Savage Mist

by Jason Merchant

  Michael drew his weapon and began running for the off ramp, the infected savages rushed after him. He fired rapidly, chest shots or better. Nearly being overrun, he leapt over a guardrail and tumbled down the embankment. The savages followed over the guardrail, he hurried to his feet and ran, stumbling over a dead body.

  He turned and fired at two savages who were in pursuit, then he reloaded on the run. Between some houses near an intersection he sprinted, when he emerged out onto a residential street, he saw his two targets. Several close by explosions startled him, the next one knocked him off his feet. He lay on the ground dazed, but he could still see the targets. At least until the next blast, then, they were gone.

  Chapter 15

  War

  Heather swerved and maneuvered the best she could through the streets but eventually hit gridlock near the freeway. Panic had set in and horns blared throughout, cars stood idle in the streets as well as on the visible overpass a quarter mile ahead. The ordinance lit up the sky and fighter jets screamed overhead. . . fighter jets that were not attacking the invaders, but dropping bombs over the freeway.

  “We need to go, we can't stay here, momma we need to go now.” Jamal said.

  “Where we going?” where do we go?” his mother asked.

  “Away from those jets, they turn people into savages.”

  “That can't be right, those look like our planes, they're here to help us.”

  “No, I saw the same jets bomb Seattle, look, they're doing it now, on the freeway, we have to go.”

  By now everyone had abandoned their vehicles and were fleeing east, away from the explosions. The people of Federal Way had not yet experienced the brutality of the savages they were running toward, it was going to be a slaughter, and no one was coming to their rescue.

  Sheila was having trouble navigating Richard’s wheelchair through the cars and fleeing people, Jacob stopped to help. He tried to clear the way for them but there were too many panicked people. A man shoved Sheila out of his way from behind and squeezed past them both as she fell over on to Richard's lap. Jacob cursed at the man and shoved him into an SUV.

  “You guys okay?”

  “You guys have to go without me” Richard said as he tried to help Sheila back to her feet.

  “No Richard, no fucking way. All I cared about for the past 2 days was getting home to you, we are not splitting up again” Sheila turned to Jacob “You guys go, I’m fine now. You have to go find your families, we’ll be fine.”

  “No, you won’t, and you know you won’t, the savages--”

  As Jacob turned to point to the overpass, bodies began falling to the street below. People began running down the embankment to escape the savages, but they were faster and stronger and pursued them mercilessly.

  “We can't run anymore, we have to get off the street” Jacob yelled over the screaming of terrified people and fighter jets flying overhead. “We have to get off this arterial road and away from the freeway.”

  “What about the rest of the group? I can't see them anymore.”

  Jacob jumped on top of a car to see if he could spot the others and signal them to return, they were about 50 yards away.

  “Hey! Hey, we left Jacob and Sheila” Regina said.

  “Goddammit” Heather shouted. “I knew this would happen. We have to hurry, let’s go.”

  “We can't continue on anyway, the savages are coming, we’ll never get past the bridge.”

  “Where are we going to go?” Jamal shouted.

  “Not that way honey, we can't fight our way through that” his mother told him.

  The group headed back against the mob of people toward Jacob but were unable to push past the crowds. The people, not knowing what danger the savages posed to them, only cared to escape the explosions to the west.

  Heather fired her rifle in the air, “outta the way!”

  The people in the area ducked for cover and scurried away. They ran to Jacob and immediately realized what the holdup was, Richard.

  “We can't run, we have find somewhere to hide.” Jacob said.

  “Where? In a wooden house? That's an army moving toward us.” said Heather

  “Well the savages are in front of us and the Chinese are behind us.”

  “Well then let's turn south and keep running.”

  Jamal interrupted, “What about the jets though? They're bombing people, we can't stay outside.”

  “Goddammit, fine, let's move down this street here and find a house to hold up in.”

  “Look at that one on at the end, it looks like it has a big iron fence, let's try there.”

  The savages had begun to make their way off the freeway and down onto the crowded arterial street to the unsuspecting people running toward them. They picked them off one by one and began killing them in the street, men, women and children. Attempts to fight back were met with swift defeat, the people this far south were uninformed and unprepared.

  Xavier and Lisa decided to jump the guardrail and flee down the embankment, the savages were beginning to make up most of the streets numbers, they needed to move fast. They carefully made their way down the embankment, about halfway to the street Lisa noticed Jacob standing on the roof of a car.

  “Do you see that?” she said.

  “Unbelievable” Xavier responded.

  “I don't see Charles,” she said in a panic, “Where's my baby?”

  “There's too many people in the street, he’s too small, we have to get closer.”

  Xavier jumped down onto the sidewalk and helped Lisa down, almost immediately Xavier was lifted from him feet and brought violently back to earth by a large savage. The impact knocked the wind out of Xavier and briefly incapacitated him, he nearly lost consciousness. The savage raised his fist to strike Xavier when his head exploded out the left side, Lisa had saved him, but it was just one savage of the many who had begun to take notice.

