by Kip Nelson
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE GROUP finally was in the city, but they already had witnessed some strange things. The outskirts had been deserted, and as they made their way deeper into the city they had heard some strange low whistling, and had no idea of the source. It was an eerie sound that echoed all around them, and a made a chill run down their spines. Before they could discover who was making the noise a man dressed in police armor had shown up on horseback and urged them to go with them. They sprinted off through another barrier until they finally could rest. Although none of them knew what to expect when they finally reached the city they had not expected this. Will, the man who had saved them from the mysterious whistlers, was leading them through the city and had not yet answered any of their questions.
“It's better if I get you back to safety first, and then we can tell you everything you need to know,” he said, and from the urgency in his voice Mack could tell he was worried.
Will's eyes darted around and he kept up a good pace. The fact he was wearing such armor, armor that had been scarred by weapons fire, told Mack a lot about the city’s current state, as did the charred marks and broken windows on the buildings they passed. Evidently, there had been a huge conflict, and it still was ongoing.
It seemed as though Mack's hopes were going to be dashed. Ideally, he had wanted to come to a city that was united in its grief, and had overcome the initial shock and fear of the apocalypse. He had hoped people would have set aside their differences and worked together to build a new world, a world built on the values of cooperation and respect. He had hoped the survivors would be using the city as a hub to connect to the other settlements in the area. He had hoped they would send out scouts to contact other pockets of survivors, and from there form a communications network so people didn't have to be isolated anymore. That also would give Mack a chance to get a message to his wife. But if that was going to happen, contacting his wife would take a long time, and Mack had to harden his heart against the setbacks he faced.
However, he was not the only one. He noticed how Freddie and Maggie reacted, for this was their city, their home, and they looked about with sadness as they saw places they recognized that had been looted and vandalized. As they walked through the city, Mack often heard them bemoan the ruins of yet another familiar landmark. It made Mack think of his own home, and how he would react if he was walking through its carcass. He pushed the thought aside, though, as he didn't want to think of anything like this happening at home. It would mean Anna was caught in the crossfire, and anything could have happened. If she had dead, then he had lost everything, and he didn't know how long he would be able to hold it together.
Maggie had mentioned she wanted to get back to the city to look for someone, although she had not told any of the group who she was looking for. Mack noticed her peering down every road, straining to not show the lines of worry creasing her face as her worst fears came to the fore of her mind.
“I take it that it's not the same as you remember it?” Mack said quietly to her, trying to distract her from her thoughts. Maggie took a few moments to reply for she was so lost in her own mind that she barely heard Mack's words.
“No...no, it's not. I kinda figured something happened here, but I didn't think it would be this bad. All the people...where have they gone?” Mack didn't have an answer for her.
For once, he was in the dark as much as anyone else, and he only hoped Will wasn't leading them into a trap. Ever since he and Grace had emerged from the plane crash his main objective had been to get to the city, as that had seemed the logical thing to do. Everything since then had been done with that purpose in mind, but had he made a mistake? Should he have gone in another direction? Perhaps tried to avoid the rest of humanity altogether and keep to the wilderness, slashing and hiking their way across the American landscape? The paths less traveled always seemed more desirable than those taken, and Mack tried not to let himself get caught up in thoughts of what he could have done differently. He needed to stay sharp and keep his mind clear, now more than ever, as they were walking into unknown territory. Although Will seemed as though he had their best interests at heart, they had been deceived before, and Mack was determined not to let that happen again.
After walking for a little while, Will led them to the central part of the city, which had been cordoned off. The skyscrapers and other buildings stood tall around them, but as the wispy summer clouds rolled by there was something lonely about them. The area seemed secure. As they approached, Will put two fingers in his mouth and let out a loud whistle, which Mack found ironic since Will had been so scared of the other whistlers. Shortly after that, a man emerged and waved them in. A heavy gate was pulled open. The walls had been made of material that appeared to have been scavenged from the surrounding area, but unlike the barriers they already had encountered, this one was giant and would have taken serious effort to climb. It seemed as though there still was plenty to fear in the city.
When they passed through the barrier, Will relaxed a little more. He took them to an apartment complex where he said they could get cleaned up while he went to the leader, and that somebody would come along soon enough to show them around. Once they were alone they quickly discussed their options and the state of the city. Maggie seemed to be anxious. She continually tapped her feet and bit her fingernails. All of them agreed it was best to wait and see what presented itself. It wasn't long before a man came and escorted them across the park to City Hall, which was still standing despite everything that had happened. Walking through the park was a surreal experience because it seemed so peaceful, and had been unmarked by the fighting that had taken place elsewhere in the city.
As they walked Mack saw a few other people walking about. They looked at Mack's group with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion, but never did they turn away. Like most people he had encountered since the plane crash, they looked disheveled and dirty, worn down by the harsh life that had been forced upon them by whatever mysterious force was behind the EMP. Everyone was busy and Mack was impressed by this. Although he didn't know this group’s intentions, so far, the signs were positive.
