Zombie Road VI: Highway to Heartache

by David A. Simpson

  When he woke up again, he was in an overstuffed chair and thought he might have dreamed the whole thing about floating under water. He didn’t exactly hurt but he was sore all over. His hands went to his sides, feeling for the guns but he wasn’t wearing them. He didn’t sense danger, though. The room felt safe. He remembered the fight with Ricketts and reached up to touch his head. It felt fine, not even a bandage. He must have been out for a long time. Weeks, maybe months. He wondered if he had been in a coma and wondered how he got to a hospital. The building had been on fire and he didn’t remember driving anywhere. Then he remembered other things. The other Jessie and the time traveling bracelet. Scarlet losing the battle against the virus.

  He sprang up, ready for pain to hit him but none came. He had definitely been out for a while. He must be in the Tower, it was the only place with advanced medical equipment, the only place that could have taken care of him if he’d been in a coma. It didn’t look like the Tower. The room was grayish and cluttered and dirty. Things had familiar shapes but were different. The door was obviously a door but it was steel and rounded. The floor was a floor but it was textured and made of metal. The desk had strange contraptions on it and the light didn’t seem to be coming from anywhere, it just was. He slid out of the reclining chair and tested his legs. They seemed to work fine. He was wearing the same clothes he’d been wearing when they attacked the Cult but they were clean and all of the rips and tears had been mended. They looked brand new.

  The door slid into the wall and it took him a minute to figure out how to make it work. He pushed and pulled and jerked but when he rested his hand on it, it slid away with a quiet hiss.

  Scarlet looked up when he entered the kitchen area.

  “I’m glad to see you have awakened.” she said “Welcome.”

  Jessie ran to her but she held up a hand to stop him.

  “I am not for your pleasure.” she said, her voice cold and her features neutral. He stopped, confused.

  “I wasn’t going to…” he started then broke off.

  He was flummoxed. It was her but it wasn’t.

  She went back to preparing some sort of stew. He searched her face, looking for the telltale signs of infection, the dark runners or the blackened eye but they were gone. The three diagonal scars were still there but her complexion was clear. Her hair was long and black, the blonde was only at the roots, like it had been during their first few weeks at the farmhouse. When they’d first got to know each other.

  “Scarlet is still healing.” she said. “Her affliction will take another seventeen earth days to purge.”

  She continued dicing potatoes or something that looked like a potato.

  “She is in the infirmary if you’d like to see her.”

  She pointed to another door and Jessie moved across the room on auto pilot. The weird room with weird furniture and weird light and weird, muted colors. He managed to get the door to slide open without fighting it and saw her, encased inside a glass coffin, floating in an opaque liquid. This was the Scarlet he knew. Battle scarred with chopped hair that was more blonde than black. Her leathers and batons were cleaned and repaired and slung over a chair. The room was much cleaner and more organized than the others, it was obviously a small medical facility. He stared at her resting peacefully, at the strange box with unreadable writing and indicator lights that could have meant anything. Why wasn’t she drowning? The other Scarlet said it would be seventeen earth days before she would be purged. He wondered what that was all about.

  “Your food is prepared.” A voice called out and he snapped back to the present. He’d pushed her clothes aside and sat down for a moment but time must have passed. He felt like he was still dreaming and realized there weren’t any windows when he walked back into the main living area.

  “What is this place?” he asked

  She didn’t answer and he sat at the table. The food smelled okay, he couldn’t say it smelled good because he’d never actually smelled what he was smelling before.

  “It is unflavored. Spices are available if you would like. I do not know your preferences.”

  “Who are you?” he asked and again she didn’t answer.

  She stood at the end of the counter and stared unblinking at him and he got the feeling if he were to challenge her to a staring contest, he’d lose by about a week.

  “You’re kind of creeping me out.” he said.

  “I do not know who you are so I do not know which protocols I should enact.” she said.

  “Well,” Jessie said. “I guess we can start from the beginning. Hi. I’m Jessie. How are you.”

  “You are not Jessie and I am in optimum health.” she replied.

  He looked at her for a long moment, considered meeting his future self, thought about being completely healed by floating in a tank of strange water and took in his surroundings.

  “What year is this?” he asked.

  She didn’t answer.

  “Are you a robot?” he tried.

  She was silent.

  “Where are the time travel bracelets?” he asked.

  Nothing.

  Jessie stood, pushed the food away and stalked over to the other door. He had to find out what was going on, where he was and more importantly, when he was.

  “You cannot go outside.” she said and moved to intercept him.

  “Watch me.” he growled.

  “You will die.” she stated.

  Jessie kept walking but his eyes darted for a weapon.

  “You gonna kill me?” he asked.

  “No. The air will.” she replied and stepped in front of the door.

  “Sure, it will.” he said and reached out to push her aside.

  He stumbled and nearly tripped over his own feet when his hand passed right through her and he was thrown off balance. He recovered and stared.

