by Maxey, Phil
“Can you see the size of that thing?” shouted Fiona on Zach’s radio.
“I know, just keep going,” replied Zach.
Something flew across the path of the bus causing Rob to swerve slightly and everyone in the bus to be flung to one side.
“We’re good, I got this,” shouted Rob. More blurs flew across the windscreen, including water which hit the side of the bus like it was caught in a violent storm. Soon the bus was moving at speed and the lake started to move further and further away from the road.
CHAPTER THIRTY
“Seems like we are moving through a town,” Zach said looking out the front. “Or what was one.”
The light from the convoy lit up destroyed buildings, fallen power lines and the crumpled shells of vehicles, all intermixed together like forgotten children’s toys.
“We can either stay on this road, and that will take us north, or we can turn off onto the 228 and that takes us south for a time but then it will join the main northern highway which takes up directly north to the camp,” said Bass, huddled over the map with Zach and Raj.
Abbey leaned over Zach’s shoulder. “This road takes us close to the river.”
“It does, but we’re be at the camp in a lot less time.”
“If we don’t come across any more of those lake things,” said Michael leaning over as well.
“Will the main highway be clear though?” said Zach still looking down at the map.
Rob slowed the bus. “We’re coming up to the turn off, so I’m going to need an answer.”
Zach clicked on the radio. “This is Captain Felton, is the main highway heading north clear of traffic? Over.”
A moment of crackling, then a voice replied. “If you mean the I-5, then it’s mostly clear. The south and eastern walls of the camp are still under attack. Over.”
“You hear that Rob?”
“Yup,” said Rob, turning off the main road they were on.
As they progressed, piles of snow covered rubble and gray fields with splintered trees passed by.
Fiona wiped away tears that were rolling down her face, hoping that Cal wouldn’t notice.
After the third sniff, and wipe, Cal looked at her. “Are you crying? What’s wrong?”
She started talking then stopped, then started again. “How can we win against those things? We’re all fucked, everyone.” She slammed her hands down on the large wheel.
“Hey,” Cal put his hand on her shoulder. “We don’t know what that was, maybe it’s like a whale, something that will live in the sea and not be aggressive.”
“They are all aggressive! How do you think we got in this situation? All these things want to do is kill.”
“Are you alive?”
Fiona glanced quickly across at Cal with an angry bemused look. “What do you mean? Yes, and so what?”
“Because that’s what matters, if you’re alive then there’s a chance to make sense of all of the shit that’s out here.”
“Yes, but…”
“Yes, but we have traveled across the country, and survived…”
“Not all of us.”
“We survived, and we’re going to rescue who we can in the camp and bring them back.” Cal paused. “Maybe what comes out of this mess eventually will be something better than before.”
Fiona took a deep breath. Her tears had stopped.
Rob did a slow right turn, and moved onto the northern highway. “Straight run to the camp from here on.”
“How long?” said Zach to Bass.
“Thirty minutes if it’s a clear run.”
“What are the chances of that,” said Michael.
“We should soon start to see the camp,” said Bass.
Dr. Tanner sighed. “We made it.”
The northbound lane was covered in dark clear patches where the snow had been displaced allowing the frosty road to show through and snow covered heaps of tangled metal like Christmas confectionary started to show up on the southbound lane.
“People trying to get out of Portland,” said Raj to Dr. Tanner looking out of the left side.
“What’s that noise?” she replied. They both listened, trying to make out a distant sound over the bus’s engine.
More clumps of snow and alloy appeared in front of the bus, causing Rob to weave left and right with Fiona close behind. The sound that Raj and Dr. Tanner first noticed was now being heard by everyone, including bright flashes and glows far off on the horizon, behind a silhouette of trees.
“Are we sure we want to keep going this way,” shouted Rob over the explosions and roars that were ahead.
“This is Captain Felton, we are approaching the south gate, what’s the status there. Over.”
“Good to hear you Captain, unfortunately we are having some problems on the south side of the wall, I would advise turning off the I-5 and going to the west side gate. Over.”
Zach and Bass, looked at the stretched out map.
“If we go west we head back into mountains, which I don’t want to do,” said Zach.
“Especially with the south gate just a few klicks ahead,” said Bass. Zach looked at Bass, and an unspoken agreement passed between them.
“This is Captain Felton. We are coming in through the south gate, be ready to cover us. Over.”
Bass stood up to face everyone on the bus. “We might have to fight our way through, I want your guns ready and be ready to leave the bus if you have too.”
The sounds of creatures screeching and the clatter of gunfire sounded like it was just outside the bus, and bright red streaks sprayed across the night sky. Rob stopped the bus. There was no need for anyone to question why. Three hundred yards in front of them, the wall rose up, but unlike the wall they had seen before, this one rose and fell according to the hills it was traversing. The lowest part was the gate directly in front of them. But that wasn’t what had everyone transfixed. A maelstrom of E.L.F’s of all sizes were running, jumping and flying around the wall.
“There are so many of them,” said Abbey, her words just hanging in the air.
“We can’t get through that,” said Michael.
