by Gallier, TW
"Stay away from us!" I cried.
"On your feet!" he demanded. When we didn't move, he lowered the Uzi and squeezed off a quick burst into the ground before us. "I said get the fuck up."
I discovered how hard it was to stand up with my hands tied behind my back. Olivia just stood up gracefully, while managing to keep her wrists crossed. Ralph rolled to his knees, and then stood up. So I tried that and managed to struggle to my feet. It left me winded.
I forgot all about that when Ted stepped up close, an evil grin on his face. Both the machete and Uzi were pointing up, resting back on his shoulders. No one had ever looked so big and mean in my eyes before.
"Turn around and pray," he said. "Beg Jesus to forgive you. You don't have much time."
Before I could move, Olivia ducked and spun. Her foot kicked out and connected with the side of Ted's knee. Ted cried out in pain as he started to drop and twist. Mike, Carrie, and Vikki cried out and charged us. Everything went in slow motion.
"No!" Olivia screamed.
She twisted the Uzi out of Ted's hand just as he pulled the trigger and released a quick burst. Olivia lowered the Uzi as she turned toward the other three.
Ratta-tat-tat-tat-tat!
I groaned as blood erupted from a dozen wounds on the three of them. The Uzi was empty, so she darted away as Ted rolled away from us. He stood up with the machete, blood in his eyes as he turned to see his friends all lying dead. When he lifted the machete, tensing to charge her, I found my backbone and charged him.
"Ooff!" I grunted when I plowed into his back. "Watch out, Olivia!"
Ted went stumbling away. I landed atop Mike and rolled off to my knees in time to see Olivia pick up a new magazine. Ted must've realized he wouldn't reach her in time, so he veered away and raced into the dark woods. Olivia chambered a round, before emptying the magazine in the direction Ted escaped. Then she quickly ejected and replaced the spent magazine with a full one.
"Holy crap, from now on I'm calling you Lara," Ralph said.
"That was amazing," I said.
Olivia just started crying. Then she puked, and cried some more. I started crying, and so did Ralph. I wasn't even sure why I was crying. Relief? Empathy? Then she ran over and pulled us both in for a fierce hug.
"It's okay," I said. We all knew it wasn't, but it was still better. At least we were alive. "You did great. There wasn't anything else you could've done."
"I killed real people," she sobbed. "Not zombies, real live people."
"It was self-defense. They were going to kill us," I reminded her. "You're like our hero."
"Yeah, right. Give me a tiara and call me Wonder Nerd," she said, wiping the tears away. She sniffed and finally gave me a weak smile. "But don't expect me to wear the bathing suit and boots."
"Damn, now I'm disappointed," Ralph said, also sniffing loudly.
Olivia found a knife and cut us free. I hugged her again. And then again. I was so giddy. And then we looked around at all of our stuff scattered around.
"Do you think Ted left the island?" Ralph asked. "If he's not gone, I don't want to stay here."
That brought me back to reality. Why would he leave the island? Despite us being armed, he was probably pretty confident we wouldn't go hunting for him. Even with just a machete, Ted was still the top badass on that island. Besides, there were zombies waiting for him on the other shore.
"We can't exactly leave, either," I said. "There were way too many zombies over there."
We didn't know if zombies were patient or tenacious enough to wait us out. How much thought were they capable of? Would their limited faculties make them forget about us? Or would hunger force them to keep moving and hunting?
We could probably get those answers in Emory. Yet, the possibility that we wouldn't be allowed to leave, or take our weapons and ammo if we did leave, worried me.
"I'm going to kill you all!" Ted shouted from the darkness. "Do you hear me? I'm going to kill you!"
Chapter 10
I don't know how long we stood back to back to back. We were a Trifecta of fear. I knew it was ridiculous that three heavily armed people would be afraid of some redneck with a machete. Eventually, I got tired of being cold, wet, and shivering.
"Straighten up and act normal," I whispered. "The moron is probably watching us being all afraid and laughing."
