Running To Escape: A Sam & JR Zombie Thriller

by Schobernd, Robert

  His dreams were nightmares of zombies, zombies, and more zombies. He woke briefly after fighting and shooting an oncoming pack of them that never stopped. Sweat dripped from his forehead and his body was clammy; the temperature was still warm outside. The dash clock showed four a.m. He checked the mirrors and studied the area under the meager parking lot lights for nearby danger. His eyes closed, and he drifted into another uneasy world of zombie destruction and human annihilation.

  At six thirty, Sam stirred briefly as two employee’s cars entered the parking lot within minutes of each other and stopped near the back edge fifty feet from his rig. The first one needed a new muffler. The sky was medium gray as clouds blocked the rising sun. A few showers during the night left raindrops on the truck, and a light drizzle was misting. He closed his eyes, shifted his butt, and drifted off again.

  Forceful knocking on the glass beside his head startled him from his fragile sleep. His right hand jumped to his handgun as his feet swung to the floor. JR stood outside. “Let me in, it’s raining out here.” He flipped the lock switch as she scampered around the front of the truck dodging the larger puddles. The dash clock showed it was a few minutes past eight. The rain intensity had increased and drops splattered on shallow pools in the blacktop. He took a deep breath and batted his eyes several times. The store was open, and a half dozen vehicles were parked close to the entrance

  Sam asked, “How’d you sleep?” He struggled to pull his cowboy boots on.

  “Good enough. I’ve been awake a while and went through the clothes I brought. Mostly I grabbed shorts and T-shirts and a few long jeans. I’m lean on bras, panties and socks too. Plus, like a dummy, I didn’t bring any jackets or coats or boots.” She looked apologetically at Sam. “The zombies were only a block or so away when I grabbed stuff, and I was scared.”

  Sam nodded his understanding. “I’m glad you checked already. Now let’s talk about the direction I believe this zombie thing is headed.” JR twisted in the seat and faced him wearing a serious almost fearful expression. “I’ve followed the zombies since rumors first floated here from Asia and Europe about seven months ago, or maybe a little longer. It took a while to learn how to access sites where current information was available before they were blocked or removed. The zombies completely decimated those continents. Humans no longer exist in any meaningful numbers.” JR frowned as if unbelieving. Her hands locked together in her lap. “That’s heavy shit to swallow. It seems impossible.”

  Sam continued, “As people were attacked, distribution of all goods was interrupted. Food and water supplies ran out in days, Services like water, sewer, power, and security stopped. Personnel at refineries were depleted and the plants either were shut down or failed and caught fire or exploded. Power plants did the same. Imagine the world we’ve known since childhood with no fossil fuel or electricity. And then think about no manufacturing of any kind. No new vehicles, clothing, food, medicine, nothing to replace what we use daily. Even poop paper and snot tissues will soon be depleted and not replaced.”

  JR put her head in her upturned hands and wept. “So what’s the use of going on?” It sounds like we’re all going to die anyway.”

  “I’m not ready to die, so I’ll continue to fight as long as possible. I hope you will too.”

  “But there’s a chance you’re wrong, isn’t there?

  “Of course, slight. But I don’t think I am wrong. The reason I brought it up now is because when we go in the store, we need to stock up on sturdy clothing and boots that will last a long time. Buy more than you need now because it’s got to last a lifetime. I’ve already done that, but I may buy some more. For example, get at least eighteen or twenty pairs of stout jeans, not frilly, thin fashion items. I’m sure this store carries Levi, Carhartt, Berne, and their own line of rugged work clothing”

  JR dug in the backpack on her lap and passed him two energy bars. The backs of each hand wiped tears from her cheeks. “Okay, I agree with you. I’ll only buy sensible things. But we need to talk some more about this later.”

  The rain had increased before Sam started the engine and drove closer to the store, so they wouldn’t have to run so far. JR opened the door, then shut it. “After what you spent last night for guns and ammo, are you sure about letting me shop for lots of clothes? And how about shoes and boots? These places have good name brands, but they’re expensive.”

  Sam grinned at her serious concern for his money. “Thanks for breakfast. Yes, I can afford it. When my dad died, he left the house to me. It was paid for. I was in my third year studying business admin and management and quit. The house sold in three weeks for near the asking price and I’ve got the proceeds minus what I spent on the slide-in camper and trailer.” Sam neglected to mention the $60,000 he invested in one-quarter ounce gold coins. Maybe later, if she stuck around, he’d share that when he knew she could be trusted. As he opened his door to exit, he said, “We’ll also load up on vegetable seeds, garden tools, bottled water, and some of the five-gallon bottles of water, if they have them. And let me know if you see items like canned hams, stews, and other canned main dishes. We’ll buy them by the case if they’re available. If you’re ready, let’s go but be quick because we need to get north ASAP. Very soon news of what’s going on will spread like tumbleweeds blowing in a gale. Then everyone who has the means is going to be buying supplies before running away too.”

  Inside the store, Sam left JR in the women’s clothing section with two carts. He wandered the store searching for items he might have overlooked when he planned his escape.

