The Sleepers: Quarantined New York

CHAPTER10

The man looked at Jack; his gaze was different. Anger, but also a decision. “Get ready,” he said in a low but clear voice.

Jack swallowed, understanding as he looked at the stick in his hand: This was just the beginning. The real hell… was in New York.

The sun was shining brightly overhead. The farm was quiet but bustling; everyone was busy with something, but this… wasn’t normal preparation. It was preparation with the possibility of not returning.

The man stood by an old chest. From it he pulled out scraps of cloth, a few cans of food, and a worn map. Jack stood a little distance away, watching, unsure of what to do. Marcus leaned against a wall, smoking a cigarette. “First mission, huh…” Marcus said, smiling slightly. “Either you return… or you become a memory.”

The man gave him a harsh look. “Shut up,” he said. Marcus shrugged, but remained silent.

The man spread the map on the ground, calling Jack over:

“Come.”

The map was worn but still legible. The man pointed to a spot with his finger.

“This is it,” he said.

Jack stared:

“Central New York…”

The man nodded and pointed to another place:

“We’re here.”

The distance wasn’t short. “Why are we going there?” Jack asked.

The man answered briefly:

“Medicine. Bullets. Maybe food. Maybe nothing.”

Jack took a deep breath. The man stood up and threw a bag to Jack. He caught it with difficulty, opened it. Inside were a small knife, bandages, a half-empty canteen, and a few bullets. “Is that all?” Jack said. “That’s all,” the man said, looking him in the eyes.

Marcus approached, a large knife in his hand:

“You won’t need more anyway.”

As a last resort, the man offered Jack a gun. This time Jack held it more consciously. “Listen,” the man said in a serious voice. “Don’t run. Don’t scream. Don’t shoot unnecessarily. If you fall…” He didn’t continue, but there was no need; Jack understood. For a moment he was alone, looking around; Guns, sticks, bags… These people wouldn’t come with him, there were only three. Lena watched him from a distance; their eyes met for a brief moment. She nodded slightly, neither support nor rejection, just acceptance.

The man slung his bag over his shoulder. Marcus threw his cigarette on the ground and crushed it. The man walked to the door, looking at Jack and asking:

“Are you ready?”

Jack paused for a second. Then…

“No,” he said.

Marcus laughed. The man nodded slightly:

“Good.”

The door opened, the outside world silent but waiting. The three walked towards the door. The camera followed them from behind. The door slowly closed. Now they were outside.

The sun was high in the sky, shadows short, little place to hide. As they walked along the dirt road, Adam in front, Jack behind, Marcus at the very back, silent; only the sound of footsteps could be heard. The wind rustled the dry grass. In the distance, a rusty tractor stood abandoned. Jack looked around, everything seemed to have stopped.

Suddenly, a crawling sound was heard. Marcus stopped, there was a half-buried dead body at the side of the road; it was crawling only with its arms. Jack flinched as Marcus approached without saying a word, pulled the cigarette from his mouth, and struck the dead man hard, crushing his head with his foot. The sound was short but disturbing. Marcus continued walking, as if nothing had happened:

“These are the easiest,” he said.

Jack stared blankly. The man spoke without turning around:

“Don’t get distracted.”

Jack composed himself and continued walking.

The road was cracked, its edges covered with grass. There were abandoned cars, broken windows, and a dusty teddy bear in the back seat. Jack paused for a moment, then continued. At one point, Marcus bent down and touched the dried blood on the ground:

“It’s not old,” he said. The man came back and looked at the tracks; the drag marks stretching along the edge of the road were striking.

Jack swallowed:

“What does that mean?”

The man stood up, looked around, and said:

“We’re not alone.”

A short silence. The wind had died down. The atmosphere suddenly became heavier.

A small hut was visible in the distance. With its half-open door and the mess, it was eerie. Marcus gestured with his head:

“Shall we take a look?”

The man thought for a few seconds:

“Two minutes.”

They approached the door. The man gestured with his hand: stop, listen. Silence. The creaking door opened, darkness inside. Jack reached for his gun, Marcus for his knife. Adam took the first step, but inside there was only mess: an overturned table, broken chairs, and fingernail marks on the wall. Jack whispered:

“Did…people do this?”

The man didn’t answer, but his gaze gave the answer.

The three went outside again. The sun was still high in the sky, but even the light no longer felt safe. Adam started walking, Marcus behind him, Jack looked at the cabin one last time and turned. And they walked on.

The sun was still high in the sky, but Jack Griff’s eyes were heavy with exhaustion. A strange emptiness filled him as he watched the silence of the farm.