Sundown Series (Book 4): Torment

by Konstantin, Courtney

  Stepping into the bedroom she shared with Billie and Henry, Alex found the kids cuddled up in her bed. Billie held a book and was reading aloud to her brother. Alex stood in the doorway for a moment and listened as Billie explained how volcanos worked. When she started to dive into death and destruction Alex smothered a laugh. Listening to a seven-year-old talk about how lava burns everyone alive and the ash filled their lungs until they choked was entertaining. Alex realized they were reading a book about Pompeii and she wondered where it had come from.

  "People weren't frozen, Billie. Lava is hot!" Henry argued.

  "Their bodies were burned immediately, so they were frozen in place," Billie explained.

  "What are you two reading?" Alex said, stepping up to the bed.

  "I'm teaching Henry about Pompeii. It's a city that was lost to a volcano," Billie said in her best teacher imitation.

  "Teaching him?" Alex asked.

  "Well, we don't have school anymore. I don't want Henry to not be smart because he won't go to school," Billie explained.

  "That's a great idea. But can you even read the book?"

  "Some of the words. I figured it out from the pictures," the little girl turned the book and pointed to the illustrations of lava chasing people.

  "Well it's time to end the lesson tonight. Time to get ready for bed."

  As Alex changed the kids' clothes, and they cuddled in bed for a while, her mind whirled thinking about education. Not only her kids and her niece needed their studies, but Easton and Candace were still only middle school and high school aged. And Aiden would soon need to learn to read and write. Mentally she added a school to her list for places to scavenge. They needed to get some general study books for the kids. Then they would start adding school times to the chore rotation. Training the mind was just as important as training the body for survival. Maybe they wouldn't be using algebra anytime soon, but someday the world may mend itself and she didn't want them extremely behind.

  Henry was curled up with his head on her chest. Billie was on her other side, cuddling with her arm tightly. The kids didn't understand why Alex had to go on a scavenging run. But after some conversations and some promises to bring home special items for them, the two of them finally fell asleep. Though they both had cots in the room, often the kids just slept with Alex in her queen-sized bed. Tonight, Alex was too exhausted to even suggest they sleep in their own beds. The sweet smell of Henry's hair lulled Alex to sleep

  Her dreams were erratic and bloody. Infected dead were hiding in every dark corner of her brain. Part of her subconscious knew she was dreaming and that part of her hoped the dreams weren't a sign of things to come.

  Chapter Three

  Alex poured over the maps they had started to maintain since they all came together at the compound. Each place that was searched was marked. Some were marked in black, meaning there was no reason to go back. Either all the supplies were gone, none were ever there, or it was too overrun with the infected to risk it. There was a lot of black on the map of the nearest town, Kalispell. However, there were still places Alex wanted to check before they headed to another town.

  There were locations they had circled in green. These were places like small stores that maybe no one had scavenged from yet. The Duncan group only took what could be trucked at one time, without taking a lot of time in the open. They hadn't been to the school yet, as it had been a military outpost in the beginning of the outbreak. It was overrun and now it was a shell of its former structure. With the idea of education in her mind, Alex assumed no one would be concerned about the learning materials. She hoped a lot of it was left around the rooms. The last time she drove by the area, she noted that all the doors had been left ajar. Going in would be a risk. She had confidence in her ability to handle things and thought it would be a good first stop.

  Marcus came into the dining room where Alex was going over maps. He yawned loudly before taking a drink of the coffee he held. His face screwed up at the taste and he looked into the cup as if something had died.

  "Did Max make the coffee this morning?" He asked.

  Alex answered without looking up, "That's my assumption since it tastes like sewer sludge full of dead rats."

  "Great visual," Marcus disappeared into the kitchen again. When he came back, he had a bottled water in his hand instead.

  "What's the plan?" He asked.

