The Outbreak Series (Book 1): Safe Haven

by Thomas Baker

  As the day wore on, he got closer and closer to the lake without finding any trace of her. Then a terrible thought entered his mind. What if she fell in the lake and drowned? He had no idea if she knew how to swim or not. If she was at the bottom, they would probably never find her. He could only hope that wasn't the case.

  The light faded away and the fireflies came out. Coming to the boathouse, Alan went inside. He shrugged off his backpack and rolled out his sleeping bag. He sat there, chewing on some beef jerky and looking around. That is when he noticed the slight indentation in the wood floor. Looking closer there seemed to be a small handle carved into the planks. He put his fingers inside and lifted. An ominous feeling took hold as a trap door popped open.

  Grabbing his flashlight, Alan started down the rickety stairs. At the bottom, Alan shined his light around, looking for some kind of switch. He found one nailed to a beam. He flipped it. Two rows of fluorescent lights flickered to life.

  Alan was in what looked like a poorly dug out storm cellar. To his right was a makeshift wooden table, with all manner of tools scattered along it, around a hunk of bloody meat. He looked straight ahead, squinting in the dim light, and saw something white hanging from the ceiling.

  He walked towards it, instinctively pulling the meat cleaver from his belt. In his other hand he swept around with the flashlight, chasing back the shadows. As he got closer, the white object revealed itself to be a wedding dress and veil. He walked around it, expecting to find a mannequin. Instead, when he shined his light on it, Ashley's face stared back at him.

  With everything he had been through, Alan still gasped and reeled, nearly dropped his light and weapon. Even though she was frozen in place, Ashley still looked alive. Alan set the meat cleaver down and hesitantly reached out to touch her face. It felt slick, sort of like cheap plastic.

  "What the sick fuck?" Alan breathed to himself. His brain really couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. As if it was in self defense mode against the horror he was witnessing, he turned to look at what else was back here. His foot brushed against something. He looked down to see a can of deck sealant. He registered it in the back of his mind and continued looking around the far end of the room. Here he found a claw foot bath tub, stained with blood, containing what looked like a foot and half of a arm. Above it were some hooks hanging from the wooden beams that made up the ceiling. All the hooks but one were empty. On that one was Thomas's severed head. To the left of the bathtub in the very back corner of the room were two more woman, both wearing wedding gowns and veils as well. He wasn't sure how they were held up.

  Spinning, he had to get out now or he was going to be sick.

  Alan stumbled back up the stairs. He went out into the woods, stopped and bent over, taking deep breaths. When he was sure he had talked his stomach into keeping his dinner down, he stood back up. I need to get back and warn the others. Ashley...how am I going to explain what happened to her to everyone? To Hannah? How had they all underestimated just what Harold was capable of?

  A sudden, sharp pain exploded through his shoulder. Alan looked down and saw blood running down his arm, dripping onto the ground. Then he heard the crack of a gun. Alan fell to the ground, clutching at his wound. What the fuck?

  As he laid in the grass, his blood pumping from his body, Alan heard the soft whoosh of someone quickly approaching through the grass. Thoughts and feelings began to rapidly flash through him. The first was how, deep inside, he was grateful that his wife and kids didn't survive that first day. They didn't have to be in the living hell this world had become. More monsters than just the zombies had survived. What justice and reason was there, when innocent children get ripped to shreds and eaten, and an evil serial killer lives? A figure in shadows fell over him. At last there will be peace and silence.

  After he and Dusty gave up trying to find Alan, JT had spent the evening walking a hole in the cabin floor. He was thinking about his discussion with Gus. Thinking about Dusty's opinion when JT confronted him about going through Harold's stuff. Thinking about what he was going to say in the meeting. Thinking and thinking and not coming up with any good answers.

  He had tried to talk to Hannah, to get a third take on what he was thought the group should do, but she wouldn't even open the bedroom door for him. At least she had come out of the meeting. Harold he hadn't seen for the rest of the day. He was grateful for that.

  Now it was time. They were all here, except for Alan. Gathered in the living room. No more putting it off.

