“Nice to meet you,” Chris said with a well placed grin.
The woman offered an awkward nod. “You have a plan on how we’re going to get out of here?” she asked.
“A plan?” His grin faded. “Honey, I’m making this up as I go.” The kids looked up at him with wild eyes. “Fancy meeting you here,” he said.
“Hi, Chris,” the kids replied in unison.
“You guys know each other?” the woman asked.
Chris nodded as his eyes worked along the top of the fence. He settled on the rear of the building. “It’s a long story,” he said as he turned and started to move. “We can go over it later.” He reached the wall as a sudden burst hit the back door and the top of the mountain of rock bags fell over. “…assuming there is a later, come on.”
Chris leapt up and grabbed the bottom rung of a maintenance ladder several feet off the ground, and then pulled himself up. Another hit against the door caused the kids to run with the woman close behind. Chris grabbed hold of the ladder with one hand and leaned down, stretching out as far as he could with the other hand.
“Move it.”
Alicen was the first to go. The woman grabbed her at the waist and lifted straight up. She struggled with the weight, but managed to hold still. Chris took hold of the little girl’s fingers as another push at the door sent the top half of the bags down on to the pavement. The door cracked open and a wave of guttural howls poured out through the opening. Chris lost his grip and Alicen’s outstretched hands swayed as the woman’s strength wavered.
Chris readjusted his hold, and then leaned down as far as he could without letting go. The sounds of the infected trying to get through the door echoed across the open space in a wave of terror. His heart beat wildly in his ears as reached for her. Their fingertips touched, then separated until finally he grabbed a firm hold. A second later, she was up and climbing over him towards the roof.
A scream from Jake pulled Chris’ attention back to the door. Two figures were through the opening up to the waist, clawing at the remaining barricade. Their weathered faces were cracked and broken in places, exposing the muscle and tissue underneath. Jake didn’t wait for an invitation. He leapt up on a stack of plant pots and jumped. Chris only had a moment to adjust. He slid his legs underneath the next rung in the ladder, then let go with his hand and leaned down backwards. The moment he came around upside-down, Jake’s waist slammed into his face. Chris wrapped his arms around the boy and the two dangled helplessly from the ladder. A ferocious cracking sound from the door told everyone their time was up.
“Climb.”
Jake reached for the ladder, giving Chris a knee in the face for his troubles. Chris was left hanging by his legs, his arms dangling toward the ground. A rush of rage pushed the door open and the infected poured into the fenced in space with a booming roar of bloodthirsty lust. The piercing screams of infected madness engulfed them as they climbed over one another to get at the fresh meat.
“Jump,” Chris said, as if the woman needed encouragement.
She bent down and pushed off the concrete with all her might. Chris caught her hands and pulled with everything he had left. She was climbing when the infected bodies swept in below them in a frenzy. They reached out for her as she dangled, climbing over one another to get a piece. The woman reached the ladder and Chris discovered he lacked the strength to reach up and straighten himself. The fenced in space filled with the infected and the gathering resembled a mosh pit.
“A little help here.”
His backpack was dangling and he was sure it was a goner. Only then, did he realize he’d dropped his bat somewhere during the fray. An abrupt grip on his belt buckle pulled his attention up above his position. The woman had one arm wrapped around the top rung of the ladder and the other around his belt. The force of the pull surprised Chris as he rocked his body to help his rescuer. It took two good swings for him to rise up far enough to grab hold of the ladder, then another few deep breaths before they climbed up.
The infected were everywhere below, like ants swarming on a dead carcass. The figures climbed over one another creating a mound of raging fury. The highest among them grabbed hold of the bottom of the ladder, trying to pull themselves up. Chris looked down over the side of the roof before going to work. He slammed the heel of his boot into the top of the ladder and the woman followed his example. She didn’t have to look over the side to know what was coming.
The metal pins holding the ladder to the roof screeched as the load increased. The sheer volume coming over the edge of the building was enough to cause the kids to run to the other side of the roof, engulfed by panic. They huddled close together in the far corner as Alicen cried. Chris kicked at the ladder with all his strength, until in one panic filled moment, the device pulled free. The crash that followed was lost within the howling vehemence of the infected below.
Chris followed the woman toward the kids cowering in corner and each gasped for breaths as they took in their surroundings. Chris considered for a moment how many times he’d come close to being torn to pieces since the infection broke. He was sure this was one of the all-time worst. It was in the middle of his internal debate that Alicen’s voice cut through with a simple question.
“How are we going to get down?”
#
“You left two kids to fend for themselves?”
This was the third time Jenn had asked the question, or made the statement, depending on how you looked at it. The introductions had been pleasant enough. They gathered in the corner of the roof overlooking the parking lot as soon as the group considered themselves safe. Light from the remaining operational parking lamps revealed the true extent of the infected and slumbering zombies attracted to the area by the recent chase. It was in this first calming moment that Jake explained how the kids knew Chris.
“How could you do that?” Jenn asked.
