After Everything Else (Book 3): Creeper Revelation

by Brett D. Houser

  “They’re still alive,” she said in hoarse whisper back over her shoulder, “but they’re infected.”

  “We gotta put them down.” Theresa said.

  Artie peered over her shoulder. “We don’t have to,” he said. “We could just close the door. Lots of other places we can look.”

  “These folks are about to turn into those things,” Theresa said. “The soldiers weren’t always real nice to us, but they fed us and we were safe. They deserve better. I’d do it for anybody. We can just do it real quick and leave them lay here.”

  Marilyn thought. “No,” she said slowly. “They’re down here for a reason. I think we have to go through them. We’ll have to get them out of here.”

  “Uh-uh,” Artie said emphatically. Marilyn could see the light glinting off his glasses as he peered over Theresa’s shoulder. “No way. Let’s check everywhere else. Theresa, you do what you think you have to, but I don’t want anything to do with those guys.”

  Theresa turned on him. “You know she’s right, don’t you? There’s something we need to see down there. Don’t lose your nerve. We said we’re going to help this girl, now let’s go on and do it.”

  They started moving the soldiers. Marilyn and Todd pulled them one by one to the top of the stairs. Artie, Greg, and Tina pulled them to the examination rooms where Theresa waited.

  The first two didn’t come to consciousness. They were unmoving, easy to think of as objects rather than people. But the third reached out when she and Todd took hold, trying to grab their hands. His feeble attempts were easily fought off. The first gunshot sounded above them then and they flinched, but continued working. Marilyn tried to ignore the following shots. Doing them a favor, she thought. Her respect for Theresa grew. She would have done the shooting herself, but was glad she didn’t have to.

  Only one of the soldiers they carried spoke, and his words were barely audible: Alpha and Omega. Marilyn’s breath caught in her throat. Revelations. She knew the passage well, because ministers were always quoting it. She had read it. But did it mean anything? She looked at Todd, who had frozen, but when he saw her looking at him, he shrugged and grabbed the soldier by his upper arm and pulled. The soldier didn’t say anything else, and Marilyn grabbed on as well and they dragged him up the steps.

  When the last soldier had been handed off at the top of the stairs, Marilyn descended. Honey sat at the bottom of the steps, sniffing around the door. Marilyn’s back ached and her arms were weak, but she grabbed the newly exposed handle and pulled with all the strength she had left. It didn’t move. She studied the metal door. It looked immovable. How would they get through? She pounded it with the heel of her hand, hoping it was hollow, but the ungiving surface told her it was solid. Honey scratched at the door, and then started barking. Marilyn hushed her and tried to think if she had seen anything that would help open the door in the lab or anywhere on the trip down from Immune quarters and came up empty. In despair, she kicked the door and sat down on the steps. Honey stood at the door, tail wagging, looking back at Marilyn expectantly. Another gunshot, this one with a sound of finality, and moments later Theresa appeared in the doorway at the top of the stairs.

  “What is it, Marilyn?” Theresa called down. Marilyn could only see the woman’s silhouette, but her shoulders were slumped and her voice was flat. Marilyn could tell the duty she had volunteered for had taken its toll on her.

  “The door’s locked,” she called back up. “And I don’t see any way to open it.”

  A sound from the door and Marilyn leaped to her feet, ready to retreat to the top of the stairs. The handle turned, and a familiar voice came to her. “Marilyn?” The door opened, and Honey rushed through to dance around Chase. The door opened wider, revealing a strange man behind him with Sonya’s dark hair and eyes, and from behind him Sonya peered at her.

  “Thank You, God!” Marilyn cried, rushing forward and hugging Chase hard, partially releasing him to extend an arm to include Sonya. “Oh, thank You, thank You, thank You!”

  Chapter 36 – Chase

  The other immunes were not what Chase would have chosen, but they were what they were, so he accepted them. Leaving the underground base had been anti-climactic. They had just walked out. They had ridden the lift to the surface, and the group had loaded into the RV. It was crowded, with people crowding around a table and sprawling on the beds and finally the floor, but it was just enough vehicle for all of them.

