The Collapse Omnibus

by V. A. Brandon

  A gust of wind blew one of the curtains toward her, and she automatically lifted her chin to feel the cool breeze on her hot forehead.

  Except there was no breeze. Instead, the tattered material rested lightly on a dome-shaped object, rising higher and higher as the object drew nearer. And when the curtain fell away, a bald Runner stood before her, with half of its face chewed off. It hissed as its milky eyes settled on her.

  With a shout, Amy fell on her backside, dropping the bat in the process. Releasing a stream of expletives under her breath, she frantically felt around for the bat as she kept her eyes on the Runner. She couldn’t find the blasted thing. It had probably rolled off somewhere.

  Is this how it ends? Am I next?

  The Runner snarled and leaped forward, its heavy paunch landing on Amy’s lower abdomen.

  The sudden impact knocked the breath out of her, and she blacked out for a second. It could have been several seconds; she couldn’t really tell. Still, she had sense enough to reach down and pull out the small knife she’d pocketed earlier in the day.

  The Runner’s yellowed teeth snapped at her neck, missing by a couple of inches.

  That was too close for Amy’s comfort. It was time to end this. Tightening her grip on the handle, she raised her arm and plunged the knife into the Runners’ left eye, wincing in disgust when blood spurted out of the ruined socket and ran down her wrist. She rammed the knife in deeper, just to make sure it would stay absolutely, irrevocably dead. The last thing she needed was an angry, shambling Runner with a vendetta chasing her around the clinic grounds.

  “Amy!” Daniel rushed over from behind, lifting his foot to kick the deadweight off her. After some considerable effort, the Runner slumped to the side, and Daniel helped her to a sitting position. “Are you all right? Were you bitten?”

  Dazed, she felt along the length of her body, unwittingly smearing blood all over her clothes. “I – I don’t think so. But that was close.” She paused to look up at him. “Did you get the first aid kit?”

  “Yes.” He appeared uneasy. “We should return to the basement now. I saw five Runners wandering near the mansion.”

  “Let’s hope they wander right onto the road and never come back,” Amy said, groaning softly as she rose to her feet.

  Murmuring an assenting reply, Daniel picked up the fire poker and the kit. Just before they headed down the creaky flight of stairs, he stopped to grasp her arm.

  “Thank you,” he said, bowing his head slightly. “You risked your life to help me and my wife. I am truly grateful.”

  “Don’t mention it,” she replied, feeling somewhat embarrassed by his heartfelt gratitude. After all, how many times had he swooped in to save their asses? She nodded at the basement below. “C’mon, we better hurry. Marie’s waiting for us.”

  Exchanging awkward smiles, they quickly made their way down and shut the basement door behind them.

  To Amy, it was like the closing of a casket lid.

  Chapter 4

  Amy wasn’t the least bit surprised when Justin pulled her aside to speak with her. About a stone’s throw away, Daniel was tending to his wife, murmuring to her in their native tongue. Walter lay beside Marie, his hesitant eyes darting up at her; he was obviously starved for her touch and affection, which had been sorely lacking for the past few hours.

  “What happened up there?” Justin asked instantly, sweeping his flashlight across her body. “Why is there so much blood on you?”

  She glanced down at her t-shirt. “It’s no big deal. I just had a run-in with a bloated Runner, that’s all.”

  His eyes flared up in anger. “‘No big deal’? You look like you were just mauled by a pack of wild dogs, and you say it’s no big deal?”

  “Hey, I don’t look that bad,” she protested.

  He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily. “I swear, Amy, you’ll be the death of me one day.”

  Oh, now he’d gone too far. Sick of being treated like a child, she was prepared to tell him to go stuff it when Walter suddenly released a pained yip and rolled across the hard floor.

  “Keep him away from me,” Marie said, struggling against her husband. “I do not want him near me!”

  Startled by the commotion, Justin and Amy whirled around in time to see Walter cowering in the corner, lifting a hesitant paw in question.

