by C. A. Hoaks
Amanda stepped through the door with Jake still clinging to her elbow. “Good grief, Jake. I can walk across the parking lot without help.” She turned and patted the large black man on the face. “I appreciate your concern, sweetie, but really, quit hovering.”
Amanda picked up a sleeping Claire and headed back to the bedroom. “Let’s put your sister down then you can get ready for bed, Amy. Let Mr. Matt and Mr. Jake talk.”
Matt walked into the kitchen and got a glass of water. He took one of the pills Doc had given him then turned back to see Larry had also arrived. “I guess I’ve missed a few things around here.”
“No shit.” Larry lamented as he stomped through the door. “Did I miss something? What are you taking pills for?”
“I got a problem, and Doc is helping me over the worst of it,” Matt answered.
“Do we need to worry?” Larry asked.
Matt sighed. “Fucking withdrawal. Happy now?”
“Sorry. I ah….” Larry stammered.
“Move on. When we’re done here, collect all the bottles in the cabinet and store them with the rest of the supplies under lock and key. Now, what’s with the new people?” Matt asked.
“We found a map of the surrounding campgrounds in the area a couple days ago and decided to check ‘em few out. The thought was, maybe they’d have salvage we could bring back. Yesterday we came across the preacher and his little group at one of the campsites where we found the campers. If it weren't for the three kids, I would have left them there. The women stood around like they had broomsticks up their asses and never said a word.”
“Only way he’d let us take the empty campers was to come along,” Larry grumbled. “He said we owed him and his little band of followers safety since they were children by God.”
“I guess they are not integrating well.”
“He started making demands the minute we arrived,” Jake settled on the couch.
“He started out with he deserved special accommodations since he would be the spiritual head of the community,” Larry continued.
Matt started to ask a question when the door slammed open. A large, broad-shouldered man is bib-overalls stepped aside to allow a man in a black suit with a white clerical collar to enter the room. A second man followed and hurried to the preacher’s right.
Matt jumped to his feet with his hand on his gun. “Who in the hell do you assholes think you are?”
Both Jake and Larry joined him with pulled weapons.
The preacher raised both hands, palms out in mock surrender, “Gentlemen, gentlemen…no need to be so jumpy. I assume you’re Mr. Monroe, so you’re the man I am here to see.” The man stepped closer and reached out with his right hand. “I’m Reverend Jacob Billings.”
“Well, Reverend Billings, you have just barged into my home.” Matt ignored the outstretched hand and Billings let his hand drop to his side. “You three can turn around and get the hell out of here.” He bellowed. “I’ve had a long fucking day and will not discuss shit with you today.”
Billings looked startled then pasted a fake smile on his face as if he could appease Matt’s ire. “Sir, I mean no disrespect. I can certainly understand your desire to get a good night’s sleep before we discuss my assuming control of this congregation.”
“Well, you damned well did disrespect me by barging into our home. Now get out!” Matt nodded at Jake.
Jake walked over to the trio and with Larry coming up on the opposite side, escorted the men outside. Jake slammed the door closed behind them and flipped the lock. Larry moved to the window to watch the men cross the campground to their lodgings.”
Matt slumped into the recliner just as Amanda walked into the room. She chuckled. “Well, that was interesting. You know that isn’t the end of it.”
Matt looked up. “No, but it gives me a night to sleep on it.”
Amanda’s face tightened, and she turned to Jake. “Now I think you can go see if the doctor Matt brought back, is all he claims to be.”
Jake’s mouth turned down in confusion.
Amanda chuckled. “Having a baby here, remember?” She smiled at Jake when she realized he still didn’t understand. “Now, sweetie.”
“Oh, Lord, have mercy. It’s time?” Jake jumped to his feet and raced to the door, flung it open and bolted outside. “I’ll get the doc!”
“I’m going to the bedroom upstairs. Please have the doctor, and his wife come up when he gets here. The kids can stay in the downstairs bedroom.” She suddenly gasped and folded against herself as she clutched at the doorway.
