by C C Roth
“Wow. That’s really vague and helps me in no way,” I snapped.
“If you’re who I think you are then you’re going to want to talk to Mitchell.”
I scowled at her and the guys next to me. They looked equally confused. “And who do you think we are?”
“A group of kids that broke into a lab and liberated over thirty POWs.” She laser focused on our faces looking for a tell, and she must’ve gotten the confirmation she’d wanted. “Yeah, it’s you.” She smiled at us and pulled out her own walkie-talkie. “Here, take it. It’s set to channel seven. Meet us tomorrow at nine am at the intersection of Pile Road and Highway 23.” She handed me the walkie. “Do you have others?”
“No. Just us.”
“Good. Then if we see more than five bodies tomorrow, we’ll know to shoot first.”
“You don’t seem like the ‘shoot first’ type,” I teased.
“Oh, I’m not. But I’m also not the one in charge. Unlike you I have no trouble following orders.” She grinned then hopped into the back of their van as they sped off. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought she winked at Mike as they pulled away.
We sat for a minute not knowing what to say then Wyatt laughed with relief and started yammering. “Oh my god you guys, I was so scared. Did you see how she looked at you? Damn I thought she was going to kill you for sure. Sam, you are one lucky son of a bitch. What the hell? I mean where did they even come from? I didn’t hear a thing, did you guys- blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…”
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to tune him out.
Does this guy ever shut up?
Luis sighed, “I think I’m in love. She’s amazing. Did you see her eyes?”
Navin gave his signature shrug. “So that was messed up.”
“Yeah it was.” I looked the walkie-talkie over in my gloved hands as if it held some secret, but it revealed nothing and wouldn’t until tomorrow morning. Ever the impatient one, I jumped up and clapped my hands. “Well, grocery day is over. Let’s get out of here.”
“Sam, we need talk.” Mike was suddenly looming over me with a glare that used to be rarely seen but was becoming more frequent.
“Fine, whatever. Just not now. We need to go. Guys get this in the car and let’s move. We can talk back at the warehouse.”
“No, now.” Mike grabbed my arm and pulled me aside while the others hopped in the car. “You are going to get us all killed. Why don’t you stop and think for once!”
“Whoa! We’re not dead, are we? And now we have a plan. Or at least more of a plan than we did.”
“And what is this plan? Go meet a bunch of strangers on the side of the road where it’ll be easy to pick us off?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t like it. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Well she obviously heard about us and she thinks she can help. If she wanted us dead, then we’d already be dead. Don’t worry so much.” I brushed past him and got in the car, so he’d have no choice but to follow. He was pissed. It’s not like I didn’t get it, but I really didn’t want to pretend to listen to another “we can do better” lecture. If my cold friend had taught me anything it was that I didn’t have a “do better” switch.
The guys spent most of the day theorizing about who this group of randoms was and what they wanted to do with us. Luis decided they were former convicts who had escaped prison during the outbreak, except not Karina because she was too pretty. Wyatt went on a rant about a movie he’d seen once where this family lured people to their home and kept them as livestock, slowly chopping off body parts until there was nothing left. He went on forever and told it in such detail that he made Luis change his theory and decided they were definitely cannibals. Mike shared no opinion at all other than he had zero interest in finding out. He said we should keep our heads down and go back to the cabin in Hillsboro. Navin was less concerned with who they were and more concerned that I was going to get us all shot in some ridiculously violent bloodbath. Considering he’d only been involved in one bloodbath of my doing I insisted he was overacting, again. He could be so dramatic.
“Look, the only way we’ll find out who they are is if we show up tomorrow. If some of you don’t want to come that’s fine. But I’m going.” My tone was final.
They all silently conferred with one another.
“Well, I don’t have any other plans tomorrow so, what the hell?” Navin said.
“Yeah, why not? We’re in. Maybe they really do want to help us,” said Luis.
Wyatt shook his head, “Okay, fine. But if they’re cannibals one of you has to shoot me because there is no way I’m going out like that. I mean can you imagine it? I can’t think of a worse way to die than—"
“Don’t worry, Wyatt. I’ll shoot you.”
