End of the Line (Book 2): Stuck in the Middle

by Lara Frater

  “If you can’t shoot it, stop wasting bullets and hit it with something.” I reached into my bag and grabbed my crowbar. I went up to the decaying one, bashed it pretty hard on the head. The younger one must have smelled me because he made the death moan and walked towards me. No one stepped forward to help me but at least Brian stopped shooting.

  I swung around using a move Tanya taught me and hit the young one square in the face. I bashed in his nose and forehead causing the nose to fall off. That disturbed me so much, I paused. Bad idea. I felt its hand touch my flesh. His right hand moved in and grabbed my wrist. I felt the sensation of decayed skin, almost leathery. I pulled away but his grip was surprisingly tight as he pulled my arm forward to its mouth. Panicked, I turned around and kicked him in the stomach. It didn’t go down but I managed to free myself from its grip.

  I felt my heart pounding and couldn’t believe no one was helping me. I brought the crowbar down one more time. This time hit it squarely on the top of the head.

  I hit it two more times spreading the gore all around to make sure it was dead, then spun around. My fear turned to anger. I wasn’t a hunter like Tanya and Mike who can easily take on one or two zombies alone. The thing could have easily pulled my arm in and bitten it.

  “Why didn’t anyone help me?” I asked. My voice loud, even thought I might be attracting other zombies. I didn’t care. I didn’t like being angry.

  No one said anything even Gwen who had been with me before.

  “Come on, what the fuck?” They looked at me startled, like frightened deer.

  “The soldiers always killed them.” A woman said, her voice tense.

  “Soldiers like Brian?”

  “No, Brian isn’t a soldier.”

  I looked at him. He was grinning like an idiot.

  “I got the uniform from a dead guy. Manny’s been teaching me stuff— besides you looked like you knew what you were doing.”

  “Most of the soldiers went with Joel except for Manny,” Harry explained.

  “Look,” I said. “You can’t rely on the soldiers to kill them all. You never know when one will corner you. You have to fight. If I can do it, so can you.”

  No one said anything. They still looked like deer in highlights. I started to understand why Joel took the best and the brightest. Aisha probably didn’t want to stay behind with this.

  “Let’s keep walking. Everyone is going to learn self-defense.” I hoped these people would be better farmers than defenders. I wish I had driven and Manny or Mike had stayed behind.

  “Sorry Jim,” Gwen said, when she caught up with me. “I’m utterly terrified of those things. I’m afraid to go even near them.”

  “It’s okay,” I said but really it wasn’t. I wasn’t a soldier and I gathered up my courage to kill them. “At least you aren’t pretending to be a soldier.” I looked at Brian. He hadn’t heard me, but the gun was in the air again and a cocky grin had crossed his face like he just killed the zombie.

  I was right that he was going to be trouble.

  The rest of the walk proved uneventful. Dave came back and took four more people and said Mike was about halfway through the transfers. The sky turned darker and I thought it might rain.

  We got to the beach and I could see the Renewal in the distance with her broken mast.

  “That’s your boat?” Harry asked. His voice sounded amused.

  “She got damaged in a storm,” I explained. I knew I sounded defensive but that boat had gotten us through winter. “Her motor works fine.”

  I got to shore and watched Mike coming back with the empty boat. I looked around at the people who remained and figured I could put some of the walkers on first. A lot of people sat on the sand, some were in or sitting on the dead cars.

  I looked over the horizon and saw some dark clouds coming in. Not only rain but a storm.

  When Mike got back to the shore, he had a grim look on his face and he looked cold and miserable.

  He looked at the darken sky. “I might be able to make one trip maybe two. Then we’ll have to resume in the morning. The good news is there are enough working cars to get back to the airport.”

  “So I’m volunteering to stay here?”

  “I’ve been taking the boat back and forth. I’m beat. You want to go next, be my guest.” His tone was annoyed but I had just walked three miles with a bunch of living zombies.

  “Sorry Mike.” I said, deciding to be peacemaker as usual. The truth was I wasn’t sure I could look after these people.

