Escape from the Dead

by Joshua A. Brown

  Chaos and disagreement on the best strategy to deal with the asteroid began at once during sessions at the UN, and in various governmental chambers the world over. As it was determined just how quickly the situation was developing, nations seemed to work together well enough to concoct a plan. Nuclear weapons would be utilized, as far from the earth as they could strike the asteroid. People of the world were waiting with fear and anticipation as the asteroid tumbled ever closer.

  Unfortunately for the plan, terrorist organizations launched their own plans, hijacking command centers for both French and Pakistani nuclear weapons. In terror, the nations of the world realized only too late that a barrage of missiles- far inferior to the planned strike- had been launched well ahead of schedule.

  The rest of the world quickly worked to alter their plan, but the first strike on the asteroid was met with glee and calls of triumph from the Islamic world. They had brought about Armageddon, as the asteroid broke into numerous chunks, some of which were flying even faster toward the earth. The largest of the asteroids, struck hours later by a follow up barrage of US and Russian missiles, had been decimated enough and thrown off course from striking the earth. But even with a wall of nuclear explosions, they could not stop the coming of the millions of now-radioactive, hurtling rocks.

  People were cautioned to go underground, and preparations were made as the asteroids drew near. At first, only a few made it through that hadn’t been burnt up in the earth’s atmosphere, and those were quickly analyzed as more were on the way. A strange chemical compound that could not be immediately identified saturated the asteroids, which had mostly hit near the western areas in Europe. What was to follow dwarfed all previous disasters in the earth’s history.

  It was a forty eight hour onslaught of the asteroids, the heaviest pounding of which struck Asia as it began. No place on the earth was immune to the rocks, which ranged in sizes from an inch to house-sized. There were some larger, and many asteroids passed the earth to fly away further into space. But down on the surface of the earth, the asteroids slammed into cities, farmland, forests, oceans, and everywhere else.

  So many were killed as the asteroids struck that emergency systems were unable to keep up. The largest asteroid to strike the earth was over a mile across, and it splashed into the Pacific Ocean with a dreadful shriek and squeal as it cooled. As many as half a dozen others just smaller in size hit the Atlantic Ocean, and the other seas, as well as one blasting into the eastern part of the Asian continent.

  The disasters triggered by the pounding were many, and were swift- powerful tsunamis, sweeping wildfires, earth tremors and quakes, flooding, and intense heat consumed even more of the world’s population, with deaths piling quickly into the billions. Emergency stations were set up to care for the wounded, and to try to gather the dead, which now seemed to lay everywhere. The disruptions caused by the asteroids included electrical failures, and communication began to fail in many areas around the globe.

  The heating caused by the asteroids set off strong weather patterns which further battered the world with storms and tornadoes for many days, and the fighting around the world seemed to cease at once. Governments began to order their troops home to deal with mounting civilian casualties and panic. Roads, bridges, power stations, railways… all were smashed and broken, and in some instances, there were nations that could not handle to catastrophe.

  Marty and Andy’s units had been some of the first recalled to the States to deal with the horrible tragedy. The carriers were ordered to return as well, and Mick’s unit had begun to pack up to make the flight home from the Middle East, leaving behind four jets that had been destroyed by the asteroids. Ash had continued to dance, masking her terror and grief with drugs and a smile while the world burned around her. But as the soldiers were all headed for home, and Ash’s life continued to spiral out of control, none of them could be ready for the next level of terror that was in store for the earth.

  It had begun as random, disconnected reports of violent “protestors” in various aid stations and hospitals. Quickly, these reports grew in numbers, and rumors of wounded people attacking others began to spread. As weather continued to plague the many nations, it became apparent that fewer places were remaining safe, and communication with some nations died away. People began to abandon jobs to find loved ones, and then the news came down, to whoever could still receive it.

