The Dark Trilogy (66 page)

“I have to do this. It’s my family. I can’t abandon them. I have to go to them while I still have the chance.”

There was pleading in his words, a desperate cry for approval. But Jason wouldn’t give it, would not look up from the floor. As they separated, the sullen kid turned and slumped down next to Sadie, who had been watching everything stoically. She moved next to him and cuddled up. Jason immediately wrapped an arm around her and held her close.

George sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Megan was in front of him. Her anger at Ben’s announcement was gone, replaced by disapproval and regret, but mostly resignation. She rubbed her arms as she shivered.

“Is this really what you want to do?” The words were barely audible. Not a whisper, like what he and Jason had shared. Her words were hoarse, worn so thin they were almost transparent.

When he nodded, she moved closer. George thought he was prepared for anything, but when she stepped in front of him and leaned her head into his chest, he was surprised. “I know how much you miss your family. Go to them.” She looked up into his startled eyes and gave him a painful smile. “But don’t you dare forget us.”

George’s lip quivered as he tried to return the smile. After failing, he slipped his arms around her and kissed her on top of her head. He had not realized how much tension there was in his body, how stressed he was over her possible reaction to his decision. Knowing that he had her blessing, even though she hated the idea of losing him, came with a profound sense of relief.

“I won’t. I swear to God I’ll never forget any of you.”

“So what reason do you have for not coming with us?” Jeff’s question sent all eyes toward Ben. Back in the spotlight, the big man looked uncomfortable with the attention. The sweat continued to pour down his forehead. Jeff inched forward. “You know we need you, Ben. I don’t know if we can make it that far without you.”

Ben stooped over the smaller man, and Jeff looked hesitant, but unafraid. When Ben moved his arm forward, Jeff flinched. Grabbing his hand, Ben pressed one of the keys into them.

“That’s for the Concorde. It’s already pointing east, which is the direction you want to head. The map is in the glove box. It’s the bigger car, so it should be comfortable for the four of you. I put some things in the trunk that you guys will be able to use. Just pay attention to the map and you’ll be fine.” He leaned in close, his clammy fingers gripping Jeff’s to make sure he had his full attention. “Don’t panic, whatever you do. That’s how a lot of folks died. They shit their pants at the first sign of trouble and were royally screwed.”

Jeff’s jaw was slack as Ben straightened his back and held his gaze steady.

“Can you do that, Jeff? Can you keep your cool?”

Jeff’s mouth slammed shut, and he nodded. Whatever he planned on saying fled his mind as he looked up at Ben and realized how enormous the man truly was. But it was his eyes, his sad and terribly tired eyes, that told him arguing was pointless. Ben wasn’t coming with them.

Ben handed George the other set of keys. “The Corsica is all the way down at the opposite end of the line of cars. I made sure it was gassed up and good to go, but I didn’t bother putting any supplies in it. You’ll just have to wing it. No map either, but I’m guessing you know where you’re going.”

George gave a quick nod, his gaze intense as he listened carefully. He looked at the key with the Chevy logo embossed on the fob. As he wrapped his fingers possessively around it, he looked nervous but ready.

Ben looked at George as if he were trying to convince himself that this was the right thing to do. After a moment, he returned the nod and addressed the rest of the group.

“Okay. Time’s up. You folks have to get the hell out of here. We spend any more time jawin’ and we’re going to have company.”

Ben shot a glance out the window and then turned back to the group. Everyone waited, breathless, for his next command. They were about as ready as they ever would be.

“I’ll go out first. Just wait by the door and don’t stick your head out until you’re sure I’ve got their attention.” He paused, eyeing the two other men. “You’ll know when that happens. Wait about thirty seconds after that, then haul ass to the cars. The doors are unlocked.”

Jeff and George nodded. Ben appeared satisfied that they understood his simple instructions. He turned back to the door. That was when he felt a little hand tugging on his fingers. It was Sadie, looking up at him with her bright eyes. Without giving it any thought, he reached down and picked her up.

“Don’t you want to come with us, Ben?”

