The Aftermath Trilogy (Book 3): The Aftermath [Ground Zero]

by Daniel Smith

  4 Life Outside

  Dan still felt numb at what just had happened as he followed Manny threw the grocery store. Where they found his Mother carrying a large black trash bag she had been picking up the trash from the floor. She stopped what she was doing to look at them.

  “Lunch is ready,” she said absently. Manny smiled as he took the bag from her.

  “Thanks, we will clean up and be right there,” he said calmly.

  Dan felt the numbness leave as anger swelled up at the people that had just left flair up in him seeing his mother cleaning up the mess they left. Trudy just nodded moving off. Manny put the bag down and lead Dan to the shelf and drywall sheet that blocked the hole into the next store and motioned Dan to help him move it. As they entered Manny told him.

  “Get your sword and keep it on you always,” Manny said moving away from him.

  Dan grab the sword placing it on his back as Manny reappeared holding the black parkerized forty-five in a belt holster.

  “Here put it on,” Manny said handing it to him.

  Dan took it slowly holding the weapon; looking at it as if it would bite him before placing the weapon into his belt at the small of his back. Manny just smiled slightly before saying.

  “Let us go have lunch, get the store cleaned up, and then your education begins.

  The next month was brutal for him. As Manny would wake Dan early after standing watch and run him and sometimes himself through the exercise routine in the morning before moving on to archery practice, then firearms training. Besides this Manny started showing him how to purify water by building filters from cloth, sand and charcoal before boiling it. The archery and firearm practice took on an unsettling turn for Dan. Manny would take him to the roof and down the access ladder to the metal trash can sitting in front of it.

  “Are you sure we should be doing this,” Dan asked worriedly to Manny as a woman zombie approached wearing a hot pink tracksuit with the word Pink written on it.

  “Like it needs that,” Dan thought.

  “Yes,” Manny calmly stated in response to his question

  Dan raised the Co2 power pellet gun and took aim before firing. With a soft whoosh, the .177 pellet shot from the barrel to make the head of the woman jerk back as a small hole appeared in her decaying cheek. Her milky white eyes and face registered no pain at the impact nor did any blood appear on the wound.

  “Again,” Manny calmly said as Dan once again took aim, firing the gun with a soft whoosh.

  Watching one of the milky white eyes explode with a pop as clear icor burst out the ruptured eye. He shutter at the sight.

  “Now finish it with the bow,” Manny said calmly.

  Dan set the pellet gun down on the sagging metal lid of the trashcan. Before pulling the 53-inch recurved bow from his back taking a dart tip arrow from the black leather quiver on his belt to notch it to the bowstring.

  He slowly pulled back on the bowstring to his ear before lowering the bow to take aim. With a sharp twang, the arrow exploded from the bow. The woman’s other eye popping as the metal tip arrow broke through the eye socket smashing the bone behind it to destroy the zombie’s brain. She dropped to the ground like a marionette puppet having it's strings cut. Manny eyed the four shambling figures coming across the field at them.

  “Grab the arrow you have plenty of time,” Manny said as he turned and started up the latter to the roof. Dan eyed the moving figures calculating the speed at which they moved and the distance. Before jumping off the trash can to put his sneaker covered foot on the face of the woman.

  “At least we can pull these out and not have to cut them out like the hunting tip arrows,” Dan said. Pulling the arrow out with a slight sucking noise. Before jumping back onto the trashcan to follow Manny climbing the latter. He found Manny on the roof watching him.

  “Something on your mind,” he said calmly. Dan paused for a second Manny was asking him that lately seemingly to know when he had a question.

  “Those are people,” Dan started.

  “No,” the suddenness of Manny’s response startled him. “People do not walk around after they die they rot away. They are undead creatures that look like people you will be better-off the sooner you understand that,” Manny finished his voice returning to the calm tone he always used.

  Dan said nothing for a few moments. Manny watching him unsure what to say before he broke the silence.

  “Look you hunt animals for food right,” Dan just nodded his head. Manny sighed.

  “And if an animal takes to hunting people, we usually hunt it down and destroy it,” Manny said trying to encourage a response. Dan nodded agreeing.

  “They are a new animal, if you take their moan to mean the same as a dog’s growl. A cat’s hiss or the rattle of a snake’s tail and you respond properly you will be fine. If you think they will stop and reason with you about the fact they want to tear you apart, you are in trouble,” he finished.

  Dan silently nodded at this. Sighing silently thinking this was one more to ponder while he stood watch tonight.

  Dan was not sure if it was two or even three weeks later, that Manny took him outside. He had taken to training him at night making him practice with the bow and Co2 gun in the dark of the store. Dan felt like he had just started over where he could hit the target before he found himself missing with the bow. Then Manny taught him to hold a flashlight and sometimes a burning torch with his left hand in a position so it was over his right hand. That was holding his Springfield Armory government model forty-five, or the Co2 pellet gun and sometimes his sword. As he used the light, to scan the interior of the building as best he could. Allowing his gun or sword to point where the light of the flashlight or torch lit up.

