CHAPTER 12 - DONALD BISHOP
DONALD WATCHED AS Amy climbed into the van. He wondered why she didn’t have it running yet? The zombies might return at any moment. A few of minutes passed, and Amy clambered out of the truck. What the hell? She shuffled to the edge of the tree line with her eyes glued to the ground, and she stood searching for something. What could she be looking for now? Whatever it was, Amy must have found it because she returned to the van for a second time. Donald heard the starter engage and van roared to life. She executed a three-point turn and raced off down the road. Time to get out of here, since they had already spent too much time standing in this one location.
With the road cleared of the obstruction, it is smooth sailing for both the RV and Donald’s trailer. Their plan allowed Amy to pick up her brothers about a mile down the road, and then they’ll would rendezvous five miles ahead. They hoped the horde of zombies wouldn’t travel five miles and keep pace with them. Zombies never got tired, but they lacked the ability to plan.
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Red from the RV’s brake lights glowed into the truck’s interior and alerted Donald they reached the rendezvous spot. He didn’t care if they parted ways now or continued on together. After the issue with Sean and Joan, Donald wouldn’t trust anyone until they proved themselves to be sane. He preferred the newcomers, took the van and its passengers and went on their own way. Where they went, he didn’t care as long as it was away from him. Who knew what they would find in Maine, but Donald wanted people he could trust around him rather than wildcards. Both Mel and Gwen proved they had his back, but one of them was over 70, and the other needed to learn some survival skills. An experienced and sane partner would be great to find. Failure during the apocalypse meant death for them all. No restarts or second lives were available in this dead world. They only exist in video games, and those aren’t being played anymore.
They slowed to a stop in the middle of the road, and Donald checked his weapons. “Keep your eyes open, Gwen. I’m not sure how much I trust these guys. Don’t forget the weapons they had hidden in the bag.”
“I’ll keep my eyes open and stay with the truck. I know the drill.”
As Donald marched around the side of the RV, he discovered Mel and a small group of people stood around and talked. No van or sign of Amy, Ron, or Tim. Great, now what? He should have known those three would cause complications.
Mel tried to get everyone calmed down, but everyone talked at once. Donald used his commanding voice, “Everyone quiet! We don’t want to attract any unwelcomed visitors. One at a time. Tell us what happened.”
“That woman got into the van and drove us away from the flesh-eating monsters surrounding us. I thought they saved us. Then she picked those two men up and we instantly knew we weren’t saved,” a young man said.
Another continued, “They is bad, men. They is come in, and they be looking us over like we is meat in the butcher shop. They is pick Jessica and Barbara from us and say they coming with us, and the rest of you’s get out!”
“They took two women from your group and then left the rest of you here?” Mel asked.
“Yes sir,” another young lady said. “They held us all at gunpoint, ordered those two to stay and the rest of us to get out of the van. The lady who saved us seemed upset with the two men, but she didn’t stop them. She said to wait, and a ride would come along.”
“Wait here while Mel and I talk for a minute.”
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“Don, we can’t just leave them here, so don’t even suggest it!”
“Calm down, I wouldn’t suggest that, but we have to be careful. Do you want a repeat of the campground incident? This seems too convenient to me, like it’s a setup.”
“So, what do you suggest then?”
“We split the five up. If we isolate them, then they can’t band together. It’s the only thing we can do to keep us all safe.”
“You know Linda is still sick?”
“I am sorry about that Mel, but I don’t want all five of them together. It’s too dangerous for us. You take those two. The other three can ride in the trailer. We’ll make sure they’re all unarmed first.”
###
They executed Donald’s plan of splitting the survivors up and then drove on again. Night closed in fast as they made progress toward their destination. With the progress they had made so far, they might still make it to the camp in Maine before it got dark. Donald understood the dangers of travel in the dark with flesh-eating zombies and other survivors that roamed the streets. Even if they were better equipped to fight, Mel was the only trained soldier in their small convoy. But at his age, Mel wasn’t on his game anymore.
As Donald continued to think about the best course of action for their little group, the RV swerved to the left. As it over-corrected to the right, it spun out of control. What the hell? The wild ride ended with a crash into the ditch on the wrong side of the road. Donald stopped his truck, and both Gwen and he jumped out of the cab. He didn’t know if this would be a rescue or recovery mission.
The RV laid on its side in the ditch, driver’s side up. That meant they had pinned the main exit door underneath the crashed vehicle. Donald and Gwen headed to the Bounder’s windshield to see how they could best help those trapped inside. They discovered blood everywhere around the driver’s seat and spattered on the inside of the windshield. Still strapped into the driver’s seat, Mel’s blood dripped from the wounds on the side of his neck. Strips of skin and tendons hung from the jagged wounds. From somewhere deep inside the RV, the now familiar snarl and moan called out to them.
A crash and a scream materialized from their left. Donald found a blood trail leading from the roof escape hatch into the woods and Linda. Well, it had been Linda at one time, but now she was a snarling zombie with a blood-covered face with pieces of flesh that hung from the sides of its mouth. It wouldn’t take an NTSB official to explain the cause of the accident because it instantly became clear to Donald. The thing who used to be Linda lunged at him. The Desert Eagle barked once, and her body collapsed to the ground. Besides the blood trail from the RV, they found no other sign of the two survivors from the van who had ridden inside the RV. There wasn’t any rational reason to follow the blood trail because they knew what they’d find. They’re dead or worse by now.
