The Clock Runs Down_The Servant

by Joe Kelly

  “whoa hunny, you shouldn’t be getting up. not right now.” Bridget said striding over to Sharon, ready to help her if needed.

  “Listen to me, Mark came to me in a dream. And warned me that we are about to be attacked and then something else was there and Mark made me wake up, said we have to be ready.” Sharon explained anxiously, needing to get up and get things moving.

  Bridget looked at her steadily for a moment, considering all she had heard lately about weird dreams, and her conversation with Jill about the Dreams Jill had experienced she was ready to extend a little belief on the topic. “you stay here.” she said rising. “Ill get them moving okay”

  “Promise me” Sharon said. Bridget kissed her on the cheek

  “I promise.” Bridget said as she slipped on her shoulder holster, and pulled the Sig from its holster before she left the RV. She found Rob in his make shift workshop welding. Once she got his attention she told him quickly about Sharon’s dream. Rob didn’t argue, didn’t ask a lot of questions he just picked up his rifle, “get Beth and the Kids ready to move” He said then headed straight for the Com Rv. where he got Gary and Roger up and moving. “Shouldn’t we tell Jared” Gary asked, glancing at the Radio.

  “Not till we are sure.” Rob said. “so, get this thing moved, and park it by the center. Then get back with me.” Rob said rushing out the door.

  Gary nodded and headed for the driver’s seat. Rob stepped outside, he had a lot of people to warn and to many things to do to get ready for visitors. I wish Jared or Steve were here, he thought.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Bubba Jones smiled and rubbed his hands together as they approached the final bend in the road that would take them to the Camp. He was about as excited as he could get. First a couple of his men had seen some old Military plane in the area. then military vehicles had been spotted heading into and out of town. The last time around he had Snake Rogers follow them. And what snake had reported was enough to give any man in the gang wood. Lots of vehicles, food, and women.

  Bubba had gotten a few of his guys, hidden near the entrance to the state forest and when they saw the two large military vehicles pull out, they had gotten on the CB and said the single code word that launched their attack.

  He smiled darkly in anticipation, gonna get me some when this is over. If it wasn’t female and over the age of 16 it wasn’t going to live when his gang got done. The only thing better than shooting the dumb ass dead was shooting the living he thought, His smile of anticipation was hungry and dark.

  There had been a time when he had been just like everyone else, punched the old time clock put up with the Political correct crap but those day’s were gone. He was an alpha male now and no one was going to tell him what to do and no woman was ever going to say no again.

  The clearing that the camp sat in was 3000 feet long and ninety feet wide, with the airstrip down the middle. At the far north end Bubba could see a Plane, probably the same one that his people has spotted a week or so ago.

  RV’s were parked in a line behind two large open aired pavilions on the east side of the Field, across from the equestrian center, and lodge. Four Cabins sat in a row south of the lodge.

  Bunk houses, and a single story cinderblock bathroom and shower building place north of the center. One RV with antennas jutting up was parked half concealed along the side the Center. A Deer stand taller than normal had been placed in front of the center. He noted the eight cords of stacked firewood that ran from the edge of the air strip to the pavilion closest to the entrance.

  Even from here he could see the ground around the old camp site was covered in tire tracks. He looked for fuel trucks but didn’t see any, but for there to be this many vehicle’s there had to be a fuel truck somewhere around here, more than one probably.

  As they pulled into the clearing, the first four vehicles turned and formed a line slowly creeping forward. Bubba stood in the back of Dillon’s jacked up Chevy, hanging on to the roll bar with his left hand clutching his rifle with his right.

  They couldn’t have left the camp empty, could they? No, the number of RVs and vehicles parked there indicated more people than could have fit into those two army trucks that had pulled out of here earlier. No they were hiding, and waiting. Maybe they had called the guys in the trucks on a radio. That’s what had to be in that Rv with all the antenna’s, radios. Hell he might even decide to keep that shit.

  Rob watched from upper window of the Center as the mass of vehicles moved towards the camp. Here and there groups of men leaped from the backs of trucks and followed on foot. He lifted the fifty with a grunt and placed it on the tripod. It was time he thought and pulled the trigger.

  Bubba gaped as he heard the distinctive boom of a .50 caliber machine gun. Jeremy Cooks truck was reduced to so much scrap metal as the heavy rounds punched easily thru the motor, cab and bed. The truck coasted to a stop, but the gunner had already switched targets, blowing apart Oscars Station wagon as it sped up and turned towards the Rv’s.

  Bubba could only think that Oscar was trying to get behind the Rvs for protection. Fist sized holes appeared in the sides of the wagon, and blood splashed the windows on the inside. The station wagon never slowed as it plowed into the back of a Parked RV. Inside the dead were already turning, Bubba thought.

  Kevin Barns truck was the next target, bullets punched thru the motor, steam billowed up, tires popped, glass shattered. men flew like rag dolls from the bed spilling to the ground as blood and flesh rained down around them.

  Ryan held the M16 to his shoulder, right hand gripping the magazine, his index finger safely placed along the weapon away from the trigger. He flipped the ladder sight up with his left hand and tried to believe that Steve had not been yanking his chain when, after three practice shots, he had told Ryan he was a natural with the M203.

