Earth's Survivors: box set

by Wendell Sweet

  “Yeah, except we couldn't see the road,” James said.

  “Yeah, there's that.” He looked at James questioningly.

  “Channel seventeen... On the C.B.?” he asked.

  Conner nodded.

  “Well, the thing is, there was some pretty regular talk earlier. Garbled, but regular. And it stopped, but, well... The last one's we heard about on seventeen were those nut jobs back in Old Towne,” James said.

  “Couldn't be them, all this way, could it?” Conner asked.

  “I wouldn't think so, unless, well, unless they were traveling,” he said.

  “No,” Conner said.

  “Yeah, I don't think so either. But channel seventeen, hell, it could be. Probably only skip. But, I thought I should tell you,” James finished. He looked miserable.

  “I think, just to be safe, I'll listen in hard on seventeen tomorrow while I'm driving.” Conner said.

  “My thoughts exactly,” James said.

  NINE

  May 1st

  Conner and Katie

  The rain stopped in the early morning, just before dawn, and Janna had everyone fed before the sun was fully up. The trucks were loaded and on the highway just as the first hint of gray began to creep into the sky and the southern horizon began to glow.

  The sun rose high and bright into a clear sky. Steam rose off the highway and the trees as the morning warmed up. The roadway was in better shape, except a few areas where rushing water had cut through the pavement, and they made good time. They found themselves running closer to the Appalachians, through the foothills, and although they saw no road signs, James was sure they had crossed over into Kentucky.

  Just past midday, they stopped at a truck stop complex that featured a diner, a huge garage and a gas pump area. A cluster of other stores, mom and pops and fast food outlets filled out the complex.

  While they filled the trucks, Conner found a handful of maps in the cashier's booth between the islands, all Kentucky.

  Everybody lunched on smoked meat and packs of peanuts, washed down with vitamin water or sports drinks. The stores were pretty well picked over by what looked to be foraging animals. A few were little better than flattened, splintered wrecks.

  Behind the gas pumps, a raw red crater had opened in the earth, and it looked to Conner to be well over fifty feet deep. As he peered over the edge down into the hole, he saw, sitting at the bottom, a new Ford pickup truck. It didn't appear to have a scratch on. Things were strange like that sometimes. He pointed it out to James and Aaron. The three of them had a little laugh about it, and then they went to work opening up the fill pipe to the underground gas tank.

  ~

  They got back on the road and found their first sign just before dark. Conner pulled off into the national forest preserve ten miles further down the road. They stopped within a quarter mile of the highway and set up camp for the night.

  They set up the vehicles in a loose perimeter and posted the first watch of the night. James got out the map as Janna and several others began to get the evening meal going.

  Conner made the rounds of all the posts while James dragged two picnic tables together and waited with the map. He didn't specifically mention the conversation they had all overheard on C.B. channel seventeen during the day, but he did say he felt they were being followed, and maybe by some folks who were not so nice. Privately, he, James, Aaron, Jake and Jeff had discussed the transmissions. The people on channel seventeen were looking for someone. They were staying within broadcast range, although only barely, so it stood to reason they had to be traveling in the same direction. The second time they had heard them, they had mentioned Jessica.

  If they were behind them and they had found Jessica, it could only mean that they were following. It had given each of them an uneasy feeling. After the map, they intended to discuss it in detail.

  Conner sent Dustin and Allison up to the top of a small rise where the highway could be seen for over a mile in either direction. He told them to watch for headlights and get on the radio system as soon as they saw any. It was quiet, and Conner was sure they would also hear the hum of the big tires on the pavement long before they would be able to see the trucks. He'd done what he could. He walked over to the tables, got a cup of coffee and sat down with James and a few others. The smell of cooking food was already wafting on the air, causing his stomach to growl.

  “We're there,” James said as Conner sat down.

  They studied the map that was laid out on the table.

  “How are we there?” Conner asked.

  “We're as close as we need to be,” James said. “Some of that depends on where we're going to end up, but really, no matter the direction, we can start from here.”

