by Gary Chesla
How many did you see in Johnstown?”
“Thousands,” Mike replied.
“But not that many up on the overpass,” Tony added. “They mostly just stared up at us. It wasn’t until they saw us did they try to get up on the overpass. I’m not saying that they can’t climb, because I don’t know that for sure. I’m just saying that they don’t seem to try and climb hills unless they have a reason.”
“How do you explain this Corvette being up here?” Mike asked. “By the look of that bloody smashed window, the driver just didn’t park it here and go for a stroll in the woods.”
“No, maybe the people around here turned into zombies and grabbed him,” Tony replied. “Maybe the driver turned into a zombie as he drove up the mountain. He felt sick, pulled over and shut off the engine to pull himself together, he turned into a zombie and smashed the window to get out of the car. There wasn’t any broken glass inside the car, it was all on the ground by the car. I don’t know, but I just have the feeling we’d be safer up here than going down the other side and around those towns.”
Mike looked over at the Buick and at Linda and Jamie playing with George.
“Even if I’m wrong,” Tony continued, “It seems to be quiet and peaceful here now. I say we take advantage of the quiet and find someplace around here to take a break for a day or two.
If you want to go see what things are like in Ligonier tomorrow, we can still do that. But honestly, I need a break, I’m beat. After what we have all been through, what could it hurt?”
Mike looked around the area.
He realized that he was seeing and hearing something he hadn’t seen or heard since that first day at the cabin before the dead arrived, birds.
“Do you hear that?” Mike asked.
Tony jumped to attention and nervously began to scan the area around them.
“No, it’s not zombies,” Mike smiled. “Listen, birds. I don’t think I’ve heard birds chirping since before we left for the cabin.”
Tony smiled, “I think you’re right. I hadn’t thought about it, but I don’t think I’ve heard or seen a single bird on our way home. It could be a good sign that it’s safe here.”
“You might be right about up here,” Mike finally said. “You’re definitely right about us needing a break. OK, let’s see what we can find around here. If we can find a place hidden back off the road that we can use, I could see myself spending a day or two. We’ve been pushing the hell out of ourselves for the last week. We can’t keep this up. We need to stop and think. Maybe we will never know what happened, but we need to figure out what we can do about it. Maybe we need to think about where we want to go and how we can protect ourselves. Make some weapons or something. We need to find a way to do something other than have you running those bastards over with the Buick.”
“Yeah, we do have a lot to think about,” Tony laughed.
“What are you guys talking about over here?” Linda asked, surprising the guys when she and Jamie walked up.
Mike quickly turned and looked around to be sure they were alone.
“Relax,” Linda said when she saw Mile’s reaction. “I checked to be sure it was safe before we got out of the car. I’ve been dealing with this all week while you two were up at the cabin drinking beer. Besides, George had to go to the bathroom.”
Jamie looked at her dad with a guilty look on her face, “I had to go too.”
“Watch where you step when you get back in the car,” Linda smiled. “But what were you guys talking about? You two looked so serious out here, I had to come find out what you were discussing. Is there a problem?”
“Tony and I were talking about what to do next,” Mike replied.
“I think we should stay around here for a few days,” Linda said. “It would be nice to smell fresh air and be able to stand up for a change. I thought I was going to go crazy the last few days. Some peace and quiet would be nice.”
“That’s what Tony said,” Mike replied. “I think it is a good idea if we can find somewhere to stay. I’m not going to sleep under some tree out here in the open. We need to find a house we can stay in.”
“I remember when we went to Idlewild Park last year, we drove up over the mountain to go through Ligonier,” Linda said. “If I remember right, there were a few mailboxes by the road at the top of this mountain. Maybe we can find a place up there. But what about the people that still live in those houses? What if they are still there?”
“We’ll worry about that when the time comes,” Tony replied. “But from what we’ve seen over the past week, it’s not likely there will be anyone around, at least not alive. But first things first. Let’s go see what we can find.”
“That sounds like a plan,” Mike said. “If shorty and George are done out here, let’s go see what we can find.”
Linda took Jamie’s hand and led her back to the car.
“You really don’t think we’ll find anyone else alive up here?” Mike asked Tony.
“Maybe, but probably not,” Tony replied. “If they are anything like those two assholes back near your place, I’d rather we didn’t run into anyone. The area is quiet, so I’m counting on the fact that everyone is long gone, one way or another.”
“Where do you think they went?” Mike asked.
“Do you mean after they turned into zombies?” Tony asked.
“Yeah,” Mike replied.
“Down over the hill,” Tony said. “That would be my guess. It would be the path of least resistance. If they tripped and fell, they would have rolled halfway to Johnstown.”
“I hope you’re right,” Mike replied.
Tony walked around the Buick, got into the car and started the engine as Mike got in the passenger’s seat.
“We have a half tank of gas now,” Tony said as he looked at the dash.
