biggest die-hards stay with their homes and plan to weather
it out, but I believe the entire city was trying to evacuate,”
Dawson informs the group.
“But Dad, did you actually see anything that could even
be considered a zombie?” Andi looks up long enough to
glance at her dad, then returns to the tablet she’s working
on.
“By the time I got out of downtown, the reports were
saying it was a hoax, but then screams would erupt and
people would run past with wounds dripping blood. So I’m
going to say that it’s really happening.” Dawson’s face
pales as he recounts what he had witnessed.
“Right. So I’m going to check off the box ‘didn’t see a
zombie,’” Andi mumbles sarcastically.
Haley was obviously used to Andi’s comments. “The
few times I saw someone who had been hurt last night,
there weren’t any “zombies” following them. The box store
I work at got really busy last night around seven, when
most people got home from their jobs. Instead of the
normal items we run out of like batteries, bread, and milk,
the customers really cleared the store out. I haven’t seen it
that sold out except on Christmas Eve, or from the Black
Friday sales.
“We knew there would be lines out of the city last
night, so we decided to get started in the daylight. At least
we could see if the world was going to end,” Dawson jokes, but turns serious as he continues. “This morning, we woke
up to helicopters circling the city. They were focused on
the downtown area and the hospital districts. As we left, the
military was already downtown doing sweeps. They were
closing off roads and sending people back to their homes.
“I was scared that they would force us to go back, but
they were more focused on keeping people out of the off-
limit areas. When we went on an overpass and got to the
top, you could see the line of cars leaving in all directions, but there was a long line of Humvees headed into the heart
of the city.”
“We were barely able to make it out of the city, blah,
blah, blah.” Andi snickers.
“Adrian! Be respectful,” Pop admonishes.
“The military presence tells us that Brad was on the
correct track. This is coming into the cities and spreading.
Unlike some of the movies you’ve seen, this illness isn’t
turning people into “zombies” as soon as they’re infected.
Even if they can contain the ones who have been infected, I
don’t think we’ll have to worry immediately because it will
take a while for people to really head to the mountains,”
Mason, Brad’s dad, speaks for the first time.
“Mason’s right. We need to act like this is the end of all
time and build up our mountain.” Pop’s head nod includes
his six children that are present. “Dawson, Allen, and
Clayton should go into Gatlinburg and bring back supplies
that we can use to fortify the fences in the lower areas
where people are bound to come.
“Girls, I need a few of you to go into town and grocery shop for things that will last a while like canned goods,
boxed goods, and I want you to stop at the seed store and
order the list of plants I’ll send with you. They can deliver
them for us and the rest of us can get the fields ready for
them.” Pops puts his family army together. “The rest of you
are dismissed to watch over the kids and meal prep. Also,
we’re going to need someone to organize the medical
supplies and make a run to one of the bigger cities
tomorrow.”
“I can reroute some of the larger trucks so that we can
go hijack them.” Andi volunteers.
“No, ma’am. We are not going to start robbing people.
The world hasn’t officially ended yet so let’s not get ahead
of ourselves.” Pop draws the line in the sand as to where
the family’s moral line will be drawn, even if the world
ends.
As the group disperses, I get up and follow Nana into
“Not at the moment, dear. Just make yourself at home
and after lunch, the girls will go up the mountain to see
Granny Earlene. She’s going to want a peek at her great-
great grandbaby.” Nana moves around the kitchen with
ease, getting items out of the freezer for lunch.
Nana seems to sense that I’m unsure of how to proceed,
but continues to move on with her preparations, leaving it
up to me if I want to talk about it.
I readjust Pierce in my arms and gently bounce him.
“I think I need your help…” I start, but I’m not sure of
exactly what I need.
“Are you having trouble with being a new mommy and not really having a job or title?” Nana asks.
My amazement must show because she’s explained it
without me even knowing what’s really wrong.
“Here, can you peel the carrots for me?” Nana asks,
giving me an appraising look.
“Sure. Pierce can sit in the bouncy seat.” I sit it on the
table right behind us as I pick up the peeler to tackle the
carrots.
“What type of work were you doing before Pierce was
born?” Nana shakes her head, frowning. “I can’t
remember.”
“I did several different types of jobs during college, but
I was going to school for data entry and IT. I got sent to
many different companies and got to teach them how to
update and improve their efficiency by using their
computers.” I sigh as I pick up another carrot to peel.
