Chapter 7 (Billy)

Billy makes friends and loses others.

The virus was spreading faster than Billy could run. By the time he comprehended that something truly horrific was happening he was in the middle of what seemed to be an unescapable position. 

 Creatures howled and ran down streets chasing screaming suburbanites. The people pleaded and feebly fought back against jagged teeth and rending claws. After watching his mother get torn to shreds and then killing his neighbor Billy was slowly growing immune to the carnage. 

 He watched overweight women and young children ripped to pieces as more and more creatures flooded in from the north and west. The tide didn't seem to be ebbing either. He watched these scenes while hiding under a tangled juniper bush in a side yard and was trying to drink some lemon tea; his shaking hands spilling most of it.

 A bearded man with a buffalo plaid shirt and khaki pants stood in the street stoically shooting creatures down with a shotgun. While reloading a naked teenage girl with a gaping stomach wound and trailing intestines leapt on him and the pair collapsed. The man laughed maniacally as more of the rabid mob piled on. Finally just slurping and sucking noises resounded.

 Not two minutes after the last of the creatures had abandoned the body Buffalo Plaid groped to his hands and knees. His shirt was nearly ripped off and entrails hung down like viscera stalactites. The tender parts of his face had been chewed off and his hands were both missing fingers. He tilted his head back and screamed. A few other screams rang out in other corners of the neighborhood in an eerie response. The man listened for a moment then ran off heading east. 

 Billy capped the tea and put it back into his bag with trembling hands. After watching the street for a moment he crawled out from under the bush and darted across. Cutting into the back yard of a modern looking house he hopped a short chain link fence and hid near some garbage cans. 

 A window slid open above him and Billy cringed. 

 "Hey kid." a voice whispered hoarsely "Up here."

 He looked up but only the window was visible. The man having the common sense not to stick his head out and draw attention to himself.

 "I'm going to come down and unlock the garage door. Do you see it? It's right on the other side of the cans."

 Billy didn't look but nodded anyways.

 "You going to be careful with that pea shooter?"

 Billy looked down at his rifle then back towards the window.

 "The safety is on." he croaked. 

 The man chuckled then went silent . After a long moment Billy heard the door being unlocked. He crawled on his hands and knees towards the door then stood up. It swung inwards and Billy slipped inside. 

 The man secured the door and turned around. He tried to smile but it was a feeble attempt. It quickly crumbled. Smoothing back longish silver hair the man seemed to think for a moment. Then he extended a thin arm. 

 "My name's Terrence. You can call me Mr. T though. All the kids in the neighborhood do."

 Terrence smiled as if he had just told a great joke; he might have but Billy didn't know Mr. T from tuberculosis.

 "Billy Simerson."

 The man nodded and gestured Billy into the house. Billy walked through the door and entered a tidy kitchen. 

 A mousy woman in a suede coat was sitting at the kitchen island cradling a small girl. There was a bloody towel wrapped around the girls arm and she was sniffling; head buried in her mother's shoulder.

 A sullen looking teenage boy was behind them leaning against the kitchen counter. He was drinking a Sprite and staring at Billy intently. 

 "Jesus kid don't you watch the f*****g news?" the teen asked.

 "The news?" Billy asked; he wouldn't watch the news even if they showed tits.

 "Tyson, that's enough." Terrence scolded.

 The teen snorted then returned to his Sprite. Mr. T pulled a tall wooden chair away from the island and offered Billy the seat. He sat down and looked towards the older man.

 "Where should I put this?" Billy asked.

 Mr. T looked down at the gun as if Billy was holding a writhing snake or a bag of liquid dog s**t.

 "I'll take it, Mr. T!" the teen said enthusiastically.

 "I know for a fact you've never shot a gun in your life, Tyson." the older man said sternly. "He's the neighborhood ruffian. Despite his abrasiveness he comes from a good family. I've known Tyson his whole life."

 "We finally get a gun and you let a little kid keep it." the teen complained "F*****g Family Ties here doesn't like them if you can believe that s**t."

 The older man frowned and stared at Tyson.

 "Big talk from a kid that was still wetting the bed in Junior High."

 Tyson reddened and stared down at his Sprite can. Looking back at Billy Terrence smiled.

