by Lara Frater
“Tanya,” I woke with a start.
“What?” I said, hazy, I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep.
“First bathroom break.”
“Are we close to Port Jeff?” I said, while yawning.
“Not really. You missed a bunch of cars heading east and west. Guess the message got out.”
I looked around but didn’t see any zombs, only trees and houses.
“They’re around,” he said, reading my mind. “Princess took out three. I haven’t seen any cars for a while.”
I opened the door. The men were in a corner near some trees. I joined the women, except for Princess, who was standing in the road keeping watch. Three zombies lay on the ground around her, their rotting stink filled the air.
“Your honor,” I said when I walked by. She didn’t respond. She didn’t like to talk to us low people. She barely spoke to me when I took shooting lessons from her except about how much I sucked.
I settled in a tree near Annemarie. I didn’t really have to go but I didn’t know what would happen next. Soon as I was done, I went back to the truck. There was another rifle round. When I got to the road, I saw Princess had dispatched another one. The zomb was new, her body barely decayed. She wore a Knicks t-shirt and sweats and was missing a shoe. I thought about sports. Were all the players dead? Would anyone again yell ‘defense’ again at a game?
“Nice shot,” I said. No response. Not to insults, not to compliments. What a cunt.
I got back in the truck. Dave wasn’t there, neither was Olive. Probably out for a walk.
I ate a stale breakfast bar then Dave got back. There was another shot.
“More of them are showing up,” he said. Olive sat in the place between us held her nose on my hand until I petted her.
It was late afternoon. Dave was going 10-15 mph. We were getting closer to Commack. Back to the old stomping ground.
When I was younger, I never really traveled except the neighborhood and the city, sometimes Jones Beach. Judging by these houses, they would probably call the police if they saw me in their precious neighborhood.
“Want me to take over?”
“I’ve seen you drive,” he took a Milky-Way from his stash. “I’ll let you—“ Dave’s voice trailed off. He looked ahead with wide eyes.
I followed his gaze. I saw them.
“Holy fuck.” Never before had I seen so many. Jericho Turnpike was thick with them. They shambled around the road, walking around. I saw new bodies too. Was there a fortified house nearby or other survivors fleeing?
Dave turned the truck down a side street, more greeted us but the numbers had thinned some. He slowed down. His knuckles gripped the steering wheel tightly. That white boy got even whiter.
“Dave,” said a voice on the radio. It was Harlan, his voice sounded shaky. “Rachel says to keep going. Go slow. No shooting, no attracting their attention.”
He nodded which Harlan couldn’t see over the radio.
“Got it,” I said into the radio.
“You okay?” Dave asked.
“’Bout to ask you the same thing?” Dave couldn’t see me. I don’t want anyone to know when I’m scared shitless.
“I’m good. Let’s get the fuck out of here.” Dave moved the truck slowly. He had to bump several zombies in the road. Two of them snarled and swiped at the truck. Dave looked nervous.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “Just push on through.” I wanted to shoot them all.
“Tanya,” It was Rachel.
“Yeah?”
“You all okay?”
I didn’t respond. I looked out. More poured into the street. Those fuckers could sense us.
Dave kept up his slow crawl, but he looked ready to floor it. His hand gripped the wheel so tight his hands twitched.
“This don’t look good.” More were coming; doing their shambling fuck-walk over to us. I heard the squealed of tires then a pretty bad crash. The sound of glass breaking and twisting metal came from both the outside and through the radio. From the radio I got the addition of screaming. Then silence.
“Shit! Rachel!” I screamed into the radio but all I got was static.
I could hear those motherfuckers, the sound they make when they when they found prey. An almost delightful fucking squeal. The ones swiping at our truck stopped and began following the squeal.
“Move!” I screamed to Dave.
“But the others!”
“We can’t help ’em right now. We gotta find a safe place to park.”
I didn’t like saying that, but it was true. If we helped them, we’d risk everyone here. I could use the assault rifle once I checked out the danger.
