Jeff’s eyes narrowed as he latched on to an idea. Slowly, he leaned forward in the driver’s seat and looked outside. His eyes darted from the rearview to the side-view mirror. As he watched the arduously slow crowd continue to draw closer, he shook his head and laughed.
“Holy shit, I am the Pied Piper!” he exclaimed, grabbing the steering wheel and hitting the gas. Turning, he headed back inside the subdivision.
After more than a minute of slow driving and watching more and more of the foul-smelling maniacs fall in behind, Jeff allowed a smile to claim his face, and there was a gleam in his eyes.
“You’ve totally lost your mind, Mr. Blaine.”
The words were filled with self-doubt but also an undertone of awe. He couldn’t believe what he was doing, but he felt a rush from the freedom his actions were giving him. He had been a prisoner for so long it felt great to do something so completely irrational. He took a deep breath, and the air felt clean and crisp in his lungs.
A few minutes later, after several U-turns, Jeff had rounded up a crowd rivaling the one that had entered his house. He gunned the engine and watched as the loose group of bodies grew smaller in the rearview mirror.
Moments later, he hit the end of one of the streets in his neighborhood. He was at the bottom of a hill, and the crowd following was at the top. He could not see them anymore, but he knew they were still coming. The idle of the engine kept the sound of their screams and moans at bay for the moment.
Jeff turned off the ignition. He pushed his door open, grabbing the keys out of force of habit. Stepping onto the asphalt, he looked up the hill, then ducked back into the van to grab his baseball bat.
The houses surrounding the intersection were no different than the ones on his street, with plenty of shattered windows and smashed doors. There were no infected nearby, but there was plenty of evidence of their handiwork. A few corpses, half-eaten, littered both the yards and the street. Bat firmly in hand, Jeff climbed to the top of the van.
He was almost hypnotized by the distant noises of the crowd. When they were this far off, it wasn’t such a fearful thing, just the distant rumble of thunder lazily threatening to roll in.
As he waited for the crowd to appear, he barely registered the sound of a garage door opening behind him. At the same instant, the first of the infected crested the hill.
Chapter 6
Jeff tensed and swung around when he heard the faint noise, fearing he had missed one of the ghouls in his cursory search.
“Hello?”
A woman stood underneath a raised garage door, staring at him. Jeff blinked rapidly, trying to comprehend the fact that she had just spoken. The infected didn’t speak.
He reached up to shield his eyes from the sun, thinking that she might very well be a mirage. When she waved feebly at him, he blinked several more times, not quite able to come to grips with the fact that she seemed very real.
“Hello?” she repeated. The voice was timid but louder now. It was raspy, as if it had not been used in a long time.
Jeff jumped down from the van and moved toward the woman. The shock of hearing someone else speak had already passed. The words were barely audible, but the voice stood out like a pure note of music in a world filled with static. She looked tiny from a distance, but he suspected his perception wouldn’t change much as he got closer. She was emaciated, the bones in her face and arms prominent.
As he drew nearer, she took a few tentative steps back until he slowed, shaking his head and raising his hand in what he hoped looked like a peaceful gesture. It must have worked, because she stopped retreating, a curious look on her face.
He picked up speed again, hoping she understood the need for urgency as he took a quick glance at the hill. When he looked back toward her, he saw that she had not fled deeper into the garage, which gave him a boost of confidence. As he came within a few feet, he gave her a closer look.
Perhaps she had been attractive once, but she now looked barely better than the creatures crawling down the hill behind them. Her hair had probably been cut in a bob, but it was hard to tell, since the dark locks were matted and stuck out in various directions from her head, like antennae. Her skin was tight on her bones, and her olive coloring had turned the tint of spoiled milk. Her lips were cracked and dried, and her arms and hands had no meat on them. Her clothes hung off her small frame, and Jeff knew he would be able to count each one of her ribs with ease if her torso were visible.
“They’re coming.”
