After the End (18 page)

"My ankle," Sondra moaned. "I think it's broken."

"Sh." Lila peered past a black sleeve, inhaling the rich scent of leather. She thought the smell would remind her of this moment for the rest of her life—the heart-stopping terror, the inability to move. Although, maybe the rest of her life would only be the next few minutes.

She didn't have her rifle. She'd set it down just before all hell broke loose. All she had on her was the big hunting knife Ari had given her. Lila let go of Sondra's hand and drew the knife. The heft of it in her hand was comforting. She wouldn't hesitate to use it. Non-violence could take a flying fuck. But she'd rather get out of here without having to confront a zombie if possible.

"Follow me," she whispered and ran in a low crouch from the rack of jackets to a display of packaged dress shirts with Sondra limping behind her.

Lila peered around the edge of the display case. About twenty zombies blocked the way to the rest of the store. She and Sondra were effectively trapped near one wall of the building. The monsters were ripping through the group at the door. The people fought back, shooting into the swarming zombies, but at such close quarters, they sometimes hit each other. Others were engaged in hand to hand combat, slicing at their attackers with knives. But a single-minded, unwavering will to eat drove the zombies and their sheer numbers overpowered the humans.

All of this happened in mere moments and now the bulk of the zombie crowd was focused on either eating or pursuing their prey out the door. The way was clear. It was possible she and Sondra could sneak past behind them. Lila turned to Sondra. "We've got to run for it. Now."

"I can't. My ankle."

"Run or I'll leave you here to die." Without waiting for an answer, Lila grasped Sondra by the wrist and pulled her to her feet. Together they ran from men's wear toward house wares.

There Ari stood with his back against a display of crock pots, hacking with the hatchet he'd picked up in sporting goods at three zombies surrounding him. He swung with a whirling arc, but the blade missed them all.

 All Lila could think was that she had to help him. She let go of Sondra's hand at last and ran toward him. She raised her knife and brought it down with a chopping slice across the back of one of the zombies. But with her unskilled aim she missed the target of his neck and buried the blade in the thing's back. Before she could pull it out again, the zombie whirled toward her. The buried knife was ripped from her grasp and she was left weaponless.

The dead creature surged toward her. It was the first time she'd seen one so close. He was only a middle aged man with thinning hair and glasses. Yes, the creature still wore glasses. But he snapped at her like a mad dog. Lila danced back out of reach of his snatching hands.

A gunshot snapped from behind her and she swore she felt the bullet whoosh past her before slamming into the zombie's face, shattering a lens of its glasses. And then Sondra was tugging Lila's arm, yelling, "Run. Run!" with a pistol dangling from her hand.

The two women raced past the disoriented zombie before it could recover just as Ari felled his second opponent. Gasping for breath, he stood over the two unmoving zombies. He looked up and his gaze met Lila's for a moment, then he stooped and hauled his hatchet out of the back of a zombie's neck. He ran with Lila and Sondra toward the other exit. They didn't look back to see if they were chased. They simply ran, flat out, dodging display racks of tools and automotive supplies.

Ari nearly tore the door of its hinges and ushered them through. Lila pelted down the rickety metal fire escape. She glanced back to see Sondra stumble and Ari catch her and help her down the stairs. Coming through the door behind them was the zombie with Lila's knife sticking from his back. Lila faced forward and ran faster, skipping the last few steps and landing on the pavement with both feet. She scanned the alley from one end to the other. The way was clear. She ran in the opposite direction from the other fire escape, which would be around the corner. A quick glance back assured her Ari and Sondra were still there. She wasn't sure where to go, but went in the direction she thought the others would take, rounding the corner of the building and heading toward the street. These alleyways were too narrow and dangerous with little chance of escape.

Lila paused at the corner to check out the street. Ari and Sondra caught up with her and she was happy to let Ari take the lead.

"How's your ankle?" she asked Sondra.

"Hurts," she whimpered.

"It's probably only sprained or you wouldn't be able to run on it. We'll stop someplace soon." Lila put her arm around Sondra's waist and supported her as they followed Ari down the street, moving swiftly from one bit of cover to another.

