“Fuck,” cursed Cale.
He began knocking frantically on the glass.
“Nancy! Open up! It’s me! It’s Cale!” he shouted.
“Cale,” Zach tried to interrupt him. “Cale.”
He didn’t pay any attention to his hallucination, he just continued knocking on the glass.
“Cale!” Zach yelled.
“What?” demanded Cale.
“Look,” Zach pointed to the garage at the back of the yard.
The car entry door was open, inside sat his mother-in-law’s vehicle. It’s door was wide open. Cale’s excitement deflated. He readied his knife and walked down the driveway. The cement floor next to the car was stained with old dried blood. Someone had bled out here.
“Fuck,” he whispered.
Nothing in the garage indicated a struggle. Whoever was getting into the car, was attacked and killed almost instantly. That “whoever” was more than likely Nancy, his mother-in-law. Since her death, she probably been reanimated, wandered off, and was long gone by now.
“Marie still uses a car seat, right?” Zach inquired.
Cale looked in the back seat and saw no car seat. Nancy had a couple of bags and a suitcase placed neatly in the back. This meant one of two things. Either Lauren and Marie never made it to her mother’s house. Or they used his car to escape. Cale reached in behind the steering wheel, and removed the keys from the ignition. He flipped through the key ring till he found the house key.
He closed the car door and walked back towards the house.
Cale could see down the driveway, and at the front of the house three infected were approaching. He sat the keys on the banister of the back patio. Cale waited for them to move up the side of the house and closer to him. When the first one was within a few feet, he raised his rifle and fired at him. The man slumped to the ground. The next undead tripped over its fallen comrade. Cale quickly hurried up and placed his barrel on the man’s head and pulled the trigger. Black pus and rotted flesh sprayed his mother-in-law’s driveway. The third one was a young girl. Ten maybe eleven years old perhaps.
“She’s just a really short zombie,” Zach helped him rationalize it.
Cale took aim.
“She’s not a little girl anymore, man,” stated Zach. “She’s one of them.”
Cale closed his eyes and pull the trigger. He listened to her body hit the ground. He knew he had hit his mark, he didn’t need to visually confirm it. Without looking at her, Cale turned around, grabbed the keys, and unlocked the back door. The door slid open easily and quietly. Cale pushed his way through the blinds and closed the door behind him. A bowl of rotten fruit sat at the center of the dining table. Gnats buzzed about wildly.
“Lauren?” Cale called out.
The house was silent.
“Maybe she isn’t here,” suggested Zach.
Cale knew there was only one way to find out. He dropped his bag and cut through the dining room, into the living room, and up the stairs. As he ascended to the second level he could smell something had died. Both bedroom doors were closed. One was straight ahead and the other was to his left. The bathroom door on the right was open. Cale pulled out his pistol, and entered the bathroom to clear it. It was empty. He returned to the hallway and stared at the guest bedroom door. He didn’t want to open it. He couldn’t open it.
“Cale, I’m here for you,” Zach attempted to comfort him.
“I-I can’t,” stammered Cale.
“You have to,” said Zach. “You’ve made it this far. Against all odds. You didn’t come all this way to stare at a door.”
“What if they’re in there, Zach?” Cale stated. “What then?”
“There’s only one way to find out. Open the door,” said Zach.
Cale stood and looked at the wooden door. He imagined the horrors that waited for him beyond it. He couldn’t stomach the thought of seeing his wife or his little girl rotting. He didn’t even want to think of them being reanimated.
“I know this is hard,” Zack comforted him. “But you’ve got to open that door. You can’t just stand here and do nothing.”
Tears ran down Cale’s face. He knew Zach was right. He nodded, then grasped the door handle. Cale opened the door slowly. The bed was made, and there was a toddler bed set up in the corner. Nancy had prepared for Lauren and Marie’s arrival, but it didn’t look like anyone had stayed here. There was no suitcase at the foot of the bed, no make-up kit on the dresser, and there was no diaper bag anywhere in the room.
“That means they weren’t here!” Zach said optimistically.
“Or it means that they took it with them,” Cale retorted.
He still had the main bedroom to check. And something had died up there, the smell was evidence of that. Cale mustered up the courage to check the other bedroom. As soon as he opened the door he was bombarded by a cloud of flies. They buzzed aggressively, angry about having their meal disturbed. At the foot of Nancy’s bed was her dog, Megan. She’d been a small chocolate lab, but didn’t look anything like she used to now. Cale gagged, and quickly closed the door to avoid letting any more of the flies out.
“At least it was just the dog, right?” offered Zach.
“I liked that dog,” replied Cale.
Cale turned back to go downstairs. Already he could hear thumping on the door. The undead were relentless. If he dealt with them now it would prevent others from gathering. Cale went to the front door. It was time to greet his guests. He whipped open the door and shoved the undead boy off the porch. Cale was too fast for him. He discharged a round and stopped the infected from ever getting up again. From the porch he could see more infected approaching. Two from the south and another from the north. Cale took aim at the one to the north with his rifle. The empty brass jacket ejected and hit the ground, as did the figure to the north.
