by Dziekan, PJ
The man waiting for them, while tall, was little more than a teenager. Maybe not so together, he thought. Pregnant women and teens? This place needs us. The teen nodded as he went past, back into the bus. Tony heard clanging behind him and turned to watch as the kid locked the entryway with a padlock then slipped a steel bar over the entrance. He backed out of the bus and locked the town side with another padlock.
“It’s been quiet but for these guys,” the woman said to the kid. “There are two on horseback, leading a pair of horses up the road to meet up with two more guys, just past the burnt-out gas station.”
Sully turned from his study of the town to look at her. “You knew we were there?”
She favored him with a small smile as she handed the walkie talkie to the kid. “Where’s Mick?”
“He’s at Shaun. There’s trouble –”
“OK.” She cut him off. Smart, Tony thought. No need to let the strangers know about any trouble. Someone trained her well.
Sully jerked his head and Tony moved beside him. “How long were they watching us?” Sully whispered, his voice barely audible.
“I don’t know. Maybe this won’t be as easy as we think.”
“You ready?” She asked. She and the kid had finished their conversation while he and Sully were talking.
“Yes, ma’am.” He saw the kid scaling a ladder bolted to the side of the restaurant. He appeared on the roof in seconds. “You get up there by ladder?” He asked her, a note of incredibility in his voice.
“Yeah, it’s the only access.”
“But you’re…” He didn’t know how to finish.
She gave him a bemused smile, which turned her slightly plain face into something quite intriguing. “A woman? Pregnant?”
“I meant no disrespect, ma’am.” If he had been wearing a cowboy hat, she was sure he would have touched the brim.
“None taken,” she answered. “Yet. Let’s get moving.”
She started walking down the middle of the street, her pace much faster than he had anticipated given her small stature and her pregnancy. He and Sully took a few extra steps to catch up, then matched their pace to hers. He studied the town as they walked.
The streets were clear, with just a bit of melting snow from the light shower they had had overnight. There weren’t many vehicles and what was left had been pushed to the sides of the road. Some had parts missing, like doors and hoods. As they moved further into town, he saw why. Hoods and doors and other metals were welded together to block side streets.
The doors to the buildings were marked with various colors. “What are the marks for?” He asked.
“Different things,” she said vaguely.
He would ask the guy in charge. They passed another side street, this one blocked with two box trucks. A third was blocked with stacked cars, a forklift in front of the barricade. They don’t mess around, he thought.
Sully tugged on his arm. He looked at him, then where Sully was pointing. Tony had been so distracted by the town that he almost walked into a small grassy area in front of a stone inscribed with the names of soldiers lost in foreign wars. The grass was brown, a bright white cross planted in front of the stone. “One of yours?” He asked as he detoured around the small island.
“Yes.” Her answer was short. She sighed, then spoke again. “Why are you really here?”
“I’ll need to discuss that with the guy in charge.” He gave her a smile. “I’ll make sure he includes you, OK?”
With a smile of her own, she nodded. “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”
“How many people do you have here?” Sully asked. He hadn’t seen a soul since they left the gate.
“I’ll let the guy in charge give you that information,” she answered. “We’re nearly there.”
They passed a greenhouse, where they saw their first people. A man and woman were outside the door. They waved as they walked past. Their guide waved back. Tony and Sully nodded. Past another barricaded road, there were quite a few people. A big man, over 300 pounds, was carrying a stack of lumber like it was a sack of sugar. A woman with her hands tucked in her pockets running across the street towards them. Their guide lifted a hand and the woman stopped, her eyes following them as they walked by. From somewhere came the laughter of children.
They barely noticed it as they were walking, but now, it couldn’t be ignored. A vibration under their feet. Sully looked at Tony, his eyes wide. Tony nodded.
A three-story apartment building appeared on the left; “Ash” painted on a sign perched atop the door. A few storefronts down there was another apartment building with a man on the stoop. He was hammering a sign onto the wood above the door. It read “Bub.” The woman stopped and addressed the guy. “Hey, Steven. Mick still at Shaun?”
Steven nodded. “He was in 2B last time I saw him. Who are these guys?”
“U.S. Military. They want to see the guy in charge.”
Steven’s lips twitched. “OK. Need help?”
“Nah, I got this. See you at dinner.”
Sully laughed as they continued walking. “That is priceless.”
“What?” Tony asked.
“The building names.” When Tony looked blankly back at him, he elaborated. “Characters in zombie movies.” Sully looked over at the woman. “Although I don’t think Ash really counts. They weren’t zombies, they were deadites.”
She grinned. “My argument, too, but I was outvoted. C’mon, let’s get inside.”
She crossed the street and took the three steps in two strides, passing under the sign that said “Shaun.” She held the door open then pushed it shut behind them.
Now that they were indoors, they could hear it. “You have generators?” Tony asked. He noted the dim lighting and the warmth of the lobby.
“One in each building,” she said, pulling her hat from her head and shoving it into a pocket. Tony could see her auburn hair in a long braid down her back. “We run them from seven a.m. to nine p.m. each day, except in Shaun, where we have our freezers and medical area, so they run 24/7.” She bit her lip. “I should let the guy in charge tell you. We’re going to two.”
