Chapter 5
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The sound of Emilie crying woke me. I tried to sit up, but Boggs’ arm still weighed me down. My body was stiff and my feet were cold. It took me a few moments to orient myself and recall the events from the middle of the night.
“Emilie?” I called out softly.
The two men were beginning to stir. I wriggled free of Boggs and crawled toward the girl, who was gasping for breath. “My brother, Joey,” she sobbed. “I tried to save him, to keep him from running ahead of me, but he fell. There was nothing I could do. He was so young and so small for his age. His screams…” she trailed off, tears consuming her again. “They tore him apart while he screamed!” she moaned.
I wrapped my arms around her and stroked her hair in an attempt to soothe her. “Shhhh, Shhhh.” She rested her head against my shoulder and clung to me, shaking. I looked to Boggs, who was now awake. He and Gus both watched me hold the girl, who seemed much younger all of a sudden. None of us said anything for a long time. Her tears eventually ebbed and her breathing evened.
“They were so fast. He just couldn’t run anymore,” she whispered. “His screams were so loud. He begged for me to help him.” Emilie took a deep, shuddering breath. I looked at Gus, who now knelt across from me, not knowing what to do for her.
Gus knee-walked across the mattress, causing us to bounce, and settled on the other side of the girl. “Emilie, I’m so sorry about your brother. There’s nothing else you could have done,” he said in a soft tone. She looked at him and wiped tears from her eyes.
“He was my responsibility.”
Gus took her hand in both of his. “You did all you could. You have to believe that.”
In that moment, my heart softened toward Gus. I watched them look at each other, and knew that Emilie and Gus had just connected on a critical level. I looked over to Boggs, who was focused on me. He reached out and stroked my hair. His touch was comforting.
The little room we were now calling ‘home’ was crowded and smelled bad, a combination of our own lack of hygiene and the rotting bodies that lay outside. We began discussing options. Leaving was a first choice for all. With four of us now, it was decided we’d pack only the supplies that were most necessary. We ventured outside once the sun had fully risen, moving bodies aside to make a clear path to the SUV. It was nauseating and harrowing work, but we all did our share. The rain had stopped and the overcast gray sky had been replaced with sporadic fluffy white clouds. Extra ammo, medicine, clothing, blankets, bottles of water, and boxes of food went into the rear of the Explorer. We left the tent behind, knowing it would offer no protection from things that go bump in the night. Emilie and I managed to tuck rolls of toilet paper under the seats, trying to utilize every square inch of space the vehicle had to offer. I noticed a couple of shoe boxes were nestled between the front seats. I kept quiet about it. Firewood was carefully rolled into a quilt and tied down to the top of the car, using the roof rack as a frame. None of us saw any signs of little Joey, which was for the best. We didn’t need Emilie falling apart right now. There would hopefully be time to mourn later.
We shut the door to the stone shack behind us, leaving it unlocked in case other survivors came across it in need of refuge. Emilie and I slid into the back seats, allowing the men the roomier front. The four of us left, not looking back. For me, it meant leaving behind new memories, not all of them bad. For Emilie, it meant leaving behind her brother, or what had been her brother. The CD player was the only working part of the radio unit, and accompanied us back out to the highway quietly playing Adele. Gus and Boggs talked about where to head next. The discussion always seemed to lean toward the northeast, which would be farther from populated areas and higher into the mountains. Boggs had already started out northbound and followed the curves of the isolated highway.
Emilie had spent the hours in the car by quietly staring out the window. She hadn’t spoken since we left. The mood inside the SUV was somber. Without warning, Emilie spoke, startling me.
“My ass is sore from sitting.” That’s all she said. Nothing more, nothing less.
I turned and looked at her. She looked back at me, her face showing no hint of emotion. I laughed, hard. She stared back at me like I was crazy. Finally, she wrinkled her freckled nose and laughed back. I heard Gus chuckle and before long the four of us were uncontrollable.
