Children of the Apocalypse: Mega Boxed Set

by Baileigh Higgins

  Tallulah, newly pimped out as an ambulance stood ready to go, was staffed by Hannah, Dr. Lange, and Jonathan. The only other occupants were Erica and Tumi with their young babies, while Mike acted as their driver.

  Michelle spotted the big school bus and hurried over. She clambered up the steps and found Nombali tucking a sleepy Meghan and Anne into their seats underneath a warm blanket. Each had a toy backpack at their feet.

  “Morning, Nombali,” she said, hurrying over to prop Jenny into a chair across the aisle. “Can you watch her, please? I need to fetch Mark and the dogs.”

  “Sure, no problem.”

  She rushed out again, nearly ramming into Cat who herded another group of children toward the bus. With a brief hello, she slipped past and ran back to her bungalow where Mark still slept unawares.

  Two more trips saw both children installed on the bus with their personal belongings, as well as Princess and Buzz. Ruby and Lonny were there too, and Michelle exited the bus to see if her help was needed elsewhere.

  It wasn’t. The evacuation was well underway. A couple of trucks loaded with the camp’s supplies stood ready to go already. They’d be driven by Dave and Abe respectively. Phillip was just about done loading his own vehicle and trailer with their crops and gardening supplies, while Joseph drove another one filled to the brim with various materials and Lucas as his sidekick.

  “Are the kids inside the bus?” Julianne asked, walking over.

  “Yes, all of them.”

  “Good. We’ll be leaving shortly.”

  “Is everything okay?” Michelle asked, noting the deep grooves that lined Julianne’s face.

  Julianne hesitated. “Everything’s fine with the evacuation. Things are running smoothly.”

  Michelle remained silent, sensing there was more the woman wanted to say.

  At last, Julianne continued, her voice taut. “I’m just worried about Christo, you know? And all the others going to fight. It’s so dangerous.”

  “I know. I worry about them too, though I guess it’s worse for you.”

  “It’s just a horrible situation. I’ve lost so much. So many loved ones. We all have,” Julianne said, her shoulders sagging.

  Michelle nodded. “You’re right, and I can’t help but wonder if by this time tomorrow we’ll all still be here. I’m afraid.”

  “So am I.”

  “But I have to be strong for the kids, and for them, I’d take on the world,” Michelle said. “They are my world.”

  Julianne sighed. “My children are everything to me, and you’re right, of course. For them we have to push through. No matter how tough it gets.”

  “We do,” Michelle agreed.

  They stood in silence for a few seconds, listening to the crickets sing in the night until Julianne reached out and squeezed Michelle’s hand. “Thank you for looking after our children all the time. I don’t think I’ve ever told you that.”

  “It’s okay. I love them, and they love me. They’re my reason for living.”

  Julianne smiled. “You’re a wonderful person, Michelle. Never change, please.”

  Startled, Michelle stared at the older woman. “Thank you.”

  Julianne turned away. “Time to get going, I guess.”

  “Do you need help with anything?”

  “No, we’ve got things in hand, thank you,” Julianne replied. “You might as well get out of the cold.”

  Michelle nodded. “All right.”

  Julianne left her then, intent on finalizing the preparations.

  Michelle lingered, watching the people split up into their designated groups.

  All the cars looked a bit different with their windows covered in mesh, and bull bars on the front. Each one also carried a small cache of fuel, water, food, and weapons.

  The team chosen to carry out the diversionary attack would drive in their own armored vehicles. With Breytenbach at the helm, Ronnie, Lenka, Lisa, Kirsten, Liezel, Donya, Dee, Aiden, and Michael formed a respectable fighting unit, and Michelle prayed there’d be no losses.

  Two other cars besides Tallulah would follow the bus through town, ready to lend support in case of trouble. The first was a minivan carrying Max, Sean, Peter, Thembiso, Ryan, and Jonathan. The second was Logan’s Land Rover. Martin, Josh, and Jed were accompanying him, and all were armed to the teeth in case of trouble.

