by Sean Kidd
The five stood up and patted themselves off, engrossed in the bus that was now a few feet inside the building.
The rear emergency door swung open. Daniels stood there with a smile on his face, “Are you guys going to stand there all day staring at me, or do you want to get the hell out of this place. Cecilia climbed up the back of the bus and threw her arms around Daniels, “I knew you wouldn’t leave us.”
“Don’t worry, honey. I’ll never leave you, but for now, I’m going to get all of us out of here. Now let’s go, everyone on the bus.”
Bunker was the last one on the bus and locked the door behind him. Once the door was secure, he made his way from the back of the bus, climbing over a heap of dead zombies, which were blocking the aisle. He sat down behind the driver’s seat, next to Daniels, who was slamming the bus into gear.
“Did you have a little trouble commandeering the bus?” Bunker asked, looking back at the aisle.
Daniels glanced up at the oversized bus mirror, “Nope. No problem. Nothing a few rounds couldn’t fix.”
Daniels slammed on the accelerator, and the bus took off. The center of 45th Street was clear. Zombies lined the sidewalks, but few ventured into the road. The ones who did were no match for the 65,000-pound bus.
“Why are they staying on the sidewalk like that?” Bunker asked.
“What am I, some sort of zombie aficionado?” Daniels snapped.
Daniels paused for a moment after his outburst, “I’m sorry Bunker. I’m just upset about Cooper. I'm not used to people dying on my watch. I don’t know why they’re staying on the sidewalks. Maybe the same reason some of the zombies in business suits are carrying around briefcases. Something deep inside of their brains must be telling them it’s just another day, business as usual.”
“Except for occasionally eating some brains.” Bunker joked.
Cecilia and Kaden joined the two men in the front of the bus. Daniels glanced at them in the mirror. Worry and concern painted their faces. He knew he had screwed up when he left them.
“Hey guys, I’m sorry about what happened after Cooper died. I hope you didn’t think I was leaving you. I was just upset and needed some time. He was my friend and responsibility. I felt like I let him down.”
Cecilia touched his shoulder, “We understand. I knew you’d never leave us, but I was afraid you were going to get yourself killed out there.”
“I didn’t, and I don’t want you to worry. I’m going to get us all out of here.”
Daniels lifted a finger pointing through the bus windshield, “See that bridge right there? It’s the GWB. That’s our way out of here.”
Destiny called out from the back of the bus. She had been going through the pockets of the dead zombies, looking for money and anything else that tickled her fancy. “I thought you was gonna get us out of the city, sugar?”
“That’s what I’m doing,” Daniels said.
“Well, you’re goin’ the wrong way, baby. You gotta drive halfway across the city to get to the GWB. The Lincoln Tunnel is just a few blocks behind us. I thought y’all wanted to get out of town. Even more now with them there creatures coming at us.”
Destiny was right. The mundane, repetitive ritual of the dead was altering. They were no longer living on their old nine to five memories. They became more aware of the bus barreling down the street. Something seemed out of sorts to them. Their paths began to turn inward, and the crew inside recoiled every time a body bounced off the metal bumper.
“We need to get out of here,” Kaden said, as the bus struck another zombie, spraying black ooze across the windshield.
The wipers did little good as they spread the coagulated slime across the windscreen creating a smoky haze.
“Oh, that’s so gross,” Cecilia said as she buried her head in her knees.
Bunker stood up from his seat and opened one of the side windows on the bus, “Daniels, they’re trying to block the road up ahead. We’ll never make it through, there’s too many of them.”
Daniels called to the back of the bus, “Destiny, I need your help. How the hell do I get back to that tunnel?”
“Let me take a look where we are, foxy,” said Destiny as she weaved her way up to Bunker’s open window. “Oh, gorgeous. You got us all mixed up now. You must have zigged when you were supposed to zag. Don’t you worry, honey. Lady Destiny will get you as right as rain in no time. Take your next left up there on 6th Avenue, head down two blocks and take another left at Bryant Park.”