  Rogers stood by watching as they loaded. He looked lost. Chase felt only a little sympathy for the man, but he did decide to speak to him. “What are you going to do now?”

  Rogers looked surprised. “I don’t know. Die, eventually, for sure, but I don’t know what to do now. I wanted to breathe fresh air one more time. I did that. I wanted to see the blue sky again.” He looked up. The sky was overcast. He chuckled drily. “Still have that to look forward to, I guess. Wait until I start to get sick, I guess. Then….” He made a gun with his finger and thumb and pointed it at his temple.

  “Sounds about right,” Chase said. “You’re going extinct, you know. There won’t be anybody else like you.”

  “I might be the last of the non-Immunes,” Rogers said. “Maybe the last of the scientists.”

  “I think we’ll have scientists again,” Chase said. “But I’m going to make sure we don’t have any like you. Or Dr. Green. Science is supposed to help people.” Rogers looked at him, confused. Chase realized he hadn’t been privy to the last conversation with Green. “Nevermind.” Marilyn called from the RV that they were ready when he was. He raised his hand in acknowledgement. “So. I guess this is it. You just going to hang out around here?”

  Rogers looked around. There were in the middle of an old open mine. The landscape was being slowly recovered by nature, but the ugly scars left by industry remained. “I think…I think I’ll try to get to the beach. A conservation area, where I can’t see anything that people did. And then I’ll wait for the first signs of illness. And that’ll be it, I guess.” He looked at Chase. “Good luck to you.”

  “And to you,” Chase said. He shook Rogers’ hand and walked to the RV. He didn’t look back.

  He climbed up the steps and Grant, Sonya’s dad, was in the driver’s seat. “Hope you don’t mind. I’m always more comfortable behind the wheel.”

  “You sure you feel up to it?”

  “Always.” Grant started the motor and circled in the big open area, pointed the RV towards the gate.

  “Okay, but I can do it. Not that I mind you doing it. I’ve had enough driving to last me a long time.” Chase sat in the passenger seat and leaned back, looking around. No creepers in sight.

  Sonya came up behind them, put one hand on her dad’s shoulder and one hand on Chase’s. “They’re settling in, but I think this is going to be a long trip. They’re kind of a whiny bunch. They’ve had it too easy for too long. Are we going to go straight back to the camp?”

  Grant stopped at the end of the gravel drive before hitting the main road and looked at Chase. Chase shook his head. “We’ll go back to the ranch. I want to pick up our supplies, our weapons. I want to get the Hummer.”

  From behind Sonya came Marilyn’s voice. “Do you think the Hummer can pull a horse trailer?”

  Chase laughed, but Marilyn came forward and she wore a serious look. Chase gave it some thought. “I suppose it could. You sure you want to try it?”

  “I think I do. We can grab a trailer at the ranch and go get the horses at the old farmhouse. They’ll come in handy back at the camp. Hunting and stuff. They’re quieter than ATVs.” She looked at Chase hopefully.

  “Well, why not, then? This trip is going to be a challenge. They won’t be any more trouble than that group back there. Since we know where we’re going, I hope we can cut the travel time down. Two days, three at the most.” He looked behind Marilyn. “Hey. Where’s Honey?”

  Marilyn smiled. “Honey is a hit. Even the most withdrawn of the Immunes are drawn to her. And she’s loving the
attention. She’s going to be a lot of help getting them back to where they need to be.” Chase realized Marilyn didn’t mean the camp.

  “Okay,” he said. He looked around at his group. They were all looking at him, waiting for him, he realized. Even Grant. “To the ranch. Turn right.”

  The trip back to camp took a little more time than Chase thought it would, but not much. He drove the Hummer and Grant stayed behind the wheel of the RV. Chase ran interference, using the heavily armored vehicle to keep the road clear and Grant followed. The trailer behind the Hummer looked a little incongruous, the bright paint contrasting with the OD green of the military vehicle, but there didn’t seem to be anyone around to notice.

