Eves of the Outbreak

by Lilith Assisi

  The thought of setting a library on fire and burning all those books made Judy horribly sad. But she was not the only one who felt that way.

  Their other side trip before arriving at the library was to stop and pick up another truck with a trailer from another citizen, and the librarian and her friends were allowed to try to get as many books out as they could in to the trailer and additional truck in the next couple hours.

  But many of the books would indeed be incinerated in the process. It’s why they had decided to burn this building instead of leave it intact. It had large glass windows that would likely not hold the zombies for long, and it was well surrounded with a buffer of snow-covered land, so the chances of the fire spreading were very unlikely. Other buildings like the one local warehouse would be more for storage of zombies as opposed to destruction. They also decided the library would be one of the last buildings they would use for two reasons: it was still close to the center of town and they wanted to utilize the buildings farther away to avoid infected getting attracted to other buildings with signs of occupation, and it was one of only a couple buildings that they had planned to burn or explode once it was filled. Even though they had a solid plan in place to have this implemented safely, they still felt if they could avoid setting fires or causing other hazards that might hurt citizens they wanted to.

  Jason was no longer with their team, but each team had walkie-talkies to reach the others, and Jason was just a message away. In the last minute Nancy had said she didn’t want to be one of the runners in the truck with her poor reflexes at her age, so Jason volunteered to go with Tara in their plow truck. They were also the truck that would be trying to herd zombies away from or towards the library depending on the timing of the invasion, so they’d be seeing him intermittently.

  Judy was surprised something like romance would be on anyone’s mind, but it was obvious Jason and Tara were sporting some major crushes on each other. And in this new world you couldn’t exactly ask each other out on a date, but quality time in a truck might help. Judy tried to think of the last time she had thought about romance and couldn’t remember.

  They pulled up to the library, a small brick building with large windows and arched doorways. It was quaint, and less than a quarter of the size of the libraries Judy was used to studying in. She suddenly felt less guilty about using it as a barbecue.

  “Alright, Beth and her friends are pulling up behind us with the trailer. Judy, why don’t you help them in loading up the trailer,” Greg suggested.

  He still seemed grumpy about having to help, but when Judy and he had talked about it back at the bar he had realized there was no way for him to get to Chicago through the unplowed roads. The only roads that were plowed now were filled with infected, and until this migration through their town was through none of the townsfolk were willing to give them a plow.

  Warren and Greg had made a deal though: if the town got their assistance for the next couple days they would give Greg one of the plows that would fit on the police SUV. They felt it was a very fair deal, especially since Greg and Linda had done most of the planning for their defense. They were the ones that decided containment was more reasonable then killing with the amount of infected they might see.

  Judy got out and followed the women from the truck behind her.

  Greg and Beth had headed towards the back of the building to the maintenance closet which had a staircase to the roof. The plan was for Judy and several of the women to stand on the roof and shout, getting the zombies attention and luring them inside. Once they decided it was getting pretty full inside Greg, Linda would shut the doors behind them and fortify them.

  Mitt and Paul, the fireworks men, would then come over and set their master fireworks plan. They were already setting up some mini-explosives throughout the library as Katie handed out carts to the three of them.

  “Where do we start?” asked Judy.

  “You guys can start wherever you like, but I’m heading to the science fiction section,” replied Katie.

  “I’ll go to the town archives and get the historical records first,” said Amy.

  “Why science fiction?” asked Judy as Amy hustled off to the left.

  “Cause you never know what you could learn,” replied Katie with a smile as she headed off to the right.

  Judy asked her where the hard science section was and Katie pointed her that way before heading off to the science fiction section.

  Arriving in the science and math section Judy quickly realized why this might not be worth saving. While she probably would have been entertained by these books as a child, the section was full of old textbooks that were out of print and contained out of date or basic information. But she felt it necessary to pick up a couple classics like The Origin of Species, The Selfish Gene, Silent Spring, and The Cosmic Connection.

  She picked up some more books on her way through the history section but still had over half the cart to fill up. Realizing Katie had a point, she headed over to the science fiction section.

  Katie was no longer there and at least a third of the shelves had been emptied. Scanning titles Judy was surprised by how many had words like Doomsday and Apocalypse in them. Yes, they were fiction, but they might be helpful reading in these times so she started filling up the rest of her cart with them.

  “Changed your mind?” asked Katie as she came up with her empty cart.

  “You know, there might be some useful information in here,” Judy said, looking sheepish.

  “And some great reads. Ever read this one?” she asked, tossing her a book titled Newsflesh.

  “No,” replied Judy, looking at the basic cover with red splotched letters.

  “Take it, it’s a great one. Taught me a lot about survival for this,” she said as she waved all around her, implying how to survive this new world they were in.

  After completing the science fiction section Judy had stock piled over a dozen books for herself in a backpack. They had taken most of the classic literature section as well as a big chunk out of the home improvement and cooking sections. Amy had also helped collect lots of classic children’s books, which Judy thought was great since she would have no idea where to start in that section.

