The Roaming

by W J Hegarty

  “Thousands?” Samantha stood. Her carefree demeanor faded, if only just a little.

  “Yes, girl, thousands.” Garrett tapped Samantha on the head like a child.

  Markus turned away, already fully engulfed in his task. Samantha and her companions drew close and eyed the spacious room as Garrett continued.

  “One way or another, we’re in for a long night, boys and girls. Do as I say, when I say, and every one of you will live through this. I promise.”

  1:30 pm - Southern Perimeter

  The last of a caravan of vehicles out of the southernmost cluster of homes meandered out of sight toward the northern edge of Pepperbush.

  Broderick ran past the procession to meet up with Takashi and stood at attention. “That’s the last of them, sir. Everyone south of Main Street has been relocated to the north. The ones who couldn’t find a place to go are on their way to the church, where I’m heading now.”

  “Well done, Broderick. When you’ve got the church locked down, radio in.”

  “Yes, sir.” Broderick saluted before boarding one of the few remaining vehicles and disappearing into the night.

  “How many volunteers did we manage?” Takashi turned his attention back to Miller.

  “Almost seventy, sir. They’re divided into three groups spread out along the southern edge of the berm.”

  “That’s a better turnout than I expected.” Takashi allowed himself a near smile before he was interrupted.

  “As long as these yokels don’t shoot me in the back of the head, we might just pull this off,” Radzinski sneered.

  Takashi ignored the comment. Either Radzinski would make use of the volunteers or he wouldn’t. The time for engaging the man in futile arguments had passed. “If you have everything you need, fall out to your position, Marine.”

  Radzinski didn’t respond as he mounted the running boards of his waiting transport. He banged on the truck’s roof, signaling the driver to go.

  “Discipline’s a running issue with that guy, huh, Colonel?”

  “I’ve noticed it, too, Miller, believe me. The outbursts and increasing lack of discipline have only gotten worse since we’ve been on the road. The thing is, he wasn’t like this before Philadelphia. At least that’s the way I understand it. To be perfectly honest with you, talk from his commanding officer was that he was ready to recommend Radzinski for a promotion before all this began.”

  “They say war changes a man, sir.”

  “That it does. War is one thing, Captain. I don’t know what to call this.” Takashi managed a brief sigh as he signaled Ron, who was waiting by a tree. “Ron, time to go. Miller, I’ll be at command with Sam and this useless leg of mine,” Takashi said while knocking against the hard-plastic brace covering his knee.

  “Don’t let it get to you, sir. You’ll be back in the shit with the rest of us in no time.” Miller’s words of encouragement fell on deaf ears as for the first time in Takashi’s thirty years of active duty, he would be sitting this one out.

  “Remember, if it gets too bad down here, don’t wait for my orders. Just fall back. You’re in charge, Captain.”

  “Understood, sir. Be safe tonight.” Miller extended his hand. Takashi shook it before heading off toward Ron’s truck.

  2:05 pm - The Church

  Broderick was a wet-behind-the-ears country boy from Arkansas before enlisting in the Army at eighteen. While most of his friends were having the time of their lives putting high school behind them with a near endless stream of parties, Broderick spent his days and weeks after graduation meeting with his recruiter and volunteering for community projects. Serving his country was a family tradition stretching back generations, and who was he to question it, much less be the one who broke that long line of proud family service? Before that summer was over, he was off to boot camp. His friends would figure it out eventually. After all, not everyone had what it took to serve their country; he was sure of it. Following boot camp, he crisscrossed the world. Each stop at a major city during his short time in the Army seemed like landing on an alien world for the young man. For a time, he lived in perpetual amazement at the beauty of these strange and wonderful new places he had only seen on TV.

