by Joe Kelly
Jared felt tired, more tired than any other time in his life. The first place he had wanted to check out after they had left his camp outside of Bergstown had been the Oakridge nuclear facility. Excitement had swept the group when they were five miles out from Oakridge and could see the orange glow of lights on the dark horizon.
Jared had gotten them to camp that night in a fenced in storage facility the next morning he took a scout team to check out the Facility. Not wanting to risk going through Oakridge they had gone on foot, cross country, the woods were thick with undergrowth, climbing a steep hill that overlooked part of the facility they found the fence line covered by undead. He doubted there was a zombie left in the city because they all had to be there.
The team had stayed hidden watching the place all day and into the night. When the lights came on deep in the facility that night the allure had almost been overwhelming. Lights, meant warmth, civilization, the world they had started to forget, and it was beyond their reach. The team had silently returned to their camp and spread the news.
The next day before he could send Ronny up in the ultralight, they had to put down almost a hundred zombies that had appeared just before dawn.
Once they had the undead cleared out they had quickly gotten Ronny into the air. Ronny had flown over the facility dropping a box of candy bars and note that gave the radio channel to talk to Jared’s people. No message had come in the two days they had lingered in the area moving from place to place to avoid the dead and now they were too far away to pick up a transmission.
Not that we could have stayed there, Jared told himself, not if we are going to keep following the damn dreams. There are times I think we have all gone insane.
Jared rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands all he really wanted to do was to sleep a week curled up with Jill. “So how did Knoxville look?” Jared asked. Before Ronny had left to scout the route, he had asked Ronny to fly over the portions of the city closest to the camp on his way back. Thinking that maybe if it were possible to get in there they could do a few scavenging runs. He knew it was probably a pipe dream but without checking he wouldn’t know for a fact and judging by the look on Ronny’s face it wasn’t good.
“Bad! Really bad. That national Guard check point Logan and his group passed is far enough out from the city proper, that it doesn’t have a lot of zombies in the area, and there appears, from the air, to be a lot of equipment still there, vehicles and supplies. Also, there are bodies, the dead kind. Well the old-fashioned kind of dead that don’t move” Ronny shrugged slightly, “the nice part is that there are no trees for a good distance on either side so the undead can’t just step out and be on top of us.” Ronny said, “I took a lot of pictures of it for you to look at.”
“that will help plan a raid, thanks” Jared commented.
“but past the check point, maybe ten miles or so,” Ronny continued, “you start getting into the heavily populated areas, and those are places you really want to avoid.
But I did see places in the parts of Knoxville I could reach where people are still alive. At least if the crowds of undead surrounding them are an indication of life inside, mostly it was a few homes and apartment buildings, some businesses. One place is or was a national guard base. The fence is still up and there’s zombies ten deep along ever foot of the fence line. I didn’t see any people though.” Ronny shook his head. Knowing what Jared was probably thinking he added. “There’s no way to get to the Guard base, you would have to go thru a few thousand zombies just to get to the fence, then you would have to deal with another thousand or so around the fence. Assuming you make it past all that and get inside a few thousand more would be making their way to all the shooting.”
“I would love to have an arty division right about now. Just set up a Stereo system and draw the undead in and let artillery pound them into paste. We could clear a city like that,” Jared said leaning back in his chair and drumming his fingers on the table top beside his chair.
“I’ll see about locating an Artillery unit, but till then I guess we keep on bravely running away.” Ronny said, then downed the warm soda.
“Advancing to the rear, is the term that I like,” Jared said with true humor. Jill just shook her head; she had yet to understand how Jared and his friend’s sense of humor could survive so well under these conditions. But if it hadn’t she thought most of the group would have most likely given up and killed themselves by now. The fact that the men who led them appeared to be in a good mood and were not giving in to despair kept the others moving and hoping, and that, Jared had said more than once, was more important than gold ever had been.
They talked for a bit about options, and the need to get to that check point and see what they could scrounge up. Jared was at least happy that there were other people still alive. But he doubted that most of them would survive the winter.
As the conversation wound down Jill cleared her throat. “I need to talk to you about something”
Jared shrugged. “Go ahead. It’s not like I’m going to shoot you or anything. That would pretty much end my sex life” Jared said with a crooked smile. Ronnie laughed but for once didn’t let loose with a stream of jokes.
“It’s just that, well there’s a problem and no one is really dealing with it.” Jill said, looking at Jared then cut her eyes to Ronny who only held up a hand as if to ward her off.
“and what would that be?” Jared asked cautiously, not sure where she was going to take the conversation.
“The number of single men, versus the single women” Jill said, Jared sighed heavily, he had hoped no one would ever come to him and ask anything to do with stuff like that. But here it was, and if Jill was asking it meant that others were discussing the problem and had probably asked her to bring it up with him. Knowing he wouldn’t just blow her off. Why they expected him to have some special wisdom to share on the topic was beyond him.
