A Mother’s Duty Chapter 13

             As we walked along the deathly quiet streets I couldn’t help but run parallels to the life I had used to live. Right now we would be getting close to the holiday season and I would be up at all times of night doing last minute shopping and sewing the latest of my daughters costumes for the inevitable Christmas play, though in recent years they had taken to calling it a “Holiday” Play. Now the streets were filled with the refuse of the fleeing remnants of humanity, a stuffed animal stained in blood that I had to make myself believe was not from its former owner lay discarded by an idling van. The only thing missing from the otherwise cluttered streets was the infected themselves. Something in the back of my mind clicked that this was wrong but my relief to have a moment’s thought over ruled it.

           The man and woman kept mostly to themselves as we walked farther into the city, the women quietly breaking down as we got closer to the horrific destination. The man, Russell said his name was Tom, on the other hand was the definition of stoic his steely gaze locked on the path before him. I cleared my throat and announced, “their just around this corner up ahead.” Tina nodded her eyes distant already preparing herself for the scene ahead of her and Toms hand strayed closer to the pistol at his side, the only weapon visible although I was certain he carried more. As we drew up to the corner we discovered the reason for the previously cleared streets, surrounding the truck was a mob of infected 40 deep, their hands searching for an entrance into the treats inside. The occupant was curled up inside his knees pulled up to his chest, his face covered in blood from a cut over his eye. I turned my head to Tom struggling by my side and I saw Tina pulling from him trying with every ounce of her strength to get to the truck. I knew then who the man in the truck was, her son had somehow managed to survive the previous fight and had made his way back to the truck. The mob hearing the protests started to turn towards us and some were beginning to approach, but they were not alone. In a last minute act of heroism the man seeing his mother about to be ran down began to press wildly down on the horn and opened the door to the truck, ensuring his own end as hands pulled him from the vehicle before disappearing in a sea of bodies.

                  None of us could tear our eyes from the scene before us, Tina had fallen to her knees her shoulders shaking from abject disbelief. Finally my mind began to bring me back to the events around us and dropping my metal rod, it would only slow me down now, I began to help Tom both of us grabbing Tina to help her stand for the wound that was surely as devastating as a physical one. Half running half carrying we began to gain distance between ourselves and the chasing horde. The vacant streets now filled around every corner that lingering thought in the back of my mind coming back to the forefront now that they were here in front of me. We ran through the city for hours turning every now and again in an attempt to lose our pursuers but like a pack of hounds they stayed with us the entire way. Finally we came across an old government building and locked ourselves in barricading the door with a heavy couch from the lobby.

                At this point Tina was a mess her eyes bloodshot and her arms covered with bruises from fighting to get free of our grip. Tom was sitting next to her on the remaining couch in the lobby quietly consoling her, because of this neither of them saw the women in the nurse’s outfit crawling along the floor her arms caked in blood. I yelled out but too late her teeth sank into Tom’s thigh as he jumped to his feet placing himself between the nurse and Tina. Tina stumbled backwards as Tom wrestled with the women already he was beginning to lose control but he managed to get his pistol free and with his last ounce of strength he pulled the trigger showering the room in brain matter. Hurrying forward I grabbed Tina and made like to go but she resisted and when I turned to question her I saw why. Held tightly to her chest her right hand was now gushing blood where she had managed to get bitten, her eyes flat she lunged at me already turned and hungry for my life. I jumped back pushing her into the wall and away from me scrounging to pull my pistol from my pocket, finally pulling it free I brought it up in front of me but Tina had managed to right herself as well and the gun was knocked free as she tackled me to the ground. I held back my forearm locked under her chin as my other hand searched desperately for the weapon. Struggling I heard the distinct sound of wood splintering in the background and I knew that more infected would be upon me in moments. As my hand finally brushed the barrel of my gun and I began to grab it so too did Tina succeed in getting past my arm, her teeth sank into my shoulder as I pulled the trigger sending her to her eternal slumber. I sat there for what seemed like days but knew that it was only seconds and the events of the last few days became clear for the first time, and as my mind faded I saw in front of me my daughter breaking the illusion I had made for myself in order to survive, back on that day when this had all begun, and with a smile on her face she turned the pistol on herself and pulled the trigger with her last bullet.

