Quarantined in Chaos (Nova Nocte) (6 page)

             
It held trophies, posters of bands, video games, and books. Books filled three tall bookcases and sat in stacks between the dirty laundry on the floor. A picture of a preteen Daemon dressed as a knight at a Medieval Times grinned at me from the bedside table with a fantasy novel laid open to mark a place.

             
This feels weird to see this. It’s Daemon’s mortal life and it is so normal. It’s a little dorky but mostly just normal. My room looked a lot like this before the outbreak. This is starting to feel like an invasion of privacy seeing his life so exposed.

             
I shut the door and leaned my forehead against it. I forgot that at some point, Daemon was just a guy. Not a vampire, but a kid who had a future. With a family and school and dreams. I returned to the main room and sat on the couch with the others.

             
“No one go in the room at the end of the hall; it’s Daemon’s.”

             
“Are we staying here for the day?” The Nurse asked.

             
All eyes focused on me again.

             
“Not unless Daemon wants to. I think it would be best to plan on leaving when he gets back.”

             
Silence reigned again.

             
It was an hour before Daemon returned. He said nothing, just walked past us to his room and shut the door. Chase poked me with his stub and gestured towards the door.

             
I looked around at the others before rising.

             
“You guys suck.” I whispered.

             
I could hear things being moved around behind the door. Tapping gently, I waited for the vampire to let me in. The handle turned and he opened the passage. A bag was in his hand and he wore clean, if dusty, clothes.

             
“I have everything I need from here. Let’s leave. I want to be far away before dawn comes.”

             
The orphaned Undead hastened out of the abode and put on the backpack. In a flood of movement, we were off. The Undead took to the sky and the living covered the ground. Only the roar of the engines, the moans of the Dead, and the music from our CDs made any noise.

             
We rested for a tense day just off Interstate 16 before moving on with the journey north. Daemon’s usual aura of giddiness and lightheartedness was dampened whenever I saw him. Cal assured me that he was dealing with the reality of his parents’ loss just fine during a brief sword practice.

             
“I know you think so Cal, but...”

             
“But after centuries of interacting with people at the best and worst of times, I am not as adept at reading people as you?”

             
I blocked the overhead blow as I registered the volley in our conversation.

             
“Wait, well no. I don’t mean that. I meant...”

             
“I know you mean well, Squirrel. But on this you must trust me; Daemon will be my concern forever and yours for only a couple of weeks.”

             
I faltered in my thrust and lost my balance. The Roman dodged and I hit the ground with a thud.

             
Did he have to say THAT? Knowing we will have to part ways and talking about it are two totally different things. Ancient son of a...

             
I felt cool palms helping me to my feet; my hands shook on the hilt of my broadsword from the burst of adrenaline surfing through my veins.

             
“I had no intention of hurting you. I simply think you must keep the future in mind; you two will be unable to remain together. It’s been my experience that ending things before getting too attached to impossible hopes is more merciful than living in a delusion.”

             
He took the weapon from me and set it aside before sweeping me into his arms. The waves of emotions brought quiet sobs for the better part of an hour. Pressure built behind my eyes and memories flooded my palpating heart. When I finally composed myself, the vampire wiped my cheeks and kissed my forehead.

             
“You will survive this heartbreak, my dear. You are strong and will probably have many loves in your lifetime. Most I’m sure will even be human.”

             
He chuckled and retrieved my blade from the dried grass.

             
“I hope you are right. You’ll take good care of him right? Maybe even let me keep some memory of him after...after we part?”

             
I held my breath.

             
“Officially, no, it is forbidden. However, between us forced leaders,” He ran a hand through his hair. “I will try to leave you with pleasant dreams of your times. Not memories, just happy slumber.”

             
I patted my friend on the back and sheathed the sword. We strolled together to rejoin our fellow travelers. Chase and Sunny waved to acknowledge our arrival and finished packing the hybrid with food, water, weapons, and gold. I whispered to the vampire.

             
“Does it creep you out when he waves with the stump, too?”

             
He smiled revealing the tips of his fangs.

             
“Every time.”

###

              The road was littered with decrepit Dead barely able to crawl and freshly shot humans. A shout for help brought us to a halt. Garret and The Nurse pulled the vehicles over and the crew piled out.

             
“No,” I instructed “grab the guns too. These people were massacred by a small army. We need to be able to defend ourselves in turn.”

             
Rifles, shotguns, and pistols were added to the blades, bows, and crossbows. Reggie and his Undead cohorts landed nearby. Their shirts were covered in blood. Fangs glistened in the moonlight almost as luminescent as their eyes. Reggie carried his pack full of loot and Daemon wore his bag. All three kept their eyes fastened on the eastern horizon.

             
Cal caught my eye and his voice filled my head.

             
We’ve decimated the scouts as they returned to their camp, but the main force is still near and quite formidable. Get everyone on the road and flee; we will cover the escape.

             
My heart jumped into my throat. I froze in place watching the rest of my community gather. The three vampires glanced at each of them in turn and they all made a nervous face. Slowly, we all moved back to our autos. Once we were secure within, firearms in our laps, the engines awoke; the hum of insects surrendered to our petrol-fueled retreat.

             
As our caravan peeled away from the remaining wounded, I tapped The Nurse.

             
“Would you have been able to save any of those people?”

             
He stared at his feet.

             
“Maybe the guy with the wound in his side; the other two are beyond help.”

             
That guy wasn’t old enough to drink. He doesn’t deserve this.

             
“Bubba, stop the truck. We are going to give that guy a chance.”

             
“A ’righty then.” He bobbed his head as he pulled a U-turn. “This young’un better be damned thankful and mind his p’s and q’s when he is sitting pretty outside the quarantine.”

