by Volante, KT
Jeremiah looked slightly older than the other two, but this was an elementary school so he couldn’t be older than ten.
“Kevin or Lucy, do you want to use my phone to call your dad?” I asked.
I held out the phone and Lucy took it. She sniffled and dialed. Tears welled up as she said, “No answer. Daddy always answers.”
“Do you know your mom’s phone number?” I asked.
Lucy sniffled and nodded. She dialed her mom’s phone number. Again, the tears started as she said, “No answer. Where are they? Why aren’t they answering me?”
“Oh, honey,” I said. “With all that’s going on, maybe they can’t get to their phones.”
The tears didn’t stop, but she nodded.
Chapter Two
Harrison drove to his home. He stopped the car in front of his house. We looked around the neighborhood, but none of us saw anyone.
“Would you stay here until I check the house out?” Harrison asked.
“Yes, of course,” I replied.
Harrison entered his house. I moved into the driver seat. Jeff moved to the front. I called my husband once again with the same results.
Jeff just looked at me. I gave him a small smile and looked at the kids.
Ten minutes later, Harrison ran out of his house, crying.
“Shit!” Jeff and I both said and got out.
“Kids stay here, okay?” Jeff said before shutting the car door.
“She’s dead. She was one of them. I killed her!” Harrison cried.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” I asked.
He shook his head. “She was one of them. I…I killed her.”
“Crap!” Jeff said.
Again, we heard noises. Jeff and I scanned the area. The infected streamed out from various backyards. There were so many of them.
“Harrison!” I pointed. He looked, but he was unable to process anything.
“It’s either inside the house or in the car. Pick one,” Jeff barked.
“House!” I said.
Jeff and I got the kids and my backpack from the car. We locked it and ran inside. Jeff locked the house door and drew the shades. Harrison sat on the sofa with the kids. Jeff went into each room and checked the windows and back door.
“All secure down here,” Jeff said.
“I’ll check upstairs. Let’s keep as quiet as possible,” I said.
When I went upstairs, I saw Harrison’s wife on their bed. Her skin was gray and almost waxy looking. Her eyes were partially open like many DOAs that came into the emergency room. Her mouth hung open, and a film had already started to form on her teeth. Bacteria doesn’t take long to overtake a dead body. Her head was bashed in, but there was very little blood, though there were lots of brain pieces on the bedspread. And next to her was a statue also covered in her brains. The familiar smell of death wafted through the air.
I covered her with a blanket and closed the door behind me. Then I returned to the living room. Harrison had a blank look on his face. The kids were still on the sofa. Jeff stood at the window.
“I don’t see any non-infected,” reported Jeff.
“Maybe they’re locked in their homes like the emergency bulletin instructed.”
Jeff didn’t look convinced.
I called 911 on Harrison’s landline. No answer. Not even a busy signal. I kept this to myself.
“Kevin, Lucy, do you want to call your home?” I asked.
Lucy picked up the phone and dialed. As she waited, she looked at her feet and then at Kevin.
“Mommy isn’t answering. Kevin, where is she?”
“Honey,” I said, “there’s an emergency outside. It’s not safe to be outside. She may be somewhere where it is safe. We’ll try calling again later.”
“I want my mommy. I want my mommy,” moaned Jeremiah.
“We want our mom too. We want to go home,” said Lucy.
Harrison put his arm around Jeremiah.
This is so overwhelming. Everyone is having trouble getting a handle on what is happening. It’s so, so, surreal. I can’t believe all that has happened, so how can these kids? I thought.
It felt like we had been up for days, but it was only one o’clock in the afternoon.
“Harrison,” I said, “if it’s okay with you, I’ll fix us something to eat. We all need to eat something.”
He just nodded, still overwhelmed.
“Jeff, keep a lookout,” I instructed. “I’ll be in the kitchen. Call if you need me.”
Jeff turned to look at me; then he turned back to the window. I didn’t feel right cooking in another woman’s kitchen; I hoped she would understand. Then I remembered she was dead. I looked in the cabinets and then in the refrigerator. Grilled cheese and soup—if that isn’t comfort food, what is? I thought. The food was ready in no time. I brought it out to the living room. Slowly, we ate. Tears ran down Harrison’s face.
“Harrison, do you have a computer I can use?” Jeff asked.
“What? You want to check your email?” Harrison barked.
“No. I want to check the Internet for any information. My cell phone can’t connect to the CDC site and my battery is almost dead. Maybe I need a computer to get to the site.”
“Right. Sorry. This way.” Harrison led him to another room.
An hour later, Jeff came out.
“The Internet doesn’t have much more than what we already know. The Centers for Disease Control’s site is down. That can’t be good. Other countries are reporting the same infection. A few sites claim nothing is going on and it’s just mass hysteria. This isn’t mass hysteria.”
“We should take turns keeping watch at the windows and listening to the television for more updates,” I said. “Since it’s a state of emergency and everyone is to stay indoors, I guess we’ll be here for the night. In the morning, we may have a better handle on the situation.”
“The radio also said the governor is going to announce an update. That should be soon,” Jeff added.
