by Crae, Edward
“Need some help?” Jake asked. He stood in his seat as Drew opened the sun roof.
The LMG sounded off, giving Dan a huge smile as he saw it rip through the shambling bodies around them. A few grenades went here and there, throwing them into the air in pieces. It was like a carnival ride of mutant zombie death. The three of them hooted and howled like hillbillies. Pauli joined in.
Several stalkers appeared in the distance, racing toward them with either long strides, or four-legged gallops. The grenade launcher sounded off, exploding a few of them into chunky clouds. One leaped onto the hood, only to be ripped to shreds by Jake’s LMG. Drew rolled down his window, firing into the horde around them.
Another stalker leaped and latched onto the passenger side door, and Drew shoved the barrel of his M4A1 into its mouth and let loose a three round burst. Black blood exploded from the creature’s head as it fell away, and Drew growled with laughter. “Fuckerrrrrrrr!”
Then, ahead of them, a helicopter appeared over the top of the buildings. It was green, with the Army logo in big, white letters. Jake stopped his firing above, and Dan watched the chopper as it headed toward them. It was an Apache, complete with guns and rockets.
Hellfire missiles blazed from it, streaking behind the Hummer as Dan swerved onto the exit lane. The horde burst into a massive cloud of flame as the missiles struck, and the chopper’s guns went blazing. Shamblers dropped all around them. Dan heard Jake howl from above, resuming his firing.
“They’re the good guys,” he heard Jake shout.
The chopper stopped firing and followed them. Dan sped along the lane to a clear spot in a nearby parking lot, slamming on the brakes and skidding to a stop. The chopper swung around ahead of them, hovering in the air. From the side door, a machine gun operator raised his fist in the air. Dan stuck his arm out the window, returning the gesture.
“Thanks fellas,” he whispered.
“That was fucking awesome,” Drew said.
Suddenly, the chopper exploded in a fireball as a missile streaked in and impacted its side. Black jets shot by overhead with lightning speed, heading toward the east.
“Holy fuck!” Drew shouted.
Dan punched the gas again, assuming the jets would turn for another strafing run. He avoided the flaming chopper as it crashed to the parking lot, and looked back in disbelief.
“Goddamn mercs,” he said. “Are they coming back?”
“No,” Jake said. “Fuckers are headed toward Indy. Bye bye Indy.”
“Let’s get the fuck outta here,” Drew said.
Dan didn’t bother following the lane. He rolled right over the curbs and landscaping, desperate to get back onto the highway. He plowed through more hordes of shamblers, clipped parked cars, and knocked down small saplings as he went. Finally, he reached the main drag, and headed south toward home.
It was quiet again.
“Let’s not stop here,” Drew said.
Dan nodded. “Fuck this place.”
“Sooooo,” Jake said behind him. “Who’s this dog thingy here?”
“That’s Pauli,” Dan said.
He could see Jake look down and smile at the dog as he scratched its head. “We found him in Paragon. He’s a good watch dog.”
“He probably doesn’t eat much either,” Jake said. “But, anyhoo, where we going?”
“Home,” Dan said.
“Alright then,” Jake said, smiling. “But I’m a little hungry, and I gotta take a piss.”
Chapter Fourteen
They stopped about twenty miles south along the state road. Dan pulled the Hummer over into a clump of trees that lined a small creek. After everyone took a piss, they gathered back at the Hummer, and Dan opened the backpack to share some canned vegetables and tuna he had brought.
They sat with the doors open, talking as they ate.
“So, your friends just dropped you off and left?” Dan asked Jake.
Jake nodded crookedly. “Pretty much,” he said. “They were in a hurry, I guess.”
“Good thing you were packin’.”
“Oh yeah. The Army guys were cool. They gave me lots of shit, and some info from their field manuals.”
“Cool,” Drew said. “Survival shit?”
“Mostly,” Jake said, reaching into his pack. “I’ve been collecting stuff like that for years though. I’ve got the goods right here.”
