The Last Infection (Book 1)

by Michael W. Garza

  Jake ducked around the corner of the final building and then stopped. Chris pulled in near him and both tried to catch their breath. They each had a firm hold on their bladed weapons, but Chris doubted they would do much good against the onslaught they witnessed coming over the fence. He was trying to process what he’d seen from the woman beyond the perimeter when Jake spoke up.

  “We have to find the girls now.”

  Chris shook his head as he examined the fence line beyond the clearing. He figured they’d never get a better chance to get away then right now. He also knew the boy wouldn’t willingly leave without his sister. A dirty thought clung to his mind. He didn’t want to acknowledge to himself that he was considering leaving Jake behind.

  “We don’t know where they are,” he said. “There’s no way the two of us can fend off those armed men, let alone the infected and the dead…” he paused, still not able to look at Jake. “If we don’t go now-“

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Jake started toward the front of the building, edging his way, hunched low to the ground. “Run away if you want to.” He didn’t look back for Chris. “I’m staying.”

  Jake reached the edge of the building and looked out over the street and the structures across from them. Chris gazed at the fence and felt the guilt tearing at his gut. Every instinct that he’d used to stay alive was telling him to run. He took a step away from the building, and then forced himself to take another.

  Chris tried to tell himself Jake would make it out alive, but he knew it was a lie. One way or another, the boy would die and so would the girls if they weren’t dead already. The sound of gunfire rose behind him and with it, the constant howl of the infected lingered. He reached the fence and grabbed hold. He started to remove his jacket when Jake’s voice forced him to turn around.

  “I see them.”

  Chris found the boy kneeling at the corner of the building. He was pointing at something out of view. Chris didn’t want to care what Jake was looking at, but he found himself rushing towards him. He was hovering over the boy a moment later, following his direction. Chris tried to ignore the frantic fight spilling out onto the street in the center of the encampment.

  Jake was pointing at a two-story building. The storefront on the ground level was dark, but light poured out of a set of windows overlooking the street. A long stare revealed a gunman in one of the windows, surveying the fray in the street. It wasn’t until he shifted his weight that Jenn came into view behind him.

  “You can’t just walk away.”

  Chris looked down to find Jake staring up at him. His eyes were strained and Chris couldn’t tell if he was about to collapse or burst into tears.

  “Can you?”

  Chris knew what he should say, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

  “We’re going to have to get across the street in a hurry.”

  “Then what are we waiting for?”

  Jake started off before Chris could stop him. They reached the center of the road before either risked a look at the mayhem now consuming the makeshift town. The seamless fence line at the northern most edge gave no hint at what was going on at the southern most point. The infected managed to hit the south gate and penetrate the fence behind the shops at the same time. The coordination to pull off such an assault was difficult to imagine.

  They reached the far side of the street and pushed up against the front wall of the last shop in the row. Chris led them around the side of the building, then down behind two more, until they reached their target. The buildings backed up to a small alley that ran parallel with the perimeter fence. Each structure had a rear entrance, lined on either side by a dumpster.

  The gunfire out on the street had reduced to sporadic shots and the implications spurred Chris to move faster. Once the fight was over, assuming the gunmen had held off the assault, they would be free to go about their business. He was pretty sure that business involved something bad for him. He urged Jake towards the rear door of the targeted building and tried the handle to no avail. Two quick hacks from his axe and the knob clinked off the pavement.

  The door swung open and Chris crept into a back room. The only light came from the sparsely lit alley shining in through the doorway. Chris put his finger to his lips and motioned Jake towards the other side of the only other door in the room. Chris grabbed the doorknob, then put his ear against the cold wood.

  The weight of what they were doing suddenly pressed down on him and sweat built on his brow. There was nothing coming from the door, but the sound of chaos still echoing in from outside made it was impossible to be sure. Chris glared at Jake, and then mouthed a count of three with corresponding head nods. The door slid open revealing a hall beyond cloaked in darkness.

