900 Miles (Book 2): 900 Minutes Page 24

  Deanna and Claire knew to be in the bunkroom with the kids, along with nearly half of what was left of Avalon’s inhabitants. The steel doors protecting the place, where most of Avalon’s people normally slept, would be our last line of defense against anything living or dead. Kyle and I knew we needed to get to the bunkroom, where the switch to our final weapon, Project BOHICA, would need to flipped on.

  We had the thing rigged so that it would automatically shut all the doors to both of those rooms just moments before the gas was released into the air ducts running through the hallways, which we learned early on were not connected to the bunkroom or the cafeteria, creating a perfect delivery system.

  There was screaming from around the corner, then a woman yelling in pain. Her last words were those to God before I could hear her gurgling on what sounded like her own blood. Pulling my hammer up high as we reached the end of the wall, I slid through a puddle of blackish-red gore as we turned the corner.

  A stain. It’s all that’s left of us when we’re gone.

  Three creatures were hunched over, tearing into the flesh of the woman. All stopped and looked up at us with those savage red eyes. Things seemed to stop for a moment, frozen in time, as drool mixed with bile slipped from their mouths; they looked like a set of starving bulldogs. With the same effect as the sound of a gunshot to start a race, I could see a drop fall, splashing to the concrete. Things were so quiet in that instant, I actually think I heard it hit. Then things sped up fast. The monsters all leapt to their feet in unison and charged toward us.

  Dropping my shoulder, I flipped one of them over my back, watching it fall to the ground with a hard thud. Kyle shoved the butt of his rifle through one of their faces while I raised my hammer from my crouched position, bringing it directly through the third monster’s jaw. As it dropped to its knees, I put my foot on its shoulder and yanked, pulling the bottom half of its face clean off.

  Finishing up the monster who had flipped over my back, Kyle looked up at me and nodded down the corridor. We were beyond talking. Our primal instincts had taken over. One single objective shared between our two minds. We needed to launch BOHICA, and the switch was sitting in the bunkroom.

  Racing past the communication and monitoring room, I noticed blood smeared down the inside of the glass wall that would normally display the dated-looking equipment blinking in the darkness. A crash from within the black depths of the room grabbed my attention as I realized there was a Z in there destroying the place. Someone appeared to have locked it in, helping me understand why no one had seen Gordon coming in from the rear.

  We were, for all intents and purposes, blind to the exterior walls from down there.

  Calling into the microphone on his shoulder, I heard Kyle try to confirm that the bunkroom was filled. A few gunshots could be heard in the background as Mia's panicked voice came back, telling him that they had everybody they were going to get, but that they wouldn't be able to hold back the creatures trying to enter through the entrance much longer.

  "We'll be there in twenty seconds!" One final sprint, the door just fifty yards away. Bodies were piled up, creatures that the men guarding the entrance had dropped as they tried to penetrate the room. Nearly being mistaken for the dead before calling out to the firing squad, we slipped in through the door just as they dropped a few of the Zs at our heels.

  "Hold the hallway," I heard Mia order to a few men, including our sniper God, who held a larger than life rifle. One by one, they fell back into the room, keeping their weapons pointed down the dark tunnel. A few shots rang out as we were joined by a few other final Avalonians from outside. Meanwhile, Kyle darted over toward a metal closet in the back of the room, which contained the BOHICA switch, as I turned to look into the crowd. I needed to find Tyler.

  Panic sucker-punched me in the gut as my eyes darted around the room from bunk to bunk. Tyler was nowhere to be seen. Calling out his name, the only response I received was from Mia, who ran up next to me.

  "Deanna, Claire, and the kids haven't shown, John."

  I didn't respond, looking blankly into the air.

  "Before the intercom went out, they signaled to us that they were trapped in their room with some of the creatures outside in the hall.”

  Gripping my hammer, I dropped my head then looked to the door.

  “Sorry, John. We just couldn’t get to them. Maybe they made it to the cafeteria. They could be fine.”