  “You’re a hologram?” he asked, amazed at how real she looked.

  He slowly extended a finger to touch her.

  It passed through her arm as if it wasn’t there.

  Then it was.

  Solid like a chunk of steel and wrapped around his hand tight as a glove and unmoving as a building. He pulled. She didn’t budge, not even the slightest hair. She was as solid as a mountain and his hand was trapped.

  “Let go.” he said and pulled harder to jerk her off her feet.

  She was unmoved, rooted to the floor. He put a foot on each of her knees, grabbed his wrist and strained with all his might. He might as well have been trying to lift a tank. Suddenly he was falling backward, she had turned to air again. He looked up from the floor, examined his hand and asked.

  “What are you?”

  “I am your protector.” she said. “Your questions might be answered in seventeen earth days, once Scarlet has awoken. Until then, I do not have mission parameters. You are not supposed to be here. I cannot divulge information to unauthorized entities. Jessie sent you here for a reason although I do not understand why. If Scarlet allows you permission to query the database, you will be granted full access.”

  Jessie stood, starting to get annoyed.

  “I’m Jessie.” he said. “I grant myself permission. Where is the database?”

  “You’re not Jessie.” she said simply and clicked a lock on the door. “Your food is getting cold.”

  Afterword

  This concludes the story of Jessie and Scarlet in the Zombie Road world. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. There are still a few loose ends but most of them have been tied up. There will always be unanswered questions about people and things when the characters inhabit such a huge world but I have tried to complete story arcs without leaving too many dangling threads. Hopefully, you can close this book and be satisfied with a conclusion of sorts.

  The first three books told the tale of the outbreak, the journey to safety and building the walled city.

  The second three books explored the rebuilding of the nation, eliminating most of its enemies and the doomed love affair of two s
pecial teenagers.

  The world is recovering, cities are flourishing, the undead are withering away. The boy got the girl, the good guys won and the mad men who arose from the ruins have been dealt with.

  Yah! I love happy endings.

  Jessie the Traveler is stuck in this world with no way out. He was always a loner and a little crotchety, I’m sure he’ll carry on as he once was, doing Road Angel stuff. He didn’t get the girl but in a way he did. He knows she’s safe and with someone he trusts. Himself.

  Winter is coming but they will be prepared.

  Elections are soon, too. When November rolls around, Gunny will finally be able to step down as acting president and someone else can take over. Someone duly elected.

  He’ll probably retire, tinker on old cars and fish. Maybe start a distillery. After he signs an executive order making it legal, of course.

  The Tower is still being standoffish but they may have a change of heart and decide to share knowledge.

  I imagine Griz will make an honest woman out of the good Sheriff and have a fancy church wedding. She’s Catholic after all.

  Tombstone, Cascade, the Island and dozens of other communities will flourish now that they don’t have madmen trying to kill them. Trade routes have been established, Airplanes are in use again and the Hell Drivers can get any part anywhere in a day or less or delivery is free.

  The central States are becoming a civilized and genteel nation.

  What’s next? Lawyers, taxes and politicians?

  Maybe Gunny will sign an executive order against those before he leaves office.

  The future is so bright, they gotta wear shades.

  If you are through with the people and places you’ve met along the way, read no farther. I have unanswered questions and if you keep reading, they may become your unanswered questions also.

  The Anubis cult was completely obliterated. Except for the labs under the hospital but no one knows about those. Right?

  Casey was left busted up and bit, trapped in a gully with zombies tumbling down from above. I’m pretty sure there is no way he can survive that, this isn’t a Friday the 13th story where the bad guy comes back to life every time.

  We’re don’t know exactly where or when Jessie and Scarlet wound up. They have a protector, though. She (it?) will keep them safe so life should be worry free and easy. Except for the guys the other Jessie made enemies with. He seemed fairly certain they held grudges. But surely, young Jessie can just explain he’s not the same guy, they’ll understand. Just a simple misunderstanding. Really, fellas. I’m not him.

  He and Scarlet will probably settle down to a simple, quiet life. Maybe open an accounting office or something.

  The ancient Jessie sounds like he had a hard time finding them, like he’d been searching for millennia and when he finally did get to her, he let her go. He was probably just kidding about living for thousands of years. Nobody is that old. His story would probably be boring.

  The Tower is guarding its technology and secrets closely. Who knows what kind of mutated super soldiers they might come up with using Scarlets tainted blood? Or what they’ll do with that time machine.

  Why was Sandy gaining so much weight?

  Whatever became of all those kids living with the animals?

  That is one of the few questions I can answer. The following pages are the first chapters of a new series set in the Zombie Road world. It’s not exactly a first draft but we’ll probably tweak it a little more before release. It’s a retelling of the beginning from a different perspective. I have been working with another very talented writer on this new set of books and we hope you’ll like them. Wesley Norris has written numerous short stories set in the Zombie Road world and we decided to collaborate, put our heads together and come up with something a little different.

