by Kadin, Karri
Allison closed her eyes so she couldn’t see Sandra. Her heart tried to escape her body through her throat when she looked at the woman’s terrified face. She wished she had put on her seat belt. Images of bloody, gruesome car crashes from driver’s education when she was fifteen raced through her head. Maybe going with Sandra and Dave had not been the lesser of two evils.
Dave’s hand found the emergency brake and pulled it hard.
“Hang on!” he yelled.
Allison tightened her hold on the door as the car slid sideways across the road. It came to a halt, but Sandra was still screaming with tears flowing down her face. Dave checked the door locks, then pulled Sandra near him while holding a finger gently to her lips.
“Shh, be quiet! It’s okay. Don’t let them hear you. You know they’re attracted to noise,” Dave said with a quiver in his voice. Sandra’s screaming dimmed down to a whimper as Dave wrapped her in his arms and rocked her. Who is attracted to noise? What are they talking about? What is going on?
Dave stared out the front windshield and Sandra bit her lip, silencing her cries. What is he looking at? Allison looked where Dave’s gaze was fixed. She wasn’t quite sure what was in front of her but she was sure of two things: One, she’d take being naked and lost in the woods over being near one of those things any day. Two, there was a high probability she would die today.
Chapter Three
Allison
Allison vomited on the floorboard behind Dave before she even knew she needed to. She couldn’t take her eyes off what was happening outside but felt she should tear them out to stop herself from seeing it. Dave was staring out the windshield, mouth agape. Sandra was now shaking with tightly closed eyes. Allison had an urge to tell them to get out and help, but it was hypocritical to tell them to help when she was sure as hell not going to.
A black van was stopped in the middle of the road with a black sedan parked behind it. The back doors of the van were wide open, showcasing the padded walls inside. The windows on both vehicles were tinted so Allison couldn’t see if there was anyone inside. On the ground, propped up against the back of the van, lay a man with his abdomen torn open from his sternum to his belly button, guts looping in pink ropes down his black shirt and pants. The man blurred and for a split second Allison was sure his shirt was blue, not black. As fast as it happened her vision cleared. His viscera were now beside him in a bloody pile on the road, roasting in the blistering sun. Blood from his wound pooled on the pavement as a steady stream leaked out of the corner of his mouth, joining the moat of blood surrounding his body.
A woman was crouched next to him, a string of his intestines hanging from her mouth like a child eating spaghetti noodles for the first time. Allison’s heart raced as she watched the woman hold the line of slippery entrails with both hands and pull it back and forth between the corners of her mouth, sucking the blood off obscenely. Allison’s body jolted with a sudden surge of excitement as the hair on her arms stood on end. The man was not dead or even unconscious. He stared in wide-eyed horror at the woman next to him, but he didn’t move. Not much you can do without a middle.
The woman taunted him, dangling bits of his own flesh above him before dropping them into her open mouth. A wicked grin was plastered across her face as she swallowed him piece by piece. Allison almost laughed at the terror on the man’s face. Butterflies of guilt spread in her as she realized she liked what she was seeing. She wanted it to continue. She wanted to help rip the man apart. The woman gave the man an animal-like grin and then bit down on the flesh of his entrails she had entangled in both of her hands. The man’s mouth opened wide in a silent scream and his head rose then fell back, hitting the bumper of the van with a loud thud. His body lay lifeless, his face frozen in pain, eyes stuck open, looking at nothing. Dead.
The woman took another bite, then stood up and started running toward a group of people near the edge of the roadway. Allison’s legs instinctively moved as if she was going to follow the woman. She crossed her legs and dug her nails into her hand, breaking the skin as she held the door, restraining herself from jumping from the car to follow the woman. A warmth filled her core.
Allison had not noticed the group. It was a black blur of men dressed like the dead man. She guessed between ten and fifteen. She recognized weak points in the men’s formation, areas of vulnerability, areas to attack. A few of the men had their backs to her, guns pointed toward the trees, distracted. A lone man off to the side checking the magazine of his handgun, slow to join the group, easy pickings.
