Dead State Box Set [0-5]

by Shupert, Derek

  I pull on Duke’s collar, and direct him toward the alley to our left. His barking and growling quickly subsides as we enter the space between the two brick buildings.

  That crazy bastard. I can’t believe he did that. A part of me wonders if he will survive and get away. Heck, I wonder if Duke and I will as well. After all, I have no clue where we are going, or if I am rushing headlong into the arms of death around each dumpster and corner we take.

  Our pace is fast and brisk. My gaze sneaks over my shoulder to see if we are being followed through the maze of buildings and back alley passageways.

  The pack on my back bounces up and down, which throws my balance off some. I gasp for air. I hate running.

  The rifle stays close to my chest. I try to gauge each blind corner we approach. Duke doesn’t seem to share my same cautious approach. He runs in a dead heat without care.

  Trash bins behind us are knocked over by something keeping pace with us. I can’t see what it was, or how many there are.

  My heart pounds. My lungs are on fire. Fear and desperation fuel my body, and drive my legs to move even faster.

  We turn sharply to the right and keep moving. We’re lost. That much is certain. The unknown clings to me like a bad stench. I hate running blind. The reddish-brown brick veneer all looks the same. I want to find the road, so we can get our bearings.

  Up ahead is a tall chain link fence that seals the street off on the other side. It spans the entire alley from left to right. We stop at the interlinked steel barrier.

  I frantically search for a way through. The tromping of the chasers rushing this way sends a flood of panic surging through my tired and worn body. I grab the bottom of the fence and pull, but it doesn’t budge.

  I step back, and take in the height of the obstacle before me. I could scale it, but what about Duke? Carrying him over isn’t an option, and I’m surely not going to leave my family to the wicked desires of the infected looking to feed their hungry bellies.

  Crap.

  I have to decide. Fast. Screw it.

  I turn the way we came, and take a knee. Duke stands by my side with his fangs displayed. He growls, and folds his ears back. I shoulder the rifle, and train the barrel at the incoming threat.

  “Whatever happens, boy, we stick together.”

  Duke remains glued to my side. I try to control my breathing through the panic.

  In the back of my head, I can hear Dad whispering in my ear. His hand gently rests on my shoulder as he points out into the dense woods before us.

  “Remember, James. Control your breathing. Steady your nerves and remain calm. When the shot presents itself, exhale slowly, and squeeze the trigger.”

  My body struggles to act under Dad’s wisdom. My muscles are poised for a fight. One that I’m sure we are going to lose.

  The door to our left vibrates subtly, then swings open. I turn toward the opening, and train my rifle at the blackness that looms before me. I’m prepared to unleash on the demon coming for me.

  “Hurry up. Get inside,” a female voice beckons.

  I’m frozen in indecision as the chasers’ wails creep closer. They’re almost here. She emerges from the shadows, face stern and void of any fright in her blue eyes. She peers to her left. She has a flashlight clutched in her right hand. “If you want to stay out here, that’s fine by me.” She steps back into the building and starts to close the door.

  “Wait.” I lower the rifle, and scramble to my feet. I grab Duke by the collar, and lead him inside the building. She slams the door behind us as the chasers arrive. They spin around in circles, trying to locate our whereabouts.

  Sitting there in the dark, I grab Duke, and hold him close. I place my hand over his mouth to try and calm him down. He growls and groans through his sealed snout. I know he doesn’t care for it. He pulls away from me and fights to free himself from my grasp.

  The girl is cloaked by the darkness. The hint of her outline is visible through the thin bead of light that seeps in from around the door. She holds the large Maglite flashlight close to her chest as she turns it on.

  Her face is framed in an ominous manner as the beam shoots upward. She looks down at us. Her finger presses firmly to her pink lips. She cocks her head to the right and listens closely.

  Duke’s thrashing and rigid posture lessens as the threat vanishes. After a few moments of awkward silence, the girl turns her attention back to us.

