by Logan Keys
“Has anyone seen the Russian?” The crew member at Luckman’s elbow called and another member answered, “Last I saw he was on the far side, west. There’s a fog bank rolling in though. Makes it hard to see. I’m not sure where he went. I blew my whistle a few times before I brought in my own group, but there was no answer.”
Luckman moved to the other side of the ship where the blanket of white was rolling in across the channel. It was like the Killing Cold took form to move out over the ocean. As it crept towards them, his eyes widened, and his heart raced. If he wasn’t so weak, he’d demand a boat himself to go out and look for German. But they’d probably assume he was out of his mind anyway, being feverish. He too wondered if this wasn’t all a dream. His system fought on all fronts and it was like he wasn’t all the way present. Luckman cupped his hands to his mouth. “German!” he shouted. “Germannnnnnnnnnn!”
The entire deck turned as one in surprise to see the crazy man where he stood, gripping the rail to stay upright, calling out into the fog like he’d lost his marbles.
“There!” One of the crew members pointed at a shape distantly moving in the mist. But it was going in the wrong direction. It was already so far away that the chance of them finding him once that fog reached the ship was slim to none. Luckman turned to face the crew in desperation. “Blow your horn!” he demanded. “For God sakes, blow it!”
They raced to the control room upstairs, and Luckman grinned when an ear-shattering signal sounded several times. “Again!” he shouted, plugging his ears.
Now everyone was on the deck shouting, “German!” along with Luckman. Some had fingers to their lips to make piercing calls and others blew whistles as the horn continued its long shout across the ocean. Luckman yelled his voice raw, and then he pressed on until he lost it altogether. And just when all seemed lost… “There!” someone shouted. “Look!”
A small boat motored out of the fog. “He has survivors!”
The deck cheered, and people clapped their hands in excitement. Such a grim event had turned to small joy at seeing the people in German’s boat. And it was German. Luckman could hardly believe his eyes. At the back of the boat was the big Russian steering the rudder, bringing in the last few survivors.
The inflatable boat got to the ship’s side and each of the people were lifted to safety as Luckman waited, his body swaying with exhaustion. But he wanted to stay on deck until German was on board before he would rest.
German finally stepped aboard, and when he saw Luckman there he grinned. The big Russian came over and reached out his hand, but Luckman pulled him into a hug instead, too happy to be embarrassed by the show of brotherly affection. Luckman wiped his eyes, sniffing a laugh at the bemused expression on German’s face. “Did you miss me that much, Lucky? Here you were trying to drown yourself in misery without me. Killing yourself over the loss.”
Luckman snorted. “And you…? Out there in the fog, you could have been lost.”
“Looking for you!”
“Bah!” Luckman patted his back in a half hug again. German couldn’t have known he was on the ferry. “What were you thinking going out there?”
German gave a lopsided smile that was as real as it got. “That maybe one of these poor bastards was in need of a little luck. It’s good to see you, friend.”
Luckman felt as if he could face the past forty-eight hours now with German here. And he thought about the fact that you could stand just about anything with good people around. It’s not merely getting through and surviving, it’s knowing that if you do you won’t be alone.
“Let’s get below. It’s freezing up here.”
German lifted a hand. “You’re not lying. I heard that the entire island on that side is frozen over. Is it true?”
Luckman nodded as they walked. “It’s true. Saw it with my own eyes. Killing Cold took out an entire city.” German was dripping wet and Luckman just now noticed it.
“You went into the water?”
“Yeah,” German said, gaze turning serious. “But most were too far gone.” He shot a worried glance back towards the fogbank. “It was colder over there. The air was sucked out of my lungs, it felt like. You think that’s it? That it’s headed this way.”
Luckman paused to watch his nemesis across the water. “Let’s pray it stays put.”
Chapter Two
New York City, New York
Michelle sat by Reese on the bench. The smaller woman was coughing so hard that she couldn’t keep sitting, and though Michelle hated to imagine it, somehow she’d become Reese’s watcher.
