Mike took a seat in a nearby chair, and watched the fire for a moment. Finally, breaking the silence when he thought they were almost full, “Does she need formula?”
Lisa looked up at Mike. “Breast fed, but bottles work in a pinch.”
“Anything special? Any allergies?”
“No, regular formula works just fine,” Lisa replied, as she finished up her sandwich.
“Is she on a schedule?”
“She was.”
“Was?”
“Since we had to go on the run, schedules are kind of out the window,” Lisa replied, leaning back, watching the fire, letting the food settle.
“Best meal I’ve had in a while,” Donny replied, getting up and taking out a pack of cigarettes. “Mind if I step out and smoke?”
“Go ahead,” Mike replied, and turned back to Lisa.
Donny kissed his wife, and then made his exit.
“I wish he’d quit those things.”
“I guess he doesn’t see the point with all that’s going on.”
“His point exactly,” she replied.
“So, schedule?”
“Right.” Lisa gave it some thought, as Mike reached over and grabbed a pen and paper. He handed it to her. She started to write while she talked. “Her morning starts at 6. Then she eats every 3 hours after that. Usually she and her brother –” She paused, Mike let her linger. She shook the tears loose and continued. “– go to bed at 7. She needs a night cap around 10 or so, then she’s good till the next morning.”
“Naps?”
“Lots of questions tonight, Mike.”
“I like to have my ducks in a row. You also might need help while you get adjusted, so I will probably get you some help. Better to have all this down on paper so your help can just slide right in.”
“Makes sense,” Lisa replied, finishing up, handing the paper to Mike.
He took it and folded. “I also know of one pack n’play that I can get you if that’s okay.”
She nodded her approval as Donny stepped back inside, shaking off the cold and snow.
“You said this was home,” Lisa replied, as her husband took a seat beside her.
“This is where I was when it all went down. Living the dream, making a routine, you know the drill.” Mike got up and walked over to the fireplace. He warmed his front and kept his back to them. “Once it all went down, I stayed put even after I lost my family. It was hard to do, lots of memories in my home, but I stayed for them. I knew they would have wanted me to do that.”
“I’m sorry,” Lisa replied.
“It’s okay. I’ve danced with the demons so long that I’ve almost gotten used to the pain.”
“Who put up the wall?” Donny asked.
“We all did. It was a group effort. Lost a few souls in the process, but we managed to secure this place nice and tight. We built the wall in a square, not a circle. That way we can protect this place from the north, south, east, and west. We post guards on each wall, and they pace it for their assigned hours. It is strictly voluntary.”
“Can I help?”
“In time,” Mike replied, as the door to the outside world opened.
Wendy Jen slipped out of her coat, and dusted off the snow from her feet. She looked to be in her early twenties and in pretty decent shape.
Mike walked over to talk to her.
“How’s it going?”
“Three newbies. We need to help get them settled, and we need that pack n’play.”
“Way ahead of you. Greg’s on the way.”
“Awesome. You’re always one step ahead of me.”
“Somebody has to be.”
He handed her the piece of paper. “This is all you need to know about their daughter. I think Donna Jenkins would be best to help out.”
“Did you?”
“I had to. I had no choice. Donny wanted to go back out with me when I go look for his son.”
She took a breath. “Oh, that’s awful. Do you think he’s okay?”
“I don’t know. They were swarmed pretty badly when I found them. Lucky any of them made it through.”
“I guess you want the standard.”
“Clean bed, shower, clothes, you know the drill. If they work out we might be able to find them something permanent, but I have a feeling that’s going to depend on how it goes with their son. Liable to flip out if he’s no longer with us.”
“I’ll take care of them. You go back and get some rest. You look beat.”
“No more than usual.” Mike turned from her to the new couple. “Donny, Lisa.” They turned towards him. “Wendy is going to make sure you get settled. I’m heading home for a bit.”
“What about my son?” Donny asked.