“Tanya,” said Jim’s worried voice over the radio. “What’s going on?”
“Somethin’ happened to the other truck. I think they crashed. I’m trying to get Rachel on the radio. Why don’t you try to raise her, so Dave and I can take a look?”
“Okay,” he said, his voice shaky.
Dave pulled into a car lot with the gate open.
He killed the lights and the engine.
The squeal of the zombies was broken by a round of shots. The sound of the assault rifle. No longer on single shot. The rich white bread survived. I opened the door. Kept the rifle in front of me and saw zombs walking the street, but they weren’t lookin’ at us. They followed the squeal. Lucky for us, not so much for the others.
“Tanya, careful,” I heard Dave say. I walked to the gate and closed it. It didn’t lock but at least we were fenced in. In the light I could see them, but not the other truck.
“Hello,” said a weak female voice from the radio.
“Rachel,” I said, going back to the truck. “What’s going on? Are you alright?”
“I don’t know,” she said. She sounded out of it, tired, probably hurt. “The truck hit something and fell on its side. I don’t know what happened-- I can hear them—“ I could hear them too through the speaker and it chilled my blood. “I’ve been trying to get Harlan— I don’t want to open the door.” I heard someone yelling in the background.
I heard more shots from the assault rifle, the sound of the door opening.
“Rachel, what’s going on?”
“It’s Robert,” she cried. “He’s dead.”
I wanted to mourn but right now I had to figure out how to get them out of the truck.
“Where. The fuck. Are you?” said a new voice, Princess.
“Down a side street in a gated car lot.”
“They got the driver and are busy attacking him. We have a chance to get to you if we run,” she paused. “I know you cannot hit anything, but try to clear what you can. If you bring that other shooter, tell her to not shoot one of us. I will be leading them. You see anything I do not see, take it out. Do you think you can handle that?” she didn’t wait for an answer. I think that’s the most she’s ever said to me.
I looked at Dave and without a word we left the truck.
“Jim, the other truck overturned and they are heading for us. We’re coming to open the back.” I didn’t mention Robert or Harlan being killed.
“Got it.”
Dave went to the back and I heard it open. When I got there, Annemarie and Dan had come off the truck, rifles in hand. Even Jim stood at the entrance of the truck holding a rifle. He almost looked adorable with it.
I felt dread but didn’t show it. Harlan’s death might have saved them.
“Annemarie, come with me, the rest of you stay here. Dan, defend the truck if necessary. Dave, get ready to get us out of here.”
No one said anything. Annemarie and I left the gate. I heard shots before I saw the zombies fall. Our people came into focus. Princess led the charge, shooting zombs to clear a path in front of her. The assault rifle firing so much it sounded like a warzone and that bitch got a head shot every fucking time.
Behind her, Maddie helped Sachi whose arm hung at an irregular angle. Eric was helping Rachel who looked injured and bloody. Each of them was carrying
a bag. Eric had a gun over his shoulder and so did Maddie. I would have dropped everything but the guns.
As they passed a cemetery, I saw the zombs. Most had surrounded the truck, but more were in the cemetery. They saw the others running and began moving towards them.
I ran to them as the zombies from the cemetery rushed them. I stopped where I was and began shooting. So did Annemarie.
One of them grabbed Sachi. Maddie took hold of her arm. I gave up my stance and ran to them. I went as fast as I could, but I couldn’t stop the zombie hordes from pulling her out of Maddie’s grasp. It was so fucking sudden.
Another zombie grabbed Maddie’s wrist. I aimed
And missed.
The zombie took a huge chunk out of her arm. She screamed. I raised my gun and shot it. I didn’t get a head shot but it fell. Then I killed as many as those mother fucker’s that I could, letting the rifle rip.
Eric must have heard his mother scream cause he dropped Rachel and rushed back to her, grabbing hold of her. Rachel looked dazed but didn’t fall. Instead she moved to Maddie.
