She turned and stomped back to the pickup. Leon joined her and helped her unload a fire pit. "I thought we had several of these?"
"Miguel and I took care of the others." Leon grunted as he lifted the cast iron structure. "In fact, we've got a couple of the tents pitched."
They manhandled it into the compound and closed the inner gate. "I thought we could pitch the rest of the tents in a circle and have one of the pits inside to keep things warm while we sleep."
"Good idea." Leon helped her move it near the two standing tents. "We got enough sleeping bags for everyone and will still have five left over."
"We can store those in the guard towers." Randi swiped the back of her hand across her forehead. Sweat beaded there in spite of the cool temperature. "We may have more refugees join us before this comes to an end." If it ever ended.
"Daddy, daddy can I help?" Tommy ran to Leon who swooped him up onto his shoulder. The boy had a head full of dark hair like his mom. Randi didn't know how Leon picked him up so easily. The kid was built like a locomotive.
"Do you know how to use a hammer?"
"Unh uh, but I can learn."
Randi grabbed one of the tent stakes, pulled the guides tight, and started hammering it in the ground.
"See what your aunt's doing? That's what we'll do to this side." Leon set Tommy on the ground, stretched the guide, and held the hammer below the child's hand. The man had the patience of Mother Theresa when dealing with his children.
They finished the tents as Miguel brought Toni over and introduced her to the children. Tears still pooled in her golden eyes. Her blond hair was a mess, dirt caked her dress, and her bones protruded from her thin frame. Randi swallowed over the lump lodged in her throat. What had that child endured?
"Uncle Miguel, will you, Daddy, and Aunt Randi play tag with all of us?" Lori asked.
"Sorry kiddo, but I've got to help your momma." Randi tousled Lori's hair. "I'll bet your daddy and Uncle Miguel will, though." Peals of laughter punctuated the air as she walked toward the smokehouse area to find her sister.
Randi and Adriana set up a meat processing station inside the building next to the smokehouse while Leon and Miguel played with the children. "I can't believe we're going to eat wild game." Adriana rolled her eyes. "This world has swirled down the drain if I have to gut and clean animals."
"Do you want your children to starve?"
Adriana glared at her. "Just because I will do what is necessary, doesn't mean I have to like it."
"No, but bellyaching about it won't help much either." Randi narrowed her eyes. "We're in this for a long time. If you want your children to thrive, you'll make the best of it without complaining. Life is going to get much harder over the next few years, but they'll adapt as long as you don't act like a pampered princess and whine."
Adriana stuck her forefinger in Randi's face. "Listen you little drama queen. How dare you tell me how to feel? You thrive on chaos and have built this epidemic up to be the Apocalypse. Why don't you grow up? You've never done anything responsible in your life."
Randi clenched her fists to keep from pummeling her sister. "You saw a fraction of the epidemic, and it scared you." She stepped closer to her sister with her face mere inches from Adriana's. "I guess keeping you, your husband, and your children alive by bringing you here is the epitome of irresponsibility."
Chapter Five
The next morning Reginald woke hurting from his scalp to his toes. No time for self-pity. Time to find a car and get his family out of Alamosa. He removed the tampons from his nose and shuddered as he dropped them in the trash. The delicious scent of bacon tickled his nose as he made his way to the kitchen. Was he dreaming? His favorite food in the midst of turmoil? "Where did you find that?" Reginald sat. "Eggs and biscuits, too?"
Mary Anne set a plate and cup in front of him and poured coffee in the cup. "We tossed the science experiments we found in the fridge, but the eggs, bacon, and biscuits were in date, so I fixed us a good breakfast.
"We've scavenged the non-perishables and carted them to the Tahoe in the garage." She leaned against the counter. "While I don't condone stealing, I doubt these people will return. David found the Tahoe keys hanging on the hook by the door of a house three blocks away. It's got a quarter tank of gas. We also took some clothing, blankets, pillows, and bottles of water we found in the garage."
