No Man's Land

by Jacqueline Druga

  Her fingers extended and her one eye moved. Her mouth opened and closed, biting at nothing.

  “We can’t leave her like that,” Hannah said. “We have to do something.”

  “I will. But let’s get you safe inside, okay?” I handed her Edward.

  I went in first making sure it was Vee free. It was. Inside the light gray carpet was blood stained and a handgun was on the floor. The coffee table was busted. I could picture what happened. Daniel was bitten, he turned, but wasn’t violent. Jennifer probably moved him outside and contemplated on killing him.

  Then Daniel got hungry and out of control. She opened the door to shoot him and was overcome. The poor girl fought for her life, probably stumbled out of the house, trying to keep her intestines inside of her when Daniel delivered one last blow.

  The house smelled sour, but it was shelter that would do. The door was attached and I could lock it.

  I told Hannah to come in, “It doesn’t look pretty, but it will work.”

  When she walked inside, she saw the gun. “You can use that,” she said. “To help her out there.”

  “Um, yeah,” I said nervously. “If it’s laying here, she probably meant to use it and it’s loaded.”

  “It’s a Glock.”

  I quickly looked at her. “How do you know?”

  “It’s says it on the handle. You don’t know guns, do you?”

  “Not really.” I reached for it.

  “Careful picking it up. There’s no safety and it probably has a round in the chamber. Really all you need. Just go out there and use the one ready.”

  “You make it sound easy. Like you fired a gun before.”

  “I have.”

  “You’re eleven.”

  “More like twelve,” she argued. “Not very good. Only been shooting a year. Mostly rifles for hunting. My father made me learn all about guns and take that gun safety class.”

  “Kind of insane to let a kid have a gun.”

  “Won’t be saying that if we’re hungry and I bag us a deer. Want me to do it?”

  “No!” I snapped. “Absolutely not. No. I got this. Stay.” The gun was foreign to my hand and I held it like it was poison. I shut the door and walked out to Jennifer’s body.

  I didn’t want to do it. I had to keep looking at her to feel bad, remorse so I could end what she was going through. What if she knew? What if she had a part of her that remembered?

  My hand shook out of control as I aimed, so much so I brought it within a few inches of her head.

  I closed my eyes because I just couldn’t look at her. Then I fired.

  After that I didn’t move, not for a few second, then I went back into the house. It was time to settle in for the night.

  <><><><>

  The sound of the gunshot must have scared Edward because he started fussing and making that horrible newborn scream the moment we closed the door and locked down. I worried, I didn’t want to attract Vee or any people, but he was out of control, just like in the barn.

  With a wiggle of her fingers, Hannah said, “Give him here. I’ll take care of him.”

  I was grateful and I handed him over. She took him in a back bedroom to feed and change him while I double-checked the doors and windows and brought in the red wagon. The place would have been nice, but it was a mess. Using bed sheets, I covered the blood in the living room and sprinkled carpet deodorizer around for the smell. My wounds needed attention and there was plenty of water in the house to clean up. I wanted a good night’s sleep and looked forward to it. Both Hannah and I were exhausted and I felt safe in the house.

  We didn’t need to touch our supplies. I found a can of beef stew in the cupboard and fixed that with crackers.

  “You aren’t taking their stuff, are you?” Hannah asked. “We have enough. You should leave it for the next people.”

  “I’m not taking it. And there won’t be next people.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I do.” I set the bowl in front of her and lifted Edward from her arms.

  “You ain’t leaving that, are you?”

  I wondered what she was talking about and then I saw she looked at the gun on the counter by the refrigerator.

  “No, I just don’t need it right now.” I sat down and sighed out in pain. It took stopping to show me how horrible I felt.

  “You okay?”

  “I’ll get there. Eat.”

  “We should stay here a couple days. Let you heal.”

  “I’ll be fine. Besides, they’re wiping out this town soon and this house is too close to it.”

  “And the longer we stay, the more chance Leah will find us.”

  “Unless she was following and we didn’t see, she’s gone.”

  “That make you sad?” she asked.

  “A little. I wish I was hungry though.” I lifted the spoon, brought some to my mouth, but didn’t feel like eating it. I replaced the spoon in the bowl and looked down to Edward. He cuddled up against me. “Boy, I have to tell you, Hannah, you have the magic touch with him.”

  “I know what I’m doing. I was waiting another year and I was gonna be the best babysitter around. I was just eight when my sister was born and my mom used to let me feed her ’cause she’d eat for me. Mom said it takes patience to feed a baby right and know what it wants.”

  “You have that. I just wasn’t ready for it.”

  “I’ll help as much as I can. He’s quiet now.”

  “Just let me know if you don’t feel like it. I don’t want you to get tired of helping me with him. He’s not your responsibility.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t mind.” She lifted the spoon to her mouth, shoveled a heap into her mouth and then another.

  “You must be really…” I paused when I noticed the white bandage on her forearm. “What happened to your arm?”

  “Nothing. I got scratched on the barn door.”

  “Were you bit?”

  “No!” she answered quickly. “It was dark, I got cut on the barn door. Honest.”

  “Hannah, if you’re bit, you need to tell me.”

