Keep Going (Book 1): The Beginning (13 page)

“I am all alone right now. I want to cry and scream but I don’t know how to be anything but strong. It’s what I’ve been forced to be my whole life.”

Alex punched the table and pushed off of it. She spun around acting as though she was trying to escape from something. She faced the other side of the room and pulled at her hair. Alex embraced the pain; she knew what to do with pain. She had never been good at emotion but now she felt all of them at once.

Pain, though, she could use that. She could focus on that and turned back to him.

“We were raised to be strong and nothing else. It didn’t matter how tough shit got or how much the world turned on you. No matter what we were taught to fight. Bloody, bruised and broken, you got up. That’s why I keep to my delusions because if I’m still standing so is she. Chris is stronger than me.”

Alex cleared her throat and leaned against the table. Her mind started to clear, her senses opened and she understood. He was scared, simple as that. Now she needed to make him understand as well.

“I am terrified and worried but I can’t let it take control of me. I have survived so much already, I’m sure as hell not going to let some zombies….yes, and I said zombies beat me.” She stood tall and caught his eyes. “If this really is the end of the world well then I’m going to take out as many of those monsters out with me. I am going to go down in a blaze of glory.”

Petey smiled. She was human and she was the best human ever. Alex replied with a smirk and crossed her arms.

“What about you? You with me?”

“I’m sorry.” He replied.

Alex shook her head and moved around the table to face him. Crossing her arms again she looked him dead in the eye. Her face turned serious but her eyes shined with a small light of humor.

“Don’t want your apology. Want your help. Now are you with me?” She asked again.

This was the Alex he would follow. Not the fearless Alex that she was showing the others but the one that was terrified and furious like them but willing to fight. He nodded. He straightened his back and puffed out his chest.

“Yeah, I’m with you.” He agreed.

“That’s my boy.” She smirked with pride.

15

Petey poured over the maps tracing each path with his fingers. Alex felt less cold as she listened to him speak animatedly about each thought that popped into his head.

“Major problem is still getting out of here. I mean we at least got a fighting chance but right now we’re nothing more than canned tuna.” He scratched his head then folded his long arms. “Those doors create too much noise. The moment we try opening it we’ll get over run before we even have a chance.”

Alex hummed lightly indicating she was listening but kept her eyes on the map. Not that there was anything there that could help but maybe something would. They needed something, a way to get out of this shed. Petey was right, it would be suicide to just try and run through those doors. They needed…

“You need a distraction.” The soldier said as he leaned in the doorway.

Petey tightened up his stance. Last time he listened to the soldier speak he was ready drink himself stupid. Alex turned to look at him with displeasure but willingly to listen as he did know this place better then anybody else. She sidestepped giving an invitation to join the table.

“Got any ideas, soldier?” She asked.

His military training became more evident in his sober state. His walk alone indicated that he had to be in the army; ready to follow any order given and stand proud.

“Most of the weapons we have are locked up at a different location on the base. However we do have a few choices here.” He motioned towards where the radios sat indicting that he desired to show them something. No one moved however until Alex nodded in approval.

He reached for a long case that was hidden underneath one of the stations. She was going to be pissed if it was just more liquor. Moving back to the small table it creaked again with protest as he laid the case down ever so gently. His nimble fingers snapped open latches. Raising the cover he revealed a long rifle. He took hold of it carefully and held it up showing it off.

“M21, semi-automatic sniper rifle with a 7.62x511 mm cartridge.” He rubbed the side of the gun lovingly that in fact Alex wasn’t even sure he was speaking to them as he kept his eyes on the long barrel. She sniffed loudly drawing his green eyes to her.

“Would you like us to leave you two alone?” She pointed towards the doors. Petey snickered from across the table.

“Leave him alone. He’s proud of his big gun.” Petey joined in, his voice sounding upbeat for the first time. Alex licked her lips trying to hold back a laugh as she continued on.

“Fair enough.” She raised her hands in mock defense. “I would be proud of my gun too if it were that big.”

The two let out burst of loud laughs. The sound completely out of place for the room but at the same time it felt right. Especially as the soldier smiled at the cheerful expressions the pair wore. Maybe he was wrong trying to bring them into his misery, maybe he should have followed them instead.

“I’m not going to respond to that.” He rolled his eyes.

Cupping the butt of the gun and leaning it against his shoulder. Alex was amazed how much of a soldier he really did look at that moment.

“There are some gas tanks not to far but far enough were if I shot one it’ll cause an explosion. It won’t be big enough to hurt us but it should distract those things out there long enough for us to get out.” He explained.

“How are you going to shoot it if we can’t get outside?” Petey asked bringing the original problem to light once again. The soldier put the gun back gently into the case and walked away. Petey and Alex followed wanting to know what he was looking for this time. He walked out of the small office his boots making a clicking noise as he lead them over to a long black ladder. He grasped one of the bars of the ladder and turned back to them.

“There is a widower’s watch on the roof, a small flat surface. I go up there and take out the tanks while you guys run.” He said.

“We’ll go up there.” Alex said. He shook his head.

“I don’t think…” “You’ll need someone covering your ass when you come down.” She said firmly letting him know that they weren’t leaving him behind. He wasn’t going to be sacrificed for them. She wouldn’t allow it. “I’ll go up with you and we’ll come down together.”

“Okay.” He muttered. “There’s a second gun. You won’t be using it up there but it’s too beautiful to leave behind.”

“Awesome I get my own big gun.” She joked.