They were taken into a grandiose building, although it was clear that a heavy air hung around the place and the gloom was palpable. This building once would have been alive with the sounds of people marching to and from work, of politicians arguing about the course of the city, and citizens waiting to be heard. Now though, the hallways were empty, and the few footsteps that could be heard echoed for a long time until they faded into nothingness. They were taken to an office that was located up the wide, carpeted stairs. On either side of them huge paintings of previous mayors hung on the walls. Mack wondered what the legends of history would make of the current situation.
As they came to the top of the stairs a loud, gruff voice emerged from a nearby room. Shortly after the outburst, someone ran out of the room, red-faced and ashamed for whatever disappointment he just had presented to the leader. When they heard the voice, a strange look came on Maggie's face and she muttered something to herself, then shook her head. Mack didn't get a chance to ask her thoughts, but he didn't have to wait long for an answer. As soon as they entered the office, a look of recognition broke out upon her face. The man in charge was standing with his back to them, but Maggie still could recognize him. He began speaking, but didn't get very far before Maggie interrupted him.
“Bob,” she said. The man turned around and looked at her skeptically.
“Maggie...I should have known you'd survive this,” he said, looking at her tersely.
There seemed to be an underlying tension to their words, and it certainly wasn't the way Mack assumed this would have gone. Usually, people would rejoice if they saw each other after so much time, but Bob and Maggie remained rooted firmly in their spots, and said no more than that.
“Well, I suppose I don't have to go over my usual speech of how you will be safe here unless you threaten the safety of this settlement. Maggie knows how I work. Are
you in charge?” he asked.
“No, he is,” Maggie said, tossing her head toward Mack.
“The name's Mack,” he said, holding out his hand.
Bob took it and Mack took note of the strong grip. Evidently, this was a man used to being in charge. In turn, Mack introduced the rest of his party, and then got down to the heart of the matter.
“We appreciate Will bringing us here, but we're still not entirely sure what danger we were in. We've been in the forest all this time, and we've only just arrived in the city. We have no idea what's going on here. Can you fill us in?”
Bob inhaled deeply and placed his hands on his desk as he sat down in his chair. Mack got the sense that it was a story he had told too many times, and did not want to relive. Bob was a tall man with a big paunch and a ruddy face. His white beard and hair had grown out to give him the appearance of Santa...if Santa had steel in his eyes and a permanent scowl.
“It's been hard, and there's a lot that has happened. Will told me where he found you. I suppose the best thing is to start from the beginning. Otherwise, you're not going to believe what's happening out there. When the electronics went out there was panic everywhere. I was at home. I'm retired, you see. Well, I was. Trained Maggie here a long time ago, back when she was fresh out of the academy. Anyway, at first I thought it was a blown fuse, but then I heard people outside. Everyone was screaming and I'm no fool. I knew what was coming. I grabbed my gun and made my way to the station. There was chaos everywhere. People were running amok and fighting and stealing.
“After some time, the whole place went to hell, and for a moment I questioned my entire life. I had spent so many years protecting this city, and I had to watch it all go up in flames. I knew I couldn't do much on my own. I thought being at the station could give me some purpose, but it already was burning. I stood there, and knew the world I had been a part of didn't exist anymore. If it was going to change, then I had to change as well. I made my way here and holed myself up with a few other survivors. Those first couple of weeks were hell. People were mad and a lot of people died.”
He took a moment to compose himself before he continued. “We had more people coming back from the freeway and the roads out of town, but it was impossible to keep track of everyone. We tried setting up a base camp, but it was just an impossible task, what with having to try finding food and water to survive as well. Somehow, we managed it. We took in more people and started building a settlement, but not everyone shared our values. The city is big and there are so many people in it that factions started to form, all of which had different agendas. That's when we had to start building the walls, to try defending ourselves. There are animals out there, trying to steal from us and maim us. Every day we're struggling just to keep our heads above water. I'm afraid to say that you're going to wish you had avoided the city, but I'm glad to have some people who are skilled at fighting.”
“We've been through our fair share, Bob,” Mack said. “So, what are these factions? Are the whistlers one of them?”
Bob nodded and pursed his lips. “There are a few factions. You know, people reverted to their own cultures. People who were used to a life of crime before saw this new world as an opportunity to indulge their desires. They just want to screw around and take what they want from others. Other factions are a bit like us, trying to make it through the days, but they had different ideas of what it means to live in this world than we do. I'm trying to rebuild society here, but not everybody wants that.”
“And the whistlers?” Mack asked, getting the sense that Bob purposefully was trying not to divulge all the information he had.
“They're perhaps the most dangerous of all, and it's mostly our fault. All of us, I mean. They call themselves the Lost Children. After everything that happened, so many people died, many of them parents, leaving behind orphans. Some of the older ones banded together and decided the adults had been in charge for long enough. They managed to sway the younger ones as well and just holed up themselves. They took guns and ammo and they just do what they want. They see themselves as the new breed, and we're just dinosaurs ready to be made extinct. You’re lucky Will found you when he did. Most people can't bring themselves to attack kids, even now, but believe me, the Lost Children have no problem attacking us.”
