Nicholas raised a finger as he opened his mouth, then paused and shook his head. He tried again with the same result. The third time he smiled as he raised his finger, “The car, the one with the smashed window, we could use the floor mats.”
As one, the four of them looked back towards the car that had crashed into the backyard they’d just come from. It was one of the few yards without a fence and it looked like the driver had tried to drive through in order to escape. They failed but they appear to have gotten away. There was no gore or dried blood around the car. Just a couple of smashed windows.
“Good idea. We need at least two. More if they’re there. I’m going to have to stay up on the wall to help the rest of you over and I don’t fancy glass in my ass.” Joe managed a half-smile. No one responded with more than a brief smile as Nicholas and Rachel returned to the car to get the rubber floor mats. There were only two to get. Nicholas shrugged as they returned and offered them up.
The four of them juggled getting the mats in place, then Joe on top, straddling the wall, to grab Heather as she was boosted up, then help her down. She was the shortest of them and had the longest to drop at about two-and-a-half feet. She winced as she hit the ground and tumbled but waved off Joe’s visible concern. Heather was on her feet and helping Rachel, then Nicholas down to the ground. Joe shifted his position and looked down at the ground. He decided caution was the better part of valor and lowered himself down instead of jumping.
All four of them shivered as they waited, listening and watching. There was no movement and no sound. Joe signaled them to move for the back door under a covered patio. They hurried in a group. Joe grabbed the doorknob and swore almost soundlessly. He showed that the door was locked. Heather dug into her coat and pulled out a small leather fold. She opened up the flap with a waggle of her eyebrows, revealing a set of shiny lockpicks.
“Really?” he mouthed at her as he moved aside to let her at the door.
Heather whispered with a half-smirk, “Detective’s daughter. Taught me a lot of things a nice young lady shouldn’t know.” Then she went to one knee, putting her lockpicking skills to work. It took her about five minutes and some soundless swearing to get the job done. The whole time Rachel and Nicholas stood guard, watching the yard and the sides of the house, waiting for zombies to attack. Joe stayed by Heather’s side, watching her and listening to the inside of the house.
When Heather stood Joe clicked his tongue once, calling them together in a huddle. “Clear the house. Every single room and closet. Every single door gets opened. First floor. Then second.” Everyone nodded. “Order: Me, Heather, Rachel, Nicholas.” He waited for unanimous agreement, then straightened and turned to the back door.
The house was large, practically a mansion, and smelled mostly of stale air and some decay. Not much, though. It was a good sign. They cleared each room on the first floor, only pausing to look at the door that could only be reached by going through the walk-in pantry that was more of a hallway than enclosed room. The pantry, to everyone’s pleasure, was fully stocked with non-perishables.
“That’s probably the entrance to the bunker,” Rachel said after conferring with Heather. “Gina used to talk about Todd and his prepper friends. Most of them were pretty rabid.”
Joe considered this. “Let’s clear the rest of the house first, then we’ll come back to this. Better safe than sorry. And if there are zombies down there we’ll just lock them in until we can deal with them.”
The upstairs revealed two bedrooms, a bathroom, a master suite with its own bathroom, and a storage room with more emergency gear. But no zombies. Nicholas shook his head. “Preppers, man. Why multiple rooms of stuff?”
“So you have stuff upstairs if your house floods or if the first floor is compromised. Didn’t you see how this half of the house could be cut off from the rest? The door at the top of the stairs?” Rachel pointed out the metal bar and doorstop. “I’ll bet the door is metal or has a metal core.”
Heather and Joe joined them in the hallway. “I bet,” Heather said, “that this is a custom built house. If there’s a well it’s in the basement or the bunker.”
“Custom or not, it’s ours now.” Joe headed down the stairs. “Time to see what’s behind door number three.”
The door at the other end of the pantry turned out to be a staircase down to basement unlike anything any of them had ever seen. It was more of a third level to the house than a basement, completely underground with low level lights that automatically turned on. The lights startled everyone for a moment before they nodded to each other, realizing they were motion activated. It was a safe bet that no one was down there. However, they cleared each room as they came to it.
