“I’m gonna kill you,” he said. “I was gonna sell your woman, but I’m just gonna kill her now, too.”
Garrett held the knife out defensively. Aaron didn’t hesitate. He grabbed a small end-table next to him and swung it as hard as he could. The knife flew out of Garrett’s hand and stuck in the wall. Aaron swung again, this time aiming for Garrett’s head. He connected, and the end-table broke into pieces.
Aaron didn’t utter a word, not a single taunt or threat. He just beat Garrett with the broken table leg. They had hurt Sam. Anyone that hurt Sam was going to die. It was that simple.
After seven or eight hard swings Aaron tossed the table leg aside. He went to Sam and checked her shoulder. It was only a slice, but it would need stitches. He grabbed Garrett’s knife from the wall and cut the rope around her wrists and ankles. She pulled the shirt out of her mouth and tried to hug Aaron. It was an awkward hug, as Aaron was busy putting pressure on her shoulder.
“They said they killed you,” she said.
“They were wrong.”
“My shoulder hurts like hell.”
There was a new voice behind them.
“Ray, you drop that gun. Right now.”
Aaron turned to see Ray standing upright. His face was almost unrecognizable. His nose was twisted, both eyes nearly swollen shut, his face covered with blood. He aimed a gun at Aaron.
In the doorway stood Richardson and Larry. Richardson aimed a gun at the back of Ray’s head, while Larry had a rifle.
Aaron shifted in position to cover Sam completely, in case he decided to shoot. He would die for her, but it turned out that wasn’t necessary. Ray dropped the gun to the floor.
“Well, well,” Garrett said, climbing to his feet. He was a broken and bloody mess, just like Ray. “Look who came to see us off.”
Richardson looked over the room. He saw the ropes, the blood. He could picture the scene in his head.
“Larry, take Samantha to James. Get him to stitch her up.”
Larry handed Richardson the rifle. He and Aaron both helped her to her feet.
Aaron went to leave with Sam, but Richardson motioned for him to stay. Aaron put a hand on her good shoulder. “You’ll be okay without me?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Just come find me later.”
Larry and Sam left. Aaron picked up the gun Ray dropped on the floor. He planned on firing a gun for only the second time in his life.
“Aaron, we don’t kill people in cold blood,” Richardson said.
“Look around. Does this look like cold blood to you?”
Garrett smiled, showing off some missing teeth. “You ain’t gonna kill us, Richardson. You’re too much of a softie. Always have been.”
Richardson looked hard at both of them. He settled on Garrett and gave him an angry glare.
“You’ve lost your privilege to live here. You’ve both just been evicted.”
Garrett threw his hands in the air. “Hey, we were leaving anyway. Already got our shit packed.”
“No. You don’t get anything. You’re leaving now with what you’re wearing. That’s all.”
“Are you shittin’ me, Richardson? You should just kill us now, then.”
Richardson passed the rifle to Aaron. “We can do it that way, if you want. Aaron’s already beaten the piss out of you. I can get Samantha here, lock you both in a room with them. How long do you think you’d last?”
Aaron stared at Garrett and clenched his fists. For all his talk, all his attitude, Aaron could see Garrett was afraid of him.
“This place is bullshit, anyway,” Garrett said. “We don’t need any of you. Fuck you.”
“Believe me, the feeling is mutual.”
* * *
The exile went without incident. Aaron stayed close to Richardson, in case they tried anything. Richardson led them by gunpoint through the school’s back door. They marched across the fields to the locked front gates. Paul Sorenson was on watch duty. He didn’t say a word, just opened the gates when they drew near.
“Listen, Garrett,” Richardson said as Paul fumbled with the chain, “don’t ever come back here. I’m telling everyone if they see you, they have permission to kill you. You didn’t make any friends here. You’re not welcome.”
“Go to Hell, old man.”
Garrett and Ray left and started the long walk down Honeyton Road, both dripping blood to the ground. Paul shook his head.
“What the hell happened to those two? Looks like somebody gave them what-for.”
Richardson let out a small smile and gestured to Aaron. “There’s your what-for, right there.”
Aaron didn’t smile. “They hurt Sam. So I hurt them back.”
Richardson patted Aaron on the shoulder. “You want a drink?”
“I want to see Sam.”
“James is taking care of her, I’m sure. Just give me a few minutes of your time.”
Aaron thought it over. “Okay.”
Richardson nodded. “Goodnight, Paul.”
“Night, fellas. And hey, get someone to come relieve me. I gotta hit the outhouse.”
Aaron followed Richardson back into the school. Richardson grabbed a candle near the front door and took the lead through the darkened hallways. A few people touring the halls gave them polite greetings. Nearly everyone was gathered in the cafeteria. As they passed by the open doors Aaron heard a voice.
“Aaron!”
He stopped to see Nikki, Derek, and Amanda jogging toward him. Amanda reached him first and gave him a tight hug around the waist.
“Are you okay?” Nikki asked.
“We found Mister Richardson!” Amanda yelled.
Aaron laughed. “Yes you did. You saved both me and Sam’s life.”
Derek almost smiled. “I guess we’re even now, huh.”
“Yes we are. Thank you.”
