by Terry Yates
“They’re all dead,” Rhonda whispered.
“Mrs. Weaver,” Mary Sue started, not wanting to ignore Rhonda Weaver, but it was first things first. “It looks like Denny did a good enough job of covering your wound, so I don’t want to fool with it. Okay? Now, I want you to stay right here while I go and call you an ambulance.”
Mary Sue stood up and bade Denny to stay with Rhonda Weaver until she returned. As she stepped out of the ditch and back onto the blacktop, Mary Sue could feel the morning sun, telling her that it was going to be another hot and muggy day. As she passed the Berry car, she looked away and held her breath. She could hear the flies beginning to buzz and knew that she’d better get someone out here soon or these bodies were going to rapidly begin to decompose.
She’d left the car door open. She walked around it and sat down in the seat, but stayed facing the road. Mary Sue reached back and grabbed the radio mike. She’d left her radio on her…the…nightstand last night. She didn’t know when she’d be able to retrieve it, not with all of…
“Damn,” she whispered trying to take it all in, surprised at her own calm. If there weren’t twenty bodies, or pieces of bodies, scattered about the Everton Road neighborhood, she’d kiss a Texas Longhorn’s ass.
“Earl? Come in,” she said into the mike. “Earl?” No answer. “Earl? Dammit, Earl, where are you?”
She reached back to the receiver and changed the band dial to the Harmonville Volunteer Fire Department.
“Come in, Fire Department. Who’s there today? John Paul, are you manning the store today? Come back.”
Mary Sue waited a moment for a response. Getting none, she put the mike to her mouth. As she was about to push to push the talk-button and speak, she heard the radio crackle to life.
“Hello?” a voice answered. “Fire department. Hello?”
Mary Sue was a little thrown. She hadn’t expected to hear the voice that came over the radio. It was Rex Murphy, the co-owner of Murphy’s Family Grocery, a semi-successful farmer, a Harmonville volunteer fireman…and the man Mary Sue had spent the night with last night.
“Hello?” Came Rex Murphy’s voice again. “Harlan? Mary Sue?”
“Hey,” Mary Sue answered, trying to sound cheerful and not embarrassed. “I didn’t think you had a shift today…uh…come back.”
“I wasn’t supposed to. As I was driving home, I passed, it and saw that there were no cars here. Usually, John-Paul’s Ford is sitting right out front on Sunday’s, but not today.”
“Where is everybody?” Mary Sue asked, relieved that he hadn’t been…or probably hadn’t been lying to her.
“The place was empty when I walked in. Big Red was gone, so I figured there must’ve been a fire or something. I forgot to turn my scanner on after last…night, but when I got here, the radio and phone were going nuts.”
“What’s going on?” Mary Sue asked him.
“From what I’ve been able to tell, something happened at the Windmire Apartments last night. Can’t really tell what, but I got hold of Gary Larkin, and he said something about animals attacking everybody. I couldn’t really tell what he was talking about…he was just pulling up. I decided to stay here and manage the phones. It looks like a lot of the lines have been knocked down, but those that haven’t been knocked down are all calling here.”
“What are they calling about?” Mary Sue asked, swatting a gnat from her face.
“Everything. Some heard screaming last night, others called about their dogs being dead or missing. While others…shit, Mary Sue, I can’t tell what’s going on. Where are you?”
“I’m at Everton Road.”
“What’s going on there?”
“I’m guessing pretty much the same shit as everywhere else. Rex, it looks like a war zone down here. The only people I see alive so far are Rhonda Weaver and Denny Lusk. Everyone else…or I’m guessing everyone else…is dead.”
