Dead Time: Book Two

By Jeff Brown

Dead Time Book Two follows the survivors of the events in Book One as they travel from Baton Rouge to Houston. They encounter other survivors along the way and more trials as well. Book One left a number of questions unanswered, but those answers are all revealed in Book Two.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781387886777

Jeff Brown

Jeff Brown created the beloved character of Flat Stanley as a bedtime story for his sons. He has written other outrageous books about the Lambchop family, including Flat Stanley, Stanley and the Magic Lamp, Invisible Stanley, Stanley’s Christmas Adventure, Stanley in Space, and Stanley, Flat Again! You can learn more about Jeff Brown and Flat Stanley at www.flatstanleybooks.com.

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Dead Time: Book Two

DEAD TIME:

Book Two

A Novel

By

Jeff Brown

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2018 by Jeff Brown

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

For information contact:

Jeff Brown

c/o My Lair Workshop

106 North St. Enterprise, MS 39330

ISBN: 978-1-387-88677-7

First publication February 2018

This one is for those that continue in their support:

Sydney Woodson

Suraya Birkhoff

Celeste Converse

Ramona Burrow

Melissa Summersell

Greyeagle Jacob Rosenthal

Magan McClellan

Wanda Nettles Faircloth

Ray Hamilton

Cleve Langston

Chad Sanders

Jimmy Turner

Jason Marsalis

Roxanne N Tom Mitchell

Daisyree Mobe Go

Kim Chancelor

Kim Bates Farris

Catherine Farrell-Kelly

Lynn Dermenstein Sattesahn

Leslie Parker

Sheli Godbold

Sam Glorioso

Michael Ray II

Sharon Freeman Laird

John C. Brown

Jodi Albritton

Chris Waller

Dick Scoggins

Wendy M. Johnson

CHAPTER ONE

It was a long drive from Baton Rouge to Houston. On a normal day, it would take a little under six hours, but conditions were anything but normal as we began to make that journey.

None of us knew exactly where we were going and we didn’t have a map. We were in an age where maps weren’t something you typically found in gas stations or convenience stores any longer. If I’d been thinking clearly when we’d been hiding in that bookstore, I would’ve picked up what we needed, but I was too concerned with other things and the thought never entered my mind. And of course, no one else thought about it, either.

Maren sort of knew her way around Baton Rouge. Her family had lived on the outskirts of the city for a few years before moving to the Mississippi coast. She had a general idea of how to get from the school campus facility to Interstate 10, but I wasn’t too keen on the idea of just following the interstate. I figured we’d just run into more trouble that way, more abandoned and crashed vehicles, more blocked paths. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I didn’t think it would be anything good.

Instead, we had to rely on Garrett and his ability to manipulate the remaining technology we had which consisted mostly of the laptop we’d taken from the lodge office in the state park where this whole thing had begun. He’d somehow managed to tap into one of the few remaining government satellites and used that to help guide us around the terrain as well as keep us updated on any official activities. There weren’t too many of those, hadn’t been in days, and we began to think that the entire nation had completely collapsed.

We’d also decided not to pass up any opportunity for fuel or provisions along the way. None of us knew anything about the area between Baton Rouge and Houston and thought it would be best to make sure we had as much of everything as we could find. Garrett and Dave had created a mechanical pump that would pull fuel from underground tanks using a hand crank that allowed us to refuel at nearly any gas station we came across that were without electricity. That hadn’t happened yet, but we were expecting it at any time. We’d discussed it in detail and knew that the nation’s power grid wasn’t going to last forever without regular maintenance. If the entirety of the country had collapsed, the power wouldn’t last too much longer, and we wanted to be prepared for that.

On the way out of the city, once we felt sure we’d lost any pursuit Colonel Miller had sent after us, we found a rather large convenience store that hadn’t been hit too hard over the previous couple of weeks. We pulled both vehicles to the gas pumps and quickly set about tasks that would become routine before long. Maren and Corinne were assigned to pump the gas. Garrett first went into the store, after it was checked and cleared, and turned on the pumps. He then returned to the van and started working on a separate task I had for him. Dave and I were the first in the store and after we’d checked it, we began loading up on supplies. Rachel remained in the van, resting as she recovered from the injuries she’d received in our escape from the school.