  Alex turned the map toward him. She had circled the places they were going in blue. They started out with the school, then a small pharmacy owned by a local family that they hadn't seen since the plague started. After that Alex wanted to attempt to go to Wal-Mart. She knew it was a risk and possibly a waste of time. But it was the one place that had the most clothing and toiletries to fulfill some of the lists they had. Lastly, she has plotted a route to Whitefish, a nearby resort town. There was no knowing how many tourists were there when everything fell apart. Alex thought some of the smaller shops would be intact and useful. She also wanted to venture further away from their little area. They wouldn't know what was happening in the other states if they didn't find others to talk to.

  "Seems you're planning on being gone a while. These locations will take a few days at least," Marcus commented.

  "Well, eventually we were going to need to head further out."

  Marcus nodded. He handed Alex a list she hadn't seen yet. She looked at the scrawling letters and knew it was from Cliff. The man kept his distance from everyone but the children. After he lost his wife and child to the infected, Max literally slapped him out of his despair and brought him to Montana with her. Once there, Alex had welcomed him with open arms. They had talked a number of times, but the man was shuttered. It was clear he didn't want serious connections that could be lost again.

  However, when it came to the children, he was different. Max had told a few stories of how Cliff had protected her daughter, Jack. Alex could only guess what he saw as a failure with his own flesh and blood, fueled his need to see all the children safe. On the compound the only time he smiled was when he played with the kids. They all immediately trusted him, and Alex always took that as a sign of a good heart.

  His list consisted of a few toiletries, but the rest were all things he wanted for the kids. Games, cards, stuffed animals. Alex sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. A stab of pain went through her heart when she thought of his loss and how he battled it. Alex had her own loss, but she couldn't compare it to having a child ripped from your arms by the infected.

  "It's sad," Marcus said when Alex didn't comment.

  "It is. But we'll get him the things he wants."

  Alex packed the lists and maps into her bag. She double checked her fire starters, food, compass, extra ammo, and first aid kit. She knew everything was there. But she always double checked. She pulled on her thick hiking pants and hiking boots. She made sure to pack her motorcycle gloves, a thick leather that would protect her hands when they had to fight the infected. She rubbed her fingers over the soft leather thinking about her husband, Blake. When the picture of his face floated into her mind, her heart seemed to break a little less each time. But that fissure would always be there.

  "Mommy!" Henry exclaimed as he ran into the room. He flung his arms around Alex, burying his face into her side.

  "Hey, buddy, what's wrong?"

  She stooped so she was eye level with her little boy. His eyes were hers, brown and inquisitive. She knew he saw everything around him. When he leaned back to look at her, his eyes shimmered with tears.

  "Do you really have to go? What about the sick people?" He asked.

  "I need to make sure we have all the things we need to be comfortable here. I can handle the sick people, remember?"

  Alex hugged him close to her again and his little arms twisted around her neck. He squeezed tightly for a moment before releasing her. She kissed his forehead just as Billie entered the room as well. As usual, her daughter had a brave face. Alex felt her heart twist just a little again. When Billie looked at her, sh
e saw Blake's eyes so clearly. A part of her was so thankful for the pieces of him that would forever be with her. She would always do what was necessary to keep their children safe.

  Outside of the house Max and Griffin waited by the Bronco. Griffin handed a brown paper bag to Alex as she met them.

  "Breakfast and lunch for today from Margaret. She's in the garden, avoiding a goodbye I think," Griffin said.

  "Why is everyone acting like this is something different from what we've been doing out here? This is no different from other scavenging runs," Alex said, her exasperation showing.

  "Because it's you. The solid, dependable Duncan is leaving us all to fend for ourselves," Max said. Alex could tell she was barely keeping the roll of her eyes to herself.

  "Well I guess that means you need to learn to be the dependable one, Max," Alex replied.

  Max snorted in Alex's ear as she hugged her. "Doubtful," Max said.

  Climbing into the Bronco Alex didn't hesitate to start the engine. She was starting to feel panicked as the goodbyes continued. All she wanted was to breathe and get away from the moment. Marcus climbed into the truck next to her and the slam of his door was all the signal she needed that it was time to go. She refused to look into the rearview mirror as they pulled down to the gate. She could feel eyes on them. Her children were probably at the top of the hill waving. Alex couldn't stomach anymore guilt from doing what she needed, so she kept her eyes forward.