 "You keep that, okay? Just be careful with it. Those things make me nervous."

 Billy carefully set the rifle down on the counter and looked towards the woman and the child. He scrutinized the bloody towel for a moment then addressed the woman.

 "Did she get bit?" he asked.

 The woman ignored him and began stroking the girl's hair. The sniffling had stopped.

 "Bit. Shot. Stabbed. Who the f**k cares?" Tyson replied as he slammed the empty Sprite can down on the counter.

 "What do you ask, Billy?" Mr. T said.

 "I saw Mr. J. get bit. My neighbor. He…he changed. Then my Mom got bit and I think she was starting to change too. Right before I got here some big guy was fighting with those things and after they killed him he came back."

 "He came back? S**t, kid." Tyson said laughing "You've been watching too many f*****g movies."

 Terrence stared at Billy for a moment then walked over by the woman. He placed a hand on her shoulder and the woman twisted away and cradled the child protectively.

 "Ma'am." Terrence said softly "How's your little girl?"

 "F*****g lady is bonkers." Tyson mentioned "Mr. T. found her out in the street just walking around. Those Goddamned things were running right by her and there she was. Not a f*****g care in the world."

 The teenager shook his head and opened the refrigerator. After digging for a moment he came out with a bag of cold cuts. Taking a piece of meat out he rolled it up then stuffed it greedily into his mouth. Then he started speaking while chewing.

 "If she's sick I don't want her in here. That kid is creepy anyways."

 Mr. T. glared at the teen then spoke to the woman again.

 "Ma'am, can I check on your daughter? Let me make sure she's not running a fever."

 The woman started to sob. Giant wracking sobs that were so violent Billy was convinced the woman was going to drop the child like a loaf of bread.

 "Ma'am." Mr. T. softly asked.

 "She's been dead a few minutes now." the woman replied while sniffling "I can feel her warmness leaving. My baby is getting cold. Good Lord she's so cold."

 Mr. T. looked concerned. Reaching out he tried to take the child.

 "Get the f**k away!" the woman shrieked "Nobody's taking my baby!"

 The odd woman started stroking the child's hair again while softly cooing. Mr. T. backed away with upraised hands and an exasperated look on his face. Then the child turned.

 Like a weasel it cocked it's head and bit into the soft part of the woman's hand between her thumb and forefinger. A terrific amount of flesh was ripped off when the child rolled like an alligator. 

 The child ran towards Tyson and leapt onto him. Cold cuts went flying as the teenager yodeled in terror. Mr. T. ran towards the fray, pulled the child off Tyson, and flung her across the island. The little girl slammed into a painting of a dog staring out over a pond filled with ducks. Before the glass could fall to the floor the girl was on her feet again; the huge wad of flesh still hanging from her mouth. 

 The girl's mother picked a paring knife up from on the counter and screamed as she sunk the blade into the man's side. Mr. T. reeled backwards and fell against Tyson. The two fell over onto the spilled cold cuts and Tyson swore bitterly.

 The woman held her arms open to the girl and she accepted the invitation. Like a crab she scuttled over the counter and into the waiting arms. Billy saw the girl dig thumbs into her Mother's eye sockets but the woman ignored the pain and completed the embrace. Picking up his rifle he shot the girl in the back of the head. The woman sobbed and fell to her knees. The child slumped to the floor and lay still.

 Breathing heavily Billy looked towards Mr. T. and Tyson. The teen was cradling the man while weeping. Mr. T. was wincing and holding his side. Dark blood pulsed out from between his fingers. 

 "I think she got my liver. Jesus, Tyson. My liver is ruined!"

 Billy backed away from the woman and knelt down by Tyson. Reaching down he touched Mr. T.'s face. It was already cooling and was pale as snow. 

 "Too much blood." he whispered.

 "Who are you? Doogie Howser?" Tyson shrieked.  

 Mr. T. looked up at Billy. His eyes were teared over and his body was shaking uncontrollably. 

 "Can you get me some water, Billy. I'm very thirsty."

 Billy stood up and opened a cabinet. Bowls and plates. He opened the next cabinet and found coffee mugs. Taking one of the mugs he quickly filled it with tap water. By the time he brought the water back Mr. T. had died.