I wasn’t thinking completely clearly as we entered the store and I wasn’t as observant as I should’ve been. My mind was still reeling over the loss of Tom. He’d been our primary shooter, but he’d also become a pretty good friend and an integral part of our team. His presence left a hole in our ranks and it would be pretty damn hard to fill.

But Dave, always the stoic, kept his head together and he was the one that made sure the store was clear of any zombie presence before we started our pillaging. I kind of walked around in a daze, but gathering supplies was starting to become second nature. We started with a stack of plastic bags emblazoned on the sides with the words thank you in bright red letters that we found behind the register and started filling them up. They weren’t very big and filled quickly, but we took what we could and didn’t let it frustrate us.

As we worked, Dave expressed his concern over our situation and the overall plan.

I’m really not sure about all this, he said as he stuffed cans of soup and pasta into one of the bags. I mean, we’re following a plan given to us by some guy that claims to be from the future and we’re losing people left and right. You really think we’re all going to make it to California and see this through?

I shrugged as I dropped a handful of pastries into a bag and said, I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it. After that first night, when everything he told me happened I’ve kind of just accepted it.

Dave looked at me over a fairly high shelf, dropping canned meat into another bag, and said, But he didn’t say anything about losing so many people. And he didn’t know about Lexa at all.

I nodded grimly, thinking about her. I hadn’t told anyone the truth about her and I thought at the moment that actually vocalizing it might help, at least a little.

I stopped what I was doing and looked at Dave as I said, She was my daughter, Dave.

He stopped immediately, letting a single can of potted meat fall into his back with a clunk as it struck another can, and his jaw dropped, What?

Yeah, I said and took a deep breath. She was definitely from the future and she was my daughter.

Damn, he said softly and looked at the floor for a second. That sucks, man.

I nodded again and said, I just have to remember to keep her from going back in time when we get to that point.

He nodded and returned to work. I waited a couple more seconds then resumed my work as well. I didn’t want to take too much time raiding the store. We needed to get on the road and stay mobile, but at the moment it really depended on Garrett.

I’d assigned him the task of connecting with that government satellite and working his magic with it until he could find us an accurate road map and as much information as he could in the time we had there. Garrett was really good at that sort of stuff and I had faith that he would somehow get it done and find us a safe path to Houston.

Still, it took time to go through the store thoroughly, longer than it should have. As it was, we were down a team member. Corinne was there now to fill that physical vacancy, but she didn’t appear to be a shooter and she definitely didn’t seem as tough as Rachel. She was something of a medical professional, with a little more training than Maren, and that would help as much as anything else, especially with the injuries Rachel had sustained.

At least we still had most of the weapons Tom had stockpiled for us. He would’ve been the best one to utilize them, but the rest of us would have to take up the slack until we found another shooter. I didn’t think that would happen for a while because I didn’t plan on stopping long enough to seriously look for anyone to fill that spot.

I picked up the pace and loaded a few more bags with pastries and snacks while Dave concentrated on the real food. Once I felt I had enough snack foods, I moved to the drink coolers at the back of the store. With the electricity still on, the drinks remained cold. I quickly began bagging as many as I could.

I wonder how much longer this is going to last, I said.

Dave looked up and asked, What do you mean?

The power grid, I said. Usually in the movies, the power grid is the first thing to go in a zombie apocalypse. It’s still on after nearly three weeks. How much longer?

Dave shrugged, I’m not sure, but it’s really kind of automated now. It’ll keep going until the power station runs out of fuel or something burns out. Nuclear power plants should go on for years, but when they go, it won’t be pretty.

I nodded and didn’t say anything more. Dave was the one with that sort of knowledge and I trusted what he said.

We hurriedly finished our raid on the store having left our filled bags all over the building. I started picking up the bags, grabbing several at a time, and Maren walked through the door. She looked around until she spotted me and said, We’re fueled and ready to go.

