Affliction Z: Abandoned Hope (Post Apocalyptic Thriller) (18 page)

The zip ties wrapped around Addison’s wrists dug into her
flesh. She sat between two large, musty men. She didn’t recognize either of
them. The guy on her right stared out the window. His shaggy hair stuck
together in spots where sweat had gathered. The man driving the truck looked a
hundred pounds overweight. His elbow brushed against her breast every time the
truck bounced, which was often along the country road.

She’d become so turned around that she wasn’t sure which
direction they were headed. It didn’t seem like they were going to town. Perhaps
they had another way to get back to the camp that she wasn’t aware of.

The roads they drove on were clear. This struck Addison as
odd. She’d expected to see cars littering the streets, bodies in the ditches,
and roving bands of marauders out. Perhaps that scenario was a product of
watching too many movies. Still, she couldn’t help but think it had to be that
way in some areas.

What if she were in a big city?

Surely, those areas had to be beyond repair by this point.

“Look over there,” the guy on her right said.

The truck slowed down and the man driving leaned forward.
His gut enveloped the steering wheel.

“Disgusting,” the driver said.

Addison tried hard not to look. She didn’t need to see
whatever it was. Eventually, after hearing the men go on about it, her
curiosity won out.

Several feet away four people hovered over something. They
frantically reached down and tore at a carcass. One seemed to block the others
from whatever it was they were eating. The others turned on him, pulling away
and casting him to the side. The guy, or thing, slithered back over and resumed
feeding.

“What is that?” she asked.

“Cow,” the man to her right said.

“And those people are…?”

“They ain’t people no more, lady.” He reached behind and
retrieved a rifle. “Be ready to drive.”

“All right,” the big guy said.

The guy on her right opened his door and slipped out of the
truck. He placed the stock to his shoulder, took aim, squeezed off a shot. A
head erupted like a watermelon. The body fell limply to the side. None of the
others reacted.

“I’m gonna get another one,” the guy said.

The driver nodded, a smile on his face.

Another shot was fired. This one hit dead center. The guy
who was shot sort of flinched, but then went right back to eating.

“Shit,” the guy said, before firing another shot. This one
hit, tearing half the being’s skull off.

“Another one down,” the driver said. “What you figure, lady,
a billion more out there?”

Addison glanced over at him, repulsed by the masturbatory
satisfaction he got out of the display.

“What?” she said.

The big guy laughed. “If you ain’t figured it out, there’s
no surviving this. We can only fight to last a little bit longer. That’s why
you need to get with the program. Your only chance of making it more than a few
weeks is with us. Trust me, from now on—”

Another shot rang out. Addison looked over in time to see a
third head explode. A pink cloud settled down on the cow, corpses, and
remaining being, who rose and turned. Entrails hung from its hands and mouth.

“—Hang on.” The driver leaned his head forward a bit. “You
better make this last shot count.”

Addison watched as the thing stumbled toward them. Its face
was twisted in a permanent scream, like the famous painting. She wanted to
shout out for the man to shoot, but didn’t out of fear of disturbing his
concentration.

Finally, he took his shot. It hit the thing in its forehead
and tore off the top of its head. She watched it dropped to its knees, then
fall forward.

As the man got back inside the truck, the driver continued.
“As I was saying, you can become an integral part of our budding community, or
you can become bait.”

“Bait?” she repeated, stretching her jaw in an attempt to
rid her ears of the ringing.

“Yeah, you know, we bring you along with us when hunting or
whatever.” He took a deep, loud breath. “If something goes wrong, meaning we
run into a bunch of them, we put the bait out so we can get away.”

The man to her right snorted. She glanced at him, then back
at the driver.

“So, you’ve done this already?”

He smiled. “Yup.”

She swallowed hard, even though her mouth felt dry. “Where
do you keep the bait?”

“You’re gonna find out when we get back. Then you’ll have
the opportunity to decide what you want to do.” He shifted into second and
drove off. “I guess you will. I really shouldn’t speak out of turn. Phil might
have other ideas, seeing as how you took off on us.”

Addison lowered her head. Her hair fell across the side of
her face and onto her chest. “I didn’t hurt anybody.”

“Nobody except for Ralph,” the driver said. “I don’t mind
that, and I doubt Phil does. We all think the guy’s a creepy asshole. But,
here’s where it gets tricky, you wasted our time. You put us at risk. None of
us knows where you was heading, or who you was gonna go see. Hell, you mighta
tried to turn back and lead a damn horde of those freaking things right to us.
You see, we can’t allow those that come into our community to leave. The danger
is too great. I’m sure you can understand that.”

“Unless they’re bait,” she fired back.

Both men laughed.

“Yeah,” the driver said. “Unless they’re bait.”

