HARD ROAD: Heaven Bound

by Terry McDonald

  Jake opened fire, killing a man squatting behind a motorcycle and swinging to kill the man behind the other one. A man leaning over the hood of the truck managed to get off a shot, the bullet spanging the metal frame of the turret aperture. A row of holes appeared in the hood of the pickup as Jake walked a line of bullets to him. His head exploded in a froth of blood. More bullets hit the armored turret. A bullet, from a shooter at the rear of the pickup truck, pocked the glass to the left of the machine gun aperture.

  From the loudspeakers, there came such a hideous din, it sent a creepy chill up his spine. One man behind the truck broke from concealment and began running from the fight. Jake cut him down in mid-stride and swung to shoot at movement he saw from the corner of his eye. He had not spotted the man squatting behind the concrete edge-barrier of the bridge. The man made the mistake of standing to target Jake. Eight rounds from the machine gun chewed into his chest. The man crouching in the weeds sent a bullet through the aperture of the turret at an oblique angle, missing Jake, pinging off the glass beside him. Another man held his rifle over the edge of the pickup’s bed and loosed a stream of un-aimed automatic fire.

  Jake, ignored the shooting from the truck and pivoted the turret. The man behind the bushes was still firing and had not the sense to shift to another place of concealment after firing his rifle. His mistake cost him.

  Above the din, Jake heard a shout of surrender, but paid no attention. The remaining men were hiding behind the truck. Because of the distance, he could clearly see their boots. He swept three bursts under the bed of truck. Bullets tore into their feet and ankles. Several sweeps more finished them off as they fell.

  “Okay,” he shouted to the others, “it’s done.”

  The din from the loudspeakers cut off sharply and the ensuing silence seemed strangely out of place. Jake climbed from the turret.

  “Why did we have to scream like that?” Janie asked as she moved past him towards the passenger’s seats.

  “To frighten and confuse those men who were trying to block us from getting to Haven.”

  “I bet it did. It was scary sounding in here.

  “You all did a good job.

  Jake returned to the passenger’s seat and twisted to call back to the others. “One of them said there aren’t any more roadblocks ahead. It’s smooth sailing from here to Haven.”

  “That was quick,” Beth whispered. “You sure are a cold blooded killer Mister Markett. They shouldn’t have said, ain’t”

  “I have to tell you, there was a little hot blood mixed in there. We’re not in a position to take prisoners. They were going to die no matter what, but it was easier after what they said, and it wasn’t the word, ain’t.”

  "You want to switch seats now?”

  “You tired of driving?”

  “No, I thought you might want to be the one to push the truck out of the way.”

  “You’re the one learning to drive. Take it slow and push it over the edge. This big truck won’t notice the weight of that pickup.”

  Beth put the transport in gear and drove across the bridge. She hesitantly began pushing the blocking truck out of the way. She caught sight of a slight movement on the pavement as the pickup began to slide. She stopped the transport.

  “One of them’s still alive down there. If I keep going, the tire will go over him.”

  “He chose to be here,” Jake, said, his tone cold as ice.

  She hesitated a moment, looking at his face, before nodding and shifting back into gear. Their vehicle was so heavy they did not feel the man’s body as it crushed him, but his short-lived scream echoed in all their minds for several seconds. She continued pushing until the pickup slid off the embankment. It rolled onto its’ top as it went over. Beth straightened the transport and called back to the others.

  “The road’s clear. We’re on our way to Heaven.”

  Jake studied the map as she drove. She was becoming proficient at avoiding the numerous potholes, washouts and an occasional abandoned vehicle. There were places where there was no way around an obstacle. When warranted, she would call back for the others to brace themselves, while she carefully pushed aside or negotiated over downed trees and other obstacles. Sometimes she would have to get Jake’s advice, but so far, they had encountered nothing the transport couldn’t handle.