  He pulled the trigger and the weapon coughed as it sent the HE grenade spiraling towards its target. Across the strip Bridget fired the other Grenade launcher. Three seconds later, Ryan’s grenade landed almost between the legs of a filthy bearded raider. The raider had no time to gawk or scream before fire and shrapnel ripped him and the five men closest to him, apart. Six other men with in ten meters either died or were badly wounded. Minutes after that their corpses were reanimating.

  Bridget’s grenade dropped into the bed of a pickup truck where a raider was just getting a machine gun set up to fire over the cab. The weapon flew into the air as he and five more men were killed, and the truck veered out of control till it crashed into a tree.

  “Get out of the vehicles” Bubba shouted as he leaped to the ground and ducked low. he was down to sixty five men already. Who the hell were these people? He asked himself.

  Morgan Black his second in charge and personal pain in the ass, was leading his cohorts forward by low crawling. Bubba flinched as another grenade went off, killing only two men this time.

  Finally, Bubba’s cousin got the other M249 into action, laying on the ground he fired it from the bi pod shooting the shit out of the first cabin. Idiot, either the National Guard were stupider than shit or His cousin hadn’t learned a thing when he was in. no one was firing from that cabin.

  More of his men rose to their feet and rushed forward. While the .50 caliber was shooting up the Chevy Bubba had just bailed out of.

  Ryan felt his bladder let go as cabin one, next door to the one he was in, was chewed apart by a machine gun. The smell of hot pee filled the room. he didn’t have time to feel ashamed he as slipped another grenade in to the breech of the grenade launcher and slammed it closed. He popped up and saw the rapid muzzle flash of the machine gun. Sighted and popped a round at the gunner before dropping to the floor again.

  There are good shots, incredible shots, and lucky shots in combat. Training usually provides the good and sometimes incredible shots. Ryan lacked that training, but Murphy seemed to be focusing on the other side today. Ryan’s shot was both incredible and lucky. The grenade arched and dropped on the target two hundred y
ards away. Luck lent a hand and guided the grenade straight down on the M249 SAW. There would be no recovering that machine gun. And the gunner wouldn’t be rising from the grave like some of his friends.

  By then the remaining vehicles were hurtling forward shedding men, most hit the ground running, others hit and tumbled. while those on foot in the back of the group rushed forward some headed for the Rvs others were intent on attacking the buildings.

  Thomas was shooting steadily from the deer stand, until he began to receive return fire. He leaped for the ladder and slid down to the ground where he dashed for the cover of the wood pile but only managed to make four steps before he was shot down.

  Chloe, would have been the first to admit she was scared, the undead were only slightly less terrifying than the firefight. But she saw Thomas go down she grabbed her first aid kit and ran towards the fallen kid. She tried to stay low, keeping the log pile between her and the attackers but bullets stilled hissed and sizzled past her. at least that’s the way it seemed to her.

  “oh crap” Rob muttered seeing Chloe slid to a stop beside Thomas. “Clay, we have a problem.” Chloe through herself flat, fingers dug into the ground.

  “What is i… oh man” Clay said looking past Robs shoulder in time to see bullets kicking up the dirt around Chloe. Clay was torn, yes, he was brave, but running out into all that. I almost died once, I paid for it with my legs. But… his thoughts snarled to a stop and then old Buck Owens voice said. “Sometimes a man has to risk himself for others, its that simple kid and whining about the cost won’t change things if you let someone die or get hurt without trying it’s on you.”

  “I got this” Clay said as he turned and bounded down the stairs three at a time.

  Oh my god, I am so stupid, Chloe thought as she hugged the ground to scared to move. Terror filled her as she realized that Thomas could die and come back and if she moved she could be shot and if she didn’t he would bite her. trembling she made herself rise to her knees. Thomas lay on his stomach, the holes in his back were huge to her staring eyes. A bullet plucked at her hair, something hot went past her face.

  I ran all this way and there was nothing I could have done for him and now I am going to die, she thought as she saw Thomas’s arms twitch.

  Clay burst from the building and ran, there had always been arguments about where blade prosthetics enabled the wearer to run faster and leap higher and it would never be answered scientifically now. But Clay had always believed it did make him faster, he wasn’t quite as agile moving side to side but he had ways to compensate.

  He bounded across the open ground in long loping strides, bringing his rifle up as he ran. Chloe was sitting there frozen in shock, eyes wide as Thomas struggled up right. The boys skin was bone white, his lips were a pale blue. Clay didn’t need to see anything else to know the kid was dead and he couldn’t shoot with out hitting Chloe.

  Chloe, transfixed with terror watched as the corpse that had been Thomas got to its knees. She had survived by luck, she knew that. She wasn’t like Jill or Mai Linn or many of the other women in the convey. You can fight them Chloe, Jill had told her once in a private conversation. If you want to live you will fight them. Don’t worry about their hands, you have to keep their mouth’s away from you.