  They closed the trailer and Greg came over to meet them.

  “Looks like you guys finished up just in time. We just completed setting up the roof escape as well as have our door fortifications ready on a side street. And I just heard from Warren that the first infected are arriving,” he said, his face looking grim.

  “Time to take up position!” shouted Linda, beaming, and continuing to be the optimist that they all needed and secretly envied.

  Chapter 52

  Judy was startled when someone placed a hand on her shoulder.

  She jumped around and let out a sigh of relief. It was just Katie with a cup of tea for her.

  Even though she knew it would only be Katie, watching what seemed like endless streams of infected pouring through the town left you on edge, expecting the worst. Every once in a while their gaze would drift and the glazed over eyes of some infected individual would lock with hers up on the roof, sending a frigorific fear through her like lightning. Sometimes they would let out an announcing moan at having spotted their newest prey, stumbling and shifting to face her. But then some car horns would honk or people would shout from down the street, and their attention would focus elsewhere.

  “Such a creepy sight,” Katie said. She sat down next to Judy. Judy nodded, realizing she had taken the words right out of her mouth.

  They had bonded over the last thirty-six hours. Katie, Beth, Amy, and Judy were camped out on the roof, taking shifts out of the tent and watching the continuous onslaught on the town. The library still hadn’t been needed, and the larger groups of infected were being taken to the more fortified buildings they had for entrapment. When smaller groups came through the townspeople had changed their minds and were occasionally herding them towards their salt factory where they were dispatchi
ng of them one by one, and piling the bodies in the back of the factory for later removal.

  Secretly Judy had wanted to be allowed to go to the factory and inspect the bodies, but she knew it wouldn’t do any good. First, she didn’t have any lab equipment. Second, her brother would never allow it unless he got to come with her, and he was too busy being a runner in a smaller Ford Escape, helping attract and then round up the infected in various locations.

  Instead Judy had passed the time getting to know Katie, who she had become quite fond of. Katie was an avid science fiction fan, and Judy had indeed enjoyed the new novel she had started reading on Katie’s recommendation. It was part of the zombie novel genre, something she never thought she would read or enjoy. But like reading a non fiction on cutting edge virology would inspire her to pursue new research, this book was inspiring her to take a new attitude with the infected, and in the words of Katie’s favorite show the X-Files, “Trust no one”. She had also joked around about the possibility of this being a conspiracy theory, but that conversation always fell a little flat when Judy didn’t have all the information Katie wanted about her employer before the outbreak.

  “It looks like the stream is slowing down,” Katie observed.

  She was right. In the last couple hours there had been less and less infected. Warren had some kids keeping a census at each of the locations where they took them, and so far they had handled over 2,000 infected

  Quite a feat, but they had a community with over a hundred adults working on it, and a couple dozen children.

  “Beth will be happy, we might not have to use the library after all,” she said.

  Judy was happy for her. She knew deep down that what was really important in life would change drastically for everyone in this new post-outbreak world, but it still didn’t change the fondness she had for books and the value she thought they brought to a society.

  The walkie-talkie on Katie’s hip rattled something that never of them picked up.

  “This is Katie at the library, what was that?”

  “Katie! This is Warr-. We’ve -- news that there are only a -- stragglers between -- Minneapolis. If you want to -- ur crew off the roof -- regroup at the bar!” It was difficult to understand him. The walkie-talkie regularly cut out, but from the upbeat note of his voice it sounded like all good news.

  Judy stood up and looked over at the side of the building and saw Greg roll the window down from the car they were parked in a wave to here with a smile.

  They had made it through! And no one had been hurt! She felt a second wind wash over her and followed Katie back to the tent to wake the others.

  Chapter 53

  An hour later and everyone was in the bar. Warren was talking quietly with Greg in the back, likely discussing the plan for the town after they left. Linda had rejoined Judy with another cup of hot chocolate that was quickly becoming one of Judy’s favorite things. She was letting Katie and Linda get to know each other and enjoying the chatter and feel of accomplishment in this great community. She was also enjoying that she didn’t really have to participate in many of the conversations, and instead could just sit back and listen.

  Judy felt a strange sense of deja vu looking around the room. Just a couple days before she had been in this very spot observing like she was now, only that time there was a cloud of fear and apprehension, today it was elation and accomplishment.

  To add to the good mood, when they arrived at the bar they had been informed that Maria Davies had gone in to labor during their battle. A couple of local nurses and people with medical backgrounds had helped transport her to a town north of Sunset Lake with an urgent care clinic that had supplies they could use. They had been there the last sixteen hours and expected the twins to be arriving soon.

  Judy looked over and saw Tara and Jason nearby, their knees touching and their heads close while they continued their quiet conversation. They shared quite a few more intimate smiles, and Judy looked away not wanting to spy on their private conversation.