The little voice and the needy look in Sadie’s eyes tugged at Ben’s heart. He felt almost dizzy as he held the little girl in his arms. He could handle the protests the adults might throw at him and even the bitter resentment that Jason felt, but he had to fight back the pain and guilt as he looked at the child he’d saved several weeks ago when she had been hiding out in a drainage ditch. He had never promised her that she would always be safe, but vowed to always do what he could to protect her. She was all that was left of the group he’d come to Manchester with, and now he was giving her to these people. For all they had been through together, he barely knew them. And yet, he knew in his heart that they would die doing everything they could to protect her, just as he would have done. He rubbed his cheek against the downy fluff of her hair as he closed his eyes.

“I can’t come with you, baby. I wish I could; I really do.” Sadie continued regarding him with those wide, haunting eyes, and he swallowed hard. “But Megan and Jeff are going to take good care of you. So is Jason. Aren’t you?”

Megan came forward and smiled at the little girl as she caressed her chubby little arm. “We sure are, Sadie. Don’t you worry about a thing.”

Sadie’s eyes moved back and forth between Ben and Megan, and then to Jason, who was still feeling betrayed by George’s decision, but forced a faint smile to his lips for the little girl.

Sadie gripped Ben tight, kissing him on the cheek as she spoke into his ear. “Will I ever see you again?”

Ben squeezed his eyes shut and fought back the anguish that was a giant knot in his gut. He took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before setting the little girl back down. He knelt before her and forced himself to look into her eyes as he spoke. “I tell ya what, honey. All you need to know is that you won’t see me, but I’ll always be around, watching out for you.” He put on a brave smile for her. “You understand that, don’t you?”

Sadie bobbed her head. The answer appeared to satisfy her and Ben began to stand back up. Before he could, she tugged on his sleeve again. “I’ll miss you.”

He smiled down at her again before turning back toward the door, where the smile crumbled. “Me too, baby. Me too.”

Clearing his throat, Ben addressed the group. “Okay, everyone. It’s time. No more screwing around. I’m going outside. Watch the window and wait about thirty seconds after I give you the signal. That’ll give me enough time to stir these fuckers up.”

Ben looked back one last time. They were fearful, but prepared for what they were about to face. He glanced at Sadie and saw that she fit perfectly in the crook of Megan’s arm. Jason had moved next to them, his hand on Sadie’s back. The kid still looked sullen and angry, but Ben knew he would get over it. Finally, he looked at Jeff and George. He nodded at them both as he opened the door.

There was no hesitation as Ben glided through the shadows, darting in between buildings and away from the cars. He was engulfed in darkness as the sounds of the night muffled his passing.

Chapter 23

Ben ached to his very bones, and his vision was blurry. His weary eyes felt like two raw eggs floating inside his skull. His breathing was ragged, and he could feel himself wearing down as he slid around a corner and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He licked his lips, knowing he didn’t have much time.

He surveyed the street as he tugged on the zipper on the front of his coverall. When it was halfway down his chest, he reached inside to a pocket and grabbed the object he had tucked away earlier that day.

Smiling, he surveyed the street. It was not jam-packed, but there were enough ghouls to get things started. Ben glanced back toward the building where the last of the survivors waited for him to lead the monsters away from their doorstep. He had gone far enough to give them the room they needed. It was time to start making some noise.

He looked down at the .357 Magnum, and his grin widened. “Sorry, Megan. I know it’s yours, but I needed to borrow it. Hope you don’t mind.” He inched out into the middle of the street and noticed that the sound of his voice had aroused some interest. Shadows shifted, and a face emerged into the moonlight. It moaned at him, curious.

“Well step out into the light and let me get a good look at you, son. Don’t be shy.”

Ben laughed as the greasy-looking man complied, excited to see him. As the shadowy figure moaned again, others responded, and there was more movement. A rainbow of gruesome colors was on display as more and more of the infected advanced on him. He swung around and looked them over, examining each in turn. The elements had not been kind to them. Even the ones that had not been torn to pieces were starting to look rather juicy.