Addison closed her eyes for the rest of the drive. She
bounced between the two men, sliding off their sweat-coated arms. They spoke to
one another, but left her alone. Their conversation offered no clues as to what
was to come next.

The truck came to a stop and the engine went silent. Addison
opened her eyes. She recognized where they were. She slid across the seat and
exited the truck to her right. The guy waited for her. He grabbed her wrist and
pulled her forward. She knew the way, so she tried to walk past him.

“Where you think you’re going?” He grabbed hold of her
shoulder.

She nearly tumbled backward.

“You gotta wear this,” he said, brandishing a black hood.

“You’re serious?”

He nodded. “Can’t have you seeing where we keep those we plan
on discarding.”

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. What choice did she
have?

The man placed the hood over her head while the other held
her from behind. One of them smelled like corn chips. Maybe both of them did.
She couldn’t wait to get away from the odor.

She felt hands touch her elbows, guiding her forward. She
took quick, short steps.

“Don’t worry,” the driver said. “We won’t let you fall.”

“Forgive me for finding it hard to trust you right now,” she
said.

“We’re not the ones that beat a man up, stole an ATV and ran
away.”

Addison said nothing. She continued walking, allowing them
to guide her.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it felt like
this trek took longer than her original walk to the camp. Her fear level rose
with each step. She resisted the urge to ask where they were going. Her mind
wandered, though, sorting through numerous possibilities.

What if they’re going to execute me? Bury me alive? Drown
me? Rape me? Tie me to a tree, naked?

With every frightening scenario she thought of, her anxiety
levels increased. It became increasingly difficult to breathe. The sensation
was further compounded by the hood over her face. She felt the fabric pull
tight across her nostrils with every deep, intense breath.

“All right,” the driver said. “We’re here. You’re gonna need
to duck your head, then we’re gonna walk a few more feet. After that, I’ll
remove your hood.”

Addison nodded and said nothing. She allowed the men to push
her head forward. At once, she was greeted with the smell of feces. She didn’t
think it possible, but she longed for the corn chip body odor that had
surrounded her since she got in the truck.

A few feet later, they took her hood off. She prepared
herself for pain in her eyes as they adjusted to light. The room was dark.

“Forward.”

She walked. The passage twisted and seemed to angle
downward. The concrete walls were wet, as if they were sweating. They came to a
door. The heavier man leaned forward, inserted a key that he pulled from around
his neck, and pushed the door open. Another wave of foul odor passed, causing
Addison to gag. She bowed forward, unsure of whether she would vomit.

“You’ll get used to it,” the other man said. “Now move.”

Her eyes adjusted as she passed through the doorway. They
were in a wide hall. On either side, there were cells. Each cell contained two
to four men and women. There were no beds or toilets or sinks or windows.

Tears welled in Addison’s eyes. She bit her lip to keep from
crying. This was where they stored the bait.

They kept walking until they reached the end of the hall. On
her left, three men filled a cell. They turned her to the right, where a cell
stood empty.

“This is yours,” the big guy said. “Remember, you did this
to yourself. You keep that in mind if you’re offered a chance to rejoin us.”

Emma thought it took longer to traverse the tunnel than she
remembered. The last time she had walked the full length of it was a year ago.
She had snuck into it after hearing her father tell her mother the new pass
codes. She recalled the feeling of panic and apprehension that ran through her
body as she climbed down the ladder. She’d been down it before, but never
alone. If her father had caught her, he would have lit into her for going down
without him.

Would she see her father again? Was he in that pile of
bodies, or had he managed to escape?

“Pick up the pace, Barbara,” she said.

“What’s gotten into you?” Barbara said.

Emma shrugged. She wasn’t sure. It felt natural, though.
She’d always been the type to take charge in a group or during an argument
among friends. It felt natural for her to lead. She’d figured that trait had
come from her father.

They neared the exit. Emma stopped and turned around. “Are
you ready for this?”

Barbara said nothing. She aimed her hollow stare in Emma’s
direction. Marley sat down and glanced up at Barbara. He whimpered a few times.

“Barbara, please, I need you. I can’t do this without you.
If you’re not ready, tell me and we’ll rest for a few minutes.”

Barbara looked past Emma. “I’m ready, Em. Let’s do this.”

Emma took a deep breath. She’d avoided preparing for the
moment during their walk. Now it had to be done. There was no avoiding it.

“Have you ever been through here?” Emma asked.

“No.”

“Okay, when we go through, we’ll end up in a small room. It
might be dark. There’s a hatch that’s hidden in the barn. We’ll have to go
through that. Got it?”

“Dark room. Hatch. Got it.”

