REM

by Valentine, J. D.

  "Dan," Eric said, adjusting his night vision monocle. "What do you got?"

  It was hard for him to see, as he tried to adjust Sophia’s night vision goggle. He messed with the focal lens, and that’s when he could see the outline of a body.

  Danny exhaled slowly. "I think they killed one of the women."

  "Shit," Eric said to himself. "Soph, I think one of the women is dead. We are going in now."

  "Eric, don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Let’s wait till three like we planned," Danny said in a whisper.

  Eric looked over at Danny. "If we wait till three, there will be no point." He clicked his headset. "Soph, keep your eyes on the two outside."

  Danny looked over whispering. "Eric, we don't—"

  "This is not a discussion. We are going in."

  Eric stood up, adjusting his night vision.

  "Damn it," Danny mumbled to himself as he stood.

  They crept together. Eric took the right side corner while Danny took the left. Occasionally, they would step on a few pine needles, but it wasn't enough to give away their approach. Danny reached down and unbuttoned the knife in his sheath. They moved behind the building, where its dark shadow blocked out the light from the full moon. Danny walked past the body. He snuck a quick look noticing it was the dark woman. Her hair was caked in blood and dirt. The worst part was how unrecognizable her face was. It looked as though she had been beaten with a steel pipe.

  These guys are nothing but animals.

  "Boys, that fat fuck is doing his rounds," Sophia whispered in each man's ear. "Looks like he is coming around the corner."

  Danny quickly slung his weapon to the side and unsheathed his Ka-Bar. He posted on the corner with his knife steady in his right hand, as he pulled his night vision up away from his eyes. The man was whistling softly to himself. Danny could hear each step on the gravel growing closer and closer. He sunk close to the wall as he braced himself. A boot emerged from the corner first, then his rifle. The man started to round the corner, but Danny grabbed his beard and buried the blade in the man's throat, pulling the man to the ground. Small screams came from him as Danny ripped out the knife and started stabbing him as hard and as fast as he could till the faint cries died out, and the body went limp.

  The back door opened. Danny was still on the ground as his eyes jumped to the cafe. The same man was dragging out the other woman. His back was to Eric, who was only a few feet from him. The blonde's body slumped to the floor as the man looked down at her exposed breasts. A low laugh came from him as the sound of a zipper went off. He was about to urinate when Eric plunged his blade into the man’s kidney. The man was in shock as Eric twisted the knife. A labored moan came from the man as he was about to cry out, but Eric covered his mouth with a gloved hand and buried the blade into the man’s stomach and sliced his abdomen open.

  Danny was already on his feet with his weapon raised at the open door.

  Eric brought his face close to the man's ear. "I'm gonna make you cry worse than them."

  The blade was pulled out slowly and the man started to cry out as Eric came from underneath stabbing the man in between the legs. The man cried out now, screaming like an animal as Eric twisted the blade.

  A man emerged from the door, and Danny fired as fast as he could until the body fell away. Eric smiled as he slit the man's throat letting him fall to the ground.

  "Sophia, stay on the front door," Eric said.

  The man was writhing as he tried to hold his throat closed.

  "Right side," Sophia said over the radio.

  Eric pivoted and leveled his rifle at the corner. Three rounds went off sending a darker skinned man that just emerged crashing to the floor.Eric ran up to him and fired another round into the man's head.

  "Dan, they are all dead. Let's push back and pick off any of these fucks that come out."

  Suddenly, a boy emerged from the door holding an AK-47. Eric and Danny fired at the door until the boy slumped in the doorway. Danny took off to the right as Eric held.

  "Set," Danny yelled as he took cover behind a tree.

  Eric pivoted and sprinted in Danny's direction.

  "Soph, Eric and I are clear. You are weapons free."

  From the hill, tiny muzzle flashes emerged. The rounds started to cut through the building. Danny could hear men screaming as the bursts continued to fire down into the cafe. Nothing would save those men, as rounds cut through wood and drywall. He imagined them all getting peppered as they still tried to grab their weapons. Those men had no hope. Just like those poor girls who were starting to rot in the dirt. A slight amount of guilt hit Danny about the young boy, but what could he have done?

