Walkers (Book 1): The Beginning (9 page)

     "It was only a couple of minutes, JD. We came running at the first scream". He gently caressed my back as he rocked me. "It just seemed longer when you're scared. We're trying to figure out where it came from. We cleared the whole building yesterday but it had to be hiding somewhere. We'll figure it out, ok, just relax for now."

     "No problem, I can't do much more than breathe right now anyway. If Mandy hadn't warned me I'd by dead. I'm gonna stay right here till this whole place has been secured again. I can't handle another dance with the devil so go, conquer...I'm done." and with that I put my feet up on the table, leaned back and left them to it. Mason stood and looked down at me then turned and walked that fine ass of his into the next room. Sigh.

                                                       
CHAPTER 8

     Lacy came in and sat on the couch with me. "How ya doin?"

     Oh, just fine, and you?"

      She smiled "Great actually, the kitchen however, is a mess. Lucky for me Randy and Howard are cleaning up most of the gunk. I'll go in and finish up when they're done. Anything I can get ya?"

     "Nope, can't think of a thing. Thanks so much for asking."

     "Oh, think nothing of it." Lacy plays along just fine. "Mason has cleared this floor and is busy on the second floor. We think, however, it came from the little closet near the back door."

     Puzzled I turned toward her, "What little closet at the back door? I don't remember any little closet."

     "That's what everyone is saying. Somehow, we missed it during the first sweep. It has brooms, mops and buckets and such in it. Just enough room for a walker. It stinks in there too and that’s what makes us think it was in there." She slapped my knee, stood up and hitched her shorts "Well, they're probably ready for me to mop the floor so Sarah can go back in there. I'll catch ya later."

      I waved at her limp-handedly and settled back against the leather of the couch, listening to it creaking. Little closet hiding a walker that damned near killed me. Yea, I can see that happening.

     I thought of Mason and there he was in my head. I thought,
how’s it going, oh might zombie hunter?
He laughed out loud, then thought back at me
making the world a safer place. These pink panties yours?

     I turned around on the couch and yelled "Get your ass out of there"

     Sarah came out and looked at me. "Out of where?" I heard Mason laugh again, and then a door slammed. "Mandy's sleeping. Duke is staying with her working on his 'geek gear' in case she needs him. Did ya hear her, she said mama? She said you were brave and she was sorry she couldn't help."

     "Dammit Sarah, that little girl saved my bacon in there. She has nothing to be sorry for. Say, we got eggs now how about we make a cake and celebrate her talking?"

     "Sounds like a plan to me, I saw some tubs of frosting in there to. We could make it a chocolate cake with icing". She grabbed my arm, helped me stand and walked us towards the kitchen. My legs were still a bit shaky so we sat at the table while we waited for Lacy to finish, and then the three of us messed the kitchen up again.

     Once Mandy started talking not even the cake could stop her. No one bothered to tell her not to talk with her mouth full; we liked to hear her voice. We ate cake...for the first time in over a year.

     After that day things calmed down and returned to almost normal. Duke got his cameras up and running, and the wind generator going so we had electricity but sparingly. Plans were made for a trip into town. We knew what we wanted, but had trouble deciding who to send. We needed key people to go but also stay and protect the lodge. The debate was a long, painful process but by the end of the day Mason, Randy and Howard would go to town leaving me, Duke and Lacy to protect the lodge. Sarah was responsible for Mandy and Bubba.

     I was pouting. I had wanted to go, boo hoo. The sensible thing had been done and one part of me knew that but still...I was pouting. Walking the decks around the lodge I scanned the horizon. I knew that Duke was doing the same thing with his cameras but I needed to feel like I was productive. Poor me!

     Sarah and Mandy had just gathered some eggs. The marked eggs had been placed in a nest and a hen was sitting on em. I knew Sarah would whip up something special tonight.

     Something moved in my peripheral vision and I turned. It was a dust cloud on the road leading here. As I watched it, it died down just about the time Mandy came running around the corner.

     "Daddy says hurry". I hurried.