Mack sensed that Bob didn't necessarily agree with not attacking the kids. Mack guessed that he was a man who would feel justified attacking anything if it had been deemed an enemy or a threat. The rest of his group was shocked at the news.
“Kids?!” Grace exclaimed. “Haven't you tried talking to them?”
“Yes,” Bob said sharply. “Look, I know you people are new here, but trust me; if you had been here since this began you'd know where I'm coming from. They're dangerous, and the sooner you realize that, the better.” Before the argument could escalate Mack asked him about the soldiers who had made their way here from the bunker and never had returned, but Bob had no news about them.
“I don't suppose you have any idea what caused this whole thing either?” Mack said.
Bob shrugged. “I've just been trying to live day to day. Like I said, I was retired, but I decided my experience made me the best person to be in charge. When I got here the entire place was deserted. I don't know what happened to our esteemed leaders, but we haven't heard anything from them or anyone else.”
“You mean there haven't been any messengers from any other cities or anything?” Freddie asked.
“Not that I know of. We send out patrols like Will to find people like you, but we can't cover the whole city. Some people may have come in from the wrong side and found some less hospitable hosts. You're welcome here and we're certainly glad for the company, but if you are going to stay here you'll need to pull your weight, stay safe, and not do anything reckless.”
Mack looked at the others and agreed to the terms. They had made it this far, they had to see it through. With that, they were shown out of the office and back to the apartment complex that was to be their new home. All of them remained quiet and were deep in thought, especially Maggie.
CHAPTER TWELVE
ONCE THE GROUP was back into the apartment complex they were shown to each of their apartments. Due to everything that had happened in the city there was plenty of space. So once they had set down their packs they came together in one of the apartments and talked.
“I can't believe all this has happened,” Freddie said.
“I can,” Saul replied, “people are animals, and anyone who didn't expect something like this to happen is an idiot.”
“I don't think it's a bad idea to want to think the best of people,” Hank said. “It's clear there is a lot of pain in this city. Perhaps we have returned at this time for a reason, to show people there is a better way.”
“Maggie, what can you tell us about Bob? Can he be trusted?” Mack asked.
“He's a hardass but, yeah, he just wants to get things done. He was always a stickler for the rules, so I believe him when he said he's trying to sort out things there,” she replied.
“But fighting kids?!” Grace asked, still having a difficult time believing the Lost Children could be an actual thing.
“Bob sees the world as black and white. If there are people trying to hurt them then they're an enemy, no matter who they are,” she said. Yet, there was a tension to her words that suggested there were some unresolved issues between Maggie and her former superior officer.
“Well, right now we should look around and see what this place has to offer. Gather as much information as you can and we'll go from there. I want to know exactly what the other factions are like. If we're in danger by being here, then we should know what that danger consists of,” Mack said.
“And if that danger is too much?” Saul asked.
“I don't know, but it doesn't seem as though there's much use in us running away. Where are we going to go?” Mack said.
Where indeed? The only mode of transportation they had at the moment was their own legs.
Until they got a better method of getting around it was going to take them a long time to get anywhere, and use up a lot of water in the process. The warm weather wouldn't last forever either, and while in the current climate it was okay to sleep under the stars with little in the way of shelter, it wasn't always going to be like that. Soon enough, the cold winter would sweep in and make living in the world an even more dangerous proposition. If they were caught outside without any shelter, it wouldn't be long before they slipped away into oblivion. With that decided, they went off in different directions to explore their new surroundings and come to terms with the layout of the small base.
WHILE THE OTHERS went to explore, Maggie slipped away by herself and returned to City Hall. There was much on her mind, and although Bob was way down on the list of people she would have chosen to run into, she was glad to see a familiar face. He might know the answer to a question she had, one she hadn't wanted to ask in front of the others. She bounded up the stairs, shaking her head at the portrait of the last mayor. From what she remembered, he never seemed to have the best interests of the city at heart. The police force always had to deal with strict budget cuts, and their hands always were tied in their efforts to rid the city of the criminal element. It was typical of him and his cronies to flee when the going got tough, and let the city burn.
It was strange for her to be back as it was her home, and yet it seemed so different. The city was divided and she felt like a stranger. Bob's office door was ajar. She rapped her knuckles loudly and then entered before he could say anything. He looked up, about to say something, then stopped himself.
“I figured you'd be back,” he said. Maggie walked into the room that still had the remnants of the previous occupant all around and fell into a chair on the other side of the desk. She leaned forward, placing her hands together, looking directly at him.
“Look, whatever happened in the past between us...can we just let that go? There's no need to hold onto things such as that when so much else has changed,” she said. He looked at her with his impenetrable eyes for a few moments before he replied.