Quarantined in Chaos (Nova Nocte) (7 page)

             
He ran a hand through his hair.

             
“I know you both still think you are in love, and perhaps you are. However, you are both grown and know that it can never work out. I’d like for the two of you to get this sorted now.”

             
Caelinus stood and exited the room. The door clicked behind him.

             
We stared at the portal to the rest of the world and slowly turned our heads until we faced each other. My foot bounced on the thin carpet.

             
What the hell do I say?

             
I opened my mouth but no words fell out; I cleared my throat instead. The man I loved shifted in the low-backed seat and pursed his lips.

             
“So, we’re in love. Sucks huh?”

             
I could kiss you for speaking first.

             
“Yeah, it really does. I’m sorry about your family; I know how it feels.”

             
He sat next to me.

             
“Thanks. I just wanted to see them again. You know, tell them I’m okay and I didn’t die in some car accident after prom. Thought I could rescue them from these zombies and set them up with a nice life in Canada. I could’ve glamoured them to be happy and checked in on them from a distance.”             

             
“Sounds nice; like a dream.”

             
I wiped a tear from his eye.

             
“It was a dream. They’ve been dead since the beginning; because they thought it would let them join me.”

             
“You can’t blame yourself. Life happens, death happens, and it sucks. They loved you though. Hell, Daemon, your bedroom was practically and altar.”

             
We laughed a little and held hands.

             
“Thanks, Squirrel. You know, even though we can’t be together, I still want you in my life. You’re my best friend and except for never being able to have sex again -- which was awesome by the way -- you and I just click.”

             
I kissed his pale cheek.

             
“I feel the same way.”

             
“And the sex was...?”

             
I hugged him tightly; never wanting to let go.

             
“I was unreal. It was perfect because it was with you. And I’m going to miss that almost as much as I’ll miss talking with you.”

             
I felt twin rivers flowing down my face and onto his back.

             
“Like I said, I’m thinking of a job as a gigolo.” He teased.

             
We broke down in laughter and tears. I hit him on the bicep and he did a silly dance with a fake smolder.

             
“Just so you’re aware,” He slid next to me on the polyester bedspread. “I’ll probably check in on you randomly after we make you forget. But only for the rest of your life.”

             
I choked down the feelings battling to get loose.

             
“I’d like that.”

             
We embraced and had our last kiss before I would die.

             
The tat-tat-tat of an M16 burst popped me off my bed and into my shoes. I grabbed my belongings and ran to the lobby, nearly knocking Chase and Marley Guy over when I stopped abruptly.

             
“Sorry. Where’s the gunfire coming from?”

             
The others slid in to place in clumps; we all knelt behind the bulky furniture and crouched along the wall. Sunny craned her neck and pointed out the glass doors.

             
“Seems to be coming from the way we came. That ‘small army’ that we almost ran into on the highway would be my guess.”

             
“I thought the vamps drained those guys?”

             
Reggie’s voice floated to us from behind.

             
“I think you greatly underestimate how many people are included in our assessment of ‘small army’; there is a limit to how many three vampires may kill and still get away in one piece.”

             
Someone gasped and Hannah began praying under her breath.

             
“Okay, so we are outnumbered and these people were angry enough to track us from Savannah to Hardeeville. How many would you say we’re facing and how organized are they?”

             
Cal motioned and we slinked back to the nearest room. Garret and Bubba remained as sentries. Once in the fading suite, Cal took the lead.

             
“There are roughly fifty people remaining in that group. Assuming the entire force is following us, we are outmatched four to one. Although that party has numbers on their side, they are more of a mob than a trained military and their arms are varied.”

             
“About half only have an axe or knife.” Daemon added.

             
I made quick mental notes and tried to formulate a plan.

             
“But the other two dozen have semiautomatic rifles?”

             
Reggie shook his head laughingly.

             
“Not even close. Maybe six or seven have serious firepower, the rest have pistols, shotguns, or hunting rifles. Still, it’s not the best odds.”

             
Another burst of gunfire, this one closer.

             
“It’s only 5AM, sun won’t be up for at least an hour and a half, but that’s not much of an advantage. We can split into two teams and reconvene at another place tomorrow night.”

