The Rabid Mind Two

by Bruce Buckshot Hemming

  He looked her in the eyes. She was thinking one hell of a time to make a pass. What kind of guy is Matt? His hand slowly inch down passed her breast. Along her stomach. To her belt. Her eyes flashed in anger, he wants to screw in the pool? What the hell is wrong with him, did he get bitten?

  His hand move to the left side, he didn’t unbuckle the belt; she was very confused, what is he doing? His hand reach the knife and he undid the snap drawing it out. Oh, Claire you stupid girl, she scolded herself. Placing his left hand on her shoulder. He put his right hand up holding the knife. Motion that he would push her to the left side and attack the thing on his right side. The footsteps started again. Slowly circling the pool. A few steps stop. Damn, this thing is hunting us Matt thought. It stopped right above them. He heard it bend down, put a hand on the air mattress. One quick move it ripped it away. Matt shove Claire off to the side and jumped up burying the knife in the things throat. He shoved it over the edge and it felt to the ground. They could hear it gurgling and thrashing around. Claire pulled the air mattress back in place. Matt and her both got under it again. The body on the ground hopefully would not bring any new ones. They listened but heard no sounds.

  It was Sept but now that it was full dark the air was cold and the water was causing them to shiver. After thirty minutes of hearing nothing Matt crawled out and staying low, looking around. A few of the infected were roaming around but none near them. He helped Claire out and they inched their way off the pool decking. Entering the closest house and locking the door behind them, Matt slowly worked his way to the front. Peeking out the window he could see shadows in the moonlight, maybe ten left wandering the street.

  He found Claire and they headed into a bedroom. She said in shaking voice, “We must get out of these wet clothes before we freeze to death. Strip down we can get under the covers and warm each other up.”

  “I can’t. Sandra.”

  She cut him off. “Sandra would want you to live. There is no heat in the house. It’s a necessity nothing else.”

  Stripping off their clothes they climbed into a bed. Shaking badly from the first stage of hypothermia. Her body felt cold and clammy. They shook for a long time until finally they started to warm up slowly and drifted off to sleep.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Contact.

  Debbie looked up, Jim was standing by the doorway, smoke curled out of the shotgun barrel. “What the hell took you so long?” She screamed at him.

  “That is fine way to say thank you for saving your life.”

  “Sorry, I thought I was dead for sure.”

  “You find the radio?”

  “Not yet. I believe it’s upstairs in the reloading room.” They walked upstairs together. Turned on the radio and the light turned on. “Good deal, it must be hooked up to battery power.”

  “Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is AB1WR. Alpha Bravo One Whiskey Romeo. AB1WR calling ZJ1SS. Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is AB1WR. Alpha Bravo One Whiskey Romeo. AB1WR calling ZJ1SS and standing by for a call.”

  Debbie had gotten a piece of paper and pen, and written down the call sign he used.

  “Any reply?” She’d asked

  “Nothing. I’ll try again.”

  “Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is AB1WR. Alpha Bravo One Whiskey Romeo. AB1WR calling ZJ1SS. Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is AB1WR. Alpha Bravo One Whiskey Romeo. AB1WR calling ZJ1SS and standing by for a call back.”

  He’d shaken his head, and she’d taken it from him and tried, but there was still nothing.

  “Dammit,” she’d said, dropping the microphone. “It’s been more than seven days since we got this letter, they should be wherever it is the guy’s home town is by now.” She said, her face clearly showing her frustration.

  “Maybe it’s just a bad connection.”

  “Could you try it in Morse code then, so we’ll know?”

  “I’ll try,” he’d said, then, picking the key, he sent.

  ‘CQ, CQ, CQ DE AB1WR, AB1WR K’. ‘CQ, CQ, CQ DE AB1WR, AB1WR k’

  They had gotten no reply still.

  Now she stood with the device, repeating the same thing over and over.

