“Of course not,” Max said. “I was going to suggest that you, Emily, Maggie, and I hit Costco. It’s too dangerous for just two people. Plus, we can carry a lot more water that way.”
“Do you think four people are enough for Costco?” Maggie asked. “There could be hundreds of zombies inside. Hundreds outside, too.”
“The water isn’t going anywhere,” Emily said. “Maybe we should all go together for the gas. Anna and I had a rough time at a gas station. I think you need more than two people if you want to get the work done while someone else keeps watch.”
“I agree,” Anna said. “We had a very close call when it was just the two of us. I think I’d feel a lot better about it if the four of us were to go with Frank and Junior. Get as much gas as we can before the power goes out, then we can start clearing all of the water we can find out of the stores.”
Max considered it for a moment. “Okay, we’ll all go together for the gas. You’re right, and there’s safety in numbers,” Max said.
“What about us?” Camille asked about herself and Lucia.
“You two, along with Michelle, can keep up the perimeter checks. You handle anything that needs to be taken care of here while we’re all out,” Max said.
“I don’t want the kids out doing that by themselves,” Michelle said adamantly. “You heard what happened to the boys the other night.” She shot an evil look at Frank and Junior because she just couldn’t help herself. They both quickly looked away, not wanting her to unload on them again with her mama bear temper.
“Michelle, I understand your concern. I really do. I don’t want my kids or my wife out there. We’ve all learned how to fight and kill the dead. The kids know what they’re doing, and things are only going to get worse as time goes on,” Max said. “Everyone will eventually have to be able to do a little bit of everything. It’s the only way we’re going to survive this. I feel better about the girls staying at the house right now instead of going out there where we know bad people are lurking around. They can handle a few zombies.”
The kids were all excited about their jobs, while both mothers swore under their breath. Not entirely under their breath, as Michelle said, “Motherfucker,” just loud enough for everyone to hear. Anna and Michelle understood what was necessary, but they weren’t happy about it. They grudgingly admitted that Max was right.
“If anything happens to one of the kids, Max,” Michelle started.
“I know, Michelle. Everyone will play it smart and not take any foolish chances,” Max said.
“We should be heading out now,” Frank said. He wanted to get started as soon as possible. They could lose power at any time and would miss their chance to get gas the easy way.
“We wanted to try to get the neighbor’s truck across the street and take that to the gas station,” Junior said. “If we’re all going, I think we should try for more of the neighbor vehicles. It’s safer to keep the SUV and the new truck here if we have to leave your house for good at some point. Just like we’ve been leaving the Wright’s vehicles stocked and in their garage in case of an emergency. We’ve got a big group of people here, and that way, we know we’ll be able to fit everyone and our supplies.”
“It can’t hurt to have a few extra trucks. That’s a good idea, Junior,” Max said. “Well, this changes things a bit. Boys, you can do your thing. Girls, you take care of the house with Michelle. Everyone else, let’s grab what we need and see about getting some of the neighbor's trucks.”
Michelle restocked everyone’s backpacks with bottled water and a two-day supply of food. “Just because there are two days of food in those packs doesn’t mean you stay out there for two days,” she said. “Get the trucks, get the gas, and get back here safely.”
She packed two lighter backpacks for Joey and Damon. “I expect you to check back in here at least every two hours,” Michelle said. “Don’t make me come looking for you, or I’ll kick both your asses,” she warned. They both nodded and shared a quick grin knowing that Michelle’s temper was simmering just under the surface. Joey and Damon hurried out the door before anyone could change their mind about letting the boys go house to house. They were both eager to be out there doing something.
“Be careful out there,” Anna called after them.
Max left one of the radios on the counter while everyone got their weapons ready. He wanted one at the house and one with them, so Michelle could reach them if there were any problems. He was hoping to find more while they were out because he didn’t like having any part of the group separated without a way for everyone to communicate. They grabbed their bags and headed out the door.
The six of them quietly made their way toward the brick wall at the front of the yard. Joey and Damon were already out of sight. Max figured they had probably hopped fences to start at the house next door to the Wright’s place. There was a large red pickup across the street two houses down. The house looked normal as if it were just an average day.
“Let’s try for that one first,” Frank said in a low tone as he pointed at the red truck. Max unlocked the gate since there was no reason for all of them to climb over the fence or wall. He closed it behind him but didn’t lock it to make it more accessible when they returned. Zombies weren’t capable of opening it.
They inched toward the street, where nine zombies were shambling around together. They weren’t interested in anything in particular around them; they just walked in a pack. Nine zombies up against the six of them were no problem, even with the zombies grouped together. Frank was so lethal that he would probably take out at least two before the rest of them finished with their first. His height and build gave him a great advantage.
“Frank, Junior, Anna, go left. Maggie, Emily, and I will go right,” Max whispered the instructions.
