Smiling at me he hands me a cup of coffee. “You left yours downstairs.”
Taking the hot steaming cup of coffee I take a sip and my eyes open wide. How did he know? “How did you know how I like it?” I ask.
“Your son made it for you. I don’t think he likes me that much,” he says.
“Really, why do you think that?”
“Well the dirty looks for one,” he says smiling.
“Well he’s a teenager so I’m sure that’s normal,” I say smiling into my cup of coffee.
Chapter 20
“No I think he knows I like his mom and he’s not happy about it,” he says grinning.
Tabitha comes up the steps.
“Hey honey everything alright?” I ask. I walk over to her.
“Yeah Mom I’m good. The baby is just kicking a lot.”
“Well sweetie you better get used to it,” I say smiling.
“Mom be careful out there I know you can take care of yourself but it’s going to be very bad out there. And we all need you here.”
I look at her and she’s starting to cry. Putting my arms around her I say, “Honey listen to me…” Looking behind her I notice Mack and Pete have come up here. “Nothing is going to happen to me. I will be fine and no matter where I am I will always come back to you guys. And besides, these guys will make sure of that honey.”
Tabby looks over at the guys and they are nodding to her. She walks right up to Sal and says, “You better watch out for my mom.”
“I would die to protect your mom. I will not let anything happen to her. Mack and Pete won’t either. If you’d seen her out there yesterday you really wouldn’t worry about your mom, Tabitha,” Sal says.
Tabby turns around and heads back downstairs. Rubbing my hands down my face I look at them standing there. I don’t want to lose any of them.
Shaking my head, I say, “I know it’s hard for the kids to see me go. But that can’t stop me. This has to be done and I’m not going to sit here while everyone else goes and risks their lives. How could I live with myself if I ever did that?”
“I for one want you with us,” Mack says. “You are one of the best, we got to go out and do this, don’t let them make you feel bad Egypt.”
“We follow you Egypt. What you say goes,” Pete says.
Looking over at Sal he just stands there with a stone face and says nothing. I know what that means and it really pisses me off.
“Well ok guys we need to get ready to head out. I have to take care of some last minute stuff.” We all walk down the stairs and into the kitchen. I walk over to where Nate and Hank are talking.
“Hey guys, Nate you know what to do once Uncle Tommy and his family get here … no one goes out. If they don’t like it they can leave. You might have some trouble with Renee she can be a real bitch. If it gets bad, call me I will deal with her. The only reason she’s coming at all is because of your, Uncle Jim. You have any questions before we head out?” I ask.
“Nope we’re all good here Mom.”
I see him look over my shoulder.
“Just be safe out there,” he says.
Looking behind me I see Pete, Sal and Mack. Whatever they are talking about, it’s getting heated. “Ok Liam, you ready, you’re riding with G-Dad ok?” I say. He smiles and leaves with him.
Putting my backpack down, I look up at Sal. “Come on you’re riding with me,” I say. He grins and from the corner of my eye I can see Mack giving him a dirty look. He grabs his backpack and then reaches for mine. I hug Pete and tell him to be careful.
He picks me up off the floor and whispers in my ear, “If all hell breaks loose stay close to either Mack or Sal.”
Putting my pack down, I just look at him. Nodding I look at Mack. “Hey be careful little hose,” I say grinning.
He comes over and gently hugs me. “I got your back Egypt and your front, just yell,” he says, grinning.
Pushing away from Mack I start to walk faster to catch up with Sal. I fall into step with him. We walk out to the driveway. He’s looking at the trucks.
“Oh we’re taking my son’s,” I say throwing him the keys. “Here you drive.”
He catches them and smiles. He walks around the truck whistling low. “This is a great truck,” he says.
“Yeah and it better stay that way too!” Nate says walking up to us.
“Nate?” I look at him. “Forget something?”
“Nope Mom.” He walks up and kisses my cheek and heads around the truck to where Sal is putting our stuff in.
