REM

by Valentine, J. D.

  The truck engine fired up, its V-8 engine roared to life.

  "Let’s fucking move," Eric yelled as he slammed his hand on the outside of the door.

  Danny pulled Chad up and both men ran for the truck. A roar came from above that made Danny’s ears throb in pain. He ran for the truck, but suddenly bodies started to land on the ground and on top of cars all around them. Danny jumped out of the way as a woman landed head first on the pavement snapping her neck.

  They both jumped in the bed. Eric slammed on the pedal jolting the truck forward. The swarm started to pour down the steep slopes that lined the freeway. Danny started to fire wildly as the mass of crazies grew closer. Hands reached out for them as they screamed in one horrible roar. Chad was firing wildly spitting up shotgun shells as the truck slammed into cars on its side.

  The truck accelerated even harder making Danny lose his aim and accidentally shoot the tailgate. Something jolted the truck sending both Danny and Chad slamming into the rear window. Danny was slightly dazed as he grabbed for another magazine. He looked up to find a pair of jarred teeth and crazy eyes in front of him. It screamed into his face as it grabbed his collar. Danny pulled at its hair and the screaming grew louder.

  STOP!

  In a panic, Danny pushed the man away from him as far as he could. A metal clank snapped the crazy’s head as it collided with a steel pole from a train signal. The body was yanked from Danny’s hands and tumbled on the asphalt. Danny grabbed his rifle and looked back at the mob of crazies that followed the truck. Their faces seemed to blur into a pale dirty nightmare that made him want to cover his face like a child. The truck thrashed as Eric slammed into a car. The swarm grew closer as Danny and Chad started to fire at the crowd. A few dropped, but the mass of bodies kept pushing closer.

  "Get this thing moving!" Danny screamed as he reloaded his rifle.

  The truck engine revved even higher as they gained speed leaving the swarm to run after them as the distance grew further. Eric made a hard right cutting the view of the swarm.

  Danny turned and looked at Chad who was pale in the face. "You good, man?"

  Chad turned to him holding his shotgun close. "What the fuck do you think, genius?" He shook his head as he made a cross with his hand.

  The truck slowed and Eric made a left. It accelerated nearly making Danny fall. He took a deep breath as he sat back against the rear window.

  What had these people become?

  A flurry of questions flooded Danny’s mind now as he stared out at the overcast sky. This wasn’t the life he ever intended. How could things come to this? He rubbed the soft fur of Jazzy Bear that sat on his hip.

  I’m coming home. I have to get home to them.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  "EVERYTHING IS BLOCKED!" Eric yelled flailing his hands at another pile-up.

  "There is always a way," Danny replied as he clenched the map. "I swear there has to be a way onto this toll road."

  Eric sighed as he put the truck into drive and made a hard left around a car. The sun was beginning to set, and the distant fires started to spread like hell itself was reclaiming the land it once owned. Danny knew the road would end soon, but he hoped there was a dirt road that would allow them to hop onto the highway that cut through the mountains. It was foolish to hope in a time like this. He needed certainties. Hope and luck would only get him and everyone else killed.

  As the truck turned around the bend, they came across another accident. A small car had flipped and slammed into the fence, leaving a sizable gash. A smile came across Danny's face as he looked over at Eric.

  "You are lucky, Etter," Eric smiled as he drove up to the crash. "Luck runs out eventually."

  "Yeah. Yeah," Danny rolled his eyes as he unbuckled his seat belt. "Chad, hop out and guide us through this thing."

  Chad let out a heavy sigh. "We've been going at this shit all day. We can see everything, just fine. Let's just drive through this thing."

  Eric's knuckles gripped the steering wheel tighter as Danny flared his nostrils.

  The passenger side door opened and Danny stepped out.

  "You sit there in your little safe space and let the old man take care of things," Danny said, slamming the door as he stepped over the shattered glass that littered the asphalt.

  Pussy.

