Charlotte Hoaks. . . .(C. A. Hoaks)

Randy reached out, but Harry turned away. “Lead out.”

Randy turned to the other. “You three come along, but be quiet.”

Meanwhile, three women had appeared on the front porch. The younger woman rushed down the step to begin examining Liz. “Is she bit?” She asked.

“No,” Harry growled. “She’s pregnant. We had an accident a few days ago.”

Randy pushed his way past her to reach for Liz. “It’s Liz. Will’s daughter.”

Wilma reached toward John and the kids. “Let’s let them take care of Liz. If you come with me, we’ll get you cleared and a snack, okay.”

John looked at her and scowled. “We ain’t bit.”

Wilma held up her hand to let Randy, Harry and Cassie disappeared into the building. Just then two men, both Hispanic and wearing sidearms appeared from behind the building. “I’m sure that’s true, but we have a process and everyone, and I mean everyone who walks in this door gets inspected. You can relax and make it easy for everyone or….” She let her voice trail off then continued while giving John a big smile. “My friends will assist either way.”

John sighed. “Fine. But ain’t no man checkin’ HER out.”

“Of course not.” Wilma led them into the main room of the lodge.

All three of the newcomers looked around in awe. Their footsteps slowed as they took in the massive room with two fireplaces, and an open stairway to a second story.

“Quite a little hiddy hole,” John turned to Cody and whispered. “Not what I expected for sure.”

Wilma led them to a hallway and to a side door across from a first aid station where voices spoke in hushed whispers. “This way, please. Mr. Edmond’s daughter is in good hands. Our doctor is my little girl.”

At the next doorway, Wilma pointed inside and stepped back. “You and the boy can go in there. Jose will give you a quick once-over then you are free to wander around. Maria is gathering drinks and snacks.”

The men disappeared into the room, and the door closed. The second man stopped outside the door.

She turned to the preteen girl. “Hi, my name is Wilma. What’s your name?” Trace answered then Wilma continued. “We’ll go in here then make sure you have no bites or sores that need to be treated.”

They stepped inside, Wilma completed her inspection then helped the young girl right herself, and they stepped outside chatting like old friends. John and Cody stepped out of the room.

“Now, you folks are probably hungry. If you go to the dining room to the left of the stairs, Maria and a couple ladies will bring out refreshments in no time. Dinner won’t be for a couple hours and Jose, and I have some people to clear.”

John and the kids headed off to where they were directed while Wilma stuck her head in the exam room where Randy and Harry stood aside while Cassie inserted a needle into Liz’s arm.

“You two can’t do anything more. Randy, I think we need to get inspections done then figure out what we’re doing with all these folks. Will won’t be back until dark, so it’s left up to you.”

“I want that ultrasound you snagged at the vet office, too,” Cassie added.

“Right.” He looked to Harry. “Come on, Harry. We get folks checked out then settled in.”

The caravan headed for a metal structure that appeared in the middle of an open expanse between the edge of the forest and a distant camp. The road angled toward the structure, and a ravine that ran the full width of the canyon entrance became more evident.

“Well, that’s a hell of a ditch,” Harry commented. “It looks like someone went to a lot of trouble.”

John pointed toward the left canyon wall. “It looks like there was a natural arroyo part way across the entrance of the canyon. They used heavy equipment to extend the trench all the way across before laying out that razor wire on the far side. It’s good to see the old man used the natural terrain to fortify the compound. Now it looks like only one way across the arroyo, that metal bridge.”

Randy’s truck pulled up across from a guard shack and waved. A man appeared at the gateway, gave a wave, and headed for a nearby metal structure and raised bridge.

“It looks like there’s a metal bridge of some kind,” Harry commented.

With the angle of the approach to the rock-strewn landscape, Harry and John could watch the guard reach out and turn a huge metal wheel at the side of the metal support structure. As the wheel turned, chains at the top of a tall metal structure extended and a skeletal platform began to lower toward the abyss of the gap.

“Fucking drawbridge?” Johan asked.

“Looks like it,” Harry answered.

Randy headed down the length of the caravan. When he got to the camper, Harry opened the side window. “Follow the rest and park the vehicle in front of the big building. We have a procedure in place to ensure we’re not bringing infected into the compound. Just stay inside the vehicle, until we get to you.”

“No problem.” Harry nodded. “A few more minutes is not going to kill any of us.”

“I’ll be taking Liz in first. Her father would have my hide if I didn’t. Besides, she needs to see the doctor.”

“Agreed.” Harry hesitated then asked. “Is that bridge sturdy enough for this rig?”

“Shouldn’t be a problem. May not take a loaded 18-wheeler, but it’s designed to carry a good size load. We already had the sides reinforced. Just take it slow and keep moving.”

“Now that’s promising.” John laughed.