  “It’s okay,” but he still had his annoyed tone. The kind he had with Dena. “Dave and Manny will stay here with you. Let’s just get the next group on.”

  “I want three people who walked to go. I don’t want to think they walked three miles for nothing.”

  “Okay.”

  The next group included two children and three of my walkers. I watched Mike cast off for the boat.

  “Are we going to have to stay here?” Gwen asked.

  “Maybe. There’s a storm coming. Mike’s going to try and get everyone but he might have to begin again tomorrow.” I couldn’t imagine the boat tonight filled with people to the brim. I knew we had dozens of blankets, throws, sleeping bags and emergency warmers from Costking but I didn’t know if that was enough.

  “I don’t know if I could spend another night in that airport. What if one of those things got in?”

  “Shouldn’t have broken the door,” Brian said. I hadn’t realized how close he was. I turned around. He stood behind me with the gun facing forward. Grace and Mike would call that a no-no but they weren’t here.

  “It’s not like you came out when we knocked. Besides I thought you were going to board it up.”

  Brian didn’t look happy. He looked like he wanted to pick a fight with me. I didn’t plan to give him the pleasure. Instead I looked across the horizon. The clouds were getting closer. I took binoculars out of the pack. It took about 15 minutes to get the boat. Mike should be there by now.

  I saw him in the viewer. I watched the others get off the boat. Lucy was having some trouble getting up the ladder and Mike had to help her. On Harbor Island we needed to pair the old folks with people who could keep an eye on them.

  I didn’t know if Mike was coming back. I waited a few minutes and then he called.

  “Alright Jim. Looks like one more trip and that’s it. I’m beat and soaked, so Justin’s going to take over for me. He can navigate better if a storm comes up.”

  “Copy,” I said into the radio. “Okay, I need five more people.”

  “I’ll go,” Brian said.

  “I rather get the elderly and the rest of the children to the boat.”

  “I was in the Navy,” he said. I looked at Manny who shook his head. “I can steer a boat in any weather.”

  “That’s good to know, but so was Justin who’s bringing the dinghy back.” I didn’t mention it was the merchant marines not the Navy.

  “I think,” Brian said, his voice got lower, “That I ought to go next.”

  “Brian, come on,” Manny said, his voice upbeat. “One night in the airport and that’s it. Let’s get the kids to the ship.”

  I looked around, there were still three kids waiting to go.

  “No,” Brian said. “It looks like it could be dangerous, I should go.”

  I looked at Manny who looked at me. It was obvious Brian wanted to go before the storm hit. One seat wouldn’t matter now, but I couldn’t let him bully us.

  “Brian,” I said, lying through my teeth. “I’m sorry. You’ll have to wait until morning. Please, I need you here to help us.”

  Brian looked mad but didn’t say anything for a moment, then said. “Fine.”

  I felt a few raindrops on my face. The sky was getting darker and the seas a little more choppy. It had begun to rain.

  I looked on the water and saw Justin coming in.

  “Pick out five people who need to go.” I said to Manny.

  He went through the group and
selected five people. Two seniors, two kids and one of my walkers who sat on a broken car looking beat.

  “I walked, how come I can’t go?” Brian again. I half thought maybe I should send him so he would shut up.

  “That guy can barely walk,” I said. “You look like a tough fellow who can handle anything.”

  “Yeah, that’s true,” he said and seemed a calmer.

  I saw the boat come closer. Justin was doing a good job maneuvering it.

  “I’ll help him pull the dinghy in,” Brian said. I was glad he was gone. He walked to shore. Manny had the small group waiting about five feet behind him.

  When Justin got to shore, instead of helping him out of the boat, Brian brought his gun out and shot him. Not a head shot but he was close enough to get anything. Justin looked startled before his body flew off the boat in and into the water. Brian swung around and began firing at the others behind him. Manny pulled all five of the passengers down to the ground.

  “Justin!” Gwen screamed.

