Before The Shores Of The Dead: The Complete Collection Read online

  “That wasn’t Gary sweetie,” she said wiping the tears from his cheeks. “Gary died and that was a monster that took over his body.” It was the best way she could think of to describe something she was having a really hard time believing herself.

  “Is that why we’re leaving?” he whispered, “To get away from the monsters?”

  “Yes sweetheart we are. You’re going to have to be very brave for me. Can you do that?” she asked kissing him on is wounded head.

  “Yes mommy,” he said hugging her tight.

  In the distance gunshots could be heard.

  Now

  “What’s the good news?” Charlie asked.

  Nancy could see the gears working behind his eyes as he processed the information she’d just imparted. Over the last year he’d become more introspective and measured in the way he absorbed bad news, but this was a new and somewhat disturbing level of calmness. But she decided to push forward.

  “You know Professor Hodges?” she said taking one of his small warm hands in hers.

  “Yes!” he exclaimed. “Miss Kelly built the walls around the town and she lets me help with her projects. She told me when they start making the airport I can help!”

  Charlie loved to design and build things. According to Kelly he had a knack for it and he spent as much time as he could with her and Benjamin Millette. When he was making things he reminded Nancy so much of her father and his direct and no nonsense manner that it hurt, but in a good way.

  “Yep, she told me about that, she’s really excited to have you be her assistant,” Nancy replied.

  Charlie beamed with pride.

  “Did you know Miss Kelly was friends with your Grandpa?” Nancy asked her little boy. “They were friends the whole time he was coming north to find us.”

  “No,” he said sounding surprised and enraptured. For a second he sounded again like the little boy he’d been before Gary Jackson tried to eat him on their driveway.

  “Yes, she and your grandfather were special friends, like me and Mamma Lisa.” She added enjoying the bright grin that split her son’s face. She knew what he was going to say before he said it.

  “Is the baby grandpa’s?” he asked sounding excited.

  “Yes indeed kiddo, I’m going to have a new baby brother or sister and you’re going to have a new aunt or uncle!”

  Charlie threw his arms around her and let out a hoot of joy.

  Nancy was surprised to feel tears of joy stinging the back of her eyes. Her father had died making sure hundreds of people made it to safety. He died a warrior and a true hero. He’d died meeting and approving of the love of her life. Because of him so many people, not the least of them her son, were alive and ready to rebuild.

  “I love you mommy,” Charlie said then added, “If the baby is a boy will Grandma Kelly name him Liam?”

  Nancy caught the new title and didn’t correct him. It would fill Kelly with happiness and besides she was family now.

  “I think maybe she might sweetie, I think maybe she might.”

  Part 6: “Scarlet”

  Now, New White Harbor Elementary

  “Because they fought so hard we were all able to find a new safe home on the island,” the little boy finished the last line of his essay and beamed at the class with pride. The theme had been “The Most Important Day of Your Life” and more than half of the children had chosen the battle for White Harbor. They’d all been heart breaking and brilliant.

  “That was great Walter,” Scarlet Carson said getting up from her desk and gesturing for the little boy to return to his seat.

  The class of more than a dozen first to fifth graders broke out in spontaneous applause. From her playpen next to Scarlet’s desk Andy jumped up and down clapping her chubby hands together and hooting along with the children.

  Everything that’s happened has been awful but to see children this excited about learning and being so supportive of one another… at least we have that.

  “Alright kiddos, settle down,” Scarlet said grinning and placing a hand on the small of her back. Walking was getting more difficult as the baby dropped a little more every day.

  Pregnant women were thick on the island as there was this unspoken need to plant roots and bring as much life into the world as possible. Scarlet was positive she convinced the night after Kyle and Lisa came back from that other place.

  “Mrs. Carson,” one of the older girls, Shelly Harper, asked raising her hand.

  “Yes Shelly?” Scarlet replied.

  “Can I ask you a question Mrs. Carson?”

  “I believe you just did.”

  The class broke out in a fit of giggles, after half a heartbeat Shelly joined them. Laughing to herself Scarlet indicated for Shelly to go ahead and ask her question. One of the main facets of the Republic education system wasn’t just that it was okay to ask a question but that the children should be free to ask any question they wanted to, regardless of subject.

  “Is Mr. Carson sending my daddy out to fight bad people?” There was a challenging glare in the girl’s gaze.

  By her daddy, she didn’t mean her biological father. Scarlet didn’t know Shelly’s entire story. She was one of the kids brought out of Hession by the Spotters and Father Jordan. Most of the children, the ones under sixteen the new age of universal consent and adulthood in the Republic, had been fostered and adopted out once the survivors were established on the island.

  Shelly had been different.

  Shelly Harper had not been a member of Father Willis Jordan’s church before the rise of the dead. Her family had been agnostic at the most and atheist at the least. After the dead rose and her parents had been lost, Shelly had bonded with the older man and refused to leave his side. After months of fighting it Father Jordan had officially adopted the young girl.

  “I’m not sure I know what you mean,” Scarlet said feeling ice fill her belly. She knew more about the coming plans in the north than she should have. She knew Father Jordan was keen on taking part of it in some wsy.

