The First Days: As the World Dies (15 page)

Read The First Days: As the World Dies Online

Authors: Rhiannon Frater

Tags: #Horror & Ghost Stories, #Zombies

    "I'm sorry," Travis said softly.
    "Why sorry?"
    "It was my stupid idea to have us leave and now…" He shook his head.
    "I'm sorry, Katie. I've never been a real leader before. I'm sure I'm fucking things up."
    "No, no, you're doing your best. Hell, none of us have any idea what we are really doing."
    "Except Juan with his zombie handbook. He assured me that the guns were important though he mumbled something about blades," Travis said grimly.
    "Guns are effective. They just draw a lot of attention fast," Katie reminded him. "But I'd rather have a gun than a blade with some of the faster ones."
    "Yeah, Juan is still bitching about that. He keeps complaining that they're supposed to be slow. But some of the ones that aren't as screwed up are really damn fast."
    Katie let out a little laugh. "Actually, Jenni spent a good deal of time bitching about the same thing."
    "Gas station should be just around that bend." Travis looked at her with an unreadable expression. "I'm really sorry."
    "It's okay. It's not like I haven't done this before." She smiled at him and pulled into the Mom and Pop gasoline station Travis pointed to. "After two days of this, I'm an old pro."
    The station was a very old building with peeling white paint and heavy bars over the windows, but the pumps were new. A beat up, very old trailer was nestled behind the weathered gas station. Travis looked out his window.
    He turned to her. "It looks clear. I'll see if I can get into the building and turn on the pumps. The readouts on the pumps are still working, so the electricity isn't out here."
    Katie pulled her credit card out of her pants pocket. "We could just try this."
    Travis looked at the card, then at her, and finally smiled. "I knew there was a reason I had you with me."
    Katie slid out of the truck, her gun drawn, her gaze sweeping over the terrain. She was feeling a little too hot and mushy headed. Wiping her brow, she glanced toward Travis to see that the credit card had worked. He grabbed the nozzle and gave her a wink.
    "We're in business," he said.
    "Just make it fast."
    Her stomach gave a low growl and a twinge ran through her intestines.
    Dammit, great time to have an upset stomach. Sliding around the front of the truck, she looked all around, studying the shadows under the trees and the buildings in the distance.
    "Do you have food and water, Travis!" It was a woman's voice. Young, perky.
    Travis whirled around, as did Katie.
    A young woman with red hair had slid open what looked like a window for after hour payments.
    "A bottle or two of water would do us fine, Rachel," Travis answered.
    "Glad to see you're okay."
    "We got the family holed up in here. But nothing has come by since yesterday. Luthor shot it and we drug it out back."
    Travis nodded and motioned to Katie to go get the stuff.
    Katie kept her gaze on her surroundings as she moved toward the building. She felt her stomach flutter and she hated being so exposed in the openness of the parking lot. She walked sideways and took a long look down the side of the building to make sure nothing lurked there, then moved toward the window.
    The girl waited for her, the window half open, talking to someone hidden from view.
    Rachel was handed a bag and she pushed the window all the way open to hand it to Katie. She took it gratefully and peeked inside. It had water and Danish in it. She was getting tired of Danish.
    Rachel looked at her for a long moment, sizing her up. "You and Travis heading out of town together? Going to hide somewhere?"
    "We have a mission for city hall, actually. That's where we're located and hoping to get back there."
    "I heard that a lot of people were down there on the CB. We decided to wait it out here until the army comes," Rachel answered. "We got food in here to last us, but I'm sure the army will get here soon."
    "What makes you think they will come?"
    "Because that's their job," Rachel answered and looked toward Travis.
    "So, you and Travis are doing a mission? What kinda mission?"
