The Dead Years (Volume 1)

by Jeff Olah

  They quickly slid five desks in front of the door and another six, they piled on top. Figuring if it didn’t stop whatever those things were from getting in, it would at least slow them down enough to give April and Justin a few minute head start in getting as far away from here as possible.

  Looking toward the rear of the classroom April asked “Where does that door go, can we get to the gym from there?”

  “Yeah, but we have to go past the hall that those things were in.”

  April thought about it for the moment. “Ok, let’s go.”

  The pair headed for the rear door only to find it was locked. Justin ran back to the teacher’s desk and grabbed the stapler. He hurried back to the door and made short work of the lock. They could still hear the muted cries for help and the terrible screaming coming from the south end of the school where most of the destruction appeared to be taking place.

  Through the door there appeared a long hall way with only one outlet to the left. “Where does that go?” April asked.

  “After the bend, it splits and goes to the front office and the other side goes to the hallway that goes to the band room and the gym.”

  April paused for a moment trying to gather the courage she would need to move forward. April needed more than anything right now to be strong for her son and she would give her last dying breath for him. April was prepared to give herself to those things if it meant Justin would go free. She didn’t want these thoughts to slow her down or to frighten her to the point of not being able to act when he needed her to be strong.

  She decided to let the fear in and have it wash over her. April purposely let it control her and completely paralyze her with terror for a moment and from then on she would not give in to it. She had a job to do and fear would not slow her down another second.

  April looked Justin in the eyes. “Let’s go. I want you to stay very close to me and if you spot one of those things or need to tell me something I want you to tug on my shirt and then only in whispers. We are going to be silent until we get out of school. I do not want any of those things finding us. Are you good?”

  “Yeah… But…”

  “But what?” April said.

  “I have to pee.”

  “You’re going to have to hold it; I don’t plan on being in this school more than a few minutes. You can pee at home.”

  April grabbed Justin by the hand and pulled him down the lengthy hallway. Picking up speed, they moved faster with each passing second, although not into a full run as this would create too much noise.

  They finally reached the split that led to the gym. They could still hear the terror going on, although it appeared to moving away from them.

  Justin whispered to his mother and pointed. “It’s just past that pillar on the right.”

  “Alright, stay close.”

  April and Justin made their way down the last of the corridor before reaching the midpoint of the school that housed the computer lab and the janitor’s office, both of which had seen better days. The computer lab had a small fire burning that appeared to be extinguishing itself. The door to the janitor’s office had the door completely ripped from its hinges and a body lying motionless just inside.

  Tiptoeing past the two rooms, they looked back and could see that the front half of the school had taken the same level of abuse. Books, backpacks and lunch bags were everywhere. There were a few more bodies near the entrance and the front doors were blown out, glass littered the entire area.

  Looking back as they continued toward the gym they could partially see into the teacher lounge. You could tell they had fought to keep those things out and lost the battle. Four bodies were left behind.

  April looked at Justin again and she could tell the fear was getting the best of him. “Slow down your breathing and just give me a few minutes. We will be safe and at home before you know it.”

  They started to walk slowly and she looked back again. “Your dad is meeting us at home; everything is going to be fine. WE are going to be fine.”

  They hurried forward again, across the open area into the hall leading into the gym. Justin looked left and noticed one of those things hunched over the assistant principle, who was no longer moving. Justin nearly screamed when he saw this and April covered his mouth.

  It was too late, that thing looked up from its prey and found its next target.

  7

  Making his way back over to the ladder attached to the side of the building, Mason was pleased when he looked down and none of those things occupied the area below. He tightened the slings of the backpack around his shoulders and wrapped his right leg around to meet the fourth rung.

  Half way down the ladder, Mason noticed the same character he had thrown off the opposite end of the building only minutes before, rounding the corner at the rear of the building to his left. He noticed it was moving even slower than it had before and he was in no danger of it reaching him before he exited the ladder.

  “Hey Fred,” he said aloud, mocking his new slowly moving friend, knowing it posed him no threat at this point. Mason almost felt bad for him until he remembered that Fred tried to eat him not even five minutes before. Mason thought of jumping down, running over and smashing Fred’s skull against the side of the furniture store. He knew better than to waste his time since he wasn’t out of danger just yet.

  Mason turned his attention back toward the front corner of the building. It appeared quiet with none of those things anywhere in sight. With only a few rungs left, Mason leapt to the ground below and waved goodbye to his dear friend Fred. “I’ll see ya in another life brotha.” Mason made himself laugh just a little at the aged reference to Desmond and Jack from Lost, although Jack never tried to kill Desmond on the roof of a vacant furniture store.

