Ashton Memorial

by Robert R. Best

  “No!” she yelled, swinging blindly. “Let me kill these fuckers!”

  “Don't get your goddamn stupid self killed! Get out of there now!”

  Park pulled her toward the ladder. Maylee stumbled backward, still swinging. She didn't pay any attention to where she was going. She swung as she staggered backward, Park's hand still clutching her jacket. Then the ground vanished from under her feet.

  “Fuck, kid!” yelled Park. “Look out!”

  Maylee screamed and fell backward off of the ledge. Park, still holding her jacket, fell as she pulled him off the ladder. He followed her down. They both plummeted through the pounding rain, past the alcove and toward the bear exhibit. Maylee braced herself for impact.

  Then, with a tremendous crash, water engulfed her. For a second she was confused, gasping and sputtering before she sunk. The bat slipped from her hand and Park let go. Then she realized. They'd fallen into the pool.

  Maylee kicked herself to the surface. She broke through the water, coughing into the rain. Park burst through several feet away.

  “Kid!” he yelled.

  “Here!” said Maylee, swimming to where her bat had bobbed to the surface. She grabbed the bat then swam to Park.

  “Fuck, kid, that was stupid.”

  “I'm sorry,” Maylee said, then before she knew it she was crying. Sobbing. “I'm sorry! I tried to save her! I tried!”

  “Kid, kid,” said Park, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking. “It's not your fault. It's not your fault.”

  A loud snorting and growling came from Maylee's left. Getting closer. Maylee gasped as she remembered.

  “The bear!” she yelled.

  She heard the bear race to the edge of the pool and leap. The water around her and Park grew dark.

  “Shit!” said Park.

  Maylee put her feet on Park's torso and pushed away from him. Park swam backward as Maylee shot back through the water.

  They got roughly ten feet away from each other when the bear slammed into the water between them. It thrashed around, enraged and looking for them.

  “Get to the edge!” yelled Park, his voice obscured by the furious thrashing of the bear.

  The bear growled and swiped a wet paw at Maylee. She screamed and swam backward, swinging the bat as best she could. The water slowed her down and made swinging too awkward to do any good. The bear lunged for her. Maylee swam to one side, the bear passing her so close she could see its hair glistening as it went by.

  “Get to the fucking edge!” yelled Park. With a grunt, Park kicked the bear in the side. The bear growled and turned to face him.

  “That's right asshole,” yelled Park. “This way!” He backed up in the water and the bear followed. The bear lunged and Park swam away. The bear turned in the water to growl at Park.

  Park looked at Maylee. “What the fuck are you staring at? Get to the edge!”

  Maylee nodded and swam for the edge of the pool. She heard Park taunting the bear and the bear lunging. She heard splashing as Park stayed out of the way. Mostly she heard her own breathing and the splashing of her own limbs in the water. She wondered how long Park could keep away from the bear. She wondered if he wanted to. She told herself the craziness that seemed to grip all the animals also made them make stupid decisions. She hoped that would help Park. She hoped Park wanted the help.

  Maylee reached the edge and threw her bat onto the dirt of the exhibit. She pulled herself up, panting as the rain slammed down around her. She heard Park shouting, splashing in the water and taunting the bear. She snatched up her bat and turned to face the pool.

  Park was close to the far edge of the pool. The bear growled at him and thrashed around in the water. “Come on, asshole!” yelled Park, splashing water into the bear's face. The bear sputtered and snorted in fury. “What the fuck are you waiting for?”

  “Park!” yelled Maylee. She ran along the edge of the pool, around to the far end where Park was. The bear was about to lunge. Park wasn't moving. Oh shit, Maylee realized. He waited until I was out of the pool and now he's letting the bear kill him.

  Screaming, Maylee ran to the edge and slammed her bat down onto the skull of the bear. The bear stopped mid-lunge. It whined and fell back, still snarling and looking at Park.

  “Get back you motherfucker!” yelled Maylee. She swung the bat underhand at the bear, catching it on the chin. The bear's head whipped back and it fell backward into the water. It floated there, stunned.