     "We've got company" he said staring at the screen. I looked and saw a very new fancy, large truck. One of those four door, king cab, dual tires, silver tool chest he man types. He walked to the gate, squatted down and was looking intently at something.

     "What the hell is he doing?"

     "Looking at tracks, looks like.  I think he knows someone came in or went out."

     We watched as he took out a handgun, checked the clip, then stuck it into the waistband of his jeans near the middle of his back, pulled his shirt out and covered it all. Should've checked for the camera, damned fool.

     "That ain't good". Duke whispered "Sarah take Mandy and go to the RV, lock the door and hide in the bathroom." I thought she might argue but she finally turned and left with Mandy who looked back at us with the saddest eyes. “Now what?" I asked picking up a rifle and ammo clip.

     "Play it by ear I guess but I know what I'll have to do to defend this place." He looked at me as the truck came around the bend and slowed as it approached the parking area.

     "Let's go meet our guest."

     We waited on the porch for the truck to come to a stop. The man inside just sat there for a moment then put a smile on his face and opened the door. Duke was holding the rifle loosely, pointed at the ground but I knew he was tightly wound. I stood with my own rifle pointed at the guy, he has nothing on me.

     He got out and stood with his hands raised "Well, I didn't expect this. Do you mind?" he said waving his hands.

     "We mind. Keep em up". Duke said raising the barrel of the rifle. He wasn't pointing at the guy but it was close.

     I just stood back and watched. I know this guy was having a problem with a little person holding a gun on him and he looked at me and raised his eyebrows.

     "Like he said" I replied.

     "OK," he said and started to lower his hands a bit. CLICK! And my gun was pointed and cocked.

     "Now wait a minute, here. I come in peace" He yelled, raising his hands as high as they would go. Sheen of sweat had appeared on his forehead. I don't think he's been in this position before.

     "What do you want?" I asked

     “Sanctuary?" He asked looking from one of us to the other.

     "No". Duke said "Leave. Now." Motioning with his gun.

     "Can't we talk about this first?

     "No".

     He looked at each of us again, turned to open the truck door and swiftly grabbed for the gun in his waistband. Two gunshots rang out. Duke had hit him in the shoulder, I blew his brains out all over his fancy truck.

     "Teach him to underestimate the power of a little person and a woman". I said, and sighed. "Lacy, would you get the wheel barrow for me please". I said to the air because I knew she was standing behind the window."

     "I'll check his body, see who he is.  Duke; I need you to monitor the cameras in case he has friends." Duke nodded. Me and Lacy was able to load his body into the wheel barrow with a lot of wheezing. This was one big dude. Then we just stood there and looked at each other.

     "I have no idea". I said in answer to her raised brows. "Damn, go to the RV and tell Sarah to come out. She's hiding there with Mandy." Lacy took off at a run, while I stood there next to the dead man and wondered when it had gotten to this point. He was part of the living. You don't kill the living...unless they present a danger. We decided he was a danger while watching him at the gate. He never got the chance to create problems.

     Lacy returned and we stared at the man. "We need to get rid of this guy, like he was never here. Help me load him in the truck."

     After a considerable amount of swearing and dropping him twice, Sarah appeared and we finally got him in his truck. "Why do they have to have those big ass tires? Crap, it must be four feet up." She sputtered, breathing heavily along with me and Lacy.

     Once I recovered enough to speak, I asked Lacy if she could drive the four wheeler. "Sure, JD I'll go get it."

     "What ya got in mind?" Sarah asked.

     I pointed to the top of the nearest mountain; it sported several cell phone towers and satellite dishes. "There's a nice drop off on the other side and a half way decent road to the top. I drive him off the cliff and voila, no more problem. Lacy can drive me back."

     "Why don't we just haul him up and throw him off the cliff.  Why ruin this nice truck?"

     "If he has friends and I kinda doubt it, but just in case I don't want them to show up and recognize his truck and not find him.  This way if they find him crashed at the bottom of the cliff they'll think he got drunk and drove off the cliff in the dark or something."  She nodded then headed back inside.  I checked with Duke and he said it was clear so I drove to the top of the mountain with Lacy close behind. Then we wrangled him around until he was in the driver’s seat, put the transmission in neutral and between the two of us pushed him over the side. The noise was horrible, and dust flew everywhere. We drove back to the gate, gave the thumbs up to the camera and went home.

