Turners | Book 3 | Junction

by Thomas, Ellis

~~~~~~~~~~~~

  They spent the next day getting to know their hosts and some of the townsfolk better. That evening, when they arrived at the courthouse, Jon motioned for them to come to the front row, where he had saved seats for them. A group of about thirty people had already assembled.

  George was standing at the front of the room, and after using a gavel to get everyone to quiet down, he started the meeting.

  “As most of you know, some new guests arrived here in Junction yesterday. I’ve called this meeting because they have information that could be of great benefit to us. They’ve come from a place north of here called Aftertown. That community took over a military base, and with the help from a remnant of the military personnel, the civilians there have created a thriving place of relative abundance and safety. Theirs is a model that we can imitate. We’re on the right track. I want to introduce Joshua Delgado, who will fill you in on some of his observations.” He then nodded at Joshua and motioned for him to step to the front.

  “I really appreciate your time tonight,” Joshua began. “Our goal in leaving Aftertown was to find other groups of people serious about growing their community and establishing commerce and support with other like-minded towns. There is strength in numbers, even if there is some distance between the communities. Being able to exchange ideas and even initiate trade will build not only strength, but also morale. Just knowing that others are out there struggling with the same issues and being able to roundtable with them is heartening.”

  The group was nodding in agreement, so Joshua went on.

  “From what we’ve seen yesterday and today, you have all the basics you need not only to survive, but to flourish. There was only one issue we came across that could be your downfall.”

  This got everyone’s attention, though Sydney guessed they already knew what it was.

  “It’s obvious that you have a problem with Turners coming into town. You all know that it only takes one scratch or bite to start a serious outbreak, and half this town could be turned before you even figured out what was going on. Security is your Achilles’ heel.”

  Everyone started talking at once, and George rapped his gavel to quiet the group.

  “I’ll take your questions now,” Joshua said, “but please speak only when I call on you so that we can all hear. Sir, in the third row, what is your question?”

  “How do we keep ‘em from comin’ here? This here’s open desert,” the man stated, as though he thought that wasn’t already obvious. “Are you just going to put up a detour sign and watch all them dead ’uns turn right?” His sardonic tone made Sydney want to put him on a front line somewhere. She couldn’t help but wonder what on earth his contribution to Junction was. He must have been born here, was her best guess.

  To Joshua’s credit, he ignored the man’s sarcasm and answered as though a frightened little old lady had asked the question.

  “You can’t stop them from coming, but you can put up barriers and divert them from this town. You have enough people and communication devices to do regular patrols. Small groups of Turners can be stopped out in the field. Larger groups will have to be dealt with differently. But that’s something that must be planned for, so no one is taken by surprise.”

  Joshua motioned to a woman with her hand raised. She looked like life had been harder on her than the rest. “Ma’am?”

  “What type of security did Aftertown have?” she asked.

  “Well, since Aftertown had been a military base, there were already safeguards in place. For both Aftertown and Junction, the greatest challenge comes from within, which is why there has to be a zero-tolerance policy in the community for any type of contact with the turned.”

  “Are y’all saying just ‘cuz someone’s got a lil ol’ scratch, that’s reason to kill ‘em?” It was the contentious man again.

  Joshua didn’t miss a beat before responding. “Once someone is scratched or bitten, they’re as good as dead, and you would be doing everyone a favor by destroying that person the second he or she starts showing the signs that every single one of you is familiar with. Each person deserves a chance at life, and that’s why preventing the spread is our ultimate goal. Is there anyone here who would choose to see a loved one turn into one of those mindless wanderers, endlessly searching for a fix? We all know the only way to prevent reanimation is to destroy the brain.”

  This hit a nerve. Because the town was so small, almost everyone was connected one way or another. Joshua, the boys, and Sydney had discussed this same issue long ago, and they had unanimously agreed that they would quickly dispatch any one of them who had clearly become “compromised.” They looked at it as being merciful, considering the agony a person went through before dying and then what they became after reanimation.

  “How can we make this town more secure?” Jason asked.

  “Like I said, you begin with keeping them from getting too close. The first line of defense should be the patrols, and they should extend out as far as possible. The second line of defense is around the town. I noticed a lot of barbed wire rolls for fencing in one of the barns. Since Turners don’t have the coordination to pick their way through the coils, this would slow them down considerably if they made it past the patrols. We can set up motion sensors along the fence that would warn you if something got caught or tangled. It’s much easier to dispatch them while they’re immobilized.”

  “Well, that all sounds fine and dandy, but it also sounds like a lotta work! Where are we supposed to get the manpower?” a middle-aged woman challenged.

  “I would like to say that the men will protect the women and children, but the truth is that women and children old enough to accurately shoot a gun should be involved in their own defense. Mason, Christian, and Austin, who are here with me, have been on their own since they were about ten years old. Children learn quickly, and they’re imaginative and innovative. Many times, they come up with ideas that adults would never think of because the ideas are so simple.”

  Just then, gunshots echoed not so far away.