  The helmet strap was digging into Danny's chin awkwardly, making him pull it below his jawline. He kept both hands on his rifle as he inhaled the sharp smell of burning vegetation. His eyes darted all around, looking for movement and shadows. Beyond the freeway were rolling green hills where an open highway snaked up into a valley. Danny stepped through the hole in the fence. It would be tight, but he pulled back the left side, so it was flush with the post.

  It should fit just fine.

  Eric stuck his head out. "We got someone running in those hills, Dan."

  Fear overwhelmed Danny's senses as he quickly took cover behind an abandoned Civic. He made sure he was behind the engine block just in case someone had a gun. Danny's eyes jumped to the hill. He scanned right to left almost missing the man-sized silhouette that stood in the middle of all that green. It was a ways off, but Danny could see it was not a man, but a young boy. He looked back at Eric, who was now yelling at Chad to get out. Danny stepped away from cover and walked out onto the freeway.

  The truck started to move as Chad ushered it though.

  Danny walked up to the divider with his rifle still held tightly in both hands.

  "Hey, kid!," He called out.

  The child's head turned in his direction, and then it moved back to the truck. The movements were strange.

  "Kid, you alright?" Danny waited for a response, but the boy just stared. "We've got food and water if you'd like some."

  There was no response as Danny had to shield his eyes now from the setting sun. That high pitched scream sounded like a small tantrum as the child sprinted down the hill. Danny's shoulders sank as he heard it.

  "Dan, we are ready, just leave him," Eric said over the radio.

  Danny lowered his head to the ground and rubbed his face as he took a knee. He rested his rifle on the concrete barrier to support his shooting position as he waited for the young boy to draw nearer.

  Let him get close enough and make it a good shot. Make it quick and painless.

  The boy tripped while going down the hill, but he quickly popped back up. There was no regard for pain. No thought of danger or humility in that boy. He was an animal, maybe even lower than that. Danny sighted in with his reticle centered on the boy’s chest. He paused for a moment as the boy's torn face was smiling back. At that moment, Danny realized the kid looked very much like his own son, Lucas. Danny swallowed heavily as he focused on his breathing. He inhaled and then began to exhale, relaxing his whole body.

  Maybe he is still just a boy and not one of those—-

  The thought faded immediately as the recoil of the rifle pushed against Danny's shoulder. He kept the reticle in focus as the blurring mass slumped to the floor. The body laid there motionless.

  It’s done.

  Danny didn’t stick around after. He quickly stood and walked back to the idling truck. It was deadly quiet in the truck once Danny got in. Eric put the car in drive and slowly drove away from the scene. The truck gunned it up to the highway and Danny kept his eyes peeled. A few miles up the road, they came across a service station that had a gate around it and a large tower sat in the middle. It reminded Danny of something out of the Lord of the Rings, but it was a good spot to defend from.

  Eric dipped his head to see the area around it. "Looks like a decent spot to set up for the night."

  Danny nodded. "I thought we’d get a little further, but being out at night doesn’t sound like the best idea. Pull off here, and we will rest here for the night." His voice was quiet and almost distant.

  The truck slowed onto the side of the road, kicking up gravel as it pulled to a stop. Chad set up behind the truck providing security as Eric and Danny jumped out an
d closed the distance to the building. It was a brown structure that had a fenced-in perimeter. The gate stood ajar, but it looked abandoned and empty. Both men moved as one to the left side of the fence, keeping their weapons leveled, waiting for a threat.

  "Alright, chief. I got the left side, you got the right," Eric said with a slightly labored breath.

  Nice and easy.

  "Moving," Danny replied as he pivoted into the opening of the gate with his weapon raised.

  Both men flowed into the courtyard. It was deserted with only the rattling of a metal sheet in the wind to fill the empty void. The inner compound was small and in the corner sat a building that matched the color of the tower.

  Eric approached it first and set up near the closed door. Danny took the other side of the door and reached for the handle. Each man nodded, and Danny pushed the door in. They crossed paths as they glided into the dark doorway. Each man flashed the corners with their weapon-mounted lights finding nothing, but a few road work signs and some equipment for traffic stops. The room was empty, which allowed both men to exhale in relief.

