Infected: They Will Eat You!: A Story of Family Survival in a Zombie Apocalypse (33 page)

“I’ve been reading about elk hunts in the area in the area material we found, if we want to get elk we’ll go up into the mountains out of Lander. There are lakes up there that we haven’t seen.”

We had an area map spread on the table. There were small dots of blue all through the mountains along with symbols for campgrounds. “We’ll take some supplies in case we find a place we can stay. The hunt could take more than one day.”

“Can we go now?” asked Caleb.

“We have to pack up first. We’ll take the ARs just in case we run into trouble but we’ll take the hunting rifles for elk.” I answered. “We could see a moose or bear.”

“Cool!” Caleb said.

“What about those things we saw driving?” asked Jesse, “Ant…….”

“Antelope.” I said.

“Yeah.” he answered.

“I think those are lower, in the flatter areas, not the mountains, but maybe, I don’t know.” I said, “Let’s get loaded up. It’s late to be starting out to the mountains to hunt but I’m counting on finding a place to stay.”

At eleven thirty we pulled out, the boys had instructions to look for wood or anything they thought would be useful and mark it on a map so we could find it again. It took us an hour and a half to make our way into the mountains where found a couple dozen campers and RVs at the lakes and a group of cabins between two lakes. It looked as though no one had been around for months but all of them were empty of food and useful items.

“Someone’s been through all of these.” I said after checking the last one, “This will be a good spot to stay tonight but we need to keep an eye out.”

“Is it a good idea to stay here if someone’s gone through them?” Christine asked, “They may still be here.”

“There’s no sign anyone is still living here or been around in a while.” I answered, “But we’ll be on guard and we’ll scout around and see if there’s any fresh sign of people.”

Christine started cleaning the cabin while the boys and I moved blankets and food inside.

“Can we go hunting daddy?” asked Caleb.

“We can go out in a while after we have everything put away.” I answered.

By four we were done and went on a scouting trip. The air was thinner that we were used to and everyone was feeling the effects. It wasn’t long before Jesse was struggling with carrying his rifle so Christine took it. She had chosen not to bring one, Caleb and Jesse each brought a hunting rifle and I brought an AR for protection.

We reached a meadow with a creek running through it and started walking along the tree line. About a half mile up we chose a seat in a blowdown overlooking a widened area in the clearing.

“This is a good spot for now. We don’t want to get too far away, it’ll be getting dark soon.” I said.

We sat for an hour listening to elk calling in the distance.

“They’re here.” said Jesse.

“Now all we need is to see them.” Caleb said.

Once the sun fell below the mountain peak the temperature started to drop and we headed to the cabin. The whole trip we were watching for signs of game, of which there was abundance, and signs of people, of which we saw none. Back at the cabin we got the wood stove roaring and food started and talk turned to the morning and our hunt. Looking at a map we decided to drive to the next lake then walk higher in the direction of the bugling we heard.

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We could see the sun brightening the sky when we set Christine and Caleb up in a pine thicket on the side of a hill overlooking an open meadow where a creek fed into a small lake. The light had yet to crest the mountains and reach us but there was light enough for us to make our way through the forest. Jesse and I moved further up the draw about eight hundred yards, crossed the creek and chose a spot looking over a small open area to the front of us and a sparsely wooded area to our back.

“I saw a lot of poop.” said Jesse once we settled in.

“There’s a big pile of it right in front of where we’re sitting.” Caleb’s voice came over the radio.

“Quiet down guys.” I instructed, “Keep your eyes and ears open.”

We sat watching and listening for over an hour when Jesse and I heard a rumble behind us moving right to left. “Herd?” I whispered.

“Yeah, maybe.” he answered.

I started scoping the area and talking to Caleb and Christine. “We hear what may be a herd running behind us. It’s coming in front of you so be ready.”

I was looking between two rocky knolles when I caught a glimpse of movement. “Something’s moving way up there.” I said to Jesse, “Up past that pond there.”

“I don’t see anything.” he said scoping in the direction.

“There’s something up there and I don’t think it has four legs.” I said.

“There, it’s a man. He’s drinking from the creek.” Jesse said.

