by Daniel Smith
“We found the camp of someone else.”
Manny looked unconcerned.
“The trolls from the bridge,” he asked smiling at the look that crossed Megan’s face.
“No the coals in the fire was still warm and we saw those people about a half hour later still having breakfast.
Manny just nodded at this.
“Dinners ready,” He said pulling a pot from the fire. After dinner Megan surprised them by telling Manny.
“I can take a watch tonight.” Manny said sure and broke the watch schedule to four-hour shifts giving her the early morning one.
Dan awoke feeling disoriented as Manny shook him. He had not slept long he was not due for another watch tonight. Getting to his feet, slowly he looked around he saw Manny packing their gear Megan was nowhere around then he noticed his blue backpack missing. He caught Manny looking at him.
“Before you ask, she took off not long ago.”
Dan looked startled now franticly looking for his bag.
“She took it,” Manny said handing him a bag and motioning for the garden trailer they used to haul stuff. He put it into the trailer as Manny handed him another.
“It had my gun in it,” Dan said angrily but stopped as Manny handed him the auto loader.
“No I removed it and put in a few rocks ruined clothes and a packet of food,” He stated as he pulled on his backpack.
He motioned Dan to grab his jacket and stuffed the last few items away as he put it on.
“You knew,” Dan asked accusing him. Manny looked at him calmly.
“I suspected, especially after you found the other camp. We have to go now and talk later. Sending someone to infiltrate another camp to find out what people have is a trick older than I am. Now let’s go,” Manny said picking up his rifle and heading for the door. Dan only paused a moment feeling betrayed and angry before grabbing the wagon handle.
“Survive first be angry later,” Manny’s words echoed in his head.
Sometime later Dan was not sure if it had been weeks or months in the early morning hours of his watch he heard the sound of gunfire. He saw Manny wake with a start and look around.
“That sounds close,” Dan whispered as several more shots rang out.
Manny nodded his head agreeing and pointed out one window in the direction it was coming from.
“Let’s pack up and get ready to move out,” Manny said as he started rolling up his sleeping bag.
They were ready in about fifteen minutes, the sun was just starting to rise above the tree line, as Manny picked up his rifle.
“Let’s go see what’s up,” Manny said moving for the back door of the house they were staying in and Dan followed.
They moved slowly between the houses and tree lines trying to keep the sun behind them. After about an hour of careful travel they found a campsite behind an old house, the house had no windows intact on it and the front door was tore off the hinges. In the middle of the overgrown yard was a makeshift campfire that was still smoking slightly. They could see one person laying on the ground at an odd angle and three people moving aimlessly about. Studying the house they even used a small pair of binoculars to see if there was any movement. Manny moved the binoculars onto the yard at a few plastic totes sitting there.
“The house looks clear. There is food in those totes,” Manny said putting the binoculars away.
Both of them stood Manny removing the tomahawk from his belt as Dan pulled the sword from the sheath on his back as they moved out of hiding. The figures stopped moving aimlessly as they noticed them becoming agitated while starting to emit a low grown as they moved towards them. Splitting up with two zombies one moving for Manny the other moving towards Dan. He readied himself as the man approached wet red blood was still sticking to his white button down shirt and dripping down his blue jeans. The man approaching Dan tripped on the still figure on the ground. Struggling to get up Dan reversed the sword into a downward two-handed grip. Lunging forward feeling the black blade crunch threw the skull of the moaning man pinning him to the ground. Dan quickly put his worn sneaker onto the head of the man as a yellow sap started to ooze out around the blade as he yanked the blade free to turn to help Manny.
Only seeing one of the undead on the ground a large gash across his face the second zombie about to join him as Manny swung the tomahawk into the side of the zombie’s head. Manny turned to him as it fell.
“Wait here I will check the house,” he said as he ran into the open door.
Dan looked around at the green plastic totes on the ground seeing several boxes of cereal and cans of food. With a few boxes of different calibers of ammunition. He put the lids on clicking them shut. Watching Manny exit from the house.
“People were here but gone,” he said reaching for one tote as Dan grabbed the other.
Dan saw Manny staring at the dead man that had not moved the back of his head missing but the face was intact. He was the tall man with a scrubby beard Dan had seen in the scope of Manny’s rifle from the group they faced in the other town. Dan looked down at him expecting to feel something after the weeks of nightmares and emotional difficulties of having to kill someone but found he felt nothing.
“And the others,” Dan ask casually.
Manny simply pointed to the smoldering fire at an old half burned blue backpack that he recognized as the one Megan had taken. He shook his head as he adjusted the grip on the tote.
“Hope she made it,” he said sadly.
Manny said nothing he saw no need to tell Dan about the tied up half-naked slight figure of a young woman he had found bound to a bed. He shook his head sadly at all the black and blue marks that showed up on her bluish color skin. No reason at all to let him know those milky white eyes where now closed for good. Manny tighten the grip on his tote and followed Dan back to camp.