             
Half-whispered complaints flooded my ears. I held up one finger and spoke over them.

             
“It’s risky, but our best chance is to retreat as two groups and maximize the number of people we can move quickly.”

             
I looked to our Undead allies.

             
“A distraction would be ideal, but we can’t be sure that you guys would be able to get to safety so soon before sunrise.”

             
Cal and Reggie nodded their consent.

             
The fledgling vamp grinned.

             
“Better idea.” He pointed at the parking lot. “The cars are almost out of gas and we can’t get more without digging up a station pump, so why don’t we ditch them here and set a trap?”

             
Is he insane? How are we supposed to outrun these jerks on foot?

             
Cal assumed a position of authority; his time in the Roman Legion was embedded in him as thoroughly as his spine.

             
“That is an option. If the majority was to move out on foot and circle around the mob, we could regroup at say,” We looked at the road atlas. “ah, where the interstate meets 278.”

             
“It’s just a day’s hike for us and a quick flight for you three.” I folded the map and returned it to my bag. “We could continue on from there.”

             
“Exactly right, Squirrel.” The Under-Commander continued. “We divide into two teams: the first is composed of Reggie and all but a couple of you, the second will be Daemon, myself, Squirrel, and two or three others. First team will carry all they can and leave immediately. The second team will stay behind to set a trap for out hunters; we will eradicate as many as possible before making a hasty retreat.”

             
Silence reigned for a full minute while the implications sunk in; the trio of Undead would be separate and rushed to find shelter from the sun while we humans would be forced to the extent of our physical abilities.

             
It’s all we’ve got. A real battle would do us in and running as one mass is too easy to spot. Guerilla warfare it is. Hope it works.

             
“Alright, let’s do this while we still have time. Team two is Cal, Daemon,” I looked at raised hands and was thankful for volunteers. “... Bubba, Marley Guy, Katie, and me. Everyone else, you are in the first team; load up and follow Reggie. See you soon.”

             
The detail poured out without a word. Nurse gave Sindbad a hand signal and the canine followed his owner.

“Not much time so we’re gonna move fast. Bubba, you and Marley Guy cut the fuel lines to our rides and pour whatever’s left in the gas cans around to the side door. Katie and I will get all of our gear up that hill and set up a firing position with all of our weapons.”

              I threw my bag on my back and hefted two rifles; the others followed suit.

“
The idea is to: have Daemon and Cal play bait, blow the cars as soon as they chase him into the lobby area, we open fire in volleys so they don’t get a break, and both of our fangy friends swoop in for some fast food. We cause a lot of carnage and chaos for a couple of minutes and then run like hell to circle this location and reconnect with our friends. Ready?”

             
Bubba and Marley Guy agreed in equally unintelligible words before filing out to their mission. Our squad took our places. While I left the front door, Cal stopped me with a smile.

             
“I would’ve been proud to have you as one of my Centurions, Squirrel.”

             
I saluted him with a fist to the chest like I’d seen in movies and left him with a handshake. He watched as Daemon gave me a peck on the cheek.

             
###

             
Katie and I lay at hidden by the brush at the top of the hill. We’d lined up all nine guns with the barrels facing the lobby of the hotel. We switched off each safety and aimed our own rifles. I peered through the scope and saw Bubba and Marley Guy reach their spot at the end of the gasoline trail. That instant, both Undead stepped out of the building and began to shout at the approaching foes.

             
Our hunters numbered just under fifty by the time they crested horizon. I noted the fleshies lumbering towards them from the countryside and cast a glance around our position. As planned they saw Daemon and Cal; the mass of men lurched forward like a wakened dragon. The groans of Dead mingled with the battle cries and gunshots of the militia. I dried my palms on my jacket sleeves and put the butt of the rifle into my shoulder.

             
Holes appeared in the plaster around Daemon’s head as the first enemy rounds neared their target. The young vampire looked nonplussed and mooned the assailants. Cal grabbed his protégé by the belt loops and pulled him into the lobby as the sidewalk erupted with bullet holes.

             
Breathe slow and smooth. Take your time and squeeze the trigger so gently it almost surprises you when it fires. Breathe and do what you have to do.

