Catharsis: Outbreak Z: Books 1-4

by Roberts, EM

  “Roe, Carly’s in the truck. Take her and Jax with you. Izzy, you come with me. Let’s go! Come on, let’s go!” Parker ordered, watching as Roe jumped in the truck and sped off.

  After Izzy jumped in the passenger’s seat, Parker followed suit. He didn’t care where they went as long as they got away from the creatures and found some place safe enough to sort out what was going on in the backseat. Not only was he worried about the woman and baby, he was also worried about what this meant for humanity. Was it truly the end?

  Chapter 2: Angel in Disguise

  He could probably snap her neck with one hand tied behind his back. The man dozing beside the abandoned building was truly mountainous. His arms were the size of small tree trunks and even in a sitting position, his shaved, ebony head came almost to her waist. And, she was tall for a woman. He wasn’t wearing a shirt or shoes, and the soles of his feet looked tough and hard. The only visible clothing was his bib overalls which were grimy and ripped in places. Ella noted they were the same brand her father had always worn.

  She raised her weapon and took it off safety as she gently nudged his leg with her boot. He didn’t move. She did it again, this time just a little more forceful. She didn’t want to scare him into defending himself because she wasn’t even sure a bullet could stop this man. Just as she was about to nudge his leg a third time, sleepy, big, brown eyes opened and looked up at her.

  “Have you come to take me away?” the giant mumbled.

  “Why would I take you away?” Ella asked, puzzled by his question.

  “Mammaw told me some day an angel would come for me and take me away,” he replied scrambling to his feet.

  Ella scrambled back and little and looked up at the man. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall and pushing three hundred pounds. He wasn’t fat; no, he was a walking, talking piece of muscle. Ella raised her gun slightly. He had an innocent looking face, but she’d learned not to trust anybody.

  “Where is your mammaw?”

  “She done went to heaven, but she made me promise not to leave the farm until an angel came for me, and here you are!” He smiled showing a mouthful of pristine white teeth.

  So that was it, Ella thought. He seemed very childlike in his actions and speech, and Ella concluded that he was a little feeble minded. She imagined the “angel” his mammaw was talking about was an angel of death. The poor woman was probably worried about this man making it out in the world on his own.

  “Well, I’m not really an angel. My name’s Ella—Ella Johnson. What’s your name?” she asked, smiling at and encouraging him.

  “My names Amos King. My mammaw called me Amos ‘cause she said I was going be burdened all my life—that’s what Amos means, you know. It’s from the Bible. It means burdened one.”

  “Well, Amos, it sure is nice to meet you,” she said. She didn’t really know what to do next because he just stood there looking at her. So, she got to the point of her visit.

  “Well, Amos. I was driving on the highway, and I ran out of gas. I need to find a vehicle with some gas in it, so I can continue on my trip,” she said, looking around at the small town. It really couldn’t be considered a town. There was a grocery store, a feed store, and a small post office. That was it. There were a couple of abandoned cars, but they looked like they’d been stripped.

  “Well, since you’re my angel, I guess I’ve got to go with you,” Amos reasoned, surprising her with his statement.

  “Amos,” she replied patiently, “I’m not an angel. Nowhere near it, in fact. And, you don’t have to come with me.”

  Amos looked puzzled at her announcement, and Ella couldn’t for the life of her understand why he continued to think she was an angel. So, she asked him:

  “Why do you think I’m an angel, Amos?”

  “Well, you’re so pretty, and when I woke up, there you were. Your hair was all streaming out and the light was all around you. You sure look like an angel,” he stated in reverence.

  Ella sighed, her face softening. He really was adorable in his simplicity. She knew she looked far from angelic right now. She’d just walked five miles from the highway when she’d seen a sign for this little town. She’d thought since it was off the beaten path, she might have more luck. So, she’d headed for it. She was wearing a red tank top and a pair of jeans, along with her cowboy boots. She’d had her hair in a ponytail, but she’d just taken it down to try and dry the sweat from it. She probably smelled like a hen house, and here this poor, simple man thought she was an angel. If he weren’t so sweet and child-like, she’d laugh.

