The Rabid

by Ami Urban

  "Are you all right?"

  Lisa's question startled me. I looked at her in her beautiful blue maid of honor dress. That color looked amazing on her.

  "Yep. Just in my own world for a sec."

  She nodded as Gregg came down the aisle with the help of Ms. Huntington. He was walking so well that I had to smile. When he made it to the altar, he leaned against his crutch for stability.

  I leaned forward. "Hurt her and it won't just be your leg that's gone."

  He tossed me a look. "What? What does that even mean?"

  After a roll of my eyes, I said, "Your life will be gone, man."

  "Oh, 'cause you'll kill me..."

  I gave him a thumb"s up and straightened. Lisa had one eyebrow raised, but all I could do was shrug as music began to play.

  I had no clue what song Raychel had picked to walk down the aisle, but it was fitting. Very elegant yet playful. But when she stepped out all I could focus on was this...thing she had on her head. It was like...some sort of crown of beads or jewels or...

  "Jack."

  I must have been making a face because Lisa grabbed my attention and gestured to me to smile. So I put on a big one that was only one-quarter goofy. But I couldn't keep it to myself when she was finally standing next to Gregg.

  "What are you wearing?"

  She batted her lashes. "it's a Norwegian headdress."

  I squinted hard at her. "We're not Norwegian."

  "Reynolds is a Norwegian name."

  "Yeah, but—"

  "Dearly Beloved!"

  I shut up when the pastor started to speak. But Raychel was able to get in a quick raspberry in my direction.

  "All of us have come to this place as a result of recent unfortunate events. Those of you who've stayed have done Ms. Huntington a great service by keeping her company. And to those of you new faces, we hope you stay just a little longer as well.

  "While the events of late are certainly frightening and difficult to become accustomed to, somehow these two people have found each other. And in each other, they have found protection, peace, safety and love."

  I tossed Lisa a wink, but she was busy watching Raychel glow like a lamp. Her smile was just infectious.

  "Gregg, please look at your lovely bride to be."

  "Okay."

  Some of the folks in the audience laughed.

  "Do you, Gregg, take Raychel to be your loyal bride, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health until death may take you?"

  "I do."

  "And Raychel, do you take Gregg to be your loyal husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and health until death may take you?"

  "And beyond." Raychel giggled.

  "Well, by God's great will, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

  I looked away while my sister kissed her new husband. And with what I'd call a rebel yell, she and Gregg held onto each other as they walked back toward the house.

  "Well, if anyone else would like to get married, now's the chance! All the flowers are set and there's a nice photographer who won't charge you a dime for prints."

  I began to step down onto the runway.

  "Wait."

  I looked back at Lisa. Everything I felt for her bubbled into my chest in that moment; with one glance. I knew I wanted to marry her. I wasn't sure if I'd make a good husband, but I wanted it.

  "Jack."

  She told me I'd know when she was ready. And I knew.

  "Do we have takers?" The priest's eyes sparkled.

  "We're more doers than takers, but yeah, I get what you mean." I tossed a smile at Lisa. She bit her lip but quickly stowed away any anxiety and gave me a smile. Her eyes shimmered. "Oh, Foxtrot, now don't cry. You're going to make me lose it."

  She let out a half laugh half sob. I grabbed both her hands and faced her in front of the priest. In front of a hundred people. Strangers. But I didn't care.

  "Today is a beautiful day for love, folks."

  The crowd clapped.

  "We gather once more in the presence of pure intimacy. I'm non-denominational, but if there is a God, he'd want the two of you to be together."

  I tossed him an amused glance. Lisa's hands were shaking. I caressed the top of one with my thumb, silently telling her she was okay. She squeezed my hand back in response.

  "Now, do you Jack Tiberius Reynolds—"

  The crowd of people laughed. Without taking my eyes off the beautiful creature in front of me, I said, "Yeah, my parents watched a lot of Star Trek."

  Lisa let out another laugh/sob.

