by TJ Weeks
“Hell, I’m glad that you’re okay and found us. I’ve thought the worst for the longest time.” I responded.
“Well, I am my father’s daughter.” She replied with a smile.
“That you are. Well let’s get some sleep and figure it out in the morning.” I suggested. “What’s the plan?” Kris questioned while getting ready for bed. “We’re going to dig.” I answered.
“Dig?” She questioned.
“Yeah, I’m going to dig a ditch around the fence line.” I replied.
“But, we’ll have to move all the cars away from the fence.” She stated. “No, I’m going to dig a trench on the inside of the wall. If any of those fucks get through the fence, they’ll end up in the trench. We’ll have to find boards to keep it from collapsing, but we’ll make due.” I answered before letting my head find my pillow.
CHAPTER THREE
THE MORNING came a lot faster than I
anticipated. I squinted my eyes from the sun breaking the darkness which felt like laser beams shooting into my eyes from the window. I sat up and stretched.
“Already?” Kris queried me getting up so early.
“Got to get things back in order, we can’t keep people on roaming guard.” I responded. She brushed her hand down my back as I stood up and headed for the much needed shower.
Steven was already standing next to my door by the time I got back. “So what’s the plan?” “We’re about to start some training. Make sure the rest of our crew is outside in five minutes. I’ll meet y’all out there.” I answered and walked into my room before any more questions set in.
“I want to do something for Sidnie.” Kris stated.
“I’ll take care of it honey.” I told her. I walked over and kissed Daltin and Shianne on the head before walking over to Kris who was already making some coffee for me. I took the mug from her and kissed her lips.
“Give me a minute and I’ll come out with you.” She suggested. “You don’t have to, I’m going to do a quick training course on the backhoe and then get to work.” I informed her.
“Well good, then I’ll know how to operate it and be able to help.” She quickly let me know. I decided not to argue and just took to my coffee.
“Let’s go.” She stated once she was dressed. She followed me out of the door and out of the school where we could see everyone standing in a small circle awaiting our arrival. I could also see Karen headed our way.
We met up with the group about the same time Karen did. Lisa started heading towards us as well.
“What’s up?” I asked. “I want to put together a team and make a run to Means Hardware for some lumber.” Karen answered.
“For what?” I asked. “I want to build an actual guard tower at the front gate.” She suggested about the time that Lisa made it to us.
“That’s something I aim to do, but we’ve got a lot to do around here before making any runs. I can go next week if things go alright.” I responded.
“I’m not asking you to go, I’m saying I’ll put together a team and go.” She stated. “I’ll go with you.” Tina volunteered. “I’ll go to.” Lisa chimed in as well.
“The fuck you say!” Gizmo interrupted.
Tina turned to her husband. “I’ve done missions with y’all. I know what I’m doing and you just got back. You don’t have to do everything, you know.”
“Okay guys, stop!” I announced to break up the argument. I paced around for a second trying to come with another solution, but not step on toes. “Okay, put together your team and take the Deuce. However, I’m going to need as many four by four posts as you can get.”
“For what?” She asked. “We’re going to b uild a deep trench around our perimeter to keep the rotters from attacking us anymore if they make it through the fence. I need the posts to frame it in so it does not collapse.” I answered.
“Kris, you care to go? You’ve been on several missions as well.” Karen asked. “I’ll go.” She answered. I looked at my wife knowing that if I disagreed, I’d pay a price and would turn into a battle between everyone. So I didn’t say a word about it. “Why don’t y’all grab Rachel and that Sandra chick from yesterday as well? I need to borrow Kris for a minute before y’all leave out.”
Kris peered at me with a bit of confusion. “What is it babe?” She asked. I turned and cocked my head to the side suggesting that she follow. Kris followed a bit behind me to the back of the school. We rounded the corner and I stopped.
I had buried our sweet Sidnie and placed a make shift tombstone where I had buried her that read her name, birthday and the day she died and we love you on it.
Kris covered her mouth and tears filled her eyes.
