DEAD RAIN: A Tale of the Zombie Apocalypse (19 page)

48

Sheriff Leeds trudged wearily to the set of rough plank steps leading back up to the boardwalk. It was the last set on that stretch of beach—which ended just thirty feet ahead, blocked off by a
chain-link fence that sealed the towering supports of a huge amusement pier.

He sank down on the steps to catch his breath, but was forced to his feet by the clomping of footsteps on the boardwalk above.
Once again he took refuge in the darkness under the boardwalk, and carefully considered his next move. If he hoped to have any chance of catching his prey he would have to return to the boardwalk, and soon. He’d already lost sight of them, but he knew they couldn’t be too far ahead.

A sliver of light caught his eye, flashing through the underside of the nearby fun pier. At first he thought it was
distant lightning, but then he noticed it was coming from beneath a building on the near side of the pier. With all the power in the area knocked out by the storm, he knew it could only be the beam of a flashlight.

He hurried to the
chain-link fence that sealed off the forest of pier supports. Gazing up at the bottom of the pier he saw more twinkles of light flashing across the structure, slipping through the cracks between the planks of the boardwalk.

He studied the shifting patterns of light and quickly deduced he’d found his prey. It was clear they’d taken refuge inside a dark building and were guiding their way across the floor with their flashlights.
He took a few steps back and looked up at the building, trying to identify it. A flash of lightning revealed the side of the funhouse, painted with giant monster faces.

He thought about his chances of making it past the
Resurrecteds on the boardwalk. They were monumentally slim—impossible without firing several gunshots.
That won’t do. I’d lose the element of surprise.

Slinging his rifle and his tac bag over his shoulder, he grabbed hold of the
chain-link fence and started to climb. It would take him several minutes to reach the pier, but his targets would undoubtedly still be there, cornered inside their plywood sanctuary. He smiled in anticipation as he pulled himself higher, moving slowly but steadily, eagerly formulating a plan.

His son Henry had worked on the pier for two summer seasons, taking tickets and helping clean up and doing simple maintenance. One hot summer day he’d given the family a tour, so Leeds was very familiar with the pier… and the funhouse in particular. He knew something about it tha
t the troopers probably didn’t.

Something he could use to his advantage.

49

“Ow! Shit,” Ryan cursed under his breath. He had ventured ahead of the group, a bit too impatient to be a hero. Kerri giggled as she realized what had happened. So did Emma, the first positive sign that she wasn’t a total wreck.

Ryan rubbed his aching nose as
he returned to join the group.

“Mirror maze,” he said flatly.

Bronski stepped up to check it out. He shined his light in, and the beam was immediately reflected and amplified by a hundred mirrors. Quickly he switched off his light and the maze fell back into darkness. “End of the road,” he said quietly. “It’s too risky to go any further in the dark. Somebody might get hurt in there. And if we use our lights they might show through a window we don’t know about or cracks in the outside walls. These places are roughly constructed.”

“But we’ll be safer in there,” Kerri protested. “The deeper we go, the better.”

“It’s not worth the chance,” Bronski stood firm. “We can’t risk breaking a panel of glass. Even if no one got hurt, the noise would draw those things in here. You’re safer out here.”

He switched his flashlight back on and quickly scanned the black-walled corridor. A mock electric chair stood in an alcove, with a Charl
es Manson dummy strapped on it.

Bronski unstrapped the dummy and tossed it aside, then helped Cat over and sat her on the hard wooden chair. She sank back, weak and groggy, her mind shutting down from the pain.

“Cat, listen. Stay with me.”

She nodded unconvincingly. “I’m good.”

Bronski swallowed hard. It pained him to see his high-spirited partner in such a vulnerable state. “Cat, please, pay attention. I need to go for help. I’m going to leave you here but I’ll be back with a rescue team as fast as I can. If I can’t find a working phone or radio I’ll steal a boat or I’ll swim if I have to, but I swear I’ll get help and get you out of here safe and sound. But I need you to hold it together. It might take me awhile. You have to hang on.”

