In the Lone and Level Sands

by David Lovato

  “Sorry,” Alex said to Aiden, who grunted as he scooted over. They tried to share a seatbelt, but it was difficult.

  “It’s cool,” Aiden said, giving up on the seatbelt. “Jordan, just try not to crash.” He grimaced as the image of the guy hanging out of the car down the road flashed in his mind.

  “Sorry about the cramped car,” Jordan said. He continued down North Olive.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Alex said. “I’m just glad you were there.”

  “Sorry about your friend,” Christian said.

  Alex leaned his head back, and he sighed, then swallowed. “You don’t have to apologize. He wasn’t taking this whole situation too well. I hated it, but he was my friend. I didn’t want to abandon him in this. I really didn’t.”

  “I can understand that,” Evelyn said. “I’m sorry.”

  There was silence in the car for a few minutes, and then Alex spoke again.

  “You did the right thing, I guess. He could have hurt you guys. It’s his own damn fault anyway for not wearing his seatbelt. Fucking idiot.”

  “You don’t mean that, I’m sure,” Ashley said.

  “I guess not. It’s just that we’ve been drifting for the past few years. I don’t know. Can we change the subject?” Alex turned to look out the window as the scenery whizzed by.

  “So, you got a name?” Aiden said.

  “Yeah, sorry. I’m Alex.” Jordan and the others introduced themselves, and then there was a short pause. “So, where did you guys come from?”

  “We were staying at the Gladstone Ferrington,” Jordan said. “From the night of the 22nd to just today. We left because we couldn’t stay there anymore.”

  “You look like you were working that night,” Alex said, and then he turned to Evelyn. “And you?” She nodded. “Wow, I bet it was bad for a lot of the people there. I work at a grocery store too, actually. Thank God I wasn’t there when this shit started.”

  “Yeah, it was pretty bad,” Christian said. “Luckily, most everyone cleared out that night. The store director fell off his rocker, though. We had to leave him behind, got a little homicidal toward Evvy here.”

  “Oh, shit.”

  “Yeah, that guy was a real prick,” Aiden said. “I’m glad he didn’t come with us.”

  “I feel kind of bad for him,” Evelyn said. “It’s just too bad. Especially with his family, and all. I hope he’s doing all right.”

  “After what happened, I doubt it,” Jordan said.

  “After what happened, I’m honestly surprised I’m not teetering toward the deep end myself,” Alex said. “I guess you never know how you’re really going to react to these sort of things.”

  “Amen,” Aiden said.

  The survivors came to the corner of North Olive and 76th street. Jordan turned the car, avoiding a crash in the intersection. The neighborhood of Crowler Heights was just a couple minutes away. Ashley’s house on Benns Avenue would be only a few minutes beyond that. The streets of Crowler Heights were maze-like and confusing, but Jordan had been there dozens of times and knew the neighborhood like the back of his hand. It didn’t take long for them to reach Benns Avenue.

  “I hope she’s okay,” Ashley said. She tried not to stare at the destruction on her street.

  “She’s going to be fine,” Jordan said. He turned to give Ashley a smile as he weaved around a head-on collision several houses up the street from Ashley’s. The hoods were crumpled, both windshields lay in pieces on the cars and the street. The mostly picked corpse of a man lay across the hood of one car. It looked like he had been pulled out of the vehicle by at least one zombie sometime after the crash.

  A car had crashed into the house next door to Ashley’s, and when Jordan and the others pulled up to it, they all looked. Splintered wood and broken glass lay all over the ground, where the once-beautiful landscaping had been ripped up by the wheels of the car. Bricks lay in the yard and cluttered the living room floor.

  “Jesus Christ,” Jordan whispered.

  “Hey, look!” Ashley said. She pointed ahead. “That’s my dad’s car!”

  Jordan came to a stop behind a black Taurus resting halfway on the curb. He killed his engine and everyone stepped outside. Ashley hurried to the door, ahead of the others.

  “Be careful Ash.”

