The Last Days of Salton Academy

by Jennifer Brozek

  Robert looked around at the faces of his people and saw a range of emotion from confusion to anger to apathy. He opened his mouth to speak when the engineering teacher, Professor Leeds, interrupted him.

  “If the Commons pantry is locked how can anyone return what they’ve taken?”

  The principal gave him a sharp look. “Is that a confession?”

  “No, Principal Swenson. Just an observation.” Michael grinned at him. “Just pointing out the obvious.”

  Jeff took a step forward. “The stolen…missing…supplies can either be left outside the pantry door or may be given to me directly. I’m the one putting the meal plans together and executing them.” He glanced at the principal, who nodded. “I promise anonymity to anyone who brings the supplies directly to me.” He took a step back and picked up a black bag.

  Robert gave him a look and Jeff returned the gaze as if waiting for orders. He would have to talk to the boy about making such declarations without talking to him first. Then again, Jeff was a take charge kind of kid. He turned back to the assembled people. “Professor Leeds, does that satisfy you?”

  Michael’s grin widened. “Yes, that’s one thing that satisfies me.”

  Ignoring that thought, Robert continued with his announcements. “As there’s missing supplies and, as we will be shortly moving from fall into winter, it’s time for another supply run.” He paused at the sudden unease and stirring before him. “I understand this is a frightening thing but it is necessary for Salton Academy to survive the coming snows. We’ve only had one run since the Outbreak and if we didn’t have to do this we wouldn’t.”

  Jeff took a step forward again as the room continued to buzz. He raised his voice to be heard. “As agreed upon the last time we had a supply run, those going are drawn from the bag. Once a person has gone once they do not need to go again until everyone in the Academy has gone. All names are in the bag without exception. Four people need to go this time.”

  The room hushed into complete silence as Jeff dipped his hand into the black bag. He didn’t have to fear. He went last time. It was an awful experience he didn’t want to do again anytime soon. Again, he refused to let his mind dwell on what happened when he was ‘out there’ last. He had better things to do now. Shaking his hand, the piece of paper Jeff had tucked into his sleeve fell into his cupped palm. Pulling the folded paper out he handed it to the principal without looking at it. He didn’t need to. He knew whose name was on it.

  “Melissa Branson,” Swenson read and looked up. The pale girl with shaggy brown hair flushed and clutched the boy next to her.

  The boy immediately stood. “I volunteer as tribute.” His voice was laconic and unconcerned.

  Jeff blinked in false surprise and shook his head. “You went with me last time. Your name isn’t in the bag.”

  “Don’t care. If Melissa’s going, I’m going.”

  Jeff exchanged a look with Swenson and shrugged. Swenson nodded. “All right. Along with Melissa, Lee Harton will go on the supply run.” He gave Jeff a gesture for another name and took the offered folded paper. “Nicholas Alexander.”

  The slim black boy shook his head at his luck, muttering under his breath. Then he nodded at the principal. Not only was he a senior—if such things still counted—he was, had been, Leeds’ teaching assistant. Michael clapped the boy on the shoulder in sympathy.

  Jeff handed the last folded slip to Swenson and the crowd grew that much quieter. He opened and read. “Evan—” He stopped, looking horrified. His eyes darted to his son and then back at Jeff who continued to look straight ahead. Swenson’s lipped compressed into a thin white line of anger for a moment. Then he read the full name. “Evan Swenson.”

  Evan patted Athena’s hand and stood, even as she shook her head, mouthing her denial. Then Joe stood. “I’ll go in Evan’s place. We want this supply run to succeed.” He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. No accusation. No malice. No joy.

  “Joe, you don’t…” Evan shook his head.

  “You’re in no shape. If Lee can volunteer, so can I.” Joe nodded to the others going. “We’ll be fine.”

  Everyone turned to Swenson for his final word. Robert nodded. “Quite right. Volunteers are allowed.”

  “Okay.” Jeff broke through the babble. “Mel, Lee, Nicholas, Joe, see me tomorrow. We’ll get you outfitted and give you the list. You’ll be going for staples and for medical supplies.”

