The president paused for a long time. He drank more water and sat silent for another moment.
“Mother of God.” Mauri said watching in horror.
“They must be quarantined or killed. Once they have turned true death can only be achieved by removing the head or destroying the brain. That being said, I urge you as strongly as I can that confrontation with the infected should be avoided at all costs. Action should only be taken in the most seriously unavoidable situations.”
The President adjusted in his seat, downed the last of his water and nodded off camera. A second later a hand reached into frame and snatched the empty glass. A second after that it was back on the table full.
“The plan going forward is a difficult one. What I am about to say makes my very blood run cold, but we have to draw a line in the sand for the good of the nation and the good of humanity. Effective immediately the continental United States east of the Rocky Mountains has been quarantined from the rest of the country. All military personnel have been pulled back to the west side of the mountain range and active federal government has been suspended.”
The president paused cleared his throat and drank.
“What does that mean?” Kenny asked watching the television in disbelief. “Government suspended?”
“I urge any and all existing state officials to aid in the effort to preserve human life at the local level. All branches of our military have been tasked with securing the Canadian and Mexican border west of the mountains and holding the line up and down the Rockies. While there are reported outbreaks west of the range they have been small and have all to the best of my knowledge been contained.”
“Bullshit.” Jessie muttered at the television.
Other countries, I’m afraid, have not been as lucky. There are confirmed reports that Hamburg, Germany, Glasgow, Scotland and London, England are dealing with their own extensive outbreaks. We have one confirmed case of a bitten passenger that made it onto a plane headed for Sydney, but we have not heard any official reports from that country.”
The signal cut out. Thirty seconds went by with the Presidential seal on the television.
“This is how it all ends.” Kenny said.
Jessie opened his mouth to say something and the screen flickered and the President reappeared.
“…get that fucking signal back on, Slater.” The president said standing and wagging his finger off camera. He was wearing blue jeans.
Someone off screen must have given him the signal that he was back on. He sat and adjusted himself in the chair.
“My fellow Americans, I have had to make a hard decision, probably the hardest decision of any President in the history of our great country. As we face possible extinction we have to decide how to survive as a species, because honestly, if this thing is already in Germany and England, then it will eventually get everywhere else. I am betting the future of the human race on the six hundred thirty seven thousand square miles that makes up the western United States. Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah will be defended and secured with every ounce of this country’s military might. We will fortify our borders and take every precaution to avoid infection within the Clean Zone.”
The president sat back in his chair contemplating what he was about to say next. He sat up, back straight, hands folded in front of him on the kitchen table.
“As we secure our country’s new borders a separate team will initiate the second part of our survival plan.”
The president put his hand over his mouth and rubbed his cheeks with his thumb and fingers. He brought his hand to his right ear and scratched. His eyes were welling up and a single tear spilled over his right eye. He took a long deep breath and continued.
“The decisions that have been made have not been made lightly. Since the very hour this all started plans and models and scenarios have been studied and dissected and toiled over by every world leader and expert in the field. Independently and as a collectively, we have all come to the same conclusion. What I am about to say is the answer he have all agreed upon.”
“Jesus fucking Christ! They are going to nuke the rest of the country!” Abby screamed.
“I don’t think so. They would be killing themselves as well as the rest of us.” Kenny said.
“Shut up.” Mauri said as the president put down his glass of water.
“Starting at seven am Eastern Standard Time on September 27th – three days from now - American fighter planes will start systematically bombing the United States of America. We have the people and equipment still operational to provide fifteen hundred aircraft retrofitted and capable of executing precision carpet bombing missions. These missions will level all major cities in the eastern half of our great country. Millions of American lives will be lost. By waiting three days to start this mission and giving all of you this information we hope to save millions more.”
“I fucking knew it.” Abby sobbed.
“What choice does he have?” Jessie asked.
“For the next seventy two hours every American citizens in the infection zone should be doing everything in their power to evacuate major cities, find bomb shelters or try to make it out of the bombing zones. There will be processing stations all along the Rocky Mountains. If you are able to get to these stations and you are declared healthy you will be brought to safety. Mexico and Canada have the right to defend their borders, and will. I do not advise taking that option. Any aircraft attempting to enter airspace west of the Rocky Mountains will be shot down no questions asked. Please do not try to fly into the Clean Zone. For those citizens unable to make it out of the designated areas I urge you to find actual bomb shelters, bank vaults, subbasements, subways, anywhere that gives you a chance to survive. We will not be using nuclear weapons. Once the bombing has stopped there will be no fallout. The air will however be filled with toxins and debris, so please make breathing apparatus a high priority as you prepare.”
More water, more adjustments in his seat.
“The first city we will bomb will be New York City, then Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC. The heat signature of the infected runs seven to ten degrees warmer than an uninfected person and our thermal images indicate those cities have the highest concentration of the infected. A secondary list will be communicated as more intel becomes available”
Kenny, Abby, Mauri and Jessie all listened in stunned awe. They were all crying except Jessie.