Zach went to reply, when something heavy slammed into the side of the bus, causing it to momentarily balance on two wheels. Everyone ducked in their seats holding onto what they could as a large creature looking like a Rhino but larger with more horns stampeded past them, pushing cars and anything else out of the way.
For a moment everyone sat in their crash positions, then Zach’s radio came to life. “Are you okay? It just came out of nowhere. Over,” said Fiona.
“We’re fine, but we can’t stay here. Over.”
Fiona went to respond, when she looked in her side mirrors at the scene behind her. Shadows in the dark were moving towards them. “I don’t think we can turn around, there’s lots of things behind us coming this way.”
The pain in Zach’s eye increased as he squinted looking at the now partially torn map in his hands. “Rob, we have to go through.”
Just as Rob was going to slam down the accelerator, Raj sprang out of this seat and moved to the front of the bus. He looked frantically at the dashboard.
“What the hell are you doing?” shouted Rob, trying to be heard over the constant noise outside.
“Does this bus have an outside speaker?” said Raj impatiently.
“Yes… but I never really tried it…”
Before Rob could finish Raj turned and faced everyone. “In your backpacks, you were all given a high frequency audio device, it’s like a foot long and black,” Everyone looked a bit mystified. “Now! Find it and give them to me.”
“What’s the plan Raj?” said Zach as Raj ran past collecting the small black plastic devices.
“We might not have to fight our way throu…” The sound of metal tearing caused the bus to slide forward making everyone duck. As they did a single hook like talon moved along the inside of the roof of the bus, slicing through it without any resistance. Everyone looked forward
and saw a large winged creature fly back up into the air towards the wall. Raj continued, piecing the devices together end on end. “I designed these devices to be used together if needed, it amplifies the signal.”
“You’re going to use the external speaker to broadcast the high frequency sound?” said Abbey.
Zach’s radio came to life. “What the fuck are we doing, they are everywhere!”
“Hold on Fiona, we have plan, a few more seconds.”
By now Raj had assembled the devices into a long tube that was almost the length of the bus, he quickly moved to the end near Rob.
“Where’s the mike for the external speaker?” Rob pointed at a dust-covered mike with a curly plastic cable. “Okay, drive, get up a good speed, and don’t stop.”
Rob turned on the engine, pulling off as quickly as he could while keeping traction.
“Portland camp, we are literally on your doorstep, get ready to get that south gate open. Over.”
“We see you Captain, we will try to cover you best we can. Good luck. Over.”
“Is it working?” shouted Abbey as the bus increased its speed.
“I haven’t turned it on yet, we need to be closer to the gate, it will only be a short burst before their power goes.” shouted Raj.
“Have you used these things before?” shouted Rob while weaving left and right to avoid vehicles and dark moving masses that kept sweeping past.
“This would be the first time,” replied Raj holding onto the closest seat, and trying to make sure his contraption would hold together.
The bus was now doing sixty-five miles per hour, as the wall grew bigger in front of them. Crimson and orange dotted lines streaked out from the wall over and around them, causing roars and squelches. The area in front of the wall was a sea of creatures, some scratching and trying to climb the wall, others attacking each other, all climbing over rotting carcasses.
“We’re at seventy, she won’t go any faster!” shouted Rob as the bus’s engine strained to propel itself through the madness around it. “There’s a mass of creatures ahead of us, I hope your thing works!”
“Me too!” shouted Raj. “Okay, here goes.” Raj flicked a switch on the closest device to him, while holding down the button on the mike. Instantly like an invisible wave creatures starting reeling, some collapsing with their bodies thrashing, others turning and scampering away from the bus.
“Well I’ll be… It’s working,” said Rob trying to hold the wheel steady while looking at the wall of creatures dissipating ahead of them.
The gate started to open. Huge steel battle scared doors slid to the right, disappearing into the wall.
Rob slowed the bus. “Why aren’t they moving?”
Two large creatures standing upright, covered in fish scales and tentacles that sprung from what looked like arms, stood on the road just in front of the gap that was widening.
“The frequencies not effecting them, or the power… I thought it would last longer,” said Raj twisting the black devices frantically.
Rob hit the brakes best he could but the bus continued onwards relentlessly. “We’re going to hit them! Hold on.”
The creature’s tentacles spun around, whipping through the air as they both looked at the bus speeding towards them. Just as the bus was within a few yards from the creatures, more fiery streaks emanated from the opening in the gate hitting and causing them to fall to the side enough for the bus to pass by and through the gate.
Rob slowed the bus to a halt. The sound of heavy breathing was the only sound, until everyone started shouting with joy.
“That was a bit close,” said Zach, patting Raj, then Rob on the back. Outside Humvees pulled up, and soldiers jumped out with one approaching the bus. Rob opened the doors, and the soldier stepped inside. Zach held out his hand.
“Captain Zach Felton.”
