Billy and Leon jogged away from the van toward the back of the chapel. After a brief hesitation, they disappeared behind the structure.
Juan handed his cases of water and food to Brian. “What about the priests who live here?”
Brian glanced toward the two-story structure across the yard. “No sign of movement that I can see.” He stacked the bottled water in the back of the van. “Only person I saw was an infected man in the maintenance office. What do you want to do about it?”
Juan glanced over his shoulder. “We can’t just leave them if they’re still alive. They’re the priests too old or infirmed to serve the church.”
“Damn it!” Brian cursed. “Alright, when Billy and Leon get back, get them in the truck and you drive over to the building.” He tossed Juan the keys. “Keep your eyes open.”
Brian turned toward the residential building with a sigh of resignation. He glanced around and realized the beauty of the compound. The rain had given new life to the sun scorched grass and now in the morning light the lawn was a bright green. The flower beds and blooming gardens around the fountain and at the edge of the adobe walls glistened with renewal the rain had brought.
For a split second Brian wondered if making everyone leave the sanctuary was even wise with all the infected roaming the city. If the residence was well stocked, he could leave Billy, Leon, and Juan to protect the women and head out alone. No matter how well stocked the building was, they would eventually run out of food. Then they would have to scavenge for food and that would get more and more dangerous as time passed. He couldn’t leave these people behind, they would die. They had to stay together. At the General’s he could offer sanctuary.
Brian got to the door at the front of the building. It was a two story structure with multiple windows on either side of the front door. Brian walked to the closest window and raised his hand to the side of his face to look inside.
The room was a library or office. It was dark inside but he could see a massive desk and walls of books. He moved to the next window and looked through the glass. The room held a substantial table at least sixteen feet long. Places for three were set on one end. Brian flicked on his LED light and looked toward a distant opened door. He could see a metal table and a distant counter with what looked like a sink and window at the back. A second door opened into a darkened hallway beyond.
Brian glanced over his shoulder to see Juan still waiting for Leon and Billy. He went back to the door and crossed to the windows on the opposite side of the building. The heavy dark curtains had been pulled closed. He hurried to the second window and again looked inside. The room had been set up as a sick room. Inside the bed lay a withered body of an old man. A near empty IV bag hung from a pole.
“Shit.” Brian cursed.
He made his way back to the door and tapped lightly on the barrier. He waited, not sure what he would see or hear.
“Hola, un minuto.” Called an aged voice from inside.
Brian waited a full thirty seconds before he heard shuffling steps approach the door. The door opened and an old man in a pair of rumpled khakis and white shirt opened the door. He nodded at Brian.
“We didn’t know anyone was here.” Brian began as he noticed a terrible stench wafting from the inside of the house.
“You should not be here?” The old man stated.
“We’re trying to get out of the city.” Brian stepped away from the smell of drifting from the interior of the house. “Do you need help? Is there bodies inside?”
“I need nothing.” The old man pushed back on the door but Brian pushed it back open with his hand. “There is only two of us left. They others are all at peace.”
The pressure against the door relaxed and Brian dropped his hand to his side. “We’ll take you with us.”
“I cannot leave Father Gabriel and he is too sick to leave his bed. Take what you need and close the gate when you leave.” He pushed the door close and latched it from the inside.
“But….” Brian protested.
“Go with God.” The old man called out from behind the door. “I will pray for you.”
“Señor Brian!” A gravelly voice called out. “We have to go. NOW!”
Brian turned to see Leon jump into the passenger door of the van and slam the door. Juan had crawled behind the wheel and cranked the engine.
Billy hung out the side door aiming his weapon at half a dozen infected stumbling from around the chapel. The infected were in terrible shape. They had been caught in the flooding and crawled from the creek. Limbs where torn and broken, yet they stumbled toward the sound of the van’s revving engine.
Charlotte Hoaks. . . .(C. A. Hoaks) 