Honeysuckle

The prompt was a single word "honeysuckle" most wrote poems, here is what I wrote.

            “Honeysuckle”

            “What did you say?”

            George Smyth lowered his paper and looked at his wife. “I didn’t say anything darling, I was checking the weather.”

            “So, what is the weather supposed to be like today dear,” Martha asked?

            “Let’s see, honeysuckle chance of rain in the honeysuckle. A high of honeysuckle and oh my a low of honeysuckle.” George read the weather report.

            “What are you saying?”

            “I’m reading you the weather report, my darling.”

            “You keep saying honeysuckle.”

            “Tarnation, why would I be saying that?”

            “I have no clue, but you did.”

            “Martha darling, I think you haven’t been taking your meds again.”

            “You know darn well I took my meds. I think you are trying to drive me crazy.”

            “Now don’t get paranoid, darling. I’m going to head over to the country club and play a round of honeysuckle.”

            “You did it again.”

            “Did what?”

            “Said honeysuckle!”

            “Darling, if you continue with this silly game I’m really going to have to call Dr. Mitchell.”

            Martha opened her mouth, then closed it and sat there just staring at George. George smiled as he finished his coffee before getting ready. His golf clubs were in his trunk, so he didn’t have to lug them out of the garage. He really wanted to get a round in before the afternoon when it was probably going to rain.

 

            George pulled over when he saw the cop’s flashers in his rear view mirror. He hoped this wouldn’t take too long; George didn’t want to miss his tee time. He dug out his wallet and registration as the police officer approached the window of his car.

            “Do you know why I pulled you over, sir?”

            “Honeysuckle.”

            “What do you mean by that,” the officer asked?

            “I mean I don’t know officer what else would I don’t know mean?”

            The police officer gave him a look before shaking his head. “You failed to come to a complete stop at the stop sign back there. I need your license and registration.”

            George held them out. “Honeysuckle.”

            “What the hell is honeysuckle?”

            “It is a flower, but what does that have to do with anything?”

            “You have said it twice so far.”

            “No, I honeysuckle.”

            “You just said it again.”

            “Honeysuckle!”

            The police officer stepped back drawing his gun. “Please keep your hands where I can see them and exit the vehicle.”

            “Honeysuckle?” George kept his hands where the cop could see them as he got out. The police officer was clearly deranged. George figured it was best to humor the man.

            The police officer handcuffed him and patted him down. “Have you been drinking sir or taking drugs?”

            “Honeysuckle honeysuckle honeysuckle honeysuckle honeysuckle.”

            “Stop saying that.”

            “Honeysuckle?”

            “Say it one more time and I will shoot your old crazy a*s.”

            George kept his mouth shut. Clearly this police officer was well beyond deranged.

            The officer put him in the back of his squad car and took him back to the station. George still worried about being shot by the officer, didn’t say a word the whole ride.

            “What you got Charlie,” the desk sergeant asked as they entered?

            “Honeysuckle,” Officer Charlie Wilson said.

            “What did you say?”

            “Honeysuckle.”

            “What the hell is honeysuckle?”

            The Police Captain came rushing out of his office. “Get Charlie and his prisoner into holding cell 3 and whatever you do, don’t touch them.”

            “Honeysuckle?”

            “It is okay Charlie you will be fine just do as I say.”

            Charlie couldn’t believe this he brings in some crazy guy and the Captain was treating him like he was nuts. He wasn’t going to be locked up like some criminal. He turned to leave, but the Captain pulled his pistol.

            “Charlie, this is for your own good. I know you aren’t happy about this, but this is the only way, so drop your pistol.”

            Charlie looked down and saw he had his gun in his hand. He hadn’t had it out when he came into the station and didn’t remember drawing it. Charlie looked back up at the Captain and then at the desk sergeant. He didn’t know why, but he suddenly wanted to shoot them both. Hell, while he was at it, he should shoot the old guy as well. He turned to shoot the Captain when somebody tasered him in the back.

 

            “So, Captain, what exactly is going on? Charlie is a good guy, but I swear the look he gave me he wanted me dead.”

            The Captain looked up from the form he was filling out and smiled. “Honeysuckle.”

            “What?”

            Captain Daniels looked back at the form and it was nearly filled out. The only thing was all it said was honeysuckle. He could feel it in him. Slowly taking over it was only a matter of time before he pulled his gun and shot Rusty the desk sergeant and maybe that Officer Jones that had tasered Charlie. He smiled, maybe he should grab a shotgun and go down to the park. It was Saturday, so there would be a little league game in progress, plenty of target practice. He shook his head, trying to clear it.

            When the Captain looked up, there was something in his eyes that made Rusty reach for his pistol, but the Captain was faster. The first bullet hit him in the chest, knocking him back and taking his wind away, but his vest stopped it. He struggled to pull his pistol as the Captain stood up and came around the desk. He looked down at Rusty and smiled.

            “Honeysuckle.”

            The Captain came out of his office just as Officer Jones came running out of the break room. Jones had his pistol pulled and looked around for the shooter.

            “Where are they at, Captain?”

            “Honeysuckle,” Captain Daniels shouted as he pulled the trigger!

            Jones threw himself behind a desk as the first shot missed him. “What are you doing Captain?”

            “Honeysuckle,” Daniels screamed again as he fired off another shot.

            Jones dropped to his belly and looked under the desk. He saw the Captain’s feet moving closer and opened fire. His hand was shaking so badly he missed.

            Daniels leaped on the desk and looked down at Jones, smiling. “Honeysuckle.” He pulled the trigger until his gun was empty.

 

            Daniels screamed, “Honeysuckle!” as he swung his cruiser up on the curb and plowed into a young woman pushing a baby carriage. They went flying as Daniels lost control and smashed into the front of the hardware store. Daniels continued to scream “honeysuckle” like some demented war cry as he kicked his door open and fell out clutching a pump-action shotgun. A man rushing to check on the injured suddenly took up the cry as he grabbed a nearby boy and threw him through the hardware storefront window. A woman grabbed a man and bit into his throat, ripping a chunk out before screaming honeysuckle. Like some crazy plague, it spread, and the infected attacked those not and each other.

            The volunteer of the fire department made a stand, holding the infected back with water hoses until one of them got infected. With a scream of honeysuckle, he lit the firehouse on fire. The infected stood and watched the building burn for a few minutes before moving on.

            Someone called the state police who dispatched a single trooper to investigate. When he arrived and saw the devastation, he called for backup and held out as long as he could. He was found, or at least his hand was found still holding his service pistol. The state police rolled in and, not understanding what they were dealing with, tried to arrest the infected. The few that got lucky radio for more back up giving a more detailed report.

            Unmarked black SUVs with mirrored windows rolled into the town as night was falling. The men who exited the SUVs didn’t take the time to check if a person was infected or not, they killed everybody.        They gunned men, women, and children down and the bodies burned. As the sun rose, most of the town was ablaze. The few survivors crept out of their hiding spots, hoping and praying it was all over only to be rounded up by the men from the SUVs. Once all the infected were put down, the survivors were loaded on trucks and driven off never to be seen again. The town was erased completely in a matter of days.

 

            Two towns away Martha Smyth crept out of her motel room at night, moaning one word as she prowled the night. “Honeysuckle.” She had left her home shortly after George to go shopping, but suddenly she had the urge to leave town. She had driven as far as she could, then rented a room. It was hard to make the clerk understand her, but showing him cash and had made talking unimportant.

            Her first victims were a young couple out for a walk. They in turn infected their families and the families then infected their friends and co-workers. In a week they had taken the town, those that proved immune quietly disappeared.