"Hey! Over here." Derrick's voice came from across the street and he emerged from the shadow beneath an awning to wave at them.

They crossed the deserted street, dodging around the fenders of abandoned cars. Derrick waited for them, pressed flat against the side of the building.

"You made it. Where's Doug?"

Ari shook his head.

"Damn, that's too bad." Derrick frowned. "I told her he'd be okay."

Lila wanted to prop Sondra against the wall and take a breather, but there was no time for a break. They followed Derrick as he led them to the rest of the group, down yet another alley and into a Tastee-Freeze that had been deserted since long before the zombie attack. A hole was smashed in the glass door, allowing access to the lock.

They filed inside. The furnishings were vintage '60s soda fountain with a long counter and metal stools bolted to the floor. A clock with hands frozen at two fifty-eight hung on the wall, as well as faded posters announcing various ice cream confections. Someone had spray painted "suck on this" below the poster of a happy child with chocolate covered frozen banana. The ice cream display case was grimy with dirt and also colorfully painted with graffiti.

Derrick led them behind the counter to a back room, which was larger than the serving area. Apparently the owner of the Freeze had once lived a one room apartment back here.

Gloria Patton sat on the edge of the bed, her face bright red and eyes puffy although she was no longer crying. Julie was beside her, bouncing Ian on her knees and singing quietly to him. Ronnie pressed close to her side, watching blank-eyed with no smile on her face.

Mrs. Scheider sat on the floor, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed, while Carl, Joe and Deb stood in the center of the room arguing. They all looked up when Derrick and the others entered.

"You made it!" Deb threw her arms around Lila and hugged her, crushing her bruised ribs. Lila grunted in pain, but hugged her back.

"I told you they'd come," Derrick said. Lila could tell from his tone there'd been some discussion about whether he should go back and wait for them.

"Doug?" Gloria jumped up from the bed, her eyes searching Ari's face.

"I'm sorry," he said. There was nothing else to add, no explanation that needed to be given under the circumstances.

Gloria let out a keening wail, and Joe hurried to shush her, holding her and pressing her face against his chest. "Sh, Mrs. Patton. Please be quiet."

They'd lost one. It could have been much worse, but that was of no comfort to Gloria. Lila collapsed onto the ground, leaning against the opposite wall from Mrs. Scheider. She thought of the people they'd met today and wondered how many had made it out alive. What were they doing now? Where had they run to?

She stopped thinking about it. There was no point. Besides, she was too exhausted and jittery to focus on anything. Bits of thought scattered through her mind like kaleidoscope colors, but she couldn't put them together into any coherent pattern. Mostly she thought of what it had felt like to drive a knife into human flesh and then stare right into the face of death.

She looked at Sondra. Ari had helped her to the bed and Julie took a look at her injured ankle while Ronnie held the baby. Sondra winced and whined and made a big deal about how much pain she was in. Lila still sort of detested her but the woman had saved her life.

"You shot that thing," Lila said. "Thank you."

Sondra smiled at her. "I just squeezed the trigger. I've never shot a gun before in my life. Lucky I didn't accidentally shoot you instead." And then she was off, telling everyone every detail of their escape and how she'd saved Lila's life.

Julie wrapped Sondra's ankle with tape from the first aid kit and Deb passed out the last of the water bottles, admonishing everyone to drink lightly until they could get more.

They'd lost almost all of the merchandise they'd acquired at Humboldt's and the sport shop. Backpacks, sleeping bags, even Ian's diaper bag had been abandoned as they ran for their lives. So the entire stop had been for nothing. They'd gained little and lost a life.

Ari leaned against the wall then slid down to sit beside Lila. He leaned close and whispered, "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "You?"

"Sure." He rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes like Mrs. Scheider.

Lila wanted to curl up on the floor and put her head in his lap. Instead, she leaned next to him, shoulder to shoulder. Her eyes fell shut and the drone of conversation washed over her. Being alive had never been sweeter than at this precise moment, after the near loss of it. They were safe, for now, and that was enough.