  “I ain’t bit or scratched. Okay?” She shook her head. “If I was you’d know soon enough anyhow. But I’m not. If you wanna see, I’ll show you.”

  “No. That’s fine.”

  “See?” she pulled the bandage exposing a gash.

  “It doesn’t look infected, that’s a good thing.”

  “Because I didn’t wash it in the creek,” she said seriously then smiled. She finished off her bowl. “Is there more?”

  “Take mine. I’m not really hungry.” I pushed my bowl to her. She put it inside her empty one. “If you want—”

  We both jumped when there was a pounding at the door.

  “Hey! Open up! Help!” the male voice shouted. “I know someone’s in there. I see the light.”

  My eyes widened. What light? I knew we had lanterns but the shutters were closed. I stood up and looked around. “How does he know? All the windows are sealed and the door…” I cringed. Daniel and Jennifer sealed the house for safety, not to block out the light and they never covered the tiny window on the front door.

  “You letting him in?” Hannah asked.

  “Please help us. There’s these things out here and…”

  I heard the scream coming from outside. A bloodcurdling scream.

  “Help!” The man pounded harder.

  I handed Edward to Hannah. “Take him in the back room, lock the door.”

  “But…”

  “Go.” I walked to the living room and reached for the door. After undoing the lock, I barely opened it and the man barged in.

  He slammed the door shut with his body, then hurried and locked it. I could hear a Vee, trying to get in. The stranger leaned forward to the door, head against it. His dirty and longer dark hair dangled in his face. “Thanks.”

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  He nodded. “They got my friend.”

  “I’m sorry. How many are out there?
It doesn’t sound like much.”

  “Five. Four. I don’t know.”

  I stepped back when he spoke and I caught a good whiff of him. He was a mixture of odors that I didn’t want to imagine what they were. “Why are you out there at night?”

  “Because there’s very little shelter out there on this stretch of road or haven’t you noticed?” He breathed heavily and turned around, removing the hair for his face. “Not expecting company, I see.”

  “What?”

  It was odd and he chuckled, swinging his hand around, pointing at the sheets.

  “This isn’t my house. This was all there was.”

  “I hear you brother.” He extended his hand. “Curt.”

  I apprehensively shook it. “Calvin.”

  “Cal. I smell food. Tell me you have food. I have eaten in two days.”

  “Yeah, I do. This way.”

  “Sorry if I track up your carpet, I stepped on something out there.”

  Jennifer’s remains were what came to my mind. I led him to the kitchen. I wanted to get to know him, gauge him before I let Hannah and the baby out. There was something off about him. Then again it could have been my imagination.

  “Looks like I’m just in time for supper.” He sat down in Hannah’s seat.

  “Go on. I’m not hungry. Eat.” I sat as well. “You headed to Sanctuary Sixteen?”

  “From.” He answered. “Water? Do you have water?”

  “Um sure.” I stood and grabbed a bottle from the counter. “You were at Sixteen?”

  “Yep. I left. Not for me. Everywhere are tents. Living with people you don’t know. Soldiers with guns everywhere.’

  “Aren’t they there to keep people safe?”

  “Yeah, but it feels like a prison. What happened to you?”

  “I was jumped.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Happens all the time down there. That’s why I wanted out. They take your stuff when you get there. Community share thing. Problem was, when I left, things were picked clean. You got supplies?”

  “Some.”

  “I spotted the wagon in the living room. You have more than some.”

  He raised an eyebrow as he hoovered the food. There was something creepy about his look.

  “There’s plenty here in this house. So you can take what you need.”

  “I’ll do that. Not much out there. I’m gonna take all I can. I have to plan for the future.”

  “You didn’t mention where you’re headed,” I said.

  “You alone?” he asked without answering me.

  “Yes.”

  Just then Edward made some noise.

  Curt’s head shot to the left and he stood. “Doesn’t sound like alone. Man, you are full of untruths.” He stood.

  “Look,” I told him. “It’s my family. I don’t know why you’re here or what you want.”

  “Are you kidding me? I was pounding on the door for help. If you would have answered, my friend would still be alive.”

  “I did answer. You have to understand, I’m being cautious. I have to be.”

  “Because you can’t take care of yourself,” he said. “That’s obvious. I’m surprised you still have stuff. And you’re being awful nervous.”

  “Wouldn’t you be?”

  He laughed and tried to get past me.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Think I want to meet the family.”

  “Leave them be. You can go or stay. Take the supplies you want, but just don’t worry about them. I don’t understand why this is important to you?”

  “Because I want to know who I’m tossing out in the middle of the night to die. I’m like that, you know.”

  “What? You’re insane. We’re going nowhere.”

  He laughed. “You think you’re gonna stop me from throwing you out? You would have already. Look at you, you’re in no condition to… throw me out. You haven’t a clue how to survive in this hell world or else you would have had that gun in your hand when you opened the door.”

  I just stared.

  “By the way, where is that gun? The one that was on the living room floor? Man, we should have grabbed that. But I thought, who the hell would be coming here? My mistake. Or maybe it’s still there under the sheets.” He tipped his chin arrogantly as he stepped to me. “Yeah, we were here first. This morning actually. Left for more supplies. That can of stew… was probably mine.” He winked then shoved easily by me and headed to the hallway.

