TRIAL: A Post Apocalyptic/Dystopian Thriller

by Murray Mcdonald

  She turned to leave. And stopped. She couldn’t leave without checking. She’d forever wonder if they had missed it. If they had caught the men before they’d had a chance to seek shelter. She dismounted, picked up her bike, held her pistol in her hand, and made her way up the staircase. The scene inside painted a picture. A trail of officers and guards lay in a line across the grand foyer towards a door at the back of the building, a door that had been blown open. Stairs led downwards into darkness. She looked around for a candle, lantern, or anything to help her search downstairs. She secured a lantern and a lighter from a guard, ‘God bless his soul’, she thought quickly, feeling as though she were robbing the dead.

  The doctor was right. The tunnels were there, including a first aid room and just as she had predicted, the militia had taken everything of any use. It was stripped bare.

  A shiver ran through her. She knew who had the drugs that could save her daughter’s life. The question was, what was she willing to do to get them?

  Chapter 46

  Taking a circuitous route home not only avoided any further dangers, but also gave Kate time to think through her options and consider the consequences of any potential outcome. Whatever way she cut it, going to the militia was not only endangering her and Sophie sexually but in all reality, all of their lives. There was no way she could trust them and in particular, Trey. She had seen the evil in his eyes on two occasions and she had no intention of seeing it again.

  Of course, none of that solved her problem. Ava desperately needed antibiotics. She could spend the day cycling around every pharmacy or drug store in Boise, but she knew that would prove fruitless. Every store would’ve been stripped of anything of any value within hours. Two weeks later, she’d be lucky if there was so much as a brick left. She thought back to how often she had thrown old drugs away. Half empty packets of unused items, including courses of antibiotics that had been started and never finished, despite the doctors telling you to always finish the course. What she’d have given for just a few of those old packets.

  She cycled on with a greater purpose. She had it. She’d once again be asking for the community’s help, but surely amongst all those houses they’d be able to scrounge together enough pills to help Ava. She wasn’t asking for much, just some forgotten pills that may be lurking at the back of their medicine cabinets or drawers.

  “Come in, Kate,” offered Zach’s dad, stepping back to let her in.

  “Thanks.”

  “How’d it go?” he asked.

  Kate described the scene, restarting as Zach’s mother joined the conversation. Both their faces fell as Kate described first, the mother and daughter and then, the situation at the hospital. She left out her altercation with the group. Zach’s dad was already behaving differently with her after her shooting Eddie. Danny joked that he thought it was because she was ‘badass’. Kate didn’t think so. He was a religious man. He more likely did not approve or condone her taking a life. An action she had relived many times in her head and every time without hesitation, she would have done the same thing. Eddie had to die to save her family.

  “So,” she concluded. “I’m left with the task of going door to door to see if we can find any old meds that will help. Basically, anything that’s an antibiotic of some description. Anything’s better than nothing.”

  Zach’s dad turned to put on his coat, as did his wife.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You’ll never make it to all the homes before dark on your own.”

  Three hours later and with the last wisps of sunlight ebbing into the night sky, Kate led Sophie, Ava, and Danny home. Her mind barely able to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other as she tried desperately to think of a way to save her daughter’s life. She had to remain strong and not let on how desperately worried she was. There was a clock ticking. Each minute and second that went past ate into the seventy-two hours. She corrected herself, that’d been eight hours earlier, sixty-four hours. She wouldn’t have minded if half of the people she had asked had even pretended to go and look just to see, but the answer was a simple ‘no’ before she’d even had a chance to explain what it was she wanted. It wasn’t that she wasn’t offering something in return. She’d offered to share whatever they had, her daughter’s life was on the line.

  As darkness fell, there was little else to do but worry. Another twelve hours. Twelve hours to do nothing but deduct every minute from the doctor’s countdown. She had twelve hours to think of a solution and when the sun rose, there would only be fifty-two hours left to save Ava’s life. Less, if sepsis set in. A condition she was all too aware of, following a friend’s shocking and tragic death aged just twenty-eight, after a seemingly innocuous Urinary Tract Infection went untreated for too long.

  Of course, there was a chance Ava’s young body would fight it off, but from Kate’s experience they were beyond that point. The infection had taken hold, and without meds, her daughter’s leg and life were in danger.

  Chapter 47

  Trey sat upright on the back of his horse, excitement coursing through his body. Bob ‘the Duke’ Jackson led the way, fulfilling the promise he had made to his cousin a week earlier. A posse of thirty men followed them, heavily-armed and ready to follow any orders to the letter. Just as they had done over the previous week.

  Retribution for the attack on his base had been brutal. Anyone with any authority had been a target, and they had swept through Boise with a fine-tooth comb, squirreling them out. State Senators, Representatives, Councilors were amongst those targeted beyond any remaining law enforcement or military veterans, each tortured to give up anyone else they may be aware of. If torture failed, their family members were executed one by one until they did give up others. When they ran out of family members, the individual was killed and strung up for all to see.