Why do I know that?
The thought pierced her mind briefly before the thunder of her own pulse filled her ears. Her eyes darted between all the men. Warmth spread, further filling her core, reaching for her limbs. Allison’s mouth watered, dripping drool down her chin. The men seemed to realize the weak spot in their ranks a few seconds after Allison and started forming a tight circle with their backs to each other; filthy, naked men and women were surrounding them, running from the trees.
The naked mob looked like drug addicts from the “don’t do meth” commercials Allison had seen as a teen. They lunged at the men, but they held their positions with firm stances, weapons raised, locked on targets, but not firing. Allison pulled herself closer to her window, pressing her face to the glass as she watched. Slobber ran from her mouth down the clear glass onto the car door. The warmth had reached her fingertips. Her body vibrated.
Sandra placed her head on the center console, tears falling from her eyes as she pressed her hands firmly to her lips, suppressing her whimpers. Dave sat back up in his seat and placed his hand on his wife’s head, stroking her hair. This gave Allison a unimpeded view of the horror scene unfolding outside the car. She pulled herself forward, using the front seats as leverage as she positioned her body in the center of the backseat. A trickle of sweat slid down the middle of her back and more gathered on her forehead. The saliva in her mouth intensified into a steady flow down her chin as her pulse quickened. The warmth in her body fed a deep rage, raw anger that needed an outlet. Sandra sniffled, causing Allison to glance at her. The tears of terror on the woman’s face damped the urge that was growing inside her. She is scared shitless. Why aren’t I? The guilt butterflies returned and danced in Allison’s belly. Her eyes flickered between Sandra and the bloodbath outside. She wanted to jump out of the car and become part of the action. She reached for the door handle, eager to rip apart the black uniforms before her to get to the tender meat underneath. Shame flooded her and she shoved her fists between her thighs to prevent herself from opening the door.
Allison saw one man in black say something and the others separated from their tight circle. As the naked group of crazies lunged toward them this time, the men fired. Precise shots filled the air with tiny ticks of gunfire, no bullet sprays like in movies. One by one each bare-bodied attacker staggered to the ground. Some cried out as they fell, grasping at darts lodged in their skin. Allison’s heart jumped in her chest as each dart made impact. The attackers reached for each other, seeking comfort from their companions. Then their bodies stilled. Tears lined her eyes. They are hurting. The warmth flared within her, and with it her anger.
The group of naked people that remained standing all rushed the men, bringing a few of them to the ground, ripping at their clothes and biting at their exposed bodies. The men on the ground let out howls of pain and fear as they fought off their attackers. Joy surged through Allison, and a smile spread across her face. She shook her head as she beat her temples with her fists to subdue the delight of watching the carnage. Why do I like this? What’s wrong with me? Dave glanced at her with his finger to his lips as he shook his head.
“Shh,” Dave said as he reached out, his hand touching her cheek as he made eye contact with her. “Shh. It will be okay. Keep it together.”
Allison nodded and slipped her hands back in-between her legs squeezing them with her thighs. She pushed back at the rage coursing out from her. One, two, three—stay calm—four,
five, six—stay focused—eight, nine, ten—don’t forget to breathe. The warmth that filled her body dimmed. Some of the remaining men took off running back to the black car, the others began shooting darts into the crazies on top of their comrades. A man with a long beard screamed at those fleeing as he ran to join a group at the black car.
The men at the car pulled a gun from the trunk, different from the rifles and handguns they all carried. It was silver, huge, and had no barrel. The gun was almost rectangular with a loop at the bottom that housed the trigger. Bars stuck out of each side toward the front, which a man on each side held braced against their waists. The long-bearded man pressed buttons on the back and suddenly yellow lights lit up the side. The three men aimed it toward the group of men and their attackers entwined together in battle. A large pop filled the air and light illuminated from the gun, bathing the group in a cone of light. Then blue streaks blazed through the light, hitting everyone caught in the glow. Their bodies convulsed before they fell to the ground, unconscious, unmoving.
