Fight 4 Us (Book 10): Ghosts

by Grenda, Brian

  SHICK!

  Shaun stabs a female zombie in the side of her head.

  “Two zombies are coming around the corner of the store near the tractor trailer,” says Jon over the radio.

  Matt sees the two zombies come around the tractor trailer, clips the radio onto his belt, and grabs his machete from the back of the electric truck.

  “Guys! We got two on the left!” shouts Matt.

  Phil and Shaun look at Matt and they see the two zombies approaching Phil’s white electric truck.

  One of the two zombies is coming directly towards Matt.

  Phil sees the zombie coming towards Matt and he shouts, “You got him Matt!”

  Phil bashes one of the zombies’ skull in with his baseball bat, but the other zombie is coming towards Matt still.

  Matt gets a surge of adrenaline; he takes back his machete with his right hand and swings down on the zombies head.

  SVAASH!

  Matt’s machete blade slams into the top part of the zombie’s skull and into the zombie’s brain.

  The zombie starts to collapse towards the street, but Matt’s machete is stuck in the zombie’s skull and brain.

  Matt releases his grip from his machete as the zombie falls towards the street.

  “Good one Matt, but you have to twist the blade out sometimes,” says Shaun to Matt as they both look down at the zombie that Matt just killed.

  Shaun steps onto the zombie’s right shoulder, that Matt just killed, and he rips Matt’s machete out of the zombie’s head.

  Phil runs back over to Shaun and Matt.

  Shaun hands Matt his machete and says, “Here ya go.”

  Phil grabs his radio off Matt’s belt and asks, “How we looking Jon?”

  “Good, it’s all clear. You guys can start loading up the tractor trailer,” answers Jon through his radio headset.

  Phil, Matt, and Shaun go inside Fisher Sporting Goods and they find it untouched from the last time we were there.

  “Let’s take everything that we can. When in doubt take it,” says Phil to Shaun and Matt.

  Phil exits through the backdoor of Fisher Sporting Goods and walks over to the back of the tractor trailer.

  Phil grabs the lock that we put on the back hatch door of the tractor trailer and he sees that someone tried to cut the lock off, as the lock has a couple of scrapes and cuts in it.

  Phil removes the lock and opens the back hatch doors of the tractor trailer.

  Phil smiles as he sees tons of boxes, products, and goods sitting in the back of the tractor trailer container.

  Shaun and Matt each come out to the tractor trailer with a shopping cart that is loaded up with items.

  Phil moves some of the boxes inside of the tractor trailer container and makes some room for the items that Shaun and Matt have in their shopping carts.

  “How much is left inside?” asks Phil to Matt and Shaun.

  “Not much actually, but I want to see if we can get that ice machine that is in the backroom,” answers Shaun.

  “Go see if you can get it, Matt and I will load this stuff up,” replies Phil to Shaun.

  Shaun runs back into the backroom of Fisher Sporting Goods and over to the ice machine.

  Matt and Phil finish loading up the items from the shopping carts.

  “You think Ryan will be okay?” asks Matt to Phil.

  Phil answers Matt, “Yeah. I think so, but it will take some time. Everyone handles loss differently.”

  “Yeah, and we’ll be there for him. Just like you guys were there for me when I lost my dad,” replies Matt.

  Shaun comes running out of the Fisher Sporting Goods rear entrance door.

  “Can you get it?” asks Phil to Shaun.

  Shaun runs down to the back truck bed of Phil’s electric truck and answers, “Yeah. I just need to disconnect the water line.”

  Shaun grabs a bag of tools from the back truck bed of Phil’s electric truck.

  “I’m going to check the store one more time and see what we missed,” says Matt to Phil.

  Matt takes his shopping cart back into Fisher Sporting Goods.

  Shaun runs back into Fisher Sporting Goods with his bag of tools.

  Phil looks around the side of the Fisher Sporting Goods parking lot and sees a couple piles of dead zombies.

  Phil picks up his radio and asks Jon, “How we looking eye in the sky? Anything to report?”

  Phil thinks about how they are going to drive the tractor trailer home.