 Two days later,

         Russell sat down next to the child he had promised to protect, Anna had said her name was Claire. He had managed to find some crayons underneath the sink the day earlier and she now sat drawing on a discarded piece of paper. They had waited a day before leaving port finally admitting to themselves that the Anna, Tina, and Tom were not returning. Russell couldn’t help but feel responsible as he looked down at the latest in a series of drawings Claire had made since they had found the crayons. Ever since they had left the girl had closed herself in not talking to anyone barely eating unless forced. He placed his hand on her shoulder in support as she did something she had never done before down in the lower corner of the drawing she signed her name in broken print, Amanda.

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A Mother’s Duty Chapter 12

          After all of this time we were this close and it was happening again. I saw my daughter feet away but it might as well have been miles with all of the infected separating us. Firing the last of my bullets into the crowd below her I took a couple down but there was still too many to overcome. I ran forward picking up a sizable stick as I went, I was not about to lose her again I would do what ever I needed and whatever I could to get to her. The first couple fell under the blows of my makeshift club but they quickly began to overrun me I widened my stance preparing for the inevitable slip that would spell my downfall when I heard a crack like thunder and the infected before me began to fall away. Glancing behind me I saw john standing tall on a rock Victor at his side as they opened fire with rifles they must have “requisitioned” from Bunni’s group.

        Seeing an opening I rushed forward just as Claire jumped down into my arms. Looking down onto the mountain side I couldn’t help but gasp at the hordes of infected lined up for as far as the eye could see. I slowly backed away around the corner seeing the mob slowly begin to cover the mountain like a colony of ants swarming over a rival ant hill. Backing up I towards Victor and John’s side, I couldn’t help but look back towards the town, Claire and mines last hope. The sun already a quarter of the way moving across the late autumn sky and I knew that we had no way of making it to the port if we were to stop to even a fraction of the oncoming swarm. My only chance lay in the sacrifice of the others, so I scooped Claire into my arms and ran, passing John and Victor I hoped the look of guilt-ridden sorrow on my face would be enough of an apology for him as I know I would yet again be faced with the nightmares of leaving a friend to their certain death in my race for my daughters safety.

        I heard their shouting behind me as Claire wept in my arms and we quickly descended the hilltop road into town. The port was only a few miles from our camp made the night before but already I could feel my breath becoming labored and my heart pounding in my chest. I had to go on, my daughter would be my inspiration, my driving force to go through the night if I had to. I could feel the heat of thousands of hungry forces radiating from behind my neck and I quickened my step to gain more distance between us.

          Pushing through the city I saw signs all around me of the infection. Looking down side streets I saw bodies lying abandoned in the street, mixing with the discarded remnants of a civilization lost. Near the old markets of this town I began to see signs of a large struggle near a blue truck. Bodies were piled 5 high around it and in the middle 2 men in yellow coats lay back to back the guns still laying limp in their dead hands. I pushed on, I knew I did not have time to delay.

              The day was going fast and as I at last came into sight of the harbor and our last leg of freedom the dwindling sunlight set the water aflame with shimmering lights. My legs were dragging with the weight of days of hard travel. As I grew closer to the water I began to hear shouting and veered towards it. At last I had come upon them, there on the end of the dock was 5 or so men moving quickly to make ready a small boat for departure. I called out the sight of them giving me a sudden burst of energy and I rushed forward Claire held tight to my breasts. The men hearing my cry had quickly fell into formation rifles appearing from behind backs relaxing only when they heard my cries that I was uninfected.

           Three of the men lowered their rifles getting close I saw that there was 6 people a woman sitting in the boat had her head in her hands, her shoulders bobbing with tears. One of the men I guess the leader by the way the others looked to him came forward, “Names Russell, glad to see some living people out here. You didn’t happen to run across a couple men in yellow coats in a blue pickup out there did ya’?” I nodded my head as I bent over taking in gasping breaths,” I saw them about 2 miles back on a side road. They… didn’t make it, but they took out quite a few of them before they died.” Claire hid behind my legs apprehensive of the strange men standing before us and the men went back to readying the boat for departure their faces somber with the news of the loss.

