Wormwood Dawn (Episode II) (10 page)

“I think he found us,” he said.

“Yep,” Drew replied, switching to burst mode and firing again.

The container suddenly shook as something impacted the roof. Dan and Drew looked at each other in terror.

“Fuck,” Dan whispered. “He’s back.”

The shamblers at the front of the container began to flee. Even they were terrified of the creature that had made its appearance. Dan lowered himself back into the cab, grabbing his Barrett. He stood up again as Drew slapped in another magazine. Outside, the hissing and jingling began again, and the sound of heavy footsteps was heard from above.

Eight curled claws appeared around the top edge; long, sickly white, and spindly like bone. A low clicking growl followed, and Dan pulled back the bolt on his rifle in preparation.

Outside, the
thockthockthock
grew louder, and shamblers continued to fall in the distance.

Drew fired, striking the metal roof. Sparks flew as the rounds ricocheted, and the creature’s hissing increased in ferocity. Pulling its claws back, the creature leaped to the ground in front of the opening, crouched and poised to charge.

It was sickly white, with glossy skin that showed blue veins underneath. It was still mostly human in shape, but ghastly and skeletal. Its human face hung in shreds, revealing the hollow eyes and horrifying mouth. The bottom jaw, lined with transparent, dripping fangs, was split in the middle, and its top jaw was nothing more than a slab of jagged bone. It opened its jaws impossibly wide, and a snakelike tongue darted out, whipping around menacingly as the creature stalked forward.

Drew fired a burst, striking the creature in the chest. It stumbled back, howling, but kept coming.

“Dude!” Drew shouted. “Shoot the fucker!”

Dan snapped out of his trance, raising the Barrett. He was too close to aim, but fired anyway. The gunshot burst loudly in the container, and the creature was thrown back, tumbling over and over but landing on all fours. It hissed and glared as Dan pulled back the bolt to fire again.

Then, with lightning speed, it galloped forward on all fours, scaling the bumper with a single leap. Dan and Drew dropped back into the Hummer as it passed over the sunroof. Dan put it in gear and stomped on the gas, squealing the tires, and lurching forward with a jolt. The back wheels slid to the side, causing the Hummer to catch the front corner of the container.

“
Shit!”
he cursed. The creature scrambled atop the roof, bouncing off the container’s back wall.

Dan slammed the Hummer into reverse and punched it again. They shot backward, slamming into the wall just as the creature clawed its way toward the sunroof. Drew pulled out his Glock, firing several rounds out the opening as he pushed the close button. The creature screeched and thrashed as the 9mm rounds slammed into its face.

Dan slammed the Hummer into drive, and punched the gas, shooting out of the container like a bullet. Then, as the creature began scratching at the sunroof, he slammed on the brakes, pitching the thing off the roof and onto the parking lot in front of them. It rolled several times as it impacted, smoothly landing on its feet. Dan punched the gas again, bashing into the stalker and rolling right over it.

“
Again!”
Drew shouted.

Dan went in reverse, grinning evilly as he heard the crunching sounds of the tires rolling over the stalker again. As it came into view again, he growled, shifting into drive for one last roll over. Then, a deafening boom sounded to their left, and then again in front of them. The stalker exploded in a massive cloud of vile fluids and chunks of white and gray flesh. It splattered to the right, leaving a small crater in the asphalt.

Dan recovered, turning his head to the left. From a cloud of smoke, a giant figure of a man appeared, casually walking through the debris. He wore a long, black leather trench coat, a black bushman hat with spiked buckles, and rounded mirrored sunglasses. He stalked toward them with a sawn-off, lever-action repeater in one hand, and a large LMG hanging from a shoulder strap on the other. A grenade launcher was taped to the LMG, its barrel still smoking, and a huge duffel bag was slung over his left shoulder.

As he approached, the horde of shamblers began to close in again. He turned, firing into their ranks and dropping them like flies. Dan laughed as he noticed how casually the man plowed through them with the machine gun. He honked the horn, pulling forward and turning toward the man.

“
Get in!”
he shouted.

Jake lowered his machine gun, turning with a wide smile as he reached for the door handle, leaning toward the driver’s window.

“It’s about fuckin’ time,” he said.

“You could have picked a better place,” Dan said as he stomped the gas.

They plowed through row after row of shamblers, and Dan felt the satisfying splat of their bodies slamming into the bumper.

“Well,” Jake replied. “They picked it. I don’t know why.”

Drew gave him a fist bump. “Where did that awesome machine gun come from?” he asked.

“National Guard guys gave it to me,” Jake said. “Along with some other shit.”

