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

by Smith, Daniel

  The pair of people spaced out leaving a small gap between their shields. As the second of the pair stood offset between them machete ready.

  “Open the gates,” John yelled.

  The pair of people pulled the bar from the gate allowing it to swing in revealing the hoard of zombies. Their shrunken and damaged faces showing no surprise at seeing the defenders behind the plastic shields. One zombie moaned raising decaying arms to step forward inciting the other zombies to follow.

  Using their standard tactics, one would block the advancing zombie using their shield. The other stepping forward bringing their machete down onto the zombies head. Once the zombie fell they would raise their shield allowing the first person to move behind them raising their machete. Waiting for the advancing zombies to crash into their partner’s shield. Then bringing their machete down violently into the zombies head. Before repeating the maneuver. The scene was a macabre retreat of the self-defense force members.

  Standing with the others Dan watched as the self-defense force members slowly backed up leaving a trail of fallen bodies with smashed in skulls. A few zombies tripping and falling over their fallen friends as they struggled to rise. Only to find the pair of people who had open the gate started moving among the fallen zombies. The dull whack of their machete smashing through the decaying head dispatching the zombies. Under the watchful eyes of Commander Hudson. John moved towards the open gate.

  “Wilson,” he called out holding up his rifle motioning towards Dan.

  The gray eyes of Commander Hudson turned to watch as John moved out the open gate with several others to clear any remaining zombies. Two of the riot gear clad people moved to get a rolling flatbed cart to haul the zombies away.

  Wilson came from the corner of the container and reluctantly handed the borrowed Colt M Sixteen assault rifle back to Dan. The gray eyes of Commander Hudson turning to watch before returning his gaze to the people near the gate finishing off the remaining zombies.

  “Here, I didn’t need them after all,” Juliet, said handing Dan back the box of twelve gauge shotgun shells as she approached with Rex next to her.

  “And I am sorry about earlier,” she said as Rex looked at her.

  Dan looked at her as he started trying to shake the morning off.

  “No problem,” he said blowing it off.

  “Are you interested in a trade for them,” she asked.

  Dan looked at her for a moment. Thinking of something Manny had told him long ago about friends and acquaintances.

  “You need them,” he asked looking at Juliet.

  She looked at him guiltily as Rex looked elsewhere.

  “When did those two start going out. She worked for T-bone,” Dan wondered.

  “I am down to my last two,” Juliet finally admitted.

  He looked at her shaking his head before noticing Commander Hudson watching. Looking up into the late morning sky and stretching.

  “Tell you what. I have seen you around so keep them,” he started saying shocking Juliet. “Hell I know you and your friends we can discuss terms later,” he said.

  Rex smiled patting Juliet on the back before asking.

  “Coming out to help check the zombies for anything interesting?”

  “No I am tired,” Dan said accepting the nod from Juliet as she turned away with the box of shells.

  He moved for the wagon not sure if he heard Rex say.

  “He is becoming Manny more every day.”

  “You make that sound like a bad thing,” Juliet countered

  He ignored the watchful gaze of Commander Hudson as he started for the wagon to put the rifle away.

  He had just finished climbing down from the bench seat and started to untie the horses when he heard.

  “Beautiful horses.”

  Dan turned to see two men approaching him. He recognized them from the farmers market in town. They seemingly worked there. They were a regular fixture at the market.

  “Thanks,” he said.

  “I’m Bill and this is Jeb,” the taller of the two with gray hair said. Dan guessed he was a man in his fifties wearing blue overalls and a flannel shirt with rolled up selves.

  Shaking hands with them and noted that Jeb was shorter, maybe in his forties wearing blue jeans with a flannel shirt, his hair was brown with some gray.

  “I’m Dan,” he said noticing their reaction.

  “You’re the mayor’s,” Jeb started to say before Bill interrupted him quickly adding.

  “Relative.”

  This brought a smile to his face.

