The Outbreak Series (Book 1): Safe Haven

by Thomas Baker

  "What are we going to do? We can't fight a pack bare handed," Tyrone was bouncing on his toes, clearly about to go into a full blown panic.

  More sounds of something moving came through the night. A voice called out. "Hannah, where are you? Hannah. Come with me, I will keep you young forever."

  "You have got to be shitting me!" Dusty exclaimed.

  The four of them moved on as steadily as they could. Harold kept calling out, repeating the same things over and over again. It wasn't long before the sound of his voice began to fade away.

  JT had no idea how much time had passed. He tried to keep Hannah and Tyrone calm, whispering soothing words to them whenever he could. The woods began to thin out. JT's eyes had adjusted to the dark, he could see they were coming up to a parking lot, and a large square building. A paved road ran off from the parking lot into the distance. None of the street lights were on. Not that he would expect them to be.

  "Hey, this way," JT hissed.

  He motioned to the building and they followed. When they got closer, JT could see the building had a run down, abandoned look. One brick wall was partially collapsed. JT decided this is where they would go in. "We're going to get inside and find some place to hide out and regroup."

  "Not bad superstar," Dusty agreed. "If we can get walls on three sides of us, then it will be easy for us to defend if it comes down to it. Let's move, quickly and quietly people."

  They entered through the rubble and clambered down inside, JT first. He was standing on a metal walkway. To the right was a small flight of stairs going down to the floor. To the left were stairs going up to where the walkway was suspended high in the air. It crossed the building as far as JT could see. Pinpoints of moonlight shone through the roof. JT was about to suggest going down and looking for an office, when he noticed the pile of body parts. There were arms, legs, and torsos in various states of decay. JT thought maybe this was a bad idea after all. He was about to tell everyone to get back out, when he heard Harold's faint bellowing again.

  "Let's go up," JT silently ordered, against his better judgment. "Dusty, why don't you take the lead."

  Dusty went, followed by Tyrone, Hannah and then himself bringing up the rear. JT looked down from the walkway and saw a group of zombies, he counted fifteen, milling about the floor among the conveyor belts and machinery.

  The sound of Harold approaching was getting louder. The zombies started to get visibly restless. They started moving towards the opening in the wall. JT thought they were going to get some luck for a change. Harold and the zombies, maybe they would kill each other.

  Harold went silent. So much for that idea. Then a horrible squeal of metal on metal shattered the silence. A steel cord holding up part of the walkway snapped. The section Tyrone was standing on began to tilt and sway dangerously.

  Fifteen sets of dead eyes all looked up at once. The group froze and Tyrone looked at JT with a face full of fear and desperation.

  Dusty whispered over his shoulder, "Up ahead I see some kind of room. It looks small but I think we can all fit. Let's go on three. One...two...three."

  Dusty and Hannah broke into an all out run. Tyrone slowly tiptoed across the swaying piece and then sprinted as soon as he was clear, just about bowling over Hannah in the process. JT saw the dead start shuffling towards the staircase leading up to the walkway. Well doesn't this suck big hairy donkey balls. He put one foot on the broken piece. It gave way under his weight. He pulled back his leg, it was dangling in empty space, as the walkway piece crashed down. One of the handrails impaled a zombie, pinning it in place.

  "You have gotta be shitting me," JT whispered to himself. He looked across the gap. "Knee don't fail me now."

  He backed up to the top of the stairs, ran and jumped. He made it, landing hard enough to make the walkway swing back and forth violently. He was sprawled out, his body throbbing. His bad knee felt as if someone had jabbed several sharp pins into it. He bit back a scream, he could see through his blurred vision that the zombies had turned back and were now gathered around the walkway wreckage.

  JT looked across the missing part of the walkway. He saw a figure standing in the opening of the wall. He squinted, trying to get a look in the pale moonlight, even though he was pretty sure he knew who it was.

  A tiny light flicked on, which blossomed into a bigger light. The figure made a motion, the light flew through the air. It landed among the zombies. With a whoosh, it exploded, setting fire to everything around it. Zombies silently writhed back and forth on the ground as they burned. The smell of rotten meat burning reached JT's nose. The smoke began to thicken as the fire spread.

