by S A Ison
“Momma?” she said and her voice was rough and cracked. Then her face crumbled and her mouth opened in a silent cry and large tears rolled down her face. Something pierced Reggie’s heart so painfully that it staggered him. He put the vehicle in park and got out. He gathered the little girl in his arms in one swift scoop and her thin arms wrapped around his neck. He held her to his chest, her body shook with sobs, vibrating her little frame. She repeated mommy over and over. Reggie’s lips trembled and the world around him blurred suddenly and he crushed the child to his chest tightly. He rocked from side to side, her thin legs bumping his thighs. He carried her to the truck and opened the back door. Reaching in, he pulled out a bottled water and sat while cradling the child. Her small fists were now latched onto his shirt and he opened the water.
“Here baby girl, you need some water. What’s your name?” he asked her softly as he pulled the child back. She was crying in a hiccupping fashion and she nodded her head. He held the bottle up to her mouth and she gulped at the water. Reggie noted that her lips were cracked and chapped. He wondered when she’d eaten last or drank?
“Darlin’, what’s your name?” he asked her again.
“Shay Belvier an’ I’m seven years old,” Shay said, holding up seven fingers, then latched back onto his shirt.
“That’s a mighty pretty name, Shay. Are you hungry?” With her nod, he looked behind him, Reggie shifted and rifled around in a plastic shopping bag. He found a granola protein bar and opened it. Shay had not let go of his shirt and he looked down into her small face. Her eyes were large and took up a large portion of her face. She had soft rounded cheeks but they looked a little thin. He broke off a piece of the granola and handed it to her. She nibbled on the bar and laid her head to his chest, staring into space. His throat tightened painfully and he tried to swallow. Around him the world was quiet but for the susurrus of the wind in the trees and the hum of insects around him. From a distance he heard crows calling back and forth. Now and again the distant echo of gunfire could be heard, but it was too far away to be a concern.
“Where do you live, Shay?”
“Back yonder,” she said and pointed with her chin.
“Is your momma and daddy there?”
“Yeah, but they ain’t regular. My momma pulled at my hair and wanted ta bite me. My daddy did too, so I ran as fast as I could. I was scared,” she said, her voice shaking now. He squeezed her tight.
“You’re safe now, darlin’. Don’t you worry none, ol’ Reggie’s got you.” He smiled when she nodded her head and nibbled on her food. Her legs were beginning to swing and he felt her body relax against him. He looked around and thought. He’d need to get her some shoes; she couldn’t walk around like this. Maybe some clothes too? He sighed heavily and looked down on her bent head. His hand came up to smooth back the wild hair and he tucked it behind her tiny shell of an ear.
Ž
Xander bent to pick up the bags in the lobby. Zahara had her pack slung over her shoulder and was holding a bottle water when all three turned at the sound of a door opening down the hall. A blond man stuck his head out and looked at the trio.
“Y’all got guns?” he asked and then a woman appeared behind him.
“Can we come with you? We’ve been stuck in this hotel, afraid to leave,” the woman said, her face tired and drawn. The two moved out of their room cautiously and three children followed.
“We heard the shot and I’m fair certain that zombies can’t shoot. Can you spare a gun, so I can protect my family?” the man asked, walking toward them.
Xander looked to Ethan and then to Zahara. The strangers hadn’t mentioned the werewolves so he thought perhaps they’d not seen the carnage outside.
“We’re thinking about heading to a gun store, maybe you can pick something up there,” Xander said, eyeing the three children. Two boys, twins by the look and a girl about eleven. Their faces were pale and their eyes large with fear.
“I think there’s a gun place over on University Drive. At least I think I saw one when we passed by yesterday,” Ethan said.
“I’m Jess Reeves and this is Beth,” Jess said, nodding at his wife. “Those are our kids, the twins, Mike and Luke and Lauren, our oldest.”
The trio of assassins nodded back. Zahara turned and walked out the door and Jess looked at Xander in question.
