We round the corner of the building to our right. Startled, Lucas holds us up as he comes to a sudden stop. His boots glide over the moist blades of grass as he puts his arms out to try and keep his balance.
The vague outline of a figure, with it’s back facing us, is hunched over. The squishing of something wet plays in the air as it digs into a mass of dark, tattered clothing before it.
The chasers’ grunts and heavy breathing loom from the opening behind us. Duke’s subtle growling grabs the figure’s attention. It turns our way. Meaty strands of flesh and shreds of bloody clothing protrude from its mouth. It chews and tugs on the stringy muscle. It’s lips and chin are stained red. It chomps up and down as it starts to get up. I bury the blade of the machete into the crown of the chaser’s skull. It collapses, lifeless.
“Guess Scott didn’t make it to the Humvees after all,” Cassie announces. The beam from the flashlight brings to life his body, his rib cage cracked open like a lobster’s shell. His eyes are wide. I can only imagine what he witnessed in his final moments before being devoured.
I wiggle the blade free from the chaser’s skull as we get back on the move.
The mob of infected filters out from the opening and remains in hot pursuit of us.
“What the hell are we going to do if the Humvees don’t have keys inside of them?” I pose through panted breathing.
“We’ll improvise,” Lucas shouts back.
More chasers materialize from the darkness to our right. It’s difficult to gauge their numbers, but ultimately it really doesn’t matter. We’re more than outmanned right now, and the only thing that matters is getting to those military vehicles.
Lucas points ahead of us at the fence. On the other side, are four Humvees that are lined up in a row and parked next to the curb. I don’t spot any movement beyond the stout chain link fence that encompasses the school grounds. A good sign as far as I can tell.
“How are we suppose to get to the other side?” Cassie hisses panic as we scour the intertwined steel links for a way through.
The looming threat of the chasers bears down on us. We’ve committed to this act and have no choice but to find a way through. There is no retreating. We find a way to the other side, or we fight to the bitter end.
Duke turns and faces the ravenous mob converging on us from all directions. He barks and growls, bearing his teeth and jumping from side to side. Like a tidal wave of teeth, they advance. We’re at the end of the line.
I don’t plan on dying here, though. Not today. Not while I still have life inside my body and a reason to live.
I formulate my plan of attack as my eyes shift from left to right. There is no easy way out of this. I’ll just have to slash and kill anything that gets within striking distance.
“I found a way through!” Lucas calls out from our left.
We scurry down the length of the fence to where Lucas is while the stampede of infected follow. He has a portion of the barrier unlatched and swung open. He waves his arm swiftly in a circular pattern to hurry us through.
Cassie goes first, followed by Duke then myself. Lucas pushes the gate closed and secures it by setting the steel latch into place just as the swarm of chasers arrive. He takes a step back as the ravenous horde slams into the fence.
Their shadowy faces press firmly to the steel. They growl and bear their teeth. They attempt to squeeze their arms through the tiny openings within the fence, but fail to get their hands through.
The clamoring of the brood grows louder and louder as more arrive. I take in the mass of bodies collecting a mere five feet away. I feel as though I’m taunting the creatures by just standing here.
Most, if not all, show a decline in their physical appearance. Frail skeletal frames are draped in smirched flesh that has seen better days. I imagine the more people they infect, the less of a food source they have. I contemplate as to if they’ve ever turned on each other. Consumed the dead rotting flesh of their own kind. It’s hard to tell. Perhaps things aren’t too bad yet for that to happen. Either way, I hope they all starve, and die a slow, painful death.
Gripping the machete, I contemplate exacting some much-needed revenge to soothe my aching soul. A perfect time to do it without much worry from the creatures getting to me. I take two steps toward the fence.
“James. Come on,” Lucas calls out to me.
I’m torn between my moment of weakness, and doing what is the smart thing. If one has an opportunity to flee from the chasers, they should do it. I finally give in, and leave the horde of dead to lust after me. There will be another time to deal with such matters.
