Alec turned the radio back up to hear the pundits in full speculation mode. A man with a Boston sounding accent was talking. “It has to be aliens. How else could millions of people disappear all at once?” “I'm sorry, I just can't believe there are extraterrestrial beings out there zapping people away. Plus NASA has already confirmed they haven't picked up anything unusual,” retorted the woman to which he was apparently arguing. The Boston accented man continued his tirade, “Do you really think our technology would be able to detect a species as advanced as this? Who knows how far away they could be. They could even be using some sort of cloaking device.” The woman chuckled. “I just find it hard to believe we’re being invaded by some super advanced aliens. What would be the purpose?” This, apparently infuriated the man. “Since you're so enlightened, what do you think caused millions of people to suddenly disappear?” Her voice seemed a little strained as she replied “I really don't know, but there has to be some rational explanation.”
“Do you really think it was aliens?” Natalie skeptically asked. Alec turned the radio down again. “People are just confused and scared right now. I don’t know what it is going on, but I don’t think this was some alien abduction.” “What then? What could it have been?” Natalie asked. Alec paused at this, not really sure what to say. He had never really given extraterrestrial beings much thought, but he didn’t have any concrete evidence to dispute their existence. He supposed it would be a little strange if their planet was the only one in the entire universe with living organisms. “I'm not really sure if aliens exist or not, Natalie, but I’m not buying that aliens took my little girl.” “Well then what made all those people disappear?” She asked again, as if asking over and over would make him know the answer.
Alec looked over at his wife. What a beautiful mess. He could tell she was scared. He was too. Scared she might be taken from him next. Scared that he may not ever see his little girl again. “Natalie, honey, I...” “Watch out, Alec!” Natalie shouted. Alec’s eyes darted from Natalie back to the road as he instinctively yanked the wheel to the left, swerving around a stopped car in the middle of their lane. The car was obviously abandoned, sitting empty and idle in the middle of the highway. The car was nearly as dark as the shadows. “Geez,” Alec yelped as they narrowly missed the car. Natalie let out a deep breath, “I’m sorry. Just pay attention to the road right now. We can talk more when we get to the house.” She leaned forward and turned the radio back up, switching to another news channel.
“So what are you saying Pastor Donnie? Are you really saying this is the work of the God?” A man with a thick southern drawl, Pastor Donnie, Alec assumed, began to talk. “Sherri, I can't say that with any certainty, but the scriptures clearly state there will be some sort of rapture event. This could be the event that the prophets were referring to.” A deep voice scoffed loudly at the pastor’s statement. “You can't be serious, Father. You're telling me that your god did this?” Pastor Donnie didn’t take the cynicism laying down. “It's Pastor, not Father, and I can't be sure about anything. This is only my personal opinion, based upon my faith. To me, it makes perfect sense. Is it really any more difficult to believe this was a supernatural event than it is to believe it was aliens or some foreign government?” The deep voice bellowed a laugh. “So let me get this straight, Father. Your god left a bunch of children to suffer here on Earth while taking others? And what about pastors like you? How do you explain that?” Pastor Donnie didn’t lose his cool, almost as if he had been expecting this question. “Some things aren't for us to understand in this life, Mr. Holder.”
With that last exchange, Alec turned the radio off. “First aliens and now God? These people don’t know any more than we do,” Alec said, irritation lining his voice. He had only partially paid attention to the radio conversation, but he had heard enough to ruffle his feathers. “This is just another example of the media trying to boost ratings by speculating about things they have no concrete evidence about.” Alec couldn't stand the non-stop speculation on topics like this or missing airplanes. The big news networks seemed to bring in every “expert” to give their two cents, which was nothing but more speculation in an effort to increase their viewership, in his opinion. Alec didn’t care about their ratings or their theories. He wanted to know what happened to his daughter.