  I need to live.

  The back door moved, and Danny saw a couple of men run outside. Their green silhouettes ran for the treeline as fast as they could. Danny lined up his laser on the first man. Eric's laser followed the second. Before they could enter the trees, both Danny and Eric fired. The men dropped almost at the same time, but one of them staggered back up, trying to get away. This time both lasers honed in on the survivor. Two shots went off and the dark figure went limp crashing into a tree.

  "Sophia, cease fire," Eric said over the radio.

  The SAW kept firing.

  Eric pulled the headset off his shoulder. "Sophia, I said cease!"

  The machine gun stopped on the hill, and the entire area fell into an awkward stillness. There were a few men crying out from the cafe, but it made Danny smile slightly.

  "Let's clear out the cafe, and then start moving supplies into that Jeep," Danny said as he changed the magazine in his rifle.

  "You take point this time," Eric replied as he reloaded his rifle.

  Danny stood and started back to the cafe with his weapon raised. "Soph, we are moving to the building."

  Eric moved behind him as they stacked up on the door. The two men were limp in the doorway, but Danny could see into the kitchen. He fired a round into every body he saw and quickly moved into the kitchen. When he pivoted in, he saw several men lying in the aisles. One was still breathing as he rocked back and forth. The tattoos on his head looked polarized in the night vision as Danny put two in the man's chest. It all fell quiet as Eric went around dead checking each body by kicking them in the crotch as hard as he could.

  "They ain't moving anytime soon," Eric said, with gritted teeth.

  Danny shook his head as he looked down at the men. "There is enough evil shit going on. Why would these animals add to that?"

  Eric looked down at the bodies. "Sons of bitches got exactly what they deserved if you ask me."

  "You could say t---"

  Multiple screams came from down the road.

  "What the fuck was that?" Eric said, looking up at Danny.

  The screams grew louder now.

  It can’t be.

  "You both need to get out of there now!" Sophia yelled over the radio. "I've got a swarm coming up the road!"

  Shit.

  Both men didn’t hesitate. The men scrambled to the door. Eric dashed across the parking lot, while Danny ran to the Humvee that had been ransacked.

  Come on, still be there.

  He felt under the seat. His hand brushed a bandoleer that had six extra magazines.

  Okay, now we go!

  "Dan, we gotta fucking go, man!" Eric yelled as he ran for the treeline.

  "What about the vehicles?" Danny said.

  "Leave them!"

  Danny slung the bandoleer and took off after Eric.

  Shit. Shit. SHIT!

  They entered the treeline and started to make their way up the hill.

  "Move your asses!" Sophia yelled over the radio.

  The screams made it seem as though the infected were right behind them. Danny could hear the stomping of footfalls on the asphalt. He looked back, only to see a green mob coming up the hill.

  "She's not kidding," Danny said as he struggled for breath.

  Eric and Danny moved as fast as they could up the
hill. More than halfway up, Danny looked back. The swarm entered the parking lot. Dozens of them poured into the cafe screaming at the top of their lungs.

  "Too close of a call, " Eric said in a labored breath.

  The two slowed their ascent as they watched from almost one hundred meters away as the swarm encircled the entire structure. Some ran out the front, while others ran out the back and made a full circle around. The cars were soon surrounded. Some crazies darted off into the woods but most started thrashing at anything that was in their way.

  "We should keep moving," Danny said. "I imagine more are coming from the gunfire."

  "It was all for nothing," Eric said quietly.

  Danny patted his shoulder. "We did the right thing, but right now we have to save ourselves. Now move your ass."

  They met Sophia at the top of the hill. She handed the SAW to Eric and shouldered her pack.

  "We have got to get out of here," she commanded.

  Danny bent over gasping for breath. "You think?"

  "Grab your shit. We are leaving," Eric said as he lowered his night vision goggle over his eyes.

  "Alright. Alright," Danny muttered as he grabbed his pack and cinched it on his shoulders.

