by Diane Butler
At that moment Terry walked over and flopped down beside Roxanne. “I’ll be going with you after all. Didn’t work out with the Hurley’s but at least I have a better pair of shoes now” she leaned back and put her feet out for all to see. She was now sporting moccasins, “they’re not new, but it’s better than the slippers I was wearing.”
Roxanne didn’t know how she felt about Terry joining their group again but since there would be more people involved perhaps they could help toward training Terry in defending herself and how to kill. She looked up to notice that several people were watching her. A large portion of the group had already packed their personal possessions and had their suitcases or duffle bags sitting next to them. They could do nothing at this point but wait and hope that Toby’s plan was successful.
“What do you know about this plantation?” Roxanne asked, starting to feel uncomfortable with the stares. She hadn’t packed any of her gear yet, wasn’t wearing her holster nor did she have her staff with her and was starting to regret it.
“It wasn’t inhabited so we won’t find any supplies,” Morgan said. “It was donated to the Historical Society thirty years ago and has only been used for tours. The fields were worked on a seasonal basis though since it costs so much to maintain one of those monster homes and the income from the crops helped along with tour tickets, home-made jelly’s and souvenirs. Toby likes it because of the fruit trees and vegetable seeds he had Gretchen hoard for him. He saved the seeds from any vegetables that managed to ripen on its own this year. I haven’t seen the place myself.”
When it began to approach mid-day people were starting to become anxious. A few more couples had packed their gear and came into the Lobby to wait. Roxanne was starting to get nervous by the stares and asked Morgan in a low voice if it would appear to be a sign of hostility if she were to get her staff. He smiled and reached over to put his hand on hers, “It’s alright, Roxanne. Every group has their hot-heads, but nothing that we can’t handle.”
Finally a man approached them from a group who had been in deep conversation while watching Roxanne. Mutt got up from sitting next to Caleb and moved in front of Roxanne to sit down. “Mam, if I may introduce myself, names Ivan.” He nodded at Morgan then looked back to her again. “I understand that the men are planning to get back around noon, is that your understanding?”
She nodded, “Yes Ivan, I was told the same.”
“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you are sitting with your back to the Lake and I think they may be delayed depending on what I see out there.”
Morgan and Roxanne turned around to see that the horizon was the color of black and dark clouds were quickly approaching.
“Oh My God, is that a hurricane?” Roxanne asked.
“No”, Ivan said. “I’d say it’s a tropical storm but it’s still going to be rough. If they’re not already on their way, Toby may need to ride it out on the barge. That would be their safest place. Your riverboat would be running low in the water with three barrels on it and it would be easy for the waves to wash over it. So we’re between a rock and a hard place here. If he has already loaded your boat then he may try to make a run for it and take the chance of staying ahead of the storm. Or he may unload the barrels back onto the barge to lighten the weight on Jenny and wait the night out. If he has made a run for it, then we need to get it unloaded right away once he gets here or it could sink at the dock and it’s not easy moving barrels of fuel. You get my drift about a rock and a hard place?”
Roxanne nodded her head. “As for us,” Ivan continued, “Morgan we need to get everyone away from the windows. These places are built to handle this but let’s not take any chances. I suggest everyone double up in the rooms facing shore since the rooms facing the lake will take a pounding.”
“Roxanne, why don’t you and Lucky pack your things and come to our room,” Morgan said. “You can double up with us. We’ve ridden these things out before.” Roxanne stood up to go to her room when Lucky burst into the Lobby. “I see them!” he shouted. “They’re ahead of the storm!”
“All hands on deck!” Ivan shouted. “We need to roll those barrels to shore and tie them down. Everyone knows what they’re supposed to do, so let’s be ready for them when they get here.”
Jenny was still in the far distance and if she had been a steamboat you would have seen the trailing smoke as she struggled to get ahead of the storm. “I’m getting too old for this”, Toby said as he spotted the cityscape. “Making too many mistakes. Shouldn’t have loaded three barrels on Jenny. The poor girl is struggling. Once I smelled the storm coming I should have loaded one barrel for my tugboat and come back for the rest after the storm was over.”
“We’ll make it, Toby,” Brandon said. “She’s a good girl, Jenny.”
“Thing is,” Toby continued, “I don’t know how much longer our barrier will hold back those zombies. One of those cars is almost pushed out of place, a breach ready to happen. I was trying to please too many people, bringing back so many barrels so everyone could have a boat for their group and go their separate way. Some of those people are desperate and I was trying to prevent someone from picking up a dinner knife at supper and starting a riot.”
Toby walked to the door of the bridge and yelled out, “Smokey, can you see if the cars are still in place?” Smokey shook his head, “No Captain. Too far away yet.” They heard a clap of thunder and Toby looked behind them. He came back and stood beside Brandon, “Hell maybe the storm will give us a tail wind and push us in.”
The words barely left his lips when a swell came from behind Jenny and lifted her. She rode the wave and picked up speed from the force behind her. “Water is rushing in from the canals.” Toby said. “Maybe we’ll make it after all.” Brandon looked at him and smiled, “I never doubted it.” A second wave hit her, almost violently and Jenny scooted ahead like a woman who just had her tail slapped by a flirt, but this time water washed over the deck. Another clap of thunder and it started to rain in large drops.
