by James Dean
Her mind filled with the horrors that an academy of that size must have suffered though that first day. That day when friends, teachers, and family became cannibalistic killers.
Tires screeched as she slammed on the brakes, sending the van fishtailing sideways. Sue held her breath as, for a brief second she felt the van list on two wheels. She was thrown sideways as the van slammed back onto all four wheels, coming to an abrupt halt.
She had no time to catch her breath. The dead surrounded the van, broken and jagged fingernails raking at her skin as their arms forced their way in through the open driver’s side window. She hit the window up button, but there were too many arms blocking its path.
Teeth clacked together as they bit hungrily at the air. She screamed, drawing her .38 and firing at every head she could see. Several creatures fell, but not enough to quell the tide of attackers trying to kill her.
“What did I do wrong?!” she cried out. “I didn’t stray! I did exactly what I was told!”
She fired her weapon dry, clearing enough of the undead to finally shut her window. But the creatures would only be kept at bay for a short time before they would shatter the glass and be on her. She pushed the gas, slowly lurching forward and through the throng of undead. She searched the crowd, looking for any exit she could find to get away from the ravenous horde.
Twenty feet away, on the fringes of the crowd of gnashing teeth and clawing hands were three creatures standing stark still. Their eyes were widened, as if they were actually feeling twinges of fear. Their arms shot up, their fingers pointing toward a small off ramp.
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” she shouted. Sue planted her foot on the gas, sending the van rocketing through the horde. Bones shattered as blood sprayed across the hood and windshield.
She broke free of the gathering horde, speeding down the off ramp and onto a main street heading through a small rural town. Creatures appeared in front of her, again guiding her through the small streets. The directions were fast and erratic, with some creatures clearly helping her, and others obviously moving at her with insatiable hunger.
She sped through the town, cutting left and right so fast that she lost track of where she was. Something was up, and it looked like whatever was helping her was starting to lose ground.
On a short residential road, she was directed into an open garage. She cut the wheel hard, slamming the brakes just shy of driving through the other side of the empty garage. Cutting off the engine, she leapt out of the van and with all the strength she could muster, she slammed the overhead door closed.
Sue went quiet, holding her breath for fear of the undead finding where she hid. The dead shambled outside her refuge, dragging their weather worn feet across the rough concrete driveway. Growls and angry hisses erupted from the crowd as they searched in vain for the meal that evaded them only moments before.
Sue climbed back into the van, laying down in the back and covering herself with some of the clothes she had picked up on her journey. She waited and prayed, hoping the things would soon lose interest and turn their attention towards whatever else would arouse their malfunctioning minds.
A sudden heaviness filled her, overpowering her stark terror. She fought the sleep that she knew was coming. Her eyes closed against her will, and she slipped into unconsciousness to the serenade of the dead mere feet from where she lay.
*****
“You made it,” her mom said from the other side of the table.
Sue blinked against the brilliance of the white room. The flowery scented air filled her lungs as honey tickled her tongue. She again felt the love and safety of the Light envelop her.
“Barely,” Sue exhaled “What happened? I thought I was protected as long as I followed the rules.”
Her mom sighed, her eyes cast down to the floor. She took a breath before raising her young face again to look into Sue’s eyes.
“Evil moved against you,” she said finally. “You were given a lot of help to get where you are, and that made a lot of waves. We were hoping that wouldn’t happen, but Evil is cunning.”
“You hoped?!” Sue gasped . “You mean there was a chance I wouldn’t make it here?”
“Sue,” her mom glared at her. “This is life or death for all of us. There are no guarantees right now. Yes, you could have died, but you didn’t. There’s going to be a lot of days like that in the coming months, and you’re going to have to fight through them.”
“What am I supposed to do now? Is this place where I will be living?”
“No,” Christine answered, her stern gaze softening. “But this is where you will start. When you wake up, go to the windows and watch outside.”
“What am I looking for?”
“Adrian, the Soul. He’s the reason you’re here.”
“He’s coming here?”
“Yes and no,” her mom said, a smile spreading across her youthful face. “He’s passing by. But he’s not known for passing up a chance to kill zombies. You’ll know him when you see him. He’s a big guy and hard to miss.”
“Am I actually going to meet him?”
“No!” her mom snapped. “You can’t let him know you are here. He has a decision to make soon. But it has to be his own. If he were to find out that the Light is directly working in his favor, then it may alter his choice. The future of man must be decided by man without direct involvement.”
“Isn’t the fact that I’m here directly involving God?”
“You almost died a couple hours ago, and the help that you received getting here is gone. When you leave this place, the dead will be just as dangerous as they have ever been. You will not be helped anymore.”
“What happens if I fail?” Sue asked.
“I don’t know,” Christine sighed. “No one does. I doubt even the Light knows. You are still just one piece in a very large game. Removing one piece from the game may not have any affect at all. But sometimes when one small thing that should have been done is left undone, it can change the outcome. And if you are that piece, and you die before you do that one small thing, then everything could be lost.”
