The Collapse Omnibus

by V. A. Brandon

  The sound of a speeding car reached their ears.

  Before they could even think of what to do, a red sports car slammed into the rear end of their station wagon, causing everyone to shout out in surprise. Walter fell off Marie’s lap and landed at her feet, his pained yips getting lost in all the commotion.

  Within seconds, the sports car drove off and disappeared over the hilly road.

  “Is everyone okay?” Justin asked when the wagon jolted to a standstill.

  Amy nodded, wincing, as she rubbed the base of her neck. “Except for the whiplash, I think we’re fine.”

  Daniel stepped outside to check the damage. Minutes later, he returned, looking relieved.

  “There is a big dent, but it is not so bad,” he informed them. “One of the brake lights is smashed, though.”

  “Hope we don’t get a ticket for that,” Justin joked before turning to Amy. “Hey,” he said, studying her face, “you’re looking a little green there. Want me to drive?”

  She nodded, grateful for his offer. After exchanging places, Justin steered the wagon back onto the empty road, frowning as his gaze frequently returned to the rearview mirror. He seemed preoccupied about something.

  Patrick fidgeted in the backseat, trying to get comfortable. “Did you see the jerk who hit us?” he asked, looking peeved.

  “You saw him?” Marie was taken aback.

  “Yes, I caught a brief glimpse of his face.”

  Amy was intrigued. “What did he look like?”

  Patrick paused. “I think it was Mr. Kang.” Then later, he added in confusion, “But he was bald.”

  That he would say something so ludicrous, especially at this time, was mind-boggling. Amy gawked at the older man, speechless. Could a person be this insensitive? Had the man no feelings at all?

  Sensing the quiet anger in the car, Patrick grew defensive. “Look, I’m just saying –”

  “You’ve said enough,” Justin cut in, his voice stern. “Even you should realize how insane that sounds. How can a dead man be driving a car?”

  “Maybe the driver was an Asian man, but Patrick thought it was Mr. Kang because he thinks Asians all look the same.” Daniel lifted a questioning brow. “Is that what happened?”

  Uncertainty filled the older man’s eyes as he fumbled for an answer. “I . . . I’m not sure.” His hunched posture indicated his deepening doubt. “And I don’t appreciate your comment, Daniel. I’m not a racist,” he mumbled, mostly to himself.

  Amy settled into her seat, shaking her head. “Let’s go,” she said to Justin. “We’ve wasted enough time as it is.”

  “All right.” Justin gazed at the rest of the group through the rearview mirror. “Everyone, keep your eyes open. If you see anything that even resembles a shack, let me know. We’ll need to find shelter before it gets dark.”

  ***

  By evening, they were still on the bumpy road, flanked by fields and silhouetted trees in the distance. Slouching in her seat, Amy rested her feet on the dashboard and dozed on and off. The rest of the afternoon had been pretty uneventful, for which she was grateful. She felt the lull of sleep about to overtake her again when the wagon crawled to a stop and Justin leaned forward, staring at a patch of land to his left.

  “Do you guys see that?”

  Amy immediately sat up, peering intently. There was a low, rusty fence around a spacious plot of land. But sitting on top of the hilly horizon was the silhouette of what looked to be a dilapidated mansion.

  “Think we should check it out?” Justin asked.

  “Definitely,” Amy replied, excitement in her voice. “It looks like the perfect spot to stay for the night.”

  “We must be careful. There might be Runners inside,” Daniel cautioned.

  Slowly, Justin drove the station wagon around the fence and went past an old sign that read: GREEN HILL CLINIC. He parked the car beside a broken fountain, gazing up at the mansion with narrowed eyes.

  “This place looks very old,” Marie said, observing the weeds and rambling vines twisting around the pillars and over the walls.

  Nodding, Amy got out of the car. “Looks like it was abandoned years ago. The place is a mess.”

  The rest of the group got out as well. Justin opened the rear door and grabbed his baseball bat and Daniel’s fire poker.

  “Daniel and I are going inside to check out the place. I want the rest of you to stay here and guard the car. Is everyone okay with that?”

