Trial by Fire Read online

  Baileigh Higgins

  Trial by Fire

  Heroes of the Apocalypse - Book 1

  Copyright © 2021 by Baileigh Higgins

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  Baileigh Higgins asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

  Baileigh Higgins has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

  Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

  First edition

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  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1 - Robert

  Chapter 2 - Theresa

  Chapter 3 - George

  Chapter 4 - Robert

  Chapter 5 - Clare

  Chapter 6 - Robert

  Chapter 7 - Susan

  Chapter 8 - Robert

  Chapter 9 - Ellen

  Chapter 10 - George

  Chapter 11 - Robert

  Chapter 12 - Susan

  Chapter 13 - Robert

  Chapter 14 - Rick

  Chapter 15 - Robert

  Chapter 16 - Theresa

  Chapter 17 - Robert

  Chapter 18 - Ellen

  Chapter 19 - Robert

  Chapter 20 - Amelia

  Chapter 21 - George

  Chapter 22 - Robert

  Chapter 23 - Amelia

  Chapter 24 - Robert

  Chapter 25 - Mason

  Chapter 26 - Clare

  Chapter 27 - Robert

  Chapter 28 - George

  Chapter 29 - Andrea

  Chapter 30 - Robert

  Chapter 31 - Ellen

  Chapter 32 - George

  Chapter 33 - Clare

  Chapter 34 - Robert

  Chapter 35 - Mason

  Chapter 36 - Theresa

  Chapter 37 - Rick

  Epilogue - Robert

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  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to Olivia for the stunning book cover design. You can check out her portfolio at https://www.fiverr.com/oliviaprodesign.

  Plus, a shout-out to Andrea Beatrice Reed. Not only does she appear in this book as a character, but she is a skilled editor and proofreader. I fully recommend her services, and she can be contacted here: [email protected]

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to Robert Stephenson, a volunteer firefighter. Thank you so much for the work you do, Robert. I hope you enjoy reading this apocalyptic adventure as much as I enjoyed writing it.

  But I’d also like to dedicate this story to all the unsung heroes of the world. The men and women who work tirelessly each day to ensure our comfort and safety. Firefighters, paramedics, policemen, doctors, nurses, operators, and more. You are all amazing human beings.

  Prologue

  Ana hummed beneath her breath and leaned back into the deep tub filled with bubbles. Candles lit the room with a soft golden glow, and a freshly laundered towel hung on the heated rail. She’d locked up the house and tucked the children into bed. All was at peace.

  Luke, her husband, was working late as he often did since he’d hired a new assistant. Red-headed and shaped like an hourglass, she looked like a twenty-year-old Ana, exactly Luke’s type. Fresh from college, the girl was eager to please and ambitious. Too ambitious, perhaps.

  But for once, these thoughts didn’t bother Ana. She pushed aside her nagging doubts about her marriage and allowed herself to relax. The warm water caressed her skin, and the fragrant bubbles tickled her nose. Essential oils soothed away the cares of the world, and the fine lines on her face receded.

  Vaguely, she registered the front door opening and the heavy tread of feet on the stairs. They paused in front of the bathroom door, and a knock sounded.

  Smothering an annoyed sigh, she sat upright. “Luke? Is that you?”

  “It’s me,” he said, his voice strained.

  Ana frowned. “Is something wrong?”

  “I got attacked on the way home by some drunk asshole,” Luke said. “He bit me on the hand.”

  “Oh? Is it bad?” Ana asked, finding it hard to care.

  “It hurts, and it’s pretty swollen,” Luke said, a whiny note entering his voice.

  Ana rolled her eyes. “There are band-aids and disinfectants in the kitchen cupboard. Your supper is in the oven.”

  “But it hurts, Ana,” Luke repeated.

  “I’ll be right down,” Ana said, shaking her head. So much for peace and quiet.

  “Promise? I might need to go to the hospital,” Luke said.

  “I swear; I won’t be long,” Ana said. Drama queen.

  Luke retreated down the stairs, and she sank back into the warm bath. She had no intention of cutting her alone-time short for him, the cheating bastard. Screw him. His new assistant can kiss his boo-boos for all I care.

  After another thirty minutes spent soaking in the tub, Ana finally dragged herself out with a sigh of regret. She patted her skin dry with the warm towel and pulled on her pajamas, dressing gown, and slippers. Tying her hair in a loose knot, she prepared to face Luke.

  As her hand reached for the door, the shrill screams of her children caused her to freeze. Oliver and Paisley sounded as if the demons from hell were after them, and a spurt of adrenalin rushed through her veins.

  Without a thought for her safety, Ana rushed toward the children’s bedroom. In her haste, she knocked over a candle. It rolled toward the wall and came to a rest an inch below the delicate lace curtains. Before the flame could snuff out, it caught hold of the material. Instantly, fiery flames raced up toward the roof.

