“You findin somethin funny here, this is not a game. Whether your takin an animal to eat, stoppin a zed, or defendin yoursef, it is serious business and y'all better treat it that way.” Turk admonished.
“Sorry.” Arianna mumbled.
“Who can tell me, what your best weapon is?” Turk questioned.
“My machete.” Jimmy blurted out.
“A gun.” Lizzie stated.
“A shotgun.” Caleb added.
Prescott having been through this, raised his hand. “Me.”
Turk gave Prescott a wink and a curt nod. “That's right, whatever y'all use to get the job done. Y'all have to be the one in control, y'all need to think about your situation.”
As the kids stood at attention, Turk first paced in front and then behind. Seeing Jimmy standing firmly with his knees locked, Turk used him as his next example and kicked him lightly behind the knee, causing him to tumble down. “Sorry about that James, I'm just making a point. Y'all are shorter than your average zed and where do you strike a zed?”
“The brain.” The children responded, in unison.
“Right the brain. So if you take out their legs, break their legs, cut their legs, then they are at your level. The next question is how do you get at a zeds brain? The skull is pretty hard and it takes some muscle to punch through that. Your best choices are under the chin, through the ear or eye.”
Turk waved Prescott forward. “Prescott step out here with your baton and we'll give a little demonstration of what you've learned and then will break you into groups, to work with your Dad's.”
Prescott was a little nervous, but also pleased to be singled out. Turk and Prescott, had cut the hardwood cane down to about two feet, sharpened the end to a point and hardened it in a fire. The handle was left on to be used as a hook, but was also sharpened to a point. With Turk playing the zed, Prescott first demonstrated how he could use the weapon to move Turk's arms out of the way, to attack at his head. Then using the handle, tripping up Turk either by tugging near the ankle, or behind the knee.
Urging Prescott to be careful, they ran through the exercise a little quicker, but this time when Prescott attempted to tumble Turk by catching him behind the knee, he hit to high catching Turk in the thigh, which only caused Turk to be pulled closer to Prescott.
“Oops I'm sorry, I made a little mistake there.” Prescott exclaimed.
“Son I'll forgive you a million times if that's what it takes, but this is not a world that holds any forgiveness.”
Turk divided the children into two teams and using Tom, Jeff,and Sam as zeds, the children worked on strategies to take the men down. They soon found out that coordinating their efforts, was best and Turk was surprised by Arianna's planning and leadership. Especially when he pitted the seven children as a group, against the three men.
When they broke for the evening, all five adults were bruised and sore from the experience, but also more comfortable that the children were becoming better, at defending themselves. Tom asked Turk if he could make plans for some firearm and archery lessons, for the group as a whole.
That night, Turk lay on his mattress in the room he shared with Prescott and Margo. He was pleased with the drive and dedication the children showed this evening, but frustrated at the interruption of his interlude with Red. He understood her reluctance at becoming to involved with him, but the ups and downs in their courtship, confused his straight forward nature.
“This probably ain't the time for romance anyhow, Ol' son.” Turk mumbled to himself, as he rolled to his side to try and sleep.
Before sleep could take hold, he heard the shuffling of feet. Rolling onto his back, he was greeted with the sight of Red, standing near his pallet. Red quickly undressed and Turk took a moment to admire her body, illuminated in the scant light of the waning moon. He parted his sheets for her to join him.
“Now where were we?” Red whispered trying to sound bold, even though for some reason she felt as nervous as a schoolgirl, on her first date.
The couple kept their lovemaking as quiet as possible, since the sleeping children were separated from Turk by only a couple of sheets, put up to give them each a little privacy. When done they lie quietly in each others arms, Red’s head nestled on Turk’s chest. She listened to the strong beat of his heart, she slowly let her fingers trace circles on his chest and he slowly stroked his fingers, up and down her back.
A warm feeling spread through Red, which she recognized as a feeling of safety. Almost as quickly, she was filled with dread, inevitably one of them would suffer through the loss of the other. Red sat up and began dressing.
“Tim will be looking for me soon to patrol.” She explained.
“I do, you know.” Turk expressed.
“You do what?” Red replied, almost angrily.
“Love you.”
“I know.” Red answered, choking back tears.
The next morning, Red tried to avoid Turk to give herself time to sort out her feelings. Conversely, Turk needed to hash this out and followed Red out as she left breakfast.
“Did I do something?” Turk asked.
“No, Yes, I don't know..... you make me feel safe.”
“You say that, like it is a bad thing.”
“It is, I've been through this before and it always ends badly.”
“I am different than others, this group is different, I won't promise you that we won't face difficulties. I do know what it’s like, tryin to make it all alone and that is a pathetic option.”