Emma searched the wall until she found the panel, removed
it, and entered the code. The door unlocked with a hiss and a click. She opened
it. At once, she felt that something was wrong. It seemed lighter in there than
it had in the past. She had no idea if her father had been through, though.
Perhaps he had left a light down there.

“Come on,” Emma said, reaching behind her and gesturing
Barbara forward. She cleared the doorway and looked back. Barbara passed
through right after. Marley followed. Glancing upward, she saw that the hatch
wasn’t closed all the way. A small crack let in a sliver of light.

“How do we get up?” Barbara asked.

Emma pointed. “Ladder attached to the wall there. Hard to
see, but it’s there. Follow me.”

She lowered her bag, took out a bottle of water and took two
gulps. She slung the bag over one shoulder, and then crossed the narrow room.
Halfway up the ladder, her backpack slid off her shoulder. She bent her arm
ninety degrees and stopped it before it went past her elbow. It made climbing
more difficult, but the weight of the bag prevented her from slinging it back
into place.

Emma reached the top of the ladder. A cool draft pushed
through the cracked hatch and past her face. Dust filled her nose. She
scrunched her face to prevent a sneeze. The sensation passed. Emma tucked her
chin to her chest and pushed the back of her head and upper back into the
hatch. Straining, she managed to lift it a few inches. She raised her gaze and
scanned the dust-covered floor. It looked as expected.

“Everything okay?” Barbara asked.

“Fine, just checking,” Emma whispered. She took a deep
breath, brushing aside her annoyance at Barbara for speaking.

She slid her left hand through, then her right. The floor
felt gritty. She took three more steps up the ladder, pushing the hatch further
open. The breeze faded. Must have been some kind of draft, she figured. Now it
felt stale and warm. Emma pushed hard with her left hand and threw the hatch
all the way open.

And came face to face with two men she had never seen
before.

“Well, what do we have here?” the taller of the two said. He
had a thick beard. No hair stuck out from the edges of his camouflaged hat.

Emma said nothing.

Neither did the second man. He stepped closer, though,
aiming his rifle at Emma’s head. He gestured to the side with it.

Emma continued to climb the ladder. Her bag got caught on
something. She looked down, but couldn’t see what. The bag had food, clothing,
and her weapon. She jerked on it in an attempt to free it.

“Leave it,” the second man said, taking another step and
placing the barrel of his rifle inches from her head. “Keep moving.”

She clenched her teeth and let her arm go limp. The bag slid
free. It dangled from a spike, inches from the floorboards.

“You, below, drop the fucking gun and wait for her to get up
here,” the guy shouted at Barbara.

Emma heard a thump from below. Barbara began to cry. Marley
started to bark. Emma felt bad for bringing them along. She should have come
alone to scout the area. Emma could have dropped and retreated into the passage
had the woman not been there.

The man directed Emma to the rear wall.

“Come on up,” the guy said to Barbara.

“What about my dog?” she asked.

“You first,” the guy replied.

She climbed up. He sent Barbara to the side wall, taking her
bag. He dug through it. Her clothes were tossed on the floor and left there. He
dropped the bag and took a few steps back.

The bearded man stepped forward. “We good?”

The other man nodded.

“All right,” the bearded man said. “Let’s get moving. The
lady first, then the girl. Any stupid moves, the girl gets shot. Got it?”

Barbara’s face twisted. She let out a loud, choking sob.
“What about my dog?”

“Oh, right.” The guy stepped forward, pulled a pistol out of
his bag and fired a shot.

Marley whimpered and then went silent.

“Come on now,” the guy said. “As long as you don’t do
nothing stupid, that won’t happen to you. We’re taking you somewhere safe.”

Barbara fell to her knees. Emma leaned over her and wrapped
her arms around the woman’s neck.

The men pulled them apart. Emma walked. One of the men had
to drag Barb out.

Emma didn’t trust the guys. No one who aimed a gun at two
women could have good intentions. She had no choice but to go along. She knew
that. So when the guy told her to walk, she did, falling in line a few feet
behind Barbara.

They exited the barn. The bright sunlight felt like knives,
jabbing into Emma’s eyes. She hadn’t been outside in over a week.

Had it really been that long?

In one sense, she felt freer. The breeze hit her from
behind, and the air was clean and sweet. She felt oppressed at the same time.
The air was humid and heavy. Smoke rose in the distance. Soon the stench of burning
bodies would overpower her.

The bunker had been climate controlled. She figured no place
in the world had such perfect conditions all day long, day after day. That
didn’t stop her from trying to imagine one.

Emma angled her path to the left for a few steps to get a
clear view beyond the woman in front of her. A pack of pickup trucks stood in
her driveway and to the side of it. There were men hanging out in front of
them. A fire burned to the left of the house. Black smoke rose toward the sky.
She wondered if her mother’s bones would turn to ash.

