Agreement

by Brian Grenda

  “Looks pretty good,” says Lauren who is standing by our pool, inside our screened in lanai.

  I turn and say, “It does indeed. You did a great job with this. We have a lot of good crops back here.”

  Lauren smacks my butt and jokes, “We got a lot of good stuff back here too.”

  Lauren kisses me on the lips and asks, “How’s the wall rebuild going? Any problems?”

  “We are done with the wall and just have to put the gate up.”

  Lauren and I walk towards the pool, and we walk inside our house through the sliding glass door.

  Milo greets me as I walk into the house.

  He purrs and rubs up against my leg.

  “Hey belly man. I’m glad to see you too.”

  I take of my shoes and walk into the bathroom.

  I turn on the shower and let the water get hot.

  “I’m going to take a shower sweetie.”

  Lauren replies, “Okay, babe. I’m going over to Nicole’s house to check on the babies.”

  Lauren exits through our front door, and I look at myself in the mirror.

  I look down at my hands and see that they are dirty.

  “Who have I become? What have I done? Did I just chop someone’s head off? Did I almost blow myself up with explosives?” I think about those questions as I look in the half foggy bathroom mirror.

  I take off my clothes and jump in the shower.

  The hot water feels great on my dirty sweaty skin.

  The water hits my face, and then my shoulders. I feel the dirt coming off my body, and it feels like I’m being cleansed again.

  I know it’s only a shower and there is nothing special about it, but I feel like the burdens of this world are being washed away while I’m in the shower.

  If I let this world bring me down, analyze every decision I make, and worry about how my decisions impact people, I am going to lose my mind.

  The zombie apocalypse is a terrible, stressful, and tough new world. The longer I stay alive, the more problems that arise. Whether it’s new problems, old problems coming back around, or just bad luck. This new world is not a place for the weak.

  The longer I live in this new world, the harder it will be to just stay sane and have the essentials for survival. Nevertheless, try to build something for the future.

  People want what you have and are willing to kill, steal, and do other horrible things to get it.

  When will we start helping each other, instead of bringing people down and then stepping over them to get what we want?

  The front door closes.

  I hear the door close, and I snap out of my daze.

  I turn off the shower and towel dry.

  Lauren comes in the bedroom and asks, “You are just getting out of the shower? You must have been really dirty!”

  “I guess so. Do you need anything that we don’t have in the house or at the Big Club?”

  Lauren replies, “Let me check around the house, but I’m sure I will need something. Why? You going on a run or something?”

  I put a shirt on and say, “Yeah. I’m thinking about hitting up some local stores for medications, baby stuff, and other items I could find at a drugstore.”

  The doorbell rings.

  DING! DONG!

  Lauren looks through the glass window of the front door and says, “It’s Jon, Eric, Kelly, and Julia.”

  Lauren opens the door and invites them inside.

  I walk out of my bedroom and over to Lauren.

  “What’s up guys?”

  Jon replies, “We just wanted to come by and say thank you for everything you have done for us. Eric and Julia wanted to personally thank you.”

  Julia says, “You truly saved our lives. We feel so grateful to have met Jon and you guys.”

  “Well, I have known Jon since I was a little kid, and he’s a great guy. Kelly is a sweetheart, and you are in good hands with them.”

  Eric says, “Ryan, also I wanted to tell you about another area that most people haven’t checked.”

  “Where’s that Eric?”

  “Davis Island. It’s been blocked off since the start of the zombie apocalypse, but I know how to get into the island. Plus, I have some high-profile friends that live there,” says Eric.

  “Like who? Anyone we might now?” asks Lauren.

  Julia says, “You will recognize a lot of people from sports and entertainment. We were there at the start of the zombie apocalypse, but we had to get back to our condo for our things and couldn’t get back to the island safely.”

  “What do you want from us though Eric?”