              Still tired from the run I felt my heart begin to calm as Russell places a steadying hand on my back. Looking up I saw one of the men consoling with the now hysterical woman as she cried for her son. Russell spoke his voice sounding forced and weary” I’m sorry if we scared you, a couple of our boys went out a couple of days ago to look for equipment we’re missing on the island. We haven’t heard from them in 6 hours and when we heard the shots earlier…well we thought the worst, Tina back there’s son went with them so she’s taking it pretty bad. I’d hate to ask but would you mind taking Tina and one of my men back to where you saw them, it would help her to get a sense of closure. I’ll have the men watch over the girl there, and you could be back before we leave in an hour or so.” Who was I to refuse them when they were ready to help us and take us far away from this never ending nightmare, “ Name’s Anna, this here is my daughter Claire, When will they be ready to leave?” Russell looked back towards the man that had been speaking with Tina and he nodded “right now if you’re rested”. Pulling Claire aside I hugged her and told her that mommy would be back soon but that she should go onto the boat and stay out of the men’s way.     

        As the other two gathered behind me I left all of my things with Claire save my trusty pistol now down to 2 bullets and a piece of pipe that was lying near the boat and we set out once more into danger, refusing to turn my back on these people as I had on my companions before.

 

A Mother’s Duty Chapter 11

I awoke to find victor nudging me awake. “You need to come listen to this,” he pulled me over to where he and john had set a recessed fire to keep us warm but deep enough to not give us away . John was sitting over a radio I guessed Victor had thought to bring with him listening to some guy repeating a message over and over reminding me of the PSA’s of old. As I sat down next to him the PSA started over again,

This is Technician Daniel Morris of the Kodiak Colony, We have set up an island free of infection, we have food, Medicine, and drinks and we can protect you. We will be waiting at the Northern Docks in Port St.Claire with a boat from when the sun is highest in the sky until sundown. Please use caution we have reason to believe there are several substantial sized mobs of infected close to the city. Move only in the day time and if you see a Blue fire burning near the docks stay far away, and as always keep on surviving.

             I sat in thought for a few moments, was the hope of survival enough to warrant venturing into a town where there was certain to be hordes of infected waiting to ensnare us, or continue on perhaps never being able to relax doomed to an existence of quickly built shelters and hurried naps always in fear that the next day would be our last. Finally I spoke my voice quivering with the weight of my decision.

            “I think that we have no other choice at least not for me and my daughter. We will be going into town early tomorrow morning to try and get to that boat. I can’t force you two to come with us but I will not raise my daughter out here in this hell on earth. If there is a chance of saving her I’m going to take it.” Victor and john sat in silence for a few seconds before john looked up and began to speak his Australian drawl coming through stronger then I noticed before “Don’t know what kinda man I could call myself if I didn’t protect a couple o’ ladies to protection you can count me in.” looking over at victor I could tell he was conflicted, “I can’t… I have to go for my own family I haven’t seen them since this thing began and I have to believe that they’re still alive.” As he spoke I saw tears glistening on his cheeks and knew this was something he had to do just as I had to protect Claire. I walked over to him and placed my hand on his shoulder letting him know I understood and jumped at the words behind me. ” Touching  scene but I don’t think any of you are going anywhere” turning around I saw a nightmare revisited in the face of Corporal Bunni and 3 other men all holding rifles keeping us in their sights. I looked over to where Claire slept and saw another of Bunni’s men already there playing with a knife in his hand as he looked over her hungrily.  I leapt at him but I was immediately pinned by one of the ones with a rifle as John and Victor were warned away by the others. “Now seems here we have a discipline problem 2 of you I expected this out of but victor I expected more from you, I thought we had beat the respect into you a long time ago but it looks like were gonna need a little refresher course. Gus you grab the little girl, Charlie, Mike you get the others tied up I have plans for them.” The ones known as Charlie and mike began to tie John and my hands together while victor stood by fury burning through his face as he struggled from the beating he was receiving at the hands Bunni. I heard my daughter screaming and I pulled desperately at the ropes that bound me screaming for them to leave her alone. Charlie and Mike went over and joined their boss beating Victor senseless there guard lessened by their shared blood frenzy.

