Creep World: The End (Part One)

[natetheffrer]

I hate countries that arent the USA, they never send help :/.

[MalReynolds]

That comes into play during the second half of the book.

Good news! Done editing the story! New chapters start going up tomorrow. PM me if you want the edited chapters.

Mal

[Varia]

No, screw you.

YOU should be PM'ing US.

harhar I am so a bad bully guy.

[MalReynolds]

Varia, your username is officially in the next section.

Ha. Jokes on you.

Ass.

Mal

[Varia]

[MalReynolds]

No one dared to speak as the car moved onto 95 south. Angela sat between Eric and Gopher, contemplating what exactly it was that she just saw. Eric was pretending to read the book, absently turning the page every minute or so. Steven watched the sun break through the trees and tried to think of something happy, something not the death of Iggy.

“It was my fault.� Eric said, finally breaking the silence in the car. “He was with… It was my fault. We shouldn’t… Don’t feel bad. You all didn’t have anything to do with it.�

“And neither did you, Eric,� Angela said, putting her arm around him. “There was nothing any of us could have done, and you know that.�

“No, it’s my fault he was in Jersey. If he had been back in Manhattan, he would have been fine. I know it. I think he knew it too.�

“That’s bullshit, Eric. Stop talking like that.�

“NO! He told me that he never wanted to come to my Copy Shop. He said that. And I can’t help but think that he knew something was wrong… I’ve killed their entire family line… That’s something tough to deal with, you know?� He said looking over at Angela with tears in his eyes.

“It’s alright, Eric. It’s all right. We’ll get through this. All of us will.�

He looked into her eyes and found comfort in her words, smiling for the first time since he left the dock.

Eric managed to fall asleep, his head on Angela’s shoulder. The sun was beginning to fall behind the horizon, Steven now reading the book that Eric had brought into the car. Fichter yawned, tiring out. They would have to stop somewhere for the night or risk him falling asleep at the wheel. While there were no other working cars on the road, falling asleep would still ram them into the guardrail… And Angela was the one not wearing a safety belt.

“Guys, we’re going to pull over somewhere, alright? We have to find a place to stay for the night. I’m going to take this exit, got some hotels. I’m sure they won’t mind if we stay one night, on the house,� he said grinning to the back, his smile cutting through the night.

The Holiday Inn express loomed in the distance, a monolith of safety; somewhat warming in the thought of it being a place to stay that wasn’t a car or outdoors. Eric awoke, grabbed his shotgun, and motioned for everyone in the car to come with him.

The lobby was empty. The standard blood trail graced the linoleum flooring, but there were no sounds coming from the back hallways. The lights were off, but everyone had a flashlight. The lobby wasn’t quite spooky either; perhaps they had been desensitized to the violence that had ensued after the invasion, or perhaps they had just grown more brazen with each passing day.

Fichter stepped behind the counter, grabbing a set of keys for the top floor. Eric stopped him, grabbing the keys for floor three instead.

“Closer to the exit, not too far to jump out of the things decide to pay us a midnight visit. Anyone have a digital watch with an alarm?�
“I got one,� Steven said, on finger extended and pointing to his watch.

“Alright, set it for 6. We’re going to get out of here early. Don’t want to stay here any longer than we have to. Fichter, will you be good to drive at six?�

He yawned and nodded, pulling his hat off.

“Alright, let’s get to our rooms.�

They transversed the hotel lobby to the stairs, drearily climbing up, stopping every time someone stumbled… Quite frequently in the unlit stairwell. The beams of light from their flashlights did almost nothing for illuminating the way up the stairs. At last, they reached floor 3, stepping into the hallway.

Eric expected to be ambushed, to have a Mind Melder come out of nowhere or to have a dozed Creeps charge, but there was nothing. The hallway was empty, silent, but not foreboding. He made his way down the hall, following the room numbers on the doors.

“Alright. Two people to a room. We have enough for that. Angela and Steven to a room, Gopher and Fichter to a room and Iggy and I-“ He stopped. “I’ll be staying with Gopher and Fichter,� he said, frowning. He dropped the extra key he had picked up onto the carpet and moved into the room.

It was a standard room. One would think that in these times of free hotel service and free everything else, they would have picked a larger room or some kind of executive suite. At least, that’s what Fichter was thinking.

“Why didn’t we get a kick ass room? It’s kind of cramped in here.�

“I’m sleeping on the sofa,� Eric said. “Besides, you have to take a series of elevators to the VIP floor. Their fire escape hooks up with the others… Would you really want to go through all the hassle to get up there?�

“Yes.�

“Also, the Creeps tend to like things that are nicer. And if they’re going to raze the building, they’re going to start at the top floor and work their way down.�

“I think you just made that up,� Fichter said, smiling.

“Oh yeah? You got a counterpoint to that?�

Fichter didn’t move. He began to laugh, clapping Eric on the back. He crawled into the bed, rolling to face the window.

“Is that really how it works in the hotel? The VIP floors being separate like that?�

“Yes sir,� Eric said.

“Well, how do you know that?�

“I used to work in a hotel.�

“Really?�

“No. Goodnight, Fichter.�

“Goodnight, Eric. Gopher, goodnight.�

Gopher didn’t say anything, already fast asleep on the other side of the bed.

Eric kept seeing it happen, over and over. Watching the blood run from his lower lip to the dock, watching his legs go out from under him. In some of the dreams, he was the one being stabbed… At least in those dreams he felt happy in the thought that he wasn’t responsible for killing of Iggy’s family.

He didn’t want to sleep anymore. The room was quiet, small and smothering. Eric grabbed his gun and turned the light on, walking carefully to the door. He noted Gopher’s pants on the floor and shuddered, feeling very sorry for Fichter.

He swung the door open and almost fired at the person in the hallway.

