The Outbreak Series Boxed Set

by Thomas Baker

  "Oh, I'm sorry," Hannah said. Without hesitation, she gave Alice a hug. "How horrible it must have been to have to just watch. Helpless."

  "Thanks," said Alice, brightening up again. "At least Rick is in Heaven now. He doesn't have to suffer. How about you? What's your story?"

  "It feels like a dumb cliché even saying this, but it's a long story. One I'm not ready to talk about yet."

  "I understand," Alice said, sympathetically. "I couldn't talk about Rick for a while when I got here. The first person I felt safe talking to about it was Reverend Albright. He helped work me through the pain and the grief. He and God healed me."

  With that, Alice seemed to be back to the perky person Hannah first met. She made a waving motion. "Let's continue on."

  Alice led her back out across the common room and to another hallway leading to the back door. Down the steps they went, out into a perfect fall day. The sun warmed Hannah's face. She stopped a moment, closing her eyes and turning her face up to it.

  "Here's where we started a little patch of garden in the spring," Alice said, pointing out to the right. "Now we are trying to harvest what we can before the winter gets here."

  Hannah could see a bunch of people down on the ground, working the earth. She turned away quickly. It reminded her too much of the field behind Harold's cabin. She looked to her left instead and saw between the trees a small building, more like a shed, farther out.

  "What's that out there?" She asked Alice.

  "That's our supply shed. It stores tools, food, and anything else we collect from scavenging. Also, the Reverend locked up the weaponsin there too. Only a few people have access to them."

  Hannah stood there for a few minutes more, enjoying the fresh air. She looked over to the college behind the church, careful not to linger long on the garden. She thought about JT, there alone. How he was probably stewing and raging about the situation they were in. She would have to convince him everything was okay here.At least she was prettysure they were. The important thing was she needed to get JT, Tyrone, and Gus back with her.

  "I think that's about it," Alice said, leading Hannah back to the steps leading inside the church. "I am in the ladies wing, room seven if you need anything. I should see you again soon. I'm sure in time Reverend Albright will let you join us. It will be great, I promise."

  "Thanks so much for being nice," Hannah said.

  "No prob," Alice said. She bounced down the stairs. At the bottom she turned. "It was so nice to meet you. I think you'll fit in wonderfully here."

  Alice went in and moments later Charlie came out. Without a word he escorted her away. Hannah spent the rest of the day in her dorm room, sitting in a reclining chair, trying to understand her racing thoughts. Everything was happening way too fast. Like she was an out-of-control car racing towards a brick wall. People like Albright and Alice acted as if she had already agreed to be part of their group. She didn't understand why. Why trust her so much already? Then there was JT and Tyrone. Were they truly here in the dorms with her? It had been so quiet since she got back. If not, what had they done with them? Gus where was he? Was he all right? She thought next time she saw Albright, she would demand to see Gus. She had to know if he was...no she couldn't even think it. She went to bed. Hannah tossed and turned through troubled dreams. They puffed away, forgotten, as a knock on her door woke her up. Again she felt surprise when the door opened. It was the person she had been thinking of right before she fell asleep.

  "Hello Reverend," she said.

  "Hello Hannah. How are you this fine day?" Albright looked impossibly clean and impeccably dressed. She guessed she had gotten use to everyone looking like they were refugees. Dirty, ratty hair. Grimy fingernails. In a way she guessed they were refugees. Refugees of the past.

  "I'm fine. I was just thinking about you. Well, I guess it was last night."

  "Oh really? I'm flattered. I had a feeling, like God was directing me to come see you. So here I am at your doorstep. He must be working as a bridge, to bring us together." Albright smiled at Hannah.

  "Could be," She continued on, not wanting to lose her courage. "I wanted to see you today. I needed to ask you something. I want to see Gus, make sure he's doing okay. He is like family, like a Grandpato me."

  "Come with me then," Albright gestured to her. "That's a request I'll most graciously grant. I've heard from Linda he was awake and talking just this morning. She's a nurse who joined our congregation a few months ago. We can ask her if it is okay for Gus to have visitors yet. I'm sure it'll soothe his soul to see you."

