Dead Cold (20 page)

When they reached the Rec Center they found only the silent aftermath of bloody carnage. The corpses of ghouls lay everywhere, many in several pieces, almost all with their head removed. It looked like Roland had managed to make it outside the Rec Center, his sword lay broken just outside of the piles of bodies and two sets of blood footprints led away from the Rec Center and into a greenbelt between two rows of houses.

They found the body of a ghoul about fifteen meters into the greenbelt, a combat knife buried in its eye. Fresh bright red blood poured from the creature’s mouth, and it had what looked like a jacket sleeve gripped in both hands. Destiny knew what had happened, she knew what she would find if she followed the bloody footsteps leading away from the body, but she had to know, had to see it.

They found Roland twenty meters from his attacker, lying on his back in the snow. His jeans were frayed and completely soaked in blood; Destiny could only imagine what his legs looked like underneath the now dark red denim. The left arm of his jacket had been torn off and the arm underneath had been destroyed; bone showed in several places where bite size chunks of flesh and been torn away. When Destiny’s eye finally managed to reach his face they found his left eye to be a white, pulpy mess with blood covering the side of his face and pooling in his ear.

Roland’s right eye was open and his mouth was moving but the wind coming through the greenbelt covered any sound he might have been making. Collapsing to her knees beside the ruined body Destiny could no longer hold back her tears as she leaned her head close to Roland’s.

“I’m sorry, Destiny, looks like I’ll be leaving you again.” His voice was faint, barely even a whisper and his breathing was very shallow.

“Don’t be sorry lover; I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m the reason your like this.”

“Don’t be silly.” The corners of Roland’s mouth lifted in a pained smile. “I always wanted to die being a hero.”

The wind carried the sound of moaning along the greenbelt, a warning that more creatures were coming.

“We need to go Destiny; we have no way to fight.” Panic filled Jack’s voice as he peered through the snow towards the sound.

“We can’t leave Roland, not like this!” Destiny screamed at the thought of losing him forever.

“You have to go beautiful, don’t worry about me, I’ll be alright.” Roland’s good eye looked directly into hers as he used his hand to caress her face. “I wish I could have spent forever with you Destiny, I always loved you. Now go quick…”

The light faded from Roland’s eye as it closed and his arm fell softly into the snow. Jack reached under Destiny’s arms and began pulling her away from Roland’s lifeless body. He could see at least three of the monsters closing in through the snow.

“I love you too.” Destiny whispered as she turned her back on his still form, the snow already beginning to cover him a soft white blanket.

Destiny and Jack began running as hard as they could, making their way through the streets towards the garage. Destiny tripped on something frozen under the snow and ended up on her hands and knees in deep snow. Seeing what had happened Jack helped her back to her feet and the two continued on. As the snow began to fall more heavily, Jack and Destiny found they had to hold on to one another to keep from getting separated as visibility dropped to zero.

When it became impossible to move, the pair took shelter in an abandoned truck. It was roomy enough inside for Destiny to lay on the back seat while Jack reclined in the driver’s seat. They were both breathing heavy from the weight of their bags and the exertion of walking through deep snow. Destiny closed her eyes and did her best not to think; the image of Roland’s broken body had burned itself into her mind and nothing could get it out.

For a long time neither person said anything, they rested in complete silence save for the snow hitting the window and the sound of breathing. Destiny let silent tears flow down her face; after so many years without him she had found him again only to lose him after a few days. She had known it was a mistake to let him go when she did, but she had to do some things first before settling down. Those things all seem pointless now the world was coming to an end at the hands of the undead.

“I’m sorry.” Jack had never been very good at silence.

“What was that?”

“I’m sorry, about Roland. I know you had feelings for him.”

“I guess that’s just how the world is now, I just wish I had told him sooner; you know?” Destiny was drying her eyes as she sat up.

“Yeah, I kind of do. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost Angela. Most likely go crazy start thinking I’m a ghoul.”

“Well let us hope that you never lose her.” Destiny forced a smile. “So how did you end up here Jack?”

Reaching into one of the bags Jack handed Destiny a drink as he explained what had happened to him and Angela since the outbreak. Hearing his story Destiny found she could better relate to this man she had only met a few days before but a shared strong bond with. Jack’s story finished and Destiny told him hers; describing how she had been captured by the Reverend and rescued by Roland and tell Jack a little about their shared past.

She found she could not control her tears as she told Jack about the day she had let Roland go. He had begged her to come with him, promised her the world and she had said good bye that day. She had always regretted it but could never let Roland or anyone else know, she hadn’t been ready to give up her life for him not yet and Roland, being Roland waited for nothing. It had been over five years when he had rescued her from the Reverend, now she had lost him again in only a few days.

The snow had begun to let up and Jack suggested it was time for them to finish their journey back to the garage; the others were probably worried about them. Destiny agreed and the pair began to gather their things making sure they had everything. Destiny was just about the open the door when a ghoul slammed its face against the glass; its teeth attempting to bite through the glass. Startled Destiny immediately raised her SMG and pulled the trigger, the rapid clicks of an empty magazine echoed through the truck like church bells.

Looking around in a panic Destiny found Jack smiling and she stopped wondering what was going through his mind. Without a word Jack reached under the back seat and felt around for a few seconds before pulling out a heavy black tire iron. With a look in his eyes that said “Watch this.” Jack leaned out the door as he opened it and brought the heavy iron down with all his might.

The tire iron smashed through the skull of what had not long before been a first grade teacher whose student had bitten her. As her now lifeless body fell into the snow and disappeared into a cloud of white the two she had been attempting to attack exited the truck and began running towards the garage.

