by Zach Sweets
I turned away from the doorway and started stuffing my belongings back into my bag. I could hear the engine of Rex's motorcycle in the distance, but I kept concentrating on what I was doing. I shoved my arms through the arm straps and stepped up next to the bike.
Just as I was about to throw my leg over the seat, I was jerked backwards. The zombie that had seemed so far away had managed to come into the barn while I stood there packing and debating whether to follow Rex or go my own way. I wiggled out of my backpack, scrambling away from the hungry undead. He chewed on my bag, and I felt sick as I realized that could have been my neck. I searched wildly through the hay, trying to find something to defend myself. I saw a pitchfork stuck in a hay bale. I yanked it from the hay, swung it around, and stabbed the zombie over and over. The last jab went through his head. Finally, it stopped moving and lay still and silent.
Oh. My. Fucking. God. I killed a zombie. My first kill. I started hyperventilating and I felt like I was about to faint again. I guess Rex hadn't left after all, since he caught me right before I hit the ground. "I—I ki-killed h-him."
"It's okay. It was a thing, not a human. You put him to rest and that was a good thing. Breathe in and out slowly, Jake." He held me until I caught my breath.
"He tackled me from the behind. I didn't know what to do." There I went again. I started to bawl. "Sorry." I rubbed my eyes, trying to stop the tears.
"It's your first kill. What did you expect? You'd be Black Ops the minute you left the house? I'd be more shocked if you weren't upset at your first kill. It isn't easy. Remember though, they're already dead."
He was doing a good job comforting me. As I stood up, remembering what happened to my son, I kicked the thing violently, screaming until I felt better. It was wrong to kill, but they killed my son first.
My body shook so badly that Rex squeezed his hands on my back of my shoulders. He whispered, "Come on, let's go; zombies can smell blood miles away. They'll show up soon." He picked up my backpack and gave it to me. Luckily, the zombie hadn't gnawed on it heavily; otherwise, it'd be ripped to shreds.
I was having a hard time calming down and my eyes started to dry up after the sobbing. I struggled to work my arms through the straps of my pack. Rex obviously noticed it, as he helped me with the backpack. "Thanks," I said.
"It'll be okay. We better go." Rex waited until I nodded then he walked back to his bike.
I got on mine and when I reached to turn the key, my hand was shaking so badly. I had never been that scared in my whole life. I took a deep breath and started the ignition. The rumbling against my butt and thighs brought me back and reminded me if I stayed here any longer then I might become a snack to the zombies.
While I concentrated on calming myself down, I noticed Rex was watching me. "I'm fine. Let's go."
Rex drove away and I remained behind him. I looked at the gas gauge and noticed that we would need to fill up as soon as possible. There was only a quarter left in the tank. We probably drove for around two hundred and fifty miles yesterday and normally, it'd take about another hundred for it to be empty.
I sped up until I was right next to Rex. When I got his attention, I tapped on the gas gauge.
Rex looked at his and gestured with his one finger and swirl in a circle motion.
I understood what he meant by that. We would be driving for one more hour before we stop somewhere to fill it up.
An hour passed by, but we couldn't find any gas station since the electricity was out. The pumps ran on it, therefore, we wouldn't be able to go to gas stations. Rex saw something that captured his attention and he signaled me to follow him. Rex led me over to the minimarket where the parking lot was filled with several automobiles and I suspected we probably could get gas from the cars. We parked right in front of the store.
Rex got off of his bike and walked over to me. "Keep an eye out, I'm going inside to see if I can find a bucket and a rubber hose so we can get gas from the cars."
"Sure," I said as I got off the bike and watched the parking lots to make sure there weren't any surprises.
It wasn't a long wait until Rex came out with the equipment he needed. He had managed to find two 5-gallon plastic buckets. In his other hand, he carried two black rubber hoses that looked like they were for a washing machine except with the metal caps cut off both sides.
"Here." Rex handed a hose and a bucket to me. "You know how to do this?"
I stared at what was in my hands. "Uh, no I don't." I shrugged my shoulders.
