by Brown, TW
“Every single day you give them allows the possibility of something happening to Valarie. Didn’t you say that you heard she might be in danger? Besides, the more pieces you add to our puzzle, the more complicated you make it. Haven’t you ever seen the movie Red Dawn? A couple of motivated rebels can accomplish a lot.”
“Didn’t they all die in the end?” Kevin had asked.
“Lea Thompson and that other boy live,” Willa shrugged.
Kevin couldn’t argue with logic like that. He kept pushing on until he reached the wall. He tossed his knapsack over and hauled himself up. He lost his footing when he landed and submerged under the snow. He surfaced and found himself face-to-face with a zombie. It was close enough for him to smell the rot coming from its putrid innards and he gagged.
C’mon,” Kevin sighed. “You guys are hardly around for days…and you just happen to be here?” He drew his knife and drove it into the eye.
Getting to his feet, it was a bit more of the tougher going until he reached the highway. At least there he had the numerous tracks made from those who had taken his home. He glanced again over his shoulder and was surprised to see flames shooting skyward. He heard a popcorn sound and it took a moment before he realized that it was probably ammunition cooking off. The fact that there wasn’t much noise meant that they either got the majority of it out of the building, or they simply didn’t have all that much to begin with. He hoped it was the latter.
“Kevin!” a voice whispered from the darkness ahead.
He veered towards that voice and found Willa leaning against the side of a house. He was only slightly relieved to see her as out of breath as he was at the moment.
“We need to get moving,” she said between gasps for air.
“And how will we know if my friends are okay?” Kevin asked as he followed Willa into the garage to put on the skis.
“We won’t,” Willa said. “At least not right away.”
“So what do we do next?”
“We wait.” Willa fastened her bindings and made her way out to the driveway. “But right now, we need to get out of here.”
They had selected a distant farmhouse that sat far enough back from everything but high enough up on a slight ridge to allow them to keep an eye out. They couldn’t actually see the highway from the house, but it was a simple matter of crossing the yard and weaving through some trees. They would keep watch in shifts.
***
Two days had passed. Kevin had taken the first watch after promising that he wouldn’t ‘run off on some fool mission’ if he saw something. The fire had burned most of the night. By dawn, it was a wisp of gray smoke curling skyward. The winds had died down to nothing, so the column had risen high and then seemed to flatten like it had been squashed flat with a giant hammer.
Now, as he stood leaning against the sturdy trunk of one of many in a grove of some generic looking deciduous trees. He was beginning to doubt Willa really had a plan. Every single time that he approached her, she simply said that it was not the time. He’d begun to wonder about the peculiar convenience of meeting her when he did. And then there was the deal about her unit of women.
He struggled with the seed of doubt in his mind that had given way to a weed infested garden. He’d read the books…seen the movies. This was starting to pan out like some elaborate scheme. The only problem was that he couldn’t rationalize why anybody would go to the trouble for him and his friends.
With sunset an hour away, he decided that it was time to start taking things into his own hands. Willa would come out to relieve him soon. When she did, he would give her a dose of her own medicine. An hour into her watch, he would make his move. He would slip out and make his way back to the country club.
A hand on his shoulder made him jump.
“You want to get us killed?” Willa whispered.
“Huh?”
She grabbed his shoulders and turned him about forty-five degrees to the left. At the entrance to the housing development that they had escaped through, a group of the soldiers were gathering around one of the now-useless streetlight poles. They had placed a ladder beside it and one of their group was climbing.
Kevin watched as the person tossed a rope over the extended arm that had the light mounted at its end. The group at the bottom stood in a cluster waiting for the climber to come down. Kevin didn’t realize that he had started moving forward until Willa grabbed him and yanked him back.
“Stay put,” she hissed.
“What are they doing?” Kevin felt his throat tighten. He knew what he was seeing, but he was trying his hardest to make himself believe that he was wrong.
“Shut up!” Willa hissed. “They are trying to draw you…us…out into the open.”
Even from this distance he recognized the coat. A sick feeling filled his stomach. He’d met some despicable people since this whole thing had begun. He’d met people who had done things that he did not imagine possible. However, this…this was simply more than he could stand.
He yanked away from Willa and his eyes widened when his fears were confirmed. He recognized that coat. Valarie never went anywhere without it on. He couldn’t see her face from this distance. Actually, he couldn’t see much of anything because the so-called soldiers were all gathered around. One of them draped the noose over the hooded figure and then three of them hauled on the rope, hoisting the helpless figure in the air. It swayed back and forth and Kevin could tell that the arms and legs had been bound.
The group yelled and cheered and made all kinds of noise. The legs were barely three feet off the ground. They were hoping for zombies. Kevin could have told them they were wasting their time. Valarie was immune to the bite, but since she’d already been bitten—numerous times at that—she would turn soon after death.
A surge of emotion filled him and Kevin decided that he no longer cared if he lived or died. Shoving Willa back, Kevin drew his sword. His mind did not bother him with the futility of going after several men with bows while carrying nothing more than a knife.
