by Maxey, Phil
Anna appeared outside. “What’s going on?” she said, wondering why some were running into the local field.
“Apples!” shouted Max, pointing to the trees.
For a moment, Anna couldn’t understand what the fuss was about, then quickly realized that was because she no longer had to rely upon human food. She smiled. “Yeah, we should collect some, good idea.”
Marina climbed down then helped Flint, Jess, and Jasper to do the same, and walked across the deserted road and into the field.
Twenty feet away, Shannon briefly looked back to the road. She walked slowly through the long wet grass, looking up at rain droplets making the apples sparkle in the sun.
The trees reminded her of a single fruit tree they had in the back garden in Boothe. Every summer, she would go out with her father and collect the plums, and a day later their freezer would be full of plum pies made by her mother.
She let her fingers linger on the bark then reached up to grab a particularly ripe apple from a low branch.
A boom rang out and apples rained down on her. A few managed to hit her skull before she dived out of the way onto the sodden ground.
“I’ll kill all you vamps!” shouted a man in the distance.
Shannon fought to get to her knees but her sneakers kept slipping on the damp green strips.
A blur sped past her, with an accompanying blast of air.
“Joel? Evan?” she said, looking about her.
She turned around to see a young man, a shotgun in one hand, and the other held out towards her. His dark hair hung over his right eye.
“Sorry about grandpa, he thinks everyone is a vamp.”
She looked up at the individual that, despite his beard, had a youthful tinge to his face.
She pushed her hand out and he helped her to her feet.
Is he a hybrid?
The old man grumbled something under his breath, waved his hand dismissively, then walked away.
Another breeze on her back meant more were now with her.
“What happened?” said Anna.
Evan was standing behind the doctor, eyeing the guy who was of similar age, suspiciously.
“Everyone, stop fussing, I’m fine,” said Shannon.
“Who’s this?” said Evan.
The young man subtly sniffed the air. “You’re both vamps?” He looked confused.
“Yeah,” said Evan.
“Hmm…” Pulling himself out of his own thoughts, he walked forward and offered Evan his hand. “I’m Donnie.”
Evan shook it briefly.
Flint bounded through the long grass and started licking Donnie’s hand.
“Hey, boy. He’s a friendly one.”
“This your family’s farm?” said Anna.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You planning on doing anything with all these apples?” said Shannon.
“Take as many as you want. We got a few acres which are just going to rot. There’s no market to trade them at anymore, so least some good will come from them.”
Shannon picked up a few from the ground. “Cool, thanks.”
“Won’t your grandfather object?” said Anna.
“He, umm, doesn’t know who I am half the time, he won’t even know they’re missing. If he notices, I’ll just tell him that some folks traded us for them.”
“Well, maybe there is something we can trade you for them? We haven’t really got much, but maybe there’s something you need that we could get?”
Donnie briefly looked down. “There is something…”
Anna waited for the request.
“You can take me with you.”
*****
A middle-aged woman handed out the slices of apple pie amongst the gaggle that filled the living room of the farmhouse.
Hardin had already devoured most of his piece. “This is some great pie, Mrs Bradley”
Max took a bite. “Hmm, delicious, madam. Do I taste a hint of oregano?”
April Bradley smiled. “You might. It’s my grandma’s recipe. I was eating the same pie when I was a child. It’s been something of a constant, no matter how bad things get…” Her smile faltered.
Outside Joel and Hickman stood with Kirk Bradley, April’s husband.
“We’ve been trying to harvest what we could by hand as there’s no fuel left for the machinery, but we’ve got over a thousand acres and we can’t get to everything.”
“What have you mostly got?” said Joel.
“Got a small herd of cattle. Had more but some vamps got to them. Mostly though its corn, wheat, and beans. And I’m not the only one, there’re a few ranches around here that are still struggling. But even if we do harvest; who we going to sell to?”
An idea started to form in Joel’s mind. “You got any generators?”
“We got a few… but no fuel.”
“If we helped you harvest your crops, could we take some with us to the camp? I’m sure it would be welcome up there.”
Kirk slid his fingers across his beard. “Sure, but if you could find me some fuel? Then that would be really helpful.”
Joel held out his hand. “I’ll get you some fuel.”
Kirk shook Joel’s hand with a smile.
The kitchen door of the two-story farmhouse opened, and Joel, Hickman, and Kirk walked inside.
Marina was sitting in the large kitchen. She could tell they weren’t going to be making it back on the road today. Evan and Bill were seated opposite her.
Joel looked at those seated. “Kirk, myself, and Lloyd are going into the town to try to find fuel. Evan, would be good if you could join us.”
Evan got to his feet.
April appeared in the kitchen doorway, with concern painted across her face.
Kirk walked up to her, holding her by the shoulders. “This is our chance to get the fuel. These are army guys, I’ll be safe, you don’t have to worry.”
Donnie appeared behind them. “I’m coming too.”
Kirk’s expression changed. “You ain’t going anywhere, boy. You’re staying here to look after your ma and grandpa.”
