Dead Life (Book 3) (15 page)

              Al headed down the access road until he came to a side street. He turned right, drove for about three miles finally coming to a house. Technically it was a house; four walls, a door, windows, and most of a roof. He stopped the truck in the street and backed into the yard in front of the house.

              “You've got to be kidding me,” Gina said. “We're not staying here.”

              I got on the radio and called Al. “Hey buddy. How about we go a little further? This place is about to fall down.”

              “I'm tired of driving. This place isn't so bad.”

              I could hear Cindy yelling at him in the background. “We took a vote. Nobody wants to stay here. We'll all end up with lice or something.”

              “I've got some Raid in the back of the truck somewhere. I'll spray the place down.”

              “Fuck that.” Gina said. “Drive away. He'll follow.”

              “Al, I'm going to find someplace else. Follow me. Okay?”

              The radio stayed silent. At least he hadn't got out of the truck yet. Gina kept on my ass so I drove off. I watched the mirror until I came to the crest of a hill and lost sight of the truck. It still hadn't moved. There was a huge valley in front of us. Sitting on a ridge on the far side of the valley was the nicest house I'd seen in a long time. I kept going and stopped in front of the road leading back to the house. We sat for a while watching for Al and Cindy. Gina was pretty hot by now and was in the process of calling Al on the radio when the truck crested the hill. I was glad to see them coming. My ears were burning by now from the steady stream of obscenities coming from Gina's mouth. I wasn't relishing the confrontation between the two that was on its way.

              The house was huge. I'd seen places like this when I was a kid. When my dad would take me hunting, we saw houses like this occasionally. People with lots of money liked to have a “cabin” in the woods for when they went “roughing it.” The house sat on a rise overlooking the valley. There was a pasture and a stable for horses. I saw an in ground swimming pool in back of the house when we drove up and an elevated putting green behind the pool. There was an archway over the driveway with a large circle in it. In the center of the circle were the initials RRH. We followed the long driveway back to the house. It was a circle drive that headed back out to the main road so I wouldn't have to turn the Hummer around. Al pulled the truck in, drove down the driveway, and stopped behind me. Gina, Rick, and I got out and walked back to the truck. Cindy got out and joined the three of us standing at Al's window. He sat staring at the house sipping his beer.

              “Honey, are you getting out or not?”

              “Yeah, give me a minute. Nice place.”

              “Beats the hell out of that dump you wanted to stay at.” Gina said.

              “Look little girl, I don't feel like arguing with you.”

              “Look old man, I don't know what your problem is, but I don't feel like putting up with any of your shit today.”

              “Alright you two let's all calm down. Al get down from there. I want to talk to you.” I said. “Give us a minute.”

              Al got out of the truck And we walked away from everyone. “Last chance. Tell me what happened.”

              “I couldn't do it. That little one, Cindy, I couldn't bring myself to shoot her. She was laying there with her throat ripped out. It looked like she was sleeping. Well, she was covered in blood, but she had that sweet little face. You know.”

              “Yeah, I know. It's hard. It's over with now. Let it go.”

              “I'm trying. I don't mind killing zombies. It's the little kids. I hate having to shoot them.”

              “Me too. They're better off though. I wouldn't want to be left like that.”

              “Me neither. If it happens to me you'll take care of it, right?”

              “Al, if I even think you've been bit, I'll shoot you. I promise.”

              “I knew I could count on you.” Al said as he laughed. “Let's hug it out.”

              “At least you have your pants on this time.”

              “You liked that didn't you?”

              “Yeah it was nice having your dick on my leg. Had trouble sleeping that night just thinking about it.”

              Al gave me a big hug and we headed back to the others. I understood how he felt. It was surreal,  all the killing I'd done over the past few days. The part that bothered me the most was how easy it had been killing those men that were about to rape Al and Cindy. Even Gina didn't have a problem with it. Before all this happened there was no way I could have done that. But when the time came and I saw Al and Cindy laying in the road like that, I didn't give it a second thought. I just pointed the gun and pulled the trigger. I didn't think of myself as a killer. It came down to survival. This new world had a different set of rules. People were going to change; some for the worse and others for the better. I hoped I fell into the latter category.

              As I walked back to our group, I saw the curtains move on an upstairs window of the house.

              “Did you see that?” Al said.

              “Yeah, somebodies in there.”

              “What do you think?”

              “Whoever it is, I hope they're alive and not looking for trouble.”

              “They're alive.”

              “How do you know that?”

              “Just looked out a different window. I don't think a zombie would be going for a better view.”

              “You're probably right.”

              “Right about what?” Rick asked. We were back to the group.

              “There's somebody in there.” I said.

              “Should we be worried?” Cindy asked Al.

              “I don't think so. The second time he looked out the window I saw the barrel of a rifle. If he wanted to, he could have shot us all by now.”

              “You said he. Are you sure it's a guy?” Gina asked.

              “Yeah, I got a good look at him. Steve, come with me. The rest of you stay here,” Al said. “Honey, if he shoots me do me a favor.”

              “What Al?”

              “Kill him.”

              “Just be careful Al.”

              “Steve,” Gina grabbed my arm.

              “What baby?”

              “If he shoots Al, try to get away.”

