“You turned her into a monster!” I state loudly. “Just like you did to Bill!”
I am in hysterics.
“You can not do this anymore!” I scream. “You can not make people like you! You can not eat their flesh!”
Tommy giggles.
“Your silly Mommy,” He states. “I like eating people.”
He licks his fingers.
I am appalled at the site. I hit him over the head with the handle of my gun. The blow to his head causes him to pass out. I catch him before he hits the ground.
“What am I going to do?” I say aloud, picking Tommy up.
He is heavier than I thought he would be. We have been driving in a car so long that I never realized how big he has gotten.
I need to get him cleaned up so I carry him to the living room and lay him on the couch, then hurry out to the truck and get some clothing. There is nothing in his bag that is clean, but the dirty clothes will have to do; at least they are not soaked in blood.
After he is clean, I walk back outside, pick up Claire and carry her upstairs. She should be with the rest of her family.
Chapter Eleven
Now more than ever I need to get to the compound. It has been two days since we left the farm and I fear that with every day that passes Tommy is getting more like the walking dead. He will longer eat the animals I find for him and he is constantly hungry.
“Please Mommy,” Tommy cries from the backseat. “Please let me go.”
No longer able to trust him I now have to keep him tied up in the back seat with socks taped over his hands . I don’t want to do it, but I am scared that his hunger will overcome him and that I will become his next meal.
“Soon Tommy,” I promise.
The drive is long and tiring but I do the best I can. As we come closer to the compound every stop becomes more of a challenge. There are many of the Creetions around so I limit our breaks to only get gas.
I can not take the chance of being seen by anyone, nor take the chance of getting surrounded by the dead so I stay on the back roads until I am about to run out gas and then head my way to the closest town or farm.
This particular area looks abandoned except for the numerous amount of cars that are sprawled around. A perfect area to find gas, or at least I hope. Parked a few feet away from a, I watch for over an hour before I decide it is safe to venture forward.
“I need to go over to those cars and siphon some gas,” I tell Tommy.
“Okay Mommy,” He states.
Leaving the car hidden within some bushes I instruct Tommy to sit quietly. I take the keys from the ignition and lock the doors behind me. Taking great caution I slowly walk over to the cars, hiding behind each one and scanning around the area before moving on to another. Five cars into my search I still haven't found any gas; my mouth tastes like gas from the fumes, and I am becoming discouraged.
I peek back towards my car, no one is around so I continue my search.
“This is so sad,” I think to myself, peeking into one of the windows.
Two infant car seats occupy the back seats. The seats have been torn to shreds indicating that someone had attacked the babies. The front seat is splattered with blood.
“They didn‘t even have a chance,” I softly whisper, . “Just as Claire did not have a chance.”
Disgusted, I shake my head and turn away.
“Get it together,” I think in my head. “Just find some gas and get out of here.”
After searching a few more cars I finally come to one that still has gas in the tank. I spit the gas from my mouth and place the hose in the 3 gallon gas can, allowing it to fill. I do this with three more cans, insuring that I get as much gas as I can.
“This is one of those times I wish I had some help,” I state lifting all four cans at once.
The full cans feel as if they weigh twenty pounds each, making it difficult for me to walk. By all means I should leave two and then come back for them but I would rather suffer now then to take the chance of having to come back for them; or if others appear losing the gas all together.
The walk through the tall weeds is long and tiring but I manage to make it without having to stop.
I lean against my car, take in a deep breath and relax for a second. Tommy is sleeping now so I relax a bit longer.
“Woo,”
I let out a long winded breath. My heart slows and I feel a bit more energized.
“Okay, now time to get the gas in the car,” I think in my head.
Taking the funnel from one of the can I begin filling the truck with gas. It does not take long to empty all the cans into the tank.
“I hope that is enough to get to the next town,” I say out-loud.
I put the cans in the back of the truck, unlock the door and make myself comfortable in the front seat. I have not slept in days and feel exhausted.
“I will take just a five minute nap,” I think to myself.
I am sure David will wake up soon and I will hear him so I close my eyes.
Dreams are no longer peaceful, leaving me to dream only of what I know now, death, terror and Creetions.
My body jerks, startling me awake; my heart pounding and sweat dripping from my forehead.
“It was only a dream,” I tell myself, taking in deep breaths.
It may have only been a dream but this is now our reality. Everyday we live with the fear of being attacked or becoming one of the Creetions that feast on us.
“Tommy,” I think to myself, glancing back at my son. “He is just like one of them.
Wiping the tears from my eyes, I rest my head back and relax. I must calm down before I start driving. I need to stay alert and with my recent nightmare fresh in my mind I fear I will not be able to.
“Everything will be okay,” I whisper. “But stay focused.”
I put the keys in the ignition and start the car. The compound is only thirty miles from here, so as long as I can make my way through the highway I feel confident that we will make it there by nightfall.