  "What are we going to do now?" Tyrone asked, as JT caught up to the rest.

  Before JT could answer, Harold's voice boomed out, filling the air.

  "Come out my dear Hannah. I will not hurt you. So help me Jesus. There is no need for your beauty to die in this filth. With me you will be young and beautiful forever."

  JT could see Hannah visibly shivering in the yellow flicker of the fire's light. Her face was a mask of revulsion. He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'll die before I let him touch you."

  "JT, listen to me. I have a plan," Dusty said, looking worried for the first time. "I warn you, it's going to be tricky. I will go back across the gap, luring Harold in a little more and keep him distracted. You three will go down that chain hanging over there. It goes down all the way to the floor of the plant. Tyrone first, then Hannah, then you."

  "Dude, I don't think there is any way I'm going to be able to shimmy down that. Me and climbing don't go well together," JT said.

  "I don't see any other way down, unless you want to try jumping the gap again."

  "No, you are staying with me JT," Hannah insisted. She began to cough, as the thickening smoke reached them.

  "Do we really have to split up?" Tyrone said. "Dusty sir, I'm really scared."

  Dusty gave Tyrone a grim smile and a pat on the shoulder.

  "We all are son."

  "If we do this, maybe I should go first," JT offered. "That way I'm not landing on someone and making this whole nightmare even worse." He looked to Hannah.

  "I don't care how you do it, but it's now or never. If I don't see you again, just remember, I told you so big man." Dusty gave them a salute.

  JT couldn't help but laugh, even if it was a dick thing to say. That's Dusty.

  "As Gus would say, good luck Sarge. It's been a hell of a ride."

  Dusty just nodded and took off, jumping back over the gap in the walkway.

  Tyrone jumped and slid down the chain like it was ice. Showoff. Next went Hannah, a bit more slowly. He waited to start until she was just about at the bottom. Well, here goes nothing. JT grabbed hold and went down fast, his hands burning. He held on until the pain was unbearable, then he just hoped for the best. He landed with a thud on his back, knocking the wind out of him. He inhaled sharply then started to choke, the smoke was much thicker down here.

  "Quiet," Tyrone hushed. The fear in his voice was unmistakable. They didn't have to worry about the sound they were making. Gunfire started off in the distance, sure to draw the remaining dead.

  Dusty started firing, trying to simultaneously draw the zombies towards Harold and pin him down at the same time. The catwalk began to ping around him as Harold returned fire. I have to come up with a better plan. I have no cover here.

  "Harold, you crazy nut job!" he shouted out. "Hannah's gone, you will never have her. I'm sure I can get you a corpse bride among the zombies, you sick fuck. Just come on in, let me pick one out for you."

  Harold laughed, his jagged tone causing the hairs on Dusty's neck to stand at attention. "Soon, you all will be joining the ranks of the undead. I will make sure of it. Except for my precious Hannah that is. I know she is in here, and you deviants have taken her. There is no way she would leave me under her own free will."

  Dusty could see the mass of undead getting closer and closer to the opening. Some were still on fir
e. Maybe I can get him so mad and so distracted he won't notice them until it's too late.

  "I will burn all of you blasphemers to the ground!" Something sailed over Dusty's head. Flames spread across the walkway. So much for that idea. Man's crazy but he was still smart enough to bring serious firepower with him.

  JT, Hannah and Tyrone choked and coughed their way across the floor of the plant. They came to a glass sliding double door blocking their path. JT looked through, his vision blurring from the smoke. He saw white eyes staring back at him, too many to count.

  "If it wasn't for bad luck, we'd have no luck at all," JT said to no one in particular. "No way we are going through there. I knew it was too good to be true, only seeing those few zombies."

  The zombies started pressing up against the glass. Thud, thud, thud. "At least they can't get through here with the power out," Hannah said. "We need to find another way."

  JT grabbed Hannah's hand as they turned around, plunging back into the plant. Tyrone followed, hacking continuously.