Donnie shook his head in quiet frustration.
Joel made his way to the living room. Max was on his third piece of pie. “Max, I need to have a word with you…”
Soon Joel was driving the army truck along the route they were on originally. Kirk was sitting alongside him, with Hickman and Evan in the back.
Flat beige-green fields flowed by on both sides as well as a railway line on their right.
“When did you last see a train go by your property?” said Joel.
“Over a month ago. It was a military transport, carrying troops, tanks, and stuff I’ve never seen before.”
“Heading north?”
“Yeah.”
There was another moment of silence before Joel continued. “You did well to survive the scourge…”
The man next to him sighed. “Some of us didn’t make it.”
Joel briefly looked at the stout individual, with his flannel shirt and dark green over jacket.
“Sorry to hear that.”
“My err… daughter. Harper, she got infected, turned—” Kirk sucked in a breath. “—Did what I had to.”
“I had a wife… son…” The words came from Joel’s mouth before he realized he had said them.
Kirk returned the glance then looked back to the road. “Sometimes it’s hard to carry on.”
“I’m not letting the scourge beat me.”
Kirk nodded. “Nope.”
Joel needed to change subject. “This town, you searched it already?”
“Tried a number of times, but I needed to conserve ammo, so when I saw the vamps I got the hell out of there.”
It occurred to Joel he might have to do something which would make it obvious he wasn’t totally human, and Kirk had killed his own daughter because she was a vamp…
Going to have to do the best human impression I can. What about Evan? What if Hickman says something?
“There’s something you should know about some of my group…”
“Yeah? What’s that.”
Gas stations and slim flat brick built buildings started to pass by.
“Some of those that get infected. Not many. It’s a tiny percentage. Well, they… turn, but remain mostly human—” He continued before Kirk could speak. “—They have vamp-like speed and abilities, but like I say, they’re still human…”
He could feel Kirk looking at him. He was also pretty sure the farmer’s hand was now resting on the butt of his shotgun.
“I ain’t heard of that before.”
“Yeah. Like I say, it’s rare… and you should know some of my group… and myself are like that…”
Kirks head whipped back around to the road. “You still need blood?”
“Yeah, but we can get that from animals…”
Joel would have been able to hear Kirks heart beating even without his enhanced senses.
“Who are the others?”
“Evan, Marina, Anna, and Jasper.”
Kirk flicked around again to face Joel. “The kid?”
Joel sighed. “Yeah.”
Kirk looked back to the road.
Joel stopped at a junction and turned to face his passenger. “I know your hand’s been on that shotgun for the past few minutes. And I don’t blame you. What I just said… that would confuse anyone. But being ‘different’ is what has allowed me to get through all this so far… and keep the others alive that are with me. The same is true for the others like me. If you want me to turn around and drive you back, and then we’ll leave. I can do that. Or I can help you find you the fuel you need.”
Kirk’s eyes darted left and right as his mind tried to resolve conflicting thoughts. Finally, he sighed and let go of his gun. He pointed to the restaurant on the far corner. Roadside signs announced that it had some of the best stakes in Nebraska.
“Cooper’s Grill.” He smiled, briefly turning to Joel. “Used to take April, Donnie, and Harper there once a month when we got the cheque from the wholesalers.” He nodded. “Good times.” He let out a breath. “Part of the reason I don't come into town too often, is the memories…” He pointed along the road. “The main part of the town is up ahead.”
Joel pushed down on the gas and weaved around an overturned stone-colored sedan. He noticed a mangled radio mast laying across the roof of a single-story building, and onto the lawn to its side.
“Our local station. No idea what brought the mast down, but it was up last time I was here.”
Joel pushed his senses out into the shadows which resided behind storefronts and homes, but there was no sign of anything out there.
He stopped at another junction. A bent pole protruding from the top of a store, with the stars and stripes attached to it, wavered amongst the wind.
“Any suggestions of where to get the fuel and fencing?”
“All the vehicles around us are empty, I’ve checked them already. We need to head deeper in.”
“Where you see the vamps?”
Kirk’s eyes shifted towards Joel then away again. “Some around here, some further on.”
A car showroom with rows of scratched and scraped vehicles passed by. Joel could see all the gas caps were open.
More substantial buildings appeared on both sides of the road. One of which contained a number of pillars.
“That’s the agriculture museum. Used to take Harper in there.” Kirk smiled. “She used to be bored out of her head, of course.” He gulped. “April used to tell me that she just came along to keep me happy… she was a good kid.”
Joel could see a number of parked vehicles further down the street. He drove the truck forward, parking behind a strip of sedans and pickups.
“Let’s get what we can from these then check out the superstore.”
It wasn’t long before they had a few canisters of fuel and were pulling into the football-size parking lot which surrounded the monolithic superstore building. Kirk had already told Joel and the others that vamps seemed to like the place so he had kept his distance.
Joel turned the engine off and listened.
Scuffling, wheezing, longing…
“There are vamps here, but they’re resting. If we are quick we can get what we need without them knowing.”
