He walked to the iron bars and leaned against them like Derek. He gave the young teen a nod. Derek sneered.
Aaron studied the place as best he could. They were in a fenced-in yard of some kind. There was a gate off in the distance, with the road leading away from the place. There were heavy trees surrounding them, but there were gaps where he could see houses just beyond.
Armed men walked around the yard. There were trucks, crates, drums of water. These men were surviving, just like Lexington, although their methods were much different.
A familiar scent touched Aaron’s nose, right before he heard their song. He looked to what he thought was the center of the yard, and saw six walkers chained to an old light pole, like dogs on a leash.
“What is this place?” Aaron asked.
Charlie stood next to him and ruffled Derek’s hair. The teen pulled away and joined Amanda near the front.
“I don’t remember much about the old world, but when the snow was bad, they used to throw salt on the roads with these huge trucks. This place used to keep the trucks and salt.”
Aaron nodded. A state highway facility. He’d read about them before.
He watched as a group of three men walked by the restrained walkers. They reached out in frustration. One of the men playfully held out his hand, teasing the creatures.
Charlie noticed Aaron staring at the corpses. “Four of those corpses used to be in the truck two down from us. They were planning an escape with two of the slavers helping them. They keep them as a little reminder in case we get out of line.”
“There’s other trucks here?”
As an answer, he heard a pounding on the wall from the truck parked next to them.
“Hey Charlie?” a female voice called. “Is the new guy awake?”
“Yeah, Sherry, he’s awake.” Charlie gestured with his head to the wall next to them. “They keep the women and men separate, for obvious reasons. Can’t have any naked loving, right? I’m guessing there’s probably fifteen slaves here.”
An older man walked by. He carried a shotgun and chomped on a cigar. “Hey. Did anyone say you could talk back and forth in there?”
“Go away. No one’s talking to you.”
“Oh yeah? How about I talk to you with this here?” He pointed the shotgun at Charlie.
Charlie didn’t flinch. “You’re not gonna shoot anybody. We’re worth too much, remember? You stupid piece of shit.”
The slaver flashed Charlie an angry glare. His eyes shifted to Aaron. “Looks like the new meat is awake. Stay in line, maybe you’ll stay alive,” he said while walking away.
“I don’t understand,” Aaron said. “Why don’t you all just fight back? They let you out to eat and piss, right?”
Charlie shook his head at Aaron’s attitude. He pointed to a small hole near the back, three inches across, that emptied out to the ground. “That’s our bathroom. So, please, try not to miss. And no, the only time they open this gate is to sell one of us off.” Charlie’s eyes fell to the floor. “My wife Jenny tried to fight when they sold her. They beat her right in front of me. Just in front of the bars, I could almost grab her hand. She was worth fifteen assault rifles, ten barrels of water, and a portable generator.”
“You’re married?”
“Yeah. Really married. We met an old preacher on the road. He married us.”
Aaron grabbed Charlie’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah. Me too. If I get out of here, I will find her.”
They were quiet a moment. Aaron waited for two men with rifles slung to their backs to pass before speaking. He gestured to Derek and Amanda in the back. “What’s their story?”
“These slaver bastards have a base in what used to be New York, where the border to Canada was. That’s where they do most of their selling. Derek’s been with me since then. They picked up Amanda somewhere in New Jersey I think. When they run into groups looking for a trade, the women usually go fast. I’m sure you can guess why.” Charlie choked up a little, wondering what his wife was doing, if she was even still alive. “I don’t know what’s worse for the kids, staying here in this prison, or being owned by a group of men.”
“Well, I don’t plan on being here long, so they can come with me.”
Charlie laughed. “I used to say the same thing. Now, I don’t even know how long I’ve been here. I’ve looked at the bars, trying to figure out if I could take them off the hinges they made. Hell, you see those walkers over there? They had help, and couldn’t make it out. I’m sorry, Aaron, you’re trapped here.”
