Kick at the Darkness (21 page)

A smile tugged at the man’s lips. “I don’t suppose so, son. Look, we don’t mean you any harm, and we don’t have anything of value. We’d like to talk if you’re amenable to that.”

He sounded like his grandpa too. Parker glanced back at Adam, who nodded. Parker turned off the engine, and the minivan rattled down as well. He climbed off, Adam following closely on his heels, and neared the man with his hand extended.

The man shook his hand warmly. “I’m Charlie.” He led the way back and opened the side door of the minivan. “That’s my wife Annette behind the wheel, our grandchildren Nora and Hannah, and in the back are Rebecca and her two boys, Logan and Dylan.”

Annette’s silver hair was cropped to her chin, and her smile was tentative. The kids ranged in age from eight to about twelve, and Rebecca looked around thirty. Parker waved at the group. “Hey. I’m Parker. This is Adam.” He nudged Adam, who raised his hand in greeting. “We came from the Bay area. Where are you from?”

“Just outside Vegas,” Charlie answered. “The kids had dentist appointments. Their parents work in the city at the casinos, so Annette and I said we’d take them.” He shook his head and spoke softly. “We waited as long as we could, but it was spreading like wildfire. The whole city was just…”

Parker thought of visiting the Vegas strip with his family when he was a kid. Going up the fake Eiffel Tower and watching the fountains outside the Bellagio; eating his weight in shrimp cocktail at the buffet, and slopping seafood sauce all down his shirt. “I’m sorry.”

“We left a note for them. Just in case.” Charlie motioned to the back of the minivan. “We met Rebecca and the boys on the way.”

“Where are you headed?” Adam asked.

“We have a cabin. Northern California, closer to Oregon. It’s isolated, and we thought…well, we thought it’s worth a try.”

Parker nodded. “Better than just sitting around, right? We’re going to Boston. Well, Cape Cod. My family’s there.”

Charlie sighed. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Seems the East Coast was hit awfully hard from what people say. It’s all gossip and rumor at this point. We scan the radio band, searching for any signals. Sometimes we hear people talking. No one’s saying anything good.”

He tried to smile. “I know. We’re just hoping… Well, I have to try. The Cape might be okay.”

“Maybe,” Charlie said.

In the awkward silence, one of the girls piped up. “I’m huuungry.”

“Why don’t we have a picnic? Are you boys hungry?” Annette asked.

“We never say no to food. Right, Adam?” Parker nudged him again, and Adam nodded.

They helped spread out a blanket on the shoulder of the road, and sat with the kids while the other adults perched in the open minivan. Annette passed out sandwiches—actual fresh sandwiches!—and Parker groaned as he bit into it. “Oh my God, this is the best tuna salad ever. Where did you get this bread?”

“Rebecca made it yesterday in a house we stayed in. She’s quite the baker,” Charlie replied.

Rebecca waved her hand. “Bread’s easy as long as you have yeast.”

“It’s amazing,” Adam added before taking another big bite.

As they ate, Parker focused on enjoying every morsel. His grandma had always said to cherish the little things in life, which was easy for her to say since she’d been stinking rich. But now more than ever, Parker wanted to enjoy the little things—like tuna salad on fresh, soft bread.

“What if your family’s not there?” One of the boys asked. “What if it’s all zombies out there?”

“
Logan
,” Rebecca said sharply.

“What?” Logan’s cheeks flushed. “It’s not like they don’t know that’s what could happen. I’m just wondering what they’ll do then.”

Parker tried to think of something to say, but had no answer.

“Then we’ll figure something out,” Adam said. He sat close to Parker, and leaned in with his shoulder.

“I’m sure it will be fine. We’ll all be fine. This too shall pass,” Annette said. She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

One of the girls—Hannah?— asked, “Do you know why this is happening?”

“I wish we did,” Parker answered. “Seems like it’s some kind of infection. A pandemic, the news called it before…well, before the news stopped. The creepers, they’re not dead. Not like what we think of as zombies. It seems like they’re still alive, but they don’t know who they are anymore.”

