The Final Day [Complete Edition]

by Shawn W. Salzman

  The sudden inrush of air and the thump of the door is all I need. I stomp on the accelerator and relish at the sound of the wheels roasting on the pavement below. The Expedition catches traction and slams me back in the seat as it propels forward, right at the oncoming herd.

  Kari grabs hold of anything she can get her hands on and braces herself. "Are you trying to kill us?"

  Just the opposite, actually. "Shut your mouth and hang on! There are kids trapped in that bus up there!"

  I watch her out of the corner of my eye as she squints hard at what's ahead. Her jaw drops and I know that I win. I glance through the rearview. Steven and Lexi are holding on for dear life.

  I continue forward, right on a collision course with... them. Kari screams and grabs my arm. Pain sears through it as she digs her nails into my skin. Instinctively, I wince and buck her arm off.

  "Michael," Kari screams. "You can't go through them!"

  "The fuck I can't!"

  She screams at me, full volume. "Michael, they're people, for Christ's sake! You'll kill them!"

  I laugh – totally involuntary, of course. "Kill them? They're already dead! Who gives a shit!"

  That sunk in, Michael. Good job... Maybe she'll shut up and let us drive, now.

  "Go around them, Michael!"

  Or, maybe not...

  "You're gonna destroy the damn car, Michael!"

  That part sinks in and I cut the wheel to the right. The wheels hit the gravel and before I can adjust, the Expedition bounces across the ground, pitted with deep divots and stones. My body slams to the left. Pain shoots through my head and neck after the side of my face bounces off the window. I grit my teeth and silently curse with more expletives than I ever thought were humanly possible.

  A shadow erupts out of the corner of my eye and a second later, a rock bounces off my side window. I glare out the window as those two guys bitch, flicking me off as we bounce past. I point urgently toward the bus only to get the finger again.

  Piss on them, Michael. Everybody has a part to play and their part just happens to be live bait. Run, Forrest, run!

  "Oh, God, shut up!"

  Kari stares at me, her brow furrowed. "Who are you talking to?"

  "No one," I lie.

  That doesn’t break her stare. Nice. I hate my conscience.

  As I look past the carnage at the bus, the once-small plumes of smoke are getting darker, heavier. I look as hard as I can, given the situation, and I can't make out any flames, but still. Why the hell is the smoke getting thicker?

  "It's on fire," Kari cries out. "Look, there by the catalyst!"

  Sure as shit, the catalyst is glowing red! I glance up and thank the Lord that Kari's a gear head. I never would have looked there or even suspected the catalyst, but it makes sense, especially since the return line to the diesel tank is routed right alongside it.

  I stomp on the gas again, but it's too much. The terrain is too rough. I can hear the suspension rent and groan beneath me and I instantly ease off the pedal. The last thing I need right now is to break down in the middle of Tour De Zombie with my wife and kids in the car. I was already an hors d'oeuvre for them and I'm sure as hell not going to offer my family as the main course.

  I wrench on the wheel, sending my already overtaxed Expedition bouncing horribly over a series of small knolls on a beeline path for the pavement. A second passes - if that - and we're assaulted with a cloud of dust and dirt as the wheels scrape across the shoulder.

  A horrible squeal blasts my ears as we hit pavement... and I realize right there that I have severely

  over-steered. The Expedition lurches to the side and I can feel the onrush of air as it blasts the underbody when the driver's side comes up off the road. I yank the wheel in the opposite direction and the whole thing wobbles.

  You're overcompensating, Michael! Turn the wheel the other direction!

  This time, I listen to my conscience. I gingerly turn the wheel back to the left as I tone out bitching and hollering blasting out of Kari's mouth. After what seems like an eternity, the Expedition slams down on the pavement as the top of my head smashes the roof.

  I sigh and smile - a triumph short-lived - as Kari points to the flames dancing in the midst of the billowing black smoke. The image of that little girl reaching out to me attacks my mind and I freak out. I hear the roar of the engine and, before I realize it, I'm barreling straight at the flesh-eating mob crowded around the bus.

  "Slow down!" Kari digs her nails into my arm, screaming. "You're going to hit them!"

  "That's the point!"

  I gauge the distance to the bus. My plan is clear... if I can pull it off. I'll haul ass toward them and then stomp on the brakes, if I cut the wheel right I should be able to throw the Expedition into a skid and wipe out ninety-percent of the flesh-eating abominations. Then, I can pick them off one by one... if I don't crash into the damn bus first.

  I look up to see the lady and all of the kids on top of the bus staring at me like I'm some crazed psychopath. They're probably right. Of all the stupid, impulsive things I've done before, this has got to be right up on top. I look at it this way: if I don't do this, they're going to be a smorgasbord. If I do this and screw up, they're dead. Either way, I can't let them just die. There's no room for error, but I have to try.

  I stare out at the bus as it grows larger in the windshield. I can feel the sweat running down my forehead, tickling my skin and irritating the shit out of me. I grip the wheel tighter as I try to fight it off.

