by C M Hoffmann
Pops, “Look for now, let’s continue the hunt and let’s talk to the people on the perimeter. If they won’t move we have to come up with a new plan. We can’t just burn them out.”
Rapp, “What’s the end game though?”
Cane, “Yea, we can’t just run around the rest of our lives hunting steve down. There’s too many of them not enough of us.”
Wyatt, “Word.”
Pops, “We’ll deal with that when the time comes. For the time being, this is what we’ll do: Legacy and Basher take the south side, Ninja and Spartan take the north. Door to door, block by block, guys, I know it sucks but we need to reach out to each and every living person.” He points to four drawn grids on the laminated map. “These are your areas of operations. Everyone get your maps out and figure out your own way to copy mine. These X’s are the houses of those we know are up and living, have moved into the department and the houses have been stripped, and of those known to be dead and gone. The chief had some people going to the known dead’s houses and checking for supplies that’s why we don’t need to bother with them.”
Trey, “Ten four, Pops. We’ll get it done.”
The groups break down, fist bump, high five and wish each other luck. And so begins the long process of knocking on a few thousand doors...
KNOCK, KNOCK
Ninja starts its door to door activities near the dividing line of north and south Kenner. A two-story house is their first task.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Rapp, “KENNER POLICE! ANYONE INSIDE?! WE’RE HERE TO HELP!”
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Fred, “ANYONE ALIVE IN THERE? WE’RE LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS!”
After long seconds of waiting, the members of Ninja share a nod.
Rapp, “Who wants the first one?”
Fitz, “I got it.” He delivers a heavy heeled kick near the doorknob and the door swings open.
Ninja’s long guns come up and again they announce themselves into the empty doorway. They stare into the maw of the house. Nerves work at them. Unknowingly they all share a similar thought: I’ve cleared hundreds of houses and business, why am I nervous?
Rapp assumes the lead, “Alright, quick search to determine who or what may be in here. Afterwards we’ll do an inventory and see what we need. We got the green light to shoot, but if possible take it down quietly. Got it? Go!”
Ninja moves room to room in the house, clearing each with precision. As they make their way to the staircase a foul odor gets stronger.
Fitz, “Body?”
Fred, “Or steve, they do tend to stink.”
Rapp, “Alright upstairs, keep spacing between us in case we need to back up, first one in line safety off.”
Single file, Ninja makes its way upstairs. The stench gaining in intensity every step. Methodically they begin to sweep the rooms. The last corner room stands as the final obstacle, the door is closed and Fitz moves to boot it when Rapp grabs his arm.
Rapp, “Wanna see if it’s unlocked first, destructo?”
Fitz shrugs and reaches for the door knob. The knob turns, Fitz nods and swings the door open. The sight is a gruesome one and sends Ninja backpedaling down the hallway.
Fred, “Shit. That is NASTY!”
As they slowly approach the room again to truly absorb the area, Fitz backs up. “I’m going to keep watch at the front door.”
Rapp, “Go head, we’ll take care of this.”
Rapp and Fred survey the room as a crime scene. Blood and gore spatters the wall in an abstract painting of death and despair. Two middle age adults lie in the center of the room, a small bed in the corner of the room has a figure covered in a blanket. A single semi-automatic handgun lies between the two adults. Three spent shell casings glint in the light flooding the room from the window.
Fred, “Damn, it hasn’t even been three weeks from the Turn and they gave up.”
Rapp, “Some people have no hope. Maybe their kid got bit or something and they couldn’t live with it.”
“Or he could have turned in the beginning.”
“True, but there’s no sense in dwelling on it now. Let’s see if there’s anything useful in the house.”
Fred moves to pick up the discarded handgun, “Found one thing already.”
“Not sure how I feel taking things from the dead.”
“They don’t need it, we do. We need to keep the living alive and this might just help.”
“Yea I suppose, check the rest of the house let’s see what we can load up in the truck.”
