While they were discussing the previous night’s happenings, the front screen door screeched and a minute or so later a young woman walked toward their table.
“Kim! I haven’t seen you around in a few days. What have you been up to?” Frances asked as she stood up to greet her.
“A few of us went into the city to find fresh clothing and housewares. We got back early this morning, but we’ve been busy sorting through everything.”
All of a sudden, the woman’s mouthed dropped open as she looked past Frances.
8 The Reunion
“It can’t be!” Kim said as she stared at Leandra, whose eyes were wide with disbelief.
“I was in the back helping Joy when I heard your voice! I’d know it anywhere!” Leandra cried as she walked toward her old friend with arms wide open.
“I thought you must be dead by now! How did you get here?” Kim asked Leandra, still visibly shocked.
“It’s a long story, but first you have to meet my rescuers!”
When everyone had been acquainted, Leandra and Kim proceeded to catch up on each other’s lives while the rest listened, intrigued. When Leandra asked about Hank, a shadow crossed Kim’s face. She said he had been killed in a tractor accident shortly after they arrived in Junction.
When the initial excitement was over, Kim turned to Sydney and asked where they had come from.
“A place called Aftertown, just a couple days’ drive from here,” Sydney told her. “This is a very nice town.”
“It is, isn’t it? I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.” Then Kim changed the subject. “I heard there was lots of commotion last night.”
“Such sad news,” Frances said, again shaking her head.
“Did I miss something?” Kim clearly hadn’t heard about Alison.
“Ohhh,” Frances said, not wanting to be the bearer of such bad news. “It was Alison. She became infected and was shot when she attacked someone.”
Kim blanched. “Oh, no! What’s going to happen to the girls?”
“George took them to Krissy’s house to stay with her until they can figure that out.”
Kim nodded her head. “I think I’ll go on over and see how they’re doing.” Looking at Leandra, she said, “As soon as I get settled in from my trip, I’ll have you come over so we can really catch up.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Late in the afternoon, a patroller radioed in that a car was coming and was still about ten miles away. When the boys and Sydney heard that, they couldn’t contain their excitement.
“That has to be Jeremy and Aaron!” Sydney burst out. “Let’s go meet them!” Kyle was with them at the time and decided to go along.
As the truck got closer, the boys were practically jumping out of their skin. When they couldn’t stand it any longer, they took off running toward the truck. Sydney didn’t worry, for two reasons—she recognized the Aftertown Blazer, and Turners couldn’t drive! Aaron and Jeremy slowed down as they approached the boys and opened the doors for them to hop in.
Joshua and Sydney walked hand-in-hand to greet them. When they reached the truck, Aaron and Jeremy got out, and Sydney gave them both long, close hugs. She loved them like they were her brothers.
With Aaron’s permission, Kyle drove their Blazer into Junction while the rest of them walked the short distance together and caught up on what had been going on.
“You guys drove hard to make it here this fast!” Joshua said.
“We took turns sleeping and driving. I’m actually feeling pretty rested,” Aaron remarked.
“How is Savannah doing?” Joshua asked Jeremy.
“Great, as always. She’s completely absorbed in the clinic. Also,” Jeremy said as he gave a little chuckle, “we’ve decided to get married in a couple of months! Really hoping all of you guys will be there.”
Joshua’s grin couldn’t be any wider. He thought the world of Jeremy and knew that he and Savannah were a great match. Knowing that his sister was marrying someone who loved her and could take care of her was a great relief. “It’s about time! We wouldn’t miss it for anything. Consider this our R.S.V.P.”
“Yeah, and we’re going with you!” Austin said. He, Mason, and Christian followed that with a round of high fives.
“Like we would ever leave any of you behind. Where one goes, we all go!” Sydney said, laughing at their unconcealed excitement.
Sydney looked at Joshua. They hadn’t told the boys their news yet because they wanted it to be just the right time. Sydney was bursting to let them know, but she also relished the idea of planning the moment, and now she didn’t want to steal Jeremy’s thunder.
“So, what other news is there?” Joshua asked Aaron.
“Well, for me, the biggest news is that I’m going to be a dad. Jen is pregnant!” The news caught everyone by surprise, as they had only been gone from Aftertown for a short time. “I know, I know. Believe it or not, she has less than three months to go. She thought she was just putting on weight. She attributed the nausea to a virus that was going around, and she figured missing her cycles was from the stress of trying to be everybody’s helper. She only had a small bulge in her abdomen, so no one even guessed she might be pregnant! So, here we are, about to become parents!” Aaron was in the habit of wearing a poker face except in the company of close friends. Sydney always enjoyed watching his non-poker face, which was glowing as he shared his good news.
She was also surprised at how excited the boys were about Aaron’s update. They all started talking at once, asking him all kinds of questions. They were thinking about the baby as a little brother, who they would teach to shoot and hunt as soon as he was old enough.
“Mother Martha must really be excited!” Sydney said.
“You know she is. Jen’s like a daughter to Martha,” Aaron replied.
