The Aftermath Trilogy (Book 3): The Aftermath [Ground Zero]

by Daniel Smith

  “Clear.”

  They both left the building to look at a few empty parking spaces behind the building leading to a small street. A larger parking lot sitting in front of an almost identical building. Manny motioned with his hand for them to head towards it. As they started across the small street, the irony of what they were doing crept into Dan’s conscience through the numbing pain of what had happened only a day ago.

  Both of them past and paid no attention to the sign that said community center as they made their way towards the doors. Manny had removed his pry bar from his belt and was looking at the door as if in thought.

  “We’re going to have to figure out a better way to get into buildings besides prying open the door,” Manny said thoughtfully.

  “Once we break the door it is hard to secure it again to prevent people or zombies from coming in.”

  Manny then placed the pry bar in the jam. Between the door in the frame and pulled hard on it popping the door open. He looked into the poorly lit room before replacing the pry bar back onto his belt and pulling out the flashlight. He played the beam about seeing an empty desk and hallway leading off with several doors spaced along it.

  “Let's see what it holds,” Manny said entering the building.

  Dan took one last look around at the street and the growing clouds he could feel the slight breeze on his face as he strained his ears for the slightest sound. Making their way into the building looking about by the white flashlight beam. Manny shined the beam down the hall to see several close doors to one sitting opened at the end.

  “Let's check the open one first the close ones are partially secure for now,” he said calmly moving down the hallway.

  Dan was unsure as he kept reaching for first the sword then the forty-five unsure of what weapon to use. Settling on removing the bow from his shoulder and notching an arrow to the string and holding it using one hand. If he needed to use it, he figured he could pull the bowstring back quick enough and aim sending the arrow flying. They had left the wagon in the lobby area as they made their way down the hall approaching the open door as Manny shine the light in it. Before they reached the door a rotten smell coming from the room assaulted their noses. Dan immediately raised the bow to the ready position.

  Manny looked around the room with the light before he turned back to look at Dan holding the bow.

  “No need someone left food out but there are a couple of cans of unopened applesauce and fruit cocktail in there,” he said walking back into the room.

  This left Dan in darkness before he returned holding a large can of fruit cocktail and handed it to him.

  “There are a couple more let me grab them and we will head back to the wagon,” Manny said returning to the room to grab the other cans.

  The wagon is getting full,” Manny commented placing the cans in it.

  “Strange to find these here,” he said placing the last can in the now overflowing wagon.

  “Let’s see what one of the other rooms hold,” Manny said as he walked down the hall to open the first door into a large room.

  Manny started shining his light around the room lighting up several children's cribs he looked puzzled as he went in to shine his light into the first one. Dan watched as Manny step back with a look of horror on his face as a pathetic low sounding moan came from the crib. Dan started to move forward but stopped as Manny's arm came up preventing him from reaching the crib. Manny did not turn to face him as he said in a strange voice.

  “Go back to the lobby I will join you in a minute,” he said as his hand reached down for the small tomahawk that he carried on his belt as his other weapon.

  “But why,” Dan said unsure listening as another low pathetic moan joined the first more joining throughout the room.

  “This time I must man up,” Manny said threw clench teeth as he pointed his finger for Dan to leave the room again.

  After what seemed a longtime Manny reappeared his face appeared drawn-out and haggard looking. The Tomahawk hung loosely in his hand by a leather cord after what seemed like a longtime he looked up to Dan.

  “Let's check the closest house and find a place to rest,” he said tiredly as he motioned towards the door.

  They made their way out of the front of the building, headed west pass a grassy yard. Spotting a small wood frame building with white peeling paint, looking long abandoned before the start of the plague. Making their way to the back door looking held together by a mass of peeling paint Manny tried it only to find it locked. Using the blade of the Tomahawk which Manny realize that he still had in his hand. He broke a small four inch by four inch window clearing the shards of broken glass from the frame then reached in and down unlocking then opened the door. They looked around the stripped-down kitchen showing signs of neglect.

  “It'll do for tonight,” Manny said tiredly.

  He replaced the Tomahawk back on to his belt to remove his flashlight.

  “Let’s just make a quick check to make sure the place is empty,” he said as they moved through the house rapidly it had indeed been empty for a longtime.

  “Give me a minute I saw a pile of wood in the other yard. We can use it to make a small fire provided the chimney is working,” Manny said as he unlocked the front door and stepped out.

  Dan looked around the run-down room thinking it was okay at least it would be dry when the rain started. Manny returned quickly with a load of wood piled in his arms only to drop it by the fireplace. Before he made two more trips on the last one when he returned, Dan saw small wet dots on his clothing. Manny made his way to the fireplace to drop the logs as Dan went to the front door looking out the rain was starting to come down hard. He closed the door locking it as he listened for a moment at the noise the rain made as it fell.

  They spent three days inside that old house the first day they did nothing more than just sit around feeling more tired than they were. On the second day, Manny broke the silence that sat between them by telling Dan it was time to practice.

