No Man's Land

by Jacqueline Druga

“That’s okay, I have a whole pack. My mom said socks can be used for a lot of different things.” She handed me the sock, then took Edward while I cleaned up.

  I dampened the sock in the creek, raised my eyes to her, then shifted them to Leah who kept her distance. Her head was tilted, her hair dangled and even at a distance, I could see she was covered with blood.

  “How did you know?” I asked.

  “About her?” She looked at Leah. “Mr. Mills talks with his radio all the time. Pastor Jim radioed and said a man carrying a baby might be stopping by. Said he watched you leave the church and you were lugging a former. Those were his words, not mine.”

  I winced in pain as I brought the water to my head.

  “I was gonna watch out for you. You know, look for you coming. Nothing else to do up there. But you got there so fast. No one ever walked that stretch that fast. So I ran to the far end of the fence to peek. Sure enough, she was tagging behind. She ain’t got no pants on, you know. Her lady parts are showing.”

  “I know.”

  She reached in her backpack and handed me another sock. “Don’t keep washing with dirty ones. You’re just moving the dirt and blood. You might get infected.”

  “If I don’t die from these injuries first.”

  “Or mebas.”

  “What?” I laughed.

  “Mebas. My mom didn’t let us play in the creek. She always told us not to ’cause there are mebas in there.”

  “Amoebas,” I corrected.

  “Same thing.”

  “Okay.”

  “Anyhow, she says they’re all in the creek and lakes and if we get one, our flesh will come off.”

  “Swell. Back to what we were talking about. Did anyone mention about how fast I got there?” I asked.

  Hannah shook her head. “They probably figured Pastor Jim just waited to radio. Don’t forget to wash your arms, they’re all scraped up.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Who is she?”

  I lowered my head. “My wife. She died after she gave birth.”

  “Well that makes sense why she’s not wearing no pants.”

  “Yeah,” I partially smiled, but stopped when it burned. “You’re not scared of her?”

  “Not really. Not yet. She’s moves slow.”

  “I know.”

  “Plus. She’s good now. She got one of them guys that beat you. The more they get in them, the longer the calm ones are calm. At least that’s what I learned.”

  “You’re a plethora of information.”

  “I don’t know what that means,” she said.

  “It means you know a lot of stuff.”

  “I do. About this I do. I listen.”

  “How old are you?” I asked.

  “Twelve. Well, I’ll be twelve… what’s the date?”

  I looked down at my watch. “September fifth.”

  Hannah sat up straight. “I’ll be twelve in two days.” She then curled her lip and titled her head. “Not a fun way to spend your birthday, huh?”

  “Well, if all goes well. If I don’t die… from mebas… you’ll spend your birthday in a sanctuary city. That won’t be too bad, will it?”

  “Does that mean I can come with you?”

  “Yes,” I replied, and soaked the sock again. “You can come.”

  Hannah smiled.

  14

  Sputter

  It had only been a couple days, but it was good to have someone else to talk to, even if she made my head spin.

  When we emerged onto the road, I ignored her telling me that we were going the wrong way because I knew soon enough she would see why.

  “Don’t know why we’re walking this way. This road takes you pretty close,” she said.

  “Trust me, Hannah. I know what I’m doing. How long were you with Mr. Mills?”

  “Three weeks. I was supposed to go when the transport man returned. I don’t know when they would come.”

  “What is a transport man?” I asked.

  “He trades things for a ride. He has a big old cart and four horses. Takes four days to get to sanctuary.”

  “Horses and a cart. Wow. Oregon Trail.”

  “What? Is that where we’re headed?”

  “No.”

  “’Cause either way we’re walking the wrong way.”

  I kept telling her, “You’ll see.”

  And she did.

  The moment she knew we were getting in the car, she jumped with joy and giggled… a lot.

  “Does this have enough gas?” she asked.

  “I think so. If not, we’ll get close and I have supplies.”