“Drinking? Then it’s not an infected.”

“He looks normal. He has long hair and a brown coat and a crossbow.”

“There’s two then ‘cause I see a guy in a camo coat and a hat with a rifle.”

We weren’t alone on this hunt and I was hoping that we weren’t the prey.

“We have company.” I said into the radio, “We see two men about twelve hundred yards south of us. Stay quiet and watch out, there may be more, over.”

“Let’s go home.” was all Christine said.

“We can’t just run we’ll attract their attention.” I explained, “They don’t look like they are looking for us, they’re just hanging out by a pond talking and looking off in the direction the rumbling went.”

“I bet they’re hunting too.” added Caleb.

“Maybe.” I started, “You guys stay put and watch in our direction. We’ll check them out before deciding our options.”

“Let’s just go quietly.” said Christine.

“Stick with the plan.” I said and started explaining to Jesse what I would do and how he would cover me.

The two continued to look to the north. I started moving west in an intersecting path with their line of site staying concealed as best as possible.

“They’re moving.” Jesse informed me, “The one with a hat is walking toward you, the other one is going more up the hill to his left.”

“Are they still looking in the same direction?” I asked.

“Yeah, and looking down at the ground. Maybe they’re tracking the herd.” he answered.

“Let’s hope they keep looking in that direction. Anyone see anything else?”

A single “No.” came from Caleb.

I moved further finally nestling under a large log amongst an area of blown down trees and waited. “Can you see me?” I asked.

“I see your back.” Jesse answered.

“I’m staying here, watch the second guy and make sure he doesn’t change directions or disappear.” I instructed.

It took about ten minutes before the guy with the rifle crossed within twenty yards in front of me. “Don’t move.” I said quietly once he had passed.

He stopped cold.

“You guys tracking?” I asked.

“Yes.” he answered.

I heard a bird whistle up the slope toward the second guy and took a guess it was him calling “If he deviates from his path or makes a hostile move you will both have holes in you.” I informed him.

The man gave a call back and I heard Jesse say “He’s still walking in the same direction.”

“We’re not interested in hurting anyone, just want to make sure no one will try to hurt us.” I said.

“You’re staying in the cabin between the lakes.” he said after a pause.

“Yes.” I answered, “Came up hunting elk.”

“It’s a good area for elk now,” he said, “herds have been moving and this area has more than in many years.”

“Glad to hear that. You hunting?”

“Yes, we shot a bull and are tracking it. You came up? From the valley?” as asked.

“Yes”

“You made it through those things?” he had a puzzled tone.

“There aren’t that many, at least we haven’t found many, a couple hundred spread out. No concentration of them.” This guy didn’t seem dangerous, and he didn’t appear to be worried that I’d shoot him. “Have you seen more of them?”

“Four weeks ago,” he started, “some of us went for supplies. They were on every street, they were everywhere we went.”

“That’s right before we arrived. Was there a thunder storm or something after you saw them? We’ve seen that get them moving in herds.”

“No, nothing.”

“Well, they must have gone somewhere else. We’re moving fairly freely in all towns.”

He was quiet for a moment, the lack of infected seemed puzzling to him.

“The other guy is pretty far away now.” Jesse informed me.

“Your friend is getting far from you.” I said to the man, “I’m going to step out, just remember you have a gun on you, any move could be fatal. Understand?”

He nodded.

I crawled from my cover and stood up. “You can turn around.” I said to him.

He was Indian, about my age I guessed with long braided black and grey hair. “That your son?” I asked nodding toward the other man.

“Yes.” he answered, “Is that your family?”

“Yes.” I said, “You should probably catch up with your son. Good luck finding the bull.”

“Thank you. Good luck hunting.”

With that he turned and walked up the mountain into the woods.

“Stay where you are, Jesse and I will walk your way. Once we get to the lake you follow and meet us.” I said into the radio.

That was more excitement than I wanted today, at least an unexpected excitement and something that had me wondering who else was up here looking over my shoulder.

“Aren’t we going to hunt anymore daddy?” asked Caleb.

