Dusty

Dusk peaks through as stratus clouds cover Fourth City. Trash outline crashed cars. No lights flicker from the abandoned commercial buildings, no street lights either. Only the headlights of a modest hunter green Suburban illuminate the road as it makes its way past the city limits and into vast deserts that have become the norm. Colby gazes longingly out the back window as she strokes Martin’s forehead, his skin dry and ashy.

“Did we really have to leave?” she asks her companions in the front seat. “I think we could have survived another day.”

“Said the woman with the dying boyfriend in her lap,” Jace stares into the night before him from the passenger seat..

“All the less reason to move him!”

“Colby, was Martin’s piss not completely brown? Shit, mans was more dry than the pot he pissed in. Literally.”

“I wouldn’t know how brown his pee is. I’m not constantly looking at his dick like you are.” Colby looked back down at her mate. “But I do want to get him something to drink. He’s too beautiful to die.”

“He’ll do more than that if he dries out on us.”

“We already lost our first aider. I’m not losing anyone else if I can help it.” Barbara’s grip at ten and two tightens. Her buzzed head doesn’t hide the grays she’s growing, her chosen family growing smaller by the day. “We have to keep moving during the night as planned. That’s the fourth dry and empty city we’ve come across.”

Jace laughs. “Yeah, a lot less empty than the third one.”

“You’re not helping, Jace.”

He reaches into the glove compartment and grabs a hunter knife and a smooth stone. “I’ve helped plenty. Got more kills on these two separately than you do on your lil pea shooter.”

“It’s for emergencies only. And I still have faith we can find a solution.”

“Yeah, fuckin likely.”

“Fine.” Barbara removes her left hand from ten and tosses her pistol from her holster. “We’ve got three bullets left. Don’t waste em.” They trade a glance of competitiveness.Jace sucks his teeth as he nods and pockets the gun.

They ride in silence for less than a minute before the sound of hacking can be heard from the backseat. Jace turns in his seat to inspect the situation and finds Colby covering Martin with spit. “White gal, the hell kind of foreplay is this?”

“I have to keep him hydrated and this is all I have,” she said calmly trying to reserve her strength. Martin moans. “See, I think it’s working.”

“Bitc--- You’re not even getting it into his mouth.” Jace throws his stone at Martin who winces in pain. “There. Squeeze some water outta that or just bash his head in. And don’t you even start at me, Barbara. You just keep your eyes on the gotdamn road.”

“So much for fucking him, huh? Ya know, it’d be a lot easier if you weren’t suggesting we off our friends every ten minutes.” Her gaze fixed onto Jace. “Give me the gun back.”

“The fuck I am.” He pulls out the pistol and aims it at her head. “Martin could turn at any minute now and I ain’t gettin’ bit. So you keep driving or I waste two of these bullets real fast.”

Barbara shakes her head. “So you’re just gonna waste my bullets right away, huh, Jace?” Steering with her left hand, she grabs the gun with her right and points it up in the event he actually pulls the trigger. Instead, he tickles her armpit causing her to swerve on the dirt road. She tries to lower her arm but his attack is relentless as he maintains hold of the gun. Suddenly, POP!

The suburban slides left and right across the road until Barbara can steady the wheel and bring the vehicle to a stop. She checks the backseat; Colby is shaken but still holding tight to Martin. From what she can see, the roof of the car is still intact. Martin moans from the passenger seat doubled over. “What are you tryna do: kill me?” he screams.

In disbelief of his obtuseness, Barbara hops out of the car with the engine still running, not caring whether he lives or dies. “Fuck!”

Rolling down the window, Colby pops her head out. “What’s wrong?”

Barbara reaches through the driver side to turn off the ignition. “Front wheel popped. We’re not gonna be able to keep driving for long like this and we’re sitting sacks if we stay here.” She surveys the land with what little sunlight is left, wishing she hadn’t been so fast to kill the headlights.

“I don’t know why you didn’t let me ransack the whole city. I could have found us plenty of spares. I mean, what’s the point in stealing a car if we’re not gonna steal all we can?” For once Jace makes a point Barbara can’t deny, which only makes her more upset. “Mmhm, like I thought, you’re a shit leader.”

“Take that back, Jace! She’s doing the best she can,” Colby says as she jumps out of the car, dragging Martin along with her. Jace starts to scold her for leaving the backseat, but In truth, it’s relatively easy for the 6’3” former volleyball player to throw her 5’5” partner over her shoulders. In the short drive, he had forgotten he was only seating in the front seat because she allowed him to. “If Barbara says it’s time to hoof it, then it’s time to hoof it.”