  Eric replies, “Julia and I need help getting on the island. There are tons of zombies at the entrance barricades into the island. With your help, we can all get onto the island and survive there. I’m sure they will have tons of useful things for this new world.”

  Lauren looks at me and says, “They probably have electric cars there. I used to see tons of them downtown.”

  “Thank you for the information Eric, but I will have to check with my team to see if they agree with doing it or not.”

  Eric replies, “I understand, just let me know either way, if you are going or not.”

  “I will for sure. I am interested in knowing more about the World of Trade though. Do you have time to tell me about that?”

  “Time? What else am I going to do?” asks Eric.

  We all walk into the living room and relax on the large sectional sofa.

  “Does anyone want a water or anything?” asks Lauren.

  Julia, Kelly, and Lauren all go into the kitchen and leave Jon, Eric, and I to talk.

  “Where do I start?” asks Eric.

  “Where is this World of Trade?”

  Eric says, “It’s at the International Mall right outside of downtown Tampa. They have blocked off the entire area with fencing and blockades. They have blocked off the parking lots, the outside part of the mall, and the inside part of the mall.”

  “Have you been there also Jon?”

  Jon replies, “I have not, but I wouldn’t mind going when you go on your trip there.”

  Eric continues, “I went there with my friend Mike. We tried to trade for food and water, but the prices are steep for what they want for things. Money is useless. No one cares about paper money, or anything like that. People want things that will keep them alive. You can’t eat or drink hundred dollars bills.”

  “Good to know. What are the best items to trade?”

  “That depends on what you want. You are pretty stocked on food, water, and essentials like that. Owning the Big Club is a major asset to have. Good thinking on that one,” says Eric.

  Jon asks, “Who runs this World of Trade?”

  “I don’t really know. There are tons of armed guards all over the place and especially at the checkpoint entrances. I would guess the government has a hand in the trade game. I did see one group of government politicians go inside the mall before, but I wasn’t allowed in,” says Eric.

  “Inside? What do you mean?”

  Eric replies, “The International Mall use to be both inside and outside. The part outside was shops, restaurants, bars, and other stores. The bulk of the mall was inside though. That’s where you had the food court, the shoe stores, clothing stores, and department stores. World of Trade is mostly outside for the common folks. There are three levels at World of Trade. Everyone gets level one access. You can buy and trade pretty much anything, except ammunition. They have tons of guns to trade for, but the ammo is the hard thing to get.”

  “Nothing more useless than an unloaded gun. That’s why I use a sword.”

  Jon says, “Me too. No ammo needed for a sword.”

  Eric says, “Level two access is hard to get. That gets you inside the mall. I don’t know what that is like, because I never got inside. Security is very tight everywhere. They will search you thoroughly when you enter through the gates. Partial cavity search. They don’t allow loaded guns onsite by buyers. Vendors and g
uards have guns. Vendors are allowed guns to protect themselves. Security will take your ammo when you first go through the gates. You can keep your guns, while they’re not loaded. It can get crazy at times around the vendors at World of Trade. You better be ready to see some crazy stuff.”

  CHAPTER 7

  BO THE RANCHER

  “There is my girl. Why did you go running off again?” asks Bo to his horse Sunny as he stands outside of the Warrior horse stables with William.

  William looks at Bo and asks, “Where do you live Bo?”

  Bo replies, “I live on a ranch. My family owned a piece of property here in Tampa for decades. My grandfather turned the twenty acres into a ranch full of chickens, cows, horses, goats, and sheep.”

  “Do you live alone there? Is it close by?” asks William.

  “The ranch isn’t far from here. I live there with my brother Barrett. I haven’t seen my brother for a while now. I was out looking for him. When I came back, I saw that Sunny was gone. Thank you for finding her William,” says Bo.

  Bruce walks over to William and Bo.

  Bo steps back from the horse stables and looks around the Warriors compound.

  “Man, you guys have a lot of stuff going on here. You got a blacksmith, machine shop, automotive center, cafeteria, and laundry areas. I gotta say though, I have never seen so many Orientals in my life,” says Bo.