  He had so much stuff running around in his head he felt it would explode at times. They started leaving the store during the day trying to return before dark not always succeeding. On these trips, after checking the apartment buildings they moved on to the stores and pharmacy. Dan felt the police would be coming for him at any minute as they were taking drugs from the pharmacy. He was trying to take in what Manny was telling him.

  “Penicillin, amoxicillin, is good for infections,” Manny was saying as he poured pills into orange brown bottles. “Codeine, morphine, are good for pain and locked up. Aspirin will work for pain and can treat a fever.” Manny said smiling.

  Dan just nodded. They were leaving the pharmacy as an undead man started approaching them. Manny looked around and even moved a few feet in each direction as the man drew closer to scan the area. Seeming satisfied at what he saw he turned to Dan.

  “Take him out,” Manny said. Dan shrugged he had had him doing this a lot lately with his bow or sword and it had become common. Dan moved a few feet forward his right hand going up for the black leather of the katana hilt.

  “No,” Manny said causing Dan to stop to turn and look at him ignoring the approaching zombie.

  “Use the gun,” Manny said off handily, Dan’s blue eyes stared at him as he slowly nodded his acknowledgment. He reached his right hand towards the brown-checkered grips of the forty-five in the belt holster. Pulling the gun out as his thumb pulled back and cock the hammer in one smooth motion. He had felt dumb as Manny had him pull the gun from his holster slowly pulling back the hammer and releasing the safeties for what seemed like hours at a time. Now he did it without thought. As he sighted in on the approaching man, Multiple thoughts were racing threw his mind. Manny’s lessons on lining up the sights on his target to how the recoil of the gun felt by suddenly pushing back on the gun in his hands yelling.

  “Bang.”

  Dan thought this was stupid but held his tongue. As the man closed the distance, He remembered Manny’s calm voice, most gunfights take place seven to fifteen feet away at close range keep your cool and aim. Dan took aim at the center of the withered face ignoring the urge to sight between the solid milky white eyes. The Man’s lips where torn and old sores pockmarked his face, the brown business suit ripped and dirty. S
lowly let out his breath as he squeezed the trigger of the gun.

  His ears rang as the two hundred and forty grain full metal jacket round exploded from the end of the forty five. Traveling at almost eight hundred and forty feet a second followed by a tongue of flame before the gun bucked in his hand.

  “Decent shot,” crossed his mind as he rode the recoil out bringing the gun down ready to fire again. Watching in slow motion as a hole appeared where the bullet entered destroying most of his nose. The zombie falling to the ground as a large, partof his skull and brains exploded out the back of his head. Dan watched the man fall to the pavement an odd feeling creeping over him. He just shot a person but it seemed unreal for some reason.

  “Good shot and recovery after taking it,” Manny said coming up to him patting him on the shoulder as he passed.

  “Let's search him and get back to the store,” Manny continued. Dan looked at him confused.

  “Search, “he asked puzzled. Manny smiled.

  “Yes watch,” he said calmly as he squatted down next to the man. Manny patted down the man removing a wallet and keys tossing them aside before removing a gold ring from his finger and examined it before putting it into his pocket. Dan looked up him strangely, as he stood and faced him.

  “No real use now but in the future it could be,” Manny calmly said as he started walking down the street. Dan looked down one last time at the prone form of the businessman, he felt he should do something after all he had just blown his brains across the sidewalk. Instead, he turned to follow Manny down the street. They had managed to make it back almost halfway to the store as three more shambling figures confronted them. They started to come around several abandoned cars on the street. The three figures were approaching a small pile of bodies several missing heads of the rest having caved in skulls all wearing dirty and torn clothing. They stopped to watch the approaching figures Dan turning an expectant glance towards Manny. He took time to look around the area at the lengthening shadows and empty buildings. Before returning his attention to the frantic moans from the approaching figures.

  “Take them out with the gun,” Manny said again as he finished looking around. Dan nodded as he once again pulled the forty-five from his holster. Before taking aim on the first approaching figure and pulled the trigger. He felt the sharp buck of the gun as the tongue of flame shot out as the two hundred and forty grain lead projectile straight into the approaching woman's face. She flew backwards onto an existing pile of bodies the loud boom rolling and echoing down the empty street. Rolling with the recoil he brought the autoloader back down slightly to take aim on the second one.

  A man wearing a torn up long sleeve shirt and slacks as he pulled the trigger once again. The autoloader bucked as the black slide slip back. Ejecting the empty brass shell before sending it flying forward on the frame to chamber another round as the bullet left the muzzle before sending the back of the man's head flying apart. Before turning, his attention to the third and last approaching figure and froze. Approaching was a boy no older than he was one dirty sneaker dragging slightly on the ground as the figure approach wearing torn up jeans and a dirty white T-shirt.

  The boy had the right side of his face torn apart leaving chunks of flesh hanging with dirty brown hair matted to his head with dried blood. The agitated zombie started moving slightly faster than the others did closing the distance between them. For some reason he froze in horror at the approaching figure all his muscles refusing to respond. The moaning boy was making his blood curl his finger refusing to pull the trigger. All he could do was look on in frozen terror as the figure approached. Jolted from this by a loud bang followed by the smell of cordite smoke as the figure's head blew apart in a shower of decaying flesh and bone. Dan turned to see Manny ratcheting the slide of the pump action shotgun ejecting the spent red plastic shell then strip a new one from the magazine and chamber it.