“Kevin, no!” Willa pleaded.
“Go to hell,” he snarled. He took two more steps and never actually felt the blow to the back of his head. All he knew was that somebody had turned up the brightness on his vision in a hurry; and just as quickly…everything went dark.
***
Kevin felt sick. He wanted to open his eyes, but he had already tried it once and the room had flipped on its side causing him to blow chunks. He felt somebody wipe at him with a warm, wet cloth and decided to just stay still for the time being.
While he waited for the woogy feeling to pass, he flexed his hands and was surprised to discover that they were not bound. The next problem was trying to figure out why he would have expected them to be. He began to search his memory, but it was a bit hazy.
He could see images start to form in his mind’s eye, but then they would vanish like the sun behind a cloud. One picture kept trying to force its way in…a face. He knew that face. He knew the name. Sara? Valarie? Why couldn’t he decide on which was correct? It wasn’t like they were similar.
As he sat with his back against a wall, Kevin continued to focus. He kept seeing scenes from some of his favorite movies pop in with a clarity that almost disturbed him. And he started realizing that he hadn’t seen any of these scenes in any movie.
“Oh, God,” he moaned. It was real! And just like that, the past few months came pouring back. In the middle of the memory pile-up was his sister…and Valarie.
Kevin’s eyes opened and the room swam. He felt the cold sweat break out on his face as he struggled to keep from heaving again. The face a few feet from him took a few seconds to match up with a name floating around in the soup of his memory.
“What did you do, Willa?” Kevin said through clenched teeth.
“I couldn’t let you go,” Willa said in a choked whisper. “You wouldn’t have made it anyway. It was too far away and done before you—”
“You don’t…have that right!” Th
e first words came out at almost a yell. He squeezed his eyes shut tight as if that would also help force the bile rising in his throat back down to his stomach where it belonged.
“Look beside you,” Willa said with a nod of her head.
Kevin looked and actually tried to push himself away from what sat next to him on the floor. The first thing he recognized was the coat. It was definitely Valarie’s. However, that was it. Other than that, it was only a bunch of clothing. He looked at Willa with a question etched on his face.
“Snow,” she said. “They stuffed a bunch of her clothes with snow, put her jacket on it, and then strung it up.”
“So she isn’t…” Kevin’s throat burned and tears spilled from his eyes.
“Dead?” Willa asked. “I have no idea, but I can’t imagine they would have gone through all of this trouble if she was.”
“So then what the hell was all that about?”
“It was about what you almost gave them,” Willa said matter-of-factly. “They were trying to draw you out for some reason.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea,” Willa said with a shrug.
Kevin leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes again. He tried to make sense of what could possibly be the motivation behind such an act.
“Go change,” Willa said.
Kevin went to stand and the room tilted. He slid back down against the wall. “I’ll wait.”
He eventually reached the point where he could keep his eyes open without feeling sick. By the time he was able to stand, the room had become noticeably darker. At some point, Willa had gone back outside to keep watch. As he sat there, things came back. At first it was just in bits and pieces, but eventually he was able to recall everything…or at least he thought so.
Making his way into one of the bedrooms, he saw a bunch of their stuff laid out like it had been gone through. He couldn’t worry about that now, he needed to focus. First he peeled out of his sick-fouled clothes and wiped himself off as best he could. He didn’t put too much effort into it because he really didn’t care.
Once he was dressed, he grabbed a few things and stuffed them into his knapsack. A quick peek out of the room confirmed that it was still empty. Good, he thought, I don’t need much of a head start, but every bit helps. He walked on tip toe until he realized how silly it was with her outside and him in.
He opened the back door and had an immediate appreciation for how warm the fire in the bathtub was keeping the house. It was cold enough to hurt his teeth when he breathed. Kevin had never really been one to wear scarves before, but they had become a valued part of his wardrobe lately.
He made his way across the back yard as carefully as possible. The surface of the snow was a hard crust that broke instead of just being smooshed underfoot. A few times, he’d had to actually tap hard with the heel of his foot to break through. By the time he reached the trees, he was starting to question his wisdom. His head still throbbed a bit, and he probably should have eaten something before taking off.
He kept his mind occupied with the importance of taking one more step…then one more step…and so on. A good bit of time passed when he found himself at the edge of the trees and looking down a pretty steep slope. The moon lit up a frozen stream below and was so bright that even the crystalized moisture from his breath sparkled like tiny diamonds. He couldn’t feel his nose, and his eyelashes felt like they stuck just a bit when he blinked.
When he reached the bottom of the hill, he had to look around a bit and get his bearings. It took him just a few seconds to figure out where he was, and he quickly set off for the golf course. As he moved along the highway, he crossed over and stayed in the shadows. On the off chance that Willa had not come inside from her watch to discover his absence, he did not want to reveal himself to her.
As soon as he saw the stone wall, he climbed up and over. He had to weave through some trees, but eventually he found himself on a long, narrow fairway. Using what he remembered about the place, he made his way to where the club house should be.
