After Darkness Fell (19 page)

“I’ve got to find that farm. Do you have any idea if there’s a farm out here anywhere?”

“There are three or four of ’em—at least, there used to be. Dairy farms, mostly. All are abandoned and run-down, of course. I haven’t seen or heard anyone out there—at least, not the few times I snuck out in the evenings, looking for a place to dump trash.”

“This one would have a well.”

“They all have wells, son.”

His statement slammed the reality home. This was the country. Every residence out here had a well. The only thing different about this one was that the opening would have to be accessible. And since Simon had been using it to dump bodies, it would have to be deep.

How would I find it?

I suddenly realized I could be going about this the wrong way. I already knew where they lived—why was I wasting my time and energy trying to figure out how I could find their dump spot out here in the woods?

I wanted to slap myself for not considering this sooner.

I had to get back to their compound and work from there. But this time, I couldn’t get caught. I’d already snuck into their place and killed one of them before getting away. Now that they knew I was too dangerous to approach, they wouldn’t bother trying to bring me in alive.

I was seriously outnumbered. I’d seen at least a dozen of them but suspected there were even more living there. My saving grace was my military training, and that I’d been using it almost constantly the last six months. My reflexes were still good, my aim still excellent, and my gut just as reliable as ever.

Even so, I had to consider the fact that my only means of escape was a bike. In a truck, they could hunt me down in seconds. And if I tried following their truck to the well, they could lose me in even less time.

If only I could get to Uncle Joe’s truck.

Even that option came with its own double-edged sword. The truck was big, noisy, and difficult to maneuver on these bumpy, winding roads. Unlike the bike, they’d spot it in a heartbeat and start shooting. I wouldn’t be able to shoot back for fear of Fields getting caught in the crossfire. Even if they didn’t shoot me, they’d surely damage the truck. I’d be on foot, out in the middle of nowhere, and the gang could easily hunt me down.

“Moss?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re not gonna lie back down, are ya?”

“Too much on my mind.”

“I figured as much. So, as long as you ain’t going back to sleep, tell me your plans.”

“You know my plans.”

“You want her back, but you can’t get at her, and you’re wondering how you can do it.”

“That’s about it.”

He sat back in his chair. In the dim haze of the lamp I could see him staring at the ceiling.

“Talk to me, Walter.”

“I’m thinking of Madge.”

“What about her?”

“I’m thinking of what
I’d
do to get her back.”

“What
would
you do?”

He shrugged. “Just about anything.”

“Yes, but what does this tell me...”

“It might not tell you what you really need to know—not in black and white ... but it should tell you what’s at stake. You know, it really doesn’t matter what you need to do to get her back, just so long as you do get her back. If it was me, I’d damn well do whatever it took, and if I had to kill every damn one of those bastards to get her, I’d make damn sure I had my guns loaded and ready.”

“But I can’t risk shooting them all without putting her in danger.”

“Sounds to me like you’re being a tad cautious about all this.”

“I have to be cautious. Otherwise...”

“Tell me about her, son.”

“Walter, I don’t have time to sit here and...”

“From what you already told me, this lady of yours sounds pretty fine.”

“She’s the best woman any man could hope to have.”

“She’d have to be, wouldn’t she?”

“How’s that?”

“For you to wanna risk everything.”

For me, Fields
was
everything. She was all I cared about. And this was why I wanted to be so careful. I couldn’t bear it if she was hurt because of something I’d done. “She’s everything to me, Walter
.
She saved my life. She’s had my back ever since we hooked up. I’d be dead if I wasn’t for her.”

“Then I’d say you’re underestimating her, son.”

“How’s that?”

“If she’s all you say, then she’s smart enough to know you and how you work. She’ll know you’re coming to get her, and she’ll probably know how you’ll go about doing it. Most of all, she’s probably smart enough to know to duck at the right time—wouldn’t you say?”

I hadn’t thought about it that way, but as soon as he’d said it, I realized he was absolutely right. Fields had survived an attack by three roving TABs. She’d got the drop on me ... and overtook a female TAB ... and helped us get out of that underground facility.

And she’d saved my life this morning.

“You’re right, Walter. I
have
been underestimating her. She’s tough, and can be a real badass when the chips are down.”

“She’d have to be. She’s just like you, ain’t she?”

“We’re a team. It doesn’t get any better than that.” I got up from the sofa. “I have to get back to Simon’s place before they take her anywhere. I’m going there, and I’m taking out as many as I can, and if I know Fields as well as I think I do, she’ll be right there, taking out a few of them on her own.”

Walter grunted out of the armchair. “I guess you know what you’re doing, then.”

“Walter, I’ve got to make this short.” I held out my hand. “It’s been nice, and I’m really glad we met.”

“You’re going back there on that bike?”

“It’s the fastest way I know.”

Walter scratched the back of his neck and grinned. “I think I might have something that’ll get you there a little faster.”

Before I could reply, he’d already picked up the kerosene lamp, turned and led the way through the cluttered kitchen.

A stack of large boxes piled six feet high stood against the wall at the other end of the long, cluttered room. Walter easily pushed them a couple of feet to the right. A door appeared where the pile had once been. He eased it open and extended his arm. The light from the kerosene lamp spread straight ahead, casting eerie shadows into the garage.

A sleek, metallic-blue classic Chevy sat in the single stall, gleaming in the hazy light. Judging by its impeccable paint job and glittering glass, it had obviously been cared for over the years.

