by Unknown
Chapter Forty-Eight
"My name's Carter," the man said as he led them across a shallow part of the brook, where stones and sticks made a natural pathway across the water. Sandy introduced herself and the others.
"I appreciate you helping us," said Sandy, following closely behind him. "I appreciate you trusting us."
"I have an intuition about people," Carter said. "If you had lied about the map, I might've shot you," he admitted.
As they walked, Sandy relayed the story they'd heard from Dan about the contamination.
"I always knew this would happen. This, or something like it." Carter looked into the distance. "Things are bad out there. The world seems to be getting worse—terrorism, shootings, and murders every time you turn around. No one has any respect for each other anymore. The world is a lawless place. I figured it was only a matter of time until society disintegrated."
Carter led them around the base of a mountain, keeping the brook in view until they ascended a heavy incline. They trekked through mountain trails that seemed untouched by the hands of man, gaining a view even more spectacular than the one they'd seen before. Sandy wondered if anyone besides Carter had been up here in many years. She doubted it.
They followed the curve of a mountain, passing several deep openings underneath the crags of the cliff. She was surprised when Carter disappeared underneath one of them.
"Under here," he called over his shoulder.
She and the others ducked down, following him into a small opening in the mountainside that would've been imperceptible to someone who wasn't looking for it. Soon they were standing upright, and Carter was leading them through a manmade door that was barely visible in the shadows. The door opened into a room about twenty feet wide and twenty feet long—large enough to accommodate all of them. Carter lit several lanterns, which looked like they were solar-powered. Canned goods were stacked on shelves next to the walls. Everywhere she looked, Sandy saw supplies: fishing lures, rods, sleeping bags, medical supplies. Through a smaller, carved out door, she saw a room with a cot and several camping chairs.
"It took me years of preparation to build this," Carter said, answering her unspoken question. "I have enough supplies here to last for many years."
Sandy marveled at the supply of canned goods, the quantity of which she might've expected to find in a basement, not in a room on some deserted mountain.
"And you built this by yourself?" Simon asked.
"It took a lot of probing, and some digging." Carter smiled. "And a lot of research. The closest you can get to this place by car is a few miles. Martha helped me pick the spot. She used to humor me, before she died. I'm not sure she ever believed me, fully, but she was a good woman."
Clearing his throat, Carter walked to one of the shelves and brought out a medical kit. He beckoned to Simon. "Let me have a look at that wound. I can probably stitch you up."
Simon unwrapped the makeshift bandage. "I was stabbed by a man that was trying to kill us," he explained. "We've run into some bad luck, as you can imagine."
"I believe it." Carter pulled out one of the camping stools so Simon could sit. He inspected the wound. "I used to be a paramedic in my younger years."
Simon nodded.
"You'll probably want some of this, first," Carter said, retrieving a bottle of bourbon from a shelf.
"Thanks," Simon said, taking the bottle and swigging off it.
While Carter prepared to stitch up Simon, Hector asked, "You said you were a paramedic?"
"Yes, in my twenties," Carter said. "For most of my life, I was a history professor."
Sandy looked at him, surprised. "A history professor?"
"I retired a few years ago. Studying history is what prompted me to build all this," Carter explained. "I've seen what humanity does to itself over the years. I've seen the cycles of violence repeated over the years. The world has become too self-absorbed. Technology hasn't helped us any, in that regard. I knew it was only a matter of time until society collapsed. That's when I began searching for a place like this. About five years ago, I found it, and I started building. It's a work in progress."
Having prepared for giving stitches, Carter went to work with practiced hands. Simon flinched several times, but did his best to keep a brave face.
"Do you think the agents are really behind this?"
Carter nodded knowingly. "Yes. In fact, nothing you told me is a surprise."
"What do you mean?" Sandy asked.
"I've been listening to transmissions, piecing things together since I've been up here." Carter took a breath. "I have a shelf full of radios in the other room. The people you're speaking about have been planning this for years. They've been waiting for this moment, and for a perfect first target. St. Matthews was ground zero for the contamination."
Chapter Forty-Nine
"How can you know that?" Hector asked, an expression of shock on his face.
"There's a network out there, Hector, people like me who are hunkered down and listening to things. St. Matthews was the first target for these men. They used it as a test run so they could infect other areas. Their goal was to get rid of enough of us to cause a collapse, so they could take over and build a new civilization."
Sandy digested the information. "Unbelievable. How far has this spread?"
"Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. But it seems to have been contained now."
"By the government?"
"No." Carter grinned. "By civilians. A few days ago, some people located the compound housing the agents and killed many of them. I don't know all the details, but that's what I heard from some of my transmissions."
"That must mean the army is out there," Sandy asked, hope blossoming inside her.
"Yes. According to what I heard, the military is setting up a compound in St. Matthews, among other places. They were headed here from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico."
"Did they arrive?"
"I'm not sure. That was the last I heard," Carter admitted. "The radios have been fairly quiet."
