Another problem Thomas discovered resulted from the nature of the beasts themselves. An internal compass drew the zombies together to form groups. Maybe it helped them to hunt when assembled into teams? Thomas didn’t know for sure, but her presence drew even more undead monsters to the farm, and he had to be extra vigilant with June outside of the house. It caused June to wander away if he left her unattended in the yard. To combat June’s wandering nature, Thomas kept her inside the corral outside of the barn. There she would be safe, and he could visit her anytime he became lonely and needed to talk to her.
The final issue Thomas faced came from the zombie’s need to feast on living flesh. Why a dead being needed to dine on the living, Thomas didn’t know. They could go months eating nothing but would grow lethargic and get weak without consuming fresh meat. He kept June fed with the rest of the flock of sheep from their farm.
Thomas’ efforts to grow food for himself, keep June safe and fed, and keep the undead away from the farm exhausted him. Every time he thought about giving up, Thomas remembered his marriage vows fifty three years earlier and found the strength to continue. His eventual death would give him the rest he longed for if he didn’t turn into a zombie himself.
###
One day while working outside, a military style Humvee pulled down Thomas’ driveway. His farm was the only one in the area still maintained, and it proved to be better advertising than a roadside billboard. He needed to think of a way to disguise the farm better from anyone who passed by. Visitors to their farm only meant problems for both him and June. The four doors opened, and four fresh problems stepped out for Thomas to deal with. He didn’t need to deal with this today.
The driver was a tall, well-built black woman with bright blue hair. A young boy climbed down from the door behind her. The passenger side disgorged a chunky, shorter man with a stupid grin on his face who waved at Thomas like an idiot. From the door behind him, a tall slim woman with an athletic build jumped out. Both women held rifles in a ready manner, but pointed the barrels away from Thomas. Thomas didn’t feel threatened because he carried his trusty M1 and hammer per his usual practice. He needed to get rid of these people before they caused an issue for him and June.
Thomas put on his most genteel old guy smile before he spoke. “Howdy, strangers. What brings you to our farm?”
“We’re traveling to the CDC and noticed how well kept your place was. We haven’t seen another living human for weeks now, so we stopped in to say hi.”
Damn. That confirmed he’d have to come up with a way to hide the farm better. There hadn’t been a visitor of months now, and he had hoped humanity passed by their farm for good. No such luck.
“I can provide y’all with some fresh veggies and drinking water, but we’ve got no room for you to stay.”
“Shit, old man. We’s stop by your fucking place and you want to be rid of us. What the fuck?” The tall black woman spoke with a vulgar mouth on her like the soldiers he served with in Vietnam. Thomas could see this one was big trouble, and she needed to go.
“Ma’am, my wife and I like our privacy. Both before and after the world’s end. Please watch the profanity.”
“Shit, the fucking world ends, and a few fucking curses bother you. Missed fucking placed priorities if you ask me.”
“Diana! Look, we mean no harm. We’d love to meet your wife, and we’d appreciate the supplies. We’ll be on our way before you know it. There aren’t many people left, so we just wanted to say hi.”
The tall, athletic woman spoke this time. She possessed the brains of the bunch, but the other woman presented the threat.
“Uh… June is busy right now. Let me put together a few things so you can get back on the road. Please stay right here and don’t move.”
Thomas watched the tall woman looking at him with a frown on her face and rubbing her chin with her right hand. He better move fast or this might end badly for all of them. Turning away from the group, Thomas headed inside to put together some supplies for them to take. They couldn’t be allowed to loiter and nose around the farm into his and June’s business.
Earlier in the day, Thomas had harvested some sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, and zucchini. He prepared a basket with a portion of his daily take from the garden. In addition, he filled four jugs with fresh spring water from their well. The quicker he got them resupplied, the quicker they would leave them alone. Thomas rushed out the door, carrying the basket and one jug of water. None of the four were standing near the Humvee anymore.