I stood straight and faced the fire. The heat felt good, even though it was burned down to embers. So I set my rifle aside and began putting more wood on the fire. Ralph started to relax once the flames rose up. Soon even Olivia seemed to relent a little.
"We still need a guard," she whispered. "I vote for Kyle, since he has the biggest machine gun."
"Uzi rounds are bigger and it fires just as fast," Ralph said.
"Cool, you have first watch," I said. "Sucker."
He actually cracked a smile.
Olivia giggled. I swear, it was the most beautiful sound in the world. Her eyes weren't filled with fear and dread anymore, just wariness. That let me relax a bit more. Ralph returned to scowling at the dark forest surrounding us, but stood tall and acted menacing. He remained next to the fire. He wasn't stupid.
Sitting cross-legged as close to the fire as I dared, I pulled the AR15 across my lap and extended my cold hands to the heat. Olivia sat to my left, and her knee pressed into mine. We glanced at each other, held it a long second, and turned back to the fire. I was all tingly inside, but even more unsure than before. She didn't pull her knee away, and I didn't either.
"What are we going to do about Ted?" I asked. "I don't want to leave the island with the zombies lining the far shore, but we can't live in constant fear he will attack us, either."
"We could go hunt him down and kill him," Ralph said. "Once the sun comes up, of course."
"Eww," Olivia said, looking sick. "I can't do that. Shooting zombies is one thing, but I don't ever want to shoot a living person again."
Mentioning it was a good chance the zombies were still alive didn't seem like a good idea at the time. I still wasn't sure about it. The fact they could be killed with a shot to the heart was a pretty good indication they were still alive. I could be wrong. Who knew what a real zombie was like? Though I was starting to suspect that whatever was infecting them just burned away their brains, leaving them mindless killing machines. Of course, that meant they could bleed to death, die of hypothermia, and even starve to death. All of which meant the zombie apocalypse could, possibly, be over in a few weeks.
And I could be dead wrong.
"I'm back to wondering if it would be a good idea to visit Emory," I said. "There is so much we don't know. Maybe the government has an end game. Maybe the zombies will all die or rot away after a few short weeks."
"A few short weeks?" Olivia asked, looking astonished. "Today was the longest month of my life! A few weeks is a lifetime."
Ralph just snorted his agreement. He was so quiet it worried me. Ralph was not the strong silent type. I worried he was hurting a lot more than we thought. Mike had cold-cocked him, and that after he took a big hit to the head in the car wreck earlier.
"First thing, I think we need to move the camp. It's too bloody here," Olivia said. "And I have bad memories here, too." She looked at the three dead bodies. "They totally creep me out."
I regarded the dead. Seeing them staring up at nothing was creepy to the max. It'd only been a few minutes, and I was certain I could see the difference in their faces. They looked dead. And she was right about the blood. It was everywhere. On the firewood. All over the ground. All over the stuff they'd pulled out of our packs. Even we were all covered in blood, and not just their blood.
The video game was never that messy or disgusting.
"We might be on this island a few days," I replied. "I think we need to drag the bodies to the river and dump them in. Otherwise it's going to stink to high heaven."
"Dude, are you crazy?" Ralph said. "It'll take two people to drag each body. We'll be sitting ducks for Ted."
He was right. We tended towards the smaller side of humanity. Mike was a little bigger than me, and I was the largest of our little group. Ralph and I could drag Mike and the two women to the river, one at a time. But Olivia would have to go with us each time, or Ted would jump us while we were burdened. And if she left the camp, then Ted could come in and steal our stuff, maybe even get a better weapon. We couldn't take much with us while dragging dead bodies.
"Wait. I have an idea," I whispered. "Listen to this idea and tell me if I'm crazy."
Ralph dropped to one knee, facing out and still on guard. Olivia snugged up close. She felt so warm and…
"This is my idea. I'm sure Ted is watching us, or at least close and alert enough to know if we leave the camp."
They both nodded. I licked my lips, wondering if I really was crazy to suggest it. Maybe I was too desperate. But if we didn't do something, then we could be stuck there for days or longer. Or one mistake would get us all murdered.