“So, I could be the most important pawn in the world, or I could be the equivalent of a pizza delivery woman.”
“Something like that,” Christine said. “There’s several people here in this town that are here to help. Some know why they are here, others are completely oblivious. But there are also people here who are doing Evil’s will while believing they are working for the Light. You’ll have to be careful from here on out. If you want my advice, steer clear of everyone.”
“Ma,” Sue sighed. “Are you sure I can do this? Why was I chosen for this?”
“Who knows,” her mom replied. “But I’m glad you were. Don’t think I don’t brag about you to the others here.”
“Oh good,” Sue laughed. “Can you leave out the diaper change and bath time stories for once?”
“Not a chance,” Christine patted Sue’s hand. Mother and daughter looked at each other for a brief moment before the two broke down into howling laughter. Christine snorted as she laughed, sending Sue into a full blown giggle fit.
It felt good to laugh with her mother again. It had been many months since they had sat together, talking and laughing over stories of family old and new. Sue was suddenly filled with a sense of hope that she had not felt since the day the dead began to walk. She realized that if this Adrian did what he was supposed to do, there would never be another doubt that she would see everyone again.
“The sun will be up soon,” her mom said, wiping laughter born tears from her eyes. “You need to wake up. Once he’s gone, your first job will be to go inside the house attached to the garage you are in now. Take two boxes of the 10mm bullets and put them on a shelf in the front closet. Then leave this house. Turn right, and go about a mile. You’ll see a tiny red house with white trim. Park in that garage, and make yourself at home. There’s food and water there to last a little while.”
“How will I kno
w what to do after I leave?” Sue asked.
“Visitors. Just like I am doing right now,” Christine answered. “It could be me or Mike, or even a stranger. There’s an old guy that likes to do these things. Vietnam vet, kinda grumpy. You’ll probably meet him eventually.”
“What about …” Sue started, her voice catching in her throat.
“Danny won’t be here again,” Christine said, her voice betraying a hint of regret. “He did all he could do helping you leave your home. He’s okay, but he won’t be able to come to this room again.”
“Well then,” Sue exhaled as she stood from the table. “I better do my job. I don’t want to keep Danny waiting.”
“That’s my girl. I’ll see you soon.”
An eruption of golden haze spun around her like a whirlwind, blasting her like a gust from a summer storm. A roar filled her ears as she was swept away from her dream. The scent of flowers and taste of honey faded, replaced with stale, dusty air tinged with the vile stench of rotting flesh. However the near deafening roar never abated.
Sue’s eyes popped open as she fully awakened. Scant light of the early morning passed through the oval windows of the overhead door. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, listening to the roar of a heavy engine outside.
“Adrian?” she whispered, sitting up from underneath her clothes. Quietly she opened the van’s side door, tiptoeing her way to the overhead door. Taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, she rose up to the window and peered outside.
A huge rescue ambulance rumbled down the street, the massive plow blades attached to the front end destroying the dead in a shower of blackened blood and cracking bones. She tried to catch a glimpse of the driver as the rig drove by, but she couldn’t make him out through the blood caked ambulance windows.
She watched the huge vehicle pass back and forth, sending the small mob of creatures to their final rest with each pass. She sat mesmerized by the brutal efficiency the driver showed as he cut through the mass of dead as easily as if he was mowing a lawn on a weekend afternoon.
Suddenly the vehicle stopped in front of her, its heavy engine like thunder as it idled in the middle of the street until the engine cut off. The door swung open, and a man that normally Sue would go out of her way to avoid stepped out from behind the wheel.
He was tall and imposing, a Mohawk sitting atop his head. He wore what appeared to be military clothing, a rifle slung across his vested chest. He carried what looked like a cross between a giant crowbar and a pickaxe in his right hand.
His eyes locked on one of several creatures, and a look passed over his face like a lion sizing up a kill. Focusing on a lone zombie, he took off in an easy sprint, cutting a circle around the thing. The second he was around the creature’s back, he struck out with terrifying speed. The heavy weapon met the monster’s skull with a terrible crunch, sending it flying to the ground.
The man’s gaze had already switched to his next target before the first creature hit the ground. He dispatched the next creature with frightening proficiency. Not once did she see emotion in his eyes, instead she saw the intense face of a determined man driven to kill.
Sue shuddered at the sheer violence this man meted out without mercy. That can’t be him, she thought as he killed another creature dangerously close to where she hid. He can’t be the one I’m here to help!
“Over here you ugly freaks!” a girl’s voice called out.
A young girl, probably no older than sixteen at best, came from around the ambulance. She was short and skinny, hair tied back into a tight ponytail. Dressed in jeans and a heavy button up shirt, she carried one of the strange crowbars in her hand. She was a beauty, and yet she looked just as dangerous as the terrible man she had arrived with.
The last two zombies left standing turned their attention towards the girl, shuffling their way towards her with the same unsteady gait as a drunk after a weekend binge.
“Come take a bite of this!” she called out, turning to the side and slapping her butt.
