“Over there, let’s get to the ladder.”
The two of them rushed across the roof. The wrought-iron ladder made its way down the side of the building to the back alley. There was no movement in the street below, so she climbed over the wall and began down the ladder. Once her head sunk to the height of the wall she motioned for Sam to follow. As she moved down she helped Sam get over the wall, making sure his feet found the narrow rungs. The two of them rapidly made their way down to the pavement below.
The alley was littered with trash, but there were no infected within sight. Several yards away was an overturned dumpster, its contents spilling out onto the asphalt. Just beyond was a street leading away from the dry cleaners. All Kelly could think about was getting away from this place. She grabbed Sam’s hand and said, “This way Honey.”
They made it partway down the alley before gunshots rang out. The loud bangs were coming from somewhere inside the dry cleaners. Hank? Can’t be.
“Is that Hank?” Sam asked.
Kelly didn’t know what to say. I saw him die...or did I? It was dark, but there was no way he could have made it. “I don’t think so Honey...we need to keep moving.” As shots continued to ring out she questioned this decision, but knew she could never help whoever it was anyways. Growls coming from somewhere behind her were a reminder that they had to keep moving.
With Sam right beside her they made the corner onto the next street. A crooked green sign marked it as West Graves Road. She tried not to think about that too much. The road was littered with cars. Most were jammed into each other. There was movement at the far end of the street beyond the large pileup.
Wanting far away from the dry cleaners, she looked down at Sam and said, “Let’s get through these cars and find a way out of the city.”
“What about Daddy?”
Kelly had been thinking about Tom as well. He was still alive; she knew it...or was that what everyone thought until the bad news was proven true. Am I just in denial? She had known Tom for a long time and it would take a lot to bring him down. He had always been a fighter.
She was just reaching back to help Sam climb up on a Civic’s hood when she heard something. The sky above Kelly was clear and blue. She looked further down the street and from her elevated vantage point she could see a small horde of infected surrounding a truck a few blocks away. The noise grew louder and it was clear it was not coming from the infected. They must have heard it as well. The entire group suddenly became very agitated, shaking, pounding into the truck, and some of them shifting around in the street, staring at the sky.
Whump...whump...whump...
Chopper, the sound was clear now. It was difficult to tell in which direction it was. All the buildings caused the sound to echo and bounce all around. Kelly pulled Sam the rest of the way on top of the hood and then stood staring at the sky. Even though they had no luck getting help from the pilots before, Kelly knew she would do everything she could to try to wave them down. The volume continued to grow. Finally movement appeared above the buildings just beyond the surrounded truck. The helicopter looked strange. It had what looked like long metal pipes stretching out both sides. Kelly thought she would jump up and down, but instead just stood there trying to figure out what was attached to the chopper.
The pilot hesitated directly above the street at the far end. He then maneuvered the chopper in a circle, facing directly down the street toward Kelly and Sam. The insect like form, with poles stretching out fifteen feet or more to each side, began flying along West Grave, headed for Kelly. Now she couldn’t decide if she should duck and hide or try to flag it down. Undecided she just stood there watching it. As the chopper approached the surrounded truck infected scattered, rushing to the sides of the street. As it neared she could see the long booms were chemical sprayers. A fine sheen of droplets cascaded from multiple tips, wetting the pavement below and leaving an opaque mist floating above the ground.
Kelly looked to the nearest car and rushed toward its partially open side door. “Quick, get in.” She shouted to Sam. Opening the door the rest of the way, she stood to the side as Sam ran and dove onto the back seat. Kelly followed him in and slammed the door closed.
The roar of the helicopter’s rotors thundered toward them. Kelly peered out the side window just as the insect like beast flew over the car. Splattering liquid made its way across the hood of the car, and was followed by a strange crackling noise. It reminded Kelly of sizzling bacon. The white mist rose from the pavement and car hood, shrouding them in an eerie fog. The noise stopped, replaced only by silence.
“What’s happening?” Sam whispered.
Kelly continued to look out the windows. “I don’t know Hun.” She was not sure if the mist would hurt them, but she was glad to be in the car. It only took a few minutes and the mist slowly cleared away, leaving only a glossy residue behind. Kelly climbed out of the car. The air had a slight chemical smell, reminding her of vinegar. The chopper could still be heard, but was out of view somewhere behind the tall buildings.
“Ewww, what’s that smell?” Sam said as he stepped out of the car.
Kelly looked back toward the truck that was previously surrounded by infected. None of them remained; the truck sat alone. She knew they needed to use the calm to try to get out of the city, but something tugged at her. Infected don’t surround empty trucks. At least that is what she hoped.
The two of them worked their way over and around cars. Spokane had taken on a strange quiet. Only the distant thrum of the helicopter could be heard. As they neared the beat up old truck Kelly thought she could see someone inside. The dark form was sprawled across the seat. Blood and grime covered the window, making it difficult to see inside, but once Kelly got to the truck she could see a person on the seat. Her heart pounded with hope. Unable to contain the excitement she rushed around the back of the truck to get to the other side. She raced up to the passenger window. Using her shirt sleeve she wiped away the grime and peered through.
