Threshold Series (Book 1): Threshold

by Luquer, David

  “The NeurAx facility is out. That place was already overrun with them when we got out.”

  “Well, this place is too small,” Rob said. “There has to be someplace we can set up until we can get help in here and get this taken care of. I better call the state police now.”

  While Rob made his call, the others began to discuss the possibilities. He listened as best he could without actively participating in the conversation.

  “Rita, you are familiar with this area, right?” Blake asked.

  “Yeah, I’ve lived here quite a while.”

  “Where can we go? Do you know of any place that would be secure and hold any survivors we find?”

  “The diner is out, that place is all windows in the front. They would be in there before we could stop them.”

  “What about the hospital?” John asked.

  “I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Brighton said.

  “Why not?” Rita asked.

  “Well, where do you think the wounded have been going? If they died while they were there, the whole place would be overrun by now.”

  “He’s right,” Blake agreed. “That place would be full of people unable to fight off attacks. They would be easy prey and they would turn just as quickly as the others.”

  “And the college is definitely out now as well,” Julie added.

  “We need someplace big that we can use as a fortress, and a place that will hold any survivors we might find as well,” Julie said.

  “The hotel,” Joel muttered.

  “What was that?” Rita asked him.

  “The new hotel,” Joel repeated. “It’s huge, five floors I think.”

  “And there is a restaurant in there with plenty of food and beds for everyone,” The reverend added.

  “Exactly, it’s a fortress for a mass of people,” Joel said.

  “There’s somebody out there!” John whimpered.

  “There have been people wandering out there since we got here,” Shirley said, sounding annoyed.

  “But this one looks alive,” John said pointing out the window.

  “Who the hell is that?” Rob asked, still waiting for an answer from the State Police barrack. “She does look like she’s alive. Looks like she’s dodging the others pretty good, in fact.”

  “That’s Lorraine!” Blake exclaimed.

  “Who?” Rob asked.

  “Lorraine Bettis, Doctor Johnson’s secretary. We have to let her in.”

  Rob and Joel were out the door in a flash, running up the street to help the woman who was trying to run between the dead. As they ran, Rob was amazed at how much the dead had increased in number. He started pushing the dead out of the way while Joel ran to Lorraine and helped her toward the station’s front door.

  “Get her inside!” he yelled as he pulled his gun and began firing shots into the crowd, trying to keep them back. Joel led Lorraine through the door and waited for Rob before closing it.

  From behind a row of the dead walked Joanne Reed, slowly moving toward Rob. She was naked, bite marks displayed on her arms, legs and throat. Joanne had been an attractive woman in life, but that beauty was lost in death. He reached out and pushed her back, causing her to stumble before he turned and ran for the station door. Once safely inside he, heard Joel slam the door shut before the dead could force their way in.

  “There are more of them out there!” Rob exclaimed when he’d caught his breath. “There must be a hundred of them in the street now. Who knows how many others are out there.”

  “I think we better take Joel’s suggestion and get to the Hotel,” Shirley said.

  “How are we going to get there?” Brighton asked. “We won’t all fit into a single vehicle.”

  “We are going to have to split up into different cars and meet at the hotel,” Rob said. “Someone will be at the front desk at all times after the first car arrives. They will let people in as they show up and lock the doors behind them.”

  “All right,” Doctor Blake said, rising out of his chair. “We may as well bring the others and get going. If we wait much longer, there will be more of those things out there and we may not all make it.”

  “I’ll call the troopers on the radio on the way and tell them that we’ll be at the hotel, so they know where to find us,” Rob said. “As soon as the dead clear out a little outside, we’ll make a break for the cars.”

  They all stood up and went into the back to gather those attempting to rest in the cells. Rob prayed the hotel hadn’t been affected yet.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Jane was running down Main Street away from the college, headed for any place she could find a light on. She hoped and prayed that she might find someone driving down the road who might give her a ride out of this nightmare. So far, the streets were empty of traffic. Occasionally she would see someone shuffling along like the creatures on campus and she would stay on the opposite side of the street from them, afraid they may attack her like Tony did if she got close to them.

  Reaching into her pocket, she began feeling around for her cell phone. If she could keep far enough ahead of her followers, she could call the police and get help. Her hands went into each of her pockets, coming up empty. It occurred to her that she must have lost her cell phone during the scuffle.

  Catching sight of the lights inside the gas station, Jane decided that was where she needed to go. They would have someone working there who may be able to help. She could have them call the police once she made it there. Making her way up the sidewalk, she continued watching both sides of the road ahead for more of the messed up people. She could hear screams coming from all directions. It sent chills up her spine.

  The lights were out in all of the houses she passed. The entire town was dark, except for the station ahead. Jane was no one could be sleeping through this. They must all be terrified, hiding in the blackness or everyone in town was dead. Apart from the screaming and occasional moaning the town was silent. The silence worried her more than the other sounds she was hearing.