The tone of her voice told Chris she wasn’t really looking for an answer, but he felt compelled to defend himself. “First off, they left me,” he insisted, then he glared at Jake. “…and they stole some of my food in the process.” He conveniently left out the fact that he’d already decided to part ways with the kids before they ran away. “What was I supposed to do?” he asked, now on the offense. “It’s not my job to save everyone I come across.”
Jenn threw up her hands in frustration. “And why not? You got something better to do?”
Chris laughed at her, which only made the situation worse. “How about try to stay alive? Keep my ass from being eaten? There’s two pretty good things I can do right there.” He stopped laughing and held a determined gaze. He’d had enough of her holier than thou attitude. “Here’s a little dose of reality, honey. The world’s gone to crap and the infected and zed heads don’t care if their next meal is six years old or sixty.”
Jenn turned away from him and faced the parking lot. The lights from the lot silhouetted her on the edge of the roof. “I know that as much as anyone.”
Chris instantly felt badly about what he’d said. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he had a good idea of what her response meant. He walked away from the group and Jenn turned her attention to the kids. He could hear them as she tried to settle them down for the night.
“It’s going to get cold up here,” she said, sliding off a small backpack. She sat it down and removed a pair of towels, then offered them up to the kids as pillows or blankets.
“Are we going to leave in the morning?” Alicen asked.
“I hope so,” Jenn replied.
“…for Catalina?”
Chris rolled his eyes, but didn’t look over at them. Jenn got to her feet and headed in his direction as she answered the little girl.
“We’ll see.”
Typical parental response, Chris thought. Grownups never offered much commitment unless they were dead set on something. Kid’s minds didn’t seem to work that way. To them, everything was more black or white. Jake urged his sister to be quiet before she could get out a
follow up question. The two laid down, choosing to use the towels as pillows. Their jackets appeared warm enough for the weather, but even so, it would be a long, cold night. Jenn came to a stop a few feet from Chris and the two stood side by side looking out over the city in silence. She finally ended the standoff several minutes later.
“I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
Chris shook his head.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“No,” she said. “You came to help us and you didn’t have to do that. A lot of people wouldn’t have done it. It’s not your responsibility to help everyone you come across.”
The silence returned and Chris fought off the awkwardness as long as he could.
“You from Denver?”
She shook her head.
“Kansas City.”
“Boy, you’re a long way from home.”
“Hasn’t been my home since all this started.” She wiped her hand across her face and her shoulders relaxed. “…hung on as long as I could and finally realized help wasn’t coming. I felt like I had to get out of there.”
“What brought you to our fine city?” Chris flashed an uneasy smile. “Skiing?”
“Just passing through,” she said. “My parents were living in Vegas when the infection spread. Last time I got them on the phone, they were held up on the tenth floor of the Harrah’s casino.” She pushed her hair back behind her head and tied it up with something she pulled from her pocket. “What about you?’
“Me? I’m a Denver boy, born and bred.” Chris slipped his hands in his pockets as the loss of adrenalin gave way to the cold. “Actually, I was born a few miles south of here, but spent most of my life in and around the city.”
“You alone?” she asked sheepishly. It was a hard question to ask these days.
“Have been for a while,” he offered.
“Then why stay?”
Chris shrugged, then tried to rub the tired from his eyes. He pushed his hair up over his ears. It was longer than he cared for and he swore he was going to shave it off, if he got the chance. He found himself struggling to find a good answer to her question.
“Go where?”
Jenn looked back at the kids and lowered her voice.
“How about Catalina?”
Chris shook his head again.
“Don’t tell me they pulled you into that safe zone crap?”
“You don’t know if it’s true or not,” she said sharply.
“Don’t you think everyone would be searching for a place like that?” He didn’t bother to let her answer. “It’s been nearly a year and I haven’t heard of any safe place and I’ll bet a good night’s rest that neither have you.”
Jenn turned to face him.
“That still doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”
Chris frowned.
“And you’re going get them there? Or cut them loose when you reach Vegas?”
Jenn stood firm as her eyes narrowed. “I’m going to make sure they get there.” She said it as if she came to the decision at that precise moment.
“You don’t stand a chance,” Chris said.
“How do you know that?”
“The highways are the worst place to get caught on.” He took his hands out of his pockets and crossed his arms. “There's no food out there, there’s droves of the dead and infected everywhere, and that doesn’t even account for all the crazies out there setting up their own version of the new world.” His glare met hers. “And you want to go out in that with a couple of needy kids?”
“Those needy kids…” she started dangerously loud, and then caught herself. She stopped, took a deep breath, and lowered her voice. “Those needy kids made it here from Cheyenne on their own.”
Chris didn’t have a response for that. He looked over at the now sleeping children with a renewed respect. “You’re going to get yourself killed…” he managed, “…and them with you.”
Jenn gave up, turning her back on him. She walked away, leaving Chris with one final thought. “Staying here with no reason to live is like being dead already.”
