Howard smiled at Pax. "You okay?"
"It's just—"
"Clean?"
Pax smiled. "Yeah."
"This is my building. And when I say that, I don't mean that in a dictatorship way. Everyone who lives here is welcome and it is just as much theirs as it is mine. But I bought this place before everything went to shit. Although, that's all a matter of speculation, too. Some people say the world went to shit decades ago, but you get my meaning. I take care of it, and it has taken care of me. Provided for me when truckers came through needing a place to eat, and now provides for me in different ways. But sometimes things don't change much. It's still a place to do business. It's just instead of dollars and cents, it's eggs and shovels. You name it, we'll trade it."
"So, you're set up as a community that trades?"
"Yes, sir. People live here and are taken care of. We aren't looking to rebuild it back to the way it was, or to give charity to those who need it. Everyone works for what we do here, and we help those out if they help us out. Simple as that."
Pax looked around the diner, feeling the urge to sit at one of the red stools and ask for a milkshake in a silver cup. A smile crept up in the corner of his mouth. "You know, everyone out there is worried about me, and all I can think of is ordering a malt at the counter."
Howard let out a belly laugh. "That's a damn good one." He walked behind the counter and opened the freezer, pulling out a giant tub of ice cream. "Not sure if this will work for you, but I can make you a chocolate milkshake."
Pax's eyes went wide. "Holy shit."
Howard quickly scooped out the ice cream and put it in a blender with the milk. "I'll take that as a yes." He quickly blended it up and poured it in a glass. Pax watched as he topped it off with whipped cream and a cherry.
"I don't even know where to begin."
"I recommend taking a taste."
Pax put the glass to his lips and poured some of the ice cream mixture into his mouth. It was ice cold and sweet. It made everything better. Even in his life before this, he didn't know the last time he had a milkshake. It was delicious. He pulled it away and looked at Howard who laughed at him. "What's funny?"
Howard motioned to his own face.
Pax licked his lips free of the whipped cream mustache. He wiped his beard clean on his sleeve. "Thank you. It may be the best milkshake I've ever had. Where did you get everything from? I'm assuming you have power hooked up to keep it all frozen, and the lights running, but I don't hear a generator. So, solar?"
Howard smiled again. Pax was beginning to think he met Santa Claus with how generous and friendly the man was. "Lots of questions you got there. Yes, we have solar. Working on a lot of things, actually." He motioned for Pax to follow him back behind the counter and into the kitchen.
The kitchen was stocked with tons of supplies. Food for months it looked like. Canned goods, potatoes, onions and more. Whatever Pax could think of should be at a diner, it was there, but it was also there in bulk. He hadn't even looked in the freezer, but he imagined it was stocked full with the way that Howard had given him a milkshake so freely. "Where did you get all of this?" Pax heard himself ask. It was almost involuntary.
"Well, this is a diner, you know?"
"It's just so much."
"We trade with other groups. I was stockpiling for some time, but when it all went down, I knew where I got my supplies from. I knew where the truckers came from and went to. It wasn't too hard."
Pax knew the man wasn't lying. He didn't think he would be invited in so easily if Howard had been raiding living people's supplies. Sure, everyone raided now, but it was different when those people were dead. "Why are you showing me all of this? You don't know me. You've seen me for a few minutes." Pax had to ask him. Some people were lucky in finding a good stronghold and pile of guns. What happened when someone came wanting what they had? Pax had been in that very group, coming after people. There were other men like Guthrie out there, and probably worse, too.
Howard turned to Pax. "I understand what you're saying. We've had a few bad apples come our way, and I'm not proud to say it— Actually, fuck it, I am proud to say it. Those who intend us harm, we put them down. We're generous, but we're also survivalists. I'm here to keep these people and myself safe. If they want to test that, they won't like the outcome." He rubbed his face and met Pax's eyes.
"You seem like the type of man who understands what I'm saying. I have a good read on people, and those people out there, they mean something to you, Pax. Even after everything that's happened, you want to keep your people safe. No matter what darkness eats you inside."