The men who had fired the electric-type gun raised their rifles and began slowly advancing toward those on the ground. They shot darts into everyone, their allies and assailants. Once all were darted the three men secured the crazed people with zip ties and loaded them into the back of the van. Allison’s heart rate returned to normal and sadness engulfed her as she watched each naked body tossed into the van. The rage dissipated as the warmth receded. She wiped the drool from her mouth with the blanket before situating herself back underneath it. Once the van’s doors shut, the three men pulled from their vests metal tubes tipped with long needles and injected them into each of their unconscious companions, skipping the ones that were obviously injured. The injected men awoke almost instantly and assisted in the waking of others. The bearded man who had been giving all the orders during the conflict approached an injured comrade who was pulling himself across the road to the tree line. He kicked the man in the side, rolling him over onto his back. The injured man raised his hands, pleading. Allison could hear his sobs. The leader pointed the gun at the man’s head, mumbled something, and then pulled the trigger. He then proceeded to approach each injured man and fire a single shot into their head as his uninjured men followed him, loading the bodies into the trunk of the sedan.
“Listen, girl. Don’t say a word and do as you’re told, ya here?” Sandra slipped a hair tie from her wrist and held it out to Allison. “Quickly pull your hair back.” Sandra pulled some wet wipes from the glove compartment and began wiping the muck from Allison’s face and arms at a rapid speed as Allison tried her best to tidy her hair.
“Hurry, Sandy. Here they come,” Dave said. His hands tight on the wheel.
“Remember, don’t say a word. Let us do the talking.” Sandra shoved the dirty wipes into the center console. Allison wrapped herself tightly in the blanket and leaned back against the seat.
The bearded man walked over to the car and tapped on the driver’s side window, motioning for Dave to roll it down. Allison scooted over to be behind Sandra and adjusted her blanket, making sure it covered her, only exposing areas of her skin that were clean. She did not want to be near the man who had callously shot his subordinates in the head. He made her skin crawl. Her mind raced, unable to focus on a single thought as hate bubbled inside her, building like a volcano nearing eruption, the warmth building again. Allison swallowed hard. One, two, three—stay calm—four, five, six—stay focused—eight, nine, ten—don’t forget to breathe. She shifted her gaze out the window on the passenger side of the car, focusing on the lush greenery framing the roadway. Two tiny birds fluttered branch to branch squawking at each other, deep in conversation. Allison’s body relaxed, the hate drained from her body, her mind cleared. Dave looked at Sandra, then rolled down the window.
“Wonderful afternoon, sir, ma’am,” the man said, addressing Dave and Sandra. He looked over at Allison then continued, “Where are you heading today?”
Dave replied, “To the medical clinic in Chapel Hill. It is time for our monthly check.”
“And her?” the man asked, gesturing toward Allison. He shifted his weight onto his other foot, allowing him a better view of her.
“She’s our niece, came to stay with us after the tragic passing of my sister at the Earlsboro Massacre. She’s a little traumatized as you can imagine. We are taking her with us to get checked out.” Dave sent the words gliding off his tongue like truth. The man looked at her skeptically.
“We could take her off your hands. We have provided shelter for a few others from that tragic event. Providing them with all the best care.” Sandra placed her hand on Dave’s leg and squeezed while the remaining men surrounded the car, staring at Allison. The inner warmth sparked back to life, flooding her with anger. Allison felt an animal-like aggression building in her chest. A growl threatened to escape her lips. The urge to claw at the face of the man at Dave’s door, just to watch him wither in pain, filled her. Where did that come from? The shock of her own thoughts caused Allison’s mouth to go dry and her eyes to burn with the threat of tears. She bit her lip to suppress them and hung her head.