“I’m not sure what we’ll do, right now I want to think and make sure we’re safe.” I answered.

“We should go home.” Christine said.

“Aren’t you happy we found people?” Jesse asked Christine.

“I don’t know.” was all she answered.

“We’re going back to the cabin now” I said, “and we can decide what to do there. Packing so we can leave quickly makes since.”

Walking back Christine and Caleb were talking about what we should do when I stopped and watched as Jesse walked to a tree stump and laid his rifle across it. In a second a shot echoed and he said “Got him.”

Amongst all of the talking and confusion Jesse had seen an elk along the tree line watching us and dropped it where it stood.

“That thing is HUGE!” said Caleb as we approached the elk.

“That may not have been the best idea, shooting right now.” I said looking at the monster on the ground.

“I saw him and just took the shot.” Jesse said.

“It was a nice shot Jesse.” said Caleb.

“Do you think those people heard it?” asked Christine with a bit of concern.

“Oh, I’m sure they heard it.” I said, “Question is what they will do?

“Right now we’ll all go back to get the truck. We can drive fairly close to here. Then you two will go up there on that hill so you can see around us. Jesse and I will dress the elk.”

It took nearly an hour for us to dress out the elk and load it on the truck. We were a bloody mess and exhausted.

“See anything?” I asked on the radio.

“Nothing.” Christine answered.

“Come on down and we’ll get going.” I said.

Jesse and I washed a bit in a creek and met Caleb and Christine at the truck.

“We have a lot of meat here, we need to get it cleaned and bagged.” I said.

“Shouldn’t we leave?” asked Christine as we got in the truck.

“I….I believe that……we’re OK. Those guys are not a threat.” I had a feeling about the man I had met that I couldn’t explain. “If they were going to do something they could have done it before. He knew where we were staying.”

It was dusk when we finished cleaning the meat, securing it in garbage bags and storing them in one of the cabins. Christine had been packing things we wouldn’t need that night so we could leave early the next morning. For dinner we built a fire and roasted elk steaks. When we heard consistent howling of coyotes in the area of Jesse’s kill we decided it was time to go inside.

-——————————————

The morning sun had yet to reach the cabin, the fire and hot coffee felt unusually good in the morning chill. Caleb came outside first and sat next to the fire.

“We’re leaving this morning?” he asked.

“I think it’s best, we need to get the meat hung and take care of the horses.” I answered, “Besides, we had visitors last night and I’d rather not meet up with them if they come back. There are coyote tracks all around the meat cabin.”

“Oh. I thought you meant those guys.” he said.

“They weren’t here last night…..but they’re here now.” I said loud enough for the closest to hear, “Would you like some coffee?”

Caleb looked startled when the one who carried the crossbow yesterday stepped out from behind a cabin thirty yards away.

“It must be your dad over there in the trees.” I said motioning across the clearing.

The young man motioned and the guy I had talked to yesterday started walking in our direction.

“Caleb, go get some cups for coffee.” I said. Caleb hesitated then walked into the cabin.

“Have a seat if you’d like.” I said as they approached, “Did you find your elk?”

“Yes we did.” answered the father as he sat down, “You got one.”

“My son shot it, a big bull.” I answered.

Caleb came out of the cabin followed by Christine and Jesse.

We sat and talked about hunting in the area for then conversation turned to the plague and its effect on the area. They were Arapaho, Johnathan Strongwater and his son Mark. Their family had lived in the area for generations and a large portion had fled to the mountains once the military came to move people.

“You are living in the valley?” asked Mark.

“Yeah.” I answered.

“My father says there are not many of those things where you are.” he said.

“We move freely and find one or two occasionally.” I said.

“We’ve killed 249.” added Caleb.

“The boys keep a running tally.” I explained.

“That is far fewer that there were.” said Jonathan.

“We were fine until they started trying to move us and then they brought people in…” Mark started

“Brought people in?” questioned Christine.

“When the FEMA people came they told us we were going to have to move, everyone.” explained Johnathan, “They brought busses. Some people resisted and were arrested. Some left town. Others tried to stop it through legal channels but an Executive Order gave them the power to do whatever they wanted.”