Ranger Martin and the Search for Paradise

by Jack Flacco

  Matty bit her tongue and gave Ranger a chance to tell her how awful a thought she had.

  “Do you even know what Alcatraz is?”

  “I might have an idea.”

  “You might have an idea. Good. Wipe that from that brain of yours. It used to be a garrison during the Civil War. Last century, for thirty year or so, it used to be a maximum-security prison going by the nickname The Rock. It’s fortified with a lighthouse. If anyone had control of that place, they’d see us coming for miles.”

  “You don’t understand, Ranger.”

  “That’s the thing. I do understand. This entire trip, I thought I was right. I thought we finally had a place where we’d find peace. Where I didn’t have to worry about runnin’ from those belly busters. Where we could rest behind the safety of walls. That’s what I thought. That’s what kept me goin’. I was wrong. Those men who held guns to our heads, Russell and Lenny, said they had families behind those walls and I thought we could have saved them back there. Instead, I found we not only had to haul your asses out of that place, but we weren’t ready for what we’d find. They have guns. They have protection. And they have an attitude. I ain’t goin’ back.”

  “They don’t have protection.” Silver said.

  “What’s that you’re saying?”

  “Protection. Remember. We poked a hole in the wall and now they’re running scared. Me and Abigail were watching the whole thing. The pickup blasted a hole through the doors and the chewers poured into the place. A whole troop of guards died defending their turf, but the eaters ate through them then went after the residents. Hundreds of the undead had flooded the fortress. I’d be surprised if any of them survive. Like I said, they don’t have protection.”

  “So what you’re tellin’ me is not only should I be happy we’ve destroyed the fortress, but I should also be happy we’ve taken the lives of innocent men, women and children. Is that what you’re tellin’ me? Is that what you’re sayin’? ‘Cause I don’t see a positive side to this here thing.”

  “Not the children.” Matty said. “The children, all of them are on Alcatraz. Josh, the leader to the master race, shipped them off in crates to the island for brainwashing. He’s building an army from the ground up. Once the kids grow up, they will listen to him and him alone, and they’ll do whatever he asks them because of their conditioning on that island. We can’t let that happen, Ranger. We have to do something to help them get away from there. And if I got it straight in my head, we’re going to need not a boat, but a ship to get them out.”

  “Is that what this is all about? Tryin’ to save kids from the hands of a demented fool? What did I just finish sayin’? We can’t do it. Look at us. We barely made it out alive. I’m not givin’ anyone a chance to get y’all killed. I’m not doin’ it. It’s time to move on.”

  But then something happened. Instead of Matty screaming at him like she had done on many occasions, she stood in one spot staring at him. Randy, Jon and Silver all did the same. They didn’t say a word. In the meantime, Abigail left the seat of the truck and joined her friends.

  Ranger scanned the kids and thought one thing: they were quietly judging him. He couldn’t avoid their decided looks, the crossed arms and their tilted heads. Through it all, something else happened, but this time the idea hit him like a stone to the head. He said, “I see what’s goin’ on here. Y’all want me to go to that island to kick ass.”

  “Not alone.” Matty said. “You and me. You lead, I follow.”

  “No way, sis. Where you go, I go. Remember?” Jon said.

  “Jon’s right.” Randy stepped into the circle. “You can count me in as well.”

  “Make that five.” Abigail raised her hand.

  Silver scanned the rest of the kids but didn’t volunteer right away until he loosened his collar, wiped his forehead and rubbed his eyes. “Fine. I’ll come, too.”

  The kids broke from their standoff with Ranger, shook hands and patted each other on the back with large smiles all over their faces. They had suspended reality and made a pact to back each other up no matter what happened.

  As the kids congratulated each other, Ranger pinched his eyes of the sudden headache. He said, “No one’s doin’ anythin’.”

  The kids broke from their embrace and went right back to staring at Ranger, but this time they traded expressions of disappointment with each other.

