The Dead Divide Us

by Vincent S. Tobia

  “He might be right.” Glen added.

  “I’m firing!” Warren yelled again.

  “Wait! Look!” Paul said, as he rushed up to Glen and Warren and pushed down both of their rifles.

  The man on the ground righted himself up and then sat in the street, Indian style. His moaning continued, but then turned into…“Ahhhh. Ah man. Fucking A, my head hurts!”

  Roy, Paul, Warren, and Glen stood there silent; staring down at the man. They could now see his face, he looked like a kid. He couldn’t be older than twenty-one, Paul thought to himself.

  “Um, excuse me. Could you say that again?” Roy asked the young man.

  “I said…my fucking head hurts. What time is it?” The young man said as he opened his eyes fully and looked around the neighborhood…“How the hell is it daytime?” And then an empty bottle of Wild Turkey Bourbon rolled out of the young man’s jacket.

  That’s when the smell of booze hit Paul. This young man had been drinking all night, probably on a massive bender. This kid absolutely stank of beer and bourbon. The smell actually reminded Paul of his younger brother Robert.

  “Kevin!” A female’s voice called from inside the crowd of people that were gathered behind Paul and the rest. It was Shelly Browning, a wife and mother of three. She lived only four houses down from Roy and Paul.

  “Shelly? You know this guy?” Roy asked.

  “Know him? Of course, he’s my nephew.” Shelly replied, she then ran past Paul and knelt down to the young Kevin.

  “You had me scared shitless you little ass!” Shelly yelled at Kevin.

  “I’m sorry.” Kevin said, he slurred his speech.

  “Next time you decided to close the bar and wander town you better let me know damn it!” Shelly said. She helped Kevin to his feet and slung one of his arms around her shoulder before turning to Roy.

  “I’m sorry about Kevin. He got in from Portland last night, just visiting. I won’t let him get silly drunk like this again.” Shelly said.

  “That’s okay Shelly. Take care of him; with everything going on we don’t need any accidents.” Roy said, and then he put his sharp stare onto Glen and Warren. Both were looking rather guilt ridden. How close had they come to shooting this poor boy? Could his timing be any worse? Are Warren and Glen dangerous? Are we dangerous? Were the thoughts that raced through Paul’s mind.

  Shelly walked away with Kevin and the crowd of people dispersed back into their homes; reverting their gazes back to their televisions. Watching and waiting for an updated news report.

  “Come on; let’s get our asses to this meeting.” Roy said.

  “And on the way there, Paul is going to tell us everything he knows about the east coast.” Roy added.

  4

  It was only a ten minute ride.

  It was only a ten minute ride to the High School; the town meeting was to be held in the school’s auditorium.

  It was only a ten minute ride; but to Roy, Warren, and Glen it felt much longer.

  Paul told them everything he knew about the east coast and his brother Robert. He told them about how Robert had been forced to kill his landlord Carl Riggins when he was attacked.

  He told them how the town of Colton was basically under military control.

  He told them how Robert had to witness a little boy being torn apart by his infected father.

  He told them how disturbed Robert had sounded on the phone and how it chilled him to the bone.

  He told them that the military might be digging large holes to bury the dead.

  He told them that he didn’t trust the television anymore.

  He told them that he feared deeply for his brother’s and parents’ lives.

  He told them that Ruth’s family in Wisconsin was somehow no longer in contact.

  And finally, told them he believed that the spreading disease would inevitably make its way to Green Falls.

  It was only a ten minute ride.

  5

  The Green Falls Area High School was flooded with people. It wasn’t a large school, there was around two-hundred children per grade; freshmen through senior classes. The arena style seating was filled to capacity and with many adults standing along the aisles. The large blue curtains that would normally hide the stage, were cast back. At the rear of the stage, in the dark, Paul could see scenery props for the next high school production. Could it be West-Side Story? Perhaps Arsenic and Old Lace? Maybe even this year they’d try to go big and pull off The Wizard of Oz! Paul couldn’t tell what the scenery backdrops were supposed to belong to. He didn’t see a yellow brick road. It troubled him to think that there was a possibility that the unfinished background would eternally stay unfinished.

