“Yeah, if that clown made it here from downtown sure we can make it halfway there to the bridge,” Benny said, smiling.
Jake felt a little more comfortable now with the idea now. Benny was right in that the bridge was halfway between here and downtown. Simon seemed to have made it no problem so if things hadn’t gotten much worse, they should be fine.
“One problem we might have to deal with first,” Alice said.
Everyone's attention turned to Alice as both Benny and Marcus both nodded.
“Your neighbors in the apartments over there, they’ve blocked off the road with cars and a school bus. They barely let us through,” Alice told them.
“We should go talk to them,” Nathan said.
This was a good idea as Jake knew if they’re neighbors were coming home, or any family was trying to get here they would need past that blockade. The only problem they might have was that there was a lot of people living in those apartments and if they didn’t want to open that road there was really no way to make them.
“I say a few of us go over and try talk to them, not too many as they’re probably just as freaked out as we are,” Jake said.
“I’ll go with you…y’know since it was your idea and you gotta go,” Charlie said smiling.
“Yeah, I’ll come, too” Alice said while unbuckling a police belt and holster. That was the only identifiable piece of clothing Alice had that said Police. Jake thought this was a good idea as the police probably weren’t that well liked over at the apartments.
“Okay give me a few minutes to go tell Emily. Benny, you and Marcus good to stay here with the kids?” Jake asked.
Marcus nodded but Benny shook his head.
“Fuck, no. I’m coming with you guys, I ain't missing out on anything” Benny said cheerily.
“Meet you back here in fifteen,” Jake told Charlie. Charlie just replied with a nod then headed off with Nathan towards their trailer.
When Jake arrived back at the gate he was greeted with Charlie and Nathan both armed with two more rifles extra in hand. “You gotta be kidding me,” Benny said excitedly.
Charlie was beaming from ear to ear. “Got a stash, so figured we could use these,” Charlie said.
“No,” Jake said shaking his head. Everyone looked at him with a look someone would get if they’d suggested something utterly ridiculous.
“We’re trying to negotiate and make friends, not start something,” Jake said.
“Jake’s right, there’s a lot of felons over there, a lot of bad people who will use any excuse to exploit others but there is also a lot of families. We don’t want to seem like a threat. They’re blocking off that road for a reason,” Alice said, making sense.
Charlie and Nathan nodded in agreement then handed the guns off to the two men who Ken had asked to watch the gate. “You mind if we use two of them?” Dom asked.
Dom was one of the people Ken had asked to watch the gate. Ken had been working on shift rotations and had a volunteer sign-up sheet pinned on the board at the mail shelter.
“Course, just take care of them. You know how to shoot them, little guy?” Charlie asked poking fun at Dom’s height.
Dom rolled the AR over examining it then flipped the single shot to semi burst then back again. “Yeah, I got it,” Dom said smiling.
“Okay, let’s do this! Who’s doing the talking?” Charlie asked.
“Jake!” both Benny and Alice said at the same time.
The gate closed behind them and Dom shouted good luck as the group crossed the road. Once on the other side, it was only a small walk to the apartments which were about three blocks away. Jake couldn’t help but look over at the other park next to the one he lived in. It was an adult only park with no kids allowed mainly for the elderly. The whole park was in complete darkness, which made him feel uneasy. There was only a small field and high fence between his park and the old folk’s one. As they got close to the apartments, Jake could see the bottom floors of the apartments were all boarded. The stairwells at each apartment building were blocked off too as was the road just like Alice had said. The school bus blocked half the road while some cars and a truck blocked the other side. Armed men were on top of the bus as well as some of the apartment balconies. They were definitely more prepared for something bad than the park was which made Jake wonder if these people knew something they didn’t.
A group of men came walking from the barricaded road towards them with guns drawn.
“Knew we shoulda brought them guns,” Charlie whispered.
Jake put his hand up to silence everyone as the men walked over.
“ Fuck you people want?” the man in front said.
Before Jake could reply another voice came from a balcony above them.