  “I’ll do it alone.” He said. “We’ll drive back to Emery’s Dock, where I found the first yacht, grab another one, ride it to the island and I’ll find the kids myself. No use y’all goin’.”

  Matty said. “But Ranger—”

  “I don’t wanna hear another word from any of you.” He pointed his finger at all of them. “This is somethin’ I gotta do and no one else. Am I clear?”

  Silence floated over everyone. They didn’t know what to say. What else could they say? Ranger had made up his mind and Matty knew better than to convince him otherwise.

  “Good.”

  * * *

  When the Humvee arrived at Emery’s Dock several miles away from where he had taken the first Yacht to Paradise, Ranger broke from the driver’s seat and slammed the door, leaving the kids inside the truck. He left without giving them any instructions as to what they should do or where they should meet.

  With a determined step to his pace, Ranger boarded the first yacht he saw, ran down the steps to the galley and a few minutes later emerged. He climbed back on to the dock and visited the second yacht next to it, doing the same thing. He raced into the galley, but this time when he emerged, he carried with him a jug of water, two boxes of crackers, and a bag of spiced popcorn. He juggled the loot in one hand as he climbed the ladder to the dock.

  When Jon saw what he carried, he ripped from the back door of the Humvee and met Ranger halfway to the vehicle. He didn’t need Ranger to tell him what to do with the food and water.

  Following Jon’s lead, the others poured from the truck and waited for Ranger.

  He smacked the rest of the goods on the hood of the Humvee. The sound shook them and it worried Abigail chewers might have heard the loud noise.

  Making sounds didn’t bother Ranger. If any of those maggot suckers had been around, they would have shown up long ago. He thought any of the local eaters would have gone to where food was aplenty—Paradise.

  As the kids passed the water jug between them, not caring who took a swig or wiping it clean, Ranger instructed them to stay there until he got back. They had ample weapons in the back of the truck and they could hold off a siege for a while before they needed replenishments.

  Matty didn’t care about the other weapons, though. She had lost her silver Colt .45 back at the fortress. The gun had belonged to her grandfather. Other than Jon, the weapon was the only thing left she had belonging to her family.

  After he had instructed the kids, Ranger checked his pockets for ammo. Next, he pulled his shotgun, cocked it and slipped it back in its holster. He slid the knife from its sheath and it gleamed in the sun. He had cleaned it, but green spots remained on the shaft. He nodded then put it away. He tipped his cap to the kids and walked toward the second yacht.

  “Ranger.” Jon ran to him.

  The zombie slayer turned to the voice, his towering figure casting a shadow on the boy.

  “Here.” Jon gave him a candy bar.

  “Where did you get this?”

  “I had it in my pocket. I think it melted, but it’s still good.”

  “This is the one I like.”

  “I know. I’ve been saving it. I thought you might want to have it. It’ll give you energy.”

  “It’s not from that gas station where we first met, is it?”

  “From Vegas.”

  “I’ll enjoy it.”

  Jon smiled then reached to give Ranger a hug. He didn’t want him to go but knew it was the best thing. If it had been him trapped on that island, he would have wanted Ranger to rescue him, too.

  * * *

  The night g
rew cooler as the yacht sped from the dock to the open bay. Other than the motor that propelled Ranger’s boat toward Alcatraz, what once was a body of water teaming with ships, now stood silent.

  Waves rippled from the craft as he navigated the ship through the bay. He didn’t know what he would find when he arrived, if he’d arrive at all, but he knew he’d have a fight on his hands. The same thought came pouring from his head, “What a stupid idea.”

  Not all was a mess, though. He munched on the candy bar Jon gave him and kept his eyes fixed on the tower of the island. The plan he had discussed with the kids before leaving involved taking the yacht to the far side of the island with the hope no one would notice. Somehow, he thought, he could hear the gunshots firing at his vessel already.

