by L. T. Ryan
The sensation left her in a slight trance.
The door at the other end of the hall thumped open. A set of heavy footsteps approached. They grew louder by the second.
Is it time?
Addison had lost all sense of day and night down in the hole. The only thing that helped her keep track was the random openings of the light tube above her cell. It had been hours since her last glimpse of light. Perhaps that meant it was later than she figured.
A man stopped in front of their cell. He shined his flashlight on them. Addison’s hand instinctively rose to shield her eyes. The guy coughed. The beam of light bounced around the cell like a hyper orb.
“Which of you are Emma and Barbara?” the guy asked.
Addison watched in confusion as the other two raised their hands.
“Get up,” the guy said.
“What about me?” Addison said.
“What about you?” the guy said.
“You’re here for me too, right?”
“Are you Emma or Barbara?”
Addison shook her head.
“Then fuck off.” The guy opened the cell door and gestured for the women to exit the small room.
Emma glanced at Addison, who nodded. The young woman looked confused and scared. Addison’s mind filled with worried thoughts.
What if Jenny’s plan had been discovered? What if the guy had turned on her? They were separating the women and would question them individually. What would they do to Emma?
She’s just a girl for Christ’s sake!
Addison rose and paced the cell. She grabbed the bars and yanked, hopeful that the man had left the door unlocked.
He hadn’t.
She yanked harder. The whole room looked to be hastily covered in cement. Perhaps she could rip the bars free from the floor or the ceiling. A few minutes later, she realized that was not going to happen.
Addison raised the same questions over and over. Her fear increased every minute Emma and Barbara were out there without her. What could they be doing to the women that took so long? The images that came to mind rivaled that of what she saw on TV the first morning she realized the world was going to end.
Her stomach churned to the point that she ran to the back corner of the cell and vomited. Someone let out a disgusted groan from another cell. She felt like telling them to go to hell. No point wasting the energy on them.
Addison resigned herself to the thought that whatever was going to happen would happen no matter what she did. The dark felt oppressive. She shuffled to the front of the cell, leaned against the bars and stared toward the door at the other end of the hall.
When would it open again? Would it open again?
One of the men across from her spoke. “They’re not coming back. No one comes back here.”
“Have you ever been out there? Have you ever actually seen what happens to someone when they are taken out of here?”
“Nah, nobody in here has. We’re all unfortunate souls who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Over the first couple days, this room filled up. All but your cell. At first I thought maybe they thought we was sick. But now, well, I realize why we’re down here.”
“Why?” Addison asked, watching the man instead of the door.
“We’re all outsiders. They see us as a threat. They torched my neighborhood.”
“I saw that. They found me near there.”
“These two guys are brothers, my neighbors. Their parents were shot. The men thought they were sick, I guess. After I heard the first shot, I spotted these two out back of their house. I got them to come over. We saw men with rifles exit their home. That’s when we took off. Mistake we made was heading toward the main road. They had it all blocked off. Fortunately, they didn’t shoot.” He glanced up, then back at her. “Maybe I should say unfortunately, given our current circumstances.”
“The whole world is full of ‘unfortunately’ right now,” Addison said.
The guy grunted.
“How many people have been taken out of here?” she asked.
“Four or five, I suppose.”
“And no idea what happened?”
“They didn’t come back and no one from out there tells us shit. Anyway, they told us they monitor down here, and I’ve said too much already. So, Miss, have a good night.” The guy slinked into the shadows of his cell.
Addison watched the dark space across from her for a few moments. Her ears hummed in the silence. The noise seemed to be present anytime it was quiet. She first noticed it shortly after shooting her roommate Carla.
Her gaze shifted back to the other end of the hall. She counted the seconds as they passed. Either the door would open, or she’d fall asleep. She cared less which it was with every second that passed. Finally, her heavy eyelids fell and sleep won out.
Sometime later, she awoke to someone whispering her name. Addison’s eyes fluttered open. She saw the dark outline of a person on the other side of the bars.
“Are you Addison?” he whispered.
“Yes,” she whispered back.
“Jenny sent me. Are you ready to go?”
“Who are you? Why’s it so dark in here?”
“Never mind that. Are you prepared to do this? You understand the risks, right?”
“If I die out there, so be it. I’m already a dead woman in this filthy hole.”
The guy slid a key into the cell door and pulled it open. She saw the outline of his hand in front of her.
“Take it,” he said.
She did. He pulled her out of the cell and down the hallway. Her bare feet slid along the floor. The guy whispered a count of his steps. They stopped while he opened the door that led outside. He pulled it toward him and shoved her through the opening. A cool breeze blew past her. The air felt damp. She caught the scent of seared animal flesh. Her mouth watered and her stomach ached.
They climbed the stairs to ground level. She stopped at the top and looked up. The moon hid behind a veil of silvery clouds. They raced by in a hurry. A large halo extended around the orb. Though muted, it provided enough light that she could see the ground a couple feet in any direction. Beyond that, trees stood out like dark immobile figures.
It’s a good night to escape. Or to die.