  The long storefront windows Chris expected to find were hidden behind another wall at the end of the short hall. The pale alley light shined on a set of stairs ascending a few paces from the door. Chris stepped through and beckoned Jake to follow at a distance. The old boards creaked as they took his full weight and the sound carried up to the landing above. Chris reached a turn in the stairs before he waved Jake up after him.

  A thin line of light pierced the dimness from some unseen source on the second floor. Another few steps opened Chris’ view on a narrow hall with doors on either end. The lone source of light shined from a slit below the door facing the front of the building. Chris reached the landing and his heart thumped in his ears, as he tiptoed toward the door. He was close enough to grab the knob when the sound of voices reached his ears. Chris looked back for Jake, put his finger to his lips, and whispered.

  “There’s more than one of them.”

  He turned back to the door and before he could grab the knob, it spun. Light flooded the narrow hallway as a tall figure stared back at Chris with eyes as wide and shocked as his.

  “What the hell?”

  Chris reacted out of instinct, sending a jab to the man’s chin. He stumbled back into the room and let out a cry as he fell to the floor. Jenn rolled across the bed as another man turned from his position at the window, shotgun in hand. Chris leapt forward and rushed the gunman. The gun went off and the sudden explosion shook the room. The echo left Chris in a daze and it took him half a second to realize the shot had missed.

  Chris brought his axe around in a wide swing, but the blade hit the metal barrel of the shotgun as the gunman brought it up in defense. Chris grabbed hold of the man’s jacket and pulled him away from the window. The two spun around and the gun went off again as they slammed onto the floor. Chris landed on top by chance and used the leverage to get up on his knees. Jake worked on Jenn’s ties at the foot of the bed and Alicen’s face went by in a blur from the corner of the room.

  Chris was forced to drop his axe in order to grab the gun with both hands. The two men fought for control of the weapon and Chris quickly realized the gunman was no match for his strength. He risked a punch and caught his opponent on the nose. Blood splattered across his face and the gunman went limp. A split second was all Chris needed to gain control.

  One hard pull jerked the shotgun free from the gunman’s grasp and a solid shove sent the stock back down into his face. The first strike crunched his nose and the second ended with an awful cracking sound. Blood spewed from his mouth, mixed with an assortment of broken teeth. He gasped for air as the crimson mix filled in the back of his throat.

  Chris got to his feet and pulled the gun up to his face. The bedroom was deathly quiet. In one corner, Jenn stood in front of Jake and Alicen, guarding them with her body. The bruises on her face and arms gave some indication as to what she’d endured. Chris settled the barrel of his gun on the lone man now standing at the doorway to the hall. The man had a pistol drawn and aimed squarely on Jenn.

  “Put it down,” Chris said firmly.

  The gunman smiled an anxious grin. “The hell you say, boy. You put it down or I’ll fill that girly of yours with nice big holes.”

  The air was thick as silence set in. Chris knew
from the lessoning sounds outside that, time was not on his side. He slid his eyes to Jenn and found hers locked on him. It was the gunman’s gruff voice that brought him back with a tug.

  “I’m heading for the stairs.”

  He didn’t appear to be asking.

  “No.” Jenn’s sudden outburst caused him to stop. “You don’t get to walk away, you worthless piece of shit.”

  Chris knew he had to act fast and it was the gunman’s glance at the stairs that gave him an opening. The barrel of the pistol shifted a fraction away from Jenn’s direction as he looked over his shoulder. Chris didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. The gun went off and the result was an explosion in the man’s neck. He dropped onto the cold wooden floor in a heap, his head barely hanging on to his body.

  Jenn grabbed Jake by the sides of his face, and then embraced him. She kissed his head then turned back to Alicen. The little girl had stopped crying, but the shock in her eyes said she’d seen far too much for one night. Jenn pointed out in the hall and nudged Jake.

  “Go get the gun.”

