Apocalypse Aftermath

by David Rogers

  Jessica looked out her own window as she spotted movement, her heart lurching for a moment. But it wasn’t a zombie, just a normal looking man who was maybe in his mid or late forties coming out of the building’s double glass doors. They slid back automatically as he emerged. A handsome exterior rug was positioned in front of them, embroidered with the ESEP emblem. She saw what looked like a typical – though upscale – corporate lobby inside behind him. Sculpted hedges and flowerbeds bordered the base of the walls to either side, and she saw every sign the building was carefully and attentively maintained. The paint was fresh and there were no imperfections in the underlying surface to ruin the image.

  “Are we getting out?” Candice asked.

  “Yes.” Jessica said, shaking herself a little mentally. She reached down beside the seat and lifted the cane Dennis had given her back at his house. She looked around again, but except for the man standing at the doors and Austin coming around the front of the SUV, it was clear. She opened the door and swiveled her legs out. As she eased her weight down on her right leg and got the cane propped under her in her left hand, she heard Austin talking to the man.

  “Who’s that up on the roof?”

  “Lori, who else?”

  “Figures. What’s the story here?”

  “Danny and Charlotte are no-shows; well Danny was here up until Saturday afternoon, but he split when the news indicated it was getting bad. Charlotte never came back after Friday night.”

  Austin glanced at the other convoy vehicles as they pulled up under the drive-through. It was wide enough for them to fit three abreast, and long enough for all of them to park beneath it. “So you and Lori are it?”

  “Well, I had my wife come in Saturday morning with my son, but yeah.” He laughed, though it was a tense one. “Whatever Lori tells you when you talk to her, she’s happy y’all are here. Especially you.”

  “I’ll bet.”

  Jessica stood carefully, wary of the long spell of sitting having made her stiff. It was hot, at least a few degrees warmer than she remembered Atlanta being. The air was thick and heavy even with the gusting, gentle breeze moving it across the grounds from one side of the cleared area to the other. She took a limping step away from the door to make room for Candice to slide down out of the SUV. “Candy Bear, can you dig my purse out from beneath the seat?”

  “Sure.” the girl turned and looked under the seat, then reached beneath it and tugged the bag out. “Here.”

  “Thank you.” Jessica dropped the strap over herself and positioned the purse to hang on her right side, where it was out of the way of her cane. She also made sure the purse was in front of the holstered pistol, so it wasn’t in the way of her getting at the gun.

  “Mr. Farring, good to see you again.” Tyler said, holding his hand out as he appeared from the back of the SUV.

  “Mr. Morris, sure am glad to see more folks. Things were getting a little spooky, you know?”

  “I do.” Tyler nodded. Doors were opening and engines were shutting off as everyone else parked and began exiting the vehicles. “Any problems on-site?”

  “No, not so far.”

  “No issues with . . . zombies?”

  “Not yet.” Farring shook his head. “Well, I mean, I think Lori had to take a few shots at something last night, but even with that it’s been quiet.”

  “Good.” Tyler turned and raised his voice. “I’m sure more than a few of us would like to use the bathroom and get something to drink. There are restrooms and water fountains inside. Gather in the lobby here when you’re done while we start getting organized.”

  “Mom, what about our suitcase?” Candice asked, tugging lightly on Jessica’s shirt hem.

  Jessica was only just starting to consider whether or not she thought she could manage the suitcase along with her cane when Austin moved closer. “Need a hand?”

  She looked up at him with a smile. “You don’t mind?”

  “Of course not.” he shook his head. “Think I’m going to stand around while girlie-girl here has to struggle with it?”

  “I can carry it.”

  “I’m sure you can.” Jessica said to Candice. “But it’s heavy, so why don’t we let Austin help us, since he’s offering?”

  “Okay.”

  Austin retrieved the case from the back of the SUV and gestured inside. Jessica waited for the others to file through the double doors, then limped in after them. It only took a couple of steps before her knee began transitioning from aching to actually hurting, even though she was barely putting any weight on it at all. She suppressed the urge to let her face show the discomfort as she entered the building. A solid wall of heavily conditioned air met her as she limped through the glass doors, cooler even than Austin had set the SUV’s at.

