by Russ Melrose
Before I could answer him, Becky chimed in, pleading with her mother, "I want to go home, mom. Can't we go home? I don't like it here."
I couldn't blame them. But going back wasn't an option. "It's not a good idea, Raj," I told him. But I didn't explain to him why it wasn't. Raj had been so focused on the group at the mall, he still hadn't noticed the group of infected on Upland, and I had no intention of telling him or Becky about them.
"If we can just get up to that area up there …" and I pointed to Parkview, "… we'll be perfectly safe."
"We need to keep going, sweetie," Sarah told Becky. "It's going to be all right. I promise."
Raj relented—I suspect out of deference to Sarah—but he was less than thrilled. Becky followed her mother's lead. We kept low out of sight and began to move up the hill, and we made sure to keep our distance from the cars. I thought it would take the infected from the mall area at least fifteen minutes to reach the intersection, same for the Upland group who would have to climb over all the cars at the intersection.
Once I was sure we were out of sight, I straightened up and began to jog, and I signaled them to follow me. We ran up the road's gentle slope, keeping our distance from the cars. Once we'd passed the end of the cars, we moved to the right side of the road. I noticed the homes on the right side of the road were built up on a terrace, a good forty feet above the surface of the road. There were no streets or outlets that led to those homes.
Parkview was less than a block away. It offered the most direct route. There were no through streets in the East Bench area. But Parkview would lead to South Hale Drive, and from there we could dip down to Jupiter Drive which would lead directly into Brockbank and then to 45th and Wasatch. A few twists and turns but the most direct route by far. The East Bench was a crazy maze of winding streets that often led nowhere.
I had a sinking feeling as we approached the stop sign at Parkview Drive. The corner house was up on the same terrace, and it occurred to me that all the homes on Parkview would be located on the same terrace. If true, there wouldn't be any easily accessible backyards. Raj and Sarah stared up at the houses, their faces a blend of bewilderment and dismay. We would have to climb a steep forty-foot slope to get into one of the backyards.
And then I had an idea. I knew they were already tired from our run and likely wouldn't last long going over fences. I motioned for them to stay put, and I headed to the corner to get a look down Parkview.
The street was clear for a block and a half before it forked left and right. I used my binoculars to get as detailed a look as possible. Parkview looked like a country lane, a narrow street bordered by steep banks on either side, and all the homes on both sides of the street were up on terraces. The street had been cut into the foothills the same way the canyon road had been. There would be no infected here.
Also, I realized the East Bench might be clear of the infected because of the gunshots and the crash from the other night. The loud noises would have drawn the infected to the shopping center like moths to a flame. I was confident we could walk down Parkview without running into any infected.
I gathered them close when I got back and broke the no talking rule again. The sooner we got moving, the better. "The street is clear for as far as I can see," I whispered. "It might be a lot easier to walk straight down Parkview Drive. There aren't any homes on the street and I couldn't see any infected." I paused to gauge their reaction. Mostly, they looked puzzled. I'd spent the previous evening going on ad nauseam to them about traveling through backyards because it was safer. "Look, we can make better time if we walk down the street. If we hear or see any infected, we can climb up the bank and get into the nearest backyard where they can't get to us."
Raj looked anxious but didn't say anything. He kept looking up the steep bank of the terrace. I doubted either option appealed to him.
Sarah nodded. "Let's go," she said.
I looked back at the intersection and the infected from Upland were clambering slowly over the cars like a colony of crabs. They'd made better time than I thought. But I wasn't worried. We would be out of sight soon enough. Raj noticed me looking and he looked back too.
"They are coming," he said, pointing back at the intersection. But it was more of a statement that anything. Raj wasn't as frightened as he had been.
We walked quickly. Parkview sloped upwards, but it wasn't steep at all. Though it wasn't noon yet, the sun had moved far enough west to offer shade from the steep bank on the right side of the road. We took advantage and walked in the shade. With the high banks flanking Parkview, it was as if we were walking through a canyon. The canyon-like street had a strange feel to it. Muted sounds from air conditioners and the infected floated somewhere above us. High up on the banks, dusty, twisting roots from large trees leaked through the ground here and there.
