Zombie War

by Jean Booth

  MATT

  They drove for a few hours, hoping to get to a place where the disease was not as rampant. They were lucky that they lived in a mountainous terrain and that John and Mary’s house was located on a small cul-de-sac with dirt roads leading into the mountains. When Matt and Sarah were younger, they’d begged John and Mary to take them to various camping grounds to rough it. As they aged and developed a more romantic relationship, Matt and Sarah would venture off the dirt paths alone and into the wilderness to see if they could really tough it out like people did in the eighteen hundreds. They were headed to one of their favorite secluded spots now.

  When Matt noticed the disease, and how quickly it seemed to spread, he had efficiently loaded up the four-by-four truck with water, bedding, and the rest of their camping gear in preparation for escape. He’d planned on five going out and shared Sarah’s grief that it was only the two of them. He didn’t see what became of Mary and Todd; Sarah’s face when he asked about them told him enough.

  “How did you know?” she whispered. She’d been fighting back tears in the seat next to him as he waited patiently for her to start talking.

  “What? That you would go to their house, or how to deceive them?”

  “Both, actually,” she said in a stronger voice. He knew he was the only one that would have noticed the slight tremor to her words, but then, he knew everything about her.

  “Come on, Sarah, I know you and how you feel about them. They’re family. Of course you’d go back there to try and save them. As for the other, I’m observant. I was watching the news at work when I saw the emergency broadcast about your hospital being under quarantine. I saw someone covered in gore sneaking out of the hospital behind the reporter and knew it was worse than the news even realized. I went to the hospital to try and pick you up there, but you were already gone. I ran through the floors looking for you. It was awful. Some of those monsters were killing and then eating the brains of the dead, others were just biting to infect as many as they could.”

  He shuddered. Some of the zombies had still been hooked up to the monitors and IV poles. He’d been able to see the slow heart rates and watch as the newly infected reacted. Some were ravenous, attacking people with no discernible method. Others seemed to think things through before attacking. He had watched them pause after eating a fresh brain. They had seemed to savor the moment, turning their heads sideways before opening their eyes and zeroing in on another human. Either by sight, smell, or some sort of enhanced hearing, these newly turned creatures had known what they were after.

  Matt had covered himself with the gory remains of some poor nurse. These creatures were no longer human; that he figured out in seconds. He had known Sarah would either be on her floor or on her way to their adoptive parent’s house. He had to find her, and she had to be human still.

  “When I couldn’t find you at the hospital, I knew you’d have gone to help Mary and John, but wasn’t sure what state they’d be in. I improvised. Most of what’s covering me is my lunch. I lost it as I thought about what I might have to do.” His face lost some color as he thought of the scene at the hospital, all those people.

  She sighed, choking back a sob as she gripped his hand. “Thank you. They’re all dead now, and I know they’re at peace. When I got home, someone was…Mary was already gone.” Sarah paused, covering her mouth with her hand. “John was tearing into Todd. I don’t know what I was thinking when I ran to my room. All I could see was Todd’s innocent, trusting face in a twisted grimace of pain.” She began to tremble.

  He turned on the heater, but knew there wasn’t enough heat in the world to stop her from shaking. He pulled off on the top of a mountain overlooking the city they had just escaped. Here, they had a complete view of everything around them and plenty of escape routes. They were going to have to plan on how to live in this world, but tonight they needed the comfort of each other.

  He gave Sarah a gun and sent her to look for wood to start a small campfire. Without needing to say anything, they both stayed within sight of each other at all times. He gathered rocks to encircle the fire pit and she slowly increased the pile of firewood a few feet away. As soon as they had the fire going, they went off separately to clean the mess of the day off. They worked in silence to prepare for the night and clean the chaos off themselves, never really needing to talk. Theirs was an odd relationship born from histories forged in hell and uncertain futures.

  He quickly stole a glance at Sarah’s naked form, methodically cleaning the blood off her body, and for the first time since seeing her, he smiled. He knew she’d be all right; she had a core of steel. He was still amazed that she had chosen him; he was blessed to know the softer sides of Sarah. She always showed the world her strength, never letting on that she, too, was vulnerable. He said a quick prayer of thanks for her. He also prayed for the souls of the two people who had changed his life forever.

  He would miss John and Mary. They were good, caring people who wanted the best for everyone around them. He unrolled the sleeping bags in the back of the truck, propping the pillows up by the cab, thinking about how their lives would never be the same again.

  He watched Sarah, not wanting to let her out of his sight. Some days it had been torture to watch her just walk out the door for work.

  “Sarah. Come here.” He didn’t give her an option, but pulled her into his embrace. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the truck. Carefully he laid her down in the bed of the truck and pulled a sleeping bag over both of them. He held her desperately, needing the confirmation that she was still alive and real. He didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, nor did he care, as long as this woman was with him. He could feel her shaking against his chest.

  “It’s okay sweetie, let it out. I’m here. You’re an amazing woman. I’m so sorry for John, Mary, and Todd. We’ll be all right, I promise. Just let it out. No one’s here but me; you’re safe. I love you so much.” He whispered and stroked her back while she wept.