  “Everything looks pretty good. I don’t see any movement around the store or parking lot,” answers Jon through his radio headset.

  Phil jumps down off the rear loading area of Fisher Sporting Goods and walks over to the driver side door of the tractor trailer.

  “What about the small shopping center to the left of our store?” asks Phil into his radio.

  Phil stops at the driver side door of the tractor trailer, clips his radio to his belt, removes his handgun from his hip holster, and reaches up for the door handle.

  Shaun and Matt make it to the rear entrance of Fisher Sporting Goods with the ice machine.

  Phil grabs the tractor trailer driver side door handle and pulls the handle.

  The tractor trailer driver side door opens, and Phil is amazed that it’s unlocked.

  Phil opens the tractor trailer driver side door and a dead body falls out.

  Shaun and Matt see the dead body fall out of the tractor trailer cabin.

  Phil looks at the dead body and sees that it’s the driver of the tractor trailer.

  Phil looks closer at the dead body and notices that the man was shot in his stomach, but he did not turn into a zombie after he died.

  Shaun and Matt bring the ice machine to the back of the tractor trailer container.

  “Can you give us a hand with this Phil?” asks Shaun.

  “I see some movement on the roof of the shopping center that is across the parking lot from where you guys are,” says Jon into his radio headset.

  Phil asks into his radio to Jon, “How many?”

  Shaun and Matt load the ice machine into the tractor trailer container.

  BANG!

  A gunshot hits the side wall of Fisher Sporting Goods and misses Shaun and Matt.

  “Tell me something Jon!” shouts Phil into his radio.

  Shaun tries to close the back hatch doors of the tractor trailer container.

  BANG!

  Another gunshot goes off and hits the side of the tractor trailer container.

  “There are two people on the roof of the small shopping center that is across the parking lot from where you are,” says Jon to Phil over the radio.

  Phil runs over to his electric truck.

  Shaun runs back into Fisher Sporting Goods to get his bag of tools.

  Phil hands Matt his radio and says, “Have Jon keep us up to date with the shooters.”

  Phil runs to the front of the tractor trailer and slowly peeks around to see where the shooters are.

  Shaun runs out of the back of Fisher Sporting Goods and puts his bag of tools in the back of Phil’s electric truck.

  Phil sees a person running towards the back of the tractor trailer and shouts, “They are trying to take our stuff!”

  Shaun takes out his handgun and looks towards the back of the tractor trailer.

  Shaun sees a person grab one of the back hatch doors of the tractor trailer container.

  BANG!

  Shaun fires a shot and hits the person in the leg.

  The person that Shaun just shot screams in pain as they fall onto the concrete of the rear loading bay of Fisher Sporting Goods.

  AHHHHH!

  Phil runs around to the back of the tractor trailer and aims his handgun at the person that Shaun just shot.

  “Get in the truck and drive it home Shaun! The keys look to be on the floor inside the cabin!” shouts Phil.

  “Start up my truck Matt! You gotta drive us home!” shouts Phil to Matt.

  “Please, p
lease don’t kill me,” pleads the young man, that Shaun shot, to Phil.

  Phil keeps his gun aimed at the young man, as Matt starts up Phil’s electric truck and Shaun gets into the tractor trailer driver’s seat.

  The young man that Shaun shot has both of his hands on his gunshot wound.

  Phil closes the open tractor trailer container doors, while keeping his handgun pointed at the young man who Shaun shot.

  Phil bangs on the back of the tractor trailer container and Shaun starts up the tractor trailer.

  “Wait Shaun!” shouts Phil.

  “For what?” shouts Shaun.

  “We gotta make sure we can get out of here alive!” shouts Phil.

  Phil grabs the young man, that Shaun shot, and helps him stand up.

  The young man moans in pain.

  Phil puts his handgun to the side of the young man’s head and says, “You tell your shooter up there to let us leave, and I won’t kill you.”

  “Okay, okay. I’ll do it,” replies the young man to Phil.

  Phil grabs the young man’s shirt, moves behind the young man, and makes the young man face the shopping center where the shooter is positioned on the roof.

