by Sally Six
“I just wanted to let you know we were here. I’ll go tell them now that they can come on in. Be right back.”
* * *
Stupidly Reins:
Wilbert and Rod were out doing some hunting. Their friend, Stick, had a cabin way back here in the woods. They had come up here to party with Stick and a few other friends where the law wouldn’t pop by. It had been a great weekend of drugs, booze and five girls when someone had caught the radio message of the country being bombed. Not long after that the lights went out. It had been by accident that they heard what was going on. Rufus had gone out to his car to get some more weed and decided to listen to music while he tried to find where he stashed it. That was when the song was interrupted with the warning. He had been a bit fuzzy about it as he had fallen asleep, but had managed after he woke up the next day to tell them what he had heard and why the lights and nothing else worked. No shower, no running water, nothing, but at least the stove was propane and they found matches in a drawer to light it with.
The cabin belonged to Stick’s older brother, Sam. It was his hunting cabin. They found canned goods and a few other things including some guns and ammo. One was a shotgun with a few cartridges, one was 30.30 and two were 30.06’s. Now they were almost out of food and they were going to try to hunt. One thing they weren’t out of were drugs. Stick had a big stash up here. So Wilbert and Rod were still on the high side when they went out to hunt.
Rod told his friends, “If Sam could do it. Why can’t we. Bet it’s easy.” Now they had been looking for several hours just making bigger circles around the cabin so they wouldn’t get lost. They were both getting very thirsty and hungry. They had forgotten to bring even water with them. At that moment Rod spotted wagons and horses just sitting there in the road. As they stood behind some bushes with their drug stupor having pretty well worn off walking around in the woods, Rod started talking to Wilbert.
“You know Wilbert. I just had an idea. Remember that old movie Mad Max? Well, I think now we’re in that or something like it. We can rule this area and get more people to join us. Then go take over a town. There won’t be any pigs to stop us. If there are, we’ll get rid of um. We will be kings. How about that?”
“Oh wow Rod, far out. I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re right. We can take what we want with no one to stop us. But right now I’m very thirsty. I bet those people have water and food.”
Their plan worked. Rod came in from the front and Wilbert from the back and caught the group on the wagons chatting away about something. They had them all throw down their weapons and get off the wagons and lay down on the ground. Rod went over and saw a canteen lying on a seat. He grabbed it and took a long drink before handing it over to Wilbert who kept an eye on the prisoners. But Wilbert was thinking as he looked at his friend. “That scum is going to drink it all. Why does he think he’s first?”
* * *
David walked quickly through the woods to get back to the wagons woods and saw the wagons through the trees, but he saw no one on the seats. He stopped dead in his tracks. Something was wrong big time. No way would they all be off the wagons when they knew he would be right back to get them. He slowly backed up trying to be as quiet as he could and slipped behind a tree. He looked around the tree first on the left and then on the right and didn’t see a soul. He slipped up to the next tree trying to see behind the wagons. He still couldn’t see anything. So he went to another tree that was closer and on the other side of the wagons.
There on the ground laid Olive, Tyler, the North’s and Juan. He didn’t see William, his other boy, anywhere. Standing off to the right and beside his people were two men. Both had rifles of some sort. David couldn’t tell what kind. He wasn’t the best at telling things like that yet. How in the world had they gotten the drop on us? I guess we’re just too sloppy and still think it can’t happen. Boy do we have a lot to learn either that or we’re dead. He started to head back out of sight and turned to go back to the Porter’s house to get help. Just as he turned he ran smack into William who had been trying to go to the Porter’s when he spied his dad slipping through the trees. They both gasped and David held onto William for a few seconds for support as he waited for his heart to go back where it belonged. He then whispered into Williams’s ear.
“How in the world did they not get you son?”
“Well Dad,” William whispered back. “I was out taking a leak when I heard the commotion at the wagons.”
“Okay William, we will talk more but we have to get to the Porter’s before these guys find out they are there and spoil our surprise.”
They went as quickly and as quietly as they could. David stepped out to see Bert standing by some things that had been piled by the driveway and watching his Dad haul another box out of the house. Reese looked up as he set the box down and saw William and David coming through the woods. He knew something was wrong. They should have been coming with the wagons.
“Bert, David and one of his boys are coming. There must be trouble.”
Bert turned and saw David and the boy. As David got closer, he knew for sure there was trouble by the look on David’s face. The boy looked like he was scared out of his wits.
David was out of breath by the time that he made it to Bert and Reese.
“There’s trouble. My wife and other son along with the rest have been taken by two men. At least that was all that I could see. He turned to William. “Is that all there were William?”
“Yes Dad. That was all, just two.”
Reese turned back to his son after listening to David and his boy.
Bert go get Tammy and your grandmother, quick. The sooner we get over there the better. We don’t want to give them time to find us here and have hostages to threaten to shoot if we don’t give up.”
Reese could see both David and his son had 45’s on their hips. “Good,” he thought. “I’m glad they at least have that much sense.”
