3. Armory.
After deciding, the two of you continue down the highway. You stare out into your adopted hometown as you pass through a large commercial area.
Things look... almost neat. There's signs of chaos and destruction here and there, but overall, the town looks in much better shape than Limestone was. Or maybe it's just the lack of fog making everything look creepy and run down. As you pass by a Ford dealership, you see the giant nearby flagpole is bare. The lack of flag strikes you as probably the biggest change. Down under the flag the cars and trucks shine gleaming in the sunlight just like they always used to, but the glass walls and windows of the dealership itself are almost entirely shattered. You catch a quick glimpse of a large bloodstain on an interior wall above an overturned desk and potted plant.
On the other side of the road you pass a batting cage. You remember taking one of your dates there, one sunny afternoon, not much unlike this one a few years back. You tried to show off your batting skills in the fast pitch. You remember how hard she laughed at you when you finally got frustrated with a stalled launcher and left the plate, only to have it immediately fire once you were out of range to swing.
"I remember going on a date to that batting cage once," Jesse says, interrupting your memory. You look at her and she continues. "The guy I was with was trying to show off. I remember laughing pretty hard at him when he walked away from the plate and missed a ball."
You raise an eyebrow.
Jesse glances at you. "What?"
You shake your head. "Nothing. Probably. Something like that happened to me, once."
You continue on down the road. It gradually inclines and becomes a freeway passing over the park and town ahead. Not many cars on the road so far. From the backseat, Max sticks his head up front and whines. You gently pat his head and scratch behind his ears. He sighs and then curls up again.
"Something's been bothering me," you say.
"Well, you've got a lot to be bothered about," Jesse replies.
"It's just... well, I'm in a parking lot, talking on my phone, when there's a sudden explosion. Then some weird shit happens and a couple of people's heads explode and I pass out."
Jesse gives you a look.
"The thing that gets me," you continue, "Is when I woke up, I was missing an eye, and I had no idea how long I'd been out. But the world was completely normal before the explosion and me passing out. No crazy worm monsters."
"And?"
"And I've encountered signs that this ... apocalypse has been going on for quite some time. Weeks, at the minimum."
"So, you think you were asleep in that parking lot for a lot longer than you originally thought?"
"I guess so? I must have been. I can sort of remember, now. I've been thinking about it. And it's like... I have these... memories? I don't know what to call them exactly. Maybe... feelings would be a better word. Like images or emotions in my mind. Images of something... holding me down. Something... boring into me. I'm beginning to question what exactly happened to me back when this all started."
"I see."
You turn to face Jesse. "What was it like with you? How long has this craziness been going on, as best you can remember?"
Jesse scrunches up her face as she thinks. "I would guess about a month. Maybe more. Kinda amazing how fast you lose track of time."
"Yeah," you agree, and fall silent.
Greenwood flashes below you as you cruise down the freeway. You can see into the backyards of houses. You blink as you see a kiddie pool filled with blood.
"Uh oh," Jesse says.
You look ahead, and see the tail end of what looks like a huge pileup, completely blocking the freeway. Cars are smashed into each other haphazardly, like fallen dominoes. It even looks like one truck tried to drive over the mess but got stuck itself.
Jesse slows to a stop. You look over the right side of the freeway, seeing the green of the park below. The other side of the freeway looks clear, but you'd have to go over the divider, which is a concrete abutment over five feet high.
"How far is it to the armory from here?" Jesse asks.
"About two miles, maybe?" you say, trying to remember.
"Well, we could turn around, find another way," Jesse suggests.
"Yeah, OK. I don't want to leave this vehicle unless we have to."
Jesse silently turns around. As she begins to backtrack, you find yourself a bit weirded out from driving down the wrong side of the freeway. Not like you're going to meet oncoming traffic, though, so whatever.
"I wanted to ask you more about... when you... 'were' me."
You turn and smile slightly.
"You didn't... peek at anything, did you?" Jesse asks, returning your smile.
"I was the perfect gentleman," you say sincerely.
"But seriously. You mentioned it seemed like you had some degree of... control over me."
You nod, remembering. "Yeah. I did. Kind of. Sort of. Like driving a car in a heavy blizzard with no traction. Mostly it just goes where it wants to."
"Even so, if that's true, that really creeps me out. But more importantly, it doesn't make any sense."
"Eh?"
"Well, our theory is that these... aliens, or whatever, have some sort of hivemind, right?"
"Right."
"Well, then, if it's a hivemind, why are you the one giving the orders? Shouldn't it be more like... shared consciousness?"
"I... don't know," you say, slowly.
You both fall silent. Jesse takes an offramp down to street level, and begins to navigate surface roads through old neighborhoods. Lots of trees cover the lawns. Greenwood was pretty well named, you guess. You remember when you first moved here how much you loved all the trees everywhere. Now, in this world, you worry that faceless horrors hide within and behind them, both literal and metaphorical. Slowly but surely, you have adapted, even acclimated to this reality, and now, even the thought of parasitic alien hivemind worms growing inside you doesn't really phase you all that much.
Maybe that's a bad sign.