Howard turned and pushed open the back door, waiving his hand in the air for Pax to follow. Pax stood a moment, feeling as if he just had his soul read. How could this man know him down to the core after a few moments? Maybe everyone had a similar story, so it was easy to generalize. Still, Pax couldn't stop the shiver from tingling down his spine one last time.
Outside, Pax saw a small garden in boxes. "What we don't scavenge, we grow," Howard said.
"Is this enough to sustain everyone?"
Howard nodded. "We're still working on expansion, but it's keeping us fine. Plus some for trade. Within a year, we'll have much larger crops out across this area." Howard pointed to an open area next to a shack.
"This place is incredible."
"I know it. We still have more to do, but isn't that the case with everything?" Howard watched Pax look at everything for a moment, then broke the silence. "So, Pax. I've shown you pretty much everything here. That's not going to be a problem, now, is it?"
Pax met Howard's eyes and saw the serious look on his face. "No sir, your place is safe with me. In fact, we'd love to trade at some point with you."
"Alright, so what's it gonna be?"
"Not quite just yet, though. Actually, maybe you can help with that."
"How so?"
"We love the trade idea, so don't think I'm knocking that. But what we need right now are other communities to link up with. If we can all come together, then we can be great together."
Howard eyed Pax suspiciously. "I'm not sure I follow."
"I'm looking for other people. Communities that want to combine efforts."
Howard frowned. "I see. But that's not really what I'm doing here. Most communities don’t want to be found.”
"I'd be willing to trade for any information you can give me, if that's what it takes. Maybe point me in the direction of a few camps? We've got medical supplies and other miscellaneous things you may need."
"I think you should go."
Pax stepped back a little. What had he said that made Howard so put off? "I'm not sure I follow."
Howard quickly pulled his gun up. "I think you heard me just fine. It's not often I'm wrong about people, but I think that's what has happened here."
"Howard, I don't know what's going on, but I think you just need to calm down."
"I am here to trade, do business, and make a damn good burger. I'm not here to sell anyone out. Communities depend on me, and I depend on them." Howard pushed his gun toward Pax a little. "You're the second person that's come in here looking for people, but that's not for sale. What you're after isn't just helping and building, it's conquering and controlling."
"How—"
"You say one more word and I'll put a bullet in you. It's time to leave." Pax rested his hand on his pistol, more out of habit than anything. "You wanna keep that thing holstered until you get a mile down the road, unless you and your people want to become worm food."
Pax dropped his hand to his side, avoiding his gun. He walked around the building and to the gates that were already open. When he got outside the gates, they began to close. "Howard, you're making a mistake. I think I just presented the situation wrong. I mean nobody harm."
Howard stared at him through the closing gates. "Maybe I am making a mistake. Maybe I'm wrong. But there's a learning experience in this for you. You rub someone else the wrong way and m
aybe they won't be so kind like I was." The gate closed, and Pax was left staring at the metal wall. He knew there was no use in trying to explain anything more.
16
Dan
Dan brushed his shoulder against a tree, causing some of the bark to fall to the ground. He was getting tired of walking out here. The past six months had been very eye-opening on the level of exercise he needed, but he had risen to the challenge. Living out in the woods and going on all the different supply runs had led to a lot of muscle and endurance. He was almost always hiking when he left the camp.
What was making him tired had been more mental than physical. He continued to follow Mick and the others, but the more he thought about it, the more he questioned it. Mick didn't fit the type. Sure, he was an asshole and a loud mouth. That he was sure of. But if he was going to kill someone, wouldn't he make a big show of it? He wouldn't be sneaking off into the woods to kill small animals and gutting soulless. Maybe he'd try and go hunting, maybe make a big deal about the giant elk he shot, but squirrels? Not the type.
