Brushfire Plague: Reckoning

by R. P. Ruggiero

  He ignored the barb, “You do know me well. I’ll leave right after we eat. Hole up over there until dark and take him down at three AM. If I’m not back by sunrise, go on without me,” Cooper said, clipping his words.

  “Good luck, I hope you don’t make Jake an orphan,” Dranko’s words burned.

  Cooper turned and went to work readying his weapons. When he told Jake his plan for the night, he had only one word in response, “Good.” Such a cold reply made him shudder more than what Dranko had said.

  **********

  Cooper took a different route home on the motorbike and squirrelled himself away in a cluster of bushes off the road, about a mile from his neighborhood. He laid out his sleeping bag, put his pistol next to him, set the alarm on his watch, and was asleep in minutes.

  The soft beeping startled him hours later, at two in the morning. He was instantly awake, adrenaline pumping. He packed his sleeping bag and readied himself. He would travel light, only his pistol in hand and a borrowed revolver from their supplies as a backup, holstered. He wore dark clothing and smudged grease from the auto parts store to darken his face and neck. He donned a black baseball cap that he had also liberated from the store. It had previously advertised Jack Daniels whiskey, but he’d removed the patch that held the white lettering. He turned it around so the brim faced rearward. He drank deeply from a water bottle and double checked his weapons one last time.

  He moved to the edge of the bushes and surveyed Division Street. The moon was just a sliver in the dark sky. The streetlamps were all dark, the electricity having failed several days ago. Here and there, moonlight glistened off shiny metal on the many cars that littered the roadway. Cooper smiled to himself, knowing how hard it would be for anyone to see him.

  He decided it would be safer to go most of the way right down the middle of the road, leapfrogging from car to car in silent sprints. This would be safer than using the yards and potentially happening upon a dog or someone awake and alert. He spotted the first car he would make and ran to it in a crouched position. He sat next to the BMW and listened for a long minute. He smelled the stench of a body, or bodies, inside and willed his nostrils shut. Hearing nothing, he made it to the next car. This he repeated over and over until he was near his neighborhood.

  Now, he changed tactics. Inside his head, he had a map of which yards he could traverse, without dogs, from the edge of his neighborhood to Gus’ house. He had chosen a route that began between the barricades. He knew this and the roving patrol were his most dangerous obstacles. But, he had a plan to distract those on the barricade. At the edge of a building that housed a pizza parlor, he laid out a small canister filled with gasoline and unrolled a long fuse he had fashioned with cotton rope. He sprayed WD40 along its course, hoping it would be enough to keep the fuse lit without making it burn too fast. He lit it, sprinted behind the building, and hopscotched across a vacant lot and several yards until he made it to the midpoint of the barricades.

  A little earlier than he’d hoped, he heard a muffled roar and caught the glimmer of light from the gas can igniting. He’d positioned it so that just a little light would be seen from the barricades. His plan was that they would at least focus on their attention to the light. If he was lucky, they’d send a man or two to investigate. He sprinted across Division, running low, and made it to the first yard he’d chosen. He paused here, listening and scanning for any evidence that he’d been seen. Finding none, he continued.

  He was in Gus’ yard five minutes later. The house was black and silent. He found the side door entrance and tried the handle. Unlocked! He couldn’t believe his luck. Even now, he leaves his door unlocked? What a fool! He turned the handle slowly, opened the door without a sound and crept inside.

  He had once been over Gus’ house for a dinner party and had a good idea where the master bedroom was. Since then, Gus had divorced and now lived alone. He ghosted through the kitchen, being careful to walk on the balls of his feet so he moved almost noiselessly. He pivoted to the left and moved down the hallway. He found Gus’ bedroom door open and went inside.

  He heard Gus’ heavy breathing from the bed across the room. Cooper paused again to listen. Silence. He glided alongside his bed. He punched the pistol’s muzzle against Gus’ head.

  Gus awoke with a start. His eyes squinted trying to see what was going on as Cooper shined his flashlight into his face, blinding him temporarily.

  “It’s me. Cooper.”

  He choked in fear, “Coo…per? Whh..aaa..tt?”

  “I only have one question for you. Why?”