As time ticked by, more criminals were added to their large makeshift holding cell. Reese was on her side curled around her middle like a shrimp. How low she had been brought by a bad flu and her own doing, Michelle thought. She gave a dry glance in the woman’s direction. She’d tried not to feel sorry for Reese, her almost murderer, but it was hard. Reese did have children, and somewhere deep inside that shell of evil was a mother. That part was difficult to ignore. Reese did seem to care about them. And she had sort of folded in on herself and turned quiet with fear whenever they were mentioned. It tugged at the bit of sympathy Michelle had to offer.
They’d been in the holding room overnight, and day had just broken outside, providing little to no heat. Even though they had heaters running on generators inside the old weight room, it was far too cold for comfort. There was also little light to be had, and everyone—except for Michelle and Reese who’d been shunned since Reese was sick—huddled together out of necessity.
“This woman needs medical attention,” Michelle said to the officers that guarded the door, hating herself for always having to do the right thing. When no one answered her, she got up and marched across the room, approaching the two men in uniform armed with shotguns. They looked exhausted, but so was Michelle. “She could die. I think she has pneumonia.”
The officer nearest to Michelle sighed and opened his mouth to answer when the sputtering sound of a generator dying interrupted him. It made a strange clank and then the room fell into complete silence. It was as if everyone held their breath waiting for it to turn back on.
“No heat,” someone whispered and then, “We’ll all freeze in here.” The voice was a hushed one laced with panic. At first, no one moved, but then it was like a gunshot at a foot race. In the blackness, feet pounded on the cement floors stampeding towards the door. “We’ll die in here!” The front-runner cried as he crashed into Michelle.
Michelle was caught up in the surge as the crowd funneled towards the exit. The two police officers yelled for everyone to stop, that they’d shoot, but it was too dark to aim properly. Also, the crowd had already pressed so far against them both that they couldn’t move any more than Michelle could.
As one, the entire cluster slammed into the metal doors and the officers finally squeezed out of the way to avoid being crushed. Light burst inside as the barred entrance gave beneath the pressure, and pockets of brightness shot through as the doors opened as far as the chains wrapped around the handles would allow them. The sun snuck between the sides to spotlight the chaos.
Several mighty shoves from the entire room of people pressed together, some shouting in pain, others in anger, and the door’s handle on one side bent and then broke off. The two sides flew open and everyone fell on top of one another as they piled through, rolling out into freedom.
Michelle was forced through the exit and outside into a biting cold that was like a shock to her system. She was most near the bottom, so people climbed to their feet and trampled her on their way out. She covered her head until she realized she’d probably be injured if she stayed.
Michelle fought through and jumped up to run with the flow of frenzied criminals onto the sidewalk. She was pushed farther onto the street where she turned to glance behind where the officers were being trampled too. Her hesitation caused a big man to bowl her over, and she slammed into the concrete, chin bouncing painfully on the icy asphalt.
“Ah!”
someone stepped on her hand, smashing it, before rushing away. People of every kind bolted and scattered in all directions.
When it cleared, Michelle was able to rise, nursing her hand. She thought about running too, but then she couldn’t leave, could she? Not when Reese knew someone at the hospital, and that was her only chance to get the meds for Carry and baby Garcia. Carry was probably as sick as Reese by now, and Michelle pictured Bob’s worried expression, helpless to get his wife what she needed. Even if he’d ventured to the hospital by now, was it even running? Could they even give him what he needed? No, she couldn’t return empty handed.
Indecision made her hesitate for a second time that day, and it nearly cost her her life. While standing on the street, waiting for a plan to come to mind, a bullet whizzed by Michelle’s ear. She nearly felt it graze her but knew it hadn’t. She threw herself flat once again and slammed her bruised chin painfully to the concrete again. This time, the blow dazed her, and she saw spots.
Michelle dared to peek at the doorway. An officer stood there looking disoriented. He held his revolver up high, his nose was bleeding down onto his uniform like a faucet, and his eyes were wild with confusion. Michelle rolled over until she was behind a car as he fired again at some other person who’d just now been able to get up and away.
