The Last Days of Salton Academy

by Jennifer Brozek

  “Well, Beau. If I’m going to join the winning team I’m going to do it all the way.”

  Evan started to put the wrench through the mesh to loosen the bolt but Beau attacked the wrench as soon as it was part way through the small opening. Evan yanked the wrench back out and considered things for a moment.

  Moving his left hand away from him he put it on the mesh of the equipment return slot. “Good boy,” Evan crooned. “Good boy. You want a bite, you’re going to get a bite.” Slowly unlocking and lifting the return slot door he waited until Beau moved away from the wall to slide the wrench back in. All he needed was a couple of good turns to get the bolt loose.

  He let the slot door close with a clack. Beau moved to just beneath it. Evan opened the slot door again and dropped it as he turned the bolt another quarter turn. The third time he opened the equipment return slot, Beauregard lunged at the door and Evan’s hand. The bolt in the wall strained and popped free.

  “Good boy, Beau. Good boy!” Evan couldn’t keep the elation out of his voice. He dropped the wrench and took a breath as Beau shifted to directly under the equipment return panel, the chain around his neck and attached to his harness dragging on the floor in a musical jingle.

  Using his right hand to slowly open the panel, Evan thrust his left hand in and managed to pet his beloved dog twice before Beauregard snarled and savaged his hand, tearing the flesh off it and shaking it back and forth.

  Evan cried out. It hurt more than he thought it would. He struggled against his dog, yanking his arm through the slot and slamming it shut. He sank to the floor, cradling his wounded, bleeding hand to his chest as he gasped in sobs, tears streaming down his face. Looking down, he saw that he was missing a finger and part of his palm. “Good boy,” he whispered. “Good boy. Soon, I won’t be feeling anything anymore.”

  Slumping with his back to the cage Evan felt his dog’s renewed attack on the door. Evan reached over his head and unlocked it. He stayed that way, with his back against the door, feeling every jarring attack. He felt the door’s latch pop and knew that he, his body weight, was the only thing keeping Beauregard trapped.

  Evan knew that wouldn’t last long and wondered who would be the first to find them. Then they could all join the winning team together.

  #

  Nancy and Kimberly watched Sophia and Athena leave the nurse’s office. The two women were quiet for a long time. Finally, Nancy spoke. “We need to do something about this. If Principal Swenson isn’t going to help we need to deal with it.”

  Kimberly nodded. “Yes.”

  “Permanently.”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you have any ideas?”

  The younger woman paused and then nodded. “Yes. I think I have one. But I’m going to need your help.”

  Nancy tilted her head. “Whatever you need. What are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to offer him me…and a whole lot more.” Kimberly waved a hand. “I don’t have the plan worked out. Let me sleep on it. I have an idea. Plus, I need to lock down Bonny Hall. I mean really lock it down. I’d feel a lot more comfortable if you shifted as much as you can from here to a makeshift infirmary in Bonny Hall.”

  “And if one of the boys or faculty is hurt and needs help?”

  “We’ll deal with it on a case by case basis. At least in the short term. At least until I’ve neutered Leeds.”

  The older woman nodded. “I can do that.”

  #

  “Sir, I’m sorry to bother you this late but I’ve found something you need to see.” Jeff stood in the doorway of Swenson’s suite and waited as the principal regarded him.

  “Can’t it wait until morning?” Robert didn’t bother to hide his irritation at being interrupted. He was already angry with Jeff and didn’t want to leave the comfort of his rooms. He had just gotten them warm enough and leaving now meant the fire could, probably would, go out.

  The boy shook his head. “I’m sorry, sir, it really can’t. I wouldn’t have woken you if I hadn’t found…” He paused. “It’s best if I just show you. You’ll need your coat. It’s in the main hall.”

  Robert looked at him a moment longer, then sighed. “You’re not going away until I come with you, are you.” It was a statement rather than a question, born of experience. The boy was not one of the youngest Eagle Scouts in the tri-cities for nothing. It was his dogged determination and persistence that made Jeff so valuable.

