Surviving The Aftermath (Book 1): The Dead Linger

by Roberts, Liz

  “Hi guys. This here is Brian. I met him on my travels.”

  “See you found your razor.”

  “And some scissors.” A couple of the guys added other smartass comments.

  “We’ve got company!” Meghan and her watch partner shouted down from the southeast tower.

  “There out front too!” Kurt shouted down from the roof the dollar store. The walkies were lighting up with chatter. There was a quick moment of silences that was broken by bullets flying and hitting wood or the brick of the building. They’d whiz by and cut through air. The firing seemed to be erratic and random.

  “Battle stations!” Oscar and Casey started shouting.

  “Brian, grab Susie,” he pointed to his daughter, “and get all the kids and elderly inside the Kohl’s store. She’ll show you where to go.”

  “But I want to fight with you. You might need my help.”

  “I’ll come get if you if I need back up, but for now you need to help with this.” Tom ran towards the dollar store with the others to grab a weapon and ammo. He had a rifle and was grabbing a box of ammo when Oscar stilled his hand.

  “Yes?” He asked the man. He’d been waiting for this, from any or all of the guys he’d been friends with to question his return in some matter. He was a deserter, a betrayer, the hieratic he knew trust had to be re-established with them.

  “Oscar he’s fine, let’s get to work.” Casey helped the situation along. Everyone was assembling on the roof or the side. They were being attacked from multiple locations, by humans, for the first time ever, it made people panic and sloppy. Casey was slower than the rest, by the time he got to the roof it was bedlam, people were crouched behind the sand bags shooting blinding over. Others were throwing rocks from the roof. There were three trucks parked sporadically in the parking lot and they were firing there weapons back also.

  “Everyone cease fire! Hold your fire!” Casey was trying to gain control of the situation again. Firing was slowing down when one of the trucks started up and made a bee line for the door. He knew immediately was their intentions were.

  “Shoot out the tires! Don’t let them break through!” A crew of people sprinted for the roof above the main door and began firing at the truck. A bullet hit the windshield spraying blood up from the inside, he was either dead or wounded as the truck was jerked to the right and plowed into a tree, obviously the passenger of this vehicle wasn’t buckled in as he went flying through the windshield and into the tree line that separated the stores from the houses. Another truck had already begun its hasty race to smash the door in. Again a barrage of bullets hailed down on this truck, but it managed to get through and ram into the first door. The force with which the car hit shook the support roof causing a member of the fort to fall down onto the truck. Everyone gasped as it happened, not knowing what the next step was. They held their fire because they didn’t want to hit one of their own. But they watched as the truck was thrown into reverse, causing the fallen man to slide from the roof, to the hood and down the ground. The truck stopped, revved its engine, everyone knew what was coming. There was no time to react, they were screaming for him to get up, move, to run, get out of the way. Some began firing again, at the tires, the windshield, anything, but it was no good. The man on the ground stood up with enough time to watch the truck smash him in half up against the door. Blood spurted from his mouth, his guts sprang out, and his head hit the door with a sickening smack on the aluminum door. He lay dead on the hood of the truck, pinned between the truck and door. Everyone was horrified, and resumed firing. A bullet must have hit the engine block as steam started escaping from the side of the hood.

  Casey couldn’t believe what he’d witnessed, he and other started concentrating their fire power on the truck. The lone truck in the parking lot took off after seeing the truck by the door was disabled. The driver slipped out and began to sprint after it, shouting not to be left. Casey had everyone hold their fire as he raised his gun and sniped the man in the back of the leg, right in the hamstring. That had to be painful.

  “Andy, grab a few others, and get the sonofabitch in here. We have some questions. Oh, and get Adam’s body, we don’t leave ours out there if we can help it.”

  Casey turned to Oscar and Tom. “How’s the other side?”

  “Truck is gone, took off right away.”

  “Well, we have one survivor.” He indicated to them men and women dragging the wounded man into the door.

  “I think we need to ask him some questions.”

