by N. C. Reed
Both had discussed the possibility of finding someone else alive. Both hoped to do so, believing that if the two of them had survived, someone else had as well.
So far, it was a wasted hope. What they had found were bodies. Horribly decomposed bodies of friends and neighbors who had died in agony. Some were in beds, some were in easy chairs, and more than a few were lying in the floor, having died where they’d fallen. Each house, it seemed, was a new nightmare, waiting to be opened.
The rats were everywhere.
They had just come from the latest house, a truly awful scene where a family of five, including a newborn, were lying dead.
“That’s it, Rhonda,” Billy told her, gasping as he pulled off his mask. “I’m done with this. I can’t keep seein’ all this.” Rhonda sighed, nodding.
“I know. Here’s what we can do. We’ll get daddy’s files, see who had the weapons, and just get them. We need to round them up. Can you stick with me that long?” Billy looked at her for a long time, then nodded.
“But that’s it,” he warned, his face telling her that this time he meant it.
“We should have started sooner,” she told him. “Or waited for winter, either one. I’m like you, Billy. If I see one more baby, I think I’ll scream.” She had thought she knew how hard this would be. She hadn’t.
They went to her father’s store, now empty of anything useful, and Rhonda wasted no time in opening the transfer files. She gave some to Billy and kept the rest for herself.
“We’re only interested in the one’s that have Cedar Bend’s zip code,” she showed him where to look. “If it’s out of town, we skip it.” He nodded, and quietly began to sift through the papers. She watched Billy carefully for a few minutes. Satisfied that he was okay, she started on her own pile.
It took the better part of two hours to go through all the papers. He father had owned a popular and successful shop, and the size of his store belied the sheer volume of trade he had done. Finally, they were through the list.
“Still a lot of’em,” Billy noted. She nodded.
“I know. But these are either here in town, or just outside. We can get them and whatever ammo we find, and then call it done.”
“We’ll need to be careful,” Billy warned. “Someone still alive might shoot us with them guns we want to find.” Rhonda started, not having considered that.
“I hadn’t thought about that,” she admitted. “What can we do?”
“We can forget this and go home,” Billy told her flatly. “That’s what we can do.”
“What if someone comes and finds all this stuff?” she asked, waving the papers.
“Then they’re welcome to them,” Billy replied. “If they want to wade through all those bodies and rats to get them, more power to them.”
“You were the one who said we needed to get them,” Rhonda pointed out. “That we needed to secure them so no one could use them against us.” Billy started at that one. He had forgotten how all this had started.
Had that really only been two weeks ago? Almost two weeks, anyway, since he’d come to town under cover of darkness to take everything from Lem Higgins’ store. He looked out the window for a moment, all this running through his head. His father’s instructions had been pretty clear. Finally he nodded, turning back to Rhonda.
“You’re right,” he told her, his voice soft. “I did. Let’s go.” Decision made, Billy was no longer hesitant. Rhonda nodded her agreement, and the two of them left the store on their way to try and secure anything that could be used against them.
Rhonda hadn’t told Billy how bad she felt in going through homes that had once belonged to neighbors, friends, and even a few distant relatives. She felt like a grave robber. Intellectually she knew that wasn’t quite right. The rules had changed, and now their survival was more important than society’s niceties and rules. Her father had always favored a saying from the Bible, ‘Let the dead bury the dead’. She didn’t really understand what it meant, since it was obvious that dead people couldn’t bury other dead people.
But she had applied it in her own way. There was simply no way she and Billy could bury everyone and by this time the bodies were so decomposed that not only would handling them be dangerous, it would prove difficult. Billy had told her what he had encountered when trying to bury the Widow George. Rhonda didn’t want to go through anything like that herself.
They parked in a spot where several of the addresses were easy to get to on foot, and where the truck was out of the way a bit. Billy had decided that they needed to keep out of sight while they were ‘scavenging’, in case some of the raiders he had heard about happened upon Cedar Bend while they were out.