He was quiet. Aaron remembered why he’d hidden in the city so many years. It was because people like the slavers existed. The people of Lexington, and how they took care of each other, were the exception, not the rule.
* * *
Aaron watched everything he could from the back of the truck over the next few hours. The slavers were in and out of the old office buildings and shoddy tents all day long. He thought he counted at least forty men. Every single one of them carried a weapon of some kind.
He didn’t know where they were in relation to Lexington. They kept the front gate closed. There were two armed men stationed, and they only had to kill two walkers throughout the day. They’d picked a good location, close enough to a road, but the yard was tucked away down a hill, surrounded by heavy trees on three sides, and enough trees by the gate to keep them invisible.
The sun had gone down. Aaron kept a close eye out as the night went by. He looked for anything, manned patrols, a group dinner, anything at all that told him about the culture of the place.
Derek and Amanda slept near the front of the truck. It was a warm night. Amanda used Charlie’s shirt as a pillow. He sat down across from Aaron.
“I know it’s driving you nuts, being in this cage. But you’re gonna have to get used to it. They’ll drag you out of here and beat you if they feel like it. And if they think you’re getting used to the beatings, then they’ll beat someone close to you.”
“Your wife?”
He nodded. “One time they gave a look to Amanda too. I begged them not to touch her, and they didn’t. But it was then I knew they had control over me. They knew it too.”
Aaron fought back anger. “A billion walking corpses around us, and it turns out people are the monsters.”
They went quiet when they heard footsteps approaching. A man stopped at the bars. He didn’t look too old, just a hint of gray in his hair and beard. Charlie relaxed when he saw who it was.
“Hey, Gibbons.”
Gibbons nodded. “Charlie. I see your new mate is awake.”
“Yeah, just today. Aaron, this is Gibbons. He’s the only one here I probably wouldn’t spit on.”
“Gee, thanks.” Gibbons looked around before pulling out two water bottles from under his shirt. “Here. Hurry up and drink a little. I have to visit the rest of the trucks.”
Charlie grabbed a bottle through the bars and took a drink. He offered the bottle to Aaron, but he declined, not once taking his eyes off Gibbons. Charlie hated to wake the kids, but they needed to drink too. One of the slavers brought them their daily minimum a few hours ago, but Gibbons helped them whenever he could, with extra food and water.
Aaron lowered his voice as Charlie tended to the kids. “You found me at the hospital?”
“Not me, but some guys that went to clear it and look for supplies. Some of them are talking about you, trying to figure out how you didn’t get eaten.”
“Charlie says I was lucky.”
“Yeah, right. You’re so lucky you got brought back here.”
Aaron could tell from his tone that Gibbons wasn’t happy. “Well, why don’t you help us get out of here, and we’ll all leave together?”
He shook his head. “I hate it here, but I’m safe. You see those moaning bastards chained to the pole over there? They had the same idea. Look where it got them. It’s risky enough slipping you guys extra water.”
Aaron appreciated Gibbons taking th
e risk, but was still angry. “You’re a coward.”
“Hey, call me what you want. But I’ve gotta watch my ass. I think Allister already suspects I’m up to something.”
Aaron felt the bottom drop out of his stomach.
Allister.
He’d heard the name spoken only once in his lifetime, but he would never forget it. The man who had murdered his family. He had fired a single bullet into both Uncle Frank’s and his father’s stomach, then left them to fend for themselves against the undead.
He still had nightmares about it, watching Denise, Margie, Frank, and his father die before his very eyes.
Allister was in charge of the slave camp.
Aaron reached through the bars and grabbed Gibbons by the collar. “Who did you say?”
“What? What’s your problem, man?”
Charlie ran forward. He grabbed Aaron by the shoulders and tried to pull him back. He only succeeded in yanking Gibbons too, his face just a few inches from the bars. Derek and Amanda watched in fear.
“Aaron, calm down!” Charlie said. “Gibbons is on our side!”
