Dead Rain: A Tale of the Zombie Apocalypse

by Joe Augustyn

  Were they scared off by more of those things? Or did they leave it here for a purpose? Is it some kind of warning? This night just gets weirder and weirder.

  She was relieved when Emma tugged on her sleeve, pulling her towards her house. “We’re here,” Emma whispered meekly. “That’s my house.”

  Kerri looked past her to Ryan, who was staring at the writhing monstrosity, and motioned to him with a sweep of her arm. They turned and proceeded cautiously toward the house, keeping Emma protectively between them. She was still in a fragile state and they knew they needed to keep her feeling secure—as secure as anyone could feel under such nightmarish circumstances.

  Ryan was pleasantly surprised when he saw the vintage Ford. Under different circumstances he could have spent hours admiring such a beautiful restoration. He paused for a moment to check out the interior with his flashlight, making sure there were no nasty surprises lurking inside.

  Kerri was the first to see the gun-blasted bodies lying in the rain near the house. Noting that one appeared to be a middle-aged woman, she immediately surmised it was Emma’s mother and stopped her from getting any closer, physically halting her and turning her away from the gory scene. “Hold it. Wait here ‘til I check things out.”

  Ryan hurried to join them, concerned about the sudden holdup.

  Kerri shot him a telling look. “Keep an eye on her.”

  Ryan nodded. Wrapping an arm around Emma’s shoulder he stood guard, scanning the rainy darkness around them.

  Kerri hurried to investigate the bullet-riddled bodies. If she hadn’t seen worse in her years as a paramedic, the gruesome sight might have paralyzed her. Without wasting time she slipped on a pair of rubber gloves from her bag and dragged the woman’s body around to the side of the house and dumped it close to the wall. Then she returned and did the same with Russell, which wasn’t nearly as easy. When the task was completed she stood for a long moment, catching her breath, letting the rain wash their blood off her gloves.

  Returning to the front of the house she peered through the open door, checking for any unpleasant surprises that might be waiting inside. It seemed quiet, probably vacant. Drumming up her courage she poked her head through the doorway and switched on her flashlight. Nothing moved in response to the beam as it swept past open doorways and probed dark corners. Finally satisfied that no one was inside, she motioned to Ryan to follow.

  He sighed wearily as he led Emma into the house, relieved to be out of the rain. They found Kerri at the kitchen sink, scrubbing her hands with dish soap. “What were you doing back there?” he blurted. “I thought I was going to drown in that freakin’ rain.”

  Kerri shot him a silencing look. It told him all he needed to know. He quickly clammed up, embarrassed, and relieved that Emma was too zoned out to be paying close attention.

  “We can’t stay here,” Emma stammered, nervously scanning the darkness around them. “It’s not safe.”

  “Relax,” Kerri said firmly. “We’re safe here for the moment. They’re gone.”

  “How do you know they’re gone?” Emma countered.

  Kerri shot her a frustrated look that said do you really want me to answer that?

  “Hey, it’s okay,” said Ryan, changing the subject. “I don’t want to stay here any longer than we have to. Let’s just grab the car keys and we’ll be on our way.”

  Emma snatched her mother’s keys from a hook near the door and handed them to Kerri. “The Ford’s are in my bedroom,” she said meekly. “On my night stand. First door on the right.” She nodded in the general direction. It was clear she was too scared to fetch them.

  “I’ll go,” said Ryan. Cocking the hammer of the Colt he walked slowly to the bedroom door. He checked inside before he entered and quickly returned with the keys in hand. “Score.”

  Kerri smiled reassuringly. “Okay then, we’re good to go.”

  “You guys might as well grab some dry clothes while we’re here,” suggested Ryan.

  “We don’t have time,” snapped Kerri, eager to be on the road.

  “I’m not saying change here,” he replied. “Just fill a plastic bag. You can change when we get to safety. It would be silly to survive the zombie apocalypse only to die of pneumonia.”

  Kerri looked at Emma, who nodded.

  Ryan went to guard the front door while the women hurried to the bedroom to fetch the fresh clothes. Gazing out through the pouring rain he could tell that the road flares were dying as their reddish glow flickered out, dimming one flare at a time.

