Happy, fast reunion over. Vetters announced “We need to go now!”
“Get ready to lift.” Jack reached for the door. That’s when he saw her. A woman ran in the field, but she wasn’t alone. In her arms was a child. The child was small, probably a toddler.
“Wait!” she creamed in desperation. “Please! Help me. Help my baby. Take my baby!”
“Jack,” Vetters called. “Now.”
Jack exhaled.
“Help me! Wait.”
Jack saw them. The fast undead. They neared her and the child. She didn’t stand a chance.
“Now, Jack.” Vetters said. “If they catch us, we’re all done.”
“Help!”
A hard blink, a spin to Lil and Jack kissed the baby and then his wife. “If I don’t come back. I love you.”
He jumped out the helicopter door before Lil could respond. Her hand extended and she cried out his name. “Jack!”
“Give us a second,” Garrick said. “If we aren’t back. Go. Just go.” He told Vetters and went for the door. Like Jack, for Jack, Garrick didn’t hesitate either. He jumped out. His friend stood a better chance if he was there.
Garrick was shorter, thinner, younger and faster than Jack. He always bragged about it and proved it when he caught him.
Twenty feet maybe. Twenty feet behind the woman, the fields moved like a small tornado was whipping up the growth.
The woman cried out. She was ten feet from Jack, closing in. Jack just wanted to grab her and run. But the small predators didn’t waver nor tire.
With a chesty, emotional cry, the woman screamed out and with everything she had in her run, she threw her child.
Garrick pushed his limits, surging ahead of Jack as the child sailed only a few feet into the air and the mother went down.
He heard the child hit the ground with thump and it cried out.
Garrick saw it. A girl, and his hand reached for the baby. If she was crying, she was alright he figured. He scooped her up in his arms as an undead child pounced on the back of the fallen mother.
A sprinkler effect of blood shot outward and Garrick, little girl in his arms, started to run back to the chopper before he was even fully on his feet. “I got her. Let’s go.”
Jack ran backwards. He had no choice but to just start shooting and hopes of hitting something. He could feel the wind of the chopper blades on his back. He was close.
“Jack!” Garrick yelled, not wanting to look back. The gunfire rang out and then the steady shots, turned to one or two. Finally arriving at the chopper with the baby, Garrick turned around.
Jack was gone.
In the high fields, Jack had disappeared.
No more gunfire. Where was he?
Lil screamed hysterically, as did Irma. Garrick only took a second and climbed inside.
“Mommy!” The little girl reached out. “Mommy!”
All the crying, all the screaming. It was loud, but somehow Garrick’s fast beating heart, drowned it out. He handed the girl to Powers, asking him to check her out, and then Garrick closed the helicopter door.
The chopper lifted.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Does anyone see him? Anyone?” Lil asked as she wept, trying to see out a window.
Irma sobbed as well, she pulled Jerry and Timmy to her. Her lips going from child to child. She then stared at the hysterical little girl on Powers' lap. She handed Jerry to Saul, “Hold your grandson.” Then she leaned forward extending her hands to the little girl. “Sweetie.” She wiggled her fingers. “Sweetie come here. Come to me. I’ll hold you.”
As if she knew Irma, she jumped for her, and the second she found Irma’s arms, the little girl buried herself against her.
Lil watched it all. Her head spun, heart raced body ached and soul destroyed.
Jack.
“This isn’t right.” She brought shook her head, then brought her lips to the baby. “This isn’t right. We have to go back.” She looked over her shoulder to Garrick up front. “Garrick, we have to go back.”
He shook his head not to say no, but to say he couldn’t hear her, and indicated to his headset.
She didn’t know the man that someone called ‘Dodds’ but she saw he was wearing a headset. She snapped her finger to get his attention then pointed to his headset. He handed it to her. “This isn’t right, Garrick. We have to go back. We have to go back for him.”
Graveled and breathy, Garrick spoke and his head lowered. “He went down.”
“But I didn’t see him get attacked. I didn’t see those things get him. Did you?” she didn’t get a reply from Garrick then looked at Saul and Powers who both wore headsets. “Did either of you? Did you see him get attacked?”
Powers shook his head. “No, but there are so many of them. We can’t go back. Flying above will keep them there. We land, they’ll come after us. It isn’t just Jack or you. Look at the kids now. We need to get them to the ship. You have that child to worry about now. Jack really wanted you to have that child.”
Saul added, “He named that child Baby Jack. Maybe he had a feeling …”
“No. Jack isn’t dead,” Lil argued. “He can’t be. Not Jack. He’s too strong. Too good and immune.”
“Where did you hear that?” Powers asked.
“Steve told us.” Lil replied. “Saul?”
“We only guessed him to be immune because of the infected saliva by his wound. We never double checked his blood.”
“He got bit or scratched and didn’t turn. He’s immune,” Lil stated. “He’s out there alone and needs our help. Pilot?”
“I have to get these kids to the ship. I’m sorry.”