We were in a confined space that left us vulnerable, but I knew we could climb up the bank if the need arose. Still, it felt odd to be walking out in the open. We walked twenty minutes before we came to the fork in the road.
I ran ahead to take a look. Parkview Drive hooked left and headed to the top of the East Bench area. South Hale Drive forked right. We would be going right. I grabbed my binoculars to get a better look.
The terraces had disappeared. As Parkview had sloped upwards, the terraces on both sides of the street gradually diminished till they were gone.
I could only see about a block before Hale swung out of sight to its left, but the street was clear. We'd made such good time on Parkview, I didn't see any reason not to walk down Hale. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. Walking down Hale would put more distance between us and the infected. It would also take us closer to our destination. We'd just have to be careful.
When I suggested we walk on South Hale Drive, I didn't get any resistance. Even Raj seemed okay with it. The wild look was gone from his eyes. I looked back down Parkview—no sign of the infected. Once we got into the neighborhoods, they wouldn't be able to track us.
We walked close to the houses on the west side of the street so we could walk in the shade. We moved cautiously as if we were treading on eggshells. When we approached the bend on Hale, I had them wait while I checked out the street beyond the bend. Again, there were no infected in sight.
It might have been a typical summer day had it not been for the absence of people out tending their lawns. A month ago, they would have been out mowing the grass and weeding their gardens. Before the virus hit, the East Bench was renowned for its beautifully landscaped lawns. Now the East Bench neighborhoods had a shabby feel to them. The grass and weeds grew unfettered and it would only get worse with time.
As we approached Lois Lane Drive, the street that dipped down to Jupiter Drive, I thought I heard faint, drifting moans nearby. I couldn't be sure. No one else seemed to have heard anything, but I didn't want to take any chances.
I pointed at a vinyl side fence two houses from the corner. It belonged to a large red-brick rambler. Both Raj and Sarah looked at me as if I were daft. They'd gotten used to strolling through the neighborhoods and didn't see any reason not to continue to do so. Despite the frosty looks they gave me, I insisted.
At the fence, Raj hoisted his lead leg up to the top of the fence and pulled himself up easily in a single motion. As soon as he found his balance, he jumped down on the other side. Raj was agile and stronger than he looked. Sarah stepped into my cupped hands and I lifted her up. She had no problem either. I grabbed Becky under the arms and lifted her in a single motion up to the top of the fence in a sitting position and kept hold of her till Raj grabbed her. Becky never looked at me. She hadn't made eye contact with me since I'd killed the infected man on Wasatch Boulevard. Once Becky was on the other side, I climbed up and over.
It was a big backyard with a walkout basement. A cement patio hosted a hot tub along with a patio table and chairs. The backyard itself was all but bare—a couple apple trees in the back left corner of the yard and a garden shed in the back right
corner. I guided them to the shade of the apple trees. The sun had become uncomfortably hot. I took a small notepad and a pen from my pocket and wrote a simple note. "Need to check out Jupiter Drive. Back in five minutes." I showed it to Sarah first and then Raj. They nodded and sat down to rest.
I made my way over the fence and crossed the yard quickly. When I got to the fence bordering Lois Lane, I stopped and listened. I could hear the moans. I lifted myself high enough to get a glimpse of Lois Lane. It was clear. I lifted myself over and walked across the street and down to the corner house on Jupiter. I found a position next to some bushes by the front of the house. They were a block and a half down the street heading away from us. I assumed they were the infected that had followed the Swimmer, about twenty-five of them. I didn't see the Swimmer anywhere. I thought maybe he'd gone back down to Wasatch when he'd heard Becky scream.
I grabbed my binoculars to see if I could find him. He moved a lot faster than they did, so he could have been further down the street, but I couldn't spot him.
