On the deck, Nathan started to panic. Bouncing over the body and leaning to the left had knocked him off balance. He slid several inches in that direction. A deader grabbed his leg and pulled, nearly yanking Nathan off the truck. Only his tentative grasp on the bed kept him from falling off. He kicked at its face, the heel of his shoe slamming into its jaw and dislocating the bones. By now, two others moved in to share the food. Nathan swung his leg around, making it difficult to grab. As he did, he reached around his stomach with his left hand, withdrew the M&P 40 from its holster, and fired as best he could into the living dead clutching at him. Aiming with his left hand was bad enough. Firing when the pick-up rocked back and forth was stupid. Most of the bullets missed. Half slammed harmlessly into dead flesh. One struck a deader in an MP uniform in the forehead, blowing off the back of its skull but having no other effect. Another grazed Nathan’s leg, missing by an inch.
On the fourth rock, Alissa felt the left rear wheel gain traction. She spun the steering wheel left. The tire spun for a second, slipped out of the carcass, and touched the road. The pick-up bolted forward, picking up speed. Nathan felt his body move along the deck. Those clawing at him fell away, but only for a second before giving chase. He aimed at them, emptying the chamber at the pursuers, knowing none of the rounds would hit but needing a way to vent his anger and fear.
Alissa sped ahead at close to forty mile per hour. When she reached the end of the airport, having put several hundred feet between her and the horde, she stopped and roll down her window.
“Get in.”
Nathan rolled off the bed, whipped open the passenger door, and closed it as Alissa drove off.
“Are you okay? You weren’t bit, were you?”
Nathan panted several times, trying to catch his breath. “I’m fine. You almost lost me back there, though.”
“Sorry about that.”
“I’ll forgive you.” Nathan grinned. “This time.”
Alissa forced a smile, her attention drawn instead to the rearview mirror searching for the Land Rover. There were no signs of it. Miriam should have been able to get out of the situation with no difficulties. Still, if Alissa did not find them in the next few minutes. she would go back and search.
They left Moultonborough and headed north.
Chapter Nine
They caught up with the others at a convenient store/gas station several miles down the road at Bennett Corners, a small crossroads with only a few buildings in sight. Miriam had parked by one of the pumps. Steve filled the Land Rover with gas. Miriam and the kids stared at the front of the vehicle, Kiera clearly repulsed, Little Stevie laughing, and Miriam somewhere in between. As Alissa pulled in, she noticed a deader’s severed arm stuck to the front, the fingers lodged in the grill. Miriam pulled half a dozen paper towels from the dispenser by the pumps and, using them like a glove, pulled the limb off the vehicle, the fingers still moving, and tossed it into the waste basket. Kiera yelled something and ran away while Little Stevie stared into the bin.
Alissa pulled in at the pump opposite the Land Rover, shut down the engine, and climbed out. Alissa motioned toward the waste basket.
“I see you picked up a souvenir.”
“You as well.” Steve pointed to the Ram’s right rear fender.
Blood mixed with small pieces of flesh and muscle formed a spray pattern on the fender, the result of Alissa spinning the tire when it got stuck in the deader. They had commandeered these vehicles less than six hours ago and already each had become a banged up mess.
“I’ll pump the gas,” said Nathan, then paused. “Can I borrow your credit card?”
Alissa removed it from her jean’s pocket and handed it to him. While the tank filled, Nathan tried to use the squeegee to clear the blood off the fender but the cold had frozen the water.
When Steve finished filling up the Land Rover, he and Miriam joined Alissa and Nathan.
“We’re concerned about heading for North Conway,” said Steve. “We vacationed there a few summers ago and remember the town being pretty big.”
“We’re still shaken up by that last encounter,” added Miriam. “We figure the chances are good we’ll run into a lot more if we make a run through North Conway.”
Steve nodded. “Is there another way we can go?”
“It’s even riskier.” Alissa opened the door to the pick-up and removed the map from the dashboard, unfolding it against the front fender. She pointed at their current location and ran her finger west across the map. “The only other way to go is up I-93 and come in from the west. To do that, we’ll have to cut through the city of Plymouth to pick up I-93 north. That’s assuming the deaders haven’t moved this far north, which is possible.”
Alissa moved her finger back to their current position, ran it up through North Conway, then west along Route 302. “Once we get past North Conway it’s clear sailing. My cabin is located ten miles outside of town in the mountains.”
Miriam peered over her shoulder to be certain the kids were not listening. “Be truthful. What are the chances of getting through North Conway without being swarmed by deaders?”
“Better than you think.” Alissa smiled. “As you enter Conway there’s a residential road that cuts north. It bypasses the center of town and the tourist areas, and eventually hooks up with the main road north of town.”
Steve and Miriam conferred with each other via a glance. “It sounds good to me,” she said.
“It’s our safest route,” added Nathan who finished filling the tank and replaced the nozzle back onto the pump.
Steve nodded his assent. “I’m in. I assume you’ll lead the way since you know this area best.”
“I will. What time is it?”
