In the Lone and Level Sands (77 page)

“I’m going to get backup!” McAvoy said.
Barry nodded. McAvoy dashed out of the dock and down a few
corridors. It wasn’t long before he found some other soldiers. When
they saw the bewildered, sweating soldier running at them, they
stopped walking.

“There’s been a…” McAvoy said. He stopped to
catch his breath. “A breach. We’re being invaded at dock D! We need
your help at the breach now!” They hurried off, and McAvoy went to
gather others.

He was able to get at least a dozen backup
personnel and head back to dock D. More and more zombies made their
way in. Many were killed, but some got past the fire and drew
closer to the soldiers, eventually overtaking those closest to the
door. Soldiers farther back shot the zombies off of their fallen
friends. More soldiers entered the dock to help, but even more
zombies entered the base.

McAvoy was about out of hope, and then the
Humvee finally cleared the door.

“Close the door, McAvoy!” Barry said. “We’re
clear!”

McAvoy’s spirits lifted an inch as he ran to
the control booth. He pressed a button, and the door began to shut.
It did so slightly faster than it had opened, but still not fast
enough. McAvoy heard the screams of his fellow soldiers, the
screeching of zombies as they were shot.

McAvoy’s heart stopped when the door did. It
was as if the stupid thing had just given up. It was halfway open,
and zombies were still running their way.

He knew then that it was over, but not
everyone had to die. The civilians had come to Fort Knox for
safety, and they deserved a chance. McAvoy poked back into the
control room and went to the P.A. system. He picked up the
microphone, pressed a button, and addressed the residents of Fort
Knox.

“May I have everyone’s attention.” He was
more scared than he had been in his entire life. “I regret to
inform you that we have had a breach at dock D. We are doing the
best we can to control the situation.”

People all around the base stopped what they
were doing when they heard the desperation in Private Robert
McAvoy’s voice. In the mess hall, sandwiches dropped onto plates,
spoons clattered to the tables. People in their rooms jolted from
books and conversations.

“The cause of the breach is a jammed dock
door. We are looking at a possible end to Fort Knox. No one panic,
please. Civilians, get everyone in your groups together, and find
the nearest military personnel. Everyone, please remain calm, and
everything will—”

McAvoy saw zombies at the door to the
control booth. He leaned in to shut the door, but the zombies
jumped him. He screamed and tried to shoot, but missed and hit the
control room window, shattering it.

Evan and the others were in the rec room
when the announcement came over the loud speaker, and so was Aimes.
He had gone there to say his goodbyes.

Mal began crying when she heard McAvoy’s
screams over the speaker, and especially when she heard the
ravenous moans of the zombies. Evan grabbed Mal and hugged her.

“It’s all right, it’s all right.” He and
Cynthia exchanged worried glances.

“What the hell are we going to do?” Daisy
said to Aimes.

“How close are we to this breach?” Jason
asked. “How close is dock D?”

“It’s not far from here,” Aimes said. “But I
have an idea. There’s an armory. The problem is, it’s right near
dock D. We’ll be heading toward the breach, but we can get weapons,
and we can head past dock D and take a Humvee out of dock C.”

The survivors exchanged glances.

“It’ll be dangerous,” Jason said.

“So will leaving unarmed,” Evan replied.

“Then we’ll just have to hurry,” Cynthia
said. “Aimes, can you get us there?”

“Yeah, but we need to go now.”

“Come on, Mal!” Evan said. “I’ll carry
you!”

“Daddy, don’t let the monsters get me!”

“I won’t, Mal!”

Evan picked her up and the group left the
rec room and headed down the hall. Aimes led them with his handgun
drawn. People ran past them, trying to get to an exit before the
zombies hit them like a tidal wave.

After what seemed like too long, they
arrived at the armory. There were guns in racks, military shields,
grenades. A few people were inside, stocking up.

“Take what suits you, everyone! You need to
be able to protect yourselves. I’ll get you to the dock, and that’s
where we part ways!”

“Wait,” Evan said, grabbing a handgun.
“You’re not coming with us?”

“I’m going to meet my wife at the estate.
Consider getting you guys out safely my last mission.”

“Of course. Thank you.”

Jason motioned to a rifle. “How does this
work?”

“If you have to ask that question, take a
different gun,” Aimes said. He grabbed a handgun, loaded it, then
handed it to Jason, along with a few magazines. “Just load the clip
into the bottom until it clicks. Make sure the safety’s off, and
you’re good to go!”