Harrison looked at me. “We stay together as long as we have to,” he said.
“Sounds good,” Jeff said.
Harrison just nodded.
“I want to go home now,” said Jeremiah. Kevin and Lucy joined Jeremiah’s pleas for the same thing.
“You can’t right now. You heard the newsman; everyone must stay inside where it’s safe. When this is over, we will bring you home. Promise. Who else lives with you at home? Grandma, auntie?” asked Jeff.
“Me and Callie and mommy,” said Jeremiah.
“Mommy and Daddy and our cat, Beau,” said Kevin.
“Don’t worry; we will take care of all of you until you get home. You can call your mom and dad again. I promise,” I said to Lucy and Kevin.
They gave us a small smile.
I reached over and gave Jeremiah a hug. At least for now, he had no one he could call. Maybe tomorrow, we could figure out where the rest of his family lived. But it was too difficult to handle right then. I wanted to keep everyone safe until this situation passed and then figure out what to do next. I couldn’t remember Patricia talking about Jeremiah’s father. Being a single parent is so common nowadays.
Jeff searched for a television station; most were off the air, which worried me. These were cable stations from various parts of the state and country. Finally, he found a station with a live broadcast. We tuned in in the middle of a sentence.
“…in your home, isolate all that are sick. Lock your doors and windows. This is an official announcement. A state of emergency is declared for the country. All borders in and out of the United States have been closed. All roads in and out of each state have been closed. All airports, railroads, and ports have been closed. The military has declared martial law. Anyone on the streets will be arrested. Do not leave your home, workplace, or school. No one is allowed out on the street. The President will be addressing the nation at six o’clock tonight. We will broadcast the address. This is a dark time for all of us. We have to stay strong and
calm. Stay indoors! Please! Stay safe.
“At this time, we have a sister station in New York City ready to provide more official details. Please stand by while we switch to our sister station.”
But the sister station never came on, and when the camera returned to the news broadcaster, his head was in his hands.
I gathered the dirty dishes and walked into the kitchen. I had to stay busy. My mind and hands were connected. When my hands are busy, I’m calmer. When I’m calmer, I can think.
Harrison walked into the kitchen. “Thanks for lunch. I’m going upstairs—”
I broke in, “You don’t want to do that; stay down here.”
“No, my guns are upstairs. Should have gotten them earlier but….”
“Okay. I’ll help you get them.”
We returned to the den and informed Jeff of our intentions. He smiled and motioned for Jeremiah to sit with him near the windows. The other two kids stood behind Jeff. They all looked out the windows, keeping watch while Harrison and I went upstairs.
* * *
Harrison had many guns. As a security guard, ex-military, and a hunter, guns were his passion. I took a holster and a 9mm and loaded it. Like most people in rural Washington state, I knew how to handle a firearm; they are used for hunting and target shooting. Gun safety is taught at a very young age. Harrison did the same with two of his other guns and then three rifles. We had been upstairs for less than fifteen minutes when Jeff bounded up the stairs.
“Guys, you gotta see this!”
Then he disappeared back down the steps. We followed him. At the bottom of the stairs, I handed a holstered gun and a rifle to Jeff. He put the holster on quickly.
“Kids,” I then announced, “no one touches any—and I mean any—of these guns or rifles. Not for any reason. Clear?” They nodded.
We all peered outside. The streets were full of infected people. There were so many of them. They looked pasty white; some drooled, some walked faster than others, and most growled. They moved like a herd of animals—much more subdued than what we had seen that morning. They moved in one direction until one of them walked into a car and set off the alarm. The group turned toward the car. Then they passed the car, which I thought was the attraction.
The rest of the afternoon, we sat on the sofa or paced the floor. I got up and looked outside. When the sun began setting, even more of the infected came out. Kevin and Lucy stood next to me. I put an arm around each of them. If I was scared, confused, and worried, what were these kids feeling?
“Let’s go to the sofa,” I said. Lucy cuddled up to me. I pulled a blanket over her. The television news announcer continued to repeat the same information.
Jeff and Harrison sat down in the chairs when the President came on the television.
“Due to the seriousness of this situation, I will forgo the usual pleasantries. The Surgeon General has declared a medical emergency; therefore, I have declared a State of Emergency for the whole country. The military is now in control. The cause of this emergency is a virus. At this time, the best course to take is isolation; isolate the healthy from the infected. We are working on a treatment and a cure. We will update everyone when we learn more. Stay strong, America. God bless.”
The news announcer came back on.
“I guess we now know it’s a virus and it’s affecting the country. The President did not say whether it’s pandemic—worldwide. However, lines of communication with Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America are down. Communication within the United States is also unpredictable.”
The news went on with the same information. I turned the television off.
Jeremiah stirred, “I’m hungry and thirsty.”
“Yeah, I think we all can use something to eat. We haven’t had anything to drink since lunch. Want to help me?” I asked.
He smiled and we went to the kitchen.
* * *
I made pasta. Jeremiah made the salad, and Kevin and Lucy set the table.
“Pasta is ready,” I announced.
As we ate, we just sat and looked at each other.
