Dead in the Valley

by C M Rutherford

  "Drop your weapon. Now!" Gloria said, taking a step forwards.

  "Why? We took you in, saved you from the attacking infected," Justin said in disbelief.

  "Fool. You didn't save me. I was right where I needed to be. You should have never attacked the Lords and Masters. Now we know where you are. I will not kill you. I’ll let the infected do that, so when your friends come, they will have to put you down. Then the Lords and Masters will make your whole group pay. Those who survive will be used as playthings until they are worn out."

  Gloria fired a round to Justin's knee. She placed a second to the opposite knee. Justin grabbed the side of the truck, but he could not stay on his feet. The telltale growl-hiss that came from the infected drew closer. Justin watched an evil smile spread across Gloria’s face as three infected shambled towards him.

  He watched as Gloria shot two of the infected.

  “This way, you dead bastard. I have a nice juicy meal for you,” Gloria said as she walked behind Justin.

  Justin looked on helplessly as the infected homed in on the scent of blood leaking from his ruined legs. He tried to crawl under the truck, but the slightest movement caused the pain in his knees to flare like a sunspot.

  "I hope when my friends kill you, it’s a painful death," Justin spat at Gloria.

  The infected fell on top of Justin, biting down on his right shoulder and ripping a chunk of meat and muscle away. Justin screamed in pain.

  Gloria raised her gun and shot the infected in the head. Justin looked up and she smiled at him.

  "I don't want you to die now. I want you to turn." Gloria laughed.

  Justin was helpless to do anything as Gloria gathered all the weapons and took his Bronco. She tore out of the mill heading in the direction of Winchester.

  ◆◆◆

  Gloria could not wait to deliver the news to Dante. The plan to locate the survivors who had freed the hostages had worked much better than she expected. She would be able to provide all the details to formulate the plan for attack.

  She was amazed at how easy it had been to infiltrate the group. They were so naïve they would bring anyone into their safe haven without a second thought. Gloria wished she could be there to see the look on their sanctimonious faces when they found their friend turned to one of the infected.

  The only way to survive in this world was to watch out for number one. These fools so intent on helping others put themselves at risk with each person they gave refuge. Ultimately the strong survive and the weak perish. The Marshalls would not last long in this new existence.

  ◆◆◆

  Wade had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as soon as Bull turned into the mill. Two loaded flatbeds sat in front of the warehouse. Wade’s feet hit the ground before the GMV had even come to a complete stop. He ran to the trucks. A body was lying beside the first truck. He couldn't remember the man's name, just that he was a friend of Justin's. The man had been shot in the back of the head, judging from the way he looked. Wade moved to the rear of the truck and witnessed Justin bent over the exposed midsection of his cousin Joe. Justin turned towards Wade, face covered in blood, and pieces of his cousin's intestines hanging from his mouth. Justin had tipped the scales at over 300 pounds in life. Now with gunshots to both legs, one of which seemed to have disintegrated his kneecap, his legs would not support his girth. He crawled towards Wade.

  "Oh no, Justin," Wade said, falling to his knees, heartbroken at the fate of his old friend.

  "Wade, go back to the GMV," Derek said, helping Wade stand on weak legs.

  Derek waited until Wade was out of sight and put a round between Justin's eyes. Signaling for Taco and Bull, they loaded the bodies of the men into the back of the GMV, so they could be buried with the other casualties thus far of the apocalypse. The three soldiers finished securing the loads on the trucks. Bull and Taco each drove one of the flatbeds, and Derek drove the GMV back to the farm.

  ◆◆◆

  Wade's despondence was palpable. Every single person on the council who knew him well realized he blamed himself for Justin's death. He had been abnormally quiet since returning from the mill. Kelly could not even get him to talk to her since learning of Justin’s fate.

  Derek stood and drew the attention of the council.

  "We need to prepare for an attack. Make no mistake, they will be coming. Gloria knows about the soldiers planning to join us here in a couple of weeks. They won't wait that long. Wade, people die in war, and without a doubt … we’re at war. Not only are we at war with the dead, but the Lords and Masters are even more of a threat. You aren't responsible for Justin's death. The Lords and Masters are the ones who are responsible. Now, we need you to suck it up and get back in the fight," Derek said, raising his voice.

  Wade knew deep down that Derek was right. He would always feel somewhat responsible for Justin's death. He had to get past it now. They had an imminent threat to deal with. There would be time to grieve later. For now, they had to prepare to defend themselves.

  Wade nodded to Derek to let him know he understood. Derek returned to his seat again and Wade took the lead.

  "Is there any way we could convince the guardsmen to come now to bolster our numbers? I don't doubt the people here will do all they can, but it would be great to have some more soldiers who are trained to fight," Wade said, shaking off his melancholy.

  "I will reach out. Even if we could get both groups to send a small detachment, it would help," Derek replied.

  "I think we should build some log barriers near the pit. We can put shooters behind them, provide them some cover. We can also have the pit prepared to light off when they make their move," Wade said.

  "Sounds like a solid plan to me. All those in favor?" Derek said, smiling at his friend.

  Kelly looked to Derek and discreetly mouthed, "Thank you.”

