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

“Wow!”  Tate laughed.  “Small fucking world.”

“What do you mean?”  Matt asked.”

“I was headed there to stay with my cousin.  He’s been there since the VA cut him loose last year. He works for some crazy general restoring a hunting camp or something.”

“Damn.  I was hoping it was a little more than a hunting cabin.  Shit, two kids, and one a baby.  Maybe I ought to rethink taking the girls there.”

After a brief meeting with the women of the group it was decided they would all join Matt’s group.

“We have nothing to go back to.”  Red commented. “You’ve got a place to go that’s protected.  It’s what we need right now.”

“Accommodations are tight.  Just want you to know that.”

“We lived in a cage for the last week.  Do you really think it can be worse than that?”  Theresa answered.

Matt shrugged and answered. “Well, let’s get pack and get moving.  We can be there in six or seven hours.”

The store suddenly became a beehive of activity. Children and adults alike were gathering clothing and a myriad of supplies and carrying them to the vehicles.  They decided to leave the caged truck behind and take a mini-van they found in a garage behind the house.

The trip back was slow and winding through back roads.  They dodged two small gatherings of infected around stalled vehicles.  The people had run out of gas and spent days camping along a deserted road only to die from heat and exposure after running out of water waiting for rescue.

Red glanced to Matt behind the wheel of the mini-van.  “Dumb shits probably sat around waiting for someone to save them.”

He shrugged.  “Yeah.  City people in their SUVs don’t have much in the way of life skills for this life.”

“You do.”  Red answered.

Matt pulled the pills from his pocket and dray swallowed one.  “Haven’t always. I just figured out it’s time to step up.”

“You and Tate did.  I’d be dead right now if you two hadn’t come along.  I had every intentions of killing Stubby that night. Grant would have killed me, but that bastard would have been dead.  In my book, it would have been worth it.”

They drove in silence for a long time before Matt answered.  “You have to stop looking at it like that.  If you try to justify each and every time you’re put in that position before you act, you’ll end up dead.  It’s a matter of doing what you have to to survive.”

“I…”  Red began then fell silent.  After a moment she continued.  “They took everything. How do we go on after this?”

Matt glanced over his shoulder.  “The kids.”  He answered flatly.  “If we can protect the kids we have a chance. They will learn to adapt.  The bodies will decay and the infected will eventually disappear. If we can survive long enough, there’s hope for some of us.”

“We’re all infected. How can we make a life.  People die and it only takes one infected to destroy a community.  That’s what happened to our town.  One person.  That’s how it started.  Twenty four hours, it was overrun and those of us left were running for our lives.  We barely had time to load up water and canned goods.”

“We’ve seen that.”  Matt agreed.

“My brother in law got hit by a neighbor’s car. We took him and Theresa with us when we left.  He died and came back. If my husband hadn’t been there, he would have killed Theresa.”

“I’m sorry. But that’s the reality now.  We can lie down and die, or try to learn to live with an axe hanging over our heads.”

Matt saw the white trucks tail light blink twice.  Matt rolled down his side window and could hear the truck being down shifted.  He pulled the van toward the left and could see the camouflaged gate swing open.  “Here we go.  We’re home.”

Red turned toward the three people in the back seats.  “We’re here.  It will be fine.  Nice people that will be nice to us.  Wait and see.”

Matt glanced up at the hidden tree stand and threw a wave at the soldier.

“Glad to see you, Monroe.” The soldier held up a radio, then waved the caravan forward.

Matt followed the truck down the narrow gravel road to the park entrance.  The gate swung open and Larry ran up to the van.

“About fucking time you showed up, asshole.”  He took a deep breath.  “You had us worried.”

“Sorry about that.  I ran into a problem, Tate showed up then we got a little distracted.”  Matt nodded toward Red. “Found some folks that needed some help.”

Larry leaned in and grinned at Red. “I guess we’ll let it slide since you brought a beautiful woman back with you.”  He glanced toward the three people in the back seat.  “Welcome to Camp Verde.”

Tate pulled forward and Matt pulled his foot from the break.

Larry stepped back.  “Let’s get these folks inside and settled.” He tapped the top of the van. “When we get these folks settled, we need to have a talk.”

“Got it.  Meet me at the office at four.” Matt answered.

A few minutes later, five vehicles, the two pickups, the white truck, doc’s Oldsmobile and the minivan were parked at the edge of the parking lot.  Everyone gathered bags and boxes of supplies and followed Tate and Matt to the Rec Center.