The horde ahead seemed never ending. Dan plowed through them one after another, but there seemed to be no end in sight. He swerved and spun, dodging the containers and wrecked cars, all while trying hard to hit every shambler he saw.

“Need some help?” Jake asked. He stood in his seat as Drew opened the sun roof.

The LMG sounded off, giving Dan a huge smile as he saw it rip through the shambling bodies around them. A few grenades went here and there, throwing them into the air in pieces. It was like a carnival ride of mutant zombie death. The three of them hooted and howled like hillbillies. Pauli joined in.

Several stalkers appeared in the distance, racing toward them with either long strides, or four-legged gallops. The grenade launcher sounded off, exploding a few of them into chunky clouds. One leaped onto the hood, only to be ripped to shreds by Jake’s LMG. Drew rolled down his window, firing into the horde around them.

Another stalker leaped and latched onto the passenger side door, and Drew shoved the barrel of his M4A1 into its mouth and let loose a three round burst. Black blood exploded from the creature’s head as it fell away, and Drew growled with laughter.
“Fuckerrrrrrrr!”

Then, ahead of them, a helicopter appeared over the top of the buildings. It was green, with the Army logo in big, white letters. Jake stopped his firing above, and Dan watched the chopper as it headed toward them. It was an Apache, complete with guns and rockets.

Hellfire missiles blazed from it, streaking behind the Hummer as Dan swerved onto the exit lane. The horde burst into a massive cloud of flame as the missiles struck, and the chopper’s guns went blazing. Shamblers dropped all around them. Dan heard Jake howl from above, resuming his firing.

“They’re the good guys,” he heard Jake shout.

The chopper stopped firing and followed them. Dan sped along the lane to a clear spot in a nearby parking lot, slamming on the brakes and skidding to a stop. The chopper swung around ahead of them, hovering in the air. From the side door, a machine gun operator raised his fist in the air. Dan stuck his arm out the window, returning the gesture.

“Thanks fellas,” he whispered.

“That was fucking awesome,” Drew said.

Suddenly, the chopper exploded in a fireball as a missile streaked in and impacted its side. Black jets shot by overhead with lightning speed, heading toward the east.

“Holy fuck!”
Drew shouted.

Dan punched the gas again, assuming the jets would turn for another strafing run. He avoided the flaming chopper as it crashed to the parking lot, and looked back in disbelief.

“Goddamn mercs,” he said. “Are they coming back?”

“No,” Jake said. “Fuckers are headed toward Indy. Bye bye Indy.”

“Let’s get the fuck outta here,” Drew said.

Dan didn’t bother following the lane. He rolled right over the curbs and landscaping, desperate to get back onto the highway. He plowed through more hordes of shamblers, clipped parked cars, and knocked down small saplings as he went. Finally, he reached the main drag, and headed south toward home.

It was quiet again.

“Let’s not stop here,” Drew said.

Dan nodded. “Fuck this place.”

“Sooooo,” Jake said behind him. “Who’s this dog thingy here?”

“That’s Pauli,” Dan said.

He could see Jake look down and smile at the dog as he scratched its head. “We found him in Paragon. He’s a good watch dog.”

“He probably doesn’t eat much either,” Jake said. “But, anyhoo, where we going?”

“Home,” Dan said.

“Alright then,” Jake said, smiling. “But I’m a little hungry, and I gotta take a piss.”

They stopped about twenty miles south along the state road. Dan pulled the Hummer over into a clump of trees that lined a small creek. After everyone took a piss, they gathered back at the Hummer, and Dan opened the backpack to share some canned vegetables and tuna he had brought.

They sat with the doors open, talking as they ate.

“So, your friends just dropped you off and left?” Dan asked Jake.

Jake nodded crookedly. “Pretty much,” he said. “They were in a hurry, I guess.”

“Good thing you were packin’.”

“Oh yeah. The Army guys were cool. They gave me lots of shit, and some info from their field manuals.”

“Cool,” Drew said. “Survival shit?”

“Mostly,” Jake said, reaching into his pack. “I’ve been collecting stuff like that for years though. I’ve got the goods right here.”

He pulled out a huge white binder stuffed with paper and plastic pages. On the front was a Biohazard symbol, and the words—

“Apocalypse Compendium!?”
Dan and Drew said together, laughing. Jake looked confused.

“We were just talking about that the other day,” Dan said. “And that’s the name we came up with.”

Jake let out a high pitched chuckle, stuffing the binder back into his pack. “Great minds, I guess.”

“What was that machine gun you had?” Dan asked.