  Matt held her tighter as she cried, mourning the parents they had both treasured. He remembered the day Sarah had shown up at the house. She was torn, battered, and still bleeding from the latest beating she’d endured. As she stood in the doorway, guarded, but with a steely strength in her stature, he recognized in her something he needed. He hadn’t thought anyone’s childhood could have been worse than his, but one glimpse at her broken body, and he knew she had suffered immeasurably more than even he could imagine. He had seen her before. He was a few years older than her, and was the one who’d told her about John and Mary. He’d seen her in school with black eyes, cuts, and the occasional broken bones and had befriended her. They had become close, and she had always clung to him, needing him in ways that neither one of them fully understood.

  Mary had answered the door that day. Sarah stood on the threshold, blood dripping from a gash on her head, arm hanging limp at her side, and her clothes ripped so badly they barely covered her thin, preteen frame. She glared at Mary, silently begging for salvation, or an excuse to end it all. Without a word Mary stood to the side of the door, inviting Sarah into their family. Matt stayed up that night outside of John and Mary’s room, listening as Mary wept. How she’d known that she couldn’t break down and show sympathy or pity to the thin, broken girl they’d adopted, Matt would never know. Mary had always been the one that thought to comfort others with hugs, talking, and tears. It still amazed him that she had been able to wait for Sarah to open up.

  Mary had had her hands full with Sarah. She’d barely said one word for months, cringing at every movement from either Mary or John. She was content to skulk about the house completing chores silently. Matt remembered a specific moment, when Sarah brought home an assignment from school that she’d received a “B” on. Sarah had always had high grades in the past, and Matt would never forget the fear in her eyes that day. She was visibly pale and shaking. Mary took it, asked Sarah if she had done her best. At Sarah’s meek nod, Mary congratulated her on such good work.
That was the day Sarah’s walls started to break.

  The next night at dinner she had smiled at a joke John made and Matt knew that he was officially lost to her. From then on she began slowly opening up to people. She laughed and played for the first time in her life. She had finally found happiness, freedom, and love: a home. Now John and Mary were gone and Sarah and Matt were alone in the world.

  They clung to one another long into the night, both falling into a gentle doze. Sarah’s stomach rumbled, waking them both and causing him to chuckle softly.

  “Let’s get something to eat. Let me guess, you haven’t eaten since breakfast?” She shook her head, and stretched out her muscles as they got up to eat. There wasn’t much in the way of options. Matt opened a can of beans and they warmed it over the fire. Having something in their stomachs helped. They felt more at ease and relaxed than they had the whole day. They cuddled in the back of the truck, listening to the cackle of the campfire. The peace that had finally entered their broken hearts lulled their bodies into a deep sleep.

  SARAH

  Sarah sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and saw Matt finishing packing the few supplies that weren’t already in the bed of the truck.

  “Why didn’t you wake me? I could have helped you,” she said, knowing he would never wake her up. She’d been plagued by nightmares from a young age, and they often disrupted her sleep. Truth be told, she’d had nightmares all through the night. Visions of Mary being eaten had consumed her thoughts. She forced the images from her head, knowing she would see them again all too soon in her dreams, and concentrated on the present.

  “You just looked too cute to wake, besides I didn’t want to rush today. We have to find a safer place to stay. Somewhere more permanent. This place is too open, and with both of us asleep we would never hear a zombie approach.”

  “Now that’s just a lie. You can hear an ant crawl across the ground in the dead of sleep. We’d never be caught unaware. It’s one of the things I love about you.” She smiled easily at him, wanting to prolong this moment. She knew they were going to have a long and difficult day ahead of them. “Do you remember the house on the river, east of town? The one that was almost hidden by the trees?” she asked. She had been thinking about it when she woke up. It was easily defensible as it was located on a flat terrain with a steep mountain poking up behind the house, and a river rolling past the front. If she remembered correctly, it had a farm already set up, with the horse corral abutting the large pond that forked off of the river on the eastern side of the house. The only side that they had to worry about was the west. She figured that could be easily contained with fencing. She’d always loved that house. It was the ideal place to live for her, secluded, the ability to be self-sustaining. No matter how hard Mary had tried, Sarah just could not get comfortable around other people.

  “The yellow one that you showed me last fall? Sure, I remember it. We’ll go and check it out today and see if the people living there would be willing to shelter us. We also might need supplies to help them fix it up, and I think we need to stock up on some weapons.” It was impossible for him to contain the thrill of excitement at the thought of the weaponry he’d be able to obtain. If ever there was a silver lining to the zombies, Sarah knew this was it for Matt. He was a closet gun collector; the bigger the gun, the happier he was. He knew he could leave the dwelling in Sarah’s capable hands as she’d always searched out a place where she’d be safe and self-sufficient. She hated depending on anyone for anything.

