by Joe Kelly
Jared watched as Ori walked over and apologized to Henry, and then to Beth for “making an ass of myself” the two men shook hands and parted. This was not going to be the last fight, Jared was damn certain of that.
“we are all slowly losing it.” Jill said as she came to stand by his side.
“I know, and I don’t know what to do about it” Jared commented for a moment he remembered a similar conversation with Mark. The grief came quick but without the impact that it had for the first week and he was thankful for it. Though he felt some guilt about that too.
“not much you can do about, none of us were raised to spend our lives fighting for survival, Or to face undead. To many people with different backgrounds, egos and ideas crammed into a small area, there’s bound to be clashes.” Jill said. “I mean I took my own sisters head, and I’ve put down more zombies than I care to think about. I am surprised I have not become a drooling idiot by now.” She said softly then shook away the dark mood that threatened to take her.
“If there weren’t zombies in the world, right this minute I’d be wearing something slinky, with spiked heels and making bedrooms eyes at you over a thick rib eye steak in some expensive restaurant” Jill said with a saucy smile.
Jared laughed suddenly surprising himself and those who heard him. “I guess it’s a good thing the world ended then, I was a notorious tight ass when it came to eating out. I’d have taken to you McDonald’s with a buy one get one free happy meal coupon.”
“I guess you would still be waiting to get into bed with me then” she said, then turned and walked away. Throwing some extra swing into her leather clad rearend.
“damn you woman, damn you” Jared said with a smile, feeling the depression that had gripped him since Marks death start to loosen its hold on him.
The next day was one of those crystal clear blue sky days, that made it hard to believe evil could exist, much less be walking around eating people. it was a bit on the warm side with a cool breeze that blew across the camp. Jared waited till everyone was gathering for Breakfast in front of the Main cabin then walked out onto the porch.
“listen up everybody, there is something important we need to get done today, it’s going to be hard work but I know working together we can get it done.” There were moans, groans and boos from the assembled men and women.
“What the hell is it this time” Henry asked earning a glare from pappy who like the rest didn’t particularly like the man.
“First, I’m going to need people to help me haul up stuff from the cave, then Im going to break out the beer, and we are going to have a damn good party for the day.” Jared announced. There was silence at first as what Jared had said sung in, then Steve whooped. “ its been a long time since we did a damn thing to unwind. So today is, National I don’t give a damn day” Jared told them, there were cheers from the assembled group. Ori leaned out of the tower
“Hey what about those of us on watch?” he asked.
“you can watch,” Jared called up. There was general laughter from every one and it felt good even if it was a poor joke. “oh and Ori, I don’t give a damn either”
“bite me” Ori called back but grinned.
Just before noon they had fashioned crude tables and laid out a spread of food. Cold beer was laid in. drooling men couldn’t take their eyes off the brown bottles of hops and barley goodness. Jill and Sharon had gotten together and using corn meal created tortilla chips and using vegetables they had gathered from various gardens around the area over the last week whipped up a huge patch of homemade salsa to dip the chips in.
By noon the party was in full swing. Jared had even flipped off the forces of darkness and had some music playing. Sprawled out on a blanket propped up on his elbows, Jared was enjoying Jill sitting between his legs her back resting on his chest, as they watched the kids run around and play in the sunlight. The smell of cooking meat filled the air.
“You know that the way our lucks running a pack of undead will show up soon” she said.
“Probably, but with out an invitation they aren’t getting in” Jared said as he slid one hand up her side.
“Down boy, not here,” she said slapping the searching hand away.
“You, lady are entirely to frigid,” he replied.
“Keep that up and you’ll see what frigid really means” she retorted.
“ Mind if we join you or is your making out a private thing” Ronny asked. Jared blinked, not sure… yes Ronny was wearing shorts. Civilization was truly dead.
“Is there a reason, that after knowing you for all these years you suddenly appear in shorts” Jared asked.
“Easy access” Ronny replied as he dropped to the blanket, then grunted as Mary sat on his lap.
“You sir are a cad,” Jill said with a stern look, though a smile flickered across her lips.
“you didn’t figure that out the first time you met him, killing zombies and the idiot is drooling over you” Mary said with a sad shake of her head, then smiled
“I had noticed he wasn’t entirely focusing on the proper way to go about killing the undead,” Jill said with a grin. Amazed that she not only remembered how to enjoy herself but that she was enjoying herself.
“Jared Help me out here,” Ronny pleaded, with a smile.
“Its not worth my life to side with you, you cad,” Jared replied straight faced
“et tu Brute, you wound me sir” Ronny said with a laugh.
“Shut up and drink your beer.” Jared said tiling his own beer in salute.
“I will thanks, but one question. Where in the hell did you have this stashed at” Ronny asked holding up a bottle.