  The young man puts his hands above his head and shouts, “Let them go dad!”

  The shooter that is on top of the shopping center stands up and shouts, “You let my boy go!”

  Phil, while standing behind the young man, shouts to the man on the roof, “You let us leave! And we’ll let you have your son!”

  “Okay, whatever you want! Just don’t hurt my boy!” shouts the gunman from the top of the roof of the shopping center across the parking lot from Fisher Sporting Goods.

  “Put your hands up and leave them up! You lower them at all, and your son will be killed!” shouts Phil.

  “Okay!” shouts the gunman from the rooftop and then he raises his hands above his head.

  “Go ahead Shaun! Matt follow him!” shouts Phil.

  Shaun starts driving the tractor trailer away from the back of Fisher Sporting Goods.

  Matt drives Phil’s electric truck towards Phil.

  Phil and the young man start walking towards the small shopping center.

  Shaun exits the parking lot.

  Matt stops Phil’s electric truck near Phil and the young man.

  “Go ahead. You guys have the sporting goods store now, we aren’t coming back,” says Phil to the young man.

  The young man limps away from Phil and towards the small shopping center.

  Phil gets into his electric truck and Matt speeds away from Fisher Sporting Goods.

  CHAPTER 7

  READY

  Shaun parks the tractor trailer from Fisher Sporting Goods inside Citrus Oaks on our main entrance street in front of Carlos and Gloria’s abandoned house.

  Matt parks Phil’s electric truck in front of the tractor trailer.

  Brody, several guards, and Lisa come over to see the tractor trailer.

  Shaun exits from the tractor trailer and shouts, “We got a shit load of stuff in here!”

  Phil and Matt walk over to Shaun and Lisa.

  “What did you guys get?” asks Lisa.

  Shaun opens the back hatch doors of the tractor trailer container and sees that the ice machine fell over onto its side.

  “No, no. I hope it’s not broken!” shouts Shaun as he jumps into the tractor trailer container.

  Phil looks at Matt and says, “I’m going to get Ryan. Help Shaun unload this stuff.”

  Phil runs over to my house and knocks on my front door.

  KNOCK! KNOCK!

  Lauren answers the door and lets Phil inside.

  “Is Ryan here?” asks Phil to Lauren.

  “Yeah, he’s in his man cave,” answers Lauren.

  Phil walks towards my man cave door that is open slightly.

  “Come in Phil,” I say to Phil before he gets to my man cave door.

  Milo, who is sitting near me on the area rug in the center of my man cave, looks at Phil as he slowly enters my man cave.

  “What are you doing Ryan?” asks Phil.

  I finish writing something on a piece of paper in my notebook, and answer Phil, “I’ve started keeping a record of things. I started writing down everything I can remember about when the world fell apart around us.”

  Phil looks at the piece of paper that I was writing on and says, “That’s good Ry. If you need my help, I’ll help you.”

  I flip to the first page in my notebook and say, “I have the first date that I saw a zombie was on Friday, May 16th, 2025.”

  “Yeah, that was the last day we were in Tennessee for the guys trip,” replies Phil.

  I look at my old mp3 player that I was using that morning in Tennessee and remember the whole morning.

  “You were the only one who believed me that morning,” I say to Phil.

  “To be honest I didn’t totally believe you, but I knew something happened,” replies Phil.

  I stand up from my chair and hug Phil.

  Phil asks, “You doing okay Ry?”

  I step back from Phil and answer, “I have my moments, but I’m doing okay.”

  “Have you talked with anyone? Like about your dad?” asks Phil.

  I look down at my notebook and answer Phil, “I have been writing a lot, and I have talked with Lauren a little bit.”

  “Good. You have to let it out man. You can’t keep it bottled up. A couple guys on the force back home let their grief bottle up, and then they snapped,” says Phil.

  “What happened to them?” I ask Phil.

  “One guy took his own life, and the other had to quit the force… PTSD is no joke man. People don’t understand it, unless they have experienced it,” answers Phil.

  “I see that. I can only imagine what soldiers and people in wars have to deal with,” I say to Phil.