  “We are Warriors! Not Orientals!” shouts Bruce.

  “I meant no disrespect. I meant Asians. I love your food. Chinese food is great. You got any around here?” asks Bo.

  “Bo, we don’t see race, color, or religion with our people. We are all Warriors. Yes, we are predominately Chinese Americans, but we are one unified group,” says William.

  “I’m sorry if I offended you, but I just meant you are a large group of a certain population. It’s great to see that. We need more groups like yourself around here. I haven’t seen many groups since all this zombie stuff started,” says Bo.

  A Warrior woman starts feeding the horses. She is giving them apples and carrots that were made in the large vegetable and fruit gardens on the Warrior property.

  “I guess I’ll be packing up my girl Sunny in the horse trailer and getting back home to my ranch,” says Bo to William.

  “Do you need anything before you go?” asks William.

  “Just some help with Sunny is all. She can be a nervous girl at times. I really need to reinforce and raise the fencing around the border of my property,” say Bo.

  “I would love to see your property one-day Bo,” says William.

  “Sure thing. It’s well hidden from the road, you’d probably drive right by it. It’s so well hidden that I haven’t had any problems with people, and only a handful of zombies have come around my fence. I’ll tell you what. If you can help me find my brother, I’ll have you and your people over at my ranch,” says Bo.

  “Where is your brother? How long has he been missing?” asks William.

  “I don’t know where he is, but it’s been a couple of days now. About a week or so actually. Last time I saw him, he was leaving in his blue truck and trying to see his fiancé who works at the Tampa zoo,” says Bo.

  “The zoo is downtown right? Downtown Tampa is the last place I would go right now, but I see that you are worried about your brother, and I know how important family is. When do you want to make our way to the zoo?” asks William.

  “Let’s plan on going tomorrow. I want to make sure my ranch is all set and secure first. You and your men should come by my ranch in the morning. You can see the ranch, and then we can take the route that Barrett would have taken to get to the zoo,” says Bo.

  “Write down the directions to your ranch, and we will see you tomorrow. Do you need any weapons from us?” asks William.

  Bruce hands Bo a pen and paper to write the directions to his ranch.

  Bo starts writing the directions on the paper and laughs.

  “Weapons is the last thing I need right now. I have a couple of guns, and I make ammunition for my guns. I need people right now. My ranch is starting to become tough to upkeep by myself, and I could use some help with that,” says Bo.

  “We have tons of Oriental people to help,” jokes William.

  Bo doesn’t know what to make of William’s joke, and he nervously smiles at William.

  “I’m just kidding. My people, and I will come to your ranch tomorrow morning. We will help you,” says William.

  Several Warrior men help Bo load Sunny into the horse trailer that is attached to the back of Bo’s truck.

  Bo thanks William and Bruce for their help and hospitality and exits through the school parking lot.

  “Orientals? We are Warriors!” says Bruce to William.

  “Yes, we are Bruce. Yes, we are,” says William.

  The sun rises, and it’s the next morning.

  “I want to come with you father. I’m tired of being here at the school, and I want to see the ranch,” says Jeremy to William.

  “The Warriors need you here Jeremiah. I’m taking Bruce, Enrique, Li, and Walter. We need to start having you run things here more often. Making sure everything is running smoothly here. Some day you will run this place,” says William.

  “Nothing happens here. The people know what they are doing and what needs to be done daily,” says Jeremy.

  William gets into the truck and says, “I will see you when I get back. You can come next trip.”

  Bruce drives the truck through the school parking lot exit. William is in the passenger seat, Li is in the backseat, while Walter and Enrique are in the back-truck bed.

  It’s an overcast sunny day that is typical for Tampa, Florida in the summer.

  The streets are clear of zombies and any debris as Bruce drives down the road.

  Bruce turns down a street and notices that the street is clean, but the surroundings next to the road are overgrown.