He looked relieved, “Thanks, Sam.”
“Anytime.” I laughed hysterically despite Navin’s disapproving look. Poor Wyatt just couldn’t see my contempt for him.
Mike stood up. “This is not a good idea. We don’t need to do this. Things are dangerous enough as it is. We don’t need to go looking for more situations that could get us killed.” And with that he stalked off.
I watched him march toward the tree line in back of the warehouse and wondered if I should go after him. It was only a month ago he had followed me into the woods to talk me down after my fight with Mom. But I wasn’t Mike and I never would be. Somehow, I would find a way to make things worse. What would a good sister do? What would a normal person do?
You’re not good or normal. You’re exceptional.
I didn’t want to deal with it, so I acted like it wasn’t a big deal. “He’ll get over it. He’ll have our backs tomorrow,” I said to the guys.
I wasn’t used to Mike acting like that. Stomping off when you can’t deal was my thing. He was always so patient with me, but it seemed I had pushed him too far. Or maybe he saw what I was becoming. He saw it and he hated me.
“I should go talk to him.”
Leave him. He doesn’t want to talk.
I shouldn’t have listened to my cold friend, but it was the easy way out and it saved me from what would surely be an emotional confrontation with my brother. So, I stayed put and pretended everything was fine. I let my coldness take over once again and freeze out any obligation or guilt my tiny scrap of a conscience was trying to dig up.
Feelings are overrated anyway.
2 A Home For Everyone
In the morning, after a nice breakfast of chips, peanut butter crackers, and candy, we made our way to the cramped car once again. Vending machines should really stock healthier food. Mike joined us but didn’t speak to me right away. I tried to smile at him but he was still mad, giving me nothing but a solid glare in return. He hadn’t spoken to me all night either, despite our close quarters. He didn’t like this plan or anything I was doing and he wanted to go the hell home, I got it. But I needed him with me on this. He was the last living soul that gave a crap about me and I was destroying it. I needed to fix my mess, somehow. But fixing wasn’t really one of my talents. Destruction came so much easier. We parked along the side of the road right at the intersection of Pile and Highway 23. It was a low, flat, open area so our new friends would have been able to spot us from whatever vantage point they were waiting. Smart. They had to be watching. I pulled up the walkie talkie they’d shared and took one last glare from Mike before I spoke.
“We’re here.”
“We see you. Step out of the car. All of you so we can do a little headcount.”
I looked to the guys quickly. “Last chance.”
They all shrugged in unison except for Mike. He may have even tried to keep ignoring me had I not stared him down, waiting for a response.
Finally, he sighed and spoke to me for the first time in 12 hours. “You gotta see it through, right?”
“Right.”
“Let’s hope this isn’t a huge mistake, Sam.”
“Everything is a mistake right now. None of us should even be alive,
but here we are.”
And with that we all stepped out of the car.
A voice crackled through the walkie. “Geez. You guys look like a clown car at the circus. You couldn’t find anything bigger to drive?”
“Yeah well, the used car lot was closed so we grabbed what we could.”
Silence. Then over the hill on Highway 23, a vehicle came into view. Then another and another. We were definitely going to be outnumbered. My trigger finger started itching again, warning me my cold friend was lying in wait. The same white van from yesterday pulled past us and parked sideways on the road creating a barrier in front of us. The side door opened and a serious looking lady with biceps to rival Mike’s, sat ready with a shotgun pointed right at us. Next, a pickup truck stopped alongside us and Karina stood up in the truck bed looking like an apocalypse model, once again pointing her pistol at me. And then a shiny black sports car stopped short behind us, completely closing off our exit. We were totally surrounded.
“Wow. Nice Mustang,” said Luis. He was practically drooling. It was a nice enough looking car, but I didn’t see what the big deal was. Four wheels and an engine were my only requirements for a vehicle. Of course, that’s how we ended up with the super tiny Honda.
