Deconstruction- The Complete series Box Set

by Rashad Freeman

  Pursing her lips, she placed her hands onto her hips and tilted her head to the side. “My name’s Sandra,” she said loudly. “I’m a nurse. Bring him this way.”

  Right around the corner in the next room, there was a twin-sized bed pushed up against the wall. We laid Brent across it as Sandra ran off to get a washcloth to clean him up.

  “I could’ve swore that lady told me to leave,” I whispered to Cindy.

  “She told you what?”

  “Where are you folks from?” Carl asked as he suddenly stopped behind us.

  “What is this place?” Jake asked, ignoring Carl’s question. “And what was that back there?”

  Carl grinned then took a seat in one of the rickety, wooden chairs. He leaned back and ruffled his hair. “Well, this…this is the storage room for my bar. Don’t worry, they can’t get in here…the door is magnetized. That’s why the lights went out for a sec, generator can’t power both at the same time. Believe it or not, this place was used during prohibition…thank God for that. Lot of stories come through here.”

  Carl’s eyes drifted away and his face slacked. He stretched his legs out and relaxed into the chair then grinned.

  “What the hell is going on in this town?” Jake asked angrily.

  Carl didn’t reply. He was fixated on something no one else could see, staring dreamily toward a wall.

  “Hey!” Jake spat. “What’s going on outside? Has everybody lost their damn mind?”

  Carl slowly turned and gave Jake a puzzled look. “Where have you guys been for the past two days? The world’s ending,” he said.

  “Yeah…yeah, we get that much, but what the hell is going on out there?” Jake continued as he waved his hand back toward the alley. “They’re killing people in the streets.”

  “Look buddy, I don’t know what all you saw, but the world is falling apart, earthquakes and shit, real end of days stuff. We’ve had a hell of a time here. It didn’t take long for everything to fall apart. And then the prison got hit…thousands of convicts got out and there weren’t enough cops to do a damn thing. Most of them had gone home to protect their families.”

  “Thousands,” I echoed with a smirk.

  “Well, you get the idea. Nothing is safe anymore and convicts are outside killing people. We’re all just waiting for the end, ain’t we?”

  “Those are prisoners out there?” Cindy asked then covered her mouth.

  “Sure are.”

  “Carl, I’m gonna need some help,” Sandra said as she wheeled in an IV stand.

  “What the hell is that for?” Jake asked defensively.

  “I can explain myself to you or I can save your friend’s life. But I ain’t doing both, so pick one.”

  “Just ignore him,” I jumped in.

  She sneered then went back to tending to Brent. I punched Jake in the arm and cut my eyes.

  “What?” he gasped.

  “We need their help,” I replied through clenched teeth.

  “Your friend here is pretty sick,” Sandra started as she poked a needle into his arm. “Not sure what it is, but he’s dehydrated and burning up. We’ve got a few antibiotics here, but beyond that, there’s not a whole lot I can do for him.”

  “He was just fine,” Cindy mumbled.

  “No telling these days. Best we can do is keep him hydrated and watch him.”

  She held the IV bag up and the clear liquid began to flow into Brent’s arm. His eyes were glossed over and his face was sticky with sweat. I glared at his pale skin and swallowed. He didn’t look like he was going to last long.

  “Is he gonna die?” the question blurted out before I could stop it.

  “Not if I can help it,” Sandra said with a smile like she was talking to an eight-year-old.

  “Sandra is a fantastic nurse. Your buddy’s in good hands,” Carl said with an odd grin. “Where about were you four headed?”

  “North,” I quickly replied.”

  “North?” he repeated. “I guess it’s just as good as any place.”

  “Are you going to stay here?” I asked him. “It’s only going to get worse.”

  “Where do you suggest I go?”

  “The National Guard was evacuating people in Georgia. They were setting up camps…I think those would be safe, safer than this city. I’m sure they’ve managed to put something together around here.”

  Carl started to laugh. He stood up and walked to a shelf in the corner. He grabbed a small black radio and brought it back to the table and set it down.