Doc, Helen and their granddaughter, Libby and Rosalee stood together looking at all the people around the camp.  Red and Theresa stood together.  Three more children, two more adult women and two teenagers stood behind them.

They are looked around at the collection of soldiers, couple women and dozens of children and teens.  The kids were the first to move closer to the new arrivals.  Amy came hurried toward the group carrying Clair.

“Mr. Matt.”  Amy called out as she ran toward the small gathering. “I missed you.”

When Amy got to his side, Matt rumpled her hair and squatted down to smile at her.  “I missed you too, pumpkin.  How’s Claire Bear?”

Claire reached out with both arms and leaned toward Matt. He caught the wiggling bundle with a chuckle.

“Claire missed you too.”  Amy laughed and hugged Matt’s neck.

Finally, he rose.  “I can see. Have you two been good while I was gone?”

“Of course.  Miss Amanda fed Claire mushed up peas and she smelled so bad, Miss Amanda says never again.”

Amanda crossed the yard from the Manager’s office with Jake following close on her heels.  “Well, what have we hear.  New arrivals?”

“And none too soon, the way I see it, young lady.”  Answered Doc.

Amanda looked at the old man with white hair and the pleasant looking plump lady next to him.  “And why would that be?”  She asked.

“I’m a doctor and my wife a nurse.”  He grinned.  “From the looks of it, none too soon.”

Amanda laughed.  “If you only knew.”

Jake looked panicked.  “She’s been doing that thing all afternoon.”

“Just Braxton Hicks.”  She turned to Matt.  “Did you tell Jake to watch out for me?  I can’t even go to the bathroom without him jumping up and following me.”

Matt got to his feet.  “Jake, we need to get these folks settled.  Do we have room in the Rec Center?”

Jake nodded.  “We came across a lucky find, day before yesterday.”  Brought four campers from another camp ground, not far from here.  Found a few people too.”

Matt turned toward four campers parked on the front row of concrete pads behind the food truck.  “So I see. You can tell me all about it later.”

Matt pulled the cover from his watch and saw he missed midnight by seven minutes.  He emptied the rest of his bottle of water then got to his feet.  He stepped around the rest of the people that had chosen the store room to sleep in and walked to the front of the store.  He glanced over at the little girls and saw everyone was still asleep though one little girl whimpered from time to time.

Matt was frowning by the time he stepped around the display shelf and met Tate’s gaze.

“What’s that look for?”  She asked.

“Nothing.  The kid’s crying in her sleep.”

“They all went through a lot, but she’s all alone.  All the other kids have at least a sibling in the group.  She has no one, since she watched her folks killed.”

“I wish we hadn’t killed them so quick.”  Matt growled.

Tate sighed.  “Can’t change what happened.  I’m gonna get some sleep.  You’d better decide where we go from here.  They all act like you have all the answers.”

“That’s what scares me.”

Tate disappeared around a display case and after a few minutes of shuffling around she settled and Matt could hear a gentle sigh and then nothing but the soft whimper of the little girl.

Matt looked out into the moon lit night.  Distant fires glowed on the horizon.  He wondered what town.  Uvalde?  Had to be.  Could the whole town of fifteen thousand people be burning? They needed to head north and get back to Camp Verde.  Then what?  Stay or pack everyone up and head up to Pine Springs Canyon. Would the old man take in this many kids?

Matt ran his hands through his hair.  He made a mental calculation and realized he had two dozen adults and over thirty kids to look out for.  Fifty people would be a lot of mouths to feed.  A lot to bring to an old man’s door and expect sanctuary for all.

He took a deep breath and decided he didn’t need to decide anything right now. But when he got back, he needed to talk to Jake and Larry.  He couldn’t just sit at Camp Verde with the girls when he knew where they had family. He had told Amy he would get her to her grandfather.  What if the mother was there now thinking she had lost her children? He couldn’t imagine the pain she must be suffering.  He knew Brian Jameson and he was a good man. He had kept Matt out of jail more than a couple times in the past six months. Matt also was sure he was dead since he was on the base the morning of the attack.

Matt watched the shadows as the night slipped away.  He pondered the future for the group, his group.  He rested his hand on the bottle of pills in his pocket and vowed he would never take another drink.  He had a job.

