by McElyea, Ben
“I’m going with them, Dan. Marcus and his people are going to attack. We need to relocate.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“We’ll go with you to your facility, but we’re keeping our weapons and supplies.”
“We will not take anything from you. Please come with us. We will protect you.”
“This might be the solution, Dan.”
“I hope it is, Jake.”
53
Jake and Dan followed the nine for miles until they reached a huge high and wide fence. Inside the fence were three more fences and a wall of wood.
“When we get inside,” said the woman, “You will have to remove your clothing.”
“I figured as much,” said Dan. “You want to check us for bites.”
“That’s right.”
“Alright. Let’s do this.”
Behind the wall was a large field full of crops.
“You all have been busy,” said Dan.
“We’re always busy,” said the woman. “When we get inside the first building, the people inside will expect you to remove your clothes. You will then be asked some questions.”
“Why?”
“We want to know you two are mentally stable. You need to be honest with your answers to the questions you’ll be asked.”
“We understand.”
Jake and Dan were led inside a building. Inside the building was a greenhouse and several people staring.
“You need to strip now,” said the woman.
Jake and Dan did as the others desired. They were then instructed to turn around and show their backsides.
“Okay,” said the woman. “You can put your clothes back on.”
“What now?” Dan asked as he and Jake got dressed.
“You’re to speak with Jared. Come with me. Everyone, I’ve got it from here. Jake, Dan, follow me.”
They followed the woman through a door. Inside was a small room. An older gentleman in a clean outfit was sitting at a desk. On the desk were two bottles of water and four snack cakes. Two chairs rested in front of the desks.
“Please,” said the man at the desk. “Have a seat. My name is Jared. I’d like to ask the two of you some questions.”
“Ask away,” said Jake.
“I need honest answers.”
“I understand.”
“Since the epidemic started, have either of you shot or killed another human being?”
“We had to shoot some people to save our own lives.”
“You shot people in self defense. That is understandable. Many of the residents here have had to do that in order to survive. Were either of you convicted felons?”
“No.”
“Have either of you had to shoot any of the lively corpses?”
“Yes. We’ve had to destroy many of them.”
“Have you met other survivors?”
“We have.”
“How many?”
“A lot.”
“Did you experience anything you would consider as traumatic?”
“Yes. We’ve lost a lot of people and have experienced many frightening situations.”
“Would either of you kill someone living here if he or she made you angry?”
“We wouldn’t. If you were to allow us to live here, we’d follow all the rules.”
“Hungry or thirsty?”
“We’re hungry and thirsty.”
Jared gestured for Jake and Dan to help themselves to the snack cakes and bottled water. They each chugged half a bottle of water, ate the snack cakes, and stuffed the half empty water bottles in their duffle bags.
“Welcome to the safety zone. Counting you and Dan, there are forty-five residents. Most people keep to themselves. Don’t be surprised if no one wants to speak with you. Most of the residents have been traumatized by what they have been through. We have a large supply of food. We have several generators and a few windmills for power. We collect water from a nearby river. I’ll lead you to your cots. If you have any questions or problems, speak with me, Justin, Mary, or one of the other staff members.”
“I do have some questions,” said Dan.
“I’ll answer them if I know the answers.”
“Where did you come from?”
“We came from Washington D.C. two months ago.”
“Is the infection nearly over?”
“We think so. It takes over seven months for an infected individual to decompose to incapacitation. We have scientists trying to figure out anything they can.”
“Where did the infection come from?”
“We don’t know. We do have a theory that it’s something in the air. When someone dies without being contaminated, they come back as one of them. That brings many thoughts and questions.”
“Is the President still alive?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have an estimate of how many people are left in the world?”
“Our guess is that at least eighty percent of the world’s population is no longer with us.”
“Any communication with other countries?”
“I think so.”
“Thank you for answering my questions.”
“You’re welcome. If the two of you would follow me out, I’ll give you a tour and show you to your cots.”
Jake and Dan were amazed by what they had seen. There were crops growing everywhere but near the outhouses.
“We’ve finally got a break, Dan.”
“Yeah. These cots are a godsend. I don’t know if I could have slept on the hard ground for another day.”
54
As tired as Jake and Dan were, they slept for nine hours. Dan woke Jake up that morning.
“What is it, Dan?”
“We’re safe.”
“That we are.”
“The worst is over.”
“It very well might be.”
“We’ve been through too much.”
“I agree.”
“I wish we would have found this place a lot sooner. I feel bad about the people we left behind.”
“Me too. I know you really liked Courtney.”
“Enjoy the safety. Let’s go to the recreation room.”
“Let’s toss a football instead.”
“Okay. We can do that.”
As they tossed the football back and forth, a family approached.
“Hello,” said the middle aged man.
“Hi,” said Dan. “Want to toss the football with us?”
