Hamsikker 2

by Russ Watts

  “Freya, come here, honey,” said Erik.

  “It’s okay, I’ve got her.” Rose smiled. “I’ll look after her for you.”

  “Thanks. You be good, Freya. I just need to help Uncle Hamsikker, but I’m right here. You let me know if you want anything.” Erik ruffled his daughter’s curly hair, and felt bad about leaving her with Mara, but he knew he was going to be needed, and carrying Freya was going to slow him down. They weren’t out of the woods yet.

  “I think I see Quinn,” said Javier pointing west.

  “What the hell is she doing way over there?” asked Mrs. Danick.

  “My guess is she got stuck. She must’ve drawn the zombies away enough to give us time to get out of the hotel but then not been able to swing around to pick us up. You can see how many there are.”

  Jonas looked at the dead below them. Hundreds of them filled the immediate road, and it looked like a wild party was going on. They jostled and pushed each other, all trying to get to the van. None had worked out how to climb up, of course, so for the moment, Jonas knew they were safe. He peered at the van in the distance. It was Quinn all right.

  “She’s probably had to drive halfway across town to find a way back to us.” Jonas tried to work out her route. There was a major artery running southwest along the edge of town that looked clear. From there, a smaller road would lead Quinn right to them. It would also lead her right into the masses of dead walking the streets.

  “That way. Look, see where she’s heading? We need to get over the other side of the street where it’s clearer. If we can do it quietly without attracting their attention, we could make it.”

  “Could,” said Javier. “Could.”

  “I don’t see any other option.” Erik looked at Freya. He had to get her out of here. He looked at the roof they stood on. It was flat, but veered upward as it reached the center of the store. “Here’s what we do. We use the roofs to get around. If we stay quiet, they won’t be able to tell what we’re doing. I figure we’re only around the corner from the hotel, right? So over the other side of this building there’s what, another one or two buildings before we reach the hotel? We can do this. We’re not going to find any zombies up here.”

  “Quinn will be here soon. We should go.” Jonas looked at Mrs. Danick who was nodding in agreement.

  “I can do that,” she said. “Just promise me you’ll give me a foot rub later,” she said winking at Erik.

  “We get out of this, I’ll rub whatever you want,” said Erik.

  “Gabe? Mara? You with us?” Jonas had to ask. They had said little. Mara was cooing over Freya, whispering in her ear and stroking her cheeks. Gabe was just looking at the swarming dead below them.

  “Yeah, we’re with you,” said Javier. For now, he thought. He needed that van Quinn was driving. There was no other way out of town, so they were going to have to stick together just a little longer.

  “Right then. Follow my lead. Be quiet.” Jonas picked up his axe, and Erik took Freya back from Mara. They then set off up the roof carefully.

  Jonas scrambled up the incline as fast as he dared. He didn’t want to slip, fall down, and break a leg. The flat aspect of the roof was asphalt, but the incline was tiled, and it was difficult to grip without the tiles coming loose. In places, they were covered with dry moss that crumbled away in his hands. Soon he was at the apex, and he held out a hand for Erik who was immediately behind him. He helped Erik over, and watched him slide down the other side with Freya hanging onto his back. The roof ended abruptly, but the building was buttressed up against the next one, and the alley that split the buildings was no more than three or four feet across.

  Jonas helped the others over and noticed that Mara refused to make eye contact with him. Was she still annoyed that he had rejected her back at the hotel?

  As Javier climbed over the summit of the roof, he sat astride the tiles and looked at Hamsikker. “You’d better be right about this. If Quinn abandons us…”

  “She won’t.” Jonas was tired of defending her. He was tired of justifying everything to Gabe. “Back in the van - when you said we needed a diversion - what did you mean? You weren’t going to help me pull the door closed were you? You were going to push it open.”

  Javier smiled, said nothing, and slid off the roof after Mara.

  “Dick,” muttered Jonas, and he joined them at the edge of the building.

  Erik and Freya were already across, and Mara jumped over next.

  “This isn’t over,” Jonas said to Gabe as he looked at the alley below. “We need to talk.”

