Acceleration

by Lin Larson

  “Stay with me. I’m lonely.” Sean implored, suddenly quiet.

  “No. We’re leaving. We’re going to live our normal lives.”

  CLICK. “You locked the door. Unlock it Sean. Let us go.”

  “No!” Sean’s voice boomed. “I can destroy you if I want to.”

  “Yes,” Sam replied quietly. “But you won’t. Unlock the door.”

  “I don’t want to be alone anymore. No No NO NO!” Sean’s voice seemed to speed and go into a high register. He kept turning his head back and forth, back and forth, pulling on the wires which suddenly burst into flames. The fire traveled in a split second to the computer. Suddenly the fire sizzled and exploded into a massively flaming computer wall. It began to crawl, snapping and sizzling to the other walls.

  Sam stared. “Pull out the wires, Sean. Get out, please Sean. Get out before you catch fire too.”

  Caroline grabbed Sam hand and cried out. “Run.” She pulled him to the door. “It’s still locked!”

  Sam turned to Sean and the now three burning walls. “Open the door, Sean. You can still hear us. Don’t take us with you. I’m Sammy, your brother. You remember me.”

  Suddenly the door unlocked. Caroline took Sam’s hand and pulled him through the door and into the hallway.

  “To the elevator,” Caroline yelled as she yanked the stunned Sam along.

  They reached the lift and ran in. Caroline slammed the button to close the doors and the other button for the first floor. The lift began to move.

  “I should have saved him,” Sam stared and mumbled.

  “You couldn’t. He killed himself.” Caroline said as she panted and tried to catch her breath.

  Sam stared at the doors. His brother was now truly dead.

  They faced the front of the elevator and waited nervously for first floor.

  Sam said absently. “Lately I have this thing for fires.”

  Caroline didn’t understand. Was he in shock?

  Sam shook himself. “Sorry. I’m okay.”

  The lift doors opened onto the third floor. The backs of two men with ugly automatic weapons hung from their sides. They were turned slightly away from the lift doors.

  “Oops, wrong floor.” Sam said as he pounded the close and the elevator suddenly descended. “I think we’re going to the basement. Someone else pushed it first.”

  The elevator doors suddenly opened upon the basement floor and madness. People of all sizes, with withered-aging bodies, stormed into the elevator and threatened to crush Sam and Caroline against the walls. Sam held tight to Caroline’s hand and pushed forward. They reached the button, but the doors would not close. More people shoved to get in.

  “We have to get out, Caroline!” Sam shouted. “Hang onto me!” He felt like he was being smothered as they squeezed through the crushing mob. It seemed that they would never get clear without falling, but he finally felt space and yanked Caroline after him. Gasping with relief, they turned and scanned the crowd. The multitude seemed to be crazy with fear as they wailed and pushed madly.

  “Calm down!” Sam shouted. “You’ll be all right. You’re too many for the elevator. Some of you pull back towards me. We need to let one load go and then the rest of us will follow! Some of you come out.” But Sam’s words were lost in their plaintiff wailings for life. He couldn’t blame them. The sirens were blaring. He wasn’t sure exactly how all would escape.

  “Stairs! Over there. It’s on a different side from Sean.” They ran, but the crowd was one step behind them, pushing them aside, and pounding on the stairway door.

  “Locked, they can’t get through!” Caroline’s voice was beginning to show fear.

  “There’s got to be a way out. Let’s try the ventilation system and see if there’s a way through. I hope it’s big enough. If it is, you game?”

  “Well, I’m not terribly athletic and healthy right now, but…” Caroline winced. “Are you sure we’ll find a way out that way?”

  “No,” Sam shrugged, “but, otherwise, we’re trapped.” He looked back at the mob, now attacking and fighting the people still in the elevator.

  Caroline followed his look and heard the screams. “You’re right. Lead on Tarzan. We need to climb up, I’ll try.” She looked up worriedly.

  “Right, Jane. We can do this, honey.” He tried to smile with reassurance.

  The crowd was so bewildered and frantic that it paid no attention to a couple climbing a chair from a side room and Sam held Caroline up to the ceiling vent.