  "Let's get started," JT announced.

  "I can't believe you did that JT," Gus said, disgusted. He finger stabbed through the air as he pointed.

  Mike laid tied up on the floor, over by the front door. He had duct tape over his mouth. Still he squirmed and tried to make noise.

  "Why did you do that to him?" Tyrone asked.

  "I've decided he's dangerous until we know for sure where his loyalties lie," JT said.

  "Why? What's going on? Why are we doing this instead of looking for Ashley?" Hannah pleaded. Her eyes were swollen and puffy and every few minutes she wiped at them.

  JT swallowed a hard lump in his throat. It took three tries before he could gather himself enough to go on again.

  "This is about what I think we need to do, to keep us safe..." JT said, looking to each person in turn. "We take over the cabin as our own, and give Harold the choice. Either follow us, or leave."

  Dusty spoke first."Before we do anything like vote on what our next move is, I have some things to show everyone first. I've been doing some looking around-"

  "I know," JT interrupted, "so does Harold. That's part of the reason we need to decide something now. He's made vague threats against us. I feel that if we don't do something first, it's going to come down to violence."

  "I don't need to know anything else," Gus said, standing. "This'll be no surprise to you JT, but I vote for moving on. This is still the good 'ole US of A. I am not going to start robbing people. If we force Harold to leave by himself, we're killing him. We're just letting the zombies do the dirty work. I say, let's try to follow the signs to Safe Haven."

  Dusty gave JT and Gus a scathing look in turn. He held up one hand, waiting until he had everyone's attention again before speaking.

  "I think we should be moving on but I don't think there is such a place," Dusty said, throwing something at Gus. Gus caught it and looked down. It was a book, with the title, Safe Haven.

  "What the hell is this?" He raised an eyebrow to Dusty.

  "I have been telling you all and telling you all I don't trust this guy," Dusty said, talking quickly. "Something about him makes my skin crawl. I went looking for Ashley. When that was a wash, I also spent some time going through Harold's room. I found a large collection of books in his bedroom closet, along with a safe. Most of the books are survival stuff, hunting, how to preserve meat, taxidermy, things like that. It's that or crazy conspiracy stuff about the government and how they are trying to control us all. Also books on engineering, philosophy, history and a huge, old school Bible. Then I found this. It's no damn coincidence he has a diary called 'Safe Haven'. Open it up."

  "Why do I get the feeling I don't want to open this?" JT said as he took the book from Gus and flipped open to the first page. Dusty had been vague on what he had found. On the title page under the heading 'Safe Haven' were written five names, one below the next. Barb, Karen, Reese, Ashley, Thomas. He flipped a few more pages, skipped ahead closer to the end. His face turned ashen. He slammed the book closed and dropped it on the floor. The look on his face was one of revulsion.

  "What does it say?" Gus asked, scooping the book up.

  "A list of names to begin with," JT said, in a weak hushed tone. "One of them is Ashley's. A later entry talks about how he made a woman named Karen his wife. How she would now be beautiful forever. Then, towards the end, there is an entry about how he would let any meat, not even Thomas, go to waste."

  When he finished he looked to Hannah. She looked horr
ified as tears rolled down her cheeks.

  "Then I also found this, in the field between here and the boathouse," Dusty threw a dirty white rag that reeked of paint thinner on top of the book. "Along with some marks that suspiciously look like something was dragged on the ground. I think all those Safe Haven messages were just a lure. Pointing the way to Harold's cabin. Ashley's mysterious disappearance raised my suspicion to the next level. Looks like I was right. I don't think there is a vote to be made. We kill the sick son of a bitch and his friend here."

  "Well aren't you just a Good Time Charlie?" Gus said, going on the defensive. "I'm just as upset as anyone about Ashley, but we are just going to become judge, jury and now executioner based on a book with names scribbled in it as evidence? I only glanced at a few pages, but maybe Harold just has some twisted sexual imagination he doesn't know how to deal with. Also, how do we know that Mike here had anything do with Ashley's disappearance, even if what you think about Harold is true?"

