Emperor of a Dead World (16 page)

“Anywhere you want,” he replied.

“Where are you going?”

“Sacramento.”

“Why?”

“My parents went there with some others. It is safe there.”

“We heard that too. That is where we were going.”

He glanced at her and asked, “We? Where are the others?”

“Dead,” she replied with no emotion.

He looked at her. ”I am very sorry. Were they close friends?”

“My brother, his girlfriend and another guy,” she said.

“Would you like to talk about it?”

“No,” she stated as she turned and stared out the window.

He shrugged, “You can come with me if you want.”

“Whatever,” she replied.

“I’m Brad,” he said as he headed north on the 101.

After a few minutes of silence, he looked over at her. She was young, a teenager, possibly pretty if she cleaned herself up. Her hair was in a ponytail and she was wearing jeans, and a t-shirt. He wanted to ask her a lot of questions but instead related his own story. She pretended not to listen but a couple of times she looked at him in shock and disbelief. When he finished she did not say a thing. She just stared out the window. He glanced at her then kept his eyes on the road.

For the most part the road was clear but a few times, he had to drive off the pavement to get around cars. At one point, he actually had to backtrack and exit the highway because a lot of creatures had gathered around some crashed cars. After following a surface road, he got back on the highway and drove in silence. Before long, he began to wish he had not found this girl. She was terrible company. Finally, he decided to turn on some music and as he reached for the radio, he thought he heard her say something. When he looked over, she fidgeted in her seat. He shrugged and began to turn on the stereo again but this time he heard it clearly. Her stomach growled.

“Are you hungry?” he laughed though tried to resist.

She flashed him a look. “Who do you think you are to laugh at me?”

“Look, I have had about enough of your shit,” he retorted as he pulled over. “I saved your ass back there and you could at least show some appreciation.”

“You didn’t save me. I was just fine before you came along.”

“How were you fine?” he fired back. “You were by yourself with no weapons. Aside from that, all your friends are dead and the creatures were chasing you. How long do you think you would have lived if I had not come along?”

She glared back at him then broke down crying.

“I’m sorry.” He felt like an ass. “I should not have said that.”

After a moment, she recovered. “No, you are right. I would not have made it through the night. I’m sorry. I have been acting like a bitch.”

He reached in the back and tossed her a bag of chips without responding. She tore the bag open and ate like a ravenous dog. While she ate, he looked around and noticed some creatures approaching so he took off up the highway. A few minutes later, a raindrop hit the windshield.

“Those dark clouds have been moving in for a while,” he said. “I wondered if it was going to rain.”

She shrugged.

“Keep an eye out for solar houses.”

“Solar houses,” she asked.

“They still have electricity so we can have a hot meal and a shower.”

“We never thought of that,” she admitted.

He glanced at her and asked. “How old are you?”

“Why,” she shot off defensively.

“I think you are younger than you appear.”

She stared at him a moment then turned to look out the window. “Almost sixteen,” she said at last. “How old are you?”

“Eighteen.”

“Funny,” she said.

“What’s funny about eighteen?”

“Not that,” she remarked as she looked toward him. “I think it’s funny that you asked my age and not my name.”

“I told you my name. If you wanted to offer yours you could have.”

She shrugged and turned away.

“Alright,” he relented after several minutes, “What is your name?”

She waited a moment then said, “Lisa,” without turning toward him.

He smiled and said, “I’m Brad, pleased to meet you.”

She did not reply. She simply sat in silence and was soon asleep. When she awoke, the rain was pouring down.

“We need to find a place,” he said when he saw her stirring.

She shrugged and gazed out the window. A few minutes later, she pointed and asked, “Are those solar panels?”

He nodded and got off the freeway.

When he pulled up to the house she asked, “What now?”

“Now I break in and we eat, shower and sleep.”

“You’ve done this before.”

“Yeah,” he smiled, “But I only pick the nicest houses.” He grabbed a clean shirt, socks and underwear from the back.

She looked at the clothes he was holding. “You come prepared.”

He tucked his gun in the back of his pants and got out of the car.

“You come really prepared,” she said when she saw the gun.

“Let’s go,” he said as he ran to the house to avoid getting wet.

Lisa followed then they stood on the porch for a moment while he determined how to get in. He glanced at the door then gave it a little push and it swung open. This trick had worked before.

“Okay, I’m impressed,” she shrugged.

“Follow me,” he said as he walked in with his gun in his hand.

The entrance was a marble foyer that led to a large living room with a vaulted ceiling.

“I am really impressed,” she said as she looked around.

“This place probably has four bedrooms, two of them masters, and at least five baths.” After saying this, he headed for the kitchen and she followed. It was a gourmet kitchen with a huge Subzero refrigerator. He opened the freezer and took out two steaks. “Do you eat meat?”

She nodded with wide eyes.

“See if you can find some potatoes and vegetables,” he said as he put the steaks in water to defrost them.

She looked around and found a can of French style green beans and two potatoes with roots growing out of them.

“I am going to take a shower,” he said as he glanced at her. “I suggest you look for some clean clothes before you shower.”

“Wait a second,” she cried. “How do you know no one is here?”

He frowned then said, “Follow me.”