Reginald clenched his fists. "David went out on his own? Don't you know how dangerous that is? What if—"
"Stop with the what ifs." Mary Ann closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. "He went before I woke. It's not like I asked him to go off without backup, but there wasn't a lot I could do about it when I didn't know. Now was there?"
"I'm sorry. It scared me to think of him on his own."
"No worse than it did me. Eat. The kids are showering and changing into clothes they borrowed from upstairs."
"You've been busy while I slept." Reginald took a bite of his eggs and washed them down with the coffee. The best meal he'd eaten in ages. "Thank you, sweetheart." He finished eating and took what might be his last shower for a while.
Reginald herded his family into the SUV and pulled out of the garage. He dropped his head down as thoughts of the owners flooded his mind, but Mary Anne was right. The people left the house in a hurry without even locking the doors. They weren't coming back. He backed out of the garage. Bright sunshine promised a pretty, but cold day. Only a couple of clouds dotted the deep blue sky.
They pulled onto the highway and a small, yellow convenience store with two gas pumps out front came into sight. "I'm going to try to fill the tank. Wait in the car, and be ready to leave at any second."
The pump wouldn't turn on. What now?
David opened his door. "Dad, it's turned on inside. Remember? The clerks usually do it. I'll see if I can figure it out."
"No. Stay here. The store might be filled with infecteds." Reginald put the nozzle back in the slot. "Fill the tank, but keep the door open, so you can hop in at the first sign of trouble."
Reginald tugged on the door, but it was locked. A good sign it was clear. He found a large rock and hefted it through the glass. No infecteds visible, so he stepped inside and did a quick search. No people, infected or otherwise. He found the terminal for pumps and turned them all on. Someone else might come through here needing fuel.
They crossed into New Mexico and came upon a blockade of cars. "What do we do, Dad?" David asked. "Move them out of the way?"
"The jam goes too far to start pushing cars. We'll have to walk for a while and find one near the front of the line with enough gas to get us out of here." Reginald climbed out and massaged his temples. At this rate, they would never make it to Texas. He grabbed the essentials out of the back of the SUV. "Only take what you can easily carry. Keep in mind, we may have to run or fight if we encounter rabids."
David led the way as they walked among the abandoned cars, and Reginald brought up the rear. He hated that his son was in front, but the rear was the most vulnerable.
Reginald scoured the landscape searching for any signs of infecteds. The idyllic setting with mountains behind them, blue skies overhead, and snow dotting the sides of the road seemed unreal. They should be heading somewhere to celebrate Christmas, not fleeing for their lives. An hour later, David pointed straight ahead. "Hey Dad, I can see the end of the cars."
"Great, but we still need to stick together." A guttural groaning emanated from the side of the road. Reginald jerked his head to the left. Four rabids advanced toward them. "Run. David, run!"
David grabbed Belle's hand and took off at a flat-out run without looking back. Good boy.
Mary Anne stared at Reginald with her eyes wide and her face the color of ash. "Hurry, Mary Anne. Catch up to the kids and keep going." Reginald watched as David and Belle sought refuge in a car at the front of the line. He sucked in a deep breath. Mary Anne stood rooted in one place staring. He caught up to her as a rabid grabbed for her. He retrieved the knife he'
d taken from the house and slashed at the man. Blood soaked Reginald's jacket and jeans.
He disabled the rabid after several attempts, but two more ran toward him. Had Mary Anne made it to the kids? Reginald ran at one of the rabids and shoved her backwards. A young woman about David's age with blond hair. She stumbled and fell slamming her head into the concrete. Blood pooled around her. He spun as the third rabid reached him. Reginald pounded the knife into the man's throat several times, pulled it out, and ran as fast as he could.
David had the car running, Belle hugged her arms to her knees with tears streaming down her face, and Mary Anne stared out the window without frowning or smiling. Nothing. He climbed in the backseat and slammed the door. "Floor it." The metallic odor of the blood and gore covering him permeated the car. Reginald leaned his head back and swallowed. His breakfast threatened to make a return visit.
