He went back into the store and looked for anything to dig a grave with, but came up with nothing. The only thing of use was a snow shovel, and it certainly wasn’t strong enough to tear up frozen ground with. He took it anyway.
Cooper stopped in front of Karla’s body, tears streaming down his face. He couldn’t grasp the fact he’d killed his wife.
“No, that wasn’t Karla. It was just her shell. Her soul’s gone to Heaven.”
Looking around once to ensure he was still alone, Cooper began scooping shovelfuls of snow on top of Karla’s stiff corpse. He was glad the tears flowed, blurring the image.
After he finished hiding the monstrosity that was once his wife, Cooper looked over at the others he’d shot. Though they weren’t human any longer, they once had been. Before they got sick from whatever the hell was in the air, they’d been loved by someone. Sons, fathers, uncles. It wasn’t right to leave them out in the open, either.
It took him almost twenty minutes to cover the bodies with fresh snow. Satisfied he’d done all he could, Cooper set the shovel down and said a silent prayer for all of them.
For the world.
For his children.
For himself.
Cooper climbed behind the wheel and cranked the engine over. Without looking back, he eased out onto the main road, numbed by the events of the last twenty-four-plus hours. While driving, he wondered what fresh hell he’d run into in Denver, and all the other major cities he’d need to drive through to get home. On the drive from Steamboat, they hadn’t passed a single, live person.
“No matter. I’m goin’ to get my kids. Ain’t no one gonna stop me, either. No one and no thing. Don’t matter if I’m the last survivor. I’m goin’ home.”
“You aren’t the last survivor, Chief.”
Cooper nearly ran off the road. His foot automatically stepped on the brake and the SUV slid across the road. Once it came to a stop, he spun around. Mason Hall stared sheepishly up from the floorboard.
“What…how?” Cooper muttered.
Mason tossed the blanket he’d been hiding under off. After climbing into the back seat, he answered, “I snuck in while you were fighting off those girls back in Steamboat.”
Cooper stared at the frightened kid, noting his pale face and quaking body. His original instinct was to rip the kid’s head off for a variety of reasons, mostly from scaring the bejesus out of him seconds before. Considering what was going on, and actually glad he wasn’t alone, Cooper asked, “Why? I thought you didn’t want—oh, never mind now. You…you should have announced your presence earlier. Sure could’ve used some help back at the station.”
“When I left your condo and headed back to mine, I saw those girls move. I freaked and changed directions, deciding to circle around back and climb in through a window or something. I was crouched in the parking lot, watching them to see what direction they’d take, then you two came outside.”
“Bullshit. You just didn’t want to be alone. I get that. To be honest, I’m relieved. Felt sorta bad leavin’ you behind. Come on up here son, and help me keep watch. Phoenix is a bit out of the way. You got anyone in Santa Fe?”
Mason climbed into the front passenger seat, a big smile on his face. “My aunt and uncle. They actually stay at our place when we’re in Phoenix.”
Cooper turned the wheel and continued on the journey. He waited a few minutes to speak, mulling their past conversation over in his mind. “What really happened to your parents, son? Seems to me they wouldn’t have gone to a show, knowin’ the world was fallin’ apart.”
Mason’s cheeks filled with blood. “You figured that out, huh?”
“Took me longer than normal, but yes. Cop, remember?”
Pulling out a crushed cigarette, Mason stuck it between his lips. “They did head into town, like I said. But, it was early mornin’, right after the President’s news conference. They decided to go get extra food and water so we could head back to Santa Fe. I didn’t go because I was too busy puking. The altitude sickness part was true. Sorry about your wife. Really. I wanted to help, but I was too scared. After it all went down, I thought, you know, you’d need some time to grieve before I let you know I was here.”
Cooper felt a twinge of sadness for the kid. He was a grown man, pushing hard on sixty’s door, and he was well past the point of sanity. Mason was just a boy, really, so he couldn’t blame him for being scared. “Well, I’ve got two rules you’ll need to follow while we make this trip. One, no smokin’ unless you roll the window down. That rule changes if any of those things are around. Then, the window stays shut, and smokin’ ain’t allowed.”
