The Last Days (Books 1-3)

by Julie Cooper Brown

  He imagined that he could hear a classic from the 50’s blaring from the old Wurlitzer jukebox in the corner. He said all this with a silly dreamy look in his eyes and Tisha laughed at him.

  Tank had told them he had eaten there once and the chili was great. The restaurant had made quite a name for itself, existing for seventy three years, winning awards and national recognition with their secret chili recipe. The owner had a reputation of being very sweet and down to earth. All that being said, everyone was even hungrier and wished they had gotten a chance to try the ‘Best Chili in the Country’ (Said the banner that had been strung up above the entrance of the deserted restaurant).

  Their thoughts of hunger didn’t last long when the birds became restless. Angel had been standing next to Allen holding his hand and clutching her ever present sleepy time bear in celestial pajamas. The cap that Kate had sewn back on still held in place.

  The birds swooped down to fly in front of her face and they frolicked around her as they did before when they found them.

  They were all sorts of colors and several different species and it was an amazing sight. They had seen some strange things lately; so this display did not surprise them, nor did they fear it because they knew the birds were not there to harm them.

  A bird that was identical to the pretty tiny lavender bird that Kimmy had smashed, (he guessed was a hummingbird) appeared and hovered in front of her with the purple heart in its beak. Angel looked at the bird and knitted her brows and held out her right hand. The bird dropped the heart into it, chirped and flew off through his flock of feathered friends and high into the sky, the others followed behind him.

  She stared at the heart and they could see it was no bigger than a quarter and that may have been too large of an object to compare it to. It was very shiny as well and he’s never seen anything shine that way.

  They wondered what it was for but no one said a word as they all watch the birds slowly disappear. Angel palmed it tightly and seemed to be lost in deep thought. For a child of six, she could show some very adult expressions at times.

  John and Tank finished getting gas from the abandoned cars and Tank ensured that everyone was in before getting in the driver seat himself and took a long look at the sky to see if maybe the birds would come back. He had hoped they would, he didn’t feel as safe without them flying overhead.

  It was only sixty two more miles to get to Dayton. Tank would be home sweet home, though he didn’t really feel it would be all that sweet because he was returning from his vacation without his wife and daughter. It weighed more heavily on his heart now that he was in familiar territory.

  They had been out shopping for souvenirs and never returned. He had waited there for them; not knowing where to look and when he finally decided to shoot his way out of the dead ridden motel, he thought he saw his wife but quickly looked away. He did not want to see her that way and he didn’t think he would have been able to shoot her as well of afraid of seeing her decomposing face.

  He had kept busy enough to distract himself from those thoughts by surviving and worrying about other people, pretending he was on a mission himself so he could block out the memories that threatened to break his calm. He still had others to worry about, but it was really hitting home now and he was having a very hard time containing it. Just when he thought he would lose his composure, Angel extended her hand from the back seat of the mustang to put it on Tank’s shoulder. She didn’t say anything. It didn’t take away his sadness but it did remind him that he had a purpose at the moment and that was to remain levelheaded and get them safely to the bar. He had never been happier to see the sign that hung above the door. Tank’s Bar & Grill, since 1987. He was very proud of his bar. When he bought it, the kitchen could fit only two people within it and sold only lunch. Now the kitchen was big enough to accommodate several cooks and produced insane amounts of hot breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as wings and nachos during business hours. There was always a line out the door and a waiting list. It was strange for him to pull up into an empty lot at eight o’clock in the morning. He turned onto Anderson and entered the back parking lot.

  As hard as it should have been to get there, it should’ve been just as hard to get out of the car and into the place. When they arrived there was no infected surrounding the bar.

  Though they had driven through a small crowd of infected when exiting the highway and could see them at the other end of the block and up at the intersection of Wayne and Wilmington Avenues, but that was it. They were able to pull right up to the back door.

  Tank got out his personal keys and rushed to the door to unlock it, and held it open while the rest of them filed in. Shutting the door and keeping his eye on the road leading between buildings to the secondary parking lot across the alley; where the dumpsters were standing, he got back in the mustang and parked it away from the door. Someone else may need easy access in.

  It was odd that all the infected had all gravitated away from there; he thought that they must be stalking a victim. The thought of driving up there to see if he could help came and went; he did not have the strength to be a hero right now. He entered the heavy steel door that was a direct entrance into the kitchen, and was pleased to finally be home.

  Everyone was waiting for him to come in and made a path for him to get by, except Mojo.

  Mojo, who was a bit short for a man but carried an air of authority regardless of his size, adjusted his Ohio State cap on his head and scanned the faces of the people that Tank had brought back with him. The last he had heard, Deb and Stephanie had never returned and since they were not in the crowd, obviously that had not changed. He clasped Tank’s hand and clapped him on the back.

  “Good to have you back, boss.” He did not look Tank in the eyes, for he did not want to see the pain that he knew lingered there and no words needed to be said on the subject. Tank would not appreciate being coddled; he was a reserved type of man. With only a nodding of his head, Tank moved past him and exited the kitchen through the swinging doors into the main bar.

