No Man's Land

by Jacqueline Druga

  Recall

  17 Days Earlier

  August 17

  Early on, when we first hunkered down inside our house, only occasionally would scores of Vee mob outside, moving around in no particular order. It was as if they knew we were in there, but the journey up to the house was a bother.

  At first they did. A few pounded relentlessly at our house. Then with simply blocking the windows and staying quiet, they moved on. Not far, but they were pounding on the house like a mini rerun of Night of the Living Dead.

  After a week, they just moved on. They were still in the area, occasionally when we were really quiet we could hear an agonizing scream. Someone in the distance dying. The Vee were still finding people to attack.

  We had become complacent.

  Our home had a feeling of sanctuary. We lucked out, the Vee never returned to our neighborhood and we had no desire to leave. I made frequent trips out of the house to scavenge from the neighbors. Occasionally we’d venture out to be daring, to break the monotony and boredom. We had more than enough food and water.

  Eventually the Vee would die off… eventually.

  For the time being, the world was ours.

  I kept trying the television after the programming ceased. Every day, twice a day just in case it returned.

  Leah didn’t bother or care to. She had her own routine. Surprisingly, we still had power and while we used minimal lights, she spent a lot of time in the back room, windows boarded and the small air conditioner running. The only room in the house with an air conditioner.

  The constant hum of the cooling machine never garnished attention.

  She kept the door closed and I loved going in there after the house got too stifling. Walking in was like a blast of refreshment to my entire body.

  In her pregnant state, the heat made her hands and feet swell, so she needed to be cool.

  Leah always looked peaceful. Either on the bed or in the rocking chair.

  “Hey.” I opened the door and walked in with a ‘aw’ of relief.

  She was on the bed and looked up to me from her hardback journal, and smiled. “You’re welcome to stay in here.”

  “No, you say that now,” I said. ‘But then you’ll kick me out saying I am making the temperature go up.”

  She giggled.

  I lay on the bed next to her. “I’m making food. Did you want to eat in here?”

  “No, I’ll come out. Let me finish this entry.”

  I tried to peek and she pulled it away.

  “What?”

  “You can’t look. One day when I’m gone, you can read my thoughts. Until then…”

  “Considering I’ll be gone before you, you should let me see now.”

  “Cal, you’d be bored,” she said. “Most of these are how I feel about the pregnancy. They’ve become more interesting lately though.”

  “I bet. I mean they can’t be all that boring considering your pregnancy journal takes place in the middle of the apocalypse.”

  “It could be worse, Cal.” She shut the journal, marking her spot with a pen. “We could be out there, lost, wandering, hiding… starving. Running for our lives.”

  “Without electricity,” I added. “Yeah, we have quite the comfy apocalypse happening here.”

  “Yes, we do.”

  I rested my hand on her stomach, waiting to feel the baby move before I left. When I felt the thump against my fingers, I slowly sat up. “Well, I’ll let you finish and make us something to eat.”

  “Thank you, I’ll be right out.”

  I slipped from the bed and walked to the door and lingered there taking in the cool air for another moment. “Don’t be too long.”

  “I won’t.”

  I watched Leah open her journal and start writing again, I took that as my cue to leave.

  Even though the world was dying around us, it was simple, calm and fear free in our home. I didn’t take a single moment for granted, not one, because I also knew in the back of my mind, it wasn’t going to last.

  Marshal

  September 3

  We made it was far as Marshal, and I had to stop. It was during the drive that I realized newborns didn’t really cry, they screamed and Edward did that constantly. He was hungry, I was aware of the problem, but I was so afraid to stop to tend to him.

  I took the exit to avoid the blockade. All signs about sanctuary cities or for any help were gone. I saw nothing to indicate I was even on a safe route. I contemplated going back to look to see if the highway was really blocked.

  There were no hand-painted signs, and like other places, there were no flyers lying on the ground from being dumped out of a plane.

