Black Flag | Book 1 | Surviving The Scourge

by Klapwyk, Dave

  Earl stood at the back, “Kamikazes generally die when they crash. I’m not going with you guys if you have a death wish.”

  “Who invited you anyways?” Camille retorted.

  “Are you saying this is an exclusive club?” asked Earl.

  Kevin got back in the conversation. “There must be some back roads that can get us around.”

  “The back roads will be covered in snow drifts,” said Tank.

  The four of them argued amongst themselves till Joe yelled, “Enough!”

  They all stopped talking and looked at him.

  “We agree that our primary objective, as these army people would say, is to get to Commerce, right?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “There are roadblocks on the highways, and the back roads may not be cleared of snow. I think we should take the train.”

  He was expecting the arguing to resume, but they just looked at him expectantly. “The trains are still running, and they’re fast, so I think they are our best option. You are all free to make your own decision on what you want to do, including you, Earl, but I am going to find a way on to the train and go west to Commerce.”

  “I’m with you, Boss,” said Tank.

  “Me too,” said Camille.

  “I’m with you too,” added Kevin.

  Earl straightened up and raised a fist in the air. “I would be honoured to join you on your quest for freedom!” The last words were said louder for effect.

  “For freedom?” asked Camille.

  “Why are we going to Commerce, again?” asked Earl.

  “To find my wife and child,” said Kevin shaking his head.

  Earl raised his fist in the air again. “…on your quest for Kevin to be reunited with his long-lost family!”

  “And Joe’s friends too,” added Tank.

  “I’m meeting up with my brother, Pascal,” said Camille.

  He raised his fist in the air again. “I would be honoured to join you on your epic quest to find Kevin’s wife and child, Joe’s friends and Camille’s brother, Pascal!”

  They all laughed.

  “Why are you coming?” Camille asked.

  “I always wanted to visit our grand capital and travel the country by train. Besides, I have nothing else to do.” He turned to Tank. “Why are you joining this epic quest?”

  “I just want to fight somebody,” he answered.

  “So, you’re like the group’s security detail?”

  “Something like that.”

  They finished packing up their belongings, and Joe left to find Corporal Callaghan. He found her in the administration office. She was standing behind her desk. On the desk was a large empty box.

  She looked up at him. “Feels like jour du déménagement,” she said.

  “What’s that?” he asked.

  “Moving day. It’s a local tradition. Everyone moves on July 1st. My husband and son and I were going to buy a house out of the city. We would have moved from our little apartment to a nice little house in Charlesbourg.”

  Joe stood in the doorway and listened.

  “On jour du déménagement, we would pack all our belongings on a big truck. Do you have any idea how hard it is to rent a truck on moving day? Maybe we would have to borrow my father-in-law’s pickup truck and trailer…” she trailed off. “Now, instead of packing up to leave the city, I’m packing to go downtown.” She looked down at the box. “And I have nothing to pack.” Her brown eyes started to well up.

  “Are you okay?”

  She wiped her eyes. “Sorry. Why are you here?”

  “I wanted to ask you about the trains.”

  “What about them?”

  “How hard would it be to hitch a ride on one of them to the capital?”

  “Not easy. They are for official use and are mostly used to transport essential goods or military personnel and hardware between cities.”

  “What about civilians?”

  “No, they don’t take passengers, yet.”

  “What do you mean, yet?”

  “Once the Chinese vaccine is distributed, things will start getting back to normal.”

  “So, they have a vaccine?”

  “From what I’ve heard, they not only have a vaccine but a cure.”

  “That’s great, when will it be handed out here?”

  “I don’t know, for most people, it’s a little late. Anyways, I’ll believe it when I see it.”

  “So, how are we supposed to get to Commerce if the roads are blocked, and the train isn’t taking passengers?”

  “You seem like a resourceful group, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

  “Did you want to come with us?” he asked hopefully.

  She looked like she was thinking about it. “No, I can’t. I have my duties here, and I have to take care of these people.”