              Al and looked at Gina. They stood there smiling at each other until we were all laughing. The war was over. We were all friends again.

              We went to the door and Al knocked.  We stood there for a few minutes and got no reply.  Al banged on the door with his fist and shouted,  “We know you're in there.”  Still, there was no reply.

              “He's looking out the window beside the door.”  Gina called out.

              I went to the window and tried to look in.  The shades pulled back and I was greeted by an unshaven face with a bald head.  He shouted at me.  “Go away!”  Al beat on the door again.  “We're just looking for a place to spend the night.  How about it?”

              The intercom beside the door came on.  A British sounding voice replied,  “Go away.  We don't want any.”

              Al laughed and pushed the button on the intercom.  “We're not selling and we're not looking for trouble.  We just want a safe place to spend the night.”

              “Not interested.”  The intercom replied.

              “Come on, Al.  Let's go.”  I said.

              Al pushed the button on the intercom again.  “Alright then, we're going.”

              We went back to the vehicles and told the others we would have to find another place to stay.  Just then the front door opened and the man walked out onto the front porch.  He was wearing plaid boxer shorts and fuzzy yellow house slippers.  He had several tattoos and was holding an assault rifle in one hand. 

              “Right then.  One night is all you get and that's it.”  He said.

              Al looked at me and smiled.  “You sure you want to stay here?  Looks like trouble.”

              “What changed your mind?”  I asked.

              “If you're willing to give up that easy, you can't be as dangerous as you look.”  He said.

              He was right.  We did look fairly dangerous.  Al carried two pistols with one on each hip.  I wore a shoulder holster with a sword on my left hip.  Gina and Cindy both carried side arms as did Rick.  And in addition to all that, none of us had bathed in two days.  I could see why someone would hesitate to let us in.

              “Well, come on then.  Can't stand here all day with the door open.”

              “Let's go.”  Al said.  “My name's Al.  This is Steve.  She's Cindy and that's Gina.  The guy with his hair standing up all over the place is Rick.”

              Rick got a concerned look on his face and reached up with both hands and started trying to smash his hair down.  “Somebody could have said something.”

              “No worries mate.  Looks like you could all use a shower.  Leave your shoes at the door.  The maid is out by the pool and she won't be cleaning up any of your messes.  Look at you two.  There's blood all over you.  You'll not bring that in here. Pop on out to the car and get a change of clothes;  all of you.  We'll wash those dirty things up.  Go on.”

              We went back to our vehicles to get our gear.

              “He seems nice enough.”  Gina said.

              “Yeah, I like him.  I wonder what the English guy is doing way out here though.  Look at that place.  It looks like a prison with bars on the windows and that door must weigh a ton.  Nothing is getting in there.  We'll be able to relax tonight.”

              “You mean, we'll be able to sleep in a real bed tonight?  We'll be able to sleep together and everything?”

              “Where does Al keep that Viagra?”

              “You don't need that.  Do you?”  Gina asked.

              “I was thinking about turn around time.”

              “I'll ask Cindy.”

              “You are a dirty girl.”

              “Absolutely.”

              He was waiting for us on the porch when we went back to the house.

              “By the way, I don't think we got your name.”  Al said.

              “Sorry, I've forgotten my manners living out here by myself, not used to talking to people.  I'm Rich.”

              “Nice place you have here, Rich.”  Al said.  “It's built like a fortress.”

              “Thanks, mate.  When I first moved here, I was a little paranoid especially with the way things got at home.  Didn't really need all this here though.  Now I'm glad I had it done.  None of those nasty bastards will get in here.  That's for sure.  What's it like out there?”

              “You've been in here the whole time?”  Cindy asked.

              “Fucking right, I've been here.  I saw what was happening on the telly and went to ground, I did.”

              “
Can't blame you for that
.”  Al said.  “It's hell is what it is.  Zombies are everywhere.  We had a run in with some bandits the third day but Steve and Gina took care of them.

              “Shot them, did ya?”

              “Didn't have much of a choice.”  I said.  “Came down to them or us.”

              “Good for you then.”  Rich said.  “Ready for those showers?”

              “That would be great.”  Rick said.

              “Alright then, Rick, you can use the one out by the pool.  You others can use the two upstairs.  Come with me.  I'll show you how to get out to the pool.”

              We went through the house and Rich took us to his den.  It was a dark room with an extensive library.  He turned on the light switch and went to the drapes and pulled them back.  There was a large steel door behind the curtains.  Rich went to a key pad and punched in some numbers and the door slid back into the wall.

              “Still have power out here?”  Al asked.

              “Oh, I doubt it.  I have solar panels.  Completely off the grid, I am.”

              “Heck of a door there.  Will I be okay outside by the pool though?”  Rick asked.

              “There's a wrought iron fence around the pool.  Don't worry mate.  You'll be fine out there.  After I get your friends set up, I'll come out and stand watch if it will make you feel better.”

              “I'd appreciate that.”

              “No problem.  Give it a minute then.  I'll be right back.”

              “Thanks.”  Rick slid the door open and went out by the pool.

              “Follow me.  I'll take you upstairs.”

              We turned and started to follow Rich out of the den.  I heard the sliding glass door open and Rick came running back in.”