A voice called out from near the corral in front to of the barn. “What the fuck is this shit?”
Thomas raced toward the barn as fast as his ancient legs could carry him. The tall black woman brought a baseball bat down on June’s head, and she dropped into a heap at the profane woman’s feet.
“No!” He yelled as he brought the M1 around to bear. Boom, boom, boom, the M1 roared. The chunky man and the vulgar woman fell to the ground. Thomas turned the gun toward the other woman and the boy. They all need to die since they took his June away from him.
The woman saw him turn, and she sprung on top of the boy, trying to protect him with her body. It would be the death of both of them, since she didn’t use her own gun.
“Nice try, but y’all are going to die. No one takes my beloved bride away from me and lives.”
Thomas took careful aim and a gunshot split the air.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
GWEN QUINN
Gwen held Matthew tight as the tears rolled down his face, and his body racked with sobs. She hovered between crying herself and wanting to kill. Donald stormed out of the building and left them alone with two strangers. True, he wasn’t Matthew’s biological father or even Gwen’s husband, but he had filled both roles over the last year. With all the stress of the past year, this proposed trip to the CDC let Donald’s true colors show. It turned out he didn’t care about either of them, and Gwen was heartbroken because of his betrayal.
Most people would classify Michael Christopher as short and dumpy. When civilization ruled the world, he wrote children’s stories and cut grass for the town. Neither skill held any value during the zombie apocalypse. A zombie bit Michael during a struggle at the start of the apocalypse. The attack killed the two survivors Michael lived with, and he expected it to end his life too. Nature had other plans for him because the injury healed, and he never turned into a zombie. Immunity would be the skill which would see him through this disaster. Michael Christopher’s life would restore humanity.
Diana saved him from certain death before she discovered his invulnerability to zombie bites. With a desire to save the entire world, she wanted to take Michael to the CDC. Rumors circulated saying they moved from Atlanta, but their scientists still labored for a cure to this ongoing undead virus curse. She convinced Gwen, Mathew and even Michael this trip was vital to the survival of all humankind. Gwen respected the bravery behind Michael’s planned sacrifice, even if he chose the life as a lab experiment because of his love for Diana.
With the build of a mythical Amazon Warrior, Gwen remained confident in Diana’s ability to protect and deliver them safely to the gates of the CDC, if it still existed. The only other woman soldier Gwen ever trusted had been Natasha. She wondered if Natasha survived the attack on the camp in Maine and if they would cross paths again.
Diana’s foul mouth and flamboyant personality made her an enigma Gwen couldn’t crack.
“Hey, we need to get on the fucking road. You can cry your ass out while we fucking drive.”
“Diana, give them a break. Donald just walked out on them. Plus, we need to get our stuff together before we head out.”
“Shit, Mickey. What you got to fucking pack? Time’s a wasting.”
“I saw Donald’s set up while we traveled. We need a pump, inline filter, and Jerry cans so we can fuel your truck with vegetable oil while we travel. Once we have the equipment, we can go.” Gwen brushed Matthew’s hair back with her hand whi
le she spoke. It felt odd being the technical expert this time.
“Mickey, your ass stays the fuck here while I get that shit. I’ll be fucking back shortly.”
She turned away from the three of them, and Diana swaggered out the door. Confidence flowed from Diana’s presence, and Gwen hoped that would guarantee them success during their journey. If they made it to the CDC, Michael’s blood might save them all, if it still existed. Gwen wanted to believe the rumors, but there had been no cheerful news since zombies overran the entire world.
“Yes, she is a little over the top, but I trust her with my life. Do you want to know a secret, Gwen?”
“What, Michael?”
“I’m head over heels in love with Diana. She wouldn’t have given me a second glance in my previous life, but now she thinks I’m special.”
“Being immune makes you special.”
“Maybe? Well, get your stuff ready. She’s never gone long, and she’ll be eager to get on the road once she returns.”