“ Eduardo! Wait I know these guys! They’re cool, stand down, homie,” A man on the balcony said before disappearing. Jake didn’t get a good look at him but was relieved all the same.
“You heard the man, lower the fuckin’ gun” Charlie said.
Jake was already feeling uneasy about the tension and Eduardo wasn’t lowering his gun.
The man who had shouted from the balcony walked down some steps and Jake immediately recognized him from Walmart.
“Holy shit! You guys are my neighbors?” The man asked smiling.
“Yeah, the Great Western across the street.” Jake nodded.
One of the men said something in a language Jake didn’t understand to Eduardo. Eduardo seemed to be in charge of the armed group that was manning the blockade.
“We were coming to ask you guys about the blockade, we were going to send some people out and just wanted to make sure you were okay with it. Seems like you got the roadway pretty secure.” Jake said.
“Yeah, yeah, we do. A lot of shit happening and we gotta keep ours safe. These things are vicious. We lost eight people last night. Had to put three down then the five they bit we had to put down too when they turned. So, yeah, we blocked off the road. We don’t know more of them fuckin’ infected coming this way. You guys want to leave you are more than welcome, we’ll even let you guys back in but you gotta secure the road coming from the quarry and wally world, you feel me?” The man said.
“Sorry to hear that about your people, we’ve not got anyone infected at our park but the place I work got hit pretty bad, so I know where you’re coming from,” Jake said.
Jake knew all too well what the infected were like and understood why they’d secured the apartments like they did. Eduardo spoke to one of the other men with guns then looked at him.
“Oh, you’ll know soon enough when those fuckers get through those fences you got, bro,” Eduardo said nodding over towards the old people’s park. Jake was confused and the look on his face must have gave that away as the man whose name he still didn’t know explained.
“Some ambulances and a fire truck went in there last night and never came out, we sent two guys over to check it out and the people in the homes are all infected. Hopefully they stay there but if they get out, they’ll probably head straight for you guys,” the man said.
The men with guns all started to chuckle which Charlie didn’t seem to like.
“Fuck, you think this is funny?” Charlie shouted. People came out onto balconies while more men started walking towards them from the blockade.
“Something you want to say?” Alice asked.
Eduardo shrugged his shoulders, “Do you guys? Bringing someone that big is trying to make a statement and Lamar says you’re a cop,” Eduardo said looking at Charlie then nodding at Alice.
“Eduardo enough! They helped Diego! They’re good people,” the man said.
“If you say so, Remmy,” Eduardo said to the man.
Jake could feel the anxiety of his people and sense the tension from Remmy’s, but this had to work. “Look we can stand here, and we can bicker, or we can work together! We’re neighbors and we might not like each other, we might not get along normally, but right now we don’t really have a choice. If
infected or people wanting to take stuff come from that direction, we have to rely on you guys, if people or infected come from the other direction you guys have to rely on us. So, let's just put our differences aside and work together. “ Jake said putting it all on the table.
Everyone was nodding in agreement. Then Eduardo lowered his gun and signaled for the others to lower theirs as well. “Thank you” Jake said.
“No problem, we don’t really need to get into a whose dick’s bigger contest right now.” Eduardo said nodding. Remmy walked over smiling then put his arms around Jake and Eduardo.
“We can help each other, and we might have to come together if they get out,” Remmy said nodding over towards the old folk’s home.
“I agree, hey we’re sending a group to an army camp set up to try get some more info on this virus. So, we’ll need through the blockade later” Jake told them.
“You got guns? Those things are tough and the army ain't really fuckin’ around either,” Eduardo said.
“Guns? Does a bear shit in the woods, Eddie?” Charlie said smiling.
“It’s Eduardo! Gringo,” Eduardo said back to Charlie with a smile.
They all were smiling now which felt good to Jake and gave him a sense of ease that things would work out. He was glad he’d decided to stay as he felt they had more of a chance now all together than he would have if he’d taken his family and left.
