THE ENEMY WITHIN

THE ENEMY WITHIN Chapter 1

THE

ENEMY

WITHIN

Scott Burn

Cover art by Maxim Mitenkov.

Copyright © 2016 by Scott Burn.

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any written, electronic, recording, or photocopying without written permission of the author. The exception would be in the case of brief quotations embodied in the critical articles or reviews and pages where permission is specifically granted by the author.

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

For Shane

Who saw one more than the rest of us

And

For Sarah

My favorite monster

1.

Clouds of smoke and ash swirled through the city. Tidal waves of fire consumed every helix-shaped building that rose into the burning sky. Max watched the colossal structures collapse with crushing force, shaking the earth.

Agonized screams echoed around him, but all Max could see through the scorching haze was the thousands of charred corpses - their arms outstretched as if reaching for salvation. Brittle bones turned to dust beneath him as he tried to run, but there was nowhere to hide.

No one ever survived the inferno - no one except Max, who was forced to watch a world's end over and over each day.

*

Cold, wet pavement pressed against his face. Max opened his eyes to find himself in the alley. Rain deluged the streets. He winced as he pushed himself upright, his fingernails raw from clawing at the pavement while in the grip of the last vision.

Max didn't want to die, but he knew there was only one escape and he'd take that tonight. Clutching the bolt cutter, he stepped out of the shadows into the night.

Streetlights reflected on the slick black pavement as he ran across the avenue to Miller's Drug Store. A thick padlock held the rusted gate shut. Using bolt cutters was more challenging than he imagined. Max strained until the lock split open. The gate screeched in protest as he slid it aside.

An alarm warning pulsed red through the window like the winking eye of a Terminator – but it didn't matter. By the time the police responded, he'd be gone. Max shielded his eyes and smashed the heavy bolt cutter into the window. Glass shattered. The alarm pierced the stillness as he cleared shards from the frame and darted inside through the gaping hole.

The flashlight cut a swath through the darkness. Cold and flu remedies were lit on one side, toothpaste on the other as he made his way down the aisle.

With a leap Max was over the pharmacy counter, scanning the rows until he found Klonopin. He emptied the container in his palm. Don't hesitate.

Each detail had been carefully planned out. He'd take the pills then climb up to the roof and fade away beneath the stars. Now though, he couldn't stop shaking. Tears welled in Max's eyes. A cry escaped his quivering lips. But then he saw the blood on his fingers.

Max jammed the pills in his mouth, and then drowned them with a bottle of water he snatched from the fridge. It didn't taste any different than tap water.