Dean Carter - Blood Water

‘No, no, the school is on a hill, isn’t it? It might be cut off from the town but there’ll still be the back roads. We should get there as soon as we can. If your teacher is infected, I can try and extract the creature before it does too much damage.’

‘How?’

There was an uneasy pause.

‘I have no idea. I’ll have to work that out when we find it.’

Sean and James looked at each other, but in the absence of a better plan they followed the scientist out into the car park.

It made no sense. When he regained consciousness he was already pulling himself up the bank. How was that possible? He was like a spectator inside his own body. He could hear himself gasping for air, could feel his arms and legs move as he scrambled out of the raging water, heaving his wet body with energy dredged from somewhere within. Moments ago he’d been drowning, dying. Now he was performing a feat of incredible strength – except it didn’t feel like he was doing it. It felt like someone else was. He watched, perplexed, as his body continued to drag itself up the muddy bank, seemingly of its own accord, until it lay down on the ground and rested. He tried to concentrate on moving his right hand – pain lanced across his head. He moaned, although the sound seemed to stay inside, in thought form. He tried moving a foot this time – and again the same pain. It was as if there was a cold bar of metal inside his brain that throbbed every time he tried to do something.

What the hell has happened to me? he wondered. And then he remembered the slug thing, and the way it had slithered into his mouth before he was lost in the floodwater. Oh God. It couldn’t possibly… He panicked, instinctively trying to get to his feet and run – as if that would do him any good. And he was in agony once again, and again he screamed soundlessly, this time retreating further back into his mind, into a dark corner where he could watch, hoping that somehow someone would set him free.

They ran towards the car to get out of the rain.

‘I had no idea the weather was so bad,’ Morrow said.

‘The bridge is flooded. The water is into the town now. I’ve never seen it like this,’ Sean told him. ‘I don’t know how the rain can last this long. There hasn’t been a let-up to allow the water to drain away.’

‘Looks like the specimen chose the perfect time to escape. So much panic and confusion.’

‘Where did you find it, Dr Morrow?’ Sean asked as he watched his brother struggle to get a clear view through the windscreen.

‘In a small pool near the caves beyond the lake. It was dormant, asleep. I thought it was a rock at first, it was so hard. But when I picked it up it must have sensed the warmth in my hand and it just… came to life. I don’t know how long it had been like that, but some marine life can remain almost lifeless for years and years before reawakening.’

‘Why didn’t it infect you?’

‘It was slow and sluggish to begin with. And unlike Holland I was careful. I’d never seen anything like it before so I kept it in a jar while I studied it, only taking it out when I wanted to see how it behaved with other creatures. I used a mask and handled it with forceps. It’s funny, I thought the precautions I was taking were silly. I was treating it like any other animal when… when things started to go wrong.’

‘What other creatures did it infect?’ Sean asked.

‘Just fish and one of the pythons. I didn’t have time to test it on anything else, but I imagine the results would have been similar… If it was able to absorb information from those creatures – basic information like the way they moved – imagine what it could learn from a human being… Although now I don’t think I want to imagine that at all. Several good people have died. I would be quite happy to find that thing and destroy it, even if it is one of a kind. It’s far too dangerous. Shame… It could be one of the most important discoveries of the natural world…’

‘But human lives come first,’ James said.

‘Yes, exactly. Besides, we have no idea what its agenda is – if it has one.’

‘Agenda? You mean it’s not just killing for the sake of it?’

‘I don’t think so – at least not completely. When it was in Holland it seemed agitated, like it was looking for something. Maybe it did just want to go home. Maybe it killed them all because it was scared. God, what have I done?’

‘It’s not your fault,’ James said. ‘You had no idea this would happen.’

He drove as fast as he dared. Sean watched the road ahead for dangers. They came to two more floods, both times driving through carefully. Morrow stayed silent for a while, sitting back in his seat and thinking, perhaps formulating a plan.

The sky was growing ever darker and the rain was heavier, if anything. Sean kept thinking of the river water encroaching on the town, sliding hungrily towards the shops. It could already be seeping into ground-floor rooms, pouring into basements. What damage would it do if it was allowed to rise even further? The visions that went through his head were almost apocalyptic. He’d seen news reports of floods around the world: people on rooftops being winched up by helicopters, upside-down cars floating down rivers, buildings collapsing, possessions sinking or floating away for ever. It couldn’t possibly get that bad here, but if the rain didn’t stop soon, it would certainly cause devastation. He wondered if his own house was in danger. He didn’t think so. They were quite a distance from the river, and higher up than the town, but… Horrible thoughts came into his mind, setting off his headache again.

As they approached the town, they started seeing other cars. People were either leaving work early or collecting their children from school, knowing it might be impossible later. When they drove past the industrial estate, they could see more evidence of the rain’s work. Even though they were on high ground now, blocked drains were spewing out water: there was simply nowhere underground for it to go. However, the driveway leading to Orchard Wells High School was clear, so James drove in and parked. They walked up to the new reception annexe. The receptionist, Mrs Evans, looked curiously at the scientist, asking his name and the nature of his visit but ignoring Sean and James – whom she knew.

‘Yes, hello. My name is Richard Morrow. I’m from the Lake Byrne Field Study Centre. I, er… need to see Mr Phoenix urgently.’

‘Mr Phoenix…’ Mrs Evans checked her log book. Sean and James exchanged worried glances, wondering what they’d do if Phoenix was elsewhere or, worse, missing. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t have your name down here in the visitor’s book. Are you sure your appointment was today?’

‘Yes – no – look, I really need to see him right now – it’s very urgent. Could you please call him?’

The receptionist merely checked the book again, as if to say That’s not how it’s done around here, I’m afraid.

Sean decided to have a go: ‘Mrs Evans, it’s really important we see Mr Phoenix. He found something of scientific interest and Mr Morrow needs to evaluate it. It could be very, very important.’

‘Really?’ She looked up. ‘What did he find?’

‘It’s, er, a rare species.’

‘A rare species of what?’

‘We don’t know yet.’

‘All right, bear with me a second.’ She sighed, shaking her head as she picked up the phone.

Pupils and teachers alike were leaving reception and heading out into the rain, beginning their journeys home. Sean had a feeling that for some of them it might already be too late; some were going to get stuck. He looked down the corridor and saw Mr Titus, the headmaster, conversing with two teachers and pointing in the direction of the main hall. He looked very animated and concerned.