by Thomas Baker
She heard Josh's breath inhale deeply then come out in a slow shutter.
"There was one time. I thought I would melt into the floor. My legs felt like Jello. I kept thinking this is the end."
They walked towards Hannah's house.
"There was a group of five of us. We had gone into this military base, down in Texas. We walked down this long hallway. The floor was vinyl colored government gray. Our steps were the only sounds in the place. It had a drop ceiling with several tiles missing. Like a loony smile of a madman missing some teeth. That's what it made me think of.
I was in front. Why I don't know. Behind me were two women and behind them two other men. Down this hallway we walked. First it was brick also grey. Then these skinny windows appeared on both sides. They had the wires inside that made patterns of x after x. I made the mistake of shining my light into one.
Inside were row upon row of them. All facing the same way, standing still in formation. Like they were still soldiers, out on the parade field. They turned their heads as one in the direction of my light.
Quickly I flipped the light to the other window, to find the same unholy sight. The woman behind me, it broke her nerve. She screamed. The woman behind her clamped a hand over her mouth so hard, the slap reverberated through the now silent passageway.
I had never experienced the saying 'my heart is in my throat' until that moment. I scanned the light around back and forth to either window. It looked like a lighthouse, warning of dangerous seas ahead.
We were all surprised to see the zombies just continue to stand there. I've never seen anything more bizarre before or after this encounter. The man at the end of our party, Robert spoke two words. Holy God.
That's when we heard pattering feet in front of us. Heading our way fast. We turned as one, just like the zombies had. Now I was at the rear. It took all the humanity I had not to push the women in front of me out of the way and sprint past them.
We had descended the stairs down from the main hallway into this corridor of hell. We were rapidly approaching them. Not rapidly enough for me. I felt fingers brush up against my back. Now it was my turn to scream. I didn't have a weapon. Physical violence makes me ill. The first time I had to kill a zombie I puked until my stomach was empty. Funny, I know, when that is the only way to survive this new world.
Robert peeled off to the side, pressing himself against the wall. We flew by him. He raised his bat with thick, long nails driven through it. He jokingly called it the ventilator. Robert, he was a real man. I heard him yell 'bring it', then the thunk and suck of him unloading on a zombie. That was the last time I ever saw him."
Josh burrowed his chin down into his chest, like the bad memory had overwhelmed him. "Sorry." He finally muttered out as they neared Hannah's place.
"Hey, it's okay Josh." Hannah was trying to be comforting by lightly rubbing his back and patting it in the most friendly way she could think of.
"We've all been through hell. If you ever need someone to talk to or just to keep you company, you can come here anytime." Hannah said as she decided a hug was in order.
"But just as friends right?" Josh teasingly joked as Hannah made her way to her door stuck her tongue out mockingly at him.
Gus chuckled to himself, breath escaping in shortpuffs in the cold mountain air. Seeing a younger couple walking the other way, it made him think about Hannah and JT. How they were acting like they belonged on one of those teen drama reality shows. Sure it wasn't the first time he had seen people who loved each other try to deny it and act the way they do. It still cracked him up every time. Life was too short for that shit.
Gus was out strolling around the town waiting for Linda to be off duty at the clinic. He needed to stretch his legs but also he was looking out for Roy. He was only half kidding with Hannah about following him. Kitchen duty ended up being only a temporary thing for him. This morning he woke up and thought what the hell? He had nothing to fill the long hours of the day, so he put his coat on and went out.
His hands were deep in his pockets and his shoulders felt like they were up around his ears. This deep of a cold still surprised him. He was already sick of it. What happened to retiring to the beach? He should have put on more layers, Linda would've been tanning his hide he thought.
Gus knew Roy had finished overseeing the school house from Hannah. What she didn't know was what he had moved onto doing next. She hadn't seen him after their last run in.