  Nods all around. After Justin handed the fire poker to Daniel, the two of them headed toward the entrance and pulled the door. The hinges squeaked loudly as the door swung open.

  “It is very dark,” Daniel muttered, peering inside. “Maybe we should take a few glow sticks –”

  “Wait!” Marie hurried over to the car and rummaged through the boxes with one hand, hugging Walter with the other. She let out a triumphant sound when she found what she was looking for.

  Amy shook her head in wonder. “You always think of everything,” she breathed, staring at the narrow flashlights in Marie’s right hand.

  “Please tell me you got batteries as well,” Patrick said.

  “Of course.” She reached down again and pulled out a pack of AA batteries, waving them in the air. “And we have more inside the box.”

  Minutes later, each person had a flashlight. While Justin and Daniel went in to check out the mansion, Amy stood outside with Marie and Patrick, flashing beams of light around the unkempt lawns and wooded area just below the hill. She shivered, wondering if there were Runners lurking in the trees.

  Walter released a soft whine, and Marie immediately put him down. “What is wrong? You have to pee?” When he lifted a paw, she turned to smile at the others. “We will not take long. Please call out when Justin and my husband return.”

  “Walter can pee here,” Amy said, waving a hand at the tangled grass and dirt at their feet. “And it’s dark. I don’t like the idea of you going somewhere far, where I can’t see you.”

  Marie smiled again. This time, she looked embarrassed. “I have to go, too,” she said. “Do not worry, Amy. We will only take a minute.” And with Walter leading the way, she hurried around the building and disappeared from their sight.

  Amy tossed a bored glance at Patrick, studying his features. Objectively speaking, the older man was classically handsome, with well-defined cheekbones and a head of chestnut-colored hair. If it weren’t for his personality, she would have found him quite attractive.

  “What did you used to do for a living?” she blurted, out of the blue.

  Startled, Patrick whirled around, and the beam from his flashlight caught Amy right in the face. Instantly, she threw a hand up to shield her eyes.

  “Jeez, Patrick! Put that thing down. You’re going to blind me.”

  “Sorry.” He sounded contrite.

  Amy blinked hard, seeing spots dancing across her vision. To her left, she could hear Patrick moving around. She blinked again and jumped when she realized that he had sidled up right next to her.

  “I’m not telling, not until you tell me what you used to do,” he drawled.

  Ye gods, is the man flirting with me?

  Amy straightened, trying to ignore how close he was standing beside her. It had been a mistake asking him a friendly question. “Nothing much. I graduated from college, and then I got a sales assistant position for a while. I quit that to fly across the country and visit Justin.”

  “Interesting. Are you two a couple?”

  “We used to date, but we’re just friends now.”

  “That’s too bad.” Patrick smiled, revealing a set of straight teeth. Amy briefly wondered if they were veneers. “Can you guess what I used to do in my former life?”

  She sighed and threw a hand up. “I don’t know. Were you a stripper?”

  “Hey!”

  “Well, I don’t know! You told me to guess.” To be honest, she could see him as a boy toy to some rich sugar mommy in her sixties.

  He glared
at her, indignant. “I was an actor. A damn good one, too.”

  “Is that so? Have I seen you in any movies?”

  “I had roles in several soaps and TV series. A patient here, an estranged cousin there, a victim of a brutal crime . . . they were all good stuff.”

  He was talking about minor, insignificant roles. “Did those jobs pay well?” she asked, genuinely curious.

  Patrick’s shoulders hunched a little. “Not really. I mean, I had to support myself with a night job. I worked as a waiter at one of the local fancy restaurants. It paid the rent and bills.”

  “I see.” To Amy’s chagrin, she found her heart softening. She did see. Wasn’t that what she had been doing after college? Working in sales to support her dreams of becoming a professional writer? That she and Patrick had something in common rattled her a bit.

  Sounds of approaching footsteps reached her ears, and she turned around to see Justin and Daniel exiting the mansion.

  ‘The place is empty,” Justin said, smiling. “It’s a bit dusty, but there are plenty of rooms.”

