The Darkening (A Zombie Awakening) (7 page)

             
He shoved open the door and slid out to tower over her. “True.” His gaze shifted to the motor home where the other kids peered from behind parted curtains. “Do you have room for two more?”

             
“We’ll make room.” Chalice waved and within seconds her brother joined her. “This is my brother Mychal. My sister, Hanna is with us and two other kids we picked up. They’re Junior and Sissy. Haven’t gotten any
more information out of them than
their names
. Mychal will help you load your stuff into your new home
while I keep watch
.”

             
She turned and walked away before she could change her
mind. The intensity of Colton’s stare made her nervous
. He hadn’t actually said yes, but he would come with them. It made sense.

             
Wow. She ran her hands over the dented front end of the Winnebago. It fared better than she thought it would, considering the amount of cars she moved yesterday. Eventually the road had to clear enough for them to travel a good distance. She watched as Colton hefted boxes in his arms and stashed them inside the motor home.

             
A thrill coursed through her. Now, they could take turns keeping watch
,
and she could get a better night’s sleep.
Lady wouldn’t let anything happen to her without barking a warning.

             
While the others transferred supplies, she kept watch,
the
gun cradled in her arms, and sent Hanna to get together some sort of breakfast. The two dogs, after a few minutes of getting acquainted doggy style
and walking in circles
, sat on each side of her like hairy guards.

             
A loud rumble filled the air. Grey dust hovered at the intersection of the road they camped on and the highway. Chalice raised her rifle. “You might want to hurry. I think we’ve got company.” The dogs growled as five motorcycles cruised in their direction.

             
Chalice’s heart lodged in her throat.
What could she do against five leather clad motorcycle riders if they weren’t friendly? Colton and Mychal joined her, both carrying weapons. Chalice squared her shoulders. She didn’t have to do this alone. The thought made her feel a hundred pounds lighter.

             
The
riders
stopped twenty feet away. The man in front roared his bike one more time, then let the machine idle. The vibration coursed through Chalice’s body
,
and she fought to keep her gun steady. “State your business
.
”

             
The man’s lips disappeared under his thick, grey, bushy beard. A stained bandanna covered greasy hair in a braid that hung down his back. “Well, now, little lady. We saw the cleared freeway, the tire tracks turning off here, and wanted to see who cleared the road for us. Looks like it was you.” He crossed his arms. “We don’t want anything more than to follow you a little farther up the road. It was a lot easier than maneuvering around the parked cars
and walking dead
.”

             
“That’s it?”

             
“That’s it.”

             
“We’re almost ready to leave.”
She glanced at Colton who shrugged.
“
Wait for us on the highway.”

             
“That’s a bit dangerous right now, what w
ith
all the dead walking around.”

             
“Fine, but don’t come any closer.”
They needed to study the map and find a less traveled route. No way did she want to become the leader of a convoy. Sooner or later, someone following them would have evil intentions
and would leave them on the side of the road as zombie food
.

             
She motioned her head toward the motor home. “Let’s grab something to eat and hit the road.”

             
“Do you mind me driving?” Colton asked.

             
“Not at all.”
She
could curl up on one of the bunks and catch up on some much needed sleep.
“It’s hard to drive
this thing
.
You can do it
all
the time if
you want.” With one last glance at the bikers, she climbed the step
s
into the Winnebago.

             
One pop tart and a small Dixie cup of apple juice sat in front of each child. Hanna handed Chalice the same. She sighed, wishing for her mother’s buttermilk pancakes
and maple syrup
.

###

             
After four hours of driving, Colton’s neck and shoulder muscles screamed for release.
He took one hand off the wheel, flexed his fingers, then did the same with the other. How had Chalice kept it up for an entire day?

             
She climbed into the passenger seat. “Thanks for the rest.”

             
“You’re a tough girl, Chalice Hart.”

             
She flipped her hair a shade lighter than his o
wn out
of her face and gazed at him with the eyes the color the sky used to be. “How so?”

             
“I’m exhausted after driving this monstrosity for
only
half a day.”

             
She shrugged and took a swig from a water bottle she pulled from the pouch in her hoodie. “You do whatever it takes.
Want me to drive for a while?
”

             
As if his pride could take that jab. “No. But a drink of that water would be wonderful.”

             
“I’ll get you your own. We’re allowed one water bottle a day per person, including the dogs.” She climbed back over the seat.

             
It all sounded good to him, although he hadn’t been a fan of the breakfast. A fistful of beef jerky would’ve tasted better, but he wasn’t going to complain. Not while sitting in a plush seat in a vehicle the size of one of the trailers he’d lived in
a few years ago
.

