Death's Little Angels (21 page)

“
Or what’s left of my
family,” Mater mumbled joining him.

Drew shook his head in agreement. For all
they knew, their families could be dead as well. There would be no
way they would find out until they made it to the Fairgrounds
Center. The trio walked away from the bus leaving the muffled
screams behind. They waited for three more vehicles to turn down
the road to the center before crossing Highway 26.

“
In the name of Jesus…
Wait!” A tiny voiced squeaked.

Drew turned around and noticed it was
Tarynn. She scrambled towards the three as she moved from behind
the bus and crossed the highway. She looked like she had been in a
rough street fight. Her long skirt and shirt looked like it had
been through a shredder. Tarynn’s normally neat red hair that was
always pulled up into a long slick ponytail, fell to her waist in
uneven frazzled layers. Her face, hair, and clothes were smeared
with blood. She hobbled towards Drew, Sue Ellen, and Mater with
scraped bruised knees.

Drew met Tarynn as soon as she crossed the
road. “I thought you were….”

“
No, not dead. By the
grace of the Lord, it was not my time to go.”

Tarynn looked like she had been in battle
and lost. “It was Beetle,” she slowly said like she was in a
trance, “He turned into one of those… Well, after he died that is.
Mrs. Bond performed CPR on him….”

Tarynn stopped speaking but began to walk
slowly towards the Fairgrounds Center. From far off they could see
several Humvees and soldiers that were congregated in front of the
building. A car turning down the road, with screeching tires,
zoomed by. The kids jumped to the side to avoid being hit as they
continued walking towards their destination.

Hot tears flowed down Tarynn’s cheeks
slowly. She took a deep breath as she continued to explain what had
gone wrong on the bus.

“
It all happened so fast.
It was like a blur. Beetle was struggling to breathe. Begging not
to die. He was so scared. He told me he wasn’t ready to leave yet.
Like, he had so much he wanted to accomplish in this world,” Tarynn
shook her head gasping for air as she sobbed uncontrollably, “I
still can’t believe Beetle turned into one of those human eating
demons. He was one of the few people that never judged
me.”

No one said anything as they continued to
walk on in silence to the center. They all had their share of
taunting Tarynn because of her beliefs and appearance.

Tarynn cleared her throat and spoke in a
different tone of voice, which was more shaky and timid. “He
latched onto Mrs. Bond’s neck like a rabid dog.” Tarynn briefly
closed her eyes as if to block out the horrid image, “Beetle would
not let go until someone tried to pull him off. Then he bit into
that person’s face. And… and.”

Tarynn began to cry as she recalled the
unimaginable events. Sue Ellen and Mater walked up to Tarynn and
embraced her as they all continued to walk. They closed in on the
Fairgrounds Center that was up ahead. The parking lot was littered
with vehicles, traumatized people, and Humvees.

“
One thing I noticed was
that some of the kids on the bus turned into those
Eaters
within minutes
while others it took seconds. I don’t understand it.” Tarynn
suddenly became aware of her appearance and immediately commenced
to straighten her strands.

“
They pulled my hair and
ripped my clothes. Luckily, I still had some of that Vaseline on
me. I was so scared that I crawled underneath the seats. I was the
only one that got away. Olivia was behind me. I….I…. I thought she
was right
behind
me…. She was holding onto my shirt until I felt her absence,
then her screams ….Why are we being punished?” Tarynn tearfully
asked.

Drew shrugged his
shoulders and looked up into the sky. “I think us humans has
finally done it and made Him mad up there. My Mee-maw always said
something like this would happen. Sort of like a
cleansing
as she would
put it.” Drew eyeballed Tarynn from head to toe. “Did you get
bit?”

“
Wouldn’t I have changed
into one of those demons by now?” Tarynn asked
wide-eyed.

“
Not exactly,” Drew said
as he limped along with one shoe.

“
Not trying to be mean but
remember, Cookie?” Mater directed at Tarynn.