  “Sure thing. You know me. I’m all sweetness and light.” Javier jumped across the void, leaving Jonas to bring up the rear.

  The next roof was flat too, populated by an air conditioning unit and more skylights. Jonas couldn’t help but look down as they passed, and he realized they must be walking across the roof of a café. Inside were tables and chairs. A figure flitted across his vision, running somewhere inside, but he wasn’t interested in looking too closely. Their footsteps on the rooftop would probably make a lot of noise to any zombie still trapped inside.

  As they neared the edge of the building, Jonas could see the hotel in front of them blocking out the sunlight like some monument to a false God. It was only four stories high, and they were coming out at the side of it near the car park. He could hear Quinn getting closer. The engine noise was faint but unmistakable. Erik was looking down at the yard beneath them.

  “It’s a long drop, Hamsikker.” Erik could tell it was too far to jump. It had to be twenty feet up, and the concrete ground was far from welcoming.

  “We could use that to get down,” said Rose.

  Jonas saw what she was looking at. Around the corner of the café was a delivery truck. It was close enough that they could drop onto the hood and get down safely.

  “Smart,” muttered Jonas. “Everyone follow Mara. Get moving.”

  One by one they dropped silently onto the truck and then to the ground. Jonas helped Freya down into Erik’s waiting hands. As he passed the downstairs window, Jonas thought he sensed movement again from inside the café. There was a net curtain hanging over the small window, yellowing and stained from being exposed to the sun over the years, and it moved faintly.

  “Leave it,” said Mrs. Danick. “I saw it too. Whoever’s in there is long gone.”

  They ran to the front of the hotel and were relieved to find the street clear. The zombie horde had followed them right around the corner, and left the street in front of the hotel clear. Suddenly Quinn came around the corner, the tires screeching as she raced up to them.

  “Finally,” said Javier. He fingered the gun that lay quietly waiting by his waist.

  As he watched Quinn come to a halt in front of them, Jonas thought he heard a cry and turned back to the café. He couldn’t see anyone, but he swore it sounded like a voice. It almost sounded like someone asking for help, but he was sure he was mistaking it for something else, perhaps a door swinging shut or an animal cornered by the dead, whimpering for its life. The hotel loomed ominously over them, and he remembered that Terry was inside. There was no way they could help him now, and as much as Jonas wished he could afford to give him a decent burial, it was just too hard. It would only be a few seconds until the dead heard the engine noise and found them again.

  “Oh my God, are you okay? We tried to turn back for you, but the streets were too thick with them.” Quinn jumped out of the van, leaving the engine running. “We had to circle around the whole damn town.” She opened the van’s side door and helped Mrs. Danick inside.

  Dakota and Pippa jumped out of the van, too, and ran up to their respective husbands.

  Jonas saw Pippa embrace both Erik and Freya. They were a true family, united by not just grief for Peter, but a love that he barely knew. He loved Dakota more than anything, but it felt sometimes as if something was missing. Maybe the baby would change all that and bring them closer.

  Dakota held him tightly. “I was
so worried. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. It was getting hairy back there, but we got through it together.”

  “Jonas, where’s Terry?” Quinn watched as Erik, Pippa and Freya clambered into the back of the van, and only then did she realize they were one short.

  Jonas simply shook his head.

  “Oh honey.” Dakota held him tight again. “When will it end? I want to get to Janey’s too. I just want to get somewhere safe,” she said.

  “I know.” Jonas whispered and held Dakota close. He could hear the dead coming, smell them, but he wanted that moment to last. He never wanted to let her go. She was his everything. Despite their bickering and their differences, she had always stuck by him.

  “I’ll give him kudos for one thing, he put up a good fight,” said Javier as he ushered Rose into the passenger seat.

  “What’s that?” asked Quinn.

  “Oh, I was just talking about Terry. Those two zombies made short work of him. Probably still chowing down on his bony ass right now, but he put up a good fight. I watched him, but I wasn’t about to waste a bullet on him.”