  “It has been determined that as of four days ago…” the resolute news man said, and his composure buckled. “The bodies of the recently dead… my god… are returning to some kind of, half-life, and attacking anything living that they encounter. Please, take advantage of the aid stations, and keep yourselves safe.”

  But chaos and confusion seemed to envelop the world all at once, as billions of the wounded, ghoulish creatures began to devour entire cities, towns, and everywhere that living humans were. Having not been able to prepare for it, mankind was already losing a fight against an enemy that needed no sleep, nor rest. More people abandoned jobs to try to find friends or family.

  The dead, an army of zombies created by the disasters of prior days, were slow-moving, plodding creatures with no reasoning power. Their strength was diminished, but in numbers, they were powerful, and relentless, as it seemed only an innate drive to feed upon warm, living tissue drove them. Scientists had little to no time to determine what was going on, and in trying to examine specimens, many doctors and medical workers were killed, or became part of the growing number of living dead.

  Some phone service still existed, and so Jake had begun to call the others, lucky enough to track down at least one of them- Marty- who knew how to reach Andy. The three of them continued to harass and dig, until they had found a way to reach the other two. As news that the Canadian government was unable to be contacted reached them through news reports, Jake had set up a conference call from the ship- close to docking on the west coast.

  “All right, boys, word’s been spreading like crazy through my guys,” Jake said quietly. “I think a lot of people are going AWOL to find family and friends.”

  “No fucking way,” Andy groaned. “Now’s the time to keep shit together!”

  “Yeah, I’m not so sure about that,” Jake countered him, to several seconds of silence.

  “What are you thinking about, big brother?” Mick asked. “We just landed back at the base, and this place is fenced in like a prison. There’s a jillion of those fucking dead things on the other side of the fence.”

  “Yeah, Jake,” Marty chimed in. “What are you saying?”

  “I think if the world’s falling apart, we ought to be there together for it, huh?” Jake said.

  “You mean go AWOL? Are you fucking crazy?” Andy asked.

  “Maybe,” Jake answered. “But the world’s crazier right now, and I don’t say we won’t get our shit back together, but right now, I think it’s totally hit the fan.”

  “Can’t say I disagree,” Jon interjected. “I think our brass is planning something for when we put in. Lots of the enlisted are as good as gone. We lost about a hundred guys when one of those rocks pushed a big wave over our ship.”

  “I can’t believe this,” Andy said in disgust.

  “Believe it,” Marty uttered. “We’ve been here two days, and we can’t reach so many places. Heard a rumor even NORAD is a ghost town.”

  “Rumors,” Mick huffed. “Right now, they’re the same as news.”

  “So what do we do?” Jon asked. “Surely not heading home to Iowa.”

  “We could,” Jake said. “But it will be the same as everywhere, and once we all figure out family and friends, we could tell everyone to meet somewhere. I can’t reach anyone in Des Moines.”

  “Jake, you didn’t hear?” Marty asked, which brought more silence for a moment.

  “Do I want to?” Jake asked hoarsely.

  “Big rock plowed right through it,” Marty said with a shake in his voice. “A bunch of smaller ones, too. Place is burnt up.”

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p; “My… god,” Jon gasped. “Our, families…”

  “I wouldn’t put too much hope that anyone made it,” Marty added. “I saw what it looked like.”

  “Then we’re us,” Jake said grimly.

  “Jesus, Jake,” Andy complained.

  “You want some kind of comfort in all this?” Jake asked angrily. “You want me to tell you that just around the corner, everything’s going to be fine? I can’t. There’s nothing going to fix this in the short, or even the long term. So the reality is, the five of us are family now.”

  After another dreadful pause, Mick could be heard as he snapped his fingers.

  “I got it!” he blurted. “Old Anderson’s farm!”

  “Yes!” Marty agreed. “It’s certainly out of the way, and David’s always glad to see us.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Jon added.

  “Marty, we’re not too far apart, I’ll meet up with you, and we can head there,” Andy said.

  “All right then, brothers,” Jake said. “Anderson’s farm, as soon as we can get there.”

