We hit the road after burying Gina in a shallow grave. I gave Janna the choice of heading out on her own or coming with us. She decided to stay with us, probably out of a sense of self-preservation, but after overhearing her asking questions about Leport and our home, she seemed open to the idea of settling in a safe community. Duncan was thrilled, I could see and I was hoping he would be able to keep it together for the task at hand. Given what we had just been through, we were dealing with men who had no qualms about shooting anything and cared very little for life.
I was driving this time, giving the others time to treat their wounds and get some rest. I hoped we would get ahead of the ambushers, but to be sure, I was burning up a lot of gas to get there as quickly as possible.
According to the map and it was hard to tell, we could take Rt 762 to Rt 33 and then pick up Rt 50 from there. It was an odd coincidence that we would be travelling to a road we needed to get revenge we wanted. Win-win in my book.
We were on the road for four hours when we finally reached Stroud’s Run. It was a very nice park with a lot of trees and a big lake. There was a National Forest directly to the East of Stroud’s Run, but this was still very nice. I pulled the RV into a small road called Township Highway 213A. From the looks of things, the road was all of two hundred feet long. Whoever named the roads in Ohio sure loved their job.
The sun was setting slowly and the new growth trees were casting long shadows in the waning light. We had passed several towns on the way here and Athens was just a small jog away, home to Ohio University and about thirty thousand zombie co-eds, give or take. We had the river blocking most of them, but travelling at night with your lights on was asking for trouble, especially with those numbers. In the morning, you’d find yourself surrounded, outnumbered and up to your neck in zombie gunk. No thanks.
I parked the RV backwards near the water, keeping a safe retreat in case of serious attack. The road we wanted was directly in front of us and we could keep an eye on the approaching traffic by settling on the roof of the bait shop that was by Route 50.
With the sun sinking low, it was better to just settle in and wait. I took the first two hour shift, watching the forest become very dark, very quickly. The rest of the crew found their sleeping spots and Janna was allowed to have the “upstairs” bed to herself. She was still grieving the loss of her friend, so I was sure she appreciated the solitude.
I sat on the roof of the RV, keeping a low profile and just taking in the surrounding woods. Small rustlings could be heard from every angle and every so often, the water behind me would splash with the hunting jumps of the fish that lived there. There was s very slight breeze that stirred the cool night air, whispering through the new leaf growth. I appreciated the quiet, given the funhouse day I had and I let my mind wander back to my family, especially my son. I missed that little guy with all my heart and I promised myself I would never do something like this again. I couldn’t stand the thought of him or Sarah coming to harm and once again, I prayed with all my might to whoever might be listening to keep my loved ones safe.
My musings were interrupted by the approach of the dead. Head-high glowing orbs worked their way through the trees, seeking prey and new hosts to infect. I counted fifteen zombies in the immediate vicinity and I could see more out near the road. The arrival of such a large vehicle was sure to cause some excitement in the local undead community.
I stayed put as the Z’s shambled up to the RV. Hands reached out and tentatively touched the metal surface, soft to the point of being delicate. It was if they couldn’t believe it was real. For myself, I stayed stock still, just watching the glowing eyes bounce among the brush. I was reminded of my conversation with Tommy, that these people might just be infected and not really dead like we had thought these last two years. Jury was out on that one, but my gut said there might be something to it.
The zombies moved around the RV, then past it, dismissing it as unimportant or scenery in their diseased minds. I watched them move, their heads turning and shifting in the wind, trying to catch a scent of prey. I had heard of them walking hundreds of miles to chase down a scent, but hadn’t believed it until now.
After about an hour and a half into my shift, I began the long process of moving down the ladder. I had to move painfully slow, careful not to make a sound or any sudden movements. Zombies couldn’t see too well in the dark, but their enhanced hearing allowed them to triangulate your position very quickly. And once they locked onto you, it was game on until one of you was dead for good.
Back inside, I awoke Nate and he opted to stay in front to watch the Z’s. Couldn’t say I blamed him. I stretched out on the kitchen bench and went to sleep.
In the morning, I awoke to breakfast on the table. Janna had arisen early and made a decent breakfast out of our stores. I gratefully accepted a cup of coffee and two granola bars. We were going to need to find some more food soon, but for now, this was nice.
