“You’re right.” Ben walked to the window to join Fleck. “They won’t take any chances. With that many lights we can assume there are hundreds of people, and with the virus popping up out of nowhere, there is no way Colony One is infection free.”
At that second we heard two shots in the distance.
“It’s either here or close,” Ben said. “I don’t want to live through all of that again.”
Fleck walked away from the window. “Maybe we’re jumping the gun here. Clare said we’d like it. It would be good for us. We’re on the outskirts of Colony One. We don’t know.”
“No, we don’t.” Lev stood and walked to the dresser, pouring himself a shot’s worth of booze. “But…tomorrow will tell.” He downed his drink. “Tomorrow will tell.”
NINETEEN
LOST AND FOUND
June 7
Was the nightmare over? The moment the van left us at the corner of Main Street after taking us through the fences, I felt like I had stepped into a science-fiction movie.
How did we go from living day to day, running from the infected, bathing in a creek to a picture-perfect clean environment? People walked the streets drinking take-out beverages. Those who got out of the van with us had the same expression. Confusion.
Did such a perfect place really exist?
Were those who lived in Colony One truly as oblivious as they looked or had they just chosen to forget the horrors they had faced?
Colony One barely looked as if it had been the fall of civilization. Some of the local businesses were closed and boarded up, while others were being worked on.
Was it possible to live here? To be one of those people sipping a green drink while laughing with a friend walking nonchalantly down the sidewalk. Could we successfully pretend a dead world didn’t exist?
Yes, as long as you ignored the fences and never looked beyond them.
Clare gave us a laundry list of details as she took us to our temporary housing.
“We exist because people work hard to keep it that way. Everyone has to be a productive part of this society. Everyone has a job, everyone pulls their weight.”
I didn’t want to tell her I was the queen of jobs—I just had a hard time keeping any of them.
A large portion of the city had been knocked down to make way for farming and greenhouses. They were located out of the safety zone and workers commuted there every day.
There were three safety zones. One encompassing the university medical center where most of the research was being carried out; the second nearby which was a residential area; and the third was the main and biggest section consisting of six square blocks with City Hall Park being the center point. Those blocks were surrounded by large fences. Buildings had been demolished, creating piles of bricks and rubble to keep people at a distance from the barriers and fences. What lay on the other side was a polar opposite of what was within.
On the inside everything was clean, it had beauty and life. On the other side was an overgrown world with shattered buildings and burnt-up cars—an uncomfortable reminder of the violent death that had swept through.
I wondered how many people went to the fences and looked out. If, of course, they could get close enough to see around the rubble.
We’d seen it because we drove through it. It was like waking up from a nightmare. Only Colony One wasn’t a reality, it was a rouse. A rouse to those who lived there.
Those were my thoughts.
We spent a good part of the day, Lev, Katie and I, at the medical center. It was simple testing. When we left Fleck and Ben in town, they were waiting to get into the temporary housing. Ben was getting antsy. He was desperate to see Sawyer. He told Clare he was almost to the point where he was going to walk around town calling out Sawyer’s name. It wasn’t that big of a place, he’d find him.
Clare told us at the medical center that the family that had taken in Sawyer was leery about us.
“Who cares,” I told her. “His father would have a fit if he knew he wasn’t with us.”
She relented and said she would take us after testing.
I was worried about Sawyer. What had he been through since I last saw him? I even thought maybe they’d lied to us, that Sawyer really wasn’t there. That was until we pulled up to the cute little two-story house in the secured residential area.
We had barely stepped from the safety van when Sawyer barreled through the front door of the house screaming, “Ben! Ben!” and ran straight into Ben’s arms.
The look on Ben’s face said it all, his emotions poured out as he lifted and cradled Sawyer tightly against him.
“I’m so sorry.” Ben kept his mouth near Sawyer’s ear as he said, “I am so sorry for what you’ve been through. So sorry I wasn’t there.”
“It’s okay. You’re here now.”
Ben set him down and Sawyer ran to me and hugged me.
“Hey, buddy, we missed you.”
“I missed you guys too.” He stepped back and looked up to Lev. “You’re alive. I thought they killed you.”
Katie said, “It sure looked it, didn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, Jesus,” Fleck commented. “Two of them now?” He smiled and walked to Sawyer. “Glad to have you back.”
Sawyer turned. A man and a woman stood on the sidewalk before the house. “The Stewarts took really good care of me.”
Ben approached them. “Thank you, I appreciate it very much.”
“We’re sad to see him go, but happy he has his family back.”
“Is he okay?” I asked. “I mean with all he’s been through.”
“He’s doing great. He really is.”
I placed my hand on my chest and exhaled in relief. “I’m so glad to hear that.”
The goodbyes to the Stewarts were a little longer than the van driver wanted, but Sawyer and the Stewarts needed that time. His things were already packed and ready to go so we left after the goodbyes.
I suppose I had been too nervous and excited when we first drove to see Sawyer, or maybe they weren’t there, but I missed something vital on our way in. When I noticed Lev sit up and turn fully to the window once we pulled away from the gates of the residential area, I took notice.
