The Reckoning - 02 (9 page)

             
I turned off the headlights and plunged the shop into semi-darkness.
The only light was filtering in through a few greasy windows on the back of the building.
It was enough light to see by, but not well.
Gunny returned from the offices with a case of soda and a box of snack crackers.

             
“I found these,” he said, smiling, “but no fuel.”

             
I took a soda and some crackers and sat down on a bench.

             
“I haven’t found anything, either,” I replied.
“But I do have an idea.”

             
“What have you got in mind?”

             
“There’s a gas station a few miles up the road,” I said. “I can travel much faster without all the gear.
You stay here with the dog and I’ll make a fuel run.”

             
“You want to go out there alone?” asked Gunny, surprised.

             
“I don’t think
want
is the right word,” I replied.
“If we want to drive, we’ve got to get more fuel.
I can go faster alone.”

             
“How are you going to carry fuel that far?”

             
“I don’t have to carry a lot of it, just enough to get the truck to the station.”

             
“I don’t know, Wylie,” he said. “I don’t feel comfortable with you going out there alone.”

             
“Hey, it ain’t exactly my idea of a good time, either,” I replied. “But someone has to stay here to secure the door and guard the gear.”

             
“From what?” he asked.
“I haven’t seen a zombie yet that’s even remotely interested in finding new gear.”

             
“It ain’t the zombies that worry me.
I’ve ran into more than one group of survivors that weren’t interested in helping out.
We’ve been ambushed twice and shot at several times.”

             
“You should at least take the dog,” he said, shaking his head.

             
“I don’t know,” I said. “I think it would be best to go alone.”

             
“It’s your call.”

             
I started unloading my gear from the truck.
I wasn’t going to carry any more than necessary, to save on weight.
It would be better to travel light and fast.
I selected the AR-15 and maxed out the ammo.
I loaded up ten full magazines of 30 rounds each.
I also took the two M-9 Beretta 9mm pistols.
I loaded out all eight magazines for those at 15 rounds each.

             
Then I emptied out my rucksack.
I wasn’t planning on taking any food, at all.
I was going to a store.
I could eat there.
I stuck four water bottles in my pack and secured it.
I left the Keltec strapped to the side of the pack.
It loaded out with 15 rounds in 12 gauge, and I put another fifty rounds of the Winchester Supreme Elite’s in the bag.
I also stuck my hammer in my belt.

             
I left the big Army Colt and the Henry in the truck.
I’d have plenty of guns and ammo without them.
Out in the country this far, I doubted that I’d run into any large packs of zombies.
At least, I really hoped I wouldn’t.
If I did, I was boned.
Once I was loaded up, I turned to Gunny.

             
“Well, I’m as ready as I ever will be,” I said, grinning.

             
“You be careful out there,” he said, seriously. “If you get into trouble, you don’t have any way to call for back-up.”

             
“I know, Guns,” I said. “I’ll be careful.”

             
Then I headed into the front offices.
Gunny followed me, and we checked the windows before clearing the front door.
Before I could open the door, Gunny stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.

             
“Listen, son,” he said.
“Don’t do anything stupid.
Just get the fuel and get your ass back here.
Don’t take any unnecessary risks.
And above all else, watch out for those fucking
Trackers
.”

             
“Got it,” I said.

             
I opened the door and slipped out.
Gunny had to hold Odin back from bounding out the door after me.
I crept to the edge of the building and peeked around the corner.
It was clear.
Behind me, I could hear the sound of Gunny blocking the entrance.
Satisfied that the path was clear, I headed across the parking lot at a trot.

             
My pack felt like it weighed nothing, after all the weight I’d been carrying all morning.
I made it to the far side of the parking lot and crept along the edge of the other building.
I looked in through a window and saw that it was storage for the Tool and Die.
There was nothing that I could see that resembled fuel tanks.

“So much for that idea,” I mumbled.

              I moved along the back of the building, heading towards the road.
I crouched down at the end of the building and looked both ways.
I didn’t see movement in either direction.
I decided that I’d move out to the edge of the road and follow it, so long as I could see where I was going.
I’d have to be careful on hills and corners.

             
I didn’t want to stumble upon a group of dead, but I really didn’t want to get hit by a speeding vehicle full of survivors, either.
There was no sound to be heard, other than the whispering of the wind.
I was pretty sure I’d hear a car coming long before it got to me.
I was willing to take that chance, anyway.

