Once we had finished eating, we put our dishes in the sink.
“Ok kids, it’s time to go. Let’s head out.” I instructed. We made our way over to the door. I opened the door and walked outside. Tyler was the last one out. He closed the door and we headed down the stairs and out of the square.
“Who is going with us Mom?” Tyler asked.
“Mom’s boyfriend. Who else?” Tara commented.
“Mom doesn’t have a boyfriend.”
“Yes she does. It’s Randy, or it might as well be her boyfriend.” Tara informed.
“You are so stupid Tara. Randy isn’t Mom’s boyfriend.” Tyler stated.
“No, you are stupid if you don’t see how into each other they are.” Tara defended her opinion.
“Both of you cool it. Yes, Randy is going. No, he isn’t my boyfriend.”
We turned the corner to head into log town, as we called it. It’s a fenced in area behind the buildings of the public square. We parked our vehicles there, including the tanker truck full of gas we got on the last raid. As we turned the corner, I saw Randy loading back packs into the extended cab Tundra.
“Aren’t we only going to be gone for a couple of hours?” Tara asked.
“That’s the plan.” I replied.
“Then why are we taking four backpacks full of supplies?” Tara asked.
“Just in case something happens. The back packs have food, water, medical supplies for injuries, ammunition, a gun with a silencer, and a few knives for extra weapons. You never know when your plan could go wrong and you would have to be prepared to survive until you could make it back home.” I informed, feeling kind of proud of myself for being so knowledgeable.
I was actually somewhat pleased to see that my daughter was curious enough to ask questions. At least she was interested to some degree. There may actually be some hope for her yet. Hell, for all I know, she might find a raid as thrilling and exhilarating as I do. However, like any situation, I wouldn’t count my chickens before they hatched. Tara changed her mood like day turns to night. She may be interested now, but if she got any blood on her hands, she might scream like a little girl and beg to go home. I guess all I could do was watch and wait.
We came up beside the truck. Randy saw us, but he didn’t speak to me. Thank God for small favors. Instead, he went to Tyler.
“Hey there sport. Ready to shed some zombie blood?” Randy asked Tyler.
“Yeah!” Tyler exclaimed, giving Randy a high five.
“Ewe gross.” Tara commented with her arms folded.
“Hey that’s life these days baby girl. Want to eat? You have to get dirty for it.” Randy said to her.
“If I have to watch one of those things ooze nasty coagulated blood, I’m not going to have an appetite for a month.” Tara protested.
“Well, that’s thirty plus meals we can give away then. Might as well get over it baby girl. That’s what a raid is all about.”
I reached into the truck and grabbed two back packs. Randy did the same thing, following my lead. I handed a back pack to Tara. Randy handed one to Tyler.
“Ok, open your packs and listen up. We always prepare here where it’s safe. Take the black Velcro strap out of your pack and strap it around your thigh, preferably on the side of the hand you use the most.” Being left handed, I strapped my knife strap around my left thigh.
“Make sure the knife handle is on the outside. You want to be able to reach down and grab the handle.” I instructed.
I watched to make sure Tara and Tyler were following my directions precisely. If there was one thing I learned in the past seventeen months, it was that there was no room for mistakes. Instructions had to be followed exactly as they were given. Our system was developed through experience. Alex, Randy, and I spent a lot of time putting the system together. During our time at the old Kingston School, we sat down and wrote our raid plan out in spiral notebooks. We used those notebooks along with my book to teach our team to be the expert raiders that we were. A part of me was pleased to see my children learning the very method I had helped to create.
I reached in my pack for my gun belt, one of the items I was pleased we had taken from the walking undead cops. Thankfully, we were in a position to be able to take them.
“Ok guys, take your gun belt out and put it on. You both are right handed. The gun needs to be on your right side.” I watched as my children did as they were told. A part of me was proud of them. I hoped they did well during the raid. Maybe they could be naturals at this type of thing.
Once my gun belt was secure, I reached into my pack a third time. This time, I removed a radio, another lucky find from the zombie cops.
“The radios are set for channel 13. Turn them on and clip them to the gun belt. If we get separated for any reason, you radio your location. Rendezvous point is the truck that is always at the back entrance of the raid location.”
“Got it Mom.” Tyler replied matter-of-factly.
“Tara, are you paying attention?” Randy asked.
“Truck is always at the back entrance. Yeah, I got it.” Tara replied.
I looked at both of my twins. I was proud to see them both decked out in raid gear.
“Ok, last step, back packs closed and on the back. This pack is your life line. If anything happens, you will need the food and tools in them to survive. The guns you wear on your side are loaded and the safety is off, so no playing with them. Only draw it if you have to. Each gun has a silencer. If we have to kill zombies, we don’t want to draw more of them in by firing shots and making noise. Silencers are not guaranteed to work so only use the guns if you have to. If you can, pull your knife and stab them in the head.”
“Wait, stab them in the head? Doesn’t the blood get on your hands that way?” Tara asked.
“You have gloves in your pack. If you are worried about blood, then put them on now.” I informed.