  When they got to the gate, it opened automatically, proving that someone was watching them on the monitors. Alex carefully pulled the Bronco out as soon as there was enough space. Once through, the gate began to move again immediately. They sat, waiting for it to completely close. Marcus watched out his side of the truck, ensuring no infected somehow stumbled into the opening. As soon as the clang of the metal sounded the completion, Alex took a deep breath. She released it in a rush as a large weight seemed to feel lighter on her shoulders.

  They spoke very little as she drove toward town. Alex knew that was unlike Marcus, to keep his mouth shut for any length of time. She was thankful for it now. Without someone asking, she would have gone on this run alone. That thought was ludicrous because Alex had forbidden anyone to go on runs alone. Nothing was safe anymore and everyone needed someone to watch their back. But she was in such a hurry to get away, she didn't even want to wait for arrangements to be made. She needed the silence for her brain to unwind. Stealing a glance over to Marcus, she knew that he realized what she needed.

  "You're a good friend, Marcus," Alex said, breaking the thick silence. His eyes swung to her for a moment before looking back out his window.

  "Well you don't always make it easy."

  "I know."

  "Wow, no argument from you?" Marcus asked, his snarky attitude revving up.

  "Nope. I know I've been difficult. But I'm glad it's you out here with me. It's easier because I don't have to worry about you getting eaten," Alex joked.

  "You're such a good friend too," Marcus said with a smirk.

  "I try...wait...what's that?" Alex said, her joke lost as she trailed off.

  "That wasn't there before was it?"

  Alex shook her head. She slowed the Bronco to a crawl as they approached the large gray tour bus. The windows were blacked out, making it impossible to see what was happening inside. From their distance, they could see the door stood open. But the bus itself was parked across the road, blocking almost the entire path. They could slide the Bronco around, but Alex felt apprehension crawl up her spine. As they got closer, she could see the distinct drying red smears against the side of the bus.

  "Where do you think it came from?" Marcus asked.

  "The question I'd like answered is where are the people that were on it?" Alex said.

  Marcus nodded as he leaned forward in his seat. Alex stopped the Bronco ten yards from the bus, trying to make a plan of how to go around the bus. With the way it was stopped, she couldn't see what was on the other side. The idea of an ambush or a hidden horde made her feel jumpy. Another part of her brain wondered what was on the bus still or if there was anyone still alive. Wouldn't they come out at the sound of a vehicle, her inner devil's advocate said. She had to agree with that opinion as well. But some part of Alex always stopped her from ever walking away from possible survivors.

  "We should check the bus," she said.

  "For what? More blood? Because there's plenty right there," Marcus replied.

  "What if there are supplies in there?"

  "What if there are dead in there?"

  "We could play a lot of what ifs here. But this bus came from somewhere and it's too close to the house. I don't like it sitting there like that."

  "You want to move it?" Marcus asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

  "If we can find the keys. Maybe they left so fast they are still inside," Alex replied.

  "You don't make anything easy, Duncan," he said. But he started double checking his weapons as he spoke. Alex knew she had won the point.

  She took her keys and pushed them low in her front pocket. In case this was some sort of ambush, she wanted it to be hard for anyone to get her keys. Marcus had an extra key; in case she was killed, and he couldn't get the keys off her body. Making extra keys for the vehicles had been something Alex wanted done quickly. When she explained why, she knew it was a gruesome thought, but she didn't want anyone left stranded should the worst happen.

  Alex clicked off the safety on her 9mm when she jumped out of the Bronco. She had it in a two-handed grip, pointed slightly down, prepared for any attack that may come. She didn't have to look to know Marcus was behind her, with a similar stance. Both of them swept the area for any movement. When they saw none, Alex had an idea. She motioned for Marcus to stop and watch. Placing her 9mm back into its holster, she quickly dropped to her front, in a push up position. From that vantage point, she could see under the bus to determine if there was anything hiding on the other side. She jumped up a moment later and shook her head at Marcus. There were no feet or legs from what she could see.

