Almost pale and panting hard, Kirk turned to Arthur. “I don’t want to drive,” he gasped.
Letting out a chuckle, Arthur reached over and patted Kirk’s chest. “Don’t worry, you can wait on cars for a little while,” Arthur said and could feel the relief wash over Kirk.
Keeping his eyes on the road, Arthur pulled his hand back, gripping the steering wheel as his left dropped down to pat Nicole in the baby sling. Half an hour later, “I see someone,” Pat shouted behind him.
Nicole jumped with a startle, opening her eyes with a grumpy expression. “Shh,” Arthur calmed her as he looked around and saw a figure sitting on a porch. “Are they alive?” Arthur asked, driving past the house.
“He waved,” Pat answered.
“Very good,” Arthur said, looking ahead. “Now we will learn positions. To our front is twelve, our right is three, to our back is six and to the left is nine,” he said, then explained how to call out using the clock face.
“So that guy was at our nine o’clock,” Pat said proudly.
“Yes, he was,” Arthur grinned and saw the retail store ahead. He slowed and coasted off the road, pulling beside the store then easing around the corner and stopping at a large rolling door in the back.
“It’s closed,” Kirk said, looking at the trees behind the store. There was a loading dock with another rolling door in front of them.
“I have a key,” Arthur said, pulling the sling off and putting Nicole in the baby carrier between him and Kirk.
“They have alarms,” Kirk whispered.
“Powers been off for too long,” Arthur said, looking around. “Batteries for alarms are only good for a few days at most.”
“Oh,” Kirk said, not looking away from the trees.
“I’m going to open the door and check the store. Have your radio in your hand. I’m taking Daisy and if you see someone, call me. If they come toward the truck, open the door and let Donald out,” Arthur said, opening his door.
Kirk turned to Arthur and gave a slow nod. “I won’t be more than ten feet away and trust me, Donald will kill anyone that messes with you. He and Daisy love you guys,” Arthur grinned.
All three gave a sigh of relief as Arthur closed the door and walked to the back of the Blazer. Opening the door, “Daisy, out,” Arthur said, grabbing something from the back and then closed the door.
“I’m scared, Kirk,” Jim whispered, watching Arthur walk up to a pedestrian door and holding a box that had a metal bar sticking out from it with a wedge at the end.
“He won’t be far Jim, stop being a baby,” Kirk said looking around.
“He’s breaking in,” Jim gasped in shock, watching Arthur shove the small end of the arm between the door and the frame. “You remember how much trouble we got in when we stole Ms. Sponder’s apples and those just fell on the ground.”
“Arthur is taking care of us. Now, do what he asked,” Kirk commanded.
Jim just nodded as Arthur flipped a switch on the box and they heard a whine. “Whoa,” Jim said, watching the metal arm split into two arms, spreading the door away from the frame. The door gave a ‘tang’ and flew open. When Arthur put the box down, Jim leaned over and saw the two arms spread out with the wedge split in half. “That is cool.”
“Jim, keep watch,” Pat snapped, looking out the back and patting Donald on the head.
Turning around, Jim looked at the trees at the back of the store. To him, they were a long way off but in reality, only fifty yards. In a few minutes, Arthur came back out and picked up the machine and flipped a switch. The two arms closed until they looked like one arm again and then the others noticed the sharp wedge at the tip.
Opening the back, “Donald, out,” Arthur said, putting the machine in the back.
“That is so cool,” Pat said, pointing at the machine.
Shrugging, “I wasn’t always a good boy,” Arthur admitted as Donald jumped out. “I grew up in foster homes and didn’t always hang around the right people.”
Closing the back door, Arthur moved to the driver’s door and opened it up. Gently, he picked up Nicole and slung the sling over his head. Reaching under his seat, Arthur held out flashlights. “Use these because it’s dark inside, but stay with me,” Arthur said as Kirk opened his door and jumped out. “Kirk, close your door easy,” Arthur whispered loudly.
Barely closing his door, Kirk walked around the Blazer as Pat and Jim climbed out. They followed Arthur in and he turned around, pointing at the door. “Donald, guard,” Arthur commanded and Donald turned around, looking out the door.