“Oh thank God.” Tara commented as she removed her pack from her back and began digging for the gloves.
“Oh and if you stab for the head, keep your mouth closed.” I said with a sly grin.
Tara’s face seemed to turn green.
“Oh my God! You have got to be kidding me!” she exclaimed. I laughed at her.
“No Tara, I’m not kidding. The blood still spurts out. You want to keep your mouth closed.” I stated.
“That’s cool.” Tyler exclaimed.
“That’s disgusting.” Tara commented.
“That’s it. I’m not going. You can beat me, bound me, and gag me. I’m not going.” Tara protested.
“Oh yes you are little girl.”
I turned to find my father walking toward us.
“But Pawpaw, you know how dangerous it is?” Tara stated, beginning to plead her case.
“Yes baby , I know how dangerous it is, but sometimes we have to face danger head on. Your mother may not always be there to save your ass. It’s a cruel and nasty world out there Tara. You have to learn to live in it. If it means closing your mouth and shoving a knife through the skull of one of those things, then so be it.”
My father spoke the truth. There was integrity in his words and that was why I agreed to this in the first place. Tara wasn’t going to win this argument with her grandfather. I wasn’t sure if she would continue or not, but I was prepared to take my father’s side all the way.
“Pawpaw please, can’t I just stay here and work. I will do anything.” Tara stated.
“You are going on this raid and that is final.” I demanded.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Tara didn’t utter another word. Instead, she hung her head, pouted to my father, and climbed into the back seat of the Tundra. Tyler secured his pack on his back and climbed in himself. Randy turned and looked at me.
“Well, I guess we are all set.” he said in a questioning manner.
“Looks that way. Come on. Let’s go.” I turned to my father and wrapped my arms around him.
“Daddy, I’m scared. I have a bad feeling abo
ut this.” I said.
“It will be ok baby girl. Whatever happens, I know you can handle it. You are strong Amber.” he replied.
I nodded at my father, then climbed up into the truck.
“Don’t worry Amber. You can do this.” my father called to me. I smiled and waved at him. Randy took his seat on the driver’s side. Just as he was about to close the door, my father walked up and placed his hand on the inside of the door to prevent Randy from closing it.
“My daughter may be damned good at what she does, but you are still the man of this outfit. If one of these three don’t come back, you will answer to me.”
My father was a very intimidating man. I could see that he had the same effect on Randy that he had on everyone else he threatened.
“Yes Sir. I will keep them all safe.” Randy answered past the lump in his throat.
“Good. I’m going to hold you to that Son.” my father replied. With that, he stepped away and closed the driver’s side door.
Randy put the key into the ignition.
“Damn, remind me never to piss that guy off.” he said as he started the truck.
“It’s not recommended.” I stated matter of fact.
“There is something about the way he talks and the look in his eyes. It about made me shit myself.” I burst out into laughter. I am sure Randy was scared. I guess I just have gotten used to it over the years. After all, I did grow up with the man.
Randy pulled the truck out of the gate. I watched as Kenny closed and secured the gate behind us. This was it. There was no turning back now. I couldn’t understand why I felt so much dread about this training mission. I wished I could understand it. I don’t know what I am so afraid of right now. I have done this a thousand times, if not more. Something just didn’t seem right this time. I wondered if my worry showed on my face. God I hope not. The last thing I wanted was to scare the twins.
Would I scare Randy? I wasn’t sure. Randy was accustomed to me being the fearless leader. If I suddenly began to show fear, would if frighten him as well? I tried to search deep within myself to find the source of my fear. Could it be something as simple as the fact that my children were with me that worried me so much? That had to be it. I had always left them safe within our village. This time, they were in the line of fire.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t realized how close to the grocery store we were.
“Well, this is it. We always go in the rear entrance of any building we raid.” I stated.
“Why?” Tyler asked.
“It’s a controlled entry. If there are several of the undead in the area, then we can clear them because they can only come out of the door one at a time, usually.” I answered.
Randy pulled the truck around to the back of the building. There was a single door at the loading dock, as well as a bay door.
“You see that roll up door guys?” Randy asked the kids. They both indicated that they saw the door.
“You never want to open one of those doors coming in, or first thing going out. Like your mom said, the regular doors only allow one or two of those things to come out at a time. Coming out, you could let a horde in at once. You always want to go out the regular door first before you open the bay door to load any supplies. You don’t want a horde to come in. If there is a horde, you could be camping out in a super market for days until they wonder away.”
I was suddenly really glad to have Randy with us. I wouldn’t have thought to give such a detailed explanation. My lecture would have consisted of its dangerous, and because I said so. At least they gained better knowledge by having Randy there to help.
Randy pulled the truck around, and backed up to the loading dock.
“So how do we get in the door?” Tyler asked.
“We are going to tie a chain to the door, and the other end to the truck. Randy is going to pull the door open by using the truck. That is of course, unless the door is unlocked as so many of them are.” I informed.
“Ok guys, you should have your packs on. Let’s get out and meet at the bed of the truck.” Randy instructed. We all opened the doors and got out.
Randy jumped up on the back of the truck, and bent down.