  The first day had started slow. They had loaded up everything at the ranch and went to the farmhouse and loaded the horses. By the time they hit the road it was well past noon. There was some talk of staying at the old farmhouse, but Chase, Marilyn, and Sonya were ready to be back at camp. They stopped just before dark, pulling into a fenced-in lot of wrecked cars just off the highway. They closed the gate behind them. The Immunes and Grant slept in the RV. Sonya, Chase , and Marilyn slept in the Hummer. Chase was up before dawn, stiff and uncomfortable from sleeping in the seat. When he got out, Grant was already up and walking around.

  “Are you ready?” Grant asked Chase.

  “Yeah,” Chase said. “We can stop later for breakfast or a break of some sort. I just want to go.”

  “This camp must be something special.”

  “Yes and no. It’s a place in the woods. It’s safe. But the people are pretty special. They’re good people. It’s the only place I’ve felt good since the beginning of all this. Maybe even before that.” Chase looked out at the darkness around them.

  “I haven’t said thank you yet. You took care of my girl. But I don’t think I have to because I guess she’s not just my girl anymore.” He paused. “I don’t think I have to tell you this, but you know she’s something special. And she deserves the best. I think you’ll be okay for her. I guess I’m saying you have my approval, if you need it.”

  “I appreciate it.” Chase wanted to say more, but he couldn’t find the words. “Let’s load up.”

  The rest of the second day was a headlong charge going north. They drove steadily, stopping only once to consult with each other about which way to go. Most of it could be handled on the walkie-talkies from the Hummer, but before they crossed I-10 they stopped to set up back up plans. There wasn’t really an issue. They crossed just as easily as they had the first time. Chase wasn’t sure, but he thought there might be fewer creepers on the interstate. Had they all gotten further north?

  That night they stopped just a hundred miles short of the camp. They wanted to go on in, but they didn’t want to go in after the sun had set. The people at the camp might have set up defenses. That night was a short one as well. Grant and Chase were both up before dawn again, and they started well before the sun came up. The sun was barely over the horizon before the countryside started looking very familiar to Chase and he didn’t have to consult the map any more.

  They arrived at the beginning to the dirt road leading to the camp, and a gate had been put up. A tall gate, one that went from one side of the road to the other. Chase brought the Hummer to a stop and the RV stopped behind him. Seated on an ATV just behind the gate was Bob, a rifle across his lap. Next to him was another ATV, but Danny was already off of it and running for the gate, unlocking it and throwing it open. His yells of joy split the morning air. Chase got out of the Hummer and Marilyn and Sonya followed suit. Bob carefully climbed off the ATV and hobbled forward. Marilyn ran to him and they hugged. Danny came up and gave Chase a big hug, then reached over and grabbed Sonya when she wandered too near.

  “We brought company,” Chase said when Danny let go of him. He pointed back at the RV. Grant was the first one out, and he walked up to join the group, but Danny and Bob were distracted by what was going on behind him. Even to Chase, who knew how many people were in the RV, it seemed the yellow track suits wouldn’t stop coming. Artie, Theresa, Todd, Tina, Donna, and all the others whose names Chase couldn’t remember piled out to bunch up next to the RV. They looked around in wonder.

  When the last one appeared and there seemed to be no more, Bob finally spoke. “Looks like we’ll be building more cabins.”

  “I’ll say,” Danny said.

  “I’ve got just the guy to help you, Danny,” Sonya said. “This is my dad. He’s the best carpenter in the world.”

  Bob looked Grant up and down. “I guess he just might be.”

  Epilogue – The End

  What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make

  an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.

  -T.S. Eliot

  Sonya

  Sonya watched her father and Chase assemble the redwood boards to create yet another raised garden. Beyond them she could see Artie, Todd, and the new guy, Cody. They were working to put together the framework for a greenhouse. Even further away, Theresa and Sharon labored to cover a completed frame and garden in heavy clear plastic. She could hear the backhoe approaching with a load of dirt from the newest pit. Danny and Bob said they could probably grow lettuce, tomatoes, and lots of other stuff all year round down here in the greenhouses, and that was good. Over the last year and a half the gatherers had pretty well cleaned out most of the canned vegetables from stores in a two hundred mile radius, and while wild greens were good and plentiful in the spring and summer, there weren’t as many come fall and winter. Besides, people wanted regular vegetables, too, and not just grass and weeds.

