by Chase McCown
“You kidding? I think he enjoyed it!” Susan said, laughing.
The car hit a bump and then stalled. Howard pressed the gas pedal hard, but the car didn’t move.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jacob moaned.
“Jacob, mind checking why we’re stuck?” Howard asked.
“Sure,” he replied, exiting the car. After a few moments, he said, “The wheel’s stuck in the mud. Try putting it in reverse?” he suggested, getting back in the car.
Howard did so but to little effect. Finally, after thirty more minutes of struggle, they gave up on freeing the car.
“I hate to say it,” Howard said.
“Nope, don’t say it,” Jacob said.
“I hate to say it, but—”
“I mean it. Don’t you even finish that sentence.”
“We’re going to have to walk,” Howard finished.
Jacob groaned and slammed his fist on the car. “But what about all our supplies?”
“We’ll carry what we can and leave the rest.”
“Come on, Jake, it isn’t that bad,” Susan said.
“Not that bad? What about that bloodthirsty—thing—back there? I’m pretty sure frankenpig’s still hungry.”
Susan laughed. “Let’s go, drama queen.”
They got their gear together and continued down the path, leaving the relative safety of their comfortable car for the unknown beyond. They walked in silence for about ten minutes before Mike, who had begun walking a short way ahead of the group, waved for their attention.
“What is it, Mike?” Howard asked.
“A truck!” he exclaimed.
After moving their gear into the truck, they began driving again and were able to reach the North Carolina state line by the time the sun set.
Chapter 50
May 25th, 2025. Lumberton, North Carolina.
The car continued a short while after crossing the state line but then began struggling. The smell of smoke filled their nostrils, and the car whined incessantly in protest of its continued operation. It refused to shift gears altogether.
Upon seeing Howard struggling, Susan spoke up. “What’s going on?”
“The check engine light’s on. It could be the transmission,” Howard said.
He brought the car to a halt just inside a small town and opened the hood to get a closer look. After a short inspection, Howard emerged with the news. “The vacuum line has a tear in it. We’re going to need to replace it.”
“That’s okay. We need to get some supplies anyway,” Susan said.
The group split up and searched the town. Howard and Mike checked the local gas station for the vacuum line and gas but found neither. The dingy shack was empty, for the most part, and only a few supplies remained.
“Oh wow!” Mike exclaimed.
“What?” asked Howard.
“Oh, sorry, it’s dumb.”
“No, what is it?” Howard prodded.
Mike held up a package of gum with a baseball pitcher on the front, blowing a bubble and winding up for a pitch. “This gum,” he said. “Me and my friends used to chew it all the time. We thought it made us look like the guys on TV.” He slipped the package into his pocket. “I miss that, you know? Just being able to play an afternoon game of baseball or something dumb like that.”
“So do I, Mike. We’ll get it back, though.”
“Promise?”
“Hmm?”
“Promise we’ll get it back? Promise we’ll be able to play a game of baseball after this is all over?”
“We will, Mike. I promise.”
*
After a lengthy search, Susan had a shopping cart full of food and water and was heading back to the car to unload. She couldn’t stop wondering what they’d find when they reached DC. All she could picture in her mind were the old postcards her dad used to send when he was away on business. Once, he went on a trip to DC and sent her a postcard of the city. The White House loomed large on the face of the card, and the Washington Monument pierced the background. Fireworks cut through the black sky above them, and scribbled across the top in red ink were the words “See you soon, kiddo.”
That was the last she had ever heard from her dad. He got in a car accident on the way back, and the postcard was all she now had to remember him by. She took the crinkled and endlessly folded postcard out of her purse and examined it again.
“See you soon, Dad.”
*
Once the supplies were loaded up, the transmission fixed, and the car up and running again, the four got back into the car and continued the journey once more. The end, they could see, was now well in sight.
Chapter 51
May 25th, 2025. Washington DC, Capital of the New Union.
“Virginia welcomes you,” Mike read aloud.
“Hmm, it’s nice to be welcome somewhere for a change,” Jacob joked.
“No kidding,” Susan agreed.
“Guys, are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Howard asked, a tone of amazement in his voice.
Walls and fortifications surrounded the landscape, with snipers situated in watchtowers. A large iron gate of solid construction afforded the only way into the city.
They drove slowly up to the entrance before being brought to a stop by a guard in a full military uniform.
“Can I help you folks?” he asked.
“We were on our way to DC. An officer back in Oregon gave me this.” Howard handed the soldier the now crumpled evacuation orders, and the soldier studied them carefully.
“Wait, you’re from the West Coast? What about the rest of you?” the soldier asked.
“We both are,” Susan said, indicating Jacob.
“And the kid?” the officer asked.
“I was born just outside of Houston but lived in Beaumont,” Mike said.
“Ahh,” the officer said. “What’s it like out west? We haven’t heard any news in months.”
They gave him a grim look, and Jacob spoke up. “Bad. Real bad. By now, I’m not sure there’s anyone left there. What’s worse, the infected seem to be moving east.”