  The attack itself would happen at dawn, and the rest of the convoy would wait for them to catch up at a designated spot.

  When it seemed departure was imminent, Michelle turned to leave but paused when a voice called out to her. “Michelle, wait!”

  She turned in the direction of the sound and saw Lisa running toward her. “Hey, Lisa.”

  “Before you go, I wanted to give you something.” Lisa fumbled at her belt and produced a pistol in a holster. “Here. In case you need it.”

  Michelle eyed the gun with reluctance. “I…no thanks, Lisa. You know, I don’t like guns.”

  “I know. But I also know you’re in charge of a busload of kids, Michelle. Children who rely on you to protect them.”

  “Yes, but there are others on the bus too. People who are better fighters than I am,” Michelle protested.

  Lisa reached out her hand and grabbed Michelle’s wrist. “You can’t always rely on others. Besides, you’re not a victim anymore. You’re a strong, capable young woman. Take it.”

  Michelle stared at the pistol. Maybe, Lisa was right. Perhaps, she wasn’t that scared young girl from before. Can I do it? Can I shoot someone to protect Jenny or Mark?

  The answer was yes.

  “I believe in you, Michelle. You’ll do the right thing when the time comes,” Lisa said before turning away. “See ya!”

  “See ya,” Michelle repeated in a faint voice, cradling the pistol like a newborn baby before buckling it onto her belt. “For Jenny and Mark.”

  She boarded the bus minutes later and immediately smiled. It felt like home, filled with the chatter of over excited kids and the smells that accompanied them. The scent of baby powder and candy.

  Liz sat at the wheel, her stern gaze flitting over Michelle before softening into a half-smile. “Hi, there.”

  “Hey.”

  Julianne sat behind Liz with an open map while Elise sorted out a box filled with water, fruit juices, and snacks. Cat, Nadia, Vera, Danielle, and Nikki occupied the back seats and watched over their younger members; Lucy, Kerry, Tessa, and Juan.

  Michelle gave them a friendly wave before making her way toward Mark and Jenny. Nombali was there too, keeping an eye on Meghan and Anne while cuddling the mewling Samantha.

  Ruby eyed her in silence, still distant after their talk about the chickens. Michelle guessed the girl blamed her for going to Breytenbach with the story, as well as her suspicions regarding Lonny and the keys she’d carried in her pocket that day.

  Lonny, at least, appeared to carry no grudge. He flashed her a quick smile before turning back to his sister and tucking a lock of hair underneath her hood. He was very protective of her and she of him. Not that Michelle could blame them. They were all the other had and blood was thicker than water.

  She sat down and pulled two dog treats out of her pocket. Each contained a sedative, and should be enough to keep the animals calm on the trip. After feeding the treats to Buzz and Princess, she settled them onto a blanket with a bone each to chew. After a few minutes, the meds kicked in and they fell asleep.

  Michelle sighed with relief. One less problem to deal with. “Thank you, Jonathan.”

  With everyone in their spots and taken care of for the moment, Michelle turned her gaze outward. Liz started the bus with an audible roar of the engine, and its lights lit up the scene in a bright yellow glow.

  Dawn was still far off, though Michelle could see a slight lightening in the sky on the distant horizon. She looked back at the place they’d called home these past months, and a sense of sorrow filled her. She didn’t know what awaited them at St. Francis, but she did know what she was leaving
behind.

  “I’m going to miss it too,” Nombali said, accurately guessing her thoughts.

  “Yes, I was happy here for a time.”

  “We all were.”

  One by one, the vehicles switched on their engines and moved into position. The two fighting trucks first, followed by Tallulah, the school bus, minivan, supply trucks and finally, the Landie.

  Figures spilled out of the two front cars and opened the gates. The convoy began to move, exiting the inner camp in a slow procession. Once they reached the outer gates, Michelle sucked in a shocked breath.

  Infected filled the fields outside the moat, their shuffling figures as inexorable as death itself. They clamored at the barrier and fell into the ditch, filling it with their rotting bodies. There were as many as she’d ever seen in one place together. No wonder we have to leave.

