“I can’t hit it with the front of the Jeep. We can’t afford being stranded out here without a vehicle.” Damon was referring to zombie that shuffled towards them. It tittered under the dark street lights facing the opposite direction as the Jeep. The thing staggered around in a circle. Its milky eyes locked onto Damon. He could tell that the zombie was once a beautiful little girl. She didn’t look like she was far past the transition. Her skin had a grayish hue and her hair was dingy and dirt covered. She was not hideous like the others. If it weren’t for the blood oozing down her small chin and milky unfocused eyes, Damon would have thought she was just sick. Why didn’t she look like the others? How long ago was she bitten? Damon’s heart broke at the thought that if maybe they would have found her sooner then she would not have been a zombie. Maybe they could have saved her. She was still in her PJ’s. Damon thought for a split second that maybe she just needed help. He knew it was irrational, but he could not help himself.
Riley interrupted his internal ramblings. “Well if you can’t run it over, then shoot it.” His voice was stern and unforgiving. “I…It’s just a little girl.” Damon stuttered. Why was it so hard? He questioned silently. I’ve killed young zombies before. I’ve killed…
“Just shoot it.” Damon took his pistol in his left hand, rolled down the window. The zombie staggered in their direction, slowly closing the distance. He pointed the gun out of the window aimed at the zombie’s little forehead. His index finger hesitated over the trigger. The steel was cool in his sweating hand.
“Shoot it!” Riley urged.
Beads of sweat rolled off his forehead. He hand quivered ever so slightly. “I can’t. Not since my…my son. I can’t.” Riley had already rolled down his window and faster than Damon had time to protest he aimed his M16 and squeezed the trigger. The shot echoed off the close buildings. The little girl’s form crumpled to the cobblestone. Riley leaned back in the window. “You gotta be able to pull the trigger, man.”
“I know. I know.” Damon was red faced.
“They aren’t people anymore.” “I know!” Damon snapped. Then he composed himself. He inhaled deeply. “I just wish there was some way that we could have saved her. She didn’t look like she’d been bitten that long ago. I don’t know what came over me.” Both Damon and Riley sighed. Chloe had watched the scene from the back and bowed her head when the little zombie was shot. She whispered a little prayer because someone needed to.
The marine slapped his skinny knee. “I just need to know that you got my back. You can’t hesitate.” Damon brushed his thick hand through his shaggy mane then smacked the steering wheel. “I got your back.” He finally whispered. He pressed on the gas making sure to maneuver around the little zombie. The Jeep’s brakes squeaked as it rolled to a stop in front of Sergeant’s Station. The only two gas pumps were surrounded by a sea of cars, their owners’ long dead or worse…shambling about the town. “Can you see any?” Damon leaned over the steering wheel to get a closer look. “I don’t think we are getting in there, so I guess we are gonna have to walk.”
Riley shook his head. “I don’t see any, so I suggest we get movin’.” He did a quick scan then rolled down the window. The marine wiggled his long frame out of the rectangular hole and sat on the door, leaving his legs inside for balance. After a minute he pointed at a couple of vehicles next to the pumps. One was a brand new sparkling blue Ford 150, and the other was gold Dodge Caravan. “That truck and van have gas cans in them. If those are full then that’s less work for us. Maybe we can find some other ones then see if the pumps are still on.” He glanced at all the cars. “Or see if there is any gas left.”
“Sounds like a plan. Still no zombies?” The marine acted as a periscope. “Nope. The coast’s clear.” He worked the rest of his body out of the Jeep. “As far I can tell anyway…”
Damon popped the door opened shaking his head. “You know you can open the door like a normal person.”
The marine flashed a wide smile. “Where’s the fun in that?” He gave Chloe a wink. Damon crossed the front of the vehicle. Through the passenger window he looked at Chloe, who crinkled her forehead at him. She did not give him a chance to speak. “Yeah, Yeah….I know. Wait in the car.” She added her new teenage attitude at the end.
Damon gave a quick nod. “Shout if you see anything.” “Got it,” tossing her attitude out the window at Damon. Even though she was not allowed out of the car, and she was mad at Damon, she still backed up against the Jeep door facing away from the guys. She was able to see out the trunk, windshield and driver’s side windows.