“And the second?”
“Don’t ever lie to me again. I’ve got a feelin’ we’re gonna run into some major shit as we get closer to big cities. I need to know I can trust you. Liars can’t be trusted.”
Mason nodded and smiled. “Done. Listen, thanks for not freaking out and kicking me to the curb. Or taking me to task for not helping. Sorry I’m such a wuss. Computer nerd, you know?”
Cooper returned the smile. “Break one of the rules, and I will. Now, stop yappin’ and keep quiet, Geek Squad. I’ve gotta concentrate on drivin’.”
Mason chuckled. “I’ve had worse nicknames. Call me whatever you want, I don’t care. At least we’re both still alive to speak, and hear.”
Cooper didn’t respond and just kept driving. The question is, Geek Squad, for how long?
NEXT STEPS - Monday, December 22nd – 6:15 a.m. – Central Standard Time
Reed Newberry awoke to the sounds of an argument. Though the two grumbling voices were barely above a whisper, he heard the anger and fear in both. Before opening his eyes, Reed listened long enough to determine Turner and Jesse were in the midst of a heated conversation.
“You can’t do that again, Jesse. Ever. It’s too dangerous to go outside alone. You should’ve woke me up.”
“Turner, I’ve already apologized twice and promised not to do it again. Besides, I wasn’t alone. Shaun was with me.”
“Only because he followed you! When you left, you thought you were alone.”
“That’s enough. Forgive me for not thinkin’ straight! You didn’t see your mother kill herself in front of your eyes. I did. Would’ve been hard enough to handle under normal circumstances. We ain’t anywhere near close to normal anymore. Drop it, Turner.”
“I won’t drop it! You’re right—we ain’t close to normal. What if one of those things was wanderin’ in the woods? Or you ran into some military thugs my dad said are lurkin’ outside? Shaun said you weren’t even armed! Look, I get why you’re upset. Really. And I’m so sorry about your mom. I can’t even begin to understand how you must feel. All I know is I don’t want to experience the same kind of pain from losin’ you.”
Reed heard enough. After glancing over at Jane, who was still in deep sleep, he rose from the cot. It was time to intervene before Jesse snapped and woke everyone up from yelling at the boy. The cave was dark, illuminated by only a few candles strategically interspersed along the ground leading to and from the latrine. He wished they were scented because the cave reeked. He figured they were beeswax or some other non-toxic material. As careful as the Addisons’ were about everything else, he doubted they’d risk their lives by burning toxic candles underground.
It took several seconds for Reed’s vision to adjust to the darkness while making his way across the damp ground. The edginess in Jesse’s voice made him uneasy. She was just like Regina when angry. His heart clenched with grief just thinking about his sister.
Oh, God. Regina. What you did…what you sacrificed…I still can’t comprehend it all. Can’t grasp all of this mess. The hole in my heart will never, ever heal. Poor Jesse. I’m really worried about her mental state. How long will it be before she cracks? Before we all do? How much longer do we each have?
Turner and Jesse stopped talking when they saw Reed heading their direction. Jesse’s face and eyes were red from crying. The dark circles under her
eyes made her look like she was high. Even from several feet away, Reed could tell she was antsy. She rubbed her arms while pacing in front of the cot in small circles. He’d forgotten Jesse was claustrophobic. Though he appreciated the shelter provided by the Addisons, Reed wished it was above ground.
No, I wish none of this had happened and we were all back at home. Except there isn’t a home to go to any longer. Those fighter jets obliterated all of Malvern. We barely escaped in time.
Before Reed had a chance to say anything, Walter spoke up from behind him. “Turner? Need some help with the water outside. Can’t seem to get the pump workin’. We all need to get cleaned up, and that ain’t gonna happen until we fix whatever’s wrong.”
Turner squeezed Jesse’s hand and gave her a light kiss on her dirty cheek. Jesse’s smile was feeble and fake as she watched Turner follow his father outside.
“You doin’ okay, honey?” Reed whispered after joining Jesse.
Tears filled Jesse’s eyes. Her hair hung in tangled knots around her face. She looked like she’d been on the streets for weeks. Jesse shook her head and looked away.
