by Marie Lanza
“We won’t be here long. The tire’s fixed. We should probably get back on the road.”
“I think Genie over there has other plans. Looks like she’s making a feast.” Mike gestured to the kitchen.
“As she keeps saying, they don’t get many civilized people anymore. And I guess it makes her feel good.” Melody paid more attention to Aubrey as she continued to smile and make funny faces with Nic.
Aubrey quickly grew warmer towards Nic and waddled over to crawl in her lap. Mike joined in making Aubrey giggle.
“Here you go.” Genie set down two plates of cheese, crackers, and a few slices of tomato on to the coffee table.
Aubrey helped herself to a cracker, held it up for Melody to see, and then took a few nibbles before dropping it back on the plate.
“One day, I’ll teach her table manners,” Melody said.
“You’ve outdone yourself, Genie, thank you. We’re gonna get going here in a minute.” Jason stood next to Melody.
“We have a few more good hours of daylight, we want to use,” Beck said, continuing their reasons for being in a hurry. “I’d of course go through all the lines of how and why you both should come with us, but I know it’d fall on deaf ears.”
“You’re damn right,” Roger shouted from the back room.
Genie shook her head at her husband. “Forgive him; he’s a grumpy old man. But as you can see, we’re not going anywhere. We’re here till the end.”
Jason delivered his hand and shook Genies. “It was a pleasure meeting you.”
“Let’s move out then.” Mike stood to his feet. Nic followed and delivered Aubrey to Melody.
“I’ll show you out the back. I have a fresh vegetable garden I can’t keep up with. I’d rather you take a few things so they don’t go to waste.”
Up the stairs and right outside the stall door was another door that led directly outside. There, Genie had several rows of produce, making a beautiful garden. This looked more like a personal project of hers and not part of the farming business.
The group continued around, but Melody paused with Aubrey to admire the hard work Genie had put into keeping up the garden. She had everything, from tomatoes to cucumbers to artichoke.
“I’m right behind you…” Melody called out to Jason, but her words were silenced by infected stumbling around the barn, through the garden, crashing on to Genie. The woman held the infected back by its throat as it tried to claw at her flesh.
Before Melody could process, or even scream out for Jason, she heard gunfire from the front.
“Melody! Run!” It was Jason calling for her.
Melody went for the back door to head inside the barn – Locked from the inside!
“Mel, get that baby out of here!” Genie screamed as she rolled the infected’s limp body off her, only to attract another infected making its way around.
Melody ran towards the front towards the vehicles but was quickly blocked by a handful of infected. Gunfire popped, but she couldn’t see anyone. She had no time to look around; she had to find a place to hide. Aubrey screamed at the sight of infected, making it harder for Melody to think clearly with the piercing cry ringing her ears.
Melody spotted Nic on the front porch of the house firing at the oncoming infected. Nic caught sight of her, “Mel, the barn! Get in the barn!”
The barn door was cracked open.
Melody ran through an opening of infected, and slipped through the open door, leaning her back against it to get it closed. The doors leading to the horses and back to the bunker were shut. Melody ran for the sliding barn door that lead to the stalls, but it too was locked.
“Dammit!” Melody shouted in a panicked frustration. She scanned the room, searching for a way up in the rafters, or even the bales of hay. None of the hay bales reached high enough and there were no ladders to be found. There was nothing – except an infected.
The infected stood between Melody and Aubrey, and the door. It was wobbly in its walk, only really using one leg.
Unarmed, Melody knew she couldn’t fight the infected with Aubrey in her arms. As the infected lurched towards them, Melody only had one choice. “Aubrey, baby, run.” Melody set Aubrey down. “Play hide and seek. Go hide! Go hide, and Mommy will find you!” Melody was left to face the infected.
Outside, Jason fought through the group of infected. He fired one shot after the other, and with each body that fell a new one took its place in his sight.
