by Dean, Jane
They threw in the dingy. Marshall held it as they climbed off the back of the boat. Ursa could feel the pulse rate of the others speed up. Callum handed Melissa down to her and she held onto the little girl tightly in the softness of the small boat.
“Okay Marshall. Take us out.” They drove across the short distance and up onto the shore. A biter a little distance from them reached out and held onto the boat. Tod hit it squarely in the head with the crowbar and they ran up the bank to the abandoned cars left of the side of the street.
“It’s okay.” Ursa yelled. “I don’t feel any biters near.” Marshall reached the SUV first and found the keys in the ignition. Tod jumped into the passenger seat while Callum help Ursa with Melissa into the back of the car. Marshall was speeding away as they slammed the doors shut in the back.
"I hope we're doing the right thing,” Tod said. "Maybe we should get supplies and get back on the boat. Take our chances on the water."
"We've got to get to my father,” Ursa said. "At least try to talk to him to find out what's going on. There may be people who can help me ...us." Ursa hung on to Melissa as she tightened her grip around her.
"I can smell them." Ursa said as she sat watching the side of the road.
"What do you mean ‘smell them?" Marshall asked.
“It’s not just the rotting meat smell, but I can tell them apart and how many there are by smell. That’s the only way I can describe the sensation."
"Let's hope that vaccine only heightened your senses. You don't feel any rage or a need to bite us do you?"
"No. Nothing like that. I see, smell and think better than I did before. Ideas keep popping into my head." It's like there are a million more connections in my brain. If I concentrate I can turn them off or turn them down and when I need to see clearer I just concentrate and things come into focus. Like that bird up there. I could sense it was there before I saw it."
"If you start to feel like you're changing into something else. You'll let us know right?" Callum said.
"I know I'm not going to change into a biter. I'm changing but into something else."
"Do you smell anyone nearby?" Tod asked.
“There are a lot of biters, but there are signatures like us out there. Not too far from here,” she said. “There! There!” she yelled and pointed in the direction of a plume of smoke rising over industrial buildings.”
“We can get close and see if there’s a store, try to gather supplies. They should may have guns too."
They drove down a street and turned a corner exposing a large Walmart. Ursa could see the source of the smoke coming from the top of the giant concrete store. Biters milled around in the parking lot between parked cars. "Let's try to get closer without being noticed. Ursa is there a better way to approach the store? She quickly scanned the area.
"They're drawn to the store by the movement like we are. I think the smokes a decoy. Let's head around to the other side,” she said. “I sense less biter activity that way."
Marshall slowed and drove quietly trying not to draw attention and stopped 100 feet from the side entrance of the store. A few biters were walking through the lot toward the smoke on the other side. Hundreds of crows were pecking through the dead and fighting with one another for priority.
"Just a second. Be quiet. I want to make sure we're alone."
"Marshall, what the hell are you doing?" Tod was still panicked and looking around wildly. "What's the problem? The store's right there. We can just move our little group to the doors and in we go."
"Don't be stupid Tod. I don't want to get caught out in the open. I'm listening for biters or movement."
"I resent that. I went to Oxford, studied Greek and Latin."
"Tod. Shut up for a moment," Ursa scanned the lot and didn't see or sense anything moving in their path. "Okay. Let's go,” she hissed.
"Marshall stood up and they all ran toward the door."
About 20 feet from the entrance a voice rang out above them. "Where do you think you're going?" The group stopped and looked up at a man pointing the barrel of a rifle at them.
ELEVEN
Two men walked to the edge of the roof to join the first with rifles. "Just hold on there. We don’t let anyone it without a couple questions. Any of you been bit?" Tod and Marshall looked at Ursa and then each other.
"No,” Marshall called up. “We're looking for supplies and a place to rest. We're not here for any trouble. Can you help us? We have a child."
The men looked at each other and the leader nodded to the two standing next to him. "You can stay." Ursa felt a tingle run up her spine and turned to see a biter running toward them. The leader hefted his rifle to his shoulder and shot the Walker efficiently. It fell to its knees, half its head removed. "Well, if you're coming you'd better do it quick,” the leader said. They ran to the door which opened for them. Ursa assumed they’d seen them coming from a distance and were ready for them.
Inside the store, they turned to see hundreds of biters running toward them, drawn by the gunfire. Two young men flanked the sliding door and secured it after they passed through. Cardboard was placed over the door windows. The bright light from outside was cut off.
She turned with Melissa still clinging to her back and was surprised to see how many people were in the store. Hundreds sat on the ground or stood together in groups. The knots of people were quiet as the doors shut and examined the new group carefully.
"It's really great of you guys to take us in,” Tod began awkwardly as people continued to stare." The leader emerged from the back of the store. He looked calm as he approached and stood in front of them.
“I'm Pastor Kelly. Most of us came here when the outbreak started.” He motioned a hand to the side. “Follow me.” They left the silent crowd and followed him past neat rows of fertilizer and potting soil. Pastor Kelly glanced at the blood stains on Ursa's clothes. "You sure you're okay?"
“Yes,” she said keeping her eyes down.
