After the Pandemic: Archangels (Part One) (1691 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: After_the_Pandemic Smith
Rating: 2 on 31 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Jack McCallum (View user info) at 2005-03-08 19:24:20 EST
After the Pandemic: Archangels (Part One)
Smith could hear the river but he couldn't see it. He could smell it as well, and was willing to bet if he fell into it he still wouldn't see much.
He heard a muted clang, metal on metal. Someone was on the road ahead.
Tom and Huck traveled this river once, he thought. Lit out on old man river, long, long ago. Or maybe that was Tom and Jerry.
The Mississippi was hidden by fog. Ground fog obscured everything around Smith, unless he looked up. Overhead was an arc that defied belief and gleamed like silver when struck by lights moving in the murk below.
Smith had crossed the country, from the Leech republic of Boston to the silent ruins of San Francisco. He has seen fog in both places. He never expected it here in St. Louis.
He walked on, not plodding, not trotting. He was well-rested and unafraid. Very little could hurt him, and he was wearing a loaded revolver on each hip.
Smith veered off the path alongside the river toward the road. His boots clocked on the asphalt.
"Shhh!" someone said. A girl, a young woman.
Smith could feel the fog on his face. He looked up and saw shifting veils of white and gray obscuring and revealing that strange metal arc.
"You just hold up now," a young and very nervous man said. "I got me a gun and I got me bullets. I got stakes and a chainsaw and I'll plug you and cut you up lickety-split, I do swear!"
"Easy, boy," Smith said. "You're neither food nor drink to me."
There was a shot. The fog easily repaired the hole made by the bullet intended for Smith. The bullet passed over his empty boots.
The fog thinned, a little. Smith could see better now. The faded white line down the center of the road, the old car with the hood up, the nervous youngster pointing a gun at nothing, and the girl by his side who was carrying kind.
Barefoot and moving without a sound, Smith briefly wondered about that old saying as he came up behind the boy and plucked the gun from the youngster's hand.
Carrying kind. With child. It was one of many things people said that made Smith wonder where the term came from. In Maine, a survivor was called a 'rucker.' In Florida, leech slaves and Retrievers, once captured, were always called, 'chumly.' In Tennessee, a hoard of munchers was said to be 'coming for the blue light special.'
The girl gasped, "Billy!"
Smith didn't turn the gun on Billy. He held it barrel down, and then offered it back to the youngster.
"I have your back," Smith said, uttering the customary initial greeting between two survivors meeting on the road.
Billy looked sullen as he took back the gun. "And I yours."
Smith retrieved his boots and came back to the car.
Billy got a good look at him and said, "You got some cojones grandes calling me boy. You ain't so old."
The girl shushed him again.
"I'm well-preserved," Smith said.
That touched a nerve. Billy raised his gun again and pulled a knife from a scabbard on his belt.
"You just hold out your hand, mister, or I'll start a-shootin'."
Smith held out his hand. Billy cut his palm.
The blood flowed freely.
"Satisfied?" Smith asked.
Billy put the gun away. "Can't be too careful. She—"
Smith slapped Billy's shoulder. "It's already down the road," said, meaning it was already forgotten, no longer an issue. Smith pointed. "What is that arc?"
Billy followed Smith's finger, up, up. "You mean arch, don't you?"
Smith's face was a blank.
"You never been to St. Louis afore, huh?"
"No," said Smith.
"I been through here many a time," Billy said, pride making him stand tall. "I been all over the South. "That arch was made by men, long ago."
"Huh," said Smith. he gestured to the car. "What happened here?"
"Fang me, I don't know, it just up and quit. I'm Billy, by the way. Billy Corrigan."
"Smith."
"Is that a first name or a last name?"
"When I find out, I'll let you know. Just 'Smith' will do fine."
"I'm Shally Chen," the girl said. She was younger than the boy, not yet eighteen, and her belly was huge.
Billy walked back to the car, looked down at the engine.
"What's at the end of your road, Smith?"
Smith joined the boy. "My name, for one thing. My purpose."
