Jacqueline Druga - No Man's Land

Leah started to thrash, her groaning turned into growls that were frightening. It grew louder each mile we drove. The sun wasn’t even down yet, but I knew it was time to stop.

Marshal had life, and well, death.

The Vee roamed the streets and I saw homes that were fortified. I contemplated stopping at one of those, asking for help for me and my son, but decided against it. Truth be known, I had to deal with Leah.

From what I could tell Marshal was a farming town, or an old coal town. I didn’t know which one, but it wasn’t big. There wasn’t a town square or main portion, it was just houses that were set far apart. Most of them were a distance from the road and the Vee wandered the areas around the homes.

There were no stoplights, but there was a chain name gas station with a convenience store and I decided to make camp there.

I pulled the vehicle to the side of the building. I didn’t see any Vee, none at all, but with Edward making all that noise it wouldn’t be long. His screaming would be a dinner bell echoing in the quiet town. Every window in the convenience store was busted out. However, I had an idea.

Still wearing the carrier, I slipped Edward in against my chest and stepped form the car.

I opened the back door and grabbed the small duffel. It was the one that Leah and I deemed our night bag. It had a blanket, food and water. After shouldering that, then looking around for Vee, I headed into the dark convenience store.

It was rank, it had some sort of moldy smell to it and nothing was on the shelves. In fact most of them were overturned.

It wasn’t safe in the main portion of the store, but that wasn’t where I was headed.

When I was in college, I worked at a 7-Eleven, one of the jobs I hated was stocking the coolers. It was the sanctity of the cooler that I sought after. They always had a steel back door that had a safety latch so as not to get locked in. And though the doors to the coolers were glass the shelves were like a fence.

The area behind the shelves was roomy. I knew and figured it was our best option for the evening.

It wasn’t hard, even in the darkened store, to find the door to the cooler. People had cleaned the shelves of every beverage so the smell was minimal.

The floor was concrete, there was plenty of room. I placed the duffle bag down and then Edward. He still screamed.

“I’ll be right back. I promise,” I told him.

I didn’t want to leave him, but I had to.

I pulled the steal door closed, which muffled his noises and then headed back out of the store.

It was time to end the Leah saga, but I couldn’t kill her. I just didn’t have it in me to put down my wife.

When I walked back out to the car, she was thrashing even more. I knew I had to be fast. I opened her side of the door and then walked to the other side. Leaning in from there, I reached over and quickly pulled the tape from her mouth.

She snapped at me and did this demonic style scream.

My plan was to set her free. I knew I was chancing my supplies by leaving the car unlocked, but I had to let Leah go. I had to.

I hoped and prayed she would leave to find food and be gone. Then and only then could I face my loss and start to grieve.

Quickly, I reached out, pressed the red button and released the seat belt.

Once free she dove my way and I closed the door.

“I’m sorry, Leah,” I said. “I love you.”

She hadn’t noticed her door was open and I seized my opportunity to turn back to the store.

I spun around only to see a large group of Vee coming my way.

I made my mad dash to the store only to see Leah stumble from the car. She turned to the oncoming Vee and did this cry out. It was frightening, almost as if she were communicating with them.

They moved at a good pace and just as I entered the store, so did they. The pursued me with hungry fervor. Even over the noise of the Vee I could hear Edward and I ran as fast as I could toward the cooler.

When I reached that door, three Vee came at me from the back. I jumped in shock, opened the door and tried to shut it. Their arms reached through, stopping me from sealing it completely. I used all of my strength, putting my back into it to close it. I prayed in my mind for it to close. Three of them were hard, if any more reached in, we were doomed. I wouldn’t be strong enough.

Finally, with a hard grunt, the door closed.

I looked down to see two severed arms on the ground. I shivered in disgust and kicked them away. Breathing heavily I caught my bearings and walked over to Edward. I picked him up from the ground, cradled him in my arms, and sat on the floor with my back against the wall.

The Vee attacked the steel door and then they gathered, hands pounding on the doors of the cooler.

I was surrounded, but I knew they wouldn’t get in. I had to just wait it out. No matter how long it took because for the moment, my son and I were safe.

When the way was clear and the last of the Vee vacated the store for something better, when the sky was light enough, I knew it was time to go. Last I looked at my gas gauge, I was teetering just under the half tank mark. It was time to put that last gas can in the tank. I needed to get us moving, try to get to Carver Town and head south after that.

What I really needed was rest. My head pounded, my mouth was dry, and my eyes were heavy. I tried to sleep the night before. I had ample time and opportunity, but I kept waking up. The nightmares were disturbing. I continuously dreamt that Edward had died, that he stopped breathing and I would lift his lifeless body to have him flop over my hands.

Each time I jolted awake, I checked him.

It was time to face the day and road ahead, and even more so, it was time to face the loss of Leah.

Edward was resting. Leaving him in that back cooler I quietly slipped out to pack the car and put in the last container of fuel.

I tried not to make any noise, I didn’t need the Vee ascending on me. I gave great thought to each time I left the baby unattended. What would happen if I were attacked? I weighed the options and rather have the child die alone from starvation than torn to shreds with me.

The store was clear and I didn’t see any Vee outside. My car seemed undisturbed and the back door was open.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t look for Leah. She wasn’t there and as I approached the vehicle I saw she wasn’t inside.

I placed my backpack in the back seat, then carefully popped the hatch. I’d save shutting the doors for when I was ready to leave. Quickly, I grabbed the five gallon gas can and emptied the entire contents in the tank, all the while looking behind me for Vee. When finished, I placed the can back in the car and rushed into the store.

Edward wasn’t crying and that was a good thing. I tossed the carrier over my shoulder and placed Edward in.

“It’s okay little one, we’re out of here.”

I knew he didn’t understand me, but I felt better talking to him.

Once again, I peeked for Vee before entering the store area. Seeing it was clear, I made a mad dash to the car. I grabbed my driver’s door handle and stopped when from behind me, I heard the chamber engage on a weapon.

“Turn around,” the male voice said.

“I’m not one of them,” I replied.

“Hands up and turn around.”

Slowly, I turned. I felt somewhat safe. After all, if he wanted me dead, why wouldn’t he just shoot me?

A man stood before me holding a shotgun in my direction. His gray tee shirt was covered in blood, some of it looked dried. He was disheveled, but he didn’t look injured. Obviously it was someone else’s blood.

“I have a baby,” I said. “A newborn. Please don’t shoot.”