by Kip Nelson
“Maggie...is there something going on with her, something I should know about? She seems on edge a lot. Has she always been like this?” he asked. Freddie frowned and a shadow came over his face.
“When we all first met, she seemed distracted. It wasn't until we were on the road that she started assuming the role of leader. The others before her, they kept arguing and couldn't get anything decided, so she took over. Told them all she used to be a cop, and they respected that. From then on, she was the one in charge. But then the prison happened and I think it just...whatever hope she had died with the rest of the people in our group. I'm sure the same thing would have happened to you if Saul or Luis or Grace had been killed. We barely made it out of there, and it's taking its toll. I've tried speaking to her about it, but I guess you can see how stubborn she is. She shuts me down every time I try. Hank has tried as well, but she has even less time for him. I don't think she has any faith in God left, if she ever did. Heck, I don't think she has much faith left in anything.”
“Thanks, it's tough on us all. I just wish she could see that the only way through it is to work together.”
“I think she does know it, deep down, but she's been burned before. We were a close group, and to see so many of them killed like that, it kinda makes you wonder if it's even worth making friends if people are just going to die. How's the shoulder by the way?”
“Oh, yeah, it's fine. Thanks for asking. Still a little sore but, thanks to you, it'll be as good as new.”
“Just glad I could help,” Freddie grinned. Then the smile disappeared as his eyes turned to Maggie, and then Saul. “I just wish the wounds of the mind could be healed as easily.” Mack found himself agreeing, and he hoped he could get through to Maggie before they parted ways. She clearly was tough and a survivor, but he hated the idea of people losing themselves because of this world.
They continued down the long road to the city without any disturbances, and kept their eyes fixed on the goal ahead. However, it was going to take them more than the rest of the day to get there. So, when darkness approached, and they began to yawn, they decided to set up camp. They arranged the blankets under the stars and set up a small fire by the side of the road deciding that, since they had not seen anyone else, they did not need to bother going into the forest to find a secluded spot. They passed around a few cans of food Eleanor had given them and toasted her as they drank their water. Saul shared the peaches as well, and they each enjoyed the soft juiciness of the fruit.
As they settled down to sleep Grace noticed Hank moving away, kneeling down, and clasping his hands in prayer. She walked over to him, slowly getting closer. Hank sensed her movements and smiled at her.
“Would you like to join?” he asked.
“I think I'll just listen if you don't mind,” Grace said, and settled down next to him as she listened to Hank pray.
“Dear Lord, thank you for helping me and my companions make it through another day. Thank you for watching over the world, even though it is in a desperate state and people are finding it hard to hold onto themselves. I ask you to give us the strength to continue and stay true to ourselves, and to watch over those who need to feel the touch of your love. Especially Eleanor, who has suffered a great loss, and is in much pain. I am, as always, your humble servant. Amen.” After he was finished he kept his head bowed for a few silent moments, and then turned to Grace, smiling warmly at her.
The following morning, they rose early and walked toward the city. The skyscrapers loomed before them, and as they approached the city’s details became clearer and the jumble of abandoned cars became denser. There still were no signs of other people, and Eleanor had been right in pointing out the absence of noise. It was strange not to hear the usual sounds of the city or any cars driving by, and it made them all feel unsettled. They slowed their pace as they walked up the main road and passed the welcome sign. They read the population number with much sorrow for they were sure that it had declined dramatically. As well as cars, there were trucks and motorcycles, too, all abandoned in a hurry.
The road led to the entrance of the city, and as they came closer to the buildings they could see the scars left from rioting; bullet holes, dead bodies, char marks, and graffiti. It was a sad sight, and it filled them all with misgivings. There was a danger that the city would be akin to a war zone, but each of them secretly had pushed that fear aside, hoping Mack was right and people had rebuilt society. However, now that they were here they had to prepare for the possibility that they had left the relative safety of the forest for a menacing, hazardous area. Indeed, they were standing by a rudimentary barrier built from furniture and other objects, including things that once had been expensive, such as televisions.
“We should be careful. Let's go slow, keep your eyes peeled, and don't lose sight of anyone. We have no idea what we're walking into,” Mack said.
Then he looked over at Maggie, who nodded her agreement. It seemed like the first time they had agreed on anything. However, Saul had different ideas and thought they should throw caution to the wind.
“We've been waiting to get here for weeks, and now you want to take it slow? We're here now, let's just go in. Whatever is waiting for us will be waiting for us if we move slow or fast. We've been walking long enough.”
But Mack still had his reservations, and as he looked at the barrier he couldn't help but think...was it there to keep people out, or to keep people in?
CHAPTER TEN
SAUL STILL WAS adamant they should make their way into the city and announce their presence, but Mack and Maggie were trying to talk him down. It took Freddie going over to him and leaning an arm on his shoulder. This took Mack and Grace by surprise, but for Luis, who had overheard the two of them, it was natural.