  A chill ran up his spine as a shadowy figure staggered into view on the road, its rain-soaked form edged with glittering red light from the flares. Even at the distance he could see the distinctive shuffling of its cold dead legs.

  Lightning flashed, exposing Ryan in the doorway. He ducked inside and peeked carefully through a window.

  The zombie stood staring at the house.

  Ryan’s heart thumped in his chest. Somehow despite all he’d witnessed that night, all his close calls and personal losses, his fear had grown exponentially worse now that escape seemed imminent.

  Finally the wandering corpse turned away and continued its aimless journey down the road.

  “Come on,” Ryan whispered anxiously to himself, regretting his suggestion as he glanced at the doorway to Emma’s bedroom. Christ, what the hell are they doing in there? He pictured them trying on outfits. Putting on a mini fashion show.

  Just as he was about to go fetch them, they returned carrying a vinyl gym bag.

  “I got you some of my dad’s old things,” Emma said to Ryan. She handed him a sweater and an old-fashioned hooded yellow raincoat. “I hope they fit.”

  “Thanks,” he replied, touched by the gesture. In a flicker of lightning he caught a glimpse of her doe-like eyes and her baby-doll lips. For the first time it registered that there was a normal teenage girl with a very pretty face hidden behind her mask of grief, and for one micro-second he was transported from their hellish situation.

  Quickly he peeled off his wet shirt and tossed it aside. Kerri and Emma both stole a glance at his rippling torso as he pulled the dry cotton sweater on, then donned the yellow raincoat.

  “Let’s get out of here,” said Kerri, eager to leave the nightmare behind. But as she stepped to the doorway she froze. Drawing in a sharp breath she quickly ducked behind the wall. “We have company,” she said quietly.

  Ryan stole a peek outside as he slipped his handguns into the raincoat’s spacious pockets. Two zombies were lingering on the road, just fifty feet away, and before he could react a third one stepped into view.

  “We can’t go out there,” said Emma, her fear bubbling with a vengeance. “Close the door.”

  “What door? That’s half a door. It won’t keep them out for a minute,” said Kerri. “We have to get out of here now. Before it’s too late.”

  “Kerri’s right,” said Ryan. “If we’re seeing three of those things now it means a dozen more are right around the corner. They must have been drawn to the flares. We need to get in those cars and get out of here now.” He pulled up the vulcanized hood of the rubber coat. “Emma said the Ford’s low on gas. I’ll move it out of the driveway. You two get in the other car and follow me out to the street. As soon as we’re at a safe distance I’ll dump the Ford and join you.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” said Kerri, trying to sound blasé for Emma’s sake. “But don’t drive off until you’re sure we can start the other car. I’ll turn the headlights on once the engine’s started, okay?”

  Ryan nodded. “Let’s do it.”

  But Emma was white as a sheet. She gazed past them, unable to take her eyes off the cadavers loitering on the road.

  Kerri saw what was happening and stepped in front of her to break the evil spell. “Listen to me, hon’. We’re going to be okay. But we have to go now—right now.”

  Ryan looked at Emma and saw the vacillation in her eyes. “It’s now or never,” he said tersely. And with that he ran ou
tside. Giving her no choice but to follow the plan or be left behind.

  Kerri pulled up Emma’s hoodie and brushed her hair out of her eyes. “Relax, hon’. We’ll be fine. The worst is over. We’re going someplace safe.”

  ***

  Ryan darted through the rain to the driver’s side of the Ford. The rubberized raincoat was a rushing waterfall by the time he reached the driver’s door, and as he fumbled the key into the lock the key ring slipped from his fingers, landing with a jingle at his feet.

  He froze and looked down the driveway. A zombie turned to look in his direction, responding to the sound of the falling keys.

  Shit. Ryan cursed his luck, not believing that the faint smidgen of noise had carried over the loud patter of the rain. He stood still as a statue, head bowed, hidden by the bulky hood of his coat, hoping that the reanimated corpse would be fooled by his lack of movement and lose interest.

  The zombie stepped toward him. And its sudden change of direction drew the others around it like a magnet.

  Ryan glanced sideways and saw them heading his way. “Hurry up!” he shouted to Kerri, who was lingering in the doorway with a petrified Emma. “They’re coming!”