  JT had no problem seeing where he was going now, a raging inferno had grown in the middle of the huge space. Bodies, wood and the dead leaves that had blown in became fuel for the fire now.

  Through the shimmering heat, JT could make out the shapes of Dusty and Harold, still fighting it out.

  "Don't let go," JT said over his shoulder to Hannah. He headed as far to the right as he could, hoping to find a space between the fire and the outer wall to squeeze through.

  Dusty fired wildly with the last of his ammo as he charged down the stairs. Harold shot back, clipping him in his side. Heat and burning pain radiated from the bullet wound. With all his momentum he hurled himself off the staircase. As he soared over the rail at Harold, he dropped his empty gun and pulled his knife. Light from the fire gleamed off its surface. Harold tried to react to the unexpected melee attack, but it was too late. Dusty landed on top of him, the knife driving into the center of his chest. Harold's hair was completely gone, his face was a ruined mask of burnt flesh. Dusty could hardly believe he was alive, let alone fighting back with such strength.

  Undead arms began to reach for them as they laid prone among the rubble. Rotted hands began pulling at Harold's head and shoulders, dragging him towards them.

  "Looks like you will be the main course tonight," Dusty said.

  I'm not abandoning anyone this time. I'm not letting you get away.

  Harold's gun had become trapped between their bodies as they fought for control of it. Dusty wrestled it away and situated the barrel under his chin. Once it was in place, he looked deep into Harold's eyes.

  I won't fail in my duty.

  He pulled the trigger. Harold struggled, trying to get Dusty's dead weight off of him. More and more hands grabbed ahold of him. A flaming zombie climbed on top of them both, ripping and tearing.

  As JT helped Tyrone and Hannah skirt around the other side, he saw Dusty's lifeless body on top of Harold's. He couldn't believe it. Of all the people he thought would survive the longest, Dusty was at the top of his list. He shook his head and watched, as the zombies dog piled on top of them both. I didn't like the guy much, but he sure didn't deserve that. JT turned, following Hannah out an exit door, into the night.

  "Wait! Where's Dusty? We can't leave without him!" Tyrone sounded scared and worried.

  "He u...he's not gonna make it kid," JT said, putting an arm around Tyrone's shoulder. "I saw him, he killed Harold. He died a hero. That arrogant son of a bitch saved our lives." JT could feel a ball of emotion in his throat but he choked it down. The other two wept openly. He didn't know how Hannah had any more tears left.

  They stood there holding on to each other, listening, as Harold's shrieks filled the night air. It sounded like the dying of sanity. Hannah had a look of grim satisfaction on her face as Harold's screams began to die away into dead silence except for the crackling of the fire.

  "We probably shouldn't stick around here any longer," JT said, watching the abandoned building go up in flames. "There could be a whole world of trouble coming this way after all that noise. Seems we can't find a place that isn't full of zombies."

  Hannah said nothing, she just clung to JT's arm like a frightened child.

  "Maybe..." Tyrone started, trying to get himself under control. "Maybe we can at least get the truck going and get far away from here." JT turned and hugged Hannah tightly while he nodded to Tyrone.

  When they got back to the cabin, JT was smacked with deja vu. Didn't we just leave this scene? The three of them stood in front of the burning cabin in disbelief. Hannah and JT stood holding hands, their faces looking almost childlike in the faint glow. Just about everything they had left in this world was going up in flames, as the fire spread from the exploded gas tanker.

  Over the pop and crackle of the roaring cabin, JT heard a moaning sound. He followed it, immediately thinking that once again Harold had somehow escaped. JT traced the noise. It led him away from the cabin and down the road.

  He tracked the noise for about a hundred feet. Hannah and Tyrone followed. They stopped together. They had found the source, it was coming from the right side of the road, in some underbrush.

  "If this ends poorly, you grab Hannah and you get the hell out of here. Do you understand me?" JT turned to Tyrone, grabbing him by his collar and whispering in his ear.

  Hannah wanted to protest when she saw JT head into the bushes, but Tyrone silenced her with a finger to his lips.