“I really thought that when I had Pierce I would be
content to stay at home, and I love my little man.” I turn to
give his little foot a squeeze. “It’s just that I’m not really doing anything important except counting how many
ounces he eats and how often he poops. You know?”
“Aw, sweetie. It’s a hard adjustment at first, but taking
care of such a precious bundle is the most rewarding thing
in the world. Yet, some of us aren’t meant to stay at home
all day because, well, our minds would go to mush. Why
don’t you go into the study and use the computer to put
together a spreadsheet of what a family of over a hundred
people will need to make it through a year?”
“Oh, no, ma’am. I’m peeling carrots, but when we’re done here in the kitchen, then I might sneak away and use
some computer time.” I grin at Nana. “If only I had a
reliable person to watch him while I was doing that?”
“Hmm, I think if you were to disappear and even take a
nap, no one would even notice.” Nana winks at me. “Then,
when the group gets back for lunch you’ll feel much
better.”
“Honestly, I’m fine. If I had more children than just
Pierce, I might be more tired. Last night was amazing and
plenty of rest to last me until tonight.”
“There! That is the last of the carrots that we need
peeled so run along, and I’ll take care of this little man
while the soup cooks.” Nana starts s
peaking words that
only a baby can understand, so since I’m not needed
anymore, I almost run to the study.
I glance around furtively, hoping no one caught my
escape. I close the door and boot up Nana’s computer.
Since we’re in the rural mountains, Wi-Fi and wireless
are words rarely used here. You could always hook a
satellite up, but when there are large trees in every
direction, it’s not always the best option.
Nana and Pop have DSL internet, and it’s so slow. I
boot up my email and while I wait for it to load, I open a
spreadsheet. What on earth does a family of over a hundred
people need to survive a few years? Food is a must. And
clothes. Baby Pierce will outgrow all his clothes in the next
year. What if he gets an ear infection and we need
medicine? A list. That’s what I’m supposed to be doing.
Time passes quickly and two hours later, I stretch and realize that my email should have uploaded. There’s an
email from Brad.
I excitedly open up my missive.
My darling Emma,
I hope that you and Pierce are both okay and that you
made it to Nana and Pop’s. I hated that I had to scare you like that, but the situation is getting urgent. The illness over here has spread like wildfire. We don’t know what started
it, but several infected people showed up about three weeks ago and we sent them to the infirmary. When they died,
they reanimated and started biting the staff. Of course, we did what the army always does, we shoot people. So the
first infected died, but what we weren’t expecting was the staff who had been bitten to start dying from their bites. We have managed to contain it here in the camp by burning the bodies. The countryside surrounding us has been greatly
affected, so much so that we have pulled out of our camps
and returned to the main base where there are bigger
walls. We are on a shoot on-site threat level. I expect us to be pulling out of here in the next few weeks if conditions don’t change. This is all classified and obviously, I would get in trouble for telling you this, but I know that you are with the Jackson clan and you need all the information you can get to stay alive.
Stay on the mountain with the family. Don’t go back
into the city. So far, this sickness doesn’t spread unless you are bitten or scratched by one of these things. We’re not
sure if it’s a head shot or a heart shot that stops them, but we have been shooting until they’re not moving any more.
My family has survived many different wars. Okay, it’s been a few years since the Jackson clan had to do anything like that, but they will make sure that you and Pierce are taken care of.
I love you, babe, and I hope we can see each other
soon. Kiss my boy for me.
Brad
I sit and stare at the message Brad had managed to get
out to me. So this is real. The only difference this time is
that the Jackson clan might be going to war against the
dead. A shiver runs down my spine. The world is ending. I
should at least be able to have one good meal before I tell
the family what Brad had to say. Feeling that I’m on the
way to the executioners, I go out to join the family for
lunch, forgetting the email that is still open on the
computer.
Chapter 5
Cooper
Jessica and Trish sit at the table in stunned silence as I
explain my absence.
“When I called and told you to leave, I tried to do the
same thing. Security was gone so I followed the protocol
and wiped the system clean. The roads that had been so
congested were almost empty, and there weren’t any people
running around, so when I saw someone come around the
corner I didn’t think anything of it. The person wasn’t
moving very fast, but I was in too much of a hurry for it to
register.
