I began to draw the line out hand-over-hand until the gator on the end jerked and the fight was on. I braced my legs, leaning my weight back as I strove to get the reptile’s head above water.
It wasn’t that big – three maybe four feet – and in a matter of minutes, our battle was done; Sunny had jabbed the spearhead through the top of the skull. She must have been training with Chase and Cal recently; the kill spot is only the size of a quarter.
“Nice poke there, Ahab.” I groaned as we pulled our catch from the water.
“Thanks, but I don’t hunt whales; I hear they’re endangered or something. Wouldn’t want to get a fine.”
We laughed as we began hauling the alligator back up the trail, eyes ever watchful for fleshies who may hear us or smell the fresh kill.
We made small talk as we labored up the hill with our prize; the air was already humid, making breathing more of an effort.
“I miss take out. There’s something wonderful about just calling a number and having food appear. I would settle for drive thru, though.”
“Don’t forget the hot & fresh donuts. What I would give for a real donut, or a warm shower. But mostly, its donuts and ice cream.”
We could see the others gathering vegetables from the gardens up ahead.
“Maybe one day. Who knows what will happen when the Dead finally die off?”
Sunny’s response bothered me; it festered below my ribs and kept me awake on long nights when I sat guard.
“How do you know we’ll still be here then? Maybe if we still exist, what about the vampires? They may not all be as nice as Cal and Daemon. We could just be putting off the inevitable.” She started glancing around again; her smile looked a little forced this time. “I’d love some food I didn’t have to kill first, though.”
By lunchtime, we’d already: turned over our catch for preparation, gotten cleaned up in the small wash bins, changed clothes, added our overnight gear to the pile near the tower, and helped put away supplies. Everyone was bustling about, readying for the next couple of days.
Baskets and plastic ware containers of cleaned berries, roots, oranges, and assorted veggies were being loaded into the storehouse. Two people marched towards the cooler, each toting long strands of shimmering bass. This morning was turning out to be a good haul all around.
Ellen was busy helping her parents load a Jansport backpack for her father’s use on the trip. As we searched for Chase, I overheard her advice.
“No Daddy, you can’t pack the lucky rabbit’s foot! You have to keep it in your pocket or it’s not any good.”
She had her hands on her hips.
He chuckled while asking the blue-eyed Blondie.
“And who told you that?”
“Gammy did back when I was littler. And she’s your Mommy so you know she’s right.”
Ellen stamped her foot, emphasizing her point. He put the trinket in his pocket and hugged her before continuing his task.
I couldn’t hear the rest as we found Chase with several of our more skilled chefs. Sunny and I surveyed their progress with lunch like critics for the Zagat’s guide before pitching in. Chase beamed at Sunny as he gave her a kiss. They were vigorously carving up the alligator into strips for jerky and tossing random chunks into a few pots of boiling broth nearby.
I looked at the concoction; carrots, herbs, pale gator meat, and what looked like orange rinds were bobbing to the surface intermittently, only to disappear as the bubbles popped. I became somewhat leery of the meal.
“Looks, uh interesting guys. What is it?”
Chase gave me a dumbstruck look as he quipped,
“Supper.”
Without further detail, he went back to his butchering. I stared at him and then at Sunny, who merely shrugged, before I sat and started drying the strips on the frame. Riotous laughter broke out behind me, erupting from Chase and the other cooks.
The frantic shouting of the sentry on the tower cut off the happy sound.
“Looks like three strangers coming towards the gate; everyone inside the walls! Hurry, get the gate, one has a rifle!”
Ellen was scooped up and rushed into the main cabin; her mother grabbed a long knife before barricading herself and Ellen inside. Several others took up positions outside the door. Our people bolted into the fort and the gate was slammed.
Arrows were notched on the platform and swords unsheathed below. Shaking hands carried extra weapons. Dane loaded a small stone into a slingshot, accidentally shooting his own foot in the process, before being sent to watch lunch.