“But it’s Jack,” Lil said sadly.
Saul cleared his throat. “Yes is it.” After a second, Saul called the pilot’s attention. “Vetters do we have the fuel to drop off at the ship and come back?”
“Since we aren’t going to Virginia or Boston, yes, but it is still close. Everything we do now, every stop has to be fast.”
“Will you drop off the kids and bring us back?” Saul asked. “Because it is Jack. He never left a man behind. Not Carlson, not those kids in Pittsburgh, the baby, Dodds, that woman screaming for help, and certainly not me. He came back for me more than he should have. If anyone deserves us to go back, it’s Jack. For nothing else but respect and closure.”
He paused but a split second and Vetters said, “Then we go back.”
Lil wanted to cry, in fact she did. She whispered, ‘Thank you’ to Saul, closed her eyes and held the baby tighter.
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Vetters conveyed that it was the fastest drop off he had ever done in his life. He radioed ahead, Garrick opened the door just as they lowered and a crew was there to quickly grab the children, Powers and Dodds.
“I have this child,” Irma told Lil. “It’s very special. Bring him back.”
Lil locked eyes with Irma. “What do you think? What does your gut tell you?”
Irma leaned to Lil, kissing her on the cheek then whispering. “I think he’s alive.”
Lil’s lips quivered and she hugged Irma.
After the embrace, which had to be quick, Irma backed up.
Lil watched Irma as the chopper rose from the deck of the ship.
Saul was there. He wanted it no other way, Plus a doctor with a viable antidote, he had to be there. Garrick of course, would be there for his friend.
However, Lil specifically told him, “If Jack has turned; I have to be the one, Garrick. I have to be the one. It’s my husband.”
“But I’ll be by your side, just in case.”
Lil nodded.
Finding that field would be easy, they only had to follow the massive line of traffic that led from the ocean. Burnt cars were nearer the shore; carnage lay below them and as they closed in on where they left Jack, multitudes of undead moved slowly, automated through the cars.
The hundreds of fast moving small predators were nowhere to be seen.
“I can’
t guarantee, that when we get close, those things won’t pop up,” Vetters said. “So I’m only lowering if we see him and when I do, make it fast.”
Lil nodded and then like Garrick and Saul, kept looking out the window. Especially as they approached that large farm and the fields around it.
She spotted the woman. The little girl’s mother that was attacked. She moved through the fields toward the highway. That didn’t make Lil feel any more secure. She said nothing. Her mind begged and prayed. ‘Please. Please. Please.”
“There!” Saul pointed. “That’s him. Walking the other way. Away from the highway.”
From her side of the chopper Lil couldn’t see. “Is he okay?”
Saul only shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Garrick instructed the pilot, “Get as close as you can. We jump out.”
“Roger that.”
When the chopper turned, that was when Lil spotted him. It was Jack. The man walking through the high field was far too big to be anyone else. But there was something about the way he walked. He staggered and stumbled. He also didn’t acknowledge the chopper. Lil lifted her weapon.
They touched down in the field about fifteen yard from Jack. The corn came to his chest and Jack kept walking in the other direction.
Garrick got out after Lil. “This isn’t good, Lil.”
“I can’t see to tell. I have to see his eyes. Your brother said check the eyes.”
“He hasn’t even turned around.”
“Maybe he doesn’t want to. Maybe he doesn’t want to chance it isn’t us. Maybe he’s scared someone will shoot him. Maybe he’s in shock.”
“Maybe he’s one of them. Lil. Let’s just do it now.”
“No.”
“If you don’t. I will.” Garrick lifted the rifle.
“No!” Lil yelled strong and then just took off running. “Jack! Jack!”
“Son of a bitch.” Garrick ran after her.
“Jack please!” Lil called. “Please, stop. Jack.”
He moved some left to right, very unbalanced and then Jack stopped.
Ten feet away, walking in the other direction, Jack stopped.
Lil could barely breathe; her body was burning with emotions and fear. She slowed her pace and moved to Jack.
Garrick reached out his arm to stop her.
She quickly pulled it from him. “Jack.”
Jack didn’t move. His clothes were bloody and his head was lowered. His body swayed back and forth.
With a weeping, “Jack’, Lil lifted her weapon and stepped to him.
Garrick stayed close.
A few feet away, Jack turned around. She could see the blood on his neck and arms. And Lil raised her weapon as Jack lifted his head.
“I’m sorry, Jack.”
Just as her finger was about to depress the trigger, she saw his eyes at the same time Jack … spoke.
“Don’t …” His shoulder dropped and his body nearly fell forward. “Don’t shoot. I’m not dead ….yet.” On his last word, Jack toppled to the ground.
Lil shrieked in excitement, dropping her weapon and racing to Jack.
Garrick did the same.
“He’s alive. He’s alive.” She felt for a pulse, then kissed him. “Jack. Jack. Why didn’t you answer us? Why didn’t you turn around?”