Good, I said as I looked at her, once again struck by her beauty. Help us get these bags out and we’ll hit the road.

She immediately started grabbing bags and the three of us took one load out to the van. Corinne had been fueling the van while Maren filled the Camaro, the larger tank taking her a little longer, but she’d finished by the time we walked out with the first of the bags. She pitched in and helped get the remainder to the van and quickly started unpacking and stowing the contents.

It only took a few minutes and we were ready to go.

I climbed back into the van, behind the wheel, and looked to the passenger’s seat where Garrett sat with the laptop open. He looked up as I climbed into the seat and asked, Got anything?

He shifted slightly in the seat as he said, I do, actually.

Let’s hear it.

He nodded and said, I did what you said and connected with one of the seven government satellites still accessible. It’s still running and apparently they’re all still connected and are covering almost the entire country. Anyway, it’s a strong signal and I’m thinking it’s been left on automatic. The same message we saw outside of Harbison is still running. So, I got into the code and found the right hack. Even if there’s someone running the broadcast, they’ll never know I’m using it.

But did you find a map?

Yeah, he nodded. I actually plotted a route all the way to California and downloaded the map. I just don’t know where in California we’re going, so I went with Los Angeles. We can get just about anywhere from there, and I’ll check occasionally for updates.

Okay, I said and reached for the keys in the ignition. Just tell me how to get to Houston.

Well, the easiest way is to go the interstate, he said and reached for his seatbelt. That’ll take us through Lafayette and Lake Charles.

I frowned. I wanted to stay out of the larger cities and towns if at all possible. I figured that was where we’d run into the most trouble with zombies, but it also meant we had more to choose from when stocking up. Since the zombie plague had been unleashed late at night, there wouldn’t have been too much traffic on the interstate and the roads were probably fairly clear in that part of the state. That would cut down on travel time.

That’s a start, I said and turned the key, the engine roaring to life. Which way?

Straight ahead, he said and pointed forward. We’ll hit the interstate in about ten minutes.

I nodded, shifted the van into gear, and pulled away from the pump. Maren was in the back with Rachel, double-checking her bandages and wounds. Neither of them had yet said anything about Rachel’s condition and I assumed it was good enough for the moment.

I’d already stopped looking for traffic, knowing there wouldn’t be any, and pulled out onto the street. Dave and Corinne in the Camaro pulled out behind us. I didn’t know exactly where we were going, but I trusted Garrett to navigate properly and give me directions at the right time.

Still, despite the lack of traffic, I took it slow. I didn’t want any surprises. I frequently checked the rearview mirror to make sure the Camaro was still back there and close enough in case something happened. Dave was pretty good at driving as the interceptor and stayed close enough that we wouldn’t get separated and far enough back to be prepared for an eventuality.

We didn’t see the first zombies for two blocks. They were long blocks, more of a commercial area than anything else, a series of strip malls with buildings spaced closely together and plenty of places for zombies to remain hidden. We all kept scanning the area for any sign of their presence, not wanting to be surprised again, and we weren’t when we finally saw them.

Garrett spotted them first, coming in our direction from the right side. There were several of them, maybe a dozen, sort of milling around outside a Dairy Queen. It looked almost like they were trying to get their food from the drive through window without having a car.

Garrett pointed them out to me, jerking a thumb in that direction as he said, There.

I glanced over and saw them, noticing that they didn’t instantly react to the sound of the vehicles. I’d assumed that in some primordial sense they were attracted to sound, thinking that sound meant living beings and a meal. These, however, didn’t react at all. I began to wonder if they were possibly acting on some sort of ingrained instinct, going back to a place that had held some significance for them when they’d been alive.

I nodded and said, Not a problem. We’re fine.

Looks like it, Garrett said and resumed scanning the area.

We continued moving and I picked up the pace just a bit, feeling a little more comfortable with the situation. Apparently, the zombie horde we’d watched a few days earlier had been some sort of exodus and most of them had left the city. The problem with that, to me, was that they’d all been heading west. We were heading west, and I was afraid that we’d catch up to them and have to fight our way through. Without Tom there and with Rachel effectively incapacitated, we most likely wouldn’t make it through a crowd of that size.