  “Oh, wow, Calvin that was good thinking to hide it.”

  “I know.”

  I freed the car from my hiding place and pulled out onto the road. Hannah jumped in the front seat and I paused before climbing in, “Listen, Hannah, I can’t… I can’t leave her yet.”

  “Who?”

  I pointed to Leah who staggered up the road.

  “You aren’t bringing me along to feed her when she gets crazy, are you?”

  I shook my head. “No. I won’t let her hurt you.”

  Hannah nodded and I got inside.

  “You gonna drive with Edward on your chest?”

  “I have been?”

  She held out her hands. “I don’t mind. I’ll strap him to me.”

  “You sure?” I lifted the carrier from me and handed him to her.

  By the time we were ready to pull out, Leah arrived at the car.

  I debated at that moment to drive off. I really did, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I got out, opened the door and Leah crawled in. I strapped her down just in case.

  “You have her trained,” Hannah said. “I always knew the calm ones had some left over smarts.”

  “What do you know about the calms ones?” I asked as I drove off.

  “I first heard about them on the news. They called them something. Some technical term. The ones that got sick from being bit. The ones that turned in the wave are the ones that are the worst.”

  “Yeah, I know. Have you seen many calm ones?”

  Hannah nodded. “Can I have one of these?” She pointed to the air freshener.

  “Yes, why?”

  “I don’t know if you noticed it really stinks in here.” She brought the air freshener to her nose. “What did you ask me?”

  “What you knew about the calm ones.”

  “Oh, yeah. Most of the time, you get bit you don’t survive enough to turn. Or you do and you’re so tore up you can’t get back up, then you become a twitcher. Just kinda lay there in this puddle of mush, all twitchin’, like Mr. Davis my third grade teacher.”

  Again, she made my head spin.

  “My mom got tore up pretty good. My dad put down my brother.”

  “I’m sorry, Hannah, I am. How long ago was it?”

  “A while. Maybe a month. We were in Carver Town.”

  “Is that where you’re from?”

  “No. I’m from Morgantown.”

  “Is that how you know the area?” I asked. “You said you know the area really well.”

  “I do. Been to Carver Town a lot. When my home got hit, we heard from my cousin that Carver Town was good and so we went there because we had family there. They shut the town down. It was normal. Everyone was normal. The one guy said ’cause it was secluded and hidden that no wave could hit there. After a few weeks, my dad and uncle went all up and down the highway posting signs saying there weren’t no Vee.”

  “What happened? Did a wave actually hit?”

  “No,” Hannah said. “A bunch just came over the hills and into town. There were hundreds. We got in the car, my mom, dad, brother and baby sister, but we got surrounded. My dad got bit, they broke through the windows. My mom was yelling, ‘get out the sunroof Hannah, help your brother.’ So I did. I grabbed for my brother, but the Vee were in the car. My baby sister was in the car seat, there was nothing left.”

  “What about your br
other?”

  “They pulled him and ate him. By the time I got him to the roof he was only half left.”

  “Oh my God. Hannah, that’s terrible. I am so sorry you went through that.”

  “Some guys came and shot them so I could get free, but it was too late. My mom, brother, and sister were dead. My dad didn’t die. He put down my brother before he could turn into one. My dad and I hid in a hardware store. Until he died.”

  “Did he turn into a Vee?” I asked.

  “Yep and… that’s how I really knew about the calm ones and why I know you’re letting her follow you. My dad followed me.”

  “Really?”

  “I wasn’t like you,” she said. “I didn’t have a car and I had to walk. He followed me, I just couldn’t kill him.”

  “Did he ever try to hurt you?”

  “Oh, sure, lots of times. I could always outrun him and he always found something else to attack. Then he’d follow me again.”

  “What happened to him? Did you…”

  “No.” She shook her head. “Pastor Jim put him down. I was walking up to his gate and he put an arrow in him. I cried. He thought it was because I was happy to be safe. I cried because it was my dad.”

