This is the End 2: The Post-Apocalyptic Box Set (9 Book Collection)

by J. Thorn

  “Did you catch that?” he radioed to Nicole.

  “Catch what?”

  Mack leaned forward, slowing down the Humvee, trying to get a glimpse of the wooded area that lined the road.

  “What’s going on?” Alex asked.

  “I thought I saw something?”

  “Doke?”

  Mack shook his head. “The trees moved, I don’t know.” He slowed down to a crawl just before the entrance of the tunnel.

  “I know you hate them.”

  “Just can’t see what’s ahead.” He lifted the radio again. “Rick, you getting anything. You or Nicole?”

  “Nope. Neither right now.”

  Mack exhaled, looked into the mirror at Del, then glanced at Alex. He inched forward.

  He really did hate tunnels. There was no way to see what was in them or beyond them. To get to the rest of the highway, they had to go through the tunnels.

  Mack could have very easily sped through, but that thought scared him. Again, he had no idea what was ahead. It was better to drive with caution, so he could stop quickly and turn around without worrying about Rick and Nicole smashing into them.

  The Hopper Tunnels weren’t even a half mile.

  Four minutes to get through.

  It was dark, and the light from behind them started to fade.

  Just as he made it halfway through, the radio call from Rick caused him to slam the brakes.

  “Stop,” Rick said. “They’re ahead. I think, a ton.”

  Del groaned. “It’s always a ton anymore.”

  It was no wonder there was no light from the exiting end. Mack could see the wall of Dokes approaching. He looked in his rearview mirror to turn around and then the light from behind disappeared as well.

  “Mack?” Alex peeped out. “What do we do?”

  Mack watched them move steady and slow. He only had a second to think.

  He popped the vehicle into park, looked over at Alex, and reached for the crossbow. “Get ready to drive.”

  Were her eyes bothering her that badly? Nicole wondered, or was it just the fact that the tunnel was so dark. It just looked like a black cloud, moving in slowly toward them.

  “Rick.” She turned her head to him.

  “What’s he doing?” Rick asked.

  “Looks like he’s gonna shoot an arrow.”

  Then Mack’s voice came over the radio, “Get ready to roll, I’m gonna plow this field and then we’ll just try to outrun the ones behind us.”

  “Mack,” Rick said. “That’s your last arrow. We don’t know what’s behind us.”

  “And we don’t know what’s in front. I have tons of explosives. We’ll manage. I have no other choice.”

  At that, Rick put the truck in park; he and Nicole stared at each other. They both, simultaneously, opened their doors and stepped out.

  They met around the front of the truck, and Rick grabbed Nicole’s hand. “You have been an amazing friend.”

  Nicole leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Ditto.”

  “I’m kind of tired. You?” Rick tilted his head.

  “Yeah, I am.”

  How long did he take aim? He had to wait until they were just a bit closer. How many times did Mack wonder what choice he had? The tunnel was just over eighteen hundred feet, and they sat smack-dab in the middle. The wall of Dokes in front and behind, were equal distances apart. Maybe sixty or seventy feet away.

  What choice did he have?

  It was the last arrow.

  Mack lowered his aim and walked back to the Humvee. He opened the back door and tossed in the crossbow. “I hope it works for you,” he told Del.

  “What?”

  Alex echoed the same response, “What? Mack? No.”

  “Alex, that’s needed. I’m not. Get through this.”

  “Yes, you are needed. I need you. You are the only who can shoot the arrows. What the hell?”

  “I’ll do it.” Del opened the door.

  Mack shut it, then returned to Alex. “I’m sorry.” Mack laid his hand on her face.

  Alex swiped it away. “You can’t do this. It’s not your time.”

  “She’s right,” Rick said.

  Mack turned around to where Rick and Nicole stood. “Get back in the truck. Now!”

  “No.” Rick shook his head. “Save the arrow. Save yourself. It’s my turn. It’s my time. I feel it. I do this. It’s a clear path.”

  “Rick, it’s a tunnel. A clear path through isn’t worth it.”