             
I saw the hybrid repeat our turn. The Nurse put away his revolver and dug around for his medic bag.

             
“If we can get him into the back, I can tend to him there. Shouldn’t take more than a minute or two.”

             
“Good. I think that’s all we have.”

             
The sound of shuffling feet and loud, throaty exhales marked the arrival of Dead.

             
Forrest pulled the pickup to a short stop. Nurse and I bounded out like gazelles trying to keep ahead of a pride of lions.

             
“What in the name of Jupiter are you doing back here?”

             
Cal sliced through three Dead with one arc of his gladius. He glared at me while we loaded the bleeding man into the truck bed. His last companions had already expired.

             
“Almost done, Cal. Just a little ill-timed mercy and we’re off. See you guys soon.”

             
I swung the tailgate shut; Nurse was directing the others in the effort to save the young man’s life. I turned to climb in the truck and was slammed against the door. Daemon held me tightly by both arms; red eyes locked on mine.

             
“Are you freakin stupid? Why are you here? This is a killing field with scavenging zombies to one side and murdering gunmen on the other.” He released me but stayed closed enough for me to count the sparse whiskers on his chin. “Why risk your life for a near-dead stranger who we can’t take with us? Don’t you care if you live or die?”

             
“I just...Nurse can save him and...”

             
“Who cares? This guy’s life isn’t worth yours. Certainly not worth everyone’s.”

             
Bubba Leaned out the window.

             
“We leaving or what?”

             
Daemon held up a finger.

             
“One minute and I’ll fix this.”

             
He marched around the back and opened the tailgate. Grabbing the crying man by the collar, he dragged him onto the road.

             
“What are you doing?”

             
“Protecting you from yourself.”

             
With a growl, the fledgling Undead bit into the wounded man’s throat. He drank deeply; I tried to pull him off. Arms like iron bands pulled me away as the boy’s color dissipated like sand in a sieve. The crying ended and I fell to my knees in shock. Daemon dropped the stranger and wiped his mouth.

             
“No one to waste time trying to save; now go.”

             
My feet seemed to disappear. I sat there under the stars and watched the body for any signs of life. His killer stormed over to me, hooked an arm under my shoulder, and lifted me to my nonexistent feet. The vampire frog-walked me to the back of the truck and placed me inside. Shutting the door, he ordered Bubba to drive.

             
The truck lurched forward and wove between obstacles on the paved river. No one spoke. All I could hear was the air rushing past and the screaming in my mind.

             
How could he do that? And for me?

             
###

             
We stopped for the day at a Sleep Inn in Hardeeville. I’m not sure when we entered South Carolina, but I was thankful for the distance covered. The trio of Undead cleared a good path for us after their hearty dinner of gunmen and wounded; the excess of blood seemed to push their strength and endurance much further than I’d thought possible.

             
They must’ve been feeding barely enough to function all this time.

             
We unloaded and walked to meet them at the entrance for a quick meeting before clearing the hotel. Reggie smirked with amusement while Daemon glowered and tossed pebbles at the unlit sign. I addressed the Roman between them.

             
“This is a good enough place to crash. Should we sweep the whole building or just do the ground floor and keep the stairwells blockaded?”

             
Don’t glance at Daemon; just focus on the task at hand and breathe normal.

             
“Yes, that is a fine plan. But first we must discuss the earlier events.”

             
“No we don’t.”

             
The clack of the pebbles on the sign stopped.

             
“Squirrel, we need to communicate these issues before they become a problem.”

             
“No, Cal, we really don’t. There’s no issue.” I felt my fists clench as I raised my voice. “I made the call to save that guy instead of leaving him to bleed out on the side of the highway; Daemon disagreed and sucked him dry. Can’t be undone, so let’s do what we’ve got to do and stretch out before tomorrow’s drive.”

             
Pushing past the elder Undead, I drew my sword and marched to the lobby door. The thumping of shoes and the ring of other blades being drawn told me I wasn’t alone in my undertaking. I pounded on the door to draw out any Dead. Echoes of dry moans came out but that was all.

             
So there’s fleshies inside, but they are either trapped in the rooms or ridiculously slow.

             
I grabbed the handle to pull; a chilly hand covered mine.  I looked into those radiant eyes as I done so many times before.              “I’ll go first. I can take care of this and then we can talk, okay?”

             
I think I nodded because Daemon slid inside with a bowie knife and a forced smile. We waited and made small talk over the repeated thwack of skulls being split. Twenty minutes later a whistle carried down the hallway and reached us. A couple of people grinned and did the rest of the tune. I struggled for a second to place it.

             
From the Andy Griffith Show?

             
“All clear. Just got to drag out the remains and dust a bit and we’re good. Saw a couple of cans of food in a couple of rooms, too.”

             
He rubbed his hands on his jeans and held the door open for me. I led the group in and we went to work. As soon as we began to settle in, Daemon and Cal knocked on my door.

             
“Yeah, c’mon in guys. I was just starting next week’s donation schedule; not that we’ve needed one that often this trip.”

             
Cal took a seat next to me on the bed while his protégé plopped into the chair across from us. I peeked up at Daemons hands as he stroked his fingers.

             
He has such a light touch sometimes.

             
Pushing the thought from my mind, I met Cal’s gaze.

             
“Squirrel, what Daemon did was an emotional reaction out of fear for you. It also happened to be the correct thing to do.”

             
Both of our heads popped up.

             
Clearly I wasn’t the only one who thought they were getting scolded.

             
“Cal, I know he wanted to protect me, but...”

             
“I was right?”

             
The Roman held his palms up.

             
“Daemon, you were right to protect Squirrel; you were wrong to allow your emotions to control you so heavily. And Squirrel, your intentions we kind, but endangered everyone.”