Authors: H. A. Rhoades
Janice
dropped
what
she
was
doing
and
started
putting
together
medical
supplies
in
small
kits
that
could
be
carried
on
packs.
“What is going on?” I asked as I walked into the tent with
Sofia
to get some bandages. Both of us were oblivious to the discovery the patrol had made. Cooper followed us in and told us what had happened.
We ran into the woods with as many supplies as we could gather. The hosts were getting close very fast and before nightfall they had overrun the camp. We were safe through the night. We sat huddled in the trees, had dug makeshift fox holes and covered them with tree limbs and now waiting for the sun to rise. There was still no radio contact and the marines were getting nervous.
42
.
-To the End-
The sun began to rise and illuminated a thick fog that had moved in. The scene was eerie, like a scene from a monster movie. By nightfall the night before, hosts had found their way to our camp and we could hear them ransacking it through the dark woods. So far they hadn't found any trace of where we had all gone and they were preoccupied for the moment.
Before leaving, Levitt had ordered the group to slaughter and stack cattle that had been grazing close to the camp. The thought was that we could keep the hosts from wandering outside the perimeter of the camp for a few hours while we got ourselves settled into positions in the trees. We had frantically dug ourselves in and burrowed down deep, like animals. The noise from the camp was terrifying through the night but as the sun rose other wildlife sounds were filling the air, washing out the sounds from the camp.
In nine hours we would have to be at the dirt airstrip at the end of the plateau. Levitt and I had determined that in order to lead the infected we would have to travel at a speed slow enough to keep them interested in following us but fast enough
not to get caught. We were
as ready as we were ever going to be. Now we waited for Levitt to give the signal to move.
I laid down in the dirt and looked over to my left.
Sofia
was sleeping for most of the night next to me. She must have been exhausted to have been able to go to sleep with the hosts so close. She was beautiful, her hair partially covered her dirt smeared face. I laid there staring at her when she opened her eyes, and stared back into mine. A light smile crossed her face. I reached over and softly kissed her lips. I felt her hand caress my cheek as she returned the kiss.
I thought about how awful these circumstances were and that we had just found each other. I supposed in the previous world we probably never would have met. But these events and how we reacted to them led us to each other and to this. It was likely our end. I regretted briefly that we would probably not live to be together, although I know it would have been spectacular.
The events that led to our meeting were born from the tragedy that led to Eve's death. As we lie there staring at each other I began to fade into a dream. The memory of her end became vivid as I dosed off to sleep.
I began to dream about the woman again, the faceless woman that I had been dreaming about over and over. Each dream had gotten more vivid, more erotic. And each time I dreamed about her I learned more about her. This time I saw her face. The dream began now as she begins to climax, my hands firmly cupping each breast as she moved her hips in a consistent rhythm, grinding hard into me. I could feel the heat deep inside of her, like hot oil covering me as she moved. I look up at what till now had been a blank face and as she screamed in ecstasy her features came into focus.
She had become the woman lying next to me in this ditch. She had become
Sofia
. I woke, dazed but feeling warm and comfortable. I open my eyes and looked next to me.
Sofia
was gone
I was startled by a massive explosion, I stood up, shaking and disoriented. I was not completely awake but I could see in the distance, flames completely engulfing of one of the vehicles. As I shook off the stupor I woke in, I began to clearly see what was happening. I don't know how long I had been asleep but now it seemed to be mid day. As the explosion died down I started to hear yelling and gun fire. Through the smoke streaming from the destroyed vehicle I could see people running.
“
Duncan
! Hey Doc!” Levitt came running up behind me “Its time to go. We're close enough to the pick up time to start moving towards the airfield, that is if the pickup is still on.”
He grabbed my arm and dragged me towards one of the Humvee's, idling near the truck that was in flames. I jumped into the back and sat down. Looking around I couldn't see any other vehicles through the smoke. In front were two figures. I recognized the driver as Dubler, the passenger was in fatigues and wearing a scarf over their face with goggles. Dubler slammed his foot down on the accelerator, knocking me off balance, and I fell onto the floor. The passenger reached back and put a hand on my leg and then I realized that I recognized the green nail polish.
Sofia
was in the front of the vehicle with Dubler, she lifted her goggles and gave me look of fear mixed exhilaration.
This was enough to get me up and I stood, taking a firm hold of the grips on the .50 caliber machine gun that was mounted in the back of the vehicle. We headed fast towards the bluff overlooking the air field.
While we had been resting, the hosts had surrounded us. There were few vehicles left and many of the remaining marines were dead or had been turned. I could see just two vehicles in front of us and one behind. The Humvee behind us was overrun before it could get up to speed and in an instant it overturned in a cloud of dust, bodies thrown into the air. I could make out Cooper as she flew, head over heals into a tree.
There were thousands of hosts after us and they were moving fast. They must have moved further into the woods during the day, they were now coming out of the treeline, in front of us and to the sides.
I began firing the machine gun into the treeline, Dubler fired a handgun to the left of the vehicle and
Sofia
to the right with an M-16. The machine gun fire was so loud my ears rang almost continuously. The feeling was surreal, and I very much enjoyed it. My focus was on the targets, each time I fired I watched as the bursts tore hosts into pieces. It seems like there was finally the opportunity to get these bastards back, to get something back from what they had taken.
