Immediate Survivors

by Cenz Barone

  Nancy stood in the middle of them both, having enough of their bickering as she stated “Okay please, this is not helping anyone. We are really not going to solve anything by bitching at each other in the middle of this road” but Roy shouted over Nancy’s shoulder “If you want to leave Laura, then fuck off, nobody is stopping you and believe me princess nobody is keeping you here”. Roy stared at her with malice as Laura aggrieved replied “I don’t want to leave asshole! I just want the rest of the people I am with to think sensibly and start planning for an escape to a safer place and not listen to your bullshit all the time. You keep us so close on a leash and shoot down suggestions which you don’t like. The woods will not be a permanent place, it’s more like a cemetery out here, and you want to keep us all here, it is like you are babysitting us. It is fucking weird”

  Roy taunting her said “What were you before this Laura, just a fucking university student, what do you know about being sensible or surviving” as Laura shouted back “I have survived this long before I met you, you fucking help dickhead. Even if you want to take credit for me living this long, like you seem to think everyone else should thank you for”. Roy threw down his weapon and shouted at her slurs as Kenny had to tell both Roy and Laura to back off each other and he came between them physically, but he struggled as Nancy came in to support Kenny in separating them.

  Both were so loud, yet were so close to their camp by this point as they had walked for so long since leaving the small village of Rote where Rob and his fellow survivors were left. Then Nancy said to them both “Please, both of you, just shut the fuck up”. Laura though answered Nancy looking at Roy “I can’t help it, there is something about him I do not trust”. Nancy had no reply to this as Kenny now said to Laura “It doesn’t matter if you do not like him you just have to...” but Laura replied instantly by interrupting Kenny and saying “I didn’t like you Kenny when I first met you, but you meant well” Laura now stared at Roy and stated “This guy, he doesn’t mean well!” Laura came close to Kenny and held him as she said “I know you know what I mean!” as Kenny kept his eyes on her, but Nancy interceded as she said angrily at Laura “You better listen to me because...” but before Nancy could finish her sentence, she like the others went quiet and all their heads turned towards the forest. They heard gunfire in a direction they wished they did not hear it coming from.

  Roy said it first “Holy fuck! That is coming from the camp” Roy raced towards the camp, which made Nancy follow suit, Nancy herself rushing through her the terrain, Nancy was eager to get there because it was obvious the noise was coming from their camp, and where the group had made their home for these last few weeks. Kenny rushed after them, heading in this direction and Laura was close by, Laura was worried about what was taking place. The entire group who had been on a mission to explore the surrounding areas moved without second thought across the terrain to get to the camp. And all were armed and prepared to enact on any dangers so forth presented to them, and they suspected those dead things had finally found their camp.

  Chapter 37 - Woodland Surprise

  The camp was a mess when the four arrived back and it had taken almost 30 minutes to rush through the way they came, using the flashlights sparingly. The gunfire continued for around 10 minutes from when they first heard it to moving towards the camp, making it obvious their fellow survivors were likely in trouble. By the time they arrived to the outskirts of the camp, each took their time and moved as a unit towards the central areas, so conscious and careful about what was around them. As they arrived inside nearby the middle, they noticed a pool of blood near the fire, and bullet holes in the tents along with a fire raging near the camper van which had a smashed window in the back and items all laid out, as though shuffled through by someone in a hurry.

  Roy and Nancy moved forward towards the central area, as Laura and Kenny kept to the flanks, all were quiet and nobody spoke, even though each wanted to call out for the others. Breathing deeply and each noise of the wildlife heightened to their senses, where was everyone, where was the dead things, maybe the group who were at the camp had to run away but the blood indicated someone had to have been injured. Or worse case scenario the dead things had killed them and the former survivors had now joined the ranks of the dead.

