Dying Time

by Clarke, Daniel

  The old man pointed at the second speaker, “I’m telling you it’s a disease. Everyone is saying it. And why the devil would riots break out all over the US and Canada at the same time?”

  Peter walked away, shaking his head. He had almost escaped, and now this. What the Hell had he done to deserve this? Fuck, what next.

  The bus driver opened the door, and told people to step inside. Peter had to wait as the passengers headed to the door en masse. He turned as a woman cleared her throat behind him.

  “Thanks for the coat. Tabitha warmed right up,” she said handing him his jacket.

  Peter smiled at them, “No problem. I needed the exercise anyways.”

  He was about to say something else, but the woman walked away carrying Tabitha in her arms. Peter cursed and hit his leg, the woman was obviously not interested in him. She didn’t even want to talk to him. Just his luck. He walked inside and tried to find a seat.

  The lobby was packed, with people sitting on every available flat surface. He saw one guy lying down on the floor with a bag under his head. He was covered in sweat, and it looked like he had fallen asleep as soon as he hit the floor. Some people looked over at him nervously, but didn’t say anything.

  Peter listened to some of the chatter going on. It wasn’t much. Mostly arguments over what had caused the rioting, and which cities had been hit so far. All of it useless. So he sat in a corner and rubbed his arms together warming back up.

  **

  Peter woke up from his doze. Looking at his watch he saw it was 2:43, he cursed. He should be getting ready to catch his bus now. Instead he had to sit here and wait. Most of the people were asleep or having quiet little discussions.

  He didn’t bother trying to eavesdrop. No one had a radio, and the cell phone weren't connecting properly, so they probably didn’t have any new information. He was too wide awake to go to sleep again, and sleeping with his back to the wall on a hard linoleum floor was hard on the ass. He stood up to stretch out his cramped muscles.

  He saw the sleeper getting up as well. The dim lights didn’t let him see much, but the guy seemed to be staggering and off balance. The man walked slowly to the washroom, barely avoiding other sleepers as bounced off the wall a few times.

  Peter wandered through the lobby, thinking about grabbing a chocolate bar or something when a horrible gagging sound came from the bathroom. It sounded like a wounded animal. Some people got up and hurried to the bathroom to find out what was going on.

  Peter started to head to the bathroom as well, but stopped as a blood curdling scream erupted from the bathroom. Everyone woke up and some of the kids started crying.

  One of the guys who had entered the bathroom ran out. “Run for it!” he screamed.

  Some people headed for the doors, pushing and shoving anyone in their way. Others began grabbing their things, and some just stared dumbly wondering what was going on. Peter standing near the back of the lobby tried to avoid being trampled.

  Someone came running out of the bathroom. In the lowlight it looked like he was covered in ink. He opened his mouth as if to scream but only a gurgle emerged. A woman ran over to him yelling something about helping. He jumped on her. Her shriek was cut off quickly.

  Pandemonium broke out as everyone tried to run away. He saw the old man who had claimed the riots were a disease trampled under the mob as they tried to exit the single small door.

  Peter jumped over the counter ready to run through the back door to escape. He stopped just long enough to see Tabitha fall to the ground as her Mother tried to push through the mob. Peter grabbed the edge of the counter again ready to jump back over when he saw a baseball bat leaning against the wall. He grabbed it and jumped back into the lobby.

  Tabitha’s mother had a hold of her child, but a man was running at them. Peter had enough time to see that the attackers wrist was shredded to the bone, with the veins ripped open and seeping blood. He raised the bat and swung as the mother shielded Tabitha with her own body.

  The bat cracked as it connected with the attackers forehead, the man slumped to the floor. Peter helped the woman up, “Get out the back door,” he shouted to her.

  The woman said something but Peter didn’t hear it. He was looking at the rest of the lobby. Bodies were strewn across the floor, and blood was sprayed over everything. He saw a few sane people still trying to get out the door, but most of the people left in the lobby were the insane freaks.

  Someone had to lock the doors. The people running had to have more time to escape. Peter tightened his grip on the bat, and yelled at the mob. The closest ones turned to him and screamed incoherently.

  They charged him, arms outstretched their mouths opened wide. They wanted his flesh, they wanted to rend and tear. Peter felt the adrenaline surge through him. His hands shook as the fight or flight instinct overpowered his fear. He ran towards them.

  Fifteen feet to the door.

  He swung his bat a few times, hitting heads, and bodies in his mad rush to get through the mob of freaks. The freaks hands were slimy with still wet blood. He felt them grab him, but he was able to slide through. His leather coat provided some protected his arms and body, even as the nails scratched the skin off his face and hands.

  Teeth bit his flesh, and he screamed. He hit the ones he could, and wrenched himself free of the ones he couldn’t beat off. His legs and arms were wet with blood.

  Ten feet from the door.

  The Freaks fought and tripped over each other trying to get at Peter. He couldn’t see anything more than three feet in front of him. His blood burned in his eyes.

  A bone crunched, he thought it might be his. He couldn’t tell.

  Five feet from the door.

