“Aim for the head of that bitch!” Ethan shouted. The humans were in two rows. Like Gentle’s warfare from the Civil War, one row knelt, and another row stood behind them.
Ahead of them stood thirty or so corpses, including the She-Alpha that marched ahead. She had elongated arms that dragged the ground if she didn’t keep them in attack stance. They began forward with her call. A bullet ricocheted off a hard hat that was still strapped to the creature’s head. Williams’s M14 spent shell bounced off Reynolds head. Reynolds didn’t care as he too bucked back with his recoil.
One by one they fell, except for the She-Alpha. Her skin absorbed rounds as she continued to run and shriek wildly. Jamison, Ethan, and Reynolds emptied their magazines and went to reload as the features on the Alpha became more apparently. She had grown a pointy chin, and her hair had fallen out. Her skin had become green with purple veins exposed. Her elongated arms had thin skin on them, like underdeveloped wings. As they reloaded, the bird-like creature got closer. She raised her left hand to bring it down like a scythe. Ethan saw the shadow of the arm clear his vision. Only the arm never reached Ethan. It was cut in half by Clint and Chaz as they hopped off the truck, firing their shotguns in unison. Clint hit the ground first since he was more agile. Chaz seemed to take a second to balance his feet when he jumped off the hood firing his weed-whacker shotgun. The rifles stopped firing as Clint, Chaz, and William formed a new line. They stood over the Alpha and emptied their weapons until the head became mush. William turned to see a creature running awkwardly toward him. His M14 was empty. He simply dropped it around the sling that clapped against his back. He reached into his thigh holster and pulled his sidearm out. He put four rounds of his Ruger into the creature until it dropped.
“Shots all around!” William called out. The bar full of glasses was being emptied on to the counter. Redbeard took a random bottle and began pouring from the spout. Their mouths watered as they crowded around the bar. Everyone, except Gavin, Paul, Erica, Rune, and Raine, took a shot glass to their lips. Before anyone drank, Ethan stopped them. He stood on the bar. “Friends, new and old, to the ones we love and the ones we’ve lost,” he said with a cheering motion. He was still saddened by the loss of Josh. Jenna came next to him at ground level and placed a hand on his calf. Redbeard took the words to heart all too well, as did they all. Reynolds was the first to slam his glass down on the bar. “Another!”
After a few rounds of relatively cold beer, food from Clint’s awesome culinary skills, and the securing of the place, many of the humans made beds out of the booths and floor of the area. The tables that weren’t being used were hoisted up to block windows and fortify fire doors. Clint came from around the kitchen area. He had taken the vest and gun belt off and kept two pistols under his arms. He made the bend toward the bar. “Awesome food, Chef!” Chaz exclaimed.
“’Ey, where’s my fuckin’ drink?” Clint said with open arms throwing a sweat rag over his shoulder. Redbeard reached into the small ice machine and brought out a frosted mug of tequila and margarita mix with a tiny umbrella sticking out. “Ah, wonderful!” he said as he took a stool at the bar and drank from his curly straw. Razor and Raine had taken their turn at keeping watch from the port windows on both sides of the door. “Back door is bolted shut,” Clint said as he took a sip of margarita. “If you hear any clattering, I put all the dirty dishes against the door so if anyone comes in, they’ll make noise.”
“Those were some creative ass vehicles you guys have,” Ethan said. “How’d y’all do that?” He continued.
“We shacked up at a hardware store for a night. That’s where I met these Vikings,” Devin responded.
Since they were all on the same page and under the same roof, Redbeard decided to introduce himself. Redbeard began telling the story of being a lawyer before he became a Viking. Devin told the new folks about how they came to be. Ethan explained how they were in Memphis and made it to Mud Island, which brought Reynolds up to a stool. Reynolds told the new folks about the Fort’s demise. Mr. Harrison, who had remained quiet through most of the evening, was sitting at the end of the bar.
