The Aftermath Trilogy (Book 2): The Aftermath [Town of the Dead]

by Smith, Daniel

  He pulled back hard on the reigns to stop the horses after the trailer cleared the metal doors of the containers. Standing up on the wood bench and stretched before he climbed down from the seat. He tied the large horses by their leather reigns to the frame of the gray metal bridge when he heard the rumbling of the powerful engine start up. Pausing halfway through tying up the horses to look down at the bridge to see a puff of black smoke coming from the exhaust pipe of a Military Humvee. The large bulking looking Humvee lacked any graceful lines. He recognized it as an M one thousand and thirty-eight four-door version. With a soft material top and sides and short cargo area in the back. The dull green, brown and black patches of a woodland camouflage design made it look like all the others he had seen as it started up at the far end of the bridge. Dan had mixed feelings as he watched it pull away down the bridge on bulky tires heading for the road that led into town. Feeling the anger leave him as the Humvee pulled from sight. He knew he would have to end their dispute soon before someone else suffered. He had just finished tying the horses up when John approached him with the other people from front of the bridge.

  “Two hundred you say,” John said sounding tired while he rubbed his chin with his hand.

  “More or less, I didn’t stop to count them. They’ve been following me all morning. I should’ve lost them by now,” Dan said with a thoughtful expression on his face. The other people exiting their trucks also silently ponder this news.

  “I am beginning to wish the soldiers hadn’t left as we could use their firepower,” he told Dan thoughtfully.

  “Better-off without them, unless you want a bullet in your back,” Dan replied in a serious tone. John thought about this for a moment before he said.

  “They followed me all morning,” John said as a way of changing the subject as his eyes scanned Dan’s face to confirm what he had said was true.

  Dan like everyone else on the bridge knew that when zombies lost sight of you they just started wondering aimlessly or stop until they spotted something else moving.

  “All right then we need to hold the bridge until reinforcements arrive,” John said with the tiredness gone from his voice.

  “What do we have in a way of weapons, besides my pistol and Sue and William’s rifles,” John asked as he looked around the group of men and women gathering behind the bridge containers.

  “Me and T-bone have rifles. Juliet has a twelve gauge pump action shotgun,” Rex said slowly.

  Dan looked over at the dark haired woman holding the pump action shotgun.

  “Juliet is her name,” he thought looking at the woman.

  The rest of the group managed to muster an extra two nine millimeter pistols in addition to a collection of baseball bates and swords.

  “It will have to do,” John, said shaking his head slowly. Dan was looking at his Colt collapsible stock assault rifle thinking for a moment when the guard on the container turned towards them and yelled.

  “I can see them,” Sue yelled.

  Looking up he watched as she lowered some binoculars. The whole group went silent for a moment and in the gray morning sky they could hear the sound cutting through the misting rain of the distinctive pitifully wail of zombies. John wasted no time as he took command of the people on the bridge. The people with rifles, except Dan, would work from the top of the blue and white metal shipping containers behind the sandbags sitting on top. If the zombies breached the gates, they would provide cover fire for those on the ground to escape. The others including Dan would work from inside the containers. Dan agreeing with John even though he had an assault rifle. They both knew his accuracy with the rifle was not the best. However, if the zombies breached the gates he could provide needed firepower on the ground helping them safely get away. The group broke up with several of them starting to climb the orange fiberglass ladders to the roof of the containers, Dan with the rest of them started heading into the containers. Splitting up into two groups each started moving into separate containers. As they entered the open containers. They passed the wooden bunk beds that lined one side of the metal wall and started pushing the old dining table and chairs out of their way towards the opposite metal wall.

  Stopping in front of vertical rectangular shutters. Set cut into the metal sides of the containers about neck level held shut by a metal slide bolt on hinges. Dan moved the metal slide bolt to one side and opened the metal shutter. He could see the mass of shambling zombies start emerging from the mist. As they moved, down the roadway approaching the containers the undead mass began blocking the bridge. Reaching up for a metal pole set on hooks above the shutter. He removed a large five-foot long metal pole that had a sharp pointed tip on one end and leather wrapped handles on the other end. He tightly grasped the handles and positioned the sharp point of the pole into the rectangular opening he stood at making ready to thrust it threw. The low pitiful moaning was almost as unbearable as the stench coming from the zombies slowly rotting flesh, as the mass of the undead started to move closer. The first ones were clumsy but started taking on what seem like an agitated interest as they approached the metal containers that block their access to the bridge. Dan wrinkled his nose from the smell of decay as they pressed their rotting faces against the containers. The zombies pounding and grasping at the opening in the containers with their rotting withered fingers as they left rotten chucks of flesh in the slits of the container. As they obsessively worked to get at the people inside.

