by Roberts, Liz
“Hey guys what’s up?” Jack said looking at all the men.
“Not much we were actually just talking about you.” Kurt said to Jack as he went up to him and put his arm around him. “Tell him Casey”.
“Yeah, we wanted to know if you would be interested in working with Andy and Mike, helping out with security, and plans and such.” Casey asked Jack directly. Jack looked at Mike who seemed genuinely happy by this prospect also.
“Do you mean like all the time? Like every day I can work with them on stuff?” Jack asked quizzically.
“Yeah you would be part of their security team.” Kurt said.
“OH Hell yes!” Jack said getting excited. “When do you want me to start?” He said.
“How about tomorrow after breakfast, why don’t you meet them in the lunch room, and you guys can go from there.” Casey said glad that Jack liked this idea. He went through shaking all their hands with enthusiasm, and then took off running back the way he came.
“You know he’s going to tell Jill about this.” Kurt said out loud.
“So?” Casey replied.
“I don’t think she’ll take this news as good as Jack. He’s like her little brother.” Tom said.
“Dude she’s gonna be pissed, I would not want to be you.” Andy said as him and Mike started to leave.
Jack was shaking hands with the last guys Jeff wanted to see today. He was pretty sure he just witnessed something bad going down, at least for him and Tyler. Especially with the looks on their faces before Jack interrupted them. Trying to plan something mischievous was hard enough, but with these ass’s always cutting him off at the pass, it was starting to get fucking irritating. He saw the pack going their separate ways and figured he wouldn’t get any more info out of them today, now only if Tyler did his job and got some answers out of Jack they would be in business. Jeff started walking around the lumber yard, taking definite notice of all the women and teenage girls walking around, the lumber still seemed pretty abundant with them. He went back through the receiving doors and into the main store, he wandered around there bit, looking at all the useless electronics now, useless computers, and again all the potential female company around. He’d already been around with several of them, lovely desperate women were his forte. He saw Jill walking down one of the aisles, it was nice to watch her walk. He really had to get on her good side, how could she not go for him? You know the world does need to be re-populated he thought and he saw all these ventures as him just doing his part for humanity.
“Jill, wait up. How you do’n?” He asked as he jogged up next to her.
“I’m fine. You?” She kept her answers always brief with him. Jeff gave her the creeps, the way he was always leering at people, especially the younger girls and women around here. She had noticed this several times. She wasn’t stupid. She always got the feeling that he was watching her too. She also knew for certain that Jeff hated Kurt and Tom, and absolutely despised Casey. She could totally understand why he’d pick Cindi, Tom’s daughter
“Where you off too?” Jeff said
“I’m going to check on the plants in the green house. Some of those tomatoes I think are ripe.” She tried to quicken up her pace.
“I’ll go with you, I never seen the green houses they built.” Jeff said trying to keep it light and friendly. Hoping to grab a little alone time with Jill, maybe see if she’s happy here, maybe he’d push his luck and see how kissable she was too. Following her through the door of the greenhouse sure gave him a nice view, and lil’ chub, he wasn’t gonna lie.
“Wow this is nice, they really grow shit in here.” Jeff just trying to chit chat and work up to the point of this conversation. Jill proceeded to pick tomatoes and look in on the other plants, when Jeff came up behind her and asked.
“How do you like this place?” He asked a couple feet from behind her, which was still too close.
“I think it’s great, I haven’t felt this safe in a really long time. You don’t really have to worry too much about food or water.” She listed off a few other pros.
“So you like all the rules and BS they have around here?” Jeff was now getting to the meat of his questions that he had for Jill.
“Why wouldn’t I? I think it helps keep order and a semblance of what was once normal.” She was standing up facing him, unsure where this conversation was heading. Jeff walked closer to her.