  Xavier was slow to get up and bit dizzy, but he managed to get to his feet and begin helping Lisa. There were far too many savages to take on, Xavier grabbed Lisa by the shirt and they ran toward Jacob. They pushed past crowds of people but were eventually slowed down, Xavier jumped on the hood of a car to see if Jacob and the group were still there, he caught glimpse of the group running down a residential street before disappearing behind a house.

  “Come on, we can catch up with them” Xavier said.

  He pushed his way over to the sidewalk with Lisa right behind him. They ran to the corner they spotted the group on and looked down the street.

  “There I can see him, I can see my baby.” Lisa said

  “Let’s go”

  Xavier could hear something briefly through the sky and then an explosion destroyed several houses a few blocks over.

  “Oh my god, what was that Xavier?”

  “Artillery.”

  “We need to find a basement or something underground, we can't be outside.”

  Another explosion hit the intersection not far from where they were, the impact shook them.

  “I’m not going anywhere except to my son.”

  Lisa took off running toward the group, several savages emerged from between two houses onto the street right in front of her. She raised her gun to fire but another explosion just on the other side of the houses knocked them all to the ground and destroyed the houses, covering Lisa in debris. There was a small opening in the rubble, she could still see the group. Lisa watched as an explosion decimated the street between her and the group, completely obscuring her view of them. She wanted to cry out for Charles, but she couldn't, she passed out.

  Xavier was knocked down by the blast and struck his head on the asphalt, he remained conscious, but dazed. Most of the houses on the street were obliterated and the street was littered with debris. Xavier called out for Lisa with no response, the last he saw of her was right before the first explosion. He began searching through the rubble: wood, drywall, furniture...nothing. He called out for her once more, a group of five savages appeared fr
om behind a partially destroyed house. They ran toward Xavier in a full sprint. Xavier dropped his weapon when the blast hit, he had no time to search for it, he would have to face them unarmed.

  The first savage ran straight toward him, Xavier lowered his shoulders and picked up the savage, using its momentum to slam it on the ground behind him. It happened faster and easier the Xavier anticipated, his heightened abilities had returned. Xavier's breathing and heart rate were elevated again, he had assumed it was shock from the blast.

  The other savages rushed Xavier with no skill or plan of attack, a simple sidestep sent the savages tumbling over one another to the ground. This was the advantage Xavier had over his possessed attackers, he retained his intelligence.

  Xavier spotted a long piece of a broken wooden fence post, he picked it up. One of the savages was already rushing toward him, he swung the stick and connected with the side of its head. It either fell unconscious or dead, either way, it was out of the fight. The other three savages rushed Xavier, he tried to backpedal to create some distance for his next swing, but he tripped over a pile of debris and fell on his back. He stuck the sharp end of the stick up just in time to impale one of the savages in the neck as it tried to pounce on him.

  The last two savages jumped on top of Xavier and began beating him, he fought back but was unable to crawl from under them. He began feeling through the debris, searching for something to use as a weapon. Underneath some drywall was the luck he needed, a pistol, Lisa's pistol. He grabbed it and quickly put one bullet in each of the savage’s heads.

  He rose to his knees and began sifting through the debris, Lisa had to be nearby. The mound of debris he tripped over caught his eye, it wasn’t just ruble, it was Lisa. He lifted the wooden beams and drywall off her and examined her, she was unconscious and bleeding from the forehead.

  The explosions continued in the area and were intensifying, they needed to leave, or at least find a hardened structure to hold up in. He picked her up in his arms, she weighed nothing with his new strength. He carried her down the street where they last spotted the group, there was a large house with an iron gate, hopefully they were inside.

  The group had made their way to the house with the iron fence, it was secured with a padlock.

  “How are we going to get in?” Shanice asked.

  “Well, we can't climb it.” Heather said.

  Angered, Sheila lashed out at Heather. “Hey, if you have a problem with me and my husband, you don't have to be here, no one has a gun to your head.”

  “I’m just saying this creates an extra challenge.”

  “Bitch, we’re fully aware of that.”

  “Hey, don't act like you don't need me around.”

  “We don't, if you're going to treat us like we’re such a burden.”

  “Look I’m just saying, there's a reality we’re neglec--”

  A large explosion shook them from about a half mile away, it was followed by another explosion that was closer, back in the direction they came from.

  Heather squinted at a figure down the street. “Hey, am I seeing things or is that Li-”

  Another explosion sending debris flying into the street obscured her view and sent the group to the ground looking for cover. Heather stood up and took a second look down the demolished street only to be knocked back by an even closer explosion.

  “We have to go!” Jacob yelled.

  “Wait” Regina said, “what did you see? Was it--?”

  “It was nothing” Heather interrupted, “we have to get off the streets”.

  The group moved as fast as they could deeper into the residential neighborhood until they finally came upon a park and rec center. It was a one-story concrete building, the best option they had. Jacob shattered the glass doors at the entrance and unlocked it from the inside.

  “Will this stop them bombs out there?” Shanice asked with concern.

  “It’s better than nothing.” Sheila said.

  “Okay, we’re in yet another building with no plan, very little food and water, nowhere to go and no rescue.” Sheila said.