"We put our stuff back in the packs, and then sneak them into the woods to the north," I said.
"Why?" Olivia asked.
"Let me finish," I replied. "The northern tip of the island is too close for Ted to be hiding there, and if we're successful he won't find our stuff when we leave camp to dump the bodies." They nodded agreement, so I forged onward. "Then we give Olivia all of our weapons, except our pistols, while Ralph and I start dragging the bodies to the water."
"That is so dangerous," Ralph said, eyes widening. "Are you trying to get us killed?"
"Shut up and listen. There's more," I said. "Olivia hangs back a ways, making it look like you and I are alone and vulnerable. But we'll each have a pistol in hand, and Olivia will be following so when Ted attacks, we all light him up."
The real key was Olivia. If Ted went after her instead, we could be toast. She'd be burdened with all of our weapons. We couldn't take the chance he'd see us hiding the packs and extra weaponry and go after that stuff instead. If Ted got his hands on a gun, then we were as good as dead. He could snipe us from the night shadows.
"I'll do it with one change," Olivia said.
Ralph and I looked at her. She looked nervous, gnawing on her lip.
"Kyle and I trade places," she said. "I'll help Ralph drag the bodies to the river."
Ralph nodded before I could answer. Two to one. It was decided. I didn't like it, since I was pretty sure the most dangerous job was the body haulers.
"Oh crap," I said, heart started to hammer. "Let's do it before I chicken out."
Olivia and I started filling the packs, not worrying about what belonged to who. We could sort all that out later. If we survived.
We let the fire die down, reducing the amount of light. It was pretty dark by the time I filled my pack, and promptly crawled out of the cleared out area while dragging it. I moved as slowly and as quietly as possible. The brush just inside the woodline was the thickest, so I hid it there. Olivia had the second pack full by the time I returned, so I dragged it over to the first one. After I hid the third pack, I had both of them stealthily give me their shotguns.
"Where's your crossbow?" I whispered.
Ralph shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't have it when we crossed over."
"You don't remember losing it?"
"Dude, I've been stressed, okay?"
I couldn't argue that point. We were all having a bad first day of the apocalypse. Ralph kept his Uzi, since it was strapped over his head, across his shoulders, and aiming to the left. He moved to Mike's left side. With Olivia to the right, they lifted the dead man up and got under his arms. It looked like they were taking a drunk, passed out friend home.
"Come on, Ralph, let's start dragging these bodies to the river," I said, but not so loudly as to be suspicious. I hoped. "Watch your step."
I took the shotguns, with AR15 in hand, and eased into the surrounding woods. Staying low, I hoped Ted would think it was me and Ralph dragging the body, not Olivia. My real hope was he'd see two guys dragging bodies away, and think Olivia was alone in camp. I would keep an eye on my friends and the camp. If I was lucky, I'd get him sneaking into camp.
All senses alert, I barely breathed as I listened with all of my heart and soul. My eyes were everywhere, darting to every motion in the surrounding night shadows. The rushing river and waves were the predominant background sound. The wind was a close second. There were some bird noises above. And of course the frogs and insects were usually louder, but the zombies on the river bank were keeping them mostly quiet.
I heard rustling and a twig snap south of us. My breath caught, heart hammering even louder. I struggled to control my fear and slow my heartbeat. I needed to hear his progress. Was he going after my friends, or towards the camp.
I hesitated. Ralph and Olivia were almost to the tree line and shore. Panic started to creep in. Had I made a mistake hanging back? I started easing after my friends. It was better to mess up and let Ted check out the campsite than mess up and let him kill one of my friends. I didn't get ten feet before I heard running through the woods closer to the shore.
"Watch out!" I cried. "He's coming!"
I dropped the shotguns and took off running. Movement to my right made me stop and open fire in that direction. The running didn't stop.
Olivia screamed and Ralph shouted. I burst out onto the barren shore as Ted reached them and brought his machete down with a loud, meaty thud.
Chapter 11
"No!" I screamed.