Cursing, Michelle shouted at the officer, “Don’t shoot. Don’t shoot!”
She slowly rose to her feet, hands up, but the cop was facing another direction. His gun was aimed at a small group of people who were knotted together across the street helping a friend who’d been injured in the stampede. “Get back inside!” he told them. The officer touched a cut on his head, hissed in pain, and then took a shaky step before turning around to point his gun at Michelle when he noticed her moving. “Get back inside!”
“Okay,” Michelle said, moving towards the entrance. The group across the street seemed less inclined. The cop limped closer to them and one stood in front of the others. It was the man who’d started a fire. The one they’d picked up from the apartment complex with Reese and Michelle in the car. “Come on, man,” he said to the officer, hands held high. “Just let us go. I got kids. They need me. They’re all alone out here.” He was choking on tears and the cop’s gun dipped down until he lowered it and then put it away.
The officer was still shaky on his feet, and seemed reluctant to just let these people go, but then again, what choice did he have? Michelle heard a groan inside the room. She peeked her head inside and found the other officer on the floor near the door. She bent down to help him, but when she touched his arm he fought her, reaching for his gun. “I’m trying to help you!” she whispered. Michelle shook her head at the angle of his arm. “Your shoulder’s dislocated.”
“Hey,” Michelle called to his partner. “I think your friend’s really hurt. You need to take him to the hospital.” The other officer waved off the group across the street.
They immediately ran away, while he came to Michelle’s side, still favoring his leg. “Hey, man, you okay?” he said to his partner.
“Yeah. Peachy.” The officer on the ground sat up with a grunt. He held his arm carefully, trying to find a way to set it without too much pain.
“You want to try to put it back, buddy?”
Michelle cringed as she watched the two lift the arm slowly until the guy was screaming in pain and begging to stop. The officer on the ground was sweating when they were finished, but without any progress. He shook his head. “I think it’s broken.”
“Hell,” his friend said. “Okay. Let’s get you to the car.”
Michelle left them to it and walked through the dark, empty room. “Reese,” she said quietly. The only answer was silence. Michelle felt her way along in the shadows until she found the bench they’d been on. “Reese,” she said an iota louder. “You still in here?”
Part of her hoped Reese had scampered off, making the decision to leave for her, but she needed that medicine, so she mostly hoped to find her where she’d been before. Michelle was afraid maybe someone else could be hiding inside who was too afraid to run with the group. Every shape in the darkness looked like some unsavory person looming. Maybe Reese had fled with the rest? Maybe she’d—a gasp and a thud.
Michelle felt her way toward that side of the room. Her hand groped near the place where she’d heard the sound, and she found a bony shoulder. Reese was there, on her side, but she’d somehow gotten onto the floor. She sounded terrible, her wheezing a long whine of noise. “Reese,” Michelle said. “We need to get you to the hospital.”
On the inside, Michelle warred with this idea even as she lifted the smaller woman up and propped herself beneath Reese’s armpit for support. The truth was, she might have left Reese there if it wasn’t for Carry needing the meds, but then again, her good nature had led her to meet Bob in the first place when she’d thought he was merely a homeless man on her stoop.
Reese muttered something as they stepped toward the doorway. The two policemen were also there as Michelle worked up the nerve to ask, “Can we ride with you to the Hospital? My… friend is very sick.”
The two cops shared glances and the one with the twisted-up arm said, “Can we just go? The pain…”
After the other officer pulled around in his squad car, Michelle helped Reese to the back of the vehicle. Reese had a fever. Michelle could feel it. Reese hesitated at the side of the car, her feet digging into the snow in a delirious struggle.
“It’s fine. They’re taking us to the doctor,” Michelle told her.
Reese relaxed and let Michelle tuck her inside. “Michelle,” she said, once they were sat with the door closed. The heater was on and Michelle was sighing with pleasure at being warm for the first time in a while.