It only takes six steps away from the Suburban for Colby to regret her decision. Feeling a slight crack under her foot followed but rustling, she makes use of her long legs and runs past Barbara carrying Martin like a backpack. Jace hops out of the car and jumps on the hood to inspect the situation. On the left side of the car, from under the sand, arises a tattered being more bone and sinew than skin and cloth. It’s eyes were sunken in yet thirsty for a fresh sight.

“Oh, you’ve gotta be kiddin’ me.” Jace climbed onto the roof of the suburban as three more creatures unearthed themselves on the right side of the car. “Of course, they sleep in the sand to keep cool. Of course, why fuckin wouldn’t they?!” Frantic, he reaches for the gun and aims it at the closest one on the right but his shot goes wide to the right - almost hitting a creature farther right. Jace looks over to Barbara who almost wants to laugh. “Oh shut up.” Feeling outdone, he tosses her the gun. Catching it and looping it around her finger, she quickly lines up a shot and takes out the monster Jace missed and the one he almost accidentally shot.

Rolling his eyes, Jace lets his guard down and doesn’t hear the fifth abomination creep up behind him. It grabs his ankles, and he falls hitting his head against the roof. Disoriented and frantic, he reaches for his knife before realizing it’s lying on the dashboard. Making his peace with the world, he shouts, “Run, bitch!”

Barbara tries to creep around the side of the car to save him but is met by a lone monster which she immediately shoots in the head. Out of bullets she watches in horror as her most annoying but loyal friend becomes a prune. The creature sucks on Jace’s ankle as he screams and attempts to fight back, only becoming weaker with each passing second. As his pale skin becomes translucent, he passes out. And then - poof - a cloud of dust appears, leaving his clothes draped over the back of the suburban.

Tears welling up and her eyes, Barbara runs after Colby before the creatures can feel the addition of moisture in the air. Before long, she catches up to the former sports star, and they find an abandoned building in the middle of the desert. “Is this on the map?” Colby askes.

“What map? I left it in the car like a coward. Crap, we left all our supplies behind. Jace was right; I’m leading us astray.”

“Listen,” Colby takes Barbara’s face into her hand. “You’re doing the best you can, and three of us are still alive.” Martin moans. “Well, mostly alive. Now let’s explore what’s probably a mirage and see if we can’t save my boyfriend.” She pecks Barbara on the lips and walks through the door.

With the quarter moon out, the interior of the building is partially illuminated. As her eyes adjust, Barbara sees Martin start to twitch. “Hey, Colby…”

“Just a little bit farther. We have to find water in here. He can’t turn yet.”

“You sure about that?”

Heeding her friend’s warning, Colby swings Martin off of her back until a nearby table. She rubs her eyes in circular motion of him, as if to milk them but nothing comes out. Realizing her plan, Barbara steps in. She thinks of the horrors she just witnessed and channels a tear. As it starts to well in her eye, Martin’s ashy skin begins to flake off, his hands crawling uncontrollably at his side. Barbara springs back as the tear leaves her cheek and lingers in the air. Eyes still closed, he catches it in his mouth and licks his lips. Colby begins to smile and lean in to hug him but feels a tug on the back of her shirt. As Barbara yanks at her, Colby sees Martin’s eyelids pop open to reveal sunken sockets. She yells and grabs Barbara’s hands as the women try to lose their recently turned friend.

Still spry, Martin chases after them on all fours, leaping from equipment to table to window ledge inevitably missing and falling as he adjusts to his new abilities and water-lust. On his third blunder, he looks up and realizes he’s lost them, letting out a crunchy, dry, defeated howl.

Having found a room, Barbara and Colby sit on the floor, back against the closed door, as they gasp for air. Colby, still too dry to cry, plants her face in her hands and pretends to weep. “How long? How long before we end up just like him? Ugh, just kill me.”

Finally cried-out herself, Barbara slowly realizes they’ve locked themselves in a closet. The walls are lined with boxes on shelves, dated from two years ago. She slides a box off the second shelf which plops down softly next to her and opens it. A chuckle escapes her lips, then full on laughter. It disturbs her friend’s dramatics and causes bewilderment. “What’s so fun--” Before she can finish, a thud crashes against the door. Barbara continues to laugh as she reaches into the box.

~~~

Barbara relaxes with her feet up on her desk, empty bottles of cola and other sodas littering the surface. Colby sits across from her, stroking Martin’s hair as drinks from the bottle of orange soda strapped to his face. They may die of diabetes, but for the moment, they were safe and hydrated.




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