Catharsis (Books 1-4): Outbreak Z

by EM Roberts

  The woman acted as if she didn’t hear him and continued walking toward the creatures. What was she thinking? Was she trying to die? That’s when Parker realized she really was. She was committing suicide. Parker was frantic. He yelled again, “Margie!!! Run to me!!!”

  Margie, however, had different plans. She walked straight into the group of creatures. In fact, she embraced them with her arms. One of them grabbed her arm and took a chunk from it. Another bit into Margie’s throat. By this time, she’d fallen to the ground. The creatures piled in on top of her. Parker jumped from the ATV and ran toward the woman. He knew it was futile, but maybe he could alleviate her suffering.

  He ran straight at the creatures who were so intent on their feeding they didn’t even hear him. He took out the first two and then the second two in less than a minute’s time. His aim was swift and true. Looking down, he was sickened by the carnage. In less than a couple of minutes, Margie had been reduced to a pile of mangled flesh and bone. He’d didn’t know why she’d walked into group of infected creatures. But, he supposed, like Ava, Margie had grown tired of their situation. He wished he’d spent more time talking to the woman. Maybe he could have gotten to her some way, changed her way of thinking. Ella would tell him he couldn’t save everyone even as she tried doing it. He reached down, placed the barrel against her head, and pulled the trigger. Just in case. Just in case.

  It seemed like such an impossible task, ridding the world of this plague. He’s learned that Ella went into the town once or twice a week and killed creatures from the rooftops one by one. The town and surrounding area would be somewhat clear but only for a day or two before more creatures arrived. It seemed to be a never ending battle, and he was sure that there were other people like Ava and Margie who’d just give up on life. He couldn’t fault them for their actions because it truly did seem like there was no tomorrow.

  He drove the four wheeler back to the farm, stopping to secure the gate. It was starting to get dark, and he was worried about Ella. The travel time should be around three hours. He knew they’d be traveling from store to store, scavenging, but they should have been back by now. Anything could have happened. Although, he trusted the three to take care of himself, he knew that sometimes, these creatures would be in packs of fifty or more. He and izzy had run into that same situation a few months back. In fact, that’s how he’d met Ella.

  He pulled up to the house where Theo, Roe, and the young child Carly sat waiting. Ella had rescued the six year old from a trip to Knoxville shortly after the outbreaks had started, and everyone seemed to dote on the little girl. Looking at her panged him and reminded him of his own dead daughter. He debated on what he was going to say. Maybe, he should send the six year old into the house. He knew Margie had been her babysitter on a few occasions.

  “She’s gone, isn’t she?” Roe asked, inferring this, he supposed from the grim look on his face. She didn’t send the young child into the house, and Parker supposed it was because Roe didn’t want to hide the truth from her.

  “Yeah, she just walked into a crowd of four creatures.”

  “Poor woman. God bless her heart,” Theo sighed, lowering his head and saying a quick prayer.

  The four of them walked into the house, the somber mood enveloping them. Roe had prepared a cake since she’d found out it was his birthday. As he blew out the candles, he wished for what all of them wanted—a tomorrow.

  Chapter 5: In the Army Now-Part II

  Ella decreased the volume on the song blaring from the speakers. This one involved a man who lost his girl and his dog, resulting in him drowning his sorrows at the local bar. She didn’t much care for country, but Carlos did, and she liked that he was enjoying it. She turned the truck onto the exit ramp for Kingsport, giving a turn signal automatically because it was ingrained in her, although there were no cars behind her nor police to take note of it.

  There were around ten uniformed men barricading the road at the end of the exit ramp. They were standing in front of a military issued transport truck and a Jeep with the Army insignia on the side. Although, the men looked to be wearing Army uniforms, Ella still felt a ball of unease fill her stomach.

