Crimson Awakening

Chapter 9

From the roof of the trailer, Rey glared at the zombie mob now barely moving, except for a twitch here and there. Overall, they seemed to obey a command of stillness that he could not hear or comprehend. Then it hit him as the shrieks of his wife continued under his feet. She talks to them. That’s why they’re acting weird. Rey had to test the theory for himself.

He slowly walked toward the end of the trailer. The moment he passed thirty feet from the spot under which Gabi was held captive in the paper fortress, the zombie crowd became agitated and returned to their aggressive stance. He tested the theory several times and, sure enough, it worked every time.

Then why did they attack me at the cemetery? he questioned his logic. In seconds, he realized that before storing her in the paper box fortress, Gabi was mainly dwelling by the trailer door in the back. And since he had fought the zombies by the cabin, they had been out of her “transmission range.” Hmm … makes sense.

Rey quickly figured out a thirty-foot radius and immediately realized that, as long as Gabi was located close to the truck’s cabin, he and Eve could move no more than five feet away from the front bumper. Safely. He had to test it out. Before that, he lay facedown on the trailer roof and grabbed the edge of the door. It took a lot of strength but, in the end, he closed it. Then he moved to the other one. He wouldn’t be able to lock it, but if he were to escape alive, all he needed was to put a few miles between the rig and the zombies.

According to his new findings, he should be okay to climb down from the cabin roof, unlock the door, and simply slide in, all without any of the zombies touching him.

He looked down at them. There were too many. He hesitated, struggling to find a different solution yet couldn’t come up with one. I’m wasting time.

One thing he had learned in the military: hesitation was death. Make a move, whatever it is. If it’s the right one, great. If not, learn from it and move on. But this was life and death. The wrong choice would be fatal to him and to his daughter.

I have to do something. So, he did.

He slowly climbed down, inch by inch, ready to scramble back up at the slightest sign of danger. Finally, his combat boots touched the ground and stayed glued. With his back against the rig, he towered over them.

They stared back, dumbfounded, with c****d heads, as if listening to sweet music. Wasn’t there a band called White Zombie? He chuckled. That was just silly.

He focused on the monsters staring back at him and slowly took out the key, unlocking the door. He climbed up into the seat and, as he was about to close the door, Eve appeared from the back of the sleeper.

“I’m hungry, Papa,” she said, rubbing her eyes.

Outside, the zombie army howled, suddenly agitated by the little girl’s suave voice.

In a blink of an eye, Rey slammed the door shut, turned the engine over, and floored the huge machinery. The powerful Volvo engine roared, and the truck jolted forward.

Due to the powerful take-off, Eve flew backward and hit her head on the sleeper’s door, crying in pain. Unable to comfort her and drive at the same time, Rey squeezed the wheel with white fists. Rage washed all over his body, and his vision blurred.

First, his wife had been hurt. Now little Eve. When the f**k is this nightmare going to be over?

His breathing increased, and blood rushed to his face.

More than anything else, he not only hated that he was stuck behind the wheel, because he was, nor the fact that zombies were chasing them down, because they were. Mainly, he hated himself for being the one who had caused Eve to bump her head.

She continued to cry, and he tensed his jaw, thinking of sweet things to calm her down. He said them, but Eve whined in the back like a hurt kitten. Rey glanced at her several times to make sure she wasn’t bleeding. Then he sped up and, after a few miles, pulled the truck over, convinced he had lost the orange zombie army.

He turned and took her in his arms. She was so small that he always felt like King Kong holding a small woman in his hands. Rey examined her quickly.

“You’re okay, kitten. You’re just scared. Papa scared you. I’m sorry.”

She looked at him with big, round blue eyes swimming in tears. “I’m okay, Papa?”

“Sure, you are, honey. Look, let’s sit together and drive to California so we can fix Mama. Deal?”

Eve sniffled and nodded.

Rey jumped out, walked to the back of the rig, and quickly locked the trailer doors. He returned and, seeing Eve’s face, he was happy again. Within minutes, sprawled on the passenger seat, she’d forgotten the accident and was ordering Rey around, pointing out his over the limit speed.

“You’re right, little one, but we have to hurry to California, remember?” He thought of Jenkins and, without waiting for her answer, he picked up the phone and dialed his number.

