by Zuko, Joseph
A set of sheets. Magazines. Roll of Duct tape.
“So your plan is something called “A Wrap”?” Troy did not quite get what she was talking about.
“We use the sheets and wrap them around the girls and wear them like a backpack.” Karen took a sheet and dragged it across her back to show Troy what she meant.
“Got it. And the magazines?”
“Armor.”
“Armor?”
“Try and bite through this issue of People. You can’t get through it. We put it on the girl’s backs and maybe their arms and legs. We should do our own forearms and calves too. What do you think?” Karen could hear herself talking quickly. Every second that passed made her more anxious about what was happening with her Mama and Jim.
“Sounds good to me. What do we need to do first?”
Karen found a paper cutter and she went to working cutting the magazines down the middle. That way she could put the top half of Guns and Ammo around Valerie’s bicep and the bottom half around her forearms. Then she secured it with a good strip of Duct tape.
“It’s a Halloween costume,” Karen told the confused five-year-old.
Valerie dropped her eyebrows at her Mama.
“You’re Magazine Girl.” Karen used her teeth to tear a stretch of tape off the roll. It brought a smile to the child’s face. Troy worked the same set up on Robin.
After twenty minutes of cutting, taping and manufacturing they had a good working set of armor built for the girls. The suits wouldn’t be able to stop a horde from tearing them apart, but it would stop or slow a solo biter’s attack. It would give Karen and Troy an extra second to react. Maybe it was a feeling of false protection, but it was still a good feeling. Karen took the girls to use the restroom and then she made sure that her own bladder was empty. If the wraps worked like she thought they would, taking a piss with Robin on her back in the middle of someone’s yard would be almost impossible.
They propped both girls up on a desk and put their backs to them. Troy helped wrap the thick cotton sheet around Robin’s torso and butt. Then they crisscrossed it over Karen’s chest and around her waist. Troy used two twin-sized sheets to cinch the baby down to her Mama’s back. The fabric ended in a big knot at Karen’s belly, but Robin felt as tight and secure as any hiking backpack.
Troy took off his bandoleers and held Valerie to his back as Karen duplicated the wrap on him. It was easier the second time since they had worked out the kinks on Karen. It took no time at all for Karen to get the wrap secure enough for him to pull the knot tight. Valerie was locked in on her Uncle’s back and thought it was a ton of fun.
The children had totally forgotten all about the drive to the police station and the monsters they saw on the way. Once she was attached, he put back on his bandoleers.
In no time at all they had both girls up, safe as they could, on their backs with some magazine armor for all of them. Karen lengthened the straps on her purse and the bag for Botchy so she could sling them over her neck. They double and triple checked that all of her gun magazines were loaded and reattached her holster so it sat on her left side.
Karen eyed the red medical bag, “It would be nice to take that too.”
Both of them felt incredibly weighed down. Neither could imagine carrying anymore without it feeling dangerous.
“We need another body.”
A minute later they were standing outside of Poole’s new apartment. He had finished his third game of solitaire and had begun to lay out another round.
“What did he do?” Karen asked Poole.
“Who?” The old man toyed with them.
“What did Leon do?” Troy shifted his weight to compensate for the child on his back.
“Are you guys talking about me?” Leon sat up from his midday nap. He popped up and was at the bars in no time. “It was a simple misunderstanding. That’s all. I didn’t hurt anyone.”
Karen and Troy didn’t turn to face him.
“He stole a motor vehicle.” Poole turned over a King of Hearts.
Leon talked rapid fire at them, “Total misunderstanding. A friend of mine told me I could borrow his roommate’s car. I trusted my buddy and didn’t ask the roommate. Next thing I know cops are pulling me over and telling me I committed grand theft auto. My friend forgot to tell his roommate that’s all. Total misunderstanding. I’m innocent.” Leon looked at them with puppy dog eyes, “I’m innocent I-“
“Is he violent?” Karen cut off Leon.
Poole smirked as he turned over an unexpected Ace of Spades. It reminded him of one of his favorite songs, “We have no records of him committing violent crimes.”
Karen looked to her brother. He shrugged his shoulders back at her.
“Can we please take him with us?”
“You want me to release him?” Poole finally looked up from his game.
“You want us to leave? Well, we need him.”
“Don’t I get a say in what happens to me?” Leon cleared his throat.
Karen and Poole entered into a staring contest. First to speak would lose. Poole carefully weighed the upside versus the down. Leon would become their problem. Upside. With all of the chaos he could easily lose the paperwork on the car thief. Upside. He wouldn’t have to listen to all of his bullshit whining. Upside. Poole struggled to come up with a downside to this deal. Why was he even worried about it? There wasn’t anyone left at the station that gave two shits. Poole stood up and pushed his card table to the side. He walked to the bars. He made eye contact with them and unclipped the keys from his belt.
“He’s your mess now,” Poole said as he handed the key over to Karen.
“Thank you.” Karen’s hand made contact with Poole’s as she took the keys.
“Is that a nine mil.?” Poole nodded at her gun.
“Yes.”
Poole reached over to the stack of ammo on his bed and picked up another case, “Here.”
Karen took the box of shells, “You should come with us.”
