“I didn’t think you had time for that,” Joel said.
“I took it last night.”
“Open the door and let’s do this,” he said, bracing himself to run.
Julie swung the door open wide enough for him to slip through. Once inside, he ran to the small pile of remaining cans. Even with the dead still milling around on the steps, he had plenty of room to grab some cans and get back out before they could get to him. He picked up as many cans as he could hold in his arms and bolted for the door, throwing the cans through and sliding back out, helping Julie and Jane slam the door shut behind him.
“Nice job,” Julie said.
“Have you two always read each other’s minds like that?” Jane asked. “I had no idea what she had in mind.”
“That’s why they always had them work together at NeurAx,” Loraine said. “They used to say they must have been separated at birth.”
“Let’s light some fires,” Brighton said, picking up a can in each hand. “Jane, you light the aerosol while we work the cans.”
Jane pulled the lighter out of her pocket. They spread out in front of the fence, cans aimed at the dead who were trying to reach through the fence at them. Jane walked to each of them, lighting up the spray emitting from the cans they held, watching the flames shoot toward the zombies and setting them on fire. They rolled around on the ground, engulfed in flames until they finally stopped moving. Each time an aerosol can would run, out Jane would grab another one and hand it to them, lighting that one as well. Soon they had cleared the fence and the dead were finally still. They looked up to see more coming in the distance.
“This may be our only chance,” Joel said. “Everybody over the fence.”
Joel and Brighton helped the women over first and then climbed over behind them. Once they were at the manhole, Joel and Brighton pulled the cover off, using the flat side of a lug wrench from the back of a nearby car to pry it up. They got the others down into the tunnel and then pulled it back into place once they were inside.
“It sure is dark in here,” Lorraine said, her voice echoing in the large empty tunnel.
“We’re lucky this is here,” the reverend said as they started their journey toward the river at the other end. “They put this in after the last flood to keep the water from flooding the town too bad.”
“I heard about that flood,” Julie said. “I heard it wiped out some homes near here.”
“It cracked the damn and did a lot of damage in the surrounding counties as well,” Brighton said. “This tunnel is mainly just for drainage, in case it happens again.”
“Just as long as it doesn’t happen while we’re in here,” Julie said.
“I’m getting no service on my phone,” Joel mumbled, stuffing it back into his pocket.
“The concrete in here is too thick,” Brighton said. “We won’t get service again until we are almost out of the tunnel.”
“That puts a damper on our communication.”
They continued down the tunnel, hoping they would not run into any of the dead.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Rob and the others came to the edge of the trees bordering the Brenner property. They stayed behind the foliage until they could make sure that the coast was clear. They could see the boat ahead, still on the trailer parked on the back lawn, only about ten feet from the water.
“Do people really take boats on this river?” Hannah asked.
“Not motorboats,” Rob said. “But we’re going to try it anyway. It’s not like we have many options.”
“Is it deep enough?” Hannah asked.
“I doubt it, but we have to hope so,” Rob answered. “We have had a bit of rain lately, so maybe that will help.”
“If not, we will be wading through water the rest of the way out,” Emily said.
Rob looked back at the boat in time to see six of the dead walking out from behind it. They moaned and shuffled along, looking for someone alive to devour. They seemed to be the only ones in the area, but they still made it difficult to get the boat into the water.
“Naturally, this can’t be easy,” Shirley said, digging out a pack of cigarettes.
“You brought smokes?” James asked.
“I had these in my pocket,” she said. “Want one?”
“I would love one,” he said. “It might be the last cigarette I ever have before being disemboweled.”
“Thanks for that pleasant thought,” she said. “Pass the pack around. Anyone who wants one, take it.”
“Hurry up and enjoy them,” Rob said. “Get ready to move for the boat.”
“How are we going to get passed them?” James asked, pointing at the dead near the boat.
“Anybody got any of those cans?” Rob asked.
“I have a couple,” Rita said. “I stuffed them into my apron. I never took it off.”
“James and Emily will spray flames at them while Doctor Blake and I push the boat into the water,” Rob said. “Then I want everybody to jump in fast.”
They stamped out their cigarette butts after only a few drags and prepared to make the run for the boat. Rita handed the cans to James and Emily and James dug out his lighter. James and Emily ran toward the boat, each lighting a can and spraying the flames at the dead, effectively setting them on fire.
The dead fell to the ground as they went up in flames, setting the grass around them on fire. The flames worked their way toward the house and the fuel tank on the side of the building.
“Oh, shit!” Rob yelled as he ran to the boat with Blake and Hannah following close behind. “Everybody, get to the water! The house is going to blow as soon as the fire reaches that tank!”
They all worked together, pushing the trailer to the edge of the river, unlatching the boat and pushing it into the water. Rob and Blake climbed aboard and started pulling the others into the boat until everyone was safe. Rob fired up the engine and steered it as fast as he dared down the river, putting distance between them and the house.
