Humanity's Edge Trilogy (Book 1): Turn

by Kohler, Paul B.

  Chapter 35

  Clay parked alongside Lieutenant Daniels’s military vehicle, noting that the hotel’s lights were blaring, giving it an aura of warmth. He sighed with relief, listening as his two latest rescuees twittered with mild panic in the back seat. Clay remembered seeing the married couple many times at Sunday service, but he’d never interacted with them directly. It was clear now that they had an incredibly Christian background, bordering on the fanatical, as they prayed with manic zeal the moment they’d buckled in. Beside them, Megan rolled her eyes, gripping her backpack closer.

  “Can you let us out of here?” Megan asked, bringing her lips together tightly. “I, for one, would like a bit of breathing room. And a bit less praying.”

  “Prayer is the only thing that will get us through this terrible time,” Connie rasped. “You have to know that.”

  “Seriously, Clay. I can’t open the back door myself. We’re in a cop car, remember?” Megan said.

  “Right,” Clay said, rushing to open the door. Connie, Ralph, and Megan spilled out, stretching their limbs and backs and eyeing the warmth of the hotel. Willis took tentative steps from the vehicle, clearly weakened, fading with every moment.

  “You gonna be okay, Doc?” Ralph asked with a twang. “It looks like he’s bleedin’ bad.”

  Clay placed a hand at Willis’s back, guiding him toward the door. “He’ll be fine. We’re all going to be fine,” he said, feeling more and more unsure of whether those promises would hold up. Willis made momentary eye contact with him, looking like a tired, lost child and not like the emboldened doctor who’d volunteered to stay behind.

  Clay opened the door to discover Daniels and Alayna standing at the foyer desk, their eyes upon the town map. Immediately, Alayna’s face broke into a grin. She rushed toward Clay and wrapped her thin arms around his neck, shuddering. “I was so worried about you guys. Welcome back.”

  As she broke the hug, her eyes gazed over the people behind him, including the injured doctor, Ralph, Connie, and, of course, Megan. She took a tentative step back, bringing her fingers to her red-tinged cheek. “Megan? Wha . . . what are you doing here?” she gasped.

  Megan stood in the doorway, allowing Ralph and Connie to skirt past her, muttering to themselves. It was unclear if their words were complaints or prayers.

  “I was worried about you,” Megan whispered. “I couldn’t let you be here alone. I told you we wouldn’t be without each other again. Not after our fight.”

  Alayna closed her eyes tightly. Crow’s feet formed on either side, along with a small, intimate wrinkle between her eyebrows. “Damn it, Megan. You don’t know what you’ve done.” She flung herself forward, then, and kissed Megan fully, grasping her dark hair. A single tear swept down her cheek. “But it’s so good to see you. I missed you.”

  “I missed you too,” Megan said. She grinned, similar tears showing in her eyes.

  Near the formal dining room, Ralph and Connie glared at them, their jaws dropping. Clay was incredibly grateful that they didn’t spout any of their biblical speak in that moment and simply allowed Megan and Alayna’s beautiful embrace. Inwardly, he felt anxious and sad, wishing Valerie could be in his arms. As his mind wandered, he noticed Norah glaring at him.

  “What are you looking at?” she asked.

  Feeling slapped, Clay raised his hand in the air, ignoring the woman, and Megan and Alayna broke apart. “Everyone. I’d like to suggest that we regroup on the second floor to recap the events of today, make plans for tomorrow, and relax, above all. Get cleaned up if you like, and meet in the bar in thirty minutes. Meanwhile, I’ll take a look at our food situation.”

  “I’ll come too,” Alayna said, leaving one last peck on Megan’s cheek.

  The group split up with somber looks, walking off to claim hotel rooms for themselves. The doctor moved with intent but struggled visibly. His feet paused at every other step, and his eyes narrowed with concern. Clay and Alayna watched him until he reached the landing, when Alayna whispered, “We really need to watch the doc. Is he going to be okay?”

  “I think he’ll be fine. He was bitten by one of the crazed but hasn’t shown any signs of the infection. We talked earlier, and he says that he can treat himself. Seeing as nobody else in this group has any medical training, I think he’s his own best option.”

