Fractured: Outbreak ZOM-813 (12 page)

“Are you ok?” Dan asked.

I just nodded, and tears began falling down my face. I had thought I lost him. Of course, being in the hands of these lunatics, it seemed likely that I would.  

“Now this is how it’s gonna work. You tell me what I want to know, and I don’t throw you in the hole with Dawn of the Dead.” The older man pointed in the direction of the hole.

“Where’s my dog, you fucking asshole?” If I was going to die, it wasn’t going to be while begging for my life.

The man’s sarcastic smile faded, and his expression turned angry. He moved aggressively towards me, took my arms, and lifted me to my feet. I was sure he was going to throw me down the hole.

“Get your hands off her!” Dan screamed helplessly from the floor.

The two younger guys snickered.

“We tied your beast to that…..” The old man spun me around to face out the back window and pointed to a tree.

Mayhem wasn’t anywhere to be found. His leash was still tied to the tree.

“Well looks like something ate our bait boys. Guess we’ll be using the two of you for a lure.”

I collapsed to the floor back next to Dan. Mayhem was gone. I hoped he pulled out of his collar. I couldn’t think about him being ripped apart and eaten by infected.

“So here’s the deal. You take us to the entrance that gets us closest to the weapons room, we all go in and find what we want. If you survive, you’re free to go.”

“That’s death for us.” I looked at Dan.

The farmer boy pulled Dan to his feet and walked him to the hole.

“It’s death for you right here, right now, if you don’t show us.” The old man was getting agitated.

“No, no, no!” I screamed.

“OK! OK!” Dan shouted out. “You’re already here.”

Everyone quieted.

Dan was either buying us time, or he had an actual plan. Whatever his thought process was, I wasn’t going to fight him.

“What do you mean we’re already here?” The old man asked.

“You’re practically standing over what you’re looking for. Leave her here. You don’t need both of us.” Dan looked down at me and back to the old man.

“Radio the boys, tell ‘em we’re going in.” The old man looked at the other two.

Farmer boy kept hold of Dan while the backwoods guy left the room.

The old man walked slowly to Dan until he was right in his face. “I think we’ll take your pretty girlfriend as insurance.”

I was happy to hear that. I didn’t want to be left behind. If we were going to die, I wanted to die together.

Dan didn’t respond. He kept his eyes locked in on the old man, both sizing the other up.

I could only hope Dan had anticipated that.

The old man got me to my feet, and we all left the room and made our way into what looked like was once the living room and kitchen area.

Backwoods guy, who had called whatever others they were waiting for, was in there. They had a bag of radios on the kitchen counter. “They’re on their way,” he said.

The man pushed us out the back door and onto the porch.

“After you,” the old man said, looking at Dan.

Dan gave me a side-glance and walked down the few steps ahead of everyone else. We were so vulnerable with our hands tied behind our backs, I couldn’t imagine what he could possibly be thinking.

The men had their guns down, but kept their eyes scanning the field for infected.

“The entrance is in the barn. The door is unlocked, and leads to a safe room, then another door and you’re in.” Dan left out the fact the door was locked.

“The guys should be here in about 10 minutes,” Backwoods guy called out.

Everyone came together about 20 feet from the barn door. I followed in the back without being monitored. I guess they weren’t too worried I was going to run off.

My stomach ached, still wondering what could have happened to Mayhem. If he was still in the area he would have shown himself as soon as we walked out of that house.

“Either you can untie me so I can open this door for you, or be my guest. It slides open.” Dan’s tone had arrogance in it as he spoke to the old man.

The creepy smile remained on the old man’s face. It was the focus of my hatred and my rage, and in that instant I hated it more than the hordes of monsters that have upturned the world.  As he approached Dan, he held his gun out to the side. With his free hand, the old man took Dan’s bindings off and freed his hands. The thugs took a few steps back and collectively raised their guns, watching Dan and the space that would soon be open to whatever was inside the barn.

Dan pulled the chains, and the door began to slide open. It was halfway open when a gunshot rang out.

I instinctively hit the ground in a fetal position.

Then another shot.

There was no way to protect myself; I couldn’t hide, and I didn’t think to run back to the house.

They shot Dan in the back!

I couldn’t think of anything past that thought. The shots stopped, and I was being lifted from the ground to my feet. Farmer boy was holding me from behind with his arm wrapped around my neck, his gun pointed to the barn.

I was so confused. I couldn’t see Dan anywhere. The old man was lying on his belly groaning and backwoods guy wasn’t moving at all.

Dan came out of the barn with a gun pointed at us, and right behind him Jaxon stepped out of the darkness.

“Don’t come any closer, or I’ll blow her fucking brains out!” Farmer boy pressed the gun to my head. He cowered behind me, and I could feel his spit on my skin from his frantic scream. 

