Authors: Jeremy Laszlo
“We need to go have a quick look at least,” Jack said, seconding her thoughts.
That was it. It was decided. Armed with little more than tools, they would venture into the unknown with hopes of finding or learning something useful. The car lurched forward slowly.
It was not a decision they had made lightly, nor one Jack even liked, but it seemed like their best option. Leaving the car behind in a nearby field where the overgrowth hid it from the road, Jack led the others slowly and carefully towards the agricultural complex. Though the cool of the morning had already burned off, the hair on his arms stood on end. He couldn’t help but feel it was a bad omen. Something here wasn’t right. His stomach was in knots and everything inside him screamed at him to flee, but something else held him fast. He had to continue. He had to look and learn, with the hopes of finding a safe haven. Who knew? Perhaps this was it.
Ducking low he led his siblings and Tammy across the street, running as fast as he was able while remaining as low to the ground as was possible. Though his head pounded, making him nauseated, his ankle no longer troubled him, for which he was grateful. Darting into the chest-high grass that surrounded the collection of metallic buildings, Jack let those behind him follow and motioned for them to stay down. Looking at their faces it was apparent that at least one of them was not nervous. Will was grinning from ear to ear, darting this way and that on his tiptoes as if a cartoon villain. It was hard not to smile, but Jack managed and turned his attention back towards their destination.
It had been more than two hours since Sam had first stopped the car. They had watched the building the whole time, finally deciding to park and go in on foot. With less than three hundred yards separating them and the entrance to what appeared to be a barn-like building at the structure’s edge, Jack knew he could make the run in little time, but also knew Sam and Will would not be able to keep up with him at full speed. He doubted Tammy could manage either, and would have to plan accordingly.
“I’ll take Will with me and head straight for the front door of that first building,” Jack said pointing. “You girls circle around back, through the weeds, and see if there is a back entrance. If there is, see if it’s open and keep an eye out for anything that moves.”
“What if something does move?” Sam asked.
“I say we leave. High tail it back to the car and get out of here,” Jack admitted.
“But if we split up, and one group runs into trouble or sees something, then what?” Sam asked again.
“Then scream, duh,” Will said, shaking his head at his older sister. “That’s what girls do in spy movies, horror movies, and action movies. At least most of the time.”
“This isn’t a movie, Will,” Jack reprimanded in his best dad tone. “But you’re right. If something goes wrong, scream, run to the car, get in and fire it up. Hit the horn and we’ll all make a run for it and get as far from here as we can.”
Jack watched as the heads around him all nodded their understanding. It was time. Closing his eyes for a second he steadied his breathing and worked to calm his nerves. If he wanted to move quick, they couldn’t move at a pace comfortable for Will. Picking up his brother and pulling him to his chest with one hand, he held the length of chain they had scavenged days ago in the other. Bending forward to gain momentum, Jack burst from the overgrowth surrounding the buildings and pumped his legs as fast as he was able. He was surprised to find that without his pack and with all the exertion he’d recently had, running holding Will was really not that hard anymore. A hundred yards down.
Sprinting, his breaths coming at regular intervals with his steps across the partially grass-covered drive surrounding the buildings, Jack pushed himself to run faster. Another hundred yards. To his right something moved in the grass, and turning his head slightly he noted it was the girls. Fifty yards to go and something moved between the silos ahead, drawing his attention. Had it been a person? A shadow? Jack slid to a stop just twenty yards away from the building and peered into the shadows between the giant cylinders. Something moved and he prepared to yell. Knowing that his gut had been right all along and that they too were being watched as something waited to ambush them, Jack watched as a murder of crows erupted from between the metal buildings in a maelstrom of flapping wings and caws that set his nerves to tingling.
Crows. He had been frightened by birds. With a chill running down his spine, Jack shook off the feeling and began moving again towards the door upon the front of the building.
