by Weeks, Kris
“You okay?” Atora entered the small area.
Adrianna rubbed her eyes. “Guess I fell asleep, sorry.”
“It’s all good, usually if anyone is trying to get in, it is loud enough to wake you up, a little nap is good unless Eric comes out, then you’re pretty screwed.” Atora commented.
Adrianna nodded understanding where Atora was coming from. “Go get some shut eye, before he puts you to work again.
Adrianna climbed down and made her way to the house and quietly to the room through the empty living area. Karlin was still sleeping and Adrianna was happy to be able to get some sleep. She closed her eyes as soon as she laid own and fell fast asleep.
She woke to arguing coming from outside the room. She sat up and listened and slid closer to the door. She heard Eric’s voice tell someone that they knew better than to disobey him and then crying. Adrianna stood placing her hand on the door knob trying to decide on if she wanted to interfere. She heard footsteps coming down the hall and moved away from the door over to the window and looked out. She saw everyone outside working; they were working on different parts of the fences, Willy was under a hood working on a truck. Alex stood down below with Nate building a cover around the garden. Barker and Eric now stood across from them with a homemade bow and arrow looking as though they were both learning to shoot. Eric had the string wrapped around his hand appearing to be tangled in it. Everyone seemed to have something to do, she knew that she needed to pull her weight around there or she would be kicked out.
She headed outside and made her way to Eric and Barker.
“What can I help with?” She asked.
Eric shot his head around to her and looked over at Alex and Nate.
“Over there.” He shot his head to the side.
Adrianna entered the small greenhouse that was half built. Karlin held up one end and Alex the other, Nate stood holding up the middle with one hand and trying to connect pipes together with the other. Adrianna ran to him and tried to hold up the top where Nate stood, but was a little too short. Alex laughed while he walked his hands across the top of the material he was holding to the middle.
“Go take the back.” Alex laughed.
With the middle put together, Alex and Nate made their way to each end and fit the pipes together.
“Okay, let go.” Nate told the girls.
The two let go and the new structure stayed standing.
“Success!” Nate shouted.
Alex showed Adrianna and Karlin how to secure the sides to the ground with stakes and Nate worked on the door.
“It is going to start freezing soon, and we have to get this done to save all of our plants through the winter.” Nate explained why they were building the greenhouse.
Karlin began arranging some of the potted plants and Adrianna worked with Alex securing all of the sides.
“Did you have family?” Alex asked Adrianna.
“I did, but we all got split up and I couldn’t find them, I was hoping they would head the same way and I would run into them, but no such luck. You?”
“I did, I was only able to save one of my sons who recently passed, I’m pretty sure because of Eric.” Alex explained.
“What do you mean?” Adrianna asked.
“Long story. All we can do is keep moving forward. I’m glad you’re safe.” Alex admitted.
Adrianna smiled at Alex and turned her attention back to putting stakes in the ground.
“Five o’clock!” Thomas stuck his head in the finished greenhouse.
The four gathered their tools and headed to the barn. They all worked together to put everything back where it went to keep things organized and then made their way to the house.
Eric waited for them all to gather in the living room except for Willy, who took watch at the tower.
“I wanted to let everyone know that tomorrow morning I will be heading out to see if I can find a tire shop. The truck and van both need tires and I am sure that the car is needing tires. We need to keep the few running vehicles we have in tip top shape. I will be taking the kids with me. Karlin, Barker and Linda will come with me tomorrow. We will be back tomorrow afternoon, hopefully.” Eric explained.
The group quietly looked at each other with worry in their eyes. Rue stood behind Eric propped against the side of the wall that led into the kitchen. She shot her hand up to her mouth to prevent her from saying anything. Again tears filled her eyes.
Nate peered around Eric to see the surprise on Rue’s face.
“Do you think that is such a good idea? Shouldn’t one of us other adults go as well?” Alex asked.
“I didn’t ask for opinions.” Eric exclaimed.
Eric moved to the edge of the hallway and turned back. “You three be ready to go early.” He informed.
The group watched him go before looking at each other and the kids that were to be going.
Not much had been heard from Linda and Barker throughout this whole time from anyone. Rue had them keep to themselves and stay with her all of the time. Barker was only seven and looked even younger with his small build. His sweet brown eyes and dimples made him look like he was the sweetest thing ever. He looked very concerned with the situation and huddled up to his older sister. Linda was a whole head taller than he was and wrapped her arm around him. She had a cute bobbed haircut that made her look a little sassy and big eyes that made you notice the beauty she held. Her attitude matched her sassy haircut. The group would always notice her waiting for her food with a bit of impatience as she placed her hand on her hip and tapped her foot.
“Mom we will be fine.” Linda peered up at her mom.
Rue looked worried about her children and not happy about them leaving her side.
“Karlin, you okay with this?” Atora asked.
“Maybe I can convince Eric to let me go?” Adrianna questioned.
“No, don’t. It will probably make things worse. I will be fine. I just want to get it over with and get back.” Karlin stated with a bit of resentment.