  The students and the faculty stood and clumped into gossiping groups, ignoring Principal Swenson as he watched the crowd. “That’s all for now. Everyone is dismissed.” Only one person looked at him: Evan. For a moment they stared at each other. Then Evan turned in a deliberate gesture to talk to Athena.

  I am losing control, Robert thought, fear growing into a cold lump in his stomach. Jeff gave him a tight smile and a nod before walking away. Robert watched him go to his group of friends, knowing that he was going to have to do something about the boy. He wasn’t sure what. He had not expected this level of betrayal from the student who had appeared most loyal to him.

  #

  Michael grabbed Sophia’s arm at the elbow before she could escape. He leaned to her with a smile, his body hiding his hard grip. “I missed you earlier today. Where were you?”

  Startled, Sophia tried to pull her arm away from him and whimpered deep in her throat as his hand tightened, bruising her. “I-I was working. Mrs. Hood. A project.”

  He knew it for the lie it was and his smile widened a little, baring his teeth. Her eyes widened and she looked away, knowing he saw the lie. “A project. What project?”

  Looking for anyone who could save her, the assembled people were leaving. There was no one and Sophia realized she had to do something now. She raised her eyes and took a breath. “Yes, Professor Leeds, a project for Mrs. Hood. In the attic. I’m sure you have the boys fixing and fortifying Hadfield Hall. Don’t you?” She spoke louder than she needed to, drawing eyes to them.

  Snatching his hand away from her Michael took on a more formal posture. He tilted his head and nodded. “A project then.” His voice was thoughtful as he contemplated her defiance. “We’ll have to talk more about this…later.” It was a promise.

  Sophia turned away with a flounce of hair and a spring in her step. She held her head high as she walked over to the knot of Bonny Hall girls clustered about Melissa. Kimberly watched her come and caught her eyes. Sophia saw the question and concern. She shook her head and Kimberly looked away. Sophia rubbed her sore arm and wondered once more if she shouldn’t just confess everything to the dorm mistress and get help.

  Michael watched Sophia and avoided the Harridan’s accusing eyes. Smirking to himself he wondered if he’d have to teach the girl a lesson and remind her that he wasn’t a student she could just throw away when she was done with him. It might be a fun lesson to give.

  “Will there be anything else, Professor?” The diffident voice of Shin Yoshida, came from behind him.

  Michael shook his head, surprised. He hadn’t realized the small man was there and wondered how much the security guard had overheard. Giving Shin a careful look, he saw no accusation on the older man’s smooth face. “No.” He gestured to the push broom in Shin’s hand. “Keeping busy?”

  Shin nodded. “There’s only so much patrolling we can do. The walls keep the monsters out. I prefer where I live to remain clean. So, I clean.”

  “Makes sense. Don’t suppose you do requests…like my suite? Bring in firewood for the fireplace?” The joke fell flat as Shin did not respond and Michael cleared his throat. “Well, better get back before it gets too late.”

  “Have a good evening, Professor.” Shin watched Michael leave and wondered if he needed to clean up that mess. His job of protecting the students did not end with the Outbreak or the zombies.

  #

  Robert paused a long time before he knocked on Lee’s door. He listened as the door was unlocked and smiled at Lee’s surprise. “May I come in?” />
  “Yes, sir.” Lee stepped back, letting the principal enter.

  Robert looked around. The room was as neat and orderly as if it were to be inspected tomorrow. The upperclassman’s desk was covered in maps. Some of the spots inside and outside the tri-cities area were circled. Most of the places within were circled and crossed off. He turned and looked at Lee who waited patiently for him to speak.

  Robert paused, not knowing how to start, then plunged on. “You didn’t have to volunteer. It was brave of you.”

  “I did. Melissa means the world to me and I will do what I must to protect her.”

  Even if that means going into infested territory with her, Swenson marveled. He contemplated the tall and handsome young man. A favorite at the school he would have gone so far if the world had not gone to hell. Built like a marine, Lee had managed to keep the look despite the lack of power. He suspected Melissa cut his hair for him.

  “Sir, what do you need?”