  She cupped her hands together and put them over her mouth, blowing on them to warm them. December in Alabama was a lot warmer than December in Omaha, but there was still a chill in the air some mornings. Not like summer. Not like the tail end of the summer they had first returned from Florida, especially. Most of the September after getting back from Florida the temperature had stayed in the triple digits. Autumn and cooler temperatures had been a relief at first, and then winter had come. The first winter had been rough in some ways, easy in others. Rough, in that they had needed so much. Blankets, clothes, shelter for everyone, food. Easier in that there had been more stuff just lying around to be picked up and used. The gatherers had been so important then. The gatherers. She remembered when the different groups had formed and been named.

  There had been a meeting, everyone from the church and everyone from the underground facility in Florida. Bob had talked a long time about primitive villages, and the roles people took. He’d talked about hunters and gatherers. So the ones who went out to find what they needed became the gatherers. The hunters, of course, had been the hunters: Marilyn and Bob, mostly, though some of the kids from the church learned pretty quickly. They brought in mostly squirrels and rabbits, but when there were no deer, squirrels and rabbits had been just fine.

  But that had been later. As soon as they had gotten back with all the new people, they had needed meat. Marilyn had disappeared into the woods the second night back, coming back the next morning with a deer. She and Bob had kept the camp in meat through the fall and into that first winter and had been doing so ever since. Venison mostly, but when they couldn’t find deer they would kill a cow. Cows were a last resort. Some had survived even to now, but they were becoming fewer, and what there was were often thin, starving, and diseased. Bob said they were dying out because they had been bred and raised to be dependent on people. He also said some might survive, some of the hardier breeds, but only time would tell. Eventually, they had rounded up a few dairy cows and kept them at the camp, but they weren’t real efficient. They ate so much. Bob said they’d probably never keep them around just for meat. For that they had chickens. Much better as far as food consumption versus meat produced, Bob said. And, of course, now there was always deer and the other small game the hunters brought in. They brought in all the meat the camp could ever need, but sometimes they would go even when they
didn’t need to. Sonya thought maybe they just liked getting out into the woods.

  The hunters knew the woods, knew where to find deer, game, and other edibles. But the gatherers knew the roads, the surrounding towns, and the creepers. Danny was the best of them. He knew a lot of the area around them from travelling as a construction worker, but he also had a talent for finding what they needed and avoiding the worst of the creepers. He knew where they would probably be, and he knew when they would probably be there. Theresa was a gatherer, too. She and Danny made a strange pair, but they really got along well. There was some talk of a possible wedding. Sonya hoped the talk was true.

  Of course, with the hunters out hunting and the gatherers out gathering, someone had to stay back and take care of camp and build it up. Her dad was a caretaker, of course. Skills that were an immediate help around the camp stayed at the camp. He was a much better carpenter than Danny, and Danny was glad to have done with it. Everyone was surprised when Chase chose to be a caretaker, but not Sonya. Chase could have been a gatherer, or even learned to be a hunter, but his problem-solving ability was best suited for figuring out how to survive as comfortably as they possibly could. He had been the one to figure out the best use of fences, constructing traps that funneled the creepers into large pits Danny dug with a backhoe they had brought from a construction company. There the creepers were put down and the corpses eventually burned and buried. Not that many creepers made it to the camp, but a pit would fill every month or so. Theresa was a gatherer, but there was one caretaker duty she took on. She was always the one to put herself to work doing the toughest job possible, the one no one else wanted to do. She took the job of putting the captured creepers down. Every morning she would visit the pits and take care of the creepers who had fallen in. Sonya could tell the days when there were none. Theresa was happy and cheerful all day. On days when there were creepers in the pit, Theresa’s smile took on a forced quality for most of the morning, and only Danny could joke her out of that mood.