“Angela, what are you doing out of your room?�

“I couldn’t sleep. Steven started snoring again… He used to do that frequently, but he had surgery. Deviated septum or something… Not quite too sure. But lately, him snoring has just been happening a lot.�

“Well, it’s dangerous out here. You should get back to your room.�

“I should say the same to you.� She said, pushing his shoulder.

“I’ve also got a gun… Makes things slightly more advantageous for me. What are you going to do, sass the monsters to death?�

“What do you think happened to my first husband?�

Eric laughed. It felt good, each breath feeling sweet in the dank hallway.

They stood in the darkness, Eric’s light precariously dangling near his feet, in silence. Angela wanted to say something, not quite sure how to phrase it. Eric could sense that she was about to speak and thusly kept quiet. He stared in the general direction of her eyes, imagining that he was looking into them. The silence continued for a few minutes until Eric finally realized that she was at a loss for words.

“Well, is there anything I can do for you?�

“What? What does that… No. I just wanted to say something.�

“Yeah, I know, Angela. You’ve been trying for about five minutes.�

“Oh, now who is going to kill who with the sass?�

Eric smiled in the darkness.

“Good to see you smiling again, Eric.�

“How could you tell?�

“My eyes adjust to the dark very quickly…�

“Oh. Oh really?�

“Mmm. I know you’ve been looking into my eyes, too.�

“It’s dark. I wasn’t really. I was just looking in your general direction. That’s all. I didn’t want to… There wasn’t….� He sighed. “Alright, guilty as charged.�

She began to laugh. “Can’t be guilty if there’s no law anymore, can you?�

“No, I don’t suppose you can…� He stepped forward, slowly, the light bridging the gap between the two. He pulled her in for a hug, embracing her.

“Thank you for saying what you did in the car, Angela.�

“It’s the truth,� she said, caught slightly off guard by the hug. “Nothing you could have done about it.�

They stood awkwardly for near a minute until Eric pulled away. “I think I need to get some sleep. I think you should too… Just… I’ll see you in the morning?�

She smiled, stepping up and kissing him quickly on the cheek. “In the morning,� she said, turning around and walking back to her room.

Eric stretched back out on the ratty sofa, content. That next dream he had was of Angela, not Iggy. He slept until the morning.

-

Steven knocked on the door hard enough to jar Eric from his slumber. Gopher and Fichter were still asleep in the bed, Gopher facing the wall. Fichter’s arm was sling over Gopher in a very loving spoons position. Eric laughed out loud.

Another knock on the door stirred Fichter. Eric fell over and pretended to sleep as Fichter realized what he was doing.

“Oh, crap…� Fichter looked around the room. “Thank God no one saw that.�

“Saw what?� Eric said, casting off the façade of slumber.

“Nothing. I dropped my… Pens… On the ground and they… Broke?�

“Your pens broke?�

“Really tragic. Come on, let’s go.�

Gopher slid out of bed, dropping his legs into his pants and pulling them up in one quick motion. Fichter shuddered and made his way to the door where Steven stood, beaming. The muffin Eric had gotten him cut into five sections, each in their own segment of torn wax paper.

“Continental breakfast worthy of the heroes we are,� he said, beaming.

The car started on the first try and slid out of the parking lot. Up in the VIP suite, a group of Creeps danced around, throwing the sating pillows into the air and stabbing them repeatedly. As the car moved further from the hotel, the Creeps began to make their way down the stairs, systematically, floor by floor destroying every room they came into.

Fichter reached down to turn the radio on, scanning the stations, hopeful that music would come pouring in. None did; nothing but static across the airwaves. He was hoping for maybe a click or some other recognition that there were more people out there other than the hunch of a half psychic, all dead teen. There was none. Good enough, for everyone was getting tired of bouncing around from radio station to radio station.

Fichter had begun to daydream about ice cream and movies. He didn’t notice the four people making their way slowly across the street. By the time he had fully regained composure, he had barely enough time to slam on the brakes. He stopped a mere inch in front of the first man, who did not falter. The man had been standing in front of the car with his hand outstretched, calling something. Fichter swung his door open and caught the tail end of it.

“SHALL NOT PAAAASSSSS!�

Angela was rubbing her sore shoulder as Eric stepped out of the car.

“What are the odds of finding four survivors in the middle of nowhere?� He asked back into the car. No one had an answer. He leaned down and grabbed his shotgun, winking at Angela. She rolled her eyes and he shut the door.

Fichter was already trying to talk to them, to no avail. He turned to Eric. “Alright, you try and reach em’. I can’t. I’m going back into the car.�

The men were dressed strangely, and after scrutiny, Eric realized that they were no men. Boys Iggy’s age, yes… Not quite men yet. Two of the four had donned capes, looking cheap in quality as if found in a discount costume shop. One of them was wearing armor, stage armor from the looks of it. The third was in a bright purple robe. He still had his hand outstretched to the car, preparing to yell again.

“YOU SHALL NOT PASSSS!�

Eric sighed. “Alright, Gandalf. That’s quite enough of that.�

The young man turned to him. “How did thoust knoweth my name?�

“It’s from the… You’re kidding, right?�

“A wizard is never late nor early; he arrives precisely when he means to.�

“That doesn’t answer the question.�

“No, Gandalf does not kid.�

“Alright… Gandalf, who else are you traveling with?�

The man in the purple robe motioned to the rest of the group. He pointed to the two wearing the gaudy capes. “These are the Strife twins; born under the blood red moon and unto this earth to cast spells. Igdo Strife casts spells of primary offense, and Agdo Strife only casts status afflicting spells.�

“Oh. That… makes sense,� Eric said, growing angry. He hated Final Fantasy… And this was just pissing him off.

“What about that guy? The one in the armor?�

The twins clicked their heels and moved their arms in a wide circle, before parting. The man in armor stepped through ceremoniously before collapsing to his knees.

