The Last Days

by Gary Chesla

  For now, he would focus on helping his Mom and trying to keep them alive for as long as he could.

  As they walked back to the town hall building, Mike asked. “Dave, do you know where there might be a gas station where I could find a map?”

  Dave thought. “I haven’t been around here much the last three years. I know there was a station about ten miles down the road, but I doubt they ever had any maps. But if you are looking to find a way out of Kentucky, I can show you some routes on the map the town hall has mounted on their wall.”

  “Anything would help. “ Mike said. “Once I get off Interstate 64 I’m lost.”

  “Well you want to stay off of 64, as you already know.” Dave said. “Those things seem to wander aimlessly along the path of least resistance, like the interstates, until something gets their attention. Once something gets their attention, they will go anywhere to get at whatever grabbed their attention. I saw one walk into a river trying to get at the people on a boat. They just walked in the water until the water was over their heads.”

  “That’s good to know. Anything other advice you could give me?” Mike asked. “I could use all the advice I can get.”

  “Yes, if you get in a jam, get up high.” Dave said. “They have a hard time climbing, I guess they are too uncoordinated or something but they don’t seem to be able to do hills or steps. And as I already said, you have to kill the brain to stop them, you hit them or shoot them anywhere else you are just wasting your energy.”

  Mike nodded.

  Dave’s eyes teared up. “Most importantly, don’t get bit. If you get bit, at most you have an hour before you die and become one of them.”

  “How long did it take you to learn all of this?” Mike asked.

  Dave replied. “Less than an hour. We had a crash course in Lexington. We learned fast the hard way. There were twenty-five hundred men in my company and knowing all of this didn’t mean shit.”

  They walked quietly into the town hall. They passed one elderly man that was standing guard at the front door.

  They could hear Kimmy talking.

  Dave led Mike over to the wall where the large map of Kentucky was mounted.

  “You’re here.” Dave pointed to a spot on the map.

  “Follow Route 182, the road out in front of the building, go south until you come to Route 23.” Dave traced the route on the map. “Continue south until you can get on Route 460. You’re now in Virginia. When you see a little road that will be marked Route 16, follow it until you come to Route 19 near Beckley.”

  “Route 19 near Beckley, I know where that is. I can find my way home from there.” Mike said, feeling more confident.

  “Those roads will let you avoid all the major cities and towns in Kentucky and West Virginia. Those routes are out in the middle of nowhere. If you can’t get through those routes, you wouldn’t be getting through anywhere else either.” Dave said. “Now if you find yourself in trouble down near Route 460, go here.” Dave circled a spot on the map. “This is Breaks Interstate Park. It’s in the steep mountains. The dead probably can't follow you up there.”

  Mike studied the map.

  “And if you get down the road a piece and decide to turn around, you are welcome to come here.” Dave said and circled a spot on the map close to Graham.

  “What’s there?” Mike asked.

  “A family hunting cabin in the hills south of here.” Dave said. “I’m going to take these folks up there. You and your family are welcome to join us. We could all try to wait this out together. It might make it easier to survive if we all work together.”

  “That’s a lot to remember.” Mike said looking at all the routes Dave traced on the map.

  Dave pulled out his pocket knife and traced the edges of the map on the wall. After tracing the map twice, it started to peel down off the wall.

  Dave grabbed the corner and pulled it off the wall. He folded it twice and handed it to Mike.

  “Here, take it with you.” Dave smiled. “No one around here knows how to read a map anyhow.” Dave’s expression saddened. “Besides there isn’t anyone left.”

  Mike took the map. “Thanks. Could I ask you another favor?”

  “If I can.” Dave answered.

  “Would you mind helping me explain all of this to my wife?” Mike said. “I think she should know about all of this before we leave. We’re both in this together and I only think it fair that she knows as much as I do.”

  Dave nodded.

  Mike walked over to where the girls were talking with Dave’s Mom.

  “Mind if I borrow Kelly for a minute?” Mike smiled.

  Dave’s Mom smiled back. “Your little girl is so precious.”

  “You must have Kimmy confused with someone else’s little girl.” Mike smiled.

  Kimmy put her hands on her hips and stuck out her tongue.

  Mike smiled as he took Kelly’s arm to lead her over to Dave.

  “What were all of you laughing about?” Mike asked.

  “Your daughter.” Kelly started.

  “Your daughter.” Mike thought to himself. “What did she do now?”

  “Your daughter.” Kelly said. “Was telling them about your damn language.”

  Mike smiled. He had been expecting a lot worse.

  When they reached Dave, Mike said. “Kelly, Dave told me about what has been happening around the country. He was stationed in Lexington. The dead over ran his unit. The dead have overrun just about everything else in the country. I thought you should know what he told me before we leave. It’s not going to be easy to get home, if we can get home at all. We are going to have to make some hard decisions and I think we need to make them as a family.”

  Mike, Dave and Kelly talked quietly for almost an hour. David told his story again, explaining everything he had gone through the last week, up to and including the death of his Dad out front, which Kelly had witnessed, horrified.