  Quinn looked at Gabe with her mouth open. She was about to tell him to get in the back, when she stopped. It almost sounded like he was proud of it, proud that he had seen Terry die.

  “What?” Jonas told Dakota to get in the van. “Gabe, I don’t think we need to hear this. Terry was a good man. He’s been with us a long time, so show the man a little respect, will you?”

  Javier began to walk around to the driver’s seat.

  “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” Quinn followed him. “I’m driving. I’m perfectly capable. Get in the back.”

  “I’m driving from now on. In fact, I’m doing the driving, the decision-making, and whatever else needs to be done from here on in. So you get in the back. You’re not Rosa Parks, so hush down, and sit in the back like a good little woman.”

  “Hamsikker, are you hearing this?” Quinn was furious, and she looked at Jonas for support.

  Jonas could see the dead coming now. They had discovered that their prey had given them the slip, but the noise of the engine had brought them right back. He walked up to Gabe who was standing beside the open driver’s door.

  “Gabe, you started pulling this shit back there, but it’s time to stop. Quinn is a better driver than any of us. I don’t know what goes through your head sometimes. Come on, just get in back, and…”

  “Please.”

  “Say what?” Jonas could see that Gabe was enjoying this. It was as if he wanted to fight. Jonas held his axe down by his leg, making sure he kept it there. If he got riled up he was liable to take off Gabe’s head.

  “Please. It was the last thing Terry said before I let him die. He pleaded with me for help, but really, why would I waste my time saving an old man?” Javier took a step toward Hamsikker so they were almost nose-to-nose. Their eyes were locked together, and Javier could smell the stale sweat on Hamsikker.

  “Gabe, this isn’t going to work out. I’ve tried, we all have, and I really hoped we could make a go of it. When I think back to Saint Paul’s and how you helped me, well, we’re forever in your debt for that. But maybe it would be best for us to go our different ways. You and Mara seem to be coping well enough on your own, and I’m not sure hanging out with us is the best option for you right now.” Jonas thought it was worth a shot. Maybe Gabe would reason with diplomacy, see that there was no need for all this animosity.

  Javier laughed. He couldn’t help it. It sounded like Jonas was dumping his high-school sweetheart. “I’m sorry, go on.”

  “It’s just that we all have our own issues to deal with, and it feels like we’re not on the same wavelength, you know? I think we should make a break now. We’ll split up what we have. I’m not looking at taking anything that isn’t ours. I’m sure you probably feel the same way, right?”

  Javier rubbed his eyes and began laughing again. He exhaled slowly, trying to get himself under control. “Sorry, honestly, I didn’t mean to…”

  Jonas had expected a reaction from Gabe, but not laughter.

  “You see, I can see your lips moving, and you stand there looking all forlorn as if you just accidentally drove over a little puppy, but the fact of the matter is all I hear is shit pouring out of your mouth.” Javier regained his composure. “You still don’t get it, do you? You’re trying to be all sympathetic, but you don’t have to play nice anymore, Hamsikker. Those days are gone. You know what you should’ve done? Hm?”

  Jonas was taken aback. Gabe wasn’t laughing anymore. Suddenly he seemed very confident and not at all surprised at Jonas’s suggestion that they split up. “What’s that?”

  “You should’ve killed me. You should’ve fucked my girl, killed me, and taken my gun when you had the chance. Then you and your little gang would’ve been fine.”

  Jonas sensed the heat rising through his cheeks. He felt like he was being scolded. His father used to berate him like that all the time, always telling him what he should do, what he shouldn’t do, what he should’ve done. At least he only used words. Janey suffered far worse. “Listen, Gabe, before you say something you regret, why don’t you and Mara just leave. We’ll manage from here. No harm, no foul, right?”

  “Did I ever tell you about my dog, Tucker?” asked Javier. “He was a stray, but I tamed him, made him my own. I taught him everything I could about living on the street.”

  It seemed to Jonas that Gabe was trying to wind them up. Why else would he behaving like this? Maybe the hotel had gotten to him. Maybe he was just scared, and this was all an act. It was self-defense.

