by Sean Kidd
I went outside and opened the jeep hatchback, amazed by the amount of ammo. The cargo area of the jeep was lined with green ammo boxes each one labeled in yellow stencil with the corresponding caliber. The backseat had some rifles, but not as many as I had expected. There were a few hunting rifles and a shotgun.
“Great job with the ammo, but where are all the guns?”
“Sorry, hoss. Those things were locked up tighter than a cucumber in a woman’s prison.”
I didn’t have time to laugh. Well, maybe I did a little. “Here comes Luther,” I said hearing a squeaky cart racing up from behind me, “you guys load the supplies up, I’m gonna head back and grab the last two carts of food.”
“I don’t think there’s gonna be enough room, hoss.”
“Pack it in as tight as you can. If it doesn’t fit, then I guess Luther will have to ride on the roof.”
I left Luther and Cowboy to load up the carts. We needed to get out of here before our luck ran out. I turned the corner and the last two carts were in sight just as I had left them.
I reached for the first cart when I felt something twisting the top of my ear.
“Ouch!” I screamed.
Whatever had my ear, pulled so hard it spun me around, taking my feet out from under me, putting me on my ass. I landed hard enough to roll backwards slamming my head off the second cart.
“Double ouch!”
My luck had run out. Above me, a dead woman was toppling onto me. I reached for my Glock, but I couldn’t get it out of the holster fast enough. I raised my arm up, trying to protect my face, but she still tried to take a bite out of my wrist. Using my other arm, I latched onto her neck and tried pushing her mouth away. She was relentless, she kept coming toward me, and I was having a tough time holding her off. If I got out of this I’d have to start doing some push-ups. Pushing zombies off my body was becoming a habit.
I screamed for help and prayed the boys weren’t too far away to hear me because this zombie girl was kicking my ass. No matter what I tried I couldn’t get a free hand to grab my weapon.
Less than a minute passed and my arms were already giving out. I screamed as loud as I could, but no one came. Beads of sweat were rolling off my forehead, stinging my eyes. The hypnotic blue swirling eyes took away the fear and gave me a sense of peace. I looked deep into her beautiful eyes as she neared for the bite. I had nothing left and felt my weakened body giving up the fight. Her nose pushed against my chin and her vile breath nauseated me. It wouldn’t be long now. I waited for the pain of the bite, but instead, I felt the weight of her body disappear. Cowboy picked the attacking zombie up and threw her a few feet down the aisle. He stood looking bewildered and asked, “Are you going to lie there all day, or are you going to get up and give me a hand?”
The zombie was back on her feet now and charging toward us. I yanked the SOG tomahawk out of my belt loop and tossed it up to Cowboy, “I forgot to give this back to you,” I said as it flew through the air.
In one swift motion, Cowboy caught the tomahawk and swung it, striking her on the bridge of her nose. She fell dead between us with the tomahawk protruding from her face.
Cowboy bent over and yanked the SOG out of the zombie’s face, black ooze dripped from the cutting edge, “Thanks, hoss. I forgot I had given that to you. Are you okay? That looked too close for comfort. Did she bite you?”
I ran my hands across my chin, shoulder, and chest, “I think I’m okay. I don’t feel anything,” I lifted my head, “do you see anything on my neck?” Cowboy did a quick once over, “Nope, it looks like she didn’t even leave a scratch, you lucky son of a bitch.”
Cowboy was right; I was lucky. How many times could a person almost die in one day? I wasn’t sure the answer, but I was damn sure I would not let it happen again. It was time to get out of Plattsburgh.
Cowboy grabbed the last cart and took off running, “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
CHAPTER 10
Destiny and Bunker prepared to head off in search of the national guardswoman’s weapon while Daniels gave the plan to his partner.
“Coop, you’re on guard. You watch Kaden and Cecilia while we go find the guns. If we’re not back in a few hours, it’s safe for you to assume, we’re dead, and you guys are on your own.”
Cecilia pulled a ribbon from her hair and gave it to Daniels, “It’s for good luck,” she said.