He moved cautiously, knowing that he would be no match for any real soldier…especially in his current condition. The one thing that kept him moving was the idea of what he had resigned the Bergman women to by waiting to act. He had wanted to formulate the perfect plan. He now realized that there was no such thing. All he could do is move, act, and improvise.
When he finally saw the camp, he felt his heart sink just a bit. There were at least three dozen tents along with a huge central tent. He guessed that to either be the headquarters or the mess tent. Whatever the case, it was too much. Anything he did would be futile and end in failure and probably death. Worse still, if he hadn’t condemned them to death already by torching that building, it was very possible that he would do so now.
Willa had made several statements to that effect. He had chosen to ignore her. He hadn’t wanted to hear just how hopeless it was. Just once, his mind screamed, why can’t it be like in the movies? In the movies, the “good guy” eventually triumphed over bad. He knew that because it was always the part he and his friends complained about when the movie was over. There was always some convenient miracle that signaled the doom of the bad guys. Couple that with how the good guys never missed and the bad guys couldn’t hit a stationary target ten feet away with an M-16 and you had the typical Hollywood scenario.
He’d already lost his friends. He’d lost the Bergmans only to get two of the four back…and then lose them again. He’d had a chance at redemption with Valarie. His run to get her medication had been full of miracles. At least that had been the case until Dr. Peter King got bit.
And then there was Aleah. Of course Hollywood casting would have utilized one of those “nerd chic” types. A change in his eyeglasses and a new hairstyle would transform him like a geeky Cinderfella. That would make somebody as gorgeous as Aleah the princess who kissed the toad and helped him transform into a prince.
“Fuck,” Kevin hissed.
He didn’t know how long he stood there, but the longer he did, the more he felt his resolve start to fade. It was now or never. Kevin unslung his knapsack and dug through it. The medication was there just as it had been the other four or five times he had checked. He slung it over his shoulder and stepped out of the trees. Lacing his fingers behind his head, Kevin began the walk across the open ground of where the putting green would be if you could see it and towards the shadowy form that he was pretty certain had to be a sentry.
8
Vignettes XXVII
Ahi stared in disbelief. He looked back and forth between the obviously pleased Aaheru and the bus that was now little more than twisted metal, smoke, and flames. All of the women, the Mothers of Egypt as the seemingly mad pharaoh called them, were on that bus. Physically, it was of no consequence to Ahi. He preferred the company of men and had a secret lover among the boys who had been recruited from the City of the Dead.
“Did you think I was that big of a fool, my brother?” Aaheru laughed loud as if he’d just heard the most humorous joke.
“B-b-but the women—” Ahi stammered.
“Are in the armored car directly behind me,” Aaheru said, clucking his tongue. “I would not be fooled by somebody as greedy or power hungry as Markata.”
“But I saw the women board—”
“Did you see their faces?” Aaheru asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. “You saw several figures board the bus wearing the traditional burqa. Allah will forgive the transgression, but those were young men that I hand-picked for their willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice when needed. They were needed today.”
Ahi thought it over. On one hand, he could see the need to send a clear message to any future potential rebels…but to sacrifice twenty-three men to kill one? It didn’t make any sense to him.
“They served you well, my Pharaoh. I hope they find glory and honor before God.”
Aaheru returned his attention forward. The waterfront district was just through an arch. They ha
d arrived with minimal casualties. He glanced in the mirror at Ahi. The man was far too grim after such a victory. Of all people, he would have thought that the man would delight in seeing the demise of the only person who sought to unseat him as the pharaoh’s advisor. Perhaps he had gauged this man incorrectly.
The caravan came top a stop. Aaheru looked and was annoyed to discover that they were still a few hundred yards away from the actual docks. One of the men from a vehicle out front came sprinting back. The fearful looks that he continued to cast over his shoulder gave Aaheru a clue as to the most likely problem.
“Two climbed in the first car,” the man panted. “The windshield finally gave way after hitting several of the cursed things. There are over a hundred between us and the ships.”
This was not good. Aaheru would be sure to deal with the men tasked to keep the ships secure and waiting for his arrival. This was no way for the new era to begin.
Opening the door with enough force to send the man outside it sprawling, Aaheru stepped out of the vehicle. He did not look back, but rather strode forward with purpose. He should not need to look or give an order; his people should instantly react and move to ensure the safety of their pharaoh.
“Perhaps you should return to your vehicle, my Pharaoh,” Ahi said as he stepped up and matched stride with the larger man.
One of the undead stepped out from between two idling vehicles of the caravan. Aaheru drew his curved scimitar and swung with a ferocious backhand. The blade dug deep but did not completely pass through the top third of the skull. With a slight turn, Aaheru brought up a booted foot and kicked the now truly dead creature away. Several more of the abominations were headed their direction.
Looking in all directions, Aaheru felt a brief flutter of the closest thing to fear he’d experienced in years. They were so close, and in such great numbers, that it took him a few seconds to realize somebody behind him was screaming.