  “Can you get the panel off?”

  “I can’t reach it,” Caroline stammered.

  “Hold on. I’m going to try and balance you up on my shoulders.” Sam tensed as he held Caroline up, and she mounted his shoulders.

  “I think I’ve got it. Ouch!”

  “What happened?” Sam braced for her fall.

  “I broke my nail. It’s okay, I’ve got it,” and the panel fell open onto Caroline’s head as she lost her balance and fell.

  Sam managed to break most of her fall. He held her closely as they sat on the chair. “We may be clumsy but we try,” he laughed. “You okay?”

  “Yep.” Caroline grinned. “Now you get to climb up and pull me up. Ready, Clyde?”

  Sam chuckled. “Yes, dear Bonnie. We are a good team. However, you said Bonnie and Clyde died in a hail of bullets. Let’s hope we are luckier.” He sat her on her feet. “Hold the chair tightly. I may knock it over when I reach up.”

  “I’ll hold it, I think,” Caroline said nervously.

  “Wait. He grabbed a sheet from a nearby laundry basket and twisted it as best he could and tied it around his waist. “A rope would be better but we are resourceful. Now I’m going to climb up and extend our sheet rope. Grab on and I’ll pull you up. Don’t let go. Do you think you can hold on?”

  “I have to,” said Caroline.

  “Yes, we have to,” said Sam as he hugged her. “Let’s go.”

  Sam made it up. Caroline climbed quickly onto the chair and grabbed the sheet rope.

  He hauled her up and pulled her over the top and into the shaft. They looked down. The mob was attacking and killing each other. He left the ceiling grate open just in case they wanted to try and escape their way, but he didn’t have time to help them. And they were so frail and so many. Also, Sam could feel heat building in the vent. They might not make it themselves.

  “Sam, it’s getting warm on the floor,” Caroline said nervously.

  “I noticed. Let’s go.” Sam looked. “Wait.” He scooted up to Caroline and gave her a long lingering kiss. “If we’re going to die, we need a last moment of joy first. Thanks, my love.”

  “My love. That’s sweet. You’re welcome. Now we crawl. You’re bribing me with affection first.” she laughed.

  He nodded his head with a laugh, and they began to crawl quickly. Their hands and knees stung as the heat intensified. There were wrong turns and backtracking. They finally opened a ceiling door which led to the first floor of the building. Boosting each other up, they made it. Pausing for a minute, they then stood up, and yanked open the last door. They sprang out into dense smoke. It also was very dark.

  “Where now? Right or left or straight?” Caroline coughed as she muttered the words.

  “Mind if I cough with you?” Sam followed with his own coughing burst. “Okay, how about forward.” He coughed again and grabbed her hand. Sam saw a faint light in the distance. He hoped it was an exit sign and not a stairwell. They inched along in the darkness. They felt a glass doorway and a handle. It opened and they rammed into a crowd of moving bodies. The people carried them along as they fought to keep hold of their hands. Finally, they plunged out a door into the cold air and darkness of night. The people began to scatter and then fall in relief upon the ground. Sam and Caroline felt the same way and found a secluded spot further away from the masses.

  For the first time in days Sam felt no fear and dread as he collapsed onto the grass. He happily pulled Caroline down next to him. She then tu
rned away and curled into a ball.

  Catching his breath, he laughed. “You look cute. Do you realize that we actually made it, honey?”

  Caroline didn’t answer. Sam looked at her tenderly as she lay on the ground. “Darling?” There was no answer.

  Sam nudged her playfully. “Caroline, we made it.” He turned her gently towards him. “Are you asleep already?” he said teasingly. Then his gasped and stared. She wasn’t seeing him. Her eyes had veiled themselves in an opaque shield. Her skin was turning in upon itself and drying up. Even in the moonlight he could see in horror as she aged at grotesque speed.

  “Oh, no. Baby, no. Stop, not now…” He held her close as if his will could stop the terrible process. “I love you.” He rocked her gently as tears glistened in his eyes and flowed down his face. He sobbed as he held her tightly.