  "Do you Jack Reynolds take Lisa James to be your wife?"

  "You're damn right I do."

  He turned to Lisa. "Do you Lisa James take Jack Reynolds to be your husband?"

  She swallowed hard to hold back her tears and nodded her head vigorously. "I do."

  In that moment, I realized she was all mine. I couldn't believe I'd snagged a woman like her. I was a lucky son of a bitch. Even Silas thought so. Because I could see him against the far wall, clapping.

  "Now, please...kiss your bride, Jack."

  Before I could lean in, Lisa grabbed me and pressed her lips against me. Her hair smelled like coconuts, but she tasted like strawberries.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds!"

  ***

  "Are you happy?"

  Lisa looked up at me with her beautiful blue eyes. Ms. Huntington had been kind enough to take care of Rex and Alex while we were given the second biggest room in the mansion for the night. Raychel and Gregg got the biggest. And thank God it wasn't next to ours.

  "I can't even put it into words."

  "Oh? That's a first." I sat next to her on the large bed and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. My hand trailed to the back of her neck.

  "I know." She smiled. "Who could have guessed this horrible plague would have brought you to me?"

  I allowed my hand to follow the curve of her spine. "Well, I could've been a little more proactive and met the best friend of the woman who'd been living across from me for two years."

  She sighed. "I was a different person then."

  "No you weren't. You just hand't come out of your intellectual shell."

  She straightened when I tickled the small of her back. "We've come such a long way." Her voice faded into a somber tone. "We've lost homes and family. We've lost friends"

  Her words caught in my chest. I'd married her without telling her the darkest secret in my life. I was a murderer and she didn't even know. And as she looked at me that night with her eyes full of love and hope, I felt like I'd failed. I leaned over and put my head in my hands.

  "Jack? What is it?" She placed a gentle hand on my back.

  There were tears behind my eyes, so I rubbed my face to keep them at bay. I had to tell her. But I couldn't look at her while I did.

  "I did a bad thing."

  I could see her cock her head to the side in my peripheral vision. "What do you mean?"

  "My...my friend Silas. The one I told you about that...died before this whole thing started... I told you one of those things got him, but..."

  "You did."

  I snapped up to look at her. There was no judgement in her face at all. She was calm and collected like always. Unfortunately, that made me well up and I couldn't stop the tears this time.

  "I fucking murdered him."

  Her hand touched the back of my head. She ran her fingers through my hair. "Tell me what happened."

  "He was... I was downstairs sleeping on the couch because I was watching the news...waiting for them to come into our neighborhood. He...he came stumbling down the hallway and groaning like he was a fucking Biter. He even had foam coming from his mouth.

  "I slept with the shotgun in my lap in case of something like that and I...I didn't even think twice. I just cocked it and blew a fucking hole right through him. Fuck, the look he gave me before he went... It was a Goddamn prank!"

  We sat in silence for a moment. My breath came i
n ragged gasps and hitches. I felt stupid for crying.

  "Well, that was an idiotic decision for him to make. Did he always prank you like that?"

  I rubbed my eyes. "We joked all the time, but he never did something like that before."

  "Well, it's not your fault. You know that."

  I looked into her eyes. My brain was a fog of confusion, sorrow and anger. My heart was pumping so hard I thought she could hear it too.

  "He shouldn't have done that."

  I couldn't bear it any longer. I grabbed her and held her tight. She understood. I didn't think I could ask for more, but she understood me completely. Even when I didn't understand me.

  "There's more."

  "Go ahead."

  "Ever since then, I've...been seeing him. He comes to me and talks to me. He's got this huge hole in his chest and he keeps decomposing every time he comes around. I'm going fucking nuts, aren't I?"

  Lisa sat back. "No." She said it with such nonchalance that it startled me. "That's just your guilt. It's manifesting in a way your brain can handle it. It's perfectly natural. Now that you told me, you probably won't see him again."

  "You think?"

  She shrugged. "Most likely. It was just guilt."

