Exodus
Soulless Wanderers Book 3
DREW STRICKLAND
www.drewstricklandbooks.com
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For Kyle,
the best brother-in-law I could have.
Contents
1. Howard
2. Dan
3. Pax
4. Courtney
5. Pax
6. Dan
7. Pax
8. Dan
9. Vanessa
10. Dan
11. Pax
12. Eden
13. Pax
14. Eden
15. Pax
16. Dan
17. Vanessa
18. Courtney
19. Pax
20. Dan
21. Pax
22. Dan
23. Pax
24. Courtney
25. Vanessa
26. Dan
27. Pax
28. Courtney
29. Vanessa
30. Courtney
31. Dan
32. Courtney
33. Pax
34. Dan
35. Eden
36. Vanessa
37. Dan
38. Pax
39. Eden
40. Dan
41. Dan
42. Pax
43. Eden
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Afterword
About the Author
1
Howard
Howard's power nap was short lived but enough to recharge him for the time being. There had been a lot of work done in the past six months since everything went to shit. Although where he was at, everything going to shit just meant it was a lot quieter.
No more families stopping by from their road trips, no more truckers coming in for coffee and pancakes on their way to their next delivery, no more frat boys heading to snow bowl, acting like complete jackasses, trying to impress their friends. That last one was definitely a plus to this whole apocalypse thing. But really, he didn't mind so much.
It was a slightly overcast day, which was just fine for Howard. He had been outside a lot lately, and the sun was definitely making things difficult. However, now that it was winter, he knew he would begin to miss the sun. He was glad that his restaurant hadn't been further north. He didn't see any snow where he was at but knew others, including a few friends, did see the snow. Good thing for them that Arizona wasn't known for its massive amounts of the white stuff.
Being self-sufficient was nice. It definitely did wonders for his stress level. No more people complaining or making sure he made enough money to keep his staff paid. Definitely no more IRS to report income to. A smile crept on his face thinking about that one. Unfortunately, many of the people he knew, employees and truckers, most of whom he would have called friends, were dead.
Or undead.
Whatever anyone wanted to call it, they were soulless now. But, in the middle of the apocalypse, when things were at their worst for everyone, he managed to find friendship. He managed to find people to help him with his cause. He even managed to find family.
Howard stepped out through the backdoor of his restaurant. Outside was the little girl he had met months ago. Her name was Mavi. Her parents had brought her here, and he had told them his plans. They were more than happy to stay and help out. Not having any family of his own, it definitely helped to have them around to remind him about how things were supposed to be.
Howard cleared his throat as he watched the little girl looking at the tomatoes on the vine. "So, what's the big news report today, Mavi?"
She continued to look at the tomatoes as she spoke. "They look like they're turning red. They're also getting pretty big." She turned to him with wide eyes and a big smile. He matched her excitement.
"Guess we'll be having some salads with tomatoes pretty soon."
"Do we have ranch dressing, Howie?"
He chuckled a little bit. Nobody called him Howie, and anyone who ever tried regretted it in the end. He had thick skin from the numerous people he saw in and out of his store in the past, but that was one thing he never let slide. Nobody was allowed to call him Howie, except the little girl in front of him. She could get away with just about anything she wanted to. If he had a daughter, he imagined she would be spoiled rotten by this age, but he was doing his damned best to catch Mavi up to speed.
"We have so much ranch dressing I don't think we'll ever run out." That wasn't a lie either. Tubs of the stuff were in the kitchen, and he wasn't a fan. She could have all her heart desired of the dressing. When those ran out, they had supplies from scavenging. It was a good estimate that they definitely wouldn't run out in her lifetime.
"That's good." She turned her attention back to the garden.
"You make sure and keep an eye on those for me, alright? Make sure no bugs go about eating our vegetables."
"Fruits."
"What's that?"
"Tomatoes are fruits," she said, still looking at the orange balls.
A smile crept on his face. "So they are."
When the fruits and vegetables were ripe, they would harvest them all. He looked down at the rows of planters and pots they had. It would be more than enough for them. Most of it would go bad if it were just him and his people eating it. Luckily, he had already set up a few trades with nearby people. They would definitely be ready for the food, and he would welcome whatever they had for him. That was what was important now. Opening lines of communication and trade with people. Just because most of the world was dead didn't mean that they couldn't try making things work for them now.
"Howard!" a man called out.
