Downfall

by Michael S. Gardner

  “I don’t have anything here for me except my Jennifer,” Adam said. “Lost it all the day this shit reached our city.”

  “I never had much as it is. Life’s never really been that good to me.” Jay glanced down at the pipe bombs, a look of contentment forming on his face.

  Matt sighed again. “So we did all this for nothing. We fortified our house. We scavenged the lands for what we needed, and for what? Just to end up running away from it all? We don’t even know if this facility exists. Tim could have been lying to us the entire time.”

  “What facility?” Adam asked.

  “Matt,” Cole said, completely ignoring Adam’s inquiry, “I don’t know what else to tell you other than I do find hope in knowing that something like Facility Six is out there. I know that we will eventually die out here; there’s no denying it. I mean, look around. We’ve been lucky so far, and I don’t want to bet on how long that will last. No walls will deter death, especially when it roams the world searching for us.”

  “I think he’s right, Matt,” Angela said, looking up. “We’ve lost so many people already, and now we have more with us.” She glanced briefly to Adam and Jay. “I don’t want to lose any more. That house will only last us but so long. This battle proved that, unfortunately. If we were ever unlucky enough to come across something like this out there, we’d be fucked.”

  Matt mulled over the thought, glancing at a confused Adam who was still wondering about Facility Six.

  Were they really living a pipe dream, shooting for a star that didn’t exist? He didn’t know. But he did know that death loomed around every corner of this damned world, and maybe, if there actually was a Facility Six, they could survive in better conditions, maybe even longer. The house, while being a beacon of safety for some time, wouldn’t hold the dead back forever. Their ranks had found them several times out in the middle of nowhere and had claimed the lives of people—whether directly or indirectly—who didn’t deserve to die. Maybe it was time to move on, seek shelter elsewhere. Put hope in the equation, for once.

  “All right,” Matt finally said. “You win. Let’s get our shit and get the fuck out of here. If Fac-Six ain’t there, we can always find somewhere else and settle down.”

  “Amen to that,” Angela replied, kissing Matt on lips.

  CHAPTER 35

  Hope had gotten millions, if not billions, slaughtered by the hands of loved ones and complete strangers. It had taken much more than it had given; creating a whirlwind of chaos that enveloped the entire world. Hope, it seemed, was more an enemy than something on which to rely...

  Still, hope was a word that both Matt and Cole found themselves using as the caravan approached the house. Jay had acquired another SUV—a Mercury Mountaineer—at the dealership and drove Adam, Dennis, and Jennifer toward Gloucester. He had also taken thirteen full gas cans.

  None of that mattered, Matt realized, when the tires of the van hit the driveway.

  “Holy shit,” he said, slack-jawed.

  The entire house was surrounded by creepers. Some had even made it through various windows, the horde’s sheer mass causing the barricading to collapse. The Escalade was gone; only the Ford remained.

  They hoped that the survivors had gotten out.

  They hoped that no one had perished.

  They hoped that when the others left, they were headed to Mount Airy.

  They hoped…

  “I hope this isn’t the house you guys have been staying in,” Jay chimed in over the radio.

  Cole picked his up and answered. “It is.”

  “I-I’m sorry, man.”

  Matt looked to Cole. “I didn’t see the Escalade when we passed.”

  “I’m sure they got out, Cole.” Angela placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

  “Yeah.” Cole let the word linger. “Yeah, I’m sure that they got out too.” He keyed the radio: “The rest of our group got out, we think. They’re probably already on their way to Facility Six now.”

  “You sure?” Jay said. “Nowhere else you wanna check around here?”

  “There’s nowhere else for them to go. They wouldn’t have tried to find us. Our scientist friend is very persistent, and after we didn’t return, I’m sure they thought we died out there.”

  Angela squeezed Cole’s shoulder a bit. “Don’t worry, honey. Mary knows you’re still alive. She has to.”

  To this, Cole replied as Matt followed Jay out of the driveway, “I know. I’m just worried about her.”