He put the weapon back on safe and slung it. Cale pulled his knife out and stepped off the porch. The first creature threw itself at him. Cale pulled it to the side and knifed the creature through the back of the neck and through the bottom of its skull. The other, a woman, stumbled over the curb toward him. She managed to keep herself on her feet. Cale pulled out his knife and rushed to meet her. He cradled her as he killed her. The flesh on her body stuck to his jacket. Cale eased her body onto the ground.
He took one more look around. The streets were empty. Cale returned to the house and locked the door behind him. With his back firmly against the door he let out a sigh. Nancy’s house was festive as it always had been during the holidays. There were four different Santa statues in each corner of the living room and two nativity scenes on display next to each other. The Christmas tree was in the sunroom with gifts tucked underneath it.
“I think it’d be a good idea to call it a day,” Zach suggested.
“Agreed,” replied Cale. “Let’s see what there is to eat.”
Cale opened the cabinets and piled all the food on the table. Stale chips and crackers, canned veggies, spam, and various soups were all he had to choose from.
“Yummy,” chuckled Zach.
“Better than nothing,” Cale stated as he grabbed a can of soup.
He needed a can opener. Cale rummaged through each drawer until he found one. As he opened the can he noticed Nancy’s notepad. She always had one by the phone so she could write messages down. The note there now was more than a year old.
Banquet at church 11 o’clock Wednesday
Franny December 31 to January 7
Mail presents to Lauren
Church prayer group today
“She must have been headed to the church when she was attacked,” Zach deduced.
“I was more preoccupied with the one before it,” said Cale. “Why would she mail presents to Lauren, if she were coming here?”
Zach shrugged.
“Lauren, where are you?” whispered Cale.
Chapter 31
A NICE MAN
Lauren hurried to the classroom with her box of supplies. It was alm
ost art hour. True to her word she was the art teacher. A man opened the door for her as she got closer.
“Thanks,” smiled Lauren.
“Running late?” teased Taylor.
Taylor was the physical education teacher. He had originally been part of the other camp. He’d come to Mountain City to trade, and just ended up staying. His outgoing nature was contradictory to Simon’s, but the two of them became unlikely friends. Often times he would join Simon, Kristie, and Lauren for chores and projects. Gradually over the course of the winter he’d become part of their trio. Turning it into a quartet. Sometimes he reminded her of Cale, and occasionally of Ben.
“Yeah,” she replied. “Just had to get some last minute supplies.”
“Ah. You want some help?” he offered.
Lauren had meant to say no, but yes came out instead. She handed him the box.
“I’ve got it,” he winked at her.
On reflex she smiled at him. She was unintentionally being flirty. The story of Lauren’s life.
“How’d PE go?” she asked.
“Pretty good,” he laughed. “Callum does a good job of policing up after his sister.”
“That’s my little man,” retorted Lauren.
“Both of them love being active,” added Taylor.
His dirty blonde hair fell into his eyes. Taylor pushed the stray locks away. Lauren made note of how toned and muscular he was. Large muscles had never been her thing, but he was definitely attractive.
“I was going to ask you,” he trailed off.
Lauren waited for him to finish, but he fell silent.
“Ask me what?” she prodded.
“Uh…about dinner?” he stammered. “Dinner. With me?”
Lauren suddenly felt foolish for pressuring him to ask his question.
“Taylor. I uh…” she said awkwardly.
“It’s okay,” he told her.
“Can’t,” she stated at the same time.
An unsettling silence fell on them as they walked down the hall.
“Maybe another time?” Lauren disguised her lie with a smile. “I’ve just got a lot going on right now.”
“Of course!” he said cheerfully. “Just let me know.”
“I will,” she lied again. “Well, this is me.”
She opened the door for him to enter. No one was in the room. Just rows of tables and chairs and a few lanterns. Lauren didn’t enter the room with him. Taylor placed the box on the table at the front of the room while Lauren waited in the hall. He was surprised by her distance when he turned around.
“Everything alright?” he asked.
“Yep,” she fibbed once more. “I just realized I forgot something.”
She hurried away before he could reply. It was another anxiety attack. They’d become frequent when she was left alone with any man. It was another symptom of post traumatic stress from almost being raped. She gasped for air as she exited the armory. Her head was swimming. She shook with unexplained fear. Lauren leaned against the building, then allowed herself to slide down it. She crouched on the ground desperately trying to center herself. Taylor walked out on his way to his RV. He noticed her sitting along the wall.
“Are you okay?” he inquired.
“Yeah,” she laughed. “Just a little light headed is all.”
“You need help? Do you want me to go get Doc?” Taylor questioned further.
“No, really,” she smiled. “I’m fine.”
Lauren gave a halfhearted smile and Taylor reluctantly accepted it before walking away. She let out a sigh. After a few deep breaths she stood back up and rushed to her class.
