Jacqueline Druga

SALVATION

RECAP

In one of five cryo labs, eight people wake from stasis. One of which is the president of the United States. They are the only ones out of a hundred who survive. They recall very little and have no idea how they got there. All they know is that they are in a lab and a clock on a door appears to be counting down.

Little by little their memories return and they recall all being in the same place at the time of the explosion. The president informs them that in order to cull population a virus was being released. Those in stasis were given an antidote and chosen to be preserved so they could ensure the continuity of mankind. Each poses a unique skill or ability. They were in one of five labs in the US. Their families were also to be given a vaccine. Originally they were to be sleeping for seven months, but things went awry and someone hit the rest button.

After the clock on the door countdowns, and an elevator opens, they ascend into a barren world. The president disappears and the seven others decide to split up, look for their families, find out what has happened and meet at a designated place. They travel by way of a solar buggy.

The length of time that they have been frozen is at first an unsolvable mystery. Some cities are buried by trees, others look completely normal.

They learn that not only have they been asleep for thirty years, but the virus was seasonal and every year it wiped out more and more of the population. No cure. No stopping it.

The government, in order to protect those who survive, construct a walled city where only those immune could reside. The city is called, Salvation. For fifteen years two million have lived there while the rest of the world wasted away.

THE CHARACTERS AND THEIR JOURNEYS

Nora and Jason

Nora and Jason paired off because both of their families lived in the Midwest. Nora, a comedic entertainer by trade is a mother of two and married. Her capture and stasis was a case of mistaken identity. She wasn’t supposed to be there and they believed her to be someone else. Jason is a television preacher and famous. He is also a married musician with a baby.

They discover an empty world and that Nashville was ground zero. Jason learns that his wife had remarried, but she and the baby died in a later wave of the virus. His home and housing plan had been a survivor camp for some time. When they make it to Nora’s home in Cleveland, it been is long since over abandoned and grown over. She learns her oldest daughter died, but her husband and youngest daughter were alive and well and living in Salvation.

Meredith, John and Grant

Meredith is a professor of theology, no spouse, no children. John is a famous novelist. It was at his award ceremony that everyone was taken into stasis. He is a father and husband. Grant is an unmarried musician. The three of them join up to search because all of them live in the North East.

En route they pass the remains of an aid station. There they gather information about the virus. They never are able to reach their families, because the entire northeast is a nuclear wasteland. The outcome of a war that broke out during the virus.

While in the wasteland, the trio encounters a violent group called the Wreckers. Offspring of those who lived in a radiated land. The wreckers are violent and slightly mutated. While John is sleeping, Grant and Meredith are snatched from their campsite by Wreckers. John wakes to hear Meredith screaming and he grabs a gun. He chases the screams and discovered that Grant has been murdered and Meredith was being violently raped. In an attempt to save her, John manages to kill several Wreckers, but not before they overcome him. He is sodomized and beaten.

He and Meredith awake in a home. An older man named Rusty found them on the road and brought them home to help. He tells them the story of the virus, Salvation and the Wreckers.

Malcolm and Amy

Malcolm is a computer genius and inventor. He fixed the solar buggies. At the time that he was taken to Stasis he was running a new security camera at John’s award. Amy is a solar weather expert, a mother and wife.

Both he and she head west to their respective homes. Not long into the journey, they run across a mentally unstable woman who kills Amy. Malcolm is forced to make the long journey alone. He needs to find his wife and children. Especially his oldest son, whom he fought with the day he disappeared. On his way, while moving a road block, Malcolm cuts his arm. The cut becomes infected and he increasingly grows ill. Eventually, Malcolm makes it to his home. It is in perfect condition, the large property is a farm.

He goes inside and there he find his oldest son Trey, who is the sole survivor of the family. Trey is older than Malcolm. He is glad to see his father and tells him all about what has happened and how many years have gone by. Trey tells his father that he works for Salvation and will take him there to get help.

ONE – REFRESH

Day Five AR

There wasn’t much reason to stay. Rather, there was no way to stay at her house. Aside from the fact that it was dangerous, there was nothing left except that letter.

Nothing.

Her husband Rick had taken anything of sentimental value. She wondered though if the last of her clothing and items were thrown away years before. After all, the date of the letter was fifteen years after she was placed into cryogenic preservation.

That was the date Salvation opened. Rick and Lilly, her youngest, had been accepted and gone there.

Problem was, Nora and Jason had no clue how many more years had passed.

“It’s apparently more,” Jason said with his thick southern accent. “I mean, if they just left, how did it get so overgrown?”

“Your place wasn’t.” Nora said.

“Not like this. Then again, it looked like my housing plan was a compound, survival place, or something.”

“So… my home, my town was abandoned longer than yours, and so far nothing was abandoned as far as Nashville?”

“We have to meet the others in Champagne. We have some time. Feel like looking for answers now that we found them out about our families?”

“Maybe the answers will tell us where Salvation is.”

“That would help. Who knows maybe the others know more than we do.”

Nora hoped that was a possibility. All those who survived the stasis process, split up to find information about their families. Each going different ways. All of them agreeing to meet in a small town in Illinois, three weeks from the date they left the center.

Nora and Jason found out about their families. With so much time passing, hope was fading fast.

They traveled by means of solar buggy, courtesy of a long gone NASA and their new technically brilliant friend, Malcolm who got the buggies moving. They had enough juice to keep going, or they could stay put.

Nora and Jason’s focus was on finding out about their families. They didn’t take into consideration much else. Now that their goal had been achieved they realized how uncertain the world was.

They needed a plan and a safe place to stay. While the sun was still bright in the sky they headed south back to Jason’s old home in Kentucky.

<><><><>

John was six hundred miles away from the place he called home, and thirty years removed. That was how long he and the others had been in preservation. From the time he woke up until he learned the truth every piece of the puzzle added more mystery. At first it was a mere seven months. Seven months for the deliberately released virus to claim the percentage of population it needed to, in order to help preserve life. Unless of course, like the message said, things went awry, in that case a reset button was used.

The problem was when they reset the project they didn’t attach a length of time.

Involuntarily placed into a project called ‘Genesis’ they woke at Marshall Space Center in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama to a barren world. The farther they walked from the base, the worse it grew. More and more vacant and overgrown. As if Marshal was one of the last places remaining.

There were nine out of a hundred that survived the cryo process. The president was one of them and he, last John knew, took an easy way out and rushed back to the lab to be part of decontamination and burned alive.

Dead now.

At least John thought. Of course, John was a writer by trade and his mind kept slipping to the fact that the president went somewhere else because he knew something they didn’t.

The remaining eight divided into three groups, each heading toward their home destination. Malcolm, a brilliant tech man, headed west with the weather woman, Amy. Jason, the preacher went north with party crasher, Nora. John headed east with Meredith, who was a professor, and Grant.

Grant was the youngest, a musician who was scared of a lot of things, but John didn’t listen to him. He chalked it up to Grant’s paranoia. He should have listened. They were attacked by post nuclear war mentally deranged humans, and Grant lost his life.

Rusty, an older survivor who helped them called the savage people Wreckers.

John hoped the others were having better luck finding their families and staying safe. Hoping they all kept true to their word, he and Meredith, after they healed some, would head out to meet them at the Champaign location.

Until he was well enough he humbly accepted Rusty’s invitation to stay at his home.

The single story dwelling was open planned. Walls removed probably to allow an easy flow of the heat from the huge potbelly stove in the center of the room. Draperies served as walls, blocking off the sleeping areas for privacy. The main portion of the simple home had a table, kitchen area, and workbench.

Rusty didn’t show any signs of starvation from the post nuclear and virus ravaged world. He had done quite well, he boasted. At sixty-four, he was strong, fit, and wise. He wasn’t granted access to the walled city known as Salvation so he made the best of his situation.

He told John he lost his wife to the virus on year eight.

Like the normal flu, the virus came annually, wiping out more and more of the population.

His son still carried his baby name of Scooter.

“There never seemed a reason to stop calling him anything else,” Rusty said.

The father son pair lived in a rural community filled with people who didn’t have a reason to travel west. Taking over abandoned homes they used the decades to grow.

Homes were close enough to meet the neighborly need, but far enough from each other to add a sense of privacy and seclusion.

They had drifted backwards living much like the early settlers, or as Rusty put it, “Little House on the Prairie era.”

He didn’t expect John to know what that was.

John did.

If he counted the years in stasis, John was seventy-six years old.

At that moment, he felt it.

Emotionally he was crushed and physically bruised more than he wanted to admit. The ambush by the Wreckers had taken its toll.

He watched Grant die and saw Meredith violently beaten and gang raped. He tried to help. He shot several of the Wreckers, but in the end he lost.

John was impressed and proud of Meredith’s fortitude. She looked horrible, but spoke and moved about naturally. While he himself couldn’t budge an inch without excruciating pain shooting from his legs to his abdomen.

Though he didn’t remember, John was certain by the pain he felt, like Meredith, he had been sodomized.

After waking he was able to speak to Rusty and Meredith, but dozed often. He was unable to keep conscious very long because of his head injury.

Before sundown, Scooter had summoned the local doctor, or medicine woman. She suggested that John not move much for several days and consume liquids that were gentle on his digestive system. She suspected he didn’t suffer internal damage, but his lower digestive tract needed to heal.

By evening he held his breath and bore the pain long enough so he could be moved to the back area of the house.

He dined on the broth of duck soup, fed to him by Meredith.

“You’re too kind,” he said to her.

“You’re my oldest friend in this world.”

“We’ve known each other what?” John smiled. “Thirty years?”

Meredith placed the spoon of broth in his mouth.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I am so sorry this has happened to you.”

“I’m sorry this happened to you, too.”

“Talk about a rude awakening.”

“We’ll get through this John,” She held out the spoon. “Open up.”

The broth was tasty, perhaps a little salty, but he enjoyed it. “Once I’m well we’ll head out to find the buggy then off to our meeting place. Rusty said the Wreckers don’t see well during the day and I’m guessing even if they found where we hid it, they wouldn’t know what to do with it.”

“Do you think the others are okay?”

“I hope so.”

“John, we have time before we have to meet the others. We were spared and saved. This world has definitely changed. Are you up to seeing how much?”

“A little post apocalypse sightseeing?” he asked.

Meredith nodded.

“Yes. Aside from my curiosity I think we need to know as much as we can about what happened to this world.” John replied.

Meredith lifted the spoon then dropped it back into the cup.

“What is it?” John asked.

“John… they had a reason to save us. Do you think that reason is no longer valid in this world?”

“They had a grand purpose in mind for us. Things are different now, but I believe we still will serve a grand purpose in this new world,” he said. “We just have to figure out what it is.”

<><><><>

Malcolm Lowe had always been told he was a pup He always looked young. The truth was he had looked thirty years old since he took his driver’s test. The officer giving the exam didn’t believe he was only sixteen. Then after that, Malcolm didn’t age. He never got carded… ever. He just failed to age. Even Nora and the others in the reservation tank of the Genesis project didn’t believe he was pushing forty.

Although Malcolm considered himself a young father it was even more true as he looked upon his oldest son who was pushing fifty.

Despite the physical age difference and appearance, Malcolm still saw Trey as his son.

A son he was grateful to find. It was rather easy. He had one goal and that was to get home. In a world turned upside down, overgrown, and barricaded off, Malcolm’s home was unscathed and kept up. He believed for sure it had new owners. Then again, Malcolm didn’t know how long he had been gone. Just that it had been years.

The only surviving member of his family was his oldest son. He not only maintained the home, but was also a source of production of food for a place called Salvation. A place Malcolm would soon see.

He didn’t want to go. He promised the others he would meet them. But Malcolm was injured en route to his home and the injury caused an infection that wasn’t far from taking his life.

Trey hid the solar buggy in the barn, stating they were only going to Salvation long enough for Malcolm to get well. He didn’t want to lose the buggy and that was a possibility once entering Salvation. He also raced three miles away to the neighboring farm to get the ID card from the farmer who lived there.

Just in case they asked for ID.

Rarely did they do that and if they did, Malcolm hadn’t been cleared. Then again, Trey planned on explaining to them about his father. It was an unbelievable tale, and a miracle.

Hopefully Salvation would see it as that.

Salvation ran more like a Socialist society than a Democracy.

Malcolm found their means of transportation interesting. Having always been infatuated with classic cars, Malcolm found the new vehicle to be a boxed shorter version of the classic El Camino. It was a very basic bland ride.

How did they still have transportation?

“Oh, gas stopped right away,” Trey told him on the drive. “Not long after the outbreak and war we depleted gas supplies. There was a lot of violence around gasoline, I remember that. I was lucky, I grew food, and it was a bit more valuable. We moved to horses for a long time. Then when the virus took a breather, or went into remission, science started developing a new means of travel.”

“Why did they never go solar?” Malcolm asked. “I mean, they had the technology.”

“I think it was easier to make new models or convert old ones,” Trey replied. “But not everyone had a vehicle. Essential services and food workers were vital so I was fortunate. The farm was deemed essential in the early days. Still is for that matter. We supply a lot of corn.”

“How many people live in Salvation?”

“Millions. Hard to say. It took a while but they’re pretty self-sustaining. It occupies four states. But don’t get me wrong there are still a lot of farms that deliver to Salvation. So we aren’t protected, nor vital. If we stopped delivering they would just go on without us.”

“I saw one person my entire journey here,” Malcolm said. “Are they all dead, or in Salvation?’

“They’re out there. Just a lot less and spread out,” Trey told him. “Salvation let people in that were immune. Then they closed the gate.”

“Gate?” Malcolm chuckled. “You make it sound like there’s only one.”

“Yeah, there is only one. I mean, there could be more. But only one real way in. I heard it said that if you find the wall coming from the east you could follow it for days and never find the entrance.”

“Is it really a wall?” Malcolm shook his head. “I’m sorry for all these questions.”

“No, it’s all right. It’s really a wall. It took a decade to build.”

“What’s outside of it?’

“I don’t know what’s west of the entrance or east, but I know it’s a graveyard from the front.”

Malcolm thought perhaps Trey was speaking metaphorically, as if before the wall was a dead world.

It was a long drive and Malcolm felt his strength leaving him. Trey talked a lot. Told him about life after Malcolm had vanished and did so quite comfortably. So much so that before he passed out with fever, Malcolm had to ask.

“I’ve been so swept up with finding you that I didn’t get a chance to ask. Does it feel strange calling me ‘Dad’? I mean, with me being gone and not aging. If it does, please feel free to call me…”

“No. I’ll call you Dad because that is what you are. Doesn’t matter how old I am or how young you look, you are still my father.”

He reached over and laid his hand on Malcolm’s. It felt good to Malcolm and he gave a squeeze to his son’s hand before resting back, closing his eyes, and giving into the wave of tiredness that swept over him.

He slept off and on in some sort of car trance. Malcolm knew he was still fevered. He shivered a lot and his arm ached from his fingers to his shoulder.

Just before they arrived at Salvation, Malcolm sat up and knew he wasn’t going back to sleep. He was in awe of what was around him.

His son didn’t exaggerate.

Miles before they arrived, before the wall could even be seen, were abandoned cars. They were on the road and in the fields, a sea of them. Mixed in were trailers and campers, packed tight with very little space in between. There was so many that they inhibited anything from growing. The cars were old and weather worn, with paint missing and windows busted. Sheets and coverings used as make shift curtains in car windows were tattered and torn.

“What is all this?”

“They called it hopeful alley,” Trey said. “For as long as I could remember there were rumors that they would eventually open the gate. So people came here for help, for a better life, and for hope.”

The main road was an old highway with a narrow pathway down the center that was clear. And then the wall of Salvation came into focus.

If there was a city behind that wall, Malcolm sure couldn’t see it. The wall was huge. Gray and tall, it was a solid, smooth concrete structure. To him it looked as if they were keeping out some sort of undead invasion.

The closer they got to it; he could see graffiti on the wall. He couldn’t make out what it said and while trying to, Malcolm’s attention turned to the human remains.

Skeletal remains started on the road, one here, one there and then every fifty feet there were more, until like a blanket of snow, high and thick, there was nothing but body on top of body.

“Stop!” Malcolm instructed.

Trey did.

Malcolm opened the door.

“Dad?”

Ignoring his son’s call, Malcolm stepped out.

Bones were everywhere, in pieces. He covered his mouth with his hand, turning left to right. His heart sunk to his stomach causing a sickening feeling. The bones, bodies, cars all extended for as far as the eye could see.

“Dad?”

“Oh my God, all these people,” Malcolm said. “All these people. Is this what they do with their dead?”

“No, all these people were trying to get in. They died waiting.”

Malcolm whimpered. He saw emptiness on the way to his home and the amount of death and devastation that occurred while he was in stasis was confirmed right there and then. It was a reality check he didn’t want to take in.

“You said the virus has been dormant for some time. Is the city still closed to people, or is the wall just symbolic?”

“No, they let no one in. They are their own entity now. To those born inside, everything out here doesn’t exist. To those who remember, this is a nightmare they want to forget.”

“So they never leave?”

Trey shook his head. “It may be an empty world out here, but it’s a beautiful one and they will never come out to see it.”

“Why?”

“Dad, they won’t let me in if it gets dark and I need you to get in the car. Please. You need help.”

Malcolm obliged. He got back in the car and wondered if they’d even help him. Trey was confident they would.

“Trey, you said they don’t leave. Are they allowed?”

“I don’t know,” Trey replied as he drove. “And I don’t know if they’d want to. It’s a different world in there. You’ll see.” He paused and stared forward. “You’ll see.”

Not a minute passed after his father got back into the car before he complained that he felt dizzy, he rested his head back and passed out. Trey double checked to make sure his father was alive. He reacted to touch but wouldn’t wake up. Worried, Trey picked up the speed to get to Entrance B of Salvation.

The main gate was located on Highway 71 south of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. The rocky terrain of the Wildcat Hills was the perfect gift from nature as a foundation source for the great wall of Salvation.

Actually, Scottsbluff was the first safe city. It started there. From that, the wall it spread further, until Salvation was not just a safe and infection free zone, but a country of its own. It was as if the United States of America moved behind a great block of stone. It gave new meaning to the age old reference ‘Fortress America’.

The main entrance, in Trey’s recollection, hadn’t been used in years. The service area for trucks was used frequently. An entrance used by farmers and those hauling fuel was two miles west of the main gate.

“Dad, we’re here,” Trey reached over to wake his father and he retracted his hand. His father’s skin was hot to the touch, too hot. “Your fever is up again.”

Opting to let him rest, Trey stopped the vehicle, stepped out and opened the first gate. It was a non secure gate to a link fence. After closing it he got back in his vehicle and drove to the entrance. It was a routine Trey did regularly. He entered his access code on the keypad then placed his hand over the scanner. The metal door beeped then slid open. It would beep for thirty seconds then the door would slide closed. Trey hurried inside the entrance tunnel lit by fluorescent lights. The short journey took him into the receiving area. A large closed in space that was similar to a warehouse. Going through there was a way into Salvation. Rarely did Trey go beyond that point. Only if he needed something inside Salvation did he go in. Usually he was there to just drop off products.

Typically the only guard on duty was there talking with a few other workers. It was a calm place that operated in an orderly fashion. Trey stopped at the gate to be let into the warehouse section. He noticed more movement with more men grouping off and talking. Something seemed odd. It seemed like there was some sort of event.

A younger guard, Tony, approached the vehicle. “Hey Trey, what’s up? You’re back pretty fast.”

“Emergency I discovered when I got home. I have an injured man,” Trey recalled. “Got tetanus I believe. Not sure. Snagged his arm on some metal. He just needs to see a doctor.”

“He alive?”

“Yeah, fever has him out.” Trey nodded his head forward. “What is going on? I’ve never saw so many people in here.”

“Yeah, you probably don’t know.”

“Know what?”

“Check this out. About two hours ago the former president arrived.”

“I’m sorry. The former president?” Trey was confused.

“I don’t have the whole story. It was the guy who was president decades ago. Supposedly killed in an explosion. Seems President Duncan’s wife was right. Swore up and down he wasn’t killed, but was hidden in stasis. Like frozen or something.”

Trey chuckled. “That’s silly. That’s the stuff in books.”

“Well, apparently this shit is real. He’s in quarantine now. Man there is gonna be a lynch mob after him and they’re trying to keep it calm in there. But people are upset.”

“Understandably. It doesn’t make sense. He just showed up?”

“Yep,” Tony said. “The news said there are others. They weren’t with him. They’re out there. All those responsible for causing the virus that ended the world. Bet balls to the wall SalCom will find them. Finally, those who remember it all will see justice.”

Trey whispered. “Yeah.”

“Sorry we are rambling and your guy needs medical attention. What’s his name?”

Trey looked at his father then reached down and handed Tony the entrance badge. “Don. Don Stanton. He’s my neighbor and works for me.”

Tony slid the card through the hand held device. “Good luck. Hope he feels better.”

The gate opened and Trey thanked him as he drove through. He hoped his father regained consciousness before they reached the hospital. Trey needed him to. He needed his father to know his name wasn’t going to be Malcolm Lowe. With all that was going on… it couldn’t be.

NORA’S ENTRY

After gathering all that we could, all that remained intact from my home, we made our way back out of my neighborhood. Jason and I were going to take the route around, as we did to find my home, but instead we walked through the city.

We did so out of curiosity and because we knew we wouldn’t arrive back to his Kentucky home before we had to stop for the evening. The buggy would eventually run out of juice and we’d have to make camp and have to delay morning departure while the buggy regained enough energy to start. Rather than doing that, we opted to just conserve what juice the buggy had and take off in the morning.

Like Nashville, Cleveland was one of the first cities to be closed down. At least it looked that way. But, unlike Nashville, Cleveland wasn’t quarantined; it was evacuated. Metal signs, rusted and worn, hung around the city. Some we could make out. Most of them reiterated for people to know their routes and exodus days. It was orderly.

No one remained.

Where did they go?

Why?

My husband and Lilly stayed behind long enough to get the letter of admittance into Salvation, then again, our neighborhood was slightly on the outskirts.

What we found was nothing less than a new forest and the houses were all that remained as the trees just took over.

There was still the downtown portion of Cleveland. Even though it was close to the lake, it had substantially more concrete, and a likelihood that it wasn’t as overgrown as the suburbs.

So we made a plan to loop around.

What else did we have to do?

A part of me hoped that perhaps we’d find life in the city. Jason wasn’t so optimistic or hopeful. He didn’t want to find people; he feared what they had become.

The city was overgrown, if anyone lived there, in his mind, there was no way they hadn’t become a savage part of the new jungle world.

As we walked the streets the newly emerged trees and foliage kept a comfortable shade over us. There was a large amount of humidity in the air. Anything metal had rusted, and moss and mold grew everywhere. Despite the fact that the sidewalks were overgrown, the base was slick with slimy algae. It squished beneath our feet as we walked.

It was evident that things went down long before the city was evacuated. This was clear when we walked through the Gordon Arts District. People had made a home out of the Public Theater. There were barrels inside that had been used for heat and lanterns remained, even though they too were covered in algae.

A pictorial documentation of what happened.

Things shut down, no lights, no heat, no internet.

I wondered how they got information?

How long did people huddle together to survive before they were permitted to leave the city?

So many questions. Very little direct answers were to be found but there was always the morning when we headed back to the car to try to find out more.

We set up camp for the night finding a safe and dry spot on the third floor Starbucks of the Cleveland Westin. Neither of us were tired, nor did we want to stop. But it just grew too dark to continue on.

TWO – ENTRY

Day Six AR

The reality was, if they didn’t find Salvation, Nora knew they’d have to come up with a plan for food. From what she estimated, they had enough for two weeks. That was it. She counted while Jason slept, wanting to get an idea of what items they had.

The meeting date with the others was still eleven days away. Just like planning to meet in Champaign, Illinois; they had to plan where they would get food.

One thing was for certain, deer were plenty. They had seen so many and they were brazen as well. So used to living in a world void of people they no longer feared man.

Assuming the water in the lakes was good there was always fish too.

Jason slept hard, barely moving, but Nora had been up for a while. She gathered the items they’d carry and put them in the Rite Aid cart. If booze was one of the basic food groups, they’d be fine.

Kentucky was on their schedule. They would head back to Jason’s home for a few days then on to their meeting place. If they arrived first, that would give Nora and Jason time to think about survival and the things they would need. Realistically, Nora and Jason would get there first. After all, Malcolm and Amy went West. John and Grant, along with Meredith, headed North-East. Geographically, they were closest.

It was time to go/ However, Jason was still out like a light. Lying on his side on the sofa. Nora hated the thought of calling out to wake him so she dropped a bag and it rattled then hit the floor with a huge ‘bang’.

Jason jolted, rolled, fell off the couch and landed face first on the floor.

“Oh my God, I am so sorry,” Nora hurried to him. “Are you okay?”

Jason groaned. He lifted himself to his knees and kept his head down. “Define okay.”

“What’s wrong?”

“This…” Jason stared at the floor. “Is what a hangover feels like; I forgot.”

“You need hydrated.” Nora extended a bottle of water to him.

“You’re okay?”

“Oh, I’m fine.”

“How is that possible?” Jason sat up, but leaned with this back against the couch. “I saw how much you drank.”

“I don’t know. It was brown liquor. I tend to have a high tolerance to brown liquors.” She shrugged. “You on the other hand, have no tolerance.”

She watched him chug the water and then she extended two tablets to him. “Take these, they’ll help.”

“Thanks.” He grabbed them and then started looking around.

He scurried awkwardly on his hands and knees. “What are you looking for?” she asked.

“Ah ha!” He pulled forth a bottle.

“Whoa. Whoa.” She reached for it. “That’s not water. It’s vodka.”

“I know.” He uncapped it and took a long drink.

“Jason?”

“Best way to not be hung over is to drink.”

“That’s not true.”

He took another drink. “Oh, yeah? Then why am I feeling better?”

“Even if it did work it wouldn’t happen that fast.” She snatched the bottle from his hand as he brought it to his lips a third time.

“Hey.”

“Suck it up. Man up and let’s go.”

“Man up?’

“Yeah, man up.” Nora repeated. “I’ll be right back I want to grab one more thing. What is up with you? Talk about a complete one eighty.” Shaking her head, she grabbed the flash light and walked from the lounge.

‘What is up with you?” Nora’s question played over in Jason’s aching head. He sat with his face buried in the palms of his hands, feeling so sick, he would more than likely say he was never drinking again. But Jason knew that wouldn’t be the case.

He would drink.

He knew exactly what was up with him.

Realization.

Walking through the ruins of Cleveland he realized it was over. Things were done, gone and different, and unless the reset button also had a reset on time, there was no going back to the life he led.

His wife and child were gone. Even if they weren’t, even if he was released a year after being placed in stasis, he would have lost his wife. She married quickly, which told Jason, even if he never was part of the Genesis plan at all, he would have lost her.

He was heartbroken. His baby girl that he barely got to know was no longer a part of his world. He was also fueled by anger because he didn’t get to resolve his life. That life, not only was never resolved, it went on without him.

Jason had finally gotten his life in order. He did a complete one eighty, he was living the dream and now it was turned into a nightmare.

Fifteen years before he went into the deep freeze his life was different. Completely different. If someone would have told him that not only would he be playing music for Christ, but that he would lead a multimillion dollar network congregation on a faithful path, Jason would have laughed.

That Jason disappeared as soon as he believed in what he was doing.

He was playing in a bar band when the network executive came in to wait for a tow truck. He loved the way Jason looked, how good he sang and played guitar, and the way the audience responded to him.

He started as a guitar player for the Sunday Service worship band. But people took notice, they wrote in asking, who was that guy on guitar?

Each month Jason was more out front, until they wanted him to preach. Could he? Of course, he could, he had watched the others. He would ‘play’ the part.

Then not only was he playing the part of preacher, he was living it. Setting an example for others. It was difficult at first, living under the Christian spotlight. Until he finally believed in what he was doing. He saw the good in it.

Now all that was gone.

The million followers were victims of a deliberately released virus. A world torn asunder. A world he preached that God would save, was abandoned.

It took two weeks after wakening to realize that, but Jason did.

Finally.

Then the old Jason quickly wanted to come back. So he drank. He didn’t care. No one cared what he did. Which made him come to another realization. Drinking didn’t really help a hangover.

He stopped, but it would be only for the time being. Jason was certain he would drown himself in booze again, the next chance he got. Drinking was easy. It was easy before in his life when he had nothing, and it certainly was now with everything gone.

<><><><>

Salvation was under lockdown. It was only the second time that Trey could recall it ever happening. The first, he couldn’t get in. Now he was inside and couldn’t get out. No trade occurred on the streets, shops were closed, a strict sundown curfew was in effect.

He assumed it was because rioting and demonstrations started in the streets over the arrival of the former president. A man believed to be dead for thirty years. At the first sign of disruption, Salvation Command locked it tight.

Trey was preparing to leave the hospital when it occurred and was told to stay. His father was in and out of consciousness. The doctors examined him, operated to remove an infection pocket. They ran intravenous fluids into his arm and a course of strong antibiotics. The antibiotic treatment would be ongoing for three days before his father could leave.

Or rather, according to the medical staff… before Don could leave.

Trey didn’t stay in the room, not the entire time. It would look suspicious, especially after having lied about his father’s identity.

He wanted to stay until his father was well enough to speak to, but he stayed unconscious. It got to the point that Trey had to leave without rousing suspicion as to why he was hanging out diligently with a neighbor.

He spent the night in the first floor lobby, since he couldn’t leave until daylight. When he was able to, he went back to his father’s room, telling the nurse he just wanted to check on his neighbor before heading home.

His father was still sleeping.

“Hey,” Trey whispered shaking him. “Hey.”

Groggy, His father opened his eyes. “What happened? I missed the arrival.”

“I can’t stay long. But… You’re here and getting well,” Trey told him, speaking softly.

“What’s wrong? You seem antsy.”

Trey exhaled. Was it showing that much? He walked to the door, listened to hear if anyone was outside then moved to the bed continuing to speak softly. “Look at your hospital ID.”

Malcolm squinted. “It’s blurry.”

“It says Donald Stanton.”

“Why?”

“I had to give a false name.”

“To get me in here?”

“In a sense. Just… whatever you do. Remember, do not tell them who you are.”

“What’s going on Trey?” His father asked.

“Dad…. When you were in that experiment, was the president there?”

“Yeah,” his father groaned, attempting to sit up. “But he died. He committed suicide.”

Trey shook his head.

“He didn’t? Trey, he went back down. He went down to the decontamination.”

“Did you see him die?” Trey questioned.

“No.”

“He’s here. And it’s not good. I don’t know what he was told, or believed before it all went down, but while you guys slept in your ice beds, the world blamed him as the one that started the plague. He emerges, tells people he was frozen, the world now has someone to punish for the virus.”

“That’s what’s happening?”

“I think so. They went into lockdown. There are riots. I just wanted you to know you’re my neighbor, ok?”

“Yeah.”

“I gotta go.” Trey placed his hand on his father’s leg. “I’ll be back, Don.” He smiled.

“I’ll be here.”

Trey turned.

“Trey?” His father called out. “Anything else I should know, in case they ask?”

“You make valves for the machines that process the corn oil. That’s it. You live alone. Kind of a hermit. Haven’t been in Salvation since they opened the walls.”

“Got it.”

Trey conveyed another smile, walked to the door and opened it.

To his surprise two Salvation Command guards stood there wearing not only their black combat uniforms, but cloth facemasks as well.

“Trey Lowe?” One spoke. “I’m Lieutenant Landstrom of SalCom. Do you have a second?”

Nervously, Trey replied. “Yes.”

Landstrom reached back and closed the door.

“What’s going on?” Trey asked.

“How well do you know Mr. Stanton in there?”

Trey had to think fast. Just on the outside chance they looked at the picture ID of Don Stanton. He replied, “Not very. We’ve never really spoken. He delivers his parts to Mr. Diaz. He lives three farms over.”

“How did you come to bring him here?”

“He showed up at my house extremely sick.”

“With his ID?” Landstrom asked.

“Yes, I guess, he was injured.” Trey said. “Am I in trouble for bringing him?”

“No. Sir, are you aware that the former president has arrived and claims to have been in a cryogenic stasis during the past thirty years?”

Trey nervously laughed. “For real?”

“Very much so. He also claims several others survived with him. We believe that man in there is one of those people.”

Trey didn’t reply.

“We came to ask for your help in finding out who he really is.”

“Absolutely,” Trey said.

“Thank you. But first, we need you to come to quarantine.”

“What? Why?”

“We have reason to believe,” Landstrom said. “He may be highly contagious.”

THREE – EMERGE

Malcolm felt better. He was groggy during his talk with Trey, but once the fog cleared from his head, he felt stronger. The fever that beat him down was gone.

He listened to the voices outside of the room. Trey spoke to someone. Malcolm couldn’t make out the words. He sensed it wasn’t good, especially after the news Trey delivered. He guessed it wouldn’t be long before someone came into his room. If Trey was covering up Malcolm’s identity, surely it wasn’t a doctor going over Malcolm’s condition with him.

His arm was attached via tubing to an intravenous bag, but other than that Malcolm was mobile and he wanted to take advantage of that. He missed the entrance into Salvation. More than anything he was curious about the world set behind a wall.

What type of city was it thirty years in the future? Nothing in the room was ‘futuristic’. Of course, Malcolm learned from the Back To The Future movies that thirty years was a mere blip. There was a chance technology wasn’t zooming ahead. He remembered seeing the movies and waiting for all the cool stuff that the movies predicted. In a sense, a lot was accurate, but on a smaller scale.

Still alone in the room, voices outside continuing, Malcolm removed the sheet, swung his legs over the bed and stood.

The window was close and Malcolm wanted to look out.

He wanted to see, at least a part of, Salvation.

He parted the blinds ever so slightly, like a nosey neighbor trying not to be seen. What Malcolm did see surprised him. He wasn’t many floors up, maybe three or four and his view was stilted. There were no cars, no exterior motor noise, very few people walked the streets. He didn’t know what city he was in, but it looked to Malcolm like a small town. Those structures still remained, almost like a relic or museum. Beyond the original buildings were multitudes of the same gray building. All four stories high, all square, plain. They were simplistically constructed. Those, Malcolm imagined, were erected in the preparation years and more were added as population grew.

It was all speculation from what he saw, which wasn’t very much. It was all very old fashioned, yet futuristic.

He turned with a jolt when his door opened and a man in biohazard gear entered the room.

“We are going to need you to step back and into bed please.” He said.

“Everything okay?” Malcolm asked.

“Please return to your bed.”

Not one to disobey orders, especially since he was the ‘alien’ in the new foreign world, Malcolm retreated to his bed. Once he sat upon it, the man signaled at the door. Four more people entered, all dressed the same in protective gear.

They moved quickly, sealing the windows with plastic, covering everything including vents. Around his bed, they erected a tent. While doing so, no one spoke to him.

Malcolm didn’t need to be a scientist or doctor to realize he was being placed in some sort of quarantine. But why?

He only knew that whatever the reason, it wasn’t going to play out well.

His heart sunk and he cursed the injury that brought him there. Something in his gut said that for him it was going to be far from Salvation.

<><><><>

Rusty made John and Meredith a care package. Not that he wasn’t escorting them to Wrecker land to find their buggy, he was. But he knew they weren’t coming back with him. That’s what he told them.

“That’s big,” John commented when Rusty showed him the old duffel bag as he loaded it in the back of the cart.

“Ain’t all,” Rusty lifted a box. “Made you a humdinger of a care package.”

“Is that so,” John said.

“We really appreciate it,” Meredith added.

“I know you two have your stuff. But this is good stuff. Important. Things you’ll need.” Rusty opened the bag and box some, then indicated that aside from the revolver size crossbow, which John likened to an old nerf gun dart shooter, he gave them marijuana and moonshine. “Won’t get stuff like this anywhere,” He lifted the jug. “Best this side of the straits of the Waste.”

“Straits of the Waste,” John repeated. “Obviously referring to the post nuclear wasteland.”

“You got it.” Rusty winked.

<><><><>

The horse drawn buggy ride was bumpy and long. John wondered how he never woke up even briefly after his attack. It was a different view of everything, especially with Rusty giving the narration of each step.

“All this here,” Rusty pointed out. “Was a mall. The mall then became a medical camp. After that, it was tore down. Yep. I can remember as a boy coming here and stealing food.”

Meredith said, “it had to be difficult for you.”

“We did what we could. Houses used to be closer. There used to be grocery stores. I think the only thing that is better is pockets of humanity.”

“What do you mean?” John asked. “You’re talking about those who survived?’

“No, those who survived and are good people. They kept their humanity. Neighbors help neighbors now. Not a lot of hate.”

“That’s one good thing,” Meredith said.

They moved along for a bit further until Rusty pointed out and announced, “This is where I found you.”

“Were we just out in the open?” John asked.

“No. Not at all. Wouldn’t have looked had I not seen a dead Wrecker. Usually they take their dead, they must have missed him.” Rusty pulled the buggy to a stop and climbed out. “Do you recall where your own mobile is?”

John stepped out and looked around. “Back there.” He pointed.

“So you hid it?” Rusty asked. “Think the Wreckers got to it?”

“Yeah, but we have a secret compartment and Grant, the man that was with us, he was so paranoid about someone attacking us he hid the battery cell.”

Meredith asked. “John, if they didn’t get the battery cell, how are we gonna charge it enough to start the buggy. It’s been a few days.”

“Chances are it’s charged. It wasn’t buried,” John replied.

“Wreckers could have got it,” Rusty said.

“Doubtful,” John replied. “They wouldn’t know what to do with it.” Tromping over what foliage there was, John uncovered the buggy.

The stuff that was hidden under the back seat remained. He then scoured the area for the mark on the stump. Grant had marked a broken tree stump to show where he hid the battery cell.

Sure enough, it was there. John grinned and held it up.

“So is this goodbye?” Rusty asked. “I mean you got your vehicle and energy contraptions. What happens now?”

Meredith stepped to Rusty. “We tell you how grateful we are for you and even though we are leaving, I’d like to ask if we can come back and see you after we meet up with our friends. We’re gonna need to settle somewhere and I think this area is perfect.’

“I’d like that. You have the map. Don’t lose it.” He shook his finger at them in a lighthearted way.

“We won’t.” John then embraced Rusty. “I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you. I will never forget what you have done for me.”

“Come back and visit, let me know if you ever found Salvation.”

That was all Rusty requested. He gave them his version of a care package and brought Meredith and John to the solar buggy then he stayed and helped bury Grant, then watched as they pulled away.

John kept peering back in the mirror until Rusty faded. “Ready?” John asked Meredith.

“As ready as I can be.”

“Where to first?”

Meredith looked down at the map. “At least twenty miles from here. Then we’re safely out of Wrecker land.” She glanced back down to the map and the section marked with a ‘W’. “I hope.”

<><><><>

It was a good day. The weather was clear and Rusty wanted to enjoy the ride back to his home. At the pace he set it would take a good hour or so, but that was fine. He had a bit of a headache and hoped the fresh air would do him some good. He had been stagnant in his home since the arrival of his guests. Or rather the two people he found and helped. There was something strange about them, they claimed to not know anything. Hinted that they were in some sort of experiment that had them sleep for decades. To Rusty, they were either very clever and creative, or they were telling the truth.

The fact that they went into Wrecker territory told him a lot.

No one knowingly goes into Wrecker World.

He liked John and Meredith. Although John seemed stuffy, he was a nice guy. Rusty hoped they wouldn’t leave. If indeed they just woke up from some sort of refrigerator cooling system, they weren’t prepared for the world. The fact that they had been attacked and violently sexually violated told Rusty that. Had it not been for them needing to meet their friends, Rusty would have encouraged them to stay. Learn a little of the new world.

As they went their separate ways, in complete opposite directions, Rusty kept looking over his shoulder to the odd sun mobile they rode. In his mind, he wished them luck just one more time.

About twenty minutes into his journey, maybe about ten miles, he spotted it. The sun beat squarely down at Rusty casting a haze over his vision. He tipped his hat to shade his sight and pulled on the reins to lower the speed.

“Well, look at that,” Rusty said as he neared the figure on the road.

The person walked slowly, nearly staggering, but by the size of him, Rusty knew, even from a distance it was a Wrecker.

Wreckers had eye problems and didn’t see well at all in the sun. Hence, Rusty believed, why he staggered.

He was a huge son of a bitch, Rusty thought, bigger than most he had seen.

What was he doing out not only in the day, but in an area not quite dirty, dusty and dead, like Wrecker Land? Maybe he was in the shade, trying to make his way. Lost.

Whatever the case, Wreckers were dangerous. Rusty didn’t worry about being hurt. Even with a bad knee and hip, he could dart out of the way. Especially on the open road under a bright clear sky.

Another pull of the reins, the horse ‘neighed’ and the Wrecker stopped, then looked around. His hand was on his stomach and the other reached out.

The Wrecker made some sort of noise. As if he were calling out.

It carried to Rusty, louder and stronger as the Wrecker stood in one place waving out his extended hand.

Was he thinking he was gonna attack? If Rusty didn’t know any better, he would have sworn the Wrecker was trying to get help.

But Rusty knew better.

He reached behind him for his cross bow and made sure it was loaded and ready to go. Rusty needed one shot, one shot only, but even as good of a shot as he was, he had to get closer. The sun distorted his vision.

“Easy boy,” Rusty said to the horse and stepped from the cart.

The Wrecker didn’t move.

“What are you doing in these parts?” Rusty asked.

The Wrecker reached out.

“Can’t see me to attack. Can you now?”

Another groan and again, the Wrecker swung out.