  Then again, only larger metropolises were told when to go, the rest of the country wasn’t at risk of extermination.

  Not by the government anyway.

  What I did see were Vee. Groups of them, they didn’t just stagger the streets, there were times I saw them at a building trying to get in. This told me survivors were there inside. The Vee were only relentless like that when they knew there was something they wanted.

  It was an interesting ride.

  Though Leah really didn’t make any noise except for a low humming groan, I kept looking back in the rearview mirror at her. As if seeking some sort of approval from her. After a while, the glances became conversational looks, and I found myself talking to her.

  “I know, I hear him,” I said. “What can I do? I can’t stop. I mean, I can, but stopping is more than pulling over. I have to check for safety. You’ve seen it out there. Okay, maybe you didn’t. But there are Vee everywhere.”

  If she could talk, she’d probably berate me with guilt phrases. Why wasn’t I taking care of our child? The baby was just born. I needed to man up, that sort of thing.

  Finally, I did pull over to feed him. I did it fast and was pretty sure he didn’t eat enough. I had to keep moving.

  As if she were still my same Leah, I talked things out with her.

  My talking to her wasn’t so bad, at least I didn’t imagine she answered me.

  My life had been with Leah for a long time, and the previous couple of months it was just her and I. How could I not need and miss her? How could I not ignore what she had become? What would it hurt? I’d only do it for a little while. She was my best friend and I couldn’t process that she was gone. It was hard to not believe in the shell of a dead body wasn’t some semblance of her soul. It was still there in her eyes, I felt it.

  Leah had only died a day earlier and in my heart and soul she wasn’t gone yet. She was only quieter and looked different.

  Then she got hungry.

  Just outside of the town of Marshal she behaved differently, hunger was the only explanation I could come up with.

  Leah started to thrash, her groaning turned into growls that were frightening. It grew louder each mile we drove. The sun wasn’t even down yet, but I knew it was time to stop.

  Marshal had life, and well, death.

  The Vee roamed the streets and I saw homes that were fortified. I contemplated stopping at one of those, asking for help for me and my son, but decided against it. Truth be known, I had to deal with Leah.

  From what I could tell Marshal was a farming town, or an old coal town. I didn’t know which one, but it wasn’t big. There wasn’t a town square or main portion, it was just houses that were set far apart. Most of them were a distance from the road and the Vee wandered the areas around the homes.

  There were no stoplights, but there was a chain name gas station with a convenience store and I decided to make camp there.

  I pulled the vehicle to the side of the building. I didn’t see any Vee, none at all, but with Edward making all that noise it wouldn’t be long. His screaming would be a dinner bell echoing in the quiet town. Every window in the convenience store was busted out. However, I had an idea.

  Still wearing the carrier, I slipped Edward in against my chest and stepped form the car.

  I opened the back door and gra
bbed the small duffel. It was the one that Leah and I deemed our night bag. It had a blanket, food and water. After shouldering that, then looking around for Vee, I headed into the dark convenience store.

  It was rank, it had some sort of moldy smell to it and nothing was on the shelves. In fact most of them were overturned.

  It wasn’t safe in the main portion of the store, but that wasn’t where I was headed.

  When I was in college, I worked at a 7-Eleven, one of the jobs I hated was stocking the coolers. It was the sanctity of the cooler that I sought after. They always had a steel back door that had a safety latch so as not to get locked in. And though the doors to the coolers were glass the shelves were like a fence.

  The area behind the shelves was roomy. I knew and figured it was our best option for the evening.

  It wasn’t hard, even in the darkened store, to find the door to the cooler. People had cleaned the shelves of every beverage so the smell was minimal.

  The floor was concrete, there was plenty of room. I placed the duffle bag down and then Edward. He still screamed.

  “I’ll be right back. I promise,” I told him.

  I didn’t want to leave him, but I had to.

  I pulled the steal door closed, which muffled his noises and then headed back out of the store.

