by Mark Tufo
Raven had run from the neighbors’ house when she heard the shotgun report and was tentatively peering into the open front door when Brook descended the stairs. At the first sight of her mom, Raven ran and jumped into her arms. Brook sat on the porch swing comforting Raven; she held her and stroked her hair for a few minutes. Then she sent Raven back to the Mortensons’ and watched to be sure she made it safely.
It took a few seconds of rooting around in her bag, but she finally found her phone and powered it on. It chimed several times letting her know she had missed calls and there were messages waiting for her. She sat on the porch reading the text message from Cade. Her head started spinning at the thought of what was happening everywhere else in the world. The voicemail from Cade drove the severity of their situation home; the tone of his voice on the message said it all. She would surely heed his advice because when it came to questions about their family’s security, she never questioned his wisdom. Brook thought, As soon as we get the Cadillac loaded up we’d better set out for Fort Bragg.
She stood and went back into the house. Standing in the kitchen, Brook stared at her dad’s lifeless form. She heard his voice in her head. “Brooklyn, you get going now, take Raven and get to safety.” Of course it was only her subconscious talking, but she took it to heart.
Brook called her brother Carl. She tried both his cell and the hospital land line but had no luck reaching him. Next, she dialed Cade’s cell and listened to it ring. After the third ring he picked up.
Chapter 135
Day 2 - Southeast Portland
While the kids ate, Cade closed all of the blinds and double checked the windows and doors, making sure all were locked. The undead didn’t know they were in the house and Cade wanted to keep it that way.
Cade once again turned his attention to the local news. Two anchors were mourning their fellow reporter’s demise that had been broadcast on live television the day before. Thankfully they refrained from showing the bloody spectacle again.
President Odero put on the full court press and declared martial law nationwide. FEMA issued recommendations that doomed millions. They urged the United States population to stay home and tend to their sick and wounded. The most disturbing information that Cade had to process was a graphic simulating the nationwide spread of the infection. It revealed an ever expanding zone indicated in red, which radiated inland from the Eastern Seaboard and spread north from Mexico. Despite the new border crackdown, the entire state of California was awash in red. The South and Southwest looked less impacted and the Northwest and Central Rockies weren’t hit as hard… yet. The next graphic was unfathomable. A fast spreading, time lapsed representation of the contagion’s impact worldwide filled the screen. There were very few locations on Earth not ravaged during the first two days of the global outbreak. As he watched the news, he had no clue that a thousand miles away his in-laws were dying.
Cade had no immediate family in Portland; both of his parents had died years ago. Chuck and Madeline were very close and had been married for fifty-five years when they both suddenly died of natural causes barely a month apart. Chuck passed first. He died peacefully in his sleep. Madeline was devastated and died of natural causes--probably of a broken heart--twenty-eight days later. Cade inherited the house he grew up in.
His parents had been happily married for twenty-seven years before Cade came along. He was not in their plans, but he was the best thing that had ever happened to them. Their proudest moment was when Cade joined the army at the age of twenty: Eleven Bravo. Light infantry was his MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) when he enlisted. He excelled during basic training and loved service life so much that he went through Ranger school, served with the 75th Ranger Regiment and then later went on to Special Forces training at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Mike Desantos recruited Cade for the Delta Force. For the next couple of years he had some top-secret missions where he found himself “down range,” the soldier’s term for being on the receiving end of enemy fire. Cade gave better than he got.
When he met Brook, it was love at first sight. She was a nurse near Fort Lewis when he was stationed there with the 1st Special Forces Group. It was 1999. They were soon married and Raven was born shortly thereafter.
Being an operator was his life, and when those nineteen shit bags dropped the Twin Towers it became a crusade. He believed in the war against terror so wholeheartedly that he had “INFIDEL” tattooed in Old English lettering across his back.
Cade did everything his superiors asked of him, sacrificing anniversaries, birthdays, he even missed Raven’s first words and steps while he was hunting terrorists.
Soon after the new President took office and the crusade had lost its luster for the American people, Cade decided to hang up his spurs. It was a slap in the face to all of the people in uniform fighting for their country when the President and his new administration decreed that terrorist acts be called “man-made catastrophes.” It was the final straw for Cade when the White House staff started omitting the word “terrorist” in official communications.
Choosing to leave his unit and not re-up was the hardest decision Cade had ever made. A lot of career shooters were also taking this route and then going to work for Blackwater or Triple Canopy, providing private security in the Sandbox.
Cade chose instead to immerse himself in family life.
Chapter 136
Day 2 - Southeast Portland
Cade’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He extracted it and, seeing Brook’s name and number on the display, he answered it immediately. Sobbing on the other end of the line was indeed his wife Brook. She began recounting everything that had happened to her in the last twenty minutes. Towards the end of her story, Cade cut her off and asked, “If my memory serves me, your parents live on a cul-de-sac, right?”
“Yes,” she replied. “So?”
