by Brown, TW
“Yeah? How am I funny?” I asked, feeling as awkward as I ever did when I talked to girls.
“You just walk around so full of purpose all the time, but you still seem…I don’t know…”
“Confused?” I offered.
She laughed again and climbed up on the hood of a car that didn’t look like it would have made it much longer in a world before the dead started walking. It groaned a little bit, which was a further indictment against the car since the girl couldn’t weigh much more than a hundred pounds.
“So what is the deal with your group?” she asked as she pulled out her blade and a stone and began to sharpen it.
“What do you mean?” Instantly I heard the warning bells go off in my head. This was like the women that were part of Winters’ group who thought they would be able to distract me with flirting right before they killed me or whatever their plan had been.
“It’s just that there are like five or six groups here. They all seem friendly enough, don’t get me wrong, but they seem to be sort of segregated. I thought you guys were one big group, but if I had to guess, I would say that is not entirely true.”
I bit my tongue. The first comment that came to my head was pretty nasty. There was a chance, however slight, that she was simply making an observation. I could not take that chance, but I didn’t have to be rude either.
“You know how folks are,” I said, hoping that she might say something else that would allow me to see if she was actually probing for information.
“I guess,” she sighed.
That was it. We sat quietly for the next several minutes and I alternated between glancing at her to see if she was going to say anything else and actually trying to keep my eyes open for any trouble that might shamble up to our little party.
“Are you guys going to really try to settle the entire city of La Grande?” she finally broke what was becoming a very uncomfortable silence.
“I guess,” I said with a shrug. I was pretty confident that I wasn’t giving away top secret information with that answer.
“Then what?” she asked.
I cocked my head and looked at her. At first I wanted to say something witty and clever, but I could see in her face that she was actually asking me a serious question.
“I guess we try and reclaim some sort of normal life,” I answered. That was as good as I could come up with when it came down to being honest.
“But what does that mean?” Katrina asked. “How can life ever be considered normal to anybody after all of…this?” She threw her arms out to her side to include everything around us.
“We will have some power online, there is a good water source.” I debated on what to say next and decided that she wasn’t fishing. “The faction that ran the section we are moving in to had a bad reputation. In fact, they were trying to take us out and we just beat them to the punch. From what we have been hearing from others, they were like big bullies. Now, with our group setting up shop in their old section, we will be able to try and unify everybody. That would help a great deal. Plus, there is a very minimal zombie presence there. A lot of our work is already done for us.”
We sat in silence for a few minutes. I was beginning to wonder if she had fallen asleep.
“Do you really believe that we can do it?” she asked in a whisper.
“Sure.”
That was the truth. I did believe that we could go in and take that entire city for our own and create a good place. What I was confused about was why the heck she was asking me. After all, there were far better authorities on this subject…on most subjects when it came down to it.
“Well…I hope so,” Katrina said as she scooted down off of the hood of the beat up old car. “I’m tired of living like this.”
She walked away. I watched until she folded into the shadows and vanished. I turned my attention back to the surrounding area. I didn’t know who was coming to relieve me, but I didn’t want whoever it was to be able to sneak up on me like she did.
My mind kept trying to go back and revisit that conversation, but I wouldn’t allow it. Any thoughts of her were too distracting.
“Man, I hope we run into some girls closer to my age soon,” I mumbled. From the shadows, the low moan of a zombie answered.
I waited for it to wander into the open road before moving in to take it down. It was alone. I almost had to laugh. She was probably my age or a little older.
“Funny.” I glanced at the sky just in case God might be paying attention. I wanted him to know that I was not amused with his little joke. This was not the answer to my prayers.
I finished her off with a quick thrust to the eye. Her body landed with almost no sound. I pushed her with my foot until I got her off of the road. No reason, I just didn’t think that this would be the sight everybody wanted to start the day with in the morning when we moved out.
***
Ten of us moved down the hill making it a point to stay in the brush. We could see the dark outline of the giant wall that enclosed the area as well the distinct conical tops of the guard towers. We found a small mound of dirt and rocks and moved in behind it so we could take a better look. The stream that I had used during my escape was even deeper and had a much swifter current than before.
Everybody had binoculars up and we were all looking for any signs of movement; zombie or otherwise. The place seemed completely deserted. That just did not seem likely to me. After all, if there were other factions here like we had been told, then I would expect them to hit this place. If for nothing else, then to see what sorts of supplies they could come away with.
Also, there was the whole “what happened to all the people inside who turned into zombies” thing to consider. The bottom line was that we should be seeing some sort of movement down there. We were not. That had me concerned.
“You think somebody knows we are coming?” one person asked.
“Anything is possible,” Jon said. “However, I seriously doubt it.”
“Why are we seeing absolutely no movement?” I asked. Maybe Jon or Jake had some insight that I was lacking.
“That is the sixty-four thousand dollar question, isn’t it?” Jon breathed. “We should be seeing at least some zombie movement inside the compound.”