After a dark beer and a few shots of what Redbeard called “Four Horsemen,” Mr. Harrison attempted to explain their situation. His drunken tongue was too much for Phil to bear. Phil, who was holding the sleeping Paul’s head in his lap, began to talk about how they escaped Philly with a snowplow. This got a nod of acceptance from Devin and some of the others decided that was an interesting idea. Tripod explained how when he left the fort the vehicle he was driving got demolished by one of the Alphas. So he took off on foot. That’s when he found himself in an orchard. He grabbed an apple and right as he was about to bite down on it, there was a creature on his tail. He took off running again. He told them that he was running and suddenly a single shot rang out, and the creature dropped to the ground. “And that’s were all these guys came in,” he finished. Chaz began talking about how he and William went to college together. They hung out a few times, but when the shit hit the fan, they ran out of the building and jumped on a train. “How many have you killed?” asked Tara openly to the group. Everyone guessed except for Devin who lifted his sleeve. His whole arm was covered in tally marks. “That’s fucking wicked!” Ethan exclaimed.
“Why would you do that?” Ashley asked sheepishly.
“Something that I owe God when I die,” he said as he downed an amber liquid. That wasn’t the real reason. He didn’t want anyone else to know why he kept count.
Jamison broke the memory making talk with his tone. “Are we sticking to the plan?” he said as he cradled his rifle from the window.
Devin nodded. “We’re so close,” Devin said.
“Close to what?” Ethan added. Devin looked at him and sized him up. Erica, who was quietly lying in a booth, got up and placed the burn phone on the bar. Most everyone was puzzled except Ethan. He reached into his cargo pocket and pulled out an identical cell phone. Chaz looked at the two phones and then to William who stood there sipping a cup of coffee. William walked forward and placed a third cell phone on the pile. “Well, isn’t this a treat?” he said as he sipped on his mug.
SERIOUS DOWNTIME
CHAPTER 77
FRIDAY 2345 CST
ELIZABETHTOWN
Faith had come from the window. She ran her fingers across her husband’s shoulders in a playful motion. She walked back toward the kitchen. Clint placed his margarita upon the bar and patted both hands on the bar. “Well gentleman, it has been a wonderful evening, but I’m afraid there is still work to be done. Dishes and such.” He trailed off as he stood up and followed his wife toward the kitchen.
“Stay inside,” Mr. Harrison shouted at them in a playful but seriously drunken tone.
“Aye, he’s a cheeky bastard!” Ethan said as he kissed Jenna softly on the neck.
Devin was still eyeing Chaz and William. “How do you know Phoenix?” he asked. William sipped his coffee and danced his eyebrows up and down. Chaz pulled out a small bag of marijuana and dropped it on the bar. “We are his…constituents, per se.” Devin placed his hand on his pistol. Jenna grabbed a backpack and brought out the bag of marijuana from Parker’s pack. “This was one of his as well.” Chaz looked at the backpack. “Oh no! Not Parker!” he exclaimed. Ethan looked at him with sad eyes. “He helped us get out. The bag had that and the cell phone. We told Phoenix.” He looked at Devin who was next in explanation. Erica was standing there downing the rest of Clint’s margarita. “Our coworker had the phone in a hidden compartment of his truck.” William stopped moving and eyed Devin. “A white dually pickup with a fake backseat?” William asked causing Devin’s eyes to dilate. He removed the pistol from his side. Frank’s .357. He placed the pistol on the bar and slid it toward William. William felt the air leave his body.
In the kitchen, Faith was playfully walking around the island of the kitchen. When Clint made it to the island, he began following his wife. She was slowly dragging her fingertips across the shiny metal s
urface. Clint caught up to her and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. He smelled her hair as he softly kissed her neck. She felt his hands slide up her rib cage. Her black wife beater was removed with ease as she raised her hands and moved them down the back of his head. She grabbed his ponytail, and he let out an exhale. “Oh, you’re going to get it now!” he said as he spun her around and forced his lips onto hers. With his face currently being connected to hers, they blindly attempted to remove belts and pants. Clint’s pants dropped with the sound of his belt hitting the concrete floor with a clang. She was coordinated enough to calmly step out of hers as she leaped onto her husband and wrapped her legs around and hooked on his protruding hip bones.
