Survivors Series (Book 1): Heroes Aren't Born

by Voeller, Cody

  “I was angry.”

  “Well that was obvious,” I said throwing my hands up in the air, “I’m fucking angry too but I’m not picking fights. What I want to know is what exactly are you angry at? I’m sure what you said out there was true. I’m sure you’re partially angry about Sam but that’s only part of it. What’s the other part?”

  “There’s no…”

  “Yeah there is. I know you’re full of shit so let’s hear it.”

  Jason stood suddenly like he was going to leave but he started to pace. I could tell he was trying to figure out the best way to phrase what he wanted to say. When he looked like he was about to burst it all came pouring out of him, “I guess it has to do with the first day. When you were trying to convince us to go I wouldn’t listen and you turned out to be right. And then when you wanted to stop to find Michelle and I didn’t want to. Then when I volunteered to lead away the Walkers I fucked that up too. From day one you’ve fallen into the role as leader. Everyone just listens to you. Back at school I knew what I was doing, where I was going, but now… now I don’t know. I guess I was angry because you were handling things so well. You always seem to be in control. I wanted to see you lose control, to get angry, anything other than calm. So I hit you and said that stuff about Sarah. I’m sorry about that by the way, I think I went too far. I know you have a thing for her. I shouldn't have done that.”

  Holy shit. Is he jealous?’ I wondered. “No you shouldn’t have, but if you wanted to see me angry then that was the perfect thing to do. Just so you know it’s not just a thing for her. I don’t know what it is but it’s more than just a thing.” That was a lie. I’d said that I loved her about a million times in my own head but I didn’t feel like telling Jason that. “I'll let you in on a little secret. I’m almost as lost as you. I might look calm and have a plan but I’m pretty much making things up as I go. I’m just trying not to do what they do in the books and the movies. I know what to look for, that’s the only difference. That’s why I reacted without much thought. I guess you could say I was as ready for this as I could be.”

  “Wait, wait, wait. Book? Movies? You’re telling me that you’ve kept us alive on what you’ve learned from books and fucking movies? Holy shit man, that takes balls,” he finished laughing.

  “Yeah well you show me one time in history where zombies have taken over and I’ll use that as a reference. Until then, movies and games are all I have. That’s why I need all the help I can get. That’s why I can’t fight with everyone who disagrees with me. Speaking of which, sorry for being so harsh on you but you kind of pissed me off.”

  “It’s ok,” he said rubbing his throat, “I guess I asked for it. Sorry about the punch. I was sure you would have moved.”

  “No worries. You hit like a girl anyways. Actually, scratch that. Sarah hits harder than you,” I joked.

  “Oh, fuck you.”

  “No really man, you’re a sucky fighter,” I laughed.

  “Oh sorry! We can’t all be Bruce Lee.”

  “I can show you how to fight, so next time you decide to do something stupid like that you'll at least have a chance,” I said grinning.

  “Yeah ok.”

  “Good. I’m already working with Sarah so after I get done teaching her the basic I’ll start working with you.”

  “Oh fuck,” he said.

  “What?”

  “You’re teaching Sarah how to fight?”

  “Yeah, she asked me to.”

  “Fuck,” he repeated, “She was already scary before but not that you’re teaching her… I think I’d rather face Walkers than make her angry at me.”

  “Might I remind you,” I said grinning, “that you just insulted her in front of everyone just a little while ago.”

  He paled and said, “Fuck,” for the third time as he sunk into his chair. “I guess I’m lucky I only wanted to fight you.”

  I laughed and got up, “Come on, you can go beg for mercy.” He stood with a groan, holding his side, and left the Pole Barn with me. We returned to the group and I guess they hadn’t expected us to come out smiling.

  “So… is everything ok between you two?” asked Liz.

  “Yeah,” I said, “We’ve reached an understanding.”

  “Good, so we’re one big happy family then?” Jessica said sarcastically.

  “I guess we are,” I say.

  “Ah man,” Justin mumbled.

  “What?”

  “I’ve got one messed up family,” he laughs. After a second’s pause everyone else began laughing too.

  The laughter seemed to drive away the darkness of the last forty-eight hours. For a whole minute things seemed almost normal, almost happy. When the laughing finally faded we began to disperse, each returning to their own tasks.

  That night after dinner I was dead tired, my hands and muscles ached and all I wanted to do was crawl into my comfy bed and pass out. Unfortunately, I couldn’t fall into too deep a sleep because I had second watch. I figured I would take a brief nap but when I got to my room I found it occupied, Sarah was sitting on my bed reading a book. “Well, hi.”

  “Hi.”

  “What are you reading?” She held up the book. “The Shining?” I said raising an eyebrow, “That’s not really bedtime reading is it?”