  Everyone agreed with the plan. Pete Jacobs raised his hand.

  "Pete, just jump in, buddy. What are your thoughts?" Wade said.

  "One of the trucks we brought back from the plant was full of grill tanks. They only hold about nineteen pounds of propane. Propane expands to thirty-two times its volume when the liquid boils off to gas. We could bury those tanks all around the approach to the farm. If we have a shooter who can pop them when needed, they will make quite a bang," Pete finished.

  "Have I told you how glad I am to have you here, Pete?" Wade said, smiling.

  “I think it’s best if we send out a couple of teams to watch the approaches. I want to know when they are coming,” Derek said.

  “There are several good spots along Route 7 that are elevated and have clear views for miles in every direction,” Ben added.

  “If possible, we need to keep your two medics out of the defenses so they can triage any wounded. That will free Kim and myself to deal with the serious cases,” Doc Haynes suggested.

  With a solid plan in place, the council dismissed and everyone moved off to do what they could to get the farm ready for a fight. The Lords and Masters would not wait long. They would want to try to wipe them out completely before the soldiers arrived. Derek sent Bull and Static out immediately after the meeting to visit the two National Guard groups to see if they could offer any support. Now all they could do was hope for the best.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Hostiles

  We had become exceptionally adept at killing the infected. We were well armed and had our community secured against the dead. Fighting living human beings is a horse of another color. It would not be easy even for the living to breach our defenses, but unlike the mindless, slow advance of the infected, living people were able to think and reason. They could improvise and adapt. We had secured Mountain Home as completely as we could, but it was nearly impossible to determine what a group of living hostiles would throw at our safe haven.

  I worried we would forget some crucial element that would cause people in our community to lose their lives. I could only pray we would prevail with as little loss of life as pos
sible. I hoped that we would be able to eradicate the Lords and Masters once and for all. As far as I was concerned, none of them deserved to live. If any of them survived, they would be a threat again.

  As I write this now, I realize how much I have changed in the last couple of months since the world was dealt the mother of shit hands. I am contemplating the death of who knows how many people, determining what acceptable losses are, to take the lives of those we deem evil. It is unbelievable how your values change when faced with death on a daily basis.

  I regret having to take a life, but these men have left us little choice. It has now come down to them or us. We will defend our home with deadly force. I won't allow men like this to continue preying on the few remaining souls who have managed to survive.

  Wade Marshall

  ◆◆◆

  Gloria mashed the accelerator, pushing the old Bronco's engine to its limits. She wanted to get to Dante as soon as possible with the location of the settlement. The Lords and Masters needed to attack before the other soldiers came and reinforced their ranks. Gloria had belonged to Dante, body and soul, since she was sixteen. He had taken her off the streets and provided a home. In return, he demanded her undying loyalty. Gloria was the only female member of the Lords and Masters. All other women who came to the gang were playthings or slaves for the rest of the gang. Gloria had no interaction with the female prisoners and they were all confined to one or two locations. Dante did not need the slaves to keep him entertained. Gloria saw to all of his needs personally.

  Using the same back roads that Wade's group had traveled, Gloria made her way back to Winchester. The Lords and Masters had moved their base of operations to the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center. They had met resistance from the guards but quickly overwhelmed their meager numbers.

  The jail had been secured at the onset of the outbreak and for the most part intact. There had been a few infected, but the guards were able to dispatch them quickly to keep the virus from spreading. The jail could house about 450 inmates, plus there was additional housing for work-release inmates that was nearly 200 beds. The staff numbered close to 200. Sixty of those were administrative staff, leaving about 120 corrections officers, which were split between three shifts.

  Gloria pulled up and noted the front entrance was heavily guarded. There were bodies piled outside the front of the building, compromised of the staff and corrections officers. She carefully stepped into view so the sentries could identify her. The doors unlocked and flew open wide. Dante came out of the building and met Gloria, wrapping her in a smothering embrace.

  "Mi Amor, I’ve been worried. I thought perhaps you were discovered," Dante said, crushing his lips to hers.

  "No, Dante, it worked perfectly. They never suspected a thing. I killed three of them then made my escape. I have their location now, and the layout of their defenses. We must hurry though, my love, they will soon have a lot more soldiers coming to their base. It will be much harder with another 200 fighters. We must strike soon. The reinforcements are supposed to arrive in two weeks," Gloria said.

  “Don't worry. We have gained more men and weapons here. We will move on them before they can bolster their defenses. Come, tell me all you have found out," Dante said, taking Gloria under his arm and leading her inside.

  “We lost ten of our men taking this facility. The guards eventually gave up. Our numbers made it impossible for them to hold out. I gave the prisoners a choice … join us or die. Our numbers grew a great deal,” Dante said with a smile.

  “You always have been very persuasive, my love,” Gloria said, running her fingertips down the side of Dante’s face.

  “The guards and staff were then dealt with as I am sure you saw. But enough business. First you will show me how much you missed me, then we will discuss what you have learned,” Dante said, pulling Gloria to him.

  ◆◆◆

  Dante paced back and forth in front of the thirty gang members he had chosen for this task.