  She sighed, knowing she’d lost him temporarily to the visions of bazookas, shotguns, and other weaponry. She knew that he tried to hide his obsession from her; he understood her apprehension to using guns. She knew it was something she’d have to get used to, now more than ever a necessary evil. As they jumped into the truck, she inwardly groaned with the knowledge that he was going to take her to his favorite store. She called it the Man’s Toy-Store, refusing to call it by its actual name. It tried to appeal to the family, with the large Ferris wheel centering the store, flanked by two of the largest fish tanks she’d ever seen. It truly was an interesting store, but she’d never had the desire for camping, sports, or hunting that Matt did. She enjoyed their weekend excursions, but was always happy and relieved to be back in her warm bed.

  She had the .38 Special in its holster against her right hip, with an extra magazine attached to her belt on the left hip. She wasn’t sure what to expect at the huge store, but she knew that she was perfectly capable of accurately firing the weapon.

  Matt had been insistent that Sarah learn how to defend herself. So from the age of twelve he’d taught her how to shoot. They would go to the range every weekend, until they were older and started camping. Then Matt would take her out to hike into the Nevada wilderness. They would set up obstacles and run a course with their weapon of choice. She still wasn’t completely certain she could kill something that was once human, but it was something she’d have to find out all too soon.

  Sarah began making a list of everything they might need to survive temporarily on their own. She knew Matt would be gathering the guns and ammo, while she would head on over to the camping equipment to gather everything they might need, from water purifiers to battery-powered lights. She was certain the house she knew of would be perfect for them; she just wasn’t sure they would be welcome.

  Once everything was packed away, and the fire was completely stomped out, they began the long trip back into town. As they approached, Sarah began to get shivers.

  “I can’t believe we haven’t seen anyone yet,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  The town was quieter than they’d ever seen it. At first they passed a few abandoned cars by the side of the road. The closer they got into the town, the more chaos they encountered. Sarah noticed what she thought was an intense amount of road kill. When she looked closer, the blood drained from her face and she had to turn away from the window. Smeared along the road were the dead. More and more of them the further they went. Sarah pressed her face against the cold glass to collect herself.

  “I-I didn’t expect it to spread so fast. There have got to be more survivors. They’re probably just in hiding,” Matt said, doubt lacing his words.

  They pulled up to the store and Matt didn’t bother parking, just left the truck under the awning in front of the broken glass doors. She stepped gingerly out of the truck, hand hovering over the butt of her gun, heart pounding erratically in her chest. She was thankful that there didn’t seem to be any bodies here. The silence was unnerving, though.

  “Don’t shoot unless you’re certain they’re a zombie. There may be more survivors. I’m going to get the guns and ammo, you stock up on whatever else you think we’ll need for the week. Just remember everything we get has to fit in the truck so don’t go too crazy today. We’ll come back as soon as we know whether the house is a viable option.” He kissed her and walked toward the gun section; she was grateful that he knew better than to coddle her.

  Sarah grabbed a big blue shopping bag and went to the camping section. Her eyes darted first to one corner, then another. Her stomach was twisting and her palms were sweating. She knew better than to have the gun in her hand; she was so jumpy she was liable to shoot one of the stupid talking mannequins she’d always hated in this store. She never could understand why a sporting goods store would have a Ferris wheel and mannequins of dead presidents talking, but most of the previous shoppers thought they were fun. Her pulse finally started to slow as she walked further into the store without incident.

  Once in the camping section, Sarah grabbed as many of the dehydrated meals as she could, a few water purification systems, and a small shovel for bodily needs. She was at the end of the aisle, looking at the various items for lighting fires, when she heard a slight moan. She pulled the gun out of its holster and whipped around. Nothing. Pressing her back against the shelves she just listened. There was nothing, and for a moment Sarah wondered if she had imagined the noise. She peered
down the aisle, blood pounding through her head. Still nothing.

  A drop of moisture rolled down her cheek, and Sarah brushed it away. She was being too jumpy. She was about to holster the gun again when another drop rolled down the side of her neck. This time when she brushed it away, her hand came away red. Alarm slammed through her as she realized that she hadn’t imagined the noise; she just hadn’t been looking in the right place.

  She had failed to look up.

  It was a cliché mistake; she knew it was typical of every creature, although she yelled constantly at the stupid people in the movies for making the same error and being killed. She silently vowed that if she survived after making this mistake, she’d never make it again. She angled the gun up, knowing that she was going to have to look in order to aim properly. Raising her head, she found herself gazing into the glazed eyes of a crazed zombie. It was closer than she’d thought, showing restraint she didn’t know they could possess. Its pale lips drew back into a gruesome smile, revealing teeth covered with brains, organs, and bits of hair from its last victim. She swallowed a bit of bile as another drop of bloody drool dripped onto her face. She looked straight into the glazed eyes of the zombie and shot.

  MATT

  Matt made it to the gun section without encountering any other person—zombie or otherwise—with a sense of disappointment. With all the adrenaline racing through his system, he had actually been hoping for some type of action today, thinking that at a store this large, he was sure to encounter at least a few zombies. He’d been preparing for this for years, both as a prepper and as a gamer. His fingers itched to put his skills to the test.