“My fellow Americans, I cannot undo what has been done and I cannot waiver from the plan I have communicated to you today. This country was built on sacrifice and perseverance. By setting this plan in motion I have made the decision to sacrifice our land, our infrastructure, and most importantly our people, so we might have a chance to beat this plague that is upon us. It’s a decision that will forever change me, this county and the human race. Goddamn those who have put me in this position.”
The president slammed his closed fist on the kitchen table.
“I will broadcast again one week from today. Between now and then, I will pray for every soul that will be lost. I will pray that you help each other and save as many lives as possible. I pray that I have made the right decision in our time of need, and I pray that there is a God who will bless what is left of our great nation. Thank you.”
The president closed his eyes and nodded to the camera man. The screen jumped to a map of the United States. To the left there were eleven evenly spaced dots along the Rocky Mountains indicating the processing stations. To the right there were five red bullseyes, one over each of the cities the President had named in his speech. At the bottom of the screen there was a clock ticking down. 71:09:16 and counting.
“The President of The United States just said ‘zombie outbreak’ during a national address.” Kenny said and chuckled.
“Now what do we do?” Abby asked no one in particular.
“Nothing changes.” Jessie said. “We have a good plan, we just need to move faster.”
“T
hey are going to blow us up!” Abby said.
“Not where we are going.” Jessie said.
“What?” Abby asked in disbelief.
“Weren’t you watching that video?” Jessie asked.
Abby, Mauri and Kenny looked at him not understanding. Jessie opened his mouth to speak and gunshots rang out somewhere in the plaza. There were a dozen shots from an automatic weapon. Everyone instinctually ducked. Mauri and Abby turned and ran for the children. Jessie picked up his gun.
“Grab a gun and head for the back door. Tell them to stay in that room and keep quiet” Jessie said.
He ran towards the front of the store low and fast. He got into position behind the row of shopping carts and surveyed the lot through the big glass doors. More shots were fired. The sound came from the right. Target was the last store in the row, so that meant they were heading around the building. Jessie jumped to his feet and sprinted towards the back door to back up Kenny. There were another dozen gunshots, very loud, very close.
Jessie came up behind Kenny gun aimed at the door.
“He is right outside the door.” Kenny whispered.
There was another short burst from the automatic weapon. Through the door a man seemed to be whimpering.
“Should we let...” Kenny started.
“No.” Jessie said cutting him off.
“Come on.” The man said on the other side of the door.
There was one more shot and then several dry clicking sounds.
“No.” The man said.
Jessie and Kenny jumped as the door began to rattle. There were seven or eight good shakes then the screaming and the scuffling and the wet ripping sounds.
“We have to move.” Jessie said.
Kenny nodded.
“We need to be ready to go in one hour.” Jessie reinforced.
“Yeah.”
“You stay here and listen. It sounds like that guy was alone, but we don’t know. I’ll go get everyone moving.” Jessie said.
Chapter 17 – Unexpected Company
An hour and a half later everyone was ready to move. They had packed a rough estimation of the essentials and packed light to move faster. They all stood at the glass front doors looking out over the parking lot. There were two hundred zombies strong milling around. The automatic gun fire had drawn them back up the hill. They had talked and decided on the best method for escape. Shawn on Abby’s back, Michael on Mauri’s and Rebecca on Kenny’s. They each had a back pack on facing the wrong way. Jessie had a much larger and heavier pack, and an 80’s style boom box he had found in the back room. It looked like it was from 1985, but had a CD player built in.
Jessie nodded to Kenny and he unlocked the automatic doors from the control panel on the wall. Jessie nodded to Mauri. She nodded back. They didn’t have to say the words. Jessie stepped in front of the door and it swung open. He sprinted for the Hostess delivery truck parked twenty-five yards away. He leapt onto the hood and then the roof. He laid flat not making a sound. Several of the zombies had seen him and one had grabbed for him. Now there were eight in a crowd near the front fender of the truck. They were clanging against the vehicle making noise and attracting more of them. Jessie slid to the rear of the truck’s roof, set the boom box down, selected CD, track three, hit play and then hit pause. Jessie had changed the batteries on the device in the store and hoped they would last a while. He turned and hung over the back of the truck and started banging on the back door.
“Come on you fucks. Try and eat me. I probably taste better than whatever is in the truck. Come on!” He yelled.
The group at the front of the truck came around attracted to the noise. As soon as he had a clear path down the hood he stopped banging. He hit play on the CD player, cranked the volume and broke for it.
The boom box was loud, much louder than he expected. As he ran back towards Target the opening chord ripped the air and Eddie Vedder’s baritone echoed off every building. By the time he reached the door the chorus was playing “I…I…I’m still alive…”
“Fucking Jessie.” Kenny said laughing.
Mauri just shook her head.
They closed the doors and waited. By the time the song was over and the next one began the majority of the zombies were surrounding the truck.
“Alright, let’s move.” Jessie said.
The group exited out the front door and jogged slightly to the right. They stayed in the middle of the plaza not wanting to get too close to the still smoldering building to the right. They had very little cover. The music was so loud it attracted more creatures from down the hill. There was a steady stream of them heading for the music.
