by Sean Kidd
“Have you ever thrown a knife before?”
Chevy pulled the curved blade from the sheath admiring the steel, “Yeah, plenty of times!” he said as he tossed the blade a few inches in the air. The idea was to catch it, but the point caught him on the middle of his palm. “Ouch!”
The knife bounced off his hand and landed on the kitchen floor with a distinctive metal twang.
“You’re such a dork, Chevy.”
“I was just fooling around, I meant to do that!” he said with his face flushing red with embarrassment.
I laughed at Chevy as he slid the knife back in the sheath.
I reached for the fridge and got us a couple of sodas. I set them on the table and remembered that my mom’s phone was still in my back pocket. I pulled it out and hit the Home button. I went right to the voice messages and crossed my fingers. I glanced up at Chevy, “Here we go!”
I pressed play.
CHAPTER 28
October 11th 9:00am
Sophie stood at the edge of the building and peeked around the corner. Her lungs burned from running, and although she couldn’t see them, she knew the dead were close. Across the park, she could see her Mini Cooper parked right where she had left it. She reached in her lab coat and pulled out a small chain with two keys on it. One for her house, the other her Cooper. With her lung's cooling and her breathing slowing, Sophie took a final look in both directions. Pushing off the wall, her sprint was on. Even while running she was still looking both ways searching for the dead. Halfway across the park she spotted movement on both sides of her. She tried to increase her speed, but it was a feeble attempt. Her lungs were starting to burn again. She arced her path to avoid the approaching horde to the right. Just a few more feet and she would be at the Cooper. The key was already, in her hand, ready to be thrust into the locked door. Sophie put her hands out and used the car to stop her momentum. Her body thumped against the vehicle rocking it. The key slid right into the door lock. She glanced back and could see the dead were just a few feet away. Sophie opened the door and dropped into the driver’s seat. She slammed it closed and slapped at the lock just as a dead woman smashed her face against the glass. Sophie thrust her key in the ignition. As she looked up, a dead man jumped on the hood of the car, and banged his head against the windshield. With each bang, the man snapped his teeth at Sophie. It amazed her that she could hear the clacking inside of the car. She turned the key, and the engine came to life. She slammed the vehicle into first gear and popped the clutch. The Cooper took off spinning its tires, leaving the dead female in the dust. The male clutched onto the windshield wipers as Sophie made a series of right and left turns trying to shake the man off. The dead man lost his right hand grip, and that’s all it took. Sophie turned to the left, and the man flew off.
Winding through the gears, Sophie crossed St. Catherine Street and a few minutes after she was on the Champlain Bridge leaving the City. She didn’t slow until thirty minutes later when she was well outside the city. She pulled the Mini Cooper over on the side of the highway and opened the door to vomit. Sophie bent out of the car still seat belted in and left her lunch on the black pavement. She sat back up and started the car moving again. She was working her way through the gears when something caught her eye in the rear-view mirror. She looked again and saw Bob sitting in the back seat. Sophie screamed, “You just scared the shit out of me, Bob!” Bob said nothing, he just sat there staring at her. Sophie asked Bob through the mirror, “What’s wrong with you?”
Sophie knew what was wrong with him when she saw the swirling blue irises and the vulture gray pupil. Before she could do anything, Bob jumped forward biting a chunk out of her neck. Blood sprayed across the inside of the windshield, and the Mini Cooper went off the road coming to a thumping stop in the middle of a corn field. Sophie swung her door open and tried to jump out, but her seatbelt kept her firmly planted in the seat. Sophie screamed as Bob took bite after bite. Between each bite, Bob was moaning, “Sophie! Sophie!”
“Sophie, are you okay? Sophie, wake up!” She opened her eyes and saw the fluorescent lights over her head, buzz and come to life. “How do you feel?” Bob asked over the microphone from behind the six inches of glass.
“It’s 9am. You've been asleep for eleven hours.” Sophie kicked her legs over the side of the isolation room bed and rubbed her eyes until Bob came into focus, “Well, I’m not trying to eat you, if that’s what you’re asking.” Sophie got off the bed, taking her own vitals. Bob watched and waited for the results. He couldn’t resist the urge to tease. “I’ve been here watching you sleep for a couple of hours.” Sophie looked up from taking her pulse, “That’s creepy!”