Smokey came in out of the rain and said he could see the barrier and the cars were still standing in place. “Good, then we’re gaining faster. That surge helped.” The rain was now pouring down the windshield of the bridge and Toby looked over at Brandon then back at the window. He waited and then finally said, “You know, you have windshield wipers on this thing Brandon.” He reached across Brandon and threw a switch. Brandon was startled, “They work?”
“Everything on here can be used manually,” Toby said. “As long as the wheels are turning, you have wipers.” Another wave hit and water flooded over Jenny’s bow. “Come on Baby!” Brandon shouted, “Keep your head up! Keep your head up!” He thought they were going under but Jenny’s bow appeared out of the water and leveled. Smokey shouted that he could see people on the dock waiting to tie Jenny and unload the barrels. “Do you want me to take it from here,” Toby asked. “One last surge and she could end up on shore.”
“No, I got it” Brandon smiled.
CHAPTER 10
Roxanne stood on the front lawn of the antebellum home shaking her head. Although the home would provide some security it would only be temporary. There was a white fence surrounding the lawn but nothing that would hold back a herd. The first floor of the home was raised high enough that a zombie could not grab the lower porch railing to pull him up and over to gain access to the portico. There was an arched brick staircase from the grounds to the first floor which the Ze’s could easily mount but they could block that off.
Toby had been mistaken about the use of the plantation home and did not realize that it had been renovated to include a restaurant, nor that there were three cottages on the property that were rented out. It was the cottages that Roxanne felt more secure in. Toby had not entered the home during his fruit picking excursions and once they gained unlawful access to the mansion they were shocked to find that it had not been looted. The place was huge with 15ft ceilings, two ballrooms, several conference rooms, three levels with sixt
y-four rooms, six staircases and windows, windows, windows. It was those windows that made Roxanne nervous. If zombies should gain access to the portico it would be impossible to block off and defend so many accessible areas.
The others in the group walked about in awe while Terry ran from room to room in glee. But Roxanne felt as if she were invading the privacy of someone’s home. She had never been uncomfortable about looting a home in the past but this place gave her a different feeling. It was decorated with original antiques and furnishings with sparkling new fixtures to blend in with the period. They went to the third floor that housed the bedrooms and Terry claimed the most luxurious. People started peeling off to other bedrooms and Roxanne found herself standing in front of windows overlooking the River. The windows extended down to the floorboards and were taller than a door. She unlocked one and discovered that, once raised she could walk through the window frame to the walk-around porch that still had rocking chairs on it. She turned around to see Lucky leaning against the door frame of the bedroom smiling at her but she shook her head to tell him that this room was not her first choice.
She stepped out to the porch and followed it around to the other side of the house, noting more staircases leading up from the grounds. She sighed at the realization that there were too many accesses and not enough people to guard it all. Some of the windows on this side of the house had been broken and part of the porch was gone from a fallen tree. That’s when she saw the cottages nestled among the trees at the end of a pond. There was a foot-bridge to cross the pond and she could see geese and ducks going in and out of the cattails. She heard the voices of other conversations in the group and found stairs leading from the porch to the level below.
“But a place this size would have a generator,” Gretchen was saying. “They held weddings and other social functions and if the electricity went out the affair would have been a disaster. We just need to search for it. Maybe there are sheds, and there’s a basement that I bet has canned goods or even a wine cellar.” Roxanne continued walking with Lucky silently following at a distance, waiting for a signal from her that something finally felt right to her. The porch she was on soon came to another staircase that led to the grounds and at this point she no longer knew where she was because the place was so huge with so many additions and wings added to the home. If they were to stay here they would need to board up sections and limit their living to just one wing that could be guarded and defended. Perhaps they could have an escape through another wing that would lead them away from the open fields at the front of the house.
She found an overgrown brick path and began following it away from the house, Mutt running ahead of her glad to be free of Jenny and on stable ground again. They came to a 10’ high brick wall with a steel gate and peeking in she saw that it surrounded a pool with stagnant green water that was filled with debris. The brick wall was the best defense she had seen on the property so far, but it was not a place to take refuge. She continued on the path aware that Lucky was still following but was unaware that he was picking fall flowers along the way to form a bouquet.
The path circled the brick wall and went under a few overhanging trees dripping with Spanish moss but she could see the pond and foot-bridge ahead of her. Mutt ran over the bridge and a flock of geese flew out of the reeds. Roxanne tested the bridge with her foot first and decided it was safe. She went to the cottage in the middle of the three and looked through the window to see a living room with a kitchenette behind it. She tested the door but it was locked when suddenly Lucky appeared beside her and bowed, “Madam, if you please?” He handed her the bouquet and she was so shocked that she forgot to smile. He straightened and swung his arm out, “If you would step aside please?” Roxanne stepped away from the door as Lucky turned and kicked the door in while holding onto a pillar to keep his balance. Once again he bowed and swung his arm out, “After you madam.”