  “Right, I see.” He hung his head.

  “I didn’t tell you this…” She looked around to make sure no one was listening. “But there is a train that stops here in Chateaugay at Charny station. It continues west to Montreaux across the border into Ontario and then to the capital, Commerce City. It will be arriving at the Charny station this Saturday at midnight.”

  “Are they taking passengers?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “Well, how are we supposed to…”

  “As I said, you seem like a resourceful group.”

  “Okay, thanks. I guess I’ll see you later then.”

  “Can you do me a favour?” she asked.

  “Yes, anything,” he said more enthusiastically then he intended.

  She grabbed a pen and wrote an address on a piece of paper and handed it to him. “On your way to Commerce, can you check on my parents? I’m not sure they’re alive, but I would like to get them a message to let them know I’m okay.”

  “Absolutely, I can do that. You must be worried about them.”

  “A little. My Dad’s a survivalist, and my Mom has a heart of gold. If anyone can survive this, it would be them. They’re setup to live off the grid on a farm outside of Commerce City.”

  “No problem,” he said, staring at her a little too long.

  “I appreciate it.” She leaned in and kissed him on his bearded cheek.

  His eyes widened, and his face flushed. He turned in embarrassment and walked out of the room.

  “Bon chance!” she called out.

  Chapter 30

  Monique realized that Zach was right. The purple truck coming up behind them was from the men that attacked them at the mansion. She had assumed Warren had died in the fire.

  “Go! Now! Get inside the museum,” she said. “Leave the llamas outside and take Olivia with you. Find a place to hide. I’m going to slow him down.”

  “Do I get a gun?” asked Zach.

  Monique pulled the pistol out of her pocket and handed it to him. “This is a last resort only.” She reached into one of the bags and pulled out the pepper spray. “Ayesha put this in your pocket. You need to be close if you are going to use this. Aim for the eyes.” She looked at Roxie and pointed to Ayesha and Olivia. “Protect!”

  The truck slowed down as it drove closer. Monique crouched behind the Museum sign as Ayesha, Zach, Olivia, Roxie and the llamas scurried towards the Museum.

  The purple truck weaved back and forth on the road and then stopped. The door opened, and a man staggered out. At first glance, Monique wondered why the man was wearing short sleeves in winter. But as she got a better look, she could see why. He had a large bandage wrapped around his left shoulder with blood seeping through. His arms had angry, bulbous red blisters. The side of his head was covered in festering purple and black burns and his face wore a sneering grimace.

  “Don’t come any closer!” yelled Monique, standing behind the sign. She held the shotgun firmly against her shoulder, aimed above his head and fired.

  The man flinched, then reached into the truck and pulled out a hunting rifle with a scope. Monique aimed her shotgun at him and pulled the trigger. There was a cli
ck but nothing else.

  I’m out of ammo already?

  She ran towards the museum and veered to the side towards the llamas. She put the shotgun down and started going through the packs looking for the shells. Before she found them, a bullet hit the side of the building beside her. She felt pieces of brick raining down on her. Monique took off into the museum. The atrium was lit up from the front windows. It was a large open space with a large reception counter. She stopped for a moment and listened for the others, but heard nothing. She ran down a hallway past some totem poles and into a large room lit only by one small window. The room contained artifacts, including a birch bark canoe, moccasins, a tepee, pottery and glass case with arrowheads. She frantically looked around for anything she could use as a weapon. The drunken assailant could be heard stumbling into the building.

  Inside one of the display cases she spotted a wooden mohawk war club. It had a long handle the size of a crowbar, and the club end featured a large rounded ball. She had to break the display case with her foot to get it. The sound of the glass shattering echoed throughout the museum. She grabbed the club and hid inside the tepee. She stood poised beside the entrance with the club held over her head with both hands.

  “I know you’re out therrrre,” the man slurred. “You took all that I had left in this world, you stupeeed blatch.” He stumbled into the indigenous exhibit room.