“I know, honey. I know. Try not to be so harsh on Turner. He’s just worried about your safety. I am, too. What you did yesterday mornin’ was—”
“Don’t you start in on me too, Uncle Reed. There’s too much runnin’ around inside my head, and I don’t need another lecture to add to it! God, I can’t stand it here. It’s like bein’ in jail all over again. I’m filthy, tired, sore, and jittery, on top of several other things. It’s almost like I’m detoxin’. Take me outside. Please? Just to walk around for a bit? If I stay inside here another minute, I’ll flip. I can’t do this. Can’t handle bein’ trapped.”
“Of course. Let me use the bathroom first.”
Martha appeared and put an arm around Jesse’s shoulders. “Reed, why don’t you go and see if you can help my husband and son with the water pump? The faster we get it workin’, the faster we can all take hot showers. I’ll take Jesse outside. Need to go get the remainin’ supplies from the vehicles we left behind. How about a nice walk through the pretty woods, honey? That’ll make you smile. Communin’ with nature does wonders for a troubled soul.”
“Shower? A hot shower? Are you serious? How’s that even possible?” Jesse asked.
Martha smiled and Reed noticed pride sparkle in her eyes. “Arkansas is full of hidden springs all over the state, just like the bubblin’ ones in Hot Springs. Granted, the water’s too hot to actually bathe in when it comes straight from the ground, but considerin’ how far it’ll have to travel through plastic pipes to get here, it should cool off enough that our skin won’t burn away.”
“A hot shower. My God, I don’t think three words have ever sounded so invitin’,” Reed whispered. A fleeting memory of the last dual shower he took with Jane popped inside his head. There certainly wouldn’t be any of that sort of private, intimate time now. Too many people around and no door on the shower. The small indentation carved into the rock serving as a place to get clean didn’t even have a curtain.
Wow, still a dude. Thinking about sex in the midst of all this mess. Some things never change.
“There’s a spring less than half-a-mile from here," Martha continued. "It’s another reason Walter picked this location. Took us six months to install a pump system underground and run the pipes through this thick rock. Guess since we ain’t turned it on in years, its bein’ stubborn. Don’t you worry none, girl. Once those boys get it up and runnin’ and you get under that warm water, it’ll be just like home.”
Jesse snorted. Reed could tell she was about to say something rude, so he put his hand on her shoulder. “That’s certainly good news, Martha. As I said the night we arrived, we more than appreciate your hospitality. I’m sure everyone’s nerves will settle somewhat after a nice shower and change of clothes. Right, Jesse?”
Jesse shrugged Reed and Martha’s arms off. “Yeah, right. I didn’t have time to pack fresh duds, or go shoppin’ for new ones at Walmart. It’s the end of the world and I’m wearin’ pajamas. Classic.”
Martha eased the tension with a gentle laugh. “Don’t you worry none about that, girl. I’ll share some of mine stored away up here until we can snag you some new ones. Now, get your coat, honey. I’ll meet you at the entrance. Oh, and make sure to grab a portable radio from the shelf by the door. Turn it to channel forty.”
Jesse didn’t say a word in protest. She nodded once then walked away, her shoulders sagging as the weight of their situation bore down on her body. Reed and Martha watched her thin frame disappear as she rounded the corner leading to the front entrance.
“Sorry about that. Jesse doesn’t handle enclosed spaces very well,” Reed said.
“No apologies needed, Reed. Ain’t none of us handlin’ this nightmare too well. She’s doin’ fine.”
“I don’t think there were twenty words spoken by all of us yesterday. It was like everyone’s battery conked out.”
“That’s because we all needed a mental break to digest what we’ve been through. I believe the proper term is shock. None of us were prepared for this. None of us.”
“You and your family were,” Reed countered.
“We were ready for troublin’ times, but this? Well, this never entered any of our minds. A bio attack? Sure, we were ready for that. But, we always thought, you know, it would be a flu epidemic or somethin’ similar. A disease we’d hide from until it died out, then things would go back to normal. What’s happened—well, ain’t none of us ever took the whole dead risin’ from the grave serious. Tryin’ to absorb the horrors of the last forty-eight hours is gonna take time. Lots of it.”
