The Aftermath Trilogy (Book 2): The Aftermath [Town of the Dead]

by Smith, Daniel

  “Fools,” he thought as he listened to the generator providing them their electricity.

  “Did they know sound would draw in any zombies or anyone else,” he thought darkly as he watched the building. As he patiently watched the building he saw one door open in a blaze of light. He smiled as two people exited the doorway. Even at this distance, he could spot the loud Hawaiian print shirt Mr. Pennington wore as he moved his bow up. Readying the bow his hand started drawing the bowstring back. He strained his eyes in the darkness looking trying to decide who he was talking to. Waiting patiently until finally the person turned revealing the profile of Captain Jones. Dan pulled back the bowstring as far as he could.

  He knew at this distance. It was a long shot, as much as he wanted to kill Captain Jones scaring her would be just as good. Sighting down the arrow he waited patiently before he let go of the bowstring with a twang.

  The rocketing arrow flew out into the darkness.

  The door slammed open as Mr. Pennington stormed out of the door.

  “What the hell were you thinking today going into town to arrest him,” he spat out angrily.

  Turning to look at the sallow face of Captain Jones who rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the open door.

  “I suppose you got another call from the mayor,” she said almost sounding sarcastic in her monotone voice. Mr. Pennington tensed. As he fought to control his voice.

  “No,” he started causing her to turn to face him. “It was not the mayor that called me this time it was Commander Hudson,” Captain Jones let out an exasperated sigh.

  “So now he's making the phone calls I see,” Captain Jones finished looking unimpressed as she face him. Mr. Pennington looked shocked.

  “And what did he want,” she asked. Mr. Pennington stared at her for a second.

  “You need to understand something. Commander Hudson only calls if there is a problem if he thinks we will not fix the problem. He will fix it,” Mr. Pennington finished.

  Captain Jones looked at him.

  “What can he do,” she said almost sounding tired.

  Mr. Pennington looked at her dumbfounded.

  “More than the mayor will,” he started saying. Just as a blur past in front of him. Both him and Captain Jones turned to see the arrow sticking in the wall between them. Captain Jones yelled out as she leapt through the open door.

  “We are under attack,” she yelled.

  Mr. Pennington stared at the quivering arrow in the wall before looking about turning to run away.

  He could not tell what happened as he studied the two figures. Both of them jerked suddenly. He could not see the arrow sticking in the wall next to Captain Jones's face. She reacted by diving back through the open door. Mr. Pennington looking around wildly before he ran for another door. He realized he had sent the message he had meant to. Slipping into the darkness just as several soldiers burst from the door of the apartment complex. Dan made his way to the backyard and started jumping several fences. As the sound of automatic weapons erupted into the night.

  “Right shoot holes into the night,” Dan thought as he started moving several streets over. Stopping as he heard the light moaning sound of a zombie growing in the darkness.

  “Of course,” Dan said tiredly.

  Shouldering his recurve bow and reached up to grab the black leather wrapped hilt of the katana sword pulling it free of it scabbard on his back with a metallic kiss. He started looking around in the ever-increasing darkness for the approaching zombie. Spotting her in the fading light a woman dressed in some shear nightgown the red material almost transparent on her gray flesh. He looked disgusted as he took in the outfit sagging dried out breasts visible in the stain and dirty outfit. Dan averted his eyes. This is one sight he knew he could not forget raising the black blade of the katana over his head. The woman in the lingerie approached as he desperately tried to keep his eyes fixed on the milky white eyes of the woman not daring to look down.

  Unfortunately his DNA took over as he glanced down repulsed at the sight of her breasts. He could not stop his eyes from dropping to the gray dry out flesh and hair sitting at the junction of her legs. He shook his head violently as he lunged forward bring the blade down violently into her skull with a sickening crunch causing her to fall onto the sidewalk. Dan looked down at the sheer outfit she wore shaking his head. To start moving further down the street wiping the yellow sap that past for zombie’s blood. Off the black blade on to some grass. He could not bear the thought of approaching the woman to wipe the blade on her outfit. As he made his way in the dark towards the house climbing the fence to retrieve his bike. Mounting the bike he started riding back towards Sandra's house watching as he turned onto the street. Seeing Sander’s golf cart turning into her driveway the headlights on illuminating the way. Dan stopped his bike leaning on the handlebars.

  “I'm going to have to think of a good excuse for being late for dinner,” he thought. He knew full well Mr. Pennington probably would not wait till morning to tell her of his message.

  4 Trip

  The two men one in his late forties wearing a dark navy blue suit stood in the shade of an oak tree. The other standing behind him wearing a civilian version of woodland camouflage hunting clothes. A baseball cap allowed long brown hair to escape. Watched the camouflage Humvee pull to a stop opposite them on the street. The blue suited man’s watery brown eyes. Sitting under a prominent bald spot on the front of his head displaying the graying hair to the sides of his head watched as the sallow face of Captain Jones stepped out of the Humvee.

  She stopped to look up and down the street ignoring the abandoned homes with their yards full of tall grass and weeds. Seeing the street empty except for the two men standing under the oak tree. In front of a faded blue house with white trim. The front window broken out with the front door leaning at an odd angle on broken hinges. She started walking across the street stepping over the black rubber skid mark of a bike tire.

