Forsaken World:Coming of Age (14 page)

“Lance, in this one area, Uncle Doug has over a hundred houses marked for us to check,” Ian said, drawing a circle on the map with his finger. “Then we have to move to this hill north of Girdler and look over the valley it sits in. I’m sure Uncle Doug wouldn’t want us to do that with stinkers trying to eat our ass.”

“Ian, it’s not a real town,” Lance said, running his finger down Highway 11, which passed through Girdler. “We’ve been there, and you know besides a few stores and a school, it’s nothing but all these houses beside the road. We don’t have to check those houses; just look at them through binoculars.”

Ian started pointing at the houses in Girdler along the highway. “You realize we aren’t going to find people, right? If anyone is there, it’s going to be stinkers unless that gang has a strong hold there.”

Lance pointed at several small areas he had drawn stars over with a dry erase marker. “Here are the places they have called from more than once in this area.”

Looking at the four stars, Ian took the marker and grabbed a yard stick. Holding the ruler to the map, he drew a large circle around the cabin then sectioned it in four slices. “How in the hell do you know they don’t do like us? Only use short distance radios close. This is our three-mile circle, and they could be set up anywhere in here.”

“Ian, their main base is in Pineville, and it’s over twelve miles away as the crow flies. By road, it’s twenty-one. It’s not even close enough to be on this map, and that’s where they all call back to and bring stuff to,” Lance said, waving his hand at the map. “This map is forty square miles, and Uncle Doug said this is our new world and we needed to learn every square inch of it.”

Studying the map, Ian shook his head. “That doesn’t mean we need to go in the most concentrated place in our area.”

“Dude, we are going to look at it, not go to the grocery store. We need to see if it’s destroyed or if any survivors are there. As far as stinkers go, we need to see if it’s packed with them.”

Ian grabbed an atlas and turned to the back. “The population is just over three thousand. Even if half are stinkers, we don’t need that kind of trouble. The radio said the only operating shelter near us was in Manchester and troops were spreading out to look for survivors. Our parents told us to avoid them at all cost and don’t go near the military.”

Hearing that, Jennifer jumped between them. “Whoa, what did you say?”

“I checked the radio and found a broadcast on FM. It’s an automated message to get to Manchester. They have a FEMA rescue center just south of town,” Lance said, still looking at the map, then turned to Ian. “Ian, because of the military, Mom and Dad had to leave. If I see a military person, I’m shooting their ass.”

“Exactly my point,” Ian said, throwing up his hands. “We have a gang near us already; we don’t need to fight the Army as well.”

“Hold it!” Jennifer shouted, and they jumped back, looking at her. “You found a radio message, and neither of you have said anything?”

“Jennifer, I just found it, and it didn’t start broadcasting till yesterday,” Lance snapped at her. “I was going to tell you at supper. Ian and I are laying out where we are going and what we’re going to do tomorrow.”

“Is it safe there?” she asked timidly.

With a scowl on his face, Lance took a step back, crossing his arms over his chest. Ian jumped in front of Lance and yelled, “Dude, she was just asking a question, so take the attitude down a notch.” Seeing the look on Lance’s face, Jennifer stepped behind Ian.

Lance spun around, walked over to the control desk, and tapped the laptop that monitored the radio. Suddenly, a loud, male voice erupted from the speakers. “To all citizens: This is a broadcast of the Emergency Broadcast System. All citizens must report to the nearest FEMA site immediately. A state of martial law is in effect for all of the United States. No citizen may remain in their home no matter how well-provisioned or secure. Any citizen not en route to a FEMA rescue center will be detained, and any resistance will be met with deadly force. Bring as much food and water as you can safely carry. You may bring weapons, but all weapons will be turned over to military and Homeland units upon arrival. Avoid infected persons at all cost. Anyone able to hear this broadcast must report to the city of Manchester immediately. Signs are on all roadways in and around the city of Manchester showing our location north of the hospital. Food, medical care, shelter, and security will be provided. Repeat…” Three blaring blasts sounded, and the message started repeating. Lance tapped the keyboard and stopped it.

Lance looked over at Jennifer. “What, you want to go?”

“No,” she said, stepping back. “I was just hoping it was getting over.”