  Danny reached for his headset. "Hey, Chad you can bring the vehicle in."

  "Hell of a day," Eric said as they both walked out into the courtyard.

  Danny unbuckled his helmet and rested it under his arm as they walked to the gate. "I’d say so. Thought it was game over at that overpass."

  "Where did those bastards all come from?"

  Danny shrugged. "Beats the hell out of me."

  Eric looked out at the city they had just come from. "This thing spread faster than anyone could have anticipated."

  Danny shook his head. "Eric, I'm hoping we didn't bite off more than we can chew. We can't make mistakes like that."

  "Etter, we got through today so far." Eric smiled as he tapped Danny's shoulder. "Let's focus on the good."

  The rumble of the engine grew louder as Chad drove the truck through the small gate. He stopped in the middle while Eric and Danny shut the gate and locked it with their own lock. Chad killed the engine and stepped out with his helmet off. The sun had fully set now, leaving a grey void that would soon become darkness. The three men stood around each other, silent as the wind blew around them.

  Danny unslung his rifle and squatted on the ground. The others followed in trace.

  "Alright, boys, who's on watch first?" Danny looked at both men with an eager face. "We can always flip a coin?"

  "I'll take it," Eric said solemnly. "I've gotta check my underwear after that close call we had."

  Danny laughed, but Chad just stared at the ground.

  Danny cleared his throat before he spoke. "I'll take the middle watch, and Chad you will get from three to six. Eric why don’t you post up on that tower, and I'll bring you some food once we get all settled. Chad, make sure the truck is turned around so if we need to bolt, we can just go."

  "Yeah...uh...got it," Chad said as he walked slowly to the truck.

  Danny and Eric looked at each other, but neither had to say anything. They both looked at the truck as it started to pull in.

  "That thing gonna keep going," Danny asked as he looked at the bent brush guard on the front.

  "I didn’t see any issues once we took off. I think it will be fine for now," Eric said as he slung his rifle. "I’m gonna get set up in that tower. I like the chili with beans and bring my blanky. It should be at the top of my pack."

  "Blanky?"

  "Yeah, my woobie," Eric said casually.

  Danny was about to say something, but he kept it to himself.

  "Look, judge all you want, but at least I don’t carry a teddy bear on my belt."

  Eric turned, leaving Danny smiling still shaking his head.

  The guy never fails.

  ***

  The wind had begun to pick up as Danny walked up to the spiral staircase of the tower. When he entered the metal tower, the wind became a high pitched little whine as a small crevice still let a short gust squeeze through. Danny walked slowly up the stairs half-feeling for a step the other half praying for a step. He reached the middle point when he noticed a silhouette of a man who was seated against the wall.

  "How’s it going out there?" Eric said from the shadow.

  Just as Eric asked the question the wind picked up making the entire steel tower groan.

  "Blow me," Danny muttered as he climbed to Eric’s position.

  "How witty of you," Eric laughed. "I thought you'd forgotten about me."

  Danny slowly sat beside Eric. "Nah, I had to take a dump. Made sure I didn't wash my hands before I made you dinner."

  Eric smiled as he grabbed the small plate of food. "That's alright. With how you cook, it probably tastes like shit anyway."

  Danny smirked as he sat next to Eric. They sat there quietly as the wind rushed through the small slits in the tower. Eric ate quietly while Danny compiled his thoughts.

  Danny set his helmet down on the metal floor. "That kid earlier---"

  "I know," Eric replied with food still in his mouth. "Looked like Lucas. My heart sank for a moment."

  "Imagine how I felt." Danny rubbed his eyes. "I just have no idea how the hell we are gonna get there."

  Eric swallowed the last of his food and set the plate down. "One day at a time, Etter."

  Danny rolled his eyes. "It's hard not to look ahead."

  "You can't." Eric rubbed his beard and then settled back into his seat. "Remember when all this broke out? We came across that couple waiting by the fence."

