Nightmare-Z

by S. A. Lowry

  “Honey you had no choice. She wasn’t your daughter at that point,” Linda reasons.

  At that point, one of the guards up in the tower yells down to both Linda and Teresa as he storms down the steps to the base of the guard tower and their location. “Teresa! Damnit woman! What the hell did I tell you about throwing your cigerette butts on the ground! Trashy whore!” the man yells as he stands over Teresa within reaching distance.

  At that point, he raises up his write hand and smacks her across the face with all of his might. Teresa falls off her seat as she stumbles in between the steps of the bleachers and calls out in pain.

  “Do it again and you will regret it! Last time i’m going to say this!” the man yells as he glares at Linda as he walks back up to his guard tower to re-assume his duties.

  Teresa shakes it off as she gives the man an evil glare.

  “What are you looking at? Mind your own damn business!” Teresa yells to Linda.

  Linda sits there in shock void of words to say at the moment.

  Teresa appears tough as rocks, as she continues on with her story as she bends over to pick up her cigerette butt and toss it in her pocket. “You don’t tell me what she was. I don’t need your mentoring. Once I killed my youngest, I fled to the car with my oldest. We took off like a bat out of hell for the interstate. Yeah, bad idea. Even for a small town like us, the traffic was horrendous. The accidents caused by drivers in sheer panic prevented us from moving any further. All of us were stuck in the road like sitting ducks. That is when they came out of the woodline. Dozens of them charging the rows of cars. Ripping people out and tearing flesh off them. Me and my daughter escaped our vehicle and ran for the woodline on the opposite side of the road. We were in the woods for days. Barely hanging out with no food and no water. Once I thought it was all over, we came across a single lane road out in the country side,” Teresa goes on to explain.

  “Then what happened? How did the both of you make it here?” she asks while attempting to forget the incident which just recently happened as Linda attempted to instill a sense of normalcy.

  “We skirted the road for hours. Hoping somebody would come by and offer us a ride, anybody,” Teresa says.

  “Then Aaron and his men came along and picked you up right?” Linda asks as if she already knew what Teresa was about to say.

  Teresa stares at her for a moment and begins crying. “No. A group of bikers came across us. Around five or six of them. Their intentions were anything but of a good semaritan. Realizing we were out in the middle of no where, instead of helping us, they parked their bikes and beat us. Then proceeded to rape us. My daughter was raped right in front of me. Once they had her, they took me while she watched. Those sons of a bitches beat us so bad at the end and left us to die alongside of the road. Once they were finished with us, they took off hooting and hollering. I don’t know how long we stayed there for. All I remember, are bright headlights of a pick up truck pulling up to us at night and throwing us in the back. When morning hit, me and my daughter woke up here,” Teresa finishes as she sobs and tears run down her facial cheeks.

  “These people saved me and my daughter’s life,” she goes on to add.

  Linda appears horrified at this point as she places her hand over the woman’s shoulder in order to comfort her.

  Apparently, Teresa isn’t finished. “So that is why I support what they did here. Those sons of a bitches deserved it anyway. The Death’s Head, the criminals, all of them deserve what they get. They are less human than those things out there,” Teresa concludes.

  Linda is now confused yet curious.

  “Death’s Head? Support?” Linda curiously asks.

  Teresa is now still sobbing and goes on to articulate. “Yeah the Death’s Head. Those are the bikers who raped us. We’ll wipe all of them out eventually just like we did to those prisoners!” an angered still distraught Teresa vows.

  Linda glares at the woman with a disturbed look on her face. Teresa, now realizing she may have said too much and coming to the realization that Linda and the rest of the newcomers to the group were obviously left in the dark about some of the things that went on in the prison before they got here, now attempts to back track her story.

  “You know, those bikers are evil. We have to make sure they do not hurt anyone else!” the now disturbed woman adds.

  “What did you mean about wiping out those prisoners?” A concerned Linda asks.