  Mojo introduced his self along with Kristen and Belinda, the servers that had gotten stuck there.

  There was Woody, the flamboyant and hilariously entertaining neighbor and Troy, a regular customer that preferred to be there over anywhere else, with the free liquor and olives.

  Tisha introduced herself and the rest of the crew that came with Tank.

  “Well,” Mojo said, “You guys must be hungry. I’ll open a few cans of soup. You’ll have to eat it cold, and have your drinks hot but it’s better than nothing.” With that he went down into the basement storage to get the soup while Kristen led the rest of them into the main bar where Tank sat at his favorite table. She handed Tisha a few bowls and they set them in front of each person, Belinda gave them spoons and crackers.

  Mojo returned from the basement and used the tabletop opener to remove the lids from the giant sized cans and dished out chicken noodle and vegetable soup.

  Everyone was grateful for the meal but Tank did not touch his.

  He was lost in his thoughts, swigging Gentleman Jack straight from the bottle. He preferred it on the rocks, but did not have that luxury since the power was out.

  He looked around the bar as everyone was getting their bellies full. He was satisfied that they were all safe and content for the time being, however long that would last.

  He noticed Mojo and the others had moved the sports team tapestries to cover the windows but left a small gap at the top to let in the light. He noticed the unlit candles on the floor; he was not looking forward to tonight.

  He watched Angel with curiosity and waited until she finished her last bite to ask her to come over.

  “Sit with me, Angel.” Angel walked over, Teddy still in hand and jumped up in his lap.

  “What did the birds give you Angel?” He asked because his curiosity had gotten the best of him. He knew it was a purple heart, he had seen it, but he didn’t know what it was for. It had to be important for the
birds to have gotten involved. He had never seen anything like that happen ever in his life.

  “My heart? My Daddy gave it to me. He said it was a key.” She answered.

  “How did the birds get it?”

  He scrunched her face and threw out her arm and said “I don’t know! Maybe from my pocket when they played with me.” She scratched her head and shrugged her shoulders.

  “Well, what does it go to?”

  “I said the vewy same fing!” She out one hand on her hip and Tank laughed at her and tousled her hair. “Daddy said a safe place.”

  “Can I see it?” He asked.

  She pulled the little heart out of her pocket and placed it in Tank’s hand. He turned it about, trying to see if there was anything different about it besides the small perforations in it. They created a Z pattern and it glimmered with the slightest touch of light. He tapped it on the table, it was sturdy. A little tougher than a dog tag. Maybe it had to be dropped down in a slot. He didn’t know. He couldn’t figure it out. It belonged to Angel. It was obviously meant for her. He gave it back.

  “Okay, it’s a pretty key, none the less. You go on back over with the others.”

  Angel hugged him and walked away.

  Tank took another swig from the bottle. The liquor warmed his guts, but it did not serve to cloud his mind. It made the memories more vivid. He just could not take anymore. He really needed some sleep, a body can only take so much and at this point; his mind could take even less.

  He wondered if he had a pillow and blanket in his office, which was located on the second floor and was mainly used for storage, but one room had been converted into an office that Tank had furnished with a big comfy couch.

  He excused himself and told everyone to make themselves at home. Standing at the foot of the staircase, he looked up and he had a powerful experience of déjà vu and he knew he would not be coming back down those stairs alive.

  He unlocked the office door and it revealed to him the great big couch that he so loved and yes, he had left a blanket and pillow there the last time he stayed.

  He kicked off his Nikes and removed his aviator shades from his head, placed them on the desk and lay back on the pillow. It was only a few seconds before he was sleeping soundly.

  1:15 p.m.

  “Okay, so the Big Man went up to get some rest. I know you’re all tired, but as you know we can’t all sleep at the same time. There are blankets and pillows in the upper dining room just up those five stairs there.”

  He pointed to them because if you weren’t really looking, you wouldn’t see them.

  “There are only enough for three, so those of you who choose to wait can wander the bar. Do not go outside for any reason, that’s a given. Help yourself to drinks, but no one is allowed to get sacked. I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but it’s best if we all keep a clear head on our shoulders.”

  Allen, Tisha and Angel went to the upper dining room to sleep first. John sat at the bar near Troy, wondering why the guy was still wearing his fishing hat and vest. He thought maybe he’d been fishing just before he came here.

  Woody sat at the end of the bar nursing a glass of Patron.

  Mojo looked at the soup bowls left on the tables and turned to Kristen and Belinda with a smirk, “Chop, chop, bitches. Clean this shit up. What do we pay you for?”

  They both giggled for they really loved it when he talked to them like that. It was not disrespect but an inside joke and Kristen had a comeback.

  “Okay, Tiny Tim. Hop up on my shoulders and I’ll give you a lift. I need that bus tray off top of the beer cooler.”

  He didn’t let too many people get away with the short jokes. He was short for a guy, but stout and strong. And it didn’t bother him at all when Kristen did it. They sort of have a history. She’s even shorter than him and built nice as well, plump in all the right places; he thought.

