Ashton Memorial

by Robert R. Best

  They ran so fast that Maylee had to put up her palms when they reached the bottom. Momentum carried her into the glass wall surrounding the pool. She caught herself, panting at the water behind the glass.

  A sea lion jerked into view, bleating and thrashing at Maylee. Maylee jerked back, startled.

  “Come on,” she said. “We gotta go.”

  They ran out through the exit.

  The exit led into another exhibit. Maylee recognized it immediately. It was a hallway running by a huge glass tank. The tank was full of water. Normally a hippopotamus swam inside of it. It had been a wonderful sight when she was young, the huge hippo gracefully swimming in the water or climbing out onto the faux-rocks at the far side of the tank. At the moment she saw nothing in the tank. The water was dark and dirty.

  “Come on,” she repeated. “We just gotta get past this and then get outside.”

  She stopped when she almost slipped on the floor. She frowned, looking down. Water coated the floor. She looked around. “Where's the water coming from?”

  Her eyes fell back on the tank. She saw cracks splintering its surface. Water seeped out.

  “What's...” Dalton started to say. Then they both saw it. A large shape emerging from the dark water, rushing toward them. The hippo was in there after all. Its head was bloody and torn. It did not seem to care. It raced toward the glass.

  “Get back!” yelled Maylee. She jumped backward, almost knocking over Dalton in the process.

  The hippo hit the tank and the glass exploded outward. A huge wave of water engulfed the hallway. For several moments all Maylee knew was water and the feeling she was drowning. Then the water was gone and she was left sputtering in the hallway and looking for Dalton.

  She found him, crouching and coughing farther down the hallway, back toward the amphitheater. She ran to him. “You okay?”

  He nodded, standing. He stopped, looking behind Maylee with wide eyes.

  Maylee turned. The hippo was straightening itself up the hallway. It thrashed around furiously. Maylee knew what would happen as soon as it saw them.

  “Run!” she yelled, grabbing Dalton's hand and pulling him back toward the amphitheater. She heard the hippo behind them bellow and come after them.

  They reached the amphitheater and Maylee looked around desperately. She heard the hippo behind them, coming fast. To her right she saw a large raised stage. It was where the trainers stood during the shows.

  “There!” she yelled, pulling Dalton up onto the stage. The hippo raced past, missing Maylee by inches. She stumbled onto the stage, letting go of Dalton and turning to watch the hippo. She wanted to grab Dalton and run back to the exit. But the hippo corrected itself surprisingly fast. It would be back on them soon.

  Maylee looked around. Her eyes landed on the ladder leading up to the platform that extended out over the sea lion tank. The sea lions bleated and splashed. The corpses on the bleachers groaned and stumbled. The hippo thrashed its head around, looking for Maylee and Dalton.

  “Climb!” Maylee yelled. She grabbed Dalton and practically pulled him up and onto the ladder herself. Dalton took hold of the ladder and started climbing. The hippo saw them and rushed at the stage, snorting and huffing.

  Maylee climbed up after Dalton. The hippo smashed onto the stage and rushed the ladder. It hit with such force that Maylee nearly slipped off. It bellowed up at her in rage as she regained her grip and pulled herself up onto the platform.

  Dalton was kneeling at the top, rifle aimed down at the hippo.

  “Dalton,” said Maylee, panting. “What are you...”

  Dalton fired. The dart thudded into the hippo. It thrashed around in anger before looking up at Dalton and bellowing.

  “I'm getting him!” said Dalton, grinning and preparing to fire again. The hippo slammed into the ladder a second time, sending a shudder up to the platform. Dalton fired. The dart hit the hippo in the torso.

  Maylee heard bleating and splashing coming from behind her. She turned to face the tank. She swallowed. It hadn't looked this high from the audience. Down below, the sea lions swam around furiously. One leapt straight up, startling Maylee so much she took a step back. It missed the platform and fell, bleating in fury, back into the water.

  Behind her, Dalton fired a third time. “Got him!” he said. “He's slowing down!”