  Now feeling uneasy and attempting to extract as much information from Teresa as possible. “Forget what I said. None of your damn business,” Teresa now yells as she throws her second cigerette butt on the ground and walks off back into the kitchen. As she walks away, she turns her head back to Linda with a warning.

  “Stay out of our affairs. You are just a guest. Remember that!” Teresa threatens.

  Linda nods in acceptance. Once Teresa is gone, Linda looks back up to the tower where the man came from earlier to hit on Teresa. She notices the man watching Teresa with a mean look on his face as she walks back into the building.

  A worried Linda now sits by her lonesome trying to contemplate what she just heard. Are these people here who they say they are? Can she really trust them? More and more questions remain ever present in her mind while worry and doubt begins to overcome her.

  At the moment, she isn’t sure how she will approach this. She wants to tell the rest of the group, however fears the consequances of confrontation. The thought of these average family and church going people murdering defenseless human beings locked in a cage seems surreal. She decides to let it linger for her thoughts only.

  Dusk is now approaching. Linda and Tabatha sit in their cells shortly after completing their duties for the day and engage in conversation while the rest retreat back to their beds and decide to take quick naps before dinner. Both of them are worried at the fact that the men have not returned yet. They fear something might have gone wrong. Linda keeps Tabatha’s mind pre-occupied with small talk and the future her and Lance planned out before this nightmare started.

  An hour or so has gone by until one of the members of the compound walk into their cell block to tell them their party has returned. Tabatha and Linda quickly shoot up and head for the motorpool to greet the returning members. Tabatha speed walks to the outside area where the vehicles are located and dodges the incoming armed men who just got back from the raid who are walking in the opposite direction of her.

  Linda attempts to keep up the pace but falls behind. She also grows intimidated while noticing the heavy fire power the men of the compound seem to be welding. Once they push past the crowd and enter the motorpool, they see Riggs, Andrew, Lance, Dwayne and Randall unloading multiple trucks onto shopping carts which are being pushed back into the compound by awaiting staff.

  Tabatha goes running up to Lance and tackles him with a hug and proceeds to kiss him. He shows his affection back to her. Riggs stops what he is doing and walks up to Linda greeting her.

  “Hey there lady. How was your day?” Riggs asks while everyone in the general area are going a hundred different ways with their tasks.

  “It was very busy. We got alot done today. Looks like you boys had a busy day of your own. Did anything happen?” Linda asks giving Riggs a warm greeting with a friendly hug. “Ahh nope. Nothing we can’t handle. We got just about everything on the list. We seperated our stuff with their stuff. It’s all in backpacks in the back of my ride,” Riggs proudly states.

  Linda thanks him.

  Shortly after Andrew comes walking up to Linda. She hugs him as well welcoming him back.

  “Hows Young Andrew? Is he enjoying his time here?” Andrew asks.

  Linda smiles and tells him he’s napping because Amy wore him out with games all day. Andrew smiles in response.

  “Hey we picked us up some clothes too. I can finally get out of this smelly uniform!” an excited Andrew announces.

  “Ha! We all know that uniform becomes you mister. You will be lost without it!” Riggs cou
nters.

  “Oh i’m sure he can move on. What do you think Andrew?” Linda asks with a joyful smile on her face.

  Andrew agrees and tells her it’s coming off the first chance he gets. That is when Dwayne yells back to the group as he helps load supplies onto carts.

  “Hey this stuff ain’t going to get unloaded by itself. Can a brother get some help?” Dwayne jokingly yells to Riggs, Andrew and Lance.

  “Go on boys. We’ll see you all for dinner. I’ll wake the girls up and have them grab our stuff,” Linda informs as she walks off. “Sounds like a plan lady,” Riggs responds as he walks back in Dwayne’s direction to help unload the trucks.