Rusty was about fifteen feet away, but in order to make it a clean shot, one that would kill, he had to get closer. Just as he hit a distance of eight feet, he raised the weapon, prepared to fire, when the Wrecker, just dropped to the ground.

Was it some sort of ploy? Rusty still planned on killing him and lowered his aim. He would have killed him had the Wrecker not started to shake. His body convulsed slightly and the Wrecker coughed. He coughed in a choking manner.

“What the hell?” Rusty lowered his aim, still keeping his distance.

Once more the Wrecker reached out, then his arm dropped and he went still.

Rusty gave it a moment in case it was a trick. When he realized the Wrecker was dead he stepped closer.

Had the Wrecker been injured days before by John and had been wandering the whole time? Maybe he got lost and starved.

Rusty stood closer and the second his own shadow cast over the Wrecker, he realized what happened.

The Wrecker, like all his kind, had smooth skin, no hair and a slightly elongated head, like a Neanderthal. His nose was wide and flat, a thick substance formed at the base of his small nostrils. His lips were big with a clef that exposed his larger teeth and gums. His mouth was open and from it was more of the thick greenish substance.

However, more than his mouth and nose, it was the eyes of the Wrecker that said a lot. Eyes that always bulged were so red they looked black. His eyelids were encrusted with what looked like scabs and around his thick neck were glands so swollen and purple, they had grown so big, they were splitting the skin.

The Wrecker wasn’t lost or injured, the Wrecker was sick. He died from what ailed him. If Rusty didn’t know any better, he would sworn it was the virus. But that was impossible. It had been dormant for nearly ten years.

Nonetheless, whatever it was that killed the Wrecker, scared Rusty.

FOUR – LOOKING BACK

It was going to be a long trek, time wise to get back to the buggy, but at the speed Jason walked, Nora wondered if they’d make it out of the city before dark.

He dragged. Typically he didn’t, was there something on his mind?

She was able to find a couple of those two wheel carts that had a handle like wheeled luggage. They weren’t in the best of condition, but she cleaned them up and packed them with items she took from the Westin and other items she picked up. They moved easier and carried more than the plastic drug store cart.

She pulled one cart, pen in mouth, map in hand, duffle bag over her shoulder while Jason pulled the other with the guitar over his shoulder. He walked a few feet behind her.

She paused, looked down at the map, pulled the pen and marked off landmarks. It was a tourist style map with businesses marked on it. It was far easier for her to keep track of where they were and where they were headed by landmarks. She marked off another.

Remnants of landmarks were easier to spot than street signs.

“Chernobyl.” Jason said.

“Oh, he speaks.” Nora turned around. “What did you say?”

“Chernobyl. I remember looking at pictures.” He paused and took a sip of water. “I remember in school we learned the eco process.” He walked and caught up to her. “I distinctively recall my science teacher telling me. ‘Look at an empty field. In five years you’ll see this, in ten you’ll see that’.” He shrugged.

“A lot of factors play into what would be overgrown. At least I think…”

“Theoretically and scientifically, this should look like Nashville. Then again, not everyone left Cleveland. Some stayed. We saw that. But Chernobyl, at least the pictures didn’t look like Nashville. No one lived there. Maybe they did and we just didn’t know. Mutants and such.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Jason.”

“Just idle conversation, I guess. Now that my mind unlocked a lot of stuff.”

Nora felt a little jealous. “You’re remembering?”

“Yeah, the bits and pieces are no longer like memories of movies, I know them now as my life. You?” Jason asked.

Nora shook her head. “My full memories don’t really start until my twenties. Hell, I nearly didn’t remember I was in the service.”

“They’ll come.”

“I hope. I want to remember my parents.”

“What if you remember stuff you wish you wouldn’t?”

Again, Nora stopped walking. “That was a really odd thing to say. Did you?”

Jason pouted and shrugged. “Conversation for maybe later.”

“You’re on. Since we don’t have anything else to do.”

“There’s always Yahtzee.”

“Yeah, you did find that.” She smiled.

They walked for another hour, keeping the idle chitchat alive until they arrived at the lot where they had left the Solar Buggy. They had hidden it behind a building near the overpass and barricade. Roads were too overgrown to drive on.

Nora set down her things and cleared the brush that she used to hide the buggy.

“See, from here…” Jason said.”It looks like Nashville, buried. But when you go in, it’s not as overgrown. Like the pictures of Chernobyl.”

“Oh my God, let the Chernobyl thing go and help me out.”

“I’m sorry. Here, I got this.” Jason walked over. “Take a break. I’ll load the buggy.”

“Thanks.” Nora exhaled and stepped out. The lot was like its own mini wooded area, the concrete lifted in a lot of places. Cars and work vans were left behind. Company property that just stayed when people left. The red building itself was partially buried. Jason was right. Cleveland didn’t look like Nashville because people stayed in Cleveland and just when the annoying thought of Chernobyl hit her she got a good look at the work van. It was wedged in the midst of tall trees. She moved the bushes and walked to the van.

“What are you doing?” Jason asked. “That won’t work for us.”

She grabbed her bottle of water, put some on her hand and smeared it on the back of the van just under the window.

“Nora?”

Without answering or acknowledging Jason, she pulled forth the duffle, grabbed one of the shirts she found at the Westin, wet it down and continued to wipe the rear door. Just a section of it. The license plate.

“Nora?” Jason called her name nearly laughing.”Why are you washing the van?”

“What was the name of Malcolm’s Bio Cam Company in Cleveland? The one that had the footage. Remember he said, the footage from the ball room went to his headquarters in Cleveland.”

“I remember that. I don’t know the name of his company.”

“Do you know his last name?”

“No.” Jason shook his head.

“I do. I remember it from the Genesis units. His name is Malcolm Lowe.” She exposed the back of the van and the name painted on it. “Lowe Metro Security. Bet me this building is it.” She pointed. “The registration on the van… year after we went into stasis.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? For real? This doesn’t excite you?”

“Should it?” Jason asked.

“Yeah, it should. For Malcolm it should.”

“Cool. I’m excited. What now?”

Nora smiled. “Let’s go in.”

<><><><>

Because he resided outside the walls of Salvation and lived pretty much a hermit’s life, Trey was permitted to leave without quarantine. It was believed and known that he would have minimal contact with anyone else. He was asked though to check in using the sky method. The sky method was a means of communication utilizing the old servers and remnants of what was left of the internet.

The word quarantine didn’t sit right with Trey. It bothered him. Were they quarantining his father for fear he would catch something or that his father had something? Trey knew that it didn’t make any sense. If they placed his father in a stasis situation to ensure that mankind would continue on, wouldn’t they give him some sort of cure? An inoculation? Even Trey and his family were given such a vaccine.

He remembered the day well. A group of four men arrived at the house with government identification, but it was an organization Trey never heard of. Then again, he was still a teenager so he didn’t pay attention to that sort of stuff. They were still in shock and experiencing fresh grief over his father’s passing. That was when Trey initially believed his father had died. It was a short-lived belief. The four men triggered disbelief.

When they came, they told his mother that just before Trey’s father left for New York he had been exposed to Typhoid on a recent trip to Puerto Rico. His father had been in Puerto Rico for three days and wasn’t ill, but then again, he went straight to New York after his return.

They vaccinated the entire family.

Up until his father returned, Trey always believed that he received a shot for Typhoid.

But it was the visit of those men that prompted a mental episode in Trey that took him on a different path of grief than his family.

His last encounter with his father was not pleasant. While the others embraced him goodbye, Trey fought with Malcolm.

“But you just got back,” Trey said, watching his father pack.

“I know. I know. Weren’t you listening? This is top secret. I told you about it. This experimental unit can be my retirement. My legacy.”

“I thought we were your legacy.”

“Yeah, well, this legacy will pay for college,” his father said.

“You’re an absentee parent.”

“Really? Really? An absentee parent?” His father laughed. “Pretty mature words coming from such an immature guy.”

“I take care of everyone when you’re not here.”

“And this is a short trip.”

Trey shook his head. “Why don’t you stay in New York?”

“Yeah, well, maybe I will.” His father shut his suitcase and walked out.

Those were the last words he spoke to his father.

Don’t come back.

I won’t.

He didn’t.

That conversation was the very reason no one believed Trey that his father was still alive. They said it was his guilt talking. It was something else, but Trey just couldn’t say what it was.

He retreated to his room often and was obsessed with the story of the explosion at the hotel. He read every article, opinion piece, and participated in social media groups. When a video emerged of hotel surveillance, Trey watched it over and over despite the warning that it was graphic.

Where was his father?

They showed a ballroom, but he didn’t see his dad.

“Maybe that’s not a bad thing,” his mother said.

Not that Trey wanted to see his father blow up, but a part of him needed that resolution, as sick and twisted as it sounded. Plus family members of the others were saying they didn’t spot their relatives either. Trey wasn’t the only one.

Then within a week of getting that vaccine, the conspiracy theories started. People claimed it was an inside job, done on purpose, and amidst the conspiracy stories, the outbreak began.

The president’s widow insisted her husband was alive.

It happened so fast; his world was turned upside down. Still, he watched that surveillance footage from the hotel over and over.

Was he that blind with the grief that consumed him, that it took his sister’s words to realize what he had to do?

“You should just go to Cleveland, Trey,” she said.

“For what? The virus is there.”

“Uh… did you forget why Dad was at that hotel?”

Trey did. The invention of the century. The legacy. The bio cam.

“Size of a golf ball. Nice thing is, not only will the footage be on the computer at the hotel. It goes to the government and…” Malcolm winked. “We backlog it secretly at our facility.”

His father shared that secret. No one else knew. Trey did. If he wanted to prove the conspiracy theories right then Trey needed to see that footage. After all, it wasn’t the same footage that they showed on the internet. It wouldn’t be. The bio cam footage had vital statistics for each person.

Trey tried to get in contact with Walter, his father’s partner, but was unsuccessful.

For his own sake he needed to see that footage.

His father’s office at the house had been sealed off by his mother. Like some sort of shrine. While she was out getting food Trey went into the office. He took the laptop and brought it to his own room. His mother rarely went in the office and he doubted she would notice.

His father worked remotely from home and as Trey suspected, he was able to network into his father’s system.

It wasn’t until that very second that he put in the password that Trey realized he was closer to his father than he remembered. He was trusted. He knew his father’s password.

It took two days and Trey finally found the files to the footage. They weren’t numbered, but the dates and times clearly confirmed they were from that fateful day.

Did he want to watch them?

He needed to.

After copying all the files, he placed on headphones and watched. Starting from the first one.

That one made Trey smile. It was his dad talking to the camera. His vital stats showed a rapid heartbeat and the smile on his face confirmed how happy and excited he was.

As he went through the files, he felt as if he were watching some boring movie. People moved about talking. Occasionally he’d see his father.

He wanted to skip to the end. To the explosion.

But he didn’t. He watched all two hours. From catering set up to the guests arriving and finally the end.

Trey expected everyone to be unaware, some flash of light or ground rumbling. Instead…he heard the ‘boom’, that was clear. Biting his nails he watched as people started to leave the ballroom. Any second, he figured it would all collapse. The building didn’t, but people did.

He watched everyone reach out blindly, sway and drop to the floor. He would have believed it to be a gas attack, the start of the virus. He expected everyone to flat line. They didn’t. Everyone’s breathing and heart rate slowed down, but they weren’t dead.

They weren’t dead at all.

The last of the videos ended with people in white suits coming in with stretchers to take people out.

Then the video went dead.

Trey tried to tell his mother, but she freaked out on him for having the laptop and took it from him.

She didn’t want to hear it.

Would Walter?

He left message after message. “Walter, please call me. I saw the ballroom footage. Call me. It’s not what you think.”

Finally after two weeks Walter got back to him. He simply asked for the password and hung up. Hours later, Walter called again.

“Listen to me, Trey,” Walter said. “You tell no one about this. The government has been here. Some other group of people are trying to find these files. I’m fearful that we stumbled across something we shouldn’t have. There’s a cover up. Why else would they show bogus video footage? They may think your father was involved in some way.”

“He wasn’t.”

“You know that. I know that. I’m going to delete…”

“No.”

“Listen. I am going to delete them. I suggest you do the same. But I will make copies. I will have it here for you with your name on the envelope. It will be in your dad’s bottom draw. If you can get here.”

“I’ll try.”

That was the last time he spoke to Walter. He didn’t know it, but Walter was sick.

For a teenage boy, it was like some sort of spy movie.

He felt guilty about carrying the knowledge, but by the time he convinced his mother to let him show her what he was talking about, the files were gone. Even the ones he’d copied.

Did she know? She didn’t want to hear that Malcolm was alive and someone took him.

Trey tried to get to Cleveland, but they started quarantining it and an exodus began.

The envelope, if it existed, would never be found. At least not by Trey. The world was falling apart, torn asunder by a virus, and the knowledge wouldn’t help anyhow. Everyone would be too busy dying to listen.

Trey knew. He always knew.

The return of his father was the final confirmation. Now with the president’s arrival and his father being locked down under some sort of suspicion, he hoped that reunion wouldn’t be short lived.

<><><><>

John was without a doubt stoned. He didn’t mean to get that way. However, the medicinal marijuana given to him by Rusty proved pretty potent and after only a few puffs of the pipe, John was mentally history.

He felt one hundred percent physically better and mentally, he was thinking clearly.

Meredith said he was stoned and she was getting there by contact. She didn’t want to be the one to drive, but she also didn’t want John manning the buggy under the influence.

They had driven for hours. After leaving Rusty, they stayed the course, breaking only to eat and for John to indulge. The roads disappeared and navigation grew difficult. Meredith continued on, despite something inside of her that told her things were off.

They were supposed to head east to avoid trouble.

“If you can believe it,” John said. “I never tried the marijuana before today.”

“If you hadn’t said it that way, I wouldn’t have believed it. I do now.”

“What?” John asked then laughed.

“Never mind.”

“Have you ever?” John asked.

“Have I ever what?”

“Smoked the marijuana?”

Meredith laughed. “Yes. I have smoked the marijuana. Actually I was and occasionally am quite the pot head.”

John extended the pipe to her.

“No thank you, I really want to concentrate on driving.”

Meredith knew it was going to take all of her focus. After all, it wasn’t the world before she went into stasis. There was no clear view of the road. Gone were the lines. Trees and large bushes had grown on to the road. She could have been on the edge for all she knew, ready to go over a mountain. She just couldn’t tell.

But as she peered ahead, thinking about where they’d stop for the night, looking out for the best place, the green suddenly stopped.

It reminded her of just before they were attacked. How everything looked dead. “John?” She called his name with concern.

“Hmm?”

“I think we went off course.”

John looked up. “Shit. Turn around. We don’t need another Wrecker experience.”

“I could not agree more.” Meredith slowed down the buggy until it came to a complete halt. Just as she placed her hand on the gearshift, her heart dropped to her stomach when a lone Wrecker emerged from the dry brush.

“It’s just one. Only one.” John said. “We can beat just one.”

“Let’s not take that chance.” As Meredith started to reverse, the Wrecker cried out. It sounded like a cry for attention. The Wrecker held out his hands, palms outward.

Meredith stopped.

“What are you doing?” John asked.

“Why is he doing that,” she said. “He wants us to stop.”

“It’s a trap.”

Again, the Wrecker cried out, only this time, he dropped to his knees. His call had an agonizing tone to it, almost begging. Hands still up in surrender, his head lowered. When he did, from the side of the road a female Wrecker emerged. In her arms, was the lifeless body of what could only be a child.

The female cried out as well. Meredith put the buggy in park.

“What are you doing?” John asked demandingly. “Meredith?”

“They can’t all be bad.” She said softly.

“Uh, yeah, they can.”

Meredith stepped from the car.

“Stop.” John warned. “I won’t save you this time.”

Meredith looked over her shoulder. “You didn’t last time.”

“Bull.” John grunted.

She could hear his frustration. But Meredith also saw desperation in the mutated beings before her. A mother, a male who was the father perhaps, with their sick or injured child. The male lifted his head and the woman rushed to Meredith with the child in her arms.

“Is he sick?” Meredith asked. “Hurt.” It was hard for Meredith to tell. She didn’t know what the Wreckers normally looked like, so it was difficult to judge if the child was.

The female Wrecker grunted, face wet from tears and held the child out some as if to say, ‘Look’.

Hand trembling, Meredith reached out. The child was small. Maybe three or four years old. Her hand touched on the child’s face. Immediately, she pulled back and curled her fingers into a fist. “He’s fevered.” After a second, Meredith took another look. It was a boy. Again, she felt his hot skin, then held up a finger to the mother to convey ‘give me a second’.

Slowly Meredith spoke. She knew they didn’t understand her. “I have to go back to the buggy. I have a medical bag.” Meredith stepped back.

The female Wrecker grabbed her arm with pleading eyes.

“I’ll be back,” Meredith said. “I…” She exhaled. “Okay. Let me see if John will bring it.” She didn’t want to ask John. She understood his apprehension. Meredith was also feeling it. But what if these Wreckers were different? What if they really needed help? And the ones a hundred miles away on the cusp of the wastelands were the bad ones. Could she take that chance? She was going to yell back. Obviously the Wrecker woman didn’t want her to leave. As if the Wrecker knew or felt somehow Meredith could help her. When she looked over her shoulder to call for him, he was already one step ahead.

John, carrying the medical bag, walked toward Meredith. “Call me a fool,” he said. “I wouldn’t do this if I weren’t stoned.”

“Yes, you would.” Meredith took the bag.

“Yeah well the big guy just stood up.”

Meredith watched the male Wrecker stand by the female. She showed the bag to the mother. After pointing to the bag, Meredith then pointed to the child. “It’s to help him.” She nodded. “Ok?”

The female Wrecker understood and released a sound that could only be described as a sob of gratefulness. She gave a single clutch to Meredith’s arm, turned to the male and handed him the child. The child was still, he didn’t move and the male walked off the road toward the brush.

The female Wrecker gently took Meredith’s arm and waved her to ‘come’.

“Oh,” John said. “They want us to join them. How wonderful.”

After giving John a scolding look, Meredith walked with the female Wrecker, leaving it up to John whether he followed or not. She was certain he would. John had just proved he was a lot softer than he let on.

FIVE – MORE THAN KNOWN

So this is it? This is where I end? Those were Malcolm’s thoughts as he sat in that room for hours, a hospital room that looked more like a dormitory that had the windows sealed off. Medical workers in Hazmat suits brought him broth and a cup of coffee. It wasn’t bad, considering Malcolm used to love his coffee. But what choice did he have? No one would talk to him at all. They had taken a lot of blood from him; he could only guess what that was about.

Finally after all day being alone, not hearing from Trey, being in essence a leper, someone finally came in. She didn’t wear protective clothing or a facemask. She was an attractive woman, young, about thirty, wearing a dark gray uniform jumpsuit. Her dark brown hair was pulled up and tucked neatly into a bun.

“Mr. Lowe.” She extended her hand. She clutched a folder in her other arm close to her chest. “I’m Maggie Glenn, Chief Medical Officer of infectious diseases, SalCom Division Nineteen.”

Malcolm shook her hand. “SalCom?”

“I’m sorry you wouldn’t know that, Salvation Command. Will you have a seat?” She asked and pointed to the small table in the hospital room.

“Yes.” Malcolm sat.

“How are you feeling? How is the arm?”

“Better thank you.”

“I’m sorry we’ve not had you on anything but a liquid diet. The test are complex and we need very little influence.”

“I understand.”

“We’ll get you some real food once we are done. How is our coffee?”

Malcolm lifted his cup. “Not bad.”

“Not quite the… Oh what was it back then… Starbucks, yes?”

“Nothing really is.”

Maggie smiled. “Mr. Lowe…”

“Call me Malcolm.”

“Malcolm. Thank you.” She said. “Malcolm, from this moment on I would like you to be one hundred percent honest with me. I’ll do the same.”

“Begging your pardon… Chief Officer…”

She waved out her hand. “Just Maggie will be fine.”

“Begging you pardon Maggie, but I just regained consciousness. I didn’t have a choice to be honest or dishonest.”

“That makes sense. You know the man that brought you in here is your son?”

“I do.” Malcolm nodded.

“Probably was very frightening for you.”

“Yeah, considering he was seventeen three weeks ago to me.”

“Does he know?” Maggie asked.

“I think so. But I don’t want him in any trouble, so I won’t say for certain.”

“He’s not in trouble. We are.”

Malcolm tilted his head in wonder. “I’m sorry.”

“Let me start by saying the prospect of your revival is fascinating. There were rumors about the president being in stasis, tucked away. We knew the virus was deliberately released. What we need to know if what a handful of you were…”

“Handful?” Malcolm shook his head. “No. In our unit, our complex, there were a hundred. But it failed. Nearly everyone died.”

“Do you know…?”

“What is the president saying? He knows more than us. Obviously.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because he’s here,” Malcolm said. “He came here on his own. Didn’t say squat to any of us. Actually, we thought he was dead. He disappeared. How did he find this place?”

“Apparently, when construction began, someone left him directions to find when he woke up. Someone left him a large folder with all that happened since he was put in stasis. That’s all he told us, he’s being very obstinate. He expected to be welcomed with open arms.”

“Not with a lynch mob.”

“Exactly. But you have to understand our concern. You emerged into a world we protect from a dormant virus. A virus nearly wiped us out. They apparently saved you just in case.”

“That’s what we figured. Look.” Malcolm folded his hands on the table. “I’ll give it to you in a nutshell. If I can help you in any way I will. But none of us knew. None. One moment we hear an explosion, the next we’re waking up in this thick goo. The only one who knew was the president. Hell, we didn’t even know how much time had passed. All we knew is we were the only unit. One of the recordings stated there were twenty four.”

“Twenty four?”

Malcolm nodded.

“What recordings?”

“The ones that played in the unit or lab.”

“This was a man made virus. Do you know if they gave you a cure or vaccine?’

“The recordings said they did,” Malcolm stated. “They also said they inoculated our families. Now either that was a lie or it didn’t work.”

“It wasn’t a lie. I just believe the vaccine was faulty. It worked on some, not on all. And on some… It… Well….” She paused. “Worked differently. Malcolm, do you know where the other twenty four places are.”

“No.” Malcolm shook his head.

“So you recall where your lab was? If we got a team could we go there?”

“Yeah, but the lab itself was extinguished. Burned out.”

“So any possibility of a vaccine is gone.”

“They could have it elsewhere. Only the underground lab burned out.”

“We need that vaccine.” She said. “We need to perfect it. We have been missing the mark for decades. See we know it works in a capacity. You. For example. You are immune. We have never been able to make someone immune. We need to locate it and perfect it as soon as possible.”

“Why? Isn’t everyone here immune?”

“Most are, but at least thirty percent are not. They were born here or were special circumstance. We applied herd immunity factors.”

“You mentioned we were in trouble. Is this what you’re talking about?”

Maggie nodded. “The vaccine worked three ways. Either it didn’t work, such is the case with your family. It worked, such is the case with you, or like the president, it created a walking, talking time bomb.”

“I’m confused.”

“The president is a symptomatic carrier. Meaning he will never get sick, but he can pass it on from one person to the next.”

“Like Typhoid Mary.”

“I don’t know who that is. But I know one thing. That virus we have been so diligently working to keep out?” Maggie said “Invaded Salvation when the president walked through the gates.”

<><><><>

“This is insane, you know that, right?” Jason spoke while grunting through his struggles of pulling bushes and weeds.

“I would have taken the back door,” Nora said. “But saw the roof there.”

“And that didn’t convince you to not go in this building?”

Nora paused, wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. “We just need to clear a little, then we can get in.”

“You realize not only have we been walking for hours, but we have been pulling weeds and branches just as long.”

“I know.”

“The buggy is right there.” Jason pointed. “If we go right now, we can make it to Kentucky by dark. Barely. But we have to leave right now.”

“And then what?” Nora asked.

“Nora, that neighborhood. My old neighborhood was used as a survival base for some time after the virus. We really need to look around and see if we can make it livable for us. For our group. Or at the very least, take what we can.”

“So am I right in assuming you don’t think Salvation is for us.”

“I don’t think it will be an option. If it is still there, that was a lot of years ago.”

“So you think we’re gonna have to end up starting things up ourselves.”

“I don’t know about starting things…” Jason said. “Maybe able to get things survivable. You realize we haven’t seen a single person.”

“Maybe the others have.”

“Maybe.” Jason exhaled. “We’re gonna have to spend the night here.”

“It’ll be fine.” Nora looked at the building. “Maybe.”

“Nora.” Jason stepped to her. “I know you have this weird thing about Malcolm…”

Nora laughed. “What?”

“Never mind. Forget I said that. But why? Why is this so important?”

“Because this was Malcolm’s business. I was hoping to grab something for him. Anything. Maybe his business cards or something to remind him of his old life. Which, by the way wasn’t that long ago. You have pictures at your house. Your rock star CD. I have nothing, and I don’t want that for Malcolm. Hell, I have been looking for bookstores for John’s work.”

“Um, bookstores were relics already when we went into stasis.”

“True. So let’s do this. Let’s find something here for him.”

Jason, hands on his hips, nodded once. “Let’s do it. But if this place sucks to sleep in we find somewhere else before it gets dark.”

“Deal.” They shook hands and both continued clearing branches that blocked the front glass doors. “You’re such a baby.”

“Me? Why?”

“So fussy about where we spend the night. Really, does it matter? Although I’d like to take a bath or a shower.”

“How about when we get back to my house, I’ll rig something up. It may not be drinkable water, but you’ll be able to get clean.”

“Really?’

“Yeah. And…” Jason tossed the last branch exposing the broken front door. “I think we’re in. Watch out.” He grabbed a lone branch and cleared the already broken glass. He removed his flashlight from his belt and aimed it into the dark building. “This is gonna be interesting.” He took a step through. “Be careful of the glass.”

“I will.”

Once inside, Nora lit her flashlight as well. Very little daylight even made it into the building. Maybe the higher floors would have light. But below, it was dark.

Because of its location, the building was protected from flooding and didn’t suffer the harsh mold from the moisture. Not as much as other places.

The lobby was small, eight chairs off to the right of the four foot reception counter.

To the left and right of the reception area were doors, possibly leading to hallways. Behind the desk was a set of stairs.

Nora walked to the reception desk, while Jason moved to the seating area. The simple chairs reminded Jason of a doctor’s office. “Bet they have an employee lunch room. Maybe even a safe room because this is a security place.”

“Why does that matter?” Nora asked.

“Just thinking about bunking down. I don’t…” He stopped. “Oh sweet.”

“What?’

“Bingo.” He lifted up a newspaper. “There are a bunch here and magazine. None of them much older than the date we went onto stasis.” He swung the light to look around. When he did, the beam of his light caught it. “Nora, come here.”

Nora joined him.

Jason stood center of the waiting area. His flashlight aimed at the wall and illuminated a huge memorial picture of Malcolm, with the words, ‘In Memory of’. At the bottom of the portrait were four family pictures.

“Oh wow.” Nora aimed her flashlight as well. “In memory of our founder. Malcolm A. Lowe. This must be Trey.” She indicated to the bottom right picture. “Malcolm’s oldest. Oh, his wife was beautiful wasn’t she? Is your wife pretty. Never mind, she probably was.”

“Yeah, she was hot.”

Nora snickered. “I wouldn’t think that was a Jason word. This is wonderful.” She stared. “Look how handsome Malcolm looks.”

“See.”

“See what?’

“Never mind, and don’t ask to take it. It’s too heavy.” Jason turned and walked to the reception counter. “Did you find anything over here?”

“Just undisturbed, like they closed shop one evening and never came back.”

As if double checking what Nora said, Jason reviewed the receptionist’s desk. A thick layer of green mold grew up the front, and the surface was covered in a thin layer of dust. Like many places they had been, the more sealed off a building was, the less it was harmed by time.

The complex wasn’t large, in fact it showed signs that they were new and growing. The clipboard on the receptionist’s desk contained a list of job applicant appointments.

The world was in full swing just before it fell to its knees.

Jason made it a point to collect anything newsworthy. Papers, tabloids, magazines. Unlike at the PX at Marshal, the items Jason found were closer to the date of their supposed death. There was a chance the explosion was mentioned.

“Vending machine.” Nora pointed her flashlight in the break room. “Found our sleeping spot. It’s nice in there.”

“How many employees do you think they had?”

“Not a lot of desk people. First floor was sales and techs.”

“You got all that from looking around.”

“Yeah. And the conversation Malcolm and me had when he was fixing the buggies. You were sleeping.” She headed up toward the stairs. “Malcolm’s office has to be up here.”

“Keep in mind he didn’t work here. This was just an input base for his bio cameras.”

“Which means he probably doesn’t have an office here.”

“If he did have an office, where upstairs would it be?” Jason asked. “Corner?”

“No. Somewhere big, open, but away from everyone.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Any time Malcolm worked on something he was far removed from the rest of us.”

“You know a lot about Malcolm.”

“I used the time to learn about everyone. Even you,” she said as she reached the top of the steps. “Let’s try back there.”

“This place is a tomb.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean it was just left. Sealed up. It’s sad. Hey Nora?’

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry I never saw your comedy routine.”

Nora paused and smiled with an odd look. “Thanks. Um, I’m sorry I never got to see you preach. Maybe because we have so much time on our hands, we can show each other what we did.”

“You mean you make me laugh and I preach God to you?”

“Yeah.”

Jason laughed. “I don’t think preaching God will work under these circumstances.’

“With all the death around, neither will laughter. But it’s worth a try. I need to be me again. Despite everything. While I search for my husband and daughter. I need to feel like me. Don’t you?”

Almost in an inaudible mumble, Jason said, “I’m not sure exactly who ‘me’ is any…”

“Here.” Nora cut him off and pointed to the small nameplate on the door. “Malcolm.”

Like every other room on the second floor, Malcolm’s office was light, the sun peeked through the slats of the blinds, and Nora opened them wider.

“He wasn’t here much,” Jason said standing by the desk. “Not much on this desk at all. Notes left for him. One picture frame.”

Nora turned and faced him. Jason held up a dual frame with two small pictures. “I’ll take that. Anything on the desk of use?”

“Doesn’t look it. I mean they thought he was dead, so his desk may be cleaned out.”

“No, it’s not. It’s empty because he was rarely here, not because they cleaned it. If they did, why would that picture be there?”

“You sure you weren’t a detective?”

“Positive.”

“That was my attempt at humor.”

“Oh,” Nora said dismissively and opened the middle desk drawer. “Check the other drawers, then we’ll do those shelves.”

“What are we looking for?”

“I don’t know exactly, anything. Something. Whatever may be personal so he can have like a life souvenir.”

“What about something for his son?”

Nora stopped rummaging. She glanced to her right, Jason held a large envelope. It was thick. “Where did you find that?”

“Bottom drawer, under a pair of running shoes. His name is Trey, right, the son’s name?”

“Yeah, yeah it is.” Nora reached out and examined the sealed tan envelope. “This is heavy.”

“Do you think Malcolm left it for his son or someone else left it for the son?”

“Maybe Malcolm intended to give it to him, but you know, spent thirty years frozen or…. Seeing how they all thought Malcolm was dead, it was from the company.”

“In the bottom drawer?”

“Apparently, they were waiting for the wife or family to clean the desk, so that makes sense.”

“I wonder what’s in it.”

Nora looked again at the envelope and then to Jason. “One way to find out.”

She opened the clasp.

“No.” Jason stopped her.

“Why?”

“Because if that was from Malcolm it is for him to see. It’s not our business. It’s personal.”

“You’re right. You’re right. Let’s keep looking.” Nora replaced the clasp.

<><><><>

Just about twenty-five feet into their walk, John realized it wasn’t a trap. No one was there to bash in his brains in or take a sexual deviant turn at him. These Wreckers were different. And a part of John started to think that they were afraid of the ‘bad Wreckers’ as well. Or why else would they have guards?

He didn’t know where in the U.S. they were. As near as he could figure they were supposed to be near Deep Creek Maryland. He began to think Meredith headed east instead of northwest.

John packed a lot of things he had taken from the storage room when they were at Genesis. The raid of the Wreckers didn’t diminish the supplies that were hidden in the Buggy. They stole some items, but not the ones John secured. One of the items was a personal radiation detector. It looked like a keychain, and John grabbed it when he grabbed the medical kit.

Readings were good. That was a positive thing.

They came down a path and emerged at the top of a small hill. Or rather, as John believed, a crater. It was a heartbreaking sight, yet something about it was beautiful. Just outside the crater were the remains of a city. Twisted metal, still reaching for the sky, some buried in dirt pushed outward by the bomb. It was without a doubt a bomb.

Mostly everything in the center of the crater was obliterated at one point. But the Wreckers made their homes more on the edges, using the crater’s shape as protection.

A fence created of dead trees protected the outlying areas, at least five Wrecker men walked the perimeter carrying a weapon that looked like a bow.

How were they doing it? It was the middle of the day, didn’t Rusty say they couldn’t see in the sun? Clearly something was different between the Wreckers that attacked them and the ones at the camp.

It was actually more than a camp.

They made their homes out of pieces of old cars, remaining structures, and trees. They weren’t small structures and they were creative. The homes were in a circle, outside laundry hung to dry, along with food being smoked.

John could smell the food, it was pleasing and he hoped it wasn’t human meat.

One thing was missing.

Wreckers.

There were a few but not as many as there were homes. Where were they?

Wrecker woman from the road led them to a building. By the colors and letters John knew it was formally a Subway sandwich shop. The building was partially buried and after they walked through a curtain, they had to step down to get in

His first thought upon stepping in was that the Wreckers were indeed creative. The woman could not have been all that old; she was obviously born post-nuclear war. It was apparent by her disfigurement. One that was shared by all of them. They all had the same features, it was something that happened genetically.

The floor of the home was the original Subway tile, and it was clean. Animal skin rugs graced the floor.

John couldn’t help looking around at the home. He was impressed. They were civilized.

Placing her hand to her own chest, Meredith spoke to the woman. “Meredith. Name. Meredith,” She then grabbed John’s hand and pointed to him. “John.”

Just as he was about to say they weren’t getting it, the woman responded. “Ana.” She patted her chest, then coughed, shook her head and said it again, “Ana.” She pointed to the male that was on the road with her. “Lun.”

“Ana. Lun.” Meredith nodded in greeting, then indicated to the child. “Him?”

“Bada.”

“Ana.” Meredith showed her the medical bag and opened it. “I am going to try to help Bada. Understand? I am not a doctor.”

Ana nodded, she coughed again,

John cleared his throat. “Looks like she’ll be needing help soon.” As soon as he said it, Lun coughed. “Oh boy.”

After holding up a finger to Ana, Meredith pulled John to the side and whispered. “What is going on?”

“Why are you whispering? They can’t understand you.”

“I know. Habit. John, you don’t think this is the virus, do you?”

John shook his head. “No, absolutely, one hundred percent not.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I have to. Rusty said the virus was dormant for ten years. Ten years after it had hit every single season. If this is the virus, then I think it’s more than a coincidence that it has revived about the same time as us.”

“Even if we did cause the virus to return. This can’t be us. How did it get way out here?”

John slowly shook his head and stopped. His eyes transfixed elsewhere.

“What?”

“MRE.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Genesis MRE. Not brown or green packaging, it is solid white.” He pointed. “There.” Sitting off to the side of the room on a shelf was an open white bag. It was clearly one of their MRE’s.

It was at that moment John believed he could have been judging the group of Wreckers all wrong. If they had the Genesis MREs, then they were the ones that attacked them.

John was torn between helping them or just getting the hell out.

SIX – SOMETHING MORE

Malcolm didn’t wear a protective suit when they removed him from his room, but they did however put him in a plastic barrier. He likened it to an old movie, Boy in a Plastic Bubble, he was like a hamster in a ball. Malcolm had to inch his way as he walked. The first few steps, he was clumsy. He wondered where they came up with the idea. Had they watched old movies? It was awkward and not nearly wide enough. The single hallway route was a journey to him. He walked and rolled himself to the end of the hall, escorted by Maggie who was wearing a hazmat suit. He had to keep backing up and turning the unit so Maggie could attach the ball to an expandable plastic corridor that was connected to another door. From there, Malcolm opened the hatch of the plastic bubble and stepped into the short extended doorway. The hamster ball sealed, keeping Malcolm in the clear corridor for a moment while it filled with a mist. When the mist cleared, Maggie signaled him to open the door and enter the room.

When he was finished, he would leave the room and go through the steps again in reverse. Malcolm didn’t need the bubble to protect him or anyone else on the way to the room. The bubble and decontamination process was needed when he emerged from visiting with former President Will Thomas.

The president, or rather Will, looked surprised when he saw Malcolm. No one had told him Malcolm was there. Will looked at him, started for a moment, and then turned away, as if he were put off by Malcolm’s presence.

“President… I mean, Will. How are you?” Malcolm asked.

Will hesitated, then looked at Malcolm. “You look familiar. Where do I know you from?”

“Cut the bull,” Malcolm said. “It’s been twelve days. Not nearly long enough for you to forget. No, wait, shorter than that, we woke up twelve days ago in Genesis.”

“Oh that’s right.”

“Oh… that’s right?” Malcolm chuckled. “You left. I mean… we thought you were dead. We almost went below to save you.”

“Then you would have been wrong.”

“We would have been dead. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I knew when we woke up how long we had been out. Or about how long. And how was I to explain that to everyone? No, my best recourse was to keep silent and just follow my instructions, which were to locate the safe in the security office and get further instructions. My instructions were dated eight years after we went into stasis. I wasn’t certain Salvation would really be there, despite the note and directions.”

“How did you know how long we were out? Did you have a special clock?”

Will laughed. “No. I had special knowledge. The units can only sustain power for so long. So they are constructed by the basic concept of survival. Only the strong survive. After one year, in order to ensure survival of the fittest, the units of the weakest inhabitants start shutting down to convert power to the other units. Bio scans say which are the weakest. The computer system selectively shuts down one unit every hundred days or so. Three a year.”

“Except you.”

“Of course.”

“You still should have said something. You should have told us about this place.”

“Why?” Will asked. “Hmm? You’re here now. You found it. How?”

Malcolm started to explain about his son, but stopped. “I ran into an insane woman on my travels.”

Will folded his arm and nodded. “And I assume the others are here?”

“No. Just me.”

“Did they die?”

“It shouldn’t matter. Look, when we emerged we found evidence that mentioned other Genesis projects around the world. Do you know of any?”

“Of course.”

“Do you know where they are?”

“Why would I share this information with you?”

Malcolm grew irritated. He stepped to the president. “Why did you come here?”

“To survive. To live.”

“Do you know why you are in this room?”

“I assume the same as you. A precautionary quarantine.”

“Wrong,” Malcolm said. “You’re infected. I’m a link to your cure. You are a carrier of the virus that wiped out the world. You’re a dead man because… those behind these walls hate what the virus did to their world, what it took from them, deprived them of. They learned from news outlets this population control virus was your baby. They need a face of evil to conquer and you’re it. So if you know anything, this is your one shot to stop this virus from getting out again, and to possibly save your own life.” His voice was firm. “Now where are the other projects?”

Will looked at him for a second, then as he did when Malcolm entered the room, he turned his back to him.

It was a good hour after his talk with the president, that Malcolm met up with Maggie. After she escorted him from the room, to the bubble and to decontamination, she waited for him in his room.

“Sorry about all the decontamination and such,” Maggie said. “I know you aren’t a hundred percent yet and…”

“It’s fine. It really is. I had some time to think after the talk and of course, our talk through the plastic shell.”

Maggie nodded. “So what do you think?”

“I think you should map it out.”

Maggie smiled and exhaled in relief. “That’s excellent. It’ll be a team, so it will be safe. I would like for you to rest and then we’ll leave. I was thinking of inviting your son, since he did bring you to us. Now…” she walked to the table and opened a folder with enthusiasm. “He told you five United States locations. You were in G3 or Genesis Three. One of them, G5 won’t be any use to us. It’s North East, New York. That’s post war zone.”

“I understand. What I don’t get is why it is so important for me to go.”

“You know the projects. The labs where they kept the units.”

“Hardly.”

“You were there for several days, awake. You know more than us. You had time to learn at least one set up”

“I’ll give you that.

“And that’s all we need.”

“Listen, we were a group. We split up. We were supposed to meet. If I don’t show up that’s not fair to them. We have a bond.”

“I realize that. But we need you. When are you supposed to meet them?”

“About two weeks.”

Maggie nodded. “We can’t wait that long to take them.”

“I not suggesting… you know what? Never mind. We had a plan. They’ll leave word there if they leave. I’ll find them.”

“You may not have to. With the world the way it is, they may still be there when we get done.”

“Then let’s do this.”

“Good.” She motioned her hand to the folder to show him what she had worked out. “We appreciate your help. What’s left of this world cannot face another outbreak. We won’t survive it.”

<><><><>

John had a breakdown. Something just snapped. He couldn’t pretend or live in fear. Just as Meredith was about to administer some medication to the child, Bada, John lost it. His mind flashed with memories of the attack and he grew outraged.

“Stop,” he grabbed her wrist.

“What are you doing?”

Ana looked on with confusion.

“This.” John stormed over to the MRE. “This.” He held it up with a strong voice. “We…” He indicted to Meredith and himself. “Have these.” He brought the MRE to his chest. “Ours. We…” He pointed to his bruise then to Meredith’s bruised face. “Taken.” He mocked the MRE being snatched from his hand. “Taken.” He showed an angry face.

Immediately, as if she got it, Ana held up her hands and waved them frantically, shaking her head. “Ter ade.”

“I don’t understand,” John said.