“She’s not a talker. If you’ve got any gear, go get it now, we’re leaving before too many more of those things show up,” Xander said and turned. He wasn’t going to wait around for these people to pull their shit together. Why had they just stayed locked up? Why didn’t they leave and gone home? It didn’t take a genius to figure out where the guns were and they could have looked up the information online. Were these people hoping that the police or military would come save them? He didn’t know and really didn’t care. He needed to keep himself and Zahara safe. He looked over at Jess who was hustling his family to an SUV, his head turning and looking at all the bodies that littered the parking lot of the hotel. The children were now crying as Beth shoved and moved them like a sheepdog. Each child holding an overstuffed backpack.
“Follow behind us, but keep up. We won’t stop until we get to the store,” Xander said as he opened his truck door. He lifted his Glock with the modified suppressor and shot a zombie that was heading toward the SUV. Beth squeaked and almost screamed but slapped her hand across her mouth.
He heard Zahara’s weapon as she shot two more walking undead. They really needed to get on the road. He pulled out and rolled over several bodies. There were bits and pieces strewn all over from their earlier fight. It was kind of unnerving, the quiet. He was used to quiet at home but not in the middle of a city. There was rapid gunfire in the distance, maybe a few blocks away. Then there was silence. It was also an odd feeling to see nothing moving. Cars scattered but silent and still, no buses coming or going. He looked up into the sky and saw turkey buzzards, crows and other birds flying in languid circles. Flies bounced off the window and after a while, he had to roll the windows up. It would be hot and stuffy inside the cab but it was better than sucking down a bloated fly filled with zombie goo. Everyone was silent in the truck, deep in their own thoughts.
He glanced to make sure that the SUV was following. He was not here to babysit these people. He had never been a fan of interacting with the public and if this family was any indication of what was out there, these people were in trouble. Holing up in a hotel room until someone came to help wasn’t smart nor practical. The man should have already gone out to find weapons to protect his family and he should have left the city. Instead, he’d stayed locked behind a door. He shook his head. Xander was not a hero and he would only guide them as far as the gun shop. He wasn’t willing to take on a responsibility Jess should have already taken on. Fool.
“I think we should also swing by a hospital to pick up a few supplies,” Zahara said, shifting closer to him. He looked down at her and her face was earnest. He smiled and she grinned up at him. Their relationship had taken an unexpected turn and it was a peculiar feeling. Ethan grunted his agreement but said nothing and Xander looked over and watched the agent search for targets. It was a truck full of stone-cold killers and he was fairly certain they’d make it through this disaster okay.
“Where are you going to go after we leave Alabama?” he asked Ethan, because he wasn’t sure where the man called home. Ethan turned and stared at him and shrugged.
“You don’t think you’re tagging along with us, do you?” Zahara asked, a laugh in her voice. Ethan’s mouth flattened out and his eyes narrowed.
“I hadn’t really thought about it too much. Guess I could tag along with you,” Ethan said.
“Hah! You think I’d trust you?” Zahara said.
“Damnit, I didn’t even try to kill you. Can’t you give me credit for that? And can’t you just drop it? I only look for you to warn you. I would have hoped you’d have done the same for me. But I think you’d just end me and piss on my grave,” Ethan said ho
tly.
“Damn skippy. I’d have done you from a hundred yards and not thought a thing about it.”
“Alright guys, this isn’t getting us anywhere. Look, I think you could essentially go anywhere now. I don’t think anyone will be hunting a few stray operatives down and if any of them are alive, I doubt they will be thinking about us. I’m sure O’Donnell is either dead or a zombie. I think Washington has bigger fish to fry. Not only that, I have a feeling all of the big cities have fallen hard. If these zombies are any indication of population conversion, then going anywhere near those places is a nonstarter.”
“Where do you suggest I go? My place is in Chicago and I don’t think I want anywhere near that.”
“He ain’t coming to our place,” Zahara mumbled and Xander looked down at her, his eyebrow raised. Her mouth had a recalcitrant slant to it and her arms were folded across her chest. He wanted to laugh that she’d already claimed his home as her own. Well, werewolves were notoriously territorial.