  Daniel cast the beam of his flashlight over the building’s exterior. “I think this place used to be an asylum,” he said thoughtfully. “An asylum for rich people.” He paused to look at Justin. “I saw a basement under the mansion. It has barred rooms with heavy locks on them.”

  Well, that was creepy. Amy shuddered at the thought of past mental patients, screaming and scratching at the walls below while saner patients drank refreshing lemonade and enjoyed the luxurious comforts of the clinic’s estate above.

  Justin shrugged it off. “None of that matters. It has a roof, steady walls, and most importantly, it’s empty. That’s good enough for me.”

  They moved the boxes into the foyer and parked the station wagon where it would remain well-hidden from outside eyes. When they finished, Daniel frowned, looking around him.

  “Where are Marie and Walter?”

  Before Amy could answer, Marie came running over to them, breathless as she carried Walter in her arms.

  Amy placed a hand on her hip, her expression stern. “You said you’d be gone for only a minute!”

  “I went for a walk with Walter.” Marie smiled, shooting a nervous glance at her stony-faced husband. “And guess what we found?”

  When no one said anything, she continued on. “We found a flowing stream in the woods! It is drinkable water.” Her eyes turned dreamy. “We will be able to wash our clothes, and also have baths.”

  Daniel’s face darkened. “You went into the woods? Alone?”

  Clearly, a spousal fight was brewing. Justin quickly turned to address Amy and Patrick. “Let’s go inside. We have lots to do before we settle down for the night.” And he led them through the foyer and into the main room.

  Behind them, Amy could hear Daniel spluttering in anger, admonishing his wife in their native tongue. Marie answered him quietly whenever he paused; Amy couldn’t tell if she was apologizing or defending her actions. Feeling guilty about eavesdropping (despite not understanding a word they were exchanging), Amy quickened her footsteps, deciding to take a short tour of the creepy mansion.

  Chapter 2

  Bright beams of sunlight shone through the tattered curtains, rudely poking Amy in the eyelids. Grunting, she opened her bleary eyes and stared at the high ceiling. Beside her, she could hear soft snores coming from Daniel and Marie. She rolled over to her side and cradled her head in her crooked arm. The Korean couple had obviously made up, judging by the tight way they were holding each other. At their feet, Walter rested his head on his paws, staring imploringly at Amy. He quickly wagged his tail when she smiled at him.

  “C’mon, boy. Let’s go out,” she whispered, rising up.

  Walter joined her, his claws clacking softly on the dust-filled floor.

  The morning air was cool and crisp, and Amy stood on the steps, inhaling all that fresh goodness. Walter whined and raised a paw, looking up at her with expectant eyes.

  “You need to pee?” she asked, and the dog barked and leaped down the steps, disappearing around the building.

  “Damn it, mutt, wait for me,” she muttered as she chased after him. When she caught up, she watched in amusement as he marked his territory on the walls, the fence . . . basically everything he could claim as his own.

  Once his doggy needs were met, they made their way to the peak of the hill, where two male figures could be seen leaning against the low mesh fence. Walter raced ahead to join them.

  “Morning, fellas,” Amy greeted as Justin and Patrick turned around at the sound of her voice. Justin smiled and placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

  “Take a look at that. What do you see?” he asked, pointing an index finger toward the horizon.

  Bemused, she followed his direction. The first thing she noticed was how high they were situated – she could see buildings and intersecting streets below them. But more importantly, they were able to see a long stretch of highway from where they were standing.

  “Is that –” Amy began, surprised.

  Justin gave a solemn nod. “It’s Great Memorial Highway. But that’s not the best part. Patrick and I have been standing here, watching the highway carefully. And you’ll never guess what we just saw.”

  “Try me. Was it a horde of Runners?”

  A slow grin spread across Justin’s face. “You bet.”

  Amy lightly rested her elbows on top of the fence, staring into the distance. “Why do these hordes stay there? Why don’t they move on to another place?”

  “I have a theory about that, but we need to observe them a bit more. I don’t want to make any rash conclusions yet.”