Jaxon and Dan separated, forcing the maniac holding me to look back and forth.

“You don’t have to do that. You can just walk away from here. We all can,” Jaxon called out.

“My boys will be here any minute. Then we’ll see who’s walking away,” he called back.

I locked my eyes on Dan. If those guys made it here, none of us would get out alive. I threw my head back delivering a sharp blow to the guys face. His grip loosened, and I dropped to my knees, slipping through his arm.

Three shots fired.

My head was pounding.

The guy was lying behind me, moaning in pain. I knew I had to get to my feet and away from him. Before I stood, Dan was standing between us, and he fired two more times into the man’s chest. He was dead.

Dan helped me to my feet, untied me, and I threw my arms around his neck. I didn’t want to let go of him.

Another gun shot fired off.

When we turned, Jaxon was standing over the old man. “We should get out of here.”

The three of us ran back to the barn.

“I can’t believe you’re alive!” I gave Jaxon a side hug. “Where’s Ethan?”

“Inside with Mayhem.”

It was such a relief to hear his name.

When we entered the barn, Mayhem and Ethan popped out from behind the truck.

“Harmony!” Ethan’s little voice squealed, and he hugged my waist.

Mayhem’s tail wagged, and he jumped up and down until I pet his head.

“Let’s go!” Dan jumped in the truck.

Jaxon opened the barn door wider and jumped in the back seat with Ethan and Mayhem. I climbed into the front with Dan.

Dan tore out of the barn.

The infected had heard the gun battle and were already spilling onto the property.

“Head North on the 59,” Jaxon called out.

All of us were on high alert for the marauders on their way. It was bad enough we were constantly running from infected.

We drove off the property and headed north.

“How did you know?” I looked at Dan.

He gave me a quick double take, not quite sure what I was asking.

“How did you know Jaxon was in the barn?” I turned in my chair bringing my eyes to the back seat.

“He signaled me from the window.” Dan looked in the rear view mirror.

“I was just lucky one of you saw it,” Jaxon said.

“Where do we go now? Is there anything left?” I asked.

There was silence. Dan reached across and held my hand.

We drove past the main street to the town of Glen, and Dan slowed the truck. The hordes that had gathered were gone, with only a few random stragglers still roaming around. Most of the infected had begun to make their way to the farm property but had turned again to follow the truck. I thought about the other survivors from the base, and even though we couldn’t stop, I had hoped that the distraction we provided gave them some advantage over the stumbling creatures chasing them, however small.  

I turned to look directly at Jaxon, a little surprised he hadn’t answered me. “Jaxon?”

“I don’t know of any other base that’s holding up. Frankly, Glen was our strongest in this area. Before it fell, we got word that no one had any status on the President, and the Vice President is dead. The Joint Chiefs are gone. There is no more government.” Jaxon’s words were uncomfortably defeated.

“Where was the military taking the survivors that made it out of Glen?” Dan asked.

“Wherever they could. Our mission was to get survivors to the bases and rebuild. We didn’t think past that.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s it?” It was something no one could ever be prepared for.

There is no more government.

“The Navy is at full capacity on their ships.  They were even talking about having to dock as they got closer to running out of supplies. So, yes, I guess that’s it. Let’s hope the good doctors searching for a cure are still alive.” Jaxon didn’t have to say anything else. It was pretty clear there was nothing left.

“What about the rest of the world? Is anyone doing OK?” Dan asked.

Jaxon just shook his head as he thought about that question. “No one.”

CHAPTER 10

Feeling isolated was an understatement. No TV, no phones, no computers, no communication to others. We were driving blind. We were all feeling overwhelmingly defeated by the recent events, trying to make sense of it all.

“We should get to Summer Springs Valley. Maybe Mel & Jason made it there with the baby.” I was more talking to myself, but loud enough for Dan and Jaxon to hear.

“What’s this place?” Jaxon asked.

“My brother-in-law’s parents have a home on the coast. Big place with a lot of land. When the outbreak first happened we had planned to all go there together.”

“If there’s anything left,” Dan said.

“What have we got to lose?” I asked.

With those words, tires screeched on the pavement behind us. Jaxon and I looked out the back window. A rusted, beat up pickup truck was gaining on us at an uncomfortable speed.  I could see several shadows sitting in the cab and two others standing up in the bed, holding onto the yellowish paint of the cab, peering over the roof.

Dan turned for a quick look over his shoulder, but kept his eyes on the road and in the rear view mirror.

“I’m just gonna take a wild guess…” Jaxon looked at Ethan and made sure his seat belt was on him.

Dan pressed down hard on the gas, revving the engine, and surging us forward.

“How do they know it’s us?” I knew no one actually had the answer.

“They don’t! This is what we’re dealing with now, infected and assholes!” Jaxon checked his weapon and rolled down the window. “Do not slow down. These guys are living by their own rules.” He looked to Ethan. “Buddy, I need you to lie down, OK?” Ethan did as he was told.