  During the last nine months, there’d been no sign of the military at all. No Army, Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard. The last sign of anything similar to the armed forces had been the U.N. planes that had bombed Knoxville. She thought about backing up and driving away, but she wasn’t sure what kind of weapons the men were carrying, and maybe they were legitimate and offering help. She eased her handgun from its holster, took the safety off, and lay it on her lap. She noticed Carlos and Ella had followed her example.

  “Be calm and collected,” she instructed as she rolled to a stop beside the man who seemed to be in charge. The men were dressed a little informally to be representing the military. All of them were wearing light tan t-shirts with army issued fatigue pants and combat boots. Ella recognized the army wear from its woodland pattern and its dark green and brown colors. She’d once worn something similar. The men’s shirts were sweat-stained, but other than that, they were neat and representative of the uniform. The young man looked like he could be no more than twenty years old. He still had acne. She’d found young people like this could be the most dangerous kind.

  “How’s it going?” She asked in a nonchalant manner treating the encounter as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. She’d been trained by both the Army and her father to not show fear but to instead always seem in control. It let the enemy know she wouldn’t be an easy mark. She wasn’t sure this was the enemy, but she wanted to be prepared.

  “Ma’am. We’re stopping all travelers trying to see who survived and who didn’t. Getting a census, if you will,” the young man explained, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down with each word. Ella wondered if he enjoyed doing this or if he felt this was his only choice. He just looked so uncomfortable and ill at ease.

  “And, who is we?” Ella asked in a friendly but firm manner. Izzy and Carlos remained silent, knowing Ella would take charge and do what was best for them.

  “We are the new United States Army led by Lt. General Ford Adams. You may have heard of him.” He retorted this in a prideful manner, his chest puffing in pride.

  Ella had heard of Adams. Anyone who kept up with politics or current issues probably had heard of the man. A member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adams had served under two presidents and had an illustrious career which was propagated by his take charge attitude in the Gulf War. She’d never actually met the man, but she’d heard about him from other members of the military. His accolades and iron reputation were reputed to be built on the backs of others. In the army, it was said that Adams would do anything and sacrifice anybody to get what he wanted. Some people admired that type of attitude; Ella didn’t.

  “Okay, I don’t mind doing that. Is there something I need to fill out?” Ella asked reasonable. Apparently, she’d insulted the young man without meaning to.

  “Nothing here ma’am. The Lt. General is asking all survivors to report to our temporary base here. I’ll just ride with you back there to show you the way. We’ve set up a base in one the shopping centers there. We’ve already catalogues several groups of survivors.” The young man explained as he grabbed the empty mail totes from beside Carlos, placed them in the back of the truck, and let himself in.

  Ella didn’t really care for the idea of going to the camp, and she still wasn’t sure of the validity of the situation. But, the men had some serious fire power and the officer had dropped the Adams name. She didn’t suppose the average dumb criminal would think to do that. She really had no choice in the matter. She just hoped these men were for real. Having the military back in business should be good for the remaining survivors. It would provide a united front in the battle against these creatures.

  She drove down the main road for a couple of miles until the officer instructed her to take a side road which ultimately brought them to the shopping/command center. An Apache helicopt
er, a couple of tanks, and various other military-issued vehicles littered the parking lot. Men and women in military garb walked stridently around the tables and tents that were also set up in the parking lot. As she cut the engine to the truck, she could hear sporadic sounds of gunfire. Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat-tat.

  “What’s that?” Ella asked the young man, hoping to pry some information from him.

  “That’s a unit out killing non-humans. They alternate every couple of hours. Our mission is to clear one city at a time,” the young man replied proudly. Ella remembered a time when she also was proud to be a soldier fighting the enemy. There really was something about the military that instilled a sense of pride in its soldiers. She couldn’t fault that.

