WARNING: This story depicts gruesome violence. Reader discretion is advised.  

Story 1

Pacify

2 1/2 Weeks into The Onset

“Can you get that, new girl?” Dotty said to Sabrina in an abrasive bark. The baby she held in her thin arms cried even louder at the harshness of her tone. “Dotty!” Mateo rebuked. Dotty turned away from the two, bouncing the red screaming child up and down on her hip. “Sabrina, could you please answer the phone?” Mateo asked, in a much more pleasant voice. “The ringing is making things worse. I would disconnect it altogether if weren’t illegal.” Sabrina could barely hear his chuckle through the symphony of upset babies. Sabrina gave Mateo a gentle smile back and stepped over a few toys and made her way over to the obnoxious phone.

The glow of the care center floor kept the office illuminated. The cramped space was littered with random sticky notes and files. Photos of some of the staff sprinkled over the walls along with a couple of certificates and achievements that were given to the daycare over the years. Sabrina closed the door to muffle the sound of the kids. She slid the pleather office chair away from the desk and picked up the phone.

“Thank you for calling Swan House Daycare. This is Sabrina,” said Sabrina. The hum of chatter could be heard in the background. “Hello ma’am, this is Administrator Jameson with the Federal Protection Bureau.” Surprise immediately stunned Sabrina. “Why would the F.P.B. be calling here?” She thought to herself. Sabrina peered out to the care center floor to ask for help. The gritty voice returned a bit harsher.

“Hello? Are you there?” said Administrator Jameson. “Yeah-yes, I’m here.” Sabrina’s reply sounded more like a question. The Administrator continued. “I’m calling about the recent occurrences happening around the city. Are you aware of what has been taking place?” Sabrina tried to think of anything she saw trending that morning that seemed out of the ordinary to no avail. Nothing came to her mind besides the typical news about celebrity birthdays and upcoming movies. The daycare didn’t allow cell phones on the care center floor, so she hadn’t gotten any word since she had been at work. “No, sir. I haven’t heard about anything.”

After a brief moment of silence, the Administrator spoke up again. His voice was a bit less tense than before. But still stern. “There have been reports of very peculiar behavior taking place in the inner city and recent reports of the behavior spreading to the outer suburbs towards the highway.” The Administrator paused as if waiting for Sabrina to be enlightened. She tried to imagine what kind of behavior he could be referring to. Nothing that came to her mind would warrant a call from the Federal Protection Bureau. She eventually gave in to her curiosity. “What kind of behavior?” she asked.

The Administrator took a moment to collect his words. It was a bit worrisome to Sabrina that he didn’t know how to explain what was going on. “The people reported have been identified as seeming hostile. Some have even been described as animalistic.” The words didn’t make sense to Sabrina. It sounded like he was saying the wrong thing to her. The Administrator didn’t correct himself. Before she could get her thoughts focused on the possible scenarios, his voice brought Sabrina back to the conversation.

“Ma’am,” The Administrator said, “I’m going to need to ask you a few questions. And I will need you to make sure you answer me with 100% surety. It is extremely vital that you are completely honest with me. Is that clear?” Sabrina’s throat dried up. Her damp hands held the receiver up to her sweaty ear and she noticed she had started to tremble. The directness in his voice made her stand up straight. Sabrina looked out at the care center floor again. Dotty paced back and forth in front of Mateo, who was trying to stick a bottle in one of the baby’s mouths. Sabrina felt as if they had forgotten she was even there. She felt as if she was on her own already.

Sabrina forced out an answer that was a part lie and part faith. “Yes, I understand,” She could hear The Administrator begin to type something on his computer. She panicked a little more with each keystroke. The hesitation of him asking made Sabrina feel even worse.

“Have you or anyone else in the facility experienced any hot flashes?” The Administrator asked.

“No,” Sabrina replied.

“Has anyone had any headaches in the past 12 hours?”

“No one’s has said anything.”

“Has there been any sudden fits of rage or intense anger?”

“Just the kids, I guess,” Sabrina joked.