  “Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is AB1WR. Alpha Bravo One Whiskey Romeo. AB1WR calling ZJ1SS. Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is AB1WR. Alpha Bravo One Whiskey Romeo. AB1WR calling ZJ1SS and standing by for a call back.”

  Still nothing. Jim went and stood beside her. I am going to go look for ammo. You keep trying. An hour later he returned and said.

  “Hey, you need to give it a little rest okay. You’ve been at it all day. You can’t force it to go through. Whatever is wrong with the signal, is out of our power. Maybe they’re too far away.”

  “Or maybe they’re dead.” She said, Jim was taken aback. That had not crossed his mind at all.

  “Why would you even say such a thing?” Jim asked with incredulity.

  “Coz it’s the only reason I can think of why they would not be answering us.” She sat down. “You said it yourself. The Brannon brothers were in communication with people in New Mexico. How far can a man with at least two kids in tow really travel?” That’s the only thing I can think of. They’re dead. And I don’t even know what to do right now.” She started crying now, and Jim went to comfort her.

  “Hey, calm down. Take it easy. Your kids are not dead. If I don’t believe they’re dead, then neither should you.”

  “Why? Because I’m their mother?”

  “Yes. That is exactly why you can’t give up hope. Lady, till you see their bodies, and hold them in your hands, you don’t ever give up hope on your children being alive. You women always claim to have a sixth sense about your kids, since you held them in you for so long. Well, I’m asking you now to consult that motherly sense. Do you really believe those kids are dead?”

  “No. But why the hell are they not answering?”

  “Who knows, maybe they only turn the radio on certain time to save battery power.”

  “Oh Jim. Of course, that makes sense. Why waste time during the day when people are trying to survive. They would call at night when people are holed up.”

  “Ok, let’s clean the bodies up and fix the door and cover the windows, give us a half a fighting chance if any infected happen by.”

  ***

  That night Matt was dreaming. Sandra was riding him hard. Oh, he reached up, wow, her breast were huge. Just a dream, he enjoyed it. When she finished, she rolled off and he curled up and whispered in her ear. Thank you baby, still asleep.

  “You want to do it again?” Claire asked.

  His eyes flew open. He sat up and looked at her. “Claire, what the hell have you done.”

  “I do believe it was what have we done?”

  “I thought it was dream. Oh, my God Sandra will never forgive me.”

  “Stop worrying Matt, it’s not like I haven’t noticed you giving me those looks. You wanted this just as much as I did. Besides, I just need to feel something after losing Jet. I want to feel loved and comforted.”

  “Sandra and Jim took me in, I can’t betray them.”

  “This is not a betrayal, it’s our little secret.”

  “Sandra will be able to smell this on us when we return.”

  “Relax, in the morning we can slip in the pool and wash up.”

  “You have this all figured out. Nice of you talk it over with me.”

  “Matt, stop the act, you enjoyed it. As soon as you felt my breast you knew damn well it was not Sandra. Stop the little innocent boy act.”

  Matt didn’t know what to say. Yes, he wanted to but he was with Sandra and wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. Damn, this was confusing.

  “Ok, Matt get some sleep. In the morning, we will clean up in the pool and never talk about this again.”

  “Promise?”

  “Yes, I promise. Now relax go back to sleep.”

  He drifted off to
sleep. It was just a dream he didn’t really do this. Just a dream. Over and over he told himself.

  In the morning, the infected were gone or hiding from the bright sun. They washed up in the pool. Matt could not help by notice how beautiful Claire was. Stop thinking about her. They dressed in their semi dry clothes and walked back to the house.

  Sandra meet them at the door. “Oh, thank God you’re alive. I thought they got you.” She jumped in Matt arms kissing him and hugging him hard.

  “It was touch and go for a while. But thank God there was a pool to hide in. The water allowed us to lose them.” He explained what happened. Leaving out the sleeping together part.

  Sandra gave Claire a hug. Then smacked Matt on the face.

  Oh shit, Matt thought how the hell does she know?

  “Listen here Matt, no more going after any infected with just a hammer. If you would have had your guns you could have fought your way back here and I would not have spent the whole night worrying about you.”

