by Terry Yates
“Well Sheriff,” Potts said as he walked toward Mary Sue. “You and your party can have one of the trucks. I’m not sure that car of yours is going to make it much farther. I can lend you a few guns…Jefferson!”
“Sir!” Jefferson answered.
“Which weapons truck do you have, the military or the …other?”
“Other, Sir…and there are some doozies in there.”
“I can testify to that,” Williams replied.
“There’s some food in another one. Nothing probably too tasty in there, but you never know, the way the shi…crap’s hittin’ the fan, you might need some in reserve.”
“You’re not going back toward Harmonville, are you, Colonel?” Rex asked.
“I’ve got a bunch of kids, a Chinaman, a German, a lesbo, a dog, and a mule-headed doctor, that I’m responsible for, all or most, headed in that direction,” he answered, pointing into the darkness, “and who knows how many patients and soldiers. I expected these three trucks to have more people in them. Maybe the trucks that went the other direction had some of them, but I’ve got to worry about that direction right now. I suppose if you get caught with the truck, just tell them that Col. Potts gave it to you. Maybe it’ll hold water, maybe it won’t, but you’ll be better off away from here. Besides, the Army put me in charge of stopping them, and that’s what I aim to do.”
No one said a word as Potts continued to stare into the darkness.
“Excuse me, Colonel Potts.” Potts turned to see Mary Sue kicking at the blacktop, then fiddling with her hat. “Colonel?”
“What is it, Sheriff?”
“Colonel?” Mary Sue continued as she walked toward him, her boots filling the night air with their clopping. “I’ll take those guns and the truck you’re offering, but I need to be heading that direction myself. Those people elected me sheriff…I know there’s not a lot of ‘em, but they trusted me with the job. I’m pretty sure I know many of the people I’ve been shooting at lately. I saw you dislodge that woman’s foot from the roof. For all I know, it was my cousin Tammie Jo…so, I’ll be going with ya. I do ask one favor though.”
“What is it?” Potts asked, looking into her eyes.
Mary Sue started to speak, but instead reached up toward Potts’ face, causing him to flinch a little. She stopped for a moment, and then reached up and touched his bandage, which had come slightly unwound. She held up the piece of bandage with her thumb and index finger, while she took a bobby pin from her own hair and clamped it over the complete bandage, then twisted it. She then straightened his eye-patch, which had gone slightly left of the eye-socket, which was plainly visible through the bandage. She then took a half-step back.
“I’d like to find somewhere to put my people, if you’d give me that. There’s gotta be somewhere close around here that they can hole up till morning.”
“I gotta go back, too,” Rex said sternly. “I’m a fireman…I know, I’m a volunteer fireman…but I’m still a fireman, so if maybe I could borrow a gun, too. That thing pounded the roof down so hard that it pretty much broke all of Mary Sue…Sheriff Carter’s shotguns.”
“Well these two need to be far away from Harmonville,” Mary Sue told Potts, pointing to Denny and Rhonda. “They’ve been through enough in the last twenty-four hours. Besides, maybe we can formulate a plan.”
“I’m feeling a little better,” Rhonda said, softly. It had been the first time that Potts had heard her speak.
CHAPTER 58
The door caved in easily. There hadn’t been much holding it to the frame, so it gave in easily. Potts was the first through the doorway, gun drawn. He’d relieved Williams of his, even though there was a whole truck lode of them outside.
“Hello?” Potts yelled into the darkness. “United States Army…is anyone home?”
Getting no answer, Potts waved behind him. Behind him walked Williams, Jordan, Jefferson, and Mary Sue, flashlight in hand. After a moment, Rex and Denny entered, each holding one of Rhonda Weaver’s arms, and helping her inside. Potts flipped the light switch next to the door. Nothing. Mary Sue opened the window drapes. The moon was so bright that it almost lit up the room.
“See if you can find some candles,” Potts ordered Williams and Jefferson, pointing to what he guessed was the kitchen.
“Found some!” Williams squeaked almost immediately from the kitchen.
“Well, bring ‘em in,” Potts snarled.
Williams re-entered the room, his arms full. Mary Sue ran over and took the flashlight that was cradled in his arms, and was shining directly up into his face. The fat corporal dropped to his knees, and out from his arms spilled a dozen candles of all different sizes. Williams scrambled after them as they scattered in just as many directions.
Denny Lusk gave Rhonda to Rex, and then bent down to one knee and retrieved a small candle that had rolled against his shoe. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver butane lighter that Josh had given him for his sixteenth birthday. He lit the small candle, which gave off a small blue tint. It also gave off a wonderful aroma that Denny couldn’t quite put his finger on. He stood up while Williams, and now Mary Sue, were lighting candles. After the fifth or sixth candle was lit, the room began to take form.
Rex had spotted the house from the highway. Actually, he had spotted the black telephone pole that people that lived in the country had, except they would fix an outside light to it. In this house’ case, the light was out, but Rex had seen the metal fixture that the light was fixed to, and had Jordan take the small dirt road that lead up to the house.