Her voice took on a sudden firmness. She was looking past him, up the hill, just as he had a moment before. The haunted look in her eyes sent a chill down his spine.
“I know,” Jeff acknowledged as he too glanced at the encroaching doom. “We have to get out of here.” He tried to break into a smile, but faltered. “I can’t believe someone else is alive.”
He did his best to make his voice calm and soothing. The woman’s gaze snapped away from the crowd, and she looked him in the eyes. She appeared to be confused, terrified, and unsure what to make of Jeff.
He extended his hand slowly. She looked down at it, examining the dirt that ran in lines along his palm. “My name’s Jeff.” Her eyes darted to his face and then back down to his hand. “We have to go. Now.”
As she continued to stare, he added a gentle “please” and thrust his hand at her emphatically. She looked as if she might rather bolt like a deer into the woods than touch it. Shaking her head, she began inching into her garage again.
Impulsively, Jeff dropped the bat and grabbed her by the shoulders. A small yelp passed her lips and her eyes bulged in terror. She made a weak effort to break free as he shook her.
“Hey! HEY!”
Her head turned toward the garage, and the hairs stood up on Jeff’s arms as he heard her moan. It sounded far too similar to the infected for his taste. He almost let go, fighting revulsion as she fought to break free. Instead, he strengthened his grip. A moment later, when his hand came up quickly and slapped her hard across the cheek, it surprised him almost as much as it did her.
The woman stopped struggling and moved her hand to where he had hit her. Her eyes glinted with full-blown terror as she stared at Jeff.
“Listen,” he said, his voice surprisingly calm. “We have about a minute until those things get here. I don’t plan on sticking around, and neither should you.”
Jeff gave her a tug, trying to usher her out of the garage. Still stunned, she followed for a couple of feet as if her legs were disconnected from the rest of her, moving of their own volition. He turned her to face the street. She nearly stumbled but kept her feet under her as he stabbed a finger up the hill.
“See! Here they come!” he practically screamed in her ear. The sharp words appeared to have a stronger effect than the slap did.
The infected had closed much of the distance, making steady progress down the hill. A few had fallen and disappeared beneath the steady churn of feet. There was no concern for the lost ones as the others continued trudging toward the van. They tripped and staggered over torn limbs and dragging entrails. Even at a distance, the two survivors could see the mold and rot gripping the festering forms. Tattered pieces of clothing stuck like patchwork to their bodies, saturated and caked with dirt and fluids not easily identified. On the whole, they were sexless. A few strands of hair floated like a halo on a woman’s head, and a few tattered breasts were on display, but most were too mutilated to make any distinctions. Many had distended bellies filled with bits and pieces of those they had mauled and devoured. It was a twisted parody of pregnancy, and it went even further in making them all look similar.
Jeff wrenched the woman around to face him and forced her to look into his eyes. “Please. Come with me.” The words, spoken precisely and with special effort to hide the unhinged terror he was starting to feel, hung in the air between them. He could see the turmoil on her face as she debated whether or not to trust him. Her nod was so slight that he almost missed it when it finally came.
> Relief flooded Jeff’s body at her response. He spared her a brief smile as he leaned down to pick up his bat. Retaining a grip on her hand, he turned back toward the van, dragging her behind him. He continued to fear the approaching horde, but was surprised to discover he was more concerned about having someone to watch over again. Someone who did not trust him and would probably run the first chance she got. The quicker he got her into the van, the better.
The weakened woman fought to retain her balance as they crossed her neighbor’s lawn at the corner of the street. As she glanced around, she could see not only the huge mass of bodies stumbling down the hill, but more infected coming toward them from other directions. She swung her head from side to side, watching for those that might be getting too close and tried to break into a run toward the van as panic set in. Jeff also noticed the newcomers, and he tightened his grip on the bat and on her shoulder simultaneously. There was too great a chance of her falling to the asphalt in her weakened state to let go. They were running out of time.