  Coming to the corner that led to the store front, Mason looked out over the lot and found his car. It was much further than he remembered, probably because he was checking texts as he walked into the gym that afternoon. There appeared to be less of those things roaming the lot than earlier and they now seemed to be moving in packs of ten to twenty.

  They were also moving slower than before, although he didn’t want to get caught between two of these herds and end up having them pull him apart from both ends.

  There were still people trying to escape, Mason counted at least a half dozen or so. Some were hiding behind trees and planters, while others continued to run trying to reach their cars with enough time to get inside and get moving before the crowds converged on them.

  A lump grew in Mason’s throat as he noticed his friend Tom hiding behind one of the big palm trees only thirty feet from his car. He had to help Tom and somehow distract those things without bringing them to him.

  Mason pulled off the backpack and withdrew the revolver. He hoped to be able to hit at least a couple of those things and clear a path for two of them to get the hell out of there. As Mason searched for a target, he suddenly had a completely different idea.

  Mason lowered the gun and fired off a round. A mere millisecond later, the metal dumpster at the far end of the lot exploded in a deafening roar that sent shock waves in every direction, confusing everyone including the hordes. This caused those things to split off, moving in different directions, going after no one in particular.

  Looking back and noticing Fred still wasn’t much closer and had now fallen to the ground, Mason shook his head, stood and started toward his car. “Poor guy never had a chance.” Most of the vile creatures walking the lot hadn’t noticed him yet as he moved quickly and quietly. Mason moved from tree to tree trying to avoid being spotted and it almost looked as if he may make it to his car unharmed.

  When he was a little more than half way, Tom finally saw him and making eye contact, started waving him away. Much to his dismay, at this point Mason also had the attention of eight to ten of the creatures and more were on to him with every second that passed.

  He knew he didn’t have enough ammo for all that were coming for him. Mason quickened
his pace and was now almost sprinting. He looked back and saw that Tom had the same idea and was also making a break for his car, although he had gained the attention of many more of those things than Mason had.

  Just feet from his car, Mason hit the button on his alarm key unlocking the doors. He didn’t want to look back as he heard footsteps getting closer. He knew he only had one shot at this and reached out, opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat all in one motion. Those things must have been close because they were on the car only seconds after Mason turned the key staring the engine.

  Looking for an easy exit Mason noticed Tom had dropped his keys only feet from his car and was bent over trying to pick them off the ground when three of them converged on him.

  Tom stood from a kneeling position sending two of the creatures reeling backward and to the ground. The last one, Tom pulled off his back and threw to the floor. Tom stood over the one nearest him and stomped on its face. The two that Tom had sent flying backward were getting to their feet, and due to all the commotion, Mason counted no less than seven addition creatures headed in Tom’s direction.

  Mason put the car in gear, pushed the pedal to the floor and pointed the car in the direction of the crowd gathering near Tom. Tom looked up in disbelief as Mason bore down on the crowd. There were so many of them now it was hard to even tell Tom from the rest of the crowd. Mason hit one of them, almost tearing its body in half and when he applied the brakes he took out another two or three as the car slid sideways to a stop directly in front of Tom.

  Trying to get his bearings after the collision with the crowd, Mason noticed his friend being pulled to the ground by a few of those things that still remained upright. Tom went down hard hitting the back of his head on the asphalt in the process.

  His instinct was to put the car back in drive and get the hell out of there, although he knew he couldn’t leave Tom to die here surrounded by these things. Mason slowly lowered the passenger window and he stuck his head out. He couldn’t believe what he saw. Tom was lying on the ground just feet from the car encircled by those things, passed out.

  With nothing to lose and time running out, Mason shouted to him. “TOM!” and once again, “TOM, WAKE UP DAMN IT!”

  Tom’s faced twitched and his body shook, finally trying to open his eyes.

  Mason was relieved to see that Tom was beginning to wake, although looking around his joy instantly turned to fear as many of those things also started to rise. He knew his friend wouldn’t make it into the car on his own.

  Mason had to get out and rescue him.

  8

  As the creature focused his gaze on the two of them, April leaned into Justin and whispered in his ear.

  “Run,” she said softly as not to alert any more of those things of their whereabouts. This time Justin didn’t hesitate and make a beeline for the double doors that led into the gym. As they approached the mid-way point, he looked back to see his mother only a step behind. Justin was impressed by the fact that his mother was able to stay that close as he was in a full out sprint.