  I felt horrible for her. She had been through so much.

  “You’re really brave,” I told her.

  “What are you going to do with her?”

  “I don’t know. A part of me knows it isn’t her anymore. Yet, when I look at her all I see is my wife. Even in the physical state she’s in.”

  “Do you want to be the one to do it?” Hannah asked.

  “You mean put her down?”

  Hannah nodded.

  “I’d like to be the one. I just don’t know if I have it in me. If I did, I don’t know how I would do it.”

  “You don’t have a gun?”

  “I did. For like a minute. I traded it for gas.”

  “You traded your only weapon for gas?”

  “Yeah, I mean I haven’t had problems with the Vee since back home.” I watched as Hannah took another long whiff of the air freshener. “Maybe once I get close to sanctuary I’ll find a way to lose her.”

  “What about Edward?” she asked. “What if it’s like Mr. Mills’ and they don’t let you in with him?”

  “Oh, they have to. He’s a baby, right? It’s a different set up than Mr. Mills’ place. I’m sure of it. Out here, while we’re traveling, I’m going to have to be more careful.”

  She nodded and looked down to Edward then sniffed the air freshener again. We talked the whole way in the car. We moved off the depressing conversation and talked about her school, my job, and other things. Leah and Edward were both calm, which made for an easy drive. We were excited, counting mile markers as we went, each one we passed was another mile closer to sanctuary.

  I should have known.

  Good things don’t last very long. When I calculated we’d be there by dinner, that’s when it happened.

  The car sputtered and jerked as it used the last bit of gas. I let it coast as if that final fifty feet would make a difference. My car had served me well and it was time to leave it behind.

  We were seventy-four miles away.

  We had three weeks before they closed their gates. I was certain we would make it.

  With the red Radio Flyer wagon loaded with supplies, Hannah, Edward, and I began the remainder of the journey on foot.

  15

  Without Sight

  When I mentally planned my family’s exodus to sanctuary, I truly believed I’d thought of everything. From clothing to food, the red wagon for walking and carrying our things. What I didn’t think about was the actual walking.

  I debated on whether to stay on the highway. Even though it was a clear shot, there was nowhere to hide if needed.

  Hannah’s knowledge of the area only extended about thirty miles beyond Sissonville, WV, after that she was done.

  We ran out of gas just outside of Huntington, and looking at the map, we were beyond all the marked safe zones. Our best bet was to follow the Ohio River for a few miles, then cut back up to be near the road.

  It was easier said than done.

  I didn’t take into account that the wagon wouldn’t move all that great if we weren’t on a smooth surface, or the weather. I never planned on the weather. Autumn had set in early, the air was chilled and an overcast sky didn’t help. I also didn’t think about my injuries. I had been beaten so badly it hurt with every move I made.

  The walking did seem to keep Edward calm. Leah followed us from the car down to the river, but with each step we took, she lagged further behind. That was until we paused then she’d catch up again.

  “Should we find a sidewalk or something?” Hannah asked, as she stopped and picked up a bottle of water that fell from the wagon.

  “We will, just a little further.”

  “Do you know this town?”

  “No. I’m looking at the map.”

  “Too bad there’s no internet. Could do that earth thing and see what it looks like.”

  “It would be nice.” It wasn’t that far to the river or to the town of Huntington, I kept trudging along. Edward to my chest and Hannah picking up the items that flew about whenever I hit a bump.

  “I don’t get it,” I said.

  “Get what?”

  “Where is everyone? I mean, this virus or whatever it is couldn’t have killed everyone or turned them into those things.”

  “Yes, it could have,” she said. “You should have seen Morgantown. One day it was fine, the next day the whole city was hit. We survived because my dad had us in the basement, sealed in. We weren't exposed to it.”

  “Okay, I understand that, but even though it seems like a lifetime, it wasn’t that long ago that we found out about sanctuary happening and our area was scheduled for fire bombing.”

