Keep Going (Book 1): The Beginning (6 page)

“We were climbing out the windows and I gave him my hand to help him out but we didn’t check the room. We didn’t think to check the room.” Her voice shook. “There must have been connecting bathroom or something. They got him. I tried to pull him towards me but they were stronger.”

She shook her head roughly the screams playing over and over in her head. She should have tried harder she should have done something. Anything! It was her fault he was dead.

Petey grabbed her head; if she continued to shake so violently she would get sick. He forced her to look at him steading her between his hands and gaze.

“What did they do to him?” He didn’t want to know.

“They tore him apart. They bit him and ate him like he was thanksgiving dinner.” Alex scuffed. “They fucking ate him.”

“Shit.” Petey muttered as he let his hands drop.

Nodding in agreement Alex finished off the wine and glared at the bottle. Greatly offended that it was empty when she needed more.

“I got away in enough time.”

She didn’t acknowledge the tears but she didn’t stop a few that fell upon the bottle. She began to pick at the gauze around her arm.

“He told me not to let go. He screamed and begged me to save him but I couldn’t.” She whispered. “I couldn’t.”

Alex felt arms wrap around her as Petey began to gently rock her. She sunk into the warmth and comfort. Her eyes drifted towards the bunks just to the side of them. Maggie slept completely unaware of everything that was going on. He followed her gaze not releasing his hold on her and together they watched her in silence.

“Don’t tell her. Not yet.” He whispered in fear that she might suddenly hear.

Petey felt Alex nod against his chest as she slid to curl up even more against him comfortably. Stretching out his legs he pulled her almost into his lap. It wasn’t long after that he felt her breathing even out as she fell into a deep sleep. He held her just a bit tighter and dropped a kiss on top of her dark hair.

He knew he should be terrified about the monsters above them; he should eel sad about Charlie and his horrible ending. Yet in that moment he found great relief that it was him and not her. Alex had survived; she had made it back to him. He didn’t care if that made him a bad person at the moment he had her safe and in his arms.

7

“Alex.” She heard her name whispered a couple times before a powerful force hit her hard. Alex shot up her covers pooling down onto her lap.

“What the hell Chris?” She yelled.

Chris stood smiling stupidly as she now hugged pillow she had just wacked her sister with. She bounced on Alex’s bed, she groaned and rolled away pulling the covers over her.

“You weren’t waking up. I got worried.” Chris snuggled into the bed yanking a pillow from under Alex’s head. The only protest given was a groan as Chris slinked into the covers getting more and more comfortable. Alex rolled over to look at her sister. Her eyes beginning to drift close.

“Why did you wake me up if you’re just going to sleep? Chris?” Alex growled.

However she received no response. She nudged her sister in hopes of waking her but nothing. Alex sat up again and started to shake Chris and scream her name but still nothing.

Alex yanked back the covers. Blood, there was so much blood; Alex screamed but no sound came out. Blood covered her hands as tried to wake her sister.

She couldn’t hear it but she knew, knew she was screaming her sister’s name. Why couldn’t she hear her? Why wasn’t she waking?

“Alex! Wake up!”

Alex reached for her machete but thankfully it was nowhere near as Maggie’s face came to view. It had been a dream. Her sister’s blood was a dream. Her body shook with fear, it had been a dream; she repeated over and over in her mind as she attempted to listen to Maggie’s words.

Eventually she had to ask her what she had said, what had her so excited.

“Petey did it! He fixed the radio.” Maggie cheered.

Alex jumped up almost knocking heads. She raced over to his head almost slipping with her socks; she didn’t notice her shoes were off. She watched as he leaned close to the radio. It was all lit up like Christmas tree and emitting static; who knew such a sound would sound so sweet.

Petey looked at her briefly, his energy beaming with pride and she couldn’t help but feel proud as well.

“I’ll keep the radio going. I want you to speak and hope someone answers.” He said.

He handed over the walkie and Alex began a flow of ‘hellos’. As she spoke her words started to sound like a prayer to her. One you repeat over and over before you go to sleep, hoping to wake up in the morning. She supposed it was a prayer that she begged silently for someone to answer, it didn’t matter whom, just someone.

They didn’t know how long they tried. Alex had slipped to the floor leaning against the chair her voice hoarse from her calls. Petey’s fingers ached from gripping the knobs harshly in excitement now it started to slack into despair.

Alex had looked up seeing Petey had stopped fiddling with the knobs. Instead he had crossed his arms on the table and rested his head. She looked across the bunker to see Maggie had lied down on the ground where she was sleeping just moments ago.

Alex let her head fall back against the chair and Petey’s thigh. She shut her eyes and pushed the button on the side of the walkie one last time. A quiet hello she uttered and let go.

It was silent once again.

“Hello?”

Their heads shot up at the sound. The voice had been too deep to Alex’s voice. She stood up and stared at the radio intensely. Fearing it just a trick of a desperate mind. They leaned in closely waiting for the voice again.

“Is anybody there?” A man’s voice broke through the static.

Alex gripped the walkie and fell hard against the table as she felt her knees weaken. Petey patted her back softly encouraging her to speak. She took a deep breath in and stood up.

“Hello.” Her voice was so unsure.

“This is Warrant Officer Dumas, whom may I speaking with?” He introduced.

“My name is Alexandra Armijo.” She said joyfully.

“Are their any other survivors with you, Ms. Armijo?”

“Yes, there are two other. Their names are Peter Allen and Maggie.” Alex realized she didn’t know Maggie’s last name.

“Do you know your location?” He asked.

Her eyes drifted towards the maps that littered the walls above them. There were too many she couldn’t pin point. She couldn’t see which one was Seattle or the world, they all looked alike. Petey stood up, the chair scraping the floor loudly.

