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  Teddy reached the top and looked down on them. He loudly whispered to Jon, “Can’t make it from there.”

  Jon let out a quiet, “Fuck”. And started back down.

  The Fiend’s whoops and shrieks echoed off the rocks and bounced among the trees. It was impossible to tell how far away they might be. As Jon reached the forest floor again, Nikki and Ben made it to the top and joined Teddy watching Jon search for a better route.

  “There," Nikki whispered loudly and pointed. “That’s the way I used.”

  “Oh, Lord,” said Ben. He pointed into the woods below. The Fiends were charging right for Jon. Nikki shouldered the SCAR, aimed and fired. A chunk of tree flew off next to a Fiend’s head. The deranged human didn’t even flinch. It had spotted Jon on the lower rocks and started to run even faster. Others saw this and ran harder too.

  “Jon, climb!” screamed Nikki. She fired again and this time she gut shot what had once been Alan Garber. The burly giant doubled over and then looked up, snarling at the people on top of the wall.

  Jon found himself slipping on the rocks and he painfully fell to a lower ledge, bruising his thigh - Like a late night encounter with fear in a lonely parking lot, Jon’s arms and legs fumbled about like stricken fingers on jangling car keys. He told himself to calm down and breathe, pay attention to his climb. Then a hand slapped against his foot providing him with a fresh dose of adrenaline. He suddenly leaped up the cliff-side, hop-scotching like a mountain goat.

  Ben said a quick prayer and shot the Fiend that was trying to duplicate Jon’s effort. The poor former congregant bounced back down to the forest floor with a sickening crunch.

  Nikki put out a hand and pulled Jon up the last few feet. He bent over, his hands on his knees and breathed hard toward the ground. “Just give me a sec."

  Nikki slapped him on the ass. “Too bad.”

  They turned and ran.

  Teddy was in the lead again, but then he got winded as well and had to slow down. Nikki's Marine training was doing right by her and she forged ahead of the group, the rest following as best they could.

  A little farther on, Nikki spied an inlet, the river portion of the lake meandering by in the distance. “It’s straight ahead.” She charged forward and ran into the inlet startling what seemed like hundreds of small birds. They burst into the air and flitted about in a chirping panic.

  “Wait. Don’t go in that water!” yelled Teddy.

  Nikki turned. “Why? The river’s right there.”

  The rest of the group caught up and stopped at the water’s edge.

  “That’s the place where Jerry Halverstrom was drinking from. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t. He didn’t like the camp water and he hated sharing a canteen.”

  Nikki lifted her hands from the water and looked at it dripping off her fingertips. “What are you saying?”

  Teddy caught his breath. “I’m not sure, but he drank that water. Lot’s a birds pooped in it. He got sick”.

  Jon said, “Maybe you should get out of the water, Nikki.”

  Nikki waded back to shore, careful not to splash. “You think the water is passing the disease?”

  “I’ve always thought that,” said Jon. “I just didn’t know how. Maybe it’s in the bird poop. Why not?”

  “Come on, this way,” said Teddy and they followed him along a deer path to the water’s edge. They looked around to make sure they weren’t being followed and then jumped in. The current naturally swept around the island, carrying them along the shore and then down the channel to where Nikki and the Fiend had had their fight.

  The dead Fiend was still there, the top of its head still breaking the water, its bloated body bobbing in the current. They had to swim hard to stay close to the island lest they be swept out into the larger lake.

  The camp’s boat inlet was hidden among tall reeds at the southwest tip of the island and it was there that the current met the larger side of the lake and slowed down. They swam until they found the opening to the small channel and then they set their feet down in the thick silty muck.

  A cool breeze had built up, bending the reeds around them, rubbing the stalks together, and creating a peaceful sound that countered their reality. It said, relax and rest, let the day’s stress roll off your shoulders. The idea that the shore was potentially crawling with deadly infected seemed to almost make a mockery of nature’s tranquil side. The rubbing reeds also masked the small group’s own sounds, helping them to sneak forward, but also making it impossible to hear what might be around the next bend.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Safe Harbor

  As they drew close to the beachhead, they stopped. By unspoken agreement, they would rest a moment before walking back into the cauldron. It was a chance to listen and observe as well as work up more nerve. Nikki and Jon kept an ear and eye out while Ben closed his eyes and whispered a quiet prayer. Teddy started trembling - the water was cold. Nikki pulled him close and wrapped her arms around the boy.

