The Age of Zombies: Sergeant Jones (7 page)

Jacob looked up the road. “We ran over something.”

“Yeah? No shit?” Chris said. He shook his head, and looked back up the road. They did run over something. “Oh shit, look back there Jake. A spike strip.”

The two men jogged back down the road. Fifty feet back the bus went over a full blown spike strip, the kind that they imagined cops would use in the line of duty. They approached the spike strip with caution and confusion.

“I can’t believe I didn’t see this fucking thing,” Chris said with frustration. “I want answers. Who put this damn thing out here?”

“You got that right,” Jacob said. “Let’s dial 911.” He pulled out his cell phone, dialed 911, and clicked send. He waited for the call to connect. But there was nothing. “Hey Chris, try your phone. Mine’s acting up.”

Chris pulled out his flip phone and dialed emergency services with the same result. “No signal. Damn. Damn it.”

“Alright Chris, we’re not going to panic. We’re going to go back to the bus, let everybody know what’s going on, and hatch a plan. We’re Glen Elder Campers, nothing stands in our way,” he said with a wink.

“I’ll stay here in case anybody drives by,” Chris said.

“It’s a plan.”

Jacob whistled a Bible song as he walked back to the bus. Chris punched the air in frustration. His whole life was built up on appearances: the church, Gloria, his job’s good wage. He was a leader in the church, but didn’t believe a word of it. He was married to Gloria, but didn’t live up to those vows. He wasn’t even loyal to his friend Jacob.

The frustration with his own lies were mounting. And the blown out tires put him over the edge. He couldn’t avoid the ugly truths any longer. He vowed to come clean with his infidelities once the camping trip was over. He would divorce Gloria, admit his affair to Jacob, leave the Glen Elder Church, and make it on his own. This conviction brought solace to Chris as the Kansas sun beat down on him.

Presently, two large black vehicles appeared on the road’s horizon up ahead. They sped rapidly towards the bus. As they got closer Chris noticed that they were two Humvees, and they took up both lanes of the two lane highway. Seconds later the two military vehicles were parked in front of the bus. Chris knew that there was something very, very wrong.

Four large men, huge men, suited up in all black paramilitary uniforms hopped out of each Humvee. Their faces were horrifying, as if the devil chiseled them out from hell’s own stone. Fiery red hair lit up their skulls. The giants wielded automatic weapons and quickly formed a line to await their orders.

Following the soldiers Chris saw what he thought was a demon. It was, like the soldiers, at least eight feet tall, massive around the shoulders and chest, with arms like Chris had never seen. Although the beast stood on the legs of a man, it possessed a head of a massive bull. Its face was covered in black hair. Its eyes were big black orbs in the center, encircled by ruby. Unlike the soldiers who were completely covered in black fatigues, this beast only wore camo pants and black boots. The bull man’s body was ripped. The soldiers gave this freak of nature their full attention.

Chris hesitated at first, out of pure shock, but came to and realized that he had to get back to the bus. This group looked bloodthirsty. He crept back to the bus and around its side. The passengers, full of young campers, were already in fits about what was transpiring outside of the bus. Chris slowly worked his way under the bus. His idea was to crawl under and make his way undetected to the door.

His plan didn’t get far. Two hands wrapped around his ankles and dragged Chris back out from under the bus.

“We’ve got him,” a deep voice said.

“Get off me shithead.” Chris tried kicking his way free, but the giant that had hold of him was at least three times his size. He had never seen a man this large in his life. The soldier’s face looked like a bag of leather, filled massive bones. Chris locked eyes with the soldier. They were glazed over and through them Chris could literally see the pits of hell.

The rest of the soldiers quickly surrounded Chris. The bull man joined them. Right away Chris noticed the bull man was wearing a mask. An incredibly realistic mask, but a mask nonetheless. He locked its red eyes onto Chris and looked him up and down. He snorted with force as he breathed in and out.

“A woman you have on that bus,” the bull man said. His accent was thick and German. “Her name is Savannah. Her brother fucked up. And now it’s time to pay the price.”

Chris was still being restrained by the soldier that pulled him out from under the bus. “What is this shit? Who are you?”