His fingers traced the maps before slamming down hard on one. He tapped aggressively at a pattern of numbers that were written at the bottom. She looked over to him and he nodded; that was all she needed.

“We’re at 47.717471 and -122.287642.” Her fingers scraped along the number ending at Petey’s hand. “We’re in an underground bunker in the backyard of the house.”

“Give us a moment to map your location.” He said.

The trio let out a breathy laugh; relief filling them. Alex took Petey’s hand turned it and kissed his knuckles as a silent thank you. It was because of him that they might have a chance. He smiled warmly settling their hands together on the desk.

“Alex?” A new voice came through the speakers. It was higher pitch; it was soft but heavy with an emotion. Her heart stopped she knew who’s voice this belonged.

No, no she must be hearing things; she had to be. Yet she couldn’t stop herself from releasing Petey’s hand and squeezing the walkie tightly between her palms.

“Chris…” her voice cracked. “…Is that you?”

A second of silence past and Alex knew, knew she had heard wrong. Her happy mind made her delirious in hope. It wasn’t her…

“Yeah, it’s me!” Chris answered back.

It is her! It is Chris’ voice coming through the old radio. It was her sister; alive and safe. Alex breathed heavily as her smile grew wide.

“You asshole!” Alex laughed. “The empty house…I thought the worst.”

“You’re one talk.” Chris laughed as well. Hearing her sister’s voice made her smile. Hearing her sister insult her gave her hope. “You were supposed to be…”

She couldn’t finish it. She couldn’t think about Alex not being around anymore but now she didn’t have to.

“Are you safe?” She asked.

“We’re in Donoghue’s bunker. I fell like I need to apologize to him for all those jokes.” A bitter laugh escaped her.

“He’ll forgive you. At least you got some use out of it.” Chris said.

That was enough to let her know he had survived too. That she would once again see him. She would see many of them or at least she hoped so.

There was a shift in mood so powerful it could be felt through the airwaves. Smiles began to drop at the sound of Chris’ heavy breathing before the static cut in. Alex was about ask what was wrong before the man’s voice returned.

“Ms. Armijo.” The tension in the Officer’s voice struck fear in her heart. They could hear the emotion he was trying to hold back from his tone. He cleared his throat.

“Ms. Armijo…” He began again. “Your location is in the orange zone or radiation zone. It was too close to the impact zone and unfortunately our men would not be able to go that far in.”

“What the hell do you mean?” She raised her voice.

“Ma’am, you must understand there was a side effect of the bombs and…” “I know the side effect. I saw them.” She interrupted.

“So what does that mean?” She asked again.

If they were going to leave them out for dead she wanted them to say it. She wanted them to admit to it. Admit that they were sentencing three people to death or something far worse.

“It means…” Chris took over “…the reason they haven’t kicked me out is because they’re giving us a chance to say goodbye.”

To other’s her tone appeared cold almost emotionless but Alex knew her, she knew her sister. She could hear the pain; she could feel it. She could see the mist in her sister’s brown eyes; the way her lips tightened into a straight line. The tight grip on the walkie that threatened to break it; she knew because she was doing the same thing.

“No.” Alex growled.

“Alex.” Her voice broke.

She hated the way her sister’s voice sounded. It sounded weak. They weren’t weak; they didn’t go down without a fight.

“I said no. Do you understand me?” She said loudly. “Come on, Chris. I need you.”

Her breathing started to come out in huffs; she was forcing herself to breathe. Rage stirred in the bottom of her belly slowly rising higher. How dare her sister give up on her? How dare she think this was goodbye?

“Dios cuida a los tontos y a los borrachos.” Chris said her smile breaking through the airwaves and Alex couldn’t help herself and smiled. The rage was flushed out with a new found joy at saying of their family’s motto.

“We dear sister are both.” Alex answered.

“We are one of each.” Chris answered back.

Alex couldn’t help the smile that broke out across her face. There was her sister there was the fighter.

“Officer Dumas, what’re your coordinates?”

“Ms. Armijo, you need to understand the chances-“

“Fuck chances! What’re your coordinates?” Alex growled.

There was a heavy sigh as if he was battling with himself. “48.370387, -122.323842.”

From her side she could see Petey tearing the maps off the wall. Most likely figuring out where the coordinates led them and if they had a fighting chance. She chooses to ignore it for now taking notice of the flickering radio. She knew it was only a matter of time before it gave out.

“Chris, still there?” She prayed.

“Yeah, I’m here.” Chris answered.

It was getting harder to breathe. Her chest tightened as her anger drained and fear took over. Never willing to admit it out loud but she needed her sister. Able to sense her sister’s worries Chris gave some reassurance.

“Don’t die, okay?” Well their version of reassurance. “You’re going to fine. We’re always fine, it what’s we do. It’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to get up here and it’ll be fine.”

Alex let her sister’s stupid words sink in and she smiled sadly.

“It’s what we do.”

“Be safe, Alex,” Chris said.

“Be good, Short.” Alex chocked out.

The radio was courteous enough to wait until they were done before shutting down. She stared coldly at the radio, her fingers clenched the walkie, and for a moment it looked like she would burst into tears. Instead all the anger, all the pain and sorrow she couldn’t suppress it any longer. She grabbed whatever what was on the desk and threw it across the room against a stonewall. It was a box holding memories now scattered everywhere but it wasn’t enough.

Petey and Maggie moved back as Alex swiftly grabbed the lazy crowbar and smashed the radio. This meaningless hunk of junk made her feel happy and had given her hope before ripping it all away. It deserved to have its case cracked open, its wires ripped out and glass shattered.