After breakfast, I wanted to take a look down the road and see if there was a way to set up some kind of warning system. Duncan said he was going to try fishing and Tommy was going to clean guns. Nate was going to do maintenance on the RV, so I was on my own. It was only a few hundred feet, so how bad could it be? Besides, all the zombies seemed to have returned to their hidey-holes, as welcoming a thought as that was.
I stepped out and was surprised to see Janna come out with me. She gave me a lopsided grin and I shrugged. “Your choice. If we get into a situation, I’ll back you, but don’t back me because I won’t know you and might kill you by mistake.”
Janna’s eyes got wide and I smiled. “Kidding. Come on, I want to look this bait shop over.”
She smiled and stepped in beside me. I carried my AR again, as Tommy was cleaning my heavier rifle. Janna just had her little pack of scissors and a small 9mm in a holster situated in the small of her back. I wasn’t surprised she knew how to shoot, since most people who survived the Upheaval had to learn or be killed. It was interesting that in the states that concealed carry was allowed, we ran into more survivors than the states that didn’t. It made sense, in a way. People who were armed when the world fell apart tended to outlast those who weren’t.
It was a couple of yards before Janna spoke. “I was talking to Duncan and I wanted to say I was sorry for lying to you,” she said.
I shrugged. “I don’t blame you. You were trying to save your friend and didn’t have much choice. Although I will say had the fight gone the other way, you and your friend would not have been released.”
Janna looked down and nodded. “You’re probably right. But there wasn’t much I could do.”
“Don’t think about it. You lost a friend, but we avenged her, so from here on out its pretty much a clean slate.” I spoke casually, but we both knew that trust had to be earned.
“Thank you.” Janna was quiet for a moment, then spoke up. “Duncan says you have a wife and son?”
I nodded as I scanned the trees ahead of us. “Sarah and Jake are back at Starved Rock, waiting for me. Jake is three and full of beans.” I felt a pang as I missed my son for the millionth time.
“Duncan said this Major Thorton sent men to kill your family. Do you think they’ll be okay?”
Janna was stepping into sensitive territory, but I didn’t blame her. “Sarah is a very strong woman, a survivor. She’s not alone, there’s friends with her. There is Rebecca and Nicole, both capable and my brother Mike, Nicole’s husband.”
“Is Mike as good as you?” Janna asked.
I slowed to a stop and looked over the bait shop. It was about fifty feet away and looked quiet. “No, he’s not,” I said. “He’s good enough, but not for ten men.”
“Why aren’t you rushing back to save your family?” Janna looked shocked that I would stay on the mission.
“Because there is someone there who is as good as I am, maybe even better. His name is Charlie James and when those men from Thorton run into him, they will wish they were anywhere but there. My family is safe.” I had to believe that last statement.
Janna was about to respond when the bushes behind her burst upward as a zombie lunged out of the shrub. It had been lurking there, apparently watching us approach. It couldn’t contain itself and stumbled out at us.
I couldn’t get a shot with Janna in the way, so I started to move to the side. But I needn’t have bothered, considering what happened next. Janna ducked down and rolled to the side, drawing a pair of her scissors in one smooth motion. The zombie followed her motion and got skewered under the chin for its trouble. Janna used her other hand to draw another pair and shifting her grip so quickly I missed the maneuver, plunged the long blades into the temple of the Z.
She withdrew both blades at the same time and wiped them off on a bit of the zombie’s clothing. Sheathing them without even looking at her pouch, she glanced over at me and gave me a shrug. The attack took all of six seconds from start to finish and during the entire time, Janna kept a sober face, killing the zombie with as much emotion as taking out the trash.
“Nicely done,” I said appreciatively and Janna preened a little at the praise. “There’s a kerosene spray bottle on the back of the RV to clean your weapons with later.”
“Thanks. Shall we look over the shop?”
“Certainly. Ladies first.”
“Ah, chivalry. Sarah must love you for it.”
“More like beats it into me.”
“I see. I like her already.”
We crossed the distance and looked over the bait shop. Things looked normal from the outside, so I carefully approached the front door. The building was built like an old southern sharecropper’s house, with a sloping metal roof and wide porch. Big refrigerators occupied one half of the porch, advertising live bait in faded letters. I didn’t feel the need to open any of them.
