Wormwood Dawn (Episode X)

by Crae, Edward

  “Got him,” he said.

  “Good job, buddy,” Eric said, patting him on the head. “The creek’s just ahead. We made it.”

  With one final lurch as they went over the short bank, the RV splashed into the shallow creek. Eric cut the wheel to the right, centering himself in the flat bed. It was smooth driving from here on out.

  “Thank God,” Eric said.

  Toby dropped the rifle onto the floor, going back into the bed area where he had left Dan. The bleeding was slowing down, thankfully, and Toby was able to get a good bandage over the gash. With a little luck, and maybe some drugs, Dan would be alright. Toby was sure he had been injured worse in the past.

  “He’ll be okay,” Toby said as he rejoined Eric in the cab. “Where does this creek go?”

  “It goes to a back road,” Eric said. “We’ll have to make a detour to get around the little bridge, but we’ll get back on the road without a hitch.”

  “We should go the hardware store in Nashville and wait for the others,” Toby said, hoping that everyone had made it out.

  “We will,” Eric said. “We will.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Cliff and Grace made it to the state road with Royce’s help. There, the three of them crouched behind the nearest cars, looking among the vehicles to see if Enoch had left anyone behind. No one was in sight, however, but there were the shuffling sounds of the dead wandering in the street, and the harsh sniffing of a nearby shambler.

  It had caught their scent.

  “I’ll take him out,” Royce said, evidently realizing he was still covered in gore.

  Cliff nodded, and watched as the young man snuck onto the road, taking on a staggering gait as he approached the shambler. The creature turned in his direction, catching his scent and stepping toward him to identify him. Royce reached behind him and unsheathed his knife.

  “Damn it,” Cliff said.

  “What?” Grace asked.

  “You can’t kill those things like that,” he said. “That knife will just bounce off its head.”

  He watched as Royce stabbed the shambler and staggered back as the creature swiped at him. He tripped over his own feet, falling to the road. The shambler hissed, shaking it head furiously to dislodge the knife. Cliff raised his rifle and put three rounds in its heart.

  Royce stood up, shrugging, then ran back over to join them.

  “That mold is like armor,” Cliff explained. “Stabbing them won’t work. Remember, if they’re dead, stab them in the head. But the mutants and the fungal things… you just gotta cause a lot of fatal damage.”

  “Right,” Royce said. “I forgot.”

  “Everything seems clear otherwise,” Cliff said, looking around. “I think I know how to get to Nashville from here.”

  “Tennessee?” Royce asked with a strange look.

  “Nashville, Indiana,” Cliff corrected. “It’s a small town nearby. I guess it’s our go-to place when we get split up. We just need to find a car that works.”

  “Damn, dawg,” Royce said, looking back into the forest.

  Cliff and Grace turned to look. In the distance, there was a bright glow that lit up the forest within. Smoke rose above the tree line, and the faint streaks of burning ash whizzed around in the air.

  “Looks like somebody set fire to the trees,” Cliff said. “That’s our cue. Shit’s hitting the fan.”

  Drew torched the brush on the edge of the small clearing he had found. He ran with his burning stick, touching the flame to the dry and dead weeds that were thick at the edges. Overheard, he saw, the clouds were churning as they gathered the strength to let loose a rainstorm. The rain would put the fire out, he reasoned.

  His ultimate goal was to attract Enoch to his location, and finish him off. Though he realized the infected would also be attracted, they would likely either be kept at bay by the flames, or they would ignite themselves trying to walk through it.

  Confident that the blaze was going well enough, he stood in the middle of the clearing, dropping the flaming branch and stuffing the grenade in his back pocket.

  “Enoch!” he shouted as loudly as he could. “Come get me fucker!”

  Outside the ring of fire, he could hear the infected approach. Their growls and shrieks came gradually, but became louder and more intense as a crowd of them gathered outside the perimeter. Drew didn’t care. He knew it was over anyway. But he was determined to take Enoch with him.

  A shambler dared to step through the flames to charge. Drew turned in its direction and poised himself for its approach. However, its clothing was engulfed in flames, and the fungus that covered its skin went up as well. It collapsed whimpering before it could even reach him. He laughed, stomping its skull with his boot.