  “We’re with the farming council,” Bill added.

  “That explains why he always saw them at the farmers market,” Dan thought.

  The farmers from the north and eastern areas around the town ran the council Like the town, they worked together for their own protection and safety. They formed a council to work with the town in matters of defense and running the farmers market. However, they did not always agree with the town council.

  “I see you have two male and two female.” Jeb asked looking over the horses.

  “I guess,” he said.

  “All I know about horses, is what end the food goes in and what comes out the other.”

  This got Jeb and Bill laughing for a moment.

  “Are they yours,” Bill asked after he finished laughing.

  “I saved them from some zombies, so I guess so,” Dan said smiling as he started getting an idea where this was going.

  He saw Jeb and Bill exchange looks.

  “So are you going to keep them,” Bill asked slowly.

  “I have no idea how to care for them and I was thinking of selling them and the trailer when I finish unloading,” Dan also said slowly.

  “Could you give us a moment,” Jeb asked him

  “Sure,” he said as Jeb and Bill step a few feet away to talk quietly. Watching as Jeb and Bill finished talking. Dan took this opportunity to untie the horses. Jeb walked over to a group of people that had gathered around a flatbed truck as Bill approached Dan. Motioning to the horses he asked.

  “Do you mind,” Bill asked.

  He shook his head as Bill went about checking the horses as Jeb joined him. They discussed the teeth of the horses as one lifted a hoof to examine it pointing something out to the other. After several minutes and loud nays from the horses.

  “I would have hit them if they touched me like that,” Dan thought as Bill and Jeb moved off to talk again.

  Even as tired as he was he could see what was coming as he watched the two approach.

  “If you don’t mind, could we ride with you. Our crew can follow in the truck while we discuss the horses.”

  Dan smiled now and said.

  “Sure.”

  All three of them climbing on the bench seat behind the horses. Dan going first followed by Bill then joined by Jeb, who asked.

  “May I,” as he pointed for the reins, joined them.

  “Be my guest,” he said motioning for him to take the reins. Jeb took the reins and was about to start moving when he heard John call to him.

  “What about these,” John said motioning to the armor and holding up the rifle as he entered back through the gates followed by the silver helmeted man.

  Dan waved his arm as he motioned for Jeb to start the horses forward.

  “Bring them by later or I can pick them up in case you still need them later today,” he said.

  He could see that John smiling as he shook his head. Commander Hudson stopped to watch the exchange before moving to talk with John.

  Jeb and Bill looking stunned at his statement as the trailer started forward under the power of the massive horses.

  “That was mighty kind of you,” Jeb said as Dan turned to look at him.

  “Not really,” he started. “I know him and can trust him,” he said earning a smile from Bill.

  “Do you know how old they are,,” Jeb asked.

  Dan thought a second.

  “I think only four
years old,” he said.

  The flatbed pick-up truck had not even started to follow as Jeb and Bill started to negotiate for the horses.

  2 Home Again

  The converted hay trailer sat backed into the cement driveway of a single story house made from concrete block. The light yellow paint was still in good shape on the walls with a metal roof. The sliding metal security gate barring access to the garage slid to one side. Allowing the garage door to be opened. Allowing access for a group of people moving boxes into the ever-filling garage. Dan had noticed his yellow flatbed maintenance cart was not in the garage. He figured Sara had taken it; she liked driving it more than he did. He stood next to a flatbed truck talking to two men.

  “We are good to start walking the horse’s home now,” Bill asked Dan.

  “Sure we got a deal,” he replied.

  “Great we will take the trailer when they finish unloading it. Stop by the market tomorrow and we will have everything set up for you,” Bill told him as Jeb started to unhitch the horses from the trailer.

