by Daniel Smith
“The watering hole.” Dan nodded and stopped to look at the building before receiving a gentle push on the shoulder by Manny.
“Well go on someone might try bullying you seeing me walk you to school,” he said encouragingly.
Dan rolled his eyes at that as he made his way into the store through the double glass doors. Looking around the large building to face several small cubicles sitting in front of a large wall and door. Behind the desks sat several people. One woman in a desk marked admission with a sign saw him motioning him over.
“You must be the new student,” she said with a smile Dan just nodded his head. “Good I will let Miss. Crockett know you’re here. She will be your admission and guidance counselor,” she said as she picked up a phone and started dialing.
Dan waited patiently as he kept nervously looking around the noise was growing in the building it was making him uneasy. He watched as a slim five foot seven woman with a bob cut brown hairstyle at the ears wearing a tan slack suit approached him she was smiling and had warm brown eyes.
“You must be Dan,” she said friendly enough. Dan for his part just nodded his head.
“If you follow me we will get you started on your orientation and testing.”
Dan nodded again and followed her as she turned to walk away. He looked into the large room with the benches set out in rows with all the milling kids and noise coming from the lunchroom. The noise was beginning to bother Dan as he tried to shut it out as he queued up in line for lunch. Picking up the tan tray with ridge compartments stepping up to the satin steel rail that sat in front of the glass partitions and people serving food. He watched in disgust as two apple slices, a couple of pieces of lettuce and some soupy brown substance splattered onto his tray and a small juice box. Dan was wondering what the brown substance was pulled from his thoughts by.
“Card,” he looked up at the plump older woman with a hair net full of gray hair. Dan looked at her puzzled and she repeated.
“Card,” rather rudely. Before he could respond she stated. “If you do not have your lunch card you cannot get lunch,” she stated forcibly. Looking down at the food on the tray with disgust he handed the woman the tray. She took it with a startled look as he stepped out of line. Walking to one side of the lunchroom near a planter with a large leaf plant. Sitting down on the planter he pulled open the canvas book bag removing a liter bottle of water and zip lock bag of venison jerky. Along with an apple he removed from the hotel earlier. He had just taken a bite from the jerky when he heard.
“That’s not approved food. You have to turn it over,” Dan looked up from chewing to see another woman with a hair net standing in front of him with her hand stretched out. He ignored her and continued chewing as she repeated her command to turn over the food. Feeling the anger surge in him as he suddenly stood while he did not take a fighting stance his expression said there was going to be trouble. The lunch woman took a step backwards as the lunchroom suddenly went silent. The silence hung for a few heartbeats before he heard a familiar voice speak up.
“Dan is there a problem,” Miss Crockett spoke. Watching the woman break eye contact with him to look at Miss Crockett before he looked at her.
“If she is trying to take my food. Yes there will be a problem,” Dan stated before tearing off another piece of jerky with his teeth. Miss Crockett looked to the lunch woman then back to Dan.
“Why are you not eating the lunch provided,” she asked. Dan looked at her swallowing the answer of.
“I’ve seen better food growing in an abandon refrigerator,” with his jerky before answering.
“No lunch card. No lunch.”
He did not see Miss Crockett when she spoke and was not sure if it was to him or the lunch woman.
“I sent the paperwork with the student assistant this morning.”
Dan looked at her as she went silent. He could see she was looking at the table with Tom who had gotten him into this mess. He was sitting with the girl who he thought was Tom’s counterpart and a few other kids. She was doing her best to look somewhere else.
“Well never mind. I will bring it down shortly myself,” Miss Crockett said addressing the lunch woman. Miss Crockett turned too smile at Dan.
“If you would like lunch please come with us,” walking off with the lunch woman. Dan stayed where he was taking another bite of jerky and started chewing.
“This was far tastier,” he thought.
Dan listened to the loudly ringing bell wincing at the noise and waited as he watched the mass of student's and some teachers leave the school. He waited till just about everyone was gone before he grabbed his backpack. He had spent the day taking tests to find out his education level and answering what he felt was dumb questions when it suited him by the school psychiatrist. He was feeling tired as he walked out and looked around several of the school buses had pulled out and the last couple were getting ready to leave as Dan look around carefully. Before he started making his way across the parking lot towards the trailers that Manny had pointed out that morning.
He stopped at the wood sign and looked around standing in front of a small porch that only had about three steps and led to an open doorway blocked by a screen door. He did not see Manny or anyone else paying attention to him so he went the stairs looking through the screen door. He saw an extra-large room with various tables and chairs. A makeshift bar on one wall where he made out the form of Manny. Sitting on a stool next to a man leaning on the bar to the point of falling asleep. Dan opened the screen door and made his way into the smoke-filled room coughing slightly as he made his way towards Manny no one paid any attention to him. Manny noticed his presence with a nod the bartender and man next to him ignoring him. The man next to him was speaking in a slurred sobbing voice.
“They said it was a safe area. They said we would be safe to go there with my family. It wasn't safe the government had infected everyone with the plague and those undead creatures guarded the place attacking all of us who came there looking for safety. It wasn't safe,” the man sobbed on.