  “I heard my daddy talking to Mr. Ken and they said they might have to go north and daddy wanted to know if Miss Candace would be able to take care of me.” She was very matter of fact and the maturity in her tone was disconcerting in relation to the youthfulness of her voice. “I don’t want my daddy to leave. I don’t want to lose him like I did my mommy and daddy before.”

  Dread filled her and old memories flooded back. Scarlet remembered that day being trapped in the house. Then the car arrived and her mom was back, but it wasn’t her mom anymore. Before she could respond to Shelly she felt the baby kick in her stomach. A grin spread on her face and she reflexively reached down to rub the spot.

  “Is the baby kicking?” one of the older kids asked sounding excited.

  Scarlet nodded, seeing the eagerness in the student’s eyes she motioned for them to come forward. Excitedly the knot of children surrounded her and lightly placed their hands on her bulging belly. When the baby delivered three stiff kicks the children screamed and squealed in delight.

  Except for Shelly, she never left her seat.

  Later, The Jordan Residence

  Father Willis Jordan opened the front door of the small sturdy cabin he shared with his daughter and smiled when he saw Scarlet Carson staring at him. The large and extended Carson family were some of his favorite people on the island and some of the first parishioners to join his fledgling church in the first days after the fall of White Harbor.

  “Scarlet,” he said smiling broadly and taking her into a tight but gentle hug. “It’s so good to see you. Where are Kyle and Andy?”

  “Kyle took Andy over to visit Jason and Jennifer,” she said hugging the old man back. “It’s always good to see you Father.”

  “Please, when I’m not in the church it’s Willis, how many times do I have to tell you that?” he asked smiling. After releasing her he gestured for Scarlet to come into the cabin.

  The new electric lights burned brightly and the high s
et screened in windows allowed the scents of the island and lake to perfume the room. Like all of the new structures on the island the cabin was built on stilts with a retractable staircase and elevated boardwalks connecting the buildings.

  “Kyle has finally agreed that we need to move out of the Community House and get out own place,” she said looking around with a little bit of youthful envy. “I want a place just like this.”

  “I would have stayed in the Community Houses but I wanted Shelly to have a real home,” he said sitting and gesturing for Scarlet to do the same. “She’s been a gift. I never had children of my own. I sacrificed that option to serve the church but God knows I wanted them.”

  “How can you still believe Father?” Scarlet asked before she knew the words were going to come out. Immediately she wished she could real them back in. She waited for the man to become angry. Instead his face split revealing perfect white teeth framed by nearly midnight black skin and laughter erupted from his barrel chest.

  “You don’t believe do you?” he said with no sound of reproach in his voice. It was a statement of fact and nothing more. Scarlet only came to the big church functions or to help out with the little ones during outings, she never came to the services.

  “No Willis, not for a long time,” she said softly.

  “There is nothing wrong with that Little,” he said using the nick name she’d been trying to shake but he wouldn’t let die.

  She looked at him shock.

  “You expected me to say that you were damned to hell if you didn’t believe or some other bullshit didn’t you?”

  Scarlet nodded without speaking.

  “It doesn’t work that way. You do not believe in God and I do it’s as simple as that,” he said getting up and pouring them both a drink from a glass bottle on a shelf. He handed her one and took the other for himself. “It’s just chilled apple cider.”

  “But after everything we’ve seen and done how can you still believe?” she queried again before sipping the delicious liquid.

  “Little, if you’re right then the worst I have to look forward to is either a permanent sleep or some afterlife I haven’t considered.” He sipped his own drink and let out a contented sigh. “But really nobody knows the answer. I could be right, you could be right, the small coven of Wiccans we have here could be right, or any combination of a nearly infinite variables could be right.”

  She gave him an irritated look.

  “Were you ever a Star Trek fan?” he asked.

  “What?” Scarlet said surprised by the sudden change in the conversation.

  “Star Trek, I was a big fan,” he said looking into his glass before continuing. “I loved all of the permutations of it. There was a character on the Next Generation named Wesley Crusher. He was played by this child actor named Wil Wheaton, he was not a fan favorite but I loved him. He was the kid’s access to the show. They saw him and they were able to see themselves in the series.”

  Scarlet stared at him confused.

  “Later after the show was done and a decade past he became a real presence in the online community. You might not know it but I was very active online. Anyway he coined a phrase that was eventually called Wheaton’s Law.” He took a long drink then spoke. “Don’t be a dick.”

  Scarlet burst out laughing and Willis joined her.

  “That is how I look at religion and faith,” he continued wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. “I believe there is an all powerful god who got the ball spinning for us and there really is only one commandment, don’t be a dick. It doesn’t matter what you believe, or if you believe at all. Just be good to one another.”

  Scarlet nodded sadly.

  “Now what are you here for Little? I don’t think you came to discuss faith with me,” he said setting his cup down and steepleing his hands under his chin.

  “No, Shelly asked me something today and it got me thinking,” she said not sure how to start.

