Badlands Trilogy (Book 3): Out of the Badlands

by Brian J. Jarrett

  Burt, Reggie and Herb, all former prisoners of Enoch’s, raised their hands slowly.

  Sue raised her hand and spoke in her gruff voice. “Ed. He’s good enough for now.”

  Dario looked around at all the hands in the air and shrugged. “All right then. I suppose you’re the man.” Ed did not believe, however, that he was sufficiently convinced.

  “Ed Brady,” Terry said, “you’re officially nominated as the leader of this group. Do you accept our nomination?”

  Ed paused for a moment, considering. He could just take some of the rifles, load up on food and set out on foot with his family, like before. Things had been simpler then. He’d only have Trish and the boys to worry about.

  He glanced at Jasper. The kid saved Ed’s life. He’d left everything behind to follow Ed to Kansas City. Ed knew in his heart there was no way he could leave his friend behind.

  “Okay,” Ed said, hoping this wasn’t the worst decision he’d ever made. “I accept.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The following morning Lester awoke on the living room couch to the warmth of morning sunlight on his face. Sam and Chloe slept in the bedroom, evidenced by the boy’s loud snoring through the closed door. He rose from the couch and stretched, watching the dust motes dance in the sunlight.

  After taking a quick pee out the back door, he roused his two sleeping companions. They woke easily enough, Chloe with a mild start. She gave him a look that told him she didn’t appreciate him sneaking up on her while she was sleeping. He apologized and she seemed to relax a little.

  They met in the kitchen a few minutes later. Lester had three glasses of water waiting for them, drawn from the well out behind the house. They each took one and drank.

  “No sign of Rita last night then?” Sam asked, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

  Lester shook his head. “Appears not. Still ready to look for her?”

  Both Sam and Chloe nodded.

  “Okay then. Chloe, you should take her shotgun though, just to be safe. Do you think you can handle a twelve gauge?”

  Chloe paused for a moment. Lester could almost see the wheels turning in her head. By all appearances, he’d given her all the power.

  “Sure,” she eventually said.

  Lester smiled. “Then let’s go find our missing host.”

  * * *

  Lester led the group out the back door and away from the site where he’d dumped Rita’s body a day and a half earlier. They walked an area of almost a mile before coming back around to the house again. On the return trip, however, Lester led them right across the site where he’d dumped Rita’s remains.

  His plan worked even better than he’d expected.

  “What’s that?” Sam called out, pointing toward the patch of trampled grass.

  “I don’t know,” Lester said, playing the part of surprised and stunned.

  Sam got there first. “Looks like some clothes and some…” he trailed off when he finally noticed the bones. He puked when he saw the bloody mess left behind. The carriers had been at her that was for sure. Scratch marks criss-crossed the dull, dry surface of what appeared to be a femur, an ulna and several ribs.

  Ten feet away they found her skull. The skin had been peeled off and eaten, the eyes gouged out and consumed as well. The jawbone was gone. Flies buzzed the empty eye sockets, eating their fill of the rotting brain matter inside. Chloe gagged, but she kept it down. Lester admired that.

  “It’s her,” Chloe said.

  “You’re sure?” Lester asked.

  Chloe nodded. “I recognize the clothes. I’ve seen enough. Can we go back to the house now?”

  “Sure,” Lester replied.

  They walked quickly back to the house. Chloe made sure to lock the door once the trio was safely inside.

  “Sorry you guys had to see that,” Lester said.

  Sam opened his mouth to speak, but Chloe got her words out first. “Not the first time I’ve seen a dead body.”

  “Of that, I have no doubt,” Lester said. “Not sure if it gets any easier though.”

  Chloe didn’t argue.

  “What do we do now?” Sam asked.

  “I supposed we could stay here for a few days,” Lester said.

  “I don’t want to stay here,” Chloe said. “Reminds me too much of her.”

  “But if we don’t stay here, where do we go?” Lester said, choosing his language carefully, including himself in the collective we. He studied both their faces for any sign of reluctance.

