Respect for the Dead (Surviving the Dead Book 1) (34 page)

“Do you think we can clear the bridge with one Forklift and a truck?  Trevor asked. 

“Damn I wish we had some two way radios.”  Hector grumbled. 

“I think there is an electronics store on the way to the bridge.  We could try there.”  Trevor noted. 

“Is it worth the risk?”  Beth asked tears streaming down her face.

“It would be good to be in communication.  We can watch each other’s back a little better.” 

“I don’t give a damn about talking to any of you I want to be somewhere safe!  We should never have left the apartment.  This was a stupid waste of time.”  Stancy finally had an opinion. No one answered her. 

Max fired into the crowd as he ran further away from the safety of the truck and Forklift.  Beth had tried to follow him, silly girl, didn’t she understand it was too late.  He blinked away the dizziness that threatened to overtake him.  He knew he was bleeding out and quickly, but he had to give them time.  Climbing up on a pile of pallets, he threw the empty rifle at an undead woman.  She barely noticed the rifle butt ripping away half of her scalp.  Max pulled out his service weapon and counted the shots. 

One.  The head of a man in a bathrobe exploded.  “Reminds me of my neighbor, that bastard never seemed to work.”

Two.  She may have been pretty when she was alive, but the gaping hole in the middle of her forehead and the way her skin hung sagging from several tears in her side made her undateable.  “Not that you probably would have gone out with me if I ever asked.”  Max grumbled and kicked away a dead hand that grabbed his ankle.

Three.  “Damn it.”  It tore through another man’s shoulder with not so much as a stagger backward.

Four.  “Yeah take that!”  The back of the ghoul’s head exploded showering the zombie behind it with blood and chunks of brain and skull.

Five.  “Oh man you look like my father.  He never liked me.”  The old zombie fell. 

Six.  A zombie that reminded him of a teacher.  Seven.  His captain at the precinct.  Eight.  His high school girlfriend.  He chose his targets well.  Each one that fell became someone in his life that he had never had a chance to tell how he really felt about them.  With each round the bitterness in his life seemed to ease.  He was getting tired and cold.  The deep stain on his uniform shirt had reached his belt.  The gun in his hand was getting very heavy.  He staggered barely able to keep standing. 

Nine.  “That will help them…Kept you bastards…occupied…but I will not join you.”

Ten.  Black.  Max’s body slumped down on the pallet.  The zombies stood, arms outstretched reaching for him.  A second ticked by, a moan grew from the crowd as they turned to follow where the truck had gone. 

              “Up there.  Turn left up there.  OK now go up about a block.  The electronics store is just ahead.”  Beth instructed Trevor.  He did as he was told pulling up to the smashed glass window of the small store. 

“Huh, even with everything that happened people still looted.”  Trevor grumbled.

              “Cover me.”  Hector called as he threw open the back door.  He hurried to the smashed window.  He was about to step over the low wall into the interior when he stopped looking down.  Beth watched him wondering why he stopped.  She was about to ask when she was distracted by Matt waving frantically from the fork lift.  He had his hands raised in a questioning manner.  Beth put her hand to her ear to mimic a phone then pointed at Hector.  Matt didn’t seem to get it until he saw what Hector was holding, a package holding a pair of two way radios.  Beth gave him a thumbs up.  He looked at the package and frowned then looked into the darkened store then back to the ground. 

              “What are you doing?”  Beth hissed but Hector either didn’t hear her or ignored her.  He kicked a few pieces of broken glass and an empty box aside. Then with a start he saw what he was looking for.  He held up a package of batteries.  Pulling his knife from the sheath at his shoulder he cut the packaging off the two ways. He tossed the batteries to Beth who opened them quickly.

              It took a few seconds to get the batteries in right and the radios to communicate with each other.  Hector ran one back to the fork lift, Matt hung out the door to grab it.  Hector ran back to the truck and keyed his radio.  “You guys hear me ok?”

              “Yep loud and clear, what is going on?”

              Hector explained that the way to the apartment was blocked and they were going to try to get the way to the highway cleared.  Devin agreed to the plan relayed through Matt.   “Did Max get away?”  Matt asked. The silence that followed answered his question. 

Devin took the radio from Matt.  “Trevor.”

“Yes Devin?”  Hector held the radio close to Trevor so he could drive. 