  “Hurry!” Maylee yelled to Park. “Now you get to the edge!”

  Park swam to the edge and climbed up. “You should have let him kill me, kid.”

  “Nothing doing,” said Maylee. “We gotta get to my mom and brother. And we gotta save Ella's sister.”

  Park stared at her. Then he nodded. “Fuck yeah we do.”

  “So let's go,” said Maylee. “Ella told me the way.”

  Fifteen

  Maylee stomped through the rain in silence, bat tightly gripped in her right hand. Park plodded along next to her. They both were quiet, determined. Maylee had lost track of how long they walked. Of how long they'd gone without speaking. It felt like she would never speak again.

  The death of Ella ate away at her heart with a ferocity that surprised her. But she felt too guilty to say so. As bad as she felt, she was certain Park felt worse.

  No corpses had attacked during the last hour. Maylee wished some would. She wanted to beat some to a pulp. She could tell Park felt the same.

  Ella had been her friend.

  Ella had kissed her.

  Then Ella was dead.

  They rounded a corner in silence, then stopped. A small building sat on the other end of a paved walkway. A sign next to it read Communications Office.

  “Fuck,” said Park, his voice sounding odd after hours of silence. “Finally.”

  “I hope Mom and Dalton are there,” said Maylee.

  Park said nothing, then nodded.

  “Sorry,” said Maylee.

  “Don't,” said Park. “Fucking don't.”

  Maylee said nothing. They both stared out at the opening in silence. Maylee wanted to make a run for it, rush to the office, throw open the door and embrace Dalton and her mother. But she knew they couldn't take the risk. They had to be smart. The events of the morning had proven that.

  “At least the rain's let up a little,” she said. And it had. It still came down, but not as heavy as before. Visibility was better. They'd be able to see the corpses coming. Hopefully.

  Park nodded. “Yep. Let's go.”

  Maylee nodded and they stepped out into the area. Groans erupted all around them.

  “Fuck-a-doodle-do,” said Maylee, gripping the bat.

  “Well said,” said Park, pulling out his knife.

  Several corpses stumbled from the surrounding trees and bushes. Rain pelted on their rotting heads, running down the folds and tears in their ruined flesh. They hissed and worked their jaws. They reached for Park and Maylee.

  “Come get some,” said Maylee, quietly. She brought the bat up and swung for the nearest corpse, a large man wearing a sports jersey and with part of his face burned away. The bat whacked into his skull, sending him stumbling into a small elderly woman with her throat torn out. They both fell over onto the pavement, groaning and grasping at each other. Maylee ran up to them and beat both their heads to pulp with short, sharp whacks. Part of her was troubled at how easy it was. Most of her didn't care.

  To her left, she saw Park rush up to a fat man missing both eyes. Park shoved the knife into the top of the fat man's head. The fat man hissed and bit at Park, seemingly oblivious to the blade in his skull.

  “Shit!” said Park. “This guy’s got a thick skull or a small brain!”

  “Let go!” yelled Maylee, rushing toward Park and the fat man.

  “What?”

  “I said let go!” yelled Maylee. As she drew near, she brought the bat up over her head.

  Park nodded, seeming to realize what she had in mind. He
let go of the knife and stepped back. Then, at the last moment, he kicked at the fat man's legs. The fat man fell to his knees, sending a horrible cracking noise across the pavement. The fat man gurgled and reached for Park, knife sticking out of the top of his head.

  Maylee reached the corpse and, letting out a loud scream, slammed the bat down on the handle of the knife. The knife was driven down so deep part of the handle disappeared into the fat man's skull. The fat man jerked, gurgled, and fell forward. He crashed onto the pavement with a wet squelching noise and was still.

  “Thanks, I think,” said Park.

  Maylee turned to him, frowning. “You think?”

  “You think you could get that fucking knife out of there now?”

  Maylee frowned down at the knife handle buried deep in the fat man's skull. “Oh yeah. Sorry.”

  “I told you to stop saying that.”

  Five more corpses drew close. Maylee yelled and rushed the closest one. It was a thin man with no pants and blood covering where his privates should have been.