  Kenny studied the area near the tents, he moved into a couple as Laura remained outside, keeping in between Kenny and the tents and Nancy and Roy near the fire, camper van and 4x4. Laura whispered “Kenny, any sign?” Kenny returned from the tent which Laura knew housed Melissa and Kenny shook his head at her, Laura felt her heart sunk, a mixture of relief Melissa was not within the tent dead but dread as to where the hell was Melissa. Laura now began whispering, but raising her voice loud enough to have some impact beyond the vicinity “Melissa, Melissa where are you”. Roy turned to her and shushed her, Laura obeyed, he was right. Roy now whispered to Nancy “Let’s check the rest of the area”.

  Before they began to investigate further, they heard a loud groan, all turned to the direction it was coming from which was down by the lake, and Baxter was seen walking, clearly injured as he then fell down onto the floor when he saw them “Help me! Help me!” Nancy rushed to him followed by Kenny who kept his weapon surveying the scene to cover Nancy and making sure he could keep his eyes on the terrain, Roy did the same but Laura had rushed to be beside Baxter who was lying on his back, as he coughed, Baxter’s eyes were glazed, he had a blotch of blood on his glasses, like he did on his face. Nancy checked him over and she was started to realise he seemed to have been shot, but before she could ask what happened Laura took hold of his head “Baxter, where were you hurt?” Baxter muttered “I am sorry, I am so sorry” she studied his eyes thinking he was bitten but did not care as she replied “Don’t be sorry, just be okay. Please Baxter” she hugged him as Baxter rolled over trying to downplay the pain but Laura kept holding onto him.

  As he groaned Laura asked him “Where is Melissa? Where are the others” Nancy was quiet, she was on her knees near Baxter, overlooking Laura who held him and she looked at Roy and Kenny, they could see her strained face, Kenny hearing noises all around him was alert. Nancy felt like it was not an attack by the dead things but then Roy called out “We have movement” up ahead along the road they saw a figure moving, all turned their weapons in the direction, Nancy stood up and walked in front of Roy and Kenny pointing her pistol, they waited and through the darkness, with the firelight providing sight, they noticed Cherie moving along the tracks, her forearm ripped, and slashed “It is just me” Cherie said as she headed to them, and she looked like she had been beaten up as Nancy went to her and assisted her back to camp, near a hidden area before the tents where Baxter was still on the floor being tended to by Laura. Cherie was too erratic and stood up, trying hard was Nancy to control her as she pushed her away but then Cherie tripped over a log and fell down as Kenny who was nearby caught her, Cherie was resting near him, he looked into her blue eyes and they were terror filled, he saw the blood around her body, the same colour as her dyed red hair. “What happened” asked Kenny, but Cherie was wrestling him but he shook her and added “Cherie calm down and tell us what happened!” pressed Kenny. Roy was pensive staring around as was Nancy. Laura remained nearby Baxter, his head resting on top of her knee, as she listened out for Cherie’s reply. Cherie now spoke “They took them! They took them. Those fucking bastards”

  Nancy worse suspicions seemed to be correct as Kenny asked “Who took them?” Cherie holding onto Kenny’s neck, he was struggling to keep her up, because he needed to be alert to the environment, Roy listened and kept his eyes moving around, soaking in the scene. Cherie answered “I don’t know who. These people all dressed in black, they had masks on, they surprised us, snuck up on us, kicked us around. They stabbed Baxter”. Laura looked down at Baxter, and noticed where Baxter was holding himself as he lay there, he was holding himself on the side, Laura placed her hand near him, and continued to hear out Cherie who went on and said “They shot at me” Ch
erie holding her forearm, and she had a mark on it but the bullet had grazed it as she shouted “They kicked the crap out of me!” she was hysterical as she went on and said “Elise and Melissa they stole away and left us here, took me down the road and dumped me down there. I don’t think they are gone” all of it was too confusing.