The man grinned and shook his hand firmly. “Colonel Tinley.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“That was some entrance son.” Colonel Tinley insisted that Zach drive with him in the Humvee as they led the bus and truck back to their compound. Zach sat in the back next to him, not thinking about what his mind wanted to think about. Instead he turned his attention outwards to this new camp. As they rushed through the streets, explosions and the clatter of gunfire played out behind them, and the Colonel explained how the camp came about. “We were one of the first camps to be put together, our role was to take the influx of survivors from Seattle and Portland, unfortunately we were attacked daily right from the start. My senior officer was killed and I had to step up. I had hoped we could make a go of it, but…” Tinley looked outside then back to Zach. “But anyway you’re here now,” The words sounded sarcastic to Zach but he was too tired to be sure. The Colonel continued. “From what I’ve heard it’s been some journey.”
“We lost half of our people trying to get up here. Are your vehicles ready? Some of my people sent some possible routes back to Austin ahead, have you looked them over?”
“I believe you’re forgetting something.” Zach looked unsure of what it could be. “I don’t know how things are in Bravo, but here we still use sir for a senior officer.”
Zach could feel anger in the pit of his stomach, but breathed out slowly to control it. “Yes, Sir.”
“We have looked over your proposed routes, and they seem adequate. I will of course be taking charge of mission back to Bravo.”
“General Trow informed me that I would be in charge of the journey back…Sir.”
“They’re my people, I got them this far and I will get them to Austin.”
Zach wanted to argue, but thought this was not the time. “Yes. Sir.”
“We will find a place for you and your people. Maybe you can be in charge of one of the smaller convoys and can go back the way you came.”
“Yes. Sir.”
The Humvee, bus and truck drove past wire fencing, and up to a large stone colored building, with many windows lit up.
“This is our base of operations. We call it the factory. Your people can find beds in one of the large halls inside, and some food. Get rest, then be ready for a briefing at zero eight-hundred hours.”
“Yes… Sir.” As Zach got out of the Humvee, the slim middle-aged man with gray hair, waved him off before he had a chance to salute, not that he would have done anyway and the Humvee drove off around the side of the building.
“Is that Tinley?” said Bass getting off the bus.
“Yup.”
“I thought he might spend some more time with us.” said Abbey.
“I’m sure he’s busy. He said there are beds and food inside.”
Slowly everyone traipsed into the lobby of the former school building. A dark-haired woman in her forties sat behind a large counter, and directed them through some double doors, and down a corridor into a large hall. As they entered people who were sitting and lying on bunk beds sat up and watched.
A young boy walked up to Zach as he put his backpack on the bottom bed. “Are you here to rescue us?”
“We have come a long way to do just that,” said Zach smiling and kneeling. “Are you ready to go on an adventure?” The young boy nodded and ran off to a weary looking blonde woman who smiled back at Zach.
Abbey walked alongside the bed putting her backpack on the top bunk. “I kind of thought there would be more of a fanfare with us arriving.”
Zach lay back on the bunk and looked up at the wire mesh. “We made it, that’s what matters.” She went to say something else, but instead, just climbed onto the top bed.
Everyone else found a bunk and collapsed into it. Jacob walked unsteadily, his old legs not being thankful for sitting on the bus for so many hours. Resting on a bottom bunk he rubbed his aching knees and felt the welcoming feeling of sleep crawl over him. Laying back his eyes started drooping and his mind returned to when his cell door opened.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Two hundred and fifty nine lines made up the inside of Elijah’s cell.
He knew because he had counted them many times over the years. Counted and involved them in various algorithms and math puzzles. He had too. Others did physical activities, push ups, sit ups, he didn’t care about that, he only cared about keeping his mind sharp, because that had always been his most useful weapon. The barren cuboid he resided in had been his home for over twenty years, ever since they deemed him too dangerous to be left in the world. Not too dangerous for normal folk of course, just them and their dirty little secrets which he had been involved in for half a century.
When his cell door unlocked and drifted open, he had been aware that it was early December, perhaps the only inmate in the New Mexico maximum security prison that was. He managed to keep all kinds of numbers in his mind. The date, the time, the frequency the guards passed by, even the regularity of the various sounds that emanated from pipes hidden behind his cell’s walls. After all these years Elijah’s world had simply become a math’s puzzle to be continuously solved. But this morning his cell door was open and that data was incorrect.
He went to talk, but found his throat dry, so clearing his throat he tried again. “Guard?”
During the night he thought he had heard screaming, but wasn’t sure if it was a dream, or maybe even a sound that had flowed through the air ducts. Now that his door was open and he was not getting any response, that sound took on more significance. The chances of their being a riot in the prison he was in, was nearly zero, but not exactly zero so without looking he reached for a book that he had been allowed to read. Seven hundred pages of the history of Rome, bound with hard thick board. Not much of a weapon, but something to deflect a blow if any came his way. Walking forward, even before he got to the door, the metallic smell of blood impacted his senses. It was a smell he knew all too well and one that he never forgot. He listened into the gap between his door and the hallway but couldn’t hear anything. Slowly he walked into the corridor, as the florescent light above flickered. The cell door next to his was open too and even though he knew there was no inmate in there, he peered around the door to see anyway. Empty.
