Michael’s eyes were stern as he glanced meaningfully at Jeff and then down toward Megan. They softened slightly.
“I feel as if all I’m doing is apologizing. Now for Frank’s actions. He’s a loyal man. I’m sure you’ll find this hard to believe, but he’s a good man as well.” His smile widened even as the look of trepidation on Megan’s face grew.
She detached herself from Jeff, regaining some of her composure. He tried to hold her back, but she wriggled free, her eyes flashing angrily as she did. Sullenly, she faced Michael.
“Well I don’t like him and I don’t know that I like you much either.” She stared him down. “And I’m not apologizing for slapping you.” Megan stood with her hands on her hips, daring him to challenge her.
Michael continued to smile, unfazed by the terse statements. “I wouldn’t expect you to. All I can ask is that you give us a chance to prove our hospitality.” His gaze encompassed all four of them. “I think you’ll find we’re a bit rough around the edges, but we’re not really all that bad.”
They stood waiting. Jeff noticed Ben leaning against the back of the van. Jeff was not sure how long he had been watching, but the smirk on the brute’s face indicated that he had probably seen everything. Ben caught Jeff looking his way and, without hesitation, winked at him. Jeff did a double take and tried to smile at the huge man, but he was already looking elsewhere.
“Okay! Let’s get moving! Boys, you’re on foot. Ben, you drive. Marcus and Frank! Move the cars out of the way so we can get rolling.”
Jeff gritted his teeth. Whether he liked it or not, they were headed to the lair of this small group of survivalists. And as he looked over at Megan and George, he knew he wasn’t the only one who was nervous about the idea.
Chapter 2
Everyone jumped into action. Michael ushered the newcomers toward the minivan, and Jeff felt a simmering of resentment at the loss of the vehicle, but forced it down. As they climbed on board, he noticed Ray and Teddy running in the flat field behind the gap between the buildings. They were south of the railroad tracks already and making good time as they scanned the area. Jeff did as well and was surprised to see no infected anywhere.
With the second row of seats removed and the back row folded down, the vehicle resembled a cargo van. All the supplies they had collected were stacked to the roof in the very back. Michael took the passenger seat, which forced Jeff, George, Jason, and Megan to sit on the floor behind him. Frank and Marcus took off to move the car in front of them out of the way.
Ben started the van, and soon they were heading in the direction of one of the gravel parking lots on the south side of the road, out of the corridor of vehicles. They avoided several other abandoned cars and moved toward the flat grassy space behind the buildings. Ahead was a set of train tracks elevated by a patch of gravel. Ben carefully drove the van over the tracks and followed a makeshift road that had been carved into the dry earth of the barren field beyond. Rocks and other debris had been cleared away, and two barely visible ruts gave the van a runway down which to roll. Ben pointed the van in the direction of a wooded area about a mile from the road, and it looked like they would run right into it if they stayed the course. There were no visible breaks in the tree line, and Jeff wondered whether they were going to have to get out and walk before they got to whatever hideout Michael had set up.
At the last moment, Ben turned the van at an angle as he brushed up against the stand of trees. At first, the view remained the same, with trees to their left and an open field to the right. After a few moments, Jeff saw a gap in the woods that seemed to sprout up out of nowhere. It was more than wide enough to accommodate the van, and he saw the tire ruts making up the “road” they were following merge into the opening.
As they made their way down the narrow tunnel of trees, he wondered out loud about something that had been bothering him for a while.
“How come there aren’t any of those infected bastards around here?”
Michael turned and looked at Jeff. “Oh, they’re around all right. They’re in town, to the south, to the north…” He grinned as he waved his hand in every direction. “We’re completely surrounded.”
Jeff stared at him, but before Michael could elaborate, the van came to a stop.
“Welcome to our humble abode.”
Michael’s smile took them all in, but his eyes focused on Megan as he said it. She felt uncomfortable with the attention and looked away.
Michael and Ben opened the doors, and they all piled out.
Before them was a clearing. There were trees at a distance, but where they stood past the wooded entryway were several acres of clear-cut space. It was squared off and took Jeff and the others completely by surprise. A large wooden sign stood nearby, but everyone was too busy taking in everything else to pay it much attention. Instead, their eyes were drawn to the huge recreational vehicles parked before them. Off to the left were a bulldozer and backhoe, situated near the wall of trees. Jeff walked forward, trying to absorb what he was seeing.
“It was going to be a new subdivision,” Michael explained as he gestured at the sign. “An exclusive neighborhood, I’m guessing, or at least the perception of one. It’s totally surrounded by pine trees. Secluded, quiet, and-”
“Not visible from the road,” Jeff interrupted, and Michael smiled, nodding. Jeff peered at the sign, which looked brand new. It listed details about the small community: custom homes, the name of the private builder, the acreage of each lot, etc. The neighborhood would have been called “Hidden Pines.” A map with a layout of all the lots had its place on the board as well.
“They had just started clear cutting. I’m guessing they were planning on going deeper into the woods, because currently there’s only enough room for a few lots.”