  Some kids had set up some tables in the back of the bar and were setting up elaborate Lego constructions. Judy noticed a couple dogs by their table, wagging their tails and focused in on the children.

  “Hey, everyone! HEY!!!” screamed someone from the front of the bar.

  Everyone turned around and saw a frazzled young man who had just run in from outside. He had been one of the couple people that had agreed to patrol the town while everyone else celebrated and re-grouped at the bar.

  A hushed silence fell throughout the bar except for the children in the back who continued on in their own little world of construction.

  “What is it Riley?” asked Warren as he got up from the back and headed towards him.

  Riley was panting, the hair that was sticking out from under the rim of his hat was caked in sweat.

  “There’s another group of them. More zombies. From the north this time,” he blurted out.

  Everyone in the bar seemed to rush to their feet, grabbing weapons and re-dressing in a haphazard manor.

  A sharp and loud whistle slowed everyone down and drew their attention back to Warren.

  “Ok everyone. Let’s get back in the groups we were in before and back to our stations. Stick together. Bob, Tom, Barbara and I will head up to Castle St. on the north side of town and try to survey how many there are and come up with a plan on where we want to herd them,” Warren explained.

  Judy and Linda hustled over to Tara and Jason. Greg joined them a second later. Familiar faces seemed to comfort all of them. Tara’s mother came to join them while they dressed in their outdoor gear. She gave her daughter a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

  Just like that the cloud of happiness and accomplishment was traduced in to one of stress mingled with fear and apprehension.

  Judy and her friends were some of the last people out of the building and heading towards the trucks on the road.

  Jason and Tara ran over to her truck across the street.

  “We’ll go to Main St. and be just a block away,” chimed Nancy across the street when she jumped in the driver’s seat.

  Judy was opening her door and about to climb in when she saw a strange movement under Tara’s truck out of the corner of her eye.

  Jason was talking with Tara through her open window and obscuring Judy’s view when she turned back from her seat to look again.

  Jason was stepping towards the front of the truck to cross over to the passenger side she saw it for what it was: an infected crawling on its belly, reaching out and grabbing Jason’s ankle in that very moment.

  Chapter 54

  Jason yelled. Judy screamed a warning too late. Tara jumped out of her truck. Greg turned in shock and started climbing from their truck. But they were all too late.

  It felt like watching a movie in slow motion. Judy saw the infected, screamed a warning right after it grabbed Jason’s ankle and caused him to slip on the ice. He scrambled to get up but the infected never let got of his leg. Jason slid on the ground while the infected was pulled more closely towards him.

  The infected’s face fell right on the inside of his right knee, and bit down. Hard.

  Jason let out another shout, this one more agonizing and heart wrenching then before. He was trying to scramble away while pushing on the infected’s head, but the infected must have had quite a hold on him.

  Greg was halfway across the street but Tara got to Jason first. She pulled the infected off of Jason. The body swung away from her and Judy could see pieces of fabric mixed with flesh hanging from its mouth.

  Greg pulled out his gun and shot the infected in the head, then quickly ran back to Jason knowing the immediate threat was gone. She rushed to his side with Greg and the two of them started rushing him back towards the bar.

  “Judy, get to doors!” Greg yelled to her.

  Her brother’s orders shook her out of her shock and she stumbled out of the truck, rushing towards the bar to open the doors for them.

  They rushed inside
to the group that had stayed behind and were surrounded by shocked expressions and terrified people.

  “What happened?” asked Nancy. Seeing her daughter back in the bar so soon seemed to have startled her, and her face turned white when she saw Jason and his leg.

  Jason’s skin had turned clammy but he was still trying to walk, though he was wincing quite a bit.

  “Move him to the table over there,” instructed Tara. They helped get him to lie down flat.

  Judy, Greg, Nancy, Linda, and Tara huddled close, with the library women and other people from town standing behind them.

  Tara started unbuckling Jason’s belt and taking his pants off.

  “Tara, control yourself. We should get a room,” joked Jason.

  “Yeah, well, I hadn’t expected to be taking off your pants in this way either,” she whispered.

  “Does anyone have any medical experience here?” asked Greg to the crowd.

  “No, but we already called Warren and told him Jason was bitten,” answered Katie, lifting her walkie-talkie.

  Judy looked down at Jason’s bare legs and saw several circular areas of torn tissue on the inside of his knee and along the back side of his calf. Blood was slowly oozing from the lower part of the wounds.

  Everyone just stood there for a second and took in the scene.

  Judy looked at everyone’s horrified faces when something clicked in Judy again and she knew she had to step up to action.

  She rushed over to the bar and grabbed a hand towel, then ran back, handing it to Tara.

  “Hold this against the wounds. And put his belt around his leg above the wound as a tourniquet,” she told her, and Tara did as she was told.

  “Can someone get me alcohol?” she then asked everyone around her.

  “For you or me,” joked Jason from behind her.

  “For you, sorry Jason, but this is going to hurt,” she explained.

  “What do you need? Beer, liquor?” asked Greg.