End of the Line (29 page)

             
I should have been there more for Martin. I should have gone out to California. Maybe not to live but I should have let him know I would always be there for him. And if he was still there, if my grandkids were there, I had to.

             
“What’s in California?” the girl asked.

             
“My son, my two grandchildren.”

             
“They still alive?”

             
“I don’t know, but I plan to find out.”

             
“If we can’t find my grandparents or they’re dead, can I come with you?”

             
I smiled. I thought about the long lonely journey ahead of me. It would be dangerous, but Kathy looked like she had a good head on her shoulders.

             
And Martin needed to know how much his mother loved him.

Part III
Dave

Chapter 18
             

             
I wanted to get back to Annemarie, Jake, Dot and the kid. I even got the car to 50 for five minutes before Jim told me to slow down. I missed the convertible. It was a cooler car for Ashley to die in.

             
I should’ve stopped her but I couldn’t. All I do is yell, but I don’t use force, not anymore. That’s why my wife left me and my kid barely spoke to me. That’s why all these yoyos in CostKing think I’m all bark and no bite.

             
Glad my kid was safe. I hope she made it to Vermont and having a wonderful fucking time without me. Guess I can’t blame her.
             
             

             
I got us to Westchester around five, a trip that should have taken three hours, even with traffic, took six. I saw some nice houses in the area, not a lot of zombs, and thought this might be a good place to crash. Getting to Albany and back was easy, we rode on the south bound lanes both ways. No one wanted to go into New York, and not a lot of people broke the rules by riding the wrong way. I saw smashed up cars on the divider. Don’t blame them for trying.
             

             
“I wonder where the Ham guy is,” Tanya said, messing with the radio.

             
“I’ll check the net,” Jim said. “Oh wait, it’s down.”

             
I think Jim was one of them computer nerds and his jokes were stupid.

             
I can deal with both of them okay, but Jim’s a queer so I don’t really like him being near me. I don’t want him making a pass or nothing. Tanya’s a bitch. Rachel seems to think she’s some holy messiah ‘cause she can shoot and survive, but she was some kind of crack-whore before this and I hope she won’t be once again when our guys put the zombs down. It’s taking them a while but I know our soldiers will come through. They gotta.

             
I grabbed a milky way as I searched for a good house on the block. I found one that looked pretty secure. The door was locked but Tanya got us in without trouble. For this case, I was glad to have her.

             
Didn’t smell any dead bodies, a smell that that I’m too tired of or hear any people or zombies. Jim squealed at the sight of a book case. He grabbed one off the dusty shelf and settled on the couch. I wasn’t really a book reader. I read stuff for my job but it never really interested me. I missed television. Baseball season should be happening right now. We passed Yankee stadium getting here. It was hard to look at it all empty and decaying.
             

             
I knew Jim was weak from the dog attack but we needed to check the place out.

             
I didn’t say anything. Tanya cooed over him. Didn’t she know he was a fag? I figured I’d check upstairs and grab the biggest room before one of them did. I didn’t hear any movement upstairs so I think the place was secure of zombs and people.

             
Upstairs I found three empty rooms, and I grabbed the biggest one that had a queen size bed. I’ve been hoping for a king’s size since Tanya, that bitch, grabbed the only one in the house in Oyster bay. They gave the only king size bed at CostKing to that fat bitch and the kiddies.

             
I put my stuff down and headed downstairs where Tanya still chatted with Jim.

             
“I’m going to look around,” I said. Tanya gave me a nod. 

             
“Jim’s gonna rest and take first watch.”

             
I was glad to hear that. I hated night watches. I get bored easily and that caused me to snooze. I got sleep apnea, and there wasn’t electricity to run a sleep machine. Rachel is the only one who knows. She can’t get me a machine but she set up my bed to help. I also use anti-snoring strips. Rachel gaves me stimulants if I have a bad night and she gave me some for this trip. The good thing about the CostKing is at least I can nap regularly. I didn’t like her knowing, but I respect she never told anyone, even when pissed.

             
I know I am a prime candidate for a heart attack as my dad died of one when he was 72. Doctors kept him alive for a long time. Now there aren’t any doctors and Rachel’s only a nurse.

             
I went into the kitchen first.
People were here before because I found a big mess. I located a can of tuna, but no can opener, so I grabbed one from my pack. Jim came up with the idea of a survival bag and I made suggestions on what to put in them. Each bag had a Leatherman knife, can opener, flashlight, two cans of food, water bottle, first aid kit and a weapon. Mine was a crowbar and now I had my own rifle. No one strayed far from their pack. I was hoping on this trip we could find some of them shake up flashlights, but none so far.

             
I got the can opener out of my pack when I heard a rustling noise from the backyard. I pulled the crowbar out, only to see a dog appear at a window above the sink, looking greedily at my tuna. I worried about what happened to Jim, but the dog seemed small, dirty but not messed up like the other dogs. It was some kind of terrier that was wagging both its tail and tongue. It had a collar. It barked once.

