World War III

by Heath Jannusch

Still holding the bag of medicine clenched in his hand, Lex felt his body rise twenty feet in the air, as if he was floating. From that height he could see the Russian Destroyer more clearly. He saw sailors running back and forth across the deck, probably preparing to search for survivors. It seemed like he was suspended in midair for several minutes, before he felt himself falling.

  His body splashed into the water and immediately disappeared beneath the waves. Still dazed and confused, Lex stared up at the underbelly of the Shooting Star, as he sank deeper and deeper. The sailboat was ablaze with fire and he could see its bright orange glow from beneath. The vessel suddenly broke apart and sank beneath the waves, with only a few remnants still burning and floating on the surface. One of the larger sections passed within a few feet of Lex, as it sank to the abyss below. Lex realized he was in a perilous situation, yet neither his brain nor his body seemed capable of functioning.

  A curious sea lion swam up to Lex and circled him playfully, before losing interest and swimming off. The underbelly of the Russian Destroyer suddenly loomed above, floating where the Shooting Star had previously been. He watched helplessly, as Russian sailors threw grappling hooks into the water and then pulled them back up, fishing for survivors. One of the hooks narrowly missed hitting Lex in the head.

  He suddenly saw another sea lion approaching, this one much larger than the first. Lex watched the sea lion as it swam toward him, marveling at the strange way in which it kicked its legs. It wasn’t until the animal was within arm’s length when Lex realized it wasn’t a sea lion at all. It was Jesse!

  Jesse reached out with both hands and grabbed Lex, pulling him close. Holding onto Lex with one hand so that his body wouldn’t drift away, Jesse shoved the octopus, his backup regulator, into Lex’s mouth. At first Lex was resistant to having a foreign object shoved into his mouth, but after realizing that the octopus was providing him with air, he clenched down on the plastic mouthpiece and sucked in greedily. The two men remained linked together, suspended over an abyss of darkness, as they shared the only remaining oxygen tank.

  Despite the protection from his wetsuit, Lex could feel his body temperature dropping, as he began to shiver. He desperately wanted to surface, but the Russian Destroyer was still floating above. When Jesse noticed Lex shaking from the cold, he signaled for him to move around to keep warm. Lex followed his advice and immediately felt warmer.

  Glancing down at the oxygen gauge attached to his BCD, Jesse felt his heart skip a beat when he realized they were almost out of air. One tank of air usually lasted thirty minutes to an hour, depending on his depth and exertion, but with two men sucking on the oxygen, the needle had already dropped into the red.

  Jesse tugged on Lex and jerked his head toward the shore, away from the Russian ship. Lex nodded his agreement and the two men began swimming side-by-side. They’d managed to put thirty yards between themselves and the enemy vessel, before the needle hit bottom and the oxygen tank was empty. In desperate need of air, they dropped the tank and swam for the surface.

  The heads of both men breached the surface at the same time, their mouths open and gasping for oxygen. As they sucked in the salty sea air, a frigid gust of wind greeted them, causing their teeth to chatter uncontrollably. The mist was all around, cloaking them in an eerie, impenetrable blanket of white. Even the bright searchlights shinning from the Russian Destroyer were lost in the thick cloud of fog.

  “We-we-we-we-should-start-swimming,” Jesse managed to say, between the constant chattering of his teeth.

  Lex was so busy trying to make sure his chattering teeth didn’t bite his tongue, he didn’t even try to reply. He simply nodded in agreement and began swimming in the direction he believed the shore to be, with Jesse following close behind. Lex wasn’t even sure if he was headed in the right direction, but the movement helped him feel warm and Jesse didn’t argue, so he continued on the same heading, putting one frozen hand in front of the other.

  Lex imagined the sweet sound of Cleo’s voice calling out to him and it made him feel calm. But then her voice became louder and louder, until he began to question his sanity. Was he experiencing hypothermia? Was this the end? He looked around in every direction, but saw only a thick blanket of white.

  “Why-why-why-did-you-stop?” asked Jesse.

  “I-I-I-thought-I-heard-my-name,” replied Lex.

  “That-that’s-funny,” chattered Jesse. “So-so-did-I.”