  “Enoch!” he shouted again. “I’m waiting mother fucker!!!!”

  There was a sudden cacophony of growls and hisses on one side, then the sound of flesh being chopped. The deep and booming voice of a human followed, and several infected fell into the clearing, mangled and bloodied. Drew gulped, holding his breath as a dark and giant figure slowly stepped right through the flame.

  He was huge. He stood at least six five, three hundred pounds, and with a demeanor to match. Enoch wore an Army field jacket, black khaki pants, a black bandana, and wielded an oddly brutal-looking weapon. It was a sledge hammer handle with what looked like a broken gear bolted to it. It sent shivers up Drew’s spine, but he stood fast, glaring at the man’s dark and raging eyes.

  “Drew,” Enoch said.

  His voice was deep, bellowing; almost Darth Vader-like.

  “Hey there, Enoch,” Drew said. “How’s things?”

  Enoch grinned, his perfect white teeth standing out in contrast to his super-dark skin. “Oh,” he said. “Things are real good now.”

  Enoch cocked his head, looking Drew over and sizing him up. “So you the punk ass mutha fucka who killed my brutha.”

  Drew smiled crookedly. “Yeah,” he said. “He went real easy. Just one bullet in the head and that super-prick went bye bye. It was stellar.”

  Enoch stared at him for a moment, then grinned again. “I see you got bit.”

  Drew reached up and showed his wound, feeling the sting of it when Enoch mentioned it. “Yeah, it was a nasty one, too. Hurts like a bitch.”

  “Well,” Enoch said, lowering his axe. “Maybe I should just let you turn. Let you walk around like one of those freaky mutha fuckas that climb walls and shit. That’s a fate worse than death, don’t you think?”

  “Sure,” Drew said. “But where’s the fun in that?”

  Enoch nodded, sticking his bottom lip out in agreement. “True. This is much more fun.”

  Suddenly, Enoch raised his weapon and charged. Drew ducked and jumped out of the way, feeling the wind of the giant weapon as it passed just inches from his back. As he spun around, the weapon came down in a vertical chop, shaking the ground with the impact. Enoch seemed unfazed by the weapon’s bulk, pulling it out of the ground almost effortlessly.

  “I’m gonna smash yo’ brains in,” he growled.

  “You gotta catch me first,” Drew taunted him. “But you’re too big and dumb to do that.”

  Enoch charged again, this time swinging downward at an angle. Drew rolled away, grimacing in pain as his wound touched the ground. He rolled to his feet near the flames just as a shambler reached through with a hissing growl. Drew grabbed its arm and pulled with all his might, flinging the creature toward his attacker. Enoch kicked the thing in the gut, knocking it onto its back, and then chopped downward with his axe, splitting its head in two.

  “Oooooh,” Enoch said, thrilled. “That was good. That was real goooooood.”

  He charged again, swinging horizontally. Drew dodged the attack, ducking behind him and kicking at the back of his knee. Enoch stumbled forward, and Drew threw a punch that connected with Enoch’s ear. He could feel the bones in his hand crack with the impact. Enoch’s head was like a cinder block.

  “Jesus Christ,” Drew s
aid. “You got a hard fucking head.”

  Enoch turned, smiling. He shook his head to ward off the pathetic blow. “What is this?” he asked. “You in fuckin’ Fight Club or some shit.”

  “Maybe,” Drew said, poising himself for another charge.

  It came quickly, the weapon chopped downward just as Drew dodged and spun, but Enoch managed to change the weapon’s direction and cut across, catching Drew in the hip. He went down, feeling the agonizing pain of his hip being shattered. It was the most painful thing he had ever felt, and he could only groan, helpless, as Enoch calmly walked toward him. He rolled onto his back, scooting away, attempting to get up onto his knees.

  “Go ahead,” Enoch said. “I know that hurts. I’ll let you get to yo’ knees like a good little victim.”

  Drew’s vision blurred with the pain, his breath came quickly as the shock began to settle over him. However, he managed to get to one knee, not wanting to give Enoch the satisfaction of being in such a submissive position. He laughed as Enoch approached, reaching behind him to grab the grenade in his right hand.