  “Tell me what to do, darling. I don’t know what to do,” Sam whispered over and over until his voice was lost to the wind. He finally eased his body beside her and grasped his hand on hers. Exhausted, he closed his eyes. There was nothing more that he could do, just lie beside her. He’d hold her hand though and not let go.

  #

  Caroline died. Perhaps she wasn’t as strong as Sean and the others or did she not want to live like she was at the end? She had awakened once, looked at her hand, felt her face, and then put her hand back in his.

  He had felt it and opened his eyes. He brought their hands up, kissed hers, and then he noticed. He looked from their hands to her face. She knew and tried not to cry.

  “Darling, you are still very beautiful inside and out… Caroline, don’t leave me.”

  “I’m in love with you, Sam, but I guess I’m too old for you now,” she whispered.

  “Never too old for me. I love you too. Don’t leave me.” He blurted out the words.

  Her fingers went to his lips. “Shh, it’s okay. I got myself into this mess. It’s not your fault. Plus, it led me to you.”

  “I should have taken you with me the first time. It’s my fault that you got worse.” His voice shook with emotion.

  “It was my choice to stay. And I couldn’t have left that first time.” She smiled. “Sam, we stopped them, didn’t we?”

  “We sure did.” Sam kissed her cheek;

  She smiled faintly and died.

  Sam sat up. “Oh no, don’t go.” He took her body in his arms, as if he could transfer his life into hers. “Take me with you if you have to leave,” he said softly. “Please.” But there was no answer. Sam held her, and the stars watched.

  When morning came, Sam stood and blinked in surprise at the bright sunlight. Why was he still alive? He felt ravaged and empty. He looked at Caroline, but he had to look away. It hurt too much. He turned back to stare at the hospital site. The rubble seemed to glare back at him. He felt satisfaction at its destruction, but heavy regret at the cost. Sean’s work had caused the fire and brought it all down. It caused many deaths, but it was over. The madness was gone or was it? There was still Silas Jenson. A shiver flooded his body. Jensen. He needs to be stopped and prosecuted. Can it be done? Yes, and he would make sure of it. But how?

  Silas Jensen was still alive. Could his network be rebuilt? Was he the top gun or another? Sam was going to find out, but he wasn’t the same person who called Jensen those hours before. Something had died inside Sam, at least for now. He felt cold. He was that soldier from years before, but one filled with a hatred he had never known.

  Sam noticed that the local authorities were on the scene now also. He walked up to a young police officer as the man covered a body. Sam was sure that he must look a mess. His shirt and pants were torn and filthy, and he needed a shave. He’d last cleaned himself up while at Jessup’s. It seemed so long ago now. He’d have to just approach the cop like he was an important person. He kind of was. He had added to the destruction.

  “Mister, there’s a body of a young girl, a Caroline Mekka, on the ridge in the trees over there.” He pointed. “Can you see that she’s taken care of, please? She was an innocent victim.”

  “Sure. Yes, of course. Sir, do you know what happened here? No one tells us beat cops anything,” he asked.

  He’s so young, Sam thought.

  “I don’t know, sorry. I just stumbled on her body and recognized her. I need to see a guy named Silas Jensen from the FBI. Have you seen him?” Sam asked authoritatively.

  The cop looked at Sam strangely. “How’d you get so messed up, Mister?”

  “I was sent to help organize transfer of the people last night. We didn’t expect the explosion.” Sam’s eyes took on a faraway look.

  “Must have been awful, Sir. Sorry I asked.” The young cop looked sincerely concerned.

  “It’s fine, but it was hell,” he said grimly.

  “Yeah,” the cop replied as he shifted his feet uncomfortably.

  “You were saying where Mr. Jensen is?” Sam said sternly.

  “The guys were talking about him. I think he’s gone to meet some other big shots.”

  Sam snapped. “You still haven’t answered my question, Mister. Where?”

  “Sorry, Sir. I think he said in Washington. Yeah. I’m sure of it. He said he had to catch a plane and that his bosses are going to be very unhappy.”

  “I’m sure they will be. You have a vehicle?” Sam asked.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “The keys? I’ll inform your superiors that I have it,” said Sam. The cop hesitated. “Now, young man,” Sam continued, “Unless you want heavy trouble on yourself, I’d give me the keys, now.” Sam’s face was like iron.

