The Harvest (Book 2): Eve of Man

by Anne Ferretti

  “Here you go.” Kyle handed her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “What do you want to drink?”

  McKenna shook her head.

  “Nothing?”

  “I’ll have a little water right before I go to sleep. There’s no bathroom and I’m not using the bucket.”

  “Ok.” Kyle bit into his sandwich and chugged down some water. “What about in the morning? You’ll have to pee then.”

  “Gross. I’m trying to eat,” she exclaimed.

  “Sorry. Forgot how sensitive you little chicks are.”

  They finished their meal and climbed into the backseat. Kyle set the battery powered heater between the front seats and turned it on low. McKenna secured the foil curtains that covered the windows before propping up against her pillow and curling up her legs to allow Kyle as much bench space as possible. Kyle did the same on the opposite side, except his legs stretched all the way to McKenna’s end where they rested on a Styrofoam cooler wedged between the seats. They would have been more comfortable in the back, stretched out under the camper shell, but Kyle didn’t want to be where he couldn’t jump into the driver’s seat if need be. If he’d known the Ford was no match for the aliens he might have opted for comfort instead.

  Kyle crossed his arms and McKenna propped one of hers over his boot. “What’s Cheyenne Mountain?” McKenna asked.

  “Huh? Why do you ask?”

  “The sign in the picture, behind your mom and sister.”

  Kyle chuckled. Of course she would notice the sign. “It’s a military base built inside a mountain. We were going on a tour. It was right before I left for Germany.”

  “Is that where we’re going?”

  “For starters. The last time I spoke to my mom they were gathering up civilians to take to the mountain for safety. She was afraid they wouldn’t take her because of her cancer.” Kyle’s voice trailed off. He’d never told anyone about his mom’s illness, not even Will and Ada. He didn’t have a reason for hiding this from them, other than he didn’t want to be consoled or told things like she was in a better place and he shouldn’t worry. Her being in a better place was not what kept him awake at night. The ghosts haunting him and the sorrow McKenna saw in his expression was for the suffering he felt certain she’d went through prior to breathing her last breath. His only solace lying in the fact Cheyenne had a highly advanced medical facility and her status as a soldier’s mother might have at least garnered her a warm bed.

  “I hope we find your mom and sister,” McKenna replied in earnest.

  Kyle turned to fix his pillow and to hide his shamed face. What a giant self-absorbed shit ass he was, never once asking about her family. All he knew was her mom wanted her to be country music star and her dad worked his ass off. He thought back to the layout of the house, trying to remember how many bedrooms were in the house. Did she have any siblings? He had no idea. He turned back to apologize, but she was already fast asleep. Kyle sighed. An entire year she’d been alone and the first human she encounters is asshole Kyle Bosch. He’d have to do better by her and promised he would from then on out. He reached over and pulled the blanket up to her chin. Sleep didn’t come for him until many hours later.

  The next morning McKenna made Kyle sit in the front and promise to not move while she took care of her personal needs. He shook his head at her after she’d jumped out of the truck. Women, even at a young age, were queer complicated creatures.

  “Ready Freddy,” she announced and slammed the truck door.

  “Time to roll Freddy Ready,” Kyle answered back.

  “We should arrive in Anchorage by noon. They have a Best Western Hotel. I want my own room. I’m going to stretch out on the bed and order room service. Hot chocolate, blueberry pancakes, maple syrup, scrambled eggs.” She licked her lips. “No scratch that. I’m going to order one of everything from the menu and eat a little bit of each. Like the buffet we went to every Sunday after church at Terry’s Wilderness Room. It was my dad’s favorite place.”

  This reminded Kyle of his self-made promise, but despite his good intentions he had no idea where or how to start being a sensitive guy. He glanced over at her. She was elaborating on about all the exciting things she would do at the Best Western and paying no mind to his discomfort. He let it go for the time being and listened with interest to her visions of grand hotel living. All pretend of course. Neither one had expectations for anything good let alone grand, fun or exciting.

