The Orphans (Book 3): Strangers

by Evans, Mike

  Philip looked at the teenagers who’d been watching teachers, counselors, and friends most likely. Who had been Turned chomping at the bit to eat the men’s friends who had helped rescue them from their temporary prison and felt guilty knowing they would have had a better chance of surviving had they not came out to the orphanage and tried to save them. Philip yelled, we still need supplies we need to get out of here before they finish…..before they finish with what it is they are doing.”

  Eric hit the doors shut and the group left before the Turned had lost their attention on what they were currently focused on. The old bus roared as it came up to speed leaving the orphanage behind to be taken over by the Turned, who was always hungry for more, never satisfied. Philip bounced in the drivers seat yelling, “Where are we going now? Do you want to try and hit Des Moines to drop these kids off? We can see if we want to stay there?”

  Eric shook his head, “No, we still need guns. If we are going to Des Moines there’s going to be more of them and we need to try and be ready for that, you saw the news. We picked these kids up we need to try and be as prepared as possible to keep them safe or all we did was take them from one shit situation to another and I think given where we picked them up from they’ve had enough of those issues.”

  Philip was getting used to the large steering wheel on the old bus and was bouncing wildly in the seat. “Fine so we drive by Andy’s shop jump out get guns, and then go to Des Moines. How does that sound dad?”

  “If you were my kid i’ve had given you away years ago Philip. Head up taking all the back roads that you can and lets see what we can find. So far there haven’t been any faces to worry about looting before we could.”

  “You think that we are the last one’s in town alive?”

  “No i’m sure there are more but how the hell do you figure out how many, or where they are. It looks like after the shit hit the fan that people went running. They probably were clueless that once they got bit that they were infected.”

  Philip looked at the rows of houses they were passing seeing many of them had cars in the driveway with blood streaks running down the car doors and said, “Dude there are probably zombies in all these houses. We need to just get out of town it isn’t safe.”

  “Considering we lost all our ammunition when Cedric and Tim were…...well you know what happened to them it’s not really a matter of debate for the two of us we need guns, we need ammunition we can’t kill those things with our bare hands you saw what they did to that truck, they ripped it apart.”

  A teen boy said, “Hi my name is Matt. Hey who are you guys?”

  Eric never even looked at him, “Kid we are just two guys trying to last a week in this mess.”

  “Well thanks either way for…..for you know saving us, we were pretty damn sure that we were screwed. When the counselors got home they came racing in and crashed the van that had all of the kids who had won the contest to go to town. The young kids were out at recess when they arrived and it was the worse thing i’ve…..the worst thing any of us had ever seen before. The little kids never stood a chance they were out in the side yard and when the van crashed the door looked like it had been blown off the side. The counselors and kids came pouring out and the teachers who weren’t on th trip supervising were outside with the little kids. They tried to get them inside but none of them made it. There were little ones being torn brutally it was horrible. The blood was everywhere and they never let up, some of the younger kids got a bite and ran away but then within minutes or hours in some cases they came back and were just like the others.”

  Eric said, “Well that is about the most horrible thing i’ve ever heard of. I’m glad that at least some of you guys made it. How did you keep them out for so long.”

  The teen laughed well the teachers and counselors were always complaining that the state was cheap about putting windows in the place because brick was easier to maintain. So anyways when it came time to try and block the windows it didn’t take all that much because those doors are like hard as a rock and we just put everything that wasn’t bolted to the ground in front of it. They stopped trying to break in after a while and just kind of stood out there in a daze. We were smart enough to keep our mouths shut and not make any noise that we didn’t need to.”

  “What do you mean?” Philip asked.

  “If you break them out of that trance or whatever the hell they are doing when they just stand there all stupid like then they go right back into a rage. So after the first time someone brought them out of it was enough that we were more than content to just sit in the dark. We tried calling the police and no one answered, we found the counselors cell phones in the office and none of them worked. We watched the news seeing that they were trying to organize a safe zone where those that weren’t infected could go and find safety. They said that they wanted it to be in Des Moines and those that could make it there would find food and shelter but the guy on the news got eaten before we could get anymore information. The emergency broadcast message came up stating that more news would be coming and that the CDC was currently in the process of doing everything that they could to try and get a cure. They were clear that a cure and keeping Washington safe were two of the top priorities.”

  “So we need to find out if they really got that safety shelter or safe zone what ever ya called it up and running. I’m sure as hell not driving all the way out to a freak filled Des Moines to try and find out if it’s there, especially as big as it is it could be anywhere.”

  “So where do we go if they don’t have it?” Matt said.

  “Hell if I know kid? There’s to many of them in town to stay here, but we don’t know what the other cities around here look like either. I’d hate to think if this was the same everywhere in the state. There has to be a few places that were safe from it but so far Adel ain’t the place t be staying.” Eric said.

  “We could go out to the Sportsmens Club shelter and hold up there for the summer if we needed to. It’s out in the middle of nowhere we could be safe out there. The amenities suck but we could at least make it.”

