“Fine, I’ll sleep in the guest room downstairs.”
“Did you see any baling wire in the barn?” Tess asked.
“I think so, look in the far wall cabinet.”
Tess immediately made for the barn.
Curious as to what she was doing, he followed.
She found it and a set of clippers. Brushing by him, she exited the barn and walked towards the front of the house.
Again he followed her.
“What are you doing?”
“Go get me some empty aluminum cans,” she ordered.
He didn’t hesitate, following her instructions, and went back to the barn. There he had a pile of them. When he returned, she was waiting for him at the back steps.
She took a few cans from him and set them down; she scooped up some gravel and put a few pieces in the cans, then ran the wire through the pull tops. Once she had a few on a single piece of wire, she strung it from one railing to the next at ankle height at the bottom of the stairs and one at the top. She did the same thing at the front steps.
Taking a smaller piece of wire, she tied the inside handle of the front screen door to the main door handle. “That should secure that door. It’s not Fort Knox, but the wire and cans should help signal Brando if anyone comes.”
“Look at you, G.I. Jane,” Devin joked.
“It’s nothing special, just makes sense.”
“Yeah, I agree it does.”
They entered the house from the back and secured that screen door handle to the main door handle. Once inside, they placed large pieces of furniture at both doors.
“It’s starting to feel like Fort Knox now,” Devin cracked.
“We have to make this place hard to get into. If we have to defend ourselves, we don’t want them to have it easy.”
“I’m assuming you learned this the hard way.”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“So, you hungry?”
“Yes, but I’m going to clean up and go to bed. I’m really tired. I’ll eat a can of tuna upstairs.”
“Oh, that’s it, um, goodnight.”
Brando came up to her and stood patiently waiting for her instructions.
“You’re a good boy, Brando. Go over there and lie down. Keep your ears open,” she said, kneeling down in front of him. She petted him and scratched his head, then gave him a couple of kisses on his muzzle.
Brando promptly did as Tess ordered and walked over near the front door. He circled a spot several times and then lay down for the evening.
“So odd, it’s like he understands you.”
“He does.”
Devin smiled.
“Goodnight, I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight, Tess.”
She slowly climbed the stairs and disappeared into her room.
Devin couldn’t get over the events of the day. So much had happened. He had started the day out alone, his life seemingly going nowhere, but now he was in the house, the moral obligation of burying his family completed, and he wasn’t alone, at least for the time being. A smile creased his face as the thought pleased him. He was realistic and knew it wouldn’t last forever, but he wouldn’t consume himself with those thoughts; instead he would just enjoy it for what it was till it was over.
FEMA Camp 13, Region VIII, Fifty Miles East of Denver International Airport
“David, I can’t go. Listen to me, I know what I saw!” Lori exclaimed.
“I’m sure you saw what you think you saw, but it was probably a movie or even footage from some of the chaos happening outside,” David answered.
“Argh!” she bellowed and walked away from him, frustrated that he wouldn’t accept her theory about what she saw.
“Lori, honey, please don’t get mad. I’m not saying you’re a liar, but think about it. Why would they murder someone for no reason? It doesn’t make sense,” he said and walked up behind her.
“I know what I saw.”
“Again, I believe you saw that, but I think it was a movie or some war footage. Of course, it doesn’t make their behavior acceptable, in fact, it makes those guards disgusting, but I don’t think they personally did anything. Honey, this trip is an opportunity for us; this could be our ticket out of here. Please don’t turn into one of those nut job conspiracy theorists.”
“Don’t mock me. I saw something disturbing.”
“I’m sure you did, but this is coming from a woman who hates horror movies and gore, remember?”
Flustered, she stewed on what he just said.
“Let me ask you. If you’re so sure, why are you packed and ready to leave us?” he asked.
“I’m asking myself that same question. What if they’re going to kill me?”
David began to rub her tense shoulders. “Honey, I just can’t believe they would house us, feed us, provide health care, et cetera, then take us out to kill us. It just doesn’t make sense.”
The image kept flashing in her mind, but each time there was doubt because the video wasn’t that clear.
“Maybe you’re right. Oh, I don’t know, it just freaked me out. It looked so real. It was horrible, and those guys thought it was humorous. It was sick.”
“Being a man, I can tell you, we are sick; it’s a condition. If it weren’t for women, we’d be lost.”
Lori shook her head; doubts of what she had seen now dominated her thoughts.
“What would I do without your reasonable mind-set? Between the two of us, you’re the one that keeps us from being lost. I’m sorry I freaked,” she said, embracing him.
He folded his arms around her and kissed her head. “We’ve both been through a lot. It’s been tough, but we’ve survived this far. Now we just might have a chance to live again.”
She looked at her watch and saw the time. “I better grab my stuff.”
“Let me help you.”
They both walked back to their tent, hand in hand.