  Leading toward the bus, Alex held her gun again. When they got to the open door, Alex did what they always did before entering anything, she tapped on the glass with the butt of her gun. The sound echoed into the bus, exactly what she had hoped for. A groan sounded from inside and they both stepped to the side of the door, waiting for the infected to come. After a few moments, the groaning and hissing continued, but nothing appeared. Alex decided to investigate. She pointed toward the door and again motioned for Marcus to stand watch. He shook his head at her vigorously. Alex had to roll her eyes. She knew he wouldn't follow her instructions while they were out.

  Deciding to just ignore whatever he was going to do, she stepped onto the bottom step. Leaning down slightly, she could see down the middle aisle of the bus. There was no driver in the seat and no blood there. She immediately noticed that the keys were in the ignition and in her mind she cheered. The middle aisle seemed clear near the front, so she took two more steps. In the middle of the landing of the entrance, Alex panned through the bus with her gun. It didn't take long to find the infected that had heard them.

  Alex couldn't help but stand with her head cocked as she looked at the infected. It was a woman, wearing only a bra and ripped shorts. There was only one bite on her that Alex could see, directly on her forearm. The same arm that was pinned above her, where her wrist was cuffed to the metal pole that ran down the entire bus. Alex was sure the pole was usually used as a handhold when you walked in the bus while it moved. But this woman had been handcuffed to it at some point. Alex wondered if someone had tried to restrain her, knowing she would turn.

  "What in the world?" Marcus hissed from behind her.

  "Maybe someone couldn't kill her after she was bitten and turned?" Alex suggested.

  "Can't leave her like that," Marcus said sadly.

  "Nope."

  Alex put her gun away and pulled her bowie knife. There was no need for the loud gunshot when the
infected was restrained. The bus had other riders at some point and Alex didn't want to draw their attention, dead or alive. She walked carefully down the middle aisle, checking the seats as she went. However, she made it to the infected woman without finding any other threats. The woman's free hand swiped toward Alex, her low guttural growls and moans intensifying as she thought her meal was within her grasp. Alex easily pushed her arm to the side and slammed the blade into her temple. Immediately the infected body went limp, hanging from the wrist that was handcuffed.

  Standing next to the hanging body, Alex started to notice other things. The first was small slices that were made in her skin near her breasts and down her bare arms. Nothing deep enough to bleed profusely. And with the way there was no scabbing, Alex guessed the cuts were made after she turned. The infected was also missing three fingers from one hand and two from the other. Alex lifted the one hand that was free and swinging from the dead body. The removal of her fingers had to be after she died and rose again, because there was no clotting and no signs of significant bleeding. Instead, black thickness now covered the areas.

  "I don't get it," Alex said as Marcus joined her near the back of the bus.

  "What happened to her fingers? Infected bite them off?"

  "I don't think so. I think someone tortured the woman, after she became infected. Notice the lack of blood from these chest wounds?"

  "What kinda sick crap is this?" Marcus hissed as he looked closer at what Alex had noticed.

  He then extended his finger, pointing at the infected's bare thighs. Alex cursed quietly. Somehow in all the filth Alex hadn't seen the circular burns that covered the skin that was visible. Some were the size of cigarettes. Some were larger, as if something had been heated up just to burn the infected.

  "I don't know what happened here and I'm not sure I want to know. Let's move this bus and get out of here. This is giving me the creeps. More than any infected has."

  Marcus agreed, and the two began to check the bus for supplies. They scored with three boxes of Cup of Noodles soups. Each box looked to be from some sort of warehouse, holding twenty soups each. They weren't ideal with the nutritional value, but they were easy. They also grabbed a bat and a crowbar that were abandoned when the bus was left. Alex easily started up the bus, to find it had a half tank. She mentally noted that lack of gas wasn't the reason the bus was left. She moved the bus to the side of the road, leaving a mostly clear road again.