Darkness and The Grave: A Zombie Novel

by John Tolliver

  "Alright guys," Jim said grimly. "My brother may or may not be alive in there. Right now, it doesn't look good. If you want to continue without me, go ahead. I realize this might be where we scatter as you all have family too. But, whether you go in with me or not, I have to go see for myself if my brother Phil is still alive."

  "Dude, we stand behind you. Connor and Giselle may have never met Phil but me and Vik have. We will go in with you," Jeff said.

  Jim raised his pry bar and ran to the zombies. He heard the others running behind him. In the crimson twilight, he swung his pry bar down into the forehead of the first zombie he encountered. He and his friends hacked their way through the group of zombies until they reached the entrance to the terminal. Jim pulled the door open and was relieved to see in the quickly fading daylight that the vast hall was empty.

  Everyone walked in and Vik closed the door behind them. Their footsteps echoed in the cavernous chamber.

  "Man, this place is creepy in the dark," Jeff said.

  "Yeah," Jim murmured. He realized they had left the dorms without a flashlight. There was still some light in the terminal, but it would probably be completely dark within the tower.

  He pulled his phone out and turned it on. The battery stood at 11%. He activated the flashlight on it and motioned toward the tower's entrance.

  "This way," he said as he walked to the door. He pushed it open and stepped into the dark void.

  It was quiet in the lobby. Jim led the others to the stairwell and entered it. He started climbing as the others followed him.

  He walked up one floor, up to the mezzanine.

  Then two floors.

  Then three.

  They climbed higher still.

  "How old is your brother?" Connor asked.

  "Twenty-Four," Jim replied breathlessly.

  "Cool."

  As they ascended, Jim became aware of a scratching noise. It grew louder as they climbed higher. He realized they weren’t alone in the tower.

  Chapter Eleven

  Adam Doss

  Day 3

  Adam sighed as the little campfire crackled and began to die. He grabbed a medium sized log and laid it on the pile and watched it gradually catch fire. He had walked with Randy back to a farm house they had passed a mile earlier as the others set up a small camp. Randy had spied a stack of firewood next to a gray shed behind the farm house when they had been walking north and he had suggested they pilfer some wood to build a fire.

  Adam and Randy had each grabbed as much wood as they could carry and had walked back. Then they built a campfire and Adam had agreed to take first watch with Casey while the others slept in a half circle around the fire.

  "So what were you doing before all of this?" Casey asked as the fire made a popping noise.

  "I was an accountant for a law firm called Dodson and Walsh in Chicago," Adam replied.

  Casey whistled.

  "It wasn't as interesting as you'd think," he said. "What did you do?"

  "Well, I was working as a sound engineer at a recording studio over in Saint Louis until about four months ago," Casey replied, staring into the fire.

  "Then what did you do?"

  "Well, I got canned because I was late one time too many."

  "Oh."

  "Yeah, it sucked. Missy had to pick up more hours at Wal-Mart but it still wasn't enough. We were just a couple of days away from the sheriff showing up to foreclose on the house."

  "That's rough man."

  He nodded. "Yeah, it is rough. Was rough, anyway."

  "You're from Chicago originally, right?"

  "Yeah, you?"

  "No, I'm from Northern Indiana originally. I moved to Chicago after college. Why'd you move to Saint Louis?" Adam asked.

  "I wish I could say it was because of the sound engineer job, but I moved after my parents divorced a few years ago. It was a really acrimonious divorce and I just couldn't stand being near either of my parents. They were just so self-absorbed and bent on extracting as many assets as they could from each other."

  "That sucks."

  "Yeah, it did. Whatever, they can rot for all I care. My mom was a jerk and my dad was a complete idiot. I'm glad I moved to Saint Louis. I wouldn't have met Missy otherwise."

  "How long have you guys been together?"

  "Just a little over two years. How long have you and Jillian been together?"

  "Since college."

  "That's a long time."

  Adam nodded.

  "Yeah, Missy had this ex named Matt that was stalking her when I started dating her. I beat him up one night outside a bar and he left her alone after that."