Bob uncomfortably adjusted his sleeve, “Well I didn’t plan on it, but when I came down to check on you, you were talking in your sleep. I am sure I heard you say my name.” The edges of Bob’s lips curled up, “I thought maybe you and I were on a date, and got something to eat.” Sophie lifted a single eyebrow at Bob, “Yeah, it was something like that.” she said. Sophie finished her assessment and went to the cabinet pulling out two blood tubes and a needle. She sat back down on the bed, found a vein, and filled each tube half way. Sophie brought the tubes to a glass drawer that was built into the wall. She placed both tubes in the drawer and hit the decontamination button. A powerful mist of bleached steam hissed over the tubes. When the mist stopped, Bob hit the Collect Sample button on his side of the wall and the tubes moved closer to him in a second sealed chamber. The steam hissed again, and the chamber door slid open allowing Bob to collect the tubes, “I’ll bring these right to Dr. Marcil for testing. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” he said walking away. Sophie yelled out, “Please turn out the lights! I’m going back to sleep.”
Bob teased, “Ah, more dreams of dinner with me, perhaps?”
God I hope not!” Sophie sighed as she turned over and went back to sleep.
CHAPTER 29
October 12th 1:15am
“Why are they going to kill us?” Kate cried. Sage reached over and grabbed onto her hands.
“Don’t worry, we’re going to get out of-” Sage was interrupted by a sound in the next room.
“Bring her over here and chain her to the table,” Kane yelled across the room. Wife Beater dragged an elderly female across the tiled floor to the long metal table. Her small frame and frail bones made it easy to swing her up onto the work area. Kane eyed the old lady from head to toe, “Oh, how nice. You remind me of my grandma!”
Wife Beater fastened leather restraints around the woman’s hands and neck. The old lady began kicking her legs and screaming. Kane grabbed one of her legs and slammed it against the table. He felt the old woman’s ankle shatter in his hand when it struck the table, “Now see what you made me do. I bet that hurts a lot?” Kane reached down and grabbed a handcuff that was fastened to the table leg. He lifted the free cuff and locked it to woman’s swelling ankle, “Oh my goodness! Your ankle is turning purple. I bet that really hurts.”
Kane looked up at Wife beater who was still standing at the head of the table, “Do we have anything for-“ he paused, “How rude of me, I never thought to ask your name.” The old lady was gasping through the pain, “My name is Sarah.” Kane sighed and tilted his head, “Sarah with an H?” he asked looking down at her. “Yes, with an H.” she mustered. “My favorite, Sarah with an H. The true, honest wholesome spelling. Now, I bet you didn’t know the name Sarah means Princess. Sarah shook her head no. Legend says God gave the name Sarah to Abraham’s wife before Isaac was born. So I guess you’re in good company!” Kane chuckled. “Now I’m completely off track, where was I? Oh yes. I was in the middle of asking my assistant if we have anything for the pain.” Wife Beater held up a hacksaw. Both of Kane’s eyebrows went up, “Hmm?”
Sarah’s face was expressing fear and panic. Kane wiped a tear from Sarah’s cheek, “Don’t worry Sarah. He’s just messing with you. I would never cut off your foot with a hacksaw. Do you have any idea how long that would take m
e?” Kane looked up at Wife Beater, “Get me the chainsaw!” Sarah let out a scream, and Kane struck her in the face breaking her jaw! Her vision blurred as she felt warm blood running down her face. She began to fall in and out of consciousness. Kane bent over and rubbed the side of Sarah’s face, “Don’t worry, Grandma. Go to sleep, and when you wake up this will all be over.”
Sage was up on her feet, stretching her head trying to look out the office door’s window. “Sage, what do you see out there?”
