by J. Walker
“What’s up?” I asked sleepily and forced myself out of bed.
“Look out at the river.” Ashley replied in a taut voice.
Puzzled, I left the room and moved quickly to the window on the landing that afforded a decent view of the river. There was a flurry of helicopters moving through the dark sky from the Detroit side of the water. I also noticed that there were a number of boats from various marine authorities converging on our side of the waterway.
I craned my neck to look further down the shoreline. Finally able to see where they were headed, I noticed a huge freighter heavily laden with containers moving recklessly down the river. The freighter seemed to be adrift and it was moving quickly to the Canadian side of the water’s edge. At the same time we began to hear the unmistakable sound of sirens rapidly moving in to the location of the freighter.
“What the hell??” I exclaimed incredulously.
I realized immediately that something horrible was about to happen. My instinct told me to act but I stood stock-still. My mind was completely immobilized by fear. I knew that what I was witnessing, was related to the outbreak somehow.
A small voice behind us broke my trance.
“Mommy…” Tabitha spoke in a tired voice.
“Oh sweetie, go back to bed.” Bree scooped up the tired little girl and brought her back into the spare bedroom the three of them were sharing.
“Jesus…….” I whispered. “This is it.”
“Mom! You’re scaring me!” Ashley cried out in a frightened voice.
I turned to face Ashley. “Listen to me very carefully. Everyone and everything, every little thing you can think of. Into the mobile now.”
Tears sprang to her eyes and I immediately regretted my harsh tone. I hugged her tightly and stroked her long hair.
“Listen sweetheart, I know you’re scared. We all are but this is what we’ve been preparing for. Kind of.”
I tried to speak to her in a soothing voice but deep inside I was terrified as well. The freighter careening out of control on the river had not been factored into any scenario we’d anticipated.
Grabbing the night vision binoculars that were sitting on the windowsill, I hurried past them and headed for the stairs.
“I’m going down there to see if I can find out what’s going on. When I get back, I want everything done.”
Ashley and Bree stared at me blankly, paralyzed by fear.
I ran down the stairs and out the front door. The binoculars were in my hands but I had forgotten to put my shoes on, causing me to skid and nearly fall on the dew covered grass. I tried to get as close to the riverfront as I could. A number of other onlookers were already watching the large freighter with horrified looks. Everyone was in the same state of dress, shoeless and in pajamas.
Dawn was still an hour or more away and the sky was quickly filling up with various helicopters, both media and law enforcement. Their spotlights illuminated the scene brightly. The river was full of activity as well and the sirens sounded like they were getting closer. I could see the flashing lights quickly closing the distance to the estimated crash site.
It wouldn’t be long before the streets were filled with emergency vehicles and we would be unable to leave. We had to leave at that very moment. If we didn’t, we risked becoming trapped in the city with no chance of escape.
I focused the binoculars on the deck of the freighter. I could see a few people moving across the huge expanse, weaving in between the massive containers loaded on the deck. They moved lethargically and erratically, as though they had no real intent or purpose. As I zoomed in, I was filled with dread. Their gait and their inconsistent behavior was very similar to that of the infected I had seen so many times in various blog images and videos over the past few months.
I automatically started to piece together various possibilities of what might have occurred within the waterborne vessel. There had most likely been one or more individuals on the ship that was unknowingly infected. It hadn’t taken long for them to turn and infect the entire crew.
The unfortunate ship had probably been coasting on a preset course programmed into its navigational system. It had likely drifted for an unknown period of time, unattended by any living soul. Eventually it must have suffered a power failure which caused it to glide aimlessly through the channel, finally running aground in the shallow waters close to shore.
I began to shiver uncontrollably, whether from fear or the cool morning air, I wasn’t sure. I turned to quickly leave when I heard people screaming and yelling. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw the giant vessel finally hit the shallow water and become grounded. The earth beneath me shook violently. The air was filled with an ear splitting grinding noise as the containers began to break free from their restraints and slide noisily into the water.
The ship itself pitched and swayed nauseatingly. Its infected crew began slipping into the dark, murky waters of the Detroit River. There were only a few blocks between my home and the wrecked vessel crawling with those infected with the fever. Soon the lifeless and ravenous creatures would be on shore, devouring every living soul.
I reached into the pocket of my pajama pants and pulled out my cell phone. I quickly dialed Marcus while I ran back to the house.
“We have to leave right now!” I screamed into the phone, without waiting for his greeting.
“Em, get everyone ready and into the RV. I want you all to go and go now. I’ll meet you there.” He replied with breathless urgency.
“NO!” I was crying and screaming as I ran back to the house. “Marcus, no, you are not making me do this alone.”
“Emily.” His voice was calm. “I love you. Stay calm. Breathe, babe, just breathe. I’ll meet up with you guys there. I need to get my mom, my sister and her kids ready. We’ll be there soon.”
“Promise me.” I stood on the front porch, my hand at rest on the door handle while tears streamed down my face.
“I can’t do this without you. Please, just don’t come home! Go right to the compound!” I said to him urgently.
“I love you, Emily. I’ll be there as soon as they’re ready.”
