[HGB] Humanity Gone Bad: The Dead Chronicles

by Watkins, Charles

  “Whoa…” Billy stated as his mouth dropped open.

  I turned and glanced over at what he was looking at and seen that he had uncovered one of the objects revealing a heavily modified hotrod that was painted silver—a red set of lines were painted along the sides of the car and two silver chrome exhaust pipes like on a semi poked out of the back of the car on each side.

  “Damn…sweet ride!” Billy exclaimed as he went to the driver’s door and opened it looking inside.

  “That’s so you, bubba.” Sheila stated with a laugh.

  I glanced around on the other side of the hotrod and discovered another heavily modified vehicle, this one was a 1970 Ford Mustang but it didn’t look like your typical sports car—it was covered with heavy armor that had been painted a dull brownish beige color and the tires on the front were regular all-terrain tires while the ones on the back looked like they had been taken from a dune buggy; further examination of the Mustang revealed that it sported a mounted .50 caliber machine gun on the hood that was near what had been the driver’s side of the windshield—the steering wheel was instead on the right where the passenger would have been sitting. Five high powered UV lights were on the top front of the roof and it had adequate carrying space on the top for supplies and belongings and a place on the right side toward the rear of the car that could hold supplies and a gas can. I opened the door where the driver would now sit and looked inside of it—it was big enough to fit two in the front and at least three grown adults in the back; I turned to Jennifer and Sheila with a big grin on my face.

  “This thing is badass—I think I’ll get out of the RV for a while and drive this baby.” I stated as I climbed into the driver’s seat and looked around the dashboard.

  The keys were in the ignition and I turned them to the right starting the engine—a loud rumble followed as the powerful V8 engine purred like a full grown alley cat.

  “It has trunk space too.” Jennifer stated as she walked to the rear of the Mustang and noticed a latch that had released when I had pressed a button inside.

  I glanced over at Billy and Kayla and they were both inside of the silver hotrod that they had claimed and he was revving the engine loudly, Richard and Morgana gazed around at the various other vehicles as Kira, Lori Jo and Simone unlocked the steel shutter door and stood aside as I drove our new Mustang outside; Billy and Kayla followed and Richard and Morgana walked out together as the ladies behind followed closing the shutter door.

  “Damn…you guys found some awesome vehicles in there.” Hugo stated with a grin as the other Covenant One members gathered around.

  Beau had put the battle chassis back on the transport platform and was walking toward us.

  “How many other modified vehicles are in there anyway?” He asked as his glance fell on me.

  “Several more—I noticed a large modified white truck with an extended cab, it has a large camper shell attached to it.” I answered as I motioned for Kira and the other two girls to open the steel shutter doors again.

  They did and we all followed Beau inside of the same area where we had found the vehicles that we had just claimed and I directed him to the vehicle that I was talking about; it was a large beast of a truck and it had a welded plate on the side of the driver’s side door that read ‘Apoc Eco-Roamer’.

  “This looks like it would come in handy—there’s sleeping space in the camper shell back here and more than enough room for food and weapon storage as well.” Amy stated as she walked back to where we were all standing.

  “It’s just a little exposed…the windows and windshield could use some steel plating to make them more secure.” Beau answered with a thoughtful expression.

  “Let’s get it done here and now and get moving before more of those marauders or dead-heads return—there’s plenty of scraps around us.” I stated as I slung my M16 back over my shoulder.

  Beau and the other Covenant One members got to work on the Eco-Roamer and within the next twenty or so minutes they had it secured with steel plating over the windshield and windows as well as the window on the door to the back, that was when a crash of thunder shook the area around us and rain started pouring down again; I could hear the sounds of the undead approaching and it sounded like they were less than a mile away.

  “We need to get moving—now.” I shouted as I turned and headed back outside tossing my weapons and gear into the Mustang as I went.

  I ran to the door of the RV knocking where I waited a few seconds before my dad opened it and stepped out to greet me.

  “Dad, I’m going to be driving that modified Mustang over there with Jennifer and Sheila as well as the kids, Billy and Kayla are in the silver hotrod and I believe that Hugo and the other two Covenant One members are taking that big Eco-Roamer that’s coming out of the building right now; Richard, Morgana, Kira, Lori Jo and Simone will still be with you guys.” I instructed as I had to shout due to the roar of the thunder and rain.

  “That’s fine, Richard can help me drive—you’ll still be using the bedroom in the back of the RV won’t you?” My dad asked as he used his left hand to shield his eyes from the rain.

  “Yeah, these new vehicles are just to help us travel better to where everyone’s not all cramped together.” I answered.

  “Okay…be careful in that Mustang—I don’t want another incident like the one that killed Angie to happen to you guys.” My dad answered as he turned and headed up the steps into the RV.

  I stepped aside as Richard, Morgana and the few others rushed past me getting inside as well until only Beau was still standing out in the rain getting drenched to his skin.

  “I guess I’m going to drive the semi to where we can continue to have the firepower of the battle chassis…I swear if it wasn’t so good at mopping up those dead sons of bitches I’d just leave it behind.” Beau stated as he noticed my look of concern.

