by Jeff Olah
“Nothing important, just wanting to find out what the hell happened here. Where did these people come from? They look almost dead, like they shouldn’t be walking around. I ran over quite a few of them and they just got right back up.”
“They are dead.”
“What, really? That’s not even possible.”
“Yeah, I know, but some sort of super flu got out into the public or something. It seems to spread from one infected person to the next fairly quickly.”
“Super flu?” Brian said. “That’s putting it a bit mildly. It’s like those people have rabies or something. They don’t look like they even have control over themselves and what’s with the white eyes?”
The man stared out the front windshield. “Feeders.”
“What?”
“Feeders, that’s what people are calling them. Because they feed on their victims, like they did to your friends back there.”
“That’s ridiculous and don’t make me regret stopping to help you.”
Continuing down the long city block, stalled out cars were left to die in patterns that acted as unintentional road blocks, slowing their advancement to a crawl. Traveling from one side of the Boulevard to the other, Brian shook his head as he waited for a response.
“Listen, I’m sorry. I’ve had to witness every single employee of mine torn apart by those monsters back there. I’ve seen things in the last few days that defy logic and reason, not to mention the amount of death that has happened within feet of my office. This thing has changed me, maybe forever. I truly apologize; I think I may have lost whatever remained of my tact since this whole thing began.”
He didn’t really care what this man sitting next to him had been through, nor did he feel bad for him. The images of his men losing their lives were still too fresh in his mind and not something he was ready to even process. Brian had no intention of continuing with this topic and still had no idea who this was sitting in his passenger seat. “No problem. I’m sure you’ve had a hell of a time being in that building all alone just waiting for help.”
“I wasn’t waiting for help,” the man said. “I was going to kill myself. Everyone I know and everyone I’ve ever loved died back there, just over the last few days.”
“Don’t you have any family?”
“My wife, my son, and my daughter. I loved them more than anything in this world and those creatures took them from me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. I’ve cried more in the last forty-eight hours than in my entire life, although I no longer mourn for them, I’m envious. They were lucky enough to leave this world within the first few hours that morning. They were attacked by those things as they entered the building and then shot by the police minutes later. I had to watch it happen as I stepped off the elevator at exactly ten thirty-six.”
“Wow man, I really am sorry. Is there anything—”
“And on my birthday. They were here just trying to surprise me with a cake. I think I can say without a doubt that this was my worst birthday ever. Hey, at least my family didn’t have to see the rest of the world destroy itself. They got to move on, and lucky ole me, I’m still here.”
Pulling to the right side of the street, Brian shifted into park and turned to the man, who he estimated to be at least ten years his senior. “Okay, you didn’t jump, so I’m assuming you still want to live. I do too, so let’s get somewhere safe and figure out what comes next. You good with that?”
The man sitting next to him finally unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. “Why not?”
“Good,” Brian said as he checked his rearview mirror and pulled back into the street. “You know, I never got your name.”
“Before we go any farther,” the man said. “I have one request.”
“Okay?”
“This is serious and if you agree, I will always hold you to it.”
“Sure.”
“Before I give you my name, and we become lifelong friends, however long that may be, I’ll need you to promise me one thing.”
“What’s that?” Brian asked.
“If I ever get bitten by one of those things, you’ll put me out of my misery, before I turn into one of them.”
“Okay, but—”
“No, it has to be that way. I don’t ever want to become one of those things. That’s why I was going to jump. I saw no other way out and after watching what happened to your friends, I was finally ready to go. If I ever get bitten, I need you to shoot me in the head without any hesitation, no matter what. Will you do that?”
“I will.”
“Thank you,” the man said. “My name is Grant; please don’t ever make me regret not jumping.”
194
The rain had finally concluded its assault on the city and within the last few minutes the full moon had traveled to its apex in the cloudless sky. As it sent slivers of light down upon the forest floor, the two men sat in the shadows and without speaking, both knew this was the end of their earthbound friendship.
Using what little control he had over his right arm, Grant released Brian’s hand and let out a long labored breath. He was ready for his life to end and only wanted to leave this life with dignity and most importantly before he turned.
With his eyes closed, and index finger over the trigger, Brian pressed the barrel tight to his friend’s head and remembered the first time he saw this man. He remembered the first time they saved each other’s life and the first time they fought side by side to save others. Most importantly, in this moment he remembered his promise.
“See you on the other side my brother.”
Brian pulled the trigger.
Stepping through the dense tree line and down onto the two lane highway, Brian had yet to look up. Their shouts were muffled and although it was his name they called out, he was unable to hear them.
The words were there, they simply died off before filtering into his consciousness. Brian moved forward and only looked far enough ahead so as not to fall over his own two feet. As he slowly approached the two vehicles, he was grabbed and pulled toward the truck.
Rounding the bed of his pickup, the voices continued. As he saw Jack flat on his back with Randy and Dr. Lockwood tending to him, the trance was broken.
