They Walk (40 page)

The men in front of the car don’t even flinch when we come to a stop right in front of them.

It makes me a little afraid of who they might be.

“
Why do you suppose they stopped us?” My father asks.

Gabe only shakes his head, while he stares straight ahead out at the unknown men. His tense posture, don’t exactly make me feel any better either.

“
Mark, I don’t think those are army men, not with the way they are just standing there like that.” My mother says in a quiet voice.

Gabe bows his head then, and finally takes his eyes off the men in front of us. No sooner does he, and the men are already breaking formation and approaching the car.

“
I think this might be the new law enforcement. Everyone stay calm, we don’t know what they want yet. So do whatever they say, alright?” Gabe tells us quietly.

I remember then that the last time we were here, I thought that some of the destruction outside couldn’t have been done by the dead alone. And from the way these guys are being all ninja assassin, I’m guessing we’re having a run in with our very own marauders. Who would have thought, that after everything people are still going to act like jack-holes. Men, I tell you they REALLY need to get over the whole domination thing, save it for the bedroom for goodness sake.

The men are splitting up and going for each of our doors now, and still there are two at the front and at the back pointing guns at us. I have to hand it to them though they sure are organized for thugs. The men at Gabe’s and my father’s doors, open them with one hand while still pointing their guns with the other. The man at Gabe’s door leans on it when it opens and leers inside at us, or I think he l does, can’t really tell with just his eyes through the mask.

“
Get out pretty boy, and don’t try anything stupid. Nobody likes a hero.” The man says at Gabe’s door.

Only nodding his head and not even looking at the rest of us, Gabe eases out of the car door. He keeps his hands out in front of him and his head down. For all appearances he seems calm, but I know better. From the way his muscles bulge just under his shirt at his shoulders, I can tell right away how afraid he is. Not that I blame him, it would be extremely stupid to not be wary of the men with the guns.

As Gabe is getting out, the man at my father’s open door waves his gun at him, signaling for my dad to get out I guess. My dad follows suit, and like Gabe he keeps his hands in sight and his head down. I share a quick look to my mother, but her eyes are all for the man at her door, who is pointing him gun right at her. Turning back around, I peak around my hair and look out my window. Sure enough, the other man is stationed there and aiming his 9mm right at me.

I don’t even flinch though, because really? Did these guys not get the memo?

You know, the one where there are large amounts of bombs coming to blow us to bits, apparently not.

“
Turn around and place your hands on the hood of the car, both of you. Place your feet apart too.” The man with Gabe says.

Turning back to Gabe, I watch at as he faces me and does what the man says. His eyes lock with mine, and I know right away that he wants to resist. But he doesn’t. And so the men pat down he and my father, and they collect the handguns and the knives they were carrying. When no other weapons can be found, the men force Gabe and my dad to turn back around by taking hold of the back of their necks.

It doesn’t appear to be gentle either and they don’t seem to be in a hurry to release them. The men guide them off to the side, and force them to stay where they are with guns pointed at their heads. The man with Gabe nods his head in my direction, and at first I think he is trying to get me to do something, though I have no idea what.

Then I remember the other two men.

My door gets yanked open, and now I flinch and face the man that is reaching inside for me. He doesn’t ask me to get out slow like Gabe, no this one is very hands-y. His large hands latch onto my forearm and he physically removes me from the safety of the car. I stumble out, and would have fallen if the man still didn’t have a hold on me.

He steady’s me for a moment, and I glance to my right to see my mother getting the same treatment.

Almost at the same time, the men force us to face the direction of the car and push us up against it. We both gasp at the abrupt change of position, and at the moment I’m thinking the worst. From the sudden movement, my head is spinning and I can already feel the dull throbbing pulse behind my eyes. It doesn’t help matters, when they lean into the both of us and literally move our hands and force them on the hood of the car.

My whole body is shaking, and I know I don’t have the strength to fight anyone off. Still watching my mother, I can see that she is struggling, and the man holding her isn’t going to let her go anytime soon. In an attempt to, I know, bust us all free? I also struggle and squirm trying to keep this large man with his fat hands away from me. He laughs then, and leans in closer to me, and makes me stop my movements.

“
I wouldn’t do that princess; your prince over there is already losing control. If you try anything, he’ll be forced to make a move, and we’ll have to kill him. No one has to get hurt, just relax and it’ll be over soon.” The man at my ear whispers so that only I can hear him.

His hold on me loosens some, and he moves back half an inch from me. As his hands lightly begin to search my body for the zero weapons it has on it, I have a feeling he was trying to help me. He isn’t being forceful now, and I swear from the way he pulled back but still stayed close, it was like he was playing on the allusion of force. Maybe not all these thugs are bad, and maybe we’ll make it out of this alright then. Of course that thought evaporates, when the man searching my mother actually smacks her on the back of the head when she tries to move away from him.

To her credit though, he was trying to cop a feel and around her bottom region.

Where I know for a fact are no weapons.

When my mom slams against the car with a cry from the hit, I can hear my father roaring across the street. Turning to him, I find that he and Gabe are both struggling against the restraints holding them, i.e. the men. Needless to say, the men stay true to their word about any funny business. I can only watch helplessly as both the men holding them, use the butts of their guns and drive them up into their stomachs with such force, it leave Gabe and my father both hunched over and grunting.

My body tenses, and I grit my teeth in an attempt to stay still and not run to them. I can hear my mother crying now, and I know these men won’t just let us go after taking our stuff. If only we could get them to listen to us, so that we can explain. For some reason though, I don’t think they’ll even give us the chance to talk.

Go figure.

“
Alright Missy Miss, let’s get you over to your lover, hmm?” The man holding me says, as he lightly takes ahold of my forearm and pulls me away from the car.