“Over,” Lance scoffed. “It’s getting worse. When I first started, I found a broadcast like that saying to head to the city of London, but they have gone off the air. Remember, I told all of you about it. Know what that means? They got overrun and chowed down on. Now, they moved out and set up in a smaller town with fewer soldiers and supplies, and they are taking people’s guns away. Want to read the posts some of the people inside of those FEMA camps have written?”

“Hey, stupid head, you almost burned the garlic bread!” Carrie yelled down from the kitchen.

Jennifer took off running up the stairs, and before she reached the top, they heard her burst out crying. Ian turned to Lance, narrowing his eyes. “Brother, you didn’t have to come down on her like that.”

“What, you want to run to the camp now like a little bitch?”

Ian tossed the stuff he was holding on the desk. “We need to step outside,” he said, turning for the door.

“Fine with me,” Lance said, following him up.

When Ian topped the stairs, the girls were sitting at the table in shock after watching Jennifer run up crying. She hadn’t said anything as she ran to her room and shut the door. They saw the look on Ian’s face, and both turned to watch Lance come up, knowing that look. Ian opened the back door and held it open for Lance.

When Dino got up to go out with them, Ian pointed at him. “Dino, sit.” Lance walked out, and Ian followed, letting the door close.

“What are they fighting about now?” Carrie asked, looking over at Allie.

Allie held her hands up as she shrugged. “I don’t know,” she confessed. “Maybe they are fighting about the game again.”

“They haven’t played X-box since we got here,” Carrie said, getting down from the table and running over to the living area. She looked up at the monitors beside the projection screen and saw Ian and Lance fighting in the backyard. As Allie walked over, Carrie looked at her. “Why was Jennifer crying?”

Watching the two fight on the monitors, Allie just shrugged again. She and Carrie watched the fight for almost ten minutes then heard the bedroom door open. They turned to see Jennifer walk out wiping her face and turned back to the monitors.

Jennifer looked at the table and saw the food sitting out then turned to see the girls staring at the monitors. She walked over and saw Ian and Lance fighting. Giving a sigh, Jennifer shook her head. “They’re fighting again.”

“They haven’t fought since right after New Year’s,” Allie said, not looking away as Ian charged Lance, taking him down, and the two started wrestling.

“That long ago?” Jennifer said with surprise, and both nodded, not looking away from the monitors. “Have the parents broken them up when they fought?”

“No,” Allie said, finally turning to look at Jennifer. “Daddy said that’s why they’re such good friends and told Momma not to. Jason broke them up when they fought at Halloween, and they both attacked him. Jason held them down and farted in their faces,” she said with a grin.

Shaking her head, Jennifer sighed. “Sometimes I have to admit; guys have a simple way to solve a problem. Ladybugs, let’s eat.”

“Aw, I want to watch,” Carrie moaned.

“Carrie, you have seen those two go at it dozens of times,” Jennifer said, grabbing their shoulders and pulling them to the table. “We need to eat.”

After thirty minutes of fighting and wrestling, Ian and Lance separated. They were both panting hard and leaned over, putting their hands on their knees as they fought to stay standing.

Ian lifted his head, looking over at Lance. “Lance, I know how you feel about the military. I do too, but think of it from Jennifer’s view. Her parents may be there or at another camp, and she could contact them.”

Holding his head down as sweat rained down on his shoes, Lance shook his head. “If they are, then they will die if they aren’t already.”

Ian jerked up. “You don’t know that, and don’t you dare tell her!”

Pushing off his knees, Lance stood. “Don’t you get it, Ian?” Lance panted out. “Not only will our parents have to avoid stinkers and gangs but also the government trying to pick them up. They’re not going to make it. They have nothing to fight with if they do get across the ocean.”

Giving a yell, Ian dove at Lance, taking him down again, and the two continued fighting. After another ten minutes and still on the ground, they broke apart and rolled on their backs, lying side by side.

Feeling lightheaded, Ian tried to swallow and wet his dry throat. “I know, Lance, but we have to have hope for them,” he gasped out.

“If they could’ve just waited,” Lance gasped, trying not to cry. “Then they would’ve only had to get past the stinkers.”