  Danny remembered very well, in fact. He had a hard time forgetting the man's screams. He lowered his head. "I remember."

  "Well, you did what you had to do at that moment. There was no hesitation. No remorse. It was only life or death, and you chose to live. " Eric laid his rifle in his lap. "You want to survive this, then you have got to worry about what is right in front of you and act quickly. Let your conscience sort the rest of it out later."

  Danny rested his head on the metal pole behind him. "So, that's how you know we will make it though?"

  Eric swallowed lightly and looked back at Danny. "There are no guarantees in this world, Dan, but you have a higher chance than most solely on the fact that you can be violent. Most don't have the stomach for it."

  Danny fell silent as he searched for thoughts. "What about Chad?"

  A heavy sigh came from Eric as he lowered his head. "As long as he does what he is supposed to do, he will be fine. But like I said, one day at a time."

  They both sat there for some time.

  Danny finally stood and patted Eric on the shoulder. "Thank you for the advice." He dropped a soft polyester blanket onto Eric's lap. "I found your woobie by the way."

  Eric laughed. "Creature comforts, Etter. Remember to always indulge in the creature comforts."

  Danny smiled as he made his way down the stairs. Chad was walking inside when Danny reached the bottom. He grabbed his pack in the bed of the truck and followed Chad into the darkroom. Both men set up their sleeping mats and sank to the ground.

  "Hey, Dan!" Chad called out.

  Danny was leaning his head on his pack as he sat there with his eyes closed. "Hey, Chad?"

  A heavy sigh drew Danny's head from rest as he looked over at Chad. His dark silhouette rested against the wall, and he seemed to be sobbing lightly.

  "I don't think I can do this," Chad said. The anguish in his voice was tense as he said it through his teeth.

  "Look, Chad," Danny said. "Men focus on what is in front of them, not what could be. As a wise man once said, take it one day at a time."

  "Who said that?"

  Danny's eyes opened. "I think it was Gandhi or someone important. Anyway, it's irrelevant."

  It was silent between the two men as Chad nodded in the darkness. Danny took his baseball cap and slid it over his head. The night filled his senses, and then his jumbled thoughts slowed until all that was a clear image. That image was a giant lake surrounded by trees.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
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br />   SHE WAS ALWAYS smiling. Her dark hair looked like silk as Danny laid there beside her. The fluorescent lights beat down on Danny’s eyes making him look back at Maria. She smiled at him and then down at the small child that was nestled on her chest.

  "He is beautiful, isn’t he?" She said to Danny.

  "Just like his mother," Danny said smiling.

  He interlaced his hand in Maria’s. Danny felt so safe at that moment.

  "Dan," a distant voice called out to him.

  Maria looked at Danny with worried eyes. "You come find me, Danny."

  "I’m not going anywhere," he said, gripping her hand tighter.

  When he looked up, he was floating away from her.

  Maria called out to him from a hospital bed. "You find me, Danny! Don’t you ever give up on me!"

  "Dan," Eric whispered, nudging him awake.

  Danny pushed away from Eric as he regained consciousness.

  Maria?

  "Come on, you old man," Eric said, nudging him again.

  Danny slapped Eric as he pulled his poncho liner off his body. "Alright, alright! I’m up."

  Eric stood over him smiling. "I made you some coffee, old-timer. Thought it would jump-start the colon."

  "You are too kind," Danny said sarcastically.

  "You gentlemen ready?" Chad asked as he threw his pack into the back of the truck.

  Danny took a sip of his coffee wincing as it burned his tongue. "We are leaving already? What time is it?"

  Eric smiled as he loaded up his pack. "It’s almost seven. The deal was that we would be on the road by that time. I suggest you pack up or we are leaving you behind."

  Danny took another sip of his coffee. "Yeah, yeah. I somehow doubt that."

  He threw his pack into the bed next to Eric’s. Danny sighed as he rode shotgun this time setting his coffee cup in the cup holder beside him.

  Eric took the wheel again. "Alright, boys. Big push today."