“Which guy?” inquired Cale.
“That one,” John pointed into the gym. “the one with the bird.”
His was the second one in, and the only one with a hawk perched next to the owner. The man was a falconer.
“What’s his name?”
“Robert,” answered John.
“Thanks,” said Cale as he and JoLynn approached the table.
Chapter 38
A FUNNY TURTLE
Cale buckled JoLynn into her seat inside the Dodge Stratus.
“It’s itchy,” she complained.
She tugged on the child-sized diving suit he’d gotten for her. He wore one himself. It was part of his purchase from Robert. The suits were bite-proof. There was no way the infected were getting their teeth through it. Sure, they’d chomp a chunk right out, but their saliva wouldn’t get in to infect them.
“Sorry girlie. You’ll just have to wait to take it off,” he explained.
JoLynn groaned and flopped her arms down feebly on her lap. Cale chuckled. She was being overdramatic but he enjoyed it. The back was filled with canned goods and gallon jugs filled with filtered water. He kissed her head and closed her door.
“Why don’t you just stay?” asked Faith. “You don’t know what’s out there!”
“My family is out there,” said Cale.
“Cale,” she pleaded. “You can’t be certain they’re alive.”
“I’m not giving up,” he answered.
“But haven’t you kind of already?” she argued. “You’re using that little girl to replace your daughter. Admit it.”
“I’m not using this little girl for anything,” he snapped.
“You know I’m right,” she continued to reason. “You’re scared. It’s okay. Do you really think you can take care of her by yourself out there?”
“Yes,” he said as he opened his door.
“This isn’t about us,” clarified Faith.
This was her thing. He remembered. She took all the things she’d heard on television or movies, and regurgitated them at him in an effort to elicit an emotional response.
“It’s about our survival,” she lectured. “As a species.”
“You’re right,” scoffed Cale.
“I think you made it here for a reason,” she stated. “You were chosen.”
“Divinity has nothing to do with it,” laughed Cale.
“Look, I’m sorry your family is dead. You just need to accept that.” She stared at him through his open window. “Your aunt, your brothers, your wife, and your daughter. They’re dead, Cale. You don’t have to die with them.”
Cale started the engine. Maybe she was just concerned about his safety. His well-being. But she was also asking him to give up. He’d come too far to give up.
“Fuck you,” he said with conviction.
JoLynn covered her mouth in surprise. Cale waved to the men at the gate. They opened up and let him out. He didn’t look back as he turned west onto Fourteenth Avenue. It was a few blocks before JoLynn had regained her composure.
“You said a naughty word,” she grinned.
“I did,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
JoLynn stared at him.
“I’m sorry to you. Not to her,” he specified.
She smiled.
“Was she saying mean things?” asked JoLynn.
“I thought they were mean. What about you?” Cale inquired.
“Yeah. I think they were mean things to say too,” she agreed.
“You shouldn’t say those words, okay?” he said.
“Okay,” answered JoLynn.
There was a period of silence before JoLynn sought clarification.
“What if someone makes me really mad?” she asked.
“You still probably shouldn’t say it,” he smiled.
“Alright,” JoLynn conceded.
Cale navigated his way back through town to Highway 6 and 34. McCook was seventy-two miles away. Home was seventy-two miles away.
“I can’t believe you got all this,” Zach patted the food and water in the back seat.
Cale smiled at him.
“That bastard wanted eight rounds and one of your guns?” Zach referred to John.
“And all it cost me was six bullets,” smirked Cale. “Currency has certainly changed.”
JoLynn turned in her seat to see Zach.
“Put your seatbelt on, mister!” she demanded.
Cale and Zach laughed. The ride was quiet as they drove down the highway. The plus side about the rural areas was that the dead had headed for more populated areas. At seventy miles per hour, he made good time getting to Arapahoe. He continued past Holbrook and on through Cambridge. All abandoned ghost towns now. Bartley and Indianola were also devoid of movement. Living and living dead. JoLynn slept for the last thirty minutes of the trip. Cale counted down the miles to McCook, resisting the urge to accelerate out of control. Then when he’d reached the city limits, he counted down the blocks. He turned right on East Third Street, headed north.
Cale could barely contain himself as he pulled up to the stucco house on the corner. The yard was overgrown. One of the trees in the front yard was gone and the power lines were lying on the sidewalk.
“We’re here.” He gently woke JoLynn up.
Cale had always pictured his homecoming differently. He’d be in uniform walking up the sidewalk. And when he rang the doorbell Lauren would answer, looking completely ecstatic. He carried JoLynn to the door and sat her down on the wooden porch. Cale had painted it when they first moved in. The paint was chipped and worn. He tried the handle. It was locked. He debated knocking for a moment. Suddenly JoLynn did it for him. It startled him.
“I don’t think they’re home right now,” she said after they waited for a few seconds.
“Wait here,” he said.
Cale stepped off the porch and into the grass. Along the porch was a flowerbed. JoLynn leaned over the edge of the porch to see what he was doing. He felt his way through the weeds that replaced Lauren’s beautiful flowers. Cale retrieved a solid item. It was a statue of a turtle leaning over and peering into a birdbath.