  When three minutes passed, Ben opened his eyes. “Okay, shall we do this?”

  Nikki released Teddy and gently held his face in her hands. “We can’t go wandering about looking for them. If they made it, they’ve likely already left. Hopefully they aren’t paddling back to shore somewhere else in search of you.”

  “I understand. Let’s go.”

  They found it easier to swim, even in three feet of water, rather than to try to walk in the mud, but eventually they had no choice. When the reeds thinned out they could see the small rocky beach where the boats were tied up, none of them missing. Teddy let out a defeated sigh.

  The congregation had a few rowboats and canoes and two powerboats. Will Parker’s boat was there too. No one needed to explain to Teddy that his dad and sister hadn’t gotten away. The boy simply let silent tears stream down his cheeks while he bravely moved forward. All three adults felt compelled to lay a reassuring hand on him.

  The village lay just beyond the shore. Nikki held up her hand and they all stopped to listen. The birds and insects had once again become still; the woods filled with the sounds of walking death. Fiendish grunts bounced among the buildings, but from the water side of the boats, it wasn’t obvious where the sounds were coming from. She put her hand down and they continued to wade forward slowly.

  The two boats that were worth their trouble were Will Parker’s Chris Craft and the pride of the congregation, a Bayliner deck boat, sporting an enclosed head.

  Ben pointed at the Bayliner and whispered, “Got the keys in it.”

  Without a word, they all crept up the stern swim platform and silently climbed onboard. With their heads above the waterline they could see onto the shore – and those on the shore could see them. At least twenty-five former parishioners were feeding on almost unrecognizable, bloody red meat. The victims had likely been running for the boats when they were brought down. The monsters turned almost as one at the new movement.

  “Oh, shit!” Nikki leveled the SCAR and started firing at the same moment the Fiends stood up to charge. Ben ran to the helm and twisted the keys. The engine fired right up and he slammed the gearshift into reverse. Mud and silty brown water churned under the propeller, but the boat wasn’t going anywhere – it was still tied off at the bow! The line pulled taught, causing the Bayliner to fishtail back and forth in its struggle to break free.

  Beneath their feet they heard a girl’s muffled scream. “Amanda!” yelled Teddy who threw open the door to the head. There, crouched into a corner was Amanda Costas, tears and terror filling her eyes. Teddy jumped into the space with his sister and slammed the door shut.

  As the Fiends hit the shallow water, Jon ran forward, firing his pistol. The dock line was pulled too tight to untie. Nikki ran forward and brought down the congregation’s building engineer, young George Mickelson, just before he launched himself at Jon. They kept shooting until empty, too many, no time to reload. Killer animals grabbed onto the front railing. Jon & Nikki kicked at their hands, their fa
ces, trying not to trip, Nikki struggling as the lightweight rifle offered little heft in its new role as club. Suddenly a strong fist clamped around the stock and she found herself in a tug of war with the former Lukei Jansen. The big blond Fiend snarled and laughed with delight at the competition.

  Ben picked up his shotgun, pumping and firing while tears poured down his face, his former friends and neighbors dying under his own hand. He fired until he ran out of shells and then charged forward with his knife. He reached between Jon and Nikki and hacked at the dock line. The Fiends were coming at the boat from the sides now – it was almost too late – then the rope’s final strands snapped. The engine was still in full reverse and the boat charged backwards away from the shore. Jon had to grab Nikki by the arm to keep her from pitching over the bow as she gave a sharp final tug on the SCAR, yanking it out of the Fiend Lukei’s hands and leaving the creature floundering in the deeper water.

  Without someone at the helm, the Bayliner started to turn in a wide circle, pointing itself back toward the shore. Ben stumbled back and threw the throttle into neutral. Then he flipped the wheel around and slammed the big engine into full forward. The propeller slid right over Lukei the Fiend, churning the water red.