 "Well f**k." Tyson simply stated.

 Billy set the water down and retrieved his rifle. The clock was ticking on the woman's morality and he was very aware of it. By this time she had became a mewling ball.

 "Pack a bag, Tyson. I'm leaving."

 "I ain't taking orders from some kid!" the older youth cried indignantly.

 Billy ignored him and started digging through a coat closet for a pair of gloves. He finally found some and tried them on. They were too big but there was no time to find another pair, besides, Mr. T. had made no mention of children so Billy assumed he was "Up S**t Creek" as Jerry Jorgensen would have said. More than likely Jerry was up the creek at the moment also. Likely playing some real life version of Zombie Laser Tag with the Gunderson Boys.

 Billy went back into the kitchen giving the woman a wide berth.  Kneeling down by Mr. T. he took off the man's bridle leather belt and fashioned a sling for his rifle. He looked up at Tyson but the teen wouldn't meet his eyes. 

 "I'm leaving now." Billy mentioned.

 Tyson remained silent and merely stared at Mr. T. The woman still moaned in the background and Billy couldn't understand why the young man wouldn't leave. 

 Slinging the rifle over his shoulder he walked out of the kitchen and into the garage. He eyed the car but he knew that there was no way he could drive it. Tyson could have driven it but Billy didn't like him; much less trust him. The sullen teen had really rubbed him the wrong way.

 Billy regretted having to leave the house. He felt bad for Mr. T. For the first time in an hour he had felt safe.   

 Leaving the garage he stepped outside into the cold November afternoon. A female shrieked down the street so Billy flattened against the side of the house. An enormous black cloud of smoke was roiling upwards a few houses over. Things appeared to be going "Up The Creek".

 Sprinting across the brown lawn he leapt another short chain link fence and skirted a line of naked hedges. A small white dog barked at him from inside a house. As he neared the large glass patio door he saw a woman in a bloodied bathrobe stagger towards the door. Her hair was wild and the eyes were vacant. The woman bent down and picked up the tiny dog. She lifted it to her mouth and bit down. The animal howled. 

 Billy ran across another street without looking first and heard someone scream. After leaping the curb he turned around. Tyson was following him doggedly. The teen hadn't even bothered to put on a jacket. 

 "Wait Billy!"

 The glass door of the dog eating woman exploded outwards and the wraith flew at Tyson. She was still clutching the dog in one hand and struck the teen so hard he was knocked out of his shoes. They both fell into the hedges and Billy took flight.

 Cutting through another two yards he emerged onto another street. He recognized this road. It was the main causeway of his neighborhood. A group of running creatures were sprinting in the opposite direction. Gunshots rang out and they changed course into the front yard of a large beige house. The creature in the lead leapt through a bay window and the others followed suit. Another shot rang out then a terrible scream developed.

 Billy turned the other way and sprinted. He had abandoned all logic. Panic had enveloped him. The boy raggedly panted as he charged down the middle of the street disregarding any cover or concealment. His lungs burned fiercely and his eyes teared in the cold.

 A skinny man with a large beer gut and a bloody arm ran out of a house and pursued him. Billy knew he couldn't outrun him. Turning around he fumbled with his rifle. The man was thirty feet away. Twenty. Then a rusty blue minivan careened around the corner and struck the man. The creature went pin balling into a neighboring lawn. He tried to stand up but his legs were bent and twisted. Howling the creature started pulling it's way towards Billy with claws that flung dirt, browning grass, and snow. The minivan had stopped.

 "Get in the van, kid!" a female voice shouted.

 Billy turned and looked at the vehicle. The sliding door was open and a young brunette woman was beckoning to him.

 “Leave him. I ain’t getting wasted for some f*****g brat.” a loud male voice yelled from the driver’s seat.

 “Would you shut the f**k up, Jeff!” the woman screamed.

 After composing herself she looked back at Billy and extended her hand towards him. He snapped out of his trance and scrambled into the van.

 

 “What the f**k is happening back there, kid?” the man asked as he drove out of the subdivision and merged onto a boulevard.

 “I found a body down by the creek. Mr. J wanted to see it so I took him down there. Now he’s dead. And my Mom, too.”

 Billy looked down at his lap and the young woman wrapped a protective arm around him. 