They turned into the small suburban neighborhood which was lined with cozy cottage style homes, all in perfect rows. These perfect rows were made up of tiny yards and little white picket fences. None of this was up his alley, but a few years back he finally accepted the words his grandfather had given him on his wedding day, “happy life, happy wife.” It had only taken Alec years of mistakes to learn how true those words were. How frivolous possessions seemed right now. He was thinking about Alexa, about the red clouds, the blinding light, and the strange sensation he got before all that happened. He was thinking about the word he heard. Infuse. Why had he heard the word? Did he truly even hear the voice or was that just his mind trying to cope with the pain. Infuse. Infuse what?
Alec noticed several cars scattered throughout the ordinarily orderly streets. Alec slowly guided his SUV around them. The absence of children playing was concerning. Typically driveways would be lit by floodlights as children played basketball, sidewalks would be crowded by hover boards and bicycles. As he pulled into the garage he checked his phone one more time. Still no word from his parents. “I’m going to try Mom and Dad one more time,” he told Natalie as she opened her door to head inside. “OK. What do you need me to be doing?” Natalie asked. “For now, nothing. Let me call them and then we’ll talk.”
The phone rang and rang. “Come on Mom, pick up the phone,” he pleaded. “This is the Hatten residence, sorry we missed your call.” Worry turned into dread, and Alec could feel the hope leaking out of him away like oil in a leaky pan as he exited the vehicle.
He checked the deadbolt on the garage door twice before double-checking all the doors in their home. There was an uneasiness within him for obvious reasons, but until now that he really hadn't paid much attention to it. Natalie called from the living room, “Alec, you aren’t going to the office tomorrow, are you?” Alec gave the back door one final jiggle then walked into the living room to find Natalie cuddled up on the couch under a fleece blanket. He didn’t really feel like talking about that right now. He didn’t feel like talking about anything. All he wanted to do was crawl into a corner and cry for his little girl, to devise a plan to find her. “No, I’m not going to leave you here alone. Not after today. I’ll text everyone from the store and let the team know we’ll be closed until further notice.”
Natalie looked down at her phone, checking the time. “Five minutes until the presidential address.” She paused for half a second, not even long enough for Alec to say anything, and then continued talking, “So what are we going to do about Meemie?” Alec sighed. “Do you really want to dodge cars on the freeway for eight hours? Well, eight hours if the roads are even passable.” She returned his question with a death stare. “Alec, would you be OK if it were your grandmother that was all alone?” He resisted the urge to lash out at her. This wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. “I don’t know. Probably not, Natalie, but I think it would be better to give it a day or two at least. Let them clear the roads and then I swear we can head down and pick her up.” Natalie still didn’t seem happy with the answer. “Promise you’ll go get her day after tomorrow?” Alec knew better than to promise, yet he found himself saying it anyways, “I promise we can go get her.”
Alec looked at the TV, hoping to avoid her searing gaze. Commentators were talking in a little square at the bottom of the screen while the bigger picture showed a blank podium. “I’m going to grab a glass of water. Want anything?” he asked. “Grab me a flavored water please. I don’t care what flavor.”
He walked around the corner of the living room and into the open kitchen to grab their drinks as his mind raced. Where could she be? What could have possibly done this? Ho
w can I even begin to find her? It was overwhelming. Even as his mind reeled about Alexa, the word still bounced around his mind. Infuse. What did that have to do with anything? The more he thought on it, the more certain he became that he had indeed heard the word. Ice clunked in his glass as the dispenser made the usual grinding noise.
“Alec!” Natalie yelled, her voice filled with panic. Alec cursed, nearly dropping the glass. “What now?” he yelled back as ran back to the living room, scared to know what else could possibly go wrong. Natalie stood with one hand over her mouth and as the other pointed towards the large flat screen TV. A script rolled across the bottom of the screen that confirmed Alec’s fears. The script read ‘Hundreds dead and more wounded in series of brutal attacks in Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, and Atlanta.’ Things were about to get even worse.