  “What? If-we-both-heard-it-then-I’m-not-going-crazy!” Lex tried to cup his stiff fingers around his mouth and call out into the night. “Cleo!” Although he tried to shout, his voice made only a whisper. “Cleo!”

  “It’s-the-hypothermia,” stuttered Jesse. “It-knocks-the-wind-out-of-your-lungs.” His frozen fingers fumbled around, trying to unzip a pocket. “Here-try-this,” he said, handing Lex a yellow whistle.

  Lex took the whistle in his numb hands, careful not to drop it and placed it between his purple lips. He blew with all the air he could muster and the whistle let out a soft, but shrill peep. He tried again, this time the whistle was a little louder. Lex didn’t want to alert the Russian Destroyer of their location, but he knew they wouldn’t last much longer in the icy waves, so he continued to blow.

  Although it seemed like an eternity only a few minutes had passed, when Lex heard Cleo’s lovely voice call out his name. He opened his mouth and gasped, “Cleo!” The whistle fell from his frozen lips and disappeared beneath the dark waves. He reached out, frantically trying to grasp the whistle below the surface, but it was too late. The whistle was gone.

  Lex turned his head and could see Jesse’s face floating next to him, his eyes closed. He was amazed at how purple Jesse’s skin appeared and wondered if his skin looked the same way. He felt like the mist had somehow seeped into his head, surrounding his brain in a cloud of fog and making it hard to think. He suddenly realized the only reason he could see Jesse’s face in the dark night, was because there was a light shining on it.

  Lex turned his head toward the light, curious of its origin, and was relieved to see Cleo’s beautiful face smiling down at him, a flashlight gripped in her tiny hand. The wind caught her hair and lifted it from her shoulders, swaying back and forth in the breeze like a bird frozen in flight. Lex gazed up at her and smiled. He wasn’t sure if she was a figment of his imagination, and he didn’t care. For the first time in a long time, he felt warm. The last thing Lex remembered was Cleo’s slender arms reaching out toward him, before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and everything turned black.

  When he opened his eyes again the first thing he noticed was Cleo’s exotic face hovering above him. He turned his head and was surprised to see Jesse lying next to him.

  “They’re in shock!”

  Lex recognized the voice from somewhere in his past. It had a sweet and soothing sound that made his muscles relax.

  “They’re hypothermic!”

  Another familiar voice. Lex had no idea what was happening, but for some reason he felt at peace.

  “Get those wetsuits off of them,” said the first voice.

  Lex recognized the voice as his mother’s and tried to sit up, but his shaking arms failed him and he fell back down.

  “There, there love,” said Cleo, another recognizable voice. “You’re safe now, just relax.”

  Lex felt hands groping at his body, as Cleo hastily removed the wetsuit he was wearing. He glanced to his left and noticed that Jillian was removing Jesse’s wetsuit as well.

  “They need body heat.” Lex heard his mother say. “If you gals really love those lads I suggest you strip down and press your bodies against theirs.”

  “Can you operate the dinghy?” asked Cleo

  “You bet I can,” said Beth. “Now give those boys the heat they need!”

  Lex felt Cleo press her small, yet curvy frame against his body and relished the warmth it provided. A sigh escaped from his lips, as Cleo smothered his half naked body with hers.

  “Does that feel good,”
she asked. Her lips brushing against his ear.

  “Yes,” said Lex, still shivering from the cold night air.

  Lex heard the small engine of the dinghy roar to life, as his mother squeezed the throttle. He was only vaguely aware of the waves crashing against the small rubber boat, as they sped through the fog headed for the coast. His eyes fluttered open and shut, each time gazing up into Cleo’s deep brown eyes staring down at him lovingly.

  When Lex opened his eyes again he saw stars illuminated in the dark sky above. He sat up and look around, noticing shadows dancing on the walls. He closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them again. He was surprised to discover he was lying inside of a large, hallowed out tree trunk. In the center of the trunk was a small fire and lying in a circle around it was Cleo, Beth, Jesse and Jillian.

  “Where are we?” asked Lex.

  “You’re awake!” Cleo sat up and reached out for Lex, her hand gently caressing his forehead. “I was so worried!”