Dave looked at the man, smiled, and stated firmly, “No, sir, I think we will be just fine. We are all good and believe family is the best medicine in these situations. We would like to be on our way now. We don’t want to be stuck out too late and get caught in the dark.”
The man wrinkled his forehead and glared at Dave before he looked at Allison with a glint of suspicion. He glanced back at Dave and Sandra, pausing longer, obviously trying to think of something else to say.
When nothing seemed to come to him, he backed away from the car. “Well then have a friendly drive, folks. Stay safe.”
The other men backed away from the car. Dave quickly rolled up his window and began driving off. Allison glanced back, observing the lead man as he brought a walkie talkie to his lips while watching their car drive away.
“What is going on? Who were those men?” Allison asked with a quiver in her voice. Sandra turned around and placed a hand cautiously on Allison’s knee.
Dave answered, “They were Collectors. The Collectors gather up the Infected and anything else that suits their fancy.”
“Those people, they were . . . collecting. What was wrong with them?” Allison asked. A hard knot in her stomach told her she already knew.
She prayed that she was wrong. She prayed that those naked, crazy, violent people weren’t the sick. Prayed they weren’t like her.
Sandra looked her in the eyes. “Honey, those . . . people you just saw,” her voice quivered as she struggled to release the words from her lips, “were sick . . . like you were sick.”
Hot tears fell onto Allison’s clasped hands before she realized she was crying.
“I’m not like them. I’m not like them,” she said between sobs. Sandra patted Allison’s hand.
“Oh, honey. I can’t think of any other reason you were out here in the state you were in. Very few people overcome the illness. It is so rare, but it happens.” Sandra placed her hand on Allison’s. “They were eating people. Fucking eating people! Are you saying I did that?” Allison stared at her but Sandra gave Allison’s hand a gentle squeeze before turning back toward the front of the car, leaning her back against the seat.
Every muscle in Allison’s body was tight. Silent tears drenched her face. She sniffled, watching the blur of green outside her window as she tried to suppress her tears.
“Why did you lie to them? Why did you tell them I’m your niece?” Allison asked.
Dave answered, “Because if we didn’t, if we told them we found you, they would take you. They have taken enough from us. I won’t let them take anything else from anybody if I can help it.”
Allison slumped down across the back seat, her vision clouded by the tears she let flow freely now, and drifted into sleep wishing for her mom’s flower-scented hugs and chocolate milk.
Chapter Four
Allison
Allison aw
oke in a daze with an IV slipped in a large vein on her arm. Clear fluid dripped from a bag above her head, down into tubing, flowing directly into her body. She rested on a cot framed by mossy green curtains blocking her view of her surroundings. However, she could tell from the army green fabric that hung above her head that she was in some large tent, like the military used on deployment in every war movie ever.
Her head was heavy, body numb. The skin behind her left ear burned. She tried to sit up; the room danced in circles around her. Allison brushed her fingers across the area, tracing a raised circle buried beneath the surface. What’s that? Before Allison could put much thought into her new, undesired accessory she heaved over the side of the cot just in time to vomit yellow and black bile onto the floor. With each movement she felt like she was being twisted up into a tornado with no sense of which way was up or down. She slowly sat upright, trying to slow the spin of the room. Suddenly a woman was by her side, placing her hands on Allison’s shoulders.
“Shh, shh, shh. Take it easy.” Her voice was soft, soothing.
Allison murmured something in reply she herself couldn’t even understand and allowed the woman to help her lay back down. She pulled a chair over next to Allison, adjusted something with the IV, then sat in the chair. Allison remained still for a second, or maybe it was much longer than that. Her grip on time wasn’t very good at the moment. After a time she felt the heaviness in her head subside and the numbness fade away. She again sat up, taking it slower this time, relieved to be out of the twisty tornado. The woman was still in the chair next to her, staring into Allison’s eyes as if she were reading her thoughts.