Michael was wrong about Diana this time. Diana did finally return to them, but not for several hours. Gwen thought Diana took a page from Donald’s book and betrayed them. Michael spent the time wearing a hole in the floor with his continued pacing. The door slammed open and Diana raced in and spoke without preamble.
“Grab your shit. We need to fucking move now!”
“What’s the matter?” Michael turned pale after hearing the quiver in Diana’s voice and seeing the ashen look on her face. What could have scared her so much?
“There’s a fucking horde of zombies heading this way! Shit, there're thousands! Move your fucking asses now!”
All four of them grabbed their gear and sprinted for the Humvee. As soon as they mounted up, Diana put the truck in gear and sped away from the building. She drove the wrong way out of the airport’s grounds, taking the corners so fast the tires squealed in protest. After exiting the airport property, they turned right onto a state highway, but not before Gwen looked to the left. A mob of undead monsters marched down the street toward them. The crowd had no end, and they trampled everything in their path. If the Humvee stalled now, they’d all end up dead for sure. A roar came from the diesel engine as they raced in the opposite direction, letting Gwen know Diana saw the same sight she had.
For the next hour, Diana drove like a champion race car driver who the Grim Reaper chased. In a way, the gang of zombies would be worse than a visit from the Grim Reaper himself. The Reaper might take your life, but he wouldn’t rip you to pieces first, like the horde of the undead would. Michael’s immunity meant nothing if he bled to death after being torn limb from limb.
They were able to rid themselves of the initial threat by running, but now night made its appearance. Traveling in the dark was dangerous, but no one knew if they traveled far enough away from the zombie threat to stop for the night.
“Diana, don’t you think we should stop? It’s getting dark.”
“Good fucking observation, Mickey. Do you think we’re fucking far enough away from the undead assholes? Who the fuck knows! It’s fucking bad enough that this piece of shit sucks so much fuel we’re going to have to fucking stop shortly. Shit.”
A fast food restaurant fit for a king provided the needed vegetable oil to continue their road trip. It felt nice to get out of the Humvee, even for the short time it took to refuel the truck. This was a military version of the Humvee and not a cushy consumer model the celebrities liked to drive. The seats felt like you sat on concrete blocks while the Humvee rode like a stagecoach with wooden wheels and no suspension. They would survive small arms fire and possibly an IED, but they’d all need a chiropractor before they reached the gates of the CDC.
Gwen and Michael worked the pump, Mathew provided lookout, and Diana cleared a few zombies wandering the lot with a Louisville Slugger. By working together, they got the tank of the Humvee and the three Jerry Cans filled within minutes. The pump Diana found was more efficient than the one Donald used, and their work went quickly.
Diana’s calm, controlled fury showed how valuable a warrior she was. She could attack and even kill one second and then joke around the next. Gwen wondered what Diana did before the world ended, but didn’t want to ask. Michael and Diana deserved all the happiness they could find together, no matter how short their time together turned out to be.
Michael discovered a road atlas in one for the airport’s gift shops before they left. Because of the confusion of their escape and the onset of nightfall, they found themselves lost. Even Matthew knew Georgia was south of Connecticut, but they couldn’t figure out the correct route they needed to take. The adrenaline from the initial chase wore off, and Gwen found it difficult to keep her eyes open. She couldn’t understand how Diana kept driving with all this weighing on them.
“Shit. We’re going to have to find a fucking place to stop. We’ve got to get our fucking bearings before we end up driving back into the dead assholes we fucking left behind.”
“Let’s try this side street.” Michael pointed ahead and to the right as they crept down the dark street.
Diana pulled into the murkiness on the side street and drove halfway down the block. There she drove onto the grass and around a two-story house before parking behind it.
“You’s three stay in the fucking truck. If this shit hole is safe, I’ll fucking get your asses.”
