In the morning, she awakened to Jenni peacefully snoring and Jason sneaking out the door with Jack on his heels. She could smell hot, fresh coffee wafting through the building and pulled on her socks and boots immediately. Almost stumbling down the narrow staircase, she found her way to the community dining room where people were gathered for coffee and a breakfast of what had been left over from the fundraiser dinner.
Snagging a Danish, half of a club sandwich, and a hot cup of coffee, Katie found a corner and sat down to enjoy her meal. The townies weren't as open to her as the construction crew. The townspeople looked at her curiously, but seem locked in their own worlds. Of course, this was their town and it was now dead. They were probably in shock, in mourning, and not sure what to think of any of this, including the blond in the camouflage pants and black tank top.
Jason joined her at the table, Jack hot on his heals with his ears perked and looking at the boy anxiously for any scraps. The teenager seemed a bit moody this morning and Katie didn't blame him. Being here, being safe, made her feel raw and more vulnerable emotionally. Being on the run, living on the edge of death, was numbing and comforting compared to a quiet moment to actually reflect on all they had endured and lost.
"Mom's still asleep?" he asked.
Katie looked at him, noting his use of the word "mom.”
"Yeah, she seemed really tired."
"She was out late with that guy," Jason said moodily.
Katie opened her mouth to say something and faltered. Of course he was upset. Jason's dad was dead and already his step mom seemed to have her eyes on another man. She took a bite of the Danish, noting it was close to being stale.
Jason sighed and gave the dog a few bits of cold chicken, which were immediately gulped down. "Dad was a shithead, but..." He shrugged.
"Yeah," Katie said. Not sure really what she was agreeing to, but Jason nodded back at her and set about eating.
"It would be different if it was you," he said softly, so no one else could hear. "At least you wouldn't be replacing Dad."
Katie reached across the table and touched his cheek. "Jason, I think Jenni is just dealing with things the best way she can. I don't think you have to worry about anyone replacing your father right now."
Turning his face away, he shrugged. "Whatever."
She sighed softly and returned to eating. Jason didn't seem to want to talk, so she finished up, gave him a brief hug, patted Jack on the head, and headed downstairs.
When she stepped out into the fresh, cool air, she saw that the construction of the wall was complete. Made of concrete and at least two feet thick, the wall stood sturdy and defiant about five feet from the perimeter of the hurricane fence. It was, at the very least, ten feet high. She stared over the top of it at the buildings surrounding their little fort. There was no way to be sure, but it looked like most of them had been abandoned long before all of this went down, except for the Dollar Store across the street.
Hands on hips, she surveyed the interior of the little fort and noted a fairly clear path along the edges, except for where some of the bigger machinery was clustered in a corner. She had noticed the day before that the bulldozers and heavy equipment was parked outside the wall. She flicked her gaze up to the enormous crane attached to the building with the faded Coca Cola advertisement. How it all worked was beyond her.
Stretching out, she felt the coffee giving her a nice little rush, and she felt almost normal for a second. She started to jog at a nice even clip over the packed earth of the site, darting around port-a-potties, the lunch wagon, and behind the portable office buildings. After a few minutes, she felt her energy increase and her endorphins kick in and soon she was jogging at a fair clip despite her heavy Doc Martens.
She was on her third circuit around the fort when Travis dropped in beside her. He matched her pace easily and said, "Hey."
"Hey," she answered with a smile.
He looked a little groggy.
"Late night?"
"Sentry duty until midnight kinda took it out of me. I really need coffee, but they were fresh out and making a new pot when I went to grab a cup," he answered.
"You jog?"
"Every morning," he answered, and she noted the natural ease in which he carried himself.
"I used to run every morning with Lydia," she said, and was instantly tormented by the vision of Lydia running at her. She shook her head and looked away from him, tears abruptly in her eyes.
Travis jogged next to her, silent, yet watchful. He waited until she had control of herself, then said, "Ralph called in this morning before we were up. He wanted to know if we'll be heading his way today."
