Afraid of the Dark

by Chris Hechtl

  Wayne looked up and then shrugged. “Edgemont.” he said.

  “Edgemont? Really?” Jayne asked. Edgemont was a part of old Moreno Valley that had been passed over a lot whenever renovations were going on. It was bordered by the old 215, Eucalyptus Street, Day Street, and went as far South as Alessandro. It was a wooded area just South of them, with old homes and a lot of trash in the empty fields.

  “Wayne is taking Edgemont. I'm going in the opposite direction. I’m going to try to head into Canyon Springs again. That plaza has a generator and I've got a couple of people who want to turn that into a base,” Torres said. “Jill's been going there every day to keep the cell tower working.”

  “Good for them,” Jayne said with a nod. She turned on Wayne. “Edgemont?” she asked again. “Seriously?”

  “It’s nearby and we haven't checked it,” he said shrugging as Torres looked down and checked her gear.

  “Okay,” she said with a shrug.

  “We get the radios back yet?”

  “Yes and no. We've got some cell coverage. I think there are two working towers left in town, one we've got in that plaza,” she said nodding to Torres who looked up. “Best coverage is here of course but it's getting spotty since we've got a lot of people on the net.”

  “Okay,” Wayne said. I think it will be a good idea to check the area round us out. See what's going on and try to, well...”

  “Do the best you can. If you find anyone...”

  “We'll send them your way, we know,” Wayne said with a shrug and a wave.

  “Thanks,” Jayne said dryly. She didn't really want more mouths to feed; she had enough headaches and more growing every day. But the boss man was right, everyone deserved to survive. And come to think of it, she didn't want to have some kid off on his or her own out there with the damn monsters. That thought sent a cold chill up her spine.

  “Stay safe,” she said and walked off.

  It took a bit of work with the tow trucks to move debris and burnt out cars out of the way, but they made it up Eucalyptus and into the area before eight a.m. It was a bleak sight. They played a pre-recorded sound loop, calling for people to come out. No one did.

  “It's not like we're a damn ice cream truck, come on people,” Wayne muttered under his breath.

  “Either they're scared or they are dead boss,” his partner said.

  “Most likely dead,” the guy in the back said.

  “Don't say that. Someone's got to live in this mess. We just have to find them.”

  “Well, we're getting plenty of reports of aliens,” Saif said from the back seat. He grimaced. He was starting to reconsider signing on as a medic for the teams.

  “Yeah,” Wayne said, watching a big thing standing on two legs munching at the top of a tree. “Yeah I can see that,” he said.

  The area was teeming with alien life, but drying out due to the lack of water. The crews had been busy, cutting off water and utilities to areas that didn't need it. He wasn't happy about that. What would happen if they had a fire? With the winds blowing it would tear through the uncovered areas in a fire storm. Anything caught in its path would be incinerated.

  He scowled at a herd of aliens as they paused. He leaned on the horn as they milled about in the street. Eventually he moved forward and the truck crept into the mix.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  “We're not getting anywhere Deputy Wayne. Sorry,” Enrique said over the radio an hour later.

  “I know. Fall back to covering the salvage teams,” he said.

  There was the sound of static and then a weak voice.

  “Who is on this station?” he asked.

  “Probably a kid playing with the set in the mall,” Saif said from the back seat.

  “.... Wayne?” the volume pitched up and down. “Deputy John Wayne?” the voice repeated.

  “Yes, who is this?” he called.

  “Kyle...”

  “Damn,” Wayne said, eyes wide. “You're alive?”

  “Not quiet kicking anymore but pissed. Someone want to send a medic my way? Jolie got a bit tore up and needs medical attention. If it's not too much of a bother.” The voice was rough with emotion. Wayne smiled. He was glad an old friend was still alive.

  “Jolie... hang on. I'll get there as soon as I can,” he said looking around. He waved to a couple of SUVs and a truck to follow him.

  “Where are we going?” Saif asked. He was a medic. He'd caught part of that but wasn't sure what was up.