"It's really simple. You put the hose inside the car's gas tank then you suck the other end of the hose until the gas starts to flow. You immediately spit the gasoline out and put the end of the hose inside the bucket."
I already felt disgusted. I didn't even want to taste gasoline. Clearly, my thoughts showed on my face.
Rex chuckled. "Yes, it's awful, but we need gas and that's the only way to do it. Why don't you try to get some from the white SUV over there on your left?"
"Okay, but what if I accidentally swallow it?" I knew I was being a little paranoid.
"Trust me, you won't." Rex smiled then he went to pick a car to fill the bucket up.
I walked to the white SUV Rex suggested and watched Rex at the same time. I wanted to make sure I understood correctly how to do it. It looked easier than I thought, but by the look on Rex's face when he sputtered gas out of his mouth, it definitely tasted gross.
When I got to the SUV, I realized the gas cap needed to be opened by pressing a button inside the car. Thankfully, it was unlocked, and I opened the door and saw the key was still in the ignition. I started the car and checked the gas meter; it was almost full. That made me feels better because I would have had to keep doing it on other cars if there wasn't enough to fill the bucket.
Looking for the button, I finally found it and pressed it, popping the gas door open. Just examining the hose, I got scared all of a sudden. It was a simple task and I decided to ignore the nervousness in my tummy. The hose got inside without any problem then the other side of the hose was in my hand. I crouched down, put it in my mouth, and sucked it as hard as I could. The minute I tasted the gasoline, I spluttered and nearly vomited, but I managed to stick the hose inside the bucket. I used my shirt to wipe my tongue, trying to get rid of the gasoline taste.
"Rex?" I called. "How do I stop it?" The bucket was almost full and I sort of panicked.
"Just get the hose higher and let it flow back into the car," Rex yelled back.
I watched the can until I was sure it had enough then pulled the hose up in the air. I had no clue how long it would take to go back. I waited for a couple of seconds then pulled the hose out. Not everything was gone and some of it splashed all over my shoes. I cursed a bit and saw Rex laughing. "It ain't funny!" But in some ways, it was.
"Com'on, bring the bucket over. I'm going to look for a funnel so we can fill the motorcycles without spilling any on them."
"Okay, I'll keep eyes out as well." I wiped the gas off of my shoes using a cloth I found in the SUV then carried the bucket and hose to where the motorcycles were.
Rex was already back by the time I got over to the bikes. A funnel was in his hand as well. "Here you go."
"Thanks." I put the bucket and hose on the ground before retrieving a funnel. I untwisted the cap on top of the motorcycle then placed the bottom of the funnel in it. Holding the funnel, Rex pick up the bucket and carefully pour the gas into the tank. This one only held a little under four gallons. After my bike was filled, I helped Rex with his.
Once it was filled and ready to go, I needed a drink to get rid of the horrible taste on my tongue. "Is there anything for us to drink inside?"
"Yeah, there's plenty. Bring some of the water bottles. We'll need them for the ride." Rex went back to cleaning the bikes to make sure there wasn't any spilled gas on them.
I went into the store and grabbed the first soda I saw and chugged it. The taste of it was awesome. I went back to the checkout section to grab some pla
stic bags so I could carry several bottles of water. As I gathered them, I walked through the candy aisle. I was in the mood to eat something sweet and it would probably be my last time to eat something like that for a while.
I stopped abruptly when I saw a familiar package: Rascal's Tarts. They were bite-sized fruit candies, sweet and tart with candy shells. It gave me a flashback like a snap. I remembered every time I took Thomas to the grocery store with me; he would beg and beg to get Rascal's Tarts and I always gave in. I didn't know how long I stared at it, but it made Rex come inside to get my attention.
"Are you okay? You've been in there for a while." Rex looked concerned.
"No, I'm not okay. This candy was Thomas's favorite. It just brought my memory of him back." I sighed deeply and took it with me. I wanted to eat them and that way it wouldn't let me forget Thomas. I would do anything to keep Thomas in my head.
