I reach across the dead body and turn the key. The instrument panel lights up, but the lights are dim. Not totally dead, so that’s far better than anything I’ve seen recently.
That’s promising, but I may only get one chance at it. I tug at the passenger. Despite the decomposition, the person in the seat is quite large and hard to budge. I dig deep with all my strength until I drag the body outside the car and onto the ground.
In the driver’s seat, I do my best to ignore the sickeningly sweet scent of decay as I put my hand on the keys.
Come on. Please.
As I turn the key, the engine turns over, sounding weak but close to catching. The next time, I give the slightest bit of gas to the engine. The noise gains in tempo but still won’t quite start.
Deep sigh. Try again.
This time, the engine sounds weaker. “Fuck, fuck, FUCK!” I slam my hand on the steering wheel. My palm is throbbing and red from the impact. One more try confirms my worry. I’ve depleted the precious bit of juice remaining in the battery.
Back to fucking square one.
I head out on the trail again, leaving the bike behind. At this point, it’s only slowing me down. I don’t find any more working cars, and soon, I leave the town behind and enter a dense forest. A thick grove of evergreens lines the trail on both sides.
Then, a glint of something gets my attention in the distance, deep in the trees, almost impossible to see in the light of day. A house nestled in the forest. But there’s something unique about it—a barely perceptible splash of light. As I cut through the trees, approaching the property, the forest opens up into a large, neglected lawn. Then what attracted my attention becomes clear.
“The lights.” I say out loud to myself, smiling. Sure enough, outdoor sconces line the garage and front door, glowing a subtle shade of amber. Maybe something in there can help me charge the battery of the car I left behind.
Approaching any house has an element of danger. But one that has power is especially likely to be occupied and defended. I carry my rifle at the ready as I walk around, keeping my guard up.
The sprawling house is built in the modern craftsman style, with gabled roofs, wood and stone accents, and a massive attached four-car garage. As I circle it, the mystery of the electricity is answered. A bank of whole-home batteries lines the edge of the garage next to the power meter. The back side of the roof is nothing but solid solar panels.
This house has been creating and using electricity for over a year, as seen on the spinning dial of the meter. The house, deep and remote enough in the woods, hasn’t attracted attention. Or so I hope. I’ll need to keep alert and proceed with caution.
But, if anybody lives here, they haven’t mowed the grass in a long while. It extends halfway up my thigh. Nothing else provides any hint that the place is occupied. The lawn furniture in the back has a thick layer of dirt on it, and the cushions are moldy. I walk up to the back door and try the knob. Locked.
Thinking about Zach picking this lock makes me smile but fills me with melancholy. It wouldn’t take long for him to make short work of it. The thought of him hunched over the lock, a look of concentration on his face, gives me a pang. But he’s not here. So, like a wrecking ball, I kick the door with all my might. It flies open, taking half the frame with it in a flurry of wooden shrapnel.
“Well, that’s another way to do it.” I laugh to myself. Zach would have thought that was funny. I miss his laugh.
I walk through the door, gun in hand, eyes darting back and forth. “Hello? Anybody here?”
I carefully search the house. The air is stale, and dust covers every horizontal surface. All signs indicate the house is empty.
But as I head from the family room to the kitchen, a flash of movement stops me. I square up and cock my gun. “Who’s there!”
Barreling around the corner, someone knocks me to the ground, and my gun clatters to the floor. A man is on top of me in a flash, frantically trying to scratch me with his jagged nails. Purple veins bulge from his neck. Infected. I grab his wrists before he’s able to tear into my flesh.
I’m stronger, but what this guy lacks in strength, he makes up for in intense, manic energy. He’s snarling at me like a wild animal, trying to wrench out of my grip.
He snaps his jaws at my face. I have seconds to act with his mouth inches away, so I butt my head against his as hard as possible. It startles him enough for me to shake him off.
On my hands and knees, I scurry to the rifle on the floor beside us. The moment I snatch it, his hand grabs my ankle. His open jaws reach to bite my Achilles. As his teeth start to clench, I swing the butt of the rifle around and whack him on top of the head, and his body crumples.
I lie on the ground momentarily.Goddamn Infected. Rare enough that they always manage to take me by surprise. Even with my guard up, I barely escaped unscathed.
After a moment to capture my breath and regain my composure, I get up off the floor. Judging by the man’s beard length, I’d guess he only recently got sick. Maybe a month or two ago. He must have been holed up here for a long time, defending this house.
His chest moves, so he’s still alive. I leave him behind and search the rest of the house. I plan to be long gone before this guy wakes up.
As I wander farther, I come upon a grizzly sight, but one I’m familiar with. Several other bodies lie in a heap in the hallway. His family, I can only assume. I avert my eyes, not wanting to see what state they are in. I turn the other way and focus on the task at hand.
I hopesomethingin this house might help jump-start that car. Maybe a jumping kit like the one Jo gave us. The house is so large it takes some time to find the garage. I accidentally stumble into the wine cellar, the study, and finally, the home theater with multiple rows of black leather recliners.
Doesn’t compare to the bank lobby theater. I smile, thinking of Zach and how excited he was to show me a movie. But then the thought of him getting sick enters my mind. Somehow, the images of seeing Marcus dying have morphed with my memories of Zach, and I nearly break down from the thought. After a moment of concerted effort, I collect myself and continue.
