Broken Dreams (9 page)

“Shit!” He jammed his hands in his pockets…looking for keys maybe? “Shit,” he said again as he dashed off to his bedroom, coming back just as quick as he left, all the while pulling on his boots. He unlocked the trunk with a key. There was another, more modern trunk inside with a keypad. He plugged in a code and the lid opened on its own. I couldn’t believe what I saw.

It was an arsenal of weapons. There was some serious shit in there and I couldn’t believe my sweet Henry was versed, or even involved, with it. He pulled out a shotgun and loaded it, while jamming extra shells in his pockets. He pointed a finger at me. “Stay here. And I mean it this time. Do not leave the flat, and lock the door behind me.” He ran out, slamming the door. I did what I was told and locked it. Then I ran over to the front window, only to see this poor woman being eaten by another…human.

“Should we call the police?” Claire asked, while we both stared out the window in disbelief.

“Uh, I don’t know. Let’s wait until Henry comes back…
if
he comes back.” My voice began to get shaky.

It was official. I, Elaina Leigh Cooper, was scared out of my fucking mind.

I was so scared that I lost my sarcasm. I couldn’t crack a joke or roll my eyes. I was transfixed on Henry -- or was it Liam. Henry. Yes, he said Henry.

He was a machine with no emotion. It was like he had been killing these so-called undeads his entire life. He walked up behind the undead, raised his shotgun and, just as the former living human turned around, he pumped it and pulled the trigger.

The undead’s brains splattered all over. He looked down at the woman who lost her true life to this former human. I saw him say something to her and he stroked her cheek gently while she cried. She reached up to him. He touched her hair as he spoke to her. She nodded. He pumped the shotgun again, put it to her head, and pulled the trigger.

Both Claire and I screamed. I whispered, “Oh, my god, Claire.” Tears welled up in my eyes. We had just witnessed a murder. Wait, was it really a murder? Would killing a person who obviously had been infected with the man-eating virus and would do the same to others be considered murder? I wasn’t so sure anymore.

I was so confused. I had mixed emotions about everything. If Henry was who he said he was, then he knew what he was doing. He knew that if this woman became undead, we would have all been in danger.

“Elaina, I don’t think I can handle all this.” Claire dropped to her knees and started crying again.

“I am not sure what to even think. Just an hour ago, I was supposed to have been married to the man of my dreams. We would have been at my reception right now, having drinks and dancing like fools. This can’t be real. I can’t believe Henry has been hiding all of this from me.”

“It
is
real, Elaina! Wake up! Marc is gone. Everyone we knew at the wedding is gone. We’re all going to die, Elaina.”

I knelt down. “We’re all going to die, anyway.” I was trying to tuck my emotions away in a pocket that I didn’t have in my stupid dress. I tried to console Claire, but I don’t always say the right things.

“It’s not supposed to be like this!”

“You’re right. It’s not. I’m sorry.” I reached down and grabbed her hands. Then we both jumped when we heard pounding on the apartment door.

“Elaina! Open the door!” I got up, went to the door, and I put my hand on the knob. I hesitated. “Elaina, please. Open the bloody door!” How could I be sure that we would be safe from Henry? What if he was bit and I let him in? He would kill us both. “Elaina! Claire!”

He kept pounding. I was looking at Claire for permission. She looked at me for permission. Then she jumped up and rummaged through the chest and pulled out some sort of archaic-looking double-sided axe. She handed it to me. “Here. Take this.” I felt somewhat empowered with this well-crafted medieval-style weapon. I held it up like a baseball bat.

“Elaina! Come on!” Henry screamed. I was ready.

“How do I know you aren’t bit?!”

“I’m not bit!”

I started choking back tears, realizing my life had been forever changed. “How do I know you aren’t lying to me, like you have lied about everything else? How do I know for sure?” The crying, girly side found its way to the surface yet again. The tears were running down my face.

“Elaina, please. Open the door. I’m not bit. You have
got
to believe me.” Henry was begging so I nodded at Claire.

