Infected: They Will Eat You!: A Story of Family Survival in a Zombie Apocalypse (10 page)

“There’s no broken windows or open doors that I noticed. Only a few cars on the streets. Let’s make a point of looking around through the binoculars throughout the day, get to know how everything looks so if something changes we’ll notice.”

“Like when we’re hunting.” said Jesse.

“Yes, exactly.” I affirmed.

The day passed quickly for the boys and me, we had a new mission, to investigate and mentally record the neighborhood and the zombie’s behavior. For Christine it was more difficult, she had started thinking about our friends and family. We could hear her crying from time to time, one of us would go and try to cheer her up. The later the day got the more we all started thinking about different people.

“Do you think our friends are alright?” Jesse finally asked at dinner.

“I don’t’ know” I said, “they could be. We are so why not them?”

“We got ready.” Caleb said, “I didn’t see anyone else doing things that we did and none of our friends said anything.”

“We didn’t say anything really, they may have done just like us.”

“I don’t think my mom or dad did anything.” Christine added.

“Your mom lives in a less populated area and out a ways…..” was all the comfort I could add.

That’s when I made the decision to go outside at first light. If the area was as quiet tomorrow as it was today I felt comfortable moving about. I’d let them know in the morning so they’d have less time to worry.

After dinner we played a couple games while discussing what we observed during the day then went to bed. It was quiet family time enjoying each other’s company, there were moments I think we all forgot what the outside world was like.

-——————————————

I rolled over and reached out for the flashlight to check the time. Five twenty-three, a good time to get up, I had some preparing to do.

The first thing was starting coffee. The next was a quick check out the back windows, nothing moving but it was still a bit dark to see well. I waited for the coffee to finish then went upstairs. It appeared as though there were fewer outside this morning than yesterday but I’d have to wait for more light to confirm this. Against the wall was my Del-Ton with suppressor, next to it on the dresser my Glock 27, with suppressor. If I was going out I was going quiet and these would be my main protection. In our bedroom I started preparing, dressing in camo, packing magazines for each gun, a couple knives, along with first aid items and hand tools.

I went back to the boys room and looked out. It was lighter and I could see two zombies in the neighbor’s yard across the street. Nothing else could be seen up and down the block.

At the bottom of the stairs I met Christine.

“You are not going out there.” she said seeing how I was dressed.

“I have to. Each day we see fewer of them. Where do they go? Are they dying? Getting well? Are there others like us that they are trying to get to and they need help? When we leave we need an idea what is going on and what rout to take, we need information.”

“You are putting your family in danger. What if something happens to you?”

“Then you guys keep going.

“If the rest of town is like our area it will be OK. If there are masses of them somewhere I’ll know it before I get too close. The only thing I am concerned about is other people.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I don’t like what’s going on but that doesn’t change things.”

“But you can control going out or not.”

She was right in that, I didn’t have to go out, not today at least, but I knew it was necessary at some point and I was in the right mindset today. I went to wake the boys.

“Hey.” I said shaking each lightly, “Wake up, I’ going out and need you.”

Those words were like ice water tossed on them both. They sat up with a startled look mouths hanging open.

“Come into the kitchen.”

“Are you really going outside?” asked Jesse.

“Look at how he’s dressed, Jesse.” said Caleb.

“Oh yeah…why?” Jesse asked.

“We need to know what’s going on. There are fewer zombies each day, where are they going? They could be dying or getting well. If there are others like us we need to know. And, we need to know how to get out of here when we leave.”

They all stood looking at me. “I need something to eat before I go. Let’s fix something quick.”

“When are you going daddy?” Jesse finally asked.

“I need to get out of here before it gets real light. I’d like to leave in fifteen minutes or so.” I answered.

“Then we don’t have time for bacon…..” he thought aloud.

“No, we don’t have time for bacon, how about an apple and peanut butter for me.”

We sat in the kitchen and ate. After a few minutes I finally broke the silence.