  Adjusting his grip on the handles of the pole, he took aim at the solid milky white eye of the zombie in front of his opening. Violently shoving the point of the sharp pole through the milky white eye and into the skull of the first zombie. With a sickening crunch the sharp tip impaled the brain of the zombie. He felt the pole jar suddenly as it hit the bottom of the rectangular slit when the zombie started falling to the ground. Shifting his weight on the pole pulling the pointed end out of the zombie’s head allowing it to finish falling to the ground. He readied himself before thrusting the pole through the slit into the next zombie. He could feel the crunch of bone vibrate through the pole as the sharp point went through another zombie’s skull. The other people using the poles lining the containers to fight the zombies. The defenders thrusted and pulled the poles back and forth as zombie after zombie pressed against the container side. He listened to the moans of zombies mixed with talking and laughing of people holding conversations inside the container. Between their thrusting of sharpen poles into the skulls of zombies before realizing he had lost track of time and not sure how long had passed. The first rifle shot heard did not silence the group of people in the container. The second shot that closely followed that passed through the container’s metal wall with a metallic ring that instantaneously silenced them all.

  “Crap, the zombies are shooting at us!”

  Dan heard someone yell.

  “You’re crazy,” someone replied but as another bullet that hit the container wall silencing that conversation.

  Over the moans of the zombies, they heard John’s voice yelling.

  “I need everyone safely behind the containers.”

  Setting the pole down on the old battered dining table as he left the container. Exiting, Dan saw several of the self-defense force members helping one of their own off the roof of the container. He was holding his left arm trying to stop the flow blood that was coming from a wound. Several more high pitch rifle shots rang out from the other side of the containers.

  “Someone out there in the tree line is shooting at us,” Sue said as she made her way off the orange ladder. A medical kit suddenly appeared as a self-defense force member started attending to the wounded man to the best of their abilities.

  “Just great, not only do we have zombies to deal with but some crazed snipers to,” John said angrily.

  “We need more manpower and firepower to deal with this,” John added wearily.

  “Wait a moment,” Dan told John as he started to jog towards the oversized hay cart. Climbing up the side of th
e trailer onto the wood seat and started moving one of the blue tarpaulins. He leaned into searching the wagon. Giving John time to walk over to him. As he started pulling out some items from the trailer.

  “Here John these should help,” he said as he handed down two sleek black Colt M Sixteen assault rifles and a large long black duffel bag.

  John took the rifles from him and handed them to another self-defense force member that had just joined him. John took the large black bag and unzipped it to find that it contained a dozen loaded thirty round curved metal clips for the rifles. Dan turned reaching into the trailer struggling to move a few items before straightening with a set of black tactical body armor the word SWAT in white across the back. Handing this to John, who looked at the body armor with a sense of awe crossing his face.

  “Here,” he told John, snapping him back to reality. As he motioned for John to take a black Kevlar tactical helmet for the body armor.

  “Damn, I thought we scored the last time we were out,” T-bone said to Rex with a sound of jealousy in his voice.

  “I have some extra ammunition to if needed,” Dan said looking down at John who was still looking at the armor.

  “If you have Thirty-ought-six shells. We could use some more,” John said looking up at him.

  Who started leaning over the open trailer stopping to look at the rest of the group as T-bone spoke up.

  “Any twelve gauge shells,” before looking at Juliet who just nodded.

  “I think so,” Dan said leaning into the trailer again to start moving some more stuff around.

  While he was looking in the trailer John had removed the black riot gear he wore and donned the tactical body armor and helmet, it fit him perfectly. Dan handed down a new box of twenty rounds of full metal-jacketed Thirty-ought-six ammunition to John.

  “Don’t you look pretty,” he said in a humors voice noticing that John was smiling.

  “Funny,” John said sarcastically, but he seemed happy to feel the weight of the armor on him.

  “Wilson,” John said. “Come over here.”

  Wilson moved from one side of the group stepping forward to John who gave him the other assault rifle. John filled the built in vest pouches with the gray metal clips from the bag Dan had given him before he handed the rest of the extra clips to Wilson. Dan tossed the square red and blue printed cardboard box of shotgun shells to Juliet before he climbed down from the trailer. John had just finished giving the box of Thirty-ought-six shells to Sue.

  “Here’s the plan I have Wilson and Sue move to the side of each container with rifles to see if they can spot who is shooting at us. Since I have armor on I will take the top of the container,” John said tapping the armor. “The rest of you take out as many zombies as you can from inside the containers,” John said with his voice once again full of command.

  The group nodded agreeing before moving off to take their positions. Dan entered the container, picking up the metal pole from the table he had left it on and approached the open metal rectangle set in the container’s side. He paused for a moment to look at the tattered sleeve of a gray business suit reaching through the opening attached to a withered grayish dried out hand grasping at him. The dried out skin around the fingernails had drawn back exposing the broken yellowish nails giving the hand a withered claw appearance. Dan looked into the sunken face of a businessman whose solid white eyes stared at him. Shuttering slightly as the dream from earlier flashed across his mind.

  He stood looking at the hand when the dark hair Juliet working next to him thrust her pole into a zombie. The pole moved violently to one side causing her to lose her balance and fall into him.

  Dan stumble from her impact dropping his pole as he hit the containers wall. Getting him to close to the withered hand allowing it to grab his arm.

  “Damn it,” he exclaimed feeling the tight grip of the zombie on his arm.

