by Brian Grenda
Lauren say, “Good. She is very pretty.”
TJ smiles and says, “Yeah. She is.”
I finish my health screen of Janet and see that she has some smoke inhalation affecting her lungs still, but she will be fine.
“Take it easy for a couple of days. Don’t over work your lungs for a couple of days. Let them heal up, and you’ll be fine. The cuts on your legs are minor. Just put some antibacterial cream on them for a couple of days.”
Janet looks at TJ and says, “I’ll take it easy for a couple days. Thank you, Ryan.”
TJ says, “Thank you, Ryan. I just wanted to make sure she was okay before we go to my house.”
Janet looks at TJ and jokes, “Your house? Moving pretty quick there TJ?”
TJ doesn’t know what to say.
“I’m kidding TJ,” says Janet.
I change the subject and ask TJ what’s the status of the neighborhood.
“The South entrance is clearly in need of repair, several houses are destroyed, and we suffered some loses. Overall though, the neighborhood is in decent shape. We will develop a plan and rebuild,” says TJ.
“I need to clean up a little bit more. I will be out to check on the neighborhood, and go over the plan with William.”
“What happened at the Big Club?” asks TJ.
“No one was there besides Carlos, when we got there. Jacob left a note. He has my father, and he wants to have a meeting in two days at 0900 at the Big Club.”
“What’s the plan? Are you planning to kill Jacob?” asks TJ.
“The plan is to get my father back. William and I have come up with a plan for the meeting. We can use your help though. You and Janet are needed for the plan. I will go over the plan later with you and the group.”
TJ looks at Janet and says, “You will have both of us. Whatever you need.”
Janet says, “I will gladly help.”
“Thank you. Go home, and get some rest. I will go over the plan with you tomorrow. Try to make it back here sometime tomorrow around noon.”
TJ says, “You got it. We will be here around noon, and ready to work.”
Janet says, “Thank you, Ryan. Nice to meet you and Lauren. See you later.”
Lauren and I say goodbye to TJ and Janet.
I look at Lauren and say, “I hate waiting to find out the fate of my father. I’m going to be a nervous, anxious wreck until the meeting.”
Lauren looks at me and says, “I know. Me too. I can only imagine what you are feeling. We will get Bobby G back. Everything happens for a reason sweetie. Your father is tough, and I’m sure they will want to give him back to you after having him for two days. He’s probably talking Jacob’s ear off.”
CHAPTER 3
0900
“I need you guys to stay hidden. I want Jacob to think I’m alone. We have to hide our vehicles in the back lot, and only show my vehicle near the store. Lastly, I need you guys to stay far away in the back of the store, unless I call for you.”
“Do you trust that Jacob won’t just kill you when he sees you?” asks Shaun.
“No, but I will be wearing my bulletproof vest, and try not to pose a threat to them. You will be watching Jacob and his Conquerors from the shadows though. If the meeting starts to go South, and I think I’m in danger, I will give a signal for you to back me up, or a separate signal that I will blow the charges.”
“What signal? Blow the charges?” asks Phil.
Shaun interrupts, “Chicken wing. Make a chicken wing.”
Matt says, “No. I got it. You can shout something like. Cherry man.”
I look at Matt and laugh, “Cherry man. I remember we called you that after you got a bad sunburn on your chest. Cherry man.”
I do like the idea of shouting something though.
“Brotherhood.”
“I will shout brotherhood if I need help.”
Shaun replies, “I like that. Brotherhood, is good. That can be our name. William has his Warriors, Jacob has his Conquerors. Ryan has his Brothers. His Brotherhood.”
“I don’t want to have to blow the charges, but I am willing to take the fall for this. I will blow the charges on my chest and take Jacob and the Conquerors out if necessary.”
Lauren gets nervous at the suggestion of me killing myself with explosives.