Arthur led them into the store. “Try not to shine your lights toward the front. We don’t want people to know we are in here,” Arthur told them, walking to the front.
He stopped and read the aisle headers and almost took off running for the baby aisle. Grabbing a small shopping cart as he ran past them, Arthur glanced back to see the boys running after him. Arthur stopped, seeing the small diapers and gave a contented sigh.
“Won’t they fly off the trailer?” Kirk asked.
Reaching over and patting Kirk’s back, “Very good,” Arthur told him, glad the boys were thinking. “Yes, they would, but there are boxes in the back we will put them in.”
They watched Arthur rake the shelf clean of the small diapers, filling the buggy all the way up. “Get us another buggy,” he said, pushing that one to the back of the aisle. The boys ran to the front and came back with three buggies. Arthur filled them up with the bigger sizes and then pushed them down the aisle.
Before he asked, the boys came back pushing three more carts. “Boys, you are getting good,” Arthur said as he started grabbing the baby formula. “Grab all those bottles,” he said and the boys started putting the bottles in one of the carts. Seeing bouncer chairs, Arthur grabbed all four boxes thinking he could leave one in the barn and the others around the house. When the carts were full, they pushed them to the back storeroom.
Then Arthur headed back to the store, walking along the aisles. He stopped and grabbed rolls of tape and then headed back to the storeroom. Finding a stack of broken down cardboard boxes, Arthur showed the boys how to fold them up and tape them.
Setting the first one on the floor, “Start filling it, Kirk,” Arthur said, grabbing another box. Soon, the three boys were filling the boxes with the baby stuff. After he’d made a dozen boxes, Arthur moved over to the rolling door and unlocked it. When he rolled it up slowly, the boys all jumped.
“Need more light,” Arthur told them as he stopped the door, only leaving a seven-foot opening. Grabbing a handcart, Arthur pushed the sling to his side and put the boxes the boys had filled up on the trailer.
When they were done, Arthur had them grab the carts and head back to the baby aisle. Not seeing anything else he really needed, Arthur turned to the boys. “Next aisle is toys, you can take what will fit in your packs.”
The boys took off, not caring at that moment if Arthur came or not.
He grinned and then stepped over as the boys were stuffing toys in their packs. “Boys, I’m heading to the front to see if anyone is about,” Arthur said.
“We have our radios,” Kirk said, shoving a small car in his pack.
Grinning at the excitement of the boys, Arthur spun around and headed to the front of the store where he’d be able to see the gas station across the road. Before he had reached the front, he dropped down as a car drove past heading toward town. “I swear that was the car in front of that house that man was sitting at,” he mumbled, feeling his pulse quicken.
Glancing at his watch, Arthur relaxed to see they had been in the store for well over an hour. “They weren’t after us,” he concluded, moving to the side of the large window. He glanced to the south where Clarksville was and saw a few columns of smoke rising in the air.
He was guessing they were on the far side of town near the electric company. In the distance, he heard a pop and knew that was gunfire. “Had to come,” he mumbled, patting Nicole and glanced down and saw her sucki
ng her pacifier and looking up at him.
“Got you some diapers, but we will make you some better clothes; these are cheap,” he smiled at her and Nicole smiled under her pacifier. Lifting his head up, Arthur cocked his ear toward the glass when he heard a hum. Moving to the sliding doors, Arthur reached up to flip the lock and release of the electric motor.
He pushed the doors open about an inch, and then stepped back to the side. He cocked his head, hearing the hum was a steady buzz. “We’re ready,” Kirk said, coming up behind him and Arthur held up his hand and Kirk stopped talking.
“You hear that?” Arthur whispered.
“Yeah, sounds like a lawnmower,” Kirk answered and his brothers nodded.
The boys moved behind Arthur as he stared outside and the buzz continued getting louder. Then they saw a small go-kart coming down the road rather fast. Arthur watched as the kart pulled off the road and up to the pumps at the small gas station across the street.