Everyone went their separate ways to bed, all with worry about the upcoming trip.
Everyone woke early to see them off. Atora and Alex gave Karlin a good knife and a pistol. Alex showed her how to load it and gave her extra ammo to keep in her pockets.
Linda and Barker waited at the front door with Rue holding each of their shoulders.
Eric was up earlier than everyone and was already pulling the van around and came into the house.
“Let’s head out. Y’all will have some great learning experiences today.” He told the three he had decide to take.
“Eric, please.”
“They will be fine Rue. You are going to have to let them off the tit at some point.” Eric spat at her.
Rue’s face turned red at his comment and she ran down the hallway. Nate led his three helpers out of the front door. The group watched the oldest children of the group load into the van. Nate ran after Rue.
He slowed his pace when he caught the sound of Rue sobbing. He listened at the door for a moment before he knocked lightly.
“Rue!” He pushed the door open a little and peered into the room.
Rue wiped her face. “Come on in.” She cried.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
“Not really, but I will be when my kids get home.” She admitted.
The group tried to go on about their day by taking care of things on the ‘home front’ but keeping the kids in their thought.
Eric drove down the long road and into the small town. The tire shop was in the middle of Main Street. Eric pulled into the parking lot and stopped the van.
“Okay, everyone look around and see if you can see anything or anyone.” Eric urged.
“Tires, I see stupid tires.” Linda belted from the back of the van.
“Watch the tone Linda!” Eric spat.
“There are three walking away from us and one walking on the street towards us.” Karlin quickly replied.
Eric scanned the area and lo
oked for what Karlin had pointed out.
He pulled up closer to the tire shop and put it in park. He turned to Linda and Barker in the back. “You two are going to get out and take a look through that door and see if there is anyone in there. Karlin, keep watch that nothing is coming from the back.”
Linda and Barker looked at Eric with fear in their eyes.
“GO NOW!” He shouted making them jump.
Linda and Barker moved from their seats and Linda slid the door back. Barker hopped out behind her and both looked to their right and then to their goal of the door. The two tip toed to the door and looked through the glass. Linda turned back to the van and shook her head, letting Eric know that they could not see anything. Eric opened his door and walked behind them and looked in and waved for Karlin to come with.
Karlin jumped from the van, shut the side door as well as hers as quietly as she could and joined them. Eric pushed open the door to a small office and allowed the other three to go first. He closed the door and looked around. A small desk sat to the left with a door to the right. He could see through the small window in the door that it led to a shop with tools and tires scattered about.
“Through here.” He whispered, pushing open the door.
Karlin walked through first and Linda and Barker behind her and Eric behind them. Karlin stopped mid stride when she heard a growl to her left. She slowly turned and saw a man lying behind a pile of scattered tires. He was trying to crawl over them, but would fall with any headway he made. Eric squeezed past them and headed to the man. He pulled a knife from his holster on his hip and took the man out with one thrust to his head. Karlin began to walk forward, she could feel Linda hanging on to her belt loop and Barker stayed ducked behind them both.
“We are here for tires, everyone spread out and look for tires that we can use while I get the machine to take back with us.” Eric demanded.
Karlin began to look for the size of tires that Eric had given and led the other two to a pile to do the same. They all began pulling tires and making stacks of the ones they could use. Eric heaved the machine up onto a dolly and rolled it to the front of the shop. He unlatched the roll up door and began to pull it up. A man’s hand slipped underneath the door and grabbed Eric’s jeans as the door rolled up. Eric let go of the dolly and smacked the man’s hand away from him. He tried to reach for the door, but it had already rolled up and he was unable to reach the rope that was to pull it down with. The man fell forward from his knees as the door cleared him. Eric held the man away from him with his foot as he looked for something to grab. Karlin grabbed a tire iron and ran to Eric, she swung at the man and hit him hard in the head and reared back and hit him again and again, until his head was splattered over the concrete. Eric grabbed her arm as she went to swing again.
“You have done enough, go get tires and take to the van.” He told her.
With Eric being gone, everyone was a bit at ease back at the land. The group sat in the living area laughing and joking about stories from each of them about their families. One of them would still keep watch from the tower for a few hours and then would be relieved by someone else to be able to join in the fun.
Rue stayed in the back room as she had the whole time they had been there. Nate broke away from the crowd and knocked lightly on the door.
“Come in.” The quivering voice responded.
Nate poked his head in and saw her sitting cross legged on the corner of the bed with Rowan laid across her lap and nestled into her breast.
“Just wanted to check on you.” Nate stated as he squeezed the rest of his body through the door and closed it behind him.
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“They will be back soon, I am sure.”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
Rowena released her suction and Rue covered her breast back up and stood and put Rowena into her small self-made play pen. Nate watched her float across the room. Her long legs held up her hourglass torso and all of it swayed together in harmony. Rue turned and pushed her black “cat-eyed” glasses back up and flung her long black hair back behind her.
“I like you Rue, and I hate to see you hurting because Eric took the kids. I’m sorry.” Nate admitted.
“It’s fine, I am used to it.” She replied.