Chapter Twelve
The drive to the compound has taken a lot longer than I thought it would. It has been 8 hours since I last stopped and got gas and I still have another 15 miles to go.
I tried taking the highway but the roads were overcome with abandoned cars and clans of the dead, leaving me with no other choice but to take the back-roads; getting lost a few times in the process.
“Wonderful!” I think to myself in a sarcastic manner.
The Truck begins to sputter as the gas in the tank is now that only of fumes. It has been miles since I have seen a farm or any car in that manner, so now not only am I worried about being stranded in the middle of nowhere with a child that I can not trust, I have to worry about coming across some of the dead and us having no place to hide.
“Now what am I going to do?” I ask, talking to myself. “I can’t leave Tommy here alone and I am not sure what will happen if I untie him.”
It has been a long time since he has ate, days in fact, and this worries me even more. He has become very restless and I know it is because of the lack of human flesh that he desires.
The truck comes to a halt as the last of the fumes dissipate. I am now in a predicament I had hoped I would never be in.
I rest my head on the steering wheel.
“What's wrong Mommy?” Tommy asks.
“We are out of gas,” I answer.
“Okay you get some,” he states.”I will wait here.”
Being at such a young age he does not understand that I can not just get gas anywhere, so I find it hard to explain the trouble we are in.
“No honey, there is no place to get gas here,” I explain, ”I will have to walk down the road and hope that there is somewhere close where I can get some.”
“Can I go?” He asks. “Please.”
Looking into his eyes of innocence I have a hard time telling him no but I fear the monster inside him that is waiting to take another victim to his poison.
“Please, please,” Tommy begs repeatedly, the sound of his pleading pounding in my head.
I said wait a minute!” I scream, slamming my hands on the steering wheel.
Tommy becomes silent, then begins to cry. I have scared him.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him, reaching back and touching his leg in condolence.
His sobbing turns to sniffling and with a few minutes he stops crying all together. I take a napkin from the seat next to me and wipe his face, clearing his face of his tears and runny nose.
“I will take you but we will have to play a game,” I state.
“What game Mommy?” He asks.
“We are going to play cops and robbers,” I answer. “You will be the robber so I will have to tie your arms behind your back.”
Even though I am deceiving him by saying we will be playing a game, I smile, trying to make him believe that this will be a fun. This is the only way I feel I can take him with me and still feel safe without telling the young child that I fear... him.
“Okay,” He smiles.
I grab the gun from the seat beside me, take the keys from the ignition and open the door.
“You will have to keep your hands behind your back,” I tell him. “That is what they do to prisoners.”
I wink.
Tommy struggles as he tries to move. He is strapped in with a robe that holds him close to the seat.
“Mommy I can’t move,” He states in a struggling tone.
“I will help you but you have to promise that you will not leave your seat,” I state in a firm voice.
Although his arms are tied behind his back already, I continue to have the fear that he will lunge forward and bite me.
Tommy promises that he will not move so I take the knife from my pocket, lean back and cut the rope. Tommy growls. I leap back. He giggles.
“I scared Mommy,” He chuckles, finding it funny.
“Yes you did,” I say smiling. “But you should not do that anymore.
Leaving my door open in case he attacks me and I need to get back in, I walk over to his door. I peek in the window ensuring myself that he is sitting in his seat with his hands still tied behind his back.
“I am going to open the door now,” I state. “You stay how you are.”
As soon as I open the door I grab his hands and hold them tight in mine. I take the rope in my hands a tug on it lightly. I want to make sure that the knot remains secure..
“Do your hands hurt? I ask.
“Nope,” He answers.
Cautious not to bring any part of my skin in contact with his mouth, I help him out of the car then walk over and close the drivers side door.
“Lets go,” I state, holding onto one of his arms, pretending to be a police officer guiding his prisoner.
The entire time we are walking I must look out for any possible walkers or other people, at the same time keep watch on Tommy.
We walk for what seems like hours without seeing anything but desert. I am just about to give up on finding a car, house or anything that might have gas when I spot a farm in the distance. It is getting dark now and the house is about another mile away. We will have to pick up our pace or take the chance of walking in the dark.
“Mommy, what is that?” Tommy asks.
The sound of a roaring engine can be heard in the distance. I look behind us and see a puff of dust in the distance. It is a car and it is coming up fast.
“It is a car,” I answer.
I need to hide, but there is nothing around but cactus and dirt. With Tommy’s hands being tied behind his back and his grayish appearance, that someone would question why.
“I have to untie you,” I say, my voice trembling. “You have to promise me that no matter how hungry you feel that you won't bite me or attack whoever is coming up.”
Tommy looks up at me and smiles.
“Okay Mommy, I won't bite you,” He answers.
I have no choice but to believe him. If the people stop I need to act as normal as possible and get them to go on their way and leave us be.