  “Right,” Marty said. “Bring all you can, we’ll need food, guns, water.”

  They had begun to clear up some details, and hang up, leaving only Jake and Mick on the line for a moment.

  “You be careful out there,” Jake said.

  “I’ll be there in a few days,” Mick vowed.

  They each hung up, and Mick stared at the phone for a moment. He then got up from the chair where he was sitting, and turned as Fish entered the room, looking nervous as he came to a halt. Mick turned to him, and gave a look that seemed as upbeat as he could make it, but still had a bitter expression.

  “Did you hear?” Fish asked. “Atlanta is supposed to be totally dead.”

  “I hadn’t heard,” Mick admitted.

  “That’s where I’m from, man…” Fish uttered mournfully. “Where am I supposed to go?”

  “Where are any of us supposed to go?” Mick asked the younger pilot. “I suppose we just, have to survive, for now.”

  “I was talking with Sergeant Ross,” Fish said. “Some of us are thinking about getting out of here.”

  Mick, now directing his eyes back to the phone, let his fingers drum once on the table.

  “Oh yeah?” he asked, not looking at Fish.

  “You should come with us,” Fish urged.

  “Gotta go meet Jake,” Mick said, and turned to look at Fish. “So I’m probably going to have to consider this goodbye.”

  Fish reflected a moment.

  “How the hell can it end up like this?” Fish asked.

  “A better question,” Mick said with a smile. “How do we get out of here? The fences around the base are swarming with those dead things.”

  “I don’t know about that yet,” Fish admitted. “But Lieutenant Davies said he got your message. Said to check your message box.”

  Mick gave a nod.

  Fish started from the room, and then paused.

  “Good luck, bro,” he said. Mick smiled.

  “Same to you, Fish,” Mick acknowledged. “Stay safe out there, and maybe we’ll cross paths again some time.”

  Fish gave only a nod, and then walked away to leave Mick by himself in the small conference room. Leaving that room behind, he headed for where he’d told Lieutenant Davies to leave him the ‘message’. Passing many others along the way, and hearing everything from arguments to laughter to televisions, Mick eventually came to where he would find what Davies had left him, and he checked the box, which was one box amongst a wall of them.

  Lieutenant Jim Davies had been a friend of Mick’s at the base for a while, though he hadn’t seen the tall, thin man for more than a year due to the war. Mick found an envelope in the message box, and took it out, opening it to find that inside were a set of keys, and a note which he unfolded. Putting the keys into a pocket on his BDU pants, he read the note:

  Mick, always a pleasure to help my buds out,

  so I got you the junk you asked for.

  Really hooked you up for this, so you’ll owe me if we all survive.

  Like that’s going to happen. Go down swingin! JD

  Mick smiled at the note, and then folded it up and put it in his pocket, before noting that somewhere else in the building, he could hear that a fight had broken out. Not wanting to become part of that, he left the building, where he could immediately hear the moans and wails of the hundreds, no, thousands, of the ghastly figures desperately trying to get inside. He reasoned that they didn’t even know why- they just did want in, and at the men and women inside. Tens of thousands.

  Passing the well-armed guards who were watching the fences, Mick made his way to his quarters, thinking about when he had called Davies, and asked him to do the favor for their return. Mick had guessed, from the deteriorating news reports that there would be a lot of men and women vying for whatever means they could secure to get back to their families. Rumblings of those who were planning to flee once home grew louder, and Mick knew he wanted to get to Jake, and home to the rest of their family.

  But knowing that ‘home’ was now a burnt memory, he could only think about making it to Anderson’s farm, and to meet up with the others. From there, it wouldn’t matter where they went- together, the five of them were a great team. He’d asked Davies for some weapons, as Davies was an officer in the armory, as well as rations and traveling gear, to be stowed with his wheels. Soon enough, Mick was at his own quarters, and he walked inside, where he found the bags he’d packed two days before with both civilian and military clothing.