  “Who were they!” demanded Kenny but it was obvious at this point as Cherie answered “I don’t know” Roy with concern said “It has to be the death squads” and it was the only obvious explanation. Nancy stood up and said to the group “We have to move out of here as soon as possible”. Nancy trailed her gun on the woods and remarked “They know where we are, it’s not safe. They are probably watching us”. Cherie agreed and held Kenny and angrily said “Yes, we have to get out of here”. Nancy noticed as well that much of their materials had been taken as she remarked “If they have stolen stuff here, they might be back later”. Cherie broke down and Laura watched as Baxter was losing consciousness as she said to him “Baxter wake up!” Roy then said “The keys for the camper van, where is it” Roy thinking to escape to which Nancy answered “I left them here, they were in my tent” as Cherie answered “No, they found them, they took stuff with them and the keys”. This was confusing as all wondered why they had no taken the camper van. Roy now shouted “Well let’s get what we can and leave, they could be back any minute”.

  But before they could move a bullet was heard whizzing across them all, all remained alert and pointed their weapons around but saw nothing, someone was out in the darkened woodlands. A voice was heard, a male voice unknown to them. The voice said “You are all surrounded. It is best to put down your guns” Nancy knowing about the horrors she knew of the death squads could not do so and refused, so through gritted teeth she said “No fucking way”. Kenny had to ease up Cherie who stood there staring around, panic stricken. Kenny was now moving his weapon around as he agreed with Nancy, Roy also provided cover with his weapon, but they were stranded. The voice said “You can live or die here. We only want to take some of the items you have, it is why we have been waiting for your return. We could have taken everything before you returned. This has all been a misunderstanding” none of this made sense the group thought, as Cherie said “Bullshit, don’t listen to them”. Laura tried to help Baxter stand up and he was leaning on her, Laura held her weapon freely in her hand to the side.

  As the voice in the darkness went on, to the flanks and rear from the lake other men approached through the darkness and all had weapons pointing at the group, they were truly surrounded. Roy not wanting a bloodbath shouted to the group he was with “For fucks sake put down your guns, it is useless, just put them down” Roy held his hands up and his action doing so led to the rest of the group realise it was hopeless, Roy had his hands up, and Cherie stood dazed, frightened and knowledgeable they could do nothing else, Kenny eased his weapon down so it went by his side, as did Nancy who just nodded to Laura to do the same, which led to her losing her footing and Baxter fell forward on his knees.

  Now they could see out of the woods appeared various men, dressed in black mainly but having many weapons and looking wild eyed, their masks having been taken off, some were even drinking alcohol, they were all staring at the group, serious faces on some, sickening smiles on the others. Nancy knew it was a lost cause, there were over 45 of them she judged and compared to their small group it was hopeless. The man who had been speaking walked out of the darkness and stood there, he took off his mask and was content in having the group at their mercy, due to them all lowering their weapons. But they still had their weapons close by, which was still a threat so he said “Just throw down your weapons, nobody else has to be hurt. We only want to take some of your equipment”. It was obviously not the case due to the fact Baxter and Cherie had been injured and Elise and Melissa were missing. Then the man said sternly to them “What possible chance do you have to fight us” again nobody moved, Roy remained pensive, staring around as the man now stepped forward and said coldly “If you want to see your friends again, you will do as we say. I promise you will see them again” referring to Melissa and Elise, this made the group give up.

  With their weapons thrown down the man smirked at them all, he was quite muscular, but also chubby, a steroid induced body in the respect the arms were quite big, out of proportion to the rest of him, and he had short cropped hair with a round face. He then said sarcastically “See, now we are all friends” all were quiet, watching the group around them, then Roy shouted “Enough” all looked at Roy who walked towards the man, he stood there and said “You let these people go, and their friends you took, you bring them back” as the man he addressed leant forward and whispered “Why would I do that?”.

  Roy turned to the group behind him, Nancy, Laura, Baxter, Kenny and Cherie, petrified, more so Cherie and Nancy after what they had personally seen the death squads were capable of, then Roy stared back at the man and jumped him by grabbing him from the rear, the group with the man around them all focused their weapons on him, as he held the man, the leader of the group, keeping his arms behind his back, Roy had a knife up against the man’s throat “All of you stop. Lower your weapons or I will carve him up” Roy ruthlessly said to the men in black with their guns pointed.

