Until the End of the World (Book 1) (13 page)

“If Dot says it’s serious, then it’s serious. So I left right away. We live in an apartment complex, the kind with lawns and parking?”

I nod. My hand pumps the filter faster, and I realize I’m getting nervous for him.

“I pulled into our spot, when out of nowhere people started rushing me. I could tell they were far gone, all bloody, so I backed up. I hit one behind me. That
thunk
, oh, man.” He closes his eyes briefly.

“But I couldn’t get out of the car. I knew I’d get bit if I did. I pulled back, hoping she was okay. Her foot was crushed, completely crushed, but she got up with her leg dragging behind her. Didn’t stop her at all, didn’t even act like it hurt.

“I called Dot and told her to be ready at the back windows and drove on the grass. I wasn’t taking any chances by having the kids walk. She already had everything packed; she’d called me and then got ready.

“They were coming around the building, making these terrible noises. Have you heard them? I don’t know how to describe it.”

When he looks up his eyes are red and frightened. I know exactly what he means. It’s unearthly, hungry; there are many words to describe the sound, but none does it justice. A crying baby awakens an instinct to comfort it; its cry has been carefully calibrated by nature to force nurture. These sounds do the opposite. Some primal part awakens, scratching to get out and take over, like a little rabbit running for its life from a hawk. I shiver as I nod at him.

“Thank God the streets were clear for the most part. We didn’t have a plan, until we drove past our self-storage place. We used the code to get in, and for a few minutes I thought about staying there. It’s got a fence and the units have metal doors, but then I realized we might end up surrounded. So we got out our camping stuff to head upstate.”

I’m absurdly glad for a second that my life’s gone the way it has these past few years. Adrian and I might have had a baby to protect against this. That little boy at the office building was Hank’s age. I bite the inside of my cheek before my eyes can fill.

“Do you know where you’re headed?” I ask.

“I spent a lot of summers at YMCA camps. We’re heading to one that’s pretty out of the way. You?”

I tell him about my parents’ house.

“Sounds like the place to go.” He takes over the pumping of the filter and speaks again. “Hank has some pretty interesting ideas about what’s going on. You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”

“I bet I would.”

He gives me a look that says there’s no way. “He says they’re dead. Like zombies. Not Caribbean zombies, but horror movie zombies. I mean, they look like it, but it’s impossible.”

“He’s right.”

Henry looks up sharply. “But how can that be?”

“I don’t know. Penny and Ana’s mother is a nurse. She made us leave New York last night. She knew about the bridges.”

I tell him everything she told us and how the CDC still denies it. His face is grim when I finish.

Back at camp, our table is cluttered with ramen noodles, freeze-dried hiking food and junk from the vending machine. The latter items are being eyed by Hank and Corrine, who jump to inspect the packages when Penny invites them over. She’s started the backpacking stove and put on a pot of water.

Dorothy cooks dinner on a two burner camp stove. We decline her offer of fresh food. We have plenty, even if it’s mostly vitamin-free. She watches the kids take one treat each and nods approvingly when they thank us. Dottie’s quiet and has a soft smile, but underneath that is a woman who isn’t going to let things just happen to her family. I like her.

The solar radio reminds us to stay calm and remain home. It repeats the addresses of treatment centers in an endless loop but doesn’t say anything about the infected being dead or how long this will last. James curses and spins the tuning knob for some real news. We catch the tail end of an announcement that all government offices are closed until Tuesday before it turns to static.

“Chicken a la king or ramen noodles?” I ask.

Ramen noodles win. Nelly puts out the little tin plates he’s been carrying in his pack. I spoon noodles onto the plates, and then the only sounds are slurping. It’s warm and filling. Even Peter, who’s a food snob, seems to be enjoying his.

“I’ll clean up,” he offers, when everyone’s finished.

“I’ll help you,” I say.

I follow him to one of Henry’s water containers. He scrapes and rinses plates and pretends I’m not here.

“Listen, Peter,” I blurt out. “I’d like to be friends.”

I know it’s lame, but there’s no other way to say it. The beam from the flashlight leaves his face in darkness, but I can hear the scowl in his voice.