In truth he didn’t expect it, not yet. Having read his father’s books, he thought he had a better idea what to expect. This wasn’t a societal break down. Not too many people had survived. Those that had would need time to get organized. When they did, it was only natural they would head to the larger cities first, to pick them clean of anything they could find. There was simply more to be had in a city like Nashville, Memphis, or any of the other larger cities than could be found in an out of the way map dot like Cedar Bend.
That didn’t mean that they wouldn’t make their way here eventually. Sooner or later, they’d use up what they found, and start looting the smaller towns. Then there was the one other thing that his father’s notes had mentioned.
They’d likely be looking for women as well. He cast a quick glance at Rhonda at this thought. He had read that in a society like this one, women would often be considered possessions, rather than anything else. Billy had no intention of letting that happen to Rhonda, or to Mrs. Silvers and her daughter. He didn’t like Michelle Silvers, but that didn’t mean he wanted to see her treated like that.
“Maybe if we split up. . . .” Rhonda started.
“No,” Billy’s reply was flat, and final. “We stick together or we go home. Period.” Rhonda looked at him strangely at that, but nodded.
The two of them reached the first house, took a deep breath, and got started.
*****
“I think that’s the last one, Billy,” Rhonda told him softly. She was looking at the 4473's from her father’s shop, and each one had the telltale mark she’d used to signify that they had checked the address. It was well after dark. They had hurried through the afternoon, wanting to get done and get home, for good.
Now it seemed they could do so.
“All right,” Billy nodded, almost smiling. “Let’s get this stuff loaded and get outta here. I always loved this town, but nowadays it gives me the willies.”
Rhonda nodded. She had lived here for two months alone. She knew all about that feeling.
It was the work of only a few minutes to finish loading, and then Billy had the truck running, heater working full blast. It was cold now that the sun had gone down. Rhonda huddled next to the vent, grateful for the heat.
“We’re not coming back,” Billy told her, still looking out the windshield at the ghost town they’d called home once. “Is there anything else you want? Now’s the time to get it.”
“No, Billy,” Rhonda shook her head. “I brought everything that meant anything with me when I came. I’m ready to go home.”
Home. Billy was inordinately pleased to hear her call the farm home for some reason. Putting the truck into gear, he started them both toward home.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The next week was a whirlwind for Billy and Rhonda. The two spent almost every spare minute listing and separating the goods they had recovered from town. Fortunately the large farm house had plenty of room because it seemed that everything that Rhonda touched was something that ‘didn’t need to be outside’.
Cloth, consumer goods, boxes, Billy just shook his head as the list grew and grew. Finally he pulled up short.
“I’d better start moving our stuff out here,” he told her calmly. Rhonda looked at him in confusion.
“What?”
“At thi
s rate, we’re gonna be livin’ in the barn,” he pointed out. Rhonda flushed a bit, looking at the ground.
“I’m sorry, Billy. There’s just so much stuff that can be damaged leaving it out here, that’s all. I promise I’ll cut it down.”
“It ain’t that I’m fussin’,” Billy told her. “But there has got to be a tipping’ point here, and we’re beyond it already, way I’m lookin’ at it. It’s a big house, sure, but it ain’t that big. There’s gotta be a way to keep this stuff safe, out here, or in the back shed. Plastic tubs, I can build wooden boxes, something.”
“Tubs would work,” Rhonda chewed on her bottom lip for a minute. “How many do we have?”
“I don’t know. We did use a lot of ’em for the ammunition and some other stuff, and I know we can’t take that stuff out. But what we can do is this—we got both these trailers and we got two more outside. We ain’t never gonna need more than two at the time, cause we can’t pull more than that, ever. I say we store that stuff in the same trailers we brought it here on. I think two of them will fit in here, with a little room to spare. We just keep ’em locked in here.” Rhonda brightened at once.
“That’s a great idea, Billy!” she enthused. “You’re very smart.”