“Who’s in charge here?”
Two men stuck their heads out of their tents. They grabbed their guns and headed their way.
“Allister!” Gibbons said. “His name’s Allister.”
Charlie kept pulling on Aaron’s shoulders. “Let him go! You’re gonna get us in trouble!”
It was too late for that.
Aaron released Gibbons, who fell backwards.
“What the fuck is going on here?” the taller of the two men said. He eyed up Gibbons. “Why are you talking to them? Don’t you got something better to do?”
“Bill, Taylor, just relax. I was checking on the new guy. He was confused for a minute, didn’t know where he was. I popped him one, and now we have an understanding. Right, new meat?”
Aaron said nothing. Charlie took a step back to stand in between Aaron and the kids. He had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well.
“He’s talking to you,” Taylor said. “You speak when you’re spoken to, like a good little boy.”
“Fuck you.”
Charlie winced. He joined Amanda and Derek in the back. Amanda hid the bottle of water Gibbons gave them behind her. Charlie was worried about what Aaron’s behavior would bring down on them.
Taylor smiled. “I hear you just woke up today. So you don’t know how things work here. Well, let me explain.”
He signaled to Bill, who went around the side of the truck. They kept the bars locked by a chain that stretched down the side and wrapped around a hook. Bill undid the chain and let it fall to the ground.
“Shit, Taylor,” Gibbons said. “Just let it go.”
“Shut up.”
Taylor swung the bars open and aimed his gun at Aaron’s head. “Get out of there, or I’ll kill you, then your friends in there.”
Aaron was mad at himself. He’d put Charlie and the kids in danger. He hopped down from the truck.
As soon as he landed, Taylor hit him in the head with the butt of his gun.
Aaron fell to the ground. His first instinct was to attack back. He wasn’t that stunned, and Taylor’s leg was in grabbing distance. He held back. Bill stood a few feet away with his rifle pointed at him.
Not the right time. Not yet.
Taylor and Bill said nothing else during the beating. It was the first one Aaron ever received. He covered up as best he could. Amanda tried to rush forward to help, but Charlie held onto her. Even Derek covered his eyes.
Gibbons just watched. There was nothing he could do. In the truck next to them, Sherry and the other women leaned on the bars and watched the beating. She wanted to say something, anything at all to make them stop. She didn’t want to draw attention to the women. She knew they could do worse to them than beat them.
“Come on, guys, he’s had enough,” Gibbons said. “If Allister gets wind of this-”
Almost as if on cue, they heard his voice.
“What in God’s name is going on over there?”
Aaron looked across the yard, not bothering to try to stand up. His right eye was swollen shut. Blood dripped from his mouth to the dirt. His entire body was sore from the kicks and punches. He saw men near their tents, not daring to move as Allister walked in between them.
Aaron recognized him immediately, even with only the moonlight.
Allister didn’t recognize Aaron. He looked at the young man, bruised and bloody, clutching his ribs. He barely contained his anger as he looked at Taylor, Bill, and Gibbons. He knew Gibbons was too much of a pussy to have anything to do with a beating, one of the many reasons Allister was thinking about retiring him.
This was all Bill and Taylor’s work.
“I know you have to let off steam sometimes. Hell, I do it myself. But do you really think we’ll get any good trades out of a beaten, broken man?”
Bill and Taylor stared at the ground.
Allister looked at Gibbons. “Put him back in the truck. And you two.” He pointed to Bill and Taylor. “Tomorrow, you’re on shit duty. Clean up the shit under every single one of these trucks.”
Gibbons carefully pulled Aaron to his feet. He lost his balance, and had to wrap an arm around Gibbons’ neck. Bill and Taylor walked away, mumbling to themselves. The men vanished back inside their tents. Allister turned to leave, his hands clasped behind his back.
Aaron couldn’t resist. “It was a pleasure meeting you.”
