Surviving The Dead: Heartland Zombie Apocalypse Vol. 1 (13 page)

Rob went back to the house to clean and bandage his hand, but by evening he was feeling very ill.  Bell asked Mary Kay to feed her brother and sisters and see that they get to bed.  Mary Kay wouldn't trade her siblings for the world, but getting them to bed was a pain, especially Abe.  Mary Kay fought with her mom, but Bell would have none of it. 

Once she had them off to bed Mary Kay went out to the barn to blow off some steam with her pony , Bella.  While out there she began to hear screams coming from the house.  Once it had gotten quiet she found the nerve to see what was happening.  When she opened the kitchen door she saw her parents and two of her sisters tearing the flesh off of little Abe and eating it. 

Mary Kay unable to stifle a scream drew their attention on her and they rose and began advancing towards her.  Mary Kay raced back to the barn with the things that were once her family in pursuit.  She made it into the barn and bolted the door shut.  The fingernails of the creatures that were once her  family scratched at the door, but they were unable to get inside.

Bella's trough had at an automatic feeder, but the power went off after a couple of days and with it the pump that kept the trough full.  With her family staying close to the barn, Mary Kay had no idea how long she had to stay trapped in this barn.  Ever since Rob's blood pressure spiked Bell was after him to take better care of himself and eat better.  To save on the arguments Rob took to keeping a fair stash of candy bars and pop in the barn. 

Even though Bell and the kids all knew of this stash Rob did try hard to tap it only on occasion.  Mary Kay took stock of her supplies and it wasn't much.  A couple of dozen candy bars, a case of pop, a full water trough and a couple of sacks of horse feed.  Bella drank way more than Mary Kay did, but on the up side the barn had plenty of hay that Bella could survive on as well.  Two weeks in the barn and Mary Kay was nearly crazy with hunger. 

She new the kitchen was stocked with all sorts of things , but she would be dead before she could get back to the safety of the barn.  Mary Kay's desperation for food found her concocting a desperate plan, even though it meant losing her only companion.

Mary Kay hugged her pony around the neck, “Now when I open the door you run as fast as you can.  That is no longer our family out there, so no stopping”.

When Mary Kay was sure her family was away from the main barn door she let Bella out and swatted her on the rump to get her moving.  Bella was used to getting a treat from Rob and when she saw him she went up to him expecting a bit of apple or a carrot.  Instead she became the treat for the flesh craving group.  As her pony was being eaten to death Mary Kay stole out of the barns side door and into the kitchen. 

Once in the kitchen she began gathering up supplies.   Her sister Emma, now one of the monsters like the rest of her family, surprised her.  Emma was only nine and Mary Kay was able to quickly push her into a closet.   Bella was silently giving up her last, while Mary Kay snuck into the security of the barn and prayed for a miracle.

That miracle came just as she was nearly out of the supplies from the kitchen.  Mary Kay could barely sleep for fear her family would break into the barn and catch her unawares, but weeks of starvation, dehydration and lack of sleep left her in a bewildered state.  The lines between reality and fantasy blurred.  More than once she saw her family as they once were and she could hear their voices calling to her.  She had always been able to struggle back to reason and save herself from Bella's fate.  She had been dozing when the vehicles pulled up and was jolted awake by the slamming of the car door.  When she heard new voices and saw different faces she had to trust they were real.

A pretty blonde woman was closest to the barn and answered for the group,“Yes we are real.  Your safe now.  I'm Crystal, what is your name honey.” 

“Mary Kay.  Mary Kay Woltoski.”   Tears started to stream down Mary Kay's face as she witnessed her family members. 

Crystal turned to one of the men,”Hank can you get them covered up.  Amy, I think we could use some food and water over here.” 

Crystal turned back to Mary Kay, “I know you've been through a lot, but can you tell me if there anymore of them around.” 

“My uhm my sister is in the closet off the kitchen”, Mary Kay answered. 

As Amy brought up some food and water Crystal turned to another man, “Blade there is another in the kitchen closet.” 

“On it”, Blade responded.

Crystal and Amy walked Mary Kay over to the picnic table that was placed in the shade of a hickory tree on the side of the house.  As Mary Kay tore into the food they gave her, Crystal got her up to speed on the way the world had changed, but assured the girl they had a safe place to live. 

As Crystal was wrapping up her story a third young man walked up, “House is clear Captain, we'll have the uh, we'll have the other thing done shortly.” 

Amy took Mary Kay inside so she could pack up some clothes and a few personal belongings.  The two went about the task in silence, Amy was unsure of how to comfort the young woman and  Mary Kay was in a fog still trying to make sense of everything.  As Mary Kay finished packing her suitcase she saw the corner of Abe's blankie sticking out from under her bed.  The reality of what had happened in this house washed over Mary Kay and she fell into Amy's arms sobbing uncontrollably. 

Amy could only think to stroke the back of Mary Kay's head and repeat over and over, “Your OK, just let it all out now.”

It took some time, but eventually Mary Kay stopped her crying and looked at Amy, “Guess I've been holding that back a long time.  Thank you.  I'm sorry about your shirt, Ma had one that just seemed to suit her, I'd like you to have it.” 

Amy looked down at her shirt soaked with tears, snot and spittle, “Oh honey I couldn't take your Mother's special blouse.”

“Its just an old flannel shirt, nothin special.  Seeing you in it would help me remember my Ma the way she was, you know, before.”, Mary Kay replied.

Amy choked up, “I'd be honored Miss.”