They lay there looking up at the stars for a while; then, Ian struggled to stand up. “I know, Lance,” he groaned. “I already lost my brother. I’m not ready to say my parents are gone. For now, I have to think they’ll make it.”

“Hey,” Lance said, getting up with a groan. Ian turned as Lance walked over and wrapped his arms around him. “I’m sorry, brother. You’re right. They’ll make it.”

Returning the hug, Ian nodded and let go, wiping tears from his eyes. “Yeah, they’ll make it.”

Chapter Eleven

Lance woke up as his alarm clock went off and rubbed the lumps on his face. “Popped me pretty good.” He grinned as he got out of bed. “Hey. Ian, let’s get the morning workout done and get to scouting.”

“I’m up,” Ian droned, but he didn’t move.

Lance crawled out of bed, grabbed his clothes, and got dressed. As he gathered his airsoft gear, Ian finally rolled over and sat up in bed. “You frogged the hell out of my leg,” Ian mumbled, rubbing it.

“Well, that’s what you get for trying to put me in an arm bar,” Lance laughed, walking out. He stopped when he saw Jennifer sitting on the back of the sectional dressed and ready to start drills. “Hey, about last night, I’m sorry for coming down on you hard.”

Jumping off the couch, Jennifer stepped over to him, and Lance tensed his body for a hit, but Jennifer stood up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. “No, I’m the one that’s sorry,” she said, stepping back. “I forgot what Doug told us. ‘We are the only ones that can protect ourselves.’ I know why you were mad, but I can’t help but hope my mom and dad made it somewhere safe.”

Lance just smiled at her and turned around, hearing Allie and Carrie stumble out of their bedroom. “We can hope,” Lance said, patting their heads as they dragged their equipment past him.

Allie looked up at Lance, saw his swollen left cheek, and shook her head. “You two are weird.”

Smiling at her, Lance stepped over and put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s guy stuff,” he said, looking her in the eye and dropping the smile. “It was between Ian and me, so don’t go being mean to Ian this time.”

Stomping her foot, Allie let out a “humpf.” “He’s my brother; I can be mean to him if I want.”

“It’s going to hurt my feelings,” Lance said, making a sad face.

Dropping her shoulders with a big sigh, Allie looked down at the floor. “Okay, I won’t be mean to him,” she said in a small voice.

“Carrie, that goes for you too,” Lance said, looking over at her, and Carrie gave a nod.

“If they do it, it will be a first,” Ian said, stepping out yawning. “That’s one reason I don’t like going out in the yard to discuss our problems.”

They put on their gear, and Jennifer hit play. Once again, they ran through drills that the people on the DVD did. After working out, Ian and Lance grabbed the gear they were going to wear for scouting and laid it out in the living area floor as the girls and Jennifer fixed breakfast.

When Jennifer glanced over at all the gear, she stopped. “You’re going to wear all that?”

“Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it,” Ian said as he started getting dressed.

“I like to always be prepared,” Lance added.

When she saw them packing their night vision, she sucked in a breath. “You aren’t staying out after dark, are you?”

“Not if we can help it, but if for some reason we do, I want it,” Lance said as he checked the items in his vest.

As they sat down, Lance handed her a map. On it were numbered spots. “There’s where we are going,” he said, sitting down. “If we see something bad, we’ll call out the number so you’ll know where it is. There’s a sheet of paper on the desk downstairs that has code words for what we find.”

Taking the map and studying it, Jennifer nodded. “Well, this will make it easier to find you if something happens.”

Ian looked over at her in alarm. “Under no circumstances are you to leave this cabin if something happens or we don’t show back up,” he barked. “You can’t move alone, take the ladybugs, or leave the ladybugs here. You will all die if you do that.”

“Don’t go,” Carrie said, reaching over and grabbing Ian’s arm.

“We have to, Carrie,” Ian said, patting her hand. “We have to know what’s around us. If danger is close, we can deal with it before it gets here.”

Jennifer said a silent thank you to Carrie because she was about to say the same thing, yet she understood why it had to be done. “Please be careful,” Jennifer said, putting the map down.

“That’s at the top of our list,” Lance said and bowed his head for grace.