“Maybe we can find another half tank somewhere over the next few days before we go exploring,” Mike said.
“Yeah, we’ll have to keep our eyes open. We definitely don’t want to get stranded and have to walk any distance,” Tony agreed.
Tony put the car in first gear and started back up the hill.
They drove slowly as everyone searched the road ahead for a sign that there was a house nearby somewhere.
As they reached the top of the mountain, Linda pointed.
“Over there on the left, those are the mailboxes I remembered,” she said.
“There are two dirt roads leading off the highway, one on the left and one on the right. Which one do you think we should try first?” Tony asked as he stopped the car in the middle of the road.
“Well, if your theory is it is safer when we go up hill,” Mike replied, “Then we should probably take the dirt road on the left. It seems to be going up hill as it goes back through those trees.”
“Then left it is,” Tony said and turned the Buick to the left.
They drove up the bumpy dirt road for about two-hundred feet.
The road was surrounded on each side by a dense forest of tall pine trees. Sunlight managed to break through the trees in only a few places where the sun’s rays were able to reach the entire way to the forest floor.
At the end of the trees, a chain hung across the road, attached to a short wooden post on each side of the road.
A sign saying, “Private Property, Keep Out!” hung from the middle of the chain.
On the other side of the chain was a small clearing and in the middle of the clearing sat a small two-story log cabin style home.
Mike looked the area over and said, “Wait here. I’ll see if I can get the chain off one of those posts.”
He got out and walked up and examined the chain.
One side was securely bolted to the post, but the other side was just wrapped around a bolt and not secured in place.
Mike unwrapped the chain and let it fall to the ground, then walked back to the car.
“After I drive through,” Tony said. “Put the chain back on the post. If by some unlikely chance someo
ne looks up this way, I don’t want them to know we came up here.”
“Good idea,” Mike said.
After Tony drove over the chain, Mike wrapped it back around the post and ran up to the car and hopped back inside.
Tony started moving forward again.
The house was only another two hundred feet beyond the chain.
He pulled the car behind the house where it couldn’t be seen from the road below and shut off the engine.
“I hope that chain means that there isn’t anyone home,” Mike said.
“Watch the windows,” Tony whispered.
They sat in the car for five minutes watching the house for any sign of movement.
“Why don’t you and I go take a closer look,” Tony said quietly.
“I wish I had a gun,” Mike replied.
“Those two shovels leaning against the side of the house will have to do,” Tony replied.
“I’m starting to feel like a burglar,” Linda said. “Going into someone else’s house just doesn’t feel right. I know we need to find a place to stay, but I guess it really didn’t sink in until now what that meant we were going to do.”
“I hope this is the worst thing you will have to feel guilty about,” Tony said. “After what all we’ve had to do to just get back home, I think we make the FBI’s top ten list look like a list of amateurs.”
“Really?” Linda said.
“We do what we have to do,” Tony smiled as he looked at Linda in the rearview mirror, “We can all go get counseling later.”
“Ready, Mike?” Tony asked.
Mike turned and looked at Linda.
“When we get out, lock the doors,” he said.
“I’ll leave the keys in the ignition in case something happens,” Tony added.
“Well, nothing had better happen,” Linda said. “Because I’m not leaving here without you. Besides, I can’t drive this thing. I’ve never seen a car like this. I can see why they don’t make cars like this anymore.”
“Think positive,” Tony said.
Mike grinned, “I think that’s my line.”
“I’ve heard it so many times over the last few days, it has sort of grown on me. I thought this was a good time for me to give it a try,” Tony said. “Let’s go.”
Mike and Tony quietly got out of the car and gently pushed the doors shut.
They heard, click, click, as Linda locked the doors.
“Keep your eyes on the windows,” Tony said as they moved slowly towards the house. “I’ll watch the yard.”
They crossed the yard slowly, finally reaching the small back porch.
Tony grabbed the two shovels and handed one to Mike.
Mike studied the porch.
There were two wooden steps that led up on to the porch.
On the porch were two old wooden rocking chairs, the door to the house and a single window.
“Two rocking chairs,” Mike said.
Tony looked at Mike, and shrugged his shoulders.
“Let’s try the door,” Tony said.
Mike nodded and they walked up the creaky steps.
Tony stood off to the side of the door and raised his shovel over his head as Mike walked up and took hold of the door handle.
Mike looked at Tony and waited until Tony nodded.
Mike turned the door knob and pulled.
“It’s locked,” Mike whispered.
“Of course,” Tony smiled. “Keep an eye on that window while I check something.”
Mike watched the window and also watched what Tony was doing.
Tony walked down the steps and started overturning the large stones that lined the flower patch next to the porch.
Mike was surprised when Tony bent down and picked up a key.
“Some of us keep our keys under stones,” Tony grinned as he handed Mike the key.