  “What’s going on?” Justin asked, approaching the Korean man. Worried, Amy went to the pooch and gathered him into her arms. The poor thing was still trembling.

  Marie buried her face in her hands. “Just take him away, please! I cannot do this.” She began to weep in earnest. “The images . . . w-why won’t they s-stop?”

  Concern bloomed to outright alarm as Amy watched Daniel trying to soothe his wife. What was her friend talking about? What images?

  What was going on?

  Justin crouched beside Daniel, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We need to talk,” he said carefully. “Can you give me three minutes?”

  Nodding, the Korean man rose up and joined Amy and Justin, leaving Marie to sit by herself. The poor woman quieted down, resting her cheek on her drawn knees. Her eyes were closed, her face gray and haggard.

  “We can’t tiptoe around this any longer,” Justin said without preamble. Daniel stiffened, but Justin continued on. “I’m sorry, Daniel. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now. But it’s time to admit that your wife is clearly infected . . . and that she’s getting worse.”

  Daniel remained deathly silent.

  “So what do we do now? Leave or stay?”

  “We can’t leave, obviously,” Amy whispered. “It’s getting pretty dark outside. And Marie needs to rest.”

  “Or we could just go, as planned,” Justin countered, frowning thoughtfully. “Stay on course. Garrett said his friend stocked his farm with all sorts of supplies, right? He may have antibiotics. We could try to administer it intravenously, see if that fights the infection.”

  While it sounded wonderful, Amy couldn’t help but notice that his scenario contained a lot of ifs.

  Daniel stared hard at the ground, a muscle jumping in his jaw. “I agree with Amy,” he said finally, his tone flat. “My wife needs to rest. But you two should leave. I will remain here with my wife.”

  “That’s not an option,” Justin said, shaking his head. “We all leave, or we all stay. Simple as that.” And without waiting for an answer, he strode toward the barred door. Just before stepping out, he shot a harried glance at Amy. “By the way, where’s my bat?”

  “Oh! It’s in the living room.” When Justin raised his brows, she hurried to explain. “I dropped it when the Runner jumped on me.”

  His countenance grim, he stepped out and closed the door with a bang. “I’m going to take a quick look around the mansion, make sure there aren’t any Runners wandering about. And I’ll bring some blankets and pillows on the way.”

  “What for?” Amy shuffled over and stared at him through the bars. “If the Runners are gone, we can return to –”

  “– the living room?” he finished for her. “With that huge, gaping hole in the windows? We might as well be sleeping out in the open.”

  “Then what about the second floor?” she argued, trying to think of a better alternative than the basement. “I’m sure Marie would appreciate a comfortable bed.”

  Justin let out a soft, derisive snort. “Not if it’s old, creaky, and riddled with bed bugs. Look,” he added, his tone softening, “I know the basement is creepy. I don’t like it, either, but it’s the safest place in the mansion right now. And it’s only for one night.”

  Because they were leaving tomorrow morning? Or . . . because that was all the time Marie had left?

  Justin narrowed his eyes, as though reading her thoughts. “Don’t think too far ahead. Let’s just take things one at a time.”

  When she nodded mutely, he chucked her under the chin and left.

  ***

  The basement was lit with green glow sticks
, the cold ground of their room covered with thick blankets and tattered bedding from the second-floor bedroom closets. For dinner, Amy had warmed up several cans of beef stew, with a side of roasted Vienna sausages and sweet corn kernels. Dessert was a plateful of s’mores and canned coffee.

  I wish I could have made you a proper meal, Amy thought, glancing at Marie. The Korean woman’s face was half-hidden in shadows, but Amy noticed her friend’s eyes darting frequently in Walter’s direction. Was she feeling guilty about her harsh treatment of the dog earlier in the day?

  Marie’s nervous eyes landed on Walter again, who was in the corner enjoying a doggy meal of chicken and liver. But this time, her breaths grew ragged as her gaze burned into his furry back.

  Or is it something else? Amy wondered, mulling over what she’d just seen.