                 Suddenly I felt something sharp against my wrists and John whispered for me to continue screaming. He started sawing at my ropes and before I knew it I was free. I started to run over to where my daughter had been taken grabbing the pistol out of my bag on the way. Rounding the corner I ran head first into one of the largest infected I had ever seen. Well over 6 foot the thing swung his hands at me attempting to bring me into him both physically and metaphorically into the fold. Instead I fell back down on to my back pulling the pistol up and unloading 4 bullets into him 2 missing completely but the final 2 hitting close enough that he went down. John was back by victor fighting the other 3 men off of him when they heard the shots all three turned to see a horde of infected climbing the hill. Looking down I saw Gus fighting with 4 of the front runners his axe flashing back and forth already slowing down as he inevitably tired. He would tear one down only to have two take its place until finally he missed one and it stepped in enough to bite him on his arm. His axe fell and others converged on him ripping him apart like the thanksgiving turkey.  Frantically I began to search for Claire finally picking her out on top of an outcrop a dozen feet away, With infected surrounding it on all sides reaching for her but unable to gain a foothold that had been just barely large enough for her.

 

A Mother’s Duty Chapter 10

            They say that before you die you see your life flash before you eyes, that’s only partially right. It’s more like seeing clips from the best parts of your life the parts that you always wished would last longer. I saw Claire swinging on a swing set, Dave cooking bar-b-que in the back yard, all three of us sitting outside of an ice cream shop laughing as Dave dabbed a piece of ice cream onto the end of his nose. Finally I heard a bang and waited for the following pain but it never came instead I heard an intake of breath and felt John running forward pulling out of my hand. I opened my eyes to see Victor standing over Peter with a pipe looking every bit as heroic as his brother was mad. Together John and Victor carried Bunni inside and tied him to the pole that had held me captive for two days now. Finally taking a dirty rag from nearby they stuffed it into his mouth ensuring that he could not give away their crime.

           In that moment of shared violence Victor and John gained a shared respect for each other that was evident in the way that they now interacted with each other. I walked over to the side room where my daughter laid, still sound asleep despite all that was happening around her. She was leashed to the bed, a piece of rope hanging from a collar around her neck as if she was some stray dog they had come across. I quickly untied it looking at the bolt lock holding the collar in place I knew there was no safe way to get it off so instead I ripped part of my shirt and used it as a barrier between the rough material of leather and the vulnerability of her skin. She stirred in my hands but seemed weak. The bastard had been starving her keeping food away to serve his own needs. Asking Victor if he had any food he smiled and dug into his pocket and pulled out a candy bar, a rarity I had not seen in years even before the base had been overrun. I let Claire nibble on it as we gathered some things a majority of our stuff having just been thrown in the corner and as we finished I heard the sound of muffled protests turning around I saw Bunny eyes wide with fury trying his best to get free.

                        Walking up to him I lifted my leg and with all my strength I brought it down on his groin, then leaning in I brought my face right up next to his and whispered into his ear,” The thing about trying to get honey from sweet young things, they often have stingers.” Both John and Victor were looking at me at this point there jaws open wide, but then they just started laughing and helped gather the rest of the supplies. Turns out there was less then fourteen men in Bunny’s group as Victor began to explain how he had come across the group while heading to his brothers but had been pressed into service soon after losing three of his group in an ambush and being left with little other option but to serve them.

                     Turns out the base wasn’t all that far from Port St. Claire and as we made camp for the night I could see the town in the distance the sun setting behind it. I don’t think I have ever seen anything quite as beautiful and as the sun sank beneath the horizon I let all of the emotions from the past few weeks let loose and I cried like I had not done for so long. I cried as hard as I did at Dave’s Funeral and before I knew it I fell asleep. Victor and John stood stoically looking over me and Claire, our guardian angels shielding us from the encroaching darkness.

 

A Mother’s Duty Chapter 9

I awoke to the angered tone of Commander Peter arguing with Victor somewhere close by. Much of the conversation was undecipherable but the little that I did here worried me. It seemed that they were arguing whether or not I was ready for something. Victor was against it but the Commander was insisting and I had an idea on who would win that battle of wills. Five minutes later the voices died out and one of the men from the supposed rescue team walked in. Lifting me from the floor he proceeded to untie me from the pole that had so far kept me immobile and anchored to the ground.

