CREEPERS CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 18
Captured

Michael Fullbright drove north on 75 deep in thought, hoping to make it to Vanessa’s before dark. He had heard dire reports on the radio about the mutated weed and how it was spreading across the state like a virus spiraling out in every direction from its epicenter, just nine miles from where Vanessa lived.
They had left Key West early, as silent clouds drifted across a star strewn sky when the air was as cool as it would be all day. After hours of driving they were within an hour of Vanessa’s, it was 5:30 pm. The sun hung low in the horizon refusing to set, taunting him at eye level. He had a headache and the glare was making it hard to see the road.
Rosa shaded her eyes with her hand. “What’s that?”
Michael took off his sunglasses and squinted, which didn’t help. “Where, I don’t see anything.”
“Straight ahead Michael, in the middle of the road, don’t you see those flashing lights?”
“Oh, damn, looks like another road block.” They had encountered three so far but the others had been unmanned so he’d just ignored the signs and driven around.
Half a mile ahead two Highway Patrol Cars were parked nose to nose in the middle of the freeway, their flashing lights a kaleidoscope of blue and white. Michael knew he wouldn’t be driving around this roadblock. The freeway behind the Patrol cars was barricaded too: huge orange barriers had been installed from shoulder to shoulder. There was no doubt: they would not be going any further. There weren’t any other cars in sight. Michael slowed to a stop and rolled down his window.
A skinny officer with a puzzled look on his face ambled over. “Evening sir, how did you manage to get on the freeway? It’s been closed for 60 miles south of here for three days. Didn’t you see the warning signs and road blocks? Where’re you heading?”
Michael flashed his warmest stage smile. “Immokalee, my daughter lives there. And yes, officer I admit I saw the signs and the road blocks but I drove around them. We’re desperate to find our daughter Vanessa. We haven’t heard from her in days. She’s not answering her cell, emails or texts. Her boyfriend has not seen or heard from her either. So we’re driving up to check on her. She’s a botanist, she was asked by John Martin the Lieutenant Governor to help the authorities with the infestation and try to figure out how to eradicate this weed and . . . .”
The officer cut him off. “Is her name Dr. Fullbright?”
Michael’s face lit up. “Yes, yes that’s my daughter. Do you know where she is?”
The patrolman shook his head. “I’m afraid not, but I think I know who she’s with: Sheriff Musser. He was assigned as her escort and liaison with the police and state officials. Their names came up in a briefing we had a few days ago, in case we saw them driving through a restricted or quarantined area, like you’re doing.” He patted the top of their car.
“Sheriff Musser is responsible for making sure nothing happens to her. That’s all I know. He’s a big, tough cop, used to be professional UFC Fighter, but he’s a good man. If your daughter’s still with him you can rest assured she’s safe. Thing is Mr. Fullbright, I should be citing you for being on this road, I won’t but I should and I can’t let you proceed. Two miles up, the freeway’s impassable, vines thick as fire hoses are crisscrossing it for the next fifty miles. You wouldn’t get far even on foot. You could try turning around and going south to Naples Park and cutting over to Immokalee, but I imagine the state roads are even worse. You can to turn around and cut across the median. I’m sorry but there isn’t anything I can do. I will inform our dispatcher that you’re trying to contact your daughter. Give me your cell phone number.” Michael gave it to him and his email address.
The officer jotted the information down in his notebook and then tucked it into his shirt pocket. “I’d call dispatch now but our cell phones aren’t working, radio’s out too. I wish there was more I could do Mr. Fullbright. This is more serious than the media is letting on, people have been killed, it’s dangerous out here. My best advice would be for you to head as far south as you can, going north even on the east coast isn’t possible.
“OK I understand, thank you officer.” Michael’s hopes were buoyed knowing that someone might be looking out for Vanessa, but who was this Sheriff Musser? Why hadn’t Vanessa mentioned him? He was exhausted and didn’t know what to do next.