“That is Varia the brave. He conquers all with his mighty sword, which has been anointed with a plus seventeen against groundling monsters. He is mighty! He is adventure incarnate! For he is our Lord Protec-“

“Gene, stop. I don’t want to anymore.�

Gandalf dropped his arms. “What was that? Did you just call me Gene?�

“Yes, Gene. Stop. I can’t wear this armor anymore. It’s suffocating me and it doesn’t even help against them. Just help me take if off.�

Gene the Gandalf began to wave his staff around in the air, chanting in a language the Eric could only assume was Elvish. The twins moved behind Varia the Brave and started to remove his armor. Gene the Gandalf said his final magic words, eyes closed, and the armor dropped to the ground.

“You cannot stand the might of Gandalf’s Magic!�

“Shut up, Gene. Taylor and Jamie helped me take it off. Could you stop being a moron for ten minutes?�

Gene the Gandalf turned back into Gene from Kentucky and frowned.

“My name isn’t really Varia. It’s Michael Gettings. These two over here are Jamie and Taylor, but they won’t give me their last name. And that MORON behind you is Gene Torvald.�

“Oh. It’s a pleasure. My name is Eric,� he said, extending his hand. “Are you sick or something? You don’t seem like you were going 100 there.�

“No, one of the things bit me. It was a little different from all the other one’s I’ve seen. It didn’t chase us or anything. I thought it was docile, and it reached out and bit my hand. I think it got me sick. It didn’t even look like the other ones.�

“Oh… Shit,� Eric said.

“What?�

“We are just venturing to the next town to upgrade our weapons and armor! For when we find a potion shop, we shall purchase an antidote and cure our fried of whatever poison is plaguing him!� Gene turned Gandalf said sharply from behind them.

“No, I know what you have. There’s no cure for it… Not even in the next town over,� he glanced back at Gandalf the Gene.

“What are you talking about?� Michael said, gripping Eric. Eric couldn’t help but look into his eyes and see the white begin to overtake the pupils.

“Zombies. You got bitten by a zombie Creep.�

“Oh… What does that mean?�

“Do the words ‘standard zombie rules apply’ mean anything?�

Michael collapsed to the ground. “Yes.�

Eric stood over him, watching the twins and Gandalf, looking for any signs of reaction from the grouping. They all had fear in their eyes; clearly they knew what those words meant as well.

Eric looked down at the ground to Michael. “Sorry,� he said, pulling his shotgun up to his shoulder.

“Wait, don’t shoo-“

Angela, Fichter, Gopher and Steven all turned in the direction of the gunshot. They saw Eric standing with his weapon pointed at the ground, a frown on his face.

“Can’t he go for twenty minutes without shooting something!� Fichter cried as he stepped out of the car.

“Fichter, watch your step. Michael’s all over the road.�

Fichter gagged and Eric turned to the group.

“There is no cure. Get that in your brains: There is no cure. Don’t let anything bite you. Don’t let anything touch you. And for the love of God, get some guns. You’re not going to last much longer if you don’t start showing some common sense. Especially now, because,� he motioned to the ground, “Your muscle is currently out of the picture.�

“We have magic and Mana on our side,� Gene Gandalf called out.

“You have bullshit on your side. You can ride with us if you want to, but it’ll be cramped. We’re heading to Virginia. You all up for it?�

“We shall not set foot inside of that iron gas powered beast! The illusion would be shattered! No, hark, we shall continue on to the next township and buy and meet women and drink ale! Huzzah!�

“Huzzah! Huzzah!� The twins cried out.

Gandalf looked at the ground. “Don’t worry, Varia the Brave! We shall be back with a phoenix down! And you shall be with us again!�

“This isn’t some role playing game! You all need to cut that out!�

“Castum deltrio MUTE!� Gandalf screamed at Eric. He motioned for the twins to follow them. They obediently began to move, marching with Gandalf over the guardrail and into the woods.

“Well… Let’s go,� Eric said to Fichter.

“Did you have to shoot him, Eric?�

“He was bitten,� Eric responded, climbing into the car. “There is no cure for that. I would rather him be gone than have him come back to haunt anyone. No one should have to live like that.�

The car doors slammed and the engine turned. The car lurched forward and into the left lane, avoiding the body that lay strewn across the street. The armor glinted in the rising sun as the car disappeared beyond the bend.

Gandalf would later pass in a bar, drinking month old ‘ale’ with the twins. The Creeps would set fire to the building, and Gandalf’s “Ice 2� spell would fail him for the last time.

-

Mal

[natetheffrer]

So, none of those kids went along? If they were that stupid, how could they last that long?

[MalReynolds]

Really, you'd have to ask them.

And now for an authors note:

I thought it would be interesting to contrast the situation between the two groups: One serious and bent on survival, another using the situation to play out their fantasy. While the second group was certainly not expected to be alive at this point, they were, going to show you that sometimes, it's the luck of the draw.

However; Gandalf was clearly insane. The twins were nothing but sycophants. The only truly sane person was killed because he was going to turn into a zombie; that's irony.

Maybe they had all been camping together during the invasion days. I don't know, I didn't ask them. But it's always a possibility.

Mal

[Eyoshi]

I thought it was interesting how you've added to the story a group of kids who had a completely opposite view of the entire situation. It seemed very comical, yet the ending waw bitter. The final sentence was pretty cleverly worded, by the way.

[natetheffrer]

I thought the story teller was omniscint(sp?), or an all knowing one. Is it in third person?

[MalReynolds]

Oh, he is omniscient, he just wants you to think for yourself

NOW! CHAPTER 12!

Stranger things have happened. They all watched Fichter work at the gas pump, no one quite understanding exactly what he was doing. He cut a slit in the hose, worked it around a bit, and then started into a series of actions that made little to no sense.

It worked, though. Within ten minutes, there was gas flowing out of the hose and into the tank of the car, out the handle. A liberal spritzing of gas into the air through the cracked hose, the majority going into the tank. It tool several minutes to fill, all the while Eric stood, aiming his shotgun every which way. Gopher was leaned against the car, bored.