Mary Sue dropped her head and lowered the mike to her lap, hoping that maybe Rex would start talking, but she heard nothing but an awkward silence. All of this was becoming very surreal, as well as shocking, for Mary Sue. She and Rex Murphy seemed to be the only people in Harmonville who had absolutely no idea what was going on. That was because neither of them had been in Harmonville last night. They’d decided to go to Atoka for their first date. They had been set up by Shelby Sims a couple of weeks earlier, but both being extremely busy, had not been able to find a suitable night that would fit both of their schedules until last night when they’d decided to drive up to Atoka, have dinner, see a movie, lie on the car somewhere in the country, and drink a few beers, and then, who knew, she’d just let the cards fall where they may, and they fell in the Best Western Hotel of Atoka, Oklahoma, where they spent the night making love. It’d been a while for her and according to Rex, it’d been some time for him, too. He and his wife Rita had been divorced for over a year now, and to her knowledge, he hadn’t been seeing anyone else.
She’d had the early shift that morning so they’d left at four a.m. after maybe two hours sleep. When he’d dropped her off, she’d remembered that she’d left her radio on the hotel nightstand. She’d started to call the hotel, but Rex said he didn’t mind driving the forty miles and back to retrieve it.
After she had showered, drank a cup of coffee, and ate a piece of toast, she hopped into one of the town’s two squad cars. At the moment, there were only three Harmonville cops, so two cars was enough. At first, the three of them rotated using the two cars, but after a few months of this, Sheriff Mary Sue Carter made an unpopular executive decision…unpopular with Harlan Gaskin, that is. She decided to keep one of the cars for herself and let Harlan and Earl split time with the other one. When one of the cops’ shift was over, he left it at the station, and the other one used it during his shift. This had not set well with Harlan Gaskin who had been driving around in one of the Crown Vics for two years, even using it during off-duty hours, but Mary Sue decided that remembering who dropped off which car at what time became a little monotonous, and since Harlan and Earl each had a truck, and Mary Sue didn’t have a vehicle at all, she decided that it would be okay for the sheriff to have one of the cars.
She’d started her shift that morning with her usual drive around the town, which she always did before going into the station. The first thing she noticed that morning was that the McDonald’s was still closed. Unlike most McDonald’s where the drive-thru is at least always open, Harmonville’s McDonald’s closed the drive-thru at ten. If they stayed open much past ten, they wouldn’t get over a dozen customers all night long. The only place that was open twenty-four/seven, was the 7/11. Like all 7/11’s, it stayed open in order to charge a fortune to anyone who might need milk or medicine in the middle of the night. McDonald’s usually opened the drive-thru around five a.m., and it was well after six when she’d driven by to get another cup of coffee. The lights were off, and there were no cars in the parking lot belonging to either employee or customer. She was about to call in to the station, when she saw thought she saw something. It was the flashing blue and red emergency lights of the other Harmonville Police cruiser. It was parked way down on Everton Road. She’d made the left turn onto the blacktop and drove toward the cruiser. At first, it was just the stillness that she felt, but after passing a few of the houses, she began to see the destruction. It began to look like a tornado had come down the road, but this tornado had teeth. There were several cars and trucks that looked like they’d been met in the road by something and thrown into the ditches and yards. Two of the front yards were littered with laundry, the lines and even the poles down. She saw two dead dogs, bird dogs, she thought, but she didn’t allow herself to look for too long. She was a dog lover and didn’t want to get too good a look, because she didn’t want to start crying. There were very few doors still on their hinges, again it seemed like a tornado, but then she began to see red everywhere. But it was the bodies…or body parts…that told her that something big and nasty had been through here…and she h
adn’t been there. She’d been in Atoka getting laid. It looked like Harlan had answered the call and got whatever the rest of the neighborhood got. It was when she’d pulled up behind the Berry’s car first, that she saw the full extent of the damage done to the neighborhood. There was one body, a female’s, sticking halfway out of the car. She was about to check on it when she saw Denny Lusk pop up from out of a ditch. Her first thought had been that Denny had somehow caused all of this carnage, and was about to come after her. It had taken all of her reserve not to pull her revolver. It was when she saw the look on his face that she knew he was a survivor of this mess.
“Mary Sue?” came Rex’ voice, breaking the silence.
Mary Sue looked up. Sweat was starting to run down her face.
“Yeah,” she answered, taking her Stetson off of her dashboard and putting it on.
