by Marie Lanza
“Because humans are their own worst enemies,” Mike spoke up. Melody was surprised he was first. “We’re arrogant, and we think we’re invincible.”
“Seriously, though, how?” Melody wanted a real answer now. “How? With all the technological advances we have in this world today. How did we find ourselves here?”
“He’s right. The average person isn’t capable of handling such intense situations. The governments know that. They have strict plans in place to help contain information to prevent wide-spread chaos. Only it backfired. There was no containing this.” Beck took in a deep breath as he thought about his own words.
Melody felt Beck was silently struggling with the idea that it was the government’s fault they were where they were. She thought maybe that’s why he was continuing to fight so hard, like he needed to make up for the government’s mistakes. As if the weight of the world’s problems was counting on him to solve it. Melody wondered if maybe that was what the military had instilled in him. She had seen some of that devotion in Jason, not just from when he was serving, but the carry over in everyday life. They held a voluntary heavy burden on their shoulders.
They continued to drive up the fire road, finally reaching the mesa before it would slope down and eventually feed them back on the 59 highway.
Melody was regretful for never appreciating what beauty this area once held. When they did make it up to see Jason’s family, her nose was in a cell phone or computer, too busy with work to look up. Melody thought about how many times Harmony told her to take these back roads and enjoy the view, but every time, Melody wanted the fast way up, and that was the way they took.
It was all for nothing.
“I always thought we lived in a cruel world. Now I know it.” Melody started the conversation back up, still staring out the window at the world below them. “I mean, I always wanted to be in denial about it. Live in this safety bubble I created for myself and our family. Not Harmony though. She always said this would happen.” Melody’s smile was frustrated and strained. “My obsessive news junkie sister.”
Jason reached over and placed his hand on hers, giving a gentle pet with his fingers.
Beck pulled over onto a lookout hikers may have used to stop and enjoy the view, and parked. “I think I need a minute.”
Jason looked around before opening the door to take the opportunity to get out and stretch his legs. “Mel…” he called out.
Mel stepped out and walked around to Jason. Aubrey reached for her, and climbed into her mother’s arms. “Momma, look,” she pointed out.
“I see, baby. I see.” Melody held her tight.
Beck and Mike weren’t far behind to get a view of the scene.
The world was silent up here.
The group stared out with heavy hearts. The land seemed to be in the same stage of death and decay as the infected walking it. The landscape was packed with small community towns to the south of them, then, to the north, the scenery changed from cityscape to what was probably once a spectacular view of golden brown rolling hills with green vineyards covering the ground.
“Do you think people are still out there? Fighting?” Melody asked.
“Yes,” Jason said plainly. “People are survivors. We’ll come out of this.” Jason still held the hope in his voice he had told Melody to stuff away. The certainty was refreshing coming from him.
“Just look at Bill and his family. There’s plenty more like them. Like us.” Beck took in a deep breath of the fresh air.
A peacefully breeze rolled past them as they stood on the lookout. The fresh air was a welcoming change from the constant smell of death.
“Thanks for the stop,” Beck said humbly. “I just need to take it in.”
“Want me to drive awhile?” Mike offered.
Beck pulled the keys from his pocket. “Yeah, actually that would be great.” Beck tossed Mike the keys.
Mike hopped in, as Jason helped Melody and Aubrey in the back. Beck went around to the passenger side when suddenly the death gurgling sounds of an infected burst from the bushes, draping itself on Beck.
Beck was tumbling down the hill with the infected before anyone realized what happened.
Mike was instantly giving chase down the hill with Jason right behind him.
When Beck and the infected stopped rolling, the infected was on top, snarling and biting as Beck held it back. Its mouth drooled out a thick bloody mess of gore all over his chest as it fought to get a bite out of him. It was a big man, and seemed to be easily capable of overpowering Beck.
Mike pulled his knife, sliding over the loose dirt of the fire road, tackling the infected. He plunged his blade over and over again into the infected’s face until there was nothing left, appearing as if it had pushed through a meat grinder.
“Jesus! Are you alright?” Jason helped Beck to his feet. “Anything broke from that fall?”
“No. But the son-of-a-bitch got me in the hand.”
* * *
Beck was in a state of shock. There was no fluctuation in his voice, no blink in his stare. Beck lifted his hand up to reveal the massive bite around where his thumb was, holding his insides from falling completely out. Blood was pouring from the open wound, as tendons and muscle dangled from Beck’s hand.
Jason immediately went into doctor mode, pulling his belt away from his pants and securing it tightly around Beck’s forearm. He then took his shirt off and wrapped it around the wound.
Melody was already running with the medical bag to be by Jason’s side when he called out, “Get back to the truck! We gotta go!”
“Beck!” Mike shouted as he ran towards the group. “No, no!”
Melody slid on the dirt as she stopped herself from running downhill. Jason was with the medical bag, pulling out gauze, tape and anything else that looked useful.
“The baby. Mel, where’s Aubrey?” Jason asked as they ran up the hill, pushing Beck along.
“She’s fine, she’s in the truck.” Melody threw the bag over her shoulder. “What can I do, Jason? What do you need?”