He and Kirk got out. Hickman and Evan were already outside. The sergeant was holding his M4.
“Two teams. I’ll go with Kirk, you both find fencing,” said Joel.
Hickman and Evan nodded and ran off to the land supplies section.
Joel looked at Kirk who was watching the large glass entrance doors. “Stay close. Don’t fire that thing off unless you have to. The less noise we make the better.”
Kirk nodded.
Joel didn’t need to open the large door as an open space was all that was left of the glass wall to the left of it. They both stepped through, trying to see into the gloom of the aisles beyond.
They were both acutely aware of the crunching their boots were making on the glass and were happier when they made it onto the smooth, tiled floor.
Joel pointed up at a green sign that mentioned household supplies in the fifth aisle. Kirk nodded, and they both walked past the others until they arrived at shelves containing gallon cans of paint, polish, brushes, cleaning materials, and down the end what looked like large drums of fuel for generators.
They both quickly moved past the other items until they got to the end.
“Wait here, I’ll see if I can find a cart,” said Joel, moving around the end of the aisle.
Kirk look down at the gallon and a half drums. “Best get the diesel and the—”
Something clattered to the floor back near the checkouts.
“Joel? That you?”
In the distance, a plastic tube rolled across the dusty floor hitting up against the base of the shelves.
“Joel?” he repeated, this time keeping his voice lower. Letting his shotgun lead the way, he walked slowly back towards the front of the store.
Peering around the front of the aisle Kirk stopped frozen. Two vamps, standing idle, were facing away from him. He pulled himself back around the corner in one movement, not realizing he was holding his breath.
He went to move forward to have another look when a rush of wind was followed by a claw which sliced across his jacket. His gun went off but only hit the shelves above, exploding bottles of cleaning goods.
Kirk fell back and tried to run, but a vicelike grip held him to the spot. The creature pulled him backwards towards itself slowly, seemingly enjoying watching his struggle to get free.
And then he was.
The air filled with squeals as something more horrific tore at the vamp, felling it in seconds. It then turned and rushed the other creature that looked as though it had been caught in headlights. It was on the floor, convulsing, as this new creature attacked it.
Kirk then realized he was watching Joel. The vamp that was also 'human.'
Hickman and Evan appeared at the front entrance just as Joel stood up from between the checkout counters, wiping the blood from his hands and mouth. He turned, looking at Kirk.
“You hurt?”
Kirk looked down at himself. “No, I think I’m… no, I’m fine.”
Hickman frowned then walked back outside. Evan followed.
Joel walked back to the end of the aisle and pushed a flatbed cart into the fuel aisle. “Sorry about that, had to go some way to find this. Let’s get it filled.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Amos looked at the pine trees passing by and pulled his vest away from his neck. He already knew the female soldier driving wanted to take a break which just so happened to be what he wanted too. “Why don’t we take a break.”
“Hawkins will let us know when it’s time to stop,” said Shaw.
“We’ve been driving for four hours, what’s the big deal in stopping fo
r fifteen minutes? Anyway, I need to use the bathroom and I don’t mean the stand-up kind.” He knew Shaw needed the same, from when they turned off the main highway twenty minutes before.
The merc thought about it then held the radio to her mouth. “Sir, Amos wants to take a leak. There’re a few places up ahead if we take the next left exit. Over.”
Amos looked at Kizzy who appeared to be sleeping although he knew she wasn’t.
The Humvee ahead turned off and headed onto the smaller two-lane road.
“We’ll take a short break then head back out. There’s still an hour left of light. Over,” replied Hawkins.
Soon they were pulling off the road completely and into the forecourt of a gas station.
Amos got out and immediately started walking towards the store.
The tall slim figure of Fields started to follow him.
“I don’t need a caretaker to use the restroom,” said Amos.
“Go with him,” said Hawkins.
Amos heard the young merc’s protests, but knew he was going to follow him inside anyway.
“Hey, wait!” shouted Kizzy, running after them. “I need sugar.”
Amos sighed. “You don’t need sugar. You just need blood. Like we all do.”
She pushed past him as they arrived at the door. “Speak for yourself, I know what I want, emo boy.”
Outside, Dalton stood. He was a good few inches above Hawkins who wasn’t exactly short.
“You don’t want to use the restroom?” said Hawkins.
Dalton shook his head while looking at the forests around them.
Hawkins laughed while looking down at the computer tablet in his hand. He scrolled a map around with his finger.
“What’s so funny?” said Dalton.
“Oh, nothing.”
Dalton frowned.
In the store, Fields stood looking at magazines with cars and girls on the front while sneaking a glance at the door to the restroom.
Inside the men’s restroom, Amos was making his case for them to make a break for it.
“Look. I can read that soldier guy’s mind. He’d sooner shoot us than let us really be free.”
“And your great plan is to wait until we’re in the middle of nowhere to getaway?” said Kizzy. She shook her head then walked into one of the stalls, closing the door behind her.