As they search the house, they find about a dozen cans of assorted foods, a bottle of ibuprofen, some Advil PM sleep aids, a couple boxes of cereal, and three boxes of various size Band-Aids including a hello kitty pack. Fred and Rapp walk out with their haul and load it into the bed of the truck.
Rapp, “Fitz, wanna drive up to the next one?”
Silently Fitz gets into the truck and moves it forward. The next house is searched the same way. This time they find the house abandoned, pictures gone, linens, clothing, it looks as though the family evacuated. After clearing all the rooms for living or dead and finding none, Ninja begins to look for supplies. The search reveals a few more cans of food and some boxed rice but little of value.
The next few houses are the same way, devoid of life or death, no bountiful haul to speak of. On the tenth house of the day, Ninja gets its first response.
Old woman, “Who’s there? I’m armed!”
Fitz, “Ma’am, it’s the police. We’re here to help.”
An elderly woman opens the door a crack and seeing the Two-Six’s logo her eyes grow wide, “You’re not police!”
Rapp, “Ma’am, we’re a special team to aid the citizens still alive.”
“What took you so long to get here?”
Fred, “We’ve got a lot of houses to get to. Is there anything you need?”
“Oh so much, dear. My food is almost out, and I’m afraid I lied, I’m not armed.”
Rapp, “Well, Miss, we may have a solution for you. We’re trying to secure the city from the dead. We’d like you to move if you’re willing.”
“I’d be happy to get out of this place. It creaks something terrible and the only thing keeping those things out is that solid oak door my late husband put in to protect me when he departed this upside down world.”
“You can move to another house or stay here. We have a station set up at the police department to figure out what houses are livable. If you have a running vehicle, you can get there without too much trouble, whichever you choose.”
“Looks like fifty eight years of surviving in this old home has finally come to an end. Thank you boys, I wish I could give you something in return for your solution to my problems. Actually, my husband’s got some tools and equipment scattered about. You’re welcome to everything you need in this place. May I ask what you plan to do with this old shack?”
Fitz, “Honestly, we’re going to burn it down. We’re going to burn a line around the city and build a barricade to protect all of us.”
The old woman sighs, “I hate to say goodbye but it’s time. Thank you again and help yourself, the only thing I need are my memories. Bless you boys.” She pulls an old set of keys from her pocket and hobbles to her car. The old rusted vehicle cranks up and the old woman is lost down the road as she makes a turn.
“I feel a bit better now.”
Rapp, “Don’t get too excited yet, we’ve got a lot more houses to get to.”
Fred, “Always gotta ruin the mood don’t you?”
Rapp, “You know what, let’s have party! Or not seeing how we have to save the city. Now let’s see what we can get from here and move on. Daylight’s burning.”
♦ ♦ ♦
Legacy begins by the river, many of the houses there are already burnt to the ground. Doors smashed, windows shattered, and steves stretched out across every road.
Gavin, “I don’t remember us doing all this.”
Pops, “We didn’t
, but with this many laid out then someone’s gotta be taking care of them.”
“Hopefully they’re friendly, obviously they’re good at what they do.”
“I wouldn’t hold your breath. This isn’t just efficient, it’s brutal. There’s our first house, you ready?”
“Always.”
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Pops, “KENNER POLICE! ANYONE INSIDE?”
Man, “Yea, I’m here. What the fuck do you want? Got a warrant out for me? I figured you’d have more pressing issues with the zombies walking around.”
Gavin, “Real fucking charmer here.”
Pops, “Sir, can we speak to you?”
Man, “For what?”
“A way to secure the city.”
“Fuck the city, I’m fine on my own. Always have been; always will be.” A pump action shotgun racks, “And I suggest you get the fuck out of here.”
“Doesn’t have to be that way, we’re trying to save everyone.”
“You armed?”
“Yes.”
Gavin flips the safety off on his AR-15, and brings it to a high ready position tucked tightly into the pocket of his shoulder. Pops takes a step back from the house and grips his shotgun tightly.