  Dusty gave Gus a look. "Come on Gus! You're not an idiot!"

  "I know you are going to hate me for this Gus, but I am going to have to say, I think Dusty is right?" Hannah jumped in, voice quivering. "None of you are women, so you wouldn't notice it the way me and Ashley would. We both would catch him watching us, with the strangest look on his face. Like he was thinking about doing something to us. There was no way I am going to stay here if Harold's still going to be around. We need to find him and get some answers from him!"

  JT went over to Mike and ripped the tape from his mouth. "If you know anything about this, you had better get to talking!"

  JT grabbed him by his throat and stared deep into his frightened eyes.

  "All he has ever done is help me," Mike said in a rush of panic. "Yes, Harold comes across as strange. From what I've been able to get out of him, he has been alone for pretty much his whole life. I know nothing about where Ashley is or what happened to her." Mike closed his eyes. JT wondered if he would get the same story after beating on the guy.

  "Let's all calm down a second and-"Gus began.

  Then all hell broke loose.

  The front door slammed open and Mike's chest exploded in a hail of bullets. JT shot back like a rocket, covered in Mike's blood. Everyone else ducked and scattered, instincts taking over. Harold stepped into the doorway, holding some type of automatic assault rifle.

  "I told you many days ago you all should leave JT," Harold said. He was screaming, his voice breaking up in a high pitch. "I pulled you aside and warned you something bad would happen if you didn't."

  Harold's voice dropped into a mild, low tone as he took a step inside.

  "Hannah my dear, don't be afraid, I didn't mean to frighten you. So help me Jesus. I just want you for my blushing bride. I know all this time you have wanted me as well. You don't have to pretend anymore."

  JT felt his blood begin to boil like he had never felt before. He was about to rush Harold, gun be damned, when Gus stood up from behind the couch. He had his hands up and behind his head.

  Gus looked to JT. He mouthed the words "Get ready."

  Gus turned back to Harold. "Now let's not be rash partner, let's talk about this," he said, taking a step closer.

  Then he lunged, raising the knife he had hidden, burying it into the hilt of Harold's left shoulder.

  Harold let out a scream like a wild man and kicked at Gus. It lifted him off the ground, knife sliding out of his hands, still quivering in Harold's shoulder. Harold pulled the knife out, and began slashing at Gus with it over and over. Blood sprayed like a fountain everywhere. Harold began to laugh with each savage stroke.

  JT was frozen in horror watching it all. He wanted to save Gus, take out Harold, but he realized what Gus meant by telling him to get ready. He grabbed Hannah by the hand and pulled.

  "Run!" JT yelled, grabbing Hannah by the arm.

  Out the back door flew JT, Hannah, Dusty and Tyrone. They could still hear Harold's laughter rising in volume as they crossed the back yard to the tanker truck and ducked behind it. Tyrone looked to JT with shocked eyes, wanting to be told what to do next.

  JT jumped when someone whispered, "Get out." JT looked under the tanker. He found Alan, covered in blood. In the dirt leading to the tanker were two long marks, where Alan must have dragged himself to hide.

  "JT you have to get them all out of here," Alan was barely audible. JT crouched down closer. "Harold, he...he....killed people...Ashley. Stuffed and mounted her like a trophy...animal. Dressed her up in a wedding gown. It's under the boathouse."

  Hannah had come up beside JT without him noticing. She let out a low moan like that of a wounded dog. "Ashley?"

  "Thomas...he cut up. I think....he might have ate...ate him," Alan choked out. His life seemed to be leaking out of him a little more with each word.

  "My God," JT said, stunned beyond the ability to say much more. The horrors flashing through his mind. He wanted them to stay. He wanted...

  "Hannah, where are you!" Harold bellowed into the night. "We are to be married tonight. I have already picked out the most beautiful white dress for you."

  "Get out of here," Alan said, coughing up blood. "I'm all done anyway. I'm going to take this disgusting asshole out with me."Alan looked up at JT. He watched a calmness settled over Alan's face. "I'll draw him in. When he gets closer, boom!"