“And that will get us to the tunnel?” Daniels asked.
Destiny giggled, “No, sugarplum. I just know how to get to da tunnel from there. We can’t get there from here.”
Daniels turned back, “You know that doesn’t make any sense, right?”
“Don’t you worry, honey. It makes perfect sense to me.”
Daniels turned forward in time to see an overturned taxi in the middle of the road. He was going too fast to stop, and the only available option was to hit a mound of dirt left there by the New York Water Authority for work on the ancient sewer lines.
Daniels cranked the wheel hard to the right. The engine revved as the top weight of the bus combined with the mountain of sand to pull the tires off the ground. Everyone in the bus flew out of their seats as the vehicle tipped over, sliding along the pavement and coming to rest on its side. The engine sputtered for a few seconds and then stalled. White smoke burned the lungs of the unconscious passengers as it filled up the interior of the bus.
CHAPTER 17
Questions raced through my mind as I watched Herman and Thurman walk back to the boathouse. My best friend and Cowboy joined me. I was still lost in thought. The three of us stared until Chevy asked, “What do you think about them?”
“I don’t know, Chev,” I answered, as I watched the garage door of the boathouse rising.
“Herman seems to be a pretty good shot. He nailed every one of those zombies in the head from more than a hundred yards away. That’s impressive.”
“Which one is Herman?” Cowboy asked.
Chevy shrugged his shoulders.
“Thurman is the smart one, and Herman is Batman,” I said with a chuckle, “At the very least, you know they’ll be entertaining.”
Headlights came on inside of the boathouse followed by the high pitch revs of some sort of sports car. The bright LED lights moved forward revealing a shiny black Ferrari convertible. The top was down, and I saw Thurman beaming from ear to ear as he pulled up next to us. He revved the engine a few times before shutting down the impressive vehicle.
“Where the hell did you find that thing?” Chevy blurted out.
“It’s not a thing. It’s the Na Na, Na Na Batmobile.” Herman sang.
Everyone laughed.
“I know it’s not practical,” Thurman said, “but Batman, here, had to have it. My mom took our car when she left for work last week. She never came back, so we took Mr. Beaumont’s car.”
“Who’s Mr. Beaumont?” I asked.
“He’s a rich Canadian guy who has a summer house here. I think he owns a company that makes buses or something like that in Plattsburgh. I told Herman it was temporary until we could find a truck or a camper.”
“Why don’t you guys just stay in your house and wait this thing out?” I asked.
Thurman leaned in and whispered in my ear, “I know our mom is dead,” he leaned back and spoke in a normal voice again. “Our Grandma and Papa live in Destin, Florida. It’s on the panhandle, and the beaches are beautiful. We’re going to try to make it down there, see if they’re all right, and then hop on a boat. Maybe we can find a deserted island and live there until this thing passes over.”
“You’re more than welcome to travel with us if you like. We’re heading to Georgia. Sophie, that blonde lady over there, is a scientist, and she has the cure for this epidemic. I promised I’d help her get to the CDC in Atlanta. We need to make a quick stop in New York City. My dad’s there and, he needs our help.”
“Wher
e in the city is he?”
“I don’t know. He left a message on my cell phone, but I haven’t heard from him since.”
I pulled the cell phone from my pocket, examined the screen, and dragged my thumb across the cracked glass. It was down to four percent, almost dead.
“Does it still work?” Thurman asked.
I turned the screen toward him, “It’s worked a few times. That’s how I know my dad is in the city and needs help. Sounds like he’s joined up with some people. I’m hoping for another message, but I’ll never see it if my phone dies. You don’t happen to have a charger, do you?”
“Sorry, Ty. I’ve got a charger, but it’s not for one of those. But I’m sure you can pick one up just about anywhere.”
“I was going to grab one earlier today, but I forgot when I got attacked in the store. Cowboy had to save my ass. We left in such a hurry; it slipped my mind.”