Nick
The group emerged from the trees into an empty derelict street. Nick had to stop for a rest as he’d been carrying Agnes through the woods from the train tracks for what seemed like hours. Nick didn’t want to leave the tracks as they were a steady route to where they were headed. The problem was that it wasn’t a straight route. When he mentioned to Heidi and Michael about cutting through the woods, they were both scared. Agnes had helped talk them into it, but it had been a slow walk with lots of stops for Agnes to catch her breath. Looking round the street they had spilled out onto; it was eerily silent. “Should we keep heading this way?” Heidi asked.
Nick nodded looking down at some flyers that littered the ground. It read A.D.D. then had some bullets points but he didn’t bother to pick one up. It was the same stuff he’d seen on the news and none of that information had prepared him for what he’d had to deal with. These infected didn’t have just some nasty virus, they were completely changed.
As they walked along the empty streets the sun was right above them beating down furiously. “Where is everyone?” Michael said.
“Not sure but we should keep moving, at least until we find somewhere, we can settle down safely,” Nick said.
“Or someone who can help us,” Heidi mentioned.
Nick didn’t care too much about finding help. He knew they should avoid people in general at all costs. There was no way for him to tell right now who was infected and who wasn’t. He didn’t even the state of the government or emergency services. One thing he did know was that Agnes needed medical attention and to rest.
The houses in this small neighborhood were small with a lot of trees, plants, and very well decorated. As they crossed a road, Nick didn’t notice them at first but heard Michael gasp.
Turning looking down the cross street, he saw probably a dozen infected littering in the middle of the road. “We gotta keep moving quick!” Nick said struggling to move quickly with Agnes.
“Where they sick?” Agnes asked sounding labored.
“Yeah,” Nick said.
They didn’t have to be close for Nick to know they were infected as they were all covered in blood and gaping wounds. The weird slow swaying shamble they did gave them away too. The conductor still stuck in Nick’s head though as did the old man. They both moved fast and seemed almost amped up in their movements. Still this was something Nick knew he could think about another time. Right now, he had to focus on the task at hand.
They reached the end of the road they were on as it turned a corner, but the corner was taped off with yellow caution tape. Nick set Agnes down on a small wall of the house that sat on the corner.
The house seemed empty, but he knew if anyone in there was smart, they would stay hidden. The yellow tape read quarantine then he looked further around the corner and saw bodies littering the ground beside a shot up army truck. Heidi came up beside him.
“Don’t look! Make sure your brother doesn’t come over here,” he told Heidi. The young girl was speechless but nodded before walking back to Michael who was sat with Agnes.
Examining the scene, it looked like the truck was meant for people, but all the tires were shot to shit and bullet casings all over the ground sparkled in the sun. The bodies on the ground weren’t moving which was a good sign, but Nick knew going down that road wasn’t an option. He couldn’t risk more than one of those things attacking if he was carrying Agnes. Turning around looking at the sky taking in the sun, he noticed a small dirt road leading down a hill. Nick walked over to the hill and looking down the tracks path, he saw a house. It was huge and probably cost more than Nick would ever earn. It sat at the bottom of the hill surrounded by open fields. The real payoff was the for-sale sign that Nick could see.
“C’mon, let's go! I think I have us a place to take a little break!” Nick told them.
Walking up to the huge, heavy, double doors, Nick noticed there was a key coded padlock on the door. Setting Agnes down, he opened his wallet pulling out his lock pick kit. “What’s that?” Michael asked.
“Part of my EDC,” Nick answered.
“Are you going to break in?” Michael asked, sounding surprised.
“Kind of, it’s for sale so isn’t anyone's and no one lives here so it’s as safe a place as any,” Nick told the boy. Everything about this house seemed like a good choice to Nick except that there were windows everywhere! The architect of this house must have loved the things as they were everywhere on the side of the house.
Once the padlock clicked the key popped out. “Tada! Bob's your uncle!” Nick said with a smile, pleased with himself.
