Quarantined in Chaos (Nova Nocte) (24 page)

              We camped out in a scrapyard on Grand Island for the day. We should be in Toronto proper tonight. Excitement and dread are weighing me down.

             
I can’t wait to start a new life where there aren’t a bunch of dead people wearing the faces of my loved ones chasing me. But, I don’t want to say farewell to my friends. If I hadn’t gotten infected, Daemon wouldn’t have turned me. Then I could stay with them.

             
I stared with blank eyes at the water-stained ceiling.

             
No, then I couldn’t be with Daemon. But Marley Guy and Vincent would be alive.

             
“Arggh.” I perched myself up onto my elbows. “No more thinking this early in the evening.”

             
“Squirrel, are you all right?”

             
Cal sat beside me, his face contorted with concern.

             
“Yeah, just thinking about tonight.”

             
“So I heard.”

             
I was taken aback.

             
“You were listening?”

             
“I apologize for the intrusion, but you have been deep in thought quite often lately and I wanted to be sure you were still coherent, not...” He fidgeted with his hands while searching for the best phrase. “...not drifting away again.”

             
“Well, I’m fine. I can barely feel the urge to withdraw anymore.”

             
“But it is still there?”

             
“Yes. But I don’t listen to it. I push it down and handle whatever thoughts and memories it throws at me.” He looked doubtful. “Even the ones I hate and want to forget. I even face down the ones of my family.”

             
His expression softened.

             
“Very well. I’m sorry you must deal with these things.”

             
He rose and put on his rucksack.

“And I’m very sorry that over the next few centuries you will have to suffer and face many more losses.”

              He walked away to check on the rest of our people. I saw Daemon standing with Sunny and feeling her belly for a kick from the baby. They laughed as the baby obliged. I listened to their happy conversation about baby names and new careers. Each of us now had a small fortune in gold and silver in our baggage.

             
I guess I’m the last one to get up. I can’t believe I didn’t notice everyone moving around and talking. Maybe I was a little deeper in thought than I realized.

             
Taking a deep breath, I shook off hesitation and got ready for the last night we would all spend together.

###

              The seven of us stood a few miles from the border. We looked out over Lake Ontario. The night sky was lighter over the city. Behind us was quiet and darkness, ahead there was the hum of humanity and the glow of possibility.

             
Chase clung to his wife.

             
“It’s only ten o’clock. We will have the rest of the night to spend together before you guys glamour us into forgetting, right?”

             
Pressure built in my chest. Daemon’s smiled grew forced.

             
“Yes. We would like to have the rest of the night to celebrate our past and future with you.” Cal answered.

             
Sunny took his hand.

             
“We’ll miss you. We won’t know who we miss or why, but I’m certain we’ll still know we miss you.”

             
My eyes felt misty. I choked the desire to cry down.

             
Two by two, we flew everyone over the lake. On the second trip, I toted the remaining luggage while my eternal companions carried Allen and Garret.

             
Reunited in the safety of a marina, our community of survivors walked in tense silence.

             
“Does anyone have a few coins?” I asked.

             
“Just ones to sell for useable money.” Allen offered.

             
“Okay. Everyone keep an eye out for loose change. We can find a payphone and call a cab. It would give us more time to spend together in a hotel room.”

             
Cal chuckled.

             
“What’s so funny?”

             
“You forget your new life.” He disappeared into one of the docked boats. He emerged with a cell phone and a handful of paper money. “It’s not difficult to get what you need.”

             
“Did you just steal that?” I let his words sink in as I blurted the inquiry.

             
“No. I left two pieces of jewelry worth much more inside as a thank you for the exchange.”

             
He dialed a number and returned the phone to the boat.

“Cab will be here in ten minutes. Should we pick up food for everyone on the way or order room service when we arrive at the hotel?”

              Garret cackled like a madman. I backed up and elbowed Daemon to check out the breakdown.

             
“You okay there, Garret?”

             
“I just never thought I’d be wondering whether to get drive thru or room service again, Daemon. It’s just not real yet and I think I might be delusional.”

             
I eased over to the mentally exhausted man. Slowly, I took brought his chin up so our eyes could meet.

             
“Garret, this is real. You’re here, safe and sound, out of the quarantine. It’s okay to be freaked out. But it’s okay, we are all real and you’re going to be fine. We survived. It’s over.”

             
Tears flowed down his cheeks in thin rivers, revealing how dirty we all were as they washed away a couple of shades of color. He hugged me tightly and wept. His sobs were loud in my ear, but I let him have them. The poor man was as broken within as any of us and he deserved ten minutes of getting it out.

             
The yellow and checkered minivan taxi parked beside us. Allen and Sunny guided Garret into the backseat and helped him with his seatbelt. The rest of us piled in and Cal told the driver which hotel to take us to before turning around to answer the unasked question.

