Tainted Grace (15 page)

“Fuck,” said Boggs.

“Abbey? Is Jane asleep?” asked Gus.

“
Yeah. Out cold.”

“Ok, good.
I don’t want her knowing about any of this. We need to get to the Suburban and leave. As soon as possible,” instructed Gus. “We need to keep our cool and not let anyone here suspect what we’re up to.”

“What about our weapons?” asked
Boggs.

“Looks like we’ll be leaving them behind,” answered our resident cowboy.
“Dress in layers, as long as it’s not obvious. Leave your winter coats behind or they might suspect something.”

“Gus, we’re not even sure where the Suburban is,” said Emilie.

“I saw what looked like a garage next to the entry gate,” said Susan. “Maybe it’s there.”

“I noticed that too,” echoed Gus.

“No time like the present,” said Nathan. “Shall we head out?”

“I’m scared,” said Abbey.

“Me too, Abs,” said Kelsey to her little sister. “But all we can do is stay together.”

Abbey nodded.

“I hate to be a downer, but I think we should stay a few days. Plan this out better,” suggested Susan.

“Susan,” said Gus, his tone the most serious that I had ever heard it.
“Don’t argue. You don’t even want to know the specific plans they said they have for you, love.”

Susan looked shocked, and declined to answer.
I shivered, recalling the absurd things the man in the shower room had said about what he wanted to do to her.

“Abbey, can you go ahead and wake Jane?” asked Gus.

I was already slipping my spare pair of pants on, and Emilie was layering herself. She eyed my current attire of underpants and a shirt, saw that Gus was dressed the same, but politely didn’t question us.

“I’ll explain later, Em,” I said.
She nodded in understanding.

“Zoe, can you get Jane dressed?” asked Kelsey.

Jane was climbing down the ladder, looking sleepy. Her soft red hair was a mess. I knelt down once her feet were planted on the floor and spoke softly to her.

“Jane, we need to go now.
It’s super important that we stay together and stay quiet. Can you do that?”

She nodded while rubbing at her eyes.
“Are we coming back?”

“No, sweetheart, I don’t think so.
There’s some bad people here that might try to hurt us if we don’t leave.”

“Where will we go?” she asked.

“Far away, Jane, hopefully to an island where there’s no more bad people or things. You’ll need to stay brave. Can you do that?”

She nodded again.

“Ok, let’s get your extra clothes on. Your skirt over your pants and two shirts, ok?” I asked.

She nodded again and took the extra clothes that I handed to her.

“Shoes too, Jane,” I said while smoothing her hair.

“Everyone ready?” asked Gus.

“Ready,” said several of us.

“I need help tying my shoes,” said Jane with a yawn.

“How will we get out without anyone seeing?” I asked while I knelt down to tie Jane’s laces.

“The shower room, Zoe,” said Gus.
“There’s a large window on the south side, which should put us near where the garage should be.”

“The side opposite the showers, right?” I asked, not wanting to go back near the blood and gore.

“That’s the one,” he answered.

“We never got the keys to the Suburban back,” said Boggs.

My heart sank. I just wanted to be far away from this place.

“No worries,” said Nathan.
“I can hot wire just about anything.”

“Great,” said Gus.

I was beginning to wonder what Nathan’s story was.

“You realize we’ll be leaving without any supplies,” said Emilie, looking directly at Gus.

“I do. It’s not going to be easy, Red. The Suburban will be cramped. We won’t be able to haul much. Let’s just focus on getting there and taking things as we go.”

“If we don’t make it…” Emilie’s voice trailed off.

“Shush,” I said in reply. “We’ll make it. All of us. Jane, grab your teddy bear ok?”

The little ginger-headed girl nodded and scrambled back up into her bunk to fetch the stuffed toy.
She was starting to look scared.

I looked at Boggs very seriously.
I hoped he could sense the urgency in our leaving by the look I gave him.

“It’ll be light soon.
We should go before the cover of dark is gone,” said Nathan in his deep voice.

“Ok,” said Gus.
“I want to do this three at a time so we’re not all in the hallway at the same time. Nate, you take Kelsey and Abbey first. When you get to the shower room, first make sure no one is in there. Stay away from the shower side. Just trust me on that one. If anyone is there, make an excuse to come back here. If we don’t see you back here in three minutes, I’ll bring Susan and Emilie down with me. Boggs, same deal. Give me three minutes, and if I’m not back bring Zoe and Jane.”

Nathan tilted his head in acknowledgement and ushered Abbey and Kelsey out into the hallway.
After several agonizingly slow minutes, Gus left with Emilie and Susan. Boggs tried to pry information out of me while we waited our turn, but I refused to give details in front of little Jane.