"Hell," Billy said. "Looks like Shally an me are gonna get satisfaction shore-afore you. We only want eats and a warm bed."
Smith leaned over the engine.
Billy gestured at the corroded, encrusted works under the hood. "That all could be a nest of snakes eating their own tails for all the sense it makes to me."
Smith reached out, poking and prodding.
Shally cleared her throat and glared at Billy.
"So," Billy said. "What set you on the road?"
"You need a new belt, here," Smith said, "And a new hose down here. The soft stuff is worn out."
Shally covered her mouth with one hand, offended.
Billy raised his chin, but had difficulty looking Smith in the eye. "I'm on the road cause of my daddy."
Shally stepped up and took Billy's hand, knowing this part was always difficult for him.
"My daddy was a Retriever. One of the best. I didn't even know what he did to keep us fed til I followed him one night. That's when I got Shally away from him. I haven't seen my momma or my brother since, cause we lit out right then."
When Smith heard that, he smiled.
Shally kissed Billy on the cheek, and gave Smith a scornful look. At least her and Billy had fulfilled their part of road custom. There was no need for Smith to be so rude.
And there was no need for him to be suddenly drawing his shooter and pointing it at her, no reason for him to reach out and grab her head and shout—
"Down!"
A muncher was running up behind Shally. The muncher had no lower jaw, and its throat had been damaged in such a way that it made no noise— and this close to food, munchers couldn't contain themselves. They almost always groaned or hooted in anticipation of a hot meal. This silent attack was unusual.
As he raised his irons Smith could see a white nub indicating the front of the creature's spine. Two well-placed hollow-points separated head from body. The head rolled across the road. The body juddered and jerked. Someone from a few generations earlier might have thought the muncher was doing the Frug before Smith kicked the undead ass and sent the body careening off of the road.
"Shally!" Billy's voice had gone up in pitch. He was on the verge of panic. "Get in the car, baby!"
Smith and Billy had automatically positioned themselves to cover each other's backs, with the girl between them.
Looking left and right, Smith could see more munchers coming. Two on the left, on the far side of the car. Three on the right, running across the far lane of the old road. Another appeared directly ahead. Billy fired a shot and that told Smith that all points of the compass were covered.
Shally moved as fast as she could, jumping into the car and pulling the door shut behind her.
All of the munchers Smith could see were the same. No jawbone. No tongue. No voicebox. What the heck was this?
"Hell's bells," Billy said. He fired a shot, and then another. "You hear that?"
It was a voice. The voice was everywhere, a whisper moving through the air, like the fog.
"Nowww, chillllldren," the voice said.
Smith dropped his guns into their holsters. He grabbed Billy by the neck and pulled open the car door, tossing the kid inside.
He leaned close to Shally. "Lock these doors, for your child's sake."
She hit the buttons, hoping these munchers weren't the kind that had learned to use tools, otherwise a rock would soon be coming through the window.
Smith dodged two of the munchers and then started walking down the road, away from the car. Walking, not running.
"Hell, he's leading them away," Billy said.
Smith was sure he could take his time with the munchers. They were slow, and they couldn't hurt him.
He shot three of them in the head and was about to get rid of a fourth when he bumped into something, spun around, and felt hands like steel pincers close on his jawbone and his gonads.
Held fast, Smith was aware of munchers closing in on him, merely scratching and nipping at his flesh instead of taking a big old bite out of him.
These munchers had been trained, like hunting leechdogs.
Smith was bathed in light as he felt himself bent backwards over a muscular thigh. The leech bent low and two sharp points punctured Smith's neck. The pain was negligible. The sucking, so close to his ear, sounded loud enough to wake the world.
Billy had hit a switch on the dashboard of the car, flooding Smith and the attackers in red and white light from the broken tail-lights.
Shally said, "I think you have to help him," even as Billy was opening the door and stepping onto the road.
Smith heard gunshots as he pulled a short blade from one boot. Billy. He jabbed at the chest of the leech feeding on him.
The leech dropped him to the road, staring down at him in shock. "You should be subdued, sluggish, enslaved by the magic in my bite."
