“What school?” said Mom.
“The school my girls went to,” said Park. “They weren't home, so maybe they were still at school.”
Maylee flipped open the phone and looked at the screen. Message: Lori, it said.
“Hey,” said Maylee.
Either Mom didn't hear or was ignoring her. “Do you even know what school they were going to?”
Maylee pressed a button on the phone to open the text message. Ella?, it said.
“How would I fucking know what school they were going to?” said Park.
Who is this?, Maylee typed and sent.
Your sister. No time for joking around.
Maylee frowned and typed. I'm not Ella.
“Oh I don't know, Parker,” said Mom from the front seat, steering the car. “Maybe you would know something about them through the magical power of being their fucking father!”
Who is this? said the phone.
“Guys!” said Maylee. No one listened. She frowned and typed as fast she could. My name's Maylee. I'm with your dad.
Gregory? Here with me.
No, your real dad. Parker. We found your sister's phone. Where are you?
“Oh don't you dare start up with that shit!” said Park. “Just because you think you're mother-fucking parent of the year or some shit.”
“Guys!” shouted Maylee, staring at the phone. No one listened. The phone buzzed as a new message came in.
At the zoo. Ella must’ve left her phone at home. We're both here. Gregory has me tied up, won't let me go.
Maylee typed, moving her thumbs over the small keypad as accurately as she could. Let me call you. You can talk to your dad.
No time. He's coming. Gotta go.
Then the phone was silent.
“You're no fucking parent at all!” yelled Mom. “The only reason you even fucking know where they fucking live is because you're legally obligated to be told!”
“Guys!” Maylee yelled at the top of her voice. The car fell silent. Dalton stared at her.
“Goddammit what, Maylee?” yelled Mom.
Maylee held the phone out toward the front seat. “I know where they are.”
* * *
Ella paced the Communications Office, her arms wrapped tightly around her frame. She hated that she was back in the office without Lori. She hated that she was pacing again. She'd made no progress whatsoever.
She shuddered, feeling free to do it since the room was empty. She remembered the old man gripping her, the crazy woman yelling at her. How long had it been? Two days? Did people lose their minds that quickly? And what was wrong with the animals? They used to love her.
Ella heard Caleb and Shelley talking from the breakroom. They spoke quietly to each other, sounding scared. Caleb and Shelley were the only ones in the breakroom. The three of them were the only ones in the whole office. All the other Keepers were at the Bites.
Lee and the Keepers had won. The crowd, tired of being drugged or killed, had panicked and broken up. Lee and the Keepers had taken over the Bites, high-fiving each other and laughing. Ella had seen it on one of the screens Caleb used.
Ella paced faster. She was scared and angry. Where was her sister? What were Caleb and Shelley going to do to help find her? They were older than Ella, but they were just as scared as she was.
They were hurt, too. Ella stepped over to the breakroom and stood in the doorway. Caleb and Shelley sat at one of the tables, leaning toward each other and talking. Caleb clutched one of his arms. Shelley had bruises on her face. Ella was the only one of the three who was unhurt. Caleb no longer wore his Keeper vest. He'd left it slung over one of the chairs in the main room. Ella wondered if it meant Caleb was done being in charge. So who was left?
They didn't notice her standing there.
Ella shook her head and paced back into the Communications Office. She sighed at the screens, all showing different aspects of the zoo. She could see more animals biting and growling. Stomping their feet angrily at nothing.
Her eyes landed on one screen, showing a still image of the street outside the zoo. Ella suddenly remembered. Caleb had been showing her the recording of the night Stepdad brought Lori back to the zoo. The night everything had gone insane.
She stepped over to the screen and stared at it. It was paused and frozen in place. She briefly considered calling to Caleb. Asking him to unpause it. But no. He was hurt and scared. Ella could do it.
Ella looked at the panel below the screen, confused by the dials and buttons. There were too many to make sense of. But there was a button that was blinking. Ella shrugged and clicked it.
The image unfroze and continued.