Dubler whistled to get my attention, I looked at him and he pointed ahead of the vehicle. The bluff was no more than 50 yards ahead of us. I let go of the gun and crouched down between the front seats. I put my hand on
Sofia
’s shoulder, she reached up and grabbed it, locking her fingers into mine. We held on, the road was rough now as the Humvee jumped over small dirt berms. 25 yards to go and Dubler slowed the vehicle as we approached the edge of the bluff.
We crested the hill and we could see the airfield below. I expected to see a C-130 waiting for us, engines turning, but instead there was nothing but wreckage at the bottom of the hill. Dubler slammed on the breaks and we slid for several yards before coming to a stop. At the bottom of the hill was the burning wreckage of a C-130. Something had happened and the plane that was to take us to safety had crashed on landing. Behind us we could hear the screeching of the approaching hosts, in front of us was the burning wreckage of our last hope of escape.
“Fuck” Levitt, was in the lead vehicle and had stopped just short of the aircraft fire. He stood up in his Humvee and faced us. Yelling he said “Its over, there is no way back and no way forward”.
He didn't look afraid at all as he talked, and I soon realized why.
“May you all find the happiness you deserve as you transition into the next life.” He yelled.
Then it hit me, there was a missile coming. I looked up and saw a streak approaching us, in seconds it was close enough to see the missile's airframe. I grasped
Sofia
’s hand, behind me I heard a screech as the hosts crested the bluff. I looked at Levitt as the missile hit between us. A bright blinding flash of white filled my eyes, then a wave of incredible heat. My skin began to burn and then darkness.
43
.
-Wake-
s
“Jusus!!” I sat upright in my bed, the sheets were soaked. I reached over to the night stand and grabbed the water bottle I keep near the bed. After taking a long draw from the bottle I glanced at the clock. 6:30, I guess that was all the sleep I was going to get. I didn't have to go to work as early as usual today but I went ahead and started my normal routine. I suited up for my daily bike ride, filled up my water bottles and chewed on some cheese.
As I started off on my normal morning route, there was something strange about how the air felt. That dream I had was so vivid it must have thrown me off a little. I rode hard up the two lane highway towards the local ski resort as the sun crested the high mountain ridges to the east. When I got to my normal turnaround point, I looked to the west and could see high clouds looming on the horizon.
I returned from my ride, showered, and ate breakfast. As I sat at the breakfast nook my mind drifted to the woman from my dream, the one who had been next to me when the blast went off,
Sofia
. I reflected briefly on the state my life was in at the moment, and how much a woman like that would make me feel whole again.
The thought occurred to me that I had created her from my own imaginary perfect woman, she had features that were the best parts of every woman I had been with, loved, or lusted after.
Sofia
was what my mind and heart wanted to be my perfect woman. I sighed to myself and headed off to work.
The morning felt strange, and as the day went on, the feeling continued. Although nothing out of the ordinary had happened at work there was this surreal feeling all day that something was happening, or was about to happen. I sat in my office working on an analytic model of molecular commuting structures, and out of my window I couldn't shake the feeling that the sky looked different, like a shadow was overhanging the world. It looked like it does when there is a partial eclipse of the sun. Its sunny and bright but there seems to be a shadow hanging over everything.
I finished work and made my way to get my hot dog and beer. The day was over, but I could never shake that ominous feeling that hung on since waking from my dream.
I walked into the bar and sat on my normal stool. The bartender poured my usual and I looked up towards the TV overhanging the bar. I Joining the others at the bar in blindly staring at a silent, and very boring baseball game. Here I sat, day after day, sipping a beer from my favorite little shit hole in town while I waited for my normal evening meal.
The bartender slid a giant hotdog with everything on it in front of me. I glanced up at the TV again to see that a news report had interrupted the game.
“
CIVIL
UNREST
IN
MAJOR
US
CITY
”
All at once I was dizzy, as a rush of images from last nights dream flash through my head. I could hear commotion coming from the news report in the background. Stunned, I glance up to look at the screen, the camera was laying on its side, I could see the bloodied body of the female reporter. Her feet twitching, Then a screech, that high pitched screech.
“Oh shit! The kids....................”
References
Castillo, Joan Joseph. “Discovery of Helicobacter Pylori” 2010. Web. 11 Apr 2012. http://www.experiment-resources.com/helicobacter-pylori.html
Chan, Margaret "Antimicrobial resistance in the European Union and
the world" WHO. Web. 14 March 2012. 13 May 2012.
http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2012/amr
_20120314/ en/index.html
Cohen,
Elizabeth
. “
Antidepressants most prescribed drugs in
U.S.
". 9 July 2007. Web. 13 May 2012.
Antidepressants http://articles.cnn.com/2007-07-09/health/antidepressants _1_antidepressants-high-blood-pressure-drugs-psychotropic-drugs?_s=PM:HEALTH
Miscellaneous NTSB Cabin Safety Recommendations. Federal Aviation Administration. 7 January 1997. Web. 13 April 2012. http://fsims.faa.gov/WDocs/Bulletins/Information %20Bulletins/PS_FSAT/K_FSAT-1997-01.htm
Moss, Katie. “Antibiotic Resistance Could Bring ‘End of Modern
Medicine” ABC News. 16 Mar 2012. Web. 22 Sep 2012 http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/03/16/antibiotic-resistance-could-bring-end-of-modern-medicine/