by Poe, S. B.
“Ha, no. After I lost my leg in Iraq, I rehabbed for a couple of years and then rejoined with a medical waiver. Since my days in Fallujah were over I changed jobs. We were a civil affairs unit stationed in Africa. Hearts and minds stuff. Infrastructure help, logistical help and local population support was our mission.” Noah said.
“And there was an outbreak?”
“Yeah, there was a dust storm. After it blew through things went sideways. No one had a chance. There was a kid that got struck by a car during the storm. Some of our medics happened to be helping deliver a baby, and the wreck happened right outside the house they were in. They came back with stories of the kid attacking people, biting them. They showed us some marks where he had bitten them. They told us one of the locals had taken a machete to the kid to stop him. It was horrifying. But not as horrifying as what came next. Four hours later one of my own team attacked me and bit me in my sleep. It took two days for an A-Team to clear the whole area. Hundreds dead. Naomi and I walked out of Africa and into a glorified prison system designed to keep us quiet, tested, monitored and maintained.” Noah said.
“So you’re still part of this Operation Afterlife?” Scott asked. Noah chuckled.
“No. That’s all over. Naomi and I are the only ones left, I guess, that even knew about it. We had our own plans though. We had seen it up close. We knew how hard it had been to contain that one small outbreak. They never could quite grasp what was really going to happen. I don’t blame them; no one could have really thought it would be like this. The contingencies assumed months of small outbreaks that would be like running wild fires. No one thought it would really happen all at once, everywhere.” Noah said
“Because of the meteor or whatever?” Scott asked.
“It was a comet. At least that’s what they said. But yeah, I remember Naomi and I standing outside on a darkened runway at Pensacola Naval Air Station just before it started. The sky was full of shooting stars. Two days later Madagascar made the news and it all went to shit faster than anyone ever imagined.” Noah said.
“You said you had your own plans. What plans?” Scott asked.
“Later.” Noah said. “After I talk with Naomi.”
End of the Road
Jahda looked back and saw Naomi watching as the door closed.
“What’s wrong?” Charlie asked. “Why does Kate need to see me?”
“It’s Jennifer.”
“What about her?”
“She was out with me and Josh and Lori. We were clearing deaduns from the barricade. There was an accident.” Jahda said. Charlie stopped and looked at her.
“An accident? Is she okay? Is she alive?” Charlie felt his voice crack at the last question.
“She’s been bit. Raj has her now. She’s alive.” Jahda said.
“Oh my god.” Charlie said.
He didn’t say another word. She tried to reach out to stop him but he turned and ran. She watched him go. His footsteps aroused a few of the dead and Jahda watched two of them step into the street in front of her.
“Dammit.” Jahda said. She started walking the way Charlie had gone.
Tilly stood at the open gate.
“He inside?” Jahda said as she approached.
“Yeah, he’s pretty shook.” Tilly said as she closed the gate behind them.
“How’s she doing?” Jahda asked.
“Don’t know. No one has told us.” Tilly said.
“Well, y’all go check on her. We got this now.” Vernon said from atop the bus. Ed was already slouched in the chair and appeared to be asleep.
“Thanks.” Tilly said.
“Ham?” Jahda asked as they started up the street.
“She left when they showed up. I waited for you and Charlie.” Tilly said.
They walked around the corner and towards the house. Josh and Lori were sitting on the curb in front.
“Any word?” Jahda asked.
“Not yet.” Josh said. Lori’s eyes were puffy and the streaks of tears stood out on her face.
“We’ll go check.” Tilly said.
Her and Jahda walked up the sidewalk and into the house. Bridger, Evelyn and Kate were sitting in the living room. Tilly walked in and grabbed a pair of underwear lying on the back of the couch.
“Sorry. Wasn’t expecting guests.” She shoved them in her pocket. “How’s she doing?”
“She’s alive.” Kate said. “But now all we can do is wait.”
“How’s Charlie?” Jahda asked.
“He’s in there with her.” Bridger said.
Tilly walked through the kitchen and into the sunroom on the back of the house. Since the doctors office was too close to the dead side of the barricade Raj had brought one of the examination tables along with some of the other equipment and converted the room into a mini clinic. Jennifer lay on the table with her elbows propped under her talking to Charlie.
“It’s okay Dad.” She said. Charlie’s eyes were rimmed red.
“Why were you out there?” He asked.
“All the dead. We were trying to clear some of them out. We were trying to help.” Jennifer said.
“Who’s idea was that?” Charlie asked.
“Josh’s. But I wanted to go. No one made me.” Jennifer said. “Don’t be mad.”
“I’m not mad.” Charlie said as a tear rolled down his cheek. “I’m just scared.”
“Don’t be scared.” Jennifer said. “This was bound to happen at some point. It did to you.”
“You’re really brave.” Charlie smile cried.
Raj stood in the corner of the room watching them. He had cleaned and dressed the wound. He saw Tilly come in through the kitchen door. She made eye contact with him as she walked over to the table.
“How you feeling Jennifer?” She asked.
“Fine. It hurts a little when I move but not too bad.” Jennifer said.
