The city lights up with explosions and the chronic smoke is given new ferocity.
“Those fucking Herc’s,” says Tarnus after turning his radio off. “Our boys are getting pounded on the front too. Part of some attempt to counterattack our beachhead here.”
The bombing goes into the evening. The freeway that was closed off for overwhelming forward traffic is now empty. The question on everyone’s mind was where the hell is our fleet? The answer comes as the sun sets. In the skyline above as far as the eye can see, thousands of tiny red trails descend towards the earth. A meteorite show of munitions and crispy flesh.
“Jesus,” mutters everyone once or twice in the unit.
The bombing of Jericho eventually ends. The sirens stop.
“Pushed them back,” says Tarnus, his head leaning against his radio. The red trails in the sky begin to crisscross and overlap each other as they fade. Only the smoke billowing from Jericho remains as new fires feed them.
We get back into the trucks and move against the opposite traffic, only their engines can be heard as we drive lightless. Coffee we hastily made is passed around while we wait and vape. Isaac pulls his tin box out to smoke an ancient.
“Lemme see that,” says Vance.
Isaac pauses in the motion of lighting an ancient between his lips with the lighter and hands it to Vance. He inspects it, giving it a round-about. “This is some antique stuff. What’s the little quote say?”
Isaac takes the lighter back, flicking the cap open. “We are all orphans of the American Dream.” Then he flicks it again to shoot out a flame, igniting his ancient.
“Tell me about it,” says Alex, lying against a pile of supplies in the corner of the truck eating jerky. We all look up at the sky, red like Isaac’s flame.
“There it is,” says Vance.
“There it is,” we all agree.
We reach the outer city, nothing but piles of rubble and demolished buildings. Tractors exit the city carrying large loads in their front buckets that leave behind the smell of rotting flesh. Tarnus orders us off, and we gather into a semi-circle around him in the dark. “Setting up camp here. We are roughing it as before till we get our turn in a barracks, which is hopefully soon. After set up, you get dinner then some time off, we’re working tonight too since the Herc’s decided to fuck around some more. You are not to leave this area though, the city is in chaos still and I don’t need a bunch of grunts running around making it worse. Enjoy your rest time, because tomorrow we are on dig duty.”
“Digging?” says Vance.
“Well more specifically, rebuilding the main freeway here. But first we got to clear away all the shit on it. Your new weapon will be the lethal shovel! Good thing we trained everyday with it in basic. Well quit scratching your balls, go set up!”
I am handed a bundle of tents from the truck, then I feel the rough uneven pavement smack my body.
“Peter?”
The darkness ebbs till it covers my eyes and repeats my name.
“Help!” It’s completely dark.
I am falling! I don’t see anything and I am falling!
“Help!”
“Peter.”
There’s talking and rumbling of machines.
“Peter, hey.”
I open my eyes. I am on my back against a sleeping bag. I look about. My unit is resting around some portable fire stoves and sitting against sandbags and rubble. Isaac is crouched over by my side. “You keep shaking terribly in your sleep, bud.”
“I guess it was another nightmare.”
Isaac inspects my body. “It was a full on body tremble though. Like when you passed out a few days ago, when we first got back here.”
I rise to a sitting position. “I remember, they said it was just battle fatigue. I’ll be fine.”
Isaac hands me a bowl with today’s breakfast. “I just can’t imagine it’s healthy is all.”
“I’ll be fine, okay. I’ll talk to Blake later.”
Isaac returns to his container of food, glancing frequently at mine. I haven’t eaten much the past few days, but he really doesn’t need to worry—I’ve just been tired. “I’ll be fine, dude,” I say.
He takes a few bites of his meal, but coughs as he laughs. I elbow him, “What?”
“I never bought you a pizza for those midterm notes you gave me.”
“Or a beer you fucker.”
“What did you get on it anyway?”
“A.”
“Of course.”
“You?”
“Like a C or something.”
“You kidding me? I practically gave you the answer sheet with those notes.”
“I know,” he laughs again.
“Goddamn, what?”
“No, nothing.” But he can’t stop chuckling. Some of the guys from the unit look over.
“What the fuck is it?”
“I can’t, you’d hate me,” he giggles.
I nudge him harder, curiosity burning. “You’re acting like a fucking schoolgirl, what the hell is it?”
“Okay, okay. I never looked at the notes.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“No, no,” he represses a chuckle again. “It was because…”
“What the fuck is it dude?” I catch my voice rising. “What?”
“I took Serena out to the bar that night is why.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, man. Hope you don’t mind.”
“Look where we are. You think I care? That’s what had you acting up just now?”
He wipes a tear off his check. “I was going to tell you, but the invasion happened and I forgot.”
“She’s hot, though?”
“I am impressed with you. You really dated her?”
“Don’t be jealous.”
He looks away smiling, “Eat your food.”
After I find any interest in actually eating, Blake stands up. “We’re moving out!”
Groaning resonates through the unit as we pack our stuff and stand-to. Isaac shoots me a frustrated look at my still full container. Rommel grabs it from me, and picks at it before Blake slaps it out of his hand into the dish crate.
“Where now?” says Vance.
“Excuse me?” says Tarnus.
We stiffen up into order.
“Sir,” says Blake.
“Rowdy, disrespectful lot here,” Tarnus mutters to Blake. He addresses us, “Same place as before, but farther up the freeway. We’re clearing it out till it looks nicer than before the Herc’s came.”
We meet our regular truck and squish in with the rest of Love, and move out to the main freeway that runs through Jericho connecting it to its neighbor cities. We figured we escaped occupation duty since we were sent right away to Tionem. But like the men who died taking this city, it eventually called us back to suffer in it too, but instead we are rebuilding it, righting sins in hopes the rubble god will forgive.
“Lifer bitch,” says Vance inside our truck. Tarnus does not reply from his lead vehicle ahead, meaning we’re out of earshot. “Fourth day of this,” he grunts.
“Almost makes me regret destroying the place,” says Alex.
“At least no one is dying,” says Isaac. “Not that I like it any more than combat.”
“Too much of us died, only reason why we’re here, and not out there,” says Rommel. We all look at him. He said it with an undertone of disappointment.
“What,” he says, “can’t handle the truth?”
“Don’t need to talk like that,” says Tommy. “Disrespectful.”
“To whom?” says Rommel.
“What do you fucking think,” says Vance.
Rommel leans over the side of the truck, fiddling with his rotting necklace of human and Herculean flesh. “The dead don’t care, ‘cause they’re fucking dead.”