“No, I ain’t,” Billy muttered. Rhonda frowned again.
“Yes, you are,” she insisted. “I know you may not know everything there is to know, but who does? And right now? In the situation we find ourselves in this very minute? You’re very smart for this kind of thing.” She paused, then rushed on.
“I’m glad you found me and asked me to come here, Billy Todd.” He looked at her for a minute, then grinned.
“Me too.”
*****
With the new plan in place, it was easier to work. By the end of the week, everything had been counted, tagged, and placed into a trailer. In the end, very little had to be taken into the house, after all. Rhonda did insist that all the cloth be taken in, and Billy agreed it was necessary. He had a good supply of moth balls, but as far as he knew, no one was making them anymore. At least in the house, the cloth would have a better chance of surviving.
Box after box of detergent, soap, candles, wax and wicks, were left outside. The same went for hygiene supplies, paper goods, pencils, and so on. There were so many items that Billy couldn’t keep them straight, or he didn’t figure he could, so he didn’t bother trying. That’s what lists were for, he figured.
Two salvaged refrigerators, which Billy had cleaned liberally with bleach, were pressed into service to hold OTC meds in, the two thinking that the colder temperatures would extend their lifespan. All the prescription meds were kept in the house, in cool, dry places.
The guns were another matter.
“We can’t keep everything here,” Billy told Rhonda. “In fact, I figure we need to start caching this stuff, at least some of it anyway. In case we have to hit the road. Guns, ammo, water filters, first-aid kit, clothes and such. Maybe some long term food, too.”
“That’s a good idea,” Rhonda nodded. “How do we hide it? And keep it safe? Dry?”
“With this,” Billy told her, holding up a piece of six inch plastic pipe cut four foot long. There was a cap on one end already. “We put our stuff in these, cap the other end, and bury them, along with maybe a saw blade, or something along them lines, so we can cut it open. Can use five gallon buckets too, if we seal the lids.”
“I’d never have thought of that,” Rhonda shook her head. “See? I told you that you were smart!”
“Just stuff my dad taught me, or I read in his notes,” Billy murmured, shaking his head lightly.
“Well, you still know it now,” Rhonda said flatly. “We’ll get that done. I’m anxious to go see this trade day! I want to know what people are trading, and what for. I bet a lot of them are using gold and silver now, too,” she added. Billy looked at her.
“Think so?”
“I’d bet on it,” she nodded firmly. “Folks won’t want paper money no more, since there ain’t really no government behind it now. They’ll either want to barter, or take PM’s. Precious metals,” she added, when Billy frowned at the term.
“Well, that’ll be okay,” he nodded. She looked at him.
“You have any? Gold and silver coins, I mean?”
“I might,” Billy tried to evade the direct question.
“I have some,” Rhonda surprised him. “Daddy kept it all the time. He dealt in coins a little, on the side. Kinda like he pawned stuff, once in a while. I got a good bit.”
“I might have a good bit, too,” Billy finally told her. “Ain’t never had no need for it. But I reckon if some folks will take it, then we can use it.”
“We really don’t need anything, Billy,” Rhonda shrugged. “But that ain’t no reason not to be trading. My daddy always said there was no such thing as a bad trade day, just bad trades.” Billy nodded. He liked the way that sounded.
“Well, we can head over to the Silvers’,” Billy told her. “See what Mister Silvers found out about Franklin? It ain’t that far, I guess. We can go there, check it out.”
“You think we can?” Rhonda asked. “I mean, that it’ll be safe?”
“I reckon it will,” was all Billy said.
*****
Michelle Silvers surprised them both by running to hug Rhonda as soon as they arrived. The two had decided to walk through the woods to the Silvers’ place, leaving Rommel and Dottie to guard the farm, so to speak.
“Oh my God, Rhonda! I am so glad to see you!” Michelle almost squealed. “Where have you been? What have you been doing?”