“What?” Michelle asked.
“Why are you doing this?” Reese wondered aloud, her head drooping. “Why help me…”
Michelle gritted her teeth. “Good question,” she muttered, then added, “I think you’ll do the right thing, Reese. I think you’ll help me get this medicine for Bob and his family.”
Reese sighed and seemed to fall asleep.
The driving was slow as the squad car kept losing traction. It would slide off the road into the curb every so often with a loud bang. “Some new ice must have formed,” the officer said, before a few choice curse words.
They hit a nasty patch and the wheels began to spin. He tried a few things, shifting the gears back and forth, but they were gaining no purchase. “Hey!” Michelle shouted just as a crowbar smashed into the back window.
She turned her face and covered her head while letting out an ear-piercing scream from the shock of raining glass. The crowbar came down again before whoever it was jumped onto the trunk and started kicking at the hole in the window, making it large enough to try to get inside. More figures moved alongside the vehicle like pale shadows through the fogged glass. They surrounded the squad car, and a few climbed onto the hood.
The officer pulled his weapon, aimed at the nearest one on the hood, and fired. One of the figures fell off the side and into the snow. The wheels suddenly caught and the engine revved. They jerked forward, quickly losing control but also knocking the attackers off the slippery metal. The car bumped over one of the people’s bodies with a sickening sound. Then it slid off the side of the road and into a curb hard enough to make Michelle and Reese bounce off the cage-divider.
Michelle didn’t wait for more of them to catch up to the car; she was already shoving Reese toward the half busted-out window. It wasn’t big enough to fit through yet, so she worked at the one weaker side, cutting her hands in the process. It caved, and Reese let Michelle push her through while Michelle followed.
They slid off the back of the car, rolling into the snow. Michelle lunged to her feet, grabbing Reese by the hand. Then she began dragging the smaller woman behind her towards the buildings. “We have to hide. We have to run!”
But they only made it as far as a dumpster in an alley next to where the car had crash
ed. The people were catching up as Michelle shoved Reese’s head down. They both leaned against the dumpster trying to quiet their breathing.
The officer was hitting the gas, but the wheels merely spun in the place, spitting out snow behind the car.
A loud pop sounded as the gun went off again. Something was smashing the cop car again. This time, the people were shouting for the officers to get out. Staying low, Michelle pulled Reese along the dumpster to the far side where she could look between the dumpster and building—a sliver of light where she could see just part of the cop car. The attackers were on the opposite side, but she could see them over the hood. They all had their faces covered. They started again, one of them with a baseball bat, and the one with the crowbar was back.
Michelle cringed as the gun went off several times, narrowly missing the people. They ducked but realized the officer’s aim was wild. The windows were too cloudy to see clearly.
As the fight continued, Michelle looked away when they ran out of bullets. She could hear as the group tore the two officers out from inside the car.
Tears blurred her vision and Michelle plugged her ears when she heard screams of pain between calls of “Die, pigs!” Thuds of the bats hitting the two police officers created turmoil and panic so tremendous that she had to stuff her fist into her mouth to keep from sobbing loudly and being caught herself.
The officers cried for help, the calls echoing against the buildings, but that was quickly snuffed out. Reese sat next to her, head down, shivering. Her thoughts were unclear. She seemed afraid, though.
Michelle took a deep breath as silence reigned again. They had to wait several long minutes before she was brave enough to check the street. She sniffed, and wiped her face, daring to peek between the wall and the dumpster again. She couldn’t recall a time of being as scared as she was in that moment, but she finally saw that there was only one person left. The officers were still in the snow, red and pink colors spreading near their bodies. She bit her lip hard to keep from crying out at the sight of their still forms. The one attacker left got inside the car, trying to get it to go. Michelle ducked back again when more returned and started pushing it from behind. Once it started to move, they all jumped inside and turned on the lights, making the sirens sound out, laughing. They managed to keep it driving on the ice and disappeared down the street. Michelle breathed a sigh of relief, but then wondered, what would they do now?