  “Good,” said Maylee, not taking her eyes off the sea lions. She heard the hippo roar and slam the ladder again. The force of the shock was less this time. “Hurry.”

  “Why?” said Dalton.

  “Because,” and she stopped as another sea lion leapt out of the pool. She could tell by its arc it would make it. She didn't know how much damage one could do up close, but she knew it could surely knock her and Dalton off the platform.

  “Shit,” she said to herself, backing up as the sea lion shot up into the air. She readied herself, waiting until it was a few feet away. Then she swung her bat so hard she almost fell off the platform. She connected with the side of the sea lion. The sea lion bleated in anger and fell, spinning, back into the pool.

  “Hurry!” she yelled back at Dalton. Her arms ached.

  Dalton fired a fourth time. Maylee turned to watch. The dart thudded into the hippo. It staggered and slumped, snoring.

  “Good job,” she said, pushing him toward the ladder. “Hurry hurry hurry!”

  They climbed back onto the ladder just as Maylee heard a sea lion jump again. They climbed down as fast as they could. It was more difficult now that the ladder was bent from the assault by the hippo. Maylee heard the sea lion land on the platform and thrash around angrily.

  They reached the bottom. Maylee looked at the hippo, then back at Dalton. “You okay?”

  He nodded.

  “Good. Let's go,” she said. And they ran.

  Twenty

  Angie and the others plodded along through the rain. She wished they had made more progress. She wished she had food for everybody. She wished a lot of things.

  “Where's the food you promised us?” said someone in the crowd.

  “Right next to shut the fuck up,” said Park.

  “We'll find food,” said Angie. “My guess is Gregory's hoarding it. It can't be a coincidence that right after I mocked him for not controlling the Keepers, the Keepers packed up all the nonperishable food and moved.”

  “So where the hell are we going?” said a woman in the crowd.

  “Some place called the Emergency Backup Station. He let the animals out, and that's the only place he could have done it from. We get there, we demand food and we rescue Park's daughter.”

  “Then what?” said the red-headed young woman behind Angie. The one who'd seen the Keepers leave the Bites.

  “Then,” said Angie, “we convince Gregory to step down.” She plodded along through the wet. The others walked along behind her. “He won't let people leave. He's gone insane with power. We force him to let go. Then those who want to go can go. I'm staying behind and making this place safe again. We can live here until help comes.”

  There were murmurs of assent around the crowd.

  “You really think Gregory and the Keepers will step down?” said the red-head.

  “That's what the weapons are for,” said Park.

  “It's just to scare them,” said Angie. “And to defend against the corpses and the crazy animals. We won't have to use them on people.”

  “You hope not,” said Park.

  “I know not,” said Angie. “Things can't have gone that insane. Surely they'll listen.”

  Deep down, Angie feared they would not.

  The group rounded a corner. Angie held up her arms for the others to stop. They did. Her chest grew tight.

  A large gray elephant stood in the center of an open area ahead of them. Its back was to them and it had not noticed their arrival. It stomped its feet and snorted in the rain.

  “Shit,” said Park. “Not sure how much use tranqs and shovels are going to be against that thing.”

 
; The crowd behind Angie muttered nervously. Angie looked around for an idea. She saw a gift shop to her right. It was large, taking up most of the area on that side. Angie fished the map from her pocket and squinted at it through the rain.

  “The gift shop,” she said, putting the map back into her pocket and nodding at the building. “It has two doors. We can go in there and come out the other side. Completely bypass the elephant.”

  “Don't see what choice we have,” said Park, taking the rifle from his shoulder and holding it ready. “Let's go shopping.”

  The group slowly walked toward the gift shop. Angie kept her eyes on the elephant. It stomped and whipped its trunk around in the rain. It didn't turn and notice them.

  They reached the door without incident. Angie pulled it open and looked inside. It was dark but looked clear. She looked back to the group and nodded. They all filed inside.

  Angie had only taken a few steps inside before they were completely enveloped in darkness. She heard the door shut behind her, indicating the entire group was inside.

  “Where the hell are the lights?” said someone in the crowd.

  “Also right next to shut the fuck up,” said Park. “It's a happening place. You should go there.”

