Into the chaos we go.
Danny looked left and saw the residential road leading to the freeway was starting to get compressed as people were trying to flee. He could see the main intersection, which was a couple of hundred meters down, was completely bogged down. Cars were bumper to bumper in the middle of the intersection all trying to head to the mouth of the freeway. Some were stuck going straight, others were stuck trying to turn, but nothing was moving.
"No way," Danny said.
Eric adjusted himself in his seat. "Word travels fast, I guess." He pointed to the right. "Our best hope is to push far enough from the freeway so we can cross the main road north of us."
"It's on you, brother," Danny said as he pushed his seat back to give him more room. The tires squealed slightly as Eric hit the gas a little too hard. Danny's pocket started to vibrate. He pulled it out just to see the name.
Not now.
Maria's name was at the top with a picture of her smiling near a beach. Danny quickly hit "end call" as he shoved the phone back into his pocket. A small sedan sped passed on the other side. Danny noticed a small child glaring at him from the rear window. He shook his head in disgust.
Danny sighed. "These people should have just stayed home."
"Fight or flight," Eric replied. "For most of these people, it’s flight."
The car cut left and disappeared. Eric kept along the residential street, finally becoming parallel with the main road, where a row of houses divided the two. On the left were small roads that revealed the main street. Cars were packed in like animals in a slaughterhouse.
Eric hit on the brakes and peered down the side street. Danny got a good view of the street on the left and saw that all the cars were bumper-to-bumper. Some people just stood around while others started walking.
"Damn it," Danny said. "How the hell are we gonna cross this thing?"
"Dan, just focus on security. I will get us there," Eric said sternly as he sped off.
They were approaching the next side street when a massive pickup pulled out right in front of them. Eric slammed on the brakes and the truck fishtailed as it skidded to a stop. The incoming truck made a hard left and took off. A man was standing in the bed holding a massive rifle in his hands. Danny shouldered the shotgun but stopped as the man took his hand off the rifle and waved.
"That’s a little too close for me," Eric said, pressing his foot on the gas.
Danny started to count the side streets that passed. Each one showed the main street, to the north, still unpassable with traffic.
Five.
The engine growled as Eric sped faster.
Eight.
Eleven.
"Eric, this isn't looking good.".
The truck came to a stop at a stop sign.
"We may have to ditch this thing," Eric said as he slammed his hand on the dashboard. "Come on!"
An overweight man on a bike came pedaling down the residential street. Danny looked at the man but quickly did a double take.
Eric’s eyes followed the man. "Are you serious?"
"Eric, is that---?"
"That’s fucking McGuiness!" Eric said as he gripped the steering wheel tighter.
The overweight man had stopped on the other side of the road as he straddled a smaller bike. He looked right at Eric as he pushed his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose.
"Hey, Forbes," McGuiness yelled as he gave him the finger.
Suddenly, an electric car slammed into McGuiness. His plump body went rag doll as it was sent skidding across the intersection. The car kept going as its windshield had nearly caved in.
Both men just sat there in disbelief. Eric looked over at Danny about to say something, but the words never came out of his mouth. Danny’s eyes fell on McGuiness, whose corpse was lying in the gutter, lifeless. A dark opening next to the man’s dilapidated corpse stared back at Danny. A thin stream of water disappeared into the drain hole.
Runoff.
"There is a runoff a mile and a half down the road," Danny looked at the streets trying to remember where they were. "It shoots all the way up north to Santa Ana."
"What are you talking about? Did you not just see that?" Eric said as he gestured at the corpse.
"A manmade river like in L.A. It's right by your place!"
"Alright, I get it. Just let me have this moment," Eric said in disbelief. "I mean is he dead?"
Eric and Danny peered over at the body. McGuiness was looking right at them, dead as dead could be.
"Yeah, he is done," Danny said expressionless.
"Holy shit," Eric muttered to himself. He hit the gas and the truck took off. "I guess he really had it coming after all."