  The last of the Freaks were looking at him now. He heard the bus honk, despite the moans and screams that surrounded him, despite the shrieks of pain that came from his own throat.

  He couldn’t feel anything.

  Two feet from the door.

  His hand reached out from the biting, tearing mob that surrounded him. He couldn’t see anything. The bites and claws got through even his sense of shock and numbness. He felt every bite, every broken bone. He couldn’t breathe anymore. He had lost his bat. One hand was stripped to the bone. It had protected his neck.

  His free hand flipped the lock.

  Knowing he had done at least one thing right with his life, Peter died.

  The Lonely Road

  Sarah sat in the back seat of the car, and tried to comfort her brother. He was crying and asking where Daddy was. Her Mother was driving, but she kept swerving and slowing down. Sarah didn’t know what was happening, Mom was bleeding really badly, but they weren’t going to the hospital. Dad had been attacked at the gas station. But no one seemed to care. She had covered Mattie’s eyes when the bad people came out of the gas station. She heard her Mom screaming for help, but only more of the bad people came.

  Sarah had looked up long enough to see her Mom stab a woman in the head with her cooking knife. She had screamed then, her Mom had always told her hitting people was bad. But the lady had been biting her leg. Then Mom had gotten into the car, and driven away as more of the bad people jumped on Dad.

  They had yelled at Mom to stop the car, to grab Dad. She had yelled at them, saying they had to get away. Mattie had screamed at her, yelling for Daddy. Mom had turned around, shrieking at them, telling them to shut up. She’d never yelled at them like that. They sat back and hugged each other, crying as quietly as possible.

  They’d been driving for a long time, but they hadn’t gone to any of the nearby towns. Mom said they were going to the Cabin. The radio was saying that cities were burning, and that they should get inside and block the windows. When Sarah asked Mom what was happening, she had only cried and said she didn’t know. When they woke up that morning her Dad had said that Zombies were attacking, and they had to get to the Cabin. But Mom had told him there was no such thing, and to stop saying it. He hadn’t said it again, and Sarah was glad. Zomb
ies weren’t real they were only on tv.

  But they had seen people who looked like zombies. Not the funny ones on cartoons, but monsters from the movies Dad watched all the time. Sarah wasn’t suppose to watch them, but she had sometimes snuck downstairs to see bits and pieces. They were scary on tv, but the bad people were scarier.

  “No, no, no, no. Don’t do this now, please don’t do this now,“ Mom started moaning as the car slowed down, and finally stopped.

  “Mom, what’s wrong?” Sarah asked.

  Mom sobbed, “We’re out of gas. We wanted to fill up the tank and the gas can at the…

  the… back there. We won’t make it to the cabin.”

  “What are we gonna do now?”

  Mom didn’t answer, she got out of the car and tried to walk. Sarah got out as well, and ran to her Mom’s side as she fell down. Sarah tried to ignore the blood that was smeared all over her Mom’s leg.

  “Baby you’ve gotta do something for me, okay?” Mom said in a cracked and broken voice.

  “Okay,” Sarah said quietly.

  “You’re a big girl now, and you’ve got a big job to do. You remember were the Camp is right?” Sarah nodded her head. “Okay, okay good girl. I’m going to pack yours and Mattie’s book bags with some food and water, and give you a map and the GPS. You’ve gotta walk to the Camp. You should be able to get there in two days.”

  Sarah looked up at her Mom, “But, but you’re coming with us. You have to come with us. We’re too young to go alone, and who will drive, you have to be coming with us, where will you be, we need help.”

  Mom shook her, “I can’t walk anymore. I’ll try to get help, but if you stay with me those bad people will get you. If you make it to the cabin you’ll be safe. The Petersons’ will be there. They’ll look after you. But you have to get there. I’ll come get you as soon as possible. And you know how to work the GPS. Just follow the line on the map. But watch out for people. If you see anyone walking run and hide. The bad people walk so you can’t let them find you ever. If a person is talking that means they’re normal, but don’t let them see you until your sure they’re normal. And don’t let anyone hurt you,” she breathed deeply and her face scrunched up as she thought really hard. “Sarah you know how I told you hitting people was bad, its not anymore. If someone, anyone, normal people or bad people tries to hurt you hit them as hard as you can. And use this,” she took a hunting knife from her pocket, and put it onto Sarah’s belt.

  “I know I told you not to use knives, but things are different now. Lets put your dance skirt on so it will hide the knife. Don’t let anyone know you have it unless they try to hurt you. You saw how I hit that woman who bit me? Hit them like that. Hit them on the head with everything you have. Can you do that for me Baby?”

  Sarah nodded and tried to stop crying. She had to be a big girl now. She put her dance uniform on over her pants. She sometimes wore it like that when she practiced at home. Mom threw food and water into the book bags.

  “Get Mattie, ok Baby.”

  Sarah undid Mattie’s booster seat. “What’s going on Sarah?” he asked.

  “Mom wants to talk to us.”

  They walked to the back of the car where Mom was zipping up the bags.