  It was time to end the Leah saga, but I couldn’t kill her. I just didn’t have it in me to put down my wife.

  When I walked back out to the car, she was thrashing even more. I knew I had to be fast. I opened her side of the door and then walked to the other side. Leaning in from there, I reached over and quickly pulled the tape from her mouth.

  She snapped at me and did this demonic style scream.

  My plan was to set her free. I knew I was chancing my supplies by leaving the car unlocked, but I had to let Leah go. I had to.

  I hoped and prayed she would leave to find food and be gone. Then and only then could I face my loss and start to grieve.

  Quickly, I reached out, pressed the red button and released the seat belt.

  Once free she dove my way and I closed the door.

  “I’m sorry, Leah,” I said. “I love you.”

  She hadn’t noticed her door was open and I seized my opportunity to turn back to the store.

  I spun around only to see a large group of Vee coming my way.

  I made my mad dash to the store only to see Leah stumble from the car. She turned to the oncoming Vee and did this cry out. It was frightening, almost as if she were communicating with them.

  They moved at a good pace and just as I entered the store, so did they. The pursued me with hungry fervor. Even over the noise of the Vee I could hear Edward and I ran as fast as I could toward the cooler.

  When I reached that door, three Vee came at me from the back. I jumped in shock, opened the door and tried to shut it. Their arms reached through, stopping me from sealing it completely. I used all of my strength, putting my back into it to close it. I prayed in my mind for it to close. Three of them were hard, if any more reached in, we were doomed. I wouldn’t be strong enough.

  Finally, with a hard grunt, the door closed.

  I looked down to see two severed arms on the ground. I shivered in disgust and kicked them away. Breathing heavily I caught my bearings and walked over to Edward. I picked him up from the ground, cradled him in my arms, and sat on the floor with my back against the wall.

  The Vee attacked the steel door and then they gathered, hands pounding on the doors of the cooler.

  I was surrounded, but I knew they wouldn’t get in. I had to just wait it out. No matter how long it took because for the moment, my son and I were safe.

  Got Your Back

  September 4

  When the way was clear and the last of the Vee vacated the store for something better, when the sky was light enough, I knew it was time to go. Last I looked at my gas gauge, I was teetering just under the half tank mark. It was time to put that last gas can in the tank. I needed to get us moving, try to get to Carver Town and head south after that.

  What I really needed was rest. My head pounded, my mouth was dry, and my eyes were heavy. I tried to sleep the night before. I had ample time and opportunity, but I kept waking up. The nightmares were disturbing. I continuously dreamt that Edward had died, that he stopped breathing and I would lift his lifeless body to have him flop over my hands.

  Each time I jolted awake, I checked him.

  It was time to face the day and road ahead, and even more so, it was time to face the loss of Leah.

  Edward was resting. Leaving him in that back cooler I quietly slipped out to pack the car and put in the last container of fuel.

  I tried not to make any noise, I didn’t need the Vee ascending on me. I gave great thought to each time I left the baby unattended. What would happen if I were attacked? I weighed the options and rather have the child die alone from starvation than torn to shreds with me.

  The store was clear and I didn’t see any Vee outside. My car seemed undisturbed and the back door was open.

  I would be lying if I said I didn’t look for Leah. She wasn’t there and as I approached the vehicle I saw she wasn’t inside.

  I placed my backpack in the back seat, then carefully popped the hatch. I’d save shutting the doors for when I was ready to leave. Quickly, I grabbed the five gallon gas can and emptied the entire contents in the tank, all the while looking behind me for Vee. When finished, I placed the can back in the car and rushed into the store.

  Edward wasn’t crying and that was a good thing. I tossed the carrier over my shoulder and placed Edward in.

  “It’s okay little one, we’re out of here.”

  I knew he didn’t understand me, but I felt better talking to him.