  “Well, well, well,” Enoch said. “I guess you got balls after all. Maybe I’ll cut them mutha fuckas off after I bash your ass in half.”

  Enoch began to chuckle, his face crunching up in a wicked smile that sent chills up Drew’s spine. He was dizzy, and Enoch’s image began to swim around, but he kept his focus. His thumb went into the grenade’s ring, slowly pulling it out and holding onto the spoon with his fingers. He smiled.

  “Whatchoo smilin’ ‘bout?” Enoch said, looking down his nose. “Are you ready to go now?”

  “Whenever you’re ready, asshole,” Drew mumbled, nearly unconscious.

  Enoch grinned again, spreading his feet wide and raising his weapon. Drew watched his feet, seeing that Enoch lifted his right foot off the ground ever so slightly. With one final growl, Drew mustered all of his strength, ignoring the pain, and shot upward as hard as he could. He impacted with Enoch’s waist, throwing him off balance in a desperate tackle.

  The world seemed to slow down as they fell. Drew’s right hand came out, flicking the grenade’s spoon away. The massive weapon flew out of Enoch’s hand and tumbled through the air, hitting the ground before they did. Drew could feel the impact as his weight was crushed against Enoch’s. He managed to land straddling the giant man, his left hand wrapping around his neck.

  Enoch’s breath was knocked away, and his mouth opened slowly as a groan escaped. Drew shoved the grenade in Enoch’s mouth, muffling his shouts. He could feel the grenade’s metal crack Enoch’s teeth with a satisfying snap. Enoch’s head impacted the ground, bouncing up against Drew’s hand. He shoved harder, reaching up with his other hand to put all of his weight on the grenade.

  Enoch’s eyes went wide as he realized his fate. Drew laughed at his expression of terror, gritting his own teeth as the end approached. With his last breath, Drew put his face right up against Enoch’s and cackled like a madman, glaring into those terrified eyes.

  “Let’s go to Hell, mother fucker!”

  Jake heard the explosion just as he encountered a small horde of the dead. It shook the very ground with a familiar boom. The grenade he had given Drew had gone off, hopefully ending the feud once and for all. He grieved for a moment, but then charged the dead, smashing them left and right, splitting their heads with the butt of his shotgun and stomping those that fell to his weight.

  He dropped everything he had but his machete. He had no more shotgun shells, no more bullets, and no more reason to carry on. He was doomed. The dead were too many. They horded around him as he fought like a Viking on his last breaths. He closed his eyes and attacked wildly, feeling the blade chop and slash the dead to pieces.

  But then there was the muffled sound of a suppressed gunshot. He kept swinging wildly as the shooting continued, but there were no more dead to kill. He swung at empty air, breathless and confused. When he stopped and opened his eyes, he saw Nathan standing there.

  “I got ‘em,” Nathan said. “Relax man.”

  “Fuck,” Jake said, leaning over to rest his hands on his knees. “Where the fuck did you come from?”

  “I ran back into the house to grab my pack and a gun,” Nathan said. “When I came back out, Dan and Eric were gone.”

  “Damn,” Jake said, gathering up his gear. “I saw the RV head down into the woods. Eric knows where he’s going. We might be able to catch them.”

  “What happened to Drew?”

  “I gave him my last grenade and he went in search of Enoch.”

  “Why?”

  “He got bit,” Jake said. “Bad.”

  “I’m sorry, man,” Nathan offered. “He was a good guy. Funny, too.”

  “He died well. Just like a Viking.”

  “Alright, buddy,” Nathan said, helping him gather his things. “Let’s go find everyone else.”

  “I have a question,” Jake said. “Are all of you people as tough as nails?”

  “You people?” Nathan repeated, laughing. “You mean homos?”

  Jake laughed. “Well, I wasn’t gonna say that… but I guess so.”

  “Yeah,” Nathan said. “We all belong to secret fight-like-a-girl clubs. We kick each other’s dainty little asses every Saturday night and then have giant orgies.”

  “Is there beer involved?”

