EMP (Book 4): Desolation

by Ison, S. A.

  There was no water, except at the lakes in Chicago and where would its two million citizens get the food? Packed like sardines, those cities would implode. People in the outlying areas of those big cities would be faced with the onslaught from the rush of panicked people. His uncle had called them the golden horde, hundreds, if not thousands of people fleeing the cities, like a kicked over anthill. They’d spill out of the cities and consume everything in their wake. They’d kill and destroy and move on, like an undulating sea of death.

  Tomi was pulled out of his dark thoughts by Liev, who was cursing behind him.

  “Shit, shit, look ahead guys, at the liquor store.” Liev said.

  Ahead, there was a group of drunk men, who were apparently celebrating. There on the ground, was either a dead man or an unconscious man, and Tomi thought maybe it was the store owner or operator. There were seven men in various stages of inebriation. It was a mixed group of white and black men. All in their early twenties, if not late teens. The large window to the store had been shattered. Hours, only friggen hours and it had started.

  He felt Dawn and Liev move up beside him and he glanced to see Jack, Linda and Norman cluster fearfully behind. None held their weapons, so at least he’d not be shot in the back. The group of drunken men took notice of their advancement. They stopped and gawked at Tomi and his group.

  “What the fuck is this? Who the fuck is you?” A tall thin black man slurred.

  Tomi looked down at the man, on the ground who’d been beaten. He looked into the store and there was another person, on the ground, shot in the head. He looked like one of the youths. Perhaps the clerk had shot the man before he was pulled over the counter and beaten to death? The man on the ground outside the liquor store was dead, his eyes open wide with the horror of his own death.

  “What should we do Perrin?” Tomi asked.

  “If we leave them, they’ll kill others.” Perrin said.

  “That’s out and out murder guys.” Dawn interjected.

  “Hey baby, you wanna come suck my cock?” The black youth hooted and his drunken friends laughed as well, all of them grabbing their crotches.

  “You’d probably be doing them all a favor, saving others and saving them from starvation, once they sobered up.” Liev put in. As they drew closer the seven men became bolder, their drunken condition mitigating their common sense.

  “Back up asshole.” Liev snarled viciously when a man reached out to grab Dawn’s breast. Liev raised the AR15 and aimed it at the man’s chest. Gone was the easy going and good natured Liev, the deadly Viking stepped forward in his place. The drunken man jerked back, seeing the large man’s angry face. Some clarity was eating into the man’s sodden brain, as he tried to pull his companions back away from the armed group.

  The first loud mouth that had spoken, now reached behind. Tomi figured that was where the gun had gone from the shop keeper’s dead hand.

  “Gun.” Tomi barked and Perrin opened fire. Liev did as well. The seven were dead before Tomi could get off a shot. Dawn was shocked, her mouth opened. In less than five seconds, all seven men were on the ground, dead or dying.

  “Jesus fucking Christ. Did you have to kill them all?” She breathed, the color drained from her face and her green eyes seemed large, filling her face.

  “Yeah Dawn, that asshole was pulling his weapon. We can’t hesitate. We can’t take that chance, you know that don’t you?” Liev asked her gently, his once hard face softening at once.

  “Dawn, we can’t take the chance now. The old world died three hours ago.” Tomi said softly. She nodded numbly and Tomi looked behind, Linda was clinging onto Norman. Both pale as crisp snow.

  “Let’s go, we need to get out of this place.” Perrin said, his voice harsh. The group fell back in line and Liev fell to the back of the group, bringing up the rear. No one spoke and Tomi could hear Linda weeping. He heard Dawn trying to comfort the woman. It had been an eye-opening event. Three goddamned hours. Tomi looked behind him and there were people gathering around the dead men. He saw one man pick up a bottle and drink from it. He shook his head.

  They were now getting closer to the outskirts of town and seeing less people. That was good, the less people they saw the better. Cars and trucks scattered around the road. There was a UPS van stalled out and a large group of people were digging through the packages, the driver nowhere to be seen. Well, if there wasn’t food in that truck, all that crap would be useless.

