The Plague Unto The End (24 page)

“How about Rev and Deandre?  How are they holding up?” I asked.

Matt walked past Beth and me and said, “Augh, enough talking about people.  Let’s just go see for ourselves.”

Beth rolled her eyes, but watched to see where Matt went as he walked, “The Reverend and Deandre are fine I guess.  I haven’t heard that Deandre kid say a word and the Reverend keeps talking about God’s will,” said Beth.

“Okay, well, I’m really hungry and thirsty.  I think Rev said they ran a soup kitchen here right?” I asked Beth like she would know more about it than I would.

“Yeah, we had some things to eat while Jim’s party was out, but no one else has felt like eating since,” said Beth.

“Well, I feel awful about Tracey and Hadley too, but I seriously feel like I’m about to pass out,” I said.

Beth walked with me to the kitchen of the church and pointed out a cabinet full of canned goods.  There were a whole lot of cans of green beans and just about whatever canned fruit you could ask for.  There was also a stack of water jugs in one of the pantries.  I pulled out my water bottle from my backpack and filled it up.  Even the room-temperature water felt good to drink.  I found a can opener and opened a can of beans and a can of pears.  Given the fact that I hadn’t really eaten actual food in more than a day, I probably shouldn’t have eaten as fast as I did.  I sat back in a chair in the kitchen and just stared at the wall for a few minutes.  It was the first time since that morning that I had been able to lower my guard.

My backpack sat on the floor next to my seat.  I’d left it unzipped after I pulled out my water bottle.  I could see the video camera sitting in the bottom of the bag.  I reached inside and quickly pulled it out.  It had been a while since Dad had shown me how to use the camera and it took me a few seconds to figure out where the power switch was.  I flipped open the viewfinder display and turned it on.  The battery icon was blinking, but I pressed the play button anyway. 

There was Thomas, staring at me.

“I’m not sure who is going to find this,” Thomas said, “and I’m not sure how long I can stay awake.  I feel like I’m going to pass out.  Anyway, I couldn’t think of anything else to do.  I tried calling all of you guys with the phone here in the garage, but nobody would answer.  I even tried calling 9-1-1.  I need somebody to come get me...listen to me.  I’m talking to this camera like you can hear me.  I don’t really know why I even turned this on.”  Thomas reached over and shut off the camera.

I sat staring at the display thinking,
That’s it?  I waited all this time for that?

I reached over to turn the power off and the display came back up.  There was Thomas again.

“Alright...I’m really starting...to worry now...I have dozed off...a few times now.  I was going to try to...run for the front of the house...and get a neighbor, but...there are more crazy people out there.  I don’t know what...else to do....” Thomas sat glaring into the camera for a few moments.

“I...I’m scared...I tried to call everyone again...but still no one will pick up.  My shoulder really hurts.  My hand is getting numb.  Where are you guys?  I need some....” Thomas stopped.

I could hear the garage phone ringing and Thomas became excited.  He got up and walked over to the phone.

“He...Hello?” Thomas stuttered.  “Dad?”

The camera shut off and I was left sitting there waiting to find out anything that would let me know where dad and mom might be.

“No, that can’t be it,” I said out loud to myself.

I tried to turn the camera back on, but the battery was completely dead.  I sat trying to think of any way that I could get the camera working again, but without a working power outlet, there wasn’t much I could do.  I felt like smashing the camera, but I wanted even more to know what dad said to Thomas on the phone.  I sighed and put the camera back into my backpack.

I thought maybe Rev might have something I could use to charge the camera, but I needed to check on the others in the group before I worried about seeing the tape.  I saw Rev sitting in the auditorium and he looked like he was praying.  I didn’t want to interrupt him.  I could see Tracey lying on a table at the front of the room.  Someone had laid her on her back and folded her arms.  She almost looked peaceful.  I hadn’t known her but for a day, but she would have fit in really well with the rest of our group.  I heard a door shut down the hall and saw Deandre walking toward the auditorium with a handful of dandelions and a couple other wild flowers from the rear yard of the church.  He stopped and looked at me for a moment.  He looked over at Tracey and lowered his head as he walked into the room with Rev.  He walked passed Rev and put the flowers on Tracey’s body.  He leaned over, hugged Tracey, and walked back out of the room and past me.

“Hey, Deandre,” I said.

He turned and looked back at me.

“She was your friend?” I asked.

Deandre looked uncomfortable, but he nodded in response.

“She was my friend too.  I’m sorry that our friend is dead.  Maybe she’s in a better place,” I said.

Deandre just looked at me.  I could see that his eyes were filling with tears.  He slowly turned and walked away from me as he wiped his eyes with his arm.  I didn’t know what else to say.  All of us had experienced so much death in the last few days that it almost felt like we might be getting used to it.  I didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.  I looked in at Rev one more time and continued walking down the hall to look for the others.  I could hear some chatter coming from one of the classrooms down the hall.  It sounded like Jim and Sid talking.  Jim was obviously down on himself for what had happened.

“Look, man, that could have happened to any one of us.  I mean, at least you tried to do somethin,” said Sid, trying to console Jim.