  Bob had known from day one of the operation where the Governor and Mayor were, hiding in their secret bunker below the Capitol building. He had left them until last. They were the crowning glory in Bob’s victory. Proof that he alone was in complete control over the wider Boise-Nampa Metropolitan area. With the removal of the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor the previous week, he was in effect the de facto governor. He had toyed with changing his title, but that was the old world. In his world, a ‘Duke’ ruled the States and a ‘King’ ruled the country.

  Trey had been at his side throughout, he had never strayed, although his mind, Bob noted, wandered often. There was no doubting where. Bob would catch Trey looking longingly at the Warm Springs Mesa area looking down over Boise.

  “Soon,” he would promise. He had already promised Trey they would teach the community a lesson, but Boise had to be tamed first.

  Not only had it been tamed, it was under his constant watch. Strategic outposts had been secured throughout the city. Garrisons of men were ready to quell any uprising and with fire stacks atop their outposts, they were ready to issue plumes of smoke during the day or beacons of fire at night that would send reinforcements to wherever was required urgently.

  He held an iron grip over three quarters of a million people. He corrected himself, previously three quarters of a million. As Bob had expected, that number was reducing fast as the apocalypse transpired. The lack of clean water and sanitation were wreaking havoc amongst the coddled masses. They had no clue how to look after themselves. No comprehension as to how dangerous water could be. Of course, he hadn’t helped matters by dumping the bodies into the river but in all reality, he had simply accelerated the inevitable.

  The population reduction was a necessary component of the ongoing survival of the city. He’d rather have a hundred thousand well-fed, able-bodied citizens than three quarters of a million permanently starving, useless bodies. Food production would be a fraction of what it used to be and with no external food source, the city of Boise would have to produce whatever it needed for itself. The first wave of disease would eradicate the weak and infirm. Only the strongest would survive, able to work
and provide food for Boise. He’d build up his forces and over time expand his power base, extending out beyond the city to the wider state and ultimately beyond.

  Before that, he had a promise to keep. Even with darkness falling, he could see Trey’s white teeth shining, his face unable to break the smile that had erupted when Bob had told him it was time.

  Bob was no fool. He had a number two whose loyalty would remain unquestioned - a ruthless, callous killer with no ability or power base to usurp him. Even though they were family, Bob knew that meant little to Trey. Trey was not a man to dwell on such trivialities. He’d as soon kill family as a stranger, if it helped him get what he wanted. The man was an emotionless void and perfect as his number two and enforcer. Trey was nothing without Bob. With him, he had the pick of the women across the city to quench his sexual urges and an army of men at his side to aid his penchant for violence. Bob knew he had a man by his side who would kill anyone who dared question him. Quite simply, Trey’s life depended on Bob’s rule.

  It was a perfect partnership and Bob knew Trey was straining at the leash. He had put his quest on hold for a week. A quest that Bob had agreed was necessary a week earlier, for the sake of the militia’s authority. An authority that, a week later, was quite frankly unquestioned and in no likelihood to be questioned any time soon, certainly not from the people of Boise. As far as Bob was concerned, their only concern now lay beyond Boise and the potential that the federal government got its act together and sent help. However, as each day passed, Bob couldn’t help but surmise that there was no federal government to ride to the rescue. That world was gone. His was the new world. It was time for people like Bob to step up and take control, an opportunity Bob had every intention of making the most of. First though, they needed to blow off some steam.

  He clucked his horse and sped the posse up. Trey’s smile grew as the speed increased. Bob was beginning to enjoy riding. The previous week had doubled his experience and made a huge difference in his confidence. He clucked again.

  “Yeehah!” screamed Trey as the speed picked up even more. The last fragments of light ducked behind the horizon as they swept up the hill towards Warm Springs Mesa, their lanterns leading their way.

  The clip of the hooves cascaded through the estate as the posse raced towards Kate’s home. There was no subtlety about their entrance. These were rulers coming to reap their spoils.

  “’That one!” pointed Trey, jumping down from his horse. Like the rest of the street, it was in darkness. Bob remained seated, but motioned for six men to accompany Trey. Three headed around back while three joined him as he walked towards the door.

  Trey tried the handle, the door was locked. He stepped back and with one mighty step, kicked the door open, using every ounce of his weight behind his boot. Trey listened as the door clattered back and forth before finally coming to rest. Silence.

  “Trey!” instructed Bob from the road. “Let the boys clear the way for you!”

  Trey stepped reluctantly back as the three men rushed forward, their weapons drawn and ready. Trey grabbed the first man.

  “Do not harm a hair on her head!” he warned icily before letting him go.

  A crash at the rear signaled the rear team’s entry.

  Trey drummed the doorframe with his large fingers as he heard the teams crash from room to room, shouts of “clear” emanating after each crash.

  A sustained banging ensued with no shout of clear. “It’s barricaded!” came a call, finally explaining the problem.

  Trey rushed in before Bob could stop him.

