by C. A. Hoaks
“Great.” Zack lamented. “Just what I wanted to do, stumble around in the dark….”
“I have the bridles and three blankets,” Della answered.
“Let’s get this over with. I can carry two saddles if you can carry one and a couple more blankets.” Zack answered.
“Sounds good,” Della whispered as she pointed the small LED beam back down into the dark. “There.”
She focused the beam on the closest stall. Haning over, the top board, was a saddle with a saddle blanket next to it. “One.” She whispered as they walked deeper into the barn. She examined the next stall and saw nothing. She quickly moved the beam to the next stall, she hesitated, then added. “Two.”
“Gotta find one more,” Zack commented.
Della hurriedly fanned the beam to the opposite end of the barn. “There! At the end, on the right.” She let out a long sigh. “I’ll get that one. You pick up the other two and let’s get outta here.”
Zack held out a dark hand to stop her and whispered. “Be careful.”
“You too,” Della answered as she headed for the equipment hanging over the stall side.
Della hurried down the corridor. She glanced over her shoulder to see Zack getting to the second saddle. With a powerful arm, he pulled the leather seat and blanket from the top board of the stall. Suddenly, Della realized the scratching was louder and a lot closer. With each step deeper into the gloom, the sound grew louder. She stopped at a stall opening and fanned the beam of light into the dark. An infected man in the remains of a blood-covered white shirt sat at the gaping opening in the middle of a mangled carcass of a horse lay at the back of the stall. The monster turned at the intrusion and struggled to get to its feet.
Della lurched back with the dead, clouded eyes focused on her. She reached for the open gate, slammed it close and with shaking hands, drove the latch home. With the clank of metal, the infected man slammed against the wood. The metal latch rattled but held. She pointed the beam of her LED light on the face through the boards as the infected reached through the slats. “Shit.” She whispered as she fought for control. Her heart raced, as she struggled to control her breathing. She pulled the machete from her waist then slid it back in place. The saddle rested high enough to avoid the infected when she reached for it. The dead man was trapped. She glanced at Zack as he grabbed the riding gear. A sudden slam against the double doors at the end of the passageway shattered Della’s calm, and she jumped.
“What’s going on?” Zack called out.
“God! Infected at the sliding doors,” Della cursed as she glanced under the doors and saw multiple pairs of feet outside the stable. She turned back to the stall, grabbed the stirrup then pulled the saddle to the dirt floor. The infected man in the enclosure saw the movement and reached for it. Della gripped the blanket where it was hanging on the same board. The Infected grabbed for Della, she stumbled back, tripped over the saddle on the floor, and landing on her butt. The sliding door groaned with the pressure from the infected and slid open several inches. Della scrambled to her feet, picked up the saddle and stumbled toward the distant entrance and the ATV. Shocked at how heavy the riding gear was, she shifted her grip on the saddle horn, and half dragged, and half carried the load. The door created open and spilled into the stable. With her breath echoing in her ears, Della lurched and stumbled toward safety all the while watching the monsters stumble closer. Suddenly the weight lifted from her grip and fell to her knees.
“Get moving, I got this,” Zack ordered. “Get on the ATV and crank it up.” He tossed the saddle over his shoulder and headed for the door at a lumbering jog.
Della ran with Zack staying at her side despite the saddle slung over his shoulder. They got to the ATV and Della jumped on the machine. She turned on the gas then started the engine, but left it in neutral while Zack threw the horse gear on the rack and pulled a bungee across the top of the pile of saddles. Della slid on the seat making room for Zack. All the while the infected lumbered closer by the second.
“Move it, Zack!” Della yelled.
Zack glanced over his shoulder, then gave the bungee a final tug before he hurried to the side of the ATV, climbed on the machine, and shifted into gear. The monsters were in reach when he gunned the engine. He gunned the engine, but it was not a machine built for speed.
Della pulled her machete free and swung the blade at the reaching hands. One limb fell to the ground. A dark, ugly liquid squirted from the stump as she screamed. “Go! Faster!”
