Into the Badlands (28 page)
Authors: Brian J. Jarrett
And now he could see her face again; something he hadn't been able to do in years.
The Jeep swerved harshly around stalled cars still sitting atop the bridge. Ed gazed toward the city, catching sight of the Arch in the distance. The midday sun was beginning its descent, and bright orange sunlight reflected off the polished stainless steel surface of the massive structure. Ed recalled his last memory of the Arch, the same one he'd recounted to his children time after time, and was surprised that it looked almost exactly as he remembered.
The Jeep continued until it reached two large, chain-link gates. Two men stood behind them, both with machine guns. The gates were part of a larger chain-link fence, topped with razor-wire, running as far as he could see. As they approached the gates, he held Trish and the boys a little more tightly. Reality then came into sharp clarity, and realization finally took hold of him.
They made it. They were home. They had reached their safe haven.
* * *
Miller watched the Jeep speed away over the bridge until it became a small dot in the distance. Several more gunshots rang out in the background as his men finished off the last of the deadwalkers. He could smell the residue of gunfire in the air; it was a familiar smell he both loved and hated.
A tall man dressed in black fatigues walked up to Miller, then stood quietly beside him. His straight blonde hair peeked out from under his helmet. The blonde man pulled a cigarette from his breast pocket then lit it. He took a deep drag, then offered it to Miller. Miller refused, shaking his head. Both men stood atop the bridge without speaking, watching the city for some time.
“Do you think they know?” the blonde man asked.
Miller said nothing, then held out his hand for the cigarette. He took a short drag then handed it back to the blonde man, exhaling the smoke into the spring air. It had been a long time since he'd had a cigarette. Some habits died hard.
“I don't know,” he replied. Then he looked at the blonde man, his blue eyes reflecting the intense evening sun as he spoke.
“How could they not?”
About the Author
Brian J. Jarrett is a computer programmer and writer.
He lives in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife, his children, and too many dogs.
For more please visit
http://brianjjarrett.com
.
* * *
Other works
The Signal: A Collection of Tales (available late 2011)
Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank the following people for their invaluable time and assistance with this project; it wouldn't be what it is without them.
Pete, Allyson, Brooke, Jerome, Scott, Jerene, Tim, Bevin, Adam, Melonie