“Do you want someone telling you what do to for the rest of your life? What if you could find your own space somewhere?” Jeff was bringing his hand up the side of her arm, sort of in a caressing manner. Jill now had the hairs on the back of her neck standing up, if there was one thing her mother taught her and ingrained in her head, it was trust those little hairs.
“I’m all done here why don’t we head back out.” Jill said trying to step away in the narrow aisles. His grip tightened a bit.
“Jeff you’re hurting me. Is there something else you need to tell me?” Jill said hoping to keep him talking.
“Well I just wanted to know what you thought of this place. And what do you think of me?” Jeff asked and stepped closed to Jill as she stepped back.
“Don’t really know you, but I don’t know a lot of people here so……..” She let her answer sort of fade out, not really sure what he was wanting her to say. But she knew what he wanted, that much was crystal clear.
“How about we go back out now, it’s getting warm in here and I’m real thirsty.” Jill said and started to forcefully walk towards the door, jerking her arm out of his grip. Jeff did not like this, in fact he was pissed. Girls around here hadn’t been cooperating for days now, he had enough.
“Listen let’s just sit down a bit and talk some.” He insisted grabbing her arm again and turning her back around to face him. She was starting to dig her heels in as he grabbed her other arm and started tugging her deeper into the building.
“Please you’re really hurting me Jeff, let go.” She tried pleading. “Don’t make me have to hurt you.” Now she tried threatening. Shit, because that’s all she had at the moment. Her ankle was still weak and she was off balance with the way he was holding, he had a very strong upper body, and could easily man handle her. Jill had thoughts running all through her head, she had to fight now or let him do whatever to her. No way was that going to happen, surviving zombies, dehydration, near starvation just to end up abused by this jack off? If she was going down, it would be fighting. She managed to slip her right arm away and dig her nails into his face drawing blood, while bringing her knee up towards his groin. He grunted in pain and grabbed his face, which caused her knee to strike his abdomen, but it was still a shot. He still held on to her left arm with a vise like grip. He turned back and glared at her. Jeff gave her arm a jerk and she was smashed right up again his chest. He used his free hand to grab her face and make her look at him.
“I was going to be nice, but since you want to play rough … . . that’s fine, I like it better that way.” Jeff grinning at her, he pushed her back and swung at Jill, she saw it coming and dodged it, but he was quick to bring his hand back and get her with a closed fist back hand. BAM! Square on the left side of her face, Jill saw the fireflies as he tripped her so she fell on the ground knocking the wind of her momentarily. Jeff stood above her, put his hands on his zipper, spiting mad, literally. Jill was stronger than this, what was wrong with her, she’d killed plenty of zombies, struggled with crazed survivors, and she could certainly handle this bastard. She flipped her head back around to glare right at him and said.
“Let’s do this bitch!” Jill said venomously as she was rearing back to kick his balls up through head. Jeff was definitely surprised by her sudden change, from chick to scary girl in a matter of seconds. With his hesitation, that bought Jack enough time to complete a diving tackle over a table of plants at Jeff. Slamming both guys into another table, Jeff’s back taking the brunt of the blow and all the fight out of him.
They scuffled on the floor for minute or two while Tom and Kurt r
an over pull them apart, Casey bent down to help pick Jill up. She stood slowly while watching what was happening. Tom and Kurt had a hold of Jeff as he hunched over in pain and started bringing him to the door.
“Don’t worry about this dirt bag, they have a holding cell in the security room. Probably held feisty shoplifters back in the day, but now you’ll get comfy there won’t ya?” Kurt said giving him a biff on the back of the head and yanking hard on Jeff’s one arm with Tom on the other arm. As they were walking him by Jill, he gave her a knowing smirk, and that was enough to put Jill over the edge as she cocked her hip and kicked her foot out, planting that foot square in his junk. With a new burning pain and puking sensation now running through Jeff’s stomach he was doubled over in pain the whole way out and across the yard. Jill’s adrenaline now slowing down she had to grab a seat and with her hands shaking she slumped as Casey managed to grab her quick before she fell to the floor.