The road began to wind to the left heading more south, away from the main road. A red sedan and an SUV had collided together, blocking the middle of the street. It looked like a woman was sticking out of the windshield, but she was lifeless with her head down on the hood. Danny readied his shotgun.
"Hop over the curb and use the sidewalk." Danny rolled down the window.
The truck squeaked slightly as the shocks shifted over the curb and onto the grass. Eric dodged a tree and slowly crept by the car wreck.
Eric whistled before he spoke. "They must have been hauling ass."
"Let’s learn from others’ mistakes," Danny said.
An older man held out a bloody hand as they passed. Screaming came from inside, which sounded like a woman. Danny was about to look forward, but something moved among the wreckage. His eyes went wide when he saw a frail woman crouching over a body.
"What is she doing?" Eric asked, his voice hollow and confused. "Hey!" He called out.
The woman looked up at them and smiled. She started waving with a hand, except it wasn’t her hand. Danny blinked realizing the hand was from the body by the woman’s feet.
Eric's mouth hung from his face. "What a crazy bitch."
Laughing came from the right. Danny readied his shotgun just as a group of those crazies ran out of a house. One of them was a young girl whose face was peeled back revealing bone and teeth.
"Eric, we got a couple more on the right." Danny flicked the safety off the shotgun and aimed it out the window.
The truck’s engine turned up grass as it skidded back onto the concrete. Danny fired just as the truck lurched off the curb sending his shot low. The grass shot up next to the girl.
Shit.
Danny racked the shotgun again. He noticed that they were coming right for them. A round ricochet off the hood of the truck. Danny fired into the center of the group. The buckshot hit a man in the center of his chest, making him fall to his knees. The woman next to him cried out, raising a chef’s knife.
"Move this thing!" Danny racked the shotgun again.
The truck jumped causing the tires to squeal on the asphalt. Eric hit the gas, and the engine roared, putting distance between the group.
"These crazy assholes can shoot at us?" Eric yelled.
They are crazies alright.
Danny looked over and saw Eric gripping the wheel with white knuckles. He looked in the side mirror and saw the man who was shot in the chest get up. Four more crazies were running at a dead sprint after them, but they started to grow smaller as the truck gained speed.
Eric kept looking in the rearview as he adjusted his grip on the steering wheel. "Did I see that right?"
"Oh yeah, that big bastard took a twelve gauge to the chest and just got back up." Danny checked the chamber then reseated the shell. He pointed to the left. "Take this street."
Eric turned sharply.
"Take it slow, man."
Eric mumbled to himself.
"What are you saying?" Danny asked, looking at him.
Eric kept his eyes upfront. "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast."
"Just keep doing what you're doing." Danny looked down the right side of the side street. "You're clear on the right." The truck accelerated through the intersection. "Right side, there will be a ramp with a gate.
I'll hop out and cut the chain."
The truck drove over the bridge. Danny looked out at the adjacent bridge. People were hung on the side of the bridge. A man was standing on an SUV firing wildly into the crowd of people with a shotgun. A distant thumping grew louder and suddenly a helicopter cut into view from the left and unloaded a barrage of machine gunfire. The rounds hit the man on the car, but also tore apart the crowd that was fleeing.
"Oh, my God," Danny said as he pulled his eyes away from the scene.
He looked to his left, noticing a few vehicles were speeding down the washout. Across the way, it looked as though too many cars tried to take that route, causing the entrances to be bogged down.
"Dan, we got company," Eric said as he slowed the truck.
The truck approached an awkwardly tall man and an overweight woman. They stood near the gate next to a little blue sedan.
What are you gonna do?
Danny tapped Eric on the shoulder. "You stay with the truck and watch my back." He opened the door with his weapon raised. "You two, hands up!"
Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be.
The couple both jumped, but they quickly complied putting their hands up. The woman was frantic as she looked at Danny then back at the man. Eric got out as well, leveling the lever-action. He cocked it, which made the woman start to cry.
