They were slowing down!
I called to the others and we watched him lurch down the street until he was out of sight. Which took about fifteen minutes. I can't say I was surprised...seemed only logical the snow would slow them a bit. Hopefully freezing temps stopped them dead in their tracks.
On Halloween night we sat on the roof, Reggie and myself. Might be cold but still had to keep a lookout. Of course come November and onward, we were going to have to watch by window or take breaks from being outside. Absolutely by window on freezing temp nights.
Tonight it was in the upper 30's. We sat with jackets on with hoodies underneath. It was cloudy and dark and we could see our breath.
RECORDING:
FUCK THIS COLD SHIT! Fuck it! I can't deal, man. It's almost like every year I forget how damn cold it gets.
Me too...and it's just begun. This is fuckin' warm compared to the next few months.
Don't remind me.
I hate it. I've always hated it.
Fuck, you and me both, man! Anne and Rebecca were always all, "Look how pretty! Isn't it pretty? It's the best time of year." Best time of year my ass! Freezing is not enjoyable. They never left all winter, remember? So yeah, was amazing for them. They gave us money and asked us to go grab groceries..which I'm not bitching! Just saying...yeah, they warm and watching the "pretty snow" and probably laughing at us freezing our fuckin' asses off.
[laughs]
You know, Tim loves winter. Loves it more than the summer.
Well, he's fucked in the head then.
He stayed outside for hours. Not in single digit temps, but even then he'd go out as long as he could stand it. When he got older, got a snowmobile and that's where he was anytime it was snowing or there was enough snow on the ground.
He still got it?
I think so...maybe in the back of the garage.
Might come in handy for an emergency...
Yeah and maybe we could find more. There's bound to be plenty around in garages and barns. It was always pretty popular out this way.
I never been on one.
Imagine that. Another thing you've never done.
Quiet.
You ready for scoping The Boro and Ravenna?
That's a dumbass question, you know I'm not.
Well, it's time. Within the next few days. You saw how slow that Roamer was. At the rate it was moving, we could consider that Shamblers might just be standing there...or walking ten steps in a minute.
Even still...there's people to consider. Bigger places may have people hunkered down.
Like we discussed. Just scoping...at a safe dis-
[Coyote howl down the road. Dead Calls across the street in the woods. Pack of five Bolters run in howls direction and out of sight]
Fuck!....that pack was right there...we'd never have known.
That's what I mean...bigger places mean bigger dangers...how many of those fuckers are gonna be lurking around those places?!
Right....and in that startlement we just had you may not have even noticed, I didn't for a moment...but the Bolters haven't slowed down.
Fuck. Yeah....I noticed. I don't get it??
Something must be very different in their physiology in the early stages. I don't know. I'm not a fuckin' biologist. All I know is that that shit wiped out all sense of ease I had with the cold slowing them down. It's shot. The worst of them all are still fast.
Yeah...Well, hey...Happy Halloween!
***
NOVEMBER
A week into the cold new month it was time to do a little staking out. There was a light snow starting to fall but the skies weren't that dark. It was cold but we were dressed warm and we threw a bit of wood in the back with some newspaper and lighter fluid. Just for a worst case scenario.
Ben stayed behind on this one with Kelly. Over the last few weeks Tim was back to his normal self overall and I didn't have any concerns.
We headed toward Ravenna.
As we neared, the number of spotted infected increased alarmingly. Just Roamers and Shamblers and now incredibly slow in the cold.
We approached from a back road that was now merging into city. Ahead of us were construction barrels from unfinished roadwork around the intersection. We passed a joint McDonald's/Gas Station and crept through the intersection.
I had started to hate the plan of coming here. Seeing it this way was a scary sight. We moved a little further up until we passed an Auto-Parts store and two larger grocery stores.
There is where I stopped and we got out to look further ahead with binoculars. The road ahead that would lead us to downtown looked clear, save for some Roamers and some abandoned vehicles we'd need to drive around. No sign of people anywhere. Not that that made me feel any better. We were still technically on the outskirts basically. We continued to watch for another twenty minutes before feeling comfortable enough to move forward.
We passed by some older homes and into what was once a busy area. The sight of a Dairy Queen made Reggie groan in nostalgia.
A similar groan emitted from Tim upon seeing a Taco Bell ahead. After a few more yards we stopped again to look ahead with the binoculars.
There seemed to be no activity in the high buildings. Granted, they had apartments so anyone could be in them, but it looked quiet. A slow Shambler was crossing the street and vanished behind the side of one of the buildings. After some time we continued our slow journey. Some bodies lay here and there on sidewalks and in parking lots. A large painted sheet hung from the roof of a building saying "Help Us."