  This happy moment was soon overshadowed when he realized that thing was not more than ten steps behind them. Justin was also dismayed when he turned to look back a second time and saw that they had picked up three additional enemies who were practically fighting each other to get to them first.

  As they approached the door, Justin threw it open and stood aside to give his mother room to get by. When April reached the threshold, one of those things caught them and now had her by the upper arm. The trailing three all ran straight into the first creature, in turn pushing April through the door as the three of them scrambled to grab onto anything they could.

  Justin pulled his mother from one end as two of those things fought each other for rights to devour April. Not quite able to coordinate pulling her toward them and sinking their teeth into her at the same time, Justin was somewhat able to get the upper hand.

  April was fighting just as hard to shake them free and at the same time screaming at the top of her lungs. She thought about the promise she made herself about not letting the fear in and pulled even harder.

  The creature closest to her pulled her closer and brought its head down, mouth open as April struggled again . This time it landed a bite, luckily for her it only connected with her sleeve and tore it right off.

  “Mom, let them have your shirt.”

  As April wiggled free of her sweatshirt, Justin pulled at just the right time sending the last two creatures staggering backward. Justin pulled again and April shot forward with only one arm left to get free of.

  Justin’s grip started to fail from this seemingly endless battle of deranged tug-of-war.

  “I won’t let go he told his mother.”

  “You better not!”

  Justin saw that his mother had cleared the entrance to the gym and as this thing came in for another bite he pulled her one last time with everything he had left and kicked the door at the same time with his left foot. The door caught that thing on the side of the head and it released its grip on her. Justin and April both fell backwards into the empty gym as the creature moved to stand.

  Justin rushed back over to the door not quite knowing what to expect. He pushed the door from the inside and this time he heard bones cracking. He had become incensed with these things for what he and his mother were being put through.

  Again he slammed the door, and again. He continued to open and close the door until its head was smashed in two and the top part of the skull fell at Justin’s feet.

  The other two were still trying to climb over the corpse blocking the doorway in a bloody heap when Justin slammed the door one last time catching one of the ceatures hands in the door and obliterating it.

  Justin turned to his mother, reached out his hand to help her stand and said “Let’s go.”

  April stood, and wiped a few drops of blood off Justin’s face. “Are you OK?”

  “I am now… we have to get out of here Mom; do you think they are all locked inside?”

  “I guess we are going to find out,” April said as they started toward the exit.

  As the approached the doors leading to the outside they could hear scratching and pounding at the door.

  They looked at one another and Justin was the first to speak. “That’s not good,” he said.

  “No, it’s not… is there any other way out of this gym?”

  “Only back through the school. Wait a second” Justin said as he jogged over to the door next to the athletic director’s office.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Hold on mom. Give me a minute I have a plan.”

  Justin disappeared into the room and April heard lots of clanking and clattering just as he emerged carrying three items, a baseball bat, glove and hockey stick.

  “There’s no time for this Justin, we need a plan to get home.”

  “Mom, this IS our plan.”

  9

  Reacting without a plan in mind, Mason flung the driver’s door open, stepped out and was instantly being clawed at from below by the creatures that had taken the brunt of the hit from the car. He stepped back and away from them looking around for something to use to keep them off of him.

  Mason had thoughts of being clawed and bitten to death by these things surrounding him and Tom. He thought of how it would feel to have his skin ripped from his body while watching it happen and wondered how long it would take to finally lose consciousness and slip to the other side. This wasn’t going to happen he though as another one of them grabbed at his leg trying to bring him down, not unlike a cheetah trying to pull down a gazelle for its next meal.

  Looking in through the back window of his car he spotted what would be his way out of this parking lot of hell. As the creatures fought to get to their feet, Mason kicked free from yet another one and pulled open the back door of the car.

  With one motion, Mason reached into the backseat, withdrew a ten pound kettlebell and swung it backward making contact
with another one of them attacking from behind. Striking it right in the middle of the face, the impact was so violent it lifted this thing off its feet and sent it flying more than five feet until it came to rest flat on its back. The noise of metal to bone sent a shiver up Mason’s spine. It sounded like a hammer hitting a hardboiled egg. He felt the recoil of bones being smashed to pieces as tiny fragments of blood and flesh sprayed against his arms and back.

  Mason turned to face the horde. Realizing the majority of them had taken the easy route and rounded the car after Tom, he took two steps and slid over the hood of the car and began to take swing after swing at the now diminishing crowd surrounding his friend.

  Most of the other hungry monsters hadn’t even looked back to notice Mason taking them apart one by one. As they grew closer to their prey, so did their single minded focus.