Katie glanced toward Travis. "Are we?"
"I'm seriously worried about the school. It is an older building. They will eventually get out and when they do, they'll come here."
Katie expertly dodged around a few people who were standing and talking. All three were construction workers, looking dirty, tired, and nervous.
"How far away is the school?"
"Three blocks North of here."
"Three blocks!" She was so startled, Katie nearly ran into the wall.
Travis grabbed her arm and guided her back on her now worn jogging path.
"Yeah. That's why I'm so nervous. They'll come straight here and we'll be swamped. We will have to better defend ourselves. They have numbers on their side."
"Plus they don't sleep..." Katie shook her head. "Yeah, we need to get the guns here soon. What about food?"
"We're okay for now thanks to the fund raiser and all the canned food from the food drive. The truck driver that arrived yesterday was in a Wal-Mart truck, and we managed to unload a lot of that into the city hall before a throng of zombies arrived. A lot of canned and boxed food and other supplies. We're not running out of toilet paper any time soon." Travis grinned and they started on their next circuit around the complex.
"Oh, gawd! What a relief! I thought we were doomed" Katie said with mock seriousness.
Travis laughed and she joined him. They sprinted around the lunch wagon and some people sitting in chairs enjoying the morning.
"But seriously, we have the wall up, food for awhile at least, but we need a solid way to defend ourselves. I was looking around the area today and I think our best shot is the truck you and Jenni came in."
"We're out of gas though," Katie pointed out.
"But we have some gasoline on reserve here in the fort," he said, using the term that the inhabitants were already using. "We just have to get it out to the truck and fill it up."
"How many zombies are out there now?"
Travis sighed a bit as he ran. "Six more showed up in the early morning. We're trying to lure them closer to kill them, but the dead ones keep tripping them up. We'll have to distract them. Probably with a car alarm like yesterday."
Katie lifted an eyebrow. "So that's how you did it?"
"We're clever that way," Travis grinned.
"So. Someone runs over to the truck with the gas canisters, pours them into the tank, and hauls ass to get the guns?" Katie's voice sounded doubtful.
"Yeah. You and me. We're running right now. Hardly winded. The guys trick the zombies to the other side of the fort and we run for it. There is a gas station ten miles down the road. We fill up there."
Katie laughed. "Sounds easy."
Travis' eyes cast a shy glance at her. "Yeah, I'm easy."
That made Katie laugh even more. "Okay, so you and I run out there, I assume you with a spear, me with my gun, get the truck, ride to the nearest gas station, fill up the truck, haul ass over to Ralph's hunting shop, grab a bunch of guns and make it back here by nightfall."
"Gee, ma'am, when you say it that way it sounds kinda romantic," Travis teased her.
Katie rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'm in. But Jenni will insist on coming with us. I know it."
"Yeah, she really does like to kill zombies, doesn't she?"
Katie remembered Jenni running out onto Ralph's balcony an
d shooting a zombie just because it looked like her father. "Um...yeah."
"Think she's okay upstairs?" Travis asked softly.
Katie pondered this, recalling Jenni's near catatonia, then her quick rebound into Linda Hamilton in Terminator. "No. No, I don't think so. But I think she is probably dealing with this better than us. I think Jenni had a lot of bad things happen to her in the old world."
"So the new world is maybe a relief," Travis said sadly.
"Yeah."
They stopped outside of the back steps to city hall and Katie took the time to stretch out her muscles. "I'm due for the shower."
"Okay. I'll talk to Juan and Jenni next. I figure they can go with us."
"Juan?"
"Yeah, he's read the Zombie Survival Handbook a million times. I think he'll be a great backup."
"Okay. And Jenni and I can carry our guns and take you to Ralph's."
Travis nodded his head, his gaze intense. He shifted on his feet and crossed his arms over his chest slowly. "If you don't want to go back out there--"
"I'm in. No worries," Katie said quickly. "I'd rather be proactive than not."
"So we got a plan?"
"We got a plan," Katie assured him.