Then I heard the creak of a gate being opened. It came from the general direction of where I'd left them. The infected had heard it too. Two of them came to a stop and slowly swung their heads around. They hesitated before beginning to shuffle toward the sound, toward us. The rest followed. I backed away from my perch behind the bushes and ran hurriedly across the street.
I heard Becky scream. It was the same scream she'd made back on Wasatch—a terrified, high-pitched wail. When I reached the fence, I heard Raj's frightened voice stutter, "What … what are you doing?"
Then I heard a fierce "No!" from Sarah, followed by a sharp smacking sound—a fist striking flesh and bone. I heard Becky whimpering and crying. "Mom!" she wailed. "Mom!"
I climbed the fence quickly, landing softly on the other side. I drew my bat from the backpack. I was frightened and resolute at the same time. I unbuckled my backpack and shrugged it off as I ran across the backyard. I could hear Raj groaning in fear. I jumped and lifted myself to the top of the fence with the bat in my hand. I had to fight to keep my balance. He was only a few feet from the fence. He held Becky up in the air and was sniffing her as if he were an animal. He had a bewildered look on his face. A look of wonderment. Becky shivered with fear. The bruise on the Swimmer's chest where I'd hit him had turned a brutal bluish-black.
Sarah lay on her back on the ground and tried to lift her head up but lacked the strength. Raj sat with his back against the trunk of one of the apple trees, knees up against his chest, his head shying away from them, but he seemed mesmerized at the same time and couldn't take his eyes off the Swimmer and Becky.
I needed to do something, but I couldn't seem to get myself to move. I was frozen in no-man's land atop the fence using my free hand to keep myself balanced.
The Swimmer turned his head in my direction. He stepped quickly toward the fence and let out a fierce trilling howl that had me shrinking back. I toppled backwards off the fence and landed with a thud on my hip and side. I'd dropped the bat as I fell and it lay next to me in the grass. I was stunned and panicky and unsure what to do. Several thoughts raced through my mind. I couldn't attack him with the bat because he had Becky and could use her as a shield. And even if he didn't have Becky, I doubted I could overpower him with the bat. He was too big and strong and I didn't have the element of surprise this time. I could use the gun but it would attract every infected anywhere near the East Bench area. All I could come up with were excuses. I was stalling. I was scared out of my wits and didn't want to face him again. A second or two had already passed and I heard the Swimmer moving toward the gate. I got up and ran to my backpack.
My hands trembled as I unzipped the pouch that held the Glock. I grabbed the gun by the barrel and raced back to the fence. I threw the Glock over the fence and climbed over. The Swimmer was gone and so was Becky. He'd left the gate open. Sarah was struggling to sit up. Her left cheek was rosy red and puffy and a trickle of blood ran from her nose down to her upper lip. Her left eye was pink and had a watery sheen to it. She was barely conscious. Raj was huddled in a fetal position with his back against the tree trunk.
I helped Sarah sit up. "I'm going to get Becky," I told her. "I'm going to bring her back. I promise." There was a glint of awareness in her eyes but not much more. Then she looked up at me and I knew I had her attention. "You have to stay here. I'll bring Becky back here. Understand?"
Sarah nodded weakly and her chin began to quiver. She was going to cry. I stepped over and grabbed Raj by the shoulder. "You have to stay here, and you have to be quiet. You understand?"
Raj looked absolutely miserable. "Yes, Jake," was all he said.
I grabbed the gun off the ground and ran to the gate, closed it quietly, and took off. The Swimmer was running south on Hale which curved left up ahead. He was jogging easily. He had Becky slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Her head and arms flopped up and down as he ran. He was forty yards ahead of me. He didn't know I was coming, but he would in a few seconds. When I got to the intersection, I stopped and let out a scream of my own. It was meant for the infected down on Jupiter. The last thing the infected had likely heard was the Swimmer's howl, and I was hoping my scream would redirect them to the intersection and then to me.
The Swimmer slowed to a stop. He pivoted around and stared. He angled his head curiously. Then he turned and ran and picked up his pace. I was surprised how fast he could run carrying Becky. She had to weigh at least sixty pounds.
