Trying to Survive (Part 3) (6 page)

   The only response I could muster before lighting a cigarette was a slow nod…
It’s done… She killed him… It’s not like we can take her to a fuckin team of child psychologists who specialize in extreme emotional trauma.

   A derisive laugh echoed in my head as I said to myself
– And I used to think my old life was complicated…

   Allen was deep in thought. Not a single part of his face remained still. His eyes darted back and forth, the corners of them wrinkled and his jaw would periodically clench down. I sensed that he was having trouble accepting our story.

   “Believe me… I wish I was lying.”

   Veronica, still stricken with a look of utter disbelief and sorrow, simply muttered “Poor girl”.

Chapter 7

   As planned, Jenny began directing Brian to the small town of Fleming, located between Hinesville and Savannah. When we reached the mainly empty, two-lane country road leading there it was clear that Jenny had guessed right.

   It was pitch black, but the headlights revealed enough to tell that there was absolutely nothing around. There were no mailboxes or paths leading onto properties – not even fencing around a property line. There seemed to be large open fields that were most likely farmlands, and the rest of the road was lined with trees.

   It wasn’t until a few minutes after we passed the welcome sign for the town that we started to see signs of civilization again.

   After my lengthy account of horrific deaths, murders and betrayals, Allen and Veronica didn’t have much to say. They were too busy trying to understand the new world they’d just been introduced to. Of all the things they expected to be fearful of, the new and even more prominent examples I had just presented most likely outweighed all the others.

   We were learning to predict and control the shredders. If we continue to be careful and think things through, we’ll be able to stay safe… But people are totally unpredictable, and those with bad intentions generally tend to be more cunning than the average person. They have a different mindset, one that’s difficult for people like us to understand.

   Walt cranked down his window a few inches more to let in the cool night breeze. He’d just finished checking the radio for any emergency broadcasts for the third time when he scoffed “I’d be surprised if this place even had its own zip code.”

   Allen replied “It does. I have a friend who lives out here… Or used to, probably... We should be coming up on a gas station very soon, and there can’t be more than a few hundred people in the area. This really is a perfect place to hide until whatever food we can find runs out.”

   “I hate it out here, it’s creepy, even during the day time.” Veronica remarked negatively.

   “It’s just old, and the people don’t have the money to fix things up.”

   “I know, I just can’t help but hear the dueling banjos… Well, you are right. It’s a perfect place to hide. I’d be shocked if we ran into more than ten shredders.” She shook her head. “God, I feel so stupid saying that.”

   I said “I did too. But it’s either that, or… those things.”

   “We could always just call them walkers like they do on the Walking Dead.” Walt suggested.

   Veronica and I both said “That’s even worse” at the exact same time.

   I added “Yeah, plus the shredders can run like fuckin cheetahs at night time. We’d be lucky as hell to be in their situation right now… I doubt I’d be blind in one eye.” After a brief laugh, I said “We could have just strolled out to the car, man.”

   Walt cut me off. “Look, a gas station.”

   As soon as the headlights washed over the gas station, I could see the rust and peeling paint all over the pumps. The asphalt was grayed, cracked and full of holes. The building itself looked like it was built in the fifties and left completely unmaintained since its doors first opened.

   “One car and two trucks in the parking lot. That could mean at least three… shredders… around.” Veronica pointed out.

   I turned back to them and said “Roll up the windows and don’t get out until we tell you to.”

   Brian and Jenny wasted no time. Before he even came to a full stop, Jenny had already jumped out so she could start scanning the area. Walt pulled in sideways to illuminate the rest of the property since the Cadillac’s headlights were covering the front of the store.

   When I got out of the car it was reminiscent of stepping into a piece of our old world. The store windows weren’t smashed out, and the cars were just parked and untouched. I didn’t even see the usual dried pools of blood and streaks running across the ground and up walls… The only car showing the signs of death was our own…

   We’ll just have to deal with that situation later. If this store actually has some food and water, this would be our first real break from the usual shit-storm of false hope…

   Jenny called out to us “You two stand watch – we’ll check the store out.”