Jaxon aimed his gun out the window and fired several rounds at the truck.

The truck braked hard and swerved side to side momentarily, losing speed; however, it quickly regained control and began to speed up again.

“Ethan, honey, can you give Mayhem a big hug for me?” I pulled Mayhem off the back seat and set him down so that he was standing in the foot space. Ethan wrapped an arm around Mayhem. “That’s perfect, buddy. Hold on to him real tight for me.”

“We’re never gonna lose them on this fucking highway!” Dan shouted.

I looked out ahead of us and feared Dan was right. We were on a long country back highway with no roads in sight.  As close as these outlaws were, even if there was a turn off, we wouldn’t lose them.

“Just keep driving!” Jaxon fired two more rounds.

My attention went behind us again.

The truck was relentless in their pursuit. They were either aware we were responsible for the others at the old house and were intent on revenge, or we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Shit! Infected!” Dan screamed out again.

We hit a body before I could even turn around to see. A few scattered infected had made it into the road. Dan plowed through them with the truck, sending their bodies flying off to the side of the road.

Jaxon focused on the men in pursuit.

It finally came to me that there was a map in our glove box with plenty of details that could lead to a way out. I opened the compartment, pulled it out, and immediately began scanning. I had never worked under such intense pressure before. I could see Dan giving me quick side glances.

“Here!” I pointed to the map.

“I don’t know where ‘here’ is, babe!” Dan shot back.

I’ve always expected that Dan be able to read my mind, and most of the time I would demand that he try.  I would maintain the idea of ‘well you should know me well enough to know what I’m thinking’ but clearly this wasn’t one of those times. “Uh… uh…. OK! Road coming up in a small town; definitely has some turn offs we can get lost in.”

“I’ll fire some shots when we get close to make ‘em slow down! Let me know when we’re about to turn!” Jaxon shouted from the back seat.

“It’s coming up at any moment on the left.” I stared out hoping to help Dan catch it.

“Jaxon in about 10….. 5seconds,” Dan called out.

A volley of shots rang out, separated by a couple of seconds from each other. I turned around to see if the truck slowed.

Dan quickly turned left without doing much to the brakes, causing our tires to scream as they struggled to hold onto the road.

We turned into a small trailer park. Dan made the first right he could, then a left.

“I didn’t see them make the turn into the neighborhood,” Jaxon said.

Dan drove through what looked like a driveway that connected to another street, turned left and pulled into a carport.waited.

Ethan still stayed down, lying in the back seat with his arm wrapped around Mayhem who was standing on the floor.

Dan, Jaxon, and I stared out the back window into the street. We had pulled into the carport far enough that we weren’t visible from the street. We collectively held our breath, hoping that if they did follow us into the neighborhood they would just drive by.

“Do you think we lost them?” I asked.

“Stay here.” Jaxon opened his door and popped out, partially closing the door behind him. He disappeared around the house.

We had a very limited view of the street sitting in the carport, but it was probably a good thing that we were able to pull in so far.  That is, unless these guys saw us and tried to block us in. Although, from the looks of the ramshackle carport, I was certain that if Dan wanted to, he could just hit the gas and go through the wall. It wasn’t like we needed to worry about paint jobs these days.

“Ethan, you OK, buddy?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Ethan answered with his small voice. He was such a tough kid.

“There they are.” Dan tensed up.

“Where?”

“A street over. Just saw their truck. They’re headed that way.” Dan pointed left.

We waited, listening for the sound of the truck engine to turn down the block and come our way. There was nothing.

Jaxon came back into the carport and got back in the truck.

“Are they coming?” I asked before he could even shut the door.

“No, they left this neighborhood and headed to the next one over. We should get back on Highway 59 and find a place to sleep for the night. Probably even a good idea to hide the truck.”

Dan turned back around in his seat and put the truck in reverse then slowly backed out. “All clear?” he asked.

“Yeah, all clear.” Jaxon had a better vantage than we did from the front seat.

Dan pulled out of the driveway, headed back out of the trailer park and onto Highway 59. I was surprised we hadn’t seen any infected in the neighborhood. There were usually plenty in any type of populated area. It was a nice change even if it would only be for a minute.

Ethan stayed laying down holding on to Mayhem. I assumed he was comfortable and maybe even a little tired. None of us asked.

Our focus was on getting to a safe place for the night out of sight from the infected and this new threat of lawless lunatics. I wondered if those types were criminals before the outbreak, or if the outbreak changed them. No one really knows how a disaster will affect them until they experience it. Now that the entire world was suffering, we were all adjusting in the only way each of us knew how. Maybe we were all turning into new versions of ourselves, or existing attributes were just being accentuated. I shivered at the thought that the lunatics that threatened to feed us to an infected might have been pleasant, church-going folk with something deep inside that was always ready to snap.

