Breathless Bodies

by Brigit Levois

  "I'm sick of this. I never believed this sort of thing would ever really happen." She shook her head and took a drink. Ernest and my mom came in and sat opposite us. She handed the bottle to my mom who took a generous drink.

  "How are the boys holding up?"

  "Scott's getting better, he's been a lot more helpful and Daniel is the same as always." The sound of gunfire broke out and I raced to the door. Kato was running out of the garage attached to the store. There were two of the killer bone bags on his heels. I took out my gun and shot one, Samuel shot the other. He hopped into the RV.

  "I think it's time to go. Where's everyone else?" I didn't know so I shrugged. The two women were still asleep and the teenagers were in the other truck but Malcolm, Ragnar, and Steven were missing. As we watched they raced around the side of the garage, their guns drawn.

  "You're a little late to the party boys. Let's go." I shouted at them. Bea, Ernest, and my mom went back to the truck and the rest piled into the camper again.

  As the RV rumbled off, I put all but one knife away. It's not that I didn't trust anyone, it's just... No, I was lying to myself. There were a couple people I didn't exactly trust. I stood by Kato as he drove.

  "So where are we?" I asked. We were driving up a mountain, lushly green and topped with clouds.

  "We just left Raton. We'll be in Colorado soon." Just then my cell phone rang in the bedroom. I rushed back there to answer it: Sean.

  "I don't have a lot of time. Darius is delusional, he thinks he's a fucking Spartan or some shit, trying to make his own empire. The kids are fine; they've been traveling with him in his truck. There's a woman that has been looking after them. We're in Kansas somewhere. I have to go now. I don't want to be found. Be safe." I didn't have time to say anything before he hung up. I wanted to call him back but I didn't want him to get caught.

  Sitting on the feather strewn bed, I stared at my phone. Sleep. Yes, sleep will help. Sighing, I laid down in the bed and closed my eyes. There was a knock on the door. I groaned.

  "Come in." not bothering to sit up. Samuel came in, closing the door behind him.

  "How is he?" He asked. I repeated the conversation and he nodded. "So what do you want to do?"

  "Stick to the plan. Go to Hartsel. Build a fort of some kind." I stood up to go wash my face but, once again, Samuel stood in the way. "Can I get by please?" He looked at me questioningly.

  "Why don't you like me?" He asked like he was asking about the weather. I sighed and sat back down on the bed.

  "I don't like some of the things you say. That doesn't mean I don't like you." He shook his head.

  "That's not what I meant. Why don't you like me like you like Malcolm?" That caught me off guard. I frowned at him, but before I could answer him, Ragnar came through the door.

  "There's a road block up ahead, looks like its military." Shit

  "I'm coming." Getting up to go into the galley, Samuel stopped me with an arm around my waist.

  "I'd like an answer to that question when we're done." He let me go and walked away. What is it with men in a post-apocalyptic world? I shook my head and went up front. There were soldiers on either side of the road and a gatehouse set up in the middle. We pulled to a stop in front of the mechanical arm and a soldier opened the RV door.

  "Hello there. Can we help you?" I asked in a pleasant tone.

  "We need you and your companions to step out of the vehicle ma'am." He was curt and authoritative.

  "We'd much rather not. It's been a long day and we just want to get where we're going." I tried to play the simpering woman but it came rather hard.

  "I'm sorry to hear that ma'am but you need to step out of the camper." I cocked my head.

  "Why?"

  "We need to search your vehicle."

  "At a time like this? Whatever for? " What the hell could be so important, illegal zombies?

  "I'm not at liberty to say, ma'am. Please exit the RV." I looked at everyone and shrugged. We got out of the camper. Everyone in the truck was already standing at the side of the road. We gathered in a huddle and tried to puzzle out what was going on. In no more than fifteen minutes, the soldiers came out of the RV with nothing in hand but covered in feathers from the knee down. I couldn't help but laugh, as did Malcolm and, surprisingly, the soldiers grinned a bit. One of them walked up to us.