  A rumble of displeasure erupted from Patrick’s throat. “Are those lovebirds up yet? It’s way past breakfast time, and I’m starved.” He abruptly spun on his heels and headed down toward the building. “I’m not waiting for them to get up so that I can have my breakfast. A man’s got to eat, you know? I mean, that’s just beyond rude . . .” His complaints reduced to nothing more than indecipherable noise when he reached the mansion.

  The night before, Amy thought she and Patrick had shared a “moment.” Now, that feeling was gone. In a way, she was relieved that he was back to his old, whiny self; she didn’t think she could handle being friendly with someone who had kicked an old lady off a balcony just to save his miserable ass. When push came to shove, he would never linger around to help anyone. She had to remember that.

  Walter barked happily, snapping Amy out of her thoughts. With a smile, she bent down to pick him up. His fur was tangled and smelly, and she wrinkled her nose in distaste.

  “You stink, boy,” she muttered. “You need a shower.”

  At the word shower, Walter bared his canines and growled.

  Justin laughed heartily. “Maybe you can dunk him in the stream later, after we’ve had breakfast.”

  “Good idea.”

  Exchanging lighthearted banter, they made their way down to the mansion and entered the foyer.

  ***

  After breakfasting on frankfurters, beef stew, and canned coffee, Justin and Daniel went out to the place they now referred to as “The Peak” to observe the movements of the hordes. Meanwhile, Amy and Marie spent all morning and afternoon cleaning the first floor to make their living quarters more comfortable. Using makeshift brooms and pieces of torn curtains as rags, they swept the floors and wiped every window pane and surface they could reach. When Patrick kept getting in the way, they sent him into the woods with an empty bucket to get water from the stream.

  By the time they were finished, the place looked fairly presentable. Except for the strips of yellowed, peeling wallpaper hanging above their heads. Amy shivered as she gazed up at them.

  “I wish we could take them down,” she murmured. “They really add to the creepy factor.”

  Marie nodded. “Yes, I agree. But we can do that tomorrow. There is plenty of time.”

  Because they had no use for the actual kitchen, they decided to unpack t
he food and stack the cans, boxes, and cartons near the foyer for easy access. Once that was done, Marie took out new clothes and underwear from one of the boxes, along with a travel kit of toiletries and an old rolling pin she’d previously found in the kitchen. She looked up at Amy, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

  “We should go to the stream and bathe. You, too, Walter,” she added, grabbing the pooch before he could make his escape.

  Amy paused. “You mean, out in the open?” Immediately after she voiced that thought, she realized how ludicrous it was. No one would see them. The boys were at The Peak, and the area was pretty secluded. She was being paranoid for nothing.

  “We need to wash. Right now, that is more important to me.” Marie stood up and strode toward the door. “Do not be shy, Amy. What is that saying? ‘I do not chew’?”

  Laughing, Amy followed after her. “You mean, ‘I don’t bite.’”

  They chattered on as they walked in the direction of the woods, relishing the warm sunlight on their faces. The idyllic atmosphere of the clinic and its surroundings, a stark contrast to the chaos that had plagued them since leaving their apartment building, almost made Amy wish that they could settle here for good. It would be such a waste to abandon a secluded place as nice as this one . . .

  “This is a good spot,” Marie said happily, and Amy snapped back to attention. Marie bent down and threw a short stick into the stream. “Get the stick, Walter. Go!”

  With an excited bark, the dog splashed into the cool water, swimming with the current. Amy grinned at her friend.

  “Oh, that was smart! You didn’t have to force him in.”

  Marie shrugged. “Dogs are always the same. They do not like showers, but they like to play in water.” Her shrewd gaze landed on the unsuspecting pooch. “While he is playing, I will lather and rinse him.”

  “Yeah, good luck with that.”

  They undressed and crouched at the edge of the stream to wash their days-old clothes. Amy had never hand-washed her underwear before; she’d always just taken them to the Laundromat. She snuck a covert glance at Marie, unsure of how it should be done. To her amusement, the Korean woman seemed at a loss herself; she had laid out the soapy undergarments on a rock, and was beating them to death with the rolling pin.