Miriam checked her watch. “It’s about a quarter till eleven.”
“Then we should be at the cabin early afternoon with plenty of daylight to spare, assuming we don’t run into a clusterfuck.”
Miriam rolled her eyes. “God forbid.”
“We ready?” asked Nathan.
Everyone responded in the affirmative.
“Let’s roll.”
Alissa and Miriam took the driver’s seats of their respective vehicles and started the engines as the others took up their positions. Alissa pulled out onto Route 25 and headed east with Miriam one hundred feet behind her.
* * *
They drove a few miles before turning left onto Route 113 and following that for another few miles before catching Route 16 north of Chocorua. This road led them through miles of countryside before entering the southern outskirts of Conway. They had not spotted a single living person since leaving Moultonborough. Now, however, signs of life became more evident. Cars lined up at the ATM and the Mobil station where gas prices had gone up to twenty dollars a gallon. Three Conway squad cars sat out in front of the gas station, five of the officers trying to maintain order while the sixth argued with the station owner. Alissa could feel the fear and frustration hanging heavy in the air. They had to get clear of this area before tension flared into violence.
Less than a mile into Conway, they came upon Kancamagus Highway, the bypass around North Conway, a two-lane road that wound through the forests for miles, occasionally passing a cluster of homes or a scenic overlook. They followed it, swerving around a line of cars and RVs waiting to enter the Saco Ranger Station. These people were searching for a place to stay, information, and a guarantee of safety, the latter of which could not be promised. Alissa cruised by, hoping not to attract attention. The last thing they needed would be to have a group seeking refuge following them to their sanctuary. No one broke ranks and fell in behind them. All the campgrounds had barricades in front of their driveways with posted signs notifying the refugee that they were full. The overflow had set up camp in the overlooks, smartly seeking a secure place away from the mass of people who, when overrun by the deaders, would merely add numbers to the horde. They passed a dozen cars and a few RVs, either locales preparing for the inevitable or the displaced search
ing for a spot to ride out the storm. No one paid any attention to her.
After driving for five miles, the Kancamagus Highway merged again with Route 302 at Cooks Crossing. They followed it into the mountains for another few miles before Alissa came to a small unpaved road leading to her cabin and entered it. Five minutes later they reached their destination.
The sun made its slow descent to the west, giving them more than enough time to unload and settle in before nightfall.
“We’re here.”
Nathan whistled under his breath. “When you said a cabin, I pictured two or three rooms. This is a small house.”
Which, in fact, it was. When buying a place in the mountains, Paul had insisted on purchasing something big enough to hold family and friends in case they needed to ride out a crisis. The cabin had four bedrooms on the second floor, each with its own bath. She appreciated the deck out back and its view of the mountains, the perfect location to relax.
Alissa pulled up in front of the door and parked. Miriam stopped alongside her. As Miriam got out, she smiled.
“I don’t think I’m going to want to leave here.”
“We might not be able to,” added Steve.
Alissa climbed the three stairs leading to the front porch and lifted the cover to a keypad mounted on the wall to the left of the door.
“Really?” asked Nathan.
“Paul always said a key could be lost or stolen. This was more secure.”
“What’s the code?”
“My birthday.”
She typed the numbers into the keypad. The door buzzed. Alissa pushed it open and flicked on the light switch. The others entered.
The living room/dining room took up most of the first floor. The inside had been decorated with thick wooden logs for the beams and structural supports and smaller logs composing the railing leading upstairs and across the second-floor landing. Polished oak covered the floors. A fireplace dominated the wall to their left, twice the size of a normal one and constructed of large stones rather than bricks. Directly ahead of them stood a pair of French doors that opened onto the back deck with a spectacular view of the mountains, including Mount Washington in the distance. To the right, beyond the dining table, stood the entrance to the kitchen. A staircase in the far-right corner led up to the second floor.
Miriam could not help but stare. “Alissa, this place is gorgeous.”
“Thanks. Paul and I put a lot of money into it figuring we would retire here someday. I never expected this.”
Kiera entered clutching her leather jacket and boots. “Is this where we’re staying?”
“It is,” Alissa answered.
“Pissah.”
Alissa chuckled. “I’m glad you approve. There are four bedrooms upstairs. The one at the end of the hall on the right is my room. Miriam, you and Steve can have the bedroom across from mine. The kids can share the room by you and Nathan can take the one by me. There are some extra clothes in the closet in the master bedroom if you need to change. Take what you need, we’ll burn the dirty ones later. Does that sound good?”
“It sounds perfect,” Miriam said. “Thank you.”
Everyone began bringing things into the house. When Kiera passed by, Alissa asked, “Can you do me a favor, hon?”
“Sure.”
“Could you bring Archer inside and put him in my bedroom, but keep the case closed. I want him to calm down a bit before I let him out.”
“No problem.”
Alissa entered the kitchen and made her way over to the counter where a telephone and answering machine were connected to the landline. A “3” showed on the LED display. She pressed the play button.