“Look, I got a small hunter’s cabin at the back of my property. It is very rustic, shall we say. Got a pond to fish and wildlife to hunt. On our way there, we can maybe pick up a trailer and pick up supplies. Or, you can find you a place along the way, maybe something that suits you better,” he offered. Zahara wasn’t pleased judging by the huff she let out. He chanced a glance down and her lovely eyebrows were drawn together and her mouth was moving silently.
Ethan eyed Zahara and then looked at Xander and nodded.
“Thanks, man. Really. I guess I should get my brain into post-apocalypse mode. I guess I’m still in denial, though after watching you and Zahara rip through those zombies, I guess I’m coming to the realization things will never be the same.”
“That idiot is lagging behind. At least we’re only a mile or so from the gun shop. Now, that guy is in denial. He’s been tucked up at that hotel twiddling his thumbs,” Xander said.
“Civilians,” Zahara grunted.
“Cheer up,” he nudged her.
“Why?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Now you can let your inner beast out and no longer hide in the shadows.” That seemed to perk her up and she sat up and clapped her hands and grinned.
“So true. I think I might start going out in the evening and hunt. I really had a good time earlier today,” she said and sighed happily.
“Geez. Kill me now,” Ethan said.
“Challenge accepted,” Zahara said and raised her gun. Xander placed his hand over hers and pushed the weapon back to her lap.
He pulled into Wonderworld of Weapons. The windows were intact and it didn’t look like it had been looted. As they exited the truck, the SUV pulled up. The doors opened and Xander lifted his hand.
“Just you, the rest stay in the vehicle. There’re a few creatures roaming around and I don’t know what’s in the store. Safer if your family stays put,” Xander said. The woman, Beth, he thought her name was, opened her mouth to protest but he stared hard at her and her mouth snapped shut. She huffed and gestured for her children to get back into the SUV. Xander shook his head. They just didn’t get it. Even seeing the bodies and blood all over the hotel parking lot, Beth still wanted to get out and expose her kids to danger.
“Some people,” Zahara muttered, following behind.
Going up to the storefront, Xander tried the door and found it locked. Ethan had his back to him, keeping an eye on their six. Jess shifted from one foot to the other. Xander took the butt of his weapon and tapped around the glass near the lock. Looking around, he gritted his teeth, trying to do it as quickly and quietly as he could. They would need to think about getting weapons that didn’t make noise. They could all kill hand to hand, but being in human form was a big risk. He thought that if either he or Zahara got bit in their human form, they’d be three kinds of screwed and no transformation would heal that. Their bodies went through a drastic change on a cellular level. It was broken and healed and broken again.
When he’d been injured in the field, he’d healed at a normal human rate. When he’d been injured in his altered form, he’d healed within hours or days. He wasn’t willing to risk his human form. Luckily, they had suppressors for most of their weapons. They would need to pick up extra cleaning gear for those weapons along with the ammunition. He’d never used a bow and arrow and wasn’t sure now was the time to learn. At some point they would need to find weapons that didn’t make noise. He also didn’t want to keep changing at every turn to fight these things. It not only hurt like hell but it left him exhausted and hungry.
The glass to the door spiderwebbed out and he pushed gently. Shards fell inward and he reached in and flicked the lock. Opening the door, he held his arm out to stop Jess just walking in. The man was a newb. Sniffing the air, he detected no scent of decay. Listening, he heard nothing and there was enough light filtering in the windows to see into the store. He nodded to himself and went in.
“I’ll stay out here and keep a lookout,” Ethan said.
“What do you suggest I get?” Jess asked as he rushed into the store.
“Have you ever handled a weapon? Are you familiar with them?” Xander asked.
“Well, no. I’ve always thought that only the police or military should have weapons,” Jess’ voice held a hint of sanctimonious piety.
“How’s that workin’ out for ya,” Zahara asked and laughed as she moved up and down the aisles. Jess turned a dull shade of red and Xander coughed to cover his laugh. There was a great divide in the country when it came to owning guns. He had a special affinity for his own arsenal and at this point in time was damned glad he had it. He had ammunition to last several lifetimes but, in his book, you could never have too much.