“That’s a funny turtle,” giggled JoLynn. “What’s that for?”
Cale flipped the turtle over and opened a slot on the bottom of the birdbath. Inside was a key. He returned the turtle to his garden and took the key to the door.
“Stay close,” he said to JoLynn.
His heart thumped in his chest. He stepped onto the wood floor of his living room. His living room. Cale felt like he was dreaming. A stack of papers cluttered the stand that sat next to the door. Cale shut the door behind them. It was a tiny two-bedroom house. About what you’d expect for a newlywed couple. The Christmas tree was up, but the rest of Lauren’s usual décor was not. His being gone made her feel less festive. The black television stand and his silver TV sat in the corner. A futon occupied the center of the room facing it. The door to his left was their bedroom. He opened the door slowly. The bed was made, but the floor was covered in his clothes. Lauren had been wearing them because they smelt like him.
“It’s messy,” observed JoLynn.
“Sure is,” whispered Cale.
They walked through the living room and into the dining room, which was just the other half of the living room. The door to the left had Marie’s name on it. The handle squeaked as he turned it. Slowly, he opened it. Marie’s crib and toys were all coated in dust.
“Come on,” he grabbed JoLynn’s hand.
Together they went to the door to the kitchen. He’d seen closets bigger than this kitchen. It was six foot by twelve foot, with almost zero counter space. To the left was the bathroom. The door was open. Cale could see that the plaster on the ceiling had fallen down onto the floor.
“Darn,” he whispered.
To the right was a mudroom that also led to the back door. The mudroom, however, had a secret. Cale reached down and revealed a small metal ring. It served as the handle for a hatch that opened to the
stairs to an unfinished basement. He couldn’t see the floor. Six inches of water covered it.
“Great,” muttered Cale. “flooded.”
He was thankful that the important things were in plastic bins.
“No one is here,” he said, disappointed.
He had JoLynn keep watch as he moved their supplies into the house. Cale didn’t see any of the undead, but when the wind blew from the southwest, he could smell them. Once he was done outside, he ushered her in, then used the table on the porch to block it off from the stairs. If the dead found them, they wouldn’t be able to climb over.
After he secured the rest of the house, Cale cleaned a year and a half’s worth of dust. He started with the living room then moved into his bedroom. JoLynn sneezed occasionally as she read a book on the tan futon.
“Bless you,” he said every time.
In his room, he found a United States Postal Service box. Lauren had been preparing a care package for him. Inside the cardboard box were deodorant, toothpaste, sunscreen, and some Christmas decorations. Next to the package was a letter in Lauren’s handwriting.
Cale,
I hope this makes it to you in time. I kept putting off sending it because I knew I was forgetting stuff. You’ve got some Christmas décor to decorate the little tree my mom is sending. I miss you. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without you. I kinda feel bad. Marie’s first Christmas is going to be kind of blah. I don’t feel like driving to my mom’s, especially now with the whole rabies/flu thing going on. I hope you’re safe. The news makes it sound super bad.
I know you keep saying that this is the halfway point, but certainly doesn’t feel that way. I’m just a big bawl bag without you. Our daughter is going to think it’s normal to cry uncontrollably 24/7. Hahaha.
Well, call me when you get this. I don’t care what time it is. JUST CALL! Love you!
XOXO Lauren XOXO
PS. Next package will have some sexy pictures in it.
At the very bottom, she’d drawn a smiley face and some hearts. It was dated November twenty-four, 2007. She’d never gotten the chance to send it.
“Bet you wish you’d have gotten the next package,” Zach joked.
Cale laughed and put the letter into the box. He moved the box onto his stereo and pulled off the comforter that covered the bed. He took it outside and shook it aggressively of the north edge of the porch. Dust clouded and floated away. Cale turned and was faced with a shotgun-toting, elderly woman. Her head and shotgun extended just barely above the railing.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.
JoLynn came to the door.
“Go back inside JoLynn!” he shouted to her.
“What do you think you’re doing?” asked the old woman again.
“I just got home,” he explained. “I was doing some cleaning.”
“This isn’t your house!” she argued. “There was a couple that lived her with their baby.”
“And then the young man got deployed?” Cale asked.
“Yea—” She realized who he was. “How did you? When did… Where?”
Cale laughed with his neighbor. He and Lauren had kept to themselves mostly, but this woman had come over and introduced herself. She was lonely, so every chance she got if she saw them outside, she’d come visit. Her own grandchildren and great grandchildren lived far away. He remembered how excited she’d been to see that Lauren was pregnant. She’d done the neighborly thing, brought over desert dishes, and even bought Marie things. Cale and Lauren tried to turn down her gifts.
“Oh pish-posh,” she’d say. “I have to spoil someone’s kid in my old age. Why not yours?”
Cale particularly remembered her cocker spaniel, Abby. That dog was always excited to see him. He was definitely a dog person.
“It’s good to see you again,” he said to her.
“This old broad must’ve died and gone to heaven, cuz I can’t believe my eyes. You’re home!” she exclaimed.