“I love you too, Marcus. Please hurry!”
I stood there for a moment trying to regain my composure. I was shaking and crying uncontrollably. I heard a sound behind me and whirled around, my heart gripped with fear.
It was Ashley’s friend Sarah and her younger brothers, Matthew and Lucas, who were ten and twelve. I sighed with relief and slumped against the door frame, suddenly exhausted.
“Mrs. Hanson.” Sarah said weakly, her eyes darting around fearfully. “I’m scared. Our parents are still at work. I’m watching my brothers and I don’t know what to do.”
I knew that Sarah’s parents worked shift work together at the same plant. They often left the younger boys in the care of their sister when they were on midnights. We had mere minutes to leave the immediate area, if we were lucky. I couldn’t leave them behind knowing what terrible fate was in store for them.
“Message them that you’re with us. But we’re leaving the city, it isn’t safe. I’ll send them directions once we’re safely out of town. But I cannot leave the three of you behind. You’re coming with us. Send the boys to wait inside the RV and run across the street to pack some stuff and for God’s sake, be quick about it. When you’re done, get in the RV.”
Sarah fled across the street and I looked at the sleepy faces of her brothers.
“Matt, Lucas.” I said with a weak but hopefully encouraging smile. “Go around to the driveway and get inside the RV.”
I quickly opened the door and entered the house. My shoes were sitting by the door and I hurriedly put them on. The house was full of activity. Bree was running around, picking up the last minute bug out bags and placing them at the back door. Ashley was putting everything inside the large motor home, its door open and inviting.
The youngest ones were already inside, including Matthew and Lucas. Their sleepy faces peered at us through th
e windows, little hands rubbed at tired eyes. Thankfully someone had the foresight to at least give them juice boxes and breakfast bars.
With great speed, I moved through the house and began to throw every last minute item I could think of into a large duffel bag. Forcing myself to focus on each movement, rather than the impending disaster just outside my front door, the large tote was quickly filled. When I was finally finished, I stood alone in the living room and looked around at my home, our home and a flood of memories over the past few years overtook me.
There was one last framed photo on the fireplace mantle. It was a picture taken of all five of us. We were smiling and happy, completely oblivious of the events that would change the course of our lives forever. Already the image had the quality of another lifetime, another era that would soon be nothing more than a distant memory. I wept silently in the stillness of the living room, not wanting to leave this life behind.
“Emily.” Bree had quietly entered the room and stood beside me. “What’s out there?” She asked fearfully.
I turned to look at her and there were tears falling down her face as well. “You don’t want to know.” I said, putting the photograph in the duffel bag. “We have to go.”
Bree and I hugged each other tightly. We cried openly and loudly as we bid farewell to the life we’d always known. It was a frightening thing, to know we were heading into an unknown and perilous future.
I suddenly realized I’d almost forgotten one important thing. Tossing Bree the heavy bag, I told her to wait for me inside the mobile home. I ran up the creaking stairs to the bedroom and turned the light on. My hands shook violently as I reached under the bed for the strongbox. It took three tries to get the tiny keys into the tiny lock. As I turned the key, I held my breath.
I was not a huge fan of weapons, especially firearms but Marcus and I decided to keep one at home in the event of an emergency situation arising while we were preparing to head out to the compound. It felt cold, heavy and uncomfortable in my hands but at the same time it felt reassuring. There were two magazines and countless rounds rolling around loose in the bottom of the innocuous metal box. I slammed the lid down and locked it again. With the box safely in hand, I ran downstairs and out the back door to the waiting RV.
“Are we ready?” I asked Bree in a quiet voice, sliding the strongbox safely under the driver’s seat.
“Yes.”
“Did you message the others? Including Sarah’s family?”
“I did. We’ll all meet up at the farm.”
Ashley was sitting on the floor directly behind the driver’s seat. Her eyes were wide with unveiled fear. She had her knees tucked up under her chin and her arms were wrapped around them. She shivered violently as she looked at me.
“Ash, you and Sarah keep the kids occupied. Don’t let them look out the windows. This is what we prepared for. We have to be strong now.”
The vehicle started and we flew out of the driveway. I turned too quickly and swiped a parked car. The sound was lost in the cacophony of noise outside.
“What about Marcus!?” Ashley suddenly blurted out.
I quickly glanced at Bree. “He’ll meet us there; he’s getting his mom and sister ready.”
As far as I knew he was still at the hospital. He hadn’t mentioned anything about his father’s condition. It didn’t matter any longer. I just wanted him to be here with me. He was the strong one. He was my rock and I didn’t know how long I’d be able to maintain this semblance of calm.
With a final glance out the rearview mirror, I was confident with my decision to leave. The scene behind us was quickly unfolding into one of chaos. The homes that had been dark were suddenly ablaze with incandescent light. Their inhabitants piled in groups on corners and front lawns, shaking their heads in bewilderment. Slumbering children had been rudely awakened and were held tightly in their parents’ arms.
Riverside Drive was being closed down and roadblocks were starting to be put in place. Every street in the vicinity had rapidly filled up with first responders and their vehicles. If we had delayed our departure by even five minutes, our escape would have been hampered.
