by J. W. Vohs
David nodded, “Yeah, we choked on the smoke for a few days out here until the wind turned. Did you guys walk the whole way?”
Jerry got a far-away look on his face as he began relating the story of their trip to Westlake. “I had driven a squad car home after pulling a third shift on the night that Cleveland collapsed. We had zombies in Garfield Heights by that time but were still managing to keep order in the town. They wanted me to stay on for overtime but I insisted on going home to check up on Luke. I knew he wanted to try to get over here to Mom and Dad’s place. I didn’t see how it would be any different than where we were, but I definitely wanted to check on my parents. I don’t suppose you’ve seen any sign of them?”
Jim sadly shook his head, “No, son, the last we heard was that they were out in California.”
“Yeah, believe it or not they were actually flying home the night we left Garfield Heights, but I don’t know if their flight ever made it back here. Before the power died the news reports said a lot of flights were experiencing outbreaks on board and had to land wherever they could. I figured they wouldn’t be here but still needed to make certain, and Luke kept insisting that we needed to get out of Garfield Heights.”
Trudy spoke up, “There are times when you just need to listen to your kids!”
Sal and Vickie nodded and in unison shifted their gaze to their children. The boys weren’t paying any attention to the conversation—they were focused on making Chewy dance on his hind legs to impress the visiting neighbors.
Christy put her hand on Luke’s shoulder. “Hey, David and I came to the same conclusion about our place in Cleveland around the same time you guys left Garfield Heights. If we’d waited even another hour or two we would be dead, or worse.”
The teen visibly relaxed in the atmosphere of support as his dad continued with their story. “We were able to access 480 from our town, but once we were up there it was complete chaos. We managed to make it about a mile down the road until we reached a crash that we couldn’t get around. Plus, there were zombies moving along the line of stopped vehicles by that point. I guess I owe my life to Luke after that.”
All eyes turned to the good-looking teen; even the dog stopped dancing and sat down, cocking his head in respectful anticipation of the boy’s story. A tall, serious kid with dark brown hair, chiseled features, and a pale complexion, Luke’s sharp blue eyes bore a bit of the thousand-yard stare many combat veterans develop after too much time in battle. His face remained solemn as he quietly explained, “My friends and I used to say that something like this could happen, you know, after watching The Walking Dead and things like that. I never really believed that it could happen, but it was interesting to speculate what people would do in that sort of situation. Anyway, when I saw those things heading our way up on the highway, I yelled at Dad to make sure he shot them in the head; I said I knew what they were. I guess by that time he was ready to believe me, because he handed me one of his personal shotguns and told me to use his police model as a back-up. Dad had an AR-15 in the trunk, so he took that. We blew our way off the road and headed down the embankment; then we ran into a Day’s Inn across the street.”
Jerry took up the narrative, “We really only had to look out for some of the staff who were infected and a few stray zombies in the building; nobody was trying to check in. Seemed like everyone in Ohio was on the move, out on the streets in vehicles and on foot. I guess most people just felt like they would be safer somewhere other than home. Anyway, we holed up in one of the rooms for two days and watched the virus roll through town. A lot of people died trying to run from the infection, either by zombie attacks, accidents, or violence perpetrated by other humans. Within forty-eight hours the streets were mostly empty except for crashed vehicles and mobs of flesh-eaters.
“After two days of watching those creatures we were pretty sure they hunted mostly by hearing. I still don’t think they have much of a sense of smell, and their eyesight is no better than ours. So when we resumed our trip out here we used my night-vision device, travelled mostly after dark, and kept very, very quiet. I’d found a large pry bar in the Day’s Inn maintenance garage, and that’s what we used on the few zombies we couldn’t avoid making contact with; we didn’t fire our guns once after reaching that motel. Two or three days ago we started to see some fast-movers, and also packs of the monsters forming up. We don’t know why they do that, but Luke has a decent idea.”
