by Victor Cruz
A small pause in action gave time for Yargan and Maxson to share a quick look, a quicker nod and loud grunt amongst one another before going back to work. The two dealt with the incoming walking dead like a well-oiled machine. One swing from the sledge hammer and one from the axe and the last two fell over dead. Diego had broken killed the two that had halted him and now the side Maxson was on was now completely clear.
The battle had ended just as fast as it had started.
Maxson could see the other side was now finishing the last one off themselves while he caught his breath. His mind was relaxing from the high-pressure situation that they were just in and his adrenaline was no longer needed.
Diego, Yargan, and Scott stood next to Maxson, but nobody said anything because they were all catching while catching their own breaths. Scott was so exhausted that he was hunched over while breathing hard and could only thank the other men for saving his life with the sincere look he gave to all three of them. The Irish man gave each of them a nod before finally vomiting at the feet of a corpse that laid motionless on the ground.
Maxson watched Inez straddling a creature with her knees pinning its shoulders to the ground while she smashed it’s head in with a large stone she must have found during the battle. Reggie had to finally pull her off after the gray stone turned black from the dripping ooze leaking out of the dead creature’s crushed head. Inez had tears streaming from the corner of her eyes and nearly elbowed her husband in the face as he pulled her off, only to instantly fold into his arms. As exhausted as his arms were, Reggie found the strength to hold her close which allowed Inez to hide her emotions from the group.
Pete, Dustin and Tyler stood around the gate entrance and were all too pleased with themselves. Each of them tried to one up one another while they reenacted and boasted what they had just done in the fight. Maxson noticed Colton responsibly walking around and was beginning to stomp each of the creature’s head to ensure they were dead.
We all survived. Maxson thought in relief and wondered if he had underestimated his group. Remembering that not everyone was accounted for he asked the others. “Anybody see Konrad or Eddie?”
“Don’t tell me you miss us, already!” Konrad bellowed as he strutted from a path that winded around some bushes and trees. Eddie was not far behind him and the two of them were matted in sweat and they were covered in black blood. Konrad’s machete swung by his side as he walked up towards them. Eddie was flipping his knife in the air and catching it in a very controlled manner while he trailed his older brother.
“You guys leaving could have gotten us killed,” Maxson stated unamused.
Everyone was beginning to regroup around the gate entrance where there were no dead bodies. They all gave their attention to the interaction between Konrad and Maxson from the group.
Konrad looked to Scott before shrugging to Maxson. “He looks fine. What’s the problem?”
This motherfucker… Stifled Maxson.
Eddie found his brother’s comment humorous and made a high-pitched noise while he still flipped the knife.
Before Maxson could respond, Colton stepped forward, “There’s no problem. We’re all okay. Right Maxson?”
Maxson was confused by Colton interjecting himself, but decided to follow his friend’s lead. “Yeah. Yeah, everything’s all good.”
“Good!” Konrad said. “Now let’s put all this bullshit behind us, eh?”
“Aye,” Scott nodded.
Konrad then turned his back towards the group to face the large building, “Besides, we still have us a whole castle to sack. Per the Queen’s orders,”
Maxson kept quiet while the rest of the group agreed with Konrad. No matter what he says, or how he says it, I just can’t stand him. Maybe it’s just me.
“We’ll start with the first floor and work our way up, room by room,” Konrad continued before asserting himself. “I’ll lead us into our new home.”
Maxson was annoyed by Konrad, but was more annoyed with the rest of them. Dustin, Scott, Tyler, Eddie and now Colton had all fallen in line behind their newly appointed leader, Konrad.
What the fuck is going on? Maxson wondered and now taken aback by the newly elected leader.
The sound of tires rolling over gravel came from the other side of the gate entrance. It grabbed everyone’s attention and even Konrad stopped his charging assault. Through the bar gates, Maxson could see the Henry’s creation come rolling up the trail towards them which meant that the rest of the group was coming. It also meant that Konrad would find out that his future plans were now foiled.