    Katie smiled slightly, realizing the woman was jealous.
    "Getting guns to blow the zombies to hell," Katie answered.
    "Yeah? Hell, just go into any house around here and you'll find guns."
    "And maybe zombies," Katie reminded her.
    "Yeah, that's not good."
    "Let's go, Katie!" Travis slammed the lid to the tank closed and waved to her.
    "Thanks, Rachel," Katie said and quickly ran toward him.
    She felt her intestines twisting again. Her head was throbbing now.
    What the hell was wrong with her?
    "You okay?" Travis looked at her with concern.
    "Yeah," she said firmly. She slid back into the driver's seat and put on her seatbelt. Her hands felt clammy when she gripped the steering wheel and, for a moment, her eyesight swam.
    Travis reached out and ran his hand over her hair gently. "Katie, you're burning up."
    She leaned her forehead against the steering wheel. "I just don't feel good all at once."
    "Nothing got you?" Travis asked, his voice edged with fear.
    "No, no. Nothing touched me even." She stared at him through a blond curl falling over her eyes. "I just don't feel good."
    "Let me drive," Travis said.
    "Okay," Katie answered. Her strength was leaving her fast. She slid over into the passenger seat. The wound she had received when sliding down onto the road sent a sharp pain through her limb and she grimaced.
    Travis came around and got into the driver's seat. He touched her forehead again gently. "You feel feverish. You better rest. Here, drink some water."
    Katie smiled at how sweet he was as he buckled her in and handed her the bottle of water. "Thanks."
    His hands were rough, but very cool on her face and neck. "Katie, are you sure…"
    "Yes, yes. I wouldn't lie about that."
    He nodded and ran his hand lightly down her cheek to her neck. "Rest."
    Katie took long sips of water and watched the road begin its neverending scrawl beneath the tires of the truck. The tank now full, the truck sped down the road that would lead them to Ralph's tiny little town and his hunting store.
    She was feeling worse and worse and closed her eyes. She must have dozed because she woke with a start. "Pull over!"
    Travis slammed on the brakes and Katie flung open the door and threw up her breakfast. Heaving, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
    "It may not be safe, Katie," Travis said, his hand on her back, a comforting gesture, yet she knew he was ready to yank her back inside.
    "Okay, “ she said, and threw up all that remained in her stomach. She slammed the door shut and wiped her mouth off with a kerchief Travis handed her.
    Travis drew near her, his hand on her face, then her neck. He saw her wounded forearm. "Katie, what is this?"
    "Scrape. I caught it on the truck when we jumped down."
    He looked at it and nodded. He poured water over it and found a napkin in the cup holder to cover it. "Just a scrape?"
    "I would tell you. I don't want to be one of those things," she answered softly.
    Travis smiled at her so sadly and said, "I know. But you're scaring me."
    Weakly, she took hold of his wrist and forced a smile onto her lips. "I'm sure it’s nothing. Just something I ate."
    Then she passed out onto his lap.
    Dimly, she was aware of being carried. She heard Nerit and Ralph's voices. Another voice- the policeman, she thought-was also talking.
    "I'm afraid," Travis said at some point.
    They put her into a very cold bath, someone's hands keeping her head above water. She tried to talk, but felt too weak.
    "She wasn't bit. That's not a bite," Ralph's voice said firmly.
    "But there was zombie blood and guts all over that truck," Travis said and she heard a catch in his voice. "What if…"
    Katie's head swam and her body felt so hot.
    "Katie," a voice insisted.
    She opened her eyes to see Lydia kneeling next to the tub, her gaze very concerned.
    "Lydia," she whispered.
    "It'll be okay. I'm here. I'll be with you," Lydia said softly, reassuring her, kissing her brow and holding her up in the cold bath.
    Katie smiled at her feverishly. "Then it's all going to be okay." She sank back down into unconsciousness.
    Travis knelt beside the tub, holding her up, tears in his eyes.
    