She leaned up against the door and unlocked it. As she started to crack it open, I raised the axe up over my head, ready to strike. I stood there in disbelief that, at any given moment, I may have to kill my Henry. But was he really
my
Henry since
my
Henry was a lie?

“Slowly, Claire,” I whispered. I could see Henry’s eyes. The same eyes that would look at me full of love over the past two years. I took a deep staggering breath. I nodded to Claire and she opened it all the way.

“Jesus Christ. I didn’t think you would ever open the door.” I stood holding the axe, ready to strike. “Elaina, are you mental?” He put his hands in front of his chest. “Put the bloody axe down. You are going to hurt someone. Yourself, more than likely!”

“I can’t.” My voice shook. Those two simple words were hard to release from my mouth.

“Listen to me. I’m not bit. Look.” He leaned the shotgun up against the wall and slowly turned around, holding his hands up, trusting that I wouldn’t strike. He lifted up his shirt for me to see his clean cut body that was deliciously trim. Oh, god, he was so beautiful.

He did have some blood and gore splattered on his clothes, but I didn’t see anything that looked like an injury.

Relief overwhelmed me. I dropped the axe and jumped into his arms. I wrapped my arms around him so tight that I could have crushed him. He hugged me back just as tight. I was so scared, but his strong arms made me feel safe. I had to learn to trust this new Henry. I just
had
to. What other option did I have?

He continued to hold me tight. It was so comforting and healing to be in his arms. I heard the door slam. I looked over at Claire and she was standing there, trying hard not to cry. I felt guilty for showing my love for Henry in front of her.

She had lost her longtime beau. I was losing my best friend right before my eyes. I didn’t know if my family was safe. Grief and regret filled me. I pulled back from his embrace. “Henry, we have to go back.”

“Back where?” he asked.

I looked at him like he had two heads. I knew he couldn’t possibly be that dumb, could he? “The church! We need to go back to the church. Now!”

He shook his head. “No. Absolutely not.”

“Yes,” I said.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest. “No. It’s far too dangerous. I don’t want anything to happen to you. To either one of you.” He looked at me for a while, then looked at Claire. She was standing by the door with her head hanging. “Claire, I’m sorry. We can’t go.”

“My family is there, Henry!” I started to feel more anger coming on. “We need to go get them to safety! I love them…” My voice trailed off.

“I realize that. I love them, too, but we cannot go back there. It’s too dangerous.”

“I need to go back and see if any of them are alive. Or go to their homes and see if they are there.”

His sigh was heavy and he stood silent for a minute with his hands on his hips. He jammed his hand through his hair a few times. After pacing around and mumbling to himself, he reached into his pocket. He cursed to himself. “Here.” He handed me his cellphone. “Start calling everyone you know that was there before something happens to the signal.” I realized my bag was still at the church, along with my wallet and my phone. My family may have been trying to call me. What if they thought that I was hurt or dead, or undead -- whatever the fuck you call it!

I started with my mom’s phone…nothing. My dad’s...nothing. Nick’s...nothing. I was panicking. I tried my mom’s again, and then someone answered. Someone who wasn’t my mother. “Hello? Hello? Help me. Help me, please!”

The voice was a high-pitched male voice. I didn’t recognize it and I couldn’t say anything. “Please help! I’m stuck in the flower shop across from the Heritage Family Worship Church. There are people eating people. Oh, my god! Please!” His words came out rapidly.

Henry grabbed the phone from me. “Hello?”

“Please help me…” The voice trailed off.

“Sir, where did you get that phone?”

“I found it in the street and picked it up. I was coordinating a wedding at Heritage. The Daniels’ wedding. Do you know them? Please send help! I called the police station, but they aren’t even answering. I can’t get through to 911. There are people covered in blood trying to get into the shop. I’m so scared!”

Henry covered the phone with his hand and leaned over to me and whispered, “It’s Nate, the wedding coordinator.” Nate was this tiny flamboyant man, who thought everything he touched turned fabulous. He had an ego bigger than anyone I had ever met. There was never a hair out of place and he was always in an expensive suit.

Nate didn’t recognize Henry’s real voice. He was yelling when Henry put the phone back to his ear. “Sir! Sir! You have to calm down. I need your help.”