  “Come on!” Kerri grabbed Emma’s hand and pulled her out into the rain. But Emma froze on the doorstep as she saw the gang of corpses shuffling down the driveway, as more appeared on the road behind them.

  “Move!” Kerri jerked Emma roughly. The teenager rallied for a moment. But as they turned the corner to get to her mother’s Camry, she stopped in her tracks once again. Kerri turned to see her staring down in horror, fixated on her mother’s ravaged body lying next to Russell’s by the side of the house.

  “Jesus Christ, don’t look!” Kerri tried to pull her away from the gruesome sight, cursing herself for not dragging the bodies farther.

  Emma resisted, standing like a pillar of salt. The sight of her mother’s body was too much to absorb.

  Kerri slapped her. “Wake up, girl! Do you want to die here?”

  Emma started crying, but the shock of seeing her mother’s corpse was broken. She let Kerri lead her away, stumbling in a cloudy daze to the passenger side of the car.

  Back at the Ford, Ryan scooped up the car keys and unlocked the driver’s door—just as the nearest zombie reached the back bumper. He pulled the revolver and took aim, then decided to save the bullet and jumped into the car instead. He slammed the door hard on the cadaver’s grasping arm, then shoved it out and locked the door.

  With trembling fingers he twisted the ignition key. A wave of relief washed over him as the powerful engine revved. He switched on the headlights and the windshield wipers—and his eyes went wide in alarm.

  The headlights revealed Kerri hurrying around the Camry towards the driver’s side—as a ghoul lurched toward her, just a few yards away. He pounded the center of the steering wheel without effect—then noticed the chrome half-ring surrounding it and slammed his palm down hard. The car horn blared rudely.

  Kerri looked up and saw the zombie just in time. She fired three quick shots before hitting it in the head. As it sank to the ground she jumped into the Camry and started the engine. The motor coughed a few times then sputtered to life.

  As soon as she switched on her headlights Ryan put the Ford in reverse, plowing without mercy through the zombies coming down the driveway. He backed out onto the road and sat next to the dying flares, waiting for the Camry to start moving, fighting the urge to steal another look at the squirming worm-man in the puddle nearby.

  He glanced in his rearview and a fresh surge of terror washed over him. Dozens of zombies dotted the road behind him. They were migrating from the main roads, and their numbers were obviously growing.

  He reached to honk his horn but thought twice, not wanting to draw any more zombies than the ones already headed their way. After what seemed like an eternity he saw the Camry start to move and he took off down the road.

  Kerri steered carefully around the bodies that Ryan ran over, which were clambering to their feet, awkwardly balanced on fractured femurs and shattered hips and toes. Although she’d seen enough to know their monstrous nature, she had a hard time looking past their vestigial humanity. As ghastly as they looked, she was used to seeing people with hideous injuries. And ever the optimist, some part of her hoped they could be saved.

  She paused for a moment at the edge of the driveway, stunned as she saw the flood of zombies coming down the road. Then she stepped on the gas, following the Ford away from the lumbering horde.

  Thank you Jesus, she thought, imagining what would have happened if they had lingered in Emma’s house a few minutes longer.

  Ryan looked in his rearview and breathed a happy sigh as he saw the Camry’s headlights following. Then his happiness doubled as he lowered his gaze through the windshield—and saw the flashing beacon of a cop car approaching. Better yet, there were two sets of police lights, moving in a tight formation. A convoy. Awesome. The cavalry has arrived.

  “Emma, look,” Kerri said hopefully as she spotted the flashing lights. “Cop cars!”

  But instead of comfort, the words sent a terrifying chill through Emma. “No! Don’t stop!” she cried.

  Kerri remembered the girl’s story about the Sheriff and the cemetery and realized the police lights might mean trouble—if her story was true, and not some delusional fantasy.

  In the fast approaching cruiser, Deputy Hayes recognized the ’58 Ford and spent exactly one second calculating his move. He hit his siren and swerved to a halt beside it. The Sheriff followed his cue and cut his SUV in front of the Ford, blocking it in.

  “Shit!” Ryan hit the brakes. The Ford slid to a halt on the slippery road, just feet from the Sheriff’s bumper.