With breakfast finished, Ian and Lance put on their gear and 3D hunting suits, once again looking like walking bushes. They hugged everyone then headed outside with Dino trotting along with them. “You ready?” Lance said as he threw his rucksack in the back of the hybrid buggy. Each had on a small backpack to move around with; the big rucksacks were for “oh shit” moments.

Tossing his in, Ian nodded. “Yep.”

They climbed in the buggy, pulled around the front of the cabin, and saw Carrie and Jennifer holding the gates open. They waved as they passed, and Lance pulled up his AR while Ian rounded the fence and headed up the ridge behind the cabin.

Lance looked at the two fences as they rode along the side of their perimeter. “I have to say I’m rather proud of those fences.”

“Gives me peace of mind leaving them,” Ian said.

When they reached the top of the ridge, Ian turned west and followed the crest, picking his way between the trees and sharp slopes. “Game time,” Lance said, turning on the thermal sight mounted in front of his EoTech. Raising his rifle, he scanned the woods around them.

The first home they were checking was over the ridge, and by map, it was one mile away. By land, it was almost two. They parked the buggy several hundred yards inside the woods, and the two crept along with Dino beside them.

When they saw the clearing ahead through the trees, Lance held up his hand to stop. “Smell it,” he whispered back. Ian nodded, smelling the strong odor of rotten eggs. Glancing down at Dino, Lance saw him looking ahead but still had his tongue hanging out. Turning and looking at Ian, he whispered, “Get your bow ready in case it’s just a few.”

Unclipping his sling from a one-point, Ian re-clipped it, making it a two-point. Letting his AR go to hang across his body, Ian reached over his back and pulled off his recurve bow. Setting the tip on the ground, he bowed it and slipped the string up on the end then pulled out an arrow. When he was ready, Ian gave Lance a tap on the back.

Slowly and carefully, Lance eased forward until they could see the house. Stopping inside the tree line, he knelt down and studied the house. The first thing he noticed was the house was destroyed. The door was pushed in, and most of the ground floor windows were smashed. The building beside it, he was guessing it was some kind of shop, was also destroyed.

In the front yard, Lance could see several bodies, and his nose alone told him at least some were stinkers. Bringing his rifle up, he scanned around but didn’t see any moving. “Where are the stinkers?” he whispered.

Ian patted his arm, making Lance lower his rifle and look. Ian was pointing at Dino, who was looking down the driveway. “I’m thinking they are either coming or going,” Ian whispered back.

“We need to burn those so a stinker doesn’t try to go over the ridge,” Lance said, motioning toward the bodies with his rifle.

“Think that’s a good idea? If someone comes along, they might put it together that someone is close.”

“We burnt a pile down the road,” Lance said as Dino gave a soft growl, looking down the driveway. Bringing his rifle up, Lance aimed where Dino was looking. Slowly, three stinkers walked up from below the crest of the driveway. “Don’t talk; let’s step out and lead them to the bodies. You pop them, and we’ll burn the bodies and get moving.”

Ian gave a nod and patted Dino on the back. “Dino, heel.”

They moved out with Dino staying between them, and the stinkers turned to the two walking bushes and Dino. They gave off low moans, raised their arms, and trotted at them. Still sixty yards away, Lance didn’t like the way they were coming at Dino so fast. “I’m going to lead Dino to the bodies,” Lance whispered and patted Dino.

Giving a bare nod, Ian raised his bow as Lance moved away with Dino. The three stinkers saw Lance moving away but continued heading for Ian; he was closer and not moving. “Son of a bitch,” Lance mumbled as he stopped and brought up his rifle. “Ian, take them when you can. They know we are people,” Lance said in a normal voice.

“Yeah, kind of figured that out,” Ian said, pulling back on the bow. When the closest was thirty yards away, Ian released the arrow, hitting it in the face and dropping it. “That never gets old,” he said and pulled out another arrow.

The three were down in seconds, and Lance turned around, looking at the house. “I’m taking care of the bodies,” he said and headed to it. There were four stinkers by the front door, and Lance took a deep breath before his lungs started burning. As he was reaching for his lighter fluid bottle, he stopped and pulled up his lighter.