Chapter 8
Rays of starlight weaved through the pine trees atop the rolling hills to the east as Alec and Kable made their way back to the cabin. Alec’s family had mostly used the old one-story cabin as a weekend getaway for camping and hunting. In truth, it wasn't really a cabin at all, just a small house that set on a hill surrounded by fields and thick woods. Alec had never really enjoyed trips to the cabin, but now he was more grateful for it than he could have ever imagined. The cabin was their home, or at least the closest thing they had to a home.
Up to this point, the woods surrounding the cabin served two main purposes: helping to keep them hidden, both from the abominations or anyone else who might want the shelter it provided, and as an excellent source of wildlife they could hunt or trap. They mostly hunted deer and rabbits that nested in the forest, but they weren’t opposed to small game they came across, including squirrels and birds. In recent weeks, the wildlife had become more and more scarce. Alec wasn't sure if the scarcity was due to the time of year, the abominations, constant activity around the cabin, or just pure bad luck.
Nervous their food source would dry up; Alec and Kable had begun their scavenging trips on a more frequent basis, at least that’s what Alec told the others. Alec’s other, more hidden reason for the trips was much more personal. He viewed each trip as another chance to find Alexa. He kept the glimmer of hope alive that someone, somewhere, knew what happened to the disappeared. Accepting that she was dead was not an option. Not for him. Some might call him a fool, but what else was a father to do?
In the past few weeks Kable had ventured out with him several times to nearby stores and towns. Each trip they seemed to make it a little further, and each time with varying amounts of luck. Alec knew the trips were dangerous, especially the closer to the city they ventured, but he didn’t want to run out of supplies and finding any clue about Alexa’s disappearance was worth it. That being said, he hadn’t learned anymore about the disappearance than he knew on day one. There had been no evidence of an alien invasion, no super powers tried to assume responsibility (although some rogue factions tried), there had been nothing but wild guesses. The most popular guess still remained an alien abduction, followed by religious fanatics, who believed this was some sort of reaping. Alec didn’t know what to think. He had never believed in aliens and had certainly never believed in God, at least not in the same way as the evangelicals. However, after the supernatural events he had been through, he had begun to accept that some unexplained force had intervened. Whether that force was an advanced species or some supernatural power, Alec hadn’t the slightest clue. If he were being honest, he didn’t really care much about the how or why the events unfolded the way they had, he just wanted his little girl back.
They were still about three miles out from the cabin, but Alec nor Kable had spoken in the last half hour. The attack at the pharmacy, and the loss of their childhood friend Stephen weighed heavy on them both. It was Kable, who was a man of few words, who finally broke the silence, “hope that his sacrifice won't be in vain. Hope we aren't too late.” Alec was surprised to hear his friend verbalize anything with regards to his feelings. He knew it probably took a lot for him to do so, and knew that they were more for his benefit than Kable’s. The gesture meant more than he knew.
Alec was slow to respond, unsure what he could say. Unsure he would be able to say anything without losing it. He felt responsible for Stephen’s death, and knew that would always be a burden that he would have to carry. He guessed that Kable was trying to shoulder the blame too. After all it was his wife, Sara, that was dying from some godforsaken infection. Saving her was the only reason they had been out during the night in the first place. Alec couldn’t let himself second guess their decision though. Sara deserved a chance to get better, a chance to live and see their infant daughter grow up.
“Stephen knew the risk that we were taking when we agreed to go after the meds. He wanted to go, to give her a chance. Don’t take that from him, he deserves that.” He walked for a moment in silence, trying to keep it together. “Sara’s a fighter. You know that better than anyone, Kable. Cancer couldn't beat her and neither will this sickness,” Alec said, with as much assuredness as he could.
Kable seemed to consider the words for a moment. “I know she’s tough, but things are different now. With the cancer we had physicians, technology, and advanced treatments.” It was true. When Sara fought cancer she was treated by some of the best physicians in the world, but Alec knew his friend didn’t need truths like that, he needed encouragement. “She’ll pull through. This medicine will help her fight whatever it is that’s making her sick. We just have to give her that chance,” Alec said as he gripped Kable’s shoulder. “Not sure how you’re so positive,” Kable mumbled. Alec didn’t feel very positive. He liked to think he was the glass-half-full type, but after Alexa’s disappearance and now Stephen’s death, it was more difficult than ever.