  A mere eighteen months out of boot camp, just six weeks away from his twenty-first birthday, Broderick was in for quite the treat. His friends in his unit had decided on a surprise for his birthday. Deployed or not, such a landmark occasion shouldn’t go unrecognized, they felt. His buddies had it all planned out. They would have seventy-two hours of leave, plenty of time for the boys to show Broderick the time of his life in Thailand. Debauched though it might be, the things they had in mind would stay with the kid for a lifetime. With only a few weeks left to go, the anticipation was palpable within his unit. His friends could barely contain their excitement, almost ruining any chance at a genuine surprise, as some were quick to point out.

  Orders would be rescinded a few days before their unit was scheduled to be deployed somewhere in Southeast Asia. Strange, why would they suddenly be sent to Philadelphia? It didn’t make any sense. Since when did American soldiers get deployed, combat-ready, within their own borders? They didn’t. The consensus going around his unit was that this was most likely a last-minute training OP before heading out. No matter, they would still show Broderick a good time, wherever they happened to touch down. The joyous atmosphere of their unit quickly diminished once they put boots down in Philadelphia. The idea of celebrating Broderick’s birthday faded in the face of an unimaginable crisis.

  Several dozen people decided to ride out the coming attack in Pepperbush’s sole church. Sitting up on a small hill in the northwestern side of town, it was located in one of the more naturally protected plots of land within city limits. The church was deemed by Colonel Takashi as the largest structure farthest from the projected attack points. It was decided then that this would be the best location to hide those with no place to go, as well as the frail or those unable to fight.

  Over the last few hours, Grace kept herself busy by welcoming people to the church and showing them around. The task was exhausting for the old woman, though she did an admirable job keeping it nonapparent for the already frightened people. “Everyone, go ahead and make yourselves at home. There’s plenty of room for you all. Beds are in the back room for those of you having trouble walking. Drinks and sandwiches are by the alter if anyone is hungry. And please, if you see someone in need, give them a hand.” She announced a variation on that greeting as people trickled in.

  “There must be fifty people in here, Grace. Quite a turnout, huh?” Don commented, a nervous smile hiding behind his thick black beard.

  “Forty-seven to be exact. I’ve been keeping count. Including one of those brave soldiers. Broderick, I believe the young man’s name is.”

  “That’s me, ma’am,” Broderick said while carefully making his way through the growing crowd to stand at the elderly woman’s side. Together, they surveyed the growing numbers. “All the doors and windows are secure, ma’am. We don’t expect to see any infected this far north. However, I think it’s pertinent that we push some of these pews against the doors,” Broderick suggested. “Just as a precaution.”

  “Certainly, my dear. I’ll have some of the younger men help you.” Grace hobbled her way to the back of the church, toward a group of men she noticed chatting in a corner.

  “Thank you, ma’am.”

  Broderick, Don, and a few others continued the finishing touches of securing the church. Dozens of people meandered around the large open room, some lying down to rest weary limbs, others taking up positions in pews, praying. Broderick scanned the crowd. His stomach twisted in knots at the realization that three-quarters of these people under his care were elderly or crippled. He watched a pair of old women who must have been in their nineties wheel another elderly man who barely looked conscious to the front of the altar. The women made the sign of the cross in near unison, bowed their heads, and began to pray. He looked to another side of the
room where Emily sat alone in a pew, happily doing a crossword puzzle. If Takashi was wrong about tonight and the horde of infected following them from Philadelphia showed up anywhere other than the south, things were going to get real bad, real fast.

  3:50 pm - Burke Residence

  Tobias was at home, seeing to last-minute security of his own. Even at the northernmost homes, where it was deemed relatively safe, at the very least making sure all the windows and doors were locked was a priority, even with the outsides boarded up. First the living room, followed by the foyer and the kitchen, each room he checked, Tobias found the windows unlocked. What was going on? he thought. Now was not the time to overlook the most basic safety measures. “Why are all of these windows unlocked, Isabelle?”

  Isabelle barely registered Tobias with a glance. “Oh, I cleaned those yesterday.” She shrugged. “I must have forgotten to lock a few of them.”