This stretch of road was open and vulnerable to anything, especially since they had torn down a lot of the properties.
“What is it?” I asked Lev when I realized something had caught his attention.
“Look.” His finger tapped against the window.
There weren’t many, and they looked more like stragglers, but they were definitely there and too close for my comfort, right there by the residential fence…infected.
TWENTY
DATE NIGHT
The temporary housing resembled more of a YMCA shelter than anything else. Our special treatment consisted of us having our own room lined with bunks.
It didn’t matter to the kids and that was the only important thing. They were either naïve about everything or immune to the horrors.
There were a lot of kids in the building, but I didn’t want them to mix and mingle. Staying away from others was vital, especially with a silent killer like the virus.
The two of them sat on the floor and Katie immediately shared some of her drawings with Sawyer.
“Dinner,” Fleck announced when he walked in. “For the kids. Adults have to wait until a later time to eat.” He set down a plate with sandwiches and two bags of what he said was milk. “Peanut butter and jelly. It’s been a while since any of us had that.”
“We had peanut butter and jelly at the cabin,” I said.
“No bread, Nila. You need bread to make a sandwich,” Fleck said.
I shrugged and glanced at Ben. He was only watching the kids. I walked over to Lev who was on the bed. “You alright?”
“Yeah, just…” He sat up and swung his legs over. “Worried, you know. I want us out of here. As soon as testing is done, we leave, okay?”
“Absolutely. Hopefully they’ll take us to the car
.”
“Yeah, hopefully. If more of those things gather, walking won’t be easy. It’s like they smell us.”
“Just like Fleck with the peanut butter and jelly. Sniffing out the food supply.”
“That’s not funny,” Lev said.
A knock on the door preluded its opening and a man in a uniform stepped inside. “Evening folks, my name is Captain Marshall.” He stepped inside. “Everyone getting acclimated?” He didn’t wait for a response. He walked by the kids, rubbing his hand in a friendly manner over Sawyer’s head, then placed a clipboard on the table. “I just came to drop off a list of work openings that we have in case you feel one of them is for you. And a map of the area.” He held it up and looked around. “I heard one of you is a doctor?”
Before Ben could say anything, Katie did. “He is!” She pointed to Ben.
“What did I tell you?” Fleck asked. “Kids should be seen and not heard when around people they don’t know.”
“It’s fine,” Ben said. “I am. But we aren’t staying. We came so those two could donate whatever the immune need to donate, and for Sawyer, the boy. We are family and were separated a long time ago.”
“I see,” he said, surprised. “Wow. Wish you folks would reconsider. I mean, look around. Talk to people. It’s a good place.”
“I’m sure it is,” Ben replied. “We make it pretty safe wherever we go.”
“You probably do,” the captain said. “Like I said, look around. We could use the hands.” He faced Lev. “Especially you. You’re a big guy. Ever consider joining the service or at least security around here?”
“No, not really,” Lev said. “I just do what I can for my family.”
“Too bad. Out there as long as you have been, bet you’re a good shot,” he said. “We can use someone with that skill.”
Lev chuckled. “You’re looking at the wrong person then.” He nodded my way.
The captain turned around. “You’re a good shot?”
“I was the best in the valley,” I replied. “Well, when the phrase ‘in the valley’ mattered. But yeah, I am.”
“She’s a great shot,” added Fleck.
“What do you shoot?” Captain Marshall asked.
“Infected, deaders, animals, not people.”
He cracked a smile. “I mean. What’s your weapon of choice?”
I shrugged. “Any really. I mean, M-4 is a little heavy, all the Ms are. You want me to do damage, put a 9mm or Glock in my hand.”
“Saw her take out an infected at fifty yards,” Fleck said. “Right between the eyes. It was at night, too.”
“My father taught me to never waste,” I added.
“So, uh, what are you doing this evening?” Captain Marshall asked.
It was funny what happened after that question. Lev moved forward, not saying anything. Fleck did this coy, single stride to Lev and whispered as if I couldn’t hear him, “Dude’s got some balls, huh?”
“Um, tonight?” I asked.
It was like I was the center of attention. Everyone waited to see what I would say. Katie spun around completely to look up at us.
Fleck nudged. “Now Katie says nothing. Go figure. I was waiting on something.”
“Yes,” Captain Marshall said. “I can use a good shooter at North Four. It’s at the end of this area, heading towards residential. We have some infected gathering out there.”
“Yeah, we saw them.”
“I’m trying to be minimalist with shooters, and really want those who won’t waste the ammo. If you’re as good as you say you are, we could clear that area tonight.”
Finally, Lev spoke. “You want her to go alone with you out there?”
“No.” He shook his head. “They’ll be a few others. I understand, you can call Clare. She told me she has a special interest in you guys. She’s perfectly safe with me.”
Ben laughed. “Call Clare? And how are we supposed to do that?”
Captain Marshall reached into his back pocket and pulled out a phone. “Only works in this area, but still. You can call her. She’s in my contacts.”
Ben actually took the phone and stepped away.