He hoisted her up and down on the kitchen island. She let out a moan and a giggle as she watched her husband remove his guns and shirt. He looked down at his wife, and she back to him. They were both happy to have survived this long. Now that they had some space away from their children, they were going to put it to good use. The moment of serenity ended when Faith reached down and began stoking Clint’s genitals.
He was instantly aroused as he began to play with her naked body. She began to moan as they were feeling each other’s naked bodies. He placed a hand over her mouth, and he waved her legs open and began to penetrate her. He didn’t care that her legs had stubble on them. She didn’t care about how greasy his hair was. They both pretended they didn’t smell. This was how things had become. Her muffled moans were still heard through the kitchen swinging door. Her eyes were rolling back into her head with ecstasy. The muffles were met with an “Oh, for fuck’s sake!” coming from Gavin’s mouth as he rolled over in the opposite direction of the tiny booth. “Easy, kid. That’s how you were made,” Razor said to the boy. “Doesn’t mean I want to hear it!”
Clint and Faith were swapping spit and sweat as they embraced each other. Things got heavier and louder. With every thrust of Clint’s pelvis, the entire island scooted backward. Chaz began to chuckle at the sound of the scooting getting faster and faster until it stopped completely. “Be sure you wash that before breakfast!” Razor said toward the door. Everyone on the stools erupted in laughter except Devin and William who were both staring at the pistol on the bar. Raine looked away from the window to say “They’re not done yet.”
Clint hoisted Faith from her back and to her feet. They bumped foreheads and held each other close. Her premature gray bangs brushed against his face. They kissed. Clint took this time to spank his wife on her ass. This excited her again as she pushed him onto the kitchen floor and proceeded to go for round two. Only this time, she was in control. She moved her hips in every direction possible. He moved his hands up and down her soft skin. He took both breasts in his hands and held them. He took his thumbs and pinched her nipples. She let out a quiet grunt as she swatted his hands away and pushed his hands to the ground. Leaning forward and placing her body weight on her arms, which were holding him down. He didn’t struggle. He didn’t resist the pleasure. God, I’m glad I picked a winner! he thought. She removed herself from his body and spun around. She readjusted herself in the opposite direction of where she was previously. She was now facing his feet. All Clint could see was his wife’s ass bouncing up and down and the countless tattoos that filled her back. He ran his hands up her spine and grabbed a fist full of hair. He pulled her back to his chest. She was still rocking her hips. He held her down with his hands and began to vigorously leave a hickie on her shoulder.
All the while, William and Devin were both eyeing the gun. Redbeard caught the tension in between cheering on the Wesson’s in the kitchen. “What is it, boys?” Redbeard said in his booming voice. Redbeard, only seeing a revolver sitting between two men, quietly grabbed a bottle from behind the bar and held it by the neck. “This belonged to a dear friend of mine,” Devin began. William grabbed the pistol and looked down the side of it.
“You know who he was?” Erica said as she began to piece things together. She shook her head and raised her hand calmly to Redbeard who pretended to make himself another drink all the while eyeing the situation. Chaz finally looked at his companion who was holding the gun. He too took the situation wrongly. “Will, what are you doing?” he asked.
“What was his name?” Devin asked intently. William let out a quiet sob.
“He was my uncle…”
“We all called him Uncle Frank,” Chaz said.
“Ah shit!” Devin said under his breath. Erica walked around the bar.
She didn’t like the tension in the air. Chaz looked down at the bar and grabbed a handful of glasses. Erica bypassed him and Redbeard. She placed one hand on the gun, lowering it to the bar, and the other she placed on William’s shoulder. “He was a good man. He helped us get here,” she said.
“Was it quick?” Chaz asked. Devin watched him pour another round of shots.
“Yeah. Yeah, it was. But he went down fighting.”
“To Uncle Frank!” Chaz said as he raised his shot glass to the others. They all took one, even Redbeard, who didn’t know him.