“No. I’m good.” Poole stepped back to his card game and that was it.
Karen found a little extra space in her purse for the case of ammo. They turned to face Leon.
“Hi,” he said as he gave them a big smiled and a soft wave.
“We’re backpacks.” Valerie’s head popped above Troy’s shoulder.
“Yes, you are.” Leon gave the girl a big thumbs up.
“Can we trust you?” Karen hit him with her most serious Mama voice possible.
“Lady, if you let me out of this cell I’ll be all yours,” Leon said with a smile that came off a little slimmer than he intended. Karen unlocked the cell and Troy pulled it open.
As Leon stepped free from his jail cell he gave his arms a stretch, “Darn it. That was a long weekend on a horrible mattress.”
Karen appreciated his G rated language in front of the girls, but it sounded all wrong when he spoke. Troy passed the red medical bag to Leon.
He took it by the nylon strap and slung it over his shoulder, “My care-package. Finally, I’m contributing to society again. Where are we heading then?”
“Our mother’s house. It’s across town.”
“How many miles?” Leon’s brow dropped with concern.
“About three or so,” Troy said as he readjusted the weight on his back.
“We will need a ride.” Leon mimed steering a driver’s wheel. “Officer Poole, may I be allowed to retrieve my personal belongings?”
“You won’t need them.” Poole laid down a five of diamonds.
“It sounds pretty hairy out there. Could I possibly borrow one of those firearms from you?”
“Pushing your luck.” Poole dealt himself another three cards.
“Thank you for your wonderful hospitality during my incarceration and may the solitaire gods shine down upon you,” Leon said as he did a curtsy towards Officer Poole.
“Keys.” Poole didn’t look up from his game.
Karen tossed the keys through the bars and P
oole caught them midflight.
“After you.” Leon motioned towards the offices in the other room.
“Close the holding cell door when you leave.” Poole turned the Ace of Clubs. The gods did favor him today. The group left the old man to his game. Troy let the heavy door close behind them as they reentered the office.
Leon noticed the messy state of the office, “I thought I heard some ransacking. Did either of you find scissors or a knife?”
“I’m sure there were scissors in the desks. Why?” Karen made her way to the exit.
“I need something that will cut wires and I could use a weapon. I would like to be able to protect myself.” Leon found a long set of shiny scissors at the first desk he tried. He placed his index finger through one of the loops and held the makeshift blade like he was a psycho killer and he pretended to stab an invisible victim. “That should work if they get close, but let me take a look and see if I can find anything else.”
They waited for Leon as he looked over the room. He noticed them by the front door.
“We won’t want to go that way,” he said with a smile.
“That’s the way out.” Troy had his hand on the knob.
“Yes, it is one way out. My guess is there are already some of those things out there and no cars in the parking lot.” Leon headed for the door that led to the locker room.
“That’s right.” Karen could already see why Poole didn’t put up much of a fight about letting Leon go.
“There’s a rear entrance that leads to the back lot. I’ve been at station a handful of times,” Leon said with a wink as he pushed his way through the door. After a moment the door to the locker opened a crack and Leon’s hand poked back through the opening. He gave them a come hither with his finger.
They trekked back towards the locker room. By the time they entered the locker, Leon was already waiting for them by an unmarked door on the far wall.
Leon held open the door that led to a hallway, “Come on Mama’s waiting.”
They followed him down the hall. Doors labeled ELECTRICAL and CLEANING SUPPLIES lined the hall. By the door labeled electrical there was a glass case that held a fire axe.
“Jackpot.” Leon pointed to the gunstock in Troy’s hand. “Do you mind?”
CRACK! Troy busted out the safety glass.
Leon was now the proud owner of a razor sharp axe. Its red handle matched the color of the bag slung over his shoulder. They picked up the pace as they headed for the door at the end of the hall. Leon checked through the window in the door. It was the back of the police station. A dozen cruisers faced them. Farther into the lot was an area for the officers to park their personal vehicles. An eight-foot fence topped with razor wire surrounded the entire area.
Zero infected roamed the grounds.
“Perfect.” Leon spotted something out there he liked.
“What are we doing?” Karen asked as she readied her gun.
“Stealing a car,” Leon said as he spun the scissors on his index finger and popped open the door.
Chapter 19
With Robin strapped to Karen’s back it was easier to keep up a steady jog across the police parking lot. Her right hand throbbed with every step, but it was manageable. The air outside smelled of smoke and gasoline. The street next to the station had become a flaming graveyard for fleeing vehicles. People screamed for help. The cries seemed to be coming from everywhere.
Troy kept his shotgun pulled in tight to his shoulder. He could already feel the bruise forming in his armpit and deltoid from the shots he fired earlier. As he crept across the lot he turned and pivoted to keep a watchful eye on their six.
Leon jogged with a skip in his step. He was riding high on his early release. He bolted straight for a cruiser. It was a brand new Dodge Charger decked out with a massive black push bumper on the front. Behind the bumper the front grill looked like an angry beast. The car had been recently waxed and it shined like a showroom hotrod.
“I’ve always wanted to do this.” Leon’s excitement was contagious. He settled up next to the driver’s side window.