First it showed nothing new. Just the same view of the street. Then a man came into frame. Ella blinked and recognized it as Gregory. He pulled a teen girl after him. The image was blurry but Ella could tell it was Lori. Lori struggled as Gregory tried to lead her across the street.
The image was silent but Ella saw Lori yell something at Gregory. Gregory turned to her and yelled back. It made Ella's chest constrict. Stepdad never yelled like that. Lori's face was too blurry to make out full expressions, but Ella knew she was scared. Ella wished she could climb into the recording and knock Stepdad in the head. Free Lori from him.
Gregory pulled on Lori, trying to force her across the street. Lori wrenched away, screaming something at him. Gregory stepped over and slapped her across the face.
Hard.
Ella gasped, stepping back from the screen. Fury built in her. She'd have smashed the screen in if she believed there was the slightest chance of it somehow hurting him.
She was done. She stepped back up and clicked the button she'd used before. The image froze and the button resumed blinking. In the image, Lori had her head turned, still reacting to the force of the slap. Stepdad's arm was extended in the follow-through of the slap.
Ella looked toward the breakroom, breathing through her teeth. Caleb and Shelley would try to stop her. She couldn't ask them. She couldn't even tell them.
She'd find Lori herself.
She walked to the chair with Caleb's vest slung over it. She felt in the front pocket until she found his keycard. She slipped it into her jeans pocket and strode toward the door that led out.
She opened it as quietly as she could, bracing as cold wet air rushed in. She looked back toward the breakroom and listened. Caleb and Shelley were still talking quietly. No sign they'd heard.
Ella looked back at the paused screen. At the frozen image of Gregory striking Lori.
“Fuck you, Stepdad,” whispered Ella. She stepped outside and shut the door.
Eight
Angie pulled the car into the lot of Ashton Memorial Zoo. It was clogged full of cars, parked at odd angles. Cars were crushed into others, blocking any way through. Angie only got the car in a few feet before she had to stop.
She pushed the shifter into park and drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. Night was falling. Light rain drummed on the windshield. “Gee,” she said. “And I thought parking was a bitch the last time I brought the kids here.”
Park nodded, staring out at the lot. “Okay. Just let me out here. I'll find them.”
“Don't be a fucking moron, Parker,” said Angie. “I'll help you.”
“And do what?” said Park, turning to her. “Leave the kids in the car? Or will you bring them with you? Either way's not safe. These are my kids. My issue. You get the fuck out of here.”
Angie frowned at him, then looked at Maylee and Dalton in the back seat. Dalton was staring out the side window. Maylee was clutching her bat and looking very serious. Like she was straining to appear adult.
Park had a point. But she didn't have the slightest idea what to do about it.
“We'll come, too, Mom,” said Maylee, leaning forward. “I'll protect Dalton. We'll be safe.”
Angie sighed back at her. “Maylee...”
Dalton looked at her. The bruise on his forehead still looked angry. “We have to help M
r. Park, Mom.”
Angie looked at him, then at Park. Park shrugged. “You know what I think,” said Park. “So whatever you want to do.”
Angie took in a deep breath and let it out. “Fine. We're going. If the kids are in the zoo, they must have it locked down or something. If we can get inside, it'll be safer than here. We can decide what to do in the morning.”
Maylee nodded.
“But,” Angie said, turning around in the seat and giving Maylee her best stern look, “you be more careful than you've ever been in your life. You stay the hell away from anything that even looks like a corpse.”
Maylee frowned but nodded. “Fine.”
Angie nodded back. “Good.”
They all opened their doors and climbed from the car. Cold rain pelted Angie's head. She looked toward the front entrance. Cars clogged the whole way. It would be a long, winding walk.
She looked at Park, who took the rifle from his shoulder and nodded.
“Okay,” said Angie. “Let's go.”
They slowly started working their way through the cars. They squeezed between bumpers and worked their way around hoods and trunks. Dalton was still limping, Maylee helping him along. Angie made sure they all stayed together. The light patter of rain on metal was the only sound.
They reached a spot they couldn't get past. Three cars had crashed into each other, crushed together so close there was no opening they could get through.