He squared his shoulders and pulled a map from a side pocket and a LED light from another.  He laid the map on the counter and ran his fingers down the red lines back to Camp Verde.  He owed Jameson, but he couldn’t make it at the expense of forty-five other people that depended on him. He’d figure out a way to get the girls to their grandfather, but not right now. It was a matter of the greater good.

Just as the night faded and the sun peeked over the distant tree line Tate walked up behind Matt with two cups of coffee in hand.  She handed one to him.

“Well, boss.  What’s the plan?” She asked.

“They go to the camp with us. I have to get the girls we found in San Antonio to Pine Springs Canyon eventually, but for now….”

“Which girls?  What do you know about Pine Springs Canyon?”  Tate asked with a frown.

“Amy and Claire. Their dad died on the base.  I promised Amy, I’d get her and her sister to their grandfather’s place. That’s where they were going when they got separated from their mother.”

The van traveled around small gatherings of infected, abandoned and wrecked vehicles.  All the while, Brian directed them further from the mayhem that had once been the home of the famed River Walk and the Alamo.  An unusual quiet had settled over the occupants of the van.  They each knew they would never see the city as it had once been ever again.  The dead now owned the city of old churches and magnet of Hispanic culture in Texas.

“It’s all gone,”  Paula whispered.

“But we’re alive,” Brian answered.  “We’re alive to find a place to rebuild.  The dead will decay and disappear one day and the country will rebuild.”

“You really think so?”  Margo asked.

“We survived all this time in the midst of all the chaos and death.  I’m sure we were not the only ones.”  Brian answered.  He tapped Juan on the shoulder and pointed to sign.  “That’s the road.  Head north on 127.  There should be a fueling station at the intersection.”

The van crested a hill, and suddenly the vista opened to show miles of road laid out in a narrow black ribbon perpendicular to the road they were driving.  In the distance, they could see a fifty-foot sign advertising gas and food.

“There!”  Leon pointed from the front seat.  “I hope they have a beer.”  He laughed.

“I’d settle for a can of beanie whinnies,”  Billy announced.

“Let’s take it slow.  I see vehicles in the parking lot.” Brian said over Juan’s shoulder.  “There’s a good chance of infected wandering around.”

“Should we chance it?” Asked Margo. “Can’t we go somewhere else?”

Juan snorted. “No.  Gas tank’s been on empty for the last ten miles.  We’ll be walking if we don’t fill up.”

“Folks, we got no choice.  If we can, I’d like to get a second vehicle.”  Brian said. “Go in slow, Juan. Everyone pay attention and let’s see what we’re facing.”

Juan slipped the van back in gear, and the vehicle eased forward.  Two infected wondered from behind an eighteen wheeler at the edge of the parking lot.  Brian slid open the side door and stepped out on the asphalt with Billy close on his heels.  Leon followed.

The trio walked toward the two infected now homing in on them.  The taller of the two men wore coveralls and appeared to be a mechanic of some kind.  The second man was a graying, older man with a noticeable limp.  His right foot jutted out at an awkward angle that made the stumbling gate of the infected even more ungainly.

Leon used his machete to point toward a heavy duty pickup truck parked near a big rig.  The hood of the rig was open, and the pickup parked in front of it had several compartments left open.

“They came from over there.  I got this.”  Leon grinned back at Brian.

He walked to the tall, thin man and swung with his blade.  The man’s head separated from his shoulders and tumbled to the ground as his body collapsed to the asphalt. The second infected raised his arms to reach out, but Leon made another swing of the machete and took off the man’s arms.  The infected barely noticed the loss of his arms. He took another step forward, and Leon ended him then turned around and gave the two men a big grin.

“Quit horsing around,”  Brian ordered. “Look what’s coming.”

Leon turned back to the face more than a dozen infected stumbling toward them.  Men, women and even a couple children with horrible gaping wounds made their way toward the trio.

Brian nodded at Billy. “Spread out.  Take out the closest and don’t use your gun unless you get into trouble.”  He glanced at Juan and held up an open palm.

Juan slowed and called over his shoulder.  “Margo, you or Paula get your ass up here and let me go help.”

Paula jumped up and climbed around the middle seat to the back of the front seat.  Juan opened the door, slid to the side of the seat and paused as Paula slipped between the front seats to settle behind the wheel.

Juan stepped out of the van. “Hang back unless we get in trouble then get your ass up there.”

“Got it…just be careful.”  Paula answered.

Juan raised a hand to his head in a mock solute.  “Don’t be late.”