Again, they all looked at the teen, who finally offered, “Humans are pack animals. I mean, early hominids survived in packs, kind of like wolves or chimps do today. My guess is that the zombies still retain some human instincts after they change. I also think that ever since we developed speech as a species we’ve forgotten about all the ways humans communicate with one another without it. These creatures have different types of moans that bring various reactions from others. The moan they give when they see a live person is like ice cream truck music at a daycare.”
The boy grew silent as everyone digested his observations. Then Jerry continued, “I think that if we had waited another day or two at that motel we never would have made it here; those monsters are getting better at hunting us, and there seem to be a lot more of them. Luke thinks that the fires in Cleveland forced hundreds of thousands of zombies to flee the city. Honestly, I think that in the next day or two you are going to see a large number of the flesh-eaters moving into Westlake.”
He let that news sink in before pointing at David and Christy and continuing, “I see that you guys have some motorcycle gear on—that’s a great idea. Know where we can find some?”
David and Christy spent the next hour or so explaining everything they had learned from Jack about the zombies, adding all that they’d personally experienced since the outbreak began. All of the adults in the household contributed to the conversation as opportunity arose, and finally everyone felt that the new family was up to speed on what had happened in the neighborhood since the infected had appeared. When told of the current plan to begin foraging for supplies, Jerry and Luke declared their desire to join with the small group and offered to help in any way possible.
Jerry was of average height and build, with a blond crew-cut and handsome face. He informed them that he’d been a cop in Garfield Heights for eleven years after a four-year hitch as a communications specialist in the Navy, followed by five years at Cleveland State where he’d earned a degree in criminal justice. He’d married Luke’s mom when the boy was just a toddler; Luke’s biological father had been killed while serving in Afghanistan. After being fixed up by mutual friends, Jerry and Margaret had a whirlwind romance. While in many ways they were total opposites, they loved each other fiercely. Jerry had adopted Luke before the boy started kindergarten, and it was Jerry who nurtured Luke’s natural athleticism and interest in archery. Margaret had been a social activist and artist with an aversion to all things related to weapons or the military ever since she’d lost Luke’s father. She almost didn’t show up for her first date with Jerry when she heard he was a veteran and a cop. Her intention to make a hasty retreat went out the window when they literally locked eyes across a crowded room. After ten years of marriage, Margaret had been diagnosed with breast cancer. They transitioned Luke from home school to a local Catholic high school the year before she passed away.
Luke had academically excelled in school, made a few friends, and even joined the jazz band, but he never really seemed comfortable in high school. Facing his mother’s illness and death could have turned him angry and bitter, but it just seemed to deepen the maturity of what Margaret called his “old soul.” Still, in some ways, Luke’s somewhat sheltered youth mitigated his ability to navigate popular teen culture. He seemed oblivious to the affects of his tall, athletic build, chiseled bone-structure, and wavy dark hair on his female classmates.
Needless to say, Jerry and Luke were very close and incredibly committed to one another. When faced with the deadly virus that had destroyed the social fabric of the world in a matter
of days, they had worked together to protect each other during their grueling journey to Westlake. Now that they had discovered that Jerry’s parents were almost certainly lost for good, they needed a cause and a community to give them direction and hope. Joining forces with David and Christy’s group was not only in both parties’ best interests, they quickly found that they all genuinely liked one another.
Everyone agreed that the Seiferts would stay in the house where Jerry was raised, but food and security responsibilities would be shared between all the families. As evening approached, Jim put together a meal of dried beef gravy on flatbread, accompanied by as many cans of peas as everyone could eat. Vickie managed to cook some chocolate pudding using dried milk so everyone enjoyed an opportunity to tend to their sugar-cravings. After dinner Luke played with the kids while the adults discussed their strategy for scavenging.