“What’s he doing Mom?” Tara asked.
“He’s getting the spears.” I replied.
“You mean the ones we have been making in weapons crafting?” Tara asked.
“Yeah, and with any luck, we may just get to see them in action. That would be awesome.” Tyler commented.
“You are such a zombie nerd.”
“At least I can handle it princess.” Tyler retaliated.
“Ok, here we are. Two for each person. Kids be careful. These spears aren’t just sharpened plastic.” Randy informed. We are good at what we do. Being in high population areas increases the number of the undead we can come into contact with. The more zombies one kills with a simple broom handle sharpened to a point can wear on the weapon and make it useless. Therefore, we made more dependable spears by inserting knife blades from expensive knife blocks into the ends. Seventeen months in the natural elements had caused wear on the zombie’s bodies as well, so it is easier to kill a horde by puncturing the skull and killing the brain.
I moved around the truck to help Randy hand out the spears. Tara followed me.
“Ok, turn around Tara. I am going to cross your spears through the straps of the back pack.” I instructed.
“But it’s tight enough already.” Tara commented.
“The reason it’s so tight is to hold the spears in place.” Randy informed.
“Why can’t we just shoot the undead thingies?” Tara asked.
“Because noise attracts more undead thingies. Duh.” Tyler said as he rolled his eyes.
“But we have silencers.” Tara added.
“But bullets are in short supply.” I answered.
“Now don’t you two start any more arguments. The biggest thing for you to remember is we are all a team. We work together or die together.” I said.
I placed the spears one across the other through the straps of Tara’s back pack while Randy did the same with Tyler. As we prepared, Randy and I took a look around at our surroundings. You never know when one of those creatures would wonder up. Randy and I were trained by experience to never let our guard down. I hoped that both of my children would learn the same lesson.
Tara’s straps were a little loose. I secured them, giving her something else to complain about.
“Ouch Mom. It’s going to cut my circulation off.”
“Yeah, well the knife on the end of these spears will cut into your head if it slides down too fast, so which would you prefer?” I asked. Tara rolled her eyes at me.
“Fine, cut my circulation off.” she commented.
I finished securing the straps on Tara’s back pack and went to work on my own.
“You look so cool Mom.” Tyler said as I placed the last spear in the straps. I smiled at him.
“Yeah, you look like you are ready for war.” Tara added.
“I’m at war everyday guys. My mission is to keep you both safe and provide what you need to survive.” I commented.
“That’s my mission in life too kids. You two have kind of grown on me.” Randy said with a smile.
There was no doubt in my mind that Randy loved my kids. He had been with us since day one of this nightmare. He stayed right with them when we were in Kingston in the old school. Actually, Randy, Alex, and I slept every night surrounding Tara and Tyler so if anything found its way through the fences and into the building, they would have to go through us to get to them.
It warmed my heart to have Randy with us, even though I wanted to slap him for that kiss he snuck in on me this morning. I guess I could just let it go for now. After all, there was no damage done to anything except for my pride. I wasn’t sure why I was so upset. After all, it was only a kiss. I suppose the problem was that I had liked it, even if it had been against my will. Had it really been something I didn’t want?
I wasn’t so certain. The feeling of his lips on mine sent tingles down my spine.
I shook the thoughts of the kiss from my mind. I was sure I was blushing, and such feelings could seriously hinder the task at hand. I needed to have my head on straight. The way I see it, my children’s lives depended on it. Nothing would compromise their survival. I would burn in hell first.
“Alright, let’s get that door open.” I said pushing myself back into G.I. Jane mode.
“Well before we risk the bumper of your favorite truck, let’s see if it’s unlocked first.” Randy said.
“Would you like to do the honors?” I asked.
“My pleasure.” Randy replied as he removed the pry bar from the bed of the truck. It’s always good to be prepared just in case and we always thought of everything.
Tyler, Tara, and I watched as Randy went up the steps to the door. Randy removed his hunting knife from the sheath on his belt and held the blade in his teeth. He slowly and ever so cautiously placed his hand on the door handle. We watched as he took a deep breath. Randy pulled, and the door came open.
Randy took a step back and drew his knife from his teeth. We watched and waited. We listened for the low moans and growls from the undead that may be inside. Everything was quiet, still. I removed a spear from my back. Tyler and Tara did the same, following my lead.
“Stay here. Watch each other’s back.” I whispered. I carefully made my way up the steps.
Once I reached the door, I stood to the side. I slowly moved the spear to the door and tapped several times. Again, we waited for the snarling sounds of the undead. There was nothing. Could this raid be as simple as it appeared to be? Still, I wouldn’t let my guard down.
“It seems quiet.” Randy whispered. I reached down and removed my flashlight from my belt. Randy signaled for Tara and Tyler to come join us. As they reached the top of the steps, I turned to them and said, “Stay close behind us.” they both nodded that they understood. I motioned for Tyler to get behind Randy, then pulled Tara behind me. I put my spear away and Randy sheathed his knife. We removed our guns with silencers from our holsters.
The Fall: The Apocalypse Diaries Page 7