Not knowing how long he would have a signal, he told Brook to just listen. “It’s a good thing they do. If Myrtle Beach is anything like Portland those things will be all over the surface streets. Get as many shells for the shotgun as possible. Grab some food and water from the house and take the Escalade and get Raven and yourself to Bragg. Stay away from big public places, especially hospitals or triage centers. The National Guard and FEMA will try to limit your travel. If they give you any problems tell them where you are going and whom you seek. Explain your relationship with me as a last resort. Remember to go around popular major routes. Do not pick up anybody, and give Rave a hug for me. I’ll meet up with you at Bragg. See you soon, I love you.”
“Finished yet?” Brook said jokingly.
“Just the pertinent facts, ma’am!” he fired back. Then all business aside, voice wavering, Cade said, “You guys be careful, and I really do mean it, I love you. See you soon.”
Just then the connection was lost and replaced with the hiss of static.
There had been no time and no reason to tell Brook about Ted and Lisa, their neighbors from around the block. She had enough on her plate and Cade didn’t want to muddy the waters any further.
Brook was sitting on the neighbors’ sofa and taking this all in when her brother skidded to a stop outside. He left his car running and sprinted into his parents’ home.
By the time Brook walked out onto the lawn Carl had already been inside and seen his parents; he was on hands and knees hurling in the grass. When Carl finally stopped and wiped a trembling hand across his mouth, they met each other’s gaze. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked exhausted. He looked at the shotgun Brook held and said, “I’m sorry you had to do it, Sis. Before I saw Mom and Dad in there I thought I could never convince you what went on at the hospital. It was a hell house. I’ll never forget last night.” Breathing in deeply, he continued. “Earlier this morning I had a moment of clarity and remembered the bite that Dad got. I tried to call here; I only got a recording. Shortly after, people in the Emergency Room started screaming.” Carl paused, wiping his nose with his shirt sleeve. “I hid i
n a closet for over three hours until the wailing stopped. I finally decided to run for it. By then, everyone on the wing was either dead or a walking corpse. I drove here as fast as I could,” he gasped, eyes red-rimmed and teary.
As Raven joined them, Brook hugged her little girl and big brother close to her.
Chapter 137
Day 2 - Southeast Portland
Ike and Leo were still mesmerized by the images on TV; they couldn’t turn it off. It was like being in a car going by a fatal wreck and seeing the telltale yellow tarp, you are compelled to steal a look. Such was the draw here. They aired the Pioneer Square footage yet again, the attack at the hospital and a reporter getting ambushed by a mob of undead at an outdoor triage center. The international footage was few and far between. What they did show mirrored the horrors they faced here in the United States. As time wore on governments worldwide began to hide the extent of the outbreak. Even FEMA started a looping video message on all of the channels warning of the contagion and imploring people to shelter in place.
Leo and Ike watched the news for an hour and tried to piece together what had happened to their parents.
Their mom had been a janitor in a high-rise office building downtown, working the swing shift. She must have gotten infected downtown or at her job, turned undead sometime after she arrived home and attacked their dad when he came downstairs all dressed up for church. Unfortunately they would never really know what happened. They were very fortunate Leo had gotten them out of their house alive, and truly blessed that Cade came along when he did.
Cade had talked Leo and Ike out of going home to bury their parents. It was a noble thing to do but with all of the undead walking the streets, it wouldn’t be safe.
Leo told Cade that most of their extended family lived in Georgia and Louisiana. Cade suggested they go with him and they could look for their family members together. The brothers had no other family in Portland so there was little hesitation. Leo made the executive decision for himself and his brother. “We will go, but can you teach us to shoot a gun so we can defend ourselves?”
After giving it some thought, Cade answered, “I’ll teach you guys the safety part first. If you can grasp that... then, yes.”
The silver Toyota Sequoia should serve them well on their cross country trek. With the third row seat folded out of the way, there was plenty of room for the supplies they intended on taking.
Chapter 138
Day 2 - Southeast Portland
Rawley had himself quite a fan club. From his vantage point in Raven’s bedroom on the second floor, Cade could see at least twenty walkers around the front and sides of his neighbor’s house across the street. One of the putrid creatures was on the porch pawing at the door.
It looked like Rawley had shored up his big picture window. The bottom of the sofa was visible through the glass. Fortunately the narrow basement windows were too small for the ghouls to fit through, and the windows on the sides of the house were well above ground level.
Cade couldn’t remember what Rawley’s backyard looked like, even though he’d been to a few barbecues there. He did remember that Rawley’s hickory smoked beef ribs were awesome.
Over the years he had proven to be a pretty nice fellow. He played guitar and looked the part. His long hair was dyed black and he had full sleeve tattoos on both arms. Rawley occasionally toured with a rock band, which meant that a lot of different girls came and went from his house. Cade knew these were the perks of the lifestyle, and as far as he knew Rawley didn’t have an exclusive woman living with him.
It looked as if his plan of circling the wagons with his guitar and supplies wasn’t going to work. Rawley had been a little careless and let the walkers see him taking things in the front door.
The undead’s senses didn’t seem that adversely affected. Their movement suffered a little and their speed was usually about halved, but some were faster and some were slower.