As they got close to the van, he was forced to release her as he pulled the keys out of his pocket. He punched a button on the key fob and thanked the gods of modern technology for automatic sliding doors. It opened slowly, and the woman practically flew toward it.
Jeff made for the driver’s-side door and was reaching for the handle when something heavy smashed into his back.
Chapter 7
Jeff’s feet got tangled up as he fell to his knees. Ignoring the jarring pain, he used his momentum to slide forward. He felt as though his heart were on the verge of exploding in fear from the sensation of the wet slap of a hand on his shoulder. He slammed into the front quarter panel and did his best to twist away from the assault.
The scream that the woman inside the van let out jarred him worse than his fall. As he went into a tuck and roll, Jeff could hear the grunt of his assailant as it tried to latch onto him again.
He somehow managed to elude the man’s grasp and bounce back to his feet. He backpedaled in an attempt to regain his balance, and when his feet finally gained traction, he found himself in front of the van. The catcalls and moans of the approaching crowd sounded close, but he was more focused on the homicidal madman three feet in front of him.
The rotter’s arms were ready to wrap him in an embrace, while its mouth worked at building up whatever counted as saliva to the infected. It lumbered forward, and Jeff feigned a move, committing to the effort but pulling back at the last instant. The creature overextended as it lunged for him and instead grasped empty air. It nearly toppled, but stutter-stepped and kept its balance. Jeff had managed to retain his grip on the baseball bat during his tumble, and he took a backhanded swing at the ghoul. It crashed heavily to the ground with a muffled thud after the bat connected with the top of its skull. Jeff knew the blow had only grazed it and did not hesitate. He adjusted his stance and brought the bat down again. Festering gray matter burst from its skull.
Looking up, Jeff could see that the crowd was only a few seconds away. He had no idea how he had missed the old man sneaking up on him but quickly wiped the thought from his mind. He rushed around the minivan, dove into the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut. He reached an empty hand toward the ignition and felt his entire body go cold with fear. The keys.
His mind raced, and he realized that they had been in his hand when he was attacked. He had kept hold of the bat but dropped the keys.
“Fuck!” Jeff screamed in a panic as he turned to leave the van only to spot three of the infected just a few steps away. There was no place to go. The van was surrounded.
“You dropped these.”
Jeff jumped at the timid voice. He spun his head, having forgotten about his passenger and thinking one of those lunatics had gotten inside the van.
When he realized who had spoken, he unclenched his fists. Seeing that she was holding his keychain in the palm of her hand, Jeff felt the urge to plant a big sloppy kiss on her lips. Instead, he grinned wildly and scooped up the keys, fumbling with them until his fingers found the long, slender key with the Honda logo on it.
He nearly let it fall through his fingers when the first fist smashed into the hood. Another ear-piercing scream from his passenger didn’t help, but he managed to hold on and jam the key home. Jeff barely waited for the engine to turn over before slamming the gearshift into drive.
The twosome was pushed back in their seats as the engine roared and the minivan nudged a cluster of bodies out of its way. The echo of arms, legs, and other body parts slapping on sheet metal was sickening. Spinning the steering wheel wildly, Jeff dodged random strays as best he could.
Clear of immediate danger, he let out the breath that he had been holding and slowed the van down. They were safe for the moment, but he knew as he peered at the rearview mirror that the angry mob would not stop chasing them. True to form, they were marching behind the van, trying to catch it.
Jeff’s rear view was suddenly obscured by the face of his passenger.
“Please...can we get out of here?” He turned his head as she spoke, her words tinged with fatigue and desperation. There was a worn look on her face, a look that told him a great deal about what she must have gone through. But on closer examination, there was a gleam in her eyes that took him by surprise. He was not sure what it signified, but he hoped it meant his new partner wasn’t ready to give up just yet.
When he did not answer immediately, she pointed down the street.
“This is a dead end.”