  "Your vehicles are clear, you're free to move on. May we talk to you for a moment ma'am?" I nodded for the others to go ahead and stepped aside with him.

  "We were searching your vehicles for any evidence of a man believed to be a traitor and extremely dangerous. He tried to assassinate the president and is suspected of trying to create a new form of government. Now, even though we are in the midst of an epidemic, that is still treason." I instantly thought of Darius. Trying to keep my face from showing my suspicion, he was instantly on guard.

  "You know who I'm talking about, don't you?" He accused me. I could only nod my head.

  "How?" He demanded. I looked at him and tears instantly sprang into my eyes.

  "He kidnapped my children after he tried to rape and kill me." The soldier's expression didn't change.

  "I'm sorry to hear that." He said stoically. Yeah, isn't everyone? As I turned to go, the soldier spoke again.

  "Be safe on your travels little Alex." He turned and walked back to the guard shack, lifting the arm so we could pass. The soldier picked up a phone and smiled as he spoke into the receiver. I couldn't breathe. It was impossible, only one person had ever called me that and he was in Kansas. Did he get to them? How far was his reach? Stumbling, I climbed into the RV and sank to a couch. How did Darius get to the military? The world spun and started to fade, and I put my head between my knees: concentrating on breathing, remaining conscious and not screaming in terror. I felt a hand on my shoulder but I couldn't see whose.

  "When did you last eat?" It was Samuel, kneeling beside me. I lifted my head to look at him.

  "That's not it. The soldier. He called me 'little Alex'... Darius called me that." Samuel stood up and went to the window. As we passed by the guard shack, he looked at each and every face that was there.

  "The guard on the phone works for Darius, I recognize him. What are they doing with the military?" He sat down from the window and looked at his knees, biting his lip as he thought.

  "Come on," I said to him. "Let's get everyone into the front and figure this out." We all crowded into the front of the bus and I told them what Sean had told me.

  "If Darius is trying to create a new form of government then he's going to need some kind of enforcement. It only makes sense that he has men in the military." Ragnar said. I agreed with him.

  "Why should we stop him? I mean, it's not like our government is doing the best job at things." This came from Malcolm.

  "Wait a minute. Samuel, you ran away from him, he was looking for you. Why?" Kato asked him. We all looked at Samuel, making him squirm. He finally nodded and sighed.

  "Alright alright. I left for a lot of reasons but one of them was the society he wants to create. He wants to take the world back to a time before America was even around, kinda like the roman empire before it went to crap. You know, hail Caesar and the like." He leaned back into the couch and flung his arm across the back. "Darius was in the department of defense until about a year ago when he tried to pursue different countries to be allies with him and help him take over. Russia was the only one that made it known they would give it thought, but I think there were many other countries that would have or are helping. Anyway, after he was discharged he tried to get into contact with someone from the Vietnam War. This person was supposed to know all the bunkers that the government would be hiding in should anything happen. His plan was to bomb a few places close to the White House, forcing the heads to run. Then he would send out a task force to each bunker and kill them. Things didn't turn out the way he wanted. The gu
y from Nam didn't give him any information. So he found a few discredited scientists, kidnapped and blackmailed others, they created an epidemic strength virus." At this point, Samuel was avoiding eye contact with everyone. What he was saying was almost exactly what Tony had told me.

  "What virus did he try to create?" Malcolm asked him. We all looked at Samuel as he rubbed his hands together.

  "Weaponized rabies. It was quite genius actually, since it's all over the world already it wouldn't look like anyone was at fault if 'nature took a turn for the worst' as he said."

  "You've got to be kidding me." I said. Standing up, I paced the length of the RV. "It's not bad enough that we have to fight for our lives from zombies, but now we have to deal with some maniac with weaponized rabies as well? And let's not forget that Darius also wants to take us back to the Roman era. Oh, and he has my children and quite possibly my husband in captivity doing who knows what to all of them." I plopped back down on the couch and pushed a hand through my hair. This was going from one nightmare to another.

