by A. L. White
“Joe, grab one of the pieces of plywood that we brought to put across the seats to make a bed. Put it across the very back seat so that we can see if she is lying there in the morning. I don’t guess if she changes over night there is any possibility of her opening the door, and I don’t want to get a surprise when I open it to go in.”
Joe nodded his head as he took off to get the plywood. “Bedding, too?” he asked.
“Just a blanket for tonight,” Aunt Zoe replied.
Zoe took in a long look at her nephew, remembering for a moment how glad she always had been to spend time with him. She was the one who would always tell him what was on her mind one way or another; good or bad. This was going to be one of those times when she had to let him know that he had disappointed her. Thinking a little longer about it she decided that maybe it hadn’t been all that bad. Albert had spoken his mind when he thought she was endangering everyone. That was better than him letting her drive them off a cliff. Perhaps this whole ‘end of the world thing’ was finally toughening him up a little bit.
“Al, once you guys get her settled, I will have the children help me get a fire started so we can eat before it gets dark.”
That was all she said to him as she passed him on the way back to the other bus. Al had known that look his whole life and it never ended that way before. Even while he was somewhat happy with himself he couldn’t help but wonder if something was wrong with her.
*******
Virginia watched them pull Lori from the truck and work on her wounds. Then saw them pick her up and take her into the lead bus. Perseus, watching intently, let out a moan seeing this.
“That’s Ok boy, Lori isn’t like us. She will do better with those people than she will alone with us.”
For a moment Virginia truly believed that she felt that way. The pain of losing anyone else was not an option in her world right now, she told herself. There had been no tears since her mother was taken away and there would be none. Still, it was odd that they put Lori in one bus, while the rest went to the other. She watched silently as they cooked their food on an open fire made in the middle of the highway. After eating they all retired to the inside of the bus and there was no more movement.
Sometime over the course of the evening Virginia decided she would see her sister one more time. The plan involved going after dark, which would have driven Bob nuts. She wasn’t all that crazy about the idea herself, if she was being honest. Not giving herself away as being there right now, seemed to make it a little better. With the dogs, she would know if anything else was out there with her so it could be something she could pull off. Zeus and Perseus could keep watch while she went in the bus to say good bye to Lori. At least this time she would get to tell someone good bye.
CHAPTER 4
Most of the day had been overcast as a snowstorm came in from the northwest. The nights were so dark that Virginia couldn’t even make out the buses on the street, let alone the farmhouse just off to the side of the barn. Having decided to say good bye to Lori was one thing; getting to Lori was another.
The safest way to get to Lori would be to go by route of the street. The quickest way would be to go across the field. The only problem with going that way would be the dogs. Virginia had never thought about the fence along the highway. Would she have to climb it or she could simply step through it? The more she thought about it the less of an option it became. Being brave with the dogs in pitch black night she could do; being brave without, not so much.
Having had the decision made for her, Virginia gathered up the few things she wanted to bring with her. Mainly the crossbow, arrows, and an emergency flair she had found. Leading the way downstairs it was comforting to see Zeus moving like his old self. Today was such a scare, that for an instant, Virginia thought about leaving him in the safety of the barn. Perseus could handle himself should anything come up; there was no doubt about that. What he couldn’t do without Zeus was avoid falling back into being a puppy, and Virginia couldn’t risk that at night.
Zeus led the way past the house and down the street; Perseus stayed next to Virginia’s side. Once her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, she could make out Zeus in the lead, moving slow and steady down the middle of the street. The whole time it seemed like her heartbeat was so loud that it could be heard from a mile away. She felt only a little relief when the gravel beneath her feet transitioned to pavement. From there they were very near the buses.
As they approached the first bus, Virginia felt for the door and lightly pushed it open. As the door folded into itself, Virginia shook her head and wondered if the door to the other bus would open so easily. If there were any two’s nearby they would be in this in an instant.
Telling the dogs to stay, she loaded an arrow into the crossbow and climbed the stairs. Unfortunately, like the strangers, she had no idea if Lori had changed or not. For now it seemed being safer was the proper thing to do, no matter who it was in the bus.
At the top of the stairs she could hear Lori breathing heavy from the back of the bus. With each step she wondered if her sister would make it. Knowing that if she had been bitten that she would not survive didn’t stop her from thinking about it. When she had reached the make shift bed, Lori’s figure could barely be made out. She didn’t know if Lori would make it, but she could tell easily that she had not turned. She didn’t even sound like she was in process of turning.
Virginia placed the back of her hand on Lori’s jaw and held it there for a few minutes, until the first tear tried to escape from her eyes. She wanted to check the other bus out, to see if it was better locked down than Lori’s had been.
“Perseus, come on boy, guard Lori,” she called out to Perseus as she climbed down out of the bus. Once he was inside Virginia pulled the door closed as best she could.