  I wasn't willing to bet on it.

  Glancing at Kyle, who was frantically playing with a bunch of wires by the switch, I sprinted over to him.

  “Rodgers must have fucked this thing up too!”he yelled out while twisting two yellow wires together.

  “I’ve got to go back after my son!”I said, looking into his beaten-down face.

  Pausing for only a second, he slid his grandfather’s watch off his wrist and tossed it to me.“I’ll have this up and running in seven minutes. Get your son and head to the cafeteria.”

  He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the weapon light that he’d picked up at the Stripes’tree fortress.“It’s dark out there. This thing may work on the Zs,”he said as he slapped it into my palm with a handshake.

  Sliding the watch over my wrist, I looked up, making eye contact with him one last time.

  “I want that watch back when this is over,”he said with a half-smile.

  Nodding with as much confidence as I could muster, but not saying a word, I turned and sprinted back toward the door to the tunnel. Looking out into the darkness, I had the realization that Gordon's men were likely moving in through the hatch by now. The place was crawling with Zs, Kyle was about to pull the switch…and I was about to step back into the nightmare to get to my son.

  Calling to one of the men in the firing squad to throw me his handgun, I caught the nine mil in my left hand, squeezing the base of my hammer tightly with my right.

  "Keep that door open," I said, staring toward the men guarding it while they were just starting to push the hatch closed.

  They glanced to Mia.

  "NOW!" I screamed.

  Mia yelled,“Well, what are you waiting for!”

  Stepping my right foot out the door, I looked back to God who said,“The door stays open. Not one of them will touch you while you’re in my sight.”Nodding, I turned my eyes down the corridor and stepped into the hall as I heard Mia screaming to God and the rest of the firing squad, "Cover him!”

  Darting down the hall, stumbling through a puddle of what looked like intestines, I looked up to see a number of Zs flowing down the hallway toward me. Gritting my teeth, I lifted my hammer ready to go to battle. However, every time one of them came within arm’s length, all I saw was black mist spurt up into the air as the men behind me took them down.

  Putting my faith in their aim, I lowered my head and took off at top speed forward.

  As one final creature fell right ahead of me before I turned the corner, I knew I had to get past the communications room and then down an even longer corridor before I made it back to my room. I couldn't think of the possibility that Tyler was dead, or worse. Just had to keep pushing forward.

  For a moment, the world became eerily silent. Each of my footsteps echoed off the walls around me, and I could literally hear my feet squeak across the linoleum as I turned down each hallway.

  As soon as I realized how quiet it was, that’s when the world around cracked and then boomed. A deafening blow rang through each hall, enough to drop me to my knees. I was disoriented for a moment as the lights above flickered, rubble fell, and the whole core of Avalon shook.

  Reaching up to my ear, I pulled my hand back down to see blood smeared across my fingers. Something had popped. I had no time to think about whether it was permanent or not. Standing back up, trying to move forward, everything was ringing. Shaking my head, I steadied myself on the wall and got the second wind I needed to keep moving.

  Turning the final corner, I nearly gasped as I approached the pitch-black hallway lead
ing to my room. The lights were completely knocked out, creating the kind of dark your eyes don’t quite adjust to. The kind where you never see the dead coming up on you until it's too late…and I could hear them, lurking out there in front of the door to my room.

  Another boom, although much lighter, could be heard bouncing around the hallways. At that point, it was clear to me. Gordon's men had blown the final hatch and had pulled it off. The halls would be flooded with their men in moments. I knew Kyle wouldn’t have a choice. He’d have to pull the switch.

  Glancing down to his grandfather’s watch, I could see that I had less than three minutes left. Time is such a relative thing. Sitting in a cold office waiting for beer thirty would turn minutes into hours. Sprinting through a cold dark hallway and being chased down by Death himself would turn hours into seconds.

  Three simple rotations around a ticking watch. That’s what I had left.