  Luke picked up Kim from her place at the wall, he had cut her duct tape off and was standing her in front of the others now.

  “Anyone have anything to say?”

  “Besides fuck you. No not really.” Joe said. Luke grabbed Kim around the neck and yanked her against his chest with his knife at her chin.

  “You’d rather me rape the information out of her? Oh she’ll tell me.” He ran his knife up the back of the inside of her shirt and cut it off. So she stood in her sports bra. “Because in about 20mins, after we’ve all had a round, she’ll tell me anything I want to know. You would want her to have to live with that horror for the rest of her life?”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Tell me how do I get in?”

  “You can’t. There’s a serious of doors that are locked down, other than blowing them up you’re screwed.” Luke was seething, no one said he couldn’t do anything anymore.

  “No, she’s screwed.” He throw Kim on the ground, when the door burst open, two of his men came stumbling in, covered in blood and cuts.

  “Where the fuck you two been?” Luke was almost in a frenzied rage.

  “We went to stake out the place like you said, they must have spotted us cause the next this we know they are firing at us. They killed Chuck and Johnny. I think they got Stevie too.”

  “They have him alive?” Luke asked containing his anger.

  Immediately realizing his mistake the man tried to back pedal out of his situation. “Well I doubt he’s alive. I mean he tried to crash open the door like Chuck and they shot him, I’m sure they killed Stevie the same way.”

  Looking concerned and perplexed Luke asked. “What do you mean they crashed into the door?”

  “They tried busting in, but Chuck and Johnny were killed before they could get there and crashed into a tree. But Stevie, he dented the shit out of that door, I saw it. I bet he was able to break in.”

  “Why didn’t you stay with him?”

  “I panicked. I thought for sure they’d kill him and then turn on me. There’s so many of them and they have guns. They shot out all my tires, most of the windows are gone and I think there’s a gas leak.” Luke turned away and walked around a minute. Jack and the others just watched, not sure what to do. They were impressed and elated that their friends were alive and had these guys scared, but they were still here. Luke was standing over Jack, looking down at him.

  “What do you think buddy?” Jack just stared straight ahead not acknowledging his question. “My thoughts exactly.” Luke replied. “You know, you should have just stayed and taken your chances.” BLAM! the gun blast inside was deafening, everyone’s ears were ringing. The man’s body had been thrown back a few feet, seeing as how the shot had come from almost point blank range. Luke spit on the man’s body. The other men stood with their guns just staring.

  “Well clean this shit up!” Luke hollered. “We’ve gotta move, we’ve attracted too much attention.” Everyone started moving, some grabbed the tied up captives, another grabbed Kim, now covered with a fine mist of blood, and they hustled them out to the trucks that were left. Zombies were starting to come out of the wood work. A couple other guys’ drug out the dead body into the street, it would be a nice distraction for them to get away. The shoved Jack and the rest into the bed of the truck, they sat in such a way they tried to shield Kim from the elements and prying eyes seeing as she was still without her shirt. They drove away watching the zombies devour the freshly murder
ed man. Jack sent up a few dozen prayers that Jill would find them.

  Jill, Mike and Phil sat in their car parked a couple blocks down from where they had seen the truck finally pull up to a hardware store. They watched as the men emerged from their hiding hole, with their people and Jack in tow.

  “We should move now.” Phil said.

  “No, it’s too dangerous, we’re out numbered. Plus, they’d kill us or them.”

  “Look.” Mike pointed at the men dragging a body out and down the street a little ways. “That’s not one of us.” He was the driver of the wrecked truck that came pulling up a few moments ago.

  “See, if they kill their own people, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill us.” Jill said

  “Why are they keeping them alive?” Phil asked.

  “For information, they want what we have.” Jill answered.

  “Are we following? You know we’ll be spotted.” Mike said.

  “I want to but, they would just hide them somewhere else. We know they are going to stay in this part of the city, it’s close to the fort, lots of houses and cover.” Everyone was quiet as they watched two trucks, one including their friends turn the corner.