  Eric shook his head, “No way we’d fry out there but it would be a good shelter you are right. I’m not sure what to do if they don’t have the center. Maybe the gun shop will have a television we can watch or a computer to look up if it’s still there, either way if not we need to stay out of town once we get supplies.”

  Matt asked, “So wait, you guys don’t really have a plan yet?”

  “Kid every minute of this thing is just one more plan that goes wrong. We came out to the orphanage to save you guys and get a bus. What we ended up with was two of our four dead or Turned, who knows and a bus full of kids that we don’t have any provisions for. Everything in life that we still had with us was left in the back of that truck, those two risked their lives for you so that you could get out of there. You seem to forget that we could have just taken the bus and left you to fend for yourself but that isn’t how we roll. Tim made sure to say that just because the world is going to be a different place now doesn’t mean that we have to change with it. It was his idea to step up and look out for ya’ll and not to just forget about you because of the circumstances.”

  Matt sat back looking out the window watching the countryside roll by when he looked back he had tears in his eyes. “Thank you then for coming after us. I know you didn’t owe us nothing. Most people just think we are a waste of money and they don't want to spend anything towards the orphanage. They think that there is something wrong with us because our parents didn’t want us, hell half of us didn’t know our parents. It’s like that’s our fault. We aren’t worthless you know, we work hard, we can do a day’s work and if you keep us around we can figure something out, we ain’t stupid.”

  “Hey bud we aren’t saying you are, I think that there isn’t anything wrong with you kids. Just because you got dealt a shit hand doesn’t mean anything so hang in there. If the shelter isn’t there, we will hold up somewhere else for a while. It’s not g
oing to be an easy run of it but if we look out for each other and maybe we can show you kids a thing or two with guns we might just make it a while. There is talk of the cure and i’m sure you’ve seen that on the television but we don’t know if it will hash out or not?” Philip said.

  *****

  They took their time driving into town taking as many of the backroads as they could until they hit mainstreet. Philip pulled the bus up on Andy’s street they felt a bit of hope seeing the massive number of Turned laying dead in the street. Philip whistled, “Would you look at that, good god, you think the guy made it out alive?”

  Eric shrugged, “I have no idea but he sure as hell isn’t worried about curing any of them is he?”

  Matt said, “Are you worried about hurting the infected.”

  Neither of the men had really thought about it but they both shook their heads no. Eric said, “You saw what happened to our friends right? We need to keep an eye out for those that haven’t became sick or dead or whatever the hell they are. There’s no way those people missing arms or that have holes in their chests are coming back from that.”

  Philip pulled to a stop and Eric gun in hand stepped out of the bus walking cautiously. He pulled the door open not sure if the fact that it wasn’t locked was a good or a bad thing. He looked around the shop seeing nothing but empty racks. He went through the back and didn’t even so much as find a box of bullets or shotgun shells. On the counter he sa a piece of paper he grabbed it and ran back to the bus, feeling the slightest of hope. Philip said, “You forgot to grab the guns dude, you do realize that was the point in coming to the gun store right, was to get guns?”

  “Yes thank you Philip i’m well aware that, that was the sole purpose in coming here. It’s cleaned out already but someone left this on the counter I say we go there and try and see if they made it.”

  “Do we have time?” Matt asked.

  “You got somewhere more important to be Matt? We can try and go to Des Moines without them, but if you want to drive into hell you might as well walk with some firepower in there.”

  As they drove through town they saw Dee’s place and saw the Turned that were laying outside of it laying with skin that had burnt beyond black. Pieces of the brick were embedded into their skulls putting them out of their misery. They watched and as they drove they took in the bodies wondering how many were there knowing how many people lived in the city and this wasn't even a relative percentage of them. Philip said, “Well at least all of them are out of the streets for now. Where do you think they are Eric?”

  Eric went to smack him on the shoulder and remind him that when things are going good that it wasn’t the time to bring up the obvious but he was interrupted. A heavy thud, thud, thud hit slammed on the roof they instinctively stared up at the ceiling of the bus. Philip turned around slowing down and Eric screamed, “Do not slow down get us out of here now! Get moving I don’t think it’s alone.”

  A hand blackened from burns punched through the cheap metal ceiling its hand outstretched and fingers gripping for flesh. The children melted onto the floor covering their heads with their packs. Philip floored the bus but the engine showed little reaction from it, their speed not improving very much. Eric ran to the hand keeping a safe distance from it but didn’t do much good as the thuds continued until banging from the roof ceased and bodies started sliding off of the side of the roof and punching their hands through the windows. The teens screamed kicking at the outstretched hands. Eric went sideways running towards the only one of them able to get their hands in the bus. Eric twisted the gun in his hands smashing at its arm until it snapped and was no longer a threat when it was removed a new hand came in and received the same treatment.

  Philip screamed over his shoulder the sweat pouring from his forehead, “What do you want me to do? These things are everywhere man I don’t know how we are going to get them off of the bus.”