  “Southwest will take us to a large area that includes Tennessee, Alabama and part of Mississippi and Arkansas. East gives us the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama and a bit of Georgia,” James said.

  “Isn't that more than what you said before?” Conner asked.

  “Yes, but it's because those wilderness areas are usually backed up against state forest preserves, logging lands, State park areas, and all that really means is all that land is now empty. So it has added more to the whole. I got to thinking about that and re-figured it. It only makes sense.” He paused, drawing a wider circle around the one he had previously drawn.

  “See? We can stay in our smaller circle, build our life, build the outwards and have all of that other land as a safety zone.” James said.

  A portable C.B. radio sat on the table nearby squawking intermittently. It did so now.

  “... eey one,” it said. And then more clearly, “We keep going.”

  “Gotcha, Death, gotcha,” a new voice responded.

  James and Conner looked at each other.

  “That fucks that,” James said.

  “It does,” Conner agreed. He turned around and looked at everyone. Some on post, some helping to prepare food. He raised his voice:

  “Listen everybody....”

  ~

  Reference over heard on C.B. Radio Channel Seventeen earlier that morning.

  ~

  “They was here, Death. There's tracks, they was here,” the voice said.

  “I can see that, Shitty, but what was they here for?” Death asked.

  “Buried something, Death... There's a covered up hole with rocks and shit and a little cross marked out in stone's on top of it,” Shitty told him.

  Lilly had read over the body, and then had laid out the simple outline of a cross over the grave in small stones once it was filled in.

  “Dig it up... see what the fuck it is, or was,” Death laughed.

  “Dig it up?” Shitty asked. “But, well, it's probably another dead body, what the fuck sense does that make?”

  “Dig it up,” Death responded calmly.

  “Damn, bro, you ain't supposed to fuck with a dead body after they's been buried, Death. Everybody knows that. Bad fuckin' luck is what it will get you.”

  “Dig it fuckin' up. Now!” Death shouted into the radio. “Or do I have to send Murder? Maybe you're just a straight up pussy?” Death asked.

  Silence on the radio...

  “You hear what I said!?” Death asked.

  “I'm fuckin' digging,” Shitty said. “I'm fuckin' digging, and I ain't no pussy,” he said.

  The radio had fallen silent.

  ~

  Conner talked for more than twenty minutes when the C.B. radio once again crackled to life...

  ~

  “There's fresh tire tracks here, they was here. And not long ago either,” a voice said.

  “Map says a state park is about 10 miles ahead,” A second voice said, “We keep going.”

  ~

  The V.H.F. crackled. “That's him,” Allison's voice said. “That second voice, that's Death. And the other guy sounds like one of his boys that used to come around.” She sounded scared.

  “Okay, Allison, thank you,” Conner said.

  “He's crazy,
Conner,” Allison said.

  “I know. But believe me, he won't touch you. You and Dustin come on down here,” Conner finished.

  ~

  A few minutes later the radio crackled back to life.

  ~

  “It's a fuckin' old lady,” Shitty said. “Why'd they fuckin wanna kill an old lady,” he asked?

  “Doesn't matter,” Death said. “Let's Go, We're movin' on.”

  Divided we stand

  Conner turned around, handed Aaron one of a hunting rifles they had bought with them and then picked up his own. The one he had handed Aaron had a 10 round clip, camouflage paint, and looked more like an assault rifle than a hunting rifle. It was also fitted with a night scope. He unclasped his V.H.F. unit and handed it to Aaron.

  “Take over okay, they're going to be here soon. If they turn in, try to take out the lead vehicle. Let me know as soon as you see them, Aaron,” Conner said.

  “What about Amy?” Aaron asked, concerned.

  Conner shook his head. “I'm putting them all in the Suburbans and sending them down the trails. We'll catch up with them after this shit is done,” Conner said.

  Aaron nodded and left. Conner turned back to the camp. Silence came down upon the clearing as they waited. Conner tried to hold every pair of eyes that searched him out.