“Pass me a towel, or anything that will stop the bleeding.”
They made it to the truck. Melody held up a towel for Jason to grab. “Get in the back with him. Take that towel and hold that wound!” Jason pulled Aubrey out of the backseat.
“What’s the belt for? You think that’s going to stop the infection?” Beck still didn’t sound all together, stuttering his words, as he climbed in the back seat.
“No. It’s to buy us time.” Jason shut the door and ran around the Humvee to the passenger seat with Aubrey.
Mike jumped in the driver’s seat and stepped on the gas not waiting for any further direction. “You think a tourniquet will stop it?” Mike asked.
“It’s just going to buy us some time, not long though. I need to think…” Jason was still brainstorming his plan. “The infection is localized for now, and the tourniquet is keeping that way. This is only a temporary fix. The moment I take that belt off, the infection will be in his body within a minute. With the belt, there’s a chance the infection isn’t in the rest of the blood stream yet. Maybe we can cut it off to save him.”
Beck pulled his arm into his chest, wincing at the pain. “Cut it off?”
Melody leaned over as best she could to help with keeping pressure on his hand.
“It’s our only hope, Beck! We have to stop the infection from spreading.” Mike seemed to be still panting from his scuffle with the infected.
“Do you really think cutting it off could work? Jason?” Melody asked with urgency.
“No. No there’s been no evidence this could work,” Jason reiterated. “But we have a chance. We also have a chance of him bleeding to death because I don’t have the right tools for this.”
“This hurts a lot worse than when that asshole bit me on the ship,” Beck groaned over his wound, breathing through his words in an effort to cope.
“Hospital, pharmacy, some type of medical urgent care place. Anything
like that,” Jason directed.
The truck sloped downward with the fire road taking them down the other side of the mountain directly towards the next city, where no one wanted to be.
“What? No! Jason, it’s a death trap there. Think about your family!” Beck demanded from the back seat.
“Then we cut the fucking thing off now!” Mike slammed on the breaks to the Humvee.
“Jason, cut it off and we patch him up after.”
“Mel, come take Aubrey,” Jason said as he got out of the truck.
Melody opened her door so Jason could hand her Aubrey. She had no intentions of getting out and watching Beck’s arm get hacked away.
Beck took a look at his arm under the towel to find his veins dark purple and bulged. “We can’t go through this town or the next, Jason, you have to think about Mel and Aubrey. We’re putting them at risk for a guy who’s had his run.” Beck stepped away from the Humvee, and pulled the towel away, revealing the wound. His veins streaked up, crawling past the tourniquet.
Jason took a hard stare at Beck’s arm. The belt did nothing to stop the infection from running its course through his bloodstream.
Beck untied the belt, removing it from his arm. “This is how I go out.”
“Beck, man, you’re not thinking clearly.”
“I’ve never been more clear. Our mission was to save the living without being held back by the weak. My mission is to now make sure you all get to Summer Springs. I’m not gonna let you put your lives in jeopardy anymore.”
“Beck…” Jason knew the odds were against them to save Beck, but everything in him wanted to keep trying. “I’m sorry. I wish I had more ideas.”
Sitting inside the Humvee, Melody couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Melody was torn with being grateful and feeling guilty. Beck was ultimately sacrificing his life for them; whether or not they could save him, no one really knew, but it didn’t matter to him. He was creating his own mission now, getting his people to safety, and that meant not putting them in harm’s way by running around in a city looking for something that may or may not help him.
An overwhelming flood of emotions tried desperately to pour out of Melody, but she refused to show any signs of it. Melody took in a deep breath and wiped at her cheeks just in case a tear got away from her.
Aubrey stared in silence at the guys standing outside the truck full of curiosity, then looked at Melody, “Daddy?”
As Melody looked at Aubrey, she had a brief thought how grateful she was Aubrey didn’t understand anything that was going on. Melody pulled her in close to give her a tight hug. Melody didn’t want Aubrey to see her upset, but no matter how hard she tried it was like the floodgates started to leak. Melody was unable to hide her sadness. Aubrey looked over her mother, and held her face as she kissed Melody’s tears. The sweet gesture brought a short-lived smile to Melody. It was a reaction Aubrey had always done if she saw someone upset, and when she cried, Melody would tell her, kiss the tears away.
Beck was the first one back in the vehicle. He had the towel wrapped back around his hand to help with bleeding. The blood loss was still an issue that they would need to handle sooner rather than later. But Melody figured Jason didn’t want to cause more potential infection by doing surgery on the side of the road. She imagined Jason would want to stop and properly stitch Beck back up.
Mike got in the driver seat while Jason climbed back in the passenger seat.
There was nothing to say over Beck’s decision. Now there was only a question of how long he had until he transitioned.
They headed back down the fire road but no longer at the frantic speed they were in. Beck sat in silence, still holding his hand that hadn’t yet stopped bleeding. His skin was a pale gray, Melody thought maybe from all the blood loss.
“When we hit the end of this trail, I say we find the first place you can stop.” Jason pointed up ahead as rooftops began coming into view.
“You got it,” Mike said in a focused state.
