Badlands Trilogy (Book 2): Beyond the Badlands

by Brian J. Jarrett

  “Fuck you,” Ryan snarled.

  “You watch your mouth, boy. Unless you want us to get back to work on rearranging that face of yours.”

  Ryan stared, eyes cold and hard.

  “She’s a little rough around the edges, sure. But she’s got a killer body and an ass that won’t quit. Pretty too, in a cornfed sort of way. How old were you when you started stripping, baby doll?”

  “Don’t answer him.”

  “I thought I told you to shut the fuck up!” Glenn launched forward, driving his fist into Ryan’s stomach. Ryan crumpled to the floor.

  “Leave him alone!” Beth screamed, lunging.

  Sherman yanked her back.

  Glenn sat again, reset his hair and smoothed his shirt. “Some people just don’t understand English.”

  “Motherfucker!” Beth growled. “I’ll fucking kill you!”

  Glenn delivered a backhanded slap to Beth’s face. She glared silently at him. A line of blood trickled from her lip.

  “You two don’t know when to shut up.” Glenn pointed at Ryan. “Lock his ass up until I figure out what to do with him. And get her cleaned up. When you bring her to me I want her in something nice. Maybe something red.”

  “Yes, sir,” Sherman replied, yanking Ryan to his feet. Beth launched into a string of obscenities as Sherman guided both prisoners out of the office.

  Returning to his chair, Glenn leaned back and placed his feet up on the desk. Smiling, he took a final drag from the cigarette before crushing it out.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  “We’re digging what?” Gary asked, plunging his shovel into the dirt.

  “Graves,” Dave said.

  Johnny shot them a disapproving look. “Keep digging. And keep your voices down.”

  Gary resumed digging. “You’re sure what you saw in that shed was bodies?”

  “One hundred percent.”

  “They were guardsmen?”

  “They still had their uniforms on.”

  Gary sighed. “This is messed up.”

  Johnny dumped a shovelful of dirt into his pile. “The world has always been messed up. Even before the virus. You think we’re the first people to ever dig a mass grave?”

  “I get your point.”

  The men continued to dig. Two dozen yards away another of Glenn’s men stood guard over the digging. On this day, Whipple made no appearance.

  “That’s not the only thing I found,” Dave continued.

  “Don’t keep us in the dark,” Johnny said.

  “Guns. Ammunition. Explosives.”

  “How much?”

  “A lot. Crates of the stuff.”

  “Glenn is building an army,” Gary said.

  Dave frowned. “Is he? Because that’s not what I see here. Every day I see the same old faces out here. How many guys does Glenn have? Thirty? Forty?”

  Johnny grinned. “I said the same thing. But when I brought it up nobody seemed to be interested in it, right Gary?”

  “You can’t get out of this place. All you’ll do is get yourself killed. I told you that then.”

  “You call this being alive? Cooped up in here and forced to work like slaves? I’d rather be dead.” Johnny turned to Dave. “I suppose you brought this up for a reason. Would I be correct?”

  “You would be.”

  “So what are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking that if we could get our hands on what’s in those crates then we could bring about some change in this dump.”

  “Us?” Johnny asked. “You mean just the three of us?”

  “No. I’m thinking a bigger ‘us’. How many people do you think Glenn’s got locked up here?”

  “Fifty to a hundred.”

  “How confident of that are you?”

  “Got a friend in here who’s friendly with one of the guards. So I’d say pretty confident.”

  “My guess is that those people would like to see things change around here too. So much so that they’d be willing to square off against Glenn and his cronies, provided we give them the firepower to do it.”

  “I’d be inclined to agree. Most people don’t like to be caged up. Except Gary here.”

  Gary gave Johnny an angry look.

  “Johnny, this friend of yours who knows Glenn’s guard, how close are you two?”

  “Close enough.”

  “Do you trust him?”

  “I suppose.”

  “We’ll need more than that.”

  “Good luck then. That’s about as sure a thing as it’s gonna get.”

  Dave dumped a shovelful of dirt onto his pile. “Can you get to your guy? Talk to him about helping us?”

  “It depends on how good your plan is.”

  Gary shook his head. “I think this is a bad idea.”

  Johnny glared. “Gary, you might be fine with living like a rat in a cage, but I’m done with it.” He turned to Dave. “Tell us about this plan of yours.”

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  It was Clint Howard’s opinion that for centuries men had ruled the world through brutality and fear.

  But eventually the modern age dawned, bringing with it the industrial revolution and the information age. Brain replaced brawn. Logic and reason replaced the sword and the gun and after a quarter million years humankind’s power balance finally shifted.

  In this brave new world those with small brains and big fists no longer possessed the tools to lead. Those tools belonged to the formerly downtrodden.

  Luckily for Clint, he’d been born at exactly the right time. A well-paid programmer in his old life, he’d written code that manipulated the behavior of millions across the Internet. The kings of old would have done anything to get that power of persuasion. And all without a drop of blood shed.

  Then the virus came and swept away everything. The old world crashed. No more computers, no more Internet, no more money.

  No more power.