“Ter ade.” She repeated, touched her chest, and then lifted a blanket. “Ter ade.” She handed John the blanket and reached for the MRE. She nodded calmly. “Ter ade.”

“John?” Meredith whispered his name. “She traded for it.”

“Bull.”

“No. Seriously. Ana… Ter Ade.” She pointed to the MRE and then lifted her hands with question.

Ana lifted the blanket once more. “Ter ade.”

John knew it was apparent he didn’t believe the woman. To him she was lying or so he thought. Trying to convince him they traded some random person for a blanket. Unless they traded one of the violent Wreckers for it. To John there was no difference. Like a mutant racist he saw them all the same. “Who?” John asked. “Really who did you Ter ade?”

After setting down the blanket, Ana took hold of John’s arm. Repeating her word for trade and led him from the Subway sandwich shop home.

“Where is she taking us?” John pulled from her grip and reluctantly followed.

“I don’t know.”

“Probably to take us to a corpse.”

“John.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me if that was the meat they were hanging. Oh wait, we’re on to her, she’s leading us to slaughter.”

“Can you please just…?”

Ana stopped at a tent like structure. She opened the flap and pointed in. Just as John was about to step through, Ana stopped him and frantically grabbed John’s hand bringing it to cover his nose and mouth.

She did the same to Meredith.

John stepped in with the mindset he was covering his nose and mouth because of some sort of smell, he was wrong.

Laying on the ground, covered with blankets, a light by his head was a man. Not a Wrecker, he looked normal to John. He was barely conscious and his body shook with a steady cough.

Meredith, hand still over her mouth crouched down. “He’s sick. Look at his eyes. He has whatever Bada has.”

“Or Bada has what he has,” John said. “It’s the chicken and egg thing. “

‘Where did he get the MRE?”

“That’s an easy answer. Look at his clothes.”

Meredith lowered the blanket a little more. The sick man wore the white over shirt and drawstring pants. The same exact clothes that were left for John, Meredith and the others when they came out of stasis. With the MRE, the clothing, it was obvious he was rebirthed through Genesis. He wasn’t part of their group, so where did he come from? Wherever it was, had to be close.

<><><><>

“They’re all here,” Jason finished sorting and counting the playing cards as he sat at a table in the employee lunch room.

“Good and…” She stepped back from the old vending machine. The glass was covered with a black substance and dirt. When Nora popped the cover with a screwdriver, the inside looked as if time and the elements never touched it. “Holy cow it’s filled.”

Jason laughed.

“How long do you think it’s been?”

“Since they filled the machine?”

“No, since everyone left.”

Jason shuffled the cards. “Well, the letter at your house was at least fifteen years after we disappeared. Rick was living there, so it has to be another fifteen or twenty. At least.”

“You think?”

Jason tilted his head. “It’s a very wet area. Snow, rain, humidity. So it could be ten. But honestly, that much growth, I can’t see it being any less than ten. I’m sticking with twenty. I saw the pictures of Chernobyl.”

“You are obsessed with that.”

“That’s the only one I know.”

Nora walked to the table. “There was an amusement park here in Ohio called Geauga Lake. It was overgrown too. I loved looking at the pictures. Just can’t believe I’m living it now.”

“Me either.” Jason noticed Nora looking again at the wallet size double frame she found on Malcolm’s desk. “Why do you keep looking at Malcolm’s family?”

“Because I have no pictures of my own. Rick took them all. Everything. Every picture. If for anything, I want to get to Salvation to get pictures. It’s hard to process, you know. I mean. It’s been almost two weeks since I saw them. Alive. How am I supposed to believe they are dead? It doesn’t feel it. It’s like we’re on this apocalypse vacation and I need to get back home to share the adventure.”

“I’m sort of feeling that way,” Jason said. “But I saw my wife’s grave, my daughter’s grave.”

“You didn’t see them, though. I feel guilty for not being torn apart, for not feeling grief as badly as I should. I lost my child. But I just don’t believe it.”

“Will we ever?”

“It will never be real. I’ll miss them terribly. I do miss them now. I just don’t know if I’ll ever miss them as if they died. It’s too surreal. Enough serious talk, go pick your poison for our game.”

Jason grumbled and stood. “What did you get?”

Nora quickly covered her vending machine items. “Not saying. I’m playing high stakes here.”

“I have news for you that vending machine food is at least twenty-five years old. It’s all high stakes.” He stood and walked to the machine. “Back to what we were saying.”

“No, let’s not.”

“One more thing. Okay? Just know… how you feel, is justifiable. Whether it will change, we don’t know. It may. It may not. Only time will tell. Like I mentioned when I did my sermon for you.”

Nora laughed.

“What? What’s so funny?” Jason returned to the table hiding his items from Nora’s sight.

“Well, don’t take this the wrong way. Maybe it was better when you were standing before a huge congregation or something.”

“Better?”

“Yeah, more moving.”

“I’ll have you know, I was a great orator for God.”

“I’m sure. Plus, the way you look probably captured the female audience.”

“Oh, yeah?” Jason smiled. “All marketing, make up, hair designers and so forth. I was not all that before the network found me.”

“Well, I’m looking at you now at your worse and you’re still pretty cute.” She winked. “You can sing, too. Oh my God, can you sing well.”

“Thanks.”

“The song got a message out more than the words.”

“Okay. Okay. I get it. You were bored. But you wanted to see what I did. I preached and sang the word of God. And while we’re critiquing…”

Nora groaned. “You didn’t laugh.”

“Not saying you weren’t funny before all this, it’s just that your routine isn’t funny now. I mean I can see how the Starbucks rant would have been funny when there was a Starbucks.”

“That’s true. Part of being a good comedian is making people laugh at things they can relate to. It’s hard to relate to an overcrowded Starbucks when we’re the last people around. Although whenever I did a Starbucks bit, I killed it. People laughed.”

“I bet.”

“So I’ll just work on new material. I have a captured audience.”

“I look forward to it.” Jason dealt the cards. “Ready?”

“Ready.” Without showing reaction, Nora turned over her cards. She looked at them and laid one card down. “I’ll take one.”

“One? Wow. Okay. I’ll take three.” Jason dealt out the replacement cards. “Go on.”

“I’ll bet… one Cheez It.” She put the small cheese cracker in the middle of the table.

“For a person who got only one card, you aren’t confident. I’ll see your Cheez It with a Pretzel and raise you one Raisinette.”

“You realize if you lose you have to put one of those in your mouth.”

Jason touched the chocolate covered raisin. “It’s still soft.”

“Ok, I’ll add a peanut butter cracker.” She pushed it forward.

“Call it. What do you have?”

“Pair of kings.”

“Pair of kings? If you had a pair of kings why did you only take one card?”

“To psych you out.”

“Didn’t work. Three Jacks.”

Nora groaned as Jason gloated and swept the goodies his way. He stared at them. “Because you put it down there. I choose the Cheez It.” He handed the tiny orange cracker to her.

“Amazing it looks fresh.”

“No, it’s discolored. Eat it.”

Nora cringed. Under the rules of the game, she had to put it in her mouth, chew it or try to chew it once and then after an obvious taste of it, spit it out. No investigating was required. “Here. Goes. I used to love these.”

Jason watched.

Nora placed the cracker in her mouth, fought to get one bite, cringed, gagged a little then spit it out in the cup. “Taste like cardboard.”

Jason laughed and handed her the deck. “Your deal.”

Nora proceeded to shuffle the cards. “So… I got a joke. First in the new line up. Let me know what you think.”

“Go on. I’m excited.”

“What did the nuclear war survivor say to her boyfriend?”

“Nuclear war survivor?”

“Yeah, relatable material. We’re in a like dystopian world, so end of the world jokes.”

“Oh my God. Okay, I’m game. What did she say to her boyfriend?”

Nora dealt out the cards. “You’re the bomb.”

“That’s terrible.”

“No it’s not. You smiled.”

“No, I didn’t.’ Jason shook his head. “And I’m good.”

“No cards?”

“Nope.”

“I’ll take four.”

“Four huh?” Jason raised an eyebrow.

Nora gave herself four cards. “Go on.”

“Five raisinettes.”

“Wow. Starting high. I’ll take them with five cheese crackers and raise you one Twinkie.”

“I fold.”

“You fold? You can’t fold. If you fold I win the hand and you have to eat something.”

“I fold.”

“Fine. I had nothing.” She tossed her cards down and lifted the raisin. “And because I’m nice.” She handed it to him. “This is for you. Chomp.”

“After that bad joke, I suppose this will be less painful.” He placed it in his mouth, paused and his eyes widened. “Holy Cow. Unreal. These are really good.”

“Seriously?” Nora asked.

“I don’t know how. Are there more boxes in the machine?” He took two more.

“For real?”

Jason nodded.

Nora excitedly took one and put it in her mouth. The second she did, her eyes watered and she immediately shot it from her mouth into the cup, grunting.

Jason laughed and spit out his candy.

“Asshole!” She yelled. “What the hell?” She reached across the table and grabbed his bottle of vodka. “How did you do that without puking?”

“I just thought of that horrible joke. It was worth it.”

She grunted again and slid the bottle then the cards to him.

“Have to admit, I got you.” Jason shuffled the deck.

“You got me. And I got another one.”

Jason moaned.

“What do you call a happy apocalypse survivor wandering the earth?”

“I give up. What?”

“A nomad.”

Silence.

“Get it?” she asked. “Nomad. No… mad.”

“I get it. I get it.” After a couple seconds, he laughed and dealt the cards.

<><><><>

It used to be a strip mall. One of those long, sometimes ‘L’ shaped places filled with shops. That was the nearest John could figure. The Subway was part of it. Another part of the mall was gone, destroyed and Ana brought John and Meredith to the Swirls Frozen Yogurt for the night.

After being with the Wreckers for hours, John finally stopped feeling so badly about how he behaved. Actually, it took a sick stranger to quiet him down and believe those who were their hosts were not those who attacked them.

The stranger was part of a Genesis Project but not the one at Marshal. John wanted more than anything to find out about the man, but the man didn’t say anything but two words.

He woke up, saw John, and said, “Thank God.” And then closed his eyes and died.

Was he alone, a sole survivor? Or did he fraction off like John’s group, looking for answers, for family?

John was alone at the yogurt place while Meredith attended to Bada. Another Wrecker woman brought them blankets, showed him how to use the small indoor fire pit for light and heat, and gave him two plates of food.

He didn’t know what the substance was. It smelled good, but was it safe to eat?

Finally, Meredith returned, she looked exhausted.

“How is he?” John asked.

“He seems to be doing better. The fever broke.”

“That’s good.”

“His father is not doing well,” Meredith said.

“And Ana?”

“Sick, but holding up a front for her family.”

“Like most mothers.”

Meredith sat down on the floor next to John and faced the small fire. “Food?”

“Yes, someone brought us food and a beverage. But I’m not sure if it is safe to eat.” John showed her the substance. It looked like a stew. The eating utensil was a spoon carved out of wood, as was the plate.

Another voice entered the room. A male. “Of course it is.”

Shocked at the intrusion, and especially by someone that spoke a version of English he knew, John started to get up.

“I’m sorry. I though you heard me knocking,” he said.

“There’s no door. Knocking on what?” John asked.

“The arch.” The man stepped closer. “I’m Matthew.” He held his hand down to John.

The light from the fire illuminated his hand and John saw that it was severely burned. As Matthew stepped more into the light, his face became clear. Half of it was severely burned. He was in his fifties, maybe slightly older. It was hard to tell.

“May I?” Matthew asked, shaking hands with Meredith and gesturing to the floor.

Meredith nodded. “Please.”

Matthew sat down. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived. I was out looking for certain plants that can help Bada. But he seems better. Thank you so much.”

John asked. “So you live in this community?”

“I do. I’m one of the very few elders remaining from the war years.”

“I’m glad you’re here now,” Meredith said. “Do they understand you? Do you understand them?”

“In a way I do. They understand everything that is said to them,” Matthew said. “All of these people, adults mostly, are offspring of people that survived the bombs. The chemicals, radiation, caused severe mutations, as you can see. They understand, but when then try to speak, it comes out jarred. They understand each other though.”

Meredith said. “Sort of like a variation of Apraxia.”

“Yeah,” Matthew nodded. “One of the other elders said the same thing. The kids though, second and third generation, they speak perfectly, or close to it. It’s our hope they can pass the language on. The mutation affected the first generation physically and verbally. Intellectually, they’re a pretty smart breed. Unlike the Night Stalkers. But they’re a couple hundred miles out and we watch out for them. Every once and a while one makes their way here. You need to watch out for them. They are violent.”

John chuckled. “Yes, well, we learned that the hard way.”

“I’m sorry,” Matthew said. “I can imagine how that must have played about your willingness to help here. But these are good people. They are.”

Meredith smiled gently. “I am learning that.”

“And that food is good. Trust me. Eat,” Matthew said. “I came to talk to you. Hoping to answer any questions and hoping you’ll answer mine.”

John lifted his plate. “We can try.”

“Did you know the man that died?” Matthew asked.

“No.” John replied.

“Just odd. We haven’t seen folks like you since before the war. Never in the lives of these people. Are you government?” Mathew asked. “The guy that died. Never gave us his name. He was searching for his family. Muttering something about how many years that he was… and this is gonna sound crazy… he said he was frozen. Does that make sense to you?”

“It’s not crazy,” Meredith explained. “We didn’t know him. But John and I were also part of a stasis program that had us frozen for a long time. We knew nothing. We didn’t even know why we were picked. They told us nothing. We woke to this.”

Matthew nodded. “Science fiction stuff. I used to read stuff like that. If you weren’t so different, I’d be inclined to think it was made up. But you two arrived in a NASA buggy. I thought you were in space for decades.”

“Close enough,” John said. “Did that man arrive sick?”

“Yes, sick, fevered, muttering incoherently,” Matthew said. “Now, half the people here are sick. And I don’t know what you brought, or even if you have enough to help everyone, but you helped my grandson, and I am very grateful.”

“Your grandson?” Meredith asked with shock.

“Yes, Bada is my grandson. Great kid. Ana is my daughter.”

“Well, I will do all that I can,” Meredith said. “I’m not a doctor. But I’ll stay as long as you need help. But tell me Matthew, is this the virus?”

“What virus are you talking about?” Matthew asked.

“The one that’s been dormant for ten years. The one that wiped out a good portion of the population.”

Matthew smiled as if he didn’t understand and shook his head. “No, see there was a virus. I remember, I was in college. Something about it was deliberately released. Then the war came, the nuclear weapons exploded. That was it?”

John asked. “Have you lived in this area for thirty years?”

Matthew whistled. “Wow, that’s a long time. But yeah, once we emerged from the ashes and started to rebuild a pocket of civilization, why leave? No one was left. No virus wiped out the world. It was bombs.”

“Why do you say that?” Meredith asked.

“Well, surely, if there was a country, some sort of help would have come, right? Not like they just crossed us off the map and forgot about us. Not like it was just this section right?” Matthew said.

John looked at Meredith. A section of the country had been forgotten, abandoned, dubbed a nuclear wasteland and left to die off. But they didn’t.

“What?” Matthew looked at both of them.

“My new friend,” John tapped Matthew’s hand. “Seems not only do you have a lot to share with us, it seems that we… even with time lapse and missed history, have quite a bit to tell you.”

NORA’S ENTRY

I learned a lot on our brief road trip. Not only did I have a high tolerance to most forms of alcohol, I had a cast iron stomach as well. Of course, not a single bit of that food slipped down my throat. I did feel queasy, admittedly, but a part of me thought that was probably more mental.

Jason, however, if he was suffering mentally, then he knew how to manifest. Poor guy spent the entire night running to the bathroom. He was a hot mess. Sweaty and pale. I refrained from telling him, ‘I told you so’ about eating the food we used as poker chips. He swore he didn’t, but I know something slipped into his stomach to make him that ill.

I offered for us to stay another day so he could rest, but he refused, he wanted to get back to his house before we headed to Champaign. The sun was barely up and we were on our way. We were back at his house within hours and Jason fell fast asleep on the sleeping roll.

Who was he kidding? He was still sick.

I didn’t understand the need to go back to his house. Did he have some sort of long-term survival plan he wanted to set in motion after we met the others? He wasn’t saying. With him sleeping I was even having to wait for that bath he promised me as well.

Things were different with me and Jason. They were less awkward. He was always pleasant, nice and optimistic, along with righteous. Although ‘righteous’ probably wasn’t the best word. I wondered if the fact he told me he was a preacher gave me preconceived notions.

Things had loosened up between us. Hearing a sample sermon helped. It told me that the Jason I thought was being pious had nothing on Jason the preacher.

But something else transpired in Jason, something else he wasn’t telling me. When at Malcolm’s business, I interrupted something he was saying. He had started to say he didn’t even know who he was anymore and I accidently cut him off. I tried to bring it up again, but he dismissed me and merely said, he’d tell me another time.

It could be he was dealing with the loss of his family differently than I was. That he was able to accept the reality of it, when I couldn’t. And it hit him like a ton of bricks.

He drank a lot. Something clicked and Jason started drinking. Not that I didn’t, but I didn’t keep drinking. Alcohol was a sipping treat for me. It appeared that to Jason it was a pain medication.

I tried, I really tried to talk to him about it and he just spoke over my concerns.

Maybe I was making too much out of it. After all, everyone we knew and loved was gone. Hidden behind some wall in a place called Salvation or dead. It was a lot to handle. And we were handling it differently.

But I needed to know him, how he felt, dealt with things, it was vital. If he and I never ran into the others again, there was a good chance it would just be him and I searching out Salvation.

From what we saw it was an empty world.

He was a good man, I was lucky to have him as my traveling partner and my friend.

It would be a lonely existence without him. I wasn’t giving up on Jason. And I prayed it was just my imagination that he would so easily give up on himself.

SEVEN – BY GRACE

Day Eight AR

“I will. Soon. One day,” Jason said. His voice was hoarse, head rested back in the passenger seat, as he sported sunglasses and a baseball cap that said Army of Jesus. One of the many items he found in a box on the third floor of his home. Jason had found a lot of things up there. Items he didn’t share with Nora, he only packed them away.

“Just that after you got that stuff from the attic, you drank.”

“I needed a drink.”

“You drank a lot.” Nora said.

“It was hard to handle seeing items I just saw two weeks ago, packed up and covered in dust.”

“You’re not gonna like check out on me, are you?” Nora asked.

“What do you mean, check out?”

“Check out.”

“Die?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t plan on it.”

“So you’re not thinking about killing yourself.”

“What!” Jason blasted and sprang up. “Nora, no. No. I’m just dealing with everything. There’s a lot of me and who I was before all this, before… preaching that is haunting me.”

“What did you do?”

“Nora…”

“You killed someone?” she guessed.

“No.”

“Rape, assault, fraud….”

“Nora. No. One day I’ll share who I was. But there’s a lot on my mind. Like this. This reality we woke to.” He rested back again. “I wonder if this is real.”

“What do you mean?”

“What if this isn’t reality. What if this is hell and my purgatory for all I did.”

“What did I do?” Nora asked. “I lived a good life.”

“It’s not your hell, it would be mine.”

“Oh my God. Are you saying being stuck with me is hell?”

Jason groaned. “Stop. Were you like this with your husband?”

“Yes.”

“And how long were you married.”

“You’re not talking very preacher like right now.”

“I’m not a preacher anymore.”

“Yeah, well,” Nora said. “How can you divorce God? You married him.”

“No, I wasn’t a priest.”

“Still, Once a preacher always a preacher.”

“It doesn’t work that way,” Jason said. “Just like once you’re funny doesn’t mean you’re always funny.”

Nora gasped. “Is that a dig toward my jokes? I’ll have you know it’s not easy coming up with jokes.”

“I believe it.”

“It feels tense. How about another joke?”

“How about not,” Jason said. “I’m still not over your Priest, Rabbi and Monk in the rapture joke.”

“It was good.”

“No, it was disturbing.”

“That’s the preacher in you being offended. This one is not offensive.”

“Fine.” Jason sat up. “Go on.”

“Why doesn’t anyone go to night clubs in a zombie apocalypse?”

Jason lowered his sunglasses. “Hating to ask… why?”

“Because the places are dead.”

Another groan and Jason stared forward.

“Get it? Zombies? Dead…”

“I get it.”

“I thought…”

“Nora stop.” Jason said.

“That’s rude. I was…”

“No, seriously, just stop. Stop the buggy.”

After a moment of wondering why and thinking he was sick again, Nora did. She stopped.

“Look.” Jason pointed ahead. “What is that?” He stepped out of the buggy.

Nora focused on where he pointed, also stepped out.

Not far from them was a small fenced in area. In the center of it was a white, plain, modular home. Small and quaint. All over the fence were warning signs. Quarantine. Keep out. And Danger contaminated area. The signs themselves were old as was the rusted fence. While the area around the house was mainly dirt and dead grass, weeds grew up around the weather worn fence.

“This is weird. I mean really weird.” He took a few more steps and touched a sign. “Biological warning, Must be our virus. The signs coated.”

“Protects it from the weather,” Nora said. “What’s that date?”

“Ten years after our stasis. Wanna go check it out?”

“It’s says contaminated. Do you think it’s safe?”

“It’s been decades, I’d say yeah. I mean look at Chernobyl.”

“Really? You’re bringing that up again.”

“It’s my only reference point.” Jason defended. “You up for checking it out? Gate’s right there.”

“Think the buggy is safe there?” Nora asked, pointing back.

“Nora please. We haven’t seen a soul,” Jason said assuredly. “We’re definitely not seeing anyone around here.”

“Hold it right there!” the worn female voice called out.

They were two feet into the area, when they not only heard the voice, but the distinctive sound of someone pumping a shotgun.

Jason didn’t know whether to be fearful or overjoyed that there was someone else.

Nora replied, hands in the air. “We didn’t mean to trespass.”

“Are you brash or just illiterate?” She asked.

“Ma’am,” Jason said. “Please. We’re just…”

“Answer the question,” she said.

“What question?” Jason asked.

“Are you brash or illiterate?”

“I thought you were insulting us.”

“Good lord,” she said and emerged from the house, holding a shotgun. “It was a question. Can you read? Cause if you can and you didn’t come here to start trouble, then why the hell are you here when the signs clearly says danger.”

Jason looked at the woman who could have been his mother. Middle aged, but rough and rugged. “I thought… we thought it would be safe.”

“If you’re not in Salvation. You must not be immune. So you can’t be here.”

Nora said. “We’re immune. We lived in a different place.”

“Uh, huh.” She nodded still holding the shotgun. “You aliens?” She pointed her gun toward the buggy in the distance.

Jason laughed. “Please, do we look like aliens?”

“Don’t laugh boy. I’m asking a serious question. You could be aliens. Took DNA from the dead, and the form of a dead person.

“We’re not aliens,” Jason reiterated. “We’re human.”

“If you aren’t from Salvation, you’re awfully well kept for being out here.”

“We’re from somewhere else,” Jason said.

“Please,” Nora said. “We mean no harm. You’re the first person we have seen at all in a long time.”

“How is that?” the woman asked. “If you come from another place, you’re all cleaned up, and you aren’t aliens, and not from Salvation, how come you haven’t seen anyone?”

Nora asked. “Because the place we came from was an experimental lab that had us in a deep freeze for decades, we woke up to a dead world.”

“Okay now that makes sense.” She lowered her weapon.

Jason leaned to Nora and said sarcastically. “That makes sense?”

“Hey,” the woman snapped. “Yeah, makes more sense than aliens taking the form of a long dead preacher.”

“I’m… I’m sorry,” Jason said. “Long dead preacher?”

She shook her head as if she were irritated and refused to even acknowledge Jason asked her about the preacher. “You sure you’re immune?” She asked.

“That’s what they told us,” Nora replied.

She shouldered her shotgun and extended her hand. “Then come on in. My name is Grace.”

“Champaign,” Grace said as she poured a cup of tea for Nora and Jason. “About twelve miles from here. You’re close.” She joined them at the little kitchen table. “Nice place to visit, I wouldn’t want to live there.”

“Why?” Nora asked. “I mean why corner yourself here.”

“Because I don’t want to infect them.” Grace said the statement more as a question.

“Wait. Wait.” Jason held up his hand. “There are people there.”

“Isn’t that why you’re going?”

Nora shook her head. “No we just picked it on a map as a central meeting place for our group. We split up to look for our families.”

“Well you lucked out picking Champaign. They’re good folks. They drop off supplies to me every two weeks. They’ve done well. Tea leaves are from them.”

Nora smiled. “Other people. That’s great. We haven’t seen a soul.”

“Well, you’re trekking in the first wave area. Most died or left. I call it nomad land.”

Nora laughed.

“Why is that funny?” Grace asked.

“Well, I just had been trying to come up with jokes and one of them was what do you call a happy survivor walking in the wasteland. A nomad.”

There was a silent pause, the Grace slammed her hand on the table and roared with laughter as if it were the funniest thing. “That’s good. That’s funny. You almost made me pee myself.”

Jason curled the corner of his lip. “It’s not funny.”

“Yes, it is,” Grace argued. “I haven’t heard a joke in decades. That was funny. Got anymore?”

“As a matter of fact…”

“Wait.” Jason stopped Nora. “Before she starts telling her jokes. You said you’re infected.”

“I am.”

“You don’t look sick.”

“I’m not right now. But had you been here four weeks ago…” Grace whistled. “I was down and out. Kept thinking, ‘Yep, this is the bout that kills me’, but it didn’t.”

“And it’s the virus that wiped out everyone?” Nora asked.

“Same one. The one that was deliberately released.” Grace nodded. “I went to one of those aid places, they put me in a red tent. Meaning I was gonna die. I was bleeding from my eyes. Glands so swollen I was choking. But I didn’t die. That was the worst bout. The last one was a dozy. They said I didn’t get immunities from catching it. That I could also be a carrier. Sure enough, I got it the next year and beat it. After the third time, I was set up here. And for about ten years maybe more, they came, they took blood, they said I was gonna be the secret to beating it. They even said my application was rejected to Salvation, but my husband could go. He didn’t want to.” She shrugged.

“So you know where it is?” Jason asked.

“No. Not at all. My husband thought it’s in Iowa. He was pretty certain it was. He said the folks that came here mentioned it or something. Then when Salvation was done, they just stopped coming. No more Salvation, no news of it.”

“That’s sad,” Nora said, reaching over and grabbing her hand. “It has to be terrible for you.”

“It wasn’t at first, I had my husband and the doctors came. But when they stopped it got bad. My husband started a little farm, I keep at it. We had to. Supplies started dwindling. Luckily, Bruce from Champaign knew we were here. He helped. Then after my husband passed, Bruce came out about once a week. Sits outside my fence and we chat. They keep me going. They keep me alive.”

Jason asked. ‘Ever think of going there if you’re not sick.”

“Nope. I had no problem being locked up here. It was my duty. If I could stop one person from getting sick, I was doing my part. I’d rather never take that chance of leaving. Don’t want a repeat of history.”

It was when Jason passed on a polite smile, that Grace snapped her finger and pointed.

“Goodness,” she said. “You look like… hold on.” She stood up and walked into the other room. She came back with a stack of CDs. “Not quite as polished as him. He had nicer skin.” She unloaded the CD’s on the table. “Preacher Rudolph. I loved him. Poor man was killed decades ago. Good singer. Good looking.”

Nora laughed. “Nicer skin.”

“It’s called make up and air brushing,” Jason quipped.

“Oh, no,” Grace said. “Don’t go disrespecting my preacher. He was my link to a good Christian life and my wild fantasy.”

Nora coughed to cover a laugh.

“Don’t you think he looks like him?” Grace showed Nora the CD.

“A little,” Nora replied.

“You think you look like him?” Grace asked Jason.

“I am him.”

Grace stared for a second. “Um, yeah. Sure.” She gathered up the CDs. “Okay, let me put these back and we’ll chat a little more before you head to Champaign. If you don’t mind visiting.”

“No, not at all,” Nora said.

“And you can tell me more of those jokes.” Grace walked out.

After she was gone, Jason looked at Nora. “It’s not funny.”

“Yeah it is. I’ll tell her it’s you.”

“No. She’s been alone for decades, with me being her fantasy, I’d rather not.”

Nora laughed. “That was funny.”

“What was?” Grace asked as she returned.

“He told a joke,” Nora pointed. “About a Priest, Rabbi and a Monk in the Rapture.”

“Oh, let me get more tea. I want to hear this one.”

Grace turned from the table and Nora gave a smug look to Jason. He didn’t look it, but Nora knew he was glad, like she was, to have met Grace. It gave them hope about people and knowledge they needed.

There was still more to learn and Grace would be a great guide. They weren’t far from Champaign, and at the very least, even if the others never returned, Jason and Nora knew they weren’t alone in the world.

EIGHT – PAST REPEATS

The first thought that ran through Meredith’s mind as she placed on the dungarees was, ‘Good Lord, I am wearing the pants of a sixty year old’. Rusty had given them to her. They were comfortable. Baggy in the rear and legs, snug in the waist. Despite being asleep for thirty years, Meredith hadn’t lost an inch off of her middle age bulge. But she figured at the rate she was eating or lack of eating, she would finally shed those pounds.

They had been with the Wrecker village for over two days. Every few hours it seemed someone else was getting sick. They needed healthy hands to help.

John had left hours earlier to head back and find Rusty. Maybe he had some herbs or something that could help. He was only a two hour drive away and Matthew used the map that Rusty gave them to show John the way back.

Rusty was a means to help and surely he would be happy to know that not all Wreckers were bad.

Bada woke without a fever, that not only made Matthew happy, but Meredith as well. While Ana improved, her husband did not. They had already lost seven people since Meredith and John arrived.

A virus, long since dormant brought in by a stranger. But how? If she and John had received a vaccine under the Genesis project didn’t the traveling stranger? How did it not work on him? Could the virus have been theoretically still in the air, the stranger not immune, just happened to catch it?

Matthew was no help at all with knowledge of the virus. He was still in a state of shock that a whole viable world existed outside of his area. He had ventured a hundred miles in all directions, saw no one else but war survivors and gave up long ago.

Now, he was ready to search once more.

He just didn’t have the means to travel so far, unlike Meredith and John who had that buggy.

She probed him for what he knew of the stranger. Which direction did he come from? Was he alone? How sick was he when he arrived?

He was fevered according to Matthew. Slightly fevered, coughing and weak. From what Meredith saw of the virus in the village, it took about eight to twelve hours to get symptomatic. So the stranger caught it twelve hours earlier? From where?

According to Matthew he stumbled in from the north gate.

What was north?

“Baltimore, New York, but those places were hit,” Matthew said.

Seeing how Matthew said he made it about a hundred miles in all directions and didn’t come across anything, led Meredith to believe the stranger traveled farther.

“How? On foot?” Matthew asked.

“The project set everything up,” Meredith said. “Supplies that were in their own type of stasis to remain fresh and outside the labs were instructions and transportation. So he had transportation, I am willing to bet. Did you go look?”

Matthew shook his head and exclaimed it hadn’t crossed his mind to look for more people or how he got there. He had only worried about the well being of the stranger.

So knowing Ana was better, they packed a small sack of supplies, and Meredith and Matthew headed north. If the stranger arrived and traveled by some sort of solar buggy or transportation left for him, surely, like John and Meredith, he hid it.

Meredith was bound and determined to find it. If for nothing else, to open up the world to Matthew and his people. A means to travel out and not be so trapped in such a small pocket of the world.

<><><><>

It was funny to Malcolm how everyone in Salvation kept boasting about the coffee. Clearly they didn’t know any better or couldn’t recall the days when everyone fought to be the perfect coffee connoisseur. It was good, but not great.

Of course his interactions with Salvation’s people was limited to who was permitted to be around him. Maggie promised that after they returned she would give him the grand tour.

Aside from him, Maggie and Trey, four others would be joining their journey to find the lost stations of Genesis. A virologist, historian and two military men.

Malcolm reiterated the story about the woman that shot his travelling companion. He was told unfortunately, those who lived outside of Salvation, especially those who lived alone were off balance at times.

Hence why they needed protection.

It was Maggie’s dream to see the wall removed in her lifetime. That started with a cure. They had taken much of Malcolm’s blood. That was a start. Finding something in one of the Genesis labs would be a great asset. But then they still had to reproduce it.

There were many born inside the walls and who had been there since there were young. They had never saw the ocean, the Grand Canyon or even a large natural body of water. All things that would be a new American Dream.

While sipping his coffee, Malcolm packed a small bag. They had given him clothing and new shoes. He was just about done when a knock came at his door.

Maggie poked her head in. “You have someone that would like to speak to you. He thinks you might have answers. You don’t have to.”

“Who is it?”

Maggie stepped aside and an older gentleman walked into the room. He was seventy, maybe a few years older. He was strong looking and his age was evident more so by his white hair and deep lines around his eyes and mouth.

“Thank you,” he said to Maggie and tipped his head. Then the man turned to Malcolm. “Thank you for taking a moment to see me. I had to fight for this.”

“It’s okay. What can I do for you, sir?”

“It’s a long shot. I know. But my wife was supposedly killed in that hotel explosion. They never found her body, only her wedding ring. I accepted that. Until the day you walked in through these walls and they said, you were at the hotel and were in some sort of freeze for thirty years. Just out of curiosity… were there any women there with you. Maybe some that were believed to be dead.”

“Yes,” Malcolm answered. “Many of them died. They didn’t wake up from the process. But I can tell you I committed to memory every single last name. So if she was there, even if she didn’t make it I can help you.”

“Thank you. Her last name was Lane.”

Malcolm blinked. “As in Nora?”

The man stumbled back. “You knew her?”

“Are you Rick?”

“Yes, I go by Richard now. Yes.” Rick said with excitement. “You know her.”

“Yeah. She’s great.”

Rick gasped out. “She’s alive?”

“Very much so. She went to find you and your daughters.”

“Our one daughters died.” His hand shot to his mouth. “This is a lot to handle.” He reached back and sat down. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I wanted answers. You told me more than I expected to hear. Will she be coming to Salvation?”

Malcolm exhaled. “I don’t know. If she can find it she will. Those of us who made it out of the project were supposed to meet up. But now I’m doing this thing with Salvation. I’m gonna try to get word to them. Try to meet up. Find them. I’ll tell her we met. She’s going to be very happy.”

“I’m not expecting a love rematch. I… I can’t. I since remarried.”

“You’re remarried?” Malcolm asked, instantly feeling bad for Nora.

“How will she handle it?”

“Hard to say.” Malcolm said. “Please remember, to us, it’s only been a couple weeks. Our feelings are still the same. Knowing Nora and how she is, I’m gonna say she’s realistic and won’t be hurt.”

“I don’t want to hurt her. I just want to see her.”

“She’d like that, I’m sure.” Malcolm reached out his hand to Rick and shook firmly. “I am very glad she has family alive.”

Malcolm finished up his packing and spent the rest of the time with Rick before he had to leave on the journey. Rick asked if he could go, but Maggie refused. Plus, Malcolm reiterated that should he not meet up with Nora, they could make their way here and wouldn’t Rick want to be waiting.

He got the information on Rick’s life, and Nora’s daughter. He assured Rick that Nora was going to be fine, but Malcolm knew that wasn’t the case. How could she be? Not two weeks earlier she was in a loving marriage.

That wasn’t Rick’s burden to carry. He believed his wife was dead.

Nora would face pain, but she’d move on, eventually. They all would have to.

There was no reverse, no ‘reset’ on what happened. Thirty years had passed and there was nothing they could do about it.

<><><><>

Rusty had taken an old map and made changes to reflect the state of the United States. It wasn’t really an old map to John, it was a land and country he had seen not weeks earlier. Rusty scratched out roads no longer viable and marked highways that were no more than trails.

What happened to the world?

It was known that there was a limited nuclear exchange on American soil. The solo journey back to Rusty gave him ample thinking time. He wondered what would have happened if they were released when they were supposed to. John would have come out of stasis in the thick of war. Or what if it were only a year or two.

The virus was out of control, there was no turning that back. Would John have survived? The worst thought for him was thinking about his family. How if he had been released decades earlier, how he would have had to watch them die. If, of course, he wasn’t killed with them.

A part of him was glad he missed it all. Missed the pain of losing family and the horror of nuclear war. All that was behind him.

The only bad thing was despite the fact that everyone he knew was gone and the cities he loved were dust, John still carried the memories and feelings of his former life. It wasn’t that he was spared the hurt, he was just experiencing it differently.

It was a quiet journey. He didn’t realize how much Meredith talked until he wasn’t with her.

He supposed Rusty would be like, ‘What the heck? I just left you’, he and John would have a chuckle, smoke some of that weed and John would enjoy the look on Rusty’s face when he told him about a Wrecker world beyond the savage ones.

John recognized the surroundings and route, albeit in reverse. He distinctively recalled seeing the old rusted mini van parked on the side of the road as they left Rusty’s property. A van rich with the growth of weeds and bushes, its own apocalyptic botanical garden. It had caught John’s eye, and now it was a landmark to let him know he had arrived.

He saw the dirt road just ahead and heard the dogs barking the moment he drove on the dusty road.

The horses had been turned out and were exercising in the fenced in area just to the left of the road. What surprised John was Scooter coming out of the house. Rusty’s son looked just as shocked to see John.

John stopped the buggy.

“Hey, John, everything okay?” Scooter asked. “You guys just left. Is Meredith alright?”

“She’s fine. We’re fine. I came back to see your father. Hoping he may be able to…” John stopped when Scooter lowered his head. “What it is? What’s wrong?”

“My father died this morning.”

It was as if John had been hit with a baseball bat. He stumbled back. “What? What happened?”

“Weirdest thing. Two nights ago he got sick. I came by yesterday and he was pretty bad. I mean real bad. Whatever bug he got, knocked him out. He never woke up, and died in his sleep.”

“I’m… I’m terribly sorry. I mean really sorry.”

“Yeah, me, too. He was all I had. He knew it though. He knew he was gonna get really bad and die.”

“How?”

“On his way back from taking you guys, he saw a Wrecker on the road. It was sick. My dad said it looked like the old virus. He was even gonna try to help him, but the Wrecker died. My dad just sensed the virus was back. After all these years, it’s back.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Me? I’m fine.”

“Scooter, was the Wrecker you father found a violent Wrecker. One of the ones that hurt people.”

“What other kind are there?”

“There are civilized ones,” John said. “We happened upon them and that was why I came back. This virus has hit there as well. We were hoping to get some of your father’s herbs. His medicine.”

“I don’t know if it can help, but I can get you some.” Scooter stepped back to the house. “There really are civilized Wreckers?”

John nodded.

“And they’re hit with the virus, too? Scooter shook his head. “Ain’t that the darndest thing? All this time, and the virus is back. Scary.” He walked into the house.

It was scary, in more ways than Scooter realized. John began to process his thoughts as he stood waiting on Scooter to get the medication. The stasis stranger that strolled into Matthew’s village was without a doubt the carrier of the virus there.

But what of the violent Wreckers over a hundred miles away? Or Rusty for that matter. John recalled waking to the sound of Rusty sneezing.

The only stasis strangers they were exposed to were him, Meredith and Grant.

John was fearful that when they woke from stasis, their presence woke the virus. If indeed they weren’t carriers themselves somehow.

And while they were determined to look for the living, something inside of John told him, that maybe that was a task they should put on hold. They were placed in stasis to ensure life, and John was starting to wonder if the best way to make sure the human race survived, was to stay as far away from everyone as they possibly could.

NINE – NOT QUITE

Christian Life Church. That was the name of it and it took Jason a good twenty minutes to remember. That was all he focused on. What was the name of the church? It was one of the first places he did a worship service. A traveling Christian band with Jason as Worship leader, not yet a full-fledged preacher, singing his hit song. Bring it.

He slipped into the a reminiscent phase after Grace pulled out an older CD.

Jason had longer hair, his face not as smooth since he hadn’t had any peels yet. His eyebrows weren’t plucked. He supposed they’d never be again, and without a doubt, his teeth weren’t as perfect.

“You were young,” Nora commented.

“Not really. Just not polished physically,” Jason replied.

Grace gave them supplies, wished them well, and told them they were welcome back. She drew them a map, which resembled something more like a treasure map from an old pirate movie. Grace also said, while they picked a good spot in Champaign, the survivors were actually in an outlying town called Rantoul.

Rantoul.

That was when it clicked for Jason.

He had been there.

“If she’s right,” Nora said in the drive. “What are we gonna do?”

“Huh?” Jason was preoccupied.

“About the others. We said Champaign. Do we wait in Champaign or do we look for survivors in this Rantoul.”

Jason stared at her. His mind was elsewhere.

“I guess we could leave a note. I mean. We aren’t supposed to be there yet. But for the life of me…”

“That’s it.”

“What?”

“Life.”

“Okay.”

“The name of the church. Christian Life. In Rantoul. I played there.”

“Really?” Nora asked. “That’s actually pretty cool. Is that one of the memories that just popped back at you?”

“Yeah, it is.” Jason sat back.

“I had one yesterday. It was eighth grade. I got my period.”

“Is that a joke?” Jason asked.

“No but it could be.”

“I have no doubt.”

“I have a new one.”

Jason shook his head with a smile. “Go on.”

“Did you hear Fred and Wilma Flintstone found Betty having a good time in a nuclear apocalypse?” Nora paused. “She was under Rubble.”

No reaction.

“Get it? Rubble. Barney. Betty? Barney is her husband. Under…”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it.” Jason sat up. “Are you writing these down?”

“I am.”

“I figured.”

“So what should we do?” Nora asked. “Go to Rantoul or leave a note.”

“I think we should see if there are people in Rantoul, then if there are, we leave a note.”

