by Byrd, Daniel
"Are you all right?" Macy asked. Katie realized she had spaced out for a bit.
"I'm fine, sorry," Katie replied. “I'm just…it's nice to meet a sociable person again. I haven't really talked to anyone since my boyfriend left."
"Left? Is he in the military?" Macy asked with intrigue. Katie nodded.
"Yes. He's…" she remembered that Max had asked her not to speak of it, as the operation was supposed to be classified as it was. “He's been sent to Washington for security purposes."
"I see…it must he really hard for you."
Katie jabbed her fork into her eggs and tried not to think about the loneliness. After all, Max must have felt the same way, so being selfish wasn't going to help her at all. "I'm…coping."
"Alone? That's not coping, that's depressing. Hey, why don't we hang out sometime? You could use a friend!"
Katie actually liked the idea. It beat spending every waking minute alone wondering if Max was okay. “Sounds good. Thanks, Macy. So, are you alone too?"
Macy dipped her head a bit before answering. There was still a smile on her face, but Katie could tell it was a façade. “I am. My mom was killed saving me from a bunch of deadmen after our car was hit by an SUV that ran through an intersection. It was…" she trailed off.
"It's fine," Katie told her. “You don't have to say anything."
Macy nodded. “My dad…he died in Austin."
Katie knew of the fate of Austin, Texas. The haven there had been overrun by the undead from the outside and from within. The military was forced to resort to nuking the area to stop the mass infestation. The biggest problem that still resided other than the radiation was the thought that nowhere was truly safe. Everyday saw the rise of more protesters demanding better protection, and every instance of that saw more people being imprisoned. Katie wasn't stupid; the people in charge wanted to maintain an image of sincerity in contrast to the world outside, and anything that threatened that illusion of tranquility was met with extreme force.
"He was a lieutenant," she continued, "and determined to make it to Philadelphia to be with us. He was stationed at Fort Hood when everything happened. His orders were to serve in the Austin Haven, but he could've transferred after everything died down…"
Katie didn't know what to say. She'd lost her parents in Georgia, and didn't even know what really happened to them before the bombs fell. She didn't want to come off as insensitive and play the 'I can relate' game, but she had to say something to her.
"I'm sure they would be proud to know they had a daughter who could reach out to complete strangers with an open heart."
The smile on Macy's face seemed to take on a more sincere appearance once again. She ate a few more bites of her food before she continued their conversation. “So, enough about the sad things in life. Let's find something happy. Tell me about this Max guy."
Katie blushed. “Well, I met him when he and his friends came to rescue me before the bombs were dropped across the country."
Macy was in awe. “That sounds almost romantic."
Katie had to giggle at the look on her face. “Yeah, it was…strange. I guess you could say fate delivered him to my house that day, and if fate had a name, it would be David Heyman."
"Who was that?"
"He was the one who got Max and his friend Joseph to go back to Georgia and get me. He refused to believe that I was dead, and I knew he'd come."
"Wait," Macy cut in, "so this David guy was your lover?"
Katie averted her eyes, more ashamed than embarrassed. “No, he was just my best friend…at least that's how I saw him."
Macy nodded with a prying eye. “But he wanted more?"
"Yeah. I felt really shitty about it. I mean, he waited so long to say something, and I was about to go out with another guy...it just put me on the spot, you know? The guy was my best friend. I…our whole relationship was just platonic to me.”
Macy's constant smile seemed to diminish at a thought. “So...when you say was, do you mean that it fell apart after that...or…"
Katie nodded. “It's okay. Yes, he was killed. He was bitten, but he didn't turn immediately. It was hell for him. I asked Max about it once; body decay, organ failure...he just suffered until the end."
Macy’s eyes widened. “But...he didn't end it? He just kept living?"
"Yeah," Katie said with the small trace of a smile. “He just wanted to get to me before he died."
Macy placed her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands. “This is the saddest love story I've heard in a long time. Well, better than those novels I read back in middle school.”
