by Flacco, Jack
When they drifted into the bushes where they had left the kids, Ranger scanned the area thinking he’d find them sitting quietly telling stories. He waited for Jon to run toward him, but the embrace never came. He couldn’t see any of them. They weren’t in the bush, nor were they at the edge of the hill where they could spy on the fortress with the zombies that had surrounded the city. He didn’t see any of them.
Once Silver strolled by Ranger’s side, he had the same question Ranger kept asking himself. “Where did they go?” It wasn’t as if they had an appointment to be somewhere. Matty wouldn’t have left them. She would have protected them and prevented them from walking off.
Ranger ran through the area with the thought that someone had taken them. It wouldn’t have been the first time. His gaze turned to worry and the blame he took for not doing anything with Darla revisited him. He should not have left the kids. He should have learned from past mistakes. He should have taken them with him.
He ran through the woods hoping he’d find them while Silver followed. His lungs wanted to explode. Stopping by a group of tall trees, Ranger said, “It’s my fault they’re gone.”
“Don’t do this to yourself, Ranger. They probably went to find food.”
“They should have known better than to wander off.”
“Let’s wait here for a while. I’m sure they’ll return soon.”
“Where could they have gone? There’s nothing in the valley except that damn fortress. There’s nothing in these woods but trees. Near the road, someone would have found them right away. Where did they go?” Ranger said, slamming his body against one of the trees. His anger burned hot and the tree was the only thing he could have used to unleash it.
“They took them.” A voice said from within the trees.
“Abigail?” Ranger said, lifting his head from his darkness.
Silver pointed in the air. In among the leaves and branches of the trees, he could see two eyes piercing down at them.
Extending his hands beneath the bows of the tallest branches, Ranger said, “Jump. I’ll catch you.”
Abigail had climbed to the highest branch and was clasping it. The height she had climbed brought shivers up her spine. It wasn’t a question of trust. She trusted Ranger catching her. The fear of jumping had gained an advantage over her. Would she be able to let go and trust herself that she wouldn’t die by tossing her faith in another person’s hands?
“C’mon, Abigail. Jump. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
While Silver stared at her, his mind wandered on the height. It was a long way up there. Maybe a jump wouldn’t be the best thing. But how could he tell Ranger that? Would Ranger listen? Or was Ranger as stubborn as some of the other kids in the group?
“Let go, Abigail.” Ranger’s arms were straight and waiting.
“I can’t. I’m scared.”
That was new. Ranger never thought of Abigail as one to scare easily. She had always held firm with her convictions. Then again, whenever she needed the strength, her mother Olivia was always by her side. Perhaps she did feel the fear of being up in that tree. “I’m comin’ up to get you.”
“No, Ranger. I’ll go up.” Silver said. “If she falls, you can catch her, but if you’re climbing the tree when she falls, I wouldn’t be able to save her. I’ll go up.”
“Silver’s comin’ to get you. Okay?”
Abigail nodded, but it was more of a shake. She shook all over with the fear of falling.
Without waiting, Silver mounted the tree, grabbed one branch after another and negotiated his way higher. As he climbed to the top, he could hear Abigail breathing heavier and heavier. He rested for a moment and thought if she didn’t stop soon, she’d faint from hyperventilation. She needed to calm herself. He said, “Abby? Did anyone ever call you Abby?”
“Don’t call me that. Only my mother can call me that.”
Not a good sign, he thought. Her mother was dead. Why would she even say only her mother could call her that? He had to get her thinking about something else. “Okay. I won’t call you that. Listen, can you tell me something about your mother that you’ve never told anyone else?”
“My mother’s dead. No use talking about dead people.”
Silver sped his pace upward. He grabbed one of the branches with his left hand and he stepped on another branch with this right foot.
The branch underneath him snapped. Holding on with both hands on either side of the tree, Silver swung from his right to his left searching for a place to set his feet. Below him, Ranger didn’t leave his spot from where Abigail hung for her own life in the tree. When Silver had lost his footing, his chest scrapped along the bark. He grimaced as the front of his T-shirt became red. He didn’t think anything of it. It hurt, but his thoughts drifted on two things: trying to find his footing and get Abigail out of the tree. As his right hand slipped, he closed his eye. His left hand held firm. His feet thrashed about looking for a place to rest. Then, he stopped. He opened his eyes and stared at the ground below. It must have been twenty feet. The worst that could happen was breaking a leg. He wouldn’t die. This strange and awkward information seemed to calm him. He stopped whipping his legs, and pulled his weight up with his right hand. Within seconds, he stuck his foot on the stump of the broken branch and he pushed himself higher to a better vantage point. He promised himself that once he got down he wouldn’t climb a tree ever again.
Ranger removed his cap and patted the sweat from his forehead in relief. He knew he could trust Silver.
When Silver reached the branch Abigail hung from, he rested a moment. He studied the branch and realized it wouldn’t be able to take both their weight. He’d have to coax her to crawl backward so he could grab a good hold of her. If he could convince her to hang off his back while he descended the tree, they’d all be safe by the end of it. The question was how to get Abigail to crawl to him?