Well, at least this is going to go down while we’re all armed. Maxson sarcastically thought as he saw Henry’s creation on wheels come rolling up the trail towards them through the gate.
after the storm
The entire group had chosen to wait by the locked gate as Henry put his semi-bus-truck in park. The front of the bus was mounted on the back trailer of the truck, but Henry had welded a steel staircase that had three rungs coming off it so the group didn’t have to jump off the elevated bus exit. Henry, being the gentleman that he was, made sure to help each and every woman off with Slug joining him after he climbed out.
Belle and Catalina exited the vehicle and Maxson could hear the breath releasing from his side of the gate. Head’s turned and gulps were swallowed as the two beautiful women in skin tight leather pants walked towards them.
“Hubba-Hubba, look at all that trubba’,” Konrad said with a few laughs following.
Well played, Cat. Dumbass perverts don’t seem to notice anything but those beautiful bodies. Yet, at least. Maxson didn’t hear a peep from Dustin though and noticed he was keeping far away from him. It was for the best for Dustin’s health as far as Maxson was concerned. He was already having to fight visions of himself killing him with his axe at that very moment.
If anything goes down right. He’s first. Maxson still held resentment towards the loud-mouthed punk.
Catalina was at the front of the group, but patiently waited till she got right up to the gate before she asked. “Is everybody okay?”
“Maxson!” Belle rushed to the gate putting her hand on the bars. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, babe-Belle…” Maxson tried to correct himself. “We’re all okay. Give us a minute to talk quick?”
“Oh… sure!” Belle said and backed off without taking insult.
“Inez is fine,” Maxson could see concern still in Catalina’s eyes. Once the worry was lifted, he asked, “What about you guys? Everyone alright?”
“Well. We had a little issue back at the Parson’s farm, but I think we’re okay,” Catalina said, but her eyes hinted at something more.
“I understand,” Maxson could see that Krystal had worry and tension spilling from her face. He nodded to Catalina while tightening the grip on his axe still resting on his shoulder. His attention went to the lock of the gate. “And this gate?”
Catalina gave a quirky smile to Maxson and pursed her lips before reaching to her hair and pulling out a bobby pin. In her other hand she pulled out a long skinny smooth metal rod. It was as long and thick as a chopstick, with one side skinnier than the other. The skinnier side had a point so sharp that it could stab through a man. Maxson’s eyes lit up when he saw the rod.
“You remember now?” Catalina gave him a disappointed, but frisky look.
The rod was a tool that Catalina had used in her younger days. Coupled with the bobby pin, the two pieces of metal had gained her access into many places she was not supposed to be.
Maxson nodded with a grin. It was a piece of equipment that Catalina and Mason would regularly use to break into just about anything. She was the more skilled thief of the two, but Mason taught her a trick or two when it came to thievery. “Of course, I remember. How could I forget, The Punisher?”
A nickname that his brother Mason had given it and always joked that he was going to “punish her big beautiful booty” with it whenever she was obstinate with him. The me
mory of his brother saying that still made Maxson’s smile, even in his death.
God, do I miss you. Maxson would have traded his relationship with Catalina to go back to a time that he was still alive, and given her back to his brother with a grateful smile. There was no question in his mind that she felt the exact same way.
Catalina look almost went to horror before she composed herself and shook her head. Her words were firm, but she was smile and practically glowing when she gave her command. “Don’t call it that. Don’t ever.”
Maxson stifled a laugh and was having too much fun. The two shared a look with one another and relished the memory for only a second with everyone standing around them becoming antsy.
“What’s taking so long?” Konrad bellowed without concern of their surroundings.
“You guys need any help?” Colton also asked, with an impatient and nervous tone.
“Almost done.” Catalina replied as a matter of fact and in a way that instantly alleviated the tension that was building.
“Almost done? You haven’t even started…” Maxson confusedly said soft enough for only Catalina to hear.