The big gates were wide open. And while it is possible that many, if not most, of the zombies wandered out, at least some would probably still be there. And if any of the other factions in the area came, then the huge nozzle mounted on the caged cart with the barrels of napalm or whatever it was that allowed that thing to spew a jet of liquid flame would be long gone. It was clearly visible through the open gate.
“Well, it doesn’t look like we are going to get any answers from here,” Jon announced, climbing to his feet.
We all followed suit. As a unit we moved for the entrance. The first dozen or so yards, we fanned out. Each of us had our M4 up and ready. While we were still in the conservation mindset when it came to ammunition, this was one of those times where you wanted the safety and security that only a firearm could provide.
I was the third one in from the left. As we moved, I had my head on a swivel trying to look every direction at once. Maybe it was just dumb luck, but I was the first one to spot movement. Somebody—or something—was up on one of the roofs inside the compound. I only saw a brief flutter of shadows, but I knew movement when I saw it; and I sure as heck knew the difference between a fluttering piece of debris, and that of a person.
“Jon!” I hissed.
“What?” he answered, raising his hand for everybody to halt.
“Blue and red building on the left…movement on the roof.”
“I didn’t—”
The sound of a single rifle shot cut off his sentence.
11
Vignettes XL
“I can’t believe that I am riding a bicycle,” Vix laughed as the trio sped down the long gradual hill formerly known as the A10.
“Didn’t you ride one when you were a kid?” Gemma asked,
a smile plastered across her face and eyes wide.
“Do I need to tell you how long ago that was?” Vix yelled over her shoulder, still keeping her eyes forward.
As they raced along, enjoying the long, gradual slope after what had seemed like an eternity of going uphill, a few walkers could be seen pushing their way out of the rubble from some of the flats that lined the street.
All around them was the sprawl of suburban London. The stone façades all melding into a tan and brick blur that became indistinguishable. The only thing that broke up the scenery now was the occasional building that had been burned down to a blackened skeleton.
“How long before we are free of the city?” Harold asked.
“I thought you would know better than us,” Vix replied as she drifted over closer to ride beside the young man.
“Just because I lived in the city does not mean that I am familiar with every bit of it. I can’t say that any of this is familiar at all.”
“Well, if things hold, we should be able to be free of this soon,” Vix said as she let her gaze drift ahead. The tilted sign that they sped past indicated that the M25 was nine miles ahead.
She only had a very limited recollection of where that would lead them. She recalled a few trips as a child and if her memory was correct the cottage out in the country was just east of London along the M25. She could not swear to it, but it was the best they had for now.
“Can we stop for a snack soon?” Gemma asked as she cruised up alongside to put them three abreast.
“I think that would be a good idea,” Harold chimed.
“We will stop at the M25 roundabout.” Vix pumped the pedals a few times to push ahead of the other two. She didn’t like it when they got bunched up like that. It made her uncomfortable.
As they cruised past a few walkers that were still in the act of turning around when they shot by, a scream sounded from off to the left that caused just exactly the reaction Vix dreaded if they rode close to one another. She only wavered a bit. However, behind her, Gemma swerved enough to clip Harold. His bike tilted and then the front tire caught something and turned sharply, sending the young man flying over the handlebars.
Harold slammed into the side of a parked car with a metallic crunch. His armor, while very good at protecting him from a bite, did nothing but amplify the jarring collision. He landed in a heap and was still. Three walkers were coming around the car for him seemingly oblivious to everything but the meal that had just landed at their feet.
Vix skidded to a stop just as Gemma shot past and collided with two zombies that were crawling out from underneath a pile of rubbish. They went tumbling in a mass of odd numbered arms and legs. As they came to an unceremonious halt, Vix was torn on what to do. Her two companions were in opposite directions and both were in serious trouble. Immunity from the bite would not save Harold if he were torn apart. And then there was Gemma.
It was a blink of an eye, but that instant in time felt like a lifetime as Vix made up her mind and lunged to save Gemma. She vaulted off the bike and was at an all-out sprint by the time she slammed into the armless zombie that had just managed to get to its knees and was about to strike like a snake with its head rearing back and its mouth open wide.
The impact was sufficient not only to knock the armless zombie away, but to send the one-legged zombie skidding into the gutter. Gemma did not move and Vix was not waiting to even check if the girl had broken her neck in the crash as she drew her scimitar and cleaved the armless zombie down the left side of its head sending broken teeth and liquefied brain flying. Her next move was a slight turn to the left as she brought the blade down on the back of the head of the one-legged zombie.
“That’ll have to do,” Vix huffed as she turned to see if she was not too late to save Harold.
At first, she felt her heart sink as the three zombies were all crouched down low over his still form. As she approached, she realized that they were gnawing impotently at the leather and chain-link back piece of his modified suit of armor. As she approached, she was repulsed as the watched teeth breaking away and skittering down the lad’s back.