“You’re stealing a cop car?” Karen’s words were difficult to form. The wrap and heavy jogging was squeezing the life out of her lungs.
“We are stealing a cruiser.” Leon smashed the window with his axe.
“Won’t it be harder to hotwire?” Troy kept an eye on the fence.
Leon popped open the door and used the head of the axe to scoop out the large chunks of glass, “You’d think so, right? With all the gadgets and hardware they add to these rides.” Leon unlocked the doors and Karen opened the passenger’s side.
She took a seat at an angle to keep from squishing Robin.
Leon twisted his body into the front seat and ducked his head under the wheel. The front console had the typical radio and computer you would expect to find in a cruiser.
Leon worked and pulled at the wires under the dash, “You see it’s just a standard Dodge. The police force feels the black and white paint is enough of a deterrent to ward off thieves and they are totally correct. I’d never even think to make off with one of these bad boys.” He grunted and worked as he prattled on. “There is no market for stolen cruisers and you’d stick out like a pink elephant on safari.” He used the scissors to cut a wire and strip back the plastic cover. “Here we go.” Leon rubbed the two wires together. The cruiser roared. His fingers moved quickly to clean up the mess of wires under the dash. Once it was all set he popped up into the seat. Leon ran his fingers over all of the buttons and controls, “Tell me all your secrets.” He whispered to the Dodge. He found the button that opened the back doors and pressed it.
“Climb on in partner.” Leon called to Troy. “We have not properly introduced ourselves. What are everyone’s names?”
Troy pulled the lever and opened the door to the back of the cruiser, “I’m Troy and that’s my sister, Karen.” Troy lowered himself into the back seat. It was his first time he had ever sat in the back of a cop car. It was just as unpleasant as he thought it would be. The seat was covered in a hard plastic. The windows were barred and a cage separated him from his sister, but it was better than being out in the open.
“The little ones are Valerie and Robin.” Karen reorganized her bags and set the dog bag in her lap.
“Troy and Karen. Valerie and Robin.” Leon said it out loud only to help himself memorize the names. He pulled his door closed and slid the seatbelt over his lap. “Well kids, buckle up. This is a Hemi V8 and it has three hundred and seventy horses under the hood itching to stretch their legs. We also got a beefed up suspension system and the heaviest brakes ever put on a Dodge.” Leon tapped the gas and the whole car shook. “Oh, Mama!” Leon bit at his lower lip. The engine sounded pissed off, like The Incredible Hulk was growling at them.
Troy pulled the seatbelt around him and Valerie. The belt was almost stretched to its limit to get around both of them. Troy sat sideways on the center of the bench seat. Valerie patted him on the shoulder to let him know she was okay.
Karen worked the belt over her and Robin, “Please drive safely. I’ve already been in one crash today.” She pointed to her wrist.
“Got it. I will keep my hands ten and two and exercise extreme caution with the gas pedal.” Leon found a pair of mirrored sunglasses hanging from the visor. He placed the newfound shades carefully onto his face. “Now, lets get home to Mama!” He slammed it into gear and punched the gas. White smoke poured out from the back tires as he lurched forward. Valerie let out a playful scream as they got pushed back into the seat by the g-forces.
Leon’s skills behind the wheel were quite impressive. It was clear that the man had spent a lot of time racing. The Dodge was rear wheel drive and Leon could get the beast to drift and power slide in and out of corners like it was nobody’s business.
“I feel like Bo Duke!” Leon exclaimed at the top of his lungs.
Does that make me Daisy? Thought Karen.
Was Troy Luke?
The silly thought passed as quickly as it appeared. Leon did as he promised and kept the cruiser under control. Karen never felt like he was putting their lives in danger. In fact he never even got the car past sixty miles an hour. He just got up to sixty in about six seconds.
The major streets had been blocked with wrecks and fires. The infected hordes roamed free and moved like a plague across the city. The devastation and chaos was more than they could comprehend and the chatty Leon fell silent after only a few blocks, but in those first few blocks he chewed off both their ears.
They found out that he was an only child and both parents had passed five years ago while on vacation in Hawaii. According to his story the same shark had eaten both of them. His girlfriend of ten years had recently left him for a woman that was scheduled to have a sex change operation and before she left him she made it very clear that her new “boyfriend” would have a bigger “Eiffel Tower” than he could ever afford to have a doctor build him. “Isn’t science crazy?” was how he finished that story. He had also been fired from his job at a telemarketing firm that year because he was tweeting company secrets to his legion of followers.
Karen and Troy had a difficult time telling if any of his stories were true. If they were, his life was more like a comic book than that of a normal man. They were pretty sure that the stories were based on some facts but spruced up for dramatic flare.
He was not lying, only making the stories more interesting. His rapid-fire ramblings came to a stop after they zoomed by a nightmarish scene. He had seen the gore on Sergeant Poole’s TV. It looked more like Hollywood special effects than real life disaster, but when he saw an infected child eating the face off of another human being his light and fun demeanor changed to dark and somber. The apocalyptic reality and the horrifying thought that things might never be the same again was more than he was ready to accept and a part of him wished he were back in his cell.