"Dad, why are there so many functional cars on the road?" David glanced over his shoulder. "It doesn't make sense. Only crazy people would willingly walk in this. Although this one is running on empty so we need to find gas soon, or we'll be on foot again."
Dry scrub brush flew past as David drove. "Maybe someone in the car was infected and the others hopped out." Belle leaned forward to look at him. "Makes sense. No one would leave their car otherwise."
"I don't know." Reginald couldn't speculate. Not now. Not when he'd destroyed the world. His naiveté in thinking stockpiles of bio-weapons would prevent another country from attacking, mocked him. He'd never killed anyone before his boss released this scourge on humanity. Now he'd shot two men and stabbed two. Knowing they were dying didn't assuage his guilt one iota.
Reginald squeezed his eyes shut. This had to be a horrible nightmare. He would wake in the morning, destroy the ZR-76, and shred his notes on how he'd modified the virus. He opened his eyes and stared at the road zipping by. Nothing. Dry land with an occasional patch of snow.
This wasn't a nightmare in the traditional sense, but one of Biblical proportions. If it hadn't affected all of humanity, Reginald might think God was punishing him for playing with nature. If he believed in God. Satan was easier to believe in. A good, loving God shouldn't allow this, but the Devil, oh he'd revel in a plague terrorizing nations.
At least the God and the Devil his mother talked about. She believed in her God and often said His purpose would be done. Whether we could see it or not, God would accomplish His desires on this earth.
His mother’s favorite saying was, "All good things work together for the good of those who are called according to His purpose."
What did that even mean? Surely, some of these rabid people were Christians who lived their lives for their callous God. Why did He allow this to happen to them?
Besides, what had God done for him lately? Nothing good, that was for sure.
Reginald's father always said his mother was a deluded old bat, but at least she had peace in her life. Even if her peace came from a false belief.
Mom, if you could see what's going on now, I doubt you'd think so much of your God. Either He's too small to rescue the world, He just doesn't care, or He doesn't exist.
Chapter Six
Josh grabbed several packages of cookies off the shelf. The warzone that used to be a store didn't have much left, but they needed to grab anything they could get their hands on. After clearing the few packages of cookies, crackers, and chips, Josh moved to the cooler. Beer, two bottles of water, diet Pepsis, and diet Cokes. What a combination. Josh grabbed everything but the beer out of the cooler.
"Whoo hoo! My favorite." Mark had two bags filled with junk food, and he grabbed two rolls of paper towels from the floor.
An open bottle of dish soap seeped out onto the floor soaking the only box of matches left in the store. Josh grabbed the box praying they weren't ruined.
They returned to the Charger. Once inside, Josh took a deep breath. "Bro, you cannot run into places. What if the store had been overrun with infected people? You haven't left your office since this started. The world is no longer safe."
"I didn't think."
Josh gritted his teeth. "Not thinking will get you killed. Use that incredible brain of yours."
"I get it, okay." Mark took a drink of his water. "I'll follow your lead."
More traffic and cars had accumulated on the highway in Rosenberg than when Josh had come through earlier. Several of the cars had drivers trying to weave through the maze and a throng of people made their way through the blockade on foot. "We'll never get through this mess."
"Take Loop 521. It'll take us to Edna and Victoria. Way out of the way, but fewer people."
Josh followed Mark's directions. "It may take us longer to get there." What an absurd comment. He slapped his palm across his forehead. "Of course it won't. Taking the long way around will keep us from joining the highway parking lot."
Mark chuckled. "Yeah. Well, we have nothing but time, now. And Moon Pies. Plenty of Moon Pies."
As they neared Wharton, a woman on the side of the road stuck her thumb out. "What do you think? Should we stop?"
Mark grinned. "She's hot if it helps."
Josh eased off the gas. If she was alone, he didn't want to leave her on the streets. He slowed to a stop on the side of the road, checked for infecteds, but didn't see any. Of course, the chick could always be a set up for robbers. He lowered the window a smidge and kept the car in drive. The tall, lean woman had long red hair pulled up into a ponytail and wore faded jeans and a tee shirt. "Are you okay?"
