5th chapter

Part 9 The Third Escape-outside


The men sped past the 5-Points A&P but screeched to a halt. Swarms of blithering idiot zombies from Union, Roshelle Park and Elizabeth were converging down Locust, Chestnut, Vauxhall and Salem into the center of 5-Points.

The Captain hollers in alarm: Corporal, look in the back of the swarm. They are carrying a grotesque creature covered in blather on a carved wooden chair:

It's, it's assemblyman Cryandsob. He’s meeting up with Senator LesManiac’s hordes. We’re doomed, we can’t get thru this way, we have to go back toward the Boulevard and figure some way out.

Captain Monarch spins the jeep around and heads west back down the Boulevard. The zombies, pouring out from the Schering Driveway onto the Boulevard, force the Captain to divert into the nearby Graceland Cemetery, knocking down gravestones. They then try to cross the parkway bridge but it is blocked by blithering zombies. They cut down the Parkway embankment and cross the concrete of the highway, crashing thru the fence of the Galloping hill golf course, smashing against the driving range building which collapses like matchsticks, then onto the entrance road and swerving back onto the Boulevard. They get as far as La Griglia restaurant when they are forced to stop. The first mass of zombies is waiting, in the Michigan avenue intersection, crying horrendously:
…duh….duh…duh.

Now what, Captain?

Corporal I have an idea. Get me that flare gun from under the seat. If my eyes are telling me correctly, the zombies standing in that intersection are also standing in a huge pool of gasoline from when we knocked over those Sunoco gas pumps in our first escape. I can see the glint off the liquid from the moon. You take the wheel, Corporal. And head right at those blithering zombies. I’ll fire the flare at the right time. When it goes off it’ll be like 4th of July but just keep driving forward.

The Corporal hands the flare gun to the Captain, slides into the driver’s seat and shifts into gear. He guns the engine and heads straight for the horde. The dimwitted zombies start forward….duh….duh…duh…duh. The captain takes careful aim with the flare gun at the giant pool of gasoline beneath the feet of the horde of zombies. Right at the L&J auto body shop he lets the flare fire into the pool of gas. The swirling red trail of sparks hits the mark.

Duck!, yells the Captain.

With a huge whoosh and gas explosion, the hordes of zombies and overturned cars were tossed aside like burnt pixie sticks. The nearby Kenilworth diner collapses in flames. Through the rising wall of flames Corporal Bean steers the jeep, both crouching low as not to get incinerated. They were singed but clear of the inferno. They keep straight down the Boulevard only slowing slightly when they pass the Kenilworth Library.

In the light of the rising inferno the few blocks back, they could see some people peeking out the Kenilworth library windows. The Captain yells: Stay low, you’re safe there, don’t go out. We’ll be back to save you.

The men race west down the Boulevard; the roar of the flames could be heard all the way past McKinley School.

They kept going and headed up through the demolished Onion College complex, with its flattened observatory, onto Brookside toward Walnut in Garwood and the command HQ they left 8 hours ago. And in the end, the mission unknowingly would have only two of three make it back.


Part 10 The Uninvited Guest


At command HQ, it was 4am, a strange green hue in the distant horizon signaled the start of sunrise as the moon surrendered from the skies. From atop the high observation point of Franklin school, the crackle of Major Bury‘s voice over the walkie-talkie sounded stark: General, one of our jeeps approaching fast from the east, coming through the Onion College debris corridor. It appears to be Captain Monarch and his men, but they look like they are traveling light, sir.

General Renna turns to Professor Dotcom: Something appears seriously wrong, Professor.

All eyes turned toward the jeep as it screeches to a stop in front of the command HQ. Captain Monarch and Corporal Bean, get out, go through the translucent overlapping entrance flaps and Captain Monarch immediately reports to the General: There are serious hordes of Zombies amassing at 5-Points in Union when we left the area, General. Unfortunately, I failed in two ways. My man, Private Delio was captured by those blithering idiots. More than likely he was KIA. Plus I failed at the mission of retrieving the dehumidification devices from Schering Plough. We were surrounded and just escaped with our lives. I am sorry to report this, take full responsibility and would understand if I am relieved of my position.


The General puts his hand on the Captain’s shoulder: Captain Monarch, these are deeply trying times we are experiencing. The loss of Private Delio into that blithering horde is most saddening. I will have a courier immediately notify his next of kin. But at this point, you are too invaluable to this action. You will prepare the report once, or, God forbid, if this action is ever resolved. You may stand down for now. It looks like both of you need a cup of Joe. You know where the tent is.

As the Captain left, the General turns to Professor Dotcom: Professor, without those dehumidification devices for our tents, we have serious problems.

Indeed, General, our cognitive thinking is infected by that blather, but we must soldier on and we must find the solution to this Peril of Onion County, and the slow horrible spread through the state. I do have some ideas I am considering.

At that moment a small-engine plane could be heard in the distance.

Major Bury, report please on the plane.

General, it looks like a single engine Cessna approaching from the south-west toward our coordinates. It appears to have the state of NJ markings and 2 occupants. One person is planning to parachute out, the door is open.

All eyes watched as the plane flies over the compound and the single occupant parachutes from the plane toward ground. Through the green early morning mist, they watch him bounce off the side wall of Franklin school and land in a nearby tree, summarily hanging 10 feet off the ground by the cords. This unknown parachutist luckily survived the mishap.

The General yells out: Cut him down quickly, outfit him and bring him into the command tent.

Within moments, the person in khakis is standing before the general, and brushing himself off.

General Renna spoke first: And you are?

Through the breathing mask, the bedraggle person says: General, I’m adjutant professor Mac Greevy of Rutgers in New Brunswick. I’m from Trenton and I’m here to help you.

The General and Professor Dotcom look at each other through the gas masks and roll their eyes.