  "Yeah, some people just need to have some sense knocked into them I guess."

  Casey chuckled. "Do they ever."

  "So that cop in Saint Louis, the one who arrested you, you knocked him out?"

  Casey stared at him for a moment. "I shot him."

  Adam’s jaw dropped.

  "He was going to shoot me, so I kicked the gun out of his hand, grabbed it and shot him."

  "You killed a cop?"

  "What was I supposed to do? He was going to kill me! Besides, you shot a guy today too," Casey said defensively.

  He nodded. "No, I understand, I guess. I guess I was just taken aback, that's all."

  "I get it. I'm not going to apologize though. That cop was going to kill me. You’ve seen all the shootings over the years; cops shooting unarmed people."

  "I believe you.”

  "Don't tell Randy."

  "What? Why not?"

  "I don't know. I just have a feeling he wouldn't take it as well as you just did. I'll tell him when the time is right."

  "Okay," Adam said. "I won't tell him."

  "Thanks."

  He nodded.

  "Hey, I'll be back," Casey said, standing up.

  "Okay, be careful."

  He chuckled. "Well, you know, when nature calls."

  Adam nodded, laughing.

  He walked away, into the darkness.

  Adam stared into the fire and reflected on the last forty-eight hours. They had fled from Saint Louis the night before and were now heading north. The military had demolished all of the bridges out of Saint Louis. Quarantine had been declared and it appeared that the police and military had largely abandoned their posts.

  Casey had killed a man, and Adam had killed a man. He thought back to that horrifying moment when he had pulled the trigger and watched as the man's brain sprayed out behind his head in a red mist. Adam had consciously decided to pull the trigger because he thought the man was a clear danger. He was just a few feet away from Missy and looked like he was going to bite her. Adam thought he made the right choice.

  What about Casey? Had he made the right choice? Adam realized he had no way of knowing if what he had said was true. Maybe the cop had panicked and decided to kill him. Adam just didn't know. He realized he didn't really know Casey all that well. Casey had been Randy's friend since high school and they had played in a metal band together back then. Adam hadn’t met Randy until college.

  He shrugged. “Judge not,” he mumbled quietly.

  He looked down at his watch. It was 2:07am. Had he and Casey really been out here talking for six hours?

  His thoughts were interrupted by footsteps behind him. He was about to turn and welcome Casey back when he felt something cold and hard against the back of his head. He heard a click.

  "Don't move," a gravelly voice quietly instructed.

  He thought about reaching for his pistol when he heard more footsteps.

  "Do as you're told and we won't kill you," the gravelly voice said.

  "What do you want?" Adam asked quietly. Jill, Randy and Missy were all soundly asleep. Where was Casey?

  "We're going to take your women, your guns and your supplies. Try to do anything squirrelly, and we'll rape your women in front of you and then kill you and your male friends. Now, stand up," the voice said as someone grabbed Adam by his arm and jerked him into
a standing position. He felt the pistol get pulled from his waistband.

  "Hmm, this is a police gun. Did you kill a cop to get this?"

  Adam shook his head. "No."

  “That’s funny. I killed one to get mine.”

  "All right folks, it is time to get up!" another man yelled. Adam heard a gunshot and flinched.

  The others all woke up suddenly.

  "What's going on?" Randy asked.

  "I was just telling your friend here that we are going to take your women, your weapons and your supplies," the gravel-voiced man said.

  "You can't do this," Randy said.

  "Yes we can son."

  Suddenly three gunshots rang out in front of Adam in rapid succession.

  He heard several thuds behind him as Jillian and Missy screamed.

  He turned and saw three men dressed in leather jackets and blue jeans lying dead on the ground, bullet holes in their heads. He spun back around and saw Casey emerge from the shadows holding the machine gun. The barrel was smoking.

  "Casey!" Missy yelled as she ran to his arms.

  "You just saved our lives!" Adam exclaimed.