  “Council Member Jarvis,” Captain Jones monotone voice said as she ignored the man standing behind him.

  “Captain Jones,” he replied. “I do not see why we have to meet out here,” he started with his voice sounding nervous as his water brown eyes darted about the street.

  Captain Jones looked impatient as she waited for him to stop.

  “We are meeting here because I am followed every time I go into town,” she snapped at him. “Now do you have the information for me.”

  Council Member Jarvis’s brown eyes narrowed giving him a weasel appearance. Puffed himself up at her comment.

  “You remember our deal,” he snapped back.

  She looked at him rolling her eyes as she fought for control.

  “When the time comes I will take care of it,” she started saying.

  “Where and when are they going,” she demanded.

  “The convoy leaves tomorrow morning at six thirty,” he started saying as Captain Jones leaned in closer.

  “To where only the Mayor, Commander Hudson and the brat knows,” he finished.

  She looked unhappy with the news as her face screwed up in thought.

  “Fine I will just have to follow them,” she stated as she turned to leave.

  “If you find out anything else tell me immediately,” she snapped walking back to the Humvee.

  Council Member Jarvis and the other man waited until she entered the Humvee and started down the road when the man leaned in next to Jarvis.

  “Do you trust her,” he asked.

  A smile spread across Council Member Jarvis’s face that showed no kindness.

  “Like any soldier she is expendable,” he replied motioning for them to leave.

  Dan stood quietly by himself as he surveyed the scene before him. He could not remember seeing so many people in one place since New Orleans. Over the last three days leading up to this where hectic for Sandra and Commander Hudson. Working late into the night to organize the needed supplies for the convoy of trucks and people. The entrance at the
medium sized asphalt parking lot and the street. Near the small modern two story office style building of city hall sat packed with eighteen wheel trucks. Yellow school buses and a vast assortment of trucks some with trailers of various sizes filled the street. The mass of people moving about the trucks and buses. Talking as their loved ones and friends where getting ready to board in the early morning light as gray black clouds started to gather in the sky. As he stood and watched, he remembered the last time he was here. Then only four Humvees and a few soldiers setting out to go to Memphis. Dan remembered he had felt out of place and alone then. While Sandra, Doug, Luke, Sara and Doctor McGee had come out this morning to wish him well and a safe journey. All these people were going because of him he kept thinking. Some may never come home because of him. He watched John and Cindy talking to Mary before John turned to nod towards him.

  Dan felt the tension in his stomach all of this based on what he told them this was bigger than anything he and Manny ever tried. More responsibility then when he committed to helping Loren and Taddish get safely out of Memphis. While he was not in charge of this trip he felt a deep responsibility for Marry and Katrina. Dan watched darkly as people made their final good byes. Pulled from his dark thoughts as he saw the bulkiness of the M one thousand and twenty-five Humvee. With a cab enclosed by a hard-shell top and open cargo area with a fifty-caliber machine gun mounted on a turret that gave it a full three hundred and sixty degrees of fire. In front of it was the soft top M one thousand thirty-eight. The Humvees had the dull paint job in the green, brown and black patches of a woodland camouflage design parked on the side street at the far corner of the parking area. The camouflage paint job failed to work. Dan could see it from where he stood. He saw no soldiers present but he did not like the fact they were watching them leave. He started getting the same uneasy feeling in his stomach that he had on his trip to Memphis. As he entered the yellow school bus that was second in line after Mable’s big rig that Commander Hudson was riding in with her and Katrina. Looking around for Commander Hudson the call to board sounded he would tell him about the Humvee as soon as he could. A hush fell over those inside the bus as the engine started letting the bus slowly pulled out.

  Captain Jones sat in the pocketed seats covered in a gray vinyl type material of the M one thousand thirty-eight. The four-door Humvee with soft material top and sides sat on the street. Those inside watching the milling crowd outside the window as various people said good-bye to their family and friends as they started boarding the buses and trucks. The sound of rumbling engines starting came to her as she motioned for the driver to start their engine. The big rigs, trucks and buses from the town started pulling off down the street when she motioned the driver to start following them. He started forward only to stop. A group of people standing in the street in front of the Humvee was blocking them. Captain Jones turned to make a motion to move the driver looked at her.

  “What do you expect me to do ma'am run them over,” he asked. Captain Jones looked angry.

  “Use the horn,” she stated.

  The driver pushed on the horn letting out a long blast. The crowd simply turned to look at them before going back to talking frustrating Captain Jones.

  “Then backup and go around them,” she snapped at the driver.

  Looking in the mirror the driver winced as he started reluctantly saying.

  “We have people behind us,” he started. Captain Jones spun in her seat to look.

  “Just start inching forward they'll move,” she commanded the driver who looked uncertainly at her.

  “Okay ma'am,” he said as he started inching the Humvee forward. Stopping when the group did not move before Captain Jones could say anything. He leaned on the horn one more time letting out another long blast the people still did not move. Captain Jones turn to snap at him.