“I just can't believe he is gone. I’m going to miss his big stupid self. I may even miss his inappropriate jokes and his bad decisions,” Alec said. “Me too, buddy. Me too. If I would have known…If I knew that it would cost Stephen’s life to try and preserve hers.” Kable slowly shook his head, internalizing most of his emotions, per usual. He stopped when he no longer heard Alec’s footsteps. He turned to find Alec bent over with his hands on his knees. “Are you,” Kable started to ask, but Alec was already vomiting. Even after the fluids ran dry Alec continued in a dry heave, spit dribbling down the edges of his mouth towards the ground.
Kable walked over, placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, his own guilt and emotions rising to the surface. Large tears began to stream down his face, trickling into his beard, lost like raindrops in a forest. “We’ll get through this, buddy. We won't forget him, his sacrifice,” Kable said. They both spent a few silent moments, lying flat on the dirt, just staring into the vast sky. The moment of silence, of remembrance, seemed to help in some small way. Then the two men picked themselves up, wiping away their tears, and continued on their way.
“We couldn't have known all this would happen, Alec. None of us could have, so stop beating yourself up over it. We would all be dead by now if it weren't for you. It was you that suggested leaving the city before things got worse. You were the only one prepared for something like this. It's your knowledge and planning that's kept us alive this long,” Kable assured him.
Alec was dumbstruck with the way Kable was opening up, but the words didn’t do much to lift his spirits. “We’re not all alive Kable, and to be honest I'm not sure how long we will be able to continue like we have been. We need a better long-term plan. More supply runs during the day, so we aren’t exposed like this at night. Patrols. We need more people. A community. I don't think anyone is coming to save us, and I’m not going to sit around and wait on those things to kill us off one by one.”
“I agree, but you already go on supply runs nearly every day.” Kable said. “We need to do more. We have to do more,” Alec insisted. He took a moment to think and then continued, “When we get back to the cabin, you focus on helping Sara get better. I’ll meet up with the others and begin planning more long term,” A
lec replied. Kable, apparently having expended his words for the day, simply nodded in agreement.
Mentally and physically exhausted, they trudged along, making certain to stay off the main roads as much as possible. It wasn't just the abominations Alec and Kable had to concern themselves with. There was also the threat of other groups of people.
After the disappearance and pursuing abomination outbreak, or whatever the hell happened, people had become desperate...and dangerous. A lot of good-hearted people stepped up in the beginning, sharing food, helping the injured, and even offering up their homes. However, there was a small but ever-present group that preyed on the weak. This group seemed like they had been living their entire lives with masks on, and now that society had collapsed they were finally free to remove those masks, revealing a darkness previously hidden.
As they walked, Alec passed a tree stand he often hunted out of as a kid. His mind drifted to his parents and to the last time they had spoken. He had once again disappointed his father by declining an invitation to the cabin for a hunt. Alec used the same old excuse about being too busy. “Dad, I would love to come, but I have to go into the office this weekend. You know it’s busy this time of year, but I promise I'll try and make it next time.” His father cleared his throat twice before speaking, “I understand son. I know the cabin isn't really your thing Alexander, but your brother and I would love the company if you can make it.” Alec knew that if he left it at that, he’d be receiving more calls and text over the next few days. “Maybe next time dad. Y'all be sure to text me some pictures though. Tell mom we all said hello.” He could hear the disappointment in his father’s tone when he replied. “I will. Kiss that precious girl for me. From the pictures I see on social media, she is getting way too big.” Alec hated that they didn’t see his parents more, but they really were busy. “That she is. I promise I’ll give her a kiss if she’ll let me. Love you dad, talk to you guys soon.”
Infuse Page 7