Katie shoved her arm. “Stop it. It wasn't…the whole thing just made me…I don't know, I just felt like the greatest burden. I'm responsible for my best friend's death-"
"Stop!" Macy said, slapping her on the back. “Don't think like that! You need to be strong at times like these, and dwelling on what's already happened isn't going to get you focused on the future. The future is all a lot of us have right now, you know?"
"Yeah, but…"
Macy decided to change the subject. “So…" she began, "say he didn't die."
Katie had just shoved a strip of ham in her mouth, and stopped chewing as the question registered. “What?"
"If he would have survived, who would you be with?" Katie didn't like the question. She remained silent, hoping that Macy would take the hint.
"You're right, that's too personal a question for someone I just met. So, where did you get placed?"
"Huh?"
"You know, job duty?" Macy said in a tone that suggested that she figured Katie should have known what she was talking about. She should have. Everyone in the haven eighteen and above had an assigned job to keep everything running smoothly. They ranged from delivery crews to chefs, all the way down to plumbing.
"Oh, I'm at the laundry mat two blocks away."
Macy frowned. “That's a bummer. Hey, what if I could get you a position where I work?"
"Where's that?"
Macy grinned. “Nursery. I get to babysit."
If the grin was for added effect to make Katie jealous, it had worked. She had done a lot of that for the families around her neighborhood before this all had happened. She loved kids, even if they could be a little traumatic at times.
"So?" Macy egged her on. “Interested?"
"Cleaning up after kids beats cleaning clothes any day to me."
"Would you?" Macy asked with false skepticism. Katie gave a sly smile.
"Try me. Kids are a lot less messy. At least when they spill something on their clothes it's cute. Now, crayons on a wall…”
"Right, right...well, I've got to get going. It's a walk to the daycare, and I'm taking over for the night shift."
"Night shift?" Katie repeated, unfamiliar with the idea, but when she thought on it, she realized that many of the citizens had to work their duties throughout the night, so who else would watch their kids?
"Do I really have to explain?" Macy asked as she grabbed her plate and stood up from the table.
"No, I understand. So much happens here to keep kids away from their parents. It's just sad that some of them probably will never see them again. Are there any orphans where you work?”
Macy practically told her the thought was troubling with her facial expression alone. “A few. They'll be transferred to one of the makeshift boarding schools when they're older. They have a rough time ahead.”
“We all do,” Katie added solemnly.
Macy didn't seem to want to dwell on the pessimistic thought. “Yeah, well, I'm leaving. It was nice to meet you, Katie. I'll see if I can pull some strings and get you on board with me." She walked towards the kitchen, leaving Katie alone, but excited. She'd made a friend. Without Max around to keep her in good spirits, that was hard to do. Now she knew she could go it alone if need be. Then she hated herself for that thought. It was selfish.
While she lost herself in her woes once more, Macy walked by and tapped her on the sh
oulder. Katie looked behind her to see Macy smiling down upon her. “Hey, he's okay."
"Huh?"
"I figured that's what you were so zoned out about. Don't fret. Max is okay. He has to be, because he has a reason to come back. That drives a man to do two things. They'll refrain from stupid actions, and strive to stay alive. He'll be back."
"How did you come up with that one?" Katie asked, turning back to stare absentmindedly at her unfinished food with a little smile. It did make her feel better.
"My mom told me that once, about my dad. He had gone missing during a tour in Iraq, and we were getting no answers. It turned out that he was taken hostage by some extremists and held for ransom. You know those videos they send military officials with thugs pointing guns at people with bags over their heads? My dad was on one of those once. They never spoke of how he escaped, but that was the answer my mom gave me. My parents…" she said with a smile. Katie could tell she was reflecting on something, "My parents were always full of wise sayings they thought would influence me as I grew up. I guess some of it stuck. Even my dad had a saying he loved to repeat to me growing up. Want to know what it was?"