“I been livin’,” Rhonda shrugged, not overly impressed with the contact. “Billy came to town one day, and there I was. So he up and asked me to come out to his farm, and here I am.”
“You’re staying with him?” Michelle was almost aghast. “You can’t do that! You have to move in here! We’ll go and get your things right now!” Billy frowned at that, but said nothing. He didn’t want Rhonda to leave, but she was grown, and could make up her own mind. The two had talked on the way over, and decided that they wouldn’t share the things they’d done, or collected, however.
“Michelle, I’m not moving in here,” Rhonda told her, laughing the suggestion off. “I’m settled in perfectly well at Billy’s, thank you very much. But it’s great to have another girl to talk to,” she added, trying not to bring Michelle down too much. She didn’t really like Shelly Silvers, but then that was going around these days. In fact, no one had ever really liked her before the world had more or less ended.
“Why, that’s ridiculous,” Shelly told her. “You can’t possibly stay over there with. . .with him,” she changed her words slightly when a dangerous light appeared in Rhonda’s eyes.
“I can and will,” Rhonda told her flatly. “Anyway, we came over to say hi, and talk to your folks. They about?”
“They’re at the barn right now,” she pointed. “I’m sure they’ll be glad to see you and insist, insist, that you come here to live,” she added, her nose raising slightly.
“Shelly,” Rhonda smiled sweetly, “I’m all grown up, and haired over. Nobody insists to me. Not anymore. Understand?” Shelly frowned at Rhonda’s words, but nodded.
“Well, come on, anyway. They’ll at least want the two of you to stay for dinner.”
“Hello, Billy!” Mister Silvers called, when he saw the trio coming. “Who’s that stray you found?” he added, laughing.
“I heard that, you old fuddy!” Rhonda called back, laughing. “I ain’t no stray. I was perfectly fine, but Billy was worried to death over me, and made me come stay with him!” Billy was about to object when he heard Emma Silvers speak.
“Good for you, Billy,” the older woman nodded firmly. “Folks got to cling together nowadays, and you two will be good for each other.”
“Emmaline, don’t go tryin’ to do no matchmakin’,” Jeremiah warned, making both Billy and Rhonda blush and Michelle snort in amusement.
“And
just what’s so funny about that?” Emma Silvers demanded. Michelle wisely made no reply, just looked at the ground. “You two gonna stay for supper?” she all but demanded.
“Long as we can get back ‘fore dark, ma’am,” Billy agreed, after looking at Rhonda, and getting her nod. “We walked over here, through the woods. Decided it’d be best to get a good trail blazed and started. Be smarter’n usin’ the roads all the time.”
“Good idea, son,” Jeremiah nodded. “Fine idea, in fact. Less attention we draw to ourselves, better off we are.” Billy caught Jeremiah’s eye, and nodded.
“Why’nt you two girls help Emma get supper ready while Billy and I take a last look at this fool horse. Won’t be a bit,” Jeremiah spoke easily, and caught his wife’s eye. She nodded.
“Come along, ladies,” she smiled. “I am getting hungry and Lord knows, Michelle, your brother is always hungry.”
“I don’t see how,” the girl replied. “He don’t do nothing.”
“Pot and kettle, dear,” Emma gave her a look. “Pot and kettle.” As the three went out of ear shot, Jeremiah turned to Billy.
“You been monitoring your radio lately, son?” he asked.
“Not the last few days, to speak of,” Billy admitted. “Been working’ to get Rhonda settled and tryin’ to keep up my chores. Did hear a bit a couple weeks ago that bothered me a might. About raiders hittin’ a place, killing’ some folk.” Silvers nodded.
“Bit more o’ that going’ now,” the older man told him quietly. “Been several families hit on one level or another. From gas siphoned to stock going missing to outright killing’ and burning’. One group in particular seems to be might well organized, no longer’n things has been like they are.”
“Anywhere around here?” Billy asked, leaning against a fence post, adjusting his rifle.