  Ben drove out of the little reed-filled harbor and onto the lake, only stopping when he had them a hundred yards from shore, in deeper water, nothing trying to kill him.

  Nikki pulled on the door to the head but it was latched from the inside. “Teddy, Amanda. We got away. It’s safe. Can you open the door?”

  Teddy opened the door and stood protectively in front of Amanda. “My sister’s not sick and she said my dad got away. He ran to where your camp is”.

  Nikki looked at Jon then Ben. Ben said, “I guess we best drive over there”. He steered the boat toward the eastern end of the island.

  Nikki turned back to the children, “Amanda, how do you feel?”

  The fear stricken girl clung behind her brother and shivered.

  Jon kneeled at the door as well. "Honey, are you shivering ‘cause you’re scared or because you feel sick?"

  Amanda spoke into her brother’s shirt, “Scared”.

  Teddy spoke for her, “She said that everybody tried to get her and Dad. They had to run in separate directions and he told her to hide in here.”

  Amanda spoke up, “My daddy said he was going to find you guys for help.”

  Nikki nodded, “Well, if it’s like it was last time, we’ll find your father right there.”

  As the boat got closer to Jon and Nikki's corner of the island, they saw Steven Costas in a tree near the shore kicking at several Fiends on the rocks below. One was the reverend himself. Nikki aimed the SCAR, then hesitated as she recognized Martha and Robert Brown, the couple who with their daughter Melissa, had joined Nikki and Jon at dinner their first night.

  Both Fiends hissed and laughed at the occupants of the boat with wide, hungry eyes. Nikki and Jon pulled their triggers.

  The reverend stood alone now. He laughed with wild Fiendish glee and then ran at the approaching boat. Nikki's bullet hit him square between the eyes.

  Ben, wiped away a continuing flow of hot tears as he let the boat coast toward the shore. Just before touching the rocks he shifted into reverse for a moment to stop the momentum and put it in neutral.

  Steven climbed down from the tree while still keeping an eye over his shoulder. He smiled, waving at his kids with the nonchalance of a man suffering from mild shock.

  “Daddy!” yelled Amanda.

  “That’s twice you folks have saved me and my kids. God has clearly sent you to be our guardian angels. Ben, I’m glad to see you made it. Any others?” Steven turned again at the sound of more crashing footsteps in the woods.

  “No. Better hop aboard, Steven,” said Jon.

  Steven quickly waded out and jumped on. His children shot forward and clung to him as Ben backed up and the pulled away from the island.

  Everyone sat in silence as the boat moved slowly over the flat windless water. Finally Jon spoke up, “Guess we better take inventory of what we got on this thing.”

  Ben wiped away his tears and said in a lifeless tone, “Provisions for twelve people, ten days. Check it every week m’self. Make sure the water’s fresh. Just checked yesterday.”

  “Okay. So where do we go from here?”

  “Emergency spot is the other large island on the lake. We call it Two Harbors. Well-protected anchorage. Just a little too small and too close to land to set up the church there. It’ll be fine for us. Fishing’s good. There’s still plenty of summer left to grow some food.” He nodded at the coolers that held the provisions. “Got seeds in there. Probably some berries on the island.”

  This suggestion was accepted with continued silence until Ben said, “It happened so fast. One moment we were burying young Jerry Halverstrom and Hannah, next thing… Wasn’t supposed to happen to us. Lord was on our side. Reverend said so. Gotta fight the good fight.”

  Nikki said, “I’m sorry, Ben. It’s happened to all of us”.

  “Reverend said they were demons. Said we were supposed to get lifted up to heaven, be by the Lord’s side - ‘till the Reverend took it back. You suppose God was angry that the Reverend took it back?”

  No one answered, then Teddy Costas spoke up, “I don’t think it has anything to do with God, Mr. Watson. Everyone can catch a cold from somebody else. This cold just turns people into monsters.”

  “You blaspheming, son?”

  “No, sir. I’m just trying to help you see it another way.”