“Well, I’m sure we’ll find one soon…Herman! Get out of the driver’s seat.” Thurman yelled as Herman beeped the horn. “I’ve gotta take care of this before he attracts every zombie in Port Kent.”
“No problem,” I chuckled.
Herman double-timed it to his brother while disciplining him, and pointing a chastising finger.
I pushed the home button on my phone and swiped to the main screen. The battery was at three percent now. My fingers touched letters as I sent a text message, “Dad. I’ve got Mom. We’re coming to you. Are you okay? Please respond if you get this.”
I hit send and watched as the battery percentage dropped down to two percent. That was it until I found a charger.
CHAPTER 18
Radiator steam seeped from under the bus hood while the diesel engine ticked as it cooled. Smoke lingered in the air inside of the bus as a groan came from one of the unconscious survivors. A repetitive humming vibrated against the shattered glass and steel walls. The sound helped pull Daniels from his stupor. He forced his eyes open. An upside down advertising poster of a Victoria’s Secret model came into focus. He was no longer in the driver’s seat, but rather found himself lying in the middle of the bus with his feet in the air, resting on the seat above his head. Zombie carcasses were strewn across his legs. Panic began to set in until he realized they were the zombies he had dispatched earlier when he commandeered the bus.
It took a minute for Daniels to get his bearings. He looked down at his chest and saw he was covered with glass. Most of the windows on the bus had smashed out when the bus flipped onto its side. Daniels pulled his legs out from under the zombies and gave himself a quick once-over. He wasn’t bleeding, and it didn’t feel like he had broken anything. The rest of his friends were still out cold.
He heard the buzzing again. The sound of a hard molded plastic phone case was vibrating against the metal shell of the bus. This time, Daniels recognized the sound. He brushed away broken glass and found his phone lying next to him.
He looked at the screen.
“New Text Message.”
Daniels swiped the screen, “Oh, thank God. It’s Ty,” he said aloud.
After reading the message, he felt a sense of relief. He tapped the reply bar and started to type. Daniels, not having the speed and agility of his son, tapped out his message one touch at a time, “That’s great news, Ty. I’m okay. Zombies have taken over the city. I’m with a group of good people. We are trying to make it to the Lincoln tunnel. Be careful. Tell your mom I love her. Oh, the only way to kill these things is to shoot them in the head. I’m sure you know that by now. BE STRONG! I love you. Dad.”
Daniels hit send. He watched as the delivery indicator moved across the top of the screen and paused, “Come on. Send you son of a bitch.”
And with that, it sent.
Daniels placed the cell phone back in his pocket, this time fastening the button. He couldn’t take a chance of losing the only connection to his family.
“Did you get ahold of someone?”
Surprised by the voice, Daniels glanced over at Bunker. He was gaining consciousness and trying to sit up.
“The phone. Did you get ahold of someone?” he asked.
“I got a text message from my son, Ty. I told him we were okay and headed for the tunnel.”
Daniels put his hand over his pocket and felt the smooth outline of the phone through his shirt, “Do you want to try to call someone, Bunker?”
Bunker laughed, “Who, my Parole Officer? If it’s all the same to you, I prefer to let him think I’m dead.”
Daniels laughed, “What about your daughter?” The smile vanished from Bunker’s face as a shade of melancholy replaced it, “If it’s all the same to you, Daniels, I think I would rather make my way down there and find out if she’s okay for myself.”
Daniels pulled his hand away from his shirt pocket, “If you change your mind, you let me know, and the phone is yours.”
“I appreciate that,” Bunker said with a nod.
The conversation brought the other three back to a conscious state.
Daniels heard the complaints coming from the others.
“Is everyone okay back there?” Daniels asked.
Kaden sat up, still drowsy from the knock to his head, “What happened?” he asked, while blinking to rid the blurriness.
“We had a little accident, pal. Are you okay? It looks like you’ve got a little blood dripping from your forehead.” Daniels asked, pointing at Kaden’s head.
“Yeah, I must have cut it on all this glass. Where did it all come from?”