He pulled out a huge white binder stuffed with paper and plastic pages. On the front was a Biohazard symbol, and the words—
“Apocalypse Compendium!?” Dan and Drew said together, laughing. Jake looked confused.
“We were just talking about that the other day,” Dan said. “And that’s the name we came up with.”
Jake let out a high pitched chuckle, stuffing the binder back into his pack. “Great minds, I guess.”
“What was that machine gun you had?” Dan asked.
“Type 95 LMG,” Jake said. “With an M204 grenade launcher. That’s meant for an M16, but I modified it a little to fit. Duct tape, man. Duct tape. The Repeater is mine. I’ve had it since I was a kid.”
“So you’ve been prepared for this shit for a while now,” Drew said.
Jake nodded. “Haven’t we all? I mean, if you really think about it, we’ve all been secretly wishing for it, right?”
Dan thought about it. Though the situation was grim, there was some truth to Jake’s words. There was a little part of Dan that had wanted the system to collapse; but, maybe not in this fashion.
“I didn’t really want it this way,” he said. “But, yeah… I suppose you’re right.”
They sat in silence while they finished their meals. Dan cracked open a beer, handing one to Drew and offering another to Jake.
Jake shook his head. “No thanks,” he said. “It wouldn’t do much good, anyway.”
“We’ve got a whole bar full of shit at home,” Drew said, grinning.
Jake chuckled but said nothing. Then, he craned his neck, turning toward the east.
“What is it?” Dan asked.
Jake shook his head slowly, then turned back. “I think I hear another chopper,” he said. “Maybe we should pull further into the trees.”
Dan nodded, sliding into the driver’s seat and starting the Hummer. Jake and Drew backed away as he turned into the weeds, pulling forward until the low branches of the surrounding trees concealed it. Their paint job worked perfectly.
“Jeez,” Drew said as Dan got out, “I can hardly see it.”
They crowded around the vehicle, staying hidden in the weeds. The chopper came closer, and they could all hear the rotor chopping through the air. It appeared above the tree line a few hundred yards away, black and moving as smoothly and purposefully as it could.
“They’re searching for us,” Jake said. “Shit, they probably have infrared.”
“Wouldn’t do much in the daytime, would it?” Dan wondered out loud.
“They have godlike technology,” Jake replied. “They could see an ant in a blizzard.”
Fuck, Dan thought.
“Do we have a clear path in front of us?” Jake asked him. Dan nodded. “Well, then remember the Hummer is four wheel drive. It was made for rough terrain. We can use the creek as a road if we need to. They won’t be able to track us as well through the forest.”
“They’ll just shoot down the fuckin’ trees,” Drew said. “They don’t give a shit.”
Jake shrugged. “Worth a try if they come after us.”
The chopper crept forward, coming nearer and nearer and descending to no more than twenty feet from the road. Dan felt a rush of fear course through his body; or was it excitement? His episodes were getting weirder; almost pleasant. He no longer felt panic, or heart-exploding pain. It was all adrenaline now. What was happening to him?
He chugged the rest of his beer, and reached into the Hummer for his rifle. Jake and Drew did the same. Jake’s LMG looked like a giant cartoon gun, much too large for the average guy to tote around. But, in Jake’s
hands, it seemed fitting. Jake was a big dude; a giant dude.
He turned his attention back as the chopper suddenly stopped and hovered. He could see the pilot, and his gunner in the side opening.
“Cobra,” Jake whispered. “Not as tough as an Apache, but still pretty badass.”
“Drew,” Dan said. “If we have to run for it, take the wheel.”
Drew nodded. “Okay.”
“Do you have something in mind?” Jake asked.
“I have another little toy in the cargo area that might help us out.”
The chopper spun slowly in midair, weaving from side to side as it searched. The gunner seemed to be looking in their direction, but the trees prevented them from getting any closer. Dan’s heart continued its excited pounding. Again, there was no fear or pain; just a healthy, steady rhythm. Without even thinking, he popped two Tramadols. He wanted that feeling to grow stronger.