  In the back, Agnes and Eva were teaching Janie the words to children’s songs. Jake often found himself humming along. He saw a road sign showing the town of Newton was twelve miles ahead. An hour later, they passed a group of houses, and he saw a sign that said Newton city limits. Beth slowed to a stop.

  “Do you want to drive through this town?”

  “I do,” Jake replied. A little way further, this road intersects with highway 37. The 37 takes us all the way to Lakeland.”

  “I mean, do you want to take over driving?” she asked, flexing her shoulders and stretching her arms. “My shoulders are knotted.”

  “Having to watch every foot of the road can get to you,” Jake agreed. “Why don’t you slide past me, and we’ll change seats?”

  Beth did as requested with more body contact than was needed.

  “You keep that up and we’ll be changing seats every ten minutes,” he said.

  “Keep what up?” she asked, feigning innocence.”

  “You know what I’m talking about, you little devil,” Jake leaned over and kissed her.

  She returned the kiss and then pushed him away. “Hey mister, you better keep your mind where it belongs,” she said, smiling her pleasure. “I think I’ll ride in the turret while we pass through town.”

  “Good idea,” he agreed.

  “Hey you love birds,” Agnes called out, “We’re getting pretty hungry back here. That dinky little breakfast wasn’t near enough for the work we did this morning.”

  “I hear that,” Jake agreed. “We’ll stop on the other side of this town and eat.”

  There was not much to the town. When he got to the intersection at Highway 37, he stopped and cut the engine.

  “We’ll be moving in a minute,” he called towards the rear. “I need to make a quick announcement.”

  He keyed the microphone, leaving the volume on full.

  “If anyone can hear me, please listen closely, there’s a bad gang of people headed this way. The leader is a killer and a cannibal, named John Saint. We are headed East down the 37. Just past Interstate 75 is Ray City. I will be checking there two weeks from today. I will lead anyone I find there to a place of refuge. If you are a bad person or a bigot, don’t bother to show.”

  Jake restarted the engine and turned onto highway 37. Beth remained in the turret until the houses thinned, before returning to the passenger’s seat.

  “I guess I know where we’ll be in two weeks,” she said.

  “I don’t recall saying we,” Jake said, mischievously.

  Beth gave him a face that said volumes. “You remember when you told the man to tell John Saint the Angels from Heaven would be coming for him. The way I see it, you and I are the Angels from Heaven.”

  They rode in silence for a few minutes, both deep inside their own thoughts. The roadway past Newton was in much better condition, with clear areas for longer stretches, and they were able to make better time. Eventually, Jake pulled into the parking lot of what was once a country store and bait shop, just outside the town of Camilla.

  “Give me a minute to check this place out, and we can stretch and eat.”

  “Hurry, I need to pee,” Janie said.

  “I’m coming with you to check the place,” Agnes said, removing her rifle from the restraints.

  They did a thorough survey before calling the rest to join them. While getting things together for a meal, Agnes waited for an opportunity to pull Jake aside.

  “Jake, I know you and Beth are into each other right now, but the rest of us are feeling left out.”

  “How do you mean?” he asked.

  “I can tell Al would like an opportunity to learn t
o drive, and we couldn’t help but hear when you two declared yourselves the ‘Angels of Heaven’.”

  “It wasn’t my intention to make anyone feel left out.”

  “I know that Jake, but you have to realize you are the mainstay of our little group. We all, and I include myself, consider you to be our leader. We look to you to guide us and to lift our spirits. There is something about you, as bumbling as you are, that radiates strength.

  “Jeez Agnes, I’m just a man... Hey ... Bumbling?”

  “Yeah. In many way you’re very calculating, but mostly you depend on the element of surprise, and you’re just plain lucky on the outcomes of situations. Still though, you’ve managed to earn my respect. It stems from the fact you are, deep-down rooted, in decency. Do you think I would have done what you had me do for any other man in this world?

  “I’m not comfortable with this, Agnes. I don’t belong on a pedestal.”