With no sign of anybody living in the nearby homes since the second night of the outbreak, Jim suggested that they begin moving from house to house in a search for survivors and supplies. He argued that even though they weren’t likely to hit the jackpot in any homes in their neighborhood, they also wouldn’t face the large packs of zombies that Jerry and Luke had described. Everyone agreed that Jim’s plan sounded like a good one, but then Trudy asked if she could say something and everyone urged her to speak her mind.
“Well, I don’t like to second-guess anyone, but I think Jerry’s right about the increase in zombies headed this way. Considering that fact, shouldn’t we try to reach some of the stores in Westlake now and save the closer places for later in case we’re overrun by the creatures?”
After a moment of silence while everyone considered this idea, David declared what was slowly dawning on the rest of the group, “She’s right! I never even thought of it that way. We need to hit some of the sporting goods and motorcycle stores before they’re picked clean by other survivors or we’re surrounded by zombies. I hate to leave the relative safety of this neighborhood, but we need to get out there now.”
Everybody at the table nodded their agreement and Jerry finally offered, “Luke and I have learned to work together well going in and out of buildings since the outbreak. We can be one team.”
David added, “Me and Christy have fought our way out of a number of scrapes. We’ll be the other team. I suggest that everyone else stay here while we’re gone; you know, strength in numbers and all. We better take the Range Rover because so far it’s been able to deal with every situation we’ve faced.”
Jim spoke up, “We have one of those rooftop luggage carriers in the garage. That should increase your carrying capacity.”
Christy asked Jerry, “Do you guys have any weapons that are quiet?”
“Well, Luke has a longbow that he’s absolutely deadly with. After he saw the Lord of the Rings movies he became obsessed with archery. Only problem is that he’s down to six arrows. I have a large pry bar that I’ve used on a few zombies too, but we don’t have any suppressed firearms.”
David replied, “Well, we have weapons that will work for all of us; my brother sent us two of everything so we can share tomorrow. The main thing is that you two need to armor up as best you can. We’ve been using canvas and duct tape to cover arms and legs, but we need to find a way to protect your necks and feet. Maybe most importantly, you need to have your heads and faces covered. Any ideas?”
Jerry smiled, “Dad has two late-model snowmobiles, suits and helmets included. Of course the suits won’t help this time of year, but at least we have helmets.”
David nodded, “Good deal. Try to find some leather gloves and jackets. We’ll all gear up together in the morning out here in Jim’s garage and then we’ll head out. Be here an hour before dawn. We’ll have a map and an agenda.”
Following the meeting, David and Christy found some time alone on the roof, where Christy exclaimed, “I have a really good vibe about those two. Luke reminds me of your brother, Jack. He has the same brooding handsomeness and serious demeanor—he has gravitas. And Jerry is the kind of guy we would have hung out with even before the zombie apocalypse.”
David agreed, “Yeah, they’re good people, but I think the boy has seen too much carnage over the last week.”
“Haven’t we all?” she asked in a sincere voice.
“We have, but we’re not children.”
A long silence ensued until Christy quietly stated, “There won’t be too many kids left who haven’t been scarred by what they’ve experienced since the virus hit.”
“No, there won’t be. I guess we can only hope that they’re as adaptive as we’ve seen in the past. I remember reading Elie Weisel’s Night in high school, and I always wondered how anyone lived through the trauma of the Nazi death camps. I finally decided that kids can compartmentalize horrific experiences and keep the psychological monsters at bay better than most adults can. That’s my theory, anyway. We just need to love these kids and work to make them feel as secure as possible now that we’re all together. Sal and Vickie’s kids seem to be doing okay.”
“What about you?” Christy asked, “How are you with all of this?”
David thought for a moment, “The zombies are monsters; it hasn’t bothered me to kill them. Your family and mine are still safe, and we are finding good people to share our lives with. A part of me is in absolute shock that everything we knew in the world of two weeks ago is gone. I doubt that anyone will need lawyers again in our lifetime, but maybe that’s not such a bad thing. I hope everyone we knew and cared about before the virus somehow makes it through this, and I’m not gonna grieve for them unless I ever learn that they’re gone. Honestly, I realize now that I was fed up with crowds and traffic and working my butt off for nothing but money to buy a life that really wasn’t satisfying anyway. At least now, every day, and everything I do in that day, matters to me and my loved ones. I think I’m ok, how about you?”