“Sure. I’m Maxwell. You can call me Max. This is my wife Linda and my son Preston.”
“It’s good to meet you all,” said Jake. “I’m Jake. This is my brother Dan. This place is great. I love the security.”
“It’s a blessing. How did the two of you survive before you came across this place?”
“We stayed in our home for months.”
“So did we.”
“After we had to leave to search for food and water, we traveled from place to place.”
“My wife and son and I spent most of our time in our bomb shelter. My wife said I was crazy for stocking up on a ton of everything. Turns out I wasn’t crazy after all.”
“My brother thought I was crazy for doing the same thing.”
“I thank God that the worst is over. After we left the bomb shelter, we were lucky enough to cross paths with some of the people in hazmat suits.”
“When do we eat?”
“There’s a clock on the wall in the living area. We have breakfast at six thirty, lunch at noon, and dinner at seven.”
“What kind of food is served?”
“Mostly fresh vegetables. It’s not very filling, but we aren’t going to starve. So, what’s it like out there?”
“It’s madness.”
“It’s that bad?”
“We’ve come across the worst types of people and countless zombies. We’ve come across psychopaths, killers, cannibals, even cultists.”
“I’m glad my family and I made it here. We�
��ve never seen the infected.”
“Lucky you.”
“Yeah.”
“The world may never be the same again.”
“I wish I had a bacon cheeseburger right about now.”
“I’d settle for cat food.”
“Cat food?”
“Yeah. The tuna dinners are pretty good. No matter how hungry I am, I can’t eat dog food.”
“You’ve tried eating dog food?”
“When you’re hungry enough, you’ll eat just about anything.”
“I get the feeling my family and I are more fortunate than we think.”
“You’re one of the most fortunate people in the world, Max.”
“I wish my son thought so. He wants to see his friends and play his video games. I think it’s best for him to know how things are.”
“It’s good to know some kids still live.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without my family.”
“We’re pretty sure we lost everyone we knew.”
“It’ll be lunch time in a few hours. Want to get in line with us?”
“Sure.”
Jake and Dan were happy to get in line outside with Max, Linda, and Preston when the time came. They stood around shaded picnic tables. A line of people were formed behind a metal desk. Soon after, two women dressed in blue carried large baskets of food to the desk. Jake salivated at the sight of fresh carrots and turnips, snack cakes, and cans of sardines and potted meat.
“Looks like we’re going to have a good lunch,” said Maxwell. “We usually have juice and vegetables only. Sugary foods are really hard on me, so I avoid the snack cakes. My teeth are in horrible condition. I planned to have four of my teeth removed, but the epidemic happened first.”
“His teeth are really bad,” said Linda. “He needs a dentist or oral surgeon. We don’t know what to do now.”
“You know what has to be done, honey. I’ll have to get intoxicated and have one of the doctors remove the teeth.”
“That’s going to be painful without anesthetic,” said Jake. “Is there not any other way to solve the problem?”
“What other way is there? My teeth are killing me. I can only chew on one side of my mouth. I’m going to talk to Jared about this. The sooner I get it over with, the better.”
Jake and Dan were pleased to be given a smile, food, and water. They sat at the table and smiled at their snack cakes, carrots, and turnips.
“This is great,” Dan said with a grin. “We can finally eat without worrying about whether or not we’ll be attacked.”
“Yeah,” Jake said as he opened a snack cake.
“You’ll be able to take a cold shower at nine,” said Linda. “I mean no offense by saying this, but both of you don’t smell pleasant.”
“Soap and shampoo?” Jake asked.
“That’s right. Jared will let you use the clippers to shave your beards, too.”
“This beard has been driving me crazy for what seems like forever,” said Dan.
“We can’t let our guard down,” said Jake.
“I don’t want to hear you say that anymore, Jake. Just let us live carefree.”
“Fine. I guess we could use some carefree living.”
“I don’t like vegetables,” said Preston. “I hate them.”
“We know son. Me and mommy like them.”
“I wanna play video games!”
“That’s not going to happen. Quiet down and eat your food.”
Jake and Dan waited in their cots until it was time for dinner. They ate more carrots and potted meat. At nine, they saw Jared to ask for permission to use the clippers.
“Just bring the clippers back when you’re finished using them.”
“We will,” said Dan. “Thank you.”
“I have a favor to ask of you two.”
“What’s that?”
“Most of our staff is guarding this sanctuary. We have some residents helping us scout the area, but we need more people for extra protection. Will you help us? You’ll be rewarded if you do and you can keep some of what you find.”
Jake and Dan looked at each other with unhappy expressions.
“I know you don’t want to go out there, but we need all the help we can get to keep the place running efficiently.”
“Dan and I will talk about it after we shave and shower.”
“I understand.”
After shaving, Jake returned the clippers.
“Have you and Dan made a decision yet?”