“Abigail.” He said. “You’ll need to do something for me. Okay? You’ll need to crawl to me so that I can put you on my back.”
“I can’t.”
He didn’t think it would have been that easy. “If I climb on the branch, it will snap with both of us on it. We’ll both end up dead. You have to crawl to me.”
“No, Silver. I can’t move. If I move, I’ll fall and die. I don’t want to die.”
“You’re not going to die. I won’t let that happen.” Silver extended his hand to her. “C’mon, you won’t die if you crawl to me.”
Abigail looked down at Ranger and gulped. The height shook her to hold on tighter and shut her eyes. A moment later, she gazed at Silver who was holding on to the branch, waiting for her and not moving. She smiled slightly appreciating him for staying quiet and not attempting to grab her. She had all she could do to remain calm. Slowly she crawled backward toward Silver. She breathed deeper with the hope she wouldn’t have to worry about trees ever again. That was, if she made it to the ground safely. She didn’t look down ever again. One hand after another she pushed herself backward.
Spying on her from below, Ranger held his breath as she inched to Silver’s awaiting arms.
Silver stayed silent with one arm extended forward and his eyes locked on her. There was a foot between his hand and her feet. He thought if anything should happen, he would lunge and grab her leg.
The thought came too late. Abigail lost her grip, flipped backward and hung for her life while Silver watched unable to reach her. Her legs quickly unwrapped from the branch and swung through the air. She dangled, holding on to the branch with only her hands.
“I don’t want to die.” Abigail said.
“You won’t. I’m coming to get you.” Silver said, sliding his chest on the branch.
Her grip loosened while Silver pressed forward. The branch began to sag with his weight. He felt its pull. He tried to reach her, giving her his hand to grab, but she couldn’t reach.
When Abigail couldn’t hold on any longer, she lost her grip.
Silver watched he
r descent with terror all over his face.
“Gotcha.” Ranger said, after Abigail had fallen into his arms.
Silver let go a sigh of relief and laid his cheek on the branch, exhausted.
“You didn’t think I’d let you break your neck, did you?” Ranger said.
* * *
After Silver’s feet hit the ground, Abigail ran, and hugged him. He didn’t expect her show of emotion, considering how she’d been cold for so long to everyone since joining the group. She uttered a quick thank you and stood next to him having noticed the blood on his T-shirt.
“We ought to get you looked after.” Ranger said as he waved to follow him to the pickup.
They kept pace with him all the way to the vehicle. Ranger stuck his head in the passenger seat window, dug his hands in a backpack and pulled a first aid kit. Matty had the honors of keeping the kit with her at all times. She was the unofficial nurse of the group, although in this case, Ranger freely took the honors from her that moment. He pulled the hatch to the pickup open and had Silver sit on it while he opened the small white box to gather antiseptic for the scraps.
“I’ll be fine, Ranger. It’s flesh wound. Nothing more.” Silver said, lifting his T-shirt.
The zombie slayer dabbed a handful of cotton with hydrogen peroxide, and gently rubbed the wound of any dirt and crusted blood that had accumulated while at the top of the tree. Silver didn’t react to Ranger’s care. He felt a stinging sensation on his skin, but if anything, it all happened in his mind. Hydrogen peroxide did not burn.
Abigail sat next to Silver as Ranger took care of him. She could see how Ranger was gentle with the boy and didn’t want to hurt him. After Ranger had caught her midair, she’d gained more trust for the undead killer. She had always been distant from them, not wanting to get involved, but the events of the past few hours had changed her view of her new friends. She wanted to trust them further.
“What happened to the others?” Ranger asked as he threw away the used cotton.
“Three men with guns took them.” Abigail answered.
“Where did they take them?” He prepped a medical appendage with white tape to press against Silver’s wounds.
“They drove away. I don’t know where.”
“Paradise?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see them head that way.”
“With all the zombies surrounding the area, could you blame them?” Silver said.
“They must have gone somewhere.” Ranger pressed the appendage against Silver’s chest.
Abigail shrugged.
“What did they look like?”
“They looked clean, as if they never went through the trouble we have. They were soldiers. Their boots were shiny and their uniforms looked ironed.”
“Very good, Abigail. Very good.”
“What do you think, Ranger?” Silver asked.
“I think it would be a pretty big coincidence if they didn’t come from that fortress.”
“I want those people dead, Ranger.” Abigail said.
“Hold on there, little lady.” Ranger motioned to Silver to drop his shirt. He had fixed the wound. “No one’s killin’ anyone until I find out for sure where Matty, Randy and Jon went. The obvious conclusion I have right now is if they didn’t go down to the fortress, where did they go?”
“I’m thinking you already know.” Silver said.
“Damn right. But before we go off like a bunch of cowboys tryin’ to find them, there’s something we gotta do first.”
“What’s that?”
* * *
The pickup sped on the road passing trees, bushes and rock of all kind. It was close to sunset and the orange hues of the sun’s golden hour covered the roadway with a warm glow. The pickup came to an abrupt stop, an inch from hitting the two men Ranger had released earlier in the day. Their faces showed their surprise.
Ranger popped his head from the driver’s seat window and said to the two men. “You boys still interested in helping us?”