  “Hit the deck!” I yelled. Just in time as Brian swung around to us and fired off several shots. I wished Grace was here. Brian would be dead before he even had time to think about it. I was glad Brian was a terrible shot because he missed everyone.

  Brian grabbed the closest person to him, one of the kids lying on the ground and held the gun to his head.

  “Manny, give me your gun.”

  “Brian—“ he said, calmly but his voice had fear in it. “You’re being crazy. You were in no danger if you stayed here one more night.”

  “I ain’t crazy. The airport has been compromised. It’s probably swarming with zombs now. Thanks to the assholes that let them in.”

  I couldn’t say anything. I’d rather deal with a zombie than a crazed nut with a gun. He didn’t have to shoot Justin.

  “Give me the gun Manny and no one else gets hurt.”

  Manny tossed the rifle and a side arm on to the beach which Brian collected. I heard his footsteps get closer. Brian pointed the gun right at me. I felt the edge of it on my head. “Give me your radio and your gun, girly man.”

  I did what I was told and said nothing of the slur. I heard a clap of thunder in the distance. I tossed the radio and the handgun on the beach. Brian stepped on the radio several times destroying it then took the gun.

  “And you,” he said to Dave who was next to me. Dave tossed his radio. He went for his side arm, but instead pointed it at Brian.

  “Don’t!” I yelled.

  Brian aimed the gun at the kid’s head.

  “What’s to stop him from killing us all if we give him our guns?”

  Dave had a point.

  “Not going to kill you,” Brian said. “Just this kid if you don’t give me that fucking gun.”

  Dave looked hesitant then tossed the gun to Brian.

  Brian took it and smashed his radio.

  “You got one too?” he said to Gwen who was a few feet away from Dave. Gwen didn’t, but said nothing. Brian grabbed her pack and dumped the contents out. Her tire iron fell out with a clang. Brian didn’t take it.

  “I’m gonna take the boat. Don’t give me any trouble. Gonna tell them you decided that thought the waters were bad and was gonna wait until morning to send any passengers. Then I’m gonna take the boat, and kill anyone who gives me trouble.”

  “It doesn’t sail. The mast is broken.” I wasn’t worried about the people on the boat. I knew Tanya would have someone watching at all times and Grace would take care of Brian quickly.

  “It’s got an engine right?”

  I didn’t respond. Brian didn’t say anything further. Instead he went to the dinghy and dumped all the guns into it. He started it up with one pull. The sound of the motor filled the air along with the rumble of thunder. It started to pour.

  As soon as Brian was moving towards the Renewal, Manny got up and ran to the water. Justin’s body was emerged half in and half out. Gwen was right behind him. Manny pulled his body out. He had a bullet wound in his upper chest on the left side. Manny tried to give him mouth to mouth, but he was probably dead before he hit the water. Manny dropped his body. Dave stood at the shore. Gwen stopped short once she realized Justin was dead. She looked at me teary eyes but didn’t cry. Instead she turned away.

  “Manny,” I walked to him. I touched his shoulder. “Go help people to the car.”

  Lightening flashed in the sky. The waters got choppier and rough and it began to rain hard. I watched the Brian on the dinghy.

  “Why didn’t you let me shoot him?” Dave asked sounding pissed.

  “He would have killed that kid and you. You see how he killed Justin? Besides, you would have likely hit the kid instead of him.”

  Dave grumbled but he knew I was right. I heard him stomp off. I didn’t care if he was still mad. I watched the water and saw choppy high waves from the wind.

  “Jim,” I heard Manny besides me. “We’re ready to go, get in the car.”

  I didn’t follow him. Instead I got out my binoculars and watched the water. I looked first at the Renewal. I saw Tanya with binoculars looking at me. She waved, I waved back. Grace was next to her, rifle out, probably annoyed over getting her hair wet, and ready to hit Brian when he got into range.

  I didn’t think she would need to. Brian wasn’t doing well. Wave after wave went over the boat. Finally about halfway there, he stopped. It looked like he stalled and was trying to restart the engine, but as he was standing up, a wave went over and knocked him out of the dinghy. The boat turned over.

  “He capsized the boat.”