  For all the latest information about what I’m up to and the occasional giveaways, stop by the David Simpson Fan Club Facebook group and say hello. I’m on there frequently and can answer any questions you may have. https://www.facebook.com/groups/265507950527733/

  Thanks everyone and if you can, please leave a review. It really and truly does make a difference for indie writers and not just for our ego’s. It’s one of the few ways we get noticed by others perusing Amazon, Audible or Goodreads.

  As always, live life, be safe and don’t get hit by a bus.

  David A. Simpson

  2/7/2019

  The Feral Children

  Book One:

  ANIMALS

  DAVID A. SIMPSON

  WESLEY R. NORRIS

  Prologue

  Winter

  Kodiak wrapped the buffalo skin robe tighter as the wind swirled gusts of snow around his feet. The hollow at the bottom of the exit ramp provided little shelter from the snow storm that raged and wailed and dumped its fury on this forgotten corner of the world. Snow clung to his eyelashes, eyebrows and his hair that was getting too long as he watched and waited.

  He knew the storm gave them perfect cover if the other tribe chose tonight to attack. If they came, it would be from this direction. Right into his trap. The boards with their sixteen penny nails hammered through to shred tires were concealed beneath the fresh snow that blanketed the asphalt. The chain, invisible in the dark was anchored between two road signs four inches above the ground to snare the skids of the riders. Most lethal of all was the thin wire that stretched across the road at head height. It was invisible but deadly to anyone who hit it at high speed.

  His ears strained over the howling wind to hear the whining of the ATV’s and snowmobiles the others rode. If they came, their lights would be blacked out and counting on the storm to mask their approach. He watched his companion in his peripheral vision. Otis would smell and hear them long before him. The wind died down a little and its shrieking under the ramp eased. The pair of hunters waited with a patience learned from hard lessons and were well hidden among the destruction and smashed cars. They looked like snow-covered mounds of fur.

  A life had been taken, a life was owed according to the law of the tribe. It was their way. Their chief wanted her. He’d wanted her from the beginning.

  The boy defied them. He stood against them. The child warrior and the colossal bear that towered by his side would defend his people. His tribe. The boy once called Cody Wilkes was long gone. A memory that no one remembered. They were all dead. The warrior king known only as Kodiak arose from the ashes of Cody Wilkes.

  He pressed closer to Otis, the 1200-pound grizzly, seeking the additional warmth he offered. He was scarred and fearsome and had a roar that made his enemies quake in fear. His massive claws could decapitate a zombie with a single blow. His jaws had immense power to crush bone and rend flesh.

  Maybe that was the difference, he thought as the big bear chuffed softly at him, ruffling the feathers and beads in his hair. We have the animals to give us purpose. Keep us sane. Love us as we love them. Protect us as we protected them.

  There was enough for all of them for a long time, there was no reason to fight. No reason to go to war. They had warehouses full of food. Water was abundant. The war should be with the undead and the Savage Ones. The animals who’d always avoided man before the zombie virus swept the world but now attacked in droves, all fear of man lost. The coyotes and the vultures, the hyenas and the crows and all the other carrion animals. The ones that ate the dead. The ones that were driven to madness from unrestrained gorging, eating the easy pickings from the stumbling buffet.

  The other tribe wanted to control, to decide who ate and who starved. To force their will against his people, none of who would be controlled or cowed. Like any war, it started out small. Small disagreements, small arguments, small trespasses. Then came the escalations, the yelling and the fights. Pushing and shoving turned into killing and dying. It was the same every time whether it was two kids on the playground or global nuclear powers playing brinksmanship. Somebody always blinked. Kodiak would end it here tonight.

  He’d shown mercy
, instead of striking hard and fast. He could have easily shoved his blade through the others boys’ ribs, yet he was moved to compassion by the tears and whimpers of fear as the boy wet himself and pleaded. Twice, he’d given him his life. The next time they met blood would spill and only one of them would walk away.

  He prayed they would come. That it would end here tonight one way or another. The boy and his beast would fall into them with claws, jaws and steel. No more mercy. No more wasted words about peace and alliance. He roared his defiance into the onslaught of wind and snow. Let them come.

  Kodiak watched.

  He waited.

  He remembered….

  Mr. Baynard

  Chapter 1

  September

  Day 1

  Robert Baynard slipped out from under the covers as his alarm clock buzzed its good morning serenade, enjoying the feel of the cool air on his skin. After silencing the alarm, he slid from the bed, wasting no time as he smoothed the sheets and made it with militarily precision. He transitioned into his morning stretching routine. His years as a United States Navy sailor may have been long over, but he still carried the habits ingrained in him from twenty years of service to his country.

  Robert was not a large man at only five foot seven inches and one hundred forty pounds, his ideal perfect weight for his height. He prided himself on his physical conditioning and strict regimen. Not much he could do about his thinning hairline, but his waistline was easily kept in check.