  “We all are, Cole,” Matt said, glancing over. “But we’ll catch up with them in Mount Airy. We’ve got it queued in on the GPS. We should be there in no time.”

  The three fell silent as the tires met the road, the journey beginning. Matt hoped that this wasn’t another pipe dream and led the caravan back out of Gloucester, taking the same path the other survivors had.

  Hope.

  A powerful emotion indeed.

  ***

  “Wait,” Angela shouted.

  Matt applied the brakes. “What?” He looked to see her pointing out the side window.

  Cole was still in the back, in his own world. It was a lonely feeling, Matt knew, and wished there was something he could do about it. He looked in the side view mirror and saw the Mountaineer had come to a halt as well.

  “There’s someone running from a pack of those things,” Angela said. She turned to Matt. “He’s headed this way.”

  “Cole?” Matt looked back, but his friend was out of it. He glanced out Angela’s window and could see the outline of the fleeing survivor. “Think we should we help?”

  Nodding, Angela said, “Wouldn’t be right to just up and leave someone like that.”

  “You’re right.” Matt put the transmission in park, reached back and grabbed two assault rifles. He handed her one. “Watch the perimeter.” With that, Matt was out of the vehicle and moving around to the other side.

  Dennis and Adam exited the Mountaineer, each armed.

  “Over here,” Dennis yelled to the person, waiving a hand.

  The survivor was clearly out of breath and near giving up, running down the windy side street. His arms flailed and his legs appeared to have difficulty supporting his weight. And then, when he saw the caravan, the man collapsed in the middle of the street. Four runners were right on his ass, slavering toward a fresh meal.

  Adam and Dennis fired, most of their shots missing their mark, but they did at least incapacitate the runners, if only temporarily. Matt followed behind them, turning back once to see Angela surveying the area. When they reached the man, he was wheezing and coughing.

  “Hey, man,” Dennis said, “you all right?”

  He was answered by the roar of a screamer.

  “Shit,” Matt scowled, putting a bullet in the head of the lead runner, “grab him and take him to the van. Now!”

  Matt made sure to keep as much of an eye on the new survivor as he did his surroundings, and soon enough the undead revealed themselves. First it was the runners, then the creepers. The man was dressed decent and didn’t appear to be wounded in any way other than being out of breath and exhausted.

  When they reached the van, Angela opened the side door and nodded to Matt. “Get him in, and let’s get the hell out of this place.”

  “I’m with her,” Adam said as he helped the man into the van.

  “You think he’ll be all right?” Dennis asked before he fired three shots.

  “We’ll take care of him,” Matt answered. “One way or the other.”

  The out of breath survivor mumbled a stressed “thank you” and clambered in beside Cole.

  Angela slid the door shut, hopped in the passenger side, and said, “See you boys at Facility Six.”

  “Drive safe,” Adam said.

  He and Dennis returned to their vehicle.

  Matt hopped in, shut his door, and looked back at the wheezing man. He was balding from the forehead, had a medium build, and appeared grateful to have been saved. There was something o
ff-putting with his eyes, though. Maybe the result of being chased, Matt guessed. He put the van in gear and focused on the road.

  Matt eyed him from the rearview and introduced himself. “This is Angela,” he continued. “And that’s my best friend Cole. Sorry if we’re not that talkative—we just lost touch with some friends. We’re headed to a safe place, though. You’re lucky we found you.”

  “Thanks,” the man said between deep breaths. “I… I can relate about… lo-losing people.” He looked to all the survivors, tried to smile. “I think we all can.”

  “So what’s your name, stranger?” Angela said, turning around and extending her hand.

  “Randy,” he answered, taking her hand. “Randy Clyde.”

  CHAPTER 36

  Passing a sign announcing that they were still traveling down U.S. Route 52, Jeff caught sight of something on the side of the road. A creeper stood staring at the sky on the edge of the grass line, but he was more focused the billboard behind it.

  “More alive at Mount Airy Surry County Airport,” Mary said as Jeff read it.

  “Well I’ll be damned.” He looked over to see Tim smiling.