“
Yea, she didn’t turn for
a long time,” Sue Ellen said.

“
No bite marks, see?”
Tarynn held up her long tresses. She moved to her tattered skirt
and blouse giving them proof she was free from human teeth marks.
“You see? Nothing. The Lord was my shepherd throughout all of that
evilness.”

The four neared the Fairgrounds Center where
a long line outside the door reached into the parking lot. Several
soldiers with M16’s and AK-47’s were out inspecting the people that
stood gathered in various groups and sent them to the same gender
lines. Drew wondered why yelling and screaming kids were being
separated from their parents. He noticed several large sized black
kennels that had been placed over to the side that looked as if it
had been discarded.

“
I wonder what is going on
up there,” Drew said, “what are in those kennels? Dogs?”

He led the girls passed the line of waiting
people and walked straight over to a kennel that was put to the
side. Drew kicked at the kennel.

“
What is in there?” Sue
Ellen asked.

“
About to find out,” Drew
said as he bent down to peer into the enclosed space.

A set of small bloody teeth, accompanied by
a low growl, clamped down onto the tiny metal bars that held the
subdued creature within. Drew jumped back so fast that he fell over
into the dirt.

“
Oh God! What is that?”
Drew said heavily breathing in and out. He quickly scrambled to his
feet and checked his fingers and hands.

“
It’s an
Eater
in there….” Mater
slowly said as she backed away.

“
Did it bite me? Did it
bite me?” Drew nervously checked the rest of his body.

“
I think you are okay,”
Sue Ellen said brushing the debris and dirt off of Drew.

Drew nudged the kennel with his foot and
then jumped back. “Why would

they—“

“
What are you doing?” A
hoarse voice spooked the group momentarily taking their attention
off of the kennel.

A tall lean soldier with black spiky hair
approached them. Drew remembered the guy from earlier, in the
Humvee, when he had ordered them to get to the center. He appeared
to be in his early forties.

“
Where do you think you
are going? The back of the line is that way,” he pointed towards
the people with his long pointer finger.

“
What are y’all doing to
those people?”

Drew thought of something fast to say to
bring the attention off of what they had discovered in the kennel.
Drew nodded in the children’s direction that was currently being
separated from their parents. The youngest of the children belted
out a loud cry as she was ripped from her father’s arms.

“
Everyone that goes
through those doors must be thoroughly checked.” The soldier stood
at full attention.

“
Check for what? Lice?”
Drew asked as he began to scratch his head.

The soldier contained his laugh. “No sir.
Checking for teeth marks or bites from the chopper.” He pointed to
his mouth and made clacking sounds with his teeth.

“
Are you going to separate
us?” Sue Ellen glanced up at the tall soldier.

“
Boys are in one line and
girls in the other. To protect your privacy that is,” the soldier
stood with a blank look on his face.

“
I am not taking off my
clothes if that’s what you mean,” Sue Ellen frowned. “Me either,”
Mater agreed shaking her head. Her big braid swung from side to
side.

“
Sweetheart, if you want
to get through those doors and possibly find your family,” the
soldiers eyes flew towards the Fairgrounds Center entrance, “then
you are going to have disrobe so that we can make sure that you are
not infected. No one gets in without a check and a blue
band.”

“
This is not good,” Drew
mumbled to Sue Ellen.

“
Things are about to get a
lot worse. You haven’t seen anything—“

“
Sergeant
Brinkley!”

A tall, broad, bald man with a long mustache
walked in front of the solider who had been speaking to Drew and
the girls. Sergeant Brinkley immediately stood at attention and
saluted his upper command.

“
Yes sir, Lieutenant
General!” Sergeant Brinkley firmly said. His spiky hair looked like
an upside down comb to Drew.