  As he regained his sight, Gus’ eyes flew wide when he saw the pistol’s bore looming an inch from his head. Cooper heard the man’s bowels let go and quickly smelled the stink.

  “Whhh---yyy, what?”

  “Why did you betray me?”

  “I ddd—didn’t betray you!”

  “You turned me in. I saw you that night when those men attacked.”

  Gus averted his eyes, looking down. He paused, breathing rapidly. “I’m sorry, Cooper. I really am.”

  “Not as sorry as you’re gonna be,” Cooper fumed.

  “I just thought what you did was wrong. Lying about this whole thing.”

  Cooper drove the pistol into his forehead so hard it pushed Gus’ head back into the pillow, “I didn’t lie! You dumb bastard! Have you ever known me to lie? About anything?”

  Gus body shuddered, “Well-lll, no. But...it is so hard to believe.”

  “So, you doubt me and call the military? Send them after me…and Jake!”

  Gus’s eyes darted back and forth, searching, “I’m sorry, Cooper. I guess I didn’t think. I hope…”

  “There’s only one hope of yours I’m going to fulfill. Do you want to know what that is?”

  “Wh…aa…t?”

  “The hope you had that you’d never see me again. You won’t. But, you won’t ever see anyone again either,” Cooper said and pulled the pistol back a few inches, readying to fire.

  His finger began depressing the trigger when a whimper to his right stopped him. He looked.

  In the light from his small flashlight, soft blond curls framed a terrified face. Gus’ daughter. Her eyes shone wet and her body was shaking. She looked like she had seen a monster.

  “Please, don’t hurt her,” Gus pleaded meekly.

  “Leave!” Cooper yelled at her.

  She remained unmoved. Instead, she let go with loud sobbing. She pulled a pink blanket to her mouth. Her eyes grew wider and looked him in the eye. Cooper saw something in those eyes that shook him to the core. Innocence. Her terror spoke volumes about the innocence she still had. Like Jake used to have. She hasn’t seen too much. Yet. Cooper lowered his head for a second and the pistol drifted a few inches lower. Then, he inhaled, and looked once more at Gus.

  “I’m going to leave now. I want you to remember two things, Gus. I want you to remember what you did to Jake and I. Driving us from our home and exposing my boy to horror after horror. I wish I could make you see what we’ve seen and do what we’ve had to do.” The pistol shook in his hand as he raised it once more to point to Gus. He willed himself to lower it, “But, I won’t do that to your daughter.”

  A stricken, weak, smile crept onto Gus’ face, “Thh…ank you.”

  Cooper’s lips dripped scorn in response, “Don’t thank me. Thank her. The second thing I want you to remember is that I can come back someday to finish this. You better hope nothing happens to Jake that makes me think about coming here again,” Cooper’s eyes blazed and Gus’ body shivered, the blankets quivering.

  He continued, “And, I need you to do one thing. The authorities better believe I’m heading to Sacramento to hide out with my family down there.”

  “Yes, sure,” Gus gulped excitedly. “They will.”

  Cooper looked at him sternly, “If they come after me toward the coast, I will come back and next time, you won’t even wake up. You got it?”

  Gus’ head nodded furiously. Coop
er stifled the urge to smile as Gus bought the misdirection—Estacada lay toward the mountains to the east of Portland; while the coast was to the west.

  Cooper turned and walked to the door, he paused and whispered to the still shaking girl, taking her chin in his hand, “You just saved your father’s life. You understand that?”

  Her wonderstruck eyes looked up at him, “Yes,” she breathed.

  “There’s still mercy in this world, will you remember that for me?”

  She nodded gravely.

  He gripped her chin harder, his voice louder in desperation, “Will you?”

  “Yes. I will. I promise.”

  With that, Cooper was gone.

  **********

  Cooper made it back to where the others were holed up without incident. He found Dranko on guard duty, about an hour before sunrise. He pulled the door open for him and he looked at Cooper expectantly.

  “No, I didn’t kill him. And, no I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Dranko nodded, “You better get some shuteye.”

  Cooper bedded down and was asleep in minutes; he’d never forgotten the soldier’s trick of being able to sleep whenever, and wherever, the opportunity emerged.