Daniels admired the pink ribbon for a second and placed it in his shirt pocket, “Thank you, Cecilia. We’re gonna need all the luck we can get.”
“You know you don’t have to call me Cecilia all the time, you can call me Ceci. It’s pronounced, See-See. It’s what the rest of my family calls me.”
Daniels smiled and looked back at Coop, “Okay, you keep an eye on Kaden and Ceci,” he said, giving her a wink, “we’ll be back in as soon as possible.”
“You can count on me, Corp.”
Daniels moved over to the door and peered through the fist hole, “Okay, it looks clear. Cooper you get the desk back on this door as soon as we leave. Which way are we going, Destiny?”
“Move over and let me take a look there, baby,” Destiny said as she pushed Daniels aside.
“We need to hang a right and head toward Mr. Sutherland’s office. While we’re there, I’ll grab my purse.”
Bunker squinted his eyes at the hooker, “Listen, Destiny. I’m not risking my life so you can grab your make-up bag.”
“Oh, honey. Don’t be such a drag. It’s on the way, and besides I cried all my mascara off. I must look like one of them uptown girls on coke.”
“We’re going to get weapons. We are not stopping for a purse.” Daniels reiterated.
“Someone didn’t get their morning coffee,” Destiny remarked, “well Mr. Grouchy, you’re gonna want to take a right, and then a quick left.”
Daniels peered out through the hole in the door. When he was sure it was clear, he opened it making another quick scan of the hallway.
They traveled down the long corridor, making the right and then a left per Destiny’s instructions. It brought them to the end of a long hall that came to a T.
“Right or left up here, Destiny?” Daniels asked.
“Destiny? What the hell,” Daniels said spinning around looking behind him, “she’s gone. Where the hell did she go, Bunker?”
Bunker spun around in a circle looking, “I don’t know, she was back there a second ago.”
“Bunker, head back. We’ve got to find her. One of those things might have taken her. You check the doors on the right, and I’ll check the left.”
Before they got to the first door, Destiny stepped out of an office, halfway down the hall. She was applying bright red lipstick and had her purse in hand. She stopped walking when she realized both men were staring at her with their mouths wide open.
“Come on, boys. I know I look good but y’all look like you’re trying to catch flies.”
Daniels charged at her, “I thought I said no purse?”
Destiny was not even the least bit intimidated by Daniels’s action. She placed the cap on the lipstick and pulled out her mascara, “I know you did, honey but I said I needed it, and Sugar, no man tells me what to do. So back up, unless you’re pulling your wallet out because I don’t need you all up on me like that.”
Daniels stepped back and took a deep breath, “Maybe, if it’s not too much trouble, ma’am, could you please tell us which way to go next.”
“Honey, you know I can. That’s why I’m here. The Northwest Passage stairs are left and at the end of the hall. You can’t miss ‘em. Would you like me to lead the way?”
Daniels gave her a defeated look, “No, Destiny. I’d just like you to stay in between Bunker and me so we don’t lose you again. Can you please do that for us?”
“For you, Corporal, anything.”
A large heavy wooden fire door was the only thing standing between them and the Northwest Passage stairs. Daniels pulled it open and smelled death coming from beyon
d.
“Let’s take this slow and easy. We don’t know what to expect, and for God’s sake, let’s try to be quiet. Destiny that means you.”
She sneered at the remark.
Daniels led the way, down the first flight of stairs as they traveled in silence. Around the next landing, the dead female soldier lay halfway down the stairs. Her body was twisted and contorted as though it tumbled down the flight of stairs. The fall caused her slung M4 strap to tangle around her arm and neck. There was a small hole in the center of her forehead with a single trickle of dried black blood that came from the void.
“I see her at the bottom of the next flight. You two stay here. I’ll go down and get the rifle.”
Daniels crept to the bottom of the stairs and reached for the M4. He froze when he heard a single metallic click. He peeked down the next flight of stairs where an Army National Guardsman shuffled around. The dead Guardsman was looking away from Daniels. Frozen with fear, Daniels watched in silence, as the zombified soldier inched forward until the stairway exit stopped him. Unable to make forward progress, the guardsman struggled backward bumping the metal handrail with the composite grip of his 9mm Beretta making the metallic sound.