“That’s not good, and it fits with the little intel we’ve gathered. Come with me. We need to run a few tests just to make sure none of you are infected. After that, we’ll get you set up in DC. The boss’ll want to speak with you,” the soldier said.
“The boss?” Howard asked.
“The President.”
*
They drove through a quiet countryside, stars twinkling above and a cool night breeze sweeping past them.
Soon all but Susan were fast asleep, forgetting their troubles in the pure bliss and tranquility of the drive. Susan, though, was wrapped up in her own thoughts. She thumbed the Bible Howard had given her, flipping through the pages carefully.
She had never quite understood what being a Christian meant. Her parents were both agnostic and never brought up the subject at all. Howard was the first true Christian she had met, and she couldn’t understand what made him so different from the other people she had encountered.
Finally, frustrated, she closed the Bible and put it back in her pocket. It seemed to her to speak in riddles, and she had grown tired of trying to decipher them.
She fell asleep, dreaming of what the capital would be like.
*
A few hours of travel later, they arrived in DC. The city glistened with the light of the rising sun, and a chorus of birds filled the air. On the outskirts of the city, people mowed their lawns, planted flowers, played fetch with their dogs, or took long walks in the park. It was something none of them had seen since before they could remember.
Closer to the city itself, people bustled in and out of buildings, down streets, or headed to their office jobs as if nothing had happened. Most seemed oblivious to the goings-on outside of this utopia.
Soon, they neared the White House. Was this real or only a dream? A few days ago, they were being hunted by the infected, and now they were safe? None of it had fully regis
tered to any of them yet, but a feeling of relief swept over them all. The journey felt like it was over. Their trials had ended. They were going to be okay.
Chapter 52
May 25th, 2025. Washington DC, Capital of the New Union.
“Right this way,” the soldier directed as the four approached the imposing structure of the White House.
They came near the entrance, where they were stopped by additional guards.
“We’re going to have to search you for weapons,” one guard said.
“Oh,” Susan realized, “I almost forgot about my service revolver.”
“Sorry, I’m going to have to ask you to leave that out here with us. You can have it back as soon as you leave the White House,” one of the guards said.
She slid the revolver out of its holster and handed it carefully to the soldier. She seldom parted from it, but she was eager to see the President.
After the others were cleared, the soldiers opened the doors and led them through a series of mazelike corridors before finally arriving in an oval-shaped room, clad in yellow, with two flags perched by a large desk in the back of the room. Sitting in a chair just in front of these was the President, and beside him were two more guards with assault rifles in hand.
“Mr. President, these are the four I told you about.”
“You’re certain?” the President asked, peering at them curiously.
“Yes, sir.”
The President shook his head in amazement. “I’m sorry, but you must understand that this is the first time anyone from the West Coast has arrived here in months. The idea that some were able to make it across the United States is— Well, let’s just say we haven’t been holding out hope.”
“It hasn’t been easy. We lost a member of our group on the way, and we’re still trying to heal. Mike here was there when it happened, and I think it was probably hardest on him,” Howard said.
“I’m truly sorry for your loss, everyone. I’m sure this is a trying time for all of you. Maybe, if you all don’t mind, you could tell your story? I would love to hear it if that’s okay. If not, I understand. You’ve clearly been through a lot to get here,” the President said.
“I’m okay with telling it if you guys are,” Howard said, looking at the others.
Susan and Jacob nodded, and soon all eyes turned to Mike.
“What about you, Mike?” Howard asked.
Mike was silent for a long while but then nodded slowly.
“I guess I’ll start,” Howard said.
Susan, Howard, and Jacob each told the story of how they met the others, and then Susan told how she had met Charlie. They all chimed in on various parts of their journey until they met with Mike. Then Mike told of how he had escaped from his infected parents and was chased to the car that Howard was driving, and how Howard, Jacob, Charlie, and Susan had rescued him. They then told the story of the horrible day that Charlie had died. Mike told of Charlie’s bravery and sacrifice, and the others talked about how the loss had affected them. Finally, they told of Mendax, of the wild boar, of the witch, and of how they felt when they arrived in the capital at last.
When they had finished, the President looked on speechlessly. Finally, he gathered himself, cleared his throat, and addressed them.
“You have to be the bravest people I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting,” the President said. “And this Charlie, was it? I can assure you he will be remembered by the New Union. Our men haven’t had many encounters with the infected, and I’m afraid when they do arrive, we may not be ready. Do you think some of you might be willing to help train some of the soldiers in how to deal with the infected? You’ve made it this far, so you must have been doing something right.”
“Sure, we’d be happy to help however we can,” Howard said.
“There’s also a group working on a cure for this disease. I’m sure they’d be grateful for any help you could offer, if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll go talk to them. What’s the name of the group?” asked Howard.
“They call themselves the New Dawn. They have a research facility in the eastern part of the city. My men can show you to it.”
“That would be great, thanks,” Jacob said.
“Great! Thank you all for your time. I’m sure you’re eager to get some rest after such a long ordeal, so I won’t keep you any longer. Just know that you are welcome in the New Union.”