  “Why, what happened?”

  “The Russian Destroyer sank the Shooting Star and we fished you and Jesse out of the ocean. You were both hypothermic when we found you!”

  “Is everyone okay?”

  “Yes,” replied Cleo.

  “Thank God,” said Lex, leaning back and resting his head on Cleo’s thigh. Her warm hands felt so good, as she caressed his forehead and ran her fingers through his blonde hair. Lex could feel his eyelids growing heavy, before sleep conquered him and he fell into a dream.

  Hitchhikers

  World War III – Day Eighteen

  Redwood Forest, California

  “Someone’s coming,” Jesse whispered, through the opening in the tree trunk.

  Lex sprang to his feet and grabbed his rifle, before stepping through the opening with Cleo at his side. Several times throughout the night the small group had heard enemy patrols pass close by, searching for something or someone. “What is it?” he asked, peering into the thick fog and straining his ears for any sound of movement.

  “There’s an eighteen-wheeler coming down the road,” said Jesse, pointing at the lights in the distance.

  “This may be our only chance at catching a ride,” whispered Lex. “I’ve got an idea,” he added. “Jesse, you and Cleo come with me. Mom,” he said, turning and sticking his head back through the trunk’s opening, “I need you to stay here with Jillian, but be ready. When we call for you I need you to bring our supplies and meet us by the road, over there.” Lex pointed at a large Redwood tree, standing tall and defiant beside the road.

  “Okay, but be careful,” cautioned Beth.

  Lex and Cleo headed for the road, with Jesse bringing up the rear after giving Jillian a long kiss goodbye. When they reached the side of the road Lex bent down beside the tree he’d pointed to and began explaining his plan.

  “Are you sure it’ll work?” Cleo asked, when Lex finished outlining his plan.

  His eyes roamed over Cleo’s body from head to toe and he grinned, “Oh, it’ll work. Now come on, everyone get in place!”

  *******

  Casey slowly and carefully guided the eighteen-wheeler through the heavy mist blanketing the windy road and the dense forest beyond. The heavy fog engulfed the truck, providing poor visibility and an eerie ambiance. A light drizzle of rain began to fall, making the pavement wet and slippery. Surrounded by gigantic trees, the large truck looked small, as it snaked its way through the forest.

  From out of the mist, a woman suddenly appeared in the middle of the road. Wearing nothing but a bikini, she was drenched from head to toe. She waved her hands frantically and Casey slammed on the brakes, bringing the truck to a screeching stop.

  “What is it?” asked Shannon, sticking her head out from behind the curtain.

  “It’s a woman,” said Tyler, sitting up straight in the passenger seat. “And not just any woman,” he added, letting out a whistle.

  “Or it’s a trap,” said Casey, scanning the road ahead.

  “What should we do?” Shannon whispered, hoping her children weren’t listening.

  “I don’t want to leave a helpless woman out her alone,” said Casey, “but at the same time I’m not sure if it’s safe.”

  “What harm could she cause?” Tyler said, as he opened the passenger door and climbed down from the cab.

  “Wait!” Casey called out after him.

  Tyler ignored Casey and walked toward the woman with his hands outstretched. “Are you alright?” Tyler examined her scantily clad body, searching for any type of weapon, but found none. “How did you get out here all alone?”

  The woman’s hands were cupped over her face, as though she were crying. She dropped her hands to her side and gazed deep into Tyler’s eyes. “Please help!”

  “Of course,” said Tyler, mesmerized by her beauty. She was amazingly gorgeous. Her slender body glistened in the rain, as she stood there shivering. And she had the most exotic brown eyes. Yet, she seemed vaguely familiar. “Here, come with me,” he said, reaching out to take the woman’s hand. “What happened to your clothes?”

  Cleo reached out with both hands and grabbed Tyler’s, pulling him toward her. At the same time she kicked one of his legs out from under him, bringing him to his knees.

  “Ouch!” Tyler screamed, as Cleo twisted his wrist. “What the hell!”

  “That’s no way to talk to a lady,” said Lex, stepping out from behind a large tree. He pressed the muzzle of his gun to the back of Tyler’s head. “Your voice sounds familiar. Do I know you?”