“No, you don’t understand! There are
people eating people
! I need
your
help! I’m trapped!”

“Sir, I understand what you are saying. Can you tell me what you see? Do you recognize anyone? Anybody from the wedding party?”

“Uh, oh, god. There are so many lying on the ground. Some eating others. Others are roaming around mindlessly.” Nate went quiet for a moment. “Wait! I think I see a normal someone.”

“Okay. Can you tell me where you see them? What do they look like?” Henry was so calm and collected. My heart was trying to leap out of my chest, and I was clawing at his arms, trying to pull the phone down to my ear so I could hear what Nate was saying, as well.

“There are two people across the way. I can’t make out any features. One may even be trying to attack the other. I can’t even be sure they are normal. There are bloody handprints all over the window. Please! Please, I need help!”

“Sir, you need to try and stay calm.”

“Calm? Calm? Are you serious? Have you any clue what I am facing here?”

“Yes, I do. But it’s best for all of us that you stay calm.” I looked at Claire. Did he mean what I thought he meant? “Tell me, where do you see the people, sir?”

“Uh, umm, they are across the way. Next to Heritage, behind the lot gates.”

“One more question. Are you bit?”

“Bit?”

“Yes! Bit! Did an undead bite you?”

“Undead?”

“Yes! Undead. The people eating people.”

“No! Please hurry.”

“I’m not that far from you. I will be driving a black Tahoe. Whatever you do, do not leave the shop. I’ll come in to get you.”

“Okay, I will wait here. Please hurry!”

Henry ended the call, then turned to me. “Elaina. I need you to wait --.”

“The hell I am! I’m going with you.”

“No. Absolutely not!”

“Henry, that could be someone from my family who is trapped!” I was practically stomping my foot like a child.

“No. I will not let you go.”

Oh, really? “Ha! Try and fucking stop me. Let’s go, Claire.”

I turned toward the door and picked up the double-sided axe as Claire opened the door. Henry’s arm reached out and over-powered Claire, slamming the door shut. “Don’t be a prat!” I think I saw a vein pulsing in his forehead.

“A prat? What the fuck is a prat?”

“A fool. An ass...” He pushed his hand through his hair, and then put both hands on his hips, staring me down.

“Wow. Look who is the prat. Liar.” I wanted to add “liar, pants on fire”, but I decided that it may piss him off even more.

“Bloody hell.” Henry rolled his eyes. “Elaina, it’s far too dangerous for you two. You don’t know how to take care of the undeads.”

At that moment, a whole new Claire showed up. “Listen up, asshole!” We both whipped around and saw her holding Henry’s shotgun pointed directly at him. “My Marc was there; Elaina’s family could
still
be alive. We are going with you, and you are going to like it or I will turn you into Swiss cheese. We clear?” Henry swallowed hard. We all stood in silence for a few moments. We were taken aback by the new Claire.

Henry barked out a few obscenities. “Fine. But before we go, let’s see if I can get you two into different clothes.” Henry looked us up and down, focusing on my bare feet. “And both of you need some sort of shoes.” He stopped talking. I looked over at Claire, and I couldn’t help but smirk at her.

I was proud. Like a momma bird watching her fledgling fly for the very first time. I mouthed
Thank you
to her and she nodded at me. Her eyes looked dark and saddened, but I could tell she felt empowered.

Henry walked quickly back toward his room. “Come on, the both of you.”

Claire put the shotgun down and we followed behind. He started going through his drawers, pulling out t-shirts and workout pants. “Here, these will be a little big, but they will be better than those dresses.” Then he headed to his closet and found a couple pairs of boots. “These, too. Both of you.” I grabbed one pair of boots and Claire, deciding she probably should change out of her heels, grabbed the other.

Then he headed back to the living room. I could hear him going through his cache of weapons in the trunk while we changed in silence.

Chapter 2

e crept down the back stairs to the garage, guns ready. We all had backpacks with weapons in them. I wasn’t a fan of guns. I had never even picked one up until that day.

