The Last Mile Trilogy

by Jacqueline Druga

  The day was warm, and Thaddeus was dirty, and sweaty, but not tired, even though he hadn’t slept. He was energized. He hoped to get cleaned up even though he knew they had to conserve water, just in case.

  Proudly, he stepped back and smiled. “Ok,” he said to himself. “Work, Baby.”

  “I’ll be goddamned.” Gene approached from behind. “No one wanted to come back and see what you were doing. Did you . . . did you build that?”

  Hands on his hips, Thaddeus nodded, taking in the view of his creation.

  The metal object about seven feet long and four feet wide looked like a go cart made from Tinker Toys. No true floor, more of a skeleton perched on wheels. A steering wheel, pedals and small computers mimicked the flight deck of the shuttle. The back end had straps to carry supplies.

  “Does it work?” Gene asked.

  “I hope.” Thaddeus chuckled.

  “Whoa!” Kip yelled as he raced forward. “Dude, you made a go cart.”

  Thaddeus bobbed his head. “I like to think it’s more of an advanced Dune Buggy. If it works, which I think it will, it will help us make the trip into New York. And hopefully, once there, we can find other means of transportation.”

  Kip asked. “How does it work? It only has two seats.”

  “One’s for whoever drives.” Thaddeus walked to the vehicle, explaining it as he pointed. “And the other seat is for Lucy. I fixed and used the ships navigational system to make a GPS. I rigged the fuel injection system, using parts of the booster so we can go. It may be tough to steer, the commander may have to do it since he’s the strongest. Plus, it’s gonna be heavy. The suspension system should hold the supplies and us. Over here . . .” he indicated the back of the vehicle where the bars protruded up, “we put the supplies center, and we all hold on to the bars. The rest of that it is. We can’t go to fast though. I figured we’d test ride it before we load it.”

  “This . . .” Gene pointed and said, “is very impressive.”

  “I don’t know how long it will hold together; I had to utilize what I had.”

  “When do we test it?” Kip questioned with enthusiasm.

  “We need the commander for that, but first.” Thaddeus moved to the driver’s seat, sat down, and held up crossed fingers. He grinned wide and bright when it started. “Go get Reese.”

  <><><><>

  Reese’s first verbal reaction was ‘Fuck me’ when he saw what Kip had named The Hall Mobile. To say he was impressed was an understatement, especially when he saw it not only started, it moved.

  Thaddeus was correct in saying it was hard to steer, Reese hoped once weighted down, it wouldn’t feel so much out of control. Besides, they weren’t making any sharp turns.

  It would work, and Reese was excited about it. He gave everyone, including himself, a task. Kip and Gene were going through the food, unboxing, reboxing. Ken had water duty, and Thaddeus was to map out their route to Texas, with stops where they would check on families.

  After that, Reese deemed Thaddeus worthy of using extra water to get cleaned up.

  He rode around in the vehicle for a good half hour, getting the gist of it and how it handled. In a short time, they’d load it and head into New York.

  He came from what was left of the shuttle, carrying out another box. He spotted Lucy who sat on a box, going through a crate, wearing her Flight suit opened and turned down for pants with a white tank top style tee shirt. Her hair was blowing in the cooler air.

  Reese walked up to her and dropped the box beside her.

  She peered up. “Is that more medical supplies to go through?”

  “As much as I’d like to say, yes, since you are the nurse, no, they’re clothes.”

  She crinkled her face in question.

  “It feels warm, but that breeze is cool. You only have that flight suit.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “I’m sure.” Reese opened that box. “Hawk was looking for something last night, so we hit one of those overturned fishing boats. Well, yacht. We found some jeans and sweatshirts, if you want to change.”

  “Thank you.” Lucy nodded.

  “You’re welcome.” He turned, stopped, and then returned to Lucy. “You look better today.”

  “I feel better. And going through the medical supplies helps me focus.”

  “I forgot you were a nurse until Hawk reminded me.”