  Bill went to direct the people unloading the trailer as Dan walked over to the blue and white golf cart and unzipped the fabric panel protecting the carts interior from bad weather. He turned the key to the on position and saw the power gauge sat in the red area of the gauge on empty. He climbed in sitting down on the light gray leather seat. Using the last charge in the batteries in driving the slow moving cart over to the side of the house. Out-of-the-way before flipping, the switch to start charging the batteries from the solar panel built in the hardtop roof. As he removed the keys getting out of the cart, he noticed the flowerbeds of the house needed to have the weeds pulled and the front yard needed the grass mowed. He had never realized how much work owning a home was, he made a mental note to try to bribe Luke to the yard for him.

  “What do you have to do to get a cart like that,” he heard one of the younger men say. Looking long fully at the cart as Dan zipped up the enclosure of the cart. He thought about his cost the two people he had traveled with where dead and he had barely made it out himself.

  He busied himself helping unload the rest of the trailer; they just about finished when everyone noticed two golf carts coming down the street almost as if racing each other. One of the golf carts Dan recognized as Sandra’s. She pulled into the driveway of her house; she lived across the street and one house to the right. The second golf cart was dark blue pulled to a stop at the curb near his house the driver not getting out, until Sandra had almost finished crossing the street. The expression soured on his face as he recognized Mr. Pennington. Sandra stopped next to him and they spoke a moment giving Dan a chance to compare the two before they approached. He was slightly taller than Sandra’s five feet two inch and was in his thirties compared with Sandra being in her early forties. While Sandra had a light brown Latina complexion. Mr. Pennington had an almost orange complexion to his skin and his blond hair only came to his shoulders. Compared with Sandra’s long black hair with a touch of gray in it coming halfway down her back. Sandra was wearing jeans and a light color blouse where Mr. Pennington was wearing a pair of brown pants with matching shoes with the tackiest bright multicolor Hawaiian shirt he had ever seen.

  “Hi Sandra,” Dan greeted her while blowing off Mr. Pennington. After he, Taddish and Doctor McGee managed to make it back from Memphis alive with Mabel’s and Katrina’s help. Sandra made him and the doctor tell Mr. Pennington how Captain Jones had shot him while he was on the laboratory roof and left him for dead instead of shooting her in the council room. He had failed to mention Taddish had made it out alive also and Sandra never corrected him. After promising an unbiased investigation, he had told him and Sandra a few days later that after interviewing the captain and other soldiers that where there. That no evidence existed to support his wild accusation about what Captain Jones had supposedly done, for some reason this had not surprise him.

  The result of his investigation did hold a surprise for Mr. Pennington. The town council denied his request to start up a forward base in town. Only after council member Jarvis help was he allowed to start one outside the protected limits of the town. Dan figured Sandra had a strong hand in that. He knew eventually he would have to find out what he and Captain Jones where doing back in town. And judging by the cold hard look on his face he would have to wait.

  “Good afternoon mayor,” Dan heard Bill say as he approached and shook hands with the mayor.

  “Good afternoon Bill how are the wife and kids,” Sandra said with a smile.

  “Good,” he replied.

  “Bill I do not believe you have met Mr. Pennington, he is with the U.S. government. Mr. Pennington this is Bill Matthews. He is in charge of the farming council,” Sandra said making a motion to Bill.

  Bill shook his hand and had a pleasant smile on his face when he asked him.

  “So are you in charge of the soldiers we see around here,” Dan could see Mr. Pennington had forced a smile onto his face.

  “Yes, they fall under my authority,” he replied businesslike.

  “Good,” Bill said still smiling. “Because you can tell them that if they come poking around our farms again,” the smile started to fade from his face.

  “We are going to poke them back even harder,” Bill had lost all trace of the smile now.

  “I understand,” Mr. Pennington replied in his best business tone as he lost his smile also.

  “Good day then,” he said as he turned to the mayor. “Good seeing you, But we have to be going.”

  “Good seeing you and tell your wife hello for me,” Bill nodded and turned to Dan.

  “Good doing business with you,” he told him shaking his hand.