  “Riverside. Mead Valley border really. A friend of mine's in trouble. Anyone who wants out can get out now. I'm going,” he said firmly. The others looked at the herds of aliens around them and shrugged.

  “No man, I'm good,” Saif said.

  “Thought so. Let's go.”

  They picked their way through the area to Alessandro and the old 215. Alessandro was blocked by cars but he managed to take some side streets into the Mead Valley area. He reached a battered brick house, out in the scraggly boonies, an hour later.

  The man was Kyle, an older man, former marine and former deputy sheriff. He had been shot in the line of duty years ago and was paralyzed from the waist down. Jolie was his daughter. Both of them were avid gun nuts. He explained this to the others as they climb out of the trucks. They all froze at the sound of a shot. They looked up to an open window, to see a barrel sticking out and pointing to a nearby field.

  Kyle was sniping aliens from his rooftop window. “What the hell do you think you're doing?” Wayne bellowed, cupping his hands to his mouth.

  “'Bout time you got here,” Kyle yelled back. They could hear the click-clack as he chambered another round. “Be with you in a minute,” he said and fired again. There was another click-clack. Saif turned in time to see an alien buffalo creature teeter and then fall to its knees and then onto its side. It kicked and then lay still.

  “Damn.”

  “Yeah, he's good,” a female voice said from the open doorway.

  “Jolie?” Wayne asked coming onto the porch.

  “Yeah, you think someone else would put up with the old fart?” she asked as his eyes adjusted. When they did they widened a little. The teen had grown since he'd seen her last. She had longer hair and a bloody bandage on her arm and leg.

  “I'm glad you showed up,” she said, wincing as she sat back. “Dad's plum nuts to stay here as long as we have. We've got to get to somewhere more defensible. Somewhere with people.”

  “I heard that,” Kyle said. Wayne knelt next to Jolie and looked up to see Kyle on the lift as it carried him down the stairs. “And I'm not nuts. I was waiting for things to sort themselves out,” he said.

  “Sure dad. Sure. Now can we get moving?” she asked, voice tight with pain. “Aspirin doesn't cut it.”

  “Aspirin my ass. I gave you a Motrin.”

  “Yeah well, it's wearing off.”

  “Damn,” Kyle said. “Sorry kiddo.”

  “Not your fault dad. Look folks, we've got a lot to do and not a whole lot to do it in. I think you're going to need to make multiple trips if we're going to get it all.”

  “It all?” Saif asked, kneeling next to the girl and pulling his medical kit open.

  “Yeah, all dad's guns. Not to mention mine, the ammo, and his other toys. That doesn't even include all the MREs and other shit,” she said.

  “Jared get started on it. Get the others going. Watch the outbuildings,” Wayne warned.

  Kyle nodded as he looked around. He felt a little wrong and he knew he would be leaving for the last time. They would be taking everything and everyone that mattered, that was important. He looked at his daughter again as the medic worked on her arm. He'd almost left it until it was too late. Lost what was really the most precious thing in the house. Everything else, even his tattered hide didn't matter compared to her. He sucked in a breath, held it and then let it out slowly.

  The girl wasn't too bad. She'd been lucky. She been clawed by a young Hellcat that had hidden in the detached garage. Fortunate
ly it had been blinded by the morning light and she'd survived the encounter. The animal had been more interested in escaping than in hanging around. Kyle, having finally woken to what was at stake, had used his radio to see who he could reach.

  He loaded them up with his entire collection of weapons, ammo, mounts and other military and police gear. He even had an old SWAT van and an armored car. The armored car was old and rusted, without an engine, but they immediately saw the potential of restoring it.

  Kyle and Jolie practically lived on MREs, so they had quite a stockpile. Despite her injuries Jolie insisted on driving their old converted bus. It had been loaded up with the essentials. Kyle had gotten the idea after watching an episode of Doomsday Watchers.

  “Finally putting that old rust bucket to good use,” Wayne said kicking the beast's tires.