“No. You’re not dead,” he assured her. “I’m home. I’m just as surprised as you actually.”
“Maybe things aren’t as bad as they said,” she speculated.
“Oh no,” he stopped her. “they definitely are.”
“Well, you made it back. It looks like you’ve got all ten toes and ten fingers,” she stated.
“Not quite,” Cale held up his hand.
“Oh my!” she bellowed.
“Why don’t you come in?” he asked her.
Cale moved the table out of her way so she could come up. He placed it back and they went inside. She gave him a big hug, which he didn’t expect.
“Welcome back,” she stated. “I’m sure you hear this all the time now, but thank you for your service.”
Cale didn’t know how to respond to it. To say “you’re welcome” seemed pompous to him and to say “no problem” seemed too laid back. He opted to remain silent. She didn’t know what his “service” had entailed.
“How long have you been back?” she asked.
“We just showed up.”
“And who is this?” she continued. “I know it’s been a long time but this isn’t your little girl is it?”
“This is JoLynn,” explained Cale. “JoLynn this is Mrs. Davies.”
“Hi there,” said Mrs. Davies.
JoLynn smiled feebly and remained silent.
“She doesn’t talk to new people much,” he explained. “Why don’t you read one of your books?” he suggested to the little girl.
JoLynn retreated to his bedroom and climbed onto his bed to read a book.
“I found her,” he whispered to Mrs. Davies. “Her parents are…dead.”
“The poor thing. It’s a good thing you came along,” she smiled at him.
“It was lucky is what it was,” added Cale. “Anyway, I hate to be direct and not ask how you’re doing, but…”
“Lauren and Marie,” she finished for him.
Her eyes looked sad. Cale braced himself the best he could for bad news.
“When all this madness got to town, and people started getting sick, the army was taking everyone to the fairgrounds. I didn’t go because Herb couldn’t go anywhere without his oxygen machine. But they were there for a while before…” she trailed off.
“Did everyone…did they all…die,” managed Cale.
“No,” she replied. “Some of them did. I don’t know what happened to the rest. There must be people at the Wal-Mart. These things all kind of drifted that way after they got the people at the storage place.”
That explained the smell out of the southwest.
“So there are people at the Wal-Mart then?” he inquired.
“Yes. I don’t know how many though. You’ll never get in there,” she informed him.
“I’ve got to try,” he stated. “How have you made it this long?”
Mrs. Davies smiled. “I’ve been living off of tomatoes. I can the ones I don’t eat, and eat them during the winter.”
Cale stood up and went to his food cache. He grabbed a few cans of food and offered them to her.
“Here,” he said.
“No,” she declined. “I couldn’t. I’m alone now, since Herb and Abby passed away. You’ve got a little one to care for.”
“Really. I insist. We have plenty. Just think of it as payment for information,” urged Cale.
Mrs. Davies waivered on her decision a bit before relenting. Cale assisted her by carrying it all back into her house for her.
“It’s so good to see you.” She hugged him.
“Thank you,” he hugged her back. “JoLynn and I are going to go for a drive, but we’ll be back.”
“Alright,” she stated. “I’ll keep an eye on your place, and be safe, okay?”
“Okay,” he smiled at her.
Just as he went to walk out the door she called to him.
“Oh. I almost forgot. After everything happened at the fairgrounds, two men came to your house. They said they were Lauren’s bro
thers or something? Wanted to know where she was at,” she explained.
“Okay,” nodded Cale. “Thanks again.”
Cale closed her door and circled up to the front of the stucco home.
“Lauren is an only child,” stated Zach.
“Yep,” Cale confirmed.
“So who would that have been?” he questioned.
Cale wasn’t certain, but he hoped it had been his brothers. Maybe finding Lauren meant finding his brothers too. He was anxious to check out the Wal-Mart. When he got inside JoLynn had opened one of the few presents under the tree. She sat amongst torn shreds of the Santa print paper clutching a small music box. It had been meant for Marie.
“Look!” she exclaimed.
She turned a crank on the box and it played a tune. Cale didn’t recognize it.
“It’s ‘Edelweiss’!” she squealed excitedly.
She began singing along with the melody. He’d never heard the song before. Cale only smiled as she finished it.
“It’s from a movie. My mommy use to sing that to me,” explained JoLynn.
“Yeah?” he grinned. “You sing it again when we get back, alright?”
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“On a drive,” he replied.
Within minutes they were back out in the car and heading across town. Trees and powerlines forced him to take detours. Cars were abandoned in front yards and on sidewalks. From the top of the hill at West J Street he could see the Wal-Mart. A haze had set over the place.
“Is that smoke?” asked Zach.
Cale didn’t think so. He could already hear the buzzing of insects from where they were. It was a massive swarm of bugs that were feeding off the rotting crowd. Mrs. Davies was right. He wasn’t getting in there. Not today anyways. Cale headed for the storage facility. This could be his only lead.
It was only a few minutes before he was pulling through the open gates. The bodies of men, women, and children were strewn about. Some crushed. Others torn apart. There had been a war here. But the fight had long since moved to another location.
Z Plan (Book 3): Homecoming Page 36