  In an instant it all reverted. Power and control went right back to the same brutal monsters who’d possessed it for all those thousands of years before. The warlords and the sociopaths. The bullies of the old world ruled the playground once again.

  By now, Clint had had enough.

  So when Johnny approached him with his plan, Clint volunteered.

  Once he’d believed that logic and reason could be enough. That intelligence trumped unconscionable brute strength. Now he realized that sometimes one had to resort to the very tactics one despised in order to restore peace.

  Johnny wanted Clint to reach out to Jason, one of Glenn’s guards. One of the good guys. He agreed, but he knew very well that if Jason couldn’t be trusted, they were all dead men.

  So with this knowledge he waited for Glenn’s not-so-dedicated soldier to come knocking that night with dinner before whispering through the door.

  As Jason handed the tray of food through the door, Clint made his pitch.

  “One more thing, Jay.”

  “What do you want, Clint?”

  “To talk.”

  “I don’t have time. Not tonight.”

  “No, it has to be tonight. Right now.”

  Another pause.

  “Come on. Just a couple of minutes. It’s important.”

  More silence. Finally Jason answered. “One minute and then we’re done.”

  “I want out of this shithole. I know you do too.”

  “There’s no getting you out of here, Clint. We already talked about it. I can’t take that chance.”

  “I don’t need you to get me out. I just need you to help get me a couple of things. We’ll take care of the rest.”

  “Who’s we?”

  “That’s not important. It’s better you don’t know.”

  “Clint, I can’t help you.”

  “Jay, hear me out. Please.”

  Lips pursed, Jason sighed. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Clint.” He closed and locked the door behind him.

  Clint stood at the closed door, staring for what seem
ed an eternity.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  After the death of the motorcycle, Ed and Jasper walked the rest of the day, camping in the woods before dusk. With enough clean water they opted not to build a fire and settled on chicken noodle soup straight from the can. Around them a light breeze blew through the tree tops as crickets chirped indecipherable messages to one another in the darkness.

  “What do you miss most about the old world?” Jasper asked.

  Ed thought for a while. “Being able to take things for granted. You?”

  “Porn.”

  Ed laughed. “Really? Porn?”

  Jasper shrugged. “Well, maybe it’s not the thing I miss most, but I’m saying I do miss it. That’s all.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “What do you miss the least?” Jasper asked.

  “Politicians. Politics in general.”

  “Amen to that. Hey, speaking of amen, what about that Pastor Dan? He was a cool dude.”

  “That he was. One of the good ones.”

  “Yeah, definitely one of the good ones.”

  Silence passed between them as the forest’s sounds worked to fill the gap.

  “You think it’s weird we haven’t seen anybody yet?” Jasper asked.

  “I do.”

  “You don’t think they’re all gone do you? People, I mean.”

  Ed shrugged. “Hard to say. I think there might only be a handful of us left, infected and uninfected.”

  “That’s kinda mind-blowing when you think about it.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  Jasper stood and stretched. “I’ll take first watch. You get yourself some sleep. You’re probably in a world of hurt after walking all day.”

  “I can stay up for a while.”

  “Sleep. Now.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah. I’ll get you up later. Don’t worry, I won’t let you cut into my beauty sleep,” Jasper said.

  Ed grinned. “I’d hate myself.”

  Jasper stared into the darkness. A few moments later he spoke again. “You know the thing I thought I’d miss most?”

  “More than porn?”

  “Music. I haven’t heard the radio or seen an iPod for the past four years now. No live music either. That’s been a bummer, but listening to these crickets each night…they make music, you know? I never noticed any of this shit before.”

  “The virus changed a lot of people,” Ed said.

  “Not that I’d ever choose it, but the world ending made me stop and think. It’s all fleeting, you know? If humanity was to go away altogether tomorrow, these crickets will be here singing later that same night. Like we were never here.”

  “Humanity will make it. Don’t worry.”

  Jasper turned, the firelight flickering in his eyes. “I don’t know…maybe it’s time for the crickets to get their chance.”

  “Good night, Jasper.”

  * * *

  They rose early the following morning and got moving just as the sun cracked the horizon’s edge. The forest gave way to overgrown farmland as they walked, the sun chasing them from behind.

  Though early in the growing season, they managed to pick some tomatoes from an unkempt farm field. After wading through tall grass, they found a few apple trees bearing green fruit. Though bitter, the fresh fruit tasted exquisite compared to the years old canned food to which they’d become accustomed.

  Behind a crumbling farmhouse they discovered an old well. Some work with the hand pump provided them with the cleanest, coldest water they’d had during their entire trip. The two men sat behind the dilapidated structure, eating their bounty.

  “Maybe after we find your family I’ll become a farmer,” Jasper said.

  “Not a bad idea. At least until an armed group of maniacs comes in and takes everything you have before shooting you dead.”

  “Do you have to rain on every parade?”

  “Sorry.”

  “I’m not saying that can’t happen, but it’s nice to dream, you know? Kinda like when I used to dream about winning the lottery.”

  “I think becoming a farmer and having everyone leave you the hell alone would be better than winning the lottery.”