    
Chapter 11

1. Other Voices
    
    Juan sat in a chair in the Mayor's office, slumped down, hands folded on his flat stomach, twiddling his thumbs, and seriously considering going and smacking Jenni a few times. Yeah, she was hot. Way hotter than the blond chick, but she had been a fucking annoyance ever since Travis and the blond had rode into the sunset together.
    It had only gotten worse when Jenni heard that Katie was very sick and Travis was worried the zombie blood and guts on the trucks lining the perimeter had contaminated her. Jenni had become downright hysterical at that news.
    "I have to go to her! I have to! I'm her best friend, don't you see! We're sisters now!"
    Juan had to pry Jenni's fingers off the Mayor's shirt and had helped Jason carry her out of the communication center so that they could actually hear what Travis was saying over the CB. Jenni had fallen apart completely as soon as they laid her down on her cot. As far as he knew, she was still there with her son watching over her.
    He studied his thumb for a moment. He had accidentally chopped the tip off on another construction site years ago. Every once and awhile it would start throbbing. He often looked at its mutilated nail and gnarled skin when he was nervous. He was a nail biter by nature, and that deformed, bizarre half nail called to him.
    Just as he stuck the tip of his finger in his mouth, he was delivered a deft smack across the back of his head.
    "Don't do that. You look like a baby." His mother, Rosario, Rosie for short, stood in the doorway next to him. She was a very tiny woman with dark gray hair and very pale amber eyes. They were very sad eyes, the eyes of a woman who had lost her husband just recently to cancer.
    "Sorry, Mom."
    "Where's the Mayor? I have that list for him."
    "Not sure. He told me to wait here."
    Rosie sighed and held the clipboard tightly to her chest. Juan had lived in the small town all his life. Well, except for the two years he had lived in Houston with his "big, black, beautiful" wife, Candace. But that marriage had failed when he had moved back home to be with his dad in his final years of life. Candace couldn't take the small town living and he couldn't blame her.
    They parted friends and he still talked to her every other day.
    Candace…where was she? Was she okay?
    He took off his cowboy hat and ran a hand over his hair to smooth it. It was long and curly and the heat had it frizzing terribly. He shoved the hat back on and frowned.
    "I have the list of all the people in the fort just like the Mayor asked,"
    Rosie said and sat down next to him.
    "Let me see." He took the clipboard and read over the names. Since he both worked on the site and was from the town, he knew just about everyone on the list. Forty-two names, including Travis and Katie, who technically weren't in the fort anymore. Fifteen construction workers, five city workers, That left twenty civilians, mostly family members of local construction workers or the city workers. Well, excluding Chuck the truck driver and Jenni and Jason. And the dog.
    He liked the dog.
    "It's sad we don't have more people here," he sighed and handed it back.
    "Well, the way I see it, people went to where they thought it was safe and where they could stay with their families. My family was here, so I came here."
    Juan smiled at his mom and leaned over and kissed her cheek. She gave him a pat on the back of his hand.
    "We're a diverse group," Rosie said after a moment. "Statistically, it came out just like the town population. Sixty percent under the age of sixtytwo, forty percent over sixty-two. Forty percent white, forty percent Hispanic, twenty-five percent black and five percent other."
    "What the hell is other anyway?" Juan snorted with a smirk.
    "Raymond Gutierrez is actually Navajo Indian." Rosie gave him a wide smile. "Now, where do we put the dog? Do we add him as other, because he is another species or as white, since he's German." She sighed slightly.
    "Though the demographic between men and women is really off. Women only make up thirty percent of those here."
    "Guess I won't be dating any time soon," he said with a grin.
    "It's just sad that we were so ill prepared. The city can only plan for things that seem plausible." She waved a hand. "Zombies have never been a part of city planning."
    "You were city secretary way too long, Mom," Juan decided. Her head was always full of facts and figures on the town population. "This isn't your fault. No one could have planned for this."
    The present city secretary strolled in just then. Peggy was her name and Juan liked her. She was a late in life mother and her small six-year-old pressed against one leg as she moved. He couldn't blame the kid for clinging to his mom. Lord knows he had wanted to cling to Rosie a few times.
    Behind Peggy came Tobias, the city manager, and a tall black man in his late fifties. The Mayor, real name Manny Reyes, filed in last. He looked tired and worn around the edges. He moved over to his desk and sat down. All his Spanish blood made him fair and very "gringo", but he loved Tequila as much as Juan did. But whereas Juan knew what the hell was up, the Mayor did not.
    Manny was way too centered on being logical and finding exact answers.
    Juan knew that what was going on was not that easy to fit into a neat little box Manny could understand.
    Tobias sat down in a chair, his brow furrowed, his gaze distant. His wife was in the fort. Juan had seen her name on the list, but Tobias’ children and grandchildren lived in the town. They were not on the list.
    Curtis, looking pale and very tired, walked in and took a seat near the door. Juan felt bad for him. The rookie on the force was the last man standing. It couldn't be easy on him.
    The Mayor leaned back in his chair and his fingers picked up a pen from his desktop. He studied it and looked up. "Well, I called all of you in here to talk about the present situation. Peggy, are you sure you want Cody in here for this?”
    Peggy gently tried to pry her child off her and he only grabbed on tighter. "He won't budge."
    The Mayor nodded. "Okay. Anyway, Travis says Katie still has a fierce fever. He told me in no uncertain terms he plans to stay until she's better or if she is infected to make sure she is at peace."
    "He has it bad for her. Too bad she's gay," Juan said grumpily. Travis was his best friend, but had this bad tendency to fall for unattainable women.
    His mother smacked him upside the head and he knew he deserved it.
    The Mayor blinked. "Oh, then Jenni…" He sat still for a moment, his fingers twisting the pen. "Oh, that makes sense now. How's she acting? " He shrugged. "Anyway, we need to prepare for their return."