  “No, sir. I’m not. You really need to see this.”

  The principal got his coat and bundled up. This late in the year the evenings were cold. Without a word the two of them left Hadfield Hall for the Main Hall. Robert shivered. Ever since the Outbreak he didn’t like to go out at night. Light could be seen from a long way away by anyone and everything. Once they were inside the Main Hall Jeff spoke up again.

  “I was in the attic, looking to see what we had that could be used to its best advantage and…”

  “This building has an attic?” Robert eyed the barely seen boy as they walked down the hallway and to the staircase. “How’d you find that out?”

  Jeff was quiet for a moment, “When we locked down the campus I went through all of the buildings I could from top to bottom to see what could be useful. I mean, I didn’t examine every single one thoroughly but I did keep track of the rooms I found to go back and examine later. Today I decided that I should really go through the attic of this building since I hadn’t…and, well…you never know what you’ll find stashed away in an attic.

  Robert eyed the back of Jeff’s head. His story sounds like something he’s practiced, the principal thought. Either what he found is really good, really dangerous, or really bad. “What did you find? I don’t want to play a guessing game with you. Just tell me.”

  “It’s really better if you see it for yourself.”

  This time, the principal could hear the joy in the boy’s tone. It must be good and possibly dangerous. The two were not mutually exclusive. “Fine.”

  The two of them didn’t say another word until they reached the top floor and Jeff led them to a closet that turned out to be part closet and part hidden passageway. Robert watched with wonder as Jeff pulled a latch that revealed a pull-down staircase. “After you, sir. I’ll need to close it after us. The lights will come on when I close the stairs.”

  Robert climbed the stairs into darkness, pausing momentarily to look down and ask. “Lights?” Just after he crested the floor and was halfway into the black room, something looped itself around his neck and yanked him off balance. He gave a strangled cry as he fell over and was dragged into the room by his neck.

  #

  Shin watched the flickering lights move across the quad to the Main Hall. He saw the lights move through the building, up to the fourth floor, then disappear. Considering this for a long moment he nodded to himself and bundled up. He followed the same path as the lights in the dark. He knew the campus ground so well that he had no need of light.

  PLAN FOR SUCCESS

  Six

  After the metal side door in the eight foot stone wall of the Salton Academy closed and locked with a too-loud sound the four teenagers stood there for a moment, looking between themselves and the dangerous wild land of outside. Lee readjusted his pack and squared his shoulders. “All right. Let’s go. Me and Melissa up front. Nicholas and Joe in back. Watch for movement like we discussed. We’ll stop at the twenty minute mark and do the radio check. I want to be at the coffee stand by then.”

  The four of them walked quickly and quietly through the empty grounds of Salton Academy property. The academy owned far more land than was within the safety of the walls because of Gregory Salton’s bequeathment. It had come with the stipulation that any of the land not used for the academy would be allowed to remain natural and undisturbed.

  This made the walk both easier and harder. There was one main, little-used road to follow. It was lined with rolling hills and denuded trees. They would see any
zombies coming but it also meant that there would be no place to hide. All of them felt exposed. By tacit, unspoken agreement, all of them had unsheathed their blunt weapons: baseball bats for Lee and Joe, a cricket bat for Nicholas, and a field hockey stick for Melissa.

  A mile and a half later, when they crested the last hill and saw the small drive through coffee stand, there was a collective sigh of relief with the loosing of shoulders and other tensed muscles. But no one broke ranks and Lee signaled a slowdown of pace. Everyone watched for signs of movement. Just because the coffee stand had been cleared before didn’t mean it was still clear.

  Nothing moved but them.

  When they arrived at the coffee stand door, Lee motioned for Melissa to open the door as he readied his baseball bat. She opened it in a rush and Lee moved in but the interior was empty.

  “This is going to suck,” Melissa said as Lee lowered his bat.

  He looked at his watch. “Yeah. It is. But, we can do it. And it’s time for the radio check.”