“I don’t really want to be
friends
, Cassandra.” I wince. “Is it really so hard to understand that?”

I don’t see much of an option at this point. Unless his plan is to hate me instead.

“Well, I’d rather be friends than fight. I’m sorry about back at the house.”

I can’t think of anything else to say. Usually when you break up with someone you get to leave and lick your wounds, not live with them in a tiny tent. He doesn’t answer, and we finish in silence.

Henry insists on taking first-watch shift, since we’ve barely slept. Nelly, Peter and I squeeze into our tent. When I accidentally brush against Peter, he recoils like I’ve stung him. I make myself as small as possible and curl into Nelly. What I wouldn’t give for that third tent in the van.

I want nothing more than to snuggle with Nelly when he crawls in after his shift and wakes me for mine. It can’t be much more than forty degrees out here. I wish I could build a big, toasty fire, but it might attract attention. I duck back into the tent for extra socks and Nelly’s fleece. When I come out Penny’s zipping up her tent and yawning. She wears a hat and Eric’s old jacket over her own. I put on water for tea as we face out into the darkness and shiver. It’s not like we can see anything, so calling it a watch seems silly. It’s more like a listen, and, thankfully, the woods are silent. So quiet that when Penny speaks I startle.

“I’m so tired, I feel like I could sleep forever.”

“Why don’t you go back to sleep?” I say. “I can sit out here by myself.”

She shakes her head. “No, no.” I’m relieved. I would’ve sat out here alone, but I would’ve been scared. “I’m not leaving you out here by yourself. Besides, it’ll be nice. We needed some post-apocalyptic girl time.”

I laugh and lean against her. “You okay?”

“No. Yeah. What choice do I have? And Ana, it’s too much for her, with leaving my mom behind.”

Ana’s off the hook for watch because she’s acting like she can’t handle the responsibility. I think Ana could do watch, if she wanted to, but I keep that thought to myself. Penny gives everyone the benefit of the doubt, including me.

She stomps her feet quietly on the ground to warm up. I use the flashlight to pour us both a cup of tea. The powdered creamer and sugar don’t exactly make it delicious, but it’s warm, and that’s what counts. The emergency blanket crackles, and we shush each other and giggle as we spread it over us.

The mood has lightened, so I ask the question I’ve been dying to ask. “So, you and James?”

“Yeah, me and James. Cass, I really, really like him.”

“Well, Nelly and I already knew that. We thought you’d be perfect for each other, since you’re both nerds.” She elbows me. “Okay, you’re both smart and funny and well-behaved.”

She snorts. It’s true, though. She’s naturally good, she can’t help it. We balance each other out.

“So what base have you gotten to?” I ask. Now I’m just bothering her.

“
Base?
What are you, in eighth grade?” But she’s used to this question. I’ve been asking her it since, well, eighth grade.

I try not to laugh. “You know I am. So?”

“And what base do you think? Let’s see, there was the night we kissed, and then the night we ran from hordes of dead people. And then tonight, in a tent with my sister. It’s been pretty romantic so far. Why am I even answering you?” She laughs.

“Okay, okay! But, seriously, what base?” I whisper, and grin as she ignores me.

An easy silence falls and we watch the sky grow lighter. I turn the radio on very low. It’s an actual broadcast.

“…has broken out in New York City. The bodies of those who have tried to swim to safety are washing up on shore. There is mass rioting and looting in major cities from Florida to Massachusetts, and traffic is at a standstill out of every major metropolitan area. Abandoned cars make it impossible for police to clear the roads. The president declared that the National Guard has the authority to stop illegal activities in whatever way they see fit.

“The president asked Americans to remain calm while Bornavirus is eradicated. He maintains that only a week is needed, but the quarantining of major cities has caused people to flee for less populated areas. There are reports of roads being blocked by infected persons. Authorities maintain that staying in the safety of your home is still the best way to remain healthy. Please stay tuned for updates.”

I turn it down again.

Nelly steps out of our tent. “Well, that was depressing.”

“Sorry, we were trying not to wake anyone,” I say.

“Nah, I was awake.”

He refuses when I offer his jacket back. He’s got one of my dad’s flannel shirts on, and I can’t believe that he’s warm enough, but I keep it on gratefully.

