A New Night Ch. 2 Off the Air
More zombie mayhem :D
Judith Stone sat watching Tommy with a smile on her face, knowing that he was always up to something. That was what attracted her to him in the first place, his ability to think on his feet in bad situations. Today was no exception how he ushered everyone to safety in the storm cellar and even defended her against certain doom, now he was hatching something.
It was a bright day, though it seemed a bit too perfect for her. Even the daycare center where she worked seemed a bit slower than usual. Most days she'd have a hand full with the Dixon brothers, but today they were nowhere to be found. Calls to parents were coming up short or going unanswered, with a few going to the voicemail and answering machines. Tommy was home early and they decided to have the rest of the afternoon to themselves at the lake, maybe get the fireworks going again. She changed into her favorite outfit, one that she knew that would get Tommy's motor going. She drew her hair back into a ponytail and hurried downstairs where the TV was on, Tommy glued to it.
"Hey," she said wrapping her arms around him, "we still going?" "Yeah," he said absently, "have you seen this? There's some trouble going down in Pitt."
"What?" she said looking down at the TV.
The anchor was live in the streets as riots were in progress and the police force was out trying to quell the chaos. The broadcast switched back to the weather when the phone rang and Judith ran to answer it, while Tommy began packing their basket with food. It was Ms. Ellis, she sounded frightened and desperate as usual when something out of the ordinary happened. Usually it was something small but today it seemed like she was actually worried about something. Judith calmed her down and let her know they would be right over, to help as soon as possible.
Tommy and Judith began the long walk to the farm which was just two miles south of their own, not really worried about what they would find. It was likely someone jumped the fence to get fresh with one of the cows and she couldn't stop them, so Tommy to the rescue. They joked about what they would find up there at the farmer until they came over the hill and froze in their tracks. Down in the field looked like a slaughterhouse, dozens of feral cows were sprawled out in the grass having been torn to pieces. Spurred on by the horrors that befell the creatures, they made a bee-line to the house as fast they could get there.
It was there on the front porch Mr. Copeland was fuming and carrying on as they raced toward the house.
"Finally, someone who can help us," he said as they came up to porch, "I don't suppose you live here?"
"We own the house," Tommy said firmly, "who are all of you?"
"Harry Copeland," he said presenting himself with an air of arrogance, "this is my wife Helen and our daughter Sheryl. We just spent the last hour walking from the interstate. Car blew a seal and we need someone with a truck to tow it. I don't suppose either of you have a cellphone."
"No," Judith said speaking up, "but I think we need to get inside. Something wrong is going on."
"Phone is inside," Tommy said ushering his girlfriend by, "you all can stay here until it gets here. I recommend coming inside."
Tommy opened the door and called out for Ms. Ellis, Harry going for the phone by the door and slamming it down in frustration as it was making a high pitched sound. Copeland's began to argue at first as the little girl wandered off toward the kitchen like Tommy had. She was half way across the living room when the scream came, noticing the strewn items as if a struggle had ensued.
"TOMMY!" she screamed coming around the corner to see a bear man in an oily jumpsuit with his jaws slammed around the girl's arm.
Tommy jumped off the last steps and tackled him down as soon as Judith got the screaming girl free. The bear man put up on hell of a fight, throwing Tommy about the kitchen as he came in for a killing bite. Tommy grabbed a knife and began stabbing him to no avail, it was like the knife was a needle in the bear's hide which barely registered any pain. He went for a kill shot, digging the knife into it's throat and shoved him away. The bear man fumbled against the fridge as everyone looked on in horror as it stood up once again, undeterred by the injury. Somewhere above was a shuffling sound followed by a horrifying thud as the other man stumbled over the railing and slammed onto the floor. He stood up with a bite mark clearly defined in his muzzle and soaked in blood like Tommy had seen moments before. In his hands was Ms. Ellis' hand with her wedding band still on remaining finger, the forearm terminating in a ragged stump. His jumpsuit had torn and a white bit of collar bone stuck through his pelt as he lunged forward to attack.
Tommy pushed them forward as the two men roared in defiance and ushering them to the basement door straight ahead, fumbling down the steep steps as they hurried to safety. Tommy stayed at the top of the stairwell holding the door shut as it thumped and rattled under him. On the wall beside him was a bar used to keep the door shut during a tornado, to allow them to get to safety but at the moment he felt it might as well be on the moon. Harry saw the struggle and with a reluctant swear ran up the steps to hold the door steady as the bar dropped in place. A heavy bolt slid into place and they were safe as Tommy followed Harry down the steps.