“Can’t …” Jack reached up to touch her lips. His fingers slid sloppily down her chin. “Barely, hear …you. Don’t know why. Can’t hear.”
Emotionally, Lil laughed and grabbed hold of Jack. “Lucky you.” She embraced him quickly, then with Garrick’s help, they helped Jack to stand and moved him as best as they could to the chopper.
Saul was at the door of the chopper, waiting to help him in. Saul grinned. “You big son of a bitch. You made it.”
Jack could barely stand, his head hung and it took a lot for him to lift it. “They got me good. I still can’t bring myself to kill them.”
Saul laughed. He helped Garrick lift and slide Jack inside.
“He said he can’t hear, Saul. Not well.” Lil said.
Saul lifted his eyes as Garrick slid the door closed. Immediately Vetters lifted off.
“A lot of things could be the cause,” Saul said. “But that is the least of our worries.” He began to examine Jack.
“Do you think he’ll make it?” Lil asked.
“Yeah.” Saul produced a reassuring smile. “Yeah, I do.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Florida Keys
September 1st
THREE YEARS LATER
Baby Jack was no longer a baby, but he held on to that name. He darted across the yard of the compound in an attempt to tackle Jerry who towered over him in bulk and size. Baby Jack was exceptionally small for his age and considering Jack was the opposite Lil found amusement in that. Jack didn’t.
As she sat on the porch of her small metal home, she heard Irma call out that it was lunch. The boys raced to Irma’s, and then Irma stepped into the grass and waved to Lil. “Lil, lunch. Get Timmy.”
“On my way.” Lil waved. She could smell the food. Irma was the best cook. After stepping back into the house she called to Timmy. She had him listening to an audio book; no one had quite mastered brail yet. Lil was Timmy’s teacher. Although she never really ‘taught’ a day in her life outside of student teaching, it was what she went to school for and Lil took on that responsibility.
She didn’t teach all the kids. Mainly the ones that needed the special attention and time. Like Timmy. He certainly didn’t need her help to find his way to Irma’s next door, he stood, thanked Lil and hurried out.
Lil followed.
The compound was large, and the fence finally came down. But it was paradise when they first arrived. The only island that would take them. They were on the Red Cross ship for a long time, nearly a year. Baby Jack’s first steps were not on solid ground.
The ship was a commissioned cruise ship. When they first arrived it was 30% full. Within weeks and months, and following distress calls, they filled the ship. Overcrowding didn’t bother Lil, she was happy to see so many people alive. There were three outbreaks of the infection onboard during their time on the ship. Mainly caused by infected men returning from a ‘run’, getting scratched and not reporting it in time for the cure. They were contained swiftly and Lil supposed that was the reason no one wanted to let them come ashore. She swore she would be on that ship until the mainland was deemed clear.
Coordination, cooperation and change didn’t happen, until General Greg Lance, former Secretary of Defense made a call for help. His island, once taken over by the dead, had died out three months post exodus. Once he was rescued, things made a mighty big change. Everyone stopped and listened.
Jack was part of the crew who rescued him and several others.
Jack was always part of everything. His loss of hearing was caused when he was firing his weapon and a small predator leapt at him mid shot. It rang too close to his head. Most of his hearing returned.
Lil spent as much time with Jack as away. He always went on rescues, fuel runs, supply runs. He and Garrick were key surveillance people when Dodds’ weapon was dropped somewhere. Finding out if it worked or failed. None of that happened until General Lance organized things.
She wasn’t crazy about Lance at first; he was always over their place, almost with some sort of weird attachment to Jack. Garrick called it a man crush.
There were many things Lil was grateful for as the days went by. No one she knew became infected or died, She had her husband back alive and as a partner. Plus they were raising a son together. Lil couldn’t have been happier.
She learned a lot from Irma. Irma and Saul were an amazing couple that just clicked. Irma herself was amazing. Not only did she have Jerry, Timmy, and the little girl Eva, from the helicopter, she took on a couple older children. Giving them a home and mothers’ love. Irma claimed her arms were big enough to hold and hug them all. Lil believed her heart was even bigger.
The mainland was
deemed cleared Three years, two months and seven days after the initial infection. When the last of the reanimated remained, all they could do was fall and crumble to the ground. It was a process; they walked, then crawled, then barely reached their arms. Finally, they turned to bone and dust. At that stage they were no longer a threat. The same occurred with the animals. Jack would show pictures of the cities and how a world looked without people. They were morbid but beautiful in the same breath.
Sidewalks cracked, Cars were buried beneath grass and weeds, buildings deteriorated, rivers dried up. New trees grew everywhere.
The United States needed a lot of work.
People began to move back in droves.
Not Lil though. Not yet. Probably not ever.
She had her life. The mainland was nothing more than a reminder of the infection and horrors. Because of that, she was staying right there with her family. A fresh life, new life, and most of all... no dead. That was the way she wanted it.
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Zombie Battle 5: Survive Page 8