  “Ok we’ll do our best to stay hidden.” Jill announced and started the car and gunned it out of the parking spot they picked. Carefully they weaved their way from block to block, following very far behind, it was easy since the trucks were the only other cars moving. About after a mile of what seemed to be endless driving, the truck parked. Jill quickly pulled up along a disabled car in the road, they could see over it. They were unloading everyone into a house.

  “Wait … . where’s the other truck?” Suddenly everyone was jerked forward as the truck plowed into the back of them.

  “Shit! Go Jill Go!” Mike was trying to get his hand gun out of his pants waistband. Jill was trying to start the car quick, the engine not turning over, gun shots were ringing out. Phil’s blood sprayed as a bullet enter from the back of his shoulder exited the front.

  “Oh god that hurts!” Phil lay in the back seat clutching his shoulder. Jill gunned it and took off down the street. She headed towards the other truck, with the one in hot pursuit.

  “Get on the radio!” Mike grabbed it and started calling Carlton at the base.

  “Tell them were under fire.” She was getting ready to speed past it. Gun fire was pursuing them and the others had stepped out from the house and proceeded to fire also. Jill turned the corner before the house to avoid the extra guns. From behind them gun fire was slowing down, the driver realized he couldn’t shoot and drive at the same time, so they were gaining some distance. Jill hoped they could make it back to the fort. She was taking every turn she could to try and shake them, the bullets had stopped and the driver seemed to be gaining. With her car smashed up they couldn’t get the speed she wanted, it felt as if something was pinching the tires.

  “Mike we’re not going to make it.”

  “Fine, pull over and we’ll shoot it out.” She looked over at him.

  “No, one of us has to make it back to the fort and let them know where we are.” Bullets slammed in the car. “We can’t out run them. We’re not far, you’ve got your rifle, I’ll slow down a bit and you jump when I say.”

  “No way, I show up without you Casey will kill me.”

  “No he won’t, because he’ll need you to rescue us.” Between sharp turns, checking her rearview and dodging bullets, she pleaded with Mike. “Please Mike. It doesn’t make sense for us all to get captured.” Mike just looked at her as she multitasked.

  “Fine. But you better be alive when we come get you.” Jill saw an alley coming up, she spun the wheel and floored it. Stopping between some houses and a garage she slowed the car sliding in the gravel, the other truck hadn’t made the turn yet.

  “GO your clear!” And Mike leaped out of the still moving SUV and wedged himself between a garage and some bushes. Hitting the gas again Jill shot gravel back as the truck was speeding down after her.

  “Phil get up in the front!” Painfully he climbed over the seats, using his belt he did his best to stop the bleeding in his arm. More gunfire riddled the car. A loud noise followed and Jill almost lost control of the car.

  “Crap they got a tire!” In pure desperation, Jill and Phil stuck their guns out the window to fire back, Jill felt the car starting to go. She usually had decent ideas in situations like this, but not now. The truck had no problem pulling up alongside, they were going to try and PIT her. “Hold on!” She slammed on the brakes and turned the car around limping on 3 wheels and now a rim. She could see the face of the men in the truck, oh they were pissed. Firing began again, hitting the other tire now, there was no way to go fast enough to prevent the crash about to happen. Showing no mercy the truck proceeded to speed towards the ailing SUV and careened into the back seat drivers’ side door, sending the SUV spinning so the front end came around and hit the front of the truck and with the center of gravity being so high Jill and Phil tipped over and rolled. Coming to rest, they were up against an abandoned car in the road. Jill was hanging from her seatbelt. She put her hand on the roof to brace herself and unbuckled her belt. She said on the ceiling of the car, she heard car doors shutting and could see the feet of the men walking over.

  “Phil, Phil.” She whispered and turned around to look. He was balled up against the roof and the dashboard, his neck at a very awkward angle with his eyes wide staring into nothing. Someone grabbed her legs and pulled her out of the car on her stomach, they flipped her around and she fired into the chest of the man over her. Her gun clicked empty and the one left alive kicked her hands sending the gun away.