He found Gwen crying around the front of the RV. Mel had the blank look of the walking dead on his face and a snarl came from his mouth. Mel (or what he had become) struggled against the restraint of the seat belt. Zombies are driven to eat like a new born craved milk. Donald let the pistol boom again, and Mel’s former body went slack for the last time. A tear formed in the corner of Donald’s eye, but he pushed the grief deep down inside. They needed to move and they could grieve later. Donald took Gwen by the hand and guided her back into the front passenger’s seat of the pickup.
Both Betty and Matthew joined Gwen in her tears. The gunshots told them a story they didn’t want to hear. No words of comfort would be spoken. They’re all lost in heartache that won’t ever heal. The desperate cry from the lone group of survivors are the only noises Donald heard as they pulled away from the wreckage that had been Mel & Linda’s dream home. No time to bury their friends if they wanted to survive.
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Donald knew they needed to stop for the night because of the red hue that spread through the sky. Travel in the dark through this now hostile territory would be too dangerous. After sunset, you wouldn’t be able to see your hand in front of your face in this rural area. A cliche, yes, but there were no street lights in the middle of nowhere. Donald spotted a turn off up ahead that might meet their needs. They found a small picnic or rest area with no facilities. Only a parking area with some picnic tables and a few dirty grills cemented into the ground made up their makeshift campground. The lot provided limited cover from anyone who passed by on the road and the ability for a quick escape if needed.
Donald parked the truck and trailer in the best spot in the lot. It had been level and provided a direct
access route back to the state highway to facilitate the quick getaway. They wouldn’t be invisible from the road, but the foliage would make them hard to see if you weren’t looking.
“It’s getting dark, so we need to stop and set up camp here for the night,” Donald said.
No one argued or even answered him. They’re too tired or suffering from PTSD from all the violence they had witnessed today, he thought. Donald had seen violent acts during his life, but nothing like this day. Both Matthew and Betty were only children whose mothers’ died a horrific death today. He couldn’t imagine how they felt.
“I want you two to stay in the truck while Gwen and I sweep the area to make sure we’re safe here.”
“You mean, I don’t have to stay in the truck this time?” Donald glared at Gwen, even though she meant the comment as a joke to lighten the mood. He hated himself after this reaction because he couldn’t imagine her pain either.
After they scouted the immediate area and found it secure, Donald said, “Let’s check on the three passengers in the trailer before we let those two out of the truck. I am not sure I trust the three strangers and I want to keep the kids safe at any costs.”
Donald went through the Airstream’s door first, while Gwen covered him. There weren’t any weapons left loose in the trailer, but experience proved you couldn’t be too safe with strangers. Only one of the female van passengers still sat on the couch. Where had the others gone?
“What happened to the other two people?”
She turned toward Donald. Her face pale, tears flowed from her eyes, and her lips trembled. After a moment of silence, she spoke. “When you stopped before we heard the gunshots. The other two panicked and ran away.”
“Why didn’t you leave with them?”
“Because there’s nothing out there anymore. Why run out to die in the woods alone? I spent my summer as a camp counselor, but I didn’t sign up for the end of the world.”
“None of us did, dear,” Gwen said.
“We’re stopping for the night and we need to work together to survive. Are you with us or do you want to run off to join your friends?”
“I want to survive. I’m with you,” she said.
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None of them had eaten anything since their breakfast of protein bars early this morning in Gwen’s apartment. He couldn't believe it had been earlier this morning when they had all been together in Boston. It felt like a week had passed. The trailer had been well stocked, and Donald made them an enjoyable camp dinner. All five ate like there wasn’t a tomorrow and there might not be one.
As they cleaned up after their dinner, Donald said, “We will establish a watch for tonight. We’ve seen that both the zombies and other humans cause problems. Gwen and I will carry weapons, and the rest of you will take shifts with us to help to watch over the camp. I’ll take the first watch, and our newcomer will assist me.”
“Donald, I want to watch with you,” Matthew said.
“Matt, I need you in the trailer watching over Gwen and Betty. I can’t be everywhere, and that’s where you can help me the most now.”
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“Listen, all I need from you is for you to stay awake and let me know if you see anything. I’ll take the North and West sides of the camp, and you can take the South and East sides. Understand?”
“Yes, sir! I’m not an idiot. I would have started my medical residency in Boston this August. The camp counselor gig was my one last bit of fun for the summer before my work got serious. Oh, and my name is Helen. You can call me that rather than her or newcomer.”
There’s a desire to live in this one, and medical training would be valuable to them all.
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A nighttime patrol, when it goes right, leaves you bored. Tonight's surveillance had gone right so far. Donald kept his eye on the road, the woods, and Helen. He still didn’t trust her, but she had performed her duty as a lookout well so far. If Helen really had medical training, she would be an asset to their group. Another hour and he would wake up Gwen for her shift. He would get a few hours’ sleep and then be OK for the rest of their trip.
