The flight for life helicopter which had just found a safe place to land was waved away once it was realized that no one that was a part of this tragedy would be walking away.
An EMT came up to the sheriff and pressed his fingers on the side of Mike’s neck. He waited a few moments before shaking his head.
“He’s dead, Al,” the EMT said as he placed his hand on the sheriff’s shoulder.
“This is the first day in all my years, Lawrence that I wish I was anything but a sheriff,” he said as he stood and walked away from the scene to get away for a moment.
Deputy Caldwell found him a hundred yards down the road. “I ran the plates sheriff, the car is registered to a Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ginson, I know them, that’s most likely their son behind the wheel. Do you want me to make the call?”
“I’ll do it,” the sheriff said as he walked back toward his cruiser, his heart nearly dragging. “What about the two on the ground?” he asked the deputy.
“Jandilyn Hollow and Durgan O’Grady, they’re locals, both graduated last year. Pretty sure they’ve been an item since school, I might have even seen an announcement in the newspaper about their engagement.”
“Damn shame,” the sheriff said as the two bodies were placed into body bags by the coroner and his assistant. “Finish getting statements by the witnesses, please,” he said as he dragged his hand across his face.
“Mr. and Mrs. Planter, just a few more questions,” the deputy stated.
“Please I’m Jed and this is my wife Grace
,” the old man said.
EPILOGUE
“It’s good to see you, my friend,” Mike said as he hugged his friend. Paul reciprocated. “What happened, Paul?” Mike asked as he watched the sheriff sit down in his cruiser and grab his radio to make a call that no one should ever have to make.
“I crashed,” Paul said, putting his head down. “I killed us all, including Jandilyn and Durgan.”
“You didn’t kill my wife,” Mike said. “She died in child birth.”
“This might take a few minutes,” Paul said, motioning to a log.
“What’s the rush?” Dennis said, smiling as he came out of the backseat of Paul’s car, looking as good as the day he had entered it some six years previous.
“Wags!” Mike shouted. “I’ve missed you, man, every fucking day I’ve missed you both so much. He stood to greet his grinning friend.
“He doesn’t know?” Dennis asked Paul.
Paul shook his head.
“Buddy, how old do you think you are?” Paul asked.
“Twenty-one, twenty-two maybe.” Mike responded without blinking.
“I know this is a lot to take in, but look around,” Paul said, sweeping the landscape with his hand, a sad smile spread thinly on his lips.
“Why have you brought me back here, Paul?” Mike asked, clearly confused.
“I didn’t bring you back, Mike, we never left.”
“Come on. What’s really going on?”
“We all died tonight.”
“Paul, that can’t be, I met Jandilyn after I got out of the hospital. Fell madly in love with her, she saved me from my constant thoughts of suicide. We moved to California, got married and were having a kid. And you want me to believe all of that didn’t happen? I can’t, that’s almost as traumatic as dying as a teenager.”
“I lived in Nova Scotia for a few years,” Dennis said as he sat down next to Mike. “Started working on a swordfishing boat.”
“When’d you do that?” Mike asked.
“Same time you were falling in love with Jandilyn,” Dennis said.
“What about you, Paul?” Mike asked.
“I stayed here, I never left. The guilt was too much.”
“How long, Paul?” Mike asked.
Paul put his head down.
“The whole time?” Mike asked Dennis.
“When the demon came I almost went willingly,” Paul said with his head buried in his hands.
“I couldn’t run fast enough or I guess swim,” Dennis said, “I was sinking in the ocean. Fell off the damn boat in a swell. I loved that boat, it was the only place I was at peace.”
“Was it haunted?” Mike asked.
“The cat saved me,” Paul said before Dennis could respond.
“Cat? Was it a seven pound runt, with different colored fur?” Mike asked.
“That sounds like Patches,” Dennis said, she was on the boat with me, weirdest thing too because don’t cats hate water?”
“I thought she was going to rip my head off. The cat not the demon.” Paul added for clarification. “The purveyor wasn’t even moving I was heading toward it and the cat came tearing out of the woods, got right in front of me and was hissing and spitting. One small kick and I could have sent it tumbling away. When I stopped moving the demon started coming toward me. The cat whipped around and stood her ground against that thing. It was at that point I understood what was going on. The demon is just looking for opportunities to claim unfettered souls.”
“Dude, what are you talking about?” Dennis asked.
“When you die before your time your soul is not allocated one way or the other, the Purveyor will do her best to gather you up and basically sell you off to the highest bidder.”
“I’m not saying I believe all that, but what happens now? We’re still unfettered,” Mike said.
“It’s our choice,” Paul answered.
“Are there any brochures we can look over?” Mike asked.
“I didn’t think sarcasm would travel over into death,” Dennis said, stroking his chin.
“Free will, we all have it,” Paul said.
“Do you know what was in my house with me?” Mike asked.
“Your soul, I would imagine,” Paul answered.
“Isn’t that what I am now?”
“But you didn’t know it then,” Dennis finished.
“I don’t know if this is ever going to make sense.”