“How do you know that they aren’t dead? Or undead, or whatever? Did you get right up close to one?” Rebecca asked.

“Yeah, unfortunately. They seem to be alive. But we’re not sure what caused the infection. We’ve heard it might have been intentional.”

“Like a weapon,” Charlie said flatly.

“Yeah. But we don’t know for sure.”

“If it was a biological weapon, I just can’t imagine what’s in it for them.” Annette chewed thoughtfully. “Seems like it would destroy more than just America. Canada, Mexico. Down into South America.”

“I suppose anyone who would create something like this might not care about the consequences,” Adam noted. “Or maybe that’s their goal: annihilation.”

They were all silent for a few moments.
Annihilation
. It did seem to be the likely outcome, no matter what the intention. Parker supposed the why and even the how didn’t really matter now. What mattered was surviving.

“Do you think it’s all over the world?” Logan asked.

“I know it was in London. It could very well be in other places too.” Thinking about it was so fucking depressing. Even if Eric was alive, they’d probably never see each other again. Even if one of them got across the ocean, finding each other was a whole new ballgame. Parker’s appetite was gone, and he had to blink rapidly to get back in control.

“If it wasn’t, I think they’d have come by now. The Europeans. Wouldn’t they have come? Their troops? Ships?” Charlie wondered.

Parker realized he hadn’t really thought about it after the first couple days. They’d all hoped the army would rescue them, and maybe they still would. Maybe ships and aircraft carriers and submarines would save the day. But until that day came, Parker was operating on the assumption that they were on their own.

“They might have us under quarantine. They might be waiting to see how the infection plays out,” Adam said.

“That’s a good point. Maybe they’re waiting.” Annette smiled softly. “Still hope, right?”

Parker returned her smile as best he could. “Always.”

“Creepers. That’s a good name,” Logan said.

“Yeah. We heard it from someone else.” Parker wondered how Dave and his companion had fared down south at Big Sur.

“They seem to like the light,” Charlie said. “I don’t think they see very well, even though their eyes are…well, you’ve seen them. At night, the light whips them into a frenzy. Who can say why.”

“We noticed that too.” Adam took a sip from their water bottle. “Now that I think about it, you’re right about the daylight. It doesn’t have the same effect.”

“Creeeeeeepers.” Logan tugged on Nora’s pigtail. “Don’t let the creepers get you tonight.”

Rebecca smacked his arm and sighed. “How is that funny?”

With a shrug, Logan said, “Sorry, Mom,” and walked into the desert. He started chucking rocks.

Parker was having a hard enough time dealing with it, and he couldn’t imagine what it was like for the kids. They sat in awkward silence before Parker cleared his throat. “Well, thank you so much for lunch. I guess we should get going.”

The women insisted on giving Parker and Adam sandwiches for the road, and they didn’t refuse. Charlie neatly tore a piece of paper from a notebook. He clicked a ballpoint pen and scribbled.

“I’ll give you the address and directions to the cabin in California. Just in case you ever come back west and are looking for some friendly faces.”

Parker took the folded paper. “Thank you. It was great meeting you all. Restored my faith in humanity. It was a little shaken.”

Charlie clapped him on the shoulder. “You too, son. Good luck to both of you. Oh, can we top up your tank? We loaded up on gas jugs. You’ve got a bit of an empty stretch coming.”

“That would be great,” Adam replied. “Thank you so much.”

It was Adam’s turn to drive, and Parker strapped on the pack over his machete and climbed on Mariah behind him. As they continued east, he glanced back every so often at the disappearing minivan getting smaller and smaller, until it was just him and Adam again, and the loneliest road in America.

Grabbing at Adam’s jacket, his gloves slipping on the leather, Parker jerked his head up.

“Okay?” Adam called.

“Yeah.” Parker’s heart raced, and he took a deep breath. “No. We need to stop. I’m going to fall asleep and end up as roadkill.”

Adam slowed the motorcycle. “There’s nothing for at least…twenty miles or so.”