“Me sacrificing myself is the last resort. I might have to scare them with the threat of me blowing myself up, but I don’t plan on doing it. I don’t plan on setting them off, but we have to plan for the worst-case scenario.”
“Can’t you just act like you have the charges armed, but not have them actually connected, and ready to blow?” asks Lauren.
I contemplate lying to Lauren and saying that I won’t have the charges ready to explode, but I have never lied to Lauren, and I don’t want to start now. I want Lauren to trust me, forever and always.
“They will see right through me, if I’m faking it. I have to commit to the role of possible suicide, and actually be ready to die. I won’t lie to you guys. I’m fully committed to die for this.”
“If I’m blowing the charges on my chest, I will say the fat lady has sung.”
“Okay, so we better not hear the fat lady has sung,” says Lauren.
I go over the plan with Phil, Shaun, TJ, Janet, Matt, and Lauren a couple of times.
The meeting is not until tomorrow, but I wish it was right now. Waiting is usually the hardest part in life, and it gets no better in the zombie apocalypse.
“Let’s secure our South entrance the best that we can right now, and try to repair the walls with what we have. We’ll have to make a run or two to other nearby hardware stores that we haven’t searched yet.”
The group and I break up from our meeting, and start to repair the South entrance.
As we are repairing the cinder block wall, I see where the remaining cinder block wall was left standing. The destruction of the cinder blocks stopped just before the cinder block that has Tony’s bloody hand print on it.
The bloody hand print is still imprinted on the cinder blocks, and I’m taken back by the sight of it.
Tony saved my life. The bloody hand print is a reminder of that.
Shaun sees that I’m staring at the bloody hand print on the wall, and he comes over to me.
“I was trapped right here. Luckily, I was walking down the lookout platform steps when they blew up the wall and South entrance. If I was on the lookout platform, I would be in a million pieces. Someone was looking out for me. I’d like to think it was my parents,” says Shaun.
“I’m glad you are okay man. I’m sorry about your parents. They were good people. I will always remember your mom yelling your name when we were on the phone. Shaun!”
I have known Shaun since the sixth grade, and he has always been a brother to me. A pain in the butt brother at times, but a loving brother all the time.
Shaun asks, “Should we clean off the bloody hand print?”
I look at the hand print and think about what to do with it.
I think it’s a good reminder of the situation that happened here, and that Tony saved me. I don’t want to lose sight of how people have helped me in trying times.
“No, let’s keep it on the wall.”
“Yes sir. I think we will need to place some vehicles in front of the South entrance until we can build a new gate,” says Shaun.
“Good idea. We can use a couple Conqueror trucks for now.”
I look at Joseph’s truck and can’t stand the sight of it. I hate everything about that man, and I don’t ever want to be reminded of him again.
I look at Phil and ask, “Phil, can you help me with something?”
Phil comes over to me and asks, “What do you need?”
“I need you to help me move a piece of trash really quick.”
I walk with Phil over to Joseph’s body. His body is covered with a sheet. I lift the sheet off, and see that someone placed Joseph’s head and hand on his body.
I pick up Joseph’
s head, and throw it onto the back-truck bed. I pick up his right hand, and throw it on the truck bed as well.
Phil helps me load Joseph’s heavy dead body onto the truck bed.
“Thank you, Phil. I will be taking this truck tomorrow, and wanted to load Joseph in the truck to give to Jacob tomorrow.”
Phil asks, “No problem. You okay with the plan for tomorrow?”
“I’m nervous and anxious, but not for my safety. I’m just nervous that Jacob has hurt Bobby G again, or killed him. Bobby G better not have a bag on his head when he arrives tomorrow.”
Phil asks, “How do you know Jacob will bring him?”
“Good question. I don’t actually. I just assumed that Jacob would bring him for trade and give Bobby G back to me when he got what he wanted.”
“He might not bring him at all, then what do we do?” asks Phil.