  She started towards the end of the bed holding onto Alicen with one hand. Chris stepped out of the way and she came to a stop directly in front of him. He picked the axe up and offered it to her. Jenn took the weapon and headed for the door, but then stopped. She reached out and pulled Chris close before he could react and pressed her lips to his. She pushed him away when she was done and he nearly hit his head on the wall.

  “Thanks for coming back.”

  Jake had already retrieved the pistol by the time the others started for the hall. Jenn switched weapons with the boy then she had to cover Alicen’s eyes to get her to walk around the dead man on the floor. Chris led them down the stairs, each one moving at a painfully slow pace. He could see the hall at the bottom of the stairs when Alicen finally spoke.

  “I’m scared.”

  He reached the bottom step and she grabbed his arm trying to get his hand. Jenn attempted to stop her, but the little girl pulled herself free. Chris turned to face her and got down on one knee. Jake stepped past them and tried to get her to follow, but Chris waved him off. Alicen was staring at him, pleading.

  “Daddy, I’m scared.”

  Chris pulled back as if she’d slapped him.

  “What?”

  “I mean Chris… Chris, I’m scared.”

  He tried to regain his composure. “I can’t promise you we’ll be safe.” He glanced up at Jenn then back at the little girl. “But at least we’re together now.”

  He felt ashamed. Only a short time ago, he’d considered leaving them to certain death. Alicen didn’t say anything, only nodded her understanding. The fear on her face was palpable. She leaned in, put her arms around his neck, and squeezed.

  “Alright,” Chris said. “That’s enough.” He tried to pull her away, but needed help from Jake to get her to let go.

  A moment later, they were standing in the back room. The sound of erratic gunfire echoed in from outside. Chris pulled the door open and stuck his head out for a look. The way south was clear, but movement behind the adjacent building caused him to raise his gun.

  Chris stepped out and moved behind the dumpster against the exterior wall. He counted at least four figures carrying what appeared to be a makeshift cot between them. They were heading across the alley toward the perimeter. He followed their path with his eyes and found two figures waiting beyond the fence. The foursome was heading toward a crosscut section in the barrier.

  Chris stepped out from behind his cover and the group came to a stop. He quickly discovered a pair of guns pointed in his direction from outside the fence line. Chris froze, but before he could warn the others, Jenn and the kids stepped out of the building and joined him. There was a hushed debate among the group headed for the fence, which ended with them continuing on their way. The foursome reached the hole in the fence and a heavily accented voice called out.

  “Friend or foe?”

  Chris gave the most honest answer he could think of.

  “I have no idea.”

  The reply appeared to catch the speaker off guard. It took several tense moments before the next question came across.

  “Are you trying to get out?”

  The question was one Chris could understand.

  “Yes, we want the hell out of here.”

  There was an immediate heated discussion amongst the outsiders and Chris decided not to wait for the outcome.

  “Just go.”

  He pushed Jake out in front and the boy grabbed his sister’s hand. He urged Jenn to follow. She gave him a concerned glance as she passed and he remained. Chris waited until they were midway across the clearing before he started a slow but purposeful walk. Whatever the debate was among those outside the parameter, they appeared willing to help Jenn and the kids through the fence. Chris was near the fence line when a booming call caused him to spin around.

  “Shoot him.”

  Chris pulled his shotgun up to aim and found his sights squarely on Mr. Walker. He was running toward Chris down the walkway between the buildings. At first look, Mr. Walker was leading a charge of men after the escapees, but a closer inspection told the truth of the matter. Mr. Walker reached the alleyway behind the buildings, spun around, and dropped down to a knee. He opened fire at his followers and their fast twitching limbs and haunting howls gave them away at once.

  The trailing group of infected was silhouetted by the moonlight. Chris didn’t have time to think, firing into the crowd at a rapid rate. Gunfire erupted from beyond the fence and when it was over, half a dozen withering, infected bodies lay at the edge of the clearing. The sudden stillness brought an eerie silence over the alley.

