by C. Dulaney
Be fast, guys.
They were headed to the staircase. I cranked my shouting up a notch, bellowing out anything and everything that crossed my mind, and maybe a few things that should have remained unsaid.
The louder I yelled, the more irate the runners became, practically falling over one another in their haste. One by one their heads disappeared underneath the murky water. After half of the group had gone under, I picked up speed and headed out towards the middle of the river. I figured it was at least forty feet deep in that area, maybe deeper, which would keep me safe from reaching hands. As long as they couldn’t swim, I’d be as snug as a bug in a rug. At least until it was time to make a run back to shore. After the last of the runners vanished underwater, I slowed to a stop, keeping the engine running. I was panting, grinning, sweating, and shaking all over. But I was happy. They were off the wall. By my estimate, already inside the Winchester, safe.
I sank back into the boat, leaned against the cross plank, and waited. I would have smoked a cigarette, but Jonah and I had finished those up some time that afternoon. I wasn’t even entirely sure how long to wait before heading back. I knew I needed to give the swarm enough time to make it as close to the middle of the riverbed as possible. That would give me plenty of time, once I hit the shore, to run around the house and get inside. So I waited, shifting my eyes from the water, to the Winchester’s roof, and back to the water. I had never been blessed with an over-abundance of patience, though I was definitely more tolerant than Jake. That thought made me laugh. Strange, how relieved I felt, yet I was sitting in a boat, in the dark, in the middle of the river, with freaking zombies underneath me.
It was then that I heard a whistle. Jumpy as a rabbit, I jerked hard enough to rock the boat. My eyes flew to the rooftop, zeroing in on the source of the noise. From that distance, I couldn’t tell who it was, but someone was definitely on the roof, waving at me. Then another someone, and another, until there was five bodies on the roof, all waving. I took that as my signal to head back. I sat up and knelt on one knee next to the engine, one eye on the water. It was so dark and still, I realized I’d never be able to locate the zombies. Gunning the motor, I turned the boat around and headed back toward shore at full speed. The impact would probably throw me out. I knew I had to put as much distance between me and the water as I could. I glanced up at the rooftop on my way in and saw everyone had lowered themselves into shooting positions.
Least they’re covering my ass if this goes to hell, I thought just before plowing into the muddy shore. I’d been right: I flew from the boat, somersaulting and landing on my back. It was enough to almost knock the air out of me. Before I could panic, I was on my feet.
Back door, no good.
I darted toward the right corner of the house, glancing back over my shoulder just before making the turn.
No sign of the dead.
My leg muscles were really starting to balk on me, so I slowed up just a bit once I saw nothing was on my tail. The runners were still underwater. Once I reached the front of the house, I had to begin jumping and dodging the runners we had put down earlier that day. Sure, they were dead dead, but I wasn’t going to take any chances. Too many times had I happened upon a zombie I thought “dead,” only to find its jaws still snapping. Hopping and skipping like a deer, I weaved my way to the front porch in time to hear the first shrieks come from the river.
“Crap,” I wheezed, leaping up the steps two at a time.
Abby was at the front door, holding it open. I heard gunshots ring out from above. My boots thumped across the porch and I fell inside. On my back and gasping for breath, I watched Todd and Abby shut and lock the door, then secure the 2x4’s that had been leaning in the corner. I let my head fall back, my arms and legs sprawled out on the floor. I’d never be able to shoot with my heart racing.
Relax.
Steady.
“Done! Let’s go!” Abby yelled and grabbed my hand to yank me to my feet.
There was no time to worry about the assorted windows scattered throughout the first floor. I let Abby drag me up the two flights of stairs to the roof, let her lead me to a chair in the corner. A rifle had already been placed there for me, as well as several boxes of shells. I sat still for a moment, looking around at everyone and their gear. They each had plenty of ammo, and at least one rifle.
Now this is more like it.
I felt an instant stab of guilt over Nancy. I ground my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut. Once my heartbeat was even again, I turned in my seat, took a deep breath, picked up the rifle, and started throwing the lead. We had put down at least half the swarm when the first steady thump-thump’s began pounding through the air.
The damned cavalry had arrived.
Part Two:
Civil War
Chapter Six
November 19th: just before midnight
“Get down, get down!” Michael shouted before the gunmen in the helicopter opened up on the runners below.
They had all emerged from the river and were gathered in a tight group just at the base of the house. The Guard’s helicopter had flown over and dropped behind the house, where it now hovered above the river and parallel to the club. Though we were well above the kill zone, none of us felt very comfortable standing up in the open as four assault rifles fired into the runners three stories below. We quickly followed through on Michael’s order; falling flat on our bellies, hands covering our heads, hugging the roof ledge. The gunfire didn’t last long. As soon as the runners were down, the only sound left in the river valley was the steady beat of the helicopter’s blades.
“Can we get up now?” Jake asked.
He lifted his head and looked ahead and behind him, making eye contact with each of us. I noticed a few other heads popping up, though no one had actually stood up yet. Jake finally locked onto me and I just shrugged my shoulders.