  “The power's off,” said Angie. “It's off all over the entire zoo, and it’s probably not coming back. So everyone just stay together, move slow and keep calm. We'll be fine.”

  They all moved through the dark. Angie could make out dim outlines. Racks of souvenir T-shirts. Shelves of animal-themed knickknacks. She found herself hating the gift shop for being so large.

  “I think I heard something,” said the red-headed young woman behind Angie.

  Angie strained to listen. All she heard were the fumbling movements of the crowd and their mutters.

  “I heard it too,” said someone else in the crowd, farther back.

  “Everyone just stay calm,” said Angie.

  Groans erupted from all sides. People screamed. Angie whipped her head side to side, trying to pinpoint where the groans were coming from. She saw moving shapes and realized they were coming from everywhere. Corpses had been standing in the dark of the shop the whole time. For a moment she thought she'd killed herself and everyone with her. Then she heard the sounds of people using the weapons she'd given them. She heard the clang of shovels and wrenches. She heard corpses groan and fall. She felt hope.

  Then a tightly-wound band of cloth closed around her neck and pulled tight. She fell backward against her attacker. The cloth tightened further, pushing the air from her throat.

  Her attacker spoke, and Angie recognized the voice. The red-headed woman. “Long live the Keepers, bitch,” she said.

  Shafts of light exploded around her and Angie was convinced she was dying. Then she realized the lights were real, bobbing around in the dark as people moved.

  “I found flashlights!” someone said. “They still work!”

  Angie struggled, clutching at the cloth as it dug deeper into her neck. She was failing.

  Several of the lights fell on her.

  “What the hell?” said Park's voice.

  Park rushed over and shoved the red-headed woman back. She let go of Angie. Angie stumbled away, coughing and wheezing. She pulled the cloth from her throat and saw it was a zoo souvenir T-shirt. Angie turned back to the red-head. Her shirt sleeves had been pushed upward during the struggle. A crude “K” was carved into her arm.

  “Dammit,” said Park to the red-head. “I knew there was something wrong about you.”

  “Did you now?” said the red-head, looking defiant in the beams of light trained on her. “Good for you, hillbilly! Too bad you're all going to the wrong fucking place! You people think you can take over this zoo? All our true leader has to do is move himself and his daughter and you fuckers have no idea where you're going. You're a joke!”

  “What are you saying?” said Angie. “Where have they moved to?”

  “Where the fuck is my daughter?” yelled Park.

  “Traitor spy bitch!” said an older man in the crowd. He rushed to the red-head. Angie saw the wrench in his hand just before he slammed it across the woman's temple. The woman cried out and dropped to her knees. A split in her skin showed a crack in her skull. Blood seeped out. She twitched and moaned.

  “What the fuck is the matter with you!” yelled Angie, shoving the older man back. The older man looked at her in shock.

  “She attacked you!” yelled the man. “She attacked our leader!”

  “I'm not your fucking leader!” yelled Angie, shoving him again. “Get out! Just get out of here!”

  The man looked bewildered. He would have looked sad if not for the blood on the wrench he carried. The lights bobbed in the dark, moving from him to Angie to the dying woman on the floor.

  “But,” the older man said. “Where the hell am I supposed to go?”

  “I don't give a shit!” yelled Angie. “Just get out!”

  The man looked from Angie to the others. He looked shocked, then hurt, then angry. “Fine. Fuck you anyway.” He stomped out of view, headed toward the far exit.

  Angie heard the young woman on the floor moaning. Angie dropped to her knees. She struggled to think of what to say. She felt guilty. The woman had attacked her, but she'd been stopped. Angie opened her mouth to speak, then shut it.

  “Where the fuck is my daughter?” Park yelled again, his voice shaking.

  The young woman moaned, blood falling from the split in her temple and onto the floor. “Cat Country,” the woman said.

  “What?” said Angie, leaning closer. Her nurse's aide training came back to her and she desperately tried to think of ways she could help. “What did you say?”

  “Cat County,” said the young woman. “They're going to Cat Country.” Then she slumped, fell over, and died.