            His hands ran over my body making my skin crawl but I did not dare protest for fear that he would then turn towards my daughter. I closed my eyes willing him to go away, wishing myself to be anywhere else at the moment. It was then that I felt him pull away stifling a scream. I opened my eyes to see John, a rage in his eyes the likes I had not seen or thought possible of him. He was holding the man from behind having somehow gotten loose from the bindings holding him. As he squeezed on his neck, the mans face began to turn colors as his body was deprived of oxygen. Finally after what seemed like hours but was in all probability less than two minutes the man stopped fighting and John released his hold allowing the man to collapse to the ground. John ran over to me and began to loosen the knots still holding my hands together when we were alerted by a shout. There standing over us with a gun aimed straight for our heads was Bunny, the anger in his eyes rivaling that I had seen only moments prior in the face of the man standing next to me. “I see you two thought that you could escape! I saved you both from your own inadequacies and how do you repay me? You kill my man and then attempt to run away?! You’re a couple of useless pieces of scum and we have ways for dealing with scum around here” and with that he raised his gun and began to pull the trigger. I closed my eyes and grab Johns hands in my own preparing for the inevitable sound that would signal our end.

 

A Mother’s Duty Chapter 8

As the last few infected were mowed down with expert precision, I moved over to talk to who I took as the leader of the group. I extended my hand and introduced myself and he responded in kind” Commander Peter Bunni, you can call me Bunny everyone else does.” At that he flashed what I’m sure was supposed to be a disarming smile but ended up looking more like a predator sizing up its prey. “Thank you for helping us commander we would’ve been over with if it wasn’t for you. Do you know if the town is clear enough for us to walk through on our own?” I asked. “Oh you’re not going to need to worry about that, you see my men and I can handle the infected and we’ve got plenty of food and water the one thing we’re lacking in though is women. And what do you know just as I’m starting to give up along comes a couple of sweet young things running right into our arms. The little one is too young right now but all that means is we’ll have her good and trained to do things to our liking.” I was horrified this man was talking to us like we were nothing more then objects. If that wasn’t a sign of our fate the look on most of the men’s faces filled in the rest. “But you can’t do this to us were Human Beings!” and as I protested I made to grab Claire and run away only to collapse to the ground under the weight of a heavy object slamming into the back of my head. As I began to lose consciousness I heard Bunny order the others to put us in the back of the jeep and the sounds of protest coming from my daughter to let us go. I don’t remember much of the journey after that, but before I knew it I awoke to find us tied up in a tent with another man shackled and bound to the ground.

      I saw Claire curled up on a cot in the corner and she did not seem to be harmed for the moment and so I allowed myself a brief sigh of relief and turned my attention to drift back over to our cell mate. I looked over at him he tilted his head over to me and flashed his pearly white and speaking with what might have once been an Australian accent”Come here often?” I couldn’t help to laugh despite my current situation and introduced my self raising my hand as if to shake his only to find that I only had enough of a lead on my restraints to just barely scratch my nose if I bent my all the way over. He introduced himself as John Lindley, a miner from Australia visiting friends when the world had gone to hell. He went on to explain how he had come along Bunny’s group stealing from a group of survivors who had had the misfortune of crossing there paths, feeling bad he had snuck into the campsite at night and attempted to reacquire there things only to be found and beaten by a couple of Bunnies goons. He would have been killed if it hadn’t been for the fact that they found his Work ID with the words mining Mechanic on it.

        “Turns out they needed someone with my skills as their last guy had lost a battle of wills with a brick wall.” I don’t know what it was about him but I immediately felt comfortable with him and so I began to tell him our story. He looked at me sympathetically as I recounted the story of losing the mechanic John who’s Last name I had never bothered to learn, he listened carefully not interrupting only lending an ear and let me release all of the tension I had been building by keeping it all in. As I got to the part of Tookes there was a sound by the tent flap and a man hurried inside. I had not seen him in the crew who had rescued and then subsequently kidnapped us but if he was working for Bunny he couldn’t be all that good. He kneeled in front of me and I shrunk back as he moved his hand in towards my head but he continued steadily showing me his open hands as he looked to be examining the back of my head. “Have you been experiencing any dizziness since you’ve waken? I’m sorry for the way that you’ve been treated. Not all of us agree with how things are being run but anyone who disagrees with him ends up turning up dead. Your head isn’t bad I’ll want to keep an eye on it, Names Victor.” Like john I felt that I could trust him to a point though I felt that he wanted something from me and I could only hope that it wasn’t the thing the rest were wanting me for. His eyes started to glance around nervously and I knew he was about to ask for whatever it was that he wanted” I heard you came from the west and well, my brother lived out that ways I was wondering if you came across him. His name was Michael Tookes” as he said the name my eyes grew wide with fear. I had been this close to the man ready to trust him; he was quiet and gentle with me while checking my head and to think he was related to that mad man. The look on his face went from rage to fear to apprehension for what I knew and what he might not want to know. “What happened to him, he had a daughter too her name was Lara please tell me they’re alright?” I then proceeded to tell him the story of his brother’s apparent madness and the lack of evidence of any living daughter. As I finished he got up and without saying a word walked out of the tent not turning back until he reached the flap, where he turned eyes glistening and with a deep sadness in his eyes nodded to me as if to say I’m sorry for what you were put through and that he understood why I had to do what I did. As soon as he left I saw John had been listening intently and had agreed with my decisions as well.