  “If you have to push them out-of-the-way. I do not want to lose that convoy,” she snapped. Stopping as a tapping started on the Humvee’s cab. Turning she saw two police officers standing by her window one of them spoke.

  “Is there a problem,” he asked looking at Captain Jones's angry face. He ignored the look as she snapped at him.

  “These people are blocking our way,” she stated angrily. The police officers looked at the group of people moving around the street slowly starting to leave.

  “I'm sure they are ma'am, with all the people on the street I think they will probably take a minute or two for them to leave. I suggest you sit and wait patiently for them to do so,” he stated.

  Captain Jones glared at the police officers.

  “I have to leave now,” she stated as a second police officer slowly put his hand on his service pistol.

  “I understand that ma'am,” the first police officer said. His hand also going to his pistol as the crowd in front of the Humvee. Turned to face the them all of them putting their hands on pistols in various holsters.

  “But if you happen to run someone over. That will cause problems for you. Mr. Pennington and delay you leaving indefinitely,” the police officer said.

  “I suggest you wait patiently for the street to clear,” the second officer added.

  Captain Jones looked shocked at what the police officer said.

  “You realize I am a Captain in the military,” she stated. The police officers look at her.

  “Yes ma'am were not at war and you're in town not on a military base,” he started.

  “In this town we are the law,” the second officer said.

  “So I suggest you wait patiently for the crowd to clear or risk getting arrested,” the first police officer finished.

  Captain Jones gave the police officer one last glare as she looked at the crowd in front of her slowly starting to disburse. The police officers step back watching as a good few minutes past before the crowd cleared to where she could start forward. Captain Jones impatiently motioned the driver to go forward.

  Dan could feel and hear the nervous excitement and talk of those people as they started to discuss all the stuff they would find there. He just sat in silence as a knot began to tighten in the pit of his stomach. Over the muddy waters of the Mississippi River, they rode as the crossed the suspension bridge to the exited the town. Passing through the metal gates of the blue and white shipping containers. Where they battled with the zombies just a few days ago. Showing no signs it ever happen before heading west passing some abounded farms and other pastures that had long been showing signs of going back to the wild.

  The Humvee started out down the street the convoy had traveled finding no resistance blocking their way until they reached the suspension bridge that crossed the Mississippi River. Several trucks parked on the town side blocked the bridge behind a barrier saying.

  “Bridge closed for maintenance.”

  Several self-defense force members standing around talking holding rifles.

  Captain Johnson slammed her fist on the dashboard of the Humvee. Glaring she looked at the various people moving about the bridge. Leaning her head out the window of the Humvee.

  “What is going on here, I need to cross,” she started yelling at them.

  A couple of the self-defense force members casually leaning against the city truck did move as one woman in a city shirt moved over towards the Humvee.

  “Bridge closed for maintenance,” she stated pointing at the sign. Captain Jones turned to glare at her.

  “This is important, I need to cross now,” she yelled at the woman. The city worker seemed unaffected by her look or tone. She simply put her hands on her hips looking at her.

  “After the fight with the zombies we noticed some damage. The bridge is far too important. To allow it to collapse because we did not do a proper inspection. Putting the weight of your Humvee on the bridge could just be what was necessary to cause a catastrophic failure. Until the bridge receives a full inspection it is close to all traffic,” she finished.

  Captain Jones on looked furious.

  “I need to cross now,” she commanded.


  One of the self-defense force members casually shifted his position with his hand on the stock of an M-16 rifle.

  “Then I would suggest if you need to cross the river ma'am,” he started. Drawing the attention of Captain Jones.

  “If you need to go North I would suggest you go to Vicksburg and use the bridge there. If you need to go south I would suggest you go to Natchez and use the bridge there. But until they finish the inspection. The bridge will remain closed,” he said causing a couple more self-defense force members to move no longer leaning casually against the trucks taking on a more ominous appearance. Captain Jones could barely control her anger.

  “And how long will this inspection take,” the city worker removed her hands from her hips and started to turn to leave.

  “Two to three hours,” she stated as she walked off to join the others moving about the bridge.

  They made their way along the small two-lane road until they came to Highway Sixty five. Turning north this road like the last passed mostly wild farmland and a few trees as it stretched towards Tallulah. He knew people occupied this area but from the bus window. Dan saw no one as the convoy traveled down the desolate road. The only sights seen on the long stretch of road was the occasional abandoned car or truck in various stages of disrepair. This done by various groups of truckers or other travelers who used this section of roadway for travel.

  The large convoy would not arouse suspicion if spotted. They would think the convoy was for protection as they passed by the trees and abandoned farmland. The convoy of trucks was traveling at a good speed as they approached the part of the roadway that divided into an overgrown grassy medium. They advanced north along the mostly flat the road with an occasional areas of trees or small one-story homes or other buildings all eerily empty. The baby blue Peterbilt leading the convoy had just started up the small slope of road that would take them over Highway Twenty. From this transition they could head east that would take them to Vicksburg, or west towards Monroe or north into Arkansas. They had started to entered the town of Tallulah from the south as they started to see signs of some buildings. A few burned down and two looked like they had exploded among the debris that remained sat hailstones the size of oranges remained.