  “Sure wish I had a goddamn knife right now,” said Park, to Maylee's right. She saw him stoop down to pick up a rock and fling it at a teenage girl in a fast-food uniform. The rock caved in the front of the girl's skull and she fell over backward.

  “I bet you do,” said Maylee, smirking as she reached the thin man with the missing privates. She whipped her bat down and across, connecting with his stomach. He doubled over, groaning and vomiting black blood. Maylee brought the bat up and slammed down on the back of his head. He fell forward, smacking into the wet pavement. Maylee slammed down on his skull, cracking it. The man flopped and was still.

  Maylee turned. Three corpses left. They staggered and lurched through the rain. The one closest to Maylee, a withered old man covered in dirt that had turned to mud in the rain, grabbed at her, chattering his rotten teeth.

  “How many rocks left?” she yelled to Park.

  “One,” said Park, kneeling with a grunt to pick up the rock. “Thanks so much for asking.”

  “No problem,” said Maylee, twirling her bat round and round as the old man approached her. When he was close enough, Maylee whacked him across the temple with the bat. The old man's long-rotted skull exploded, sending bone and thick muck across the wet pavement. Rain pelted the muck, splattering it onto Maylee's shoes. Maylee was past caring. The old man was still but locked in midstep, balanced in front of Maylee mid-grab.

  “Just fall already,” said Maylee, whacking the corpse across the chest. It fell and stayed there.

  She turned to see Park brandishing a rock as the second corpse, a man with mutton chops and a wet gaping wound in his chest, reached for him. Park dodged the man's grasp and rammed the rock into his skull. The man fell back, dark blood seeping from a split in his forehead. Park grunted and threw the rock. It smashed into the man's forehead. The crack spread and the man fell down. He hit the pavement and did not get up.

  “One left,” said Maylee, nodding at the remaining corpse. It was a chubby lady with a Baby On Board T-shirt. Maylee's stomach fell when she realized the woman wasn't chubby. She was pregnant.

  “Fuck me,” said Park. “You take that one.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “Just kidding. Give me the bat.”

  “No,” said Maylee, gripping the bat and watching the pregnant woman hiss and stagger around. “I've got it.”

  “Just give me the damn bat.”

  “No!” said Maylee with a force that surprised her.

  Apparently it surprised Park too. “Fine. Have at it, kid.”

  Maylee readied herself, watching the pregnant corpse stumble.

  Then a sharp “crack” rang out. Like a gunshot. The pregnant woman jerked and drew back, stiff. She fell forward, revealing a dart embedded in the back of her head. The woman was still.

  Maylee looked around, confused. Then saw figures standing on the stoop of the office. One was holding a rifle.

  It was Mom.

  * * *

  Angie lowered the gun, watching the pregnant corpse fall. Her heart leapt. Dalton was right about what he'd seen out the window.

  “Maylee!” yelled Angie, slinging the rifle over her shoulder and rushing off the stoop.

  Maylee, standing across the walkway over the bodies of several corpses, lowered her bat. She looked like she could cry. “Mom!”

  Angie and Maylee ran for each other. Park was there too. He stuck his hands into the pockets of his hunting jacket and slowly walked over, behind Maylee.

  Angie grabbed Maylee and hugged her tight. She held her as long as she dared and Maylee didn't resist. Then she pushed her back and held her by the shoulders, looking her up and down. “Are you hurt? Were you bitten?”

  “No, Mom, no,” said Maylee, looking relieved and exhausted and somehow sad. “I'm fine. I'm fine.”

  “Maylee!” yelled Dalton from the stoop of the office. Angie let go of Maylee and turned to see Dalton standing on the stoop, covering his nose from the stench of the dead body hanging from the tree. He started down the stoop.

  “Wait, Dalton,” said Angie. “Stay there. We're coming.” She trotted back toward the office, motioning for Maylee and Park to follow. They did.

  Dalton backed up, back into the office. Maylee rushed along with Angie. Park walked slowly, quickly falling behind them.

  They reached the stoop and Maylee jerked back, bringing up her bat and looking so determined it frightened Angie. Angie followed Maylee's eyes to the body hanging from the tree.