             
“This tuna’s mine,” I told it but I looked around the kitchen for food. By luck, I found some dog food. I looked out the windows for zombs and when I didn’t see any, I opened the door a crack. The dog despite its size came barreling in.

             
“Shit,” I said. I slammed the door shut. The dog circled me, excitedly, and barked. It was friendly though.

             
“What the fuck,” came a voice from the hall. Tanya came in. Look at me, looked at the dog.

             
“I was gonna to feed it outside, but it came in,” I said. “The thing’s starving.”

             
“Are you crazy? Jim’s freaking out.”

             
I got mad. This dog and the ones that attacked Jim were different.

             
“This one’s friendly,” I said, opening the can and putting it on the floor. The dog began eating like a madman. “You didn’t seem too concerned when we took in the kid’s cat. Let the thing eat.”

             
“You need to lock it away”

             
“He needs to suck it up,” I said.

             
She looked mad, but I didn’t care. I had food and this poor dog was hungry and friendly.

             
“Tanya—“ said Jim’s voice from the other room. “Can you come here, please?” Tanya didn’t say anything. She walked back to the living room.

             
I investigated the dog. It was a girl. She let me look at her collar while trying to lick me. Her name was Olive. Her owners were the Weitzes and if lost she needed to be returned to this address.

             
This was her home. Her owners had abandoned her. I felt despair in the pit of my stomach. Olive wasn’t the only animal abandoned to the zombies. I thought of Aisha’s Chinakitty.

             
I heard footsteps. Tanya came back to the kitchen. She seemed calmer than before.

             
“Jim wants you to bring the dog to the living room.”

             
I look around for something I could use for a leash but figured the dog was small enough to carry and she let me do it without a fuss.
             
             

             
I brought her into the living room where Jim sat on the couch. Jim
didn’t look good and I wondered if us pushing the car was too much. I figured I’d try to make it to Oyster Bay by tomorrow night.

             
“Put her on the couch,” he said.

             
I put her on the couch and Olive went and licked Jim’s face. He smiled and laughed.

             
“Sorry Dave,” Tanya said. Then she petted the dog. “Sorry mutt.”

             
“Yeah sure,” I said. I didn’t mean to upset Jim. He’s okay for a fruit. “Her name is Olive.”

             
After Olive washed Jim, she came back to me.

             
“Guess she can sleep here,” Tanya said and she smiled.

             
I slept pretty good with Olive next to me. She woke me once to use the john. I took her to the basement and she refused to go. She was a well-trained dog. She went with some coaxing.

             
I came back upstairs and Olive barked happily.

             
“Dave,” said a female voice from the living room. I went in and found Tanya sitting by the window with some candles around. Jim was passed out on the sofa.

             
“Took the dog for a walk in the basement.”

             
“You want to take the dog with us?”

             
“That might be a good idea. She’s a good dog and very obedient.”

             
She didn’t respond.

             
“Jim okay?”

             
“He overdid it. Told him we should drop him at CostKing, but he don’t want to.” I looked over Jim. He seemed paler than before but he was moving around so it couldn’t be that bad.

             
“If he’s feeling okay, then don’t bother. Once we get back to Oyster Bay, I got Jake to help with the heavy stuff.”

             
“Guess it’s up to Jim,” she said. I really didn’t understand her relationship with Jim. Unless she thought she could turn him straight.

             
I went upstairs instead of saying anything.

             
We left at dawn. I was anxious to get back to the others. I knew from Ashley that Dot had applied to be in CostKing but had been turned down due to her age. Dot reminded me of my mother, who had been fiercely independent and died a few years before my dad.

             
Tanya sat next to me, Jim in the back with Olive. I found her leash hanging in a closet and grabbed what dog food I could. I left a note for the owners that she was safe with me, but I had a feeling they were dead. I didn’t see a car, so they must have gone to a hospital and died. This dog was obedient. They put a lot of training into her. I couldn’t imagine leaving her behind.

             
A hundred scenarios went through my head, but it could be any reason.

             
We left the Bronx behind. The path on the bridge was still there.  I knew we could stop with Mike if needed but I really wanted to get back to the house, to the truck and more safety. We should all be together.

             
I turned on the radio, but I didn’t pick up anything. Not even the Ham. I looked around for CD’s but couldn’t find any.

             
It didn’t matter, Jim was asleep next to Olive and Tanya looked like she was nodding off.

             
I decided to drive a little faster. Getting up to a whole 40 mph without Jim lecturing me. I weaved between cars and drove on the sidewalk. Come on officers, give me a ticket now!

             
I slowed down when I saw the bodies. A burnt out car with bodies lying next to it. Zombies or humans, we didn’t know.

             
As I drove passed it, I got my answer when one of the bodies moved. I stepped on the gas, even though we weren’t in any danger.

             
Proud to say I pulled up in the driveway of the Oyster Bay house as dusk began to settle in. I parked the Nissan behind the CostKing truck.

             
“Coast is clear,” I said, looking around. I didn’t see any zombs, but Tanya probably had sharper eyes.