I nodded my head to show that I had heard him.
“A group of survivors paddled over from the mainland. I allowed them into a quarantine area. It’s been such a long time since we had news from off the island. One of them was carrying a flyer. There is another colony over there. These people were afraid to go there, that is why they ended up here. They felt it was a trap. I’m not sure. Maybe this is what we need. They may have the people there who can figure out why I’m immune, and use that to save us all.“
He sounded so rational, so unlike him. There had to be an angle. Some way that he felt he could use this to his advantage. I felt a glimmer of hope wash through me, but it faded as quickly as it came. Even if I could get to the mainland, how would I know where to go? He would never just let me leave. And he sure as hell wouldn’t tell me where to go to get away from him.
Then I thought of the poor people in quarantine. They believed that they were escaping the trap, just to walk into one. I prayed that they would do as he said, and not end up dead like so many others. He stood and wrapped his arms around me. Sliding his fingers down my back, he eyed me like a piece of meat.
“I would take you now Dearest, but I have a few things I need to do first.” His lips pressed against mine, and I could feel myself pulling out of my own body again. “I will be back, and we can celebrate this good news tonight.”
He wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me off the ground. He carried me to the bed, and tossed me on my back. Lowering himself to my body, he ran his hands down my shirt, undoing the buttons as he went lower. “Until later my dear, when we can have enough time together,” he said suddenly and headed towards the door.
I could breathe again when he was gone. They sent Tim this time. All of the other guards scared me. Tim was different. You could see the fear in his eyes, and sometimes the pity. Most of the higher ups were people with agendas. They were bad people who fit right into the crew. Not Tim, he made the mistake of being called over when I was bit, and that alone put him higher up than he ever should have been.
“Hello Tim.” I said in my hollow voice.
“Miss Jessica, is there anything I can get you? Have you eaten yet?”
They have all taken to asking if I have eaten. Unlike the others, when he asked I felt as if he actually cared. That maybe, I was more than just guard duty. I was so tired of being alone. I know that sounds strange, due to my unfortunate living arrangements. I missed being myself, having conversations, and just feeling safe with someone else around. Being a caged bird was wearing me down, and I longed to be set free.
“I ate Tim, thank you, but I do need something. I am out of books again, and wonder if there are any more lying around. “
“I will find out for you.” He answered with that oh so common look in his eye. The one that makes me feel like he is trying to decipher how I am doing all of this. The look that makes me feel like he sees me as human.
For the next few hours we engaged in small talk. I babbled on and on about the three books I had finished reading since he had seen me. He told me of the news of the island. Tim’s stories were told without feeling. He would just relay the facts. There was no hero worship, and for that I was grateful. I never spoke of Vincent. Nothing good, nothing bad was ever uttered. I trusted Tim as much as one could in my situation, and even though I was needed alive, it was a gift to be treated as well as I was.
Night came, and Tim took his leave to the other side of the door. Vincent made his entrance and our nightly routine began. After yet another negative pregnancy test our “celebration” commenced. He opened a bottle of wine and gave me his version of the events that Tim had already relayed to me. The difference was Vincent’s version all had the slant of him being the gears that made the island move smoothly. All failures, on the other hand, were the fault of others.
“Dearest, I feel as if you should resume your writing. We still need the future generations to have a record of all of the great things accomplished before them. Without our history, they will have to repeat our mistakes, not that I have made any. But they will see the mistakes of others and avoid them. This will be your legacy to them.”
“If that is what you wish. I have time between our visits.” I could hear her say.
She was there again. Taking my place. She would live through the horror for me, and I would stay clean. Untouched by the man who I knew was evil. I just hope she lets me take my body back. Each time she takes over I wonder if this will be the time. Am I giving the rights over to her because she has to be soiled by him? Do I even deserve my body back?