Maybe help came for them. Maybe it didn't. Maybe they took their chances and fled. Hopefully not to the "Safe Zone" in Kent, which was many miles ahead of us if we continued in this direction.
I was keeping an eye out for a potential Safe House but nothing in this part of town was looking suitable. The snow started to come down a little harder now. We crept ahead.
We stopped again and watched ahead. An Arby's and McDonald's. Both quiet. Then Reggie saw something beyond and pointed. I drove slightly forward down a little incline and stopped. I stepped out with the binoculars and focused them. Maybe 150 yards further box trucks were parked partially in the road. There back ends facing each other and leaving a gap, like an entrance. Which is exactly what it was. A chill ran down my spine as I made the rest out. The truck on the left had big red writing spray painted on the side that said "TURN" and the other truck said "BACK."
There were patches of grass around the area where long wooden sticks protruded from the ground. Each one with a severed head on the top. My gut wrenched. It was impossible to tell if they were the heads of infected or people. Either way, these people ahead were not good nor friendly. Reggie, having seen my face I imagine, got worried and said 'What?!" which startled me out of my little state of shock.
I handed him the binoculars while saying "We have to go." I saw his jaw drop and eyes widen. He expressed in many words how my previous statement was an understatement. I tossed the binoculars back to Tim and Jim who looked through them as I backed up. Both became urgent in our getting the hell out of there.
I was going to back into a parking spot on the side and take us back the way we came, but then I noticed the now heavier snow had already covered our tracks. I wasn't gonna leave a new set that may be noticed and lead people to us if they were noticed shortly after we left.
I turned down a side road to the right and headed toward a main road out of town. We went slow in case of other road blocks set up by those fucked up people until we came to an intersection that would lead us straight toward Mantua.
***
BEN: I'm not gonna complain about missing out on going today...I think I'll pass on The Boro, too. I'm good.
KELLY: You're sure you didn't see anyone? No one saw you?
JIM: We were a good distance...we had the binoculars. We didn't spot anyone.
ME: And when we got to Mantua I parked us behind the abandoned store and we waited. Eventually, our tracks were covered again
by snow. The snow got heavy and covered quickly. No one tailed us. Our tracks were gone. Even if they had shortly after seen tracks they wouldn't have been able to follow them far before they vanished.
KELLY: The snow was a blessing today then. It had me worried when it started coming down more...now I'm thankful for it.
ME: We're steering clear of Ravenna and anywhere near it. Whoever they are, they have a lot to scavenge in that town. Doesn't mean they won't one day venture out but they really have no need to for awhile.
REGGIE: Well...we just gotta be more alert. I know they didn't see us and shit, but its got me fuckin' paranoid as hell. Heads, man! On sticks!
TIM: You know...there is the possibility they weren't bad, ya know?
REGGIE: What?! Last time I checked, good folk don't go around putting heads on sticks!
TIM: I get what you're saying, yeah, but this is a new world. Things aren't always what they seem.
JIM: So you're saying they may just be using a tactic to keep themselves safe...make others think they're bad people?
TIM: Exactly. Who's to say they haven't had run ins with some really bad people...so this is how they deter people away. Those could easily be the heads of some infected they put down. Grizzly, yes, but effective.
ME: I guess.
REGGIE: So...you wanna go knock and see if they got some milk or sugar and shit?
TIM: Fuck no, we're staying the hell away!
KELLY: That goes without saying.
JIM: Right!
ME: Something to think about though...not knocking! I mean the way people will act to defend themselves. Not to mention the way others will act to harm.
REGGIE: What do you mean?
ME: Well, like Tim said. Nothing will always be as it seems. Say for instance Tim is right...a group of decent people live there and they make a show of things to appear dangerous and keep people away. It's a good strategy. Disturbing but smart. Now, imagine people who take advantage of others. Large groups that may advertise themselves in a more welcoming way. Next thing you know they're killing you and taking your shit.
REGGIE: Well, fuck.
KELLY: That's just a horrible thought! I don't even...I hadn't thought if that at all.
ME: So, that's why I always said...when it comes to finding people, we watch and we watch them for awhile to see what they're all about. Because, well, the ones appearing good may be bad...the ones appearing bad might be good. We can't ever take a chance!
***
The windows shattered. We couldn't pick them off from the roof. It was so dark out...but they showed up against the white snow. How many had I counted? Eight? Nine? The biggest pack of Bolters we'd ever saw. We watched, helplessly, as they passed below the edge of the roof out of sight. We heard them crash through the windows.
We heard Ben screaming. Growling. We jumped through the window, but now they were rampaging through the house.
