Sleepers Read online

  “Not us,” I said. “We’re sitting ducks if they don’t come.”

  Alex nodded.

  “Maybe the Sleepers will retreat,” Beck said. “Back off in enough time for us to get out of here. We don’t know.”

  Danny asked. “What if we’re in the building or go to the basement.”

  Alex shook his head. “Doubtful.”

  “No need to worry,” Randy said in a near whisper. “Look.” He walked slowly to the roof’s edge and pointed at the sky.

  It was a speck of light at first, then the bigger the light grew the more evident it was from the noise that it was a helicopter.

  We cheered and jumped, all embracing each other as the helicopter circled twice then lowered to the heliport.

  I had never been that close to a chopper. I couldn’t believe the amount of wind that came from the blades. My hair whipped out, dust blew in my eyes, and I grabbed for my son and Jessie and brought them close.

  The engines from the chopper slowed down and finally stopped. In a few seconds a man in a dark military-style uniform emerged from the chopper. Leaving the chopper door open he ducked and made his way across the port and down to us.

  “Who is Alex Sans?” he asked.

  “I am,” Alex approached him with a firm handshake. “Glad to see you.”

  “I bet.” He smiled. “I saw it down there. Unfortunately the situation is worsening. More survivors became infected, everything is overrun. It’s a miracle you folks survived.”

  “We did,” Alex said.

  The man turned and looked at Danny holding the baby. He reached out his hand and softly touched Phoenix’s head. “This little one is probably the end to this all. You realize this.”

  Danny nodded. “Yeah, we do.”

  The man reached out his hands for Phoenix.

  Danny stepped back. “Sorry, dude, no can do until we get to the place.”

  “I understand.” He rolled his hand into a fist, smiled politely and stepped back. “Alright, if you all …” Suddenly he stopped. His eyes shifted and he looked at me then to Jessie. “She’s infected.”

  “No,” I stated strong. “No, she’s not.”

  “She is,” He stepped closer to her. “It’s evident.”

  How? I wondered. How was it evident? To me she looked normal. All but her. . .her eyes. Her blue eyes were now a dead brown, despite all that Alex had done. She had that non-pupil look to her.

  Alex intervened. “We cured her.”

  “There is no cure,” he said.

  “We gave antiviral meds, antibiotics, we were able to turn it back,” Alex stated.

  “But unfortunately, she still carries the virus. We know this for a fact. We have tried the same remedy. A simple kiss, touch, a scratch, and the Sleeper virus starts all over again.”

  Beck tossed his hands in the air. “What do you want us to do?”

  “I don’t care," he said. “I care about the baby. What you do is up to you. She can’t come.”

  I looked at Jessie. Her head lowered and her eyes glossed over. She knew. She really knew what was going on. My heart broke.

  Danny in his rebellious way adamantly stated. “Then if my sister doesn’t go, the baby doesn’t go, and I won’t go.”

  Alex repeated the sentiment. “None of us will. All of us or none.”

  “How chivalrous.” The man stated. “None of you go. The child dies; you all die when the bombs go off to eliminate the Sleepers. She doesn’t know.” He said passionately. “Save yourselves and leave her.”

  At that second, Jessie whimpered. Her head dropped to my shoulder. I put my arm around her waist and brought her close.

  “It’s okay,” I whispered to her. “It is.”

  The man looked at all of us. “I beg you to at least give me the baby.”

  “No.” I said. “We’ll go. Our group will go. Phoenix needs to survive.”

  He sighed out in relief. “Good.”

  Beck called my name, as did Alex and Danny.

  I gave my hand to them, kissed Jessie on the forehead and stepped away from her. I looked to Alex. “Get on the chopper. I need you to watch my son.” I then turned to Beck. “I need you …” I chuckled nervously. “To watch them all.”

  “Mera?” Beck questioned.

  I shook my head and faced Randy. “Get on the chopper. Thank you for all you have done.”

  “Are you sure?” He whispered. “You’re meant to …”

  “Phoenix is what is important. You’re a father, Randy. What would you do?”

  He leaned toward me and placed his lips to my forehead. “The same.”

  I gave another nod as he stepped back.

  My lips felt big, swelled as I fought with my emotions and turned to my son. “Danny.”

