by TJ Weeks
“It’s not going to take everyone to get the deuce.” Tina suggested.
I wiped my hands onto my jeans. “You’re right. I want Bo, Gizmo and Robin to come with me.”
“Why so many?” Kris curiously asked.
“Because we’re going outside of the zoo and if we run into rotters, I want to have enough people to push them back.” I answered.
We walked out and Gizmo jumped onto the gator.
“We’re walking, buddy.” I stated. He jumped back off without argument and started walking with us.
When we started getting closer to the parking lot, I could see headlights. I posted up in one of the flower gardens they had along the side of the path and pulled my rifle off. I dialed in my scope and started peering through it. I could see a man looking around being careful making his way over to the deuce and when I scanned over I could see some bastard in our white ford that had been stolen from us when we had gone to Dallas a few weeks ago.
I scanned upward and could see about five rotters stumbling slowly towards the man walking to our deuce. I took aim and pulled the trigger shooting the man through his calf and out of his shin. I could hear the white ford truck engine rev up and took aim once again and shot through the windshield hitting the man in the head.
“MOVE!” I called out to my team. We started running at a dead sprint to the parking lot.
“Gizmo, you and Bo take the deuce. Robin, get in the passenger side of the white truck.” I called out as our feet hit the pavement.
The first man I shot was screaming in pain, but we left him where he lied as rotter bait to keep them back from us.
I opened the door to the truck and pulled the man out of the driver’s seat to the ground and hopped inside. Robin buckled his seatbelt as if he was worried about a ticket. I shuffled the gear down to drive and stomped on the gas. “Where?”
Robin was trembling and in shock. I reached over and pulled him towards me by his shirt. “Where is the gate?”
He pointed to the main road, so I hopped the curb and drove onto the main road. He then pointed at a side road, I slid us around the corner. I could now see the gate a little way down to the left. I slid the truck in front of the gate and jumped out and pushed the long chain link gate open and jumped back into the truck and pulled through with Gizmo right on my ass now. They stopped and I could see Bo jump out and close the gate behind them.
CHAPTER FIVE
I PULLED up to the shop that we
had found Tiffany and Robin at and parked. I jumped out and walked over to the gators and started up three of them. Robin was still frozen inside of the truck. I let him be for the time being and waited on Gizmo to pull up in the deuce. I could see the
headlights topping the small hill; shortly after they were pulling up next to my truck.
Bo jumped out and Gizmo called down. “Are we leaving it here?”
I walked over to the passenger door that was still open. “Yeah, we’re going to grab a few more gators and take them up to the restaurant so the rest of us can get around.”
He killed the deuce and got out as well. I tossed the door back to its latch.
“Where’s Robin?” Bo asked. I pointed over to the truck. “He’s in shock still.”
“What a pussy!” Gizmo stated.
“It doesn’t seem like he’s been through much, give the guy a break.” I retaliated.
Bo pointed over to the running gators. “I guess these are the three we’re taking with us?”
I started laughing. “Obviously.”
Bo caught a partial grin. “Well, I’m going to head back and check on everyone and find wherever I’m going to be sleeping…I’m beat.”
I shook his hand. “Sounds good, bro. We’ll be right behind you, it’s too cold to be sitting out here. He’ll either snap out of it and join us or sleep in that truck.”
Gizmo had already walked over and pulled the door open. “Hey, bitch. We’re leaving…you coming or staying out here?”
Robin never made eye contact, but slowly edged his way out of the seat and towards one of the gators. Gizmo closed the door behind him which made Robin jump a bit. Gizmo couldn’t help but to laugh at him. Even though he could remember himself being scared of some things, it had long been lost in his mind.
We jumped in the gators and only stopped to close the gate that led up to the shop before making our way to the restaurant.
As we pulled up, Tiffany walked out. “Is he okay?”
I looked over at Robin to see that he was still stiff. “Yeah, I think he just got a little scare in him.”
She walked over and placed her fingers across his wrist. “Yeah, Bo told us what happened.” She raised up her other arm and stared down at her watch. “His heart rate is still a little high, but nothing too concerning.”
I walked over and helped get him to his feet. “Yeah, I didn’t figure he was going to die.” I stated
sarcastically.
Kris was already coming out of the door as we got to it to check on us, so she held it open while we got him inside.
“I already have us setup in the back.” She informed me as we walked passed.
I sat Robin down and walked back outside and lit a cigarette. “I figured you would.”
After about two drags off my cigarette, almost the whole team had joined us outside for a cigarette. We looked like a locomotive running the tracks, especially with being able to see our breaths on top of the smoke.
“What’s the plan for tomorrow?” Gizmo asked.
I thought about ignoring the
question so I could enjoy my
cigarette, but decided against it. “We’re going to go along with the same plan as we had today.”
“What if others come looking for the two you killed tonight?”
“What are they really going to find? The one I killed will be
devoured as an easy meal and the other I can guarantee didn’t get away, so there’s no one to give any kind of intel of what’s going on.” I answered. “Even both vehicles are out of sight, so they wouldn’t even know what they would be looking for.”
