She continued down the road towards the Steamship Authority parking lot. A little bit ahead, she saw something in the grass. As she got closer she could tell it was a body. As she approached, Jessica could see no movement. It was lying on its side, left arm under its head facing away from her. When she got to within ten feet she could tell the body was female. At first she tried to deny that she recognized the Penn State sweatshirt and the ragged mop of blond hair. When she got within a foot there was no denying it.
“Oh sissy.” Jessica whispered.
The body on the ground stiffened at Jessica’s words. Jessica gasped as stumbled back two steps.
Dana rolled off her side and onto her back, looking up at her baby sister. She had a pistol clutched in her right hand, and three bullet holes in her body. The first was in her right thigh, the second in her left shoulder and the third – the one that had killed her – on the left side of her once pretty face centimeters in front of her earlobe. Jessica could see pieces of teeth and the inner working of her throat through the hole. Tears filled her eyes as she knelt down beside her sister.
“Oh God Dana.” Jessica moaned. “It’s bad.”
Dana didn’t reply, just looked up at her crying sister.
Jessica stared down at her sister until she heard the noise behind her. She turned her head to see. The closest creature had closed the gap to fifty yards again. Jessica turned back to her sister, sniffed the snot back up her nose, wiped her cheeks with her good arm and touched her sister’s forehead.
“We have to get going.” Jessica said.
“No.” Dana managed through her shattered face.
“We have to.” Jessica repeated.
“It hurts.” Dana gurgled.
“I know it hurts, we have to catch up to the others. Mauri will know what to do.” Jessica said as she looked over her shoulder.
The creature was twenty five yards away now.
“Please.” Dana said.
“What? What do you want?” Jessica asked.
“I love you Sissy.” Dana managed and then coughed roughly.
“I love you too.” Jessica said and started to cry again.
“Please.” Dana repeated and brought the hand with the gun up off the ground and rested it on her own chest.
“Please.” Dana said again.
Jessica closed her eyes understanding.
An intense hatred filled Jessica’s heart. A hatred for what her sister wanted her to do, hatred for what she had done to her parents, a hatred for the others, whom she was sure had abandoned them now, and a hatred for whoever created these monsters. She snatched the gun from her sister’s hand and stood. She aimed the gun at Dana’s head and pulled the trigger. Dana’s forehead caved in and the blood swam out from under her. Jessica didn’t look away. She watched until the pool stopped spreading. The noise behind her brought her out of it. She turned to see the undead thing was ten feet away. She looked past it and saw half a dozen more coming in a slow lumbering line. She looked down at the gun in her hands. She looked down at her sister’s body. She looked up at the creature. It was three feet away. Her short, shitty life rolled more than flashed before her eyes. She took two steps back from the creature as she thought about how she had every opportunity in life, a leg up on most. And what had she done with her advantages? Nothing but partied, drank, drugged and fucked her way through life using her Daddy’s money and her looks to get what she wanted.
She took a step towards the creature and raised her ruined right arm to its face. The creature took a large wet bite just above the wrist. The pain was exquisite but Jessica did not pull away. The creature shook it’s head like a dog and the flesh came free revealing ligaments and muscle. Jessica clenched her teeth to the pain, but she did not scream. She raised the gun in her left hand, put the barrel to the creature’s temple and pulled the trigger. The thing fell to the ground with its mouth still chewing the chunk of Jessica’s arm. After a moment it stopped and was truly dead.
She advanced on the other approaching walkers and put bullets into their heads methodically until the gun clicked empty. There were only two creatures she could see left and they were way off. She walked back to her sister’s body and knelt.
“I’m sorry I don’t have the strength to bury you. Just one more shortcoming in a long line…I’ve failed in this existence. I’ve failed in every possible way. Maybe I will be good at whatever I become next.” Jessica said.
She picked up Dana’s hand, gave it a light kiss and placed it back on her sister’s chest. She got up and walked over to the backpack that had fallen off her sister’s back in the fall out of the Jeep. She found a Pop Tart. She brought it over to the shade of a maple tree, sat down, opened the silver wrapper and waited to turn.
Chapter 21 – The Good Life
Everyone was gathered in the pilothouse. Two hundred yards past the breakwater there was a private yacht with an anchor down.
“Ease it over to that yacht. I want to tie up to it for the night.” Jessie told Charlie.
“You got it boss.” Charlie answered.
“Don’t let Mauri hear you say that.” Jessie said and smiled.
They came alongside the one hundred and thirty foot boat and Patrick and Kenny went down to tie it up at the front and rear with the air bags from the yacht between the two massive ships.
“Do you think anyone is home?” Abby asked.
“We shall see.” Jessie said and picked up the M16.
“I’ll go with you this time.” Patrick said.
“Not this time, pal. You coming?” Jessie asked Mauri. “I think the boys can handle the rug rats for a few.”
“Absolutely.” Mauri said.