I see them talking, Nate looks pissed, but Sal is just nodding and not talking. Wow that must be a first. All of a sudden I see Sal answering Nate. Nate nods and shakes his hand and walks to the gate to watch when we leave. Walking around to the other side of the truck Sal opens the door and I hop in. He walks around to the other side and gets in. He starts the truck and we put our seat belts on. I grab my walkie and turn it on. I plug the charger in so it’s full when we get where we’re going.
“So are we in the lead?” Sal asks.
“Yep, I’ll tell ya where to go. We’re going to Walmart in Salem first and then to a few other stores over in Boardman.” I grab the walkie. “OK guys everyone ready we’re heading to Walmart fist. If anyone gets hung up we meet there.”
“Roger that,” Liam says.
“See you there,” Mack says.
We pull out of the drive turning right. I wave at Nate and he smiles and waves back. I know things are going to be fine here while we’re gone. Nate’s a smart young man. He will handle anything that comes their way and if not I know he will call.
“Nate seems to really have his head on straight,” Sal says.
“Yeah he was signed up for the Marines when he was done with school,” I say.
“The Marines are the best. They make a man strong of body and mind. He would have been good there,” Sal says.
Nodding I turn around in the seat and grab two Dr Peppers out of the cooler. Four left.
“You want one?” I ask.
“Sure, this is your favorite pop isn’t it?”
“Yep it’s the best! Hey you want to take a right up there. I haven’t been this way since all this started so I have no clue how the roads are going to be,” I say.
“Well we have a 4x4 we should be fine. All of us do,” Sal says winking at me.
Shaking my head I watch as the houses pass by. Some are boarded up and others don’t even look touched. The things you think about when everything is normal. I used to day dream about this, and now that it’s here, I dream of a normal world.
“So what did you do before all this happened?” Sal asked.
“I was a stay at home mom. I’ve been a single parent for five years now. We’ve done very well though. What about you Sal?”
“Single my whole life. I’ve dated but never the right one and a Fire Fighter for five years,” he says.
He really didn’t seem like he wanted to talk about himself. So I let it drop. Sal moves his arm over my chest. I hear the sound of squealing brakes. “What the hell is going on?” Looking up I see two cars in the road.
Sal moves his arm from across me. “Sorry Egypt. Old things die hard.”
Taking off my seat belt I hop out of the truck. Sal does the same. I grab my gun. Not taking any chances we walk slowly to the cars.
“Egypt be careful,” I hear Sal say. He walks up behind me. The others are getting out of their trucks. Slowly I make my way up to the cars. I look into the first one and I see baby stuff in it and it’s empty. I see Hank and Pete looking around the other one. Liam and Mack are keeping watch.
“I wonder where they went,” I say seeing blood on the ground.
“I don’t know Egypt,” Hank says.
Sal bends down and looks at the blood on the ground. He looks around the cars. And seems to find what he was looking for. He comes back to me and grabs my arm pulling me slowly back to the truck.
“Wait, stop what’s going on? Why are we going back
to the truck?” I ask
“Guys go back to your trucks. Now!! This was no accident. There’s a strip of nails across the road. It’s a trap. We need to go around and get out of here NOW!” Sal says.
Everyone gets back into their trucks. Sal puts my seat belt on and starts to drive around the cars.
We have to go into the farm field to get around it. So we don’t go over the nails. There’s a couple of farms on the right and a few houses set way back on the left.
“Sal we need to check them houses those people could need help,” I say.
“Egypt we can’t, besides they are most likely dead by now.”
“You don’t know that Sal … please.” I see a look of pain on his face.
“Egypt there was seven or eight of them and only a woman and kids in the cars. They took the women forcefully and I shouldn’t have to tell you what’s happened to them if it’s not still going on,” he says. “And I’m not going to put you in that kind of danger, think about it. YOUR son is here. You don’t want him caught up in that?”