The four thanked him for his hospitality, and the guards led them out of the White House and to an apartment complex where they would be staying.
Chapter 53
May 26th, 2025. Washington DC, Capital of the New Union.
“There’s no time! Just go!” Charlie shouted, his voice and tone both resigned and stoic.
Mike unwillingly scrambled up Charlie’s arms once again and watched as Charlie was swept away in a tide of infected. Then he woke up.
He breathed in gasps, beads of sweat pouring down his brow. He finally brought his breathing under control and let out a heavy sigh.
“Hey! What’s wrong, Mike?” Susan asked, rushing over to him.
“I had that dream again.”
“I thought so. You okay?”
Mike nodded. “I’m okay.”
“Hey, guys,” Howard said, entering the room. “Jacob, can you come in here for a minute?”
“Sure thing,” Jacob said, yawning. “What is it?”
“The President wants some of us to help train troops and some to help develop a cure. Who wants to do what?”
“I want to help find a cure,” Mike said.
“I’d like to help train the troops,” said Susan.
“I’ll help Mike,” Jacob said. “I don’t think I have much to teach as far as fighting goes.”
“Then I’ll help train troops,” Howard said. “The guard gave me this to give to whoever wanted to help with research.” Handing Jacob a brochure with a map, he added, “We’ll meet you guys back here later. Good luck!”
They split up. Howard and Susan went to the barracks while Jacob and Mike headed to the research facility.
*
A man in military fatigues stood by a sturdy gate and saluted as Howard and Susan approached. “Sgt. Bradley. Headquarters requested I brief you on the situation. You are?”
“I’m Susan.”
“Howard. Pleased to meet you, Sergeant,” Howard greeted, saluting back.
“Likewise. We have instructors from all across the Union here. HQ was hoping you could teach them what you know so they could teach the soldiers and civvies. Any tips for how you were able to survive or any weaknesses the infected might have would be a great help to us. Don’t stress out too much. Just tell them what you remember. Good luck.” Bradley buzzed them in, and the gate creaked open.
“Oh, and one more thing.” At this juncture, Bradley gave a crisp salute. “Welcome to the Union.”
*
“Here it is,” Jacob said, arriving at a small white building. A man in a white lab coat met them at the door. “Hello, welcome. Come right this way,” he said, leading them down a long hallway and arriving in a cramped white room perhaps a little larger than a prison cell.
“I know it’s a bit small, but we’re very excited to have you working with us. You’ve been out there in the infection, and we’re hoping you’ll be able to help us understand the symptoms and how long it takes an individual to become infected. Maybe you can even help us collect samples for study.”
“Great, so where can we start?” asked Jacob.
“Well, why don’t we just start with what you’ve been through so far. Tell me, what’s your story?”
Jacob cleared his throat and recounted the whole morbid tale—his failed acting venture, his father becoming infected, and the long journey to DC. He paid special attention to the infected in his story, trying to remember as much as possible from each encounter. When he was done, he sat straight up and folded his hands in his lap.
The man continued to write in silence in a little
notebook he carried long after Jacob had grown silent. Eventually—what seemed like ages later but could have been no longer than ten minutes—he looked up and turned to Mike.
“What about you, young man?” he asked.
Mike had dreaded this, but he told the man everything. He told him about his parents contracting the infection and about wandering down a dark road until he ran into Charlie, Susan, Jacob, and Howard. He told him about how he had spent the next few days traveling with them until that horrible day in New Orleans. He told him about Charlie, about how he was swallowed up in the infected horde, and about how he’d had to watch him die. He told him about the guilt and about the pain, and then he told him about the rest of the journey.
“And now I’m here,” he said at the end. “But you can’t do anything for me, I don’t think.”
The man continued writing. He seemed to pay little attention to the story as a whole and muttered to himself as he went. Finally, he stopped, thanked Jacob and Mike for their time, and told them that would be all for the day.
“We’ll send for you when we need something else, but in the meantime, get some rest. I’m sure you can use it.”
The whole process was emotionally draining, and after it was finished, they went home and spent a great deal of time simply thinking to themselves. This was especially true for Mike, who locked himself in his room and remained there for the rest of the day.
Jacob reclined in the living room. He closed his eyes and tried to rest, but the thoughts that flooded into his mind kept him from sleeping. Was this too good to be true? How safe were they here? Surely there had to be some kind of catch to all this. And how was Mike handling everything?
To be frank, Mike wasn’t handling it very well. Recounting Charlie’s death had opened up a floodgate of emotion. There were so many different feelings, though, and none of them were distinct enough to pick out. He felt sad, angry, guilty, cynical, and apathetic all at the same time. He stared blankly out the window in his room, hoping to find some small measure of solace.
This first day in the New Union was a taxing one for them all, but the comfort of having somewhere to sleep at night and a roof over their heads could not be overstated. Simple commodities brought about feelings of wonderment, and the thought of having food delivered to them each meal was almost unimaginable.