“Once we rest up we’ll go look for him.”
“I don’t want to delay.”
“I don’t either, but this snow is going to make moving tough. Better to have some rest before heading back out. Let the storm clear, okay? See you in a bit,” Mike replied, making his exit, not waiting on a response.
Wendy took a seat in front of them with a clipboard in her hands. She took out a pen and looked them over. “What I have here are a basic set of entry questions we ask everyone who arrives. Just some things like what is your skill set, what can you do to help us if you stay, how long you’ve been out and about, can you shoot, how many zombies or humans have you killed, those sorts of things.”
“That sounds kind of rigid,” Lisa replied, shocked.
“It really isn’t. We’ve worked hard to make this neighborhood what it is, so we want to make sure whoever is allowed in will be a functioning part of our society.”
“We may not be staying long,” Donny replied.
“I understand. You are under no obligation to do so, but Mike wants you to have a good shower, clean clothes, and a place to regroup before you decide on staying or not. These questions are just a part of all that.”
“Is he the leader here?”
Wendy chuckled. “No, and he’ll be the first one to tell you that. He is just the guy with the ideas. We just help him see them through. He helped my kids have a proper Christmas last year with his toy run to the mall. I’m forever in his debt for it.”
“Toy run?” Lisa asked.
“He, along with a couple of the guys in the neighborhood, decided to try and save Christmas last year the best they could. Their efforts went a long way to erase some bad times, at least for that one morning. It was the spring when we decided to put Mike’s wall idea into place, and by the summer we had it built. Thanks to Mike, we’ve been able to have a Fourth again, Memorial Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.”
“Now you guys are onto Christmas.”
“A bit overkill out there, I get it, but we’re just trying to spread a little joy around. Mike had us put up the tree with the light so he could bring in anyone that might need a soft place to fall.”
The door opened and two small petite frames walked into the room, dressed all in black from their combat boots to their ski masks. They dusted off the snow and stripped off their protective layers revealing youthful features and long jet black hair. Donny and Lisa turned to face the twin girls who couldn’t have been more than sixteen years old.
“Mike’s angels have returned safe again,” Wendy replied.
“Mike’s angels?” Lisa asked.
“He found these girls out and about, parents gone, no sense of survival, just barely hanging on. They were among the first group of refugees. They are sort of the secret everyone knows about, except for Mike, we think. We all kind of suspect he knows, but just doesn’t say anything about it.”
“Hi, I’m Double,” she replied, offering her hand out.
Donny and Lisa shook her hand.
“And I’m Trouble,” the other replied.
“I saw one of you when we were coming here,” Donny replied, feeling a bit groggy, but still able to pull up that recent memory.
“Double Trouble hang close to Mike while he scours
the city for survivors and supplies. He won’t let anyone go out with him, even though he insists the others do when they go out for their runs. He likes to go at it alone, so we make sure he has help just in case.”
“You know, make sure he doesn’t get cornered or trapped,” Trouble replied, munching on a cookie that looked like a stocking.
“Has he ever?” Lisa asked.
“No. He’s pretty sharp, but we like to be there for him if he needs us. It’s the least we can do for all of his training and hospitality,” Double replied, warming herself by the fire.
“All right. Why don’t you guys run along now. Donny and Lisa need to get some rest.”
“Cool. Just wanted to pop in and say hey to the newbies,” Double replied, slipping on her coat and making her exit. Trouble followed after.
“Double Trouble?”
“Kind of silly, but the girls won’t tell us their names. They just go by that, so we allow it.”
Lisa yawned.
Wendy took notice. “How about we skip the Q&A tonight? If you decide to stay we’ll go over it later,” she replied, putting down the clipboard. She pointed behind them to a door. They turned to look at it. “Inside that room is a hot shower, clean clothes, and several beds. No one is in there tonight, so the room is yours. Donny, you can sleep until you have to leave. Mike will swing by and get you when its time. Lisa can sleep it off, if she wants to, until Mike and Donny get back.”