  They were in love with each other and had been a long time. On again off again relationship, both lived with other people. Over one little thing they couldn’t get their shit together, so they stayed apart. Remaining frenemies, both angry with the other because of the distance they have to keep, but keeping their cool in the presence of others.

  The girls cleaned up the bowls and cups and Mojo sat at the bar on the left of John. When the girls returned, they sat with Woody who was going on about his ex he threw out just before the infection outbreak.

  “Oh, no Giiirl! I told his skanky ass if he wanted his clothes he better bring himself a fire extinguisher! I cut it all up, I mean all of it, and threw out into the street and lit that motherfucker with my pretty pink Bic lighter. This one right here.” He held up his lighter to show them and they giggled. “That shit went up in flames like Aqua Net. Bitch, I was out there making smores, drinkin’ Bud Light! I laughed till I thought I was gonna crack my sack! I was having a fantastic time watching that shit go up in flames!”

  He guffawed and continued “He is lucky I didn’t have a gun, I’d have popped a cap off in his ass for sure!”

  The girls gasped at this and he said,

  “No, Bitches. I literally mean his ass. I wouldn’t have killed him. I just wanted to show him that this bitch don’t play. Uh uhn. He was supposed to tell his wife about me months ago!”

  He continued to entertain the girls with more of his hilarious break up stories while Mojo had a chat with John and Troy continued to eat olives as he listened to all that was going on around him.

  “So, how’d you end up meeting up with Tank?” Mojo asked John.

  “We were on our way back to mineral springs… we had a shelter set up there. I had been out looking for survivors and supplies. I drove past a motel and saw a horde surrounding him. He was shootin’ ‘em left and right but they was getting closer, there were gonna get him. So I drove through the horde, running the closest ones to him over and threw my door open, he jumped in. Thanked me and he didn’t really have much to say after that. It took a while for me to get him to open up.”

  “Yea, he’s that way. He doesn’t wear his feelings on his sleeve and it’s like pulling teeth to get something out of him. I’ve known him for five years now. He’s a good man. Do anything for you as long as you’re good to him.”

  “Yea, I figured that out, and a hell of a shot too.”

  “How’d you end up in here instead of at home, I mean, there couldn’t have been much business to keep you here.”

  Mojo nodded over at Troy, “See, old Troy over there? He’s a regular. You would be surprised the things people will brave just to get out of the house and get a drink or a hot meal. Rain, snow, tornados, zombie outbreaks… it’s all the same. The customers want a place to be and honestly, I’ve been here a long time and I spend most of my hours of the day here anyway, why not? It’s much safer here.

  Came in for my regular shift, the walkers started getting bad so I stayed, and the girls stayed. Everyone else went home and I haven’t heard from any of them since.

  Troy showed up just three days ago. He’d been on a fishing trip with his buddies. They had no idea what was going on, until of course they got closer to the city. Troy just drove his truck on through.

  We heard a crash and looked out the window to see him crash into Cousin Vinnie’s pizza parlor window, luckily he didn’t get hurt, but I went out with my shot gun and helped him out of the truck and we got back in here, just by the skin of our teeth. There were pretty many out there and we shot quite a few. If you look out that window above the table over there, you’ll see his truck and the bodies of the walkers on the ground.”

  “I saw it on the way in, we ran a couple of the bodies over, had to get by. So, what happened to Troy’s friends?”

  “They wanted to go home.” Troy piped in and sat in the stool on the other side of John. “So, I took them home. They were brothers; whole family lived in the same big house. As soon as they hit the door they were toast, all of em zombies and fell on top of them so quick. One had looked directly right at me, you know,�
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  He used his to fingers in a V and pointed from his eyes to John’s eyes

  “Right at me. It seemed when we met eyes, it was like clicking on a zoom button or something. Suddenly it was like we were standing face to face! Close enough to kiss me! And we had an understanding, he understood I was alive and I understood he was coming after me, so I floored it and was gonnie! I was not gonna sit there and let him get to me. He was one of them, you know, whatever the fuck their called but, man they are fast! There wouldn’t have been anything I could do for my friends.”

  No one had anything to say about that because really, there wasn’t anything else he could’ve done except for get himself killed.

  “How come you guys didn’t know what was going on? Didn’t you have a radio or anything to keep up with the news?”

  “No, we took CD’s and cassettes. Yes, I said cassettes. We were getting away from the world and so we listened to music and fished, grilled out and drank massive amounts of beer. We had a great time. We only left because we ran out of beer and the store was closed. The next store would be too far from camp and to close to home to go there and back. We went back to camp and packed up our things to head home. It wasn’t until we started seeing what we thought were crazy people on the street. Then we saw notices everywhere and realized our cells no longer worked. It was then they decided not to go to my place but to go home and check on their family. I couldn’t blame them and who was I to stop them?”

  “What made you come here instead of home?”

  John asked.

  “I drove by my place, there were too many. I love this bar so I thought if anyone was around they would be here.”