“Oh sure I tell you and you go and get your drunken buddies to raid my stash.”
“you forget, you’re one of my drunken buddies.” Ronny pointed out.
“Oh, now I’m one of your buddies” Jared replied then something changed and all humor fled. He gently extracted himself from Jill and stood up.
“Excuse me” he said loudly, and then repeated it till he was sure everyone was looking. “I don’t want to bring anyone down or stop the party. But I’d like to propose two toasts,” He said “To absent friends and Family” he called out lifting his bottle in salute. In silence the others lifted their cups and bottles as they thought of lost friends and loved ones “and last but by god not least. To Mark and Deacon” he said. After everyone had toasted and drank he smiled again. “ now then lets get back to national I don’t give a damn day” there were cheers from the rest.
“how’s Sharon feeling?” Jared asked as he settled back down with Jill again.
“Coping, she’s pregnant, going thru morning sickness and lost the man she loves. She can’t do anything but cope.” Jill replied leaning back against jared.
“Maybe I should…”Jared said but didn’t finish before Jill cut him off.
“do nothing” Jill said, shaking her head in emphasis, “let it be Jared, shes as good as she can get at the moment.” Jill stopped talking suddenly causing Jared to sit up in alarm. He relaxed again when he saw what she was looking at.
“I be damned,” he muttered as he looked to the porch. Anne stood there with Carol at her side. Anne smiled shyly, but looked nervous as she saw all the men. Jared couldn’t blame her after what she had been through.
“Don’t make big deal about it, okay” Jill said moving so Jared could stand.
“Come with me” Jared said moving Jill aside so he could stand. Jill held out hand for him to help her up. “ Be back in a few minutes Ronny.” Jared said
“no problem brother, do what you have to do” Ronny said wrapping his arms around Mary.
Anne took a step back as Jared mounted the steps, but stopped when Carol laid a hand on her Arm. She was a pretty girl, he realized. Her long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, she wore a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Carol had even found her a pair of boots that fit her, or least came close to fitting. “How are you feeling?” he asked gently stopping a good distance
away to give her needed space.
“Better” she replied, her voice like soft velvet. She was so scared she was almost shaking.
“Do you want something to eat” he asked, he noted carol shake her head slightly.
“Id love something to eat… but I’ll get it myself. thank you though” Anne said, her eyes darting to see past him. She watched the kids play for a moment. “its something I want to do for myself.” Jared realized what carol had meant with that single shake. Anne didn’t need a man helping or even being that close, not yet.
“When you get your plate, you and carol can come sit with us” he offered, she actually smiled, well as much of a smile as you could expect at this point.
“We will thank you” she replied and sounded like she meant it.
“I hope you have a good time.” Jared said smiling then turned and walked down the steps giving her space.
“You did good” Jill commented. “she’s actually doing better than you could expect. Maybe its because of what’s going on out there in the world, and she knows there’s worse things waiting” Jill said then shrugged, and pushed the thought away determined to enjoy herself today. She couldn’t have even explained to Jared how much control and strength Anne was showing just by coming outside to be part of the group.
He grabbed two more beers in passing and they returned to the blanket and settled in. “can’t believe that sick bastard held her for almost three months, naked and locked up like an animal,” Ronnie said accepting the new Beer Jared passed him. “just turned eighteen, senior in high school, the world ends and she’s kidnapped and kept as a sex slave”
“let’s talk about something else today, it’s a party isn’t it” Mary said. “so, behave or I will peel your damn shorts down and whale the shit out of your butt”
“you can see why I love her” Ronnie remarked.
Jared shook his head slowly “do not try to influence Jill, or I will hurt you both” He said. Mary just laughed in response. They sat and talked most of the day, with the others joining them as time went by. There was little talk of what they had gone thru. But as the day wore on people started talking about the things they missed.
The list was long, of course. Restaurants, fast food places, movies, games but they avoided talking about people. It was almost an unspoken taboo. If they had started down that road the good mood they all had would have vanished into darkness and it had been to long since they had truly felt alive and smiled freely.
Anne and Carol finally joined them around six, Anne looked nervous as she sat down, Jared noted she was careful to make sure there was a woman on both sides of her. But other wise she laughed a little at their jokes, and talked about the things she like to do. Thank god most of them didn’t depend on groups of strangers or electricity.
She had raised goats, rode horses and been an all around tomboy, the one thing she did that wasn’t on the tomboy list of favorites was having been a member of the singing club and could play a guitar as well as a flute.
As the sun was setting and the air grew chill, the party wound down, the kids were hustled inside and put to bed. The adults wondered off to their private accommodations to play more adult games.
Around midnight Jared lay tangled with Jill, still damp with sweat. “do you want kids one day?” he asked. She didn’t hesitate.