She peeled off her gloves and shrugged her pack off her shoulders. Rummaging inside, she came out with a long heavy flashlight. She shoved her gloves into the pack and slung it over one shoulder. “Follow me,” she said as she flicked on the light.
The stairwell was dark, the emergency lighting practically useless. They followed the bouncing light up the four flights of steps. She opened the door marked with a two and they passed through. Ropes of LED lights were fastened to the walls, making the hall brighter than the stairwell. It was noticeably warmer, as well. She switched the light off and led them down the hall.
She stopped in front of a door marked 2B. With a smile, she opened the door, ushering them into an apartment that had been converted into a huge dining area. Walls had been removed with strategic supports left in place. Folding tables and chairs filled the room. The only closed off areas were what was presumably the bathroom and kitchen.
She dumped her pack on a table. “Have a seat,” she said. “Want something warm? Coffee? Tea?”
“You have coffee?” Tony asked. They had run out three weeks prior.
“It’s instant, I’m afraid.” She grimaced. “I’ve heard it’s bad, but I don’t drink the stuff. Tea’s herbal. The guy in charge hoards the good stuff.” She looked from Tony to Sully. “You guys want some?”
Sully looked at Tony, then back at her. “We’d love some coffee, ma’am.”
“Stop calling me ma’am,” she said. “Sit down and we’ll get you some coffee.” She disappeared through the doorway into the kitchen.
“They have a pretty good set up here,” Sully said.
Tony nodded. He didn’t want to talk. He didn’t know if anyone was listening. He studied the room as they waited. Generic artwork graced the walls, interspersed with Christmas decorations. Someone must have been keeping track of the date. Christmas was just a
week and a half past.
A man emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray with three steaming mugs, a few sugar packets and spoons. Tony and Sully rose from their seats. They didn’t expect trouble, but they were ready for it. Even weaponless, they could take down most everyone. Even this guy, who was about 6’2”, 180 pounds with dark brown hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. “Hi, I’m Mick,” he said, setting the tray on the table. He shook Tony’s hand, then Sully’s. “Sorry we don’t have any creamer, just sugar.”
“Staff Sgt. Anthony McGuire,” Tony said.
“Sgt. John Sullivan.” Mick motioned for them to sit again. He sat across from them and passed out mugs of coffee, leaving the tray with the sugar and spoons in the middle of the table. “This is a nice set up you have here,” Sully said as he stirred a pack of sugar into his coffee.
“Thanks, but I didn’t have much to do with it.”
“You are the guy in charge, right?” Tony asked.
“No, not me.” Mick laughed. “I wouldn’t want that job.”
“Then who is?”
“That would be me.” The woman who led them in from the gate walked back into the room, carrying a mug. “I’m Sarah.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
“Wait, you’re in charge?” Sully dropped the spoon into his coffee.
Tony rose. “With all due respect, ma’am, I don’t –”
“I told you to stop calling me ma’am.” Sarah sat next to Mick, cradling her mug in her hands.
Tony remained standing, looking around the room as if he expected someone to come bursting from another room, saying he’d been the victim of a practical joke. Finally, he sighed and sat. He looked across the table at Sarah. “I suppose you were having fun, then?”
With a smile on her face, Sarah sat back in her chair. “You made the assumption.”
“I apologize, ma’am.” At her narrowed eyes, he corrected himself. “Sarah. How did you get to be in charge?”
“Just lucky, I guess. Certainly didn’t want it.” She took a sip of her tea. “What brings you to town?”
“You don’t waste time, do you?” Tony relished the bitter taste of the coffee.
“I don’t have time to waste. I need to finish cataloguing the supplies we brought in yesterday, which is what Jack was doing before I pulled him in to take over gate duty. I need to check the generators and take my turn at teaching. And I need a nap.” She pushed her empty mug aside. She didn’t really need to do all of those things. Except the nap. She was bone tired. “So, what is it you want?”
“We represent the President of the United States of America,” Tony began. “We’ve got the zeds beaten back in many locations, exterminated in others. We’re visiting settlements to inform the public and let them know it may be safe to go home.”
“President Conrad is still alive?” Mick asked.
“No, President Charlotte Harper.”
“Never heard of her,” Sarah said.
“She was the Secretary of Agriculture. D.C. was hit pretty hard,” Tony said.
“I think everywhere was hit hard.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Sully acknowledged.
She rolled her eyes. Military men. “What does it mean for us? Are we going to have to answer to someone? Pay taxes?”
“The logistics of the new government are still to be worked out,” Tony said.
“So, this is just a social visit?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He grimaced. “Sorry, Sarah. We’re here to connect with the settlements, ascertain the number of inhabitants, and offer our assistance if necessary.”
“We’re fine,” she said. “We don’t need any help.”
“We can see that, Sarah.” Tony reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a pen and notepad emblazoned with the Marine seal. “If you could just tell me how many people you have in the settlement, their names and previous places of residence. We’d also like to know how you’re doing here, what you’ve done to stay alive and what supplies you may need. We can’t guarantee that you will receive them, but we will make note and take the information back to headquarters.”