BOOM! The front door of the house splinters, sending wood across the front lawn. Gavin and Pops retreat to either side of the house. BOOM! The door shudders and starts to fall apart. BOOM! The buckshot pellets can be heard ricocheting off the sidewalk. What remains of the door falls as the unknown man kicks it out.
Man, “Where y’at now motherfuckers?! Wanna take my house?! COME GET IT!!”
Pops now in cover on the side of the house, “We don’t want your house! We want to save the city!”
The man pivots with the shotgun to his shoulder in the direction of Pops’ voice. Before the man can pull the trigger again, Gavin swings his AR-15 around the corner of the opposite side of the house and squeezes the trigger in the three quick motions. All three shots enter the man’s torso and he drops to his knees.
Man gurgling, “Moth..er...fuck...ers....” with his last breath, he squeezes the trigger one last time, BOOM!, and shatters a porch light over his head. Glass rains down and sparks shower him as he falls forward onto his face. He lies dead on his front doorstep.
Pops, “Why did he have to go and shoot? All we wanted to do was talk.”
Gavin, “Fuck him. He shot first. We did what we had to do. This isn’t just about any one person; it’s about all of us. He could have just listened and said no. But he wanted to shoot instead. Speaking of which: dead check.” He draws his handgun and shoots the man in the back of his head.
“Really? I expected people to say no. I mean, in all honesty, if guys showed up at our doors and asked us to move, we’d say no too.”
“Difference is: we’re not forcing people to move. We just want to see who will cooperate. If not then we have orders to leave them be. Normally we wouldn’t even be doing this, we’d be out back at the lease by ourselves, surviving on our own. But now here we are trying to save a whole city instead of just ourselves.”
“You’ve got a point. We’re not FEMA or DHS or some other federal acronym relocating people because we feel like it. We can’t be selfish now, I think I’d much rather be in a group of ten thousand against a million steves as opposed to ten against a million. Now let’s go in and see what this one has to offer the greater good.”
“Greater good and the safety of people who aren’t complete dicks.” Unceremoniously he uses his boot to push the man away from the door and off the porch.
“That too.”
As Legacy moves room to room they work hard to keep their composure. Each room reveals a treasure trove. Cases of MRE’s. Cases of ammunition in assorted calibers. Gun safes with their doors wide open. Melee weapons of all sorts. Empty alcohol bottles are scattered about the whole house bringing the scene’s narrative to a quick and clichéd close.
Gavin, “Holy shit. Talk about hitting the jackpot.”
Pops, “Back in the truck and we’ll load up.”
As Gavin walks to the remains of the front door, “POPS! Steve must’ve heard us!”
Pops comes at a sprint next to Gavin on the doorstep. Five steves are staggering their way to the front door. “Just lurkers. No need to get all uptight.”
“Yea forgot about the whole procession thing.”
“Pro-gression. Anyway, let’s take ‘em out quietly so we don’t bring more in.”
Gavin and Pops make short work of the steves and Gavin backs the truck up to the front door. Several trips are made in and out of the house to collect all the gear.
Gavin, “Pops, shouldn’t we feel bad about this? I mean, I don’t, but I also feel like we should.”
Pops, “Not at all. The end of the world doesn’t give people the right to do whatever they please. All we wanted to do was talk, and he shot at us. Realistically, if you hadn’t popped him in the back; I was getting ready to take the corner, and we may not be having this conversation.”
“AND he might’ve messed up your hair. You’re getting old.”
“Bitch.”
Legacy laughs and when the loading is done, they move on to the next house. The next few houses are abandoned, and most of the area appears ransacked already.
Pops, “That might’ve been the only excitement of the day.”
Gavin, “Somehow I doubt we’ll be that lucky.”