We saw no other signs of zombie presence in the area, other than occasional stains and detritus that could’ve been body parts, and I wasn’t going to stop and check.

Finally, we neared a point where the street curved to the left. Garrett then sat up and pointed to the right.

Take that right, he said. The one just past the drug store.

I glanced over and saw what he was talking about. I nodded and followed his directions. Once I made the turn, I saw the interstate on-ramp.

The only issue was that it seemed to be mostly blocked, almost as if word had gotten out and a number of people had tried to flee the city then were caught in a monstrous traffic jam. I slowed down and looked over the ramp. It was an actual ramp, leading to a bridge, and there was no room for us to go around the pile-up. We would have to move all of those cars and trucks or find another way to the interstate.

As I pulled closer, I saw that the mangled wreckage was mostly blackened. A fire had obviously broken out, whether it was a result of the collision or not I couldn’t tell. Regardless, there was no way around it and no way to get on the interstate at that location.

I stopped the van about fifty feet from the wreckage and Dave pulled the Camaro up beside the van, beside me. With the modified windows, I couldn’t roll it down to talk to him, so I shut off the engine and climbed out of the vehicle.

Dave climbed out as well and we both walked toward the wreckage.

What do you think? I asked as we neared it.

Dave shook his head, It’ll take us at least a day to clear a path, but there has to be another access.

I nodded and happened to look to my left. I felt like an idiot for not thinking about it earlier.

I heaved a sigh and said, We’ll just use the off-ramp. It’ll be a tight turn, but not too bad.

Dave nodded in agreement and said, Good idea. I’m so used to normal traffic that I didn’t even consider it an option.

I took a step back toward the van and said, Then let’s get moving.

I climbed back in the van and explained the plan as I started the engine and prepared to move. Dave backed the Camaro out of the way and I turned the van toward the off-ramp. It was completely clear, as I’d hoped, and we were on the interstate in less than a minute.

CHAPTER TWO

Thankfully, the interstate was clear, like I’d hoped it would be. There was an occasional car or truck on the side of the road, a few abandoned and a few crashed, but nothing blocked the lanes themselves for quite a long way. Still, I kept our speed well below the posted limit. I didn’t want to take any more chances than were absolutely necessary. The van was fairly new, probably no more than two years old, and had been built for power. Dave’s additions and modifications added quite a bit of weight to it, but there was no doubt that it could handle the load. The Camaro was also a powerfully built car. I had no doubt that it would be able to keep up and, with the additional fuel tank, would have less trouble with fuel than it had before the modification.

I kept my eyes on the road while Garrett kept his focused on the laptop. Now that he’d managed to hack into the remaining government satellite system and had found access to the pre-existing internet, he was in hog heaven. Maren and Rachel remained almost silent in the back. I knew that Maren was doing her best to tend to Rachel’s wounds, but Maren had barely taken a year of Nursing classes. She was going to need a more experienced hand to do her any good.

Corinne had the training and some experience as a medical technician and I thought she might be able to do a little more than Maren, but I didn’t want to take the chance of stopping at the moment and moving people around. We were between towns, on an open stretch of highway, and there was again the possibility of zombies just wandering out of the woods again. The last time we’d done that, we’d become separated and I didn’t want that to happen again.

We were maybe an hour out of Lafayette, the next major town between Baton Rouge and Houston, and probably a good place to get more of what we needed. I was sure the gas would hold out until at least Lake Charles, but I wasn’t ready to risk it.

A short while later, according to Garrett’s online map, we were about fifteen miles out of Lafayette when Maren crawled up behind me and leaned over the seat. She placed a hand on my shoulder and said rather calmly, Erik, Rachel’s unconscious.

That startled me, but not enough to cause me to lose control of the van. Maren had obviously done everything she was able to and it hadn’t been enough. Rachel’s injuries were just beyond the scope of her knowledge and training. Corinne was our next best bet.