I couldn't shoot. Ted was right there next to them. I charged in across the sandy beach, eyes burning, and tears flowing. I failed my friends. At least one of them was dead. And then two shadowy shapes darted away, going in opposite directions.
Ted was bent over the body trying to pull the machete back out. I pulled the trigger and didn't stop until the magazine was empty. Ted stood tall, back bowed, and arms thrown out. And then he just collapsed. Olivia ran back up and emptied her pistol into him, followed by Ralph emptying his Uzi into the body.
Yeah, Ted was dead.
"Holy fucking shit," Ralph said. "He almost got us."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," I replied, shaking so hard I could barely hold onto my rifle. "I missed. Oh god, I thought… I thought…"
Tears started. I couldn't stop them. My body wanted to collapse in upon itself. Olivia wrapped her arms around me and hugged so tight.
"Shhh," Olivia said into my ear. She squeezed even harder. "It's okay. Everything's alright."
I couldn't stop shaking and crying. My body and emotions were out of control. I'd failed to protect them. That fact was beyond my ability to absorb. On top of that, my profound relief they were all right hit me from the other side. Then Olivia started crying.
Ralph joined us in a group hug and cry. It felt like all of my nerves and emotions were stripped raw. I wasn't sure how long we stood there like that, but eventually weariness set in. I just wanted to go to sleep for a hundred years.
"Come on, guys," Ralph said, voice hoarse. He wiped at his wet face, looking as embarrassed as I felt. "We have to dispose of the bodies."
I took a deep, calming breath. Looking out across the river, I spotted dozens of zombies milling around on the far shore. It was the other side of the river from where we swam over, too. So zombies on both sides knew we were there. Was it the telepathy thing they seemed to have? Or were they drawn in by the gunfire?
"That is so creepy," Ralph said, looking across the river, too.
"Will we ever be able to leave the island?" Olivia asked.
Good question. I was worried about that, too.
"Maybe they'll forget we're here after we go back into the woods," I replied.
Ralph and Olivia dragged Ted's body out into the river, while I worked the machete out of Mike's chest. Ted either missed his mark, or thought Mike was one of us wounded. We'd never know, but I was amazed by how deep the machete cut into Mike. I swear Ted cut through his shoulder bones and right down to his heart. It was not easy working that blade back out.
I thought about leaving it. I was breathing pretty heavily by the time it came free.
"Holy crap, that redneck hit hard," Ralph said.
"And lost his weapon by doing so," Olivia replied. "Don't even try to do anything like that."
Ralph and I dragged Mike out to waist deep water and released him in the current. Ted's body was already out of sight, whether from sinking or a fast current. We returned to the camp, picking up their shotguns along the way. While Ralph and I dragged first Cassie's body, then Vikki's body, to the river, Olivia retrieved our hidden packs. Olivia had the campfire put out by the time we finished disposing of the bodies.
"Do we want to find a campsite in the middle of the island to have as much forest around us as possible?" I asked. "Or go to the other end and make camp?"
"Other end," Olivia said immediately. "I want to be as far from this place as possible."
I couldn't argue with that logic, and Ralph didn't object, so we headed south through the woods. I led, Olivia followed, with Ralph taking up the rear.
We found a nice place surrounded by thick underbrush, with relatively soft, sandy soil. Olivia cleared the campsite while Ralph and I gathered firewood. She even found some rocks to make a circle. Not sure why campers did that, but it was in every movie campsite I'd ever seen, so I suspected there was a good reason.
"Hashtag campfire," Olivia said.
She'd stacked the wood so it looked like a hashtag, on top of another hashtag. In the middle she piled twigs and dead leaves as tinder. She already had some wooden kitchen matches out by the time we finished gathering wood and lit it as we watched. We all immediately knelt as close as possible to the fire.
"This is the coldest I've ever been in the middle of summer," I complained.
I was still shaking like a leaf. Whether from cold or nerves, I didn't care. That fire felt amazing. The light helped lift my spirits, too.
"I know," Olivia said. "I am so pissed at myself for not thinking about a change of clothes."