  The lobby was spacious and littered with tastefully arranged couches and cushioned chairs, mostly positioned around low glass topped tables. A long wooden counter – stained and burnished to a rich, deep gloss – dominated the right side of the large room. The walls behind and to either side of the counter had pieces of what Jessica always thought of as ‘We’re Awesome’ art hanging; framed news articles, advertising portraits and awards from this organization or that which each proclaimed the value and worth of Eagle Security. The corporate logo was etched into the wood paneling dead center behind the counter, where she saw a high backed receptionist’s chair was positioned.

  Corridors stretched off in both directions; two on the side opposite the counter, and one just past it heading right. Discrete signs labeled what was located along each; meeting rooms, restrooms, stairs, and building services. A single elevator was on the left wall, its doors standing open. There was a general flow in the direction of the closest left side corridor, which was marked for restrooms.

  “I have to use the bathroom.” Jessica said, mostly for Candice’s benefit. She did have to go, but she figured the girl certainly did as well. The trip down had been long and without any comfort breaks. For that reason she had kept Candice from drinking more than a few sips of water, but it was past mid-afternoon now, and that was a long time for a ten-year-old to hold it.

  “Good, so do I.” Candice agreed.

  “I’ll just leave this here.” Austin said, setting the suitcase down next to a leather couch. “And I’ll save your seats.”

  “You’re spoiling us.” Jessica told him.

  “Not yet.” he grinned.

  Jessica shook her head in amusement, but she looked around again and felt the frown coming on. “Austin.”

  He gave her a curious look, and she leaned closer to him. “How sure are you it’s safe here?”

  “Isaac would have told me if there were any problems.”

  “But—”

  He shook his head gently. “Jessica, honest. This isn’t a bank or a jail, but it’s a secure facility.” She looked at him silently, wanting to believe, but unable to just take his word for it. “Look, the fence is solid and sturdy. There’s a top grade surveillance system that includes cameras and microphones on the grounds inside the fence, with more covering the buildings. And every building is alarmed.”

  “Why?”

  “There are some ATF and other state and federal regulations involved, because we keep and operate weapons. But honestly, insurance is the big one. My understanding is the policy savings paid back all the capital investment pretty quickly, because the insurer gives a break if they figure it’s less likely they’ll have to actually cut any checks.”

  “I need to be sure.”

  “The building is secure and clear. And before dark I’m going to have some people standing watch that’ll make sure nothing gets near us without being seen.”

  She just looked at him. She wanted to believe. The risk of being wrong was so terrible though. She glanced down the corridor where people were disappearing into the bathrooms. For a change, there was a line outside the men’s room, but she saw a woman disappearing through the door to the ladies’. She listened, trying not to chew on
her lip, but no sign of problems erupted. No screaming, no blood, no nothing.

  “Tell you what.” Austin said after a few moments. “Do you agree the restrooms, at least, are okay at the moment?”

  “Yes.” she said slowly, unwillingly but unable to point to anything that disputed the evidence things seemed normal down that hallway.

  “Okay. So you two use the restroom, and come back out here with everyone. Mr. Morris and I will get started on organizing everyone, and the first thing I’ll do is sweep the entire building. Someone will lay eyes on every corner of every room and confirm all is well, before you and Candice have to leave the lobby. How’s that sound.”

  “Safer.” she said quietly.

  “Well alright then. That’s what we’ll do.”

  “You think I’m being silly.” she said unhappily, but feeling better now that she knew some reassurance was coming.

  “No. You’re being sure.” he shook his head. “Trust me, I understand.”

  Jessica looked up at him, almost expecting to see patience or maybe even exasperation somewhere on his face. But he just looked back at her with a solemn expression. Jessica had to step firmly on an impulse that threatened to lead to tears, settling for as confident of a nod as she could muster. “Okay.” she got out after a few seconds, when she was able to speak evenly. “Sorry, but thanks. I’m not trying to give you a hard time.”