They kissed the kids and told them they would be back quick, and to behave. Then they were on the yacht. They boarded at the front of the vessel and made their way to the rear of the boat, checking the windows along the way for any sign of life. They entered at the main cabin at the rear of the boat. French doors opened into a seating area with a large oak table and several plush leather chairs. There was a full service bar and a goddamn baby grand piano.
“Well excuse the fuck out of me.” Mauri said as she looked around.
“Yeah, let’s remember this is here.” Jessie said.
They swept the three decks and found no one. They ended up on the bottom deck in the master suite, the largest of the four bedrooms. This was the only room that they found personal effects in. The closet was full of clothes, mostly suits and Hawaiian shirts. There were toiletries in the bathroom and a laptop on the built in desk. Jessie started poking in drawers.
“Holy shit, do you know whose boat this is?” Jessie asked.
“Is it Bill Murray’s?” Mauri asked.
“Very funny.” Jessie said. “It’s Richard Bachman’s” Jessie said.
“The author?” Mauri asked.
“The very one. His wallet with license was in the drawer.” Jessie said.
“Damn!” She exclaimed. “Oh, and I call dibs on this room.”
Once topside they gave the others the “OK” signal and they all came aboard.
“I’m not sure if I know how to drive this one boss.” Charlie said.
“We aren’t driving it, we’re just crashing for the night, unless you think you can fit the tank on here.” Jessie said.
“Alright then.” Charlie said and flopped down in the expensive leather chair next to the baby grand.
Michael and Shawn immediately climbed up on the bench and started pounding on the keys and laughing while Rebecca danced to their mishmash of a song. Mauri and Jessie exchanged a happy glance.
“All the power is on. This thing seems one hundred percent operational.” Patrick reported after he made his own tour of the ship.”
“And there is a shit load of food in the pantry and in the fridge.” Abby added.
“I’ll cook if you get the kids ready for bed.” Mauri said.
“Um, I’m not giving Rebecca a bath.” Jessie protested.
&nbs
p; “I’ll take care of her.” Abby said. “There are eight or nine bathrooms on this beast.”
“Cool, we have a deal. No seafood.” Jessie said and went to collect his little men.
Jessie pulled the boys away from the piano and down into the master suite. He ran water into the Jacuzzi and had them take off their clothes. As they played and got washed they had what Jessie liked to think of as “guy talk” with his boys.
“Dad, is this your boat?” Michael asked.
“No buddy, we are just borrowing it.” Jessie answered.
“Why were the guys at the donut store chasing us?” Michael asked.
Jessie always marveled at the retention Michael had. He could observe a scene play out and wait days to ask about it.
“They wanted our Jeep, and we didn’t let them have it.” Jessie said.
“So Mom phewed down the bad guys?” Michal said.
Jessie knew “phew” was the sound the blaster made in Star Wars, and knew what Michael meant.
“She had to buddy. You will understand when you are a little older.”
“Daddy, I poop.” Shawn interjected.
And sure enough there was a floater…so much for a nice dip later with Mauri. He got the boys out of the Jacuzzi and into the standup shower to finish getting clean. He dressed them in fresh clothes from the backpack and scooped out the floater with a paper towel.
“You guys want to check out your room? Jessie asked.
“Yeah!” they replied in unison.
The three children could share the two queen beds in the bedroom on the same floor as the master. Abby and Kenny could take the single queen in the smallest room upstairs and the brothers would be sharing the room with the two queens on the same floor. All the bedrooms had locks on the doors, which was comforting.
In the galley, Mauri was working hard cooking the steak she found in the giant fridge. She was sautéing fresh mushrooms, cutting peppers for a salad, and prepping a strange looking green pasta. It all smelled wonderful.
Abby came back from another bathroom with Rebecca all sparkling clean.
“I opened a bottle of red.” Mauri said motioning over her shoulder.
“Yum.” Abby said and took a wine glass from the hanging rack.
“Holy shit, Mauri.” Abby exclaimed.
“Shit.” Michael echoed.
“Sorry. Don’t say that mister.” Abby said to Michael.
“You did.” He answered.
“Michael. Bring your smart mouth into the other room.” Mauri said grinning.
“Do you know what this is?” Abby asked.
“Red wine.” Mauri answered.
“Yeah! Right! This is a 1998 Petrus Pomerol Merlot.” Abby exclaimed.
“Is that good?” Mauri asked.
“Good? This is a thousand dollar bottle of wine!” Abby said.
“Cool, then we have about five thousand dollars’ worth of that stuff in the fridge.” Mauri said unimpressed.
Abby flew to the fridge and opened it.
“Mother of God! There has to be thousands and thousands of dollars’ worth of wine in here.” She said as she looked at the various labels.
“How do you know so much about wine?” Mauri asked.
“I spent a summer in France. The guy I was seeing liked wine. I liked him.” Abby said.
“Ah-so.” Mauri replied.
In the dining/sitting/piano room the men were sipping single malt scotch they found behind the bar.
“I know I’m a wet rag, but let’s make sure we don’t overdo it tonight. We have a lot going on tomorrow and we have to be in fighting condition.” Jessie said.