His gaze met hers in that way that made her avert her eyes. She suddenly felt a little flushed and she shifted nervously on her feet.
"Okay, five minutes until my turn in the shower," she said with a glance at her watch.
Travis nodded and looked a little flushed, too. "Okay, rendezvous back here in twenty minutes."
Katie laughed. "I'm a girl. Make it forty." She turned and ran into the building.
Travis gazed after her with his expression showing all too clearly he knew she was a girl.
"She's gay, dude," Juan said in his thick West Texas accent from behind him.
"Shut up," Travis said gruffly, then swung his arm around Juan's bronzed shoulders to lead him away. "So, this zombie handbook you were telling me about…”
Chapter 10
1. Rush of the Dead
Katie stood next to the ladder leading over the wall, hugging Jason before leaning over to give Jack a kiss. Jenni stood nearby, her dark hair tied up in a high ponytail, a backpack slung over her shoulders. The sun was higher now and Jenni looked pale, but confident. After hugging Katie, Jason moved back to Jenni and hugged her again.
"We'll take good care of each other. I promise," Katie assured him.
Jack whined at her, lifting a paw to scrabble at her knee.
"Jack, stay here and take care of Jason, okay?"
The dog looked from Katie to Jason, then walked sullenly to the boy's side.
It felt strange to leave the dog behind after he had been such a constant part of their life the last two days, but Katie and Jenni both agreed it was time to let him stay behind and let Jason have the comfort of his company.
A car alarm was going off over and over again on the other side of the complex. Standing on the roof of city hall were two men, one with binoculars, watching the zombies in the street below. It was agreed they would not give the all clear signal until the road leading to the truck was devoid of the undead.
Katie stood quietly, hands on her hips, sunglasses covering her eyes to keep the sun's morning glare from blinding her. She wore the same old tank top and pants (and made a mental note to pick up more clothes at Ralph's) and Travis wore a T-shirt, jeans, and heavy boots.
Juan shifted his spear. "I cannot wait to have a decent gun."
Travis grinned. "You'll have one soon enough. Let's get moving."
Travis climbed the ladder first. Katie followed, gripping the rungs tightly with sweaty palms before slipping over the top of the wall and scooting down the ladder on the other side. The hurricane fence was their next obstacle.
Once Jenni and Juan joined them, they moved the ladder over to the chain-link fence, climbed it, and dropped down on the other side of the fence.
Katie took a deep breath as she looked back over the fence and new wall. It seemed so much safer on the other side. Knowing how close they were now to the undead, she felt her heartbeat speed up.
Jenni dropped down as Juan waited on the other side. Noticing her expression, Jenni gave Katie's hand a reassuring squeeze.
"We'll kick their asses," Jenni said firmly.
"Of course." Katie forced a smile and looked toward Travis.
Their companion lifted a ladder that laying on the ground nearby and leaned it against the truck barrier. He took a few moments to make sure it was steady. He looked back and gave them the thumbs up.
Juan handed the gasoline canisters over the fence to Travis and followed them over the fence.
"Remember, as soon as we pull up, drop down and get in the truck. Nothing fancy. Just get in. We'll cover you," Travis said firmly.
Jenni nodded. "I got it."
"No worries," Juan assured him.
Travis wiped his brow with his hand and looked toward Katie. "You ready?"
"Oh, yeah. A little scared, but ready."
The men on top of city hall gave the all clear signal.
"Time to go," Travis muttered.
"Good luck," Juan said and shook their hands.
Jenni gave them both hard hugs. "Run like the wind."
"Trust me. I'll set a new world's record today," Katie said with a wry grin.
"Let's hurry." Travis turned and headed up the ladder.
Katie followed, trying hard not to panic. She felt a little dizzy and sweat was trickling down between her shoulder blades. Maybe it was the sun, or the stress, or even both, but she felt lightheaded and slightly unreal.
Reaching the top, she heaved herself onto the packed earth in the bed of the construction truck and looked around. The road looked clear. Juan passed the gasoline up to them and Travis set them near the edge.