  The thought on why zombies were strong for being dead never crossed his mind as he struggled to break free.

  “Someone help us,” Juliet yelled out springing to her feet to help him break free of the zombies grasp.

  The two struggling with the undead man as he tried to pull them closer to his waiting teeth pressing against the opening.

  “Both of you pull the arm back,” a man yelled as he pulled a machete from his belt.

  Dan and Juliet struggled to do so as the man moved the machete close to the container’s wall just as he started bringing it violently down. The zombie pulled them closer causing the man to halt his swing in fear of hitting them. He managed to cut half way through the arm into the bone. At seeing this Dan grabbed the wrist of the zombie and dropped to the floor taking Juliet with him. Snapping the half cut bone off tearing the arm off the zombie. Both of them standing with Juliet staring at the zombie’s arm still holding on to him as she pointed at it. Dan looked at it as he worked the hand free tossing it aside.

  “Are you hurt did it brake the skin,” Juliet asked reaching to examine his arm.

  Dan looked down at his arm seeing it undamaged.

  “No I am good,” he said.

  “Sorry about that,” Juliet said moving to recover her pole.

  Don’t worry about it,” Dan said bending to pick up his pole from the floor.

  He shook his head clearing it as he looked at the green stripe tie hanging out of the jacket the zombie wore. Then violently shoved the pointed end of the metal pole with an oddly satisfying crunching sound into his brain. The zombie fell causing a brief silence that lasted only a second shattered by the moans of his fellow zombies. Dan had just pulled the pole from the head of another zombie when from the corner of his eye he caught movement from the container’s opening. This startled him for a moment and he let go of the pole’s leather wrapped handles letting it fall to the metal floor with a loud clang. His hands went for the black plastic pistol grip of his assault rifle. Relaxing slightly seeing fresh self-defense force members and town folks entering the container. Responding to the call John sent out.

  Many people in towns and areas not under government control . Banded together for protection against zombies and other dangers coming out of civilizations ruins. If not, they died alone and died fast. Dan looked at the reinforcements that were arriving. They all carried their own weapons ranging from swords, bows, rifles and machetes. Some having a pointed pole like he was using. As they entered the containers, they took any unused poles from the walls and stepped up to an open shutter in the container wall. Dan picked up the pole from the floor before passing it to a good-looking woman with long blond hair wearing a blue dress. Before he walked outside with others to stretch his arms and take a break. As he left the container, he saw the rest of the self-defense force members and the other town people following the directions of a small framed man. Dressed in the same black police riot gear the self-defense force members wore, but his black tanker style Kevlar helmet with the plastic lifting full-face shield had a silver eagle painted on it.

  Dan scanned the assortment of cars, trucks, golf carts and even the horses’ people had used to get to the bridge as he walked over to the group. The self- defense force are the primary guards of the town. Until a large group of undead show up like this or a group of raiders threaten the town, under these circumstances every available person shows up to help. Turning towards the containers as three rifle shots rang out almost sounding like one. Dan turned to see John climbing down the latter from the container leaving two other people still up there.

  The group Dan was in turned to watch John as he stepped up to the small framed man with the silver eagle on his helmet.

  “Commander Hudson,” John addressed the man. “Somewhere near that group of zombies are people shooting at us,” he added over the moans of the zombies. The man ponder this for a moment as his gray eyes revealing nothing before speaking in a low, power full voice.

  “Someone is herding them,” he said. Dan could see by the looks on the faces of the others in the group that they, like him, had no idea
what Commander Hudson had meant.

  “Herding” he continued addressing John and the rest of the group as well. “Is a new trend used by some undesirable groups of the living. They round up the undead and force or herd them if you like towards something, usually a place they want to try to take over. While everyone is busy fighting the zombies they will start picking off the defenders one at a time in the confusion,” he finished saying.

  “That is just wrong,” Juliet spoke up.

  “I agree,” Commander Hudson replied.

  This news did not sit well with Dan and judging by the looks on the other faces present, they felt the same. Before he or anyone could say anything else, several shots rang out from the top of the containers and for several seconds no one spoke.

  A woman Dan did not know leaned over-the-top of the container and spoke.

  “John, we think we got two of the people shooting at us,” she started before noticing Commander Hudson.

  “Sorry Commander,” she started as she recognized him.

  “Continue please,” Commander Hudson said with a wave of his hand.

  “Please,” Dan thought that was different.

  “We got two of them; we saw three more brake off and run for it. We want to go out and finish the twenty to thirty zombies that are still out there,” she added.

  “Good,” Commander Hudson said before turning to John. “You are with me and the rest of you form up,” he said motioning to the tactical armor he was wearing.

  John motioned with his head over to were Dan stood. Commander Hudson shook his head slightly raising the rectangular plastic riot shield and started removing a machete from his belt. Watching as they took up a position in front of the container doors used as a gate.

  This impressed Dan. Every leader he had ever seen left work like this to others. He stood watching as the self-defense force members moved into groups of two.

  “Get ready,” John yelled out as one pair of people moved to the bar holding the gate closed.