As they drove up the little path, they made sure that all of the lights were on and that they were loud. Potts didn’t want some peckerwood shooting at them.
From the outside, they could see that the house was tiny, and light in color, being either white or tan. There couldn’t be more than a couple of rooms to it. There were no lights on. Mary Sue, being the local law from a county over, knocked on the door three times before Potts knocked it in.
“Smells nice in here,” Mary Sue said, breaking the silence, and attempting to help the struggling Williams off of the floor.
“I smell lilac,” Jefferson, said his nose to the air. “And peach.’
“Smells like an old broad’s crapper,” Potts added.
The house was indeed small. They were obviously standing in the living room. The floor under the red carpet was made of a thin wood, because it warped in places and dipped in others. It was like plywood. There was an old television in the corner with a DVD player hooked up to it. An old brown easy chair, complete with duct-tape that covered holes on the armrest. Next to it sat a walnut colored rocking chair, complete with white doily.
“Looks like two people live here,” Potts started, “and that’s how they like it.”
“Just one,” Mary Sue replied. She was standing next to a small fireplace. Above it, was a small mantel, where several framed photographs were lined up across it. In the first few pictures, there was an elderly couple, all smiles. In the last few photos, the old woman stood alone, and wasn’t smiling much, giving the impression that the old man must’ve died.
The next room was a small kitchen, with red and white tiling, and a small table, with two old, wooden chairs. There was a four-burner stove, and the usual white refrigerator. There were two child’s drawings on the door, held there with two magnets, shaped like cherry pies.
The last room was a small bedroom with a queen-sized bed in it, and an old, wooden dressing table, with the three large vanity mirrors, with one in the front and one on each side. It was covered with a large, white doily. On it, were several different perfumes, and a music box.
The one bathroom was in the bedroom, which meant that these folks didn’t have many visitors. No one would want to tiptoe through a bedroom, and then do their business six-feet from someone’s head, with only a thin wooden door between them.
“Other than no electricity or shitter, this place would be nice to retire to,” Potts said, fingering two
large fishing poles that were leaning in a corner of the living room. He would’ve bet his left nard that there was a small pond out back that is…or was…once filled with bass and catfish.
“I wish they had electricity,” Rex said, looking at the television. We could watch the news to see if anything’s going on.”
As if she’d been touched on the ass with a cattle prod, Mary Sue’s face lit up.
“Hang on,” she said, a strange look of hope on her face.
Potts and the others watched Mary Sue as she flew out of the screen door and into the yard.
“Are you two gonna be all right here?” Potts asked, moving up to Denny and Rhonda.
“Yes, sir,” Denny answered, looking down.
“How ‘bout you, Ma’am?” he asked Rhonda, moving in front of her.
Potts was a few inches taller than Rhonda, and was looking down at her with one eye and an eye-patch, which was very intimidating to Rhonda.
“I’ll be fine,” she answered, timidly, now looking down at the floor.
Potts continued to stare down at her for a few moments before speaking.
“Can I ask you something, Ma’am?” he asked.
“Sure,” Rhonda replied nervously, still looking down.
“Your wound, Ma’am?”
“What about it?”
“Was it a claw wound or was it a bite wound?”
Rhonda’s hand immediately went to her side as she looked up at Potts.
“I…I…” Rhonda stuttered, as Potts continued to gaze down at her. The pupil of his blue eye seemed to be pinpoint size…in the dark. “I’m not…I think…”
Almost panic stricken, Rhonda looked at Denny for help.
“Claw…I think,” Denny started. “Yeah. Claw. I put the bandage on myself.”
“Are you sure?” Potts asked, turning his gaze to Denny.
Denny swallowed, and then nodded his head. Potts reached his hand out as if to check it himself, when Mary Sue bounded back into the house.
“I might have something,” she told the group, a hint of a smile on her face.
Mary Sue went outside again, the screen door slamming behind her. The rest of the group looked at one another and followed her outside.
The police cruiser HAD started up again. Neither the lady werewolf nor Potts caused any damage to the engine. Most of the roof was caved in and it had a gaping hole in it, but she had managed to drive it the seven or eight miles to the little house without any problems.
Mary Sue was already in the car by the time the group stepped off of the small porch. The engine was on. When the group arrived, she pointed to the hood, which had several large dents in it from Potts jumping on it.
“Sorry,” Potts said softly. “Maybe you can beat the dents out.”
“No!” Nary Sue exclaimed, pointing again.
“The antenna,” Denny replied. He was standing next to it, and although the car was beat to shit, the antenna was only slightly bent.
“Well, you always hear about it, don’t you,” Potts said. “A tornado will destroy a brand new house and leave the rickety old barn next to it untouched.”
Mary Sue reached down and turned the car stereo up. There was nothing but hissing as she turned the dial knob.
“Way out here, we might not get much right now, but later tonight, being as high as we are, we might be able to pick up a station or two…granted, they might be out of Cleveland or Denver, but I reckon sooner or later, this will be news, and maybe we can find out what’s going on. Denny, maybe you can keep an ear to the radio and keep an eye on Mrs. Weaver while we’re gone.”