The basement was well lit but a bit dank and unwelcoming to the crying child clinging to her mother, whose expensive dress was how coated in blood.
"This way," Tommy said moving to bookshelf against the wall.
He thumped the shelving and it swung away from the wall revealing another room behind it, the lights flickering on revealing the renovated bomb shelter beyond the door way. It was there Tommy helped fix up the little girl, Cheryl, who suffered a deep bite wound to her arm. Letting her rest, Tommy went after the armory cabinet in the corner where a lone Remington 800 pump shotgun sat by itself. The others had been set away to be cleaned and repaired, since most of them hadn't in some time, but it was Tommy's grandfather's shotgun that was left just in case. Tommy cracked open a box of shells, the blue plastic familiar to him knowing there was slugs ready for action. Loading up he headed out of the shelter with Harry following close behind after digging a bat out of the junk pile nearby.
Judith didn't know how long it had been since the door stopped thumping only that when it did, the boys had accidentally jumped some folks looking for a way out of there. Copeland was beyond upset that his daughter was injured and retreated to the basement after a heated exchange about what to do with their current situation. Ben had been too Evans City and reported that people there were beyond help. Not only had the tornado wiped out the dinner it had hit town and left people stranded in the dark. Worse was the crazy things he saw after the tornado and in town where people were killing and eating each other. She couldn't believe her own ears, but she had a feeling he was traumatized by the incident.
She wondered about the Copeland's downstairs, they didn't seem too friendly especially after those men came back and Harry brained them on the porch with the bat. More so, the TV in the corner indicated that something big was going down that and to remain inside. Tommy was out back when he noticed the lone thing in the distance getting closer, by now another just stepped out of the trees. All she knew was that they were dangerous and to please stand by for further updates on the situation. Tommy was a good man though, he was even instrumental in suggesting that if they barricade the windows to arrange them in slat fashion to see if rescue was coming.
"How can you smile like that?" Barbra spoke up finally.
"Tommy, he's a man with a plan." she mused, "I'm glad he's my man."
She went back to the TV again, an exasperated report with an incredulously dumb look on his face continue the report.
"The governors of 5 states are declaring a state of emergency tonight, indicating that a wave of unexplained murders have begun inexplicably spiraling out of control. At this time authorities and Home Land Security have been unable to determine whether this is a local phenomenon or if it's terrorist related. Assailants are being described as normal looking people acting in a strange, almost trancelike state. They lack the ability to be reasoned with and will attack and kill without provocation. At this time, it is recommended that people remain indoors at this time.
Barbra scoffed and said, "Not the one who attacked me, he looked as if he were sick."
Judith shuddered visibly and went into the kitchen, cautiously glancing over her shoulder at the barricaded window behind her. She felt an arm around her waist and she jumped into action, but Tommy grabbed onto her and pulled her into a comforting hug.
"It's ok. It's me." he said softly, "We're going to need some things from downstairs. Ok?"
"Ok," she said kissing him softly and hanging off him, "I'm so scared right now. I bet the folks are calling the house."
Tommy half-smiled and said, "They'll be fine. We will too, ok? Just need to get what we need from the basement."
She nodded softly as Barbra came in.
"Is there a bathroom here?" she said softly looking a bit embarrassed.
"Up the stairs to the right." Tommy said ushering Judith through the door.
Barbra stared at herself in the mirror, the light of the full moon outside pouring in through the window behind her. She looked haggard and worn down, though in many ways without a sense of her own spirit. She was normally happy-go-lucky where she tried, but now seemed one of those times where smiling at herself would only break the mirror. She turned her attention to the window overlooking the western meadow where the couple had seen the cows and froze. At first she thought it was her eyes playing tricks on her, but the light of the moon seemed to argue best. She pressed herself to the cool glass and looked out to see at least a dozen shambling figures coming up from where they had driven in.
Most of them walked funny as if they had injured their foot or even messed their pants, but it was a noticeable lack of skin on one that left her wondering what was truly going on. She dared to open the window, looking down the slope of the veranda as it spiraled around the exterior of the house, and she didn't see any of them yet on the lawn. She turned to her left and could see at least a dozen more coming out of the trees toward the front of the house. She closed the window before leaving and draining the sink feeling a bit refreshed after splashing some water on her face. Just outside the door was a blood stain where the old lady had been, frighteningly enough she thought she saw the jawbone under the cabinet against the wall.