This third floor was fully paneled, furnished, and broken out into four rooms: a romper room with pool table, couches, and an entertainment center, a pseudo kitchen and bar, a large bathroom complete with water pump, and a weapons room with more guns and ammunition than Joe had ever seen in any private collection as along with other military equipment.
It was completely devoid of people and zombies alike.
Joe stopped to look at the weapons as the rest split up to look at the wonders of the other rooms. Rachel and Nicholas returned to the romper room to look at the books and videos. Rachel, paused by the bookshelf and pointed at the red light on the cord connected to the TV. “It’s got electricity.”
Nicholas hunkered down to look at the cord and its blocky plug-in. “It’s an energy saver. The light says there’s electricity but you need to hit this button to turn on power to the TV itself.”
“Wild.”
“Running water,” Heather called from the bathroom. “Sink and pump. Really cold water.” She turned to the closet’s partially open folding door and opened it fully.
Joe walked over to where Rachel and Nicholas stood, looking at a small bookcase filled with prepper books. “I don’t get it. If this is the bunker where’s the food? Where’s the sleeping room?”
Nicholas and Rachel looked at each other. “Don’t know. Maybe the whole house is considered to be the bunker?”
“Guys!” Heather’s excited voice called. “I think I found the bunker door. I—” Her voice cut off as a loud click, followed by a swishing sound, came from the bathroom.
“Heather!” Joe ran to the bathroom door. He was greeted by Heather slowly turning as she looked down at an arrow protruding from the right side of her stomach.
#
“As duties go, this one’s pretty light.” Julie, wrapped in a blanket, was snuggled down in the loveseat they had dragged up from the first floor lobby. “Escort them to the bathroom, help give them medicine. I haven’t heard anything out of them since about two o’clock. They had lunch and their medicine. Otherwise we leave them alone.”
Sophia, perched on the edge of the loveseat in a heavy coat, shrugged. “Nurse Krenshaw told us to work out the watch schedule. That’s basically what we’re telling you guys. You get the evening shift.”
John and Ken looked at each other, then at the girls. “Really? All night?” Ken asked.
“Probably. But you’ll have to ask Nurse Krenshaw when she shows up for the six o’clock medicine.” Sophia exchanged a glance of confirmation with Julie who shrugged. “Isn’t that when you’re going to get dinner for them?”
John sighed and nodded. “I just don’t like sick people. They…” He trailed off.
“Make you nervous? Like they’re zombies?” Ken supplied. “Yeah. Me, too.”
“C’mon. Kitchen duty. Don’t imagine it’s going to be any different than normal but don’t want to get Jeff annoyed at us.” John tapped Ken’s shoulder, then waved to the girls.
“Hey,” Julie called as they waved back. “Have dinner with us? Watch duty doesn’t have to suck. Company is always appreciated and they won’t miss us for half an hour.”
Ken paused and nodded. “Sure. See you then.” He and John exchanged a pleased grin as they heard Sophia a
nd Julie giggling with each other.
#
Jeff sent the basket of food for Bonny Hall off with John and Ken. Tonight’s dinner was a treat: fried peanut butter and fluffernutter sandwiches on flour tortillas. It was basically dessert but he knew none of the students, or even the faculty, would complain. Sweets were becoming a rare treat. The usual crackers and nuts would be an added, regular bonus.
He was cleaning up the mess when Caleb came bursting into kitchen. Jeff spun, grabbing the nearest weapon at hand, a large butcher knife, brandishing it before he realized it was his friend.
“Whoa!” Caleb pulled up short, raising his hands. “It’s me.”
“What the hell, Caleb? You trying to get killed?”
“No. I can’t find Steve and I think Ron killed him and I found Mrs. Hood. It was supposed to look like suicide but it wasn’t. I’m pretty sure it was Ron.”
Jeff lowered the knife but didn’t put it away. “Wait. What? Slow down.”