They held a short funeral for the Woltoski family with Crystal saying what she hoped were inspirational words over the mass grave.  Mary Kay silently said her goodbyes to her family, but her hand was clasped firmly around the little ring, she wore on a simple chain around her neck. 

“Blade, Amy and I will take the girl back home, the trucks about full anyhow.  Camp out here tonight and we'll meet you in the morning at our next stop.”, Crystal stated.

Blade simply nodded and gave Crystal a thumbs up.

On the drive over Crystal put her arm around the girl, “Your not alone anymore.”

Closing in on the compound Crystal picked up the radio, “Home base alpha team here.”

“Go ahead alpha team.”, came back over the radio.

“Home base, we'll be there in fifteen minutes with a truck full of supplies and a lost lamb.”, Crystal stated.

“That is good news alpha team, that will help take folks minds off of things here.”, answered the radio operator.

“Is there a problem?”, Crystal queried.

“I'll have Mac meet with you when you get here.  He'll fill you in.”

Sara Parsons was a woman used to getting what Sara Parsons wanted.  Sara's parents were masters at working the system and had raised Sara and her brother to do the same.  She was also gifted with beauty and the attitude to wield it to her full advantage.  Sara had set her sights on Bill Parsons when they were in high school.  Bill was going to be her ticket out of this small Nebraska town.  In their senior year the football team was on track to take the state finals due in large part to Bill.  College scholarship offers were rolling in and there was talk of Bill going pro after college.  All of that ended in the state finals.  Bill was leading the team to a sure win, until the opposing defense blitzed their linebackers one hit Bill low and the other high and Bill's knee not only popped it was mangled.

Sara might of dumped Bill as well if it weren't for the town organizing a variety of fundraisers for the local hero that not only paid the medical bills, but left a small nest egg put in trust for Bill.  Sara to get her hands on the trust spent day and night at the hospital dutifully looking after Bill. 

Without a scholarship Bill could not go to college, he proposed to Sara out of a sense of obligation. Bill's coach pulled some favors and got him a security job at the mall in Lincoln.  Bill and Sara used the trust money as a down payment on a small, but nice house just outside of Lincoln.  Bill was a natural leader and a couple years later when the head of security retired Bill was given the position.

The position came with a lot of responsibility and a sizable pay increase.  Sara may have been happy with this if it weren't for her idiot brother.  Her brother was as lazy as her and stilled lived at home, but every time he saw Bill he had to give Bill a dig, 'How's the mall cop business'.  Bill knew the guy was an idiot and was trying to put him down to build himself up, Sara bought into it though and started pushing Bill to join the State Police.

To appease Sara, Bill began taking night classes in criminal justice.  In reality any excuse Bill had to be away from Sara he would take.  Once Bill was earning enough to support the couple Sara quit her job.  With nothing to occupy her time she took to drinking.  More often than not Bill would come home to Sara and her loud mouthed friends drunk as skunks.  With his marriage in shambles Bill began plans to end it.  He did not plan for reality to take a 180.

One fateful morning Bill arrived at the mall early as he always did.  Before the stores opened they would open the mall doors and there was always a few people who would get there morning exercise walking the mall.  As Bill began to unlock the doors to let the people in a man came shambling up to the handful of people waiting to get in.  He had a dirty disheveled appearance and he stumbled as if drunk.  Bill at first thought he was a homeless person looking to panhandle. 

Bill got the door unlocked, the crowd began filing in and Bill was preparing to redirect the vagabond to the nearest shelter.  Bill watched in horror as the vagabond reached out and grabbed the last man in line.  The vagabond just pulled him back opened his mouth and took a bite out of him.  As Bill pushed his way outside he yelled at the stunned crowd to call 911 and radioed for assistance.  He grabbed the vagabond and threw him off the man.

Mall security didn't carry guns, when the vagabond got back up and began advancing, Bill shot him with his taser.  As part of his training Bill was shot with a taser so he knew what to expect.  This vagabond didn't flinch, jerk or show any sign of the voltage being pumped into him.  Bill tried his pepper spray which had zero effect as well.  Having no other recourse Bill pulled his night stick and brought it down as hard as he could on the vagabonds skull. 

The vagabond crumpled to the ground and Bill turned to the victim.  The man lay in a pool of blood and when Bill checked his pulse he found none.  The woman who had called 911 came over to Bill and informed him that the 911 operator said they would get someone here as quick as they could, but they were experiencing an overwhelming number of calls this morning. 

The vagabond got back up and Bill struck him again and this time heard his skull crack.  A scream from the woman alerted him to the dead man getting back up.  He had the same glazed over eyes as the vagabond and Bill broke his night stick over the mans head to end his days.  Bill sent everyone away and declared the mall closed for the day. 

Bill knew what he knew and those men were dead.  Bill raced home grabbed their go bags, his Glock, his grandpa's 30 – 30 and his 300.  He also packed food , water and clothes into the 4X4.  With everything set to go he woke Sara.

“Sara we need to leave now.”, Bill told her.  

“William Parsons you are not making any sense go where?”, Sara queried trying to make sense of what he was saying.  “Bill you know I'm no good without my coffee now pour me a cup and explain this to me slowly” 

Bill had the coffee ready and handed it to her, but wasn't going to waste time on further explanations, “I'm leaving in fifteen minutes with or without you, your choice”.

Bill's plan was to camp out in the southern part of the state where there were less people, but they hadn't gotten much more than a hundred miles outside of Lincoln before they ran into Colonel Osgood's regiment and joined with them.  Sara had seen a couple of the walking dead creatures stumbling about as they drove out of town, but she couldn't believe that the government and the army wouldn't have this problem fixed soon.