  “You were gonna do it. Besides, I see a clear path. I have to do this.”

  Twenty feet. The Dokes were so close.

  Nicole stepped to Mack. “Thank you for everything.”

  “What the hell.”

  Alex yelled, “Shoot the arrow now, Mack. Don’t let them do this.”

  Rick faced Nicole. “See you on the other side?”

  “See you on the other side.”

  They squeezed hands, nodded, and stepped back from each other.

  Nicole smiled and turned.

  Rick swatted out to Mack’s arm. “Get in and brace.” Then, Rick walked toward the Dokes.

  “Rick!” Mack cried out. “Nicole!” He looked behind and she was headed toward the other wall of Dokes.

  Frustrated, Mack slammed his hand on the truck.

  They were there, and the closer Rick got, he could smell them and make out their figures. His eyes started to adjust to the light. So many of them, too many.

  A peaceful calm took over Rick and he stopped.

  How would he do it? Would he run in or walk? Would they encompass him? He didn’t know how it would happen, just that when it was done, he would go out with a blaze of blue glory. That was fine with Rick.

  At the last second, he decided that he wasn’t going to walk into them—he was going to charge, like a football player through the line.

  Then, with a grin on his face, a proud feeling in his gut, Rick raced ahead full speed.

  He heard Mack call out and then Rick heard nothing else.

  No sounds. No moans. It was the truest meaning of dead air. As if cotton had been placed in his eardrums, Rick only heard the sound of his own breathing and beating heart.

  He never felt them reach for him, because Rick jumped and aimed at the mob, the second he was close enough.

  He landed on them, knocking a couple over. Hands grabbed, but it wasn’t painful. He felt himself enveloped by them, smothering his being, crashing down upon him.

  But he didn’t feel a bite. Not a single bite or scratch. No pain. Just an easy feeling and then pressure. Pressure on his entire body. His last vision was that of a Doke, wide-open mouth, lunging for his face.

  Rick reached out his hand. It was like a dream—slow motion—moving through water. His hand covered the face of the Doke. Mission accomplished.

  Flashes of bright blue and shades of red surrounded him, blocking out any sight of the Dokes, and then he saw his hand, it shimmered and turned translucent right before his arm and fingers transformed into sparks of blue and white energy.

  Rick smiled and wiggled his fingers, watching the trail of light. “Sweet.”

  And then it was done.

  ++++

  The free and clear path was bittersweet for Alex. Billy cried. Cradled in her arms in the backseat, he kept crying. There was nothing she could tell him, nothing she could do but hold him. Everyone’s heart was broken.

  Her eyes lifted occasionally to look at Mack as he drove.

  After Rick and Nicole cleared the way, there was nothing. Not a remnant of Doke or a stitch of tattered clothes. They looked too. They looked for something that was left of Nicole, of Rick.

  Then they moved forward. Combining everything into one vehicle. That was all they needed.

  They continued south and crossed the Texas state line. The entire trip was quiet. No one spoke.

  Their destination was ahead, but they’d stop for the night. Somewhere safe. Alex had a feeling it wouldn’t be hard to find. F
or the first time ever, since the whole thing began, she didn’t feel the presence of a Doke.

  For the first time ever, the world felt barren to her. Void of life. Void of anything that wasn’t them. But that couldn’t be right, it wasn’t barren. The Dokes were there, somewhere. Just not right there in their path.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  It wasn’t much of a place to perch a lookout. The small roadside store didn’t give Mack much of a view, deep inside though, he didn’t feel he needed it. He didn’t know why, just a feeling.

  Del would take the watch soon, see it into dawn until they packed up and left.

  The night sky was speckled with an amazing amount of stars. Mack stared up at them; he hadn’t seen a sky like that in months. He couldn’t believe it and was having a hard time comprehending the losses the group experienced.

  It didn’t matter to him that they ‘went on’, to him they were gone. Dead. And it hurt. People that were his friends, lived with him day in, day out.

  Gone.