She looked at him and took in the finer details of his face, taking mental snapshots to remember him. She didn’t know how long she’d be gone, and in the back of her mind she did wonder if she’d ever see him again. So much had changed for her and for mankind. Now saying goodbye to someone could truly mean that. There were no guarantees, and even though they had made it as far as they had, she didn’t know what to expect once she left Camp 13. She gripped his hand tighter in an attempt to create an emotional trigger for herself. She wanted to remember this moment and the intense love she felt for him.
They reached the tent, and he went inside. When he reemerged, Eric, her son, was with him.
She embraced and kissed him. Tears now flowed, and her stomach physically hurt.
“I love you, Mom,” Eric said.
“I love you too. Now you and your dad take care of each other, all right?” she whispered into his ear.
“We will,” he answered and drew her in tighter.
Tears began to stream down her face.
He too began to cry but soon stopped himself and pulled away. “Please hurry home,” he muttered and ran off.
“Eric, come back,” she cried out.
“He’ll be fine. He’s a tough young man,” David said.
“I shouldn’t go. He needs me.”
“We need you to go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Regardless, I don’t know if you have a choice, kinda like the morning assemblies,” he joked.
She wiped away her tears and looked one more time at David’s handsome face.
Once again they embraced and kissed.
Not one for goodbyes, she pulled away, grabbed her bag, and hurried towards Big Red and the unknown.
Day 184
April 3, 2021
Decatur, Illinois
The smell of food hit Devin’s nostrils and jolted him awake. He blinked repeatedly to clear his vision and the sleep from his eyes. Had he not opened his eyes to confirm where he was, he would have sworn it had all been a nightmare by the savory smells waftin
g over him. His stomach began to respond to the continuous scents of cooked food coming into the room. Curious as to what she was preparing, he gleefully jumped up, put on his clothes, and walked out of his room.
“What are you cooking?” he asked, entering the kitchen.
“Corned beef hash.”
“Smells amazing.”
“I don’t know how gourmet it will be since it’s from a can.”
“Are you kidding me? I haven’t had hot food in forever.”
“Me either but I saw the gas stove and thought I could do something nice for you, considering you let me stay here,” Tess responded, her demeanor was less aggressive than yesterday’s.
Devin smiled in anticipation of a warm cooked meal.
Tess dished up a heaping pile of hash and placed it in front of him. “Hot sauce or ketchup?”
“Um, hot sauce would be perfect,” he said, leaning over the plate. The steam coming off the plate warmed his face, and though he had always joked about canned corned beef hash, this smelled and looked great.
Brando walked into the kitchen and sat, hoping he too would be a recipient of a bowl of hash.
Tess saw him and obliged. With as much eager excitement as Devin, he wagged his tail as he saw her walking towards him.
“Here ya go, big boy,” Tess said, patting Brando on the head and placing the bowl down at his feet. She turned to Devin, who was now stuffing his face, and said, “I was always against feeding dogs human food, but now I’m like, who cares? Remember when we cared so much about what we ate? I bet those Immuners who were so focused on organic and farmers’ markets are ripping into canned food left and right now.”
Devin looked up from his plate, mouth full, and said, “I can tell you that you’re right. I know because I was one of those organic, no gluten, farmers’ market only shopping consumers.”
“You ever heard the saying, ‘There are no atheists in foxholes’? Well, there are no vegans in the apocalypse.”
“Ha, that’s funny,” Devin bellowed.
Tess sat down opposite him with a plate, dashed some hot sauce on it, and asked, “So where was home?”
“New York City.”
“How did you end up in Decatur?”
“Long story,” he replied, stopping himself from fully explaining because to do so would mean he’d have to talk about Cassidy, and he wasn’t up for that yet.
“We all have long stories, but I deserve it after my bitchy performance” Tess answered, acknowledging her abruptness with him yesterday .
Looking at his plate, then at her, he said, “After this morning I consider you forgiven.”
“I didn’t do anything except open up a couple cans of hash and warm it up. If they had an electric stove, this superb meal would have been served cold. Thank God for propane.”
“So where was home for you?”
“Bismarck, North Dakota.”
“Ha, I’ve never met anyone from North Dakota or at least anyone that would admit it.”
“Hey, watch it.”
“Just a joke.”
“I kinda know what you mean. I’m from there, but now live…I should say lived, in North Carolina.”
“Can I ask what you’re doing in Decatur? Not really North Dakota or North Carolina.”
Tess placed her fork down and took a drink of water before saying, “I’m just passing through.”
“You’re going back to North Carolina?” he asked, then looked at her left hand and saw the ring; the small quarter-carat round-cut diamond sat upon three gold prongs. He then knew why she was traveling; she must be heading back to someone in North Carolina.
“Yes, I’m headed back.”
“Is someone waiting for you there?”
Tess began to poke at her food. The question hit home for her, but she answered it honestly. “Nobody’s there. He’s gone.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh, he’s not gone like that. He’s somewhere else, safe I’m sure.”
“There’s somewhere safe?”
“I’ve probably told you too much.”
“Wait, wait, wait, there’s somewhere safe? You have to tell me.”