  Casey shrugged. "I've seen trash like that before. They think they can just take whatever they want. Well, they can't."

  Adam realized he was shaking.

  Randy walked over and hugged Casey too.

  "Thanks Casey," Adam said.

  "No problem man. We're in this together."

  He nodded. Whatever had actually happened with the cop in Saint Louis, Adam realized it didn't matter now. Casey had just saved their lives.

  "You okay?" Jill asked as she walked up to Adam.

  "Yeah, you?"

  "Yeah."

  They spent the rest of the night talking and at first light they plundered the would-be robbers. Each man had been armed with a Forty-Caliber Beretta semi-automatic pistol. Additionally, they had stored some meager rations and ammunition in one backpack. Adam and the others took it all and set out at dawn, walking back to the railroad tracks and continuing their journey northeast.

  "You must be tired Adam," Jill said as they climbed up on the ridge the tracks ran along.

  He shook his head. "Actually, I feel okay."

  She laughed. "I know I’m tired!"

  He put his arm around her as they walked.

  "Sorry I suggested sleeping out in the open field," Randy said.

  "It's fine man," Adam said.

  "No really, I could have gotten us all killed."

  "Really Randy, it's fine. How could you have known we would get ambushed?"

  "Yeah," Missy said. "Besides, we're going to all make mistakes. Thankfully Casey had his gun ready. What were you doing anyways Casey?"

  Casey laughed. "I walked away to pee."

  They all laughed.

  They passed through a small town called Shipman about an hour later and continued on. At noon, they stopped to eat lunch in the parking lot of an abandoned feed store to the side of the railroad tracks.

  "We haven't seen anyone since last night. What do you guys think is going on?" Jill asked.

  Adam shrugged. "Maybe everyone is heading toward that camp the National Guard set up."

  "No, I'll bet most people have become zombies," Casey replied as he ate a handful of peanuts.

  "Whatever is going on, we'd better be cautious," Randy said. "Tonight, we need to find an abandoned store or office to sleep in. We’re lucky we didn’t see any of those infected people last night.”

  Adam nodded. "Yeah, that would probably be a good idea."

  "What do you think we'll find in Chicago?" Missy asked.

  "Who knows?" Adam asked.

  "You know, there's been a road running alongside the tracks most of the way up here and I haven't noticed any cars driving along it. I saw a few abandoned police vehicles yesterday while we were walking, and some roadblocks that had been abandoned, but no cars," Casey said.

  "I noticed that too," Adam said.

  "When do you think the other shoe is going to drop?" Casey asked.

  "What do you mean?" Randy replied.

  "I mean, when do you think we're going to see the other end of this? I mean, all we've really seen so far is abandoned towns. Where are all the people?"

  "I don't know Casey, I don't know."

  After lunch, they continued north along the railroad tracks into a little town called Carlinville. They passed several abandoned neighborhoods. The eerie stillness that had pervaded nearly every town they had passed through continued. The only sound they could hear was the sound of the wind blowing leaves through the empty streets.

  "Hey look!" Randy exclaimed. He ran forward.

  "Wait up!" Adam yelled as he took off after his friend.

  He stopped about fifty yards ahead and Adam stopped alongside him and gasped. There, piled in a lot next to an Amtrak train station were dozens of naked corpses. The smell of decay was overpowering.

  "Oh my," Casey said as he caught up.

  Adam heard Jill vomit behind him.

  "What happened?" Randy asked. "There must be at least forty corpses here." He walked toward the pile and stopped about two feet from them.

  "Be careful man," Adam said.

  "They look like they were sick. They all have gunshot wounds to the head too," he said. He turned and walked back to the others.

  "Is this the other shoe?" Missy asked warily.

  "I don't know. Who put those bodies here? And why were they all shot?" Casey asked.

  "Who shot them?" Adam asked.

  "I don't know if I want to find out," Casey said darkly.

  "Come on, let's keep moving," Randy said. "Casey's right."

  Jill walked up to Adam as they continued on. "That was horrible."