  Seconds passed and no one spoke. “Chloe?” Lester added. “Any ideas?”

  “Me? Why do I have to decide?”

  “You don’t have to, I just thought you were in charge when I met up with you and Sam, that’s all.”

  “I’m not in charge, we were just walking,” Chloe said.

  “Yes, you are,” Sam added.

  “Well, who says I want to be in charge?” Chloe argued.

  “It’s okay,” Lester said, steering the conversation in his direction. “Nobody has to be in charge. Take a vote. We could decide as a team.”

  Chloe gave him an odd look and Lester thought for a moment she was going to protest, but the moment passed and her face returned to normal. “Okay,” she said. “A vote sounds good.”

  This time Lester allowed himself to smile. “Then let’s figure out what’s next…as a team.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Exhausted, Ed and the others slept in the back of the truck behind the strip mall, trading guard duty shifts with each other throughout the night. They stayed out of the mall itself, choosing to avoid anything that might be keeping their own residence inside. Terry and Jasper moved Kevin Wells’ body off the truck while Sue comforted his surviving partner. Sue had turned out to have a bit more heart than Ed had initially given her credit for.

  At daybreak Jasper and Terry burned the dead man’s body. Herb said a few words while the others gathered around for a makeshift service. It was the first decent thing Ed had seen in a long while. It gave him hope for the group’s future.

  After the service, Ed collected the group and addressed them for the first time as their appointed leader. “I think we should hole up for a week,” he said, seeing their faces clearly in the bright sunlight. They all looked so tired. “Our trail will go cold and that’ll help throw off whoever those men were that attacked the church. It’ll also give us some time to ferret out some supplies and regroup. We need to be prepared this time, better than we were before.”

  “We should put it to a vote,” Dario said, reminiscent of his approach the night before. “Just to make sure everybody’s on board.”

  Ed scrutinized the little dark-haired man, hoping he wouldn’t be trouble. The last thing Ed needed was another Alice Sappington to contend with.

  “We don’t need to fucking vote,” Terry argued.

  Ed had grown to like his new friend very much. “That’s okay. I’m fine voting. What do you all say? Hole up for week or get back out there right now on the road?”

  “I don’t want to go back out there just yet,” Reggie replied. “I got a good look at those road warrior creeps in the armor. I say we give it the week.”

  “All those in favor of waiting a week, raise your hands,” Terry said.

  Ed saw that all but two raised their hands: Dario and Sue. So much for Sue being on his side.

  “Majority rules in a vote like this, so we’re going to stay put,” Terry said.

  Dario frowned. Sue’s face was like that of a master poker player, stoic as hell.

  “I’d like to know what your concerns are,” Ed said. “Terry’s right that majority rules, but dissent shouldn’t go unaddressed.”

  “The food,” Sue said. “We ain’t gonna have enough, not if we sit here on our asses and eat it all week. We’re gonna need more.”

  “Point taken,” Ed said. “We have one of the best scavengers I’ve ever met here with this group. His name is Jasper Carter.”

  Jasper looked awa
y sheepishly. “Laying it on a little thick there, aren’t you?”

  “Not at all. He had the biggest stockpile of stuff that I’ve ever seen. His toilet paper inventory alone would blow your mind,” Ed said with a smile. That elicited a chuckle from the group.

  “You really that good, boy?” Sue asked.

  Jasper paused for a moment, as if considering. “Yeah, I am.”

  “Then we’re gonna be counting on you to fill the gap. I like the idea then, so long as we can feed ourselves until we get there,” Sue said.

  Terry asked, “Does that mean you’re now for or against waiting out the week?”

  “I’m for it,” Sue replied.

  “How about you, short stuff?” Terry said. “What’s your complaint?”

  Dario frowned. “If we’re gonna get more food then I suppose I’m okay with it.” Ed watched the man’s face closely, but the sour expression never really left it.

  “All right then,” Terry said. “Let’s find ourselves a place to hole up.”