The chopper swung parallel to them, pulling forward quickly. The gunner focused his attention in their direction; even more than before. Dan could see him reach for the gun’s charging handle, and suddenly the chopper dropped lower.
“He saw us,” Drew said.
Before anyone could react, Jake raised his LMG, firing several rounds at the gunner. The blasts were deafening, and the shells that were ejected banged against the Hummer as they shot out. The gunner’s chest exploded in a spray of blood, and the chopper banked and ascended quickly into the air, turning to fire its massive guns.
“Let’s go!” Jake shouted.
They all hopped into the Hummer, Drew taking the wheel and Dan jumping into the back seat with Jake. Drew punched it, bouncing them in all directions as the Hummer shot over the bank of the creek. The chopper rose above the tree line, chasing after them with surprising agility. Jake poked his upper body out of the sun roof, raising his LMG to fire more rounds. Dan crawled into the cargo area in the back, retrieving the LAW rocket they had taken from the mercs at Shirley’s house. He dragged it out, joining Jake in through the sunroof.
Jake looked at the rocket launcher, grinning, but humming skeptically.
“That’s for ground vehicles,” he said. “Good luck with that.”
The chopper’s guns blazed, cutting down all the trees around them. The sound was like a giant hummingbird, only a thousand times louder. Trunks exploded, branches toppled, and chunks of mud and wood banged against the Hummer as Drew navigated the creek.
“Get back on the road!” Dan said. “I need a clear shot.”
“Riiiiiiiight,” Drew replied.
They drove under low branches, barely ducking in time. Jake kept firing up, not hitting anything, but keeping the mercs on their toes. The chopper skillfully swerved and swung, avoiding the bulk of Jake’s bullets. He stopped for a moment to drop the magazine and load another, and the chopper began firing back. A few rounds struck the Hummer, bouncing off almost harmlessly, but still ricocheting past their heads.
Dan turned to look forward, seeing that Drew was heading for the tree line at a low spot in the creek. The bank was low in one spot, and Drew headed in that direction.
And that’s when Dan saw the most horrifying thing imaginable.
Standing half concealed behind a dead tree was a tall, dark figure. It was completely black and dull; featureless, but in the shape of a man. Dan eyed it in horror as they passed, and he could swear the thing stared right back at him. But, in the blink of an eye, it ducked back behind the tree and disappeared. Dan’s heart raced; this time almost painfully. He was frozen in place, oblivious to the world around him; only the faint thockthockthock of Jake’s gun could be heard.
“Dan!” Jake shouted, shaking him from his haze.
Dan shook his head, turning back to the chopper. He wasn’t really sure he had seen what he thought he had seen, but it still weighed heavily on his mind. Whatever it was, it was gone now. No need to worry about it anymore. They had business to attend to. He prepared the rocket, waiting for Drew to return to the winding road before he turned back up to watch the chopper.
“No spacing out, man,” Jake said, firing more rounds at the chopper.
They swerved around the curves quickly, not even slowing down. The chopper kept up, banking and turning to try and get a clear shot with its forward guns. Jake fired continuously, sometimes striking the chopper’s body, but mostly just to give them all cover fire.
Dan turned and ducked down to shout at Drew. “As soon as we round the next curve, slam on the brakes!” he said. “The chopper will pass over us, and I can get a clear shot.”
Drew nodded, and Dan turned back to the chopper.
“Don’t miss, man,” Jake said. “That’s a one-shot deal.”
“I know,” Dan said, raising the Law.
Suddenly, Drew slammed on the brakes around the next bend. The chopper overshot them, racing past with incredible speed. Dan turned and aimed as the chopper slowed to pivot in the air, banking to an almost horizontal angle.
As he got the chopper in his sights, Dan could hear his father’s voice coaching him as he saw his first deer through the scope of his .308.
Hold your breath and listen to your heart, he had said. Your heartbeat will make your fingers tremble. Fire after you hear it thump so your aim won’t be compromised. That’s how the snipers do it.
The world slowed down as the chopper leveled out. Dan’s heart beat thumped in his ears. He took a deep breath, feeling the cold air fill his lungs. Then, he listened.