Caleb made the effort to control his racing thoughts. “Steve didn’t come back from watch with Ron last night. When I asked him about it he implied that he killed Steve and that he’d kill me if he wanted to. I didn’t believe him. So, I spent the day going through Hadfield Hall. I opened every single door I could, thinking that, maybe, Ron had scared him and he was hiding…or maybe Ron had hidden his body somewhere.” He took a breath. “I found Mrs. Hood. She was on the fourth floor, tucked deep in a closet. It was supposed to look like suicide. Her wrists were slit but there was no knife. And there was blood on the wall behind her, like she’d been hit in the head. It was Ron. It had to be.”
“She was on the list.” Jeff kept his voice calm as he walked over to Caleb. “Second on the list after Swenson.”
Caleb stared at him, disbelief and outrage warring for dominance on his face. “Did you…?”
“Does it matter? Would it change your anger if I was the one who had killed her? She was on the list.”
“But Steve wasn’t!”
Jeff shook his head. “No. He wasn’t. Are you sure he’s dead?”
“Have I found the body? No. But, yeah, I think he’s dead. He hasn’t been seen all day and Ron implied he was dead.” Caleb closed his eyes. “You’ve got to do something about him.”
“Ron?”
“Yeah.”
“Do what?” Jeff tilted his head. “Kill him?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know. Maybe. He’s killing people who aren’t on the list.”
Jeff bowed his head. “I think he’s right. You really would turn on us in a heartbeat.” He looked Caleb in the eye. “You would betray me after everything.” Before Caleb could answer Jeff slashed his childhood friend’s throat, cutting an artery and spraying blood across the kitchen
Ron, who had crept up behind Caleb, pulled the struggling boy over to the deep, industrial sized kitchen sink and forced his head down so the sink caught most of the blood pulsing from Caleb’s throat. Ron had no trouble keeping Caleb’s head down as the boy struggled to stand and stanch the blood flow at the same time. “You know, I didn’t think you had it in you. You haven’t actually killed anyone close up until now.”
Jeff, looking at his reflection in the bloody knife, shrugged. “I didn’t know I did either. I’ve known Caleb for as long as I can remember.” He pulled his gaze from the knife. “But, you’re right, he’d cracked. Killing Steve broke him. He would’ve told everyone of our plans.”
Ron had the grace to look chagrined. “I said I was sorry. I can’t help it if I’m overprotective of you.”
Jeff grimaced as he realized the extend of the blood spray. “What a mess. Ah, well. What else am I going to do? I’m good at cleaning up messes.”
“Yeah. I’ll take care of the body.”
#
Julie and Sophia passed Ken and John in the hallway. Ken had a tray of covered bowls while John carried the rest of dinner. “Don’t forget, dinner in the front lobby. We’ll meet you there after we feed the sickies.” John lifted his tray up. “Peanut butter and fluffernutter!”
“Really? You better make sure there’s some left.” Sophia called over her shoulder. “I gotta help Nurse Krenshaw with the medicine.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Sophia elbowed Julie as they headed down the stairs. “That goes for you too. Make sure I get some. Peanut butter’s my favorite.”
Julie grinned. “I just won’t call for Pria or Maya until after you and the boys get back.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Sophia split off from her friend and headed the makeshift infirmary as Julie continued to the first floor lobby.
John put his bat on the loveseat and opened Toni’s dorm room door. Both boys recoiled at the smell of sweat and sickness that boiled out the room at them. “Damn,” John muttered. He raised his voice as Ken entered before him with the broth. “Dinner time, guys. More broth and Jeff made us a treat for dinner.” Aaron was standing at the window, looking out. The rest of them were still in bed but moving slowly. He closed the door, waiting for Ken to get over to the tray next to Rose and Shane on the floor.
Talking as he walked over to Aaron, John offered up one of the wrapped tortillas. “It’s peanut butter and fluffernutter.” He paused, catching the acrid stink of sweat from standing so close to Aaron. “If you want, we can crack the window and get some fresh air in here. It’ll be cold but—”
Whatever else John was going to turned into a yell of pain and surprise as Aaron turned and lunged, grabbing John and sinking his teeth into John’s neck. Aaron ripped off a large chunk of flesh and swallowed it whole.