  Alayna gave him a knowing glance. “Are you sure about that?”

  “No. Of course not,” Clay said, turning toward the kitchen. “But we have to be optimistic. I honestly don’t know what to think anymore. But if he stayed behind to help medically, then he should be able to at least treat the bite himself. Don’t you think?”

  “Sure,” Alayna whispered, trailing off.

  Chapter 36

  They popped open the kitchen door and found themselves in a gleaming aisle of stainless steel refrigerators and cabinets, all stocked with meats, cheeses, breads, vegetables, and fruits—enough to feed their small group for a week. They allowed themselves a few moments of play, nibbling on bits of cheese and creating a large tower of fruits, before carrying as much as they could to the second-floor bar. They splayed the foods upon the bar top and waited for the survivors to assemble.

  Megan appeared in the doorway of the bar first, her freshly washed hair dribbling down her back. She grinned sheepishly at Alayna, who grasped her hand and squeezed it before dropping it away. “Have something to eat. You look hungry,” she said.

  Megan lifted an apple to her mouth and bit into it, creating that familiar crisp, fresh sound. Alayna held her gaze, leaving Clay to stuff his hands in his pockets and monitor the liquor cabinets. Eyeing the massive collection the hotel bartender, Harvey, had amassed through the years, Clay was generally impressed, even though his own knowledge of wine and spirits was limited.

  Several minutes later, the entire group had arrived, poised and attentive. Clay placed his palms upon the mahogany bar top and assessed his random group, noting that the doctor was alert but his appearance had deteriorated even further in the short time since he’d last seen him.

  “All right, guys,” Clay began, clearing his throat. “I want to thank you all for your hard work today. Alayna and Lieutenant Daniels, I appreciate you bringing Norah in. And discovering Megan, Ralph, and Connie today was truly a blessing. We wouldn’t have wanted them out there in this hell.”

  “Hear, hear,” Alayna said, raising her fist. Daniels looked at her with disdain, clearly reeling from her refusal of him and her sure lesbian love with Megan. He grunted and defensively crossed his arms across his chest before leaning back heavily in his chair.

  “That said, it’s clear we didn’t cover enough ground today. And, as many of you know, we encountered a number of the crazed individuals who ultimately had to be taken down. Lieutenant, I understand you had an issue as well?”

  “There was no problem,” Daniels scoffed.

  “That was Carl. That creep,” Norah scowled, sniffing her nose sharply. “He had it coming.”

  Clay withheld a smile at the woman’s words. Otherwise, the mood in the bar was grim and barren, and a single look at the doctor forced him back to his somber mood.

  “Now, as you can see, our doctor here isn’t feeling so hot,” Clay began.

  “So much for being a doctor, eh?” Ralph cried from the corner.

  “That’s right, baby,” Connie whispered after him, his personal cheerleader.

  Clay paused, gritting his teeth. “We need to make sure that we have searchers tomorrow, even without the doctor’s help.”

  “I’ll do it, son,” Ralph said gleefully. “I’ve always wanted to kill me somebody.”

  “He’d be great,” Megan said, rolling her eyes. Alayna and Megan shared a glance, communicating volumes between them, without saying actual words.

  “Well, that settles it, then. Ralph, you’ll come as Doctor Miller’s replacement. And Megan, Norah, and Connie, you’ll stay behind with the doctor to ensure he rests up. No working too hard, Doctor. Bed rest,” Clay said, eye
ing Willis once more. The doctor forced a smile, but it was clear that he was in far more pain than he’d let on earlier.

  Sensing he was losing the room, Clay reached toward the liquor cabinet and grasped a bottle of Harvey’s bourbon reserve. He cleared his throat, thrusting the bottle onto the bar. “In any case, the best thing we can do for ourselves right now is relax. Seeing as Harvey’s not here to object, and I’m sure he won’t mind anyway, I think we could all use a belt from his special selection.”

  “Are you mad?” Norah howled. “That bottle must be worth five hundred dollars!”