* * * * *
Sam dashed between the tall grasses, using her arms in front of her like a wedge to separate the tall blades as she careened between them with Tammy on her heels. She tried not to think of all the spider webs she was running through. She tried not to think of the spiders becoming entwined in her hair. Hunching over while running in an attempt to stay hidden was one thing, but doing it in her ridiculous boots in a field full of spiders was another entirely. If only she could go back and slap herself when she had chosen these, of all things, to wear after the end of the world. Idiot. Of course, it wouldn’t help with the spider problem.
Dashing through the grass, she must have spooked some birds as dozens of the black winged things began flapping overhead, shrieking and cawing to one another in alarm. So much for their plan of being unnoticed. If anyone was here, they certainly knew something was coming now. Shrugging as she ran, she knew there was nothing to be done about it. Uncertain where she was, Sam popped her head up to survey the area around her. She had managed to guide them in the right direction, but still had a way to go, to circle the building entirely. Looking about she couldn’t see any windows on this side of the building, nor any of the others. If anyone
was
inside, they couldn’t see her.
Deciding it would be faster to leave the spider-infested field, Sam changed course and within seconds she led Tammy to where the field met the semi-tamed lot around the buildings. Darting across the open expanse she kept low and didn’t stop until she was within the shadow of the building. Pausing to catch her breath, she felt as Tammy touched her shoulder, and turning watched in horror as the other girl held up a huge spider freshly plucked from Sam’s hair. Biting her lower lip harder than she imagined possible, she stifled the scream that erupted from her lungs into her mouth, as shivers ran up and down her spike while her knees quivered. Oh God, how she hated spiders. Yuck. There was no telling how many more might be on her. She didn’t even want to know. She shuddered, fighting with everything she was worth to contain the scream that sought to escape, shaking her hands out in front of her while dancing from one foot to the other.
Taking a deep breath after she managed to calm herself, Sam turned and followed the corrugated metal wall of the building, creeping slowly as her head darted this way and that, looking for any sign of movement. Nearing the corner of the building, something ahead creaked slightly. Though it was likely just part of one of the buildings disturbed by the breeze, or Will and Jack having already made it through the building and exiting the back, Sam was not about to assume anything. Raising her crowbar in one hand, she reached into her pocket with the other.
Flipping the compact open with her thumb, she admired the black and crimson eye shadow before reaching out to use the mirror to peek around the corner. There, in the deepest shadows, just outside the back door, was a man. Or was it a man? It could be any number of alien invaders. She didn’t know how to tell. Lucky for Sam he was looking the opposite direction of her mirror. Jerking her hand back she motioned to Tammy that someone was there, but what could she do? If she screamed now, the man would be right on top of them. If she didn’t then it was likely Jack and Will would run into him any second.
Deciding to go back the way they had come, to put some distance between them and the man before alerting her brothers, Sam began creeping back along the wall of the building once more only to freeze when footsteps sounded from behind them. Spinning, she couldn’t see anything behind them but nearly screamed when someone out of sight began talking. At least it was like talking, only a language she didn’t understand. Though Sam was focused, trying to listen, Tammy began gesturing excitedly, pointing at herself and then back towards the back of the building. Sam realized immediately what it was her friend was trying to tell her. She was telling Sam that those talking behind the building were like her. Her kind. Not that it meant squat. Trust was earned, especially now, not simply given. Sam had no intentions of climbing out of one cage just to get into another.
* * * * *
Will watched as Jack carefully opened the front door of the big metal building and poked his head inside. An instant later he pulled the door open wide and walked in, Will was sure to follow. Inside was dark, with only a few high windows and semi-transparent panels on the roof above that let light filter in. Later in the day it was probably brighter, but for now the building hid in the shadows of the taller silos around it. Looking about, Will could see that it had been some type of a store. There were displays with pictures of animals, and empty pallets strewn about the floor. Across the room was a counter that still held a cash register along with a collection of various bottles and other items. Though the building was like nothing he could ever recall seeing before, it was the smell inside it that really got his attention. Something between the smell of a cow pasture the day after a rain and mildew, the building reeked, causing him to pinch his nose with his free hand.