  ***

  Kate’s heart raced as the first sounds of the horses’ hooves began to sound. It wasn’t the first time they had heard them that week. But it was the first time they had heard them that loudly and noted the volume was increasing. Finally, they were coming. She looked around at her preparations. Not that there were many, it was simply going to work or it wasn’t.

  The moment she had heard them, she’d known they were coming for her. The volume increasing by the minute until finally, they stopped outside. The number of hooves and the sheer volume were beyond any force she could possibly contend with. She had expected Trey with a couple of friends, not anything like the amount of men they had brought. She had planned everything. Nothing had been overlooked. Or at least Kate thought she had thought of every eventuality. The sound of a struggle in the darkness was the first sign that she had made a mistake. The whimper escaping from Danny’s hand that was desperately trying to stifle Hank’s warning barks. He meant well, alerting them to danger, a danger that unfortunately would be all too evident, were he able to bark. Kate had no choice, she had to stop him. She withdrew the hunting knife from its sheath and dived across the room. Hank had to be silenced.

  ***

  Trey raced up the stairs towards the end of the hallway where his men were trying to break through a door. Their lanterns sat on the hallway floor while they took turns, trying to kick their way through.

  “Out of the way!” shouted Trey as he picked up his pace, racing down the corridor. As the last man cleared his way, Trey jumped and threw his right leg forward. He was a big guy and as he hit the door, the momentum of his body weight and speed were enough to break through the top half of the door. Trey sat atop the wardrobe that had stopped the bottom half of the door moving. He was in. He gestured wildly for a lantern to look for Kate, but already knew something was wrong. There was no way if she were there, that he’d still be alive. She wasn’t afraid to shoot. The lantern was handed to him and shone its light across the collection of empty beds that filled the room. Kate and her family weren’t there.

  “Tear this place apart!” he screamed.

  ***

  Kate winced as she heard Trey’s scream. She couldn’t see Hank and Danny in front of her, but Hank was not at all happy with the length of sheeting that had been cut and tied around his muzzle. Fortunately, it was retaining 95% of his bark, barely a whimper was registering from him, certainly not enough to alert anyone to their location. Kate winced as Trey’s desperate cry to tear her house apart echoed around the street.

  ***

  Trey looked at the open window, the homemade rope ladder leading out and down into the night. He sent a team of men to look for them, just in case they had escaped but he wasn’t fully buying it. Ten minutes later, he was beginning to believe they had escaped. They had torn the house apart, not a crawl space had been left untouched. They were not in the house.

  “Search the neighbors!” barked Trey.

  Bob sat atop his horse. He had fulfilled his promise. Whether Trey found the woman or not wasn’t really a concern. He, of course, would prefer his cousin got what he wanted, but there was always a danger that the reality wouldn’t meet the expectation. If nothing else, Warm Springs Mesa would appreciate the power and authority of the militia.

  The neighbors were hauled unceremoniously into the street. Many wearing only their nightwear. On a clear and starless night in November, it didn’t take long for someone to suggest that Zach’s house, a few streets over, might be a good place to start looking.

  “What about those houses?!” pointed Trey. One house was Harry’s and the other, Mrs. Somerville’s. Nobody had come out of either.

  A neighbor explained that both were dead, and nobody had been seen in them recently. They left out the fact that one had died at Trey’s hands.

  “And you searched them?” he asked of his men.

  “Yes,” came the response.

  “Wait here, in case they come back,” he instructed six of the men before leading the rest towards Zach’s house.

  ***

  Kate had to hold on to Sophie with every ounce of strength she possessed. Their night-time sleeping location had been Harry’s loft space for the last week. Once darkness fell, they would sneak across to the safety of the attic. None of them could sleep in their home following the previous attack. Each night, they went through a routine to fool the neighbors. Kate had no illusions that if we
re they aware, the neighbors would give them up in a heartbeat. To the community, they were still living in their home, which was true during the day to keep up the appearance. However, Kate lived an almost unending vigil, watching for the day that Trey came back. Her rifle was permanently at the ready to take them out from a distance, long before they became a risk to her family. Unfortunately, at night, the darkness ruled out that option, hence the subterfuge over their sleeping situation.

  Trey’s men hadn’t lied. They had searched Harry’s house. They just hadn’t spotted the hatch in the ceiling of the main bathroom. Not that she blamed them, the smell of the blocked drains had them retching for the first few minutes every night.

  Through the roof tiles, there was little they couldn’t hear from outside and on hearing Zach’s name, Sophie had understandably begun to panic. She had to warn her boyfriend and his family. Something Kate could not let her do. Zach knew where they were. He was the only person, outside of the four of them, who knew about their sleeping arrangements.

  Zach would break. Kate had read enough novels, and watched enough movies to know that everyone broke. No matter the outcome for Sophie, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. The times of interrogation, and enhanced interrogation were gone. These men could do whatever they needed to discover whatever they wanted. Kate knew they just had minutes to get out.

  “We need to get to Zach!” said Sophie angrily, but keeping her voice low.

  Zach was dead, he just didn’t know it yet, nor did Sophie. “I’ll see what I can do,” she lied. She needed Sophie to move.