  Ben looked at Steven Costas, “Steven, I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your son in check. We don’t need to upset the Lord anymore than he already is.”

  Steven put a hand on his son’s back, “Why don’t we just sit back and let Mr. Watson drive?”

  "But, Dad. I’m just-"

  “That’s enough, Son,” Steven said gently.

  The boy crossed his arms and sulked his head into his chest. He was tired of being talked down to, tired of adults thinking they knew better. Teddy knew exactly what was going on in the world and he swore to himself that he would protect his family from it with every bone in his body.

  It was a glorious summer day. They were in no hurry and Ben wanted to conserve fuel, so he let the engine run just above idle. The boat coasted, leaving a gentle wake. As a breeze brushed across the water, the sunlight shimmered on it, offering the illusion of countless jewels. The maples and oaks joined in with a chorus of leafy friction.

  In the rear of the boat, Jon settled down next to Nikki and put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him and rested her head, letting her rifle slide to the floor.

  “I’m tired, Jon, bone tired”.

  “Me too. I don’t think the human body was meant to make so much adrenaline in such a short time.”

  “Even in combat, we got breaks”.

  “We’ll rest some on this new island. No need to rush back into the storm.”

  “Hmm. From what we’ve been through so far, I’m quite convinced that the storm is still coming to us”. Nikki had a cut on her finger. The blood was just coagulating. Jon took her hand and kissed the wound. She pulled it away. “Don’t do that. You don’t know.”

  He gave her a slight pout. “You didn’t catch it, Nick. If you did, we’d both be running mad across the countryside.”

  Two Harbors was made up of a large inlet on the western side of the island, and a smaller one mirroring it on the eastern side. A narrow rocky beach connected the two wooded islands north and south, with the southern woods protecting the bulk of the island from view of the mainland.

  It was decided that they would build their fire pit on the beach, close to the southern woods. Ben would set up his camp there as well. The Costas family built their camp inside the tree line of the North Islet. Jon and Nikki set up their shelter in a small opening in the forest on the South Side rimmed with dense bunches of ferns and padded by a thick carpet of pine needles. They agreed to g
ather on the beach for their meals and otherwise tend to themselves for now. Like anywhere on the lake, the water was fairly brimming with bass and fat delicious catfish. Fishing would be a simple matter of casting a lure or dropping a hooked worm. It occurred to Jon that if Fiends succeeded in taking over the world, the waterborne, and birds and insects would be the only creatures sharing the planet with them.

  The artificial lifestyle that these six people carved out for themselves lasted for nine hours. As night fell, the weather stayed unusually warm, and everyone found themselves laying down on top of their sleeping bags.

  The great northern forests of New England had been re-sewing themselves into the landscape since the end of the Nineteenth Century. After 72 hours of steady incendiary bombing, those dense forests crackled into the greatest inferno the modern world had ever seen.

  Only the big cities and their miles of concrete were spared the cleansing by fire. The repopulation of the United States would have to begin somewhere. It was deemed logical and practical to begin in the cities and let settlers spread back out into rural areas as they became tenable again. For the cities and larger towns, it meant the administration of chemotherapy mixed with large doses of radiation. Everything else: thousands of burgs, villages, parishes, RFDs and watering holes, were being scoured to ash and bone.

  It was an all-or-nothing gamble, not unlike the fight against a spreading cancer; annihilation, with the hope that what remained was strong enough to live on.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Inferno

  Admiral Remrick was aware of the importance of the CDC scientist’s mission; yet he had chosen to send them to Quebec on a slower moving, relatively low flying Black Hawk helicopter. His methodology was simple: A helicopter would safely drop the scientist right outside the door to their new lab. He could have instead given up his personal Gulfstream Jet for the task, but time would have been lost transferring gear to a ground vehicle with a longish drive upon arrival, and frankly, it would be a cold day in hell before he was going to give up the Von Fest (named after his great-great granddaddy, a hard charging Prussian cavalry officer). Unfortunately, he didn’t account for the overwhelming effect that the firebombing of seven of the original thirteen colonies would have on atmospherics.