Respect for the Dead (Surviving the Dead Book 1) (6 page)

So far the ride across town to the distribution center had been uneventful.   When Steve got into the car he had turned on the radio and it was yet another news report about more and more people falling ill and how the cities were having trouble with rioting.  Steve plugged in his IPod and was happily oblivious in his own world the rest of the trip. 

The roads were empty with very few people daring to venture out.  The few Steve saw hurried about wearing surgical type masks.  He shook his head as he saw them.  “Like I said, that sanitizer stuff would just make people susceptible to this kinda crap.  See,” he looked at the steering wheel, “I rarely wash my hands and I feel fine!” He scoffed holding up his hands as if that proved everything.  

“
Beth I hear you calling.
”  He smiled to himself as the song began to play on his IPod. 

Thinking about the conversation he had with his sister, he was happy she was done with Corey.  Wes had liked her for forever and more importantly Steve trusted him.  Even if it didn’t work out, Wes would be a good example of what a nice guy was and how a boyfriend should treat her.       

Something caught his eye down a side street.  Looked like a fight.  There were three or four people all crowding around someone on the ground.  Steve was reaching for his phone when he heard the police siren. 

“I guess someone already called that in.”  He accelerated and thought no more about it. 

At the next block the light ahead was turning read.  To his surprise as he pulled up to a stop light next to him pulled up two Harleys that were thudding loudly.  He looked over and noticed that one bike was covered by a giant burley guy.  The other bike had two people on it.  The rider of the second bike was a smaller guy and on the back of the bike was a girl.  Steve admired the girl’s figure.  She was covered in leather from head to foot.  She shouted something at the big guy and laughed.  Steve noticed she was kind of pretty, at least he imagined she was, except her head was covered with a full face helmet, she had the visor up so all he could see of her was her eyes. She had intensely blue eyes.  His mind began to wander.  The thunder of the engines startled him as the bikes roared off leaving Steve staring at the green light.

   He watched them ride away, the taillights getting smaller and smaller.  His mind still on the girl he pushed in the clutch and shifted into first gear. 

“Beth is right dude; you seriously need to find a girlfriend.”  He said to himself. 

Letting out the clutch he began to accelerate thinking about catching up with the bikes.  No more than the thought crossed his mind, “SHIT!” he yelped jerking the wheel hard to avoid hitting a woman who stumbled out into the intersection.  Jerking the wheel straight and barking the tires angrily Steve gave the woman the finger, “Watch out you fucking drunk!”   He shouted through the closed window as he pulled away.  The woman stumbled after him for a few paces then continued her slow shuffled across the street. 

“Moron.”  He muttered angrily.  Accelerating down the road he scanned ahead for the bikes but saw nothing.  Slightly disappointed he cursed the stumbling woman out again in his head.  He really wanted to see the face that held those eyes.  Then the idea of the huge brute on the other bike made him think maybe he was better off not finding them.  The fact that they were nowhere in sight was one thing, the complete lack of anyone else out and about was something else entirely.  

Making his way down the empty streets felt eerie.  Normally this trip should have taken longer.  The lack of anyone else on the road began to bother Steve.  Shops were closed and the late afternoon sun began casting long shadows down the road.  There was no one out, no one at all.  The last person he saw was the drunken woman who had stumbled in front of his car.  He began to wonder where the bikers had been going, when, to his surprise he had arrived at his destination. 

Steve pulled into the parking lot and found a space easily.  He surveyed the lot, noting how many spaces were empty.  Even with being early he knew the lot was more sparsely populated than normal.  Hitting the fob he smiled as the alarm beeped and the headlights winked at him.  Checking his phone he noted he was at least ten minutes earlier than he normally would have arrived even with leaving late.  “Imagine how early I would have been if I hadn’t been bothering Beth?”  He shrugged as he headed into the front office to clock in figuring he get a cup of coffee prior to starting his day. 

As soon as he walked into the building he was met by Rachel Smyth who was coming down the hall.  Rachel was one of the managers; she was in her early fifties, a little plump but with a pleasant happy face.   She was one of Steve’s favorites.  No nonsense and tough as nails but she was fair and actually a lot of fun to be around if you did your job and didn’t whine.   Being a hard worker Steve was one of those employees who she got on well with. 

“Hi Stevie, how are you doing this late afternoon?”  She asked with a smile. 

“Just happy to be alive.”  He responded. 

“Glad that is the case.  How is your family?  Anyone sick?”