Catalina said nothing while she reached through the gate and began to pick the lock in a precise and dexterous manner. A few clinks and the sound of something unlatching could be heard before a pin popped up from the locking mechanism.
Catalina nodded towards the pin that was sticking up, “That pin means you can slide the lock to the side now.”
Maxson grabbed the handle of the gate and he began to slide it to the right. There were three long bars that were moving while he slide the handle. Each bar was at different heights on the gate and were built in such a way that Maxson didn’t even realize the bars were supposed to slide. Once they cleared the middle of the gate, Catalina pushed on the other side and started opening it. The group lightly cheered together, but didn’t cause too much noise.
Henry and Slug helped Catalina open the gate on her side and Colton and Reggie helped Maxson on his side. Maxson noticed the revolver at Henry’s hip and it brought him some small amount of relief.
Belle ran to embrace Maxson before she jumped into his arms and kissed him. “I was so worried about you.”
Maxson squeezed her while holding her suspended from the ground in his tall form, “It’s going to take a lot more than that to take me out.”
“Psh,” Catalina exhaled as she started walking away and begin waving Henry inside the complex. “Alright, Henry. Let’s bring her in!”
“Yes, ma’am, I’ll find a nice good spot to park her,” Henry tipped his hat towards her before manning the vehicle. Its engine was still running as Henry didn’t want to take any chances of it not turning back over.
Maxson gave Belle a light smack on her firm rear, “Go with Henry.”
Things might get a little crazy once they see their stolen stash.
Belle giggled and smacked at Maxson’s forearm before she ran to get in with Henry. Catalina began waving Henry into the place and the two in one vehicle proceeded slowly towards the opened gates.
“I gotta’ say, I didn’t think Henry was going to get that deathtrap here,” Suzie said before adding. “But he’s a hell of a mechanic.”
“He sure knows how to rev the engines under my hood,” Mabel cooed in such a way that it made Maxson cringe.
“Not just your car’s hood, Mabel. Any car’s hood really,” Slug added to the conversation, clearly missing the innuendo.
Even though Suzie and Mabel were older, they looked to one another and laughed like schoolgirls. Catalina was walking backwards and the front of the bus had just entered the walled complex of the abandoned resort. Most of the group watched the truck rolling in foot by foot, but Maxson’s eyes weren’t.
Konrad, Eddie and Dustin all stood with one another talking until the back of the bus came through the gates. Pete, Tyler and Krystal were also near them in a separate circle and Krystal seemed to be annoyed with Tyler like always. Maxson wondered how he could put up with her personality and the treatment she put him through, but he had much bigger things on his mind. Especially since Tyler wasn’t rank the highest in his own mind.
On the back of the bumper of the bus was a trailer hitched. For Maxson, it was the first time ever seeing the silver covered trailer that looked like it was made big enough for someone to only move a small dorm room. Konrad’s mouth dropped open, but Eddie’s eyes filled with fire. Dustin looked to the two brothers for direction, but Maxson could see he was squirming around.
Catalina walked off the path and stopped next to Maxson. She continued to wave Henry by and leaned over to Maxson to whisper, “Don’t let them catch you staring. Just go about your business.”
“Right…” Nodded Maxson and he immediately walked over and grabbed a corpse by the ankle. Henry was still slowly passing with the trailer following him as he dragged it towards the gate entrance. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the three trouble makers were already scheming something between them.
Just go about your business… Just go about your business while they plot…. Just go… fuck this…. Maxson stopped with the corpse still dragging behind him on the ground and looked over to the three that stood fifteen feet away from him. “What’re you guys standing around for? Grab a body and pile them up high to burn.”
Might as well start something on my own terms.
Maxson couldn’t help but enjoy seeing Dustin jump at his bellowing voice. Eddie was facing away from him, but the dumb look on Konrad’s face was priceless.
“Uh-well-yeah-uh-okay,” Konrad looked defeated and directionless all at once. Maxson would have pitied the man if he didn’t know any better.