She stayed close behind as he searched the house feeling a little foolish that he had let his guard down. Once satisfied the house was safe they each took a shower.

When he came downstairs, Lisa was still in the shower so he cooked the green beans and potatoes while he waited. When she finally joined him, she was barefooted and wearing a little pink sundress.

“How do I look?” she asked as she spun around.

“Not bad,” he said, looking her over. She was five feet six inches and about one hundred twenty five pounds of brown hair and curves.

“Do you like the dress?” she asked when she noticed him staring.

He shrugged and turned away. “How do you like your steak?”

She made a face. “No pink.”

“Not like your dress?”

“No, absolutely not,” she said scrunching up her face.

“Well, I like mine a little pink.”

“Like me,” she smiled.

He blushed and put the steaks in the broiler.

After they ate, they stood at the window and watched streams of rain flowing down the driveway and out into the street. It was coming down as it rarely did in the sunny southland. For a brief moment, they forgot their troubles as they listened to the patter on the roof. It captivated and calmed them until a bright flash of light followed by a loud boom startled them and sent a chill up Lisa’s spine.

“I hate thunder,” she whined.

“It’s not so bad,” he smiled. “Maybe the rain will wash away all the filth.”

Another crash caused her to jump.

“It is getting closer,” he laughed.

Outside a couple of creatures meandered by. They did not seem to notice the rain but they did appear to follow the flashes of light and the crashes of thunder.

“I hope it electrocutes them all,” Lisa said with disgust as she moved closer to Brad and watched them.

“We should probably get some sleep,” he suggested. “Pick any room you want. I would like to be up and on the road by dawn.”

“It is still early and I cannot sleep with this going on. Please sit up with me for a while.”

He shrugged and they sat on the couch watching the rain.

“Have you always lived in California?” Lisa asked.

“Yes, but my father is originally from Maine.”

“Have you ever been there?”

“Yes.”

“I bet it is pretty.”

“I guess so, but it rains like this in the summer and in the winter you freeze your butt off. My father said he didn’t mind the snow because when he was a kid he had a snowmobile. Of course, when you get older and have to get to work it can be a pain.”

“I have never been anywhere.”

“You are going somewhere now.”

She sat back and sighed. “It would have been more fun before all this weird stuff happened.”

Brad did not reply. He just turned and watched the rain pour down.

Half an hour later the storm passed and Lisa was fast asleep. He carried her up to one of the master suits then took the other.

About an hour before dawn, he awoke, took a hot shower, brushed his teeth then banged on her door. “Time to get up,” he yelled.

She groaned something in return and he headed downstairs.

For breakfast, he made bacon, potatoes, coffee and some kind of egg substance that was in a carton. When she finally joined him, his meal and two cups of coffee were history.

“Hurry up and eat,” he said as he set a plate of food in front of her. “The sun is coming up and I want to get going.”

“What’s your rush,” she whined as she poked at the food. “No one is expecting us and everyone probably thinks we are dead.”

“That is a rumor I am egger to dispel,” he said as he poured her a cup of coffee. “Cream and sugar?” he asked.

“Yes, lots.”

He handed it to her and said, “Hurry up, we need to go.”

“You are mean in the morning.”

“Just hurry up or I will make you eat in the car.”

“Who made you emperor?”

“Tyrone,” he laughed.

“Who,” she asked.

“I already told you about him. You will meet him later.”

“Well I don’t care what this Tyrone guy said. You are not my emperor.”

“Just hurry up. We are leaving in five minutes.”

He got up and gathered everything they were taking with them while she wolfed down her meal. When she finished she rinsed the plates and put them in the dishwasher.

“What the hell are you doing,” he laughed.

“Cleaning up,” she replied.

“Don’t bother, let’s go.”

“You are a terrible house guest.”

“I’ll put a thank you note in the mail.”

She followed him out and sat in the passenger seat. As he backed down the driveway, she turned to him and said, “Thank you for everything.”

He stopped in the middle of the street and looked at her, “You are welcome.”

She smiled sadly then looked out the window as she thought of her brother and the others.

Brad headed off without another word. After traveling a short distance, he turned into a gas station. “This will just take a minute,” he assured her as he pulled up to the underground tanks. Two creatures noticed him but they did not approach so he waited until they moved on. Once they were gone, he got out, grabbed his pump and stuck the hose down into the tank. He then handed Lisa the plug and said, “Push this into the cigarette lighter.”

“That is ingenious,” she remarked.

“I learned it from Bubba, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“I would like to hear of your adventures,” he said.

“When we get back out on the highway I’ll tell you all about them.”

After a minute, he told her to turn on the key and check the gas gage. She reached over for the key and screamed. The two creatures were back. Before Brad could react, they were beside the car.

“Close the door,” he shouted as he backed up.

They saw him and they were coming on quickly. He was still looking for something to use as a weapon when he heard a gunshot. He had left his pistol on the front seat and upon seeing the creatures Lisa grabbed the gun and shot one in the side. It stumbled then came at her. When the other one heard the noise, it headed for her as well.

“Close the door,” Brad shouted as he ran around to the driver’s side.

She shot again and missed. The creature was now at the door and coming in. Lisa kicked it back but it still came on. Now a dozen more creatures that had heard the gunshots were coming toward them.