  “I want you to gather a massive horde of the undead. Drive downtown and get them to follow you. It would be good to go to the police station and take the SUVs they have. You can use the sirens to draw the dead. They are concentrated in the downtown area. Once you have gathered them, take them to the shopping mall on Route 7. I had men go out earlier and place portable CD players on the roofs of the buildings. Once you have gathered a large group and led them to the mall, the sound will keep them there. For the next two days I want you to draw as many of the dead as possible into that area,” Dante instructed.

  “Yes, Dante,” the group answered in unison.

  “Two days from now at noon, you will lead our undead army out of the city towards the settlement. It will take the dead a long time to walk the twelve miles, so we should arrive before daybreak on Saturday to start the attack. You men will lead the horde on a frontal assault. The rest of us will be attacking from multiple directions,” Dante ordered.

  "They have a pit surrounding the property that will take out most of the walkers without firing a shot," Gloria informed Dante.

  "Well, then they will at least be a distraction while we attack from behind them. I have an idea that may allow us to get a few of the dead inside their perimeter,” Dante replied.

  “They have a barrier built with trees on the southern side. It is formidable but we can work our way through. It may slow us, but it is more a defense against the dead than the living. They have another on the eastern side at the foot of the mountain. The north side has the river running the entire length. Only a fence is on that side of the property,” Gloria finished.

  ◆◆◆

  Groups traveled back and forth across the city, concentrating on those areas with the highest mass of infected. They rode the streets, blaring the sirens, making as much noise as possible. Like the Pied Piper, they led the infected through the streets of Winchester, gathering more as they went to the east end of town. This went on for days. The men had chosen a large shopping plaza to gather all the dead. There were likely 4,000 or more infected listlessly wandering around the parking lot.

  They had men on the rooftops who would intermittently turn the radios on, blaring music anytime the dead began to wander away from the collection point. Even thirty feet above the infected, the stench from such a massive horde was almost unbearable. The men on roof wore bandannas over their faces all the time to try to lessen the horrible smell of decaying corpses.

  Dante gave the men herding the dead orders to begin moving down Route 7 in two days. He would gather the rest of his men and weapons and catch up to them before they reached their destination.

  Soon he would have his revenge. These rubes would regret ever interfering with the Lords and Masters. Dante could not wait to set his plan in action. Gloria had provided him invaluable details on the layout of the settlement. He would be able to prepare a plan of attack.

  ◆◆◆

  The council was discussing any additional preparations they could set in motion to fortify for the impending attack when Taco and Calf stormed into Ben's dining room, the now improvised council meeting chambers. Wade rose to his feet, immediately sensing trouble.

  "What is it," Wade said without preamble.

  "We found some of our men while on our patrol of the east side of town. They had been nailed to improvised crosses and left for the dead. The bastards hung them low enough the dead could get to them. Two of them had turned. The others were already dead. I found these hanging around their necks," Taco said, tossing a collection of bloodied cardboard on the table.

  Wade turned the sign and read the word "COWARDS" scrawled across the once white cardboard. “They are sending us a message with this. They think we are no match for them. I suppose our rescue of the women stung them more than I had thought," Derek said.

  "Who were they, the men, I mean?” Wade asked.

  "Mike Dawson, Wes Connely, Dean Welsh, and Josh Foster were all dead. The other two; Ralph Benson, and Greg Wilkes, had been alive when they put
them on the crosses. They had both turned. We had to put them down before cutting them loose. I brought all the bodies back. There weren’t any signs of the gang, and I made sure nobody was shadowing us on the way back.”

  "Well, they know where we are and a lot more about our layout than I would like. We need to double the guards just to be safe. I would expect them to move fast. Gloria knew we were trying to get more soldiers here in the next couple of weeks. Luckily, she didn't get the information that at least 100 arrive tomorrow or the next day," Wade said.

  "We also need to get spotters deployed on every possible approach between the farm and Winchester. It would be best to have these groups made up of military personnel along with one civilian who knows the area well," Derek said.

  "I agree. If there are no objections, I think Derek should handle assembling and deploying our spotter teams," Wade said, looking around at the council members.

  With that settled, the group began drilling down on the specifics of defending the farm. Everyone agreed that a frontal assault would likely not happen with the clear firing lines they would have from the containers. The pit would be a huge obstacle for anyone approaching from the front of the property. That left the river and forest approaches to be the likely areas where they would be pressed. While it was a possibility they could come from the rear, it was highly unlikely given the terrain they would have to deal with to attack from that side.

  “I think it would be best to deploy the bulk of our military men on the southern approach. The Ma Deuces will be able to send lots of firepower into the wooded area and not be as ineffective in the undergrowth. Another GMV can watch the northern river side approach. We put the Strykers out front between the pit and the container wall to fortify against frontal attacks from the west. The soldiers due to arrive in the next couple of days, we’ll divide into three QRF (quick reactionary force) detachments to reinforce as necessary. That means there would be fewer soldiers at shooting positions along the container wall, but it positions the most able fighters in the most likely areas from which attacks will come. The last GMV would be with the spotting crew who would be at their second-best vantage point about a mile from the farm. They may find some targets of opportunity at the rear of the attacking force,” Derek explained.