“That’s okay. We can camp out. I just…shit, I need to sleep. It’s catching up with me.”

In the darkness, Adam eased off the road. When he cut the engine, it was silent but for the wind whistling across the barren earth. The temperature drop at night in the desert was extreme, and Parker shivered. “That winter outdoor blanket from the sports store sure is coming in handy.” He pulled it from the backpack and unfolded it. “It’s weird. That was what? A week ago? I have no idea what day it is. But it feels like it’s been a million years.”

“It really does.” Adam stood with his head tipped back. He whistled softly. “The stars are incredible out here.”

Parker gazed up at the thick carpet of constellations, a sea of lights that went on forever. “It’s like the sky is closer somehow. You know what I mean?”

Adam nodded. “You want to eat?”

“Uh-uh. I just need to sleep.” Parker pulled out his toothbrush and toothpaste, using a few sips of water to rinse as he spat onto the cracked earth. It was a little luxury both he and Adam enjoyed.

While Adam brushed, still keeping his eyes on the stars, Parker found what looked to be the area of ground with the least amount of scrub and rocks. The sand still felt painfully hard as he stretched out, but it would have to do. He sat back up and unstrapped the machete, and then positioned the pack so both he and Adam could use it for a pillow. He held up the blanket so Adam could squeeze under with him.

They moved into each other’s arms automatically now. Parker had never felt so physically comfortable with another person. The fumblings at prep school were light years away from the easy way he and Adam fit together. They kissed under the canopy of stars, the waxing moon beaming over the lunar landscape.

Parker sometimes thought he could just be happy kissing Adam forever. The roughness of Adam’s growing beard contrasted with the softness of his mouth and tongue, and sent Parker’s head spinning every single time. He sighed as he broke away to take a breath. “I could kiss you all night.”

“Mmm. Won’t get much sleep that way.” Adam dipped his head and latched onto Parker’s throat. He apparently loved to mark Parker’s fair skin, since he did it every chance he got.

Something scuttled nearby, and Parker froze. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” Adam mumbled against his neck.

“Oh my God. Are there scorpions out here? Snakes? Spiders? Something else I can’t think of but is equally terrifying and gross?” Parker dug his fingers into Adam’s shoulders.

“They’ll stay far away from us, don’t worry.”

“Can you sniff them out?”

Adam’s laugh was warm. “Definitely. They’ll stay away from the big, bad wolf.”

“Seriously? Can they like, sense you?”

With a sigh, Adam lifted his head. “Parker, I’m sure they’re all burrowed into their homes for the night.” He kissed the tip of Parker’s nose. “Go to sleep.”

“Okay.” Parker resolutely closed his eyes and snuggled closer. His eyes flew open. “Wait, did you actually just refer to yourself as the big, bad wolf? Did that happen?”

Adam said nothing.

“Hello?” Parker reached under Adam’s jacket and shirt to tickle his belly. “Admit it. You called yourself the big, bad wolf.”

He caught Parker’s wrist with a reluctant smile. “Okay, I give. I admit it.”

“That would naturally make me Little Red Riding Hood in this scenario. Oh, what big eyes you have!”

“All the better to see you with, my dear.”

Even though it was just a joke, hearing the endearment on Adam’s tongue made Parker’s heart skip a beat. Was he dear to Adam? He thought he was, but were they boyfriends now? Did Adam care as much as Parker cared about him? He shoved the thoughts back down to deal with another time. “My, what big teeth you have.”

Adam flashed a grin and nipped Parker’s neck.

“Seriously, did you ever go to the orthodontist? Because your teeth are incredibly straight and white.”

“It’s all natural.”

“Let me see your fangs. I want to check something.”

Adam’s smile faded. “You don’t want to see those. Come on, we should sleep.”

“No. Show me.” Parker frowned. “Why are you so tense all of a sudden? I’ve seen them before.”

“Not like this. Only when I had to.” Adam tried to roll over. “Time to sleep.”

“Uh-uh.” Parker splayed his hand on Adam’s chest. Of course Adam was far stronger, but he stopped moving. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I want to see.”