The zombies turned toward them when they were just a few feet away. Max went for a big guy on the right. The man had been through a horrible attack leaving one side of his face ripped open to expose his snapping jaw. His cheek hung down near his neck, held by a few thin strips of flesh. Max plunged his knife through its eye, splattering milky, bloody putrid fluid, and the man dropped to the ground. To his left, Anna thrust her knife through the ear of a half-naked middle-aged man with a huge beer gut. To his right, Maggie and Emily had already dropped their zombies. He was impressed when he saw how proficient and fast they were. Frank and Junior were finishing off the last two on the left, having already taken out the first three on their side.
They made their way across the street while keeping an eye out for more zombies. There weren’t any in sight. They took a closer look at the truck and the front of the house. The truck was only a few years old and looked to be in good condition.
“The husband usually rides his motorcycle to work, and the wife takes her car,” Anna spoke quietly. “The house should be empty.”
Junior tried to open the front door, but it was locked, so Emily looked around the planters next to the door to check if there was a hidden key. “Found it,” Emily said with a grin when she pulled the key from under the second planter.
“Emily, unlock it. Frank and I will go in first,” Max said. “The rest of you follow. It should be empty, but I don’t want to take anything for granted.”
As soon as the door was unlocked, Frank led the way inside. “Wait for a second,” he said and held his hand up. Max was immediately on high alert, thinking that a zombie must have been right inside the door. Frank turned around with the keys for the truck in his hand and a smile on his face. “The key was on a table just inside the door. I hope they’re all this easy,” he said. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
“Let’s try for the white truck two doors down. It would be nice to have at least two vehicles, maybe three if we can,” Junior said. “I don’t want to start any of them until we’re ready to go, or we’ll start drawing in some of the dead.”
They walked to the next house, which bore signs that zombies had been through it. The front door was halfway open and blood
-streaked the railing and the door frame. They stopped to listen for any noise coming from within but heard nothing, so Max and Frank entered first. They cleared the living room, and then the rest of the group came in. Just beyond the living room was the dining room, which led to the kitchen at the back of the house. There was a raspy moan coming from the rear of the house, and they heard the telltale sound of feet shuffling across the floor as the zombie was alerted to their presence.
“I’ve got this,” Frank said. Max followed out of caution, but Frank took the zombie down with a quick thrust of his knife. As he wiped his blade on the fallen zombie’s shirt, he said, “You know, I think I prefer a hammer or an ax. One quick hit and not so much of the squelching noises and fluids coming from their eyes and shit.”
Max stifled a laugh as Frank sheathed his knife and pulled out his ax. While everyone else was grateful for the knives, Frank was such a tall, muscular man that it was easier for him to crush a skull with a tool. He towered over most of the living and the dead and had the weight to back up his swing.
Anna and Emily entered the kitchen after clearing the rest of the house to make sure it was free from zombies. After a glance at the dead body on the floor, Anna said, “Why don’t you guys take the kitchen? We’ll check the living room and dining room.”
Max looked for a key rack in the kitchen then joined Frank in checking the kitchen counter and drawers. Junior and Maggie checked the dining room while Anna and Emily looked around the living room. After just a couple of minutes of searching, Emily softly called out, “Found them!”
“What do you think?” Junior asked. “Should we try for one more?”
“It can’t hurt,” Maggie said. “I noticed a blue pickup across the street about two houses down.”
They all went back outside and watched for zombies as they crossed the street. In the front yard of the house with the blue truck, a lone zombie lurched toward them. Frank brought his ax down on its head in one hard swing, and the zombie was down. He shared a quick grin with Max. The front door of the house was unlocked and appeared to be empty. After a ten-minute search, no keys were found.
“Well, it was worth a try,” Anna said. “Why don’t we get the other two trucks before we go any further? There’s no point in walking much more when we can drive those two until we find a third. I’m sure we’ll have plenty to choose from well before we get near the first couple of gas stations.”
Everyone was agreeable, so they split up to ride in the red and white trucks. Max, Anna, and Maggie took the white truck while Junior, Frank, and Emily took the red one. Max had only driven about half a block when he saw a newer silver pickup in a driveway. There were three zombies on the sidewalk, so Frank and Junior went to kill the zombies while everyone else went directly to the house’s front door. It looked clear, and the front door was unlocked, so they went inside. Two minutes later, they came out with keys. Anna and Emily took the silver truck while everyone else piled back into the first two. A moment later, they were on their way to the first gas station.
Chapter 25
Day 5
With Max leading the way, they drove to the nearest set of gas stations. The intersection held a pharmacy, a small shopping plaza, and two gas stations. About a dozen zombies were lingering around in the middle of the street, but most of the area was clear. They pulled all three trucks into the first gas station and pulled up alongside the pumps. Max, Anna, and Emily went with Junior to clear the inside of the building so he could turn the pumps on while Frank and Maggie stood watch outside. The dead were still slow as hell, so they had a good five minutes before the stragglers in the street would reach them. When they did, they would take them out together.
The gas station's door was ajar, which was a good sign because any zombies inside would have been able to make their way out at any time. Max went in first with the others following, and they quickly cleared the aisles. Their luck was holding without a zombie in sight. Junior went to turn the pumps on and got them started without a problem. Max, Anna, and Emily went looking for fuel cans in a large area full of basic car supplies. They found ten gas cans and grabbed some oil, antifreeze, fix-a-flat, and windshield washer fluid. An involuntary shiver ran down Emily’s spine as she thought of her last attempt to grab gas cans. She shook it off and headed back outside with the others.