The upper command invaded the sergeant’s
private space as he came nose to nose and placed his pointer finger
on the soldier’s chest. He made the sergeant look like a small bean
compared to his massive chest and thick arms. Drew looked down at
his own frame. He felt like a measly bug compared to that
giant.

“
Quit fraternizing with
these kids and move them on up to the detainment line. They must be
washed quickly. We are expecting hundreds of evacuees!”

“
Yes sir!”

The Lieutenant General marched off. Sergeant
Brinkley stood at ease and took a deep breath. He pointed towards
the direction of the two segregated lines.

“
You heard the Lieutenant
General. I suggest you go now before the center gets too full and
you are turned away.” The sergeant had a grim look on his face with
a change in attitude.

“
Will my mom be in there?”
Mater eagerly asked standing on the tips of her toes as she tried
to peer into the crowded center.

“
She should be if she has
been listening to the news,” Sergeant Brinkley scratched his head,
“I suggest you kids get a move on it.” He looked at the parking lot
it was filling fast. “The detainment lines are up
ahead.”

Drew motioned for the girls to follow him.
Tarynn stayed back. Sue Ellen stopped walking and waited for
Tarynn.

“
Aren’t you coming?” Sue
Ellen asked.

Tarynn shook her head, “I can’t go in there.
The last time I was in a crowded place….” She pointed to her
clothing. “Well you see what happened and I’m not so sure if I want
to find out what else are in those kennels.”

“
What if your parents are
in there?” Mater added. “You will never know where you family is if
you don’t come. I am quite sure there are other options if they are
not there. But you would be safe in those soldier’s big trucks if
they had to take you home. And I think It’s best that we leave
whatever is in those kennels alone.”

Tarynn shrugged it off and slowly followed
behind Sue Ellen and Mater as Drew led the way. She walked with her
head down like she was afraid to greet anyone in passing. Drew had
noticed that Tarynn had stepped off the bus a different person. The
spark that was once in her green eyes was now gone.

As they neared the two separate detainment
lines, four soldiers briskly grabbed the evacuees and directed them
to their respective lines. Drew stood in the all male line as he
watched the girls go to their line. Four small tents were set up at
the beginning of each line. People went into these tents nervous
and scared and came out crying.

“
Next!” A stocky soldier
with red hair blasted.

Drew stepped up to face the soldier. He
pointed towards the tent. “Go there to get checked in, afterwards
you may retire to the center.”

Drew shook his head and proceeded towards
the tent. He noticed Sue Ellen and Mater watching intensely as he
made his way in. Upon entering the tent a male soldier stood by the
door and another solider stood at the front.

“
Where is your other
shoe?” The first soldier who was standing at the front
asked.

“
Lost it at the school,”
Drew lied.

The look that crossed the soldier’s face was
unbelieving. “Go ahead and take of all of your clothes including
your socks,” the soldier instructed.

Drew casually turned around to see the
second soldier staring at him with a smirk. He slowly took off his
garments and removed his shoe and socks as instructed. Drew heard
footsteps walk up from behind him. The wait seemed to last
forever.

“
Clear,” the second
solider said.

“
Turn around,” the first
solider ordered.

Feel like I am a piece of
meat,
Drew thought.

Drew did as instructed.

“
Clear!” The second
solider barked.

The first soldier retrieved a clipboard from
the wall.

“
Your name?” He
asked.

“
Drew Jacks,” Drew
answered.

“
How old are
you?”

“
Fourteen,” Drew replied.
“Can I put my clothes on now?”

The first solider nodded. “When you get
inside someone will get you a pair of combat boots. I think we have
some extra’s laying around somewhere. Once you are dressed, Private
Smith here will issue a blue arm band that is imprinted with a
number. This arm band will be your golden ticket to move around
freely in the compound.”

Drew squinted his eyes.

“
The center,” the first
soldier reemphasized. “That band will be the only way you could
ever reenter the center if you left. Which I might add, will fill
up to its capacity soon and you don’t want to be on the outside
when that happens. Understood?”