  “Was it about me going north with the Scouts?” Father Jordan asked.

  Scarlet nodded.

  “We had a long talk when she came home from school. Shelly doesn’t keep things from me.” He smiled sadly. “She understands why I have to go and I’ve promised her I’m not going to fight, just to observe and help the soldiers.”

  Once again Scarlet simply nodded.

  “What did it make you remember Scarlet? I’m not just your friend, I’m still a man of god and anything you tell me will be held in the strictest of confidences.”

  She wasn’t sure how she started speaking but once she did the words come out in a torrent and didn’t stop until she was done.

  Then, Parker Residence

  This is crazy, this is crazy, this fucking crazy!

  The single phrase ricocheted inside Scarlet Parkers mind as she raced around the house locking the doors and the windows. Once they were locked she made sure all of the drapes were closed and lights extinguished. The television had been very clear about the doors and windows but Scarlett had decided to blackout the house as much as possible.

  How the hell can the dead be walking around trying to eat people? But the president said it was true and he was good, mamma had said he was going to change everything. If the dead are trying to kill us how are we going to survive?

  She hit the redial on her phone for the hundredth time. The iPhone had been her birthday present and she knew it’d cost her mother a small fortune she hadn’t had. Once again the phone failed to connect to her mother’s cell. Then she tried her best friend Jennifer Carson’s phone which also failed to connect.

  “DAMNIT!” Scarlet yelled immediately regretting the word.

  Then she heard the screams from outside. It sounded like a young girl and Scarlet dashed to the front widow and pushed the drapes apart just enough to see, but not be seen. She wished she’d never looked.

  Little Annie Phelps, she lived further down the street, was being chased by Mr. Gibson. Jeff Gibson taught geometry at the Junior High School and was always his student’s favorite teacher. He looked bad. Half of his face appeared to have been stripped from his exposed skull and one of his eyes was missing. Dried blood coated his torn clothes and he was perusing Annie like a wild animal on the scent of fresh prey.

  Oh my god… I need to help her!

  But Scarlet remained too scared. All she could do was watch as Annie tripped over some unseen obstacle and crashed to the pavement. Jeff Gibson was on her in a flash, mouth and fingers tearing at her. Annie screamed for her mommy and daddy, then she just screamed, and then she was silent.

  Scarlet vomited all over the couch.

  The attic, they won’t be able to get me in the attic!

  Her legs moving on their own Scarlet scrambled up the stairs and to the door at the end of the hall. She wasn’t even completely aware that she was in the hot and stuffy space until she’d collapsed in front of the window looking out on the street in front of her house.

  The attic had been partially converted into an office space for her mother but it lacked the air conditioning of the lower floors. Looking outside Scarlet again saw a sight which filled her with dread. There were dozens of the dead walking up and down the streets of the neighborhood. She watched as Annie Phelps, looking more the worse for wear, rose back to her feet and started stumbling toward the large park.

  Mommy where are you?

  She tried every number on her phone again with no success. She was just about to make another round of calls when the van came barreling down the street. It was a vehicle she’d seen and ridden in many times before. Mr. Carson’s work van crushed two of the dead before pulling to a stop in his driveway across the street.

  Excitement filled Scarlet. If Mr. Carson was home she could go there and be safe. Then he got out of the van and her heart sank to her feet. Mr. Carson was walking funny, not quite the jerky stagger and stumble of the dead people on the streets but it was very close. Blood soaked the shoulder of his white shirt and he had a hard time reaching the front door.
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  He’s too far gone he won’t be able to get into the house.

  The door opened from the inside and Scarlet saw Mrs. Carson drag her husband inside. Shortly afterwards there was a gunshot followed several minutes later by a second one.

  Scarlet burst into tears and curled into a tight ball.

  She didn’t know how long she remained frozen but eventually she came to. Wiping her tears she picked her phone back up and realized there was one number she hadn’t tried. It was a number she knew by heart but not one she ever put in phone.

  She dialed.

  The phone rang.

  When it was answered she nearly threw it across the room.

  “Hello?” he asked as quiet as he could.

  “Hello… Kyle… is that you?” Scarlet asked.

  “Yeah, who is this?” he asked in response.

  “Kyle it’s Scarlet,” she said feeling a little hurt that he didn’t recognize her voice. She’d known him her entire life and Kyle Carson had always treated her well.

  “Little, is that really you?” he asked sounding excited. “Where are you, are you okay?” he asked.

  “I’m in the attic, I locked myself up here. Kyle those things are everywhere in the neighborhood, I can’t leave the house. I saw Mr. Gibson kill little Annie Phelps… and then he ate her face off.” She was building up a head of steam and was fighting a losing battle with hysteria. “After a little while she got back up and started walking down the road. What the fuck is going on Kyle?!” The last was only a shade below a yell.

  “Little, are you hurt?” Kyle asked keeping his voice calm. His calmness helped to center her and restore some of her composure. He’d always had that effect on her when he wasn’t filling her stomach with butterflies.

  “I’m OK… but I don’t know where my mom is. She was at work when this all started.” She fought to hold her tears in check.