  She realized how sheltered she’d been all this time, tucked away inside her school room. Her right hand felt for the gun at her side, and she gripped the handle with fresh determination. I’ll do what needs to be done. When the time comes.

  Once again, the fighting trucks stopped, and people got out to open the gates. A barrage of gunfire cleared the area immediately around the barrier, and it was quickly dragged aside.

  Muffled gunshots popped as more infected swarmed in, a plague of locusts intent on feeding. She held her breath as her fellow people ran back to their vehicles, barely making it to safety in time.

  As the convoy pulled out, leaving their old home behind, she gathered Jenny and Mark to her, soothing their frightened cries as a horde of zombies swept past the windows, some hitting the bull bars and going down under the wheels.

  It was a long time before she let go of them, a long time before they were clear of the infected in the fields and on the way to their destination. Bloemfontein.

  Chapter 19 - Agatha

  Two nights and a day had passed since Agatha sought refuge in Mrs. Greene’s home, a place obscure enough to be safe from Hiran’s searching men. After all, who would think to look for her in such an obvious place? A guesthouse right beside a main road, and not far from Naval Hill either.

  No, they’d assume she’d run. As far and fast as she could. As it was, she’d left a false trail down a different road by smearing a wall with some of her blood and dropping her knife in the street a bit further on. Then she’d doubled back and gone a different route.

  Now, after a chance to rest and recoup, she was ready to take her revenge. Dressed in warm, comfortable clothes, she had a quick fortifying breakfast of canned asparagus and tuna, followed by a bottle of water and aspirin.

  Into her left boot, she tucked a wicked looking kitchen knife from Mrs. Greene’s arsenal, and then she was ready to take on the town. An hour’s steady walk brought her to the business district where she chose a brand new truck from a dealership.

  In the shop’s garage, she found a new battery off the rack and quickly exchanged it for the old one. A quick test showed it was working just fine, and within minutes she was cruising the streets in style and comfort.

  A camping shop was her next destination. There she picked up a box full of flares and a flare gun, chucking them onto the seat next to her. A hunting knife was next, chosen for its razor sharp edge, and it went onto her belt in a custom made sheath. From the hardware section, she picked two pairs of bolt cutters and tossed them into the truck as well.

  Agatha also found a gun in the office safe. It was fully loaded and contained six shots. Enough for her needs. She looped the holster through her belt and snatched a scarf from a rack which she used it to tie her mess of curly hair back. With a pocket full of candy bars and a cool drink from the vending machine, she exited the building.

  At a music store, she picked up a mix of songs from the loudest death metal band she could find. A quick test of the truck’s speakers proved they were more than up for the job, and Agatha allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction. Things were going well, indeed. Almost too well.

  With all her preparations in hand, she checked her fuel gauge and concluded only one more thing remained: Justice.

  “Watch out Hiran. George. I’m coming for you, and I’m not coming alone.”

  A quick twist of the key started the engine, and she was off, driving a road as familiar to her as the back of her hands. The winding road brought her to a standstill in front of a set of large gates. They were locked with a loop of thick chain, and the keys were long gone.

  It didn’t matter.

  That’s what the bolt cutters were for.

  Beyond the gates were several shambling figures spread out over the grounds, and she was sure there were hundreds more inside. All waiting for her to free them.

  Agatha quickly turned the truck around, enabling a quick escape. Next, she picked up the biggest pair of bolt cutters from the back of the truck and used them to cut the chains.

  Already a bunch of the infected had noticed her and were making their way across the open space. They were quite fast, more so than she’d thought they’d be. After pulling the chain free, she ran back to the safety of her truck and jumped in.

  With the doors locked, she cracked open her window, stuck her hand out and shot off a flare. She hoped it would draw in the scattered zombies, but that wasn’t the only tactic she planned to rely on.

  With all the truck’s windows opened a crack, she switched on the CD player and blasted the music out full volume. The death metal sounded awful to her ears; her taste was more inclined toward jazz, but in this instance, the louder, the better.