♦ ♦ ♦
As Basher enters their assigned area, they come across a volatile situation. A young man in his mid-twenties is attempting to fight off three steves in the front yard of Basher’s first house. Before Basher can come to a stop, the young man is surrounded and a female steve sinks her teeth into his shoulder. The man lets out a howl and his arm goes limp, giving another steve the opportunity to bite. The steve latches on to the man’s neck and pulls a chunk of flesh and muscle out. The man loses his will to fight and he drops to his knees and is enveloped by the steves.
Trey, “I think we need to go loud on this one. We’ll take the chance, we need to get to that guy before he turns.”
Wade frowns and looks at his bat, “Guess I’ll save this one for later.”
“Cry later, get out, and go to work, Grumpy!”
Basher jumps from their vehicle and engages the steves. Trey fires in quick controlled shots, two steves drop. Wade shoots and his first few shots miss by a small margin. Wade closes the gaps and shoots the remaining steve and looks at the man lying in his own blood.
Wade, “Sorry man, it’s about that time.”
Man, “M..my wife...” Before he can finish, blood loss takes control and the man lies dead... for now.
Trey, “Dead check, Wade.”
Wade, “Yea, I got it.” He fires and the projectile enters the man’s skull. The fallen steves are dealt with in the same manner. “Can’t believe I missed.”
“Don’t sweat it. We’ve been going hands on mostly, plus, you suck anyway.”
Wade laughs sarcastically, “HAHA! You’re so funny! Go get the door.”
Trey giggles and approaches the front door. Boom. Boom. Boom.
Woman, “Freddie, is that you?”
Trey , “No ma’am, it’s the Kenner Police, we’re here to help. Can you open the door?”
The door cracks. Woman, “You look more like soldiers. Where’s Freddie?”
Trey looks down, “I’m afraid he was killed, we didn’t get here in time to save him. We’re a special division that’s supposed to check on the remaining living citizens and speak with them.”
“I’m Rose. What do you want to speak about?”
Wade, “A way to save the rest of us.”
“Oh, well what can I possibly do?”
Trey, “Ma’am, we’ve got a plan to move people further into the city to create a burned out perimeter. We hate to ask, but if you’re willing we’d like to move you into an empty house further in. We have information about where the unoccupied, livable houses are or you can stay
here. The choice is yours.”
“I can’t just up and leave! This is my home! You probably killed Freddie just to make me move!”
“Ma’am..”
Wade, “Look dammit! We tried to save your dipshit husband and couldn’t. Now we’re trying to save you, oh, and everyone else! There’s too much area to cover and you’re on the perimeter. Stop being ridiculous!”
“Wade, take a breath. Ma’am, if you don’t want to move, we’re going to attempt to find a different plan but for now it’s all we have. If you’d like to speak your piece about why you don’t want to move, there will be a meeting in front of the department next Thursday, six days from now, at dawn.”
Rose, “No thank you, my son and I will be just fine, now go away!”
“Yes ma’am, good luck.”
Trey and Wade walk back to the truck. Wade grunts, “Ungrateful.”
Trey, “We’ve gotta be a little more sympathetic. She just lost her husband, hopefully she’ll come around, but we can’t force these people.”
“I guess you’re right, but it’s still a principle. Normal human decency to want to help everyone and yourself. But more often than not it’s selfishness.”
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch, we’ve got a lot more houses to get to and we may have some willing people.”
“They better hope so. My patience even before this shit was non-existent.”
“Yea mine’s wearing thin too. I can’t believe we’re actually going to go door to door and trying to secure a whole friggin’ city. I’d much rather we all roll out and go survive on our own.”
“No shit that would be the easy way. But think about it, safety in numbers. We’ve got nine people in the Task Force plus their families, we got walk-ins to add; that’s a lot of people. But what if this shit really happened all over the world? What if there’s no end to it? We just keep fighting ‘til we die? I’m all for bashing some steves but if we get a whole city locked down, my dad and family can come home and be safe. Not some random place in the woods, where they’d probably never find us. Why not have a whole city at our disposal? A place where if we are overrun the next secure location isn’t twenty miles away, it’s down the street.”