  “Yeah, everyone thinks of me as the Walmart girl, forgetting I nursed for thirteen years.”

  “It’s a good skill and we are all fortunate to have you.”

  Lucy partially smiled. “Thanks. But I think it pales in comparison to what Thad and Hawk can give.”

  “What is it about those two?” Reese shook his head and sat down next to her. “They seem to be competing.”

  “What is David making?”

  Reese shrugged. “He’s almost done.” He sighed and laid his hand over hers. “You sure you’re ok?”

  “Yes.” She cleared her throat. “Yes.”

  “I’m very sorry for anything you are going through.”

  “I believe you are.”

  “Lucy . . .”

  “Don’t.” She stopped him. “Don’t. Please.”

  “You have no idea what I’m going to say.”

  “You’re going tell me don’t get my hopes up, yes, we’re going to stop at my house, whatever, but not to get my hopes up.”

  “You know it all, don’t you?” Reese spoke soft. “Are you sure you’re not secretly related to Hawk.”

  The corners of Lucy’s mouth raised, the beginnings of a smile. “That’s not what you were going to say?”

  “Nope. I spent a good bit of time talking to Hawk last night. Not that he has me convinced, mind you, but he has me thinking. He’s right. You’re right. We all need a focus. We need to find out what happened to this world, and the will of man is strong. There are survivors here, somewhere. We just have to find them.”

  “My children?”

  “No reason not to believe they can’t be a couple of them.”

  Lucy exhaled. “Thank you.”

  “I’m leading this thing. I’ll believe until I have reason not to. It’s my focus, too. Just know that.”

  “I will. Thank you.”

  “Good.” He gave a squeeze to her arm as he stood up. “We’re just about ready to roll.”

  “And I’m on my last box. You can take that one.” She pointed.

  “Will do,” Reese said and grabbed it. “And when you’re done, if you can speed Paul along, it will help.”

  Lucy winked. “You got it.”

  A nod to her, box in hand, Reese walked off.

  <><><><>

  “Gentlemen, please,” Reese barked. “Use the straps. It’s for the best.”

  “Sure, Commander,” Gene said sarcastically positioning himself on the bar. “I’ll sacrifice my arm if you make a sharp turn.”

  “Strap in. Kelly. Get them in.”

  “Yes, sir,” Ken acknowledged.

  “I have to get the other three. I want to roll.” Reese walked to where he spotted David Hawk.

  David felt impressed with his own idea and invention, but that was only until he saw what Thaddeus accomplished in just as much time. Still it was cool. And it would be just as useful.

  It was a combination of fishermen deep sea sonar mixed with parts from the shuttle. It was about the size of a small etch a sketch and he hadn’t a clue how long the power would last. He ventured it would last at least until they figured out another source to power it.

  “How’s it working?” Reese asked as he approached.

  David took a double take. “Good, Rambo.” He referred to the rifle hung over Reese’s shoulder and the revolver strapped to his waist.

  “Hey.” Reese patted the weapon. “You found happiness in the Levi’s, I found it in weapons.”

  “And in this,” David said.

  “How’s it working?”

  “Are you being factious? You were last night.”
/>   “No.” Reese shook his head. “Got to understand, I was wondering what the hell you were looking for since there was no water.”

  “I made adjustments,” David said. “When we hit New York, we may need stuff buried under the sand. Who knows?”

  “What’s buried out here?”

  David laughed. “Nothing. See.” He showed the sonar to Reese.

  “I see. Maybe you should shut it off to conserve power.”

  “Maybe.”

  Reese cocked his chin and whistled outward to catch the attention of Paul and Lucy who were by the shuttle. “What are they doing?”

  “Grabbing more blankets.”

  “Guys!” Reese yelled. “Let’s go.”

  Lucy was focused on the back of the shuttle, while Paul waved. “Be right there.”

  Reese gave a nudge to David. “Ready.”

  “Yeah, let me . . .” He reached to shut off the power. “Wait a second. What is this?”

  “What is what?”

  The sonar bleeped out of control.