“Okay, that’s what we’ll do. So you really were in this town?”

“I was. I remember it was crazy too. It was an election year and for some reason Illinois was a big state in the race.”

“Oh!” Nora said excitedly. “Did you hear about the meteor that fell during the New Hampshire primary?”

Jason groaned.

“It made a big impact.”

“These are so bad.”

“But the best jokes you heard in thirty years.”

Jason smirked. “Best jokes I heard in thirty years, yes.”

<><><><>

Just as Grace indicated, Champaign was a wash. There were no quarantine signs or warnings. At the onset of the city limits in the parking lot of a sporting goods complex were the remnants of an aid station, but there wasn’t a person to be seen. However, the further they drove, the more Grace’s map made sense.

How she knew about things, they didn’t know. She hadn’t left in a long time. Perhaps it was memories of things Bruce conveyed.

They couldn’t wait to meet Bruce. Driving through the tail end of Champaign, they knew they would have to leave notes everywhere.

Jason didn’t remember until that very second that Rantoul wasn’t a hop skip and a jump from Champaign.

“Grace has it’s fifteen minutes on the old highway north,” Jason said.

“So like another twenty miles,” Nora replied. “For sure we’re gonna have to leave notes. No one will find or think to look for the town.”

“That’s if they’ll have us. They may not.”

“Grace says they’re nice.”

“Grace is nuts,” Jason commented.

They passed the sign for Rantoul. The old sign had been weather worn and was hard to read, nearly covered completely with overgrown weeds. Was it a five or an eight mile journey? They weren’t sure. But it was flat land so they were hopeful they’d see the town ahead.

“Where do we want to park the buggy?” Nora asked.

“I say as soon as we spot the town. Keep it hidden. We have to head back to Champaign anyhow, right? And just on the chance they aren’t friendly.”

“How about that. We wander for days and finally we find people. Now we’re worried they may be hostile,” Nora said.

“They may be. Just don’t tell them your jokes.”

“Grace liked them.”

“Again, Grace is nuts.”

“Do you think the others found anyone?”

“We can only hope.”

The time came for them to pull over and park the buggy, it was evident but not by a visual sighting of the small town. They knew it was time when they saw something else. Something different. It was alive. Buildings went from abandoned to useful. Roadside gas stations, fast food restaurants, were dilapidated monuments of the past swallowed by a field of life. Parking lots, roadways had been transformed into farmland.

Not big farms, small farms to reflect a small population.

They pulled over, got out of the buggy, concealing it some, removed the battery and hid that well. The both grabbed a small tote bag and headed into the small town. Neither of them knew what to expect. They banked on Grace being right and that the people were friendly.

At first they didn’t see anyone. That worried Jason.

“Either they aren’t here or they’re up on the roof taking a sniper position,” he said.

A male voice echoed out. “You got that half right.”

Jason and Nora stopped.

Nora whispered. “Something tells me you got the sniper part right.”

“Who are you?” the man asked.

“I am Nora Lane, and this is Jason Rudolph.”

“Are you recruiters?” he asked.

“From?” Nora retorted.

“Salvation.”

“No,” Nora answered. “We’re looking for it.”

“This isn’t it.”

“Obviously,” Jason quipped.

A single shot fired ricocheting at his feet, causing Jason to jump.

“Hey!” Jason yelled. “We’re not armed. What the hell?”

“Not a fan of sarcasm from strangers or bad jokes.”

“Well,” Jason said. “Apparently Grace thought we were a hoot.”

“No,” Nora argued. “She thought I was a hoot. She didn’t like you.”

“Are you crazy? She loved me. I was her fantasy.”

“Hey, now.” The voice called out. “Enough bickering. How do you know Grace?”

Nora answered. “We met her. She’s all fenced in. Nice woman. Said Bruce is nice to her.”

The unseen man, whistled one short whistle then called out. “Okay, I think they’re fine.”

“Wait.” A woman called out. “They were with Grace, how do we know they aren’t infected?”

“We’re immune.” Nora stated.

Another voice called out. “If you’re immune how come you aren’t in Salvation?”

And another said. “You would have been young enough, orphans or not.”

“It’s just the way things worked out,” Nora said.

“No.” A person argued. “That doesn’t make sense. Are you sure you’re immune?”

“Yes. Our families died. We never made it.”

“Bull,” someone called out. “This tale stinks of lies. Probably members of the Anti trying to infect us with carriers. I told you I heard stories about carriers. Secret biological weapons in the form of people in white.”

“We’re not carriers or weapons,” Nora said. “We’re immune. We had a vaccine.”

“There is no vaccine. Tell us another story.”

Jason shook his head. “This is ridiculous.” Then he shouted. “We’re immune because we did get a vaccine. They knocked us unconscious, told our families we died, and then put us in an underground facility where they kept us frozen for thirty years. We just woke up.”

No response.

“Great,” Nora whispered. “Now they’re gonna shoot us.”

After a moment of silence and nothing, a door opened and people came out of an old hardware store. There had to be close to two dozen.

The pack was led by a burly man in his forties. He had a rifle slung behind his back and walked with an extended hand to Jason and Nora. “I knew it,” he said. “We spotted that contraption miles out. Saw you riding in on it. We knew it was space age or something. Did the Nay-Say bury you and freeze you.”

He shook both of their hands with enthusiasm.

Jason tried to answer. “Not exactly, they…”

“In a sense, yes,” Nora cut him off. “Are you Bruce?”

“I am.” He stepped back and tossed his arms outward pointing to the group of people behind him. “Welcome to Rantoul. Or should I say… welcome to the future.”

It struck Jason as completely off and odd. They try to lie and tell a believable tale and they’re called liars. They tell a farfetched truth and everyone believed without question. It not only was an apocalyptic world, it was a world with a different mindset.

<><><><>

Meredith had walked what she felt was ten hours with Matthew. Although it wasn’t ten hours, it was two. She likened it to just her body feeling the effects of lack of sleep and that she was still healing. Nothing made sense. Matthew invited Hunter to with them. Hunter was not only a…. Hunter but a good tracker who spoke halfway decent and understandable English. He had been under the weather and healed.

After all the reports that Meredith read from the aid station, the fact that so many of the Wreckers got well baffled her. Out of the twenty-three, including the stranger, four died and six were on the fence. She wondered if the stranger brought a different version of the virus or maybe the Wreckers’ DNA had mutated enough to fight it better

Whatever the case, they had Hunter and there was something endearing about the overly large man. He was focused and quiet. During the walk, he merely glanced around. Then after about two miles, he picked up a track.

“Here is where he fell in illness, probably slept.” Hunter said, though not as eloquent or smoothly put.

He proceeded to say he had stumbled for a good mile.

So he was ill for miles. How long really could he walk with the virus? And he did walk. Nowhere did they find a means of transportation. It wasn’t hidden, there really was no place to hide it.

After a couple hours, Meredith suggested they head back. It wasn’t because she gave up, she just wanted to head out again, this time with the buggy and Hunter.

Meredith was convinced that the stranger not only walked into the village, he walked from where he woke or camped. Since he was sick, it couldn’t be that far.

She had no doubt that John would return. Meredith had every faith. She only worried that the delay was because John had gotten held up talking to Rusty… who loved to talk. She expected his return. She hoped he’d get back so they would have a few hours before sundown to go searching.

When she saw him roll into the village, she was smiling, but that smile dropped from her face.

Meredith watched for a short distance as he interacted with Matthew and handed him a backpack. John acknowledged Meredith with a glance, finished up with Matthew and walked to her.

“Did you find his car?” John asked.

“No. But I think… I think where ever their Genesis Lab is located, it’s close. Either that or he was camped out close. We just need to go back out with the buggy and cover more area. What’s wrong, you look upset?”

“We have a problem,” John said. “Rusty died.”

“What?”

“He got the virus. The same one as here.”

Meredith stared for a moment, her eyes continuously blinking in surprise. “How…?”

John raised his hand. “Scooter said that he ran into a sick Wrecker. That was a hundred miles away Mere. There’s no way that Wrecker got sick from these people or that stranger.”

“Oh, John,” Meredith folded her arms. “Do you think maybe it wasn’t the stranger, that maybe it is in the air?”

“No.” John shook his head. “I don’t think it’s in the air. I think… I think it might be in us.”

<><><><>

It was quite a change of pace for Malcolm. At least as far as traveling went. He didn’t know why he expected them all to pack up in his solar buggy, as if it were the only viable means of transportation.

Trey had explained the conversion of vehicles to the corn fuel system. In his mind Malcolm envisioned modified cars and trucks, haplessly put together and visually crude. Such was not the case in the travel vehicle they would use to hit the road and search out the other four Genesis labs.

The vehicle was slightly longer than a short school bus, but higher. On the roof were the solar panels and containers of corn fuel. Both sources of energy were needed.

The exterior was a light gray color, with few windows. Interesting enough to John were the four extra tires that rested on the outside of the van, positioned just above the wheel wells. The tires were large, bulky with spiked treads. When needed the driver would engage them, much like putting a vehicle into four-wheel drive. The tires would rotate, lifting the van and temporality replacing the regular tires. These were needed for heavily overgrown areas.

Inside was nothing fancy, five rows of seats, much like a bus. But a good portion of the van was dedicated to storage. Overhead compartments and a good third of the van was nothing but back room storage.

They carried a lot of supplies.

It was definitely transport for a dystopian world. It was designed and used by the military or Salvation Command, which would make regular trips outside the walls to make sure the country was still in order.

Their reports were deemed classified.

Malcolm learned quickly that the virologist and historian were also part of the SalCom military. But the two that drove along with them commanded and protected the mission were dedicated military men.

One of them was Colonel Norris. When Malcolm asked, ‘As in Chuck?’ The colonel didn’t get it but he knew other things.

He had been part of the United States Military since he was eighteen, having been orphaned in the outbreak. He worked aid stations, then security for the building of the wall. He did survivor runs and looked for immune after the wall was erected. He also served as a wall guard when many people were camped out there.

Twenty-three years he had dedicated his life to the military. First the Marines, then SalCom when it all switched over.

He told of how he made at least two trips out a year. Coast to coast, north to south. He knew what was out there; the best routes to take and the areas to avoid.

Even with all that happened, there were still pockets of really bad areas. Where people had turned lawless and savage. Malcolm knew all too well how people had turned.

It wasn’t an empty world. Far from it. There were just more areas of emptiness.

It worried Malcolm and he prayed with concern for his friends out searching.

The colonel mapped out the route, where they’d go first and when they’d stop for the night. He said it would be the safest route, but couldn’t promise there wouldn’t be trouble.

They’d head to the West Coast first, then Texas, Alabama and finally to DC. Maggie was certain the one north of New York City, G5, wasn’t viable and held out hope that the one outside of DC would still be there.

When he asked why, because to him Washington, DC, was toast, Maggie explained, “history tells us a SLBM, low yield was launched on DC. The area was more deadly due to accumulative radiation. So there is hope that the G4 lab is there.”

Colonel Norris confirmed the area wasn’t completely dust. He hadn’t seen a lab, then again, he wasn’t looking for one. For some odd reason, when mentioning DC, the colonel said, “I know what’s out there. We need to be careful.”

What was out there?

He seemed more at ease when he found out an approximate address, adding he’d figure out the best way in.

The East Coast was good news to Malcolm. He hadn’t told Maggie where he was to meet the others, but he hoped that on the return trip to Salvation they could pass through Champaign and find out if the others were there or had made it and moved on.

Depending on how long they stayed at each lab, timing would have Malcolm in Champaign around the meet up time.

The mission was simple. Find the labs, search them for answers and possibly the vaccine and look for survivors. Following the survival of the fittest rule that selectively saved Malcolm and his crew to, they estimated that around the same amount of people probably woke up at each location. That was if they were all set to wake up in the same year. Or rather reset to wake up.

It was conceivable that one or more of the labs woke up years earlier or not at all.

Malcolm was hopeful that one of the labs contained those still cryogenically frozen in their units. It would be interesting to see and to possibly help those who had trouble when they did wake up.

They rolled out of the gates of Salvation just before noon. It was a later start than originally planned. The colonel was thorough and wanted to make sure they had enough supplies for every possible scenario.

It would take nearly sixteen hours, if not more to reach their first destination. They’d stop for the night long before that.

Malcolm sat next to Trey, he was glad to have his son along. Trey was a bit nervous about going. He hated leaving his business and crops for so long, even though Mr. Diaz and a couple of others promised to run things. That’s what Malcolm guessed. Trey didn’t convey that. He tried to hide his anxiousness, but Malcolm saw through it. He just kept reiterating how happy he was that Trey was there. In truth, Malcolm needed him there.

While Salvation had its own unique means of communication, Trey was outside of that and had no way to check up on things.

He was more like Malcolm than he cared to admit.

The others… they were strangers. Malcolm supposed he would get to know them all. He’d have to get to know a lot of things.

In a short span of time everything changed for Malcolm, his world was suddenly different. Sadly, there was a part of him that was gone, never to return. Thirty years in a blink of an eye… literally. The destruction and decay that occurred in those thirty years was evident with every mile they trekked on their journey.

TEN – OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE

According to the history of Matthew, the trajectories of the nuclear warheads were off. He seemed to recall a dozen targets, just on the East Coast. He figured they were everywhere though. Some cities hit with two or three bombs. Some of those bombs, missed. The land was barren more so from the nuclear winter that set in. The area just never grew again. Buildings were toppled, anything flammable was torn apart to create fires for warmth during the cold winter months.

After all, they all believed the world was done. They were left to their own devices.

While most first generation offspring of survivors had some physical defects ranging from mild to severe, they all had a sort of intellect disconnection, whether it was verbal or mental.

It was just a mess.

The Wrecker village was actually outside of the town of Burke, Virginia. One of the towns hit with a low yield device intended for DC.

Matthew hated the name Wrecker when Meredith told him. He hadn’t heard of it, but it made sense to him knowing the mindset and violent tendencies of the Night Stalkers, as he called them.

They… were just people. Maybe Burkians. But that was it.

Hunter rode in the back seat of the cart, which made not only for awkward traveling but conversation as well. His big body seemed to take up most of the seat and when he leaned forward he was invading Meredith and John’s space.

He made them travel slow and had them stop every once and a while so he could follow tracks.

He lost the trail of the stranger about six miles out of Burke. That was when Hunter got out of the buggy and looked around.

“We have a moment,” Meredith said. “I’ve been thinking about it. It can’t be us.”

“It is,” John argued.

“No, John listen. None of these people developed symptoms while we were here. This thing hits fast. Rusty would have been full blown sick before we left.”

“He was coughing and sneezing.”

“He said he had allergies.”

“Then explain. Explain how a Wrecker a hundred mile away caught a virus.”

“Air.”

John scoffed.

“Or Grant.”

That caught John’s attention. “Grant.”

“What if he were a carrier. We’re immune, he wasn’t. That would explain it.”

“That would. But I don’t think we should take the chance. Especially with the nice Wreckers. Speaking of which…” John looked over to where Hunter stood on the edge of a hill. “What is Sloth doing?”

“Excuse me.”

“Sloth. Remember Sloth from Goonies?”

“Oh my God, that is so wrong. On so many levels. Hunter looks nothing like Sloth.”

“Meredith please.”

“Slightly but not enough to call him that. Here he comes.”

Hunter looked like a man on a mission. He walked straight to the buggy and grabbed his sack, tossing it over his shoulder. He lifted his spear and the crossbow that John had. He then loaded the crossbow.

“Did you find something?” John asked with enthusiasm.

Hunter nodded once and walked ahead.

Hurriedly, Meredith and John followed. Hunter waited on the edge of the hill staring out.

When they arrived at his side, the saw that the hill wasn’t really that far up. Maybe thirty feet. Its height didn’t give a great vantage point; then again, it wasn’t needed.

Hunter pointed to a building below. It sat in a large parking lot, a lot cracked and covered in dirt. The building looked as if it were an office or medical suite. The windows were busted and the east wall of it had crumbled.

It wasn’t the building so much or the parking lot that Hunter indicated, but the makeshift camp set up not far from the doors of the building.

An old rusted van was parked with the rear door open and a canopy erected over the doors. A tent was not far from it and the remnants of a campfire sat between them.

The area looked as if someone tried to clear some of the dirt, sweep it up.

John didn’t see any people. “Are they your people?” He asked Hunter.

“No.” Hunter shook his head. He moved his index and middle finger back and forth then pointed below.

“You want to go check for a trail or tracks?” John asked.

“Yes,” Hunter nodded. “Quiet is needed.”

“Absolutely, after you.” John held out his hand.

“Is it them?” Meredith asked John in a whisper.

“I don’t know. But I do feel safe with our big friend.”

“Yeah, me, too.”

Making his way to the campsite, Hunter kept the spear behind his back and crossbow in his hand. He paused just outside the camp circumference, peered around and walked to the fire.

Crouching down he reached to it and withdrew his fingers, speaking softly. “Still warm.”

“Hold it!” a man yelled out to them.

Immediately Hunter sprang to his feet. He drew the spear and aimed the crossbow without hesitation at the man who emerged from the building.

The man wore the Genesis outfit of drawstring pants and tee shirt.

“Oh my God, what the hell are you?” he asked Hunter.

“That…” John said. “Is not very nice.”

“Who are you?” Apparently nervous, the man swung his gun back and forth.

“Easy.” Meredith lifted her hands. “We aren’t here to hurt you. We were searching for the people that were with a man dressed like you. He may have left here several days ago.”

“Yeah, yeah,” the man responded nervously. “He was sick. He left looking for help.”

“Yes, he infected a camp,” Meredith explained. “Why did you let him leave if he was so ill? Instead of helping him? And can you please put down the gun.”

Slowly the man lowered his aim.

John reached out to Hunter. ‘Okay, it’s good. Be diligent, but we’re good now.”

The man looked at John, then Meredith and finally Hunter. ‘We were confused. It sounds crazy.”

“Oh, I doubt that,” Meredith said. “No crazier than being rendered unconscious, and waking up in a lab after being cryogenically frozen.”

“You too?” he asked.

John nodded. “Yes. We’ve been looking for family, for answers.”

Suddenly the man grew anxious and emotional, almost as if he were relieved. “Did you find any?”

Meredith answered. “Some.”

“Oh, God. Then please, what is going on? Where are we?” he pleaded emotionally. “Or better yet, when are we?”

<><><><>

Harold Cole was a brilliant obstetrician and fertility expert before he was snatched out of an awards dinner and placed in deep freeze. Another awards dinner at the same hotel. He had flown in from Los Angeles and was a long way from home.

He told a similar story with the exception that the middle aged man, strikingly handsome, still didn’t recall most of his life.

Meredith and John went into the building with him, while Hunter stayed outside. They entered an office similar to the one their own group ascended into after the leaving the stasis portion of the lab.

Only difference was Cole and his people hadn’t searched for answers in the computer or on the desk, if there were any to be found.

There were a few others in the lab that survive, aside from the stranger named Mark that wandered into the village of Burke. From what Cole said, Mark woke up sick, but not terribly sick. He panicked and left. Oddly, enough, Cole and the three others, two men and a woman, were still in a major state of confusion.

“The clothes were on the bed, the video played, telling us to shower,” Cole said. “Janice was the first to wake up. She said Mark wasn’t ill at first, not at all. At least not physically, of all of us he was the most mentally unstable. In his panic he left.”

Janice spoke up. “None of us knew what happened, how we got there. Nothing. We were still sorting it out, we urged Mark to stay but he left.”

John asked, “How long after he came out of Stasis did he leave?”

Janice shrugged, “Hours. He found supplies and a way out. Went up there, came back down, and said he had to find help. We were still trying to help those who were choking.”

“Hours?” Meredith questioned. “So you folks only woke up four days ago? Was there no countdown clock on a door?”

Cole shook his head. “No. There was a door that led to an elevator but it was partially open. We thought at first Mark caught something up here, because within an hour of coming back down he started showing symptoms.”

Meredith explained. “When we came out of Stasis, it activated a countdown clock, after five days the door opened and an elevator was there. It was during that five days our memories started to return.”

“Not all,” John added. “Some still didn’t remember things. I’m thinking that it is a decompression period, possibly even when immunity to the virus builds up.”

“Last couple days we looked for him,” Cole said. “No luck. Nearest we can figure is we are by Washington, DC. And that a lot of time has passed. Do we know why we were chosen?”

“We learned,” Meredith said, “to preserve the human race in case things got out of control with a virus that was released to cull the population.”

Cole sighed heavily and sat back. “Apparently it did.”

Meredith nodded.

“So a virus wiped man to near extinction?” Cole asked. “Is that what happened?”

“And some,” Meredith said. She knew it was going to be hard, difficult to understand, and so easy to want to deny, but Meredith and John, did their best to explain to the newly awakened, what all had happened and what they had learned thus far.

<><><><>

“I want to sleep in a bed,” Jason said as he placed the sleeping roll over a small couch in the Rantoul library.

“Considering the circumstances, I’m thinking that may never be a possibility.” Nora finished her bedding and adjusted the light on the lantern.

“Nah, I find that hard to believe. Bet the people in this town are tucked away in their beds.”

“It’s their town. Once we find a home, then maybe we’ll get the beds.”

“If I recall correctly, there were dorm rooms and visiting pastor quarters at the church,” Jason said. “We’ll check that out tomorrow.”

“That sounds good. It’ll be something to do. They aren’t party people. They go to bed early around here. It’s not even eight o’clock.”

“What else is there to do? Yeah, and they kind of looked at us like we were nuts going back to put up notes for the others.” Jason paused to laugh. “They acted as if we were gonna be out all hours of the nights. They’re nice people.”

“Yes, they are. Are you amazed by them?” Nora asked. “I mean, half of them weren’t even out of grade school when the virus hit, another big section were young adults. Yet, they survived.”

“I think that amazes me most is in this world they could have turned bad. Instead they learned. They read, they learned. Hell the woman doctor is self taught.”

“Would you want to settle here?”

“We need to find your family. Find Salvation first, see what that holds for you.”

Nora huffed out a little in sarcasm. “Rick would be seventy now if he is still alive and Lilly is pushing forty. I wonder if my return will be worse on them.”

“You need to find them. We… will find them. Then after, whatever you want to do, I’m game.”

“Thank you. So if I said, let’s get some land with the others and make our own town, you’d be fine with that.”

Jason smiled. “Nora, you and the others are all I have. I’m golden with whatever you want.”

“You can be the town preacher.”

Jason laughed. “Yeah and you can be the town comedian.”

“Hey, these people laughed at my jokes. You laughed at the new one.”

“I laughed because it was so unbelievably dumb, how could I not?”

Nora shrugged. “It got a laugh. I do want to grow corn like these people. Wasn’t it good corn? It reminded me of the Sweet Corn festival from Lodi, Ohio.”

“Did Lodi make moonshine?” Jason lifted a flask, took a drink and handed it to Nora. “These people make great moonshine.”

She was hesitant at first, but Nora took the flask. She sipped it. “Taste like popcorn.” She hit her chest when it burned all the way down.

“Yep. It does.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“You will anyway.”

“What’s up with the drinking?” Nora asked. “Since we woke up, since you found that wine, you drink a lot.”

Jason lifted his eyes with concern to her. “Am I being a danger? Getting in the way?”

“No. No.” She waved her hand. “I was just wondering. Is it your way of coping?”

“I like to drink. I always did.”

“So you were the preacher that downed a few?” she asked.

Jason lifted a finger. “No. It was one of my conditions.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I was a hot mess, Nora. I mean, when the network scouted me, I was… I was bad.”

“Was this before the facial peels?”

Jason chuckled. “Yeah. I drank a lot. Did drugs. Before that, I battled addiction. My parents… I don’t know what I told you about them, but I can guarantee it wasn’t the truth. My parents in their exercising of tough love, disowned me because I kept stealing from them.”

It was hard for Nora to believe. The man he presented wasn’t the man he told her about. Yet, it oddly made sense. “How old were you?”

“Nineteen. And it was the best thing they did. When you have an addiction, you need to want to clean up. I had been using for years. When they tossed me out, I took my guitar and hit the road. Played on street corners. Eventually I got off the hard stuff. Started drinking a lot, smoking weed. Never to the point that I was a slobbering idiot. I don’t think. So… after the network discovered me playing in a bar, in short they cleaned me up, got me a wife, and fixed my teeth… made me a poster child for Christ.”

“Did your addiction ever come up?”

“It was a selling point,” Jason said. “Don’t get me wrong. I was grateful. I loved my wife. I stopped the party life for the church, and stayed clean for my family. But you know, being sober made me see how much pain I caused my parents and I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

“You know they did, right? They forgave you. They did. They loved you enough to let you go. It wasn’t because they hated you.”

Jason nodded.

“Did you ever make amends?”

“Eventually, but it was never the same. They were never really part of my life. So that’s it.” Jason lifted the flask. “That’s my story that you haven’t heard.”

“So you drink because you like it and not because you want to hide the pain.”

“I like to drink. Hide the pain? There’s no real hiding it, Nora. But it does help to ease the pain. And there’s no audience or perfect wife to say I can’t.”

“Then I won’t either,” Nora said. “I apologize for judging.”

“You weren’t judging. And I promise, I will not let it get out of control.”

“Hmm.”

“Hmm?” Jason asked. “Did you just do a hmm at me?”

“I did. You said that line all alcoholics say.”

“I’m not an alcoholic.”

“You just said you were.”

Jason shook his head and took a drink. “You said you weren’t judging.”

“I’m not. I’m not.” Nora raised her hands. “I kind of do like this imperfect Jason better.”

“Gee thanks.” Jason put down the flask and fluffed the tiny homemade pillow given to him by one of the town’s people.

Nora laughed.

“What’s so funny, now?”

“I just thought of a joke.”

“Oh God. Don’t tell me, I want to lay down.” Jason lounged back, placing his head on the pillow.

“You’ll like it.”

“I doubt it.”

“You inspired it.”

Jason closed his eyes.

“What did the one alcoholic say to the other alcoholic during a nuclear war?” Nora asked. “Let’s get toasted.”

Jason opened his eyes.

“You like?”

Jason didn’t verbally respond, he merely sat up some and tossed his pillow at her. Nora once again laughed. She actually felt a breakthrough with Jason, a wall she didn’t know was there had come down.

She couldn’t believe he was going to sleep so early. Nora wasn’t even tired. Since Jason was, she found her journal and once he was fast asleep, she claimed that flask. The popcorn flavored moonshine wasn’t half bad.

<><><><>

It was an odd location where they had set up camp. Just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. The skyline of sin city was nothing but a mere shadow of darkness across the well lit star filled sky. Colonel Norris said it was one of his favorite places to stop and camp for the night. It was safe. Vegas had long since been empty. For many years it was a sort of a mini Salvation. Pockets of people went there with hopes of survival. Power was supplied by the Hoover Damn. But as the virus swept in every year, the population dwindled.

People moved on.

It was a dark, dismal ghost town. At least at night.

Norris assured Malcolm that when day broke, he’d get to see it in its full glory. There was a lot of sand. Without people and automobiles to keep the city clean, storms blew sand in by the foot. Most parts of the Las Vegas Strip were buried.

It was surreal for Malcolm. In his mind and time frame he had been to Vegas not six months earlier for a security convention. A part of him wanted to see, but a part of him didn’t.

Malcolm was shocked how warm it was.

Norris had erected a two man blow up style tent and they had, as he referred to it, atmospheric conditioning. Malcolm could have turned in for the night, but it was still early. He had hoped to have a chance to talk to the historian, Clark and the scientist, Nelson, but they retreated to their tents the moment they settled.

It was a pretty impressive camp, one that was erected pretty quickly. The two igloo air tents and a tent that pulled out from the transit van plus two fire pits.

Norris had done it before, it was obvious.

Trey turned in for the night, claiming he couldn’t take the heat.

To Malcolm it was hot but tolerable. He and Trey had their own tent, Maggie, Clark, and Nelson shared one, while Norris and the private took turns on watch, and slept in the transit van tent.

Malcolm was using the light from the fire to read the scrapbook that Trey had brought. Newspaper clippings, stories about Malcolm at the end. The smell of coffee moved through the slight breeze and Malcolm looked up to see Maggie. She brewed a pot over her own fire in front of her tent.

The gurgles of percolating carried to him and he walked over.

“Join me?” Maggie asked. “It’s like heaven in a cup.”

Malcolm laughed. “Your coffee?’

“Yes.”

“It’s good, but not heaven in a cup.” Malcolm pulled up a folding chair and sat next to her. He accepted the cup of coffee. “Thank you.”

“Can’t sleep?” she asked.

“I haven’t tried. You?”

“Too excited.” She brought her shoulders up.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Because when we left you were quiet.”

“I was nervous,” Maggie said. “This is the first time I have been outside Salvation since I entered.”

“You’re joking.”

Maggie shook her head. “Not at all.”

“Are you not allowed to leave?”

“Unless you are authorized for a mission you can leave, but you can’t come back. Or if you are like Trey and distribute to Salvation. Really, there’s no need to leave.”

“Yeah, the world. Aren’t you curious? I mean there’s a whole world out here.”

“It’s a deadly world,” Maggie said. “Aside from there being the chance of getting sick. There are bad people out here.”

“Those walls will have to come down at some point,” Malcolm said.

“Why?”

“I don’t know. It just doesn’t make sense. It’s very Logan’s Run like.”

“Logan’s Run?”

“It’s a science fiction movie. People live in a perfect world.”

“That’s us.”

“But they euthanize everyone the day they turn thirty.”

The smile dropped from Maggie’s face. “Oh, that’s horrible.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“We wait until they are seventy.”

The corner of Malcolm’s mouth raised in a smile. She had to be joking, because she followed her statement with a laugh.

“So,” Malcolm clapped his hands together. “What do you think? I mean, of what you have seen so far.”

“It’s empty and sad.”

“Yeah, it is. Tell me, what made you decide to be a doctor, or virologist.”

“Decide?” Maggie asked.

“Yeah, was it the virus that made you want to find a cure?”

“I didn’t decide,” Maggie said. “This is what I was told to do. When I was twelve, they said I was exceptionally smart and I was assigned the career.”

“You’re joking.”

“That’s the second time you claimed I was joking. Why would I joke?”

“It’s absurd. You can’t pick your own job.”

Maggie shook her head. “No, we learn from a young age what we are capable of doing and train from there. It works. Things run smoothly in Salvation. Not like we learned of the world before the virus. Wars, sickness, fighting, who needs that.”

“You have no sickness.”

“Only injuries and treatable illnesses like your infection.”

“What about cancer?” Malcolm asked. “Millions of people, I find it hard to believe there isn’t a case of cancer.”

“Oh, there is. We fix it right away.”

“Wow.” Malcolm leaned back and enjoyed a sip of his coffee. “Sounds like they created a Utopia pretty quickly.”

“We did. You’ll really love it there, Malcolm. It’s a great place. You won’t want to leave. I never did.”

“Well, I’m not so sure if my friends are gonna wanna stay there or try to make it on our own. I’ll do what they decide. I mean, we are bonded in a way.”

“That makes sense.”

“ Although, I’ll have to tell Nora that her former husband is there.”

Maggie cradled her cup of coffee. “Richard. Very nice. He’s sixty-nine now. She’ll probably be very shocked when she sees him.”

“I’d say and the fact that he’s remarried.”

“Are you worried?” Maggie asked. “About your friends?”

“I am. I gave my word I’d meet up with them.”

“Can you tell me where?”

Malcolm exhaled. “Why do you want to know?”

“Because if I can get you there, I will.”

After a moment of thought, Malcolm said. “A little town called Champaign, Illinois. It was center point. The meeting place.”

“Then I’ll make you a promise,” Maggie said. “Since you are helping me, I’ll help you. I’ll get you to Champaign, Illinois.” She held out her coffee cup. “You may be late, but better late than never. Right?”

“Right.” Malcolm clinked his cup against hers and followed it with a sip. A part of him was uncertain, that maybe he should not have told Maggie about the meeting place. But the reasonable part of his being argued, why should he worry about it? Maggie and the others seemed like good people. If she said she was going to help, there was no reason not to believe that.

ELEVEN – TRAIL BEGINS

Day Nine AR

There were more reasons for staying the night at the Genesis Lab camp other on the advice of Hunter. He felt it would be too dark to travel and there were animals. But Meredith and John couldn’t, with a clear conscience, just leave Harold and the others without helping them in some way. It was wrong. There was an unspoken camaraderie and Meredith and John were the veterans of waking up in a post apocalypse world.

Harold and the others were rightfully confused. They also were sad, heartbroken, and at a loss at what to do. Like John and Meredith, they thought about finding their families.

Other than helping them and staying put for safety’s sake, there was another reason. They were close to Washington, DC. For a reality check, Meredith needed to see DC. She had to and John agreed. Hunter came with them. He didn’t see what the big deal was. John jokingly told him, “I guess when you’ve seen one nuked city you’ve seen them all.”

Hunter didn’t understand the sarcasm.

They didn’t go into Washington, DC, that would have been nearly impossible. The bridges and roadways were crushed or twisted wreckage. But on a hillside, just above the Potomac River, they saw enough.

It was dead.

Even though buildings stood, some of them mere skeletons, nothing was green. Nothing grew. Surprisingly, a good bit of the Washington Monument was still there, blackened, charred and chipped away.

They didn’t stay long. Long enough to see the icing on the cake, the undisputable proof that the world fell apart when they slept.

Harold and the others didn’t come with them. John advised them not to. Not yet. It would be too much of a shock. They, like John and Meredith had to absorb what happened slowly. Taking in each piece of the apocalypse until they got the big picture.

There was also the task of getting them road ready. There had to be transportation, that was part of the project. While Meredith went over what supplies they would need, John sought out the means of transportation. The buildings were still intact, that meant that transportation was around.

He found them. He also discovered they weren’t as tricky to put together as Malcolm made them out to be. Then again, Meredith reminded him that Malcolm souped up the vehicles to make them better, or at least his.

The two man, golf cart vehicles, smaller versions of what John and Meredith drove were covered, they just needed cleaning. The solar battery was sealed in a case, and that first charge was going to take a little longer.

They had all that done by nightfall.

When Meredith woke the next day she wondered if Hunter ever slept. He was still in the same guarded position he held the night before. While John finished up a few things, Meredith brought Hunter a bottle of juice.

“For you,” She said, handing it to him. “Thank you for watching out.”

“Grateful.” Hunter took the bottle.

“Don’t you sleep?”

“Yes. Do you?”

“Yes, I did. You did not.”

He lifted his hand to his forehead and mimed staring out. “Must watch.”

“We appreciate it. You are a good man, Hunter.” She laid her hand on his shoulder.

“Ah,” John said as he approached. ‘Flirting with our post apocalypse friend, I see.”

“What?”

“Dainty touch. Big brawny guy. I can tell.”

Meredith laughed. “You’re silly. He’s very nice.”

“Hmm. Yes.”

“Are we done here?” Meredith asked.

“We are. I told them about Champaign and that we are all meeting there. That if we leave, we will leave signs to let them know.”

“Maybe we should wait for them to get there. We are ahead of schedule.”

“This is true and they know the time frame. I told them we’ll probably try to find Salvation. Who knows? But… we need to get moving so we can take Hunter back and make some headway today.”

Upon that, Hunter stood. “No. Hunter go with you.”

“Hunter,” Meredith spoke gently. “We’re going to take you back.”

“No, Hunter wants to go with you. See… world.”

John looked at him. ‘Even if we take you, we still need to go back and let them know we are all right. Your people were kind to us.”

Hunter nodded.

John asked. “Why would you want to leave them? Don’t you have family?”

“Hunter… has no one. See the world.”

“Yes, I heard,” John said.

“Hunter likes Meredith.”

John cracked a smile. “I see. Well, then, who am I to stand in the way of a budding May-December Romance. Very well. We are glad to have you.” John gave a swat to Hunter’s arm and whispered to Meredith. “Look at you having a boyfriend in the apocalypse.”

Meredith didn’t know what to say. She felt awkward and on the spot, and only glanced at Hunter with a smile.

They really had to get moving. And despite John’s wisecracks about Hunter’s infatuation, Meredith was glad to have Hunter along. With the world so unknown, and with the trouble she and John encountered not long before, Hunter was a valuable asset in such a world gone bad.

<><><><>

On the stainless steel prep counter in the kitchen of a corner diner, Nora and a young woman named Marilee, mixed oats and honey to create some sort of granola concoction.

“So,” Marilee spoke brightly with a high-pitched voice. She was young, definitely born post virus. Her blonde hair was blunt cut to her shoulders and the shiniest hair Nora had ever seen. “I was thinking about some joke you told last night.”

“Okay.”

“I laughed.”

“Good.”

“But I didn’t get it.” She paused. “What is a zombie?”

“Oh, wow, you don’t know what a zombie is?”

“No.” She shook her head.

“A zombie is a person that died, that eats flesh, that’s all they know. They are walking dead.”

“Did they have them when in your time?”

“Zombies? No. Just in movies. They aren’t real. We lived in a time where people were infatuated by them.”

“Walking dead corpses that eat people?”

“Yes.”

Marilee waved out her hand. “Well, that’s just silly. I mean, they’re people right. Rotting flesh. That’s what happens. Flesh rots. Who came up with that idea? Dead people eating other people?”

“Some say a guy named George Romero made them famous.”

“Well shame on him.”

Nora laughed.

“What was it like?” Marilee asked. “Living before the virus.”

“It was nice. It was convenient.”

“Things are convenient here,” Marilee said. “Some say you guys had the ability to communicate with the world.”

“We did.”

“Salvation is supposed to have all that and more. They’re supposed to be all high technical and stuff. Gadgets. Is that why you want to go there?”

“No. I want to go there to see if I can find my family.”

“That was a lifetime ago. Older than me. They’ll be old.”

“I still want to find them. Don’t you ever want to go to Salvation?”

“Nah,” she said. “None of us do. I like it here. Most people here were too young to remember much about life before the virus. If they were alive at all.”

“What’s it like? Living in this world now.”

“Fine. We eat. We laugh. We love. What more can you ask for? What else do you need?”

“This is true.”

“So where’s your friend?” Marilee asked.

“I don’t know. He said he’d be back. He wanted to look….” Nora paused when she heard the distant sound of music. “Aw. Bet that’s him.”

“What is that?”

“Music?”

“How is that possible? Joe the piano player is in the fields.”

“That’s not Joe. I bet. Jason plays.”

“What does that…?”

“Will you excuse me?” Nora wiped off her hands. “I’ll be back.”

“Sure.”

What was he doing? Nora wondered. Did he have an audience and didn’t tell her. There was no doubt where it came from. Jason told her he wanted to go to the church; she thought he’d wait for her.

In an empty town, sound traveled, and the tinkling of the piano transformed into the sound of Jason singing.

It was mellow at first, but Nora clearly could hear the emotion cut through the song. It was a spiritual song, she didn’t need to make out the lyrics to feel that. Nor did anyone else.

Suddenly, his singing didn’t just call to her, it called to many in the small area. People stopped what they were doing and followed her to the church.

Nora didn’t know to whether to walk in, or wait. The song intensified as Jason’s emotion and amazing voice did. As she reached for the door, he stopped singing, but continued to play. That’s when she heard him speak and she quietly slipped in and stood there in awe.

He sat at the piano, his eyes closed, head swaying.

“Does He exist? In this world, do we still believe in His presence? Are we angry and feel cheated or blessed to be chosen.” He spoke in such a smooth preacher way, then after a pause, he broke out. His voice gained a raspy sound, his face red as he drew from his soul the powerful portion of the song. Hands clamoring on the keys as he blasted the end, hitting a high note that shocked Nora. Crescendo over, Jason brought it down, mellow, to a whisper until he ended.

His head was down.

Nora clapped. Slow at first then she jolted in surprise as others applauded as well. She looked around, about ten people had also slipped into the church.

Jason opened his eyes, a slight blush swept across his face and he shook his head with a smile.

“Looks like we got a real preacher,” someone said.

Jason waved his hand as if to say ‘no’.

“We expect a concert tonight,” another man added with a laugh. “Okay people back to work. We’ll guilt him later.”

Nora waited until everyone filed out and she walked toward the front of the church.

“Wow, I had an audience,” Jason said shyly. “I didn’t know.”

“You called them.”

“I what?”

“You called them, Jason. Your voice, your passion brought them in. I see why you were such a big deal.”

“Nora, it was one song.” He stood and leaned with his arm against the piano.

“It was more than that.” She approached him.

“At least the piano was in tune.”

“Eh, Joe the piano player probably keeps it that way.”

“Who?”

Nora waved out her hand. “Can I say something?”

“You will anyhow.”

“True,” She smiled. “You’re home.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have spent every single second, of every day with you and I have never felt or seen you more at ease. More in your element. What brought it out?”

“I don’t know. I came in here and I just felt like it.”

“You talk a lot about how the network made you. Peeled your skin, plucked your eyebrows, cut your mullet and gave you…a…” she nudged him. “Wife.”

“Yeah, they did.” He lowered his head in a shy way.

“They didn’t give you this.” She touched his chest over his heart. “They didn’t make you a preacher, they didn’t give you spirit, they helped bring it out. You express guilt over who you were, time to take pride in the man you became. This is why you were chosen to live in this world.”

Jason lifted his eyes. “Those are pretty complimentary words.”

“I mean them. I don’t think I liked you much until right now.”

“What?” Jason laughed.

“Kidding. I liked you. But now I think you’re a pretty amazing guy, Jason.”

“All that over a song?”

“No. All that over making me feel something. Emotion. Missing. Strength. Everything that seemed frozen with me felt somewhat defrosted.”