It didn’t take but a few minutes for Bert to gather up Tammy and Carla. They had worried looks on both their faces as they came to meet up with Reese and David. To David those few minutes seemed very long. Reese filled them in on what was going on.
“Tammy I want you to stay here and guard the place just in case there are more men around. We don’t want to be taken by surprise as well. Carla we need you. You’re the next best shot in the family next to me.”
All Carla did is nod her head at him. No need for talking now. She knew she was a good shot. No need to go on about it.
“David do you mind if I take this little party over,” Reese asked. He didn’t want to step on David’s toes as this was his family.
“No Reese, that’s fine you go ahead. You have more experience than I do. I’m still new to all this.”
David didn’t know yet that Reese was a Veteran and a crack shot. Reese had led many a patrol and raid in the early 1990’s before the war was over and that he had saved many of his men. They weren’t just cannon fodder to him.
“Okay here’s how it will go down. We will split up and do what they most likely did, but I bet they don’t think there is anyone around to do the same thing to them. Plus we’re going to come on them three ways. Reese knew how the road was and David showed him by drawing on the ground just where the wagons were. Bert and Carla will come from the South, David and William from the East and I will come in from the West. That leaves them with only the north to run to if they get away somehow. When I’m ready, I will give a call like this. He gave a birdcall.” It of all things was a whip-o-will call. They didn’t have them out here, but he didn’t think the scum would stop to think about it. “I will wait about one minute then start on in on my side. Wait a minute.”
He ran back to the house and came out a minute later carrying two rifles. David’s jaw dropped. Those rifles he did know. Both of them were M16’s.
“Here ya go, you two.” He threw David and William both a rifle. William could hardly believe he was holding a M16. His Dad felt the same way. Reese s
aw the look on David’s face. He had expected that on William’s. But David’s look was delighted to no end. In all this William had noticed Tammy and how cute she was, but he was desperately trying not to show it.
“I don’t know how to operate one of these and neither does William.”
Reese took David’s rifle from him and went through the basics with William watching and handed it back to him.
“You both have that now?”
Both said, “Yes”. David said, “Wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be. Good thing Gramps had me practicing with different kinds of rifles.”
William thought the world going to pot was different and sometimes hard but some of it was great.
Reese looked around. “Let’s get on with this while we have the surprise on our side before they can do something to your people.”
They split up almost immediately and headed their different directions. They all knew that they really didn’t have much time. As they were all headed into the trees a scream came from where the wagons were further in the forest. David knew it was Olive, but he knew if he rushed in there that he may get someone killed so he held onto William who was about to run that way.
“We can’t run in there son. That would spoil getting them all lose from those dirt bags. I know it’s hard, but we have to have patience in this. Now let’s get to where they can’t see us and wait for that birdcall.”
David had a hard time keeping a steady pace himself especially when another scream sounded through the forest.
* * *
Olive was on the ground now. She had given Rod some nice long scratches down his right cheek. He had slapped her in turn. Her shirt was torn and her jacket was half off. He was trying to control her and unbuckle her leather belt at the same time. It wasn’t working very well and he was getting tired. They had just had a few bites of the food that these people had with them. Then Rod wanted to claim this woman as his. He thought it would be a good start to his harem. Wilbert was having a good laugh at Rod’s expense. He wasn’t paying real good attention to his surroundings. Tyler had started to get up to help his mom and Wilbert shoved him back down with his booted foot. Now he had a boot on the boy’s back with his rifle pointed at the others as he glanced back and forth at the activity on the right and then back at the prisoners. Greg was red in the face with anger and was trying to calm himself down. How could he have been being so inattentive he thought? Ruth beside him was crying softly. “This just seems to be going from bad to worse,” were her thoughts.
“Hey Rod if you can’t handle her then turn her over to me.”
A strange birdcall could be heard off in the woods, but Wilbert didn’t pay any attention to such a small thing. What was happening here in front of him was too entertaining.
Rod had both of Olive’s hands in his left hand in front of her. She finally got her left hand lose and cuffed him on his right ear as hard as she could. He released her for a second to grab his ear. She rolled over and started to get up. He quickly grabbed her left ankle and she went back down to the ground. She rolled onto her rear, but what he didn’t expect was the good swift kick to his head with the bottom of her right foot with that nice heavy hiking boot. Rod let out a short loud scream, rolled back and was out cold. The scream was for the pain in his neck. It must have been turned just right because when Olive kicked him he heard a crunch and felt a sharp pain before the lights went out. Wilbert was laughing hard when he felt cold steel slide along his neck. The deep voice sounded like death had come for him.
“Drop the gun and stand back off that boy. NOW.”
Reese moved with Wilbert as he backed up and dropped the rifle.
“Hands folded on top of your head boy. Sit down slowly and no quick moves.”
As Wilbert sat down he saw he was surrounded. An older women, a man helping the woman up off the ground, a boy that looked like the one he had his foot on along with another older teenaged boy. He thought, “Crap we really stepped in it this time. I should have just stayed at the cabin with the others.”