  “Jake... James... David... And Jeff...” He hesitated, “Katie... You five are staying here. Amy, Janna, get the Suburbans ready to go now. Everybody else is going with you two.” he looked at his watch and then looked back up at Amy catching her eyes and holding them. Her face was careful, set, hard. Little blotches of color dotted her cheeks. Her lips were thin and tightly pressed together. “Like, ten minutes, so get moving.” Conner finished. Amy nodded, and then she and Janna hurried off.

  He had wanted to send Katie as well, had even told himself that he was going to do it, but when it came right down to it, he couldn't. She was probably the best shot they had. And he knew she would see it as him being overprotective... Unreasonable. There was no valid reason to send her away.

  He looked up and saw that Katie was standing in front of him. “I wouldn't have gone,” she said quietly.

  “That too,” he said. “How are you with a rifle?”

  “Good,” Katie said. “Jeff is also good,” she said.

  Jeff walked up just as she finished talking and nodded his head. “What do you need?” he asked.

  Conner handed both of them a hunting rifle like the one he had given to Aaron. “I want both of you up there with Aaron. If they turn in, try to take them out. We have to stop them so the rest can get away onto the logging trails. After that, we'll try to take out those that are left,” he finished.

  They both nodded; Katie met his eyes and then they both turned away at a run towards the hill

  ~

  The three Suburbans were packed and ready to go in five minutes. There had not been much to pack. The tents stayed; what food they had unloaded stayed. They offloaded some water and then loaded the rest of the camp into the three vehicles.

  James gave Janna a small rubber encased compass. “Southwest... Eventually you'll run out of logging roads. Drive until you're out of gas. Make your own road as far as you can. Keep fresh batteries in the V.H.F. Radios, and listen in. We'll find you. We'll be fine. This may take us a few days, but we'll be there,” he finished.

  Amy took her foot off the brake and then put it back on and leaned across Janna to look at Conner. “Bring her back," was all she said. Conner nodded. She took her foot off the brake and the three trucks moved out.

  A few minutes later they were out of sight. A few minutes after that they were out of hearing. The sounds of the big trucks soundproofed by the trees. Ten minutes after that the V.H.F. radio in Conner's hand crackled back to life.

  “Headlights... Headlights... They're coming,” Aaron told him.

  ~

  The lead truck drove right by the turn off moving at a good clip. Katie felt a rush of relief as it blew past, but a second later, the truck locked up its brakes and shuddered, hopping across the broken pavement on the huge tires, to a rubber screeching halt on the asphalt.

  The other trucks were behind them. Spread out, coming fast. Four all together.

  “Four trucks,” Katie told Conner.

  The other trucks locked up their brakes too. One slid off the roadway into the ditch, the other two shuddered to a stop on the blacktop as the first one had.

  “What's happening?” Conner asked.

  “It's going down, baby... Wish me luck,” Katie said.

  Just as the lead truck began to reverse towards the exit all three rifles opened up.

  Holes punched through the darkened front windshield and the truck suddenly veered, flipped onto its side and rolled over into the ditch.

  A second truck began to reverse. Aaron opened up on that truck, punching holes into the windshield and front end. Smoke rolled from the hood. The doors flew open and machine pistols opened up on them; returning fire. The third and fourth vehicle opened fire as well.

  The machine pistols were not accurate. Great for a close up weapon, but over even a short distance they were virtually useless. All three ducked at first, but when it became clear that nothing was coming near them, they shot full clips home and popped back up.

  Aaron was game, but not the shot that Jeff and Katie were. Aaron picked a target and fired a short burst finding his range as he went.

  Katie zeroed in on a man standing by the second truck, highlighted by the headlights of the trucks behind him. She squeezed the trigger and the man spun away in a two shot burst. The guns would fire as fast as you could pull the trigger.

  Beside her, Jeff lined up his own shot, a man running from the wreckage of the first truck. He pulled the trigger twice in quick succession and the man collapsed in mid stride and skidded to a stop on the broken pavement.