The other man mimics us and pulls me mother away from the car, though more violently and I can her intake of breathe from the movement. They guide us across the road now over to where Gabe and my father are waiting, and I notice my steps become a struggle of their own. My head is spinning so strongly, that I have the feeling of being in a large toy top stuck in a never ending cycle. My world tilts as black spots dance before my eyes, and I would have fallen over if not for the man tightening his hold on me.

“
Easy there Missy.” He whispers in my ear.

His words sound very faint, but when he comes to a stop and steady’s me further, I shake my head and clear it. Blinking my eyes and taking a deep breath, I look up and find Gabe watching me intently across the way. His face tells me he wants to rush to me, but I shake my head again.

He would only get hurt, and besides, the spinning is already slowing.

Chapter Sixty Nine

As I come back to myself, a weak version of myself, I notice that the man with my mother is already with the others. The men with them seem to be glaring at the one with me, who coughs and shakes himself to stand up straighter.

“
Alright princess, get a move on we haven’t got all night. Bip, bip, bip.” The man holding me says loud enough for the others to hear.

He gets me moving again, and before I know it we’re standing beside Gabe and my mother. I watch as the other four men with guns go about searching the car now. I can’t help to feel anger, as I see them taking out my ax and one of them flings it over his shoulder. The men dig through our belongings, and even scavenge around the items in the trunk, which sends Gabe over the edge.

Turning to the man holding him, he says, “Listen you guys can take whatever you want we don’t care. You have to know though, that there are bombs coming in less than a day to wipe out the dead. It’s not safe here anymore.”

The man laughs at him, and it sends the other men chuckling as well.

“
Is that so? Well, that is a new one. Forgive me, if I don’t believe you son. And yes thank you, we plan on taking all you have regardless.”

Gabe forces the man back a step, as he turns in his hold and he stare at him intently.

“
Listen me, you ingrate, this isn’t a joke! It doesn’t matter what you take from us, because we’ll all be dead tomorrow night after the bombs it. If you want a chance, you have to let us go so we can all get out of here.”

The man just shakes his head, and signals to the other men at the car for something. When the car lights go out, and we’re left standing in the dark, I know we don’t have a chance in hell in getting away. We’re all going to die and there is nothing we can do to stop it. The men regroup then, and they begin walking to the right of the car and towards an entrance of an alley between two buildings.

As we make our way after them and are crossing through the mouth of the alley, I see that there is a school back behind here. I’ve never been to this part of town, but clearly it’s not the best part, as the windows all have bars on them and a chain link fence surround the entire perimeter. Though, in retrospect, it’s the perfect hideout, if you’re a gangster thug, who likes to rough house little girls. So yeah, perfect for these ass hats.

When we finally walk out of the alley and are in a small courtyard, I realize we aren’t the only ones out here anymore. All around us are a handful of the dead, who were rushing the fence. As we get closer though, their attention turns to us, and as they start for us the men immediately fire into them. The dead didn’t even stand a chance, and before I can even take in another breath, our path is cleared and we make our way for a door in the fence.

It seems to be locked with a chain.

But one of the men produces a wicked looking key and opens it up with no problem.

We are guided through the opening, and walk towards the wide steps of the small school building. The fence is relocked behind us, and as we take a step onto the steps and are already going up them, I notice that the sky is already lightning, and it’ll be daylight soon. Knowing we’re running out of time, Gabe takes another chance at getting the men to see reason.

Or so I think, anyways.

“
Man, you really need to believe me that the shit is going to hit the fan. I want to see whoever is in charge here, give me a chance to explain.” Gabe pleads.

The man holding him, to his credit, actually comes to a stop and stares intently at Gabe, and for a split second I think he is finally listening to him. But he laughs again, and the other men follow suit.

“
Don’t worry pretty boy, you’ll get your chance to see the boss. We got some bargaining to do.”

Not being stupid, I really don’t like the sound of that, what kind of an operation do they have here anyways? I soon find out though, as we approach the school doors and they open the closer we get, I get a good look at its residence. There are a lot of men here similarly dressed to the ones holding us, but these ones don’t have masks on, and I can see how the weeks have been treating them.

Unlike some of the places I’ve been, this one obviously doesn’t have a generator or a supply of food. Everyone looks grungy and ravenous like they haven’t eaten in days. From the hollow looks on their faces, I’m guessing it’s been a while since they ate anything at all.

Once we are inside and walking down the wide corridor, I notice that the place isn’t all men. Standing at the back and hidden amongst them are varying ages of women, who look in worse shape than the men. This doesn’t exactly sit well with me, and I have a really bad feeling, as we’re lead down the hall and I can feel all the eyes of the silent people on me. We come to a stop at a set of double doors, and I know it’s the gym before the doors are even swung open and we’re forced inside.

In the middle of the empty room, is an exact copy of the actor Vin Diesel, I’m not eve kidding. Think about him being in the movie Fast and Furious, how he’s all bulging muscles and a dark attitude and complexion. Yeah, that’s the look the dude in here is giving off, and I almost wish Paul Walker would come moseying into the room with us.

That would be better than what is waiting for us.

The Vin look-a-like just watches us, as we are forced to a stop in the middle of the gym and right in front of him. He doesn’t say anything, just snaps his fingers, and the men around us not holding us, begin to show Vin our booty they stole. He doesn’t show any emotion still, but waves his hand. This must be a signal that he approves of our stuff, and the men take them over to a large rectangular table at the back of the room, that is already fully covered, by the by. When the men come back over to us, I notice they are holding those little plastic ties, you know the ones you can never open without breaking your scissors. They pass them to the men holding onto us, and I know then that we are going to be tied up.