  “I’m fine, Jordan.” Ashley found the door cracked, and wondered if her dad had just arrived. Her breath caught in her throat, but it didn’t stop her from going inside.

  The door creaked as she pushed it. There wasn’t a soul, human or zombie, in sight. Everyone entered and Evelyn, last in line, shut the door. The entryway gave in to a hall that went into the hearth room ahead. The group walked down it.

  “Mom?” Ashley said. “Dad?”

  There was nothing.

  They made it to the main room, where there were red splotches on the white carpet. They led through the hearth room and toward the kitchen. Ashley looked at Jordan and shuddered. A few feet away, two slender legs lying across the floor disappeared around the corner. As they drew nearer they could hear someone rummaging through the kitchen.

  “Mom?” Ashley said again. The noise in the kitchen stopped and footsteps hurried across the wooden floor. Ashley was about to turn the corner when her father appeared and ushered her backward.

  “Dad!” Ashley said. She hugged him, and he hugged her back, but kept moving back into the hearth room, then stopped.

  “Ashley, it’s so good to see you! I was so worried.” He wiped his face, looked back toward the kitchen, then returned and hugged Ashley again. Jordan noticed that there was gauze wrapped around his arm, and blood was seeping through.

  “Mr. Stant… is that a bite?”

  Ashley let go of her father, her eyes full of tears.

  “Ashley,” he said. She began to cry. Mr. Stant looked over the others, then back to Ashley. “Your mother, when I got here, she was… She got the jump on me. I’m so sorry, Ashley.”

  “Dad.” Ashley began to weep. The others were silent. Jordan reached forward, but Ashley pulled away from his touch. “Let us be alone, please!”

  Everyone cleared out into the hall.

  “Ashley, I wish things were different.” A large tear rolled down her father’s cheek.

  “If we’d gotten here just a few minutes sooner…”

  “Don’t blame yourself, Ashley. It’s my fault.”

  “It’s no one’s fault, Dad. I just don’t want you to go.”

  “I’m so sorry, honey. You don’t know how badly I wish I could take this back.” He gave Ashley a big hug.

  “I love you, Dad!”

  “You mean the world to me. I love you, Ashley. I just wish we had more time, I wish we could wait this thing out together, but I guess God had other plans.”

  “We can stay here, Dad. I don’t want to leave you here by yourself. Every second I was at the store, I just kept worrying about you and Mom. I can’t just leave now that I’m here!”

  “Ashley, I’m not putting you in that danger. I can’t let you wait here for me to become one of them. You understand that, I’m sure.”

  “Yeah,” Ashley finally said.

  “You’re in good hands with those people out there. Jordan’s a good boy, he always cared so much about you. Go with them.” Tears poured down his cheeks. “We don’t have much time.”

  The two of them hugged again for what seemed like a long time, though Ashley wished it would never end.

  “I love you, and don’t you forget that, all right?”

  “I know. I love you, Dad.”

  “Good.” He smiled. “Now, you really should leave. It could happen any time.”

  “Okay.”

  Ashley backed away, looking at her dad for a moment, waiting for the change. She blinked, and nothing was different. Ashley forced a smile, then headed back to the others.

  Jordan looked at Ashley, but she walked past him, not granting so much as a moment’s glance. She headed for the front door.

  “Ash,
are you—”

  “We have to go,” she said.

  The others headed outside, but Jordan stopped Ashley. She met his gaze and sighed. Ashley practically tackled him, locking lips with him.

  Christian stopped at the door and looked back, noticed them, and then smiled and went through the door.

  Too soon, the moment ended, and they stepped back.

  “I’ve been wanting to do that for so long,” Ashley said.

  “Same here, Ash. I don’t know what’s stopped us. I’m so sorry about your parents, Ash. I wish we could have gotten here sooner.”

  “I’m just glad you could get me here in time to say goodbye. Thank you for that, Jordan.”

  “No need to thank me,” Jordan said with a smile. He leaned in to kiss her again.