“I’m Callum,” he said and extended a hand which Pastor Kelly shook. “My sister has a sensitivity to light. Could we get some sunglasses for her?”
“Sure.” Pastor Kelly turned and yelled back. Mark! Fetch us some dark sunglasses for the lady. She has an eye condition.”
“Yes sir!” A young boy ran toward the opposite end of the store.
“He’ll be back shortly,” Pastor Kelly said to Ursa. She nodded and raised a hand to shield her eyes.
"We been travelling a while and won't be staying long,” Marshall said. Melissa tightened her grip around Ursa's neck.
"Where are you planning to go? The town and fields are crawling with the dead."
"My father..,” Ursa trailed off then decided to trust Pastor Kelly. "My father's in Yakama and we're trying to get to him."
You're welcome to stay here. There's more than enough for everyone.
"Appreciate it,” Tod said. "We really don't have any other alternative. Any time left out there would be suicide,” Tod laughed and glanced uneasily at the group.
Pastor Kelly opened a door which led to a staff room and bathrooms. I have to ask that you stay back here for a few hours.
“Why?” Marshall asked.
“We want to make sure you’re not a danger to us. We made that mistake and paid for it.”
“What if we refuse?” Marshall asked.
The Pastor put a hand to his gun. If you’d like to stay we only ask this small thing.”
“Sounds reasonable Marshall,” Ursa said lifting Melissa off her back and placing her on a cushioned chair.
The boy sent to get sunglasses returned with them. Callum took them and handed them to Ursa and gratefully put them over her eyes.
John will show you where you can wash up for now. We'll talk when you've had a chance to rest. We'll bring you up to speed on our plans if any of you want to stay with us." Pastor Kelly left them and walked back into the store.
***
"How long do you think this place will hold up?" Callum asked
to no one in particular. John had left them with food and new clothes and locked the door behind him when he’d left.
"Say what? Whatever man. This place is the best I've seen since all hell broke loose. They have a healthy supply of ammo, guns, food, you name it. They could hold out here for a long time and start farming if they can extend their borders. Hell, there might be enough ammo to take out half the population in this town." A woman walked by the door window and glanced in at Tod and the group. "That’s it. I'm staying here,” he said. “We've got everything we need for at least long enough for those walking corpses to all disintegrate."
“We’ll get some rest and talk about this later.” Marshall said and lay down on one of the cots set up for them.
***
"So, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" A girl with white blond hair looked up at Tod and stared at him blankly for a moment before smiling and returning to the cans she'd been sorting.
"I bet you say that to all the girls,” she said playing along.
"No. I can honestly say it's the first time I've used that line." Tod stood looking at the floor and shaking his head.
The girl stopped what she was doing and turn toward him, "So. What's your name then?" Her smile had faded.
"Ah it’s Tod. Yeah. What's yours?"
"Rene." She continued her stacking without looking at him.
"I'm sorry. When I get nervous, I crack jokes. I know. Not appropriate at all." Tod pushed away from the shelf he'd been leaning against and picked up some cans to help her.
"People have been talking about your group. What's with the girl and the weird eyes?"
"Ursa? Yeah. We're not sure what's going on with her. She thinks her dad may have injected her with something."
"Word is that she's infected and it's only a matter of time before the change."
"She says she feel normal." Tod looked over at where Ursa was standing talking to the leader of the Walmart group.
"Yeah well. You can't be certain. There was a guy came in here last week and said he made it through the corpses fine and the next thing we knew, Bam, he turns faster than you can blink."
"No."
"Not kidding. He was big too and fast." She stopped arranging cans and looked hard at Tod. "That's how my dad went. He was bitten before we pulled him in the door over there,” she pointed to a side door, “and he changed right in front of us."
"I'm really sorry. It's fast for some. We noticed that too. If they aren't too mutilated and they're in pretty decent shape they move faster,” he trailed off after seeing the look of horror cross her face.
She stacked faster, "Darn right they can move. That's why we're all armed." Tod looked to where the gun was tucked into the back of her jeans.
"So where can I get one of those?" he asked.
"You'll have to talk to Pastor Kelly."
"I met Kelly. Yeah. Seems like an okay guy."
"He's taken charge of everything. He's been the pastor here into town for years. He thinks this is the second coming of Christ. We're being judged and found wanting. The Lord was angry and took vengeance on us."
"You don't believe in that evolution mambo jumbo then,” Tod asked.
"No. Do you?" Tod stuck his hands in his pockets shrugged his shoulders and rocked back and forth on his feet. "Dinosaur fossils. How can they exist right?" he laughed a little.
"Well I don't know what you're driving at but we were created in God's image and those people out there must have done something pretty bad to deserve what they got." Tod looked around for Marshall and Ursa and couldn't see them. "So what'd you do before this happened?" she asked.
"Me? Well I was a professional student for a while before my parents decided to pull the plug," he said.
"Pull the plug?”
“Yeah they took away the money,” he said.
Did you end up on your ass?" she asked.
"No. Well yes. Marshall over there,” he motioned to where Marshall was standing close to Ursa. "We met in Oxford and he invited me to stay with him in Vancouver. He saved my life. A couple of times as a matter of fact."