  She exhales a deep sigh of relief and says, “Welcome to Sweet Home.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  The grumblings and wails of the chasers just beyond the door fade to a subtle silence. I give Duke a firm hug, and get my feet back under me. Our savior slouches against the door. She stares at us with a curious gaze. The light stays fixed just under her chin as she hands me my rifle.

  I take it from her, and offer a nod of gratitude. “Thanks for your help. We appreciate it.”

  She cuts her eyes down to Duke, then back up to me. “Cute dog. What’s his name?”

  “Duke.”

  He rests on his hind legs and pants hard. His tongue hangs from the right side of his mouth as his chest expands outward rapidly. His yellow-gold coat is filthy, and is chocked full of stickers and brush.

  “Golden retriever?” she inquires.

  “Yeah. I’ve had him since he was a pup.” Still one of the best days that I can recall, even if I didn’t know it at the time.

  She nods. “Cool. I like golden retrievers. They’re good dogs. I had a pitbull. She looked evil, but was super friendly.”

  I run my palm over Duke’s head. He lifts up to meet my hand as he glances up at me.

  “He’s much the same. Not that he looks evil or anything like that. Most people are a bit standoffish with him at times because he can come across a bit aggressive and intimidating,” I say. “It can be a pain at times.”

  She lowers the flashlight in Duke’s direction. She smiles, and carefully reaches for his head. He doesn’t offer a single growl or show of his teeth.

  He sniffs her at first. Then his tongue carefully slides out of his mouth to lick the back of her hand.

  A half smile breaks across her face, as she gently scratches his snout. “Follow me.”

  Softy.

  She walks past us toward a flight of stairs to our right. Darkness quickly envelops the space we are standing in as she starts up the stairs.

  We give chase and follow close behind. Each rung we ascend sounds off from our weight pressing down on the wooden steps. Light from the windows to our left filter through the narrow openings between the plywood that cover them.

  Having found a temporary safe haven from the threat that looms beyond the brick walls of the building, I can’t help but think of Lucas. Is he alive? Did he manage to lose the chasers that were after him?

  As much as Lucas came across as a tough and resilient survivor, the odds of him escaping the clutches of the infected seem so bleak. I want nothing more than to be wrong, but it’s hard not to toy with that realistic notion.

  The darkness of the stairs slowly melts away, and gives way to the light that grows brighter the closer we get.

  “You know, you two are lucky I spotted you from the window when I did. Those things are crawling all over the place out there.” She hits the landing of the openly bright space. More light floods into the massive loft type area from the few windows that aren’t covered up.

  We exit the stairs shortly after her. I pause. My hand braces against the railing to my right. I take in a few deep breaths, and exhale slowly.

  “Crawling, huh? We hadn’t seen any chasers except for those two by that wreckage. Well, and the ones that were after us,” I say.

  She sets the Maglite down on a crate, turns sharply on her heels, and looks at me. “Oh, they’re around out there. Make no mistake about that.” She points toward the street. “You’re fortunate you only had to contend with what you did. There are hundreds more all over the town. Maybe more than that. I only go outside when it’s abso
lutely necessary. Like, for instance, to save strangers who blindly walk to their death.”

  As much as I don’t appreciate her heavy dose of sarcasm at the moment, I decide to let it fall to the floor without a rebuttal. She did save our hides, and she knows infinitely more about this town than I do.

  “Where are they? We weren’t sure if there was anyone still left in the town, alive or dead. We didn’t see any traces that led us to believe otherwise.”

  Her gaze drifts to the floor, then back up to me. “As far as any survivors, besides me, there’s at least one other. But the infected are everywhere, in most of the buildings and alleyways that run through this cursed place. Just because they’re not marching down the street, and making a bunch of racket, doesn’t mean they aren’t close by.”

  I slip the pack free from my shoulder, set it on the floor next to the stairs, and rest the rifle next to it.

  “Well, we really appreciate you helping us out down there. We were sure in a tight jam.”

  She nods.