  “Christ, it hasn’t been that long and people are already losing their fucking minds.” Perrin hissed low.

  “I know, I want to say I’m surprised, but I’m not. The veneer of humanity is very thin. You’ve worked too long in the prison system, not to know that.” Tomi said, not unkindly. Though working in a minimum-security facility, Tomi didn’t know if Perrin had ever worked in maximum security. However, serving in the army, Tomi was sure that Perrin had seen that kind of breakdown over in other countries.

  “Christ, I know, but still. Seeing it. I saw it over in Afghanistan and here of course. But still. You were right Tomi, things went sideways fast, faster than I could have imagined.”

  “It’s only going to get worse and we need to get out and away from people.” Tomi reiterated.

  Both men grew silent, and Tomi thought once more of Liev and the fierce rage he’d seen on the man’s face. It was as though a switch had been thrown. Tomi knew all men were capable of great violence. Some hid it better than others. He’d learned that lesson from his years of service in the Air Force. Liev was a big teddy bear of a man, but it would seem that teddy bear had teeth. He smiled, and it would seem that he was very protective of Dawn. Perhaps his size and mien would obviate more trouble.

  =

  Dawn could feel the tremors work through her body. She’d worked for the department of corrections for nearly eight years. In all that time, she’d not seen that kind of violence. She’d never seen a dead man, nor anyone killed. Yet Perrin and Liev had killed those men in a split second. Liev for Christ’s sakes! The man was a big old goof. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body and yet, he’d turned into something quite dangerous when that man had dared to touch her breast.

  His face had transformed, and she shivered. He’d looked like one of the Vikings she’d seen on that show, Vikings. Christ. Then he’d killed those men, because one had a gun. One gun. One gun can kill many, her mind whispered, it could have killed you. She knew they were right, but it was so hard for her to wrap her mind around it all. One moment, life was normal, boring in fact. The inmates she supervised were more like friends, all laid back and friendly. She’d known Tomi his whole stint and most of Liev’s stint. Not once in all those years had she ever feared for herself.

  Not once had she been afraid to turn her back. Liev was a big flirt, though he’d been harmless. She’d even flirted back a few times. Dawn knew some of the other women drooled after him and made themselves available when Liev worked out on the free weights in the yard. But again, she knew these men, they weren’t violent and yet, three hours ago, their lives had flipped. A switch had been thrown. Had these men been vicious? Perrin was different too, he was now acting as though he were back in the military, and so was Tomi. Though he had the beard, Tomi now looked like a soldier, as did Perrin, who had been one.

  Were all men like this? Cordial and easy going until disaster struck? Should she fear them? She looked back at Liev and he grinned, goofy. His eye brows waggled and he rocked his head from side to side, his normal silly self and she smiled. She rolled her eyes at him and he sniggered. No, he was the same. But when danger presented itself, he became a protective predator. That eased the worry in her heart.

  “He’s a good boy.” Linda said, following Dawn’s gaze. Dawn felt her face pinken a bit.

  “He is, he’s normally a goof, you know, silly. But holy Christmas, he looked like one of those damned Viking, that you see on those programs.”

  “I think he was protecting you Dawn. I think he likes you a lot.” Linda sm
iled tiredly.

  “Are you okay Linda?” Dawn asked, concerned.

  “I’m tired, do you think we could take a pause and let me catch my breath?”

  “Sure, let me go talk to Perrin and Tomi.” She said and moved up to the lead.

  “Hey guys, can we pause for a few minutes, Linda needs a break I think.”

  Tomi looked at Perrin, who nodded. The two men stopped and the others caught up. Jack and Norman groaned. Jack was sweating profusely. Dawn was sure the man hadn’t exercised a day in his life. He reminded her of the Pillsbury dough boy. Norman looked like a red shoestring French fry. His face was blood red, matching his hair. They’d each been given a CamleBak reservoir, which held water. She’d gotten a fifty-ounce bag and the men had gotten the hundred-ounce bags.

  They’d filled them with bottled water and she now drank from hers. Tomi had also given her a couple of LifeStraws, but that was packed in her bag.