Gus found himself up at the front gate. It was an imposing structure. It looked like something from a Mad Max movie. We don't need another hero. He laughed at himself. Of course he was sure they slapped together it in a hurry. Some of the trees they used for support still had studs of branches sticking out here and there. Between the trees were pieces of drywall, wood pallets, siding, metal sheets and whatever else they could get their hands on.
He couldn't believe his luck when he saw Roy walking along the wall, over by where the gate was. Looked like he was inspecting it or something.
"Hey, you're Roy aren't you?" Gus asked, approaching him.
Roy turned, annoyance clear on his face. "Yeah, maybe, who are you?"
Gus thought ole Dusty could have taken lessons from this guy about how to be cocky. "Names Gus. I was just admiring the wall. It looks solid as a Snakewood tree."
"Hell yeah it's solid. My Dad designed it himself and I oversaw building it. It'll keep zombies out, you can count on that, old man." Roy flicked the butt of the cigarette he had been smoking at Gus's feet.
His comments rose the ire in Gus, but he humored Roy and play a little cat and mouse with him.
"They used to say the only two things you can count on is death and taxes. Nowadays, you can't even count on those," Gus said, playing with Roy.
Roy wasn't amused. "It will keep your ass safe. I'm busy, you need anything important or are you just bored?"
"No. I'll be moseying along now I reckon. Nice to meet ya, though."
Roy grunted and turned back to the wall lighting another cigarette. Gus could hear him softly mumbling.
Gus took another look up and across the structure. Whoever came here first, they picked a great spot. Only having two access points and those points both having narrow entrance ways between the rocky sides of the mountains. Smart.
Hannah was right about one thing, Roy wasn't a pleasant person. He hoped he never got stuck working with the guy. His distaste in just that first meeting was enough for Gus to watch Roy when he could. If things didn't change, he would have lots of free time on his hands, anyway.
Gus walked back through town, meandering this way and that. He wondered just how many people were here. Eighty? A few hundred? Gus guessed from what he saw at dinner time if it was more than two hundred, he would eat his hat. That the number was even that high surprised him. Maybe a lot of them were people who originally lived here?
As he passed through the downtown area, looking through the windows as he passed, he could tell this was a tourist town. Food joints, souvenir shirt shops, gift shops and outdoor sporting goods sellers lined the street, looking both quaint and tacky at the same time.
There wasn't much in the way of property damage. Most windows were intact. The mass carnage he had seen in most of the places they had come across wasn't evident here. Yeah, they were eitherlocals or tourists Gus decided. Lucking out it was the off season when the Outbreak started.
On a bluff overlooking the downtown district was the casino and hotel. Gus looked up at it, shielding his eyes. In front of it was a McDonald's, its golden arches breaking the beautiful architecture of the casino behind it. Gus wondered if Dr. Childs just spent most of his time up there, looking out over a town he hoped to lord over. Or did he even care about the people below? Gus shrugged his shoulders.
At the end of the block the door was open to some kind of art store. There were many majestic pictures of mountains and wildlife lining its walls. Gus ducked inside to sit down. He was feeling winded and light-headed again. It was taking lon
ger than he liked for his body to get use to the mountain air.
It was so quiet he could hear the gurgling of the stream that ran through town, behind the buildings. There was a park back there, along with a couple of wooden bridges that crossed the stream. Earlier he had seen a sign in the park announcing the twenty-seventh annual duck races coming this spring.
It was sad to think about how that never happened. The duck races were canceled indefinitely. His mind wanted to go to thoughts about where those kids were now. He cut it off. It was just depressing and pointless. Like this whole town. Spooky. The silence all around him when there should be hustle and bustle.
Oh well. That was enough stewing in that particularpot. He got up, his cracking knees like someone breaking celery, damn old age. He left the gallery.
Gus turned the corner and a man coming the other way just about dumped him on his old, not paying attention ass.
"Sorry," the man said, reaching out to steady Gus. He had some accent Gus couldn't pin down. He sure wasn't from around here. "I'm new here and seem to have gotten turned around. Do you know where Dr. Childs is?"