“I wish I had a slide puzzle…�

Angela was standing, her back to the driver side door. Her faint blue sweater fluttered around her shoulders. Eric kept cautiously looking back at her, pretending that he was just checking the rear. Well, in a manner he was, just not in the protective protector manner.

“All fueled up. Everyone into the car.�

“Wait, Fichter. Let’s fill up a gas can in case we don’t hit another station in Virginia.�

He nodded, walking over to the window display, taking a bright red can down and bringing it back to the pump.

“Does anyone know where exactly we’re supposed to be heading in Virginia? I mean, Iggy was kind of vague,� Steven said listlessly looking into the store.

“What? No. We’ll know when we get there,� Eric said. “I hope,� he whispered under his breath, walking into the store. He emerged minutes later, having killed nothing with a box under his arm. He handed it over to Fichter.

“A CD player? Don’t we have to install those?�

“Nope. Hooks up through the tape deck.�

Fichter started to car, sliding the tape into the receptacle and putting in “Queens Greatest Hits Volume.� A loud clicking came on over the speakers, but that was all.

“What’s wrong with this, Eric?�

Eric said nothing, walking back into the store. Seconds later he emerged, having killed nothing, with a coffee tin full of pens in one hand. He took several of the ballpoint contraptions and shoved them into the tape deck, on top of the tape. The sweet sounds of Queen began to pour out of the speakers.

“Yeah, she’s a killer queen. Dynamite with a laser beam. Guaranteed to…�

“Blow your mind,� Steven finished. “Love Queen.�

Soon, the group was back on the road, a beeline to Virginia. The car hummed and purred, soothing sounds of the hip rock group sounding to the landscape, windows down. The signs began to read, “Richmond 200� soon enough, signifying they were somewhere in Washington DC.

“We could always stop and check on the President,� Gopher said. “Ask him some questions. Why we got no foreign aid, how we got wiped out so fast. I’m itching to know.�

“No,� Fichter said. “It seems like we stop in every state for some hackneyed reason. Let’s just keep going.� And so they did, not stopping for anything in DC. The roads became more congested as they reached Virginia, the son once again disappearing.

“Alright, let’s stop at a hotel. We’re going to stay the night, figure out we’re where we’re going to go in the morning. Plan okay with everyone?� Eric asked.

A general consensus was reached as Fichter pulled off of the interstate into the parking lot of the “Best Western�. A motel rather than a hotel, all of the rooms outward facing a community deck, leading to a set of stairs. They had decided sleeping on the top floor would be best; more scenic, able to spot anything if it was approaching. The grouping were per usual; Fichter, Gopher and Eric to a room, Steven and Angela to a more marital suite.

The dead of night a knock came to Eric’s door. He was, of course, awake, his flashlight shotgun prepared to shoot anything that posed a significant threat. He opened the door, to find Angela. He wasn’t quite surprised.

“I couldn’t sleep.�

“Yeah, well, join the club. Want to come in? You’ll have to be quiet. Fichter is spooning Gopher again.�

“Oh. Well, maybe we could go somewhere a little more private?�

Eric stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He reached into his back pocket and removed a key to a room on the first floor. “I keep thinking that Iggy and I are going to get a room.�

Angela frowned. She took him by the hand, and he followed slowly down the stairs to the deck. They walked down under the protection of the stone floor turned ceiling to the end of the hall, to the empty room. The key slid into the lock, the door swung open. Eric checked the room for anything dangerous, finding nothing. He sat down on the bed. Angela sat next to him.

“Is there anything in particular you wanted to talk about?� He asked.

She slowly brought her lips to his, sending electric waves over his body. They pulled apart, smiling.

“Well, I could talk like this for hours,� he beamed. His shotgun dropped to the floor, the light pointing at the television, reflecting the two lost souls entwined for an instant before the light blinked out.

The sun peaked through the window, across the empty bed. The sheets were ruffled, the pillows in disarray, the comforter thrown to the floor in great haste. The door was open a crack, but not much.

Eric awoke to the sound of Gopher snoring. He smiled, thinking to himself. Had it been a pleasant dream? He stepped out onto the deck, turning to look in the direction of Angela’s room. She too was on the deck, her hair a mess for the first time since he had met her.

“Good morning,� he said, waving.

She smiled and nodded, retreating into her room.

Nope. Not a dream.

They stood in the lobby, watching the door. Eric finally walked in slowly, shotgun in hand. “Sorry, I misplaced it… Didn’t want to go on without it.�

“So, big guy, game plan?� Steven asked.

“Simple. I gave it a lot of thought last night…�

“My cousin worked in Fort Eustis for a while. They have weapons there. We could stock up,� Angela said, resting her head on Eric’s chest.

“We’re going to head to Fort Eustis. See if we can’t stock up on weapons. Maybe hold up there for a while.�

“Oh, good! Angela’s cousin worked there,� Steven said, smiling.

“He does? I forgot… Must have slipped my mind,� Angela said uncomfortably.

“Good plan, cowboy. Let’s head out!� Steven clapped Eric on the back, stepping out the front door and into the bitter October morning.

“Where exactly is Fort Eustis,� Fichter asked.

“In the Hamptons. There should some signs,� Eric responded, following Steven out the door.

It was a half days trip before they reached the Hamptons, spending several more hours driving around trying to locate the Military Transport Base. Eventually, Angela began to recognize some of the more important landmarks and soon they were on the proper trajectory to weapons.

“Some things you should know about Eustis… They train soldiers, but it’s a virtual city. They have everything; a shopping mall, movie theatres, libraries… Self-sustaining. But what we’re after is weapons,� Angela said. “They should be in the arms barracks. We just grab some heavy automatic weapons, bum around the firing range, figure out how to work them… Simple. I figure we could stay there for a few days if the need calls for it, too.�

Eric froze. “Yeah… We could do that. That’s a plan.� A plan not by me, he thought to himself.