  He nodded. "I'm worried those aren't the last bodies we are going to see."

  The sky grew cloudy as they walked. Soon a light rain began to fall.

  Jill walked closer to Adam and he put his arm around her. "It'll be okay Jill," he said.

  She nodded.

  "Hey guys! We've got a problem!" Randy yelled as they crossed a street.

  Adam looked west down the street and saw hundreds of sick people walking toward them. Most had dried blood on their shirts and many of them looked like they were dead.

  One of them growled and reached toward the survivors. The crowd was maybe a hundred feet away.

  "Run guys!" Casey yelled.

  Everyone took off running as the sick people moved onto the tracks behind them.

  They ran through the rest of the town and followed the tracks into a large field outside the town. Adam turned and saw the horde of sick people fade behind them.

  Everyone stopped to catch their breaths after they had gone a little further.

  "That was close!" Randy panted.

  "Those people looked like they were dead!" Missy exclaimed.

  "They might have been!" Casey gasped.

  "Now come on," Adam protested. "Dead people don't walk!"

  "They do if they're zombified!"

  Adam shook his head. "No, you and Randy had this conversation yesterday. Zombies are fictional! They don't exist!"

  "Guys, calm down," Jill said. "Whether or not they were zombies, they were definitely sick. I think a continued strategy of avoiding them is wise."

  Adam nodded. "Sorry Casey, I…I don't know."

  "It's fine man, it's been a stressful week," he replied, patting him on the back.

  "There's a town up ahead," Randy said. "Let's find a place there to settle in for the evening and rest. I know we're all probably exhausted from last night and today."

  They continued on into a tiny little town. The stillness pervaded this little hamlet too.

  Adam followed Randy up to an abandoned feed store and was surprised to find the front door unlocked. Both men entered and looked around. The store was indeed empty.

  "Hey, we could stay here?" Adam suggested. "We could all sleep in the back room and take turns keeping watch."

&n
bsp; Randy nodded. "That sounds like a good idea."

  They walked outside to the others.

  "This is where we're staying tonight," Adam said. "We'll take turns on watch. Who wants first watch?"

  Randy nodded at him. "I'll take it."

  They walked back into the store. Adam looked down at his watch. It was 5:00pm.

  "The back room is small," Jill said, "but it should work."

  Adam yawned. "I think I'm going to go take a nap."

  She laughed. "You must be exhausted Adam!"

  He nodded, laughing. "I am."

  "Get some rest man," Randy said.

  "I will. Holler if you see trouble."

  "I will," he said.

  Adam walked back to the back room with Jill and the two sat down in the dark.

  "Adam, I love you," she said quietly.

  "I love you too Jill. I know this is all scary." He put his arm around her.

  "It's just so crazy. A week ago, we were at the airport getting ready to fly to Saint Louis. And now? I don't know if there is a home to return to in Chicago. And what about my family? What if they're not okay?"

  He sighed. "I know. I just, I don't know."

  "After we get to Chicago can we go to Cleveland?"

  He nodded. "Of course. We'll go through Valpo to make sure my family's okay and then head to Cleveland. Maybe we can at least get a car in Chicago."

  "Yeah, that was awesome of Randy's brother to drive us all to the airport so we didn't have to pay for parking."

  He nodded and yawned. "I think I'm going to lay down and get some sleep."

  "Okay," she said. "Goodnight Adam. I love you."

  "I love you too," he said. "You can stay in here if you want."

  "I might go out and talk to the others while you sleep. I'm sure they're going to try to figure something out for dinner. I'll try to save you some food."

  "Thanks Jill. Goodnight.”

  He laid down in the dark room and quickly sank into a dream-filled slumber..

  "Look at the view!" Randy yelled.

  "Wait up man!" Adam yelled back, panting heavily as he followed his best friend up the mountain. He gasped when he reached the top. The Pacific Ocean stretched out for what seemed like an eternity ahead of the two men. Cabo San Lucas lay to the southwest.

  "Thanks for suggesting this," Randy said as he sat down on a tree stump.