  3 A Sad Casualty

  As the people at the town meeting rushed out of the building to see what the gunfire was about, a woman with a gun and four children ran down the street toward them. Behind them were two Turners, newly morphed, and they were fast. George, Jon, and Joshua, who were never without their firearms, immediately grasped the situation and opened up on the Turners. Once they had been dispatched, the men immediately started examining the intended prey.

  As best they could tell, no one had been touched—which was nothing short of a miracle, considering how fast the Turners had been moving. “Doc” Jason took charge of the woman and children.

  “Beth, I want you and the girls to come with me and get checked out properly,” he said as he took the smallest girl by the hand and led them to the clinic. Sydney noticed that he also carried a sidearm.

  “I think this should significantly speed up the cooperation of any complacent townspeople,” Jon remarked. “When do you want to begin the fortifications?” he asked Joshua.

  “Daylight,” was all Joshua said.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  After helping to make a thorough check of the town for Turner stragglers, Joshua, Sydney, and the boys headed over to the clinic to turn in for what was left of the night. Jon was busy tying up loose ends, so George walked to the clinic with them, since he wanted to check on Beth and her daughters.

  As the men started through the clinic door, they could hear low groans. George readied his gun and picked up his pace, following the sounds. He stopped at the door of an exam room.

  Jason was out cold on the floor, and Beth was standing over him with a small oxygen tank in her hand. When she saw George, she lurched toward him with her “weapon” raised. As she swung it at him, he moved to the side and grabbed her arm, causing her to drop the tank. Twisting her arm behind her, he grabbed the sash from a robe hanging on a nearby hook and used it to tie her hands behind her and secure her to a pipe that ran from floor to
ceiling.

  In the meantime, Joshua had tied one of the girls to a bed. It was apparent that the girl had been infected, and although she had not completely turned, she was definitely beginning the process. Making sure the child was secure, Joshua turned to Jason, who was just coming around. George helped him into a sitting position.

  “You okay, Doc?” George asked.

  “Didn’t see that one coming,” Jason said as he gingerly touched the back of his head.

  After a pause to get his bearings, he continued. “I had just finished examining Beth and the three oldest girls when I noticed that little Brenda was beginning to act strange. I helped her up onto the bed so I could get a closer look, and that’s when the lights went out. What happened?”

  “This woman is what happened,” Sydney said. “She hit you over the head with that oxygen tank.”

  Jason was genuinely shocked. “Why, Beth?” was all he could say.

  “I am NOT going to let you hurt my child!” she screamed at him.

  George spoke to her gently. “She’s already been hurt, Beth, and you were going to let her turn and hurt others. Your love for her was going to allow her to destroy other lives, including those of your other daughters. We simply can’t let that happen.” He exchanged looks with Jason, then turned to Sydney and Joshua and asked them to help Jason take Beth and the other girls out of the room. Beth began to sob hysterically.

  “No! Not my baby, not my baby. No!” she screamed, wrestling with Joshua as he untied her from the pipe and took her out of the room. Beth wasn’t a big woman, but the way she was struggling made her a challenge to handle, even with her hands tied. Sydney and Jason put their arms around the three older girls and led them out after their mother. The boys, who had been waiting in the hallway, fell in behind the others and followed them to the waiting room.

  Sydney’s heart was breaking for Beth as she watched her horrific agony. Speaking the name of her precious child over and over, Beth’s sobs grew deeper. A few minutes later they heard the gunshot, and Beth passed out.

  4 Preparations

  Joshua and Sydney were up most of the night helping George and Jason, but the boys went to bed and slept soundly. For Sydney, knowing that it had been necessary to shoot a child was the worst. She realized that it was an act of defense, but that didn’t make it any easier. Unable to sleep, she and Joshua talked through what little was left of the night, working through the horror of seeing a human turn and the range of emotions that spilled out of what had happened.

  They also talked about their dreams and commitment to each other, and what the future might hold. Joshua felt like a father to the boys, who openly showed their affection for him. It was amazing to Sydney how they had all come together and become a family that loved and depended on each other.

  Around seven o’clock, they heard someone on a bullhorn announce that there would be a mandatory meeting in front of the courthouse at ten sharp. Everyone was expected to be there.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  It looked like the entire town was present. The mood was somber, and everyone waited quietly for Jon to speak. He looked exhausted as he walked to the front. Standing on the third step so everyone could see him, he addressed the crowd.

  “As most of you know, last night we had a situation involving one of our own that did not turn out well. Beth and her four children were attacked. Even though the Turners were taken out quickly, it wasn’t fast enough.

  “Little Brenda was bitten and had to be, um …” his voice caught, and he struggled to get the rest out, “taken care of. It breaks our hearts to know this little girl met with such an end, but I want to stress that that is exactly what we are trying to avoid. With that in mind, I want you to think about what Joshua Delgado was saying last night. If anyone is compromised, they will be put down. No exceptions. Had we not come in on the situation when we did, there’s no telling how many others would have been infected before we got things under control.