  * * *

  Two exits down they found a suitable building. A former machine shop large enough to hold everyone, including the truck, with room to spare. Plus, the steel garage doors provided an adequate barrier to the carrier threat lurking in the shadows each night. After climbing in the through a window, Sue opened one of the garage doors using the manual override. Ed pulled the truck inside as Sue closed the door behind them.

  Sunlight filtered in through hazy windows, bathing the inside in a dirty yellow pallor. A thick coat of dust covered silent machines, rusting in disuse like the rotting carcasses of mechanical dinosaurs. Armed with M16s from their weapons stock, Terry, Jasper and Reggie ensured that the building was clear before they made the decision to stay. Aside from four desiccated corpses they discovered in a back room, Ed and the group found themselves alone in the warehouse.

  As night fell it covered the landscape like a dark blanket. Conversation remained at a minimum. Most of the survivors kept to themselves. Reggie, Tina, Dario and Burt—all former prisoners of Enoch’s cult—exhibited signs of malnourishment. After a quiet dinner of canned food—beef stew, chili, vegetable and chicken noodle soup—they slept most of the evening away.

  Ed, Trish, Jasper and Terry sat off to themselves and away from the rest of the group. Zach and Jeremy lay a few feet away on blankets placed on the hard shop floor. Ed watched them sleeping, wishing they had beds. With any luck, they’d have beds once they got to Hawaii. Everyone would have beds then.

  “I’ll make a trip out tomorrow,” Jasper said, candlelight dancing on his face. “A scouting run, just to see what’s out there.”

  “Alone?” Ed asked.

  Jasper nodded.

  “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” Ed said. “Wouldn’t you be better off with the truck and a few others?”

  “Well, somebody’s gotta see what’s out there and there’s no sense in burning up all the gas only to come back empty handed. I’ll go on foot as far as I can and still make it back by nightfall.”

  “You shouldn’t go alone though. If something happens to you then you’re screwed.”

  “I’ll go,” Terry said.

  Ed shook his head. “I’d rather you stay here.”

  “Who then?” Terry asked.

  “What about Sue?” Trish suggested. “She seems capable.”

  Ed nodded. “What do you think, Jasper?”

  “Sure, why not?”

  “If you find anything, only bring back what you can carry,” Ed said. “If there’s more we’ll take the truck.”

  “Will do.”

  “And don’t let it slow you down. You need to be back before dusk.”

  “Okay, Dad,” Jasper said, grinning.

  “You know what I mean,” Ed said, returning the smile.

  “I’ll go tell Sue she’s been volunteered,” Jasper said. “We’ll head out first thing in the morning.”

  “Tomorrow we’ll reassess our route and inventory our supplies and fuel,” Ed said. “We’ll need to get some estimates together to make sure we can make it on what we have. Losing the second truck hurt us.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Terry said.

  “We should get some sleep,” Trish said. “There’s not much more we can do tonight.”

  Ed lay awake for several hours, considering their options and listening to the carriers howl in the distance until sleep finally came for him.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Jasper and Sue left the following morning at daybreak. They each carried an empty backpack, along with an M16 and a hundred rounds of ammunition between the two of them. The early morning air was cool, but with summer fast approaching the days were getting hotter. By noon the sun would be sitting overhead and Jasper knew he’d be sweating like a pig. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken a shower. He missed that quite a lot.

  Sue didn’t talk much, so Jasper left her to her thoughts. He’d always found himself more toward the introverted side of the scale, so he could understand. She’d talk when she wanted to or when she felt the time was right. Besides, they needed to keep their eyes and ears open and their guard up.

  They walked along the back streets south of the machine shop, searching the defunct stores for anything that might be valuable. The area in which they’d stopped had been an industrial zone before the virus, with warehouses, tractor trailer lots and one-story office buildings. Modest houses cropped up along the way, intermingled with the industrial buildings.