“Are you ok? You’re bleeding. I should go get Beth.” Jack said looking over Jill’s face.
“Yeah see if she’s in her room. We’ll probably need some ice.” Casey was telling Jack as he sprinted off with his new mission.
“Maybe we should lay you down or something. Do you need some water?” He was walking her over to sit down on some bags of soil against the wall.
“Did you want to … . talk about it or need to cry?” Casey asked hoping she’d talk about anything at the moment because he wasn’t sure if he could handle her tears or listening to what that jack ass Jeff was obviously trying to do to her. He noticed the two of them come in here and thought it weird so he and the others followed, obviously not fast enough though. If Jack hadn’t been blocking his path going in the door way, it would have been him kicking Jeff’s ass. He probably would have thrown him through the glass, so it might have better Jack tore after him.
“No…..I’m fine….” Jill tried to say without it sounding to forced or uncomfortable. She could feel the burn behind her eyes, her hands still shaking, she was about to cry and she didn’t want to. Not in front of Casey, she was still embarrassed and mad from their last conversation. She stood up, man her legs were shaky, and she started to wipe her face some and turned to walk away when Casey was there right behind her. He gently put his hands on her shoulders and turned her and tried to hug her, but she wasn’t being totally cooperative and tried to shove Casey away, but eventually she gave up and let him hold her while she silently cried some. They just stood there, not talking, Casey slowly stroking her back hoping to soothe her. After a few minutes he tilted Jill’s head back to look at her face, reluctant at first but eventually giving in she looked up at him. Casey could see the bruise developing under her eye and her lip was split a little. Knowing now wasn’t the best time, he still wanted to kiss her and unsure where this sudden urge to kiss came from, he leaned forward a bit and touched his lips to hers. Neither person seemed to really know what was happening but they went with it. Casey brought his other hand up to Jill’s unmarred cheek and he held her face there while he kissed her slow and gently. It had been a while for both of them.
“I should have kicked his ass when I had the chance. Why did you guys stop me, I could have taken him.” Jack now pacing back and forth, the party had moved to outside the greenhouse so Beth could better attend to Jill.
“That guy would have mangled you. He’s bigger and has experience from being an asshole on his side.” Casey told him.
“That’s Bullshit!” Jack said shoving Casey back and he let himself take the shove. He understood Jack’s frustration in having seen what he couldn’t prevent. It challenged the male ego and pride, guys usually felt the need to hit something after that. It must go back to the Neanderthal days of grunting and club wielding.
“He’s right.” Jill said as Beth administered a little antiseptic and she was holding an ice pack against her cheek.
“You surprised him with that flying squirrel tackle, so you had the upper hand for a bit, but it wouldn’t have taken long before he pinned you down beat your ass.” Jill finished. She was ready to just go somewhere quiet for a bit.
“Oh knock it off about the ass kicking.” Beth now stepping in. “Things could have been a lot worse, so Jack be happy you got to help, and Casey be happy you didn’t have to throw anyone off the roof.” She said with her voice rising and noticed the surprised look on his face, like getting his hand caught in the cookie jar. “Yes I can read your mind, if Jacky here hadn’t jumped in first that Jeff guy would be laying on the parking lot pavement right now. So shut up and let’s be thankful everyone is still alive.” Beth finished her sermon and continued checking Jill out.
“Guys! Guys, look at this!” Meghan, Beth’s daughter, came rushing to the edge of the roof and was shouting down at the group. “You have to come see this, quick!” She said excitedly. Everyone managed to get to the roof without too much trouble.
“Why are they so riled up?” Jack asked observing the raucous below. Everyone was now looking over into the parking lot at all the zombies now starting to file in, making angry noises, hungry noises, grunts shouts emanating from below. Some were ambling fast, others barely able to walk, a few dragging a limb, while others had no limbs at all, and just grotesque figures staggering towards the building.