He gave Nikki a hug, and pretended to reach out for Derek, just to watch him cringe away. The three disappeared back into the cafeteria.
Richardson led Aaron to his room. Appropriately enough, Richardson used the old principal’s office. Aaron had to stop and admire the place as Richardson lit a few candles spread throughout the room. He noticed the simple things, bed in the corner, couch against the wall. It was the walls that caught Aaron by surprise.
The walls were littered with information. There were handmade calendars, lists of people’s names and jobs, maps, sketches of improvements.
Aaron had to smile when he saw different sketches of windmills, built on top of the school.
“You definitely like to plan, don’t you?”
Richardson laughed as he poured himself a shot of whiskey in an old glass. He offered a glass to Aaron. Aaron only took a small sip. It felt like pouring fire down his throat. He tried not to cough and gag.
Richardson looked over his own sketches and ideas. “You always have to plan, always have to think ahead. Thanks to you and Samantha, we have eighty people here now.”
“Uh, sorry about that.”
“No, don’t be. That’s what we need. We need good people. If we don’t want to become extinct, we need to grow.”
“It almost sounds like you have hope for the future. I haven’t seen much of that lately.”
Richardson gave him a look. “You want to know what gives me hope? You and Samantha.”
“Really? Why?”
“When the dead first started jumping around, I thought our days were numbered. But seeing that two people can still find each other, and fall in love, well, that makes me think maybe we’re not done yet.”
“Love? What? Sam and me?”
“Yes. Everyone already knows it, Aaron. It’s our little entertainment. She blew up a slave camp to get to you. I couldn’t even get her to cut the grass without giving her something before.”
Aaron didn’t know what to say. He was surprised, a little embarrassed. But he didn’t argue with Richardson.
“Have you two talked about it yet?”
He shook his head. “Not yet. I, u
h, have some stuff I’ve kept to myself.”
Richardson laughed. “Of course you do. No man survives the way you do without a few secrets.”
“Well, I don’t know how Sam will react.”
“She’ll be fine. She’s a tough woman.”
“Don’t I know it. And speaking of Sam…”
“Yeah, you’d better go find her before she hunts you down. Tomorrow, I’ll try to convince you to take over the supply runs.”
“Uh, okay. Until tomorrow then.”
Aaron handed his half-empty glass to Richardson and left.
Richardson wondered how long it would be before Aaron took over his job.
* * *
Aaron quietly knocked on Sam’s door. He almost opened it, like he always did, but remembered the last few times he made that mistake. He didn’t think she was in, and was a few steps down the hall when he heard her voice.
“Yeah? What do you want?”
He pushed the door open. There were two candles lit on opposite sides of the room. Sam was lying on her mattress. She perked up when she saw Aaron.
“Oh, hey. Come on in. Just come in next time.”
He shut the door behind him. In the dancing light he saw she wore the same jeans from earlier and a sports bra. He had to check his anger again when he saw her swollen eye and stitched up shoulder.
“Hi. How you feeling?”
She barely rolled on her side. “I don’t feel, right now. James gave me morphine. A walker could rip my throat out and I wouldn’t feel a thing.”
“Nice thought.”
“I know. Help me up.”
He grabbed her by her good arm and pulled her up. He held her shoulders gently while he moved her toward a candle to inspect her wound. She didn’t pull away. The slice was about three inches across, going across the shoulder and a little into her chest. James had done a good stitch job.
“That’s gonna leave a scar.”
“I’ll live. Not my first scar, won’t be my last. It’s funny. I’ve killed walkers all my life, and I almost get taken out by two assholes.”
“You won’t have to worry about them anymore. Richardson kicked them out.”
“I won’t have to worry about them because you’re here.”
They stared at each other. She was so beautiful. Aaron couldn’t imagine anyone, even in the overpopulated old world, that was more beautiful or stronger than Sam.
“I didn’t forget what we were talking about,” she said. “But my head feels like it’s floating. So we’ll do it tomorrow.”
He nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
He turned to leave.
“Wait a minute. I didn’t say you should leave.”
He laughed. “You got something in mind?”
She pulled the checkers board from under her end-table. He smiled as they laid on the mattress on opposite sides of the game.
They played for at least an hour. After Sam hesitated on taking a jump Aaron looked up at her. She was sound asleep.
He carefully moved the board off the mattress and scooted just a little closer. She sighed contentedly as she rolled onto her stomach and threw an arm over him. He gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead before falling asleep himself.
Chapter 16
Aaron woke up nearly the same time as Sam. During their sleep they’d somehow gotten into the position of him spooning her. He pushed himself away from her as a familiar scent moved through the air.
“Corpses,” Sam said.
Aaron got up and pulled the curtains open.
“Oh no.”
“What is it?”
She stumbled to her feet and saw what Aaron saw. It was too dark to make out details, but they could see just enough to let their imagination fill in the rest.
In the field, near the bleachers, they saw a lone shape on the ground. Kneeling over the shape was a silhouette. Its hands worked feverishly as it pulled flesh from the shape’s torso.
“They’re inside,” Sam said.
“Walkers!” Aaron shouted as loud as he could. “We’ve got walkers!”