A few minutes later the caravan pulled up in front of the Lodge. Harry got out from behind the wheel and walked toward the back of the camper. “You kids sit tight for now.”

“Yes, sir,” Cody answered.

When he got to the back bedroom, Harry used his knuckle against the door frame. Liz lay still. Harry whispered. “Lizzy? Lizzy, girl you’re home.”

She lay still. Harry walked to the side of the bed ready to jostle her awake, but when he saw her face, he stopped still. Liz’s face was flushed and glistened with moisture.

Harry reached down to lay his hand on her shoulder. He shook gently. “Lizzy, wake up now. You’re scaring me.” Liz lay still.

“John, holler at Randy. Liz is unconscious. We need to get her inside right now.”

Harry slid an arm under Liz’s shoulders and then behind her knees. He grunted and struggled to his feet. John rushed into the bedroom just as Harry turned to walk out. “She doesn’t weigh hardly nothing,” Harry complained as he sidestepped through the door and made his way to the side door. “We should have noticed how much weight she’s lost.”

“John followed behind Harry. “We have been a little busy if you’ll recall. You were gimpy, and I had a busted rib or two.”

“We let her take care of us like we were a pair of geriatrics.” Harry lamented as he stepped aside to let John open the side door. Harry stepped out with John, the kids, and dog close on his heels. The dog ran in circles, while the kids danced around excitedly.

Randy appeared. “What the hell are you doing? I told you….” He turned toward the kids. “Quiet!”

“She’s unconscious. You said you have a doctor.” Harry demanded. “She needs to see him now.”

Brian pulled his legs from the window ledge and sat upright.  He got to his feet and turned to study the four sleepers now only shadows in the gloom. He turned back to Billy’s flushed face visible in the moonlight through the windows.

“What is it? Is it midnight?” He whispered.

Billy pointed through the window. “No! There! I can see lights.”

Brian wiped his eyes with the back his hand and studied the dark shadows in the distance. He got to his feet, squinted and leaned closer to the glass. After a full minute, he was ready to give Billy hell for waking him when he saw a flash of light. Suddenly there were three more flashes in quick secession.

“Gunfire?” Billy asked.

“You got the keys to the truck?” Brian demanded. “Stay here and keep watch until morning. If I don’t make it back, you know where to go.”

Billy handed Brian keys. “The truck has a full tank. Are you sure you should go?”

“I don’t want someone or something to sneak up on us. Besides, there might be someone we can help.” Billy looked unsure, and Brian continued. “You see any other vehicle than this truck headed this way, you load up and head out the back. Drive like hell. I’ll catch up.”

“Got it,” Billy answered. “I’ll be watching. You want me to get the others up?”

“I’ll take Leon with me but let the other’s sleep for now.” Brian walked to Leon and gave him a shake. Leon jerked away grabbing for a big knife at his side. “Easy, big guy.”

When Leon realized it was Brian, he flopped back against the pile of T-shirts. “Boss, you scared the shit outta me.”

Brian shrugged. “Come on. We have to check out something.”

Leon stumbled to his feet and stepped into his boots. “What’s going on?”

“That’s what I want to know,” Brian answered.

Brian and Leon grabbed a couple go-bags and climbed in the old truck.

The eighty-nine Ford 150. It had original red and white paint and interior though a little worn was in good condition. When Juan had examined the motor, it was evident it had been well cared for. Brian had debated because the standard tires had been replaced with wide, deep tread, off-road versions. The truck would be top-heavy, but at least the engine and muffler hadn’t been modified.

Just as Leon pulled the passenger door closed, Brian slammed the big engine into gear. He stomped on the gas heading for the parking lot entrance.

“Lights!” Leon commented as he clung to the dash, “We need lights!”

“No, we’re going in stealth. I had Juan take out all the light bulbs in the breaks.” Brian answered. “Only headlights left.”

“Where are we going?” Leon asked.

“There.” Brian pointed to two flashes of light. “I want to know who’s doing all the shooting.” The truck turned onto the narrow blacktop and headed toward the gunfire in the distance. Leon rolled down the window and stuck his head out. “I can hear it. Some of it sounds like automatic weapons. Not a .22 for sure.” Leon called over his shoulder.

Brian turned the steering wheel, and the truck left the highway for a narrow side road heading toward the small war in progress. The truck bounced over the rough road, and half a mile from the station could hear the roar of several big engines as heavier gunfire echoed in the distance.

“What are we gonna to do?” Leon settled on the seat and picked up a military rifle with the muzzle pointed out the window.

“We’re stopping in that grove of trees and check out what’s going on.” Brian drove another three minutes while the gunfire got louder and more sporadic. He pulled off the road and backed into a corpse of scrubby trees. He turned off the engine.

Both men jumped from the truck.

“What’s the plan, boss?” Leon asked.

“Follow me, but not too close. If anything happens, head back and get the hell outta here. You and Billy load everyone up and move out.”