“Here,” said Park, stepping up onto the hood of one of the cars. He looked around, then took a step. The car bounced under his weight.
Groaning came from the front seat.
Park spun to face the windshield. Angie moved to block the car from the kids. Inside she saw a man crushed against the steering wheel. His ribcage was exposed, bone crunched around the plastic and steel. He tried to pull free, straining to reach Park. His ribs caught on the steering wheel, red glop falling from his chest with each tug.
“Shit,” said Park, stepping back. The hood crunched under his boots. The metal creaked and groaned loudly.
Moans came from all around. Angie whipped her head from side to side, looking for the source. A chill gripped her as she realized the source was the cars surrounding them. She cursed herself for being so stupid. There'd been a panic in the parking lot. People rushing to get out. People crashing into each other. People dying. Dying and...
Maylee screamed. Angie whipped around to see a corpse reaching from a car and clutching Maylee's hair. Maylee twisted away and smacked the hand aside with her bat. A second corpse reached from another car, almost snagging Dalton.
“Look out!” yelled Angie just as a hand closed on the back of her shirt. It yanked her backward, toward the nearest car.
“Mom!” yelled Maylee, running forward.
Angie twisted her head around. A woman, forehead split and embedded with glass, leaned from the car and gnashed her teeth as she pulled Angie closer. Angie pulled back but the awkward angle kept her from getting any traction.
Maylee's bat slammed downward, narrowly missing Angie's head. The bat slammed into the corpse's arm. Angie heard bone snap and the corpse let go. Angie fell forward against the car Park stood on.
“Up here!” Park yelled, kneeling down to reach for Angie.
Angie straightened and stepped back. She grabbed Maylee and Dalton and pushed them toward Park. “On the car! Hurry!”
Maylee and Dalton climbed onto the hood of the car. Park helped them up. Once they were up, Angie followed. She stood and pulled her kids close. Corpses groaned and reached from all around, bloody arms and heads protruding from windows.
“Fuck,” she said, looking around. “What now?”
“We go car to car,” said Park. “Don't see what else we can do.” He stepped across the hood and hopped to the nearest trunk. It buckled under his weight. A corpse in the back window groaned and reached for him, but was unable to break free of the window.
“See your point,” said Angie. She motioned Maylee and Dalton to follow. “Go. Hurry.”
Maylee nodded. She hopped to the next car and helped Dalton limp across. Park backed up and climbed on the roof of the car to make room. The corpse reached upward for him. He kicked the hand away, cursing. Maylee and Dalton backed up for Angie to follow. Angie did, jumping to the trunk and wincing as the car bounced under their weight.
“Okay,” she said. “Good job guys. Let's keep it up until we're clear. And be careful!”
They climbed across, and jumped to the next car, keeping clear of the reaching corpse. They slowly climbed across the next car, watching the old man inside as he bit and clawed at the windshield, at them. The rain increased, slamming down cold and hard on the cars. Groans and the sound of rain on metal filled Angie's ears.
Park climbed across the hood of the car and jumped to the hood of a nearby truck. He ran up onto the roof and turned to look back. He motioned for them to follow.
Maylee stepped up to the edge of the hood, helping Dalton along with her. Dalton waved her away and made the jump himself. He let out a little cry when he landed and Park caught him.
“Dalton!” yelled Angie.
“I'm fine, Mom!” yelled Dalton, wincing and bouncing on his good foot.
“You need to let your sister help you, bubba,” said Park, stepping back to make room for Maylee.
“Yeah,” said Maylee, stepping forward. She jumped and landed on the hood of the truck. Her sneakers gave off a squeaking noise as they slipped out from under her. She stumbled and began to fall off the truck.
“Maylee!” yelled Angie, jumping across and catching her arm. Maylee jerked to a stop, straining Angie's back. Angie almost slipped herself. Park grabbed her shoulder and pulled them both up.
Angie hugged Maylee and looked over the side. A corpse was leaning out of a nearby window. It looked back at her with yellowed eyes and hissed. Maylee would have fallen straight into that thing.
“Goddammit, Maylee, be careful,” Angie whispered, hugging her.