  The miles flew by, the truck cruising along at a safe speed of forty, only slowing if Kyle had to maneuver around an abandoned vehicle. They stopped once to get gas and stock up on water. The sign for Anchorage loomed ahead. It was a quarter to twelve. McKenna’s odds were still spot on. The knot in Kyle’s stomach twisted tighter. He almost hoped there wouldn’t be anyone alive. A crummy thing to hope for, he knew, but finding survivors in post-apocalyptic US was a crap shoot. People acted funny in good times. Bad times turned funny into crazy. These times were worse than bad and would most likely bring out the mean in folks, in particular those who, prior to the alien’s arrival, had lived according to society’s rules only out of necessity. Removing the constraints of polite society was like removing the straight jacket off a nut case, crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. A crap shoot for sure, Kyle thought again as he eased the pick-up off the highway onto the exit for Anchorage.

  The first sights on the city outskirts promised all they had expected. Corpses enclosed in coffins of ice cluttered the roadways. Kyle wanted to tell McKenna to not look, but she was less fazed by the macabre than he and gazed out the window at the passing dead. Her face remained expressionless until Kyle turned onto Caribou Avenue and the Best Western sign came into view.

  “There it is!” she hollered.

  “I can see.”

  “Sorry,” she replied without taking her eyes off the prize.

  Kyle pulled into the semi-circle drive leading to the entrance and eased the pick-up around an abandoned station wagon that was blocking half of the drive. By the looks of things he knew room availability wouldn’t pose a problem. He backed into an open parking space and shifted into park, but didn’t cut the engine. Looking out the window at the empty street in front of the hotel, Kyle felt the city’s desolation enveloping them. In the distance, he saw a lone figure standing in the middle of the street. He squinted and opened his eyes. It was a woman, maybe, dressed in black with eyes blacker than night. She seemed to float down the street towards them.

  “Mr. Kyle?” McKenna tugged on his sleeve.

  “Huh.” He turned away for only a second, but the figure had vanished. “Did you see that, that person?” He wasn’t even sure it was a person.

  “What person?” McKenna jerked around in her seat, looking around in all directions. “I don’t see anyone.” She turned back to him. “You ok?”

  Kyle shook his head. “Never mind. I’m just tired.”

  “Let’s go inside then silly.” She reached for the door handle.

  “Wait.” Kyle grabbed her arm.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Kyle pulled a small hand gun from his backpack. “Do you know how to use one of these?”

  “Sure. My brother showed me.”

  “You had a brother?” Kyle blurted out and felt his cheeks flush.

  “Yeah. He was older than me, but he taught me a bunch of stuff anyway. I know how to skin a deer and shoot a bow and arrow. I don’t like killing animals, but dad says either you kill them or go hungry.”

  “I’m impressed,” Kyle replied. He didn’t know how to do either of those things, but he did know guns. He checked the gun’s safety, flipped it around and handed it to McKenna. “If you have to use it, do you think you can?”

  “You mean on a person?” She held the gun in both hands feeling its weight. “I don’t know.”

  “If you get in a bad situation, aim low and pull the trigger. Ok?”

  “Ok.” She placed the gun in her backpack. “Can we go inside now? I’m hungry.” />
  “Sure.”

  Kyle killed the engine. They grabbed their gear and he locked up the truck. Before going inside, they kicked snow onto and around the tires hoping to give the truck the same settled appearance as the other vehicles in the lot. As a last added measure Kyle tossed some snow on the windshield. They could always find another vehicle, but he liked this one. It was new, no remnants of a previous owner to worry about. At the door Kyle stopped and looked up and down the street. Satisfied it was deserted, he went inside where McKenna waited for him by the reception desk.

  “Should I ring the bell?”

  “I don’t think so.” Kyle still had reservations on the merits of finding more people. Taking on a twelve-year-old was manageable, but an adult could not be predicted to act one way or the other. “Let’s see what’s available.”