  “Not really but most of these are about history,” she said gesturing to my bookshelf.

  “Sorry,” She closed the book and put it away. “So what’s up?”

  “Nothing,” she shrugged and smiled.

  “What are you smiling at?” I asked.

  “How do you do it?”

  “What? Do what?”

  “How can you beat someone up or lock them in a prison for a night and the just talk to them and make everything ok?”

  I laughed, “I don’t know. It’s just one of my many talents,” I said sarcastically.

  “Oh whatever,” she smiles.

  “I just can’t win can I?”

  “Now you’re catching on.”

  “This had been a long fucking day,” I said sitting on my bed and putting my face in my hands.

  “Oh you poor baby,” she says with false sympathy.

  “Hey, I got punched in the face today.”

  “Yeah but we both know you didn’t have to be.”

  “Yeah I guess that’s true. I’m going to rest for a couple hours before my shift.”

  “Ok fine, I’ll leave.”

  “I didn’t say you had to leave. You can stay if you want to.”

  “James!” she said with mock outrage, “What kind of girl do you think I am?”

  “I think you’re a girl who likes to nap,” I said smiling.

  “Oh, ok,” she grinned.

  We were both still in jeans and t-shirts, I wasn’t going to change because I would have to get up soon but I knew she’d be uncomfortable sleeping in what she had on. “Do you want something to wear? I know your room is so far away,” I said sarcastically.

  She rolled her eyes but said, “Ok.” I pulled out a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt that would be plenty loose on her. She took them and raised an eyebrow saying, “Turn around. And no peaking.”

  I laughed and turned away, covering my eyes so as to assure her I wasn’t looking. After she had changed we climbed into bed and fell asleep almost instantly. A few hours later I sat up groggy and sore. My muscled were cramped and my jaw hurt but I pulled on my boots, my guns and a sweatshirt over my head. Yawning, I made sure Sarah was covered and I headed to the roof.

  Up top I greeted Matt and took the rifle from him. Just as he was about to climb down the ladder I called out to him, “Matt. Are you and Hannah…?”

  He smiled, “Yeah, sort of.”

  I nodded and said tiredly, “I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Jason. If you hurt her the rest of the girls are going to come after you and I won’t stop them. My advice, don’t fucking hurt her. Ok?”

  “Ok.”

  “Cool. Night.”

  “N
ight.”

  I walked around the roof to wake up and then sat down to stare into the darkness. My only thoughts were of climbing back into bed with Sarah when I heard something that snapped me out of my thoughts and back to reality. I pulled out my radio and said, “Matt… Matt.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Wake Thomas and Jason and get up here now.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Just do it. I’ll explain when you get up here.”

  “You got it. We’ll be there in a second.”

  As I stood there and listened I thought to myself, This could be interesting.

  CHAPTER 13

  I stood there, straining to listen. I heard the guys climb noisily up the ladder, drowning out what I was really trying to pay attention too. I heard as they walked right up behind me but I didn’t turn or acknowledge them. I listened until I could hear it again, it was faint but it was still there. Thomas became impatient at seemingly waking up for no reason and asked, “So what’s up?”

  I held up a hand and said, “Just listen. Listen and tell me what you hear.”

  After a few seconds of silence, Jason says, “I don’t hear any…”

  “There,” interrupted Matt, “I hear it. Is that really what I think it is?”

  “I think so,” I said.

  “What? What the fuck do you two think you hear?” asked Jason.

  “A motorcycle,” I replied, “It’s a ways off but it’s getting closer.”

  “Holy shit,” says Thomas, “Should I get the others?”

  “No, there’s no need to wake them or cause a panic. Let them sleep.”

  “Well what are we going to do?” asked Jason.

  I handed Thomas the rifle, “Thomas, I want you to watch our backs. If anything comes out of the woods or more people appear and I do this,” I waved my left hand high in the air “I want you to take them out. We’re going down to the road to get a glimpse of our mystery rider and keep guard if he decides to stop.”

  The three of us climbed down the ladder while Thomas stood on the roof, lifting the rifle towards the road. “You guys have lights?” I asked them. They shook their heads no. “Neither do I. Jason, you want to grab some from the armory?”

  “Yeah sure.”

  “Do you hear that?” asked Matt after Jason left, “It sounds a lot closer. This guy must be hauling.” He was right. The sound of the bike was a lot closer. This guy was defiantly not going the speed limit.

  “Yeah, must be. Come on, let’s head down. We don’t need the lights yet and Thomas has our backs.”

  We started down the driveway discussing what the presence of another person could mean. “What if this means that there a bunch of others?” offered Matt.

  “Well, that could either be good or bad for us,” I replied.

  “Bad? Why bad?”