  A few of the crazies were making their way up the hill, which made everyone move into a panic. Everyone just grabbed the closest pack and shouldered it. Eric grabbed the SAW from Sophia and took the lead. Danny took up the rear. They ran down the back side of the hill in a panic. The weight from the gear was irrelevant as their adrenaline pushed all of them to their physical limits. Everyone fell at random points, but they just kept moving until the screams grew quiet. Even then they didn't stop. Eric kept moving at a trot. Sophia had to run to keep up, and Danny thought he was nearing a heart attack.

  Hours passed. All three of them puked at some point from pure exhaustion. The screams had long been drowned out and now the sun was starting to rise lighting up the darkness from the long night.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  DANNY UNSLUNG HIS weapon and held it with one hand. His other hand pulled on trees and branches to take the strain off his legs. It didn't seem to help though as he let spittle drip from his mouth into his short prickly beard.

  "Etter, you look like absolute hell," Eric said smiling.

  I hate you, Eric. With every bone in my body.

  Danny looked up with red eyes. "Eric, how about you find the highway before I kick you off this mountain?"

  "Getting a little pissy—"

  Sophia shook her head. "I'm with Dan on this. Eric, go make yourself useful."

  Eric looked at both of them for a moment and then smiled as he disappeared into the trees. Danny grabbed a limb and pulled himself to the edge.

  I’m getting too old for this shit.

  He reached the top of the hill gasping for breath. No matter how much he tried to breathe, he felt as though there wasn't enough oxygen to reach his system. Little gray shades started to envelop on the edges of Danny's eyes, and he saw the ground racing up to him as he fell face-first into the dirt.

  "Dan," A voice called out to him. "Come on, chief."

  Something cold ran over his face. He opened his eyes, but everything was blurry.

  "Come on, big guy, wakey, wakey," a man said.

  A pat to his face shook his vision back into focus. A bearded man was standing over him with a smile that looked like a predator.

  "There he is. Welcome back, you big, beautiful bastard."

  My body hates me right now.

  Danny's mouth felt like a cotton ball as he tried to get some moisture in it. "You’re uglier than what I remember."

  "Well, at least you didn't lose your sense of humor," Eric said as he patted Danny's shoulder. "Just a half a mile down the road there is a hell of a spot to hold up for the night."

  Danny sat up and took notice of everything around him. His helmet had been torn off, and his armor was sitting on the ground.

  Eric's eyes followed. "Oh...yeah...you've been out for about fifteen minutes. Sophia watched you pass out."

  "You fell pretty hard," Sophia said, almost half smiling as she kept her eyes peeled.

  Danny started to get up, still feeling light-headed, but he had to move. "Half a mile, you said."

  Eric was helping Danny up. "And all downhill."

  "After all that crap we just hiked through, it better be."

  Danny donned all his gear. He still felt queasy as he slung his pack overhead. There was no time to waste as Eric started off. They moved fast, but Eric was right about the downhill part. They stayed in the brush going parallel to a service road that eventually turned left onto the main highway. After about ten minutes or so a fenced-in structure appeared on the right side. A few trees hid it from the main road, and next to it was a small dried up creek that snaked past the compound.

  Eric quickly moved to the tree line, making everyone follow suit. They all took a knee in a broad circle that had some cover behind a berm.

  Sophia broke the silence first. "I want to go in there."

  Eric looked back with his brow raised. "What are you talking about?"

  "Both of you guys cleared the first place. It's only fair that I go in this time."

  Danny and Eric both looked at each other.

  Fair is fair.

  "I'll cover you from the tree line with the SAW," Eric said. "That work for you, chief?"

  "As long as I get to leave this pack with you," Danny said.

  "That’s a fair deal old man," Eric said as he held out the big silver revolver with the cylinder open. "In case things get too close for comfort." He pushed it into Danny's grip. "It’s loaded."

  Danny nodded and grabbed it. He gently pushed the cylinder closed with both hands and stuck it in his dump pouch that he cinched tight.

  "Alright, let's make this fast," Danny said.

  Eric took off for a better position with his rifle slung on his back and the SAW in hand. Danny touched Jazzy Bear just to make sure it was still there. The fur was rougher now as pine needles and dirt had become entangled in the fur.