Turk pulled her into his arms. “However long of a run we got, I want to do it together. Whatever troubles come at us, we are better facin them side by side, what do you say?”
Red mustered a smile, at him. “Alright, but if you die on me, I'll never forgive you.”
Silas greeted his friend as he waved him inside his office. “Josiah, what brings you out this evening?”
Josiah gave a rare smile to his friend. “You should know me well enough old friend, when I’m in the mood for a game.”
“The board is setup and waiting, do you want to open?”
Josiah took the chair behind the white pieces and considered the board. “I had an audience with the Mother.”
Silas nodded and watched Josiah, make his opening move. “I see you’ve chosen the bishop sacrifice as your opening.”
Josiah watched for his friends counter move. “I’ve decided this gambit, has a chance of success.”
Silas let out a heavy sigh. “How did your meeting with Mother go?”
Josiah chuckled. “Like always, a lot of bowing and groveling. In the end, she agreed that two dozen of her zealots can initiate trials against the group, we think took out Cain and his crew.”
Silas grinned. “How long will that lot be out of here?”
Josiah shrugged. “Mother expects results, a couple of weeks at best.”
Silas moved his rook, putting one of Josiah’s pawns in jeopardy. Josiah moved his knight to protect his pawn. “A knight to save a pawn?”
Josiah looked at his old friend, with a touch of sadness and pride. “A brave knight to protect the innocent.”
Chapter 6 - Trials
All during the night a slow, but steady stream of zeds continued to approach the fence. As the sun began to rise, Red and Turk came to relieve Tom and Tim.
“They just keep tricklin in.” Tom said.
“If y'all are amenable to it, I'd like to take my bow and slip out that power line gate, we put in. I get up top of that rise and I'll have a good look at the road leading up to here. I'll be able to tell if there is someone behind this bunch, or we're just at the tale end of a herd.” Turk offered.
“And if it is the end of a herd?” Red asked, always concerned that Turk was too willing to risk himself.
“I'll get behind em and clean em out.”
“Not by yourself you’re not.” Red responded, emphatically.
“I figured on you comin from the other side and we'd squash em between us.”
“If it’s not the end of a herd?” Tim asked.
“Then we'll slip back in and come up with a plan B.” Tom answered.
By the time Tom and Turk gathered their bows and gear, the children, had armed themselves and were at the fence with Tim.
“What do you need us to do?” Prescott asked.
Tom thought a moment. “You can help along the fence, you do as Tim tells you, exactly as he tells you.”
“Yes sir.” Jimmy replied.
Tom and Turk headed to the side gate, Pete joined them to make sure they could get back in quick. Turk strung his bow, but carried it over his shoulder, preferring to have his club in hand for the trip up the rise. With a nod from Turk, Pete opened the gate and the pair strode out. Turk set a brisk pace up the rise and the pair reached the top, in short order. The grade was steep enough to deter zeds so they took a moment to catch their breath.
“I wanted to talk to you, away from everyone else.” Tom admitted.
“I didn't figure you came along to impress me with your archery skills. Whats on your mind?”
“Do you think the True Believers, can be behind this?”
“Anythins possible, I reckon. Seems like a lot of trouble to go through, but it could be a ploy to make us burn through our ammo. If it is True Believers, they want people, they want to take us alive.”
“This place is as close to a home as we've had, in a year. We lost good people getting here, I have no intention of giving this up.”
“I've come real attached to folks around here, I ain't lettin nobody bring y'all harm. Push comes to shove though, the best way to save folks, may be to leave this place behind.”
Tom hung his head, at the thought. “You have no idea how hard it is, trying to make it out on the road.”
Turk clapped Tom’s shoulder. “Then we better make sure, it don't come to that.”
Tom brightened a bit. “Both Sue and I, are grateful for you and Red. You two bring a lot to our group. Before you came along, we were just about played out, now we have hope again.”
Turk smiled. “Well, I'm still tryin to figure Red out, but I think I can speak for the both of us, on this. We are beholden to your group and pleased, to be a part of it.”
Scanning over the rise, through binoculars, they could see another cluster of zeds, about forty of fifty, headed down the drive, towards the gate and maybe another fifteen, already closing on the fence. They had a pretty good view of the valley ahead of the park and this looked like the end of the herd, no handlers or persons, were in evidence.
Radioing back to Tim, Tom alerted him that Turk and he, would be working their way behind the last of the herd, to ambush them from the back. Making their way down the slope, as quick as they could, without attracting the attention of the herd. At the bottom of the hill, they hid behind some brush, waiting for the herd to past. As soon as the last of the herd, was about fifteen yards beyond their position, they stepped into the roadway.