The Administrator didn’t seem to find that funny. The sound of his typing picked up speed. Sabrina cringed at herself for the bad timing. “Sorry, no, there haven’t been-“ The cakey words were thick in her throat. Troublesome to get out. “What did you say your name was?” The Administrator interrupted. “My name is Sabrina,” she replied, trying to convey a newfound seriousness in her voice. “Sabrina Rivers.” The typing continued. She couldn’t help but imagine what he could be putting in his computer about her. However, she didn’t want to ask.

“Ms. Rivers, are you there with children now?” The Administrator asked. “Yes,” Sabrina replied. “None of the parents have come back yet. We were going to make calls in the next 30 minutes or so, but the kids have been crying for a while. We were trying to calm them down first,” She could hear The Administrator shuffling around. Her mind created scenario after scenario of what he could be doing or thinking. The heat of panic began to rise in her from the soles of her feet to the sweat coming from her forehead. “Admin?” Sabrina croaked through her shaky voice. She heard him continue to shift around through the phone like someone moving frantically trying to search for something. Each second made her hot heartburn hotter.

What felt like an eternity passed before Administrator Jameson returned his attention to the phone call. “Ma’am are you still there?” He asked. “Yes, I’m here,” Sabrina replied, anxious about the next words from his mouth. “Ok, what did you say your name was? One more time.” Sabrina gulped louder than intended but forced a reintroduction. “My name is Sabrina Rivers,” she replied. “Ms. Rivers, I am going to need you to take what I am about to say, very seriously,” Sabrina cleared her throat to acknowledge the request but couldn’t say anything in time. “You will have to keep the children away from any parents or guardians.” Sabrina staggered backward in the office. The Administrator quickly continued. “It is very important that your staff and the children do not come in contact with anyone from outside your four walls. Do you understand?”

Sabrina’s trembling got worse. She stood on her tippy toes to peer out of the office window again onto the care center floor for any help grasping The Administrator’s words. Dotty and Mateo were still tending to the babies. Sabrina spun the old creaky office chair around and plunged into it to keep herself from falling over. “What do you mean, Admin?” she asked, hoping she misunderstood what was being asked of them.

“Listen very carefully,” The Administrator said, braiding each word together.

"I'm listening," replied Sabrina.

“Something is going on in the city, something we have never seen before, and it's vital that we keep the effects from spreading.”

“Spreading? Like a virus?”

“Yes. Like a virus. However, this is seeming more urgent than a typical virus.”

Sabrina waited for something else to be said. Something that would make The Administrator’s information all come together. But he did not waver in his stillness. He had no words of comfort or relief. Just disruption. “You should be fine as long as you and the others remain inside,” he stated. The words felt manufactured. As if it was just protocol. A repeated script of empty phrases practiced over time to hopeless people. “How do we keep the parents from trying to come in and get their kids?” Sabrina asked. The fear in her voice broke the words apart before ever leaving her mouth.

The Administrator slammed his hand on his desk. Sabrina swallowed her remaining questions. “Sabrina, it is imperative that you follow my instructions! This is not up for discussion and no disobedience will be tolerated as it is a detriment to the safety of this city and potentially the country!” His voice had turned sharp and heated. Sabrina didn’t have the means to reply. She allowed her silence to communicate her compliance. “Now,” The Administrator said, “I will reach back to you within the hour to-“

Suddenly the scream of one of the babies pierced through the walls of the office. Sabrina jolted out of her seat and looked out of the office window. Mateo was putting down the baby he was holding and rushing towards the sound, which was out of sight. Sabrina dropped the phone receiver and raced out of the office. The look on Dotty’s face amplified Sabrina’s concern as she quickly moved toward the yelping.

“Sean!” Mateo shouted at the baby. Sabrina went over to help him, and her heart dropped into her stomach. Deep red blood squirted from the arm of one of the babies that had just gotten bitten. Mateo picked up Sean and held him around the waist. Sean had his teeth sunk into one of the little girls and wouldn’t let go. The growl that came from the baby boy, no more than a year or so in age, rumbled from his throat and sounded like a small dog growling at a stranger. He was trying as hard he could to keep his teeth in the other child. Mateo’s efforts to separate them were futile.

