by Tim Moon
“Incredible,” Chadwick said in awe. His eyes were wide and he wore a mixed look of shock and respect for their struggles. “After I escaped from the triathlon, I just rushed back here and have been here ever since. What a disaster that event was, just a terrible, terrible tragedy.”
They all nodded.
“To be honest, I was curious what you guys know about this…outbreak?” Chadwick asked.
Everyone seemed to be looking at Ben. It took a moment for him to realize this. When he did, he looked around. He didn’t like being the center of attention, again, but no one else was speaking up.
“We don’t know much. Just the basics, I guess. The infected people are dangerous; attracted to noise and light, they’re slow yet persistent and the infection spreads through their bites.” Ben gulped as memories flashed through his mind. “Killing them is difficult. They only die when you destroy their brain or sever their head.”
“That’s grim.” Chadwick shook his head sadly. “Sounds like you already know everything that the news is saying. I haven’t heard anything else to add to that.” He spread his hands to show he had nothing.
“Seriously?” Anuhea asked, clearly surprised.
Chadwick nodded and gave a shrug.
“What is the government doing?” Ben asked calmly.
“From what I’ve seen on TV, they’re setting up safe places for people to go. They’re calling them Quarantine Centers, like what you said,” Chadwick said.
Charlotte and Anuhea looked at each other. Keanu coughed on his Coke. Ben frowned. They’d already seen how that was working out.
“Soldiers and police are fighting the infected. Casualties are high and it’s been difficult for them to contain. Apparently, there are a few safe havens. For Hawaii, that’s Molokai. I can’t remember most of the other locations they mentioned. My parents are in California and their nearest safe haven is in Yosemite National Park. It looks quite far. I’m not sure they will be able to make it.” Chadwick got quiet again.
“You and I are in the same boat then,” Ben said. “We’re both stuck here with our family on the West Coast.”
“This is all well and good,” Ty said. “But what are we doing here?” He pointed at the floor. “Shouldn’t we be going to Hilo now?”
Chadwick looked at him curiously.
“I wouldn’t plan on going to Hilo,” said Chadwick. He had a sheepish look on his face like he’d just insulted someone on accident.
Ty looked up. “What? Why not?”
“Hilo’s no better off than Kona from what I can tell. Loads of people have died, prisoners rioted and broke out of jail, and police have been overwhelmed. You should see the news reports, mate,” said Chadwick. “I assume you want the airport, but the FAA has shutdown airports across the US. They have even stopped airlifts here. All of America’s airspace has been ‘locked down’ and any non-military aircraft will be shot down.”
“We heard that too, but at the QC they told us that they had special permission for flights to Molokai,” said Charlotte. “They should be doing the same thing in Hilo.”
Chadwick made a face. “I’m not so sure about that. Hilo is where my friends went and none have come back. It’s a much bigger city than Kona, so it might be that many times worse.”
“We have to try the airport,” Ty said.
Chadwick looked at him with sympathy. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”
Ty made a face and folded his arms over his chest.
“It was difficult to realize that I may never see my parents again and they’re just over in California. Suddenly, it seems so far away.” Chadwick frowned. “Terrible tragedy,” he muttered to himself.
“Where’s the TV?” Ty asked Chadwick.
“The telly is in the little room behind the counter,” he said.
Charlotte looked at Anuhea. “How will I ever get home?”
Anuhea hugged Charlotte. “I don’t know.”
They crowded into the small employee room behind the sales counter to watch the news.
“This is ridiculous,” said Keanu. His big frame filled the doorway; there was no more space in the small break room. “Is there an extension cord so we can bring it out here?”
“I haven’t seen one, mate,” said Chadwick. “Then again, I haven’t really looked either.”
“Hmmm…it’s okay.”
“Geez look at that,” said Anuhea, covering her mouth.
Massive hordes like the one they’d seen at Kona’s airport were surging through the streets of New York City. News clips showed other cities around America. It looked like all the major cities were already deep sixed.
“How about overseas?” asked Ben. “We saw something before the triathlon about China.”
“Oh yeah, so some guy from the Associated Press looked at initial reports worldwide and he found an intriguing pattern,” he said. “It looks like places like China, Russia, and Middle Eastern countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, were the first ones infected.
“They say they don’t know how people were infected initially. FEMA does know that once those people were infected they spread the disease through bites. Something in the saliva transmits the disease but they haven’t identified it.”
“We’ve seen that happen,” said Ben.
Chadwick leaned forward apparently eager to hear what Ben meant.
“A guy we tried to help was bitten by an infected woman, his wife, I think,” Ben said. “Sometime during the night or early morning he turned and…and I killed him.”
“Bloody hell.”
“Literally.” Ben gave a weak smile.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you kill him?”
“With a toothbrush, it was all I had,” Ben said. He did what he had to do to protect himself and his friends. Thankfully, he had the strength to do it.
“A toothbrush?” Chadwick chuckled. “Bollocks.”
“I’m serious.” Ben shrugged. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore he just wanted to let it slip away to the back of his mind, in the shadows where it belonged. He’d come to terms with what he did, so there wasn’t much reason to dwell on it anymore.