  “I love you, Jordan, “Ashley said.

  “I love you,” Jordan replied. For a few fleeting seconds, everything else didn’t matter.

  Once time resumed, the two of them headed out the front door and climbed into the car. Jordan turned the key, put the car into reverse, and backed out. Seconds later, the cold ring of a gunshot fell over them. Ashley began to cry, and they headed back down Benns Avenue.

  ****

  Jordan’s house was in the opposite direction, not more than a ten minute drive. They pulled up to the house, and the driveway had one car in it, his dad’s Jeep. His mom’s Pacifica was gone, so Jordan parked in its space. Jordan went to the door and opened it. It was unlocked, as usual. He crept inside, followed by the others. The house was silent.

  On the coffee table in the living room, Jordan found a piece of paper with a red pen sitting on it. He picked up the paper. There was a letter on the front and a map on the back. Several little round spots were smudged and slightly warped.

  Jordan,

  Your dad and I are fine. A little shaken up, but we’re fine. We hope to God you see this. We heard about a safe zone about an hour and a half drive from here. It’s in Big Springs, Kansas. When you see this, please get there as quickly and safely as you can. We love you Honey. We love you so much.

  We’ll tell them we’re expecting you.

  Lots of love,

  Mom & Dad

  “They left,” Jordan said. “They’re safe.”

  “That’s great!” Aiden said.

  “Where are they?” Ashley asked.

  “There’s a safe zone in Big Springs, Kansas. They printed out a map and wrote the note on it.”

  “We should head out in the morning,” Evelyn said. “We could all use some sleep.”

  “Evvy’s right,” Christian said.

  “Okay.” Jordan looked at everyone, at Alex, who had been silent since before they’d gotten to Ashley’s house. He seemed deep in thought. “Are you in, Alex?”

  “I’m with you guys.” He smiled. “I’m with you.”

  52

  At the Lumber Yard

  The sound of a large sheet of plywood hitting metal exploded out of the back of the truck and ricocheted off of the walls of the building. Max wondered if any zombies heard it, too. But then again, that’s what he was there for.

  He had spent a few days watching truck after truck arrive with more plywood until, finally, Ortiz had asked him to come along. Johns remained back at the campus. Lou and Ortiz filled the truck with plywood, and Max stood guard.

  The wood was stashed inside a large warehouse, and the place had been cleared of zombies the first time the soldiers arrived. Max knew the odds of anything getting in were slim, and that even if it happened, Lou and Ortiz could take care of it. He wondered how long he’d be doing grunt work for them, but he couldn’t blame them at all. He still felt more like baggage than aid. They had mentioned setting up a shooting range for him to practice on, but he wasn’t sure when that would happen. The walls around the campus had to come first.

  “Max, you ready to go?” Ortiz asked. “I think this’ll be the last load of the day.”

  “Yeah.” Max turned toward the truck, but something caught his eye. He turned back, looked around the warehouse. His eyes searched the stacks of wood, the pallet jacks, the shadows. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for.

  “Something wrong?” Ortiz said. Max looked a moment longer, but nothing happened.

  “I thought I saw something.” Ortiz looked around. “It was probably nothing.”

  Ortiz closed the back of the truck and went to the front. Lou had already climbed inside, and was starting the engine. Ortiz opened the door. “All right. Let’s head out, then.” He pointed to a nearby pallet. “Hey, can you grab my pack? It’s just over there.”

  Max walked over to the pallet, where Ortiz’s pack was lying on a stack of wood. Max picked it up. He turned back toward the truck, and this time he was sure he saw something, but it was too late.

  “Stop!” a voice said. Max heard the sound of a cocking gun, and froze. He started to turn. “Don’t!” Max stayed as he was.

  “You’re not a zombie,” Max said.

  “No shit, Holmes. Drop the bag.”

  The voice was feminine, yet firm. Max could tell whoever was behind him was serious. He set Ortiz’s bag on the ground.