“Back in line,” the guy behind her said.

Which one was it? She couldn’t tell by the voice, and she
hadn’t looked back before they had started walking. She resisted the urge to do
so now.

She took in all the faces at the other end of the yard
before sliding back into line. None of the men were her father. She inched her
head to the left and right, letting her eyes scan the property. She didn’t see
him. She considered that both good and bad. She figured if he was there, that
meant he’d been caught. However, if she’d spotted him, it meant he could rescue
her and Barbara.

Against that many men, though?

Emma knew her father had extensive Special Forces training.
He also had a prosthetic leg. And, while he never let it interfere with his
life, she felt it did limit him at times. This would be one of those times. How
would he maneuver well enough to take out a dozen or so men?

“Stop,” one of the men said.

Barbara halted. Emma took another step, nearly careening
into the older woman. She thought about continuing. What would they do? Shoot
her? They might, and so she stopped.

The bearded man walked around her and Barbara. He took off
his hat. The top of his head was pale. It stood out like the full moon against
his red neck. He made an odd call, kind of like a whoop, and waved his hands
over his head. His hat made a flopping sound.

A breeze pushed past them from their right. Emma caught a
hint of lavender from her mother’s herb garden. She wondered how long they’d
continue to grow with no one there to pull the weeds.

An engine roared to life. The truck made a loud thump and
then started rolling forward. The tall grass bent under the chrome bumper. It
was the only thing that looked new about the pickup.

“On your knees,” the bearded man said.

“No,” Barbara said weakly.

The guy turned toward her. His brows were furrowed, and his
eyes looked square. “On your knees or I shoot the girl.”

Barbara began to cry again.

“Shut up!” the man shouted.

Barbara choked back her sobs and fell limply to the ground.

“Straighten up,” the guy said.

Emma threaded her arm through Barbara’s and helped her lift
her upper body.

“Easy,” Emma whispered. “If they were going to hurt us, they
would have done it back there.”

Barbara nodded and used the back of her free hand to wipe
her eyes and nose. She sniffled a few times, took a deep breath, and exhaled,
shuddering as she did so.

The truck stopped about ten feet away. The doors opened. Two
sets of brown leather hiking boot clad feet hit the ground. They left the doors
open, and walked around the front of the truck. There was nothing
distinguishing about the men. Emma might have seen them at the grocery store a
time or two. They looked like a lot of the men who lived out here. A little
overweight, some facial hair, or at least a week’s growth, unkempt hair, and a
distant stare. The stare was new, but everyone seemed to have that now, from
the people she saw on television, to her father and Barbara, to these men.

“Who’re they?” the man that got out of the driver’s side
asked. He wore red and black flannel shirt with the sleeves cut off. His upper
arms were tattooed. One of them looked similar to her father’s.

“Found them in the barn,” the bearded man said. “They were
in some kinda underground room or something.”

“They sick?”

“Don’t appear to be so.”

The guy looked them over. “You guys go down there and check
the room out?”

The bearded guy shook his head. “I glanced down. Looked like
there was a tunnel or something.”

“You two feel comfortable staying back and checking it out?
Everything’s squared away here. Scooter kinda freaked and went overboard. We
were expecting a damn horde of those things. Found one already dead. Couple
guys thought they saw someone in the field, but it all checked out. Anyway, I
need to get everyone back to camp. We can spare you two for a few hours.”

“Sounds good.” The bearded man set his cap back on his bald
head, patted the other guy’s chest, and both of them headed off.

“All right, get up,” Cutoff Flannel said. He reached behind
his back and retrieved two bandannas, both black with white stenciling. He held
them out in front of Emma and Barbara. “You each take one. Cover your eyes.
Don’t try to be tricky if you want to keep ‘em.”

Emma folded the bandanna over and wrapped it around her head
until she’d blocked the light out. She hoped Barbara did the same. One of the
men grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away. She stumbled, but kept her
balance. The guy made her stop. A door opened.

“Step up,” the guy said.

She reached out, felt a cloth seat and lifted her leg, using
the frame as a guide. She settled onto the seat, and whispered, “Barbara?”

“I’m here, Em,” Barbara replied.

“Both of you shut up.” It sounded like Cutoff Flannel.

Emma let herself fall to her left until her shoulder
collided with Barbara’s. She felt the woman’s hair settle onto her skin, and
caught a hint of her perfume. That was better than the musty odor of the truck.

Two doors closed. The truck sank to the left, then the
right. Two more doors closed. The truck thumped as it was shifted into gear.
They began rolling. The horn blasted. Several others went off in response. All
around her, large engines roared to life. It sounded like a lion’s den at
feeding time.

That’s where we’re going,
Emma thought.
Straight
into the lion’s den.