  “Let's get moving take your stance,” Manny said warily. As he started to run him through the paces of step kicks and punches they spent more time on it than usual Dan thought. Saying nothing the sting of strenuous exercise made him feel good letting him forget the past few days.

  After a meager lunch of the noodles they had found earlier. Manny ran him through his exercise paces for a second time that day. For the first time in a couple of days Dan slept deeply without dreaming of the emaciated man reaching for him until Manny shook him awake to tell him it was his turn for watch.

  Dan had lost track of time since they had entered the town he knew the days were cold when they arrived. With the days slowly growing warmer and now had started cooling again. His clothing felt too tight on him to the point where he was starting to notice. They had searched a portion of the town moving from home to home. Taking their time in no hurry as they look for food and supplies and the parts they needed to fix the van. Often taking several days for Manny to hold what Dan considered school.

  He would run him through the series of exercises he been teaching him and the hand-to-hand fighting, weapons training, archery practice and lately make him take up survival training. The routine broken by small events that gave Dan time to think about them. Once moving a load of supplies to the place they had hidden the van. They had started to use the main bridge out of the town but stopped quickly by loud voices yelling in Spanish. Manny made a motion with his hand for them to get down and stay silent. Dan looked around and saw no cover on the asphalt road that lead up the bridge. Crawling to the side railing set near the edge they looked down. They both saw the distance was too far to jump and the wagon they were towing would make too much noise falling. Manny pulled the rifle into his shoulder pointing it up the bridge where the argument was coming from. He turned and made a hand jester to Dan who nodded affirmably.

  He stood bent over to grab the wagon handle and started running down the bridge as quickly and quietly as he could. Manny turned after
a few second of cocking his head and listing to the conversation before he too stood in a half crouch following Dan down the road. They left the road from the bridge making their way into the overgrown grass moving under the bridge. Away from the people’s site on the bridge Dan looked at a grinning Manny.

  “Same people we ran into earlier.” Manny watched a frown start on Dan’s face.

  “No they are not after us,” Manny said relieved to see the frown leave Dan’s face.

  “They were arguing how often they should come down to watch the bridge for travelers to collect a toll” Manny said watching Dan for a reaction. At seeing none he continued.

  “They are leaving coming back in a week,” Manny finished saying as the sound of loud music and engines where heard.

  “Considering the way they travel we should hear them when they come back,” Manny said smiling calmly.

  Another day when they're getting ready to go out Manny turned to him.

  “Make sure you bring your bow today we're going to do some hunting,” he said calmly Dan looked at him slightly puzzled.

  “But we have food,” he blurted out. Manny smiled at him.

  “Yes and we can make it last longer if we can find some fresh food. I would like something other than can meat,” he said as he picked up the Ruger 7736 stainless steel rifle with scope slipping it onto his shoulder.

  Still early morning Manny lead them out away from the small-town into the surrounding forest near the river. They had traveled a short distance before stopping and bending to look at the ground he motioned for Dan to join him.

  “See here,” he said motioning at a small dent in the ground. “That is a fresh deer track,” he said getting up motioning for them to follow.

  They traveled on for several hours. Manny pointing out several other tracks to what looked like Dan as smudges in the ground but Manny identified as different animal tracks as he continued. Stopping midmorning at a small clearing in the forest. Manny raising his hand motioning for Dan to stop then backed up to join him in a whisper told him.

  “There some rabbits in the field get your bow,” he said motioning ahead of him.

  Dan pulled one of the dark tipped arrows from his quiver and notched it into the 53-inch recurve bow moving slightly forward as silently as he could. He stopped just inside the tree line to see an open field of tall grass. He took several seconds scanning the grass to identify the first rabbit who stood there on his haunches looking around nervously. Then identified three other rabbits eating the grass on the ground, Dan slowly pull back on the bowstring sighting down the arrow. Taking careful aim at the standing rabbit with a soft twang the arrow rocketed from the bow. In a flash the arrow streaked across the distance impaling the standing rabbit to the ground. It let out a high-pitched squeal the other rabbits stopped eating standing up looking startled. Dan quickly grabbed another arrow notched and pulled the bowstring back as he spotted the second rabbit before letting it fly with a soft whoosh.

  The second rabbit fell with an arrow half through it he did not have time to draw a third arrow and track the fleeing rabbits before they disappeared. Dan walked with Manny out into the clearing the see that both rabbits had stopped twitching he reached down and pull the arrows from them. Wiping them clean before returning them to his quiver, and looked at the rabbits then at Manny.

  “Well you caught them you clean them,” Manny said amused. Dan looked at him puzzled.

  “What,” he said for a response.

  Manny started to show a slightly queasy Dan how to gut, skin, and clean the first rabbit so it was ready to cook. Making Dan do the second rabbit by himself throwing in an occasional comment on how the job was going. Before taking the freshly caught rabbits and heading back to the house they were using as a base. Manny stopped along the way to pull several plants from overgrown gardens along the way while explaining to Dan.

  “Rosemary, thyme and chili peppers,” he said as he pulled bits and pieces from the various plants.