Manny stood up leaving an almost empty glass of beer on the bar and motioned towards the door. Dan took a deep breath as they left the smoke-filled room.
“What was that about” he asked Manny as they started walking.
“Easiest way to find out information on a place is to spend a little time in the local bar,” Manny said good-naturedly.
“He said there was some city ore safe area to the North of here. When they got there, they found it overrun with zombies. He thought the government had made it that way to guard the place,” Manny said as they walked back towards the hotel. Dan just shook his head in wonder.
“So how was school,” Manny asked jokingly but dropped the subject at the dark look he gave him.
Dan looked for the ringing sound standing in the hotel’s hallway as Manny removed their lock from the hasp on the door. Looking puzzled as the sound increased as Manny opened the door. Watching as Manny entered the room picking up a telephone from the nightstand bringing it to his ear. Dan looked stunned at it had it been that long since he last heard a phone. He shook this from his mind as Manny said.
“Hello,” into it as Dan placed his canvas schoolbag on his bed as he headed into the bathroom.
He felt the safe areas only good point going for it was the hot showers in the hotel. He thought the toilets where fine but Manny had shown him how to use the ones they found outside the safe area as long as they had enough water. Flushing the toilet he looked at the unopened roll of toilet paper sitting on the sink counter. Picking it up he left the bathroom to find his gray daypack while watching Manny on the phone.
Pacing in front of the nightstand holding the phone. Talking calmly while rolling his eyes making a motion with his hand as if he was trying to speed up the speaker on the other end. Listening as he placed the toilet paper into his bag.
“Yes I understand, No in all the time I’ve known him he has never been violent towards anyone. He has always taken e
verything seriously. Well we can discuss that but I would like a professional medical opinion on that. Yes of course I will talk to him, Good-bye,” Manny said calmly as he put the phone down and lay down on his bed closing his eyes. Dan was silent for a moment and was about to ask when Manny spoke without opening his eyes.
“That was Mr. Sherman,” Dan rolled his eyes.
“He had concerns about how you did today,” Manny continued.
“Should I ask,” he sighed as he sat down on his bed. Manny did not move or open his eyes.
“The school Psychologist found you uncooperative and defensive,” Manny stated. Dan stretched out on his bed kicking the canvas schoolbag to the floor.
“I answered some of his questions,” he retorted.
“Like what,” Manny asked calmly.
“He asked me how I felt and I said with my hands usually,” Dan smiled when he said it. Manny let a deep breath out.
“He told me you were about to get violent with a school employee,” Manny calmly asked.
“Well if he means the woman in the lunchroom that tried to take my jerky away from me,” he started. Manny opened his eyes and lifted his head to look at him.
“I thought they were to feed you at school,” Manny asked. Dan looked at him.
“We have seen better food left out to rot then what they wanted to serve me,” he said lifting his head to look at Manny. Lowering his head Manny closed his eyes again.
“While justifiable I will discuss that with him tomorrow. He thinks you need medication to calm you down,” Manny calmly added. Dan snorted at that.
“Tried to blend in and wake me at eight, I need to go out tonight scouting and might not be back until morning,” Manny said rolling onto his side.
“Right,” Dan said as he got up and pulled the curtains shut making the room darken.
The next day started out with Dan feeling tired. He had awakened early that morning to what he was starting to consider that damn dream again. The emaciated man had been reaching for him with a withered hand like a claw. He was in a bad mood when he had to take several more placement tests that confused him as they went on. The session with the school psychiatrist went badly. He had tried to cooperate as Manny had suggested but was growing more confused with each question lapsing into long periods of silence. When lunch finally arrived and he left his office, he did not know if Miss Crockett had fixed the lunch card problem. After seeing what was on a few plates the other kids were holding he felt no wish to find out settling on an apple and protein bar he had brought.
After lunch, he went to Miss Crockett’s office waiting for her to take him to class. Glancing around the waiting area, he watched as Mr. Sherman stopped standing off to one side watching him. This made Dan nervous as Mr. Sherman followed him and Miss. Crockett as she lead him down a hallway to a large cubicle style room towards one side of the building. Here they waited outside the opening until a large man looked up from his desk to motion them in. Here she introduced him to a Mr. Brandt before leaving. Dan felt uneasy and nervous as he stood at the front of the class. Scanning the looks the kids were giving him he could feel all the eyes on him as they watched waiting for him to do something. Mr. Brandt for his part took several moments to look at him before asking.
“Well are you just going to stand there or will you tell us something about yourself,” he said in a deep voice. Dan looked at him then to the class keeping silent for a few awkward moments as Mr. Brandt became irritated.
“Well can you speak.”
Dan glanced at him then said in a clear voice.
“Yes.”
Mr. Brandt shook his head pointing out an empty desk near the back of the classroom.
“Use that desk and you should be thankful to be in a government safe area,” he stated arrogantly. His anger at hearing this and all the tests and noise finally got to Dan speaking before thinking.