“My name is Grantha,” the bull man said. “We are of the Orobu race.”

Chris tried to pull away from the soldier’s grip. The giant backhanded Chris, knocking a couple teeth out from his mouth. Chris spit them out on the asphalt. He looked back up at the bull man. “Real men don’t wear masks,” Chris said. “You’re a coward.”

Grantha could smell this human’s own weakness. “Not as much of a coward as you.”

Chris chuckled softly. His chuckle turned into a laugh. His laugh into a guffaw. “You don’t know me,” he said defiantly. “Whoever you are, whatever you are, you’re nothing more than the turds I send down the toilet. You don’t scare me.”

“Chris? What’s going on? Who are these people?” Jacob appeared from around the corner. In short order he was subdued by two of the soldiers. He resisted much more vehemently than Chris did, but his efforts were just as futile. One of the soldiers took Jacob’s arm and twisted it until it snapped. Jacob let out blood curdling screams, as his arm flailed stupidly at his side. When he finally quieted down, the soldiers brought him to stand face to face with Chris. Grantha stood at their side.

 “Two of you are standing now,” Grantha said. He looked side to side at both of the men. “I will give you ten minutes. After that time, I want to see only one of alive. If you resist, if you practice compassion, then both of you will die.” Grantha pointed to the kids on the bus. “Along with all of them”

Jacob tried to pull away from his captors. His heart thudded against his ribcage. He prayed to Jesus inwardly, so that this giant bull headed demon would be slain. The Orobu soldier grabbed hold of Jacob’s broken arm, and twisted it again. The pain shot through Jacob’s body like lightning. It was unbearable. “Not the kids,” Jacob said through gritted teeth. “You’re not getting those kids.”

Grantha looked up at the bus. The campers had gathered at the windows. They were like meerkats peering out over a dune. Their eyes were bigger than the moon. Grantha sneered, and all the kids shot back down into their seats. But for just a moment. It wasn’t long before they crawled back to their perch to await the next move. “One of you dies, and they live,” Grantha said. “But, they will watch.”

Jacob looked up and saw his son Richard. He looked lost. “The Lord is my shepherd,” Jacob prayed. “I shall not want. He lets me lie down in green pastures. He leads me by the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

“God damnit Jacob,” Chris said. The gravity of the situation was starting to sink in for Chris. He was done with living in denial, in a web of lies. He accepted the situation, and was ready for battle; he was ready to wrestle with life and death. “The prayers are unnecessary right now. We’ve been buddies for nine, ten years now. We know each other pretty damn well. We know which of us is the more righteous. We know who follows the Lord’s word more faithfully. What we don’t know is who is willing to sacrifice themselves so that the other may live on.”

Tears welled up in Jacob’s eyes. “Listen Chris,” he said. “You’ve got four daughters. You’ve got a wonderful wife. You’ve got a life that you earned, built up from nothing. My life has been a blessing every step of the way. Yours has been blood, sweat, and tears. The choice is simple.”

Chris lowered his head. “Before we go on, there are confessions I must make. I am a sinner.”

“As am I,” Jacob said.

“You don’t understand,” Chris said. He struggled with the words, but he felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. “Somewhere in the Bible it says that a man who commits adultery has no sense. That he who does it destroys himself. That he gets wounds and dishonor and the disgrace cannot be wiped away.” Chris paused and looked up. He locked eyes with Jacob. Chris prepared to bare his soul and his sins. “I’ve gone above and beyond that. I’ve broken old laws, my friend. Old laws that are meant to keep the machine running. I deserve to die by your hand.”

Jacob received his friend’s confession, and saw it as an act of courage. “You are strong, Chris,” he said. “And infidelity is a great sin. But it can be forgiven. God forgives, and is almighty. The Lord will protect us now, and bring these monsters to ruin. They are the abomination. They are the godless, not us. Their appetites are an hellish and of Satan. Ours are of truth and mercy, which will always win.”

Chris listened with rapt attention. But his friend was wrong. Nothing, not even God, was going to save them now.

“I have sinned,” Jacob said. “I have lied, and taken the Lord’s name in vain, and I have coveted another’s life. Your life, Chris.”