  He hugged her tight. “I thought there was only three, how the hell could I have known there was a hive.”

  After breakfast, they worked like demons on the fence. They might be back tonight and we must be ready, Matt thought. No more being trapped in a house alone with Claire again.

  Claire acted as if nothing happened. She worked hard and even joked a little with them.

  When Claire walked inside to start lunch. Sandra ask. “She is different today, what happened last night?”

  A flash of guilt crossed Matt eyes. “She saved my life. I think the attack snapped her out of it. There is a reason to live and to keep on fighting.”

  “I hope so. She is good worker and I like her better this way.”

  Just before dark they had all the fence up. One problem, they were short of Pikes. Hopefully the fence was enough to keep them out tonight.

  Matt said over Dinner. “Sandra and I are going to make another run for rebar.”

  Claire said. “Why don’t all three of us go?”

  “We need someone to protect this place. Too much work and supplies to leave this unguarded.”

  Claire thought for minute, it would be wrong to ask to go with Matt alone. She really didn’t feel like being alone. But she was trapped in a way. Nothing she could do but stay and guard the house.

  That night the infected returned. They searched around the houses but none climbed the fence. Matt said. “Once Debbie and Jim return we need to clean out this hive. If we allow them to hang around more might join them.”

  Claire asked. “What am I supposed to do if they climb the fence while you are gone?”

  “We’ll leave at first light, you stay inside all day and don’t do anything to draw attention to yourself. They must know you are in here for there to be a problem. Don’t shoot unless you must, life or death.”

  Matt said. “We’ll be back in two days. You really only have to get though one night, maybe two if we get delayed for some reason.”

  ***

  Debbie lay beside the radio, having dozed off from exhaustion, it cackled and came to life. She had tried for hours into the night.

  “Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is ZJ1SS. Zima Johnny One Sophie, Sophie. ZJ1SS calling AB1WR. Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is ZJ1SS. Zima Johnny One Sophie, Sophie. ZJ1SS calling AB1WR and standing by for a call back.”

  She jerked awake, and looked around. She was the only one there. Had she just heard something? She looked at the radio, waiting for it to give her another sign. Nothing happened. She lay back down, concluding that all she heard had been static, or just her mind playing tricks on her. Just as she rested her head and closed her eyes, it came again.

  “Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is ZJ1SS. Zima Johnny One Sophie, Sophie. ZJ1SS calling AB1WR. Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is ZJ1SS. Zima Johnny One Sophie, Sophie. ZJ1SS calling AB1WR and standing by for a call back.”

  She sat upright in a flash and reached for the microphone,

  “Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is AB1WR. Alpha Bravo One Whiskey Romeo. AB1WR calling ZJ1SS. Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is AB1WR. Alpha Bravo One Whiskey Romeo. AB1WR calling ZJ1SS and standing by for a call back.” She waited and heard no reply, then she tried again.

  “Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is AB1WR. Alpha Bravo One Whiskey Romeo. AB1WR calling ZJ1SS. Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is AB1WR. Alpha Bravo One Whiskey Romeo. AB1WR calling ZJ1SS and standing by for a call back. Is anyone there please?” She asked, desperate now.

  Come on. Come on come on. She urged, and then, just as she was about to give in to despair, she heard the radio splutter to life again.

  “Hello CQ, CQ, CQ this is ZJ1SS. Who am I speaking with please?”

  Debbie could not believe her ears.

  “JIM!!!” She yelled before replying, abandoning all protocol.

  “Yes ZJ1SS. I can hear you. Am I speaking with Ty please? Tyler?” She asked and crossed her fingers hoping for a positive reply.

  “Yes AB1WR this is Tyler speaking. Who, I ask again, am I speaking to?”

  Jim appeared behind her, breathing heavily as he had been in a rush. She nodded excitedly as he raised his eyebrows in question.

  “This is Mrs. Debbie Summers. Tyler. Mrs. Debbie Summers. Oh, my God, you don’t know what I have gone through to find you.”