        I was exhausted from the days events and so decided to go back to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, I was going to be figuring out a way to escape.

 

A Mother’s Duty Chapter 7

It had been a day and a half since I had woken from the comatose state brought on by a flu I had gotten mixed with my lack of sleep. I heard the infected moving outside and had with what little strength I had barricaded me and Claire into the Living room on the first floor. It went against everything I had learned to sleep on a first floor but beggars can’t be chooser’s and the room as it was should hold up for the time being. I still had no idea where my little princess had somehow found the strength to get us here and wondered how much this event had changed all the latest generation of kids.

    I could now move around of my own free will and so it would not be much longer before we would need to move on. We had around 4 more days worth of food and I was not about to risk going deeper into the house now that I heard movement coming from within. So I decided that we would leave at first light. I gathered all of my things and set them by the window which would act as our means of escape, the one good thing about being on the first floor is that we would not need to jump or attempt to climb down. I picked up a Poker from in front of the fireplace and I was satisfied with its heft swinging it through a few test swings. Now at least I would have a quiet weapon that I could use in last case scenarios. Claire spent the entire time sitting on the floor drawing with a piece of charcoal from the fire and again I was amazed at how resilient kids could be.

    As I lay my head down to sleep, Claire nestled up to me on the couch I let out a sigh and attempted to block out the sound of footsteps and dragged limbs. I was not sure exactly how long I had been asleep before I was awakened by the sound of splintering wood somewhere in the house. The infected were getting closer to gaining entry and it was time to get out of here. Claire stifled a word of protest at being woken up and rubbed the sleepies from her eyes. I gathered her up along with her things and told her that it was time to run. She brought a determined look to her face and nodded in agreement, my big strong little girl forced to be grown up in this insane world.

    Heading over to the window I peeked out from behind the curtains to make sure there was no movement directly outside. I saw a couple of them shuffling across the street there interests grabbed by some creature of the night. I would have to be fast, sliding the window open as quietly as I could I gathered Claire up and set her outside then grabbed our things and joined her. They had not noticed us yet but I knew that would not last long. Pulling out my pistol I turned the safety off and pulled her behind me as we ran. I could hear them coming behind me, baying like mad dogs, there beleaguered breath coming out as rasps. I knew we had no chance of making it but I forced myself to continue anyway. I felt Claire slowing almost slipping out of my hands. I was not going to let that happen again, I dropped the bag and picked her up instead and ran for all my life. Still I could hear them behind me and I knew my best bet was to lose them in the city coming up ahead. I felt like my lungs were on fire, but still I continued even as my legs felt like they would give out underneath me. Finally i made it into the city, my terrain, I took the first alley I came across counting on my smaller frame to get me out the other side should there be obstacles. As I came to the end of it and turned to corner I froze in horror. There in front of me stood 7 figures towering over me backed by a bright light and for a second I thought this is it, this is where it ends. But then one came forward and pushed me behind the others and I realized that they were not infected but in fact all seemed to be part of a military outfit as they were all dressed in uniforms I did not quite recognize. The one in front seemed to be in charge as he ordered the men to form a line and open fire on the first dredges of infected chasing me. As we stood there men on all sides of us opening fire my hands firmly held against Claire’s ears to protect from damage I couldn’t help but smirk at the image of a small bunny on the back of the commander’s neck.