“We can’t help them.” He put his foot back on the gas, accelerating once more.
Reaching the street, he slowed, unsure of which way to turn. He looked over at his passenger. “Where do you want to be dropped off? I can take you home, or to your car.”
“I got a ride from Linda.” The kid stared out the window. His hands were in his lap, clasped together tightly in an effort to keep them from shaking. That effort was failing.
“Linda?”
“Oh sorry. She’s the cashier at the other register.”
“Got it. So, where do you live?”
“About three miles from here.”
“OK. Your parents home?”
“No. My mom and her boyfriend went to San Francisco for a short vacation. They haven’t come back.”
“Damn. When were they supposed to be home?”
“Two days ago. They’re not answering their phones, either. I tried calling the hotel they were staying at, but the line just rings.”
“What about your Dad?”
Paul continued staring out the window, a far away look in his eyes. “He left when I was three. Hasn’t been around since.”
Daniel stared out the window, contemplating the next step. He couldn’t abandon this kid. ‘Shit.’ He sighed, turning right and heading towards home. “You’re staying with me and my family until you can get through to them.” Daniel figured that was unlikely at this point, but didn’t want to be the one to tell the young man.
Paul looked over at him, hope in his eyes. “Are you sure? I don’t want to be a burden.”
“Well, I’m not leaving you home by yourself, if there are people acting like that ‘thing’ back there.”
The kid nodded, turning and looking back out the window as the Daniel drove across the major intersection, which was uncharacteristically empty. “Okay. Thanks.”
“Sure.” Daniel was distracted at this point, trying to decipher what he’d just seen. It made no sense. What the heck was that? How did a man suddenly become so animalistic? Were there more like that out there?
Daniel felt fairly certain there were.
This was much worse than they’d thought.
Turning onto his street, Daniel slowed, looking all around for any strangers. “See anyone outside?” He asked.
Paul looked out the passenger window, rising up out of his seat and looking around for any signs of life. “No. Nothing.”
“K.” Daniel pushed the button on the garage door opener as they approached, timing it so that he didn’t have to wait in the driveway. He pulled into the garage, inching the vehicle as far forward as he knew he could go. Watching the street through the rear view mirror, he pressed the remote again, bringing the garage door down behind them.
At home once again, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He looked over at Paul. “You alright?”
Some color had returned to the young man’s face, and he looked as if he’d calmed down a bit. “Yeah. I think so.” He looked out the windshield, his eyes unfocused. “What was that back there?”
Daniel shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Paul nodded unconsciously. “Me neither, but I hope I never see another one again.”
“Me too.” Daniel opened his door. “Give me a hand with this stuff, will ya?”
“Of course.”
Grabbing two bags, Daniel worked his way around Serafina’s BMW and unlocked the door to the house. Stepping inside, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. “Honey, we have company!” he called out as he carried the bags to the kitchen.
Serafina came around the corner, curiosity showing on her face.
“Company?”
“Yeah.” He jutted his thumb over his shoulder towards the front of the house as Paul came in from the garage, struggling to carry two heavy bags of groceries. “This is Paul.”
Walking over, she tried to take one of the bags from the young man, but he insisted on carrying them. “Hello,” he said, offering her a slight smile.
“Hi. I’m Serafina, Sera for short.” She turned back to Daniel. “What brings Paul to us, honey?”
“There was a situation at the store.” He quickly recapped what they’d encountered as Paul went back to the garage to grab more bags. Serafina’s eyes grew wide as she heard what he’d seen.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. The fucker ran full speed into the side of my Jeep. It almost knocked itself out.”
Paul returned with more bags, his thin arms struggling with the weight.
“Thank you, Paul.” Serafina smiled at him. “Ashley, Brenna, come here please!”
Ashley and Brenna walked into the kitchen, ready to help with the groceries. When they saw Paul, they stopped, surprised at the presence of a stranger.
Daniel handled introductions and told the girls that Paul would be staying in the guest room for a while. They looked surprised at that, but offered no resistance.
“Girls, please show Paul to the guest room. There are towels in the dresser, for when you need to clean up.”
Paul nodded, still processing everything. “OK, but I still need to help get the rest of the stuff out of the Jeep.”
“I’ll get it. You take it easy.” Daniel reached over and grabbed the kid’s shoulder reassuringly.
“Yes Sir.”
Daniel smiled. “You don’t have to call me sir.”
“Ummm, but I don’t actually know your name.”
Serafina elbowed Daniel in the ribs gently. “Really, dude?” She gestured towards her husband. “This giant dork is Daniel.”
Unfamiliar with the teasing that went on between the couple, Paul defended Daniel. “Ma’am, I don’t think of him as a dork. He saved me. He’s a hero.”
Daniel broke into a huge grin. “You hear that, honey?” He poked himself in the chest. “Hero.”
Serafina rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Just get the rest of the stuff from the Jeep.”
“Hater.” Daniel headed for the garage. “Don’t unpack stuff yet.” He called out.
“What? Why?”
“We’ll talk about it.
Bringing in the last of the water, Daniel stopped and rested his hand on the counter as he regarded his wife. “We might need to bug out.”