I reached to the center console and picked up the radio resting there. I held it up and triggered it then said, Dave, can you hear me?

Yeah, he replied after a couple of seconds. What’s going on?

It’s Rachel, I said. She’s unconscious. Maren’s done everything she knows to do. I’m thinking we should get Corinne up here and see what she can do.

Good thinking, he responded. Let’s pull over and make the switch.

I didn’t reply, just returned the radio to the console and eased off the accelerator. As the van began to slow, I eased it to the right and onto the shoulder of the road. I finally applied the brakes and brought the van to a halt.

As I was doing so, I glanced at Garrett and said, We’re going to switch you and Corinne. Ride with Dave, but keep me updated on the map.

Okay, he said and started packing up the laptop to transfer it with him to the Camaro.

Once we were stopped and I’d shut off the engine, I climbed out of the van and hurried to the back. I opened the rear doors as Corinne and Dave climbed out of the Camaro. Maren then climbed out of the van and stood aside as the other two rushed over.

Corinne stopped at the door and looked at me, Let me check her out before we start moving again. I’m no doctor, but I want to be sure we don’t do any more damage before moving again.

I nodded in agreement and she climbed into the van.

Garrett finally left the van and walked back to us. He looked at me and I just gave him a nod. He then continued to the Camaro and placed the laptop on the passenger’s seat before returning to us.

I looked at Garrett and asked, Do you think there’s a hospital or an emergency care facility in Lafayette?

He shrugged, I don’t know, but it’s big enough to have one, or both. I can check.

Do that, I said. And find us a route.

He nodded and headed back to the Camaro.

Maren looked at me and said, I did everything I know to do. I just don’t know how to treat gunshot wounds.

I put an arm around her shoulders and said, It’s okay. You did what you could. Nobody expects more than that.

We stood around silently, watching our surroundings for any sign of zombies while we waited for Corinne to see what she could do. It took her a few minutes and we were starting to get a little anxious about it, but at least she was taking her time and making sure she did it right.

She finally crawled out of the van nearly fifteen minutes later and stood with her back to the open doors and a grim look on her face.

It’s not good, she said solemnly. She lost a lot of blood and there’s a possibility of infection. I can’t know for sure without the right tests, but I don’t think we’ll be able to do those anywhere around here. Still, I’d like to get her to a hospital and at least stitch up the wounds, especially the one in the shoulder.

I nodded and said, We’re not that far from Lafayette. There should be a hospital or something there.

Good enough, Corinne said with a nod. Let’s get going and find it.

Without another word, we quickly returned to the vehicles. Garrett joined Dave in the Camaro and Maren moved to the front seat of the van with me while Corinne climbed in the back with Rachel. I quickly started the engine and pulled back onto the road.

After checking to make sure the Camaro was behind me, I picked up the radio and said, Garrett, find the damn hospital and get me directions.

It took him a second the respond and I knew he was picking up the radio during that moment. He then said, I’m on it. Give me a couple of minutes.

That was good enough for me. I returned the radio to the console and concentrated on driving while trying my best not to be too worried about Rachel.

I drove a little faster at that point. There didn’t seem to be any obstructions in the road and I wasn’t that worried about zombies getting in our way. There wasn’t much in the way of businesses or homes close to the interstate and that reduced the possibility of a zombie presence greatly. I’d come to believe that these zombies tended to stay close to home or a place that they knew, or they’d all departed with the exodus we’d witnessed. I didn’t know anything for sure at that point and was only making assumptions. But the possibility of losing Rachel prompted me to consider that my feelings about it were at least partially correct. I drove faster, wanting to get her the help she needed as quickly as possible.

Maren sat silently beside me and I could see the concern, frustration, and the first hints of exhaustion on her face, with the few glances I risked. I knew she’d done everything possible to help Rachel and her inability to truly take care of the situation affected her. She wanted to do more, I knew that, and it frustrated her that all this had happened before she’d learned enough to be as effective as she wanted to be. I’d learned in talking to her over the previous couple of weeks that she wanted more than just a nursing degree from the community college. She’d wanted to eventually go to medical school and become a surgeon, but it didn’t look like that was going to happen. At least she was still alive.