I didn’t want to think about Maddie. I had to get Rachel and Eric back to the truck, but Eric wouldn’t leave his mother. Rachel limped towards them. I ran, zooming passed her. Princess turned as well. She aimed her assault rifle. She killed the remaining zombies around Maddie but we still had to get out of here quick.
Maddie collapsed to the ground.
“I’m sorry Maddie,” I said when I got to her.
“Don’t worry child,” she said, taking deep breaths. “You tried.”
“We need to go,” I told Eric and Rachel. The immediate threat was over but more zombies were heading our way.
“No!” Eric yelled. “I’m not leaving my mother!”
“You have to, baby,” she said, but Eric and Rachel didn’t seem to want to budge. “Please Eric, honey, and Rachel. It’s too late for me. Go.” I heard the zombie death moan again. Those by the truck seemed to be heading to us. I knew we had to get out of here and fast.
I was surprised Princess stayed with us. I figured she’d dropped us to the hordes.
Rachel had a dazed look on her face. She didn’t speak. She looked at Maddie intently.
Maddie looked at Princess and smiled, then nodded. Eric realized what his mother was doing and jumped up to stop it.
“Don’t!” Rachel said.
They were too late, a shot rang out and Maddie fell, a bullet in her head. Eric held on to his mother and let her gently fall to the ground. Princess put the gun down but didn’t say anything.
Eric looked at his dead mother and flew into a rage. He looked angry enough to kill and Princess was his target. I put myself between them before he could reach her.
“You killed her!” he screamed.
“She was already dead,” I said, holding his arm, keeping him back. “If you both don’t go to the other truck, I’m leaving without you. I fucking swear.”
Annemarie put her gun down, and took Rachel’s arm. She still didn’t say anything, just stared in shock at Maddie’s dead body. Princess followed Annemarie and Rachel, leaving me alone with Eric.
“Eric—“ I tried to take his arm. Jim would kill me if I didn’t bring him back. Eric pulled away. He went to his mother. I thought he was going to stay with her.
“Five seconds,” I said.
“Fuck off, Tanya.” He went to the ground and kissed her on the check. Then he got up and went to the truck.
When we got to the gate, Dave stood by it, looking at little dazed.
“Dave, start the truck.” He moved to the truck. I opened the gate and let everyone inside. Rachel had a large cut on her head and her cheek was bruised. She practically collapsed in Dan’s arms. Jim tried to help Eric but he pulled away and got on the truck on his own.
“What happened?” I asked Princess. Her perfect clothes and hair were ruffled but the bitch didn’t have a scratch.
“The driver panicked and we crashed.” she said. She climbed into the truck not accepting Jim’s help. Jim looked confused, but I think he guessed what happened to Maddie and Sachi.
I went back to the passenger side of the truck and took my place next to Dave. He was off before I even got my seat belt on. We hit zombies left and right but a lot of them were probably attacking Robert, Harlan, Maddie and Sachi. I didn’t like to cry in front of people, and I wasn’t gonna start now.
Chapter 26
You couldn’t stop and mourn anymore. I’ll miss Maddie the most. I knew Rachel was crying back there, probably worse than Eric. But she’s gotta get her shit together. We need her to lead.
She didn’t even challenge me that we stopped off at the camp in Northport to check on the girl. Give her and her family a ride if they needed it. Rachel was out of it. She didn’t come out of the truck to check the camp. We pulled the truck up to where the tank was. We saw less zombies. Guess they went for that human token thing.
It was beginning to get dark. The back of the truck opened and Princess came out but she didn’t move from her spot. There were no sounds coming from the camp. No one yelled not to move and the gate was wide open. I looked inside the truck. Eric sat next to Jim with his face in his knees while Rachel stared at nothing even with Dan’s arm around her.
I looked back at the empty camp. I was thinking zombs got them that we had left Aisha to die but as I walked closer to the gate, I saw the big white sign.
GONE TO MONTAUK.