  Smoke billowed outward, and sparks caught alight on the towels, washcloths, and shower curtain. It was an old house, its walls like tinder, ready for the match. Within minutes, the house was on fire, burning out of control. A neighbor called the emergency services, and a fire truck was dispatched.

  It raced toward the scene, its crew unaware of the horror that awaited them at their destination. Caught in the grip of a pandemic, Burlington teetered on the edge of destruction.

  Ignorant of these events, Ana rushed to her children’s aid. She dashed into their room only to stumble to a stop. Looming over the kids was their father, Luke. They were huddled together in a corner, trapped.

  Luke turned when he heard her enter and stared at her with blank eyes. His lips peeled back from his teeth, and he snarled.

  “Luke? What are you doing?” Ana cried.

  Her eyes fell to his hand, and she noticed the puffy bite mark that stretched the skin. Blood dripped from the wound onto the carpet, and she idly wondered how she’d get the stain out of the fibers.

  “Luke? Are you listening? You’re scaring the children,” she said, desperate to calm him down.

  Luke snarled, the picture of insanity, and she wrung her hands in an anguished plea. “Luke, please. Stop this.”

  He ignored her words and barreled toward her with his arms outstretched. On nimble feet, she danced around one of the beds, dodging his reach. He tried to follow, but his movements were awkward and stiff, and he tumbled over the bed.

  Ana eyed his every move as he struggled to regain his feet. She had to get her children to safety, but something was off. Smoke drifted into the room, stinging her eyes, and she coughed when it invaded her lungs. The house! It’s on fire!

  “Oliver, Paisley, get out of —” Clawed fingers grabbed hold of her leg, and she screamed with fright. Lashing out, her foot connected with Luke’s face and smashed his nose to a pulp. She broke loose and sped across the room, searching for a weapon to fend him off.

  But she never made it to the door. Brutal hands whirled her around and slammed her up against the wall. Crazed eyes stared into hers, and she wondered if there was anything human left inside of her husband. There was nothing but emptiness.

  Luke was gone.

  Dizzy with fright, she tried to hold him at bay, but he was stronger than her. Inch by inch, his gnashing teeth grew closer until they sank into the tender flesh of her shoulder.

  Ana screamed as pure agony raced through her nervous system. Through tear-filled eyes, she spotted the horrified faces of Oliver and Paisley. Summoning the last of her reserves, she shouted, “Oliver. Take your sister and hide in the cupboard. Now!”

  Oliver nodded and rushed Paisley away from the scene. With a grunt of fury, Ana shoved
Luke away and ran down the stairs. He followed, but his gait was clumsy, and he crashed to the bottom of the landing.

  Ana never stopped running, sprinting toward the front door. She yanked it open and tore out into the night. On auto-pilot, she looked back just as Luke regained his feet. He came howling toward her, and her blood turned to ice. Without thinking it through, she slammed the door shut in his face.

  Bright, flashing lights caught her attention, and the blare of sirens filled her ears. She clutched her robe to her chest, conscious of her naked body underneath. A paramedic ran toward her and grabbed her by the arm.

  “Ma’am, please come with me. It’s not safe here.”

  “No, I have to go back. Please,” Ana begged. “My children.”

  Ignoring her pleas for help, he dragged her toward the waiting ambulance.

  Ana fought him every step of the way, her eyes fixed on the upper story. Smoke billowed from an open window, and her heart jumped into her throat. “Wait! My children are still in there.”

  “It’s alright, ma’am. We’ll send someone in to rescue them.”

  “No, you don’t understand. Luke will kill them.”

  “Ma’am, please calm down. You’re not making any sense.”

  “Sense? What sense? My husband bit me,” Ana said, baring her wounded flesh to the paramedic’s shocked gaze.

  “Let me help you,” he said. “I need to stop the bleeding.”

  But Ana refused, screaming like a banshee. The closed front door of the house mocked her, and she cursed herself for shutting it. By doing that, she’d locked her crazed husband inside with the children.

  “Oliver, hide! Take Paisley and hide!” she screamed until her voice became hoarse, hoping they could hear her. It was their only chance, trapped inside with a monster.

  “Ma’am, please,” the paramedic said. “Calm down.” A sharp sting in her upper arm followed his words, and Ana sagged as the drug took hold of her muscles. “No, you… you don’t understand.”

  Time slowed, and the world grew hazy around her. Her brain spun in circles, each thought crazier than the last. She imagined her children’s soft cries, their fear, and pain as real as her own.

  Two firefighters ran past, and she caught the nearest by the arm. “You’ve got to help them. My kids!”

  “Ma’am, please. Calm down. We’ll do everything we can, I promise,” the fireman said, pulling free from her grip.

  The paramedics grabbed her by the arms and hauled her away. “You don’t understand. He’s trying to kill them. He tried to kill me.”

  “He what?” the second firefighter asked with a look of confusion.

  “My husband. He’s a monster. He bit me,” Ana cried.