Part III
Home
“The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”
— Maya Angelou
Chapter 32
SHOOT OUT AT THE KIDDIE CORRAL
Cale awoke the next morning. It was strange being in a familiar place. Nancy’s couch had served as his bed. And already outside he could hear a group growling and snarling to get at him.
“So,” Zach started. “are you going to go out guns blazing? Or are you going to sneak out the side door?”
“Side door. Definitely,” answered Cale.
He didn’t want to advertise his whereabouts to the undead any more than he already had. It was going to have to be a to-go breakfast today. Cale already had all of his gear ready to go. He sat it by the side door, and went back into the sunroom. From here he’d be seen from the outside.
“Hey! I’m up here you fucks!” Cale shouted as he banged on the glass.
The window was high enough off the ground that the infected weren’t a real threat. Cale counted eight or nine of them. A few more sauntered up from around the house.
“Yeah that’s right,” Cale badgered them. “Breakfast is right here.”
As he looked down at their dead faces he wondered how many of them Lauren knew. How many of them had been friends of hers? How many were classmates? How many could be family? There was really no way to tell. Many of their distinguishing features had rotted off. Cale disappeared from their view and donned his gear. He easily slid out the side door and into the neighbor’s backyard without being seen. He made his way up to the next street and then headed east.
“Why are you headed east?” inquired Zach.
“I know it’s a long shot,” began Cale, “but I have to check Lauren’s uncle’s house. One of her family members could be there.”
“Alright, man,” stated Zach. “It’s your call. But I think it’s a waste of time.”
“I know,” replied Cale.
He utilized overgrown alleyways to get to his destination, only a few blocks away. When he arrived at the massive five car garage, Cale knew he’d made it. Lauren’s uncle and her grandfather worked together restoring old model cars. Something her uncle continued to do even after her grandfather passed away. Cale entered the backyard through a wooden gate. The back door of the house had been kicked in. This clearly wasn’t the work of the undead. The house had been vandalized. Not surprising given that Lauren’s uncle was wealthy. Someone living, perhaps thought that they could make a quick dollar off of the items within their home. Too bad for them civilization ended, therefore the need for money was moot.
“This doesn’t look good Cale,” commented Zach.
“Agreed,” nodded Cale. “I’m not going in. But I do need a set of wheels.”
The garage had been broken into as well.
“Fucking really?” exclaimed Cale. “Why would someone do this?”
“Vandals, man. Who knows why they do what they do?” offered Zach.
The windows on each of the five cars were gone. Two of them had cracked windshields. Another was buried under a pile of debris, where the roof had caved in at the north west corner. The two closest to him, had suffered the most cosmetic damage. A red Mustang had the word “bitch” carved into the hood. What looked like pin striping down the side of the car was really a deep scratch. The culprit’s knife was lodged into the tire. He must’ve not been able to retrieve it. The other, a baby blue 1975 Poniac Lamonz, had been dented and scratched. The headlights and side mirrors had all been shattered, the tires were flat, and hoses hung out of the fuel tank. It’d been pillaged for gasoline.
This car, had been Lauren’s uncle’s pride and joy. It was the last project he and his father worked on together before he passed away. A picture of the Lamonz with the father and son standing in front of it hung on the wall. With a handwritten note from Lauren’s grandfather. It read;
All done and looks good. Give me something else to work on.
That was one of the last handwritten notes he left. And now, because somebody thought it would be funny, his final project was defaced. Cale was hoping to use one of these vehicles. But it was clear that all of them were out of commission. He left the garage and circled to the front of the house.
“Aren’t you going to head south?” asked Zach.
&nb
sp; “No. There’s a highway just north of town here, that goes out west,” explained Cale. “I can’t chance getting trapped out on that bridge. Besides, the interstate has been cleared of traffic. If I need another ride it’d be easier on the highway. Assuming it isn’t cleared off.”
“I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you,” Zach ribbed.
Cale made his way north out of the residential area, and entered into the business district. He walked down the streets of Lauren’s childhood. He passed by another one of her favorite restaurants, she would be sad to see it in its current state of decay. The undead shuffled about, temporarily oblivious to him. Many of them were preoccupied with trying to gain entrance to a small strip mall. The dead swarmed at its doors. Cale could see that someone had cleverly parked semi-trailers in front of the other entry points.
“You think there are survivors in there?” asked Cale.
“Looks that way. Why else would they stand there like that?” offered Zach. “Are you going to go introduce yourself?”
Cale shot Zach a stern look. To get in would be too much of a hassle anyway. The undead were packed into the parking lot and smashed up against the doors. There had to have been at least a hundred of them there. Cale kept his distance and stayed on the opposite side of the road. Two cars in a restaurant parking lot caught his eye. They clearly hadn’t been tampered with. One was an old Saab. A two seat manual drive. The other was much newer. It had a Cadillac emblem on its hood.
“Take the Cadi,” Zach encouraged him.
Cale walked between the two vehicles.
“Whichever one has keys is the one I’ll take,” Cale replied.
He lifted up on the handle of the Cadillac. The door opened.
Z Plan (Book 3): Homecoming Page 28