  "If it helps, you can stop worrying about the rabies and the zombies being two different things." We all looked at Samuel again. "He's the one that started all this. Darius had his men go to a few major cities in every continent with the virus. They each infected a few dogs and boom, global epidemic. That way it just looked like the rabies had mutated, like I said."

  Samuel got up and went to the fridge. "Anyone else want a water?" No one answered. I think we were all trying to wrap our heads around this information. I was sickened by the fact that I had met the man responsible for this nightmare.

  Looking around me, Kato was digesting this, Malcolm was concentrating on his crossed ankles, Steven was staring out the window. It was Niobe who finally broke the silence.

  "Well now that we know that fun fact, what are we going to do about it?" Exchanging glances did not magically provide an answer.

  "Why don't we just stick to the plan? I mean, it's not like we can do anything about it." Liz was speaking quietly but we could all hear her. "He's already gotten into the military and who knows, maybe he's already killed the government and is on his way to D.C. to finish his take over. We're only twelve people, we can't take on an army." She snuggled into Stevens arms and closed her eyes.

  "I agree with her." Steven said. I looked at him for a moment and nodded.

  "Anyone else have any suggestions?" No one spoke. "Alright, We're off to Hartsel."

  Chapter 16

  With all the abandoned cars on the freeway, it took us the rest of the day to get to Hartsel. It was a secluded town nestled between two large lakes and mountain ranges. Most of the buildings had been burned down for some reason or another so we found an empty parking lot and settled in for the night. Momma Bea had started cooking dinner when Steve and Scott started shouting from the back. Pulling my knife, I rushed to the back of the camper to see them hunched over a radio laughing. Steve looked up at me.

  "We got the radio working." He was so happy he looked like he could vibrate. Steve turned back to the radio and started turning nobs.

  "Wait, go back." I thought I heard a voice. He moved the dial back and we heard a voice over the static.

  "Survivor... last one alive...Silverthorne. Please help..." Then it faded out in a rush of static. I looked at Steve and made a rolling motion with my hand.

  "Come on, get that thing working again. If there are more survivors, we have to tell them where we are." I turned and paced back into the galley. I noticed Ragnar, Kato, and Niobe where missing. Malcolm spoke from his seat at the kitchen table.

  "They went to do a patrol. They've got their radios." He offered one to me.

  "Thank you." I took it and set it on the kitchen table. My mother came over with a glass of wine. Where did she keep coming up with alcohol? I asked her and she pointed to my in-laws. Ernest smiled.

  "We may all be in danger of being eaten but I'm not giving up my wine." He lifted his glass in a cheers and I returned it. Momma Bea brought us all big plates of spaghetti. It was the perfect thing to feed so many people, and the carbs would see us through the work ahead. After we ate, we cleaned the kitchen and headed off to our various places on the floor. My in-laws took the bedroom so I let the captain's chair down and claimed that for the night.

  About three hours into my sleep, Ragnar and Kato came knocking at the RV. I opened the door to see a large fire and, hanging over it on a makeshift rotisserie, was a respectably sized elk. I had to rub my eyes and shake my head to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Kato reached behind me and gave me push in the small of my back. I stepped out of the camper and then I smelled the cooking meat. My mouth instantly watered. Elk meat was so much more enjoyable than bear.

  "We did a complete search of the area. There are rivers to our south and north-east that are abundant in fish. Apparently this town was a haven for fishermen as well as hunters." I looked at Kato with raised eyebrows.

  "And how do you know all this? Is your night vision that great?" He chuckled and handed me a pamphlet. I opened it and read it was a travel brochure. I laughed with him and put it in my pocket. Looking toward the east, there was a noticeable lightening of the sky. There was, perhaps, an hour before dawn.

  "Why don't you go guys get some sleep and I'll stay out here as watch? Just send out Malcolm and Steven."' It was Kato's turn to raise his eyebrows.

  "Steven? Are you sure?" I knew he didn't think my brother was very good at any kind of self-defense, but he had great eyesight and that's what I needed.