Allister froze, but only for a second, then he resumed walking. He didn’t speak to the property.
“You stupid bastard,” Gibbons whispered.
He helped Aaron climb into the truck. Amanda put the water bottle to Aaron’s mouth as he lay down. Gibbons gave Charlie an apologetic shrug.
“Thanks,” Charlie said. “Thanks for the water.”
Gibbons nodded, then went back to his tent.
“He’s gonna get himself killed,” Derek said while he paced. “Or worse, us.”
Aaron barely heard them talking. It had been a long time since he felt raw anger.
“I’m afraid he’s right,” Charlie said. “You’re gonna have to get that tongue under control. The last thing we need is Gibbons getting caught.”
“You’re right,” Aaron said, coughing up blood. “Especially if I’m gonna kill Allister.”
* * *
Sam woke up from her sleep for a brief moment, then pulled the sheet back over her head. She wasn’t sure what time it was, but the sun peeking through the curtains and the sound of chores outside told her it was late morning. She still didn’t move a muscle. She didn’t plan on going anywhere.
It had been a month since she lost Aaron. The people of Lexington had barely seen her since then. She stayed in her room throughout the day, only going out to eat and drink at night. She didn’t do anything but sleep, look through some books of Aaron’s that she couldn’t read, and cry. She hated herself for the crying part. She told herself when she was surviving that there wasn’t a single person alive worth crying for. She was wrong, and her heart was paying for it.
There was a knock at the door. There had been a few knocks over the past month. She ignored them, and they eventually went away. That wasn’t the case this time.
“Go away!”
The door opened. She turned over to see Richardson poking his head inside the door.
“Hi. Just wanted to make sure you were still alive in here.”
“I am. Now leave.”
She turned back toward the wall. The door closed behind her. She didn’t know Richardson was in the room until she heard him speak.
“Travis is limping around now. James thinks he’s gonna make a full recovery.”
Sam shut her eyes to hold in tears. Hearing Travis’ name only made her relive the trip to the hospital. “Good for Travis. I told you to leave.”
Richardson sat on the mattress next to her. He half-expected her to get up and pace around, just to get away. To his surprise, she didn’t move, but
sat up next to him.
He didn’t know what to say. He’d never seen Sam so upset since he’d known her. She didn’t let anyone through her emotional walls. Aaron got through, and now he was gone. He’d consoled many people over the years, but Sam was different. He didn’t think there was anything he could say to make her feel better, but he had to try.
“Samantha, Aaron wouldn’t want to see you like this.”
“Well, since he’s dead, that doesn’t really matter, does it?”
“We’re all hurting. Everyone here liked Aaron. There was something about him. He was just so…happy. I could never figure it out.”
“I really liked him.”
She was angry at herself. She knew she liked Aaron, maybe even had that crush thing Mary talked about. But she didn’t have the courage to say it aloud until he was gone.
I miss you so much.
Sam started crying. She tried to hold the tears in, but she didn’t have the strength. She felt foolish and depressed. Richardson put an arm around her shoulder. She leaned into him and just cried.
“I don’t know what to do,” she said. “I’m angry one minute, then I’m crying all over myself. When will this go away?”
“It will never go away, not all the way. And it shouldn’t. Aaron left a big mark on you.”
“What do I do?”
He shrugged. “Just live,” he said. He knew it sounded bad, but he didn’t know what else to tell her. “You’ve got people to lean on here, and the kids are worried about you and look up to you.”
Sam didn’t think anyone gave her a thought at all, including the children. “What?”
He stood up and pulled the curtain open slightly. Sitting on the grass not too far away was Nikki with the rest of the children, all sitting in a circle playing duck-duck-goose. Every now and then one would look up to Sam’s window.
“You’re all they talk about,” he said.
“That’s weird.”
“They like you, just like Aaron. He was one-of-a-kind. Everyone here was lucky to know him. And he wanted to be close to you.”
Dead Living Page 19
