by TJ Weeks
“What’s the plan?” Kris asked.
“I want Kris driving the front deuce with Daltin. I want Tina driving the other deuce with Tiffany. I want everyone else in the back helping skin those warthogs.” I answered.
“What about the truck?” Gizmo asked.
“I’m going to drive it, Bo with me. However, y’all need to go straight back to the base. We’ll join up with you later tonight or in the morning.” I responded.
“Where the fuck are you going.” Kris asked.
I grabbed my backpack from the deuce and threw it in the back of the truck. “We’re going shopping.”
Before anyone could argue, I jumped in the truck and started driving around the pack and pulled out.
“Your wife is going to be pissed when we get back.” Bo suggested.
“Probably, but that’s the beauty of the apocalypse…no cell phones to tell me about it until she sees me again.” I started laughing.
He started laughing too. “That is true. So where are we going?”
“There’s a Wal -Mart about fifteen miles down the road. Figure we’ll grab all the barbeque pits we can fit in the back and do some shopping for some spices to cook with. Possibly some marinades.” I answered.
He sat up straight in his seat. “Sounds good to me.”
I smiled. “I hope so or all that meat will end up being a stew of some sort.”
After about fifteen to twenty minutes of driving I could see the Wal-Mart sign ahead. I could see Bo moving around in his seat getting antsy. I pulled into the parking lot and could see the pits still sitting out front as displays. I whipped in and backed right up to them. We jumped out and started loading the bigger one’s first and then moving to some of the smaller camping barbeque pits. Once we were loaded down I pulled up to the front and drove with my bumper only inches from the doors. We walked in through the exit doors, once inside I turned and slid the bolt up into the frame to lock it up tight. We each grabbed a cart and started rolling them to the food section. Instead of trying to figure out what spices we wanted, I just raked them all into the basket. A few aisles down were the marinades. I grabbed all that I could as Bo started grabbing all the
mustards, ketchups and mayonnaise containers that he could. I started piling barbeque sauces in his cart as well.
“So are we good?” Bo asked seeming eager to get out of the store.
I started pushing my cart toward the back. “No, still need a few more things.”
I snatched up all the starter logs, charcoal and lighter fluid that I saw and then headed back to the lawn and garden section.
I started loading injectors, propane tanks, spatulas, wire brushes, tongs and all other cooking things I could find.
Bo saw a shelf of temperature gauges and just grabbed them all and added to his basket.
I pulled my lighter out of my pocket and tossed it onto the floor, walked over to the register and grabbed three new ones.
We pushed the carts to the front and looked around before opening the door back up. The door opened and we started filling all the empty spaces with our items. Once we ran out of room, we started throwing everything in the back seat. The truck was completely loaded down.
Bo got in on the passenger side. “Now home?”
I got in and lit a cigarette. “Yep, now we go home.”
I backed up far enough to turn around. I was worried about the pits falling out, but they didn’t budge as I took the turns from being so stuffed in there.
CHAPTER SEVEN
PULLING UP to the gate, we
stopped. I could see a mass of people actually helping unload the deuces and even beginning to skin out the rest of what we had brought home and could see Donald jogging over to open the gate.
Donald opened the gate and we drove in with him closing the gate behind us.
I drove straight over to the crowd and parked. We got out and I walked over to find my wife.
“Damn, I wish we had this much help on doing everything. Where are you having them put it?” I asked her.
She was directing everyone with Karen. “We’re storing it in the cafeteria walkin fridge.”
“Sounds good.” I responded to her and then stepped up on the deuce. “I need about ten people to unload the truck. The condiments can go in the cafeteria, but the barbeque pits need to go outside in front of the school…I know everyone is eager to dig into these new meats we’re bringing in and you will be able to. Tomorrow, we’ll be closing the cafeteria and barbequing for everyone.”
Everyone cheered and several people ran over to the truck to unload it. By the time I made it back to my truck, there was only the back seat that had anything left and it was cleared in the matter of minutes. I was impressed.
I turned and looked at Bo. “Guess we should go hunting at the zoo more often.”
“Fuck that, ever ything will be tainted from the rotters or ripped apart from all the predators you turned loose.” He stated.
I shrugged my shoulders. “At lea st we got everyone out and were able to take ourselves off the dinner list.”
“What are you talking about?” Gizmo asked while only catching a small portion of the conversation.
“He turned loose the wild cats and bears to buy time for everyone to get out.” Bo stated.
“Shit happens.” Gizmo responded. “Where’s Steven?” I asked.
“He said he was going to go rack out. He was looking pretty pale.” Gizmo answered.
A scream broke out and silenced the crowd. The three of us took off running toward the commotion. I flung the school doors open and ran inside. At the end of the hall I could see Sandra beating the shit out of someone with a bat.
“What the fuck!” I called out while still running.
I ran up and snatched the bat from her and looked down as she went in for another hit. Hudson laid
motionless on the floor up against the wall with huge chunks taken out of him. Steven’s head was completely crushed in from the bat with blood flowing and his brain matter was spread over the hall and walls. I could only tell it was him from his missing arm. As if things couldn’t get any worse, I turned to ask Sandra what happened and could see blood soaking her shirt and rolling down the front of her out of her collar bone and chest area.