  Kari's fingers tighten on my shoulder. I know she's probably drawing blood now, but I can't feel a damn thing and I should. I should be wincing right now, but I feel no pain. All I can feel is the pressure of her grip. I'm getting worse.

  No time for that now, Michael.

  Amen to that. The bus can't be more than one hundred yards away now.

  Alright. No turning back now. God, if you're up there, shine down on me now, 'cause I need all the fucking help I can get right now.

  Here goes...

  Three...

  "Dammit, Michael," Kari screams. "Hit the brakes!"

  "Shut up!"

  Two... Fifty yards to go. My hands are cramping up.

  One...

  And...

  "Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!”

  The air around us ignites as the bus disappears within a roiling torrent of flames. I cut the wheel to the left and stomp the brakes. The wheels squeal beneath us as the Expedition lurches sideways. I stomp on the gas again, but it does no good. I can't get any traction!

  Kari and the kids are wailing as we careen toward the explosion. A wheel shoots from the flames on a beeline for us. I scream and duck instinctively as it hits the top of the windshield, preparing to have it on my lap at any moment. The glass spider webs but doesn't give in.

  I stand on the brake and cut the wheel toward the bus. Instantly, we catch traction! I slam on the gas and cut the wheel away again. The Expedition lurches as we scoot around the front of the bus and head back down open highway.

  "Mike, stop!"

  I stare at Kari. I can't think. It's too much.

  "Michael, stop," Kari shakes me. "Stop the car, Michael!"

  I look down at the speedometer. Its pegged. I immediately lift my foot from the gas and let the Expedition coast to a stop.

  I blew it again.

  We did our best, Michael.

  I look at Kari and the kids. I feel the wetness of tears as they begin to flow down my cheeks. I grab Kari's hand, pull her in close... and cry.

  I don't know what kind of game the man upstairs is playing with me, but I just wish it would

  stop... now...

  I put the Expedition in drive and depress the gas pedal. The horizon in front of me and the horrific remnants of the catastrophe behind fail to paint a very promising picture.

  I glance at Kari and the kids and I pray – not just for myself – but, for Doctor Kinnelson, as well. Will his concoction work? Or, am I just grasping at straws? Only time wil
l tell. It’s just too bad time is running out.

  8 PM

  HOUR SEVEN

  The tears taste like shit. I wipe them away as fast as they fall. As hard as I try, I can't take my eyes off the cloud of black smoke rising up in the rear view mirror. The kids, the woman - they never had a chance. What the hell is this world coming to? Yesterday, everything was normal. Shit, as far as I know, everything was normal six hours ago.

  I feel a little hand on my shoulder.

  "Daddy?"

  As I look up, I see my little Lexi staring at me, her bright blues sparkling at me.

  "Yeah, baby girl?"

  She smiles at me. "It's okay, Daddy. You did the best you could."

  I find myself nodding involuntarily. I guess my heart agrees with her before I do. She's right. I did do the best I could. Too bad my best doesn't even come close to being good enough.

  "Are we going to die, Daddy?"

  My heart sinks. What's a lie and what's the truth? As far as I know, we may not make it past the night. I can't answer her. I wish I could just say it is all a dream and we just didn't wake up, yet. If only it was that simple.

  "No, baby. We're all going to be fine. Aren't we, Michael?"

  Thank God for Kari, jumping in to cover my ass again even though her eyes tell a different tale. I've got to hand it to her. No matter what the situation is, she can put on a mean poker face. I wish I was even half as strong as she is. But, if Dr. Kinnelson doesn't come up with something fast, she's going to be one-hundred percent more alive than I am. That's ninety-nine point nine percent that I really don't want to think about.

  Kari leans in. Her breath tickles my ear as she whispers, "That's not true, is it?"

  I close my eyes and swallow hard.

  "I don't know. I wish I had an answer - any kind of answer - to give you. That's the truth."

  She squeezes my hand. "But, the doctor said he has a cure, right?"

  "No. Kinnelson has an idea. So far, unless there's some sort of miracle, the best case is that it will slow this down enough for him or anyone, for that matter, to find a cure." "And the worst?"

  I shudder at the thought. "It could accelerate the process."

  Kari slumps in her seat as she covers her mouth. As much as I want to tell her that everything is going to be okay, I refuse. This is so much to take in. I can't mislead her, though. As grim as it is, she needed to know the truth. The are no absolutes and this is just another one to add to the list.

  Dr. Kinnelson doesn't even know but, he's trying. How do you treat a disease that kills you then brings you back to life as a bloodthirsty being that has no power of reasoning, no trace of intelligence? They have nothing more than basic, primitive survival instinct. I don't even know if it can be called a disease. But, like he said, it looks like a mixture of a ton of different diseases so, hopefully, the drugs to cure them will work on this... Hopefully.

  "Dad, what does accelerate mean?"

  Always so inquisitive, Steven makes me smile. "Accelerate means to speed up."

  "So... you're turning into one of them?"

  Kari intercedes. "Steven, why would you say such a thing?"

  "I'm not stupid, Mom."

  "Steven!"