  The other part of the plan had him escorting the prisoners from their cages and escaping in the boat. He also had help. He had with him a bag filled with grenades, leftovers from the raid on the house where he had lost Russell in a zombie attack.

  The moon lent its light on the water making the journey easier as Ranger could then see breaking waves in case boats drifted on to his course.

  As his boat reached the halfway mark, he noticed the lighthouse was dark. He thought if anyone were guarding the island, someone should have surely had the lighthouse in working order. Yet the nearer he approached, the more he noticed other peculiarities. There were no boats in the water, and whatever security he thought would come to greet him, such as the image of a security detail, hadn’t appeared. He thought if any security existed, it would exist on the island.

  Ranger shifted the motor to a lower gear, silencing the engine. He didn’t want to alert anyone on the island to come and look for him. He then slowly approached the harbor with his shotgun in full view. No way would he take a chance being shot at again. He’d do everything in his power to prevent it this time around.

  Steering the boat into the harbor, his senses flared. He should have had a greeting party of guards haul him from the yacht and sequester his firearm. He should have had lights blazing in his direction, making him an example of what an intruder would look like once the guards had taken hold of him to make a mockery of him. He should have had shots flying and crashing into the hull of the ship.

  None of that happened. None of it. With a cautious turn, he docked the ship with the pier and shut the engine. He then turned around and bent to the crate of grenades, dipping his hand into the box, lifting bombs and attaching them to a belt he wore designed especially for the explosives. One at a time, he laced his belt all the while scanning the dock for any of the guards to show up unannounced. He couldn’t understand why no one had greeted him yet. He was ready for a firefight, but how could there have been a firefight without a fire?

  Once done, Ranger carefully sneaked across the yacht’s deck, then climbed down the ladder to the dock. He had his shotgun in his hand the whole time and gripped it with all his might.

  The path from the dock led to the edge of a small section of woods. The moon lit Ranger’s way, but wasn’t as bright as other nights. He had a flashlight he had taken from below deck of the yacht, yet he didn’t want to use it so as not to alert anyone of his whereabouts.

  The whole thing didn’t seem right. He had a feeling something was out of place.

  Entering the woods, the darkness had a firm grasp on him where he could see several steps ahead but no more. He surrendered to the temptation of using the flashlight.

  The light blasted from the small device and the first thing to hit his gaze was a rotting body heading his way.

  Chewers.

  Chapter 28

  Randy sat in the driver’s seat of the Humvee while Silver sat in the passenger side. In the backseat from the driver’s side were Jon, Abigail and Matty. Matty had her arm wrapped around Abigail. The warmth of her body seemed perfect for the cool night. Abigail hadn’t asked for anything else.

  It will have been a short while before Ranger returned, Jon thought. They could then get out of there and make a life for themselves. For now, there wasn’t much they could do except sit and wait.

  As Matty held Abigail, she noticed Randy’s face in the rearview mirror. She wanted so much to tell him how sorry she was for the way she treated him these past few days. He didn’t deserve any of it. At the same time, she didn’t want to allow herself the luxury of showing her attachment to him. She remembered what it was like with him being there for her every moment in the day. It had become like an obsession. The warmth she felt for him in the center of her chest had carried her through the tough times, yet she didn’t want to disappoint him if things didn’t go their way. The whole idea of them being a family raised her head to want to scream, but she knew it wouldn’t last. How long before another of the undead would interrupt their family? When would they ever find peace?

  “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Silver said.

  “Yeah, how can I miss it?” Randy stared out the windshield and followed a chewer dragging its limbs across the dock’s deck twenty feet away.

  They had parked the Humvee in the lot facing the pier with a scattering of other vehicles. If they wanted to leave, Randy could simply turn on the ignition and leave. But for only one chewer, it wasn’t worth the effort.

  “What did you want to do?” Matty asked as Abigail raised her head at the sight that wobbled around on a broken leg.