  “They’ve been playing it on loop,” he grumbled. “I’m sure they’re long gone, but it’ll probably keep broadcasting until the rest of the grid goes down.”

  “What?” I asked.

  He clicked a button on the side of the radio set. A shower of static erupted, but as he wiggled the antennae it slowly cleared enough to hear voices.

  “And outlying parts of Florida,” a monotone voiced droned. “This message will now repeat. This is a public service announcement from NPR and Ricky the Rocket Stevens. If you can hear this, we urge you to shelter in place. Increased weather and seismic activity will continue throughout the night. All guard stations have been decommissioned and the Federal Government no longer have the resources to assist with any rescue efforts.”

  “What the fuck?” Jake mumbled.

  “All emergency response teams have been disbanded and a curfew, enforceable by the military has been put in place. That’s all the information we have for now folks so stay safe and keep your head down. There are unconfirmed reports of Tsunami conditions and the following areas are now listed as unreachable: New York city, New Jersey, the east coast of Massachusetts…”

  “Turn it off! Turn it off!” Cindy suddenly snapped.

  Carl hit the power button then frowned. The radio fell silent and he pushed it toward the middle of the table then took a seat. “Didn’t mean to upset you…just thought you might want to know what’s going on.”

  No one replied. Cindy buried her face into her hands and Jake stood there with his mouth open. Step by step the world was falling apart. Civilization was crumbling, deconstructing in front of us.

  “There’s…there’s a few cots in the other room. Sandra says your friend needs some time to rest so you’re welcome to stay here as long as you like,” Carl said sheepishly.

  I didn’t feel exactly comfortable staying with Carl, but as I looked at Cindy I knew she wasn’t ready to head back out. Jake was worthless at his best and Brent wasn’t even conscious. It looked like we would be spending the night.

  CHAPTER 15

  NO WAY OUT

  I awoke the next morning ready to hit the road. I figured if I could find a car, Brent could rest and we might make Wyoming in the next day or so. We didn’t have much time to spare and I was afraid we were already too late.

  I sat up on my cot and yawned. It was quiet and that was something I’d learned to not take for granted. All night I could hear the war raging outside. Shouts and cries of pain and anger, the music of the night born out of despair and hate. But quiet meant hope, it meant we might still have a chance.

  I looked back at Cindy as she slept silently, wrapped under a tattered, green blanket. She was so peaceful in that moment. Dreams were sometimes an escape from the horrors that reality held, I envied her for that. When I slept my mind just replayed all the shit I’d been through the day before. There was no reprieve for me.

  Leaning over, I gave Cindy a kiss then stood up. I glanced around the room for a moment then headed back toward the storage area where we’d first come in.

  “Your friend is looking better,” Carl mumbled.

  He was seated in the corner, his face obscured by the shadows. I didn’t reply immediately. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust and find him.

  “What are you doing up?” I asked.

  “Who could sleep with all this shit going on?”

  “Fair point. You know of any place we might be able to find a car without getting killed?”
>
  “A car? What would you need a car for?” Carl asked as he stood up and walked toward me.

  “Gotta get going pretty soon,” I replied and took a few steps back.

  Carl laughed. “It’s not safe out there, especially now.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Carl looked at me like I’d asked him the strangest question in the world. He wrinkled his nose then let out a loud grunt and dropped his head into his hands.

  “Of course…of course you didn’t know.”

  “Didn’t know what?” I asked.

  “You were sleeping, all of you were,” he paused and looked back toward Brent. “He needed more medicine. He was sick, very, very sick. Sandra said she’d go out, it was that or let your friend die. It seemed safe enough, it was quiet and I’m better with the shotgun.”

  He paused and glanced toward the corner where a rifle was propped up against the wall. I followed his eyes and in my head tried to calculate the odds of me making it to it before he did.

  “Besides,” he started again. “She knew what she was looking for. There’s a pharmacy across the street, it’s not far…it’s not far at all. I could’ve gone, but probably would’ve brought back the wrong thing you see.”