Once Gus was steady, the man dusted off and straightened out the grey peacoat he was wearing. Gus hadn't heard about anyone new had come into town. Then again, it wasn't like he was Mayor McCheese around here. Gus looked the man up and down.
"You sick mister? You look okayto me."
"Oh, I'm fine. I'm just acquainting myself with all the important places, in case I need to visit him."
The man looked well. Well fed and well groomed. His black goatee and black hair were clean and neatly trimmed. It was hard to tell since everyone went around in heavy coats but he looked fit as a fiddle.
"Well, welcome to our little slice of old America. I didn't catch your name. Mine is Gus." His hand went out.
The man gave it a perfunctory shake. "Do you know the answer to my question?"
Alarm bells went off in Gus's head. The man could have a legitimate reason for not wanting to get too personal right away. Maybe. Gus was about to point the man in the direction of both the clinic and the casino but changed his mind. He didn't see how pointing out the clinic could be harmfulin any way.
"Mister, he spends most of his time at the clinic. It's down this main street, turn right and go one block. It used to be an outdoor clothing and camping supply store."
"Thank you, sir," the man said. He clumped off without another word.
That was strange, Gus had to admit. He would have to ask Linda tonight if she had heard about any new people in town. Or what she thought of the man, as she should meet him when he got to the clinic.
His thoughts turned back to JT and Hannah the rest of the way home. About how much he should meddle in their affairs or if he should at all. Also about Roy and if he was up to something, what could it possibly be? By the time he made it back home and Linda came back from the clinic, Gus had forgotten about his run in with the man.
Roy glanced around like a frantic chipmunk, licking his lips all the while. With each passing second, his heartbeat seemed to speed up. Just like his plan, which he had moved up after that fuck Gus came nosing around. He knew Gus was friends with that bitch Hannah. He didn't think she could know anything. Still there was Gus, not long after Hannah almost discovered him talking to Gerard's guy. He was too far along though to take any chances now.
It took some persuading and a pack of his smokes to get him on guard duty tonight. Fucking people, they took this shit way too seriously. Like zombie packs were going to attack them at any moment out of nowhere. Even if they did, they wouldn't get in. They could pick them off at their leisure. Not that anyone ever listened to him. Or his Dad anymore.
Why the people here were so loyal to that shithead Childs he didn't understand. They had walls because of his Dad. Protection, electricity, food. They owed it all to him. Yet he was thrown aside and forgotten just because Childs came in and could fix some boo boos. Fucking pussies.
He sat in the little box, shivering and gripping his rifle tight. Peering out through the peephole, waiting for that cocksucker Gerard to show up, Roy went through his plan again and again.
Gerard would take Dr. Childs with him back to their camp. He would claim being knocked out by Gerard's gang. The people here would boo hoo and act butthurt but his Dad would set them straight and get things going again. Then he would be made second in charge, which is what he deserved. He could see no flaw in the plan, as long as Gerard showed up.
Roy stopped looking long enough to light a cigarette and take some puffs. He looked back out and saw four shadowy shapes stealthily approaching the gate. Gerard had told him he would be alone, the douche.
Roy undid the locks and opened the door. The four men crept in. Dressed all in black, with black ski masks, Roy couldn't tell who was who.
"Gerard," he hissed when they were inside. He shut the door behind them but didn't lock it. It was a tight squeeze, the place wasn't built for this many people. "You said you would be by yourself. What the fuck is going on?"
Gerard pulled up his mask and looked intensely at Roy. Roy held his gaze but then had to look away.
"Just brought a few of my mates. I changed my mind and realized I could use some help."
"Whatever," Roy tried to sound cool and tough. "I'll be glad when that dick Childs is gone. You think he's going to help you?"
"I will be persuasive."
Roy grinned at that. "What do you need him for anyhow? You sick?"