I pull on the rope, the knot tightens. I try again but with every attempt the knot tightens. Pain-stricken I continue to tug on the knot until I notice that Tommy is receiving cuts on his wrist.
“That hurts,” David whimpers.
“I am so sorry,” I state. “I am trying not to hurt you.”
I kiss the back of his head.
“Knife,” I think in my head.
I reach in my pocket then the other. I had been so worried about making certain that I had my gun that I had forgotten the knife in the car.
The car is too far away to get to before the others arrive. I get down on my knees and turn Tommy so that he is facing me.
“I want you to stay hidden behind me,” I state firmly. “Don’t talk and don’t move.”
Tommy is listening to me but staring down the road. The car is only feet behind us and now driving at a slower pace.
Waving my arms I pray that he people will see that we are not one of the walkers. There are some people who shoot before they know for sure and I am hoping they are not one of them.
The car comes to halt beside Tommy and I. The car is occupied by two men, both of which appear to be in their thirties. As the brunette rolls down his window, I pull Tommy close to me. I cringe.
“Hello,” I state,
Tommy is taking in deep breaths. I can not tell if he is smelling the aroma of the two men and having a hard time controlling himself or if he is just scared. Ignoring my fear I hold him close; his face buried within my clothing.
“Are you out here alone?” the man asks.
“No, there are others with us, they are up at the farm,” I lie pointing toward the farm about a mile away.
The two men look at one another as to be having a silent conversation.
“It's not safe for you to be out here,” The man states. “We heard that there are many of the walkers just about a mile away,” He conveys. “You never know if there are stragglers walking around.”
“We are being careful,” I answer.
The man sitting on the drivers side of the car leans forward and looks at Tommy.
Although he is obviously a few years older than the other man and has golden blonde hair his facial structure greatly resembles his.
“He looks scared,” He states.
I hold him closer to my side and look down at him.
“He is just tired and is shy when he meets others,” I explain.
Tommy peeks out from my clothing.
“Hi little man,” the brown haired man states, holding his hand out for Tommy to shake. “My name is Joshua, and that is John what is yours?
Tommy reaches forward. His grayish skin now visible to the two men. I grab his arm and pull him back to my side. It is to late, the man has seen that Tommy is not as we.
Tommy growls.
The two men look at each other, then turn and look at me.
“He is one of them!” Joshua says in a stern tone. “Look at his skin!”
Joshua holds a gun out the window, pointing it toward Tommy and I while John gets out of the car, leans against the hood of the car and points his gun at us also.
“No he is not!” I scream panicked.
Not to attract any attention to what I am doing I slowly reach into my jacket pocket and rest my hand on my gun, pointing it in the direction of the man closest to me.
I stand completely still, watching both men every move.
“Just be on your way and leave us be,” I say, my expression stern.
The silence is unnerving.
“Please,” I state. “We are only trying to find gas, my son is not going to hurt anyone.”
I know that Tommy has already turned a few people into walkers, but I can't let them know this.
The two men continue to stare at us,neither saying a word.
“Look I w
ill walk away,” I continue. “All you have to do is get in your car, drive away and act like you never saw us.
“I can’t do that.” Joshua answers, breaking his silence. There is no way I can leave you here with a monster like that.”
“He is not a monster. He is my son.” I try to convince him. “We are just trying to get back to the compound where this all started.”
The man laughs.
“You will never get close to there,” John laughs.
‘What do you mean?” I ask.
“The entire area is covered with the Creetions,” He answers. “Most of which are the original creatures, and people say that are smart like the living with the hunger of the dead. They are impossible to get through.”
I take in a deep breath and sigh.
“What do you want to go there for anyway?” He asks.
I glance down at Tommy, trying to think of a lie.
“His dad use to work there and I heard rumors that there are still some people alive there, I was hoping he is one of them.” I lie.
The man standing by the hood cocks his head to the side, “Your that one that we have heard about.”
I crunch my eyebrows together, stating silently to him my confusion as to what it is he is talking about.
“Your that lady that got away over three years ago. The one that had a baby that is half like them and half like us.” He continues.
I am confused. Do I tell them the truth in hopes that they will have a bit of compassion or do I continue to lie?
“No, I am not that person,” I continue with my deviance.
“Sure you are. Your Dr. David Sanders's wife,” He states. “Now I remember the picture.”
Now I am honestly confused. My husbands name was David Sanders but he was not a doctor and what picture could he be speaking of?
“That is my husbands name but he was merely a worker there,” I explain.
The men chuckle.
“And what picture are you speaking of?” I ask.
“Grab the newspaper,” John instructs Joshua.
The man reaches in the glove-box and pulls out a tattered paper.
“Your right,” Joshua states. “It is her.”
Afraid to get any closer I instruct the man to throw me the newspaper.
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