“I miss her, I can’t believe I let her get shot.” Kris cried. “It wasn’t your fault honey. But, at least now we have somewhere to come visit her.” I put my arm around her.
“Thank you TJ.” I love you my Sidnie and miss you so much, watch over us all and rest in peace baby.” She stated.
Kris wiped her eyes as I turned suggesting we get things back on schedule and made our way back to the group.”
“Sounds good. We’ll be back later today with the supplies.” Karen stated.
“May want to grab hammers, nails, bolts and nuts while you’re there.” I suggested. “Yes, I’ll grab that along with saws, levels and anything else I see that we can use.” She responded and walked off to find the other two.
I went on to start training the guys on the backhoe. *** “Lisa, you and Tina want to go fill up the Deuce and we will meet y’all at the gate after finding the other two?” Karen asked.
“Yep, on it!” Both of them responded and went about their way.
Karen and Kris set out to find Rachel and Sandra. “So where did this Rachel girl come from and does anyone know about this Sandra?” Karen asked Kris.
“From my understanding Rachel was brought back with the guys and guess we need to talk to this Sandra; I’ve never seen her.” Kris
admitted.
“Well okay then, let’s find these girls I guess.” Karen’s red heels clacked on the sidewalk outside of the school.
“Hey Lisa, we need to grab some extra ammo and maybe some food just in case?” Tina questioned.
“Pro bably both a good god damned idea to have!” Lisa shot back from around the gas tank of the Deuce she was filling.
Tina ran to gather what was needed and made it back before Lisa could get the Deuce fired up. Tina put two rifles and two pistols and the small amount of food she had gathered along with the ammo for all of the guns in back before jumping in the front. She and Lisa had their rifles swinging from the straps over their shoulders to keep them close.
“I can’t believe that we have to take this Rachel bitch!” Tina let out. “What the hell was she doing with them anyway?” Lisa asked as she tried to fire it up again.
“Hell, I don’t know. They found her and didn’t want to leave her out there I guess; and who is this Sandra?” Tina wondered the same as Kris and Karen.
Lisa shrugged as she listened to the motor whine as it turned over and finally started. She backed it up from where it was and began to make her way to the gate when the backhoe pulled out in front of her. Lisa hit the brakes and Tina flung the door open and jumped down to her husband trying to direct the machine in the other direction.
Tina threw her hands up while Lisa sat in the driver’s seat laughing.
“Do you know what the fuck you are doing?” Tina yelled over both of the roaring machines. Gizmo began to laugh watching his wife’s mouth yelling. Tina glared over at the group standing to the side laughing at him as well. Gizmo leaned his head out of the backhoe and screamed over the noise.
“BINGO BANGO BABY!” Then blew her a kiss. Tina shook her head and dropped her chin to her chest and turned to walk back to the truck and climbed in.
Lisa saw the other four coming from in front of them and put the truck in park as she waited. Sandra, Karen and Rachel climbed into the cloth covered back
of the Deuce as Kris ran back to her husband.
“I love you.” She shouted over the roaring engines into TJ’s ear before she kissed him on the cheek. She ran her hand across his beard and he smiled at her.
“Be careful.” He mouthed as they kept their eyes connected while she climbed in with the other four.
Lisa threw it in drive and started heading the rest of the way to the gate after Gizmo managed to edge the backhoe out of the way. Karen gathered up the guns and handed the two pistols to Kris.
“May want to get these loaded and ready.” Karen suggested.
“Hello ladies! So just y’all going out?” Donald questioned. “Yep, we are bad ass like that.” Lisa hollered down to him. We will be back soon. The hardware store isn’t far off.”
Donald opened the gate and allowed the Deuce to pull out before closing it back. Donald watched the truck and hoped that he would see them soon.
“Sandra, where in the hell did you come from?” Karen asked.
Sandra sat across from Kris and Karen and began to explain herself a bit. “I saw the smoke from the other side of the woods over there and made my way here; I was running from a group of them already and when I got through the gate and saw everyone running, I followed them and ended up in the bunker with everyone else. I was afraid they would kick me out since I wasn’t invited and sat off in the corner keeping to myself and trying to gather my thoughts of the shit we were in.” She said.