Katie hated the question. It always invited curiosity. "Sure."
"If you're going to cry a river, just be sure it's deep enough to drown your enemies in.”
Katie hadn't expected that. “Your father…"
"Was pretty morbid. I know, but he was a loving man. Family first, duty second. Most people say that makes for a terrible officer, but I heard from a man he called Mendez at a barbecue one summer say that he treated his soldiers like family too.”
Katie was wondering. “You know, Macy, to have lost both of your parents, you're pretty content. I mean, most people would break down and give up after losing so much. How do you carry on after that?"
Macy had a look of deep contemplation on her face, yet the smile was still there. She held up a finger. “Better question; how do you?"
Katie didn't have to think nearly as long. “Because if I died someone would have sacrificed a lot in vain."
Macy patted her on the shoulder. “That."
"Huh?"
"Later Katie, I have to go."
"Oh…okay, see you."
Macy left through the diner doors and Katie watched through the glass panes as she pushed open the front door in the lobby and disappeared from sight. Alone again. Katie grabbed her plate and gave it to the kitchen staff before slowly making her way out into the city.
Katie walked out into the early morning streets of Philadelphia. Despite the sunlight breaking atop the buildings in the gray sky above, it was still a mid-twenties morning, and Katie hated the cold. It made working in the laundry mat that much more miserable, as damp clothes and cold temperatures were a combination for a dreary day, no matter how bright. She thanked God for dryers. They kept the building she worked in warm and cozy.
She had always heard of high crime reports in Philadelphia, but being here now, there wasn't much of it going on at all. Of course, when there are armed military personnel constantly patrolling every square-inch of the city at any given time, it's kind of hard not to behave, she figured. Zero tolerance of anything against the established Haven Code was exercised regularly. She'd seen enough brutality to rival the civil rights movements of the fifties and sixties she'd only ever seen pictures of. She understood that the military and law enforcement had to protect them, but the police state that they were living in often times worried her more than the threats outside. She was actually more worried about doing wrong as she heard the rumble of a large military truck passing by before rounding the corner of an intersection full of kids playing soccer. Orders were barked for the children to clear the streets as it passed. There was no telling what the people in the vehicle were off to do; crushing rebellions and patrolling for the infected seemed to take up most of the time of the Armed Forces.
Upon reaching the corner of the former shoe store next to the laundry mat, she could hear the cries of a man across the road. There was a crowd of people gathered around him, all entranced by his charisma. He stood above them all, probably on a stool or something else sturdy, holding something in the air as he shouted. Katie had to squint to see that it was a black book in his hand. He waved it and slapped the cover repeatedly as he spoke. If she didn't have an idea before listening to his sermon, she did now.
"That is the company we are among! The Devil's minions are among God's children now, and his evil is spreading like a pathogen among us!"
Katie found it funny that a man preaching of the Devil's work would use a medical term like pathogen, but she decided to give an ear as she stood at the door of the business.
"The monsters of this world have no claws, nor do they have horns or forked tails! They have skin like us! They have bodies like us! They only difference between us and them are our souls that God gave us, and they want to take them away! As his children, we were given life on this Earth created, to follow His plan and live under His rule! Now, a great evil has severed our bond to his Paradise promised so long ago, and our everlasting life has been obstructed by a grim detour; damnation upon the Earth we walk, under our Lord's eyes! We are being punished! Just as the first of His creation from dust disobeyed His rule and separated themselves and their descendants from Him, so too have we! We have brought this second fall of man! Our brethren have angered the Creator, and for that, we are all doomed to walk this hollowing world, souls corrupted to enforce our punishment! Instead of our souls being saved, we receive no final judgment! We face the Hell of wandering a world abandoned! Such as the plagues of Egypt taught the Pharaoh of his wrongs, so too shall humanity suffer until we appreciate the life God granted us! He promised us there would never again be a flood to destroy his creations, but there is nothing in the word of God that says he wouldn't punish us again!”