“Well, shit! I don’t know. I haven’t thought about that. We have to kill him, and whoever is with him. If I don’t get my father back alive and well, Jacob isn’t walking out of the building alive.”
“I will make sure we wait for your order and won’t put you in danger. I will have my sights on Jacob at all times though. I’ll be ready to take him out with a single shot if necessary,” says Phil.
Phil has always been a loyal and good friend. I have always trusted Phil and his word. He will always be someone I can count on in life.
I see Matt making a list of items we will need to complete the South entrance rebuild.
“What do we need Matt?” I ask as I walk over to Matt.
“We need a lot actually. We have some steel at the Big Club, but the biggest thing will be the cinder blocks. We need a ton of them again,” says Matt.
“Well, make the list and over estimate what we need. We will get the supplies from several other hardware stores that we haven’t explored yet.”
Matt is a great guy, and someone I can always rely on when times are tough. He loves to bullshit and joke around, but I know he will always be there for me when I need him.
The day passes, and I’m up early the next morning.
Too early actually. I’m up before the sunrise.
I’m sitting in a chair on Bobby G’s backyard covered patio. I have nervous energy, and I am having trouble focusing right now.
I look at Bobby G’s ash tray that is filled with cigarette butts and remember a conversation we had a couple weeks ago.
My father has always been a pain in my butt, especially when he doesn’t listen to me. I have always loved him, and valued what he has done for me. I hope he knows that.
I sit in the back-patio chair staring at the empty seat where Bobby G sat when we talked.
The sun rises higher in the sky, and part of me is grateful that I am still alive to see the sunrise. The other part of me wishes that I wasn’t alive for days like this. For the tough stressful situation that I’m about to experience in a couple of hours.
So much worry, stress, apprehension, and anxiety in life. Life has a funny way of working out though. Even when you are down, and going through some rough times. Life and the universe will help find a way to turn it around.
Life is all about highs and lows, peaks and valleys, ups and downs. Life isn’t always a high, and isn’t always a low. I feel that life is all about balance, and reaching a zero balance at the end of your life.
At least that’s how I see life, and based on my experiences in life I have come to accept that outlook on life.
I need to start getting ready for the meeting with Jacob, so I stand up from the back-patio chair.
I take one last look at the chair and ash tray and say, “I better see you in that chair again Bob, and you can have all the cigarettes you want when you get home.”
I exit Bobby G’s back patio, and make my way to my SUV. I check the trunk to make sure I didn’t forget anything for the meeting.
I pick up the explosive vest that TJ made, and I nod my head in agreement that I am still willing to sacrifice myself if necessary.
I see that Phil is already up as well and standing with Shaun and Matt. They are ready for action like I am.
They walk over to me and ask, “You ready Ryan?”
“I’m ready to get this over with.”
I look at the guys, and I am truly thankful that I have had the luxury of having three great friends. Well four, including Jon, but he’s not here for me to thank.
“I just want to say thank you for doing this, and everything you have done for me since we were kids. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without you guys. I love you guys, and just wanted you to know that. I might not make it out of this meeting, and I just wanted you to know that.”
“Not today! You ain’t dying today,” says Shaun.
Matt says, “We are ready to go, whenever you are ready. We will be ready to ride out.”
“Okay. Let me get Lauren, and we can go. Give me 10 minutes, and we will roll out.”
I walk into my house through the front door, and find Lauren ready to go standing in the kitchen.
“You want a water?” asks Lauren.
I’m taken back at the sight of Lauren being awake, and ready to go. It must be like 7:30AM.
Lauren is more of the night owl, where I am the early bird.
Lauren has always been the woman that I could count on. She has always supported me and cared for me. I have always felt a soulmate connection with Lauren, even when we first started dating.
“I’ll take a water. Thank you, sweetie.”
Lauren hands me the water bottle, and I feel the need to tell her how much she means to me.