Karen nodded and smiled. “Well, you were whooping that rotter’s ass! Good job.” Karen laughed.
Kris handed both Sandra and Rachel a loaded gun. “Y’all know how to aim and pull a trigger?”
Both nodded and held the gun close to them. Karen passed the loaded rifle to Kris and strapped the other one to herself.
Rachel sat off in the corner of the bed of the truck by herself. Karen looked at Kris and then to Rachel, trying to decide if she wanted to start that conversation or not. Kris just shook her head no to Karen and they both looked off out of the open part of the canvas cover.
“How do you look so perfect?” Rachel questioned Karen.
“I like to kill rotters in style.” Karen smiled. “She is full of shit, she is a bit obsessed with her looks and had a bag of heels, clothes and make up ready in case the apocalypse
happened. Crazy, huh?” Kris made fun of Karen.
“It was an emergency bag, shut up! Either way, it worked out well. I look good.” Karen bragged.
They rode in silence the rest of the way peering out for any signs of rotters.
Lisa suddenly slammed on the brakes and the four slammed into the front of the truck bed. “What the fuck!” Kris shouted.
“Rotters!” Tina yelled back to her.
“There are fucking rotters, run them over.” Kris yelled back.
“Look at the store!” Lisa hollered back to them. The four pulled back the cloth that covered the back and viewed the store from the edge of the parking lot.
A swarm of them surrounded the hardware store that they needed to get inside of. Lisa eased the truck up further into the parking lot and shut off the engine. The zombies heard the roar as it had driven up and began to turn their attention to it.
“We have to take them out!” Kris yelled. “Get your shit together and jump out like you got a pair!”
Lisa and Tina flung open their doors and jumped down. Both shouldered their shotguns as Karen and Kris ran up next to them. Rachel and Sandra both stood back behind the experienced group and watched for a moment.
“Bitches, you better line up and shoot something besides your fucking scared little glances or you will get eaten alive!” Tina screamed to them.
Sandra and Rachel lined up next to them and took aim and began to shoot at what was between them and their destination. Lisa flung out a ‘Crocodile Dundee’ knife from her boot and began stabbing at the ones walking toward her. Kris and Tina both shot the ammo they had left in their guns and then did the same with the knives they had strapped to their sides once the guns were emptied. Karen used the butt of her gun and took out three by the door while Sandra and Rachel brought up the rear and made their way up the middle of the foursome and opened the door to the store. Kris backed into the store first and turned on a dime to see what they were up against in the store. She flung her knife to each side of her waiting for some to pop out at her and Tina backed into her doing the same.
Karen, being the last in, stabbed one more that was headed for her and closed the door. She scanned the parking lot and only one rotter remained which seemed to be lost in the whole situation and was walking past the Deuce and into the road.
“Ha! Stupid bitches!” Lisa swung her knife around her, pretending that she was slicing up some more of them.
Karen held her hands up to defend herself from Lisa’s adrenaline. “Calm down, all are gone but one and he is heading away from here. Let’s find the shit we need and we will back the truck over here after we get it stacked by the door.” She instructed. “Tina and Kris, y’all wanna keep watch and Sandra and Rachel can help us.”
Tina and Kris both nodded and turned toward the door to peer outside. The other four ran back and forth dropping things at the storefront.
“So how exactly did you end up with my husband?” Tina questioned Rachel on one of her trips back and forth.
“I didn’t end up with YOUR husband! I ended up with Justin before they let him fucking die!” She smarted off.
Tina dropped her gun to the floor and walked up to Rachel. “Listen fucking here, you don’t smart your mouth at me. They would not have LET him die. Watch your fucking self girl!” Kris pulled Tina away from her by the back of her shoulder.
“You’re just as feisty as your old man.” Rachel turned and walked away. “Your damn right!” She hollered at her. “I don’t like her.” Tina told Kris as she picked up her gun.
