May of Twenty Thirty
Episode 2 - Amy Schumacher
He pedaled out of the garage so fast that he had to duck in case the door didn’t raise fast enough. As he veered down Adelaide Drive he saw someone across the street running at him out of the corner of his eye but he didn’t look, just kept going. He rode like he was going for the finish line of that famous race in France. He stood on the pedals and turned down Sooner Way and came to the intersection of Sooner St. and Oak Ave.
Out of nowhere a truck came careening hard around the corner and Brian just knew it was going to hit him, until it didn’t. He made eye contact with the driver and was never so glad to see Uncle Ty. The truck had driven right up onto the curb and clipped a mailbox before coming to a stop. Brian had one leg on the street supporting him and the bike. He waved at his Uncle but was unable to smile.
Ty was on his way to visit his sister and wish her a quick happy birthday before his second shift. On the way over, he’d seen some very strange things. So even before coming to a tire squealing stop, and even before he saw his nephew’s face, he knew something terrible was happening.
“Get in bud, throw your bike in back.” He jerked a thumb behind him and forced a smile.
“Unce Ty, please don’t go to my house. You can’t. Everybody is going crazy or something. Mom is too.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen a few things.” He pointed at the radio. “Been hearin’ a few things too.”
“Please don’t. Mom isn’t herself anymore. Please.”
“I’ve got to Brian. She’s my sister.”
Tyler dropped it in gear and drove back onto the street. Three blocks later they started to turn onto Adelaide Drive but a lit up Springtown Police cruiser flying down Oak Ave. skidded to a stop right in front of them.
The cop sprang out of the squad car and waved Tyler to a stop, his other hand resting on the butt of the Glock on his belt. The holster’s velcro strap was loose. His head was angled a little trying to see inside the truck better.
Ty lowered his window down and held a hand out as a friendly wave.
“No Access to this street sir. Don’t know what’s going on, but I'm gonna have to ask you to move on. Move away.” The cop was clearly spooked about something. His radio, inside the car, was filled with loud insistent chatter. Dispatchers talking over each other, static and more chatter..
“Officer, my sister, Laurie Moore, lives at 4211 Adelaide.” Ty pointed down the street. “Two story white house, black shutters…She’s in trouble. Bad trouble. Help me get to her.”
“No access. It’s a crime scene now. Move on.” The cop’s eyes got hard. He pulled his weapon from the holster. “Won’t tell you again.”
The cop and Ty stared at each other for a long count. This was way more, way bigger than some domestic call or disturbance. Something bad was going on here and they both knew it.
The storm had raced on as quickly as it had arrived, grumbling deep distant thunder as it left. A blue cloudless sky was now overhead and eerie stillness settled in across the neighborhood. Not a spit of wind either.
It was an almost unnatural silence which made the shrill woman’s scream even more startling and surreal. A scream not of fear, but pure rage. A piercing shriek that promised to bring terror, not run from it.
She wore blinding white running shoes, dark blue track shorts and a light blue t-shirt that said Springtown Huskies Track across the front. Her long wheat colored hair was pulled back in a single, stylish thick braid. She was in a full out sprint, coming down the sidewalk which bordered a perfectly manicured lawn. The Augustine grass was just greener than green could be.
That’s Rob Schumacker’s older sister, Amy…Brian thought as he watched her pounding down the sidewalk heading towards the intersection. He had always had a massive crush on her and watched her longingly as she came nearer to the intersection.
She was as beautiful as ever but when Brian squinted to look closer, her eyes and smile were all wrong. He also saw that she had what looked like a man’s red dress tie in one hand that she held high, and it was flapping in the air like a parade banner as she sprinted. In the other hand was a long-barreled pistol, like a big old west pistol. It looked even bigger in her small hand. Wait a minute. Rob showed me his dad’s collection once, that’s the 1873 Colt Peacemaker. He let me hold it…
Another scream from Amy broke up his thoughts, but this one more like a crazed yell, a wild whooping call. She was getting closer. Her arms pumping, muscular legs striding and still, that horrible smile.
Both the cop and Tyler jerked a look at this year’s Springtown H.S. prom queen, the honor roll senior, and the soon to be freshmen at Oklahoma State in the fall.
“Uncle Ty, we gotta go!” Brian felt himself sink lower in the front seat of the F-250 truck.
The cop turned sideways and faced the running girl with the Peacemaker, his own service gun held in both hands. His yell had a slightly unhinged sound to it. “You…You. Stop right there! Drop the gun! Show me your hands!”
She stopped so fast and so hard that she almost fell forward. Amy was beautiful enough that even with the gaping wide Jack O’Lantern smile she beamed and her burning blue eyes, chock full of madness…she still held their stunned looks for a moment longer.
It could be seen clearly now that the red dripping necktie had been a light brown originally.
A siren was approaching from a distance. Two sirens now. Even more in the distance, scattered in all directions. A single mockingbird, perched in a pink crepe myrtle tree at the corner, tried to cheer things up but quit after a couple of chirps.
She looked down, giggled and slowly raised her head, her lidded eyes locking onto Brian. “Aw, Brent, you’ve always been such a cute little fucker. No. No WAIT! Like duh, sorry! Brian, not Brent!”
The cop, Ty and Brian continued to stare at her.
“So yeah.” Amy blinked twice with a wide-eyed innocent look. “By the way Bry-Bry, don’t think I didn’t notice how you looked at me. I know exactly what you were thinking.”
His cheeks flushed red as a rose, but he still couldn’t stop a wicked smile of his own starting to form.
She turned towards the cop and in one fluid motion, brought the heavy gun up like Wyatt fucking Earp. The .45 Peacemaker boomed in the stillness. It bucked and jerked Amy backwards a step.
Officer Will Kiner, with eleven years of service under his belt, fell almost perfectly backwards with a hole in the center of his forehead. When Kiner’s head hit the pavement, it was the worst sound young Brian had ever heard, and he melted down to the floor of the truck.
Amy skipped playfully over the fallen officer and came to the driver side of Ty’s truck. “Well, hey stud. How you doin’ there big boy?” She giggled waving the big Colt and was still giggling when Uncle Ty slid his hand under the center console and brought his Sig Sauer around to her. She looked at the gun and grinned. He fired, taking a large portion of the top of her head off. A small cloud of gore and red mist formed and then it was gone.
When Ty put the truck in drive, he glanced at Brian. “It’s gonna be okay Brian.” His face and shirt were sprayed with red, his expression was confused but determined. There was a thump-thump heard and felt. Brian was sure they had just run over Amy’s body.
Swerving around the police cruiser they sped down Adelaide Drive.
***
This apocalypse is heating up. Nice action here, especially with the guns.
Awesome! I knew you would not be able to resist a part 2 when you read the comments. Can't wait for part 3!!