Boggs slowed to a stop, trying to keep control of the vehicle. We sat in the SUV, laughing until tears fell from our eyes. I don’t think any of us knew what was funny, and as soon as the laughing had nearly died one of us would begin again. It felt good to let loose, if only momentarily forgetting about death, tragedy, and the need to constantly run in fear.
The episode finally over, Gus stepped out of the car and stretched. He left his door open and walked to the edge of the road, overlooking a valley. Watching him enjoy the view, he could almost pass for just another traveler on a normal day enjoying a normal vantage point. I realized he was relieving himself and looked away. Boggs joined Gus at the overlook, and I looked at Emilie and wondered what stories she had to tell. I hoped in time I’d find out.
Gus came back to the SUV and leaned in the back window. He had a bruise on his face from Boggs punching him the night before. It oddly suited him. “It looks clear all around. Not a dead bastard in sight. You girls should get out and stretch, and take care of needs before we get back on the road.” He winked at Emilie before he walked to the back of the car and opened the rear door. “I’ll grab some snacks for a quick lunch while you girls go do girlie time. I’ll keep an eye out.”
“C’mon Emilie, let’s go get some fresh air,” I said. The girl slid out her door and walked to the edge of the road that met the mountainside. She was obviously in need of some privacy, so I called to her. “It’s ok Em, Boggs will look away and I’ll make sure Gus behaves.” She looked back as I was joining Gus at the tailgate.
“Thanks,” she called before she squatted and took care of personal business.
I sat down on the back bumper next to Gus. He looked at me sideways as he took a drink of water.
“I’m sorry I hurt your arm last night,” he said after he swallowed.
I shrugged. “It’s ok. I know you were just keeping me safe. Sorry Boggs punched you.”
He made a funny noise with his throat. “It’s fine. If someone touched my girl I’d clock them too.”
Boggs and Emilie met us at the tailgate. Gus stood and spoke. “Emilie, will you join me at the overlook?”
Emilie looked at me, almost as if she wanted permission. I smiled softly, and she nodded to Gus. He held his hand out, and she sheepishly took it. They walked together until they reached the metal barrier at the side of the road.
Boggs sat next to me at the back of the car. There was an awkward pause between us before he spoke. “Are we ok, Zoe?”
I looked at him thoughtfully, dreading this talk. I looked over to where Gus and Emilie stood and sighed, figuring Boggs had arranged this time alone with me. Gus was busy instructing the young red-head on how to hold Boggs’ handgun. I popped a couple cocoa puffs into my mouth and crunched on them, then looked down at my lap.
Boggs sighed heavily. “Zo, speak to me? I can’t bear not talking like usual.” We had said very little to each other since the day before. He tucked my hair behind my ear, gently sliding the back of his hand down my cheek before taking my hand in both of his.
I looked up at him and shook my head. “Boggs, I’m not sure what to say, or how to act.” I spoke quietly. “I’ve always thought of you as a big brother. I’m not like you. I’ve never even…”
He squeezed my hand before bringing it to his lips, where he let it linger for a moment.
“I’ve never even had a bo
yfriend, or been kissed till yesterday, or…or…” I fell short on words as my cheeks reddened.
He shushed me by placing his hand on my chin and leaned in, offering me a proper kiss. His lips were warm, and he smelled familiar. He kept his lips next to mine, waiting for me to respond. My arms had come up in fear, and to keep him from coming too close. I soon found my body relaxing and he sensed it, deepening the kiss. He parted my lips with his tongue and put his arms around me to embrace me more closely. His beard stubble scratched my chin, but I found the sensation exciting and something stirred deep inside of me.
The kiss broke with the sound of a gunshot, causing us to both flinch. He kept his mouth near, whispering to soothe me. “It’s ok. Gus is just showing Emilie how to shoot.” He leaned back far enough to look into my eyes. I looked back, still unsure of how to act in the situation. It was new to me, and I had no idea how intimacy of this sort works. “I don’t want to do anything to hurt you, Zoe, so if you need me to back off I will.” He took my hand again and I squeezed back. I nodded my head, nearly imperceptibly, and he wrapped his arms around me, this time just an embrace between friends.