  When they’d entered the store, he noticed a lady at the checkout looking at them askance as she used a radio to talk to someone. A man in a white, short sleeved shirt, and black trousers soon approached him almost in a run. A name tag showed Jimmy Gropli. “Ha there, you can’t run around the store with a gun on your hip. That’s not allowed here; there’s a no guns sign on the front doors. You’ll have to leave and come back without it.”

  “I guess you haven’t heard about zombies attacking people on all three coasts.”

  Jimmy grinned. “Yeah, I heard that silliness. But you still need to leave and come back without the firearm.”

  “It’s real. I shot three yesterday afternoon in Lawton and four more last night this side of Carnegie.”

  Another man and woman had stopped behind Jimmy and listened.

  Jimmy started to reply but was interrupted.

  Jimmy shook his head as the middle-aged man spoke, “The young man is correct. My wife and I drove up from Frederick overnight. The zombies were taking the town over in full force. My family shot at least eight on our way here. My two sons and daughters-in-law will tell you the same thing. They’re coming in right behind us with our grandkids.”

  Jimmy’s cocky grin left. “You can’t be serious . . . you are serious, aren’t you? I need to call the main office and find out what the hell’s going on.” Jimmy noted both people carried sidearms also. Jimmy hurried away as Sam thanked the couple and wished them good luck. The couple said they were headed north to the Canadian border too. Everyone separated to shop. With the undead advancing from the East Coast, West Coast, and Gulf Coast, there was nowhere else to go but north to Canada and then further north.

  He cruised aisles thinking of his dad and wishing he was still alive. His dad would be an asset when sensible decisions needed to be made. He stopped reminiscing when he found the men’s clothing department and gathered several Carhart items from a sale rack; he added them to the garden supplies already in the cart. At a food section near the front of the store, he filled another cart to overflowing with cases of overpriced canned hams, stews, spices, soups, and mixes.

  He looked for JR and found her waiting for him near the checkout. Two full carts were loaded with clothing and several boxes of snack foods and soda. “Is this too much?” she asked.

  “It’s a lot, but not too much. As I said, it might have to last the rest of your life.”

  She grinned mischi
evously. “Then maybe I should grab some more while you still have money to throw around.” A woman passing them nodded and smirked. “That’s the way girl; get it while you can. My ole man complains about every dollar I spend.”

  Sam shrugged and said, “Okay by me. Go to it. It’s eleven thirty now, I’ll pay for what we have with a credit card and then load it.” He handed her ten, one hundred dollar bills. “Max out your credit cards first, then use the money.” He noticed the store had at least fifty grim faced customers, and many wore sidearms. Jimmy must have given up confronting everyone. Ten minutes later he was at the cashier to check out. The lady appeared spooked by what other customers had told her about the zombie influx. Sam used his credit card and maxed it out and then paid cash for the remainder of the charge. The cashier summoned another clerk to help him push the four carts to his truck.

  An hour and fifteen minutes later, JR’s final bounty was loaded. She handed him three hundred dollars and change, but he told her to keep it and buy lunch. Light gray clouds still hovered overhead, but lighter blue sky was clearing to the north. They moved down the road a short distance before stopping at the Broken Arrow Café for lunch. When they entered, they received the same reception about observing the NO GUNS ALLOWED sticker on the door. As the owner chastised Sam and JR for their ridiculous but ingenious zombie story, two men rose from their tables and confirmed Sam’s zombie information to the owner. The shorter man said, “You need to get used to seeing firearms. Most everybody heading north is packing.” He raised his shirt tail to show the holster concealed on his belt. “In fact, if you’re wise, you’ll start packing 24/7 for your own safety. The zombies are real, they’re headed this way, and you need to protect yourself. The police and the army couldn’t do it from the Gulf Coast to here, so it’s up to individuals like us.”

  Sam added, “If you do start carrying a weapon, remember only a shot to the brain will stop a zombie.” The other men nodded before they returned to their families. Sam and JR sat and were served by a young waitress who looked totally confused and fearful.

  A quick stop at the Phillips 66 gas station for diesel put them back on the road at two.

  Sam said, “We should be in Liberal Kansas within three hours. Highway 83 goes all the way to the border, about sixty miles north of Minot, North Dakota. We’ll be on it at least all day and some of tomorrow. And once we hit North Dakota the road is mostly four lanes.”

  JR noted, “Almost all the people passing us are in motorhomes or cars or trucks pulling camping trailers. Why are you driving so slow? And do you think all of them know about the zombies?”

  “I’m driving 55 MPH because if anything happens to our equipment, we’re stuck wherever it breaks down. It can’t be replaced; I don’t have that much money. The camper makes the truck top heavy plus the weight of it and the trailer add to the stopping distance if there’s an emergency. I won’t risk being in an accident just to get to the border a few hours or half a day sooner. As for traffic, I suppose someone finally told the masses the zombies are real. It’s about time the government stopped restricting the media and let them tell the truth. If they’d done that months ago, we wouldn’t be in this mess today. Now, if you don’t mind, tell me about yourself, who are you?”