  The four of them crowded into the small building, not wanting to be left outside, feeling so exposed. It was just big enough to fit all of them in single line.

  Lee put the radio earpiece in, turned on the radio and spoke. “Salton Academy, this is Supply Team. Over. Yeah, we got it. Over.” Lee’s face went from neutral to disbelieving to rage as he listened to the radio. The other teens looked at each other, concerned. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Over. I swear to God, Jeff, when we get back, I’m going to stick my boot so far up your ass you’ll be spiting laces for the rest of your miserable life. Over. I will kill you myself!”

  Lee’s face was red as he snarled incoherently. He yanked the earbud from his ear and looked like he was to throw the radio or the earbud into the wall. No one moved or said anything while he fought for control of his considerable temper. With an exhale of breath that was more growl than sigh, Lee put the radio and earbud away with careful, precise, controlled movements. He took another breath and looked at his pale-faced friends. “We’ve got a problem.”

  “I can see that.” Nicholas shifted his pack and put it on the floor. “So…what’s the deal?”

  Lee looked from Melissa to Nicholas to Joe. “That sonofabitch has declared that unless we get everything on his tier one list, he’s not going to let us back into the school.”

  “What?” Melissa shook her head, her look of shock mirroring the rest.

  “He can’t do that!” Joe clenched his fists.

  Nicholas didn’t say anything. Instead, he hunkered down and pulled the lists from his backpack.

  “He can. He did.” Lee shook his head. “I don’t know how he’s going to enforce it but that’s the situation.”

  “What about Shin?” Melissa looked at them all. “Didn’t he say he’d let us in whether or not he had permission? Do you think he knew this was going to happen?”

  Lee shrugged. “I don’t know. But Shin is an option. The thing is, Jeff also said that if we didn’t get everything on that list the academy wouldn’t survive the winter. Maybe this is his way of motivating us?” He took a couple more breaths, calming himself and thinking as hard as he could.

  “Piss poor way of doing so.” Joe shook his head. “This changes everything.”

  “Does it?” Nicholas stood, still looking at the list. “Tier one has nothing but staples: flour, baking powder, rice, salt, beans. Just a lot of it. I mean, I think we can get everything on the tier one list with no problem except bringing it back. It’s about fifty pounds apiece if we only get the staples.”

  Joe sheathed his bat and took out his 9mm Smith and Wesson pistol. He checked it and the magazine. Then he checked the other two magazines. “I don’t trust that guy. I never have. Too high and mighty.” He nodded to the rest. “Check your weapons. Make sure he didn’t short you in the name of conserving resources.”

  Nicholas shook his head. “I don’t think he would.”

  “I do.” Joe cut him off and held his pistol. “This weapon was mine. My personal gun. The only reason I let Shin put it in the armory with the rest of the hunting rifles and personal pistols is because I trust Shin. I trust him not to let idiots get firearms. But…” He pulled a second, smaller gun—an Airweight Smith and Wesson snubnose .38 special—from his pocket. “But I didn’t give him everything. I’m betting other kids didn’t either.”

  Lee nodded. “I’m sure Jeff kept something himself.”

  “So, what are we going to do?” Melissa frowned, her brows furrowed. “Get the stuff and go back like nothing happened?”

  “No. Yes.” Lee paused, still working to control his urge to kick something. “We’re going to follow the plan for now. But when we get back there will be a reckoning. I don’t know why he made the threat but I’m not going to let that stand. Everyone will know.”

  The four of them nodded to each other in agreement.

  “All right. Things haven’t changed. We still need to get supplies.” Nicholas put the list of needed supplies away. “As planned, we walk until we make it to the burned out city, then we make camp and forage from there. Lee leads. We follow.”

  Everyone looked at Lee for his confirmation. His flush had faded but his lips were pressed into a thin, white line of anger. He took in a deep breath and nodded as he exhaled. “As planned. Walk until dark or we hit the city. Keep conversation to a minimum and keep alert for all dangers, not just zombies. Wild animals and feral people.”