  “I, I.,” Dan suddenly tried to speak.

  “Don't worry about it,” Manny said motioning for them to continue. Dan followed in silence for a few minutes before speaking.

  “I froze I couldn't shoot” Dan started. Manny stopped and turned to look at him. Looking at him compassionately before speaking.

  “It just shows you're still human, I know I've been making you deal with most of the infected or zombies we have met but only to teach you how to use your weapons. For you to see one of your own age and have to stop it can be unnerving,” Manny said calmly putting his hand on Dan’s shoulder.

  “Only time will tell if you overcome that fear,” Manny started saying.

  ‘Until then we rely on each other,” Manny said smiling motioning to continue to the store.

  Dan lost track of time with life in the store and the lessons on survival. The time of going to school, watching TV, hanging out with friends, belonged to another world. He was pondering this before Manny brought him back to reality.

  “Are you with us.”

  Dan looked up from his half-eaten food as they sat eating lunch. To Manny and his mother who failed to notice the conversation.

  “Sorry,” he said looking chagrined. Manny shook his head.

  “Not to worry I think it is time we move on. I think we should try to go to the safe area,” Manny said thoughtfully.

  Dan looked at him and wondered about what he had heard on the intermittent reports on the radio. And the few stories the people who had stayed with them told. Making him wonder if they should go. However, all he did was nod his head in an affirmative manner. Manny smiled.

  “We will make one last run tomorrow outside for any gasoline or other supplies then go,” Manny said.

  “I would like to go with you tomorrow,” Trudy said looking up from her food.

  Both Dan and Manny looked stunned at what she had said but she continued.

  “Some fresh air outside would be good,” she said absently before going back to her food.

  Dan looked questioningly up at Manny silently asking if what she was saying was a good idea. Manny turned to look at her.

  “Are you sure you would like to go out,” he said uneasily she just nodded her head.

  “Yes I think some fresh air outside would be good.”

  Dan was unsure if this was a good idea but kept quiet. The fact his mother wanted to take part in something they were doing for a change. Made him happy and sad, he knew that outside the store was a different world then she had known. He spent the rest of the day halfheartedly doing his training all the while wondering if he should say no. He spent a fretful night on watch and trying to sleep thinking about it but as dawn came, he felt there was nothing he could do.

  Dan stood staring around the street and the day was sunny wisps of white clouds floated in the blue sky. And it was eerily silent all around him as he looked up and down the uninhabited street. The abandon and wrecked cars looking normal as he stood on the sidewalk looking at the gravel separating the sidewalk from the street. The street before him sat the same as the past few weeks. For him going out on the abandon street was normal but now an uneasy feeling was creeping over him as he look at Manny. Standing a few feet away surveying the street for movement the short barreled shotgun hanging by a strap from his right shoulder.

  Dan’s eyes moved to see his mother standing behind him in her white shoes and slacks and red and white shirt. Her face was gaunt and pale from lack of sun the blond curly hair she had hung dull and lifeless.

  “She seemed so out of place,” he thought as he caught Manny making a hand gesture. As he started moving down the street not walking on the sidewalk Dan started to follow but only had gone a few steps when he turned to look back at his mother.

  “Mother this way,” he said sounding urgent.

  She looked around before focusing on him before managing a smile and started walking. They left the parking lot of the strip mall and turned right onto Camp Wisdom Road walking into the bright clear morning.

  “Mother please stay in front of me,” he said stopping waving to his mother who
had fallen behind to pass. She was still wearing what looked like a forced smile to him as she passed. The unease in his stomach growing as they walked down the road. He watched his mother turn her head looking at the abandoned cars and the bodies of zombies they had dispatched leaving them were they fell. She would pause and look at them as if expecting to see someone she knew. One thousand thoughts were running through his head from relief that she had finally shaken her depression and was with him to apprehension and anger that she decided to come with them.

  They angle across the street cutting through a parking lot towards some stores when his mother stopped looking at a pile of eight bodies in various states of decay. A puzzled look started crossing her face as if she was just starting to understand what they were. Manny had stopped a few feet in front of her and put his hand up in the form of a closed fist signaling they should stop. Dan stopped his hand automatically reaching for the black hilt of the katana sword on his back as he began doing a three-hundred and sixty degree turn looking for anything.

  “What is that moaning sound,” Trudy asked sounding puzzled.

  Dan whipped around at hearing what she had said to hear a low pitiful moan. Manny had plainly heard it also because the shotgun was no longer hanging from his shoulder but in his hands scanning the area with him ready to fire.

  “I think he's hurt,” Trudy said pointing down at a moving figure on the ground. A look of horror crossed Dan's face.

  “Zombie get away,” he shouted.

  Trudy looked up from the figure with a shocked expression at him for yelling at her seeing him lunged forward towards her.

  Manny was also in motion his arm outstretched to try to grab her. As time went into slow motion for Dan.