She climbed out of the Humvee and approached the back door of the house with her trusty baseball bat and a holstered pistol. Gwen watched Diana search around the door before retrieving a hidden key. Then she disappeared inside the house. Less than five minutes later, Diana waved them into the house with her. The four of them crashed together in the living room.
###
Early the next morning they sat and ate a breakfast scavenged from the pantry of the commandeered home. The four searched the home in the early morning daylight but found little of use besides the meager wares in the small pantry closet off the kitchen.
“From the registration on the car in the garage, I figured out we’re in Bristol. That’s here on the map. If we take this route, we can cross the Hudson river in a less populated area and avoid New York City.”
“Good fucking work, Mickey. Let’s saddle up and head on out.”
“Where do you think the horde of zombies from yesterday ended up?”
“Fucking behind us. Who gives a shit, Gwen?”
Gwen glimpsed the destructive power of the mob of zombies during their escape and didn’t want to run into them again. What drove so many zombies together like that? Where were they going? They needed to remain at least one step ahead, so Gwen knew it was time to go.
A brief stop at another burger chain restaurant topped off the fuel tank for the start of their day’s journey. Major burger chain restaurants became their preferred targets for their fuel stops. Almost every town had one and fries went with burgers, providing a never-ending supply of vegetable oil. The four had become a well-oiled team, and they executed their roles, getting the Humvee filled and on the road within minutes after their stop. Donald insisted on doing everything himself, and his lack of trust prolonged each stop when they traveled.
Michael’s map skills kept them on course and allowed them to avoid major population centers. It amazed Gwen they came across no other traffic during their drive. This area had been a major center for population before the start of the apocalypse, but no one seemed to have survived the zombie onslaught. Either they all died or all went into hiding.
Their route took them through New York and into central Pennsylvania. The travel plans Michael discovered hadn’t failed them yet. Another nondescript two-story home provided sanctuary for the evening. This time they discovered a shotgun along with boxes of extra shells, two Jerry cans, clothes for Mathew, and an overflowing pantry. They loaded all the recovered loot into the back of the Humvee before setting out the next morning. This time they planned better and scheduled a refuel stop the night before, so nothing stood in the way of their departu
re.
Today’s route would take them through the western end of Maryland and into northern Virginia. The section of Virginia they traveled through was rural, even though it sat a couple of hours away from Washington, DC. Neglected gentlemen farms and working ranches dotted the landscape as they passed. The sprawl from DC hadn’t made it this far, and now never would. Any sign of human life had been nonexistent during their travels.
“Hey, look at that. The farm up there looks lived in. Someone must be alive there.”
Gwen squinted through the windshield to see what Michael pointed at. Sure enough, someone had manicured the yard and the fields surrounding the house teamed with crops. Someone planted those vegetables and cut the grass.
“Shit, Mickey. It could be a fucking trap.”
“What if it isn’t? Maybe it’s an ally that can help us. You said I’m the hero here.”
“Michael’s right. Let’s check it out. We’re all armed, and I don’t see an army standing out front of the house.”
“Are you all fucking serious? You’s need to follow my fucking lead if we stop. Do you’s fucking understand?”
“Yes.” All three responded together. They all needed a break from the roar of the diesel engine and the constant jolt from the lack of any suspension.
Diana pulled the Humvee to a stop in the driveway behind the farmhouse. From here, you could see how well maintained the farm was and how many vegetables grew in the sizeable gardens. As they climbed down from the Humvee, the bleat of sheep sounded from the opposite side of the barn.
A grizzled old man approached them with a rifle strapped to his back. He smiled, but it wasn’t a genuine smile. His tired and cold eyes betrayed his actual feelings. “Howdy, strangers. What brings you to our farm?”
Michael ignored Diana’s warning and replied before anyone else could.
“We’re traveling to the CDC and noticed how well kept your place was. We haven’t seen another living human for weeks now, so we stopped in to say hi.”
Retribution: Operation Z Book 2 Page 14