  He stood all the way in the back of the auditorium with Glen and Warren. The three of them, with Roy, had entered the meeting ten minutes late. Roy had left the guys in the back, as he quickly took to the stage. A seat was reserved for him next to Sheriff Nathan Baxter. Being the head of the school board, Roy sat up on stage with the high school principal Audrey Wyatt, Sheriff Nathan Baxter, the town secretary Gina Walcott, and the town’s friendly family Doctor Richard Nicholson. Mayor Schacht stood in front of them at the podium; he was still going over the itinerary for the meeting. Paul couldn’t believe that so many people were able to stay quiet while he spoke.

  Dressed in his finest hunting camouflage, Mayor Schacht began by saying, “Thank you for all making it here safely. I have no doubt that last night’s news has brought trouble to some homes in the community. Well that is why we are here; to discuss the severity of what may lie ahead. To share information, I believe, is a vital key to seeing this thing through. As many of you know, Green Falls has been a peaceful community since its establishment in 1908. I intend to keep it that way. The sheriff and I have been working round the clock since the news broke of this…disease. We have been talking to Doctor Nicholson since daybreak. We are communicating, that’s all we can do as of the moment. And to be honest with you good folks, we aren’t getting any more new information on the disease.”

  The crowd erupted in roar of confusion and outrage. Among the many cries, Paul was able to make out: “No news! What?!” “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me!” “Have you no contact with Seattle?” “Our televisions are playing yesterday’s news and programs.”

  Mayor Schacht reached down for something behind the podium; Paul couldn’t tell what it was. Then Paul saw the Mayor hold up a judge’s gavel and swing it down hard onto the podium. The crowd fell silent. An older gentleman sitting near the front coughed, the sound seemed to reverberate tenfold in the sudden silence of some hundreds of people.

  “I had anticipated outbursts, this being such a large meeting, but I still do intend to keep things civil. So before I get to taking questions and asking some of my own, I will let Sheriff Baxter address you with his concerns.” Mayor Schacht said, and then reseated himself by taking the Sheriff’s seat.

  Paul always had a funny feeling about the Sheriff. He was a rather large man in his early-fifties. Not large as in fat, large as in that his forearm was the size of a toddler. Sheriff Nathan Baxter came from a long line of lumber jackets. He was a fourth generation woodsman and town Sheriff, his father and the two fathers before him all were Sheriff of Green Falls. To say it was a legacy was to put it lightly—the man even carried himself with that all-knowing importance that came with a “legacy” title. Even if most of the time it came off as arrogance. Before Paul had moved to Green Falls, one of the biggest local news stories was the fact that the Baxter family was finally going to have a baby boy born into its household. The story goes that Nathan and his wife Elizabeth had their first three children. All of which were girls. Nathan, being as old fashioned as his family’s legacy, insisted they keep having children until one of them were a boy. So they tried two more times, had two more girls, until on that magical sixth pregnancy the baby turned out to be a male. Elizabeth Baxter was relieved, to say the least. After his arrival to Green Falls, Paul was int
roduced to Sheriff Nathan Baxter at one of Roy’s parties. To Paul he seemed very artificial, like the smile he wore was painted on. The conversation Paul had with Nathan the automaton was unsettling. It seemed that Nathan was only at the party to spread awareness of his authority. Paul didn’t necessarily like people like that; fear and intimidation can be used to accomplish a copious amount of terrible wrongdoings. Power in the hands of a person like Sheriff Nathan Baxter can be a scary thing.

  Watching Sheriff Baxter take the podium, Paul could tell by the look of his face that he loved this. “Like a pig in shit.” Paul’s mother used to say.

  “Thank you Mayor Schacht. I’ll start off by saying I’ve got some of my best deputies on round the clock patrol of Green Falls. Right now I don’t think it is a great idea to be traveling out or even letting outsiders in our community.” The Sheriff started.

  The crowd started to erupt again, only for a split second, and then a balding man sitting in the middle of the auditorium raised his hand. The Sheriff let him speak.

  “Are you saying we can’t leave Green Falls?”