Gunshots rang out downstairs. Kelly screamed. Jim yelled for her. We began to rush for the stairs and saw Tim running toward us...a Bolter was on him seconds later. It was biting and chewing his shoulder. Other Bolters climbed over them having spotted us...we ran to the window and onto the roof, slamming the window...what good would that do?
The first Bolters crashed through the glass, landing hard in front of us...I shot it in the head. Reggie fired at the window. There were too many. They piled out and rushed us...arms reaching, teeth bared...colliding into us both and sending us all sprawling toward the ground...
That's when I awoke. Covered in sweat. The room was relatively warm from the wood burner, but I was cold. I sat up fast and looked around me with panic. Slowly it subsided.
It was then I realized another naive mistake. Realized how incredibly vulnerable we were. It's the small simple things that can get you killed.
I will never forget that nightmare...or how it saved our lives.
***
ME: You ever realize how many windows are down here?
REGGIE:....A few...why?
ME: More than a few and it's a problem.
KELLY: Where you going with this, Jack?
BEN: yeah...I'm confused.
[I told them my dream in vivid detail. No need to write it in this record twice.]
REGGIE: Thank you for that...as if I needed another reason to have a problem sleeping. That's awesome.
TIM: It's easily rectified. We just have to secure this place up. At least the bottom floor.
JIM: What do you suggest for this?
ME: I was thinking...not far from here, between Mantua and Ravenna...the Pallet Services place...
TIM: That's a damn good idea!!
KELLY: Ravenna? Fuckin' forget about it!
REGGIE: Yeah, fuck no!
ME: It's not in Ravenna...it's miles away from it. The place is full of old pallets...even fenced in.
TIM: The fence we can close too when we go in...give us some safety while we gather shit.
KELLY: Pallets...why?
BEN: Board the windows! Duh!
KELLY: Oh! Right...
JIM: That's great and all...but even boarding up the windows...once they go through the glass...in a second...they'd start pushing on the boards, eventually prying them loose. Bolters would get through them probably pretty fuckin' fast. Even Roamers...enough of them will get through.
KELLY: Okay....so we board the outside, too. Double board the outside. Then they're not pushing the nails out like the inside. The outside would have full resistance.
JIM:....You're a fuckin' genius!
REGGIE: I was just about to say it but she beat me to it.
ME: Mhmmm. It's perfect. Now we just need to get the pallets and get to work. We'll take the truck and SUV tomorrow and make a few trips. This is something we can't afford to cut corners on. We have to make this place a small fortress.
***
I had Ben stay behind that day. I knew I needed to let him come along more often but it still somehow felt wrong to put him in danger on a regular basis. He handles himself fine but it was taking him to new locations that didn't sit well with me. We never knew what we were walking into. It was the same reason Jim didn't prefer Kelly to go with us to places we hadn't cleared yet.
The gate to the Pallet Service yard was open. I drove us in and watched for any sudden movements. Tim jumped out and ran to the gate; closing it quickly but quietly. When he got back in we did the normal routine.
The pallets were stacked high in rows all around. Plenty of small stacks to grab from but many were small towers. Behind a row a Roamer emerged. He...it...looked to have been in his 70's when he turned. Maybe younger. Hard to tell with the decomposition. He wore dark blue work pants and matching shirt. A name tag was sown on. "Franklin."
Another appeared from the row behind him. Also male. Short blonde hair with matted blood in it. Blood was also smeared about his mouth and neck. We had to deal with these two first...or was there more?
Being Roamers and the distance in which they could reach us, we surmised that a Dead Call would be low risk. Roamers still walked fast enough...it's when you were getting away that they really got pissed off and tended to Call. Bolters would have heard us pull in...heard the gate like these two obviously had. We'd have seen them before Tim got back into the SUV.
The two Roamers were looking around and then finally looked in our direction. And then at us sitting inside had bared their teeth one after another. They began to approach. We all just stepped out with our silent weapons and walked to the front of the vehicle.
When the old one got near I bashed it in the head and sent it to the ground where it lay motionless. Jim clocked the second one with a bat, dropping it almost all the way. He hit it again sending a black spray from its head. That little scuffle hadn't drawn anymore out. I clanked my crow bar on the bumper of the SUV to see if anymore would emerged. None did.
We began the slow and cautious process of walking over every inch to make sure there weren't any others that hadn't heard us...or any Sham
blers or Stagnants. It was clear.
All we found was a shriveled corpse near the east side of the gate. Snow covered most of it.
Now that we knew the place was secure we'd come back tomorrow with the truck, too. That was the original plan but wanted to make sure the place was even accessible first. While we were here we loaded as many pallets as we could in the back of the SUV...five.
The Dead Lands Diary (Book 1) Page 16