  “It was long enough that people left. When we did, there were a ton of people leaving. Roads got jammed fast.”

  “Wait. Wait.” I waved my hand about to stop her. “I am really confused. Your parents have been gone for a month. They just told us a couple days ago about Sanctuary Sixteen.”

  She paused in walking and squinted her eyes are me. “Wow. You must have been far away. The radio was reading them off for over a month.”

  “A month?”

  She nodded.

  “There was no news, no television.”

  “There was radio. It wasn’t a live person. It was a recording on the emergency thing.”

  I stomped my foot and groaned. “Oh my God, I figured once the TV went so did everything else.”

  “Nope.”

  “No wonder we haven’t seen anyone and the gas station lady commented that it was a while since she saw anyone.”

  “You’re behind. How did you find out if you didn’t hear it on the radio?”

  “We…” I stopped walking and looked down. I didn’t expect to see one, not in such a small town. I lifted the paper from the ground. “Flyer. We got one of these. Shit.”

  “What?”

  “This place is getting firebombed in three days. We need to be far away. I don’t understand. Usually they clean a place that is overrun with Vee.”

  “Maybe they all left,” she suggested.

  “Maybe.” I took a few steps then stopped again. “Maybe not.”

  As we passed the fenced in area of the City Water Company building, I spotted a block ahead with a massive amount of Vee. They were a sea of slow moving bodies and there was no way to get through them.

  “Shit.”

  “What do we do?” she asked.

  “Turn around. We need to get out of sight fast.”

  “That building.” She pointed to the Water Company.

  “No. Too close. We’ll go back. Cross the tracks and get back to the main road. Let’s just turn around. If we move quick, they won’t catch us.”

  “There’s nowhere to hide up there.”

  “There’s no Vee either.” I reached
for her arm and we both turned.

  Leah was there, she lunged forward, mouth open. Before Hannah could scream, I pushed her out of the way, then shoved Leah.

  “Move,” I ordered. I clutched Edward tight to me and yanked the wagon.

  We moved quickly until we were at a safe distance. Leah was unable to catch us and we made it to the road, out of breath and a few less supplies. Nothing that we wouldn’t miss.

  Back to where we left off, we continued on the road.

  We moved blindly and I felt vulnerable. Even though we could see the road before us, we hadn’t a clue what truly waited ahead.

  16

  Company

  Daniel and Jennifer Harvey had a one story, rectangle modular home, two miles outside of Huntington. A line of trees surrounded the property and a fifty-foot gravel driveway led to the house. It was a great little house and it looked like Daniel did auto repairs in the large detached garage on the property.

  I learned their names because I looked at the mail. I wanted to know who to mentally thank for the refuge that first night. It was the first building we had come to in a while and we had no choice but to stop.

  They were a young couple, maybe in their late twenties. Their wedding picture was dated two years earlier. They created a safe haven of their home. Handmade wooden shutters blocked out the windows.

  It would have worked had Daniel not left the house and been bitten.

  They obviously were fine for a while. I didn’t know why he left. It wasn’t for food, there were stacks of it on the kitchen counter. Maybe he was getting a car ready.

  It was a puzzle mostly easy to piece together when we arrived.

  The blood soaked bandages in the bathroom along with ibuprofen in the bedroom told me of a bite and infection.

  Bloody handprints decorated the outside of the home, a sign of relentless pounding. The front door was open and a trail of blood and insides led to a fly and maggot fest in the front yard where Jennifer had become one of those ‘twitchers’ that Hannah talked about.

  Half of her face was missing and her head was attached by the neck body, her throat had been ripped apart. Her left shoulder remained along with most of that arm. Beyond that, she was nothing but mush and a few scattered bones. The smell was horrendous, worse than Leah was and at first I thought the sight of the flies made the entire thing more sickening, until Jennifer’s hand twitched.