             
“I called Reggie. He’s at the hotel waiting for us. He is holding our belongings there.”

             
Several heads bobbed as we remembered that he was our new identity guy and we should probably meet with him.

             
“Great. It will be nice to have the party at his place.” Chase joked. “Think he can order us some steaks and beers?”

             
The Roman wore a mischievous grin. He faced the cabbie.

             
“Could I borrow your phone a moment please?”

###

              We entered the modest but immaculate lobby of the hotel and found our room keys left for us at the desk. The pleasant woman at the counter displayed very little shock at the state of our clothes as she looked us over.

             
“Mr. Reginald also had us send up an assortment of food and beverages to the room for you. Room service should be there now. Also, we’ve added additional towels and robes for your party in the suite. Thank you and enjoy your stay with us.”

             
Cal gave her a gracious smile and accepted the packet of plastic keys.

             
“It’s our pleasure to visit your hotel. Thank you for your assistance.”

             
He handed the keys to us and leaned on the counter.

“Perhaps when your shift is over, you would like to have a late supper with me?”

              The perky redhead bit on her bottom lip and scribbled something on a piece of paper. I gawked at the scene and whispered in Daemon’s ear.

             
“Is he hitting on the desk clerk right now?”

             
“Yes. And I think she just gave him her number so I’d say he was successful.”

             
“We don’t even have identities yet. We’re all coated in filth.”

             
He shook his head as our mentor rejoined us with the scrap of paper in his palm.

             
“Sometimes, you just have skill and want to flaunt it.” Cal commented as he walked to the elevator and pressed the button.

             
I blinked and entered the stainless steel lift.

###

              Reggie opened the door before I slid the key in the slot. Various aromas of edibles wafted into the hallway. I could almost hear the mouths water of our human allies.

             
“Ah, there you are. I heard the elevator. Come in. We only have a few hours for me to get you all squared away; I’ve got a life you know.”

             
I walked in and flopped down on the nearest queen bed.

             
“Nice to see you too.”

             
Greetings and pleasantries were handled in seconds as the crew began making plates from the small buffet Cal had ordered. Cal and Reggie chatted away about the front desk clerk and old times while we got settled in. Once everyone had their seats, Reggie took center stage.

             
“I’ve got some basic identity packets for each of you.” He started passing out large yellow envelopes. “Inside you’ll find your backstories, bank accounts -- minus my fee and costs of course -- birth or refugee certificates, and so on. The only thing you will need is to take the small envelope of documents to get a license.”

             
“We don’t have an ID?” Garret asked as he dribbled chili cheese fries down the front of his shirt.

             
“No. I didn’t have pictures of you and this way, it will be a legitimate ID using false papers; it’s much better. I will however be taking photos of you after you’ve eaten. We need them for your refugee IDs. I’ve already put everyone into the computer and I’ve the stamps with me.”

             
Reggie tossed aside a couple of extra envelopes. I stared at the unneeded ones on the small computer desk.

             
He didn’t know who’d survive the trip and had too many.

             
“You keep saying refugee papers. Do we need to know anything special for that?”

             
Our guide faced Chase.

             
“Very little. The details of the refugee process out of the quarantine are in the packets, just read and memorize everything in there. All of you are clearly American in your accents, mannerisms, and knowledge so I decided making you official refugees from the Dead States would be the simplest cover.”

             
“Oh. That makes sense. So, can I take Sunny to the doctor with that stuff?”

             
Cal laid back and crossed his ankles. Allen tossed a grape at him.

             
“Yes. Any other questions? Mind you, I’ve got everything in those packages and Caelinus has significant experience with changing his life as well.”

             
Heads shook. Reggie did the photos and passes, insisting we not clean up.

             
“It lends authenticity. Makes it look like you’ve been trapped on the other side of the border for a time.”

             
Daemon couldn’t resist.

             
“Glad you said that, we might’ve forgotten to pretend we were in the quarantine. Tell us what that’s like, again?”

             
“Cal, your fledgling is rather aggravating.”

             
“Tell me something new.” The Roman sat up and threw a pillow at Daemon. “Knock it off.” He reclined and laughed. “Hope that helped, Reggie.”

             
The task was finished in under an hour. Reggie briefly laid a glamour on the humans to forget him and walked into the hall with the rest of us vampires. We bid Reggie goodbye, although Cal said see you later instead.

             
Reentering the room, we found four stuffed adults in varied states of relaxation. Allen was watching the television with wide eyes. He held the remote like it was the Holy Grail. Garret sat in one of the plush chairs near the window, his pants unbuttoned after the feast. Water ran in the shower, steam oozing under the door. Chase was pouring over his paperwork, studying his new name and birthdate.