  “NO!” she screamed lifting her first aid bag and swinging it against the zombies head. Hands lashed out grabbing her shoulders, the head dipped forward, its mouth yawned open. She thrust the bag into its face and held it there fumbling for the pistol that Jared had insisted she carry. Hand trembling she got the pistol out and hit the zombie in the side of the head and almost dropped the pistol in the process.

  “She’s in trouble” Clay muttered seeing Chloe struggling with the corpse. He gathered himself and leaped, he could have gotten the gold in the Olympics for the long jump. He landed almost beside the woman and slammed his rifle butt down, knocking the zombie back on its heel. “Go” he shouted. A Bullet found him, low on the left side, He gasped but didn’t stop. Chloe scrambled backwards dragging her first aid bag by its strap. The zombie that had been Thomas lunged at her.

  Clay kicked out, hitting the zombie in the head, the blade ripped through dead flesh exposing bone and teeth, the zombie fell on its side. Clay pointed his rifle at the thing and fired point blank. A bullet struck his leg just above the stump. Pain was something he was used to, so he pushed it aside.

  Chloe shoved her pistol at the zombie and put six rounds into its head. Clay turned as quickly as he could and hauled her upright. “run” He told her pointing towards the Building where Rob and some of the others were in.

  He staggered as he was shot again. “not with out you” She said grabbing his arm and hauling him along with her.

  Seth ran behind the buildings, carrying the AR and the .45 Glock that Rob had given him out of their armory. At least his and Keith’s family were hidden in the woods a hundred yards out from the end of the runway. Rob had decided to move everyone not able to fight, back there and hopefully out of harm’s way.

  He hit the ground and crawled into the brush behind the cabins and waited. Knowing that some of the raiders would attempt to get in behind the cabins and out of the sight. Now that their machine gun was out action.

  A couple of minutes later he saw three men running around the corner of what was left of Cabin one, about forty yards away.

  one carried an AR another carried a shotgun, and the last carried a 30 30. Seth wasn’t the greatest shot in the world, but since the zombies he had gotten a lot better. He sighted and pulled the trigger, the AR bucked against his shoulder. He gritted his teeth and tried not to hurl as he saw bloody holes appear in the man’s chest. He shifted his aim telling himself they were only paper targets.

  The shotgun boomed, and Seth fired again, the man with the shotgun stumbled and then fell face first. The third man turned tail and took off running. Seth let him go. he got to his feet and suddenly threw up, and couldn’t stop for a moment. It wasn’t until the first man he shot sat back up turning milky dead eyes towards him, that Seth was able to throttle back the nausea, and fired two more shots striking it in the head with the last shot. he did the same for the other body. Then leaped to his feet started running for the space between the cabins two and three.

  As he ran in behind Keith, he suddenly got dizzy, staggering and hit the wall with a thud. He leaned there for half a second then slid to the ground. Keith’s faced was pale as he stared at Seth, fear in his eyes. “Damn Seth you got shot.” Keith said. Seth looked at Keith puzzled, then his world went black.

  There were shouts from the other side Rob noted as the raiders dead buddies sat back up. then screams here and here, that told him some people had just gotten bit. a flurry of gunfire and then nothing. Donald one of the men who had been shelter with Seth and Keith chose that moment to run for the woods and supposed safety, he made it twenty feet then went down in a hail of gunfire.

  “Hurry up Jared” Rob muttered as he saw a group of raiders, emboldened by the lack of fire from the fifty leap to their feet and charge towards the Rv’s. Rob tripped the trigger and walked his fire across the group. He hated every moment of it.

  Sharon waddled thru the woods, with her rifle. Knowing she should stay with the others. protect Marks baby, that rested inside her. but she couldn’t. she could hear the gunfire from the camp and it sounded bad. “I’m sorry Mark, I have to help” she whispered. She hoped he was with her, she needed his strength.

  The Deuces rolled thru the outskirts of town followed by the two tractor trailer rigs. Overhead thunder rumbled, but so far, the weather had held. As they turned into the Park, and started up the road that would take them to the camp, the sound of distant gunfire could be heard over the engines. “speed it up.” Jared said over the radio. He had left the camp with almost no Protection, and what it did have were mostly untrained men and women with no concept of how to fight other people, another fucking mistake he was going to pay for.

  Linda looked up in surprise as the
door to her RV opened and two men entered, they started grinning as they saw her. One was sharp featured, like his face had been carved with a hatchet and a thick dark beard who pointed a large rifle at her while the other, a skinny shaved headed man, who looked malnourished moved towards the back.

  Linda knew she couldn’t get her pistol up fast enough to shoot either of them. “don’t go back there, I have a patient” she barked at the skinny bastard with the patchy beard.

  “Always wanted to fuck me a doctor” the man with the rifle pointed at her said as his grin grew wider in anticipation. “you just be a nice slut and drop the pistol, you’re gonna get some pipe whether I have to shoot you or not” he said as his partner pulled back the curtains to peer into the back seeing Pappy the man turned back a sneer curling his lips. “Aint nothing back here but some old fart, hooked up to shit” and then his head vanished in a spray of blood and bone. Pappy lowered the smoking pistol and grinned with the working side of his face.