  Chris turned his weapon on Mr. Walker as he got to his feet. He faced Chris and tossed his gun to the ground. The silence throughout the encampment told Chris his time to escape was now or never. A voice called out from beyond the fence.

  “Shoot him, shoot him now.”

  Mr. Walker took a step forward and flashed Chris a wide grin.

  “You going to shoot me, son?”

  Chris risked a look back and found the figures on the move toward the distant trees. He refocused.

  “I’m not going to kill you,” he said.

  Mr. Walker’s smile widened.

  “…but since we can’t have you following us either.”

  Chris pulled the shotgun back and sent the butt crashing into Mr. Walker’s jaw. He stumbled back then fell over. Chris waited a split second, but Mr. Walker didn’t move. A few long strides brought him to the hole in the fence. He started off after the others, plunging into the darkness beneath the trees.

  11.

  There was a lot of running blindly between dense patches of forest. Chris couldn’t help but wonder what their chances were for running into a hungry group of decomposing zombies or a rabid pack of the infected. He had his newly acquired shotgun at the ready, although it occurred to him he had no idea how many rounds it had left. There were at least six people in the group, not including Chris, Jenn and the kids. No one spoke a word, but they appeared to know precisely where they were going.

  Chris was in the rear of the group. He didn’t hear the sounds of the dead, but there was distinct movement all around them. In a heightened state of constant fearful awareness, he ran. Jake and Alicen were directly in front of him. He guessed Jenn was somewhere in the darkness up ahead. Alicen slowed the further they got from the encampment and Chris was forced to keep one hand on her to keep her going.

  No one could talk by the time the group came to a stop. They sat in a tight circle underneath the trees, gathered around a haul of stolen goods. A moonlit clearing lay beyond the foliage and a landscape of distant hills gave a hint at the challenge to come. Chris looked around at the glistening faces of their saviors. There were four men and two women, one of which offered him a canteen. Jake was next to drink, followed by the girls. The terror on their faces was obvious and the idea of being in a group offered little comfor
t.

  “You should have killed him when you had the chance.” The Hispanic man who spoke made no attempt to hide his anger. “We may never have an opportunity like that again.”

  Chris thought he might have to defend himself before he realized the comment has not aimed in his direction. Another man, across from the first stood up and gathered his breath as he shoved a gun in his waist. His skin was as dark as the shadows, his head cleanly shaven.

  “I might have hit one of them,” he said in a heavy foreign accent that Chris couldn’t place. “That wasn’t worth the risk.”

  One of the women tried to intervene.

  “Carlos, not now.”

  He swept her out of the way. “Come on, Jafar, we talked about this. It’s the only way we’ll ever be able to get back what’s ours.”

  The woman forced herself between them. Her long, black hair and brown skin matched Carlos, but if she was connected to him in some way, it didn’t show. “We can’t do this here,” she said. “Let’s keep going.”

  Neither Carlos nor Jafar appeared to be finished with the conversation. However both gave into her suggestion. A moment later, they were moving again. They pushed across the clearing with hesitant, but purposeful strides and it wasn’t long before they were running at an upward angle. The terrain opened up to them and revealed a wide hilly landscape.

  Chris was soaked through with sweat. The constant push weighed heavily on everyone. The group stopped two more times, once to drink water, and again to keep the kids from collapsing. A long line of violet highlighted the horizon when Carlos stopped them a final time. They were far into the hills, which were now covered by a sparse forest.

  Carlos and another man disappeared into the foliage for several minutes. They returned and waved everyone in. Chris pushed through the vegetation and discovered a large opening in the base of the hill. The group plunged into darkness and they stumbled around until a flashlight sprang to life at the front.

  They were deep in the cave when a new source of light pulled everyone’s attention up ahead. The perfect silence was broken by conversation. The cave opened up to a larger space filled with several groups of people huddle close together throughout. Some sat around lanterns talking, while others lay on sleeping bags trying to rest.