  Even Billy was showing signs of grief. Horrendous grief, too much for such a young boy to face. The passing of Fr. Owens didn’t bother him as much as Rick. Then Billy said something over dinner that not only struck Mack, but stuck with him.

  “Let’s no go to this city,” Billy said.

  “Why?” asked Alex.

  “It’s the end of the line. Are you guys coming into the city?”

  Mack shook his head. “No, buddy, we aren’t. We … aren’t allowed. We have to clean up the land.”

  “Then I don’t want to be there. Not without you,” Billy said. “How am I going to go to sleep without Alex and you?” He looked at Del. “Who is gonna sing me songs I don’t know? Take me fishing. Play poker …”

  Quickly, Mack glanced at Del.

  “Don’t look at me,” Del replied. “That was Fr. Owens. And, Billy, I’m gonna miss you too. I don’t want to be away from you. But I am sure there will be people in the city who will help you sleep, play music, fish …”

  “They aren’t you!” Billy snapped.

  He snapped? Mack couldn’t believe it. The child who never spoke-back, snapped at Del. He could understand Billy’s frustration. Mack knew he had to take Billy to the city, but hadn’t faced the fact that he had to leave him. In a sense, Mack’s heart was breaking. He was about to lose another child.

  “I don’t know them,” Billy argued. “They didn’t save me. Mack and Alex did. You did.”

  There was a silent moment and Alex embraced Billy, telling him something about how they’d figure it out.

  Mack couldn’t for the life of him, think of an alternative. They had to get Billy there.

  But he never looked at it as he and Alex saving Billy, they found him. In an essence—Billy had saved Mack.

  They moved about, looking for other survivors and a safer place, for nearly a month, before they ran into the others.

  Del and Fr. Owens were the first ones.

  Mack remembered that day in thinking of his lost friends.

  Billy hadn’t spoken, not at all. A few nods, a shake of the head, that was all he did when they first found him in the jeep.

  Alex had the brainstorm idea of doing something ‘kid like’ with him. Away from death and Dokes.

  It was the middle of the day, not many Dokes, and they happened upon a school.

  The school yard was fenced in, grass had just started to make its way through the cracks. Billy appeared to not even know what a swing or slide was. Alex put him on the slide, and Billy said “ouch” because it was hot.

  “Hopscotch,” Alex said. “There’s a board.” She pointed.

  “Hopscotch?” Mack asked. “Who plays hopscotch anymore?”

  “You.” Alex tossed him a stone. “Go on. Make Billy smile by watching someone your size, jump on the tiny squares.”

  “Ha, ha.” Mack looked at the pebble and prepared to toss it down, when he saw Alex staring off with a lost look. “What’s wrong?”

  She faced him while moistening her lips, her eyes glossed over. “The swings, playground …” She paused and spoke breathy, “It’s so sad.”

  Mack couldn’t help it. He laughed.

  Her eyes widened. “What? Why are you laughing?”

  “Nothing. Sorry.” And then Mack laughed again, harder. “OK, I saw a movie once. A comedy about the end of the world, and the two guys were walking through a playground, the one paused and said, ‘it’s so sad’, just like you did and I thought of the movie. I laughed at that movie.”

  “Mack. It is sad.”

  “Completely, yes. But thank you for the laugh. That movie made me laugh.” He paused, laughed again, then lost all amusement—lifted his revolver and aimed.

  “Don’t shoot!” Del yelled. “I’m not one of them.”

  Del stood on the other side of the fence. He grinned, and behind him, Mack saw Fr. Owens.

  Mack was told his laugh was always loud and obnoxious, and it was his laugh that was a calling card for Del and then later for Nicole.

  How long had it been since Mack laughed.

  “What’s so funny?” Del’s voice snapped him out of the memory.

  “I’m sorry, what?” Mack asked.

  Del climbed to the roof with him. “I heard you laughing. I thought for a second you lost it, you know, because you’re here by yourself. Then I thought you were reading and noticed it was almost my shift.” He exhaled as he sat down. “What was funny?”

  “I was laughing out loud?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Wow, I didn’t know that. I was thinking back to when you found us on that playground.”