“Lauren. I want to…”
Lauren interrupts me and says, “Stop! You are coming back from this, and every situation that you are put in. You are not leaving me. If you go, I go. That’s it. No one is taking you from me. Not Joseph. Not Jacob. Not some person we haven’t met yet.”
I take a drink from the water bottle Lauren gave me, and fight back the tears that want to come out.
“I love you Ryan. I know you love me, but don’t give me a speech like you aren’t coming back. I don’t want that even being put out into the universe. You are. We are surviving this together,” says Lauren.
Lauren grabs her bow off the kitchen countertop and exits the kitchen.
I follow behind Lauren, and I see that Milo is sitting by the front door.
I pet Milo on the head and say, “I’ll see you later belly boy. You and Callie be good.”
Milo blinks at me, which is his way of showing me that he loves me.
I exit my house.
I lock the front door and walk over to my SUV.
Lauren is already sitting in the passenger seat, and she is ready to go.
I shout, “Let’s do it guys!”
Phil, Matt, and Shaun get into my SUV, and I drive over to Joseph’s truck.
“I’ll meet you guys at the Big Club, drive safe.”
I get out of the SUV, and Phil gets into the driver seat.
Phil exits through the South entrance, and I get into Joseph’s truck.
I start up the engine and say, “Alright you piece of crap. This is the last time I want to be reminded of you, and your crappy truck.”
I exit through the South entrance, and start my drive to the Big Club.
The truck reminds me of Joseph, and I can’t stand it. The Big Club is about a 15-minute drive, but it feels like forever when I’m driving this truck.
Joseph’s body is covered by a sheet in the back of the truck as I drive down the road.
Fifteen minutes go by, and I arrive at the Big Club. I park the truck near the front entrance, so Jacob will notice it.
Phil parked my SUV in the rear entrance of the Big Club near the back wall of the building.
I exit the truck and walk towards the front entrance of the building.
I check my watch and it reads, “7:47AM.”
Shaun and Matt have the front entrance open and I walk into the Big Club.
“Can you guys bring in Joseph’s body, head, and hand? Leave his head, and body covered by the sheet, but give me the hand.”
Matt and Shaun walk to the back of Joseph’s truck.
“What did you do with Joseph’s big ass sword?” asks Matt.
“I got it in my house. I want to make two smaller swords out of it. Maybe give one to Ryan,” says Shaun.
Shaun and Matt move Joseph’s body into position in the center of the main walkway in the Big Club.
Shaun hands me Joseph’s right hand and asks, “Can I give you a hand, sir?”
“You are an idiot,” I say as I laugh at Shaun’s joke.
Phil comes running over to me and says, “TJ and Janet are in position.”
“Any word from William yet?”
“Nothing yet. TJ is the only one who called over the radio so far,” says Phil.
“Keep me posted. Let me know when William is in position.”
I look down at my watch and it reads, “8:38AM.”
“How are we looking everyone? We have 20 minutes before 0900.”
Lauren says, “Good.”
Phil says, “Good.”
Shaun says, “Almost ready, just have to put this in position, and I’m ready.”
I make sure my body armor is secure, I have a full magazine of bullets in my handgun, the explosives that I have strapped to my chest are connected, the detonator is active, and my katana is securely in its scabbard on my back.
Phil says, “William is in position.”
“Thank you.”
Shaun says, “All done. I’m in position.”
I grab a radio and say, “We are all set inside here. I’m turning the lights off now. William and TJ, are you all set and ready to go?”
I turn the breaker switch off on the electrical panel, and half of the lights turn off in the Big Club.
The only light is at the front of the store near the main entrance.
William says over the radio, “We are in position, and a car is coming towards the main entrance of the Big Club.”
TJ says over the radio, “We are in position. Two more cars are coming your way.”
“Thank you. We are ready in here. Radio silence from everyone. Distress call word of Brotherhood. If I say Brotherhood over the radio, you come in shooting. If not, you stick to the plan, and the plan remains intact.”