“Now, where do you think it come from boy? Mr. Knievel almost killed us all jumping this bus. This ain’t no action movie, ya know.” Destiny sat up and adjusted one of her breasts, “Oh great, I think you broke my tit.”
“Sounds like Destiny’s up.” Bunker joked.
Daniels chuckled, “I’m sorry, Destiny. I don’t have a response to that. Will you be a dear and check on Cecilia? It looks like she’s still out.”
Destiny sat up and crawled over to Cecilia giving her a few pats on the cheek, “Hey girly, girl. Wake up. Sugar Bear wants me to make sure you’re alright.”
With a little coaxing, Cecilia opened her eyes and reached for her forehead.
“I’m okay, my head hurts, I think it bounced off the roof. I’ll be fine, I just need a second to catch my breath.”
While Ceci was regaining full consciousness, Destiny used the metal seat legs to pull herself up, and continued to climb up to the window. She knocked away some of the remaining glass and poked her head out of the bus. Anyone who would have been watching from the outside would have thought she resembled a turtle poking its head out from the shell. She searched the area for a few seconds and dropped back into the bus.
“What’s out there?” Bunker asked.
“Honey, I didn’t see nothin’ but a lot of smoke. It’s blockin’ everything.”
Daniels climbed up on the seat, “Let me take a look,” he said as his head rose out of the window. He spun around taking in the full 360 degrees. Destiny was right. An immense cloud of blue smoke surrounded them. When the bus flipped on its side, the oil must have spilled onto the hot engine block, clouding the entire area.
Daniels dropped back into the bus, “If everyone can walk, we need to get out of here, while we still have cover. This may be our best opportunity. Bunker, can you get the back emergency door open?”
Bunker pushed against the red locking safety bar and forced the door open, “The hinges are on the top. I’m gonna have to hold it. Let’s go. Everyone out.”
Daniels left the bus first with his M4 raised. Ten feet outside the bus, he took a knee and scanned the area with the EOTech scope, “It’s all clear. Let’s move.”
With everyone out, Bunker exited the bus. He wrestled with the heavy steel bus door to prevent it from slamming closed. The last thing they needed was another loud noise attracting zombies. The bus wreck already put the dead on alert. A door slamming would help them pinpoint their location in the haze.
Bunker met up wit
h the waiting group, “Which way?” he asked.
Destiny raised a gold-ringed finger, “If we go that way, it will take us to Bryant Park.”
“Is it safe there?” Bunker asked.
“I don’t know if it’s safe, but that’s the way we need to go if we want to get out of the city.”
“Bryant Park it is,” Daniels said taking point, “Follow me.”
Bunker caught up to him and gave him a light tug on the arm, “I don’t think Ceci and Kaden are doing so well.”
“What do you mean?” Daniels asked.
“I mean they seem out of it.”
Daniels glanced back, “I can understand Kaden. He lost the only family he had. I don’t know what’s going on with Ceci. Maybe the bus wreck hurt her worse than we thought. I’ll talk to her when we get to the park.”
“Yeah, she hit her head hard,” Bunker agreed, “But that’s not what I’m talking about.”
“What do you mean then?”
Bunker snuck a look back at her for a brief second, “I don’t remember her being that pail. It’s like she’s been…bitten.”
CHAPTER 19
I tucked the phone back in my pocket wondering if dad would get my message. A cool October breeze swept off Lake Champlain, turning her sapphire blue water into cresting whitecaps. Each one bigger than the next, slamming against the jagged slate rock beach. Red and yellow leaves blew from the trees and landed at my feet. People travel from hundreds of miles away to see the Adirondack foliage. A luxury I took for granted my entire life, associating this time of year with raking and extra chores. I’d give anything now, to have my dad here bitching at me. Listening to him complain about my half-ass raking job.
As I stared off into the lake, my mom saw the concerned look on my face and came over.
“What’s wrong, honey?” she asked.
Again, like all the other times of need in my life, my mom was there when I needed her the most.
“I sent Dad a text.”