  "That's...I can't believe it." Hannah was a little startled. She had steeled herself inside, expecting this to be a big confrontation. Maybe she would have to prove herself more trustworthy first.

  "Sure, I don't see why not." Albright was all charm. Hannah step in the hallway. Albright linked his arm with hers. "From what Alice has told me, I don't see you apart from our little community for verylong. I have a feeling about you. Come along. Follow me this way."

  After a crisp walk back from the dorms, he led her inside the church and to the chapel. Behind the stage were stairs down into the basement. It was one large open area, with boxes and miscellaneous objects stacked up here and there. In one corner across the room she saw a draped off area. A woman was sitting at a makeshift desk in front of the curtains, looking down at a book. Hannah, with Albright behind her now, maneuvered through the stacks to the desk.

  The woman looked up as she heard them approach. She smiled at them, a woman starting into middle age wearing bright yellow scrubs with multi-colored balloons on them.

  "Linda, dear." Albright said as the woman looked up, putting her book face down on the desk. "This here is one of the new people God has seen to send our way. Her name is Hannah. She is a dear friend of Gus and wanted to know if she could see him now."

  "Hannah, it is so nice to meet you," said Linda, with a striking Texas drawl. She offered a hand to Hannah. "He has been resting, but he's awake now. I gave him some expired magazines to read, to make him feel like he was in an actual doctor's office." She chuckled to herself. "He is a feisty one. You'd know that by now I bet? I'm sure seeing you will cheer him up."

  Linda had them wash their hands first at a little sink nearby and drew back the curtain. There were two hospital style beds in a row, one was empty and in the other there was Gus. They had an actual monitor and IV drip hooked up to him. They were wired into some kind of large battery. He was half sitting, propped up with a couple of pillows. A magazine was sitting in his lap but he was leaned back, eyes closed.

  "Linda, these magazines aren't doing a thing for me. You got anything more exciting, something to get my blood pumping, like a Playboy?" said Gus.

  He opened his eyes and turned to them. They widened when he saw Hannah; they widened even more when he saw the Reverend.

  "Beg your pardon Reverend. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there. I hope I didn't offend ya." Albright waved it away. "And looky here, it's my darlin' Hannah. You didn't happen tobring me any donuts did you? Being at the doctor's or in a hospital always gave me a craving for donuts."

  "Hi Gus," Hannah said, a little choked up. Small tears leaked from her eyes. He looked so much better already, the best since they had left the cabin. She wanted to rush over and hug him, but was afraid it wasn't safe to. So she stood there, feeling a big, goofy smile spread across her face. "Still as ornery as ever I see. I feel a little sorry for Linda."

  "Sorry for Linda? I'm the one in pain and suffering and you feel sorry for Linda? Kids these days."

  "You hush now Gus," Linda said. "or you will be in real pain and suffering if I, oh, accidentally forgot to give you your next pain meds."

  Gus grunted at her. "See what I mean?"

  Linda shifted as she turned back to Hannah, taking on a more professional tone. "He lost a lot of blood and his wound was infected. I had to open it back up, treat it, and then stitch it up properly. I wish I could give him a blood infusion, but I don't have the eq
uipment here to do that safely. Or the bloodfor that matter. He must rest and wait for his body to heal the old-fashioned way, with time."

  "From what my excellent nurse here has said, I won't have made it this far if it wasn't for you Hannah. I owe you so much." Hannah felt her face heat upat the genuine compliment he was paying her. "Then I'm lucky you found this place. And Linda here even had this much of a setup darlin'. Weren't for you, I might have been a gone Gus."

  "Not lucky Gus, blessed. It was God's will that led you to us." Albright made the sign of the cross over Gus's bed.

  Gus was quiet for a moment, like he wasn't sure how to respond.

  "Gus, you have no idea how happy it makes me you will be okay. It really is a miracle."

  "Where are JT and Tyrone? How come they ain't with you?" Gus asked. Hannah was about to answer but Albright jumped in.