“How long have you been with Eric through the apocalypse?”
“Since the beginning and before.”
Nate’s eyes widened at her as he tried to put it all together.
“You mean y’all are together?”
Rue turned away from Nate. “Not anyone’s business.”
Nate nodded at her and watched her from behind and walked over to her; he put his hand on her shoulder. “You are too beautiful of a woman to be treated that way. He is an awful man.”
“He isn’t! You don’t know him. He saved me and all of the kids, and all of you! Be thankful for what he has done, and maybe you wouldn’t see him as so shitty!” Rue turned and backed him against the door.
Nate tried to pull his head away from her anger and then stepped to the side.
“I wasn’t being an ass Rue, I was trying to be nice.” Nate told her.
“Well, don’t!” Rue opened the door.
***
Karlin dropped the tire iron at Eric’s feet and began to gather tires, she handed a tire to Barker and one to Linda and grabbed two herself and headed to the van. Eric picked up the tire iron and had already laid down the very back seats and loaded the tire machine to change them by the time they got the tires to him, he began to load the tires that the kids had brought to him. The three turned and went back to get more tires and bring to the van. Once loaded, Eric climbed into the driver’s side and the three kids climbed in as well.
“This was a successful trip, no one’s life was taken. You three have to learn that this is not an easy life. Linda, you are going to start doing more at home and Barker, you will start helping more.” He explained.
Linda, Barker, and Karlin stayed quiet during the ride home. Once at the gate, Willy made his way down from the tower and opened the gate enough for the van to pull in. Willy was happy to see three little heads through the windows.
The sun was just starting to go down, it blinded Eric as it bounced off the tan tin gate. He slowly pulled through, unable to see and stopped when he thought he was through. He could hear Willy outside the van hollering something, but could not make it out. Suddenly a bang from the back of the van echoed and all three of the kids jumped. Eric turned and a bloodied man had slammed himself against the back van window. Eric could see more heading for the gate and saw that he was not far enough through for Willy to close it.
Eric put the gear shift in drive and pulled further up and popped it back in park and pushed open his door.
“GET OUT AND HELP!” Eric hollered at the kids.
Eric could see Willy securing the gate with one hand and trying to push off zombies with the other. Eric had caused part of a horde to come through on to the property and the other part stood outside the gate and pushed hard against the gate while Willy tried to secure the pipes against it.
“They are back and there are zombies!” Thomas hollered throughout the house.
Atora, Thomas, Alex, Andrew, and Adrianna ran through the front door and headed to the gate. Nate and Rue soon followed. Karlin, Barker and Linda were just exiting the van through the sliding door when a woman pushed the three of them back into the van. Karlin kicked her away and covered Barker and Linda with an arm. Eric was at the gate stabbing them one by one as they tried to get to Willy. Finally, Willy was able to secure the gate, he turned and began to help Eric by stabbing one in the top of the head. Karlin reached with her other arm to grab the knife from her hip. She kicked the woman in the face again and was finally able to grasp the knife she had been searching for. She brought it up as the woman came for them again and lunged the blade into the woman’s shoulder missing her head. She came down with her mouth and placed it on Linda’s leg; Karlin kicked again and knocke
d the woman backwards once more as she readied herself to kill. The woman came forward and an arm came from out of nowhere and grabbed the woman and stabbed her in the head.
Thomas stuck his head inside the van and held out his hand.
“Y’all okay?” He asked.
“I think so.” Karlin said sitting up.
“Stay here!” Thomas stated before sliding the door shut and running off.
Karlin turned to the smaller ones that she had tried to protect and lifted herself off of them. She placed her hand on the floor of the van to push off and brought it back up covered in blood. She scanned Barker and then Linda and made it to the blood that poured from her leg.
“Oh no!” Karlin stated.
Tears streamed down Linda’s sweet round face. “I tried to move my leg, but Barker was lying on me and you were on him.”
Karlin looked for anyone that could help, but they were all fighting the mass of zombies that had made it through the gate, including Rue; who did not look like she was doing much but pushing them away since she had no weapon. Karlin grabbed the tire iron that Eric had thrown into the back, slid the door open and jumped out of the van. She ran to Rue and swung at one that was coming right for her from behind and took its head off with one swing. The fight continued on and Karlin killed every one of them that came close to her. She refused to let any of them pass her and make it to the van.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE FIGHT was over. Rue had held Karlin close after she had saved her and Nate had fought off any of them that were near Rue and Karlin afterwards. The rest turned three sixties to make sure that there were none that they had left. More were banging from the outside of the gate, but the gate seemed to be secure enough to hold them. Andrew was at the gate, making sure that the poles were secured into the ground well enough to hold.
“Linda…you need to check on Linda.” Karlin told Rue through her gasps for air.
Rue jumped up and ran to the van while Karlin caught her feet and stumbled the same way. She peered into the door to see why Karlin had suggested she check on her.
Barker was holding Linda’s head in his lap and tears fell off of his cheeks. Linda was still and blood still ran from her leg. Her pain drawn up from the pain.