  Manny didn’t respond. I continued watching. The rain soaked my coat as it became torrential. I wanted to see if he would get on the upside down boat, but after five minutes I saw nothing. I looked back at Tanya and Grace. Grace still had the rifle out, waiting to see if Brian came out of the water. He didn’t.

  “Let’s go, Jim, you’re soaked to the skin.”

  “I think he drowned.”

  “We can only hope.”

  “Why did you give him a gun?” I asked. Manny looked startled. I looked him over, his shaggy uniform, his unkempt hair, his gaunt look and felt bad. I’m sure I didn’t look like an Adonis, but when I viewed myself in the mirror, I looked healthy. I realized I had been spoiled with having enough to eat at Costking.

  “Look at these people Jim, they were set in their ways before this happened. They wanted people to protect them. Those people went away with Joel. I was the only one left and stretched thin. Brian was the only one willing to accept the responsibility.”

  Chapter 10

  I thought about Justin on the way back to the airport, how he survived everything only to be killed not by a zombie but another person. I worried about Gwen who said nothing afterwards. Even with her upbeat personality, this had to be devastating. She had lived with Justin for the last year and a half. What was I going to tell Felix and Randy? This was the first death I’d had to deal with since last September when Rachel committed suicide. I still replayed it in my head watching her pull the trigger and not being able to get to her in time. I don’t know if she would have shot me if I rushed her. I always wondered if I should. I lost my two closest friends that day but no one comforted me. What Eric said hurt me. I wasn’t Maddie’s son but I felt close to her and she looked after me like I was her own.

  I had to get my mind off it. Justin was dead. The issue now was to find a way to contact the Renewal.

  Manny drove the car while I sat beside him. Two people from the camp, both in their late thirties a banker named Paul and a housewife named Rose sat behind us. Dave and Gwen drove the other car. A woman named Joan and her husband Carl drove the third along with the three remaining children.

  “Do you have a CB back at the airport?”

  “I don’t know,” he said, his voice low. Maybe I shouldn’t have yelled at him. He couldn’t have known Brian would go crazy. “We have two way radios but I don’t know if the batteries work.”

  We passed an old zom
bie on the way back. Walking slowly in the rain.

  No one stopped to kill it. Instead, Manny hit it with the car. I held on the door handle for dear life, shuttering as he hit it. It went flying to the roadside, hopefully dead but probably not.

  “Are you alright, Jim?”

  Cut off from my family and the boat, the answer would be no, but instead I said, “I’ll survive.”

  No zombies waited for us at the airport. The broken door and dead limo driver were still there, but I didn’t see zombies inside.

  Instead of pulling into the front, Manny pulled to the back of the airport next to the collapsed fence. It was a few doors from the locked one we tried yesterday. If someone got through this door, alarms would go off. We didn’t have this problem. No security, no electricity, no planes to hijack but I knew from yesterday it was locked. I assumed Manny had the key.

  He got out of the car, went to the door and opened it without a key. For some reason this was the funniest thing in the world and I started laughing. I probably freaked out Paul and Rose but they didn’t say anything.

  Manny looked into the door and motioned us to come in. He looked nervous. I got out, getting a soaking in the rain as I looked for zombies and made a mad dash to the door.

  The door led to a backroom but not to the airport proper but the emptied out concession stores inside. The sign for a place called the Doughnut Hole hung halfway off its chain. On the counter was a stack of yellowed Wall Street Journals from two and a half years ago with a headline that the flu caused the Dow to crash.

  We went back to the makeshift flophouse in the airport offices.

  Felicia wasn’t surprised to see us.

  “Storm?” she said as we came in. Most of us were soaked, especially me.

  “Worse than that,” this came from Dave. “That nutbag Brian killed Justin and stole the dinghy.”

  No hint of emotion crossed Felicia’s face. I didn’t know her as well as Rachel, but I knew that look. When you get so desensitized, nothing matters. I never want to become that. She said nothing and offered no apologies.

  “We have to search to see if we can find a radio to contact the ship.”