  “I’m sure it’s a very sweet story, but I’m really not interested.” Jonas was aware that the dead were getting closer. He could see in the mirror behind Gabe that they were advancing menacingly. Some were almost close enough to see the whites of their eyes.

  Javier smiled and slapped Jonas on the back. “Sure thing, buddy. I guess I can fill you in on what happened to Tucker later. Why don’t you hop in back with Quinn?”

  Jonas watched as Javier slid in behind the wheel, tucking the Pulaski beneath the driver’s seat. Jonas walked back around to Quinn. Her face was a mixture of shock and fury.

  “Just what the fuck is he doing? Hamsikker, I don’t like this. What was he saying about Terry? Is he for real?”

  “I know, I know. I think he’s lost it. Just get in will you? Let’s go along with it for now. I don’t know what’s eating him, but we can’t afford to hang around here discussing it any longer. Those things are getting way too close for comfort. If he wants to drive, just let him. When we’re clear of town, we’ll reassess.”

  “Hurry up, Hamsikker. I’m not waiting all day.”

  Jonas heard Gabe’s order and bristled. The man had truly lost it. Jonas helped Quinn in and jumped in alongside her. The van backed up to the street as Javier prepared to turn them around. The way ahead was blocked, and they were going to have to retreat from Utica the way they had come in.

  “Runners. Step on it, Gabe.” Annoyed as he was, he didn’t feel like being eaten alive, and Hamsikker saw three runners break away from the pack. They were running straight for the van.

  As the van pulled away, Jonas heard the same voice he had heard earlier, only this time much louder.

  “Stop. Wait. Please!”

  The voice was female and sounded desperate. The words came out in between harsh breaths, and Hamsikker thought he was imagining it. Everyone was inside the van, so who was it? He leant out of the still open side door, and looked back at the hotel. He saw a young woman come running out from the café next door. Long dark hair flew behind her as she ran, her face pale, and her eyes red.

  “Gabe, stop the van,” yelled Jonas. The woman had emerged from the café and was sprinting after them. As she got closer, Jonas saw her face. She was so young, no more than fifteen or sixteen, that he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. How long had she been in there, hiding away from the world?
/>   The van began to speed up, and the girl cried for help, realizing they were going to leave her behind.

  “Gabe, for fuck’s sake, slow down. We can help her,” said Erik. He was powerless to intervene, sandwiched into the back of the van beside his wife and daughter, but even he could see they had the time to stop and pick the girl up.

  “Slow down, you idiot.” Mrs. Danick reached forward and tapped Gabe on the shoulder. “Can’t you see what’s going on?”

  They began to slow, and Jonas reached out a hand. He leant out of the van as far as he could, with his other hand gripping a seatbelt so he didn’t fall.

  “Run!” shouted Jonas. “We’ll help you, but you’ve got to hurry!”

  Behind the girl were three runners, and they were closing in on her. The girl was crying now, tears pouring down her face, but Jonas could see she was going to make it. She was getting closer, and he urged her on. He smiled, trying to reassure her that she would make it. He held out his hand.

  “Don’t look back. Just run. Come on, you can do it.”

  The girl reached him, and her hand briefly touched his. Her skin was cold and clammy despite the heat. Jonas could see she was in pain. The running had sapped her energy, and who knew how long she had gone without a decent meal. She must’ve been locked away in that café for months, living on whatever she could scrape together.

  “That’s it. I’ve got you.” Jonas leant out and grabbed the girl’s hand. Her dark hair stuck to her face that was covered in sweat. The burning sun had all but drained every last ounce of her energy, and Jonas urged her on. Just one final push, and he could get her in. The runners were close now, right on their tail, and he could see them snapping at the girl’s heels, their arms trying to grab her.

  “Jump!”

  Jonas grabbed the girl’s arm as she leapt into the van. At that precise moment, Javier put his foot on the accelerator. He had been watching them in the mirror, keeping a close eye on how the girl was getting on. Jonas was doing all he could, but it would never be enough. Javier stepped on the gas, and just as the girl put a foot inside the van, it lurched forward sending her tumbling backwards.