Fichter’s red station wagon burst through the gates, breaking the chain and the lock that had so futilely tried to keep the monsters out. He drove up the main driveway, across some fields, into the heart of the base; the barracks.

Eric took point, shotgun ready at his shoulder as they began to inspect the living quarters. All of the beds were made up neatly in proper military form, boots shining at the foot of each bed. No one. They stepped out of the back of Barracks A-1 into an opening. On the other side, more barracks. A lot more, extending in either direction for a good four hundred yards.

“We’re not going to go into all of them. We just need to find the weapons, find the mall and secure a location. So… Let’s head this-a-way,� he said, swinging his gun to the right. They made their way up the maze of barracks to a series of buildings just outside of another chain-link fence.

“Arms,� the plaque outside two of the buildings read. Eric tried to turn the light on his gun on, but it was dead. They entered the first building in darkness. Angela turned a light on in the back of the group, running it over the weapons racks. They were bare, save for bolts and slider pieces that littered the ground. They continued to the back, checking each shelf, to no avail.

“One building left,� Eric said, as they stepped out.

They entered the second munitions storage facility and were shocked to find it almost identical to the first. In the back sat one assault rifle missing the barrel without a clip.

“Well… We could swing that at em’ if it came down to it,� he said, turning around. Fichter laughed. No one else did.

“I thought it was funny…�

“Wait! Look at the ground. Look at all these pieces. Almost exactly the same as the other room. What are the odds of running into these pieces laid out like this? It’s not chaotic at all. Orderly…� Steven said.

“Coincidental,� Eric argued.

They stepped out, Gopher carrying his new club.

“Well… Let’s get to the mall,� Angela said.

“Can’t see the forest through the trees, can you, Angela? There’s more inside this fence. Look, it used to be electric, too. What are the odds, I wonder? And what could be back here?� Eric questioned. He shot the padlock off of the fence, throwing Gopher’s new toy at the gate, forcing it open.

Smaller buildings, most likely for the higher ups. They didn’t expect to find weapons, and they didn’t; all the buildings were summarily tidy and deserted.

“Well… A whole lot of good this did us,� Steven said angrily. “Where’s that kid when you need him? Had to go and get himself killed like that…�

No one saw Eric move, but they all heard the blow land against Steven’s jaw. He reeled backwards, losing his footing, stumbling behind one of the buildings. They heard him fall, and then fall again, and then fall again. Eric stood unmoving, shocked at his own actions.

Angela shot him a look of deep betrayal as she rushed behind the building to find her husband. He was lying at the bottom of a set of concrete stairs, a light still on in the overhang. He was rising to his feet as Angela approached him.

“I deserved it. I had no right to say that,� he said, wiping the dirt from his pants.

“Steven, look at this. You guys! Come look at this!�

The stairs led down into a dimly lit hallway, at the end a heavy steel door. Scald marks graced the door; deep cut marks, but once again, a method to the disarray. Angela tried the door; it didn’t open. Eric tried knocking.

There was a loud click as the lock disengaged, the door swinging open. It creaked loudly, cutting through the dusk. Inside the door was another hallway, lined with shelves. At the end was a round room filled with canned food, a generator sitting in the middle. At the north end of the round room stood another steel door.

They knocked on this one. As soon as they did, the door out swung shut quickly, the lock engaging once again.

“That lock… I’ve got a feeling… It’s electric,� Eric said. “Boogie-woogie-woogie.�

The door in the round room swung open, revealing another room. A chalkboard stood in the back, a functioning computer printing readouts. On the left wall, a series of automatic weapons placed on a makeshift peg-board. In the back, a cage sat, holding a Creep captive. It hissed as the group entered. The door shut behind them.

From behind the chalkboard, a man walked. He was pale, in a tattered white lab coat, ID tag scratched and illegible. His glasses were broken, one lens cracked, the other missing, the frames bent and sitting sideways across his face.

“Ah, you figured the code out, did you? I had to disassemble so many rifles to get enough slide bolts to cover the parts of the floor. It’s a good thing, too. Only the smartest should be down here,� he started, walking over to the computer. A few keystrokes and the monitor changed briefly to an adult film before shutting down.

“I’m sorry,� Eric started. “What?�

“The code, the secret knock, you figured it out. Kudos.�

“It wasn’t much of a secret knock, though… It was ‘knock knock’…�

“WHO’S THERE?! Ha, I crack myself up,� the main in the coat said, taking a seat.

Gopher and Angela shifted uncomfortably. The man in the coat turned around to his desk, pushing a big red button. Nothing happened. He wheeled back around.

“What can I do you all for, though, getting down to it?�

“Well, your name would be nice,� Eric said.

“Oh, of course. I’m Danny Fife, it’s a pleasure to meet you all.� He extended his hand, but no one took it. His fingernails were long and yellow, bite marks covering them.

“I’m Eric. This is Steven, Fichter, Gopher,� he paused, smiling, “And this is Angela.�

“Oh, lord, it’s been forever since I’ve seen a woman. Can I take her for a spin? Just kidding!�

“Right. We came to Eustis to find weapons… You seem to have quite a few. Could we possibly have a few? We’re looking to hide out in the base for a while.�

“You can use them, but you can’t take them from this bunker, no no. You can stay with me as long as you’d like, though. I’ve got food, a computer, and my very own Creep! He’s quite the interesting fellow, too.�

“Okay…� Eric turned to the group, ushering them into the other room. “It’s up to you all. We can stay here or we can bolt; I have no particulars either way.�

“We could use the rest. It seems safe,� Fichter said.

“Not to mention secure,� Steven added.

“And not prone to attack,� Angela said, rounding out the list.

“And no one is going to attack it,� Gopher finished.

“Alright… Seems like we’re staying?�

One by one, they nodded.