Thinking, I shake my head no! “Why would they do that to those women?” I start to say.
“Think about it. There’s no more law, Egypt, anything goes. And guys like that think it’s a good way to pass the time. All we can hope is that they are dead.”
As he continues to drive down the road I just can’t believe people would be like that. I know that you see that kind of stuff in the movies but this isn’t the movies.
“Make a left at the light.” He slows down, runs the red light and makes the turn.
There’s no reason now to obey the traffic lights! Who’s going to pull you over, almost everyone’s gone. I look behind us and see everyone’s still following us. At least we haven’t been split up. I scope the area to get my bearings so I don’t take us out of the way.
“Sal make another right and we’re going to be coming into town. Should we keep going this way or try back streets?” I ask.
He grabs for the walkie. “Hey Hank should we try going through town or go around it? He asks.
“Go through,” he says. “It’s not a huge town like Akron.”
Chapter 21
“Roger that,” Sal says and steps on the gas.
Looking out the window I see a lot of the houses here are burnt down. Some are still smoldering.
Sal grabs my arm! “Egypt look.”
I look to where he’s pointing and zombies are everywhere, just walking around. Some are eating stuff on the ground. Some are pounding on doors and windows trying to get into the homes. It makes you wonder if anyone’s in those homes.
“Well as long as they’re not a threat to us I think we need to save our ammo, let’s get these runs done so that we can get home where it’s safe,” I say.
“I agree but I won’t let anything happen to you Egypt.”
He reaches over and laces our hands together. Looking down at them I can think of other places those hands can roam. Shaking my head, I leave our hands like that
“I know you wouldn’t Sal.” Rolling my eyes! “But I can take care of myself,” I say.
“Didn’t say you couldn’t Egypt,” he says grinning.
Sal is slowing down I look up we are in the center of town. It looks like a bomb went off. Everything is ruined. The zombies are everywhere!
“Shit make a left here!! It’s so thick with them. What are we going to?” ….. I don’t get to finish talking. One of those things rams into the truck!! The truck jolts to the left.
Screaming I jump back, knocking in to Sal. Shit I made him swerve. He keeps it on the road.
The walkie goes off! “Plow through them don’t stop for anything!” Hanks yells.
Sal steps on the gas and we lurch forward.
Shit this is going to suck! One after the other we run them down. The truck is bouncing up and down. They are so thick that they are pressing up against the windows. The truck starts swaying side to side.
“Fuck this!” Sal yells and guns it.
It’s almost like hitting a brick wall. After about 10 min’s of this we finally break through the mass of zombies. Sal slows to a stop a few hundred yards away. We both turn to look at what we just went through and wait to see the others come through it.
“Shit sorry about that if I hadn’t gunned it they would have tipped the truck,” Sal says.
“All good!” I say.
We see the other trucks coming through like we had to do. Once we are all clear we head on to our first stop.
Looking over at McDonalds, I say laughing, “Hey Sal, I want a McD’s sweet tea.”
“What do I get if I get you one Egypt?” Sal asks grinning.
“What do you want?” I ask. Boy that sure could get me into trouble!!
“A kiss?” Sal says all serious looking.
“That all huh?” I ask laughing.
All of a sudden he swerves into the parking lot and before I can say anything he jumps out of the truck and goes into McDonalds.
“SAL!!!” I scream. I can’t believe the ass really went in there.
Hank gets on the walkie. “Stay where you are Egypt, Mack’s going in after him. What is he doing anyway?”
“Oh you know getting me a sweet tea. Hank I tell ya I was only joking, when I said I wanted one.”
“No you weren’t. Egypt, I know how you are with them things. Stay in the truck! Your mom would kill me if you get hurt.”
“Hank I’ve said this before….” I don’t get to finish.
“You don’t have to tell me again. Just please stay in the truck,” he says.
Watching the doors I see Mack and a grinning Sal running out. Sal has two teas in his hands and boy Mack looks pissed!!! Sal hops into the truck and slams the door!! I try not to laugh my ass off.