Brian jogged to the side of the road with Leon following ten feet behind. The two men hurried between dark shadows until they neared the crest of the hill. Brian took a knee and pulled a small pair of binoculars from his vest and studied the scene below. Leon moved closer and waited in the dark shadows of the overhanging trees alongside the road.

Below in the middle of a small clearing sat half a dozen vehicles. Two heavy duty pickups blocked the road in front of a minivan and truck. The second pair of trucks had blocked their retreat. The van and truck driver had tried to evade the attacker by driving into the trees on the side of the road and gotten trapped by a small stand of trees. They had made their last stand, and it had not gone well.

Four bodies lay on the pavement where they had been drug from the shadows of the trees. A young woman and teen girl had been forced to their knees in the middle of the road. A man in front of them was laughing and poking at the older woman. Each time he reached for the teen the woman slapped the man’s hand and pulled the girl closer. Even at a distance, Brian could hear sobs of terror from both.

Brian tore his eyes from the women and examined the men dressed in camouflage. After a barked order from the man harassing the women, the dozen or so people milling around each seemed to find purpose. Trucks were pulled off the road, supplies were removed from one of the pickups, and a fire was built on the side of the road. One of the men put a coffee pot over the small fire.

Two men began scavenging supplies from dead bodies. They drove a knife into the eye of each body before dragging them away from the camp. Three people went to the disabled vehicles and pulled supplies and personal items from inside each. Suddenly there was a yelp of excitement.

One of the men reappeared from the minivan with a quart bottle in hand. He passed the black-labeled bottle to one of the offenders spreading out a sleeping bag. The man took a long draw on the amber liquid then gave it to another person. Within minutes several of the men were passing the bottle back and forth. Some stopped at one drink and gathered bedrolls and laid down near the fire.

A man gave some gruff orders and the group as a whole drifted to the side of the road where they quickly built a fire and began heating cans of food and a coffee pot.

Randy dodged around a pile of shopping carts in the middle of the road and accelerated.

“This street, right?”  Randy asked.

Miguel fired then glanced ahead.  “If it’s open, go for it. We gotta get back on the main highway! If they go for wheels, we’re in trouble.”

Randy waited to break until the very last minute.  As the tires locked up, he took a quick look down the street and changed his mind.  He pulled the wheel back to the left and accelerated again.

“No, go! No, Go! Street’s blocked!”

“Keep going. We run into a blacktop a quarter mile down.”  Miguel answered before whispering under his breath.  “I think.”

“You think?”  Randy asked.

“I’m sure…I think.”  Miguel mumbled as he fired twice then reached for Randy’s rifle.  “I’m pretty sure if we get to the blacktop it will take us back on the highway.”

“We’ve got to get enough of a head start to lose anyone following before the turn off into the canyons.”

“Just drive.  We’re giving enough cover to keep their heads down.”

They lost sight of the attackers and approached the turn-off.  Randy slowed then turned on the blacktop.  He accelerated and raced ahead only glancing up twice before deciding the others were keeping up.

The speed approached seventy, and he held it there until he saw the turn-off.  At the last minute, he slowed, jerked the wheel to the left and steered the big truck onto the highway.  The minute he saw Pablo make the turn he slammed his foot into the floorboard.  The truck sped up and wind whipped through the open windows.

Miguel set Randy’s gun across his lap and reloaded.  He set it aside and began the same exercise with his own.  “You think everyone is okay?”

Randy shrugged.  “Hope so. I don’t think we should stop until we get to the Goodman place.  I hope like hell he’s ready to pull out.”

A full four minutes later, Miguel pulled back inside the cab as the pickup rolled onto the asphalt of the highway.  “See I told you.”  He announced.  “Hit the gas.  I hear engines.  Sounds like motorcycles.”

“How many did we take out?”  Randy asked. “Enough to discourage them?”

“Maybe. I know I killed two.  I heard shots from Hugo with Pablo and from the Camper. More fell then.  I figured there was at least nine in the group. We killed or wounded maybe half. Add the infected that was congregating on their locations.”

“Maybe the infected took care of the rest for us.”  Randy chuckled.

“De su boca al oído de Dios.”  Miguel mumbled.

Randy drove on.  When the pickup neared the Goodman Ranch, Randy picked up the radio that was the mate of the one he’d given to the old man.

“Goatman.  The doctor calling.”  Randy smiled.

“Goatman?”  Growled a gravelly voice.  “Who are you calling goatman?”

“We’re coming through in about ten minutes. You need to ready to pull out immediately?”

“You sound like you’re in a hell of a hurry.”

“We ran into trouble about ten miles back. Afraid they might be following us.”

“We’ve been ready for a couple hours, four vehicles with two trailers good to go.”

Randy sighed.  “Load up and meet us at the gate.”