  “Can we eat?” Jack asked, trying to get his pack off his back.

  “No, we’re only resting for a few minutes, keep your pack on.” Tomi said, drinking.

  “But I’m starving. Christ, can’t I just have something?” Jack whined.

  “Jack, we’ll eat later. Keep your pack on and just relax.” Perrin said, his voice a little harsh. Dawn hid a smile.

  “Too bad we didn’t fill these with beer.” Liev sniggered, grinning like a madman.

  “Right. So, you can rob another bank?” Dawn said, giving him a look. He winked bawdily at her.

  “Oh da-yam! You cut me deep woman.” He laughed. She looked at her watch, it was near five and she could see they were getting near the entrance to US Route 6, south. She looked around her, it was quiet, though there were abandoned cars on the road. It appeared that people had left them and had made their way to town.

  “How much longer are we going to walk?” Jack asked, drinking heavily, sweat pouring down his face.

  “You might want to take it easy on the water, bro, you’ll drown yourself fast.” Liev warned.

  “We’ll try to get as far down the road as we can. If we can find a good spot to camp, we’ll stop. I just think we need to get as far from town as we can.” Tomi said. Dawn saw that Jack was about to complain when they turned at the explosive sounds of gunfire in the distance. It wasn’t that far away. Jack’s mouth shut and she could see fear, swimming behind his brown eyes. Tomi and Perrin turned and began walking again and the group fell silently into line. No one had to tell them to get the hell out of Dodge. The gunfire continued.

  =

  Liev’s eyes watched Dawn ahead of him. He couldn’t see her hips, but he knew their rhythm. She was a sweet, no nonsense gal and he’d fallen hopelessly in love with her years ago. He’d always known there could never be anything. He was a con. But now, he wasn’t and a slow smile spread over his handsome features. She liked him, he knew, but now, he could pursue her on a level playing field. He just hoped she wouldn’t hold his crime against him. He was after all a bank robber. A lousy one at that and he laughed at himself.

  His smile went away when he thought of his grandmother. He’d been allowed to attend her funeral three years after his incarceration. His heart had hurt and he’d been so sad. His grandmother had raised him and he loved her like no other. He’d been in a deep depression, until he’d met Dawn, who’d come to work at Ashland’s FCI. Then Tomi had gotten there. If he’d had to be incarcerated, he figured he had the best of it. A pretty woman to flirt with and a good friend he’d found in Tomi.

  Now he was free but, in a world, he’d not wanted to find himself in. He’d seen the programs, like The Walking Dead, and he was damn glad there were no zombies he had to contend with. It had been an enjoyable program and it had been fiction. Now, not so much. He felt the small niggle of fear in his gut. And when those men at the liquor store tried to touch Dawn, he’d felt the blood surge and something came to the fore. He’d never experienced that kind of feeling, it had been primal. And, he’d never hurt a soul in his life, but he’d killed those men as easy as blinking, because he’d feared for Dawn.

  He mentally shook his head. He didn’t understand it and a small part of him was afraid. Was he turning into some kind of killing machine? He hoped not, but he had a bad feeling that those men were just the first of many that he would kill. And he’d not feel bad about it either. Tomi was right, shit went sideways fast. He’d not taken it seriously at first. It was almost too ludicrous to be real. But then those drunk men had made it real. And he’d killed another human being. He’d never thought himself capable of that. He was wrong.

  =

  The shadows followed them; the time was growing late in the day. Tomi looked over his shoulder and noted the fatigue stamped clearly on Linda, Jack and Norman’s faces. There were no more sounds of gunfire and the town of Ashland was well behind them. They were now in a rural area along route 2. It was in fact, eerily quiet. No sounds but the susurrus of the wind in the trees that lined the road. In the distance, Tomi heard the lowing of cows. It was soft and peaceful. He also heard a coonhound baying in the far distance, and Tomi figured the dog had caught the scent of something.

  “I think we should maybe keep an eye out for someplace to camp. Those three are about to drop.” Tomi said, his thumb jerking toward the back of them. Perrin turned and looked behind and then back at him.

