A ragged bullet hole in his left bicep sent excruciating pain up and down his arm, but he sighed in relief that it wasn’t a bite. The dead were swarming the fire, so he let his injured arm hang at his side and pulled his pistol out of his waistline. He squeezed the trigger, dropping a biter as it turned its attention on him.
The screaming continued as he made it to a line of abandoned cars covered with dirt and dust from years of neglect. He opened the first one, only to find the ignition empty; the next few cars in front of him fared the same. As he frantically searched for a workable car, a group of the dead noticed him and sprinted forward, falling over each other as they gnashed their teeth wildly. They were steadily gaining on him.
He moved to the next vehicle, a battered blue pick-up. Through the murky window, he could see keys hanging from the ignition. He wrenched on the door, but it was locked. Not wanting to waste any bullets he flicked his safety on and used the butt of the gun to break the window. He launched himself into the front seat of the truck as the dead reached the line of cars. He slammed the door and turned to the key. To his relief, the engine roared to life and drowned out the voices of the dead outside.
One of the dead reached in through the broken window and grabbed his arm as he peeled away. He clipped the car in front of him as he did, jolting himself. The dead one hung on for a moment as it screamed and snapped its teeth together before it finally let go, bouncing off the pavement as the man drove away from the burning disaster behind him.
Chapter 36
Three months after entering Hillcrest, Dietrich entered into Paxton’s study like he did every afternoon. He took a seat in the same chair he always did and sipped the same cup of tea he had every day. This had become a custom for the two of them. Once the day’s responsibilities were complete, the two of them always retreated to Paxton’s study to talk and theorize together. In the short time they’d been there, Paxton and Dietrich had become close.
“Would you looky here!” said Paxton as he put down his teacup and looked out the window behind Dietrich.
Sullivan and a couple of men from the newly formed security team pulled a large deer behind them on blue tarp. Sullivan stopped in front of Paxton’s house and knocked loudly on the door.
“You, sir, are my damn hero,” said Paxton as he opened the door with a grin. “I can’t remember the last time we had venison for supper ‘round here!”
“I can get it prepared to roast. Just tell me where?”
“There’s an old shack near the schoolhouse used for that exact purpose. It ain’t been used in a good while but you should have everything you need there!”
“All right, then,” said Sullivan. “I’ll bring the meat over as soon as I’m finished.”
Sullivan joined the two members of the security team and continued to drag the deer down the street. “That man is something else,” Paxton said.
“That he is,” said Dietrich. “I think I’ll cut our chat short today. I’m sure he could use some help.”
“Well I’m not gonna argue that,” said Paxton. “The two of you should stop on by when you’re done for a spot of whiskey. My treat!”
“Will do,” said Dietrich with a smile and placed his hand on Paxton’s shoulder before he left.
Dietrich made his way down the street to join Sullivan. He glanced between two houses to the farmland behind and saw Nash and Melissa as they finished their day’s work in the fields. Hillcrest was surrounded by abandoned farmland, portions of which had been taken over by Paxton and his group and brought back to life. Nash and Melissa had spent every morning in the fields and learned from the group how to tend to them properly.
Jessica and Courtney normally worked with Sally in the kitchen, learning how to cook. Dietrich noticed the three of them wandering back from the fields. They each held a basket filled with vegetables and fruit for the night’s meal.
“Did you see what Sully brought in today?” asked Sally with a smile.
“I sure did,” said Dietrich as he passed. “I’m on my way there now to help him.”
“Whenever you’re ready, just bring the meat on over and we’ll get it cooking!”
“Will do!” said Dietrich, reaching the deer shack and disappearing inside.
Dietrich and Sullivan worked late into the afternoon as they butchered the deer. They spent their time together sharing stories back and forth, reminiscing about the time before the world changed. It wasn’t something either of them dwelled on often, but it felt right as the two of them worked in unison to prepare the meat.
“She used to wear this pear perfume,” Dietrich laughed. “It was horrible, I held my breath anytime she came near me. Smelled like rotting fruit and meatloaf. She was a good lady though, always brought me sweets, my Nan.”
“I didn’t have much family,” Sullivan said. “Just an aunt and a brother by the time the world lost its head.”
“Hurry up in there chatty Kathys!” Courtney squealed from the door. “The town is starvin’!”
Chapter 37
The savory smell of cooked venison filled the air as Nash and Melissa made their way to the one-room-schoolhouse where the town met each night to eat together. The sounds of laughter and conversation boomed out of the open doors and windows of the building.
“This place reminds me of a restaurant,” said Melissa as she looped her arm into the crook of Nash’s elbow. “You know, before everything changed.”
“I know what you mean,” said Nash with a smile. “Come on; let’s see if we can get Sullivan to wait on us.”
Melissa giggled as they walked inside, greeted by Dietrich waving them to their spot with two plates already prepared for them. They sat down across from him and Emma, with Sullivan and the twins on each side of them, already eating their food. Dietrich had a deck of cards beside his plate, ready to be shuffled and dealt after they’d finished eating. Dinner and cards had become a nightly routine for a lot of the residents at Hillcrest, something that Dietrich had started.