Chapter 5r 5
Damon weaved between the lines of cars keeping his hand firmly on his pistol. He decided to leave the shotgun in the Jeep. Riley held his rifle at his shoulder ready to blow any zombie away. The two approached the gold van that was parked closet to them. Its trunk hatch was open and two gas cans were thrown in the back. The smell of gas filled their noses along with the smell of death. Riley held up his left hand and Damon froze. He watched as the marine moved alongside the van to the open passenger door. The body of woman was slumped back against the cloth seat. Her throat had been torn at the base of the chin down to the collarbones. The smell was horrific, but he was used to the smell of death. Riley whistled like a bird half expecting the body to lunge at him. When it did not, he kicked the lifeless leg that hung out the door. Nothing.
“Everything good?” Damon whispered.
“Yeah. This one’s long dead.” He moved back to Damon. “I’ll get these, you check the truck.” Damon took a can in each hand after placing his pistol in his belt. “Just cover me.” Thankfully both were full. The gas sloshed inside the cans as Damon handled the weight. He motioned for Chloe to pop the hatch, and he tossed the gas cans in.
They worked their way through the tangle of cars and trucks looking for more cans and any other supplies. Riley grabbed the cans from the blue F150; one was empty the other full. He put the full one in the Jeep, and then dropped the empty one by the pumps. Damon found a full can in the back of a black truck that reminded him of his old Silverado that was stuck in a wall somewhere. After putting the can in the Jeep he went off to look for more. He looked up from the trunk of a Toyota and saw Riley rummaging through duffels bags that were in the back of a small white BMW. He had a couple of shirts thrown over his shoulder. “Riley what are you doing?”
The marine looked up. His eyebrow cocked at a high angle. He had some new shades stuck in his blond hair. “What?”
“Going through these peoples’ stuff.”
“They don’t need this shit anymore. They’re dead…or zombies. ”
“It just doesn’t’ feel right.” Riley walked back to the Jeep with more stuff in his hands. He opened the back door where Chloe was sitting. Her eyes were on his new treasures. “This is the world we live in today, man. We need this stuff. Plus why should we live with the same old shit? No, that’s not how I’m gonna live.”
“Oooo….anything for me?” Chloe clapped her hands.
The mechanic sucked in a breath. “I guess you’re right.”
“I’m also tired of wearing your brother’s clothes. I’m sure Chloe’s tired of it too.” The marine shut the door to the Jeep. Both went through the rest of the cars. They found a few more empty gas cans, which they put next to the others by the pump. They carried back to the Jeep: more clothes, some canned goods, razors, a pistol and an iPod (plus charger). When they finished with the vehicles outside they moved in front of the gas station doors. “Ready?” The marine asked from behind his rifle. It was back in killing position. Riley looked at Damon and then nodded. Damon opened the metal door with one hand and held his pistol in the other. Damon was thankful that it was day time because the sunlight illuminated most of the interior. Moving as one, they traveled down each aisle clearing the place from zombies. Bodies were sprawled out on the filth covered floor. They checked each body. The hair on Damon’s arms stood on end. His body’s warning sign that zombies were around. The on
ly thing he heard was the sound of glass crunching under their feet. There was something else.
The two whipped around in unison ready to take down the zombie. “Hey it’s me.” Chloe whispered from the doorway with her hands in the air so they could see her better.
“Damnit Chloe!” Damon dropped his pistol. “I coulda shot you. What’d I say about free thinking?” She was already walking around the counter. “Sorry. I know you told me to stay, but I just couldn’t stay in the Jeep while you guys had all the fun.”
“Fun!” Damon forgot to whisper. “You think this is a game? We’re having fun?” He felt his temper flare. Chloe held up a hand of truce. “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean fun. I just wanted to help. I know this isn’t a game.” She found what she was looking for and came out from behind the counter with plastic bags on her wrists like bracelets. “How were you guys planning on getting the supplies back to the Jeep when you’re both carrying guns?”
Damon cooled down. “Damnit. Just stay close.” He ignored the duh that came out of the teenager’s mouth. Chloe trotted down the aisle. She wrinkled her nose at the smell coming from the rotting piles. She grabbed the rest of the beef jerky off an end cap on the way. She met up with them at the candy aisle. She filled one bag entirely with candy. Leaving the shelf empty they moved on to the next set of shelves. In front of them were rows lined with bags of chips. She filled the rest of the bags with a variety of chips and pretzels. She looked up at Damon. “What? It’s not like we’re at Walmart.”