Gizmo just kind of shook his head in acknowledgement.
Tiffany walked outside with the rest of us. “He’s already sleeping. I’m sure he’ll be fine by morning.”
“Hey, how have y’all been
handling those snakes?” I asked. She sparked up a cigarette. “We have snake poles that we use…Why?”
I looked at her like she was dumb. “You just walk in there with a pole? I wouldn’t walk in there with a fucking machine gun.”
She started laughing. “Snakes don’t bother me.”
“How about you and Robin take the snakes tomorrow and we’ll take Bo with us?” I suggested.
She laughed more. “That’s fine.”
Kris stepped out of our little line. “Hold the fuck on…I’m not skinning a snake. I don’t even want to touch one of those damn things.”
“We can skin them, it’s really not a problem.” Tiffany responded.
I flicked my cigarette out into the chilled winds and onto the ground. “That works for me, because I love eating snake, but I’m not fond of them alive at all.” I kissed my wife on the cheek. “Well guys, I’m heading my ass to bed with the hopes of my back feeling better in the morning.” I opened the door and walked over to the back and saw where Kris had laid our stuff out and laid down.
“Hey dad…Am I going to be able to go hunting with you again
tomorrow?” Daltin asked.
I rolled over and looked at him. “Not in the morning, but once Tiffany and Robin meet back up with us, you can.”
“Can I help clean the fish while I wait?” He questioned with the biggest eyes peering into mine.
I laughed. “That’s more of a mom question, but I don’t see why not. Now get some sleep.”
CHAPTER SIX
I COULD hear some movement
going on as my eyes flickered trying to catch my vision to see the flutt
ering of legs walking around. “What fucking time is it?”
Kris started laughing. “I told you, he’s not a morning person.” She turned towards me. “It’s morning time, babe.”
I rolled over and sat up while pulling my knees up to my chest. “I don’t suppose there’s any coffee?” Looking around the room I could see no one had a cup in their hands, so I more or less answered my own question and just got up.
After getting my shoes on, I pretty much just ignored everyone and walked straight outside to smoke a cigarette.
Steven started walking out. “What are you having me do today?”
“Can I fucking wake up before going over any plans?” I responded before taking a drag from my
cigarette.
He turned and grabbed the door knob as if he was going to go back in and then turned back towards me. “Why did you even bring me? It’s not like I can do much. If you feel like you owe me something…you don’t.”
I took another drag from my
cigarette. “You’re right, I don’t owe you a thing. However, if you just wanted to lay around and die, why didn’t you just kill yourself instead of hacking your fucking arm off?”
He looked at me with a loss of words and then stormed inside. Bo and Gizmo walked out before the door could close back.
“I think you pissed him off.” Gizmo stated.
“Maybe some people just can’t handle the truth.” I offered before flicking my cigarette.
“Can I get one of those from you?” Bo questioned.
I didn’t respond, just tossed him my pack and went back inside.
“Everyone meet outside in five
minutes.” I announced before walking over and pulling my hoodie from my backpack. I threw my hoodie over my head and pulled it down to try and block some of the bite from the coldness. I then walked back outside as Bo held out my cigarettes, I took them and pulled out another. I sparked my lighter a few times, with only a brief spark. I held it up and shook it a few times and sparked it again to finally get a flame and lit my
cigarette.
I was on my final drag when
everyone else came pouring out of the door. Most of them were springy, a little too springy for it to be first thing in the morning. The rest of us were just there in body, not so much of our spirit.
“So what’s the plan?” Tina asked.
I walked in front of the whole group so I was seen, not just heard. “Tiffany and Robin are going into the snake exhibit to collect the snakes to get ready for eating. Tina, Kris, Steven and Daltin are going to stay here and finish the catfish and everyone else is going with me.”
Steven let out a deep exhale and walked back into the restaurant. Robin and Tiffany got on two of the gators and pulled off. Gizmo, Bo and I got on gators and they let me lead the way. We drove straight to the warthog exhibit.
Bo jumped out quickly and threw an arrow into his bow and shot it at one of them. It banked off of one of the wires of the fence and kind of rotated around before dropping back out.
“Good shot!” I stated sarcastically. He walked over in shame to grab it from the ground. “Fuck off!”
Gizmo and I sat there and laughed until our stomachs ached. It almost felt like my chest was about to
protrude right out of my skin.
Gizmo hopped down from his gator and walked over to the fence and loaded his bow and cranked it back and let it go. The arrow successfully hit right behind the warthog’s ear. It jumped around a few seconds and then dropped. “That’s how it’s done.”
I started laughing. “Hey you remember when we used to go
hunting at your deer lease and you said that if we caught any hogs in the trap I built, you’d jump in there and wrestle one down?”
Gizmo looked over at me. “Yeah.”
I pointed over to the exhibit. “Seems how these guys are caged; I’ll save the last one for you to jump in there with.”
“Fuck that, the hog trap was only four foot by six foot so I could pin them into a corner.” He pointed at the exhibit. “They have all kinds of room to run around in there.”