  “Well, Amos, I’m going to look around and try to find a car,” she stated.

  “You’re not just going take it are you?” he asked seriously.

  “Why sure I am. Whoever owned it probably doesn’t need it anymore,” she reasoned with him.

  “That’s stealing and mammaw told me never to steal,” he emphatically shook his head and continued, “I just drunk two soda pops and I left a dollar on the counter for them. If you take a car, you’re going have to pay for it.”

  “Well, Amos, I don’t have any money, but I sure do need a car,” she said sadly.

  “Well, since I have to go with you, we can take my car,” he replied, “That way you don’t have to steal nothing.”

  “Okay, where is your car?” she asked. She didn’t think she was going to get rid of Amos, and to be honest, she’d feel guilty if she left him here. He’d survived some way this last nine months, but food and other supplies were becoming scarcer. If she just left him here, she’d always wonder what happened to him. He didn’t seem to be dangerous.

  “On my farm. It’s about two miles that way,” he pointed east, and Ella groaned. Two more miles of walking in the hot sun. Well, she’d gotten used to it.

  As they walked down the road, Amos told Ella all about his life. She learned that he only went to the third grade and then his grandmother had started teaching him at home. He didn’t really care for reading and writing because he wasn’t any good at it, but she learned he loved to work on “stuff”, fish, hunt, and grow things. Ella thought this probably explained how he’d survived. She imagined the poor guy had led a harsh life. With his size and his mental capacity, she was sure he’d had to put up with a lot of bullying, but at least he’d had his grandmother who seemed like a wonderful woman to hear Amos tell it.

  It was interesting that his vocabulary was good since he couldn’t read and write, Ella thought. He spoke in slow, precise sentences as if he had to think hard about his word choice. Ella learned that his grandmother had been a teacher a long time ago, and she’d taught Amos words and how to use them. He just couldn’t write them or do math, he explained.

  After about thirty minutes, they came to Amos’ home. Ella was pleasantly surprised. The small white ranch house looked well-kept, its lawn trimmed neatly. There were even flowers growing along the sidewalk. It almost looked like a normal place. Except for the four decapitated creatures who lay in the small garden beside the house. Looking out into the field, she could see at least ten or twelve more. Seeing her gaze, Amos hastened to explain:

  “Oh, them. They came this morning. You know I kill them, right?” he asked anxiously.

  Ella smiled at him, “I know Amos. I’ve had to kill a lot of them, too. It’s sad, but it’s something we have to do.”

  “They don’t come too much, but when they do, I have to kill them. I bury them out in the field. I just ain’t had time today,” he said, leading her up to the house.

  “My car’s in the garage. You want some tea? I make good tea,” he said, proud of himself for offering.

  “Um, yeah sure,” Ella said, taking a seat in a white rocking chair.

  A few minutes later, Amos returned with a glass of tea. Ella took a sip and smiled. It was perfect. It wasn’t too sweet—only just a hint of sugar. She wasn’t one of those southern women who had to have tea with her sugar. She thanked Amos and marveled that this man, for all of his child-like mannerisms,
surprised her with his abilities. The house and farm looked neat and clean. Obviously, his grandmother had taught him some things.

  “I’m going to go pack me a bag. My mammaw had to special order my overalls, so I have to take them, and I guess I’ll put on some shoes—even though I don’t really like wearing them,” he said, excitement in his face.

  He returned a few minutes later and indicated Ella should follow him to an old white shed beside the house. He used a key to unlock a padlock and swept the doors open wide. She couldn’t see from her vantage point, so she stepped closer and peered inside the dark, dusty building.

  “Now, this was my mammaw’s car, but she’s gone, so it’s mine now. We can drive it. It has a full tank of gas, and we can let the top down. That way, I don’t have to hunch over. That’s what mammaw always did.”

  Ella gaped at the car in front of her. It was a cherry-red, older convertible. The kind Ella had seen in car shows. It was in pristine condition and had a white convertible top. As she gaped, Amos walked over, opened the passenger door, fiddle with something inside, and the top began moving back.