  I wave her off. "No. You aren't stupid. But, to answer your question, I really hope not. That's what the doctor is trying to stop."

  "Yeah, but they never stopped it in the movies."

  I sigh and nod. "Well, let's just hope reality is a bit different."

  I look out at the vast horizon. Clouds streak the sky like an artist gliding his brush across his canvas. Purples, blues and reds wrap the orange glow of the setting sun. Simply breathtaking. I don't think I had ever noticed the sky quite like this. At least not that I have paid any attention to. It's kind of funny how, when you're faced with a bad situation, you really begin to notice the things you always took for granted.

  The sun is going down. It will be dark soon... and that is absolutely one thing I cannot take for granted. I need to get Kari and the kids home where it is safe - myself, as well. The real question is, how safe is home really going to be?

  I take a deep breath and reach for the ignition. A turn of the key and the engine hums to life. I scan the area for any signs of life, or un-life, for that matter. Clear as can be, I reach for the shifter and slip the Expedition into "drive".

  "Alright, let's get home quick."

  I can hear the tires rolling over the pavement and the sound is beautiful. Home could very well end up a warzone. God knows everywhere else is but, I don't give a shit. I'll take that chance. Home sounds a hell of a lot better than sitting out here in the middle of the nowhere, waiting to be a midnight snack.

  The damn truck sputters and I instantly realize my comfort zone is blown to hell again. I look at the dash. The fuel gauge is on empty.

  "No. No. Come on! Dammit!"

  I slam my fist on the dashboard. "Motherfucker!"

  "Don't tell me, Michael."

  "Okay. I won't."

  Maybe I can get one more burst. I stomp on the pedal and hope for the best. The engine coughs and sputters, then belches its finality. I grip the wheel and steer for the shoulder.

  The wheels hit gravel once again and the beautiful sound from before suddenly has an air of shittiness about it. We are stuck again. The only problem is that the sun isn't going to wait for us and with the mass of abandoned and wrecked vehicles all around, those things could be hiding anywhere like a pack of wolves, just waiting for us to step out into their den.

  9 PM

  HOUR EIGHT

  "This wouldn't have happened if you wouldn't have tried playing hero back there."

  Hold your tongue, Michael. Think about her feelings.

  "Are you fucking kidding me? What did you want me to do, crawl through them and hope they'd get the hell out of the way? Last time I checked, they don't give two shits about moving out of the way, especially for a mobile hot lunch!"

  Way to go, Michael. Very tactful.

  I take a deep breath and just stare at her. I'm not thinking clearly. I haven't been since this shit started... and it is really beginning to take its toll on my spirit. It would be selfish of me to just think this is affecting me, though.

  "Kari, I'm sorry."

  She closes her eyes. "What do we do?"

  "Well --"

  I look at the roadway ahead and behind. The oncoming lanes are loaded with cars, some mangled and burned beyond repair. Others just seem to be abandoned. It looks like a battle zone. Correction, it is a battle zone.

  To my right is a wide-open field. It looks empty, but there is no way in hell I want to take a chance. Parading my family through a field into the mouths of a bunch of zombies hiding beneath the tall grass is not exactly my choice demonstration of common sense. Suicide, maybe.

  To the left, there's some thick patches of trees. Yeah, I don't thinks so. Nyet for that one, too. There are too many places for them to hide. I don't even think I'd try to walk through there if I had a gun.

  Kari points at a grouping of abandoned cars about five hundred feet, or so, away.

  "Do you think any of them have gas in them?"

  I chuckle involuntarily. "Probably. But, last time I checked, I don't have anything to siphon fuel out of them."

  "Not siphon, retard. Hotwire one and get us out of here."

  "Retard? Really?"

  She laughs. "Yeah, really."

  Her laugh is short lived. Tears begin to flow. It reminds me of that old Queensryche song. 'Strange how laughter looks like crying with no sound.'

  I pull her close and wrap my arms around her. So many things run through my head. I thought we would have so much time together. Now, I don't even know if I'll have a few hours, let alone a few years. This has all happened so fast - I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Maybe I should stop and take a breath. All fine and good but first, I have to get us out of this shit.

  What other choice do I have? It seems like that would be
the best option. The only real question is, do I take them with or do I go it alone and bring a car back to them, assuming I do actually find a car that runs? Then, once I do find a car that may run, is it going to have a hungry passenger waiting in the driver's seat to eat me? There is no option. I'm going to have to go it alone. Marching my family out in the open with no protection would be completely careless and stupid.

  "Alright. I'm going to go find us a ride."

  "Please, hurry Michael. I want to go home."

  "I know. So do I. But, if I am going to do this, I need all of you to stay calm. The last thing we need is for you to freak out while I'm out there. Those things will be on you in a heartbeat if you so much as yelp. You guys understand?"

  The kids nod. Well, it's more of a shake than a nod. I can tell they're freaked out. I don't blame them one bit, either.

  "Now, once I step out of this car, I want you guys out of sight. Steven, take the blanket out of the back and cover you and your sister up with it, heads and all."

  "But, Dad, the windows are tinted and its almost dark out."