I was at the top of the tower in an instant, pressed to quicker speed by the clanking sounds ringing out within the walls. This was not the time for unknown persons to arrive.
I saw the outsiders through the spare binoculars Chase carried up with him. There only appeared to be three of them, but we couldn’t be sure. The trio had stopped when the guard had yelled out and they now stood around 100 yards from the wall of our fort.
They were between two of the spike pits. The tallest was holding a rifle out to the side; he placed it on the ground in front of him and hid the other two strangers behind him as they backed up a few paces.
I realized the small ones were children – although not likely his – both had snowy skin where the tall man was a Tyler Perry doppelganger. The group stood still. It occurred to me it could be a trap, but this man was clearly doing his best to protect the kids in case we responded with violence.
“What should we do?” someone yelled from below. I peered at everybody’s faces, looking for some inkling of what they all thought.
Chase spoke to the crowd.
“There only seem to be three people, one man and two kids. The guy has already laid down his gun and stepped back. I say we check them for infection and go from there. We just keep weapons at the ready in case it’s a setup. Anyone disagree?”
Shaking heads answered the pink-tinted man wielding an axe.
“I’m coming down to the gate, open it slowly and I’ll go out to meet them.” I stated, climbing down.
“Once we know they aren’t infected, we should bring them in. I say we keep the outsiders in camp and under watch until we can get to know them and decide the best option to take. If they’re infected, well…we can take the necessary measures.”
There was no doubt in anyone’s mind what that entailed.
“Correction, we will go out to meet them. No one goes outside without a buddy.” Chase added. “Especially, in this kind of situation.”
We both turned after descending the tower and were stopped.
Sunny glared at us with her spear at her side.
“Ahem. And I’ll be beside you two ‘brave hero types’ with a spear and machete ready to keep you from getting yourselves killed while rushing headlong into danger.”
We both agreed, scolded children that we were, and followed her down the ladder. We passed through the exit, keenly aware that the entire throng within was armed and ready. I was also aware that if it was a trap, the three of us were royally boned; I suddenly wanted to borrow Ellen’s rabbit foot.
Sunny took the lead, crossing between the traps to approach our visitors. The man looked concerned as he spotted our weaponry; he retreated back two steps and pressed the children further from us, shielding them with his own body in case of attack.
She slowed to a halt a few yards from the intruders. After quick look askance, and we all set our arms on the ground. My eyes never left the man. The kids looked terrified and kept searching the woods from behind their guardian; fearful of Dead or living, I couldn’t tell.
Sunny spoke first, her eyes easing from the man’s to each of the children’s in turn.
“Hi. Sorry about being so defensive and off-putting, but we can’t be too careful these days. My name is Sunny. This is my husband Chase and our friend Squirrel. We came out to meet you. What are your names?” She knelt down to soothe the children’s fears, her smile gentle and inviting.
The man visibly
relaxed.
“My name’s Randolph. This young man is Michael and this is his little sister Barbara, she prefers to be called Bobbi. I found them on the road and we’ve been traveling together. We didn’t mean to scare everyone; we just want somewhere safe to rest.”
Chase grinned and waved to the kids. Taking in the scene, I made the call.
“You caught us at an awkward moment; usually, when we’re going to town, we don’t let anyone in or out of the fort. We were getting ready when you arrived. We’re not sure how this is going to pan out but for the time being, we’ve agreed to let you into our group. Assuming none of you has been infected, of course.”
The kids came to Randolph’s side, holding his hands tightly.
“Sounds fair to us. None of us have been bitten. Should we just follow you three or do you need to signal someone?”
He bent to retrieve his firearm; Chase stopped him, shaking his head.
“Sorry, but we have to check for bite marks first; not that we don’t trust you, but…”
I interjected,
“It’s just that we can’t trust you. We have others to consider and none of us actually know each other. I’m sure you’ve got concerns about us, too.”
The outsider nodded his agreement before Chase started again.