“Sure real safe. I hope I don't get the same treatment like those kids I saw gun down by soldiers for being in the wrong place,” he started moving off towards his seat. He knew he had made a mistake by the silence in the classroom and the facts the other kids were avoiding looking at him. He looked up to the door he could see a shocked look on the faces of Miss Crockett and Mr. Sherman. Moving for the open desk to start sitting down when a boy whispered to him.
“Tom is waiting for you.” Dan stopped what he was doing to fix his blue eyes on the boy. Which made the boy uncomfortable by the way, he started squirming in his chair when he heard Mr. Brandt's voice.
“Is there a problem,” he asked. Dan looked over at Mr. Brandt before looking back at the boy to finish sitting down before answering in a loud clear voice.
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
Dan did not pay attention to the lecture going on in the class he sat more interested in watching the clock going over what he said. He thought time should be moving faster as he waited for the day to finish. When the loud bell finally rang, he stood up and started moving towards the exit with the rest of the class instead of waiting until they finished he just wanted out of this place. While he did not hurry he did walk with a purpose towards the front door and out of the building. Moving towards the buses so he could pass between them heading out towards the bridge back to the hotel turning hearing a voice behind him.
“Where do you think you're going.”
Dan stop turning to see the boy that he had met the other day. The one named Tom who had wanted his sword looking at him. Standing slightly behind him the same girl from the other day next to him the kid from his class with several other kids. Dan looked at him dismissively then turned to start walking back towards the buses.
“Do you think it'll be that easy,” his sentence stopping as Tom went silent. Dan turned to look to see several adults approaching waiting for different students coming out of the school and two teachers overseeing the buses. Dan knew where this headed taking some advice Manny gave to him.
“Wrong day to try,” he said turning suddenly walking towards a startled Tom stopping just a few feet away.
“Right here right now,” Dan said calmly. He could see the look of shock on the kids’ faces the girl had an excited look on her face Tom for his part took a moment to recover.
“Not here,” he started. Dan cutting him off.
“I wouldn't worry about interference from the adults it'll be long over before they become involved.”
Tom looked stunned and was trying to stammer something but Dan cut him off again.
“If you don't have what it takes to go right now don't think you or any of them will have what it takes later,” Dan said. Motioning with his hand at the stunned look of the other kids as he abruptly turned walking the way he came back past the buses across the parking lot and towards the bridge. He knew this was going to be trouble later but he at least hope he had made them doubt themselves. When he arrived back to the hotel, he found Manny calmly sitting in the room waiting for him.
“Glad you are home once you change into something comfortable. We will go take a walk,” Manny said smiling.
Dan looked at him tiredly but did as told before asking.
“Where are we going.”
Manny smiled as he stood up and said as he headed for the door.
“I got my travel pass for tomorrow morning it's not until after you start school and only good for one person. So I thought we would take a walk in the fresh air and go over our exit strategy from this place,” Manny said holding the door open for him.
Dan's face broke into a smile as he walked to the door a renewed energy in his step. It was still dark out the sun just starting to show on the eastern horizon as Dan watched. Having sat for a couple hours awaken earlier by the damn dream he been having lately. The emaciated man with milky white eyes grasping at him with a withered hand. He noticed sometime during the night Manny removed all of their gear from the room leaving only the clothes he needed for school. He waited splitting his time from looking out the window and watching Manny sleep rep
laying the instructions he had given him. Manny woke dressing before they had breakfast as he walked him to school.
“Stay calm take it easy and stick to the plan don’t go before I have time to get there,” Manny said calmly as Dan moved off towards the glass doors.
He turned one last time to look at Manny before following and fitting into the group of students walking in to school. He had just walked into school and was heading for his class when Miss Crockett walked up to him in the hallway. He looked at her for some reason even her smiling face was starting to make him feel uneasy.
“Dan some people from the military are coming today to interview you,” she started sounding calm.
“That’s fine,” he said trying to sound and look unconcerned.
She smiled at him he thought that she had a friendly smile before she stated.
“We will let you know when they arrive,” before turning and walking off.
Dan did his best to look like he was trying to fit into school as he constantly checked the clock. He would not be able to make a move until his physical education class it took place outdoors. Although he was constantly, checking the clock he sat startled when the bell rang signaling it was time to go to the gym. He was just about to make his turn away from the gym class when he saw the teacher, motioning for him to come over. Dan stomach tensed as he fought the urge to run Manny's words rang through his head as he walked towards the gym teacher.
“Do not run walk with a purpose. If someone sees you running you're going to make people suspicious if you look like you know what you're doing people will not pay attention to you,” Manny’s words echoed in his mind. He stopped in front of him expecting the worst.
“The front office called. They want you to go there now,” the tall man said.
“Okay,” Dan said trying to sound unconcerned and keep the surge of relief washing over him out of his voice as he turned to leave.
Turning he started walking with a purpose as he made a quick check making sure no one was watching. He turned cutting between portable trailers used as classrooms and storage between him and the locker room. Resisting the urge to run towards the patch of concrete sitting in front of the fence marking the edge of the school ground. He forced himself to a fast walk. He did not look around as he normally would as he kept going towards the fence but turn his head sharply hearing.