 “What a load of f*****g s**t.” Jeff murmured as he took a hard right turn. 

   There was a wreck ahead so he swerved onto the sidewalk to avoid the smoking bulk. Ahead was a small cafe with patrons frantically pouring out. Jeff slammed down on the brakes but to little avail. He hit two women and a small boy before coming to a shuddering stop. One of the women wailed and the other two shapes were motionless.

 “Jesus Christ, Jeff!” the woman screamed “I think you killed that child!”

 Jeff started to open the door but quickly slammed it when a blood covered shapely woman in a business suit ran out of the cafe and jumped onto the injured woman.

 “F**k that, Lenor!” the man yelled as he slammed the van’s door shut and accelerated away.

 Leno turned around in her seat and watched the scene retreat. She shook her head then fumbled in a pants pocket for a pack of cigarettes. Fumbling with the lighter she finally lit one.

 “Give me one of those.” Jeff mumbled.

 She stared at the cigarette for a second then handed it up to Jeff. Shaking another one of of the pack she lit it then offered it to Billy. The boy stared vacantly at it. The shaken woman tried to laugh at her folly but croaked instead. Then she started speaking. 

 “We were doing a drywall job at The Barne’s home. Finishing off the basement. Do you know them?”

 Billy shook his head and looked out the window. Cars were speeding by and people were frantically running down sidewalks.

 “Anyways, we had just gotten there when Mrs. Barnes was leaving. We knew where the basement was from when we bid on the job. Andrew,” the woman jabbed a finger at the driver “is  Jeff’s brother-in-law. He was putting down the plastic in the hallways when we saw the first one. It was a woman jogger. She still had earbuds in her ears. Can you believe that?”

 Lenor looked at Billy again so he shook his head politely. He didn’t know what ear buds had to do with the story so he just waited for the woman to speak again. 

 “God she was a stately woman. Really in shape and beautiful. But those eyes…..Jesus.”

 Lenor clutched her face and sobbed.

 “Stately women.” Jeff guffawed “Stately f*****g tits. B***h chewed Andrew’s f*****g face off!”

 “And you f*****g killed her!” Lenor wailed.

 “F*****g b***h was crazy. Jesus, Lenor. Goddamned psycho broad killed Andrew.” Jeff complained.

 “You could have called 911!”

 Laughing Jeff took a drag off his cigarette. “With what phone? We didn’t pay the Goddamned phone bill you stupid b***h. How the f**k can I afford to pay the bill when you’re at the tavern every night?”

 Billy shrunk back into his seat and looked towards Lenor nervously. She tried smiling at him then yelled at Jeff.

 “Are you really doing this right now? In front of the kid?”

 “In front of the f*****g kid.” Jeff chuckled “You don’t even know who that f*****g kid is. Goddamned s**t head could be Jeffery Dahmer.”

 Lenor ignored the comment and stroked Billy’s hair. He fell into her arms. Clutching to her her stared at the Minivan’s blue flooring. Discarded fast food wrappers and empty cigarette packs littered the vehicle.

 “Where the f**k are we going?” Lenor asked.

 “Kronenweather’s.” Jeff replied.

 “That a*****e?” Lenor spat contemptuously “I f*****g hate that guy!”

 “Well he has a lot of f*****g guns.” he said as he flicked the cigarette butt out the van.

 Lenor looked down at Billy. She ruffled his hair again and exhaled.

 “Billy, we’re going to a friend’s house. Maybe once we’re there we can help you find your Daddy.”

 “I can’t even find Kronenweather’s house in this s**t. Much less his Daddy.” Jeff said “Daddy” in a sneering voice.

 Three police cruisers sped by with flashing lights. Jeff spun around and watched them disappear.

 “I have a blinker out, a******s! Why don’t you write me up!”

 The man laughed maniacally and steered the van around an ambulance that was parked in front of an apartment building. The vehicle was abandoned but a  wheeled stretcher and a med kit were scattered nearby the rear doors; both ajar and swinging listlessly.

 “Jeff, this is bad. What the f**k is happening?”

 “I don’t know, baby. We’ll find out at Kronenweather’s.”

 Lenor nodded and smoothed out Billy’s hair again. The boy was asleep.