  The first fireman stared at her, his mouth agape. “What the—”

  At that moment, someone shouted, “Get in there. Now!”

  The firefighters ran toward the house, and Ana sagged with relief. Finally, someone was going after her children. She allowed the paramedics to guide her to their vehicle. There she sat, watching as the firemen ducked into her house. “Save them. Please, save them.”

  Her drugged mind was in a daze, but even then, she could feel it. Deep inside her brain, it wriggled like a worm on a hook. As the minutes passed, it grew stronger. So strong that it obliterated the effects of the drugs in her system.

  Hunger exploded throughout her being, and all rational thought burned away until nothing remained. Ana was no more.

  With a guttural growl, she sprang at the nearest paramedic and buried her teeth into his jugular. Warm flesh and blood filled her mouth and pooled in her stomach. For a brief moment, she felt a spark of life, and the hollow void inside her chest faded.

  The sensation didn’t last.

  The hunger returned as it always would.

  Never-ending and merciless.

  In time, it would devour the world and everything in it.

  Chapter 1 - Robert

  Robert gripped the seat with both hands as the fire truck took a sharp turn, and the streets of Burlington sped past the windows. The sirens blared, lights flashing through the night as the traffic gave way to the red monster barreling down the freeway.

  He sucked in a deep breath to prepare himself for what was to come. Getting called to a scene never failed to stir up a melting pot of emotions—a weird mixture of exhilaration, fear, excitement, and dread. With him sat Mason, George, and Susan, their expressions mirroring his. Lieutenants Briggs and White were in the front with Captain Schmidt.

  “Gear up, team. That is a working fire,” the captain yelled.

  Robert pulled on his full turnout gear and shrugged the air pack onto his back. Next, he secured the mask over his face before reaching for the regulator. As the breathing apparatus settled into place, they swerved to a stop in front of a burning building. He quickly put on the rest of his outfit and checked his equipment one last time—all good.

  His boots landed on the sidewalk with a thud, and Robert gazed at the source of the fire. The building turned out to be a suburban home, a two-story mansion with a sweeping lawn and a picket fence—the picture of suburban bliss. Only now, it was a scene from hell.

  An ambulance was already on the scene, with two paramedics giving oxygen to a woman on the sidewalk. Her nightgown was smeared with ash, and her eyes glared white from a face blackened by soot.

  She was hysterical, fighting the medics every step of the way. Her shrill voice cut through the air, and Robert’s heart sank. That likely meant this would be a rescue, probably children. Man, I hope not.

  The captain hurried over to get a report on the situation while George jumped out and grabbed the hose. He pulled it toward the fire hydrant while the rest of the team got into position.

  “Right, listen up,” Captain Schmidt said, running back. “This is a rescue. The husband and two kids are still inside. The last report says they’re trapped on the top floor. Robert, get ready to go in.”

  Robert nodded, limbering up as adrenaline flushed through his veins. “Yes, Captain!”

  “Mason, you’re with Robert. The rest of you, form the line,” the captain ordered.

  Robert ran toward the house, followed by Mason. They paused a few feet from the front door, waiting for the water to come on. “Ready for this, Mason?”

  Mason bobbed his head. “Are you?”

  “Always!”

  The windows exploded outward as the glass caved under the intense heat, and orange flames flickered up to the roof. Smoke billowed into the sky, and ash rained down on the two-person team.

  Suddenly, a hand grabbed Robert’s elbow. It was the woman. She tugged at his gear, her expression frantic. “You’ve got to help them. My kids!”

  “Ma’am, please. Calm down. We’ll do everything we can, I promise,” Robert said, pushing her back the way she’d come.

  The paramedics grabbed her by the arms and hauled her away, kicking and screaming. “You don’t understand. He’s trying to kill them. He tried to kill me.”

  “He what?” Mason asked, standing close to Robert.

  “My husband. He’s a monster. He bit me,” the woman screamed. She flashed a bare shoulder marred by a gaping wound. The flesh was torn to the bone, and blood ran down her arm in a steady stream.

  Robert stared at her, his mouth agape. “What the—”

  At that moment, the water came on, and the captain shouted, “Get in there. Now!”

  Robert turned away from the woman, his mind in turmoil. He eyed the door. What in hell’s name is going on in there?

  “Come on,” Mason cried, rushing past Robert.

  Robert followed, ducking into the house without further hesitation. Whatever the situation might be, he’d face it head-on. It was what they’d trained for—just part of the job.

  Together, Robert and Mason navigated the ground floor. Visibility was poor, and the heat was scorching. Flames climbed up the walls and crawled across the ceiling. The structure groaned as the beams expanded, and he knew they had precious little time left. “Hurry!”

  He found the stairs and ran up to the second floor. On the landing, Robert paused for a brief moment. “Hello? Anybody there?” Shrill screams reached his ears, the terrified cries of kids scared to death. It came from a doorway to the left, and he turned to Mason. “In there.”