An awkward moment passed and we all stood frozen, wondering what to do next. The silence must have been killing Wyatt. Then a man emerged from the back seat of the Mustang and all eyes stayed on us as he took a position in the middle of their hastily formed circle. He was tall and thin, the type of build people called wiry. Something seemed different about him right away. He was…tidy. He wasn’t wearing a suit and tie or anything, but he carried himself as though he was. His shoes were clean and his pants looked like he was heading into the office later for a meeting. Odd outfit choice for plundering small towns or attacking innocent groups of kids. He stood casually and assessed me up and down as if he had some internal scanner processing my output signals. I must have passed inspection because he strode towards me with a warm smile on his face, stopping six feet away; about as close as you’d want to get to a stranger post-Avian-X.
“Good Morning, my dear. Samantha, is it? I am Mitchell Anderson. Karina says we need to meet.” His voice was deep and soothing like the low rumble of a lion.
“Yeah she said that to me too. Who are you?”
“You’re quite blunt. I like that. To be equally blunt, I am Everyone.” He splayed his hands in front of himself as if he was presenting me with something miraculous.
I looked at Navin who just shrugged his shoulders confused.
I mimicked his hand movements, mocking him. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I represent the people in our country who don’t feel they have representation. The people who felt like they never had or never will have a voice. I represent freedom, what could be, and what will be if we can convince enough people to join us and fight for our cause.”
“Is that the answer you always give? It’s really long and it doesn’t make any sense.”
He laughed. I amused him so maybe that would keep us alive for the moment. “Well I hate to show all my cards at our first sit down but more to the point, it means that I want to help put our Nation back together in the form it was always meant to take. Freedom for all, liberty for all, and no exceptions.”
“Uh-huh.” He wasn’t boring I had to give him that.
“So, let’s talk freely. It sounds like you and I might have mutual interests, Samantha. I want to find out if we can help one another.”
“Well if you’re interested in blowing up scummy government labs that kidnap, torture, and kill innocent people then yeah, you could say we have mutual interests.”
“Excellent. I am indeed. So, it is true that you and your people were the ones who broke into the facility in Freemont?”
“Yeah. We did.”
He looked proud of me and a warmth came over his face. I liked this guy.
“You did well, Samantha. I think you and I should be friends. How do you feel about that?”
“I think it depends on what your definition of friendship is. I’ve had some pretty shitty friends before.” That was a lie. I’d only ever had one friend and she was amazing. But he chuckled again.
“We will construct a symbiotic relationship between our groups designed from necessity and painted in an image of hope. Allowing both of us to flourish and prosper.”
“Huh?”
“I help you and you help me. And if we’re lucky we both get what we want.”
“Right. And what is it you want?”
“I want to reclaim our world, my dear. Only from its ashes will it arise stronger and more immaculate than it ever was or we ever thought it could be. Changes are on the horizon and if we do not act now then we will have no say in what those changes are.”
I rolled my eyes heavily.
“Perhaps a more simplistic explanation. We have a home. Safety, food, and good company. And we would like you to come and see it, in order to discuss a business proposition.”
I turned around and waved the guys closer to me, rudely turning my back on Mitchell. “What do you think of this guy?”
Navin whispered as best he could, “I think he’s as crazy as you are.”
“Yeah, I like him,” I nodded eagerly.
“Yeah, you would.”
Mike spoke up, “He seems harmless enough. I’m curious as to how he thinks he can help us. I’m more curious about what he wants from us. We don’t have anything to give right now.”
I thought that over for a second. Mike was being cautious, and he had every right so I tried to look like I was thinking it over really hard before saying anything. But who are we kidding, I never thought things over.
“So, what’s next, Mitchell? It’s Mitchell, right?”
“Yes. Well from here all it takes is a leap of faith and a short journey to our home so we can talk further. What do you say, Samantha? Are you willing to take a trust walk with me?”
I arched another eyebrow at Navin, he leaned over to whisper, “He wants us to go with him.”
“Thanks, I got that one on my own.”
“Well, weary traveler, what is it going to be?” He crossed his arms, dramatically.