“the only thing I can say is, people are going to have to figure out for themselves how they are going to deal with this. I can't, won’t start making rules for everyone else based on my own personal opinions or beliefs.” He said sincerely. “if a guy can't find a woman to date he has a few choices and he knows what they are. As long as he doesn’t start fights or force himself on a woman I’m not getting involved. People are going to have to figure out how they want to deal with it themselves.
The only thing I won’t tolerate is rape” Jared said his voice hard, he paused for a second. “you can relay this to whoever has been asking, I will castrate and then hang any rapists” he said coldly, a hard light flickered in his emerald eyes. He forced back the anger he felt at the thought of rapists and forced himself to smile “and I won’t tolerate others trying to brow beat people into living the way they think is correct.
Me personally I don’t care, it's not my place or anyone else’s to tell adults how to live their lives unless they’re harming others.” he said then shook his head. “And you really don’t want to know the can of beans that Ben and Ian are wanting to open.” He added almost smiling.
“Speaking of, both of them want to learn how to fly the ultralight.” Ronny said.
“Hell no” Jared responded. “They are just kids”
“Jared shut up and think. Those kids, are already adults whether we like to think it or not. After what they have been through and had to do we don’t have the right to treat them like kids,” Ronny said not giving an inch “and we really do need a couple of other people who can fly the thing in case something happens to me. And we both know the odds of that are good.” Ronny replied.
Jared nodded in agreement to that last. Then he caved, who in the hell was he to tell them they couldn’t. Ben didn’t even have a family any more. The ‘boy’ had stood firm, when others had run and killed zombies to protect himself and the kids in that elementary school. Ian might have family, but he had watched people die in wholesale lots, if his family thought it was okay then no problems.
He wasn’t going to say a
nything about the fact both boys had both been chasing older women either. Consider the boys ages, ages where raging hormones were in control and the lack of girls anywhere close to their age he wasn’t surprised. He didn’t know it but suspected that they had gotten what they were after too. “You can tell them both its okay. But clear it with Ian’s parents on the sly okay” Ronny nodded pleased with that answer.
God, I don’t want to be in charge of this crap. Saving lives, leading hopeless charges fine no problem. Getting these folks to a safe place great, that I can do, but deciding on who is old enough for what and who can date who, and what’s proper. Get real god, I have enough problems matching socks, I am no Solomon and I am not going to play one even if I did stay in a holiday Inn express once.
“Tomorrow we hit that Guard road block,” Jared said reaching a decision on something he was competent to decide. There was probably a lot they could use at that road block. But that was as close as they were going to get to the city. “and I need to go over the maps one more time I might have a route that will work.” He said as he reached for the pouch that held his collection of maps.
It was close to sunset when Clay entered the group hall. Limping he headed to the large pot of steaming soup on the stove. His stumps hurt today, nothing new really, somedays were good other days not so much. He had switched to his every day legs which usually helped. Usually, between the weather change and his overdoing it nothing was really going to make a difference in his pain. Sharon, who had lost her husband a month or so back, ladled soup into a bowl and passed it to him. “Sorry we don’t have bread to go with it.” She commented. She was just finding a way to make conversation with him, he knew. Many people found it hard to come up with something to say to him, since the first thing to come to mind was to comment on his lack of real legs.
“if that’s the worst to happen to me for the next year I will be happy.” Clay said taking the bowl in his hands. He almost sighed as the warmth from the bowl spread into his hands.
“true” she agreed her lips quirking in amusement that didn’t reach her eyes.
“you look tired” he observed.
“Haven’t been sleeping much lately” She said, her eyes turning towards the floor. I bet you haven’t clay thought.
He wanted to ask her if she’d had one of those to real dreams that others have had but he didn’t.
“tell you what, I will take over for you, so you can go rest. Besides the few people in here already have a bowl of soup.” Clay said. Sharon started to protest but he waved it off. “look, never look a gift horse in the mouth and honestly it’s not like my legs get tired of standing.” He said with a grin. My stumps are another story, but you don’t need to know that.
“you were limping a moment ago” Sharon pointed out.
“I was going to go for a guilt trip to get a second bowl of soup. But this way I can just fix one for myself after you gone.” Clay replied.
To her surprise she laughed “I needed that” she said after moment.
“and you need some rest. Let me help.” Clay urged her.
“okay you win. But if Jared gets pissed I’m sending him to you” She warned him. Not that Jared was going to complain but he was determined that everyone pulled their weight and Sharon did not want him thinking she was just taking advantage of Clay to have the rest of the day off.
“Trust me I can limp and look so pathetic he will just leave me alone” Clay assured her with a grin.