“Head up to Vine then take Ridgeview up to Cambira.  We’ll come to the interchange from the north.”

“Ridgeway?”

“Yeah it’s a block south of the Churches.”

“Oh yeah right.”  The truck rumbled up the road.

  Beth sat across from Gillian.  Gillian could feel Beth’s pain.  She watched the other woman for a moment before she asked, “You ok?”

“We’ve lost two friends in the last two days.  I’m just..”

“We’re going to get out of this.  I promise.”       

Several minutes later found them idling several yards from a mass of cars.  The bridge was empty past five or so cars that were blackened and still smoldering.  All that remained of the huge RV was its metal frame and engine. 

“This might not be as difficult as we thought.”  Devin clicked in.  “Beth I think it is time you took over.”  He finished. 

“Um copy that.  You and Matt will switch places with…”  Hector pointed to himself, “Me and Hector.  Give us like a minute.”  Hector made sure Gillian was ready with a gun before he checked his ammo and his weapon.  Beth did the same then threw open the back door.   Hector handed the radio to Gillian. 

“They’re on their way.  Leave the radio in the cab…thingy.”  They heard Gillian say as they jumped from the back of the truck.   

The smell of burnt rubber and meat was overpowering. Beth faltered as Devin ran past her to the truck.  Several creatures were moving in the burned out cars.  Then she noticed that many of the cars that hadn’t burned also had moving occupants.  Corpses still strapped into seat belts flung fists against glass or struggled to try to free themselves through broken windows.  Strips of flesh peeling off as they raked across shattered glass. 

“Come on!”  Hector pulled her sleeve.  It took just a second for Beth to remember how all the controls worked.   A zombie crawled up onto one of the burnt cars’ hood.  Its head snapped back and it fell off the car.  Hector checked his weapon.  He sighted in the next closest zombie.   

Devin’s voice came through the two- way.  “There are a lot of them out there we need to move fast.  I’m going to try to push some with the truck.  I’m handing the mic off to Jill.”  In the background they could hear Stancy starting to panic. 

Gillian now spoke through the small speaker.  “Beth you take out the barriers….” 

Stancy’s voice could be heard clearly.  “The road is clear we can just go, run for it.  They don’t move fast, if we sit here moving cars they are going to swarm us.” 

Gillian again, “If you take out that one…yes…then you have a clear shot at the thing that is the big hold up.”  She was referencing what was left of the RV. 

“Look at them all they are everywhere.”  Stancy’s voice was higher this time. 

“For all her bluster and arrogance she really is a wuss.”  Beth grumbled. 

“She’s not wrong though.  We need to get this done and quick.”  Hector pointed to a growing crowd of the undead on the other side of the barrier, and another group on the far side of the line of cars.  Beth positioned the lift forks under a small half burnt compact car.  

When the driver’s window was even with the cab Beth gave a cry.  The blackened thing inside was fighting against the steering wheel.   It looked as if the hands had become part of the melted plastic.  As it fought the arms broke free at the elbows.  It began beating its stubs against the door.  Beth moved the car to the edge of the bridge and dumped it into the swollen river below. 

They heard a crash from where Devin had slammed into the tangled mess breaking a few cars free.  Hector clicked the radio, “Be careful we need to be able to drive that thing out of here.”  Beth and Hector glanced at each other when they received no reply. 

Hector opened the door of the crowded cab and shot three zombies that had made their way too close.  The undead at the barrier were starting to fall over it one by one.  The far side of the cars couldn’t be seen because the horde was now on top of the cars.  Beth cleared another vehicle from the bridge.

The entire forklift was rocked as the armored car hit the huge rear wheel.  Hector fell forward slamming Beth into the steering column.  The truck she had just lifted fell off the forks as she pushed the controllers forward.  “What the hell?”  Beth coughed rubbing her chest. 

In the front window of the truck they could see why they had been hit.  Stancy was holding onto the wheel, Gillian and Trevor where trying to pull her off from the back of the truck.  Devin’s lip was bleeding freely. 

“Stancy Stop it!  You’re going to get us all killed.”  Hector yelled into the radio. 

Stancy was pulled away, her foot connecting with the side of Devin’s head.  Beth cringed watching it.  What happened next in the truck she didn’t know as the pounding fists on the side of the cab drew her and Hector’s full attention.  Hector pushed the door open to dispatch the zombies, “Get the bridge cleared.”  He ordered. 