  I leaned forward as he spoke. My palms had started to sweat and my throat was dry. Something about the way he said his words sent chills down my arms. His raspy voice croaked and I swallowed like a dry creek bed.

  “We were wrong, it wasn’t safe. She got back with the medicine, but she’d been stabbed. She bled out…while you were sleeping.”

  “What?” I asked with a shocked face.

  “Slept through it all, the whole lot of you. It’s nice to be so secure, ain’t it?”

  I didn’t know what to say as I looked at him. His entire demeanor had changed. He’d gone from being optimistic to angry and even bitter. I wasn’t the most familiar with southern customs, but it sure sounded like he was blaming me for Sandra’s death.

  “Where is she?” I asked him, almost afraid of what the answer would be.

  “There’s a small field, behind the fence in the alley. I buried her there, but don’t worry…your friend is gonna be fine, he’s gonna be just fine.”

  “Did we do something to you, Carl?”

  “Do something to me, what do you mean?”

  “Never mind…um, Sandra is really dead? I just, I just can’t believe it. I’m, I’m sorry for your loss.” My words felt empty, but I was never good at that sort of thing and it was even harder now. “Do you need my help with anything?”

  “Now you want to help? Sandra could’ve used it last night, but now we’re on lockdown.”

  “What?!”

  “I told you, it’s far too dangerous out there.”

  As he spoke I glanced back toward the door. There was a thick metal rod bolted to it. It ran from the door into the actual wall like an oversized bolt.

  “We’re on lock down,” he said again angrily.

  There was a ruffling behind me and I turned around. Jake was up. He was yawning and had a blank look on his face. It seemed like the perfect time for him to say something stupid that would get us all killed.

  “What’s going on?” he asked in a groggy voice.

  Carl looked at me then to Jake. I stepped forward and grabbed Jake by the arm and led him back toward the room.

  “Let’s check on Cindy,” I said.

  “What?”

  “Just come on. We’ll be right back, Carl.”

  I dragged Jake away as Carl stared suspiciously. Once we rounded the corner I stopped and looked back to make sure Carl hadn’t followed us.

  “What the hell is going on?” Jake growled.

  “Shh!” I snapped. “Keep your voice down.”

  “Well start talking.”

  “Carl is crazy is what’s going on. He locked us in here.”

  “What?”

  “He says he’s put the place on lockdown. Says it’s too dangerous to go out and….and then he told me--”

  “Fucking great,” Jake groaned. “Can this get any worse?”

  “I’m serious, Jake.”

  “I am too. What do you want me to do? We don’t have any weapons. Hell, we lost our bags back there in the alley. We’re screwed, completely screwed.”

  “Sandra’s dead.”

  “What!”

  “Says she died last night, getting medicine for Brent. I think he killed her.”

  Jake’s grin evaporated. He took a deep breath and held up his hands. “What the hell are we gonna do?”

  “What’s wrong?” Cindy asked as she walked up behind us with a terrified look on her face.

  Jake turned and shook his head from side to side. Cindy gave him an odd look then glared at me.

  “We need to talk,” I told her.

  CHAPTER 16

  EVERYONE IS A PRISONER IN THEIR OWN MIND

  It’d been two days since we arrived at Carl’s place. Two days that seemed like two months. We’d been tip-toeing around, trying to stay out of Carl’s way, but things were only getting stranger.

  Carl had a room near the main door. It was down a long, narrow hall with no lighting. When he wasn’t barking orders at us he spent his time in there with his door closed.

  Late at night we could hear muffled voices coming from his room. It sounded like he was arguing with someone, but he could’ve just as easily been singing. All I knew is that we had to get out.

  It felt like prison. Every minute spent second guessing your decisions and looking over you back. Carl was everywhere and he was always armed, lurking in corners, staring us down like he was picking his next target.

  “So, we need the key on his belt and we have to figure out how to power down the magnet in his room,” Brent reiterated.