Minutes passed as Daniels watched the repetitive forward, backward routine. After some confidence building, Daniels mustered up the strength to move. He figured his best move was not to disturb the soldier. If he took his time and was quiet enough, he could unstrap the M4 from the dead woman, grab her ammo pouch, and make it out of there unseen.
Bunker watched from the top of the stairs. It was taking too long, and he was getting nervous. He crept down the stairs.
Daniels was already lifting the woman’s arm and pulling out the rifle strap. He untangled it and rested it back on her side. He peered around the corner to check on his Guardsman friend. The metallic click sounded off again. He was in the middle of his routine.
Daniels was still watching him when Destiny’s voiced echoed off the cement walls, “Come on, baby, we ain’t got all day.”
Daniels snapped his head up glaring at Destiny with his index finger over his lips.
The absence of the metallic clink subconsciously told Daniels to look back down at the soldier who was now halfway up the stairs charging toward him. He was fast unlike the other zombies they had run into. Daniels grabbed the M4 and tried to spin it toward the soldier. The strap was still looped around the woman’s neck. Daniels gave the rifle another yank, but couldn’t get the barrel of the rifle to come around. The dead soldier knocked Daniels over backward. Bunker raced down the rest of the stairs, connecting his right boot with the side of the zombie’s head. The surprise attack had little effect on the zombie, but it gave Daniels enough time to get back on his feet. The two men raced up the stairs, but they weren’t fast enough. The zombie was right on Daniels’ heels and got ahold of his ankle. Daniels crashed down onto the stairs whacking his chin off the step. The soldier held firm and yanked him back down. Daniels flipped onto his back and kicked wildly with his free foot while the zombie fought off the attack.
Bunker was still racing up the stairs, unaware Daniels was no longer behind him.
Destiny ran past Bunker as she headed down the flight of stairs.
For a brief second, Bunker thought, “What the hell are you doing?” He turned back in time to see Destiny pulling something from her bag. She raised her arm, and a flash lit up the dim stairwell. The crack of the small caliber gun was deafening as the sound bounced off the narrow walls. The three them of flinched at the piercing noise. The soldier collapsed forward, motionless. “Where the fuck did you get that?” Daniels screamed.
Destiny dropped the Kel-Tec P32 back into her purse next to an assortment of condoms, “Honey, a girl needs protection, all kinds, these days. Besides you should be thanking me. I just saved your life.”
“I guess you’re right. Thank you,” Daniels mustered.
Bunker walked back down the stairs with an apologetic look on his face, “Sorry, Corp. I thought you were right behind me.”
Daniels used his boot to push the corpse’s head off his leg. He stood up wiping the blood off his face, “Don’t worry about it. I don’t even know how he caught me. That thing was fast. Really fast,” Daniels said giving the soldier a light kick to make sure he was dead.
It didn’t move.
He stepped over the body and back down the stairs to the dead woman soldier. He finished untangling the M4 strap from her head and held up the rifle to examine it.
“Do you know how to work that?” Bunker asked.
“Yeah, I’m kind of a gun guy. I’ve got quite the collection locked away at home.”
Bunker smirked, “I bet you wish you had all of them here now.”
“Not all of them. I’m hoping my boys have already raided the room.”
Daniels pulled the magazine from the rifle, saw it was full, and slammed it back in. He pulled the bolt back and let it snap forward chambering a 5.56 round. He slid the strap over his head and went for the side holster. He pulled out the dead soldier’s sidearm. It was a piece of shit Beretta 9mm. It wasn’t a hell of a lot of stopping power, but it was better than nothing.
Daniels checked the magazine and went to work removing the MOLLE vest, which contained the soldiers extra ammo and the rest of the standard issued accoutrement.
Daniels pulled the vest half off the dead woman when he heard the sound of someone racking a rifle behind him. He spun around raising the Beretta. When he stopped, it was pointing at Bunker’s forehead.