  After dinner, she took the plastic plates to the living room upstairs and wiped them with a thick wad of toilet paper. Her motions slow and deliberate, she prolonged the cleaning for as long as she could. She was in no hurry to return to the basement.

  Several minutes later, there was the sound of soft footsteps, and Justin hunkered down beside her.

  “We should give Daniel and Marie some space,” he said, his expression serious. “Maybe you and I could sleep here or in one of the second-floor rooms.”

  “That’s fine.” She began piling the plates one by one. “I doubt I’ll be able to get any sleep tonight, anyway.”

  He became quiet, and the sudden stillness felt so strange that Amy tensed. Frightened, she edged closer to Justin.

  “What is it?” she whispered immediately. “Did something happen?”

  He shook his head no.

  “Then what –”

  “I spoke with Marie for a while before coming up here,” he interrupted, his jaw tight. A slight pause. “You might want to do the same.”

  “Why?”

  As soon as the question fell from her lips, she knew.

  He thinks she may not live to see tomorrow.

  Her mind revolted against this thought. No . . . she would not entertain the idea of leaving her friend behind. Marie would get better in the morning, they would all leave for the farm, and Marie would see Benson again.

  She has to. She must.

  Amy found herself believing those words.

  I know she will.

  Justin grabbed her shoulders, giving her a small shake. “Don’t do that,” he demanded. “Don’t go into denial.”

  “I’m not!” She angrily pushed his hands away. “But I certainly don’t accept your doom and gloom, either. Weren’t you the one who told me not to think too far ahead?”

  “I know I did, but –”

  “I’m going downstairs,” she snapped, abruptly cutting him off. “Don’t expect me to keep you company tonight.”

  The pitying look on Justin’s face only increased her ire, and she stomped down the basement stairs without sparing him another glance.

  Chapter 5

  To give the Korean couple some privacy, Amy had taken Walter and spread several blankets along the wide corridor. She couldn’t see them, but she could hear them speaking to one another in low, somber tones. Muffled sobs, interspersed with the occasional strained chuckle, broke the otherwise silent atmosphere. Even Walter remained quiet, except to release a deep sigh every now and then. Perhaps he, too, had finally sensed the gravity of their situation. He was no longer begging for treats or to be petted.

  She stared at the shadows stretching across the moldy walls, thinking about the brief conversation she’d shared with Marie just moments before. Her friend had seemed calm, if a little feverish. They had talked about mundane things; or rather, it had mostly been Amy nattering on and on. Marie had just listened, pulling her blanket tighter around her body.

  When Amy eventually ran out of steam, she’d asked the one thing that had been on her mind all night.

  “Are the images . . . troubling you?” she asked tentatively.

  Marie nodded, her glittering eyes trained on Amy. “Yes. And they are getting worse.”

  “What are they about?” Amy suddenly felt nervous, and she licked her dry lips.

  “You do not want to know, Amy. They are very bad.”

  And their conversation had soon petered out after that.

  Later, as Amy stood up to leave, Marie had grabbed her wrist.

  “Take Walter with you.”

  “Why? He’s used to sleeping with you and Daniel.”

  Undeterred, Marie had tightened her grip, causing Amy to let out a pained gasp.

  Has she always been this strong?

  “I mean it, Amy. Take. Him. With. You,” Marie gritted out.

  Yet just beneath that stern tone had lingered another foreboding sound. Amy hadn’t been able to identify what it was then, but as she lay on the corridor with Walter, watching the shadows’ macabre dance on the walls, realization gradually dawned on her.

  It was longing.

  And also hunger.

  Marie had wanted Walter to keep his distance, for his own safety.

  The infected part of her had wanted him around, because It was getting hungry.

  Her infection was growing stronger. And in time, it would consume her.

  Shivering, Amy drew Walter closer to her chest for comfort. The pooch whined softly, a sad sound meant for Marie; the poor thing was obviously yearning to be by her side.