“Yes Dad.” Kenny said.
Mauri came into the room with a giant bowl of salad and sat it on the table.
“Where’s Abby?” Kenny asked.
“The little girl’s room.” Mauri answered.
Just then Abby came bursting in the room startling everyone.
“Quick, everyone take your clothes off!” She said smiling.
“Excuse me?” Mauri said.
“You heard me. Get naked. There is an industrial size washer and dryer I just found off the bathroom. We can have clean clothes!” She said giddy with excitement. “Don’t worry, I found fluffy hotel robes we can all wear.”
One by one they went into the back, stripped down and put on the robes. Jessie went down to the master suite and rummaged the drawers. He found four pairs of boxers and four white tank tops. He left them in the laundry room for the other guys. The two women had gone first, so they didn’t know the guys had on extra layers.
As they sat and ate, random giggles popped out as it struck them funny that they were sitting around in pearly white robes drinking a thousand dollar bottle of wine and eating the best steak they had ever tasted in their lives. It didn’t help that Charlie still had his beat to shit Boston Red Sox hat on.
Dinner went by mostly in silence otherwise. Everyone was enjoying the food, drink, and relative safety of being on the ocean too much to speak. As they finished idle conversation about the food, lavish excesses on the boat started. By ten, the kids were fast asleep in their beds, and the grownups hit the three thousand dollar mark on the Petrus Pomerol.
“I’ve been thinking about this plan, and I think we need to change it.” Jessie said.
“What are you thinking?” Mauri asked.
“I think we should go to No Man’s Land first, and drop the kids, and all but two of us.” Jessie answered.
“I see what you are saying, but I’d go with three.” Patrick said.
“Three? Why?” Jessie asked.
“Two to drive the boat and one in the tank.” Patrick said.
“Agree.” said Charlie.
“You really need two to drive the tank, but one can fire the thing in a pinch.”
“Four should go.” Mauri said. “You need the tank mobile.”
“To drive the boat, Patrick drives and just needs a spotter, right? Jessie asked.
“Pretty much.”
“And to drive the tank, how involved is the second person?”
“Not very, but it’s necessary.”
“Can it be done by verbal instruction?” Jessie asked.
“Sure, after a couple rounds of telling you what is what on the thing.” Patrick said.
“Four it is.” Jessie said.
“Why don’t we just put the kids in the tank and all go?” Abby asked.
“If we take fire it could be dangerous.” Jessie said.
“In the tank?” Abby asked.
“If they have anything like an RPG it could sink the boat. Boat, tank and kids sink to the bottom of the ocean.” Jessie said.
“The likelihood of someone on Martha’s Vineyard having an RPG?” Charlie asked.
“I don’t know about you Charlie, but I didn’t see any soldiers when we passed Otis. Those soldiers have to be somewhere.” Jessie said.
Charlie nodded in agreement.
“Four. Me, Charlie, Patrick and Mauri.” Jessie said. “Kenny and Abby have the kids on No Man’s. Are you guys alright with that?”
Abby and Kenny nodded.
A buzzer went off somewhere far away.
“Dryer is done.” Abby said and went to retrieve the clothes.
She brought them out and plopped them on the chess board between two leather chairs on the far side of the room.
“I never thought clean clothes would bring me such joy.” Abby said.
“You know what will bring even more joy?” Mauri asked. “A shower.”
“That’s my cue. Set your alarms for six.” Jessie said and got up from the table.
They each got up, took their clothes from the pile. and retreated to their rooms. Abby stopped at the fridge for another thousand dollar bottle of wine for the road. Mauri scooped up the half empty one off the table on her way by.
As soon as Jessie closed the door to the master suite Mauri dropped her robe to the floor.
“Hello Mrs. Brewster.” Jessie sa
id and they were kissing.
They made it to the bed and were entwined. After, they lay in each other’s arms.
“Want to jump into the Jacuzzi with me?” Mauri asked.
“No, I think a shower will do.” Jessie said trying to avoid the mood breaking floater.
Mauri agreed and they went to the bathroom. Mauri wondered if the same activities were taking place in Kenny and Abby’s room. After the steaming hot shower with an added soothing back rub from Jessie, they climbed into bed, under the covers, and slept like the dead.
At six AM the alarm on Jessie’s phone went off. He had remembered to plug both phones in before bed. When he and Mauri emerged topside, Charlie and Patrick were already up cooking what looked like fifty eggs.
“Good morning.” Jessie said.
“You guys are up early.” Mauri said as she grabbed the orange juice from the fridge.
“Well, Romeo and Juliet were up early…if you know what I mean.” Patrick said and made an exaggerated hip gyration that reminded Jessie of the way Bevis or Butthead used to dance.
“Alrightythen.” Mauri said and laughed.
“So, I can’t find no bacon, but we got eggs coming out our ass. I have some toast and there is about ten gallons of yogurt in there if that’s your thing.” Charlie said.
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