Meals were finished quickly and the plates were taken away by the younger kids. They were responsible for setting the tables and cleaning the dishes afterwards. Most everyone stayed behind to play cards, while some of the more senior group members retired for the evening to their homes.
Out of the Mansion group, Sullivan stood first, reaching his arms above his head as his joints popped loudly.
“Well, I’m tired. I’ll see all of you in the morning.”
“Would you be a dear and escort us old timers back to our house?” asked Sally with a smile.
“Us too!” said Jessica, as she and Courtney stood and joined him.
“I’d be delighted,” said Sullivan, allowing Sally to link her arm through his as they left the church.
The deer meat Sullivan had brought to the town that day had made for one of the best meals the town had enjoyed in months. The mood at the town’s nightly dinners was always happy but there was something about tonight that felt different to them all.
“I’m done for the night,” said Emma, forcing her words out through a deep yawn as she threw her cards onto the table.
“Until tomorrow,” said Dietrich with a smile as he gathered the cards together and placed them back into the pack.
The group walked through the warm night air as crickets sang their evening song in the darkness. Nash and Melissa walked in the front with a lantern as Dietrich and Emma followed behind talking quietly, an occasional laugh echoing into the night. Melissa glanced back to see Emma quickly pull her hand out of Dietrich’s.
The four of them slinked into the house and held back laughter as the stairs creaked slightly as they walked.
“Goodnight, you two,” Dietrich said to Melissa and Nash as he closed his door.
“Night!” whispered Melissa as she exchanged another silent grin with Emma.
“Emma and Dietrich are together!” she excitedly whispered to Nash as they got into bed.
“Shut up,” said Nash with a smile as he pulled the bla
nket over the two of them.
“When we were walking tonight, I looked back and they were holding hands. She pulled it away real quick but I saw it!”
“Hmm. Yeah, I guess I could see that.”
“Keep your mouth shut for now, you blabbermouth!” she said as she scooted next to him and kissed him on the lips. Nash put his arms around her and pulled her close against him.
The two laid in silence while the crickets’ chirped outside their window. Nash was just at the verge of sleep when her soft voice started him back awake.
“Do you ever wonder what’s happened with the Mansion after we left?”
“Every day,” he said. “I’ve had nightmares of them finding us and dragging us back there.”
“Do you think he will ever find us?”
“I’m not sure. Us being out here really doesn’t have any impact on him. I feel like if he were to have gone after us, he would have found us by now.”
“You’re probably right,” she said after a long, silent pause.
“It doesn’t matter if he were to find us, Mel. I’d never let anything happen to us.”
Chapter 38
The truck sputtered to a stop as the man made his way down the abandoned country road. Smoke billowed from the hood as he stepped out into the warm morning air. The sun baked hot from beyond the canopy of trees, which created a dry humidity that made his wounds ache all the more.
He gingerly pulled a long jacket over himself, letting the hood hang loosely onto his forehead. He’d created a makeshift sling for his arm and cradled it inside the jacket as it burned wildly underneath. He’d done what he could with his foot and covered it tightly with a cloth to try and stop the bleeding. Even with all he’d done, it continued to ooze and sent waves of pain up his leg. He knew the distance he had to travel, and at his current speed, he knew it could easily take a couple days. He slung a backpack over his shoulders and hobbled toward Hillcrest.
Chapter 39
The group was woken by loud rustling outside in the early morning. Nash rolled out of bed and rubbed his eyes, and Melissa sat up groggily. People were gathering outside Paxton and Sally’s house, each looking concerned as they stood in the street talking.
“Get dressed,” he said without looking away. “Something’s going on.”
“What is it?” she asked as she slid on her shirt.
“I’m not sure but it doesn’t look good.”
The two of them left their room just as Emma and Dietrich came walking out of his bedroom. Dietrich’s eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Nash and Melissa.
“Um…this isn’t what it looks like,” he said while he scratched his forehead.
“Never mind that,” said Nash as Sullivan came into the hall.
“Something’s up,” said Sullivan as he closed his door and moved passed them and down the stairs, fully dressed and armed.
“What’s wrong?” asked Emma as she watched Sullivan sprint down the stairs.
“I don’t know but something is going on down the street,” said Nash.
The group shot toward the stairs as Melissa knocked once and poked her head into the twin’s room to see them still fast asleep.
“Let them sleep,” said Nash as he grabbed her hand and ran down the stairs to join the others.
****
They joined the congregation outside Sally and Paxton’s house. Sally sat on the porch and sobbed softly as one of the women from town sat with her arm resting gently around her shoulders. The front door to their house was open and they could see people moving about inside.
“What’s happened?” Sullivan asked to the group.
“Paxton died in his sleep,” said an older man, not taking his sad eyes off the house.
“Oh no…” said Dietrich under his breath as he left the group and made his way up the walk to where Sally was sitting.
“This can’t be good,” said Emma, watching as Dietrich knelt beside Sally as she leaned against him.
“He was fine last night,” Melissa said.