Jeff was still scanning the open space when the two teenagers arrived on foot. Without hesitation, Ray and Teddy moved toward the RVs and began climbing up the ladder that extended down the rear of the closest one.
Jeff’s eyes gravitated toward the monstrous Winnebagos. He could not see all of them, but the ones he could were parked in a rough circle. They were brand new, with shiny finishes of silver and white. As he scanned back and forth, he saw that they were all close to forty feet in length and over twelve feet high. They were parked right next to one another, with the front right corner of one touching the rear right corner of the next. They were too close together to let anything squeeze in between them.
“They’re brand new, and they’re all identical. All five of them.”
Jeff glanced over at Michael, who moved up next to him as he spoke. “They’re the biggest ones they make. All the comforts of home.”
Jeff studied them a bit more closely and noticed that part of the walls stuck out. He knew next to nothing about recreational vehicles, but recognized the slideout, which expanded the size of the beasts even more. More importantly, he noticed that there were no visible doors. The entrances to the big rigs must all be on the inside of the pentagonal arrangement. There were windows, but they were up out of reach. There was barely any ground clearance either; the soft earth allowed the tires to sink down enough that nothing as large as a human could crawl underneath.
“It looks like you got yourself a nice fortress here, Michael,” Jeff said with grudging respect.
George was taking it all in as well, only half listening to what the other two men were saying. As he looked at the configuration of the RVs, he smiled, his expression distant.
“I’ll be damned.” He moved forward, getting a closer look. He snorted and did his best John Wayne. “Round up the wagons, boys!”
Michael laughed and walked up beside him, slapping him on the shoulder. “Exactly!”
He turned to the others. “Well, let’s start hauling the supplies up and over and get you all settled in.”
His hand grazed the side of the closest RV. His eyes sparkled with pride as he patted the metal beast like a faithful pet.
“They aren’t much,
but they do us just fine.”
Chapter 3
Less than an hour later, everything from the van was inside the walls of the RV fortress. They got it all in with a makeshift bucket brigade. Afterwards, the newcomers were introduced to the rest of the camp’s residents.
Cindy was in her early twenties, with hair that had been bleached and then dyed black in various areas, repeatedly. Her ears were adorned with multiple piercings, and she had several prominent tattoos on her arms and neck that traveled well beneath her tank top.
As Michael introduced their guests, she did not try to hide her contempt for them. Her lip curled up in a silent snarl as she moved closer to Michael. She barely paid attention as the men and boy were introduced, but her eyes narrowed when Michael came to Megan. Staring at her, Cindy slid a hand up Michael’s back until it reached his hair, then dragged her fingers through it. He tried to shake her off, but she gripped him tighter and yanked his head down to hers to give him a forceful kiss. He seized her shoulders and pushed her back, his face red with embarrassment. Cindy laughed as she turned to walk away. As she casually strolled over to one of the RVs, everyone’s eyes were on her. She reached for the door and turned and looked back at the group, her eyes finding Megan once again.
Michael cleared his throat, bringing everyone’s attention back to him.
“My apologies for Cindy. She’s… ” He shook his head as he searched for the appropriate words. “She’s had it pretty rough, I guess, like most of us.”
The explanation didn’t sit well with Jeff, who slid his hand onto Megan’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. She turned, and he saw the fear in her eyes. She relaxed as he smiled, but traces of nervousness remained.
Michael shifted gears, his eyes brightening as he introduced Lydia Olverson. She smiled at them with genuine warmth and surprised them all with hugs. It was clear she was the graying matriarch of the community as she grasped their hands and welcomed them.
When Michael presented her with the food he had commandeered from Jeff’s van, her eyes lit up. She thanked them all profusely until even Megan looked embarrassed at their earlier reactions. Lydia shooed everyone away from the large grill set up in the middle of the communal area and told them lunch would be ready in an hour.
The last citizens of the RV community to whom they were introduced were three small children. As Michael provided everyone with their names, the trio waved timidly at the new acquaintances.
Sadie was a towheaded girl of five. Though she seemed shy, her eyes sparkled as her gaze took in the latest members of the camp. Moments after being introduced, she walked over to where Ben was sitting in the doorway of one of the RVs, stretching his extensive frame. He had a knife out and was whittling on a slender piece of wood. He never made a sound as the little girl began climbing him, striving to reach his shoulders. He adjusted his arms to accommodate her, making sure she did not slip or fall. When she was in the piggyback position, she hunched over and watched as Ben shaped the wood, apparently mesmerized.
Nathan was eight, Joey was nine, and it was clear from the moment Jeff saw them that they were inseparable. Nathan clung to the older boy even when Joey shrugged him off. The two of them immediately glommed onto Jason, peppering him with questions. He did not seem to mind at first, but as they began dragging him back to their RV, he gave a look of desperation to George and Megan, who both smiled and waved at him as he was pulled inside to play with the boys’ Power Ranger action figures.
Jeff took in the thriving little community into which they had been sucked. It was not huge, but with the towering motor homes surrounding them, it felt as if they were in some sort of citadel. The slideouts were all opened, and each RV had an awning extended, giving them an even homier feel. Most of the grass had been worn down in the “courtyard,” as Michael called it. Several picnic tables and lawn chairs were set up, along with a few large umbrellas to provide shade.