"Just tired of walking and fighting off these creatures."
"Have you been bitten?"
"No."
"Scratched?"
"No. Nothing. I'm clean."
Josh stared at her for a few seconds. “If I unlock this door, are you going to shoot me and take my car?”
"Not at all." She walked to the open window and handed her weapon to him. "Hang on to this until you trust me."
He climbed out of the car and looked the girl over. She had a long scratch on the side of her neck. He pointed to it. "What happened there?"
"Cat. I got lonely and tried to make friends with a stray."
Josh relied on his years as a police officer. She didn't display any tells indicating she was lying. "What's your name?"
"Sierra Wallace."
"I'm Josh and this is Mark. We're heading to my uncle's place. My aunt said it's safe. Want to join us?"
"Please." Fine lines creased her eyes giving her a world-weary appearance. "I won't survive out here on my own for much longer."
"Climb in."
Once she was in the car, Josh turned to Sierra. "If it turns out the scratch wasn't from a cat, and you start showing signs of the sickness, you're on your own. I won't allow you to endanger my family."
"No problem." She leaned her head against the seat. "I didn't let any of them get close enough to scratch or bite me." She pointed to her Smith & Wesson .357 in Josh's hands.
He handed the weapon back to her. "Gotta love Texas gals." Josh put the car in gear and hit the gas. "I know more women who carry than who don't." He took Highway 102 toward Eagle Lake. They would make better time if they could get onto I-10. Unless it had turned into a used car dealership, too. They pulled into the small town of Eagle Lake thirty minutes later. As Josh motored toward Highway 90, a group of infected people blocked the road. He stopped, trying to decide what to do.
"What if you floor it and plow through?" Mark asked.
"I'm paranoid of damaging the car." Josh scratched his chin. "If we get stranded in the middle of them, we're dead."
Josh slammed the gearshift into reverse and turned around. "We passed another road a few miles back. We'll take it and see if we can get onto 90 from there." He drove to Glen Flora Road and headed north. He was able to maneuver the car onto the highway when they reached 90, but had to weave in between zombies. They crept along the road at a few miles an hour. Josh rolled his shoulders and tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. He had to mai
ntain control for Mark and Sierra's sake. If he hopped on the crazy train, they were in big trouble.
"Why are there so many infected people in this tiny town?" Mark peered out the side window as an infected reached for the car. "What happened here?"
"Good question." Josh expected this in Houston, not here.
He let his foot off the gas as they rolled up to a group clogging the road. Infecteds surrounded the car. Mark and Sierra were his responsibility, and he'd driven them into sure death.
"What do we do, now?" Sierra leaned forward. "If we get out of the car, we're dead."
"I know."
The zombies at the sides of the car pounded on the windows, and one of them climbed on the hood. "Crap." Josh jammed his foot on the accelerator. The car leapt forward knocking down a couple of the infected people, then broke free and shot forward. He didn't let his foot off the accelerator until he'd driven a few miles.
"I thought we were going to die." Mark sank back into the seat and let out a long sigh.
"You're not the only one." Sierra laughed for several seconds. "I'm sorry. When I get nervous, I always giggle."
Josh tried to figure out how many people he killed. Despite the fact, they'd contracted a terminal illness, his stomach roiled each time he thought of those he'd killed. He rubbed his sternum with the heel of his hand and took a few deep breaths. How long would it take them to finish this journey? If they made it to the bunker, it would be nothing short of a miracle. In a matter of days, this demonic disease had trashed his world, and he was powerless to fix it.
He prayed Uncle Reg's compound was safe. Then what? If they made it to the bunker, how long before the zombies overran it or before an uninfected group decided to take it for themselves? The uninfected might prove more dangerous than the infected.
*****
Reginald woke as the SUV rolled to a stop. How long had he slept? The sun was high in the sky so noon or so. "What's going on?"
"We finally ran out of gas. I kept looking for a safe place to fill it but didn't find one." David shifted into park and turned to look at Reginald. "It started sputtering and cutting out a couple of miles back, and just now, died. What now?"
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