“There’s a lady with white hair tied to a table. I think she’s dead!” Sage watched as Wife Beater handed Kane an orange and white chainsaw. Sage closed her eyes as he started it on the first pull. The sound was deafening in the metal walled building. He revved the chainsaw and swung it around in circles above his head. His tongue was hanging out of his open mouth, and he was shaking it, acting crazy. Wife Beater was laughing at him when he brought the chainsaw down slicing off the white-haired woman’s foot. “Oh my god!” Sage screamed as she fought the chain to the floor. “What is it? What’s that noise?” Kate gasped. “It’s nothing! We need to get the fuck out of here now!” Sage yanked on the chain trying to break free. She was shocked when the lights in the room flipped on, “What’s all the racket in here?” Kane yelled. Sage dropped back to the floor and huddled with Kate.
Kane stood there. His shirt and face were covered with blood spatter. He walked behind the desk and pulled a towel from the top drawer. He used the corner of the towel to wipe the blood off his lips, when he pulled the towel away it was covered with blood, “You must excuse me. I look a mess.” He said pulling a T-shirt from another drawer. Kane unbuttoned his bloody shirt exposing long jagged scars and small round healed cuts. Sage watched as Kane ran his finger along one of the jagged scars, “I got this one on my fifteenth birthday because I spilled my milk on the table.” Kane’s finger traveled over to a round scar by his nipple, “This one was a present from my dad when I was eight. He gave it to me because he saw a bully throwing rocks at me after school. He must have thought putting his cigar out of my chest would make me tougher.” Kane turned his back to the girls and wiped away the rest of Sarah’s blood. He threw on the T-shirt and took a seat at his desk, “Let me start by apologizing. I like to meet with all the girls before I put them away. Unfortunately, I had to take care of urgent business with Sarah, and our meeting ran a little long. I appreciate you both waiting for me here in my office.” “Meeting!” Sage shouted, “You cut that woman’s foot off with a chainsaw, you sick fuck! And how do you expect us to go anywhere! You have us chained to the ceiling?”
Kane followed the chain links up to the rafters and back down to the girls, “Well, I guess I do. All the same. Thanks for waiting.”
Kane leaned back in the chair, interlocking his fingers and resting his hands on his chest, “I’m sure by now you’re both wondering why you’re here.” Kate perked up, “To get your jollies?” “Hmm. You’re not entirely far off. You see, I like things. Especially pretty things. I send my boys out every night, and they try to find me pretty things, like the two of you. In return, I lead them. I teach them how to hunt, gather food, and keep order. They follow my rules. If they decide they don’t like my leadership, they can challenge me. Whoever is still alive at the end of the challenge is the new leader.” Kane pulled the cane knife out from his belt and dragged his thumb across the blade, “And I’m always up for a good challenge! Do either of you have any questions?”
“Yeah, what are you going to do with us?” Kate asked. Kane smiled at her, “You haven’t guessed yet. You two aren’t very good at this game. Why, I’m going to cut you up into little pieces and play with you!”
CHAPTER 30
October 12th 1:20am
I pushed play on the first voice message. Chevy and I couldn’t take our eyes off from the scrolling bar that ran along the bottom of the screen.
Nothing but silence, followed by a click. I thumbed down to the next message and hit play. It was more silence. “Come on!” I growled, feeling the frustration building inside of me. I recognized the next number. It was my Dad's. “Hi honey, the Lieutenant was looking for a couple of guys to do a prisoner relay to New York City and back. It’s twelve hours of double time. I told him I’d do it. I’m going to take one of the new rookies with me and let him drive while I sleep. If you need me, I’ve got me cell. Love you, bye.”
The message ended, “Well that explains where Dad is.”
I couldn’t help but think of what kind of danger he was in, with all those people in New York City. The same thing had to be going on there. I couldn’t worry about that now. I had to find my mom. She’s been here alone and with Dad gone, I had to take care of her. I moved down to the next message. It didn’t display a number, it said no caller ID. I hit play and a female computer voice came on, “Do you feel like you’re paying your cable provider too much?” I hit delete and moved on.