Looking over at me I must be a sight. I know my mouth is hanging open. Slapping him on the arm I say, “Damn it you jackass!! Why did you go and do that shit? You could have been killed. Or worse turned and then I would have had to shoot your sexy as hell ass clean off!!”
“Awww really you care, see you like me. Ha I knew it!!” Sal says ginning.
Smacking him again I turn and look out the window. I see Pete laughing his head off!! Oh he’s a weenie too!! I think to myself.
“Egypt look at me!” Sal says.
Looking at him he’s still grinning.
“Here’s your sweet tea with ice!!!!!”
He hands me the tea and looks out the window. Holding it in my hand, I can’t believe he did that. Blushing I look over at him still grinning.
“Oh by the way, I can wait for the kiss until tonight,” he says.
Well I have to admit this tea is worth a kiss. And if I’m honest with myself I’m looking forward to tonight.
He starts the truck and pulls out of McDonalds.
I put the straw in and take a sip. Omg, groaning this is so good!!
Looking over at Sal he’s laughing now.
“What did I say?” I ask.
“You really like your sweet teas don’t you?”
“Yes I do!! I used to go every day to get one. I have been three days without one,” I say smiling.
“Well I think that will be the last one from there, sorry,” he says.
We’re quiet for a little bit when he asks, “Where do I need to go?”
“Keep going straight it will be on the right in a couple miles,” I say. We pass the hospital and it’s horrible, there’s windows missing, people are sprawled all over the ground and the smell. Oh my- gosh!! The smell. I put my hand over my nose and mouth sitting back. I try and hold back the bile that is rising in my throat.
“Egypt! Breathe through your mouth! It won’t be so bad,” Sal says.
I do that and it is better. Looking out the window we pass the hospital and all those poor, poor people. What they must have gone through thinking they we’re going there to get help instead of walking into all the death and the zombies. I see little kids walking around aimlessly. How scared it must have b
een for them.
“Sal it’s going to be. On the right,” I say.
“Ok Egypt,” Sal says.
We see the sign for Walmart and pull into the parking lot. We’re all driving slowly looking at the building. They have boards covering the main doors and it looks untouched.
“Why don’t we go to the garage door bays? There we could back in and shut the doors. And lock them, it might be a bit safer that way,” I say.
Sal gets on the walkie and tells the others the plan and we turn around in the parking lot and head over there. There’s not that many cars, a few here and there. There’s food on the ground in some places. There’s overturned carts. They sure left in a hurry. We pull up to the bay doors and Pete, Mack and Liam get out.
I go to open the door and Sal stops me.
“Egypt let him do this without his mom looking over his shoulder! Pete and Mack will watch out for him, I promise,” Sal says.
“Ok I’m going to watch from here.” Opening the door I get out and head to the back of the truck. I climb up in the bed of the truck and keep watch. I look over to the gas station, then over to the donut store. They are all empty. Looking out further, I glance at the plaza. It looks like a ghost town. I don’t see anyone so I look over at the bays. The guys have gone in and I can’t see them. Sal gets out of the truck and walks over to me.
“It’s too quiet around here,” he says.
“Yeah I was thinking the same thing. But it might not necessarily be a bad thing. We will just have to really keep watch.”
Sal comes closer and checks my shoulder. Feeling his hands makes me shiver.
“It’s been bleeding a bit but with the dressing I got on it, it won’t get infected,” he says.
“Well that’s good! It’s really just a scratch …..”
“You’re right but we can’t let it get infected, Egypt with how things are now. We might not be able to fight infection. So no chances.”
He runs his hand down my back and it makes me shiver. He walks a few feet away from me. At least now I can think. Hank comes walking over.
“Quiet here huh,” Hank says.
“Yep sure is! Sal and I was just talking about that. What do you think?”
Outbreak The Beginning (The Outbreak Series Book 1) Page 11