  “It's good,” Kyle said, eying the yellow monster. He'd wanted to put monster trucks on it before the invasion, but the expense of tearing the thing down and rebuilding the frame and suspension hadn't been worth the trouble. Besides, there had been that new Barrett he'd had to have. Now he was glad he hadn't, the Barrett was his pride and joy.

  “Where to?” he asked and spat. Saif dodged the spit and frowned. Wayne snorted.

  “The mall.”

  “The mall?” Jolie asked.

  “Oh great. The girl's going to live in the mall. You're kidding me right?” Kyle asked.

  “Girl's dream come true, I admit,” Wayne said with a shrug as he chuckled at the dance Jolie was doing. Not quite a jig with the bum leg, but not quite the twist either.

  “It's changed,” Saif said as the girl paused and winced, rubbing her arm. “And I told you to take it easy young lady,” he said sighing.

  “Yeah, yeah, I know,” she sighed. “Really though? The mall?” she asked. “When are we going?” she asked. All around them crews were busy loading up.

  “We will go just as soon as you get it together gal,” Kyle said gruffly. “Got your stuff?” he asked. She kicked the duffel at her feet. He looked down at it and grunted. “That it?”

  “The rest of it is guns, ammo and, well, a few things I tossed in the bus,” she said pointing to the banana behind her.

  “Okay, you know the way,” Kyle said.

  “Sure dad,” she said.

  “No, not exactly. We had to take a roundabout route. Saif, if you could...”

  “Sure boss,” Saif nodded. He climbed in behind the girl. When he got inside he whistled softly. The kid seats he'd expected had been taken out. The bus was packed with gear. Packed right to the roof line. There was one seat for the driver and another for a gunner by the door. He snorted.

  “Nice,” he said as she took the seat. She put down the arm rest and then buckled in. “Buckle in. This is going to be a bumpy ride. Dad was trying to get the suspension fixed but well...”

  “Yeah,” the medic said with a grimace. He knew that. His brother had driven taxis in LA for years. The one time he'd been in one it hadn't been a pleasurable ride. He buckled in and looked out the window as she started the beast up.

  “Am I clear on that side?” she asked. He looked. “Yeah,” he said. “Good to go,” he said, noting everyone was backing away from the yellow monster. He wasn't sure if it was because of its size, or the fact that it had a teen driver. Or a female teen driver. Come to think of it, that might be it. The ride back home suddenly got a lot more interesting.

  Jolie smirked as she put her headphones in and honked. “Time to get this beat up bitch rolling. Rooooolll out!” she yelled out the window.

  Saif sighed and silently prayed to Allah that he'd get home to his wife in one piece.

  Kyle watched the bus roll out and pursed his lips. “Yo Wayne, um... about the mall. There aren't any more boys there...”

  Wayne gave him a long look and shook his head and sighed a long suffering sigh. He knew where this was going. “You know its filled with people. Ten thousand or more.”

  “Really,” Kyle didn't sound enthused.

  “She's got to get out and see the world sometime you old fart,” Wayne said as he loaded a truck.

  “You know there is a reason I moved out into the boonies here. Its' not just because I'm a gun nut or a doomsday guy. Which by the way has come true.”

  “Cute. Father of a teenage daughter.”

  “Exactly,” Kyle said. “And the first guy who lays his hands on my little girl...” he growled. Wayne sighed.

  “Trust me Kyle, if she doesn't want it, she'll let them know. Probably with that .22 you let her carry around.”

  “Naw man, since the aliens showed up she upgraded to the 1911.”

  “Oh that's wonderful,” Wayne said rolling his eyes as he loaded a box of ammo. “Can we get back to work? You do realize while we're jawing she's half way to the mall?”

  “Shit man, why didn't you say so! Let's go!” Kyle said.

  There was so much gear they had to make three trips to get it all to the mall before dark. He'd even got a set up to make and repair gun parts and make ammo. Wayne finally felt like the tide was beginning to turn in their favor.

  Chapter 19

  Andy Rubix surveyed the crowd with a proprietary air. He smiled to his wife. His wife looked at him uncertainly. He patted her arm. “It will be all right. Now that we're here we'll show them.”