“Also, we don’t use guns. They tend to cause more trouble than good. I promise, you’ll be brought into the camp safely, but the gun will be locked away with the others that have come our way.”
Randolph stiffened for an instant. Michael and Bobbi took notice and clung to their protector.
“Okay, your place, your rules. We haven’t got any other options.” Randolph consented, leaving the rifle in the dirt and slowly pulling off his shirt. “Okay kids, these people are just going to look to see if you have any boo-boos real quick. They won’t touch you, they just want to see if you’re sick like at the doctor.”
Michael followed suit, showing that he hadn’t been bitten, before helping his little sister. As soon as everyone had disrobed to their undergarments and turned around, we gestured for them to get dressed.
This part was awkward but necessary.
“Alright, just follow us exactly so you don’t fall into the traps.” Sunny proclaimed, turning and striding back. Bobbi held her brother’s hand and he held onto Randolph’s as they played follow the leader past the ensnarement.
Chase picked up the gun and whispered to me as we followed the troupe,
“A signal probably would’ve been a good idea; we should run that by the others next time.”
“Yeah, but let’s not do it in front of the new folks, we’d look stupid for not thinking of it sooner.” I agreed.
“Okay. Sunny may have had a point about our running out all unprepared. Don’t tell her I said so, she’d never let me live it down.”
We filed towards the enclosure. I hoped none of the nervous people inside sneezed while aiming arrows our way. It would be too humiliating to die by friendly fire after all the stuff I’d already survived.
Once we got settled in, the gate was locked tight and preparations finished. I felt bad for the newcomers; they walked in with weapons aimed at them and were now being more or less stared at like fish in the aquarium. It had to be a disconcerting sensation.
The entire camp – minus our two nocturnal members and the sentries – ate lunch together; the meal became our unofficial town meeting. While we ate Chase’s special ‘gator surprise’, we spoke with Randolph and the two kids. It was a pleasant conversation laced with job interview and a touch of police interrogation. Ellen seemed thrilled just having other kids to play with.
By the end of our anxious lunch, I was confident the trio wasn’t a threat. Setting down my bowl, I decided we should get down to business and rest up for our trek.
“We all need to catch some Z’s before night falls, so let’s see where we stand. Who votes we let Randolph, Michael, and Bobbi join us provisionally?”
I grinned widely at the results. “Unanimous. Good deal, welcome to our little Nova Nocte. You can set up your belongings in the cabin to the right, so long as you all agree to live by the rules we told you about.”
Randolph showed an easy smile.
“That’d be great. I can deal with the donating thing as long as the three of us are safe. The vampire thing is pretty out there, but I’ll go with it. It can’t be weirder than the rest of the stuff I’ve been seeing, I guess.”
I stood to stretch before ending the pow wow.
“Obviously, you’ll be meeting Cal and Daemon after sunset, so we haven’t heard their vote yet. But I’m sure they’ll give you the thumbs-up. It will take time before we can trust you enough to let you wander unwatched or give you unchecked access to the weapons.”
Sunny must have seen some discomfort at my words.
“Trust with our lives is earned, not given by consensus. Sorry, but it’s something we all go through at first. In a week or two, we will know you all better and you’ll be part of the community.”
Several people rose and began cleaning up the meal or heading towards the cabins. We had more important business to focus on now.
Sunny and Chase helped our new additions find a spot to relax. Ellen skipped along with Bobbi, the pair chattering away happily. Michael blew his shaggy amber hair off his face as he strolled next to his sister, ever the protective big brother. It was time for a pre-raid nap.
***
Five o’clock popped up swiftly. Watch alarms hummed and buzzed, the cacophony reverberating in the still cabin. I stretched away my slumber and crawled off my bunk. The other foragers meandered from the cabin to the fire pit; we were on schedule.
Our brief dinner was followed by see-you-laters and the hushed tones usually reserved for cemeteries. Randolph sat to the side, speaking jokingly with his charges about the fun they’d have when he got back. Bobbi fretted a little, her dainty feet becoming pigeon-toed; Michael stood stiff and tall, as though assuring Randolph that all would be well with his stance.