  “I’m starting to think there is nowhere to go.” Jacob said.

  “We can't stay here!” Heather said.

  “Well, we don't have a whole lot of options lady” Jacob replied.

  “When those soldiers get here and see us armed, they're going to kill us, that's if the artillery they're dropping doesn't get us first. We have to keep moving east, south at least.”

  “And how exactly are we supposed to do that? We have a man in a wheelchair, a child, whose mother is looking for him, and let's not forget Xavier.” said Regina.

  “Oh please, the chance that he could even find that woman is damn near zero, let alone make it back through that war zone in Seattle with just the two of them to catch up with us.” Heather looked out the window back in the direction from which they came, and spoke under her breath.

  “If they did make it, they sure didn't survive those explosions.”

  “What do you mean?” Regina demanded. “Why would you say that? What did you see during those explosions Heather?” Regina let go of Charles and marched straight toward Heather. “I asked you a question and you will answer me. What did you see Heather?”

  “Nothing. . .nothing I could make out”

  “Okay, what do you think you saw?”

  Heather’s silence piqued the interest of the group.

  “I thought I saw the kid's mother.”

  “Oh my god, we left them there, what if they got hurt?” what if they're dy--” Regina moved closer to Heather and lowered her voice to a whisper. “What if they're still there dying in the street?”

  “Then there was really nothing we could have done for them.”

  “I have to go back, I have to see if they're okay” Regina said.

  “Don't be stupid, you hear that artillery out there, there's nothing you can do for them.”

  “I can help them if they're still alive.”

  “What about Charles? You promised her you’d stay with him. You can't just leave him now.”

  “Yes, she can” Charles spoke up. “If we can help my mom and Xavier then we should all go, Xavier would do it for us. I know, that's why he went to save my mom.

  Regina checked the ammunition in her pistol and headed for the door.

  “Hold up” Jacob jogged up behind her. “Gotta back up my boss as usual.”

  “Remind me to give you raise and a promotion when this is over.”

  “Go ahead and add in a month's paid vacation, you know, since you’re feeling generous.”

  Regina and Jacob left the rec center into the dark. The faint sound of gunfire in the distance indicated the rapidly approaching invaders, the artillery bombardment continued, and the screams of the civilians had ceased, most were either dead or turned to savages. Every direction of escape seemed fraught with danger: The brutality of the invaders, or the merciless savages. Explosions rattled the concrete building, the impact could be felt in the chest, soon the Army would roll through, hopefully right past them.

  “I hope they make it back okay?” said Richard. “This Xavier guy, he sounds like a real hero.”

  “He is.” Sheila responded. He’s smart and tough, I know he found Lisa, that's just who he is.”

  “Those things out there are pretty dangerous though, Sheila, you really think he could survive an encounter with them alone?”

  “He’s the only one who probably could.”

  Richard turned his gaze to the floor and went silent, then he rolled himself away toward a door that led to a swimming pool. “Hey, there's some vending machines over here, and water.”

  Xavier carried Lisa effortlessly down the debris filled streets, he began to wonder if the effects of the infection were having any impact on his heart. Xavier slowed down until he got next to a concrete wall and stopped. He propped Lisa up against the wall and knelt next to her to check his pulse, 190 beats per minute. Xavier gasped when he realized how hard his heart w
as working, for his age he was nearly at his maximum heart rate, but he felt nothing: no exhaustion, no chest pain, no arrhythmia or flutters. Xavier, being a nurse, quickly realized how dangerous his situation was, he could over exert himself and fall out dead with no warning from his body.

  Xavier sat for several minutes attempting to slow his heart rate, the lowest it fell was 130 beats per minute. Not wanting to waste any more time, he cradled Lisa in his arms and rose to his feet. She began to regain consciousness in his arms. “Did you find Charles?”

  Xavier noticed two people in the distance, about a quarter mile away, they noticed him too. It didn't take long for Xavier to recognize the immediate sprint toward him as characteristic of savages. He placed Lisa on the ground with her back against a parked mustang and drew the 9mm, ammo was running low, and so he waited for them to get closer for a more accurate shot. He fired twice, one in the head of each savage, they fell to the ground well before reaching Xavier.

  As Xavier tucked the pistol back into his waistband, he heard several shots, many of which whizzed right by him and pierced through the mustang. He dropped to the ground and crawled behind the mustang for cover. He dropped the magazine from the pistol, only 3 rounds, nowhere near enough for a fight. Lisa was just beginning to wake up, but there was too much gunfire to run from, they were pinned down.

  “Do you hear that?” Regina said.

  “Yeah that’s a lot of gunfire.” Jacob said

  “We need to see if it’s Xavier.”

  “Okay, I’m all for helping Xavier, but if he’s getting shot at by that many guns, we can’t do anything.”

  “It doesn't matter, we have to know if it’s him.”

  The two ran down the street as fast as they could, careful not to get too close and expose themselves. They used a white van parked along the curve for concealment, they could see the two people next to a car that was being perforated with bullets.

  “That’s them!” Regina tugged on Jacob's shoulders.