Ashton Memorial (27 page)

“They're getting close
again!” yelled Ella.

“Just keep running!” yelled
Park.

“Why?” yelled
Ella.

“Trust him!” yelled Maylee
as she kept her legs pounding. She could see why Park had yelled to
stay upright and moving. They were dim and faint, but she could
clearly see the outline of corpses very near the walkway. On their
stomachs, unable to move because of the birds, they would be easy
prey for dead mouths and rotten teeth.

A muscular but torn arm reached out across
the walkway. Maylee couldn’t see the rest, but the corpse that
owned it must have been large. The arm covered the whole of the
walkway.

“Big arm!” yelled Maylee,
jumping as she ran. The arm writhed as it passed under her. She
landed, skidding on the wet metal of the walkway. A surge of panic
went through her as it took her half a second to regain her
footing. She could see herself sliding off the walkway, into the
arms of the corpses lining it. She could see them tearing her
apart.

Then her footing was back and she was
running. She heard Ella jump, then Park. The birds coming from
behind grew louder. They didn't have much time.

The door came into view.

“The door!” yelled
Maylee.

“Thank fuck!” yelled
Park.

The birds grew deafeningly loud behind them.
Corpses groaned from each side of the walkway. Maylee ran harder
than she thought possible.

She hit the door with her shoulder. It flew
open and she stumbled out into the zoo.

She turned as Ella raced out, almost
stumbling. The door had almost swung back to closed when Park hit
it with such force it nearly broke.

“Hold it shut!” he yelled,
turning to close the door. He put his shoulder against
it.

Maylee ran up to help. She leaned against
the door. She heard Ella rushing up from behind.

The birds hit the door. Hard. Squawking and
clawing at it. The momentum of the birds pushed the door open an
inch before Ella reached them and pushed. The door shut again.

“Oh shit. No,” Ella cried,
as bird after bird rammed against the door. Maylee could hear their
little bodies breaking.

“Fuck that,” yelled Park.
“Those crazy bastards were trying to kill us.”

“But why?” yelled
Ella.

The birds kept hitting the
door. It shook with each blow. “How much longer can we keep this
up?” yelled Maylee.

“Wait!” yelled Ella
excitedly. “I have an idea. I'm going to let go so push
harder!”

“What the fuck?” yelled
Park as Ella let go.

Maylee and Park pushed harder. The birds
slammed against the door. None of the blows seemed very large by
itself, but the combined force of them all coming so fast was
almost impossible to hold back. Maylee's back strained with
effort.

Maylee saw Ella pull a card from her pocket.
She moved over to the side of the door. An electronic box with a
green light hung there. She held the card up to the box and the
light changed to red.

The door clicked. The birds kept slamming
against it.

“You can let go now,” said
Ella.

Maylee tried, slowly at
first. Ella was right. The door stayed shut on its own. “She's
right.”

Park followed suit,
straightening and backing away from the door. He turned to Ella and
nodded. “Shit. That'll come in handy.”

Ella put the card back in
her pocket. “I stole it to help find Lori.”

Park looked pained for a
moment. “Well, don't fucking worry about that. We'll find
her.”

Ella nodded. Then screamed as a bird whizzed
by her head, screeching and clawing.

“Fuck!” yelled Park,
whipping his head around as he tried to locate the bird. “One must
have slipped out.”

It whizzed by again. Ella
jumped out of the way, watching as it went past. “Oh god,” she
said. “Bill.”

“What?” said
Park.

Ella shook her head,
looking embarrassed. “Nothing. I named all the animals. Forget
it.”

Park frowned, watching the bird whip around.
It screeched furiously.

Maylee saw it coming at
her. She readied her bat. “Sorry Bill.”

She swung as the bird drew near. The bat
connected full force, sending the bird slamming into a nearby tree.
It crumpled to the ground, dead.

“Shit,” said Ella, biting
her lip.

“Damn, kid,” said Park to
Maylee. “Home run.”