Finally finding the big red door to the garage they both began pounding on it, looking around as they did. When the door finally lifted both Destiny and Jack rushed through collapsing almost immediately afterwards. As people swarmed around her Destiny could see Cory holding the door open and looking for Roland. She wanted to shout that Roland was gone, that Cory should close the door before those things came but she could do nothing.

“Destiny?” Cory’s voice sounded so far away, like a dream.

“Destiny, we need you here sweety.” This time it was Desire, she seemed nice.

“Destiny, we need to know where Roland is.” Cory’s voice was louder now.

“Roland?” Just saying his name was hard.

“Yes Roland, where is he.” Cory’s voice was starting to annoy Destiny.

“Roland Castle is dead.” The words felt like acid on her tongue as she spoke.

Chapter 31: All Gone Now

No one quite knew what to do now that Roland was gone. No one had appointed him but he had always been the leader and without him they were all lost. It became quickly apparent that without Roland’s single minded desire to save Emily and Cory’s girlfriend no one but Cory was interested in going after the Colonel. The others had their own places to go, Destiny had nowhere.

That first night after Destiny and Jack got back everyone discussed their plans. Alma and her family were planning to leave the next day in the Toyota. Jack, Angela and Desire would take the truck a few days later and drop Destiny, Eve and Cory off at a nearby car dealership. After whimpering at the door for Roland for hours Eve had finally decided she was going to follow Destiny around.

After they all ate everyone rested while Cory kept watch. Destiny had difficulty sleeping; every time she closed her eyes the image of Roland dead in the snow filled her mind. She also thought she could hear Cory talking to himself down below, but she was certain that everyone else including Eve was upstairs. Eventually she lost her battle with exhaustion and finally succumbed to sleep. She thought she heard Cory say “We have to go after her” as the world went dark.

The next morning Alma and her family packed a few of the supplies and left in the SUV. There were no tearful farewells, they had only met these people a few days before and their only connection had been Roland. Alma did take Destiny aside where no one else could hear before they left.

“You miss him don’t you?” The older woman’s face was soft and caring.

“I do, more than anything.”

“If you want you and the dog can come with us, there’s room in the car for you.”

“That’s really sweet of you, but I think I should stay and help Cory find his girlfriend.” Destiny smiled, surprised at the other woman’s compassion.

“Okay sweetheart, well you be careful now. Don’t do anything stupid, please?”

“I won’t Alma, you be careful too okay?”

The older woman smiled and hugged Destiny, and for a few seconds the world didn’t seem so miserable. After that she was gone, the Toyota disappearing into the snow as the big red door slammed shut behind it. Destiny turned around to find Jack and Cory arguing, both men trying to make themselves look bigger than the other.

“We have to go after them and that is my truck!” Cory was gesturing wildly at the red Dodge.

“Dude it ain’t your truck alright, it was stolen from a dealership and belongs to nobody. Understand?” Jack had refused to say Roland’s name since getting back.

“I was with Roland when he took it that makes it mine!”

Destiny was glad neither man had a gun.

“I don’t think so and why should I get myself killed to rescue your girlfriend? I’m taking the truck as close to Newfoundland as I can get it, you don’t like it too bad.”

“Both of you calm down, as if things aren’t bad enough already we don’t need you two making it worse.” Destiny stepped between the two men worried they might come to blows.

“But, we have to go rescue her.” It seemed like Cory meant everyone had to go.

“Whatever man, you want to risk your life. You go right ahead but I’m not going with you.” With that Jack walked away and up the stairs.

“She’s counting on me though.” Tears were coming from Cory’s eyes and without a word to Destiny he turned and walked into the office.

“Guess I’m on watch then.” Destiny said to Eve as she turned and headed back to the big red door.

Once again Destiny could have sworn she could hear Cory talking to himself while he was in the office. When he finally emerged several hours later he seemed to be back to normal, at least as normal as anyone could be in such a crapsack world. He apologized to Jack and things seemed to be fine for a few days.

On the day they were supposed to leave an avalanche of snow fell from the roof and buried the garage doors in ten feet of snow. They would either have to dig a path out or they would be forced to walk abandoning the truck. Jack and Angela were willing to abandon the truck and walk to the nearby dealership.

“We can’t leave the truck, there is no way we can carry all the weapons inside it and we’re going to need them!” Cory was screaming into Jack’s face.

“To hell with the weapons man, it’s gonna take at least three days to dig out of here and we don’t have enough food to wait around!” Jack was doing his best to shout louder than Cory.

“Guys this isn’t worth it!” Destiny was easily drowned out.

“No! We have to dig it out!” Cory ran over to the open door and began furiously shoveling the snow with his bare hands.

“Cory, stop.” Desire put a hand on the man’s shoulder only to have him swing around and punch her in the face; knocking her down.

“Oh, that’s it!” Jack shouted as he charged Cory and tackled him around the mid section.

As Jack wrestled Cory to the ground and did his best to hold him there Destiny grabbed some rope from the back of the truck and rushed around to help. Desire had recovered from the punch to the jaw and was doing her best to hold Cory’s legs. Cory was screaming and fighting with a fervor that only those with nothing to lose can attain. He began to fight even harder as Angela showed up and the four of them began to tie his arms and legs behind his back.

“I have to save her!”

“He’s lost his damn mind.” Jack stood up as soon as Cory was tied. “We should leave him and get the hell out of here.”

“We can’t just leave him here, he’ll die.” Fear gripped Destiny even as she spoke.

“So? What does that matter?”