“No, we surely weren’t. Listen, Martha, I owe you an apology for what I said back on the road—”
“Don’t,” Martha said, shaking her head. “After what happened with Regina, I’m surprised you and Jesse aren’t still catatonic. Go, give Walt and Turner a hand. I’ll take care of Jesse. She probably needs a female’s soft touch. She’ll just try to remain defiant and stoic around menfolk. She needs to let out what she’s feelin’ then be done with it. I’ll be more than happy to be the shoulder she falls apart on.”
“Thank you, Martha. You’re one hell of a gal. Walt’s a lucky man. You sure Lamar or one of the deputies shouldn’t go with you? For safety’s sake?”
Martha patted the assault rifle slung over her chest. “I guarantee you, I’m a better shot than all of them. We’ll be fine. Promise.”
Reed smiled and walked to the makeshift bathroom. After relieving himself, he grabbed his jacket, portable radio and gun. He glanced over at Lamar, Allsop and Bailey, who were all huddled together by the food pantry, whispering. Jane was still out on the cot. She’d spent almost the entire day before taking care of all of them. She’d checked for any signs of contamination, dressed wounds, lent a sympathetic ear to anyone who wanted to talk.
None of them had. Most were still too preoccupied grappling with the traumatic events to speak.
Reed walked over to Lamar and said, “If she wakes up before I get back, will you tell her I’m with Walt and Turner, helpin’ to fix the water pump outside? Don’t want her to wake up and worry. Oh, and that Jesse is goin’ with Martha to fetch the remainin’ supplies from the Humvees?”
Lamar nodded. “Sure thing. Want one of us to go with the girls?”
Though Reed didn’t know Lamar Wilson very well, he noticed the man had changed during the last forty-eight hours. Reed guessed Lamar was close to his age, yet he looked a good ten years older. Hell, if Reed had a mirror and peeked, he probably did, too. All of them were worn down to their mental and physical nubs. “No, they’ll be fine. Think Jesse needs some bondin’ time with another lady.”
Bailey spoke up. “Mr. Newberry, I’m so sorry about what happened with…” Bailey stopped and gathered his emotions before continuing. “Chief was a great lady. A true hero, and none of us will ever forget what she did for all of us.”
Hearing another
man choke back tears made Reed’s heart pound with grief. Reed nodded in agreement while swallowing the lump in his throat.
Bailey asked, “How about we follow them, but they don’t know we’re doin’ it? I don’t like the idea of them goin’ out alone.”
Reed glanced over his shoulder. Martha was busy checking the clip on the AR-10. “I have the feelin’ Jesse’s in good hands, so no. Need y’all to watch the place while we’re gone. You know, in case…?”
Letting his words trailed off, Reed knew it was an unnecessary sentence. They all were aware of the dangers. The three men nodded and went back to their previous conversation, so Reed went topside.
The minute he smelled fresh air, Reed realized how smelly the cave had been. He would never admit it to anyone, but he understood why Jesse was having such a difficult time. Human beings weren’t meant to live like moles.
Gravel crunched behind him. Reed stiffened, hand immediately reaching for his weapon while spinning around.
“Easy, big guy. It’s just us. We’re off to get the supplies and clear our noses,” Martha said.
“Sorry,” Reed let out a huff of air. “Nerves.”
“All of us are edgy. Some more than others,” Jesse responded.
Reed noticed she was holding a gun, and the sight almost made him laugh at the absurdity.
Jesse snorted. “Guess we’ll need to start announcin’ our presence before one of us snaps and shoots before knowin’ what’s makin’ the racket. Don’t forget to watch out for others, Uncle Reed. That guy I ran into yesterday probably ain’t alone.”
A sense of unease crawled up Reed’s back. The faint smell of smoke in the air tickled his nose. Seeing his niece holding a rifle made his stomach burn. Jesse didn’t have much experience with any sort of weaponry.
“Stop lookin’ at me like that, Uncle Reed. Ms. Martha’s gonna teach me how to shoot. I’ll make Mom proud.”
Tainted Future (The Rememdium Series Book 3) Page 3