  “I told you,” the good doctor said.

  A wave of relief washed over Jeff, and he let out a deep breath. Glancing back to Mary, he saw her longing expression. Frank, who was lying on a sleeping Jeremy’s lap, rested his chin on her right leg. With a smile, she let the canine distract her.

  Another billboard read: “General Atkins Wants You!” A dead man hung from the bottom of the sign.

  “General Atkins is here?” Jeff asked Dr. Grant.

  Tim chuckled. “I imagine he’s highest priority, Mr. Sullivan. I wouldn’t doubt he’s in control of most, if not all, of America now.”

  Jeff recalled the reports of the president and most top-ranking government officials dying in the midst of the chaos a few weeks ago. A chill ran down his spine as a thought hit him, one that made his heart sink. What’s going to happen to America? To the world? For the first time since the outbreak in New Mexico, Jeff looked at the big picture. Maybe there was no coming back from this. And if there was, he doubted things would ever be like they were.

  “Something wrong?” Tim inquired.

  Jeff shook his head.

  He followed the signs until finally reaching the airport, which was completely gated. Unmoving corpses littered the chain-link-and-concrete barrier. Every visible part was blocked off, and it was likely that not a single zombie could breach such a place.

  “That’s our way in,” Tim said as Jeremy’s eyes fluttered open.

  “Did I miss something?” the newcomer asked, wiping his eyes.

  Mary put a hand on her window and read the sign up ahead. Turn right, unload weapons, and prepare for vital scan. She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, and her arms and legs seemed weightless. “We’ve made it.” She lowered her head and thought of Cole and Matt.

  “How ‘bout that?” Jeremy rubbed Frank’s back. “You hear that, bud? We’re found us a new home.” The dog lifted its head, and Jeremy scratched its ears. “Good boy.”

  Jeff turned right on a dirt and gravel road and followed it. A gate came into sight, with three armed guards standing in front of it. Looking to his left, he saw the terminal and realized that they were headed for the runway. Probably barricaded the front, he thought.

  “There it is,” Tim said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

  Jeff took his foot off the gas and turned back to Mary. With a sigh, he said, “I don’t like it, but clear and unload your weapon.” Looking back to the road, he reached for his Beretta and passed it back.

  Mary took the pistol, dropped the magazine, and cleared the chamber. She repeated the process with her gun and set it on her lap. She met eyes with Jeremy. “I don’t like this.”

  “There is nothing to worry about, Mary,” Tim insisted. “We’ll be fine. We’ve reached safety, real safety.” He rolled down his window, stuck his head out, and inhaled deeply.

  “Yeah,” Jeff looked over, “I’ll believe it when I see it, Doc.”

  Mary sat back and crossed her arms. She couldn’t tell if it was anxiety or paranoia, or even a mixture of both, but she knew she didn’t like being unarmed. Especially when we don’t even know what we’re getting into…

  Jeff exhaled and cracked his thumbs as they pulled up to the gate. The guards signaled for him to stop and hold. One of them spoke into a radio attached to his uniform and waited for a response. When he got one, he ordered the other two to open the gate.

  As they opened the gate, the one receiving the orders approached with his assault rifle at the ready. He quickly motioned for Jeff to roll down his window. The one to the left tossed a cigarette and nodded to him. As the soldier approached, Jeff saw the embroidered patch on his chest. It read: JENKINS.

  “Well how do you do on this fine day?” Jenkins spoke with a slight Southern accent, and the barrel of his AR poised to give Jeff a third eye in the center of his forehead.

  Mary thought of the weapons stowed away in the back and balled her fists. Jeremy placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

  Jenkins looked in. “I’m gonna kindly need the four of you to step out slowly, and make sure to leave the dog in the back.” He smiled and nodded to the rear of the vehicle, looking Jeff right in the eye. “Me and the guys would hate to have to kill ya if ya try somethin’ funny. So let’s just make this easy for all of us, okay?”

  “No problem,” Jeff said and stepped out slowly, hands raised.