Howard spun around, his flannel jacket opening briefly, letting a cool breeze in. He quickly fastened it together and hurried around the side to the front of the restaurant. He looked up at the guards’ perch they had built a couple of months ago. It wasn't anything fancy, mostly just a wood platform and a ladder to get up, but there was a shade at the top to give whoever was up there a break from the sun. Although today, it seemed that didn't matter much.
"What's going on, Nathan?" Howard called up.
Nathan peered over the ledge. The kid had been with Howard nearly since the beginning. He remembered shortly after meeting Dan, Cole, and Eden, along with the rest, and sent them along their way north, this kid came up to his restaurant. He looked like a lost dog, just trying to eat. And like a lost dog, finding a new owner, Nathan had been loyal, obedient, and a good friend since they had known each other. The kid just wanted someone to take direction from, and Howard was there to do that. Calling him a kid might have been a bit of a stretch, but at Howard's age, anyone under thirty was a kid. Hell, even that may have been a bit of a stretch.
"You're gonna want to see this," Nathan tried to whisper, but having to shout it made that difficult.
"What's going on?"
"There's some men at the gate, but it's more than… You just have to see."
"Hold on, I'm coming up." As much as he liked the kid and needed his help in the efforts to keep the trading post safe, sometimes Nathan was a little dim. He'd rather not climb the ladder and get the information himself, hoping Nathan could just give him a quick breakd
own of what was happening.
The top of the platform shifted slightly with the added weight but nothing serious. They had built it fast, but it was still sturdy enough for its purposes. Howard looked over the metal wall they had erected in the last months and couldn't believe his eyes.
He had a number of different people approach the gate of what used to just be his diner over the past few months. Now, it was somewhat of a fortress. At times, it was welcoming to those who needed help or wanted to trade. Other times, it had been a needed stronghold, keeping those out that intended ill-will. But he had never seen what had appeared to roll up on them out of nowhere.
Below him, three vehicles sat out front, drivers in each. Two men stood at each of the vehicles as the engines still ran. But behind those were two large semis. One was red and the other black, not that it mattered much. They were in great condition. Dirty, sure, but they weren’t beat up and the engines were loud. How he had not heard them before was odd.
A single man approached the gate. The others held their weapons tight but didn't point them up at Howard or Nathan. That was good. He did not want to get into a fire fight right now. He knew his place was strong, but he also knew that if this group wanted to get in, they only needed to drive a truck through the wall. After that, well, it would be a challenging gunfight, that was for sure.
The man looked straight up, meeting Howard's eyes. The group of men looked like they had been on the road for a while, their clothes muddy and their faces streaked with dried blood and dirt. It wasn't an uncommon sight from people who had been outside the walls for a period of time. There were too many soulless out there that it was nearly impossible to not have to put down at least one.
"What can I do for you, fellas?" Howard shouted down, hoping his voice didn't quiver.
The man in front smiled. "I was hoping to pop in for a bit, maybe ask a couple of questions."
"About what?"
"We're looking for some food and a safe place."
"All of you?" Howard wasn't just going to let them all in, no matter what type of artillery and vehicles they had. He would go down in a fight before he let a threat just walk in.
The man looked at his fellow comrades, their gazes all on Howard. He turned back to Howard. "Just me, I suppose."
"You gotta leave your weapons outside."
The man took his rifle off his shoulder and set it against the wall. He held his hands up. "Alright then."
Howard motioned to Nathan who waived his hands to the fence a little ways down the wall. Howard watched as another of his newfound friends along the way opened the gate. There weren't many of them inside, but the people that were with him were dedicated. Between Nathan, Mavi and her parents, and Saul at the gate, they had enough people to defend the trading post. They were in a position of higher ground, and their walls were sturdy. It would take a lot for someone to breach the place.
Howard climbed down the ladder and met the man at the gate. Howard grabbed a canteen from a pile against the wall and handed it to the stranger. He watched as the man screwed off the lid and greedily took a few swigs from the container. He closed it back up and handed it back to Howard. The first thing Howard noticed was the man's face. Underneath some of the blood and dirt, it looked like his face had been disfigured. There were many things this new world was capable of doing, but he wondered if it was the new world or remnants of the old one.
"Thanks, friend," the man said.
Howard tossed the canteen back in the pile and held his hand out. "The name's Howard."
The man grabbed his hand and shook it. His grip was strong and his eyes locked with Howard's. At the very least, this man wasn't afraid to show who he was.
"Howard, thank you for letting me in. The road has been a little long, and as you can imagine, traveling isn't the same as it used to be."
"I believe it. Your friends okay out there? They need anything to drink, maybe eat?"