  “Sir what I’m saying is that it’s in our community’s best interest to keep things simple. Let’s remain in control of our situation here, before we start trying to help fix other people’s problems.”

  Control. Isn’t that was it comes down to? Was it at all possible to have control without power? Or power without control. Humans are such complex creations that rely on and function with simplistic practices. How is it, after all this time, we cannot operate our lives with greater sincerity? Control, Power, they remain dominant.

  Paul’s mind was racing.

  “If anyone should encounter something out of the ordinary, please inform the police. If anyone should start to become ill, rather suddenly, just call the police. We will sort it out; we will take the sick ones to the hospital.”

  There’s the power again.

  Paul glanced over to his left; Warren and Glen were giving each other untrusting looks. Glen silently mouthed “What the fuck?” They both felt wary about the Sheriff’s authoritative front. And Paul was beginning to think that the entire crowd felt the same way. Small pockets of chatter and low tone whispers began to rise up from the auditorium floor. Sheriff Baxter looked puzzled; his face showed that he no longer knew what to say. So before the Sheriff could turn it back over to Mayor Schacht, Paul walked halfway down the middle aisle and spoke aloud.

  “I want to hear from Roy Benton!”

  The massive room fell deadly silent. But for only one full second; the crowd then erupted in approval of Paul’s request. It was as if the crowd had forgotten how much they enjoyed Roy Benton, or relied on him and what he had always done for their community. The first five rows of people stood up and started to clap, many people in the auditorium started to chant, “Roy. Roy. Roy.” Paul slowly walked backwards to his place in the back, next to Warren and Glen. They fist pumped him in congratulations. Paul knew what he had accomplished, but he didn’t realize what he had started.

  Sheriff Baxter went back to his seat and was replaced by Mayor Schacht at the podium.

  “Alright. Alright. Settle down everyone. I was going to ask Doctor Nicholson to take the podium next, but he can wait I supposed. Roy would you come on up please.”

  Roy stood up from his chair on the stage, his arms still full of rolled up blueprints and plans. The Mayor then took his seat; he was indeed playing musical chairs with these people.

  “Ok, hi everyone. Busy morning for you guys?” Roy said into the podium microphone. He intended to lighten the mood and it worked. Everyone in the crowd chuckled.

  “Roy! What have heard about all of this?” Gus Frankly yelled out from the crowd. Gus owned a small yet fully stocked hardware store at the end of Main Street. Roy directed a lot of business Gus’s way. He would tell all newcomers to Green Falls to buy local, support local business, and help keep their community afloat.

  Thinking about Gus’s question, and how to answer it properly, Roy was silent for a moment.

  “Well like everyone, I saw the late night news. Those early reports, as unbelievable as they are, I believe are true.” Roy said, in earnest.

  “How so exactly?” A young woman now yelled out from the crowd. And from behind Roy, Mayor Schacht said loud enough for him to hear, “Yes, how exactly.”

  “I’m close to someone who has contact with another person on the east coast. Things are, well they’re really bad there.” Roy began.

  “Come on, we know you’re talking about Paul Landry. He’s from Pennsylvania, got family there, don’t he?” Gus Frankly yelled out. The crowd agreed with him.

  “Paul, why don’t you come on up here?” Roy said as the microphone peaked with a little feedback.

  Paul, who had only given one public address before in his life, started to walk all the way down the long aisle toward the stage. He could feel everyone’s eyes looking at him, waiting for what he had to say. But what the hell was Paul going to tell them? The truth no doubt, but how much of it? All of it? Some of it? Paul walked up on stage and stood slightly behind his friend Roy Benton.

  “Yes, Paul does have family all the way in Colton Pennsylvania. For those who don’t know, in the grand scheme of things Colton isn’t that far from Manhattan. What two hours maybe?”

  “Yes.” Paul said. Mayor Schacht and Sheriff Baxter looked uneasy, sitting behind them.

  “So what’s the story there Paul?” Stan Hadley now yelled up, from the first row. Stan worked the stacks in Green Falls Public Library. Paul still had a few books he had to return there, after all this excitement was over.

  Roy took a few steps back and let Paul approach the microphone.