“Quickly,” the guy said. “We only have a few minutes to get out of camp.”
She took his hand. They walked away from the cell. Away from the camp. Toward freedom.
Forty-Four
Emma hadn’t left Sean’s side since the moment she entered the house. She ran straight to him, almost knocking him to the floor. They had held onto each other for dear life for close to two minutes. Sean had kept his eyes on Phil and Ralph and Derrick the entire time. None of the men made a move to take him down. Marley went from person to person, excited and looking for a friendly scratch. Sean had let go of Emma and reached for Barbara. The woman had thrown her arms around him and let go of herself, crying hard against his shoulder. Her tears seeped through his shirt and felt cold against his skin. She settled down and went with Emma to the other side of the room.
Ralph left to secure an ATV for them. During that time, Phil reviewed a detailed topographical map of the area with Sean. The man also provided him with a GPS unit. Sean was leery of the device, unsure whether or not Phil would have a way to track him through it. It might be useful in a pinch, so he accepted it, figuring he’d wait until morning to assess his location. Then he could determine his heading to Charleston.
A light washed over the front of the house and penetrated the single window above the table. Sean leaned back. A moment later, he heard the ATV pull up.
“That’s your ride,” Phil said. “Again, Sean, you are welcome to stay here. We could use a man like you.”
“Then why not force me to stay?”
“You survived that hell hole in Nigeria. Who am I to force another upon you?”
Sean looked toward the window. “One man’s hell hole is another’s paradise. Right?”
/> Phil nodded. They both rose and went to the door.
“I’m sorry,” Derrick said.
“For what?” Sean said.
“Selling you out back there, outside of camp.”
Sean shook his head. “We all do what we think we need to do.”
Derrick nodded, turned, and went to the back of the house.
A tingle ran up Sean’s spine. It had been a long time since he’d felt that sensation. Something was off. “Phil, you go out in front of me.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Em, wait there until I signal for you. You too, Barb.”
“We’re not setting you up, Sean,” Phil said.
Sean pointed his MP7 in the man’s direction. “Go first.”
Phil pushed the door open. Cool air blew past the man and coated Sean. His sweat-soaked clothing chilled. He nudged Phil through the doorway, and followed him out. The dog ran past both of them.
“Stop,” Sean said. “Ralph, present yourself.”
“I’m right here,” Ralph said, stepping in front of the ATV.
“Anyone else out there?” Sean called out.
His words were met with silence.
“Sean,” Phil said. “There’s no one out here.”
“It’s your life on the line.” Sean took a step back, stuck his free hand inside and gestured for Emma and Barbara to come out. The floor vibrated under his feet as they approached.
“Stay right behind us,” he said. “Phil, down the stairs and head to the vehicle.”
Phil let out a heavy sigh and moved toward the stairs. He led them to the sage green ATV. “That’s one of our best, Sean. It’s a Ranger. Two bench seats, roll bars, nice suspension, cargo bed in the back. There’s three twenty-gallon steel containers with diesel in them. This vehicle has been modified so you’ll get over twenty miles to the gallon. That’s a good bit of distance so long as you don’t get her stolen.”
“Emma, go sit up front,” Sean said. “Barb, you take the wheel for now.”
“What?” Barbara said. “Sean, I don’t want to drive this thing.”
“Just do it, Barb. It’s only for a few minutes.”
Emma and Barbara sat down in front. Marley climbed over Emma and took a seat in between them.
“I’m guessing you’ll want me in the back with you?” Phil said.
Sean nodded. “Only for—”
“A few minutes. I got it.” Phil pointed toward the ATV’s cargo area. “You’ve got a tent in there, first aid kit, a good one by the way, some MREs, water, so forth. It’s all back there. Now I want you to look at those roll bars. We’ve got mounts on there. You can line four rifles up and have north, south, east and west coverage. Secured to the bottom of that cargo bed, you’ll find four M4s. Some of the so forth I mentioned in the cargo bed is ammunition. This thing’s a beast, Sean. It’ll get you through most anything. But it’s wide, so keep that in mind while you’re driving. Would be a shame to get it stuck.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Now slide in.”
Phil sat down on the rear seat and slid to the other side.
“Start it up, Barb.” Sean turned to Ralph. “Back it up, man.” He sat down next to Phil. He held his MP7 up high enough to be visible to anyone who might follow them.
Barb pulled away from camp, weaving through the trees. Sean reached forward and grabbed her shoulder. She slowed the ATV down, and cut the engine.
“Sorry to have dragged you all the way out here, Phil,” Sean said.
“I’d have done the same,” Phil said.
“You won’t have any trouble getting back, will you?”
“I know these woods like the back of my hand. I’ll be fine.”
Sean stepped out of the ATV. “Get going then.”
Phil slid across. He stopped in front of Sean and extended his hand. Sean took it.
“Thank you for that information about my brother. That answers a lot of questions.”
Sean nodded. He watched the man disappear into the darkness. After a few minutes, he turned to Barbara. “Go ahead and slide over. I’ll drive now.”
“Thank God,” she said.
Sean sat behind the wheel and reached for the ignition.