“It’s Daddy!” She shouted.
“Daddy!” Sam shouted from behind her.
Kelly tugged at the door handle but it was locked from the inside. “Tom...Tom, it’s me!” She yelled at the glass. He didn’t move, but she could see his chest rise and fall with life. Looking in the back of the truck she found an old chunk of iron pipe. “Stand back Honey.” She said. Kelly slammed the metal pipe into the side window. There was a loud crack and shards of glass exploded inward, cascading on top of Tom. The pipe clanged to the ground. Kelly quickly unlocked the door and pulled it open.
At her touch Tom slowly blinked his eyes open. He had to be dreaming. Her face looked down at him, tears streaming from her eyes. He heard Sam’s voice, small and fragile. His eyes stung from the light. He had never imagined heaven being so incredibly painful.
“It’s me baby. Wake up.” Kelly said.
Behind her Sam bounced around, giddy with excitement.
Everything came flooding back to Tom. Lincoln, the school, the infected chasing him...Sam...they had gotten Sam. Kelly had him, she had done it. He was so proud of her.
“We have to move. Where are you hurt?” Kelly said.
Tom laid there thinking about it and then he let out a low laugh.
“What?”
“Everywhere.” He said. Thinking back, he remembered the gunshot and all the blood running down his arm. “My arm...bicep got shot.”
His face was pale. Kelly realized he had lost a lot of blood. After he sat up she quickly checked over his wounds. Using a torn off strip of shirt she bandaged him up as best she could, knowing he would need further attention, but it would have to come later.
“Where are they? I was surrounded.”
Kelly told him about the helicopter and the spray. He sat thinking for a while.
“Hank and the others?”
She looked down at the ground and shook her head.
Tom felt a heavy weight in the pit of his stomach, but also knew they had to get moving. Grieving wo
uld have to wait. “Let’s get out of here.” He said while slowly standing up. Pain shot through his entire body.
“Look what we found here.” A booming voice said from behind Kelly.
She spun around to see Lincoln and Austin standing fifteen feet away. Both of them looked terrible. Bloody cuts covered their bodies, red soaking through their clothes. They looked like the losing end of a war. Lincoln held an AR-15 pointed directly at Kelly.
Anger welled up inside Tom. He wasn’t sure if it was the dirtbag Lincoln or the traitor Austin that made him angrier. They were both scum of the earth and wouldn’t seem to go away. Tom just started to say something, but Lincoln shouted for him to shut up before he could get a full word out.
“We’re done talking.” Lincoln said.
The hate in his eyes was evident as they bore into Tom.
The shot rang out, echoing off the brick buildings. It took Tom a second, but then he realized the shot had come from somewhere behind him. Kelly and Sam still stood in front of him. Austin did as well. Lincoln lay sprawled out on the pavement, his AR off to the side. Blood pooled around his body, slowly spreading out, forming a small stream running to the side. Austin stood in shock, staring down at the grisly wound in Lincoln’s chest.
Austin slowly looked over at Tom, fear filling his eyes. Tom watched as blood exploded out of the back of Austin’s head just as he heard another loud boom. Austin crumpled to the pavement next to his dead leader. Tom was a bit dumbfounded, it had happened so fast.
Kelly slowly turned back around, looking Tom in the eyes. There was both fear and satisfaction there. Tom knew exactly what she was feeling. Even if he got blown away right now, at least he saw Lincoln’s demise. Kelly slowly lifted her head, looking just above Tom. A slow grin spread across her face. Tom turned around and looked in the same direction. About a block away towered a four story brick building dotted with narrow windows. On the rooftop stood a lone man, rifle at his side, waving his free hand above his head. Tom immediately recognized him.
Little Sam did as well. “Hank!” He shouted.
******
It took them several minutes to reach the rooftop. Hank leaned up against the stone buttress that surrounded the roof. With a grin he said, “You all though I was a goner didn’t you.”
Nobody said anything, they were all just glad to see him.
With a grin he said, “Takes more than a few of them things to take old Hank down.”
After a round of hugs and lots of tears the four of them stood together looking over the city. The helicopter could be seen sweeping up and down streets in the distance. Below them the streets remained empty and quiet.
“Do you think they found a cure...or a poison...or whatever?” Kelly asked.
Nobody said anything for a while; they just stood, soaking in the warm sunshine.
“I think maybe they did.” Tom finally said.
THE END
This Concludes Book Two
Thank you for reading The Demented: Desolation. I would greatly appreciate your review on Amazon.
Table of Contents
This book is dedicated to my wonderful wife and two little zombies.Chapter 1: Survival
Chapter 1: Survival
Chapter 2: Reunion
Chapter 3: Help
Chapter 4: Nightmare
Chapter 5: Trap
Chapter 6: Revenge
Chapter 7: The Return
Chapter 8: Inside
Chapter 9: Unexpected
Chapter 10: The Price
Chapter 11: Execution
Chapter 12: Choices
Chapter 13: The Streets
Chapter 14: Desolation
This Concludes Book Two
The Demented Z (Book 2): Desolation Page 20