Sabrina grabbed the screaming girl from the floor. Her grip slipped as the slick blood covered the girl’s arm, dripping into the carpet and her clothes. “Sean, stop! Stop it! Now!” Sabrina shouted. Her words did nothing. The skin of the young girl separated from her arm as Mateo pried Sean from her. Her screams got louder at the sight of what was happening. Sabrina pulled away from Mateo and Sean while pushing Sean away with her other hand. His damp forehead was burning hot. His eyes, bloodshot and void. He seemed afraid but determined. Sabrina pushed harder on his forehead. Finally, Mateo was able to jerk Sean away from the bloody arm, separating him from the little girl.

The bitten girl was hysterical. She squirmed out of Sabrina’s arms and onto the floor. Confused and in pain, the girl laid on her back on the bloody carpet and screamed in agony. “Hey, hey. I’m right here,” said Sabrina. Her attempts to comfort the child had no success. “What’s her name?” Sabrina yelled to the group. “Bella!” Dotty shouted. “Her name is Bella!” Sabrina looked at the young baby who seemed to be in complete shock at what had just taken place. “Hey, Bella.” The screaming girl looked at Sabrina with large thick tears running down her face. “It’s going to be ok. C’mon,” Sabrina said, picking her up off the floor once more. The girl tried to lift her arm, but the action sent her into more pain. Sabrina rocked her in her arms to soothe her while she looked for the nearest first aid kit.

She rushed back into the office. She had completely forgotten that The Administrator was still on the phone. “Damn it,” Sabrina mumbled, turning on the light and looking all over the walls for a first aid kit. The reflective cross on the white box protruding from the wall was to the left of the office entrance. Sabrina placed Bella in the office chair to get to the kit. She unclamped the two clips and riffled through the contents until she found the rubbing alcohol and gauze. She picked Bella up from the chair, placing her on the office desk to get a better view of her arm. Sabrina sat in the chair in front of her and grabbed the dangling receiver that fell in between the armrest and seat of the chair.

“Sorry Admin, are you still there?” Sabrina breathed into the phone.

“Yes, I am,” He replied after a couple of seconds of more shuffling.

“Sorry about that. One of the boys bit a little girl in the arm. I’m going to need to get her checked out. I’m bandaging it right now, but-“

“Did you say someone was bitten there?” The Administrator interrupted.

“Yes, that’s what the scream was if you heard it. I had to go check it out.”

Silence once again rose between them.

“Ms. Rivers, could you explain the incident to me? In detail?” The Administrator asked.

“I would, Mr. Admin, but I have to get this girl to a hospital as soon as possible.”

Bella’s crying had simmered down some, but only a little. Her pain was still evident from her whimpering. “Was the boy, the boy who bit the other child, showing any of the symptoms we discussed?” The Administrator sounded off-centered and uncharacteristically non-abrasive. Sabrina thought for a second that he would seem nicer to her until she heard his hand hit his desk again. “This is important, Ms. Rivers!” He shouted. “Was the child exhibiting the symptoms or not?” The aggression from The Administrator rushed an answer out of Sabrina faster than she had time to think. “No!” she blurted. “Or, yes, maybe he was. I don’t know! I was too busy trying to help this little girl!” The Administrator took a deep breath into the phone. Sabrina could faintly hear him tapping his desk.

“Sabrina. This is very important,” The Administrator said, more calmly than before.

“I touched his head, and it was kind of hot, I guess,” Sabrina stammered.

“Would you say it was hotter than usual?” asked The Administrator.

“Yes, it was pretty hot,” she recalled. “His eyes, too.”

“What about them?” replied The Administrator. “What was wrong with his eyes?”

“They were bloodshot. Maybe from all the crying. Or maybe he was tired. I don’t know.

“You said he bit someone. How bad was the bite?”

“It was, is, pretty bad. Look Mr. Admin, I understand you said not to leave, but we really need to get this girl to urgent care or a hospital or something. She’s bleeding pretty bad, and I don’t know what I’m doing with this gauze. And we’re going to have to inform her parents, so I will need to be in contact with them shortly.”