Gretchen discovered that the kitchen was stocked with canned goods although she had to clean out rotten vegetables that had been left in the refrigerators. The basement did in fact hold a wine cellar along with cases of bottled water and sodas. They decided to board up the wing of the house that had been damaged in the storm and to remove the doors from those rooms to block off the outside staircases that lead up from the grounds. By laying the doors sideways between the bannisters it would block a small number of zombies from advancing. This idea did not work for the front brick circular stairs that lead to the first floor wrap-around porch since those stairs were designed to handle the billowing dresses of the Colonial era and were too wide. Instead they decided to bring down the furniture from the damaged wing and pile it at the bottom of the stairs, securing it with rope and twine. They hated using such beautiful antique dressers, tables and desks but knew that they were at the mercy of Ze’s in this home with so many ways to access it from the outside.
They continued to maintain supplies on both Toby’s tugboat and Jenny in case a quick escape was necessary. No one who had been at The Park wanted to be left in the same situation as when they had to abandon that refuge and were forced to leave so many things behind. If Gene had not had a heart attack the situation would have been different since the truck was so well stocked, but everyone was left with what they could carry on their backs. Having both the tugboat and Jenny supplied would give them an advantage if they were forced to move on. The only person who was in denial was Terry who thought the Plantation was now her permanent home. She did not seem to grasp that the world was not going to let her return to a normal life. She discovered a lounge for the employees that had lockers and broke into each of them looking for dresses, tossing aside jeans and slacks. She found the laundry room with racks of uniforms for the maids, servers and tour guides. The tour guides wore traditional Colonial clothing and she was delighted with the long skirts. Without the crinolines or hoop’s to wear underneath the dresses they were too long for her and dragged on the floor so she picked up the hems on each side and tucked them into her belt.
No one was happy with Roxanne’s decision to occupy one of the cabins instead of selecting a bedroom in the house except for Morgan and Caleb who also felt uncomfortable staying in such a huge mansion. “It’s not us,” Morgan said. “And I don’t like how the sounds echo in those large rooms with tall ceilings. It’s too spooky if you ask me. I’m sure it’s probably haunted too and we have enough problems than to be dealing with ghosts,” so they chose a cabin next to Roxanne and Lucky. In the house were Larry and Gretchen, Terry, Toby and Smokey since Brandon had elected to sleep on Jenny as a way of guarding her at night. Secretly Roxanne hoped that Brandon would take the third cabin so that their group from The Park would be together again, but she could see that Brandon was developing a seamanship relationship with Toby and Smokey and that he was still learning from them. Perhaps Lucky had been right and Brandon needed a break from them since they represented some of the worst that he had been through.
They were there for a week before they saw their first zombie who was coming through the fields across the road. Smokey was training Terry how to fight when Larry called down to them from the balcony. Smokey had discovered the maintenance building which had a supply of pipes and he had pounded one down into a staff for Terry. He was not able to design it with a sharp point as Ed had designed Roxanne’s, but the flat edge was sharp enough to cut through a zombie’s throat.
When Terry spotted the zombie she screamed, dropped her staff and turned to run into the house but Smokey caught her by the arm and held her there. “No you don’t,” he said. “This is an easy shot. He will stop at the fence which will be waist high. He may fall over it, or crawl under it, but either way this is an easy kill for you.” He picked up the staff and handed it to her. “I’ll be there right beside you.” Terry began to cry and gasp for air but she slowly approached the zombie while holding the staff out. As she neared the zombie Smokey warned her, “Don’t let him grab it. Go on! Just do it quickly.”
“But he’s so horrible,” Ter
ry wailed, swaying slightly on her feet.
“Don’t think about it. Just do it!”
Still crying she lunged at the zombie throwing all her strength into the blow. The staff caught the zombie in the neck and almost severed its head from its throat spilling out blood and a foul smell. The head fell over still attached to its spine and it continued to moan and move about. Terry screamed, dropped the staff and ran into the house yelling that she was never coming back out again. Smokey picked up the staff and kicked the zombie causing it to fall over. He then leaned across the fence and used the staff to pierce the head which gave off a sickening sound of being crushed. Suddenly he realized that no one had discussed the issue of where to put the bodies. He certainly wasn’t going to dig a grave for each one and he hadn’t seen any large equipment like a bulldozer. He knew they couldn’t dump them in the river and have the same results as Lake Pontchartrain but that thought made him think of the pool. He grabbed the zombie’s legs from under the fence and started dragging him in that direction but it was something that needed to be discussed after dinner tonight.
That night Roxanne walked out onto the portico with a bottle of wine in her hand and spotted the silhouette of Brandon sitting on the levee overlooking the boats. She grabbed a couple of glasses and decided to walk over and join him. It was a beautiful moonlit night although there was a chill in the air. Smokey had found a man’s leather jacket in the maintenance shop and had given it to Roxanne after hearing that she always participated in night patrol. It was far too big for her and the sleeves came down to her knuckles but she loved its warmth. “Come Mutt” she said and began descending the stairs.