  “Mattie, you have to listen to Sarah now she’s in charge. I have to go to the hospital, but its not safe here. So you have to go to the Cabin by yourself. The Petersons are waiting for you,” she hugged her son as he started crying. “Come on I need you to be a big boy now. Sarah’s going to need a protector, so you have to hold onto her hand and not let go. Always watch out for the bad people. Always look around, watch for everything. If you see any of the bad people, anyone who is walking, you need to run as fast as you can. Don’t look back and don’t make a sound. I’ll meet you at the Cabin as soon as I can.”

  Mattie clung to her neck, “Why can’t I go with you? Can’t I protect you instead?”

  Mom was crying harder then ever, “I can get to the hospital myself, but Sarah will need help getting to the Cabin. Do you want her walking there all by herself?” Mattie shook his head. “So you have to go with Sarah. Keep each other safe.”

  She hugged her children tightly, and kissed them one last time, ruffling Mattie’s dirty blonde hair. “Use the GPS to show you the way to the Cabin, and the maps in your book bags has the way to it highlighted. I love you both very much, and I’ll see you as soon as I can.”

  The children began walking slowly away as their mother waved to them. They kept looking back at the car as their Mom sat on the hood and waved good-bye every time they looked back. They were holding each others hand ,and each time they looked back they tightened their grip. Finally they turned a corner and couldn’t see their Mother. The tears ran down their faces.

  **

  Sarah and Mattie walked along the edge of the highway. They followed their Mothers instructions, and kept looking in every direction. Sarah had to put her long brown hair into a pony tail to keep it out of her eyes. They hadn’t seen anyone since they started walking. Sarah looked at her watch, she had gotten it for her ninth birthday, three months ago. It was her favourite thing, covered in amethysts, and looked like her mothers watch. They’d been walking for two hours, and they were both tired.

  “Mattie lets stop here and have some lunch,” Sarah said trying to sound cheerful.

  “Alright,” Mattie said.

  Sarah was worried about Mattie. He had only stopped crying a little while ago. He was usually really happy, but he hadn’t even cared when they saw a deer run across the road.

  She smiled a little when Mattie pulled out a toy. It was a fake communicator from some superhero cartoon. He pressed it and seemed to relax as the 'Commanders' voice said “Let's Go!”.

  “Mattie would you like peanut butter and jam, or peanut butter and honey?”

  “Jam please,” Mattie said. He clipped the toy onto his belt and took the sandwich. “How far to the cabin, Sarah?”

  Sarah took the GPS out of her pack and waited while it turned on and found a satellite. “It says here about 32 miles. Mom said we should get their in two days.”

  “Two days! But where will we sleep?” Mattie wailed.

  “Mom gave us a blanket and bug spray. We’ll sleep in the woods. Just think we’ll be camping out under the stars,” Sarah tried to sound happy about that. She didn’t like camping all that much.

  “I wish Daddy was here,” Mattie said. He hadn’t used Daddy since he was four.

  “So do I. But Mom is going back for him, and we’ll see him in a few days at the cabin.”

  They finished their sandwiches in silence.

  **

  “I’m tired. Can we sit down?” Mattie asked sounding exhausted.

  “Just a little farther Mattie. We still have a long way to go,” Sarah replied, sounding nearly as tired.

  Mattie sniffed, “Ok. But only a little farther.” He took his toy off of his belt and started pressing the button, listening to the Commanders catch phrases.

  Sarah was sick of listening to the toy, but Mattie did walk a little faster. She looked at the GPS again. They had walked about 5 miles, and it was already getting dark. She looked around and shivered.

  Her friends had sometimes talked about how much fun it would be when they wouldn’t have to listen to their parents anymore. This wasn’t fun. When they had been imagining it the stories had always included make-up, staying up late, eating candy, fancy clothes, and all the tv they wanted. So far Sarah’s feet hurt, she was scared, hungry, tired, she needed to go to the bathroom, and they didn‘t have much toilet paper.

  She wondered if her parents were all right. She knew Mom was hurt, and Dad must have been. But did someone come by and help them? Maybe Mom was at the hospital already, and she would tell them to send a police car to pick her and Mattie up? She always wanted to ride in a police car, as long as she was in the front seat, maybe they’d let her use the siren. And the police must have stopped those bad people from hurting Dad more. He’d be i
n the hospital like poor Mr. Yeager, her second grade teacher, when someone stole his car. But Mr. Yeager had been alright after a few weeks, so Dad would be to. And then they would go to the Cabin, or maybe meet there. And they would all say how she had been so brave getting Mattie to the Cabin, just like they asked.

  When this was all over she would be able to go back to school, and tell the mean girl Tracy that she wasn’t a baby. And if Tracy didn’t believe her, she’d punch Tracy in the nose. Because Mom had said she could hit people now. Maybe she could stay up later to.

  “SARAH!” Mattie hollered. “A car is coming. Is it Mom?”

  She looked up, and saw a car coming quickly down the road. “I don’t think its Mom, but maybe they’ll drive us to the Cabin. Come on Mattie lets get their attention.”