Shot after shot rang out.  Beth had two cars to clear before a clear get away was open to them.  The pickup truck strained the forklift.   It was fused with the burnt body of the RV.  “Just move it enough for us to get around.”  Devin’s voice instructed.  “I think that If you just…What the…Jill grab her!  Stancy!” 

The back door to the armored car had sprung open.  Matt fell to the ground Stancy jumped down looking in all directions.  Hector fired at the closest zombies but more had already breached the barrier.  More fell over, pushed by those who had made it over the cars.  “Get back in the TRUCK!”  Hector called out.  Gillian was pushing Matt back through the doors pulling them shut behind her as Stancy ran this way then that. “Get over here!”  Hector yelled waving her over. 

Beth worked the pickup truck free pulling it out of the burnt RV.  When it finally broke free it had pulled the RV out of the travel lane.  “They’re clear they’re clear.” Beth called.  Jumping to the door of the fork lift she poked her head around Hector.  “Stancy get back to the truck!”  Beth pointed.  “The road is open.”

Stancy had not heard what Beth had said, but saw where she was pointing and began to run but then saw a few zombies blocking her path.  She turned and ran in the opposite direction then turned again.  She was now running away from the open road.  Beth pushed past Hector who called out, “What the hell are you doing.” 

“She may be insufferable but I will not let her die!” Hector started to follow but was cut off when Devin pulled between him and Beth.  She was now running to where Stancy was scrambling around trying to avoid the ever increasing mass of undead. 

The back doors of the truck swung open, Gillian hit the ground running.  She caught Beth in a second, painfully tackling her to the ground. Beth’s knees connected with the pavement.  Matt and Hector joined Gillian.  Beth was lifted from the ground and pulled backward.  Hector fired round after round into the horde.  Stancy was everywhere.  Hector called and called for her. 

“HELP ME!  HELP ME!”  Stancy screamed but never seemed to figure out where she was going. 

“We have to help her.  We can’t leave anyone else.”  Beth’s screams added to Stancy’s. 

“This way!"  Come back to the truck!” 

Zombies surrounded her.  The truck was the only way out.  Devin threw it in reverse.  Beth was thrown around in the back, she was still being held by Gillian and Matt.  Blood blossomed on Stancy’s arm.  More spread from her neck.  Her screams higher and higher in pitch.  Hector flung himself into the back of the tuck.  Stancy’s left arm separated from her body.  She called them horrid names until her throat was torn out.  The doors slammed shut.  Beth stared at the blood soaking through the knees of her jeans.   Devin pushed the accelerator down as far as it would go.  The supports of the bridge flew by barely visible.       

“Wow did you see that?”  Steve turned to Kate.  Her stunned expression told him she had.  A Truck and a Forklift had just rumbled down the road on the other side of the block. 

“Where do you think they are going?”  Kate asked. 

Steve made a quick map in his head and turned a few times to get his bearings.  “The highway, they are going to try to clear the bridge to the highway!” 

“Then we’ll have a way out of town.  We can get to the country side away from densely populated areas and have a shot.  What is it?”  Kate asked noting the look on Steve’s face. 

His face turned from excitement to concern to elation.  “That was Beth!  I bet anything that my little sister is with them!”  Steve yelped and swung Kate around in a hug.

“How can you tell?”  She laughed.

Still holding Kate in his arms he looked into her eyes, “I just know.  Beth would come up with a plan and she would have gone to the distribution center to find me.  That was one of our loaders.  I just know it was her.” 

Kate tried to keep the doubt from her face but didn’t accomplish it completely.  Steve saw this and loosened his grip.  “Trust me.  She’s with them.  You’ll meet her soon.”  His arms fell from her completely. 

Kate took Steve’s hands in hers, “I’m sure you’re right.  Let’s go tell Wes.”  Together they hurried down from the bell tower.  Kate tripped on the last step, Steve grabbed her arm to steady her.  She took his hand and did not let it go as they jogged down the hall.  Between the feeling Steve had that he had just seen his sister go by and the fact he was holding hands with Kate spread a huge smile across his face.  Bursting through the door to the church he was about to call out to Wes.  Wes was at the doors and slapped him hard on the arm and pulled then into the shadows.  The room was abuzz with voices.

“What’s up.”  Kate asked.  Wes shushed her and pointed to the knot of people by the front doors. 