They kept crouched in the brush along the thicket of pine trees in the early morning fog. Looking through the thick gray mist obscuring the tree line on the other side of the main road leading up to the bridge. They could barely make out several cars in the road arrange to block one lane on the highway. Manny made a motion for silence as the low noise started to build. Dan shifted a little letting his hand rest on the hardwood grip of the autoloader under his arm. Threw the swirling mist three new looking pickup trucks roared by loud music playing from them as they sped up the roadway to the bridge.
“Seems that they are back,” Manny whispering as he motion them back into the tree line. Dan nodded agreeing.
“They must have another place they use splitting their time between the two,” Manny said unconcerned as he watched them pass.
He stood and Dan followed as he stared making his way along the asphalt road barely able to see ten feet in front of them.
“Stay alert it is hard to see in the fog,” Manny said adding.
“Also it is hard to see us.”
They had only walked a short way in the swirling gray mist when a large dark shape rose in front of them. Circling the building objects faded in the gray mist as they looked for a way into the building. The front held a white metal carport with thick metal security gates around all the windows and door's. Dan walked up checking the gate only to hear it rattle as it refused open.
“Backdoor maybe,” Dan questioned as he turned to look at Manny.
Manny shrugged noncommittally as they moved around the back of the building the main street fading from view in the fog. Finding the back door just as secure with a gate looking around behind the building sitting off to one side a dense area of trees standing hauntingly in the fog.
“How do we get in, break the door down,” Dan asked turning to look at him. Manny was silent as he pulled a coil of rope from the bag he was carrying.
“The roof,” he said pointing a finger up towards the roof before tossing him the rope. Dan looked puzzled but followed him as he moved over to a large metal trashcan. Putting his back to it he started pushing it on squealing wheels towards the side of the building
. Going back he grab a long wood pallet carrying it over placing it on top of the trashcan. Manny climbed up onto the trashcan motioning for Dan to follow. They both grabbed the pallet bracing the pallet on the metal can against the side of the building making a makeshift ladder.
“You first I will hold it,” Manny said motioning for Dan to go up.
Dan looked skeptically at the pallet but started to climb and breathe a sigh of relief as he reached the metal roof. He did his best to hold the pallet steady as he tried to keep himself on the roof as Manny climbed up to join him. They stood on the barren roof looking slowly through the swirling gray mist until Manny pointed to a shadow off in one corner. Moving over to find a large metal box with a large circular pipe coming off it going into the roof. Dan stared at it puzzled as Manny pulled the Tomahawk from his belt and swung it at the circular pipe. The metal appeared to bend easily.
Dan looked around with concern with the noise Manny was making as he continued to beat on the soft metal ducting. Before reaching down to start pushing and pulling it aside with a grunt leaving a dark hole in the roof.
“Heating and cooling unit,” Manny said breathing heavily as Dan peered down into the dark hole.
“ I will lower you down into the store,” Manny said uncoiling the rope.
Dan looked at him skeptically before speaking.
“Its blocked,” Dan simply stated as he watched Manny smile.
“Is just a heating duct when I lower you down your weight will cause it to fall through the ceiling,” Manny stated then quickly added at the look on Dan's face.
“I will have you on a rope and you will not fall also you can see if the store is empty of any unwanted shoppers,” Manny finished still smiling.
Dan shook his head as he removed his bow from his shoulder with the quiver full of arrows as Manny tied the rope about his waist and legs. Manny handed him a flashlight before looping the rest of the rope around the heating unit. Pulling it taught.
“Step in and get ready,” Manny told him.
Dan stepped carefully into the hole tentatively slowly lowering his feet until they reach the bottom as he felt the metal ductwork sagged under his weight.
“Now what,” Dan said looking up at Manny.
“Jump up and down,” Manny said tightening his grip on the rope. Dan did just that letting out an exclamation.
“Damn,” as the ductwork collapse into the store with a loud crash.
He found himself swinging between a row of high metal shelves filled with boxes of parts in a poorly lit storage room. Turning slowly in circles he turned the flashlight on and played the white beam around the room. He heard no noise and saw no movement as he slowly turned as he spotted the door in the wall leading outside.
“It seems empty there is a door on that wall,” Dan said looking at Manny waiting until he turned enough pointing towards the wall behind Manny.
“Okay I will lower you down untie yourself and open the door,” Manny said sounding slightly strained as he let the rope out slowly as Dan jerk downwards.
Dan wasted no time in untying the rope from him and opening the door only to see Manny had finished climbing down the pallet and was jumping off the trashcan. Stopping to grab the handle of the empty wagon pulling it over to the open door. Trading Dan the wagon for the flashlight at the door they reentered the auto parts store. Manny lead him through the parts area after closing the door to a counter that held a row of thick binders and let out a quiet.
“Thank you.”
Dan looked at him strangely and Manny continued.
“They have parts catalogs to back up their computer which we cannot use since there's no power,” Manny said opening the book and flipping through the pages before stopping and handing Dan the flashlight.
“Keep the light here,” Manny said as he grabbed a pen and paper and started writing some numbers down on it.