Rob heard the explosion as the fire reached the fuel and propane tanks, causing the surrounding trees to catch fire as well. He looked back as the sky lit up over the house, illuminating the area they had just escaped from.
“Damn, that was close!” Doctor Blake exclaimed.
“That was too close,” Shirley agreed.
Helen sat in silence, obviously thinking about her mother. Helen had lost her grandmother before she got home from college, and now she had lost both parents in less than a week. Rob couldn’t imagine what the girl must be going through.
“Are you okay, Sweetie?” Shirley asked, sitting next to Helen and putting her arm around her shoulders.
“I feel like I’m in a nightmare,” She muttered. “I can’t believe I lost both parents.”
“Don’t hold it in for too long. You have to let it out.”
“I have nowhere to go. My parents are gone, I have no home and I feel so out of place, now.”
“You can stay with me. I may not be the best company, but you are welcome to live at my place as long as you need,” Shirley said.
“Thank you, Shirley.”
“It looks like the fire is spreading,” Rita said, pointing toward the Brenner place behind them.
“Take a good look at the lights in the distance,” Rob said. “This is the last time we will ever see the lights of the village.”
“At least we got out before the National Guard destroyed it,” Blake said.
Rob looked at Doctor Blake, feeling the same relief, but hating the idea of his whole town being destroyed. Though it saddened him to think about the town being nothing more than a memory, surviving was far more important.
* * * *
Margie was almost to the flames beyond the trees ahead. She saw flashing lights beyond the fire and she knew they were probably watching for her. However, it would be better to be in custody than to be stuck out here in the woods among the dead.
She stopped to sit on a tree stump, feeling a little tire a
nd fighting against the dull throb that had started in her head. She rested her forehead on her hands, feeling the ache beginning to set into her joints. The last thing she needed right now was to start feeling ill.
She looked up at the clouds setting in, beginning to cover the stars that had shown so brightly just a few moments ago. The wind was picking up and she knew it was going to storm before too long.
Normally, she loved the smell of the breeze right before the rain, but all she could smell right now was the smoke from the fire surrounding the perimeter of the town. The smoke had gotten thicker as she got closer to the fire and she could feel it burning her throat.
She moaned as she felt the ache move into her joints. She felt dehydrated and wanted to curl up next to the tree stump and go to sleep. She knew she was going to have to get the other side of the fire so the authorities there could get her to a hospital. She had better get to them before it was too late and she died out here.
She tried to get up, but the aching that was now spreading throughout her body made her cry out in pain. She could feel the fever setting in now, making her sweat. She felt so sleepy, though she knew she couldn’t fall asleep here. If she passed out now she would probably be devoured by the dead and never wake up again. She pushed herself to her knees, feeling her stomach turn inside her as she did. She vomited onto the grass. Her world started spinning for a moment before she vomited again, emptying her stomach of what little contents it had.
As she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, she heard the moaning of more of the dead closing in. She stayed still and quiet, listening for any indication of how far away they were. They weren’t too close, but not far enough away, an getting closer. She figured she had time to get away if she moved fast, shaking her head in an attempt to get the cobwebs to clear from her aching brain.
As her equilibrium returned, she decided to make a break for it and get herself to safety. She slowly got to her feet and started toward the wall of flames.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Sargent Perkins was glad to hear that at least some of the survivors were escaping the town as he spoke to Rob on the phone. He was thankful they were getting out before the town was destroyed, taking them with it.
“How far are you from the edge of town, Sheriff Daniels?” Perkins asked.
“Not too far. At our current speed, we should be there shortly.”
“I will have some troopers stationed at the river to meet you when you arrive. We have tents set up for anyone who needs medical attention and we will get everyone to the local motel for some rest.”
“Thanks, Sargent. We really appreciate all you have done. Have you even left to get some sleep?”
“I have a tent set up here to sleep in, and I have a comfortable back seat in my cruiser, as well.”
“How soon before the National Guard destroys the town?”
“Shortly, but they decided against Napalm.”
“Why?”
“Since fire works so well, they are going to douse the entire area with fuel and burn everything.”
“Makes sense.”
“As long as they keep the fire contained.”
“I owe you a drink when this is all over.”
“I’ll take you up on that, Sheriff.”
Perkins hung up the phone and walked over to the trench, feeling the heat still coming off the fire, warming him up, combating the chill of the late night cold. He held his hands out toward the flames, allowing the heat to sink into them.
“How about a cup of coffee?” a young trooper asked, walking up to him with a steaming mug in his hands.
“Thanks, I could use it,” Perkins said, feeling his appetite returning after hearing of the escape in progress.
“You think we will lose any more of them?” The trooper gazed into the fire.
“I sure hope not,” Perkins replied as looked at the ground. “Those people have been through more than anyone deserves to.”
“It sounds like the sheriff had it together. Otherwise, none of them would have gotten this far.”
“I believe so.”