  “We were up most of the night, patrolling and putting together a plan for more frequency in our patrols. We also discussed starting construction on a secure boundary around this town. So, with that said, effective immediately we will begin three-hour patrols by eight teams consisting of four people each.”

  He went into more detail about who would be in which patrols, evenly distributing the work between able men and women. To conserve fuel, he explained, the patrols would not drive continuously but would instead park in strategic locations and keep watch, using binoculars in the daytime and night vision goggles after dark. The patrols would communicate via radios and check in with operations every forty-five minutes. Joshua had suggested doing this for two reasons: one, it would let ops know that everyone was still alive, and two, it would break up a monotonous vigil and keep everyone on their toes.

  “Also, beginning immediately, we will start constructing a barbed wire fence to circle Junction township,” Jon continued. He then proceeded to name the individuals who would work together within specific groups and mapped out what they would be responsible for doing.

  Fred, who had been a rancher before the plague, then explained how the fence would be erected and gave what he estimated would be the final dimensions. He said he would be the one to inspect it and make sure the job was done right. He reminded everyone that the stakes were high and there was no room for sloppiness. Turners were as persistent as cows when it came to getting at something they wanted.

  The gathering then broke up so people could set about their specified duties. Frances and Joy went to the restaurant to start preparing for lunch and dinner. With everyone working even harder than the norm, there would be plenty of hungry mouths to feed, and Frances was up to the task at hand.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  A little after two o’clock, Jon found Joshua and Sydney finishing lunch at Vic’s. Leandra and Joy had joined them and were just getting up to go back to work in the store. Jon asked Joshua to meet him at his office.

  “Frances, can I get a cup of that great coffee you brew to go?” Joshua asked. Nobody knew exactly what Frances used to make her coffee, though they all knew it wasn’t coffee beans. Jon had guessed that dandelion and chicory root were part of her recipe, but that was one of many secrets Frances would probably pass on to her successor on her deathbed. All that really mattered was that it was hot, tasted like coffee, and perked people up.

  When Frances brought the coffee to the table, Joshua got up and kissed Sydney goodbye. “Join me at Jon’s office when you’re finished here, okay? Take your time.”

  Frances sat down in his empty chair. “Time for my coffee break,” she said with a sigh.

  “How do you do it?” Sydney asked. “It’s like the food magically appears!”

  Frances settled into her chair and began to tell Sydney a little of her background.

  She had grown up farming and had spent summers canning fruits and vegetables and drying other plants with her mother and grandmother. Her larder was full of herbs, which she used for remedies that had been passed down on her mother’s side of the family for generations. Her mother and grandmother had passed on not only their love of cooking, but also an indispensable knowledge of herbs and roots.

  “It’s a gift. It has to be. Food and flavors just naturally make sense to me,” she told Sydney. “That’s the hardest part for most people, knowing what flavors work with each other. The rest is just putting it together, and anyone can do that. Joy has the gift, and she’s a big help to me, but she also has to mind the store. People are always making things and bringing them in to barter, so she has to spend time on inventory and taking care of the counter.”

  “Where did you get the name Vic’s?” Sydney asked.

  “That was my husband’s name. This place was his dream. We met and married when we were just kids, and he loved me and the girls beyond words. His every thought and action were for us, and we would have done anything for him.

  “The girls worked hard right alongside of us, and this is the result.�
�� There was a catch in her throat, but she went on. “We spent long hours here, but we were so happy. Then this vile plague hit.” Her eyes grew distant. “Vic was doing errands with our two oldest girls when they stopped to help a couple who appeared to be stranded on the side of the road. This nastiness was just something on the news back then, and around here you always helped a stranger. Being attacked was the last thing he expected.” She inhaled deeply. “When they didn’t come back, a group of our friends went to look for them. You’ve seen enough to imagine the rest of the story.”

  She paused and looked at Sydney for a moment, then took her gaze to her hands, which were clasped together on the table. “Life goes on though, whether you want it to or not. It’s a choice whether to die emotionally or step back on the road and continue the journey. Everything in life is a choice.”

  She smiled then. “I still have one child left, my Joy, and I needed to live for her. So, here we are.”

  5 Getting Ready

  Jon, George, and Joshua were deep in discussion when Sydney walked into Jon’s office inside the courthouse. Joshua motioned for Sydney to sit next to him.

  “Sorry I interrupted your lunch, but we have a situation on the horizon,” Jon told her. “One of the patrols spotted close to forty Turners making their way here. We’re guessing they’ll get here about seven this evening, at the speed they’re going. We’ve put together a plan to deal with them.”

  The three men had agreed on setting up a perimeter line and spacing their best marksman about twenty yards apart. That way, they would be able to pick off the Turners without getting surrounded. They thought that five shooters should be able to handle them if they were prepared. To be on the safe side, a second line of shooters would be in staggered positions about a hundred yards behind the first row, so that those on the frontline could retreat to a backup position if they were overwhelmed.

  George stood up to leave. “I’ll get hold of Fred and Kyle and have them round up our best shooters. I already told the lookout to let us know if there was any change in the Turners’ direction or speed.”