  I cleared a few stray tears from my eyes. "Wedding nights are supposed to be about lingerie and bubble baths...not confessions."

  Lisa studied the pattern of the comforter on the bed. "Well, as long as we're confessing."

  At first, concern rose into my chest. Was something wrong with her? Was she sick? Had someone died? And then I thought about the chef kid and got a little angry.

  "What do you mean?" I kept my tone low and quiet.

  "I want to tell you what happened to Sylvia outside the casino in Las Vegas."

  Shaking the bad thoughts out of my head, I almost laughed. "Go on."

  Lisa took a deep breath. I couldn't read her face. "They ate her."

  And I waited. She seemed to be staring into space a bit, so I let her take time to collect her thoughts. But I wasn't willing to give more than thirty seconds.

  "And?"

  Her gazed snapped to me, brows furrowed. "What's that?"

  "What happened?"

  "I told you. They ate her."

  I paused. "But...how? How did it start? How did it make you feel?"

  She cocked her head to one side. "Well, they tore her throat out so she couldn't scream. That's about all I recall. Of course I was frightened. Then a bit angry. But I've dealt with it."

  "Oh-kay." I kicked off my shoes and fell back onto the bed.

  "What is it?"

  "What would happen if I get eaten?"

  That line creased into her forehead. "Well, I should hope that doesn't happen."

  "Yeah, but if it does. How would you feel?"

  "Devastated, of course." She answered so quickly that I had to believe her. Even though her tone was flat, I knew it was true. I felt a smile spread across my face.

  From the Desk of Dr. Lisa James Reynolds

  December 26

  Monday morning approached with both an excitement and dread. I didn't want to venture back out into the diseased world for fear of death, but I knew I had to get that sample over to the doctor. If there was a doctor.

  Jack and I had set an alarm for six a.m. so we could travel in daylight. But my brain wouldn't shut off during the night. I somehow managed a few hours of sleep, but woke just before the alarm.

  As I lied there thinking about all the possibilities that could arise during the journey, I felt a bit frightened. But I wasn't frightened for myself. I was frightened for Jack.

  I turned my head to watch him sleep. He looked peaceful. With the need to make him feel safe, I cuddled next to him as close as I could.

  He responded by — almost instinctually — wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into a hug. Then he snuggled into my hair. I thought I'd woken him, but his breathing remained steady and deep until the alarm sounded.

  "Five more minutes..." Jack mumbled.

  "We better get going if we want to make it before dark."

  "But I'm tired from all the sex."

  "I never believed I'd hear you say that. Ever. Is your libido dropping already?" I teased him with a poke.

  "All right, all right. I'm up." He nearly whined the words, but there was a hint of annoyance in them as he pushed himself up onto both hands. But before he could even get out of the covers, he fell onto his back and put one arm over his eyes.

  "I'm coming... Get the kids ready?"

  Something about what he'd said struck me in the chest. It was a warming feeling as if we'd established a family all of a sudden.

  "Sure."

  ***

  Saying goodbye to everyone — as difficult as it was — felt liberating to an extent. It felt as though we were off on a journey. In a way, we were. Jack and I were married. My last name was different. We were starting a life together.

  Raychel promised that she and Gregg would come visit whenever it was possible. After all her travels, she wanted a place to call home. And I didn't blame her.

  We'd taken an old work truck left behind by a previous visitor. With all of our belongings, it was barely enough room to fit the four of us. It was snug, but comfortable. And the diseased victims had found somewhere else to go. They were no longer littering the grass outside the mansion.

  We picked the fastest route of six hours and drove as fast as possible without frightening Rex, but he still needed a break halfway.

  We stopped at an abandoned home just off the highway. We were right in the middle of the Rocky Mountains so the views were breathtaking. The white house stood atop a small hill with a large desk wrapped around the back. From there, we could see bison roaming about, snacking on grass in a valley a few miles away.

  I touched a few Halloween decorations still hung in the windows. Suddenly, I felt frozen in time. Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas had passed and I hand't even given it a second thought. Not even when writing the dates down in this very journal.