“I hate to say things like…you’re the sheriff, what should I do, but…you’re the sheriff, what should I do?”
Mary Sue wanted to laugh, but she would’ve felt guilty for the rest of the day.
“Stay there for now…if you don’t mind. I’ve got Rhonda Weaver and she needs a doctor pretty bad.”
“Why don’t you bring her here?” Rex suggested. “I think the hospital is pretty full right now. Dr. Pritchard and Dr. Atchison must be up to their eyeballs with people, but I can’t get a real handle on things as to what the hell’s going on.”
“Will do,” Mary Sue came back after a long pause. “See you in a bit.”
CHAPTER 33
Kyler was making his way across the compound. He was having more and more trouble finding Mueller’s office. Each day, there was an influx of at least twenty-five to fifty people, either refugees, soldiers, or volunteers, and portable buildings were going up left and right, making it more difficult for him to find any of the original buildings. He lost his direction more than once, but finally got his bearings, turned to his right, and saw the big red sign…HQ.
He trotted up the two small wooden steps, and onto the porch, where he gave two quick knocks, then opened the door, and stuck his head through. Tara Mueller had already stood up and was making her way around her desk. Seeing that it was Kyler, she stopped.
“Hello,” Kyler squeaked, a sheepish grin on his face.
“Dr. Kyler,” Tara sighed. “Dr. Kyler, this is an open reception area. You can just walk on in.”
“Well,” Kyler started, straightening up and entering the office. “It just seems strange to go busting into a general’s office. Is he here?”
“He’s with Lt. Dorsey right now. Is it urgent?”
“Actually, yes…I think…yes.”
“Is it something you can tell me?” Tara asked, bidding him a chair to sit down.
“Eh…” Kyler managed, waving off the chair.
Kyler’s face had that pained look that people get when they want to tell you something, but they aren’t sure if it’s proper to do so or not.
“That’s all right,” she told him, going back to her desk. “He should be out in just a few minutes.”
“Thank you…it’s just…”
“It’s all right, Doctor.”
“Please…Richard.”
“It’s all right, Richard.”
“I…”
Before he could finish his thought, the inner office door opened, and out walked Gen. Mueller, followed closely by Lt. Dorsey, the young soldier that had flown in and rescued the refugees from No Name Island. Upon seeing Kyler, both men’s faces seemed to drop in recognition. All Kyler could do was wiggle his fingers in salutation at the two.
“Doctor Kyler, I’ve almost been expecting you,” Mueller sighed, waiving the door into his office. Lt. Dorsey, we’ll talk again in a few. I have to wait for THE call. When I do, I’ll get in touch.”
“Sir!” Dorsey said, straightening up and saluting.
Mueller returned the salute. Dorsey relaxed, took another look at Kyler, nodded his head to Tara, and then exited the office. Kyler turned around and saw that Mueller stood hands on hips, looking at him. At that moment, he reminded Kyler of John Wayne…the size, the stance, the expression. Kyler smiled and nodded to Tara before entering the office.
Kyler walked into the room and turned around as Mueller was closing the door behind them. The first thing Kyler noticed was the small television that was sitting on his desk and there was a DVD disc sticking out of the slot.
“You said that you were almost expecting me, General?” Kyler asked, breaking the silence.
“Sit down, Dr. Kyler,” Mueller sighed again, only louder and heavier this time.
Kyler didn’t really want to sit down, but the expression on Mueller’s face told him that it was more of an order than a request. He sat down in one of the two chairs, which were placed in front of the general’s desk. Mueller walked around and sat in his nice reclining leather chair.”
“I suppose you’re here because of the stuff that happened in Los Angeles,” Mueller started. “That thing last night. Is that what you fought on the island?”
“Yes, I’m pretty sure,” Kyler answered.
“Was it what you saw or not, Doctor?” Mueller snipped at him.
“Yes,” Kyler snipped back. “That’s why I came to you. I was watching the news report, and it said that several of the hospitals and emergency rooms were full because of victims and survivors.”