             
The bait taken, nearly thirty of the attackers reached the vehicles as one mass. I spotted nearly that many Dead in the vicinity. Fire snaked from our companions and consumed the automobiles. I tightened my grip on the hunting rifle and kept my breathing steady; Bubba and Marley bounded to our firing makeshift firing range while our enemies stood distracted by the orange and red dance in their midst.

             
BOOM!

             
Shrapnel, car parts, and limbs surfed the concussion and collided with the surviving mercenaries. Daemon and his mentor flew out the side doors and eviscerated the confused force like red ink on a term paper. I opened fire on those furthest from the blast; my scope displayed a pink cloud for an instant while the blood hung in the air.

             
I fired shots until there was no ammo to refill the chamber and then I grabbed the next weapon and repeated the procedure. A couple of people caught fire and tried to outrun it; I ignored them in favor of those who were uninjured. Our fangy friends fed and gutted the opposing force and returned to the lightening sky. With each second, bodies fell into heaps. Dead came in droves to tear the flesh off their bones; raccoons with clouded eyes.

             
Cal landed to my right.

             
“It’s time to go. They are beginning to track our shots. We don’t want to be here when they focus enough to retaliate.”

             
We got to our feet and sprinted away. Both vampires covered our retreat. I threw the rifle strap over my left shoulder to ease the getaway. As soon as possible, I made a ninety degree turn towards the rendezvous point. The sky was turning violet and the stars blinked out in handfuls.

             
Forrest stopped ahead of me.

             
“No time to rest, Bubba. Not all of them are dead.”

             
“But, they...” He talked through gasps. “...they are. We’re practically surrounded by dem Dead critters.”

             
I followed his outstretched hand. I saw Katie get taken down fighting off a quad of corpses with her camp shovel and dagger. Marley Guy delivered a well-aimed jab with his spear through the nose of a grey toned skeleton of a man before swinging it around into the temple of a legless woman. The skin hung off her once obese body and caught in the undergrowth. Bubba and I ran to help him; Katie was already engulfed by blood-drenched fleshies.

             
We formed a triangle of blades and relayed instructions to one another as we traversed the uneven terrain laced with carnivorous stiffs. The blade of my sword wedged into the jaw of a large water-logged cadaver; grabbing my rifle I slammed the butt into its face. I was rewarded with a squelch of purification.

             
Another herd of Dead gained on us from that direction. I left my sword in the beast’s head and stayed with my friends. Cal landed on the shoulders of a nearby zombie, crushing her to the dirt. Daemon joined him and we ran to do the same.

             
The fingers of a middle-aged woman dug into my ankle and brought me to the earth; the air rushed from my lungs as I landed on a rock. The rifle silhouetted in the air before disappearing beyond the predator. I kicked at the patchy black hair. I heard Daemon calling my name but didn’t dare look away from my struggle. I felt the hand disengage and rolled over to regain my footing.

             
The teeth of a recently killed man dug into my shoulder. I cried out in pain and fury as I battered the young man I’d tried to save yesterday.

             
It can’t end like this. I have to survive. I promised my family I’d find a way to live. No one even knows my real name. I can’t die now. Please, God, not yet.

             
The chomping teeth were gone and Daemon’s eyes met mine. All around our group I could see Dead on fire or dismembered. He was holding a hand to my wound to staunch the bleeding. I thought of the pain he would feel after I died in his arms and cried harder.

             
Please God, look after him. Let me watch over him from wherever you send me.

             
“Squirrel, look at me. I need you to stay with me, okay? Just stay with me.”

             
I fought to catch my breath through the waves of sanguine fluid filling my throat.

             
“She’s lost too much blood, Daemon. She’s been bitten. Move aside and let me give her a peaceful end; I can glamour her so she won’t feel it. Just let go.”

             
“No, I can’t. She’s going to live. I can’t lose her.”

             
He dug his fangs into my neck and drank deeply for a few draughts before he must’ve tasted the infection; he spit a small mouthful out. I could feel my body floating like the night I drank so much whiskey I woke up naked in the closet.

             
“Daemon you cannot save her once the infection has taken hold.”

             
“Not as a human, but I can save her.”

             
He bit into his wrist and brought it to my mouth while his mentor killed another of the roving Dead.