  “We aren’t leaving Jessie. She knows.”

  “I know she knows.”

  “So what are you doing?” he asked. “Why are you telling him we’re going?”

  “Because you are.” I stepped to him. I placed my hands over his and had him hold Phoenix tighter. “You’ll get on that chopper with Phoenix. And you’ll live.” I planted my lips to Phoenix’s cheek then spoke softly to the baby. “Thank you, little guy. You are a part of me.”

  “No.” Danny shook his head. “No. You want the baby to live, fine. I’ll give him to Randy, but I am not leaving you and Jessie.”

  “Danny.” I laid my hand on his face. “My heart is breaking right now. It is. I lost your father and Jeremy and I will not lose you too. You have to get on that chopper and go.” I sniffled, filled with emotion. “Alex.”

  “Yeah.” He moved to me.

  “Get on the chopper, please.” I kept my eyes on my son.

  “Mera.” Alex’s voice cracked.

  “Please. I need you to watch him.”

  Alex nodded and moved closer to me. “Maybe the Sleepers will disperse. If you go to the basement you have a chance.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied. “But if I don’t, please take care of my son and Phoenix.”

  “With my life.” He wrapped his arms around me and I sank into his embrace.

  “Thank you, Alex Sans, for everything.”

  “No, Mera,” He pressed his lips hard to my cheek then to my forehead. “Thank you.” He hugged me again. “Are you sure?” he whispered in my ear. “If you want me to stay or if you want us all to stay …”

  “Go. Please.” I pulled from his hold.

  Alex had an emotional look on his face, one rarely seen. His eyes glossed over as he ran his hand down my face. He stepped to Jessie and hugged her. “I’m proud of you, Jessie. Take care of your mom.”

  He inched back.

  “Danny,” I said.

  “No.” He shook his head. “No, Mom.”

  “Danny, please.”

  “Mom. No.” His words screeched with emotion. “I love you. I can’t leave you and Jessie. You’re my family.”

  “And you’re my son,” I laid both hands on his face. “My son. Please, please, live. Please. I can’t leave your sister. I can’t. I can’t leave her alone on this roof knowing she is going to die. But I can watch you get on that chopper knowing you are going to live.”

  Danny whimpered, trying not to cry. “I can’t leave you alone.”

  “She won’t be alone,” Beck said softly. “I’m … I’m not going.”

  Both Danny and I looked at him.

  “Beck, no.” I told him.

  “Mera,” he said calmly. “No argument. Okay? I’m not going. I don’t want to go. So I’ll be here, Danny, with your mom and sister. If I can get us out of this, I will.”

  “Beck,” I whispered his name. “I need you to …”

  He shook his head. “Do you know why I am still alive? Because I met you and Danny and wanted to help you find Jessie. We did.” He smiled. “Mission accomplished. Can’t top that one, so I stay put.” He looked at Danny. “Get on the chopper, son. It’s okay.”

  After a huge intake of breath, I embraced m
y son. Without anymore spoken words it was no longer an argument. He was going.

  Despite that I knew what could happen to me, I was grateful that my son would live on, and so would Phoenix.

  I held him for the longest time until I knew I had to let him go.

  I told him, “I love you. I am so proud of you. Know that. Okay?”

  He nodded and folded like a child in my arms.

  “I love you.” I lifted his chin and glanced in his eyes.

  “I love you too, Mom.” He embraced me once more and stepped back. “I love you, too.”

  That was it. I allowed my fingers to touch my son until he had stepped beyond my reach.

  Alex stayed with him helping him into the chopper. Danny still held on to Phoenix and looked once more over his shoulder before getting in.

  Alex did the same. He waved to me then saluted Beck.

  They were inside.

  The chopper doors closed.

  I clutched to Jessie and Beck. Standing on the other side of her, he held her as well as the chopper lifted from the port.

  A total emptiness engulfed me, causing a lump to form in the pit of my stomach. I watched my son for as long as I could, absorbing the final moment of seeing him until the chopper was out of sight. And even then, I stood there watching.

  32. Final Light

  There were three reasons I broke down and cried on the roof of that building just minutes after the helicopter left.