The clock in the truck said it was 7:38 and Dave was going slow. The road was really bumpy. Olive barked at me and I petted her. It was getting dark and I could barely see the two way road. Dave was weaving around broken down cars.
The truck hit a large bump and Dave stopped.
“What’s up?”
“I’ve been avoiding more and more cars, driving on sidewalks, grass and shoulders, and I can’t see a damn thing and this road is falling apart. I think a lot of people came here to escape.”
“What do you think?”
“We might have to leave the vehicle and go on foot.”
“We should wait for morning.”
Dave looked straight ahead. “We’re so close. We’re 15 miles away. I can be there in 45 minutes. I bet Rachel thinks we should go all the way through.”
“Fuck Rachel, she’s in her own world. Dave—you shouldn’t be driving in the dark. If we get stuck in some kind of jam and have to walk, we should do it in the morning.”
That was how we ended up in a seven bedroom house by the water. Rachel didn’t argue but we had to leave at dawn which sucked cause this house was fucking huge. Princess took the master bedroom, a suite bigger than my mom’s apartment, before anyone could ask. I let Dave take the next biggest bedroom because he looked pissed that Princess took the suite. While Eric and Jim, Rachel and Dan each shared a rooms and Annemarie apparently moved on with Henry. She loved a warm bed, I guess.
I got a room of my very own, even though I got watch until 2am and then it was Dan’s turn. I slept in the truck, so I was good. I locked Idiot in the room with food, decided I was gonna try to keep her. The rest of the cats wandered the house and we planned to let them go in the morning. I heard a lot of crying from behind closed doors. I was gonna miss Maddie. I wondered how my life would have been like if someone like Maddie was my mom. She would have been good to me and I would have turned out better.
Eric could fall apart ‘cause Maddie was his momma, but Rachel needed to get it together. No one liked losing people but sometimes you gotta be the strong one especially if you’re in charge. Jim and me were decided stuff and I didn’t want to be leader.
Since we lost half our supplies from the other truck, I figured I’d gather more stuff. I found a big suitcase in my bedroom. It looked like whoever lived here cleared out but didn’t need it.
I dragged it down the stairs, careful not wake anymore.
I wondered if we were far enough away. Dave said we were a good fifty miles or so from the city. We had another day until the bombs fell. We
would be at Port Jeff and hopefully on a boat by tomorrow. Never been on a boat before.
I went into the kitchen; it was fucking huge, hundred times bigger than the kitchen in my place. Things were thrown around, but there was still some canned food so I put it in the suitcase.
I thought about Robert and this morning. Now he was dead.
I went into the bathroom, flashed the light on the medicine chest, grabbed some Band-Aids and couple of bottles of pills.
I found another closed door next to the bathroom. This looked like a cellar. I flashed my light on it.
I saw lots of shiny things reflected back. I walked down the stairs thinking I found a cache of gold—not that it meant much now, but as I got closer I saw that it was wine. A fucking lot of it.
I didn’t know about wine, maybe I could ask Jim about it. I wonder if the family here took the good bottles.
I grabbed one and headed back into the kitchen and was greeted by one of the cats. “You hungry?”
Abruptly the cat hissed, arched its back and ran away.
Then I saw the shadows. The moonlight lit them up. I saw three. I turned off my flashlight and waited, hoping they go.
They didn’t look like they were going away, they moved about the outside. They probably smelled us. Not far from the window was a door leading the backyard. I ducked down and crawled to it. I flashed my light on the knob and tried to turn it. Glad to find it’s locked.
I thought about taking them on, but it was night and there were other people to think about. So I crawled out of the kitchen and stood up when I got to the next room.
This house seemed a million miles long from the kitchen to the stairs. I should have gone to Rachel, but instead found myself at Jim’s door. Jim answered the door wearing no shirt. He came out and closed the door behind him. I never told him he had a fine looking body even for a white boy.
“Tanya,” he said, his eyes bleary. “What’s going on? What’s with the bottle?”