“No we are all fine.  How is your family?” 

“Well my husband has called complaining of a bad headache.  He wants me to stop and pick up something on the way home.”  She shrugged. 

“Better raid the medicine cabinet here.  I hear all the pharmacies have been cleaned out.”

“I got it covered.”  Rachel smiled and reached into her pocket revealing a handful of aspirin packets.  “Are we going to see your sister again this summer?  She was such a help last year.”  Rachel continued as they moved down the hall.  “I wasn’t sure what her plans were.”  

“Well she is headed to college next year so I guess she might try to get something here part time.  You know to pick up some extra money before school starts.”  He shrugged.

  “Well, she is always welcome.  Have a good shift if I don’t see you before I leave.” She gave him a wave and headed to her office. 

“Yeah have a good night, talk to you later.”  Steve returned her wave with a smile then headed outside to the loading area.  He sighed, kicked a few rocks across the pavement then swung into the seat of his forklift.  “Do I really want to work here the rest of my life?”  He thought,   “Maybe I should get my act together and go back to school.  Community college maybe, to help Dad out so Beth can go to State like she has always wanted to.  Yeah sure, maybe this time you won’t screw it up Steve.”  He frowned bitterly as he lifted a container off the truck. 

Devin Kranser left the conference room shaking, “How in the hell could we evacuate if we had to?”  He muttered while walking to huge picture window looking out across the town.  He rested his head on his arm as he looked down at the street.  “This town is in a bowl, and there is no easy way out to a highway.”  He gazed up from the street to the mountains.

The valley stretched out between two mountains and the town was surrounded by three converging rivers.  It was an old steel town built here for the raw materials more than for ease of access.  The mills had used the railroads and were already slowing down before highways made trucks the preferred form of transport.  Nowadays only rarely did a train leave on the remaining line. 

Devin rubbed his face as he thought about the plans sitting in his office.  It was a proposal to the state to finally connect the town to the interstate, “and the rest of the world.”  He sighed.

There were really only two ways in or out of the valley.  Both had bridges to cross.  One led to a two lane road up into the mountains.  The other was the one that led to the highway.  This was two lanes in either direction and only bottlenecked once at a small town five miles away before open up again for another two miles and meeting up with the interstate. 

“That is a long way to go and that bottleneck is going to wreck havoc.”  He slammed his fist on the windowsill.  “One access to the highway and some streets that led up into the mountains that eventually met up with some other roads that led to the highway.  But if people panicked, and they will, they could easily get trapped.  They are going to get trapped!”   

Resting his head on the cool glass, the memories of what he had just heard crashed back over him.  “We are going to have to evacuate the city.  The rioting is out of control.  People are just attacking and killing each other.  The police, and even what little help the national guard has sent, have been completely overwhelmed.”  The strained voice had crackled through the speaker of the phone in the middle of the large oak conference table.  The faces around the table were pale and tight.  “The CDC is saying the epidemic is causing people to go crazy and get violent.  The police have started shooting the rioters and we are trying to get the uninfected citizens out.”  The voice continued. 

A female voice broke through on the speaker, “One of our evacuation sights has already been overrun.  The Army…started shooting everyone there.  Then they…they just took off and left hundreds.  It is the same as in Philadelphia.  Riots and people going crazy”  

  “You guys need to get a plan in place and start moving people out before things blow up there.” A man’s rushed voice broke in.  “We are packing it up here.  The Governor has already been moved.  I have a helicopter to catch.  God help us all.”  There was a click followed by a moment of silence.  Then voices talking over each other, the conference call continued even after the emergency management director in Harrisburg hung up in a panic.  They had lost contact with Altoona halfway through Philadelphia’s explanation of the situation.    The Governor had been in Washington that morning he had called earlier to inform them the President had already been evacuated.  Now they heard she had also been moved and could no longer be in touch.      

  Devin looked down at his hands, “I have no idea where to start.” 

It was time to take action.  He had left the meeting when the mayor and some of his senior staff had begun to talk acceptable losses.  Devin had to get some air.  These were people he knew, people he worked for.  “How could there be…no there is no acceptable losses.  This is crazy.”  Devin told his reflection.  Taking a deep breath and headed back toward the door.  As his hand touched the knob it opened to reveal a rather disheveled mayor. 

