before finally dropping onto the road. The same thing was happening to his hands.

“Oh, my God!” she yelled, as she realized what was happening.

She quickly turned her head away. It was all too horrible. The treacle like substance was Dave's flesh! His flesh was melting! Surely that wasn't possible. Yet it was happening right in front of her. Already she could make out his white bones, as they pushed their way through what was once his skin. Sarah felt a sickness rising in her throat.

Never had she seen anything so gruesome, so horrific. Dave's flesh was melting and forming pools of thick slime in the road. She wanted to run back to the car and drive away. It would be so easy – no one would blame her. But she couldn't simply go off and leave him. That wasn't her way. Dave was Pete's friend and Laura's husband. No! It was impossible she would turn and walk away. Nevertheless, she placed her hand over her mouth as she turned back to face him.

His flesh began to melt faster by the second. She could see his white skull peeping through his forehead. How could Dave still be alive when his flesh was dripping from him? Oh my God! What pain was he bearing to stay alert and speak to her?

Desperately trying not to show her revulsion, she kept her voice low. “Dave, for God's sake, please tell me what I can do to help you.”

“There's nothing… you can do…” Dave's voice grew fainter. “Take the children away… Pete is gone. I know; I went to Top Meadow with him. Ned… was… sick… I took… his place.” He pointed towards the car. “Pete would want you to save… his children. We heard the sound… saw the light – the mist… we should have… Tell them, Sarah… tell them all…” he broke off.

“What sound? What sound?” Sarah screamed out. Again her voice echoed around the valley. “And what about all the others down there in the valley? Shouldn't I warn them? They have children…”

Tears streamed down her face. This wasn't real. It couldn't be happening to her. Dave lying here… He said Pete was dead… But no, it wasn't possible.

“It's too late… all dead. Go before it's…” Dave could say no more. At last he slipped away. Mercifully for him it was over. He had fought the agonizing pain to stay alive long enough to tell someone of the horror in the valley; to warn them against touching anything – now that was done, he could let go.

Covering her face with her hands, Sarah could stay on her feet no more and she sank into a crumpled heap on the road. What should she do? She wanted to find Pete, but Dave said he was dead. Peeping through her fingers, she looked again at the remains of Dave's body.

Even now his flesh continued to melt. Soon there would be nothing to identify him. Only his bones would be left lying in a pool of slime that was once the flesh of a vibrant young man. Or would his bones melt too? What could have caused anything so horrifying? In a state of shock, she was unable to move. Still feeling sick, she covered her eyes in a futile effort to block out the ugliness of the scene.

After a few minutes, she heard the sound of a bird fluttering above. Come to think of it, it was the first bird she had seen or heard all morning. Peering through her fingers, she saw a crow land on Dave's head. It began to pull at a fragment of melted flesh still attached to his skull.

Revolted, she heaved herself to her feet and ran across to the ditch by the side of the road. Unable to hold back any longer, she was violently sick. She couldn't recall ever feeling so ill. Her head still spinning, she clung desperately to the trunk of a tree to stop herself from falling over. Was Pete really lying dead somewhere up there on Top Meadow? Had his flesh melted away as Dave's had done? She didn't want to believe it.

“No!” she yelled. But there was no one to hear her.

Her mind raced. Dave had been with Pete at Top Meadow, so how had he managed to get this far and why wasn't Pete with him? Pete would have tried to reach the children. Why was Dave alone? Though she knew he was dead and could tell her no more, she still looked towards his body for answers.

The bird was still tugging mindlessly at the flesh on Dave's skull. But then, it squawked and fell onto the road, writhing in agony. A few minutes later, it too lay dead; its feathers growing wet as the skin beneath began to melt.