“Harrison, thank you for sharing your home with us,” Jeff finally said.
Tears welled up in Harrison’s eyes. All he could do was nod.
“Let’s discuss the sleeping arrangements for tonight,” I said.
“Harrison, it’s your house; it’s your call,” said Jeff.
“I’ve been thinking about it. If we sleep upstairs, there will be less noise and lights to attract those things, but it will be harder to get out of the house if we have to.”
The kids stopped eating and started to cry. Harrison realized he had scared them.
“No, kids, they won’t get in. We are safe here. Really,” Harrison said.
I put my arm around Lucy, and Jeff put his arm around Jeremiah. Harrison opened his arms and Kevin ran to him. Once the kids calmed down, Harrison continued, “We can stay down here. Won’t be as comfortable, but we can.”
“I think we should stay down here. Harrison and I will go upstairs and bring down some bedding and whatever else we may need,” Jeff said.
Once supper was over, the kids helped with the clean up without being asked. I heard noise outside the front door. When I ran to the front door and looked out the peephole, I saw them on the porch. I gasped.
“Kids, upstairs!” I whispered.
I looked outside again. There were more on the porch. We were quiet; shades were drawn; what made them come up onto the porch? We ran upstairs. I mouthed to Harrison and Jeff that those things were on the porch. We all went into the front spare bedroom and locked the door. We looked out the window. The infected were all over the street, some on porches. We saw houses with lights on.
“Look! Other people!” Jeremiah whispered.
“Maybe, maybe not. Might be someone hiding like us, or they were too sick and couldn’t turn off the lights,” said Jeff.
Then we saw someone open a front door and start to shoot the infected. At first, he cleared his porch, but the noise just brought more and more of them onto his porch until he fell backward into his house. The infected followed him inside. We heard his screams.
Lesson learned: Stay inside and stay quiet.
I turned and looked at the kids. I think they were so frightened now that they couldn’t cry, speak, or move.
“How about you three scoot onto the bed and lie down,” I suggested. “We are here; we are not leaving you.” I smiled.
The kids climbed onto the bed.
“Take off your shoes. That’s it. Good,” I said, trying to be comforting.
“I’ll take first watch,” said Harrison. “Jeff, you’re next, and then Lacey. Each watch will be three hours.”
I sat in the chair. Jeff took a pillow and blanket and settled on the floor. I didn’t think I could sleep, but before I knew it, Jeff had woken me. Six hours had already passed.
“Set your cell phone alarm for three hours,” Jeff told me.
Harrison was asleep on his makeshift bed. Jeff took my chair.
I went to stand by the window and looked outside. Just as many were out there as before. I called Ben multiple times, but no answer. I called our home; the answering machine kicked in. I left a message that I was at a coworker’s home waiting out the emergency and asked him to please call me. But in my gut, I knew not to expect that call. Ben, my love, if something happened to you, I hope you are dead and not one of those things.
I saw an infected walk out of the house we had watched them break into earlier that night. I hadn’t gotten a good look at the owner then, but this guy had the same colored T-shirt. But now it was stained. My stomach tightened. Maybe I’m wrong; all T-shirts look the same from far away and in the dark.
My three hours were up, but no one was awake yet, so I let them sleep. I saw a cat run across the street. I didn’t want to hear what I knew would happen to it.
* * *
Harrison was the first person to wake up.
“How you doing
?” I asked.
He looked at me.
“Sorry; stupid question,” I added.
“I called to her, but she didn’t answer me. Then I heard something upstairs. I went into our bedroom. Then Joan charged out of the bathroom. One look and I knew she was infected.” Tears were running down his face.
“She came after me like the other infected did. I tried to talk to her, but she…she just tried to bite me. She was so strong. She had me up against the dresser. I reached around and grabbed the statue.” Harrison was crying at this point.
“And…I…I bashed her in the head. God forgive me! God, forgive me!”
My heart was pounding. I couldn’t imagine how he felt. I had no words. I stood up and put my arms around him. He sobbed.
Jeff woke up sometime during Harrison’s story. He just stood there.
“Harrison,” he said, “so sorry.”
No words could possibly comfort Harrison.
* * *
Soon after, the kids woke up and started to cry again. The emotional stress was overwhelming. I returned to the kids and sat with them.
I didn’t know what to do next. Harrison didn’t look like he was going to make any decisions in the near future. I looked to Jeff.
“Guess I’ll go check out the first floor,” said Jeff. “I don’t hear anything. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“I’ll go with you,” Harrison said flatly. “I’ll go first; get behind me.”
None of the infected had actually attempted to enter the house. The rest of us ventured downstairs. A few infected were still on the porch. Occasionally, one of the infected would walk into the door. We jumped with every thud. Harrison and Jeff moved the sofa against the door.
“I’ll fix breakfast,” I said.
The kids accompanied me to the kitchen. Jeremiah wanted to look out the side window, but I stopped him. He knew what was out there, but certain things in life were better not seen. And I didn’t want those things to see him.
I made eggs—lots of them. I figured we had a lot to do, and I didn’t know when we would eat again. Jeremiah and Lucy set the table while Kevin made toast.