“Saul, come on, we don't need to be acting aggressive right now. The smart thing is to take our time and be patient. We're going to get into the city, and whatever is waiting for us we'll face it together. We'll take our time and there's no need to rush into anything. Remember the breathing exercises I showed you? Let's do those now, and we just can take everything as it comes,” he said, and gestured the breathing to Saul, who joined in.
They breathed deeply in and out, and Saul seemed to calm down as Freddie dropped his voice and led him away from the rest of the group to counsel him in relative privacy. Meanwhile, the others inspected the barrier and were shocked to see some of the things that had been included in it. It seemed as though the houses had been looted to build the barrier.
“Who do you think built it?” Maggie asked.
“I don't know, but it doesn't seem as though they're here now. You'd think if it was that important it would be guarded, but I'm not seeing any signs of anyone,” Mack said. He looked up at the houses and apartment complexes around him, trying to see any sign of life in the windows, but there was nothing.
Still, it felt good to be in a city again, among man-made structures, as it made him think about his wife and made him feel connected to her even over the vast distance that separated them. The barrier was more than six feet tall, and was an impressive structure, but Mack was worried that it even was necessary. There was a small gap in the middle, which they walked through slowly, staying in single file against the side of the building. No sounds greeted their ears, and the streets were barren. It was unsettling, and although none of them were sure what they had expected, this was not it.
“I thought there would be more people around,” Luis said.
“Maybe they're all hiding,” Mack said, or maybe they're dead, he thought, but left that thought unspoken.
There was no telling exactly what had happened here, but Mack assumed there would be more people around, and by now he had hoped to have been greeted by someone. But there was nobody, and it made his hopes falter. If there was nothing to help him in the city, it would be a long time until he made his way back to his wife, perhaps never. The thought of never seeing her again was unbearable. He reached into a pocket of his jeans and fel
t the photo of his wife, which now was tattered. Would this be all he had to remember her by? After coming such a long way, it was a strange feeling to be standing in the city, and yet feeling so...empty, as though they hadn't actually accomplished anything by coming here.
The group walked farther on and now were in a commercial area with many shops, but they all were deserted, windows smashed, contents looted. Signs hung limply from windows and, occasionally, a leaflet or an item of clothing wafted through the wind. Grace caught one and saw it had been stained with blood, which didn't give her much hope for what was to come.
“Are we just going to walk around until something happens?” Grace asked, throwing away the piece of clothing.
“I don't know. Maggie, Freddie, Hank, you know this city better than the rest of us. Do you have any idea where we should go?” Mack said.
Maggie stepped forward. “My natural inclination is to try getting to the police station and, failing that, the hospital. Actually, yeah, we should try getting to the hospital. That would be the most likely place for people to set up a recovery shelter and if there are any survivors I'd imagine that's where they'd be.” Freddie and Hank agreed, so Maggie took the lead and led them down an alleyway to the right.
They had to walk through an area that had a number of warehouses standing on either side of the streets. It seemed to be a route that would not have been traveled much, even when the city had been populated. The greens and browns of the forest had been replaced with a muted gray, and the air was far less sweet than they had been used to. The warehouses were tall, foreboding buildings that blocked out the sky and the wide windows gleamed as they reflected the sun.
“I'm not sure I've ever been to this part of town,” Hank said.
“I don't think you'd have a reason to,” Freddie replied, “but this is really the heartbeat of the city. At least what it was founded upon. That building over there is the box factory, but those over there are the newspaper presses. That's what made this city develop so quickly, but in recent years the papers all have dwindled and barely anyone uses those buildings anymore.”
“You know a lot about the city,” Maggie said. “I've lived here practically all my life. Yet, I wouldn't have been able to tell you that.”
Freddie shrugged. “My brother was an architect. He was interested in the history of the city, and since we shared an apartment I was the one who got to hear him talking about it all.”
“Is he still here?” Mack asked.
Freddie shook his head. “He moved to Europe a long time ago. Said they had a more unique way of looking at architecture and he wanted to experiment more. I had been meaning to get in touch with him before all this but, well, we all know how that goes. I wonder how they're doing in different countries? This surely has to be a worldwide thing? Otherwise, they would have sent help by now.”
“That's my thinking, but we can't really do anything other than focus on ourselves right now,” Mack said as they walked along the deserted street.
On the fences were posters advertising gigs that never happened, or asking for help finding lost cats that never would be found. There also were posters for the circus, and Mack mused idly at the thought that somewhere out there were circus acts who had nobody to perform for. It was at that point when Luis said he had the strangest feeling they were being watched. Each of them in turn looked up at the massive windows, but it was impossible to see anything. Yet, all of them now had the same feeling.
“I'm sure it's just your mind. There was a study that said paranoia is actually a survival instinct, alerting us to dangers and keeping our senses sharp in case we need them, but really, I'm sure we're safe...” Freddie said, but he trailed off when he heard a low whistle.