Zack accelerated, and the front end of the machine jumped off the ground with the extra load on the back. He leaned forward to shift his weight on the front wheels and gunned the engine. The ATV jerked and picked up speed leaving the monsters stumbling behind. Zack raced across the barnyard and made for the open fencing. Once outside the yard, they retraced their trail back to the asphalt road at the front of the ranch. By the time they got to the highway, both had stopped shaking from the adrenaline rush.
After a full mile, Zack stopped and stepped off the ATV. He leaned over, slapped both hands on his knees, and took several deep breaths. “Well, that was exciting,” Zack snorted.
“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Della glared at him as she shifted her seat. “Let’s get back. I don’t like being on this highway.”
“Do you think we got everything?” Zack asked as he straightened up and walked back to the ATV. “I sure don’t want to go back there.”
“It will have to be. We got everything on the list. Millie and Darlene will have to tell us.” Della answered. “Can we go now.”
*****
The next morning Zack used the ATV to carry Millie down to the corral to help Darlene coach on lessons in saddling, bridling and caring for the horses. Both Della and Zack took turns saddling and riding. It wasn’t pretty. Neither were comfortable on horseback but continued to practice around the enclosure for the morning.
While unsaddling the horses, Della comment, “Don’t see why we have to leave.”
“Let’s get back up to the cabin,” Steve announced. “Zack Take Millie and Darlene. Della and I will head back up by foot.” Zack picked them up mid-way up the dirt path. When they got back to the cabin, the argument that had begun at the corral continued.
“We’re safe here. I don’t understand why we have to leave,” Darlene protested.
“It’s not safe,” Steve answered with a sigh.
“Why would you think that?” Darlene protested. “We have everything we need here.”
“Every night, the fires in the valley get closer,” Steve answered. “It means the people are scavengers and always moving west. We’re too close to the highway. They’ll find the cabin sooner or later.”
“But they could be just like us, just looking for a place to survive. Just because they’re out there doesn’t mean they’ll make it here,” Darlene argued.
“Oh, they’ll find us. You can bet on that. And when some do, what if the survivors are like the military unit that rolled into Utopia. What if they’re out there scooping up everything they can get their hands on and not really care how they do it. We’re less than fifty miles from Utopia and half a dozen other communities. Are you willing to stake Penny’s life on them being good people? Anyone of them could be building a power base on the bodies of good people.”
“What if we run into them?” Darlene asked. “We need to stay hidden.”
“We can’t keep hiding. We’ll run out of supplies eventually. We have no choice. We need to head to Pine Springs before it gets too bad out there. By doing it now, I’m hoping we can to avoid populated areas or other groups as much as possible. Less chance of groups of infected too.”
Millie set a pan of golden brown biscuits on the table with a skillet of light brown gravy mixed with chunks of raccoon meat from the previous night’s meal. “Enough of all this gloom and doom talk. It’s time for us to have our biscuits and gravy.”
Three days later, Steve watched as Zack finished loading the remaining supplies into the back of th
e truck. Zack threw a tarp over the provisions and tied it down. He waved at Steve.
“Good to go?” Zack asked. “Are you sure we’re ready?”
Steve looked down at the prosthetics in his lap. The stumps were still tender and slightly swollen, but the open sores had healed. He extended his right leg and held out the prosthetic cuff to slide in the stump.
“No,” Della ordered. “You can keep them in the front seat with you. Something happens you can put them on in the truck.” She nodded toward Zack and held out her hand for the prosthetics.
Steve looked at Zack for backup, but he laughed. “Hey, man, she’s really mean.” Zack climbed the steps and turned his back to picked up Steve.
Steve frowned and leaned into Zack’s back. When Zack straightened up, he reached down to support Steve’s legs.
A few minutes later, Steve settled in the front seat and lay the prosthetics on the floor while Della, Darlene, Penny climbed into the back seat. Both Della and Darlene struggled to keep tears at bay. Darlene had tears streaming down her face while Della looked as if she would protest. Zack’s eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“Now y’all don’t be concerned. This is a good place for me to spend my last days.”Millie stood next to the truck and watched the travelers get settled.