Finally, once we felt three minutes had passed, Boggs crept into the hall and Jane and I followed.
We were in front of the double doors of the shower room when we heard a cheerful male voice.

“Morning!”

My stomach dropped and I turned to see who it was, although I recognized the voice from earlier in the night. It was the one who said the horrible things about me and my baby. I was holding Boggs’ hand and squeezed it tightly. I felt him tense beside me.

“Morning,” said Boggs.
I could tell his voice was off, and hoped the man greeting us was unaware of this fact.

Jane was hiding behind my legs.
I prayed she wouldn’t say a word.

“What are you three up to so early?” asked the young man.
He had a rolling cart with him, including a mop and bucket. I assumed it was to clean up the bloody mess.

“Just headed to the showers,” I said quickly.

“Oh, well, they’re out of order at this hour,” he said. Now closer, I recognized him as Karl from the truck ride here. “Sorry but it’s cleaning time. You can use the shower rooms at the other end, where the kids usually do their thing. They’re all still asleep.”

“Sure,” said Boggs.
“Sounds great.” He had raised the volume of his voice a notch. “Here, I’ll hold the door for you.”

Before Karl could respond Boggs opened the door wide and stood off to one side.
I stepped behind Boggs, sweeping Jane along with me.

Karl seemed on edge.
“Thanks, man.” He pushed his cart through the door, into the locker room.

Before I understood fully what was happening, I heard a crash and saw the young man fall to the floor.

“Quick, Gus, drag him in,” whispered Boggs.

Jane was still behind my legs and crying softly as we crowded into the confusion that was happening at the entryway of the locker room.

“Jane, Shhhh,” I hushed. “He’s a bad guy, understand honey?”

She nodded quickly and wiped at her wide eyes.
Gus and Nathan had each taken hold of the man’s limp arms and dragged him off to the side.

“Is he dead?” asked Susan.

“No, just knocked out cold,” answered Nathan. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Nathan, take everyone over to the window over the lockers.
See about getting it open,” said Gus. “I’ll join you all in a minute.”

I was at the back of the group as we moved away.
I stopped in my tracks but didn’t turn around when I heard the snapping of Karl’s neck. Gus’ conversation with me weeks ago about killing other humans ran through my mind. Gus and I had that in common. I knew that already. I suspected Nathan may also belong in our private group of guilt and confusion. I took a deep breath, wrapped my arms around myself, and walked forward when I heard Gus dragging the young man’s body across the floor.

We were crouched alongside a concrete wall on the outside of the shower room. The beginnings of dawn were streaking the horizon, a crescent moon and the stars still partly claiming the night sky. The air felt stagnant as we breathed. A mist formed as the warm air leaving our lungs met the cold winter morning. Gus was naturally in the lead and kept Nathan close by his side. Using hand signals, they guided us in two groups toward a large building they believed was a garage.

We walked briskly, taking care to tread softly in hopes of not making excess noise.
I kept Jane’s hand in my own, gripping it tightly. Fear ran deep within me. Fear of dying, but more than that fear of losing any one of these people I had grown to love. I tried to focus on my own mind, searching for signals of the living dead nearby. There were none. At least none that I could sense. I wasn't exactly trusting my ability these days.

Boggs signaled me to the back of the building, where Nathan had already taken Kelsey and Abbey.
Gus was standing at the corner keeping watch. I had lost track of Emilie and Susan and hoped I would see them when Jane and I rounded the corner. I could feel my heart racing and looked down at Jane. Her eyes were wide with fear. I held a finger up to my lips. She clutched her stuffed bear tightly and nodded.

Now on the backside of the building, I was able to look around and size up our surroundings.
We had seen a few of the outside guards on our way from the main building, but none seemed to notice us. They seemed more focused on watching the surrounding fields for the walking dead. There was a single door several yards down from the corner where we were huddled. I could see Nathan trying the knob, and eventually opening it just far enough to peer inside. He took his time surveying the interior before signaling us all forward.

“There’s lights on, but it’s dim.
I don’t see or hear anyone. I suggest we all go inside and load into the Suburban before I hotwire it. Once the engine is running, I want to hightail it out of here.”

“So the Suburban is in there?” I asked quietly.

“Yup, to the right and up front. Can’t miss it. It’s the only vehicle in there. Gus, Boggs, I won’t know the gas level until the rig is up and running. If you two can look around for gas cans and siphoning gear, that’d help. I’ll get the ladies all loaded up.”

“Sounds like a plan, brother,” said Gus.