Matt stepped up and draped his left arm around Amanda and swept his right under her legs. He pulled her off her feet, turned and headed up the back stairs.
“I got this. Larry, stay here and keep watch over the kids.”
Larry laughed. “I wasn’t planning on doing anything else. I’m enjoying the show.”
Matt carried Amanda up the stairs and through the door at the top. He looked around then crossed the room to the double bed. He sat her gently on the sagging mattress. “What can I do?”
“Help me into this gown,” Amanda answered around a groan of pain. She pulled the loose t-shirt she was wearing over her head while Matt reached for the cloth. She loosened her bra and tossed her clothes on a nearby chair. “It’s going to be hard enough having this baby without drugs. I’ll be damned if I’m wearing this thing.” Amanda groaned.
Matt held up the gown while turning away from Amanda’s full breasts and her swollen belly. She stuck her arms into the armholes and let the thin material fall down around her. “Okay, I’m decent. Let me hold your arm” Matt, held his arm toward her, and Amanda stepped out of her sandals, shed her shorts and underwear. She released his arm and pulled back a sheet and quilt and then looked up. “You can move now.”
He stepped back as if scalded, and she eased into the bed and pulled the sheet up just as another contraction gripped her midsection. She curled onto her side and moaned.
“What can I do?” Matt whispered. “I don’t know what I can do to help.”
Amanda forced a laugh. “Can you have this baby for me?” At Matt’s shocked expression she groaned. “You can rub my back until Jake gets back.” She rolled to her right.
Matt felt panic rising. After a brief hesitation, he reached out with his fingers and lightly stroked her back between her shoulder blades.
“Not there,” Doc called out from the doorway. “Use your thumbs and make circles right above the dimples of her bottom.“ Matt jumped to his feet as Doc walked into the room with Helen at his side. “Well, I guess we got her in plenty of time after all.
Doc removed his jacket and set a bag and box of supplies on the chair. He walked around the bed to sit down in front of Amanda and began talking to her. “Now, Helen will get some things set up then when we get all settled I’d like to do an examination and see how far along we are. That is if that’s alright with you?” He continued without giving Amanda a chance to answer. “I’ve been retired for a while, but having babies is as easy as riding a bike. I don’t have much to do, but give you a little pep talk from time to time. You do most of the work. Now Helen will be doing a little more since she’s well versed in the care of newborns. She brought a few things, but we’re going to need towels and baby stuff?”
Jake stepped up and pointed enthusiastically. “There on the dresser, we got as much stuff as we could find.”
Doc looked around and noticed the stack of baby blankets and diapers on the dresser. “Well, I guess that answers my question. Looks like you folks are pretty well prepared.” With a nod from Helen, Doc got to his feet. “Well sounds like we’re ready. Let’s see how we’re doing.” He turned to Matt. “Everyone but the father can wait outside until we’re done.”
Matt got to his feet and couldn’t escape fast enough. Doc’s laughter could be heard as Matt’s heavy footsteps raced down the stairs.
A minute later, Jake walked into the room.
Chapter 16
&nb
sp; Racing Home
Randy gave one last wave to the occupants of the camper then slowly pulled away. He squinted in the glare of the late afternoon sun as he tried to see the danger ahead before he committed the convoy to the path home. To the left was a main street of sorts that seemed to head into a quiet residential area. The road was littered with bodies and a few abandoned vehicles. Despite the chaotic appearance, he decided they could weave through the debris and make it to a cross street running parallel with the main road. He released the break, and the truck moved slowly toward the intersection and the turn-off. Finally, deciding to commit, he pulled into the intersection and dodged around a stalled sedan with room to spare and stepped on the accelerator.
Miguel pointed at a side street. “Company’s coming.”
Randy accelerated as he turned the wheel to the left. “Watch out. I’m not stopping.” He waved out the window for Harry to follow.