“You think?”
“After what I saw? Yes.”
“What if it was an isolated incident?”
“I don’t think it was. The whole area feels like a ghost town. I think it’s possible that a lot of people are either sick or dead.”
“That’s morbid.”
“I know, but you didn’t see what I saw.” He thought for a minute, remembering something, which he shared. “As a matter of fact, on Sunday, when I was coming back from getting gas at Costco, there was a couple stopped on the sidewalk coming up the hill. The man was bent over, coughing the same way I saw the guy today coughing.”
“Oh my God, really?”
Daniel nodded.
Serafina considered this. Leaving would be tough.
As if he were reading her mind, Daniel said, “We were planning on going up to the cabin for this four day weekend.” He was referring to the cabin near Big Bear Lake that they’d purchased three and a half years prior. “We could go there and just stay until things blow over.”
“Hmmmm…that’s true.”
“It couldn’t hurt.”
“Maybe…”
Still uncertain, Serafina suggested they check the news to see if they could learn anything more. She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. It was still on the news channel from the day before.
Two news anchors, an older white man and a middle-aged Asian woman looked into the camera, concern showing on their faces. The man’s voice was somber.
“The flu epidemic has now spread throughout Southern California. Reports of a similar virus are starting to come in from other metropolitan areas around the country, seemingly increasing by the day. At this point, all people - I repeat, all people are advised to avoid contact
with others. Wash your hands frequently, use hand sanitizer, and do everything you can to avoid germs. For those who already have come down with the flu, for the sake of the community, please DO NOT leave your residence and DO NOT interact with others.”
The woman took over. “Currently, the CDC is still investigating the cause of the virus, but as of right now, they believe it is simply a very, very bad flu. High fever, chills, sore throat, coughing, and diarrhea are common symptoms. If you experience these symptoms, do not go to the hospital. Medical facilities are currently at or exceeding capacity so you will be sent home.”
“Holy shit.” Daniel and Serafina said in unison.
CHAPTER TEN
After watching the terrifying news update, Serafina returned to the upstairs office to close out some of the work she had left in progress when she’d gone downstairs to help with the groceries. Sitting at the desk, she found herself struggling to focus.
What did all this mean?
Was the government going to do something?
Were they safe in their home?
Could they protect themselves with the single firearm (a 9mm Glock 19) they had?
Shaking her head, she realized that Daniel was probably right. Getting out of town while they still could seemed like the best course of action. If they were lucky, they could get up to the mountains while the roads were still open and it was relatively safe.
As she sat there, gazing out the window, she felt a cat rub against her leg. It was Colossus, ‘Cole’ for short. Serafina patted her lap. “Come here, Cole.” The cat eagerly jumped up on her lap, anxious to get attention. He’d always been a ‘mama's boy.’
“Damn, you’re big, Cole!” The cat purred in response as she stroked his fur. ‘Wherever we go, these cats are coming with us.’
She petted the big cat for a few minutes, enjoying the simplicity and normalcy of it, wanting to project those traits onto the world again. She reminded herself she had a bit of work to do, though, and urged the cat down off of her lap. The big cat initially refused to move, let its body shift sideways with her gentle pushing, but eventually he took the hint and jumped down, walking a few feet away before plopping down on the carpet.
Hitting the spacebar to wake the computer, she entered the password to her company computer and maximized her email program. ‘I’ve got to let Tim know, even if he’s out.’ She opened a new email window and began typing.
Hello Tim, I need to take some time off. Going to get out of town to avoid all the sick people. I’ll keep my work phone with me in case anyone has questions, and I’ll try to check email regularly. Thanks for understanding. - Serafina.
Clicking Send, she began to look at any remaining open emails to respond with what information she had before logging off. A new email came in. It was Tim’s Out Of Office automatic reply.
I am currently out of the office. Please contact Jill Peterson for assistance. This email is being forwarded to Jill Peterson.
An email from Jill Peterson followed seconds later.
I am currently out of the office. Please contact Rick Michaels for assistance. This email is being forwarded to Rick Michaels.
Followed by one from Rick:
I am currently out of the office. Please contact Larry Summers for assistance. This email is being forwarded to Larry Summers.
And finally,
I am currently out of the office. Please contact Serafina Alvarado for assistance. This email is being forwarded to Serafina Alvarado.
Falling back into her chair, she stared at the screen, stunned. Was there anyone left at her work? Were her coworkers OK?
Grabbing her work phone, she dialed Jamie, her coworker and friend.
No answer.
Serafina tried her work cell phone.
No answer.
Her personal phone.
Nothing.
Slumping back in her chair, she felt tears forming in her eyes.
Suddenly, Colossus stood up, growling. His fur stood up, making him seem even bigger, and his tail fully puffed out. Serafina stared at him in surprise. That type of physiological change in a cat usually only happened in response to one thing.
A threat.
“Cole? What’s wrong, boy?” She leaned forward to reach him and was surprised when he stepped away, out of reach of her hand, fixating on something outside.