“This isn’t good.” Jessie said as he surveyed his options.
“We have to get behind the movie theater. The fire didn’t jump the alley.” Mauri said.
“Right.” Jessie said and they ran.
Fifteen feet away from the mouth of the alley the group came to a dead stop. Dozens of zombies were coming out from behind the movie theater. Jessie swiveled his head searching franticly.
“Over there.” He yelled and pointed to a Hummer H3 near the center of the lot, close to the entrance to the plaza.
“We’ll never make that.” Kenny said.
“Yes we will.” Jessie said and started running.
As he went he shoulder blocked and high kicked several creatures off their feet. They reached the truck and Jessie helped each one up. Before he could climb up he had to spin around and kick a zombie that would have been close enough to bite him while he tried to climb. As Mauri got to her feet Michael started to cry. Then Shawn started to cry. The brothers fed off each other’s fear.
“Shhhh, baby.” Mauri said trying to sooth her baby boy.
“I want to go home. I want to see my kitties.” Michael sobbed.
“OK baby. We can go and see your kitties. You just have to be brave right now.” Mauri whispered rocking back and forth reaching over her shoulder to touch her boy’s face.
It didn’t help. Michael broke into a high pitch sobbing scream, Shawn followed suit and they had drawn a crowd of walkers to the vehicle.
The more zombies came the harder the boys cried. Jessie, Abby, Kenny and even Rebecca tried to distract them, calm them down and make them stop crying. They were beyond that now. It had been the longest few days of their lives. They hadn’t slept, ate donuts and Snickers bars, and were surrounded at all times by monsters that wanted to bite them. Mauri was surprised they had been calm for this long. She assumed it was shock. Now that part was over and they were scared and tired and there was no consoling them.
By the time they were cried out there was a ring of zombies around the truck two hundred thick. There was nowhere to go. They were stuck - four adults holding three children two feet above the flesh eating things below on a six foot wide by eleven foot long platform. It was like someone’s sick idea of a Survivor immunity challenge. Last one standing gets the idol and doesn’t get eaten.
They stood there and listed to the rest of Jessie’s CD play and then there was silence except for the low growling of the zombie horde. In Jessie’s estimation one thousand of the creatures had made their way back up the hill thanks to the supernaturally loud boom box and the children’s cries.
Two hours passed. There was no real change in the number or concentration of the creatures. Some went away, others took their place. Mauri, Abby and Kenny took turns sitting in the center of the roof with the children. No one was trying to be particularly quiet. They were mostly talking to the children, offering them food, water and pointless conversation to keep their minds busy.
Kenny handed Rebecca off to Abby. She and Mauri were sitting at legs length apart with their legs apart and the three children in the middle eating raisins.
“What are we going to do bro?” Kenny asked Jessie.
“I don’t know. We don’t have a lot of options. I don’t see any way we can create a distraction big enough to make them all clear us a path.” Jessie said shaking his head.
“This isn’t your fault you know. If it wasn’t for you who knows what could have happened.” Kenny said.
“It’s my fault and my responsibility. I didn’t think it out. There must have been five better ways.” Jessie said.
“Oh, fuck that.” Kenny said too loud.
“Kenneth Ament!” Abby said from behind him.
“I’m sorry.” He said over his shoulder and turned back to Jessie.
“Look, however we got here, we are here. Now we just have to wait it out until an opportunity presents itself.”
“Yeah, I know. We just don’t have time to be jerking off here. We have to get moving.” Jessie said.
“I agree, but I think we just need to take a deep breath and let it lay for a few. We can’t force a play or we are going to do something stupid. We have a good plan, now we just have to get past this and do what you said.” Kenny said.
“Yeah.” Jessie said. “We just have to think.”
Another two hours passed, not a lot changed. They ate some more of their food, drank some water. Mauri made the kids turn their heads while Kenny and Jessie took a leak into the gaping mouths of the closest zombies at the back of the truck.
“It’s like that balloon popping game at Riverside.” Kenny said laughing.
“You two are sick.” Abby said.
“Yeah sister, where are you going to tinkle when nature calls?” Jessie said with a knowing smirk.
Mauri changed Shawn’s diaper and Michael insisted he had to pee. Mauri made him pee onto the windshield of the car. She drew the line at letting her four year old piss on a one-time member of the community.
“No fun.” Kenny said.
Abby shot him a look and he let it go.
They were all getting punchy and tired. The kids were fed and relieved but they were still cranky and unsettled for the most obvious of reasons.
Jessie’s mind was churning trying to figure out a way out of this. There was always the chance of more people coming out of one of the remaining building or up the hill but they didn’t have the time to wait for that to happen. There wasn’t a vehicle close enough to jump to. He had peered through the windows of the vehicle they were standing on. It was the cleanest truck he had ever seen in his life. There wasn’t a single personal effect in the thing. No GPS, no coffee cup, no light jacket in the back seat. He thought about smashing the windshield and getting in to see if there were keys. He didn’t think there would be. The H3 had the logo from the pizza place on the side and was parked in this same spot all the time. He wondered if it ever moved.
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