“That’s right. That thing killed or hurt a whole lot of people last night,” Mueller said, matter of fact as he opened his drawer and pulled out a crumpled half-pack of Marlboro Reds. Kyler had never seen the General smoke anything but cigars since he’d met him. He was about to take one out, then looked up at Kyler, raised his eyebrows, and held the pack out to him.
“No thanks,” he said, waiving them off. “Surgeon General and all that.”
“Well, I wonder if the Surgeon General is having as shitty a time as this general is having,” Mueller muttered, lighting the cigarette with a match. “So, you saw the news and hightailed it over here to gloat, hmm?”
“Eh…not exactly. I came here because it said on the news that several ER’s were full because of this one beast.”
“Yeah? I’m sure they’re getting good treatment. Did you want to go there and help out?”
“Not particularly, no.”
“Then why are here?” Mueller asked a quizzical expression on his face.
“It’s the wounded, General.”
“What about them? I told you, I’m sure they’re getting good treatment.”
“It’s not that, General. It’s the ones that were bitten by the…let’s go ahead and say it…the werewolf…”
“Doctor…” Mueller tried to interrupt, his hand in the halt position, but Kyler was having none of it.
“It’s a werewolf. It’s what it is, General. A person who turns into a giant, hind leg walking killer when the moon is full, is a werewolf, like it or not, believe it or not. We all saw Nicholas Klefka turn into a werewolf, and we saw what happened when he bit someone. One was a tall, leggy model, and the other an eighty-six year old woman, and both, mind you, both turned into werewolves.”
“So, you’re telling me that all of those wounded in the L.A. hospitals might…turn into one of those things.”
“The ones that were bitten anyway. I’ve never seen any real problems with scratches. It’s the saliva from the bite that does it.”
“Holy shit.”
“Yessir. That’s why I came to you. I saw what just a couple of those things can do. I can’t fathom what an ER full could do. I was going to suggest that you tell your people in Los Angeles and have them…I don’t know…quarantine them, or something.”
General Mueller rubbed his temples as he reached for the phone. At that moment, the door opened, and Tara leaned in.
“Daddy? Col. Potts to see you.”
Mueller gently laid the phone back into the cradle. Cell phones were almost useless in the camp because of all the destruction, plus there were millions of people trying to a
ll use them at the same time, so signals were getting jammed. Mueller looked at his daughter and managed a tired smile before nodding his head. Tara gave her father a sympathetic smile, then disappeared for a moment before Potts entered. His face was re-bandaged and the eye-patch was on. He placed his cap under his arm before saluting the general who gave Potts an uninspired salute in return. When he saw Kyler, he just nodded.
“Doctor.”
“Colonel.”
“What can I do for you, Colonel?” Mueller asked, sitting up in his chair. He placed both arms on the desk and clasped his hands together.
“It’s that incident in California, Sir,” Potts answered.
“Dr. Kyler and I were just discussing the situation. I guess that’s why you’re here as well, Colonel Potts?”
“Yessir.”
“Then why don’t we kill two birds with one stone, Gentlemen. Colonel, have a seat next to the good doctor there.”
Potts sat down next to Kyler. Mueller took a drag from his cigarette, then put it out in the ashtray.
“Colonel Potts, the good Doctor Kyler here was telling me about the L.A. survivors. He thinks that those that have been wounded…”
“Bitten,” Kyler interrupted.
“Bitten,” Mueller corrected himself. “He thinks it’d be a good idea for me to tell L.A. about those survivors that were bitten might be in need of quarantining.”
“Quarantining,” Potts came back. Kyler could see Potts’ one blue eye gleaming, the pupil the size of a pinhead. He also saw the beginning of a snarl forming on Potts’ lip. “General, those people should be…” Potts stopped in mid-sentence when he saw Kyler begin to stiffen out of the corner of his eye. “Sir, they need to be…terminated.” Before Kyler could speak, Potts suddenly turned to him.
“Kyler, you saw what those things did on the island…”