I spin around to face the Humvees. The interior light from the lead combat vehicle is a guiding light within the darkness of night. The passenger side door is swung open, and void of any bodies. I slip my pack off my back, and shove it on the floorboard. I grab the handle, mounted in the corner of the vehicle, and pull myself up in the cab. Secured to the dash next to me are two rifles. Nice.
I peer back over my shoulder to the back seat where Duke and Cassie are nestled. I only see the back of Cassie’s head as her attention is focused outside the dark-tinted window at the chasers trying to break through the fence.
“You good, boy?”
Duke’s ears stand erect, and his body is rigid as he fidgets in place. The commotion from the chasers is keeping him on edge. I feel much the same way.
“Damn it. Come on you piece of crap.” Lucas searches for something below the steering column. I think he’s trying to hotwire the truck.
“No keys?” I inquire.
His lips purse. He strains to rip the cover free from the steering column to expose the wires. “Not that I could find quickly. We wait too much longer, and we’ll run the risk of those things breaking through. On a regular vehicle, this would be an easier endeavor.”
Staring at the dash, I search for any place that a set of keys could be hidden. I remember with the Bronco, my dad would stash extra sets in certain places just in case we needed them. For the life of me though, I can’t seem to remember where right now.
“Guys, we need to move,” Cassie warns. “Not sure how much longer that fence is going to remain intact.”
The tumult from the voracious mob sounds as one loud speaker, drawing in more that are within earshot of the school.
Lucas remains silent as he focuses on trying to get the Humvee started. Skimming over the dash toward the driver’s side, I spot a hint of silver from one of the nooks. I reach inside and feel around. My fingers grip the object and pull them out.
“Is this what you’re looking for?”
Lucas catches sight of the keys dangling before his face. He sits back in his seat and grabs them from me. “Hopefully, these are it.”
There are only three keys on the key chain. He tests the first, which doesn’t even slip into the ignition.
I peer to my right and notice the fence is starting to bow outward toward the parking lot. The chasers are more than determined to get through.
“That fence is going to give at any time,” I advise.
“I’m working on it,” Lucas snaps back. He slips the third and final key into the ignition. It slides in effortlessly. He turns the key over and cranks the engine.
The Humvee thrums to life. It sounds infinitely better than that truck we used when leaving my parents’ cabin. The engine shows no signs of faults or problems that could hinder us. At least, for now.
Lucas claps his hands excitedly. “Yes.” He slams his door shut. I do the same. The overhead light fades away, leaving only the brightness from the gauges on the dash to illuminate the interior. Lucas switches on the numerous lights outfitted on the tactical vehicle’s body.
The intense sharpness of the beams brings to life numerous chasers standing before us in the darkness.
“Oh, crap,” Cassie mutters from the back seat at the troubling sight. “What are we going to do?”
Lucas shoves the Humvee into gear. He grips the steering wheel with both
hands as he revs the engine. “We’re going to plow through them.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Glancing out the window, I stare at the panting, stationary chasers. They’re still a ways away, but given their proclivity to cover large amounts of ground quickly, they could be on top of us before we know it. With that being said, I’m a tad hesitant at just going all out and bulldozing the creatures. If this rig gets messed up now, we won’t stand a chance of being able to escape.
“Are we sure we just want to go balls to the wall and charge headlong at them?” I ask.
“Doesn’t look like we’re going to have much of a choice considering they’re blocking the way out of here. Besides, this is a military combat vehicle. It’s made to withstand enemy gun fire and much more. It shouldn’t have any problems with those things.” Lucas keeps pressure on the gas pedal. The engine shows no sign of backing down, and neither does he. “I figured you’d be all for plowing through them since you seem to be on a suicide trip.”