Manny repeated this several more times, flipping through the books before motioning Dan to follow him back into the warehouse. Manny played the flashlight along the shelves occasionally checking the numbers written on the pad before removing several boxes from the shelf handing them to Dan. He place the parts into the wagon as they moved onto the other aisles grabbing more parts before moving out into the store proper. Here he walked along the aisles grabbing a couple of cases of oil, oil filters and air filters having Dan place them in the wagon.
Before grabbing antifreeze, some tools and a few other items before they were ready to leave.
“This will allow us to fix the van keeping us on the road a while longer if we need anything else we can come back here,” Manny said playing the flashlight to the door.
Reaching the door, Manny turned the flashlight off leaving them in semi-darkness as he cracked open the door peeking out. He opened the door slowly and took a few tentative steps before motioning for Dan to follow him. They made their way into the gray mist as they moved out for the house they were using as a camp. Reaching it Manny grabbed his backpack putting some food and water into it enough for a couple of days.
“I think we should head out now and use the railroad bridge. We can have the van fixed today or by tomorrow at the latest,” he said looking at Dan.
They spent the next couple of days fixing the van without any trouble before they went back into town. Using the cover of darkness they started gathering their supplies moving them back to the van.
Manny stood on the street next to the big tree his stainless steel Ruger 7736 rifle leaning against it. A large buck hanging by its hind legs by a rope from a branch. Manny had been using a knife to cut open the exposed underbelly allowing the innards to fallout on to the ground with a wet splat. He been working rather nonstop before he realized Dan was no longer where he had been sitting on the abandoned car.
Manny looked around at several buildings that were around them and saw nothing as he hummed an off-key tune. He just finished dropping the rest of the innards of the deer to the ground when he wiped his hands with an old rag and started to reach for the stainless steel Ruger 7736 rifle.
“Not yet,” a voice challenged Manny.
He stopped reaching for the rifle straightening himself looking for the source of the voice. He did not seem surprised as several camouflage figures slowly appeared from their hiding places. He moved his head slightly as he counted the number of people. Watching as several soldiers. Wearing the green, brown and black pattern of woodland camouflage with the short stubby green tanker style Kevlar, helmets. Wearing body armor with a selection of M.O.L.L.E gear an M16 A two-assault rifles slung on combat harnesses from their shoulders most of them with their hands-on the pistol grips. Manny seemed unfazed as he watched them approach.
“What do we have here a poacher,” a younger soldiers said. Manny smiled at him.
“No I am a park ranger with the forest service. What I am doing is a breed health survey and that is not poaching,” he said calmly.
He looked at the young man who spoke a blank expression on his face. Another soldier started to say.
“How do we know you are not part of,” but stopped as an older man step forward with several triangle stripes on his shirt but before he could speak Manny turned to look at him.
“What can I do for you Master Sergeant.,” he said in a friendly tone.
The younger soldiers seem surprised at the smile crossing the Sergeant’s face.
“I am Master Sergeant Mobila we are part of the government’s critical needs program,” he started in the way of an explanation.
“And you say you are with the Forest service,” he said looking at Manny who smiled.
“With them almost twenty years I can show you my identification card and before that I spent twenty years in the Marines,” Manny finished looking at the expressions on the soldiers faces.
“And you are two people short of a squad,” Manny said in the way of a question to Master Sergeant Mobila.
Master Sergeant Mobila took a second, as he turned looking at his people counting th
em before turning to Manny he stated.
“From what we can tell, you are short a couple of people also,” Master Sergeant Mobila responded. Manny chuckled then nodded his head before getting a silly grin on his face.
“I will show you mine if you show me yours.”
This caused a small round of laughter from several of the soldiers earning them a grunt from Master Sergeant Mobila.
“All right,” he said rather good-naturedly and raised one hand above his head circling it slightly. “Bring it in,” he called out.
Manny for his part watched unimpressed as two soldiers appeared from their place of concealment and move forward. While their weapons pointed at the ground their hands still sat on the black pistol grip of the assault rifle. Master Sergeant Mobila looked expectantly at Manny who did not turn but called out.
“Dan show yourself,” he said easily.
Following a brief pause the soldiers turned at the sound of movement as Dan appeared in the broken window of one of the homes. Emerging from the shadows moving to stand in the light an arrow notched to his bow aimed in the general direction of Master Sergeant Mobila.
“A bow what good is that against body armor,” Dan heard the sarcastic remark from a soldier. Before anyone could say anything a terse response came from a female soldier standing close to him.
“You’re the one wondering about those neat small holes in the heads of those dead zombies. Where do you think they came from,” she said silencing the one soldier who had spoken.
Master Sergeant Mobila took no interest in the small talk between the other soldiers. Watching Dan slowly extricate himself from the broken window moving towards Manny keeping whatever cover in the way of trees or abandoned cars between him and the soldiers. Master Sergeant Mobila turned to look at Manny.
“He’s well trained,” Master Sergeant Mobila, said in the way of conversation. Manny smiled.
“We have been working on it,” he said calmly. Master Sergeant Mobila turned to eyeing the deer hanging from the tree.