Penny leaned out the window. “Come Granny. We got room.”
“No child, I’m too old for this life. My bones ache, and I’m tired. I got what I need right here.”
“But….” Darlene interrupted. “We’ll find more pills.”
“And in another month down the road, you’ll be lookin’ again, and it’ll be that way until there isn’t anymore. The same end.”
“But you’ll be with us,” Darlene argued.
“That’s the point. I won’t have the child see it.” Millie answered.
Steve raised his hand. “Goodbye, Millie. ”He patted Zack’s shoulder, and Millie stepped away to wave with a sad smile on her dark face.
Chapter 18
Helpless
Brian, Billy, Leon, and Juan walked back into the fueling station gift shop. Margo and Paula had pushed racks and remnants of merchandises into a pile at the back of the store while sorting through the remains of usable supplies. Most of what remained was souvenirs for the traveler; hats, t-shirts, and plethora of knickknacks including a large velvet painting of Elvis that had been leaned against a wall on top of one of the piles as if in a place of honor.
Juan walked to the last standing rack with half a dozen ball caps still clinging to the hooks and pulled one from the stand. He removed the dirty cap from his head and tossed it to the floor before retrieving a new one and setting it on his skull. He sniffed at his sweat-soaked armpit then moved to a pile of shirts and found a sand-colored camouflage pattern T-shirt and headed toward the bathroom. “Gonna get cleaned up.”
Leon followed suit. He sifted through the pile and laid out three or four shirts and began checking sizes.
Margo looked up from a small stack of supplies she was sorting through. “Not a lot left in the larger sizes. Most of the food stores we found were in the office where the manager died.”
Paula appeared from the back room holding up a bottle of Jack Daniel and box of candy bars. “This is the last of it.”
“I’ll take that.” Juan appeared from the bathroom and reached out for the bottle.
Brian pulled Juan’s arm back. “Not so fast. Better keep it for medicinal purposes.”
“It would be. I haven’t had a drink since the bar back in San Antonio.” Juan answered.
“Still not wasting it.” Brian laughed and added it to a stack of supplies to be taken to the van.
“Señor Brian, you are a hard man,” Juan chuckled as he walked away.
Brian laughed. “Everyone, get cleaned up and something to eat before it’s dark. Between the windows and this place sitting on a hill, the light will be visible for miles so we’ll be sitting in the dark.”
After a meal of canned vegetables, Raman noodles, and shortbread cookies, most of the group settled down for the evening. Juan stood at the front door watching the parking lot and black ribbon of asphalt beyond. The rest of the team spread out a few shirts and blankets to make beds. Leon lay on his side using an armful of T-shirts as a pillow. Brian pulled an office chair from the back room and leaned back with his feet propped up on the windowsill.
Margo sat amid a pile of discarded clothing. “It doesn’t seem as dark tonight,” Margo commented to no one in particular.
“Full moon.” Brain answered before taking a sip of the steaming coffee. He smiled at the thought of the six bags of coffee they had found in a cabinet. Even if they had to throw a handful in a pot of water, they had coffee for the foreseeable future. He wished there was a way to get the big natural gas tank to his father-in-law’s place. Natural gas would be at a premium soon enough.
Brian folded his arms across his chest and let his chin fall to his chest and mumbled. “Juan you and Billy wake me at midnight.” He felt himself drift away to the sound of Leon snoring and Margo sniffling.
“Sir? Sir?” Billy shook Brian's shoulder. “You need to see this.”
Brian jerked his legs from the window ledge and vaulted upright. He glanced at the four sleepers in the gloom, then back at Billy’s flushed face visible in the moonlight. “What is it? Is it midnight?” He whispered.
Billy pointed through the window. “No! There! I can see flashes.”
Brian wiped at his eyes with the back his hand and studied the dark shadows in the distance. He got to his feet, squinted and leaned closer to the glass. After a full minute, he was ready to give Billy hell for waking him when he saw a flash of light. Suddenly there were three more flashes in quick secession.