  With a sigh, Mary opened her door as Tim shut his.

  Frank growled when Jeremy opened his door. “It’s okay, Frankenstein. Daddy’ll be right back.” The dog huffed and stood at attention, watching its master walk over with the other survivors.

  The soldiers proceeded to pat each person down. And when it came time for Mary’s pat-down, she found the soldier—whose tag read: LONG—was very gentle, not in any way inappropriate.

  Jenkins peered through the windows as he walked around the vehicle. “You four got any other weapons than them two Berettas and the canine?”

  There was nothing save silence and staring among the survivors. Jeremy didn’t know. Tim didn’t want to know. Jeff and Mary didn’t want to tell.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Jenkins lowered his weapon and walked up in front of Jeff, stopping only inches from the man’s face. Jeff stood as if being approached by his CO. “Whatcha got back there, soldier?”

  Jeff shrugged. “A couple of assault rifles, some pistols. The basics.”

  Jenkins nodded his head, but still kept that serious look on his face. “You or any of your friends been bitten or contaminate yourselves with infected blood in some other way, did ya?”

  Shaking his head, Jeff said, “Would have killed them myself much like they would me if I were, sir.”

  “And where is it that you people are comin’ from?” He glanced over at Mary.

  “Virginia,” she answered.

  Jenkins walked up to her, revealing a clean-shaven chin and an upper face shadowed by his hat. He leaned forward and craned his head. “Whereabouts in Virginia?”

  “The shitty parts still teeming with the living dead.”

  Jenkins grinned. “That seems to be everywhere these days, doll.”

  “Hopefully not here,” Mary said, looking around.

  “Hopefully not here,” Jenkins repeated, glancing back with a laugh at his men, who had their ARs trained on the survivors. They laughed back. “Lady, haven’t ya taken a look around? We don’t go more than a few days without seein’ at least a few of those.”

  “Sounds like we lead the same lives… Mr. Jenkins.”

  “Lance Corporal Jenkins. That’ll do just fine.” He turned back to his men. “Go and alert DeCon that they got work ta do.” Jenkins backed away from the group. “Welcome to Facility Six. I think you’ll find that we do indeed live different lives. I’m gonna ask that you walk inside this gate and wait fo
r transport. We’ll be commandeering your weapons and supplies to add to the surplus.”

  Mary furrowed her brow. “Where are we going?”

  “To Decontamination. There you will be given a thorough examination to ensure none of you is infected.”

  “What then?”

  “Lady, we’re just the welcoming party. What lies in store for you is up to the good man above. Now if you don’t mind…” Jenkins strode over to the Escalade, opened a door, and whistled.

  Frank hopped out with a bark.

  “Frank.” Jeremy snapped his fingers and waited for the dog to lick his open palm.

  “Quite the friend you got there,” Jenkins said, motioning for the new arrivals to get on their way.

  Jeremy nodded.

  The survivors walked through the gate and headed for the terminal. To the right countless vehicles, ranging from military to civilian, sat parked and ready. From the looks of it, this place would be full of the living.

  No one was sure of what would happen next. They each, however, had hopes that what was in store would be for the better. They had all lost so much: Tim his family, Jeff his old life, Jeremy everything, and Mary her boyfriend and friend.

  A military Hummer soon rode into sight. Mary looked back at Corporal Jenkins. The man nodded. His two cohorts spoke closely to one another, eyeing the entire group with a look of uncertainty.

  Frank growled, catching Mary’s attention. She watched as Jeremy kneeled down in front of him. “It’ll be all right, buddy.”

  The dog let out a whine.

  EPILOGUE

  Moyock, North Carolina

  One hour after leaving Gloucester

  “Angela!” Matt screamed, forcing back the pain surging throughout his body.

  He reached over and attempted to remove the seatbelt which had her pinned upside down. Outside of the wrecked van, Matt could hear the clatter of semiautomatic gunfire. The roar of a leviathan drastically overpowered each shot.

  “Angela, come on, baby, stay with me.”