Zeus led the way to the other bus and stopped in front of the door. Once again Virginia lightly pushed the door into an open position and then froze to see if she could hear any movement inside. Hearing none, she once again climbed the steps with the crossbow at the ready. Once at the top she stood there listening again for movement. The only sounds were a light snoring and the normal, deep breathing of sleep.
“Zeus,” she called out and Zeus went up the stairs as Virginia pushed the lever, closing the doors.
The air grew colder as the sun came up and the first to stir looked up into Virginia’s eyes and the crossbow aimed at them. He made a sudden reach for his rifle and then thought better of it.
“Joey, if she wanted to kill us we would all be dead by now,” Aunt Zoe stated.
Virginia made a shush signal with her finger raised to her lips, and pointed outside. There were around ten zombies, milling around the area where the fire had been. Virginia could see the look of alarm in their eyes when they turned back towards her. In a low voice she said, “Whatever you do, don’t shoot that rifle off now.”
“He doesn’t have any bullets,” Zoe replied, causing Virginia to smile at the thought of carrying a gun around with no bullets in it.
“They will move on unless we give them a reason to stay.”
Zoe and Joey nodded their heads that they understood.
Looking over the contents of the bus Virginia felt sorry for them. There were little or no supplies to be seen. They all looked like they were as cold as she was, despite the blankets wrapped around them. If she needed more proof that everyone left alive was just walking dead and did not yet know that they were dead, this bunch was it.
“Can anyone tell me why this girl is on the bus pointing an arrow at us?” Al asked in a groggy voice as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.
“That would be a good question, Albert,” Zoe replied, “Well?”
“I came down to say good bye to my sister. I saw you put her in that other bus,” Virginia replied.
“You mean when we saved your sister, don’t you?” Joe asked
“Will she live?” Virginia asked Zoe.
Zoe looked into Virginia’s face then close
d her eyes and shook her head no, “I really don’t know, child. We don’t have any medicines to give her.”
“We have them back at the bunker and it is a lot warmer there, or could be, than it is here.”
“How old are you girl?” Al asked looking concerned.
“I will be fourteen in a month--if I am still alive. Who knows with the way things are if I will make that or not.”
Al didn’t like the fact that this girl seemed to be holding all of the cards right now. He had a very specific plan to reach Florida. Contrary to what Aunt Zoe kept saying, that plan didn’t include picking up wounded people with troubled children. This child here was going to be a lot of trouble one way or the other he thought.
“If you’re planning on staying here, this bus is in a bad place,” Virginia added. “You might want to move it off of this main road and hunker down for a few hours.”
To prove her point Virginia pointed back up the road at the zombies. What had been a few milling about aimlessly was now up to about twenty or thirty, moving more directly.
“They stick to roads mostly when they move in large groups. We have always called them herds when their numbers get higher.”
They moved closer to the windows to get a better look. The girl was right about the numbers going up. It was like they were at a gathering spot waiting for others to join them.
“How many have you seen together?” Zoe asked.
“So many that it has looked like a river of dead moving slowly past.”
Al sat back down in his seat and bit his lower lip the way he had while in deep thought since he was a little boy. “I think we will be safe in the bus,” he stated.
“You will look like a packaged meal, but, suit yourself,” Virginia replied.
“What do you mean, child?” Zoe asked.
Virginia put down her crossbow and petted Zeus’s head. Without looking up she said, “Picture this bus surrounded by the dead for as far as the eye can see. When you can see that in your head take a few minutes and imagine that same group hungry. When you have imagined that, picture five alive, and moving creatures in this bus. Now when you can see all of that you just need to put it all together.”
Al may not have been able to see what she was talking about, but Zoe saw it plain as day. They would be trapped inside the bus with little food and less water for who knows how long.
“This place of yours would be safe for all of us?” Zoe asked.
Virginia thought about it a few minutes. The truth was that she didn’t know for sure what they would find back at the bunker. Lori had been there and looks like she had barely gotten away. It was a bad sign that there had been no sign of the others. Not even the smoke from the chimney was visible.
“If it is clear, there is no place safer that I can think of. We would have to go look before moving everyone there.”
“Good, we will all just wait here for you and your dog to get back,” Al added.
“I don’t think you should stay on the road. Maybe you could move over by the farm house or into the barn,” Virginia said pointing towards the farm.
Al looked the farm over and got an idea. Why couldn’t they just wait out this “herd” in the farm?
“Maybe that is a good spot to hold out at,” he said finally.
“You can do whatever you think is best for you guys. I like to pick places that there aren’t a lot of places for them to find a way in. They are not very smart, but they do seem to stumble upon weak spots when they want in.”
Zoe was losing her patience with Al mentally fencing with this girl. From what she could see outside of the bus, they were losing precious time.
“OK child, what do you suggest we do?” Zoe asked.
Virginia thought for a few seconds then said, “We should take the vehicles over to the farm for now. I think we can fit one of them inside the barn to keep you and the children safe. Then we can take the truck over to the bunker and make sure it is clear. Once we know it is clear, or have cleared it, we come back here to get you guys and my sister.”