  A cloud passed over the sun, shrouding the house in a dark quiet. I found myself wondering where the occupants were — if they were dead or diseased.

  "Wow..." Jack's words came to me from the living room. He was in front of the media player, holding a disc in his hand. "Blink 182."

  "What's that?" I approached him.

  "Blink 182." He showed the disc to me. "Haven't heard them in years. Wonder if their all still alive."

  We were quiet for a few moments before Rex and Alex scrambled into the room shouting nonsense.

  "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Jack held up both hands, the CD wedged between the thumb and forefinger of his right. "One at a time."

  "One time! One!" Rex bounced up and down, clearly unaware of how to express what was so exciting.

  "Good. Lexi?"

  She began pointing out the sliding glass door while spewing excited words. "There's a big buffalo outside! It's hurt!"

  Jack and I glanced at each other before turning and heading for the door. Outside, the world was quiet. A peaceful breeze shifted the leaves in each tree with a subtle whisper.

  Beyond the large wrap-around deck, a dog began to bark. Then, it came around the side where we were, rearing up on its hind legs.

  "What is it, boy?" Jack approached the mutt slowly. It continued barking for a few more seconds, then ran off in the opposite direction. We followed without a discussion.

  The barking hit a crescendo as we rounded the corner of the house to see a large bison lying on its side. The breathing seemed labored, but it seemed to still be fighting off the dog whenever it came too near.

  I stopped first in front of everyone, holding out my arms to signal they shouldn't get too close. I used caution when approaching the beast. It eyed me with suspicion, so I slowed my pace even more, holding out my hands to show I had nothing in them.

  "What, uh...what do we...?" Jack's sentence emerged in broken pieces before I shushed him.

  Near t
he bison's front right haunch was a wound infested with maggots eating away at the necrotic flesh. From where I stood, it looked like a bite mark.

  "Someone get me gloves." I didn't wait for an answer before stroking the coarse fur of the animal. The bison closed its eyes when it noticed I wasn't posing any threat.

  Upon closer inspection of the wound, I determined all I could do was clean it and hope for the best. When Jack came back with the gloves, I asked him to find rubbing alcohol as well. He disappeared again, so I began my analysis.

  I made sure the clear as many of the maggots from the wound as I could. The bison grunted and flinched several times, but I made sure to run my hand along its haunch, calming it.

  "So what's the diagnosis, doc?"

  I stood, facing the animal. "It's been bitten." I turned back to Jack. "Weeks ago. By a human."

  Jack's face screwed up. "How do you know it was a human?"

  I held up my hand, unfurling my fingers so he could see what I'd found inside the poor bison"s wound.

  "That...that's a..."

  "A bicuspid."

  Jack's tongue made a quick pass over his top teeth before he shuddered. "Goddamn."

  "Indeed." I took the rubbing alcohol from him and turned back to the animal. "The stranger aspect of this whole epidemic seems that humans can't infect animals with this particular strain of rabies."

  "Meaning?"

  I finished dressing the wound. "I have no idea. That's why we need to keep going."

  It was time to get back on the road.

  The only information I had about Braycart was that it was in a little town in Colorado. I had no idea where in the town it was, but Jack insisted we'd know when we saw it. And he was right.

  The entire town was surrounded by a large brick wall that must have stretched up about ten feet. Someone had hand-painted the word Braycart across the stone. As we drove quietly down the highway leading to the town, we noticed abandoned cars gathering in strange spots. The most unsettling thing was that the only diseased within a mile of the city were all dead.

  "Haven't seen that before." Jack couldn't keep his eyes off some of the bodies littering the road. "I'm pretty sure everywhere else has a Biter clean-up crew."

  "Like the Ghostbusters?" Alex chimed in.

  "Precisely."

  The gates of the city loomed ahead of us. They were made of what looked like steel. I could see faint shapes of people on top of the wall. They had very large guns.