They looked at each other in panic and furrowed their brows, wondering if they really had heard what they thought they had heard. Another whistle sounded, low and sonorous, and this time it came from another direction. They all turned to face south, and Mack was about to shout a greeting when Maggie grabbed him by the arm and shook her head. This time he listened to her.
His instincts had been honed through years of experience and training, and as he looked around he was sure he was seeing the same thing as Maggie. They had been walking into an enclosed area with few escape routes. The warehouses provided a strategic way for anyone to keep an eye on who was walking past, and Mack felt stupid for not preparing properly for a trap. He had been distracted, thinking about Anna and ruminating about the city, too busy thinking and not busy enough planning. He would have castigated cadets for not having their mind on the job back when he was training them, for it was a rookie mistake. He quickly glanced to the side, trying to pinpoint the source of the whistles as well as potential escape routes.
Maggie drew her weapon, as did Mack, and the others followed suit, even though there were no targets to aim at yet. It did make them feel better, however. They formed a circle and looked in every direction, looking to Mack and Maggie for orders, but they had none to give until the threat presented itself. Mack had a bad feeling that their journey into the city was going to be short-lived. He wondered if all this time he had made the same mistake as Eleanor. Unable to give up on the idea of seeing Anna again, he put that above the survival of himself and the people who had trusted him with their safety.
All of a sudden, another whistle joined in, then another, and another, until it became a chorus that filled the still air and made a chill run down their spines. There still were no signs of anyone, and Mack wondered where the whistlers were hiding, or if he ever would see them before he died. Whoever they were, they had his group completely at their mercy.
“Leave! This way! You have to come right now!” A voice shouted. They turned and stared down the road to see a man on horseback yelling at them, gesturing emphatically for them to come toward him. When they didn't move, he repeated the order.
“You don't have much time!” he said. Maggie peered into the distance.
“It's okay,” she said, “he's a cop,” for she recognized the armor the rider was wearing.
The whistles had grown in intensity and the rest of the group didn't need much encouragement to follow the armored rider. As they ran toward, him he raised a machine gun and laid down covering fire. The thrum of the bullets fought with the whistles for supremacy. Mack noticed their presumed savior was not firing in any particular direction, but neither was anyone firing back. As they drew closer, Mack indeed saw the gold police crest on the man’s black vest, and noted the impact holes of bullets as well as the white helmet on his head. They raced past him, rounded a corner, and kept sprinting until the sound of the whistling faded from their ears. They stopped and caught their breath. The horse trotted up to them and the rider looked down.
“Come on, we have to keep going until we get past the barrier,” he said, pulling off his helmet to reveal a ruddy, sweaty face, unkempt hair plastered to his scalp.
The horse was brown and seemed undeterred by the situation in which it found itself. Its hooves clapped against the streets as the man led the group away, and Mack assumed there would be time for introductions and questions later. There were many things on his mind and he still wasn't sure whether he should trust this man. He had no idea who the whistlers were, but it was clear the city was divided, and while this man was wearing a police uniform, it didn't necessarily follow that he was a police officer, which was Maggie's assumption. However, it wasn't as though they had many choices, and since the man had a machine gun, he could have mowed them down at any time. He hadn't yet, and that was a positive sign.
“Do you recognize him?” Mack asked Maggie.
“No, but there were different precincts, and I didn't know everyone on the force,” she said, then added, “The horse isn't standard issue, though.” The group followed the man on the horse to another barrier. This one was not as tall, but still was densely packed, and this time getting through was not as simple as walking through a gap.
“Look for the yellow box, pull that
away, and you can crawl through. Then put it back behind you,” the rider said.
They did as he instructed. Mack was the last one through. Then he watched the rider turn the horse around, get it up to a gallop, and then majestically leap over the barrier. That was certainly one way to do it, he thought. He crawled through the tiny space and then pulled the box behind him, pushing himself up as he joined the others on the other side. The rider jumped off the horse and wiped his face on his sleeve as he walked up to them.
“I'm Will,” he said, and shook each of their hands in turn, and they all introduced themselves. “Welcome to the city,” he added, “although, if you've been here before you're not going to recognize it.”
“You a cop?” Maggie asked.
“Huh? Oh, no, I've just kinda made these my own. I'm sure you know what it's like out there. You have to make do with whatever is handy, and this has saved my life a few times,” he said, looking down at the bullet holes.
“As has Lucille,” he said, walking back toward the horse and petting her. He took the reins and led her way, telling the others to follow them.
“I'm sure you have a lot of questions about what's happened. There are better people than I to answer them, but you'll be safe with us. Come on,” he said, and they duly followed.
But as they walked behind him they doubted his claims of safety as what they saw filled their hearts with sorrow. The state of buildings here was even worse than on the outskirts. There was a wake of destruction, and as they stared ahead, the only thing they saw was an urban wasteland. Piles of rubble and broken glass littered the streets, and it filled Mack with dread because it was likely that wherever Anna was she had lived through something similar. His heart became a little heavier with each step, but they finally had made it to the city at least, and the next chapter of their adventure was about to begin.