  He returned smiling and handed the keys to Ella. She looked at him and smiled. He was so proud of the car, and she was honored that he would let her drive something so special.

  “I can’t fit in the front seat, so what I do is sit in the back and prop my feet up on the door. She ain’t been drove since last year, but I think she’ll start ‘cause I’ve been starting her every week just in case.”

  Ella wasn’t sure she wanted to drive this beautiful car, but Amos seemed to expect her to as he’d already made his way to the car, hopped in, and was relaxed in the back seat. So, she made her way to the car, slid in and cranked the engine. It was as smooth as silk. She put the car in gear and pulled out of the shed. She stopped in the driveway and turned the car off.

  “Amos, are you sure you want to leave your farm?” she asked, turning in the seat and looking at him intently. She was almost positive he hadn’t travelled any great distances, and she didn’t want him to think he would be returning to the farm.

  “Yes, Miss Ella. I’m just doing what my mammaw told me to do,” he said emphatically.

  “You do realize we probably won’t be coming back, don’t you?” she asked, looking into his big brown eyes.

  “It’s okay. My mammaw knew this would happen.”

  “Okay, well how about we go say goodbye to your grandma,” she said opening the door of the car and stepping out. She wanted him to be able to say goodbye and have that one last memory.

  The two walked into the backyard over to a tree by the white picket fence. There was a small wooden cross near a mound of grass. A small clump of flowers was planted on the grave.

  Amos knelt beside the grave. Ella thought she would remember this sight for a long time.

  “Mammaw, you told me to wait for an angel, and I did. She’s gonna take me with her. I just wanted to tell you not to worry no more. I love you, and I’ll see you in heaven someday,” he said, a big tear rolling down his face. It reminded Ella of saying goodbye to her own father.

  “Ma’am. I’ll take good care of your grandson. I’ll make sure he follows all of your rules and doesn’t get hurt.” Ella promised the woman as she placed a hand on Amos’ shoulder.

  The two made their way back to the car, and Ella drove the two miles into town and then the five miles back to the highway. She laughed and joined in when Amos started singing Old McDonald Had a Farm. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. At least he was company.

  The next day

  The first indication of anything out of the ordinary was when she heard Amos mumbling something from the backseat. She looked in the rearview mirror and saw him holding his hands over his eyes, pointing a finger at the field ahead beside them. Lost in her thoughts, Ella hadn’t really been paying any attention to her surroundings. What she saw in the field caused her to hit her brakes and come to a screeching halt.

  It wasn’t one of the creatures, and it was another sight that Ella would remember for a long time. She jumped from the car, walked to the edge of the field, and took in the scene before her. A woman sat bare-ass naked in the middle of the grass, her eyes closed as she sang a beautiful Irish song:

  While goin' the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurroo

  While goin' the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurroo

  While goin' the road to sweet Athy

  A stick in me hand and a tear in me eye

  A doleful damsel I heard cry,

  Johnny I hardly knew ye.

  The woman’s head was shaved to about a quarter of an inch of white-blonde hair and two hoop earrings glinted in the sunlight. Ella thought she’d never seen a more beautiful sight in a long while and was loathe to interrupt the woman.

  The woman wasn’t beautiful by any modern standards. She had milky white skin and amble flesh on her bones. Both would be out of sorts in a world where tans and stick-thin figures were desired in a woman. She probably had the biggest pair of breasts Ella had ever seen on a woman, but they weren’t saggy or artificial looking. And, the slight roll of extra flesh around her waist did nothing to detract from her natural beauty. She was a bigger girl, but she seemed to carry her weight well. Her body and the serene way she sat, cross-legged and singing in the sunlight made Ella smile.

  “So, are you just going to stand there and gawk, or are you going to say hello?” The woman asked, opening her jade green eyes.

  “Um, well, I was just enjoying the song,” Ella responding, stepping closer.

  “I’m Jem, short for Ingrid Mae,” she replied laughing, “I hated the name, so when I was six, I told my parents I wouldn’t answer to anything other than Jem, and that’s my name now.”