They walked back up on the porch and Mike slipped the key in the lock and turned.
The lock clicked, then Mike stood back and pushed the door open.
Tony and Mike looked in through the open door.
“It looks clear,” Tony said.
“It even smells clear,” Mike added. “Maybe this place was empty when everyone started turning into zombies.”
“I hope so,” Tony replied. “Let’s check it out.”
Mike stuck his head around the door frame and took a quick glance inside.
When he felt it was safe to proceed, he stuck his head in through the opening to take a longer look.
He looked at Tony and motioned for Tony to follow him inside.
They both raised their shovels, holding them out in front of their bodies, using them as a barrier between themselves and whatever might be inside.
They stepped just inside the door, stopped and listened.
Mike nodded at Tony and they took a few steps further inside the house.
The first floor wasn’t very large, not much larger than the cabin where they were when everything had started.
They both listened and slowly looked around the two rooms that made up the main floor.
There was a small kitchen to the left of where they stood, with a sink, a gas stove and a table.
They were standing in the main living room of the house.
The one wall of the room was filled with a large stone fireplace. There was a couch, two stuffed chairs and a large wooden coffee table.
Near the kitchen was a door that stood open, revealing a small bathroom.
Next to the bathroom door, stairs went up to the second floor.
After closely looking over the downstairs, Mike walked over to the coffee table and picked up the large sheet of paper that was prominently displayed in the center of the table.
After reading the paper, Mike smiled.
“What is it?” Tony whispered.
“This place is a rental unit,” Mike replied. “Listen to this. I’m sure this place has been empty for a while.”
Mike read the sheet of paper to Tony.
“Welcome to Paradise in the Mountains.
I’m glad you decided to stay with us. I hope you enjoy your stay.
If you should have any problems during your stay, please call Pete at 724-235-2219.
When you leave, please put all towels and sheets in the laundry bin in the upstairs hallway.
Again, enjoy your stay and we hope to see you again soon.
Signed, Pete and Carol Henderson.”
“Talk about luck,” Tony said. “We found a rental already set up for us. That should make Linda feel better knowing we aren’t staying in someone’s house.”
“It will make me feel better too, knowing that someone hadn’t been killed in here,” Mike added.
“Well, before you start feeling too good, we had better check out the upstairs,” Tony whispered.
“Think Positive,” Mike smiled and started for the stairs.
They walked up the stairs, one creaky step at a time.
The hallway was clear and the laundry bin was empty.
There were two doors in the hallway, both were open.
“Look at this,” Tony finally said out loud as he looked into the first doorway, “A bed with two pillows and a blue quilt. I am going to sleep well tonight.”
Mike looked in through the other open door and found the same comfortable inviting scene there too, only decorated in green.
“OK, let’s give this place a quick look over and bring the girls in,” Mike said.
“OK, but I claim the blue room,” Tony smiled.
“It’s all yours,” Mike replied, sounding relieved that they didn’t have to kill a family of zombies in order to stay in the house.
Mike and Tony walked through the house, double checking to make sure they hadn’t overlooked anything.
When they felt comfortable with what they had seen, they walked back out on the porch.
“I’ll get Linda and Jamie,” Mike said. “Maybe you should back the car over closer to the porch in case we have to get out of
here fast.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Tony replied as they walked out to the car. “After we get everyone inside, we should get those shutters closed and get the downs stairs locked down. Make braces for the doors and find a hammer, nails and boards. We should also get ourselves a few clubs for weapons. I hope to hell we won’t need them, but if we do, I would be nice to be prepared this time.”
When they reached the car, Mike smiled when he saw Jamie and George’s faces pressed into the side window watching him as he walked towards the car.
Mike tapped on the window and looked in through the window.
“Daddy, let us out!” Jamie said, her voice muffled behind the closed window.
“Tell Mommy to unlock the door,” Mike smiled.
Click, Click.
“I forgot I had the keys,” Linda said as she hopped out of the car. “What did you find inside the house? Can we stay here?”
“Come take a look,” Mike replied. “We found a welcome letter. It turns out the place is a rental and I guess the people renting it never made it here. I think you will like it.”
“Is there a TV?” Jamie asked.
“No, no TV,” Mike replied. “But there is a big comfortable bed.”
“I’ll wait out here while you take Linda through the house,” Tony said. “I want to get a look at this place from the outside.”
“OK, thanks,” Mike replied.
“Now when we go through the house, be careful and stay alert. Tony and I checked the house twice, but we can’t be too careful,” Mike said as they walked into the house.
Mike gave Linda a quick tour of the house, then went outside to help Tony.
“What do you think?” Mike asked when he caught up to Tony.
“I found a few footprints out in front of the house, so we should keep alert,” Tony said. “I couldn’t tell how fresh they were. They were probably from a few days back, but we should keep our eyes open all the same.