“not till this is over with. I can’t, won’t bring a child into this world till its safe. That’s why I made sure some of the stuff we grabbed were birth control pills.” She said then fell silent and then asked “do you want kids”
“someday, when there’s a safe place to have them” he replied. “Even if these things are still around, we can make one place safe for kids to grow up in” she didn’t say anything, but the hope in his voice was surprising.
“I hope we can Jared I really do” was all she said after a moment, then curled up and rested her head on his chest and was asleep in minutes.
Jared woke early and pulled on a sweater, his favorite actually. A brown wool military issue sweater. Nothing beat it for warmth and comfort. He thought as he walked down stairs, he fixed himself a cup of coffee, then walked outside wondering how long before Spam drove people to kill.
The edge of the sun was just coming up, setting the light ground mist to glowing. It still smelled damp outside and there was a crisp feeling to the air. He could hear the ring of tools on metal and soft conversation over by the barn and decided to head that way and check out the Motor pool as the barn had come to be called.
Jared walked down to the barn, enjoying the misty morning. He wanted to take a look at the new vehicles they had brought back from the latest scavenging runs. Parked in front of the doors, was a deep green Ram 6500 pick up truck with six wheels. Why six wheels, who knew but who ever had built and owned the thing had spent a fortune on modifying the truck and it was set up for off roading, with a six inch lift and military grade suspension and off road run flat tires. A thirty gallon second tank had been installed in the bed right behind the cab. They had found that truck a week ago, while scouting out homes and farms around the various Parks in the area.
Steve had fallen in love with the Truck on sight. To every ones surprise it actually ran and Steve had driven the monster back to camp. Then in a fit of generosity gave the Van to Jared. Jared was actually pretty happy about that, the Van was the coolest thing he had driven off road wise at any rate.
Next to that was a IH truck, now that was a real find. Tough as hell, great on or off road, and could carry a good sized load. The US military should have been smart and used IH for vehicle contracts back in the day.
To the left of that was a one of those RV’s that looked like a really big van. This one was a Nasty yellow color, with a red stripe down the side. Rob and Ori were standing next to it talking about the best way to rework the suspension and give it some off road capability, while Warren was just inside the barn, marking out a pattern on a piece of sheet metal.
“Morning Jared” Rob said seeing him approach. Rob looked tired, his hair was longer and shaggy looking and there were bags under his eyes. How did I not notice this before Jared asked himself. Ori didn’t look much better to be honest. Even after the party his folks were overworked, and had little sleep.
“have any of you slept more than a couple of hours in the last few weeks” Jared asked as he studied the truck.
“between, all the work I’ve been doing around here, Warren needing attention, and guard duty. No not really”
“Me needing attention, your damn near a nympho..” Warren retorted
“I really don’t need to hear details okay.” Jared said with a chuckle. Ori looked at him for a moment adjusting his glasses and gave Jared a Crooked smiled. He didn’t care that the two men were gay but got uncomfortable sometimes when they talked openly.
“too much to do and not enough people to do it sarge” Ori said with a shrug.
“Don’t call me sarge Ori, neither of us are in Uniform or in anything that qualifies as a military. El jeffe, or your supreme majesty will work for now” Jared said then noticed the skeletal framework that sat to one side of the barn door. “what the hell is that” he asked.
“Its going to be a camper shell. After lunch it gets set in the bed of Steve’s new truck and welded into place. Then covered with Tin and sealed. After that we wire it, add insulation and a few other odds and ends.” Jared looked at Rob, then back towards the Cabins.
“no you’re not” Jared said finally.
“what, why not?” Rob asked puzzled.
“ you can mount it and weld it, but Steve can do the wiring and insulation. His truck he can do the light work” Jared said as he shook his head, Rob had to be the busiest person in the camp outside Jason. And it looked more or less like they were both being taken advantage of. Not on purpose really, but other people were tired and stressed and were more than willing to let someone else, who seemed more motivated, do the things they needed done while they took a break.
“one
we can’t keep blowing fuel on the generator. The only welding I want done after today is what is essential for repairs or armoring up a vehicle. Which means in most cases bars or chain link across windows. We can get more fuel I know but sooner or later it will run out. so I’d like to make it last as long as possible” Rob nodded in agreement. “so as soon as you get that camper shell mounted, you get Steve’s ass over here to help you set the tin. Once that’s done, you take the rest of the day off. Ori you had guard all night. Your off today and tonight.”
They stared at him for a moment like a penis had grown out of his forehead, then nodded in acceptance. Rob was smiling as he considered actually being able to relax and possibly get five full hours of sleep. His smile faded after a second. “ you might want to tell Steve that,” Rob suggested, Jared nodded in total agreement.
“I’ll do that very thing right now.” Jared said turning on his heel, the movement was so sharp it was almost an about face.