             
Following the tree line would give me better cover, but I wanted to get to the station as fast as possible.
The sooner I got the gas, the sooner I could get back and fuel up the truck.
I could raid the store for supplies, while I was at it.
What I really wanted was a good map of the area.
It had been years since I navigated with a map and a compass, but I was pretty sure that I could still do it.

             
I kept the AR-15 at ready-arms.
I had already locked and loaded it and just had the safety on.
I lengthened my stride to a nice ground eating pace and started off.
If my mental map was accurate, the store had to be close to ten miles away.
I should be able to cover that in a few hours, so long as I didn’t get attacked.

             
The sun was getting high in the morning sky and the air was turning warm, so I slipped my sunglasses out of my pocket and put them on.
I considered marking time with military cadence, but decided against it because of the noise.
I remember how cadence helped pass the time on marches in the Army, but we didn’t have roaming zombies to contend with back then.

             
I’d walked for almost an hour without seeing a car or a single zombie.
I was starting to feel like the last living thing on the planet, when I saw a deer standing in the road.
I stopped when I saw it and it jerked its head up and looked right at me.
It was a beautiful eight point buck.
During normal times, I’d have been glad to have scored a buck like that.
I definitely would have shot it for the meat.

             
While I was pondering that, the wind shifted and the deer’s head snapped up and around the other direction.
Its ears started twitching and the white tail came up like a flag.
He was getting ready to bolt.
Taking my cue from the deer, I slipped off the road and into the trees.
Then I knelt down and watched.

             
From farther down the road, two zombies appeared.
When they saw the deer, they launched forward.
They were both
Sprinters
.
The deer didn’t waste any time and took off like a bat out of hell.
It was running towards the other side of the road and heading for the trees.
It didn’t have any trouble staying ahead of the
Sprinters
, but they pursued it right into the woods.
For several minutes, I could hear them crashing through the woods in pursuit of the deer.

             
I waited quietly, watching the direction that the two
Sprinters
had come from.
When no more zombies appeared, I stepped out of the tree line and continued on.
This time, I stayed in the ditch close enough to the tree line that I could duck in quickly.
Around the bend in the road about half a mile ahead, I saw a house.

             
It was an older house with fading white paint and green shingles.
I couldn’t see any cars parked in the area.
It was on the opposite side of the road and I kept an eye on it as I got closer.
The front door stood wide open and none of the windows appeared to have been boarded up.
It looked abandoned.

             
As I came up even with the house, I could see an empty garage behind it.
Still no cars to be seen, but I did see a mountain bike sitting in the garage.
I thought it over for a few minutes before I decided to risk it.
If I could get in there and grab that bike without alerting any zombies or getting into a fight, I could cover the distance to the gas station in no time.
It was definitely worth the risk.

             
I glanced both ways, and headed across the road.
When I reached the end of the driveway, I stopped and listened.
I couldn’t hear any noise coming from the house, so I crept forward keeping my weapon at the ready.
Moving slowly, I made my way to the back of the house.
The backyard was clear, so I moved on into the garage.

             
As I was reaching for the bike, I heard a shuffling sound come from the back of the house.
I spun around in time to see an elderly man in his pajamas come out the back door.
It was clear that he’d been dead for some time.
The bloody wounds to his neck and face had long since turned black and his mottled gray skin looked nearly putrefied.

             
I could tell by the way it moved that it hadn’t seen me, yet.
It must have heard something when I walked by.
I didn’t want to shoot it and make a ton of noise, so I grabbed my hammer and slipped the thong around my wrist.
Gripping the handle tightly, I moved to the edge of the garage and waited.
I didn’t have to wait long.

             
It came shuffling towards the garage and stepped around the corner.
Before it could react, I spun the hammer once around on the thong to generate momentum and slammed it right in the forehead.
The skull gave way with a sickening crunch and the old ghoul was propelled backwards out of the door and onto his back.
He didn’t get up.

             
I stole a quick glance at the back of the house.
I didn’t see any more zombies, but I didn’t plan on waiting around for more to show up.
Grabbing the bike, I quickly checked the tires.
They were both flat.
The side trip had been a total bust.
Disgusted, I headed back down the driveway as quickly as I could and took to the road.

             
I didn’t see any more zombies for the next hour and a half.
I knew I should be getting close to the crossroads where the little gas station had been.
If I could reach it, I could figure out a way to get some gas out of the tanks and get my ass back to the Tool and Die.