"That's very kind of you. They're fine for now, they're the type who enjoys it out there."
"Alright then, what can I do for you?"
The man's attention went to the restaurant and the pathway around it. "Wow, you've got it all setup here, don't you? Is that a well? Full?"
Howard remained silent. He set up the diner as a trading post for a reason, but he also wasn’t going to just reveal how and where he gathered his supplies. If someone wanted to make assumptions, that was on them.
The man walked around, continuing to look around. "Looks like you're doing well. I assume making trades to supplement anything you have yet to grow yourself, maybe specialty scavenged items, too."
Howard grew impatient. He didn't know this man and the alarm started going off with his questions. "Yes, we're a trading post, hence the sign on the wall."
"How many places are you trading with?"
"What did you say your name was," Howard interjected, ignoring his question.
The man smiled. "I didn't."
Howard put his hand on his pistol grip against his hip. The two men's eyes locked on each other.
"Howie! A new friend," Mavi said, happily running up.
"Mav-" but it was too late. The man had scooped her up in his arms, his eyes never leaving Howard.
"And who might this little one be?"
"My name is Mavi. I tend the garden."
"Wow, that's a big job for someone so small as you."
"I'm not small. I'm much bigger than the bugs that I make sure don't eat all our fruits and vegetables." Her lip curled with a little attitude.
The man laughed. "That is very true, Mavi."
She put a hand on his face where it was scarred. "What happened to your face."
Howard's heart sank. "Mavi, it's not polite to ask-"
"Nonsense, Howard. The girl asked a question, and I will answer it." He winked at Howard. "Life can be really hard, and sometimes you have to deal with it. But it's nothing you need to worry yourself about just yet."
Mavi nodded her head. "Maybe you should go play in the garden, maybe find your mommy and daddy," Howard said before any more conversation could happen.
The man set her down. "I think that's a good idea. It was nice meeting you, Mavi."
"Nice to meet you, too," she said, running off back to her garden.
Howard stepped into the man and grabbed him by the collar. He shoved him against the wall. "If you're looking for trouble, then I think you've just found it. You understand me?"
The man smiled, his teeth straight and clean. "Howard, I think you misunderstand me."
"Is that so? Then why don't you clear it all up for me, `cause how I see it is you're in my camp, unarmed, and I have a gun in my grip ready to do my bidding."
"I could knock this place down in less than ten minutes if I wanted. The men outside, they won't give a shit if I'm dead or not. If I don't come out in one piece, they will tear this place apart. Sure, you're set up nice here, the walls seem sturdy, but it's not perfect. All I want is some information."
"What kind?"
"I just want to know where the other camps are. The ones you trade with."
Howard backed up a bit, letting the man adjust himself. He kept his hand on the pistol. "Not happening."
The man nodded his head. "You're really gonna do this the hard way?" The man put a hand to his face and whistled. It pierced the air in the camp and alerted the men outside. Howard's face dropped, and he pulled his gun off his hip. "Don't worry, just letting myself out," the man said.
"Nathan, Saul!" Nathan checked over the gate and signaled the all clear to Howard. Saul opened the gate. "What's the end game here?" Howard was confused.
"You're a good man, Howard. I wish you would have told me where the camps are, but I also can't blame you for not doing it. I'm not interested in killing good people. You're safe." The man walked out of the gate, leaving Howard standing at the entrance, staring at him. The men already started making their way back to the main road.
"Are you looking for someone?" Howard asked.
He was usually really good at reading people, but he was left so confused by this one.
The man smiled and looked back at Howard. "Isn't everyone these days? Maybe just ghosts. Oh, you might want to work on the east side of the fence. That's the weakest point. If anyone were to want in, that's where I'd start."
"Boss, want me to close the gate?" Saul asked.
"The world needs more good people like you, Howard. Make sure it stays that way." The man turned around. Howard signaled to close the gate. His heart continued to pound in his chest. He was glad the ordeal was over, but his body was left running on adrenaline. He watched as all the trucks and other vehicles shifted gears, leaving the diner. He stood there, watching them drive down the highway and turn west at the junction. He was relieved they didn't go north. At least the mystery man was going the wrong direction to find Howard's friends. Still, he didn't feel good about any of it.
What the fuck was that all about?
2
Dan
The blood. It was always about the blood. The thick, red, hot and sticky substance. He could smell it in the air. He could almost taste it. The metallic sting on the back of his tongue. His heart raced at the thought of it. The colder air made it that more intense for him.
Exodus: Soulless Wanderers Book 3 (A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Thriller) Page 1