“I’m not sure I can. Having both my boys out there,” Lisa replied.
“Come on. A hot shower will be nice for a change,” Donny replied, taking her hand, yawning and helping her up.
“Five minutes a piece. Water goes cold after that,” Wendy replied, as a tall guy arrived with the pack n’ play. She walked over to him. “That goes in the room with them, Greg.”
He took the bed into the room, set it down, and walked into the kitchen.
“Thanks.” Lisa replied. “I really mean that.”
“Sure, and don’t worry, Mike will find your son. He’s got a nose for tracking, and a knack for surviving.”
Donny picked up the carrier and led Lisa to the open door, which led into a room that looked like a small hotel room with a double bed, beach pictures on the walls, TV/DVD combo, and a bathroom complete with shower and chemical toilet.
Lisa followed Donny into the room, and a second later he closed the door.
Wendy smiled and hoped they would get some rest, hoped they wouldn’t be too upset with Mike when they finally woke up.
+
Mike lay in restless slumber, haunted by this world, haunted by the memories of those who had fallen, haunted by the ghosts of his past.
Donna Marie snuggled in close to him and stroked his long grey hair, trying to soothe him, trying to help him sleep. As she looked at him, lying there, she couldn’t believe she had fallen for a man who was just past 40-years-of-age.
Mike stirred, and opened his eyes. He turned his face to meet her eyes. She might have been 32, but her eyes carried the worry and trouble of so many who now lived in this world. “Couldn’t sleep?” He asked.
“I worry about you when you’re out there,” she replied, as Mike held her close. “We’re working clogs operating in a broken clock.”
“Are you worried about me going back out for that kid, Tommy?”
“Not just that. Every time you go out I worry about you. I wish you could just stay here and let everyone else do the running. Lord knows you’ve done more than most in this world. Building this place alone qualifies you for that,” Donna Marie replied, rolling over and sitting up. She slipped out of bed and covered her topless body with a house robe. She walked over to the window and looked outside. The snow was no longer falling, but the ground was covered in a heavy layer of white. Somewhere close to a foot, maybe a bit more, she guessed.
Mike watched her for a moment, and let the cool air of the room settle in on top of his bare chest.
“In the world before all this, Christmas Eve morning was full of so much hope and promise. So many of us just couldn’t wait for this night and the next morning.”
“Is it morning, already?”
“Yes.”
“I better get dressed,” he replied, climbing out of bed naked.
“Do you have to go?” She asked, turning away from the window, looking his lean body over. Mike didn’t answer her, so she dropped the conversation. She knew him, and she knew there was no changing his mind. He was as stubborn as they come when he wanted something.
Mike suited up. He put on his thick wick-away sweat wool socks, water proof black combat boots with steel toes, long thick black pants with a winter lining inside of them, heavy long sleeve wick-away sweat shirt, a vest with many pockets, a hat, and gloves. He loaded two pistols and put them in holsters that rested on a gun belt. He loaded the rifle, and put smoke bombs into several pockets on his vest. He also packed a couple of snacks, bottled water, extra ammunition, silencers, hand sanitizer, and a small flashlight into a small white bag, easily carried over a shoulder or on your back. The last item he grabbed was a large knife. The knife was large enough to look like a small sword in a young child’s hands. He attached it to his gun belt.
Finished, he looked from the mirror to her. “When I get back we’ll have either a nice Christmas Eve Dinner or a nice Christmas Morning Breakfast,” Mike replied, leading her out of the bedroom and into the hallway, walking its length until they reached the front door. They stopped and turned to face one another. He looked into her eyes, and felt ashamed that he had allowed himself to fall in love after what had happened to his wife and kids. He was still alive though, so survival not only meant staying alive, but falling in love again as well.
“Do you think you’ll be out all night?”
“I honestly don’t know,” Mike replied, looking at their Christmas tree in the living room.