  After what seemed like minutes, Dranko’s boot was jostling him awake, “I let everyone sleep an extra hour. You need to be alert today,” he said as he continued moving about the room and waking the others.

  Cooper stretched himself out. Not as young as I used to be. Few hours’ sleep after a night of action is telling me that this morning! He mused to himself and rolled onto his side so he could watch Jake wake from his slumber.

  Jake rubbed his eyes lazily and let loose a loud yawn.

  “How’d you sleep, son?”

  Narrow eyes looked back, “Pretty good.” His voice was still flat, but Cooper’s heart rejoiced at the trace of the boy he heard within it.

  His joy was short-lived, as Jake’s tone turned harsh once again and his eyes became slits, “You kill him?”

  “No, I could have. But, I let him live.”

  “That’s too bad,” Jake scoffed.

  Cooper softened his voice further and looked with concern at Jake, “His daughter came into the room. I couldn’t do it in front of her. She reminded me of you, son.”

  Jake’s face fell flat and he laughed morosely, “I ain’t like that no more. You shoulda killed that bastard. He drove us away from mom.” Anger laced his words as he rustled out of his sleeping bag and scampered onto his feet. Cooper recognized someone trying to make an escape when he saw it. Cooper did likewise, and caught him by the shoulder just as Jake was trying to walk away.

  He grabbed him by both shoulders and lowered his face so that they were eye to eye, “You don’t have to do this, Jake.”

  “Do what?” he fired back, defiant.

  “Become hard. I went through war and didn’t do that. I saw lots of men not do that. Men who fought. Who killed. Who saw horror. Who didn’t do what you are doing.”

  A long pause hung in the air. Jake’s eyes filled with tears and he barely managed a raspy whisper, “Were they eleven?”

  His words ripped Cooper’s heart open. The painful truth was piercing. Defeated, his voice fell and he cast his eyes at the black and white tiled floor, “No. No. They weren’t eleven.”

  Another long pause passed between them.

  Jake grabbed his father’s shirt and tugged hard, “I don’t know how not to, dad!” Hearing the helpless pleading of his son, his heart sundered anew.

  He pulled himself back so he could look at Jake in the eye, “Won’t you at least let me help you? Trust me, what you’re doing will just burn you up. I’ve seen it a million times.”

  Jake’s eyes were confused, hesitant. His words were stilted, “I don’t know, dad. I’ll try. It hurts too much. Everyone dying. Mom dying. Peter. Worrying about you dying. Me dying.”

  Cooper yanked Jake into a tight embrace and stroked his son’s hair, “I know, son. I know. Just let me help you. Don’t go away. Please.” Now, it was Cooper’s turn to beg.

  Jake nodded his head vigorously against his father’s chest and sobbed. His little body wracked against Cooper’s. “That’s right, son. Just let go. It’s alright.”

  Soft footsteps caused Cooper to look up. Angela’s eyes were full, dripping with sympathetic tears. She moved behind Jake and embraced Cooper, with Jake in the middle. Jake’s head turned rapidly to see who it was. Expecting Julianne, his eyes raged. Seeing Angela, he relaxed and buried his face once more in his father’s chest. Her act of tenderness, and its effect on Jake, filled Cooper’s heart with hope. He caught her gaze and offered a warm smile. Her eyes glinted and her lips upturned. The three stayed in this welcome oasis until Dranko interrupted them awkwardly.

  “We need to pack up and get ready to move,” he said softly, placing his hand on Cooper’s shoulder.

  As the three disengaged, Cooper caught sight of Julianne. She stood off in a corner and averted her eyes as soon as he looked up at her. Still, he saw the fresh tears spilling down her face. Even the briefest glance into those eyes stirred him from some place deep he could not name. Despite himself, his heart longed to comfort her. Why do I feel this way toward her? He summoned anger to push it aside. She doesn’t deserve it. Nonetheless, the question plagued him as they prepared to leave.

  Chapter Four

  With their gear repacked into their vehicles, they gathered in the parking lot. This time, Jake was posted as their guard, making sure they were not caught unawares.

  “Alright, we need to scout the bridge to make sure we aren’t ambushed,” Dranko opened.

  “Right. Lily, can you drive?”