  The young cop blanched. “Sorry, Sir, yes Sir. Here, I’m parked over there.” He pointed a short distance.

  “Thank you. I will remember to commend you to your superiors. Your name is?”

  “Kellogg, Sir. Officer Andrew Kellogg,” he replied.

  “Thank you, Officer Kellogg. Now take care of the girl’s body.” Sam quickly turned on his heels, walked to the appointed car, and drove away.

  Kellogg, standing in the ruins, swallowed hard and grabbed a blanket. He walked towards the ridge and approached the trees. Looking down at the body, he stared as thoughts meandered through his head. That guy’s playing some sort of joke on me. This isn’t a young girl. It’s an old dame. He snorted and covered the body. He carried it carefully towards the others, near a truck. What did he say her name was, oh yes, Caroline Mekka. I wonder if she was related to this Mekka Corporation. Maybe she was the Grandmother of the founder. Oh, well, she’s dead now. He wrote out a tag and pinned it to her clothes.

  How did he ever get placed on this job? He sure wished that he were home with his wife. Right now he wanted to touch a loving hand. He yearned to be away from this carnage. He had a half hour left on this shift. He wondered briefly about the strange man he’d met. He sure hoped his boss didn’t get upset about his losing his vehicle to the guy. He didn’t even get his name.”

  He looked at the old woman’s body again and gently pulled the blanket over her face. He wondered briefly what happened to her. He pushed it out of his mind, as he wrapped the blanket around her more securely. “Rest in peace lady,” he whispered, as he picked her up and carried her to a truck, where she would join the rest of the dead.

  #

  Sam had been just driving forward. He needed a plan. This was crazy to just drive. All right, he’d drive north and then cross over into California and aim for San Francisco, where he’d call his friend and agent, Ben. He looked at the gas gauge. “Umm, a pretty full tank. Good. He might just make it. He muttered emotionally. “Thank you.”

  He suddenly thought about Jessup. He hoped he was okay. When this was over, he needed to go back and tell him he survived and thank him properly. He couldn’t go back now. Jensen’s men may be watching for him. Returning would have to be in the future, whenever that might be. But for now, he would keep going.

  He did. Sam drove on and on.

  CHAPTER 18

  “Ben?”

  “Yes.�
��

  “It’s Sam.”

  “Sam, where are you?” Ben implored. “What happened? You’ve been all over the news. The police and FBI are all chattering and demanding your surrender. What the blazes did you do?”

  “It’s complicated. I’m on my way to San Francisco. I stumbled on horrible activities created by the government and involving my brother. I’m trying to figure out what to do now. There are a lot of bad guys involved. You know me, Ben, I’m not one of them.” Sam sighed. He felt awfully tired.

  “I’m sorry, Sam. I didn’t mean to accuse you. I am on your side. What’s important is that you’re not hurt. I’ve been very worried about you. How can I help?”

  Sam was relieved. “Thanks, Ben. Your help and belief in me means a lot.” He still had one friend. Ben had been his agent from the beginning, and they also had become long-time friends. He had taken Sam under his wing and stood by him through his adjustment after the Army, family amused at Sam’s reluctance to speak with people who recognized him, but Sam was always respectful to his fans. He just treasured his privacy. Ben, however, loved the parties, and he definitely liked the money. But then, Sam had to admit that he wasn’t tragedy, and his discomfort with being a now famous writer. He had always been opposed to the money either.

  “Sam, where are you?” Ben interrupted his thoughts. “What can I do?”

  “I hate to ask, but can you lend me an advance on my sales, say two thousand for now?” Sam said. “I’ve lost my wallet and might get arrested, if they find out that I’m still alive, and if it’s true that I’m a wanted man now. I might get caught. if I try to access my bank account. Eventually I hope to clear myself. You know I’m good for the money. I’ll come to you to get it. I hate to ask when you just paid me with a big royalty check, however.”

  “Sure. No problem. I like your big royalties and my cut also, I also know that the checks will keep coming,” Ben said. “But why would they arrest you. I hoped that they just want to talk to you.”