I sized up Mitchell’s team of muscle surrounding us. “Depends. Are you going to talk like that the whole time?”
“Probably, but you’ll get used to it.” He turned and waved us on as if I had already agreed to come with them.
Karina jumped off the truck bed she’d been standing on, grenade belt and all. “Follow the black car and I’ll follow you. This way we all stay safe.”
“Doesn’t sound very safe to me.” I glanced at Mitchell again as he got in his car.
“Don’t worry about him. He’s a good man. Truly. And he’s way smarter than all of us put together. He’s just a little different.”
I couldn’t help wondering what I had gotten us into. “What if we change our mind? After we get to your place, I mean.”
“You won’t. Besides, you don’t want to change your mind. Aren’t you a little curious?”
Dammit, I was. And more than just a little.
“Besides you guys look pretty rough. A few nights in a house couldn’t hurt that odor situation you’ve got going on. I bet the big guy looks amazing after a shower.” She was basically drooling while she stared at Mike.
Gross.
“Fine. We’ll follow.” I turned and nodded for the guys to load up.
We were in the car for thirty minutes and Luis marked the route on our map the whole way so we wouldn’t get lost. Smart, considering we were surrounded once again by nothing but corn fields. There was a lot of corn is this part of Ohio. A lot.
“Luis, where are we going?”
“It looks like they’re headed into Toledo or at least near it but that would be a terrible idea. We should probably bail. I don’t know if any city that size is safe or not.”
He had a point. Most sizeable cities were death trap
s or at least that’s what the news had reported in the beginning. Close quarters and large numbers of people had made them a breeding ground for Avian-X. A smarter person would tuck tail and run but my curiosity and boredom needed an adventure so badly I was considering drawing my own treasure map just to have a little excitement.
It felt like an eternity but finally the mustang in front of us turned off the highway and we were suddenly plunged into a very different environment. In a blink the ever-present corn was gone and replaced by a city view; a downtown that had seen better days by the looks of things. A lot of buildings looked as if they’d been burnt out or even bombed the way they were covered in black ash and left hanging open to the elements. A few people, depressed and grim, walked the street pushing shopping carts. Their clothes were no more than rags and they were covered in a visible layer of grime, adding to the desolate and defeated landscape.
“Sam, this doesn’t look safe. There are too many people in a city this size. We need to leave.” Mike was feeling panicked and I couldn’t blame him.
The last time we saw a city this big it was early on, in news coverage of looting and people dying in the streets. It was an eerie Deja vu.
“Yeah, I know. But I don’t see a lot of people. Do you? In fact, I don’t see any other than these one or two. I think most everyone is gone. Let’s just wait until we see where he takes us. We can still bolt if it looks bad.”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t think shopping cart-lady is much of a threat, Mike. We’ll be fine.”
The buildings were tall enough that we had no real sight lines except what was in front of us. I didn’t like it any more than Mike did but I couldn’t see any real danger yet. The place looked like a ghost town and we’d already come all that way. I wasn’t about to bail before the big reveal.
“Here put these on.” I tossed three masks into the backseat for the guys and handed one to Mike as well. He was leaning forward on the steering wheel trying to spot something that would give us a clue about our fate that day. But all we could see was more depressed buildings with busted out windows and abandoned holiday decorations. Suddenly a group of stray dogs darted across the street barking at each other, narrowly missing our front bumper. We all jumped in our seats. Some tough crew we were turning out to be. The mustang rounded another corner on to State Street then parked and suddenly our landscape had dramatically changed once more. We were stopped in front of a four-story building that belonged on another planet or maybe Sesame Street. Tucked in between the gray and boring façade of the city block, it stuck out like a sore thumb that had been dipped in finger-paint and glitter. It was a colorful, monstrous thing that stood apart from the entire city in every way. The old and tired brick was covered in vibrant murals that stretched all the way to the top. Images of children playing, music notes with wings flying into outer space, an astronaut swan-diving off a crescent moon and flowers everywhere of every shape and color. The detail was impeccable, and we all stared at it truly impressed.