“I will Mom, I will,” said Maylee, pushing away. She gripped the bat and drew herself up but Angie could see fear in her eyes.
“Just a few more,” said Park.
Angie turned to follow Park's gaze across the remainder of the lot. She wasn't so sure she'd call it “a few,” but they were over halfway to the end. The rain was coming even harder now, cold and pelting. Angie felt her shoes slowly slide along the metal of the hood. “We've gotta keep moving. Soon we won't be able to keep our feet at all.”
The next few cars went without incident. They jumped from hood to trunk, car top to car top. Corpses groaned and reached but they were able to stay clear.
“Just one more,” said Angie as they caught their footing on the back of an old truck. Park nodded and they slowly climbed over the top of the truck to the rain-slick hood. Angie struggled to keep her footing.
Park steadied himself and jumped to the hood of the next car. It crumpled as he landed. The car had a broken and bloody windshield, with red-stained cracks running along its surface. Behind it, Angie could see rotting hands working their way along the inside. Reaching for them, slow but relentless.
Park looked at the hands for a moment, as though making sure the corpse behind them was safely trapped in the car. After several seconds he turned to Angie and nodded.
“Okay, guys,” said Angie. “Go.”
Maylee jumped. Angie winced at the sound of Maylee's shoes squeaking on the hood of the car. Maylee kept her footing and reached back for Dalton. Dalton took Maylee's hand and hopped across. He let out a little cry when he landed on his bad foot. He limped a few times and settled, holding onto Maylee's arm.
Angie turned to look back at the lot. The cars were all motionless in the pelting rain. Moans told her corpses were inside them, struggling and biting. But the corpses were all safely stuck. She turned back. The last bit of light slipped from the sky. She could barely make out the outline of the car in the wet gloom.
Just one more, she told herself. Then
jumped.
She landed and for one panicked moment she felt her feet slip beneath her. Park caught her arm and she slid to a stop, inches from the edge of the hood. The corpse behind the broken windshield pounded on the glass.
Angie let out her breath slowly, her chest pounding. “Shit.”
“Yeah,” said Park. “No shit, shit.”
“Good thing we're almost done,” she said. “Much more of this and...”
With a cry, Dalton slipped and fell off the car. Angie heard him slam into the pavement, yelling as he landed on his bad foot.
“Dalton!” Angie yelled. Not thinking, she ran and leapt off the car, into the darkness.
She dropped down between the hood of the car and the door of a nearby truck. It was too dark to see. Rain pounded on her head. She heard Dalton whimper and mutter.
“Dalton!” she yelled, feeling around in the dark. Her hands fell on pavement, on metal.
“Mom!” came Dalton's voice. His hand closed around hers.
“Dalton!” Angie pulled Dalton toward her, clutching farther and farther up his arm until she had all of him. She hugged him tight. “Oh shit, Dalton.”
“Mom!” came Maylee's voice from above.
“Everything okay?” came Park's.
“You okay, baby?” said Angie, not wanting to let Dalton go.
“Fine Mom, fine,” said Dalton. Angie expected him to pull away. He didn't.
“Everything's okay!” Angie yelled up to the others.
Glass shattered above them, raining down on their heads. Angie remembered seeing the outline of the truck's side window, just before she dropped down on the ground. There'd been a shape behind it, pounding on it.
“Dalton,” Mom started. Then a bloody arm, shards of glass jutting from it, reached down and grabbed Dalton's hair.
Dalton screamed. Mom reached to the arm and wrenched it away. A cold cheek brushed against hers as the corpse in the truck leaned out and bit at her neck. She twisted away, pushing Dalton back.
“Mom!” yelled Dalton as his form vanished in the dark.
“Just stay back!” she yelled, holding on to Dalton with one hand and pushing the corpse back with the other. The corpse strained and Angie strained back. Angie pushed as hard as she could, but the corpse had a better angle and gravity on its side. She couldn't see the corpse's features, but it sounded like a hoarse old man. It hissed and bit, drawing closer to her every second.
Ashton Memorial Page 14