“Who’s Bob?” Heidi asked.
“It’s an expression, dear, one I’ve not heard in a while,” Agnes said, clearly in pain.
“C’mon, let’s get you inside, hopefully it’s fully furnished,” Nick said jokingly, with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.
Once inside the house look as expensive inside as it did from the outside. Nick closed the heavy doors behind them as they walked into a huge open living room area. There were two long L-shaped couches and two small loveseats. Nick set Agnes down on a couch while Michael hopped up beside her. “Can we sleep in here?” Michael asked.
Nick nodded as it was in the middle of the house with only windows facing out towards the fields behind the house.
Nick heard the sound of the ice machine grinding up ice chunks then falling into a glass. “Oh my God! There is so much nice food in here!” Heidi shouted from the kitchen that was adjacent to the living room. Nick was surprised but maybe the realtor kept a stocked pantry and fridge to show possible buyers the storage capacity. Then he realized he was doing it again, making up background stories in his head again. Nick elevated Agnes’ foot onto the arm of the couch then smiled at Michael. “You want some food, buddy?” Nick asked.
“Yes please! I’m starving!” Michael said with a huge grin.
“Thank you,” Agnes mouthed to him, he smiled back.
“No problem,” he told Agnes.
Walking into the kitchen, Heidi was sat up on a counter drinking water. “You okay?” he asked.
Heidi shrugged her shoulders. “Seems like everything's going to shit, I feel like I should be sad but I’m not,” Heidi said.
“How come?” Nick asked confused.
“My world was already going to shit, that’s why I ran away to Seattle. Now you’re stuck with us and get to be miserable, too, as the world goes to shit,” Heidi said staring into the empty glass.
“Listen, you’re young! Way too young to be worried about your life being shit. We’ll get
you home and things will eventually get back to normal. Then, well, then the rest will be up to you but running away isn’t the answer. I don’t know you or what you’re going through but I know as a parent your folks must be worried sick, especially right now,” Nick said.
Heidi’s legs swung out from the counter as Heidi leaned back laughing. “Do you really believe that? Things will go back to normal? People are turning into fuckin zombies!! ZOMBIES!!! I’m actually happy I think for the first time and my parents…Fuck my parents,” Heidi said starting to get teary eyed.
“Oh, I can assure you they’re prob-” before Nick could finish Heidi cut him off.
“We should stay here!” Heidi blurted out.
“Well, we might have to, at least until your sister’s foot gets a little better or I can find a decent car around here,” Nick said.
“No, I meant stay. There’s more than plenty of food and it’s nice and big in here!” Heidi said.
“Sorry, that’s not an option, I have a wife and daughter I need to get home to. If you guys decided to stay that’s up to you guys, but I gotta get going and sooner rather than later,” Nick said. Inside part of him hoped they would want to stay here. It would be much easier for him traveling along with no one to watch out for.
“Really? You would do that? Just leave us? We’re fuckin kids! What would your wife and daughter think of that? Of you abandoning some other kids,” Heidi said with a tilted head obnoxiously.
Nick forced a closed, wry smile then walked away. He knew what his wife would say, and he knew what his daughter would say. That’s why he knew he couldn’t leave them outside the train or leave them now. Nick stopped then turned around looking at Heidi, “Okay you win…for now. What should we make everyone for dinner?” He asked Heidi.
Mason
The guy tied to the tree swayed back and forth, head perking up every time a sound went in that direction. Mason stood holding baby Abby to his chest in the freezing wind unable to stop staring at the poor soul tied to the tree. Did he have a soup? Mason wondered, he didn’t know what these people were or if they were even people at all. A door behind him opened with a creak, it was Alex with Sarah holding hands. Mason smiled at his wife who smiled back then Dimitri came out with Sergei. “The Jeeps are full of gas and ready to go my friends, I had my men put in blankets as well as some food and MRE’s to help you both incase anything happens” Sergei said.
When The Dead Rise (Book 1): The Outbreak Page 26