“That’s good.” Tilly smiled. “How are you doing Charlie?”
“We’re hanging in there.” Charlie said as he wiped his eyes.
Tilly patted his shoulder, almost on the spot where he had been bitten. It seemed like years ago now. She walked over to Raj.
“You need anything?” She asked.
“I’m good. I think I’m going to stretch my legs a bit. Care to join me?” He nodded towards the door. They walked back through the kitchen and into the living room. The others stood and joined them. They all walked back outside.
“How is she?” Lori asked when she saw them all come outside.
“As well as can be expected.” Raj said.
“What’s that mean?” Lori asked.
“It means she’s alive, resting and now we wait.” Raj said.
“But do we wait here?” Bridger asked. “I mean she’s been bit. We’ve been through this before. With JW, with Charlie, we need to do the same with her. Is this where she’s going to stay until...” Bridger paused.
“She dies?” Lori asked as the tears began again.
“I’m sorry.” Bridger said.
“We should let Charlie take her home.” Evelyn said.
“We can’t. Not unless someone else is with them.” Bridger said.
“Why?” Kate asked.
“Because when she turns, Charlie will not be able to do what has to be done.” Bridger said. “Would you?” Bridger turned and walked back inside.
The others headed towards the big house to get some food ready leaving Josh and Lori to sit back down on the curb and wait.
Vernon swung the gate open. Naomi walked through.
“Welcome back.” Vernon smiled.
“Why did Charlie need to come back so soon?” Naomi asked.
“Oh, his daughter got bit.” Vernon said. “You didn’t know?”
“No, that woman came and got him but didn’t tell me why. How is she doing?”
“I haven’t heard anything from up the hill lately.” Vernon said.
“Thank you.” Naomi said as she started up the street.
“How
did everything go out there?” Vernon asked her as she walked away.
“Informative.”
She walked down the street not sure which way to go since she didn’t know where they would have taken her. She saw a few people sitting on the curb and turned that way. Josh and Lori both saw her come around the corner. Josh was the first on his feet.
“This is your fault.” He said angrily.
“What?” She asked.
“Jennifer got bit.” Lori said.
“I heard. How is she?” Naomi asked.
“What the fuck do you care? You did this.”
“I was no where near her when it happened. You know that.” Naomi said.
“No shit. I was right next to her when it happened.” Lori said. “We were out clearing deaduns together.”
“Deaduns you and your asshole friends dumped outside our door.” Josh said.
“I’m sorry.” Naomi said.
“That’s it, I’m sorry.” Lori said.
“I don’t know what else I can say.”
“What’s going on out here?” Bridger said from the porch.
“Oh nothing, she just thinks that saying I’m sorry makes up for all the shit she has caused.” Josh said without looking away from her.
“I’m not trying to make up for anything.” Naomi said.
Josh whipped his pistol out and put the barrel right up against her forehead.
“Woah, woah.” Bridger said.
Naomi didn’t blink. She reached up, grabbed the barrel, twisted and brought her forearm down in Josh’s wrist before he could even think of reacting. The grip on the gun relaxed and Naomi pulled it out of his hand. She dropped the magazine and racked the round out of the chamber. Josh watched it twinkle in the sun as it fell to the ground, all the while holding his wrist.
“I said I was sorry. And I am. Truly. But what I just did probably saved all of your lives. Don’t think because I have been civil that I don’t know how to be uncivil.” Naomi said.
Bridger looked at Josh, who was still rubbing his wrist and looking mad and embarrassed at the same time. Naomi put the magazine back in the gun and flipped it around before handing it back to him.
“Sorry about your arm too.” Naomi said.
“You have a lot to be sorry about.” Josh snarled.
“More than you’ll ever know.” Naomi said. She turned to Bridger. “How is the girl?”
“Her name is Jennifer.” Lori said.
“How is Jennifer?”
“She’s resting.” Bridger said.
“Can I see her?”
“Why?” Bridger asked.
“I would just like to.”
“Come with me.” Bridger led her up the sidewalk. When they stepped inside the front door Bridger stopped as he closed it behind them.
“Why do you want to see her?” He asked.
“Her father is an immune. There is a possibility that she is too.” Naomi said.
“And you can tell that somehow?” Bridger asked.
“Maybe.” Naomi said.
“Maybe?” Bridger asked.
“I obviously have a lot wider experience with immune people than you, there are markers that may indicate the progress of the infection. Some of the immune I have encountered showed very few of those markers.”
“What are those markers?” Bridger asked.
“Can I just see her?”
“No. Not until you tell me.” Bridger said.
“Her eyes, her lips, her skin around the bite and probably twenty other things to look for initially. None are definitive one way or another but they are good indicators.” Naomi said.
“One condition.” Bridger said.
“What’s that?”
“No matter what, good or bad, you say nothing to Jennifer or Charlie.” Bridger said.
“Why?”
“They already expect it to be bad, I would rather them be surprised than devastated twice.” Bridger said.
“Fine.”
“One other thing.” Bridger said.
“What?” Naomi asked as she started up the sidewalk beside him.
“What just happened out there may happen again. You know that right?” Bridger asked.