“Just… Not in the same room as him,� Angela added.

Eric walked back into the room where Danny was sitting, rebooting the computer.

“I have to reboot it every so often. Such power readings, can’t be helped. Don’t want this thing to overheat, do I… No. That’d be bad. Worse.�

“We’re going to stay with you for a little while, Danny. A few days at the least, until we can get on our feet again, figure out where to go next.�

“Good, good. Haven’t had guests in forever,� he wheeled around to face Eric. “Make yourself at home. Everything in the pantry is up for grabs… Except the peaches. Those are mine. Can’t have those, no no.�

Eric nodded and stepped out of the room, pulling the door as the walked.

“WAIT! DON’T SHUT THE DOOR!�

Eric stepped back inside.

“Why not?�

“Because I want to make sure you don’t eat my peaches,� he said, smiling. His teeth were gangly, dangling in his mouth, his gum line receding. There was an audible beep on the computer prompting Danny to spin around.

“Oh my, oh my… Would you look at this?�

Eric leaned over the computer, reading the screen. He couldn’t put together what exactly it meant.

“Do you know what his means?� Danny asked.

Eric shook his head.

“Look at this. Power spike readings from another base in Arizona. That’s… I know what that is. I’ve seen a spike like that before. I know exactly what that is.�

“What is it?�

“What is it Chief of Science Danny Fife?�

Eric sighed. “What is it, Chief of Science Danny Fife?�

He smiled his toothy grin. “A gateway.�

“A what?�

“A gateway… How they’re getting here.�

“What? The gateway?�

“Mhm, yes… I should have some more information tomorrow,� he said, turning back to the computer. “This is a good day. I didn’t think I would find it so fast… Oh, a good day. Such a good day. Tell everyone they can have a can of peaches, because if my calculations are correct… Then I might soon be able to go get my own… Very soon… Even at night, going out again.�

“What are you talking about?�

“We might be able to stop them, you see. Stop them from coming in… Stop them.� Danny Fife stood up excitedly, smiling, and promptly passing out.

-

Mal

[natetheffrer]

I bet the doctor has narcolepsy, thats a cool thing to have, all falling asleep n' stuff

[Varia]

You killed off the best character: Yourself

[MalReynolds]

I for a couple reason: I've written a few friends into the story (Fichter/Danny Fife) so I thought it would be an interesting idea for me to be in the story. Then I toyed around with making myself a regular, but then I would take all of the good lines away from Eric and give them to myself.

And I also killed you off, Varia. We're the same person! WHAT?!

Mal

[Tps222]

It's interesting how insensitive Eric is to all life that is infected, when he takes the death of Iggy and Gina so hard. I wonder what he would have done if Iggy had been bitten? I already know he shot Gina, well, zombie Gina at that, but they didn't have the same bond that Iggy and Eric did.

[Eyoshi]

Yes...It would be pretty interesting if Iggy were to be bitten instead of being killed. Would Eric refuse to kill the infected Iggy because of their friendship, or would he kill Iggy because he was infected? In my opinion, if that happened, he probably would've killed Iggy, as he'd want to survive.

And about the gateway, would this mean the beginning of the end of the entire story? Mal didn't mention whether that gateway was a portal that the Creeps used to arrive or if that was really a portal to another survivor base, or something else.

[MalReynolds]

It's not the beginning of the end, but it's definitley going to give the plot more drive now.

I might post the chapter later tonight, because I was working on an Asimov submission earlier and I haven't started the new chapter yet.

Mal

[MalReynolds]

Eric was enjoying a delicious can of peaches, sitting on the floor in a circle with Angela, Fichter and Gopher when Danny walked out of the back room, Steven behind him.

“You were right, Eric. Slapping them does wake them up… When money gets valuable again, I’ll pay up.�

“What! Are you eating my PEACHES?!�

Eric nodded, drinking the sweet nectar water out of the can. “Yeah, you said we could. You said something about it being a good day, then you went crazy and passed out.�

Danny took a step back. “Good day? Why did I say it was a good day? You all are eating my peaches!�

“Something about a gate… That’s all you said.�

“Avast!� He ran back into the other room, slamming the door behind him.

Angela turned to Eric, smiling. “You said he went crazy then passed out? Since when has he been sane? We’ve been in here for a while… No signs of sanity.�

Steven nodded in agreement. “It’s true. After he came too, he asked me to slap him again. I believe his exact words were, ‘See what happens if you hit me again, sucka-bitch. Please hit me?’ more or less.�

Eric spit out peach juice as he laughed, all over Gopher. Gopher retaliated by spitting peach juice on Eric, who in a quick turn slapped Gopher.

“See what happens if you hit me again, sucka-bitch,� Gopher said, smiling. He popped another peach into his mouth.

The heavy door in the back swung open once again. Out walked Danny with a trail of paper extending from his hand to the printer he had rigged under the table. It was still working, churning out pages as quickly as it could. The paper was perforated, the chain long, the man holding it of questionable sanity.

“The Gate! I’ve found The Gate!�

Eric sighed. “DéjÃ* vu. Right, but what does it do?â€�

Danny squatted down in front of Eric. The printer made a funny beep signifying that it had finished the strenuous task of printing out insane energy readings. Danny opened his mouth to say something, but instead took Eric’s can of peaches. He swilled the rest of the water in his mouth, swallowing.

“It lets them into our world. Isn’t that amazing? Our gate technology is so far behind… But theirs… They got into our world. I’d like to shake their leaders hand… Or claw. Whatever their leader would have.�

“They have a leader?�

“No, of course not. They just run around doing things out of their own free will. Follow me, girl and boy who’s peach I just ate. Into the back room.�

Angela and Eric followed. Danny slammed the door behind him.

“Look at this thing in the cage. Notice anything about it?�

The Creep was slumped in the corner, passed out. When the door slammed, it jumped to its feet and fell over, propping itself up on one elbow.