He is right. My perception of reality has been twisted and morphed into a blinding rage of hate. Any chance that I’m afforded to dish out some painful payback on the creatures for what they have stolen from me, I’m more than willing to jump on that opportunity. Especially now. But with the recent revelations of Cindy’s possible survival, I need to think more rationally. Attempt to not give in to my basic instincts to just act without thought.
Something dense slams into the passenger side door next to me. Everyone in the Humvee gasps, and slightly yells from the surprise. I lean away, and stare out of the dark-tinted glass.
A chaser has the right side of his face pressed firmly to the window. His fists pound the steel body of the Humvee repeatedly. Duke barks and growls as more chasers converge on us.
“The fence is collapsing!” Cassie warns.
Looking through the enraged, hungry creatures wailing on the Humvee, I watch as the fence topples over in our direction. The caged chasers flood out of the enclosure, and charge our way.
Lucas punches it. The tires squeal as we take off. The chasers before us jump to life, and rush headlong toward us. They give no indication of veering out of the way. Self-preservation for the creatures is a notion that died once the virus consumed them. All they see now is a possible food source that needs investigating.
The chasers slam into the grill of the Humvee with a heavy thud. The recently turned infected, that still look somewhat human, vanish under the vehicle, while some of the more famished starved frames of the chasers are tossed up onto the hood. Their gaunt faces smash into the windshield. Heads crack open as blood and other fluids splatter over the glass.
Lucas cuts the steering wheel hard to the left. The bulky vehicle alters its course through the empty parking spaces, and hops over the yellow concrete parking stops. We’re jostled violently inside the cab every which way. The howls from the chasers filter inside the vehicle. Lucas keeps his boot mashed to the floor as his hands shimmy from side to side.
“Watch out for the car!” Cassie warns as she leans forward and points out of the windshield.
“Yeah, I can see that!” Visibly stressed, his tongue plays over his taut lips, and his eyes focus on the street ahead. Cars block our way.
My left hand braces against the dash while the other grabs the handle. I see no way for us to slip through without crashing into the parking lot of cars. I have no choice, but to trust that Lucas knows what he is doing.
I look in the sideview mirror, and spy the ghostly, shadowy frames of the chasers pounding the pavement behind us. They’re lit up in a red hue from the vehicle’s taillight. Their arms are outstretched in our direction, their moans carrying on the back of the wind whipping about.
I catch movement just outside the vehicle.
Hold on. What the hell is that?
I lean toward the window as dismay fills me. A ragged hand clutches the bottom portion of the mirror’s frame. My eyes shift toward the rear and follow along the dimly lit arm to find we have a stowaway.
The chaser’s tenuous frame flutters in the darkness like a feather caught in a tornado. It reaches out to grab my image within the glass, but with every bump in the road, the chaser’s body slams into the doors with a dense thud.
“Christ! There’s one of those things hanging on the outside!” Cassie screams from the back of the vehicle.
“Yeah. It’s holding onto the mirror,” I confirm as I drift back from the window. They are tenacious, that much is certain.
“Hold on!” Lucas blurts out.
He jerks the steering wheel hard to the left. The tires screech as my body is slung into the door. We bounce over a curb and into the grass. We tear through a wooden fence and into someone’s yard. Busted boards fly into the air and crash into the windshield. A kid’s inflatable bounce house is knocked out of the way.
Cassie clutches Duke in her arms tightly as he barks and cowers into her. Lucas focuses on the remaining fence dead ahead.
We bust through and emerge into the front yard. Lucas rotates the steering wheel to the left, narrowly missing a massive tree that scrapes along the passenger side of the Humvee. The sideview mirror, and the chaser who is attached to it, disappear. The crunching of metal and busted glass fills my ears for a split second before the throaty engine takes over.
Lucas threads the needle, as best he can, between two cars that lay in our path. The wide, bulky body of the Humvee smashes into both of the vehicles head on. The sound of tormented steel and crunching glass creates a horrifying apex.