It felt strange running after the Swimmer instead of the other way around. I pushed myself to pick up the pace. I didn't know what I'd do when I caught up to them. All I knew was that I had to catch them.
I carried the gun by the barrel which made it easier to run, and I began to formulate a plan in my mind. I was already following the first part of it. I was running at a strong, measured pace, faster than the Swimmer, though not too fast. I didn't want to burn myself out. I'd need to get close enough to get off an accurate shot. Thirty yards would be about right. When I got close enough, I'd stop, set myself, get properly sighted, and fire. I'd aim for his left buttock since Becky was draped over his right shoulder.
The street began its gentle swing to the left. I kept my head still and ran with a short quick stride the way I'd been taught by my track coach in high school. I kept my arms tight to my body and pumped them in a compact motion. I was closing on them. Driblets of sweat had formed under the brim of my cap and I could feel them edging their way down my forehead and temple as I ran. I fought the impulse to wipe the sweat away.
I focused on breathing and running. Nothing else. I'd cut the distance between us and it appeared as if the Swimmer's stride was beginning to break down. He had to be getting fatigued. We'd run about a block and I still felt relatively strong, though I could feel the concussion of my feet striking the asphalt riding up into my shins.
I went around the curve in the road and it straightened out in front of me. I saw movement up ahead. There were infected less than a block ahead, ransacking a house on the east side of the street. Several of them were out in the front yard and it looked as if they were feeding. They looked up in unison when they heard us.
I needed to speed up. If the Swimmer reached them, I'd never get Becky back. I ran as fast as I could. I had to get to her before the Swimmer reached them. I knew what they'd do to her, and I knew I'd never go back to Sarah and Raj without her. I had less than half a block to cut the distance between us. The muscles in my thighs burned as I pushed the pace. I ran as hard and as fast as I could.
Three of the infected stumbled to their feet and staggered toward us. Two males and a female. The other infected in the yard continued to feed while keeping an eye on us. More infected exited out the front door.
I was thirty yards behind them. It had to be now. It took me several steps to come to a stop. I knelt down, knee on the asphalt, body erect. I steadied myself, extended my arm and pointed the gun at the Swimmer, aligning the rear aperture with the front white dot
sight and the Swimmer's left buttock. He was running in a straight line, steadily pulling away from me. A drop of sweat slid past the corner of my right eye. I took in a whiff of air and exhaled, and as the last whisper of breath escaped through my lips, I squeezed the trigger. The Glock jumped slightly in my hand.
I waited for him to fall, but the Swimmer kept running. I was starting to panic when he broke left toward the gutter. He faltered badly and was about to fall when he grabbed Becky off his shoulder and threw her into the yard as if he were trying to protect her. She landed hard on the grass and bounced and rolled. The Swimmer threw his arms out to break his fall and he turned his head sideways, but I could see his head bounce when he slammed into the gutter pavement. He made an attempt to get up but collapsed.
I was already up and running. The three infected were a house away and closing. Behind them, a half-dozen more were headed in our direction. Becky was on her hands and knees now, her face immobile, staring at the ground. She moved slowly and appeared to be trying to gather herself. She looked stunned and disoriented.
"Becky!" I yelled.
She turned and looked at me with a pained expression on her face. She had no idea the infected were coming. Then she must have heard them because she turned her head in their direction and screamed. They were ten yards away. I didn't have time to kneel, but I was only a few yards from Becky.
The female was out front and moved with frenetic desperation, arms outstretched. Her face was smoky gray and mapped with veins and arteries that stretched up into her face like tributaries. Her clothes were filthy and ragged. She was swimming in what had once likely been a pair of tight-fitting jeans. She wore a halter top smeared with dried blood, and there was fresh blood too. She wore an unbuttoned blouse over the halter top, peeled back over both shoulders and upper arms. I shot her in the face just below her right eye and she collapsed to the ground. The two infected males trailed several feet behind her and I shot them too.