  “You need to get used to it, where do you think you are in Janie’s eyes? You’re a hundred feet tall to her. I made Al your son, his name is Allen Simpson Markett. You need to feel that name deep down where it counts.”

  He considered what Agnes said.

  “You’re right, of course. I have some adjustment and rearranging to do inside my head. I appreciate you calling me out.”

  “Just fulfilling my function as justice of the peace,” she replied, smiling. “By the way, I appreciate you letting me have a go at that fellow this morning. It went a long ways towards emptying my bottle of hate.”

  “You sure did a good job of it. He never saw it coming.”

  “Oh, he saw it. He was nothing but a simple-minded bully. People like him are very confident when they have someone at a disadvantage, but they don’t know how to act when the shoe’s on the other foot... As for the ‘Angels from Heaven’ thing, we’re happy to let you and Beth, own that title. Frankly, the two of you are downright frightening. I don’t know what my reaction would have been if it was me you told to run over the man back at the road block, but she took it in stride.”

  After eating, Jake spent a few moments in conversation with Beth before calling Al to join them.

  “Son,” he said, draping an arm across his shoulder, “I think Beth has driving down pat. You ready to have a go at it?”

  Al glanced at the big vehicle. “I thought I did, but maybe after we get to Heaven you can teach me. Janie gets scared when I’m not with her. Besides,” he said, nodding at Beth, “she’s better there with you if something happens.”

  “I think you’d be okay with me, but if you feel Janie needs you, then maybe we should wait.”

  Jake made the same offer to Agnes and Eva, but they adamantly deferred to Beth.

  CHAPTER 16

  Camilla, the next town, was barely noticeable. There were old roadblocks composed of cars parked across the road on both sides of the city. They pushed through. Past the town, the roadbed was in bad condition.

  They encountered several washed out sections, one so deep, Jake knew they risked damaging the trailer if they attempted to cross it. The ground on each side was too soggy to risk leaving the roadbed. They filled the washout with roadside debris, rocks, dead tree limbs, broken pavement.

  At another point, he had to take Beth's place at the wheel in order to creep past a jackknifed semi blocking most of the road.

  They went through more small towns, stopping only for Jake to deliver his message. Beth asked if it was safe letting people know about the existence Haven. He explained his goal would be to get as many survivors to the facility as possible, and by having them gather at a place relatively far away, it would be possible to filter out any bad elements.

  At 3:30, that afternoon, they arrived outside the city limits of a sizable town named Moultrie. Jake pulled into the parking lot of an abandoned convenience store located at a long straight section of road, giving clear visibility in both directions. As he dug through his pack for a map, the rest got out to stretch.

  There was an area to the right of the store with a combination concrete picnic table and benches with a sturdy steel barbeque grill planted in concrete close by. Agnes and Eva were busy setting out supplies and cooking utensils in preparation for another small meal of MRE's. Beth was at the edge of the roadway keeping guard. Jake went to the far end of the table and spread his map.

  “Where are my kids?” he asked Eva who was closest.

  “Sound asleep the both of them. We’ll let them rest until it’s time to eat.”

  Jake studied the map in silence. Once again, he found himself feeling comfortable and at ease. For the last two and a half years, while traveling from Wisconsin, he had felt very alone. Thinking further, he realized he had been alone and lonely since the death of his wife and boys, no matter that in Wisconsin, and other places, he had been among large groups of people.

  Eva took a break and slid onto the bench across from him.

  “Are we getting any closer?”

  “We’re a little less than half way to Lakeland,” he answered, glancing from the map. A few miles east, past Moultrie, is a state park with campgrounds. I think we’ll overnight there.”

  “You seem relaxed and happy,” she said.

  “I didn’t realize I was projecting,” Jake replied, smiling.

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Just before you came over, I was thinking exactly that. I am comfortable and relaxed.”

  “You do remember killing a few people earlier today?”

  “To tell the truth Eva, I haven’t thought about them since we drove from that spot,” he replied.

  “The deaths of those men won’t haunt you?