  JT approached, strafing around the spot and going behind a tree. JT leapt out, ready to fight and instead was shocked to find Gus lying in the grass. He was badly wounded, holding a ragged hole in his belly. Somehow he had been able to pull himself out of the house and away from the fire.

  "Oh thank baby Jesus! It's you, kid. I almost became a piece of extra crispy KFC," he tried to joke, his voice weak.

  "Guys help me, it's Gus and he's alive!!" JT shouted, overjoyed. JT and Tyrone carefully carried him out onto the road as gently as they could.

  "You tough old son-of-a-bitch," JT cried, kneeling down to examine Gus. "You beautiful bastard."

  Hannah knelt down beside JT, crying. "Oh Gus. I am so happy we didn't lose you. You just don't know how much." She took his blood soaked hand in hers and held it close.

  "There, there darlin'. I'm gonna be okay. Where is Dusty? Alan? What happened to the Mad Hatter Harold and the rest of Screwthatistan?" Gus wheezed as he spoke.

  "Alan's dead, Dusty's dead, Harold's dead. Alan tried to kill Harold, and Dusty finished the job. He earned my respect there at the end. He died to save us."

  "Good job Sarge, I knew ya had it in ya," Gus said in a raspy voice, then closed his eyes.

  "We will get you fixed up Gus, don't you worry," JT said, blinking at the blurriness.

  JT saw Tyrone had tears rolling down his cheeks as well. When he noticed JT looking, he turned away, back towards the flames engulfing the cabin.

  "Shit man, there goes my IPod, my jersey, my everything. What am I going to do now?"

  "Every store is open now, 24/7, every IPod is free, refunds and exchanges always accepted. You can have your pick man," said JT, with a half assed attempt at a smile. He very much wanted to lighten the mood just then.

  "Yeah, I guess you're right," Tyrone accepted. "iTunes though, that's another story."

  Even with all they had been through, they were able to laugh a little bit at that. It felt good, even important to JT.

  Hannah figured she had sent up more silent prayers to God in the last thirty minutes than the rest of her life combined. Now that her prayers had been answered and she was still alive, she could take a breath and think about Ashley. First she had one more silent prayer, thanking God for sparing her life.

  "I feel like we should say something for all of our friends who didn't make it," Hannah said, opening her eyes as she finished.

  She got no disagreement from the rest, so she went on.

  It took her several attempts to get through their names without br
eaking down. "Dusty, Alan. Even Mike and Thomas. It-"

  Hannah broke down again and began to cry uncontrollably. What's wrong with me? Why can't I make it through this? JT put an arm around her. She let her melt into him. She had another silent prayer, thanking God for putting JT in her path.

  Her cheeks ached and the well inside her felt empty. When she felt as if there could be no more inside her to give, she unwrapped herself from JT.

  Hannah continued on. "It was unfair, a tragedy, what happened to you. You were all good people."

  She wiped at her eyes. As drained as she felt, she wasn't sure she was going to be able to finish the next part. She grabbed JT's arm and put it around her shoulder.

  "Ashley, you were my best friend in all the world. You are for sure in a better place. I...I love you and I will miss you more than you will ever know."

  She was done. She stood, looking at the ground, trying to still believe it was all over. That it had really happened.

  "How about we just bow our heads, have a moment of silence. Think about our nicest memories of our friends," JT offered.

  Hannah smiled at the thought. Ashley, you deserve much better, but at least we can do this for you. Mom, you as well. My life will not be the same without you.

  "Damn straight. That's a good idea." said Tyrone through his own tears. "It's only fitting we stay as well. That we watch this damn horror house burn to the ground."

  "Yeah, like a funeral pyre, for our fallen friends," JT said.

  Hannah knelt down to Gus. She took his bloody hands in hers, and prayed for his recovery. JT and Tyrone joined her on either side. JT gave her a weak smile, then lowered his head. She did the same.

  Tears spent for now, she sat on her knees, listening to the crackling of the fire. Feeling it's warmth on her face. Harold and his cabin would be nothing but ash. That was a happy thought but a poor consolation.

  Gus's groans broke her out of the trance she must have fallen into.