“God damnit Jake,” Chris said. “You’ve been forgiven a hundred times over. You are the nicest guy I know.” He looked up at Jacob, and he was finally ready to tell the truth. “Honor is something I’ve long since gambled for carnal reward. Look at me, Jake. The wealth of my spirit is spent. I bare my soul before you and the Lord, so that I may die in peace. I’ve spoiled your home. I have stood between you and your wife. I’ve been screwing her, Jake. For about a year. And she’s pregnant with my child.”

Jacob’s knees buckled and he collapsed. His sobs were deep and pathetic. He suspected the truth for some time. Savannah was always willing to work late at church with Chris. They would spend hours organizing the logistics and finances of the Glen Elder Camp. Or so she said. It didn’t matter now. The truth was out. Nothing would be the same again.

Strangely, Chris felt free. He was no longer burdened by lies. The weight of his sins had lifted.

“You’re going to kill me now,” Chris said. “Stand up. Take that machete into your hands. Feel its power. You will bring justice to our lives now. Imagine that. This whole situation will turn out right in the end. God damnit, I’ve known you for awhile now, Jake. You’ve been a good friend. And you didn’t deserve what I did to you. So kill me now. Make it short and quick.”

Jacob was released from the grip of the soldier. Grantha handed him a machete. It was sharp and heavy. Chris willfully knelt down, and hung his head so that Jacob could get a clean hack at it. Jacob fondled the machete in his hands. It felt good.

Jacob watched as the sweat pooled on his friend’s brow. Jacob studied the curvature of Chris’s neck. It was tan and rugged. He ran his thumb up the blade of the machete. Jacob closed his eyes and imagined the blade cutting through the neck.

“So you were fornicating with Savannah,” Jacob said. He took a couple more steps towards Chris. “She is pregnant with your child. What kind of friend would I be if I let you die?”

“Just get it over with, Jake,” Chris said. “It’s fucking hot out here.”

“It’s hot where we’re going,” Jacob said. “Don’t you realize? It’s hot where we are, and it’s fucking hot where we’re going. Damn, Chris. I was there for you when each of your daughters was born. I took you up to Canada on that fishing trip. On my dime. When things were hard for your family, we were there for you. Savannah brought your family meals. I paid your mortgage. And this is how you repay me as a man, as a friend?”

“For Christ’s sake, just kill me Jake. These goons want me dead.”

“They want a show,” Jake said. “And I’m gonna give them one.”

Jacob took the last few steps to Chris. Jacob’s shadow eclipsed Chris’s head. He raised the machete high. Chris shut his eyes and gritted his teeth. Chris had always wondered if he would die a violent death. He wondered what it felt like to be taken out of this world in blood. Jacob let out a weird guttural sound. The machete glistened beneath the Kansas sun. The kids on the bus screamed. Gloria and Savannah couldn’t watch
now
. They buried their heads in their hands.

The machete swooshed through the air. Chris imagined his soul leaving his body and being sucked down to hell. But he wasn’t going to hell. Not yet anyways. Before Chris knew what was going on he heard a gurgling sound, and felt a stream of viscous fluid on the back of his head and neck. And right after that Chris fielded a kick to his kidney and was brought to the ground.

Chris opened his eyes. Jacob flopped onto the ground beside him. The machete was impaled in his gut. They locked eyes. Resentment was the only thing the two could share. They both wanted to be dead right now.

“You nutless coward,” Chris said. “You couldn’t even finish me off.”

Jacob writhed around in pain. Blood pooled at the corner of his mouth and trickled out onto the pavement. His eyes rolled around like marbles. He couldn’t speak.

“So who’s gonna kill me now?” Chris said.

Grantha paced around Jacob’s body. “This whole situation has become much more entertaining than we originally thought. If I was a storyteller, I’d bring Savannah and Gloria out here now. If I was a sadist, I’d bring the women along with Jacob’s son. He is on board, is he not?”

Chris struggled to get off the pavement. He was pinned sharply by the knee of one of the monstrous soldiers. “I’m not gonna allow that, you bull headed fuck face.”