Lean One and Bulky One glanced at each other, then at Ranger and his pickup. “Yeah, we are.”
“Good. Hop in the back. We’ve got a job to do.”
They couldn’t hold back their excitement. They tore from their stance and sprinted to the back of the truck with not even a thank you. They didn’t want Ranger to change his mind so they thought hopping in quickly would relieve them of worrying about dusk. They didn’t want to stay outside while it was night.
Just as the men were about to climb in the back, a smile appeared on Ranger’s face. He stuck his head outside again, but he didn’t bother looking at them. He asked, “What’re you boys’ names anyway?”
Lean One said, “I’m Russell and this here is Lenny.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Ranger. Little girl is Abigail and the boy’s name is Silver.”
“Odd name. Silver, that is.”
“It’s my last name.”
“Okay, that’s as far as we’re going with that,” Ranger said. “Where are we going?”
“You want to get into Paradise?”
“Yeah.”
“Then you’ll need supplies and guns. Let’s go.”
Chapter 21
The diminutive hands nudged him a few times but Randy wouldn’t wake up. A few more pokes and he still was counting sheep. The cage was small and cramped. Randy lay on a bed of straw in a fetal position while Jon sat next to him, fingers threaded through the cage’s square holes. If Jon didn’t know better, whoever was responsible for the upkeep of the cages was also responsible for treating them like dogs.
Next to their cage sat Matty, her legs crossed as she peered from the center watching all that went on beyond the boundary of her constricted world. Voices flowed freely from across the warehouse where the cages sat. Around them were tables, bare and empty, the metal kind they knew of from the hotel’s kitchen where they stayed in Las Vegas. Matty didn’t bother asking herself what the tables were for, and she certainly didn’t want to know the answer.
As she meditated on their predicament, she could hear the familiar sound of moans and groans outside. For the moment, she thought the cages were the safest place to be. In cages, nothing could harm them. For once, she would have loved to see the undead crash the party they were partaking but never had invitations to attend.
The far door opposite the cages opened with the sound of a hollow clang. Feet sauntered into the warehouse making the room feel naked. They were military boots and their laces were tight and clean. The feet headed straight for the two cages near the inside walls of the warehouse.
Randy groaned as he rubbed his head from the bump that sat on the base of his skull. His eyes tried to focus at the light, but he winced when the light was too strong. He had enough strength to prop himself against the back of the cage. Jon crawled next to him for comfort.
In the other cage, Matty waited.
The feet came to a stop. The boots had the compliment of a camouflage uniform, pristine and ironed. Five sets of feet. Five men in military garb.
The one in the middle was the tallest one of the lot. His uniform looked military but it was not. He forewent his hair for a bald look and his arms were as tree stumps ready to pound anyone who dared to give him a problem. He asked, “These are the only ones you found today?”
“That’s it. I’m hoping tomorrow will be a better day.”
“Three kids roaming about alone.” Bald One said, crouching. “Where are you from?”
The kids knew better than to talk. They’ve been through it all before. The uniformed five figured they had the advantage and could do what they wished with the kids until Ranger would storm the facility to take revenge on their asses. They didn’t have a chance, Matty thought.
“C’mon, kids. Talk. Where are you from?”
“Maybe they’re mutes.” One of the five said.
Everyone laughed.
“What’re your names?” Bald One asked. “Your mothers and fathers must have named you somethin
g. What did they name you?”
“They’ve been this way since we caught them.” The one on the left said. Three of the men who had captured the kids were part of the team.
“It doesn’t make sense that three kids would be wandering outside with a valley full of rat brains without adult supervision. Did you find any tire tracks?”
The three men looked at each other as if they’d gotten hit by a car.
“C’mon, now. Did you find any tire tracks?”
“We didn’t look.” One of them said.
By this time, Bald One’s creases on his forehead turned sinister. His face became cold and empty. He wasn’t getting the answers he wanted and the next best thing to not getting any answers would be to extract the answers in some way that would satisfy his curiosity. He tried a different approach. While the others looked on, he bent to Matty’s cage and faced her with the grid between them. “My name is Josh. These are my men. They won’t hurt you. What’s your name?”
She stared at him with a cold gaze. Matty wouldn’t dream of disappointing Josh during their introductions, but disappointment is what she delivered. She didn’t say anything.
“It’s safe here. You can trust us. Nothing here to hurt you. What’s your name?”
Matty smiled as did Josh’s men, thinking they were finally getting somewhere with her.
“Is that why you have us in these cages?” Matty asked. Ranger’s smirk appeared on her face. She had the upper hand.
“I’ve placed you in cages for your protection. Those rat brains out there do not take kindly to kids behind our wall. They’ll do anything to eat you whole—even climb the walls.”
“Or,” Matty said, clearing her throat, “you put us here so we wouldn’t cause any trouble. After all, three kids can cause the downfall of your great fortress. Don’t you think?”
Josh laughed and turned to the others behind him. “I like this one. She’s spunky.”
Randy was still rubbing the back of his head not realizing yet what was going on. In the meantime, Jon thought how stupid these guys were to have brought them in there. Once Ranger were to have heard about it, nothing could have held him back to destroy the place and get them out.