  “Is it broken?” Reese asked.

  “It shouldn’t be. What the fuck is moving?”

  “Where?”

  “Under the sand. What the hell.” He banged the side of the contraption. The black object stopped moving.

  “See. Broken” Reese laughed. “Lockhart!” he shouted to Paul. “Move it.”

  Paul nodded.

  “It’s still there,” David said.

  “Where?”

  “Under them.”

  Reese peered. “What is under . . .”

  No sooner did he start the question, than out from the sand, fast and furiously, shot what looked like a long black tentacle, huge and thick. It whipped around Paul’s waist, snatching him fast. Before Paul could even scream, it raised him in the air, and sucked him quickly into the ground.

  David couldn’t react fast enough. “Holy shit!”

  Reese whispered, “Lucy,” and took off running.

  Lucy was in her own world. She heard the noise, figured it was Paul packing or dropping something. “Ok, I think that’s it.” She turned around. “Paul?”

  Her eyes widened and the blankets dropped from her arms when the enormous tentacle shot from the ground, flying her way.

  She saw it coming, and then felt a strong grip around her waist and her body sailed through the air. Finding herself in the safety of Reese’s arms one minute, she was then hurled to the ground as the tentacle flew just over them and slammed into the shuttle.

  Reese jumped to his feet, snatched her by the back of her pants and pointed her the other way. “Run. Run. Go!”

  She did.

  He swung forth his weapon, backing up as the tentacle came his way.

  Reese was an expert shot. He fired once, twice, both times hitting the tentacle. With the third shot a section of its flesh flew off and it retracted back into the earth.

  Reese ran to the Hall Mobile where everyone was inside waiting, and jumped in. Thaddeus was already in the driver’s seat. “Hold on to her!” Reese commanded, aiming backwards. “Faster. Drive faster.”

  “What was that?” Gene asked. “Dear God. Where’s Paul?”

  “Commander?” Ken question.

  “It’s Tremors!” Kip screamed.

  “Hall, go faster! Hawk, give me something.”

  Thaddeus drove. “It’s not meant to go this fast.”

  “Found it,” Hawk said, focusing on holding on and looking at the sonar. “It’s moving. Fast.”

  Reese aimed.

  “The other way,” Hawk stated. “Now it’s gone.” He turned. “Nothing’s ahead, Hall! You can stop.”

  Thaddeus slowed down the Hall mobile and finally brought it to a halt.

  Silence.

  Reese stepped from the vehicle, staring back.

  David approached him. “There’s nothing around now.”

  Whispering, his eyes forward, Reese said, “What the hell was that?”

  “I don’t know. Your guess is as good as mine.”

  “Fuck.” Reese bit his lip.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think we have to move forward. And, if that’s what we have to face…,” he said, shook his head and shouldered his weapon. “We need more than just a rifle.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Her face was weathered; sand blasted some, giving her a brownish appearance. She stood for freedom, liberty and was the welcome to a great undefeated nation. But now she stood from the sand, symbolizing that nothing, no one was immune to defeat.

  Hawk claimed it a safe zone, but said not for long. They shouldn’t chance that whatever grabbed Paul, was ocean or rather lack of ocean-related. It was best to move forward to where, at least concrete lay under the sand.

  But they had to stop. Even if just for a moment to catch their bearings, process what had happen. Mourn and comprehend what had happened.

  They pulled the mobile over, and Reese stood some a few feet away, staring up at the Statue of Liberty. He felt an ache in his heart for his friend and his world.

  “Commander,” Lucy’s word cracked as she softly spoke his salutation.

  Reese turned and looked at her standing at his side.

  Lucy stared for a second, then wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him tight, closing her eyes, clutching.

  He hesitated, then rested his hand on the back of her head and accepted the embrace.

  With a sniffle, she loosened the hold and moved back. “Can you lean down here a little? I’m short.”

  Reese leaned down, giving her his ear, expecting her to whisper something to him.

  She kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

  “For?”