  Nancy and her group were stunned at Roy. As Roy pressing the knife up against the man’s throat stated “You get their friends here, the ones you took and let us go” the man then spoke having his hands up to his friends around him as he said “You made a big mistake” as Roy pushed the man forward and the man rubbed his throat as he stood there and snarled “What the fuck was that?” then Roy put his knife into his holder by his side and smiled at the man and said did Roy “I just wanted to extend the tension Curtis”.

  Curtis the man who was the speaker of the death squads who approached them still rubbing his throat suddenly laughed and came up to Roy and both men embraced “It is good to see you again Roy. I am sorry we were slow in getting up here, we have been very busy”. Nancy and the rest realised, Roy was with the group, and their hearts sunk as Roy turned to the group looking at him and said “Did you think you would have got out of here. I like to prolong it” he then chuckled as Curtis shook his head at him and replied “You could have been shot” Roy dismissed him as he looked around at the rest of the group with them and Roy jokingly asked aloud of the many death squad members with their guns “Would you fuckers have shot me” most of the 40 militia were just watching on with laughter and a few jeers. The group who Roy betrayed in disbelief, as Kenny gulped, looking at how intimidating the 40 plus men were with their guns pointed at them.

  Roy now opened his hands directing them towards the group and stated proudly to Curtis “I give you my find” Roy smiled, his blackened and yellow teeth showing as Roy added “I told you boys there was more girls here than boys, all that was needed was a little patience” a holler of excitement went up amongst the men around them, and some of the men were seen going into tents and the camper van, going into the 4x4 and raiding it, by finishing off their raiding hunt earlier for supplies earlier. Roy took out his radio from his pocket, and clicked a button which made a radio Curtis had make a beeping sound. Indicating Roy was in communication with the death squads all this time. Roy observed Nancy who looked disgusted, unable to hide her sense of betrayal and shock, Roy indulged in her facial reactions as Roy said to her “See how easy it is”. Curtis then approached the group, who eased away as the guns from the rest of the death squads were drawn towards them, Curtis studied them up and down, the girls especially who he reserved such sleazy stares towards. As Curtis said “Almost as pretty the other ones you found” to which Roy dismissed Curtis’s criticism and replied “Who gives a fuck, I have found 5 bitches right now, which is all that matters”.

  Roy ordered the men around them “Get their weapons” several men approached taking their weapons and one of them was laughing hysterically as he went to touch Nancy who pushed him away. Roy shouted to the death squads member “Leave them be,
or I will shoot you here” the man drank his bottle of whisky and picked up a gun laughing, blowing kisses at Nancy who winced. At this point Roy put his gun into the air and fired. He now commanded by saying “All the girls get over there” they were slow to move as he was referring for them to stand on the left side of the fire, Baxter remained holding onto Laura who shook her head which made Roy aggressively scream “FUCKING MOVE!” this made Nancy and Cherie move, taking their time but Laura remained standing close to Baxter as she mouthed “Where is Melissa?”.

  Roy smirked at her and made a had movement to Curtis who went to Laura and dragged her by the arm, Baxter tried to fight him off but Curtis back fisted him which sent Baxter back onto the ground. Kenny was about to move but Roy just pointed his rifle at him as Kenny stood still. Baxter was on the floor rubbing his cheek from the back fist as Laura was dragged by Curtis to be taken towards Cherie and Nancy. Laura snarled at Roy “Fuck you”. Roy snatched Laura from Curtis and held her close as Kenny was then restrained by two men who approached him from behind. Nancy and Cherie watched on. Curtis stood in the background. Roy staring at Laura from the rear as he brought her close to his front, pressing his crotch into from behind, he then took out the knife from his pocket once more and seethed “No need to be insolent anymore Laura, unless you want to experience the consequences” Laura had fear in her eyes as he drifted the knife along her cheek, Kenny shouted “Stop that Roy” but for his troubles Kenny was smacked in his kidneys by a punch from one of the death squad militia men behind him, he went on his knees as Roy teased her, his breath stinking and his eyes horrifying. Curtis was chuckling in the foreground.