  “Yeah, I know what you mean—be careful.” I answered patting his shoulder before turning and getting into the Mustang where Jennifer and Sheila were waiting inside with our kids.

  Jennifer was sitting in the front passenger seat where the driver in any other car normally would have been with Xavier in her arms and Sheila was in the back surrounded by Remy, Mace and Ember while She held Darc Aiden in her arms; our weapons were stashed next to Jennifer in the floorboard and some in the back behind Sheila—the rest of our things we had put into the trunk. I watched and waited as Beau climbed back inside of the semi and started the engine before I took the lead ahead with our headlights shining brightly, Billy and Kayla followed in their hotrod while Richard followed them in the RV—Hugo, Amy and Desiree were behind them in the Eco-Roamer and Beau was bringing up the rear in the semi. It felt good to be in a smaller vehicle and I was amazed at the power that the Mustang had behind it, it took some getting used to driving on the passenger side of the car instead of what I was used to but it seemed like it would work out fine. We didn’t waste any more time in that area for fear that the marauders would be back in larger numbers and discover that we had stolen their vehicles, the storm lasted on into the early morning hours as the night’s gloom soon gave way to the morning sun—by that time we had made it almost to the Minnesota state line and Sheila poured me a cup of coffee from the thermos that we had brought with us from the RV and I drank it down; continuing on into the morning hours we soon after crossed over into Minnesota and before long it was noon and I had been driving most of the night as well as half of the day, I slowed down and pulled to the side of the road and got out as Jennifer switched driving with me—I climbed into the passenger side where she had been as she strapped herself into the driver’s seat next to me.

  “Be careful baby—this thing has a lot of power.” I stated as I touched her thigh with my right hand.

  “I’ll be careful baby—I promise.” Jennifer answered smiling as she met my lips with a kiss before she done the same to Sheila.

 
; “I’m gonna take a few hours of shuteye…wake me up before it gets too late.” I stated as I found a comfortable position in the seat and closed my eyes.

  That was when the handheld CB radio that we had with us on the dashboard came to life with Billy’s voice.

  “You guys switching drivers?”

  “Yeah—I’m gonna get some sleep while Jennifer drives for a while.” I answered into the CB.

  “I think I’m gonna take you up on that.” Billy answered with a chuckle as he pulled up to a stop behind us.

  We watched as Billy got out and got into the passenger side as Kayla took over driving the hotrod, then once everyone was ready we picked up and continued; I soon after drifted off to sleep and in my dreams I remembered seeing a vast and unfamiliar landscape—it was one that I had personally never seen before yet it looked familiar like I had seen it in pictures or movies before. I saw mountains rising up out of the distance and beautiful countryside—then I saw armies of horrible mutations swarming throughout the area and then a jolt from the outside waking world woke me with a start, I glanced over at Jennifer and she glanced at me briefly and smiled.

  “I’m sorry baby—there was something in the road and I swerved to avoid hitting it.” She answered casually.

  “It looked like a dead moose or something.” Sheila stated from the back seat where Remy, Mace and Ember slept next to her soundly.

  “Where are we, baby?” I asked as I grabbed the road atlas and thumbed through the worn pages until I came to Minnesota.

  “We just passed through the edges of a town called Bemidji about ten minutes ago.” Jennifer answered as she stared ahead at the roadway.

  “Look at that lake over there.” Sheila stated pointing out the small slits of the window next to her on the right.

  I glanced out Jennifer’s window and seen what Sheila was talking about—a good sized lake spread out off to the southeast and it looked like we would be traveling along the edge of it for a little bit; I reached back and grabbed a can of canned peaches from the small box that we had placed in the back floorboard and Sheila handed me the can opener. I opened it and casually ate the fruit as we continued on and soon the sun was starting to set in the west behind us, Jennifer pulled to the side of the road and got out once again letting me drive as she settled into the passenger seat beside of me; I picked up driving again and before long I passed another town that was called Floodwood and as I stared ahead at the landscape before us it seemed like off in the distance I could make out the edge of a dark and vast expanse of nothing.

  “That must be Lake Superior that I see…I’ve never been this far north before and if things were different we could stop and lollygag—but we can’t.” I stated as I used my left hand to scratch the side of my face.

  “I’ve heard that the Great Lakes are so big and vast that it’s just like being near the ocean.” Jennifer stated as she shielded her eyes from the waning sunlight with her left hand.

  I continued driving into the night and long after both Jennifer and Sheila had fallen asleep—I seemed to be lost in thought and the miles flew past me, a few times I heard Billy and the others talking back and forth to each other on the CB but I didn’t pay too much attention to what they were saying as it was just casual chatter; before I knew it the sun was rising in the eastern sky once again and I realized that I had been driving all night and that I had gotten us into the outskirts of the port town of Duluth—nestled on the border with Wisconsin, this town looked like it had been a major recreation area as I could make out a harbor full of marinas and boats.

  “Chaz—you’ve been going all night, what’s say we stop for a bit and have some breakfast?” Richard’s voice asked as the CB came to life.