It didn’t take long for us to come upon a small community with only a general store, a few restaurants, and gas station.

“We could park the truck in that car repair shop,” Dan suggested, pointing to the garage attached to the gas station.

“Yeah, that looks good.” Jaxon scanned our surroundings while he checked his weapon and placed it in its harness.

Dan backed in but left the truck running. Jaxon got out, ran to the pull-down door and began closing it.

Mayhem began to bark.

Dan and I grabbed our machetes and hopped out of the truck.

“Ethan, stay here. Try to keep Mayhem calm.” I closed the door behind me.

An infected man came around the corner, snarling and biting at Jaxon. They seemed to be getting uglier. Our attacker had alien features and a desperately sunken face, wide open eyes, and flesh falling off where he suffered gaping wounds.

Jaxon was able to pull down the garage’s door before it reached him. The door had big openings that were once windows, now busted out just at eye level. The infected reached over and through the opening trying to reach Jaxon. Dan took his machete, plunged it into the infected man’s head, and it fell to the ground with a thump.

“Stay alert, we might have more visitors in this place.” Jaxon pulled his weapon and walked through the garage. Dan followed, watching his back. They disappeared through a door that looked like it led to the gas station’s convenience store.

The place had been completely torn apart; drawers were opened and emptied, tool cases turned over, and the windows were all shattered. There were a couple of abandoned cars in the parking lot, but nothing in the shop.

A single gunshot rang out.

I gasped. Listening. Gripping my machete.

I looked in the truck, and Ethan was now sitting up in the back seat staring at me. Then I heard more moans coming from outside. That shot better have been worth it, as it just called the neighborhood over to us.

Mayhem began to bark more.  Even if the infected couldn’t find where the gun shot came from, they would definitely hear Mayhem.

I looked at Ethan and put my finger over my lips hoping he would take it as direction to quiet Mayhem. He did. Ethan looked away from me and down to Mayhem, rubbing his head.

Bodies crashed against the garage door separating us from the outside. I instinctively retreated away several steps, almost a little embarrassed that the infected caught me off guard. There were two infected reaching through the opening; they growled and bit at the air. I took a moment to recover, faced the infected with my machete, and jammed the weapon into their faces one at a time. With each thrust, I could hear the thud of their bodies hitting the ground on the other side.

Dan and Jaxon came back through the door through which they had disappeared. They both stopped in their tracks, staring at me. The grimace must not have left my face.

“I hope the gun shot was worth it.” I wasn’t happy about having to kill infected people, and now we had several more advancing towards the shop.

“Sorry, taken by surprise by what used to be an employee.” Jaxon pointed behind him towards the convenient store.

“We have company.” I nodded my head to outside.

“How bad?” Jaxon walked up to the door and looked outside.

“I counted five so far. I guess we’re lucky this isn’t a big community.”

Dan looked out through the opening, “We can’t stay here tonight.”

“You have something better in mind?” Part of me didn’t think it was a good idea to get back on the road so late in the day.

“I say we crawl back in the truck and call it a day. We could all use something to eat and some sleep,” I said.

Dan looked at Jaxon for his opinion.

“I can’t disagree with her,” Jaxon shrugged his shoulders.

I guess he didn’t have a better idea either.

More bodies crashed against the garage door, taking us out of the conversation and bringing our attention to the threat. Dan and I took our machetes while Jaxon pulled out his bayonet. We walked to the garage door, and we killed the group of infected quickly and without discussion. It was shocking how little provocation it took for me to stick a machete into something that still carried their human form.

The infected never flinched when we brought our weapons up to their faces. They never showed any signs of life left in them. Their eyes were glazed over with a white film that looked like the protective eye cap of a snake, and their bodies looked more decayed than the ones we had seen in the beginning. One by one, their bodies fell out of sight on the other side of the door.

It was quiet.

“Shall we?” I walked back to the truck and hopped in.

Dan and Jaxon weren’t far behind me.

“We should all eat, drink some water, and rest.” Jaxon leaned over, reaching for the water bottles sitting in the floor space and handed Dan and I each a bottle. He then gave one to Ethan and kept one for himself.

“We have plenty of canned stuff in the back. We should see if anything is left in the store and restaurant across the street,” Dan suggested.

“Maybe tomorrow when we head out of here.” I turned around in my seat to face Jaxon and Ethan. “Jaxon, do you mind seeing what we have for canned stuff back there? And if you don’t mind grabbing the dog food, I’m sure Mayhem is starving.”

Jaxon dug around in the back, pulling out cans of beans, vegetables, and tuna. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until I laid eyes on the food. I never imagined canned beans would sound so delicious. We split the three cans between the four of us, and Mayhem ate his dog food.