The streak on the floor was where they had dragged the bloodied carpet to an adjacent room and stowed the body inside. Ben hadn't said anything about it being able to move again as they had stripped enough of the nerves from the spine to keep it from getting up. She past the door intent on looking outside the front facing bay window toward the open fields in front of the house. A few miles away she could see the lights dotting the interstate just beyond the trees, somehow it was a faint glimmer of hope even for her. She felt her heart jump when the sky lit up with a bright flash followed by a fireball mushrooming up in the distance. Something big had exploded just beyond her vision and now she was stuck wondering if it might have been help.
She turned away and glanced over her shoulder before slipping into a nearby room, her curiosity growing. It was the woman's room that was dead in the opposite room across from her, decorated in a faded green wallpaper unlike how modern most of the house was. On the bureau was a portrait of the owner with a handsome fox todd by her side. Above on the mirror was picture of the same vixen wearing a white one piece bikini in high heels with a sash proclaiming "Ms. 1956". She was so striking and beautiful in her youth, though now she was a shadow of her former self.
"You can change if you need to," a voice said startling her.
She turned to see Tomas in the doorway.
"She's not going to need them anymore." he said solemnly, "You could use a change, I can take the bloody stuff if you like."
Barbra barely registered the stained clothing she still wore was in tatters from running from that thing earlier.
"I will," she said wanly smiling as he departed from the room.
She peered outside again seeing the distant glimmer of the gas pump beside the barn and wondering if he knew how to get it unlocked. She heard someone come and she said, "I'm fine Tom- it's you."
Ben looked a bit embarrassed as he shut the door behind him.
"Came up to see if you're ok," he said shyly, "I'm sorry about earlier in the truck."
She nodded vaguely aware of what he was talking about.
"I lost my brother today," she said softly. " That...thing, it killed him."
She felt hot tears beginning to roll down her face as she tried to wipe them away. Ben instinctively reached out for her, Barbra backing away at first until she felt his paw. He was alive and warm, not cold and distant like the thing. He cupped her tiny face in his massive paw squeezing gently to lift it up to him. She bit her lip looking up at his kind eyes, then lost all sense of herself.
She wasn't clear on what happened only that it was whirlwind of activity and her back was against the wall. There was a breeze in her nether's as he hiked her up onto his lap whilst struggling to get himself free. She was on the tip of him before feeling him slide all the way inside her, thrusting away violent beneath her as she rode his manhood. It was fast and loveless, violent and passionate, all the same if her mind could process him prodding away in her belly. She hung onto him, pressing her small breasts into his broad chest as he thundered away. She managed a labored choking sound as she locked her long slender legs around him as if to hold on for dear life. It was little surprise she came first, following him as he pushed his swollen knot into her vulva, her body hungrily swallowing him as they sat in silence a moment. When he was able to pull free of her, he quietly took his leave of her almost embarrassed as she sat against the wall to collect herself. She followed after, but not before donning some of the clothes from her now dead benefactor.
Copeland was already at the main door to the basement unlocking beam and stepping out heatedly, his eyes red as if he had been screaming again. Tomas let him by instinctively as he went down the steps with Judith following close behind. The door to the bomb/tornado shelter was open and he could see Helen leaning over the cot where her daughter lay.
"Stay right here," he said to Judith as he tapped a metal funnel, "we'll need that."
Judith nodded instinctively and went about her business, but carefully eyeballed her lover from a distance. Tommy carefully walked in and asked how the young mouse was doing. Her ears were blood red with fever and she was incredibly still, where a few hours ago she was talkative and alert. Mrs. Copeland turned and he noticed one of her eyes was watering the same way his mother's did when his dad struck her.
"Tomas," Helen said quickly turning away as if she had something in her eye, "she's getting worse. She's really sick."
Tommy noticed the faint smell of vomit and saw the bucket in the corner was partially full.
"I'm going to change out her bandages," he said grabbing the first aid kit.
"He didn't mean it." she said quietly approaching him, "He gets this way. We on our way to get him some help and the car broke down."
Tommy nodded as if to say 'go-on', already familiar with what happened. Mrs. Copeland followed him to her daughter continuing to explain in a low voice about her husband as he cut away the bandages.
"To be honest, I don't think he's getting better." she said her voice lowering so Judith wouldn't over her, "I think he's touching my baby."
Mrs. Copeland pushed the dark curls from her daughters sleeping face, Tommy looking serious now at her before changing out the dressing.
"How do you know?" he said pulling back the last portion, before the smell hit him.
"She' been acting funny lately," she said trying not to let her voice break, "she doesn't want to be alone with him. Oh God, what is that?"
The musty smell of almonds rushed to their noses, the red raw wound now coated in a gelatinous yellow goo and the torn edges beginning to blacken.
"Dear God, she's got one hell of an infection." he muttered. He nodded to hold her down as he poured so peroxide into the wound, but the girl barely even flinched as it bubbled and hissed.