Feeling neglected, Eve crossed her little arms. “Rude,” she said under her breath.

Holding the phone with one hand, Rey glanced at her and mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

She smiled broadly and said, “Just kidding, Papa.”

“Hey, Rey,” he heard Jenkins huff in his ear.

“Are you good, Jenkins? We’ll be there in sixteen hours.”

“Yes, I’m at the lab and putting things together. How are you holding up?”

“I’m okay,” Rey said, glancing at Eve. “We’ll need ropes and even maybe chains, Jenkins. Since this zombie thing, she’s suddenly very strong.”

Jenkins thought for a beat. “Yeah … I don’t know what to tell you, Rey. This is a lab, not a jail. You’ll have to figure that out on your own.” He paused then asked, “How is she doing?”

Rey told him how he was able to roll her inside four tires and built walls around her with paper boxes.

“Smart,” said Jenkins then ended with, “Okay, Rey, I’ll see you in a while.”

“Wait,” Rey said quickly. “There’s more. I discovered they … um … talk to each other.”

On the other side of the conversation, Jenkins’ jaw dropped. “What? What do you mean, they talk?”

Rey shared with Jenkins his discovery of the thirty-foot safety radius and how he was able to sneak back into the cabin with jail inmate zombies staring at him, transfixed by his wife’s shrills.

“What the hell …?” said Jenkins then whistled in amazement. “I’ve never heard of that … Well, I’ve never heard of zombies being a real thing, either, but this is … interesting.”

“For sure. Okay, Jenkins, I’ll see you soon. Stay safe.” He disconnected then turned toward the passenger seat. Eve was looking at him with wide eyes.

“Were you talking about Mama?”

Rey cursed under his breath. “Yes, kitten. That was the doctor. I had to make sure he’s got all he needs to fix Mama. We’ll be in California—”

“In sixteen hours,” Eve stole the words from his mouth. “I heard.”

She looked through the window on her side then, after a few minutes, she turned back to Rey. “Papa, I want to see her.”

Rey almost swallowed his phone. “What? Why?”

She remained quiet and blinked her eyes, almost saying, “Yep, that’s right. I want to see her.”

“Eve, baby, that’s not a good idea. Mama doesn’t look good, and you might have nightmares.”

“Nope. I want to see her,” she said stubbornly, her chin quivering.

Rey saw tears fill her eyes, but Eve stoically refused to burst out and cry. He debated if he should just give up and satisfy her wish. No! That’s nuts. She’s just a little girl. Rey squinted his eyes, angry for finding himself in this situation. War. He was good at war. And driving big trucks, he added to the thought.

“I want to see her, Papa Bear,” Eve said, switching to a sweeter voice, but still stern in her decision.

Rey’s heart melted. She’s already a manipulator.

“Fine,” he gave up. “Let me find a place to park.” He maneuvered the truck to the side of the road.

Inside the trailer, behind walls of paper boxes, the zombie continued to struggle, encased in tires. From time to time, she would scream and grunt. It was involuntary, but something inside of her was stronger than any morsel of will she had left, if any. She couldn’t control it, and she made no attempt to change it. There was nothing inside to attempt with. The hunger for human flesh drove her mad. Instead of salivating before a meal, she would snap her jaw and clack her teeth with anticipation of the feeding. The screams and shrieks were a desire to kill and destroy things she couldn’t understand.

Everything was colored in a hue of red, and her senses were heightened to the point where she could smell fear. She could hear the blood thumping through veins traveling to the heart. But mostly, she craved brains. The desire was so powerful that it was like the ultimate d**g. She craved it. She wanted it. She needed it.

The desire to scratch the inside of the trailer and reach out to the humans up front was overwhelming. It was like a puppeteer lived inside of her and pulled the strings any way he wanted. She was just existing to feed the monster inside.

Suddenly, several boxes on the bottom moved away. More followed. She smelled the air. The humans were close. She shrieked with the hunger eating at her core. Claws of desire cut deep into her foggy mind, and she heard a constant call reverberating and rattling inside her brain. “Feed … feed …”

A small face peered through the small space between the boxes, and the zombie lunged toward the girl.

“Don’t, Mama,” whispered the girl.

