by Phil Maxey
As the chopper approached the walls, carcasses of hundreds of various E.L.F’s lay dormant and rotting. Zach caught sight of something moving a hundred yards from the wall, and a fiery red dotted line streaked out from one of the machine gun posts. The wall seemed to be made of a combination of cement and steel sections and as they flew over it they could see soldiers walking on the top part that was easily thirty-foot across.
“It’s some sight,” Jones said to Zach, who gave an agreeing nod. “Our landing zone is just a few minutes to the east.”
Below the drone of the chopper, people milled around between shops and homes. Kids even ran around happily in makeshift play areas. Many buildings were still being constructed and intermingled with everything were towers standing seven to eight storys high, with gun emplacements on top of them.
The chopper approached what looked like an old highway, with flat sandy looking ground all around it. Soldiers with stretchers, and a small group with Humvees stood near an off colored landing pad. The chopper descended sending sand and dust swirling. Once on the ground, the soldier slid the door open and jumped out. Zach and the others followed and were led towards a middle-aged, slim-faced, red-headed woman in military uniform, who instantly put her hand out as Zach approached.
“This is Zach, General,” said Jones.
“I’m General Trow. I understand you lost one of your group during the rescue. Please accept my condolences.” Zach nodded again, shaking her hand. The rest of the group repeated the gesture.
“Our medical team is going to take you to our hospital, then we should talk,” said Trow.
“Okay,” said Zach. It was the first words he had said since Ray’s death and they almost got stuck in his throat.
Climbing into the back of the Humvee, felt just as unreal for Zach as the past previous days. It had been eight years since he had rode in one. Daily he would patrol the base with his, and for a fraction of a moment he was back there on his previous base riding in his vehicle and everything else seemed like a dream. His eyes felt heavy, he was more tired than he had realized, and a bed of any kind right now seemed a good idea. The short journey to one of the military bases in Camp Bravo took them past small groups of people in the streets, and newly constructed multistory homes. Eventually they pulled up in front of a two-story building with a broken sign on the front that read, “Amery School”, a few nurses in military attire were waiting outside, and led them all into a room on the second floor with beds.
Zach collapsed into the one near the door, his whole body feeling drained of usefulness. Hardly having the strength, he pulled his boots off, and dropped his backpack onto the floor. Looking across at the rest of the group, he could see each person falling into their own bed, including Fiona who groaned as she did.
A nurse entered the room, with a tray of syringes.
“I need to take everyone’s blood,” said the nurse.
“And why’s that?” said Fiona.
“We take samples from all new arrivals, it helps us keep track of any infectious diseases that have arrived in the camp.”
Zach thought that if Ray were here he would be complaining right about now. He held his arm out. “Sure do what you got to do.” After the nurse took his sample, he lay back in the bed. He knew he should probably get back up, and learn more about where they were, but he was too tired. Sleep came quickly.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“Zach… Zach.” Abbey nudged Zach’s arm, which was hanging out of the hospital bed. Slowly he opened his eyes, and saw Abbey close to him. Behind her everyone else was sitting up in their beds. General Trow and another high-ranking officer were standing next to the door.
“Wake up, we have to go to another room,” said Abbey.
He slowly pushed himself to a sitting position, and looked over at the general. “What can we do for you, General?” He started pulling his boots back on.
“It’s more what we I can do for you. But you all need to follow Captain Jackson.”
A tall, slim dark-haired man in military uniform stood near the general, holding the door open. “This way everyone.”
Zach got up, followed by everyone else, Cal was the last to stand. As they walked out into the hallway, General Trow stood waiting.
“Captain Jackson is our liaison officer and has a very special role in the camp. Later I’ll need to talk to all of you individually. But for today please get to know the camp.” Trow then disappeared off down the stairs with some accompanying soldiers.
“This way please.” Jackson led the group along a winding route through the makeshift hospital. Eventually they came to a large room, with many chairs and tables with food on. In the center were four people sitting, a dark-haired man in his forties, a teenage girl, and an elderly couple. They stood up as the group started to enter.
“Mother?” Michael said in Mandarin.
The elderly woman started to hold out her arms, as Michael not believing what was happening staggered forward into her embrace.
“Dee?” Ethan Lee stepped forward his face lighting up with a smile, while tears started to roll down his face.
“Dad!” Dee sprinted forward into the arms of his father, and hugged him tight.
The thin teenage girl with long mousey brown hair stood looking awkward, every now and again glancing at Fiona.
Captain Jackson walked to the girl prompting her to step forward. “Fiona, we believe Stephanie is your daughter.”
Fiona put her hand to her mouth, and started to cry.
“Hi,” said Stephanie. Fiona ran forward, wrapping her arms around her daughter and squeezing her tight. Tears ran from the eyes of most of the group as they all stood watching the happiness in front of them.
“We have taken in quite a few from the other camps, when we do, their names go into a database which quickly tells us if anyone is related or not. It even includes court related cases such as adoptions,” said Jackson with a big smile on his face. “I’ll give you folks some time alone.” he then left the room.