Rosa made the decision for him. “Let’s take his suggestion and try cutting over from Naples Park. Going home is pointless. We’ve come too far to turn back now. How are we on gas?”
Michael glanced at the gauge. “Half a tank, enough to make it there.” He waved to the Highway Patrol Officers and cut across the medium and headed south. “Well at least the sun isn’t in my eyes anymore.”
It took them thirty minutes to drive back to the Naples Park Exit. As they turned off Michael rolled down the windows to get some fresh air and an eerie silence blew in with the warm breeze. They drove though the center of town and it was obvious everyone had left, there wasn’t a single car parked anywhere. The windows and doors of just about every business were shuttered or boarded up as if a hurricane was expected. The one traffic light in the center of town flashed yellow, powered they assumed by an emergency generator. It appeared that the power was off everywhere else. At the end of Main Street the road was blocked by a tangle of vines, it looked like they’d been growing for fifty years.
Michael had gotten used to being able to Google directions on his phone, without it he had no idea where to go, forward was not an option. He made a U-turn and stopped the car in the middle of the road. “I have no idea which road leads to Imokalee. I assume we need to head east, but the sun’s almost down. I’m not sure which way east is. It might be that way, but I’m not sure.”
Rosa tried to sound up beat, as she opened the glove box. “I think there’s an old state map in here somewhere. She rifled through a stack of car warranty documents and old registrations. “Found it! 1993, we’ve had this map for four cars and I don’t ever remember using it. Glad we kept it, let’s see.” She opened it and tried to figure out where they were in relationship to Vanessa’s house. “OK, I think I got it. That’s Palm which runs north and south. And you’re right, we have to go east, looks like the only road that will take us to Imokalee is old route 82 East. Take a right at the second intersection. Look there’s a sign 82 East. Looks like Imokalee’s only about thirty miles from here.”
Michael made a U-turn and drove slowly down the middle of the street hoping to see someone who had stayed behind but there wasn’t a soul in sight, Naples Park was a ghost town. How could Imokalee be any different? That’s where the infestation began. But his little girl was out there somewhere and all he knew was the last place she’d been seen was the little house she’d rented outside of Imokalee, so that’s where he would go.
They drove in silence as the sun set and a sliver of moon that had been there all along appeared in the horizon. The road was clear and then just as they were only a few miles from their turn off Michael spotted another road block. An old black Chevy and a Battered Red Ford F150 were blocking the road, their lights were off but someone had built a bond fire in the middle of the road. It was hard to see but Michael could make out half a dozen tall figures milling around in the dark. A tall man came out of the shadows and plodded forward as they approached. He waved a Coleman lantern signaling them to slow down.
A sinister sense of danger gripped Michael as he rolled to a stop, something was very wrong.
Rosa reached out and touched his arm. “I don’t like this Michael, it doesn’t feel right. Maybe we should just turn around. Let’s get out of here.”
As the figure moved into the beam of their headlights it took a second for their minds to comprehend what their eyes were seeing. Then Rosa screamed and Michael reacted instantly, he slammed the shifter into reverse and stomped on the gas. The little Toyota’s front wheels smoked as the car skidded backwards then its four cylinder engine sputtered like it was about to stall.
Michael hadn’t seen the three creepers who’d circled around behind him as they drove up until he hit one of them and it dropped beneath the car. There was a sickening thumpity-thump as he drove over it. But the thing clung to the car’s suspension and was dragged alone as Michael spun the car around, slammed the shifter into drive, stomped on the gas and glanced in his rear view mirror, to his horror he saw two creeps clinging to the back of his car. One of them hung on with one hand and began pounding on the rear window with its other, then the glass shattered.
Rosa tuned around and screamed as the hideous green creature climbed into the backseat.
Michael slammed on the brakes and screamed, “Get out Rosa! Now run for it!”
But she was paralyzed with fear, it was too late by the time she started struggling with the door, when she finally managed to get it open a huge clawed hand reached in and snatched her by her hair. Then Michael’s window shattered and he was dragged out as his car was flipped over and set on fire.