   “Three cars could mean three shredders.”

   Jenny nodded, then headed over to the front of the store. Brian stayed several feet away and trained his M4 at the door. She stood up against the wall on the left side, reached over and held it open. Brian took a few steps forward and looked around the inside.

   He turned to us and said “Go move the car over a little so the headlights are shining directly into the store. Can’t see shit.”

  Walt and I both started heading for the car. “You stay out here, you can move around a lot better than I can.”

   “Yeah.”

   Jenny and Brian both watched as I made my way over to the car (finally walking somewhat normally).

   When I opened the door and the small light at the top of ceiling shined down on Clara, she didn’t even acknowledge me. She just stared straight ahead, clutching her rifle. I could see where she’d been sprayed with some of Lee’s blood. She didn’t even bother to wipe all the little specks off of her face.

   I did my best not to look at Lee’s body as I climbed in. As I reached for the keys and closed the car door, the thud was joined by a loud crash. The front door shattered, and a shredder had Brian pinned face-down before all the shards of broken glass even hit the ground around him.

   Jenny fearlessly lunged toward him, practically touched the barrel of her rifle to the shredders head and pulled the trigger – ensuring she didn’t harm Brian.

   I knew we were definitely going to need light in that store, so instead of getting out I backed up and repositioned the car as he previously asked. When I glanced at Clara in the rearview mirror, she still wasn’t reacting at all.

   As I approached Brian I could hear groaning and see him moving around. I was hoping his injury would be similar to the bite Walt received on his shoulder when making a run for the water while we were stuck on that roof. The amount of blood on the back of his white t-shirt immediately told me that I was dead wrong.

   It had bitten away a large area of flesh where his neck ended and his right shoulder began. His shirt was ripped almost all the way down to his waist from it clawing at his back. Jenny, who was kneeling next to him, looked up to me and yelled out “Get the duffle bag! We need to start him on antibiotics immediately!”

   Brian said in a shaky voice “Oh, motherfucker… I can’t believe they got me… Fuck!” He let out a loud groan. “How bad is it, Jenny?”

   “Bad enough. Just stay still and keep calm so your blood won’t pump so quickly.”

   I fetched the duffle bag, motioned for Allen and Veronica not to get out of the car and hurried back over to Brian. Jenny and Walt were already dragging him into the store. He was moaning out in pain because they had no choice but to pull him by reaching underneath his arms and straining the wounds.

   As soon as they set Brian down, I took and knee next to him and started pulling everything we’d need out of the duffle bag. “Walt, get the body out of that car and away from Clara. Then go stand by the front door and watch over everyone. Remember – Allen and Veronica are unarmed.”

   “Should I give Allen one of the AK’s?”

   Jenny snapped “Not yet. We’re too vulnerable right now.”

   The headlights were almost blinding, but they enabled me to clearly see the severity of his wounds. They were life-threatening, but definitely survivable. I kept telling myself he was exactly the kind of man who could get through something like this.

   “He’s losing a lot of blood, hurry up with the antibiotics. He could pass out for hours… All you have to do is look at that shredder to know it’s fed on someone, which means its mouth is full of rotting flesh and bacteria. Probably it’s nails too.”

   “Way to make a guy feel like he’s gonna pull through.” Brian said sarcastically through a groan.

   After Brian swallowed the pills, Jenny and I helped him to his stomach. She gave him a rolled up towel to bite down on before she doused the wounds with alcohol. He slightly arched his back and clawed at the tile floor, but still managed to somewhat maintain his composure.

   “Does he need stitches?” I asked.

   “Only some near the top of his back where its nails first started to dig in. The gashes shrink substantially as they continue down.” She looked down at Brian. “Do you feel like you’re going to pass out?”

   “I don’t think so. I’m pretty fuckin awake.”