They moved through the gas station clearing out the rest of the junk food. Damon went over to the coolers and found only one pack of water left. He held it under his left arm. Chloe held her arms away from her body as she moved over to the counter to get more bags. Riley went behind the counter with her. “Throw a couple of these babies in that bag.” He put a bottle of Captain Morgan and two bottles of Jack Daniels on the counter. “That’s for later.”
“Will you let me taste them when we get back?” The bottles clinked together when she put them in the white plastic bag. The teenager looked at Riley with green puppy dog eyes.
The marine shrugged. “I don’t see why not.” He winked. “Just don’t tell Damon…He’ll kill me.”
“Yay!” She would have clapped, but her hands were too full. “I think we need to go back to the Jeep. I can’t hold much more.” The marine nodded and whistled for Damon who was checking out a magazine rack on the other side of the station. He rolled up an issue of Off Road and stuck it in his back pocket. He grabbed a couple more magazines and put them under his arm on top of the pack of water. Riley and Chloe were waiting at the door. Damon tossed the magazines in with the alcohol. The three weaved back through the cars to their ride when Damon heard a spinetingling moan. He pushed Chloe in the Jeep with the bags and tossed the water beside her. He heard Riley pop off a round, and he turned to see where the marine was shooting. He saw a zombie slumped over the trunk of a yellow Camry. Now red and black blood oozed down the bumper. “Time to go.” Damon made his way around the Jeep with his pistol drawn.
“Damon, look out!” Chloe yelled from inside the Jeep. Too late. The dead form of a former business woman threw herself at him with teeth flashing. Her skin was gray and clung to her bones in clumps. She had a gaping hole in the right side of the abdomen revealing miles of intestines. Something had torn through her expensive suit and blouse to get to the meat inside. Damon was able to raise his pistol in time to fire. His aim was off, hitting the zombie in the neck. With a sickening splat, gray flesh smattered the Jeep. Damon heard a horrible sucking noise from the zombie. He must have hit the windpipe. The zombie did not waver. Damon jumped back tripping over something on the ground and fell back, his head cracked against the cement. Before the zombie could spring onto him, her head was littered with red holes. The thing fell between the cars with a thud.
Riley stood over him. “You gotta be quick on your feet, bro.” He extended his left hand. “You’re no good to us dead.” “Thanks. That one didn’t make a sound.” He ground his molars together. He was pissed that the marine had to save him again. He made sure the zombie was dead before walking over its body. Riley and Damon both got into the Jeep. “Let’s get out of here before more show up.”
“Agreed. If some were close then they heard the shots.”
“You okay, Damon? You didn’t get bit did you?” Chloe asked from the back seat as Damon put the Jeep in drive. “I’m good, but now my freaking head is killing me.” He looked over to Riley. “You still want to try for more? Or are we done for the day?”
He looked at Chloe in the rearview. “Do we have any more room?”
“If I move some stuff around. Yeah.” She began stacking the supplies on the floor and in the seat neatly.
“Good.” He gave the marine a slide glance and a smile. “Where to next? And preferably somewhere with Tylenol.”
Chapter 6
Riley led them away from the gas station down the cobblestone road. They took a left at the restaurant where Damon and Chloe hid, and next to where they found the Volkswagen. After taking the corner, the marine pointed to the right. “Take this turn here, and we should be right in front of it.” Damon turned the wheel and steered the Jeep around another burned out building and the vacant cars that littered the streets. At least a few rainstorms had washed most of the blood away. All that was left were the cars and bodies. Damon looked up to find himself in front of a Stop and Shop. The red and orange brick building was much like it had been before the outbreak. Brightly colored posters hung in the frosted glass windows advertising the store’s weekly specials. “Ooooo….bread’s on sale for eighty-nine cents…and a gallon of milk for a buck ninetynine.” Riley joked.
Damon snorted followed by Chloe’s drawn out eewwwwww. “You are more than welcome to be the taste tester.” He let the Jeep roll by the glass doors to check for movement. Riley stuck his tongue out with a pinched face like he ate something sour…or drank rotten milk. The Jeep rocked as Damon shifted to park. “Place looks pretty much clear, but I can’t really tell ‘cuz of the glass.”