I looked into the window of the shop, but didn’t see anything moving around. Taking that as a good sign, I opened the screen door and pushed the heavier door open with the barrel of my rifle.
As soon as the door opened a small shape flew out of the store and barreled into me, knocking my rifle out of my hands and driving me backwards. I fell off the porch and twisted, shoving my attacker away from me, trying to give me some room. Janna screamed from the porch, but I didn’t have time to worry about her, as the thing that attacked me was getting up.
I jumped to my feet and reached for my SIG, only to find the holster empty. Cursing, I faced my enemy and got a shock when it spoke.
“God works in mysterious ways. We missed you at Harrisburg and we worried the whole way here how we was going to explain to Thorton how you got away. But here you is, all gift wrapped and ready.” The speaker was a short man, maybe five feet five if he was lucky. But what he lacked in height he more than made up for in sheer muscle. The fabric of his uniform was stretched tight over large biceps and his legs filled his fatigue pants. I really could have used my SIG right now, since I figured this was probably going to hurt to do it the hard way.
He grinned an evil little grin at me and readied himself for a charge. “I’m gonna kill you with my bare hands and you know somethin’? I’m gonna enjoy it.” He looked over at Janna who was being held hostage by another man who had her by the throat and was holding her gun to her head.
I placed a hand on my knife but pistol shot sent a bullet near my ear as Janna screamed again. I felt my rage rising and thought The hard way it is. You’re going to earn this.
A glance down the road showed the truck we were seeking and it wasn’t hard to figure out they had arrived early this morning. It was just our bad luck that we came tumbling into their sleeping place.
Kazinski, as his name patch said, spread his arms wide in a rush to try and take me down. I knew I couldn’t let him get hold of me, because that would have been the end. I had to keep him out of reach and wear him down while I figured out how to beat him.
He barreled forward and at the last second, I pivoted left and planted a fist on the back of his neck, sending him crashing to the ground. In the second before he got up, I spared a glance at Janna, who surprised the hell out of me by smiling slightly and giving me a wink. The other man, a sergeant, glowered at me, as he obviously was hoping his friend would be beating my brains in by now.
The man jumped to his feet, surprisingly agile for his bulk and came at me again. This time he lunged to the right, expecting me to pivot like I had done earlier. But now I went down to one knee on the opposite side and struck out with my left foot, connecting with Kazinski’s left knee and knocking him over again. I didn’t wait for him to get up, I jumped over to where he was and slammed two punches into his kidneys. I hit him with nearly everything I had, making sure he felt it.
I didn’t stick around for his response, I jumped off of him as quickly as I had gotten on. I backed up a few feet and couldn’t resist taunting him. “Crude and slow. Your attack was no better than a clumsy zombie.”
Kazinksi snarled as he got to his feet and a hand reached to his injured back. His little piggy eyes measured me, as my punches probably had a lot more power than he expected. Twice his rushes had failed and I figured him to try something different.
He moved in close, weaving from side to side and bringing his big hands up to try and grab. I waited for an opening and punched hard and fast through his hands, mashing his lip and popping his head back. If I had expected that to take him down, I was seriously mistaken. He recovered and punched hard twice, the second blow getting past my arm and striking me in the head. He followed up with a hard left to the ribs and managed to back me up a few paces.
I stepped back with him following, tough blows raining on my shoulders and arms. I was deflecting his worst efforts, keeping him from striking a serious punch, but I was getting annoyed with the way things were going. I let a jab slip past my head and I struck from underneath, popping him hard on the chin. When his head came back, I slammed my fist forward, planting the edge of my hand right between his eyes. The punch knocked him far enough off balance that I struck out with my left hand into his solar plexus, toppling him over into the grass. The soldier clambered to his feet, shaking the fog out his eyes and glaring bloody murder at me.
Kazinski, trying for a killing blow, pulled his right hand back for a roundhouse that would have leveled me if I had stood still for it. But I took the opening and jabbed him in the face, causing his nose to bleed profusely. I followed it with a second jab to his eye, cutting him and causing blood to flow into his vision.
The pretend soldier stumbled back, trying to wipe the blood out of his eyes. I pressed my advantage, knowing I would not get another chance. I pounded his head and gut, punching with everything I had. The blows rocked him back and forth, with blood flying from his wounded face.