Aaron and Sam ran to the door. She swung it open and nearly bumped into Scott. She couldn’t see his face, but knew it was him. He was the tallest, largest man at Lexington.
“Scott?”
The walker that used to be Scott lunged forward, but Aaron was just a little faster. He stepped in between Scott and Sam and pushed her out of the way. Scott sank his teeth into Aaron’s arm. Aaron shouted in pain while dragging Scott into the room.
Scott didn’t like the taste of Aaron’s flesh. He let go, but the damage had already been done. Aaron cradled his arm and backed up near the mattress.
The gunshot almost hurt his ears.
Scott fell dead to the floor. Sam lowered her Beretta she grabbed from the table. Aaron ran forward and slammed the door shut. He could hear screams now, out in the halls.
“Are you okay?” Sam asked.
Aaron took a deep breath. He carefully hid his arm from view.
“Yes. We need to get outside. We can fight there.”
He helped Sam out the window, then climbed out himself. Other residents of Lexington had the same idea, as more people climbed out of the windows and gathered on the field. Aaron could sense the panic and chaos.
“They’re everywhere!”
“Is anyone bitten?”
Aaron gestured to Sam as more people started lighting candles. Two walkers stumbled out of a side door. Aaron’s heart sank when he saw it was Susan Lively and Paul Sorenson.
Sam killed them both.
Richardson’s voice rose over the confused crowd.
“Okay, everyone! Group up, stay together. Point out any corpses you see coming.”
Aaron grabbed Sam’s hand and pulled her through the crowd to Richardson. He was passing out the few weapons he had to anyone who wanted one.
He looked up at the young couple. “Are you two okay?”
Aaron nodded. “We’re good. Are there people still inside?”
“I’m sure. I woke up to their moans. There were three or four right outside my room. We all just rushed out here.”
Aaron looked at the group. He knew there were people missing. He saw the children gathered in the middle, but three in particular were missing.
Sam noticed the same thing.
“Nikki,” she said. “And your new friends.”
“We have to find them.”
Richardson grabbed him by the arm. “Not a good idea. You can’t fight the walkers and the dark inside those halls at the same time.”
“I won’t let them die.”
Sam touched his shoulder. “Would they be together?”
He thought a moment. “I don’t think so, not at night. Amanda and Derek have a room near mine. Nikki sleeps in a classroom right outside the auditorium.”
“Okay. I’ll get Nikki. You get Amanda and Derek.”
Aaron held her hand for a moment. He didn’t want to let go. He didn’t want her going back into the school, but he couldn’t be in two places at once.
“You be careful.”
She nodded. “I will. You too.”
Sam took an extra gun from Richardson, and they ran together to the front door. Aaron took a right toward the library. Sam had to go in the opposite direction. She watched as he ran down the hall, not even bothering to light a candle. She wanted to kiss him, but the moment was lost.
She hoped she’d see him again.
She headed down the hall with a candle. It was quiet to the point of making Sam nervous. She kept a steady grip on her Beretta, with the spare gun she’d taken from Richardson tucked in her jeans waistband. She felt completely exposed. She didn’t have two layers of clothes, her cap, her favorite knife. She still wore her torn jeans and a sports bra.
She carefully scanned the rooms as she passed each one. There was a body up ahead, lying in the middle of the hall.
It twitched.
The walker moaned as it rolled over and
tried to sit up. Sam didn’t recognize who it was, and she couldn’t waste time bothering to try. It actually hurt to pull the trigger, something she didn’t think she’d ever feel. She knew these people now. She was one of them.
The gunshot was loud in the quiet hallway. No other walkers came. She picked up her pace as she headed for the auditorium. Sam had never seen Nikki’s room, despite the younger girl’s constant invitations. She felt guilty for that now.
She shot two more walkers as she made her way through the school. She could see through one of the classrooms that the sun was coming up. That would help in some halls, but not all of them.
She made it to the auditorium. There were classrooms on both sides of the hall. She leaned her head into the first one she came to.
“Nikki? Are you in here?”
Silence.
Sam kept moving. She jumped over a corpse she thought was dead.
She was wrong.
The corpse grabbed her ankle. It was a weak grip, but enough to trip her. She landed on her bad shoulder and felt a stitch or two pop.
The walker pulled itself along Sam’s body. She pressed the barrel of her Beretta to its skull and pulled the trigger before it had a chance to bite. It fell lifeless against her legs.
She shoved it aside and stood up, gore all over her. She heard a voice.
“Help me!”
“Nikki? Is that you?”
“Samantha? I’m in the bathroom!”
Sam had lost the candle when she fell. Only a little light spilled in from the side classrooms. She could barely see in front of her.
“Nikki, I can’t see. Keep talking so I can find you.”
“I’m in the boys’ bathroom. Hurry up!”
She kept a hand on the wall and followed Nikki’s voice. “I am hurrying.”
“Are Derek and Amanda okay?”
“Aaron’s getting them now. Just worry about yourself.”
“Believe me, I am.”
Sam found the bathroom door. She opened it and was surprised to see light. The bathroom had a small window. It was too small to escape through, but large enough to let Sam see what was happening.
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