Someone else picked up where the preacher left off, but Katie couldn't see him in the crowd. “It's true! Haven't you all seen the information spreading on the Internet?! This is all part of some plan, and the government doesn't want us to find out!”
Katie didn't know what he was talking about. Then again, Internet access wasn't exactly common anymore. It wasn't that it didn't exist; she wasn't even sure if the Web could actually fully be destroyed. The problem was limited electricity and computer access.
The preacher and his subordinate continued their rant, but no one could ignore the Army Jeep that slowed to a stop near the crowd. Two soldiers hopped out of the back and approached the congregation as people began to take notice of their ready weapons and parted to either side of the men. The preacher saw the newcomers to his sermon and pointed the book grasped in his right hand at them.
"And it is you who attempt to prolong the inevitable. The will is written, and the will shall be done!" he shouted at them.
Katie couldn't hear the response the soldiers were giving, but she assumed it wasn't nice, since right after it one of them drove the butt of his rifle into the preacher's stomach. He fell to the ground, but was quickly snatched up by the soldiers and taken to the Jeep. The crowd dispersed with a lot of anger, but no one wanted to try and incite a riot, less they force the brutality that comes with breaking Haven Code.
Katie stood in place for a moment as the people slowly exited the area, eyes watching everyone with curiosity. She couldn't help but notice that the preacher's Bible was still on the pavement next to stand he had been giving his sermon from. Everyone else had cleared the scene. There wasn't a soul who would question it. Making up her mind, she made her way across the street and inspected the book. It looked like a normal leather black Bible that you'd see any stereotypical man of God carrying. Picking it up, she opened it and flipped through the first few pages. The man had outrageous ideas. The pages were covered in black ink detailing the ideas and theories that he wanted to convey to others, along with titles of Internet forums. Maybe he truly believed everything that was transpiring was an act of God, and that these theories were confirming his assumpti
ons. She didn't want to believe that herself.
One set of words scribbled into the back of the cover caught her attention and drew a gasp of shock. It had her reading the text until she was inside of the laundry mat. She tucked the book away with her coat, and began work with questions as to what the preacher had written. The name of the event was scribbled into the Bible, but the word “project” had been added before the words, and arrows from a lot of the website notes all led to the word. What was she missing out on from inside of this Haven with the changing world outside?
Chapter Fifteen - Turnover
A perfect world; a world of peace and silence. Nothing threatening to jump out and bite him at any given moment. No government officials breathing down his neck…unless you counted the possible satellite feeds from thousands of miles up. That was the world Private First Class Zachary Jackson was in as he sat behind the wheel of the U.S. Army Jeep. The scenery was magnificent. Compared to the gray skies over the haven back in the U.S., the blue sky here reminded Jackson of the peace before all of this began. He remembered what a world looked like before it had nuclear bombs dropped all around it. The buildings were aging, but that was understandable of structures that had been around since the 1950s, after the war. With hardly no other cars sharing the road it was quite a pleasant drive for the nature of their presence here.
"It's been a while, Berlin," Jackson said to the sight outside of the vehicle.
"You've been here?" Max asked.
"My first tour. I managed to make it here on a leave of absence. It's a nice place."
"Considering what happened about seventy years ago, sure," a voice announced from the backseat.
"Ah, doctor!" Jackson exclaimed, dying Dr. Hamilton in the mirror. “I had almost forgotten you were back there! I'm amazed you can be so quiet! How're you feeling?"
Hamilton had opted to nap across the back seat. It wasn't that he was nervous, but more that he was annoyed at the topics of discussion that these two drew upon. He had no idea what book series they had been feverishly talking about for the past half-hour, but fantasy was not a preferred area of interest to him. Of course, the talk of monsters akin to something out of Lovecraft's mind being hunted down by mercenary groups around the world did appeal to him. Maybe it was the idea of blowing somethings head apart with heavy weaponry and getting paid for it. It did sound glamorous.