Mike looked over at some movement, the sheriff was getting out of his car, it appeared that he was aging yearly per minute. The events of this night would haunt him for the rest of his days.
Mike’s phantom heart slammed into his chest as he caught sight of Jandilyn coming around the front of the sheriff’s cruiser, she was peering down at the body bag that contained her physical remains. Mike had a pang of jealousy when he saw Durgan standing behind her.
Tears were coming down her face as she clutched her distended belly.
“She’s pregnant,” Mike said softly.
She caught Mike looking at her and gave him a slow meaningful look as if they had shared something and then she turned to her fiancée, they clutched hands and walked down the road. Mike watched until he couldn’t see them anymore.
“You alright?” Paul asked, putting his arm around Mike’s shoulder.
“The best I’ve been in a while, Paul. I thought I was going insane.
“I’m sorry.”
Mike didn’t know what to say, he wasn’t really angry that his life had been cut short. He was saddened for what his family was going to have to go through but they were tight-knit they would get through it. And it really did seem as if in the end they would all be reunited.
“What now?” Mike answered in repose.
“How about one more walk on Indian Hill?” Dennis asked. “And we’ll decide from there.”
The three friends
laughed as if there were no tomorrow, soaking in the best of what the world of the living had to offer. When they parted, Mike and Dennis chose the light, Paul burdened with guilt, stayed to roam what the locals dubbed The Spirit Clearing. On occasion, a runtish, multicolored cat and her charge, a young sad man could be seen wandering the road in the hopes to slow drivers down.
Check out these other titles by Mark Tufo
Zombie Fallout
It was a flu season like no other. With the H1N1 virus running rampant through the country, people lined up in droves to try and attain one of th
e coveted vaccines. What was not known, was the effect this largely untested inoculation was to have on the unsuspecting throngs. Within days, feverish folk throughout the country, convulsed, collapsed and died, only to be re-born. With a taste for brains, blood and bodies, hordes of modern-day zombies began scouring the lands for their next meal.
This is the story of Michael Talbot, his family and his friends: a band of ordinary people trying to get by in extraordinary times. When disaster strikes, Mike a self-proclaimed survivalist, does his best to ensure the safety and security of those he cares for. What he encounters along the way leads him down a long dark road, always skirting on the edge of insanity. Ensconced in a seemingly safe haven called Little Turtle, Mike and his family, together with the remnants of a tattered community, must fight against a relentless, ruthless, unstoppable force. This last bastion of civilization has made its final stand. God help them all.
Zombie Fallout 2: A Plague Upon Your Family
The Talbots are evacuating their home amidst a zombie apocalypse. Mankind is on the edge of extinction as a new dominant, mindless opponent scours the landscape in search of food, which just so happens to be non-infected humans. This book follows the journey of Michael Talbot, his wife, Tracy, and their three kids - Nicole, Justin and Travis. Accompanying them are Brendon, Nicole's fiancée and Tommy, a former Wal-Mart door greeter who may be more than he seems. Together they struggle against a ruthless, relentless enemy that has singled them out above all others.
As they travel across the war-torn country side the Talbots soon learn that there are more than just zombies to be fearful of: with law and order a long-distant memory some humans have decided to take any and all matters into their own hands. It's not just brains versus brain-eaters anymore. And the stakes may be higher than merely life and death, with eternal souls on the line.
Zombie Fallout 3: The End…
As the world spirals even further down into the abyss of apocalypse, one man struggles to keep those around him safe. Michael stands side by side with his wife, their children, his friends and Henry the wonder Bulldog along with the Wal-Mart greeter Tommy who is infinitely more than he appears. Whether Tommy is leading Mike and his family to salvation or death remains to be seen...
Zombie Fallout 3.5 - Dr. Hugh Mann – Prequel
Before there were zombies there was the virus...
In this Zombie Fallout prequel, Mark Tufo tells the story of the virus that started it all.
Zombie Fallout IV: The End…Has Come and Gone
“The End…has come and gone. This is the new beginning, the new world order and it sucks. The end for humanity came the moment the U.S. government sent out the infected flu shots. My name is Michael Talbot and this is my journal. I’m writing this because no one’s tomorrow is guaranteed, and I have to leave something behind to those who may follow.” - From Mike Talbot’s Journal
So continues Mike’s journey, will he give up all that he is in a desperate bid to save his family and friends? Eliza is coming, can anyone be prepared?
Zombie Fallout V: Alive In A Dead World
Eliza turned to Tomas: “This is the end...he is no longer alive in a dead world.”
In this installment of Mark Tufo’s action-packed Zombie Fallout series, Mike Talbot and his family continue their fight for survival as Eliza plots their demise.
Zombie Fallout VI: ‘Til Death Do Us Part
Mark Tufo’s Zombie Fallout novels have their share of memorable characters. Throughout the series, we have become acquainted with Michael Talbot. We’ve gotten to know Mike’s wife, Tracy, their children, and several other characters, including Mrs. Deneaux, BT, and Tommy.
