The snow fell for the rest of the day, and it was nearly dark when it stopped. I had gone out to my traps and moved several of them closer and had gotten lucky with three of them. The rabbits I caught were still well-fed, so they would be good eating when I got around to them. I skinned the three and covered them with snow before I hung them outside. They’d keep for a good long time depending on how cold it got.
I practiced with my Colt for at least an hour each day. I wished I had the ammo to practice shooting it, but I only had a couple of boxes, and I had to be careful what I used those for. I had enough to fill the cartridge loops on the gun belt, and it held twenty-five. Trouble was, the extra weight again threatened to pull my pants down, so I had to make sure my belt was cinched tight.
I brought the guns from the garage into the house and put them in my closet. The Winchester I loaded with ten rounds and kept that near my bed as well. I read that cowboys did that, too.
The next day I spent a lot of time looking at my parent’s clothes. I figured I would keep my dad’s clothes, using them for myself as I grew up. I hoped to be as big as he was someday, but you never could count on things like that. I decided to give my mom’s clothes to Trey’s mother. She was about the same size as my mom, and she could wear them or make them fit her daughters, I didn’t really mind which.
It had been about a week or so since Trey and I had been into town, and I wanted to see how they were doing. I figured I would go in the morning since it was late, and I was looking forward to burying myself under my new rabbit pelt blanket.
It was sometime really early in the morning when I awoke to hear a sound that didn’t belong in the night. It was a scraping sound, like something was scratching at the gate, and then there was a clicking sound.
I sat up and quickly put on my shirt and pants. That was something my father had taught me. It was always better to walk into danger when you were dressed. For no other reason, it made you feel less exposed.
I picked up my gun, but then thought better of it and grabbed my bow. Even though I practiced drawing the Colt, I knew what I could do with my bow, and was confident of a kill shot at anything under seventy yards. I slipped my quiver over my shoulder and nocked an arrow as soon as I reached the ground floor. I looked out the window and saw a dark shape by the back gate. It was leaning over in the moonlight, holding the gate open with its body while it messed around with something on the ground. I watched for a second and saw that it was trying to prop the back gate open.
“What the hell?” I whispered as I eased open the kitchen window over the sink. It was the only window that opened with a crank instead of being pulled up, and it was the only window that was silent when I opened it.
The cold air crept in like a thief, and I felt it on my feet before I felt it on my arms. I drew back the arrow and aimed across the yard. I adjusted for the slight breeze from the west and let fly. The arrow streaked across the yard and hit what I figured to be a Tripper just below the shoulder in the back. The impact made a loud sound in the night, and the intruder hit the ground. In a flash it was up again, and running off into the darkness.
That was wrong. Trippers never ran. They walked fast, but their minds weren’t capable of managing a run. What I hit was not a Tripper.
I went back upstairs and grabbed my rifle. I put my boots and coat on and went out into the yard. At the back gate, I saw some dark spots in the snow that were probably blood, but I couldn’t be sure until daylight. I checked the gate and saw it was being propped open by a large branch. I pulled it out and closed the gate, securing the latch. If there were any Trippers around, they would have walked right through that gate and would have been a nasty surprise in the morning.
As I went back inside my somewhat warm house my head was spinning. I realized that all at once I had shot an uninfected person; the same person who had propped open my gate to try and get Trippers to kill me. That fact told me Trippers were in the area, and I nearly got the shakes when I thought I almost used my Colt to drive him off. That would have called every Tripper in the area right to my gate, which would have been open at the time.
Chapter 36
In the morning, I took my bow back outside with me, and together we went back to the rear gate. It was a brutally cold morning, and my face was already feeling numb. The sun was low in the sky, although the bright light was welcome. Everything was clear, even at a distance. A mist rose from the creek as the waters battled the ice trying to take over. It was a losing battle for the water. In a week or two, I was going to have to start making trips down to the water to make sure the pipe we had down there wasn’t clogged or iced up. If the creek froze solid, I was going to have to go into snow melting for water, which would eat up my firewood.
Winter was a dangerous time to be outside. There wasn’t any brush to hide behind except for the pine trees and holly bushes. The boxwoods stayed green, as did the pine bushes, but that was it. Any Tripper on a high place could see into homes and yards for a long way.
Sometimes I thought about leaving this area and heading south. My mom talked about the weather being better further south with winters not being so bad. But if I remembered my geography right, it was nearly a three-hundred-mile trip to the southern end of the state, and I didn’t think I could manage it alone as a twelve-year-old.
I listened carefully before I opened the gate, and I kept an arrow ready for anything. I swung the gate wide, and before it was fully open, I could see the footprints of the intruder the night before. Outside the fence was a large depressed area where something had thrashed on the ground. I could see blood traces here and there, and there was a large arc of blood on the ground. My arrow was sticking out of the snow, which explained the blood. Whoever I had shot managed to rip the arrow out, and the blood followed the second flight of it. There were footprints heading off into the woods across the trail, and by the distance between the steps I figured whoever it was had been running pretty well. The prints were deep, which my dad always told me meant a bigger person.