“I will,” Denny replied, nodding his head, glad to have something to do while everyone was away.
“Here, Kid,” Potts said, handing Denny the pistol. “Know how to use one of these?”
Denny took the gun and looked it over. “Yes, Sir. I can shoot one of these. Are the bullets silver?”
“Yep. Everybody ready?”
Potts turned to the group. Jordan was helping Williams put the bandoleer around his girth.
“Jesus Tapdancin’ Christ, Williams,” Potts sneered. “How’d you ever get into the army?”
“I made the highest score on an aptitude test that they had us take in high school,” the corporal answered, trying to hold his stomach in, but having little luck. “I’ve probably lost sixty pounds since I’ve been in the Army.”
“Humph,” Potts retorted.
Mary Sue had found a western style .357 magnum, complete with western style holster to hold the long barrel. A small, leather strap, ran from the bottom of the holster, which she tied around her thigh.
“You look like Marshal Dillon, wearing that cannon like that.”
“Who?” all but Rhonda Weaver asked.
Jordan still had his military rifle and sidearm, but had taken a sawed-off shotgun and two automatic pistols in his belt. Jefferson was covered in weaponry. He had two assault rifles and at least five pistols in his belt. Rex was holding a pump-action shotgun and looked like he knew how to use it. As for Potts, he’d found a pearl handled .44 that must’ve been overlooked by the Feds, because the big bastard was expensive. There was something about putting silver bullets into a pearl handled .44, that almost turned Potts on. The gun must’ve belonged to some drug dealer that thought he was Dirty Harry. The holster had come with the gun, and he had enough .44 ammo to last a while. They weren’t .45s, but they’d do in a pinch. God bless the Feds.
“Let’s move out,” Potts officially ordered. “Williams, how many radios do we have?”
“Three, plus Sheriff Carter’s,” Williams answered, finally getting his bandoleer straight.
“Didn’t you give one to Pvt. Fulton and Dr. Kyler?”
“Fulton, yes. Dr. Kyler, no. I didn’t get a chance. That werewolf interrupted us.”
“Kid,” Potts told Denny. “Here. Here’s a radio. See if you can reach anyone while we’re gone.” Potts handed the radio to Denny who stuffed it in his pants next to the pistol. “We’re leaving you two with Sheriff Carter’s car and one of the trucks. Could either one of you drive the truck if you had to?” Denny and Rhonda looked at one another, and then nodded their heads. “Damn,” Potts muttered. “Does everyone in this area shoot and know how to drive big trucks?”
“Pretty much,” Mary Sue retorted, pushing Denny’s hair out of his face, which made him blush, among other things.
“Let’s get to it then,” Potts ordered the group as he grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulders. “Jordan, you drive the weapons truck, Jefferson, you ride shotgun. Williams,” Potts sighed…you drive…the food truck. I’ll ride shotgun. We’ll leave the bivouac truck with the gear here. Sheriff, Mr. Murphy, pick your truck. We’re going to go see if we can find our people first, then we’ll see what’s going on in your town, but for now, our mission lies down the highway. Coppice?” Mary Sue nodded.
With this, Potts looked around to make sure that he had everything, then walked out the door, followed by Jefferson, Williams, and Jordan, leaving Mary Sue and Rex with Denny and Rhonda.
“Are ya’ll gonna be all right alone?” Mary Sue asked the two of them.
“We’ll be all right,” Denny answered.
“Mrs. Weaver, there’s some clean blouses in the bedroom,” she continued. “Why don’t you put one on?”
“I’ll do that,” Rhonda answered, meekly, looking down at the dried, caked blood that covered the front of her blouse.
Mary Sue smiled, nodded her head, and then walked out of the screen door, leaving the outside door open. Denny and Rhonda were alone now.
“Thank you,” Rhonda said.
“Well, after seeing what was happening with the bite mark people…” Denny replied, bashfully now that the two of them were alone. He was never really outgoing with anyone outside of the Goths.
“Well, thank you again.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Can I ask though…is it a bite, I couldn’t tell when I was putting the bandage on.”
&n
bsp; “I’m not sure either. I don’t remember what happened.”
The two stood awkwardly for a few more moments.
“I guess I’ll go and see if there’s anything on the car radio. Why don’t you go and lie down on the bed.”
“I don’t want to go to bed right now. Every time I fall asleep, I dream of Marshall and the kids. I really feel okay.”
Denny thought she looked better, and she was now able to walk and stand on her own. She still swayed a little, but on the whole, she seemed to be doing well.
“There’s no TV or anything, but I saw some magazines in the bathroom AND the bedroom. There’s probably enough candle light to read from if you get bored.”
“I will. Thank you, Denny.”
“No problem.”
Denny took the keys that Mary Sue left him and walked outside, leaving Rhonda alone. When she heard the car door open and then close, she took a candle and walked into the bedroom. A full-length mirror leaned against one of the walls. She walked across the room and stood in front of it. She then reached down and unbuttoned the bottom two buttons of her blouse, and looked at her bandage. She pulled the adhesive away from the skin and looked down at her wound.