  “Hey!” I shouted.

  “I am going to be nice. Let you leave on your own. That way no one gets hurt by me and I have a clean conscious.” He whistled short and loud. “Calvin’s family? Time to go.” At the end of the narrow hall, Curt opened the door to this right, then after looking inside, he opened the next door exposing Hannah sitting on the bed. Edward was covered completely in her arms with a blanket. Curt burst into laughter. “Well, well, well. What do we have? You certainly have your hands full, Calvin. A baby and a little girl. Tell you what, I’ll help you out. You take the baby, leave the girl. Kinda gets lonely at night around…”

  Fueled with disgust and anger, I charged at Curt slamming my body into him, we hit against the doorframe and I slugged my fist into his gut.

  He grunted once, grabbed me, spun me around, and slammed me into the wall.

  “Well look who has balls after all.” He held me firmly by the scruff of my shirt. The next thing I knew I had a gun under my chin. “I was going to let you go. Now I’m not.”

  “Leave her be. She’s just a kid.”

  “Why you think I got kicked out of Sanctuary? Huh?”

  A single gunshot rang out and Curt’s eyes widened, his grip on me loosened. His face had a look of shock just before he dropped sideways to the floor

  He had been shot in the hip. Groaning he rolled to his back and tried to reach for his weapon which fell from his hand.

  Hannah, with a cold expression stepped out of the bedroom, gun extended and focused on Curt.

  “Hannah! No!” I shouted. Hannah didn’t heed my warning. She fired a single shot to his chest.

  He wasn’t dead.

  I was in shock at what I saw, how Hannah could have done what she did, so calm and without hesitation. She lowered her aim and stared.

  “Hannah, are you okay?”

  She spoke dazed. “I couldn’t let him take me or hurt you. I couldn’t.” She nudged him with her foot and Curt coughed, grabbing his chest wound. “What do we do with him, Cal?”

  Curt coughed. “Help.”

  I literally scoffed, maybe even laughed at the absurdity of his request.

  After thinking about it, I raced into the living room and peeked out the shutter.

  I could only see two Vee and they were hovered over a body. I returned to the hall. “Okay they’re busy out there. We can do this. Grab an arm and help me move him.”

  The task wasn’t quite as simple as I hoped it would be. A battered guy and a twelve-year-old girl, dragging a man across the small home. He wasn’t big, but he gave his all in struggling as we pulled his arms.

  He coughed and choked, blood shot from his mouth. He even pleaded for his life. As if we would change our minds and suddenly have a change of heart. He may have been bleeding and breathing, but in a sense, he was already dead. I was just making sure he got what he deserved. If he came after us, threatened me, made sick suggestions about Hannah, and did all that with ease, then he had done it before.

  That was my justification for opening the door and rolling him out.

  He screamed for a while, longer than his friend. He must have felt every fingernail dig into him, every bite as it tore flesh from him.

  I stood there for a little while listening, processing all that happened. Fighting the guilt that tried to creep up. Eventually, he went silent and I walked away from the door. I still don’t know what happened first, if he stopped screaming or I simply stopped listening and caring.

  17

  Dangle

  Septe
mber 6

  It would be a late start to the day, but I was fine with that. Both Hannah and I were well rested. I slept so soundly on the reclining chair with Edward on my chest, I was afraid I rolled over on him. I hadn’t moved. My body was stiff and sore, but I had a clear head.

  Daniel and Jennifer had coffee and the propane tank was still full. I was able to light the stove and boil water, run it through the filter and make a pot. It tasted good and I found a huge thermos, filling that for the road trip. That was my prize find. Hannah’s was a hair brush and hair bands. She brushed her hair for a good fifteen minutes, then struggled with the ponytail.

  I had just finished packing everything to leave when she came into the kitchen pretty frustrated. “You don’t by chance know how to do a braid, do you? Guess not.” She turned.

  “I do.”

  She stopped. “Really? You ain’t fooling me are you?”

  “Nope.” I pulled out a chair. “Sit.”

  “How do you know how? You’re a man.”

  “I was a married man and I had a sister. I know braids. Don’t tell anyone.”

  “Seems silly you would say that. Who am I gonna tell?”

  “You never know.” After she sat down, I started braiding her hair.

  “Is your sister alive?”

  “I like to think so. She lived in Germany with her husband. In fact, I’ll believe she is.”

  “How old are you, Calvin?”

  “Thirty-seven.”

  “Thirty-seven and you haven’t fired a gun?”

  “Not everyone shoots guns, Hannah.” I worked the braid. “I wasn’t much of an outdoor kind of guy. My job had me sitting behind a desk.”

  “That sounds boring.”

  “Not really. I liked math.”

  “Oh, now I know you’re strange.”

  I laughed and added the band to the end of her braided ponytail. “There. Done.”

  “That was fast.” She reached back and felt. “It feels nice.”

  “I’m good. Now, are you ready to leave? It’s almost noon.”

  “You look to see if there were any out there?” she asked.