  “Is any of this even legal?” she asked, looking around. There were a lot of changes to the mall since they'd shopped here a week or so ago. Now it was looking like a fortress.

  “No, but I don't think they care. Which is something we need to get straight. I don't know if Mr. Ruiz or Mrs. Walnut, or Mrs. Lockheart survived, but if they did they won’t approve.”

  “I don't think its about approving as much as survival mate,” a guy said nearby. “And you may want to move,” he said as they turned his way. “You're blocking the path,” he said pointedly.

  “Sure,” Andy said, pulling his wife aside as people moved past with dollies. “Where did all this come from?”

  “From the empty houses of course,” the guy said with a snort. “And the businesses. Where have you been under a rock?”

  “Wait, you're looting the businesses? People's homes?” Kathy gasped; hand on her husband's arm. He patted it and turned to the man.

  “Who's in charge here?” he asked.

  “Super,” the guy said waving to a guy with a clipboard. “Name's Troy. He runs the dock. If you don't belong here you better leave or you'll get drafted right quick,” the guy said moving off.

  Andy scowled but wasn't in the mood to be drafted so he gently guided his wife into the building.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Andy scowled at his wife as he tugged her along. “This isn't working hon. We need to research. You can't expect to just come in and take over...” she said quietly.

  Andy didn't say anything as he walked. He wasn't happy about how things were run here. There was a small sentiment in some people, people who had been displaced by the new order and weren't happy about all the changes. It was a major thing to uproot people and turn this place into a castle. Who had the right? He had thought that if he had pointed out that they should be defending entire blocks it would be taken well, but that had fallen on deaf ears.

  He'd shifted focus to attacking the people in charge. He'd heard the guy in charge was some military nut job, a fruitcake who spent more time off somewhere than here actually running things. And where was he now? According to the gossip he was asleep! Asleep! While the aliens were eating people outside! Unbelievable!

  “Andy...” Kathy sighed.

  “Strike while the iron's hot. We've got to get order to this chaos before it sets in and people become used to it,” he said. He wasn't happy about being chased away from Sears. He'd been sure the working man would heed his call. Now he wasn't sure about the communist thing he'd felt. An all for one attitude wasn't natural. It wasn't American.

  “Now what?” she sighed. She knew her husband; she knew he wouldn't be stopped.
/>
  “We pick a better venue,” he said looking around.

  “We need to do it during the day. People are sleeping now,” she said looking around. “We should be too,” she said.

  “Exactly,” he said, getting a wicked smile and heading for the nearest barracks.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Grandstanding. I'm going to make it so they can't ignore me!” he said. “I'll have these people eating out of my hand in no time!”

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Sheila waved to Jen and Jayne urgently as they passed. “What gives?” Jayne sighed coming over. “Why didn't you call?”

  “Its important but I just found out,” she said. “I was about to call you when I spotted you,” Sheila said as she guided them to the escalator.

  “What's up? Another crisis?” Jen asked.

  “Some guy and his wife are making trouble. Rubix. Supposed to be part of the town council. He's not happy about what's going on. He started making noise at lunch before Scot chased him out. Now he's, I dunno I guess you could say stump speech making?” She asked as they reached the top floor.

  “Shit,” Jen said, mouth writhing in disgust. She knew Rubix; he was a big mouth on the city council. Hell he wasn't even on the council himself; he was an aide to the council. Which made him a self important little twit who liked to lord it over the little people. He thought he was on his way up the political ladder. His wife was little better, a member of the chamber of commerce and quite a politician's wife in the making.

  “I know them,” she admitted as they paused near the bench. Jayne turned to her. She shrugged under the inquiring gaze. “Trouble in a nutshell.”

  “Great,” Jayne sighed. She looked up at the skylight. It was dark, nearly eight. The aliens were out in force.

  “I think we need to talk to the council. Our council,” Jen said slowly. “He's liable to make trouble. That's what you're concerned about right?” she asked, turning to Sheila.

  Sheila looked at both women and nodded. “He's saying all kinds of crap. He started up about the looting...” she shrugged helplessly.