The driver was an older kid who took something from his lap and passed it to his passenger who was much smaller. When the driver got out of the go-kart, he reached back and pulled out a rifle that had been sitting beside him. “Smart kid,” Arthur mumbled as the kid looked at the pumps and then at the store.
Arthur could see the kid’s shoulders slump as he walked to the doors and looked inside the dark store of the gas station. When the kid turned around, Arthur saw him cradle his rifle up to his shoulder but not lift it. Following the boy’s gaze, Arthur saw a little girl running across the road to the gas station.
“That’s a girl,” Kirk said and looked at the boy. “He will get in trouble, riding that go-kart on the road.”
“Yeah, it’s too loud,” Arthur said, watching the boy lower the rifle as the girl reached the parking lot.
“Don’t move!” a man’s voice bellowed and Arthur turned to see a man step out from behind the gas station. “Got ‘em, Ash!” he called out and another man stepped out from the other side of the store.
“Mean guys,” Kirk whispered as the men aimed at the kids.
“Put the gun down, boy, or I’ll just shoot ya,” the first one shouted, aiming at the boy.
“Boys, step back and lay on the floor,” Arthur said, pulling his AR up.
The boys dropped down as the boy across the road put his gun down. “Very good,” the first man called out. “You girl, get over here before I shoot you in the leg!” he shouted and the girl moved up closer to the go-kart.
When the men lowered their rifles, Arthur stepped up to the door and eased it open. Lifting his rifle, he sighted in on the speaker and flipped the safety off. He squeezed the trigger twice and the AR coughed. The man let out a grunt as the bullets hit him and Arthur was on number two when he looked over to see his friend fall to the ground.
Just as the man realized what was happening, two rounds slammed into his chest and blew out the back. Dropping his rifle, the man grabbed his chest as he dropped to his knees. Frothy blood poured out his mouth as he fell face first onto the pavement.
“Boys, on me,” Arthur said over his shoulder as he walked to the road, glancing around with Daisy beside him. The little girl that had run across the road gave a squeal as a man and a large dog walked toward her, and took off when the boys came out. When she’d reached the shoulder of the road, the little girl slowed seeing three little boys follow the man and big dog across the road.
Scanning around, Arthur watched the boy pick up his rifle. “Don’t aim it at me,” Arthur warned, walking into the parking lot keeping his rifle toward the two he shot and saw the passenger was a little girl around four or five. “A word of advice, get something that’s quieter,” Arthur said, walking past the boy who looked like a young teenager.
“It’s all I had,” the boy said, looking at the three small boys following Arthur. “Thank you, mister.”
“Welcome,” Arthur replied, walking up to the body of the first one he’d shot. The man let out a moan and Arthur moved his AR and pulled the trigger, shooting the man in the face. “Boys, if you ever shoot someone, you make sure they are dead,” Arthur said, turning back to look at the boys.
All three were pale after watching Arthur casually shoot the man in the face. “Boys, people like that will hurt you for no other reason than they can,” Arthur told them, walking over to the other body. Kicking it over, Arthur saw the man was dead and Daisy sniffed the man.
Looking at the man’s bright red nose, “Rudolph is a real good name,” Arthur mumbled, turning to see the boys behind him. “Boys, I told you I would protect you. This is what it will take. We couldn’t have left and they needed help.”
“Yes, sir,” Kirk gulped, swallowing hard.
“Boys, don’t feel bad defending family. We fought evil today and won. Just be happy we are alive,” Arthur told them as Nicole started crying. “My gun was quiet,” Arthur groaned, pulling a made bottle from his left thigh cargo pocket.
He glanced around and saw the teen boy was standing next to the go-kart and the young girl was coming back across the road. “Name’s Arthur,” Arthur said, putting the bottle to Nicole’s lips with his left hand. The teen boy noticed Arthur’s right hand never let his AR go.
“I’m Shawn, and thanks again,” Shawn said as the girl came over.
“Like I said, get something that’s quieter to ride around on, Shawn. We heard you from a long way off,” Arthur said, heading back to the retail store.
“Hey, is there any place safe around here?” Shawn asked.