Brian nodded as Juan jogged to his left and moved forward with the others.  The infected were confused with so many options.  In the end, Juan had a man in a white apron cover in blood, making a beeline for him.  A second infected followed at a limping gate.  Brian had three men in blood splattered jerseys.  The arms and faces of all three men were shredded with raw strips of flesh.

Leon laughed a robust sound that filled the artificial silence of a world with so few people.  Four infected headed for the big black man.  The closest man was massive, at least five hundred pounds.  Whatever clothes he had been wearing in life had been pulled from his fold of white flesh.  An apron of flesh folded over his privates jiggled with each halting step he took toward Leon. His upper arms jiggled and flopped as he reached out toward his next prey.

Billy pointed and started laughing. “Holy shit!  That is the fattest fuck I have ever seen.”

Brian growled.  “Private, you got two infected looking at you like you’re a juicy steak. Get busy.”

Billy turned and took a couple steps back.  He raised his machete and swung at a teen boy with barely a hint of fuzz on his chin.  The infected kid’s glazed over eyes found Billy and turned just in time for the blade to separate his head from his shoulders.

Millie handed Penny a fan of cardboard and a wooden handle she had found inside the cabin.  One side was a picture of Jesus and the other the words of the Lord’s Prayer.  She patted the child on the head.  You and Jesus here can watch over our boy while you make a little breeze.

Penny accepted the fan and using both hands, made wide arcs.  Della adjusted her grasp and showed her how to make short even movements. She pulled the netting closed leaving Penny on the outside fanning with a determination that made Della smile.

“Will you stay and watch him?”  Della asked. “I’ll be back soon.”

Della got to her feet and carried the supplies back in the cabin.  Once inside she washed her hands and put all the bottles back in the shoulder bag keeping out the Cipro. She carried the supplies and the medical bag to a corner table and left them.

At the table, she accepted a bottle of cold water and pushed the hair from her face. “I hope this works.  It would have been better for an IV and solution but they had nothing like that.”

Millie turned from cast iron pot on the wood stove. “You’ve done what you can.”  She added the last of the pieces of squirrel into the pot.  “He has a chance.”  She chuckled.  “What’s this I hear about horses?”

Della smiled.  “They followed me home.”

“That might be a good thing. They would present an alternative to the truck.”

Della shrugged.  “None of us ride.”

“Speak for yourself, gal. I ride better’n the Lone Ranger.”

Zack appeared at the back door. “We don’t have saddles. Besides, the only one that acted like he even liked people was the black one.”

Della laughed.  “That was a mare.”

“Whatever. He retorted.

By dusk, Millie had made biscuits and thick gravy.  “It’s cooled off should Zack bring Steve back inside?”

Della sighed.  “I think his temperature has gone down a little.  I hate to move him but it’s just not safe to be outside the cabin at night. If any infected stumbled across him, he’d be defenseless.”

Zack took a few minutes to move Steve back into his bed.  With Della’s help he brought the mattress and bedding inside and restored it to the top of the bunk.

Millie sat the table and readied the table for the evening meal. She turned up the wick in the kerosene lantern.  She called out. “Darlene, come on inside.  We keep an eye out from inside, now.”

Della fixed a small plate with biscuits and gravy.  She walked to the bed where Steve slept.  She pulled a pillow from the bunk overhead and slipped it behind him.  “Steve?  You have to try to eat something.”

Steve groaned. He turned to face Della’s voice.  She scooped a spoon of gravy and biscuit from the plate then brought it to his lips.  He opened his mouth and accepted the first mouthful.

“Not hungry.” He whispered after he swallowed the first bite.

“May be, but you have to eat.  I need to give you more antibiotics and you need food and take in more fluids.

“Bully,”  Steve whispered as he opened his mouth to accept another mouthful of food.

Della raised a cup of water to Steve’s lips. “Drink.”

After three more spoonfuls of dinner, he slumped back and sighed.  “No more.”

“You have to take the Cipro.”  She held out two pills and he reached for the willow tea.

He slipped the pills into his mouth and took two long drinks of the tea to wash them down. “You know, that tea tastes terrible.”

Della shrugged.  “Sorry, horses don’t take aspirin.”

He forced a smile and laid back.  Della sat and watched until his breathing grew slow and steady. He was sleeping. She walked to the kitchen table and added more biscuit, meat, and gravy to her plate.  She ate quietly then helped Millie clean up the remains.

“He’s better,”  Millie asked as she sipped willow tea. Della raised a brow.  “My arthritis.”