  Eric was fully using his rifle as a baseball bat at this point doing his best to try and get them removed to no avail. “I know they are thick as shit just keep driving whatever you do don’t stop as they passed a storefront he screamed, “Circle back around I got an idea, once you see me go in then I want you to circle back around and come back. These things seem to like fresh meat so let’s give them something to chew on right?”

  “Lets not give them something to chew on are you kidding me?”

  “Just hit the doors right before you get there and let me out but do not stop the bus! You come back for me to you come around the block and get back here, you got it?”

  “You are making me just a little nervous Eric, seems like a shit idea?”

  “You don’t even know what my idea is.”

  “You getting out of the bus is a bad idea, it makes me nervous, hence the shit idea part.”

  Eric held both sides of the seats as he saw them getting closer to the stores that he was waiting for and started getting pumped up for what he was about to do. He took a few large deep breaths knowing what he was about to do could mean certain suicide but that there was no point in staying in the bus under the current circumstances. He could see no point in not trying to do what he could to save these kids. He couldn’t live with the idea of them dying just because they took them from what seemed a perfectly safe place regardless if there were Turned trying to get in or not. He ran for the front of the bus as the store he wanted was in sight and ran for everything that he had in him. He screamed, “Hit the doors now, do it, do it now!”

  Philip hit the lever and the doors opened and the automatic doors swung inward. Hands instantly started swinging inwards of the bus. Eric bursted through them making a bloody red rover game out of the Turned. He jumped out of the bus landing losing his balance and rolling to the ground. He used the momentum to right himself pushing back up his shotgun clenched in his hand. His heart raced as he heard the growling, it and his heart pounding were all that he could hear. He screamed at the Turned wanting to gain all of their attention and give the bus a chance. The screaming not so much as the fresh blood dripping from his arms and knees caught their attention. The thought of an easier meal was more than enough to entice them to leave the bus alone. Eric screamed, “Come on you big ugly bastards come get a bite of Shelman its the best, come on lets go you damn freaks!”

  They leapt off of the bus mouths open, arms outstretched, and ready to try and fill their hunger, the dead hunger. Eric ran for the two story building seeing that all of them had removed from themselves from the bus and he had their full and undivided attention now. He attempted to pull the door open and when it was locked he twisted the gun around putting everything he had into bursting smashing the handle. The seconds being wasted were ones he wouldn’t get back when the door knob fell to the ground he kicked it open staying just a arms reach in front of the Turned. He ran through the stores front and straight towards the back to the stairwell that led to the second floor.

  Eric thought about what he was about to do and wished he’d have been twenty years younger or at least that his knees had been. He went to the small flat upstairs and slammed the door shut thankful that the storage room was clear of clutter. He moved a trunk in front of it just as the door began to splinter from those wanting to destroy it. He ran to the large window checking and when he saw the bus coming he ran back to the door and fired two shots through it. The pellets from the shot spread shattering the window leaving only thin wood strips in its place. When he could see the bus from his spot he sprinted at full force.

  Philip stared in his rear views amazed that they had all gotten off the bus to chase Eric. The kids had moved off of the floor slowly staring around. You would have thought the teenagers were five years olds the baby in their face coming clearly through in their fear. He slowed the bus as he came next to the building the Turned he could see were up against the door and trying to fight their way into somewhere. “Where the hell did he….”

  A blast made him crane his neck up looking at the window doing little with no view of it.
The teens melted themselves against their windows having a actual view of it. The window from the second story rained down on the street. A second blast sent the second pane of window down landing on the buses side. Philip screamed to Matt who was looking up. “What the hell is happening kid?”

  Matt yelled, “I don’t know are you kidding me? There is gun blasts coming from up there, christ are you deaf or something?”

  “Look smart ass, I just want to know what you see?”

  “I see a building, and I see glass covering the street and oh my god stop the bus now! Stop….Stop!”

  Philip skidded to a stop sending everyone in the bus that had been up against the windows over their seats. He did everything he could to not drive the bus into the building. He hopped the curb on accident smashing a light pole over. He pulled the door open expecting Eric to come out the front window or something not sure what he thought it should be. He put it in park and ran to the buses steps looking up seeing Eric launching himself out of the window kicking his legs in the air. He was thankful he’d pulled the bus up on the curb now as Eric’s distance was just enough to keep him from cracking his head open on the pavement below. He slammed into the roof hitting hard and feeling a rib that previously wasn’t cracked had now been. He rolled to his back sliding down and Philip grabbed him helping him into the bus. Eric was screaming in pain but Philip knew that he didn’t have time to take it easy. They needed to get moving and they had to do it now.

  Philip laughed a little as he got Eric into the seat. Eric said, “I’m sorry is something funny about this situation?”

  “No, no not at all.”

  “Well then what the hell are you laughing at.”

  “Well my best friend in the entire world just jumped out of a moving bus on purpose. He then leaps out of a window which by the way you are to old for that, we can prove this fact by your fucked up condition right now and you saved everyone. Besides you totally looked like Mel Gibson jumping out that window it was awesome.”