  Del nodded, looked up seriously, then with a soft voice said, “It’s so sad.”

  Mack laughed. He felt it in his stomach and laughed. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I needed a laugh.”

  “Me too.”

  “Well, I’m gonna say by the lack of gunfire, it’s a quiet night.”

  “Yep.” Mack pursed his lips. “Not a single Doke. Now when is the last time you went an entire night and evening, without a Doke sighting.”

  “Haven’t, since they rose.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Mack, we’re pretty close to the end of our journey. You think maybe it’s done? Dokes are done?”

  “Not at all. I think maybe it’s all gearing up for some grand finale.”

  “My gut instinct too.” Del waited a beat. “Are you scared?”

  “Not in the least. I’m ready.” Mack glanced at him seriously. “In more ways than one … I’m ready.”

  Dear Garret,

  This will probably be the last letter I write. Not because I don’t want to, but because I really feel I’ll be seeing you soon.

  We are only a few hours from our destination. In the morning, we’ll get there and find out what is waiting for us.

  One arrow remains. A part of me feels it won’t be enough.

  The call for Sacrifice is going to come. I’m good with that. I miss you. For two days, we haven’t seen a single Doke. I know they aren’t gone.

  They’re waiting for us.

  That’s what I feel.

  You know, I get this silly fantasy. I imagine showing up at the city and seeing you there. Crazy, huh?

  I hate the thought of leaving Billy there, I know I have to. I believe he’ll feel that too when we get there.

  I’m so done and I’m so tired.

  I miss them you know, Rick, Nicole, Fr. Owens. I miss Rick always fighting with Del about the Spam and Nicole staring at Rick, never telling him how she feels.

  Fr. Owens fighting with us all about God.

  I’m really torn about this God thing.

  We weren’t chosen to be spared, but we’re special. So many mistakes along the way, it’s crazy. I feel slighted at times, that we weren’t good enough to be picked, but good enough to do the dirty work. I guess it was better than being a Doke.

  I wish my reward wasn’t inheriting the Earth. I wish my reward
was you again.

  See you soon.

  I love you,

  Dad

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Mack peered into the rearview mirror when he heard the odd noise come from Alex who was sitting in the backseat. “You all right?”

  “Sore,” Alex replied. “Hot.”

  “Sorry, the air-conditioning isn’t kicking.”

  “Not much longer,” Del said. “Not by this map. We got one more mini gas station coming up. Makes me think of that movie.”

  “You and your movies,” Mack stated. “Which one?”

  “The family takes a back road and the mutants murder them.”

  “The Hills Have Eyes.”

  “Yes,” Del said. “That one.”

  Alex grunted. “I hated that movie. It was so brutal.”

  Mack commented, “Life is brutal now.”

  “No, that was brutal,” Alex said.

  “More brutal than life?”

  Alex shrugged. “We’re a bit more in control.”

  Del fluttered his lips. “How is that?”

  “More than you think,” Mack said. “If we weren’t, would things have gotten so screwed up? Really, think about it.”

  “I did.” Del took a drink of water and passed the bottle to the backseat. “You know what I think?”

  “What’s that?” Mack asked.

  “We’re a mistake,” Del said. “I think, God had this big plan, you know. Thought He had all his ducks in order and then … He realizes. Whoa. Where’s Billy? Who the heck are these people? It dawns on Him, He forgot us. We’re Forgotten. But … He’s God, right? He can’t make mistakes, so He snaps his fingers and calls a quick meeting of the minds, and they brainstorm an explanation, and send the Latino angel down here. Raphael tells us, ‘No, you weren’t Forgotten, you’re uh special, you’re uh Chosen, you’re …’”

  “The cleanup crew.” Mack nodded. “Totally makes sense, like we were appeased because they didn’t want us to know there was a screw up. Seriously, think about it, not only did He forget about us, He forgot about the key player.”

  “Which happens. Shit happens,” Del said. “How many times have you planned a big event, vacation, and always … always … you forget something.”