As that thought entered my mind, I began think about the things Jason had told me that first night, things about her. He’d said that she hadn’t initially survived the first night, that she’d been turned into a zombie. He’d also said that she was important and there was something about her that could help end the zombie threat. I’d taken that to mean that there was something unique about her body chemistry, her DNA, or something that would be beneficial in curing the zombie plague. I had no idea what that might be, and I really wanted to find out, but that meant traveling all the way to California and the research lab that was supposedly being set up there to deal with it as part of the new federal government. But that was also years away, if Jason had been truthful about his timeline. That meant I would be protecting her for years to come and I wasn’t entirely sure I was up to the task. I had no problem at all spending that much time with her, I just wasn’t sure I was good enough to ensure her safety.

Yes, I’d spent four years in the military, but I’d been nothing more than a soldier, a grunt, and hadn’t seen much action. The only thing it had really done was give me the time I’d needed to work on the martial arts training I’d started in junior high school. That had included training with the sword and it was finally coming in a bit handy.

Then Jason had told me that I would be leading a team that would be prominent in the fight against the zombies. I just didn’t know if I was capable of that kind of leadership. So far, since that first night, I’d been leading this group, but I’d already known them all and they seemed to trust that Jason knew what he was talking about. I really didn’t think it had much to do with me or my leadership abilities.

I knew I had to get away from that line of thinking and focus on the current situation. I really didn’t want to think about either one, but there wasn’t much choice. I kept my eyes on the road and waited for Garrett to tell me when to get off the interstate.

A few minutes later, he did just that. The radio crackled for a second before his voice came through, Um, okay, we’re almost there. Take the next exit and go left.

I picked up the radio and said, Okay. Then what?

According to the map, we’ll go straight for about a mile then turn right.

I nodded and replied, Okay. Just give me a little warning before that turn.

Sure thing.

He fell silent and we reached the exit a moment later. I angled the van to the right and we left the interstate. We’d arrived in Lafayette.

CHAPTER THREE

I followed Garrett’s directions. I didn’t know anything at all about Lafayette and I’d assumed it was of a moderate size, bigger than McLain but smaller than New Orleans. I was correct in that assumption, but it was a little bigger and more urban than I’d expected. I’d also expected a number of traffic related issues, but Lafayette had also been in the dark when the attacks had occurred. There were a few cars along the street here and there, but nothing that was really in the way. I drove rather slow, not knowing what to expect, but it was clear to the point where Garrett instructed me to turn.

We turned onto a narrow street and there were a few more cars parked along the sides, looking as if they’d been there before the zombies started showing up. At one point, about a hundred yards after the turn, the parked cars created sort of a bottleneck, but I didn’t see any obvious trouble ahead. Still, I slowed down and kept my eyes open. We eased through the fairly narrow gap and continued forward. I looked in the mirror and saw the Camaro navigate the bottleneck easily. We sped up and continued forward until Garrett gave instruction for another turn.

We turned left onto another narrow street, but this one was thankfully clear of parked cars. And once we made the turn, I could see the structure of the Lafayette General Medical Center. It wasn’t far, but there was a line of low trees ahead of us, apparently landscaping the perimeter of the parking lot, and some high fences on either side of the street. I proceeded slowly and cautiously, ready for just about anything.

I remembered the hospital in McLain and how the horde had infested the place. I was ready for a repeat of that scenario in Lafayette, but I would do what was necessary to help Rachel.

A moment later, we drove between two high walls and entered the hospital’s parking lot to a scene that I had expected.

There were zombies everywhere.

It wasn’t going to be easy to get inside the building, but I didn’t really think we had time to find an alternative. Thankfully, they were mostly gathered close to the building, a little over a hundred yards away, and weren’t paying too much attention to something as distant as our vehicles.

I stopped a few feet past the entrance to the parking lot and Dave pulled the Camaro beside me once again. We didn’t get out of the vehicles, not wanting to attract any attention, and used the