  “I don’t know if you killed my Mom and Daaad, but I know you took their house. Then you killed my furrrends. We deeedn’t want to hurt no one, and if you had just left, nooobody would have gottened hurt. But ooooh nooo! You guys start shooting at us in myyyyyy house! Now my friends are aaaall dead. My parents are deeeead. My house is all burned up. My arm is kiiilling me, and my face is tooootally messed up. My friend Jack Daniels helps a little biiit. Do you have aaaany idea how hard it is to shoot this gun with one arm when your druuunk? Did you know I was gooooing to be Warren Masterson, Esquire? I was a crack shot with this thing tooooo. I was going places. I was someone. But you? Who are you? You are a thief, a vandal and a murderer. Before I die, I will serrrrve justice this one last tiiiime.”

  His voice started fading as he left the room and walked down the corridor.

  Monique quietly walked out of the tepee and followed him. In the distance, there was the unmistakable sound of a baby crying.

  “It’s the end of the wooorld people! This is nooo time to bring a child into this dyyying world. You took my family and myyyyy home. Now I will put youuu and your fammily out of their misssery.”

  She raced down the corridor, but couldn’t see him. At the end of the corridor there was a sign with three arrows. One read, Pioneer Exhibit and pointed to a door that led outside, one read, Fur Trade Exhibit and pointed to a doorway to the right. The third arrow pointed straight ahead and indicated several other exhibits deeper into the building.

  She could no longer hear Olivia crying, but Monique thought she heard Warren in the fur trade room and stepped inside. The room was dark, and there was a little light coming in from the entrance. She crept forward with her club at the ready, listening intently.

  God, if your there, give me strength.

  The further she walked into the room, the darker it got. She reached into her pocket and fished out her flashlight. She turned it on and saw Warren standing just a few metres in front of her.

  Monique dove to the side as a shot echoed loudly. There was a sudden searing pain in her thigh, and she knew she had been shot. Her hands instinctively grabbed at the wound, and the club bounced on the floor. Monique looked up to see the dark shape of Warren standing over her. The gun was hanging by its strap on his shoulder, and he held the flashlight with his good hand.

  Monique realized the club was out of reach, and the pain in her leg was intense.

  “There you arrrre! Time to meet you maker you murderrring thief.” Warren put the flashlight in his mouth and removed the rifle from his shoulder.

  There was a gunshot from behind him, scaring both Warren and Monique. Warren swung around to find Zach pointing the pistol at him.

  “Youuu missed!” said Warren. He still hadn’t managed to get his gun in a one-handed firing position and instead flung his rifle at the boy with surprising strength. It wheeled end over end across the dark room before the butt-end of the gun struck Zach in the forehead. He fell over backwards as his glasses were knocked off his face.

  Olivia, who was with Ayesha behind the snowshoe display, started crying. Warren removed the flashlight from his mouth and took a step in their direction. He stopped in his tracks when he heard a low growl from Roxie. Warren pointed the flashlight down and saw the dog baring its gleaming white canines. Just as he made a slight movement towards the knife sheathed at his side, Roxie was airborne. Warren fell backwards as the dog’s jaws locked onto his arm, and he cried out in pain. With all his strength, rage, and adrenaline, he grabbed the knife with his other arm and slashed at the dog. He managed to hit Roxie with the hilt of the knife, briefly stunning her. The next strike sliced across Roxie’s back, and she yelped and let go of his arm. Warren kicked at the dog hard, sliding it across the floor. He reached out to grab his rifle while Monique struggled to reach for her club. He was on his knees when he reached his gun and was having trouble manoeuvring the gun into a firing position with two injured arms.

  There was the sound of spraying, and he screeched in agony, reaching for his burning eyes and face. Ayesha stood beside him with the pepper spray in her hands.

  There was a gunshot. His screeches were cut short as his head exploded. Monique shone her flashlight and saw a thin trail of smoke rising from the barrel of the pistol in Zach’s hand.

  “That’s gross!” said Ayesha looking at Warren on the ground.

  “Is Olivia, okay?” asked Monique.