             
Chalice returned with his water and sat cross-legged in the seat beside him.
She removed the cap and handed him the bottle.
“Have you noticed how the few people we run across move out of our way when they get a glimpse of the
motorcycle
gang behind us?
And why haven’t we r
u
n across any
more zombies? Do you think they’ve all passed us?
”

             
“
I think the zombies are attracted to the cities for the obvious reasons. According to the movies, they’re also attracted to noise. But who knows
?
I doubt anyone expected anything like this to happen
.”
Funny how all they had as research was fiction novels.

He took two sips of his drink and handed it back to her. “Thanks.” He glanced at the gas gauge. “We need to stop at the next station. Pray they have fuel.”

             
Fifteen minutes later
,
they pulled into a self-serve station and were greeted by two men with guns. Colton stared at them through the large windshield then grinned when the motorcycle gang flanked him on each side. “Stay here.” He grabbed his rifle and climbed from the Winnebago.

             
Chalice joined him, also carrying her weapon. “The bigger the show of force, the better.
Don’t tell me to stand down just because I’m a girl.
”

             
Colton shook his head then stepped in front of the motor home. The leather jacket wearing cyclists pulled assorted hand guns from their saddle bags and aimed them at the two men beside the gas pumps.

             
“All we want is gas,” Colton said.

             
One of them puffed out their chest. “You and every other loser that comes through here. Well, we’ve taken over this station and ain’t sharing.
Those hogs y’all ride are going to call every zombie for a mile around.
”

             
“I’ll give you a carton of cigarettes in order to fill up the motor home and the bikes.”

             
The man laughed. “Got plenty of cigs in the store here. How about you leave that pretty little thing standing next to you
,
and we’ll call it even.” The man stepped back as the motorcyclists joined Colton and Chalice.

             
“You leave these kids alone. Either give us the gas, or we’ll take it. If you want blood shed, I promise yours will be the first spilled.
Maybe we’ll just shoot you in the leg and leave you for the Shamblers who have a taste for flesh.
” The gang leader pulled back the hammer of his Magnum and aimed the gun at the man’s head. “We offered to pay and you refused. Your loss. Give us what we want
,
and we’ll move on.”

             
Sweat beaded on Colton’s brow despite the chill in the air. The last thing he wanted was a gunfight
, e
specially with a bunch of kids watching through the window. Chalice cocked her gun and stepped beside Leather Jacket. Within seconds, the others joined too.

             
The two men lowered their guns and stepped back. “If we let everyone just take the gas, we won’t survive.”

             
“We’ll give you two boxes of granola bars.” Chalice offered. “That’s the best we can do.”

             
“We’ve got that stuff inside
.
”

             
“Well, what do you need?”
Colton took a deep breath. He should’ve taken charge, not Chalice. He couldn’t have a girl in control whether it was her vehicle he traveled in or not.

             
“Right now we don’t need anything. Months down the road will be a different story.”

             
“Months down the road
,
and it’s going to be different for everybody. Do the right thing and let us have the gas. We’re willing to barter
or we can take by force. Your choice
.” Colton slung his gun strap around his shoulders and held out his hands. “Come on
before those things come
.”

             
The man sighed. “Fine. But don’t let the word get out that we buckle
d
just because someone pull
ed
a gun on us.”

             
He and his partner stepped aside while Colton filled the tank and the bikers pulled up to the other pumps. How long would the country’s gas last? Once the pumps were empty, where could they go to get more? They’d need another mode of transportation. His gaze fell on his bicycle strapped to the top of the Winnebago. Where could he get
more of
those? The stores were most likely looted by now
,
and a bike wouldn’t do much good against a horde of zombies
.

             
The weight of responsibility left him discouraged. They could live in the motor home indefinitely but food and water would run out. They needed a plan. They couldn’t head west aimlessly and hope to find something better than what they had. He glanced at the soot-colored sky.

             
Someday the sun would shine again. They needed to be ready
.
He looked to the station owner. “Hey, is there a department store around here? A Wal-Mart or something?”

             
“Wal-Mart’s been wiped out
b
y fire and looters.
Your best bet might be the country store down by the lake. Take your next right and drive about five miles down the dirt road.
Highway’s pretty clear from here on out.
Don’t get your hopes up too high though, but if there’s anything left, Ma and Pa Hastings will barter with you.”

             
“Thanks.” Obviously the gas-station guy could learn a lesson or two from Ma and Pa Hastings
as far as courtesy went
. Colton closed the gas cap on the Winnebago. For another couple of days
,
they had fuel. They’d stop at every station along the way and top off the tank until there was no more to be had
or the pumps stopped working
.

Then, they’d figure out what to do next.

Chapter 7

Chalice was more than happy to let Colton take the wheel again. Driving the Winnebago stressed her muscles almost to the point
she
felt she
couldn’t return
from the pain. She curled up in the passenger seat and let him steer them from the gas station.
She could take some Tylenol, but wanted to save what medication they had for a time when they really needed it.
Oh, w
hat she wouldn’t give for a hot bath.