“Got it.” Miguel pushed the barrel of his rifle out the window, climbed to his knees and scanned the side street. “Two blocks down, take a right. It’s the first chance to head north.”
Randy nodded at the rifle in Miguel’s hand. “Keep it quiet for now if we can.” He steered the truck into a narrow gap where a car had slammed into a light pole. The driver’s door had been left open blocking the way. Randy hit the door with the brush guard sending it flying with a loud crash as they passed. Half a dozen infected turned at the sound and stumbled down the street toward the sound. Randy stomped on the gas and turned the group into a pile of red gore on the road ahead with his passing. Suddenly he noticed a flash of red in the distance.
“What’s that ahead?” Randy called out. As the pickup drew closer, he saw it was a motorcycle leaning against a street sign. An RS-5, a real eye catcher in red and with the trapezoid shaped melded into a sports bike. Even resting at the odd angle, it looked to be in pretty good condition with only a few scratches on the tank visible.
“Poppy! I sure would like to have that bike.” Miguel laughed as he stuck his head in the window. Suddenly a sizeable infected man turned and headed for the truck. Miguel left his rifle inside and picked up a machete.
Despite seeing two more monsters ahead on the opposite side of the road, Randy raised his foot from the accelerator and grinned at Miguel. “You want me to stop?”
“Hell no! Step on it!” Miguel shouted. “
Randy accelerated. “Make up your mind, asshole.”
““I’ll take care of this big mother!” Miguel swung at a thick-bodied woman in a house dress with a machete. The blade connected below her chin snapping her neck. He collapsed as the truck sped away. Miquel flopped back inside the seat laughing. “Next one is yours.”
Randy laughed. “That was sick.”
Suddenly the passenger side mirror of the pickup shattered in an explosion of glass and plastic.
“Fuck!” Miguel pulled back into the cab. “What the hell!”
“Shots!” Randy shouted as he accelerated. “Get your head down.”
“Get us outta here!” Miguel dropped his machete and grabbed his rifle.
“No shit!” Randy answered as he glanced at the remains of his side mirror. He jammed his foot into the accelerator.
The camper and Pablo’s truck both lurched forward as they accelerated. Two more shots rang out. One bullet pinged off the hood of the vehicle. Four men appeared from the shadows of a building on the main street in the distance. They were running toward the truck. One of the men stopped to raise a gun barrel, took aim, and fire.
Miguel settled his rifle against his shoulder, sighted on one of the attackers, and fired. He missed, then fired again. A sudden shot exploded from the camper, and one of the shooters fell to the ground. One of the dead man’s companions jumped behind a stalled vehicle and began returning fire toward the pickups and camper. The infected noticed the walking prey and refocused their attention to the ambushers.
“Keep firing!” Randy yelled as he stuck his handgun out the driver’s window and fired his own gun at attackers on the driver’s side of the road. “Keep them busy while we all get everyone outta here!” Randy fired, and another man fell to the ground.
The man floundered as he attempted to raise his rifle. Meanwhile, half a dozen more black-clad men appeared from an alleyway. They ran full tilt toward the three vehicles.
“Got more assholes joining the party!” Miguel yelled as he leaned out the truck and fired at the running men.
Randy steered the vehicle around a pile of shopping carts in the middle of the road and accelerated. “This street, right?” Randy asked.
Miguel fired then glanced ahead. “If it’s open, go for it. We gotta get back on the main highway! If they go for the tires, we’re in trouble.” He shouted as he braced himself out the window and shot at the new group of attackers.
Randy waited to break until the very last minute. As the tires locked up, he took a quick look down the street and changed his mind. He pulled the wheel back to the left and accelerated again. “No, go! No, go! Street’s blocked!”
“Keep going. We run into a blacktop a quarter mile down.” Miguel answered before adding under his breath. “I think.”
“You think?” Randy demanded.
“I’m sure...I think.” Miguel mumbled as he fired twice then reached for a magazine for his rifle. “I’m pretty sure if we get us to the blacktop that will take us back on the highway.”