  He’d come around a day ago and while he was still moving slow, he’d made a remarkable improvement. I’d caught him up on everything he’d missed and besides the initial shock he was taking it rather well.

  “We just need to kill him,” Jake replied through gritted teeth.

  “Yeah, which one of us is an assassin now? Idiot!” I glared at him.

  “He’s right,” Cindy suddenly said. “That’s the only way we can get out of here. You said it yourself, Max, he’s not gonna let us go.”

  I stared at Cindy and thought about our options. Time was ticking away and I knew we had to leave soon, one way or the other. Every minute here, was a minute closer to death, but we needed to think things through.

  "Y'all are gonna have to start pulling your weight around here,” Carl called out. “I got some barrels that need to be moved in the back room. Why don’t you three go ahead and grab those and Cindy can help me in the kitchen.”

  “No!” Cindy mouthed.

  I looked back to the corner and Carl hadn’t made it around yet. “This is it,” I whispered.

  “What?”

  “If you can keep him occupied we can get the hell out of here. Brent, can search the room for a switch or something to the lock.”

  Cindy glared at me, but we didn’t have a choice. She was about to say something when Carl stepped around the corner and shot suspicious look.

  “I don’t like repeating myself much,” he growled.

  “Brent's not quite up to speed," I said. "Me and Jake will handle it so Brent can rest…if, if that’s okay with you."

  Carl shifted his eyes to Brent. He stared at him for an uncomfortable amount of time and to Brent’s credit he really did look like shit. Whether he was playing it up or he was still at death’s door, it worked to our advantage.

  “You rest,” Carl started. “We don’t need you getting sick again, ain’t nobody here to fix you this time.”

  I leaned into Brent and whispered, "Once we’re gone you need to get in the room and find the button for the lock."

  "Well come on,” Carl grumbled. “Let me show you where ya going."

  We followed Carl down the hall and into a back room we hadn’t been before. There was an o
dd smell like something had gone bad years ago and the room was never completely cleaned. It was dark and there were puddles of standing water scattered around the concrete floor.

  Carl felt his way down the wall to a light switch. He flicked it on and a dim orange glow did its best to brighten the room. Against the back wall there were stacks of wooden barrels. Carl walked towards them and placed his hand against one.

  "This is where we store all the food. All the shit you and your friends keep eating. Pretty soon we’re gonna need more and you fellas are gonna have to help with that too. But for right now, just move ten of these barrels to the dining room. And be careful they’re real heavy and the floor can be slippery.”

  With that, Carl left us to work. I stared after him until I was certain he was out of earshot. Then I slid a barrel to the center of the floor and sat on it.

  "You trust him in there with Cindy?” Jake asked.

  "He's not that far away, I'm sure if something was going on we'd hear them. Besides, we gotta keep him occupied so Brent can search the room.”

  "You're the boss."

  Frowning, I started to push the barrel toward the dining room. Carl wasn't lying when he said they were heavy. Each barrel had to weigh more than 100 pounds. It took us nearly an hour to move them all.

  Jake wasn’t much help. He whined the entire time, stopping every five minutes to look at invisible blisters on his hand or complain about his back. When we finally finished, I’d moved eight barrels in total, while Jake had helped with two.

  “How did it go?” I asked Brent as we made our way back to the room.

  He was laying on the cot with his arms crossed over his chest. He eyes were glued to the ceiling and didn’t move when he spoke. He looked like he was meditating.

  “We have to leave tonight,” he said in a dry, deep voice. “As soon as we can. We have to kill him and leave tonight.”

  I glanced at Jake and his face was a mirror. He was as confused as I was and probably just as scared. Brent was the rational one, but something had changed.

  “What did we miss?” I asked. “You feeling okay? Did you find the switch for the door?”

  Brent rolled over and sat up. He glared at me with crimson eyes and cleared his throat. He had an angry look on his face and spoke with a croaky, harsh voice. “I found the switch,” he said. “And I found something else.”