  "They're fine. They have been, how can I put this delicately, a little more hostile towards me and my people than you or Hannah have been. So for now we have them in a separate area, for their own safety and the safety of my people.They're being well taken care of by the Sheriff of our town. Until we can sort this all out. Get them acclimated with the church, so to speak."

  Again Gus took a few moments before responding. "Guess that sounds about right. JT is a little too hot headed, for his own good sometimes, and Tyrone has changed a lot since..." Hannah gave Gus a look and he caught himself. "Well, since this all began."

  "We'll leave you to rest now Gus. Linda, I am sure Hannah will be back down many more times to visit. She has my blessing. May God speed you to a miraculous recovery."

  JT could hear the muffled voices of the Sheriff and someone else on the other side of the door separating the holding area and the office area. The voices were getting louder as they neared. It sounded like an argument. The door squeaked open and Sheriff Randall stepped through with Charlie in tow.

  "The Rev-" Charlie cut Sheriff Randall off before he even started.

  "Reverend Albright has sent me to escort JT," Charlie stood almost nose to nose with Randall."That's all you need to know." Charlie turned to JT's cell. "You try anything funny and I'll not be nearly as nice as Ol' Randall here."

  JT couldn't help but notice the glare Randall gave Charlie. Was it because he was cut off, Charlie's rude comment, or both? He also noticed the Sheriff tightened his grip on his baton.

  Tension? Animosity? Maybe this is something I can use later.

  JT had assumed his turn was coming after Tyrone. He had spent the time steeling himself. He had told himself he would go in there, say whatever it was they wanted to hear, do whatever tricks they wanted him to do. Sing "Hallelujah" at the top of his voice and say seven Hail Mary if he had to. Whatever he had to do to get in there and get close to Hannah, so he could get her out.

  Charlie produced his own set of handcuffs and approached the cell door. He didn't even look as he reached his hand back to Sheriff Randall for the keys to the door. JT didn't break Charlie's stare as he unlocked the door and tightened up the cuffs. Charlie was making them as tight as they could go. JT wouldn't even give him the satisfaction of flinching. Frustrated, Charlie grabbed the links between the cuffs and yanked JT close.

  "You try anything boy, and I mean anything, and you will wear your teeth as a necklace. Do you understand me?" Charlie blustered.

  "Yeah, yeah I hear you just fine." JT matched Charlie's intensity. "Speaking of teeth, have you ever brushed yours? I mean in your life? That smell is what I imagine a zombie woman's vagina would be like. You've been busy Charlie?"

  I will stomp your ass out like a drunken dickhead on a Saturday night. Just give me a chance.

  Charlie's mouth almost disappeared as his lips smashed against each other. JT was testing, seeing if Charlie could do anything to him without making the Rev mad. Charlie grabbed JT by the arm and shoved him forward, giving him a second hard nudge in the back. That answered JT's question.

  "Charlie," Randall blocked Charlie's way, one hand still gripping his baton. "Let me cover a couple things right quick. These men are still in my custody which means I am responsible for their care and well being. Like Reverend Albright and I agreed upon. So if you could see to it this one doesn't come back busted up like the other one did, I would be much obliged."

  Charlie bumped Randall's shoulder as he passed. A barely perceivable nod of his head was his answer.

  Charlie roughly shoved JT into the back of a pickup. When they arrived at the church, JT was hustled inside by the prodding blows of Charlie's rifle into the small of his back. JT wanted nothing more than to snatch it away and smash it over Charlie's head.

  They escorted him into the Reverend's office. JT's jaw dropped when he found not only Albright but Hannahwaiting too. She looked well. She must have freshly showered, and they gave her a new pair of jeans and a purple blouse that made her skin look nice. JT felt relived she was being treated better than he was.

  They both sat, talking and laughing when he entered, looking as casual as could be. When she turned in his direction, she didn't look excited to see him. In fact, she looked prettycozy with the so-called Reverend.

  "JT. Hi. I missed you," she said flatly, not even getting up. She seemed distracted. There was an awkwardness between them he hadn't felt since the first day they met. "How are you and Tyrone doing? Are you being treated okay?"

  JT shrugged, looking down on her. "Just peachy," he lied.