  She finally reached the gas station, hurrying inside and looking for any signs of life. The place was quiet, apart from the low hum of the coolers.

  “Hello?” she called out. “Is anyone in here?”

  There was no answer. She scanned behind the counter, behind the small deli and in the bathroom, but nobody was to be found. Moving to the cooler, she stood with her hand resting on the door handle, debating whether or not to open it. The way this night was going, she was afraid of what might be waiting for her inside. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and swung the door open. When she looked inside, there was nobody waiting there for her.

  “Great!” she yelled to the empty space in front of her, frustration now mixing with her fear. “Nobody in the gas station either. Now what the hell do I do?”

  Closing the door and turning around, she found herself staring directly into the face of the gas station attendant. She breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a moment of safety.

  “Oh, thank God! Can I use the phone? I need to call the police.”

  Failing to vocalize any response to her question, the young man only stared at her. It was then that she realized his eyes were glazed over, just as Tony’s had been when he tried to strangle her. His mouth opened wide, a low guttural moan coming from his throat. Slowly, he reached his arms toward her, moving closer.

  Jane jumped backward, trying to keep herself beyond the attendant’s reach but her back collided with the cooler. He was almost upon her when she ducked out of the way, throwing herself sideways. Once she was clear of the boy, she ran through the door and into the parking lot where she began calculating her next move.

  She was about to give up hope when she saw three sets of headlights coming down the street. Running toward them, a prayer entered her mind that it may be someone who would help her.

  * * * *

  Rob drove the lead cruiser, Brighton beside him in the front seat. Rita, Helen and Bernice occupied the back seat, huddled t
ogether in the middle. Behind them in the second cruiser, James was at the wheel with Doctor Blake in the front, Joel, Julie and Lorraine in the back seat. Shirley drove the last car, her own sedan with John, Lenny and Margie riding with her. They were heading down Main Street toward the hotel, Rob watching all directions for trouble.

  The dead had moved away from the front of the sheriff’s station long enough for them to head for the cars, just as Rob had hoped. That was when they took their opportunity. Now, here they were, the only vehicles occupying the street.

  “This town looks quieter than I can remember ever seeing it,” Rob said, the emptiness streets bringing a dismal feeling over him.

  “It’s a bit disturbing, isn’t it?” Brighton responded.

  “It’s eerie. It doesn’t quite feel real.”

  “What’s that up ahead?” Brighton asked, pointing toward the gas station.

  “I don’t know,” Rob answered. “Looks like a person. They’re moving too fast to be one of the dead.”

  “We better make sure they don’t need help,” Rita said.

  Stopping the car in the middle of the street, Rob rolled his window down to get a better look at the person, ensuring they were actually alive. The woman continued running toward them, young and blonde. She looked like she had been running for a while, now out of breath. Her face was sweaty. Her damp hair clung to her face and neck as she approached the car.

  “Oh, thank God!” The girl said, relief edging its way onto her face. “You wouldn’t believe what’s happening at the college right now.”

  “I bet I would,” Rob said.

  “I’ve been running since I left campus, Sheriff. Where are you heading?”

  “We are all heading to the hotel, where we hope it’s safe. Squeeze into the back if you want to come with us.”

  The young woman slid into the back seat, thanking them each individually for helping her. Rob waited until they were moving again, allowing her to catch her breath before asking her any questions.

  “What’s your name?” he said when she was calm.

  “Jane Weston. I’m a student at the college.”

  “I’m Sheriff Daniels. This is Reverend Brighton. Next to you in the back are Rita, Helen and Bernice. The hotel we are heading to should be safe once we get inside and lock it down until we can get help. At least, that’s our hope.”

  “If it’s not already overrun,” Jane said. “You should have seen the campus before I left. It was like something from a zombie movie. Is that what this is? Are the people becoming zombies?”

  “I guess that is a pretty good way to put it, actually,” Rita said. “What you are seeing out there are the reanimated bodies of the dead, in a manner of speaking. At least, that’s the way Doctor Blake put it”

  “Great!” Jane exclaimed, putting her head in her hands. “I always knew the world would end like this!”

  “The world’s not ending,” Rob said. “We are going to figure this out and take care of it once the State Police get here.”

  “How do you kill them?” Jane asked. “I mean, I couldn’t even hurt one on campus.”

  “We’re working that one out, but we know burning works,” Helen answered.

  “Well, guns won’t work,” Jane said, looking out the window. “The campus security guards were shooting them and they wouldn’t die. They were all over the students in no time. The students they killed were coming back to life and attacking the others.”

  “That’s the way this thing seems working right now,” Rita said.

  “Oh my God!” Brighton said pointing out the windshield. “Look at that.”

  Rob’s eyes widened at the terrifying scene in front of them. It looked like hundreds of the dead were making their way down Main Street, heading through town to search for more victims. They were moving slow but the numbers had greatly increased. There was no way around them and Rob was not sure they would make it if they tried to drive through them.