  “Alright, but let’s make it quick—we don’t need to be out in the open for very long.” I answered as I pulled our Mustang to the shoulder of the road and woke Jennifer and Sheila who were both still sleeping.

  “Where are we, baby?” Sheila asked stretching.

  “We’re on the outskirts of Duluth, Minnesota—the others want to stop for a bit so everyone can eat breakfast.” I answered as I kissed her and Jennifer quickly before opening my door getting out of the Mustang.

  I helped Sheila out and then helped them both with the kids before we walked back and met up with Billy and Kayla as they got out of their hotrod—we all walked to the door of the RV and watched as Richard, Morgana and Simone came out and went to the side of the road nearby dragging pieces of brush that looked to have been part of a long dead tree over into a pothole that was on the other side of the road and bunched them up; seconds later they had started a fire and the others gathered around it with plates of food that my mom had cooked inside of the RV. I couldn’t help but glance around nervously as I ate knowing that at any second we could be swarmed by dead-heads and other mutations, that was when I heard the familiar screams of several zombies coming from off to my right from a southeast direction; as I listened I could also hear someone’s feet approaching us—it sounded like whoever this person was that they had been running from the undead for quite some time and they were getting really tired. I sat my food to the side grabbing my M16 and raced around the side of the RV and over to my side of our Mustang and that was when I saw the person who was running from the zombies—it was a young woman with shoulder-length medium brown hair, her clothes were torn in places and were covered with splotches of blood here and there; I locked eyes with her and frantically motioned her to come toward me as I could now see what was after her—several of the heavily mutated zombies were sprinting after her steadily and when I looked further back I seen something that made my heart skip a beat.

  “Bio-weapon incoming!” I shouted at the top of my lungs as the young woman reached me and wrapped her arms around me tugging at me to follow.

  The others came running seconds later and they raised their weapons and we all opened fire on the zombies putting rounds in their heads dropping their asses in the tall grass of the nearby field and then they saw what I was talking about—coming toward us was a freakishly nightmarish looking creature that was covered with blood and other goop that was dropping off of it as it moved closer toward us at an accelerated hobble; the torso of this thing was covered with faces with eyes that seemed to stare straight at us and move around as the creature moved—it had a freakishly mutated right hand with long fingers that sported long razor-sharp claws on them and its arms seemed to be somewhat restrained to its side by some sort of sticky resin. Its head was fused together to the other faces on its torso and the top of its head was missing revealing an empty cavity.

  “What the fuck is that thing?” Billy shouted as we all stood staring at the creature.

  “Let’s destroy it before it gets any closer!” I shouted as I opened fire with my M16.

  My bullets as well as the ones from the others’ weapons tore into the creature splattering its blood and bile everywhere and parts of its head had been blown completely off leaving it without most of its head but it was still coming toward us.

  “How do we kill this damned thing?” Kira shouted as she had to stop and reload her weapon.

  “Baby—try this!” Jennifer shouted getting my attention as she tossed me an M32 grenade launcher.

  “Get back!” I shouted to the others as I aimed the weapon at the creature and fired several rounds into the torso area of the creature that soon after exploded blowing the thing to bits.

  After the smoke cleared I brushed the pieces of scorched flesh off of my clothes and turned back to the young woman who had been running from these creatures.

  “Who are you?” I asked approaching her as Jennifer and Sheila worked to calm her down.

  “M-My name is Chloe Emerson…I’m from what used to be Lansing, Michigan…yesterday I fled from where I had been hiding because it was overrun and I hotwired a car and made it most of the way here but then the car ran out of gas and I was for
ced to flee on foot—those things have been chasing me ever since I ditched the car!” The young woman answered in a panic filled voice.

  “Well, you’re safe now.” I answered as I eyed the blood on her clothes closely.

  “Don’t worry, I’m alright…I wasn’t bitten or anything—I got cut up pretty bad when I jumped a chain linked fence a few miles away and it’s bleeding pretty bad.” Chloe answered as she noticed my worried expression.

  “Babe, go get the first aid kit and bring the vaccine.” I instructed as I glanced at Jennifer.

  Jennifer nodded and walked over opening the driver’s side door of our Mustang and shortly after she brought back the first aid kit as well as the bag that held the vaccine that we had made many long months before from the Antitoxin Sample in New York City; she handed me the bag with the vaccine in it as she and Sheila opened the first aid kit and started tending to Chloe’s wounds.

  “What is that?” Chloe asked curiously as she noticed the syringe that I was preparing.

  “It’s the vaccine that will protect you against the infection that those creatures spread—we synthesized it in the Hudson Pharmaceutical labs in what was left of New York City and we’ve all been inoculated with this vaccine.” I answered as I used an alcohol pad to clean off a spot on her left forearm.

  I injected the vaccine seconds later and Jennifer and Sheila finished with her wounds.

  “Thanks for saving my life—I thought I was gonna die for sure.” Chloe stated as she wrapped her arms around my waist and kissed my cheek.

  “No problem—we couldn’t just let you die right before our eyes; most of the survivors we run across these days are those damned marauders hired by Bowman.” Hugo answered as he and the other Covenant One members approached.