“You never came for me,” said Dee, in between sobs.
“I looked everywhere for you son, I returned home, hoping you were there, but then the army came and forced me to evacuate, I kept trying to return to Roswell, but they kept telling me it was too dangerous,” said Ethan. “Are you hungry? Let me look at you.” He pushed Dee gently away from him and kneeled down, feeling his arms.
“I’m good, everyone took care of me.”
Ethan looked up at the group. Zach stepped forward and put his hand out.
“I’m Zach. We found your boy at your office, he had been living there.”
“Thank you so much for taking care of him,” said Ethan, shaking Zach’s hand. Michael sat down with his parents, who were talking at a furious pace.
“I could sure do with one of those ham rolls,” said Jacob moving to the table with food on it.
“Shall we all eat?” said Abbey.
Everyone sat at the tables. Fiona finally let go of her daughter, both sitting next to each other. She started to say something but hesitated being unsure how to word her thoughts.
“You want to know if my parents are here?” said Stephanie.
“Yes, sorry, I don’t know anything… about you,” said Fiona.
Stephanie looked down, her hands locked together. “My family was killed early on trying to get to the San Diego camp.” She sighed then continued. “Me and some others were picked up by helicopter and eventually we ended up here.”
Fiona held her hand. “I’m so sorry.”
Across the table, bowls of fruit, packets of chips, ham rolls were being attacked at a good pace, in between conversations full of monsters.
Zach noticed Abbey was quiet. “They could still be out there. There’s always hope.” He put his arm around her shoulder.
She looked up at him and forced a smile. “I know.”
After an hour of eating and conversation, Captain Jackson returned.
“I hope you are all caught up. I�
��ll now show you to your accommodation in the camp. Feel free to take any of the food with you, we try not to waste anything for obvious reasons,” he said with a smile. Jacob and Stephanie both grabbed some chips and some more ham rolls.
Jackson led the group down some stairs to waiting cars.
“I know you probably prefer to be housed together, but due to accommodation shortages, we have to put people where we can. Ethan, you and your boy will go in this car,” said Captain Jackson holding the car door open.
Ethan went to get into the back of the car, when Dee ran and hugged Abbey.
“Thank you for helping me,” said Dee, who then backed off a bit and held out his hand to Zach.
“You’re welcome young man, I’m sure we’ll meet up soon,” said Zach, shaking Dee’s hand. Dee then turned and ran back to his father, who waved then got into the car with Dee.
Captain Jackson led Zach, Abbey and Jacob to the next car. “If you don’t mind sharing, we have a newly built apartment with three singles in it.”
Zach, turned to Michael and Cal and went to shake hands, but Michael pulled him in for a hug.
“Congratulations on finding your parents,” said Zach.
“More they found me,” replied Michael with a smile.
“Will you be staying with them?” Michael looked at Captain Jackson.
“If they want him,” said Jackson. Michael, Cal, and Zach laughed. Cal put his hand out and Zach shook it.
“I have no idea where they are going to put us, but we should stay in touch,” said Zach. Michael, Cal and Fiona nodded. They then got into the car.
Michael’s mother walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder and said something in Mandarin.
“Okay, looks like I better go now, don’t be a stranger okay?” said Michael, hugging Cal then Fiona. Cal and Fiona stood, the last two of the group. Jackson led them and Stephanie to the last car.
“Stephanie has been staying with a family, but we have a room with two single beds for you and Cal,” said Jackson. Fiona went to say something, but Jackson interjected. “It’s not far from where Stephanie is staying. We will drop Stephanie off first.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
The green sedan with military markings on it, raced through streets that were still being constructed and past buildings that would soon contain extra floors. Building was happening everywhere, most of it vertical. Fiona held her daughter’s hand. She wasn’t sure her daughter wanted that but she didn’t care. It felt distinctly weird for Fiona to say the word “Daughter” but weird in a good way. Looking at Stephanie she felt proud and guilty at the same time, but from the first moment she saw her she had not stopped smiling.
Cal held onto his M4, its barrel pointing down between his legs. He was glad nobody tried to take it from him. That might have been a problem.
The driver told them they were going to the southeast quadrant, which the people who lived there now called ‘Granite’ due to the fact that it contained Granite Falls along its south border. He told them it had acted as a good buffer from many attacks from the south, and was a great source of water. After about a fifteen minute drive they arrived in a well-kept street, with single story homes on both sides. The car pulled up to one, with a man and woman in their late thirties waiting outside.
“This is me,” said Stephanie.
“Oh, okay good. Are they your foster parents?” said Fiona not letting go of her daughter’s hand.
“No, just a couple who I stay with, they have other kids staying with them too,” said Stephanie.
Fiona could feel her daughter pulling her hand so she let go. Stephanie opened the car door, and stepped out. Fiona went to get out as well, but Stephanie had already closed the door behind her, and ran towards the couple.