“Don’t worry about me,” she replied wanly. “Just warn the world what’s happening before it’s too late.”

Ryan came over, edgy and wired. “What’s the plan?”

“The plan is, I’m going to the marina to look for help,” said Bronski.

“I’m going with you.”

“No, it’s going to be dangerous enough—”

“Don’t tell me how dangerous it is. Those things killed my mother. And my little brother.”

“I’m sorry, Ryan. But I have to—”

“I’m your best chance to find that marina—and find it fast. It’s not about me or you. It’s about them. The world has to be alerted.”

“Alright, kid
. But don’t make me regret it. I don’t want any unnecessary heroics out there. It’s not a hunting party. We’re going to have to move fast and stay focused on our mission. If we do it right we’ll get there without firing a single shot.”

“You’re the boss.”

“Okay then. Load your weapons—just in case. And say your farewells. We leave in two minutes.”

Bronski turned and bumped into Kerri, who was waiting right behind him.

“I’m going too,” she said softly.

“No, you’re not, Kerri.
Cat’s in no condition to come with us and we can’t take that girl along either. She’s a mess. She’ll get us all killed. I need someone I can count on to stay here and watch over them. Someone I can trust not to desert them. And to hold them together.”

“I can do that.”

“I know you can. And I know you will.” He looked over at Cat, who was coiled in a ball of pain. “Do you have something you can give her?”

Kerri nodded.

“Knock her out if you have to. You should be safe in here. If those things knew we were in here they’d be trying to get in by now.” He pulled a few gun magazines and a box of ammo from his tac bag and slipped them into his pocket, then handed the bag to Kerri. “There’s 9mm ammo in the bag. It’ll work in Cat’s gun and in that Glock you’re packing. There’s some protein bars too. Save them until you’re all desperately hungry, then ration them carefully. I’ll be back as fast as I can with help but realistically I’m thinking at least half a day to gather the troops and fight our way back here.”

“Don’t worry about us,” Kerri said calmly. “Just watch your back out there. It’s more impor
tant that you sound the alarm.”

Bronski realized how lucky he was to have her there. It made him feel better
about leaving Cat in her care. “You should have plenty of firepower. But don’t fire a single round unless it’s absolutely life or death. Don’t make any noise and don’t even use your flashlights unless you have to. And whatever you do, don’t open the front door, even to peek outside.”

“How do you plan on getting out without being seen?”

“We’ll slip out very carefully so they don’t see us. If by some chance we’re spotted, we’ll make a noisy run to draw them away. Just stay hidden inside and wait for our return.”

“I’ll do my best to hold down the fort.”

“I know you will, Kerri. Thanks.”

“Funny,” Kerri smiled wanly. “I always thought it would be terrorists.”

Bronski nodded in solemn agreement, then turned to offer words of encouragement to Emma, but found Ryan already on it. The boy’s face was close to hers, whispering gentle words. Ryan gave her his LED keychain light and showed her how to switch it on, then pulled the Colt from his pocket and handed it to her. She hesitated, but he whispered something again, and she reluctantly accepted it.

Bronski was happy to see them bonding—
it’ll give them both something to live for—
but he wasn’t as happy with the idea of the girl having a loaded gun.
Too late for that now though. No telling how she’d react if I tried to take it away.

He stepped up and looked her in the eye, as much to assess her state of mind as to offer a bit of paternal support. “You’re safe in here,
Emma, you know that, right?”

Emma
nodded half-heartedly.

“We’ll be back as soon as we can,” he continued. “Meanwhile I’m leaving Kerri in charge. I want you to listen to everything she says and follow her orders without question
, understand? She’s trained to deal with emergency situations, coolly and logically. And whatever you do, do not fire that gun unless it’s absolutely necessary. Otherwise you’ll have every one of those things out there heading your way. Got that?”

“Yes sir.”