Ken straightened and turned at John’s first yell. “Shit. Oh, shit.” He spun for the door but was blocked by Toni. Then Shane and Rose had him by the legs and were trying to bite through his jeans to get at his flesh. He couldn’t keep his balance as Toni grabbed at him, pulling him towards her questing mouth. John went down in a tumble. He didn’t have a chance to scream before the three zombies had found their marks.
“Is it good?” Sophia smiled at Nurse Krenshaw as she tucked into the tortilla sandwich and washed the bite down with some water.
Nancy nodded and wiped her mouth with an almost guilty gesture. “Yes. Like heaven. Ought to put me into a diabetic coma.”
“You have diabetes?”
The nurse shook her head. “No, no. Just, it’s so sweet. Come in.” She pointed to another napkin wrapped tortilla. “Help yourself. Have a little dinner before we go up. I was saving that for later but I can go get another one. The boys said that Jeff made enough to feed an army.”
Sophia shook her head with a shy smile. “Nah, me and Julie are going to eat dinner with Ken and John.”
Nancy saw Sophia’s flush. “Ooh. Which one do you fancy?”
“Ken.”
“Such a nice boy.” The nurse stood with a small groan. “Well, then. Let’s get our things and get you on your way. Wouldn’t want you late for your date.”
The two of them walked down the first floor hallway and up to the second floor. Sophia stopped Nurse Krenshaw in the stairwell. “Uh, I was wondering. Julie said…” Sophia flushed. “She said you weren’t mad about Toni and Rose being with Aaron and Shane because you were the one to give them condoms.” Sophia stared at the brown bottle of cough medicine in her hand. “Could I? Do you have more?”
Nancy tilted Sophia’s chin up so she could make eye contact. “Yes. I have more condoms. Yes, you may have as many as you and Julie need.” When she was sure Sophia wasn’t going to look away, Nancy removed her hand. “I’ll show you where they are. I’d rather you were all safe with each other.” She tilted her head. “You never need to be embarrassed about your body or your needs with me. I was quite the wild child in my day. There’s little you can do that will surprise me. Please let the other girls know this.”
Sophia glanced away, and then back at Nancy’s face. “Okay. I will. Thank you.”
Nancy gave a mental sigh of relief. She didn’t
know what had happened to Mrs. Hood but she could only assume the worst. With Leeds out of the picture—Thank God!—it was up to her and Shin to lead the children as best they could. She needed to know they trusted her. It was only way she could make sure they were as well as they could be.
Sophia opened Toni’s door and fell back with a cry of panic. “Zombies!” She threw the bottle of cough syrup at Toni but it didn’t stop the dead student from capturing Sophia’s arm to keep her from fleeing. Shane squeezed himself through the door to tackled both Toni and Sophia to the ground.
Nancy backed away, feeling a sharp pain in her chest and her arm. She stumbled to the stairwell door and through it, dropping her bag of medicines. All she could think to do was get away, to keep moving. She knew she was moving too slow. She knew, as she clutched her left arm, she was having a heart attack. Nancy’s foot slipped as one of the zombies followed her down.
Tumbling down the concrete stairs with small yelps and groans of pain she wondered what would kill her first: the zombie, the stairs, or her heart. She was surprised when she stopped at the bottom and was still alive. She could barely move but she was still alive. Crawling, Nancy made it to, and halfway through, the first floor door. Behind her a zombie tumbled down the stairs after her.
“Julie.” Her voice was so weak. “Julie. Help!”
Julie looked up from her reading and saw Nurse Krenshaw on the floor halfway out of the back stairwell. “Holy shit!” She dropped her book and sprinted down the hallway to help the old woman. Julie skidded to a halt and went to her knees and grabbed the nurse’s bloody hand. “Nurse Krenshaw! Oh, God. Tell me what to do. Did you fall? What—?”
Nancy’s gasp of pain cut off Julie’s frantic questions. Julie saw movement through the door, looked, and realized Shane was tearing away hunks of Nurse Krenshaw’s calf with his teeth. Nurse Krenshaw exhaled audibly and stopped moving altogether. The zombie looked at Julie and started scrabbling over the nurse’s unmoving body in slow, clumsy movements. Julie saw that both its legs were bent at the wrong angle.
The Last Days of Salton Academy Page 12