  The officer disembarked her vehicle and Ella, Izzy, and Carlos followed him into an abandoned boutique storefront. The Windows had been broken at some point or another, and plywood had replaced the glass in both the windows and the door. Walking into the building, Ella noted the main area was taken up by sleeping bags and cots. There was no sign of the buildings former contents. She supposed it had either been looted, or moved to make room for the cots. The officer walked them to the back area of the store marked Employees Only. There were several waiting room type chairs beside the door. The officer indicated they should each take one. He tapped on the door and entered.

  “So what do you think, Ella?” Izzy asked, fear in her eyes. She’d had a bad experience while on the road with two men who’d tried to rape her. Ella was sure it was hard for her to trust anyone.

  “I’m not sure. Part of me believes they’re legit, but why has it taken so long for them to arrive?” Ella whispered.

  “What will they say to me? I am not here legally,” Carlos asked, his accent more pronounced than usual because of his anxiety.

  “They can’t do anything. You couldn’t go back to your country.” Ella reassured him.

  The door opened and the young officer returned.

  “Ma’am, you’re to go on in. The Captain will see you. You two can remain in here,” the officer instructed Izzy and Carlos when they started to rise.

  Ella walked into the office unsure of what was to come. This could either be an elaborate setup or the real deal. She hoped it was the latter. The Captain stood with his back to the door looking at a large map the covered most of one wall. There were various markings on the map indicating some sort of planning. He turned and Ella gasped.

  “Ella, Ella Johnson. I’d hoped you survived. I was planning on finding the farm and checking on you. Really, that’s one of the reasons I pushed for stopping at Kingsport,” Dan Spignelli exclaimed as he walked over and hugged her.

  She pulled a back a little and looked into his face. He was still the same handsome man he’d always been. He stood about 6’2, and his uniform was filled out in all of the right places. His short, dark buzz cut and beautiful blue eyes were still the same. His face was tanned, and he was sporting a few wrinkles she didn’t think had been there before. She couldn’t believe he was here, but he was a military man, after all. Unlike her, he’d been in the military all of his life; it was his career and passion.

  “I’m fine. My mother passed, and I don’t know about my brother. My father and I have opened our home as an outpost of sorts. We’re trying to help people,” she updated him. She’d never imagined they’d meet again. They’d had a long, steamy affair when she was stationed in Iraq.

  He stepped away and moved to the desk, suddenly seeming a little uncomfortable in her presence. Once, he hadn’t been able to get enough of her, but that seemed a lifetime ago. It had ended amicably. Both had known it would.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I know you loved your family a lot.” He replied, his sympathy sincere.

  “But, what about you? Your family?” she asked, curious because his wedding band was missing from his left hand.

  “My wife and my son were infected. My daughter Brooke is here at the camp. She’s the only one in my family who survived. I don’t think I would have if she hadn’t been with me.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear that. This whole ordeal is like something unreal. I keep thinking it’s a nightmare and I’m really dreaming, but I know that’s not the case,” Ella exclaimed, as she took a seat in front of his desk. Her fears about the New Army had been dispelled upon seeing Dan. He had too much integrity to be involved in anything shady.

  “Well, let’s get down to business. How many people are living on your farm?” he asked, opening a ledger.

  “Well, um, let’s see. Dad, my friend Roe, Parker, Carlos, Margie, Izzy, and me. Oh, and I took in a young girl, Carly. So there’s eight of us.” She counted on her fingers.

  “How many are able to handle a weapon?” he asked, not looking up?

  “Um, why is that relevant? I thought you were just taking a head count.”

  “We are. But, we’re also recruiting and … drafting. You’re not going to like this, but we’ve enacted a draft.” He finally looked at her and waited expectantly for her reply.

  “Okay, let me get this straight. You’re going around the country making people join the military to fight the Infected without giving them a choice?” Ella asked uncomfortable with the idea.

  “It’s no different from various wars in the past where a draft was enacted. This time, we’re not killing innocent people. We’re eradicating the world of vermin,” he replied, fiddling with the ledger.

