Forest Park: A Zombie Novel (27 page)

“Good.”

Carnegie led the small group into the bowels of the grandstands where golf carts and drivers were waiting for them. Once aboard carts, they raced past more crates and forklifts and the outside rest area.

“Don’t be concerned about the blast doors being open, Mr. President, the facility is completely clean, we have a very strict decontamination program, but I’m sure you know about this already.”

Holtz nodded. “Indeed, Harris filled me in, but with seeing the commotion outside and seeing the size of those doors... seeing how big they really are, has brought it all home. Astonishing stuff. By God, it’s amazing. Is there anything man can’t achieve?”

FOREST PARK

Steve and Kathy sat against the fence that ran along the far side of the park at the same time as the gas station pumped jets of flame into the air. Between them both lay the man they’d helped down from the tree.

“You got a name?” Steve asked.

“Cook,” he said.

“I’m Steve, and this is my wife Kathy.”

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“We were on our way to Macon, but I don’t think we’re going to get there any time soon. Not after that.” Steve pointed to the burning gas station. “Do you know what happened there?”

“I have no idea,” Cook said.

Kathy was sure she knew Cook from somewhere. Was he the police officer that told us to go inside?

“I think we’ve met before,” Kathy said. “You told both of us to go inside our house when all this started.”

“I said the same thing to a lot of people when all this first began. However, I’m glad to see you didn’t follow my advice. Thanks for helping me down.”

“That’s fine,” Kathy said, “you’re a lucky man. I don’t think anything is broken.”

“Apart from the Dodge,” Steve said. “Two more payments and it would have been mine,” he said with a grin. “But seriously, what happened over there?”

Cook didn’t answer for a few moments as he watched the flames across the way.

“I came from Fort Gillem. We...” he pointed toward the gas station, “left earlier tonight and...”

“Maybe we should go back there. Is it far?” Steve asked.

“It’s all gone. It’s a write off --- forget it.”

“Shit,” Steve said, sounding disappointed.

“How did you get here?” Steve asked Cook.

“I was with a small convoy of survivors, a Captain Tyler and some of his men, plus a few civilians”.”

“Where are they now?” Susan asked.

Cook pointed toward the flames. “They’re probably dead.”

Then, in the trees, they heard a twig snap!

All three stared into the darkness. “It’s time for us to go,” Cook said.

“Do you feel able to move on?” Kathy asked Cook.

“Yeah,” Cook answered, “that short time hanging upside down in the tree has done me the world of good.”

Steve laughed. “I like him already.”

* * *

“Get me out of these damn things,” Tyler said. His hands were bound with plastic ties.

“Shut up,” said Susan as they stood behind a large hedge in the front yard of somebody’s house, well away from the inferno engulfing the gas station.

They watched as the flames licked at the gas station’s logo sign --- the only structure that remained standing.

“We can’t stay here,” Anderson said.

“I know,” added Susan.

“We need to find somewhere to hide before it’s light,” Anderson continued.

“I can tell you where to go,” said Tyler. As he spoke, a smirk appeared on his face.

“One more word and you’re fucking toast! You get it?” Susan warned him.

“So the rule of law has also gone up in flames?” Tyler answered her.

Anderson didn’t allow Susan the chance to reply. “Leave it. You had your time, Captain. Just be happy we’re bringing you along.”

“Just think about what you’re doing,” Tyler said.

“Maybe for the first time since this whole fucking thing began, I am,” Anderson answered him.

“You don’t get it, do you? It’s not over. Things look bad now, but they will improve once the shock of what has happened begins to settle down. You’re heading down the wrong path. You’re not thinking clearly. Being the officer in charge is a serious responsibility, and every decision weighs heavily, the good and the bad. I know the choice you’ve made is weighing heavy on you now, but you can do something about that, you can let me go...”

“Do you want a matching gag to go with those cuffs?” Susan said.

THE PARK

Cook moved with a surprising fluidity for a man who was recently thrown sky-high, into a tree.

Without glancing back, he crept along the fence line, attempting to blend into the dark shadows cast by the few remaining trees that stood upright after the blast.