“Type 95 LMG,” Jake said. “With an M204 grenade launcher. That’s meant for an M16, but I modified it a little to fit. Duct tape, man. Duct tape. The Repeater is mine. I’ve had it since I was a kid.”

“So you’ve been prepared for this shit for a while now,” Drew said.

Jake nodded. “Haven’t we all? I mean, if you really think about it, we’ve all been secretly wishing for it, right?”

Dan thought about it. Though the situation was grim, there was some truth to Jake’s words. There was a little part of Dan that had wanted the system to collapse; but, maybe not in this fashion.

“I didn’t really want it this way,” he said. “But, yeah… I suppose you’re right.”

They sat in silence while they finished their meals. Dan cracked open a beer, handing one to Drew and offering another to Jake.

Jake shook his head. “No thanks,” he said. “It wouldn’t do much good, anyway.”

“We’ve got a whole bar full of shit at home,” Drew said, grinning.

Jake chuckled but said nothing. Then, he craned his neck, turning toward the east.

“What is it?” Dan asked.

Jake shook his head slowly, then turned back. “I think I hear another chopper,” he said. “Maybe we should pull further into the trees.”

Dan nodded, sliding into the driver’s seat and starting the Hummer. Jake and Drew backed away as he turned into the weeds, pulling forward until the low branches of the surrounding trees concealed it. Their paint job worked perfectly.

“Jeez,” Drew said as Dan got out, “I can hardly see it.”

They crowded around the vehicle, staying hidden in the weeds. The chopper came closer, and they could all hear the rotor chopping through the air. It appeared above the tree line a few hundred yards away, black and moving as smoothly and purposefully as it could.

“They’re searching for us,” Jake said. “Shit, they probably have infrared.”

“Wouldn’t do much in the daytime, would it?” Dan wondered out loud.

“They have godlike technology,” Jake replied. “They could see an ant in a blizzard.”

Fuck,
Dan thought.

“Do we have a clear path in front of us?” Jake asked him. Dan nodded. “Well, then remember the Hummer is four wheel drive. It was made for rough terrain. We can use the creek as a road if we need to. They won’t be able to track us as well through the forest.”

“They’ll just shoot down the fuckin’ trees,” Drew said. “They don’t give a shit.”

Jake shrugged. “Worth a try if they come after us.”

The chopper crept forward, coming nearer and nearer and descending to no more than twenty feet from the road. Dan felt a rush of fear course through his body; or was it excitement? His episodes were getting weirder; almost pleasant. He no longer felt panic, or heart-exploding pain. It was all adrenaline now. What was happening to him?

He chugged the rest of his beer, and reached into the Hummer for his rifle. Jake and Drew did the same. Jake’s LMG looked like a giant cartoon gun, much too large for the average guy to tote around. But, in Jake’s hands, it seemed fitting. Jake was a big dude; a
giant
dude.

He turned his attention back as the chopper suddenly stopped and hovered. He could see the pilot, and his gunner in the side opening.

“Cobra,” Jake whispered. “Not as tough as an Apache, but still pretty badass.”

“Drew,” Dan said. “If we have to run for it, take the wheel.”

Drew nodded. “Okay.”

“Do you have something in mind?” Jake asked.

“I have another little toy in the cargo area that might help us out.”

The chopper spun slowly in midair, weaving from side to side as it searched. The gunner seemed to be looking in their direction, but the trees prevented them from getting any closer. Dan’s heart continued its excited pounding. Again, there was no fear or pain; just a healthy, steady rhythm. Without even thinking, he popped two Tramadols. He wanted that feeling to grow stronger.

The chopper swung parallel to them, pulling forward quickly. The gunner focused his attention in their direction; even more than before. Dan could see him reach for the gun’s charging handle, and suddenly the chopper dropped lower.

“He saw us,” Drew said.

Before anyone could react, Jake raised his LMG, firing several rounds at the gunner. The blasts were deafening, and the shells that were ejected banged against the Hummer as they shot out. The gunner’s chest exploded in a spray of blood, and the chopper banked and ascended quickly into the air, turning to fire its massive guns.

“Let’s go!”
Jake shouted.

They all hopped into the Hummer, Drew taking the wheel and Dan jumping into the back seat with Jake. Drew punched it, bouncing them in all directions as the Hummer shot over the bank of the creek. The chopper rose above the tree line, chasing after them with surprising agility. Jake poked his upper body out of the sun roof, raising his LMG to fire more rounds. Dan crawled into the cargo area in the back, retrieving the
LAW
rocket they had taken from the mercs at Shirley’s house. He dragged it out, joining Jake in through the sunroof.