Was it worth still following him, then? It wouldn't solve the mystery of who was killing those animals. The longer he tried to find Mick, the more time that other person could turn into a threat. Dan shook his head as he continued to walk. Of course, it was still worth following Mick. Just because there was another threat to the camp, didn't mean it made Mick any less of a threat to them. In fact, it was more important to find Mick first because it was the problem that Dan knew he could solve immediately. In fact, if the apple didn't fall far from the tree, maybe the other threat was Shane.
Shane seemed like a good guy, so it was all the more likely it could be him. Dan knew firsthand how easy it was to fool people into believing the type of person someone was. He had been doing it most of his life. The one thing Dan couldn't fake, though, was love.
Maybe others were good at it, but it was such a genuine emotion he hadn't mastered that he wondered if anyone could. And no, loving someone and then falling out of love wasn't what Dan had meant. That was more of an infatuation. Dan saw the love that Shane had for Lacey. He could tell it was real, even if he didn't fully understand it.
Dan loved in his own way, which was to say, he valued them for their love to him. They kept him safe, just as he kept them safe. It was kind of like being loyal or reliable.
Could Dan ever really love someone? Maybe he did once, or at least, it felt that way. He closed his eyes tight, trying not to remember any of it, but he found himself still thinking. He thought maybe he found someone years ago that he could be his true self with, but she turned out to be something else. Mistakes he never wanted to make again. He didn't need to relive it right now. Besides, Courtney was probably the best thing for him. He could be who he was in this new world with her, and that was enough. Wasn't it?
Voices in the distance brought him out of his head. He stopped walking and tried to hear where it was coming from. A woman's voice came from his right. He couldn't make out what she was saying, but then heard a man's voice answer back. He turned softly on his feet and took a few steps. Around the tree ahead he saw Shane and Lacey. They both looked tired and a little scared. Lacey looked as if she had been crying. He stepped closer to them, pulling his knife, but keeping it at his side so as not to spook them. He cleared his throat loudly.
Shane and Lacey both turned their heads toward Dan. Their eyes were wide like a deer in headlights. Shane immediately grabbed at Lacey, trying to step in front of her. "Dan, what are you doing here? We left just like you asked us to."
Dan nodded and a thought crossed into Dan's mind that he hadn't thought before. They knew how Mick was. Maybe they had ditched him. Maybe he was too much of a loose cannon, even for family. They may be able to come back to the camp. Sure, Dan would have no problem killing them both right here but more hands to work at the bunker was always better for survival. "Where's Mick?" Dan finally asked.
Shane considered Dan for a moment. Lacey clung to her husband's shoulder. "Why do you want Mick?" Dan watched Shane's eyes go down to where Dan held his knife. "Just let us go. We aren't bothering you anymore."
Dan still held the gun in his left hand but didn't raise it. He hoped he didn't need to. "If Mick is gone, I need to know. This could all be worked out. Otherwise, I can make it happen."
"Make it happen? I knew there was something off about you. All the talk about how great you are to the camp and for everyone. You do what needs to be done. It always kept me thinking otherwise, but I'm starting to think others were right."
"Others?"
"Whispers around camp about the things you've done. About what you are and what you're capable of."
Who would be whispering about that? Anybody who was at Alan's camp knew what he had to do. He saved them all. "Bullshit. I saved everyone."
"That's what they say, but what about now?"
"It doesn't matter. You weren't there. Everyone knows what I do needs to be done."
"You don't need to do anything else, Dan. Just let us go. You won't see us again."
Dan squeezed the grip on the knife harder. Shane might be right. But Dan had already taken this too far. He shook his head. "Where is Mick?"
"I don't know." Shane’s eyes darted to the left of Dan quickly. Dan turned just before a bat came swinging down in front of his face. He barely dodged the attack and stumbled backward. Dan's foot caught a tree root, and he fell backward. He dropped his gun, sending it sliding into a mess of leaves. It was completely out of sight. At least he still held his knife.
"You motherfuckin' piece of shit. You followed us out here?" Mick said, standing over Dan. He was covered in dirt and blood. "You think you can kill me? Do ya, Dan?"