"Magic, my ass," Smith said, hearing another shot. "The poison in you can't hurt me."
The leech pondered this a moment, then leaped backward over the heads of the munchers, disappearing into the fog.
The munchers were now confused. Smith shot with one hand while using the other to pull a skin patch from one vest pocket and slap it against his neck.
By the time Smith got to his feet there was one muncher left standing. Its skull was blown apart by rapid fire from an automatic weapon.
Shally joined Billy and Smith as they were all encircled by heavily armed men in black.
"Jeez," Billy said. "Are you guys in a Day Squad? I thought they were all dead."
"We aren't a DS," a tall man replied. He had a crazy array of deep scars over his jugular, but no puncture wounds. He had put up one hell of a fight at some point. "We're Park Rangers."
A Ranger withdrew a small black box from a backpack. Green and red LEDs glittered on the box.
"Hell, baby," Billy said. "Lookit, they got working electronics."
"Wow," Shally breathed.
"Open your mouths," the man with the box said.
"My girl's carrying kind," Billy said. "What is that?"
"It won't hurt," the scarred man said. "It reads infection. This box will tell us within thirty seconds of exposure if you've gotten infected by a leech or a zombie."
The man with the box peeled clear plastic off of three small white plastic sticks. He touched one stick to each of their tongues, and slid the sticks one by one into a hole in the side of the box.
The box beeped and Shally's stick got all green lights.
The scarred man looked at Smith's muncher wounds.
Billy's stick went into the box and got all green lights.
The scarred man tore the skin patch off of Smith's neck and saw the bleeding puncture wounds.
The man with the box put Smith's white plastic stick into the device.
The scarred man pulled an automatic pistol from his belt and held it an inch from Smith's head.
"Don't bother," the scarred man said to the man with the box. "This one's over and done."
The box beeped. Smith got all green lights.
The scarred man looked from the box to Smith's wounds.
"That's impossible," he said.
There was the slightest tremor underfoot. One of the Rangers switched on a handheld floodlight and pointed it down the road.
"Blue light special," Smith muttered under his breath.
Munchers were rushing toward them. More munchers than any of them had ever seen. Most of them hadn't even seen that many survivors together at one time. It was a living wall of the hungry undead.
"Lord almighty," the man with the box said to the scarred man. "There's hundreds of them."
The scarred man gestured up at the gleaming structure overhead. "Let's go. Back to the arch."
--
ATP Index by date posted
After the Pandemic: Intro
By Jack McCallum http://www.ubersite.com/m/61238
After the Pandemic: Corrigan
By Jack McCallum http://www.ubersite.com/m/61296
After the Pandemic: Variant C
By Jack McCallum http://www.ubersite.com/m/61350
After the Pandemic - The Onion Run - Part 1
By Snark http://www.ubersite.com/m/61446
After the Pandemic: Outbreak
By spedmonkey http://www.ubersite.com/m/61453
After the Pandemic: Rebirth
By kre8rix http://www.ubersite.com/m/61490
After the Pandemic: Warriors of Fire
By hpark http://www.ubersite.com/m/61495
After the Pandemic: Origins of a Conflict
By Adamdidit2u http://www.ubersite.com/m/61496
After the Pandemic: Apocalypse
By Dannie M http://www.ubersite.com/m/61498
After the Pandemic: The Enemy of My Enemy (Part 1 of 2)
By Thecaes http://www.ubersite.com/m/61505
Before* the Pandemic: Briarwood Academy
By stardamage* http://www.ubersite.com/m/61510
(*smartass!)
User Reviews
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2008-06-29 14:18:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Thanks.
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2006-04-24 16:52:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
starting to remember why i was such a big Smith fan.
Submitted by zakalwe (user info) at 2005-09-23 18:46:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
time to start on another ATP story, methinks. this one seems promising.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-08-03 12:18:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Supreme Overlord damage control...
Submitted by Supreme_Overlord (user info) at 2005-07-21 22:28:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
shite
Submitted by Coyote (user info) at 2005-06-30 09:49:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Compelling hero, mysterious things afoot, hollow-point bullets...
what else could you ask for?