After Sabrina stopped talking, she realized The Administrator was speaking to someone else in the room with him. She waited for a few seconds before she decided to try to get his attention. “Hello? Did you hear anything I just said?” Sabrina asked. He did not reply. The conversation he was having with the other person showed itself to be more of an argument as the seconds passed. Sabrina turned her attention over to Bella who had finally calmed herself down. More so than she expected from a kid her age so quickly. Especially after what just happened.

Bella’s eyes were pinkish. She looked a bit tired. “You’re a strong young lady,” Sabrina said to her. She looked at her with confusion in her gaze. Like she had just woken up. Small breaths came from her chest as she looked around the room. “You’ve never been in here, huh?” Sabrina asked her. She reached out and lightly smacked her face. Her hand was chilled and soft. Sabrina reached for her to pick her up again, but she pulled away from her and tried to scoot off of the table. “No, you stay right here, honey. I have to add more gauze to that arm.” Sabrina tucked the phone between her shoulder and sweaty ear, turning around to get more alcohol and gauze out of the first aid kid. After a couple of seconds, she heard the chair wheels rolling on the tile of the office floor.

Bella had gotten down from the table, onto the old office chair, then onto the floor. The pitter-patter of her feet came and went faster than Sabrina could react. Sabrina started to set the phone down right as The Administrator returned to the call. She temporarily surrendered her pursuit of Bella.

“Ms. Rivers?” The Administrator said.

“Yes?” Sabrina replied.

“We at the Federal Protection Bureau have discussed this matter and have arrived at a solution. A solution that we feel is best for the city, and most likely the country as a whole.”

“Ok? What did you have in mind?” Sabrina asked.

The Administrator cleared his throat, seeming to be stalling to speak any further. After a moment he continued. “We are going to need to send members of Protection Bureau to your facility in order to expel any person, or persons, that have exhibited any erratic behavior that reflects those of the ones we have discussed during this call.”

Sabrina’s chest tightened. All feeling left her legs as she digested what The Administrator was saying. The sound vacuumed out of the room and all Sabrina could hear was his words repeating themselves over and over again in her head. She felt as if she had to have been mistaken. She assumed she was not understanding clearly.

“What do you mean ‘expel’? You said you didn’t want us to leave. You said earlier that you didn’t want us going anywhere,” Sabrina stated inquisitively.

“Ms. Rivers, you and the others there will not be leaving the facility,” The Administrator replied.

“Ok, so wait. You’re not making any sense.”

“We have been authorized to eliminate anyone who is demonstrating the advised symptoms, regardless of race, gender, disability. Or age.”

“Are you being serious right now?”

“Ms. Rivers, I understand this must be staggering ne-“

“You’re damn right it’s staggering!”

“Let me finish. I understand this must be staggering news but think of it as a service to your country.”

“This is bullshit!”

Suddenly, Dotty walked into the office. Her eyes were frustrated but concerned. “What is going on? Is that one of the parents?” she asked. Sabrina slammed the phone down as hard as she could, hanging up on The Administrator. “No, that was an Admin from the F.B.P.,” Sabrina replied. “Shut the fuck up,” Dotty snapped while heading back out of the office. “No Dotty, I’m being completely serious!” replied Sabrina. Dotty stopped to look Sabrina over. After a moment, she became convinced that Sabrina wasn’t joking. Her eyes widen. “That was an Admin from the fucking F.B.P.?” Dotty asked. Sabrina nodded. The look of shock on Dotty’s face forced Sabrina to recognize that this was worse than she wanted to believe.

“Why the hell are they calling here?” Dotty asked.

“Apparently there’s been something going on all day in parts of the city,” Sabrina replied.

“Ok, but why are they calling here?”

“They said something about keeping all the kids here and not letting anyone inside, including the parents.”

“Are you fucking serious? That’s not going to happen. I want to go home.”

“Well, it’s worse now.”

Sabrina told her everything Administrator Jameson had spoken to her about. The chaos in the city. The symptoms. And about their plan to get rid of all of them. Dotty fell back against the wall with a look of horror and disbelief. She placed her hand over her mouth and rushed out of the office.