“You’re pretty amazing too, Nora.”

“Yeah, I know.”

It took Jason by surprise and he laughed. He laughed hard, reached out, placed his hand behind her neck, pulled her to him and placed his lips on her forehead. He pulled back with another laugh.

“And you tell really dumb jokes.”

“Oh, I have another.”

His eyes widened. “I think I was going to search out a new home for us here.” He started to walk toward the back of the sanctuary.

“Seriously it’s good. How long did it take the plague to wipe out the world?’

Jason paused by the back door.

“No one knows. Time just flew by. Get it? Flew? Flu.”

After a groan, Jason chuckled and disappeared into the back of the church.

“Oh, he likes my jokes, he does.” Nora said to herself and followed.

<><><><>

They left camp under a pink sky, light enough for Malcolm to get a glimpse of Vegas, sad yet in a way beautiful. With seven hours road time ahead, barring any problems, they’d have to make camp at G1 Lab if they were held up there for longer than four hours.

It wasn’t something big, but it was enough to set up a jitter of worry in Malcolm’s gut. He spent hours trying to convince himself he was taking the tiny conversation out of context.

“And if it’s viable?” Maggie asked Norris.

“Orders to terminate,” Norris said.

“Just checking.”

They spoke in a whisper and admittedly, Malcolm didn’t catch what they were talking about. It could have been about road savages as the other soldier called them.

He listened to a nice history lesson from Lt. Gary Greg, the historian. Hearing about things that happened to successfully aid in building the wall that took ten years to construct. He told about the workers and how they were misled into believing they were automatically included. The most interesting part of the story was the great virus that occurred in year seven of building the wall when, fifty percent of those who worked on it, died within days.

“It was horrendous,” he said. “To replace all those workers was insane.”

“I bet,” Malcolm murmured.

It sounded sort of inhumane, but in a way it was the only humane way to save a portion of the country.

Malcolm didn’t speak to Maggie about the exchange he heard, he just kept playing it in his head and coming up with other reasons for it, other than what his gut was telling him. The search for the cure, in Malcolm’s mind went deeper than what they were saying.

Maggie was engrossed with a hand held contraption. He thought it was a phone at first, but he hadn’t seen her speak into it. It was about the size of an original iPhone, but as thin as credit card. Her finger swiped so it didn’t look like she was sending a text.

“Hey, Dad,” Trey slid next to Malcolm. He had been in the back of the van.

“How was your nap?”

“Fine. Bored. What are you doing?”

“What is that thing she has?” Malcolm asked.

“Aldervice.”

“A what?”

“Aldervice, it’s like a phone. I mean really close to it.”

“Can you text on it?”

“Yeah…” Trey leaned forward and reached into his back pocket, pulling out one. “Thirty percent of people in Salvation have one now. I have one because I make deliveries there…”

Malcolm took the device. It was light and surprisingly flexible. He touched the surface and it did look like a phone. “So she’s swiping through something?”

“Probably notes. Pictures. Who knows?”

“Games.”

“Nah, there’s no games. Very little entertainment in Salvation.”

“I have to tell you,” Malcolm said, “Salvation sounds boring.”

“It has its downfalls, but it has perks.”

“So technology didn’t really die.”

“It evolved to meet the need,” Trey explained. “All computers are like tablets now. No internet, but you can send things to one another. And call… but you don’t need a phone number.”

“How is that possible?”

“Works on user ID. Way, way, way back before my time, they had these things called operators.”

“I know what they are.”

“People used to call the operator and she would connect them,” Trey took back the device and showed him the call button. “Say you lived in Salvation. I could press this and ask the operator to connect me to say Mal and then typically a double or triple digit.”

“Sounds complicated.”

“Not really, it helps them keep track of communication and what is being said. Hence why I don’t live there.”

“That’s crazy. It also works through the satellites that are still up there when you’re out of Salvation. It was first used by the military until everyone who was going to get one had theirs.”

“So you can get calls?”

“Yes, it can also be used as a frequency.” With a swipe of his thumb, he exposed another screen that looked like a radio microphone. “Problem with this, there are only four channels and an all call. Anyone can hear you if they are monitoring that channel. Sometimes I’ll just leave a channel on at home and listen. It doesn’t ring for that, you’ll just hear the person speaking.” Trey paused. “You okay? I mean, seems kind of trivial for you to be so focused on.”

“Yeah, I’m good. It’s just this whole search mission…” Malcolm lowered his voice. “I don’t have any proof or any reason, but now suddenly something feels… off.”

‘Yep. I know what you mean.” Trey said.

No argument. No trying to tell his father he was nuts, or convince him otherwise, Trey without hesitation agreed and that worried Malcolm even more.

TWELVE – STOW

“They existed for sixty-five million years,” John told Meredith. “I’m pretty certain, thirty years is a drop in a bucket.”

Meredith argued and told John he was nuts, but she saw the reasoning behind it. Hunter repeatedly said, “see the world.”

Like any young person, Hunter longed to see what was beyond his boundaries. Matthew was envious when they stopped by to tell him. Hunter was so gung ho he gathered what little personal items he had, along with weapons, and got in the back of the buggy. Coming in just shy of sounding like a child and saying. “Can we leave?”

They brought Matthew one of the vehicles from the DC lab. So he and the others could venture out.

Matthew was grateful and invited John and Meredith back, he also told them that since Hunter regularly sought after Night Stalkers, that there was no better sense of protection.

Meredith realized they’d certainly get to know Hunter a lot better. He was curious and funny in his own right. Like a six year old, every mile they journeyed was accompanied by Hunter pointing and saying things, reading signs.

It surprised them both how much he comprehended and the fact that he could read.

“Pa… turnpike,” Hunter said.

“Pennsylvania turnpike,” Meredith explained. “This is the state of Pennsylvania. All territories were named, just like they named the towns.”

“Breeze… wood. Funny names.”

John replied, “I am sure they had reasons for naming places. I mean, you can call one area where you live Big tree, or Crater village.”

“John,” Meredith laughed.

Hunter’s marked curiosity also told them, while he read, his reading materials were limited as well as his knowledge of history.

That was when John came up with an idea.

“We don’t plan to go by there.”

“We can,” John said. “So what, it will add a few hours to our journey. We’ll still get to Champaign tomorrow.”

“What if it’s not there?”

“It’s not directly in the city, it’s not near a river, so little moisture damage. It has to be.”

“I went to school in that city,” Meredith said. “It would be interesting to go there.”

“See.” John gave her a tap to her arm.

Hunter reached up and grabbed his hand.

“Oh, look he’s protective of you. It’s fine,” John told him. “It’s a way we communicate. Passive aggressive flirtatious touching.”

“Flirtatious?” Meredith asked.

John just shrugged.

“Flirt…” Hunter struggled with the word.

Meredith explained. “Flirtatious. Meaning John likes me and he’s finding any excuse to touch me.”

“No touch in hostile way.” Hunter said to John. “Bad way to show like.”

“I’ll remember that bit of advice Dr. Phil,” John replied.

“Hunter.”

“And I am sure Hunter the Romeo has a better way to show like.”

“Hunter the Romeo?” Hunter asked. “Has John given me a title?”

“Yes,” John answered.

“Hunter likes. Hunter the Romeo.”

“Swell,” John commented. Meredith laughed. It was an interesting journey and they set the next destination as Pittsburgh.

It didn’t take long for Hunter the Romeo to become Hunter ‘What the fuck kind of battle did I get myself into’ Romeo.

It was a priceless, video moment and John was upset he didn’t have a camera when Hunter came face to face with the skeletal remains of the T Rex at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.

He walked in still amazed by the place, stopped, and as if he believed John and Meredith didn’t see, suddenly Hunter, after a shocked grunt, drew his sword and took a fighting and protective stance.

“I was right,” John said. “He has no clue about history.” Gently John reached out and lowered Hunter’s sword. “Welcome to the beginning of time my friend. He can’t hurt you, he is dead.”

Hunter gently tapped the leg of the dinosaur with his sword.

“I guess he didn’t read the do not touch bones, sign. Well…” John reached out and cleared the dust. “No one can.”

The museum was remarkably well preserved and in good shape unlike the area just outside. The dust was thick, and some of the artifacts had been ruined by exposure to the elements. But many things were protected. They debated on whether or not to break some of the cases that had been grown over with moss and mold.

Meredith suggested they didn’t. They wouldn’t be the last generation of humans to walk into that building. She believed that.

For those in the future, the items in the cases were a history book.

There were some signs of looting in the museum, not much. A rush for expensive art wasn’t probably forefront on people’s minds when facing an apocalypse.

Outside, the streets were mere parking lots. Buildings were cordoned off, apartments were marked with a FEMA X marking, and the area known for its hospitals and teaching schools had signs everywhere telling the infected where to check in.

Store-fronts on the main road were busted, there was so much concrete and cars that pretty much only grass, weeds, and small trees had broken through.

From what John and Meredith were able to learn, it took decades for the virus to really make cities into ghost towns. Some, like Nashville and Cleveland had been cleared or shut down early on. But Pittsburgh seemed to have survive for a good bit of time.

From its growth, Meredith guessed it was a little over ten years since the city had been completely abandoned or died out…

Probably about the time most people went to Salvation, or found smaller rural areas to live.

Hunter had a pretty good understanding of what he was being told. Other than the dinosaurs, the biggest shocker and surprise seemed to come when Meredith explained the world and showed him a picture of earth. His face filled with shock and wonder.

Meredith tried to put herself in his mindset, thinking that life was only a strip a hundred miles long only to find out there was more.

It had to be natural for him to believe there was more. He was young. Barely older than twenty. Meredith and John were the chance he was waiting for. A chance to venture out. And venture out he would.

They would see as much of the museum as they could and hit the road again, camping for the night outside of the city.

The next day would bring them closer to Champaign. The meeting time and day was still awhile away and John and Meredith wondered if they’d be first to arrive. They also wondered how the others would react to Hunter. He certainly was a sign how much the world had changed.

To Meredith and John, despite their horrendous experience with the Wreckers, Hunter not only was a sign of the changed world, but he was a good thing all the way around.

<><><><>

It was a pretty easy route to San Diego. Most of the major roads were passable. Norris informed him that they were maintained military roads. Not that crews regularly went out, but the flow of military traffic kept the most travelled roadways from being too overgrown.

Clark, the historian told of the great virus and how for the longest time California was spared large numbers of death.

“They actually thought of making California Salvation,” Clark said. “But they opted against that when the death toll started to rise.”

“How did they build the wall so easily?” Malcolm asked. “I mean, I know it took ten years, but still.”

“The Mexican border wall that was erected right before the virus,” Clark replied. “They used a lot of that. Tore it down in pieces.”

That made sense to Malcolm.

During the trip he finally heard Maggie speak into the device that was like a phone. She talked about how they were close to the destination, which was located outside a naval base.

That told Malcolm it was all part of a government project, and that the government made the same provisions for Genesis Lab One as they did for the others.

The biggest hurdle of the journey came when they arrived at the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. The two mile long bridge had a barricade a quarter of a mile from the end.

And it wasn’t an easy barricade to move, or go around. Concrete and trucks blocked the way and the opening was narrow. A small car, or even the solar buggy would fit through. Not the van.

“We’re gonna have to walk from here,” Norris announced. “Stick together. No one wanders off. Understand?”

Malcolm and the others agreed. They took minimum supplies as they disembarked the van.

Clark said. “A last stand.”

“What do you mean?” Malcolm asked.

“Many places that could isolate themselves such as this, made a last stand. Quarantined the world from their towns or areas. But the virus, kept hitting, kept coming back and all the diligence in the world couldn’t save them.”

Although Malcolm wasn’t a fan of the smug man who was evidently in his twenties when the world fell apart, he was a vat of information that Malcolm needed.

He kept close to his son, as they ventured across the bridge and onto Coronado Island. Malcolm could smell the ocean. He enjoyed hearing Trey talk about how the smell brought back memories of their family vacation to Myrtle Beach. Their conversation flowed until their arrival on the actual island.

The best course would be to cut through the golf course, but water had eroded a lot of the shore property and that was worrisome for the crew.

The ocean air and lack of human interference had caused the growth on Coronado to make it more of a tropical island state, instead of a dry semi desert. Buildings were buried beneath lush beautiful trees and grass.

The roundabout way was a two mile walk and eventually they located Red Building 19 just off of Guadalcanal. It looked like an office building in the middle of an overgrown parking lot with a small warehouse building not far from it. The Naval Exchange was right up the street.

The building had no markings, or indication that it was a Genesis Lab cover and Maggie displayed her first show of dismay when they walked into the building.

“This can’t be right,” she said. “Where is the lab? It can’t be underground. We’re on an island. And it certainly didn’t extinguish like your lab,” she said to Malcolm. “This building is intact.”

Norris suggested, “Why don’t we all pair off and spread out. We search this building. Armed and ready for anything, though.”

Armed and ready? Malcolm wondered. For what? If they did run into the recently defrosted lab rats, they wouldn’t a danger, they would be scared and confused.

Malcolm and Trey searched together. Even though Maggie fought to go with them, Clark convinced her that she should join him.

The building was covered and Malcolm had another idea.

The warehouse building.

He informed Norris that he and Trey were going to check out that building. Part of the plan involved transportation post release, and Malcolm was willing to bet that was where they’d find the transportation.

Norris gave his approval.

It was more of a private search between father and son and less likelihood that their every word was being monitored.

“Why the warehouse?” Trey asked.

“Like I told Norris, transportation. They provide it. There has to be enough for one hundred people so it has to be big enough.”

“Maybe your group was lucky.”

“Nah, they would do it for them all.” Malcolm said as he and Trey walked across the lot to the plain white aluminum building. It was completely corroded on the side near the water. “If they woke, they may have found their transportation and at least one of the vehicles will be gone.”

“What if they don’t know about transportation?”

“Then if they’re up, they’re either walking around Coronado, or in the building.” But Malcolm knew the later wasn’t the case when he arrived at the garage door of the building.

It was partially open.

“Someone’s been in here,” Malcolm said.

“You can’t assume that because it’s open.”

“Yeah I can.” Malcolm walked to the door. “It was broken open and the weeds were cleared.” He reached down for the handle. “Help me?”

“Sure.” Trey grabbed hold of the door.

They lifted it together. Nearly three quarters of the way up, the interior of the garage was exposed, Maggie called in the distance.

“Malcolm, leave that,” she shouted. “We found the lab pretty easily.”

Malcolm looked at Trey then into the garage. It was very reminiscent of when Malcolm woke up. The buggies, the tool box, down to the fact that a man wearing the genesis clothing, sat center of it all, just like Malcolm did, trying to put things together.

He looked up, shocked, perhaps even frightened. Without a doubt he was confused

Malcolm held his finger to his lips in a ‘be quiet’ gesture. He then whispered, “Stay out of sight. I’ll be back.” Before closing the garage door.

<><><><>

“I don’t understand…” Trey whispered as they walked from the warehouse. “Why didn’t.”

“Quiet.”

“But…”

“Trey, it’s like a pattern, little things adding up. I can’t see the whole picture yet, but I am certain I am not going to like the picture.”

“Everything okay?” Maggie stopped and looked back.

Shit. Did she hear me? Malcolm wondered. “Yeah,” he answered.

“What picture?”

She did. He shifted his eyes to Trey who had a smug look, as if to convey to his father that he was busted. Then Malcolm replied. “Salvation. Not so sure, I like what you’ve been telling about it.”

“Well, your choices are pretty limited. Salvation, or your son’s farm.”

“There’s a whole world out here.”

“Again,” Maggie said heading into the entrance of building. “Your choices are limited.” She opened the door.

“What the hell was that supposed to mean?” Malcolm asked and followed.

“Dad.” Trey stopped him. ‘I know something inside is screaming at you. Just don’t think too much. Things are cut and dry now in this world. No conspiracies. Honest.”

Malcolm walked in, when he did, Norris stepped from another door.

“Well?” Maggie asked.

“You’re not gonna like it.” Norris replied to her. “This way.”

Again, the wheels started spinning with Malcolm. What wasn’t she going to like? Had the lab burned out, been decontaminated like his lab? Although, unless that lab unit was sealed there was no way to contain the fireball.

Curious, Malcolm stepped through the first door and then through a thick steel one, which brought him into the lab area.

“Whoa,” he heard Trey say behind him.

The walls were the same clinical white. But instead of a super long hallway it looked more like a prison with two floors. The lights were still on and it had the clinical smell that Malcolm remembered very well.

Some of the doors were open. Some looked as if they never opened.

Maggie walked slowly down the hall looking up and down.

“Did you check the storage?” Malcolm asked. “There is a storage room that should have food. You can see if they…”

As if he weren’t even being heard, Norris spoke. “As you can see, the hatching took place.”

“Hatching?” Malcolm questioned.

“That’s what we’re calling it,” Norris said.

“Oh, so now you hear me.”

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing.”

“How many?” Maggie asked.

“We estimate twelve unaccounted for. The automatic door looks like it opened five days ago.”

Malcolm stated. “So about the same time as us.”

“More than likely,” Norris said.

“Any indication where they are?” Maggie asked.

Norris shook his head. “They aren’t here.”

“Fuck!” Maggie screamed. “Are you kidding me? Twelve? And they have days on us.”

She veered into a verbal temper tantrum, spouting off more things, Malcolm honestly stopped listening to her when she started stomping her feet like a child. His mind spun again. Trey said there were no conspiracies in the new world, but was Trey right or misled? It didn’t make sense to him at all. If they truly were there to look for a cure, then look for a cure. The whereabouts of the Hatched was understandably frustrating. But the Hatched weren’t the point of the mission.

Or were they?

<><><><>

Marilee had become Nora’s point of contact and source of information. She learned how those in Rantoul lived and had survived all this time outside the walls of Salvation.

“Never really thought about it much,” Marilee said. “I didn’t know the world before the virus. Just the way things run. I know I heard that people die younger now outside the walls. But they can live until seventy in Salvation.”

“Or longer.”

“No. Seventy,” she said nonchalantly.

Nora thought her manner of response was odd, then again, it could have been because Marilee was explaining the ins and outs of Rantoul. How they farmed, canned, tried to get some normalcy, and hunkered down in the winter, venturing out to hunt. That was when they got most of their meat.

Rantoul had three cows they used for dairy. But most farm animals were part of the wild. Cows and pigs, chickens. Which explained the gamey taste to the pork the community served as a meal.

It was a lot of information for Nora to take in. In a way, it reminded her of the stories she read about settlers, or back in the Little House on the Prairie era. Rantoul was not the only community. There were others. None were close and barter exchanges took place about every eight weeks at the trading post which was located about two hundred miles away.

Marilee said everyone was excited about the exchange. They had their best batch of moonshine to date and it was going to be a commodity.

“Exchange is three weeks off,” Marilee said. “Would be wonderful if you guys were back and we could use one of those sun cars you have to draw our cart. We’d be there in a day.”

“Well, you know,” Nora said. “The others are supposed to arrive here. I don’t see us needing three buggies to search for Salvation. Maybe we can leave one. No promises.”

“That would be wonderful. But it would be more wonderful if you stayed. Didn’t leave at all. Everyone is excited about having a preacher and more people in the town.”

“We may be back. I just know we have to find Salvation.”

“They aren’t gonna let you in,” Marilee said. “They are a different breed. Although I hear about them making checks to look for the virus. Other things they can scavenge.” She shrugged. “Just rumors. I never saw Salvation people. But I know they won’t let you in. Even if they believe your story, won’t they blame you?”

Nora produced an awkward smile. “Why would they blame us?”

“Well, you were frozen to ensure you’d live right? Part of a project you said. I’d immediately assume you were the ones who started it because you knew it was coming. Not you personally, but guilt by association.”

“Do you blame me?”

“Heavens no. That’s silly. Salvation is a different thing.”

“I need to find my husband, my daughter, I know they survived and went there.”

Marilee sang out a ‘hmm’ and continued packing jars.

“What was that about?”

“I just have a different point of view. I mean, I know it wasn’t that long ago to you, but it was a lifetime ago for them. They moved on. They have lives now. For you to come back…” she must have seen the look on Nora’s face, because Marilee stopped talking. “Forget I said anything.”

Nora nodded, she was glad to stop the conversation, but it didn’t leave her. Not at all.

The temperature had dropped drastically as soon as the sun dipped in the sky. More so than it had recently. Nora already had a shoestring wardrobe and she found herself at the thrift shop rummaging the racks in the semi dark store. It was kept up. More of another trading place rather than an abandoned shop from days gone by.

People brought their old clothes there and traded them for others. Rantoul had an abundance of clothing. Scavenger hunts in the earlier days filled the business, keeping their doors open as some sort of homage to the days before the virus.

Nora had nothing to leave for payment. She’d ask Jason what he would recommend. After canning with Marilee and a quick stop to grab jeans and a jacket, Nora walked to the Christian Life Church where Jason had spent the evening.

She called out his name when she entered and he responded with, “In the back.”

Nora caught a glimpse of light seeping in from behind the sanctuary. She followed it and stepped into a small office.

“Hey,” Jason said with a smile. He stood by a desk, stacking books. “How was your night?”

“Good. We canned beets and talked.”

“I like that throw back to the eighties jeans jacket.”

“Pretty nifty, right?” Nora asked, hands in pockets she opened the jacket some. “It’s cold out there.”

“It’s cold in here. I haven’t figured out how to heat things yet. No fireplace. If this town becomes home, I’ll have to figure something out.”

“I’m sure you will.”

“Until then….” He lifted the lantern and grabbed her hand. “I was right. This way.” He led her out of the office and into a hall. He pointed to the first door on the right. “Our sitting room.”

Inside there were two small couches and bookcases.

“We may have to raid the library for secular books.” He led her further. “Kitchen.”

Nora stepped inside.

“There’s a large hall right beyond this. This was the kitchen to that, I guess. I’ve been cleaning all night.”

“You’re doing well.”

“And…” Another yank of her hand and he brought her back to the hall. A few feet down they turned the bend. “I was right. There were guest rooms for guest preachers.” He opened the first door. “How about this… huh? Beds.”

Jason stepped inside setting the lantern on the dresser to light the room.

It wasn’t too small. Two twin beds, a chest of drawers, desk, television, which they knew wouldn’t be useful and a small private bathroom.

“Does it work?” Nora pointed.

“No. But Ralph’s outhouse is right behind the building he said we can use it. I brought in some water from the pump for you to wash.”

“Thank you.” Nora folded her arms and sighed.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Jason cringed. “I wasn’t thinking. Do you want your own room? I was just…”

“No. No-no.” Nora waved out her hand. “This is fine. I’d rather sleep with you.”

Pause.

Silence.

Jason looked at her.

Nora smiled. “That came out wrong.”

“I’m waiting on a joke now.”

“Nah, no jokes.”

Jason cocked back. “Really? It’s been all day. I’m ready.”

Nora leaned back against the desk, and again, folded her arms tightly to her body. “Would you say you were a good husband?’

“Is this a joke?” Jason stepped to her.

“No.” Nora chuckled. “I’m asking.”

“Um…wow. At times, yes. I made mistakes.”

“You cheated?

“No.” Jason answered quickly.

“Because she did.”

Jason only groaned.

“I ask because you’re a good guy. I mean, you get me water to wash, make sure our surroundings are clean.”

“That’s for me too. And you act like I take the reins. You’re the brave one, Nora. You lead the way. Where is this coming from?”

“I was just thinking that my husband was a better husband than I was a wife,” Nora said. “Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, it does. Again, where is this coming from?”

“When we were canning, Marilee eluded to the fact that maybe it is wrong to search out and find my family.”

“Wrong? Was I wrong when I looked for mine?”

“Would you have looked if you knew it was thirty years?”

“Probably.”

“And we did look for answers about my family,” Nora said. “We found answers to where they are. Is it fair to go find them after all this time?”

“Fair to who?”

Nora didn’t reply.

Jason locked eyes with her, it was obvious he was thinking. At least Nora hoped he was, hoped he was searching for the right words. After all, wasn’t it part of his job to say the right thing to make people feel better?

After running his hand over his face, he moved even closer to her. “Look, some organization believed that you, me, the others were worthy to be man’s insurance. They took us against our will and knocked us out for thirty years. That sucks. They took us out of their lives. But it was only a blink of an eye to you. On the other side of the coin, the pain your family went through had to be unimaginable. They lost you, mourned you, and sadly probably moved on with their lives. Now does that mean you need to let them go?”

“That’s what I’m struggling with.”

“I’d be lying to you if I told you I didn’t think about it for myself. If my family was alive, would I walk into their lives? I mean I mourned them, not as long, nor as deeply as they mourned me, but because of you, I have accepted the realization it’s done.”

“So what did you come up with? If they were alive and you knew where they were, would you walk into their lives?”

“I probably wouldn’t. I mean, that’s me. I’m a chicken. I’d be scared they wouldn’t want me, or moved on so much. Or frightened of anger, more hurt. Who would it be for? Me? Them? Thirty years is a long time. If I walked into their lives who benefits? But it’s a whole lot easier for me to say, because my family is gone. Yours is not. You do what you need to do. I am behind you and will walk the path with you.”

“It shouldn’t be this difficult of a decision,” Nora said. “But I keep thinking that same thing. Who is it for? I have been gone from their lives for a lifetime. I’m gonna think about it a little more.”

“If you need to talk.” Jason said. “Just know, it’s okay to find them for you. Even if it’s to say goodbye, it’s alright if you benefit more, because remember, you lost too.”

Nora stared at Jason standing so close to her, staring with compassion. There was something about him at that moment, a closeness with him, and a kinship that suddenly became more apparent. She didn’t know what it was that caused it. Instinct. Foolishness. Need. Impulse or emotion, but she kissed him. She leaned into him and softly kissed him.

At first he didn’t move his lips, then Jason responded. His response was brief and then he sprang back as if she poisoned him.

His reaction was so hard to read. Was he offended?

“I’m sorry,” Nora said. “I am so sorry. I don’t know why I did that.”

“And that… is why I pulled back.”

“I don’t understand?”

“If I kissed you, then I would know the reason I kissed you. It would be because I wanted to and I needed to.”

“You don’t want to kiss me? Is it because I am still married?”

“Nora, that life is over. As hard as it is to say, it’s over. And heck yeah, I want to kiss you. I just want you to know the reason you’re grabbing onto me.”

“It’s hard to verbalize. I mean we’re close,” Nora said.

“We are.”

“You know me. We share the same circumstances. You’re attractive even if you haven’t had your skin professionally peeled in thirty years. And just to set the record straight, I didn’t grab onto you.”

“Oh, I beg to differ. You copped a feel.”

Nora laughed. “That was funny.” She extended her two fingers, grabbing onto his belt hook and pulling him to her. “I like you. We have a closeness, Jason. One I haven’t felt in…”

“Thirty years?”

Nora smiled. “Something like that.”

“Yeah, something like that.” Jason placed his hand on her face and leaned into her.

It was a different type of moment for the two of them. The moment Jason kissed her, Nora pulled him to her and held tightly to him. It wasn’t the physical need to have that closeness it was the emotional yearning.

It seeped from them both in the embrace and kiss. It was a moment that had been building. Nora wasn’t certain if they were wrong in what they were doing, but she knew it felt good, and it felt right. Since she woke from Stasis, she had felt hollow and wounded, and for the first time she was experiencing a sense of healing. At that point, she had no plans or desire to stop, no matter where it led.

<><><><>

In a low voice, the man who identified himself as Number Four, real name Blake, said. “We know what happened. We just don’t know when.”

“Thirty years ago,” Malcolm replied as he stayed busy working on a buggy. Which was more of an act than anything else in case Maggie or Norris checked on him.

They were still in the lab, searching papers and it was their suggestion that Malcolm go back to the warehouse to check things there.

“Jesus,” Blake said. “Thirty years. So chances are, when they left to look for family, they aren’t finding anything.”

Malcolm shook his head.

“Okay.” Trey lifted his hands. “Why is this man hiding in here? Why are we not telling the team he’s here?”

“Trey,” Malcolm said firmly. “You saw their reaction when they saw the empty pods.”

“Yeah, they need answers.”

“And the people that hatched, have no more answers than I did.”

“You can’t be sure,” said Trey. “You can’t. I know you come from a time that there was an ulterior motive for everything. But that’s not the way it is. They are taking the cryo fluid, they are searching for answers. It was frustrating for Maggie.”

“Be that as it may, let’s be safe,” Malcolm said then turned to Blake. “Why did you hide when we arrived?”

Blake scoffed. “From my knowledge they kidnapped me, froze me for God knew how long while the world ended. I see a military guy, I’m thinking they’re gonna think those of us protected are the cause. I got worried.”

“I think you may be right,” said Malcolm.

“No,” argued Trey. “You’re basing this on what they say about the president and you can’t blame them, he knew about the virus, he was part of Genesis.”

Malcolm slammed a tool. “None of us were. None of us had knowledge. How about you, Blake?”

“No, I was confused when I woke up,” Blake replied.

“Why didn’t you leave with the others?” Trey questioned.

“I went to my apartment, which was gone. I don’t have family. I was a ward of the state until I went into the Army. I was career military, satellites and communications when this happened. I had no clue.”

Malcolm held out his hand toward Blake as if to say, ‘There’.

“What?” Trey asked.

“He didn’t know.”

“That’s not to say someone else didn’t,” Trey continued to argued. “Do you have a meeting place, or are you guys all on your own?”

“Some are meeting up in Vegas. We figured with the Hoover Dam, we could get power restored,” Blake answered. “But meet up isn’t for several weeks.”

“Good. But Vegas is a military Salvation stopping point,” Malcolm said. “I have an idea. I hope you’re game. I just have a really bad feeling…”

“And I don’t.” Trey interrupted.

“Yes, Trey, we know you don’t.” Malcolm snapped. “What in the world would it take for you to see something is up?”

“When you can tell me what you think is up. Because right now, it’s just a feeling something is not right. No idea what it could be, right?”

‘No.”

“It’s a gut feeling,” Trey said. “I get it. I can also remember being a kid and saying, ‘Dad, I’m hungry, can you make me something to eat?’ And you’d say what?”

“I’d ask what you wanted.”

Trey nodded. “And if I didn’t know, you would always tell me. Well let me know when you know what you want to eat and I’ll cook it, until then, I’m not lifting a pot. Same premise. When you know what it is you think they’re doing, then I will listen and stop fighting. Until then… I’m staying away from the stove and being neutral.”

Fair enough. Malcolm could accept that, mainly because he knew, soon enough, Maggie or Norris would do something and Malcolm would be able to read his gut instinct a lot clearer.

THIRTEEN – ARRIVAL

Day Ten AR

“What did you wear?” John asked Meredith. The question seemed to confuse her, or perhaps it was the fact that she was abruptly drawn away from watching Hunter attempting to drink coffee.

“I’m sorry,” Meredith replied. “What did I wear?”

“Wardrobe. How did you dress?” John explained. “Before stasis. When you woke up in the morning, what did you wear? I’m curious. Those oversized blue jeans just don’t strike me as something that you would naturally wear.”

“That is an odd question, John,” Meredith said. She sat next to him. They had set up a small campsite the night before. One that would pack up with ease and have them in Champaign in just a few hours.

“I know. I’ve just been spending an enormous amount of time with you and I was curious.”

“Fifteen days,” Meredith said. “It’s been fifteen days since we woke up. Ten days since we emerged from the lab and eight continuous days for us.”

“You’re counting. I’m touched.”

“You’re not?”

“Thirty years have passed. Why bother?”

“True.”

“So…” John sipped his coffee. “What was your wardrobe of choice?”

“Well… it depends. I’m always comfortable. Work days I wore pant suits, or a nice dress. At home. Yoga pants, a tee shirt, or sweater. Not the thinnest of women, John, so I am limited on what I wore. Or rather what was comfortable wearing. So you’re right. Jeans were not a number one preference.”

“I think you are built wonderfully. They work for you. The… blue work shirt does not.”

“Remind me next time we’re by any clothing store to grab something more becoming.”

“Maybe we should do the same for your boy, Hunter.” John nodded Hunter’s way. It wasn’t that Hunter didn’t wear clothes. He did. Hand sewn pants made from animal hide and no shirt. No matter what the weather.

“That’s not a bad idea. Especially if we want to integrate him.”

“Maybe there will be a Walmart.”

“Would the clothes be any good?” Meredith asked.

“I’m sure. Dusty as finding Grandma’s old wedding dress.”

“What about you, John? What did you wear?”

“I was a writer. It was hard put to get me out of my pajamas before noon. When I did, I never dressed up. I dressed in jeans that were old and comfortable and I had a writing shirt with so many holes in it, my wife used to have a fit.”

Meredith stared at him a few seconds. “That’s just odd. You seem so pompous.”

“Gee, thank you.”

Meredith smiled and finished her coffee. “Are we ready?”

John stood. “What next? Seriously. After we get to Champaign. What is next?”

“Salvation?”

“With Hunter?” John asked.

“He’s human.”

“Is it a good idea to go there?”

“John,” Meredith scolded. “That’s not fair to Hunter.”

“I’m not talking about Hunter. I’m talking about is it fair to go to Salvation. We still aren’t sure we are carriers or not. We have the DC lab coming to Champaign. I’m thinking that perhaps we who have so much in common, who are infants in this new world, should in fact, just do what we were supposed to do.”

“And that is?” Meredith asked.

“Survive and establish civilization.”

“Civilization is established in a place called Salvation…”

“Look around. Is it really? It’s behind some big wall,” John said. “Do we in fact even belong there?”

John brought up valid points. Meredith, who before it all, made a living off of theorizing, had some deep thinking to do and had to get back to what she did best. Determining outcomes from the present situation. John was missing one more important point. It wasn’t about if they belonged in Salvation, more importantly, it was if would they even be welcome there.

<><><><>

Malcolm tried discreetly to place the solar cell back in his bag. He inched it out, he believed unseen, to check the slow charging progress. Unfortunately, he was spotted.

He felt her presence as she took a seat next to him.

“I didn’t know you took that,” Maggie said.

“Yes.”

“Can I ask why?”

Malcolm cleared his throat. “I have my cart and wanted a spare. It’s not like there are stores where I could go and pick one up.”

“This is true, not everyone has private transportation.”

“Why is that?” Malcolm asked. “I mean Salvation is big.”

“There’s no need. Everyone resides within their sectors of work. It operates well.”

Malcolm merely hummed a ‘hmm.’

“Why the distain? And your mood has switched. Care to share?”

He shrugged. “A lot of things.”

“Like?”

Malcolm debated. He thought about his late night, hidden conversation with Blake. How he fixed the buggy for him. Because Blake had no family to find, and since the meeting destination of Vegas wasn’t a great idea, he would head to Champaign. The plan was he’d stop in Vegas, at the meeting place, leave a note and then head to find Malcolm’s crew. He would tell them, when Nora and the others arrived, that they had to go elsewhere.

Trey believed it was insane and overboard. Follow the clues to meet up. Note in Vegas saying go to Champaign, note in Champaign, saying go… wherever. But Malcolm didn’t. Safety in numbers. Get as many together as they could and get off the radar of Salvation. It wasn’t safe, Malcolm felt it.

“Malcolm?” Maggie drew his attention.

“Like…. Like it seemed you weren’t concerned about finding a cure. You were more concerned with the… Hatched.”

“I want a cure. Working on it isn’t my forte. And yes, I am concerned about the Hatched.”

“Why?”

“They can be carriers, like the president.”

“What difference does it make?” asked Malcolm. “You’re behind a great big wall and don’t come out.”

“Is Trey, our military? Farmers? Not everyone is behind the wall. All it takes is one person. One infection. We lucked out with the president. We won’t luck out again. Remember, I told you it was herd immunity, so some are not immune. The children born, the first Generation Salvation are only fifty percent immune. The virus hit us hard and wiped out the world. We saved a portion, we can’t let that happen again.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?”

Malcolm nodded. “I do. That doesn’t make Salvation sound any more appealing.”

“What?” Maggie asked, shocked. “It’s Utopia.”

“Sans freedom.”

“No.” She shook her head. “There is freedom. It’s a good life. You need to give it a chance. You’re welcome there, you know this. You have immunity.”

“Others that have hatched, as you call it, have immunity.”

“No. No.” She chuckled. “Not immunity to the virus. Immunity.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re helping us. No charges will be brought. Unlike the president. He will be charged for crimes against humanity and genocide.”

“He was part of it,” Malcolm said, “we were innocent bystanders.”

“We don’t know that.”

“We’re telling you. We were taken against our will. Ask Trey he saw a video.”

“If there was such a video, it’s long gone. We go by what we know. You woke up thirty years later. Protected from the horrors of the virus. A vital part of civilization with skills. Tell me, Mr. Lowe. What would you think, if you were us?”

Malcolm wanted to tell her, he would give them the benefit of the doubt. He didn’t. Instead he said, “Well, keep in mind. Innocent until proven guilty.”

Maggie tapped him on the leg. “It doesn’t operate like that anymore. In the old world too many criminals went free.”

He was rendered temporally speechless. Every day that went by he was given another reason to believe the city behind the wall wasn’t all that much of a Salvation. At least not for him.

<><><><>

“Quit playing with your crotch,” John scolded Hunter the second they stopped the buggy in Champaign. “You’ve been doing so since we stepped out of Target.”

“It was not a target, it was a large building of the old world,” Hunter said. “Items inside. Not needed.” Again, he pulled the crotch section of the blue jean fabric. “Tight.”

“Not really,” John said. “You’ll get used to them. You need to look human.”

“Hunter is human,” Hunter said.

“Hunter speaks in third person,” John retorted, “Which makes you slightly different.” He then dropped his voice to barely a mumble. “Of course, your size and appearance don’t help.”

“What does John say?” Hunter asked.

Meredith replied. “He’s just being cranky. You do need to wear clothes. You look different than most, Hunter.”

“Most?”

“Okay, all the people we’re meeting with. You’re different from them.”

“Because Hunter looks different does not mean Hunter is different,” Hunter said.

“That is true. But you wanted to experience the world, wearing clothing is part of it.” Meredith reached out and touched the side of his jeans then his shirt. “Understand?”

“Yes.”

John looked up from the tops of his eyes. “I still can’t believe you wouldn’t let me make him wear the Superman shirt.”

Meredith snapped. “Because you just want another reason to call him Sloth from the Goonies. He doesn’t look like Sloth. If you recall, Sloth had a cone head, eyes at different levels. Hunter does not look like Sloth.”

“You have to admit there are similarities.”

Meredith looked at Hunter. The flat nose, thick lips, rounded mouth and bald head, were indeed similarities, but that was all. “I refuse to give into your bullying,”

“Bullying?” John laughed. “You’re blinded by your toy boy infatuation with him.”

“Oh, stop.” Meredith folded her arms, then looked behind her. Hunter was walking slowly up the road, looking around.

“Where is he going?” John asked.

“You know how he is. Safety first. He’s looking for a good camp spot. Obviously the others aren’t here.”

“We just want to wait?” John questioned.

“What else is there to do?”

“Well, we can become as infatuated as Hunter with old store windows.”

After a double take Meredith saw Hunter. He stood by a store window just staring, “Hunter?”

“Message.” Hunter said. “Dirt is cleared.”

“What?” John asked and walked toward Hunter. “What do you mean?”

Hunter stepped out of the way of the hardware store window. “Dirt gone. Message. What does it mean?”

Hunter was right. Decades of dirt covered the pane of glass, yet a clean spot of letters had been created to write a message.

Meredith replied. “It’s from our friends.” She read the message out loud. “Rantoul is Life. It’s signed Preacher J. That is our friend, Jason.”

“What is Rantoul?” Hunter asked.

John handed Meredith the map and pointed. “About fifteen miles north. That’s where they went.”

“Rantoul is life?” Meredith asked.

John smiled. “People.”

<><><><>

Nora squinted as she looked up to the cloudless sky. It was warm and the breeze carried the amazing smell of meat cooking on an open fire. The Rantoulians ate well. It wasn’t a town crowded with people, only a couple dozen, so things went a long way.

They bred farm animals and not surprisingly, deer were plentiful.

Nora always hated shucking corn. When she used to buy corn on the cob for her family, she paid the extra money to get them already shucked. Yet, there she was, sitting with Marilee, shucking away.

Since arriving in town, Nora was given the task of working with food because she didn’t have a set skill.

Marilee flashed a fake smile. “Look how good and fast you do that.”

“Yeah, I’m a champ.” Nora looked across the road to Jason who spoke to a group of three men. “Everyone pitches in, right?”

“That’s right. Especially during the warm weather. As good as we eat now, we have to preserve half.”

“But I never see any of the men doing the preparing?”

“They hunt.”

“I see. What about Jason? He hasn’t done any work yet.”

“He preaches,” Marilee said. “He has an important job.”

“Like once a week.”

Just then Jason walked over.

“Hey,” He greeted, casting a shadow as he stood above them. “Do you need help?”

Just as Nora was about to toss him corn, Marilee interjected.

“No,” Marilee said. “You’ve done enough. Wonderful service today. The sermon was uplifting.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much. Nora, did you like it? You didn’t say.”

“Um… sure.”

Jason cocked his head back. “You didn’t like it.”

“I didn’t say that.” Nora defended. “I just been listening to you steadily for weeks so you have little impact on me.”

“Wow.” Jason widened his eyes. “Are you okay?”

“I’d feel better if you’d shuck some corn.”

Marilee sung out an, ‘Oh’, as if she were trying to empathize. “Is someone a little sour?”

“No,” Nora said. “Yes. I mean, I have no problem doing my share while we’re here and even if we return….”

“When?”

“I don’t know.”

“No.” Marilee waved out her hand. “I mean when you return. You can’t leave us for good. We like you.”