“We’ve got to get enough of a head start to lose anyone following before the turn off into the canyon road.”
“Just drive. We’re giving enough cover to keep heads down.”
The trio of vehicles, one right after the other, approached the turn-off. Randy slowed then turned on the blacktop with a tilt of the vehicle and groan of the shocks. He accelerated while watching the remaining side mirror until he was sure the others were keeping up. With no sign of the attackers, Randy still kept the accelerator to the floorboard. The speed approached seventy, and he held it there until he saw yet another turn-off. Randy made a hand signal out the window to warn Harry but waited until the last minute, before he braked and slowed to make the turn. Suddenly Randy jerked the wheel to the left and steered the big truck onto the highway. As soon as he saw Harry and Pablo make the corner in his side mirror, he slammed his foot back into the floorboard. The pickup sped up and wind whipped through the open windows while Randy let out an uneven breath.
Miguel picked up Randy’s handgun and reloaded. When he was done, he set it aside and replaced the magazine on his own. “We’re in the clear. Do you think everyone is okay?”
Randy shrugged. “Hope so. I don’t believe we should stop until we get to the Goodman place. I hope like hell he’s ready to pull out.” A few minutes later, the pickup turned onto the asphalt of a state highway heading toward the canyon.
“See I tell you, I make a good guide,” Miguel grinned and puffed out his chest.
“How many did we take out?” Randy asked. “Enough to discourage them?”
“Maybe. I saw two go down on my side. I heard shots from both Pablo and the camper. I hope we didn’t just piss ‘em off and they’re following. I figured there was at least nine in the group. We killed or wounded maybe half. Add the infected showing up…well.”
“Wouldn’t that be a bitch? If the infected took care of the rest for us,” Randy chuckled.
“De su boca al oído de Dios.” Miguel mumbled. “To God’s ear.”
Randy drove on without letting up until the pickup neared the Goodman Ranch, he picked up the radio that was the mate of the one he’d given to the old man.
“Goat-man. The doctor calling.” Randy smiled.
“Goat-man?” Growled a gravelly voice. “Who are you calling goat-man?”
“We’re coming through in about ten minutes. You need to be ready to pull out immediately?”
“You sound like you’re in a hell of a hurry.”
“We ran into trouble about thirty miles back. Afraid they might be following us.”
Randy sighed. “Load ‘em up and be waiting at the gate ready to move out.”
Chapter 17
Leaving
Together Della and Zack stepped into the shadows of the barn. The silence was oppressive and ominous after the roar of the ATV’s motor on the ride from the hunter’s cabin. Della could hear Zack’s heavy breathing. He was as nervous as she was. Della placed a hand on his arm, and Zack hesitated. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. They waited for their eyes to adjust to the gloom, while they listened to the quiet. Slowly they realized they heard a shuffling sound and then a gentle brush against wood somewhere further into the barn.
Della whispered. “I hear something.”
Zack whispered. “It’s at the other end of the barn. Let’s get in and out.”
Della gave a quick nod and flicked on a flashlight. She fanned it across the dark recesses of the long passageway. “I don’t see anything, should we check it out?”
“No, Let’s just keep watch for now while we do this.” He added.
Dell swung the light into the tack room. After a quick pass around the room, she stepped through the doorway. Della pulled a list from her pocket. She grabbed a burlap bag and walked to the wall on the left. After removing half a dozen bridles from the wall, she walked to a workbench where she picked up a grooming box and dumped the contents into the bag. Della tied the end with a length of twine and picked up three saddle blankets. She glanced out the door, saw nothing to cause alarm then carried the bag and blankets to the ATV where she settled them on the back cargo rack.
Zack carried two saddles to the vehicle and announced, “Only two saddles in the tack room. Gotta be a lot more around here.”
“I think I saw at least a couple hanging over the side of the stalls further back,” Della answered as she helped him stack the saddles on the ATV.