He sits and puts his arm around Penny. “So, how are you doing?”

Penny shrugs and the line between her eyebrows deepens. “I just hope my mom’s okay.”

The worried expression makes her look so young, like we could be sixteen the morning after a sleepover, and for a moment I wish it were so, even though usually I’d rather stick a pen in my eye than go back to high school. At least the world was relatively safe.

“I hope so too, darlin’.” He squeezes her close and thanks me for the truly awful instant coffee I hand him. “And how about your new beau?”

She pushes her glasses up, flustered. “It’s good.”

“I was wondering, has James slid into second base yet?” he asks, and tries not to smile. She huffs and glares at us as we crack up.

The Washingtons give us a wave as they head to the toilet. I wonder if they have a plan and resolve to ask after breakfast. We need to figure out our next step.

Hank and Corrine look at our breakfast spread of cookies and packaged danishes jealously while they pick at their eggs and toast. You don’t appreciate real food when you’re nine and twelve.

“I’d like to hear what you’re planning next,” I say, after everyone has finished.

James opens our map and runs his finger along the distance from the park to the house. Peter glances at the map as if it’s rudely interrupted his staring into the forest and then resumes staring. Ana still hasn’t woken.

“We’re about a hundred miles away, more if we take a lot of back roads,” James explains.

“Well, what does everyone think about getting on the road?” I ask. “Sooner or later?”

“Dot and I were thinking of waiting a few days,” Henry says. “It’s a gamble. There’ll be more infected, but I’m hoping people will have gotten where they’re going. I’m also hoping the situation will have improved.”

He rubs a hand over his eyebrows. When he lowers it, there’s doubt in his eyes.

Nelly nods. “I don’t want to get stuck at another one of those treatment areas or a roadblock. We were lucky to get out.”

“I have a feeling things are only getting worse,” James says. “But waiting a few days might be a good idea either way. Henry, do you know somewhere we might be able to buy camping supplies?”

Henry’s face creases as he thinks. “There are a few stores, mom and pop-type of places. We need some gear, too.”

“What would you say to a team effort?” Nelly asks.

“I was hoping you’d ask that.” The lines in his brow smooth out a tad. “And we’re glad to have company for a couple of days.”

We might have a couple of days before people arrive. It’s pretty isolated here, and that’s bound to draw others once they get unsnarled from traffic. We plan to head out in a few hours to a store Henry thinks is our best bet.

It’s warming up. I take off Nelly’s jacket and wish for a hot shower. My jeans are filthy, and after a few swipes I give up. I re-braid my hair. At least my teeth are brushed and we have deodorant. Feeling marginally cleaner, I sit at the table and listen to the radio repeat the same things.

“I hate talk radio!” Corrine complains.

She sticks headphones in her ears and plops down at the table. Hank sighs, scoots over so she isn’t so close, and continues reading. Nelly, James and Henry have gone to get more water, and Penny’s in the tent with Ana. Peter’s fascination with the surrounding forest has not yet waned. I think about trying to talk to him but don’t want to get shot down again.

“Hank,” I say. “What’re you reading?”

He looks up. “Oh, just a graphic novel.”

“What’s it about?”

“Well,” he glances around and moves next to me, “it’s about zombies. I know everyone thinks they’re fake, but I brought it just in case.”

I nod. “Your dad told me what you were saying about the infected.”

His eyes are wary behind his glasses. “He told me I was right last night.”

“You are right.”

He grins but then tries to wipe it off because it really isn’t anything to smile about.

“I didn’t think it could really be true.” He gloats for a minute, but then his face grows solemn. “But it means we’re in big trouble. This is serious, Cassie.”

The way he says my name is so grown-up that it’s hard not to treat him like one.

“Yeah, Hank, it is.”

Dottie interrupts Hank’s effusive showing and telling of every detail he’s ever read about zombies to take him and Corrine to wash up. I don’t know how much of it is accurate, but it can’t hurt to know, I guess. Besides, I like Hank.

I straighten up the campsite and am about to drag out a book when everyone gets back from the stream. I call softly to Penny and tell her we’re leaving.

“Where’s Peter?” Nelly asks.