     It wasn't till the next day around noon that I got a thought from Mason. '
We're about to approach the gate
and after a few seconds Mandy could be heard yelling "They're back", repeatedly. We all joined her on the front porch where she jumped around and squealed. I was wanting to but bad ass zombie killers don't do that. So we waited as three semis and a truck rounded the bend. What?
We have a new member so be nice,
Mason thought at me.

     "What the hell" Duke said, proving he can count to.

     "This better be good" I said.

     They stopped in the lane, single file. Men started to pile out of the trucks. Lacy ran at Randy and nearly threw them both to the ground in her excitement. Mason, Howard and a stranger proceeded to the front porch.

     He was tall, over 6 feet anyway and built like a football player. He was also bald with brown eyes, square chin and full mouth. His lips smiled at me and I realized I was staring. Clearing my throat, I looked to Mason.

     "We were having a bit of a problem but not with walkers. There is a militia group protecting the town and wasn't happy we got a semi full of wind turbines. Took exception to us actually and Flynn helped us out."

     "What were you doing there before Mr. Flynn, were you part of the militia? If you were you have a long walk back to town."

     "That’s what Mason said too but sending me back after I know where you live is a bad idea." Duke straightened the rifle a bit more.

     "No need for that. I was there before they were. They showed up one day and decided they wanted to run things. Poorer bunch of commandos I've never seen. They lose a member about every day because they don't know what they're doing. I broke off from them two months ago just to survive. I'm doing better on my own. However, if they catch me they will consider me a deserter."

     "So why are you here?" I asked

     "Your people are the best equipped, best organized I've been around. You know what you want, you plan how to get it and then get in and out. I think you have the best chance of surviving this crap than anyone, and there is safety in numbers."

     I looked at Mason.
You trust him?
I thought. He nodded.

     Looking at Flynn I said "You know someone driving a large, silver Ram, tall, and carries a pistol in the jeans waistband?"

     "Yea, that's Jerry. He's mean as hell, shoots first asks questions later. He went out yesterday to check out the neighborhood. Why?"

     "He showed up here, drew on us and we took care of him. You have a problem with that?"

Flynn looked at Mason, who just stared at me. His mind was blank but I knew that wouldn't last long.

     "If he's dead then you just did the world a favor. He's been asking for it a long time. How did you get the jump on him?"

     I smiled, "We didn't, Flynn, we just killed him cause we didn't like the way he looked. Come in and tell us what you brought us."

     The smile died from Flynn’s face as he followed us into the dining room. He got a good look at the lights on in the dining room and turned to Mason. "You have electricity?" Mason pointed out the window to the wind turbine. "Yep, but we needed more, so that's why we brought back FOUR more". He said pointedly to Duke whose face lit up.

     "Damn, Mason, you the man".

     "Remember that old man when it comes time to set them up".

     "Old man is it? I won't forget that. I'm back at the cameras. Come on Mandy girl, dad needs a hand."

     Flynn watched the duo walk out. Then noticed Sarah coming from the kitchen with a platter of cold fried chicken in one hand and a bowl of fresh tomatoes in the other. Then he noticed the chocolate cake on the buffet “Something on your mind, Flynn?" I asked, grinning at Mason.

     "More like it's on my stomach."

     "Let's eat then and you can tell us what we needed three semi's for."

     Later that day, Sarah had a fancy new fridge, one pallet of flour, sugar (brown and white) rice and pasta. There was wrapping paper for meat and zip lock baggies. There was ammo of every kind, a couple cases of bazookas and several machine guns. When I looked at Mason, he just shrugged. Ok, well, we're armed now.

     Just about dusk, Mandy came in on tip toes and held a finger to her mouth. "Look out the window" she whispered. We did, and then ran in every direction. A whole herd of deer was milling around in the yard. I got the bow, cocked it and after shaking my head at Flynn I snuck out to the deck. Picking out the biggest buck, looked like a 5x5, I killed him which made Mandy very un happy.