  JT didn't even protest. He pulled Hannah by the hand, motioning to the rest to follow. They ran as fast as they could into the woods. They didn't make it far before there was a loud explosion, like a clap of thunder. The night sky lit up behind them. A fireball launched into the sky.

  The group jumped and flinched as one as they twirled around. Even with the distance they had gone, they could still feel the heat and concussion from the explosion.

  JT paused for a moment before continuing to crash through the forest blindly. He had no plan on where they were headed. JT could hear Hannah next to him, sobbing as she ran. After what seemed like hours she panted. "We have to stop...my side. I need to catch my breath."

  They found a large fallen log with a little dip in the ground behind it. They hunkered down in it. JT hugged Hannah close to him. She let her tears flow freely.

  "Ashley, Gus, Alan.....I just can't...I...I...can't, oh my God....God..." She buried her face in JT's chest unable to speak.

  "Man that escalated quickly. You know what I mean?" Tyrone said. He sounded like he was in shock, his voice was monotone.

  JT filled Dusty and Tyrone in on what Alan had told him. It was hard to tell their reaction in the filtered moonlight of the forest, but he did hear Tyrone getting sick as he jogged a few feet away.

  Dusty stood and gave JT a shove. JT was so surprised, he just about fell to the ground, taking Hannah with him. She drew back from JT.

  "You knew! He warned you to leave and you didn't bother to tell any of us!" Dusty yelled. He got right up in JT's face. "You talk about me and then pull shit like this!"

  "I'm warning you right now Dusty, don't lay a finger on me again," JT seethed through clenched teeth.

  "Oh big man. Why didn't you say anything to us? He pulls you aside and it pretty much threatens you. Then we go through this charade of having a vote without you telling us this crucial piece of information earlier. What if I had never found that book?"

  Hannah shoved her way in between them. "Dusty, you were right. You were right all along and maybe if he had told you, then maybe so many people wouldn't be dead now. Who knows? It is too late to do anything about that now. We need to get out of here alive. That's the mission Dusty!"

  Hannah turned to JT. "And you. I love you but you're a dumb ass. That was a stupid decision. We are all in this together now. There should be no secrets. We might not get along all the time. We might not even like each other some of the time. What we have to do though is trust each other. That is what's going to keep us alive."

  JT and Dusty were both stunned into silence.

  "You love me?" JT asked. Her words made the entire world stop for t
hat moment. It made the night seem even more surreal.

  Hannah stood on her tiptoes, and planted a long, lingering kiss on JT.

  "Yes. And what I should have realized before is that now more than ever, time is short. We need to make the most of what we have. I trust that Ashley is safe with God now. I trust you and God will keep me safe. Let's get far away from here JT."

  She held onto JT tightly, giving him another kiss.

  "When your make out session is done, we need to figure out what our next move is," Dusty said, still amped and pacing. "Maybe you will all start listening to me now. We left a lot of equipment behind, I think we're going to-"

  There was a snapping of twigs and the rustle of leaves to the right of them. Hannah screamed, she couldn't help herself. The sound of something approaching them sped up.

  "No way," Tyrone whispered.

  JT was thinking the same thing. Could it be Harold? Could he have survived the explosion?

  "Hannah, Tyrone, either of you guys have a gun?" JT hissed at them.

  "No man, I got a knife, that's it. I ran like the devil was trying to tackle me, you know what mean?"

  "I don't have anything either JT," Hannah said with growing concern.

  "You have us," Dusty said, pulling his weapon. "Here it comes. Stay behind me and get ready to run."

  It half shuffled, half ran at them, out of the bushes. One leg was twisted, with the bone sticking out the side of its thigh. The zombie use to be a woman.

  "Tyrone get her! I don't want to take a shot and bring more down on us," Dusty commanded.

  With his great speed Tyrone worked his way around the zombie, then crashed into it from behind. Knocking it to the ground, Tyrone drove his knife deep inside of her brain. It twitched once and was then still. Tyrone pulled his knife out with a thick plop, like emptying wet dog food from a can.