She pulled off the apron she wore before retrieving her rifle from the counter and slung it over her shoulder. “I appreciate it Clay, but don’t overdo it especially not on my account.” She said her tone turning serious.
“I’m not, besides its only for another hour and then I can go kick back on my very own half of a bed.”
“at least you’re not bunking in a RV full of little kids who are up and down all night.” She told him.
“you got me there.” Clay stated as he stepped behind the counter, glancing at the apron he decided not to wear it.
“Thanks Clay, I owe you.” Sharon said touching him on the arm.
He made a shooing motion towards the door. “go on, get out”
She had no sooner stepped out the door when Ronny and Ori entered, Ori he knew had just gotten off watch.
Clay sat down his own bowl and filled two bowls as they walked up. “Sharon, how flat chested you are today.” Ronny commented.
“Don’t mind him, he is an asshole.” Ori said flashing a grin at Ronny. “he is hoping to get spanked before he goes to bed.”
Clay had already heard stories about Ronny but believed Ronny and his fiancé were not as wild as some made them out to be. I might be wrong, but in the current situation, it would be hard to hide the evidence, he thought with amusement.
Ronny chuckled taking the bowl that Clay handed to him. He started to turn and head for a table then stopped. “you now I’m impressed, a lot of people with two legs just gave up and died. You don’t let much get you down do you?” Ronny said uncharacteristically serious.
“I try not to” Clay replied. “it’s hard not to sometimes, especially with all that going on” He said waving a hand to indicate the world around them. “you should have known me during the first three years after I lost my legs, I was an angry asshole with a grudge against the world.”
“Really? I wouldn’t have thought it.” Ronny replied. Ori stood there holding his steaming bowl of soup hoping that Ronny didn’t end up chewing on his own foot which was where his attempts at human conversation usually ended up.
“trust me, I was bad the only people I didn’t drive away were my mom and my cousin Charley, it was Charley who got through to me at least enough so that I would listen to him then he introduced me to a Nam vet who was a paraplegic. Buck Owens, not the old country star, Buck didn’t give me any slack and at some point, verbally beat me around the head enough that I started listening. After that it was dealing with it one day at a time till I crawled out of the angry self-pity hole and started living life again.”
“I’m still an asshole” Ronny offered with a lurking grin.
“now that’s true” Ori agreed. Sensing the conversation was over and Ronny hadn’t stuck his foot in it Ori headed for a table.
“Anyway, if you want to go on a run talk to Jared.” Ronny said then turned and headed for the table where Ori had already started eating.
“I will thanks” Clay said picking up his own bowl of soup. He felt almost happy at the acceptance, if Ronny and Ori accepted him then he suspected Jared had few reservations about his ability to pull his own weight.
The sun had set two hours ago, bringing colder temperatures with it. Jared stood beside the wood burning stove warming his hands listening to his friends talk quietly about the upcoming raid on the old guard check point. Half his attention was on Anne, who sat quietly at a table eating a late dinner with Carol.
He frowned to himself, wishing there was something he could do to help her out but knew there was nothing he, any man, could do to help her get past being held as a prisoner and raped repeatedly by that sick, twisted asshole Seth. What a damn life, he thought almost angrily, barely eighteen the world dies, and she ends up in the hands of a psychopath for months.
How many others out there, with their whole lives ahead of them, just out of high school were now dead, or even worse huddling in cold dark homes slowly starving to death. How many of those kids we took on trips were dead. How… stop it, he told himself sternly. There isn’t a damn thing you can do for the ones that are still alive out there unless you run across them and even less you can do for the ones who have already died other than to put down their corpses. You have the lives of twenty-six, thirty one counting Jeff and Kelly’s kids and thirty-seven adults to keep alive.
“so, do you like it?” Jill asked, coming to stand beside him. “your hair cut” she added.
“you’re getting good at distracting me when I’m heading for a funk” He said turning to face her. “
and yeah you didn’t do a bad job.” He said lifting a hand to run over the high and tight hair cut she had given him. “looks better than Ronny’s” he said grinning this time. “Mary needs practice,” He thought his gaze shifting to Ronny who sat with the others, a ball cap pulled low on his head to cover the Hair cut Mary had given him.
“where did you learn to cut hair.” He asked curiously. It wasn’t something he had suspected she knew how to do.
“I worked my way through college in a Hair salon. I thought that was a better choice than stripping.” Jill said without thinking.
Jared already feeling in a better mood held back from joking about how much he would have payed to see her strip. Ronny however, over hearing the comment had no such compunction.
“I would have paid good money to see that, you would have been rich before… oooow” He yelped as Mary Gibb slapped him.
“I cannot believe I am your Fiancée,” She said shaking her head in disgust.