“I think so. I’m sorry I didn’t find anything you can take for it.”  Della responded.

Millie chuckled. “You don’t need to worry ‘bout me.”

The ATV purred right along with Zack driving and Della clinging to his wide back.  Zack turned around and asked.

“Did you find what you needed at the Ranch?” Zack asked.

“I guess I got more than I bargained for.” Della sighed.

“Was it bad?”

“The crash out front left a dozen infected attacking the horses in the front paddock.  It was terrible.  The surviving horses were so frightened I just couldn’t leave them so I opened a gate to let them out.  The infected would have killed them all eventually.  When I was trying to lock the gate, the black actually took out an infected that got too close.” She continued.

“What are we going to do with five horses? It just makes another responsibility.”

Della remained quiet as they passed the narrow wash finally, she answered.  “I don’t know. Let them lose when we leave.  At least they would have a chance.”

Zack stopped the ATV at the front of the cabin. “You had no business doing that all by yourself.”  He slipped the ATV back in gear and drove away toward the shed leaving Della standing on the steps with the bags sitting next to her.

Millie appeared at the doorway. “I hope you got what you needed.  He’s not doing good at all.”

Della picked up the bags and walked up the steps.  The cabin was beyond hot.  After the ride on the ATV with the wind drying moisture on her face it felt stifling.  She walked to the table and dumped the bag of meds.  She examined half a dozen bottles until she found a name she recognized.  She opened the Ciprofloxacin and dumped out two tablets.

Matt stood wringing her hands.  “He can’t swallow those big ol’ pills.  He can barely swallow a couple teaspoons of the willow tea.”

Della glanced toward the kitchen. “We have to find a way or he’ll die. Millie find a way.”

Zack appeared at the back door and Della looked up.  Carry a mattress to the back porch.  It’s too hot in here.  We have to move Steve out there then get him cooled off.

Della looked to Millie where she was mashing the pills into a fine dust. “The honey.  Mix it with a bit of honey.”

Five minutes later, Zack picked up Steve and carried him to the mattress on the back porch.  He had hung a mosquito net over the mattress and tucked the netting in on both ends and the back side.  Bending down he lowered Steve onto the mattress through the opening in the netting.

“Get his shirt off.” Della ordered.  “His pants too. Then get a bucket of cold water and start laying wet rags on him. We have to get his temperature down.”

Zack did as he was told.

Millie appeared with a cup of willow tea and a teaspoon of honey with the crushed up pill mixed in it.

“Set him up Zack.” Della said.  When Steve was slumped against Zack wide chest, Della tilted his head up and whispered.

“Steve?”  She held his face up and pressed the spoon to his lips.  “You have to swallow this.”

He opened his mouth and Della slid the spoon between his lips. She tilted up the spoon and slid the thick golden liquid from the spoon against his lip. She tilted his head up and began massaging his throat.

“Swallow, now Steve.”

Steve worked his mouth and tried to cough but Della held his head up.  Millie handed her the cup of willow tea.  Della pressed the cup to his lips.  He swallowed and slumped forward.

“One more drink, Steve.  You’re going to feel better soon. I promise.”

Steve looked up and accepted the cup and allowed another mouthful of tea to pass his lips.  Della nodded to Zack and he eased Steve back to the mattress.

Millie stood up and brought a box of gauze and tapes from the cabin.  “I be fixing some supper if that boy will clean those two squirrels.”

Della nodded.  “I need to change the dressings then I’ll come in and help.”

Darlene stepped out on the back porch. “Anything you want me to do?”

Della looked up to see Penny peaking from behind her mother.  “Just keep watch.  If Penny doesn’t mind, she can sit and help me keep Steve cool.”

Penny hurried to Della.  “Will Mister Steve be better soon?”

“I hope so.”  She answered.

Della changed the dressings on both Steve’s legs.  She used the antibacterial soap and an antiseptic ointment on the open wounds then wrapped them in a light dressing.  She used fresh water to wipe Steve’s face and torso. She left cool damp clothes behind his neck and on his forehead. She pushed away and stood just as Millie appeared.

Randy set two bags filled with boxes of medications and bottles pills on the counter and added.  “If you’re not too tired, old man, you could carry this to the front of the store.”

“Fuck you.”  John snarled.  “Be sure to pick up laxatives, you’re a real shit head.”

