Apocalypse Then

by Al Lamanda

  Then she was inside and he fired at the ghouls as he ran toward the jail. Another fifty feet and he would be…

  The air erupted with the sound of a hundred bullets being fired almost all at once. Windows exploded, bullets struck wood, ghouls fell dead by the dozen at Lane’s side.

  Lane turned to face the Gatling guns at the end of Main Street.

  The first bullet tore a gaping hole in Lane’s chest and he spun around and struck the wall of the Dry Goods Store. The second bullet hit him in the stomach and his Colt pistols fell from his hands.

  Lane sunk to his knees and looked down Main Street where the four Army Gatling Guns were raining hell upon the ghouls.

  “Alive!” someone shouted. “I need a few alive for the hospital.”

  A third bullet tore into Lane’s right shoulder.

  The hail of bullets continued.

  Lane watched as the ghouls were torn apart piece by piece and fell dead on the streets and sidewalks.

  Lane’s hearing dimmed and things appeared to move in slow motion then as several mounted soldiers threw ropes on ghouls and dragged them out of the line of fire.

  More ghouls fell dead and the air stank of smoke and acid. The dirt street was red with blood.

  Lane fell backward and looked up at the full moon. It looked like a giant snowball glowing in the night sky.

  Perfect.

  All at once the shooting stopped.

  “Floyd, get some men in there for cleanup,” someone said.

  Soldiers dismounted and walked among the ghouls, shooting any still alive in the head as routinely as butting a shirt.

  “Lane!” Red Foot shouted. “Marshal Lane!”

  Lane looked at the figure running toward him. It was Charlie. He came back like he said he would, like Lane knew that he would.

  Red Foot knelt beside Lane and cradled his head. “Get that medic up here!” Red Foot shouted.

  “The jail,” Lane whispered.

  “Don’t talk, David,” Red Foot said. “Where’s that fucking medic!” he shouted.

  “In the jail,” Lane whispered and closed his eyes.

  Red Foot gently placed his right hand on Lane’s chest and it slowly rose, fell and went still.

  Red Foot sighed openly.

  “The jail,” he said suddenly and turned to his left just as the door to the jail opened.

  From the inside, Maura took a step out and looked at the soldier on the sidewalk a few feet from her.

  “No!” Red Foot screamed just as the solder shot Maura in the head.

  “Fucking things are everywhere,” the soldier said casually and moved on.

  Red Foot stood up and walked along the sidewalk to the jail. He looked in through the open door. He knew the woman was Maura McCain even though she no longer had a face to prove it by.

  Behind Red Foot, Sergeant Floyd said, “None left alive except the captured specimens, Major.”

  “Get them stacked and burned, Sergeant,” Kessler said. “Have some men fire up the hotel kitchen and get some chow going.”

  Red Foot stood on the sidewalk and looked at the church as a bright red flare went off from the balcony window. As the sky lit up he could see Little Sky’s face in the window.

  “Sergeant Floyd, check out that flare,” Kessler said.

  Red Foot turned and looked at Kessler atop his horse.

  “No,” Red Foot said. “I’ll do that.”

  Chapter Forty Seven

  From his desk in his office, Colonel Marks looked at Captain Kessler and the doctor. Each man had a small glass of brandy. Marks and Kessler smoked cigars.

  “Is it possible, Doctor, what the Indian woman said about a meteor landing in the river on the Crow Reservation?” Marks said.

  “Meteors hit the Earth all the time, Colonel,” the Doctor said.

  “I know that,” Marks said. “I’m talking about as the source of this fever outbreak.”

  “We’ve only scratched the surface on bacteria found here on Earth,” the Doctor said. “Could that meteor have contained bacteria from outer space, yes it could have. What that bacterium could do to a human if consumed is anybody’s guess. However, I wouldn’t rule it out without extensive study.”

  “What about the subjects Captain Kessler brought back from Big Sky?” Marks said.

  “They’re heavily sedated,” the Doctor said. “I’ve taken small blood samples and studied them under a microscope and I have to say I’ve never seen anything like the bacteria present in their blood. It’s mystifying.”

  “Captain, when will the subjects be transported to Minnesota?” Marks said.

  “As soon as the Doctor is finished studying them,” Kessler said.

  “Doctor?” Marks said.

  “I have nothing more to study that Minnesota can’t do a hundred times better,” the Doctor said. “However as remote as it may sound, I would like to send water samples from the river on the Crow Reservation. If it is contaminated it could pollute a dozen or more rivers and tributaries.”

  “Captain Kessler, after the subjects have been transported to Minnesota, take a detachment to the Crow Nation and bring back water samples for the river to study at the hospital,” Marks said.

  “Yes, sir,” Kessler said.

  “Anything else, Doctor?” Marks said.

