Surviving The Dead: Heartland Zombie Apocalypse Vol. 1 (19 page)

Unlike the truck, the car battery was a chore to remove, especially given that Joyce had never done this before.  When she was finally ready to pull the truck battery the sun was already getting low in the sky.  Joyce was so intent on pulling the trucks battery that at first she didn't see the trail of smoke and the oncoming station wagon.

It was the tapping of the lifters on the 351 that alerted Joyce to the old Country Squire pulling up along side her.  Joyce moved to the far side of the truck and pulled her pistol.  The station wagon came to a stop and the driver rolled down his window.

“Got yourself into quite a pickle there don't ya Miss?  I think the patient is gone.  Stick a fork in it, it's done.”, the man joked.

Joyce annoyed with his inane joking at her expense merely replied, “mmm hmmm”.

The man stepped out of his car and extended his hand, “Excuse my manners Miss, Zephram Nordstrom”.

Something about the man felt wrong, Joyce stayed behind the truck and ignored the extended hand, “Joyce Carter”.

Zephram continued to smile, “Well there you go now we're getting to know each other.  Jilly step out here and say hello to this fiiine lady.”

The way he said 'fine' sounded less like a compliment and more of a slimy appraisal.  Joyce watched as a pretty young woman perhaps eighteen or nineteen climbed from the car, clutching a rag doll to her breast. 

“Hello”, Jillian Nordstrom said keeping her eyes downcast.

“Jilly don't say a lot around new people, but wait until she gets to know ya, she'll talk your ear off.  We lost Jilly's mother, Sofie, a few weeks ago to the chompers.  It just her and me now.”, Zephram said quickly, but without emotion.

In an effort to console the young woman Joyce extended her condolences,“Sorry to hear about your mother Jilly.”

Zephram spoke for his daughter, “My wife had family down in Kansas.  A big cattle ranch.  Jilly and I are headed there, you're welcome to tag along if you like.”

“I'm headed to a survivor encampment the military setup.  It is just a few hours south of here”, Joyce responded.

“Well that works, Jilly and I can take you to this camp and decide then if we move on to Kansas or ask to join them”, Zephram decided for her.

Joyce's mother had brought home enough shady types that she recognized the breed.  On the other hand Nordstrom's daughter was there and Joyce doubted he would act up to much around her and she did have her pistol and knife.  Joyce had no guarantee she was going to get the other car running and even though the motor on Zephram's car sounded like a jack hammer it was running.

Joyce nodded, “Thank you I appreciate the offer, I have some supplies in the truck I'd like to grab.”

Every time Joyce bent over to retrieve something from the truck she could feel Zephram's eyes on her.  When he did help her he always made the effort to brush against her or touch her.  Joyce's creep radar was on high alert and she would be glad when they got to the camp.

When her stuff was packed into the station wagon Zephram opened the passenger door, “Your chariot awaits.”

“Thank you, but I think I'll ride in back and get to know Jilly.”, Joyce said brusquely and got into the back seat.

They drove for little over an hour and then Zephram pulled over causing Joyce to demand, “What are we stopping for.  We are only a couple of hours from the camp.”.

“It will be dark soon and I don't want us to end up like you did with your truck.  We'll get back on the road first thing in the morning after we get some shut eye.”, Zephram stated.

Joyce woke the next morning to the smell of breakfast cooking.

“Mornin sleepy head.  We saved you a plate, eat up and we'll get a move on”, Zephram told Joyce.

From the roof of the car Jilly called out, “Chompers coming Daddy.”

Zephram quickly finished putting away the little camp stove and went to help Jilly down from the roof.  Joyce was no expert on how a father should touch his daughter, but the way Zephram let his hands slide across Jilly did not in any way seem fatherly.

“Jilly hop in.  Joyce up front with me so you can navigate to the camp.”, Zephram ordered.

Joyce made sure her pistol was at hand as she climbed into the passenger seat.  She closed the door and when she turned to grab her seat belt she felt Zephram grab a handful of her hair at the back of her head and then his knife was at her throat.  Joyce jammed her pistol into his ribs.

“Back off or I'll shoot, I swear I will.”, Joyce said through clenched teeth.

“Those things work a whole lot better with these.” replied Zephram as he held up the magazine to her pistol.

Zephram tore the pistol from her hand and then removed her knife.  He ran his free hand under her shirt and toyed with her breasts.

“Got any thing else tucked away”, Zephram questioned as his hand slid between Joyce's legs.

“Your not going to get away with this”, Joyce spat into his face.

“Who is going to stop me” asked Zephram as he blew the car horn to attract the chompers, “Those two upstanding citizens there.  Maybe you should call the cops?  Ooops there ain't any left.”

Zephram pushed the knife hard enough against her throat to draw blood.  “Enough of the foreplay get undressed and we'll get down to business.  Jilly lay down back there and play with baby, Daddy and Miss Joyce got some business to take care of.”

Zephram took his time.  He was in no hurry.  The chompers that came to the car and clawed at the windows just added to his pleasure.  When finally spent he let Joyce get dressed again and they continued to the encampment. 