“Okie-dokie. I think a shot gun will work best for you. You can get a wide spread and do some damage to those things out there. My advice it to aim for the head,” he said and walked over to a section with rifles and shotties. He picked up a Benelli M4 and looked it over.
“This one should do you good,” he said and handed the weapon over to Jess. Jess took it, his mouth opened in uncertain awe and aimed the barrel at Xander’s middle. Xander yanked it back and snarled down into Jess’ face.
“Never fucking aim a weapon at anything until you’re ready to fire. You’ll kill your kids or your wife, you idiot.”
“Oh. Sorry,” Jess said weakly.
Grabbing Jess by the upper arm, he steered the unresisting man over to the shelf that held boxes of shells. For ten minutes he showed Jess how to load, unload, fire, weapon safety and handling and how to clean it.
“I found some machetes and a samurai sword. I call dibs on it,” Zahara yelled from across the room. Her eyes glowed gold and Jess tripped and stared hard at her. Her smile was broad and her canines had grown to nearly an inch. Somehow the world ending had set Zahara free and Xander wondered if she would destroy herself with unlimited violence to be had? Killing for work and killing for fun was a tightrope and perhaps trap. Being a werewolf, however, killing was in their very nature. Xander had always accepted that. Though his early life had been violent because of his father, it had only been beatings and criticizing. Xander had never felt his life threatened by his father. Little had he known about his mother until much later.
Zahara’s had been filled with untold abuse and she held a deep streak of vicious rage and violence in her soul. She had reveled in the slaughter and he could see that she wanted more. She’d been set loose on the world. At this point, that might be a good thing. There were lots of zombies out there to kill. A smile drifted over his features. Their lovemaking in the shower had edged toward violence near the end but he couldn’t complain about that and neither could his wolf. They were well matched. He would have to watch her and hoped that she didn’t destroy herself in her new found freedom.
“What-t, what is she?” Jess whispered nervously.
“She’s my girlfriend,” Xander said and smiled broadly.
Ž
Reggie glanced in the rearview mirro
r at Shay, who was sucking her thumb. Jeb had done that when he was distressed and his heart squeezed. He’d never thought of black children being the same as his own, but this little girl reminded him so strongly of his son. Her sweet innocence and trusting were the same as his lost child. He felt tired, so tired. His heart had been torn from his chest with each shot he’d taken. Killing his children and wife had killed something in him, but he could not let them wander the earth as those horrible creatures. He saw several large groups of the heinous creatures but didn’t stop to shoot them. He was afraid he would traumatize Shay even more.
No. His old life was gone, burned to the ground and never to be resurrected. He had this small child, a child he wouldn’t have looked twice at in his old life.
“You gotta build a new life. You gotta keep this baby safe,” he said softly, his gaze going back to the mirror. He could still feel the weight of her and it was heavy in his heart. Maybe I died with my family? he thought. Maybe I’m someone new? Maybe this is my second chance to get it right, to be a better man, a better father? He didn’t know but what he did know was that Shay had sparked life and hope back into his soul when he’d thought he’d lost it forever. Gone was the soul deep desire to be dead.
Ahead was the Walmart and it was filled with abandoned cars. He pulled in but saw but a handful of zombies congregated in the lawn section. He slowed his vehicle, moving toward the entrance. He pulled right up to the doors and shut off the engine. He could hear soft music playing from the speakers.
“Where are we?” Shay asked, pulling her thumb from her mouth. She looked rumpled and her hair was wild but she no longer had that stunned look about her. She was in the moment and present.
“We’re at Walmart, darlin’. Now, I’m goin’ to go get a few things. I want you to stay in the truck,” he said, turning around in his seat. Shay’s eyes widened and her mouth trembled.
“Don’t leave me. Don’t leave me,” she whispered in a panic. Her large honey brown eyes filled with panic and she began to twitch in the back seat, pulling and tugging at the seatbelt.
