walkers the survivors (7 page)

    
Mason looked up from the map he was studying.  "Duke saw a large military facility to the east of here but I can't find it on the map.  We thought while everyone rested and unwound, some of us would take a look see."

    
"Yes," Flynn said, "we haven't picked up any supplies on our way down here, and it's no ones fault" he said quickly when he saw me bristle, "we've just had to do so much backtracking that we haven't had the time.  We're all tired and want to do something different so we're going to check out the place and see what we can find."

    
I leaned against the fridge, crossed my arms and smiled, "Bring back a big mac, fries and strawberry shake."

    
"Me too," Sandy said "only make mine onion rings."  That started the orders rolling in but I was only conscious of Mason smiling at me.
Thanks,
he
thought.  I shrugged,
no problem
, and smiled back.  

    
They took Lacy's RV and went on down the road.  We spent the better part of the afternoon turning the other outfits around, fixing Clint and Mercy's window and unwinding.  We were out in the middle of nowhere so our view was unobstructed and what a view it was.  I guess it's the color of the mud or something but this amazing color of purple, or violet or something with casts of orange, rust and blues all mixed up so one color blended into another color.  Colors changed continuously as the sun dropped  behind the mountains.  The sky lit up with the prettiest purples I've ever seen.  I heard a clicking noise and turned in time to see Lacy taking pictures left and right.

    
"Randy will do wonders with these in oils.  Well, as soon as we get him some canvas and oils anyway."  she said, still taking pictures until the little card was full.  Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out another card, exchanged it for the full one and kept taking pictures.  I looked at Sarah, and she just shook her head and smiled. 

    
We were watching Bubba trying to catch a butterfly when I noticed the dust flying.  New Mexico was like Montana.  You could have a downpour of rain and an hour later the dust is flying on the roads again.  The guys were heading back and they had an additional two outfits with them.  This should be good.

    
It was good.  The military facility had a large Disaster Relief bus filled with water and food and behind it was a mobile Hospital Clinic.  Joe was beside himself.  It was getting dark ,while the new clinic was made into a home and clinic for Joe and Sandy.  They'd been sleeping in Lacy and Randy's RV but now they had their own beds, with bath in the big clinic.  Sam offered to drive the bus which we could then use for supplies.

   
The disaster relief bus looked like it hadn't seen much duty.  Nearly all shelves were full, cots and blankets competed with tents and raincoats.  Portable potties took up some room and toilet paper abounded.  Hmm.  Randy offered to drive the disaster bus leaving Lacy to drive the RV by herself.  She said she didn't mind as long as she could borrow Clarissa to keep her company.

    
I finally managed to talk Mason into telling the story of the trip they went on.  They'd approached the facility very slowly, stopping about a half mile out to check it out with binoculars. There was a lot of walkers, military personnel it looked like, so they had to devise a diversion of some sort.  After digging around in the RV a few minutes they found some flares and turned it towards the facility so that as it approached it didn't appear to be moving, just getting larger.  Randy  made a sort of sling shot  and when they got close enough they launched some flares at the other end of the lot.  When the walkers converged on the flares, the guys crept inside and done some digging around.

    
The Disaster and hospital buses were near the gate, probably because they'd planned to take them on a mission, the doors standing open, batteries dead so they scavenged around and found outfits with batteries that would start the buses.  There was a brief time when they were discovered and had to send more flares out, and chop off some heads before they could continue, finding MRE's (Meals ready to eat) and rocket launchers and machine guns before they headed out.  Securing the gate, to make sure no walkers roamed about outside their enclosure unattended, so to speak.

    
They hadn't noticed anymore road problems and wildlife was abundant which was good sign that walkers were absent.  They had a tendency to chase wildlife, which is too amusing to talk about.

   
We spent a lot of time inspecting the new rides, refueling everything and in general wasting another day but we were ready to leave early the next morning, expecting to be at our destination by dark. 

    
Expectations are a lot of fun if they pan out.  Aren't they?

                                                                     
CHAPTER 7

     We arrived at the turnoff to the springs a little after noon the next day.  We had run into absolutely no problems on the way...no backtracking, no herds or bridges out, nothing.  We were so shocked that at the turnoff we stopped and checked the map to be sure.  Everyone milled around the off ramp, taking potty breaks and stretching legs while we make certain that it was indeed the correct place.

    
We'd been in the mountains for most of the morning.  The change in temperature and the smell in the air was the biggest indicators that we were out of the flat lands.  I didn't care.  I seemed to calm down and become less cranky in the mountains.  That's what Mason said, which made me frown, so I didn't dwell on it

    
The road leading to the springs started out paved but turned to gravel after several miles and ran alongside a fast running creek most of the way.  I didn't like the idea of high canyon walls on each side either but I didn't see what choice we had.  I saw there were several bridges along the way and my stomach sank.  If we couldn't get over the bridges then the whole idea of the hot springs was a wash.  I had visions of living in a warehouse for the next eight months and started to sweat.