“Really, you don’t say?” Kris laughed. “Just leave her alone. They picked her and that Jason guy up on the way back. Justin apparently was fucking the poor girl and then he died. What should they have done Tina? Hell she isn’t any threat.”
Tina rolled her eyes at Kris and glared at her while she laughed. Karen and Lisa came back carrying long pieces of wood and dropped them on the floor. There was a pile almost as tall as they were once they were done.
“We got all that was asked for by the guys, and all that I wanted and some extra, not sure we would be able to carry anymore and still have room for ourselves anyway, if we need more, we will have to come back.” Karen stated.
A scream came from the back of the store as the five looked to see who was missing. “Rachel!” Lisa whispered.
“Fucking figures, I knew her stupid ass would be trouble.” Tina fell in line with the
group. Sandra picked up a screw driver that was in the pile they had collected and made her way to catch up to the back of the others. Lisa held up her knife leading the pack ready to take on any rotter that came within arm’s reach. Karen readied herself behind Lisa with her knife. Tina and Kris with theirs took up the middle. They slowly were making their way down the small aisle searching for Rachel, turning toward each aisle that came to the left and right of them.
At the dead end of the store wall, Lisa turned and headed toward the back and stopped as the aisle came open to a hallway. She turned to her backups, asking them with a look if they were ready to go down into the darkness of the small opening. All nodded letting her know they were ready to take on whatever the dark held.
Lisa sidestepped and led them into an area no wider than that big enough for one of them to fit in at a time. Single file, they piled through it and kept on each other’s heels. They came to an open door and stopped; each of them backed up against the wall on the same side as the door. Lisa peeked around the doorway and into the office. She threw a thumb’s up and led them to the other side of the doorway. Another door was open across the hall a few feet away. Lisa moved to the wall next to that door, Tina and Karen followed Lisa, while Kris and Sand
ra stayed against the other wall in case something came barreling out. Lisa removed her hat and shot her head around the corner. Kris tried to move in closer to see into the room but had no luck with a small shelf that stood in her path. Lisa stuck up her open hand, telling them to all wait. She crept a bit further and rounded the doorway into the room and waved them all to come with her. Staying in formation, they all fell in behind her looking in all directions as Lisa headed for the desk that sat in the middle of the room. She was able to see movement behind the desk and rounded the mound of dusty oak to find Rachel mangled on the floor. Her foot twitched and her eyes fluttered open and closed quickly. Her hands both opened and closed as her torso seemed to tense up.
“What the fuck!” Sandra stated in a lou der than meant to voice and quickly covered her mouth.
Karen, Tina and Kris rounded the other side of the desk after making sure they were clear of any rotters and peered down on Rachel.
“There are rotters in here somewhere, she has been bitten and is turning.” Karen stated. “We are going to have to take her out.” Kris expressed.
“I got this shit!” Tina stated.
“Of course you do.” Kris laughed. “She was kind of a smart ass. I’ll give you that” Sandra turned away to watch the door and Lisa and Kris held her still since she looked like she was having a seizure. Tina slid her knife into the side of her temple and slowly back out trying to be quiet and not draw attention to their whereabouts in the building.
“We have to get the shit loaded and get the hell out of here, there are rotters in here somewhere and we are going to end up finding them like she did. Let’s go now!” Kris demanded.
All of them stood, this time Karen led the way. She peered out into the dark hall and rounded the door. She waved the group on and tip toed down the green tiled floor so that her heels didn’t make any noise.
“Impressive.” Lisa laughed from behind Sandra in line, making fun of Karen.
The rest of the group laughed and watched their surroundings. Lisa turned to scan behind them to make sure they would not be attacked from the rear. There stood a man towering over Lisa. Sandra turned about the time that Lisa gasped and reflexively screamed. Kris turned as Sandra ducked down, Kris buried her knife into the side of the man’s head as he bent over to bite into Lisa and pulled her back to her, all in one motion. They all three fell to the ground while Tina and Karen reached to try and catch them but weren’t quick enough. Tina grabbed Kris and Sandra to stand while Lisa stood on her own embarrassed that she had been knocked down.