"Take a couple of them. They last pretty long. I don't even know if it they have an expiration date."
I searched for the expiration date on the bag and couldn't find one. I guess it was safe to think it didn't have one. If it did, I didn't care and grabbed as many as I could get into the plastic grocery bag. My backpack was still out by the motorcycles. "Here're the bottles of water." I handed a bag to him.
We carried the bags outside and figured a way to put them in our backpacks. Rex quickly went back inside and found a couple small sport type suitcases. He was able to strap one on the back of his motorcycle. He tossed the other one to me and I did the same on my bike.
"Shit, I forgot one of the most important things we'll need for our trip," I told Rex.
"Uh, forgot what?" Rex was about to get on his bike but paused briefly.
"We need first-aid kits!" I exclaimed.
"Oh, I think I already have one. Let me check my bag." He searched it then looked at me. "Well, look at that, I forgot too."
"Okay, I know where to find one. I'll be right back." I scurried back inside and gathered several first-aid kits then came back. Half of them went into my bag and half into his.
"Anything else we're forgetting?" Rex asked.
"Uh, I don't think so." I threw my leg over the motorcycle and started the engine.
"Alright, let's go. Keep your eyes open. It's empty here and I don't like it." He departed and I followed.
The next hundred miles was a weird drive. It felt like we were going through a series of ghost towns. Not even one zombie to be spotted. By the look of the sun, it was noon by the time I got hungry and I needed to pee badly. I knew I shouldn't have finished my soda in one chug. Rex was a bit ahead of me, so I increased the speed until I passed him, and then switched on the right turn signal to show Rex I was going to pull over. I look at my side mirror and noticed Rex got the hint.
"Is everything okay?" Rex clearly looked confused since we had been back on the road just a little over an hour.
"Yeah, I'm starving and I needed to pee." I chuckled lightly.
"Oh, you scared me. Well, go do your business. We can't stay here long."
I walked a bit farther off the road. I couldn't pee in front of anyone. Once I found a decent tree to hide behind, I sighed with satisfaction. When I came back, I saw Rex had some snacks out already and he was munching on some kind of dried fruit. I took some and ate them. I didn't realize how hungry I was. Before I knew it, we were back on the road for a long drive again.
Four
April 29
Close Call
My eyes were getting heavy and the sky was getting dark. I wasn't even sure where we were, but I knew we had already passed the Missouri border. It was getting harder for me to stay awake and being sleepy on a motorcycle was never a good idea. I flashed the headlight at Rex to let him know that I needed to talk to him.
He slowed the bike until it came to a stop then took off his helmet. "What do you need," he asked.
"I'm getting too sleepy. I need to pull over and rest a bit."
"Sure, I saw a blue sign that there's a lodging place in the next five miles. Think you can make it?"
"Yeah, I can." I yawned and increased the speed so we could get to the hotel quicker.
Five miles felt like a minute's drive; it felt weird to go above the posted speed limit because there were no cops around anymore. We pulled over at a small inn and again, there was no sign of anyone, not even any bodies were there. I started to feel lonelier and realized this must have been what Rex had been through before he met me.
"Hello? Anyone here?" Rex called out in the front office.
"Don't you think it'll be better if we keep it quiet?"
"I don't want any more surprises like what happened back at the barn."
"That's true. Anyway, let's get a room key. It'll be nice to sleep in a bed for a change."
Rex nodded as he grabbed one of the keys. "It's best if we sleep in the same room. As a precaution."
"I agree. It isn't safe to be alone anymore. What's the room number?"
"It's, uh, number nine. I'll grab our stuff and you go find the room." He tossed the key to me.
"Sure." I looked out at the inn and I was glad it was small one. There weren't that many rooms. From the look of it, there couldn't have been more than fifteen rooms in total. It didn't take me long to find door number nine. Unlocking the door, I swung it open and there were two double-size beds.
"How does it look?" Rex asked from the behind me and nearly gave me a heart attack.