  I walk toward her, and extend my hand. “I’m James.”

  She appears a bit apprehensive at first, but finally reciprocates the gesture.

  “Cassie.”

  I glance over at Duke who is wandering about. His body vanishes within the cluster of boxes and crates that litter the loft type space. His tail is on end and moves about as he explores the surroundings.

  “That was really brave what your friend did down there.” Cassie offers. “Stupid, but brave.”

  I can’t help but to partially agree with her assessment. I don’t want us to split up, or have Lucas feel as though he has to sacrifice himself to save us. We had the firepower to dispense of the chasers quickly, but at what cost?

  Still, I desperately hope he managed to slip away, and find a place to hold up till we can rendezvous at the auto parts store.

  “Thanks. I imagine it’ll take more than just two chasers to take him out. He’s pretty stubborn like that.”

  Cassie half-smiles. “Yeah. It was smart not firing those weapons. Doing so would only attract more of them.” She glances down to a machete strapped to her right thigh. The blade is stained red with blood. “We only use guns as a last resort. Most times, it’s up close and personal with one of these.”

  Cassie is intimidating. Not only from being a cute blonde, around my age, but also from her strong and independent persona. She is full of grit and seems as though she has all the confidence to take on this threatening and violent world.

  Her words are direct. There is no hint of fear or doubt that leaves her soft, pink lips. Her blue eyes are piercing, and suck me in when she speaks. Her porcelain-toned skin is splashed with dust and dirt, but it does little to detract from her beauty.

  She leans her athletic framed body against the aged, rusted filing cabinet to her right. She glances over at Duke, who is navigating the maze of boxes as he sprints back over to us.

  Cassie drops down to one knee and starts rubbing his head. Duke soaks up the attention like a sponge. His tongue dangles from the left side of his snout as a smile breaks across his face.

  For some reason, I have a lump deep inside my throat. I’m nervous being around her. I’m fairly certain I have masked it to the point of her not spotting it, though. At least, she doesn’t act like she sees it.

  I have been so far into death and carnage for the past month that I had forgotten what it felt like to be around girls.

  I’m generally not like that, timid and unsure of myself. Despite what Dawson and our other friends would say, I was pretty confident around girls. Mom always told me that I got my charm from my dad. It was a curse really that the men in our family had when it came to the opposite sex. She said Dad knew what to say and when to say it, which instantly made her fall for him.

  Cassie glances up at me. “Does he want something to drink and eat?” She moves her hand back behind his left ear and scratches deep. His hind leg starts to move faster as she digs in.

  I shake my head at him. Crazy dog.

  “Yeah. That would be great, if you don’t mind. It’s been a little bit since he’s eaten last. I imagine he’s super hungry. We’ve been on the move, and I haven’t been able to get him anything yet.”

  Cassie gets back up. She makes some kissy face at him as she walks away to her right.

  Duke eats it up. He follows close behind. He isn’t blind to what is hopefully coming next.

  “I’ve got some bottled water, and some cans of tuna. Does he like tuna?” She walks toward a storage cabinet that is near the staircase.

  “To be honest, I don’t think there is anything he doesn’t like. He generally eats whatever. Except for certain vegetables. He just sniffs them and walks away.”

  Cassie opens both metal doors wide. The shelves are partially stocked with bottled water and an array of canned goods. She retrieves a water, and a small can with a blue label wrapped around its outer rim.

  She glances back over her shoulder at me. “You want anything?”

  “A water will do.”

  She holds the can of tuna up in her right hand. “Want a can? Seems like we have plenty of that.”

  I shake my head, and try to be pleasant about it. I’m not hungry enough yet to dive into the fishy smell again. I imagine if Lucas was here, he’d be insistent on me eating whatever was given.

  Cassie shrugs and tosses the bottle of water to me. I fumble the plastic bottle like an uncoordinated clown struggling to keep all of his clubs in the air. I finally gain control, and firmly grasp the rounded bottle before it hits the floor.