It was over as quickly as it began. That is the gift of no foreplay. The act itself is quick when the man doesn’t care if the woman enjoys it. She let me back, a bit too early for my taste. I laid there trapped under his sleeping body. I learned early on that pulling away only led him to draw me in. So there I lay, stiff as a board. I would have prayed for morning, but morning just brought another round.
Frantic knocking awoke us both. One of Vincent’s larger goons came bursting through the door. It had to be important to risk the wrath of Vincent. No one was allowed to see my naked body but him. I was his possession, and he had made this fact very clear to his guards. Vincent shot upright with a look that could have stopped the devil in his tracks.
His eyes scanned my side of the bed, and relief washed over his face to see that I was covered by the sheets. “Tell me,” he ordered in a flat tone.
“They…they….burst…through…” the goon wheezed, obviously out of breath from his trip to find Vincent.
“Enough.” He interrupted. “I am sorry my dear, I do not know when I will be back, but I have to deal with this. Relax, you need not worry.”
With that, he rose out of bed and dressed quickly, but calmly. As much as I despised the man, I had to admit he carried himself with an air of power. Even when facing unknown danger, the kind that made a man the size of his messenger panic, he seemed unfazed. This was the moment that I knew why all of them followed him. While they were busy pissing their pants in fear, he was standing above them all as calm as a spring breeze.
With that I was left alone. I had never been so grateful for a zombie breach. I was going to have one night alone, something I haven’t had since I was found to be immune. I dressed, and then went back to bed. For a moment I may have even felt a hint of joy. Sleep came easy and I drifted off as soon as my head hit the pillow.
“Jessica,” he whispered as he shook me awake.
The world was fuzzy as I tried to see who was waking me. “Tim?” I questioned sleepily.
“We need to go now. The breach will only distract them so long. I need you to grab just what you need, and throw it in this pack.” A bag was stuffed into my hands.
“Go? Go where Tim? We can’t leave… can we?”
“Yes Jessica, we can, but we have to go now. I broke the defense to give us some time, but it won’t last forever. You need to get moving. I have a boat waiting, but we need to go now.”
I was confused, and scared, but not stupid. This was it. The only chance I would ever have to get out of this hellhole. I thought for a split second and realized I didn’t care if I died trying. That made me move. Two minutes later we were on the run with my small pack of supplies. God I hoped he had more, otherwise we were screwed.
Tim put a hoodie on me as soon as we left the room. In the dark I looked like everyone, or no one at all. We needed that anonymity, because all the men knew who I was and what Vincent would do if I got away. Tim held my hand and led me through the town. His route was deliberate, but we did not rush. There was no need to look suspicious. Finally, we came to the bay.
Tim pulled back some brush and tied to the shore was a small boat. A duck blind. It was genius. The thing was already camouflaged. He helped me in, and I found out how prepared Tim really was. The boat was stuffed with supplies. As he pushed away from the island I felt the weight of it all at once. Once those floodgates opened it was impossible to close them. I cried for wh
at felt like hours, and when I had no tears left I curled into a ball and fell back asleep.
Guilt woke me with a start. I had left Tim to take care of both of us. This man had risked everything to save me from Vincent, and I hadn’t even said thank you. “Tim?”
“Jessica. You are awake.” He whispered. “We need to stay quiet still. We made it across the bay last night, and are attached to some tree in the middle of the marsh. I don’t want to attract any of the dead. I am exhausted. Do you think you can watch for a while and let me sleep?”
“Anything,” I whispered back, and pulled him close. I kissed his check ever so gently. “Thank you.”
He blushed, handed me a gun, and tried to find a comfortable place among the piles of supplies. Hours passed without a peep. The worst part about being on watch is being alone with your thoughts. I replayed every event since the outbreak began, second guessing every decision I made. By not fighting Vincent did I allow all of this to happen or was I right and it would have happened anyway? My stomach turned the more I struggled with my own path. I needed to wake Tim. I couldn’t be alone in thought anymore.
I waited as long as I could, then I woke him. To my surprise he was happy. “Did you look at what I brought?” he questioned proudly.