I whispered to him “give me time, Adam. Life is spinning out of control right now.” I felt him tense slightly.
“What’s up with the ‘Adam’ crap?” he asked, trying to make me laugh. He kissed my cheek.
Emilie fired several more rounds, the sounds echoing in the valley below. We heard her shout out “got that bastard!” Boggs stood and offered his hand to me. I took it and sprang up. He kept hold of me and we walked hand-in-hand to the vantage point to join our companions.
“What’s going on, Gus?” asked Boggs.
Gus turned and winked at me. “Emilie here just shot a rock!” He snickered and smacked the girl lightly on the shoulder. “Turns out she’s a fair shot.”
The girl smiled genuinely for the first time since she came into our lives. “My dad used to take me out on the weekends. He’d let me practice but it was always with a small rifle, not a handgun. And it’s been years.”
Boggs put an arm around my shoulders. The sun was working its way west, no longer high above our heads. “We should figure out where we’re heading before dark,” I said.
“Where are we, anyway?” asked Emilie.
“Almost to the top of the pass,” answered Boggs. The North Cascades Pass was still open this time of year but with weather at the summit being unpredictable, there were few travelers. At some point the men had decided it might be our safest route to avoid people, both living and dead. “We need to start thinking about shelter for the night. We shouldn’t be on the road in the dark. Any suggestions?”
Emilie cleared her throat. “When I was little our family used to stay at a little rental cabin on Lake Arrow. We always went in September because they closed for the season the end of the month and rates were cheaper. It’s really secluded. Maybe it’s still there?”
Gus looked thoughtful. “On this highway, Emilie? Do you think you can find it?”
Emilie nodded her head. “I can try. It’s been a long time, though. I know the turn off is on the left, after going down the other side of the pass. Just before a little town called Twisp.”
Gus smiled. “That’s a good start. How about I drive, and you sit up front with me for a while? Tell me if something looks familiar?”
“Sure. Ok,” she said.
We piled back into the SUV and started east again. The sun was behind us as we drove. The ascent to the peak was fairly quiet. Boggs had let his head fall against the window and dozed beside me. An elevation marker that read 5477 announced we were at the summit, and ready to descend. Gus cleared his throat, getting the attention of both me and Emilie.
“Okay ladies, we need to start by watching for a source of gasoline. The needle’s getting close to a quarter tank and I don’t like it being that low. Zoe, do you mind waking up Boggs?”
I shook Boggs’ shoulder, causing him to stretch and lift his head, leaving a small trail of drool running from the corner of his mouth to his shoulder.
“Hmm?” he seemed dazed.
“Time to gas up, buddy” said Gus from the driver’s seat.
“Ok,” yawned Boggs.
“Emilie, does any of this look familiar?” asked Gus. He sounded worried. I peeked over the seat and looked at the gas gauge. It was closer to an eighth of a tank, not a quarter like he had said.
She shook her head. “I’m just not sure.”
“That’s ok. Just holler if you recognize anything,” said Gus as he smiled at her softly. “Back to the gas situation. We’ll need to take whatever we come across first. A gas station will be useless if the power’s out, so more likely another vehicle we can siphon.”
I scooted closer to Boggs and whispered in his ear. “I don’t think Gus wants Em to know, but it looks like the tank is almost at empty.” He squeezed my shoulder and nodded, and then kissed the top of my head.
We continued to head downhill, following the curves of the highway until finally the road started to level out. Emilie pointed at something far off. “I think I see something up there.” Her voice was flat and still full of despair.
The object she pointed to in the distance slowly came into view as we got closer. It was an old Ford flatbed with a blown out tire and peeling blue paint. Gus let the Explorer coast to a stop, leaving several yards between the two vehicles. He left the engine idling. There was nothing significant around, just a few large boulders and a couple of pine trees with thicker woods not too terribly far in the distance. It looked relatively safe, but by now we all knew looks can be deceiving. Emilie started to open her door, but Gus pulled her back quickly.