"What'd you study at school?"
"Greek and Latin."
"That’ll help you here then,” she smiled. “You were really thinking about the future."
Tod laughed. "Now you're cracking jokes." Rene stared at him blankly for a moment and went back to work.
* * *
The Major walked down the corridor toward the laboratory and approached Dr. Hume. "Doctor. How are the subjects doing?"
"We're continuing to keep them sedated. Come with me." The two men walked to the locked door labelled Level 6 and the doctor placed his hand on the palm reader and entered a security code into the keypad. "Are they aware of the changes that have been happening to them?" the Major asked.
"No. We’re keeping them under. We tried to revive one of them but he was screaming from the pain. You'll see the changes in a minute."
A line of tables appeared before them with a man strapped to each covered with a white sheet. They were each being fed intravenously and monitored through sensors.
"You'll see right away that they've outgrown the lab tables." The Major looked at the feet hanging over each of the table by about a foot. "They've each grown on average another 18 inches making their average height 8 feet."
Dr. Myers walked into the room behind the two men. "Dr. Myers" the Major said. What do you make of the changes in these men? This is incredible."
"Incredible is an understatement Major. These men are unlike anything we could have imagined possible. You'll notice that their skull aren't fully fused. There are some enhancements to their skeleton structure that are complete. They'll require another injection and future injections will need to be administered at a higher dosage."
"Is it safe to have them running around as well as those Walkers?" the Major asked.
"They're definitely physically enhanced, we won't know how strong they are but we can all agree that their mental state is unknown. They may be gifted beyond anything we're able to calculate."
"We’ll increase the dosage immediately,” Dr. Hume said and walked away toward the back of the lab.
"Let me know when they're conscious Dr. Myers. I want to brief these men as soon as possible and let the world know about the effects of the vaccine. We may have these men put out of their misery," the Major said.
"Yes sir," Dr. Myers replied and he watched scowling as the Major walked away. He turned back to the line of men laying out in the middle of the room.
* * *
"Have you ever thought of the afterlife Tod?" Pastor Kelly put his arms up and clasped his hands behind his head.
"What? Yeah man, sure. I imagine it like the Greeks. You know the dude pulls up and you hand over your coins, you climb in the boat and off you go. What about you? What do you think happens?"
Mark came over and sat with them on the floor.
"A couple of the guys here think there's nothing. You just close your eyes and that's it. You're gone. I don't think that's it. When the biters really do give it up, their souls have to be released right? We can't be stuck here forever? The Lord wouldn’t let that happen. I’m sure of it. These monsters are the devil. The people inside are gone to a better place. They’re not trapped here in an eternal hell. I thought at first they’d done something to deserve their fate but when I see the small ones. The toddlers walking dead, I can’t believe they deserved their fate."
"No. I think you’re right. No one deserves this. This is something outside of God. Something manmade. God wouldn’t do this to us.”
"God's expecting us. I told him we're coming," Mark said.
"Well. He's going to have to wait a little while for me.” Tod said. “I'm not going to that party yet." Pastor Kelly smiled at Tod's response and got up and walked away.
“So, Mark. Are you a Christian then? What do you make of this?”
“God’s expecting us. I told him we’re coming. We’re not supposed t
o be here anymore,” Mark said again.
“Okay. Well, let me know if you need anything. I just need to use the loo for a moment.” Tod stepped away slowly and then ran to find Marshall.
"Hey Tod. What's up?" Marshall was sitting on one of the camping chairs when Tod found him.
"Hi Marshall. Yeah I think Mark’s decided not to play with us anymore." Tod took a drink from Marshall’s beer and looked down at the floor in between them.
"What do you mean?" Marshall asked.
"He's lost it. I mean cuckoo or something. I think we'd better keep an eye on him." Marshall nodded.
* * *
"Ahh hi." Rene jumped at the sound of Tod's voice and snapped the cover of the iPad closed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."
"No. That's okay." Rene looked behind Tod to see if anyone else was with him. "I was just looking at what the world used to be like." She flipped the iPad cover open and pressed the play button. There were two mean sitting across from each other.
"Hey, I know that guy, he’s the comedian."
"Yeah, he's pretty funny. They're talking about how we're supposed to evolve into a higher conscious state."
"Comedians turning into philosophers. Sounds like a recipe for the end of the world." Rene gave Tod a hard stare. "Sorry about that. I didn't know you had a connection to the Internet here. The wireless is working?"
"Yeah,” she said. We're not supposed to use it. Pastor Kelly says it's the invention of the devil. We're all in this trouble because of modern equipment and technology."
"How is that?" Tod asked.
Rene placed the iPad into the drawer of the desk. "He says that having more contact with worldly ideas breaks down our community. We've become disconnected and now God is punishing us. He says we've been robbed of the ability to learn the value of hard work and now only the righteous who follow the Word of the Lord will be allowed to survive."
"Have you tried to contact anyone on that?" Tod asked.
"No. Who am I going to email or text? No one's out there. Haven't you noticed? They’re all running around eating each other."