No one spoke for the tension lining their faces said it all. Travis motioned to Katie what he was going to do, then dropped over the side. Katie handed down the gasoline canisters to him. He secured them over his shoulders with long straps, wearing them like a pack on his back. When he was ready, she handed down his spear.
Looking around one more time, she took a deep breath and swung herself over the side. As she dropped, she caught her forearm on the edge of the truck and ended up with a nasty scrape. Wincing, she took a brief look at it, but there was really no time to worry about it. Travis uttered one word "Run" and they ran.
They were halfway down the block, sprinting for the truck,] when Katie started to hear footsteps pounding on the brick road behind her.
Jenni-oh so sweet but not always thinking straight Jenni-screamed, "Katie, there is one behind you!"
Travis uttered, "Shit!"
Katie ran with the gun tucked into her holster and her arms pumping. Travis ran a few feet in front of her. She was panicking as the stench of decay and death grew stronger and the footsteps got closer. The keening was louder, more hungry, more crazed.
"Duck," Travis exclaimed, stopping and whirling about.
Katie ducked down, slipping around him as he lifted the spear up. She heard a meaty THWUANK and turned to see the spear jammed into the zombie’s mouth. It fell back, twisting on the ground, trying to get up. Katie drew her gun as Travis reached for the spear.
"No time," she said, grabbing his arm. "More might come."
Travis nodded and they both ran.
The truck loomed large and red before them. Katie noted the gore and blood now dried to its heavy deer guard. Despite her frantic thoughts, she noted that there was nothing undead lurking under the heavy truck. Scanning the street beyond their destination, she saw nothing stirring. The zombies were behind them.
She reached the truck first. She turned, her gun drawn, and aimed back down the street to cover Travis. She could see Juan and Jenni on the back of a truck, watching them.
Katie heard a metallic pop as Travis opened the gas tank. She dropped one hand and her fingers closed over the keys in her pocket. Her eyes scanned the far
corner as her hand reached out and opened the driver's side door. Even in their haste, both Jenni and Katie had shut the truck doors when they had fled the evening before.
"More are coming," Jenni suddenly shouted.
Both Juan and Jenni began to motion frantically to hurry.
"Travis," Katie said in a strained voice.
"I heard them," Travis answered tersely.
The glug glug glug of the gas being poured into the tank was a welcome sound, but the howls and screeches of the approaching zombies were not.
They rounded the corner, a torrent of battered, bloodied, ripe dead bodies. Katie lifted her gun a little higher as she edged into the cab and put the keys in the ignition.
"Travis," she said softly.
"On the second one," he responded.
The zombies were closing fast. There were at least a dozen. They were running so fast their limbs were popping, arms suddenly going limp, legs suddenly dragging. But there were enough of them that a good portion kept a steady sprint.
"Travis," she said again.
"Fuck it!" He threw away the second gas container, an arc of clear fluid splashing the brick road. He shoved the gas cap in place and darted around to the passenger side.
Katie yanked her door shut and gunned the engine. It didn't start.
Travis slammed the passenger door. "Go! Go! Go!"
"It won't!"
"Keep trying! It was bone dry. It will take a few tries!"
Katie kept turning it on, pumping the gas, her eyes on the zombies just a few yards from the truck. The engine caught suddenly and roared to life. She shifted gears and floored it, the truck barreling through the zombies and toward the truck barrier where Jenni and Juan were jumping up and down on top of a dirt truck.
"Drive fast so the zombies won't have a chance to catch up, then we get Juan and Jenni, and go," Travis said breathlessly.
Katie nodded.
The truck was now a block away from the fort.
It seemed impossible for there to be that many zombies at once, but the road ahead of them was filling like water fills a basin. All sizes, all ages, all rushing toward the truck, all howling. The battered, torn bodies of men, women, and children stumbled, staggered, ran and even sprinted toward them.
As The World Dies: The First Days-A Zombie Trilogy Page 14