“Gunfire?” Billy asked. “Isn’t that gunfire?”
“You got the keys to the truck?” Brian demanded. “Stay here and keep watch until morning. If I don’t make it back, you know where to go.”
Billy handed Brian keys. “The truck has a full tank. Are you sure you should go alone?”
“No, I’ll take Leon. You can Juan can keep watch. I don’t want anyone to sneak up on the rest of you. Besides, there might be someone we can help.” Billy looked unsure, and Brian continued. “Youll be able to see a vehicle heading this way and if you don’t see it blink the lights when headed this way, load up and head out the back. Drive like hell. I’ll catch up.”
“Got it,” Billy answered. “I’ll be watching. You want me to get the others up?”
Brian walked to Leon and gave him a shake. Leon jerked away grabbing for a big knife at his side. “Easy, big guy.”
When Leon realized it was Brian, he flopped back against the pile of T-shirts. “Boss, you scared the shit outta me.”
Brian shrugged. “Come on. We have to check out something.”
Leon stumbled to his feet and stepped into his boots. “What’s going on?”
“That’s what I want to know,” Brian answered.
Brian and Leon grabbed a couple go-bags and climbed into the old truck.
The ‘89 Ford 150, with original red and white paint and interior, seemed in excellent condition despite the worn upholstery. Brian noticed the standard tires had been replaced with broad, deep tread, off-road versions. The truck would be top-heavy, but at least the engine and muffler hadn’t been modified and wouldn’t be overly loud.
Just as Leon pulled the passenger door closed, Brian slammed the big engine into gear. He stomped on the gas heading for the parking lot entrance.
“Lights!” Leon commented as he clung to the dash, “We need lights!”
“No, we’re going in stealth. I had Juan take out all the light bulbs in the tail lights,” Brian answered. “Only headlights left.”
“Where are we going?” Leon asked.
“There.” Brian pointed to two flashes of light. “I want to know who’s doing all the shooting.” The truck turned onto the narrow blacktop and headed toward the gunfire in the distance. Leon roll
ed down the window and stuck his head out. “I can hear it. Some of it sounds like automatic weapons. Not a .22 for sure.” Leon called over his shoulder.
Brian turned the steering wheel, and the truck left the highway for a narrow side road heading toward the small war in progress. The pickup bounced over the rough road, and half a mile from the station they could hear the roar of several big engines as gunfire echoed in the distance. Suddenly the motor silenced.
“They’ve stopped. What are we gonna to do?” Leon settled on the seat and picked up a military rifle with the muzzle pointed out the window.
“We’re stopping in that grove of trees and check out what’s going on.” Brian drove another three minutes while the gunfire got louder and more sporadic. He pulled off the road and backed into a corpse of scrubby trees. He turned off the engine.
Both men jumped from the truck.
“What’s the plan, boss?” Leon asked.
“Follow me, but not too close. If this goes sideways, head back and get the hell outta here. Don’t wait for me.” Brian jogged to the side of the road with Leon following ten feet behind. The two men hurried between dark shadows of trees and brush until they neared the crest of the hill where they heard voices beyond. Brian took a knee and pulled a small pair of binoculars from his vest and studied the scene below. Leon moved closer and waited in the glooms of the overhanging trees alongside the road.
At the base of the hill in the middle of a small clearing sat half a dozen vehicles. Two heavy-duty pickups blocked the road in front of a minivan and a wrecked F-150. The second pair of heavy-duty trucks prevented the retreat of the van and aged pickup. The van and truck drivers had tried to evade the roadblock by driving through a ditch on the side of the road and got trapped by a small stand of trees. They fought back, but it had not gone well.
Four bodies lay on the pavement where they had been drug from the shadows of the trees. The survivors of the attack, a young woman, and the teen girl had been forced to their knees in the middle of the road. A rough looking man stood in front of them laughing and poking at the older woman. Each time he reached for the teen the woman slapped the man’s hand and pulled the girl from his grasp. Even at a distance, Brian could hear sobs of terror from both.