Jason nodded nervously, but accepted the
gun. “I think I got it.”

“We need to go,” Stephanie said.

“Are you all ready?” Aimes asked. Everyone
was, so they left the armory with the weapons and ammo and
continued their trek.

More people were rushing toward them, trying
to find an exit. One of them bumped into Stephanie, knocking her
down.

“Hey!”

“Get the fuck out of my way, bitch! You’re
gonna get me killed!”

“Don’t you fucking talk to her that way,
asshole!” Jason said.

“Jason, I’m fine, please—”

The man turned around and flipped Jason off.
Jason lifted his gun and fired. At the last second, reason got the
better of him and he moved, sending a bullet into the wall inches
from the man’s head.

“Jason!” a few of them said. The rest, along
with other bystanders, gasped.

“Let’s go!” Jason said. He was breathing
much heavier as he tried to help Stephanie up. She pulled away from
him. “I’m sorry… It was just a snap reaction. I didn’t mean it,
Steph—”

“Just forget it,” Daisy said. “We need to
get out of here!”

Jason said nothing, but hurried alongside
Stephanie. She said nothing as well, and didn’t even look at him.
The group moved on.

When they saw zombies running toward them
instead of people, the survivors knew they had reached dock D.
Eugene and Aimes each carried a shotgun, and they moved to the
front of the group and opened fire. Evan ran with a crying Mal in
his arms. Cynthia ran at his side, still as close as she could
manage. The zombies kept coming, some knocked down by faster ones
behind them.

Eugene stopped to reload. A zombie grabbed
his gun, another grabbed his arm and brought its jaws down on his
skin. Eugene screamed out of fear, and then out of pain. Blood shot
from his arm as the zombie dug deeper.

Zombies filled the hallway ahead of them.
Aimes reloaded.

Eugene gave the zombie at his arm a hard
shove, then looked at Evan for only a moment. Then, Eugene swung
his arm at the oncoming zombies, splashing blood over them. All of
their attention turned to him.

“Hey, over here!” Eugene said. He ran off,
away from his friends, and nearly all of the zombies followed.

“Oh my God!” Vanessa said.

“I’m sorry,” Aimes said. He and the others
took out the remaining zombies, then pressed on with heavy
hearts.

The survivors passed the door to dock D.
More zombies emerged from it, and some followed them. Vanessa was
near the back of the group, and she ran as quickly as she could,
but some of the zombies caught up. The first one, a man at least a
foot taller than Vanessa, grabbed her hair with one hand and
yanked. Vanessa screamed in pain. She struggled to get free. Daisy
turned to help her, but Vanessa had come to a full stop, the tall
man had bitten her arm, and several zombies had already passed
her.

“Just leave! You go ahead!” Vanessa said.
The others reluctantly obeyed.

They hurried into dock C and saw two
Humvees. They almost seemed to shine. Zombies poured into the dock
from the hall. Evan put Mal in one of the Humvees.

“Stay in here!” he said. “We’ll leave soon,
I promise!”

“Daddy! No! Let’s go! Please!”

“It’s okay! Just stay down!”

The others fired at the zombies as they
entered. Evan returned to help. When the flow of zombies slowed
enough, Aimes shut the hallway door, then went to the control booth
and opened the dock door. The sun was setting, and zombies outside
headed for the new entrance.

“All of you get inside,” Aimes said. “The
keys are on a hook above the driver’s seat.”

“How are you going to get out?” Evan
asked.

“I’ll take the other Humvee as soon as I
make sure you all get out safely.”

“Thank you, Matt.” Evan reached out with his
right hand. Aimes took it, and they shook. “It was nice meeting
you. I wish you the best of luck finding your wife.”

“Thank you, and you make sure to take care
of yours, and your daughter.”

“Will do.”

“Now go!”

Evan took the driver’s seat, and Cynthia
rode next to him. Mal was in the next row, on Daisy’s lap. Jason
sat to one side of her, and Stephanie sat on the other. They
buckled up, and Evan started the engine. Aimes continued to fire at
the zombies, and he smiled as the Humvee drove off.

Aimes rushed to the other Humvee, got in,
and started its engine. He put it in drive and pounded the gas,
driving out of Fort Knox, crushing any zombies that crossed his
path.