“Thanks.”

“And we can get you other stuff to do. Do you hunt?”

“No.”

“Make clothes?”

Nora laughed. “No.”

“Well, what did you do before they stuck you in a block of ice?”

Jason nodded. “Go on, tell her.”

“I was a comedian.”

“A what?”

“Someone who tells jokes and makes people laugh.”

“And they paid you for that?” Marilee asked.

“Yes.”

“Well.” Marilee cleared her throat. “I’m confused. Did you do funny things?”

“Yes and told jokes.”

“Well, heck we can use some laughs around here. Please don’t take this the wrong way,” Marilee said. “But you don’t strike me as a person who makes people laugh. Maybe if I heard one of your jokes.”

Nora thought for a moment. “Okay. Where did the virus start?”

“Oh. Oh, that’s a change of subject,” Marilee said. “I thought you were…”

“No. Listen,” Nora repeated. “Where did the virus start?” she paused. “Germany.”

“Hmm. That makes sense. They say it started overseas,” Marilee said.

“No. It’s a joke. Virus started in… Germany. Germ…” She stared at Marilee who looked lost. “Forget it.”

“Maybe if you tried it on…” Marilee stopped when Jason burst into laughter. “Well, someone thought it was funny.”

“Oh, no, not the joke,” Jason said. “Your reaction was awesome.”

Tilting her head bashfully, Marilee wave out her hand. “Thanks.” Her head immediately sprung up when a single air horn blasted a short honk.

“What the hell?” Jason asked.

Before he could get an answer, Marilee reached deep into the un-shucked corn bin and withdrew a rifle. Everyone scurried about, extinguishing the fire pits, grabbing weapons, and racing into the buildings. Unlike the meek person she presented, Marilee, while backing up, confidently pointed her rifle at the church.

“No time to get you weapons from armory,” she spoke quickly. “Get into the church and wait until the two blasts of the horn for clear.”

Nora murmured out a, “What?”

“Go.”

Jason took her arm and led her quickly to the church. As they entered the doors, the street went from being active to a ghost town. It was a well rehearsed routine the people of Rantoul had probably done many times.

“They have enemies?” Jason locked the door.

“They left that information out,” Nora said.

“We’ve only been here two days. But to arm up like that. They’re afraid of something.”

“What’s out there? We roamed and saw nothing,” Nora said.

“Yeah but you know and I know there are other towns they trade with. Scarce doesn’t mean empty.”

“A couple blasts of the horn and it’s safe, what happens if it’s not?”

Jason closed his lips tight and shook his head in an ‘I haven’t a clue’ manner.

The wait inside the church was short lived, the double blast of the air horn rang out, followed by a male voice yelling. “Hey Preacher. Two of your friends are pulling up in one of them future buggies.”

Nora brightly smiled and looked at Jason. “Two people.”

“Has to be Amy and Malcolm.” Jason unlocked the door. “Let’s go.”

The decision to leave Hunter a couple miles behind was a mutual one. Both John and Meredith were worried that his appearance could cause alarm. Then again, what if the entire town of Rantoul were like the Burkians. Also, Hunter was an asset and they liked him. They didn’t want to take a chance he could be hurt.

At first they thought there was a grand welcoming committee. They could see the people walk out into the street. Then they drew closer and saw they were holding weapons.

“This is odd,” John said. “I say stop now.”

Meredith did so about four blocks from the line of people. “Now what?”

“Wait. If Jason and Nora are in trouble, we’ll know and we back up and get Hunter. Plus, we don’t know if we’re contagious.”

“Jason and Nora are with them. They look healthy.”

“They could have just got here. Let’s wait here.”

“Understood.” Meredith hands gripping the wheel, stared outward.

Nora leaned into Jason. “That’s Meredith and John. Where’s Grant?”

“I don’t know. Maybe they left him behind.”

Marilee asked. “Where were they coming from?”

“East,” answered Nora. “New York.”

Doug, a Rantoul resident, heard this. “Bad things out east. Hope the friend didn’t meet up with an accident.”

Jason shook his head. “I don’t know. I hope not. What are they waiting for?”

“Why don’t you guys go and find out,” Doug suggested.

Thinking it was a good idea, Nora led, she started walking first and Jason caught up. Two blocks from them, John and Meredith stepped from their buggy. Another block, the four of them walked toward each other.

As soon as Nora saw them, she got a sickening feeling in her stomach. John’s face was blue from bruising. Meredith’s as well, plus she had abrasions. “Oh my God, Jason, what happened to them?”

“I don’t know. But I am guessing we can figure out now what happened to Grant.”

Like visiting a friend in the hospital, no matter what John and Meredith looked like, Jason and Nora placed on a smile.

<><><><>

“Grant met with a horrible death,” John said after embracing both Jason and Nora. “The east is a bit different than let’s say Ohio. Once we hit there, it was pretty empty.”

Jason nodded. “We didn’t run into a soul until we got near here. They tell us there are other communities.” He took a step back and pointed to the townspeople waiting a few blocks down the road in a line. “They’re dying to meet you.”

John cleared his throat. “That may be an understatement.”

“What?” Jason asked with a confused chuckle.

John shook his head.

“Why don’t you come meet them,” Nora said. “They are really nice people. You can’t be that shy.”

Meredith asked. “How long have you two been here?”

“A couple days,” Nora replied.

Meredith looked at John. “A couple days. They’re all healthy enough to bear arms. So… Nora and Jason are not.”

Jason asked. “We are not, what?”

John didn’t answer, instead spoke to Meredith. “But it doesn’t mean we’re not.”

“We’re not,” Meredith stated.

Again, Jason asked, “we’re not, you’re not… what?”

John shook his head. “We are. I believe it.”

“It was Grant, he was,” Meredith said.

Nora shifted her eyes. “Grant was what? And we aren’t? What are you two…?”

“I’ll give you that. But we don’t know if we are,” said John.

“We’re not. They aren’t.”

Nora whistled. “Hey. Stop. What are you two talking about?”

Meredith explained. “We found another Genesis lab.”

Eyes wide, Jason sounded excited. “That’s great.”

“No,” Meredith said. “They all didn’t make it and one of them was sick. Or got sick with the virus. We have reason to believe that we could be carriers. But I say we aren’t because that virus shows symptoms in twenty-four hours. None of these people are sick.”

John continued, but again, directed his comments to Meredith. “The DC person yes, he brought the virus and infected the Wreckers. But what about Rusty?”

“His son said he found the sick Wrecker and then he got sick. That Wrecker was a bad one, one of the ones that probably killed Grant. Grant infected him.”

“All right. Ok!” Jason shouted. “Enough. What is a Wrecker?”

John and Meredith looked at each other.

<><><><>

“Yeah,” Jason cleared this throat looking at Hunter. “Okay.” To him, it wasn’t an understatement when he conveyed to Marilee that John and Meredith had found someone that may not be welcome in Rantoul. Jason wasn’t so sure the big, visually different man would be warmly welcomed at first. Rantoul was pretty sheltered.

Jason should have been prepared. After asking what a Wrecker was, John responded, ‘Ever seen The Goonies?’ And especially after finding out they left Hunter a half a mile outside of Rantoul sitting on a duffel bag waiting.

Meredith scolded John on his Goonies comment. But in a sense, John was right, it was a good way to warn Jason of Hunter’s appearance.

Nora seemed more amazed than frightened, or taken aback. “He’s different. Seems nice though.”

“Very sweet,” Meredith said.

Hunter was spellbound by Nora for some reason. He stared at her, then reached out and lifted her arm. “Uh…” He grunted. “It will break with ease.”

Nora smiled. “Oh my God, he is insinuating I’m thin. No one has called me thin since seventh grade. Thank you, Hunter.”

He touched her hair then cheek. “Soft.”

Meredith quickly commented. “She’s young, that will change.”

“My,” John walked up behind Meredith. “Has someone been bit with the jealousy bug? Perhaps our Hunter is really the Wrecker equivalent of Casanova.”

Hunter spun to John. “No Wrecker.”

“Whoops. Sorry.” John lifted his hand.

Jason asked. “Why do they call them Wreckers?”

“They…” John pointed to Hunter. “Do not call themselves Wreckers. The other population of survivors do. Because the ones we ran into… wreck. They wreck, rape and kill. Hunter’s people do not.”

“No Wrecker,” Hunter repeated.

“You know,” Jason said. “If you all just give me a few minutes to go talk to the folks in Rantoul, I am positive they’d be very interested in meeting Hunter.”

John shook his head. “I can’t with a clear conscience do that. I’m not sure I’m not a carrier.”

Meredith stepped forward. “I’m sure you’re not.”

“It’s a big area,” Nora explained. “You don’t need to go around anyone. You can stay in the church with us.”

“Church?” John asked snidely. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? But before we go in there, or even close, you need to let them know of my uncertainty.”

“Absolutely,” Jason said. “Nora and I will be right back.”

They asked to borrow the buggy to make the short jaunt back to Rantoul easier and faster. Nora and Jason were pretty excited about sharing the town of Rantoul with them and they left enthusiastically.

John watched until they were out of sight.

“You surprise me,” Meredith spoke softly, standing next to him. “You just never struck me as the type of person who would care so much about strangers.”

“It’s not care. It’s selfish. Thirty years in deep freeze, whether it is a blink of an eye or not, can do something to you. We were saved to ensure the continuity of mankind,” John said. “So you can say I just want to make sure that I am not the reason we don’t ensure the continuity.”

<><><><>

That night John made his jokes and comments about the home Jason and Nora recently made at the church. He called the bedroom very ‘Ricky and Lucy’ like with the twin beds.

The people of Rantoul were friendly, they fed them and even got Hunter to consume grain alcohol. Their all too ready protector was out like a light on the first pew of the church.

Meredith settled comfortably on a couch and John read a book. It had been a while since he got to sit down and read, and he was enjoying the secular story by the light of the lantern.

He understood the comfortableness that Jason and Nora instantly found.

It was all too evident that very quickly Jason had made claim to the town of Rantoul and wanted to stay there more than anything. In the new world John wanted to enjoy the charms of an established town. But he knew that would never be possible. It wasn’t their world anymore, or their time. John and the others, no matter how much they wanted to deny it, were different. They didn’t belong and had no place in this new society. Just like they disappeared from the face of the earth thirty years early, John had a gut feeling, for the sake of everyone, more than likely, they’d have to disappear again.

<><><><>

“Hey,” Nora returned back into the bedroom. “I thought you were with John.”

“He’s reading,” Jason lay on his side on the bed, the bible before him, an open journal beside it with a pen in his hand.

“Like you?”

“No, I’m working on a sermon.”

“We won’t be here next week.”

“We’ll be back. But this is for Doug to deliver. So are you staying in the room, or going back out to peek?”

“I’m done.” Nora sat on her bed. “I’m intrigued.”

“I gathered.”

“He’s kind of hot in an apocalyptic way.”

Jason peered up. “Really?”

Nora shrugged.

“He’s kind of a mutant.”

“That’s terrible. He’s a human being. God made him.”

Jason set down his pen. “God made man in his own image. Hunter is made in his image of the horrors of what man can do.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“To me it does.”

“It was very preacher sounding. Do you think because you said to accept him that was why everyone here did?”

“No, they’re nice. And why… are you sitting over there?” Jason asked, placing his bible and journal on the nightstand. He scooted over and patted the bed beside him.

Nora joined him. “Do you suppose this is what Lucy and Ricky did?”

Jason groaned. “I can’t believe John made that comment. But it was funny.” He propped his face on his hand. “Speaking of funny. You haven’t told a joke tonight.”

“I told the Germany one earlier.”

“Doesn’t count. You told it to Marilee.”

“Okay,” Nora thought a moment, staring up to the ceiling. “Did you hear about the plague of blindness that hit everyone?”

“Don’t believe I have.”

“Sad. No one saw it coming.”

After a moment of silence, Jason rolled to his back and laughed. “I don’t know if they’re getting worse or funnier.”

“Both.” Nora watched him for a moment. “You’re really comfortable here.”

“I am.”

“I know you don’t want to leave.”

“I hate to leave before Malcolm and Amy get here. But we can leave word that we’ll be back and they can come here. I mean…”

“No.” Nora interrupted him. “I mean…I know you want to make this a home. John doesn’t think we should. He thinks us and the other survivors from the other lab, once they get here, should go somewhere and make our own world.”

“John’s wrong.”

“What if he’s not and one of them is a carrier?”

Jason sighed.

“We can live close so you can run the church. I know you want that.”

“What do you want?” Jason rolled again to his side.

“Honestly?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t care where we end up. As long as I get to see my family first, or learn of their fate.”

“And I will stand with you on that journey. We take it one day at a time. And tomorrow our one day takes us on the road to finding Salvation. And I mean that in more ways than one. Fair enough?”

“Fair enough.”

In the quiet moment after his words, Jason smiled, he leaned down kissing Nora softly as he reached over and shut off the light.

FOURTEEN – COMPACT

Day Eleven AR

It hadn’t been since she was in the Genesis lab in Alabama that Meredith looked in a mirror. The one at Rusty’s didn’t help, the long crack in the fogged over mirror made it difficult to reflect a true appearance. In fact, it gave that blurred beautifying effect leaving Meredith to believe she didn’t look that bad.

Rantoul had mirrors.

The bathroom didn’t function in the church, so no mirror was there until after she retrieved water to wash. That was when Marilee, up and motivated with the sun, spotted Meredith by the well.

Who was this young woman? It was an apocalyptic world; yet, she was clean, and fresh. Her face smooth and perfect, hair shiny and clothes tidy. Everyone in Rantoul looked as if they stepped out of an edition of Country Town living.

“You know…” Marilee called in the morning to Meredith. “I have a water warmer, I just turned it off. Water is still hot. Plenty if you’re gathering to wash.”

At first, Meredith wondered if she smelled, then she realized Marilee was being nice.

“I would like that, thank you so much. I haven’t washed with warm water in a while. Mostly, creeks.”

Marilee smiled. “Do you have clothes?”

“Yes, we popped by an abandoned store before we got here.”

“Good for you.” Her tone was upbeat. “Come on. You clean up, get fresh, feel better about yourself, and I’ll make coffee.”

“Do I look that bad?”

“You look like you need a pick me up feel good day.”

Meredith smiled. When she did, she felt the pull of the scab on her cheek. “I don’t suppose you have any lotion. Probably not, I just…”

“Oh, sure, we aren’t savages.” Marilee yelled. “We make our own soap, lotions, and shampoo. Did you wanna use all that?”

“Yes. Please.”

Marilee led the way. Her home was a trailer behind the old hardware store. There were several trailers there that surrounded a well. The trailer home was small, but pretty and clean. Meredith made her way to the bathroom, and Marilee showed her how to work the water pump to get a good five minute shower. She recommended that Meredith do any ‘shaving or hair washing’ before getting in the shower that way she could enjoy the continuous stream.

Meredith didn’t think much about a mirror until after Marilee brought her in a towel and on top of it was not only a hair brush, but a hair band and very small make up bag.

“What’s this?” Meredith asked.

“Oh, I know when I am having a bad everything day, I feel better by making myself look better. I’m not saying you look bad, you don’t, but I thought a little powder and maybe some lipstick would make you feel good. It does for me.”

“You’re kidding right? You wear makeup?”

“To church, on occasion. I like the way it makes me feel. The world may have gone to pot, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t allowed to feel beautiful. I know, it sounds shallow. And no way did I want to insult you, or make you feel bad,” Marilee said. “I just thought with all those bruises you may want to forget the bad experiences, even for a day, by covering them. I know how that feels, trust me. However…” She reached for the makeup.

Meredith stopped her. “No, I’m not insulted. Thank you. I’ll use it.”

It was after Marilee closed the door that Meredith saw her reflection. It was no wonder Marilee felt bad for her. Her face was discolored, parts of it yellow from the bruising. A huge abrasion on her cheek was scabbing over, her skin was dry and in some spots peeling from too much sun. Her hair, though she rinsed it in a creek, was horrible and was a matted mess.

Meredith felt sick in her stomach at how bad she looked. It wasn’t her, she always prided herself on her looks. But it was more than make up, more than nice clothes, it was that it hit her how demoralizing her experience was.

She waited until the urge to vomit passed and she cleaned up.

The shower was wonderful and the shampoo stopped her scalp from itching. She lotioned her body and even used the facial powder.

She felt better, the shower washed not only the surface, but a little bit of what was inside.

The smell of coffee and eggs carried to her as she walked from the bathroom.

“In here,” Marilee called out.

There was a counter that separated the kitchen and living room.

“Heard the shower stop. Breakfast is almost done. Got some deer bacon.”

“Never had it, sounds wonderful. Smells great,” Meredith said.

“You look so much better.” Marilee smiled, turning from the stove.

“Thank you.”

“Have a seat.”

As Meredith walked to the counter, she noticed the child like drawing on the fridge. “Who did the art?”

“Oh, my son, Dillard.”

“Your son. I haven’t seen him.”

Her smile remained across the lips, but Marilee lost the smile in her eyes. “And sadly you won’t.” She sighed and returned to the stove.

Meredith felt her sadness. Clearly, Marilee wasn’t old enough to have a child who passed in the plague. It was something else, something tragic. Marilee didn’t say any more and Meredith didn’t ask. It wasn’t her place to ask or bring up any more painful memories. She merely took her seat at the breakfast counter and enjoyed the hospitality of her hostess.

<><><><>

Malcolm felt as if he were having a case of déjà vu when stepping onto the base in Texas that housed the Genesis Two Lab. He wasn’t given an exact building and the base was huge. But the large warehouse oddly placed in a parking lot across from an office building looked exactly like Alabama. So much so, Malcolm wondered if they had returned to Marshal.

Another similarity was the lack of overgrowth. The weeds and cracked concrete were eerily similar to Marshal. They weren’t sure it was the building, however as soon as Malcolm saw it he was certain.

Coyly, Maggie said to him, ‘I’m going to guess you are going to that warehouse.’

“I planned on it.”

And surprisingly, with quick ‘how to’ instructions, she handed him an Aldervice. “Just leave it on. I’ll call you if we find anything.”

“You will?”

“You’re that sure?”

“If you walk in there and see a large red carpet before the office on your left. A carpet with a G on it, then you are here.”

“That’s an odd thing to say.”

“I just can’t tell you enough how much this looks like Marshal.”

Maggie projected gratefulness, leaving Malcolm as she went with the others. Trey went with them as well. He was having issues with Malcolm although he didn’t say it. Even though he was now the younger of the two, Malcolm felt it.

He didn’t expect ultimate loyalty from Trey. Thirty years had passed; there was a sense of being strangers.

Using the same technique as he did in Alabama, Malcolm broke into the warehouse. Just as when he woke up, the buggies were there, covered in plastic.

“Malcolm.”

Maggie’s voice carried over the Aldervice. It was clear and crisp and the quality surprised Malcolm.

“Malcolm, look at the screen. Press the button that says open and we can have an open line.”

Malcolm did. “Yeah.”

“When you get a second, we need you here.”

“That was fast.”

“You were right.”

He was right? That meant one thing; they found the lab. Leaving the buggies for later, Malcolm slipped the Aldervice in his back pocket and headed over to join the others.

The double glass doors of the office building were open and sure enough, the red carpet was there. It was buried under dirt and someone had swept a hand across it to check the color. He could hear the voices when he stepped inside the office. It was exactly like the Alabama office, down to the computer and the folder of information left out. Historian Clark and his virus buddy Nelson were already digging into papers.

“Would this be the elevator down?” Norris asked.

“That’s….” Malcolm shook his head as if to snap out of the daze. “That’s uncanny. That looks like the elevator we emerged from.”

“There has to be a staircase,” Norris said to his fellow soldier. “Let’s spread out. The elevator door isn’t opening.”

“It sealed on us,” Malcolm said. “After decontamination.”

“Dad,” Trey stepped to him. “You look like you saw a ghost.”

“In a way I did. It’s all the same,” Malcolm spoke in a low voice.

“What?” Maggie asked.

“It’s all the same. A carbon copy of the other office above the lab.”

Maggie shook her head. “I’m not sure what carbon copy means.”

Clark clarified. “It means duplicate.” He then looked at Malcolm. “You said the elevator sealed?”

“Yeah, during decontamination. We couldn’t go back down. But…” Malcolm looked at the one computer. “Nothing seems touched. I mean, if they had hatched, as you call it, and came up, things would have been touched. The first thing we did was try to find information about what happened. They haven’t come up yet.”

Maggie asked. “Do you really think that?”

“Without a doubt.” Malcolm lifted the folder. ‘This exact folder was left in the same exact place for us. If you read this it has information. If I can get the power up on this computer there will be a video and everything we know, you’ll know. I just….”

“Found it!” Norris called out. There were thumping footsteps and he emerged back into the office. “Staircase door was hidden in the back of a closet. We ready?”

Maggie looked at Malcolm, then took the folder. “Yes. Yes we are. Malcolm after you.”

Malcolm agreed and walked before her.

Trey took hold of his arm. ‘Is this really an exact duplicate?”

“Yeah, yeah it is.”

“What do you think we’ll find below?” Trey asked.

“I don’t know,” Malcolm replied. “But prepare for anything.”

It was quiet below. The lights were dim, slightly brighter than emergency lights and from the tiny windows on the doors, a blue glow emerged.

“They’re all still here,” Maggie said, peering in one of the doors. “They’re still in stasis. They haven’t hatched.”

“The timer hasn’t even started yet,” Malcolm added.

“What do you mean?” Maggie asked.

Malcolm pointed to the door at the end of the hall. “That square above it starts a timer. When it’s done, that door opens for the elevator. My guess is they’re all linked to together. The hatching triggers the countdown.”

Clark questioned. “What’s the purpose of the countdown? Nelson, you’re the virologist. Does this have to do with the sickness?”

“Maybe. It’s hard to say,” Nelson replied.

Norris walked the hall, peering in each room. “There has to be a main frame. Something that controls this. That tell us how they are set.”

Something clicked in Malcolm. “There is. If it’s the same layout, and I bet it is…” He walked down the long corridor to the door at the other end. “It’s behind here. It was at the other lab.”

Maggie gave a nod of approval to Norris. “Colonel, can you open that.”

“Right away,” he said and made his way to the door.

It didn’t take long for Norris to get that door open. Much less time than it took John back when he opened it. With the use of hand lights Malcolm led them down the small hallway.

“Once through here, there’s a power box.” Knowing where it was, the second he made it through the short hall, Malcolm turned on the lights.

“What is this place?” Maggie asked.

“Where you eat and make meals. This entire area is the heart. Water tanks are here and oxygen. They are all down that way.” Malcolm pointed to the far end and another door. He swung his aim to the second floor. “Up there are lockers. One for each person. It has their belongings. The computers are up there as well. I just need to power them up.”

Maggie asked. “Do you think the program for the units is up there?”

“I believe I saw it when I was looking at our computer. I’ll look.”

“Wonderful, we are going to look down here. If you don’t mind doing that?” Maggie asked.

“No. Not at all,” Malcolm said. He really was interested in finding out why they hadn’t hatched, or at least when they were scheduled to.

“Thank you, Malcolm.” Maggie squeezed his arm. “Thank you so much.”

Malcolm nodded and headed to the metal steps. Trey accompanied him.

“See now,” Trey said, “you can be a team player.”

“I’m curious. I want to see why they didn’t wake. Plus, this is the first time I don’t feel funny about all this.”

Trey smiled. “Yeah, they are acting a lot different here.”

Malcolm reached the top level. “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe their reactions in California was just disappointment.” He turned on the lights in the computer room.

“Why does this place after all these years, still have power?”

“Solar, I’m guessing. I don’t know.” Malcolm moved out a chair and sat down. “Okay. Here we go.” He turned on all the computers. “Before I was looking for videos and answers. But If I am not mistaken.” He waited for the boot up of all three computers. “The stasis is…” He chose an icon that looked like a heart monitor. “Here.”

“Did you click on that before?” Trey leaned over his shoulder.

“Yeah, but it just flashed complete. I don’t… whoa.”

“Whoa is right.”

Within seconds of the program’s launch, all three of the computer screens filled with images. They weren’t photos but outlines of human figures, men and women. Next to each figure was a number and what looked like vital statistics.

“This can’t be right,” Malcolm said.

“What?”

“The president told me the system shuts down units to conserve power. These people are all still alive.”

“All one hundred?”

“All one hundred,” Malcolm stated.

“Maybe this system isn’t going to shut down units until it’s time to wake up. Over here.” Trey pointed to the corner of the screen. “Is this a countdown on wake up?”

“If it is, they aren’t getting up for another year.”

“Can we wake them now?”

Malcolm examined the screen. “All these options. It wouldn’t be terminate… no, here… Initiate De-Stasis. We have to…”

Halting their conversation was the echoing sound of Nelson’s voice calling out. “Hey! Everyone! I found something.”

Nelson sounded excited and because of that, immediately, Malcolm and Trey left the computer room to see what was happening.

Nelson was like a kid on Christmas, barely able to stand on one spot while waiting for the others so he could show them his big find.

“I have it. I think I found it.” Nelson said and led them into a room filled with oxygen tanks. “This is what turns on after stasis is complete. But this…” He enthusiastically pointed to a long blue, thin cylinder braced near the oxygen. On it was the name XL-454. “This is the reason for the countdown. The reason for sealing everyone in for five days. This…” Nelson said. “I think is the cure.”

“How can you be sure?” Maggie asked.

“I’m not,” Nelson said. “I’m guessing. But I think I’m right. It connects to the air supply. It’s a smaller cylinder. It isn’t flowing now. Looking at this, it will trigger and start once the oxygen system initiates. I have no idea what XL-454 is, but it mixes with the oxygen. It has to be the cure. The immunization. It gives them five days to absorb it before going out into an infected world.”

Malcolm said. “We were supposedly inoculated at stasis.”

“That also could be the case.” Nelson stared at the tube.

“It’s connected to oxygen,” Trey said. “What if it’s an explosive? What if it’s what blows this place up.”

“Could be. But I am wagering this is the cure,” Nelson said. “Or rather vaccine. I was young when it all went down. But I saw the pictures. This is the same system they used to deliver the virus on airplanes. An aerosol canister that released upon pressurizing the cabin. The same system.”

“We can test it,” Maggie said. “This is our best hope yet. I can’t believe we didn’t find this at the other lab.”

“We didn’t find a secret compartment,” Nelson said.

Maggie smiled and looked at Malcolm. “Thank you again. Your help has been amazing.”

“Speaking of amazing,” Trey added. “He found the stasis program. It has all the people, all their stats. The whole thing.”

“Oh, Malcolm. You are a Godsend. Humanity thanks you.” Maggie kept the smile on her face. “Where is it?”

Malcolm, just as proud of his find as Nelson, led the way.

The brightness of the screen reflected off Maggie’s eyes as she stared at each and every screen. “They’re all still alive.”

“Yes,” Malcolm said.

“Astonishing,” Maggie exhaled and stood straight. “Okay. I’ve seen enough. We can document this and take samples from the units.”

“They aren’t due to wake up for a year,” Malcolm explained. “Want me to start the wake up process now. I can override.”

“Override the scheduled hatching,” Maggie said. “Hit ‘Terminate All’.”

“No, no.” Malcolm laughed. “That would kill them.” He explained as if Maggie were a child. “You don’t want to do that. You want to…”

“Yes, Malcolm, There’s no reason to keep them alive. They could be carriers, they could be infected.”

“That’s what the XL whatever can be for.”

“IF XL-454 is a vaccine of sorts. We need it. Terminate.”

“Kill them? Are you insane?” Malcolm asked.

“No. I’m rational and protecting our world. Their existence is a threat. Can’t you see that?”

“I won’t do it,” Malcolm stood up. “I won’t terminate this.”

Maggie looked at Norris. “Colonel, would you….”

“Ma’am, I would rather not touch anything on a computer.”

“Fine.” Maggie huffed and quickly hit the ‘Terminate All’ selection. Immediately a pop up screen emerged asking to confirm termination.

Malcolm had his chance. A chance to get her to see reason. Obviously she wasn’t thinking clearly. At least he thought he did. The confirmation screen gave him an opportunity and he stopped her, speaking in a calm pleading voice… “Maggie, think about what you are doing? These people, if they’re like me, have no idea what happened. They didn’t choose this. They are human beings. Lives. Please.”

“They won’t know.”

“I’ll know. You’ll know.”

“I know what wiped out our world to near extinction. Those who survived, they don’t deserve to lose anymore.”

“Maggie. Just…” Malcolm stared at her. “Just think about it. Please.”

Maggie nodded. She paused. “I already did.” And without further hesitation she confirmed the termination request. Ending the lives of the one hundred people in Genesis Lab Two.

FIFTEEN – THE WAY

Rusty’s map came in handy and John made sure he told Jason and Nora about the man that saved their lives.

John noticed right away that Jason wasn’t quite so gung ho for the road trip, he used a lot of excuses not to go. One of which had validity… Malcolm and Amy hadn’t returned. They still had a week left until the meet up time. John promised he’d get them back to Rantoul by then.

While Jason had his church, no one else had much to do. Searching for Salvation was that ‘thing’ to do.

On the same big storefront, they left a message for Malcolm in the form of an arrow above Malcolm’s name pointing to Jason’s Rantoul Lives sign.

They also had to deal with the possibility that Malcolm and Amy wouldn’t be returning, that like with Grant, they ran into trouble. That was a real possibility.

They all gathered around the map John spread out on the hood of Buggy One.

“Marilee said they think it’s in Iowa, or Idaho,” Nora said. “Northwest.”

“That makes sense,” John said. “East is war land, Midwest is plague land, up here…” his finger encircled Montana. “Is where I think they are hiding millions of people.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” Meredith added. “I realize they built and finished it fifteen years ago. But it’s been ten since the last outbreak. Why are they not leaving?”

John corrected. “Ten years since the last one they knew about. We know of another, don’t we?”

Meredith lowered her head.

“And you look lovely,” John stated. “Not that you needed the powder, or lipstick, but just pulling your hair back. You look wonderful.” He jumped a little when he heard Hunter grunt. “Oh, someone is jealous.” He looked at Hunter. “You a little green big guy?”

Hunter stared and then he stepped back, looking out toward the road. “Friend.” He said and pointed.

All of them turned around.

It was hard for John to see, but a vehicle was making its way toward them.

“Is that Malcolm?” John asked.

Meredith replied. “He’s alone.”

Jason stepped forward. “Unless he lost forty pounds that isn’t Malcolm.”

“Hunter,” John said hurriedly. “Be prepared in case there’s trouble. That isn’t our friend. Whoever it is may have stolen that.”

“And came here?” Meredith questioned. “Seems a bit coincidental.”

“No,” Nora whispered, reaching out to stop Hunter from aiming. “He’s wearing Genesis clothes. Look.”

They stood there waiting and the NASA style solar buggy pulled up. The tall and dark haired man stepped from the buggy. His chin had a deep five o’clock shadow and his face was sun kissed.

In his hand he held a bottle of water and he took a long drink, walking to them. “Tell me,” he said. “Is one of you Nora?”

“I am.” Nora stepped forward,

John mumbled. “She knows someone in the apocalypse.”

“My name is Blake,” he said. “Malcolm sent me.”

The stranger appeared mysterious, mentioning Malcolm. As if their lives weren’t science fiction enough, he was another twist.

Nora’s mind raced. To her, this man was someone Malcolm met on the road, perhaps even gave him the buggy and clothes. Had Malcolm died?

“How do you know Malcolm?” John asked.

“I met him in California,” Blake replied.

“California.” John nearly shrieked. “Why was he in California?”

“He was with some sort of science team and…” Blake’s eyes shifted. “I’m sorry. The big bald guy is throwing me off. I know I have been in stasis for a while, is this what happened to the human race?”

“Yes,” Nora answered quickly. “Only a handful look like us. Now you said you met him in California?”

“Nora,” Jason scolded. “Why would you tell him that?”

Nora waved Jason off.

Blake replied. “I had come out of stasis. We went searching for our families. Mine, the only ones I had were near the base. So I was the only one there when he arrived. He arrived with others to seek us out. Now…” He shook his head. “I can share my story later, but I need to tell you. Malcolm said there is a place called Salvation.” Spotting the map, Blake grabbed it. “It’s up here, somewhere.” He pointed to the top of Colorado. “Three hours north of Denver the wall starts.”

“Yes.” Nora said excitedly. “We have direction.”

Meredith nodded. “Thank you, Blake. We are on our way there.”

“Don’t.” Blake said. “Don’t go. Malcolm said it isn’t safe. Something about the president wasn’t dead, he went there and they arrested him. Whatever that means. Everything he told me was fast and coded, as if you guys would understand. But he said to tell Nora that his gut is screaming stay away. And your husband is alive, he met him, and he asked about you.”

His words about her husband, stumbled her back some and Jason caught her.

“You okay?” Jason asked.

“Rick’s alive?” Nora said.

John nodded. “Malcolm must have been to Salvation. Something isn’t right there. He wouldn’t tell us not to go.” He looked at Blake. “What about Amy? Did you speak to Amy? Was there a woman with him?”

“I didn’t speak to her. She seemed in charge. Tall woman, light brown hair.”

Meredith furrowed her brow. “That’s not Amy. Maybe Amy is in Salvation.”

“We have to go,” Nora stated.

“No.” Jason said. “This is the second warning we’ve gotten about Salvation. Maybe we should listen.”

“Or…” John added. “Wait until we meet up with Malcolm. Blake? Is he coming?”

“He said he’d get here, but to go somewhere else and leave a creative way of telling him.”

Meredith said. “We don’t need to be creative. That Rantoul sign will take him to the town and they can tell him where we’re going. Once we figure that out.”

“Maybe the people of that town can suggest a good place,” Blake said.

Jason looked at Nora. “Marilee warned you not to go. Did she say why?”

Nora shook her head. “Just that we shouldn’t go.”

“Then maybe we need to ask them,” Jason said. “There’s a reason that they grab guns, hide, and aim when a stranger comes to town. They want to protect their town. Why?”

Hunter, who had been listening, with his arms folded, finally spoke up. “That does not sound like protecting a village. It sounds like fear. Who do they fear?”

Jason glanced down to the map and then to all the faces around him. “Salvation.”

<><><><>

Malcolm didn’t have much for breakfast, and that was a good thing. Pretty much all he had in his stomach to vomit up was coffee and that landed with a splash on the ground. He was certain that the violent eruption wasn’t caused by a sickness, but rather emotions. The brewing of the contents of his gut: churning, boiling, holding it back, was almost like a pressure pot. Until it released. It began when Maggie clicked on terminate. It was silent in the moments after. No one made a sound. Malcolm swore his blood felt like icicles running through his veins. The quiet stunned faces of the room as each subject in the Genesis unit went from alive to deceased.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Silence

Malcolm felt sick he started feeling ill the second she confirmed termination. What made it worse was Maggie. She was stone. No expression, no remorse and when they all had died, she merely exhaled and said, “Well, that’s over. Shall we move on?”

On that, Malcolm stood in a rush, raced from the lab, up the staircase, through the office and outside. Once there everything in his stomach expelled violently like a volcano.

I can’t do this, he thought. I can’t do this. This is not why I’m here. It’s not.

Malcolm turned and paced in half circles, holding his head, wanting to scream. He just wanted to cry out. He had just watched a hundred people die.

“Dad?” Trey approached him. “Are you okay?”

“No. No I am not okay.” Milton spun around to face his son. “I can’t do this. I can’t.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Are you serious? You can ask me that? After what just happened in there.” Malcolm pointed with a hard swing to the building. “That was harsh. That was wrong.”

“Dad, listen to me. It was harsh to watch, but it had to be done.”

“How can you say that?” Malcolm asked with passion. “It had to be done?”

“Those people in there. They lost their existence thirty years ago, Dad. Each and every one of them was a possible threat, like the president. A threat to our existence. You have to see that.”

“But what about the canister? Nelson thinks it’s a cure.”

“And we will need every ounce of that to make an inoculation.”

“So that gives them the right to take those people’s lives.”

“Again, those lives ended years ago,” he said. “Those alive now. This is about their lives.”

“Life is life. And you talk about Salvation’s existence. That isn’t an existence. Living behind a wall. Being told what you do, how you do it. When you live. When you die. “

“That is the way of the world now,” Trey said.

“It’s not the way in my world.”

“No. Sadly, Dad, it’s not your world anymore, this is the way it is now and you’re gonna have to like it and deal with it.”

“I don’t have to deal with it. I still have some sort of freedom. I don’t have to abide by anything.”

“What are you gonna do?” Trey asked. “Run away?”

Malcolm just stared.

Trey chuckled a laugh. “Unbelievable.”

“It may be the only option.” Malcolm said.

“Dad, don’t do this. Whatever you do, don’t do it. I know you want to run. You want to find your friends…”

“Yes. Because they’re in danger.”

“They’re in danger because they are a danger. Don’t you see it?”

“No, I refuse to believe that. If they stay away…”

Trey shook his head. “If they carry the virus, they remain a threat as long as they are out there. Let this go. Forget your friends. Hate what you saw, disagree with it, but don’t put yourself in the middle of this.”

“I already am. How can you accept this so easily?”

“Because I watched everyone I love die. I also watched a lot of people be saved by this initiative. It may be strict, but we are alive. So I stand by it.”

Malcolm sighed out. “I can’t just stand by.”

“I understand,” Trey said. “Know this. I will protect you, I will stand beside you, and I will always love you. But please, I beg you, don’t do anything stupid.”

That was all that was said and Trey walked away. Malcolm began to think about what he needed to do, if he could do anything. He knew he had to try. Something wasn’t right and the puddle of the regurgitated stomach contents before him reminded him how sick this new world truly made him.

<><><><>

Marilee was pleasant when the four of them returned, leaving Hunter and Blake behind as a precaution. She expressed that she thought they changed their mind until they asked her about Salvation.

“You said not to go there,” Nora probed. “Why?”

“I wanted you guys to want to stay here, I didn’t want you to think I was scaring you into not leaving,” she replied.

Jason asked. “Should we be scared?”

“Salvation isn’t what you think,” Marilee explained. “Yeah, they do a lot of good for those inside the wall, but out here… they don’t.”

“Is that why you arm up?” Jason asked. “Because you don’t trust them?”

“We have plenty of reason not to trust them. They haven’t swept through here in a while, two years, but they used to come through all the time.” Marilee said. “At first, I can remember hiding. My mother telling me to stay quiet, don’t make a sound. I was twelve when it first happened. I used to hold my hand over my mouth, hear the gunfire, and hear our people screaming.”

“Oh my God,” Meredith gasped. “They came in and killed you?”

“Those who fought,” Marilee said. “Those who refused. And we guess those who attempted to get back what Salvation took. We lost a lot of people because they chased after them and never came back. Our people that is. We used to be a big community. Now look at us.”

“What about the others that you trade with?” John questioned.

“They hit them too,” Marilee replied. “I guess they learned early on. But most of the towns, villages, and communities were hit by Salvation.”

Nora asked. “Did they think you had the virus?”

Marilee laughed sadly. “I wish. But no. We’re ready for them, but I don’t think they’re coming back. Not yet. There’s nothing left for them to take. They took it all from us.”

“What… what did they take?” Nora asked. “What did they keep coming back to get?”

Marilee puckered her lips before answering, her glossed over eyes shifted to Meredith. “You asked about the drawing. My son Dillard drew that when he was six. They took him. In fact… That’s what they took until there weren’t any more left to take… the children. They took our babies.”

NORA’S ENTRY

I didn’t want to stop or make a detour. I just wanted to keep on going now we had a direction. Funny how one page ago, in my journal, we were taking off and hopeful, little did I realize we’d only get so far and have to turn around.

What Marilee told us was tragic, and enough to convince the others to not move until we heard from Malcolm. Obviously he knew something about Salvation, or he wouldn’t have gone to that much trouble to get word to us.

I heard that, I understood that, but all I kept thinking about was Rick. Rick was alive. How did Malcolm find out? Did he meet him? So many questions.

Marilee made a suggestion on where we should go to lay low. Obviously, Rantoul wasn’t the place. She would inform Malcolm and any others that arrived where to go.

We thanked her and knew we’d see her soon because she gave us directions to the trading post.

It would be empty for two more weeks until communities started showing up. Even then we’d be able to hide among them. No one would find it. To the best of her recollection Salvation had never been there. Why would they? On the outside it looked abandoned. It was a safe haven. A place, those other communities and Rantoul always believed they could safely retreat to.

It was an old tourist attraction, built in the 1700’s the Fort De Chartres had been refurbished and kept up throughout the years. The southwest wall had been torn down but Marilee told us about six years ago they erected a fence. Like it was originally, the fort was completely… fortified.

She warned us that we wouldn’t see it at a distance, the trees were tall and overgrown, but inside it was clear and clean.

“Look for the rusted tractor and pull cart, they block the path.”

She was right on all accounts. The overgrown road just seemed to end as it approached a line of trees. Sure enough, twenty or so feet in, there was the tractor.

The trees didn’t extend to the fort, once we passed through it was open and the vine covered fort was clear as day. It wasn’t hidden.

If Salvation made it beyond those trees they wouldn’t have a problem finding it.

The gates were open and once inside we secured them. The others looked around. Except Hunter. He was up to something. But I didn’t care. I felt jilted. Outnumbered and outvoted.

I wanted to ignore the warnings and keep going, but admittedly, I was thinking of myself and not the others. It had been thirty years what would a couple more weeks be?

SIXTEEN – HIDING

A half a dozen apples dropped to the ground by the campfire. After leaving them there, Hunter checked on the roasting meat that cooked over the fire.