  Taking up the bags, Mick headed back out, and toward the lot full of trucks and cars, until he found the truck he’d left when his squadron was getting ready to ship out to war. It was a big extended cab pickup, and he was amused as he wondered how behind on the payments he was for the big, red Chevy. Using the keys, he unlocked one of the back doors, and tossed in the bags. He then glanced over at the bed to note that Davies had neatly stacked some Jerry cans in the bed.

  “Good man, Davies,” Mick muttered quietly before looking into the back seat again. A long, canvas bag lay across the back seat, and Mick looked around before climbing into the truck to unzip the top of it. After doing so, a smile appeared on his face, and Mick stared down into the bag. The black M16A2 was a welcome sight, and the M203 grenade launcher mounted on it was pure bonus. Mick could tell that there were boxes of ammo, as well as many of the grenades, and he zipped the bag shut as others walked past behind him.

  “Good man, indeed,” Mick said.

  CHAPTER SIX- THE JAKE ESCAPE

  Jake regarded his things in his quarters as he knew the ship was in the process of docking. They had been advised by a helicopter crew that the docks were crawling with the zombies, and so Jake checked, and then re-checked his sidearm as he listened to reports coming in. His pistol was ready to go, but he regarded the thought that he should take something a bit bigger than just his sidearm when the time came.

  Using his rank and connections with some of the enlisted men, he had arranged for something, and presently, there came a knock at his door.

  “Come,” Jake ordered, and watched as a younger marine entered, and gave a salute, which was returned. The Marine had a duffle bag with him, and he gave a smile as he saw Jake eye it.

  “Sir?” the marine said. “This is from Master Chief Rogers. He said you’d asked for something to help you sleep better.”

  “That I did,” Jake said with a smile. “Set it on my bunk, would you?”

  The marine complied.

  “Any new reports?” Jake asked.

  “There are some squads trying to clear the docks a bit for us,” the marine reported.

  “That would be… quite nice,” Jake said. “I suppose it will be tough catching a cab.”

  “Aye, sir,” the marine replied, trying to stay in good humor.

  “Well, you’d better go get ready to get off this can,” Jake said. “If you run into Rogers, tell him thanks for the sleep aid.”
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br />   “Aye sir,” the marine acknowledged, saluted, and left the quarters. Jake turned to the bag, and ran his hand over it.

  “And for my next trick,” he said to himself, “I’ll get the hell off this ship and somehow get east.”

  But the trick had become easier when, after it became apparent that leaving the boat to the docks was too dangerous, crew were lifted by helicopters to a safe location inland. Jake watched as the SH-60 helicopter soared over the crowds of the living dead, and he shook his head, then looked around at the other sailors and officers in the back with him. Duff was there, and he moved closer to Jake, grinning.

  “Big plans?” Duff asked. “Got a couple of whores in Rio waitin’ for ya?”

  “Nothing special,” Jake said. “Just going to hook up with my brother and some friends, and from there? I have no idea.”

  “I don’t think there are many people who do have any idea,” Duff said, sounding more serious than Jake had ever remembered him. “And that’s the problem. Seems like we just weren’t able to handle this.”

  “We’ll get it back,” Jake said. “Never underestimate the power of people with guns. It may just take some time.”

  “Yeah, well, we’re on our way to the command post,” Duff said with a roll of his eyes. “I don’t think anyone of too high of rank is going there, and I’m pretty sure everyone’s just going to take off to go find people they actually care about.”

  “We were already away from home a long time, Duff,” Jake said, noting that the chopper had begun its descent. “Can’t blame folks for wanting to make sure their own are safe.”

  “Then I’ll share with you the unpleasant details I intercepted this morning before we actually put in,” Duff said. “Message came across, not intended for anyone in particular, but the secretary of state said that authority had been ceded to the states, due to failures in communication and infrastructure. If the states were unable, authority was to be ceded to county and local governments.”