Jake looked at the rocket launcher, grinning, but humming skeptically.

“That’s for ground vehicles,” he said. “Good luck with that.”

The chopper’s guns blazed, cutting down all the trees around them. The sound was like a giant hummingbird, only a thousand times louder. Trunks exploded, branches toppled, and chunks of mud and wood banged against the Hummer as Drew navigated the creek.

“Get back on the road!” Dan said. “I need a clear shot.”

“Riiiiiiiight,” Drew replied.

They drove under low branches, barely ducking in time. Jake kept firing up, not hitting anything, but keeping the mercs on their toes. The chopper skillfully swerved and swung, avoiding the bulk of Jake’s bullets. He stopped for a moment to drop the magazine and load another, and the chopper began firing back. A few rounds struck the Hummer, bouncing off almost harmlessly, but still ricocheting past their heads.

Dan turned to look forward, seeing that Drew was heading for the tree line at a low spot in the creek. The bank was low in one spot, and Drew headed in that direction.

And that’s when Dan saw the most horrifying thing imaginable.

Standing half concealed behind a dead tree was a tall, dark figure. It was completely black and dull; featureless, but in the shape of a man. Dan eyed it in horror as they passed, and he could swear the thing stared right back at him. But, in the blink of an eye, it ducked back behind the tree and disappeared. Dan’s heart raced; this time almost painfully. He was frozen in place, oblivious to the world around him; only the faint
thockthockthock
of Jake’s gun could be heard.

“
Dan!”
Jake shouted, shaking him from his haze.

Dan shook his head, turning back to the chopper. He wasn’t really sure he had seen what he thought he had seen, but it still weighed heavily on his mind. Whatever it was, it was gone now. No need to worry about it anymore. They had business to attend to. He prepared the rocket, waiting for Drew to return to the winding road before he turned back up to watch the chopper.

“No spacing out, man,” Jake said, firing more rounds at the chopper.

They swerved around the curves quickly, not even slowing down. The chopper kept up, banking and turning to try and get a clear shot with its forward guns. Jake fired continuously, sometimes striking the chopper’s body, but mostly just to give them all cover fire.

Dan turned and ducked down to shout at Drew. “As soon as we round the next curve, slam on the brakes!” he said. “The chopper will pass over us, and I can get a clear shot.”

Drew nodded, and Dan turned back to the chopper.

“Don’t miss, man,” Jake said. “That’s a one-shot deal.”

“I know,” Dan said, raising the
Law.

Suddenly, Drew slammed on the brakes around the next bend. The chopper overshot them, racing past with incredible speed. Dan turned and aimed as the chopper slowed to pivot in the air, banking to an almost horizontal angle.

As he got the chopper in his sights, Dan could hear his father’s voice coaching him as he saw his first deer through the scope of his .308.

Hold your breath and listen to your heart,
he had said.
Your heartbeat will make your fingers tremble. Fire after you hear it thump so your aim won’t be compromised. That’s how the snipers do it.

The world slowed down as the chopper leveled out. Dan’s heart beat thumped in his ears. He took a deep breath, feeling the cold air fill his lungs. Then, he listened.

Thump… thump… thump…

He fired.

The rocket exploded from the end of the launcher, streaking out in a high arc. Dan’s eyes widened as he watched it sail straight for the chopper. He could almost see the pilot’s eyes, and the ‘
oh fuck’
expression on his face as he glared at his own death.

Dead on.

The rocket struck the windshield, blowing the cockpit to pieces. The fireball was huge, and the concussion from the explosion flapped Dan’s lips as he watched the bird slowly crash to the ground in a hellstorm of flame. When it hit the road, it exploded. The rotors chopped into the street as they sailed off the top, making wide gashes in the asphalt before disintegrating into shrapnel.

Chunks of flaming debris settled around them as the world sped up again. Dan felt Jake’s massive hand smack him on the back, and he heard Drew’s howl of triumph from the cab below. He reared back his head and laughed maniacally.

“Good shot, brutha!” Jake said.

“Goddamn, fucker!”
Drew shouted below.

Dan tossed the spent launcher to the road, plopping down into the seat. Pauli jumped up on his lap and leaned against him as Drew pulled around the clutter. Jake tossed his gun in the back, smiling proudly as he turned to Dan.

“I can’t believe you hit it,” he said. “Those things are made for ground vehicles. They don’t even track targets unless they’re lasered.”

Dan shrugged, settling back to relax as he watched the trees go by. He felt good; accomplished. “Lucky shot, I guess,” he said.

“Lucky shot, my ass,” Drew said. “That was stellar.”