"Jeez, don't sneak up behind me like that." I had my hand on my chest where my heart was beating fast.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to." He walked into the room and placed the bags on the floor between the beds. "The room looks nice." He let himself fall onto the bed and I heard him heave a deep sigh. He acted like it had been forever since he slept in a bed.
"Yeah, it looks nice. I'm dying to take a shower."
"No!" Rex jumped off the bed and blocked my way toward the restroom.
"Why the hell not? I need it. I got attacked by a frigging zombie earlier today!" I was ready to push him off but he was too strong.
"It's because of the funky rain. It might poison the water. It's not worth the risk."
"Oh." I walked back and sat on edge of the bed, feeling all down. "So, we will never be able to take a nice hot shower?"
"I hope we will be able to in the future, but for now, let's avoid it."
"Does that include brushing my teeth?" My voice became weak.
"Unfortunately, yes. Water bottles can be used but we need to save it. Let's get some shut-eye. We both need it and we can't stay here long. Help me drag the entertainment center over to block the door."
The furniture was heavier than I thought and I grunted loudly trying to drag it. Rex's face was red and the veins showed in his neck. I felt better knowing it wasn't just me that was struggling to move it. It took us a while, but we managed to move it to the door.
That wore us out. Rex got on his bed on his stomach and fell asleep instantly. I did the same on the other bed.
I couldn't exactly sleep. I felt dead tired but my brain just kept on talking. I shifted over, trying to get myself comfortable. I became envious of Rex as he snored, which told me he was already completely dead to the world around him.
Somehow, my eyes shut and I fell asleep. I didn't know how long I'd been sleeping, but a loud clanging woke me up. It sounded like it came from right outside.
"Rex?" I whispered, too scared to make any noise. I had no idea what was causing the noise outside. Rex was still sleeping.
When I thought about it, I didn't think Rex had actually had enough sleep since he found me at my home. I doubt he slept well last night in the barn either. That explained why he was deaf in his sleep. I had no choice but to check out the noise myself.
Sliding off the bed slowly without making any sound, I carefully walked toward the window. I peeked through the curtain and saw a small dog looking for food in the garbage. I felt horrible and debated whether I should give the dog some of our food or st
ay inside. I didn't know how to protect myself and Rex was dead to the world. I was on my own for the moment; it was my decision to make.
That was it. I decided to grab a snack and toss it to the dog. I tried to wake Rex by nudging his shoulder and it didn't do anything to him. I sighed deeply as I went through my bag to find a snack that was edible for a dog. I found beef jerky in Rex's bag and I figured it wouldn't hurt to take a small piece of it. Dogs love meat.
I went to the window to make sure the dog was still out there. I had to be very cautious no matter where I was after my experience this morning. I squeezed one side of the curtain and dragged it wide enough for me to look through. As I got my head close to the glass, I screamed and jumped back, landing on my ass on the floor.
A zombie crashed its head through the window, roaring and growling. Its head was stuck in the window, and the glass dug deeper into its neck as it thrashed about. Blood spurted everywhere and the dead-walker was still moving. That was impossible! Anytime glass got through anybody's neck, they would have died. I crawled backward until my back hit the bed, then I climbed on it. Rex was still sleeping.
I jumped on top of him and yelled at him. "Wake the fuck up, Rex!" I slapped his face and I thought I hit him kind of hard, but I was freaking out. Who knew if there were more dead-walkers coming our way?
Rex finally woke up and without meaning to, he knocked me off the bed all pissed. "What the fuck is going on?" He shouted.
"Look at the window!" I yelled back.
"Holy shit!" Rex plunged his hand into his bag and brought out a handgun. He blasted it directly at the zombie's head. Finally, it became immobile.
"When was the last time you actually slept?" Even if I was scared to death, I was more furious at Rex. What if he hadn't gotten out of his dreamland and we both got killed by a fricking zombie?
"I'm sorry! It's over. It's dead." Rex sat on edge of the bed and his body was shaking.
"I get that, but seriously, when was the last time you slept for more than a couple hours? You were totally out." I moved and sat on the other bed in front of Rex.