She heard a scream come from her neighbor’s house, loud and filled with fear. Rising from her chair, she walked over to the sliding glass door that opened onto the balcony. In the backyard of the house behind theirs, she saw the woman who lived there, a person Serafina had seen on multiple occasions but never spoken to, slide the glass door to the backyard open and run out, clutching a kitchen knife in her hand.
As if in a trance, Serafina opened the door and stepped out onto the balcony, unable to look away. Colossus stayed where he was, continuing to growl.
The woman turned and faced the house, getting into a defensive posture. From where Serafina stood on the balcony, she could see scrapes along the woman’s neck and right shoulder, her blouse torn and hanging loosely off her. Somewhere in the yard, the family dog was barking fiercely.
“Doug, please, stop!” She cried, terror evident in her voice.
The dog’s barking grew in intensity as the woman’s husband came rushing out of the house, his clothes covered in blood. Unfazed by the presence of the knife the woman held, he charged at her, tackling her and knocking her backwards. As they fell, the woman stabbed downward with the knife, driving it deep into the man’s back, but his assault continued. They hit the ground hard, the man’s superior size and weight pinning her down. Oblivious to the knife that protruded from his back, his right fist came down on the woman’s face, smashing into her eye. His left fist drew back, the crazed man seemingly intent on killing the woman.
Serafina felt hopeless watching all of this, too far away, uncertain that she could help even if she were there. “Stop!!!” She screamed.
The man stopped, looking up towards her, eyes filled with rage. He drew back and spit a large stream of blackish-red blood out in a stream that landed against the inside of the fence.
Serafina felt a cold pit of fear in her stomach as the man’s eyes locked on hers. She heard footsteps pounding up the stairs. “Sera? You OK?” Daniel’s voice called out.
The man began to rise from his position atop the beaten woman.
Serafina heard a loud ripping sound come from the neighbor’s yard as Daniel joined her on the balcony. As they watched, their neighbor’s pit bull plowed into the man, knocking him sideways, sixty pounds of teeth and muscle tearing into his skin. The dog latched its powerful jaws around the man’s calf, tearing back and forth, growling in anger as it did so.
Serafina and Daniel could only stare in awe as the man showed no reaction to what had to be incredible pain as the dog tore muscle from the man’s lower leg. As the dog remained locked onto him, the man reached forward and wrapped his arms around the dog’s neck and violently twisted sideways. They heard a loud snap as the dog’s neck broke. It fell to the ground with a thump, lifeless.
Ashley’s voice called from the bottom of the stairs. “Dad?”
“Stay down there!” Daniel shouted, not wanting them to see the horrific event taking place so close to their home.
The woman rose to her feet, wobbling as she did so, and began trying to make her way to the house. In a flash, the man lunged at her, grabbing her arm as she tried to get away. In one smooth motion, he spun the both of them around, letting go in the moment that her back was aligned with the sliding glass door. She flew back into it, shattering it with a loud crash. Her body landed half in, half out of the house, impaled on the glass of the frame as blood ran out of her in a rush.
The man stepped forward, apparently intent on inflicting more damage on the woman, falling to his knees, straddling her as he brought back his fist. As he did, a ten-inch long piece of glass fell from the upper frame of the door. It caught him between the shoulder blades
, wedging deep into his spinal cord, killing him. His body collapsed, landing atop the woman, driving her further onto the glass. Their blood mixed together in a rapidly spreading pool beneath them.
As Serafina and Daniel looked on, stunned by what they’d witnessed, the neighbor’s yard went silent.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Rushing downstairs, Serafina not far behind, Daniel saw Ashley and Brenna staring up at him, fear showing in the eyes. Paul stood behind them, his face filled with concern. Even though the three of them hadn’t seen what took place in the neighbor’s yard, they’d been able to hear the commotion.
Ashley spoke first. “What’s going on?”
“Everyone in the dining room. We need to talk.”
Brenna hesitated. “But what was that screaming?”
Daniel lifted his chin, motioning towards the dining room. “We’ll talk about it in a second.”
The girls turned and walked away, headed to their regular seats at the table. Paul hesitated, unsure of what to do.
Daniel clasped him on the shoulder. “That includes you, too.” Something briefly flashed across the kid’s face before he turned and followed the girls to the dining room.
Walking down the hallway, Serafina reached out from behind him and grabbed Daniel on the shoulder, turning him to face her. She hugged him tightly, catching him by surprise. He felt her shaking as his arms wrapped around her body, pulling her close. He held her, not saying a word, in part because he sensed she simply needed to be held, and in part because he simply didn’t know what to say.
What they’d seen was horrifying, sickening, and overall, unreal. People didn’t simply turn into savages out of the blue.
After several long seconds, Serafina let go of him, looking into his eyes briefly before turning and heading to join the others. Daniel stopped in the hallway momentarily, absorbing the enormousness of the situation. What they were faced with was the type of thing no one ever imagined they would go through in their lifetime, and yet, here they were. He shook his head before making his way to the dining room. Before sitting down, he poured a small shot of scotch in two glasses and handed one to Serafina. Even though it wasn’t even close to noon, he didn’t care. After what they’d seen, they needed something to calm their nerves.
Surviving Rage | Book 1 Page 11