  “You saved my life. You . . . I don’t know how you did it. How you got me away from that thing. But . . . thank you.”

  “To be honest, I haven’t a clue how I did it either.” He chuckled.

  “Really?”

  “I didn’t think. I just got you.”

  Her words were breathless. “That’s the hero in you.”

  Reese blinked; his eyes remained closed for a few seconds. “I’m no hero. But thank you for saying that.”

  “You’re welcome. So, Commander, what now?”

  Reese pointed with a nod to the Hall Mobile. “Let’s gather everyone and head to the city. Ready?”

  “What choice do we have?”

  “True.” He lay a leading hand on her back as they walked toward the others sitting around the mobile.

  Reese immediately approached Ken, who was seated on the ground. He placed his hand on Ken’s shoulder. “You all right?”

  “He was my best friend, Commander.”

  “I know.”

  Ken inhaled and exhaled heavily. “I’m envious of him in a way. He doesn’t have to deal with this.”

  “I hear you on that one,” Reese said then raised his voice. “Ok, everyone get inside. Let’s head . . .” He looked left to right. “Where’s Kip?”

  “Sorry, I had to take a leak,” Kip said as he raced forward.

  Reese yelled, “We are all to stay together.”

  “Smart dude said there were no Tremors,” Kip replied. “I had to pee.”

  “Get in the mobile. We’re heading in.”

  “Dude, you know, what if there was a like a plague? Bet me we find like the Omega man in there, barricaded up with all his supplies.” Kip got in the mobile. “You can find your cool assault weapons in his apartment.”

  Reese only rolled his eyes.

  “I love the Omega man,” Kip said. “I am Legend, dude.”

  “Great Book,” Gene added. “It’ll be interesting if there is an Omega man living there. He could tell us what we want to know.”

  “Wonder if he looks like Charlton Heston or Will Smith,” Thaddeus added.

  “Dudes, he has all the weapons we need to fight the Tremors.”

  “People, stop,” Reese barked. “Strap in. Let’s go.” He saw Kip’s mouth getting ready to open. “
No. No more Omega man talk. There is no Omega man in New York.”

  <><><><>

  Numerous buildings graced the New York Harbor. It was only a matter of picking which one to enter.

  David Hawk had his own theory about what they’d find. Some, not all the windows were broken. Whatever happened to New York didn’t happen in one moment. It took some time. He thought they find nothing—that an exodus had taken place and very few remained.

  Six stories remained above the sand in the twenty some story apartment building. Reese broke the window and it led them into a hall. It was dark with the exception of the little bit of sunlight that peeked through.

  “Buddy up,” Reese commanded. “You know what we need. Look for newspapers, magazines anything with dates on it. Anything we can use to piece together a story. Something has to be here.”

  David chuckled at the thought of newspapers. Really, how many people actually read them compared to years before?

  So they paired off, pretty much, checking the apartments in the luxury building.

  Surely these folks were rich and were probably the first to find a means out of Manhattan.

  David banked on that.

  His entrance into the apartment told him he was wrong.

  Using a crowbar, Reese opened doors.

  David chose one to enter. The hallway was dusty, not just normal dust, but sand that scattered around. There was no mold, which told David there wasn’t moisture in the air. A few feet into the hall there was a table. David ran his fingers over the oak surface and lifted the set of keys, placing them back down.

  Next to the table, on the floor, was a brief case. He inched his way down the hall.

  Something inside David told him he wasn’t going to like what he was about to see.

  It was a living room, a typical setting, a large screen TV adhered to the wall. David closed his eyes when after he saw what was in that living room.

  After a moment, he moved on.

  <><><><>

  “It gives one piece of the story.” David told Reese at the apartment door. “Come on in.”

  “Not all the pieces?”

  “I don’t know. It doesn’t tell what happened to the ocean. See, you don’t have to be a scientist to know nothing blasted its way through this city. Not a meteor, flare. There are no physical signs. Plus any furniture would be washed out if the ocean rolled through.”