Washington, D.C. didn’t do any better. The ghettos and slums held on longer than the upscale neighborhoods and the capital area. This was due to the criminals who frequented those places ignoring D.C.’s old gun ban and the ongoing restriction efforts. They were able to fight back and even secured some of the housing projects. But the city as a whole was crumbling, and the military soon evacuated, taking the president and most of the surviving congressmen with them. The everyday inhabitants and tourists who’d been caught there were left to fend for themselves.
There were reports of enclaves being established in some major cities, much like what Briana and I saw outside Fort Worth at the Cabela’s store. These tended to be ad hoc and less than ideal, and I doubted if many would last long. Still, it was something. There were also reports of small towns that had completely wiped out their zombie menace, which made me think of Edwin.
On a side note, but a fascinating one, there was a woman on the news who declared that this was actually a good thing, that the death of the human parasites would eliminate global warming and allow nature to flourish once more. She was beaten to death by a camera man. The entire thing was broadcast live, and no one in the studio tried to stop him. I wish I had seen that. Bad, I know, but it’s true.
Unfortunately, the volume of available news quickly diminished. First, one station went off the air, then another. The cable blinked in and out as well. By the time their own power shut down there were just a couple of sources still broadcasting, and those had been able to provide only the scantest of updates.
* * *
“This is so bad,” said Mary. “What are we going to do?”
“We need to leave,” decided Lizzy. She tried flexing her leg. After a day and a half of rest her hip felt better, but she was still far from normal. “We can’t stay here.”
“The doors are locked.”
“Still too easy to get in Lois,” countered her girlfriend, “and you know how many are out there. A bunch of them could do it, definitely.”
They had been taking turns keeping watch, peeking out the windows. The streets were full of the shambling monsters, and there had been no sign of other survivors. Garden City was one of those towns that died with barely a whimper.
“My cousin’s house. It’s little, but it has steel doors and bars over all the windows.”
“You mean Scotty?” asked Lois.
“He’s nuts,” added Mary.
“Well, yeah, he is a bit paranoid, but it’ll be impossible for those things to get inside, and I have a key in case he isn’t home. We go there and lock ourselves in. It’s better than here, and we’ll have time to think.”
“Okay,” said Mary, almost immediately. They’d put the zombie that attacked Lizzy and her parents’ bodies in the yard and covered them with a tarp. The dried blood was still on the carpet and walls though, a constant reminder. She was ready to go.
“Can you move well enough?” asked Lois.
“We’ll take your car. I just have to get to your driveway. I can do that, no problem. I’ll drive.”
“No Lizzy, I’ll drive. You’re in no shape.”
“And you’re a bad driver,” pointed out Mary. She tried to smile but to no avail.
“I am not… Never mind. Fine, you can drive. Get your stuff together.”
No one moved.
“What should we take?” asked Mary, after a short pause.
“Um, food, the first aid kit definitely – the way I’ve been going, that’ll be used again – whatever you need, clothes, tampons. I don’t know if we’ll get back here again, best to assume we won’t.”
* * *
The drive across town was interesting, in a dark sort of way. The zombies followed them of course, drawn to the sight and sound of the moving car. Lois easily outpaced the things, but more kept coming, exiting from side streets and alleys. The numbers were troubling and terrifying. Still, Scotty’s house was clear, and, at Lizzy’s urging, Lois parked on the grass near the front door.
“Mary, get the bags,” she ordered. “I’ll get the door.” Drawing her gun, she unlocked it and stepped inside. “Scotty? You here?”
“Hurry,” urged Mary. Lois took one of the heavy duffel bags from her. “They’re coming.”
Lizzy stepped aside so they could enter and secured the heavy door behind them. The zombies began to pound on it moments later, but that accomplished nothing. Her conspiracy obsessed and more than a little unstable cousin lived in a solid brick house. The walls couldn’t be battered down, and the doors had cross bars that could be dropped in place. Even so, the zombies were persistent and banged away for just over fifty one hours until something distracted them and they finally forgot about the people inside.
* * *
On the eighth day, Mary spotted another group of survivors. “Lois! There are people in a car!”
“What? Where?” She hurried to the window. “Think they’re going for the supermarket.” It was on the corner, only a block away, in clear view.
“Lots of zombies all around it,” said Mary. “I don’t think they’ll be able to get inside.”
Despite what they had brought with them, and what Scotty had in his pantry, Lizzy had been forced to insist on rationing. The three didn’t have more than a few weeks worth of food, and when it ran out they would have to try for the store or maybe another house themselves. Scotty did have an insane amount of bottled water in his garage however, but nothing else of practical value. The guy never made much sense.
Lizzy really wanted to know what had happened to him. He wasn’t at home, and his truck was likewise missing. A handful of attempts to call resulted in nothing. Cell phone service had vanished almost immediately, but that might not have mattered. Scotty had a tendency to forget to charge his phone.
“Lizzy,” called Lois, “come take a look.”
She ambled out of the kitchen. The swelling in her hip had gone down, and she was able to walk with only the slightest discomfort.
“What is it?”