  “Ever one to cut through the bullshit.” Robert ignored the raised eyebrow. “I have a special request of you. Not for me. For Evan.” He paused, then continued on as Lee listened patiently. “It’s his medicine. The methotrexate. He’s running out. If he doesn’t get more he’s going to die.” Robert looked away. “My son will die a long, painful, lingering death and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

  Lee shifted papers on his desk until he came up with a list. “If it’s available, where will we find it?” He added the methotrexate to the list of special requests he’d been keeping.

  Robert bowed his head. Part of him wanted to weep. Part of him wanted to hug Lee. Instead, he said, “You can check the pharmacies. It has to be prescribed. But, because it’s a cancer medicine, you’ll probably have to check any hospitals you come across.”

  Lee nodded. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  The tone in Lee’s voice made Robert look up. Then he remembered Lee had gone on the last run. Both he and Jeff had come back a little different. Niall hadn’t come back at all. “That bad?” He imagined the amount of the dead and undead in and around hospitals.

  “That bad.” Lee straightened, putting his pen down. “And other requests?”

  Being a hero is for the young, Robert thought and shook his head. “No. Thank you.”

  Four

  Jeff checked over the four students, adjusting things as they went. All of them had heavy jackets, backpacks, and weapons. “You know the drill, Lee. I recommend you be in charge. Stay away from hospitals and churches. That’s where people gathered and died.” He handed Lee one of the radios. “We’ll do a radio check twenty minutes after you leave the gates. And there will be someone manning this radio 24/7 to let you guys back in when you have the supplies.”

  He moved to Melissa and adjusted the jacket, not looking her in the face. “Try to stick to the blunt weapons as much as possible. Noise draws them. Don’t use the guns unless you really have to and your ammo is limited.” He glanced up at her and was disappointed to see her looking at Lee.

  Jeff moved to Nicholas. “Lee and Nicholas have copies of the list of things we need. They’re broken out in tiers. Tier one is the list of must-haves. We need these to survive as a community. Tier two are the nice-to-haves and tier three are the special requests from individuals.”

  Nicholas shifted and readjusted himself after Jeff was done with him. “What do we do about survivors?”

  Joe answered before Jeff could. “We bring them back, of course.” He brushed Jeff’s hands off him. “I got it, dude. Like Lee, this ain’t my first rodeo. May not be an Eagle Scout but I got training.”

  Jeff frowned at the rebuke and stepped back. “If you lose the radio we’ll have look-outs between 10 and 2. Use the flare gun. We’ll know to come and let you guys back in the gates. We’re not going to expect you for at least three days but look-outs will start tomorrow.”

  Principal Swenson stepped up. “Be careful. We need those supplies but we want you guys back safe and sound. For all I know, we’re the last civilization in the tri-cities.”

  Lee offered his hand to Robert. “We got this. We’ll see you soon.”

  Then there was nothing more to say. Shin lead the teenagers to one of the small side doors in the stone barrier designed to make ground work just outside the walls easier to maintain. It was now the only easy way in and out of the Salton Academy property. The main gate was blocked by a large truck and the back gate was blocked by several cars pressed up to the bars. The eight foot stone wall, topped with spiked iron adornments, made for a formidable barrier for the slow moving but unrelenting zombies.

  “I’ll be here every afternoon on this side of the door. You know ”Shave and a Haircut”?” Shin gazed at Lee with calm eyes.

  “Yeah.” He tapped out the rhythm.

  Shin tapped back his part, two bits. “That’s the call and response. All of you, memorize it. I’ll let you in whether or not I’ve been given permission.” His voice was low enough that only the four of them could hear what he said.

  The four teenagers looked at each other and nodded. The serious look on Shin’s face made his words that much more ominous. As one, they realized just how dangerous everything was inside, as well as outside, the protective walls of the Salton Academy grounds.

  Lee took a breath. “Okay. Let’s go.”

  Shin looked through the three peepholes before until he was satisfied that no zombies lurked immediately beyond the gate. Then he let the teenagers through.