***

A minute later the guys were outside on the pier. As Bronski had hoped, the zombies had walked a fruitless circuit, then abandoned the amusement pier in search of meatier hunting grounds.

He and Ryan darted across the nearly vacant pier, ducking from cover to cover, avoiding the attention of the few remaining walkers.

They didn’t notice Sheriff Leeds watching them, hunkered out of sight behind the funhouse.

50

The rain was coming down hard as Ryan and Bronski reached the entrance of the pier
at the edge of the boardwalk. They crouched behind a small ticket booth and peeked cautiously around the corner, assessing their situation.

The boardwalk was infested with the walking dead. They saw dozens of corpses dragging their sagging feet across the dull gray boards, mindlessly searching for victims. Which meant there were probably a hundred or more in the immediate vicinity.

“Jesus,” Ryan whispered, nervously clutching the shotgun in his sweaty palms. “We’ll never make it. They’re everywhere.”

Bronski put a finger to his lips, then pointed at the row of storefronts on the far side of the boardwalk. Ryan didn’t have a clue what he was implying, but was
pretty sure he didn’t like it.

“When I start to run, you run,” Bronski whispered. “Stay close on my heels and do not fire your weapon unde
r any circumstances. Got that?”

“Yeah, but—”

“No buts. You wanted to come along. If you’ve changed your mind, go back now. I can’t risk you jeopardizing this mission if you can’t follow orders.”

“Sorry,” Ryan murmured contritely. “No. Count me in. Whatever you say, you’re the boss.”

“Okay then. Get ready.” Bronski holstered his Sig and raised his AR-15 to his shoulder, taking aim across the pier.

Ryan’s heart thumped in his chest, so loud he was afraid the zombies might hear it over the patter of the rain. His stomach felt watery and his knees went weak.
Jesus, what is he thinking? He’s only going to rile them up.
For a second he considered turning tail and running back to the funhouse. But he didn’t move. It wasn’t bravery so much as curiosity to see what the trooper was planning.

Bronski waited until a dazzling web of lightning lit up the entire sky. He counted off two seconds then fired a single shot from his assault rifle. His timing was perfect—the sound of the gunshot was drowned by the deafening crack of thunder.

On the far side of the boardwalk, the high-powered bullet hit a large picture window at its base and the plate glass splintered into several large pieces. For a few seconds they hung suspended in the frame, but gravity and the wind soon took effect.

The shattering of glass rang through the night as the huge shards crashed down on the boardwalk. Every zombie within a hundred yards pivoted towards the sound. Like a herd of two-legged cattle they headed for the storefront as if someone had rung a dinner bell.

Ryan twitched like a track star ready to bolt, but Bronski held him back, watching and waiting as the herd closed in on the storefront. Finally the last straggling bodies arrived and pressed forward to join the crowd. Bronski waited patiently until they were all facing the open storefront. He poked Ryan in the ribs and darted from the pier onto the boardwalk, running in a low crouch, staying close to the ocean-side railing of the boardwalk. Ryan dashed after him, his heart in his throat.

Reaching the
first set of steps leading to the beach, Bronski scampered down to the bottom and sat down to catch his breath.

Ryan dropped down beside him, relieved but queasy with adrenalin. Peeking up over the edge of the boardwalk he saw the mass of zombies at the storefront
already starting to disperse, no longer fixated on the storefront. They wandered listlessly, staggering in circles, as lost as a hive of bees without a queen. They’d made it just in time.

He
shifted his gaze to the ramp on the other side of the boardwalk, opposite where they were sitting. The head of a zombie rose into view. Another followed. A steady trickle of zombies were still arriving, coming up the nearest ramp. An involuntary sigh escaped his lips as he wondered how Bronski planned to get them past that horde. Bronski grabbed his collar and pulled him down, and signaled him with a finger to his lips.

Ryan’s heart skipped a beat as a zombie lumbered past, right above them
on the boardwalk, just six feet away. Lowering his head he flattened himself on the steps, praying the thing would pass without seeing them.