Bo let an arrow fly and hit it in the throat. It gargled its own blood while trying to squeal.
I walked over and loaded my bow and shot one through its eye and into its head. “Guess I need to get into the game here.”
We finished taking out the six warthogs that were running around the exhibit and hooked up to the fence and pulled it down as well. After untying the fence from my gator, I drove it inside and started loading them in the back.
“Bo, load three in your gator and I’ll load three in mine. Gizmo, drive around and find us something else to hunt.” I stated.
Gizmo smirked on his way to his gator. “I want to take out a rhino!” “We couldn’t load a rhino,
dumbass.” I responded.
“What about a giraffe?” He questioned.
Before I could answer, Steven and Daltin came flying in on a gator. Steven jumped out. “We’ve got to grab what we have and get out of here!”
“Why, what’s up?” I questioned.
“There’s a rotter horde at the front and falling down the stairs. So far they’re staying at the front, but it won’t be long before they make their way here.” He responded.
“Gizmo, you and Bo go hook up the trailers and meet us at the
restaurant. Be as quiet as you can about it. Daltin, jump in Bo’s gator and follow me back.” I directed.
Daltin did as he was told and floored it. Steven turned in behind him and I followed from the back.
We pulled up to the restaurant and got out. As soon as I ran in, I could see the snakes had already been skinned and were waiting to be packed down with ice. All the catfish were already filleted out and already in ice.
“Where is Tiffany and Robin?” I asked.
“They ran back to their shop to grab a few things. I told them to hurry back or you would leave them.” Kris answered with her hands full of our equipment stuffing it into our bags.
I heard the first deuce pull up. It was Bo with the small trailer. Tiffany and Robin jumped out of the back of the.
“Didn’t think we were running off, did you?” Tiffany stated in humor.
I started filling my hands with as much meat as I could and started throwing it in the back of the deuce. “I didn’t figure y’all went too far. I actually figured y’all were out looking for us.”
About a quarter of the way into loading the meat down, I could see a rotter making its way around coming towards us. I grabbed the crossbow and loaded it. I shot it in its shoulder from a bad aim. So I loaded it again and shot it in the head.
I grabbed all the arrows for it and jumped into the gator. “Bo, come with me. The rest of you get everything done. Drive out the side gate, close it and wait for us there. Only wait for as long as you can. Do not let yourself get surrounded.”
Bo and I shot out of there as fast as we could go. “Are you any good at a crossbow?”
“I’ve never shot one!” He
answered.
I hugged the winding curves. “Today was my first time as
well…Here, take the wheel. We want them to follow us the opposite direction of the restaurant.”
He moved over into the driver’s seat and I jumped into the back. I planted my feet into the tailgate and my back against the seats that were rolling over from the front. My legs were too long to stretch completely out, so my knees were sticking up about chest high. I loaded the
crossbow and waited for the next corner.
There was at least two-hundred rotters, but they were all spread out. “God damnit! They’re too spread out.” I screamed out.
Bo stopped the gator and observed the mighty group of rotters.
I started calling out as loud as I could. “WE’RE HERE! COME GET US MOTHER FUCKERS! WE’RE HERE!”
Bo started chanting with me. The spread group started pulling tighter as they made their way toward us with their arms stretched out in full.<
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“GO!” I sc reamed out to Bo when the closest one was only a few feet from us. I shot the rotter between the eyes and loaded another arrow.
We pulled forward about twenty feet and stopped again to keep them interested in our flesh and not our groups. They didn’t move that fast from the cold, so it was buying us more time than we usually had. I could see a sign for the wild cats ahead.
“Okay, brother.” I took a deep exhale. “Bear with me. You may think I’m crazy, but I have an idea.”
He looked over his shoulder at me. “This isn’t the time to be pulling crazy stunts!”
“Gas it and back up to the tiger exhibit.” I stated.
He stomped down on the gas and slammed on the brakes as we pull in front of the exhibit and backed right up to it. I slung a rope around the bars and tied it off and reached down and tied it to the gator. The horde had already reached us.
“GAS IT!” I screamed out while kicking them away from the gator.
He slammed his foot on the pedal once again and ripped the bars from the enclosure. The tigers came running out pouncing with great impact onto the horde, with surprise they bypassed us altogether. The whole horde started getting involved with ripping at the tigers.
“Bro, this isn’t going to work.” Bo stated.
“Yeah it will, they just need some more help. Quick, back me up to the next exhibit.” I responded.
We started ripping the bars off one by one until the rotters was having their ass handed to them by the beasts. The last one we tore down was the grizzly bear exhibit. We ripped the fence down and closed one of the employee gates on the other side to block the animals and rotters from coming any further.
I stood up and started looking around. I could see the top of the deuce making its way out of the zoo. “We did it buddy! They’re out. Let’s go meet them.”
I jumped back in the front with Bo and made our way to the gate.
Once back to the gate, we climbed over and could see everyone waiting outside of their vehicles., all with worried looks.
“There they are!” I could hear Steven call out.
They all walked around to the back of the vehicles and waited for us to join them.