Henry gave us both a quick lesson before we left his apartment. I was still hung up on that. The lesson was pretty much here are the bullets, here is where you put the bullets, this is the trigger, point and shoot. Henry was like a regular Boy Scout. He liked to be well prepared.

We didn’t see anyone: true dead, undead, or human. I couldn’t help but wonder where everyone was on a beautiful fall Saturday afternoon. It felt a bit eerie. Henry stopped in front of the exit door to the garage.

Without turning around, he said, just shy of a whisper, “I’m going to cover both of you. Here are my truck keys. I need you to run to it and drive over to me. I’m going to pick off any I see.” He was pointing over to the left. My stomach was doing flip flops.

“Okay. But who’s going to cover
you
?” I was concerned about his welfare.

Henry turned and grabbed my chin. “Don’t worry about me, love, I’ve got this. Trust me, I know what I am doing.” He kissed me on the forehead, dropping the keys in my open hand. Both Claire and I took a deep breath, looked at each other, and ran like we had never run before.

I hit the unlock button on the fob twice, mid-stride. We looked back for a brief moment when we heard several rounds go off. Henry’s boots were clunky and too big, and I felt the workout pants heading south. Thank fuck the truck wasn’t that far from the door.

I jumped in the driver’s seat, while Claire got in behind me. I tossed my bag back to her. Instinctively, I locked the doors. I turned the key and the engine roared to life. I wasn’t used to a vehicle of that size.

I had a compact, craptastic car. Henry kept insisting that I pick out a new car, but I didn’t want to accept that from him. He said that, one day, he was just going to pull up in one and drop the keys in my purse, steal the other car, and set it ablaze in an empty parking lot. That Henry of mine was such a character. I never thought he would actually do something like that…but I wasn’t so sure anymore.

He even had the audacity to take me out on a date to a car dealership. Days prior, he and the salesman spoke about what he thought I would like and would accept. As soon as I realized what was going on, I refused to even look at the cars that he had lined up outside, ready for me to take a test drive in.

Henry apologized profusely to the salesman for my stubborn ways and we left the dealership without a new car. He ranted at me in his own soft manner on the way to dinner.

The radio was on in the truck. I was a bit startled by emergency tones, followed by a recording telling everyone to stay inside their homes until further notice. Being the rebel that I am, I ignored the directions and shut off the radio.

A few more shots rang out. I looked back at Claire and said, “Ready?”

“Ready.”

I threw the truck in drive and hit the gas. The tires spun and I sped over to the door where Henry was waiting. I whipped the truck around and slammed on the brakes. Henry’s face was priceless as he hustled over to the driver’s side. He moved like he was in military combat mode. I was still confused as to how he was able to hide all this from me.

“Move over.” He waved at me to move to the passenger side. Oh, there it was again, that bossy attitude which I adored, but would never admit. Was he ever going to learn that I don’t take directions very well?

I put on my best angelic face. “I can drive.”

He raised his left eyebrow. “I see that, but…just…move on over, would you?”

“Fine.” I climbed over the console to the passenger seat, and Henry jumped in, tossing his bag at me. I tossed it back to Claire.

“Buckle up, ladies. We’re going for a wild ride. Elaina, I want you to have your gun ready.”

“Just remember, I’ve never shot a gun before.”

“Now is a perfect time to learn. Just don’t shoot me accidentally on purpose.” He winked at me and I couldn’t help but throw a soft smile back at him. I have to admit that his real voice was a bit sexy. I just wished I knew the real Henry -- or was it Liam?

“Hey, both of you!” Henry and I jumped. “Look!” Claire was pointing frantically. There was an undead man staggering around like he was looking for his car, but I would imagine that he was looking for a meal. He must have been rather fresh because his suit wasn’t too messy, besides the giant bloodstain down the front. I shuddered.

“Oh, bloody hell. Claire, hand me that shotgun. Elaina, shoot only if I tell you.” Henry rolled down his window, put the truck in drive, and gunned it toward the undead man.

My heart was trying to escape through my chest. I could hear Claire’s quick breathing. Henry slammed on the brakes and threw it in park. Nothing like a little whiplash to make the day even better. I grumbled and rubbed my neck.