  The day passed quickly with no incident beyond the heart-stopping raucous of disturbed birds. There was little to break up the scenery of the road except for the occasional farmhouse in the distance. All of them picked up their pace once they recognized the final hill before the road plunged into the valley that housed the burned out city.

  At the top of the hill the four of them stopped and stared. Below them was the spread of civilization that meant death with its low rise apartment and business buildings, tracks of cloned homes in neat rows, and a large strip mall. About two-thirds of the city looked blackened and broken. More than one water tower had fallen. Also, while there was no visible flame, the scent of burnt rubble reached them even up here, miles away.

  “Maybe my idea wasn’t so good,” Melissa said, her voice soft and disappointed.

  Lee took her hand and squeezed it. “No, it’s fine. Most people would avoid this place, assuming that the fire would’ve destroyed everything.”

  “Yeah,” Joe added. “It doesn’t look that bad. There’s lots of buildings still standing. Lots to forage in.”

  “And lots of places to hide.” Nicholas’s voice was as soft as Melissa’s.

  She glanced at them and smiled.

  Lee let go of her hand and readjusted his pack. “Let’s take that house there for the night. We’ll make the city in the morning, fresh and ready for everything.”

  #

  Principal Robert Swenson could not scream as he was dragged off his feet. The rope around his neck was tight and the fall knocked the wind from him. All he could do was scrabble for the rope at his throat and be placed where his attackers wanted him. He didn’t know who was doing the attacking but, because Jeff wasn’t rushing to his aid, he knew the boy was in on it. Once again he was betrayed by someone he thought would never stoop so low.

  “We have him.” The voice was behind Robert as he was dragged to his feet by his neck. He recognized it. Ronald…something. His body was too busy trying to get air into his lungs to make his brain work.

  Jeff came up the staircase and into the attic. He held his flashlight pointed up, illuminating the room. He bent over and pulled the folding staircase closed before he smiled at the principal. It was not a nice smile. Jeff looked around. “Lanterns.”

  Two camp lanterns were flicked on, allowing Robert to see all of his assailants in the low light as he twisted around. His heart sank but he wasn’t surprised. Caleb and Steve stood together. Ron was behind him, manning the rope. Looking up, Robert saw that the rope around his
neck was tossed over one of the roof’s main support beams. His hands told him that they had even fashioned an executioner’s knot that would not slip when they hanged him.

  “What are you doing?” Robert could not hide the fear in his raspy voice as he looked around. “Why are you doing this to me?” His fingers continued to scrabble at the noose around his neck, trying to get some purchase.

  Jeff gave him a withering look. “You suck as a principal and as a leader. If we left you in charge you’d kill us all.”

  “I do not. I would not!” Robert twisted around as Ron pulled more on the rope, making him stand on tiptoe. Robert had not realized the tall, slender boy was so strong. “I saved us. I kept the zombies out. I made sure we were safe.” He begged the boys with his eyes and his words even though he knew it wouldn’t help. A line had been crossed that could not be uncrossed.

  “Wrong.” Jeff’s voice was full of venom. “You left a zombie inside the walls. You didn’t do anything other than order the campus closed. We did the rest. Hell, if I didn’t tell you, you wouldn’t have known about the food problem. You just sat behind your desk, pretending to work when there’s nothing for you to work on. You don’t have lists or plans for the next few weeks preparing us for the coming snow. You haven’t even asked about the woodpile or started making arrangements to conserve heat in the dorms. You have no idea how to survive. You’re just a parasite.”

  Robert stared at him for a moment. “I can change. I can shift my focus. I can do this. I can be the leader you want me to be.”

  “Too late.” It was Ron who spoke now. “We already have the leader we need to survive the winter and the zombies. You aren’t it.”

  Jeff smiled at that and at the nodding heads of Steve and Caleb. “My men have spoken. You aren’t needed and we don’t want you.” He gestured to Steve and Caleb. Both boys joined Ron. “Any last words, Principal Swenson?”