The houses on either side of you look nearly like you remember them, with just a few signs of neglect and decay. But abruptly you pass a large house that has shattered windows, with corpses litering the lawn.
Hold on. Corpses?
"Wait, stop!" you exclaim. "Go back!"
Jesse slows to a stop and puts the vehicle in reverse. As you pull alongside the lawn again, the corpses have vanished.
"What is it?" Jesse asks.
You stare at the lawn for a long time. "I... don't know. I thought I saw bodies on this lawn."
Something about the house bothers you. You can't put your finger on it, but staring at the front door, you feel bile rising in the back of your throat. The windows seem like eyes staring out at you, unblinking and eerie. A Weeping Willow presides over the lawn set off to the right side.
Max whines softly.
"Let's get out of here," you say.
****************
The rest of the trip is relatively uneventful. Within ten minutes you pull down the dead end street that leads to the armory. A few cars litter the road, blocking the way forward.
"Looks like we'll have to go in on foot," Jesse says, throwing the vehicle into park.
The three of you climb out, Max circling briefly in a tight circle. "Stay close, boy," you tell him. He looks at you but does not reply.
The road to the armory isn't long. Hemmed in on both sides by nondescript storage buildings, you make your way past the cars, peering briefly into each. All are empty. Some of them still have their drivers side doors hanging open. Some have crashed into each other or buildings. In one small sedan, the force of the head on collision has popped open the trunk. Peering inside, you see a crowbar. You reach for it grimly and hold it up for inspection.
Jesse is watching you. "I won't say it if you won't," she says.
You continue on, and shortly reach the parking lot for the armory. Behind a barb wire fence, you can see about ten military jeeps parked in a separate lot, apparently untouched. None of them appear to be armed. The armory itself looks completely normal. The front doors, set atop some steps with a railing, are slick black glass, reflecting your appearance. A flag flaps in the slight breeze above you.
"Well, shall we?" Jesse asks.
You glance around. Apart from the cars haphazardly strewn over the road coming in, the place looks pristine, and deserted. A crowbar isn't much of a weapon, but isn't that why you came here in the first place? It doesn't seem like you have much choice but to go inside and take a look around.
"Alright, let's go. I don't think I need to tell you to be careful," you say.
"Hey, I wasn't the one who poked a Bovine with a stick," Jesse quips.
You mount the steps and tentatively try the doors. They open easily, revealing a hard marble interior foyer. A desk sits to the left, with little American flag stands, paperwork, pamphlets, and everything else you'd expect sitting atop it. Opposite you is a thick closed door. Above the door in neat block capitals is written "NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY, GREENWOOD, CA". Some plastic chairs have been set up for people to wait in.
Max sniffs the floor, and then steps inside. He looks back at you with an expression of "Well?"
You walk in and check the desk. There's a small door behind it that leads to a supply closet. The drawers are unlocked and filled with useless papers. A jar of pens sits atop the desk, and you idly take one and scrawl on a pamphlet.
"Nice place," Jesse says. It is noticeably cooler inside.
The door forward is locked. Grunting, you return to the desk to do a more thorough search. Under the desk is a small drawer you missed the first time. It's also locked. You pry it open with your crowbar, and it snaps open with a twisting crack. A couple of keys tinkle to the floor. You collect them and then try them systematically in the door. The third works, and you pocket the keys.
You give Jesse a look, she nods, and you push the doors open.
Into a large auditorium. Probably a hundred plastic chairs are set up, facing a podium. Big American flag behind it. Nice wooden floor. Lots of doors and halls leading off in the back.
"Lets get to exploring," you say. "Stick together."
You begin to stride across the room when your peripheral vision suddenly picks up on a figure in a corner. You whirl, only to see Benny grinning at you with what remains of his teeth.
"Waste of time, bro," he says.
"What is it?" Jesse asks.
"Benny," you almost snarl.
"You're a real smart guy, coming to a place like this looking for guns," Benny says. "You realize that you'll never get in past the locks, right? And even if you did, they probably don't even store the ammo here. You'd be better off just going straight to the Church."
You ignore him and continue your way across the hall. Jesse follows you, worried.
"Hey pooch! Hey doggy, come here! I've got a treat for you!" Benny calls.
"Don't listen to him, Max," you say.
"I wasn't talking to the dog," Benny grins.
You grit your teeth and reach for a door handle. Opening it, you see Benny standing in the hall ahead of you. Several doors branch off to the sides. For a brief moment, you experience Deju Vu, your mind flashing back to that strange dream with Benny and Nicole and No-Face in the hallway.
"Nicole ain't here," Benny says. "And besides, wrong Benny."
"Go away," you tell him.
"No can do, bro. We gotta talk," Benny says, his face serious.
"I don't have any intention of talking with you," you tell him.
Benny shakes his head. "Your funeral."
You sigh.
*****************************
1. Benny isn't here to help you. Ignore him, and search the armory.
2. On the other hand, he does (seemingly) have some sort of vested interest in your survival. Maybe it would be wise to see what he has to say.
3. Punch the motherfucker in the head.
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Topic: The Ends Act 5: The Return (Read 7396 times)