He began wrapping the arm when Mrs. Copeland's hand appeared on his own, burning bright white against his orange pelt.
"Please," she begged, "save my baby."
Tomas' face grew grim but nodded approvingly as she squeezed his paw tightly.
"I'll do my best." he said softly as the approaching footsteps distracted them for a moment.
"What's going on here?" Mr. Copeland said looking a bit suspicious.
"You're daughter needs help," Tommy said standing up, his powerful frame flexing, "she has the beginnings of Gangrene. She needs a hospital fast."
"How can that be? I thought something like that took days," Mrs. Copeland said her hazel eyes wild with fear.
"I can't be for sure," Tommy said, "but we'll need to act fast if we want to save her arm."
"With what car," Mr. Copeland said in a mock whine, "in case you haven't noticed genius we're stuck!"
"Ben's got a truck," Tomas said calmly, "we need gas to get out of here. It can fit all of us, so me and Judith are getting supplies ready. I suggest you do the same."
"The same," he scoffed, "we came to you for help and we got shit! My daughter is hurt and we have no fucking way out of here!"
Tomas bit his tongue and calmly said, "There's a pump by the shed. If we make it, we can get to Willard. Hopefully they got help lined up that can help her."
"What should we do?" Helen jumped in before Harry had a chance to get a word in.
"Get her ready, gather what you can at the front door. I'll talk with Ben about getting the gas and how we'll get out of here."
Harry covered his ill daughter with his coat and said, "Don't worry about it. I think we'll just sit here and wait for someone to get us out of here."
Tommy turned to Mrs. Copeland and said, "If you all find a key, hang onto it. It might be the key for the pump."
"I'll try to remember to call you if we do." Harry spat vehemently as Tommy left.
Judith was already up the stairs when Tom stopped for the big kerosene can under the work table, only to find Mr. Copeland waiting for him. He drew in close enough for only him to hear as he spoke to Tommy.
"I don't know who the fuck you are, but I swear to God the next time you touch my wife or daughter I'll have your balls for earrings before the night is out."
Tommy nodded knowingly and said, "Duly noted."
"What happened?" Judith said as Tommy came up.
"Nothing, nothing to worry about." he said Mr. Copeland drew the door shut. "What on TV?"
"Nothing yet, they are still telling people to stay put and on the other hand, they are mobilizing FEMA centers." she said rolling her eyes.
"This must be big," Ben said as they entered the room.
The announcer on the TV looked tired and unaware of the news they were broadcasting.
"At this time, National Guard Reserves are being mobilized as we speak to areas of Greater Pittsburgh and Philadelphia where civil unrest continues. Rumors are running rampant at this time that something more sinister is afoot as scores of religious leaders have taken to Twitter tonight proclaiming the End Times have come. Scientists at the CDC are more certain that this is a possible man-made agent, a result of biological warfare. Though how such a germ could have been administered on... on the scale we are seeing tonight is unimaginable.
"Buck Harland, deputy director of Homeland Security has issued the theory that numerous sleeper terror cells have been activated, releasing a mind altering agent across several states. Officials at the White House reject that theory, as no group has stepped forward to claim credit. Biologists in Stockton, California have released a statement proclaiming that the recently dead are reanimating under the direction of some unknown agency. The report came in this morning after it was disclosed that a body in a university cold room began moving as if alive two days prior. Upon examination the body was said to be displaying strange amount brain activity for a corpse that had been dead for several days, though these claims cannot be substantiated since the doctors have been let and despite many tries cannot be reached for comment.
The reported paused a moment and rolled their eyes before continuing.
"I do apologize for the last statement, it looks like someone has been hacking the teleprompter again." A wave of nervous laughter echoed on the TV, but outside things were beginning to look grim. Ben looked through the slats at shapes great and small stumbling toward the house at a glacier's pace, the moonlight catching their slack semi-aware faces as the though an army of sleepwalkers were closing in on the lone house.
"Ben," Tommy said softly, "I think we have a way out of here."
Tommy pointed to the pump by the barn just beyond the curve of the truck's windshield.
Helen sat the other end of the shelter wiping her good eye as Harry spoke in forced whisper.
"Don't worry my angel," he cooed, "daddy's here. I'm going to take care of you. You'll see, I'm going to get you out of here. I'll make everything all better you wait and see, everything will be better."
He kissed her cheek feeling the ungodly heat coming from it.
"Don't worry about mommy," he whispered wickedly, "I'll take good care of her, you'll see. It'll be just you and me angel. Just you and me."
Helen shuddered at the last part.
"Forever."
To be Continued....