Sandy shook her head incredulously.
"If there is a compound in St. Matthews, then we can find help, real help," Sandy said, unable to contain her excitement. "Your sons might even be there."
Carter shook his head. "I know better than to believe that."
"Don't you want to find out for sure?"
Carter watched them silently for a moment. "I might be a foolish old man, but I have no desire to go back to St. Matthews. Not now, not ever."
"What are you going to do?" Hector asked. "Stay up here forever?"
"Why not?" Carter shrugged, pointing to a bow on the wall. "I can hunt. I can fish. I have water from the brook to boil and drink. I have plenty of supplies. I've been preparing for something like this for most of my life. I'll get by, like I always do."
"Won't it be dangerous living out here? You'll have no way to get help quickly, if something should happen," Sandy said.
"No more dangerous than living out there."
Sandy frowned. She wasn't ready to accept his answer. "Your sons might be looking for you. I know you think they're dead, but you have to have hope."
"If, by the grace of God, my sons survived, they'll know where to look for me. Otherwise, I have no reason to go back."
Sandy blew a sad breath, but she understood the man's reasoning. Still, she felt a strong urge to get to the compound.
"We should leave now," Sandy said. "We shouldn't waste any more time. If they're really setting up a compound in St. Matthews, it's in our best interest to get there."
"I wouldn't suggest leaving now, unless you want to go through the mountains in the dark. Those creatures are everywhere, and traveling with flashlights isn't a smart move. It'll be dusk soon. I'd suggest leaving in the morning."
"He's probably right," Simon agreed.
"Get some rest," Carter said. "I'll cook you some dinner. Afterward, I'll see if I can get more concrete information."
&nbs
p; "I don't know how to thank you," Sandy said.
"Don't," Carter said. "The only thing I ask is that you tell no one about where I'm staying. I don't want anyone else showing up here. I've trusted you. I've brought you in. Don't make me regret it."
Sandy and the others nodded. They wouldn't break their promise. Sandy closed her eyes and reopened them. She was still in disbelief of what she'd heard. For the first time since the contamination started, she felt a sense of real hope—a hope that was calling to her from beyond the shelter door.
Carter took out a small burner and a pot, opened a can of beans, and put them over the flame. They watched quietly as Carter cooked and dished out portions of beans for them.
"I don't understand how these people could get away with this," Hector said. "It seems insane."
Carter didn't seem as shocked as them. "We are the most advanced we've ever been, but at the same time, we're the most vulnerable. The whole world is interconnected. That leads to a lot of great possibilities, but also some horrific ones."
Sandy told them how her credit card information had once been stolen. "Nothing is truly safe, is it?"
"The government can't regulate all the technology we're developing. And they certainly can't keep watch over everyone. I'm sure there are a lot of people who want this to happen, people who desire it badly enough that they'd find a way to coordinate it, no matter how much time or money it takes."
"Do you think the government knew about any of this?" Sandy asked.
"Who knows?" Carter shrugged. "My guess is that they didn't know what was happening until it had already been done. All they can do now is clean up the aftermath."
"I hope it's really over," Marcia said, biting her lip.
"There's no way to know for sure," Carter said.
They finished eating, assisting Carter in cleaning up the dishes. Sandy was surprised to find that her stomach was sated by the meal. Perhaps it was the knowledge that, for the moment, they were safe, and that the possibility of rescue—real rescue—was close. She smiled at Simon as he put away some of Carter's supplies. He seemed to be doing better than he had been before. For a moment, Sandy almost convinced herself she was a guest in someone's home, and that soon they'd say their goodbyes, heading home to the same apartments and houses they'd left. It was hard to believe that those places were probably ravaged.
They grew quiet as they contemplated their journey in the morning. Carter pointed out several places where they could sleep, offering them sleeping bags and blankets.
"These were going to be for my wife and sons. At least someone will use them." His sad smile seemed genuine. "I'm going to listen to some broadcasts while you rest. See if I can find some confirmation that the compound is being set up."
"Thanks, Carter," Sandy said, and she meant it.
"I'm sure you're tired, but before you get some sleep, you should see the view," Carter said with a knowing smile.
"What do you mean?" Sandy asked.
"We're pretty high up. You won't believe what you can see from here."
The sun had just started descending beyond the distant mountains, casting an amber orange glow in the sky. Lingering beams of light illuminated the hills and peaks over which they'd traveled.
"Carter was right. It's beautiful," Sandy said to the others.
Simon, Hector, Marcia, and Anabel agreed.
They watched the sun sink lower and darkness creep in, each of them quiet and reflective. After a while, Hector and his family went inside to clean up and get ready for bed while Sandy remained outside with Simon. They stood in silence for a while.
"When I was in that minivan, watching the creatures coming at me, I thought I was dead," Simon said to Sandy. "I never thought I'd be standing here right now."