Christy wiggled under one of David’s arms and began to explain, “You just put into words a lot of how I feel. I don’t want to think about what’s happened to all of our friends and colleagues, but I do know that I have no control over that and have to let it go. Maybe someday it will all come back and overwhelm me, I don’t know, but right now, tonight, I feel more alive than I ever have before. We’re gonna go back into the house and you’re gonna make love to me. Then I’m gonna sleep in your arms and feel as safe as a person can feel. And then in the morning, you and I are going out into a deadly world to try to find gear that will help our family and friends survive. No more obscure legal precedents. No more guff from jerks who think they’re tough and smart. Our lives have boiled down to a few simple tasks, and for some reason I can’t explain, I feel more in control now than I ever did in the old world. Am I making any sense?”
David smiled and kissed her hair, “You’re making sense to me, baby, and that’s all that matters. Now, what did you say about what we’re going to do when we go back into the house?
49
David’s Journey
CHAPTER 6
The rest of the night passed all too quickly, and the predawn hour found David and Christy gearing up in the garage when Jerry and Luke arrived at the back door. Both had helmets, leather gloves and jackets, and boots that looked as if they could stop a zombie bite. Their pants were denim, and Sal and Vickie began wrapping their legs and necks in strips of canvas and duct tape beneath their outer clothing. By the time they were finished with their modifications, Jerry and Luke looked nearly as well protected as David and Christy were.
Luke carried his longbow and had his nearly empty quiver, and a hatchet, attached to his belt. Jerry had his pry bar and a cut-off baseball bat. David handed him his silenced .22 with extra magazines, then explained, “You’re a cop. You’re probably a much better shot than I am.”
Jerry didn’t try to argue, but he did offer his pry bar in trade. David shook his head and showed them the rest of his weapons. Luke’s eyes grew huge at the site of the mace and short sword on David’s weapon’s b
elt. Then he pulled out the halberd that he had pieced together from the parts Jack had sent, and he offered Luke the second one found in the Fedex packages.
The boy hung his bow over his shoulder and hefted the halberd. “Wow, this looks like the perfect weapon for these monsters. Hope you don’t mind, but I’d rather avoid carrying the extra weight today, plus, I haven’t practiced with this and I’d never go into battle with a weapon I wasn’t familiar with. Can we start sparring with them after this mission, so I can get used to it?”
“I haven’t even used mine yet,” David explained, “but my brother insists that they’re deadly on the zombies. Sure, Luke, we’ll start practicing together with these things when we have time.”
Jim came walking in with a map in hand. “Hey, Christy, do you have a dashboard GPS in the Rover?”
“Yeah, Daddy, but do you think it still works?”
Jim shrugged, “Satellite operated and the power comes from your battery. Might as well try it out.”
The previous night, Jim had cleared a space for the Rover and parked it in the garage. She walked over to the vehicle, opened the driver’s side door, and reached in to push a few buttons. After a moment her muffled voice came through, “Hey, it still works!”
Jim smiled, “Great, things just got a bit easier.”
He held out the map of the Westlake area and everyone gathered around. “Christy grew up here so she knows the area. There’s a Dick’s Sporting Goods store out on Crocker, and I strongly suggest you hit that first. After that, there’s all kinds of other stores around there that might have stuff that can help us: Walmart, K-Mart, specialty stores, you name it. I don’t get out there much, so I’m not really sure about the smaller shops that might have gone up in the last year or two. But try Dick’s first. I’m sure guns and ammo are gone, and probably all knives too. But you might find arrows, boots, outdoor clothing, tents, that sort of stuff.”