They remained at the bar. Devin and Erica recounted old stories of Frank and then how he died. When the room fell silent, Clint and Faith walked back into the room fully clothed. They both had a weightless motion about them as they separated. She went to her children. He went back to the bar. Redbeard made the move to make him another margarita. He said no as he pointed at a bottle of water without speaking. “Get a good work out did you?” Tripod asked.
“Yeah. Stairs. Ugh,” he said with a playful tone.
Devin moved back to Chaz and William. “I want to know about Phoenix,” he said in a serious tone.
THE NEXT DAY
CHAPTER 78
SATURDAY 0650 CST
ELIZABETHTOWN
Walker and William took turns keeping watch while the others slept. The city outside seemed motionless after they finished off those construction workers. The sun was rising from the windows. Clint was already busy in the kitchen with his kids. They were eating anything that required refrigeration. The rest they were planning on taking with them. Mr. Harrison was banging on the coffeemaker. The noise had woken Devin who was laying halfways off a booth bench. He wiggled his toes and looked forward. In the booth across him was Erica. Her red hair was covering her face, and his jacket was covering her. He looked in between them and realized they were holding hands. He quietly and easily removed his hand from hers and placed hers back to her chest. She let out a sleepy noise and brought the hand under the jacket.
Chaz had passed out across the bar itself. Tara shook Redbeard awake because of his snoring. The smell of breakfast and coffee filled his nostrils. Razor had positioned his shield against the wall and leaned against it. “At least he took off his shoes,” Devin said pointing at Chaz on the bar.
“Not from where I’m standing,” Tripod said groggily smelling Chaz’s musty feet. Rune came around the corner to greet everyone. He made a polite wave, ushering everyone toward the kitchen. “Yeah,” Redbeard said. He had taken his armor off during the night. He was shirtless. He kept his boxers on. Tara got up wrapping her naked body in a blanket they had taken from the armored car. She cleared her throat as Redbeard had remembered what they had done under the blanket while everyone was asleep. “You know, for a big dude, you’re almost stealthy,” Walker said as he recalled listening to Redbeard and Tara make quiet love under the blanket.
“Situational causality, Mr. Walker,” Redbeard said as he brought his wife’s underwear to her from the floor. Redbeard didn’t know what that meant, but it sounded good.
“You’re almost as bad as them two!” Walker said pointing at Ethan and Jenna.
“Hey man, a broom closet is a broom closet,” Ethan said with a kiss to Jenna’s forehead.
“By the way, what was the clatter?” Walker asked half sarcastically, half curiously.
“I went to lift my leg, but I got it stuck in a mop bucket. But we were really going strong, so I used it like a skate and tried to power thrust.
But it was dark, and I couldn’t see,” Ethan said as he left the situation to rattle in Walker’s mind.
“What is this, the fucking love parade? Why don’t we start an orgy right now?” Walker said in a jealous tone.
“Daddy, what’s an ‘orgy’?” Paul asked his father as they were going toward the kitchen. The mood was suddenly killed by the cute little voice coming from the boy. Jamison just shook his head and motioned for Walker and William to be relieved. Jamison himself and the recently awoken Chaz took watch, without putting his shoes back on.
Ashley looked around and saw Ethan and Jenna ahead of her in the food line. She tapped Tripod on the shoulder. He turned to see the early thirties looking blonde behind him. She spoke in a whisper. “Why do they call you ‘Tripod’?” He looked around. Everyone else seemed busy doing stuff. He flexed his eyebrows, and she returned the gesture. She didn’t want Ethan or Jenna to see her. After Josh, she didn’t feel safe anymore. She wanted to feel the security of something with a gun watching over her. She pulled him close by the shirt and led him to the broom closet. Chaz and Jamison turned to watch them walk around the bar. Jamison shook his head in disbelief. Tripod wore an excited look on his face. “She looks like trouble,” Jamison said. On top of feeling safe, sex seemed like a distant reality; a reality that was soon remembered. She didn’t weep for Josh while she was in Tripod’s arms.
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