  She smiled back at Jim and he squeezed her shoulder affectionately, returning the smile.

  Finally, she thought. Wait for me kids. We will be together soon.

  Tyler was confused.

  Debbie Summers. Summers? Wasn’t that Billy and Annabelle’s surname too? And what did she mean she’d gone through a lot to find him?

  “Why have you been looking for me AB1WR?” He said, purposely retaining her call sign instead of using her first name.

  “My name is Debbie Summers, Tyler. Mrs. Debbie Summers.” She repeated “You have my children. Or at least, I hope you do. Please tell me you do. Are they okay?” She said in a rush, as if afraid the connection would go awry again.

  He was dumbstruck. Mrs. Debbie Summers? The children’s mother, she said. Meaning she was the children mother. How had she found him?

  “Hello? Tyler? ZJ1SS. Are you there?” Her voice came back, sounding unsure.

  “Yes. Yes I am. How do I know you are who you say you are? The mother of the children I’m sorry, but I do not believe you.”

  “Look Mr. Tyler. Please. Please. I am their mother. I have followed you guys to the Flyin’ J, the line cabin in the mountains, and the Double K. I have been through a lot. Please just tell me Billy and Annabelle are okay. Where are you guys?”

  He acknowledged the fact that she did indeed seem to know the route they had taken up until New Mexico. The children never talked about their parents, and he had never asked.

  “The kids are fine, ma’am. But they were handed to me by my employer with instructions to keep them safe. There was no mention of you at any time apart from when I was being told who the kids were. So, you can understand why I can’t venture any information concerning our location to you at this moment. I will be signing off now. Do be assured though, that I will investigate your story.” He said, and prepared to sign off when he heard her voice again.

  “Wait, wait, wait. My son, Billy, he has a scar on his left shoulder from when he fell in the playground when he was six. Please check. You have to let me see them please.”

  “Call you back tomorrow same time.” He switched off the radio then, and replaced the microphone.

  He sat back in his chair. Could it be? What a story hers would be if it were. Shaking his head, he got up and went in search of the kids.

  Debbie stared at the microphone. She had pleaded into the thing for ten whole minutes, but she knew now, that she would get no reply. Not now at least.

  He didn’t believe her. She felt despair grip her gut. He did not believe her. So close, yet so far. He didn’t believe her.

 
Beside her, Jim tried to console her. She hadn’t even realized she was crying.

  “The kids are alive Debbie. He at least confirmed that.” Jim was saying.

  It was true. He had confirmed that her children were alive. She could at least be happy for that fact, but she wasn’t.

  The fact that she knew they were alive, and reachable now, only made her frustrated. What could she do now? Was she just to wait and hope the faceless Tyler would have a conscience and allow her to see her kids? What would that take? What other evidence could he demand? All he needed to do was let her talk to them. That was all.

  Over the course of time that had passed, the one thing that tormented her was the fact that she had forgotten how her kids sounded. She hadn’t heard their excited cries in so long, it was almost like she never had. It hurt her so much, and now, now that she finally had a way to talk to them, the same thing that had taken them away from her was attempting to prevent her from talking to them now.

  ***

  Matt and Sandra headed out in the morning. “See you tomorrow if all goes well.” Matt said.

  Sandra gave Claire a hug. “Stay safe. Please don’t do anything to bring them on top of you.”

  Claire half smiled “I will be fine. You guys take care of yourselves.”

  They drove off with the two trucks. They had a found some walkie-talkies and could stay in touch.

  “Pretty girl Mad Max brother calling.”

  “Mad Matt Max has a nice ring to it.”

  “Remember that little cabin we saw in that little town? I think we should head there for the night. Then a short half hour drive in the morning loaded up the rebar and beat feet back here.”

  “Sound good Mad Matt.”

  Just before dark they pull in to the cabin in the little town. That night was intense love making. Sandra was wild and passionate. They fell asleep in each other’s arms.