The zombie stopped abruptly. A long-forgotten memory invaded her brain. But, as quickly as it had come, it vanished. The call came back. “Feed … feed …”

The zombie shrieked and snapped her jaw. The calling was raw, tearing her insides like hooks in slaughtered animals. It ate at her, and she felt the creature entrapped inside her clawing its way out.

“I love you, Mama,” the little girl said. “… still,” Eve added, unsure what to say next. Tears sprouted at the corner of her eyes, and she searched for Rey’s hand.

She looked up at him. “I don’t want to be here anymore, Papa.”

Rey picked her up and walled back to the trailer door. He jumped out, sat her down, and then locked the doors.

She cried silently, not quite understanding where her mama had gone.

Rey looked at her and almost collapsed under the avalanche of feelings dumped on him—rage, love, anger, frustration, sorrow, and then rage again. He struggled to steady himself. It’s for Eve.

He walked back to the cabin, holding her hand.

It was getting dark. The sun peaked behind the mountains timidly, sending a few shy rays in a last attempt to hold the day. Dy air filled their lungs, and all was quiet around them. Hand in hand, they felt alone.

Rey planned on stopping for a bit in Fenner, California at the Desert Oasis gas station and convenient store. He found the place tucked away from the highway traffic and friendly toward truck drivers. He could shop for chains and ropes there, too.

After three hours of driving and almost no incidents on a deserted highway, Rey pulled into the Oasis Desert station. He parked smartly, backing up into a spot close to the gas station. A group of people mingled about, but Rey figured they were travelers, like him. They certainly did not look like zombies, so he found it safe for his daughter.

He jumped out of the cabin, walked around, and picked up Eve from the passenger seat. He lifted her up onto his shoulders then walked toward the group. They looked exhausted and with their nerves on pins and needles.

“Are these good people, Papa Bear?” Eve asked, staring at the group.

“Of course, they are, kitten. Don’t you worry.”

He lifted his hand. “Hello,” he said, scanning everyone in seconds to make sure nobody had funny ideas. Then he sat Eve next to him and looked at the group.

Just then, in the silence that descended between him and the group, a shriek pierced the night. Rey sighed.

“What’s in the back of your truck, big man?” asked a tomboy of a woman in her late-twenties, flanked by two guys. One of them held a g*n.

Rey eyed him. Although he was the tallest in the group, he figured he could take the guy out in about half a second. The other was heavier, but still not a threat to him or Eve.

Eve searched for his hand, and Rey shrugged. “Oh, that’s my wife,” he said simply, almost embarrassed to admit it.

“My mommy is a zombie,” whispered Eve, as if she were sharing a secret.

The group took a dive into immediate shock. With eyes wide open and halted breaths, they stared at Eve like they had never seen a little girl before.

After a few seconds of staring at each other, the group seemed to calm down and a couple of women hugged Eve repeatedly. Rey shook hands with the rest, and then they all walked inside the store.

Rey bought a box of macaroni and cheese, warmed it up in a microwave, and then handed it over to Eve, along with a plastic spoon. He sat down on one of the chairs bolted on the floor, took off his jacket, and watched as the group shivered at his size.

There were eleven in total, including a very pregnant woman, who were driving from California to Colorado. Tough drive, he thought, listening attentively to their story.

When Eve finished her supper, she sat on his knee. He told the group their story, and Eve added to it whenever she thought he was skipping details. Rey, still feeling bad for Eve seeing her mother locked in the trailer, approved, and moved along the narrative built on her words. When they finished the story, everyone looked at Eve, teary-eyed.

Eve asked Rey to bring some food to the zombie in the back of the trailer. He nodded and picked up a bowl of noodle soup. Rey warmed it up, pretending to follow Eve’s directions, knowing full well a zombie would never eat noodle soup.

The tomboy woman, who seemed to be the leader of the group, caught up with Rey. She introduced herself as Zoe Beauchamp. An older man stood behind her, and Rey immediately recognized the soldier in him.

In a respectful tone, she asked if he knew what he was doing.

A bit puzzled, Rey stopped and glared at her. “What do you mean, do I know what I’m doing?”

“I mean, you are heading into the middle of an infestation. They have the numbers on their side. And I’ve seen how fast and aggressive they are. You’ll lose,” Zoe said.