The next number was Dad’s again. I pressed play and listened. “Jen! Something’s happened. Everyone is sick down here, and they’re coming back attacking people. Get ahold of Ty and Chevy, lock the doors! Tell Ty to bring up some weapons. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s bad. I am trying to get back home. I love-“ The call went dead! Fear took control of my body. I couldn’t move. Chevy was still staring at the phone. “Chevy, Dad was scared! Nothing scares him!” Chevy pointed to the phone, “Play the next message! Maybe he called back!” I scrolled down looking at the next number. I didn’t recognize it, but it looked like a local number. “Hello Jennifer, its Mrs. Harper across the street. Could I trouble you to come over for a while?” There was a pause on the other end. “To be honest. I’m a bit afraid. There was just a young man trying to get into my front door. He was covered in blood. He’s gone now, but I’m still scared. I can see your lights on from over here. I’ll try calling you on your house phone.” The call ended. I jumped out of my seat and looked out the window across the street. I had known Mrs. Harper my whole life. Her husband passed away before I was born, so I spent most of my childhood mowing her lawn and shoveling snow out of her driveway in the winter. Unlike most of the elderly people in the neighborhood, she paid well. I usually got twenty for mowing her lawn and thirty for shoveling. It was a long driveway, so she felt the need to give me the extra ten bucks. One time, I told my mother how much she paid me, she said that it was too much because she had little to spare. My mom sent me over to return some of the money, but Mrs. Harper wouldn’t take it. She said, “A fair day’s wage, for a fair days work!” and closed the door. At the time, I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I got to keep all the money. So it worked out well for me.
Mrs. Harper’s house was dark now, and the front door was wide open. I called back to Chevy who was replaying the messages in the kitchen, “We need to go over there, Chev!”
Chevy joined me at the window and asked which one. I pointed across the street, “The white house across the street with the red door.” Without looking away from the house he asked, “The one with the open red door?” I nodded, “We need to go over there right now!” Chevy slid his hand down and gripped the MP-9, “Yes we do.”
I stepped out the front door, and chambered a round in my AR-15. Chevy pulled the MP-9 from his holster and did the same. I moved onto the porch and looked around, “It looks clear, but keep your eyes open.” I whispered.
Chevy followed, as I crept down the front steps. We got to the edge of sidewalk, and I dropped to a knee. I closed my eyes for a second and listened. Silence, came from every direction. I rose to my feet with my rifle at ready, leading the way. We broke into a slow trot as we crossed the street, stopping at a set of bushes leading up to Mrs. Harper’s house. I flipped on the combat light that was affixed to the rifle’s barrel. We cautiously entered the house. It was instantly reminded me of Mrs. Harper when I took my first breath. Since I was a boy, I thought that her house had a strange old smell to it. Even now, I was overpowered by that strange ancient aroma. I tracked my rifle across the living room
giving light to antique objects in the room. The age of her life collections gave me an eerie feeling. Why did old sometimes feel so scary?
We cleared the living room and made our way through the rest of the house. It was empty. Everything seemed in place except an old wooden coat rack that had been tipped over, and was now laying across the stairwell.
“What do you think, Chevy?” He gave the coat rack a tap with his foot, “I don’t know. Maybe she was in a hurry when she left and didn’t realize she knocked it over.”
“And forgot to lock her front door? I don’t think so, let’s get out of here and head back across the street.”
I stepped out of the front door first and found myself looking down the business end of a double barrel shotgun. “What are you doing in there?” screamed an old man. He was wearing a leather fedora that made him look a little like Indiana Jones. My rifle was hanging from the sling, so I instinctively threw my hands above my head, “I was just looking for my mom!” I stuttered.
The old man took a step back lowering his shotgun, “And just who would your mom be?” “Jennifer! She lives right there with my dad, Sean!” I lowered a finger, pointing to my parent’s house. The old man pushed the brim of his hat back, “Son they’re not here.” With his hat back, I could see his face, “Mr. Smith!” I suddenly felt a sense of relief. Mr. Smith had lived on the street my entire life, and he used to own the store down on the corner. Once I was old enough, it seemed like my mom sent me there daily for something whenever she cooked. Milk, eggs, sugar. As I think back, I have to wonder if she ever shopped. “We need to go somewhere safe and talk, why don’t you tell your friend, he can stop pointing his gun at me,” Mr. Smith said. Chevy never stepped out of the house, he was still inside and only his gun barrel was visible, which was still pointed at Mr. Smith. “It’s okay, Chevy! Let’s go back to my parent’s house where it’s safe!”