  Behind the desk Kyle found the room keys, realizing they probably weren’t going to work without access to the hotel’s computer system. He thumbed over the white plastic cards thinking of what to do. He glanced behind him at the two office doors standing ajar. From where he stood he could see one was definitely empty. He suggested to McKenna they setup camp in the office. This was greeted with much protest and Kyle withdrew the suggestion. McKenna wanted to go to the top floor, but changed her mind when Kyle pointed out the elevators weren’t working. Elevators aside, Kyle was thinking of escape routes and safety. The second floor near the interior steps seemed the most logical location.

  Using a crow bar he found inside an abandoned vehicle, Kyle jacked open the door to one room. Once let loose McKenna was like a kid on vacation, jumping on the bed, running between their rooms, praising the wonderful amenities of the Best Western. While she examined each nook, Kyle went about getting settled. He placed the portable heater and an extra cylinder of propane next to it, which should be enough to get them through the night. He looked over at the window and wondered if the hotel’s kitchen might have aluminum foil. He would need to go scavenging before dark set in.

  McKenna’s scream startled him. He sprinted into the other room. She wasn’t there.

  “McKenna!”

  “There’s no hot water,” she yelled from the bathroom.

  Kyle expelled his breath. “Shit.” He walked over to the bathroom. McKenna stood at the sink shining her light on the running water.

  She flashed her light at him. “There’s no hot water,” she said in a quiet more matter of fact tone.

  “I told you there probably wouldn’t be,” Kyle reminded her.

  “I guess I won’t take a shower,” she sighed.

  Her disappointment was heartfelt and Kyle, still feeling guilty for being a shmuck felt compelled to do something about the water. “Maybe the tank is on a back-up generator. I might be able to get it working.”

  “Really?” Her face lit up.

  “Don’t get your hopes up.” He returned to the room

  “I have faith in you.” McKenna sat on the bed watching him setup the battery powered lantern. Soon a soft circle of yellow was cast about the room.

  “Doesn’t mean anything,” Kyle replied. “I’ve had faith in a lot of things and they still failed me.” He closed the curtains tight. No need to cast a beacon for anyone to see.

  “They?”

  “They. It. Whatever. People and things are not more reliable or liable to do things simply because you believe in them.”

  “I bet you a million dollars we’ll have hot water tonight,” she persisted.

  “Funny girl. Ok, I’ll take that bet and raise you another million that I won’t.”

  “No sand bagging,” she warned.

  “Don’t worry. Hot water is worth two million. Now if you’ll stay put, I’m going to see about losing a bet.”

  Kyle walked towards the door, but McKenna jumped off the bed and ran after him, grabbing his arm. “I’m coming with you.”

  Kyle looked down into her frightened eyes and nodded ok. At times it was hard to remember she was a kid and, in their circumstances, what kid wouldn’t be afraid. Truth be told, he didn’t want to leave her behind anyway. With guns in hand, the pair eased the door open checking the hallway before exiting the room. Kyle guided the door until the broken lock touched the jam. They waited and listened to the silence of the hotel. He half expected to see little Danny, from Stephen King’s The Shining, riding his bike down the hall repeating redrum, redrum. A shiver ran the length of his spine.

  Down in the lobby they passed by a golden lion encased in a glass cage. McKenna didn’t look at the lion. She hated stuffed animals. Their eyes always seemed to follow you. Her dad had a shed full of stuffed animals out in their backyard. She’d only been in the shed one time. She shuddered and didn’t think about it anymore. Reaching for Kyle’s gloved hand, McKenna grabbed hold not looking at him when he turned questioning eyes down upon her. He thought her brave, but she really wasn’t.

  After thirty minutes of wandering around, Kyle located the boiler room at the back of the kitchen and took a look around inside while McKenna waited in the doorway. The room was like a concrete cavern. He located the high pressure steam boiler at the far end of the room. Kyle flashed his light over the complex control panel and swore under his breath. Hot water was officially out of the question. Kyle headed back towards the door his thoughts churning. Maybe he could heat enough water for a bath using the portable heater.