    
"Say, guys, guess what day it is?"  Duke asked wanting to show off his handy dandy new atomic clock he has in the Dukemobile.  When we all just stood there and waited, then he sighed and yelled "Labor Day."  Then did a soft shoe dance and stood expectantly waiting for some kind of response.  We all did a limp, not so excited 'woo hoo' and trudged back to our outfits.  I was as ready as I was ever going to be but I prepared my bow. 

    
The walls of the canyons were tall and imposing.  Scrub brush clung to the sides almost like they were painted on.  Although we lost the creek, and before you ask I have no idea where it went, any number of times it would return to shadow us as we drove slowly towards the springs.  The first bridge looked solid and it felt that way as we crossed it.  I watched behind us as everyone else crossed just fine.  Several times I caught the glint of something shining off the tops of the canyon but couldn't identify it.

    
"Are you seeing that glint up there every once in a while?"  Mason asked.

    
"Yep, but I can't tell what it is."

    
"It's small like a spotting scope."

    
"Oh, shit, don't say that.  For Pete's sake, Mason, we don't have it in us to fight for another persons property.  Damn."

    
"Don't get excited shorty, it may mean nothing."

    
You guys seeing that glint up ahead?
Lacy asked.

    
Yeah, we're not sure what it is but for now we'll just watch out for anything suspicious.

    
OK
, well, since we don't know this part of the country, that may keep us busy for a while.

    
Well, now smart ass, I can't see that you're doing much of anything else at the moment.

    
I'm not, shit for brains, but I may want to get busy with my man and I can't do that and watch for anything suspicious.

    
Stop that you too, and pay attention, we have another bridge ahead.
That was from George.  We stopped and paid attention to the bridge which was also fine to cross. 

    
The sun had started dipping over the tops of the canyon walls so it was gonna get dark soon.  We needed to be parked where we wanted to be soon.  The gravel road was kicking up so much dust that we had started to space ourselves a bit too far apart which wasn't good, so we slowed down in order to keep us together.  We started down a particularly steep incline which narrowed into a space big enough for a big truck and that's all, with rock walls you had to stick you head out the window and look up to see the sky.  Our trailer scraped the walls  as we came through but no one cared.  As soon as we cleared the opening, a valley opened up before you and the cabins and general store sat at the end of a long tree lined drive.

    
We pulled up to the front of the large, barn like cabin, the others parking along the road under the trees.  It was so pretty and quiet.  So quiet that I was a bit concerned.  While we sat there, the door opened on the big cabin in front of us and a young boy of about 12 stepped out with a machine gun, pointed at us, of course.  He just stood there and waited, not moving or saying anything.

    
"Well,"  Mason of many words, said.

    
"Yeah,"  I was wordless too.

    
"I reckon we ought to find out what the deal is.  If we have to leave, I'd like to do it before dark."

    
"Yeah,"  Still wordless here.

    
He started to open the door when the kid aimed the gun directly at him.

    
"Can I get out?"  He yelled, through the half open window.

    
"Don't reckon there's much reason too, seeing as how you're leaving."

    
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

    
"Nothin to talk about, git."  He motioned with the gun then brought it back to point at Mason again.

    
"Well, shit."

    
"Yep."  I replied having no idea of what to do.

    
"You're not helping much here, JD."

    
"What you want me to do?  Shoot him?  Cause that's about the only way to part him from that gun."

    
"Bobby?"  a small voice came from the cabin.

    
"Shut up Sally,  I'll be there in a minute."

    
"But I'm hungry, Bobby."

    
"I said shut up."  He said, yelling at the door.

    
OK, I'd had enough of this crap.  Leaping into his mind I saw a young boy afraid of his shadow holding an empty gun.  Opening the door, I walked back to Lacy's RV and told her to give me a couple of juice boxes, some crackers and a jar of peanut butter.  The kid stood on the porch yelling he was going to shoot me until he saw the peanut butter and then he shut up.  I walked up to him and placed the food on the bottom step, then stepped back.

    
"Keep moving back to the truck."  He said, pointing that very large gun at me.

    
"Nope."  I said, certain he wouldn't shoot me.

    
He was busy frowning at me when a very dirty, little girl flung open the door, and limped past him to the grab the food.  She fumbled around with the lid til she got it off, flung it in the dirt and started digging into the peanut butter with dirty fingers, as she sat on the step.  I didn't care much for peanut butter and I've never seen anyone eat it straight from the jar.  The boy was watching her and having trouble holding the gun up.  It was a big one so I could understand the problem.

    
I backed up a few steps, then slowly sat in the dirt my hands to my side.  " Help yourself, there's more where that came from.  We didn't come empty handed."

    
"You're just saying that so you can take my gun."