  “Yeah, Jack looks like he’s about to have a heart attack. Let me check out this map really quick. I think there is a water source about two miles up. It isn’t much, but it will help.” Perrin said, and pulled the map from his vest. He was a true navigator and Tomi smile. Those army pukes usually were.

  “Yeah, maybe a mile or more and we can stop.”

  Tomi turned and passed the word, “we’re stopping in about a mile or so, we can relax then.” He heard the heartfelt groans from the three and smiled at Perrin.

  “I’m a hero.” Tomi laughed.

  “You’re an asshole.” Perrin laughed back. Tomi hated to admit it, but he was tired. It was different working out in the yard of the facility, it was another walking six hours. His feet and legs hurt, though he was glad his back did not. The backpacks were top quality for weight distribution. Though, sixty pounds of extra weight was sixty pounds of extra weight and he felt for Jack and Norman.

  A half hour later the group moved off the road and into the trees. Tomi kept his ears attuned for noises, such as people. He didn’t want to run into anyone. The group had seen several people walking along the road, but they’d fled into the forest at the sight of the armed group. Good, he was sorry they were scary looking, but he was glad that it kept others at bay. It was much safer that way.

  The group moved through the dense underbrush and found a small streamlet. Tomi looked around and there was enough room for them to spread out a bit. He stopped and began taking his backpack off and groaned as he did so.

  “God it feels good to get that off.” He sighed heavily and heard the groans from those around him and snorted an agreement.

  “Let’s see about getting some firewood together and building a small fire.” Perrin suggested. Tomi nodded and began picking up deadfall around their campsite. Liev did the same, as did Dawn. Linda sat on the ground and stared at it, as did Jack and Norman. It was like all the air had been let out of a tire, they all sagged against their backpacks. Tomi figured they’d reached the end of their endurance. It was going to take a lot longer to get to his uncle than he’d first hoped.

  “You think they’ll make it Tomi?” Liev asked, an arm load of wood against his broad chest.

  “I don’t know. I do know it’s gonna take a hell of a lot longer. But there’s no help for it. We can’t abandon them, they’ll die. I just couldn’t leave them back there, not and live with myself.”

  “I know bro, that’s why you’re my friend.” Liev grinned and smacked Tomi hard on the back, causing Tomi to stumble.

  “You’re an ass, you know that?” Tomi laughed and picked up more branches and deposited them in the gro
wing pile. He saw that Linda was asleep, leaning heavily against her pack. She was going to be hurting tomorrow. Jack would be losing weight, the hard way. Poor Norman would need to eat extra.

  Dawn seemed to suffer no ill effects from the long walk and was out gathering branches as well. He knelt down and began to build the nucleus of the fire. They still had a couple hours of daylight left, he didn’t want a big fire, something to heat the water for their dinners. He figured they could use the water in the streamlet and save the water in their camel pack for the long walk. They’d made it and now, they’d spend their first night of freedom in the new world, camping outside. Tomi was no fool, this new freedom came with a heavy price, that price might be his very life. He could be thankful that they’d been at the sporting good’s store when this happened.

  If they’d been at the prison, it would have been a hell of a lot more difficult. Especially with supplies. He was sure however, that he and Liev could have made the trip, though, Tomi thought, it would have been an extremely difficult journey. He was pretty sure the prison wouldn’t have armed them. Set free, they were all now free to starve and he didn’t hold out good odds for the remaining inmates. Thankfully, that was not his problem and he was again thankful that he’d not been there when things went to hell.

  Three

  Tomi had a nice fire going. Linda was left to sleep, they’d wake her in a bit, so she could eat. Jack didn’t look good at all and Tomi wondered if the man might just have a heart attack. He set a pot of stream water on the little stove, but used the fire to heat, leaving the fuel canisters in case they didn’t have usable firewood. The camp was quiet as everyone pulled out their pots and put them on the fire to boil water. Tomi took his boots off to let his feet air. He pulled out a fresh pair of socks, glad he’d had the forethought to bring extra. He laid out his worn pair to let them dry out.