Everyone was separated, spreading the group of infected thin. The last few remaining from the horde stumbled through the field. Jason caught a glimpse of Nic fighting on the porch of the house, then Beck on the other side of the trucks, but he couldn’t see Mike. Jason searched in vain for Melody and Aubrey. He was engulfed by a fear he didn’t realize he was harboring – separation from his family. It had always been a tiny thought back in the farthest part of his mind, taking for granted they had remained safely together. Jason was angry over his naivety.
“Mel! Where are you, Mel?” Jason called out for them in pure panic and urgency. Part of him hoped they were safely back in the bunker until he spotted Genie and Roger racing around the barn. Then, Jason spotted the barn door cracked open.
Melody looked for the heaviest thing she could find – some type of tool that looked like an over-sized hammer. She turned around to face-off with the infected, to find herself almost in its grasp. She fell backwards fighting to get away, taking the object and slugging the infected in the mouth, tearing its jaw from its face. It clawed and bit at her with the upper teeth it had left. Melody swung again, aiming higher. The hammer made a wet cracking thud as she fractured its skull, mashing in its brains. The infected collapsed on her, sending both to the ground. Its body was limp, dead all over again, and its weight pinned her down. She frantically pushed at the body to get it out from under it but was unsuccessful. She needed to get to Aubrey. Melody had no idea where she had run off to.
“Aubrey? Baby, where are you?” Melody called out for her, terrified she left the barn. Melody was desperate to hear even a whimper so she could get some idea of the direction Aubrey ran in. At the same time, Melody used a large metal table to grab hold of and began to pull herself out from under the body. Getting to her feet, Melody found her balance, but faltered in her steps as she ran towards the barn doors, frantically calling for Aubrey.
“Mama!”
Melody’s heart sank as she heard the little voice call from back inside the barn. She turned around and saw Aubrey running towards her from a haystack she had been hiding in. Melody dropped to her knees and folded Aubrey into her body.
Melody was suddenly aware there were footsteps coming up fast behind her. Melody looked for the hammer she had dropped on the ground before turning around to meet her attacker.
Mel!” Jason didn’t even stop his momentum as he fell to his knees, sliding into her and Aubrey, wrapping his arms around them.
“Jesus, Jason!” Melody let out a cry.
Jason squeezed his family tighter, not wanting to ever let them go again.
Melody arched backwards from his touch, causing her to let go of him and Aubrey, screaming in agony.
The barn doors opened wide, letting Roger and Genie run through.
“Mel, Mel, what’s wrong?” Jason looked to Genie. “Take Aubrey!”
Aubrey reached and fought for her mother as Genie stepped away with her.
Beck, Nic, and Mike rushed in.
Through the adrenaline rush of fighting the infected, Melody hadn’t noticed when she fell to the ground, she landed on a board of rusted nails that shredded her skin, carving gaping wounds down her side, along her ribs.
Nic immediately began assessing the damage. “You’re alright. You’re gonna be alright, Mel.”
Jason comforted Melody as Nic continued to look her over. “No bite wounds, right? She didn’t get bit, did she?”
“No, no, no. She’s fine.”
With the adrenaline no longer pumping through her veins, Melody�
��s skin felt as though it was set on fire, “How bad is it?”
“Get her inside!” Genie ordered and rushed towards the sliding barn door, carrying Aubrey who continued to fight her with all her little might.
Roger ran over to a locked switch box on the wall to open the doors. Once unlocked, Genie slid them right open.
Jason lifted Melody off the ground and carried her back to the bunker.
Back inside, Jason laid Melody on the couch. “Jason, I’m fine, stop fussing over me!”
“You’re not fine. We need to clean you up. Lay on your side and hug this pillow while I go get our medical kit.” Jason stood up “Nic, don’t put pressure on these wounds. I need them to bleed in case there’s infection.”
Mike ran through the bunker carrying a duffle bag “Jason, I got the kits.” He tried catching his breath as he handed Jason the bag.