“Is it dying?� Eric asked.

“Exactly. They have to cause destruction like they do. If their heart doesn’t get enough adrenaline, pfft, they die just like that. I don’t think they would have been able to sustain themselves for very long unless there was something there to keep giving them things to do. Odd, isn’t it? I don’t think they have the mind mass to keep creating things to satiate their own needs. Something is leading them.� For once since they met him, Danny was making sense.

“Alright,� Eric said, “What does this have to do with a gate?�

“Oh, right. Excuse me for getting so sidetracked. It’s simple, as I said earlier. It’s how they’re getting to Earth. They’re coming from their home world through this Gate, into our word, tentatively titled… Earth. But the massive power surges… They’re sending more through every day. I mean, look at this spike.�

The spike on the paper was impressive. Even more impressive as Danny let the paper drop to the floor, revealing how tall the spike was exactly.

“So what does this mean? They’re using the Gate more? I thought the damage was already done.�

“Not quite,� Danny said. “They’re moving something big in, piece by piece. I don’t know what it is, I don’t care to. Probably has something to do with making this place more hospitable for the creatures. Maybe they’re bringing the palace in for the leader… It’s really a tossup. But it’d have to be big to cause all of these power surges like this. The gate would have to be very big indeed…�

“Do you know what the Gate-“

“The St. Louis Arch. That’s big enough, man-made, simple enough. Easy to use as an entry Gate. That’s how they’re getting in, through the St. Louis Arch.�

Angela began to speak. “So, the Gate is in St. Louis?�

“No. It’s in the Arizona desert… That’s where these power spikes are coming from. They had to make their entry into this world a little more discreet than to just come ramparting in through a busy city like that.�

Eric was confused. “How did the St. Louis Arch get to the middle of the Arizona Desert?�

“I don’t have to answer that,� Danny said, smiling. “Science. Now, let me get to the thick of it, why don’t I? If someone were to, say, take these satchel charges I have and plant them at the base of the Arch on either support, it would blow the Gate. Most likely close it too. Stop them in their tracks. They’d be a snake without a head, as it were.�

Angela turned and walked out of the room. Eric stood for a second, watching Danny. In his eyes, Eric saw the truth. He wasn’t trying to pony them off. Eric stepped out of the room and Danny collapsed into his chair. The Creep in the cage began to snicker.

“Oh, shut up. All I have to do is be boring and it’d kill you.�

The Creep stood up and danced up in down in the cage, prompting Danny to stand up, prepare to throw the stack of papers at it, and pass out again.

Meanwhile, Eric was trying to explain the situation to Steven, Gopher and Fichter.

“No, it’s in the middle of the desert. Before anyone asks, I don’t know. His answer was ‘science’, but he’s crazy, so it’s really anyone’s guess. He also said if we took it out, it would stop the things from coming in. Wouldn’t do much, considering most of the damage is already done… But it’d level the playing field a little bit. Make things a bit easier on us, not having to worry about more things coming in.�

Steven interjected. “But I wasn’t worried about more things coming in. I was worried about staying alive, and now that we have this bunker… We can do that now. It’d be easy to just stay down here till I die. And then I wouldn’t have to worry about anything else anymore.�

Gopher stood up. “Since when has this been about being easy? We could just sit down here and rot, and not worry about anyone else that may be out there, but that’d just be… That’d be giving up. And I’m not about that. I want to go, and I want to help the world be a better place.�

Fichter spoke up. “Steven is making a lot of sense. I mean, it’s always been about surviving, and with that computer we might be able to find more people, right?�

“Fichter, it sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself to stay,� Angela said. “I’m with Gopher and Eric. I want to take that thing out. Change things around here… Maybe put them on edge.�

“Well… If you’re going all the way out to Arizona, you’re going to need a driver, I suppose,� Fichter said, flipping his hat back on his head.

“So it’s settled. Eric, Gopher, Fichter and I will head west. Steven will stay underground and count the seconds until he dies,� Angela said bitterly.

No one moved. Steven’s face grew red, turning away from the group. He walked to a shadow. “Alright. But if I go, I’m getting shotgun. And if I go, Angela isn’t.�

“Bullshit,� she said.

“Hear me out. You’re my wife. I don’t want anything to happen to you… This sounds dangerous, doesn’t it? I don’t want to put you in harms way more than I already have,� he shot a look at Eric, “and I don’t like the thought of you dying very much. So I want you to stay here. Plus, it’d prove less of a distraction for me,� he added, winking.

“I agree with him on this,� Eric began. “Four people is more than enough, and now that we have the extra strength, bringing you along would just be unnecessary and dangerous… To all of us.�

It was her turn to blush. “Alright. I’ll stay here. I don’t want you all to have to worry about me being able to hold my own out there with the big boys.�

“I never said that,� Eric said.

“Neither did I,� Steven backed him up. “It would just be… I love you. I don’t want to see you get hurt.�

Eric held his tongue.

“Alright… I understand… I’ll stay,� she said, finally giving in to the reason of the situation.

“I’m going to tell Danny to give us the charges and some guns, and we’re going to head out. Everyone good with that?�

Gopher nodded. Fichter jingled his keys and Steven gave him the thumbs up. Eric stepped into the back room, briefly, before requesting Gopher to join him.

“These guns are heavy. You take some out to Fichter and Steven. I’m going to wake Danny up and find out where the charges are.�

Gopher grabbed some guns off of the pegboard, accustomed to the weight. He slid clips into his pockets, heading out the door.

“Holy mackeral! That’s a big gun!� Eric heard someone exclaim from the other room. He leaned down over Danny and began to slap him.

“See that happens if you try and hit me again, sucka-bitch,� he said tiredly.

“Shut up. I need directions and explosives.�

Danny nodded and slid the black board over, revealing another door. It swung open and he pulled a chain, turning the light in the room on. The back wall was covered with satchel charges and remotes, the wall to the left with grenades, and the wall on the right stocked with syringes bearing the biohazard symbol on them.