From the rear-view mirror, I could vaguely see slow-moving and clumsy shapes starting to climb over the rocky outcroppings along the riverside trail. I badly wanted to open the windows and scream at every person I saw to leave and leave now.
Eventually I had to slow down and come to a stop for a red light. My fingers were tapping the steering wheel impatiently. I looked out my window to a small group of people standing with their children. They motioned to me and I rolled down the window.
“What happened?” A woman holding a sleepy toddler asked.
“If you value your lives, you’ll pack up as much as you can and get the hell out of the city.” I told them.
A group of shocked, blank faces stared back at me. At that same moment, the light changed from red to green. I could hear faint screams and the sound of gunfire coming from the area we’d just left. My foot hit the gas pedal with a loud squeal and the group standing on the corner began to dissipate rather quickly. No one spoke another word. Even the younger ones were silent. It wasn’t long before we were safely speeding down a nearly empty highway.
Chapter Eight
Our flight from the city to the compound was surprisingly unremarkable. Being so early in the morning the traffic had been light and news of the outbreak was still unknown to most. Within an hour of fleeing the city we began to see military vehicles heading south on the highway.
For the next hour or so the presence of the military continued to slowly increase and soon the southbound lane became a steady procession of drab green vehicles. The traffic behind us also began to increase as news of the outbreak finally began to spread. I was relieved when we were able to leave the 401 behind us and continue travelling on the lesser known country roads.
Ashley and Sarah kept the children occupied with food, video games and movies for the duration of the long drive. Liam and Laken were thrilled that their best friends were going ‘camping’ with them. Simon and Tabitha were introduced to Sarah’s brothers, Matthew and Lucas, and everyone seemed to be getting along just fine.
It was soothing and comfortably distracting to hear their laughter and incessant chatter, even though the older ones knew exactly what was happening and why we’d fled the city.
We arrived at the compound safely but everyone was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Amy greeted us anxiously at the inner gate. Lauren was with her but John was nowhere to be seen. She explained that he had left the day before to evacuate their family members from the Windsor area. The last time she’d been able to contact him was an hour before our arrival. At the time, he had explained to her that they were idling in a traffic jam on the highway. They’d barely escaped the city limits by the time the downtown area was overrun.
About an hour after we arrived and began to get settled into the larger of the two houses, our friends Amber and Mike showed up in their small RV. They had no children but they had two dogs the twins absolutely adored. Bree and I greeted them with tears of joy and sorrow. The four of us embraced with a strength and determination we’d never known before.
They were able to reach the compound in surprisingly good time. Their decision to take the less travelled county roads instead of major highways had worked in their favor. Living in a small town outside the city was another critical factor that lead to their safe arrival. Thanks to Bree’s quick text they were able to hit the road long before the city evacuees. They’d been preparing steadily since I’d informed them of the coming outbreak weeks prior.
“Where the hell is Marcus?” Amber asked, after our tearful greeting. “Where is everyone else?”
I wiped away my tears and cleared my throat before answering. “He’s getting his mom and sister ready and then they’ll be here. We got the message out to everyone else. Hopefully everyone will all be here today or tomorrow at the latest.”
I’d been texting an
d calling Marcus ever fifteen minutes or so since we left the city. We’d been able to have one brief conversation but that was two hours before we arrived at the compound. I’d heard nothing since then.
He told me that his father passed away peacefully in the early hours of the morning. He quickly informed his mother and sister about the outbreak and the urgency of leaving right away. Marcus did not return home but stopped briefly at his sister’s house to pick up her two young children.
At the time of our conversation, they were just approaching the highway. He’d informed me that the traffic was quickly becoming gridlocked. John was likely only an hour ahead of Marcus on the 401 but with the congested traffic, there could very well be only a few cars between them. My stomach churned with a mixture of fear and anxiety. I continued to try and contact him until the phone lines went eventually went dead. That was the last time Marcus and I spoke.
Surveying the property, we discovered that piles of scaffolding had been left behind by construction crews in the early spring. Mike suggested that we try to reassemble them. The endeavor was successful and we placed them at strategic locations against the interior of the wall. They worked as platforms to stand on and allowed us a wide view of the area outside the walls.
In the first few days, we gathered on the scaffold and watched as thick, dark clouds filled the horizon to the east. Evidence of massive explosions that eventually died away to little more than thin trails of smoke wafting in the distance. Sometimes we thought we could hear the sound of gunfire echoing from far away. Soon enough the skies were clear and the birds resumed their songs. The world became unnaturally subdued.
Between the five adults, we were able to take turns monitoring the main entrance of the wall. As the days continued to pass, I would head out each morning to the main gate. I paced anxiously back and forth along the unstable platform, watching and waiting. I remained hopeful for as long as I could.
The flimsy edifice of faith holding the compound and its survivors together was quickly fading. I wanted to give up but I couldn’t. For the sake of my children there persevered a slender hope that Marcus would come home. My intuition told me otherwise but my longing and my loneliness forced me back each and every morning. Yet every evening I would climb down again, tired and hungry, my heart heavy with despair at another day spent without Marcus or John’s return.