  We both have been through some shit, Jazzy.

  It was strangely quiet as Danny could hear crickets off in the treeline and the buzz of a fly that landed next to his ear.

  Sophia spoke in a low tone as she took a knee behind a downed log. "I never was up close to those things."

  "They are a whole different beast up close," Danny sighed.

  Sophia pulled her rifle close. "That night on that semi-truck. The things they said. I—I couldn't believe how inhumane they acted. Yesterday that woman just slammed her head into that window like it was nothing."

  "They aren’t people anymore," Danny said, looking over at her. "Just treat them as if they were lower than animals. At least animals have some sort of compassion at times."

  Eric cut on the radio. "Looks quiet. There is some good treeline from the right side if you approach southeast. It looks like someone left the gate wide open though."

  Danny depressed his headset. "Roger, keep your eyes peeled. We are moving." He looked at Sophia, who was trying to breathe slowly. "Remember, slow down, and think."

  Sophia nodded her head and checked the chamber of her rifle. She sent the bolt forward and tugged on the magazine. "On you, Dan."

  Danny took a deep breath.

  And away we go.

  He took off at a dead sprint for the dried-up river bed. Sophia was right on his heels pushing him to go faster. They entered the river bed that shot diagonally to the right. Danny slowed as he knew his movement was masked by the high walled creek bed. Solid oaks lined each side, which covered them as they tried to maneuver around the exposed rocks and roots. He skirted the side, trying to keep as quiet as possible, while Sophia tried to keep up. They neared the opening when Danny heard Sophia fall behind him. Her rifle clattered on the ground, and her knee slammed into a small boulder.

  "Shit," She muttered to herself.

  Danny ran back helping her to her feet, but she picke
d herself up wincing in agony.

  A break, please. Just give us a break.

  Sophia moved towards Danny with a heavy limp. The creek bed opened up, and the power station sat in the middle with a large oak that swayed in the wind beside it. A few rocks were dispersed scarcely along a gravel road, but other than that it was wide open. Danny took a knee behind the last bit of cover.

  "Eric, we are coming out of the creek bed," Danny said over the radio.

  "Ready when you are, mi amigo," Eric replied.

  "Soph, you good?" Danny asked. He looked back to see her still wincing from the pain. Her knee had a blood patch that had soaked through her pants.

  Oh, that’s not good.

  She nodded with her rifle aimed at the compound. "Let's push. I'm ready."

  You’re a tough one.

  Danny took off again. He kept his rifle leveled as he closed the distance to the building. They both entered the fenced-in compound and moved right to the door. Danny slowed down now, trying to keep quiet. He approached the steel door, slowly. His right hand pushed the handle down, and the door popped outward. Danny stepped back for a second. The inside was completely blacked out. The sunlight from the open door showed cardboard and used rags thrown about the floor. An office chair had been tipped on its side next to a littered desk. Danny felt Sophia give him a bump, and he moved into the room. He shined the flashlight on his rifle to each corner. The cardboard under his feet scraped with each step he took. Danny flashed the corner, and it was clear. His light stayed on as he shined it down the metal-walled room. Each wall was lined with circuit breakers that jutted out like tiny aisles in a grocery store.

  Danny took a step forward, aiming across. Sophia was parallel to Danny with her rifle aimed in front of him. They mirrored each other's movements as they walked down the long room. He cleared each little aisle carefully.

  Circuit, shadow, clear.

  Circuit, shadow, clear.

  They reached the end. Sophia exhaled and let her rifle go limp.

  "Dan, I think it’s clear," she said.

  Danny exhaled as he leaned over still breathing heavily. "Can’t this shit ever be easy?"

  They both laughed as they let their lights turn off on their rifles, sending them into darkness. Danny turned around. The door was the only source of light. Through the open doorway, Danny could see the oaks swaying in the trees, and the sun left a beautiful orange hue that seemed to kiss the tops of the distant trees. Danny's eyes shifted as a figure appeared in front of the door. Another jumped down from above. The figure looked back at Danny and the door slammed shut, sending them into darkness.