“There are people by the store,” answered Mary. “They’re circling about. Looks like they don’t know what to do. Oh, no!”
Their indecision had been costly. More and more zombies appeared, drawn to the noise, and streets that had been largely empty moments ago were now clogged with walking corpses. There was no clear route out.
“We have to help them,” stated Lois, her countenance grim.
Not waiting for the others to give their opinions, she jerked the door open and waved. They obviously saw her because the car turned and sped straight for the house.
“They’re going too fast,” snarled Lizzy. She forcibly pulled Lois back inside, ignoring her squawk of indignation. “Damn idiots!”
Panicking, the driver shot forward to what she prayed was safety. Bouncing off the curb, the woman lost control and slammed headlong into the side of Lois’s car.
Lizzy took one look at the mass of zombies approaching the house, then another at the wreckage and the dazed and bleeding people within, before shoving Lois behind her and barring the door.
“We can’t leave them Lizzy!”
“Too late,” observed Mary, from her vantage by the window.
The zombies had surrounded the car. Smashing windows, they reached inside and dragged the occupants out, the broken glass slicing deep into their flesh. All four were bitten repeatedly, their screams soon falling silent.
* * *
The trio remained in Scotty’s house, unsure what to do and trying hard to maintain some sort of morale. Mary proved to be the most resilient, and with Lois still alive, she was dealing with the loss of her parents better than anyone could expect. She’d always been closest to her sister, and Lois was the one she went to with her problems or if she needed somebody to talk to. Still, she was prone to long moments of quiet and the occasional bout of despair.
Then they heard the rumbling of Stan’s convoy. It was clear that a large number of automobiles and trucks were approaching, and they couldn�
�t pass up the chance to escape. So Lizzy checked to be certain her gun was loaded, pocketed the little bit of extra ammunition they had, and stepped outside.
“We need to move fast.”
Mary looked skeptical.
“None of that. I know you’re like three times faster than me.”
“At least.”
“But still and all. Wait.” She stopped and turned down another road instead. “The zombies can hear that too, and they’ll be going the same way. We may run into the ones ahead of us while more are coming up behind.”
“Never would have guessed that,” said Mary. “Oh, there they are.”
The monsters had come into view and seeing more ready prey targeted the women instead.
“We need to run,” said Lois.
“Wait a second.” Lizzy was trying to listen. “The cars are moving faster than I thought. We do need to run!”
She hurried off at a fast pace, the fastest she could sustain, and Mary quickly darted ahead with long, easy strides.
“Don’t get too far away,” ordered Lizzy, already breathing hard.
“They are way slower than us. We can avoid them.”
“Not if you get surrounded. Pay attention to me girl.”
“Mary! Stay closer,” demanded Lois. She did not leave Lizzy’s side.
Her younger sister gave a brief nod and let them catch up, somewhat, but she stayed in the lead and chose the route based on the obstacles and number of zombies she spied.
“They’re passing us!” shouted Mary. The sound was beginning to decrease. “Should I sprint and try to get them?”
“I…” Lizzy didn’t know. It might save them, but could she allow Mary to run off alone. She was in excellent condition and could probably do it, but the risk was so great.
A mob of zombies that had been tracking the convoy spotted them and turned. Mary screamed and rushed back toward the others.
“Not that way,” she said, veering down an empty street.
Lizzy and Lois took a good look at the fifty or so dead bodies approaching and moved to follow Mary. The thirteen year old’s first thought was to return to the house, but there were more barring the way. Then she remembered the dress shop. It was nearby, and she guided the others there. Bolted into the side wall was a narrow metal ladder leading to the roof. Mary shot up it gracefully and stood fifteen feet above the street. From there she was able to see the vehicles of Stan’s convoy in the distance, until they vanished from view.
“Mary!”
She looked down. “Zombies are coming. Get up here before they see you.”
The small indentation that ran alongside the building, housing a pair of steel dumpsters, provided Lizzy and Lois with a modicum of concealment, but that wouldn’t last long. The pair quickly pulled themselves up and collapsed in exhaustion.
“Are any coming?” asked Lizzy. “Cause I don’t know if I can shoot anything right now.”
Mary glanced over the edge. “Nope. I don’t think they know we’re up here.”
“Then away from the sides and be quiet, so they don’t spot you.”
“Cars are gone.”
“I figured as much.”
“What do we do now?” asked Lois.
“I, ah, let me think.” She was quiet for a bit. “We need to get back to the house, but maybe we can find another car first. Then we can get away if we need to.”
“Or follow all those other ones. They were moving very slow. We can probably catch up,” pointed out Mary, “even if we leave a few hours from now.”
“How many zombies in the street?”
The teenager crept to the side and peered over. “About a dozen, all spread out. None are by the ladder.”
“See any cars with keys in the ignition?”
“Lizzy, I don’t exactly have any binoculars or a telescope you know, and I can’t see that far by myself.”
“Sorry. How about any that look like we could take em?”
“I don’t know. What do I look for?”
Lois joined her sister. “It is really, really hard to tell Lizzy. I think we’ll have to check them one by one when we get down.”