“How many arrows do you have?” Tom asked.
“About three dozen, you?”
“A couple dozen, we'll need to make everyone count.”
Turk had practically been born, with a bow in his hand and released three to four arrows for every one, Tom got off. Tom had only taken up the crossbow recently, thinking it would be quiet and shoot similar to a rifle. About every third bolt that Tom shot, would go wide of its mark.
“Slow down Tom, you're not shooting a rifle. Give some time, for the bolt to clear.” Turk instructed.
As Tom's accuracy improved, they were able to take down, the bulk of the herd. Setting down their bows, Tom pulled a hatchet from his belt and Turk drew his club. Tom radioed for Red to come out the other gate and the pair advanced, on the remaining zeds.
Tim had the children, yelling and banging on the fence. Red, Will and Emma, advanced from the opposite gate. The zeds, given multiple targets to strike, froze with indecision. Taking that moment, the five outside the gate, attacked.
Red advanced, with one of her staves in each hand. Slowly swinging the one in her right hand, she struck the nearest zed, solidly on the skull. The studs cracking its head open, like an egg. Her confidence in her new weapons rising, she used the two sticks together to push the next couple of zed's to the side, causing them to stumble. Will and Emma finished them off.
Red swept the knees of the next pair of zeds and then dropped to one knee, driving the points of her staves into their faces. Quickly pulling out the sticks, she flipped them around and standing up quickly, drove the points under the jaws of the next two zeds.
“Fuck me.” Tom expressed.
“I hear ya son.” Turk replied.
With no additional buildup of zeds, Turk, Red, and Prescott, loaded up early the next morning. Turk took a goodly amount of water and a fair amount of vegetables, since they reproduce themselves so fast, this time of year. However, he only took about a pound of dried venison. Depending on his ability to provide on the road, as they needed it.
“You got enough ammo?” Tim questioned.
Turk nodded. “Thanks, we're good”
Margo came up, punching Prescott on the shoulder and giving Turk a hug. “When you gonna be back?”
Turk had already talked to her about their plans, but understood Margo needed to be reassured. “If all goes well, we'll be back early tomorrow. Worst case, three days. You mind Pete, while I'm gone.”
Red gave Lizzie a quick hug and a kiss and loaded into the willys. As they drove off, Sam opened the newly reinforced entrance gate and let them out.
They hadn't traveled far, before coming to their first stop. The sign on the outside of the building read, ‘Hansen's Excavating – Kyle Hansen Proprietor’. The property, consisted of a small office and an equipment garage. The entire property, was surrounded by a ten foot chain link fence to keep the locals from messing with the equipment, after hours.
As they got out, a figure came to greet them at the gate. ‘Kyle’, was stitched, over the left breast pocket.
Turk strode up to Kyle and quickly jabbed the sharpened end of his club, into the socket of the zeds eye.
As Turk clanged on the fence, to see if other zeds were within the enclosure, he called out. “Prescott, bring the bolt cutters.”
While they waited, Turk asked. “Tell me what you’re seein, son?”
Prescott took a moment to look around. “Well most likely, this is the shop owner. He must of holed up here and was keeping the fence clear. It looks like, he got his fingers bit off and that caused him to turn. All these dead zeds, have been here for a long time.”
“Not bad. You’re part of the team, so if you see me or Red about do somethin you think is wrong, speak up.”
“I don't see the gun, he was using to finish off all these zeds. His family could be hiding in there, or they've turned to.” Red added.
“After we drive in, you call out Red. If his family is in there, they may be less frightened by a woman.”
Receiving no response from Red’s hail, Turk wired the gate shut, then crept up to take a closer look at the buildings. Red wasn't happy waiting back, but if someone did start taking shots, it did make sense to limit the targets.
Turk made a quick sweep of the office and the garage and came back. “I could see a woman and infant in there, they'd been executed some time ago. Doors unlocked, we'll go in slow.”
As they entered the office, Red could see how they had converted it to live in. The front room was their kitchen, with a small propane stove for cooking and the desk as a table. The closet, contained a camping toilet. The back room was their bedroom,
with a couple of cots and a crib. The saddest thing, was the rocker in the corner of the room. A woman's body was seated in the rocker, holding an infant to her breast. Both the woman and child, had been shot in the head with a small caliber round.
Prescott, looking around, stated. “There is not enough here.”
“What do you mean?” Red asked.
“Well, it looks like they were planning on staying here long term, but there is only a day or two of food here. The only gun is that .22, but the zeds outside, were shot with a larger caliber.” Prescott tapped the floor, with his baton. “Hear that, its hollow under here.”
Dead To Rights_HZA, Vol. 4 Page 14