Satisfied, Ben looked back toward the first rotter he’d seen. He waved him closer with the gun. “Come on, Lumpy, I ain’t got all night.”

The ghoul attempted to shuffle forward faster, but his right leg was twisted like a pretzel. “Well shit, pal. It must suck to be you. That gimpy leg must make it hard for you to catch dinner, huh?”

As the crippled stiff got closer, Ben could see that he was wearing the uniform of an auto mechanic or some other type of repairman. “Don” was stenciled on the jacket. Ben raised the gun and aimed carefully, unmoved by the sewn-in name. The man’s name, like the rest of his life, had been destroyed once he was bitten and the virus took over.

“Sorry Lumps, but I can’t wait any longer for you to get your screwed-up ass over here.” Ben pulled the trigger. The gun exploded in his hands, sending a bullet through the creature’s right eye. The man fell to the ground, ten feet from Ben.

He swung around, looking in all directions. “Now do I have everyone’s attention?”

The stiffs were all on the move now, coming for him from every direction. Ben squinted in the dark back toward the survivor’s hideout and saw that the small pack of ghouls that had been out front of the building were heading his direction.
Thirty seconds … just wait another thirty seconds.

He raised the gun again and shot the next shuffling stiff without ceremony. He lined up another shot and took aim.

“Sorry, no eulogy for you bastards,” he mumbled as he continued firing.

Six shots fired. Ben had kept track. He had opened the cylinder earlier and doubled checked. The gun held seven rounds. There was one bullet left.

He heard an engine turning over and looked back toward the cars. Headlights flickered on. Jeff and Megan had made it to the Concorde. He could only assume that George had made it to the Corsica as well.

Ben glanced down at his arm. Pulling back the sleeve of his coverall, he looked at the teeth marks on his wrist. Some dumb rotter had snapped at him when he’d grabbed Jeff in front of that donut shop. The bite had barely grazed his skin, but it felt as if acid were slowly eating away at his veins as the poison moved through his system. He laughed and shook his head. That was all it had taken to bring him down, after all this time.

Ben heard the roar of the Chrysler’s engine, and the shadows dissolved briefly as the glare of the headlights whitewashed everything around him. Then the brilliance was gone, and the sound of the engine was already fading as the car turned off the road. Moaning replaced the mechanical sound as the beasts nearby drew closer.

Ben rubbed at the pus starting to come in thick teardrops from the corners of his eyes. He could hear slow footsteps all around him. As he raised the gun to his temple, he closed his eyes and prayed.

“Just give them a chance. I’m not asking for any miracles, just a chance.”

When he felt the first of the scratching fingers grab for him, Ben pulled the trigger.

Jeff looked out the window, but couldn’t see anything that would shed any light on what had happened. For a fleeting moment he considered the possibility that someone besides Ben was out there.

“It sounds like my revolver,” Megan said as she walked up behind him.

As Jeff scanned the darkness he saw several shadows pass and was shocked at how many infected were still in the immediate area.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when a hairless and naked ghoul walked right past the door, not two feet from where he stood. When it kept moving, not even giving a sideways glance to the door, Jeff breathed easier.

He turned back toward the others. “Okay. Once those things are clear of the cars, we’re moving out.”

The two other adults and Jason looked at him and nodded. His eyes lingered on Megan, who had Sadie in her arms. She looked calm and ready to go. As she glanced at Jeff, he looked away, the sting of what he had told her about his family rumbling through his mind.

Instead, he looked at George. The man was almost vibrating in anticipation. He was as nervous as the rest of them, but his eyes were clear and alert.

“George, can you come to our car first?” George looked puzzled at the request. “Help me get everyone inside, and we can make sure the path to your car is clear. If it isn’t, we’ll drive you to it.”

George thought for a moment before responding, and then nodded. “That makes sense. Sure.”

Jeff turned around. When Megan’s Magnum barked a second and third time, he was not caught off guard. He counted to ten under his breath. It looked clear outside. There were a few sluggish bodies dragging themselves toward the sounds of gunfire on the opposite side of the street, but nothing they couldn’t handle. When Jeff got to ten, he gripped the door handle.