“Why are there suddenly so many, could they hear us?” Jill asked seriously confused.
“No.” Casey was looking on and was starting to feel defeated. “It’s getting warmer out, smells travel farther, the Zeds thaw out from the harsh winter up north, they sense us maybe, who knows. But last summer was vicious, and it’s definitely getting worse and far more crowded around here. I thought we would have had at least another week or two before it got bad, but there must be more of them out there now.” Casey said.
“What do you mean more?” Jack asked.
“More. As in more new ones, as in more human survivors that use to be alive, that are now mindless flesh eating zombies. People that could have been hiding out within miles of us and we couldn’t find them so now there here anyway.” Casey said, clearly upset now. He’d always thought maybe a year or two of surviving and then things would start to look up again. Maybe the government would start sorting stuff out. But each month, and now each year passed and it just started looking more and more bleak. Hopeless. Watching them stumble through the empty parking lot, closer to the building almost single file like, as if it were Thanksgiving and they needed that one last item to complete their perfect dinner only to find the grocery store closed. A few sprinters spotted them up on the roof and screamed with rage as they began to haul ass towards the building. Casey called in some orders on his walkie talkie to let the others know they were having company and quick. This was a process that was long, many days and weeks, and it lasted day and night. It made it difficult to travel in and out of the place. And this is when lots of people died. Casey had worked hard with the others over the winter to make stuff extra secured, in hopes that they wouldn’t lose anyone this summer. Now they would see if how their efforts fair.
“Where are you going?” Jill said as Casey starting walking to a locked shed that they had constructed on the roof that held weapons.
“We’ve got to start thinning them out because in a matter of minutes they might overwhelm the fences. Trust me, this has happened before with dire results. We’ve got to jump on this and now.” Casey told them as the stairwell door opened up from the store below and about ten more men and women were on the roof suited up in there ragtag zombie killing garb and grabbing weapons.
“No firearms yet, just see what you can do with this stuff.” He told them as people started grabbing there weapon of choice and started setting up along the rooftop. There were sandbags placed all along the edge to give people a place to set up and fire from and to rest. Most would be there all night with runners to fetch more ammo, food and or drink. They would switch out when the shooter would declare himself too tired to continue, then they’d go and try to get some rest and another runner would be up
in place. It was a decent system that had been proven to work.
“What do you need us to do?” Jack now very anxious to help, asked Casey.
“Go downstairs and find Andy, he’ll let you know.” He said
“Wait … … what?!!?” Jill confused over hearing the exchange between Casey and Jack just now.
“No.” She said and grabbed on to Jack’s arm before he could get away. “He’s not going anywhere, what’s happening?” Still confused.
“I’m on the security team now, it’s cool.” Jack told her obviously shocked face.
“You didn’t tell her?” Casey looked at Jack who looked down at his shoes. “We offered him a job, I guess you could call it, with Andy and Mike and the rest of the crew, he told us he would tell you right away so there wouldn’t be confusion.” Casey went on to finish.
“We’ll that conversation failed to happen. The boy is only seventeen, and sheltered over the last year. What makes you think he can do any of this stuff you guys do.” Jill starting to get emotional and worried about Jack’s safety, angry now for even caring about Jack at all. Jack was now looking at her hurt and offended. Casey was already geared up for this conversation and was getting ready to give her a rebuttal.
“You know what … … “ Jill cutting everyone else off before this conversation went somewhere she didn’t want it to go.
“He’s nothing to me, do whatever the hell you like Jack.” There was no relation what so ever. They were friends she supposed, they’d known each other a handful of months. She had no say in what he wanted or did. So she walked away with her ice pack, leaving the two guys and everyone else looking after her then, at each other. She nearly plowed into Kurt and Tom as they came up to the roof.
“Dude what’s gotten into her? Did you guys have a fight or something? We were seriously only gone a few minutes.” Tom said walking up pointing his thumb back over his shoulder.