  “Can a cow shit,” Lily deadpanned and everyone laughed. As the laughter died, she continued, “I might be old, honey, but I ain’t dead. If you didn’t already have two women here jostling for your attention, I’d probably show you what else I can still do.” Cooper flushed a shade just shy of fire engine red. Angela and Julianne looked at one another, exchanging an awkward mix of humor and competition. Freddie doubled over. Calvin and Dranko grinned widely.

  “Hell, Lily, you could still show Dranko,” Freddie joked. Now, Dranko blushed and he flipped Freddie the bird, “No offense, Lily.”

  “None taken. Actually, Freddie, I was thinking you and I could do the whole Cougar thing one better. I’m so old, I could be your sabre tooth tiger.” Another round of laughing rocked the group. Cooper let it go on, knowing laughter was a great stress reliever. He knew they needed it every chance they had.

  “Alright, already. Let’s get serious,” Cooper stated to bring some order to the lighthearted chaos. “Lily, you and Julianne will be drivers in the vehicles, parked just out of sight as we near the bridge. Jake will be in a vehicle, too. The rest of us can scout across the bridge on foot. Typical leapfrog. But, Angela, I want you with a scoped rifle on this side scanning the other. If there is trouble, we could use some accurate fire laid down. Make sense?”

  Everyone nodded. Dranko stirred, “I’ve got a radio for each of us, set to Channel 15. If we get cross-traffic or interference, we will move to 16. Also, grab extra mags for your rifles. If we get into a scrape, we don’t want to run out of ammo. Finally, Freddie and Calvin, since you don’t have much experience with firefights, if we get into one, just remember…breathe…let it halfway out and hold it…and then squeeze the trigger. Don’t jerk it.”

  The two nodded. Cooper noticed the clenching of their hands and neck muscles. Nerves. “Don’t worry. If you can manage to aim the best you can and fire, you will be doing well. He clapped both men on their shoulders as he stood between them. “Alright?”

  “Yeah, I got it. Set the expectations low to take the pressure off us, right? Smart,” Calvin responded.

  “I ain’t worried about pressure from Cooper, I’m worried about someone shooting at us,” Freddie exclaimed and laughed hollowly.

  “Dranko and I will take lead. You’ll both do great. Hopefully, this will just be a
good practice run.”

  Ten minutes later, they had outfitted themselves with weapons and extra ammunition. Cooper and Dranko donned body armor, and once again Cooper thanked him for storing an extra set during his preparations for the end of the world. Dranko held one set of binoculars and gave the other to Angela. Finally, they ensured the radios were working before heading out toward the overpass over I-205.

  “Angela, if you see movement or anyone on the other side, first radio to us the location. Then, fire. I doubt anyone waiting on the other side isn’t doing so to offer us a morning tea or cup of coffee.”

  “Or a delicious donut from Voodoo’s. Mmmm…” Freddie quipped, alluding to the almost-famous donut shop in Portland, while patting his belly.

  “Damn, why’d you remind me of those? They are so good,” Lily exclaimed.

  “You mean were so good,” Dranko intoned as smiles disappeared around him. Cooper just shook his head.

  Calvin brought them back to the task at hand, “Right. We got it.”

  They piled into their vehicles and drove the short distance to the last of the buildings that could conceal their vehicles while they scouted the overpass.

  They parked behind a Burgerville restaurant, a popular fast food chain in the Northwest that, before the plague, would have been overflowing with customers. I wonder if I’ll ever get to taste one of their fresh blackberry shakes again, Cooper thought. His mouth watered at the thought.

  “Jake, it’s up to you to protect these fine women,” Cooper began before being interrupted.

  “Please, Cooper. I was hunting squirrel and possum before you were a glimmer in your father’s eye. I’m quite sure Jake and I will make a splendid defense team, won’t we?” Lily said, hefting a hunting rifle as she got out of Dranko’s Jeep.

  A hesitant smile crept onto Jake’s face. That’s the best thing I’ve seen in days! Cooper thought as his heart leapt.

  “And, I’m sure I can hit something with this,” Julianne said, raising a shotgun over her head with both hands, and smiling meekly. “And, before you say a damn word, Cooper, I know to keep it tight against my shoulder when I fire.”