The man spoke up. "Look, we don't want any trouble now."
Danny yelled out, "then do as I say." He took a step forward with the shotgun raised. "Are you armed?"
The man kept his hand up. "No, we have nothing."
Danny licked his upper lip. "Alright, both of you turn around."
Both the woman and the man turned in opposite directions.
"Slow," Danny yelled, dragging out the syllables.
They did as he asked.
"Lift up your shirts so I can see your belt line and spin around again."
The woman did revealing a gut that hung over her beltline, but the man stood there for a moment. He looked back slightly.
"We just want to get out of here, man," the man cried out.
Danny kept his shotgun aimed at the man. "And you will. I just don't want to be shot in the back is all."
Eric called out behind him. "Hey, Dan! That same group is coming down the road. They are at that intersection."
What are you gonna do, Dan?
"Shit," He muttered under his breath. "Both of you on the ground."
Tick tock, Dan.
Danny took a step forward as he aimed the gun at the woman. The man sidestepped, reaching for his hip. Danny sent two shots quickly without aiming. Both rounds landed in the man's gut sending him writhing on the ground crying. The woman started screaming. Danny racked the shotgun again, pointing it at her.
Shotgun cases clinked on the ground as Danny took another step forward. "Get the hell out of here!"
The woman stood frozen. A wet spot started to appear on her pants as she began to mumble incoherently.
Danny closed the gap between her. With gritted teeth, he said in a low voice. "I said run!"
The woman started to sob heavily, staring down at the man. "I’m so sorry, sweetie."
Danny took another step, and she bolted while the man was still crying in pain.
"Eric, grab those bolt cutters."
The sound of multiple footfalls on the pavement erupted in the distance. Danny stuffed a few shells into the tube of the shotgun. Eric ran up handing the bolt cutters to Danny. The cutters felt awkward in his hand as he let the shotgun hand from its sling. He ran to the gate and worked on the lock.
Danny pushed both handles of the bolt cutters together as hard as he could. He grunted trying to snap the lock when a gunshot went off behind him. Danny looked back to see Eric walking back to the truck holstering his small pistol back into his waistband. A quick glance at the man showed that he had been shot in the head. Danny went back to opening the gate.
"We got a minute before they are on us, Etter." Eric slapped the door of the car. "Hurry up!"
Hurry. Don't panic. Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
The truck was shifted into drive. Danny pushed as hard as he could. It wouldn't budge.
Slow is smooth. Smooth is—
Danny dropped the bolt cutters and walked back a few steps. "Screw it."
He leveled his shotgun and fired three shots. The lock gave.
Eric slammed his hand on the side of the door. "Let's go!"
Danny ran up to the lock, pulling it off. He pushed both gates inward and ran back to the truck. Eric was driving up, and two of the crazies were by the tailgate. The woman with the knife was going right for Danny.
Shit.
He fired from the hip. The round went low, awkwardly splintering one of her legs. She cried out as the other woman tripped over her and they both slammed into the ground. A younger girl jumped over the two. Her face was peeled back with her jaw bone exposed.
Come on!
Danny let the truck pass him and then sprinted to catch up as it went down the ramp. A shot ricocheted off the concrete next to Danny's feet. He grabbed the door handle opening it on the run. He hopped in, pulling the shotgun into the cab.
It’s all good, Dan. It’s all good.
He was breathing heavily trying to catch his breath. Danny smiled. "That was close---"
Suddenly, something pulled his collar violently.
What!
He turned only to see the little girl’s face within inches of his own. Her eyes were a horrible red as if all the vessels popped all at once revealing a sea of dark red. Danny wanted to scream, but he pushed his hand against her neck. He could feel the smooth exposed bone from her jaw. He yelled at the top of his lungs as she tried to bite at his fingers.
Fucking animal.
Danny noticed her pupils were fully dilated, revealing an endless abyss of darkness. She was smiling now as she yanked at his collar violently.