  “So be it,” Clay said, rather pleased with himself. He popped the top from the bottle and poured himself an initial glass, sniffing at the powerful liquid. “To Harvey. And to all of us. We’ll get out of this alive. Or this stuff will kill us. One or the other.”

  Clay grinned, tossing the drink back and sending the bottle toward Alayna, who began to pour drinks for the rest of the group. Each accepted their crystal glasses with a sheepish smile, understanding that this foray into leisure was a false safety.

  Chapter 37

  After several slugs of bourbon, after champagne bottles were popped and wine bottles were uncorked, the remaining derelicts of Carterville became wildly intoxicated, high on their survival and the fact that they were left behind. “It’s biblical!” Ralph continued to cry in the corner, yanking at his wife’s hand. “We’re left behind. Just like the Good Book said!”

  “That’s not how it works,” Alayna spouted back, pouring wine into her half-empty glass. “You chose to stay behind. God didn’t leave you here.”

  “That’s just it,” Ralph spat. “We chose, but God put it in our heads to choose that. Don’t you see? You’re a puppet. You don’t even know that what these heathens tell you isn’t true at all.” He eyed Megan, who stood close to Alayna, tracing her finger against the bar and dangerously close to Alayna’s breast.

  Clay stood near the liquor cabinet sipping his drink, his feet shoulder-width apart, feeling the alcohol course through his system. Daniels appeared beside him, his eyes exhibiting a glossy sheen.

  “Sheriff,” he said curtly.

  “Lieutenant,” Clay answered, swiping the back of his hand across his lips. “What can I do you for?”

  “Ha. Now you sound like him,” Daniels said, eyeing Ralph.

  “He’s quite a character, isn’t he?” Clay asked. “We’ve got a motley collection of individuals here. I saw Norah take a shot of bourbon faster than anyone else, and she took it like a champ.”

  “Characters, all right,” Daniels said. “You know, that Alayna’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. At first, I really thought she dug me. So I went for it, you know?” He sighed, almost looking human for a moment, gesturing toward Alayna and Megan, whose noses were mere inches apart. “I laid it on thick. But it just goes to show you: all the best ones are either gay or already taken. I don’t have a chance in her world.”

  “You don’t seem like a terribly romantic guy, though,” Clay answered bluntly. “Didn’t think it’d bother you at all. After this, you’ll just be on to the next town, the next love. Alayna wouldn’t have been a forever thing anyway.”

  “Sure. But you can’t curse a man for trying,” Daniels said.

  A silence stretched between them. Clay took another sip of his drink as he thought about the man beside him. Sure, he was a dumbass. But Daniels was pushing himself to save Carterville, a town he had no ties to. He was handling those crazed individuals who came after his townspeople without prejudice. And he was taking an interest in some of Clay’s favorites, including Alayna. Perhaps he wasn’t so bad. Just misguided. Clay supposed that here, in a moment of terrible significance in his small community, he had to give people the benefit of the doubt. He reached toward the lieutenant’s shoulder and clapped it heartily, like an old friend.

  Connie laughed loudly, and music was bursting from the speaker system, fueling the frivolity. The drunken lieutenant grinned, flashing his eyes toward Clay. “So. I suppose I should divulge a bit more information about our exit strategy,” he said, his voice rather high, lifting over the many others in the room.

  Clay frowned, resting his drink back on the bar. “What do you mean? We’re going to drive out of here in a few days. I didn’t think there had to be any greater plan than that.”

  Daniels reached into his pocket and revealed a small communication-like device, more high-tech than their walkie-talkies. He jiggled it in his hand, like he was trying to prove something. “This little puppy here will get us out of the containment zone and through the energy field that’s around the town.”

  He was still speaking loudly, almost slurring his words. Alayna looked away from Megan and marched across the room toward them, her hands upon her belt. “I’m sorry, but what do you mean, through the energy field?”

  The sudden commotion caught everyone’s attention. Ralph stopped his diatribe, and Norah peered at them with narrowed eyes. Willis, from his place in an easy chair, leaned forward, interest momentarily taking over his bouts of pain.

  Daniels sensed he’d messed up. He stuck the device back in his pocket, eyeing the door. The song changed to one with a heightened beat. Clay felt his heart would bump from his chest.