“Why don’t you fill up the trucks while the guys and I start taking out those zombies?” Max suggested to Anna, Emily, and Maggie. “If we can keep their numbers down, we should be able to hit the other gas station when we’re done here.”
Anna didn’t like being told what to do but understood that her husband was trying to make feasible plans on the go. The women agreed, and each went to fill up one of the three trucks. They were amazed that Junior could get the pumps running and were determined to get as much gas as they could before the power went out.
The zombies in the street had reached the edge of the parking lot, and a few others were approaching from other areas. The group wasn’t making much noise, but it was enough to attract the dead in the quiet of the day. Frank went to work with his ax, cleaving skull after skull. Junior dashed around and between the zombies with deadly thrusts of his knife. Max went to the other end of the parking lot past the gas pumps to make sure none of the dead came in through a blind spot and was glad he did. Half a dozen zombies had been slowly making their way around the corner of the building toward the front. They were separated enough that he was able to take them all out himself. When he finished, he looked back toward the pumps to see that all of the trucks were full and the women were filling the gas cans. Plans never seemed to work out, but this time everything was going smoothly, and it felt good. It was hard to always stay on high alert with adrenaline rushes and crashes, so he was relieved to feel less pressure than usual.
Frank and Junior continued to kill the occasional shambler coming from the street while Max kept watch on his side. A couple of minutes later, all of the gas cans were full and ready to go. The gas station across the street was deserted, and they’d already attracted most of the nearby dead. So, it looked like getting gas there was going to be a lot easier. Frank, Max, and Junior headed over to the trucks and lugged all of the heavy gas cans into the truck beds.
“Go ahead and drive across the street,” Max said to Emily, Anna and Maggie. “We’ll kill the few stragglers on the sidewalk and meet you there in a minute.” There were only four zombies currently in sight, so it only took a moment for the guys to kill them. They all met at the gas station and prepared to clear it.
The glass doors of the gas station were smeared with dried blood. Max sighed when he realized this one wasn’t going to be as easy as the first. The parking lot and street were clear of the dead. They didn’t have to worry so much about that this time.
“Emily, Maggie, you want to keep watch?” Max asked. He had a feeling they were going to need more muscle inside the gas station, so he wanted Frank and Junior with him. Anna would not want to stay outside when only two people were needed, so he planned on her going in.
Junior held the door open while Frank went inside with Max and Anna close on his heels. It was a bloodbath. Blood stained the floor, the counters, and all of the displays within sight. They could hear raspy moans and shuffling feet moving around the tiny aisles of the little store. Max took the first zombie out as it stumbled out from behind the register. It wore a store uniform and had a multitude of bites over most of its upper body. Max thrust his knife into its ear, and it fell to the ground. Frank nearly took the heads off of two of the dead as he swung his ax. Anna killed two child-sized zombies without a second thought. She’d seen so many of the dead when the horde came through, and not much bothered her anymore. Junior stepped ahead to the next aisle and found a crawler wearing a store uniform. He plunged his knife through its ear then wiped it off on the dead guy’s shirt. Max had thought that was all of them, but they heard scratching and light thumping noises coming from the rear of the store.
“Let�
�s clear out whatever’s moving around back there while Junior gets the pumps going,” Frank told Max. “Anna, watch Junior’s back.”
Frank and Max found half a dozen zombies in the storage room. The door was lightweight and could be pushed open from either side. The dead had heard them making noise and were making their way out the door as the guys approached. “Fucking A,” Max said as he stabbed the first through the eye. The sickening squelch of the burst eyeball smelled putrid as a bloody, milky fluid ran out. “Why the hell are there so many in here?”
“It’s strange, that’s for sure,” Frank replied as he cracked skulls with his ax. “Maybe the store was crowded when the shit hit the fan. You remember how fast they all turned and attacked each other.”
“Yeah,” Max said. “Still didn’t expect to find so many in here.” He killed another, making a point to thrust his knife through the dead woman’s ear instead of her eye. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to the smell and sound of a bursting eyeball.
The dead were coming out of the storeroom, moving at an achingly slow pace; otherwise, the guys wouldn’t have been talking so much while they killed them. The setup made it almost too easy, but Max knew better than most not to take any situation for granted. That’s when mistakes were made, and zombies would get lucky.
When all the zombies were finally dead and Junior had turned the pumps on, Anna went back outside to see if Emily and Maggie needed any help. Max and Frank only found three gas cans on the shelf, so they went back to the storage room to see if there were any more.
“Well, would you look at that,” Frank said with a little laugh. There were two dozen gas cans sitting among other supplies on the back wall. They weren’t heavy, but they were awkward to carry, so it took them a few trips to bring all of them out to the pumps.
“Wow, that’s a hell of a lot,” Anna said with a smile. “We’ll have two of the truck beds full with all of those.”
SUBURBAN JUNGLE: A Post Apocalyptic Zombie Survival Thriller (Chronicles of the Undead: Book 2) Page 18