“Ok, count of three, everyone inside. Girls, head straight to the SUV,” said Nathan with a tone that was similar to Gus’ ‘in charge’ voice.

I nodded.

“Ready, Jane?” I asked quietly.

The little girl looked at me and nodded.
She clutched her teddy bear to her chest.

We walked into the large building.
It felt as if we were being watched. I suppose under the circumstances that was to be expected. The vehicle we were to escape in was only a handful of yards away and we reached it relatively quickly. Susan and Emilie climbed in first and moved their way to the third row seat. Abbey was next and joined them. It was going to be crowded with nine of us and eight seats. Kelsey climbed in next and helped Jane up. I was next. Nathan was already in the front, lying awkwardly on the bench seat. He was removing pieces of the steering column preparing to hotwire it.

“Nate,” said Kelsey.

When he didn’t answer, she said his name a little louder. “Nate!”

“What’s up Kels?”

“Uh, the key, Nate. It’s in the ignition.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”
His head came up and he sighed when he saw the single key in the ignition. “Well fuck my cat.”

Jane had covered her ears.
Now wasn't the time to mention bad language let alone scold a grown man for it so I kept quiet.

I turned in alarm when the back barn doors of the Suburban were suddenly opened.
My heart skipped a beat and only started again when I saw that it was Boggs.

“Gus found a couple of gas cans.
Full to boot. He’ll be right over with them. Looks like this is where they process their scavenging hauls, too, so we’re lucky.”

Boggs held a medium sized cardboard box.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Some basic food items, bleach, some rags.
A small tarp. Twine.”

Gus was beside Boggs now, two red plastic gas cans in hand.
The two men loaded the back with a total of three more boxes. I wondered for a brief moment if taking supplies from these people was wrong. That led to wondering if we could save anyone else. I put those thoughts out of my mind in a hurry, knowing full well we’d be lucky to just save ourselves.

“Nate, I need you to come with me for a couple minutes,” said Gus.
“Boggs will stay with the girls.”

Nate got out of the vehicle and walked to Gus, who handed him a pistol.
Boggs was sitting beside me now.

“Boggs?” I asked.
“Where’d the guns come from?”

“There’s a back office.
They have a stash there. One of the boxes in the back of the car is full of them.”

I was pleasantly surprised.

“Abbey, Jane,” said Boggs in the kindest voice he could muster. “We’ll be leaving in a minute. I want you to both close your eyes once the car starts, and don’t open them until one of us says so. Can you do that?”

Jane looked first to me, then to Boggs, and nodded.
“Yes,” she whispered.

“Abbey?” asked Boggs.

“Ok.”

I looked back.
Nate and Gus had gone back outside. Boggs climbed over into the front seat and turned the ignition over. The SUV roared to blessed life. In the next moments, we heard three gunshots. The large rolling garage door opened, allowing daylight to enter. Gus and Nate both came running in through the large exit. Boggs was already driving the SUV toward them. He slowed only long enough for them to both climb inside. Nate ended up in the front seat with Boggs, and Gus beside me in the middle row.

“Go!” yelled Gus.

The Suburban lurched forward and before I realized what was happening we were at the large chain link gate that led to the world beyond the compound. Terry, the man who had driven the Suburban here, was looming before us. He stood with a handgun aimed upward at our vehicle. Boggs brought the SUV to a stop.

“Keep your eyes closed, girls,” Nate instructed the youngest of our group.

As Terry began walking around to the driver’s door, Gus raised his own pistol and aimed expertly through his open window. The shot rang out, deafeningly loud, and I watched as Terry was thrown backward. Gus hit his mark, mid chest, and the man lay bleeding out on the asphalt. I could see blood sputtering from his mouth as he struggled to breathe. His handgun lay several feet away, of no use. Nathan had already exited the SUV and was running toward the gate. He raised his gun and shot at the lock, setting the gate free of its chain. He threw the gate outward, opening it enough for us to move through. By now others were running toward us from the building, and quickly approaching. I knew they would soon be within firing range. Nathan stopped short of getting back into the SUV, aimed his gun at the dying man, and shot him in the head. Jane, clinging to me tightly and clenching her eyes shut, flinched at the sound. Nathan ran back to the vehicle as we moved forward, and climbed in on-the-move.

The Suburban moved effortlessly through the exit, nicking the metal gate with its right headlight.
It was a heavy rig and the impact didn’t even faze the large metal body. None of us spoke. I looked out the back window to see if anyone was following us by vehicle. The garage we had just left was growing smaller in the distance as we drove away. People were scurrying about in a mass of disorder. Someone was kneeling beside the now dead Terry, shaking him in their grief. Jane was clinging to me. I held her close to me, and took comfort in Gus’ arm wrapped around me.