“We never did decide on what we’d call them.”

“Ugly.” Caleb said getting a giggle from Jesse and I. Christine sat silent.

“Enough. I guess we don’t have to come up with something.”

“Infected,” said Caleb, “I like that.”

“Or eaters,” added Jesse, “on TV they looked like they were eating people.”

“Yuck.” commented Caleb.

“That’s disgusting. I am not calling them
eaters
. The whole thing is disturbing.” Christine gave her input.

“Mommy probably likes Infected,” I said, “since what we are dealing with are infected and crazy because of the virus.”

“Yeah.” said Caleb, “It’s better than saying zombie and zombie is not really correct because they are not dead.”

“I like Infected.” Jesse said.

“OK,” I agreed, “Infected it is.”

“When I go out I’ll have a radio with me so we can talk.” I started to explain what would be going on, “It’s not for chatting but someone must be listening to the radio all the time. And, if something happens here you have to tell me.

“Also, someone needs to be watching out front and back. You don’t have to be sitting there all the time but you need to check outside more often than usual. Everything else should be the same. Everyone understand?”

They all nodded.

“I plan to go up and check Carl and Emma’s then go East on Grampian and down Franklin to Ben’s. I know he planned to go to his folks but just in case….I’ll check Tony and Lauren’s next then go down Union, I want to check out the armory. When we leave I’d like to have a hummer and a duce and a half. They will probably all be gone but just in case…”

“Maybe there will be automatic rifles there.” said Caleb.

“Maybe.” I agreed, “We’ll see how long that takes and how easy it is. If I have time I’ll come back down Fourth through town and up Hepburn and home the normal way. Everybody got it?”

They all nodded.

“I’m going to head out, it’s getting light.”

We had made three “escape hatches” that lead directly out, two in doors, one in a window. We had too more from the basement that lead under the front porch and back addition. Each looked sealed just like all the rest but were secured from inside.

“Do you have everything you need?” Christine finally spoke.

“Yeah,” I could tell more information would ease her worry so I continued, “I’m going light but have extra batteries for the radio, a little food for me, some extra food in case I find anyone, first aid kit, and a few things in case I have to spend more time out than I plan.”

“When will you be back?” she asked.

“It’s six-thirty now, I should be back by nine-thirty.” I answered, “I’ll be in touch so if something changes I’ll let you know.”

“OK,” she said, “be careful, I love you.”

“I love you too.” I said, “I love you guys.” I gave each a tight squeeze then we opened the hatch and I slipped out.

CHAPTER FIVE

“This is not good.” the words escaped my mouth. I had just turned a corner a few yards behind a slow moving herd of infected.

Caleb and Jesse had been looking over a pile of brochures for area recreational activities and found the hot springs in Thermopolis. Of course we had to go, there were baths and pools and a waterslide. Their youthful excitement had not recognized that the pool was probably a green pit of mosquito larva and that the slide was dry. Even armed with this information they were insistent that we go. And being the dutiful child indulging parents that Christine and I were we were obliged to accommodate their wishes.

Actually, we’d been working long hard hours and needed a break and Thermopolis, although not considered secure, seemed like a good idea.

On paper.

We had driven up in the hummer and done two laps around town, seeing nothing we scouted for a place to spend the night choosing a second floor apartment above an antique shop on Broadway. It was secure enough for me and attractive enough for Christine. The boys liked the horse and cowboy statue out front.

My mistake, arrogance is more like it, of believing that simply driving around was sufficient to make an area safe. All we had done was attract attention and now I was face to face with it armed with a Gatorade, pistol and hunting knife.

“Cggaaahh.” growled an infected not ten yards away causing others to turn. Slowly more and more turned as those behind them sounded off.

Stepping back I turned seeing another larger pack a half block away and others to my right. I started running between houses which gave me space to stop and assess the area but soon even the yards were becoming crowded. I hopped a fence and ran to the street and right between two smaller herds.