“Thanks.” Jason immediately put it on the table and began working. He didn’t have time to be organized, dumping the bag on the table. Jason grabbed a small pair of shears and cut down the back of Melody’s shirt revealing the wounds. The bloodstains on her clothes made the scrapes down her side seem much worse. Jason took in a deep breath, relieved. “Honey, good news is you won’t need stitches.”
“Is there bad news?”
Jason methodically cleaned the wound, “I’m not sure how many doses of antibiotics this bag has.”
“Where the fuck did all those things come from?” Beck asked mostly himself as he paced the room.
“That was the biggest group we’ve certainly ever seen,” Genie said as she continued to comfort Aubrey.
“You folks can’t travel like this. We have plenty of room here. Stay the night and get back on the road first thing in the morning,” Roger suggested as he watched Jason clean up Melody.
“No, we shouldn’t stay back because of me. I’m fine right, Jason?” Melody didn’t want to waste any time getting back on the road. “You said I don’t even need stitches.”
“He’s right, Mel. I think we need to regroup after that one.” Mike sifted through the items from the medical bag, double-checking Jason to make sure he didn’t miss the antibiotics.
“We should stay, but we should move out as soon as we can. We still have a mission.” Beck stared at Jason fixing up Melody. He focused intensely on his thoughts, biting his lower lip as he planned.
“I think it’s safe to say we’ve lost the mission, Beck. Do you really believe safe zones are still standing with what’s out there?” It was the first time anyone heard Mike question the mission, or question anything Beck said for that matter.
As much as Jason wanted some hope, he couldn’t help but agree with Mike. They hadn’t seen anything but death since leaving their home, and now here he was, patching up his wife, and Beck was still concerned about the mission. Jason was concerned he was turning into a broken man. Fighting a fight they may never win, for something that once was, but never will be again. As he continued to listen to everyone converse on what the plan should be, he thought maybe they were the broken ones. Maybe it was them giving up hope and maybe Beck was right to keep fighting, because the only thing to keep the living alive was to have faith.
Melody reached her hand around to feel the bandage on her side, meeting up with Jason’s hand who was finishing up a light dressing over the wound.
“I don’t remember my last tetanus shot,” Melody said, hoping he would reassure her she didn’t actually need them.
“I know, neither do I.” There was no reassurance in Jason’s voice.
Melody sat up and reached for Aubrey. Genie handed her the little girl who was happy to be in her mother’s arms.
“I think it’s settled then. Get comfortable, stay here and be on your way tomorrow,” Genie insisted.
* * *
With candles burning, a warm twinkle of light cast over the bunker. Everyone slept soundly, sprawled out over the living room, everyone except for Roger.
Roger stood in the center, quiet, and still, among everyone – standing right over Melody and Aubrey. He didn’t move, just stared down at her and the baby, holding a large kitchen knife in his left hand.
Jason’s eyes opened but his body was in a groggy state. Letting himself adjust, he lay there in a silence that began to make him uncomfortable. Someone else was awake in that room and he could feel a threatening presence in his bones. Jason sat up quickly, taking a head count of familiar bodies – Beck, Mike, Nic… Mel… Au… he turned around, not to see his wife and daughter sleeping on the couch, but a shadowy silhouette standing over them.
“Roger? Can I help you with something?” Seeing the knife, Jason got to his feet, but was cautious of making any sudden movements.
Roger was silent. A silence that made Jason very nervous. “She’s infected,” Roger said in a low whisper, not removing his eyes from Melody.
Melody woke to find Roger standing over her. A bit confused at first, she stared blankly at him for a second, then looked past him to Jason, then back to Roger, “What’s going on? Everything OK?”
“You look feverish.” Roger didn’t blink.
“Jason?” Melody’s pitch raised as she pushed her body down the couch out from under Roger.
“Roger, I need you to step away from my wife.”
“She’s infected,” Roger repeated again.
“Everything OK?” Beck was already standing behind Jason.
“Yes, we’re just having a calm conversation about Melody’s health. She’s not sick. Right, Roger?” Jason had his hand firmly gripping his weapon. His muscles pulled at him, wanting to jump the man between him and his family, but held himself back, worried one of them could get injured.