Chris wouldn’t let it go, trying to convince himself that he was right to stay put. “What if you do make it,” he said, “you get there and discover the coast is covered with as much infected and undead as it is everywhere else, what then?”
Jenn laid down next to Alicen and settled in, placing her hands behind her head. “Then I’m no worse off than I would have been had I stayed at home and waited for them to come and get me. But at least I can say I tried and at least I won’t be alone.” She closed her eyes.
Chris was left in the silence. His mind had long blocked out the constant moan of the dead and the ebb and flow of the guttural howls of the infected. His only positive thought came from the knowledge that the infected would have to hide before the sun rose, but he still wasn’t sure how they were going to get down. Jenn’s questions stuck in his mind. He’d avoided asking himself similar questions many times before. The truth was that he didn’t have any good answers and he knew it. He didn’t want to think about it now, but something told him, he would need an answer very soon.
6.
The morning sun brought with it much needed warmth. Chris slept near his new companions, but not close enough to share in the body heat. He wasn’t sure they would have offered. His dirty, military fatigue jacket worked well against the wind, but spending all night outside was too much to ask of it. He’d spent most of the night struggling with his and Jenn’s final conversation. The answers he was searching for eluded him in his nightmare-filled slumber. He knew what his answers should be, but he hadn’t brought himself along far enough to go through with it.
He cracked an eyelid and discovered both girls up and moving around. Jake didn’t appear to be particularly interested in waking for the long day ahead. Chris sat up and focused in on Jenn and Alicen working on two cans. One was a pried open can of beans and the other ones missing label offered a surprise breakfast.
Chris cracked his neck, and then rubbed at the pain in his lower back. He dared to dream of a day when he would sleep on a pillow top mattress again. The moans of the dead from somewhere off the side of the building brought him back to his harsh reality. He stood up and approached the edge of the roof, giving Jake a shove with his boot as he passed. The parking lot looked like a war zone. There was no sign of the infected mob, although he guessed a majority of them were lying in wait underneath him in the dark recesses of the store. A few zombies walked between the abandoned cars in the lot, but there were not enough to be concerned about. Chris tried to determine how they might get down off the roof, when Jake cut through his concentration.
“Breakfast time.”
A quick look revealed the mystery can was filled with mixed fruit. The thought of combining fruit with beans didn’t sound appealing, but the growl from Chris’ stomach said it was worth a try. He stretched his hands over his head and listened to the joints in his shoulders pop. He took one last look at the lot and decided to save the dilemma of how to get down until after breakfast. He joined in a small circle with the others around the cans to which Jake had added two candy bars, both of which he assured everyone were not Chris’. Each of them held still waiting for the others to dig in. Chris had to be a gentleman to get the meal moving along.
“Ladies first,” he said with a grand bow.
Alicen and Jenn started and it wasn’t long before everyone had their portion of the carb and sugar fusion. Chris blurted out the only question he could think of to get a much needed conversation going.
“What’s your plan?”
Jenn looked up at him, her mouth half full. She glanced at the kids, then swallowed hard and reached for her bag. A few seconds of fumbling through the contents produced a badly worn map. The foldout resembled a roadside gas station purchase. It took her a few tries before she got it laid out flat, holding down the edges with a few rocks and the empty can of beans.
“We’re about here.” She pointed at the edge of
highway 391. “…and I-70 runs west, a clear shot across Colorado until it hits the 15 south midway through Utah.” She slid her finger along the blue highway line until it ran into an orange line. “The 15 runs straight through Vegas and continues into Los Angeles.” She looked from Jake to Alicen with a smile. “This is Catalina.” She motioned to an island close to the coast. “We’ll probably have better luck setting out for it from Long Beach.”
Chris cleared his throat and tried to think of a way to be polite. “How are you going to get there in one piece?” He knew the moment he said it that it wasn’t as cordial as he was hoping for. All three faces looked at him puzzled.
“We need to get a car, of course,” Jenn said.
Chris knew that wasn’t as easy as it sounded, but he pushed on. “My question still stands.”
Jake’s brow furrowed and Alicen’s soon followed. The two identical reactions were comical. Chris couldn’t figure out if they were doing it on purpose or if it was a side effect of being together for so long.
“We made it a long way by ourselves,” Jake said.
Jenn’s look hardened as if to say, yeah. Chris ran his hand through his hair as he tried to think of the best way to relay bad news. He moved around the map and settled on a direct approach. He ran his finger along the I-70 away from Denver.
“None of you are from here so I don’t expect you to know this.” He inspected the map closer to be sure about what he was going to say. “Taking this road is suicide.” Jenn tried to interrupt him, but he continued before she could get anything out. “This is mostly country with a few small towns here and there. Word was, when we still got word anyway, that people rushed out in this direction by the droves. They were trying to get away from the city when the infection started. The problem was that the first wave of the infection had a longer incubation period which meant all those people carried it out into the country with them.”
The Last Infection (Book 1) Page 4