  “Eva, I don’t feel a thing for them.”

  “I was watching through the back view grill when Agnes broke Bakers’ knee and arm. Being a doctor, I knew exactly the damage she did, and how it must have hurt.”

  “Eva, I—.”

  “When Agnes yanked the microphone off the motorcycle, she also took a pamphlet from his saddlebag. We’ve been reading it.”

  Agnes spoke from the other end of the table. “Could you speak just a little lower? I don’t want to hear it while I'm cooking?”

  “Of course I will, dear.”

  Eva continued in a lower voice. “The first part of the pamphlet deals with the organizational details of his troops. The second part is a cookbook. It details how to render a human into food, including spiced forms of jerky... Jake, you have no idea how sick John Saint is... He has a standing order for the ears of Jews be dried and fashioned into a necklace. When the necklace has a hundred ears, John Saint will place it around his neck and immediately be granted special powers.”

  “That is so disgusting, it transcends sick, and leaps right into delusion,” Jake said. “Eva, I realize being a doctor makes things difficult for you in the realities of this world. Your oath still has meaning, but you need to be able to defend yourself. Agnes can teach you. She is one dangerous lady.”

  “I guess it’s my mental makeup, but I find it strange how easily you and she can kill or maim those whom you consider evil, yet be so kind to everyone else. I know with Agnes, and possibly with you and Beth too, there is an element of revenge to it.”

  Jake thought about her statement before answering.

  “I imagine by now Agnes or Beth has told what happened to my family, and yes, that element does exist, but I was killing people like these even before that. I'm getting tired of doing it, but we, as a people, have no other choice except for hiding and hoping they don't catch us at an inopportune time.

  “Eva, at no time, during the collapse or after, was there a shortage of food. Saint is an insane sociopath who uses the eating of human flesh as a means of intimidation. I’m going to speak only for myself. Harming other people doesn’t set easy in my mind. I have to justify it deep within myself. In my mind, I’m killing deadly carnivores. It’s in their nature to harm. The carnivore has no choice, but the people we're killing made a choice, and they took the path of evil. I don't
see them as human."

  Eva said, “Comparing Saint to a carnivore does the carnivore an injustice, but I can see one would need some sort of mental barrier. I’ve been trained to heal rather than to harm, and this new world is so foreign to me.”

  “If Haven is as Avis said, it may be that you will be in a place where you can remain exactly how you are. Hopefully, Al too. He’s such a kind, greathearted boy. I’m sorry I exposed him to killing the night we shot and burned the first group of Saint's men. I wish now I’d taken Beth.”

  Eva reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “After we get to Heaven, it may be time for you to take advantage of your place in his life. Have a father to son talk about how you feel. Your words carry strongly to him, and words said properly have the power to heal. Let’s hope Haven is Heaven,” she said as she stood.

  Jake motioned for her to sit again. “How did you end up down here in South Georgia?”

  “After spending five years working trauma at a major hospital in Atlanta, I was hired by a medical group there. Strictly management. I loved living in Atlanta, but after the plague ravaged the city, it seemed like the few remaining people turned into savages. In the beginning, I was in the downtown area. Violent ethnic gangs formed. White, African, Asian, Hispanic. I believe their only raison d’être was to hunt and kill each other.

  “I survived the long winter by hiding during the day and foraging for canned goods at night. After the long spell of cold weather ended, I moved out to the suburbs north of the city, and joined with a small group who were living commune style. You spoke of carnivores. It was there, while I was out scavenging, I was attacked and mauled by a lion.”

  “A lion?” Jake responded, incredulously.

  “Yes, can you believe it? It would turn your stomach to see the scars on my legs and buttocks. I almost bled to death. It’s a good thing he wasn’t hungry, he clawed me a few times and then walked away. I guess someone felt sorry for the animals in the zoo and turned them loose. There are exotic animals living and breeding in the forests and suburbs around Atlanta. The monkeys seem to be thriving.”