“Zoe, we had to do it.
To save ourselves,” whispered Gus.

His breath against my neck was soothing.
I closed my eyes and breathed him in, not in a wanting way, just in needing-a-human-near-me-way.

“I know,” I answered quietly.
My voice was just below a whisper as I rested my face near his ear. I wished I could melt into him, and hide there for a long time.

The ride was rough as the SUV traveled along a dirt road away from the compound.
The building, the explosion, and the scattering people were now well out of sight. It’s hard to say how long we drove before I felt able to lift my head from where it rested against Gus. Everyone else had been quiet as we drove. Something felt surreal. I realized that Jane’s body was limp against me as she slept and the heat from her small body was making me uncomfortable. I looked over and saw that her thumb was perched precariously in her mouth, threatening to fall out at any moment.

“Gus?” I whispered.

“Hmm?”

“What will we do with her?” I asked as I looked back at the little girl.
She suddenly looked so frail. Her skin was pale and dark circles surrounded her eyes.

“Just the best we can, Zoe.”
He shifted in his seat.

“Gus,” said Boggs, raising his voice enough to be heard from the front seat.

“Yeah brother?”

“Have you figured out where we are yet?”

“Looks to me like we’re on Highway 20.”

“We’re near Concrete,” said Nathan.
“I recognize it. Won’t be long ‘til we’re to Interstate 5. We should think about stopping for more supplies soon. Maybe one of the houses off the highway.”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Boggs.

“So we’re west of the pass?” asked Kelsey from the back seat.

“Looks that way,” said Gus.
“On the way to the compound I suspected as much by my ears popping.”

“That’s lucky,” Susan said.
Her voice sounded defeated.

We drove on in silence for the next several miles.
My stomach felt like it was full of butterflies, fearful of what we’d encounter next. Before long my hip began one of its familiar aching episodes and my brain came alive with the buzzing of the dead.

“They’re near,” I said.

Jane stirred in her sleep at my side.

“I think they’re the slow ones, the Roamers, and I can’t see anything,” I elaborated.

“Right,” said Gus simply. He seemed in a mood of sorts, and I made a point to mark down in the back of my mind to talk to him privately when I had a chance. I knew he had just killed at least two people, possibly more.

Soon, a large concrete structure came to view.
It had large red letters painted on the side that faced the highway that read ‘Welcome to Concrete.’ I had no idea what the structure was for. It was oddly shaped, tall and narrow.

“Boggs, there’s a turn off maybe a mile up on your right.
There’s a restaurant not far down the road and farther back are a couple of houses. I think we should stop there,” said Nathan.

“Zoe?
What do you think?” asked Gus.

“If I have to guess, the Roamers are behind us now.
I feel another one, but it’s weaker if that makes any sense. I think we should just be careful.”

“Ok,” answered Gus.
“Zoe, I want you coming in with us. Me, you, Nathan. Boggs, I want you to stay here in the Suburban with the rest of the girls. Any issues, I know you and Emilie are good shots.”

“Roger that,” said Boggs.
“Just promise me you’ll take care of Zoe.”

“You know it.”

I knew that Gus wanted me to go inside to act as a zombie alarm. I was truthfully looking forward to getting out of the cramped vehicle for a while.

Boggs turned off where Nathan had said to.
There was an old restaurant, just like Nathan had described. The sign out front and half of the building front was burnt. The cedar shake roof sagged dramatically, part of it devoured by a fire. There were no cars in the gravel parking lot, but an old patio table was tipped on its side with three folding chairs scattered about. I looked away, tired of being witness to such destruction.

“If I recall correctly, the road off to the left leads to a small house.
The one to the right leads to a barn and a trailer,” said Nathan.

“You know the area well,” said Gus.

“Yup.” Nathan didn’t offer more information than that.

Jane stirred beside me, and then stretched sleepily.

“Where are we?” she asked in her small, timid voice.

“We’re just stopping for some supplies, sweetie,” I said.
“You’re going to wait in the car with Emilie and Boggs, ok?”

Jane looked scared, and her eyes were filled with panic.

“It’s ok, honey, I’ll be all right and we won’t be gone long. Ok?”

Jane nodded, put her thumb back in her mouth, and began sucking.
Gus turned the SUV to the left and the asphalt road gave way to one of dirt and erosion. After a bend in the road, a modest brick home came into view. It was newer, and I wondered why anyone would want to build a house out here in the middle of nowhere. My brain filled with the buzzing of a single Runner. I knew that it too was aware of us. It was hungry. So very hungry. It was trapped and wanted desperately to get out and eat. It was weak and confused.