“Thank you,” Nora picked up an apple. “This will be wonderful.”

“You must eat.” Hunter lifted her arm. “Will break.”

“Oh my God,” Nora giggled. “He makes me feel so thin.”

“He’s just wonderful,” Meredith said. “He’s such a protector and he wanted to see the world.”

John gave a twitch of his head. “Our post apocalypse sex symbol.”

Jason asked. “Do we know what Hunter did in his village?”

“Hunted, protected,” John answered. “From what Matthew told us he was one of the earliest births after the war. The DNA mutations grew stronger with time. He’s a good man.”

Hunter seemed to notice John referred to him for the first time as a man. He nodded at John, then pointed. “Hunter will go check wall.”

“I’m sure we’re fine,” John said. “Really. Relax.”

“Must watch. Will be back.” After lifting an apple, Hunter walked off.

“He’s been doing something on that wall,” Jason said. “Aside from perching himself up there.”

“Added protection,” John said. “Quite a world we woke to.”

Meredith murmured. “Thirty years later.”

At that point, out of character, Nora tossed an apple and stood abruptly. “It’s thirty years to them. Not to us. Just when I think I’m getting it, I’m not. It’s still last month that I walked my daughter into school. Now she’s dead. The other one… God knows. It was just last month that I got in that stupid fight with Rick because he was sneaking cigarettes in the garage. Now today I bet he doesn’t even remember that argument.”

“Well at least we know now,” John, said sarcastically, “cigarettes didn’t kill him.”

“Shut up.” Nora snapped.

Jason stood. “Nora, come on. He was making a joke. Lightening things up. You of all people should understand that.”

“Don’t.” She spun to him.

“Don’t what? Don’t tell you to calm down. You haven’t been yourself since Blake told you Rick was alive. You knew that. Why the change?”

“Because when I knew this before, we had a plan. Now we don’t have a plan. There’s no end game. What’s our end game here, people?” she tossed up her hands. “I don’t know it and it is driving me nuts.”

John shook his head. “We don’t need an end game. Not every situation has an end game.”

“No, you’re wrong,” Nora argued. “Even before all this. Each day we woke up we had an end game. We get up, go to work, and have our day, with the end game being our nightly routine. No matter who you are. Your day, week, had an end game.”

Meredith spoke up. “I think what she’s saying makes sense. We’re spending our days going place to place. Our plan was to find our families. We found out about our families. Then the plan was to find this Salvation. But now that’s not an option. We are strangers in this world. This is not our world anymore. So we can’t even plan on what’s next.”

“Thank you,” Nora said. “I have to know what is next. I have to have a goal. I want to go to Salvation but I don’t even know why that’s not an option now, except for the words of a stranger.” She looked at Blake. “No offense.”

“None taken,” Blake said, still sitting by the fire in his own world.

“We’ll know soon enough,” Jason said. “When Malcolm gets here. Until then, I don’t see why we can’t come up with a game plan.”

“I’ve been saying the same thing,” John added. “Come up with a long term plan. This is not worthy of freaking out about Nora. Really.”

“Really? Then tell me where?” Nora asked. “Where do we go? What is an option? Do you know? I don’t, we don’t know anything. Apparently Salvation raids towns. Towns have to hide. Out east things are so bad you can die. Is this world even survivable for us? I mean really, what kind of world is this now?”

His strong voice answered as Hunter stepped to the circle. “Yours. Still your world. Just different. Make it work. Worry about today. Tomorrow is tomorrow. Worry then. Goal today… live, eat…” he handed her an apple. “And no hatabitigan.” He shook his head and walked off.

Everyone was silent.

Meredith exhaled. “In so many words, the age old saying was just repeated by a new age man. Don’t worry about tomorrow, live for today.”

Nora stared at the apple in her hand. “Hatabitgan? Was I the only one who heard that word?”

“Yeah,” Jason said. “What the hell is hatabitigan?”

“I think,” John said. “Hatabitigan is our new friend’s language for… no bitching. Just a guess.”

Nora groaned. “You’re probably right.” She glanced at Hunter who had returned to doing his thing. Just like hatabitigan was his way to say no complaining, Nora was also pretty sure, handing her the apple to consume was his symbolic way kind of making her eat crow.

<><><><>

Maggie knew Malcolm wasn’t happy with her, the entire camp was quiet, even Clark with all his historical arrogance said very little. It was unspoken, that the termination of the life pods was wrong. At least it seemed that way to Malcolm. Everyone was not ‘okay’ with it. Except Maggie and Trey.

How could Trey, his son, find the logic in the killing of a hundred innocent and unaware people?

The same son who lied about Malcolm’s identity was suddenly fearful of being a rebel? Trey’s argument wasn’t so much for the people of Salvation, but rather those who still lived outside the walls. The farmers, the soldiers, and the scattered communities. Did they deserve to face the reemergence of a virus that was believed eradicated?

Malcolm was fine with Maggie knowing his dismay. It gave him an excuse to go to the warehouse where they kept the solar carts. Thinking Malcolm was just staying busy to occupy his mind, Maggie let him go.

Malcolm didn’t just tinker with the carts, he prepared them for travel. But not for him.

He knew exactly what he had to do and laid out his plan.

By midnight everyone was asleep in their portable tents. Colonel Norris took watch at midnight and walked a perimeter counter clockwise fifty yards south.

Malcolm unloaded supplies from the van every time Norris walked out of sight. He didn’t remove them all, because he himself needed supplies. Malcolm could take a buggy, but the truth was he had a nine hundred mile hike to Illinois. The terrain would be overgrown and rough, and he needed to go without stopping. Something the van could do. Solar energy during the day, corn fuel at night. The fact that he was leaving the solar buggies would afford Malcolm a chance to stop closer to Illinois.

By two am, Malcolm had removed all that he was going to and left a note in the warehouse on the specifications of the buggies. They wouldn’t work for several hours. All he needed to do was get in that van and go. Norris wouldn’t shoot at the van.

It was time.

After leaving another note for Trey, Malcolm waited until he didn’t see Norris and with his bag in hand he darted around to the driver’s door of the van.

Norris stood there.

Shit, Malcolm thought.

“You know,” Norris said. “For the last two hours I watched you take stuff from the van. Good to know you aren’t leaving us high and dry.”

“I’m not a prisoner here.”

“No, but right now, you’re a thief.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just panicking. I told her where I was meeting the others. I put them in danger,” Malcolm said.

“So you need to cut them off. Warn them.”

“Yeah, because I honestly think they’re in trouble if they’re found.”

“Orders are to arrest them so they can be tried, but…” Norris lowered his voice. “I can’t say that other orders won’t come in to just eliminate them. They are a threat.”

“We don’t know that.”

“Can we take a chance? What you need to do is take them and disappear. It will take twenty-four hours to get a rescue crew here to haul us out. After that, they’ll come for you.”

Malcolm shook his head. “I’m confused. Why are you telling me this?”

Norris sidestepped allowing Malcolm access to the driver’s door. “You stole the van. I’ll take heat for that. After that I’m gonna have to follow orders. Understand?”

Malcolm nodded.

“You’ll lose your son over this.”

“My son hasn’t had me in thirty years. I righted the wrong between us. I’m good and hopeful that one day those in Salvation will give up the walls.”

“Not while you and the others are out there. Now go.”

Malcolm shook his hand and thanked him, and without hesitation, got in the van and left. He didn’t understand why Norris would help him, but Malcolm wasn’t going to question him any further.

<><><><>

While everyone slept the big man of few words held post. Nora wondered if he understood what was going on, but didn’t convey it as much. Hunter watched and didn’t miss a beat from what Nora gathered. They were having their first night, of which she believed would be many in the fort. It had old world charm and clearly was set up for when the trade groups came in.

John explained that to Hunter, who responded to John he knew who was bad.

But Nora felt bad for her outburst over dinner. It wasn’t like her. She typically dealt with things. It weighed so heavily on her mind that she couldn’t sleep, not even after two solid drinks of moonshine.

She wanted to speak to Hunter, get to know him, and she hadn’t had the chance to have much one on one communication with him other than being told she would break, or that she was bitching.

She spotted him sitting on top of the front wall just left of the slanted roof. A rope dangled down and Nora figured that was the only way up. Although in her youth she could have been considered athletic those traits had long since gone. But scaling a wall with a rope was still something she was confident in doing.

The wall was about twenty feet and if she fell off then she was in trouble, however, Nora didn’t have any trouble at all and three feet from the top, Hunters huge hand extended to help her.

Once she grasped it, Hunter pretty much hoisted her up.

“Danger,” Hunter said. “Nora breaks with ease.”

“I think you can give me a bit more credit than that.”

“Hunter does not understand.”

“Nora is not fragile,” she said. “I’m tough. Strong.”

Hunter stared.

“Okay, maybe not tough, but I’m strong and strength doesn’t just come from the physical form.”

Again, Hunter stared.

“If you’re judging me on that one outburst that’s not fair.”

“Hunter does not understand.”

“Which pretty much answers my question of how much does Hunter really get. And this wall is thin why are you not in there?” She pointed to the lookout room that was higher than the wall and above the main gate.”

“Here, can see everything. There…” Hunter pointed. “Blocked.”

With an ‘Ah’ Nora nodded. “Can I sit?” she indicated down as she lowered, Hunter helped her then sat next to her.

“So why this direction and not east or west?”

“John’s friend will come from this way. Any bad will come from this way. The water flows not far from the other side. They will not come across the water.”

“That makes sense. And I came up to talk to you and say I am sorry for my…. hatabitigan.”

Hunter nodded. “You must hatabitigan quite often.”

“Not really, no. I’m pretty calm, it’s just that I got stressed and upset. Understand?”

“Yes. People usually do not hatabitigan when they feel tense. They eat.”

“That too, but when I walked around on this earth, they hatabitigan over everything.”

“Then they must have all been fragile.”

“Emotionally. We were at times a sensitive society,” Nora said. “Maybe that is why I get so worried about survival.”

“Hunter will teach you. You will not fear what tomorrow brings. You will know of your survival.”

“That is so nice of you.” She tapped his leg. “And I can teach you.”

“Hunter would like that.”

“Oh, good. And I bring a peace offering.”

Hunter looked curiously at her.

She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out an item wrapped in a small piece of cloth. “In Rantoul they make their own chocolate bars. It’s really good.” She unwrapped it and handed it to him. After he sniffed it, Nora said. “It’s delicious. Good. You eat it.”

“Yes. And Hunter will not hatabitigan your gift of food.”

“Hunter will not…” Nora paused. “Ah… gees. Hatabitgan doesn’t mean bitch. It means waste. That’s what you were telling me when you gave me the apple. Do not waste it.”

“Hatabitgan.”

“I got it now. Boy, we do have a lot to teach each other.”

Hunter broke the candy in two and handed her a piece.

“Thank you.” She accepted it and smiled. “This is going to be a very interesting night.”

<><><><>

The sound of it not only woke Meredith, it caused her to jump awake. “What the hell?” she said, sitting up in her sleeping bag.

The noise rang through the silence, echoing in a booming manner.

“John,” she called him in a hard whisper. His sleeping bag was next to hers. “John.”

“What?”

“Do you hear that?’

Again it rang out.

“How can I not? Yes.” John sat up.

“What is that?”

John pointed to the wall. “Laughter. Hunter is laughing.”

“Hunter laughs?”

“Apparently so and odd too.”

“It sounds like whooping cough.”

John chuckled. “If you listen you can hear it’s actually laughter when it’s softer, but when he roars with laughter, we get…”

Hunter did the barking laugh.

“That.” John said.

Meredith squinted. “Who is that with him on the wall?”

“I believe that is Nora.” John paused. “Jealous?”

“Actually, yes.”

Shocked, John’s eyes widened. “Really.”

“Yeah. We couldn’t get him to laugh like that.”

“Well, she was supposed to be funny before we went into hyper sleep. That’s what she said.”

“Hmm.” Meredith shook her head. “I just don’t see it.”

“Me either. Perhaps her humor only appeals to a post apocalypse crowd.”

“Maybe.”

“Goodnight, Meredith.” John lay back down.

“Goodnight, John.” Just as Meredith prepared to rest back, Hunter’s laughter rang out. “It’s gonna be a long night.” She groaned and pulled the sleeping bag over her head.

SEVENTEEN – LEARNING CURVE

Day Twelve AR

Malcolm wasn’t crazy about the Salvation coffee that Maggie continuously raved about, but it served its purpose in keeping Malcolm awake. At first when he took off his heart raced and his adrenaline pumped, then he hit a wall. He pulled over because obviously he couldn’t make coffee and drive at the same time, but Malcolm didn’t remain immobile for long.

Unlike the solar buggy, even the one Malcolm amped up, the van drove at a good speed. Three and a half hours into his trip the expected happened.

Maggie called for him on the Aldervice.

“Malcolm, what are you doing?”

Malcolm didn’t respond.

“I know you hear me, I can see that. If you’re not going to say anything, then listen,” Maggie said. “You’re not in any trouble. I know you’re scared and confused. I do. But you can’t do this Malcolm. I know you think you’re helping your friends, but this is bigger than all of us. You tell me you believe you were chosen to ensure the human race survives. If you believe that, if that is your mission, then you have follow it, because some of you, I believe, are a threat to humanity.”

A pause.

“Malcolm, what about Trey? You brought him on the trip and you left him. You told me where you’re meeting them. I know where you’re going. You can’t keep running. Out there, tire tracks are like footprints in the snow. I know you’re angry about what happened. I promise you, one day you’ll see why. You will and you’ll realize the error of your thinking now. I just hope it isn’t too late.”

At the point where he was going to shut off the Aldervice, Maggie went radio silent. Malcolm didn’t want to end communication just on the outside chance Trey needed him.

He had to keep going and stay the course. If he didn’t fall asleep behind the wheel, he’d be in Champaign by mid afternoon. Getting there wouldn’t be a problem. The highways, while overgrown were completely passable. It was evident that vehicles had moved on the road, heavy vehicles, meaning Salvations Command.

Maggie was right about one thing they would leave a trail. Any course they took off of a Salcom utility road would be spotted. But she was wrong too. Wrong about how he would one day see why they had to kill the hundred people. There was no way any amount of proof out there could justify her actions.

<><><><>

“Were you lying to him?” Trey asked, watching Maggie place the Aldervice away.

“About?” Maggie asked.

“Him not being in trouble.”

“No, I’m not lying,” she said almost in defeat.

“How can you guarantee that?”

“Because Command has no idea he stole the van and left us stranded. None. You know, I know, and Norris knows. The others…. they think what Command thinks.”

“Which is?”

“We are working here on things, testing the blood of each of the deceased, thankfully your father removed all our portable equipment,” she said. “And I… told everyone we didn’t want to lose track of the survivors of G3, your father’s lab, so I sent him to the meeting place so he wouldn’t miss the rendezvous. That buys us a day.”

“That’s not a lot of time.”

Maggie softly chuckled. “This virus doesn’t give that much time. It’s emerged back into a virgin world where probably fifty percent, if not more of the population, doesn’t have a hundred percent immunity to it. All those born in the last fifteen years are vulnerable. At least half of Salvation isn’t immune to it.”

“How can that be?” Trey asked. “I thought to get into Salvation you had to be immune.”

“There are the few born after Salvation was opened and those we let in who weren’t infected. We relied on herd immunity, but this virus… I don’t know if it was a different one that hibernated, or if it just mutated big time. But this one is different. It’s fast, symptoms show in twenty- four hours, full sickness in two days, and death before three days.”

“How do you know this?”

“Because we have been quarantining people since the president arrived. I’m almost afraid to check in today. As of yesterday, we have kept it at thirty-seven. If we can go two days without quarantine, we can declare it contained. But as long as people out there are carriers, it won’t be contained. You know our soldiers are out here, there are communities, survivors, and breeders. If the president is a carrier, I am willing to bet others are too.”

“Yet, you covered for him, why?”

“I’m not evil, Trey. I’m doing my job. Your father had everything taken from him. Thirty years slipped away. I get that. He doesn’t understand the way things work now.”

“Are you going to go after them?”

“Better us, then an entire Salvation Command Brigade. When the new van arrives tomorrow, we go. I’m thinking though, maybe leave the team to run tests, and you and I head up there with one of those solar carts.”

“I’ll do that. Explain to me why you need to get to them. You have that canister. You think it could be an inoculation?”

“And if it is, we need time to copy it and create it. It’s not a cure. Creating more of what’s in that canister can take years. Unfortunately,” Maggie said, “there’s not enough population left to survive years.”

<><><><>

When Jason awoke to the smell of coffee he also panicked. Reaching out beside him to only feel an empty spot caused him to sit straight up.

Where was Nora?

He glanced down at his watch, it was after eight and it surprised him that she was awake already.

Jason made their camp in what looked like a stall. John, Meredith, and Blake slept in the courtyard and were sitting around the fire when Jason stumbled from the stall. He scratched his head not seeing Nora.

Meredith waved him over, calling out, “Did you want coffee?”

“Yes, please,” Jason said, walking toward them.

Meredith lifted the percolator from the fire and poured Jason a cup.

“Have you guys seen Nora?” he asked.

“She said she’d be right down,” Meredith answered.

“Right down? Down from where?”

Blake pointed to the wall.

Jason took a double take, nearly choking when he saw Hunter climbing down the rope. “She was up there? When did she go up there?”

“Last night,” John said. “She pulled watch with Hunter. You didn’t hear them? How could you not?”

“I was out,” Jason replied. “I hit the moonshine pretty hard last night.”

“Lucky you,” John raised his cup.

Hunter approached the circle.

“Where’s Nora?” Jason asked.

“Nora… She…” Hunter said. “Is coming. She is fine… dude.”

Jason blinked. “Dude?”

John laughed. “Seems Nora taught you a few things.”

“Yes. Hunt…. I… learned much. As did she.”

“Ugh.” John shrieked. “You can’t stop speaking third person, that’s what makes you endearing.”

“Nora said… I can not do that. I practice.”

Meredith tapped him on the arm. “And you are doing so well.”

“He is,” Nora said as she joined them. “He’ll get there.”

Jason turned to her. “You okay?”

“Yeah, thank you.” Nora kissed him on the cheek. “We had some good conversation last night. Hunter is very insightful, we can learn a lot from him.”

“Apparently,” John said.” He’s been learning from you. He called Jason, Dude.”

“That wasn’t on purpose,” Nora replied. “I was telling him about our culture and the word came up, he liked saying it.”

“And laughing,” Meredith added, looking at Hunter. “We heard you laugh for the first time.”

“Nora is funny. She tells…” He squinted. “What is that called?”

“Joke.”

“Joke, yes,” Hunter said.

“You must be a card,” John said. “Because he was howling last night.”

Nora waved out her hand. “He was easy to entertain.”

“No,” Hunter shook his head. ‘Nora is funny. Tell joke.”

“No,” Nora said. “You need to show us what you made.”

“When done. Tell. They will laugh. From gut. Ha. Ha. Ha.”

“Yes,” John said. “Tell us. We want to laugh from gut. Ha. Ha. Ha.”

Meredith backhanded John.

“Tell.” Hunter requested.

“We would love to hear,” John egged on. “So please share the jokes that had him in stitches.”

“Joke,” Nora said. “As in one. The same one. He kept making me tell it over and over and he kept laughing over and over.”

“Must be a doozy,” said Meredith.

“Not really.”

“Tell. Hunt… I want to laugh.” Hunter said.

“I don’t even know how he got it,” Nora replied. “Okay, I’ll tell it, then I want to see what you made.” She waited for agreement. “What did the woman say when the nuclear bomb hit her city.”

John lifted his hands and shook his head.

“She didn’t. She was devastated.”

John and Meredith both gave polite smiles. But Hunter, he laughed as hard as he did the night before.

Jason closed off one ear with his finger. “Wow. That’s a supportive audience.”

“Funny,” Hunter laughed again and started to walk off. “Come. I show you.”

As they turned to walk away, Blake started giggling.

Jason whispered in her ear. “You’re a hit here.”

What was he doing? John wondered. One moment their new big friend was laughing, the next he was serious as he led them across the fort to the side with the fence. He had seen Hunter working over there the day before, but left him alone.

“If trouble comes,” Hunter said as he moved an old cart. Below it was a dirty piece of cloth, he then lifted that, exposing what looked like a half door resting in the dirt. “Took door from there.” He indicated, then lifted the door.

John stepped forward, peering down. The hole was deep and square. Not big, but large enough for two or three people. In the hole was water, apples and a few MRE. “You made a secret room.”

“Hide if trouble.” Hunter looked at Meredith, then to Nora.

“And here I thought you were digging a latrine,” John said. “This is good. Very good.”

Jason asked. “You think we’ll need it?”

“Never know,” John replied.

Hunter covered everything back up. “Stay for two moons, then head to river. Safe by water. Follow the flow.” He finished covering it. “Hunter… I must rest now.”

“Yes,” John said. “You deserve it. And Hunter… very good job. Thank you.”

Hunter nodded. “Thank you. Pound it.” He held his close fist to John.

“Pound it?” John asked, shifting his eyes to Nora. “Sure.”

He hit his fist against Hunters, and after a half smile, Hunter turned and walked away.

John waited. Oddly, he didn’t move, make a sound, or say a word. He waited until Hunter was out of earshot, and then he released a soft but excruciating sounding, “Ow”, cringing as he grabbed his hand.

<><><><>

He traveled the last two hundred miles on pure energy reserves. More than anything, Malcolm just wanted to pull over and sleep, but he kept thinking how close he was and he had to keep going. It was a quiet trip, Maggie hadn’t even tried to contact him again.

Malcolm didn’t know if he should worry about that, or be glad.

It had been weeks since he saw the others. He would have to explain what happened to Amy, how she was killed early in their journey. He spent most of his driving time thinking how he was going to explain to everyone that Salvation was off the radar, and that they had to go and not look back. How he would tell Nora that her husband was alive and well, but she couldn’t chance going to see him.

His mind raced with plans for the future. How they would survive long term, grow food, and hide. He heard stories about The East, so that was out. Maybe they’d go south, or even back to California.

Malcolm was disheartened when he pulled into Champaign. He didn’t see any of the buggies. He didn’t have a clue if Blake had even arrived yet, it had only been a few days. He worried that the others hadn’t gotten the warning.

There was also a chance the others hadn’t gotten there. Then his tired and dejected feelings quickly turned when he saw the message loud and clear on the storefront window.

A message from Jason.

Rantoul Lives.

He recalled seeing the sign for Rantoul and Malcolm hurriedly sought the map. It wasn’t that far, eighteen miles.

It wouldn’t be long, Malcolm thought and he’d not only be reunited with the others, but he could rest, at least briefly, before heading out again.

EIGHTEEN – TRUTH

Just on the outside chance that Blake had arrived and warned the others about Salvation, Malcolm pulled the Salcom van over about a half a mile from Rantoul. He didn’t want the others to see the Salvation vehicle and worry.

It was only a short walk, it was a warm day and the van was out of sight.

Wandering into town, it took everything not to run down the street hollering out.

But something wasn’t right.

It was quiet, too quiet. Where was everyone?

Malcolm knew he was in the right place when he saw three solar buggies. Three of them meant Blake had arrived.

He refrained from calling out, looking around as he walked. It looked like a community picnic had taken place in town. Tables were set up and there was a grill. Food was left on the table. Flies buzzed about the food.

Perhaps they took off in a hurry, but why didn’t they take the buggies? A few steps beyond the tables, Malcolm spotted them. It looked like two bodies, covered in cloth sat outside the church. He couldn’t be sure they were bodies, he had to get a closer look.

“Hold it!” A female voice called out. “Stop, or I’ll shoot.”

The racking of a gun chamber rang out.

Malcolm stopped. In fact he lifted his hands. “I mean no harm. I’m looking for my friends. I’m supposed to meet them here.”

“Who?” she asked.

“Nora. Jason…” Before he finished saying any more names, the door to one of the stores opened and a man stepped out.

Malcolm recognized the clothing, he had also worn that clothing when he was released from the Genesis lab.

The man walked up to Malcolm. “John said you’d be arriving. I met him and Meredith out east. They sent us.”

“Us?” Malcolm asked.

“There are four of us.”

“Where are my friends?”

“They were gone when we got here, they left word, Marilee knows.”

“Who? And you said there are four of you? Where are the others?”

“Helping.”

“Helping?”

“Yeah,” Cole said sadly. “Come this way.”

<><><><>

Malcolm wanted to vomit. In fact it took everything he had not to throw up the second he walked into the church and saw it had been transformed into a make shift hospital. More than a dozen people were in there, laying on cots, intravenous lines in their arms.

Cole explained he was a doctor and like Malcolm was unknowingly part of a Genesis project. He, along with another man and two females, were told by John to come to Champaign.

“They were sick when we got here this morning,” Cole said. “Marilee was helpless. She was doing great, but I felt so bad for her, I haven’t had a chance to talk about the others.”

Malcolm nodded and looked at Marilee. “When did everyone get sick?”

“It started yesterday evening, we were sitting down to eat and people started getting sick all of the sudden. Coughing, shaking, and fevers. I mean it was scary,” Marilee said. “Our doctor was the first to go. But a lot of folks said they were feeling off all afternoon. I was spared. Cole here got the IV bags done and has been giving them pain medication.”

Cole said, “I had to makeshift out of old things. The first aid kits have pain relievers and I been trying to get people to take those.”

“Is this the virus?” Malcolm asked. “The one that hit before?”

“I don’t know,” Cole answered. “Unfortunately, none of us have seen it. But whatever this is, hits hard and fast. We lost two since I got here and the others… well… the others aren’t far behind.

“I’m sorry for this,” Malcolm grabbed Marilee’s wrist. “I will do whatever I can to help. But can you excuse me for a second.

Malcolm used needing to get the van and checking for supplies as his excuse. The truth was, he just needed a moment. He needed to absorb what he saw.

An entire town was sick and dying. His friends had been there and gone and Cole and the others had just arrived. Maybe it was coincidence, or timing, Maybe Jason, Nora, and the others didn’t have anything to do with the illness.

There was a chance, albeit slim, but it was one that Malcolm clung to. The only way he could stop from being overwrought with guilt was by believing they had nothing to do with the town’s sickness. Even though a part of Malcolm knew and believed differently.

<><><><>

When Nora finally fell asleep mid afternoon, Jason decided to take Meredith up on her invite to go fishing. Hunter went with them as he had scouted the area and found a great fishing hole. After an hour, Hunter left them alone.

In an unindustrialized world nature took over in more ways than one. The fish were surprisingly large and easy to catch. And even more so, Jason was surprised how easy Meredith was to speak with. It was the first time he had any conversation one on one with her. Since she made her living theorizing, Jason was eager to pick her brain.

“If we have a warning message, then Malcolm went to a lot of trouble to get it to us,” Meredith said. “He’s in a position where he can’t speak. He’s obviously with Salvation people and knows what they are up to.”

“But like what?” Jason asked. “I mean Salvation is called Salvation, right?”

“It’s a city behind a wall. That tells me rules. We also have to remember, one person’s utopia is another’s prison. When it was built it was created as a sanctuary, a safe haven. There’s no need for that now. Look at this world. The air is clean, green plants everywhere, and more oxygen. Personally, I don’t want to live in a replica of what we had.”

“Yeah, me neither. John says we need to go off and start our own town.”

“He has his reasons and they’re valid,” Meredith said. “There are others coming from The East and Blake has people meeting us. In a little bit of time we’ll have as many people as Rantoul.”

“I loved that place. If it were up to me, I’d say we move there.”

“Or become one of those communities that meet here. Either way, we should stay connected with those people.”

Jason agreed. He and Meredith covered a wide range of topics on the return trip to the fort. When he arrived back he was surprised to see Nora up and about.

“John and Blake are on fish gutting,” Meredith took the fish from Jason. “I’ll bring these to them. I want to cook it right away.”

“Thanks,” Jason said then walked to Nora. “You’re awake.”

“I am and wow, did you guys catch all that?”

“We did,” he answered proudly. “It was such a great time. We’ll have to go. Meredith came up with the idea to take the crackers from the MRE’s and make some sort of bread crumbs.”

“That’s an awesome idea.”

“So how are you doing?” Jason asked. “We didn’t get a chance to talk this morning. Last night…”

“I know. I know.” Nora held up her hand. “I had my freak out. My melt down. I think I just got scared. I like stability and I just don’t have it here.”

“Yes, you do. You have to see it. The entire country is ours for the taking. We pick a place, we settle in, and start planting like Rantoul. We stay close to here for trade. We’ll get through this.”

“So you think Salvation is that bad?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t think it’s for me.”

Nora nodded.

“Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something. About Rick.”

“You’re hurt because I want to see him.”

“Not at all. I understand. I just want you to know, I want, and plan to keep my promise to you.”

“What promise?”

“Whatever you decide, I’m with you. If you want to go to Salvation to find Rick, I’m next to you.”

“Even if Malcolm says we shouldn’t?”

“If you want to go even if Malcolm says that, then I’ll go with you.”

“Thank you. I need to resolve things. I think if I do, I’ll be better.”

“And you’ll get resolution.” Jason stepped forward taking Nora into his arms. “I promise you. There will be an end game to this.”

<><><><>

Trey wasn’t a natural, but he made an attempt to pretend he was. Awkwardly he put together the solar lamps that had charged all day during their drive. They made good time taking the same route as Malcolm. They were certain of it.

Just after crossing the Mississippi River on a bridge, that Maggie called the ‘scariest experience of her life’, they stopped at a strip mall that faced an aid station and made camp inside an old Starbucks.

The self-igniting heating shells were supposed to be easy to use. Pop this, move that, and voila! Trey had a hard time with those as well. But he managed and heated their meals. They reminded him of the quick meals his mother used to buy when he was a kid. Beef Stew in a little plastic tray that popped in the microwave.

Carrying the food he walked over to Maggie. She had been on her Aldervice, but Trey didn’t eavesdrop. He was curious when he saw her demeanor.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Six out of forty had the virus, one carrier.”

“I would think you would feel justified.”

“No. Makes me worry about what is out there. The ones from California. It’s just worrisome.”

“Here. Eat your dinner. I think I got it warm enough.”

“Thank you,” she took it. “And thanks for setting up a camp.”

“Badly, but hey let’s face it, neither one of us are good at this.”

“No, we aren’t.”

“I would think I’d be better. After all, when I was teenager the world was obsessed with the apocalypse. Hell, there were television shows about it.”

“Really? How did they fare in their predictions?”

“Pretty good.”

Maggie sighed out. “You know, Starbucks was one of the last businesses to stop. I remember that.”

Trey nodded. “They stopped being the trendy place and became a place where you could get a cup of coffee and bowl of soup, or oatmeal. They never turned anyone away. After my family died I was always at Starbucks, and I volunteered there, too. Which is funny, because when they were in full swing before the virus, they were a billion dollar company charging people an arm and a leg for a fancy drink.”

“I was born after the first year of the virus,” Maggie said. “I was one of the first to go into Salvation and well, they started priming me for this job. I was maybe thirteen. I don’t remember what the world was like before the virus.”

“I do.” Trey said. “It bounced back a bunch of times. We’d get down, but right back up. Even after the war. I mean, sure you had cities like Nashville and Cleveland that were abandoned, but we were resilient. Until we couldn’t be anymore. It was like the virus was never satisfied and each time it came back it wanted more.”

“Until we had nothing more to give.” Maggie handed him a water.

“Yes. At the end, everything changed. Businesses stopped worrying about the almighty dollar and started worrying about people. Everyone was about helping. I thought, my God, in our darkest hour humanity shone brighter than it ever had. Why couldn’t it be like this before the virus?”

“What do you think of humanity now?” Maggie asked.

“I think the world is less human now than ever.”

“How can you say that? In Salvation we have food, medical care. Playgrounds.”

Trey snorted a laugh. “Play grounds… you say that like it’s a special thing.”

“It is. The children are allowed to play.”

“Children playing should be a given, not a privilege. What Salvation is, and to those of us outside that work for Salvation, that’s not humanity at its best, it’s humanity surviving.” Trey paused. “When you find my father what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. Depends what the Council in Salvation wants. We need a solution before they take over. They don’t care if humanity shines, as long as it survives. As you know, they’ll want to ensure that… at any cost.”

A silence encompassed them as they ate their meals. Unspoken thoughts, they both knew what, ‘At any cost’ meant. At least Trey did, and he had to convince his father to avoid getting to the point where ‘At any cost’ included him.

EIGHTEEN – ARRIVAL

Day Thirteen AR

Maggie and Trey entered the city limits of Champaign from the south. Malcolm, in the stolen Salvation van went west. He never saw Maggie and Trey.

“Where are they going?” Trey stepped from the buggy. “They’re high tailing it. He had to have gotten here yesterday.”

“Maybe his friends left,” Maggie suggested. “Damn it.”

“Or…” Trey took a few steps forward and pointed. “They went there.”

Maggie turned around and looked at the store window with the message about Rantoul. “We don’t know that.”

“Yeah, I’m betting that Preacher is the same one that my father told me about.”

“Okay, so we know where he’s headed.”

Trey arrived at the buggy and grabbed a map. “Doesn’t make sense.”

“What?”

“He went west. Rantoul is north. What do you want to do?” Trey asked.

“Go to Rantoul. We can find out where he went from them.”

“How do you know it’s even viable?”

“Trust me,” Maggie got in the buggy. “It’s viable.”

<><><><>

John cupped both his hands over Nora’s as he guided her in using the short arrow handgun that he acquired on the road.

“It doesn’t shoot like a crossbow,” Nora said. “I can shoot one of those.”

“No it doesn’t. It’s much lighter.”

“I’m missing my target every time.”

“It’s surprisingly accurate,” John told her, “once you learn how to aim. Our big friend can shoot these blindfolded.”

“I’m curious as to how he does with the spears he has.”

“I’m willing to bet Ninja assassins have nothing on him. Now try.’

Nora lifted the weapon.

“No. You’re shooting like a revolver. Your line of sight is lower.”

“Why is that?” Nora asked.

John scoffed. “How the hell do I know? I didn’t design these…”

“John!” Hunter called out loud and sternly, then whistled and pointed. “Friend.”

“Malcolm?” John looked at Nora.

Then Hunter said, “Many. They have big vehicle. Getting in it. Driving here.”

“Is it Salvation?” John asked.

“No, friend. Cole.”

John’s eyes widened. “Dr. Cole. They must have gotten to Rantoul and learned of our destination. Wonderful.”

“Who is Dr. Cole?” Nora asked.

“Part of the group we met in DC.”

With Nora they hurried to the gate. Jason, Blake, and Meredith joined together and they excitedly opened the gate.

The large box vehicle pulled closer and stopped.

John expected Cole to step out with the few others from the DC site. He didn’t expect not only for Malcolm to be the driver, but Marilee to be there as well.

As if she saw a long lost friend, Nora blasted her way to Malcolm. She embraced him tightly. “Oh, God, you’re safe.”

“Yes. So are you.”

Instantly, Malcolm was overwhelmed with greetings.

Nora backed up making room for the others to say hello. “Where’s Amy?”

“Amy passed away early on. She was killed.”

Nora lowered her head. “I’m sorry. So was Grant.” When she raised her eyes she saw Marilee. “What is she…?”

Malcolm held up his hand. “I’ll explain all that. Can we just get inside please? More than you realize,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of time.”

<><><><>

“Go?” Jason asked. “Go where?”

“I believe,” John said. “Malcolm is pretty much saying we should run.”

“I gather that too,” Jason said. “Considering he said we need to go.”

Meredith asked. “Is Salvation that bad? I mean, Nora’s husband is there.”

“Rick is alive and fine he just wanted to know that you were,” Malcolm told Nora. “He’s also remarried.”

“Ouch,” said John. “Could you have any less tact?”

“We don’t have time for tact.” Malcolm said strong. “We don’t. It won’t be long before they find us.”

Nora spoke up. “We know that there are things questionable out here. Salvation raided Rantoul. Took their children and killed some of the residents.”

Malcolm shifted his eyes to Marilee then back to the group. “Listen to me. Salvation will always say they have a good reason for what they do outside their wall.”

“So it’s that bad inside?” Jason asked.

“Inside it is a clinical, sterile, and perfect utopia, where all your medical and daily needs are met. They tell you what to do, where to go and what job to have.”

John gasped with sarcasm. “Sounds like hell.”

Malcolm grunted. “We are the enemy. To them, those of us frozen were part of the conspiracy to release the virus. Guilt by association. There is no court system it’s a panel of people. There are no jails, its execution. The only choice is how they execute you. Our best case scenario is they get us, they try us, and hang us.”

“Worst?” Meredith asked.

“Shoot us on sight. I didn’t know we were the enemy until I went out to help them find the other Genesis labs. The one in Texas. No one had come out of stasis and they terminated them all…”

“Killed them all?” Meredith asked.

Malcolm nodded.

Hunter finally spoke up. “How many from Salvation will come?”

Malcolm started to answer, but since it was the first time he actually looked at Hunter, he stammered. “Um, uh, a lot.”

“East.” Hunter said. “We go east. No one goes east.”

“Before we decide,” Malcolm said. “There is something I need to tell you…”

“Malcolm.” Maggie’s voice called out over the Aldervice, and she sounded frazzled. “Malcolm.”

Hunter looked left to right.

Everyone looked around.

Malcolm cringed and reached to his pocket.

“I know you were in Rantoul,” Maggie said. “Trey and I followed you. It’s just us right now. No one knows you took the van. Malcolm, please answer.”

Malcolm brought the Aldervice to his mouth. “Why can’t we just go? Forget about us. I’ll leave the van. We’ll disappear. Never to be heard or seen again.”

“You can’t do that and you know why. You will run and keep running until they ultimately catch you. What kind of life is that?”

“Dad,” Trey spoke up. “Please. You saw. You know.”

Nora shook her head. “Is that Salvation?”

Maggie answered. “Yes.”

“You want us?” Nora asked sharply. “Like criminals? We didn’t do anything wrong. What did the kids do?”

“What?” Maggie asked surprised.

“The kids of Rantoul. You came in and took them all.”

“We took them to give them a better life. They’re happy, fed, and educated. Loved. They didn’t deserve to live on this side of that wall.”

Nora blasted. “That was not your call! You had no right to take them.”

“It’s a good thing we did now, isn’t it?” Maggie snapped back.

“What is she talking about?” Nora asked.

“Didn’t you tell them?” Maggie questioned.

“I just got here.” Malcolm replied.

“They’re dead. Your whole town of Rantoul is dead.” Maggie replied. “Of the virus.”

Her words cut through causing a silence.

Maggie continued. “Those who have survived this long have immunities. But not like Malcolm and Trey who got the vaccine and it worked. I know you couldn’t care less about me but I was exposed to this. It lives beyond its kill frame. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring for me, but I do know this. If I am not here to negotiate this then there will be no choices with the Council. Do the right thing, all of you. Do the right thing.”

The Aldervice beeped as she ended her transmission.

Jason stepped forward. “What is she talking about?”

Malcolm squeezed the device so tightly he could have crushed it. He ran his hand across his face and glanced to those who looked to him for answers.

NINETEEN – DECISION

Maggie didn’t know him, but he sounded like someone she would like. Someone that could be a friend. Then again, her head wasn’t in it. Selfishly, she worried about what was going on in her own body.

At first Maggie didn’t want to speak to Jason when he called, saying she’d only speak to Malcolm. But Jason was persistent and polite.

“See, you want us to make the right choice. We don’t know what the right choice is.”

“The right choice is for all of you to turn yourselves in.”

“That’s not gonna happen,” Jason said. “Is there a compromise?”

“No. Some of you are carriers. There’s no compromise.”

“You realize, we can take off, right? This is a big country. We can disappear.”

“Then why are you even bothering to talk to me?” Maggie asked. “If you can disappear, go. It’s on you.”

“I’m calling because I want us to do the right thing.”

“The right thing is to turn yourself in.” Maggie ended the call.

Trey approached her. “Is there really no compromise?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t even tried. I’d have to call Council and tell them that they don’t want to turn themselves in. I don’t know what would happen. I’m just so angry right now,” she said. “Angry at them for bringing this back and angry at myself for not taking precautions when I went into Rantoul.”

“Maybe you aren’t infected.”

“Maybe.” Maggie sighed. “Tomorrow will tell. Actually… tomorrow will tell a lot.”

<><><><>

Sitting with the others around the fire, Malcolm went through the contents of the envelope Nora grabbed from his office. “This is unbelievable. This…” he told the others. “Proves that none of us were willing participants. The screen captures from the video. It’s all here.” He smiled.

“We had no idea,” Nora said. “I saw your son’s name on it.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much.” He stood up with the folder.

“Where are you going?” Nora asked.

“Jason said they wouldn’t compromise. Maybe hearing about this…” Malcolm lifted the folder and the Aldervice. “Maybe they’ll be willing to talk.”

After he walked off, Nora looked at Marilee. She stared at the fire, looking so lost. Nora sat beside her. “Hey, I haven’t had a chance to talk to you. I am… I am so sorry. We are so sorry. You welcomed us and we caused this.”

“You didn’t know,” she said. “Even if you suspected you still didn’t know.”

“It took a lot for you to face us,” Nora said.

“Where else am I gonna go? I have no one. Everyone I knew and loved is gone.”

Nora felt her words, the pain in them, and they cut through her as she clutched Marilee’s hand. “If I can figure out a way to make this up to you, I will.”

“There’s no way.”

“I’ll try.” Nora told her, then noticed Malcolm was back. She stood. “That was fast. What did they say?”

Malcolm looked at everyone. “They’ll take the papers and they’ll let us live out our lives out here if… we all submit to a blood test and we give up the carrier, or carriers.”