Soon after, Sabrina could hear Mateo questioning Dotty about what she was telling him. She gazed down at the office floor, trying to wrap her head around it herself. She stood in the office awaiting Mateo coming in. But he never did. Curiosity got the better of her. Sabrina went out to the care center to hear what Mateo had to say. He was standing in the center of the babies. Tears trickled down his face as he stood there puzzled. Sean’s growls emanated from the room next to the care center. The Dutch door rattled as he pushed against it trying to get back to the other children.

Dotty paced the floor, kicking over the toys and books that got in her way. She was mumbling something Sabrina couldn’t make out but sounded like she trying to remember someone’s phone number. The staff’s cell phones were locked in their cars and both televisions were only connected to DVD players that were bolted to the wall under them. Between the ins and out of crying, the group could now recognize the sounds of sirens in the far distance. But they often were blended in with the children’s noise. Sabrina walked over to Mateo and placed her blood-stained hand on his arm. The dried blood marked his skin like red clay on a pottery wheel. He didn’t look over at Sabrina but placed his warm hand on hers.

“What are we going to do?” Mateo muttered. The bass of his voice rumbled through his arm. “They can’t expect us to sit here and wait to die.” Sabrina looked away. She didn’t want to see him in that state. His large stature didn’t fit with the tone of voice he was speaking in. But she understood. This is a tone that should not have ever been required of him. Dotty marched over to them with surety in her eyes.

“We have to go,” Dotty blurted.

“Where?” Sabrina asked. “The Admin said-“

“I don’t care what The Admin said!” Dotty barked.

“Dotty,” Mateo hummed. “We can’t just grab kids and leave.”

“Why not?” Dotty asked. “We have families too! What about us? They’re just gonna come here and slaughter us? Just because a kid got bitten? They do that twice a day!”

“Dotty, look at Theo,” Mateo said, pointing towards the door the boy was behind.

Sean pounded on the door, screaming at the top of his lungs to get out of the room. He rattled the handle, but the door was child-proofed and couldn’t open from the inside. The screams sounded like he was in pain but was laced with anger and the plan to devour. Sabrina looked up at Dotty who was wiping the tears from her face. “Maybe he’s just sick,” she said, choking up. Mateo and Sabrina entertained the idea in their heads. More so for their own sanity. They had seen sick children before. What they were experiencing seemed worse. A lot worse. “I agree,” Mateo appeased. “He could be sick. Maybe we can tell The Bureau that when they get here. But we aren’t taking these kids from here. If what they are saying is true, it’s best for all of us to just stay here.”

Dotty took a long deep breath. She considered what Mateo was saying. Sabrina, on the other hand, didn’t want to risk having hope. “If they were already here,” Sabrina said, “they would just finish the job. They aren’t coming to talk it out.” No one responded. Sabrina quickly thought that she should have kept her words to herself. She started to regret hanging up on The Administrator.

Before being able to get any further in thought, a loud banging at the door startled everyone in the room. Sabrina looked over at Mateo, who was just staring at the door. “Who’s going to get that?” Dotty asked. Sabrina walked out of the circle of babies and went over to the door, being careful not to get too close. The continuous banging got louder and echoed off the walls of the short hallway. “I need my baby!” The voice shouted through the door. “Please bring me my baby!” Sabrina searched her mind for the words to say. Everything she thought of came across as extremely odd to say to a parent. Nothing had prepared her for having to keep a baby from its parents.

“Hello?” Sabrina yelled toward the door, finally. The banging stopped and the voice became clearer.” “Hello? I just need my baby. I have to pick up my child.” The woman said. “Uh. I’m sorry but-“ Sabrina started. “What? I can’t hear you! Can you open the door?” the woman interrupted. Sabrina took a deep breath and tried to speak up. “I’m sorry, but we aren’t allowed to let anyone in right now.” The banging returned.“Let me in right now! You have my child and I demand that you open this door!” The room stiffened. The air around them felt warm and humid. Sabrina’s mouth became like gravel. Her tongue was like a slab of stone. “Open the door!” The women screamed.