“No,” I stated feeling very stupid.
“Then you are in for a treat, because we have a great breakfast in here somewhere.” He rummaged through the bags for a minute and smiled as he pulled out a box of Pop Tarts. “Aha! Found them. I hope you like cherry.”
“I love cherry. It is my absolute favorite flavor.” I lied, because at that moment I was happy to be alive and free, and this man had made all that happen.
“Awesome.” He replied.
He carefully rose out of the boat and untied us. Next he pulled out a compass, and a flyer. We were heading to the place on the flyer. Inside I was screaming with joy. Not only were we escaping, but we were not heading out into the unknown. We had a goal, and all we had to do was get there. If we were lucky we could manage to find our way before Vincent, and warn them of what was coming.
Wayne
It has been slow going since we left the rest stop. That massive herd was following the highway. We sent a few scouts out to see if they had switched directions, and the result of their recon was no. It was disturbing to hear about the size of that swarm from one of our own. Bill is not known to exaggerate. The man is a straight shooter, and his words were “it never ends.” After that news it was decided that we would take the back roads the rest of the way.
This left us open to attacks as our caravan slowly made its way through towns. The one advantage was our ability to pick up supplies as we went. I suggested to Mick that Garrett get a vehicle of his own. We needed to show up with as much supplies as possible. It would also add the advantage of an extra set of wheels if one of our other cars becomes incapacitated. We’ve had to dump a few cars along the way. Things break, or get stuck. Shit happens.
Garrett had cozied up to Neil’s daughter Emma. She’s a pretty girl, but not the brightest bulb in the batch. Neil was pissed at first, but the more he got to know the kid the more he liked him. One thing about preppers is we always have to have a plan B, and Neil realized if something happened to him Emma would need a plan B. So that is what he is grooming Garrett to be. It helps if someone out here cares about your loved ones as much as you do.
Neil and Emma lost his wife and her mother on the way to meet us. Emma’s grandmother was in her seventies, and was hard of hearing. As they loaded up she didn’t hear the dead as they approached her. Her daughter saw them and tried to save her mother. The two women were no match for the two large male zombies. Neil pulled Emma away as she tried to take off after her mother and grandmother. He had to shoot all of them. By the time he met up with us Emma had forgiven him for what happened. Neil told the story once, then it became one of those things you didn’t bring up.
Mick, Amy and Zoe were good additions to our group, too. They had been on the road so much longer than the rest of us. There were things that they had seen, or done that we hadn’t thought of yet. I was just happy we didn’t pick up a drain on our resources. Our group was a solid 20 before we picked them up, and one of the benefits of it being only preppers was our self-reliance. We shared, but any family in our group had the ability to fend for themselves.
After they joined us, we took a page from Mick’s book and started sleeping on rooftops. Strip malls became our favorites. They stretched out with enough space for us to be able to spread out. The only disadvantage we had to deal with was the buildup of dead after a night or two on the roof. We would get too comfortable, too noisy and that would draw them in. In order to get back on the road, we would have to send a clearing party down to wipe out the ones that we attracted.
Mick was helpful with that, but Amy was a real badass. The first clearing party she took part in all the men stopped helping, and just stared in amazement. She had a bat, and was just swinging at the bleachers. One after another they fell. For guys like us a sight like that was probably one of the sexiest things we will ever see. A drop dead gorgeous woman who can take care of herself was awe inspiring. Mick picked up on the vibe, and kept her extra close for the next few days. None of us would have ever pushed that line, but damn it was something.
Time went on, and they just became another family in our group. They had earned our trust, and they trusted us in turn. That was the real thing that was going to save your ass out here. You have to be able to trust the group you are with. You could have all the supplies in the world, but if you can’t rely on the group of people you are with, you will end up dead. It’s just that simple.