We’re thrown wildly about as Lucas fights to tame the swerving combat transport. The tires squeal as we drift over the pavement at an angle, straight toward another parked car. Lucas works the brake and steering wheel in tandem, trying to slow our out of control trajectory.
With teeth clenched and hands franticly twisting the steering wheel to the left, Lucas manages to graze only the driver’s side quarter panel and bumper. We deflect off the stationary vehicle and straighten out, heading down the winding street.
Lucas leans forward and peers into his sideview mirror. He expels a deep sigh of tension through pursed lips. Beads of sweat populate his moist brow. He keeps the Humvee going hard through the streets of Hillsdale, putting as much distance between us and the horde of chasers as possible.
“Everybody ok?”
We’re all a bit frazzled at the moment, reeling from the intense getaway that nearly snuffed out our lives. My fingers are dug into the armrest on the door and the center console. I look to the back seat and stare at Cassie. She takes a big gulp, and swallows the fear stuck in her throat as she strokes Duke’s coat.
“You good?” I inquire.
Although hesitant, she nods. “Yeah.”
My eyes shift down to Duke who is not as vocal right now. I imagine he’s a bit frightened as well. I reach back and strain to run my fingers through his coat. “How are you doing, boy?”
His face is cloaked in darkness, making it difficult to make out his reaction. Considering that he isn’t barking his head off or sitting up in the seat says a lot.
My fingers move to the left through his fur. They finally find his head. His tongue gently licks over my hand as I rub underneath his chin. I love on him for a few seconds more. Doing so helps calm him down, and me as well.
I cut my eyes over to Lucas. He brushes the sleeve of his coat across his forehead. His hand trembles against the steering wheel as his other rubs up and down his face.
“How are you holding up?” I ask.
He offers a thumbs up, and cuts his gaze over to me with wide eyes as he shakes his head. “I could use a smoke and a stiff drink, but all things considered, I’m good. Just happy to be alive.”
“That was some pretty good driving back there,” I mention. “Cutting through that yard probably saved our hides. Not sure I would’ve thought to do that.”
Lucas shrugs. “It was a last-minute decision that fortunately panned out in our favor. Can’t say that I’ve ever done anything like t
hat before. Glad it worked out the way it did. Whoa!” Lucas swerves to miss a chaser. The gleam of the headlights brings to life the infected creature’s sunken face and boney body. It charges us in a dead sprint. Its blood-stained fingers reach for the armored body of the Humvee as we fly by. It turns to give chase, but it’s futile to do so.
“Damn things are crawling out of the wood work now. Did you find something worthwhile before everything went to hell in a hand bag?” Lucas says.
“I think so.” I raise up off the seat, and dig into my back pocket for the map. I wiggle free the waded-up paper, and present it to Lucas. “I found this hanging on one of the walls with some locations circled along Interstate 5. Given what Scott said, I figure we start at the top, and work our way down till we find her.”
“Christ.” Lucas slams the brakes of the Humvee without warning. The tires screech, the tread fighting to slow our momentum. I’m thrown forward, but manage to brace my arms against the dash to keep my face from smacking into the windshield. During our escape from the compound, I forgot to latch my seat belt. I do that now.
Cassie mutters some choice words from the back as her bulk hits my seat.
I peer over to Lucas with a dumfounded expression. He stares out of the windshield with a blank look coating his flushed face. Whatever he sees has him worried enough to steal his tongue.
“What’s wrong?”
With his hand still resting on the steering wheel, he points ahead of us. “More Trouble.”
CHAPTER NINE
When it rains, it pours. A crap storm is always waiting on the horizon. It’s inevitable that you’re going to drive through it sooner or later, son. Hell, you may even stay under its brown, smelly anus for some time. Just remember, no one is lucky enough to avoid it all of their lives. Not even you, James.
My dad. Ever the word smith. A man who spoke his mind and told me how things were. No sugarcoating it. Just blunt and to the point. After all, life doesn’t sugarcoat anything. Why should we?
Dead State (Book 3): Executioner Page 5