“They checked our weapons,” I said. “I don’t have my gun.”
“I’ll arm you.”
“Are the rest of us invited to go?” Lev asked.
“Are the rest of you as good of a shot as Nila?”
Ben returned pretty fast with the phone, handing it back to the Captain. “Clare says Nila is safe with him.”
I actually wanted to do it. And I knew I’d be safe with him. I was immune, they weren’t taking chances with me. I was told that. But I also wasn’t stupid. I hated the fact that they took my piece, and I really wanted it back.
“So what do you say?” he asked. “I’ll swing around and get you about eight?”
“Find my pistol they took and you got yourself a date.”
“Dude,” Fleck laughed.
“You know what I mean.” I shot a glare at Fleck. “Don’t instigate.”
“I’ll find your weapon.” Captain Marshall stepped back. “And the rest of you, take a look at those jobs. Have a good day.”
The moment he stepped out and the door shut, Lev, Fleck and Ben just stared at me.
I wanted to blast them with a ‘what’ but instead I silently walked away, joining the kids on the floor. If they couldn’t see what I was doing and why, I didn’t want to explain it to them.
<><><><>
Until we arrived at sector four, I didn’t realize how long it had been since I had smelled the dead so close. The stench permeated the air. It was thick, and I was grateful the temperature wasn’t sweltering.
It was still light out—the sun was just starting to set—and I could see them. They hadn’t notice us, yet.
The fenced-in area blocked off an older residential street. One of the houses had yet to be demolished. The yards were tall with weeds, and a few cars remained on the street.
Lev was not happy with me; he didn’t say anything, but I knew my friend well enough to know when he was pissed.
He started distinctively leaving out his contractions, something he always did.
“I am fine. Just promise me you will be careful. I do not want to have to come looking for you,” he said.
Yep. Mad.
When Captain Marshall, or rather Sean as he later told me to call him, showed up, he immediately handed me my weapon. I was glad and showed Lev. He still wasn’t getting it. I was armed again, and I had no intention of not being unarmed ever again, especially in Colony One.
I kissed Katie goodbye, along with Sawyer. I wasn’t sure how long we’d be out for.
Sean brought a Colony phone and handed it to Ben and said, “In case you’re worried about your wife. You can call.”
“Thank you,” Ben replied. “I will, but she’s not my wife. So no worries.”
“Oh good. You guys look like a tough crew, don’t want anyone chasing me down when I have her out late,” he joked. But I don’t think Lev understood the humor, nor did he laugh.
He stood up and walked toward us. “How late?”
Sean shrugged. “Hard to tell. But we’ll call if you want.”
“I do,” Lev said. “We will worry. She hasn’t been away from a member of our group since the outbreak.”
“Really?” Sean asked. “Then this might be a nice change of pace for her. We’ll keep you posted.”
One would think I was leaving my family for good the way everyone watched like sad puppies when I walked out. Everyone but Katie, who was fine with it.
Sean was right about one thing. It really was a nice change of pace.
It hadn’t hit me until Lev said it—since I’d arrived at the cabin, I hadn’t been away from the group, our core group, since it started. Someone was always with me.
Sean said he packed some food in case we were out a while, and beer for later if we took out enough infected.
“How many are you taking out daily?” I asked.
>
“Ten, twenty. A few months ago it was one or two a week. But over the last three weeks it has been steadily increasing.”
“Any idea where they’re coming from?”
“Nope. And we went out looking.”
I checked my weapon and readied it, then looked beyond the fence to the infected. “When do you want to shoot them?”
“Whenever you know you can get a clean a shot.”
I glanced out, there were four. One of them was looking for something near the front stoop of one of the houses, while the others kind of meandered their way. They didn’t look like deaders, but they moved slowly. Maybe they just weren’t inspired to rage toward us. After all, they were still part human, they got winded and tired.
The one by the steps was clearly looking for something though.
“Have you checked the houses out there?” I asked.
“I’m sure we did at one time.”
“No, recently?”
“Why would we do that?”
“To see if they are any in there. Maybe a group.”
Sean chuckled. “Like they moved into the neighborhood?”
“Or lived here before,” I said.
“I get it. Some say they move on memory, but they aren’t the Phased.”
“The Phased?” I asked.
“The ones that went from sick to the next phase.”
“Aw, okay, we call them Infected.”
“They’re all infected,” Sean said.
“Yeah, but that’s just what we call them. Then we call them Deaders once they become the rotting kind.”
“We call them SACs.”
“SACs?”
“Slow antagonistic corpse. SAC.”
“You military with your acronyms,” I said. “Funny how people have different names for them. Anyhow, they aren’t SACs or Deaders, they are Infected. Ragers, whatever you want to call them.”
“They’re dead.” Sean pointed. “We’re out here talking and they aren’t even running for us. An…Infected would.”
“They will. Watch.” I raised my weapon, placed my sights on one and fired. He went down.
“Nice shot.”
It didn’t take long for the noise of my gun to wake them up and once I’d fired they came running. I shot again, taking out another and then a third just as he got to the fence.
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