  “Think about it. We have a lot of supplies, food, water, guns, ammo, enough to live off of for a while. We have the relative safety of our fence and plenty of space for growing food. But if more people show up then we’ll either have to give it up or fight to keep it. Either way, it’s a lose-lose situation.”

  “Yeah but more people means more safety. Right?”

  “That might be true but think about what kind of people they might be. One man could survive for a long time by doing very little wrong. Sure he’ll loot some stores, kill some Walkers and break into some homes. But he probably won’t do anything major, he won’t have to. Even a dozen people,” I gesture at the house, “can get away by doing very little but a big group, an army like you’re hoping for, they need large amounts of food, water, ammo, and gas to stay mobile. No, more people isn’t going to be good for us.”

  “Well then what are we going to do about this guy?” asked Jason who had caught up to us.

  “Hope he doesn’t see the driveway and decides to stop. Hopefully, he’s by himself and is just passing through.”

  We reached the end of the driveway and waited. Soon the sound had grown louder and we knew he was getting very close. I walked out in the middle of the road and stared off into the darkness. I saw a small light in the distance gradually growing brighter. This guy was really moving. I walked back over to Matt and Jason and pulled out one of my pistols. We heard rather than saw him pass our driveway. I let out a breath, not knowing I had been holding it. I realized something after he’d blurred past. The roadblock! I started running.

  “Hey! Where are you going?” Matt called after me.

  I pulled out my radio and started yelling into it. “Thomas, get a med kit and get your ass down here. The biker’s going to hit the roadblock.”

  “Oh shit,” I heard Matt and Jason say together as they started after me. I knew I would hear it any second, the roadblock was only a few blocks from the house and he’d reach it very quickly. With him going so fast and at night, I didn’t think he’d have enough time to stop. I heard the screech of tires, the crunch of metal on metal and the thump of impact.

  Reaching the crash site we turned on our lights to illuminate the scene the best we could. The biker was lying on the ground, screaming in agony, his bike a twisted pile of metal next to him.

  “Take this,” I said handing Matt my flashlight and kneeling down next to the biker as he clutched an arm to his chest. “Hey,” I yelled, “You have to stop moving, I said stop moving or you’re going to die. He was yelling in Spanish and I understood enough to know that he was switching between asking for his mother and praying for help. I pulled his helmet off and he screamed even louder. “Where’s my med kit,” I yelled into my radio.

  “Where you guys at?” Thomas’ voice came from my radio.

  “Just get your ass to the roadblock and hurry.”

  “Ok, already on my way.”

  “What are we going to do?” asked Matt.

  “I won’t know until I take a look at him,” I said pulling out my buck knife and flicking it open. The biker’s eyes widened at the site of the blade and he tried to squirm away. “Hey,” I barked, “I’m trying to help you asshole. Stop fucking moving.” I didn’t want to accidently cut him and he could easily hurt himself even more by moving too much, luckily for both of us he passed out from sheer pain. I began cutting through his t-shirt as Thomas appeared holding one of the many med kits we assembled since the raid on the Safeway.

  “Holy shit,” Thomas said dropping the bag next to me.

  “Thanks,” I said ignoring his outburst, “Get back to the house, make sure nothing happens there.”

  “Sure,” he said nodding and running off into the night.

  I spread the t-shirt open and started cutting his jeans from the pant leg up to his waist. “I need more light guys.” They directed all of their lights to help illuminate the gruesome scene. Of the several wounds that crisscrossed his body the worst was the eight inches of metal that protruded from his chest. Fuck, fuck, fuck, I thought as looked at his wound. It was unlikely that anything I did would help him.

  “What are you waiting for?” asked Thomas, “Why aren’t you doing anything?”

  I wanted to tell him that he was probably already dead, that anything I did would probably only hurt him more, but the expectant look on his face forced me into silence. Careful not to cut my own hands I grasped the shard metal and began to pull it from his chest. He woke to scream in agony before passing out again. I dropped the shard next to him as I started to pack the wound with gauze, applying pressure to staunch the blood flow. As I worked I watched as his labored breathing began to even out. The worst wound taken care of I started to clean and bandage the other wounds I could see. When I had first seen him clutching an arm to his chest I had assumed that he was trying to protect the piece of metal stuck in him but after a quick inspection it was evident that one or more bones in his forearm were broken. He woke screaming as I probed some of his injuries. “Hey,” I said putting enough pressure on him to stop his movement, “stop moving or you will make things worse. I’m trying to help you,” I repeated. “You understand?” He nodd
ed slowly, fearful of any damage he could cause himself. “Good,” I said turning back to his injuries. While he did his best not to move he had no trouble talking. I could tell that some of what he was saying was to curse me, especially when I poured rubbing alcohol on his cuts, but since he wasn’t ordering a beer or asking to use the bathroom it fell on deaf ears.