She looked at Zoe, Al, and Joe for their reaction. Seeing the lost looks on their faces made Virginia wonder if she was going to regret helping them out.
Al finally shook his head no, “This is all crazy!”
“Albert let’s just get the buses moved and look at her place. We know what is behind us; you can see them plain as day. I don’t know what is ahead of us, and neither do you. Right now the safe bet would be to follow our new friend here, so get us moving!”
“Why don’t we just drive to her place and cut out the farm then?” Al asked.
“Bob didn’t design the entrance to fit buses. The last thing we want is to be stuck back there with no way out other than walking.”
“Fine! Joe, you drive this bus and I will take the other.”
“What about the truck? Do you want to walk from the farm back there? Virginia asked.
“Joey, you drive that truck with the girl and her dog. Albert, you drive the other bus and I will drive this one,” Zoe stated.
Al wasn’t happy but it was settled as far as he was concerned. They would move the buses and go see how great this place was. Then tomorrow he would talk to Zoe about leaving this girl and her sister behind once and for all. Good riddance to them!
Moving the buses to the farm took a little longer than Virginia had hoped. The herd was growing steadily by now on the main road, with smaller groups visible in the fields to the north of them.
Virginia didn’t want to tell them just yet that the bunker was to the north. The north of the bunker was mostly lake except for the narrow strip of land heading to the northeast. She thought the two point zeroes had moved through there at times. It was starting to get darker outside and she did not want to run into them tonight with this group out in the open.
“Ok, we are moved here. What’s next?” Al asked her.
“We can move my sister into the bus with them in the barn. They can latch the door from the inside and stay inside the bus, or go to the loft, until we get back.”
Zoe shook her head in agreement as she walked over to her nephew and great-nephew. “You two be careful and we will see you real soon,” she said as she hugged both.
“Don’t worry. We will be with the little General,” Al replied smartly.
Virginia opened the tailgate and called out, “Lads, get in.” The two dogs jumped up into the bed of the truck and she shut the tailgate.
“Do they have to come too?” Al asked her.
“Trust me. You will be glad they are with us.”
Al didn’t like big dogs or small dogs. He didn’t care how much he may need them; he just didn’t trust any dog to not bite him.
They drove down the road fast enough to move at a good speed, but slow enough to not attract the herd too much. When they reached the gate, Virginia’s heart sank noticing the gate was open and remembered that she had left it that way just a day before. Albert stopped at the gate and looked to her for answers. Virginia looked back at him and then turned to Joe sitting to her left by the passenger door.
“Can you please close and latch the gate after we drive through?”
He shook his head yes and Al drove through the gate, stopping just the on other side. Virginia got out with Joe and let the dogs out of the bed. Returning to the cab with the lads she reached into the storage space behind the seat and pulled out two pistols, laying them on the seat. Taking the safety off the first one, she handed it carefully to Al. Then did the same with the other and handed it to Joe.
“Sound attracts them more than anything else. Do NOT shoot anything unless you absolutely have too, OK?”
They both nervously nodded their heads.
“The lads will lead the way, if anything is in there or near us, they will stop us.” Looking into Al’s eyes first and then into Joe’s, Virginia could see how afraid they both were right now. She hoped that they wouldn’t do anything stupid and get them all killed.
“You follow slowly
in the truck, keeping an eye on me and the dogs. If anything pops up I will get it with the crossbow or the dogs will get it; are you following me? This is life or death now. There is no room for you two to freak out or do something stupid.” Moving out of the way she motioned for Joe to get into the truck. Once they were inside and the truck door shut, Virginia took one more look at her two new partners. Satisfied that they knew what to do, and more importantly, not to do, she joined the dogs.
Raising the crossbow up, Virginia followed the lads toward the open bunker door, pausing for a few seconds where she had last sat with Bob. From there she could see the door better and the remains of Jack, by the trailer. The hair on Zeus’ back raised and then Perseus followed suit. Zeus fell back and crossed his body in front of Virginia, letting out a low growl. Hearing this, Perseus moved in front of her as well, into a defensive position.
Patting Zeus on the head she whispered, “What’s in there boy?”
Zeus moved forward ready to strike the strange smell coming from inside the bunker.
Virginia reached into her back pocket and pulled out the flare she had been carrying. Striking it, the flare roared to life in a tremendous white glow. Walking up to where Zeus now stood, she could hear the unmistakable labored breathing of the zombies inside the bunker.
In the dark they had the advantage; in the light she would take them down as they exited the bunker to get away from the flare. She tossed the flare through the door and raised the crossbow, waiting.
The inside of the bunker lit up in a reddish, white glow as the flare landed near the fire place. The labored breath turned to horrifying growls emanating from the bunker. With a burst of movement they surged through the door, trying to escape the flare. Virginia let the arrow go, striking the first one in the left eye. Zeus brought the second zombie down while she loaded the next arrow, striking the third one. Perseus lunged for a fourth, and Virginia brought down the last to emerge.