“You know it,” said Maylee,
smirking and nodding. Her face fell when she saw how sad Ella
looked.

“What's happening?” she
said, looking between Maylee and Park in confusion. “First all the
dead people, now this.”

Maylee looked at Park. He shrugged and shook
his head.

“What's happening, you
guys?” repeated Ella.

Eleven

Angie awoke and immediately knew she'd slept
too long. After climbing down from the kangaroo exhibit, she and
Dalton had been too exhausted to continue. Angie found an open shed
that was thankfully clear. She helped Dalton, now limping worse
than ever, inside and shut the door. She assured him they'd make it
back to Maylee the next day. She lay down on the cold concrete
floor, telling herself they'd only sleep a few hours. They'd get up
early and find their way to the office where Maylee would be
waiting.

But now, as she awoke stiff and cold and
aching, she could feel they'd slept more than a few hours. Much
more. The morning was gone.

“Shit,” she murmured to
herself, sitting and looking around. Her back clenched and
complained at the movement.

Dalton was curled up nearby, looking far too
peaceful for the situation they were in. Irrational fear clenched
her before she heard him snoring, light and soft.

Relieved, she crawled over to him and put a
hand on his side. He kept snoring, obviously exhausted and deeply
asleep.

She felt guilty for it but
she rocked him gently. “Dalton.”

His eyes fluttered open and
he lifted his head. For a moment he looked lost, confused. Then he
seemed to remember. “What time is it?”

“Not sure,” said Angie.
“But later than it should be. We gotta get going. How's your
foot?”

He gingerly rocked his foot
back and forth. He winced. “Stiff. But I think it's
better.”

“Good,” she said, standing
and helping Dalton to his feet.

“I'm hungry,” said
Dalton.

“Me too, baby,” said
Angie.

She stood silently for a moment, trying to
gauge where they were. Trying to remember the map she'd seen.
Trying to dredge up her own memories of trips to the zoo. If she
was right ...

“I think the restaurant is
near here,” she said, patting Dalton on the shoulder. “Maybe
they'll have some food.”

* * *

Angie topped the hill and was relieved to see the
Zoo Bites restaurant down below. She'd taken Maylee and Dalton
there several times, paying way too much for mediocre hamburgers
that seemed delicious after a full day at the zoo.

Dalton walked up beside her. He limped, but
slightly less than he had yesterday. The sky was gray and light
rain fell around them.

He frowned down at the Zoo Bites. She followed his
gaze, but she knew what he was frowning at. She'd seen it when they
first came over the hill.

Several people milled around the Zoo Bites, wet and
dirty. Several of them had their arms wrapped around themselves
from the cold. Angie could tell from the way they looked and moved
that they were alive.

A zookeeper stood in front of the Zoo Bites. It was
a young man with short brown hair and small round glasses. He had a
rifle over one shoulder.

Angie frowned too. The man looked like he
was standing guard.

Angie watched the scene for a moment longer.
It made her uneasy. None of the people milling around attempted to
go near the restaurant.

She looked side to side, then behind her. No
corpses anywhere in sight. She heard a few animals growling from
their exhibits.

She turned back. “Okay,
baby,” she said, putting a hand on Dalton's shoulder. “Let's go see
if they have some food.”

They started down the hill. Rain pattered
lightly on the concrete path. People moved out of the way as they
approached. Some eyed them warily.

The zookeeper noticed them approaching and
drew himself up. Like he was standing at attention.

“Good morning,” said Angie,
smiling as they drew near.

“Morning, ma'am,” said the
zookeeper. He looked a little nervous.

“Is there any
food?”

“There is, ma'am,” said the
zookeeper, adjusting his glasses and shifting the rifle strap on
his shoulder. “But it's not feeding time yet.”

Angie blinked. “Excuse
me?”

“Lunchtime,” the zookeeper
corrected. “Sorry. I mean lunchtime.”