The further they walked into the building the stronger the smell got and it was so strong that pinching his nose just wasn’t enough. Will could actually taste the stink as they crept slowly through the metal building. Keeping alert for anything that might be useful or any danger, Will noted the silver metal pipes that connected all the charred outlets on the walls and the lights up above. Even here the alien’s weapon had burned up the wiring, but the buildings had managed to remain. Climbing atop a stack of three pallets, Will hopped over a toppled display to finally witness the source of the stench. There, on the floor, lay several huge bags that had split, spilling their contents onto the floor. Though the spilled contents were covered in green and white mold, the labels explained the smell in an instant. Manure. Will pinched his nose harder.
He didn’t know what kind of people bought manure, or who actually collected it to sell it, but he thought they must have been born without noses. The stuff was so putrid, he thought he could actually feel the stink in the air as bile rose in his throat. Stepping away and bumping into Jack, Will nearly retched, hurriedly rushing away from the mound of spilled poop.
Deciding the building was safe, Will tucked his pry bar through his belt loop and pulled his shirt up over his face.
“Let’s take a look at the bottles on the counter and over there in the corner,” Jack whispered, pointing.
Will nodded. No way was he talking and letting more poop air in his mouth. No way. No how. Crossing the room to the corner Jack indicated, Will began sifting through the shelves of animal care supplies looking for anything of use. There were animal nail clippers, bottles for feeding kittens, several different kinds of flea and tick medicine, and a pair of leashes. One labeled for small dogs and one for medium. In the past weeks they had found several reasons to tie things up, like doors, and as such, Will collected both of the leashes and retraced his steps with his nose firmly pinched to join Jack.
His eyes on his older brother, Will followed as Jack motioned him through a door behind the counter. Entering what was probably a storage room, they crept slowly across the nearly empty space. This room too had piles of empty pallets and torn and ruined bags of what was probably once some sort of animal feed, but now everything was gone. Will figured it was probably rats that ate it all. Rats or squirrels. Grandpa had told him squirrels were just rats with fluffy tails to make them pretty cause people didn’t like setting traps for pretty things. It made sense really. Will wouldn’t want a rat in his bed, but a squirrel didn’t seem so bad. He supposed rats and squirrels were kind of like humans and Tammy. Close enough to be in a group together, yet different enough to be treated differently by some people.
With nothing of interest remaining, they made their way to the back of the building quickly. Wanting to be as far away from the stink as possible and able to breathe again without tasting his shirt, Will let Jack pull the door open, but rushed out before him, relieved to take a breath of fresh air.
* * * * *
Tammy heard the yell of surprise, though didn’t recognize the voice. She knew they were supposed to run, but Sam hadn’t moved yet, and she didn’t know what to do. Then another yell came. This time it was words, though it wasn’t English, or even human for that matter. Tammy knew the words. They meant ‘stay back’, and she knew why they were yelled. Jack and Will had exited the building and run into whoever Sam had seen. Tammy found herself in a dilemma. She wanted to run. That was the plan. But she couldn’t make herself do it. She had friends behind her, friends who had run into another of her kind. For all she knew this other person might be the last she would ever see. She didn’t want anything to happen to either party. She had to act, there was no other choice. Turning, Tammy ran back the way she had come towards the rear of the building just as three more figures appeared from amongst the silos. More. There were more. She hoped she hadn’t made the wrong decision.
Racing around the corner well ahead of Sam, she witnessed what could only be described as a standoff. Jack had Will behind his back for protection and was yelling at a man who yelled in return. It was futile, as neither party could understand the other, but Tammy could understand both. Knowing she needed to calm them all down somehow as even more figures appeared from behind the silos, she began to speak as both Jack and the other man stepped towards each other as if to fight.