by Mark Tufo
Before this was all over he would end up killing most of them, sparing only the ones who joined his cause. He’d rape as many of the women as he could before slitting their throats and leaving them for the zombies. That was just the way it had to be.
Fifty five… fifty four… fifty three…
Nothing personal. Doug Conrad needed to survive above all else. If he’d ever bothered to have a wife and kids he would have sacrificed them by now. No big deal. Prison had taught him about survival but the Sons of The New Patriots had taught him about getting what he wanted despite the corrupt government, God and the religious crazies interfering with his Constitutional rights, conservatives screaming about guns killing people, and the flood of minorities ruining the America he loved.
Ten… nine… eight…
“You can come in, but only you. Show us your hands and no funny business,” one of the armed men yelled from the shipyard.
Funny business? There was going to be nothing funny about the way this played out. Doug put on a grim face and walked slowly into the compound.
They patted him down, missing his blade like the bunch of idiots that they were. “My name is Doug. We seek help.”
“Shut up,” one of the men said. He was dirty but looked well-fed, which was a great sign. There was food here. “Charlie will be out soon. Until then you need to shut up.”
Doug nodded and wanted so bad to crack his knuckles but decided not to. No use in wasting a good bullet on this peon. He wanted to see who the fuck Charlie was and then go from there.
Charlie appeared within a few minutes and Doug was not impressed. He was old and walked with a cane, his gray hair and wispy beard framing his tired eyes and thin lips. He coughed into a liver-spotted hand as he stopped six feet from Doug and simply stared at him.
“I come seeking help,” Doug finally said.
“You’re not wanted here,” Charlie croaked. “You need to take all of these dirty people with you.”
One of Charlie’s men whispered into his ear, pointing at the gates.
“I’ve no use for that,” Charlie said.
“But the men do.”
Doug couldn’t help but smile. It always came down to the pussy. He decided to cut to the chase. “I have women with us, women who you can keep in exchange for two boats and supplies.”
“How many?” Charlie asked.
Doug pointed back to the gate. “There are scores of them to choose from. Would ten suffice?”
The man next to Charlie spat on the ground. “There are twice as many men here.”
Charlie shook his head. ‘You idiot,” he muttered.
Doug grinned. “Twenty women for twenty men seems fair,” he said loudly. “If we can just complete this deal and be on our way –“
“I’ll have to think on it,” Charlie said.
“We have no time for that. There’s a horde of zombies following within minutes of us, and we’d just as soon leave.”
Charlie glanced behind him at the gate. “We’ve counted at least a thousand people out there. How do you plan on getting a thousand people onto two boats?”
“I don’t. I plan on getting as many as I can.”
Charlie shook his head. “I don’t believe you. If your intention was to save as many as you could, you would have asked for as many boats as we’d be willing to part with. Instead, you’ve already decided how many of these people will survive.”
“That might be the case, but right now I’d just as soon make the deal and be on my way.”
Charlie stared at Doug and scratched his cane into the dirt. “I’ll think on it.”
A scream from outside the compound shattered the moment.
Doug ran to the gate and could see the people pinned between the gates and the road behind them. Most began moving north, abandoning him and his plan.
“I need an answer now.”
“When I am ready.”
“Damn you, you’ve sentenced these people to die,” Doug said.
“My loyalty lies with the people under my command and not some vagabonds that beg on my doorstep.”
“Fuck you,” Doug finally said. He cracked his knuckles and pulled the blade from the sleeve of his shirt.
The sound of quick gunfire sounded and bullets hit targets all around the yard. Before Doug could reach Charlie his head exploded.
“Get the gates,” Doug yelled. “Follow the plan.”
The gates were opened but as soon as people tried to enter they were met with guns in their face.
Doug strode forward. “Not so fast. We can only take a handful of you with us.” He pointed at two women at the gate. “You two can come in.”
As the two women ran past Doug a man called out to one of them and tried to enter. He was shot in the face.
“I decide who enters.” Doug ignored the animalistic noises coming from the back of the refugees. Flanked by three gunmen, he began methodically picking women to enter.
“We need some men as well,” Rusty said as he came up.
“Sorry, sometimes my dick gets the best of me.” Doug pointed at three random men who looked like they could fight.
“What about the rest of us? Will you leave us to die?” someone screamed.
“I don’t care what you do. Once we leave you’re welcome to take the yard. But we need the supplies and the boats first.”
A boy of no more than fourteen stepped forward carrying a skateboard. “I’m going.”
Doug laughed. “I don’t think so.”
“Fuck you, old man; I’m going with you and the rest of your loser friends.” The boy stared defiantly at Doug.
“You got balls, kid. Fuck it, you can come. Grab some supplies and let’s get moving.”
Finished with picking the survivors, they marched backwards towards the boats, making sure that no one tried to get past them or attack.
“We’re ready to go. All aboard,” Rusty called out.
They had to shoot a few people that tried to board the boats, but most people were simply plunging into the water or trying vainly to hide behind the remaining dry-docked boats and the few buildings.
As they pulled away from the dock, Doug stood on the deck and watched the chaos unfold, a smile etched on his weathered face.
Armand Rosamilia is a native New Jersey boy currently living in sunny Florida, where he chases his loving children and watches the Boston Red Sox devoutly. When not writing horror, reading horror, listening to Heavy Metal or sleeping, he is doing something completely different.
He loves fan mail or people wanting to talk about Manowar and Slayer.
[email protected] and at www.facebook.com/armand.rosamilia
Check out the rest of the Extreme Zombie stories!
http://www.amazon.com/Dying-Days-2-Armand-Rosamilia-ebook/dp/B007IV56RG/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1394831610&sr=8-6&keywords=dying+days+armand
http://www.amazon.com/Dying-Days-3-Armand-Rosamilia-ebook/dp/B00CYXX9R2/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0Y5R91C2973WF15PR35B
http://www.amazon.com/Dying-Days-Double-Set-1-ebook/dp/B00IXOPVBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394831787&sr=8-1&keywords=dying+days+double+armand