  A short distance away, Daniel began murmuring to his wife again.

  Amy pressed her lips to Walter’s floppy ear. “Let’s go outside, boy. Give them a bit of privacy, eh?” When he gave her a forlorn look, she smiled and wrapped the blanket around him. Once that was done, she tiptoed out the basement door and up the stairs with a cocooned Walter in her arms.

  ***

  It felt good to leave the dank basement and breathe in the night air outside. Amy strode toward The Peak, chatting quietly about the foods she would eat once they reached the farm. Although Walter didn’t understand, he’d caught snatches of familiar words – “chicken,” “snack,” and “ham sandwich.” His doggy eyes bright and alert, he whined in solidarity as she hugged him closer for warmth.

  “What are you doing here?” Justin asked, straightening when Amy reached the low mesh fence. The corners of his mouth curled up in amusement. “As I recall, you didn’t want to keep me company.”

  She stood beside him and sniffed. “I felt sorry for you,” she said in a lofty tone. “Out here in the harsh elements, all by yourself.” After a pause, she added reluctantly, “Also, Walter and I couldn’t sleep.”

  He ran his hands over his head, mussing up his hair. “How’s Marie doing?”

  “I’m not sure,” she replied, uncertain. “The infection . . . it’s definitely worsening.”

  “In what way?”

  Amy shrugged. “She’s just different, that’s all. And she seems physically stronger now.” Absentmindedly, she rubbed her bruised wrist across her thigh.

  Justin raised his eyes, staring up at the dark, star-strewn sky. “It’s a beautiful night,” he said, inhaling the crisp air. “It almost convinces me that the world is all right, that nothing’s changed.”

  “What do you think we’d be doing now if things were normal?” she asked, smiling at the thought. It was an exercise in futility, but still . . . it was nice to fantasize for a little while.

  He cleared his throat, chuckling uncomfortably. “Well, for one thing, I probably would’ve worked up the courage to ask you to live with me.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “It was nice having you around again,” he admitted. “It made me realize how much I’d missed you.”

  Amy attempted a light-hearted laugh, trying to defuse the awkward atmosphere. A part of her felt elated – he’d wanted them to live together! – but guilt quickly squashed that feeling. After all, how could she feel happiness now when Marie was suffering in the basement below?

  Luckily, Justin changed the subject. “We need to leave early in the morning. We
can’t hang around and wait to see what happens.” His expression turned grim. “The sooner we leave this place, the better it’ll be for all of us.”

  “What about Marie?”

  “She’ll come with us, naturally. Daniel can sit with her in the back, make sure she stays all right during the trip. You and Walter can sit in front with me.”

  Amy grew apprehensive. “And what if Marie . . . changes during the trip? What do we do then?”

  His smile was brittle. “We stop the car, find a quiet spot in the woods, and take care of it.”

  The last part of his response was too much for Amy. She buried her face in Walter’s fur, trying to hide her emotions. “Daniel would never agree to that,” she said, mostly to herself.

  “Maybe. Maybe not,” Justin said, his manner cryptic as he headed down the hill. Amy hurried after him, tightening her hold on Walter. “But we’ll deal with that when the time comes.”

  ***

  They returned to the mansion, but decided to seek refuge in the station wagon instead. Walter immediately dragged his blanket into the backseat and settled in. With a might yawn, the pooch curled into his makeshift nest and fell fast asleep.

  Amy watched him from the front, feeling an unexpected pang of sadness for the dog. She didn’t know much about pets in general, having never owned one, but her limited understanding was that many pets became emotionally attached to their owners. Granted, Marie was only a temporary substitute, but still . . . how would he react when Marie was no longer there in his presence?

  “What are you thinking?” Justin asked, startling her from her thoughts.

  She shook her head, then reached out to wipe the foggy window beside her. “It’s nothing important. Just feeling a bit nervous, that’s all.”

  “At least try to get a few hours of sleep,” he advised, resting his legs on the dashboard. “We have a long drive ahead of us in the morning.”