  #

  Kimberly Hood looked at the assembled girls and only other female adult on campus. They all crowded into her sitting room. Rose and Toni sat together on the couch while Pria and Maya stood and leaned against the wall, their shoulders touching in sisterly companionship. Sophia and Athena sat at Nancy Krenshaw’s feet, the only trained medical person they had. Julie sat on the arm of Nancy’s chair. Kimberly stood before them all.

  “I am beginning to believe we have a problem with Professor Leeds.” Kimberly glanced at Rose. “I’ve found him in the hall several times when he shouldn’t be. Yesterday, I found him menacing Rose.”

  “I don’t know for sure but I think he was flirting with me.” Rose’s voice was soft and embarrassed.

  “Have any of you had any uncomfortable meetings with Professor Leeds in the last couple of months? Since the lockdown?” Kimberly looked at her girls.

  “He’s flirted me with me. Or used to. I ignored it. I’m with Aaron. But…I’ve caught him watching me,” Toni admitted. “But he hasn’t done anything more than that. Just watched me. It’s been weird.”

  Nancy’s voice quavered a little. “I’m too old for that sort of thing. He likes his girls young.” She looked at Kimberly. “And I’ve had to treat more than one girl worried about pregnancy after having been with him. I always reported these up the chain but nothing’s come of it.”

  Kimberly fought back her anger. “Rape?” The girls winced at the blunt and ugly word.

  “No. The man can be very charming.”

  Sophia looked at her hands, debating if she should admit to being with Michael. The thought of it made her flush hard and her stomach dropped away.

  “But the principal let this pass?”

  Nancy nodded. “The Leeds family was very, very rich and always donated to the Academy.”

  “But…with a student?”

  It was the horror in Mrs. Hood’s voice that moved Sophia to speak. She decided that she’d rather face the dorm mistress’ anger and punishment than Michael’s now unwanted advances. “I…I have been with him.” The room stilled and Sophia looked at her hands. “He can be charming. But he’s not anymore. I don’t want to be with him anymore and he’s not getting the hint.” She risked a glance up at Mrs. Hood.

  Her face was unreadable. No condemnation or encouragement in it. “Have you told him no directly?”

  Sophia shook her head. “Just been avoiding him. But I couldn’t avoid him last night. He w
as mad.” She slid her sleeve up and showed everyone the bruise Michael left on her arm just above the elbow.

  Nancy shifted to look at the bruise and shook her head. “Nothing I can do for that.”

  Kimberly caught Sophia’s eyes. “I won’t say I’m not disappointed but this is not your fault. You are sixteen. He is a grown man and should never have pursued you.” She paused. “He did pursue you?”

  Sophia nodded. “He was…charming. He made me feel better about…things.”

  “Yes. The last three months have been difficult. I understand. However…” She pointed at the girl. “The next time you see him you need to be upfront and tell him no. Tell him in no uncertain terms that you are no longer interested. Then we’ll see what he does.” Kimberly scowled, worry lines creasing her forehead. “In the meantime, I’ll have a few words with Principal Swenson about matters. And the rest of you, ladies, buddy system from now on. Sooner or later someone is going to decide the rules don’t apply to them.”

  “Mrs. Hood?” Sophia’s voice held a note of fear. “He has a key to my room.”

  “What?” The black woman shifted, her scowl deepening. “You should’ve known better!”

  Sophia shook her head, her blond hair flying. “I didn’t give him my extra copy. I don’t know how he got it.”

  “How do you know he has a key to your room?”

  “Yesterday I saw him coming and hid. I left a bottle of water on my desk. When I came back, the bottle was empty and one of my figurines was knocked over. It was him. I know it was. He wanted me to know he could get into my room anytime he wanted.”

  Kimberly and Nancy exchanged troubled glances. “Put a chair under your doorknob when you go to sleep until I tell you otherwise.” The dorm mistress met the uncomfortable gazes of each of the other girls. “That goes for all of you, whether or not you have a roommate. Just to be sure. If we have even one more incident like that we’re going to shift into a common sleeping room for safety and the conservation of heat. I don’t want to have to do that until it gets too cold for privacy but I will do what I need to do to protect you all.”