  “Yes,” answered Ayesha, “I wrapped her up in one of the fur blankets behind that counter.”

  Zach walked to the corner of the room and vomited.

  Roxie shuffled over whining and lay down beside Olivia.

  “You need to get that wound taken care of,” said Zach looking at Monique.

  Ayesha yelled at Zach, “make sure Olivia’s okay and give me your belt.”

  Zach was about to protest but realized the seriousness in her voice. He pulled his belt off, threw it to her and ran to Olivia.

  He wiped the puke off his chin and picked up Olivia awkwardly in a bundle of fur pelts. Roxie sat beside him.

  Ayesha went to Monique with the belt.

  “What are you doing?” Monique asked.

  “We have to stop the bleeding, lift your leg,” said Ayesha.

  “Do you know what you’re doing?”

  “My mother was a nurse; I know first aid. Point the flashlight here.”

  She looped the belt under her leg and put it through the buckle. “Pull on the end as hard you can,” she instructed Monique. When the belt was tight, she tried to put the prong in the hole. She realized there were no holes that far down the belt. “Maybe we can use the bad man’s knife to cut a new hole.”

  They cut a new hole in the belt and secured it firmly around her leg and then placed a wool blanket from the exhibit on the wound. Monique cuddled Olivia with one arm and held the blanket against her leg with the other.

  Ayesha went to the dog to assess its condition. Roxie had a slice across her back that was still bleeding a little.

  “We need to get everyone out into the light, so I can tend to these wounds,” said Ayesha.

  Zach found his glasses and put them on. There was a crack in one of the lenses, and the nose piece was barely holding on. He turned his flashlight on and walked to the other side of the room. Moments later, he returned, dragging a contraption consisting of two long wooden poles attached to leather netting at one end.

  “What is that?” asked Ayesha.

  “It’s a travois, drag sled, or wilderness wheelbarrow. It’s a traditional Native American transportation device used for carrying loads overland. It was attached to a pe
rson, dog or horse,” he answered.

  “You knew all that?” she asked.

  “No, that’s what the plaque said.” He set the travois down. “If Monique can climb aboard, I will get Dora and some rope.”

  They managed to drag Monique into the Atrium, where the warm afternoon sun shone through the windows.

  Roxie’s cut had stopped bleeding and wasn’t as deep as they had feared. Zach had big red bump on his head. Monique, on the other hand, had a hole in the lower part of her thigh. The bullet had passed through, but they didn’t think it had gone through any of the bones. The bleeding had slowed, but Ayesha needed a way to clean and sew the wound closed.

  Monique started feeding the baby. “Zach, I need you to go through this place and find a first aid kit, and if possible, a needle and thread. Ayesha, you need to bring our packs in here and tie the llamas up out of sight.”

  Twenty minutes later, Ayesha and Zach returned. The llamas were safely tied up in the side parking lot. Zach had found a first aid kit, some alcohol, fishing line and a hook in the History of Fishing exhibit. They broke the barb off the hook, and Monique helped Ayesha clean and suture both the entry and exit wounds.

  They gathered some fur pelts together, sat on them and had a late lunch.

  “I’ll be honest with you guys,” said Monique, “We are in a bit of a jam here. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Didn’t that soldier say that there was a C3 with food and heat and stuff?” asked Ayesha.

  “That’s true, but I don’t know where it is, and I don’t know if the llamas could carry me anyway. We have shelter and some food, but without a heat source, we’re going to freeze to death.”

  “I have an idea,” said Zach. “I took a look out the door that had the Pioneer Exhibit sign. There’s a little log cabin with a chimney. It may have a wood stove in it.”

  “That is an excellent idea!” said Monique. “After you’re done eating, why don’t you check it out?”

  The pioneer exhibit was an old one-story relocated log cabin. It was constructed of massive logs and had three rooms. Half the cabin contained a sitting area, kitchen, and fireplace. The other half was divided into two rooms. There was a large firewood pile stacked outside the door.