  McKenna’s scream again startled him, and this time he knew it was serious. “McKenna.” He ran for the door, but it slammed shut in his face. Kyle yanked on the handle. Locked! He heard McKenna screaming his name. She was still near. It wasn’t too late. He yanked the shotgun around and fired at the lock. The force knocked him back a step. He fired again and then turned to hitting the knob with the butt of the gun. After what seemed like an eternity the knob gave way and Kyle yanked the door open.

  Kyle burst into the kitchen gun raised, but no one was waiting for him. He ran from the kitchen into the dining room. “McKenna!” From outside he heard her screaming. Kyle plowed through the dining room and out into the lobby like a raging bull. He ran out the front door, where a man was struggling to put McKenna in the back of his truck. She made this as difficult as her tiny frame could by kicking and flopping about. Kyle saw red when he grabbed the man and threw him down on the ground. He pointed the shotgun at the man’s head his finger itching to pull the trigger. “You ok.” He asked McKenna, not taking his eyes off the man.

  She sniffled. “I’m...I’m ok.”

  “Come over here behind me.” He jerked his head over his shoulder. “Who are you?” Kyle asked the man, thinking it didn’t matter who he might be. Kyle ached to smash in his face in.

  The man stared back at Kyle and sneered, but said nothing.

  “I asked you a question.” Kyle poked him with the double barrels.

  “Let’s leave.” McKenna tugged on his arm. “There’s time before it gets dark,” she begged.

  Kyle glanced at the fading suns, knowing he had little time for anything.

  “Better think fast boy,” the man spat.

  “What’d you say?” Kyle stepped on the man’s neck.

  “You’ll never make it out alive,” he choked out, cackling afterwards.

  The man’s laughter was dwarfed by the sound of a gun blast and the shattering glass of the front door of the Best Western. Kyle grabbed McKenna, threw her over his shoulder and ran inside the hotel as a second bullet whizzed close by them. Kyle took the steps in twos and threes to the second floor. Behind him he heard more than one pursuer gaining on them and kept going right past their room, past their supplies. He’d the foresight to keep the truck keys in his pocket and knew if they wanted to stay alive reaching the truck was their only chance. At the steps on the other side of the hotel, Kyle set McKenna down telling her they had to make a run for the truck. He took the hand gun from her and when the first pursuer’s head popped out into the hall, Kyle fired off a shot. Not waiting to see how many were coming after them, Kyle again took the steps tw
o at time landing on the bottom with a thud.

  Outside darkness had fallen, causing McKenna to hesitate in the doorway, but Kyle yanked her through. If he’d seen what she’d seen, he might have reconsidered who or what was the bigger threat. They fast walked blindly across the parking lot not stopping until they almost collided into an abandoned vehicle. Kyle heard the hotel door open and pulled McKenna down by the tire. A ray of light scanned the parking lot, but wasn’t strong enough to reach them and was turned off not to come back on. Whoever was after them knew not to come out, to not make a sound, for Kyle didn’t hear a word spoken, but did hear the door close. Now that one threat was removed he had time to consider others and wonder if he’d made the right decision.

  It was too cold to think over choices. He had to get them to the truck and fast. Kyle grabbed McKenna’s hand and felt his way around to the back of the car. They moved towards the front entrance going car by car. If their pursuers were afraid to come outside then he and McKenna could make it to the truck. The question was did he dare turn it on? The obvious answer being he had no choice. The heater was in the room. Most of their provisions were in the room. Kyle cursed himself for not being smarter. An eternity seemed to pass before they reached the back of the pickup. Kyle fished the keys out of his pocket, his hands shook so bad he almost dropped them.

  “Shit.” Kyle took a deep breath and forced his hands to ignore the cold long enough to find the right key and insert it into the lock.

  They scurried into the back of the truck and closed the doors without making a sound. At least under the camper they were protected from the wind and prying eyes and whatever else might be lurking in the darkness. The camper had no side windows which allowed Kyle to turn on the flashlight.