“Wow ...” I couldn’t take my eyes off it.

Walter chuckled at my reaction. “It’s a ‘68 Chevy Nova SS, with a 396 engine,” he said proudly. “A beauty, ain’t it?”

“It looks almost ... new.”

“It belonged to my son. George bought it years ago. He’d flunked out of college and enlisted in the Marines. He saw it when he was stationed at Parris Island. He saved up all his money,
borrowed some from Madge and me,
and bought it. After Boot Camp, he had a week’s furlough before they were gonna send him to California. He drove it here. He told us ... he’d be back to claim it when he came home.”

Walter had used the word “belonged.” “He ... never came back?”

Walter didn’t reply.

“I can’t possibly take this, Walter.” The thought of taking it away from its home made me feel evil. This was the man’s prized possession. His son’s pride and joy.

“George would want you to. This baby really flies. Three hundred and seventy-five horses. Handles fairly easy, too. You’ll need it if you wanna get where you need to be before it turns light.”

I wanted to speak, but the words caught in my throat. A man I’d only known a few hours was offering me a classic car his son had left him, and I had no way of thanking him or paying him back. I couldn’t even promise him I could take proper care of the car.

“I feel really funny about this.”

“I’m offering it to you.”

The sincerity in his eyes touched me deeply. I still couldn’t accept the fact that I’d met someone like him in this cold, frightening world of death. He was like an older version of Reed.

“I really can’t, Walter. Your son ... it was his. I’d feel like...”

“Just get in, fire her up, and go find your lady. Then bring it back if ya can.”

“When was the last time it was driven?”

“I’ve been keeping it going for the last several years. George asked me to make sure it was ready to go when he came back to get it. It was no problem for me, since I’d always loved old cars, and it quickly became a hobby, then an obsession. It was ... the only way I had of keeping close to my son while he was away. I’ve kept her here in the garage, and every week or so I’d take her out, drive her a mile or so down the road, turn around and bring her back. Last year, before all this happened, I took her out on Route 8 once a week and on I-79 once or twice a month, to open her up. Then folks started dropping, and the others turned crazy, so taking her out turned out to be too dangerous. Then I lost Madge and, well...” He sighed.

“I don’t know about this, Walter.”

“She’s going to waste, son. She needs to be driven.”

I didn’t think he understood what was likely to happen. “Walter, I’m going after a bunch of armed crazies. I might get shot, and even if I don’t, I can’t guarantee...”

“There’s a lot of ’em out there. I’d feel much better if this helped you even the odds a little.”

“This can’t possibly turn out well.”

“Son, I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do something to help you. You were a military man, too. George would have liked you. You’re a lot like him, ya know. Sincere, honest, and not afraid to stand up for what ya believe in. Now get going. You don’t have much time. Take the car, get your lady away from them and bring her back in it. I’d like to meet her.”

“But I can’t...”

He held out the keys.

“Walter, this is...”

“Like I said, you don’t have much time.”

In spite of the cold fear weighing me down, I watched my hand reach out, and stood there in awkward silence as Walter dropped the keys in my palm. I wanted to shake his hand, thank him and tell him I’d try my best to be careful with the car, but he’d already shuffled down the narrow aisle to the door, bent over and pulled it open. The darkness of the evening rushed right in, bringing with it the coolness of the night and mixed scents of mildew and distant lingering death. Without a word, Walter moved over to the side of the garage and waited.

My legs weighed a ton, but I managed to approach the car. I yanked open the heavy passenger door, got in, pulled it shut, slid over and situated myself behind the wheel. The inside smelled a little musty. The pine tree freshener hanging from the radio knob had stopped radiating its scent long ago. I adjusted the bench seat and strapped myself in. Then, with shaky fingers, I slipped the key into the ignition and started it up. It roared to life, like a lion being disturbed from a long nap, and I could feel
the walls of the garage
vibrate.

My body trembled as I put it into reverse and backed out slowly, testing the brakes as I did so. They were a little sticky, but they worked. As I eased past Walter, I could see the smile on his face, and also the tears in his eyes glistening in the dark.

“I’ll be here when you get back, son.”

My heart filled my mouth when I said, “I’ll be as quick as I can.”

“Does your lady drink?”

I smiled, remembering the times we’d sat on the front porch at night with a glass of bourbon, watching the stars. “She likes to keep up with me.”

“I’ll have the glasses ready, then.”

Snapping back to the present, I backed down the short drive that ended on the other side of the picket fence, among the weeds in the vacant lot next door. Walter had already gone back inside and, closing the garage door, let the house be swallowed up by the darkness of the night. Using only my parking lights, I slipped it into low gear, got onto the main road and cruised down the straightaway.

I’d gone only two or three miles when I saw the flickering headlights in the rearview mirror. They drew closer, and suddenly they turned into high beams, nearly blinding me. I pushed the front of the mirror toward the floor to kill the glare and mashed my foot down on the gas. The Nova roared, nearly leaping in the air, and the speedometer registered ninety in just seconds.

I flicked on my low beams just in time to see more lights dancing around the next bend. There were four of them, and they were standing about two feet from one another, forming a flimsy roadblock. The two young men in the center shined their flashlights directly in my eyes while the two on either end crouched down on one knee, aiming their rifles at the car.

***

My heart raced as the cold reality sliced through me. They’d obviously been hunting for me all the time I was with Walter. They’d been watching the roads and were waiting, and in this night of absolute silence and stillness, any sound would draw them out.