Mayor Martin Griggs had been mayor for as long as anyone could remember.  He was a former athlete who had enjoyed a rich life.  He filled out his suits to the point the buttons often strained at his belly.  He was a good mayor and tried to bring new industry and attractions to his town.  Sometimes by questionable means, but never did the charges of corruption by his detractors ever stick nor keep him from being re-elected.  The man truly cared for his town. 

“Devin!  Christ you gave me a start.  We need to handle this and fast.  How long do you think it will take to organize an evacuation?”  The mayor asked. 

“To where?”  Devin’ questioned. 

Mayor Griggs stared at Devin for what felt like a full minute.  “I don’t have any idea.  What do you suggest?” 

From behind the Mayor the deputy mayor spoke up.  “We have the national guard post just outside of town.  We have been very, uh, accommodating to the soldiers over the years and the base commander knows this.  We should contact him and find out what the military is doing.  Maybe they can help the evacuation.”

Mayor Griggs reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.  The Deputy Mayor gave him a disapproving look.  “Sue me.”  The mayor said with a frown and lit up.

“We need a plan, so, Devin, go to the traffic control center and start getting one in place.” Mayor Griggs puffed, “You,” he grunted at the Deputy Mayor, “Get Colonial Miller on that phone.  I want to talk to that Son of a Bitch.”  He dropped his cigarette on the marble floor and crushed it out with his shoe.  The Deputy Mayor wrinkled his nose at the act but said nothing.    Mayor Griggs rolled his eyes and shook his head at the other man’s back. 

Devin headed down the hall while the Mayor returned to the conference room.  As the door began to close Devin heard, “Miller, its Martin, what the hell are you gonna do to help us out?”

Making his way down the hall Devin thoughts were scattered.  So he focused on the task at hand getting to the Control center.  “The control center, what joke!”   He stopped outside a door and looked up. An old sign hung out over the door, it read Cafeteria. Opening the door to the darkened room he looked around at the blue glow of the monitors set up around the room. 

These monitors were fed by the five traffic cameras that had been placed around town.  Walking further into the room Devin glanced at the large lit up logo of the local TV station that had helped pay for the cameras.  This of course was done so the station could use the cameras for “exclusive” traffic reports of the city on the news.  This always made Devin laugh since they were the only TV station in town of course it was exclusive.  The other two stations were in the bigger towns Twenty miles to the east.

Focusing his attention on the main camera that showed the interchange for the connecting road to the highway Devin slumped down onto a chair.  “What is the best way out of town for Cheryl and the kids?” He pondered.

“It must have hit the news.”  Devin breathed.  The traffic heading out of the city seemed to have doubled in the brief time he sat there.  He glanced around at the other monitors in the room.  Something caught his eye and he stared at the screen. 

The downtown square was full of people. The square had been empty for the last two days as people hid themselves away to avoid getting sick.  It was never this full on a Monday even when everyone was healthy.  He thought. 

“What are you doing do there?”  Devin asked the monitor.  The crowd was acting strange.  They were just milling about.  No one seemed to be talking to each other just walking around, some even bumping into each other but they didn’t seem to notice.  Devin thought back to what he had heard from Philly and Pittsburgh about violence and rioting.  People here just seemed confused. 

Picking up the phone he pressed the three digit extension for the Mayor and waited, “What have you got Dev?”

“I…well it is already getting bad.  People are streaming out of town, we should open up the incoming lanes to outgoing traffic…Also, and this is weird, the square is full of people.  It’s really strange they just seem to be wandering around, you know bumping into each other but no one is fighting.  Not like we heard about in Philly.”

“Shit” The mayor gasped.  “We’ll get the SWAT down there as fast as..”

“No!, they aren’t rioting they are, well they are just, they’re, they look drunk.”  Devin tried to reassure his boss.  “They are just wandering around and stumbling over each other.  Do you think this is how the riots start?  They just get worked up and start attacking each other?” 

“Devin!  Figure out a way to get people out of town, avoiding the square!  We’ll send the police to block off the area.  There will be barricades set up in a one block radius.  They won’t hurt each other but God help anyone who goes near them!”  The phone clicked dead, Devin stared at the silent receiver and returned it to the cradle. 

“What is going on?  What did he mean they won’t hurt each other but will hurt anyone who gets near? ” He asked the monitor.  His attention, captivated by the people in the square, did not allow him to see the screen in the lower left.  On it was a car barreling toward the camera. 

A woman was thrashing at a child who was clawing at her trying to free itself from its seatbelt.  The woman’s silent scream was not observed as the child lurched forward and the screen went to snow as the car smashed into the pole.