Sarah looked at Mick, who shrugged. She turned back to Tony. “Is this a requirement?”
“We would just like to get a sense of how many people remain,” Sully said. “We are not here to take over.”
Sarah snorted. “I should say not. Not with the six men you brought.”
Sully stiffened. “Ma’am, we are quite capable of taking this settlement if we so desire.”
“The two of you?” Sarah leaned back in her chair and folded her arms on her belly. “One word from me and my sniper takes out the rest of your team. As soon as I saw you people, I put him in place.” In one quick motion, her hand flew up, her automatic pointed across the table, between the two soldiers. She knew without looking that Mick had pulled his gun from his waistband, although he hadn’t aimed it.
Sully stood, his chair clattering to the floor. Sarah’s eyes never left Tony’s. “Sully, sit down,” Tony said, his voice calm. When he made no move to comply, Tony’s voice made it an order. “Sgt. Sullivan, take your seat. Now.” Sully righted his chair and sat, glaring at Sarah.
“Sarah, we are not here to take over or to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” Tony kept his voice even. “We would just like to learn about you and how you survived so long. You must be a very strong woman to have kept this settlement thriving for so long.”
Sarah made a rude noise. “Gee, thanks for the confidence boost, Sarge.” She set the gun on the table, but rested her hand on the weapon. “Mick, would you please get me some more tea? Would you gentlemen like some more coffee?”
Both men declined. Mick stood and shoved his gun back into his waistband. He grabbed Sarah’s cup and left the room.
“We’ve had a lot of trouble,” she said. “We don’t take threats lightly.”
“We’re not here to threaten you,” Tony replied. “We’re just taking a census, more or less.”
“And you’ll leave us alone?”
“As long as you want us to.”
She sighed. Mick came back in and placed a mug of tea on the table in front of her. She murmured her thanks as his hand brushed her shoulder before he returned to his seat.
“There are twenty-five of us ranging in age from nearly five months to seventy-five,” Sarah started. “We’ve been in this place since last spring. We only have generators for three buildings, so we all live in those. We have two tankers of diesel, but we’re also working on solar power.”
Tony was taking notes. “That’s quite impressive. We haven’t seen many communities as advanced as yours.”
“You have an infant here?” Sully asked. “We’ve only seen one other in our travels.”
She smiled. “Louis Michael. Named after us. I helped deliver him.”
“How many children?” Tony smiled.
“Under 18?” She thought a moment. “Seven. Christa will be 18 in August.”
“You said you’ve had trouble? With zeds or other people?”
“Both,” Mick answered Tony. “Mostly other people. My brother was killed late last summer.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. What happened to the people who killed him?”
“We killed them,” Sarah said simply. “Left the leader for dead. I’m sure the zombies got him.”
Tony looked up from his notes to see the grim smile of satisfaction on her face. “Have you killed a lot of people?”
“How many is a lot?” She drank from her mug. Tony waited for her answer. “At least half a dozen. Probably more.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?” Sully asked softly.
“Of course, it bothers me,” Sarah spat. “But you know, I didn’t stop to think if it would bother me when I killed the guy who was trying to rape me while I was having a miscarriage. Or the guy who let him do it. Or my best friend before she turned. Or the guys who killed my brother-in-law and tried to kill the rest of us. Fuck you and your morals.” Mick rubbe
d her back. Too much tension wasn’t good for the baby.
“We’re not judging you,” Tony said calmly. “We’re sorry you had to go through that and we’re sorry that we weren’t here to handle it for you.”
“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “Get on with your questions.”
Tony looked to Mick for help. Mick stared back. “Uh – what – what supplies could you use?”
“We don’t want anything from you,” she said. “We’re doing fine on our own.”
“We could use more medical supplies,” Mick said. “Medicines. We’re getting by, but we haven’t had anything more serious than a sprained ankle.”
“Childbirth is pretty serious.” Sully kept his voice light.
“Women did it for years without medical assistance,” she said.
“Yeah, they just popped those babies out and went right back to working in the fields,” Mick added. “Soon as she pops this puppy out, she’ll be back on the wall.”
Sarah laughed and punched his shoulder. “Ass. I’ll wait at least a day.”
Tony smiled. “How did your group come together?”
Sarah let Mick tell a shortened version of their past year and a half. As he spoke, she thought about all they had seen and done, all they had learned. Her hand caressed her belly as she thought of all she had to look forward to.
“Sarah?” Mick nudged her.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“We’d like a list of the residents, if you don’t mind.” Tony had his pen poised over his notebook.
“Why?”
“We’re trying to match people with other relatives who might have survived. It’s possible that they can go home.”
“Home?” She echoed.
“Yes, we’ve cleared the zeds from many areas, as I said earlier. It could be that some of your residents could go back.”
Sarah nodded. “I’ll have Troy get that information for you. He keeps our records.”
“Thank you, Sarah.” Tony closed the notebook. “What about you? Where are you from?”
“It doesn’t matter.” She felt the baby move. She pulled Mick’s hand from the table and set it on her belly.