Stopping at the pumps, Arthur looked at the small girl in the go-kart, cradling a blanket. “Only what you make. I’m hearing on my radio that this is going on everywhere,” Arthur said, feeling the boys stay behind him. He glanced down and saw Daisy looking around and panting.
“Arthur, can we come with you and your sons?” Shawn asked with a pleading expression. “We’ve had four people shoot at us just today. Someone shot my mom yesterday when she went to the diner to try to get some food. She was sick, but wouldn’t let me go. When I saw people coming into the trailer park, we took off.”
Giving a long sigh, Arthur looked around and saw a car fly through an intersection, heading east toward the interstate. “Shawn, you come with us, I’m the boss and you learn how to work,” Arthur finally said.
“Yes sir,” Shawn cried out and turned to the go-kart. “Beth, give me Lucas,” Shawn said, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.
“That’s a baby?” Arthur cried out, letting the AR go.
“Yes sir. His mom lived next door, but died four days ago,” Shawn said, taking the bundle.
Moving over, Arthur pulled the blanket back to expose a small face, but the skin was cool. “Shit, the baby’s cold,” Arthur said, letting Nicole’s bottle go. Grabbing his shirt, Arthur ripped the snap buttons open and took the baby out of the blanket as Nicole started crying.
“Nicole, I only have two hands, baby,” Arthur panted, seeing the baby boy wasn’t much older than Nicole but wasn’t moving much. He thrust Lucas into his shirt and buttoned up the bottom of his shirt, then grabbed the blanket from Beth and draped it over his chest, tucking it under the sling.
Lucas felt the warmth from Arthur’s chest and tried to burrow in. “I had him wrapped up,” Shawn gasped with wide eyes.
Arthur turned and saw Shawn was on the verge of tears. “Son, you didn’t know and were doing your best,” Arthur told him, holding Lucas to his chest with his right hand and grabbed Nicole’s bottle with his left and put it back in her mouth.
When Nicole started drinking, “Get your stuff and bring it to the truck,” Arthur said, walking off. “We are in the open and that’s bad.”
“What about my go-kart?” Shawn asked, grabbing a backpack and picking up Beth.
“Leave it, we’ll find you something that doesn’t make so much noise,” Arthur replied over his shoulder.
The other little girl ran across the parking lot and around the go-kart to stop in front of Arthur. “Can we come?” she asked, clasping
her hands.
“Um, I thought you were?” Arthur said, turning to Shawn.
“I don’t know her,” Shawn confessed, looking around.
“Car, nine o’clock,” Kirk said and Arthur turned to his left and saw another car go through the same intersection. It was going much slower, but heading toward the interstate.
“Come,” Arthur said, moving into a jog back to the store. When everyone was inside, Arthur closed the door as Lucas started moving around, getting warm against his chest.
“Shawn, you know how old Lucas is?” Arthur asked.
“Four months,” Shawn answered, putting Beth down. “I had to babysit him a few times so his mom could work.”
“How old are you and Beth?” Arthur asked as Nicole finished her bottle.
“I’m fourteen and she’s five,” Shawn answered as Arthur turned to Kirk.
“Kirk, get Nicole and burp her just like I taught you,” Arthur said. He didn’t want to let him, but Lucas was still latched to his chest hair. Very gently, Kirk pulled Nicole out and put her on his chest, patting her back.
Turning to the little girl, “And you are?” Arthur asked.
“I’m Vicki,” she said very anxiously. “Please let us come. People are shooting and chasing me when I go out to look for food.”
“Why are they chasing you?” Pat asked.
Clearly confused, Vicki shrugged her shoulders, “One man thinks I have a little cat,” Vicki told him and Pat just cocked his head. “He keeps yelling he wants my little pussy,” Vicki explained. “The other two just chased me and shouted for me to stop.”
Arthur felt his face flush as anger flooded his system and so did Lucas, burrowing into Arthur’s chest at the added warmth. “How many are with you, Vicki?” Arthur asked.
“Three more,” Vicki told him, clasping her hands in front of her. “Please,” she moaned, bouncing on her toes. “I’m scared.”
Viral Misery (Book 1) Page 18