  Ducking down against one wall, I slowed my breathing and silently slid the nine mil into my holster. Reaching to my front pocket, I pulled the strobe light out, finding the switch on the side with my thumb. It wasn’t fitted for the nine mil, and I couldn't aim worth a shit in the dark. From this point out, it would have to be my hammer and me if this thing didn't work.

  Practically walking on my tiptoes to get as close as possible without being detected, I could hear the creatures ramming into the door to my quarters. I had no idea how many there were, but their maddening, rapid moans had me nearly shitting myself at the thought of there being more than I could handle.

  Just ten or so yards away from where I thought they were, I cautiously slipped my thumb over the switch, knowing the flash would need to be right in their faces. No getting around having to be up close and personal. No sneaking by. This was to the death, theirs or mine, and no matter the odds, I was getting to my son.

  Lifting the hammer high up over my shoulder, with the strobe held in front of my chest, I had just feet, maybe inches, before I’d find out if my confidence matched my ability. Sometimes confidence makes up for lack of ability. Sometimes, it gets you killed. At least, I had the element of surprise.

  Then Murphy's Law kicked in.

  "Chhh, John, we're getting ready to hit the gas. You have two minutes." Mia’s voice came from the speaker on my shoulder.

  Shit!

  The Zs stopped moaning, going completely silent. I could feel their red eyes looking directly at me before they all at once shrieked loud enough for even my bloody ear to hear them. Footsteps came charging at me in the dark. Now or never, I thought.

  Flipping the switch, the strobe shot out bright. With each flash, they charged forward, seemingly in slow motion like a flip book that you'd let slowly slip through your fingers. All ten Zs moving a snapshot closer with each burst of light. There were men and women, even a small child charging toward me.

  Flash! Nine still charging toward me.

  Flash! A few dropped to the ground.

  Nearly upon me. I started to step back, tripped over some debris on the ground and hit the ground hard. Lying on my back, another series of strobes went off, shooting directly at the ceiling as the shadows of the monsters edged closer. Pointing it back down the hall, I continued to pull myself in reverse as fast as possible with my free arm while kicking my legs frantically.

  Squeezed into a small corner, I nearly closed my eyes as a final series of strobes dropped the last of the dead, just inches from my feet. Taking a deep breath in, I mashed the switch on the gun light to regular flashlight and looked down the hall. All of the Zs had dropped to the ground, violently convulsing.

  I leaped to my feet.

  With my hammer still drawn, I zigzagged around the twisting bodies. Hitting the door with my hammer, I screamed out, "It’s John, the Zs are down. Open up!”It didn’t matter if Gordon’s men heard me. Less than a single rotation left on the watch.

  No answer. The fleeting thought that the creatures I'd just flashed were the very people I'd come to save passed through my mind. Not accepting that fate, I pounded the metal head of the hammer against the door once more.

  "Open up!”

  Footsteps were echoing down the hallways in the distance. Banging on each door as they methodically moved through Avalon, Gordon's men were filling our home.

  Standing at full attention, I stopped breathing before a creak came from the door. Letting out the breath, the door cracked open, exposing Claire's fearful, yet beautiful eyes.

  "Come on, no time!"

  Pushing the door in all the way, I reached out to Deanna and pulled Tyler to my chest. Grabbing Claire's hand, we started running down the hallway with Deanna and Olivia in tow. The cafeteria was just around the corner. Glancing down, I squeezed Claire’s hand as I realized the watch had passed the seven-minute mark.

  A few more knocks in the distance, then I heard a gunshot, a man scream…then another series of gunshots. They'd found someone else hiding in their room.

  "Come on, keep moving!" I nearly yelled.

  Turning the corner, I peered down the hallway. The door to the cafeteria was closing automatically. The gas would be released in just moments.

  "Go go go!”

  Hearing me, Richards frantically tried to stop the door through the sliver that still remained open. However, it was too late, it was shutting and there was no override switch. We put on a last burst of speed.