“Here we go.” I said drawing my pistol. I walked forward taking aim and started to carefully clear a path. The gun fire would attract my family’s attention, unfortunately it would also attract more infected.

I was on my third magazine by the time I made it through the pack and started running. They were all over, hundreds of them moving toward downtown ‘till they became aware me. I stood for a moment and looked. An open door in a house seemed to be a good choice so I bolted flinging the screen door open and plowing into a giant of an infected, both of us crashing to the floor. One shot and he was gone but more were at the door. I ran down the hall and out a bedroom window.

Through back yards I ran deeper into packs all headed in the same direction. Within seconds my pistol was emptied. I stopped in the street glancing around looking for an answer or safe exit when I noticed an art gallery to my right, “
I wonder if anyone will ever paint about this
?” I said “
Will anyone ever know?
” I looked at the infected mob in front of me “
Will there be a zombie civilization with painters? Will they be the heroes?
”

I drew my knife and walked forward. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” The words started coming, to the point where I was shouting and the further I walked into the mob the less I became aware.

The sound of the pig let me know that my family was now in the fight whether they were saving me or themselves I did not know but in what seemed like seconds all was quiet and I found that I was standing in the midst of heaps of bodies lying in the road. I saw Caleb behind a smoking machine gun and Jesse and Christine on the roof of a nearby building.

“WOW!” Caleb shouted running in my direction.

“That was intense.” I said as we met midway between us, “Wasn’t sure I was getting out of that one.”

“It was scary when we first saw you. We thought you’d been bit or something you were yelling so loud.”

Christine and Jesse came running up, she nearly knocked me down as she collided with me in a hug. “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine.” I answered, “A bit worked up, but fine.”

“You looked like a tornado.” Jesse said, “Where’d you get that?” he was pointing to a wood staff in my right hand.

“I don’t know.” I shrugged.

“What were you yelling?” Caleb asked.

“What do you mean?” I replied.

“Before I got to the hummer I heard you yelling but didn’t understand what you were saying.” he said.

“I don’t know. I don’t remember saying anything.” I said.

“I heard you before Caleb started up.” Jesse said.

“I don’t know. I do know that we should move on, there are probably more and this commotion will have them moving toward us.”

We cleaned up quickly and headed home returning two days later equipped for a street by street cleaning of the town but found nothing. The infected we’d downed were burned and our visit to the hot springs followed. We visit the springs from time to time but never have an issue with the infected.

It was a warm early August morning. I took a moment to look around at least that’s the excuse I gave myself, it felt good being outside in the fresh air. It had only been a few days but it was getting stale inside.

I moved to the steps and crossed over the barricade we’d constructed then moved toward the back alley. I popped my head over the four foot fence along the back alley, all clear. I turned and moved to the front along the east side of our house and crouched behind the bushes on the corner. The two infected were still across the street two houses east. The only cover between them and my position was my truck. The only other vehicles parked on the street were at the other end of the block.

I crept to my truck and took aim using the bed as a rest. The one furthest away was looking down the street in my direction, not at me or my position just west. The other was looking north across the street. Both were just standing.

I chose the far infected as the target and,
phut
, the rifle made little noise as I fired. The infected’s head jerked back and he dropped. The other turned toward its fallen partner and stood still. Either the noise or movement of it falling must have been the attraction. I put the scope on the back of the head of the second and
phut
, it dropped.

I stayed in my position for a moment looking to see if I had attracted any attention. Nothing. I looked back at our upstairs smiled and waved. I couldn’t’ see anyone but know they were all watching.

I slowly went down the sidewalk west pausing to look between the houses on each side of the street. My heart was pounding and sweat was pouring off me. At the first street intersection I could see infected north and south. My first destination was north, where there were a few more cars along the street that made good cover but also obstructed my view. I didn’t know if these things would hide or lay down so at each vehicle I checked under and around it from as far away as possible. I kept looking inside as well half expecting for a face to appear.