  For several minutes, JR stared blankly out the window at fence posts they sped past. The rain had stopped before they left the Home and Farm Supply, but the sky remained mildly overcast. A stiff breeze blew from the southwest causing a wave effect to ripple the ripening wheat stalks. As time clicked by Sam wondered if she was ignoring his question.

  She considered how much she should tell the stranger. “My parents had four daughters, two older than me and one younger. We were all tall and have black hair . . . had black hair, and Native American features and complexions. When my younger sister was born, I was two years and three months. My dad said they couldn’t afford any more kids, so he got a vasectomy. He wanted a son badly and quit trying to get one; but he didn’t give up completely. One of my aunts gave my next older sister some plastic cars and trucks for her fourth or fifth birthday; I don’t remember which. Mavis never played with them, but I did. She liked Crystal’s Barbie and fought and cried to play with it. My dad saw me play with the rolling toys instead of the dolls I had. So . . . I became the surrogate son he didn’t have. I learned to hunt and fish and shoot and race motorcycles and work on engines and play baseball and basketball and football and run track events. I was drinking beer before I was fifteen and learned to do whiskey shots with him and his buddies out in the garage. Mom complained loudly and frequently. She said dad and his friends were a bad influence on a young girl, and they’re why I cuss too much. By the way, I was glad when you picked up the ten cases of beer and two cases of Wild Turkey bourbon at the gas station.” She nodded and said thanks again.

  Sam smiled and reached to the disc player when David Frizzell and Shelly West finished ‘You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma’, he turned the volume from low to off. “Did you get the small scar on your chin on a motorcycle?”

  “I like that album, Any Which Way You Can. Why’d you turn it off?”

  “Because I’d rather listen to you right now; I’ll turn it back on when we finish talking. As far as we have to go, you’ll hear it plenty because it’s my favorite album. Your scar?”

  “I got that playing quarterback for the Wolverines.”

  He glanced to the right and stared at her. “I’ll be damned. I remember you. You were good. Fast and agile. I saw all the home games last year and remember the win over the Stillwater Pioneers when you played most of the game. The betting odds put the Wolverines down by two touchdowns with the starting quarterback playing. When he was carried off the field, I thought the game would be a rout; I almost left then. I couldn’t believe the pounding you took to win by two TDs.”

  “That was a tough win. Their offensive line was big, strong, and fast. They beat the shit out of me. They did everything they could to knock me out of the game. Being female didn’t cut me any slack either. In fact, I think they thought I’d cave easier than a guy would if they pounded me hard. That thought pissed me off and made me more determined to win.” JR shifted in the seat and chuckled. “I was black and blue all over the next morning. My mom was pissed and insisted I quit playing, but my dad grinned ear to ear with pride. So, of course, I finished out the season for my senior year and only lost one game. Did you play?”

  “Yeah, I played half back for four years. I also was on the team that won the regional 400-meter relay my senior year.”

  “What else should I know about you, Ilesh?” JR grinned mischievously. “Got cha.”

  “There’s not a lot more. My dad was a pipefitter welder on pipeline jobs with his own welding rig on a two-year-old Ford F-350 dually pickup. After he died of cancer, I sold the Lincoln welding machine but kept the diesel engined, heavy-duty four-wheel drive truck we’re in. It’s a fuel hog even burning diesel, but it’s dependable, powerful, and tough.

  “You know I was in high school in Lawton and played sports. I dropped out of Business Admin and Management at Cameron four months ago. I sold the house my parents and I lived in to buy the equipment behind us. I dated, but I wasn’t involved in a close relationship.” Sam decided to not mention Ari. He didn’t know why, but it felt right. She was in the past and he was moving forward. “I like the outdoors, hunting, fishing, and camping. I have the four-wheeler and the dirt bike you saw in the trailer. I was never into computer games heavily. I guess that’s a condensed version of my boring life.”

  “What did you want to do with your degree?”

  “Nothing definite. I planned for a job in my field where I could then work my way up to senior management. Just a normal job to support myself and a family.”

  “Other than being different sexes, we’re pretty much alike.” JR turned the disc player on, leaned back in the seat to listen to the next song, then closed her eyes.

  After several minutes, Sam added, “I plan to stop about eve
ry four hours for fuel, food, ice, and a stretch. In the next few days, I’m sure all three material items will become progressively scarcer and more expensive as more people flee north. Get rested because we’ll rotate drivers after each stop and drive twelve or more hours a day. It should take about twenty-four to twenty-eight hours of driving including food and fuel stops if we don’t have any problems.”

  JR nodded. “Okay. We had a large camping trailer and I’ve pulled it before with my Dad’s three-quarter ton GMC.” She relaxed and stared half-heartedly out the glass again.

  They crossed the border into Kansas Sunday afternoon at five and stopped at the north edge of Liberal for supper and fuel. JR drove when they left. “You said you’d continue with your view of where this zombie attack will take us. I need to understand what has happened and what it will possibly lead to. I’ll tell you up front it scares the shit out of me.”