“The wind is picking up and it looks like it may rain sometime today,” the trooper said, looking up at the dark sky.
“Hopefully, the wind won’t spread the fire until we have them out of there. And hopefully, the rain will hold off until we sanitize the town.”
“Excuse me, Sir? What do you mean sanitize the town?”
“We are going to burn the town. Sheriff Daniels feels it’s the only way to eradicate the problem completely, and the National Guard agrees.”
“What about the survivors in town, Sir?”
“There are no other survivors. Sheriff Daniels and his crew are the only ones left, according to him.”
Perkins heard a shout from behind the wall of flames. He ran over to see what was going on, wondering if there were more dead working their way through.
“What the hell is that noise?” he yelled.
“There’s a girl in there,” one of the troopers answered.
“Is she alive?” Perkins asked.
“She’s alive, but she says she’s sick.”
“Bring her out at the river over there and get her to a medical tent.”
The troopers got to the other side of the flames by entering the river and wading through the water. They were gone only a few minutes when they returned with a young woman. She had long blonde hair that looked dirty from the smoke. She had only a sheriff’s department uniform shirt, now torn and filthy. As far as Perkins could tell, she was very attractive under the dirt and smoke. He walked over to where the troopers were bringing her onto the grass, out of the river.
“Are you alright, young lady?” Perkins asked her.
“I think so,” she said. “I just feel sick.”
“What’s your name?”
“Margie,” she said. “My name is Margie Barnes.”
* * * *
Joel and Reverend Brighton walked ahead of the others, making sure the coast was clear and ready to take action if it wasn’t. They were not far from the first branching tunnel that broke off the main tunnel and went into the river. They were hoping to get out that way, but they had to check it out first.
“It’s too bad none of us are trained like James and Rob were,” Joel said.
“At least I made it out with what little experience we do have,” Brighton said.
“Let’s just hope we have enough combined knowhow between all of us to get us out of here alive,” Joel muttered. “So, they built this tunnel after a flood?”
“Yes,” Brighton answered. “They don’t normally put a tunnel like this in a town or a smaller city, but the water turned Main Street into a river for a while. The existing drain system was in place, but this tunnel was added to accommodate large amounts of flood water.”
“Does in go underneath the whole town?”
“Not the whole town, just on the outskirts of town and into the river. It would have required them to dig up large areas of the town, so they put it in and ran the drains into it.”
“Well, I am glad they put it in. Otherwise, we may still be trapped back at the hotel after we got separated.”
“That makes two of us. The first branching tunnel is right up here.”
They crept up the smaller tunnel and peeked around the corner, checking to see if the coast was clear. The tunnel was dark, making it difficult to see the other end of it. Joel’s eyes had adjusted to the dim light in the larger tunnel, but the smaller tunnels were darker, almost pitch dark. He and Brighton moved slowly down into the darkness, tiptoeing to keep as silent as possible. The other end of the tunnel was coming into view, the faint moonlight coming in and barely illuminating the opening.
Suddenly Joel saw movement. He squinted in the dark, praying his eyes would adjust. He was starting to make out the shapes ahead of them.
The shapes were heads, about a half dozen of them. As soon as he figured out what they were, he heard the moans begin.
They took off down the main tunnel again, the sounds from the dead following them as they ran.
* * * *
Rob steered the boat between the rocks and the branches, silently praying that they would not reach a spot too shallow for them to get through. He had the light out so he would not alert the dead, even though the engine made enough noise to do that on its own.
“It’s a good thing we’ve been getting enough rain lately,” Rita said moving up beside him.
“I just hope it’s enough,” he said.
“You’re worried about Reverend Brighton, aren’t you?”
“I’m worried about all of them.”
“We may survive this after all,” Shirley said, pointing to the flames ahead. “We’re almost there.”
“I just hope the others are surviving, as well,” Rob said.
“Do you think the zombies have made it all the way out here?” Rita asked.
“I doubt it,” Shirley said.
“If we don’t see any for the next few moments, we will be home free,” Rob said, hoping he was right.
Suddenly Hannah screamed as one of the dead came up out of the water beside the slow-moving boat, grabbing her by the arm. There were seven of them wading in water up to their hips, surrounding the boat as they reached up and tried to pull them into the river with them.
“Get the oars!” James yelled. “Hit them in the head and knock them back!”
He grabbed one of the oars and bashed one of the dead. Its head caved in, but it kept trying to haul Hannah into the water. Emily grabbed the other oar and started beating them with it, driving them back from the boat. They didn’t stay down long before they were getting back up and moving in on the boat again. James and Emily kept hitting them, fighting a losing battle.
Hannah fought to get free, but the dead man finally got her into the water. Before the others could bring her back on board, she was swarmed by the other corpses, screaming as they bit at her, tearing her limb from limb. James tried knocking them off of her with the oar, but it was too late for her. She finally stopped screaming, her blood mixing with the water and running down the river.
Threshold Series (Book 1): Threshold Page 20