It reminded me of seeing a soldier take command. As difficult as it was to separate the trio at such a tenuous moment, the children couldn’t go scavenging and we couldn’t trust a new adult in camp yet.
Fed, packed, and properly sent off, the eight of us gathered our arms and departed. It was forty-five minutes until dusk would draw out our ninth pillager.
We marched in quiet, each person alert for danger, white knuckles clenching sword hilts and ax handles. Randolph appeared relaxed as he carried a spare machete; the blade suited him better than the firearm he previously bore. He and Sunny hacked at the overgrown pathway.
Concern rose in me that the trucks may not start. Cal regularly came out here to check on our vehicles and run the engines so they didn’t lock up, but none of us were mechanics.
The fingernail moon spied on us as we entered the small clearing where three trucks and a moped sat. The grass had climbed up to the bottom of the truck doors; the moped was entirely engulfed in what looked like kudzu vine.
We only used two of the trucks; the Dodge was only good for storing extra fuel and our portable gas retrieval kit. The air hung heavy with apprehension as we marched in quiet.
“Water break?” Sunny asked no one in particular.
She had already pulled out her canteen and taken a large swig. Several of us drank deeply after the hike.
Rested, we loaded our gear into the truck beds and gave our transportation a look over: two low tires, one headlight was out, bloody smears and scratches marred the paint from earlier endeavors, and neither tank had much more than a quarter tank of gas. Dane crawled into the cab of the F-150 and turned the key; a puff of exhaust and the engine roared to life. His skull pressed against the ceiling he shut the vehicle off and slid back out, a look of disgust etched on his face.
“One down, one to go.” I exclaimed, opting to be captain obvious for a minute. “Who wants to test the Ranger?”
Sunny climbed into the scraped and gore-laden pickup.
“Dibs. This one plays CDs.” She beamed as her ride turned over on the third try. Journey was playing low on the speaker system. “Needs gas but it can carry a tune.”
I checked my watch.
“Alright, let’s get the tires pumped and spare gas flowing so we’re ready when Daemon arrives.”
“Too late, Squirrel. But you guys can do the grease monkey stuff anyway.” The fledgling vampire hovered several feet over the sedentary Dodge, grinning; he was the Cheshire Cat reincarnated.
He tumbled (relatively) gently onto the roof of the cab as the rest of us chuckled. The youth jumped down off the rusted automobile and offered his hand to the stunned new guy.
“Hi, I’m Daemon and I will be your bloodsucking undead ally for the evening.”
Randolph stared at the hand, then the smirking face, and finally shook the outstretched limb while muttering - what I think was - a greeting. I watched the pair make difficult small talk for a few minutes, before settling on sports as a safe topic to discuss. All the prep work was done by eight and our road trip was underway. I sat in the bed of the Ranger next to Daemon. He tells me he knows a joke.
“Eight humans and one vampire drive towards Walt Disney World for condoms; stop me if you’ve heard this one...”
***
We rode our gas guzzling chariots up the stony road, being jostled and juggled with our baggage. Soon we came to the paved street and our party tensed at the view. The asphalt bore patches of grass, immobile vehicles, wild flowers, and dozens of Dead. The zombie population would only get worse as we traveled further into the city.
“Let’s get the fuel taken care of before we attract to many corpses.” Sunny said through the cubby-sized window as she pulled up between the cars.
“I hate this part.” I exclaimed as we jumped out of the trucks.
Sunny and the other driver stood watch in their doors, prepared to start our getaway, their weapons firm in hand. Daemon flew straight up and circled like a vulture as he surveyed the area.
Randolph and Dane crawled under the two nearest autos and cut the fuel lines as everybody took position. Four others collected the flowing liquid in steel mixing bowls; they passed them to the last woman and myself. The two of us used our beer bongs to pour the fumy substance into the gas tanks.
After The End Page 5