“Part of his face was hanging to the side and there was
a hole where his stomach should be. He lunged toward me
and I barely had time to pull my knife out. Trying to put a
knife blade into someone’s temple isn’t as easy as the TV
shows make it out to be.”
“Did you kill him?” Jessica asks.
“He was already dead. I just gave him some peace.” I
grimace at the memory of his bloodstained hands reaching
toward me and latching onto my backpack.
“It took three tries before he finally fell to the ground
and stopped moving. I heard screams coming from the alley
so I moved down the street in the opposite direction from
home and the distant lines of traffic.”
I lift the warm cup of coffee to my mouth and try to still the shaking of my hands. Both my wife and her sister sit in
silence, waiting for me to continue.
“The few blocks seemed to stretch into miles, and I
finally slowed down enough to take a deep breath. The last
office building on the edge of downtown was a private
firm. I’d heard of them in passing, but as I came close I saw
the front doors open and instinct made me duck behind the
fountain as two men came out. It looked like the two that
had been in my office, but I couldn’t be sure so I followed
them a few blocks back into the city.”
“Why would you go back?” Trish reaches across the
table to grab my hand. “It wasn’t safe.”
“I needed to find out where they were going next. They
were obviously on some kind of mission and if we could
stop them from accomplishing it, we needed to.” I smile at
my wife’s concern. “I was thinking of my family, but at the
same time, the needs of the many outweighed my desires.
“The guys didn’t get far because the screams from that
alley were because a group of…” I pause, trying to think of
how to phrase it best. “Well, I’m just going to say
“zombies” because they were dead humans in a group,
mindlessly headed toward the two ninja like men.
“The two men didn’t even pause when they saw the
zombies. In fact, they walked toward them and started
trying to talk to them.” I just shook my head at their
stupidity.
“They wanted to have a conversation with the
zombies?” Jessica asks incredulously.
“Yeah, it was weird.”
“Could you hear what they were saying?” Trish leans in closer, forgetting that what I mean is that I was close to
these killing machines.
“It wasn’t quiet, but with the noises the group of about
ten people were making, it was hard to hear. ‘Hey, you
don’t have to keep pretending. The timeframe we hired you
for is over, but you have to go to the arranged place to get
paid for your gig.’ The first ninja, I don’t if it was Steve or Gary, but he walked over toward the group and they
jumped him. It didn’t take the other guy long to realize that
these things were real and started shooting.”
“Why didn’t you take off running?” Jessica asks,
hanging on everything I say.
“I thought that if I moved, the group would notice me
and I didn’t want their attention turned in my direction. I
just watched as he shot those closest to him and took off
running downtown. What was left of the group of z
ombies
just stood there, then they seemed to realize that the man on
the ground was still alive so they finished him off.”
I take another sip of coffee to help brace myself for
what I have to say next. “The man that they attacked, laid
on the ground for a minute as he died. Within seconds, his
body started twitching and he got off the ground.”
“They didn’t come after you when they finished with
the guy?” Trish asks anxiously.
“Smell and noise seem to attract them the most. I was
hidden behind the building and could see them through the
glass lobby, so I wasn’t really in their range of motion. I
was trying to decide if I should move back toward the edge
of downtown when gunshots rang out and echoed through
the streets. All the zombies’ heads shot up and listened for a minute, I guess getting their bearings. As the shots
continued, they lumbered in that direction. I didn’t need to
be given a chance twice and I ran until the last of the tall
buildings were behind me.
“It took a long while to make it to the meeting place
Martin had mentioned, but most of the area that had been
deserted gave way to food chains with lines of cars outside
and people moving frantically somewhere. Seeing live
people was a relief from what I’d just come from, but I
wanted to scream at them and warn them of what was
coming.”
Trish gets up from her chair and comes around the table
to slip her arms around me for comfort.
“I’m really okay, babe,” I assure her.
“You might be, but I’m not. You could have been
killed, and those things are still out there. It sounds like
they can spread this disease every time someone is attacked
and dies. If this keeps happening, then the cities will be
overrun very quickly.” Trish’s very observant comment
gets me thinking, but I’m interrupted by Jessica.
“We need to hear the rest of the story before we start
panicking. We’re several hours from the city, and the
military will be called in before it takes over the entire
place,” Jessica calmly suggests as Trish moves back to her
chair.
“Continue, dear. I may not want to hear it, but I guess
there’s no help for it.” Trish shrugs helplessly.