“Danny, what are these needles?�

“Oh, a virus. Does nasty things. Don’t want to touch it. Turns you into something you’re not.�

“How do you mean?�

“Makes you get all bitey. Attack other people. Infect other people. That kind of thing.�

“Turns you into a… Zombie?�

“Don’t like that word, but yes.�

“You know they have some of this stuff and they used it, correct?�

Danny nodded. “But this bunker is the last remaining storehouse of the antidote.�

Eric’s face turned white. “Antidote?�

“We don’t make viruses without making cures. That’s just stupid.�

“But… But, making a virus like that is just stupid, too.�

“No it’s not. We send in one infected to a hostile military installing, it spreads. We quarantine, cure and jail. Not stupid at all. It would lower fatalities exponentially, if we had ever gotten to put it to practical use. There were the naysayers, of course. ‘What if one of the infected got out?’ And all that jazz. I don’t suppose that matters now, does it.�

Eric felt sick to his stomach.

“Why does that matter so much to you, boy?�

“Oh… No matter… Just get me the explosives.�

The pressure weighed down on Eric’s mind like an anvil. He had killed an innocent person on the road, someone that could have possibly been cured.

“There is no cure!� He remembered those words spilling out of his mouth. He remembered shooting him in the head. Gina’s face crossed his mind, briefly. He tensed, as her teeth got closer to him. Iggy firing the gun. Thank God he wasn’t alive to hear this.

Eric was, however. A thunderbolt of pain ran across his head. Danny tossed the satchels at Eric, who was unprepared. The bounced off of his chest and onto the ground harmlessly.

“Isn’t it a bit suicidal to be throwing the explosives around like that?�

Danny laughed. “No. They’re harmless without the remote. I mean, unless you shot them. But I didn’t think you were going to shoot them. Your gun is in the other room. Would you have shot them?�

“I don’t think so…�

“Alright, good. Now get the hell out of my office. Let me run off where exactly the Gate is.�

The printer sputtered to life again, throwing out a page with only one fragment of a sentence gracing it. “Cactus National Park.�

“That’s the best I can do, I’m afraid. You’ll have to find the actual Gate on your own, and the park. But it’s outside of Pheonix. You shouldn’t have too much trouble finding it.�

“Why?�

“How do you find anything on the road, Eric?�

“Well, we’ve usually just followed the signs.�

“Exactly.�

Eric nodded. “I’ll see you after we blow that thing up… Or, you know, I could get killed. I’ll be around.� He stepped out the door and into the pantry area. Fichter was the only one left in the room. Fichter was playing with the sub-machine gun, releasing the clip and sliding it back in, pulling back the slide and loading a round.

“What are you doing with that?�

“Practicing loading the gun. Your boy Gopher got enough ammo to start another World War.�

“You realize that every time you cock the gun, it ejects a shell?�

Fichter nodded. “I was going to practice loading clips, next.�

“Where is everyone, Fichter?�

“Well, Angela took off. She grabbed your shotgun, said something about not stopping her, and ran out. Gopher and Steven followed her. I decided someone needed to tell you and not follow. They’re not going to get far, either. I’ve got the keys to my car, and they don’t know how to drive it in any case.�

“She’s gone?�

“Yup.�

“Well, shit. Let’s get out of here and try and find everyone else.�

Fichter nodded and followed Eric out of the bunker.

Night had fallen, but the bunker had shown no indications of the passage of time. The base looked different in the moonlight, more ethereal and less utilitarian. Eric saw the plume of fire spit out of the gun in the distance first before he heard the shot. He ran in that direction, yelling not to shoot them.

It was Gopher, firing an assault rifle at one of the things. The gun had kicked him in the shoulder, improperly rested and bruised his arm very badly. The Creep, however, was dead on the ground. Steven was next to Gopher trying to figure out how to fire his sub-machine gun.

“Where is she?�

Steven looked up from the gun. “Don’t know. I say we get out of here, though. She knows it’s safe in the bunker. She knows the secret knock. She’ll be fine. But we should get a move on. Did you get the location of the Gate?�

“Yeah. Cactus National Park. Sounds like a fun family vacation. Alright… Let’s head to the car.�

The group, armed with heavy guns, made their way past the barracks to the red station wagon. It sat idly in the darkness, a shadow in and of itself. The interior light turned on as Fichter climbed in. Steven sat shotgun, Gopher and Eric in the back seat. In the silence, Eric could only think about Varia the Brave spread out over the interstate. He shook his head. There was no way for him to have known… It wasn’t his fault. He desperately wanted to hear someone else say those words.

Fichter pulled out of the base and onto the main road, listening to a mixed CD of classics from the eighties.

“Guys, I smell something.� Eric said. “It’s familiar… It smells like…�

He felt the gun poke him through the back of the seat. Eric froze. “Smells like nothing. Let’s go.�

Eric casually glanced over his shoulder into the uncovered back section. Angela was pressed against the seat, trying to remain flat. Fichter took a turn hard, forcing Angela to drop her gun. Eric coughed to cover the noise.

He smiled to himself. She always smelled good.

-

Mal

[Tps222]

I don't like the reasoning for the gate ending up in Arizona. I hope you clear this up later on. Other then that, the character development is coming along decently, but I feel as you have Eric questioning himself far too much recently. These self doubts should be a bit farther apart. You don't want too much to happen too quickly. Also, I hope that it takes a few chapters until they reach Arizona, as it is far away from Virginia, and is a great time for some sort of side-quest. Perhaps Angela getting captured, lost, something like that. Have Eric ponder the decision of personal or best for the team decisions. Otherwise, I am enjoying the story thus far.

[natetheffrer]

OOOO

Angelas a sneaky one, yes she is.

Also,

I sat idly in the darkness, a shadow in and of itself.

There prolly shouldent be an "I" there