  “Thank you,” Dan replied as he watched them hook the trailer to the flatbed truck and the other people climbed on. He waved good-bye as they pulled out. After the flatbed, truck had pulled away Sandra spoke up.

  “Dan we need to talk to you about this morning.”

  Dan turned to face both of them, he mentally sighed as his face took on a sour look.

  “What parts to you want to talk about,” he asked.

  “You threatened to shoot a military officer,” Mr. Pennington started saying as Dan’s laugh cut him off.

  “No John did that,” he said causing a confused look to cross Mr. Pennington’s face.

  “The other people on the bridge wanted to hang her for the trouble she was causing them,” he continued.

  “Captain Jones made no report of that,” Mr. Pennington interjected. As Dan turned and walked a couple of steps away before turning back.

  “I offered to settle my unfinished business with Captain Jones right then and there,” Dan said angrily. Mr. Pennington was about to speak as Dan quickly cut him off.

  “Maybe you only care if someone shoots a military officer. Who would keep people from safety as zombies show up. And does not care about the fact she took off and ran again when the zombies did showed up,” Dan stated contempt in his voice. He saw a confused look cross both of their faces for a second.

  “That’s not the information I received,” Mr. Pennington started before Dan cut him off.

  “I don’t care what she told you or what you believe. I don’t care if you believe or disbelieve all the people on the bridge. But I will repay her for Memphis. So I don’t know why you are here. Are you expecting me to offer to apologize,” he told him coldly. Dan could see Mr. Pennington’s eyes flicker to the colt rifle he still had slung on him.

  There were a tense couple of moments before Sandra spoke up breaking the silence.

  “Well, I think this settles the matter for now.”

  Mr. Pennington regarded him for a moment longer before turning and walking back to his cart without saying anything. Dan and Sandra watched him leave in silence. Dan turning to look at Sandra, deciding to break the silence.

  “So what brings them back in to town,” he said trying to calm his voice. Sandra regarded him for a moment before saying.

  “Mr. Pennington
is here trying to tell us we need to provide a power plant for a train stop,” Dan look at her for a moment as if she expected him to start laughing.

  “Train stop,” he said puzzled.

  “Yes, it seems some enterprising person figured out how to make a train run from algae,” Sandra saw the look he was giving her.

  “I am not crazy it runs on algae, well a Biofuel produced from distilling the algae. However, they need to use electricity in the refining operation. Since we have railroad tracks and a small freight terminal, they want us to supply power.”

  “Why,” he asked.

  “Well they would be able to run passengers and freight from New Orleans to Memphis in a day and make stops along the way,” Sandra replied patiently.

  “And they are telling the town it has to,” Dan asked questioning. Since the plague, it has become standard practice for the government to negotiate with towns and individuals outside the government controlled safe areas for items and services needed. Sandra looked at him for a moment with almost an amused smile on her lips.

  “Dan, times are changing, the government is starting to want control back and they are not asking or negotiating any more, they are telling,” she said looking at his disbelieving face.

  “Is that why Mr. Pennington and Captain Jones are here to tell you to,” he asked sarcastically. As Sandra looked amused.

  “No while being good business for the town. We cannot support their request. Without cutting some town services. So unless we find some solar panels or a wind or hydroelectric generator,” Sandra said absently.

  Dan’s blue eyes shot to the packed garage as a thoughtful expression crossed his face. Sandra stopped speaking as she registered the calculating look on his face; she had seen that look before on her father.

  “Do you know where we could get some of those,” Sandra asked him cautiously. Interrupting any further chance at conversation was a loud.

  “Your back,” Luke yelled as he ran up to Dan followed by Doug. Who walked up and put his long arm around Sandra’s waist. As he stood next to her his skinny six foot one inch frame towered over Sandra and when you, combined his brown eyes, baldhead and warm mellow smile made him always seem happy. Luke was different, being small in stature and a mass of blond hair and brown eyes who was always hurrying everywhere he went.