  I divert my gaze to the large windows across the room, and take a gulp of the room temperature water. Cassie cracks open the can of meat. She sets it down on the floor in front of Duke, who wastes little time devouring the foul-smelling fish.

  “Wow. He is hungry.” Cassie stands next to Duke with both hands on her hips. She watches him clean the can dry. “Do you mind if I give him another can?”

  “Not at all. He generally eats a lot. If you keep putting it in front of him, I imagine he’ll keep wolfing it down,” I say.

  Duke is a loud eater. I can hear his lips smacking like I am right next to him. He groans, then spins in circles as Cassie grabs another can from the cabinet.

  “Man, someone is a hungry boy, aren’t they?”

  I make my way over to the windows that face Highway 20. I peer out of the grime-covered glass to a world that is now our reality. A no man’s land of lawlessness and utter chaos.

  My eyes soak in the carnage that the virus has rained down upon my life. Death and despair are the only scenery that greet my solemn sight.

  My eyes narrow in every attempt to try and locate any chasers that might be close by. I sweep from right to left, but don’t spot any gaunt bodies in search of a meal. The absence of the creatures does offer me a bit of hope that perhaps their numbers are not too large. I still don’t want to stay any longer than is required. If I have an open window to move, I need to take it.

  Cassie approaches from my right. She meets my longing gaze as she peers out over her ruined town. “What are you going to do now?”

  “My plan still hasn’t changed.” I take another sip of water. I didn’t realize how thirsty I was until my lips felt the touch of the refreshing liquid.

  She glances at me with an inquisitive gaze. “Oh? What plan is that? Stroll down the highway as a tasty morsel for the infected until they chase after you and pick you clean?” Her sharp tongue is lethal. She doesn’t hold back. And here I thought I could be an ass at times.

  I parrot her snarky expression, which she apparently finds amusing. “We were heading to the auto parts store on the other side of town. O’Reilly’s, I think he called it.”

  Cassie nods. She glances down to the street, then back to me. “Seems like an odd place to be going since you don’t have a ride. Besides, I imagine your friend is probably dead. Or one of them. That is generally the only two outcomes for people around here.”

  I cut
my eyes over to her. “You’ve made it.”

  She half-smiles. “Well, I’m a woman, and generally, women are much smarter than men. So, yeah.”

  Her constant barrage of confident quips pull a slight chuckle from me.

  “Gotcha. I didn’t know that’s how that worked. I feel so much more enlightened, and scared.”

  “Just being honest.”

  I glance back over my shoulder in Duke’s direction. I crane my neck, and find him working on his third can of tuna.

  “We were heading to the auto parts store to get a battery charger. We found a car that we think we can jump with it.”

  Cassie nods. “Good idea, if they have any of those. The last time I was in there, it was pretty well ransacked. Granted, I wasn’t looking for a battery charger, but the place looked like a tornado had been through it. A complete mess.”

  I finish off the remainder of the water with a single gulp.

  “Anyway, that’s where he’s heading. So, that’s where we’re going.”

  “You think he’s still alive, then?” Cassie counters. “Not to sound like a pessimist, but most people don’t make it for long out in the open.”

  “I do.” Lucas isn’t dead. I don’t know that for sure, but my gut tells me he’ll be there. “Ok. So, you get this battery charger, and let’s just say for arguments sake, you live long enough to get back to the car you found and get it running. What’s next?”

  “I’m going to the safe zone near Portland.”

  Her eyes widen. Disbelief floods her olive-toned face as she stares at me. “Safe zone, huh?”

  I confirm with a tilt of my head. “Yeah.”

  “You do have a death wish,” she observes.

  “So, I’ve been told.”

  Cassie goes to speak again, but the creaking of the staircase grabs her attention. Her head snaps to the left as each board gives its warning signal.

  Concern floods my body. I turn to make a mad dash for my rifle. A big, burly man hits the landing. The sudden appearance of the overly large individual stops me cold in my tracks.