The lone zombie on the porch had lost its infatuation with the door and started banging on the big plate window. The glass shattered with a loud report, drawing the attention of other walkers in the vicinity.
What happened next was the last thing Cade had anticipated. The front door opened and Rawley emerged with an SKS assault rifle, pregnant with a fifty round drum magazine. It was the type of rifle the two bank robbers used to outgun the police in North Hollywood in the early nineties. Rawley dispatched the one on his porch with two well-placed shots to the head. Flesh and brain matter splattered his welcome mat. Carefully aimed bullets cut down more walkers on the bottom stairs leading to the porch.
Cade had never seen Rawley mad before. Now he was channeling Rambo.
Cade left his perch at the bedroom window, went into the office and punched his PIN on the gun safe’s keypad. He pulled out his Colt M4 and four loaded thirty round magazines. It was a civilian model kitted out just like the personal weapon he used on deployment. Uncle Sam kept the fully automatic M4 when Cade left the teams.
Returning to the room that overlooked the front of the house, by feel he seated a magazine, pulled the charging handle and switched the selector to fire. Bracing the rifle against his shoulder he practiced steady controlled fire and made his contribution to the body count.
At first Rawley looked up at him with a bewildered look, but recognition dawned on his face and with renewed determination he kept on shooting.
Ike and Leo joined Cade in the front bedroom upstairs and marveled at the shooting display. It was not planned but Cade and Rawley had the undead in a withering crossfire.
Cade yelled above the din at the two brothers. “Ike, go downstairs, load the truck in the garage with all of the canned food, and then throw in all of the dry stuff that will fit.”
Gesturing towards the open door in the hall he said “Leo, go into the office over there and take all of the ammo and magazines from the safe and throw them in this,” tossing a long black bag his way. “Do you know what a magazine looks like?”
“It’s the square thing that fits in the gun, right?”
“You got it. When everything is in the bag, have Ike help you put it in the Sequoia,” Cade said.
The two boys sprinted down the stairs. Ike stopped near the front door as a shadow moved past the living room window. Curiosity got the best of him. He reached up and pried opened the louvered wooden slats a half an inch. A gaunt gray face with milky eyes peered back at him.
Ike bolted back upstairs out of breath exclaiming, “The walkers are on the front porch now. I looked out the kitchen window and it looks like the backyard is still clear if we need to leave that way.”
Leo added, “The sound of the shooting sure is attracting a lot more of them.”
Having concluded the house wouldn’t be safe for much longer, Cade told the two boys to go downstairs, get in the truck and be ready to go.
Rawley had culled most of the undead that had his house under siege. At least fifteen of the corpses were piled around the porch. The dead girl in the bloody sundress was splayed out exposing herself in an unflattering way. She faced downstairs head first and her dress was pulled up around the top of her torso. Flip flop boy in the PBR shirt had been shot through the eye socket and now lay on the pile of corpses as well.
During a lull in the gunfire, Cade yelled loud enough so Rawley could hear him. “We are coming out in three minutes and are going to create a diversion for you!” He then entered the garage, drew his Gerber knife and cut two four-foot lengths off of the coiled garden hose hanging on the wall. “God Damn!” Cade muttered angrily to himself as he remembered he had left the ice axe strapped to his bike in the alley; it would have to stay behind. He had the two Glocks on his person. He stowed the M4 carbine up front in the truck, safety on, with the stock fully collapsed.
Cade put a second long black canvas bag containing his other rifle and tactical gear in the back of his truck. A box marked Camping Gear held the headlamps, a pair of two-way radios, Bushnell armored binoculars and a camp stove. Next w
ent the tent and three sleeping bags which they tossed unceremoniously into the back of the truck. Lastly he threw two empty five gallon potable water containers on top of everything and closed the door.
Peering through the small glass windows lining the top of the garage door, he saw that the bulk of the remaining walkers were now on his porch and trampling the front yard. A very large ghoul was trudging up the driveway. A pair of walkers leaned on the front window and fell into the living room riding a wave of shattered glass. The smell of death permeated his home.
Cade climbed into the truck and turned the key in the ignition. The V8 rumbled to life. He punched the remote button that started the garage door’s plodding upward movement. Achingly slow, it revealed the sunny outside and the giant rotting roadblock standing five feet away. He was missing most of his left arm. With each step the stub twitched like a dog’s cropped tail. Along with the arm, most of the flesh was missing from one leg leaving the white femur and kneecap exposed, all the while lending to his slow gait.
At first sight of the truck and its occupants, the one armed gargantuan started moaning excitedly, alerting the other walkers of his find.
The ghouls swarmed inside the house through the broken front window, spilled into the garage and began banging on the back of the SUV.
“Go, go, go….!” Ike screamed hysterically from the back seat of the Sequoia, staring eye to eye with Cade’s dead next door neighbor, Dave. Judging from his condition, he wasn’t here to borrow tools.
The instant the door was fully opened, Cade gunned the truck forward. Several undead now flanked the driveway. They pawed at the closed side windows as the three ton truck sucked the muscular one armed ghoul under the front skid guard; its skull popped like an overripe melon as a rear wheel rolled over it.