“Just take care of yourself, okay?”
“Will do. Be back soon, promise. I love you,” he replied, and opened the door. Cold air and piled up snow crawled into the house. Mike looked out across the lawn and could barely see his Christmas decorations.
“Hey, love you too,” she replied, turning his face to hers. “Don’t forget that.”
They kissed, and Mike made his exit. He glanced back at the house when he heard the front door close, and then made his way over to the Refugee Center.
Wendy was asleep on the couch, but didn’t stir when Mike entered the room. He walked over and checked in on Donny and Lisa. They were tucked away in slumber inside their beds. Mike smiled, the sleeping powder had been known to knock people out for a day or more sometimes. What he’d found out was that survivors who had been out for a bit were not only exhausted, but battle fatigued. A good long rest always helped to get them through, and gave them a much clearer head.
“Sleep tight,” he replied, as he looked down at the baby, sound asleep in the pack n’ play. “I’ll bring Tommy back, promise.”
He closed the door, made his exit, and walked down to the gate. He stopped when he reached it.
Fred Walg looked down from atop the wall. He punched the walkie attached to his arm. “Going out?”
“Yep,” Mike replied, after punching the button on his walkie.
“How long?”
“Not sure. I have to try and find that kid of the newbies who arrived last night.”
“Which part of town?”
“The Ritz Apartments,” Mike replied.
“Heavily infected over there. Be careful. I’ll make a note of it in case you aren’t back by tomorrow. We’ll send out a search party.”
“Good to know,” Mike replied, thinking of his angels, knowing they would be there if he needed them. They weren’t as secret to him as they thought.
As the gate slid open, Mike watched the green Christmas wreath move slowly to the left. When the gate clicked into its open position, he looked out onto an undisturbed snow covered landscape with no zombies shuffling about. The destruction of homes an
d vehicles now buried under a calming layer of white.
“Merry Christmas, Fred.”
“Merry Christmas, Mike. Hurry back.”
“Will do.”
Mike made his way forward on the snow covered road, and just beyond the walls of safety, he stopped. His eyes shifted to the right as the gates slid slowly closed behind him. He thought of Jim Wells for a moment, looking at the spot where he was swarmed while working on the wall. Mike had tried to save him, but the three zombies had already sunk their teeth in by the time he got there. A ghostly boom suddenly echoed throughout Mike’s mind. The final gun shot to Jim’s head just before he turned, eyes pleading for mercy, eyes not ready to be inside a dead man. It was Mike’s fault for letting his guard down, and he swore from that day forward to never do it again. He said a prayer for Jim, for peace, for safety, and then got moving.
Fred watched Mike move on down the road, and then tuned his walkie to another frequency. He punched the button. “You there?”
A second later a woman’s voice came on the line. “This is Double.”
“Cuckoo bird has left the nest.”
“Where’s he flying to today?”
“Heading towards the Ritz Apartments to look for that kid of the newbies.”
“Roger that. Me and Trouble will get right on it. Thanks, Fred.”
“Anytime. Just keep my boy safe. He’s one of the good ones.”
“Yes sir,” Double replied, giving the thumbs up to her sister, who was just getting up from her twin bed on the other side of the room.
Fred took his finger off the button and let the silence take over. He paced atop the wall, breathed in and breathed out cool white breaths of air, and watched Mike fade further and further into the distance.
+
Mike stopped when he reached the alley where he’d first encountered Donny and Lisa. He peered into the darkness between the buildings, half expecting to see Tommy shamble out after him, but he didn’t see him, or any movement at all for that matter, coming from the tight confined space. The snow was undisturbed, no signs that anything human or zombie had been down here in a while.
Mike took out his knife, and with a cautious ease slipped into the alley where dark shadows seemed to be lurking wherever he looked, despite the bright morning sun.
The Mike Beem Chronicles: 6 Tales of Survival, Hope, and The Zombie Apocalypse Page 12