  When they were done, Kelly stood in silence.

  “That’s a lot to take in.” Kelly said.

  “It’s not every day you hear the world has come to an end.” Mike said softly.

  Kelly looked at Mike, then slowly turned to watch Kimmy being Kimmy.

  “Do you think we should go home or stay here?” Kelly asked.

  Mike thought before answering. “I would like to try to go home. If we see we can’t make it, then we decide if we want to stay down here for a while. It won’t be easy, but I think we should try anyhow. We have our place and John and his family is back there. If you don’t want to go, I’ll understand. If we go, it has to be both of us that want to do it.”

  Kelly smiled. “I want to go home too. If we can’t get through then we can’t. I agree with you. I think we should at least try. I’d hate to find out later that we could have gone home but we didn’t because we didn’t even try.”

  Mike smiled then turned and looked at Dave.

  “I appreciate all you’ve done and your offer to stay here with you, but we are going to try to go home.”

  “Would you like to spend the night here before you leave? It’s going to be dark in a few hours.” Dave said.

  “No, I think we want to get started. We have been trying to get out of Kentucky now for two days. If we can get a few miles under our belt it will make us feel like we are at least making some progress.” Mike replied.

  “I’ll get Kimmy.” Kelly said and walked towards the other side of the room.

  “I hope it all works out here for you.” Mike said. “Who knows, you just might see us again in a few days.”

  “I hope you can get home. “Dave said. “But you and Kelly are good people, your welcome any time. Just remember you aren’t going to find many good people out there. Just watch your six.”

  Mike reached out and shook Dave’s hand.

  Dave said. “Down the road about twenty miles, before you reach Route 23, you will see a red barn on the right side of the road near a field. The Barn has a sign painted on it that says ‘Smoke
Captain Black Tobacco.’ The barn is empty. It used to belong to my uncle.” Dave handed Mike a key. “It’s mine now, I inherited it. It just sits empty. I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do with a barn. It’s secure. You and your family can hold up there for the night if you don’t run into any trouble before you get that far.”

  Mike took the key. “Good luck man and thanks.”

  “You too!” Dave said.

  “Let’s go before your daughter corrupts the morals of every resident of Graham.” Kelly said.

  “What did she do now?” Mike asked.

  “You mean besides telling everyone how to not get Poison Ivy on their butt.” Kelly smiled. “Where should I begin?”

  Mike grinned and took Kimmy’s hand. “Come on girls, let’s go before they run us out of town.”

  They got into their assigned spots in the car and Mike put the keys in the ignition.

  Beep! Beep! Beep!

  “I got a text. I hope it’s John.” Mike said as he reached for his phone.

  He flipped open the top of the phone and went to the text screen. He read John’s text.

  “His home has been overrun by the dead.” Mike said. “They are OK and trying to get into Ligonier. He said he hopes I don’t think he is crazy.”

  “What are you going to tell him?” Kelly asked.

  “I’m going to tell him I know he isn’t crazy.” Mike said as he read out loud as he typed.

  “John, you’re not crazy. Talked to a guy in the Army today. A virus has infected the whole country. The walking dead are everywhere. The cities are gone, everything is gone. Sorry about your house. If you can, go to the farm. Enough weapons and food to hold you for six months. We are trying to get home. The dead destroyed the RV today. I stole a Prius to try to get home. Have been trying but have only covered ten miles last two days. Don’t know when we can get home. On our way. Talk to you later. Save your batteries. It is all we have left.”

  Mike looked at Kelly. “Is that OK?”

  Kelly nodded. “Sounds creepy hearing all that said out loud.”

  “No Shit!” Mike said as he hit the send button.

  The screen flashed. “Message sent.”

  Mike turned the key and hit the accelerator. The car began to move. Soon Graham disappeared into the trees as the road turned.

  “I hope he can make it to the farm.” Mike said. “He will be safe at the farm.”

  The farm was the name they called Mike and Kelly’s house. It was an old farm house he had bought eight years ago. The rest of the farm land had been sold off to a developer. The planned development had never been built. The old farm house sat by itself out in the middle of a large field. Isolated, just like Mike liked it.

  Mike wasn’t a crazy survivalist, but he felt it didn’t hurt to have six month’s worth of supplies stashed away in the old coal cellar. He figured the economy could go to hell at any time, it didn’t hurt to be prepared just in case.

  A lot of good that preparation was doing him here in Kentucky. The end of the world could have waited and come at a more convenient time.

  It could have at least waited until he returned home where he would have stood a better chance.

  The Prius moved quietly down the winding back country road.

  Chapter 18

  Captain Bolten stood on the flight deck. He enjoyed the smell of the fresh salt air.

  The fresh smell was interrupted every few moments when the smell from the decks below drifted up to the flight deck.

  The walking dead, those that had been his crew, after getting infected soon began to smell as bad as they looked.

  The sickening smell would be as big an obstacle to taking back control of the lower decks as the dead themselves.

  Fortunately, Captain Tom Bolten didn’t have any intention of trying to take control of all the decks below.