“By for now! I’ll check in with you tomorrow!” said Fiona as she lowered the window in the back of the car. Stephanie waved then retreated inside. Fiona glanced over to Cal, who seemed not to notice the pause in their journey.
After another ten minutes they arrived at a newly built tower block.
“This block is cleaner than the one I grew up in,” said Cal, looking upwards at the twelve floors above their heads.
“Give it time,” said the driver, leaning back and throwing a set of keys to Fiona. “Tenth floor, Apartment C.”
As they entered the building, fresh paint filled the air, and kids ran around them, playing chase in the lobby.
An old man with a scar on his forehead, sat on a chair. “Takes me a while to get up these stairs, you would have thought they would have built an elevator!”
The walk up ten flights took more out of them than they thought it would and they arrived outside Flat C just wanting to find more beds. Fiona turned the key and they both walked in. The interior was one large room, with two single beds at one end and an old sofa and TV at the other. One room led to a small bathroom, and another to a kitchen. A window in the middle of the room looked south towards the wall, and another above one of the beds looked west back towards the rest of the camp. Fiona dropped her backpack on the floor and walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge.
“Eggs.”
“Better than no eggs,” said Cal, dropping his backpack on the bed near the window, and leaning the gun up against the wall. Kneeling on the bed he looked out across the camp. Compared to where they had come from the view in front of his eyes was the opposite. Trees and hills for miles in each direction, interspersed with roads and various red brick buildings. There was construction here as well, but not nearly as much as the areas they had previously come through.
“I think we lucked out with being in this quadrant. There’s still room to breath here,” said Fiona.
“For now. There are a lot of people behind these walls.”
“What do you mean?”
“The worlds ended. Humanity is just about hanging on and what’s left of America is crammed behind these walls. All races, creeds, religions, and genders desperate to survive. And whatever the fuck those things are outside trying to kill all of us.”
Fiona sighed. “The odds are not good are they?”
“No.” Cal turned and sat on the bed, his head up against the window frame. “Must have been weird seeing your kid.”
“I’m still getting my head around it.”
A knock came from the front door. Cal picked up his gun.
Fiona walked over to the door. “What do you want?”
“I saw you come in, just wanted to say hi.” A woman’s voice came from beyond the door. Cal put the gun down.
“Yeah, thanks," said Fiona, unsure how to respond.
“Okay then. Well if you need anything I’m across the hall.” Footsteps could be heard followed by a door opening, the sound of a screaming baby, then the door closing.
“Shit. I should have asked her about where to get food. Three eggs aren’t going to last us long,” said Fiona.
Cal picked up his gun for the second time. “Why don’t we go and find some?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Zach, Abbey and Jacob remained quiet for the journey to their new home. The driver informed them that the southwest and northwest quadrants were the most populated, holding nearly eight million people, and that some architect working for the council had told him that it was the quickest a city had been built in history. What were once lush fields and trees was now awash with concrete tower blocks and pulsing streets full of vendors selling home made goods and everything else you could imagine.
As Zach watched the buildings flash by he thought how artificial it all looked, mostly because it was still so clean. He remarked to the driver how there doesn’t seem to be many cars around, and was told that gasoline is expensive, so most people ride bicycles, especially seeing how flat most of the terrain was. Eventually they arrived at a tower block with the unexciting name of ‘Block fifty nine’.
“You’re on the second floor. Apartment A,” said the driver handing the keys to Zach who looked up at their new home.
Laundry hung from many of the windows, and tattooed young men sat on walls outside, with seemingly nothing to do. Before leaving, the driver told them he would be back in the morning to pick them up, but before Zach could ask why, he had driven off.
The young men sniggered as they walked past them. “Welcome to paradise,” one of them said, smiling.
After a short walk up to the second floor, they walked into their new home.
Zach sighed after seeing there was just one double bed and one single. “I’ll take the sofa, you take the double and Jacob you can have the single.” He then put this backpack down in the living room. Abbey went to say something but instead just nodded.
“So we have TV, I don’t imagine much is on,” said Jacob from the living room, which was a small size with just enough room for one sofa, and table and chairs up against the wall under the only window. Behind the sofa was an old looking bicycle.
“I guess that’s how we will be getting around,” said Zach.
There was also a main bedroom and a small bedroom with the single bed. A small kitchen ran off from the living room together with a small bathroom. Abbey sat on the double bed.
“Let’s see what food we got,” said Zach as he passed the main bedroom and walked into the kitchen. “Three eggs.” As he stared into the fridge he thought back two days before when Michael made them a breakfast, so much had happened since then. He sighed then closed the fridge door. “Did anyone tell us how to get food? Or what everyone uses for currency? Are they still using the dollar?”
“They gave me some ration vouchers,” said Abbey, standing in the hallway. “I have no idea how you use them.”
Zach emptied his backpack onto the sofa. The only food he had left was a can of tuna.