“Hold on. Why do you guys have that?” Petey pointed upwards to the covered opening. The soldier looked up glaring at the opening as if it had done him wrong. Seeing that he was the last one here it might have.

“We had snipers up there but…” He trailed off knowing he didn’t need to finish. Alex put her hands on her hips and breathed deeply.

“Did they ever come back down? The snipers?” The question appeared to have awakened the forgotten soldiers that sat up above. Breaking the silence Alex pulled her machete out of its holding and passed her gun to the soldier. He took the smaller weapon and passed the rifle over to Petey who held it close to his body.

“Let’s do this.” He voiced.

Petey let out a string of concerns and worries as the pair ignored him and climbed the ladder. Soldier gripped the small handle of the cover and looked down making sure the woman behind him was ready. Machete in hand she nodded for him to proceed. He pushed the lid open lightly and peered outside. The sun blinded them for a moment but then allowed a clear view of his fallen brothers as they staggered around.

He flung the cover up and leaped out of onto the roof making quick to shoot and knock at the first monster to attack. Alex quickly followed catching one in the head using her foot to push it off her machete and off the roof.

“Behind you!’ Petey yelled from his place on the ladder. Alex and the soldier placed their backs together.

“Clear.” The solider said looking around.

“Clear.” Alex said.

Petey stepped onto the flat roof, looking around in amazement. "Not going to lie, that was actually pretty cool.  Wow.”

It felt odd how they had fought together as if they had been doing so for years. Yet neither would complain at the trust that seemed to form almost seamlessly in battle. Soldier gave a nod. He stared to climb the slanted part of the roof in great urgency. Petey moved to Alex’s side as they watched him unsuccessfully crawl up.

“What’re you doing?” She asked playfully.

Realizing he wasn’t making any progress he let his body slide down the metal roof and fall flat on the asphalt. He looked like a child sitting flat on his butt with a pout on his face making him look years younger. Alex smiled warmly at the sight.

“I was going to knock down the ladder to keep them from coming up again.” He said defensively.

“Those things can climb a ladder?” Alex asked as she looked over the edge. “There are so many out there.”

Petey joined her; looking over all of them pounding at the doors trying to get in. It was amazing how after a short time the loud noise had become nothing more then a gentle hum mindlessly playing in the background of their world.

“Think they can swim?” He asked mindlessly.

“I don’t know. Why?” She asked.

“Maybe we get a boat. Clear off an island, if they can’t swim then that should be pretty safe, right?”

“I always did want to go to Hawaii.” Soldier got up from the ground and dusted off the invisible dirt from his clothes. He turned back to start his attempts.

“Wait! Don’t!” Petey shouted.

The loud cry startled the soldier making him lose his weak footing. His body fell with a hard thud and slid down the roof again on his belly. Alex busted out laughing, tears streamed from her eyes.

Ignoring the pain in his back the soldier couldn’t fight the laughter that boiled in him. They attempted at keeping the laughter low but it became difficult. Petey and Alex joined the soldier on the floor letting the pleasing energy take them over.

“Pete is there something you want to tell me?” The soldier asked.

He carelessly laid his back against the slanted part of the roof, folding his hands over his stomach.

Petey made a face hearing his name in such a manner sounded foreign to him but he brushed it off when he realized that they had never actually introduced themselves to the soldier. He had probably heard them say each other’s name. Come to think of it Petey didn’t know his name but that was a question for another time.

“I think I have a plan.”

He explained to them that instead of keeping the monsters out they should let them in. They stared at him bewildered but didn’t interrupt. He took that as a good sign at least. In fact they two closed their eyes as they tried to picture the plan he spoke of.

He continued with how if they opened the door it would create a loud enough sound it would draw them inside. While the monsters clamored inside the shed it would leave the outside thinned out allowing them the ability to escape. They could climb down the ladder handle any stragglers and make it the humvee.

It sounded like a solid plan but there was one thing they needed to ask themselves.

“Who’s going to open the door?” Petey whispered the last part.

“I’ll do it.” The solider said with no hesitation.

“No.”

The word was spoken so softly it was almost missed but the tone behind it was strong. Alex had settled onto her back her head resting on her arms. Her face was completely neutral as she absorbed the sunlight.

“I think…”The soldier sat up ready to argue but was stopped by her commanding voice.

“I don’t care what you think. I need you up here covering our asses. You’re the only one trained to use that sniper gun, remember? I’m also faster then Maggie and you, Petey.” She didn’t open her eyes, she didn’t flinch instead she wiggled around getting more comfortable.

“End of discussion.” She cracked an eye open.

The two men would have challenged but knew it would fall on deaf ears and worst of all she was right. She always seemed to be right somehow. With a nod of their head Alex shut her eye. Kept them shut so they wouldn’t see the fear behind them.

“What about the other woman?” Solider asked.

Grumbling under her breath about losing a relaxed moment. Alex sat up and stretched her arms high above her head. Her bones cracked in the most pleasurable way. Many times Petey had thought of her as a cat but even more so in the rare rest moments. He knew that soon there would no more of those moments for a very, very long time.

“I’ll deal with Maggie.” She promised.

The three stayed up there until the sun started to set. They watched the beautiful colors dance around the sky. It was amazing what you missed in an ordinary day. Alex supposed a new ordinary would arise for them and the sunsets and roses would soon be forgotten once again. Stars littered the sky Petey had always been amazed by them. Growing up in the city he never really saw them at all.  He was going to be seeing the stars all the time now.

They decided to head in, the weather turned from a cool breeze to a shivering cold as the sun ran away. Alex turned to step in but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.