“Winchester group, open your gate,” a booming voice blasted through the air.
Michael jumped to his feet immediately upon hearing that, scooping his rifle up off the graveled roof at the same time. His other hand motioned for the rest of us to get up, slowly.
“It’s Waters.”
Michael stared ahead at the helicopter and the man hanging halfway out of the side with a bullhorn. A few of us leaned over and looked down at the ground; their automatic rifles had torn the runners to shreds. I made a mental note to warn whoever ended up on clean up duty about the “snappers.” Michael waved his arm back and forth twice, I suppose signaling Waters that we had understood his order.
Frankly, I was pissed. I wasn’t the only one. Although no one was saying anything, we all had the same angry look on our faces.
Michael and John turned and walked to the opposite side of the roof, staring out over what used to be gardens and pasture before the runners had destroyed everything. There were three Humvees parked single file outside the gate. The helicopter was slowly moving up and away from the river, gliding over our heads and heading out toward the middle of the wide open expanse in front of the house.
“I got half a mind to empty my rifle into his ass,” Jake muttered next to John. We’d all joined the big man and Michael on the other side of the roof to watch the helicopter land.
“You’re not the only one,” Jonah agreed.
Bitterness, resentment, anger ─ that’s what it all boiled down to. Why hadn’t the Guard come when we first called? Why hadn’t they come when we needed them? Where were they when Nancy, Troy, and the kids were being slaughtered? We’d been busting our asses for them, thinking it meant security for when we’d need it. I think we were also angry with ourselves, for allowing ourselves to become dependent on the military. Proof of that existed in the fact that we were unprepared for an attack of this magnitude. If we’d been living at the prison, we would have been. Hell, we’d have had three or four backup plans even. At my house in the mountains, we had several backups. Not here. Here, we had become lazy. We had abandoned the Z-Plan.
“Com
e on, let’s get that gate opened.”
Michael pushed his way through us and headed back downstairs. We followed reluctantly, giving each other looks of disgust and frustration. John brought up the rear, pulling the access door closed behind him. As we tromped down the staircase, I could hear Gus barking and howling in my room. I didn’t have time to see to him yet. He’d have to wait until Waters was dealt with.
“Jonah, take Abby and Todd out to the shed and get what you need for cleanup. I’d like to have those bodies burned right away.”
We followed Michael through the first level of the club. Before he could finish, Jonah interrupted him.
“No.”
Jonah stopped, which forced me, Jake, and John to come to a hasty halt behind him. Todd and Mia were up ahead, following Michael through the large living room. They spread out quickly though, stepping away from the two once Jonah let it be known he was done taking orders.
“What?” Michael turned to face Jonah.
“You heard me.”
Jonah took a few steps toward Michael, his thumbs hooked in the pockets of his jeans. Michael’s cheeks turned a bright red.
“What the hell’s the problem, Jonah? All I did was ask you to handle the cleanup.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“We don’t have time for this shit, man. The goddamn National Guard is waiting outside.”
“I don’t care.”
Jonah wasn’t budging. The rest of us kept our mouths shut and passed our eyes over the two men. We were rooted to the spot, watching with growing horror as a full-on mutiny took place. Jonah, of all people. Jonah? He was the most laid back guy we knew.
Michael ran his hands through his hair and stared back at the cowboy with disbelief. He was speechless.
“We’re not lifting a finger. How many of our own died? I’m not burning what’s left of ‘em. None of us are. Let your precious Waters do it.”
Jonah moved closer to Michael, and I noticed the others who had been between him and Michael were shuffling their feet and repositioning themselves.
On Jonah’s side of the living room.
“We did the hard work, let them clean it up. I’m done, Michael. I’m done. Done taking orders from you and done taking orders from the fucking Guard.”
“Okay, Jonah. Okay. Let’s just…” Michael held his hands out, palms facing Jonah. “Let’s just cool off, huh? Whose side am I on, man? C’mon, you know me.”
He was trying to smile, even though we were all standing behind Jonah and there was a hard knocking coming from the front door. Michael looked torn between making up with us, and running to kiss Waters’ ass some more. I could see the only way this was going to end was in a fight, so I stepped forward and pulled Jonah back.
“Kasey,” Jake hissed behind me.
They didn’t want me to interfere, but someone needed to. It should have been John; all he’d done since coming downstairs was crack his knuckles repeatedly and cry. I had a feeling why. He and Nancy had grown very close over the summer and the three kids had started calling him “Daddy John.”
“Michael, remember the thing we argued about all summer?” I said, easing my way in between them. I kept my voice calm and easy, even though the hammering on the door had increased in intensity. I waited for Michael to reply with a nod before continuing.
“Well enough’s enough. We’re all done. You may have thought it was just a disagreement between the two of us, but it wasn’t. I know your history. I understand you feel some sort of need to fall back on old habits. But dude, you’re not in the Army anymore.” I jabbed a finger at the front door. “He’s not your superior officer, and we’re not your soldiers. I think you’ve forgotten that. Now, if you don’t tell that sonofabitch that we’ve had enough, then we will.”