Jeff’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at Frank and Marcus, who were standing next to one another by the entrance of the RV they shared. Thus far, Marcus had barely spoken, and Jeff trusted him no more than he did Frank.
Michael led them to an RV out of which the teenagers were clearing their meager gear. It would serve as shelter for the newcomers, and Ray and Teddy would move in with Ben, who had been on his own previously. Michael did his best to sound like a gracious host and ignored the glares of resentment from Jeff, George, and especially Megan. When they stepped inside their new home, however, the three momentarily forgot their anger at being ambushed.
The recreational vehicle had a king bed, sofa, chairs, dining table, refrigerator, shower, TV, and a stove. Michael gave them a brief tour and explained how everything worked. While there was no external power, the big beast had a generator that used diesel fuel to provide needed electricity, though he stressed that they wanted the precious resource conserved. The camp used only the leader’s refrigerator to store items that needed to remain cold, although they were free to use the stove, which ran on propane. Michael’s eyes twinkled mischievously as he told them they could take hot showers but if they used the toilets, they would have to empty the black water tank themselves.
He stepped to the door and looked at all of them, smiling. “I know we didn’t start off on the best foot, but I am certain you’ll like it here once you get to know us.” He paused as he stared fiercely at them. “It took a lot of work for us to set this place up, and we intend on surviving here, no matter what it takes.”
A chill went through the room as Michael turned to the door and opened it. “Don’t forget about lunch,” he said cheerfully as the door shut behind him.
Jeff blew out a breath as he slumped into one of the chairs. “Sounds like Michael wants us to stay for a while.”
Megan and George were quiet, the face of each painted with different emotions. George looked as if someone had dropped a bag of cement on his head, while Megan’s rage, which had subsided as they entered the camp, was back in full force.
A few moments later, Jeff slammed his hands against the armrests on the chair and stood back up, startling the other two.
“Well, that’s that.”
“What are we going to do, Jeff?” Megan asked as he walked toward the back of the RV.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to take a hot shower and have some lunch.”
Chapter 4
An hour later, they were sitting around tables that had been pushed together for their meal out in the courtyard. Jeff was surprised to discover that meat was on the menu. Steaks were piled high, and the smell had his mouth watering. Michael announced that it was a special occasion in honor of the newest members of the community. Ben had been hunting. Although the infected had torn through the domestic animal population, deer appeared to be thriving in the new desolation created by the virus. The survivors drank lukewarm bottled water and ate canned vegetables and bread Lydia had made from scratch. It was the best meal any of them had tasted for as long as they could remember.
“Your attention, please! Everyone!” Michael stood and tapped his steak knife against the plastic table as the meal wound down.
“I know things have been difficult for all of us.”
He walked around behind Jeff and the other newcomers, forcing them to twist in their chairs to look up at him.
“But we’ve made it this far. It’s my hope that we’ll be able to go a lot farther, now that there are more of us.” He smiled and put his hands on Jason’s shoulders, squeezing them. The boy puffed up a bit and smiled shyly at the attention.
Michael glanced at each newcomer in turn until his eyes found Megan and hovered there. She looked away, but Michael’s gaze stayed on her. Megan glanced down at her paper plate, and did not see Cindy staring daggers at her, but Jeff did. Michael finally looked away and began moving again.
“It’s my hope,” he said, stopping as he reconsidered his word choice. “No, it’s my vision that we can grow strong enough to someday take back the world from t
hose who have stolen it from us.”
Michael’s smile broadened as he looked out over everyone. “We need to stick together so we can make things like they used to be…” His smile grew even wider as he corrected himself. “To make them better than what they used to be.”
Lydia immediately stood and started lightly clapping. Michael peered at everyone else, and slowly the others joined in. Soon even the children were applauding.
Jeff looked around quizzically. The clapping was barely audible, though the enthusiasm on everyone’s face painted a different picture.
A little later, Jeff was smiling and doing his best to look grateful for the hospitality, resisting the urge to make any sharp comments about all the chips and other snacks he had acquired from the drug store back in Milfield that were now being passed around freely. George sat next to him, watching everyone with distant eyes. Frank gave the middle-aged man a sour look when their eyes met, and George stared down at his hands.
For some time, polite discussions about everyone’s experiences dominated the conversation. After a while, people dispersed and the tables were cleared. Megan insisted on helping Lydia clean up. When she stood, she nudged Jeff with her elbow. He glanced up at her from his chair. With her eyes, she indicated Michael and then looked meaningfully at Jeff. He groaned inwardly, but nodded. Megan smiled and moved away from the table, grabbing up plates, plastic knives, and forks as she went.
“Michael, could I have a word with you?”
“Certainly, Jeff. It’d be my pleasure.”
The two of them walked away from the tables, toward the RV Michael and Cindy shared. “Step into my office.” With a flourish, Michael waved Jeff ahead of him.
The RVs were top-of-the-line vehicles, and Jeff could only imagine how much one would cost. There had been no need to scrimp when Michael and his crew acquired them at a dealership in the area several weeks before.
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