Sydney had developed a genuine fondness for Mother Martha during her stay in Aftertown. The only mother she had ever known was purely biological. Mother Martha had shown her what a mother should be and what Sydney had missed, but she also showed Sydney what she could look forward to. They’d spent many mornings and afternoons together, talking about anything and everything. The wisdom and love Mother Martha had shared would stay with Sydney the rest of her life.
Aaron continued with more news from Aftertown, jerking Sydney out of her reverie.
“We also have some new residents,” he told them. “Otto, Rosie, Charlie, and Leesa! They rolled in four days ago. Said they had been getting too many visitors for comfort. When they found out we knew you, Otto thought we might be okay. They seem to be settling in, and Rosie and Martha have hit it off. Obviously, Charlie is a contributor, and Savannah has taken Leesa under her wing. The girl seems to be a natural when it comes to health matters and medicine. I guess she had to learn a lot because of the care Rosie has required.”
“I know someone who is going to be really glad to hear that news,” Joshua said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming up the road to greet the newcomers were Jason, Jon, and George.
“You’re gonna like these guys!” Joshua told Jeremy and Aaron.
Joshua made the introductions, and the whole bunch headed to Vic’s. Frances, who never missed a beat, had roasted chicken sandwiches and a hearty chicken soup ready, along with a warm welcome for Aaron and Jeremy. They all sat down to enjoy an early dinner together.
Aaron started off the table talk. “How did things go the other night? It looks like you’re still pretty well intact.”
“We had three fatalities,” Jason began, stopping when Leandra and Joy walked in to join them. While they got comfortable and helped themselves to the food, Joshua filled Aaron and Jeremy in on how they had met Leandra, as well as the situation in 90 Degrees. As the conversation continued, Sydney noticed Jason discreetly watching Leandra.
Jeremy turned to Jon and George. “When we’re finished eating, could Aaron and I get a tour of Junction? I’d really like to see what you’ve done and compare notes.”
Just then the radio crackled on.
“Jon here. Go ahead.”
“Got a group of visitors headed our way, about six miles out, on the south end of town.”
“How many?”
“Looks to be about twenty or so. They’re not moving too fast right now.”
“Roger that. Keep us posted. We’ll be out shortly.”
“Well,” Jon said. “Feel like getting in some practice shots before the grand tour?”
“We’re here to help,” Aaron and Jeremy answered, almost in unison.
Jon pushed his chair back from the table and stood up. “I’ll get going, then. Come on over when you’re finished. By the way, that was a great meal, Frances.”
“It sure was,” Aaron chimed in. “That soup was exceptionally good! I like to cook, but I don’t get a chance to hang out in the kitchen very often. I really appreciate the work you put into our meal.”
Jeremy also thanked Frances for her efforts and said he had enjoyed the food tremendously.
“Aw, it was nothing. You all stay safe,” she told them. Sydney noticed the small pat Frances gave the pistol in her pocket. She wasn’t going to put up with anyone invading her space, especially when they weren’t even alive.
9 Close Encounters
Everyone finished up and headed out to greet the decayed. With fewer than thirty Turners on the way—and older ones at that, judging by the way they were moving—no one was really worried. They walked briskly, but the talk was casual and light. The guys were naturally witty, and Sydney was always amazed at the stuff they came up with to tease each other. Even though she was constantly reading, she was not very imaginative and, while she really appreciated the humor, her lack of quick wit usually relegated her to spectator status. They were a steady source of entertainment for her.
As they approached the patrol, Fred came over to greet them, and Joshua gave him the good news about Otto and Charlie.
“I’ll be,” Fred said with a huge smile. “What a small world! How are they?” he asked, looking at Jeremy.
“Surviving nicely, and Otto is being well taken care of. I’m Jeremy, and this is Aaron. What’s the situation here?”
“You can see them about three miles out. If they keep up this pace, I figure they’ll roll in around midnight.”
Jeremy asked how they were planning to handle them.
“Well, barring any surprises—like they suddenly pick up speed—we’ll light up this area and get about ten shooters out here to pick them off before they get close enough to hug.”
“We’re more than happy to help out,” Jeremy offered. “We were going to take a look around Junction, but we’ll get back here in time to help any way we can.”
“I think if you get here about ten, that should be plenty enough time,” Fred told him.
“Then we’ll get our town tour in and see you later.” The guys all appeared to be relaxed, but something was making Sydney’s gut uneasy. Something she couldn’t put her finger on. Maybe it was because she had noticed that the groups of Turners were getting larger. The men had guessed that food was getting scarce in the cities, and when one Turner started moving, the rest followed just like cattle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A little before ten o’clock, the group started heading over to where the new batch of Turners would be arriving. When they got there, the Turners were still about a half-mile out, steadily coming on. The defensive line was fanning out to wait for them when one of the patrollers noticed that the crowd was picking up speed and beginning to really kick up the dust. They had caught the scent of living people! As the Turners drew closer, the lights Fred had rigged up to improve everyone’s aim provided an excellent view of the decayed mob headed their way. These Turners were fresher than anticipated, but the shooters on the defensive line wouldn’t fire until they knew they had the shot to the head. They all waited for precisely the right moment to begin shooting. Then it came.