  “Jesus, Izzy, every window in the house is unlocked! You know what the soldiers said.” Tobias rushed to the other end of the kitchen only to find the back door unlocked as well. He slammed the door shut and promptly locked it. “Dammit Isabelle, you have to be more careful. I don’t want to think about what would happen if just one of those things got in here, especially if I wasn’t home.”

  “It must have slipped my mind, Tobias. I’m sorry.” Isabelle still refused eye contact.

  “Are you okay? I’m mean, is everything alright, honey?” Tobias took her hand in his.

  “I… I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately, you know?”

  “I know. We both have. This is just not the time to let our guard down. That’s all.”

  Isabelle yanked her arm away and wiped her hands on her dress. His mere touch sickened her of late. She had grown to detest Tobias’s lectures, but more so his attempts at amiability that immediately followed. One moment, he was the overprotective husband with all the right answers and apathy toward her feelings. The next, once his point was sufficiently made, he was compassionate and warm. Like she didn’t see right through him.

  “Okay, I get it. If I forgot to lock the fucking door, big deal. It’s locked now. Jesus Christ, Tobias, you’re relentless with this shit.” Isabelle pushed a box aside. Its contents spilled to the floor.

  “Relentless? Excuse me if I’m out of line, but you’ve never even seen one of those things outside of the news, and trust me, you don’t want to. I know Takashi said the infected won’t make it this far north, but we still need to take precautions, which begin with keeping the house locked.”

  “Precautions, yeah I get it. And priorities, right? The outside of the fucking windows are boarded up! If they can get through that, a locked window won’t mean shit. Just leave me alone, Tobias.” Isabelle stormed out of the front door, leaving it wide open behind her as Lillian rounded the corner into the kitchen.

  Tobias leaned against the refrigerator, his hands pressed to his forehead. He heard his daughter coming and quickly composed himself for her benefit.

  “What’s going on, Dad? What’s Mom so upset about?”

  “I wish I knew, Lily.” Tobias led his daughter off into the garage. “Come on, let’s go pack a few things into the SUV just in case.”

  5:55 pm - Police Station

  Marisol and her modest seven police-officer force were joined by just over a dozen volunteers, mostly armed with shotguns and hunting rifles. The police station, though small, was well-fortified. The sheriff was wrapping up the assigning of tasks while Seth handed out extra ammunition and sidearms. More than a few of the volunteers had their own, though no one would turn down the extra bullets.

  “Isaac, you’re staying here with Corey and any officers who aren’t already on patrol. This building absolutely must stay secure in case we have to come back here in a hurry. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, ma’am. When you get back, you’ll find this place better than you left it.”

  “That’s what I want to hear, Isaac. Seth, myself, and the remaining police will be out with Takashi’s unit, patrolling the perimeter. They’re expecting a few hundred of those things at least, so we’ve got our work cut out for us tonight. If anyone comes looking for help, let them in, but keep an eye on them. Don’t take any chances. If someone is acting suspicious or snooping around where they don’t belong, put them in a cell. We can apologize later. If things get bad tonight, we cannot afford to lose the station, no matter what. Is that understood?” Marisol didn’t have to wait long for her men to respond in unison. Preparations were going much smoother than she anticipated, at least for now.

  Behind the police station, Soraya was giving some volunteers a quick lesson on proper covering fire and successfully engaging the enemy when outnumbered. For most of the volunteers, their only experience with firearms was the occasional hunting trip or shooting at static targets. A scant few had served in various branches of the military, decades ago. That, at least, was a small comfort.

  “I’ll be honest, lady, I ain’t ever shot at nothing coming at me before, except that old black bear that one time. He might’ve been running away. I’m not sure now. Scared the shit out of me, though.”

  “Do not worry. Same principle as the bear. You take your time, aim for head, okay? It will kill them.” Soraya knew it would be a very long night.

