Indead-ted To You

VII

BENICIA

We all sat in the living room after the invasion attempt that took place. Four strangers squished onto the couch, at gun point. Silence.

“Where’s our friend?” The man with the buzz cut asked. He looked like he was in charge. Tommy shrugged, “How about you let me know how many of you there are first, then I’ll answer your question.” Buzz cut flexed his jaw, “There’s about 15-20 more of us west of here.” “How many of you came here?” Joe asked quickly.

“Just us. We’re just looking for supplies.” The other man beside buzz cut said. Don eyed them, “So why not see if someone is home?” They all looked at Don who looked like he wanted to pull his trigger.

“Why so violently?” I asked. “You’re strangers to us, honey. And since the world has come to this, a lot of people have lost their sense. And we need to survive.” Touché.

Tommy went back to the rooms, and when he was coming back, a dragging sound coming from the hall as he emerged with a body. The intruders on the couch looked concerned. It looked like another intruder. “Don’t fret, he’s just knocked out.” Tommy said, “but we’re leaving here. And I suggest you wait a few before trying to get out of your ties and back home. So we can be long gone and you can go about your business, no one gets hurt.” Damn. He was really running the show. The kid with them looked scared. He stared at Leigh and I when he could, if he wasn’t staring at the floor. It made me think something was up. They weren’t telling the truth. “We could bring you back with us. We take in others. We work in a group. Hey,” buzz cut shrugged, eyeing his beaten group members, “You guys seem to have it in you to survive too.” Buzz cut offered us. I had to think of a way to get the kid alone now. I grabbed my notebook, scribbling down words. I then got up and placed it on the table by Joe. He looked at it, The boy knows something… then he looked at me. “Put these two in the bathroom, these two in the guest room and the other I’ll keep over here.” Joe ordered. As they stood and were escorted to their temporary prison by our guys. I sat a cushion away from him. Once alone, he spoke. “There’s more of them.” The young man whispered before I could say anything. I looked at him. “There’s a huge group and their s**t leader took over when the haven camp got invaded by the skin eaters.” Skin eaters?

“Okay, so there’s more of you? Why are you telling me?” I asked.

“They killed both my guardians from my youth home before all of this. We went into the haven when it all happened, my group didn’t find enough one time, he just shot them. ‘Said we wouldn’t have enough for them because of their failure and after that, I was all that’s left from my city. I’ve wanted out since I ended up with them. They treat me like s**t and their leader is a dictator. You guys can let me go once you get where you’re going. Just please take me with you.” He seemed like he was about to cry. “And any new people they take in, they put to work, if you can’t bring in enough, if you rebel… you’re left to the wolves. Dead.” He really couldn’t have been more than 16. “How old are you?” I asked him. “Fifteen.” He sniffled. He was just a baby, practically. “Okay. Give me a second.” I got up, making my way to Tommy. He stood by the guest room, gun pointed at the invaders. I approached him, noticing them watch us. I rose to my toes, grabbing his arm and shoulder, whispering into his ear, “There’s really more of them, the boy admitted…” I felt his free hand gently rest on the small of my back. I tried to continue explaining without getting flustered, “he’s asked to go with us. We can leave him wherever we end up but he just asks we get him away from them.” I backed away, his eyes finding mine. He gave me a curt nod. I turned to go let Don and Joe know too.

Finally we rounded them back up in the living room. Tied arm to arm and each of their feet bound.

“We’ll take the youngin’. If you care about him living. You’ll enjoy your little vacation here for a few then go back and will find him just north of here. If you leave sooner- well, just pray we never run in to one another again.” Joe said, with a chuckle after, in his very threatening tone.

“What the hell do you want with him?” The man who was beat up in the kitchen asked.

“Well he just reassures you stay put and alive.” Don seethed. “Let’s go. We’ll lock the bottom locks to keep you safe. But that back window you bashed, just hope no dead stumbles through. The doors closed though so you should be fine.” Joe said, giving a short whistle for us to move out. And we did. Loaded up in the van, and left our first home away from home, only to move on to the next chapter of the end of the world.

It had to have been at least three or four hours on the road. It was still dark. The seven of us stuffed into the van on our way to God knows where. After another hour or so, Don pulled into a plaza just before the next city, Shasta. He turned off the van. We all waited for a moment. There were some sick ones in the distance who loomed our way.

“Are we staying in here, Don?” Leigh asked, looking at the handful of sick ones around us nervously. “Maybe we can break into one of these stores?” I offered.

“Not without making a scene and attracting more of these freaks.” Joe added. Slam! We all jumped at the sudden smack of a sick one’s hand on the van! I closed my eyes. Gripping the sides of my pants in utter terror! Everyone stayed quiet.