“Keep your windows up right now. I’ve got this. Hey!” Henry yelled out the window and the undead man looked toward us, snarled, and started stumbling toward the truck. Henry jumped out.

I went into an instant panic. “Henry! Get back in!”

Without turning around, he yelled, “Shut it, Elaina! I’ve got this!”

“Henry! Henry, please!” He pumped the shotgun and, without aiming, he shot the undead man in a matter of seconds.

He jumped back in, buckled up, and jammed the shifter into drive. He floored it and, before I could yell “No!” he ran over the newly true dead man. Claire screamed.

“What the hell did you do that for?”

“Insurance policy. Let’s get the fuck out of here before we attract any more attention.” As we headed out of the garage, I was a bit baffled by his nonchalance.

***

“Henry.” I was becoming more nervous. I wanted to ask more probing questions, but he was focused on the road.

“Yes, my love?” His voice was calm and soothing, like it used to be, but with his British accent.

“I need more info. I have shared my life, my love, my bed with you. I nearly married you today and I feel like I know nothing about you. When were you going to tell me about all of this shit?” I felt that it was a valid question.

“I hadn’t found the right time yet.” He sounded regretful and sad, but that statement made me angry. Big shocker right there.

“Wow. Okay. So, before we went out on our first real date wasn’t the right time? You could have told me everything, and then I could have decided if I wanted to have a relationship.”

“I couldn’t tell you! And once I got involved with you, I couldn’t lose you. I loved you from the moment I locked eyes with you. You know that!”

For real? That was all he could come up with? “Lose me? How is that your decision? And how selfish are you to bring me into this blindly!” I felt rage burn through my body. I thought about the probability that my entire family was being eaten by each other. “Damn you, Liam!” I slammed my fist down on the dash.

“Don’t call me Liam! I’m Henry! Henry, damn it! And, in case you have forgotten, this is
not
my fucking fault! I didn’t make this. I’m just here to fight it and protect you!” he shouted, full of rage, and punched the dash. I was startled. He was used to my outbursts, but he had never reacted to me like that before.

“Why? Tell me why I can’t call you Liam?”

“Never mind,” he muttered, returning his focus back to the road.

“I want to know! I
deserve
to know!”

“You do, but now is not the time, Elaina!” He grumbled something, then slammed on the brakes. Just what I needed, a little more whiplash. He cursed to himself and looked over at me. “I need to talk to you about a few more things before we go back to the church.”

“Great. Are your mummy and daddy from Neptune?” There. I mocked him in his own accent, but it didn’t make me feel any better. It made me feel like I was two.

He growled. “This is hard for me, too. I wanted to tell you so many bloody times who and what I am! But I couldn’t. I wanted to be completely honest, but I didn’t have that luxury. You have given me everything. I have given you nothing but doubt and anger.” He was upset with himself and his eyes began filling with tears.

“You got that right, asshole.” I was pissed. Pissed at everything. Fuck it all.

“Both of you need to stop this banter! I want to get to the church, now!”

“Right.” Henry put the truck in park.

“Umm, putting the truck into park is not getting us to the church.”

“Yeah, I realize that. Listen, after the church, we need to get back to our place.”

“No! We need to go check out my place and my families’ homes!”

“Elaina, please, let me explain.” Henry reached for my hand and I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “Elaina,” he whispered. “We need to go back to the flat. There’s another agent coming, and she will be here later tonight.”

“She?”

“Yes. She. Her name is Sophie. She trained with me and will be helpful to us here.” I couldn’t help it so I laughed. “What is so comical?”

“A girl trained with you to fight this? She must be more truck driver than I am! Can’t wait to see this chick. Does she rock a mullet?” Claire’s impatience was very evident from the sounds that she was making in the back seat.

Henry shook his head. “No.” He seemed angry with my truck driver reference. “Anyway, she’s on her way and we are going to devise a plan for this area. We have other plans in place, but dealing with this area is a priority at the moment.”

“Devise a plan? What kind of plan?”

“I’m not exactly sure yet. This is why Sophie is coming in.”