Shaking his head and turning to Mason, he asked, “What’s going on? What happened to him?”
“We don’t know. Jack was here one minute and on the pavement the next.”
“Is he breathing?”
“Yeah, his breathing is fine. I think it’s something else,” Mason said. “But he seems to be okay for the moment. Lockwood is trying to find out what caused it and if we need to continue to keep watch over him.”
“Is this because of what happened earlier tonight on the beach?”
“I have no idea.”
Brian turned and leaned into the SUV. “That was my fault you know…I was kind of showing off. Showing him what Randy and I do to the Feeders that come up onto the beach.”
Looking back in the direction Brian had just come, Mason put his hand on his shoulder. “Hey man, I’m sorry about Grant. I never really got to know him before we left. He seemed like a good guy. I just hope that you’re—”
“Yeah,” Brian said. “He was one of the good ones. A little high strung, but he was that way from the first day we met. Can’t really blame him, though. He’d already been through more than most of us within the first two days. I think he was just done with this world.”
“I agree, but why’d he go running off on his own?”
“I’m not completely sure. In the last few weeks, he became really irritated at even the smallest things. He came to me every single day with something new that was bugging him. It felt like he wanted to tell me something more, something bigger.”
“Bigger?” Mason said.
“I don’t know. I’m no psychologist, but there was definitely something going on. I just don’t know what it was, but…”
“But what?”
&
nbsp; “It’s weird, but I think he got what he wanted.”
“What was that?”
“I think he really just wanted to be with his family again.”
Leaning over the side of the pickup, Lockwood motioned for Mason and Brian to join the others. “He’s gonna be fine.”
Jack sat in the bed of the truck with his back against the cab as the color returned to his face. He smiled slightly as Brian and Mason made their way over and said, “What happened, I guess Grant was bitten?”
“Yeah,” Brian said. “Multiple times, he’s gone.”
Jack’s smile slid away as he lowered his gaze. “He wanted to go; he’s been pretty clear about that for a while. He hated this new world.”
Not wanting to continue this discussion, Brian turned to Lockwood and motioned toward Jack. “Doc, what happened? Why’s my friend sitting here and not where I left him?”
Lockwood waited as Randy moved aside and then helped Jack stand and step out of the truck bed. He watched as Jack walked back to the passenger door and said, “Basically his inner ear had taken in a tiny bit of sand. This was playing havoc on his equilibrium and causing the severe headaches. I originally thought he fainted, although it was that he simply couldn’t keep himself upright.”
“So?”
“So, there’s nothing actually to be concerned with. We were able to get most of the sand out with water, and what we didn’t his body will end up flushing out in the next few days. Just watch him and make sure he doesn’t turn green.”
Opening the passenger door, Jack turned to the others. “Very funny Doc, but what you didn’t realize is that I look great in green; it brings out my eyes.”
The others laughed for the first time in weeks, and standing in a small perfectly formed circle, they held on to the moment like they expected it to be their last.
Leaning in, Mason stared into Jack’s eyes and nodded. “Yeah, he’s right. Those things are absolutely dreamy. I can see how it could be a problem for you with the ladies. I don’t envy you one bit.”
“Alright,” Randy said. “We need to move. Sunrise isn’t far off and we still have about an hour before we get there. The city limits are up ahead, but I’d like to get to the Stern Building and set up while we can still use the cover of darkness, so how about it?”
“He’s right,” Mason said. “We shouldn’t be sitting out here anyways.” Turning to Brian he continued, “We’ll enter the city from South Street and head up Sixth Street. Once we get to the building, I’ll circle it once and then we can head in through the underground parking garage. Stay close.”
As the others piled into the SUV, Brian made his way back to the driver’s side of the truck, slid in behind the wheel, and closed the door. He waited for Jack to also close his door, before nodding toward the SUV. “I don’t trust him.”
“Who?” Jack asked.
“Mason. He’s not the man I thought he was, and this may get ugly…real fast.”
195
She slept hard and dreamed of a time just over a year earlier. A time when her life was in perfect order, a time when according to her, life couldn’t possibly get any better. The man of her dreams had finally, after weeks of dropping hints, asked her out. She’d picked up three new long-term clients and the money was beyond anything she could have imagined. She’d never again have to worry if the checks from her father would hit the account in time to keep the lights on for her and her brother. For Megan, nothing could happen that would bring her down.
That feeling lasted only three short months.
Not really snoring, although leaning into Eleanor, Megan’s rhythmic exhalation proved just loud enough to momentarily disturb the older woman’s slumber. Her wet clothes clung to every inch of her tiny frame, causing intermittent bouts of shivers as the cool night air passed over her exposed skin. Hypothermia couldn’t be far off.