The pounding got worse and worse with each hit. Sabrina began to pant with worry. “Ma’am?” She started. Her voice was lost in the sound. Sabrina tried to explain more but as soon as she started, the woman started to ram her weight into the door. Each time, the creak of the door got louder, and seemed like the entire frame of the wall was going to come down. Her demands became inaudible. Sabrina looked back at the others,who were in complete shock at what was doing on. Sabrina brought her attention back to the door, which was beginning to break open. Suddenly, a deep growl ripped through the air. Followed by a scream that sent chills down Sabrina’s entire body. She fell back onto the floor and tried to scoot away as fast as she could. The growls continued and coated her with goosebumps.

Before Sabrina could make it back to the care center, the door of the daycare came down, slamming onto the entrance of the building. The woman was laying on the door curled up in the door’s center. The figure standing at the door was a tall man, about 6’1’’, with short dark hair and a bloodied beard. The lenses of his glasses were broken, and pieces of the lens were buried into his cheeks. His snarling caused the woman to scream even louder. She tried to back away from him into the daycare center. He raced towards her, grabbed her by the blouse she was wearing, and bit into her scalp. She hollered into the air until her consciousness left her. The man snatched his teeth out of her blood-drenched head and began to chew what he pulled from her body. The flesh was satisfying and pleasing to the man. He took another bite as he dragged her limp body back outside into the night.

Sabrina got on her hands and knees and crawled back into the care center. “Oh my God, oh my God,” She repeated over and over. Her breaths became raspier and more labored. Before she could even turn around, Dotty let out a welp that forced Sabrina’s attention to her. Bella’s bite into Dotty’s calf caused Dotty to fall backward into the wall. She shoved Bella away from her. Bella tumbled over, tripping over one of the other kids. But she didn’t cry. She sat there breathing and groaning, never departing her gaze from Dotty. “Bella, what are you doing?” Dotty shouted. Bella didn’t move. Her eyes were more vacant than before. The pinkish tint Sabrina saw earlier was replaced with a bright red color. “Bella, are you ok?” Sabrina asked, walking towards her. Bella looked at Sabrina and stepped back, then returned her stare to Dotty.

“Bella, it’s ok. Come here.” Sabrina’sreassurance did nothing. “Ok, I think it’s time we get out of here,” Mateo suggested. His quivering voice was the only thing that made sense to Sabrina. Sabrina tried to stand to her feet but collapse under herself. Her trembling had gotten the better of her. "Wait, I need a second," she said, trying to gather herself. “What was that thing?” Mateo asked. “I’ve never seen anything like that before. Is that what The Admin was talking about?” Sabrina nodded.

After a moment or two, Sabrina’s legs felt stronger. She took a breath to brace herself as she tried to get up. She stood to her feet as she saw Dotty grab one of the babies and bit its leg. “Dotty!” Sabrina shrieked as she sunk her large teeth into the infant. The baby’s scream was weak but was as loud as it could get at its age. Dotty wrestled away the meat from the baby’s leg. She looked around at everyone in the room. First, at Sabrina. Then Mateo. Then at the rest of the kids. She spat the bloody meat out and a pang of worry stained her face as she saw our reaction. “No, no, no, no, no,” she repeated as if she was shaking thoughts from her head. She clenched her eyes shut, spewing blood with every deep breath she took. Then suddenly, she grunted and took another bite out go the child.

She ate deeply, getting more and more into the baby’s body. She seemed ravenous and vicious all of a sudden as if this is what she’s been missing all her life. Mateo clinched his head in his hands and screamed at the sight of Dotty eating the baby. Heavy tears streaked down his face in horror. He looked over at Sabrina through the sheet over tears covering his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said to her, backing away from them all. “I’m so sorry.” Mateo sprinted out of the front entrance of the daycare.

A couple of the other kids imitated Bella as she bit one of the kids next to her. They yelled, but she didn't relent. Bella's panicked screams scared the child as she became more of what she was transforming into. Two of the kids ran toward the gaping hole that used to be the front door. Sabrina headed toward them trying to get to them before they made it out. Just before she heard the gunshots.

Cruel Beyond Continues Here