The first message was from Paul from six weeks ago. “Alissa, it’s Paul. I’ve been upgrading the cabin and adding some things to the grounds. If you pop by and it’s a mess, sorry.”
The second was from Paul from five weeks ago. “Me again. Everything is done. I added a safe to the bedroom. All the manuals and keys are in there If you have any questions, feel free to call. Later.”
The last message was also from Paul, this one from a few hours ago. His voice seemed strained and on edge, and the sound of screaming and sirens could be heard in the background. “I’ve been trying to reach you on your cell phone but can’t get through, which doesn’t surprise me. I hope you were able to get out safely and are listening to this. I’m trying to make my way to the cabin, but things have gone to shit here. I’m talking a full-fledged cesspool. If you make it to the cabin, hang tight. I’ll be there as—” The connection went dead.
Alissa wiped away the tear that ran down her cheek. Paul might be asshole, but he still cared for and watched out for her.
Archer’s incessant meowing brought her back to reality. Alissa exited the kitchen in time to see Kiera hauling his carry case upstairs. He would be a pain in the ass for the rest of the night.
Little Stevie opened the screen door for Nathan who entered carrying three thirty-six-packs of toilet paper. “Where do you want these?”
She grinned. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I have three more of these in the pick-up.”
“You’re funny.”
“You wouldn’t be laughing if we ran out.”
“Okay, you win. Place on them on the dining room table for now. We can put everything away later.”
It took less than thirty minutes to empty the Ram and the Land Rover. Alissa had to admire Nathan’s organizational skills. He had scoured the drugstore for the necessities: canned foods, protein bars, cat food and kitty litter, cases of bottled water, and flashlights and batteries. Of course, Paul the Prepper had already stockpiled the cabin with enough of these to last six months. What impressed Alissa were the things Nathan had picked up she had not thought of: tampons and pads, a variety of socks and underpants (although those for the women looked like something her granny would wear), a few toys for Little Stevie and Archer, candy bars for the kids, and three bags filled with cigarettes. When she questioned him on the latter, he noted that, with the economy trashed, things like alcohol and cigarettes would be the new currency. Nathan was a good cop and someday would make a good father.
If they all lived long enough.
* * *
After the initial excitement of arriving at the cabin had worn off, everyone crashed from exhaustion, no one wanting to eat or shower. Alissa made sure everyone had what they needed before retiring. Archer sat in his carrier, still complaining but much less than before. When she let him out, he darted across the bed, jumped onto the floor, and made a beeline for the bathroom where she kept his litter box. She followed him, relieving herself and washing her face and hands, then stumbled back into the bedroom.
She noticed the gun safe in the corner. The damn thing could hold two people. A note had been taped to the door.
Everything you need is inside. The combo is your birthday.
Alissa would check it tomorrow. Right now, she could barely keep her eyes open. She stripped out of her dirty clothes and climbed into bed in her underwear. She felt pressure on the bed and heard Archer meow as he crossed the mattress and curled up on the pillow around her head. Alissa fell to sleep listening to Archer purr contentedly.
Chapter Ten
January 20
I’m writing this journal to document the events of the deader outbreak so someday future generations will have an accurate history of what happened. If there is a future generation.
Who am I kidding? I’m writing this journal because I’m bored out of my mind. We’ve been in this cabin for six weeks with nothing to do for the last month. It was either this or succumb to cabin fever.
The first few weeks after we arrived at the cabin were interesting. Paul has been busy up here since the separation. He installed solar panels on the roof and a water filtration system in the backyard, chopped enough fire wood to keep us warm through the winter, and stockpiled enough MREs and canned goods to last two people two years, or eight months for the six of us. He pu
rchased an ATV and snowmobile for local travel, both of which we found in the shed out back. The biggest surprise was inside the gun safe. Paul had purchased a mini-arsenal—two .308 R1A1 FN FAL battle rifles, an Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle that doubled as a sniper rifle, two Model 610 10mm Smith and Wesson revolvers, two Colt .45 semi-automatic pistols, two machetes, two hunting knifes, and so many boxes of spare ammunition for each weapon that it seemed like Paul planned on going to war with all of New Hampshire. He spent most of his time and money on fortifying this place for us.
I still have not heard from him since we arrived.
Not that it’s any surprise. By the fourth day of the outbreak, our first full day in the cabin, the situation around the world had gone from critical to full deterioration. News services across the globe reported on society’s collapse. The virus had spread to every country and almost every major city had fallen or was on the verge of collapse.
Here in the States, the President had declared a State of Emergency and ordered an evacuation of the east and west coasts, surrendering everything east of the Mississippi River and west of the Rocky Mountains to the deaders. Before the President could be evacuated from Washington, deaders swarmed the White House. The President and a handful of staffers made it to Marine One and were transferred to Andrews where they boarded Air Force One for the escape to NORAD. According to unverified reports, someone on the plane turned and infected the others; Air Force One crashed in Pennsylvania with everyone on board killed.
Nurse Alissa vs. the Zombies (Book 2): Escape Page 8