  Dropping the strobe light to the ground, I instinctively lifted my left hand forward into the crack of the door just before it shut. It would have to take my arm with it, but I wasn't going to let it shut without Tyler in there. No telling how this gas would affect his lungs. I wasn't going to chance it. Not for anything…not even my hand.

  Coming to a grinding stop, the door halted its inexorable movement. I could hear the metal on metal sound of gears turning. My hand was being crushed, I was sure of it, but couldn't feel a thing.

  "Come on, get that thing open!" I could hear Richards yelling from inside.

  A number of men were wedging their guns into the crack, edging it back open.

  Just as it started to budge, a swishing sound started in the air above us.

  "The gas, come on, get that thing open!”Richards yelled out.

  Prying the door open just enough to squeeze through, I slid Tyler and Olivia through first.

  The rest of us dove in, with Richards and the group forcing it tight and locking it before I'd even hit the ground. My heart beating out of my chest, I winced at the thought of looking to my hand. I was sure I was in shock.

  Holding it out in front of me, I opened my eyes.

  Everything was fine…except my wedding ring, which was slightly bent sideways.

  Chapter 32

  The truest test of any man is his ability to protect his family.

  Sitting upright, I pulled Tyler into my arms and squeezed his tiny body into my chest hard enough to feel the rise and fall of his lungs. Not a whimper or a cry came from his mouth; he simply looked up at me, his father. Glancing down beyond Tyler's forehead, my eyes landed on my wedding ring as its bent frame rolled a little off center around my finger.

  That vow, a simple object that had meant so much between my wife and me…

  Thinking back to her grave, where in a rage I'd nearly left it behind all those months ago, it turned out to be the sole object that saved us. Saved my son. I can't help but look back at that and be amazed, almost like she had something to do with it all.

  Somehow, I really believe she did.

  After what felt like ten long minutes of painful silence, as we impatiently waited to learn if BOHICA had actually knocked Gordon’s army unconscious, a man’s voice finally shattered the stale air.

  Looking up, I saw a group of people huddled around a TV monitor in the corner of the cafeteria, which appeared to be showing nothing but still images of darkness just outside our door.

  "They're all down!" the faceless voice cried out.

  "Are you sure?" Richards growled.

  "Yeah, no movement in
the halls. They’re all passed out!”

  “According to Kyle, the gas should dissipate after five or six minutes,”Richards stared at the door, pausing as if taking a moment to calculate the time that had passed. Lifting his rifle across both hands, he slowly lowered his head for a moment before his eyes landed on the hatch.

  In a near solemn tone, he whispered, "Open the door. It’s time to finish this.”

  I could feel it as I involuntarily slid Tyler back in Deanna’s arms. There was a madness still in the air. A thirst for blood that ran deep within our walls. Richards had said it best up in the Yard. We’ll have to kill every last one of those bastards for us to survive.

  Squeezing out the door first as it opened, I sensed a slight tinge of orange hanging in the air, from what I imagine was a remnant from the gas. I could taste it on my tongue and in the back of my throat.

  With each step forward, my mind started to turn a little darker. Like a disease, I felt an uncontrollable rage begin to crawl across my body. Pumping madness through my veins, my mind started doing what I can only describe as place blame. I blamed disease, cosmic dust, terrorists…it didn’t matter…something had started all this mess. I blamed the politicians, the bosses, the corporate blowhards that ran our world, creating the perfect playing field for the disaster.

  Filled with the rich that ate up all the money, the poor that let them do it…I blamed all of them who fueled the monsters like Gordon, whether they knew it or not. I blamed the prophets and the futurists that spoke of a world we’d never see, creating false hope in the minds of the feeble. I blamed cell phones, the Internet, TV, all the devices used to turn us into mindless drones, unable to think for ourselves ... breeding us to follow in the same ways Gordon’s men would mindlessly follow him into this battle.

  With my hammer lifted high, I stepped down the corridor. My eyes landed on a few passed-out bodies holding firearms. They were obviously part of Gordon’s army. Less than thirty feet from us. I moved in with a determination for blood.