  I filled with a pain that radiated through my body and I sobbed.

  I cried for my son’s loss, for Beck and me staying behind, and for my daughter. My poor daughter. She was innocent before it all occurred and now, she was just like an infant. So helpless, yet there she was condemned to death and there was nothing I could do about it but hold her.

  I pulled myself together for Jessie’s sake. I wanted to be brave for her. We had to be brave.

  It finally grew quiet as the evening hours drew near. The Sleepers stopped pounding at the door but they were still there, crammed in the stairwell. I honestly think they didn’t know what to do next or how to get back down. They were a stairwell thick and Beck kept checking.

  Below us they swarmed. Even more showed up as if the helicopter noise was a calling card for every Sleeper in earshot. And in a dead silent world, sound traveled far.

  They were still wandering to the hospital, gathering like ants.

  We thought after a couple hours they’d thin out, but they didn’t. Beck stated we probably only needed to make it a mile to be safe; we could run that at top speed in less than ten minutes.

  But we had to get out.

  And at T minus 45 minutes until the bombs, we were still trapped.

  Finally we had resolved ourselves to the fact that we weren’t going anywhere. We took a seat on the roof. Jessie sat between Beck and me. One moment she’d cuddle closer to me, the next closer to Beck.

  Again like an infant. And Beck held her with as much love and emotion as if she were his own child. She sensed it, I know she did.

  Her face held an admiration for Beck. How could one not admire him? He was so noble and such a great guy.

  I wished I had known him before the Event. I think we would have been great friends.

  The night crept up quickly and we both knew what that meant. The city was dark but the sky was lit by a bright full moon.

  It was a perfect night, the weather, the stars.

  Perfect.

  “Beck?”

  “Yeah,” he replied.

  “Do you regret staying behind?” I looked over to him.

  Jessie’s head rested on his shoulder. “Not one bit.”

  “Thank you for being here. I mean it.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Mera. You know that.”

  I nodded, paused and then asked, “Did you think you could get us out of this?”

  “I hoped. I didn’t think so, though.”

  “It isn’t fair.” I sniffled and wiped my nose, really trying not to cry. “We made it so far. Never once did I think they wouldn’t take Jessie.”

  “I did.”

  That caught my attention. “You did?”

  “Yeah, actually it crossed my mind. No matter what we did for her, she is a carrier.”

  “But Phoenix is the cure.”

  “They don’t know that, they can’t take that chance.” Beck said. “I thought about it and made up my mind that if they didn’t take her, I was staying with her.”

  “Did you think I wouldn’t stay behind?”

  “To be honest … I wished you went with Danny. He’s going through hell right now, but as a parent,” he let out an airy chuckle filled with emotions. “I know why you did it. Everything you did on this whole trip you did for the love of your family. Why would you stop now?”

  “I couldn’t leave her, Beck. She was alone when this all happened. She was alone when she got ill. I couldn’t leave her now.”

  “Even though it means your life?” Beck asked.

  “I’d give my life for any of my children. At any time.” I inched closer to Jessie, sandwiching her tighter between me and Beck. When I did that, Beck wrapped his huge arm around us both. I felt safe.

  I felt right in my decision.

  I heard him breathe out. “How much longer?” I asked.

  He puckered. “Minutes.” He leaned over and kissed Jessie, running his hand down her face.

  “Ba.” She smiled

  “Ba, that’s right.” He said. Then with his huge hand encompassing the back of my head, he leaned to me and planted his lips to my forehead. He left them there. “It has been an honor and a privileged to have known you, Mera Stevens.”

  My eyes locked onto his. “The pleasure is all mine, Major. All mine.”

  Basking in the security of his arms, I moved into him even more. Jessie wrapped her arms around my waist and placed her head against my chest. I leaned down into her, and Beck leaned into me. Though differently than we thought, we’d be reunited with our families. We’d be home. We were fine with that. We really were.

  We hoped until those final moments that another chopper would come; that they changed their minds or the Sleepers would just leave.

  None of that happened.

  Time was counting down.

  Beck’s fingers gripped my side, holding me tighter and then he and I, as we held my daughter close, peered to the sky.

  We waited.

  Any minute.

  Any second.

  It would be over.

  We were ready.