    
"Look kid, we have bigger, better guns and I have a genuine cross bow I use so that little gun doesn't mean nothing to me.  Eat something, then we're gonna talk and before you go on about us not staying then understand this...I came here from Montana and I don't intend to go another mile.  We're staying for the winter then we plan to go back to in June.  Share the place with us, or not but we ain't gonna leave. Period."

    
He thought about it for a minute then dropped the gun, and ran down the steps to get in on the peanut butter fest his little girl pal was having.  "Ain't got no more bullets anyway," he said as he opened at juice box and gave it to Sally, then the crackers and dug into the jar in between Sally's fingers.

    
No bullets, did you hear that Mason.  He held you off with an empty gun.  Get a couple cans of spaghetti-O's from Lacy and a couple of spoons but walk slow, they're skittish as hell.

    
On my way, JD.
  She said from behind me.  The kids became very still as she approached but when she put the cans on the step they fell to eating.  She stood next to me and watched them.  Soon the rest of the crew was standing around us watching the kids eat.  I didn't see Mandy until it was too late.   She handed Bobby a piece of chicken then sat beside him and talked a mile a minute about the trip here.  Soon Bubba was laying on the step beside him, waiting for a handout.  Sarah and Duke were arguing about who was supposed to be watching Mandy.

    
Mason helped me up and we waited until the kids had run out of food before we said anything.  Then he introduced us all to the kids and explained why we were here.

    
Bobby nodded his head, "Yea, we stayed here last winter and it wasn't bad at all.  There was enough food and all but we ran out about a month ago."  He put his arm around Sally who leaned into him, looking very sleepy.

    
"At first there were other people here but they got sick and died then they tried to kill us."

    
"What did you do?  How did you survive?"

    
"Oh, there's a big ravine back yonder a piece and I let them chase me till I led them over the cliff. There's this big old tree there and I have a rope tied on it.  When they chased me I'd grab the rope and swing to the other side and they fall into the ravine.  It's really deep.  Then some coyote's came and I had to shoot them, that's why I'm out of bullets.  I dragged them over to the ravine too and we ain't been bothered much since then."  An image of a 'smurf garden' came to mind and I smiled.

    
"That was pretty smart of you.  We have food, and we plan to get more but we need a warm, safe place til next June, then we'll leave you alone again, or you come with us.  That will depend on you two and you have plenty of time to think it over.  We'll make several trips into Silver Springs for provisions then we'll sit tight till spring.  We promise we won't interfere with the way you and Sally have been living unless you want us to."  He nodded his head about the same time as a flash of light lit the porch.

    
"And who is using the scope to watch us?"  Bobby looked in the direction of the flash and shrugged his small shoulders, "That's just old Pete.  He thinks he's a soldier but he ain't nothing.  He keeps telling us that he is like our pappy and we need him to take care of us but no pappy looks at Sally that way.  I don't like him and we hide when he's around but right now he's up there watching you all."

    
"Does he have a gun on him?"

    
"Yea, it's some kind a hunting rifle.  But you wait a bit and he'll show up cause he'll think you've got food and come looking for some."

    
"Are you and Sally from around here?  I hear a bit of a southern accent."

    
"Nope, me and Sally come from Atlanta.  Our folks always comes up here to group up..."  he frowned at that.

    
"You mean regroup?"

    
"Yeah, that's it.  Whatever that means."  He was starting to get sleepy.  Sally had put her head in his lap several minutes ago and fell asleep, now his belly was full he was having trouble staying awake.

    
"We have a nice RV with a big soft bed, would you like to take a nap in it for awhile?"

    
"I think Sally might be happy about that and I'll just go with you to take care of her while she's sleeping.  She feels safer that way."   He started to nod off, so Mason picked up Sally and Flynn grabbed Bobby who promptly fell asleep in his arms.  He looked down at him then walked towards the RV but not before I saw the shine of tears in his eyes.

    
Sarah and I stood on the top step and looked out over the valley. Lacy and Mercy was cleaning off the step, then we slowly walked inside the building.   We stepped into a large room open to the rafters with several tables and a big kitchen at one end.  Stairs to one side led upstairs and Randy headed up those.  "Looks like someone's has been living up here.  It's a pig sty and stinks to high heaven."

    
"Must be pappy then cause I bet those two kids have a place somewhere else.  Did you get the part of the way pappy looks at Sally?"

    
"Right, and he better not come near those children while I'm around."

    
"Gotcha, it's just a shame we don't have any pigs around.  I'd feed him to them."

    
"Got some skinny guy walking down the valley with a rifle on his back.  Must be Pete."  Randy yelled from upstairs.  Mason, Flynn, Howard and  Sam came inside and looked down the valley at the approaching man.  "Duke, Clint and Riley are staying close to the RV to watch the kids.  Clint is moving it closer so we can watch over them till we see what the deal is."