Angie looked at the people
milling around, then back at the zookeeper. “Well,” she continued,
chuckling and trying to keep her tone light. “I think we're past
regular mealtimes right now. And my son's really hungry
so...”

“We have to follow strict
times, ma'am,” said the zookeeper. “We have to ration what food
there is.”

Even with the cold rain
peppering them, Angie's cheeks grew hot. “Rationing I understand.
But this is insane.”

“Yeah,” said an older man
from behind Angie.

The zookeeper shifted from
one foot to the other, looking increasingly uncomfortable. “We have
to follow the rules, ma'am.”

“Whose rules?” said Angie,
close to shouting. Several of the people milling around murmured in
agreement.

“Lee, ma'am,” said the
zookeeper.

“Lee?” said Angie. “Who the
hell's Lee?”

“Leader of the Keepers,
ma'am.”

“The what?” said Angie,
looking him up and down. Part of her reminded herself that she
addressed what was essentially a scared kid. But most of her was
mad and didn't care.

“The Keepers, ma'am. That's
what I am. A Keeper.”

Angie stared at the young man, blinking in
astonishment. She looked back at the people. They were no longer
milling. They were gathering behind her and looking angry.

Angie looked at Dalton, who looked up at her in
confusion. She could see in his eyes how hungry he was. She could
feel it.

Angie looked back to the Keeper. He
swallowed. She cleared her throat.

“And just what are you
keeping?” she said.

The glass door to the Zoo Bites swung open. A second
young man stepped out. He was small, with greasy black hair slicked
back on his head.

“Is there a problem?” he
said. Angie noticed his name tag. It read
Lee
.

“Oh look,” said Angie.
“It's the Lawgiver. Hello, Lee.”

“She wants food,” said the
first Keeper to Lee.

“I guessed that,” said Lee,
looking irritated. “That's what they all want.”

“Really?” said Angie. “What
a shock. Any chance they'll be getting it?”

“Yeah!” said the older man
behind her, louder than before.

“Look,” said Lee, stepping
farther away from the door. “Ma'am, lunch isn't for another two
hours.”

Hunger and exhaustion
gnawed at Angie's brain. Fury built in her. “Really? Well shit.
Should I go get the milk cartons for all us kids while we wait?”
She stepped closer to Lee and the door, pulling Dalton behind
her.

Lee stepped toward her. Angie caught a good
look at his eyes. If she wasn't angry and getting angrier, his eyes
would have scared her. They were feral, animal.

“Look, ma'am,” he said,
sniffing and rubbing his mouth. “I don't know if you've fucking
noticed, but someone was stupid enough to let those dead fucking
things in here. And you all standing around making outrageous
demands is just asking for those things to come and fucking eat
you. I suggest you all find shelter and come back
at fucking lunchtime
.”

Angie looked back at the
crowd that was developing behind her. She turned to look at Lee and
the building behind him. “Are you saying you'd keep us out if those
things attacked?”

The muttering of the crowd
behind her grew louder. Angrier. It was beginning to scare
her.
This whole thing is
crazy
, she kept telling
herself.

Lee took the rifle from his shoulder. He pointed it
at the ground but it was clear he wanted everyone to see it.
“Listen, everyone! We've been through this! The Bites belongs to
the Keepers. We protect you and give out the food. You stay the
fuck away!”

Angie stepped up closer,
screaming at Lee. “You're insane! My son needs your help! These
people need your help!”

A rock flew past Angie's head. It flew past Lee and
smashed into the glass door of the Bites. The glass cracked but
held. Lee raised the rifle and pointed it at the crowd. “Back
off!”

“Mom!” yelled Dalton,
stepping closer to Angie and gripping her side. Lee, looking
startled, jerked the rifle downward to point at Dalton.

Angie grabbed the barrel of the rifle and
jerked it away from Dalton. The motion pulled Lee forward, causing
him to lean toward Angie. She stepped in closer and slammed her
forehead into Lee's face. Lee let go of the gun and stumbled back,
clutching his nose.