  “You’re not. Now go hit the restroom, then come back out here and just take it easy while things get set up.”

  She nodded again and directed Candice toward the corridor. She made herself limp past the line outside the men’s room and into the ladies’ like everything was normal, though she was tense as she entered with Candice behind her. The restroom was as tastefully appointed as the lobby; beige walls with soft indirect lighting and some plant arrangements breaking up the otherwise sterile space. There were three stalls, and two looked to be already occupied. Nothing dangerous was in evidence.

  Candice lingered next to Jessica uncertainly, her eyes on the feet visible beneath the stalls. Jessica leaned down, balancing her weight carefully against the cane. “Go ahead. I’ll be right out here.” she said quietly, not quite whispering.

  “Don’t you have to go?”

  “Yes, but you first.” Jessica said.

  Candice hesitated, then nodded and went into the last stall. Jessica watched the door close, waited to hear the latch click into place, then listened intently several more seconds for any sign something was wrong. Nothing alarming occurred.

  “Get a grip.” she told herself. “Austin’s right. Everything is fine. We’re safe.”

  Mostly out of habit, and more than a little in an attempt to distract herself, she glanced in one of the mirrors above the sinks. What she saw was enough to serve as a momentary distraction.

  “Oh my God.” she murmured, dismayed. She was bare-faced and lacking makeup, but even allowing for that, she was a little taken back with how hollow eyed and tired she looked. Her face was paler than even the missing makeup could explain, and the stress and age lines that had been slowly appearing over the past couple of years were quite evident.

  “Austin is a saint to be putting up with me when I look like this.” she thought, pulling her purse around in front of her. She pawed past the box of bullets, plus the more normal mom supplies, until she found her brush. It was a touch awkward having to work the brush across the left side of her head right handed, but she was too tired to stand without the cane.

  The dunk in the river last night hadn’t done her appearance much good, and the drying and long hours since without proper tending had left it stringy and limp. And tangled, causing her to wince repeatedly as she tried to coax some life back into the long strands. Or, failing that, some semblance of order.

  One of the toilets flushed, and a few moments later a stall door opened. Jessica glanced over, but it was the first stall. A middle aged woman, maybe about Trudy Morris’ age but without the benefit of as much plastic surgery and high income lifestyle Dennis’ wife had enjoyed, was emerging. She met Jessica’s eyes in the mirror and forced a weak smile.

  “I don’t know about you, but my kidneys were floating.”

  Jessica nodded in agreement. “Johns Creek was quite a few hours ago. Uh . . . Amy, wasn’t it?”

  “Amber.” the woman replied. “Amber Redding.”

  “Jessica Talbot.”

  Amber turned on one of the faucets and began washing her hands. “You think things will calm down now that we’re out of Atlanta?”

  Jessica was unsurprised to find herself hesitating over the answer. The impulse to reply with an aphorism came and went far too fast for her to even seriously consider voicing one. Instead she just thought over what Austin had just told her, then forced a smile that was at least somewhat confident. “I’m sure of it. This isn’t Atlanta.”

  “I hope so.” the woman said quietly. “I’m . . . I can’t take much more of . . .” she trailed off, and Jessica nodded.

  “I know. It’ll be better.”

  Another toilet flushed. Jessica finished with what she could do about her hair and decided she was going to have to live with how she looked for at least a little while longer. She was just tucking the brush away when the last stall door opened and Candice came out. She paused when she saw Amber at the sinks, looking at Jessica as if wanting reassurance.

  “This is my daughter, Candice.” Jessica said. “Candice, say hello to Mrs. Redding.”

  Amber pulled some paper towels from the dispenser hanging on the wall and looked at the girl. Jessica saw the woman’s face twist a little with sorrow, but she got a smile into place fairly quickly. “Well hello there Candice.”

  “Hi.” Candice said, using the small voice that bespoke uncertainty and fear. She made no move to approach the sink.