I was so focused on reading the prints I nearly missed the Tripper who was plowing through the snow along my fence, heading right for me. There were three others behind him, and I was too far from my gate to make it back in time to close it.
He was a young man, probably around twenty, and he was pale from the cold, making the spots on his face stand out even more. His bloodshot eyes were locked on me, and his lips stretched back to reveal dark teeth as he advanced through the snow. His companions, a woman and two older men, saw me at the same time and started heading my way. Their wheezing breath split the quiet air and created mists around their heads.
I brought my bow up and released, aiming more by instinct than by sight. The arrow crossed the ten feet between us in an instant and transfixed the Tripper in his right eye, killing him instantly as the point cracked through his eye socket and pierced his brain.
I backed up as I drew another arrow, heading away from the open gate and my home. The three followed me, trying to get through the snow. I pulled my bowstring back and let another arrow go, this time hitting the second from the rear in the chest. He took two steps, stumbled to his knees, and then fell on his face. His last action drove the arrow out of his back.
I pulled another arrow out as I retreated, this time aiming for the woman who was closest to me. I shot her in the mouth as she opened it to scream at me, and the point made it all the way through the back of her head. She died with her eyes rolling up in her skull.
The last man came charging, and as I drew another arrow, I tripped over a log or root that was under the snow, and fell backwards. My bow and arrow were dropped as I tried to keep from falling on my back. The man kept coming, and I fumbled with my coat to get at my knife. I twisted around and managed to get to my feet, standing up to try and face the Tripper that was a foot taller than my five-foot-eight frame and at least fifty pounds heavier.
The man reached out to grab me, and just as I was ready to spin away, his forehead suddenly g
rew a broad head arrow point, the kind you usually find on a crossbow bolt. He fell on his face, and when he did I could see my very good friend Trey standing behind him with his crossbow. Trey’s face was a mask of hate and rage, and as I watched he dropped his crossbow and brought his arm up to his eyes. That was when I realized Trey was crying.
Chapter 37
I picked up my fallen bow and arrow then went over to my friend.
“Trey, what’s wrong man? You just saved my life!” I said, brushing the snow off my coat.
Trey gave a heaving sob. “They killed Trish, Josh! They killed her, and it was my fault!”
“Whoa! What happened? Oh, no. Not Trish,” I said. I felt horrible. Trish was his youngest sister. She was five and was always smiling and playing.
Trey looked at me with tear-filled eyes. “I don’t know what happened. I went out to the lines yesterday to check for rabbits and such. I got back in, and I know I closed the gate. I know it!” Trey raised his eyes to the sky and closed them tight. Fresh tears flowed and with a monumental effort got himself under control. He wiped his face and then started walking back to his house, and I followed. If there were four Trippers out here there might be more. I kept an arrow ready in my bow just in case.
We walked over to Trey’s house, and it was just a mess over there. Trey’s mom was holding her baby and crying; Trey’s dad was holding his baby girl’s hand and just shaking great big tears out. Trey’s older sisters were just standing in the background with sad, shocked looks on their faces.
Trey put a hand on his dad’s shoulder. “I got the Trippers, dad. Josh killed three, I got the last one.”
Trey’s dad looked over his shoulder at his son. A strange look came into his eyes as he stood up and faced his son. Trey’s dad wasn’t a big man, but at that moment he looked huge, wearing his grief like a second coat.
Trey’s dad looked at me. “Thank you Josh. Trey, I’m going to ask you one question. Did you secure the gate yesterday?”
Trey looked up at his dad. “I did. Just like I always did, dad. I know I did!”
“Then how did the damn Trippers get in the yard to kill my baby?” Trey’s dad roared at his son.
“Dad, I didn’t!” Trey yelled.
“It wasn’t his fault!” I said, probably louder than I should have.
Trey’s dad focused his anger on me. “What do you know about it?” He took a step forward, and I took a step back, bringing up my bow.
“Stop!” I yelled. “I don’t want to hurt you, Mr. Chambers! Trey didn’t do it! I know he didn’t!” I shouted as I stepped back to make room. Trey’s family went silent as they watched me threaten to kill their father.
Trey’s dad saw my bow and arrow ready to fly, and for a second he got angrier. But he must have seen in my eyes I was serious, and he backed off with his hands raised. “How do you know, Josh?” he asked with clenched teeth.
I told him about the man who propped open my gate last night and the arrow I put into him. I figured he must have done the same thing at Trey’s house, but managed to do so without being caught. Unfortunately, Trish was outside when the Trippers came through.
When I finished my story, the change in Trey’s dad and Trey was immediate. Both of them stared at me, and then Trey’s dad brought his son in close for a deep hug. I heard him whisper he was sorry for yelling at him and hoped he could forgive him.
Trey’s dad then came over to me. “I’m sorry, Josh. Please forgive me,” he said in a small voice.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” I said. “When you’re ready, I can show you the blood trail and the footprints. I know which way he went.”
Trey’s dad nodded. “I have a daughter bury first. But I will be over soon.”
I turned to leave, and Trey nodded his gratitude.
“Thanks, Josh. I owe you,” Trey said.
“Let’s just get this guy, huh?” I said.