Wilbert looked over at Rod and finally noticed Rod hadn’t moved since the woman kicked him. He seemed to be turning a deathly shade of blue white too.
Bert was helping the others up off the ground and they were brushing themselves off. Tyler ran over to his mom and was saying, “I’m sorry mom.” Over and over again with her arms around him and David’s arms around them both. William joined them and soon the whole family was in tears. Ruth came over to the group and joined in.
Greg just stood there not knowing what to do with all the emotions that he was feeling with Toby at his side. Carla walked up near the family and checked the man lying on the ground. Dead as a doornail. Carla had seen the killing kick and thought, “good for her.”
Carla then went over to Reese and motioned Bert to come over too.
“That scum ball that she kicked is dead as they come. Isn’t it about time we get this show on the road back to the house? I don’t think we should leave Tammy alone any longer than necessary.”
Reese looked at his mother-in-law. He didn’t say a word about the tears in her eyes. She wouldn’t like to be reminded how softhearted she really was as she watched the reunited family.
“Yes your right. They have had a few minutes. Now it’s time to get back home. David we need to get back to the house. Then we can meet and greet and figure out what to do with this piece of crap that we have on our hands.”
Olive turned to where the scum that she had kicked still lay on the ground. “How about that one. What are we going to do about him?”
Carla took a few steps over to Olive and David and told them quietly that the scum on the ground was dead. Olive looked shocked and then she straightened up and headed over to the wagons.
Olive stated as she walked. “If that’s how it had to be. That’s how it is. I am not going to cry over the likes of him.”
David followed her over and climbed into the back of the wagon beside her wrapping his left arm around her.
Reese pointed towards home and Bert took off for the house. He had young fast legs and he would warn Tammy everyone was on their way back. Reese had the dirt bag get up and walk in front of him. “Follow that boy.”
Wilbert turned his head to look in Rod’s direction.
“How about my friend. Are you just gonna leave him lying there?”
Reese scowled and pushed the guy on towards the trees. “That friend of yours won’t be going anywhere from now on.”
Wilbert kept his mouth shut after that, but his thoughts were going a mile a minute.
Carla also went back through the trees. They didn’t want to miss anything around the area in case there were more dirt bags lurking about. The others climbed into the wagons and William untied the horse from Tyler’s wagon and mounted. Greg North drove the wagon this time with his wife beside him and David with Olive in the back. Toby was back over with Tyler and Juan was again driving alone.
Juan hadn’t said a word in all this mess. He was so relived David had the brains to do what he had done instead of trying to come in guns blazing. He would tell young William what a great job that he had done for not panicking and finding his dad instead. Things could have turned out very different if anyone had panicked.
The walkers made it back through the woods before the wagons came around the corner. Tammy was waiting for them with Bert standing beside her. He was filling her in on how things had gone and that no one had been hurt. Well none of them or the wagon party anyway.
Chapter 22
Murder Foul
Reese took his prisoner to the middle of the yard and had him sit down. Carla was beside them in case the scumbag tried anything. Wilbert looked up into the face of the old lady and saw the look of cold hate in her eyes. He quickly looked back down. He was sure that he was a goner. How in the world had he gotten into this? They had started out today just trying to find something to kill for food. He had been sure they could do that. He let Rod talk him into being
kings in this new world. “How stupid could I get?”
Reese was mulling over what they were going to do with this creature. They needed to know where these guys had come from and if there were more of them.
The wagons pulled up and everyone got down and went over into the yard by Reese, Carla and scum boy.
Carla turned to David. “David take your wife on into the house. There is water in the kitchen by the sink that she can clean up with. I know she would feel better. Then come on back out. Don’t worry we won’t start without you two.”
David and Olive went on into the house. Olive took a few minutes to wash her face, neck and hands.
“She was right. I do feel better. Let’s get back out there.”
They walked back outside hand in hand and over to the others. Olive looked at Carla and smiled. “Thank you. I do feel better.”
“I knew you would.” Carla smiled back at Olive and then turned her attention back to Reese and the prisoner.
Reese started in. “First let’s all introduce ourselves to each other. I am Reese Porter and this is my mother-in-law, Carla Lang, my son, Bert, next to her and then my daughter, Tammy.”
Next Greg North, Ruth and Toby introduced themselves. Then Juan did the same. David then introduced himself and his family. Reese looked down at scum boy.
“We need to ask you a few questions. Who are you and where did you and your friend come from?”
Wilbert looked up and around at all the faces staring down at him. He was getting more and more scared. He figured the best bet was to just tell them what they wanted to know. Then just maybe they would let him go. Anyway he was too scared to try and make something up. His mind just didn’t work that fast under pressure.
“My name is Wilbert Guess. Me and some friends were up at Stick’s older brother’s cabin when we found out bombs had been dropped on the country. Then all the electricity went out. We just kept partying and then Rod and I came to some and noticed we was running out of food. So we decided we would try and go hunting.