  “It’s not likely,” spat Tyler.

  “Maybe, maybe not, keep talking,” replied Lex.

  When Tyler refused to speak, Cleo twisted his wrist and he screamed. “What do you want me to say?”

  “How many more people are in the truck?” asked Lex.

  “Go to hell!”

  Cleo applied pressure once again and Tyler squealed in pain.

  “She can just as easily break it,” said Lex. “For the last time, how many people are in the truck?”

  “What’s it matter?” asked Tyler. “You don’t stand a snowballs chance in hell of taking that truck, they’re ready and waiting for you! It’s not like the two of you’d be much of a threat anyway.”

  “There’s more than two of us,” replied Lex.

  “Oh, like I’ll fall for that again,” hissed Tyler. “I think you’re bluffing! I think you’re all alone!”

  Lex’s head snapped around and he looked more closely at Tyler. “Say that again.”

  “What?” Tyler asked. “That you’re a piss poor liar and you’re all alone!”

  “I thought I recognized his voice,” said Lex, glancing at Cleo. “He’s one of those raiders I had a run in with, one of the Enlightened Ones.”

  Tyler’s head snapped up at the name of his old gang and beads of sweat ran down his forehead.

  “Bloody hell,” said Cleo, grabbing Tyler’s chin and twisting his face into the light, “I think he was one of the Parish brother’s lieutenants.”

  “I thought you looked familiar,” said Tyler, grinning up at Cleo. “You’re the one who took out the mortar guns, aren’t you?”

  “What should we do with him?” asked Cleo, withdrawing a hidden knife, from God knows where, and pressing the blade to Tyler’s throat.

  “You should let him go!” Shouted Casey, as he climbed down from the cab.

  Lex turned and shaded his eyes from the truck’s headlights. “Who are you?”

  “I’m the guy who told you to let him go,” said Casey.

  The ominous sound of a shell being chambered into a shotgun, sent shivers down Lex’s back. He squinted into the bright lights, but couldn’t see anything except for a pair of boots. “Do I know you?”

  “It’s possible,” replied Casey, still concealed by the fog and bright headlights.

  “I don’t suppose you’ve eaten at the Ramblin Rose Café?” asked Lex. “And did you used to carry a baseball bat for protection?”

  “Lex? Is tha
t you?”

  “It’s me,” said Lex, lowering his gun.

  “I see you’ve made it to the coast,” replied Casey, as the two men walked toward one another and shook hands.

  “Yeah,” said Lex, “but now I need to get away from it. Where are you headed?”

  “I’m not really sure,” said Casey. “I met a strange man on the side of the road who suggested I head in this direction. I didn’t know why, until now.”

  “Why?” asked Lex.

  “Well, to meet up with you of course,” laughed Casey. “I’m guessing you need a ride?”

  “Yes we do,” admitted Lex. “Can you make room for us?”

  “Of course,” chuckled Casey. “How many of you are there?”

  “It’s just the two of them,” spat Tyler, from his knees, still held captive by Cleo’s unyielding grip.

  “Y’all know each other?” asked Casey, glancing from Tyler and Cleo to Lex.

  “We’ve had a run in before,” said Cleo.

  “A couple of times,” added Lex. “He’s one of the leaders of that gang of so called, Enlightened Ones.”

  “You don’t say,” gasped Casey, looking at Tyler with a new set of eyes. “I wondered why he was so secretive about his past. We found him lying in the middle of the road riddled with bullets, more dead than alive. If it wasn’t for Shannon he wouldn’t have made it.”

  “Who’s Shannon?” asked Lex. “I thought you traveled alone?”

  “Well, yes, that’s true, until recently that is,” said Casey, his cheeks blushing red. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

  “Wait,” said Lex, “contrary to the deductions of Sherlock over there, we’re not alone. There’s five of us. Come on out!” he shouted, over his shoulder.

  Jesse suddenly emerged from the fog, his gun held ready.

  “It’s alright,” said Lex, “these are friends. Well,” he glanced down at Tyler, “at least some of them are.”

  A moment later Jillian and Beth appeared from out of the mist, carrying all of the medicine and supplies they’d salvaged from the Shooting Star before it sank.