John noticed a stack of plastic totes at the side of the aisle and opened the lid.  It was filled with of variety of “over the counter” medications.  He sat down the bags and turned to add several boxes and bottles to the container. When he had cleared the shelf, he moved down the aisle to add cough syrups, and pain relievers. He pulled the bags behind him as he added bandages, tapes, and Band-Aids.  When the tote was full, he balanced the bags on top and pulled it to the door.

He opened the door pushed the spoils through the opening.  He let the door close and took the bags to the back of the truck and tossed them into the back.  He returned to pick up the tote and carried it to the truck and hefted it into the bed.

John hurried back inside and used the left aisle to return back to the pharmacy.  Randy and Miguel had stacked two more bags on the counter.  John called out.  “I’m cleaning out shampoos and soaps and disinfectants.”

He found two more totes at the side of display cases.  One of the containers was empty while the other was filled with half a dozen bands of shampoos and personal care products.  He again cleared the shelves then gave it a shove toward the front of the store.  He took the second tote to a section of shelving that displayed cleaning products, dish soap, laundry soap, and alcohol. With still room in the tote he added half a dozen packages of cloth baby diapers.

Just as Miguel hurried down the aisle toward him, John snapped the lid closed and turned to carry the container toward the first still sitting several feet from the door. Suddenly shots rang out from outside.

“Got trouble! Gotta go NOW!” Pablo yelled.

“Fuck!” Randy came up behind John.  “Move it old man!”

Randy stepped around John, transferring the bag from his right hand to his left.  His left shoulder sagged under the weight of both bags but he kept moving as he raced around Miguel and charged through the door. He aimed and fired at two infected approaching from behind the front of the truck.

Miguel imitated Randy’s actions and charged through the door leaving John to either drop the totes or hope he could load the totes while the other two men took care of the threat.

“Gotta go!” Randy yelled as he tossed his bags into the back of the truck.

Miguel tossed one of the bags into the bed and turned to fire twice.  The first shot went wild but the second shot took out a man dressed in a tattered, blood spattered sports shirt.  He tossed the second bag over the side into the truck bed.

Carrying both totes, John shuffled to the side of the truck dropped both containers with a grunt.  He grabbed the top container and hefted the tote with the bottles of liquids into the bed. John glanced over his shoulder and realized a swarm of infected was spilling from the school.

“Load up, Pablo. Move out!”  Randy ordered. “Harry move out! NOW!”

Both vehicles began to move.

He pulled open the driver’s door of the truck and pushed Miguel. Toward it.  “Get in and slide over.”  He turned back to John. “Forget it! Get in back old man and hang on!”

John tossed the tote into the bed and stepped on the bumper get in the back when Randy cranked the engine.  And infected rounded the bed of the truck and grabbed at John’s leg.

Randy slammed the truck into gear and accelerated sending John sprawling across the pile of plastic bags.  John’s leg jerked free of the infected as he went down.

John rolled over and slammed his hand against the window.  He rolled off the bags and pulled his revolver free from its holster.  He pulled himself into a sitting position and aimed at an infected woman in a pair of shorts and the remains of a halter top.

The infected woman’s bare middle had been torn and ripped open.  Loops of intestines dangled around her knees. Her face was twisted into an angry snarl while her teeth snapped and her arms reached over the side of the truck.

John fired.  His first shot skimmed the side of her face taking her left eye and a narrow patch of hair.  His second shot caught her in the middle of the face. Three more shots took out the closest threat and the pickup sped away leaving the rambling herd began losing interest.

John shifted a tote to a place behind the cab and settled down to reload his revolver.

Two miles from Dell, Pablo and Harry slowed and moved to the side of the road to let Randy catch up.  When Randy pulled up alongside the camper, Harry called out. “Everyone okay?  Harry?”

Randy laughed as he hiked a thumb over his should toward John.  “That’s a pretty useless old man.”

After rooting around in one of the totes, John vaulted from the back of the truck.  “Fuck you, asshole.” He stomped to the back of the camper to find Liz standing at the door.

She pulled him inside and into a tight hug.  “God, I thought I was going to lose you.”

John shrugged free and scowled at the dog.  “This place smells like dog shit.” He tossed a bottle of shampoo to Cody. “Do something about that mutt; if you’re gonna keep him, kid.”

Everyone laughed as Randy pulled out and Harry guided the camper back on the highway.

Randy led the caravan of two pickup trucks and the camper rumbled toward the opposite end of town.  The veterinary office had made a good haul but as Randy argued when it came to medications, they needed as much as they could lay their hands on.