  “Knock it off you bitch.” He grabbed her hair yanked her up off the ground. He got her to the hood of the dented truck and pressed her bodily against it. He grabbed a roll of duct tape, with her arms behind her back he started wrapping it around and around. When he was done he pressed himself into her hands so she could feel his semi hard dick. He leaned forward “Yeah you know what that is. Just wait till we get back to the house.”

  Chapter 13

  He was tied to a chair. Great. Suppose it could be worse, he could be dead. He was blindfold and he had handcuffs on his wrists, tape he thought around his legs and rope maybe around his chest. He could hear mumbling, but couldn’t make out any of the words, he knew this wasn’t good. Luke was going to kill him. They weren’t supposed to attack the place, just watch it. But Chuck wanted to be a hero, thought if he could take it over then Luke would treat him better. Fat chance. If he squealed and Luke found out, he was dead. Smack A slap a across the face, oh did that burn.

  “What’s your name?” Stevie remained silent, he was too scared. He knew they would kill him, he’d tortured many people, he knew how this game worked. Make it painful, make promises and make them talk. Then their done. So this was how he was going to die, the irony. Another slap came on the other cheek.

  “Where are you from?” No, can’t speak. Don’t say anything. Smack

  “It’s better for yourself if you talk.” Oh how many times had he said that exact sentence?

  “We know you’re not the leader, but if you tell us where he is, we’ll let you go.” First empty promise.

  “Just tell us your name, we’ll give you some water.” Another promise. Smack He hoped soon his cheeks would go numb.

  “Look, I know your use to a different caliber of people, liars, cheats, murders, rapist. But here we keep our promises, Stevie.”

  “How the fuck do you know my name?” He replied. Tom circled around the man, this man had punished him before and killed Jeff. He’d seem him take women, and knew what he’d done to kids.

  “I know a lot about you, and that Hell Hole you call home. About the poisons you, Luke and the others force your captives to make.” Stevie was panicked. Was this the military or the cops? How did they know all this?

  “Listen Luke started that stuff, it was all his idea, I swear. I didn’t want anything to do with that.”


  “I saw you murder people.” Tom got down in his face.

  “No.”

  “You molested children.”

  Stevie winced, ready to cry, “No!”

  “You broke up families, killed moms while the kids watched.”

  Hanging his head and now crying. “I didn’t want to. He made me.” Tom ripped his blindfold off, the fluorescents causing Stevie to squint at the man in front of him.

  “You don’t remember me?” Stevie shook his head. “Tom.” He pointed to himself. “I use to be a lot scragglier, you tortured me a few times, you made me watch while you tortured Jeff. Remember? I believe you were cutting off one of his fingers, while another held my head to watch.” Stevie started to shake and cry.

  “Please don’t kill me.” Spit was sliding out of his mouth. “I was just a copy repair man.”

  “With homicidal tendencies apparently.” Added Casey from behind the man.

  “We just want to know where Luke is with our people and we’ll let you go. Simple as that.” Tom reiterated.

  “We were camped out in a store, farther in the city. I think it was called Pete’s.”

  “I know that place.” Another man said. Tom re-blindfolded Stevie and cut him loose from the chair, stood him up and walked him out the door. He knew he eventually was outside, and there were other people he could hear talking around him. He heard more noises, sounding like the sliding door on the back of an 18 wheeler. Someone was working on his cuffs, and his blindfold was removed again. He was shoved and fell to the ground. He turned to see Tom and some other men retreat.

  “Wait where are you going?”

  “I told you we wouldn’t kill you, your free to go.” The door shut without a backwards glance. He stood and saw the smashed car had been moved to the side, and there were blood and guts everywhere. He turned to run, zombies were milling all around, the blood and bodies attracted them, there had to be a few dozen all around him. Maybe he could slip off into the woods. Ding Ding Ding “Dinner!” Ding Ding Ding “Coooome and get it!”