“Ben, it looks like Seattle and Portland are under martial law. All the big cities are like that,” Ty said.
He looked…sad? Regretful? Ben wasn’t sure. He just nodded.
“Hey, have you been able to get any cell service up here?” Ty suddenly asked.
Ben checked his phone just to double check. No service. He shook his head. “Nothing.”
“You could try the phone on the counter,” Chadwick said. “Last time I checked it wasn’t working though.”
Ty grunted and shook his head.
“So, what are we going to do now? If Hilo’s as bad as Kona, how do we get back home?” Ty asked as he leaned against the wall.
“I suppose that we have to check the airport. You know, just to be sure.” Ben shrugged. “If it’s shit, then we’ll have to consider other options.”
“Like what?” Charlotte asked.
“I don’t know.” Ben shrugged again.
They continued watching the news in silence.
45
The morning sky was clear as they loaded into the Humvee. At that elevation, Ben was almost cold. Charlotte took a hoodie from the gift shop, but the rest of them managed. It would be warm soon enough.
Night watch had been uneventful and everyone rested comfortably. Oliver was still tired and quickly fell back asleep as they drove away from the Visitor’s Center.
Ben wondered what the day would hold for them. He was nervous about the challenges they would likely face. Then he remembered what Keanu had told him about focusing on small tasks. So, he focused on driving.
Anuhea sat beside him in the passenger seat and everyone else was in the back. Ty was in the back again because of his leg. Chadwick decided that he’d rather go with them than hang out alone on the mountain, especially since there was a chance they could end up somewhere better. As always,
Keanu manned the turret.
The horde of infected that they encountered the day before was gone. Bloodstains and feces were evidence of their passing. The trail led west toward Kona. They had stuck to the main road, like Ben had hoped. Bodies, a few limbs, and smeared organic matter marked the area where they had plowed through the crowd.
Charlotte pulled Oliver close and covered his eyes. They left the gore in the rearview by the time Oliver peeled her hand away from his face.
As Ben drove closer to Hilo, he noticed the cloud cover growing. Rocky terrain gave way to rolling hills of lush green. The East side of the island received most of the rain. Kona enjoyed a position in the rain shadow, hiding behind Mauna Loa, the volcanic mountain known for macadamia nuts and coffee beans.
“Take a right at the next intersection,” Keanu said.
First priority that morning was fueling up the Humvee. After they topped off the tank, they would make a beeline for Kaholo’s house. Keanu was obviously concerned about his brother, since he hadn’t shown up at the Quarantine Center, despite trying not to act too nervous or stressed out about it.
If Kaholo was as much of a badass as Keanu, Ben wouldn’t worry about him either.
Ben was almost running on fumes by the time they came to the station. He was worried they wouldn’t be able to get any fuel because most pumps were electronic and required a credit card. His wallet was still in his cargo pocket, but he doubted the machine would be able to validate his card, even if it had power.
“It’s so quiet here,” Charlotte said. Oliver had climbed in the back with Ty and laid below the slanted roof, playing with the action figure he picked up at the grocery store.
“Feels creepy,” Anuhea added.
“It is creepy. Nearly everyone is dead,” Ty said.
No one responded.
Ben pulled into the parking lot, eying the cars parked there. The lights inside the building were off. Darkness filled the store. Some nearby infected followed in their wake as they pulled in to the parking lot.
Anuhea jumped out of the Humvee when it stopped. She ran over to the closest one and smashed it in the face with the butt-stock of the rifle. It fell down while a couple of other zombies closed in. Anuhea stomped hard on its head until it stopped moving.
By this time, Keanu was out of the vehicle, smashing another one in the head. It stumbled but didn’t fall. The infected grasped the rifle while he fought to free it. After a few quick tugs, he changed tactics and kicked its knee. The leg buckled and the infected fell. He dragged it to the curb and stomped its head in.
“Stay here,” Ben said to Charlotte.
Anuhea was working on her second zombie, when Ben jumped out to help.
Ignoring Ben, Charlotte climbed out and went over to back up her friend. He turned and saw Chadwick get out, with shock on his face. Ben wondered if he’d fought off infected before. Perhaps he’d been able to escape the triathlon without too much trouble?
Ben swung his rifle like a bat, smacking one guy in the head. Another infected stepped toward him. This one Ben shoved back. The infected tripped over the curb and fell between two fuel pumps. Ben turned and hit the first guy again. The man’s black eye popped and dark fluid dribbled down his cheek. Ben kicked his leg the same way he’d seen Keanu do. The man toppled to the ground, flopping about like a fish as he tried to grasp onto Ben.
Ben jumped back and turned to face the one that fell between the pumps, but Keanu was already stomping its head in. So, he stepped forward and punted the infected man in the forehead. But the guy’s flailing arms blocked him. He kicked at the man’s arms to move them, but he kept crawling toward Ben.