“Alright, Abby,” the man called out. “You got their attention, there’s no need for the extra show.”
“There is when it makes the great Adrian Ring blush!” she laughed. “Can you finish these things off so we can get on with our day?”
Adrian shook his head, clearly looking uncomfortable at the girls antics. His discomfort vanished as the predatory look washed over his face once more. He stepped into the same sprint, coming behind the creatures and dispatching them with two rapid and heavy swings.
“Danny,” Sue whispered. “You sure God didn’t screw this one up? I mean, I hope He hedged his bets and has another Soul in his back pocket somewhere.”
“You two finished?” a man’s voice came from beyond her view. She watched as two men walked up to Adrian, both smiling as they approached. She could not make out their faces, but the uniforms and equipment told the story. Those two were military, and carried themselves as such.
“Yeah, if Abby is done flirting with these things, I think we can call this area clean,” he replied. “Let’s clean this mess up and mark these houses to clear later. No Mister-fucking-Clean shit either. Just clear the road and let’s get moving. Abby, watch our asses.”
“Sure thing, boss,” one of the military men laughed. They turned away, and went to work dragging the bodies from the road.
Sue kept her eyes on Adrian as the men worked, surprised at the change in the man’s demeanor. Gone was the predator that scared her to her core, replaced by a man who commanded respect from everyone around him. He spoke with Abby and his men more like an older brother, not like a domineering dictator. The longer she watched, the more she realized that he truly cared for the safety and well-being of the people around him.
When the job was done, the two men retreated back to whatever vehicle awaited them beyond her view. A smiling Adrian walked up to Abby, putting his arm around her shoulder and giving her a fatherly hug. He patted her shoulder and turned toward the ambulance.
Suddenly he stopped, staring at the window Sue had been watching him from. She froze, praying there was enough dust and grime on the window to block her from his view.
“Adrian? Everything okay?”
He turned his head back to Abby, and Sue ducked out of sight. Her breaths coming hard and fast at the fear that she might have already blown her mission by letting herself be seen.
“Yeah,” he answered. “Just thought I saw something. We’ll deal with it later.”
Sue heard the doors slam shut and the ambulance engine fire up. Seconds later the vehicle rolled away, followed by a second heavy engine passing by. Sue stayed where she was until the engine noise was finally swallowed up by the early morning silence.
She slid down to the cool concrete floor, thinking over what she had seen. The man still scared her with his capacity to kill without showing an ounce of emotion. But at the same time, she saw with her own eyes how much he cared for his people. She finally admitted to herself that the more she watched him, the more she felt drawn to help him.
More than that, she felt more at ease watching him. She believed that had she not already known his importance, she still would feel an intense desire to be near him. His presence calmed her, and made her believe that she could actually be safe around him.
With another deep breath she made her way to her feet and marched straight to her van. Opening the back door, she fished out two boxes of 10mm ammunition from the duffle bag that the dead had packed for her the morning she’d learned of her new calling.
She made her way to the door she believed led to the house interior. She started to turn the knob, and stopped.
Be smart, she thought. You can’t be stupid. Don’t make mistakes. Think this through and survive.
She took her hand from the doorknob, and knocked heavily instead. Putting her ear to the door, cupping her hand over her other ear she listened for anything on the other side. She waited for several minutes, half expecting the silence to be interrupted by a body slamm
ing itself against the other side.
Finally she pushed her way in, sniffing the air for any hint of death. She realized in short order that even if the house was filled to the brim with ravenous dead, she wouldn’t be able to smell them over the mess that had been left just outside.
Summoning up as much courage as she could find, she darted into the house, speeding to the first closed door she could see in the front part of the house. Panicked breaths came fast and furious as she threw the door open to find a closet full of coats and unused winter boots.
She reached into her pockets, producing the two boxes of 10mm bullets. Stretching up on her tiptoes, she set the boxes on a high shelf before closing the door and beginning her retreat back to the garage.
She came to an abrupt stop just before stepping out to the garage. Her eyes were drawn back to the closet as a feeling of serenity washed over her. A twinge of joy and contentment filled her inner being as she stared at the simple white door with the cheap brass knob, as if something she had just done was filled with an importance she could not fully understand.
Sue laughed at herself, attributing her sudden happiness to the fact that she had started down a path that would hopefully lend a helping hand, if even a small one, to the end of the hell that had gripped the world.
Still, something in the back of her mind told her that what she had just done had started a series of events in motion. For the first time since that terrible day, she truly felt that everything was going to be okay.
Closing up the house, she opened the overhead door and pulled the van outside into the bright morning sun. She jumped out, closing the garage before hopping back into the van.
“I’ll see you soon, Danny,” she said as she pulled out into the street, heading off to her new home … and her calling.
ABOUT JAMES DEAN
James Dean was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1975. He earned his Emergency Medical Technician's license, serving for 3 years before returning to school to earn a AAS degree in electronics technology. He has worked in the technology field for 14 years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.. He currently lives in a suburb of Chicago with his wife and 2 kids.
