The Reaper Virus (Novella): Sarcophagus

  Sarcophagus : A Reaper Virus Story

  By Nathan Barnes

  A few words…

  This story takes place during the fall of civilization that is described in THE REAPER VIRUS. It is not meant to be a sequel – that can be found in THE REAPER VIRUS: WHAT REMAINS, published by Permuted Press in 2015. Rather, SARCOPHAGUS serves as another vantage point of Richmond, Virginia during the fictional outbreak of the R33PR viral pandemic.

  Richmond’s sights and sounds heavily inspired the real setting of this novella. All characters are entirely a work of fiction – any resemblance to persons living, dead or undead is purely coincidental.

  I’m grateful to the many readers and fans that continue to encourage my take on the apocalypse. Love and gratitude go to my enchanting wife for her incessant reminders to finish this tale… she’s adorably eager for me to end the world. Once completed, she then survived the horrors of my raw manuscript in effort to prepare it for public consumption. I could not ask for a better partner in the end of days.

  Chapter One

  “Everything is going to be fine, baby.” Jessica said to Ava.

  The early morning November air was brisk. Spring, summer and fall all were so mild that the year was beginning to feel like one season. Now the winter was approaching and she could feel nature’s balance testing the waters. Jessica was thankful that Ava asked to wear her warmest winter coat. If the little girl wasn’t so accustomed to being snuggled up at six-thirty in the morning then the frazzled mother may not have thought to bring it. Groggily the bundled girl pulled on her mother’s pea coat pocket and said, “Mommy, when will we get to come home?”

  Jessica’s shoulders sank. This wasn’t the first time Ava brought the question up; she knew it wouldn’t be the last. “Hun, I’m not sure. But we’re going to have fun on the bus trip with the church. I’m glad we have such a nice group to take a vacation with while the police deal with all the sick people.” She wanted to believe the lie. The crack of a gunshot from somewhere else gave the voice of doubt inside her a little volume.

  She tried to navigate their bag out of her car’s trunk without letting go of her daughter’s hand. Their motions were duplicated several times around them by other families at other parked cars. After giving the little girl a forced yet reassuring smile, Jessica whipped around to make sure the buses were still waiting. A sigh of relief escaped her lips at the sight of the two charter buses idling at the other end of the lot. They were larger than she thought they would be; big shining cylinders with black pronounced mirrors that looked like exaggerated antennae on a duo of silver caterpillars.

  There was a flurry of activity around the pair of elevated transports. Beyond the church property Jessica could make out a dark plume of smoke rising against the dim sky from a few blocks away. Rattling of suitcases temporarily spared them from the sounds of chaos that peppered through normality. She still felt guilty for not letting Ava bring all the stuffed animals she wanted. “She’s only five… how could I make her leave her toys?” bullied her thoughts. All guilt aside, she knew from watching the news that her decision was the correct one.

  Images of Louisville burning like some textbook picture from a World War II battlefield were on the television all night. All she had seen for the past week was coverage of the Reaper Virus pandemic. However, something about seeing those pictures of a burning city made it all seem so real. The news coverage made her feel better about her decision to buy the tickets for the church retreat. A month ago she would have laughed at the idea of buying into the doomsday talk. The notion of leaving their home for some retreat while being prepared for the possibility of never return was ludicrous to entertain. Although, true lunacy was within the reports of entire cities reaching quarantine levels thanks to some virus that can make the dead walk. Jessica started thinking that this story about infection and cannibalism wasn’t just media hype and used her ‘rainy day fund’ to buy two tickets for the retreat.

  They had only been active with this church for about six months. Overall, Jessica found the people to be tolerable. She had found most churches to be quietly judgmental of a young, single mom. This one either did not judge or was much better at hiding it. Todd, the youth pastor, jogged out to them to help with the bags. “Can I put the suitcase inside of the cargo area?” He said, already with the olive-colored wheeled bag in his hands.

  She attempted to hide her uneasiness under the generalized worry everyone was ripe with. “Would they let us stay on the bus if they knew I had a gun?” thought the anxious woman. Originally, Jessica had no intention to bring the .38 special revolver on their trip. A blanketed text message that was waiting on her phone when she woke up changed her mind. Sent from an old friend in Seattle, the message said: “Believe whatever you hear because I’ve seen it. ARM YOURSELF and fight for the LIVING.” She’d gotten the gun years ago while waiting tables in a less-than-hospitable area of Chicago. Last minute the weapon was tucked into her bag.

  “Thanks Todd.” Jessica said biting her lip. “You can put it with the rest. I think we’ll be good on the ride with only our backpacks. Do you think there’ll ever be a time before we get to the retreat that I might be able to get a change of clothes or something out of it?”

  Todd, brimming with naivety, nodded his head. “Oh don’t worry, Jess. Just think of this as a regular road trip with pit stops and everything. This mess will blow over in a week or so. We’ll have a great time together and make the best out of it! You and Ava go on to bus number two. I’ll load your bag beneath it for you.” Hoping a flirtatious distraction would pull attention away from her bag; she placed a hand lightly on his arm and smiled. The bashful church worker blushed and looked to the ground. “Ava, you best get your mommy on the bus and get a good seat!” Todd said to cover the bashful self-awareness he got over a parishioner’s gentle touch.