Jessica and Courtney wandered out of the house to join them. “What happened?” Jessica asked. Courtney rubbed the sleep from her eyes as Dietrich consoled Sally on the porch.
A man came outside and whispered in Dietrich’s ear before he disappeared back inside. Dietrich talked with Sally for a moment as she nodded softly, standing to his side as he helped her down the walkway toward the street.
“Paxton’s time on this earth has come to an end. Bless you all for your concern,” she said through her tears to the people standing before her.
Without saying a word, Sullivan walked up the path toward Sally’s house and disappeared inside. Melissa and the twins stood together, crying softly like much of the rest of the people who watched the house. Emma joined Dietrich when he disappeared into the schoolhouse with Sally as Sullivan and a couple men dressed in military fatigues walked out side with Paxton’s body on a makeshift stretcher, a white sheet covering his frail body. Sullivan let the two men take the lead as they guided him and Paxton’s body to an empty house where they would keep his body until burial.
“I can’t believe it,” said Nash as he put his arms around Melissa and the twins as they continued to cry.
The street slowly emptied after Sullivan and the men disappeared inside the house with Paxton’s body. It wasn’t long before he reappeared with a couple other men each holding shovels as they disappeared to dig Paxton’s grave.
“I’m going to go check in on Sally,” said Nash as he left the girls alone to console each other.
“Nothing to check in on, sweetie,” said Sally, approaching them in the street as Dietrich and Emma followed behind. “I’m fine. I’ve lost my husband today and our town has lost its leader, but the last thing Paxton would want is for us all to be sulking around all day.”
“I tried to stop her,” said Dietrich, shrugging as he met Nash’s gaze.
“Oh nonsense!” said Sally as she turned and swatted at Dietrich. “We need to carry on. We need someone to lead this place and my choice is Dietrich.”
“Now hold on a second,” said Dietrich, a surprised look on his face. “Shouldn’t this be a town decision?”
“Oh to hell with ‘em! You’d be his first choice and everyone knows it. I just didn’t want you to be taken aback when I bring up your name tonight at dinner.”
“I’d be honored to serve this town, but only if everyone is in agreement.”
“I don’t want anyone moping around here!” said Sally as she waved her index finger at them all. “You go on and spread the word. Today and tonight, we celebrate him. I’ll have no doom and gloom on my watch!”
“Yes ma’am,” they all said in unison.
“Courtney, Jessica, come with me. We’ve got a lot to do today and I could use all the help I can get.”
The girls each took one of Sally’s hands, “Melissa and Emma are welcome to join us,” she called over her shoulder.
Melissa gave Nash a quick kiss on the cheek before she joined Sally. Emma grunted loud enough for Dietrich to hear. He smiled as he nudged her forward to join the girls.
“I’d rather not—” she started, but Dietrich waved her off.
“She just lost her husband, she could use the distraction.”
****
The streets were deserted, save for Dietrich and Nash, who stood together in the street. Storm clouds were slowly starting to roll in over the town and brought with them low rumbles of thunder in the distance.
“What a day for a storm,” said Dietrich, his hands crossed over his chest as he looked into the sky.
“I’m glad she wants you in charge,” said Nash as he reached out and shook his hand. “So what do I call you? Colonel Dietrich? Captain? Mayor?”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, funny guy,” said Dietrich with a grin. “I’m honored she’d want me in charge.”
“I think her word will go a long way with the others. They won’t have any qualms with you taking charg
e.”
“We’ll see,” said Dietrich as another roll of thunder echoed through the town.
Sullivan reappeared in the street, looking up at the sky as he joined them.
“The grave is almost done. If it’s okay with Sally, I think we should do the burial soon.”
The clouds continued to darken overhead and the thunder was getting louder with each roll. Dietrich went into Sally’s house and briefed her on the coming weather, and with her blessing, the group gathered the town’s people to bury Paxton before the storm overtook them. Dietrich and Sally led the group to the small cemetery that had served the community for decades as Sullivan followed behind with Paxton’s frail body in his arms.
Sally stood at the edge of the grave, her arms crossed in front of her as she silently allowed tears to fall down her cheeks. Paxton’s body lay in the open hole, wrapped in a white sheet as the group stood above. Sullivan and a few others stood quietly aside, as their shovels sat at their feet, awaiting her word.
“He was loved, and he loved us all,” said Sally and nodded to Sullivan to start the burial before the rain broke. “I know the weather looks dicey, but dinner tonight is mandatory. Everyone must attend.”
With that, Sally and her group of helpers returned to her home as the rest of the town scurried back to their homes. The rain let loose with a fury, coming down in sheets as it cascaded on the town for the majority of the afternoon. Nash considered volunteering with Melissa at Sally’s house but thought better of it, knowing she had more than enough people in the small house to be helpful. Unsure of what to do with his time, Nash picked a book from a large bookcase in the living room. He pulled a book called Final Flight by Kurt Saunders from the second room of the shelf and carried upstairs to his bedroom. He’d never heard of the book or the author but he was engrossed in the book almost immediately.
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