Suddenly rushing like a wounded bear, the soldier spread his arms wide to wrap me up to take me down for the final time. I timed the punch that came from my knees and you could hear the crack echo through the trees as my fist broke his jaw and flipped him onto his back. The battle lust was on me at that point and I grabbed him by his greasy hair. Holding his head I snapped short punches to his face, pulping his lips and swelling his eyes.
When at last his big arms slumped down and my opponent was unconscious, I dropped his head on the ground like a busted pumpkin. My hands were swollen and bruised and my head felt like a river with the rushing in my ears. My arms stung and my wounded side was numb. But I stood over my defeated enemy, wanting him to get up, wishing he would so I could continue to smash and destroy.
When he didn’t I whirled around to see what I could do about his buddy, although I fully expected to be shot for winning the fight. I was not prepared for what I saw on the porch.
Sergeant Milovich was on his knees, with his hands over his head. Janna was standing behind him with her gun to the back of his head. He looked like he was covered in blood and when I looked closer, I saw the handles of a pair of Janna’s scissors sticking out from his shoulder. Apparently, our little orphan was quite capable of taking care of herself.
Janna grinned at me and I tried to smile back, but it actually hurt to do so. I didn’t want to know what my face was going to look like in the morning.
Janna’s face got serious quickly and I heard the rushing of feet behind me. In a flash, I drew my knife and struck blindly behind me.
Luck guided my blade, as it pierced Kazinski’s left eye and buried itself to the hilt in his face. Four inches of steel sheathed themselves in his brain and killed him instantly. His body crumpled to the grass, his face wearing a shocked expression into the afterlife.
Janna’s pistol barked once and I turned to see the sarge fall on his back, a smoking hole in his forehead. In his left hand he held the scissors Janna had stabbed him with. I guess he had pulled them out and tried to gain the upper hand. One more point for her.
As I dragged the bodies out of the way, Janna went into the bait shop. After a few minutes, she re-emerged with a few bottles of water and soda, as well as some packaged crackers. The soda and crackers had expired, but recently, so I gratefully accepted them. Sitting on the porch, I gingerly explored my bruised hands, testing to see if any bones had been broken. That little shit could take a punch.
“It’s not as bad as you think,” Janna offered, trying to be kind.
“Any fight I walk away from is a good one,” I said.
“You do pretty well. That piece of shit is like a lot of guys I’ve known in my life. All muscle and no regard.”
“Well, he’s got one last job for us, then he can rest in piece.”
“What’s that?” Janna asked, curious.
“He and his friend are going to deliver a message to Thorton.”
“Nice.”
I rummaged around the bait shop until I found what I was looking for. Fortunately, the shop had some marine supplies for boaters and it wasn’t long before I had a good length of nylon rope. As I was dragging the bodies to the main road, Janna was guarding the rear, having picked up my rifle. After the way she handled herself today, I had no trouble with her backing me up. She even found my SIG, which had landed only a few feet from my fight with Kazinski. That would have helped.
I dragged the bodies to the main road and situating myself under a street lamp, tossed the rope over. Tying the bodies up was quick and in short order I had them trussed and hanging like deer in the garage.
Admiring my handiwork, I started walking back to the RV. Janna fell in beside me and asked, “What do you think Thorton will do when he sees those bodies?”
I thought a minute. “A sane man would cut his losses and head home. But I don’t think Thorton’s ego will let that happen.”
“So what next?” Janna wondered.
“We do what we’ve set out to do. The road we wanted is here and DC is just a state or two away.”
“What about me?” Janna seemed concerned.
“After the way you handled yourself today, you’re free to do what you want. If you want to go, I won’t stop you. If you want to come along and be part of the crew and help us save our country, I’d say you earned your place today.” I wasn’t just blowing smoke. Janna had done well, stayed cool and got the job done. Couldn’t ask for a better partner.
We walked in silence to the RV and I watched with amusement as Tommy and Duncan covered us with rifles. They must have heard the shots and wondered what had gone on. I’d tell them in a while, but they’d see the message to Thorton soon enough. I hoped he understood it as thoroughly as I meant it.
We were playing for keeps.