****

“Evan,” Cynthia said after they’d driven
along U.S. Route 31W for a little while. The sun was nearly gone by
then.

“What is it, honey?”

“I’m sorry.”

“What? What are you sorry for?”

“I should have told you right away.” Cynthia
held up her leg and showed him a wound. It was fresh, and looked
like a set of bite marks.

“Oh my… God. No.” Evan stopped the Humvee by
the side of the road.

“What?” Mal said. “Mommy, are you hurt?”

“I’m okay, honey, it’s just a small
bite.”

“You were bitten?” Daisy said, confused and
angry.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Evan
asked.

“There wasn’t time. If I’d stopped to tell
you, we’d all be dead.”

“Well, we’ve gotta do something, then,”
Jason said. He sat forward.

Evan glared at him. “What is that supposed
to mean?”

“It… Nothing. But, she just… I don’t want
any more of us to—”

“To what? She’s not a sick dog! There won’t
be any damn problem, because we’re going to get her somewhere
that’ll treat her, fix her, reverse it, whatever! Maybe it won’t
even affect her, it’s such a small bite.”

“Evan, I know how you must feel,” Daisy
said. “I don’t know what we should do.”

“Well, we’re not killing her, and we’re not
leaving her behind!”

“I didn’t say any of that, Evan. You’re
forgetting that she’s also my best friend.” A tear went down
Daisy’s cheek. “I know it’s hard for you, but it’s something we
both need to accept.”

“That what? She’s a goner! Hell no!”

Mal was sobbing, but Daisy hugged her,
trying to soothe her pain. Tears ran down Daisy’s cheeks as
well.

“If we take her with us, she’ll turn, Evan!”
Jason said. “Your daughter, do you want to risk her life?”

Cynthia grabbed Evan’s arm. He jumped so
hard, he nearly bumped his head on the roof of the Humvee.

“Evan.”

“Shit! I thought you…”

“No, but I don’t know how long,” Cynthia
said. “But I think we need to do something. Think about Mal, now.
Do you want her to see that?”

“No, but—”

“Look at her, Evan. You’re making it worse
for her, and for what? There’s nothing you can do to change this.
You know that.”

“I-I can’t accept that. I can’t do it.”

“Honey, I’m going to get some fresh air. I
don’t want to be a danger to any of you.” Cynthia unbuckled
herself, opened her door and exited, then walked to the back door.
Stephanie moved out of the way, and Mal broke from Daisy and
latched onto Cynthia.

“I love you so much, Mallorie.”

“I love you too, Mommy!” Mal sobbed in her
mother’s shoulder for a minute, and then Cynthia pulled back.

“Your father and I are going to talk for a
bit. I need you to stay with Daisy.” She looked to her friend, who
nodded.

“It’ll be okay, right?” Mal said. Cynthia
and Daisy hugged.

“It’ll be just fine,” Cynthia said. She
leaned over and whispered in Daisy’s ear. When she was done, Daisy
nodded. Cynthia looked at Jason and Stephanie. She smiled at them
and waved. They met her gaze, wishing it didn’t have to be this
way.

Evan got out of his seat and put his pistol
in the back of his pants, hiding the handle with his shirt. As he
walked around the front of the Humvee, he said to himself, “I
can’t. I can’t.”

He met up with Cynthia. They walked away,
moving somewhere the others couldn’t see them.

“I love you, Evan,” Cynthia said. “I wish it
didn’t have to be like this. When we just put all the shit to rest
between us.”

“I’m not prepared for this,” Evan said.

“I don’t think anyone could ever be prepared
for this, but you’re going to have to do something. I don’t want to
hurt you.”

“I’m already hurt.”

“Hey, do you remember our honeymoon?”
Cynthia asked. “When you fell off the Jet Ski, and plopped right
into the water?” She laughed. Evan couldn’t help but smile. It
wasn’t funny at the time, but he laughed now.

“I remember you sure got a kick out of it,”
he said. “It was your laugh that first drew me in, you know. On our
first date, when you ordered a sundae for dessert, and dropped the
whole thing in your lap. You laughed so hard at what should’ve been
frustrating… I loved you from that moment.”

Cynthia smiled. A tear ran down Evan’s
cheek. Cynthia leaned forward and set a gentle hand on his face,
rubbing the tear away. They joined in a hug for a moment, and
kissed.