  Another night passes by. Andrew finds it harder and harder to sleep as the days go on. The visions of death and decay fill his mind in the dark hours which consume him in his bed. He tosses and turns constantly trying to block the thoughts out of his head. The more he thinks of his brother, the more he wants to cry. Days have gone by holding it in, however, Andrew realizes it won’t last for long. As he lies in his bunk all by his lonesome, his eyes some what begin to water at the very real possibility of his brother’s demise.

  Nights have now come and passed within the walls of the prison. A sense of normalcy has now come over the group. Security and stability have now come back into their lives as some members of the group, including Cynthia, have voiced their thoughts of staying there permanantly. A decision Riggs does not seem to rule out. On the other hand, Andrew is very well against it for obvious reasons. In the coming days, he had told everyone his reasons for needing to make it into Central Texas and protect his brother’s family. Many members of the group understood his reasoning and made it clear that he may be on his own if things continue to work out for them there.

  Coming to this realization, Andrew begun planning the trip alone. He figures once he gathers what he needs and can obtain a ride, he will be gone with or without his newly found friends. As time went on, the men went on more follow on raids and began gaining respect and trust amongst the other members of the prison survivors. Even Aaron, has voiced his praise towards Riggs, Andrew and the rest of their team.

  “Won’t ever go out the wire without ya’ll ever again,” Aaron constantly says throughout the days.

  Many of the women have come to liking this place too. Especially Young Andrew, whom has formed an unbreakable bond and friendship with Amy. Every day that passes, Andrew sees his room mates becoming more permanent in their living quarters. From furniture, to Xbox 360’s and area rugs, Andrew doesn’t see them leaving any time soon.

  “Look brother, I see what you all are doing here. I don’t blame any of you for it either. I think it’s time we part ways. You know why,” Andrew tells Riggs one morning as they are mopping one of the hallway floors down the way from Aaron’s office.

  Now apparently upset, trying to ignore the inevitable, Riggs leans his mop up against the wall as he stares at Andrew prepping himself for a long heartfelt speech as to why he wants him to stay. Andrew can see it at this point.

  “Hey man, can we go outside and talk about this? I need a cigerette,” Riggs concernly asks.

  Andrew agrees. As they walk down the corridor towards the exit Andrew notices Riggs gathering his thoughts in silence. Andrew feels bad at this point but plans to stand his ground no matter what. Backing out of his promise to go for Trevor’s family is out of the question.

  Once the pair reach the exit, they walk into the warm summer sunlight of the courtyard which overseas the main entry gate into the prison. Guardsmen are still up in the towers keeping 24 hour watch as usual. A few of them turn back to look at Riggs and Andrew. A moment stare is met by them turning back around and going about their watchly duties while minding their own business.

  Riggs reaches into his pants pocket and whips out his pack of cigerettes. He offers Andrew one. Andrew obliges. Once the two start smoking, Riggs begins pleading his case.

  “Look man, for the short time that I have known you, I trusted you with my life, shared a cell with you, joked with you, almost died with you, ate every meal with you and became my best friend. Not sure if you really see it that way, however, if this matters any, you are our most competent security guy. You got the experience and the common sense to survive out there. Let me tell you, when the apocalypse came, I couldn’t be more grateful for having a guy like you by my side,” Riggs pronounces.

  Andrew now feeling uncomfortable, looks back as he smokes.

  “I really appreciate you saying all those things about me. This is a family matter though, I need to keep my word, Riggs,” Andrew sadly explains.

  Riggs looks back at him while shaking his head.

  “We are your family now. How do you know they are still alive? How do you know Texas is still safe? You don’t. The broadcasts stopped awhile ago,” Riggs states.

  “I have to take my chances. No option,” Andrew bluntly responds. “Might be the last chance you ever take brother. What about Young Andrew? What about Audrey? You two are already hitting it off. She adores you, even told me herself. Ever wonder why she is always coming into our cell to hang out with you and ask you to help her with something stupid?” Riggs adds.

  Andrew is now smiling.