The Turners were swaggering so much, a lot of the shots went into body areas that weren’t affected other than to slow the pace a moment or two. About half of them turned out to be newbies. Carefully aiming and firing, the townspeople were downing a good number of them, but poor visibility from the dust was working against them.
Two Turners got to Kyle, and he went down. Mason and Austin, who were the closest to Kyle, shot the Turners, and a man standing next to Kyle pulled the decayed bodies off of him, but it was too late. Huge chunks were missing from his neck and shoulder.
Hearing the familiar gurgling and groaning, the boys turned around just in time to avoid being taken down by a Turner in uniform who, with brain still intact, was missing the left side of its face. Jeremy aimed and hit it dead on.
With dust thick in the air, everyone was struggling to see. Most of the townspeople were so focused on the oncoming Turners that they weren’t thinking of shooting the victims. The next townie to be taken down was a woman in her thirties. A young male victim she’d been standing next to had reanimated. He jumped up so fast she had no time to defend herself. Sydney heard the woman’s collarbone crack as his ferocious bite dug in right below her throat. Joshua dispatched the Turner but was distracted before he could take care of the woman.
More of the victims started reanimating. The turned Kyle was up and heading toward Jeremy. Jeremy took aim, but his gun was empty, and the morphed Kyle was too close to allow him time to reload. He turned his rifle and brought the butt down as hard as he could across Kyle’s head. The second thrust put Kyle out of commission. After that, close attention was paid to anyone who might have been compromised.
Finally, about twenty minutes later, no more Turners were moving. Sydney took inventory of the people she loved and audibly thanked God they were all safe.
Joshua took her hand and they walked over to the boys. Although they’d been hyped up during the battle because of all the adrenaline, the boys were somber now. They had worked with Kyle and had gotten to know and like him. Sydney hugged each of them and made sure there were no marks on them.
“That was way too close,” Joshua said.
Fred walked by them on his way to Kyle’s body. Joshua and Sydney joined him, not saying anything simply because there was nothing they could say. They all knew the risks when going into confrontations with these things.
Fred knelt by Kyle for a while and then said his goodbye.
Torching was the only way to dispose of Turners once they’d been terminated. Although Joshua and Sydney knew that Fred would have preferred to bury Kyle’s remains, the protocol had to stand. After a few more minutes, Fred turned around and walked away. Sydney prayed to God that she would never have to walk that walk.
10 A Personal Space
The next morning, Sydney and the others walked from the clinic over to Vic’s for breakfast. Just as they were starting to eat, Jon came in. He was visibly upset about Kyle, but he knew as well as the next person that life had to go on.
Looking at Sydney, he said, “Thought I would deliver some good news. One of the homes here in town has an extra room that’s furnished, and we figured you might be more comfortable there than at the clinic. It’s up to you, though.”
“Thank you, Jon. I really appreciate it. I’d love to take a look at it.” Sydney’s only apprehension was being away from Joshua and the boys.
“I’ll come back in about thirty minutes then.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Jon returned for Sydney, Joshua said he wanted to come along and see where she would be staying. As they walked out onto the porch in front of the store, Jason was heading their way.
“Hey, Sydney, can I talk to you for a minute?” he called out.
“Sure, Jason,” she called back to him. “Joshua, you and Jon go on and I’ll catch up with you,” she said as she started toward Jason.
Jason jogged the few remaining steps between them. �
�What’s the story with Leandra?” he asked.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Well, I know she came from a rough situation, but I’m wondering where she’s at now. Is she trying to deal with all the baggage of it, or has she let it go and is moving on?”
“She’s pretty much dealt with it, I think. We’ve talked a lot about it, and it’s amazing how resilient she is. She’s definitely not the type to waste time licking her wounds. She’s totally relieved to be out of there, and she’s looking forward to a new life and friends. Why do you ask?” Sydney smiled and tilted her head slightly as she looked at Jason, knowing full well what he was after.
“No reason,” he replied. “She just seems really nice, and I’d like to get to know her better.”
“I’m betting she’d like that. Kind of tough to go on a date when there’s not a lot of nightlife, though—I mean at least among people who are still breathing. Maybe you could have her over for dinner or something. If you’d feel more comfortable, Joshua and I could make it a double date. We could play games afterward. That’s always a good icebreaker.”
Jason’s face lit up. “That’s a great idea! Do you think Joshua would be okay with that?”
“He’s not big on games, but if he’s helping a cause, he’ll go along.”
“I’ll ask Leandra, then, and get back to you with the time and place,” Jason said before turning to head off toward the clinic. “Thanks, Sydney.”
After the grim events of the night before, Jason’s excitement over a potential date with Leandra was like a balm for Sydney. She thought she had sensed something between the two of them!
Turners | Book 3 | Junction Page 4