  Ava smiled inside of her fuzzy purple hood. She was about to say something back to the playful youth pastor until a woman that was boarding bus one started sobbing loudly. The little girl couldn’t understand why the woman would be so upset about going on a retreat with the church. Her mommy told her that they were going away for a little while and that it would be lots of fun. Although she wanted all the sick people to get better, Ava couldn’t help feeling excited about the pseudo vacation.

  Chapter Two

  The mother/daughter duo went to the line to be examined. Sue was a retired nurse that worked twenty years at the nearby Saint Mary’s Hospital. When she realized what the church was putting together she saw an opportunity to help them and herself. She suggested to Pastor Doug that anyone buying tickets to the retreat submit to a brief medical exam. This would help detect anyone that might be carrying the virus to protect the others. Doing this might mean having to abandon the normal attitude of the church and turn people away. However, after recent reports from the Center for Disease Control, the church would be foolish in taking the chance of the virus tagging along just because they gave someone the benefit of the doubt. The pastor agreed and offered her free passage in exchange for performing the exam on anyone who bought the ticket.

  Sue examined both Jess and Ava in the span of five minutes. She looked for the well-known symptoms of R33PR infection. First she took their temperature. If it was elevated she looked for obvious bite marks as well as any subsequent darkening of the veins. Just like all the other passengers so far, both girls were in perfect health. Jessica thanked the nurse then led her daughter to the steep steps leading into the elevated charter bus. A volunteer worker at the door told them that the first bus was mostly full and they were only going to use half of the second for passengers. Any remaining space would be filled with bulk
supplies. “They better have plenty of supplies after charging us four hundred bucks a head” thought the sleep-deprived mother. “What if the two buses get separated?” she asked the worker.

  They all tried to ignore a distant shriek that echoed towards them from blocks away. He followed it with an unconvincing smile saying, “I highly doubt they will. But don’t worry because both drivers know how to get to the retreat and we will all be able to meet there no matter what.”

  They found seats three rows from the back on the driver’s side. Jessica let Ava have the window seat in hopes of keeping her entertained. Once they sat down she turned to the girl and said, “Sweetie I need you to promise me something… if I ask you to get away from the window or to cover your eyes you need to do it without arguing. Can you do that?” The little girl nodded. “I mean it.” She nodded again. “Good. Go ahead and settle in, hun. I doubt the trip will take more than an hour – two if there’s traffic.”

  Ava peered out the window marveling at how high up they were. “Mommy I don’t think even Papa could reach the windows!” She said thinking of her tall grandfather. Jessica forced a chuckle and tried to control the nervous tapping in her right foot. Anxiety both inside and outside the bus was palpable. After bus one filled up they were only waiting on one ticket holder to arrive. The pastor stepped aboard and assured them they would give the final person another ten minutes to arrive then they would be forced to depart.

  Several of the other retreat members talked loudly amongst themselves. They gossiped loud enough that it was hard for the more reserved bus mates to ignore them. The mild excitement in their tone turned the blossoming apocalypse into another source of gossip. “I heard it is a hundred times worse farther in the city,” a big-haired woman chatted to the lady in the seat across the center aisle from her.

  Only half listening, the other woman checked her over-applied makeup in a compact mirror. After snapping the clamshell closed she replied in a nauseatingly thick New York accent, “who did you hear that from? None of my phone calls have gone through over the last day.”

  “My neighbor, Debbie, told me all about it this mornin’ while Patrick packed the car. She said her nephew lives in one of the apartment residence halls on the university. You know, the older one by Monroe Park?”

  The New York woman answered, “mmm hmm.”

  “Well Debbie had a voicemail from him today when she woke up. She was beatin’ herself up over missing the call…”

  “Come on, Terry,” interrupted the other woman, “who gives a shit about her beatin’ herself up.” A couple gasps in the seats around the pair came from the foul language. She lowered the volume a notch then said, “what did the voicemail say?”

  The answer came in a faux whisper that Jessica could still hear from three rows ahead, “her nephew said that the sick ones are everywhere. He and a bunch of other students are trapped there. And cars are crashing and streets are blocked. And… he said the sick ones are attacking anyone on the streets.”

  “Goodness gracious…” They were silent for a few seconds then the New York woman dug further, “what’s Debbie going to do?”

  “I begged her to follow us to the church. Said Pastor Doug would probably let them come if she came with the cash for the retreat. But she wouldn’t listen! She said she had to go get him… was waiving a big kitchen knife around talking about how the dead don’t scare her. Then Patrick came out with our last bag so the three of us said a prayer and we came here.”