“Settle down, settle down.”  Father Michael called from the top of three stairs that lead out the front doors.  “I know what you think you saw or heard but it is not a way out.” Several people grumbled including Steve, Wes hushed him again.  Father Michael called for quiet. 

“We are safest here.  No one, NO ONE should try to leave.  Not right now.”  Gun fire erupted from the distance.  “No please listen.   I pray they make it.  I pray they clear the way.  But right now they are calling all undead to them.  We need to stay here until it calms down.  Then we’ll send someone to check it out.  Please, please, just calm down.” 

“I do not like the way this is going.”  Wes muttered.  “You know who that someone will be.”

“We will stay here and we will wait.  We have all that we need.  There is no reason to go out there to lead them right back to us, to our sanctuary.”  The priest continued.

“Who would want to lead them back here?  Who?”  A woman cried from the back of the group.

“You go out there.  You find the way blocked, and you can hear how much trouble they are having, then you’ll try to get back here.”  Father Mike was almost in tears.  “Please just wait a little while, let it calm down.”  Several people protested loudly.

“I really don’t like where this is going.”  Wes said pulling Steve toward the pew containing their belongings. 

“Kate, get your stuff, quietly and have Bear meet us in the hall to the school.”  Steve whispered.

Wes and Steve walked quietly to their area.  Wes began to pack up everything as nonchalantly as possible.  Steve had just finished getting all of his gear together when Kate dropped her bag next to his.  “I think you are right.”  She said a little loudly causing Wes to jump.  “It will be safer if we were closer together.  Bear said he’d get us a new spot with more space for all of us.”  She pointed to where Bear had staked out a claim closer to the doors into the school.  Steve looked confused but Wes noticed a couple of the armed men who usual kept watch were looking in their direction then advance on the ever increasingly vocal crowd. 

“I don’t know what you are planning or who you pissed off, but you need to chill out.”  Bear muttered to the three of them. 

“We haven’t done anything yet.”  Wes hissed back. 

“Well I heard some of those new guys saying they needed to keep you two in line.”  Bear pointed between Wes and Steve, who exchanged shocked looks. 

“What did we do, other than save their asses?”   Wes demanded.

“It ain’t the regular folks we are talkin about.”  Bear grunted.  He nodded to the group of three guys that had arrived a couple of days ago.  “I know their type.  The one percenter kind.  You know dirt bag bikers.”  Wes smirked as he looked at Bear’s long hair and tangled beard.  The smirk vanished under Bear’s imposing glare.  “Listen guys, I like you, I do.  The thing is whatever you are planning you need to leave Kate out of it.  She is safe here.”  Bear stated.  He glanced back at the other bikers a look of concern crossed his face.  “For the moment.”   He pulled Kate a little closer. 

“Thanks, but I can make my own decisions and I don’t think I want to stay here.”  She patted the big man on the shoulder.  “I didn’t want to say anything but so far this place makes me uncomfortable.” 

“I thought you got over that once you realized this guy was ok.”  Bear slapped Steve on the shoulder. 

“Funny.” Kate grimaced.  “Seriously I think there might be too many people here.  I like the Father but he seems to be losing control.  Those guyshave been muttering a lot lately.”  Kate whispered to the others.

Wes looked nervously toward the door. “I know what you mean.  This place has really gone downhill since we got here. At first everyone was really grateful, but now many of them think, I don’t know what they think, but Mike is the only one other than Sarah and her husband that like us.”

Bear nodded and in hushed tones told them of his experience.  “Yeah those two cornered me.”  He motioned vaguely.  “They said something to me about, ya know, not being with them then I’m against them.  Whatever that means, but then they started looking over at Kate.”  Bear ran his hand over his beard.  “You know I think us getting out of here is starting to sound like a good plan.  Now I think on it.”  Bear grumbled as he glanced sideways at Kate. 

“I’m starting to wonder if their intentions are not on the up and up.”  Steve added but quickly stopped as footsteps approached.  The crowd near the front had dispersed amongst a lot of grumbling and dirty looks. 

“I was wondering if I might have a word.”  It was father Michael and he was looking right at Steve.

“Uh sure.  Be right back guys.”  Steve followed the Priest back to the rectory, through the doors and into an office. 