Jeff’s gaze followed where her finger was pointing. The subdivision was large, but they were approaching the end of it. This particular street ended in a cul-de-sac. He already knew that there was nowhere for them to go up ahead and that there was a wall of infected bodies closing in behind them.
He also knew that behind several of the houses in the cul-de-sac was a retaining wall with a twenty-foot drop.
“You have to turn around...get past them somehow. This street ends—”
“I know. It ends up ahead. I got it.”
“Then turn around before it’s too late!”
Jeff was surprised at the strength in her voice. She had gone from a squeaking mouse to a roaring lion in an instant.
Shaking his head to stave off further protests, he replied, “The exits to the subdivision are blocked off...a bunch of cars and trucks are piled up. We’re stuck for now.”
Jeff could hear her slump in her seat and hoped the conversation—or rather the potential debate—was done. He was not prepared to explain what he had in mind just yet.
The respite lasted only a few moments.
“So what good is heading toward a dead end going to do us?” The question hung in the air, and he cursed silently. “I mean, shouldn’t we be trying to find a way out of here? There’s no way we can drive out of the neighborhood down this way...there’s too many trees and there’s this wall—”
“Yeah, I know about the wall!” Jeff spat out, hating the anger that rose up in his voice. Taking a breath to calm himself, he kept the pace of the minivan slow and steady. They would be in the cul-de-sac shortly.
“Look, I understand this is a dead end, and I know all about the wall. I realize this entire area is infested with those things. But I also know we won’t survive long if all we do is drive around in circles until we run out of gas.”
The van came to a stop next to one of the houses in the cul-de-sac. Jeff put the vehicle in park and turned to face his passenger just in time for the assault.
“Are you kidding?”
Jeff’s eyes went wide with surprise at the growling tone coming from her throat. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“I stepped out of my house for this? After all this time, when I was safe inside? Just so some idiot can get me killed at the end of my street instead of letting me starve to death in my own bed? Jesus Christ!”
“Now wait just a second!” Jeff cut her off, watching as she tore at her short hair with growing rage. Anger dominated
her visage now, her fear in remission.
Jeff tried to maintain his composure in the face of the distant wail of the infected.
“Have you looked at them? I mean up close?” Jeff spat, glaring at his passenger. The fearful look she’d had when he first approached her returned to her face. A tickle of guilty pleasure ran through Jeff at her reaction.
“Have you studied them at all? Watched them? Figured out what the hell they are or what makes them tick? Because I sure the hell have!” He tried to control his volume, but his voice grew louder with each word.
Too quickly for Jeff to see, her fear was gone again, replaced by an even greater anger than before.
“Them?” She tossed her head back. “You mean those monsters that tore apart my neighbors? The ones that killed my husband? YES! I have looked at them, you bastard! I know what they are. But tell me, please, what the hell does that have to do with us being stranded on a FUCKING DEAD-END STREET?”
It was Jeff’s turn to be speechless as he tried to absorb the verbal assault. He could see tears rimming the eyes of the young woman he guessed couldn’t be much older than twenty-five. She rubbed at her eyes angrily, embarrassed at the reaction he had elicited.
He closed his eyes, and his shoulders slumped as he began to feel about two inches tall. Up until that moment, it had just been him and a desire for vengeance against the infected. There had been no room for anything else inside his head. Even after saving this poor wretch of a woman and dragging her into his van, he had not given much thought to what she must have gone through as the world around them collapsed.
As Jeff sat halfway out of his seat, trying to figure out how to apologize, the sound of her fumbling with the door handle made his eyes pop back open.
“No! Wait! STOP, please!”
He grabbed for her wrist as he pleaded with her. Embarrassment over his behavior mixed with cold panic at her attempt to escape. She attempted to dodge him, but he was too fast. He’d just gotten a loose grip on her wrist when she punched him. The blow grazed his chin, surprising him. Jeff let go, staring at her in shock. Her hand went back to the door, and she twisted the handle. It began the slow process of sliding open. She pushed on the door, but it wouldn’t move any faster.
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