Bunker put the rifle down slowly and raised his hands, “I was checking to see if it was loaded.”
Daniels lowered his Beretta, “Sorry, Bunker, I forgot where I was for a minute.”
Bunker pointed at the M4 with one of his raised fingers, “So it’s okay then?”
Daniels paused for a moment, “Can I trust we’re done with the cops and robbers bullshit, and we’re in this mess together…as friends?”
Bunker lowered his massive hands, “I thought we had already decided we were brothers to the end.”
He was right, Daniels regretted his actions, and it was obvious to Bunker, “I’m sorry, pal. I’m still a little edgy from having almost been eaten two minutes ago.”
“Don’t worry about it, Corp,” Bunker said, while giving Daniels a pat on the arm, almost knocking him over.
“If you two start making out, I’m going to shoot both of you.” Destiny said with a smile.
Daniels chuckled and looked at his watch, “We’ve been gone a while, we better get back to the group before they start to worry. We can inventory all this stuff when we get back to the office.”
CHAPTER 11
By the time Cowboy and I got back, Luther had all but one of the shopping carts loaded into the jeep. The last one was filled with an assortment of blankets and clothes, things that would come in handy with the cold weather coming.
“Let’s get that thing loaded,” Cowboy snapped.
Luther shook his head, “Can’t. Jeep’s full.”
“What?” Cowboy said, looking inside the jeep, “There’s still room on the back seat, put it there.”
“I can’t put it there,” Luther said, “that’s where I sit.”
We drove back in silence. A few times a minute, I’d glance at Cowboy. He stared straight ahead like he didn’t have a care in the world. With our current situation, I couldn’t keep silent, “You know, we didn’t need all that stuff?”
“I disagree, hoss. Even if you’re right, it’s better to be safe than to be sorry. We may need those extra blankets and clothes. Leaving them behind could have turned out to be a bad idea.”
“I think Luther would disagree with that,” I smirked.
Cowboy thought about it for a moment, “Well, let me ask him what he thinks.”
Cowboy stuck his head out of the Jeep window and twisted his body toward the roof, “Hey, Luther, you think it was a good idea grabbing the extra supplies?”
I couldn’t hear w
hat Luther’s response was, but I knew he wasn’t very happy a few minutes earlier when Cowboy told him he was riding on the roof.
We took our time getting back to the highway where we were meeting back up with the rest of the group. We had been gone less than an hour; well before the two-hour mark I had given Chevy. Contrary to popular belief, I didn’t want Luther flying off the roof at any speed. I was sure the group would get a kick out of seeing Luther when we pulled in.
I gave Cowboy a smack on his arm to get his attention, and pointed to the group, as we got close, “Watch their faces when we pull in.”
To my surprise, nobody even noticed Luther. They were all on the far side of the wrecked Humvee.
Mom and Sidara were yelling and pointing at something. We started to get nervous and wondered what the hell was going on. I slammed on the brakes and hopped out, forgetting about Luther until he slid down the windshield face first. Cowboy sensed there was something wrong and jumped out with his rifle out and up. It wasn’t until I came around the Humvee I realized they were all laughing. When I saw the reason, I had to smile too. Sage was throwing a ball to a silver haired dog. The thing raced across the median, grabbed the ball, and ran back just as fast. Everyone was cheering and clapping. It was the first time I’d seen the entire group smile.
“What is that, Cowboy? A lab?” I asked.
“I don’t think so, hoss. I think it’s a Weimaraner.”
“Hey, glad you made it,” Chevy called out when he saw us.
“Looks like you guys found a new friend,” I said watching the dog sprint across the grass.
“Yeah, we were packing up the Humvee, and she came out of the woods. She even had her own ball.”
“She?” I asked.
“Yeah, your mom says it’s a girl. We’ve been calling her Charger.”
“Why would you name a girl, Charger?”
“Your mom came up with the idea. She said Charger was sleek and fast, and it reminded her of your dad’s car.”