  “Take two steps forward,” the person said. Max did so. He heard shuffling feet, then the sound of the bag being lifted.

  “My friends are soldiers,” Max said. “I’m sure they’d be happy to help—”

  “Shut the fuck up. I don’t want your help. Just your guns.”

  Ortiz rounded the corner of the truck. “Max, what’s taking so—”

  Max heard the person behind him shift. “Don’t move,” she said.

  “All right, all right.” Ortiz raised his hands slightly, looked from Max to the person behind him. “What’s all this about?”

  “Don’t talk. I’ll shoot him.”

  “No need for violence,” Ortiz said. “Why don’t you put the gun down, and we can talk through this?”

  “Am I not being clear enough?” Max felt the gun press against his back. “I’m going to blow your friend away!”

  Max looked at Ortiz, who looked back at him.

  “Okay, here’s what I want you to do—”

  Max reached back, grabbed the barrel of the gun, and shoved it to the side. It fired into nothing, and the person holding it shouted. Max could tell she hadn’t meant to pull the trigger, but it didn’t matter. He jerked the gun forward and threw his free fist back, hitting her in the gut. She let go of the gun. Max turned and pointed it at her. She was already dropping to her knees, gasping for air.

  Ortiz drew his handgun, pointed it at the girl, and walked toward her. He kept his eyes fixed on her, grabbed his pack and slung it over his shoulder, then stood by Max.

  “Shit, Max. She doesn’t look any older than you.”

  “Who are you?” Max said. The girl looked up at him, then looked away.

  “I don’t think she’s going to answer,” Ortiz said.

  “All right. I’m Max.”

  “Like I care,” the girl said. She sounded far less confident.

  “This is Ortiz. We’re setting up a safe haven.”

  “There’s no such thing. Not anymore.”

  “We cleared out a community college, and we’re building walls around it.”

  “They’ll get torn down.”

  “We’ll build them back up.”

  “It’s only a matter of time. It’s always just a matter of time.”

  “Well,” Max said, “if you change your mind, you’re welcome to come to the campus and see it for yourself. And bring anyone else you might know.”

  She looked up at him. “There is no one else.”

  Max looked at Ortiz. “Let’s go.”

  “Yeah,” Ortiz said. He headed for the front of the truck.

  Max turned the gun around and offered it back to the girl. She looked from it to him, and then took it. Then he reached into his pocket and handed her one of his extra magazines.

  “It’s not much,” he said, “but it’s better than nothing.
” He turned and started toward the front of the truck.

  The girl scrambled to her feet and pointed the gun at him.

  “Don’t move!” she said. Max ignored her. “Didn’t you hear me?”

  Max reached the door, and the girl fired, purposely missing. Max turned to her.

  “Just so you know,” he said, “there are people still out there. And if you’re not willing to work with them, you might as well be working against them.”

  “Just shut up! You don’t know anything!”

  “If you change your mind, you know where to find us.”

  Max climbed into the truck, and they drove off.

  ****

  The truck moved along the road with relative ease. There were few zombies around, and the soldiers had cleared some paths for it to squeeze through.

  Lou turned the radio on. Nothing came out of it, but he turned the volume up anyway.

  “Why do you always do that?” Ortiz asked. “There’s nothing on the radio.”

  “I don’t know,” Lou said. “Something about having the radio on just comforts me, whether there’s anything coming out of it or not. Besides, you never know when it’ll come back.”

  Max stared out through the window. Ortiz turned to him. “Still thinking about that girl?”

  “We could’ve helped her,” Max said.

  “She held a gun to you. She didn’t want to be helped. And by the way, you took an unnecessary risk back there.”

  “I didn’t find it unnecessary at all. It’s a harsh world. She needed something to defend herself with.”

  “If that’s all she wanted, she could’ve come with us. She’d have been safe.”

  “We hope.”

  They arrived at the campus and unloaded the truck. It took until sunset.

  “Well, I guess tomorrow we’ll start building the walls,” Johns said when they had finished.