I wanted to give Michael a way out of this, an option other than throwing fists at Jonah. “You rode out of here this afternoon to tell him just that. Remember that, and remember what we all talked about in the Head Room the other night. Remember that little girl outside the wall. And remember that Waters left us on our own when the shit hit the fan, and our people died because of it.”
I was starting to get choked up so I clamped my mouth shut and took a step back. I was trying to hold it in, but the enormity of the past twelve hours was settling in deep. My breath hitched and I had to turn away, no longer caring if the two men beat each other to a bloody pulp. Mia was there to wrap her arms around me, followed by Jake. The three of us stood there in a group hug, crying silently and forgetting the rest of the world. We’d lost our grandmother, our mother, our friend. We didn’t give a rat’s ass who knew it.
“Alright.” Michael’s voice was soft and broken. “Alright.” He nodded several times and wiped his own eyes before fixing Jonah and John in his glare. “You with me?”
Michael’s face had changed to stone, so angry he was. But not at us. Thankfully we had reminded him that he’d been unhappy with Waters even before all this had happened. It had only been stoked by the deaths of our own.
“We’re with you, Mike,” John replied and began striding straight for the front door. Michael and Jonah followed, with Todd close behind.
“I’m sorry for being an asshole,” Michael said quietly to Jonah while Todd and John removed the boards from the front door.
“It’s alright. Don’t let it happen again.”
Jake and Mia were still leaning on me and each other, across the living room and too far away from the front door to have any chance of stopping what happened next. To be honest, I wouldn’t have even tried.
* * *
Michael’s fist connected with Waters’ cheek before the four armed men flanking the Captain could make a move to stop it. By the time they reacted, Michael had already cold-cocked Waters again with a left hook.
“What the hell’s going on out there?!” Abby came from somewhere behind me and ran past us to the front door.
Michael pulled his right arm back again for another swing. “That’s for screwing us over!”
He’d forced Waters against the banister. The older man had not fought back or even tried to defend himself. When his men stepped in, he motioned for them to stand down. If it hadn’t been for John catching Michael’s arm on the backswing, I do believe Waters would have let Michael belt him in the mouth all night.
“Let go!” Michael struggled against John’s grip.
“That’s enough, Michael.”
“The asshole deserves more than that! Let me go!”
“I said, that’s enough.”
John twisted Michael’s arm behind him, doing a quick sidestep and putting himself between Waters and his friend. John let go of his arm and shoved back on him at the same time, forcing him to stumble into Jonah, who immediately grabbed him by the shoulders to hold him back. John held up his hands, palms out, one facing Michael and one facing Waters. After a long moment of glancing back and forth between the two men, he settled his homicidal stare on the Captain.
“I’d like nothing more than to bury a blade in your heart right now. But that isn’t me anymore. I can tell you know you deserve it, so I suppose that’s gotta be worth something.”
John’s voice was firm, yet so quiet I could barely hear him. Waters’ men were stiff and rigid, their hands tightening and relaxing around the stocks of their rifles.
Waters straightened from the banister, taking a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbing at his lips. He took a few steps closer to John, off to his side so he could look directly at Michael and the rest of us. After composing himself, he tucked the cloth back into his pocket, straightened his shoulders, and clasped his hands behind his back.
“I deserve more than that, young man. And you deserve an explanation, not an excuse.” He took a deep breath as we held ours, turned slightly to look out over the yard, and then nodded stiffly to his men. “Open that gate and let the others in. Then see to the cleanup. Set a watch, two men on the wall until this mess is taken care of.”
“Yes, si
r,” they answered, their replies mumbled and staggered. Waters watched them hurry off the porch and head towards the gate, jogging around the nose of the helicopter on their way, before turning back to us.
“We were attacked almost two nights ago, give or take. I’m sorry I can’t be more specific, most of us haven’t slept in over thirty-six hours,” Waters said.
“It started here yesterday morning.” I eased my way around Jonah, letting go of Jake’s hand and hoping like hell Mia could keep him under control if he snapped again. I stopped between John and Michael and held my eyes on the Captain’s.
Waters nodded. “Yes, ma’am. We received your S.O.S., but by that time the siege was fully underway and─” He stopped himself midsentence and dropped his head. When he raised his face again, I caught the first real sign of emotion I’d ever seen from the man.
“Well, we were too overwhelmed inside and outside the prison to reply to your message.”
He stuck his chin out and was quiet so long I was beginning to think that was all he had to say. His men had opened the gate and three Humvees were driving slowly down the driveway. Once the vehicles were inside and the gate was secured, soldiers started pouring out of them. They seemed to divide the work up amongst themselves, and went about it quickly.
“What do you mean, inside? They got inside the prison?” Michael asked. He was still angry, that was plain, though now he was also concerned for the civilians that had been living inside the prison.
“They were already inside.”
“Wait, what?” several of us asked at once.
Waters repeated himself, as if that would explain everything. I rolled my eyes and threw my hands up, then jabbed a finger at his nose.
“You better start explaining. I don’t give a good goddamn who you are or who you think you are. Our people died because of your bullshit lies.”