  With only three men, it would be too big a job to hope to accomplish. Besides, even if they could retake the entire ship, it would not serve any purpose at this point.

  It would still just be the four of them.

  The risk was not worth it.

  When they arrived in San Diego, if there was anyone left alive, he might be able to put together a small crew. Then he would consider the possibility of clearing the lower decks. But again, where would they go?

  To the best of his knowledge, there was nowhere to go.

  But this was a question that would answer itself when he arrived at the home port in San Diego.

  His main priority now was to retake what he needed to be able to get home. Once he arrived home, he would have the ability get off the ship and search inland to see what remained.

  Whatever happened after that, he would deal with it then.

  Tom Bolten walked over to his XO. “How’s our progress?”

  “I think we should almost be ready to go down and look around. Let me confirm our status.” The XO said.

  He turned and shouted over the wind coming in off the Pacific. “Clawson, asked McClain if we are clear yet!”

  “Yes Sir!” Clawson replied. He ran towards the back of the flight deck. When he was about ten feet from the back edge of the flight deck, he dropped to his hands and knees and crawled.

  In the event a wave caused the ship to suddenly rise or fall, he didn’t want to do a swan dive into the Pacific.

  Clawson crawled to the edge of the deck, pushed his head out over the end and looked down. He smiled as he watched McClain dangling off the back of the ship. He was out about twenty feet out from the large opening that led into the hanger deck. He looked scared shitless.

  They were using the same idea that they had used to lure the dead off the flight deck, having someone hang where the dead could see them, then watch the dead walk off the ship and drop into the ocean. Since Clawson had volunteered for the job on the flight deck, McClain had no choice but to volunteer to be the bait to lure the dead out of the hanger deck.

  Clawson definitely had the easier of the two jobs.

  “Hey McClain?” Clawson shouted down. “The Captain wants to know if you’re done yet. If not, what the hell is taking you so long?”

  “Go to hell Clawson!” McClain yelled.

  “Is that what you want me to tell the Captain?” Clawson laughed.

  McClain looked frustrated. “I think whoever was coming out, is out. Any left we’ll have to remove by hand. I would really appreciate it if someone would get me the hell back on the ship.”

  “I’ll relay your message.” Clawson said. “You just hang in there. Don’t go anywhere.”

  Clawson laughed as he crawled backwards onto the deck.

  McClain would have liked to have given Clawson a few well-chosen words, but decided to wait until he was safely back on the ship. Otherwise Clawson would probably take the long route back to the Captain, leaving him hanging off the ship for another hour.

  McClain looked at the churning waters below him. It was scary as hell to think if he fell, he could be pulled into the ship’s propellers. At best, he would be ten miles behind the ship by the time they realized he wasn’t still hanging off the end of the rope. He would be willing to bet this was Clawson’s idea to clear the hanger deck.

  Clawson walked back to where the XO and Captain were standing. “McClain said he thinks they are all out.”

  “I think we should go check it out.” The XO said. “When we put McClain down there, a few hundred came flying out in the first five minutes. We have only had two more come out the last half hour.”

  “Agreed.” The Captain smiled. “Pull him up, then we can go down. I’m sure the Petty Officer will be happy to get back on the ship.”

  McClain laid on the deck trying to catch his breath, at least that’s what he told Clawson. The reality was he was trying to calm his nerves.

  “I thought there were a lot of infected on the flight deck, I couldn’t believe how many were down on the hanger deck.” McClain said as he looked up at Clawson, the XO and the Captain. “That look in their eye
s as they flew out off the hanger deck made my stomach turn. There was no emotion, just that look of hunger. When they fell, the expression didn’t change. Their eyes were locked on me until they disappeared under the waves.”

  “That virus is a real bitch.” Clawson added.

  “Does anyone know where it came from? How the hell did this thing get started?” McClain asked.

  Captain Tom Bolten was the only one on board that had any insight on what had really happened. The information was highly classified and he had been ordered not to discuss it with anyone. It was on a need to know basis only, and other than him, no one else had needed to know.

  He had shared some of the information with the doctor when he began to realize the virus might have been carried aboard his ship. But by then it was already too late.

  He decided to tell the men a little of what he knew. They didn’t fall into the “need to know” category, but it really didn’t matter anymore. Tom doubted there was anyone still alive that fell into that category. They had a right to know. They had earned that right. He also needed to get it off his chest. For all he knew, he was the last person still alive that knew what had really happened.

  That knowledge weighed on his mind.

  “Part of our mission was to send a small unit into China under the cover of night.” The Captain said. The other three men got silent and stared back at him. “We had intel that said China was experimenting with a horrendous virus that they had weaponized. They were testing it against a subversive group in Western China. I was ordered to send the mini-sub in a few nights back carrying Seal Team twelve to obtain air and soil samples to verify what the hell they were doing. We had reports it had affected thousands and was spreading like wildfire. The Pentagon had some experience with this virus a few years ago and wanted to confirm that China was in fact testing it. The team apparently brought the virus back to the ship.”