  Jessica hesitated, then decided to take a light tack. “It’s okay sweetie, there’s plenty of time to get to know everyone. I know you’re tired.”

  “I know I am.” Amber agreed. She put the paper towels in the bin recessed in the wall and gave another half-smile. “Nice to meet you both. I guess I’ll go sit in on the planning outside.”

  “We’ll be out in a minute.” When Amber left, Jessica gestured to Candice. “Are you going to be okay out here while I use the toilet?”

  Candice nodded. “Austin said it’s safe in here.”

  Jessica nodded back. “Okay, hang tight then.” Candice moved to the sink Amber had just vacated and started washing her hands. Jessica managed to suppress her sigh as she emptied her bladder, though her bandaged knee made it awkward even in the wide handicapped stall at the end. A couple of times she thought she heard a faint sob from the stall next to her. She couldn’t think of anything that might help, but was guilty about leaving the woman within to her grief.

  She got her hands washed and splashed some hot water on her face to try and bring a little color back to her cheeks before drying off and limping back out to the lobby. Candice was hovering close, though she was at least doing it on Jessica’s right side where she couldn’t bump the cane. Even allowing for the line that had been stacked up waiting to get into the men’s room, she was unsurprised to see she and Candice seemed to be among the last to rejoin everyone. She saw no one had taken the couch where her suitcase waited, and she sank down into the cushions without making too much of a scene because of her knee.

  Vanessa Morris had settled herself behind the reception counter, with Tyler and Austin standing on the client side. All three were talking quietly, with a pile of keys and a few sheets of paper on the counter. A few of the people waiting looked like they were dozing, but most were either watching the little conference at the counter or gazing out the windows. Jessica looked at the windows while she waited for the throbbing in her knee to subside a little, then frowned.

  All that glass . . . it made her nervous. Not just the doors, but the walls flanking them were also glass. And the opposite wall, what she was thinking of as the back wall, or the wa
ll furthest from the gate, was also mostly glass. Normally she could see how it would make the lobby sunny and inviting, especially considering the strength of Georgia sunshine. Now, she just saw wide open avenues for zombies to come crashing through.

  She took comfort in the crowd of people, nearly all armed, and told herself again to relax. “Give Tyler and Austin a chance to get things organized. We just got here.” she thought silently, trying to keep from fidgeting. She glanced a few times at Trudy Morris, sitting on another of the couches next to Dennis. She was holding his hand with that same plastic smile still on her face Jessica had noticed back in Johns Creek. Dennis occasionally patted her hand, and twice leaned in to say something quietly to his wife. Jessica tried to take further solace that, however worried she was, she was still holding up better than Trudy.

  “Okay, are we all here?” Tyler finally said, turning from the counter to face the room.

  Jessica looked around. She was pretty sure the sobbing woman was still in the bathroom, but Tyler was already moving on. Clearly it had been a rhetorical question.

  “I know most of you haven’t been here before. In case you missed the sign out front, this is the Knoxville training facility. We use it primarily for firearms training, though we occasionally run some other types of classes. There’ll be time for everyone to get acquainted with the grounds, but for now please don’t wander around outside unless you’ve a specific task that requires being out there. There’s a security system we’re going to have fully armed tonight, so if you do go outside you’re going to set it off and probably annoy whoever’s on watch.

  “Just to give you an idea of the layout, this building is where we’ll be staying. This floor is mostly meeting rooms, though there’s a limited infirmary down the back corridor here.” Tyler pointed at the hallway next to the reception counter. “The second floor has the kitchen and dining area, and twenty dorm rooms with beds and so forth. The top floor has some larger bedrooms and some client meeting areas and office space.”

  Tyler picked up one of the key rings from the counter and held it up. “In a minute we’ll hand out keys. Room numbers are marked, just like in a hotel. If you have any bags or other things you want to store, feel free to take them up. But before anyone settles down, we’ve got a preliminary schedule set up to take us through tomorrow afternoon. And we need to get the vehicles unloaded as well.”