John spoke up. “And one of us is a carrier. So we condemn this person to death, or whatever they choose to do with us.”

Malcolm nodded.

Meredith said. “Freedom for all comes at a price. A high price.”

“I say we go,” Malcolm said. “Let’s head east like Hunter said. They don’t go into the wasteland. It’s our best option.”

“No,” Jason said. “It’s not. It’s noble of you Malcolm because you know for a fact you aren’t a carrier, but I don’t know if I am, or not. And I can’t live with the fact that I feel fine but can easily cause death everywhere I go. We can hide, stay clear, but what if one of us has a child? What if we stumble upon a group, or they stumble upon us. I can’t take that chance.”

“Neither can I,” said Nora. “I’m with Jason. I vote we take the test.”

“I’ve had a good life,” John lifted his hand. “I also vote we get that test.”

“If it’s me,” Meredith said. “I’d rather die knowing I didn’t cause any more death, then live wondering.”

At that point, everyone had their hands lifted.

“No.” Malcolm shook his head. “No, we beat this thirty year bullshit. Someone did this to us. We didn’t ask for this.”

“Neither did Rantoul.” Nora reached for the Aldervice. “Let me make the call.”

As Malcolm handed her the device, Hunter’s hand came down on it. “No. This is mistake. A trap. Just pack. Leave. Do not bargain. They took children. Kill. They do not make deals with ease.”

“He’s right,” Malcolm said. “Thinking about it. She’s making a deal too easy and too fast.”

Nora removed Hunter’s hand from the device. “It’s a chance I’m willing to take.” Having learned from Malcolm how to use it, Nora connected a communication line. Her insides literally shook waiting for an answer.

“Yes,” Maggie answered.

“There’s a woman here from Rantoul….”

“Who is this?”

“My name is Nora Lane. Just listen to me. She is not sick, she never got sick. She’s immune. Two years ago you took her son. His name is Dillard Wanes. I want her reunited with her son. She gets her son back,” Nora said.

“Her son is in the system. He’s…”

“Find him. And find my family. I know you know them. I want one last goodbye. Promise these and you can have your carriers. We’re packed and ready to leave. You have an hour to let us know, or we hit the road.”

Without waiting for anymore to be said, Nora disconnected and she handed the device back to Malcolm.

Marilee just stared at her.

Jason walked up and placed his lips to her forehead.

Everyone waited in nervous silence, except Hunter who actually began gathering items. He expressed his hope they would not agree, because he didn’t trust them.

The return call came forty-two minutes later.

“I spoke to Salvation Council,” Maggie said. “It will take at least a day to find Dillard. But they agreed. Here’s how it will go down. The day after tomorrow we will meet in Jacksonville, Illinois. Off of old highway seventy-two there is a building that used to be a Walmart. It is now a field training center. We will meet at noon. Malcolm, because he is immune will show Colonel Norris the documentation. After he verifies the validity of it, all of you will be placed in a special holding and tested. After and only after we have you, the mother will be taken to her child and Nora will see her family.”

“Then what?” Malcolm asked.

“Dr. Nelson should know pretty quickly who is a carrier and who is not. We take the carrier, or carriers, the rest go on their way.”

“What happens to the carriers?” Malcolm questioned.

“They’ll be placed where they can’t be danger to anyone.”

“Thank you,” Malcolm said. “And Maggie. I truly hope you do not get this.”

“Yeah, me, too.”

The call ended and Malcolm put away the device. “Two days.”

TWENTY – THE MEET

Day Fifteen AR

Her face was pale and despite her fever, a thin line of perspiration formed on Maggie’s forehead. The sickness had ravaged her leaving her lips dry and blistered, and her neck so swollen she often times choked on her on saliva.

Trey helped her sit up and gave her water. The first sip she took just fine. The second one she coughed causing the liquid to seep from her mouth.

“Sorry,” she said.

“It’s fine. Lay back down.” Trey adjusted the pillow.

“Do you think the people that lived here would mind I am in their bed?”

“No, not at all. They did well in this town, I bet they were nice.”

“What time is it?”

“Eight.”

“You better get going it will take a couple hours to get there.”

“I’m not going, Maggie. I’m not leaving you.”

Maggie whimpered. “You don’t need to do that.”

“I don’t. I want to. Now rest. Okay? Don’t worry about anything.” Trey waited for her to close her eyes and then he slipped from the bedroom of the small trailer home. Once outside he lifted the Aldervice and after pressing an icon, brought it to his ear. “Come on, Dad, pick up, hear the chirp.” He had been trying to reach his father since the night before using the private channel, just in case Salvation monitored, but Malcolm hadn’t answered. Finally he did.

“Hello.”

“Dad, did you leave yet?”

“No. Not yet. We will in an hour. Where’s Maggie?”

“She’s sick. She’s real sick,” Trey said.

“I’m sorry.”

“Me, too. Listen… I’m giving you the heads up. I don’t know what’s going down. They cut Maggie out of the loop and haven’t contacted her since yesterday morning. Just don’t… just meet Norris first, alone. Be diligent.”

“I will, thank you.”

“And Dad, hopefully, I’ll see you soon.”

“Hopefully.”

Trey ended the call. He wanted to do more, he wanted to be there in case of trouble, but he couldn’t. He just didn’t have it in him to walk away and leave Maggie to die alone. He just hoped his call to his father would be enough.

<><><><>

“Good. Good,” Hunter told Nora. “You break but are fast.”

“Thank you.”

Hunter had them all lined up in some sort of final warrior training session, just in case trouble happened. They had been working since the day before.

He stepped to Meredith and stopped her when she clumsily pulled her weapon from under her larger shirt. “You must be quick and sure.”

“I don’t understand. If they attack they’ll slaughter us.”

“Enemy will be close in the place they test you. Like I am to you now. You go down with a fight.” Hunter nodded. “I will not be there to protect you.”

John groaned. “I hate that he stopped talking in third person.”

Meredith grabbed Hunter’s hand. “I wish you were going to be there. I’d feel safer. But Hunter you know, I feel I am the carrier, right?”

“Hunter… I will get you. I have hatch.”

“You’re sweet. We made a deal.”

“If they break deal?” Hunter asked.

“Then you can find me. I’m pretty sure the walls of Salvation are nothing for you.”

“Good. Now work.”

<><><><>

Nora felt confident in her training and was ready to go. Jason quit early to salvage the Salvation van because they were all pretty sure, Salvation would take it back.

“You’ve been busy,” Nora said to him.

“Just getting ready. Hopefully, if all goes as planned, we’ll be back here to make a long term plan.”

Nora smiled. “Well, you know, if we don’t want to have a shitty life, we should avoid the waste… land.”

Jason crinkled his nose and shook his head. ‘Oh, God, Nora.’

“Figured I’d give you one more joke before we hit the road.”

“It should have been better.” He placed his hands on her arms. “How are you?”

“Good. Nervous.”

“Listen, if they find me to be a carrier…”

“You’re not.”

“If I am,” Jason said. “It’s okay. I’m okay with it and I need you to know that.”

“It’s not okay if you are. If you are I will be with you. I’ll go into quarantine, or whatever with you.”

“Nora, no…”

“Jason, too bad.” Nora said. “We woke up out of stasis together. You were the first face I saw that day and the first face I have seen every day since. Face peeled or not. We started this long lost thirty year journey together. We’ll… end it together.”

“It won’t come to that,” Jason said. “What do you think will happen?”

“They’ll kill us all, or let us go and we live happily ever after as best we can.”

“Wow, there’s no in between there in your guess, is there?”

Nora shook her head.

“Then let’s focus on the ever after.”

Nora shifted her eyes and then pointed at Hunter. “He’s not coming with us. What do you think will happen to him if we don’t return?”

“Honestly? He won’t give up on us. Hunter is, well… a hunter,” Jason said. “I am confident he’ll come after us.”

<><><><>

There was a great debate on whether Blake would even go with the group. Simply because he had the others from his California lab that he had to meet and warn. However, it weighed heavily on Blake that he could be a carrier so he wanted to go.

Malcolm hated it. He hated that everyone was willing to self sacrifice. It truly wasn’t fair to him. Had they all taken the same vehicle, Malcolm probably would have turned it and went another way. However there were ten of them from the labs and Marilee, so other than the van, they took three buggies, leaving one behind for Hunter. He handled his driving lessons fairly well.

Remembering his conversation with Trey, Malcolm left the others fifteen miles behind. Enough room to leave if there were trouble, or those from Salvation didn’t find the information worthy. Cole had figured out the communication devices in the buggies and Malcolm told them to stay put until he radioed for them to come.

The old highway that ran perpendicular to the town of Jacksonville was well maintained compared to other roads. That told Malcolm it was one frequently travelled. He found the old Walmart with relative ease; it was off the main road center of a huge lot.

He started assessing the second he pulled into the fenced lot. The single guard on detail let him in and instructed him to go to the tent near the bio room. He didn’t know what that meant. But he was certain he would find out.

Inside the area he spotted four large trucks and two jeep style vehicles. Right away, Malcolm saw the tent and the bio room. A plastic tent type structure that was square, and transparent. Inside he saw there were cots and chairs. Two medical personnel in hazmat suits moved around. A third, Malcolm took for a soldier, because he was armed, stood by the entrance of the bio tent.

Malcolm backed the van up behind the two tents. “Jesus,” he said. “I can do this. Why am I nervous?”

As he stepped out, one of those in the hazmat suit waved. Did Malcolm know him? Was it Nelson? He had heard he would be there.

The tent was ten yards from the bio room and had an actual door. There was no guard and Malcolm knocked.

“Come in,” Norris called out.

Malcolm walked in.

“Malcolm it’s good to see you.” Norris extended his hand.

“I want to thank you again,” Malcolm said. “Really. Because of what you did, I was able to get this.” He handed him the large envelope.

“How did this come about?” Norris asked, opening it as he walked.

“It goes back to right after the explosion. I ran the company that did the bio cam footage which uploaded to our server in Cleveland. My son saw that, my partner pulled it, copied it, and put it away for Trey. Nora went to my office while searching Cleveland and came across that. She didn’t know what it was. She just grabbed it.”

Norris shuffled through the photos. “This is unbelievable. You look dead.”

“They made it look that way.”

“You really weren’t aware?”

Malcolm shook his head. “And Nora wasn’t supposed to be there at all, she crashed that party. It was mistaken identity for her. They truly stole her life.”

“I like you Malcolm. You’re a good guy.”

“Thank you.”

“Do me a favor?” Norris asked. “Shut that door and have a seat.”

TWENTY-ONE – HONORING THE DEAL

John monitored the radio and conveyed to the others the simple message that it was clear.

“If we don’t see each other again,” John told Marilee. “Then please know we are sorry and hope your life with your son is long and prosperous.”

“Don’t be silly, John,” Marilee said.” We’re all going to be a community. A village. You’ll see. Maybe even head back to Rantoul. But we’ll be together. All of us.”

“I hope you’re right my dear.”

“You owe me a novel,” Marilee said. “No one has published anything in decades.”

“Yes, I must get out of my thirty year slump. A novel you shall get.”

And the wheels in his brains started spinning. What would his first post apocalypse novel be? Before the world ended there were tons of novels about life in the apocalypse. John planned to write the first novel, written post apocalypse. Life after it ended. And he’d start that novel as soon as they were done with Salvation.

Meredith still wasn’t sure how it would all go down. Obviously, the paperwork proved their innocence, or they wouldn’t be walking toward the gate. They had parked outside the gate and were instructed to hold off coming in.

On the way a military truck rolled by them. It carried soldiers. Meredith swore that the older man driving made eye contact. She actually worried that they were leaving camp, planning maybe on gassing them, until she watched people in hazmat suits moving about inside the fenced in area.

They were probably just moving the soldiers out as a precaution.

“You all right?” Cole asked her. “You’re scratching your neck.”

“I always scratch when I’m nervous. I don’t know what we’re walking into, or even if we are walking out. Hell, this may not even be real.”

“What do you mean?” Cole asked.

“Like what if we all are connected by some link, but are still in stasis and are sharing a dream while in cryo sleep. We wake up and all is fine with the world. We die in our dream, we die in stasis.”

“Quite the imagination.”

“I was a theorist before all this.”

“We will have lots to discuss.”

“If we make it out of this. I’m not convinced that I’m not a carrier.”

“Can I let you in on a little secret,” Cole leaned into her and whispered. “I think I am too.”

Nora felt the comfort of Jason’s hand on her lower back as they walked through the gate and passed the armed soldier in protective gear. As he promised from day one he wasn’t leaving her side. Outside the gate she saw the plastic, see through room, she figured was for them. The Salvation van that Malcolm had driven was parked with the other vehicles. It wasn’t until they walked in that Nora saw Malcolm standing ten feet from the plastic room.

“What’s going on with him?” Jason asked.

“I don’t know.” Nora then called for him. “Malcolm?” Just as she stepped his way she was stopped.

“Please continue to the bio containment room, please,” the soldier said.

“I’m not allowed in,” Malcolm spoke loud enough for her to hear and said so calmly. “But I am here, Nora. I am right here. I am not moving.”

Nora nodded. A part of her felt like a sheep being led to slaughter, as if it were all a big ruse, until she heard Marilee.

In an emotionally, airy voice, Marilee called out. “Dillard. Oh my God, Dillard.”

Nora looked.

Marilee pointed to the window of the former discount store. A young boy stood there waving frantically and looking excited to see her. Immediately, Nora’s eyes misted over.

“Your son,” she said to Marilee.

“My baby,” Marilee whimpered.

The soldier pointed to the entrance of the quarantine room and instructed them to go on in. “Not you,” he said to Marilee. “Come this way.”

Marilee smiled, making eye contact with Nora.

“I’m so happy for you,” Nora said.

Marilee mouthed the words, ‘Thank you’ and followed the soldier.

Once inside, they were told to just hold on and someone would be with them in a moment. But Nora watched. The sheer plastic allowed for her to watch Marilee go into the former store and while it was still a distance, she could see clear enough when the reunion occurred between mother and son.

Her heart raced and she felt the emotions flood her chest. She stepped back into Jason, his hand squeezed her shoulder. He watched as well. For all that had gone wrong, at least something positive was happening.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” through the ventilator speaker the man spoke. “My name is Dr. Nelson. This is my team. We will be drawing blood samples. I promise it will be over soon. Results should be quick and we should know within an hour.”

Nora, like the others was nervous, Hunter put it in her mind it was all a trap and she had her doubts about Salvation’s true intentions. Even though they didn’t check them for weapons… a sign of trust, Nora was still leery. The mistrust seemed to go out the window when Marilee and Dillard embraced. They kept their word. Their end of the bargain. For as scary as it was for the carriers, an outcome unknown, the vision of mother and child through that window reaffirmed that Nora and the others needed to keep their word as well.

<><><><>

The blood work was finished. What was going on? Malcolm watched, his eyes only leaving that plastic unit to check on Marilee and her son, who still stood by that far corner window. She held him close to her, in front of her. Like Malcolm, they were watching the happenings in that bio room. Marilee more than likely was just waiting for them to be released, so they could all leave, like planned, to start a new life.

All appeared well and fine, but Malcolm knew better.

He thought back to earlier when he met with the colonel.

“Do me a favor?” Norris asked. “Shut that door and have a seat.”

Malcolm did.

Norris folded his hands on the desk. “I’m taking these papers and I’m keeping them safe.”

“Of course.”

“Listen, they are moving me and my men out. At first I thought it was in case of contamination. But another team, not my division, will be staying back. Something is going on.”

Something was going on, Malcolm felt it. But when was it going to happen and what exactly would it be?

There wasn’t a word spoken in the bio room in the near forty minutes in which they waited on results. Meredith paced, as did John. Nora watched Marilee and her son, then she’d turn back to look at Malcolm who just stood there.

“Why is he standing there?” Nora asked Jason.

“I don’t know,” Jason replied.

“He’s watching us like a lab experiment,” John added.

“Nora?” Meredith called out. “Is that Rick?”

Nora’s heart skipped a beat, especially when Jason said, “That has to be him.”

She spun hastily around to see Rick walking with a soldier. They kept their promise. They said he’d be there after she took the test and there he was.

“My God,” John said. “He looks fantastic for his age.”

To Nora he did. She expected a shock at seeing him older but there was no shock, only cheerful emotions that swept over her making her want to scream.

Rick walked to the one side of the tent and Nora rushed over.

“Nora, oh my God. Can you hear me?” he asked.

“Yes. It’s muffled, but I can hear you.”

He placed his hands on the plastic and the second Nora’s palms pressed against his, Rick’s knees buckled some, the solider caught him before he lost balance, and Rick lowered his head. “Oh God, I believed you were dead.”

“I’m sorry. I am so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. I can’t wait to touch you and talk to you. I just need to see that you are real. You look exactly like I remember you.”

“You look the same too.”

“Nora, come on,” he smiled.

“No, Rick, you do. Is Lilly here?”

Rick shook his head. “I’m sorry. Lilly, she wasn’t ready for this. Not yet.”

“I understand. Please tell her, I love her.”

“I will and…” the solider tugged his arm. “I have to go.”

“But…”

“Listen, I’ll see you soon. They let me come out to say hi. We’ll talk later.”

“Okay.” Nora tried to touch him once more through the plastic, but the soldier led him away. She stood there watching as they took him into the old store and that was when she saw it. Her eyes widened. “What the hell? Guys? Marilee.”

Marilee backed up against the window, she grabbed on to Dillard, clutching him tight and protectively, it was apparent she was frightened and tried to back up with nowhere to go. Then she was grabbed and disappeared.

All nine in the tent vocally cried out their protest when Nelson entered the room.

“We have your results.”

Malcolm saw Richard enter the building and Marilee and her son vanish from sight. It was starting, just as Norris said.

Malcolm replayed his conversation in his mind.

“Why would they pull your team out?” Malcolm asked.

“So there would be no witnesses. I don’t think anyone is supposed to leave here alive. This is what I think, because the team that’s here are assassins for Salvation. The sweep team.”

“What about Rick? Marilee? Her son?”

“Again, this is my guess. I have no hardcore proof and I’m making a guess on what I see. Marilee and her son are expendable. Rick, well, in Salvation, when someone turns seventy, they are released from life. Rick turned seventy two days ago. His wife, daughter, family and friends already said goodbye to him. They think he was euthanized.”

“Oh my God.”

“Here’s what I know from what I have seen. Aside from the four man medical team, you have six soldiers on the sweep team. One at the gate, one in the bio room, two snipers on the roof, two inside the building, I believe to take care of Marilee, her son, and Rick. That’s all I know that are here.”

“I need to move the van to take a look.”

Norris agreed.

Hands and insides shaking, Malcolm hurried to the van. He peered around. “Okay, two soldiers inside I can’t see. I do see the one by the gate.” He slowly moved the van to be near the other trucks. “Two on the roof. Where? Where? I can’t see them.” Just as he parked the van, he spotted one, rifle aimed and ready. “There’s one. Oh my God.”

He returned to the tent, as Norris was packing up his things along with the evidence that Malcolm had given him.

“If you left, no one would stop you.” Norris told him. “But I know you won’t do that. You’re one man. I don’t know what you can do, but God Speed.”

Malcolm was as ready as he could be. He didn’t want to jump the gun any further and initiate something that wasn’t going to happen. There was still a chance that the sweep team was there in case they all tried to escape. He had to wait. That’s all he could do.

Nelson and his three colleagues had entered the tent with the soldier. Their announcement that they had the results did little to instantly calm those who questioned about Marilee.

Finally, in a stern voice, Nelson said. “If you want this over, we need to finish now.”

Nora and the others stood before them. All nine of them waiting, they all joined hands, like contestants on some reality talent show, waiting on elimination results.

“You’re trembling,” John whispered to Nora, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

“I’m scared. I just want to get out of here,” Nora said.

“Soon,” Jason whispered in her other ear. “Soon.”

“We ran the results twice to be sure,” Nelson said. “Good news or bad, however you want to look at it… only one of you nine is a carrier.”

Nora exhaled, but still trembled. Only one. Only one of them carried the virus.

Nelson looked down at his clipboard. “The carrier is…. Which one of you is… John?”

Nora felt his hand immediately shake and her heart took a nosedive to the pit of her stomach. No, not John. He was shoulder to shoulder with her, and Nora felt his inhale of courage just before he clutched her hand tighter

“I am,” John said.

“Very well. Thank you.” Nelson stepped back.

Without a pause or inkling of hesitation, the second Nelson moved out of the way, the soldier raised a pistol, extended it and fired once, point blank into John’s head.

The execution bell rang out in the form of a gunshot.

Meredith screamed, shrill, loud, and hysterically.

The warm sensation of blood splattered across Nora’s face, John’s hand still secured to Nora’s pulled her down when he flew backwards. Her mouth opened and she tried to scream, but she couldn’t. Blood rushed to her ears and muffled the sound of everything.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Her heart beat in her ears, the room spun, she looked up to Nelson.

“Our time chasing you all is done,” Nelson said.

The soldier aimed at Nora. At that instance, she remembered what Hunter taught her, how he told her she was quick. But Nora couldn’t react. Her body trembled in fear and shock that even with everything moving in slow motion, she couldn’t command her hand to reach back and grab her arrow gun.

Yet, someone did. Jason. She saw him pull, then fire his weapon. The short arrow from the small crossbow style gun sailed through the suit and into the neck of the soldier. His gun went off as he flew back.

“No!” Malcolm screamed. It was unexpected and something he didn’t have time to stop. John was killed instantaneously. And all hell broke out in that tent.

Were the assassins there to ensure that no one fought back, or there to execute the entire bunch, Malcolm didn’t know? He would never know.

He didn’t just have the arrow gun he also had a pistol given to him by Norris. He pulled it out to shoot, and before he could fire into the tent at the only soldier, Jason had taken him out.

Malcolm rushed for the bio room only to see one of the medical team had drawn a gun.

He lifted his own weapon to fire, but just as he aimed, through the corner of his eye, he saw the soldier from the gate running his way, then he felt the bullet sear into his leg and Malcolm went down.

From the ground, still aiming on that tent, Malcolm discharged his weapon.

One of the medical personnel took a hit to their gut and dropped his gun as he fell to the ground. Meredith clutched to John’s body as if she were protecting him. She held his head close to her body, crying out in agony as she hovered over him.

Nora pulled her hand from John’s and watched as one of the DC lab crew, Patricia, took a bullet to the back as she raced for the door.

They were sitting ducks, frantic sitting ducks and all that occurred happened in seconds. Blake was physically fighting with one of the medical workers, trying to get his gun, another one of the medical workers aimed, and Nelson ran out.

She had to do something. They were armed as well.

As she reached for her arrow gun, Jason grabbed hold of her, pulled her toward him, bodily blocked her and then reloaded his weapon. It was then a soldier entered the bio room. He wasn’t armed with a handgun; he had a rifle. An automatic rifle.

Nora knew there was no chance against that. Nowhere to hide. Nowhere to run.

The end was at hand.

The soldier lifted his weapon but before he could depress the trigger, a huge spear came from behind, plunging straight through his torso. His arms went outward, the rifle dropped and his body shook for a second. As he dropped to the ground, Nora watched as Hunter ripped through the plastic of the room. He stepped inside with a determined stride. Without missing a beat, knife in hand, he swung out cleanly slicing through the neck of one of the medical workers, then threw the knife at another. It spun, end over end, and landed in the chest of the last standing man. Hunter turned, pulled the spear from the soldier and walked back out.

Nora didn’t even know that Hunter was in the vicinity. She believed they had left him two hundred miles away.

He ended the pandemonium in the tent, stopping what would have been a massacre. But they were not without loss.

Meredith was beyond consolation and Nora didn’t know if the shock of what happened to John would ever heal. She held her friend close to her body, crying from the depths of her soul.

John was gone. He was really gone. Without warning, he was shot dead.

Nora couldn’t speak, again, she tried, but the shock of everything for some reason caused her throat to tense up. She grabbed on to Jason.

There was no gunfire, no other noise except for crying.

Afraid to move, Nora didn’t want to leave Jason’s side. It may have been finished in that bio room, but what happened outside? Was it over? Eventually she would know, but for the time being, Nora stayed there frozen in the aftermath and sadness of all that had transpired.

TWENTY-TWO – HIS FRIEND

No one knew exactly what was supposed to happen. Everything was speculation. Worry from Hunter and concern on the part of Trey caused Malcolm to come up with a backup plan, and Norris with his further speculation, initiated Malcolm’s plan.

Malcolm would never know if he acted prematurely, on time, or too late. His gut told him it could have been worse.

When it was all said and done they had sadly lost John and two others from the DC lab team. Dr. Cole was spared, Malcolm was grateful because he only took a hit to his leg, and Jason was the recipient of a wayward bullet to his hand when he shot an arrow in the throat of the soldier.

They would have lost more if it wasn’t for Hunter.

Hunter lived on instincts and Malcolm couldn’t ignore the fact that their new friend was insistent that there was going to be trouble. When Trey also warned of that, Malcolm not wanting to alert the others, or cause alarm, tucked Hunter unknowingly in the back of the van.

He told him, “Just stay in here. If there’s trouble you know what to do.”

Malcolm didn’t expect to hear what he did from Norris. Norris believed Malcolm was one man, but in truth he wasn’t.

When he moved the van he was able to alert Hunter to the possible traps that were set.

Unfortunately, there were only two of them. If Malcolm moved too soon, it could have been worse for those in the tent.

The snipers on the roof never fired a shot.

Hunter had taken them out long before the blood results were in.

Rick believed he was spared from being euthanized. He was told he was just leaving Salvation. He didn’t know, told Malcolm he hadn’t a clue that it would go any other way, until he was face to face with the barrel of a gun.

Hunter stopped that.

Marilee and her son were cornered. They clutched to each other believing they would be gunned down. Until Hunter arrived removing their assassin and pulling them out of the way so no one was any the wiser.

The young man, a product of a post nuclear war, a young man who wanted to see the world, ended up being much more than anyone bargained for.

Despite Hunter’s victories and all that he had done, no one could say, or do anything to take away the heartbreaking defeat they felt over the loss of their friend, John.

He had not shown any emotion until then other than laughter but Hunter showed the complete opposite when he learned that John was killed. He walked into the tent, dropped to his knees, and cried out a sound from his heart and chest. One nobody else could ever make.

He was inconsolable and shared that only with Meredith. He requested they be left alone in that tent and they stayed there for an hour.

When they emerged, Hunter had John’s body tightly wrapped in cloth, and he carried him to the van.

John would need to be buried. But not there, and not then.

They had stayed long enough, and radio chatter increased on the Aldervice. Progress reports were needed. At one point Cole replied, pretending to be Nelson, conveying that all went as planned and they were cleaning up.

Whether it bought them more time, remained to be seen. The truth was, eventually someone would show up and they had to leave before that happened.

They gathered what they could from the Jacksonville site and left.

<><><><>

Before everything went down, Malcolm was able to use the Aldervice to tell Trey to stay where he was. He’d be there. That Rantoul was their destination. After, of course, they stopped at the fort and grabbed the rest of their supplies.

Malcolm could barely walk. Cole did a quick fix but said he’d need surgery. Jason was more fortunate the bullet went straight through his hand.

Once they got to Rantoul, Cole would do his best. There were no guarantees.

But Rantoul would not be a long-term place. It couldn’t be. Once the massacre was discovered, Malcolm was certain, Salvation would head there.

They had to stay one step ahead and it would be that way for a long time.

Rantoul was a step in that preparation. They had been canning and drying meat, all food that would help the group in survival along with grains and seeds. Also, Rantoul would be the final resting place for John.

While Cole had helped the dying people of Rantoul, Malcolm dug graves, he used the farm equipment, and also a shovel, but he dug those graves. He never thought he’d be back to dig one more in the new cemetery placed on the grounds surrounding the church.

When they arrived, Trey was digging one.

He was relieved to see his father but worried about the injury.

Cole didn’t want to waste time, Marilee showed him where the medical office was and he immediately took Malcolm there.

They arrived back on the cusp of dusk. They’d rest for the night and have a service for John and Maggie in the morning, then move out.

Four different vehicles, four directions, to throw off Salvation. All meeting up at the same place.

That was the plan.

Meredith was quiet all evening and in a deep state of mourning. She stayed close to Hunter who not only dug John’s grave, but also worked on a marker for it. Nora believed that Meredith felt safe with Hunter, that the world couldn’t hurt her when he was there. A lot of the group viewed him that way.

While she wouldn’t eat much, Nora was able to get her to sip on a cup of moonshine. It would relax her and help her sleep.

The others rested by the fire pit. It had been a long day, a hard day, and six hours later, Cole was still working on Malcolm. Nora spent her time checking on his progress and checking on Marilee and Meredith, avoiding her own situation.

Rick.

He was back in her life. How would she justify what was happening between her and Jason? Did she need to justify it? She hadn’t really spoken to him much other than to hear about how he was almost killed.

Jason was handling things fine, he was confident and not jealous, or worried in anyway. He was in the church working on his service for John and Maggie when Nora checked on him.

“Oh, perfect,” Jason said, accepting the moonshine.

“I didn’t know if it was against church rules to get you a drink.”

“Well it is not only acceptable, it is expected.” Jason smiled and grabbed her hand. “Hey, how does this sound?”

“Go on.”

Jason lifted the paper and read. “John was the fiction writer who made us all see the reality of survival. He was never without a sarcastic and humorous thing to say. His quips will be missed, but many will live on.” He set down the paper. “Just random thoughts. What do you think?”

“It’s good.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“You haven’t talked to him yet, have you?”

“No,” Nora answered in a whine. “I mean what am I supposed to say, ‘oh, hey Rick, by the way, in the last few weeks, because you know, it’s been thirty years, I found a hot guy, who used to get facial peels, to sleep with.’”

“Hot guy? And come on, we’re more than bed partners and you know it.”

“Yeah.”

“And you don’t need to tell him about us yet. That will come. We have time. Just talk to him, I’m sure he has a ton of things to share with you.”

“I do want to know about Lilly.”

“See. Go talk to him,” Jason said.

“What if he…?”

“Nora.” Jason set down the pencil. “I think you’re missing an important point. Rick married someone else. He fell in love and loved this person for years, right? He told Malcolm that he felt bad because, basically, he was over you. When he woke up today…he loved his wife. That doesn’t go away Darlin’. Now, instead of pacing, wasting time and being worried about his feelings toward you, be a friend and ask about his feelings toward everything.”

“Wow, you’re good.”

“I know.”

“Even with harsh skin.” Nora leaned forward and kissed him. “I’ll be back.”

“I’ll be here.”

Jason was right, and Nora, carrying the jug of moonshine, walked outside. Rick was by the fire. He looked out of place. The only one there that was from Salvation. Although he could talk about subjects of the past and everyone would understand.

When she arrived, Rick had just finished telling a story about the virus and how things shut down. He peered up to her with a “Hey.”

“Hey.” Nora sat down and put the moonshine on the ground next to her.

Rick nodded at the jug. “I knew you like to drink, but are we bypassing glasses now.”

“No.” She laughed. “I’m just making sure everyone has some.”

“How are you Nora?”

“Sad. My friend was killed. We lost a newcomer.”

“And?”

“And what?” Nora asked.

“Well, I was waiting. You used to follow sad with sarcastic or funny no matter what the subject. Unless it was like, tragic. But that was you. You covered your feelings with humor.”

“I think I lost my funny.”

“No.” Rick said.

“Yeah, no kidding. When I told everyone I was a comedian, they said, they didn’t get it. They said I don’t strike them as funny. Hunter laughs at my jokes.” She shrugged. “How about you? How are you?”

“Tired. Emotional. Glad to see you.” He squeezed her hand. “Even though I probably look like my father to you.”

Nora crinkled her brow. “You do.”

“I figured as much.”

“I know you remarried. What happens now with your wife? I mean, you’ll want to go back for her and Lilly.”

“I’m dead to them.”

“Oh, no.” Nora gasped. “What did you do?”

“Nora, no.” Rick laughed. “I’m dead. In Salvation you leave when you turn seventy. That’s the rules, like it or not. On your seventieth birthday they throw you a ‘Better Life’ party, your family all say good bye, your spouse gets a settlement, and they take you, and put you to sleep like a dog. But…” he exhaled. “When they took me they told me they were taking me to your group and I would live with all of you. I was happy that I didn’t have to die, but I… And I’m so sorry if this hurts you, but I would rather be home with Jeanette right now.”

“I’m not hurt. I understand.”

“She has my heart.”

“Okay that stung a little bit,” Nora said. “But I’ll get beyond it.”

“There it is. A tad of humor. Maybe you just need to bring it out.”

“Maybe.”

“So, do you have, I hate to use the word boyfriend, but someone you’re close to in this new world for you?”

“Kind of yeah,” Nora said.

“Malcolm?”

“What? No.” Nora laughed. “Jason.”

“The guy who looks like he used to be a pop star when he was young. The preacher?” Rick shook his head. “He a good guy?”

“Actually, he’s a really good guy.”

“Good. Because I’ll be watching.” Rick grabbed her hand. “We always had a good connection. I need that friendship with you. And whatever this world tosses, we’ll get through it.”

“Yes, we will.”

“Now pass me that moonshine, will you?”

Nora did so, with pleasure.

<><><><>

“The bullet was deep,” Cole explained to Trey. “Luckily he’s fleshy.”

From the other room, Malcolm yelled out. “I’m not fat, if that’s what you’re saying.”

Cole pulled the door closed. “He’ll have to take it easy on that leg. It’ll heal. He’s not resting as you can see, so if you spot Nora and that jug of moonshine, send her in here.”

“I will. Can I go talk to him?”

“Sure. But make it quick. I want him to sleep.”

Trey thanked Cole, and after a single knock walked into the small hospital style room. “Sorry, I’m your nurse.”

“I’m fine. Just please send Nora in here with the moonshine.”

“I’ll do that.”

“While I’ve been in here, have you guys discussed where we are headed?”

“Not really. East. That’s as far as we got.”

“I just wished we knew. I mean, are they already chasing us, will they chase us?”

Trey’s eyes widened.

“What?” Malcolm asked.

“Maggie’s Aldervice. I can make a private connection without Salvation hearing. They’ll think Maggie is calling, they don’t know she’s dead.” He pulled out the Aldervice.

“Who are you calling?”

The Aldervice beeped.

Colonel Norris answered. “Maggie, how are you feeling?”

“It’s not Maggie. It’s Trey.”

“Yes. I am well, aware. You need to take care of yourself.”

“Can you tell us anything?”

“SalCom notified me there was trouble. We lost four medical personnel. They say the Genesis people slaughtered them all. We’re supposed to start a search tomorrow for them. We believe they headed south. Not sure. Maybe back to Texas. We’ll find them. Eventually. As long as they stay away from the Wasteland. My men won’t go there.”

“Thank you,” Trey said. “Thank you so much for that.”

“You’re welcome. And um, Maggie, don’t lose your Aldervice. They locked a trace on it and we don’t want to lose track of you in case of trouble.”

“Thank you. Thanks again.” Trey ended the call.

“I thought he was a dick at first,” Malcolm said. “But he turned into a nice guy. Even if he didn’t know who Chuck Norris was.”

“Don’t let him fool you, he did,” Trey said. “Okay, so we know. They’ll be coming for us. Lose the Aldervice and get a move on it, first thing. “

“And he told us where to go. You should go tell Hunter and the others.”

“I will. I’ll be back.” Trey moved to the door.

“And bring that moonshine.” After calling out the order, Malcolm felt the pain in his leg. It caused him to cringe, and he guessed it would hurt him for some time.

He rested back and began to think about things. He had to think about the days ahead and where it would take them. Planning ahead was not like it used to be, in the new world, under the new circumstances, it was one day at a time. It was possible that for a while they would live a life on the run. Malcolm’s only hope was that after all they had been through, lost, and all that had been taken from them, that one day, they would be able to just stop running and live some sort of normal existence.

That was his goal and he would do whatever it took to make that happen for them all.

EPILOGUE

Eighteen Months AR

Nora paused to blow on her frozen finger tips. She would have loved nothing more than to have a full pair of gloves, but it was impossible to pull the potato plants while wearing them. The wind had picked up, it also had started to snow a little, making the ground harder. It was not the weather they expected in October, not in Virginia. When they settled there a year earlier, the weather was perfect, hunting was good, and the first winter was unbelievably mild. Meredith kept telling them, don’t be fooled. They needed to go farther South. But farther South was out of the wasteland zone, and it was a chance they couldn’t take.

Hunter found what he believed was the perfect place. And it was. They were doing well, they weren’t starving. Illnesses were minimal. No one had died. That was an accomplishment. They stayed away from people at first, until a random scouting trip by Blake connected them with a man named, Scooter.

Scooter recognized Meredith right away and through him they got involved with other communities, and trade.

Salvation, they were glad to know, had never been in those parts.

Malcolm proved himself to not only be a great leader of the small group, but the community klutz as well. Since waking from stasis he had the arm infection, been shot, broke his wrist when he fell off a horse, burned his nose, and numerous other injuries. The latest being broken fingers when he was helping Rick build a fence. Rick didn’t want him to help knowing Malcolm’s luck, but Malcolm insisted and there went his fingers. Which was why Nora and Dillard covered his turn in the fields.

It took Meredith several months to get back to normal. She started learning medicine from Cole. A back up doctor, she claimed.

Jason hadn’t changed much, he ran his own church with a congregation of twelve, but did learn to make the best moonshine. That didn’t come as a surprise to Nora. Hunter being the taste tester did, though.

She wanted some of that moonshine in the middle of the fields, but then she wouldn’t feel the cold at all and would end up with frostbite. That too had happened to Malcolm.

Nora watched Dillard as he worked. He was unbelievably intelligent. He didn’t speak much about his time at Salvation, other than the food was weird. He was at an advantage. Those chosen for stasis in the genesis project were the top minds in the world, and Dillard was being educated by them all.

He would be, without a doubt, a leader in the future.

“Okay, sorry,” Nora said to Dillard, shaking her hands. “What were you saying?”

“There has seriously got to be an easier way to do this. Can’t we plant them earlier so we pull them earlier?”

“This is a yearly plant. We have them all year. Besides, our quota is twenty. How many do we have?”

“Four.”

“See. Almost halfway there.”

“For real? You only dug up one.”

“That’s because you have them little baby hands and can really get in the dirt.”

Dillard stood. “My hands are cold.”

“Here.” Nora reached out. “I’ll blow on them for you.”

“No, that’s gross. Stop.” He pulled his hands away and squatted again. “Why couldn’t this wait?”

“Because we want meat and potatoes. Hunter got fresh meat. Your mom needs it.”

Dillard paused. “Do you think the baby will look like Hunter?”

“Are you asking because there was radiation here a while back?”

“No, I’m asking because he’s the father.”

“Then yes. Yes. I do. But with hair. Maybe not at first, but eventually.” Nora said as she watched Dillard put two more potatoes in the basket.

“You think you and Jason will ever have a baby?”

“No.” Nora said quickly. “And you know what. Let’s stop. I’ll mash these.”

“Good call.” Dillard jumped up. “Wait. Are you gonna make me peel them again.”

“Not if you can beat me back to town carrying that basket. Ready?”

Dillard excitedly nodded.

“Go.”

Without hesitation, Dillard took off. Nora did not. She shook her head, laughing over the fact that he actually believed she was going to run that half of a mile.

She took her time walking back, she’d probably wouldn’t peel the potatoes anyhow. The walk was always peaceful and quiet, no matter how cold or hot it was.

Life was different for her than it was before she went into stasis. How could it not be? Gone was the internet, phones, television, and texting. The only social media they had was when one of the villages had an event and they sent a notice by messenger.

There were a lot of things she missed, like the ease of living and more so than anything, her daughters. She missed them with her entire being every day of her life. Rick filled her with daily stories of the life she missed.

Nora had regrets, but nothing she couldn’t live with. She really didn’t have a chance to dwell on regrets. When it boiled down to it, she truly was happy, but in a different way. It was a new life in a new world and like the others, she was going to make the best of it.

<><><><>

Thank you so much for reading this book. I hope you enjoyed it. Please visit my website www.jacquelinedruga.com and sign up for my mailing list for updates, freebies, new releases and giveaways.

Your support is invaluable to me. I welcome and respond to your feedback. Please feel free to email me at Jacqueline@jacquelinedruga.com

Copyright

Reset: Salvation

By Jacqueline Druga

Copyright 2016 by Jacqueline Druga

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any person or persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Thank you to Kira R., Paula Gibson and Shona M for all your help.

Cover Art by Christian Bentulan

www.coversbychristian.com

Content

Jacqueline Druga
SALVATION

RECAP

THE CHARACTERS AND THEIR JOURNEYS

ONE – REFRESH

NORA’S ENTRY

TWO – ENTRY

THREE – EMERGE

FOUR – LOOKING BACK

FIVE – MORE THAN KNOWN

SIX – SOMETHING MORE

NORA’S ENTRY

SEVEN – BY GRACE

EIGHT – PAST REPEATS

NINE – NOT QUITE

TEN – OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE

ELEVEN – TRAIL BEGINS

TWELVE – STOW

THIRTEEN – ARRIVAL

FOURTEEN – COMPACT

FIFTEEN – THE WAY

NORA’S ENTRY

SIXTEEN – HIDING

SEVENTEEN – LEARNING CURVE

EIGHTEEN – TRUTH

EIGHTEEN – ARRIVAL

TWENTY – THE MEET

TWENTY-ONE – HONORING THE DEAL

TWENTY-TWO – HIS FRIEND

EPILOGUE

Copyright