Gizmo slid across the floor
grabbing Hudson up and pulling him to his chest. He pulled him in close to him and squeezed, trying to shake him to life. Even as a man, you never get used to the chills that you get when hearing a grown man cry.
Hudson’s body started twitching a bit. Gizmo pulled him in tighter and stood up walking him outside. By the time that he hit the front doors
Hudson was flinging around
furiously. His arms and legs whipped around Gizmo’s stout frame and almost looked to be coming out of his grip. Gizmo couldn’t go far out of the school because of the crowd. Tina started running over when Gizmo dropped Hudson to the ground and quickly pulled out his pistol and emptied the clip into his own son’s head.
Sandra walked outside drowning herself in tears that she couldn’t save him. Before anyone could question what had happened, I walked out and stuck my knife into the side of her head. Her body instantly dropped. I placed my foot on her neck and pulled my knife back out.
Tina was crying so hard that no words could surface. She was barely taking in breaths when she flipped out and started slapping Gizmo across the face and chest. Gizmo stood with tears streaming and was only able to block a few of her hits.
I walked out to the storage passed Karen and grabbed a shovel.
Everyone was standing still watching everything going on in shock of the events.
I walked out into the back field and started shoveling dirt. It didn’t take long before I felt the presence of others. Kris, Bo, Howard and Gizmo walked over with shovels and started breaking surface as well.
Gizmo didn’t say a word, but still had tears falling from his face, a sob would be heard throughout his digging and he would stop to wipe hi
s face. I wanted to be a good friend and comfort him, but I thought back when Sidnie was taken from me and how I felt. I didn’t have to witness it all like he just did. I didn’t have to pull the trigger on her. I could only imagine the pain that ran through his soul.
It took about an hour for us to dig all the holes. We all went back to the school to gather the bodies. Gizmo carried Hudson that he had to pry from Tina as she screamed for him not to take him, and dropped her whole body to the ground as he walked away with him. I threw Steven’s body over my shoulder and carried him and Bo and Kris carried Sandra.
For the first time ever, no gate was manned, no cooks were cooking, no one was working the power plant, and we all joined the funerals that were happening.
I laid Steven’s mangled body down as gently as I could. I could feel the blood trickling from my fallen brother down my back and shoulder blade.
I stood at the front. “I didn’t know Sandra well, but we were lucky to have her…Steven, my friend, my comrade, I hope the heavens take you into their arms and lead you to your wife and kids again…. Hudson, you were like a son to me. I watched you grow up and you were taken much too young. I hope God leads you into heaven better than he’s let the world go to hell.” I walked off so everyone else could say their goodbyes.
Kris jogged up to catch up with me. “Where are you going?”
I never missed a stride. “I’m going to check on the meat and start
throwing some marinade on some of the things for tomorrow.”
“Do you really think a barbeque is a good idea right now?” She
suggested.
I stopped and looked at her. “I think a barbeque is something that everyone needs. We don’t need to sit around and mope no matter how hurt we are. I didn’t get to mope for my losses either and I’m glad that I didn’t. You either get on living or you give up while dying.” I continued walking.
Kris stayed standing there trying to wrap her mind around it all.
Gizmo walked by Kris with tears still going. “He’s right.”
Kris turned around to see Cloie and Tina dropped to their knees still out by Hudson’s grave. Tina was
brushing her hands across the top of the dirt gently as if she was combing his hair back with her finger tips. Cloie had her hand on Tina’s back trying to comfort her crying for her brother.
I walked into the cafeteria and into the back to look at what all the meat we had. Meat almost fell out of the walk-in we had so much packed in there. I pulled out one of the alligator tails. Before I could make my way out of the walk-in with it, Gizmo was standing there with his hands held out waiting for me to hand it to him.
“You should be with your family, brother.” I recommended.
He wiped the tears from his face. “You’re probably right.” He grabbed the tail and sat it on a table behind him.
I stepped out and hugged him. “Go be with your family, brother.
Tomorrow is another day.”
I could hear the front door open and Howard, Bo and Kris walked into the back. Gizmo looked at everyone and walked out.
“Can we help?” Howard asked.
I cracked a small half smile to the thought of complete strangers
becoming family. “Sure.” I opened the walk-in and went back inside. I grabbed a couple slabs of deer and a couple of slabs of hog and handed it over to each of them.
I stepped back out of the walk-in and started looking at all the meat that covered all four stainless steel tables. I grabbed a cleaver from off the wall and started with the alligator tail, slicing it into one inch cuts.
“What are you going to make with those?” Bo asked.
I continued slicing. “You ain’t ever had alligator steaks?”
“I guess I can’t say that I have.” He answered.
“What are you wanting to do with the rest?” Howard asked as Milissa, Bobbi and Chelley came walking through the back.