  “Wait, honey, no,” said Angie, turning back to Maylee. Maylee was already lowering the bat, looking relieved.

  “Someone got that one already,” said Maylee.

  “Yeah,” said Angie, not knowing what to make of the comment. Maylee sounded disappointed.

  Maylee wrinkled her nose and brought her jacket sleeve to her face. “God it smells.”

  “Been there a while,” said Angie. Park reached the stoop, silent and looking down. Angie opened the door and motioned Maylee and Park inside. “It was there when we got here.”

  “How long have you been here?” said Park. It was the first thing he'd said since they arrived.

  “Just since this morning,” said Angie, shutting the door. Maylee and Park looked wet, dirty and beaten. Angie realized there were only two of them.

  “Where's Ella?” said Angie.

  Park shook his head. Maylee looked down. Angie realized why Maylee looked so sad.

  “Fuck,” said Angie, quietly. “I'm sorry, Park.”

  “Everyone really needs to stop saying that,” said Park.

  Angie said nothing for a moment. Dalton crossed his arms and looked down. Angie looked at Park, then Maylee, then back at Park. She tried to think of what to say. Finally she decided there was nothing to say. She nodded to herself and turned.

  She briskly walked to a gun case set along the far wall of the office. Several rifles hung inside. She grabbed one, then grabbed a box of darts from the shelf above the rifles. She turned and strode back to Park.

  “Here,” she said, handing the rifle and box to Park. “They're just tranquilizers but the dart tips are long enough to puncture the brain.”

  Park nodded and took the rifle and box. He slung the rifle over his shoulder and put the box in his jacket pocket. “Miles better than what I've been using.”

  “I'm hungry,” said Dalton.

  “Me too,” said Maylee, already looking more like Angie's daughter than the killer Angie saw earlier.

  “Yeah,” said Angie, sighing. “That's a common theme around here. No food in the office, either. Vending machine’s broken open and raided. And to add to all the fun, crazy zookeepers are keeping people out of the restaurant.”

  “Joy all around,” said Park.

  The loud speakers around the office crackled to life. The four of them jerked in surprise.

  Gregory's voice rang out. “Good afternoon, citizens of Ashton Memorial.”

  Angie turned to the others, sighi
ng. “And that asshole keeps talking.”

  “We've heard it too,” said Maylee.

  “Ella said he's got Lori,” said Park.

  “Did he just say 'citizens?'“ said Dalton.

  Gregory continued, his voice booming around the room. Angie heard it coming from outside too, from speakers throughout the zoo. “We are working hard for your safety.”

  Angie cocked her head, listening. Whenever Gregory paused, she heard a fainter version of his voice coming from somewhere else in the room, a fraction of a second late. “Anyone else hear that echo?”

  Gregory continued to drone on about how hard he was working to protect everyone. Angie ignored the content, listening for the echo, trying to place where it came from.

  Finally she located it. Across the room, in one of the chairs, was some sort of small handheld device. AM PerComm, said a logo etched into the side. Angie guessed it stood for “personal communicator.”

  Gregory droned on in the background. Angie clicked a large button on the side of the communicator and held it to her mouth. “Hello?”

  Gregory made no sign he'd heard her. He kept talking, now praising the bravery of the Keepers. Angie noticed he used the same terms the people at the Zoo Bites had used. She also noticed he was talking about them as though they were some sort of police force. Or army.

  “Hello?” she said, clicking the communicator and trying again. This time she noticed her own voice echoing from another chair in the room. She walked over to the chair and found a second communicator laying there.

  She clicked the button. “Testing,” she said into the communicator in her hand. Her voice echoed from the second communicator in the chair.

  Frowning, she turned the communicator over in her hand, looking at it more closely. Gregory continued talking in the background. On the side of the communicator, she found a dial with two settings. One said Direct and the other said Broadcast. It was set to Direct. Angie clicked the dial to Broadcast.

  She clicked the button on the side and held the communicator to her mouth. “Hello?”

  Her own voice boomed out over the speakers around the room. She heard it echoing from the speakers outside.