“Wait...” Steve said.

“We have got to keep moving,” Cook answered.

Cook was beginning to see more and more movement among the fallen trees. Those Dead fucks just don’t quit!

“They’re on the move. We can’t wait around; we have to get out of here before dawn.”

“I get that, but go where? We can’t just sneak along the fence line forever hoping that all is good when we get to its end,” Steve said.

“Now isn’t the time. Just move,” Cook answered him.

“Then when is the time?” Steve said as he grasped Cook.

“When we get somewhere safe,” Cook said.

Cook pointed toward the raging fire. “Can’t you see them moving?”

“They’ve been moving all night, and they aren’t that difficult to deal with,” Kathy said.

Cook stared at her. “Are you joking? Do you think you and John Rambo here are going to hold ’em back, do you? You’re not even armed, neither of you have a gun.”

“We’ve been doing okay,” Kathy answered.

“Look,” Cook said turning to Kathy, “I saw them tear an entire military base full of armed people to shreds. Hundreds of people were killed. They were slaughtered and turned into those things, and if you think you can hold them back with a baseball bat, you’re dreaming.” Cook felt for where his sidearm once was. “I don’t have my gun; I wish I did. We need to get out of here, find a place and settle down for the long haul.”

Steve shook his head in disagreement. “We have to keep moving, and we need to get out of this town; we need wide-open spaces.”

“Steve’s right,” Kathy said.

“He’s not right and I know that for a fact,” Cook said and then paused for a moment. “Anyway, when was the last time either of you had any rest?”

Both Steve and Kathy shrugged indifferently. “Why?” Steve asked.

“Dawn is practically here, and I need some sleep, and I’d say both of you do too,” Cook said. “I say we find somewhere to rest, maybe take a day, and then consider our options.”

“It might be too late by then,” Steve said. “The more we sit and do nothing, the greater their numbers will grow.”

“Then that’s the risk we take,” Cook said. “I need some rest, and I’m sure both of you do too, and I know a place nearby.”

“Where?” asked Kathy.

“The firehouse; I have an emergency key code for access, and there may even be other people there waiting it out.”

Steve and Kathy looked at each other, both feeling unsure.

“We’ll have communications, a generator and medical supplies.”

“Is it far?” Steve asked.

“Yeah, not more than ten minutes by foot. However, we have to keep a low profile and shut down the chatter,” Cook said.

“Just one thing, though,” said Steve.

“What?”

“We rest for a while and try to contact whoever is out there. However, if we can’t raise help, we leave ASAP. I don’t believe we can move through the day, but I think we can move at night in relative safety. Those things are slow and stupid. However, they’re dangerous in large numbers. You saw that yourself. Open spaces; that’s what we need, trust me, I have experience with this.”

Cook considered what Steve said for a moment.

“It’s a deal!” Cook said.

Steve grabbed Kathy’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Stay close,” he said to her.

SUSAN’S BAND

Susan turned in the direction of a moaning Charlie. “Charlie, you either get with the program, or I’ll fucking leave you here to rot with the rotters.”

Charlie was lying close to Susan, and somehow collapsed even lower to the ground.

Why did she have to say that to me in front of the others?

He knew she would never leave him, not really. She’s only trying to motivate me; he thought as he raised himself back up again.

He wanted to say thanks, but couldn’t get the words out.

“You can’t leave anyone,” Tyler said

“I can leave you,” Susan answered.

Anderson shook his head. “We can’t leave anyone; he’s accurate on that one.”

Susan looked to Tyler and then at Charlie, her rage now beginning to fester. “Then get that fat fucker moving and shut that other prick up. I need you to take charge and be a man,” she said to Anderson.

Bitch, Tyler thought, manipulative bitch!

Anderson considered what she had said. “We’ll cross the park, and everybody comes with us. We leave nobody, behind,” he said.

Susan raised an eyebrow. “Why the park, those things came from there?”

“And the explosion destroyed a lot of them back there too,” he said. “I have no idea how many there are in any other direction, and I’m only vaguely certain about the direction we came from --- everything has been turned around. I say we stick with what we know, otherwise making---”

“Great plan, Anderson. I think it’s best you leave the thinking to her. We might survive a few hours longer,” Tyler interjected.