   “Okay, then I’ll just start stitching you up. I was going to wait and see if you faded for a while.”

   “Not happening. Just get it over with.”

   “It won’t be that bad. Only about four on each one.”

 
That’s still twenty…

   “Hurry up. The longer you wait, the more it’ll hurt.”

   Walt’s voice came bellowing into the store. “Is he going to be okay?”

   Since Jenny had everything under control, I stood up and joined Walt outside. As I walked through the doorway, I heard Brian say “Hey look, Doritos… This place is packed full of stuff!”

   “Stop moving around!”

   Walt let his rifle fall to the side and leaned back against the wall. He looked up at the night sky as he said “Two in one day?” He took a deep breath and slowly let it out through his nose. “That guy Lee didn’t even last ten minutes with us.”

   “Brian’s not going to die.”

   We both began to lightly laugh when we heard Brian arguing with Jenny about getting him a cigarette. Of course, she refused, so I walked back in the store and looked for the area with the cash register. “I’ll get you one, man.”

   “He could give you a few lessons about bedside manner… Doctor.” Brian sarcastically remarked.

   “Shut up…” Jenny closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. “And stop moving your head around!”

   As I looked around the mostly darkened room, I began to realize that it wasn’t the average convenience store. Since the area was so lacking in commercial development, the store had a little bit of everything. I even noticed a rather large section near the back dedicated to automotive supplies and tools.

   If it wasn’t for what happened to Brian, I would have told myself we lucked out…

   After I lit a cigarette and gave it Brian, I joined Walt again. “That store is going to have us set for weeks… It has so much shit we need, we’ll probably fill up both trunks.”

   Walt was still stargazing, obviously thinking about something else. I’m not sure he even heard me. “What are we going to do about Clara?”

   I sighed and dropped my shoulders. “I don’t even know where to begin… What do you say to a twelve year old girl who decided to blow an innocent man’s head off at point-blank-range?”

   “It’s just paranoia, right? Because of what happened?” He panned down to me with a hopeful look in his eyes. “She just needs some time, right?”

   I looked over at the car. The headlights made it so I couldn’t see her at all. “Should I go try and talk to her?”

   “I really think you should… Maybe that’s the problem?” He left the wall and turned to me. “All we’ve done is silently mourn their deaths and teach her how to shoot.”

   “She and Jenny spent a lot of time in that bedroom alone at night. I’m sure they had more than few conversations.”

   “Still.”

   “I’ll do my best…” I looked back after a few steps. “Why don’t you go check on Allen and Veronica? Maybe give them some details. They’re probably freakin out.”

   I slowly opened the other passenger door, ignored all the blood and sat down next to Clara. She still didn’t even glance over at me. Her only reaction was to tighten her grip on the rifle, as if she knew we were thinking about taking it away from her…
Maybe Jenny already tried…

  
I was about to speak but she beat me to it. “I’m sorry, James.” She said in a completely flat and sorrowful tone.

   “I understand why you did it Clara. I was scared of them too.”

   “My finger just squeezed… I’m… I’m not sure I even meant to… I don’t know.”

   “It doesn’t matter. And you don’t have to tell me you’re sorry. I know you are. We all do… You just have to make sure you never do anything like that again.”

   Still not having made eye contact with me, she said “I won’t.”

   “The man and woman sitting in that other car are brother and sister. Allen and Veronica are their names… And I give you my word that they’re nothing like Naya.”

   I reached over and placed my hand on hers. She slightly flinched. “I think you should give me your gun. Just until you’re feeling better.”

   I squeezed Clara’s hand for a moment and then transitioned over to the rifle. When I began to pull it away, she tightened her grip. “Please, don’t.”

   What felt like ten seconds went by before she finally let go. I was right on the brink of having to forcefully take it away. The amount of relief I felt for not having to be aggressive toward her was indescribable.

   “I know it makes you feel safe. I just want to hold onto it for tonight.”