  “I mean, it’s really no big deal,” Daniels said.

  “If it’s no big deal, then tell us about it,” Alayna said, her eyes wide with anticipation.

  “Yeah, sure. Okay. Before the colonel left yesterday, the energy field circling the town was modified to not only block the contagion from passing through but also to prevent humans from traversing it. Not without my device, that is.”

  Norah stabbed her finger through the air, livid. “What do you mean? We’re locked in here . . . like dogs?”

  “Hey, lady. You weren’t going to leave unless we dragged you out,” Daniels spouted.

  Megan walked slowly to Alayna and wrapped a drunken arm around her, quivering. “This is really happening, isn’t it?” she whispered. People began to speak over each other in a heat of panic.

  But Clay interrupted them with a loud, angry smash of his palm upon the bar. Everyone turned rapidly toward him: their savior, the man who would put the lieutenant in his place. Clay searched for the proper words for a long time, feeling livid.

  “We have to get out of here,” he said.

  “And we will,” Daniels sighed, tapping at the device once more. “This here is our golden ticket.”

  “But I should have been told,” Clay yelled. “I’m the sheriff of this town. These people are my responsibility.” He lifted his finger and jabbed Daniels’s chest. “You’ve done more than a disservice. You’ve endangered us, Adam. You’re working against us.”

  Daniels shook his head slightly. Alayna’s weight shifted, sensing Clay was blowing this out of proportion, that a combination of fear and alcohol was causing him to become volatile. No one spoke as Clay exhaled sharply, incredulous.

  “Everyone,” Alayna began again, her voice booming. “Go to your rooms. Get some sleep. We have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow. We don’t want any stragglers. No one will be left behind.”

  Clay nodded and winked at Alayna before he took a final shot of bourbon. Then, he meandered toward the door, his hand grasping the frame, before he shot down the hallway and toward his bedroom, with its single, lonely bed. He collapsed onto the mattress, feeling as if he were diving into a pool, and closed his eyes easily.

  Panic and shock would follow him deep into his dreams. The feeling of being a wild animal locked in a cage, bucking at the constraints, gave him cold sweats, and he woke up to tug his shirt from his aching back. On his arms, the lesions oozed blood and pus. With the moonlight streaming in from the window across his blanketed legs, he felt like the loneliest person on the planet.

  Chapter 38

  Clay stumbled into the hallway at around five in the morning, bringing his palm across his thin head of hair. His stomach felt stretched and fizzing after too much alcoho
l, reminiscent of his college days, when his only cure had been fast food. He found himself in the kitchen, monitoring the gurgling coffee machine and sipping the dark liquid, waiting for something to change.

  Alayna appeared in the doorway of the kitchen some ten minutes later, almost as if she’d sensed him. She yawned, showing her bright, white teeth. “Hey, Sheriff,” she said. She kept her distance, as though she still sensed his anger from the previous evening.

  “Don’t worry, Alayna,” he said, leaning heavily against the counter. “I’ve calmed down since last night. And I’m sorry for overreacting like that. Tensions are so high right now, you know. I feel a little frantic.”

  “Yeah, sure,” Alayna whispered. “We all have regrets.” Her voice was far away, lost.

  “Did something happen?”

  “Another fight,” Alayna said, shivering. She eyed her socked feet. “I was so happy to see her. But then I got angry, demanding, in drunken words, why she’d stayed behind when my orders had been to get out of town. She was pissed that I thought I could ‘order her around.’” She rolled her eyes slightly. “But I told her she obviously didn’t know what she was talking about.”

  “Which, I’m guessing, didn’t go over too well,” Clay said, giving her a sad grin.

  “You’ve been married a long time, I guess,” Alayna agreed. She paused, sipping her coffee. “How are you feeling, by the way? Doesn’t look like you’ve got the sweats any longer.”

  Clay had hardly noticed. “It does seem like I’m in some kind of remission,” he said, shrugging. “The only pain I have is now just related to all that bourbon. Damn it, Harvey,” he joked, hoping to mask his own fear of truly being infected.