“I’m responsible for another living person’s death.  I did it.  She is dead and it’s
my
fault,” snapped Jim.

I stepped into the room, “Jim, I know you are beating yourself up right now, but you tried to save her and Hadley.  If you had not taken the shot, what would have happened?”

“She’d still be alive!” said Jim.

“Are you sure?  Were you close enough to keep the corpses off of her?” I asked.

“I don’t know, but I do know that I killed her...I liked her, man,” said Jim.

“I liked her too, and besides that, she cut off Sid’s arm.  I’m sure you’ve wanted to mutilate Sid before,” I said, trying to lighten to mood.

Jim chuckled for a second, “Yeah I guess you’re right.  I do still have this numbskull to keep me company.  With his
one
arm.”

“Hey, you fellas keep joking about my arm.  That ain’t funny.  My left arm is gone and my hand itches,” said Sid.

“Well, scratch it then,” said Jim.

“I can’t!  It’s the one that’s gone that itches,” said Sid as he threw an empty bean can of beans at Jim.

“Anyway, you guys seen Matt?” I asked.

“Don’t know where he went, but he might be trying to talk up Beth.  He’s been mighty fond of her,” said Sid.

“Too bad she’s more into me,” said Jim with a big grin.

“She never even looked at you.  I bet she forgets that you’re even part of the group sometimes,” said Sid.  Jim picked up the can and threw it back at Sid.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to throw that can at each other,” I said as I walked out of the room.

I saw Curtis step out of one of the other rooms and try to quietly shut the door.  He looked at me and started to walk toward me.  He looked concerned.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“She just went to sleep,” Curtis responded.

“That’s good, though, right?” I asked.

“She’s really burning up.  Tracey was supposed to get some antibiotics for her and some pain medicine, but...she doesn’t have the medicine.  What’s going to happen to Frannie?” Curtis said.

“Do you remember what Tracey told you she needed?”

“She didn’t tell me what the name of the antibiotic was,” said Curtis.

“Well, maybe you and I can make a run to go get all the antibiotics they have in one of the pharmacies around here,” I said.

“Yeah, let’s do that, but I can’t go.  I can’t leave her again.  She needs me here.  Do you think you and Matt might be able to go?” said Curtis.

“Well, I guess we could, but I’m not sure how much Matt wants to run back out there,” I said.

“You’ve got to help her,” Curtis pled.

“I’ll talk to Matt.  If he won’t go...I need you to go with me,” I said.

“He has to go.  She needs the medicine,” said Curtis.

“Okay, I know.  We will do something.  I’m sure she is going to be fine.  Has she eaten anything?” I asked.

“I tried to get her to eat, but she just won’t eat anything,” said Curtis.

“Like I said, I will go talk to Matt and we’ll try to arrange to go out in the morning,” I said as I walked away from Curtis.

“No, you have to get it tonight.  She has waited long enough!  She is going to die!” yelled Curtis.

I was shocked at Curtis’ outburst.  Sid and Jim came out into the hall and watched.  Rev came out to see what was going on too.  I just stood still for a moment and turned to look at Curtis again.

“Look, Matt and I just got back after you left us to be eaten at the Sports Authority!  We walked and fought our way back here.  Oh, and did you risk anything to try to come back for us?  No, you didn’t.  I think Matt and I have earned a little rest!” I said as I walked toward Curtis and he slowly stumbled backwards.

“I...I, she...” were the only words Curtis could get out to respond.

“I don’t want your sister to die either, but I can’t just keep going and going without rest or a little time away from the dead people out there,” I said as I stepped closer to Curtis.

“Well, I’ll go then...and if you want...you can come too,” stammered Curtis.  “But I’m going tonight.”

“Have you ever been out there at night?  You can’t see them.  You can only hear how close they are.”

“I don’t care.  I’m going to get that medicine for Frannie.  I’m going with or without you,” said Curtis as he tried to stand a little taller.

I turned and looked back at Sid and Jim.  They both tried to look casual and slowly stepped back into their room.  Rev crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

“Look, son,” Rev said to Curtis, “he’s right.  There is no sense taking a chance that both of you either get trapped or worse just because you have something to prove to yourself.”

“I have to save her.  She can’t die.  I wasn’t there to save mom, but I am here for Frannie,” said Curtis.

“And if you do get the medicine tonight, are you going to wake her up from the only real sleep she’s probably gotten in days?  Just so you can feel like you
did
something?” said Rev.

Curtis stood still and glared.  I could see that he was physically shaking from the overwhelming emotions he was going through.

“Calm down!  If you are going to go out there, you are going to need some rest too.  You aren’t going to do your sister any good if you’re too exhausted to make it out there.  Now go get some rest and y’all can head out in the morning,” reasoned Rev.

Curtis looked over at me and I could see the tears building in his eyes.  His fists were clenched and he seemed like he didn’t know what else to say.

“I know God always has a plan and his plan so far has kept you and your sister alive.  Come on, Curtis, let’s go pray over your sister.  With God’s hands on her she can endure no suffering,” said Rev, walking toward Curtis.