"Eric!" Danny yelled out as he tried to reach for his 1911. The girl got a better grip and now pulled her face into the window.
She tried biting at Danny's face. Her teeth looked like razor blades, all jagged and uneven. He closed his eyes, trying to push her away, but her grip was fierce, unwavering. Suddenly, Danny felt a sharp concussive blast. A warm mist peppered his face and a heavy ringing drowned out all sound.
When Danny opened his eyes, the girl was gone. Blood had sprayed all over the windshield on the passenger side. He tried to wipe it away, but it only smudged it more. Eric kept his foot on the gas as the truck went down the waterway. Danny swallowed heavily, trying to catch his breath.
"You good?" Eric called out patting Danny on the shoulder.
Danny stuttered a little on his words. "No, I am not fucking good!" He adjusted his jaw, trying to calm the high pitched whining in his ears.
They passed a small turn where a car had flipped on an embankment. The family was all hovered around unsure of what to do. Eric hit the gas and didn't bother looking at them.
Those people don’t have a chance.
When their truck sped past, several of the members of the group cried out. Their arms flailing in desperation. Danny turned away, hoping to save his conscience from worrying about what he could not control.
"I live a mile further." Eric pointed to the right. "We will have to take a backstreet, but it shouldn't be anything like we encountered."
Danny started to shove shells into the shotgun again. His sweaty hands made it a little harder to seat each shell in the magazine tube, but nonetheless, he found the rhythm of it. When that was done, he realized his shirt was speckled with fresh blood. His breast pocket sat closed.
My pictures.
"Eric, could you grab the photos out of my left breast pocket?" Danny asked. His tone was emotionless.
"Sure thing, chief." Eric leaned over and pulled at the button. He grabbed the photos with his middle finger and thumb.
"Just keep it dry for me."
Eric nodded as he stuffed the ph
oto in his pocket. The waterway had a concrete slab that sloped to the right. The fence had been removed, making it a good spot to avoid the gate. Danny pointed to it. The truck made its way up the sloped hill quickly. At the top, they found themselves on a soccer field that was connected to a small high school. The truck tossed both the men around in the cabin as Eric skirted the side.
"We are almost there," Eric said as he patted the dashboard.
Danny looked out and saw light blue painted structures. Garages sat underneath them, and a side alley split each one. He remembered having a hard time finding Eric's front door. That was because there technically wasn't one. It was just a side door. Some designers figured most people would use the garage instead. But now, those designers were tactical geniuses, as far as Danny was concerned.
Eric let the truck down slowly from the curb, cutting past both roads into the complex. The tires squealed as he nearly hit the front gate of his community. Eric leaned out the window and typed a code into a keypad, and the gate opened slowly.
"Etter," Eric said with a certain tone.
Oh no.
Danny looked over preparing for the worst. "What?"
"I forgot the garage opener. There is a keypad on the right side. The code is five, five, six, and then hashtag."
Danny looked at him like he was an idiot. "Eric, what the hell is a hashtag?"
"Are you serious? It's...the...uh...fucking tic tac toe thing." Eric made the symbol with his finger.
Danny threw his hands up. "It's pound, you idiot!"
"Whatever, you got it?"
"Yeah, I got it," Danny said, shaking his head as he got ready to jump out.
The truck cleared the gate and made a hard left pulling up to the garage. Danny hopped out, slamming the door as he ran for the keypad to the garage.
Five. Six? Five. Pound.
"Come on," Danny muttered to himself as he hit the buttons in the corresponding order. Nothing happened.
FIVE-FIVE-SIX-HASHTAG!
"You bastard!" He held the pound button.
The garage sputtered to life. It opened slowly, but right when it hit the top Eric immediately had the truck backing in. Danny held security on the outside, making sure nothing surprised them. The engine cut and Danny backpedaled in the garage. The truck’s driver door opened and Eric jumped out with his Glock unholstered. The light slowly disappeared as the garage door was lowered down. It finally settled, leaving both men breathing heavily in the dim fluorescent light.
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