Emboldened by the realization that there was no longer any laws, no longer any cops, no longer anyone to tell him what to do, Zephram set out to make his own rules.  In his mind within a week he would be running the show at this camp.

Joyce numb from the experience and fearing that she was directing a rapist to the camp struggled to think of a plan.  As they drove Zephram kept hammering her with questions on the Colonel that gave her directions.  She tried to give him misleading answers so those at the camp would see him as a liar. 

Alice came up to Crystal, “Captain, the sentry post just radioed and we have a car coming our way.”

“Just a single car?”, queried Crystal.

“Yes just one.”, Alice confirmed.

Crystal nodded, “Radio the sentries not to engage we'll see if they turn this way.  Bill, get a couple of rifles up in the gate towers.  Make sure there are cool fingers on the trigger.”

Krista had become Crystals constant shadow ever since she and her grandmother had joined the group, “Krista, could you find Mr. Mcpherson and tell him that we have company and then find your Grandmother and Doc and ask them all to wait for us at the quarantine house.”

“Yes Captain”, Krista gave Crystal a sharp salute and skipped off pleased to have an important task.

Crystal took some deep breaths trying to calm her nerves and then turned to Bill, “Well any last words of advice”

Bill shrugged, “ We'll let them do most of the talking”

Crystal nodded, “Bill you take the lead on this.  You've had more practice at this type of thing and I want to be able to watch how these folks react.”

The old Country Squire pulled up to the outer gate smoking and clanking as if it was on its last legs.  The late morning sun was glaring off the windshield making it hard to see the occupants.  After a few moments the motor was shut off, but no one stepped out.  Whoever was in that car was studying them.

Bill in a rare flare of the dramatic mumbled to Crystal, “And so it begins.”

Seconds stretched into minutes and yet no one exited the vehicle.  The tension was evident, yet Bill waited arms crossed.  When Crystal thought she could no longer wait the driver side door opened.  A nondescript man perhaps in his mid forties stepped out.  He was a little unkempt, but that was not unusual these days.

“Hey there Chief.  How ya doin?”, the man greeted.

“Is there something we can do for you?”, retorted Bill.

The man squinted trying to get a read on Bill, “We ran into Colonel Osbourne a couple of days ago and he said you were helping folks out.”

“Oz you say.  How is the old war horse?”, Bill asked making up a false nickname for the Colonel.

“Well you know Oz always fighting the good fight.”, the man replied without skipping a beat.

“So what was it that Oz said we could do for you?”, Bill asked.

“We was kinda hoping you would take us in.”, the man answered.

“Just like that?  We'll need to get to know a bit more about you first”, countered Bill

“Well of course and we got to get to know you too.  I'm Zephram, Zephram Nordstrom.  I have my daughter Jilly here and our friend Joyce Carter.  We lost mt wife Sofie a few days ago to the chompers.”, Zephram stated.

“Have the others step out of the car and leave any weapons you have in the car.”, Bill commanded.

As the two women exited Crystal assumed the pretty black woman was Joyce and the teenaged girl was Jilly.  Crystal also noticed that Joyce had a fresh cut on her neck and that she kept casting furtive glances towards Zephram.  Zephram kept scanning their compound.  Every time his gaze landed on Crystal he paused and let his eyes travel up and down her body.

“Raise your shirts and turn around slow”, directed Bill.

Once assured that none had a gun or knife tucked in their waistband Bill ordered them to place their hands behind their heads and had the gates opened so they could walk in.  Once inside they were ordered to stop and spread their legs wide and pull out their pockets.  While Bill kept the trio covered Crystal went over to frisk them.  Zephram ended up closest to Crystal so she started with him.  Kneeling behind him she first checked to make sure there was nothing tucked into his boots.

Zephram unable to restrain himself in the presence of the pretty girl commented, “Sweetheart I keep the good stuff a bit higher up.”

Crystal ignored him and checked his back pockets next, pulled his wallet and confirmed that at least he was truthful about his name.  Once she finished with the two women she walked back over to Bill with Zephram's eyes following her all the way.

“We have a process you need to go through if you hope to join us.  We are going to take you to  quarantine.  Our camp doctor will confirm that nobody has a bite or signs of illness.  Then we need to get to know you to see if you fit our group”, Bill informed them.

As Bill and Jason escorted the three away, Crystal signaled to Bill that she would catch up.  Once they were out of ear shot Crystal turned to Alice, “Send some guards over to the quarantine house and make sure everyone stays alert until we know there is not more to this group.”

As Crystal went to catch up with Bill she was glad for the changes they had made to their quarantine since they first brought in Mary Kay.  The first floor of the building had originally been used as both office space and living space for the resorts on site manager.  They had now converted most of the first floor into a handful of small, secure and sound proofed rooms.  They had also installed cameras so that interviews could be recorded and guests monitored.

When Crystal arrived she could see tensions building again.  Zephram was resisting the three of them being split up and had a firm grip on the arms of each of the women.

“Chief you just can't treat us like this.  Jilly looks all growed up, but she's just like a child.  She is going to be scared something dreadful if you take her away from me.  These past few weeks it has just been us three and we've been through some terrible stuff.  Now you come along and tell us we gots to do this and that.  What gives you the right to order us around like this.”, Zephram whined.