Chapter 38
A day later in the morning, Mr. Chambers was out behind my house looking at the snow and the story it told. He swept back and forth, looking at the signs, and then started following a trail. He was armed with his hunting rifle, a handgun, and what looked like a baseball bat with big screws in it. Trey wasn’t with him; he was staying behind to help back home. I personally thought Trey’s dad was a little nuts for going off on his own, but then I realized he had survived the worst days of the infection and managed to keep his family alive, but things could happen. Hell, my own father died from Trippers, and he should have been one of the ones who lived.
After a while, Trey’s dad was lost from view, and I started working on the chores that kept me busy. I let Judy run in the yard, and while she did that I walked the path down to the creek. The water was still flowing well, but there was a feeling of even colder weather coming, so I used my hatchet to break open a hole, and I gathered water in the two buckets I brought with. When I got back to the house, I filled Judy’s water trough and then went up in the loft of the garage and took down a measure of hay. I filled Judy’s feed bin, then got the shovel out for the worst of the chores. I swear that horse ate extra on purpose.
I got Judy back into the garage and gave her a rubdown to get the cold out of her. I didn’t think I’d be taking her out anywhere today, so I buckled her blanket on her, and left her to her breakfast.
I checked the woodpile and brought up a few more hardwood logs to my room, and I worked the hand pump in the kitchen to clear the line and make sure it wasn’t frozen. We had a freeze in the line a while back, and Dad cleared it out by pouring hot water back into the line and thawing it out.
I went down to the basement to check on my food stores, and I figured I had enough to last me the next two months. That would take me right about to the end of winter if I paced myself. I read in a book how to jerk meat and was trying it a corner of the basement. The rabbit strips I put up there were pretty stringy, but the venison jerky seemed to be doing well.
Once everything was done, I restarted the fire that had gone out, and soon the fireplace was a warm and inviting place. I stayed in the living room most of the time, usually because it was warmer. I had my books, I practiced my draw, and I worked on my education. My mother wouldn’t want me to stop learning, so I worked my way through the textbooks she had and dove into the history books and literature. It took a me a few passes at Shakespeare before he started to make sense, but I really liked Poe and Steinbeck. Sometimes I felt like my mother was over my shoulder, smiling that I was still working at reading and educating myself.
On the day after Trey’s dad had gone after the man who had opened the gates, Trey came over. He had to get out of the house as everything in there made him sad. I knew what he was going through and figured he just needed some friendship.
“Dad came back late last night,” Trey said, gnawing on a piece of rabbit jerky.
“Did he catch the guy who opened your gate?” I asked.
Trey shook his head. “Nope. Dad got too far away from home following the trail and had to turn back. He couldn’t stay away from his family.”
“That’s too bad.” I said. “Maybe the guy will die from infection or blood loss from my arrow,” I said.
Trey shook his head. “After the first couple miles Dad said he didn’t see any blood trail anymore. He must have found a way to stop the bleeding.”
“That sucks. Is he going out again?” I asked, washing down my jerky with some very cold water.
“Nope. He wants me to,” Trey said.
I must have not done a good job of keeping the surprise off my face, because Trey pointed a finger at me.
“And you’re coming, too,” Trey said.
“We taking the horses?” I asked, thinking about what I would do with Judy if I was unable to bring her.
“Nope. To hear my dad talk about it, this guy was literally running a maze, trying to lose him. After a while, he lost the trail and came home. Judy will board with my family, and my older sister will stop by once a day to make sure everything
is okay at your house. But we’re moving out in an hour,” Trey said. “I’ll come get you, and we’ll start again. With the snow we’ve had, we should get a good line on him, or at least a good idea where he’s headed.”
“All right, I’ll get my cold weather gear and get ready.” I stood up and looked at Trey. “And if we find him?” I asked.
“I kill him. I owe Trish that,” Trey said.
I looked at him and saw the same look I had in my own eyes after my parents were killed. Trey had changed, too.
I changed my clothes and packed a backpack with supplies. I put my Colt in there along with a small pouch of spare ammo. I tied my quiver to the pack, and I made sure I had plenty of arrows. I kept my knife on my belt, and I packed spare socks, a spare shirt, and plenty of jerky. I also brought some cotton and matches. I put an extra blanket in there as well. It was a thin quilt made by my mom. Despite its light weight, it was very warm. I also brought my heater can, which my dad made for me, and a few small candles.
Trey came over, and together we secured the house, then we took Judy over to his barn. Pumpkin was happy to have company, and I could tell Judy was, too. Trey’s family wished us luck, and Trey’s dad had some words for us as we left.
“Don’t take any chances. I’m sending you two because you’re better trackers than I am, and you’ve had each other’s backs since you were little. I’m forcing you to grow up a little faster than you should, but thanks to the damn virus, you haven’t had much of a childhood anyway. You get this man, Trey. He’s a danger to everyone who’s trying to survive this mess. You get him, and don’t think twice about it,” he said.
Trey nodded, and we started walking up the road. Trey’s dad told us he had followed the trail as it passed through subdivision. He marked the place where it had crossed the back road heading north, and we went that way.
In my own head, I wondered how much destruction this one man had caused, and what we might be walking into as we trailed him back to his lair.
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