“What’s that?” Emma asked.
“What?” Sean said.
“You hear that crying?”
Sean leaned forward. He turned his head to the left and then the right. He picked up the faint sound of a woman weeping and pleading.
Forty-Five
Addison cradled Jenny in her arms. Blood covered the unconscious woman’s face. She looked up at the man hovering over her. The pale, filtered moonlight cast shadows over his face. His teeth shone as if under a black light as his lips curled back.
“You ready?” he said.
“No,” she pleaded. “Let us go. Why are you doing this?”
He took a step back and kicked dirt and leaves at her and Jenny. “No one gets out of here. On top of that, she’s grown into a pest. Won’t leave me alone. Her daddy hates her. He ain’t gonna miss her being gone from here. Ain’t no one gonna.”
“She trusted you,” Addison said through her tears.
“And you trusted her.” He spat over her head. “Guess you’re both dumb bitches.”
Anger scratched its way through Addison’s core. Her muscles tightened. She clenched her fist. She glared at the guy.
He laughed at her, then said, “Stomach or face?”
She let Jenny slowly slide off her thighs, freeing her arms.
“Come on now,” the guy said. “You gotta pick or it’ll be hitter’s choice.”
Addison exploded upward, driving her fist into the flesh under his chin, and her knee into his groin. Both struck at the same time. The guy let out a loud exhale and bowed forward. She struck again with her knee, this time hitting him in the face. He stumbled to the ground. She turned around and attempted to pull Jenny to her feet. The woman moaned.
“Come on, Jenny,” Addison said. “We need to go.”
“I’m gonna kill you,” the guy said.
By the time Addison turned around, he had a hold of her ankle. With a yank, he dropped her to her knees. He shoved her in the back, sending her face first to the forest floor. Twigs poked at her face and neck. She felt blood stream down her cheek. The guy crawled up her back, punching as he went. She kept her muscles tight, but found it difficult to maintain. Each blow felt harder than the last.
The guy jerked at her shirt and turned her over. Her hips stopped halfway. He sat down on top of them, pinning her to the ground. He lifted his right arm and brought it down into her stomach. Every drop of air rushed out of her body. She struggled to stay focused on him. Fireworks exploded in front of her eyes. He lifted his arm again. She swung wildly and caught him on his shoulder and his chest. It had little effect.
“I’m gonna hit you until you die.” He twisted his body back to the right, jerked forward and swung his hand over in a high arc.
Addison heard three quick pops. They came from behind. The man straddling her froze and then fell to the side. Blood leaked out of three holes in his forehead. She pushed his leg off hers and rolled away from the body.
Jenny rolled over on her side. Her eyes rolled back in her head. She smacked her lips together a couple times, groaning as she did so. “What the hell just happened?”
“I’m not sure,” Addison said, trying to hide the fear that though they’d gotten rid of one menace, another one lurked.
And this one had a gun.
Sean moved forward, using the trees for cover. Close enough to see that the women were now alone, he called out, “Everyone okay?”
“Yes,” one of them said, followed by the other chastising the first for speaking.
Sean stepped out from the shadows. “It’s okay, I’m not here to hurt you. My name’s Sean Ryder.”
“Are you Emma’s dad?” one of them asked.
“I am,” Sean said.
“Oh, thank God. I’m Addison and this is Jenny. Can you help us get out of her
e?”
Sean started to answer. Something caught his attention. He glanced to his right. Something shuffled in the distance.
“Shit,” he said. “We need to get going. Addison, come on. Help her up.”
“Wait,” Addison said. “Are you going to take us with you?”
“Yes. Now hurry before they get to us.”
“What? Those things?”
“The gunshots alerted them we were here. But the blood is drawing them in. And both of you are bleeding. We need to create some distance between those things and us. Now.”
“How? They’ll keep coming, won’t they?” Addison asked.
“Follow me. Stay close. If you fall, yell out.”
Sean led them through the woods to the ATV. He instructed the women to get in the back seat. They followed his orders. He called for Emma and Barbara, who had hid nearby. The pair emerged from the darkness and ran to him.
“Addison,” Emma said, releasing herself from her father’s grasp and moving toward the woman. “What happened to you? Are you okay?”
Addison nodded.
“She’s fine, Em,” Sean said. “Everyone get in. We’ve got to get out of here now.”
He waited until everyone was seated. Emma sat in back with the two women, and Barbara sat in front with Sean. Marley took the middle seat again. Sean fired up the ATV. He figured he’d stay as true to south as he could throughout the night, taking it slow and only stopping if everyone needed him to.
Sean felt guilt over not returning to the camp and warning them of the impending horde of afflicted nearby. They should be able to take care of themselves, he thought. After all, why else were they out there in the open, exposed like that? The further he drove, the less guilty he felt.
Hours passed. Somehow he managed to remain awake. He came to a familiar road and took a path through the woods that paralleled it. When the sun came up, he stopped and fired up the GPS. He was surprised to see that they were close to Danville, Virginia. He calculated that they’d completed around ten percent of the trip already.