“Damn, that dog stinks.”  John echoed what all the adults were thinking.

“Make sure everything is battened down.  I don’t like the looks of the school ahead.  Something is wrong.” Harry groused.

“We’re good.” Liz turned to Cody and Trace. “You two stay put and hang on to the dog.  If something happens, we don’t want to be tripping over him.”

The closer the camper got the school the slower Randy got.  He tapped the breaks twice and Harry slowed the camper.

Harry’s head swiveled from left to right as he growled. “Something is wrong. There’s a body trapped at the front of that truck.  Is that a body moving inside the cab?”

John leaned out the window to get a better look and quickly pulled his head back inside. “Smells really bad around here. I think this is a mistake.”

Randy stopped the truck at the front of the drug store and slammed it into part.  He jerked open his door and hurried to the side of the camper.

“Park here and stay inside. There’s dead in that damned in the truck driven in the side of the school.  I think it’s blocked the entrance and if I had to guess, it’s full of infected. I’m getting Pablo to pull up and protect our flank while Miquel and I check out the pharmacy.”

“Are you sure it’s worth it?” Harry asked.  “We can just move on.  We got drugs.”

“We have folks that need specific drugs.”  Randy argued. “We’re just going to sweep the drugs into bags. Ten minutes, in and out.”

“Then I’m coming. Be that much faster” John added from the passenger seat.

“Fine, I’ll tell Pablo and then we’ll be right there.” Randy answered as he hurried toward the second truck.  A moment later

John rose and called out. “Lizzy, hand me the box of trash bags.”  Liz did as she was asked and John opened the door and stepped outside.

Pablo pulled the second truck up to cover the three men going into the drug store.  Both men raised guns and watch the street ahead and the school.

“I’m going to watch the back.”  Liz announced. “You kids sit tight.” She disappeared down the hall with a rifle in hand and climbed on the bed to watch out the back window.

Randy led John and Miguel to the pharmacy door.  He cupped his hand at the side of his face to peer inside.  Without lights, the store was a collage of shadows and worrisome dark shapes. Randy jammed the crowbar between the door and the doorframe. He leaned into the rounded end and the lock snapped. The door popped open.

The strong smell of death wafted from the depths of the store.  Randy stumbled back into Miguel and cursed.

“Dead inside.”

“Sure as I can be.”  Randy righted himself and reached for the door.  “I take left, Miguel right. John, come down the center aisle. Pharmacy looks to be at the back of the store.”

John started to protest, but then just shrugged. “You’re running the show, soldier.  I got some trash bags. Lead the way.”  He clutched his machete tighter.

Randy pulled the door open.  He and with Miguel each stepped into the building.  The stench wafted out assaulting the three men.  John’s breath caught and he grimaced but followed Randy and Miguel into the shadows. Light filtered through three narrow windows along the sides of the building.

John got to the front of the aisle and saw Randy disappear down the left passageway.  He looked to the right and saw Miguel’s head moving down the corridor. John moved forward one step at a time.  The center aisle was shrouded in shadows with the floor cluttered with a display ten feet ahead.

John squinted, trying to see into the gloom ahead of him.  Was that movement? He stepped forward two steps and paused to take a LED flashlight from his pocket.  A dark shadow grew from behind the display. He flicked the light on.

“Hey, bring the bags.  Pharmacy is empty.  Let’s get this cleared out and get outta here.”  Randy called out.

John answered. “I think I know where that smell came from.”

“Do you need some help?” Randy asked.

“I got this.”  He tossed the roll of plastic bags toward the back of the aisle.

John raised the machete and stepped toward a little man with a bloodied bandage hanging from his arm. John moved the light from the waving strip of gauze up the arm to the face gray with death.  The eyes sockets were dark and sunken while the eyes had lost all natural color and were clouded with a white film. The mouth opened in an angry snarl.

The infected man stumbled into the display and tumbled to the floor.  As he struggled to get to his feet, John crossed the last few feet and raised the machete over his head.  He slammed it down with a violet crack.  The blade hit bone at the front of the man’s upturned head and reverberated up Johns arm.

The body slid back to the floor taking the blade with it.  John shook his arm then grasped the handle of the blade. He stepped on the side of the man’s head and pulled the machete free. With a final sweep of the flashlight, John headed for the pharmacy at the back of the store.

Randy and Miquel had both entered the pharmacy and were clearing shelves.  Randy glanced up and commented.  “If you’re done playing around old man, we could use your help.”