  “Do you think that it’ll ever be possible? Just living off the land like that?”

  “It’s pretty empty around these parts, so maybe. The anarchy does throw a kink in things, long-term.”

  “Is that why you were headed to Kansas City? For protection?”

  “I made my kids a promise that I’d keep them safe. St. Louis gave us that. Kansas City is the only other place I know that’s protected. Let me tell you, being behind that fence provided a lot of peace of mind.”

  “But didn’t the bombs pretty much take care of that? Doesn’t seem any safer there than being out here on one of these farms, does it?”

  “It’s safer.”

  “How?”

  Ed sighed. “Let’s just get moving. We still have a long way to go.”

  * * *

  After walking for several hours a small, country town appeared. It consisted of no more than a handful of buildings, including a gas station, a small grocery store, an auto parts store, a McDonald’s and a Burger King. A four way intersection occupied the center of the town, stop signs standing where the perpendicular roads converged. The train tracks ran beside the intersection, less than thirty yards away.

  “This looks like something out of a horror movie,” Jasper said.

  “Feels like an episode of The Twilight Zone,” Ed added.

  “The Twilight Zone?”

  “Sci-fi show back in the early sixties. Weird situations like this, usually with some sort of a twist at the end.”

  “Well, this is definitely weird, but I don’t want any twists.”

  “Just be careful. Keep your eyes open.”

  “Oh, they’re open, alright. They’re just not liking what they’re seeing. Creeping me out, man.”

  They stepped forward, headed toward the town. They walked quickly, keeping their eyes open. Jasper clutched his pistol while Ed held Jasper’s baseball bat. He couldn’t help but remember when he’d carried his own bat, back when he traveled with only Zach and Jeremy. That seemed like a thousand years ago.

  Derelict cars sat motionless alongside the road, surrounded by flat, overgrown fields. Broken store windows stared blankly at them. Ed couldn’t shake the thought of a sniper standing behind one of those windows, watching and waiting.

  They walked on, more distance covered. No sounds apart from the breeze blowing through the grass.

  Then a crash sounded, cutting through the silence like a knife.

  Ed readied the bat, heart racing.

  “What was that?” Jasper asked, pistol raised.

  Ed looked around and quickly caught movement. A hanging length of gutter slammed against the aluminum siding of the gas station. He pointed out the cause of the sound.

  Jasper shook his head. “That scared the crap outta me.”

  “Let’s get moving.”

  After more walking they passed the four-way stop and kept going. The gutter whacked the side of the gas station again behind them.

  Past the intersection now; halfway through the tiny town. The grocery store sat to their right, across the weedy field between the railroad track and the main road. Its windows missing and door torn from its hinges, the front of the building resembled a corpse’s face.

  “Did you hear that?” Jasper asked. He stopped and raised the pistol again.

  “Hear what?”

  “A voice.”

  Ed’s stomach plummeted like the drop of a roller coaster. “Don’t joke.”

  Jasper shook his head. “I’m not joking.”

  “Deadwalkers?”

  “Didn’t sound like it.”

  “Shit.”

  “What do we do?”

  “Keep walking.”

  The voice called out, louder now. This time Ed could hear it.

  Help.

&
nbsp; Ed and Jasper stared at one another.

  “Did you hear it this time?” Jasper asked.

  Ed nodded.

  “What if somebody’s in trouble?”

  “What if they’re not?”

  “We won’t know unless we take a look.”

  “Are you crazy?”

  “What if somebody really needs our help? Somebody could be dying out here.”

  “Or they’re trying to kill us.”

  “Wouldn’t they have already tried that?”

  The voice called out again.

  Help.

  “I’m going to check it out.”

  “No way.”

  “What if I’d said that when I saw that train wreck of yours? You’d be long dead by now.”

  Ed sighed. “I still don’t like it.”

  “Well, no shit, Sherlock. Nobody does. But we can’t just walk away.”

  “Why not?”

  “We have a pistol and a baseball bat. What’s to worry about? We haven’t seen anybody in days. Probably some old fart that fell down and broke his damn leg.”

  “You’re serious about doing this?”

  Jasper nodded.

  “Keep that pistol ready, then. I’ll be behind you.”

  The two men stepped off the tracks and headed toward the store. They trudged through the tall grass and weeds in the field until they arrived at the street. More weeds sprouted through large cracks in the old concrete.

  The voice again.

  Help.

  Jasper stepped carefully along the derelict street, eyes open for the owner of the mysterious call. Ed walked behind, his heart thumping in his chest as he clutched the bat tightly. In the distance, the hanging gutter banged away.

  Jasper stepped forward slowly. The empty hole of the front door gaped like a hungry mouth. Daylight penetrated only a few feet inside before succumbing to shadow.

  Help.

  The raspy voice drifted through the doorway. Jasper took another step forward.

  Alarms sounded inside Ed’s mind. Everything about this screamed something wrong.

  Jasper took another step. Now he stood in front of the doorway. A rustling came from inside.

  “Hello?” Jasper called. “You okay in there?”

  No response.

  Jasper took another step, placing one foot inside the doorway.