Mick swung the bat again, but Dan quickly rolled to the side. He grabbed at Mick's legs and pulled as hard as he could. Mick dropped to his knees, but before Dan could get to his feet, Mick hit him in the gut with the butt of the bat. It wasn't too hard, but the placement of the blow was just enough to knock the wind out of him. "Goddammit," Dan said, trying to catch his breath.
Mick climbed back up to his feet as he watched Dan grip at his sides. "They all say the great Dan is capable of anything." He got down low to a whisper. "You know, I even heard some rumors about something dark inside of you. But I always thought, Danny here, he's just a pussy. All bark and no bite."
Nobody had called him Danny in a long time. Mick was definitely right about Danny. But he hadn't been Danny in a long time. "You son of a bitch," Dan said as he swung his blade out and planted it right in the tendon at Mick's ankle. Mick screamed in agony. Dan pushed hard forward instead of pulling back. The blade tore through his Achilles tendon, pouring blood out over the leaves and cold dirt on the ground. Mick's screams elevated to another level.
"You motherfucker! You motherfucker!" Mick kept screaming. He grabbed at his leg, but it was a torn, bloody mess. Dan slowly climbed to his feet.
"Even on my worst day, I'm still better than you," Dan said, kicking the bat away from Mick. Mick, still writhing in pain, grabbed at Dan's leg. He pulled the pant leg up and sunk his teeth deep into his flesh. Dan yelled out.
Shane and Lacey came running up to the two of them. "You're going to bring all the dead up on us," Shane said. The pulled at Mick, dragging him off Dan. Dan fell to the ground again, examining his leg. Mick had broken the skin, but it wasn't anything he couldn't live with. He could get antibiotics back at camp. Right now, though, he had a man to kill.
Before Dan could get up, he saw the pack of soulless in the trees. "Shane!" he yelled out, but he was too late. Lacey hadn't been paying attention, and the first of the pack reached her. It sunk its teeth deep into her shoulder, causing her to cry out. Shane quickly spun around and grabbed the rotting suited man off his wife. He flung its skull against a tree, cracking it into a mess of brains.
Shane looked at his wife, tears in his eyes. She was crying, too. "Lacey, I'm sorry."
Mick still laid on the ground, trying to crawl to Dan. Dan grabbed Mick's
face and smashed it into the nearest tree. Blood ran down his face, and he gurgled on it when he tried to breathe. Dan grabbed his knife from the dirt and climbed to his feet. Mick leaned against the tree and looked up at Dan, then to his brother and sister-in-law. He was in no shape to go anywhere, and Dan could see it in his eyes that he knew it. The pack of soulless would kill him before he even had a chance to get up. Dan looked at Lacey's bite and turned to Shane. "I'm sorry—"
"Save it," Shane said.
Lacey finally spoke. "It's not enough that you exile us, but now you come try to kill us? You're a psychopath."
Dan watched the two of them. They each held onto each other, tight. "I love you more than anything, Lacey."
She smiled at him, tears in her eyes. "I know, and so do I."
Dan watched the two of them turn around and walk directly into the heard of soulless. He tried to keep an eye on them, but they were too overrun by the rotting bodies around them. Then the screams started. The pack of soulless continued to walk closer, so Dan turned and walked away. Mick began screaming, and Dan couldn't hear any footsteps following him. They were too busy eating the others to care about him.
Dan was right about Shane and Lacey. It was a love he would never understand.
17
Vanessa
The walk back to the vehicles and the drive had been silent. They had asked Pax what happened, and he had told them. Somehow, he had blown it. Vanessa still wasn't sure exactly what was bad about wanting to find other people. If people hadn't found Howard, then how would anyone know to trade with him? Maybe it was because Pax wanted to find the information bad enough to trade with him for it? He didn't know, but Howard had his reasons. Apparently, something about someone else wanting to know the same thing. That's all Pax had said about it.
Exodus: Soulless Wanderers Book 3 (A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Thriller) Page 9