  “What are we going to do now?” Helen asked.

  Rob grabbed the radio and started rattling off new directions to the cars behind them. “The road ahead is blocked off. We’re going to change direction. Everyone, drive out onto the state route to the left. We’re going to come out by the plaza and head out to the hotel. We should be able to get behind them if they are only coming out of the college.”

  “Copy that, Sheriff,” Shirley said over the radio.

  “You got that, James?”

  “Got it.”

  Rob turned the wheel when he reached the state highway, checking the mirror to make sure the others were still behind him.

  * * * *

  “This is looking worse than I thought it could get,” Joel said, looking out the window.

  “I sure hope that sheriff knows what he’s doing,” Julie said.

  “Well, it was actually Joel’s suggestion,” Blake pointed out.

  “Yeah,” Joel said. “I guess you can all blame me if we die horribly.”

  “We have to get this town locked down,” James said. “If this gets out into the rest of the country, we’re all fucked.”

  “The sheriff is going to have the state troopers in here,” Blake said. “He said something about that when we were leaving.”

  “Let’s just hope this dies out after a few generations of living dead,” Julie said.

  “We can hope so, but it is unlikely from what I saw in the test subjects I had in my office,” Blake said.

  “Thanks for the reassurance, Doc,” James mumbled.

  Joel knew Blake was probably right. If this stuff was systemic and being passed from corpse to victim, there was very little chance it would simply fizzle out. There appeared to be no happy ending to look forward to in all this.

  He glanced over at Julie, sitting beside him, staring ahead and biting her lip.

  * * * *

  As they crossed the river, Rita prayed silently that they would not run into another group of the dead on the new route. They passed a few here and there, though not a particularly large group. She noticed that it was affecting the animals as well, dogs and cats with bite wounds staggering along looking for others to bite.

  “This can change animals too?” Jane asked.

  “I guess so,” Rita answered. “Doctor Blake said this started in rats, so it must be able to affect all animals.”

  They approached the end of the road, the plaza coming into view on the right side of the car. The parking lot was completely overrun with the dead. People screamed as they were attacked, bitten and torn limb from limb in some cases. It was a horrifying sight for Rita to behold, and she knew if they survived this it would haunt her dreams for a long time to come, if not for the rest of her life. This was the sort of thing you saw in horror movies, not in real life. But at least the road to the right leading toward the hotel appeared mostly clear.

  The three cars took off down the road to the left, picking up speed as they got closer to the hotel. They slowed down once the entrance to the parking lot of their destination came into view, then turned right and headed into the lot.

  Rita’s eyes widened at the sight before them. She looked from one face to another, seeing the same terror in each. Everyone remained silent for a few seconds that seemed like an eternity. Rita wanted nothing more than to break down and cry, feeling the overwhelming urge to give up.

  “Dear God, look at that!” Helen said, breaking the silence.

  The parking lot ahead of them was filled with the dead, circling the hotel and looking for a way inside.

  CHAPTER tWENTY-ONE

  The Filling Station was a bar on Main Street, conveniently located just a couple of blocks from the college. Students came every Friday and Saturday night and staggered back to the dorms after a few hours of drinking and raising hell. It wasn’t a big night club like many of the students were used to seeing in their home towns. Then again, this was a small town and night clubs would not do enough business from locals when the students were gone to remain open. A local bar lik
e this appealed to locals and, being the only bar in town, drew in college students as well. It was the best of both worlds.

  “I’ll have another beer, Becky,” a man seated at the bar said, signaling to the barmaid behind the counter who quickly grabbed his glass and filled it with another draft.

  “What do you think is going on out there?” Becky asked, pointing out the front window as she set his glass in the coaster in front of him.

  “Beats me,” he answered. “It’s probably just a bunch of students blowing off steam. If they get too out of hand, the sheriff will break it up anyway.”

  “They look like they are pretty damn drunk,” Becky said. “They better not give Todd any trouble or he’ll throw their asses out in the street.”

  Todd was the bouncer and had been for the last two years. He was muscular and was known by everyone who frequented the bar, locals and college students alike. He rose off his stool just inside the door and stood with his arms folded across his chest, preparing for the drunken horde making their way to the front door.

  “Didn’t take him long to get ready,” the man said before taking a long drink from his glass.

  “It never does,” Becky responded. “He has been doing this a couple of years. He knows how to handle drunken groups of students. I better get ready, myself.”

  Becky started getting glasses ready, knowing that when the college students started pouring in, she had better start pouring beers.

  A couple of students who had been there a while, sitting at a table by the window, engaged in a heavy make-out session. The girl glanced out the window to see the sidewalk filled with incoming patrons.

  “Isn’t that Tony?” the girl asked.

  “Yeah, that’s Tony,” the boy answered looking out the window for a moment, before returning to kissing her neck.

  “Didn’t he just leave here about forty-five minutes ago?”

  “Yeah, so what. He probably didn’t get drunk enough before so he’s coming back.”