One of the towns we pulled into had a different feel to it. It was quiet. The roads looked staged. Very quickly we felt that we were being herded. The paths were too obstructed, only to be next to one that was too clear. Neil signaled for us to turn around when it happened. Shots rang out. Neil’s tires took the hit. Then the car behind his was targeted. They shot right through the windshield. Our defense plan went into effect.
It was quickly determined that the shots were coming from the rooftops on each side of the road. All members of our group ten and older were armed, and knew what to do if we were attacked. All of our training and drills had been for this moment, not for the living dead, but for the living who wanted us dead. I almost felt sorry for the son of a bitches who thought we were easy pickings. They had opened Pandora ’s Box attacking us.
Within seconds the first sniper was dead. That left three more. They weren’t quite as stupid as I had hoped, and when they saw what they were up against they took the cowards way out and hid. The noise was going to attract the dead, that was a sure thing, and unlike our foes we were down in the hornet’s nest. Every minute or so one of them would get ballsy enough to pop up and squeeze off a round. What a waste of ammo, and after a few shots we had killed another one of them. I am pretty sure it was my son who hit him. Damn, I was proud.
The remaining two started moving in between shots. Neil took a round to the leg. Emma pulled him in my camper. My wife followed in to administer first aid. We were working like a well-oiled machine. Mick signals me that he is going to work his way up on one of the roofs. Amy followed behind him to give him cover. The rest of us kept the aggressors pinned down while he climbed up. Once he was on the roof we heard three shots. Mick stood up and gave us the all clear signal.
He was wrong though. The roofs were clear, but it was hardly over. Three trucks came around the corner from behind us. We were blocked in now. Neil’s car was dead in the water unable to move, and so was the one behind his. This group had set the trap so that only one car could pass through this street. Now with their friends behind us there was no way out. Amy scaled the building to put herself above the scene with Mick. The signals came down that we had six to deal with.
By now the dead had made their way through the maze of obstructions to join the party. The children were herded into my camper. The trucks occ
upants were unaware of the situation, and that was the only thing we had going for us. They didn’t know that their sniper friends were dead, and that we had two of our own on their rooftops. Without that knowledge they felt safe enough to pour out of the trucks. Mick and Amy shot two immediately.
The secret was out. We lost two good men in the next few minutes. The dead did our job for us and swarmed one of the trucks. Both men were dead in moments. Their screams were sickening. When a man is killed with a gun it is quick, but being ripped apart by demons is slow and hellish. With only two left the men realized they was no way to win this firefight, and they jumped in the last truck and tore ass out of there. Our attention was then focused on clearing the dead as quietly as possible. We didn’t want to draw anymore in.
Mick and Amy descended from the roof, and out came Amy’s trusty bat. The more rotted the zombie, the better it worked. The really old ones just exploded when she hit them. Garrett ran over to his aunt with a sharpened shovel, and made sure she wasn’t overwhelmed. I took the heads off of five of those dead freaks. It was a rush beyond any drug you could ever use. My body felt nothing, no fatigue, nothing but adrenaline. Soon enough it was all quiet.
Then the crash came. My whole body was exhausted, spent. I had used every ounce of energy in the fight. We had never been up against anything like that before, and even with all of our training our bodies were not used to it. That is all of us except Mick and his crew. They had been living like this for so much longer, and they were used to the surge of energy. They had done this over and over to survive. The most any of us had fought before this was four or five zombies. We had always been smart enough to scout and turn if the direction was too dangerous.
It was good to see as a group we could handle it, but we needed to work on our endurance if we were going to make it to the place on the flyer. Once the area was deemed clear for real, I entered the camper to see how my wife was doing in dressing Neil’s gunshot wound. That woman was an angel. She had it cleaned, sealed, and bandaged. He was lucky, and the bullet had passed straight through. The two useless cars were to be emptied, and the supplies were moved to one of the attacker’s trucks. It was almost full on fuel, and the tires looked good.
Aftershock: A Collection of Survivors Tales Page 15