As she stepped in, one zombie actually turned to face her, its mouth open and displaying gaps where the dangerous chompers had once existed. A greyish tongue with dark splotches slithered out of its mouth and wiggled once before returning to the open maw of the zombie that began to mewl at her and struggle to its feet in an effort to get at this newest possible meal that had drawn its attention.
Vix shuddered at the horrific sight and then swung her blade. It came to a sudden stop just as it passed the bridge of the nose while cutting the skull in two. Using her foot as leverage, she jerked her weapon free just as the other two realized that perhaps there was a more viable food option standing over them. In two quick strokes, heads tumbled away; eyes continuing to dart back and forth in their sockets.
She did a full circle to take in the carnage. Also, she needed to see where the next threat might be coming from. Gemma was stirring; that was a good sign. Harold let loose with a moan that made Vix wonder if perhaps she had not arrived too late to save him. Then he rolled over and let go with a few choice curses. That answered that question. Now there was only one that remained unanswered.
Who…or what…had screamed?
***
“Dammit!” Juan cursed. He turned the key and the engine struggled but came to life. He looked at the gauge; it showed a half of a tank.
He popped the truck into gear and felt it struggle. Mackenzie had been insistent that they use this stuff called STA-BIL to keep the gas in the vehicles on the island working as well as all the gas that they stored. He had not been surprised to find some of the stuff in the stores stashed in Donna’s house as well as several of the others. Honestly, he would not have known what those bottles were for had it not been for Mackenzie.
Still, even though it was likely that the gas in the truck had been given a dose, he had no way of knowing how long ago. From the way it was acting…he figured that it was probably on the early side of the whole thing.
“Just get me a little further,” he coaxed the truck while patting the dashboard as if that would actually help.
He got a little nervous as the truck started to climb the winding hill. It began to struggle and sputter. Juan had his foot mashed to the floor and found himself leaning over the steering wheel despite the fact that that probably did no more good than the dashboard rub moments earlier.
At last, he came out of the entry way and found flat road. To the left was a winding road that was lined with trees on one side and houses on the other that looked as if they were jammed into every available inch of space the housing builders could eke out of the city blocks.
To the right was more of the same, but he could see the very bridge that he and the others had run across what seemed like a dozen lifetimes ago. That would be the direction he would find April if she made it up the hill.
Unfortunately, he also saw dozens if not hundreds of deaders turning to the new sound of the truck’s motor growling and laboring. Juan thought about it for a second and then decided to go ahead and shut the truck down. If it didn’t start again, it wasn’t like he couldn’t find a way down that hill on foot. Leaving it running was just a ringing dinner bell for deaders.
Jumping out of the cab, Juan already had his machete in hand. The first deader was an arm’s length away and grasping for him with blood slicked hands. Ducking aside, he brought the blade down fast and jerked it away in a fluid and practiced move. He started jogging towards where April should emerge, but his eyes were looking for the person whose blood had gotten all over the deader. He knew it couldn’t be April’s. For one, she could not have made it up the hill before him, and for another, any zombie that could have snagged her sure as hell would not already be up here.
Some rustling just ahead got Juan moving a little quicker. He stepped over the guard rail and looked down the hill in time to see April lose her footing and slide down a dozen or so f
eet, bowling over three of the closer zombies. She looked down and flopped onto her back, seeming to just stare skyward. She was giving up.
“Get your ass moving!” Juan bellowed.
April craned her neck and looked up at Juan. Even from this distance, he could see tears rolling down her face. She rolled back over onto her belly and started to crawl on hands and feet up the steep hill. Meanwhile, zombies continued to close in on where Juan stood. The ones trying to navigate the hill coming up were of no consequence. Anytime they tried to stand, they simply toppled over backwards and vanished from sight into the brush.
Juan spun to face the nearest deader and buried his blade into its head. He kicked it away and swung again. He felt a slight surge of panic. There were simply too many for him to fight off. It wasn’t that he couldn’t handle his business, it was that there were just too damn many.
“You better find a faster speed or I’ll leave your ass!” Juan snarled as he had to shove one approaching deader into a group of five in order to buy himself a few precious seconds.
As he continued to hack and cleave, he began to doubt his choice. If he would have simply just climbed into the boat and left, his problem would be solved. Only…he knew the moment that he saw April come under attack that it was just not in his nature. He was already certain that he would be plagued with nightmares and guilt when it came to Kevin and Donna for the rest of his life. The last thing that he needed to do was add another face to the ones already haunting him.
April scrambled over the lip of the steep hill and hurried to her feet. Juan met her eyes and looked for any sign of what she might do. It would not have surprised him in the least if she would have bolted.
Grabbing the arm of the nearest zombie, she slung it into an oncoming cluster. Somehow, during all the chaos and her climb, she had lost all her weapons.
“Run for the truck and see if it starts,” Juan ordered. “I will be right behind you. If it doesn’t, break for that green water tower thing or whatever the hell that is over there.” Juan pointed and then kicked at a zombie on one side just before hacking at another.