Thump… thump… thump…
He fired.
The rocket exploded from the end of the launcher, streaking out in a high arc. Dan’s eyes widened as he watched it sail straight for the chopper. He could almost see the pilot’s eyes, and the ‘oh fuck’ expression on his face as he glared at his own death.
Dead on.
The rocket struck the windshield, blowing the cockpit to pieces. The fireball was huge, and the concussion from the explosion flapped Dan’s lips as he watched the bird slowly crash to the ground in a hellstorm of flame. When it hit the road, it exploded. The rotors chopped into the street as they sailed off the top, making wide gashes in the asphalt before disintegrating into shrapnel.
Chunks of flaming debris settled around them as the world sped up again. Dan felt Jake’s massive hand smack him on the back, and he heard Drew’s howl of triumph from the cab below. He reared back his head and laughed maniacally.
“Good shot, brutha!” Jake said.
“Goddamn, fucker!” Drew shouted below.
Dan tossed the spent launcher to the road, plopping down into the seat. Pauli jumped up on his lap and leaned against him as Drew pulled around the clutter. Jake tossed his gun in the back, smiling proudly as he turned to Dan.
“I can’t believe you hit it,” he said. “Those things are made for ground vehicles. They don’t even track targets unless they’re lasered.”
Dan shrugged, settling back to relax as he watched the trees go by. He felt good; accomplished. “Lucky shot, I guess,” he said.
“Lucky shot, my ass,” Drew said. “That was stellar.”
Chapter Fifteen
Drew continued driving as Dan and Jake went over their inventory of weapons. Black Sabbath droned on the sound system, giving them all a much needed dark and melodic lullaby. They still had plenty of ammo left, with several carbines to spare. The question was whether to save them for backups, or give them to whoever needed them. One each would suffice for their little group. With travel a definite possibility in the future, there would be little room for an overabundance of rifles; they needed all the room the Hummer could spare.
One thing they were still lacking, however, was an adequate power supply at home. The generator used a lot of gas, and they would soon be siphoning abandoned cars for more; not only for the generator, but for the Hummer, too.
Jake had opened his manual to a section on solar power. He showed Dan the schematics for building a complete circuit that could be easily attached to the existing main supply line. It
seemed simple enough, and Dan knew where to get the supplies. Gary and Linda had a whole solar array, and that would be their first quest once they returned to the house; after a night of rest, of course.
As the landscape around them became more familiar, Dan’s thoughts went back to the strange vision he had during the creek chase. What he had seen in the woods was something that had horrified him; even jarred his very soul. He wasn’t even sure he had seen what he thought he had seen, but if he had, he faced a dilemma.
Jake had mentioned that some people had seen them, and had posted their experiences on the bulletin board. Perhaps he should read them; privately, of course. If he had hallucinated, it would best not to even bring it up. He didn’t want to seem crazy. Jake had scoffed at the stories, he remembered, but maybe there was something to them. Maybe there really were dark, shadowy figures roaming the ruins and the forests.
Maybe there were some in his own neck of the woods.
Or maybe he was just crazy.
Either way, something had been out there, and he wanted to know what it was. Shadow or not, it was real. He had seen it with his own two eyes, and it was watching them. Not attacking, but watching.
Watcher, he thought. That was a good name for them, if they existed.
“Coming up on 39,” Drew announced. Dan shook himself out of his obsessive thoughts.
Jake was leaned against the window, fast asleep, with Pauli leaned against his leg. Drew was bobbing his head to the music—still Black Sabbath—and was driving at a leisurely and even speed, sipping on a beer. Dan crawled up into the front seat, reaching down to grab a beer of his own, and lit a cigarette.
He watched the countryside go by, relaxing back in the passenger seat with a feeling of contentment. Once again, they had survived a mess, and the sense of confidence he had after the first major encounter had returned. He and Drew had defeated an attacking horde on their own—complete with a stalker—and now with their new companion, they had defeated not only a horde, and a stalker, but a pursuing paramilitary force, as well.