“Hold on, girl. Something feels off. Let me and Bogsie Boy check it out first.” Gus looked back to Boggs for confirmation.
They both got out of the car, and without needing to be asked I climbed over the center console and the shoeboxes of pot to get into the driver’s seat. Emilie and I sat impatiently as the men split up, firearms at the ready, and walked toward the old truck and the boulders.
I kept my voice low, suddenly nervous about being without a gun. “Emilie, something’s wrong. Watch the back of the car, ok?” I turned and she had already started to position herself for a better view of what lay behind us.
“Zoe, just keep telling me what’s going on.” She said.
“’Kay.” I said then watched as Gus stealthily scoped out the boulders, making sure nothing was hiding in their shadows. “Gus is looking behind the boulders.”
“Nothing back here,” Emilie added, a hint of excitement in her voice.
Boggs was standing near the cab of the old pickup. He had the Kahr pointed to the ground and stepped to the passenger window to look inside. Gus was approaching from the other side. I saw it before either of them, and without thinking screamed inside the car the same time a hand reached out from under the old flatbed and grabbed Boggs’ ankle. I opened the car door and tripped in my hurry to get out, falling forward onto the weathered pavement. I heard the gun fire, and saw Boggs falling onto his back. The commotion of my exit had caused his aim to be off, missing the target that was attached to his leg.
In the time it took Gus to move into position and aim his shotgun, the creature had used Boggs’ leg to pull itself out from under the truck and it was preparing to feast on his shin. It was missing its entire lower half, and sickly darkened blood spread along the roadway as it progressed forward. Boggs kicked at its head with his free foot, his boot striking it in the nose. It widened its clouded eyes and emitted a shrill sound, appearing enraged. Thick bloody discharge flowed down its chin from its nose. Terrified, I fought to gain my footing and started to run toward Boggs and the monster attacking him.
Emilie exited the SUV and quickly came to my side. She clutched my arm
and held me back. I could feel her body trembling. Gus raised his shot gun, and just as the creature with the now flattened face opened its mouth and prepared to sink its teeth into Boggs’ leg, we heard the shot ring out. His aim was true, removing the head of the dead man.
Boggs continued to lie on the roadway, the creature’s hands still clutching his leg. Everything was quiet aside from his gasping for air, and Emilie’s quiet sobs beside me. I looked from Boggs back to Gus, who still had his shotgun raised. My eyes widened realizing Gus was aiming at my best friend.
“Boggs,” said Gus in a level, strong voice. “Stand up, brother.”
Boggs looked back at the cowboy, seemingly lost for words. He kicked at the headless torso to rid his leg of it, and slowly stood. He carefully raised his hands above his head.
“Gus?” I cried out. “What are you doing?”
Emilie clutched at my arm more tightly. “He thinks Boggs was bit,” she whispered with sadness.
“Gus!” I shouted. “We saw it all, nothing happened! Gus! Stop!”
Gus kept his aim on Boggs, ignoring me. He focused on the man in front of him, who was still trying to catch his breath and now had his hands on top of his head.
“Gus, man, I wasn’t bit. I swear,” said Boggs calmly. How he could be calm at the moment was beyond me.
“Boggs, you know how it works. Slowly reach down and pull your pant legs up.”
Boggs took his hands from his head and held them out to his sides, then reached for his left pant leg. He pulled it up to his knee. “See? He didn’t get me, man.”
“Other leg,” instructed Gus.
“No problem, Gus.” Boggs repeated the task with his right leg, showing his skin was intact. “Satisfied?” he asked the man holding the gun. I thought Boggs was being far too nice to Gus under the circumstances.
“I’ll feel better if you take your shirt off,” said Gus.
Boggs began to pull his shirt over his head. The sound of the shotgun firing brought me to my knees. Caught up in his shirt, Boggs fell to the ground.
“Girls!” yelled Gus. “Get back in the car, now!”