She continued to pick at her food.
“Please tell me. If there is hope, I need to know,” he urged.
“I don’t know for sure if my fiancé is safe or even alive, but the last time I talked with him, he and his unit were shipping off. He told me there was a safe zone, and they were going to protect it.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know. He left a note for me at our place in Topsail Island.”
“What did he do that would enable him to have this information?”
“He’s a Marine, an infantry company commander.”
Devin’s mind was swimming with questions and possibilities of what she had just told him.
“Don’t get your hopes up. The way The Death spreads, it’s highly unlikely that Travis is alive, much less in a place that is clean.”
“But you have to try, and that’s what you’re doing.”
“There’s nothing else to do these days, right? Plus, how cool is it that I can cook in other people’s kitchens right after burying them.”
Brando stood and headed towards the front door. His ears were perked, and his head cocked.
“Someone’s here!” Tess said in an alarmed tone.
Devin couldn’t believe that twice in as many days he had a visitor.
“Should we hide?” he asked, still sitting at the table.
Tess bolted from the table and headed directly to the front window.
Brando’s back and forth pacing at the front door told Tess that, without a doubt, someone was outside.
She pulled the drapes aside and peered out to find two rugged and well-armed men approaching the house.
“Where’s the shotgun?” Tess asked.
Devin had now gotten up and was standing in the living room, waiting for instructions.
“I don’t know. Where did you put it?” Devin answered.
“The corner next to the stairs, go get it!” she ordered.
Devin did what she asked without question. He quickly walked to the spot where it was sitting and picked it up.
Tess ran from the room and tore upstairs, clearing steps as she went.
Devin nervously looked at the shotgun. The memory from yesterday came into stark relief; he needed to know how to use it if he was going to be of any help.
Tess ran back downstairs, but now she was armed and dressed for battle. Wearing her tactical body armor with shoulder holster, and rifle in hand, she was ready to take on whoever was coming towards them.
“How do you know if these guys are here to hurt us? For all we know they might be like you, looking for some food.”
“They’re not, trust me. Now help me move this out of the way and unsecure the door,” she barked at him as she began to move the furniture that blocked the back door.
“I don’t understand. Why are we doing that?”
“Just do it.”
“But—”
As she pushed the baker’s rack away, she grunted. Frustrated by Devin’s lack of help, she stopped and snapped, “I want these guys to come inside. When we shoot them, the gunshots will be muffled.”
“Shoot them?” Devin asked, alarmed.
“I don’t have time to explain, but they’re marauders, plain and simple.”
“How do you know?”
“Because the first guy I saw was the guy who shot me!”
This response prompted Devin to act quickly. He finished clearing the baker’s rack while she undid the baling wire. Once she was finished with that, she tossed the dishes in the sink and ordered, “Upstairs, now! Brando, come!”
The ever-obedient dog, he stopped pacing and followed them upstairs.
The upstairs hallway went straight from the top of the stairs and ended in the master bedroom at the very end.
When Devin saw her heading for it, he spoke up, “You’re goin
g in there?”
“Yes, you can get a clear shot from there. I’ll lure them in; they won’t have anywhere to go.”
“I really don’t want to go in there,” Devin lamented.
“What is wrong with you?”
The clanging of cans hit their ears, signaling the men were at the porch.
“We don’t have time to debate this. Lay the pillows here and sit behind them there. You have a clear shot,” Tess said as she piled up the pillows. “I’ll draw them both upstairs by letting them know I’m here.”
“Are you sure this is a smart idea?”
“Do you have a better one?”
Devin just looked at her. He didn’t have a better plan or any plan, for that matter.
The sound of the back door opening now greeted them, followed by unintelligible conversation.
Tess looked down on the driveway and road from the upstairs window just to confirm these men were by themselves. From her previous run-in with them, she knew these two were scouts; that meant the main group wasn’t far behind.
The garbled voice from the radio struck fear in Tess as it echoed up the stairs, “Marlin, you there?”
“Yeah.”
“Where are you?”
“About a half mile up Kraft Road, we just stopped—”
“Help me!” Tess called out.
The man holding the radio stopped talking and looked at his partner. A devilish grin stretched across his face.
The other man briskly walked to the bottom of the stairs and called out, “Someone need help up there?”
“Yes, I’m by myself. Please help me,” Tess called out, then looked at Devin, who was perched behind his pillows.
“I think I’m getting laid today,” Marlin said, his evil grin exposing his deeply stained teeth. His greasy shoulder-length brown hair was pulled back and tucked behind his ears.
“Marlin, you broke up,” the radio crackled.
Ignoring the radio call, Marlin proceeded to the base of the stairs and said, “I’m getting my dick wet. Get out of the way, Frank.”
“How do you know she’s by herself?” Frank questioned.
“Hey, darling, you come here,” Marlin hollered out.
“I can’t. Some man came yesterday and tied me up. Please help me.”
The Death: The Complete Trilogy Page 5