Anderson looked away.

Susan ignored Tyler with some effort.

“If only we had a means of communication,” Anderson said to himself.

“Amen to that,” said Tyler.

Anderson turned to Susan, ignoring Tyler as he said,” We need proper communications, a cell phone or a landline. I know both are on and off but---”

“Sounds like a waste of time,” Susan said.

“You’re in all probability right; they’re very likely still down.”

“What, why would you dismiss the possibility that they may be working, at least try,” Tyler said. Nobody acknowledged him.

“They were down before, so they probably still are...” Anderson continued.

“Why not try this house, they’d have a land line or a---” Tyler supposed.

“Could we tap into a satellite?” Susan said, over the top of Tyler.

“If we could get our hands on a laptop,” Anderson replied.

Susan turned to Charlie. “Could you do that? If you could, I could get Paul to send us the FOX-5 chopper.”

“Could I link up with a satellite?” Charlie said, sounding unsure.

He was pretty sure he couldn’t, but they didn’t know that. I’d be useful again.

“Jesus. Are you guys serious?” Tyler said.

“You’d be a lifesaver, Charlie,” Susan said and then kissed his forehead.

“Yeah, of course…” said Charlie, as he sat up a little. “It’s pretty easy. It’s just a shame we don’t have the Wolfpac.”

Susan smiled jubilantly as she hugged Anderson. “I knew you could work it out.”

“This is madness. We need to use the remaining darkness to our advantage and not waste time chasing pipe dreams. We should at least find a place to hold up to try a phone or find a cell. I damn well bet that Susan still has her cell---” He suddenly stopped in mid-sentence.

Nobody was listening to him. Anderson and Susan sat in a close huddle discussing their next movement, while Charlie stayed at Susan’s side like a loyal lapdog.

Tyler couldn’t hear what the three of them were saying as they whispered to each other, and supposed it didn’t matter if he could anyhow.

He then tried again. “What makes you think Charlie can even do as you ask? We could just as easily break into the house we’re standing in front of and try their phone. It’s worth a shot.”

Anderson turned and said to him, “I’m not taking the risk in entering the house.”

“We’re standing in their front yard, six feet from the pavement. We’re outside, exposed and you’re worried about breaking down a fucking door? Goddamn it! We could see if there’s a laptop inside, or a cell phone. If that is what you intend to do. If whoever owned this house were still here, dead or alive, we’d know by now. We should either move on now, otherwise we wait it out inside.”

Anderson shook his head. “We’ll cross the park and walk toward the city center. If we can find an electrical store---”

“What!” Tyler said as Susan spun her gun in his direction, aiming it at his face.

“Easy, tiger,” she said, “I’ve heard about as much out of you as I can stand.”

“Surely you’d still have a cell phone,” Tyler said. “I couldn’t imagine you leaving your house without a Twitter update.”

“It’s dead,” she lied.

She had tried to twitter about the captain earlier, but couldn’t get a connection. She even attempted to raise Paul who didn’t answer his phone. Lucky, she considered later, because that would have been a mistake. Since then she couldn’t find a signal.

“I saw you using it earlier.”

“And that’s why it’s not working, loser. It’s out of battery.”

Just quit the cell questions, asshole, Susan thought to herself. I’ll try it again after I am sure you’re dead.

After all of this was over Susan had other plans for herself, and they didn’t involve any accusations of dead children, accident or not. However, first she had to stall Anderson. She couldn’t allow him to contact anyone until Tyler was dead.

Dead and buried or walking dead, that was close enough, she thought.

She would be happy with either option, even if she had to make it happen herself, but she couldn’t merely shoot Tyler dead for arguing with her, at least not in front of witnesses unless she killed them too.

I need to play it smart, and bide my time.

The last thing she needed was a working phone in that goddamn house or Charlie actually being able to link to a satellite; even though she was sure he couldn’t do it. Nevertheless, it was a risk she was willing to take.

The only thing Susan was sure of was that she had to keep Anderson close to her.