  * * *

  Maylee and Dalton stomped along through the rain. Dalton had his rifle over his shoulder. Maylee had her bat held down at her side. They passed trees, bushes and empty exhibits. Maylee heard faint groans, somewhere far off. She also thought she heard a few growls from somewhere. Again, too far off to tell.

  Dalton spoke, breaking the silence. “Is this the way to Cat Country?”

  “We're coming from the back way,” said Maylee. “This way we'll be at the top and can see the whole thing.”

  Dalton nodded and kept walking. They drew near a bend in the path. They approached it silently. Maylee thought she heard something coming from behind. She turned her head to look, continuing to walk forward. She saw nothing. She shrugged and turned back.

  They rounded the corner.

  Three corpses stood there, moaning and grabbing at them.

  The closest one, a fat man with no skin on his hands, grabbed at Maylee. His muscles flexed in the rain as he grabbed and hissed. Maylee brought up her bat and slammed it across the man's face. His head whipped to one side and he stumbled back. She brought her bat around and slammed his head the other way. His skull cracked and he fell to the ground, dead. Black ooze seeped from his cracked skull.

  Dalton screamed. Maylee whipped around to see him struggling with his rifle as a young woman, missing one eye and an ear, groped at him. She hissed through her bloody teeth. He couldn't get the rifle around in time and she grabbed him. He screamed.

  Maylee rushed over through the rain and slammed the woman in the back of the head. She fell forward, letting go of Dalton. He scrambled out of the way and the young woman stumbled in the rain. She turned, hissing at Maylee. Maylee brought her bat up over her head and slammed downward, screaming as she swung. The woman's head buckled inward and her remaining eye bulged. She slumped and fell to the ground. She was still.

  Maylee looked at Dalton, who was standing a few feet away. “You okay?”

  He nodded.

  A low, dry moan came from behind her. Maylee remembered there had been three corpses. Hands closed on her shoulders and pushed her forward. She fell to her stomach, her bat flying from her hand and clatt
ering across the pavement. She felt the corpse crawling up her back, moaning in a dry rasp and preparing to bite. She screamed.

  “Maylee!” yelled Dalton.

  Maylee heard a rifle fire. She felt the corpse on her back jerk and slump. Maylee squirmed free and scrambled to her feet. She quickly looked at the ground. The corpse, an old man with leathery skin, lay still. A dart was embedded in the back of his head. She turned to where her bat had flown. She ran to it, stooping to pick it up. “Thanks,” she said.

  “It wasn't me,” said Dalton.

  Maylee frowned and turned back.

  “Freeze!” said someone. Maylee squinted through the rain and saw five zookeepers, all holding rifles. The rifles were pointed at her and Dalton.

  “We got stragglers!” said one of the zookeepers.

  “They could be spies!” yelled another. “Take them out!”

  They cocked their rifles. Maylee tensed, preparing to grab Dalton and run.

  “Wait!” said one of them. The others kept their rifles trained but didn't fire. The one who'd spoken stepped forward. It was a young man with greasy black hair. Lee was written on his shirt.

  Lee stepped closer to them. He looked at Dalton and nodded.

  “I recognize this one,” he said. “He was with the woman when she came to the Bites. She said he was her son. And she kept going on about her kids when she was on the intercom.”

  He looked at Maylee and nodded. “I'm guessing you’re the other one. You two are coming with me. Gregory's going to want to meet you.”

  Maylee considered slamming him in the face and running. The rifles trained on her and Dalton said otherwise.

  “Yeah,” he said, nodding again. “He's definitely going to want to meet you.”

  Twenty-One

  Cat Country was the centerpiece of Ashton Memorial Zoo. It was built along the side of the largest hill in the zoo. The lion exhibit was at the bottom. To either side were exhibits for cheetahs and tigers. Moving up the hill were several exhibits, all separated with thick glass fences, for various breeds of pumas and leopards. All with layers of rocks and ledges for big cats to climb or rest on. Paved walkways ran along either side, giving visitors many angles to view the cats from. It was by far the most popular exhibit in the zoo.