    Tobias slapped the palms of his hands against his knees and leaned forward. "How do we do that? The infected are filling that street. Most of our townspeople are out there. What we need to do is get ahold of the army and get them out here to treat those people!"
    "They're dead. You can't treat them," Juan said. He couldn't believe they were still having this conversation after all this time. Some people took denial way too far.
    "That is a ridiculous statement. The dead do not just get up, become rabid and attack people. It has to be a virus like the CDC said in the beginning of all of this," Tobias said firmly.
    "They can't be alive," Curtis said softly from near the door.
    "And why do you say that?" Tobias settled a fierce look on him.
    Curtis shrank under it, but answered, "Because some of them are dragging their innards on the road."
    "Adrenaline does strange things to people. If they have large amounts coursing their system like the CDC said in the-"
    "CDC took it back and called them reanimated dead," the Mayor pointed out.
    "Which is a fancy term for zombies. We are dealing with zombies. You know the living dead. They want to eat us. I thought we all knew that by now." Juan shook his head and folded his arms over his chest. People were so stupid.
    "I do not believe we should give into hysteria and superstition," Tobias responded.
    The city secretary's kid started to cry, loud and desperate and she tried to shush him.
    "Daddy tried to eat us! He kept banging on the window!" The boy was near hysteria. "His guts were hanging out!"
    Tobias flinched and said, "Now, son, maybe you shouldn't be in here."
    "He's in this, too, Toby," Rosie said softly. "You can't shield a child from this."
    Peggy snuggled her son up to her and kissed him on the forehead. He continued to cry softly, his tiny body shivering.
    Curtis sat in the corner, hunched in on himself with his arms folded high on his chest. "Let's get back on topic. We need the guns. We can't keep killing them with spears."
    "Yeah, blades aren't much help with these kinds of zombies," Juan said grimly. "The handbook did not have these running zombies in it. This is a whole other ballgame, but the basics are the same. We need to make this place as safe as possible and think before we act. We missed out on the whole being prepared thing, so we gotta do the best we can now."
    "How do we figure out how to get Travis back in, that is the question," the Mayor said softly.
    "Travis suggested we find out what everyone's skills are and figure out how to use them," Rosie said. "Maybe someone on this list has the experience we need to figure that out."
    "Like someone has experience with zombies," Curtis muttered.
    "The infected people out there deserve better than to be murdered and run down. I do not think murder should be an option to any plan we implement," Tobias declared. "We have been murderers for days now."
    "They are not infected!" Curtis voice almost sounded shrill. "They are eating people, Tobias!"
    Tobias' eyes were swimming with tears, but he fought to keep his voice steady. "My family needs help. Not to be butchered!"
    "They were already butchered! They are dead!" Curtis' face seemed younger now that he seemed close to cracking.
    Juan stood up and tried to break some of the tension. "Look. We got construction equipment. We got that much. Now we need to get creative."
    "Build a corral," the little one said.
    Juan looked at him for a second. "Huh, kid?"
    "His name is Cody," Peggy said softly.
    "Build a corral. Like I do with my Lego's. When Daddy and I…" He started to blubber, but pushed on, "played with my cowboys and my Lego's, we built corrals for the cows."
    The Mayor looked at Juan. "A corral?"
    "Fuck me," Juan said and took a step back.
    "Juan!"
    "Sorry, Mom. I think we can actually do that…yeah…from the mouth of babes…from the mouth of babes!"
    Juan didn't even wait to talk this out. He just headed out the door.
    Loca was standing near the door, spying of course.
    "I want to help," Jenni said, her big dark eyes so beautiful and so nuts.
    "No."
    "I can help!" She rushed after him.
    "You're loca."
    "Maybe, but I can still help. I have to help!"
    She grabbed his arm and they stared at each other for a long moment.
    She was nuts, yeah, but she looked determined.
    "How?"
    "I used to play with my kids with Lego's all the time and build all sorts of-"
    "We're not using Lego's," Juan pointed out.
    Now the Mayor, Curtis, his Mom, Tobias and Peggy and her kid were pooling around them.
    "Yeah, I know that!" Jenni stomped her foot. "I'm saying that I know how to make plans to make things work a certain way. My kids and I built entire cities with Lego's"
    "Me, too," Cody said.
    Juan looked at both of them.
    The Mayor was still twisting his pen in his hands. "Listen to what they have to say. It won't hurt."
    Juan hesitated. Well, he actually wasn't sure how he would build a corral, was he?
    "Okay, fine."
    "I have some Lego's!" Cody ran down the hall.
    "It won't hurt," Peggy said to Juan.
    Juan looked at everyone gathered around him. They were all loco, he decided. Hell, the world was loco. And for some reason, this made him smile.
    "Fine, fine, the kid has a good idea."
    An hour later, on a conference table, Jenni and Cody had constructed the fort with its wall and its buildings and the surrounding streets. The older kid with the hair hanging in his face had come in with the dog and started to help out. Juan just sat there, flipping through a magazine, not really paying attention.
    "So the zombies are all here," Jenni said and put tiny little Lego men in front of the wall and into the street the truck had run out of gas on.
    Curtis wandered in and looked it over. "They are all in the front, spread across from here to here."
    "It's like they feel that is our weakest point," the older kid said and the dog whined.
    Cody, looking more like a little kid than a scared rabbit now, picked up several blocks of Lego's that he had attached together and made a big noise as he dropped it down between two buildings. He made very effective sound effects of the zombies being crushed. Now that he was playing, he was having as much fun as a little boy can with his toys.
    Juan leaned forward watching the kid, then glanced up at Curtis. Curtis lifted his eyebrows.
    Cody picked up another stack of Lego's and dropped it down between two other buildings. Now all the fake little zombies were trapped between the first line of defense and two large barriers hemming them into a t-shaped area.

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