That made Rey’s blood boil. He would go to war, and he would win, no matter what.

He barely kept his rage in check as he forced a smile. “Miss Zoe, I never lose,” he declared, piercing her with his gunmetal blue eyes.

Zoe Beauchamp was visibly shaken by his reply, believing every word of it. Still, she tried to convince him to stay.

Rey fought hard to keep the secret that he had discovered hours back, looked deeply into her eyes, and then confessed, “I’m not sure what it is, but if we stay within thirty feet from … my wife, they won’t attack us.”

The information sent a jolt through the young woman’s body. She wanted to hear more about it, and Rey told her about the incident behind the gas station, where he had discovered the zombies’ weird behaviors.

Rey sensed she had more questions, but he had to get going. Jenkins was waiting for them in California, and he had no time to chitchat.

Right before walking away, Beauchamp asked him if he would allow the pregnant woman to clean up and maybe even take a shower in his sleeper. Rey agreed then walked with them to show his brand-new truck and the comfort of the sleeper. Impressed, they thanked him then return to the Desert Oasis convenient store.

Rey wanted to put Eve to sleep and even catch an hour himself. He had been up for the past forty-eight hours, and his eyelids were growing heavier by the minute. He took Eve in his arms and, in seconds, heard her soft breathing in the land of dreams. He tried to sleep, too, but thoughts of his wife troubled him. He thought of life and Iceland, his wife and … suddenly he remembered a story his grandfather used to tell him. An old Viking saga about the “draugar,” which is a damn zombie, and I have one in the trailer.

He lay there, staring at the ceiling, wishing he could sleep. Unsuccessful, he slipped out from under the covers and sneaked out. He checked all the fluids and did a quick inspection of the engine. All was in top shape.

When he heard steps behind him, he turned around.

Beauchamp had returned with another attempt to persuade him to quit his quest. With Eve and Gabi on his mind, he refused. Beauchamp then gave him an address in Colorado and encouraged him to drive there if California didn’t pan out. Not in a million years. He folded the paper and stuffed it in his breast pocket.

They said their good-byes and, unexpectedly, Beauchamp hugged him.

Reluctant to the sudden display of emotion, he returned the hug. He wasn’t the hugging type, but then again, these people were from California—hugging was their trademark.

Rey jumped in the rig and fired up the engine. Everything sounded right.

The pregnant woman and the husband thanked him then returned to their group.

Just then, Eve appeared in her pajamas at the door of the sleeper.

“I want to help, Papa.”

“Okay, kitten. Aren’t you tired?”

“I can’t sleep. Mama came to me when I was sleeping,” Eve said as she sat in the passenger seat.

He kept quiet. When he had been her age, he, too, had nightmares about the draugar.

Rey leaned over and fired up the GPS. “You know where we’re going, right?” he asked.

She nodded and adopted the look of a serious navigator.

Rey maneuvered slowly through the parking lot, and when he was about to turn toward the ramp, a young woman, part of the California group, waved for him to stop.

He pushed the brakes and opened the door.

“I want to go back to California. Can I come with you, Mr. Halldor?”

“Sure. Hop in,” he said, unsure if it was a good idea.

She settled next to Eve and smiled. “I’m Sara. Sara Glasser,” she said with a mousey voice.

Eve looked at her, happy to have someone to talk to during the trip. Papa didn’t like talking too much.

“Nice to meet you, Sara. I’m Eve, but Papa calls me kitten. Do you like kittens? I do. They are so fluffy. I love them.”

Sara chuckled and declared she, too, loved kittens.

Rey looked at them and smiled wide. He took the ramp and pushed the gas pedal down. The truck swallowed mile after mile and, after a while, Rey found himself the only one still awake in the cabin. God, I love this truck, he thought, glad he didn’t have to hear the constant chirping from the two blonde girls.

He watched the road ahead. Every so often, he would see abandoned cars parked on the side of the road. A few times, silhouettes roamed about, but none found their way in front of the truck. A quiet desert flanked the dark highway as the lights cut through the night, advancing at a high speed. In less than four hours, they would be in Long Beach. The thought gave him hope. Besides Eve, that was all he had left on earth. And the “draugar.”

His phone buzzed - “Pacific Senior Living.”