Flipping the top off, he eased over to one and struck the lighter on his leg. Reaching out to the dead stinker’s sprawled out arm with the lighter, Lance jumped back as blue flame erupted from the body. “Shit, they are almost bombs,” he reasoned. His lighter was over a foot away when the stinker erupted in fire.

Whoosh
sounded, and the heat rose, making Lance jump back as the others combusted in succession. “Mine didn’t do that,” Ian said behind him.

Lance turned to see the three Ian shot burning, but like Lance had seen before, the fire wasn’t pure blue. He turned and saw the bodies he lit up already had bone exposed under the blue flame. “The dead ones continue making hydrogen sulfide,” he mumbled. “When they are alive, they somehow get rid of it.”

“That’s all good, but we need to move,” Ian said, bringing up his bow. “Let’s do a walk around then head back to the buggy and continue this shit.”

Lance nodded and pulled up his rifle, glad the bodies were away from the house. They were burning hot, and only the ones Ian shot were giving off any type of smoke. It wasn’t enough to be seen from far away because it dissipated before rising ten feet. “They could almost be clean energy,” Lance said, following Ian around the back.

They found two more bodies but had to pull them away from the house before lighting them up. When Lance stuck his head inside the shop, he almost passed out from the lack of oxygen. “We are going to have to pull this one far away, or this shop will explode,” Lance said, pulling out his gas mask.

“I’ll keep watch,” Ian said, noticing not even Dino attempted to follow Lance into the shop. Inside, Lance found five bodies and pulled them out one at a time, and Ian pulled them farther away. When Lance came out with the last one, Ian had his gas mask on. “Yeah, had to get it because just pulling them over there made my lungs hurt,” Ian said, his voice muffled by the mask.

Ian grabbed the other arm, and they pulled the last body over. Seeing Ian reach for his lighter, Lance grabbed his friend’s arm. “Hold on. When I lit those others up, I got my eyebrows singed.”

Dropping his hand, Ian watched Lance pull out a large medicine bottle and take off the top. “Sometimes, you’re so smart you make me sick,” Ian chuckled and took off his mask. The smell almost knocked him down and made him step back.

Lance pulled out a cotton ball soaked in petroleum jelly and lit it with his lighter. Tossing the ball at the pile, the bodies erupted in flame long before the cotton ball touched them. “Got to love Boy Scouts,” Lance said, taking off his mask.

“I didn’t smell any inside the house and don’t feel like clearing it. You ready?” Ian asked, stepping up beside him now since the hydrogen sulfide was burning off.

“Let’s get some photos and boogie,” Lance said, putting his mask up. They pulled out digital cameras and took pictures of the house, shop, and yard from different angles then headed back to the buggy. The next four houses were untouched, and after pictures, they drove on.

Going over another ridge, they stopped at the top and could see the valley below them. “The second house we check here, the Devils radioed from three days ago,” Lance said and looked out over the ridge. Several dark columns of smoke scattered around them in the distance rose into the air. “Looks like someone else is burning today.”

Nodding, Ian slowly pulled down the slope heading to the valley. “Doesn’t fill me with warm fuzzies,” he said, picking his way between the trees. After parking again several hundred yards back, they headed down on foot slowly.

The first house was burnt down, but the barn beside it was intact. Finding no stinkers, they eased back into the woods and moved down the valley to the next house. Halfway there, they stopped, and Lance pulled out his map. “That’s not on the map,” he said, looking up at a mobile home.

“Looks like it was just put there,” Ian whispered. He looked around the yard and saw dirt and not grass. Looking back at the destroyed mobile home, Ian turned away, moving toward the next house. “Nothing’s there. Let’s move.”

Tucking his map in his cargo pocket and snapping a few pictures, Lance followed Ian the half mile to the house the Devils had radioed from. Long before they reached it, they smelled trouble. Moving up the slope and getting further back in the woods, they eased forward but soon had to stop and put on their gas masks. “Dino, stay,” Lance said after Dino gave another sneeze. Dino stayed, but he stood baring his teeth and looking toward the clearing ahead.

Ian came to a stop twenty yards inside the trees and gasped, looking out at the house sitting in the valley floor below them. Hundreds of stinkers were standing around, and he could see dead stinkers lying on the ground. He quickly counted thirty dead ones and stopped as Lance moved beside him.