  Ella smiled. The woman seemed pleasant enough. A little out there maybe? But, who was she to judge? She’d done a lot of things in the last year that she would have never imagined herself doing, and she was sure there would be others to come.

  “Well, Jem. What are you doing out here, um, naked and all alone?” Ella asked, her hand on her gun—just in case.

  “Well, I’m naked because I just took a bath and couldn’t bear to dress in dirty clothes, so I washed them. They’re drying right now. And, I’ve been alone for several months now,” she explained, standing in all of her glory. She wasn’t as tall as Ella, probably around 5’6, maybe. Ella looked away from the woman’s nakedness, but not before notice the woman was a true blonde, in all ways.

  “Well, my friend up there and I are on a road trip. You can join us if you want, but I just want to warn you….”

  “You want to let me know that if I’m up to no good, you’ll kill me, right?” Jemma asked, one eyebrow cocked. She seemed to be a pleasant sort of person, but only time would tell.

  “Well, I might not kill you, but I would certainly leave you beside the road,” Ella replied, grinning. “Then again, it depends…”

  “Well, let me get dressed—my clothes should be dry now.” Jemma made her way over to a patch on the ground where her clothes were spread out. She pulled on a pair of brown cargo shorts that came to just above her knees, and paired them with a black tank top that sported a silvery metallic peace sign logo. Next, she pulled on a pair of socks and covered them with a pair of black, shiny combat boots. She reached down and grabbed a worn, brown, army surplus bag, and slung it over her shoulder.

  “All right, where are we off to?” she asked, walking up to Ella.

  Two strangers in two days, Ella thought. She’d been alone and was resigning herself to traveling alone when she’d met two completely different people in two days. She’d taken a chance on Amos, and she was taking a chance on Jem. But, she didn’t want to leave people alone especially with the world the way it was. She made her way to the car, but stopped before reaching it.

  “Listen, the giant in the back of the car is Amos. I found him alone on his farm yesterday. He’s got the mind of an eight year old, but he’s kind and sweet. If you’re not the type of person
who can handle that, then we probably shouldn’t travel together,” Ella stated, her eyes locked on Jem’s. There was no way Jem was getting into this car until Ella was convinced that she would be nice to Amos. Ella had never been the type of person to allow anyone to be made fun of or treated cruelly.

  “I realize you don’t know me, but I would never be rude to someone like that. Before this all happened, I was a doctor. Not a medical doctor, so don’t get your hopes up on that score. I was a psychiatrist, so put the whole naked, kooky behavior out of your mind. I’m actually a normal, decent person,” Jem said, nodding her head. Ella thought that might be what a serial killer would say to his victim.

  “Okay, but just so you know, he has this weird idea that I’m an angel, and as much as I’ve tried to persuade him otherwise, he still believes it,” Ella explained.

  Ella popped the trunk and Jem stowed her bag away, not before pulling out a handgun and an extra clip. She then walked around to the passenger door, stopped, and smiled at Amos.

  “Hi Amos. I’m sorry you caught me without any clothing. I’d just taken a bath and didn’t think anyone would be around. Is it okay if I ride with you and Ella?” Jem asked standing by the door and waiting for Amos’ permission. Ella admired her for asking the man’s permission.

  “I guess. You shouldn’t go around naked, though. It just ain’t right.” Amos replied, giving Jem a stern look. It lasted for a couple of seconds, and then he went back to playing the electronic game that Ella had found for him in an abandoned car.

  “You’re right, Amos. I won’t do it again,” Jem promised as she opened the door and climbed into the passenger seat. She looked over at Ella and winked.

  “Oh, and you’ve got to buckle up. Mammaw said anybody riding in this car has to buckle up ‘cause you never know what kind of idiots are gonna be on the road,” Amos ordered, looking up from his game to make sure Jem followed his directions.

  Jem smiled as she pulled on her seatbelt. She pulled a stick of gum out of her pocket and popped it in her mouth. Smiling, she offered Ella and Amos a piece. Ella took the gum and savored its cinnamon taste. Amos, however, declined still untrusting of Jem.