  The two remaining trucks, the one that skidded into the ditch, and one that had remained on the roadway, suddenly reversed and started backing down the highway at a high rate of speed. The one in the ditch launched itself up out of the ditch, into the air, and then slammed back down on the highway. The engine screamed as it flew backwards down the roadway.

  Katie and Jeff both fired at the retreating vehicles, succeeding in blowing out the headlights on one. Even so, both trucks continued to run backwards at great speed. Within a very short period the roadway was clear as the headlights disappeared around a curve.

  “They're retreating... We took out two of the four trucks, but there could be people in those trucks... We got at least two guys,” Aaron told Conner.

  Katie was peering at the two trucks with the night scope.

  “Two dead in the second truck... One inside... One on the outside,” she said.

  Aaron repeated what she had said over the radio.

  “One guy that was running away from the first truck is dead. I... I don't see anyone else in that truck. Could be, but I can't see it from here. We'll have to go down there,” Katie said.

  Aaron repeated the observation again.

  “Hang on... They're talking on the CB,” Conner said.

  Aaron switched on a portable CB unit and punched up channel seventeen.

  ~

  “... Fuckin' care,” a voice said.

  “You thinking of running? 'Cause if you are, once I get these fuckers? I'll be coming for you... get your ass back here, Johnny red, I'm calling the shots now,” Shitty told him.

  “Shitty, I didn't say I was running... What's to fight, Man? What's to fight?” Johnny red asked.

  “I had better see your fuckin' lights coming back this way in the next five minutes, Johnny, or maybe I'll come get you first,” Shitty told him.

  “I'm coming, I'm coming, Jesus,” Johnny red whined.

  ~

  “Can you see those other two trucks?” Conner asked.

  Katie and Jeff had both been checking the horizon with the night Scopes and the area around the trucks.

  “No,�
�� they both said in Unison.

  Both radios hissed static in the silence.

  “Okay,” Conner said. “Go look... But be careful.”

  On the Highway

  The night before, Death had suddenly shown an interest in Psycho. He had never so much as looked sideways at her before. He had called her into his truck after they had stopped for the night and told Chloe to get lost for a while.

  This thing is coming together, he had told her. And he told her that she had proven herself. And he needed a second woman, and how did she feel about that? Then he had taken her, loveless and hard. When he was finally done, he told her to get her shit, she was traveling with him and Chloe from now on. Then he had done the other thing to her, on her stomach.

  Shitty had been crazy, but not too crazy, he knew what the deal was. Psycho had been scared to death, better the crazy you knew than the crazy you didn't. And now this...

  The truck was on its side in a ditch with Psycho trapped underneath a large duffel bag of fully automatic machine pistols and rifles. She knew that much, but whatever else was in that bag, or on top of that bag, she didn't know. She only knew the bag was on her lower body. It was pressing against her face and she couldn't move.

  She had begged Chloe to help her, but she had ignored her, crawled to the back of the truck, and slipped out through the broken window. She had heard no shots like she had when Death had tried to make a run for it.

  Maybe Chloe had made it. If so, she'd better hope that she, Psycho, didn't find a way out of it as well. Because if she did and she caught her, she'd pay. But right now, it sounded as though she had another problem.

  A footstep sounded softly nearby, whoever it was had stepped in the glass scattered on the highway. When she looked up, she was looking at a woman's face. She was peering down the barrel of a large pistol she was pointing at her face.

  “Jesus,” Psycho said. “Don't do it. Don't shoot.” She squeezed her eyes shut.

  “Like you didn't shoot at us?” Katie asked her.

  “I didn't shoot at nobody, Girl, no one,” Psycho told her.

  “Uh huh... Don't call me girl either,” Katie said. “Keep your hands in sight and I will try to get that shit off you so we can get you out,” Katie said. “Do anything stupid and I'll shoot you, or these boys will.” She stepped aside and let her see that Aaron and Jeff were standing just a short distance away. “Believe it,” she finished.