  They walked for an hour, with Jasper marking the way by scratching his first initial on various roadsigns. He did this ten times before Sue finally decided to speak. “What’s that for?”

  “Breadcrumbs,” he replied. “Wouldn’t be a good idea to get lost out here.”

  “I guess you do what you gotta do.”

  “You have a better idea then?”

  “I just remember it.”

  “You can memorize all those turns we took?”

  “Sure can. We took two lefts, a right and two more lefts back at the old Conoco station. Another right at the burned out VW van and then another left. To get back, you just reverse it. Easy enough.”

  “Damn,” Jasper replied, chuckling. “Impressive.”

  “I’ve always been good with directions. I grew up on a farm and spent a lot of time in the woods. There you gotta remember your way to and from. Just a sequence of turns with some landmarks thrown in.”

  “I’m glad you came then. Looks like you might be the best scavenger we got.”

  “I might be,” Sue replied, smiling. Jasper noticed it was the first time she’d smiled since he’d met her.

  “Ed,” Sue continued. “You and him go back a ways, eh?”

  “We do.”

  “What’s his story?”

  “He and his boys came from the East Coast. Met his girl, Trish, along the way. They walked to St. Louis and stayed there until somebody blew it up. I found him in a wrecked train and helped him get back to his family in Kansas City.”

  “Is he solid?”

  “As the day is long.”

  Sue nodded. “We needed that. We didn’t have nobody before. That’s how we ended up in this mess. The wrong people in charge.”

  “I’ll second that.”

  “That woman got a lot of people killed.”

  “Alice?”

  “Of course I mean Alice.”

  “Ed left her in the cell. She’s probably dead by now.”

  Ann’s eyes narrowed. “He shoulda killed the bitch himself.”

  “Ed’s not like that.”

  “He’s gonna need to be. This ain’t no game we’re playing here.”

  “He knows that.”

  Sue grunted in response. “Keep those eyes peeled. Who knows what kinda freaks we’re gonna run into out here.”

  * * *

  They walked for another twenty minutes, investigating a few small shops and houses along the way. They found only empty vending machines and barren shelves
, long since pilfered by survivors. The houses gave up very little. Most had been picked clean, their broken windows and open doors an invitation for nature to come inside and do as she pleased. Inside they found some batteries that were mostly corroded and useless, a few bottles of spring water and some canned food that had ruptured from the excessive heat.

  During their search, Jasper found a five year old tabloid lying on the back of a toilet. As Sue picked through the kitchen, Jasper thumbed through its pages, marveling at the vapid and childish content. Celebrity gossip had been the nation’s priority before the virus. Who was screwing who and which actor had just gone to rehab. The best and worst dressed on the red carpet. Photos of celebrities who dared show an ounce of cellulite on the beach, photographed in stealth by sociopaths with telephoto lenses.

  “Silly, ain’t it?” Sue said from behind him, causing Jasper to jump.

  “I was never much for these rags,” Jasper replied, tossing the tabloid to the bathroom floor.

  “Growing up where and how I did, that kinda shit just wasn’t real,” Sue said. “Bunch a pretty people always looking at themselves in the mirror, surrounded by a bunch of people who wanted to be them.”

  “Seems even more ridiculous now after everything that happened.”

  “Most of them folks are dead. Same as the folks who wanted to read about them. Instead of reading this garbage they should have been taking a hard look around. They would have seen this coming.”

  “Did you see it coming?” Jasper asked.

  “Yep.”

  “Were you some kind of prepper or something?”

  “I wouldn’t call it that, but I had the skills to survive. Growing up in the country will give you that.”

  “I don’t miss this kind of bullshit,” Jasper said, gesturing toward the tabloid on the floor. “I miss my brother though.”

  Sue nodded. “There ain’t shit here. Let’s keep looking.”

  They left the house behind, taking the bottled water with them. After another half mile they happened upon a small grocery store. A battered sign reading Smith’s Super Value clung to the front. Broken windows and doors greeted them, like shattered teeth on a malevolent face.