I turned and looked at them. “I want all the back straps sliced into one inch steaks. The pork butts I want left as is. Everything else just cut down small enough to throw onto the pits.”
We all started working together to get it done. I started pulling the spices and soaking them down. The rest I put in the marinade, then covered
everything in aluminum foil. We had to place everything back into the walk-in once it was ready since we didn’t have enough room for it anywhere else.
Everyone started leaving once we had the meat put up. I stayed behind and cleaned all the knives and
cleavers.
Once I was finished washing, I laid them out on a white kitchen towel next to the sink. When I walked out Milissa, Bobbi and Chelley were walking back inside to start their shift. I held the door open for them and walked out.
Tina was standing there taking deep inhales from a cigarette. I could see she had a decent grip on it seeing as how her hands were trembling uncontrollably. I wasn’t sure what to say, so I decided to just walk on by her, but she stopped me.
As soon as I felt her hand on my arm, I dropped my head and closed my eyes, not wanting to see the grief in her face, she threw her hands around my neck and gave me a hug. “Thank you for always being there for my family.”
That’s all she said and released her hug and walked into the cafeteria. Gizmo walked by and patted my back and followed her inside with Cloie.
I continued to the school to find my bed.
“TJ!” I heard someone call from behind.
I turned to see Tiffany and Robin standing there.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“Do you have a place we can catch some “Z’s”?” Tiffany asked.
I turned back around. “Yeah, follow me.”
We walked into the school and to the end of the hall. I walked into Steven’s old room. It was a mess. I guess from when Steven turned. Bo was already there cleaning things up.
“Hey brother, do you want some company?” I asked.
He looked up at me from picking things up from the floor.
“Sure…what’s up?”
I stepped inside. “Not much, but they need a room to crash out in.”
He had his knife in hand and gestured to all the room that was available. “There’s plenty of room.”
“One of you can have Steven’s old cot and I’m sure Bo can help you locate another one.” I stated while walking in and grabbing my cot and walking it back to my own room.
Kris was sitting on the end of the cot talking to Daltin and Shianne when I walked in.
I set my cot back up next to my wife’s and gathered some clothes. “I’ll be back in a few. I need a
shower.”
I walked out and went down the hall to the shower. I turned the water on and stripped down before entering. I stepped into the water stream and placed my hands flat on the wall letting the water beam off of the top of my head and down the spine of my back. I tried my hardest to relax and let the hot water steam up a bit and inhaled deeply and let out a sigh feeling the tension release just a tad from my back.
“Nice butt.” Tiffany stated as she walked passed my stall followed by laughs.
I removed my hands from the wall and turned my head to see Tiffany walking by and could feel my body tense a bit with the strange feeling of her there.
I continued taking my shower. I could hear her shower turn on a few stalls down.
“So I’m sure now’s not the best time to talk about it, but what
positions would you like for us to do around here?” She questioned.
“We’ll figure all that out in the next few days. However, you’re a medic, so be a medic.” I responded with the water rolling down my face.
“What about when no one is sick or hurt?” She questioned further.
“I’m sure we’ll figure out
something. I’d worry about getting you a good night’s rest before
worrying about what work you can do. There will be plenty before you know it.” I responded while finishing up my sh
ower and drying off.
She agreed with me and I made my exit since I was feeling a little weird with being in the shower and naked around a female that wasn’t my wife.
CHAPTER EIGHT
I SHOT out of bed as soon as I opened my eyes to see the sun was coming up and started getting dressed.
I ran out and started heading to the cafeteria to grab the items to start up the barbeque pits. We had fifteen pits total counting the smaller ones. Five of them were big smokers that would hold at least four full sized briskets if needed. I put the log starters in each of them and then walked out to the storage and grabbed an axe and chainsaw, then to my truck. I pulled the truck up to the gate.
“Where are you going?” Donald questioned.
“It’s where are we going.” I
corrected.
He looked confused but opened the gate, let me pull out, closed the gate and jumped in.
I turned along the side of our car pileup that we had going on the outside of our fence and stopped. We both got out and looked around. I could see that I wouldn’t have to lay any trees over, there was a lot of wood already seasoned and lying on the ground. With a few quick pulls, I started up the chainsaw and went to town cutting everything into one foot sections. Donald caught on to what was happening and started burying the axe into the logs and splitting them into quarters before throwing them in the back of the truck.
Karen, Kris and Lisa walked out of the gate with another chainsaw and two axes to join us. I didn’t say anything to them and was happy for the help.
It took us about an hour to get the truck fully loaded. It was piled up over my back window, so when backing back up, it wasn’t clear on where I was going without my rear view mirrors.
After a little help from Lisa on guiding me back, I was straight again and waited for Karen to open the gate to pull in.
I pulled straight up to the barbeque pits and let the tailgate down. I handed Donald the axe and chainsaw so he could put it back and I started loading the pits down with wood. I ran back into the cafeteria to grab all the temperature gauges and started putting them on. All the pits already had factory gauges on them, but was shitty to use. Once I got all the pits between three-hundred and three twenty-five, I went inside to get the meat.