Helen screamed from the far corner of the trailer. Donald ran over and found her cornered against the back of the camper as two bodies closed in on her. In one fluid motion, Donald’s freed his Ka-Bar knife from his belt, and brought it down on the first zombie’s skull. The first body fell to the ground. He retrieved his knife and stabbed at the head of the second. The blade was long enough to penetrate the brain from its entry point via the mouth. Two down. Now on high alert, but it’s too dark to see, and he didn’t hear or smell any other attackers.
“Are you OK?”
“Yes. The zombies snuck up on me,” Helen said.
That’s when Donald noticed the two bodies belonged to the other two passengers they picked up earlier today. “I guess you made the right choice not following those two into the woods.”
Helen didn’t reply. Gwen stood wide awake with a rifle in her hand when Donald turned around.
“I guess I won’t have to wake you for your watch now.”
CHAPTER 13 - BETTY BOWMAN
BETTY BOWMAN NEVER dreamed of herself as a soldier, but she found herself on a night patrol with Gwen in the middle of nowhere New Hampshire. Donald allowed her to carry a hunting knife and a can of pepper spray, but he said no way to the gun. She knew which weapon to use on the living or the dead. Both the risen dead and other humans would be obstacles to their continued survival.
As a city girl, Betty never camped out in the woods before. She would have never guessed her first time sleeping outside would happen during the zombie apocalypse. An odd thought occurred to her that her first overnighter happened with a bunch of strangers the day she became an orphan. Betty couldn’t say for certain if she had become parentless because her father might still be alive. He had become an occasional drunk and had always been a moron, so betting on her status as an orphan would be a safe bet.
Betty had spent her teenage years obsessed with all things zombie. She read all the books, watched the television shows, and saw all the living dead movies more than once. The part Betty played in this story would be the group’s resident zombie expert. She regretted that her expert knowledge hadn’t been enough to prevent her mother’s death.
She worried about Matthew since he lost his mother earlier today too. Matthew was younger than Betty and had been silent since he witnessed his mother’s violent death. While they rode together in the back of the truck, she tried to talk with him, but he refused to answer any of her questions. The words he spoke after dinner were the first she heard him speak since his mother’s death. Betty didn’t understand if he was naturally shy or had shut down from all the loss he had witnessed. They let him sleep undisturbed in the trailer all night long. The Airstream would protect him from any other attacks on the camp. At least she hoped it would protect him.
Betty knew nothing about Gwen, but she came across as the group’s badass female lead. Betty knew for sure all the zombie stories featured a female lead character like Gwen. Gwen was tall with an athletic build that Betty hoped she might develop herself as she matured. Even if she never met Donald, Betty was sure Gwen would survive the apocalypse somehow. She possessed the beauty and harnessed the power of the elves as she wielded her bow and arrows with deadly precision.
She concluded Donald would out survive them all, if the stress of loss didn’t get to him first. He had shown himself to be both smart and tough. Two traits needed to win the war of the living versus the dead. Donald had proven his proficiency with different weapons, and his truck and trailer prepared him for the worst. She trusted when he said they will get to Maine and survive this apocalypse with his leadership.
Betty had never been to Maine before, and part of her looked forward to their visit. When her parents were together, her father drank up the little extra money they had, so they never went on any family vacations. Once her parents separated, her mother had to work all the time for them to s
urvive on their own. So there still weren’t any vacations. Now Betty started her first camping trip and family vacation and it only took the dead walking the Earth and the death of her mother to make it all happen.
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It amazed Betty how cold it got overnight, even during the summer, and how boring it had been to walk around a parking lot surrounded by trees all night while you looked for trouble. Betty realized she didn’t even have a change of clothes with her, and she had been wearing the same clothes for two days now. She had been glad their look out had been uneventful. The horizon glowed red with the first light from the rising sun.
“Do you see anything?”
Gwen’s words startled her from her deep reflection. “No, nothing dangerous. Just watching the sunrise. It’s beautiful. Back home, I wouldn’t have been awake this early.”
“The sunrise may be nice, but keep your attention down on the ground. Threats won’t be flying in from the sky. They’ll sneak in from the shelter of the trees.”
“Gwen, I thought that I don’t even have a change of clothes with me. Seems silly with all that’s happened to us, but it would be nice to change my clothes, eventually.”
“Besides the clothes in Donald’s trailer, we only have what’s on our backs. He was lucky to be pulling his closet behind him. We need to find some clothes for the rest of us. Otherwise we’ll stink like the rotting dead.”
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The sun illuminated the sky with bright reds and yellows when Donald walked out of the trailer. “Did you have any trouble during your patrol, Betty?”
“No. After all the excitement during yours, our watch turned out boring.”
“Good. We’ll make some breakfast and then hit the road. An early start should get us to the cabin by early afternoon.”
“What’s the cabin like?”
“I’ve never been there. I inherited it from my father. My original plan was to drive up there and check it out after the Red Sox game. Didn’t know I would end up with company.” A playful smile touched his face and his eyes twinkled in the morning’s first light.
Operation Z | Book 1 | Uprising Page 9