  Phil says, “We are in a war right now. A freaking zombie apocalypse war.”

  The way Phil said freaking, makes me laugh as I think of a funny movie quote.

  “Freaking,” I joke to Phil.

  Phil smiles and laughs.

  “Oh man, I needed a laugh… But what’s up Phil? I’m sorry about the doom and gloom in here,” I say to Phil.

  Phil responds, “It’s all good Ry. It’s totally understandable, but we brought back the tractor trailer from Fisher Sporting Goods.”

  “Awesome, what did we get?” I ask Phil.

  “I don’t really know, we’ll have to go through it,” answers Phil.

  “Everything go okay with the trip?” I ask Phil.

  “Come outside with me and the guys, and I’ll tell you all about it,” answers Phil.

  I look at Milo and say, “Come on belly, let’s get out of here.”

  Milo slowly stands up, stretches his back legs, and walks towards my man cave door.

  Phil watches Milo exit from my man cave and says, “Man, he actually listens to you.”

  I close my man cave door and reply to Phil, “Yeah, he does. People don’t think that cats listen, but I’m pretty sure any animal can obey a command if they want to.”

  Phil and I walk towards my kitchen and I see Lauren.

  “What’s up guys?” asks Lauren.

  “We are going to check out the stuff Matt, Shaun, and Phil brought back from the sporting goods store,” I answer Lauren.

  “Nice, grab me a couple things,” says Lauren to me.

  “Better yet, you can come out and help unload the truck,” I reply to Lauren.

  “I’ll be out in a couple minutes. I have to help my mom outside in the garden,” replies Lauren.

  “Whenever you are ready sweetie,” I respond to Lauren.

  Phil and I exit my house and walk over to the tractor trailer.

  Phil jokes, “You gotta get a new device for your music. Your old ass mp3 player isn’t cutting it anymore.”

  “Yeah, I know but it has sentimental value to me. Lauren gave me that our first Christmas together. I love it, even though it definitely is
outdated,” I reply to Phil.

  Phil and I walk over to the tractor trailer and we see Shaun, Matt, Jon, Brody, and two guards unloading the tractor trailer.

  I see a huge pile of various sized cardboard boxes in the driveway of Carlos and Gloria’s old house.

  I look at the front door of Carlos and Gloria’s old house and wonder what happened to them. Did they go somewhere else? Are they alive still?

  “I understand Hector, but Ryan is an ally and he didn’t purposely kill Felix or any of your men,” says William to Hector as Hector, Bruce, Jeremy, William, and Li talk inside an empty classroom at the Haven.

  “I just don’t think we should help Ryan anymore,” says Hector to William.

  “And you don’t have to, but we as a community may help him again,” replies William to Hector.

  Hector is angry and doesn’t agree with William.

  “It’s still fresh in our minds right now. I understand that you are upset about Felix and James, but Ryan and his men didn’t kill them,” says William to Hector.

  “The Conquerors did! Jacob and DK did!” shouts Jeremy.

  Hector stares at Jeremy.

  “It’s true Hector, and you know it,” says Jeremy to Hector.

  “Well, you can do whatever you want, but I’m not helping Ryan anymore, and I know a group that won’t be helping them either,” says Hector as he looks at William.

  “I hope you aren’t planning to do anything against Ryan and his group. Javier and his people are strong, but I don’t think it’s wise to have them attack Ryan,” says William to Hector.

  “What will you do if that happens?” asks Hector.

  “We will do what needs to be done for the Haven and my people and I feel that Ryan is my people,” answers Hector.

  Bruce starts to get mad and stares at Hector.

  Hector has had enough with the conversation and starts to walk towards the exit of the classroom.

  “Hector! Wait!” shouts Bruce.

  Hector stops walking and glares at Bruce.

  Bruce walks over to Hector and gets right in Hector’s face.

  “It wouldn’t be wise to pit two communities against each other. We are lucky to have two strong communities around us. A war between communities will only end with one thing. Death,” says Bruce to Hector.

  Hector just stares at Bruce.

  “Do you really want that?” asks Bruce to Hector.