  "I'm sure. He's going to have to learn sometime how to kill and cook something." I flashed a wicked grin. "We'll ease him into the idea with cooking."

  I went to the fire and its welcome warmth against the pre-dawn chill. Turning my back to it, I stared up at the night sky. Without the light pollution of the city, millions of stars stood out against the blackness. When Malcolm and Steven came out, they stood next to me and we all watched the sky as a meteor streaked through.

  "Make a wish." Malcolm said. I smiled and wished for the safety of my children and Sean. My brother spoke his out loud.

  "I wish I could get a full night's sleep." He grumbled to himself as he walked to build up the fire. I gave a short laugh and walked away to do a patrol. Rounding the far side of the RV, I had the sensation of being watched - like an itch between my shoulder blades. I stared hard around, judging the shadows in the half light, but there was nothing. My nerves are just shot, that's all, I thought. Pulling a cigarette from my jack, I lit up and was instantly light headed as I exhaled.

  It was a little foolhardy, but I decided to walk to the charred remnants of the town to get an idea of what could be salvaged. It was hard to see in the pale light of the stars but sound carried in the breeze. There was a shuffling off to my right, but seemed to carry no threat - though I couldn't be certain. Pausing by a charred pickup truck, I heard the sound again.

  Something was scenting a trail, then came the familiar growl of a dog and my tension eased. I sank to my knees, then sat in the dirt, trying to show the dog that I wasn't going to hurt it. The growling slowed and eventually stopped as I sat and smoked. When I was almost done with my cigarette, there was a movement at the corner of my eye. Slowly turning my head, I saw a thin, sickly dog. I couldn't tell the breed, but there was no mistaking it's distrust. Crushing the cigarette, I slowly held out my other hand, careful to keep my head bowed to show I was no threat. After what seemed like forever the dog sniffed my hand, then nuzzled it, then promptly crawled into my lap to bath my face. I laughed and rubbed the dog where I could.

  "Oh you're a happy little thing aren't you? Would you like some water?" I picked it up more easily than I should have considering its size and walked back to the campsite to get it some nourishment.

  Once in the light of the fire, I saw it was some kind of pit bull mix with brown and white splotches all over. Its eyes were sunken and dry so I cut the top off
a water bottle, but there was no chance to set the dog down before it started to drink. While it was drinking, I checked and found out it was a male. I sat with him and watched as he stared at me. He was still wary, which I understood. I glanced at the fire and decided to cut off a hunk of elk for him. As I stood, he froze and looked ready to bolt.

  "Shh, don't worry honey. I'm going to get you some nice tasty meat." I pointed to the fire and the food that was roasting. Amazingly enough, he followed my finger as if he understood me. He then turned back to his water and ignored me. I stood up and this time the dog didn't stiffen so I walked to the fire. After I had cut off a hunk of meat with my knife, he was sitting right at my heels and looking up at me. I thought he might be too aggressive to hand feed him so I tried to set it on a rock. He sniffed it then devoured it in one bite. I raised my eyebrows and cut off a few more chunks for the both of us. This time, he took it out of my hand before I could set it down.

  As I sat there and ate with the dog, I tried to come up with a good name for him. That was when my brother came into view and all hell broke loose. The dog immediately went into defensive mode and started barking at Steve.

  "Wow, calm down there. He's a friend." I walked over to Steve and put a hand on his shoulder. The dog calmed down a bit and went back to his water but remained alert.

  "When the hell did you get a dog?" Steve asked in a shaking voice.

  "I just found him when I was walking. He's friendly though, don't worry." I walked back over to the dog and sat down next to him. He turned and snuggled into my lap like he had been doing it for years. My brother sat down next to us and the dog watched my brother with curious eyes.

  The sun was coming up when Malcolm came back into the camp. The dog had fallen asleep in my lap, but woke when he heard the sound of walking.

  "Well you're just taking in all kinds of strays, aren't you?" Malcolm asked as he cut off a piece of elk. He walked over to the dog and held it out as a peace offering. The dog stared at Malcolm, then huffed and turned his face into my lap.