“I’ll take care of it. None of you should worry yourselves.” Roger didn’t use words to describe Melody as a person anymore. He was clearly having a delusional breakdown with no reality.
“Roger, step away from my wife.” Jason raised his voice, pulling his gun.
Roger didn’t move.
Everyone was awake now – Mike and Nic didn’t move, not wanting to cause Roger to make any sudden act.
“What’s happening?” Genie walked out of their bedroom frantically. “What’s going on, Roger?”
“Our relationship is about to change very quickly here.” Jason disengaged his safety, making his threat all more serious.
“I told you he’s a crazy old man! Roger!”
“I’m not questioning your judgement here, Jason, but could he be right?” Beck asked.
“We both know it’s possible to get bit and not get sick, don’t we, Beck?”
“Everyone’s aware Mel didn’t get bit,” Nic reiterated.
“What’s he talking about, Beck?” Mike asked.
Beck didn’t answer.
Melody couldn’t keep up with the frantic words going around the room. It all turned into static noise as she focused on Aubrey, still laying in that peaceful sleep she thought only a child could accomplish.
Stay calm. Don’t move too quickly. Slow and steady. Breath.
Melody’s eyes moved to Roger, and the knife he still held by his side. His eyes were wide with a pink splash from dryness, and his forehead held beads of sweat. Part of her wanted to pity his mental health; the other part of her begged Jason to pull the trigger.
“Mel, I want you to come to me now.” Jason raised up his other hand, holding it out as a comforting gesture to show she could make it.
Melody didn’t hesitate. Swooping up Aubrey in her arms, she jumped off the couch, ran past Roger, and through the group to the exit door. Her blood felt like it was boiling, burning over her entire body. “Get me away from that crazy fuck!” she cried out in anger.
“I told you, he’s old and his mind is going. He doesn’t mean anything by it!” Genie put herself between Jason, who hadn’t lowered his gun, and Roger.
“Good luck, lady!” Mike called out to Genie as he headed for the door.
Nic was right behind Melody, but keeping her eyes on Roger
and Genie. “No more talking. Let’s go.”
“Like he said, good luck.” Jason lowered his weapon, and left the bunker.
CHAPTER 8
The group gathered outside around the trucks. It wasn’t ideal to be moving at night, but given their options, they were taking this one.
Melody wasn’t waiting for anyone, already climbing in the Humvee with Aubrey while leaving it to the others to sort the new plan out. Her body was still boiling with fury, flushing over her causing a rage that made her want to scream with all her might. This was the second time in only a matter of days Melody had ever wished death on someone, and worse, she wasn’t sorry for it; she wanted so badly for Jason to pull that trigger.
“Stop! Beck, what did Jason mean back there?” Mike asked.
“What are you talking about?” Beck shrugged his shoulders.
“We both heard it. What does getting bit but not get sick mean?”
Jason wasn’t going to hide it anymore. He too was regretting not pulling the trigger on Roger, fuming he let that lunatic live. “Let’s just keeping moving.” He opened the passenger door to the Humvee.
Beck knew there was no way out of fessing up to his injury from the boat, and he was well aware he put himself in the position to have to answer for it when he questioned Jason.
“Some asshole bit me on the ship.” He lifted his shirt to reveal the patch on his side. “Jason patched me up.” Beck lowered his shirt.
“Was it an infected?” Nic asked.
“The guy was running a fever, but showed no other signs of infection.” Jason climbed in the Humvee. “Can we get going? I’m sorry I said anything. Beck’s fine. Mel’s fine. Let’s get the hell out of here.”
“Agreed.” Nic didn’t wait around for Mike as she walked back to the truck.
Jason turned around to Melody, but he didn’t say a word, his eyes said everything, then he delivered her a handgun. “I can’t always protect you two anymore.” His tone was low, almost solemn but he had thought about this before this incident with Roger. Jason had been thinking about it since Melody butchered the infected just the night before.