“Maybe I can sneak behind the plaza, break into one of the stores and open the front door for you guys from inside.” Tommy offered. “Not alone you’re not.” Joe said.

“I’ll go.” I volunteered. “And I will too.” The kid said beside me, “You stab them in the brain, they’re done for. They taught me how at the last group. I’m quick and quiet on my feet.” Tommy looked back at him, Cori and I in the back, nodding, “Alright. Let’s go then.”

I had a dagger from what we took from the cabin that the invaders used as markers. The kid had a dagger too. Tommy had his gun and grabbed an ax from the front. Probably also from the cabin.

“Alright, we exit right, me and- er, what is your name?” Tommy started, then asked the kid we’d taken with us.

“Jimmy.” He said. Tommy continued, “Great. Jimmy and I will take out these first three on the right. Then Beni will lead and scope that first corner and then we’ll take the back way together. Beni you’re going to check all doors, Jimmy you check windows and I’ll keep eyes out for any walking dead.” We nodded. Jimmy and I maneuvered our way to the middle section, ready to go. “Let’s go.” Tommy said. My heart suddenly fell in my ass! Here we go. The vans door slid open, the three of us jumped out and hurried forward! Jimmy ran up behind one of the three sick ones, driving his dagger into the temple of the tall man, and when he pulled it out, the guy fell like a sack of potatoes. Moving on to the next one closest to him. Tommy did the same, only he had an extra sick one to take down. That only barely threw the plan off. I got to the corner of the building, stopping dead in my tracks as I rounded it. Two sick ones stood, slowly taking notice to my presence. I felt the fear creeping up and angst! A sudden memory flashed in my head of me very young and mom and dad looking at me from their doorway, “Good God, what now, girl?” Mom’s voice boomed in annoyance. “You’re so needy how are you going to make it when you grow up?!” Dad just ignored her and me, like always. Not wanting the problem, even if it meant protecting your daughter…

“How are you going to make it when you grow up?…”

The question and mom’s voice rang in my head. I pocketed the dagger, pulled the Louisville handle from my bag. The sick ones approaching me, arms out! Now faster! Just like this, mom. I said to myself. Thats when the one on the left, who was a few feet closer, was approaching. I wound up and swung the bat with all my might! A hollow crack sounded and the sick one fell to the floor from the bats hit. I went straight from that swing and full momentum into the other sick one. He didn’t go down so easy, but his head turning a grossly, damn near 180 degrees allowed me time to lift the bat over my head and bring it down onto the skull of the second one. It cracked loudly! It was down for the count. Dead- well actually dead now. I took the dagger out again slamming it into the top of the first sick one’s head, making it fall from all fours, face first into the cement. Jimmy and Tommy came from behind, Jimmy beaming, “That was cool as hell!” Tommy nodded, “That was incredible.” Not taking his eyes off me. I had to pull away my gaze.

We ventured to the back finally. I stood behind Jimmy and Tommy behind me as we looked around the corner. “Five or six of them,” Jimmy whispered. “Okay, you all know your jobs?” Tommy asked. Jimmy and I responded yes.

“I’ll get these two.” Jimmy said, already taking quiet steps up behind one of them. I was about to go when, Tommy grabbed my arm gently, “Be quick, careful and I’m right behind you. Okay?” I nodded, feeling warm in my face. “Alright come on.” Tommy urged. We did exactly what our plan was, no doors were unlocking at first! Already at the 5th door, and still nothing. Jimmy just ahead of me, tugged at a high window. “It’s open!” He yelled, hauling himself up! I came up from behind, giving my shoulder to help him in. A few more sick ones began to approach! Just before I had to swing the bat, the backdoor of the building Jimmy got into opened, “Come on!” He called to Tommy and I. Tommy grabbed my bag, hauling me in behind him as Jimmy closed the door and locked it.

The sound of our breathing filled the room. It was stale and dusty smelling. Tommy turned on his flashlight. We were in a break room, it seemed. There was a table, six chairs, a kitchenette but no stove, just a hot plate in the sink. I wondered what store we came across to hide out in. We slowly walked through the long hall that led out to the area where the entrance was. A furniture store. Couches and mattresses filled the sales area, on display. We could see the van a few yards away to the right. “I’ll get them.” Jimmy volunteered. Tommy nodded, keeping his eyes alert. There was another hall that led to bathrooms and an office. Other than that, this is what we got. It would suffice for rest in order to keep going. I felt like I was letting myself breathe for the first time since I got out of the van.

Jimmy held the door as the other four hurried into the store. Locking it and barricading it with a crowbar that he picked up from the floor. Everyone settled into a spot toward the back of the store. Setting down the bags and necessities.

Joe stood, taking up a king sized bed in the middle of the store, “Alrighty, everyone get some rest. We need to be at 100% for travel tomorrow.”