  Under different circumstances, she would have loved to explore the surrounding forest, see the vibrant new colors of spring emerging from a long winter, take in the local wildlife, and maybe even spot a deer or two. If she was really lucky, she might have even stumbled upon a tranquil creek to swim in. Now the only thing on her mind was survival. If she saw the sunrise, she would count it a blessing.

  9:20 pm - Southern Perimeter

  All around Rachel, volunteers were spread out among the trees, a few dozen rifles aimed into the darkness at invisible enemies. A good number of those rifles trembled. The night’s dew slid down their barrels and stocks, wetting the volunteers’ hands. Rachel watched as some of them shook their hands or fumbled around trying to dry themselves. Mostly these people were simply nervous. She couldn’t fault them for that, but when the time came, would these little distractions cost everyone she was assigned to their lives? Those in her charge could only guess what lay ahead. A few were brimming with confidence, though it was more than clear to her that most couldn’t hide an overwhelming sense of dread. They were right to be afraid, as far as she was concerned. After all, it was less than two weeks ago when she and the rest of her hodgepodge of a unit barely made it out of Philadelphia alive. Rachel knew what these people had coming their way, and if not for a sense of pity over her and her unit leading scores of infected to their doorstep, she would have left first thing in the morning.

  The leaves hanging by Rachel’s face popped and jumped under the first raindrops of the evening. “Wonderful.” She sighed.

  Springtime always brought an excess of rain to Pepperbush. How the downpour would affect the town’s chances of surviving the coming onslaught remained unknown. Rachel’s already low spirits sunk even further. It was one thing to fight an enemy who was shooting back at you in bad weather—they had to deal with it, too—but no one knew how inclement weather would affect these things, if at all. Rachel tried not to show it, but she was scared. Terrified was more like it. Her eyes darted from one man to the next. It was unmistakable; uncertainty was spreading through her ranks with the rain and there was shit she could do about it.

  Water trickled down Rachel’s weapon, collecting at her grip. She had seen combat over the years in Afghanistan and Iraq. She was nervous then, too, but this was different. There were no grizzled old soldiers to ease her fears with tales of past glory or buddies she’d served with to help cut the tension. No, it was very simple for her. As far as Rachel was concerned, this new unknown enemy was terrifying. There was something very unsettling about an enemy who didn’t fall from repeated rounds to the chest. The rain’s intensity turned to a steady downpour, blurring her vision, but maybe, just maybe, the weather would keep these things
away, she hoped.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  The Calm Before

  Takashi stood on the porch of Sam’s makeshift command center. Steam rose from his coffee as he peered into the darkness. The wind began whipping up, pushing the rain like so many tiny hammers pounding the sheet-metal roof of the overhang. Sam joined him, peering out into the rainy darkness.

  “I appreciate the coffee, Sam. I love the stuff. Can’t remember a time when I didn’t.” He closed his eyes, enjoying another long, slow sip.

  “So how bad is it out there, Colonel? The cities, that is.”

  “It’s a war zone out there. The whole damned country. Baltimore was the first of the major East Coast cities to fall. People, ordinary citizens, fled in all directions, leaving armies of infected in their wake. Once turned, the infected just roam on a journey to God knows where. Some carriers become distracted and just wander off on their own. The remainder press on, merging with and wandering away from other groups. Something still active in their brains compels them to keep moving. That’s all they do until eventually they join with other large groups wandering themselves. There’s no science to it, not yet anyway. It wasn’t long before the Eastern Seaboard was pockmarked with thousands-strong hordes of infected. This country—the whole world, for that matter—after this is over with will never be the same again. It can never go back to the way it was, not after something like this.” Takashi took another sip from his coffee. “Little pockets of humanity like you have here, tucked away in the middle of nowhere, are most likely the only spots left that have any chance of surviving this.” Takashi never took his eyes from the darkness as he continued. “It was obvious, early on, that my superiors and theirs weren’t giving up the whole story. And not just for the civilians, either. My unit, and I assume many others just like us, were as equally in the dark as you. We were woefully unprepared for this.”