“Someone had to take care of the infected before he bit you two in the ass.”  John groused.

Doc chuckled.  “She’s a little prickly.”

“You’re telling me,”  Matt answered with a crooked smile.  “I guess in her eyes I deserve it.”

Doc raised a gray, bushy, eyebrow. “And how did that happen.”

“Got myself in trouble and she had to come save my ass.  It’s a long story, but this shit, the infected, well, I saw it once before.  I was on a team that slipped into Iran about a year and a half ago. They had a bio-lab.  There was an accident.  They bombed the place and only a few of us made it back.  I got to drinking too much. Now, I’m having a problem without the booze.”

“Ah, that explains some things.”

“I got something that will help with that.” Doc offered.  “I have to get into my car.  Can I borrow the flashlight?”

Matt handed over the small cylinder with a trembling hand.

Tate walked into the store room where the collection of women sat quietly around a Formica table.  Red, puffing on a cigarette nodded at her arrival.

“Feel better?”  She asked.

“Smell better for sure.  What did they bring in the boxes?  Anything good?” Tate asked as she finger combed her hair back from her face.

Theresa pushed a cutting board, with a round of sausage and wedge of cheese, across the table.  “We found crackers in a case back here.  There’s soda and Lone Star.”  She made a gagging noise and everyone laughed.

Red pointed to a bench a few feet away.  There sat a hot plate with an old style percolator with steam wafting from the spout.  “Coffee, if you’d rather. I’m not making any promises; I’ve never used one of those before.”

Tate shrugged and poured a cup of strong black sludge.  “It’ll be fine.  I’m used to Starbuck’s French.”

Everyone laughed.

She settled on a stool, used the knife to cut slices of cheese and sausage.  She stuck the first piece in her mouth and began chewing.  After she swallowed she asked.  “So who’s who here?”

Helen smiled.  “You know Red and Theresa.”  She pointed at a blonde to her left. “This is Marge, Jackie is wearing the black shirt then glanced toward the youngest of the group and added.  That is Lori, and her sister Jennifer.”

“It’s good to meet you.” Tate brought the cup to lips. “Sorry we couldn’t have done more.”

Hellen shook her head. “You did what you could.”

“Those assholes did what they did and we have to live with it.”  Red added. “Where are we going?”

“Maybe we can take you back to where you were?”  Tate said.

Theresa gasped. “There’s nothing there except the dead. Those bastards burned the houses. They wanted to make sure we’d have nothing to go back to if we tried to escape.”

Tate nodded.  “Sorry.” She busied herself cutting more cheese and sausage. Finally, she continued without looking up. “We have a camp. We have soldiers. And kids.”  Tate looked up smiling slightly as she realized she referred to the place as if it belonged to her.  “Lots of kids. Oh, and even a pregnant lady.”

Helen smiled.  “Oh, that’s wonderful. I was a nurse and my husband is a doctor.  I think we should to go with you.”

“Maybe they won’t want us.”  Red snapped. “We have nothing to offer but more mouths to feed.”

Matt walked into the darkened storeroom.  “You can learn to contribute.”

“Slave labor?”  Theresa snapped.  “You saved us, fine.  Now you can just move on. We won’t go back to being whores for a different set of assholes.”

Matt stepped closer with a wounded look on his face.  “NO! That’s not what I meant.”  He looked to Tate but she just shrugged.  “That’s not what I meant, for Christ sake.  We have a garden, livestock and lots to do around camp like learning to defend yourself.”

Red smirked.  “Why would you do that?”

Matt shrugged. “It’s the right thing to do. We started with two kids, and seems every time I turn around I collect a few more.” He grinned as he realized the Valium Doc had given him had kicked in. “How was the sausage?”

Tate laughed.  “Yeah.  He’s the fucking Pied Piper of the apocalypse.”

Everyone joined in laughing at Matt’s sudden discomfort at Tate’s remark.  The tension in the room disappeared.

“I’m going to keep watch so Doc can get cleaned up and eat something.”  Tate stood up and headed back into the gloom of the storefront.

“I’m going to get some shut eye and will spell you at midnight.”  Matt answered as he reached for a length of sausage and wedge cheese.  He walked away toward the back of the storeroom, found a pile of flattened cardboard and pulled a couple pieces out to make a bed. He settled on the cardboard, ate the meager meal, drank most of his bottle of water then laid down.