  "Okay. Albright told me you were. Nice to hear you are safe." Hannah replied, in a distracted sort ofway. "I saw Gus yesterday. JT, he is recovering well! Isn't that great?" Talk of Gus at least seemed to perk her up.

  "Yeah, I knew that tough old bastard would pull through." JT tried to sound noncommittal, but it was the first chink in his resolve that Albright was up to no good. Had they helped to heal Gus? JT took in a deep breath and blew it out.

  "It's a miracle JT." Hannah beamed.

  JT tried to hide his rolling eyes from Hannah. Medicine and the skill of whoever was helping Gus was to credit. He wouldn't get into that now though. He did need to recalculate how to save Hannah and a recovering Gus. Gus getting better was the first bit of good news he had heard since ending up at the church.Reverend Albright, who had been sitting and taking this all in, rose and came over to JT.

  "Good morning my son. I would shake hands JT but well..." he gestured to the handcuffs. "Safety these days is of utmost importance. I hope you are more cooperative than your friend, Tyrone. He kept getting more agitated and belligerent as I asked him simple questions. Then tried to jump me and Charlie had to defend us. Stay calm and soon, if you are honest like Hannah, you could join us. Look what we have done for her and your friend Gus already."

  JT listened to his bullshit, reminding himself to stay calm. He would answer with whatever Albright wanted to hear. He kept his cool at first, but his temper ramped up more and more as he watched Hannah soak up the attention of the Reverend like a dry sponge sucked up water. Each laugh shared between them, each touch got his blood boiling. He had long stop paying attention to whatever it was Albright was saying.

  "JT what do you think? JT, are you still with us?"

  Charlie gave JT a sharp poke in the back. "You are being talked to dummy."

  Finally JT had seen enough. "Are we going to keep pretending you aren't holding us captive? Quite frankly I have heard enough of your false pretense bullshit. Besides don't you have some altar boys to tend to somewhere in the back?"

  Damn it. I did it again.

  The comments got him dragged by the handcuffs out the door, metal digging into his wrists. Albright stood there, smirking, his hands in his pockets. As the door closed, he could see Hannah didn't even look that shocked or concerned. The thought she was being drugged crossed through JT's mind. As a bonus insult Charlie gave him a few punches in the gut once they were outside the church and next to the truck.

  JT fumed, wondering how he had fucked up again. His stomach hurt with every breath as the truck took him on his back to
Cell Block Six. He kept telling himself after the incident where he killed the little girl he would keep his temper in check, yet it was still like some mad dog who sometimes broke off its leash and attacked. He also couldn't stop thinking about how Hannah didn't seem like herself. He wondered what was going on with her. He had a bad feeling it would be much harder than he thought to get away from the religious wackjobs.

  The truck stopped and before JT could even stand, Charlie jumped over the side of the bed and pushed JT off the tailgate. JT moaned as he impacted with the concrete, unable to put his hands out to break his fall. Charlie peeled out as soon as he finished hitting the ground. Little pebbles sprayed in JT's face.He had kept his head up as he fell but that meant his left shoulder and arm took the brunt of the fall.

  Charlie better hope it's not broken because payback will be hell.

  JT lay there, not enjoying his view, when a pair of scuffed up brown cowboy boots filled his vision. "You and your friend make a habit of getting on people's bad sides? Not that it's that hard to do with Charlie."

  Sheriff Randall got him up gently, giving JT all the support he needed. JT was genuinely shocked to be treated so nicely by him. "That boy is two beers short of a six-pack but he has a mean streak like a junkyard dog. Let's get back inside and I'll make sure none of your tender bits are broken." He walked into the cell block. The sound of Tyrone singing greeted him. That made him smile despite his pain. Tyrone did it so little of that these days.

  "Stuck inside these four walls. Sent inside forever. Never seeing no one nice again, like you, mama. You, mama...You..."

  He could see Tyrone lying on his cot, staring up at the ceiling. The Sheriff had given in and left one lantern on in the hallway, so at least they wouldn't have to sit in darkness all the time. It cast harsh shadows on the far wall. Tyrone kept singing like they weren't there as Randall checked him outleft JT in his new home away from home.