“Not yet. We haven’t discussed it yet. We’ll talk about it after we get out of the shower.”
“Okay.”
After showering, they discussed the situation while resting on their cots.”
“I don’t want to leave this place for any reason,” Dan complained.
“I don’t either,” Jake replied. “But I’m thinking we sort of have to.”
“Why?”
“They’re giving us the best hospitality. They really need our help.”
“Damn it. Okay. I hate this.”
“We’ll be fine.”
They told Jared they were willing to venture outside the safety of the wall and fences to help with searching for what was needed. Before they headed back to their cots, they were each given two chocolate bars and a can of pork and beans.
“Jake, I wonder how many people are going to be with us.”
“I wonder that, too. We’ll deal with it. Make sure your machete is ready for action.”
55
The next morning, Jared woke the two brothers up from a pleasant sleep.
“Are the two of you ready?”
“We’re as ready as we’ll ever be,” Jake answered. “How many people will be coming with us?”
“Eight people will accompany you. Just follow Justin and do what he says. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
“Where will we be going?”
“There are several houses and buildings to search a few miles from here. Go meet with Justin.”
“Will do. Thank you for helping us so much. We won’t let you down.”
“Good to hear. I’ll see you later.”
Jake and Dan found out who Justin was and followed him and the other eight people to the wooden wall.
“Listen up,” Justin said as he and four others in the group finished putting on their hazmat suits. “We stay together. Do not separate from the group. That’s what causes casualties. Grab what you can. I’ll be leading the group. Any questions? Okay. Good. Let’s go.”
The ten walked for miles before reaching a debris filled neighborhood. Cars were searched. It was a mistake. An alarm went off as Dan forced open the trunk of a car. Everyone turned and looked at Dan. Dan quickly stuffed his duffle bag with bagged canned goods and bottled tea and ran with the rest of the group to and onto a front porch.
“Get ready,” said Justin. “The dead are bound to show up.”
And they did. But there weren’t as many of them as Jake and Dan thought there would be. Eleven zombies hobbled towards the porch.
“We have the advantage,” Justin said as the car alarm stopped sounding. “One at a time with melee weapons. Wait until they try to get onto the porch.”
The other nine men and women did as Justin instructed. It was simple. The zombies struggled to get up the stairs. Most of them fell as they made their attempts to reach their prey. Each zombie was chopped or smashed in the head or decapitated one at a time.
“Good job, everyone. Let’s search these houses. The last person inside is to shut the door behind him or her. We don’t need any surprises. Be on your guard. There may be infected individuals inside.”
Two zombies were inside. Justin took both of them down with two swift, hard swings to the heads with a sword. There was only a can of peas and a can of corn hidden beneath a couch.
“It isn’t much,” said Justin. “But it’ll feed two people. Let’s go to the next house.”
Every house in the three neighborhoods was searched.
Two houses contained several cases of noodles and cans of meat. They walked to the next area which consisted of an antique store, a sandwich parlor, a post office, and a police station. Batteries, a few cans of vegetables, pens and pencils, stationery, shotgun shells, a pistol magazine, cooking utensils, battery operated fans and clocks, meat cleavers, paint, coloring books, crayons and markers, paint brushes, clothing, soap, shampoo, a CD player, puzzles, candles, cigarettes, alcohol, and jewelry.
“We got a good haul,” said Justin. “Let’s get back home before it gets dark. It’s been a long day.”
The ten men and women disposed of a few zombies on the way home. Jake and Dan were allowed to keep some of what they found. Jared met up with them hours later.
“I heard you two did very well, but I heard one of you set off a car alarm.”
“The car alarm going off was worth it,” said Dan. “We did fine. The best stuff is found in the trunks of cars.”
“I’m surprised none of us had thought of that before.”
“I found a big stash in that trunk.”
“So I’ve heard. I’d like for the two of you to go with Justin again tomorrow.”
“Will you and the other staff members expect us to assist with retrieving supplies every time?”
Jared handed Jake and Dan another two chocolate bars and some noodles.
“I hope this will make the trips worthwhile.”
“It does,” said Dan. “Thank you.”
“When you two go on another mission, I’ll reward you with something better.”
“I’m curious as to what we’ll receive.”
“If you two go on another mission, you’ll each be given more chocolate, a rifle, and some ammunition.”
“How much food does this place have?”
“We nearly have enough to where we won’t have to go on any more missions. After our next harvest, we’ll have a constant and steady supply of food. Unfortunately for any other people we may come across, we only have so much room. We can only afford to let a few more people in.”
“I thought we’d be the last two.”
“Close.”
“That’s lucky.”
“We’ve heard some good news on our satellite radio.”
“What kind of news?”
“It’s almost over.”
56
“Really?”
“Yes. Apparently, most of the dead are fully decomposed.”
“I’ve noticed how rotted they look. Will you go back to D.C. when this is all over?”