I watched Gus run toward Boggs, who had freed his head of the t-shirt and worked at standing again. Emilie pulled on my arm, urging me back into the vehicle. I looked back to see Gus pulling Boggs upward. That’s when I saw them, quickly approaching from the tree line in the distance. There were too many to count. Some were badly damaged and others looked like they were people just out for a walk. I knew better. They way they moved was a dead give-away.
“Zoe, we have to get in the car,” cried Emilie, her voice full of stress as she continued to urge me on.
“Boggs!” I shouted.
Gus and Boggs were running toward us, closing the space between the two vehicles. The army of dead was approaching rapidly. There was no time to discuss what to do. Emilie and I rushed to the vehicle, opening all four doors in anticipation of the men joining us. My heart was racing as adrenaline and fear ran through my veins.
I jumped into the driver’s seat and put the vehicle into drive, my foot on the brake. Emilie had taken the seat beside me and slammed her door shut. Boggs and Gus both entered through the rear passenger door.
“Shit, Zoe, go!” yelled Boggs. Only moments before, I had thought he was dead. I stepped on the gas, and the SUV lurched forward, causing the remaining open doors to slam shut.
“Lock your doors!” shouted Gus. I was trying to slow my breathing, and focusing on the road. The hoard of walking dead was approaching from my side of the car, and almost upon us. I heard the door locks all click in unison and was glad someone had the good sense to hit the button. “Right, Zoe, right!” instructed Gus, sensing the group of creatures was about to spread across the road in front of us. I swerved, grazing the corpse in the lead with the left front fender. The impact made my stomach drop.
“It’s ok, Zoe,” said Boggs briskly. “Remember they aren’t alive. Not really, anyway.”
“I thought you were dead, Boggs,” I said on the verge of tears. “Gus shot you!”
Gus sighed from the back seat. “Sorry about that everyone. One of the first rules of gun safety is to never shoot a target with someone else in range.”
I had no clue what Gus was talking about.
“Didn’t you guys see it?” asked Emilie.
“See what?” I asked.
“Gus shot one of them, not far behind Boggs. It was a creepy one. It was just standing there, almost like it was just watching us. It came out from behind one of the trees. Right Gus?” She sounded a little excited.
I looked in the rear view mirror and saw that the dead that followed were still running our way, but falling back as we put distance between us and them. Boggs had laid his head back and closed his eyes. Gus was focusing on my gaze in the mirror.
“Zoe, I’m really sorry I scared you,” he said. “I swear the one I shot was trying to distract us from seeing the rest of them approaching.” Gus sounded shaken.
Boggs spoke, his eyes still closed. “What about the one under the truck? Did any of you think that was odd?”
“Boggs, that’s a stupid question,” I snapped. “Half a dead guy trying to eat you is a bit more than just ‘odd.’” I was at my breaking point for the day.
“No, I mean there was no odor. He didn’t smell like he’d been dead long. And where were his legs?” Boggs opened his eyes to look at me in the mirror. “It’s almost like he was put there as a trap. Like they killed him and ate his fucking lower half and left the rest to distract us.”
“You think the zombies set a trap?” asked Emilie. “Aren’t zombies supposed to be dumb?”
“According to the books and movies, I guess so,” said Boggs. “We need to figure out our next move, and soon.”
“Can someone else drive?” I asked. “I’m not feeling well.” I looked in the rear view mirror again.
“Sure, Zoe, I’ll take over for a spell,” offered Gus. “Don’t pull over though, just stop in the middle of the road. We’ll make the switch real quick.”
“’Kay,” I replied as I brought the car to a stop and put it in park.
Gus and I both opened our doors to trade seats and made our exits quickly. As I crouched to get into the back seat I looked over at Boggs, who held his arm out indicating it was ok for me to slide close, which I did. He wrapped his arm around me and I nestled in next to him, so thankful that he was still alive. I stayed like that while Gus began to drive. I noticed he and Emilie held hands, and was glad they were both with us. The swaying of the Explorer lulled me into a fitful sleep.