Sandy smiled. In truth, she'd harbored some of those same thoughts, though she'd prayed he'd be all right. "Every morning I wake up, I wonder what horror the next day will bring. But for the first time in a while, I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
"Do you think we'll reach the compound?" Simon asked.
"I don't see why not," Sandy said. "We've gotten through everything else. Hopefully it exists, though I get nervous about Carter's warnings. Do you think something like this will happen again?"
Simon sighed. "I think Carter's right to be cautious. But I have a good feeling about this compound. For the first time in a while, I have a feeling we're going to be all right."
"I want to believe that."
"Then do it."
Simon reached over and found her hand. She squeezed him back. They stood next to each other in a comfortable silence for several more minutes, taking in the stars and the hoots of night animals, and then retired to the bunker to get some sleep.
Chapter Fifty
They packed their belongings at first light. Overnight, Carter had gotten an approximate location of where the compound was located, though he couldn't say for sure whether it was still there.
"The radios were quiet all night," he said. "I'm not sure what's happening. Are you sure you want to leave?"
Sandy looked at the others briefly before nodding. "Yes. We have to try. If things don't go as planned, we can always come back, right?"
"Of course."
Carter sent them with additional food to complement the supplies they had, as well as a compass. He gave them explicit instructions on how to reach the campsite, though they'd traveled that way the day before. Even though he'd known them a short time, he seemed worried about them. When they'd exhausted the last of their plans, they headed for the door.
"Thanks for everything, Carter," Sandy told him.
"Don't mention it," he said as he led them to the door. He lingered, watching them with a look of nostalgia. Maybe he was thinking about his sons.
"Are you sure you're not coming?" Sandy looked at him, hoping he might change his mind.
Carter remained steadfast. "I'm sure. If you find my sons, please tell them I'm alive. They'll know where to find me."
They nodded, saying farewell. And then he was opening the door for them, and they were traveling the same path they'd come the day before. Sandy glanced over her shoulder several times as they walked down the steep, narrow mountain, giving Carter a wave as they descended.
And then he was out of sight.
She wondered what the coming days would bring for him, what his life would be like. A part of her couldn't imagine living in the secluded hideaway alone, with only the mountains and the distant valleys and forest for company. Another part of her decided it might be liberating.
She wished nothing but the best for him.
The trip went faster than the day before. With a night's rest under their belts, and Simon stitched up, they were able to pick up the pace. They hiked the same valley and mountain path they'd taken the day before, recognizing several landmarks. Even Anabel kept up with the grownups, her small legs pumping as she hiked.
"Are we going home now?" she asked Hector and Marcia.
"I'm not sure, honey," Hector said. "But we'll see."
Sandy had barely blinked before several hours had passed. They traveled over the hill and through the thick forest, approaching the campground. The minivan was in the same place in which they had left it. Two creatures hovered around the vehicle, staring through the open driver's side window. Their hisses carried over the wind. It had been long enough since they'd seen one of the creatures that Sandy had almost convinced herself they weren't real.
They disposed of the things with knives to the head, and then packed their belongings inside. Other than a thin layer of pine needles stuck to the windshield, the vehicle was untouched. They got inside with haste and assumed the positions that had become routine, by now.
"Are you sure you're up for driving?" Hector asked Sandy.
"Yes," she said, "I want to."
She looked in the backseat. Marcia and Anabel gave her frightened but hopeful smiles. Simon gave her a confident nod.
She started the car. Several creatures
lurked through the campsite as they drove through it, staring at the vehicle.
"Is it just me, or are they moving slower than before?" Sandy asked.
Hector watched them with a curious expression on his face. "Maybe they're tired. Maybe they've had enough."
"I think we all have," Simon agreed.
Chapter Fifty-One
The journey down the mountain was uneventful. They passed several abandoned, wrecked vehicles, but the turnoffs to the campsites looked just as deserted as when they'd passed them on the way up. Sandy's foot began to tire from driving. She felt as if she were constantly hitting the brakes, descending down a mountain that was treacherous to climb, and was no less treacherous to descend. She kept away from the edge and steered with caution.
Soon they were rolling into town. Sandy kept her eyes on the lifeless streets. Her hope was that they'd see a cavalry of military and police officers, waiting for them, but the town was as empty as before. The wind gusted, carrying several papers over the hood of the minivan. One of them stuck to the grille, flapping and unsticking.
"What if something happened, and no one's here?" she asked.
The others watched the road in silence, hit with the first moment of despair since leaving.
"We need to get across town," Hector said, pointing at one of the turns. "That's the only way we'll know for sure."
Sandy took the turns with a practiced ease, driving around wrecked vehicles and rubbish that would've been out of place just a while ago, but was commonplace now. They drove through some of the same streets they'd traveled before, heading to the other side of town, keeping away from the main roads. Soon they were approaching the street to which Carter had directed them.
Gunshots pierced the air.
Sandy stiffened and clutched the wheel.
"What was that?" Marcia whispered from the backseat.