He heard the back door pop open and turned to look at Chloe. “I know…I know…I’ll wait in the Jeep.” She shut the door and slumped back in the cloth seat. The teenager pinched her nose with her slender fingers. “But hurry up because the smell is killing me.” The gas fumes were starting to fill the inside of the Jeep. “I think I might actually throw up.” She gagged.
Damon and Riley moved cautiously up to the door. The marine held up his hand to the glass then put his face close peering into the mart. The interior was messy enough to give Martha Stewart a heart attack. Carts and bodies littered the floor. Some bodies lay in dark pools of coagulated blood. Most of the shelves looked empty, and Damon had a suspicion of why. The people of Vail must have panicked when the virus struck. Hell everyone everywhere was in a panic. They probably flooded the store taking everything they could, but they were too late. Full carts were motionless by the trunks of owners long gone. The only thing clear was the checkout lanes. When the crisis happened people forgot about law and order…and how to pay. It’s funny how the human mind works when shit hits the fan.
“Hey Damon.” Riley snapped his long fingers in front of Damon’s thick nose. “You ready for this? You’ve been staring like you are trying to set this place on fire with your mind. Chances are there are going to be some dead motherfuckers in there.”
Damon shook his head and quick checked to see if the Jeep was still clear behind them. He shut out the thoughts of leaving Chloe alone. His feelings to protect the teenager were making him feel like a father to her. He shook his head again. “Yeah, I’m good. Let’s go.” He hesitated for one more moment. “Wait.” He jogged down the side of the building to the cart rack. Damon came back with a metal cart that had a bad wheel. The wheels crunched over the debris in front of the door.
“Okay wifey, after you.” Riley flashed a smile and opened the glass door with his hip. “Shut up before I ram this cart up you
r ass.” Damon didn’t bother commenting on the fact that he was enjoying himself too much. He pushed the cart passed the threshold making sure to run over the marine’s big toe. He smirked when Riley winced. The door scratched across the debris when it closed behind them. Damon led the way through the checkouts and to the right. He decided that they would start at the beginning of the store and work their way through clearing it of zombies while they look for supplies. Riley, with rifle at the ready, followed his companion through the dim grocery store. They scrunched their noses in hopes to ward off the smell emanating from the not so fresh food section. Damon could not determine what smelled worse the decaying vegetables or the rancid meat. They passed a large white freezer filled with what use to be pork products. It was definitely meat, but absolutely not edible. He could have sworn he saw green vapors seeping from the pile. “We gotta get away from this shit or I’m gonna puke.” The cart rattled over the slick tile as he moved faster.
“Agreed. Hopefully we can find something that is actually edible.” The marine followed Damon around to the next aisle. They were in the bread section, but the barren shelves had little left, and what was there had well passed expiration. Three motionless bodies lay in heaps between the metal shelves. Both men froze. Riley gave Damon a quick nod and the two moved slowly towards the bodies leaving the cart behind. Just before they reached the bodies Riley held up his left hand and stopped. Damon stilled. They stood waiting for the bodies to move but were left waiting. Riley kicked the bodies, the old trusty zombie detector. “Dead.”
They continued down the aisle passing over the bodies. Damon looked down to see that the three bodies each had a single gunshot wound in the forehead. He cringed to think that Riley was involved in the killing of innocent people. He shook the thought out of his head. The next aisle was empty and so was the next one after that. They were half way through the coffee section when they heard something scrapping on the tile floor in the next aisle. Both men froze. Riley shifted the rifle at his shoulder ready to take down whatever was on the other side of the white shelf. Damon ignored his goose bumps as he listened to the sound. Whatever it was, the thing was moving to the end of the aisle. Click...Reeck…Click…Reeck. Damon squeezed his pistol in his right hand. When the thing finally rounded the corner the two were staring at a zombie dressed in a red ski suit. The thing was dragging a metal ski pole behind it, unable to let go of it in death. Damon raised his pistol but felt Riley’s hand on his shoulder. Mentally Riley told him to let him take care of it. Damon nodded but didn’t lower his pistol. The marine was right. The zombie’s face was distorted by black ski goggles but flashed bloody teeth at the two. It growled as it launched itself down the aisle. Its stiff legs moved awkwardly on the slick tile, almost like it was doing a full body dry heave. Riley grinned malevolently as he squeezed the trigger of his M16. A shot rang out, echoing the empty store. THUK. The zombie collapsed in a heap just like the other bodies had done. So deadly.
Zombie Revolution Page 11