“I am losing these people.”  Michael said as he took his seat behind a large wooden desk.  “I can see what is going on and I am worried about your safety.”   

“Oh?”  Steve asked trying to keep his voice even.

“This will not last.  One hundred and fifty days I think.” 

“Seriously?  We’re Catholic we don’t believe in that.”  Steve started but Father held up his hand.

“Sorry bad joke. “  Mike rubbed his eyes.  “I don’t know what to do.  They are not happy about the provisions.  Some want to be down in the shelter, some want to leave.  Some think you are a threat and others think I will use you to keep them locked up.” 

Steve sat stunned.  He listened as the priest sat looking very tired.  “What do you think we should do?”  He asked. 

“I don’t know I just want you to be careful.  I know Wes has been going out, the problem is, I’m not the only one and people think he is going to, I don’t know get bit or bring them back.”  Mike sat with his head in his hands.  “I will not make you leave.  I will not ask you to stay, but first sign of trouble please run. I think we made a mistake letting certain people in.”  He ran his fingers through his hair.  “I just wanted to help…”  Steve started to speak, but Mike spoke over him.  “I am prepared one way or the other so please don’t think you need to protect me.”  He looked up.  “Steve, thank Wes for his help, and if there is a God may he look out for you.” 

Steve took the Priest’s hand, “May he protect us both.”  Returning to the group he looked from questioning face to questioning face.  He took a deep breath and explained everything he had just been told. 

“Are you serious?”  Kate stammered.  “That is…that is….”

“Freakin insane.”  Wes offered.  “He should go hide in the Shelter.  Lock em all out.  That would teach them.” 

“Let’s wait until most everyone is asleep and then let’s get out of here.”   Kate whispered. 

“I’m going to talk to Sarah.  Be right back.”   Steve mumbled.  Wes watched him go.  He saw Sarah and her husband talking to Steve.  She covered her mouth, her husband looked shocked.  He watched the gestures.  Wes frowned as he watched the hug between Steve and Sarah and the handshake between the men.  She waved at Wes who sadly waved back.  Steve sat down next to Wes.  He had tears in his eyes, Kate took his hand.  “Sarah wants to stay for the children.  She is going to see if Mike will sneak them all into the shelter.” 

The night passed slowly.  All around them they heard murmuring of the other survivors.  It was a couple of hours before dawn, Steve watched shadows dance from the candle light and listened to the silence of the room.  Finally he grew too restless to stay put and got up to take a walk. He had eased out of the church down the hall of the school.  Passing the door to the shelter he noted the addition of a guard to the locked door.  The man watched him the entire way down the hall. 

Steve turned the corner and peaked back around it.  The guard was looking right at him.  His attention was distracted by the door to the church opening.  Kate was coming down the hall.  She stopped and whispered something to the guard.  Steve saw the man noticeably relax.  He pointed down the hall motioning around the corner.  Kate patted the man’s arm and hurried down the hall.  Turning the corner she nearly collided with Steve.

“What was that all about?”  Steve hissed.

“That guy was way too paranoid, so I told him I was looking for my boyfriend.  We wanted to talk alone.”  Kate whispered as they continued down the hall.  “What should we do about him?” 

“I don’t know but I think this is as good as it is going to get in the way of getting out quietly.  We should collect Wes and Bear.” 

“So where is Wes?”  Kate asked. Steve immediately stopped, grabbed Kate’s arms and turned her to face him.

“Wes wasn’t in the church.  I swear he was sleeping when I left.” 

Kate reached up and pulled his hands to hers, “He wasn’t there when I left.  Bear was sleeping but Wes was gone.  I thought you were meeting with him.” 

“This isn’t good.”  Steve muttered.

“Just wait.  We don’t know what is going on.  He might have gone to the bathroom, or taken a walk or something.  He might be looking for a way to sneak out of this place.”  Kate reassured.   

Steve thought for a moment.  It was true, he had no reason to think that Wes had been taken or was even in trouble.  He had been eager to leave and could be doing just as Kate said, looking for a way out.  Relaxing slightly he became aware that he was still holding her hands.  He looked back into her bright blue eyes.  He kept staring into the depths of those eyes.  The space between them began to shorten.  Unconsciously he licked his lips and glanced at hers.  Kate’s eyes slid shut, Steve inched ever closer.  Kate’s eyes flew open, Steve spun on the spot.  Gunfire echoed down the hall.