“Damn,” she muttered. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do. We are going to rest some, maybe longer, and then we’ll try to find a car or just go back to Scotty’s house if we can’t.”
* * *
Later, as they were preparing to descend, Mary spotted a Jeep Wrangler, with two other vehicles following it, coming up the same road.
“More cars!”
“Not so loud,” snapped Lizzy. She quickly spotted them as well. “Yes!”
“Didn’t you say…”
“Not now.” Lizzy checked the area beneath the ladder. It was still clear. “Down fast, and then we run for them. This might be our only chance, so no stopping.”
Chapter V
We left the state park first thing on the sixteenth day, continuing north. We encountered no problems, and by late afternoon we had made it to McCook, Nebraska. With the exception of having longer stops to siphon gas, along with searching abandoned cars for any supplies we could use, our speed was more than satisfactory.
Coming across an empty house several miles from the town, we decided to stop for the night. Lizzy and I checked to be certain it was clear, with Briana providing close cover. Simon didn’t want to leave his wife and son, and I doubt Julie would have allowed it anyway. She was still blaming everything on me, and while I knew, logically, that Juliette’s death was not my fault, not directly, I felt bad for the little girl. Likewise, Cherie made no offer to assist, nor did she provide any excuses. I didn’t think she was a coward, but she clearly wasn’t going to take chances if someone else would do it for her. Lois seemed somewhat timid – Lizzy confirmed this later – and Mary was too young, so I didn’t even consider their possible assistance.
“This’ll be better than sleeping in the cars.”
“First of all Lizzy,” I replied, “you’re in a Jeep, not a car. Do not call it a car. Do not think of it as a car. Granted, it’s only a Grand Cherokee, but it still bears the Jeep name.”
Mary began to giggle. So did Briana.
“Second, we have to make sure it’s secure before going to sleep. Don’t want anything coming in while we’re snoring.”
“That’s easy,” retorted the woman, “and with all of us, we can keep watches.”
I looked down at her, and she glared right back up at me.
“Good point,” I conceded. “The two of us had been alone for quite a while. We hadn’t been able to do watches.”
“There’s a creek in the back too,” said Briana, “and we have buckets.”
“Why’s that so important?” demanded Lizzy.
“Sponge baths,” we answered in unison.
Mary’s giggles shifted to laughter, although it seemed forced. She was probably trying to not think of Juliette, something none of us could do.
“We’ve taken buckets of water before and used tubs to get washed up. It’s not as good as a proper shower or bath, but you can get clean,” I explained.
“Me and Lois are first,” said Lizzy. “I’m calling dibs.”
Julie let out a sound that was something between a hiss and a curse and stomped into the kitchen, dragging her son along by the wrist.
“Simon,” I suggested, “why don’t you go and see if there are any canned or dry goods we can cook for dinner and anything we can take with us tomorrow.”
“Sure thing Jacob.” He sounded grateful for an excuse to join his wife before she started yelling for him.
“Only two rooms with beds,” said Briana, “and both are little twin beds at that.”
“Mary and Michael get those,” I decided. “Let them have a good night’s rest. We’ll stick the Bransons in one room and Lizzy and Lois in the other so Mary can keep an eye on them and make sure they behave.”
“Lizzy never behaves,” said Mary. “She’s incorrigible.”
Her glare shifted to the petite teenager.<
br />
“What about the three of us?” asked Cherie.
“We get the living room,” answered Briana quickly, “with me on the couch, you in one chair, and Jacob in the other.”
With the layout of the furniture, it put Briana between me and Cherie. Cherie gave her a knowing smile and nodded. That only made Briana’s face darken.
* * *
The following day, with the underlying tensions not improving in the slightest, we left US-83 and took some back roads as we made our way to US-385. That highway would take us the final leg to the Nebraska National Forest. You know, the terms Nebraska and forest really don’t go together, and yes, I realize that’s a somewhat meaningless comment. Anyway, progress slowed dramatically at that point.
We had to cross two interstates, I-76 and I-80. Both proved difficult. At the first, the interchange was blocked by an overturned semi. We were forced to follow the access road for several miles before we finally found a crossing. The large number of zombies walking up and down the road did not help matters. We saw no survivors.
The second was worse. Not wanting to waste additional time looking for an alternate route, we decided to go off road and simply traverse the interstate. I made a mistake, however, in permitting Lizzy to take the lead. Now that she was no longer bound by the court order that took away her license, the woman was behind the wheel all the time. She loved speed. She loved adventure. She was more than a little reckless. In this case, she picked a steep spot, as steep as you find in that part of the state, and zipped over the access road and right up the grass. Her Jeep slid a bit but made it without too much difficulty.
I shifted to four wheel drive, moved to the side where it was less angled, and joined her. Cherie came along behind me. But Julie, pissed at the world Julie, tried to follow Lizzy’s example instead of taking the easier route. Their SUV made it most of the way up the slope, but then the tires began to spin in the mud. It slid back down and ended up in a ditch.
Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse (Book 1): Sanctuary Page 14