“Fuck this!” Eddie suddenly turned towards Maxson and started towards him. His movement grabbed the attention of almost everyone in sight. Yargan and Scott stopped piling a couple of corpses and started to slowly walk towards the commotion.
“Ed-“, Konrad tried to grab his younger brother’s arm. Eddie’s movement was too fast and he was too strong to stop as he walked away. Konrad walked behind his brother with Dustin back them up.
Eddie’s chest puffed out and his arms taking up space as he marched towards him. Closing the distance to stop out of Maxson’s arm reach before planting his feet firmly. He pointed out at the trailer as it continued down its path with Henry in control of its haul, “What’s that about?”
Maxson held the ankle still, but looked down at Eddie. He remained silent knowing that it was irritate him and also allow Colton, Reggie and Inez close in on his location. By now, almost everyone was there to witness Eddie’s behavior.
“Answer me!” Eddie shouted.
Even though it shouldn’t have come as a surprise, Maxson remained unbothered that Eddie would be the catalyst.
One brother is as good as the other, Maxson thought in morbid silence until he offered up an aggressive retort, “What?”
Eddie’s nostrils flared, “You know what, don’t play dumb with me.”
“You calling me dumb?” Maxson let the ankle drop from his hand. He turned to face Eddie now directly with the axe on his shoulder.
“I ain’t scared of ya, Wonderkid,” Eddie proclaimed.
“Maybe you should be,” Maxson shifted his feet under him to widen himself into a subtle prepared stance now. He then looked over to Dustin, “What do you think? Think he should be scared of Wonderkid?”
Dustin looked to the ground and shriveled up. He didn’t have a word to add to the conversation.
“That’s what I thought,” Maxson taunted.
Colton nudged Maxson, “Uh, Max, what’re you doing?”
Maxson continued to glare over at the three intensely, ready for whatever came next.
Eddie was expanding from the kinetic energy building inside of him which was fueled by high octane anger and only further perturbed by Maxson’s antagonizing smile. His breathing grew harsher and he began to reach for one of his throwing knives. For the first time, Maxson saw fear in the Essex broth
er’s eyes, but they definitely did not belong to Eddie. Konrad’s taller form pushed forward and grabbed at Eddie’s arm reaching for his weapon.
“Boys-boys-boys! Calm down now, we can all just get along,” Konrad said in an uncharacteristically friendly way. He stood in between Eddie and Konrad using himself as a physical barrier between the two. “Now, Eddie, you’re getting a bit hot headed for nothing, aren’t ya?”
“You fucking serious? These motherfuckers steal our shit and I’m the one being hot-headed?” Eddie’s anger was quickly turning towards Konrad.
“Your shit?” Catalina interjected herself.
Konrad, Eddie and Dustin all froze.
“What do you mean by your shit?” Catalina asked in a calm manner, with a suspicious undertone.
Eddie emitted a noise, but they were not words. Konrad then took over with a big smile on his face, “It’s not what it looks like! You know Eddie… he’s just lettin’ off steam by blabbering and runni–”
Konrad tried his best to deescalate the situation and diminish Eddie’s reaction by stealing the attention away, but Catalina wasn’t falling for it.
“I’m assuming by your shit, you are talking about that trailer,” Catalina crossed her arms and ignored Konrad. Her words and attention on Eddie. “The trailer that we found by the house.”
Maxson fanned the fire, “What else could he be talking about?”
Catalina snipped, “Sh. Now, Eddie, is that what you’re talking about?”
“You bet that sweet phat-ass of yours,” Eddie had no shame or fear in his voice. Each hand disappeared before quickly revealing a knife in each one causing Suzie and Mabel both to gasp out loud. The rest of the group began to raise their weapons ranging from bats to knives.
Konrad kept his machete down by his side and used his other hand to try and halt everyone. His long arms and tall form shielding his younger brother from the rest of the group.
“Let’s not get out of hand here… yes… that is our trailer…. Okay?”, Konrad confessed.