Instead of continuing that pointless struggle, Ben jumped over his head and landed on his back. Bones snapped beneath him with audible cracks. Broken bones didn’t do much to the infected, a fact Ben had noticed long ago. It did cripple his movement though, which made it easier for Ben to fight back. He crouched down, used his knees to pin the guy’s shoulders in place, and brought the stock of his rifle down on the back of his head until it cracked open like a melon.
Ben was breathing hard as he stood up and looked down at himself. Grime from the infected had rubbed off onto his legs. It felt slick and sticky. The smell was horrible and ruined the effort he’d made at the Visitor’s Center to clean off in the sink.
“Goddamn gruesome business killing infected,” Ben said. He looked over at Keanu who was looking around for any stragglers. Ben gestured at the body between the pumps. “Thanks for backing me up with that one.”
“No problem, man.” Keanu scraped his shoe on the curb leaving a pile of…something…clinging to the concrete. “We survive together.”
“What do we do about these pumps though?” Ben asked, gesturing to the useless hulks between them. “Clearly there’s no power. So how do we get them to work?”
“We can check inside for tubing or if we’re lucky, we might find a siphon pump. Some of these still carry them because the farmers around here use them.” Keanu motioned for them to go into the station.
“Okay, you lead the way,” said Ben.
“We’ll keep watch out here,” Anuhea said.
“Sounds good.” Ben nodded at her and Charlotte.
The two women walked out to the corner to watch for any infected that may come up on them.
Ben followed Keanu across the parking lot to clear the gas station. They checked through the windows and didn’t see anyone so they tested the door. It was unlocked. They entered quietly, staying hunched down. Once inside, they began checking each aisle and behind the counter for any hidden threats.
Both bathrooms were clear although the men’s room had blood splashed all over the sink and mirror.
“Someone had a bad day,” said Keanu.
Moving into the stock room the stench of spoiled milk filled their noses. Ben gagged a little.
“Clear,” Ben said. “Cooler?”
“What?”
“Now we just have to check the cooler,” Ben said, leading the way.
Keanu pulled open a door and Ben stepped into the space behind the racks of drinks. It was strange to see the store from inside. Ben felt like he was spying, even though there was nothing to see. It was much darker than the already dimly lit store. Boxes were stacked up on wooden pallets against the back wall. There were dozens and dozens of drinks.
“Clear.” Ben gave him a thumbs up.
Before they exited the cooler, Ben grabbed a few energy drinks. There was nothing like a good dose of caffeine to help him through the day. He snatched a plastic bag from behind the counter for his drinks and took the loot with him. They’d taken a variety of drinks from the grocery store, but at the time he’d passed on the good stuff, choosing instead to pick responsible stuff like water, juice, and sports drinks.
Keanu looked around for a pump, but he emerged from the station without one. Instead, he was carrying a few red gas cans. Ben was putting the bag in the front. Ty sat in the back, relaxing. Oliver stared out the window at one of the bodies.
Ben stepped in front of the window to block his view. “He was a bad guy,” he said. “Now we’re safer.”
Oliver nodded and sat down. He fiddled with his action figure.
“Figured we could fill these up and keep them for an emergency,” he said. “Or we can burn some shit.”
Keanu shot him an evil grin.
Ben laughed. “I like where you’re going with that.”
Ben jogged over to Anuhea with the news.
“There’s no siphon pump, but Keanu grabbed a pair of gas cans.”
“That’s nice, but it won’t be helpful unless we can get the fuel out,” she said. “I’ll go have a look for something we can use to siphon the fuel.”
“Sure.” Ben stayed on the corner to keep lookout. He knelt next to the waist high sign that sat on the corner to lure drivers in, drivers that might never come back. Ben frowned as he thought about how long recovery might take.
Ben looked around. Not m
uch was happening. He could see in four directions, and all he saw were a lot of empty looking businesses, houses, and some abandoned cars. Looking back the way they’d driven, he thought he saw faint movement, but it was a long way off.
A noise behind him made him whip around, ready for infected, but it was Chadwick.
“Don’t sneak up like that,” said Ben with a nervous laugh, relieved that it was just the newest member of their ragtag group.
“Sorry, mate,” he said. “I just had to get out and stretch my legs.”
“No problem. It’s not very comfortable back there is it?”
“Not at all, but the options are limited.”
“Just watch the hot brass when Keanu starts shooting,” Ben said with a smirk.
Chadwick chuckled softly.
“Are you still planning to try the airport?” said Chadwick.
Ben thought for a moment.
“Right now, I’m just focusing on getting to Kaholo’s house,” he said.
“Have you ever siphoned gas before?”
Ben looked up at him. “No. You?”
“Once. I took a gap year before university and went to Australia with some friends,” said Chadwick. “We were doing a tour of the country, so we all pitched in and bought a cheap van. Anyway, we were low on gas and these pricks were parked near us at the beach just being real bastards. When they went down to the water, we left the beach, siphoned off a few liters of gas and took off.”
They both laughed.
“Maybe Keanu could use your expertise then. I’m not sure he’s done this before.”
“I’ll go see,” said Chadwick. He turned to go, then paused and looked at Ben. “Thanks for inviting me along.”