Gerard gave him a look like he had just found something disgusting in his food. Roy was thinking this guy was just as much of a prick as Childs. The two would be chummy together.
"Forget I asked."
"Nah, what the hell. We got time to blabber, right? When all this went down I had a crew of fifty strong. By the end of summer, it was down to thirty-two. Now it's eighteen. I don't want to lose any more. He'll be our insurance plan. Any more stupid questions or can we get this over with?"
Roy glared then glanced out the window nervously. He didn't like the guy's attitude, but he had a point.
"Go on around the back way. Follow the map I gave you. Make it quick. Just don't forget our deal."
Roy opened the door to the shack, exposing the town. He still felt their eyes watching him. He turned to face them and was slammed up against the wall. He felt a warm and sharp pain on his left side. It suddenly became hard to breathe.
"Thanks, mate," the masked man breathed inches away from Roy's face. "Now just stay nice and quiet and we'll fulfill our part of the bargain."
Roy felt a pulling and tearing sensation in the same area below his chest. He seemed to have no strength left in his legs. He slid down the wall holding his stomach, which now filled with pain. He felt something wet soak his gloves. What the hell? My Dad was going to be in charge again. I'd be the second in command. This wasn't supposed to happen. I was making everything right again. He watched the four men file past until his vision faded to black. His final thought was the irony ofliterally just being stabbed in the back, that he needed Childs' help, and these guys were here to take him.
It was the sound of a barking dog that woke Hannah up. She was just going to roll over and ignore it when another one started up. She had gotten so use to sleeping in her regular clothes she did it all the time. So she only had to slip on her boots, hat, and coat. She grabbed her hunting rifle, a M48 TGR, with a rifle bullet band wrapped around the stock. She had traded one of the assault rifles they had found at the army base for it. She had been practicing with it every day and liked it so much better. It was much more precise.
The first dog quieted but Hannah had a feeling something was wrong. She went down the street, trying to minimize the crunching of snow under her steps. Besides the soft glow of a fire shining through a window of a house here or there, it was almost black. Then a flash of light to her left caused her to freeze.
She was sure it had to have been a flashlight. She crept that way. She turned the corner and saw figures in black who al
most blended into the darkness. She saw them because one was using a light. That was dumb of them. She counted four people and to her it looked like they headed towards the casino.
She knelt on one knee, raised up her rifle, and peered through the scope. She had one person in sight and put pressure on the trigger. She stopped. Hannah was prettysure they were up to no good but what if there was more going on she didn't know about? She didn't just want to kill them in cold blood. She wanted no more death on her hands if she could help it. Instead of taking the shot she followed them.
They arrived at Wild Pines Casino and Hotel. Here they flicked off the light. She could see them fool with the door and then it opened. They went in single file. She counted to thirty and then ran up to the entrance. She flattened herself against the side of the door and leaned to peek inside, just to see the last person go into the stairwell. Hannah counted to thirty before she went inside. She ducked from gambling table to slot machine. At the bottom of the stairs Hannah figured there was only one reason they would be here. It would be for Dr. Childs.
When she reached the top of the stairs, the four intruders were outside the suite's door. Childs' two bodyguards were lying face down on the carpet. One attacker kicked in the door and three of them stormed the place. The left one at the doorway as lookout.
She leaned her body around the corner and before he even knew she was there Hannah shot him right in the leg. He cried out as he went down. She crouch-ran down the hallway.
"Shut up or it will be your head next," she hissed at the masked figure as he rolled around on the ground. The crying stopped. He whimpered like dog.
Hannah flattened herself against the wall. She expected the other three to storm back out after hearing her shot and their friend crying out. Instead, she heard shouting from inside. There were several lanterns on all around the suite. Thankful for some light, she looked to make sure the room was clear. Still crouched she ducked behind the wet bar, peeping out her head for a few seconds. They had to have heard the heard the shot and the screaming but if they were too busy with what they were doing, maybe she could catch a break.