  “I am pretty sure that she is capable of changing out the light bulb to her cell,” Riggs says as he puts his hands up in the air attempting to seem obvious. Right as Andrew goes to respond to Riggs humour, the loud roaring sounds of motorcycle motors are heard approaching off into the distance. Andrew holds his sentence as he attempts to carefully listen to the noise.

  Riggs stays silent as well as he turns around and looks towards the watch towers by the gate. As the loud annoying sound grows closer, the men in the watch tower are seen quickly picking up their rifles off the walls and looking through their binoculars. In addition, loud music can now be heard coming from the source of the noise. Moments later, one of the guards lets go of his binoculars and lets it hang from his neck as he quickly runs up to the guard rail of the tower and yells down to Riggs and Andrew.

  “Grab Aaron and the men! Quick! Bring the guns too!” yells the man. Riggs and Andrew take off into a dead sprint back into the compound to round up the back up. A few minutes go by until they are able to round up enough fighters and weapons to push back to the gate for whatever is coming their way.

  Once Riggs grabs Aaron, whom was in the bathroom relieving himself in one of the stalls, Andrew was only able to grab up five other men and quickly pull out some assault rifles from the armorery. Once they did this no time was wasted as they sprinted back to the gate.

  Upon arriving at the base of one of the towers, Aaron quickly disperses his men into seperate guard towers overwatching the front of the perimeter while leaving a few back to guard the ground level.

  Riggs and Andrew follow Aaron up the staircase to the top of the main tower which initially spotted the possible threat. The loud thunderous sounds of dozens of motorcycles can be heard fast approaching now as Andrew tails Riggs and Aaron up to the top.

  Upon reaching the top, Aaron storms in and grabs the binoculars from one of the guard’s hands and quickly begins looking through it off into the distance. “What do we have here?” Aaron quickly asks expecting a quick response. Andrew and Riggs, now both armed with M14 assault rifles, takes cover behind one of the concrete walls lining the guard rails in a defensive posture as they take aim outside into the perimeter while in kneeling positions.

  “Bikers, a whole shit ton of them inbound,” one of the guards responds as he releases the bipod legs to his Remington 700 VTR .308 caliber bolt action rifle and begins looking down his scope.

  Andrew looks back at the man and notices he has a long eye relief and padding taped down to his buttstock cheek weld. Seems like he knows what he’s doing Andrew thought as he pulled his bolt a quarter of the way back to make sure he had a round chambered in his rifle.

  Aaron places the binoculars down on one of the tables as he reaches for another item laid out.

&
nbsp; “Here, don’t forget your damn sand sock!” reminds Aaron as he tosses a bulky green sock stuffed with airsoft pellets in the man’s direction.

  The man behind the sniper rifle carefully places the stuffed sack below his buttstock giving him a more stable position behind the rifle.

  As the bikers fast approach, Andrew can now make out a familiar tune coming from the convey of bikes. “Sounds like something familiar. Are they playing ‘Cowboys Do More Dope’?” a confused Andrew asks as he looks back to the men. Everyone else shrugs at the comment.

  “We listen to country. None of that hippy shit over here,” responds Aaron as he chambers a round into his .45 Glock. Andrew turns away and looks back down his sights.

  Aaron quickly gets on his hand held radio and begins barking out orders to his men in the guard towers.

  “Now all of you listen up, don’t be firing no damn rounds unless I say so or they begin shooting at us first. Got it? All positions respond!” Aaron orders.

  All the guard towers can be heard keying the radio one at a time acknowledging the transmission. Aaron then instructs everyone in the tower with them. “I’m going to talk to these assholes. Just stay cool. Looks like The Death’s Head,” Aaron states.

  At that moment Riggs now looks back to the men and notices the fear lingering in their eyes while attached to concerned looking faces. He then turns to Andrew.

  “Looks like these guys are pretty serious. They weren’t joking huh?” a nervous Riggs asks Andrew.

  Andrew agrees and tells him to “stay cool”.

  “I’m always cool,” jokes Riggs as he repositions his knee in order to to provide better firing support along the ledge.