  Dan tried his best to absorb all the information following Manny back to the house that was their camp. Manny cheerfully stacked the wood in the fireplace and lit it with a match before taking one of the freshly killed rabbits and stuffing them with the various plants and started to roast them. There was plenty of time left in the day to do other chores but Dan suddenly lost interest as he started to smell the delicious aroma of the cooked meat. They ate both rabbits sitting around the rest of the afternoon in a food induced stupor as they waited for the rabbit to digest.

  Manny was in the living room kneeling in front of the fireplace tending a pot that was sitting near enough to the crackling fire to heat the contents when he heard the front door open. He turned his head to see Dan coming through thinking his pants was starting to look a little short on him as the cuff of his pants sat above his ankle. But immediately stopped and looked in shock at the person that followed Dan through the door. A slight young woman in dirty blue jeans and an oversized red flannel shirt followed him through. With long limp hanging black hair her eyes were slightly sunken into a sallow looking face her lips looking slightly pale against it. From the dirt on her, he almost thought she was a zombie but was walking normally not shambling. She stopped at seeing him a look of fear crossing her sunken face as she grabbed a hold of Dan’s arm. He turned to the young woman.

  “Everything is okay this is Manny I told you about him,” he said reassuringly to the young woman. She turned her haunted gaze towards Manny and seemingly wincing at the site of him as she drew nearer to Dan putting one of her pale hands on his arm.

  “Everything is okay,” he said trying to reassure the young woman. He turned to face Manny

  “I found her outside while hiding from the trolls on the bridge. She has no one and I couldn't leave her out there by herself,” Dan started in the way of an explanation.

  “That was good of you we have plenty for dinner and company is always welcome,” Manny said smiling with the same calm tone he always had motioning to the simmering pot on the fire.

  Dan motioned for the woman to come in as he closed the door behind her she seemed scared as if she wanted to run staying close to Dan.

  “Manny this is Megan,” he said to Manny motioning to the young woman then he turned to face the woman. “Megan this is Manny you will be safe here,” he said reassuringly.

  She still cringed staying close to Dan who seemed puzzled by this. Manny turned his attention to the fire and the pot as he spoke calmly.

  “Why don’t you show her to the other room, there is clean water to wash with and clean clothes to change into, then come have dinner.”

  Dan started to move but Megan stopped him looking frighten and whispered into his ear.

  “No everything is fine,” Dan responded puzzled.

  “She has been alone for a while,” Manny said calmly while stirring the pot. “She is not use to people or she has run in to unpleasant people. Go with her and give her time,” Manny told Dan turning to smile at them.

  Dan nodded leading Megan to the other room. They ate dinner in a strained silence Megan flinching it seemed whenever Manny moved to fast for her liking. This went on until she fell asleep for the night. Dan felt Manny nudge him on the shoulder.

  “Your turn,” was all he whispered.

  Dan stared into the darkness broken by the faint glow of the fire’s coals as he got up for guard duty. He saw Manny motion him to the other room away from where Megan slept. Dan followed him quietly.

  “What’s up,” Dan whispered yawning as he looked at Manny. For his part, Manny turned on a small flashlight giving them a chance to see each other. Manny sighed, as he collected his thoughts before speaking.

  “You did good bringing her here. But what have you told her about us,” Manny asked. Dan looked puzzled so Manny continued.

  “When first meeting people it is natural to want to know something about them. If you keep silent, they can get uneasy. But if you tell them too much about yourself you can lose the advantage,” Ma
nny started looking at Dan for understanding but did not see it.

  “Just think about this and we will talk later. What have you told her about us and what we have, did you say we had a car, that we have food and ammunition stashed around?”

  Dan looked at him strangely but did not answer.

  “Look whatever you said we can work with. And like I said we will talk later. But you need to give people enough information about you. Allowing them to trust you or not too much information can be bad and sometimes silence is the best policy,” Manny finished.

  “I just told her I had a friend and I would take her to where we were staying,” Dan said unsure of himself.

  “That’s fine,” Manny, said reassuringly. “Now wake me in four hours,” he finished turning off the flashlight leaving. Standing in total darkness as his eyes adjusted to the dark.

  Manny watched as Megan would try to isolate Dan over the next three days. Barely saying a dozen words to Manny during this time. Manny for his part would let this happen. Arriving back hearing the two of them in the next room.

  “We can just go the two of us,” Megan was telling him.

  “Why you are safe here with Manny,” he heard Dan respond.

  “You don’t understand he will change they all do,” she said.

  “What do you mean change,” he heard Dan ask.

  “He will want me for himself he will tell you to stay away from me,” Megan told him.

  “No Manny,” he smiled at Dan’s reply.

  “You will see I can make you happy,” Megan’s voice trailed off.

  Manny moved back to the door and open then closed it loudly.

  “I am back,” he called out.

  Taking time during their night watch to find out what she was asking him giving him advice on what to say and when to be silent. Always making sure he never told Dan not to speak to her. He would leave them alone during the day he made what seemed like a show of packing supplies into Dan’s blue backpack before they went out scavenging for supplies as he went off by himself. It was on the third day when they had gotten back late to find Manny cooking when Dan told him.