The dirt road sloped to an even steeper grade and bounced them around a bit before it came to an end and smoothing out on the pavement. The trailhead spit them out in a cul-de-sac. The neighborhood homes were stacked all the way to the trailhead, seemingly built into the hillside.
Mike pulled up to the first house against the hill when he stopped. The garage door was left open, giving them easy access to park instead of out in plain sight on the street. After Mike pulled in, he jumped out to close the garage door, but quickly realized the door was completely jammed and unable to shut. He didn’t fight it. There were no infected in sight, and being on the hillside gave him a little comfort they were out of the way enough from the living.
Jason climbed out and helped Melody with Aubrey.
“I’ll get Beck comfortable, we’ll eat something, sleep, and get back on the road. Sound good?” Jason asked Melody.
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll do a quick sweep.” Mike walked through the garage to the door that would lead inside the house. The door was locked. “I’ll go check other entrances before breaking through.” He disappeared around the house.
Jason pulled the medical bag and a food supply bag out, then made his way over to Beck. “Let’s get you inside and get you fixed up.”
Beck grimaced with every move he made. “I should have let you cut it off,” he cringed.
“Well, it’s still an option.”
Melody walked out into the driveway with Aubrey as they waited for Mike to get in the house. The neighborhood looked like it was from the fifties and sat still through the decades. It was a strange feeling invading someone else’s home. Melody thought about the families who probably lived here. Living normal day-to-day lives, coming and going to work, and settling here every night with their families. At each house where they stopped, Melody wondered if the owners were alive or dead. It was like the homes were now mausoleums, holding the memories of those gone forever.
Mike popped open the garage door leading inside the house, letting everyone in.
Beck went in, while Jason waited for Melody and Aubrey.
The home was intact, like the owners were just out for the day. Unlike the other places where it appeared as if a tornado had blown through, here looked as though there were no struggles, no frantic rush to get out, no vandalism, or death. A home well put together and everything left just the way the family wanted it. As Melody walked around, she did notice there were no photos left on the walls. Nothing to show who these people were.
It was a small one-story, three-bedroom home with the kitchen and living room sharing the same space along with a small dining room big enough for a table holding four chairs.
Jason spread out his medical kit on the kitchen table, while Mike had gathered the food supply bag and set up in the living room.
Melody and Aubrey joined Mike, so she could get Aubrey something to eat.
“Beck, I’ll clean you up over here at the table.” Jason pulled out a chair for Beck to sit.
Mike pulled out a bottle of whisky from the food supply bag and walked it over to the kitchen, setting it on the table. “We said we’d save this only when needed. Well, I think this is as best a time as any.”
“Perfect painkiller,” Jason suggested.
Beck took a long look at the tools Jason had spread out over the table. “Yeah, sure, that seems like a good idea.” Beck didn’t hesitate another moment, taking a swig of the whiskey, breathing out to ease the burn down his throat.
Mike took the next drink, knocking his head back in an attempt to let it hit his throat before touching his tongue. He placed it back down on the table, leaving the bottle with Jason and Beck before he walked back over to the couch in the living room.
“You already know, but I’m still going to tell you this is going to hurt much worse than that other bite I patched up for you.” Jason pulled himself closer to Beck.
Beck laid his arm out on the table and gently unwrapped the blood-soaked towel away from his hand
. His skin lost all color, his veins had gone from purple to black and swollen, streaking up past his elbow.
“I don’t think we need to waste a lot of time on this.” Beck observed Jason as he worked.
Jason looked up at Beck. “We won’t, but I can at least make you comfortable. I’m going to close you up as best I can and keep you comfortable with some painkillers. We don’t need you dying of blood loss.”
Beck shook his head in agreement.
In the living room, Aubrey nibbled on a few crackers Melody had placed out for her, while Melody and Mike tried to eat whatever slop they scooped out of an MRE.
“I don’t think I’ve ever asked you about your family.” Melody paused. “I feel awful just saying that out loud.”
Mike chuckled. “We’ve been a little busy. Besides. I didn’t have any to talk about. Really, the men I fought next to were my family. And Beck was the last of them.” Mike’s eyes turned dim, like all light was sucked away from them.
“I’m so sorry, Mike.”
“It’s a strange, fucked-up world we’re in now.” Mike made a silly face at Aubrey, bringing out her sweet laugher. Melody thought it was more to distract his mind from everything else.
“Mel, in a minute, come over and let me take a look at your back,” Jason called out from the kitchen still working on Beck.
Jason noticed Beck’s skin appeared sweaty and he was losing his color. “How are you feeling?”
“Like shit.”
“You look like shit.”
“You know you can’t keep me around.” Beck thought he was being quiet in his conversation to Jason.
“You bet your ass we will.” Eavesdropping, Mike shouted back over his shoulder to Beck.
“It could be days before you begin transition. You’re not gonna sit and die alone.” Jason wrapped the final touch on Beck’s hand. “We can at least keep you comfortable.”
“Think about your family, Jason,” Beck insisted.
“He is thinking about his family.” Melody placed her hand on Beck’s shoulder and sat down in the chair next to him. “Maybe you forgot we’re in this together.”