  Hayes jumped from his car, handgun drawn. He aimed it at Ryan’s window with trembling hands.

  The Sheriff climbed out of his SUV and leveled his rifle at the Ford’s windshield. “Get out of the car!” he yelled. “Hands up where I can see them!”

  Hayes turned to check out the Camry as it rolled to a stop nearby. It was illuminated by his cruiser’s headlights, but its windshield was blurred by the torrents of rain streaming over it.

  Kerri saw the action unfolding and realized it lent credence to Emma’s story. “Oh my god, you weren’t lying were you?”

  “Don’t let them get me,” Emma pleaded. “Please.”

  Kerri shifted into reverse but hesitated, not wanting to leave Ryan behind in their clutches. Her mind raced for a solution. She thought about using her Glock to try to rescue him, but realized it would be suicide. She was not a practiced shooter and certainly no match for a pair of trained lawmen. And she couldn’t run down both officers before one got off a few shots. And what if the girl was wrong?

  “Go!” pleaded Emma. But Kerri still hesitated, her mind a mishmash of guilt and hope, clinging to the possibility that Emma was mistaken and the lawmen might just be following procedure.

  “Where’s the girl?” shouted the Sheriff as Ryan stepped out of the Ford with his hands held high.

  “What girl?” Ryan bluffed, and he flicked his raised hands backwards, subtly signaling Kerri to run.

  “Don’t play with me, boy, or I’ll blow your goddamned head off. I’m in no mood for stupid games.”

  “Sheriff…” Hayes spoke nervously, eyeing the parade of corpses shambling towards them, less than fifty feet away.

  The Sheriff ignored him, intently focused on Ryan. “Speak up, boy! Where’s the girl? I don’t know what she told you but she’s crazy. We aren’t going to hurt her, but it’s urgent that we find her and find her fast. Millions of lives depend on it.”

  Ryan considered his words. Could they be true? Emma was obviously shaken. Could she just be delusional?

  Hayes glanced at the Camry just as the wipers swept the windshield clean, giving him a clear glimpse of Emma in the passenger seat. Ignoring the searing pain in his chin he pointed and shouted the alarm. “Sheriff! She’s in there! She’s in the other car!�
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  His frantic gesticulating and the Sheriff’s reaction hit Kerri like a brick. “Shit. Time to go.” She shifted into reverse and sped backwards towards Emma’s house, plowing down zombies on the way. There were just too many to avoid and she had only one thought in mind. Escape.

  “Go!” yelled the Sheriff.

  Hayes jumped into his cruiser and took off in hot pursuit.

  The Camry swerved recklessly backwards all the way to the nearest intersection, then turned and shot forward, disappearing around the corner.

  Hayes sped after them. Zombies caromed off the hood of his car. Cutting his wheel without slowing down he slid into the intersection on squealing tires.

  Ryan watched the intensity of the chase and realized it confirmed Emma’s story. Turning back to face the Sheriff, he waited to learn his fate. He had a gun in each of his coat pockets, but unless the Sheriff dropped his guard there was no way he could go for them without getting shot.

  Sheriff Leeds stared at him blankly, wrestling with the last scraps of his conscience. “Sorry, son,” he finally said. “Can’t have no loose ends running around.” He raised his rifle and fired.

  Ryan dove to the ground and rolled across the tarmac. Pulling both of his handguns he fired back. His shots missed—but the lawman ducked in a panic and slipped on the rain-drenched asphalt, dropping his gun.

  Before he could retrieve the rifle, Ryan leaped into the Ford. He threw it into reverse and sped away, driving backwards at high speed, crashing through zombies, steamrolling over them, not stopping until he reached the intersection. He swerved to a stop and shifted into drive.

  The Sheriff raised his rifle and fired an angry blast. A bullet passed through the Ford, shattering both front windows, missing Ryan’s head by inches.

  Then Ryan floored it and was gone.

  Alone on the street, the Sheriff cursed loudly and sucked in a lungful of cold damp air, trying to cool his blood pressure. He gazed at the corpses plodding toward him through the rain, and was dismayed by how far and how quickly the Resurrection had spread in such a short time.