Oh yeah, excellent use of language to establish setting.
Submitted by nrduncan (user info) at 2005-05-12 17:42:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I have just got done reading these all and I have enjoyed them all. Great work everyone, +2's for all!
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2005-03-17 21:42:32 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Another excellent instalment to this series.
Submitted by Professional_Peon (user info) at 2005-03-12 11:55:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Here is my contribution - http://www.ubersite.com/m/61730
Submitted by hcp28 (user info) at 2005-03-12 10:38:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Smith reminds me of the Roland of Gilead. Very nice.
Submitted by Avals (user info) at 2005-03-12 03:29:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Shiiiiiiiit. I gotta gets me into this here act. Just as soon as I finish the next part of Curse Mountain...
Submitted by Kre8rix (user info) at 2005-03-11 20:04:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Fuck, I thought I rated this already.
Great read Jack.
Submitted by Spam (user info) at 2005-03-10 03:36:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Brilliant
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2005-03-09 17:28:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
im confused.
why is he immune?
Submitted by Phinch (user info) at 2005-03-09 15:29:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
awesome
Submitted by engine13 (user info) at 2005-03-09 12:46:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-03-09 11:32:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
hcp28 and Fabit...
--
I did a re-read last night when I got home from work and saw the same thing. I'll tone it down. Not that Roland isn't the coolest thing ever...
--
Fabit - what's up? Questions?
Submitted by hcp28 (user info) at 2005-03-09 09:17:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Smith reminds me of Roland of Gilead.
Submitted by Fabit (user info) at 2005-03-09 09:16:52 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
A good installment! All of these have been ace, but you Jack have the best ones i think! The smith character kind of reminds me of the gunslinger, i don't know why though! Ace ll round! can't wait to find out why he's immune! I'm planning my own installment but would liek to talk to you about it first if i can? Post another rating if ya want to!
Submitted by Dannie (user info) at 2005-03-09 01:04:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I second(or third, fourth, whateva) the "best idea ever" comment.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-03-08 23:39:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-03-08 22:52:31 (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked this installment a lot. I like this weird Smith dude.
Is Shally the little girl that Corrigan threw into his trunk? Is Billy his son?
--
Yes and maybe. Billy is the son... I'm not sure if Shally is THAT girl, or another one.
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-03-08 23:17:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
And who knew that the Smashing Pumpkins were alive and well?
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-03-08 23:16:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/08/high_school_zombie_threat/
Submitted by DavyJones (user info) at 2005-03-08 22:59:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-03-08 22:52:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked this installment a lot. I like this weird Smith dude.
Is Shally the little girl that Corrigan threw into his trunk? Is Billy his son?
Submitted by tlozoot (user info) at 2005-03-08 22:29:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Speechless.
Submitted by spedmonkey (user info) at 2005-03-08 21:28:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Snark's comment right there, for some reason, was fucking hilarious.
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2005-03-08 20:31:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
"UUHHHNNGGG"
Hungry
"UUUGGGNGNG"
Hungry!
See man. Run Run. Chase.
"Guuuuaahh!"
Chase man. FOOD!
Man turn. Point.
"Guh!"
Ouch leg.
"Unk!"
Ouch chest.
Got man! Eat man!
"UAURRRRRRN!!!" *Chomp - Slurp*
EAT!
---------
All gone.
"UUHHHNNGGG"
Hungry.
I call it "A Zombie's tale"
Submitted by Adamdidit2u (user info) at 2005-03-08 20:22:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome, I'm trying to figure out when I can find time to do another part
Submitted by chipolatte (user info) at 2005-03-08 19:31:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome.
I love the Smashing Pumpkins.
See, his name is Billy Corgan, and your guy is billy Corr-I-gan
Get it?
I am awesome, most definately.
Submitted by stardamage (user info) at 2005-03-08 19:30:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Someone's already said it, but this is the best idea ever.
(I resent being called a smartass, by the way. My story DID happen before the pandemic, you see :) )