* * * * *

Chapter Thirteen

Their trip to the marina began to take on the quality of an epic quest. A few short miles—it should've been accomplished in a day, even on foot. Two at most. But Sondra's twisted ankle and Mrs. Patton's nearly catatonic state following the loss of her husband forced them to postpone the start of their journey for another full day. They squatted in the deserted Tastee-Freez, while Ari and Joe went and brought back food for them.

That night they didn't dare to have any light. With no bedding, they lay in complete darkness on the linoleum and waited restlessly for morning. The theater where they'd spent the previous night seemed like a plush palace in comparison. The only good thing as far as Lila was concerned was that she lay next to Ari, his body curved around hers, his arm slung over her. She didn't mind being on the hard floor so much with his body heating her back and the beat of his heart lulling her to sleep.

The next day there was nothing to do but sit and wait for Sondra to heal and listen to her babble. Everyone made attempts to offer their sympathy to Gloria, but she was beyond their words. No one could reach her or connect with her. At last, impatient Deb snapped at her. "Look, you got a kid here. Pull yourself together. Feed him. Take care of him. Live because of him. You can mourn later."

Lila cringed at her harsh tone but evidently it was what Gloria needed to hear. The blank look left her eyes as she focused on Deb's face, then she took her infant son from the other woman and held him to her breast.

A dull afternoon of waiting, playing cards, taking naps, coloring pictures with Ronnie, putting together a meal of canned food and cleaning up after it with limited water, was followed by another night. Once more Ari took the spot beside Lila. If the others noticed how close together they slept or that they were curled together when they woke in the morning, no one said anything about it.

The next day Sondra could limp around the room. Dr. Joe pronounced her well enough to travel as long as they didn't go too far that day.

Lila was ready to move on. She couldn't have taken another day of idly waiting. They might be risking their lives out there, but they were in just as much danger here in the Tastee Freez.

They headed out, walking in their diamond shape with Ari on point, Deb and Derrick flanking him on either side, Joe and Lila bringing up the rear and the others protected in the center. Lila was nervous, acutely aware of her position and the need to almost literally have eyes in the back of her head. Zombies might attack from behind at any time and her neck was sore from swiveling it to constantly look over her shoulder.

"We need rearview mirrors," Joe commented as they marched along.

Lila eyed the empty cars they passed and wondered how hard it would be to rip one off.

Today, the fifth day into the crisis, the air reeked so badly from rotting corpses it was hard to breathe. All of them wore handkerchiefs or other strips of material over their noses and mouths as if that would help. Lila wondered if a person could get sick merely from the overpowering odor. Weren't organisms present in the stench of decay? Just as she would begin to think she was adjusting to the awful smell, they'd pass another site of a zombie attack and the rank odor would break over her in a fresh wave.

They walked along a side street and were several blocks from the Tastee Freez when Lila checked behind them and saw a little girl. She was skipping in the middle of the street, a child of about Ronnie's age with a doll in her arms. Only when she lifted the doll to her face to kiss it did Lila decipher what she was actually seeing. The child wasn't skipping she was shambling and thing Lila had taken for a doll was a severed arm the girl chewed on. Lila gave a low whistle, their signal for a zombie sighting, and everyone's heads swiveled almost simultaneously to look behind them.

The creature was some distance away and hadn't spotted them yet. Ari motioned them forward and the group hurried around the next corner.

Lila's heart pounded, her nerves fried by a fresh jolt of adrenaline like a double espresso to the system. She grew even more diligent about scanning the empty streets around them. With everything so quiet, it was too easy to be lulled into believing they were safe and could walk unnoticed all the way to the Hudson River. But the truth was every step was as treacherous as quicksand and their enemy could erupt from anywhere at any moment.

"You hear that?" Joe asked and shaded his eyes to look up at the sky.

The distant sound of a helicopter—maybe more than one—was the sweetest music Lila had ever heard. She stared into the cloudy sky, but saw nothing. Too many tall buildings blocking the way. But the chopper noises were followed by the sound of gunfire echoing from the skyscraper mountains