  Two balls of cotton wool protected her eardrums while she waited, the truck’s cabin vibrating with the force of the sound it projected. It reawakened her aches and pains, reminding her how fragile her body was without the regular aspirin to keep her going.

  Knowing she was going to need it to see her through, she popped a few more pills with a swallow of water. For a brief moment, she closed her eyes, preparing for the ordeal ahead.

  Strong she might be, clever even, a good person who led by example and discipline, but stupid she was not. Agatha knew very well that this was a one-way trip. She was not coming back from this one.

  It didn’t matter, though. There was no escaping the yawning pit of darkness Hiran and George had opened up inside her. The only way out was death, and she fully intended to take that route. “But I’ll make damned sure I take you with me, you sons of bitches.”

  She opened her eyes in time to see the first zombie slam its diseased hands on the window next to her face. Many more crowded closer, and a quick check in the rearview mirror revealed a beautiful sight. From every corner of the base, more infected streamed, all making their way toward her.

  With a smile, Agatha eased the truck into a low speed, moving just fast enough to keep the dead coming her way. Bit by bit, she led them through the streets of Bloemfontein toward what was once her home for a time. Naval Hill.

  It was late afternoon by the time she got them there. It had taken hours to lead the dead to her goal. Not that it mattered. As they grew closer, her smile broadened. She could almost imagine the horror on Hiran and George’s faces when they saw her. She could practically feel the triumph of their deaths course through her veins. Soon. Very soon now.

  When she reached the road leading up the hill’s winding ways, she slowed, allowing the dead to catch up to the point where they almost swamped the car.

  Almost.

  With her bodyguards in place, she braved the entrance, a set of gates in the fence stretching around the area. Guards loitered around in boredom, but their jaws dropped open in shock when she rounded the corner.

  Shouts rang out, and panic struck. Figures milled about as they reached for their guns. Before any of them could accomplish much, she slammed her foot down on the accelerator and smashed through the nearest gate.

  The powerful truck, chosen for this purpose, turned the metal bars into confetti. They swung open, allowing free access to the zombies who streamed in, making quick meals
of the guards. She listened to their awful screams, basking in the sound. “It’s payback time.”

  Once the guards were out of the way, she led the infected further up the hill, a veritable pied piper. “Come on, my lovelies. This way. Don’t fail me now.”

  Like faithful hounds, they trudged along behind the truck. With each inch, her impatience grew until she wanted to abandon the slow undead and roar her way forward to smash and kill. “Patience, Agatha. It’s not far now.”

  Finally, she topped the rise and entered the clearing where Hiran’s headquarters lay; her old headquarters. Men milled about, and she surmised they’d heard the approaching ruckus.

  What they got was not what they expected, though. Having planned every detail out ahead, Agatha knew she had a limited window of opportunity. It was now or never.

  Once again, she slammed her foot down and roared forward, sending men scattering every which way. The zombies followed, honing in on their fresh victims with eager bloodlust. Screams filled the clearing.

  She spun the truck behind a building, getting away from both the infected and men alike. Once out of view, she jumped out and ran toward the shack where the surviving women and children huddled inside, terror stamped on their faces.

  She burst inside and searched for a familiar face, any familiar face at all. There! I know her. “Nina, come on. You have to escape. All of you. Use my truck.”

  “What?” Nina mumbled, confusion and fear filling her features.

  Agatha’s temper flared, and she stamped her foot. “Nina, move your ass. Now. We don’t have time for tears.”

  The girl stumbled forward, and Agatha grabbed her arm, shoving the truck keys into her hand. “Here. Get them out by the back roads. Go to a safe house outside of town. Save them.”

  “What about you?” Nina asked.

  “Forget about me. Go!”

  Agatha hustled the women and children out and into the truck, watching as they drove away using a back road very few people knew of. With her first objective taken care of, she moved on to the next.

  Hiran.

  With the hunting knife in her hand, Agatha went on the prowl. It didn’t take long to find him. He stood with his back to her, taking pot shots at the undead while howling out orders. His black hair glinted in the sun. Every bit as dark as his soul.