  Once again, I peeked for Vee before entering the store area. Seeing it was clear, I made a mad dash to the car. I grabbed my driver’s door handle and stopped when from behind me, I heard the chamber engage on a weapon.

  “Turn around,” the male voice said.

  “I’m not one of them,” I replied.

  “Hands up and turn around.”

  Slowly, I turned. I felt somewhat safe. After all, if he wanted me dead, why wouldn’t he just shoot me?

  A man stood before me holding a shotgun in my direction. His gray tee shirt was covered in blood, some of it looked dried. He was disheveled, but he didn’t look injured. Obviously it was someone else’s blood.

  “I have a baby,” I said. “A newborn. Please don’t shoot.”

  “Be better for the baby if I did, now wouldn’t it?” He lowered the aim.

  “No!” I shouted nervously. “No. Please.”

  “I know you have gas in this thing. I watched you put it in,” he said. “I would have been gone with it, but you have the keys. Hand them over.”

  “Look, we’re just trying to get to Sanctuary City.”

  “What a coincidence. So am I. Give me the keys.”

  “Why don’t we go together?” I asked nervously. “Really, I think…”

  “Man, I heard that thing screaming all night. I’m not going anywhere with a noise maker. Now give me the keys.”

  “Okay, just let me get some supplies.”

  “You got three seconds.”

  “Just the baby supplies, let me get supplies to feed the baby.”

  He laughed. “One.”

  “They’re in my back pocket.”

  “Two.”

  Trembling, I reached back for the keys and pulled them out, jingling them for him to see. For him to not get to number three. Chances were he was going to kill us anyhow. I believed it, but that was only briefly. I knew we’d be fine. In fact, I probably smiled.

  “What the hell are you…?”

  Leah.

  In all her dead, half-naked glory, she stood behind the man and with a wide-open mouth and plunged her teeth into the curve of his neck.

  He screamed and I darted out of the way in case the gun went off. It didn’t. He struggled to free himself,
but blood poured down his chest as her jaws refused to let go.

  I looked around for more Vee. Surely they’d come after that scream.

  The man tumbled to the ground and as Leah dove on him, he released the shotgun.

  I didn’t have a gun, so I seized the moment and grabbed his. I’d worry about more ammunition later.

  “Help me,” he gurgled. “Help.”

  I knew the shotgun was engaged and I aimed it at him. That was my first thought, to spare his agony. My second thought was to spare Leah. Then I decided, shooting wasn’t a smart thing. Not only would the noise attract Vee, I had never fired a shotgun. I didn’t know what kind of kick it would have and Edward’s safety was foremost. Did I want it to throw me back, holding my child and leave myself vulnerable.

  The man on the ground, bleeding, and dying didn’t care about our well-being, why should I care about his?

  I gave it a few seconds, mesmerized as Leah tore him apart.

  He stopped fighting, his eyes remained open. He was gone. Leah kept chomping on him.

  I headed to the driver’s side, keys in hand, opened the door, tossed in the shotgun, and started to get in. I’d drive off and then stop to close the back door and hatch.

  After starting the engine, I put it in reverse gear, backed up, turned around and started to drive. I drove slowly, Edward still to my chest. I watched in the rearview mirror as Vee arrived behind me and started to encompass the man’s body.

  Leah stood, she walked away from him, leaving the others to devour his remains.

  Two blocks away, seeing it was safe, I pulled over to close the back door and hatch. I was ready to leave when I saw her.

  Leah was trying to reach us again.

  “No,” I groaned. “Please no, Leah.”

  What I needed to do was get in the car, give one more glance in the rearview mirror then mentally say goodbye to my wife.

  Then again, I just couldn’t leave her there. She would hurt someone else, and possibly be terminated by a stranger who didn’t know her. Didn’t love her. Didn’t see the woman she was before.

  I walked back to the car, removed Edward and placed him inside, then grabbed the shotgun. It was already engaged and, dangerous as it was, I figured I might as well fire off the round and make use of it.