One character here, however, deserves special mention - that of Eliza. In Zombie Fallout 2, we discovered the queen’s origins. In particular, we learned of her transformation from human to vampire. Subsequent novels in the series, indeed, affirm this villain’s bloodthirsty nature. Eliza will not rest until she sees to the destruction of the entire Talbot clan.
Now, in the latest novel in the Zombie Fallout series, the moment has come for the final showdown. But as BT, Gary, and Mrs. Deneaux prepare to face Eliza, they have other worries. With Mike still missing, they cannot help but fear the worst.
Is Mike alive? Will the Talbot’s defeat their nemesis once and for all? Readers will learn the answers to these questions and more in the much-anticipated sixth installment of the Zombie Fallout series.
Indian Hill
This first story is about an ordinary boy growing up in relatively normal times who finds himself thrust into an extraordinary position. Growing up in suburban Boston, Mike Talbot undergoes the trials and tribulations of all teenagers, from the seemingly tyrannical mother, to girl problems to run-ins with the law. From there, he escapes to college in Colorado with his best friend, Paul, where they begin to forge new relationships. It is one girl in particular that has caught Mike’s eye, and he alternately pines for her and laments ever meeting her.
It is on their true “first” date that things go strangely askew. Mike finds himself captive aboard an alien vessel, fighting for his very survival. The aliens have devised gladiator-type games - games of twofold importance that they use both for entertainment value and to learn about human strengths and weaknesses. The aliens want to better learn how to attack and defeat humans, and the battles are to the death on varying computer-generated terrains.
Follow Mike and Paul as they battles for their lives and try to keep the United States safe.
Indian Hill II: Reckoning
Reckoning starts where the first book in the series left off. After escaping from the Progerian alien vessel, Michael Talbot is given the opportunity to hide in obscurity with the rest of the human race or rise to the occasion and once again find himself immersed in a battle that he wants nothing to do with.
Mike goes home and decides to join whatever resistance force can be mustered to repel the oncoming invasion. As humanity gets thrust towards the abyss of extinction, two women in love with the same man make a desperate bid to travel across the country to reunite with him.
Mike will suffer the ultimate betrayal from those he loves the most. Will mankind fall and be ground to dust like so many other civilizations, or will the tiny humans thwart a takeover? Only time and shed blood will tell.
Indian Hill III: Conquest
And so the end begins...Indian Hill introduced us to Michael Talbot, an ordinary boy thrust into extraordinary circumstances when he finds himself captive aboard an alien vessel and forced to battle for his very survival in gladiator-type games. As Michael learns, the aliens were using him to learn about human weaknesses in preparation for an impending invasion.
In Indian Hill 2, Michael escaped from the alien ship and joined whatever resistance forces could be mustered to repel the oncoming alien invasion.
Now in the final chapter of the Indian Hill trilogy, Michael joins forces with an unlikely alliance in a desperate attempt to head off humanity’s mass extinction. This is the long awaited conclusion to man's very struggle to survive against overwhelming odds and an aggressive alien species hell-bent on enslaving the entire world.
Timothy
Timothy was not a good man in life, and being undead did little to improve his disposition. What will a man trapped in his own mind do to survive when he wakes up to find himself a zombie controlled by a self-aware virus?
Tim 2
Timothy lived a life only a psychopathic sociopath could enjoy and understand. When he was bitten on the first day of the zombie-apocalypse he turned the tides on a single-minded virus he affectionately called Hugh. Together they terrorized a city before seemingly meeting their untimely demise. Nobody could have foreseen his resurrection, Tim’s close call with death has done nothing to temper his missions in life, to live, to eat and to rule the world.
Tim is back and he’s an asshole.
The Book of Riley part 1 - My Name is Riley
When the zombie apocalypse strikes without warning,
one dog will hold the fate of her pack in her paws. This is the story of Riley, an American Bulldog who takes charge when the dead begin to walk. Follow along as she struggles to protect her pack from danger. Traveling with Riley are Ben-Ben, the high-strung Yorkie; Riley’s favorite two-legger, Jessie; Jessie’s younger brother, Zachary; and Riley’s arch-enemy, Patches the cat. They are a rag-tag group of survivors who, when pushed to the limit, realize they are all that each other has.
The Book of Riley part 2 - My Name is Riley
In the second part of this unique horror tale from acclaimed author Mark Tufo, Riley, an American bulldog, continues to defend her pack in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. When the zombie apocalypse struck, intrepid American bulldog Riley quickly discovered it was up to her to keep the pack safe. Together with Yorkshire Terrier Ben-Ben and former archenemy Patches the cat, Riley helped to keep the zombies at bay while favorite human Jessie traveled cross-country to find safety for herself and her baby brother, Zachary.
But after a long journey, Riley and the gang arrive in Las Vegas - one of the few remaining inhabited cities - only to find that it has been taken over by a group of thugs who rule through fear and brutality. Making matters worse, ruler Icely and his gang have taken to staging dog fights as popular entertainment, and Riley catches their eye. With Riley forced to fight for her life and Jessie locked up in the home of Icely himself, the future is uncertain. Will Riley save the day once more and help her pack escape?