  “So, if I tell you I’m not going to stay, what happens?” Ella was afraid of his answer. She knew there had to be some strong incentive to make people stay in the military. Sure, there would be people who wanted to be there, but she knew there were people who didn’t like the military way of life. How could they make people stay unless…

  “How many people in your household are old enough and physically capable of fighting in this war?” Dan repeated his question, his face flushing.

  “What are we talking here, Dan? I mean, my dad’s capable of shooting the creatures. Is he going to be drafted? What’s the age limit? Are you drafting women?”

  “Women have a choice. They can stay or go. Men who are at least sixteen and physically able will be expected to serve. Your father, of course, will be exempt. You, I will have to consult with Lt. Major Adams about since you’re ex-military.”

  “Thank you so much,” she replied, sarcastically. “So basically, the military is in control of everything now, and if we don’t agree, we’re pretty much screwed.”

  “There’s no need to be sarcastic, Ella. You should know more than anybody that a military rebuilds countries. There has to be some kind of order and control. There’s no way around it. I don’t consider it wrong because we’re protecting the people, and let’s face it those who join will be safer because they’re in a big group.”

  “Thank you Dan for the lesson in politics. So, you’re saying I’ll be detained by force because I want to be clear on this.”

  “Yes, that’s what I’m saying. Since we have a past and I personally know you, here’s what I’ll do. I’ll send a few men out to the farm to let your father know where you are. They’ll also pick up anyone of serviceable age while they’re there.”

  “I suppose you know where I live, right?” Ella concluded angrily. She did realize there needed to be some kind of military or governing body to establish order, but to press people into service without a choice didn’t sit right with her. It made her feel helpless.

  “Do you want to explain this to the young man outside, or do you want me to?” He stood and indicated she should exit the room.

  “I will. Carlos is a fine, young man. You’d better look out for him.” Ella turned her back to Dan and walked out of the room. She was beginning to think he wasn’t the man she’d known.

  Carlos and Izzy who were deep in whispered conversation looked up, and from the set of Ella’s shoulders and the expression on her face, they knew the news wasn’t good.

  Ella walked over and squatted down beside Carlos’ chair. She didn’t want to do
this, but she knew Dan Spignelli; he would never back down from an order. He also wouldn’t give her preferential treatment and allow Carlos to leave.

  “Carlos, the military is enacting a draft. Do you know what that is?” Ella asked.

  “Yes, they’re going to make me join them, aren’t they?” he asked.

  “Yes, if you don’t, I’m afraid they’ll do something far worse. You’re smart and brave, and I know you can take care of yourself. I know you’ll be okay.” Ella reassured him, tears gathering in her eyes. Even though she was only a few years older than him, she felt like she was sending her child off to war. She couldn’t help but feel she would never see him again.

  “I don’t mind. I like you, Miss Ella. I like all of you. I will fight for you, Izzy, Roe, and Theo because you were good to me.” Carlos smiled bravely as he said the words. Sometimes Ella forgot he was really a man and not a young boy.

  “Carlos, I’ll do everything I can to help you. I promise. They’re thinking of making me stay, too.” Ella grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

  Izzy was crying silently. She reached over and kissed Carlos’ cheek.

  “Okay, well Carlos, I’m going to have one of the officers take you to get set up. Ella, you and your other friend can wait outside in the Mess Hall until the Lt. General gets here. I’ll send for you then.”

  Carlos looked at Ella and Izzy and smiled a brave, little smile. Ella felt her heart breaking. She gave him a nod and returned the smile. Carlos walked through the door and out into the military’s waiting arms.

  Lt. General Adams didn’t put in an appearance until about four hours later, and when he did, it was with all the pomp and glory of a man befitting his station. He arrived in a helicopter and was met by various other officers vying for his attention. Shortly after, he summoned Ella to his own personal tent.

  “So Captain Spignelli tells me you served a term in the military?” he asked, looking Ella up and down as if inspecting a prize horse. She didn’t fidget or move. She’d met men like him before.