  “Not at the moment,” the Doctor said. “If you’ll excuse me I have an infirmary to look after.”

  Alone with Captain Kessler, Marks said, “This business with the US Marshal and the McCain woman could put the Army in a bad light, Captain.”

  “There was no way for us to know, Colonel,” Kessler said. “It’s unfortunate business to be sure, but it’s no way our fault.”

  “Tell that to Washington when they inquire as to why we killed a US Marshal in the line of duty,” Marks said.

  “My report should satisfy them, Colonel,” Kessler said. “After all, he and the woman were in the streets amongst hundreds of those creatures.”

  “Yes, fighting for their lives, not waiting to be killed by friendly fire,” Marks said.

  “Yes, sir,” Kessler said. With no remorse in his voice. “With your permission I’ll leave tomorrow to gather those water samples.”

  “Granted,” Marks said. “Please send in Mr. Red Foot.”

  Kessler nodded and left the office.

  Marks took a sip of brandy while he waited for Red Foot. After a minute or so, there was a knock on the door, it opened and Red Foot entered.

  “You wanted to see me, Colonel?” Red Foot said.

  “Yes, Charlie,” Marks said. “Would you join me in a brandy?”

  “No thank you, Colonel,” Red Foot said. “Brandy always tastes like cough medicine to me.”

  “A Rye?”

  “That I can do.”

  Marks turned to the cabinet on his right for a bottle of Rye and poured an ounce into a glass and gave it to Red Foot.

  “Have a seat,” Marks said.

  Red Foot took a chair facing the desk.

  “Cigar?”

  “I’ll roll my own if that’s okay?”

  “Be my guest.”

  As Red Foot rolled a cigarette, Marks said, “Your report is quite damaging to Captain Kessler, Charlie.”

  “Is it?” Red Foot said as he struck a match.

  “You said in your own report that there was no way for Kessler to know Marshal Lane and the woman were in the streets,” Marks said. “Why send a damaging report to Washington if that’s the case?”

  “Colonel, I don’t blame the Captain for what happened,” Red Foot said. “Little Sky told me the story how Poule ran off and came back with hundreds of them chasing him and still Marshal Lane was willing to risk his life to save a coward. No, what’s wrong is that Captain Kessler shows no remorse at seeing a fine man and a valuable Marshal shot down in his prime like a dog lost in the pack. In my opinion a man who can’t show remorse or feel sorrow for the loss of a man like Lane shouldn’t be an officer in the Army. That’s just my opinion,
Colonel.”

  Marks nodded. “I’ll forward your report to Washington.”

  “Thank you, Colonel.”

  “Would you care to accompany a detachment to the Crow Nation for water samples?” Marks said. “They want to analyze bacteria in the river.”

  “I’m going home to see my family, Colonel,” Red Foot said. “And I’m bringing Little Sky with me to stay with us for a while.”

  “What about her people?”

  “I don’t think she wants to return just yet.”

  “When will you leave?”

  “Tomorrow morning,” Red Foot said. “I’ll be back in a month and ready to scout once I’m fully healed.”

  “Bring her by before you leave,” Marks said. “I’d like to wish her well.”

  “I will, Colonel,” Red Foot said.

  “Stop by my quarters for dinner tonight,” Marks said. “And bring Little Sky.”

  Red Foot tossed back his shot of Rye and stood up. “Thanks, Colonel,” he said.

  Red Foot walked to the door and paused when Marks said, “Charlie, I really am sorry about Lane.”

  “Me, too,” Red Foot said.

  Afterward

  Kessler and Sergeant Floyd led a detachment of twelve Calvary soldiers from Fort Keogh to the Crow Nation. Reports from scouts said the reservation was deserted and there were no signs of the Crow returning anytime soon. Scouts reported the Crow were living on unused land belonging to the Sioux and Blackfeet Tribes to the north and east.

  When they rode onto Crow Nation they saw not a single warrior on post in the hills and rocks.

  “Through that pass a half mile ahead and we should reach the heart of the Nation and the river,” Floyd said.

  “We’ll camp, gather the water samples in the morning and leave right after breakfast,” Kessler said.

  “Yes, Captain,” Floyd said. “Captain, I’ve been hearing rumors on this scout Red Foot. Some report he wrote to Washington about that Marshal.”

  “I wouldn’t concern yourself about it Sergeant,” Kessler said. “It’s our word against his and he is after all a Sioux.”

  “Yes, sir,” Floyd said.

  Thirty minutes later, Kessler and Floyd entered the pass and followed the winding trail around a bend where a thousand or more Crow Warriors, farmers, ranchers, soldiers and civilians, greenish in tint and sluggish in motion, spotted fresh food and with furious anger they came very much alive.

  The End