[1] Falling Coyotes

It was supposed to be a celebration for winning Regional Championships. We were supposed to unwind and eat to our hearts content. It was a reward well deserved after all of the drama from the past few years.

So why were there coyotes falling from the sky?

I was brought out of my musings when someone roughly pulled me away from the window that shattered to a thousand pieces by a random tire.

My lungs contracted and I took a large breath, coughing at the ache in my ribs. The pain confirmed that I wasn't in a dream. Coyotes did fall from the sky and I was tackled by one of them after it came to life with a sickening snap.

If it weren't for Elizabeth then I wouldn't have... wait...

Where's Elizabeth?

It was like a switch turned on in my head and everything around felt closer than it was minutes ago.

There was a noticeable stench from the dust and blood all over the place. The restaurant was a mess and empty. Everything was different from when I remembered it just moments ago.

Was it moments ago? How long was I out? Where's Elizabeth?

Why am I looking for Elizabeth? The need nagged me at the back of my head, growing stronger the more my questions weren't answered. I attempt to stand, failing miserably as the pain in my ribs flared up once more. What happened?

We were celebrating and then there was a large crash outside that sounded like something extremely heavy had fell. The impact destroyed the bus that we used to get here. Then a large coyote emerged from the rubble, broken but healing. It was sickening to watch its bones fix themselves as it stared me down with a hungry grin.

I remember looking into its eyes and finding nothing but bloodlust. Then the tire came and Elizabeth pulled me to the side. And then... and then what? Was that even a tire?

I look around once more. There must be something around here that might give me a clue about what happened. Where did everybody go?

Bracing myself, I stood. The pain wasn't as bad as before but it still made every movement sting.

DING!

A broken phone pinged from somewhere near me. Without wasting even a miniscule twitch, I located it without too much trouble due to its colorful case.

It didn't take me long before I recognized that this was Target's phone. The ping notified about a software update that was completed. I opened the phone and tried to call authorities but found a dead line on the other side.

Thankfully, my fanny pack was still with me. I stored Target's phone inside while I fished out my own and made my way away from the rubble and mess that I woke up in. Every movement stung.

What happened? Where was everybody?

The line was dead when I tried to call emergency services on my phone. Were they handling the coyotes?

I exited the restaurant, gasping at the destruction on the road.

There were dozens of mini craters that I have no doubt were the result of the falling coyotes. Every window within reach was broken, doors askew from its hinges and the different products of different stores were littered across the already chaotic display of the road.

There were signs of fighting that could be seen everywhere but outside of the large blood splatters, there weren't anything else that might hint that coyotes or humans were even here in the first place.

DING!

I jumped when I heard a ping from my hand, the phone pulsing as it vibrated in an unfamiliar pattern.

A message popped up on the screen. Mom? I didn't think twice about opening the notification, unknowing of the horrible image that greeted me on the other end.

My mother in the bath tub of our home, swimming in her own blood as she stared lifelessly to the ceiling with her throat cut wide open.

The image captioned,

[ Tick tock. There won't be a second time. Remember. ]

.

..

...

...SSA!

..RESSA!

TERESSA!!

The desolate roads and the horrible image were replaced by the worried face of none other than the person I had been looking for earlier. Elizabeth's eyes wandered all over my body, nearing to tears when she looked at my torso.

"You wouldn't open your eyes," She whispered brokenly before glass exploded once more somewhere farther away in the building.

I recognize the restaurant. It was in shambles but not as cluttered and bloody as earlier. What happened? Where was I?

Elizabeth planted a firm hand on my shoulder, "Hey, don't move. You're badly hurt, you might irritate the wound if you do anything too abrupt."

"What happened?" Goodness I need water. My mouth felt like it's chewing on a handful grains of sand.

"Something happened outside. You went to investigate but whatever it was, jumped out of the bus and lunged at you. The others fought off the thing that attacked you and I got you here to make sure you're safe."

That doesn't make sense.

My body chilled as I remembered the brutal picture.

I would have moved and flailed if it wasn't for Elizabeth holding me down.

"Teressa!" She hissed as the tears angrily streamed down her cheeks, eyes flickering back and forth between my eyes and my torso. "Don't be stubborn and listen to me! Something fucking bit off a large part of your side and it will continue to bleed if you keep moving."

There was a ragged gasp followed closely by a low groan as I finally registered the kind of injury that I was in. It hurt more than it did when I woke up alone earlier.

Elizabeth's hands shook as they pressured my wound and I took one of them to my own, cold hand.

"What did I say?!" She was crying heavier now.

I felt the burn in my throat before I even attempted to speak, "I-I need to call Mom..."

"You're not calling anyone until I get you patched up!"

I fought the exhaustion that threatened to force my eyes closed. She looked like a mess. "You look like a mess. Breath, Liz."

Her panicked movements stilled suddenly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

It seemed like it was enough to calm her down and wipe the tears away from her eyes.

I watch her juggle making sure to put pressure on my wound to one hand while the other grabbed a clean gauze from a first aid kit in her bag. She quickly cleaned the wound and patched it up the best she could in the space behind a knocked over table.

It took a few more minutes before she finally finished and brought me in a loose hug, crying on my shoulder.

We couldn't exchange any more words as another glass exploded from somewhere in the restaurant. This time it was closer.