“I’m sure. But as you can see, I can handle myself just fine.” Naomi said.
“This time, and against a kid.” Bridger said.
“Are you threatening me?”
“All I am saying is that we have been more than patient and more than hospitable, that’s what you people wanted right?” Bridger said. “But that patience ends soon and when it does, so does the hospitality.”
“Well perhaps what I have learned on my little sojourn with Charlie will end the need for either. Once I meet with Noah tomorrow, I think he’ll lose interest in your group rather quickly.” Naomi said.
“What did you learn?” Bridger asked as he led her into the house.
“Nothing that matters to you beyond me leaving.” Naomi said.
Sins of the Past
The sun dropped below the tree line as Scott sat on the steps of the trailer. He watched the sky darken and listened to the sounds of the crickets. No shooting stars tonight he thought as he looked up at the indigo sky. He stood and went inside. The MRE on the counter looked a lot less appealing now. One more day, that’s what Noah had said. Maybe this all will be over tomorrow and he can go home. Strange word he thought, home. Home had changed four times since it all started. He closed his eyes and pictured his real home, the home he would probably never see again. He thought about the computer screens and the games running on them, games he knew he would never see again.
“Ten minutes of Call of Honor, that’s all I need.” He said to himself. He smiled a little and lay down on the bed. Sleep came to him quickly.
“Wake up. Wake up now. We have to go.” He felt someone shaking him. He looked up through the fog of sleep. Cyrus was shaking his shoulder.
“What?” he asked as the haze of sleep slowly slipped away.
“We have to go. You have to go. Now.” Cyrus seemed agitated.
“Why? Where have you been?” He asked as he sat up. Cyrus handed him his boots.
“Doesn’t matter. Hurry.” Cyrus turned and looked through the window. It was still dark outside. Scott took his boots and started putting them on.
“Get dressed, come outside.” Cyrus turned and walked back through the door. “Hurry.”
Scott scrambled with the remaining few pieces of clothing and stumbled through the door. Cyrus, Hannah, the young girl that had served his stew and a middle aged man were standing outside with backpacks, weapons and flashlights in their hands. The lights were off.
“What’s going on?” Scott asked.
“We have to leave. Now. They have Noah.” Hannah said.
“Who has Noah?” Scott asked. “What are you talking about?”
“Not now. We have to leave. We have to get to Naomi before they do. They sent these two to get you.” Hannah nodded at the others. “We have a chance but not if you stand there asking questions. This way.”
Hannah and Cyrus led Scott and the other two around the side of Scott’s trailer and towards the fence. There was a small opening that had been stitched together with bailing wire. Cyrus twisted a few twists and held the fence open. They all scrambled through. He didn’t bother cinching it back shut.
They made their way through the darkness. Scott realized that the four of them were cordoned around him forming a praetorian guard as they headed through the woods. The flashlights stayed off until they had walked for at least a mile. They had stayed away from anything that looked like a road while they traveled. Scott had no idea where they were. Cyrus led.
“Are we going to Collier?” Scott asked.
“Yes.” Hannah said as she looked behind them.
“How do you know the way through these woods?” Scott asked.
“I don’t. He does. Cyrus lives out here. He has a problem with being behind a fence, or inside a building or pretty much anyt
hing other that wide open spaces.” Hannah said.
“Why?” Scott asked.
“Quiet. Duhasata are close. We need to keep moving.” Cyrus said. “We rest at the bridge.”
They made their way through the darkness interrupted by the beam of flashlights. The dead drifted through the woods around them. One stepped around a tree and almost knocked the girl down. The thing never even noticed she was there as it reached for Scott. Hannah drove her lawnmower blade spear into the side of its head. Pop. They all stopped. Hannah grabbed her knife and plunged it into the things belly.
“What are you doing?” Scott asked. Before she answered she stood with a handful of rotted guts and began smearing it in his hair.
“Wait, stop.” Scott protested.
“This will cover your scent.” She said. “We can move faster.”
He could smell the rot dripping down his cheek. He really didn’t want to be covered in deadun guts but he nodded. The other two helped her scoop out more of the rot and began covering him head to toe with foul stench. Cyrus kept watch while the macabre make-up session continued. Hannah stood back and looked at him. He felt slimy and he knew the smell was going to make him vomit at some point. She nodded.
“Okay. That should be good.” She said. “Let’s go.”
They moved through the woods faster than before and finally reached a spot where the asphalt met the trees. They turned and began walking down the road. It took almost two hours before they reached the bridge. They all gathered together in the middle.
“We can rest here. Halfway there.” Cyrus said as they all dropped their packs. The girl unzipped hers and produced several bottles of water. She passed them around to the other and handed one to Scott.
“I’m Abby.” She held out the bottle.
“Scott.”
“I know.” She smiled and handed the other bottle to the man.
“Joel.” He held his hand out. “Abby’s my daughter.”
“Daughter? You’re both uh…” Scott started.
“Yes?” He smiled.
“You both got bit? At the same time or what?” Scott asked. Joel’s smile went away. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, it’s okay.” Joel said. “But maybe some other time.” He and Abby walked to the other end of the bridge.