Attempting to find a spot that would allow even the slightest hint of comfort, Eleanor shifted her weight every few minutes. As Megan twisted away and curled into a ball on the opposite side of the cage, she closed her eyes and shoved her hands into her pockets. She no longer cared about living, only about the pain of having to live through what was to come.
Within seconds and as the world began to fade away, her head dropped to the right and slammed into the stainless steel grating at the corner of her cage. Eleanor winced as the pain radiating from her right temple fought for attention with the taste of blood that now filled her mouth. Rubbing her head and cursing at nothing in particular, she spat into the drain and squinted as the overhead lights sparked to life.
“Megan, wake up. They’re coming back.”
The door to the main building parted. It moved slowly at first and then as the multiple voices spilled out into the yard, slammed backward and exploded against the brick backstop. Three men exited the interior and moved silently from one patch of illuminated concrete to the next. The first moved off to the right and pulled the first two women from their cage, forcing them into the building.
The second, much smaller man yelled something that neither Megan nor Eleanor were able to comprehend. He too moved quickly along the paved walkway and stopped at the next cage. He knelt down and shouted for the women to follow him. Without turning to check if his directions were being followed, he marched back to the building and stopped at the doorway. “Let’s go ladies, don’t make me ask you again. Get inside”
Gripping Eleanor’s hand, Megan held her breath as the enormous man from earlier stepped hurriedly past the open cage doors, gaining speed as he moved. Six paces before reaching their cage, he called out. “Megan, Eleanor, wake up; let’s go.”
Pushing back against the block wall at the rear of her cage, Megan turned and whispered into Eleanor’s ear. “Stay strong. Randy and the others are coming for us. They are, I can feel it.”
Waiting for the door to their cage to open, they stared at the man’s feet and flinched as he dropped a cigarette to the ground. Still lit, the unsmoked portion rolled to the drain and slowly extinguished as what was left of the evening’s rainwater passed over it.
The large man paused before leaning in and placing both hands on the cage door. “I’m tired, pissed off, and what was left of my patience ran out hours ago. If either of you do anything stupid, I promise that you’ll wish you hadn’t. Do you understand?”
No response.
“Do. You. Understand?”
“Yes,” Megan said.
Eleanor said nothing.
Pulling the door to the cage open, he said, “Okay, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” And stepping back he continued, “Now follow me inside and don't say a word. You’ll be instructed as to what we want you to do. Keep your mouth shut and do what you’re told. You cooperate and you may just end up walking out of that building on your own two feet.”
Eleanor waited as Megan crawled out first and then pulled herself through the same three foot opening she’d been tossed through yesterday. Standing and stretching the stiffness away, she coughed up a mouthful of coagulated blood and looked up at her captor.
He looked back at her and motioned toward the ground. “Well, spit it out.”
Eleanor scanned the pavement and looked back up at him.
“I don’t care where,” he said as he turned and started for the building. “Just not on me.”
Eleanor turned away and searched for one of the many drains before leaning on the edge of her cage and letting the contents of her mouth spill out onto the floor. Turning back to Megan, she gripped her hand and the pair followed the hulking man back toward the building.
Reaching the door, they shielded their eyes from the glowing overhead fluorescent lighting and squinted as they followed the man to the right corner of the room and stood with their backs to the wall.
Scanning the area, Eleanor attempted a smile as she looked over at the four women on the opposite side of the room. Their blank stare and lack of anything resembling emotion frightened her. She wasn’t yet ready to imagine any
thing more upsetting than what she and Megan had seen in the last twenty-four hours, although she suspected she would.
Eleanor surveyed the rest of the room and quickly turned to whisper into Megan’s ear.
The large man standing only feet away looked down at Eleanor, shook his head, and mouthed the word, “No.”
She paused for a moment but continued. Maintaining eye contact with her captor, Eleanor leaned to within an inch of Megan’s ear. “Where are the kids?”
Megan didn’t respond. Standing within reaching distance of the large man, she shifted her eyes without moving her head and whispered, “I don’t know.”
Other than a white plastic folding table, the room was empty. No chairs or pictures hung from the walls and not a stitch of anything that would describe who these people were.
At the opposite end of the room, not quite twenty feet from where they stood, the door to the adjacent room opened. A man roughly the same size and weight as Mason and bearing an uncanny resemblance strode into the room just ahead of the man in the wheelchair.
Rolling alongside the table, the man in the wheelchair reached into his lap and looking around the room, laid a pistol on the table. Taking a deep slow breath, he began to raise his arms. As they passed over his shoulders and reached behind his head, he began to shake violently. He finally grasped the cloth covering his mouth and nose and used what little strength he possessed to tighten the straps.
Every individual in the room, including his own men, waited and watched. The man in the chair took a moment to gather himself before reaching for his dry erase board. He began to scribble on the board situated in his lap and after more than a few minutes; he looked up, scanned the faces in the room and continued.
Eleanor could feel her blood pulsing in her closed fist as the man in the chair raised the board and held it vertically for the room to read.