  Chapter Three

  Fifteen minutes later the brightened sky alluded to further chaos in the distance. Jessica was thankful for the charter bus being fairly soundproof. Every now and then she saw the pastor, Nurse Sue and Todd jump at the sound of a gunshot. Then a blast was close enough that Jess heard it past the muted bubble. Todd ducked and Sue screamed outside. The pastor pointed at the buses and looked frantic. He then gave their driver a signal then sprinted to the door of the first bus. Seconds later the floor vibrated from the surge of a starting engine. “Alright folks,” hollered the driver without even turning around, “we’re finally hitting the road. Do me a favor and buckle up at least until we hit the interstate.” Several metallic clicks echoed around the cabin. Other than the sound of a nose sniffling from subdued crying, no one spoke.

  The lead bus started rolling slowly across the parking lot with the second bus obediently trailing. Ava looked out the window and noticed a pair of headlights erratically heading in their direction. A white Ford Fusion swerved around the road. Behind the wheel was a frantically waving man. He laid one arm on the horn while the other spastically danced around in the moving air out the window. Once he made the short turn into the church parking lot the car slowed to a near stop. Unusually thick morning clouds made it difficult to make out details of the vehicle until it was upon them. Gore caked the front bumper. A splatter on the windshield had spider-webbing cracks leading from a supposed point of origin. Both buses jerked to a stop while their occupants watched the perplexing display.

  The driver’s side door opened while the car was still in motion. Simultaneous gasps sounded behind Jess in the bus as they watched the frantic man tumble to the parking lot. She gripped her daughters little hand futilely hoping to draw her attention from the window. Then the unoccupied car rolled into a parked minivan. Airbags deployed to the empty seats of the blood spackled sedan. The minivan countered this with a blaring car alarm. Jessica gave up on her hope to distract Ava as she herself became lost in the madness outside.

  Whoever this man was, he obviously wanted to get the attention of the buses. He hoisted himself up from the ground like the tumble from a moving vehicle had never happened. Hints of road rash glistened under a torn pant leg while the rest of his shirt was speckled with red spatter. Both of his arms waved frantically in the air. His lips moved to the tune of screaming words but inside the bus Jessica could barely make out a murmur. When the pastor and Nurse Sue jogged around from the first bus to where he hobbled the wounded man finally settled his mannerisms.

  Nurse Sue pulled a pair of latex gloves over her pale boney hands then knelt down to look at his skinless knee. Pastor Doug talked calmly with the patient as the medical examination was underway. From inside the second bus it looked as if the man was trembling. Jessica assumed it was from the adrenaline coursing through his veins after nearly missing the retreat buses. The wounded man visibly winced as he reached back to remove a packet of folded paper from his back pocket. It was quickly reviewed and the pastor nodded with acceptance. Then Sue took a hold of his wrist to feel his pulse. The two were in contact for all of five seconds before she yanked her hand away and took a quick step back.

  The man’s calm vanished and panic returned. Doug followed Sue’s lead and stepped back as well. Concerned muttering picked up inside of the bus as all the occupants watched the uncertain situation unfold. A female voice spoke above the whispers from the rear, “I think he’s infected!” Volume increased in the concerned passengers. Ava turned to Jessica with a confused expression. Before the quizzical little doll could question what was going on the bus driver spoke up.

  “Quiet down ya’ll,” said the older man in a white button up shirt. “I ain’t openin’ the doors unless Pastor Doug gives me the signal. If that guy is sick then they won’t be lettin’ him on. I’m sure we’ll be on our way in a minute.”

  Outside the man was becoming frantic as the nurse and pastor backed away from him. Pastor Doug pointed in the other direction very forcefully. They were shouting now; muted tones were now audible even through the soundproofed bus walls. The wounded man waved his arms in the air. Tears visibly highlighted his cheeks in glistening sorrow. He limped after his forsaking saviors while leaving a trail of dotted crimson on the pavement. Jessica’s heart skipped a beat when she noticed how darkly tinted the blood trail was. “People don’t bleed that way... but THEY do.” She thought to herself. All the while the man refused to leave as the pastor continued yelling and ushering him in the opposite direction.<
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  Unsteadiness derailed the man’s pursuit and sent him to the parking lot. Doug turned to obey his first instinct to help but Sue tugged on his arm reminding him of the danger. Jess watched the expression on the infected stranger’s face as it turned from desperation to dire realization. It appeared the man understood that these people, regardless of the fact they represent a church, are going to leave him here to die. Already returning to his feet, the shaking man found a shard of glass on the pavement near a discarded picture frame. He gripped it tightly enough that oddly viscous blood started dripping down from his fist. The muted shouts became more erratic. Nurse Sue began crying and gesturing to the bus then back to the nearby neighborhood across the street. Nothing that was said appeared to calm the newcomer’s motions as the trio gradually worked their way to the first bus.

  A burst of movement drew the collective gaze of the second bus towards the front of the first. Todd sprinted out from the opposite side. His sudden appearance broke intensity like a sledge. Even the infected man seemed to be taken off guard by the youth pastor’s emergence from the quiet vessels. Approaching the woman and two men Todd began furiously motioning in the opposite direction then pointed his closed fist at the man’s head. Jessica realized that his fist was wrapped around a small revolver. The gun had been nearly camouflaged against the grey pavement.