  “Let’s leave it.” Jon whispered. “As long as we’re quiet, it won’t do anything.”

  “We don’t know if there are others.” Abigail said.

  Matty nodded then said, “Stay here.”

  “Where are you going?” Randy asked. “Not out there.”

  “If there’s one, then I have nothing to worry about, will I? It’ll only take a minute.”

  “Stay inside. We’re safe inside.”

  “I’ll be right back.” Matty pried the door open and pulled her knife.

  “Matty?” Jon grabbed her, but she slipped from his hands.

  Quietly, she clicked the door shut and sneaked across the parking lot until she reached ten feet from the chewer. From behind a parked car, she continued her way to the undead. She had to be fast. A quick stab to the skull before it screeched would not alert anything else in the vicinity. But that was the thing. She didn’t know if there were others in the vicinity. She only saw what was in front of her for the time.

  Inside the truck, Randy and the others were saying the same thing under their breath, “C’mon, Matty, you can do it.”

  They stared into the distance at the girl with the knife in anticipation. They held their breath, but when they saw she had three feet left to go, they saw the other chewers drag from a corner of a maintenance building on the right, heading straight for her.

  Randy burst from the door and shouted, “Matty, run! Run, Matty!”

  * * *

  Back on the island, inside the woods where he had shined the flashlight mounted on his shotgun only to have the undead confront him, Ranger reached for his knife and swiped at the neck of the eater that had extended its grimy paws. It seemed like a juggling act, his shotgun in one hand and the knife in the other. A quick flick was all he needed.

  The expectation that the guards would have cleaned the area grew dim. Ranger wasn’t sure what he was doing there anymore. He had children to rescue, but the whole thing didn’t seem right.

  No lights. No guards. Eaters. Not right at all.

  When he pulled the knife from the dead body, a growl filled his ears as two more chewers hunted for the movement in the woods. By this time, Ranger could have done without the light. He turned it off. Yet, he was too late in thinking it would have stemmed the flow of undead heading straight for him.

  Rather than stay and fight, he ran through the shrubs with very little moonlight paving his path. He could hear the moans and screams behind him. In the rush of his stamping on broken leaves, pumping his arms and pushing his lungs to inhale deep breaths, he saw the entrance to the compound ahead.

  Once he made
it through the woods, he still expected a guard, a soldier, anyone to stop him in his tracks with a request to throw his hands high and surrender. It didn’t happen. Instead, the zombie horde behind him had grown large and quick, keeping pace with the slayer. Just as he was about to reach the door to the prison’s wall, an eater hopped from behind a scorched truck to tackle Ranger to the ground.

  Under normal circumstances, Ranger would have stayed and played with the undead, teasing it before crashing his knife into its skull. This time, he tossed the zombie from his chest and sprang to his feet without trouble. He scanned behind him and saw the crowd five feet away, dragging and lurching behind. They were not going to give up until Ranger became their midnight snack.

  Hitting the door with his shoulder, he pulled it, but it wouldn’t open. His face turned white and panic set in. He thrusted and pulled several times expecting a different result. It didn’t budge. Either he’d find another entrance or he’d die trying to open the one in front of him. He didn’t have much of a choice.

  The eaters behind him screeched their hunger at the zombie slayer.

  * * *

  “Damn it.” Silver said as he hopped into the driver’s seat. “Would it have hurt to stay in the car?”

  Randy ran to Matty who jammed her knife into the back of the zombie’s skull. The gut smasher fell to her feet. Five feet from Matty, an undead crowd roared across the boardwalk, some dragging, some charging, burning a trail toward her. The horde acted as one mind. It wanted the ponytailed girl all for itself.

  The first shot from Randy’s gun hit the leader of the undead mass in the face. The demon crashed on the solid wood. Its brothers and sisters trampled the body in a stampede across the boardwalk.

  “Oh God, I can’t believe this is happening!” Matty said under her breath.