I laughed while looking at Claire. I could barely get my words out between my laughs. “Perfect. The secret agent up here doesn’t know what to do.”

“Whatever, Elaina! I don’t have time to argue with you about all of this. Can you please ditch the sarcastic attitude for once, and just go with the flow?” I admit I did feel kind of bad. Kind of. Just a teensy bit.

“Yes. I guess.” I rolled my eyes.

“Thank you!” He slammed the Tahoe in drive and practically stood on the gas pedal. We rounded the corner, and there was evidence everywhere that the undeads had been around. Crashed cars, pools of sticky blood in the street, body parts strewn about, and let’s not forget the obvious…the roaming undeads.

I was in shock about how rapid the virus was spreading. Henry looked back at Claire, then over at me. “Listen. I know this is hard to see and understand, but you just have to trust me. I am not going to let anything happen to either one of you. I promise. Remember, I still love you, Elaina, no matter what you think. And Claire, you’re like a sister to me. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to protect both of you.” Claire nodded her head and her eyes welled up with tears.

I stared at all the carnage. I was missing my family before I even knew if they were human, undead, or true dead. I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Henry was weaving around crashed cars and the undeads that were roaming, looking for a mid-day snack. We started seeing more and more cars just sitting in the middle of the street.

More bodies. More blood. More gore.

The closer we got to the church, the more death and despair was present. My stomach churned. “I don’t feel so well.” I could feel my face getting hot, and the sweat beaded on my forehead. Henry looked over at me when I slapped my hands over my mouth, trying to repress the feeling of needing to vomit.

“Do you need me to pull over?” I nodded, careful not to puke all over the interior of the truck. “Let me find a safer spot, then I’m going to jump out to cover you.”

I was trying to hold the lurching demon in. It was working hard, fighting me every step of the way, trying to escape. Finally, he pulled over and jumped out. I whipped opened my door and dropped to the ground. In seconds, Henry was standing over me with his gun ready.

It felt like every ounce of food I had from the past week was trying to come out. I didn’t think I would ever stop but, thankfully, I did. I sat there on my knees, sweating and shaking.

“You alright, love?” Henry stroked my hair. I nodded and then wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. As tough as I tried to be, all the blood and guts shit was really getting to me.

Henry grabbed my arm and helped me get back into the truck. With luck, we weren’t noticed by any of the undeads. They were too busy snacking to realize there was more fresh meat in the area.

“Claire, reach in back there and grab a bottle of water out of that bin.” Claire dug through the bin and she pulled out some bottled water.

“What is all that in there?” Claire handed me the water. I rinsed my mouth out and started sipping on it.

“Proper supplies that we may need. I always keep it in here because you never know what’s going to happen.” There were medical supplies like needles and vials, antibiotics, bandages; food and drinks; extra clothes; weapons; and a variety of other survival items.

Feeling a little bit better, I piped up, “Are you going all doomsday prepper on us?” Henry rolled his eyes, then we continued our way to the church.

Further down, we came up to Main Street, where the church was located. I took a deep breath, trying to prepare myself for what lay ahead. I heard Claire do the same. I looked back to her and grabbed her hand. The tears were running down her face.

I kind of understood what she was feeling. I, too, lost the man that I loved. It wasn’t the same, though. In fact, it was a bit selfish for me to compare the situations. I had a new Henry to get to know if I desired, but she didn’t have a new Marc to move forward with.

Henry slowed down and stopped. The streets were littered with gore and crashed cars. The church was still five blocks down. “We’re going to have to walk from here.” He popped off his seat belt. “Both of you will need your guns.”

“I’m alright. I don’t think I could shoot anyone anyway.” I couldn’t tell if Claire didn’t want to use the gun, or if she was afraid of what she may have to
do
with the gun.

“Trust me, you will want it and will learn quickly. We have to stick close together. I will be in the back, covering both of you. If you see any undeads, aim for the head. Remember, the only way to kill them is to destroy their brain.” I grabbed my stomach again. “Sorry, love.” He looked over at me and, with a tenderness that I was familiar with, he brushed my cheek with his thumb. That was my Henry that I knew so well… sweet and apologetic.