  “Of course,” Nathan said. “We’re still men.”

  Jake chuckled, putting his arm around Nathan. “Well, whatever the case, I’m glad you showed up. Let’s go find our friends.”

  Max led Toni onto the main road. There were cars parked everywhere on either side; all lined up like a funeral procession. It was clearly Enoch’s group—their cars, anyway. No one else was in sight. Max put Toni in the passenger seat of one of the smaller cars, kneeling down to check her over.

  “Are you alright,” he asked.

  Toni nodded slowly, her mouth hanging open. Max knew she was in shock. She loved Travis, he knew. They all did. He too grieved, but Toni seemed to be affected by it more than he was. Her revolvers were nowhere to be seen. She must have dropped them. That was definitely a sign that she was out of it.

  “Just lean back in the seat there,” he said, looking over to the driver’s side.

  The keys were in the ignition. He stood up, closed Toni’s door, and got in the driver’s seat. Just then, there was an explosion. He jumped with surprise, turning to see a massive fireball erupting from the burning forest. Something had blown up, he knew. Maybe it was the propane tank.

  He slammed the door, looking over at Toni. She was motionless, other than her breathing. He put his hand on her knee as he turned the key. She looked down at his hand, closed her eyes, and began to weep again. She put her hand on his and squeezed.

  “I’ll miss him,” Max said. “We all will. But I’ll take care of you. I’ll get us out of here and we’ll find Dan and the others. I promise.”

  Toni was silent, but Max knew she had heard him. He put the car in gear and pulled onto the road. It was quite a drive to Nashville, he knew, especially taking these back roads. But then again, Nashville was pretty much on a back road—somewhat.

  Eric managed to navigate around the small bridge and back onto the main road without too much trouble. Toby stayed in the back with Dan, watching over him. Eric was proud of the boy. He had not only saved Dan’s life but had killed the creature on the roof by himself. And he did all of this without a second thought. It just came naturally to him, as everything did.

  The boy was bulletproof.

  Eric’s thoughts went to his dad. Though he knew Toni would do her best to take care of him, she wasn’t a superhero. She was just as human as everyone else, despite her toughness. Nevertheless, he had faith in her. She would get the old man to safety.

  As he drove on through the night, he kept his attention focused on the makeshift serpentine belt he had fashioned out of some of Betty’s old nylons. He had learned that trick a long time ago. The key was to use silk, which is as strong
as steel in most cases. Thankfully, Betty was somewhat of a freak—even before her transformation into the monster.

  That got him thinking about her and what happened to her during the battle. When he and Dan had left her, she was doing what she could to get over the killing of her mutant children. She had killed them herself; perhaps out of disgust or regret. Either way Betty was a monster, and leaving her alive was probably not a great idea.

  “Eric,” Toby said as he settled down into the passenger seat. “How far are we?”

  “We should be there in about twenty minutes.”

  “Well, I was thinking maybe we should keep an eye out for the others along the way. Enoch must have left cars behind, so they could have taken a few.”

  “True,” Eric agreed. “But they all know where to go. The ones we really have to watch out for are the ones who were on foot.”

  “Jake and Drew, then.”

  “Yeah. Toni and my Dad were in her car. Cliff and Grace went toward the road, so they should be in a car. They’ll be there eventually.”

  “I hope so,” Toby said.

  Eric smiled, looking over at the boy. He knew that Dan would be proud of him, and couldn’t wait to tell him how Toby saved the day. Maybe a little encouragement on his own part would help.

  “You did real good, buddy,” he said. “You killed that monster and took care things like a real man. My dad would be proud of you, and so would Dan.”

  Toby nodded with a slight smile. “I did what I had to do to protect my family.”

  Family, Eric thought. That was pretty accurate, he realized. They really were a family in every sense of the word. Even in the normal world, he had never had so many close friends; zero friends, in fact, that he would call family.

  “That’s what a real man does,” he said. “Yep.”

  Toby smiled.

  Betty sat on the roof of her house. She watched the forest around her burn, accepting the fact that everything was truly over for her. Though the rain would put out the flames, the house would still burn down by the time the storm began.