  “I’ve been talking with my brother. We’ve had a few conversations, and yes things don’t seem to be going so well.” Paul started.

  “Explain, in more detail please.” Stan Hadley said, with great anxiousness.

  “My brother Robert seems to be fleeing from this disease. He has encountered numerous people infected by this stuff, and it isn’t pretty. This is definitely a real threat.” Paul said, asserting himself greatly. Everyone knew instantly how serious he was. And now the crowd was back to yelling back and forth.

  Mayor Schacht jumped up from his seat and nudged Paul away from the podium.

  “Ok now. Let’s not jump to any conclusions here. We still don’t know what we are dealing with.” Mayor Schacht said; desperation apparent in his voice. He was a man losing control. He knew that to avoid chaos, he would need to calm the people down.

  From below, Gus Frankly yelled up “You heard the man, this is real!” Many others in the vast crowd were yelling up at Mayor Schacht now. Anger was starting to fill the room and Paul felt solely responsible.

  But Mayor Schacht again raised up his gavel and swung it down hard. This time he hit the podium three times. On the second strike, a breaking sound was heard. And on the third strike the gavel broke into two pieces. The room was silent again.

  “I already stated that this will be an orderly affair. We don’t need to be shouting at each other!” The Mayor started. “Gentlemen thank you, please be seated.” He said to Paul and Roy. But Roy approached the Mayor instead.

  “Mr. Mayor, I have blueprints and plans here.”

  “What kind of plans?”

  “Strategies and contingencies in case we need to…”

  “JESUS CHRIST!” The Mayor screamed out loud, cutting off Roy. Roy looked like a little child who was just hollered at by a parent. He backed away.

  “Ok, now listen. And listen good! We are NOT going to be running away from this like some scared little children. What is going on near the east coast WILL be contained! Nothing, I repeat, nothing has been reported about a disease or any infectious disease near us. For all we know, it is already contained! We will stay right here, no one is leaving this town! All we have to do is sit tight and wait this out!” The Mayor screamed this all, he was out of breath.

  “I heard that there was army
out past the woods, circling our town!” Warren now shouted from the back.

  “Army? You serious boy?” Mayor Schacht replied, and then looked at Sheriff Baxter. The Sheriff looked just as puzzled as the Mayor.

  “Well I’m dead serious Mr. Mayor. Billy Hawkins said that he saw army trucks driving up around his gas stations.” Warren added.

  “Billy Hawkins? He’s a drunk, filled with diluted conspiracy theories. No offense but I don’t trust his word as far as I can…” The Mayor was cut off by a sudden loud scream coming from behind him.

  “Oh my god, oh my god. No!” Principal Audrey Wyatt yelled. She had a cell phone up to her ear. Tears were flowing down her face; her mascara was already running down in fast dark squiggly lines.

  “What is it Audrey.” Roy quickly asked. She slowly looked up toward Roy; the fear in her face was unbelievable. Every single soul in the auditorium was silent; their attentions were fixed on hearing Audrey’s response.

  Paul approached her too. He quickly looked over his shoulder and saw that the yellow brick road was actually part of the scenery backdrop. It was The Wizard of Oz!

  “Who is on the line Audrey?” Paul then asked.

  Through choking sobs Audrey replied, “My mother. She just said goodbye to me. She said they are all dead. My family, the city; ALL DEAD! She just said goodbye!”

  Paul walked closer to her slowly, as the cell phone dropped out of her hands and hit to stage floor. Paul asked her a simple question.

  “What city, Audrey?”

  “Denver.”

  “Shit.” said Mayor Schacht under his breath.

  Chapter 7: The Old Nurse

  1

  Robert and Felicia Landry were born on the morning of June 14th, 1983. It was an arduous labor for Rita Landry; from first contraction to last push, it lasted almost 18 hours. Robert was the first of the two to come into this world. There was a solid half hour of panic that followed. The doctor was concerned that Felicia might be spun around in Rita’s womb and a caesarean section might be the safest way to birth the baby. Trying to deliver the baby feet first was too dangerous. But before the doctor called to start the caesarean, a new nurse had entered the delivery room.