  “Someone really needs to start mowing the lawns and manicuring the trees,” says Li.

  Bruce drives by an abandoned lawn service truck that has lawn service equipment in it, including a riding lawn mower, weed eaters, and leaf blowers attached to it.

  “I think this is it. Stop the truck,” says William to Bruce.

  Bruce stops the truck, but he isn’t sure where to go.

  “Where do I go? It’s all overgrown bushes and trees,” says Bruce.

  “There,” says William as he points at a set of tire tracks in the dirt.

  Bruce turns right and drives directly into some overgrown bushes.

  “Take cover boys!” shouts William to Enrique and Walter who are sitting in the back of the truck bed.

  Bruce drives into the bushes and can barely see as he first drives through the dense bushes.

  Enrique and Walter try to avoid the tree limbs and overgrown bushes as Bruce drives through the bushes.

  Suddenly, the bushes clear and Bruce finds himself on an open dirt road.

  A house is seen in the distance.

  As Bruce drives towards the house on the dirt road, William and Li are amazed at what they see.

  Bo’s ranch is a huge piece of property. The ranch has several horse stables and open areas for the horses to run.

  “Chickens and cows. He has chickens and cows,” says Li.

  Bruce drives past a large chicken coop, a large field that is housing about six cows, and another large field that is being used for growing a variety of other crops.

  Bruce makes it to Bo’s house at the back of the ranch and parks.

  Bo walks out his front door and shouts, “Howdy partners! Good to see you again. Glad you could make it!”

  William, Li, and Bruce exit the truck, and Enrique and Walter jump out the back of the truck.

  “Hello Bo, how are you this morning?” asks William.

  “Morning y’all. I’m doing well. How are you? Find the place alright? Hopefully, not too easily,” says Bo.

  William replies, “Your place is well hidden and that’s good. Thi
s is Li, Enrique, and Walter. They will be helping us today around here and with looking for your brother.”

  “Howdy,” says Bo.

  “Howdy? Where you from Bo?” asks Enrique.

  “I’m from the best state in the U.S., Texas!” shouts Bo.

  “The cowboy hat and the howdy, gave it away,” says Enrique.

  “You have a lovely home Bo,” says Li.

  “Well come inside now everyone. I was just finishing up breakfast,” says Bo.

  Bo, William, Li, Bruce, Enrique, and Walter go inside Bo’s large two-story house.

  Bo’s house is decorated exactly how you would think a Texas rancher house would look. It is very rustic, with a lot of wood everywhere. Animal heads are on the walls displayed like trophies, and there is a good amount of midwestern charm to it.

  “Anybody want anything? I just had some eggs and fruit this morning. I need to fuel my body for our trip today,” says Bo.

  “We are fine, but thank you though. What’s the plan for today Bo?” asks William as he looks at a deer head on the wall.

  “I think we go out and look for my brother and my girlfriend Nicky. Nicky is an animal caregiver at the zoo along with Barrett’s fiancé. Barrett most likely went to the zoo to check on his fiancé. His fiancé Darby is a zookeeper there, and I know Barrett was worried about her,” says Bo.

  “Very well, you lead the way and we will follow,” says William.

  Bo finishes up his breakfast and puts the plate and cup in the sink.

  Bruce looks at Bo and asks, “How do you power this place? Solar or generator?”

  “Both actually. I have some solar panels, but when I need more power I have a couple of gasoline generators and a bike generator,” says Bo.

  Bo sees that William and his group have swords, but only William has a gun.

  “Do you guys need any weapons? I have a couple of guns you can use for this trip,” says Bo.

  Before William can respond, Bo walks out the front door and shouts, “C’mon guys! Let me show you my weapons! I might have something you can use!”

  William and his group exit the house and follow Bo to a large solid metal storage shed.

  Bo opens the large metal door to the metal storage shed and says, “Welcome to the candy store.”