The First Days: As the World Dies (6 page)

Toombs Hunting Store-Stop now before you shoot!

    

    She laughed at the sign and shook her head. Country people were one of a kind. She reached down and gently stroked Jenni's hair.

    "We're gonna be okay," she promised the sleeping woman.

    The truck crested a hill and down below was a town, if it could be called a town. Six buildings, four on the left, two on the right, lined the road. Behind the buildings were fields and trees and Katie could see a smattering of houses and trailers making up the town's "burbs".

    A huge sign stood on top of the two story building on the right.

    

Toombs Hunting Store-Guns, Supplies, Licenses and More! Stop now before you shoot!

    

    "Wonder if they have a zombie hunting license," Katie murmured as she slowly drove into the town.

    The store was very old, at least 150 years old, with thick stone walls and heavy iron bars over the windows. A big iron door had Toombs with deer antlers on either side of the name painted in yellow letters. It looked like an old-time jail.

    Letting the truck idle, Katie looked around at the buildings before returning her gaze to the hunting store. It was eerily quiet and devoid of any visible people.

    Suddenly, a shot rang out and Katie jumped. Jenni screamed as she woke and instantly Jack started barking.

    Katie was so startled she wasn't sure what was going on. Then she saw a small child laying right beside the truck, a neat hole blown through its head.

    Its torso and right arm were a mangled mess, as if its flesh had been ripped from its bones.

    "Shit," she said.

    "Are you bit?" A female voice rang out through what sounded like a bullhorn.

    Jenni held tightly to Jack, both of them shaken. Jack was growling.

    Leaning over them, Katie rolled down the window low enough to yell,

    "No! We're not bit! We're looking for some help! Some guns! Supplies!"

    "Get out of the car slowly and show us," the voice answered.

    "Don't!" Jenni grabbed Katie's arm. "They might hurt you."

    "They shot the zombie. I think they're okay."

    Jenni's hand trembled as she withdrew it and looked desperate.

    "It's okay," Katie said again and whispered to Jack, "Stay," and slid out.

    Holding out her bare arms, shotgun in one hand, she slowly turned around. She caught a flash of color and looked up to see two elderly people on top of the gun shop. The woman was holding the bullhorn and the old man the gun.

    Jenni looked out at Katie fearfully, unsure of what was going on.

    "And the other one."

    "Jenni, get out. Leave the dog inside," Katie said firmly.

    Jenni slowly slid out of the truck and slid off her bathrobe. Her arms were bruised, but it was clear she had no blood on her.

    The elderly couple consulted each other and suddenly the old man disappeared from view.

    "You better get back in the truck until he unlocks the door. Got more running around here," the old woman said through the bullhorn, then set it down and picked up a rifle.

    Both women climbed back into the truck and Katie pulled the truck over as close as she could to the shop.

    "They could hurt us," Jenni said softly.

    "They would have already if they wanted to," Katie answered truthfully.

    Two more shots rang out and Katie looked over to see two people laying dead near the doorway of an old fashioned grocery store. It was then that she became aware that there were more zombies trapped inside the grocery. The two dead zombies had stumbled out of a rotating door as they jostled about, trying to get to the tasty morsels on the street. Most of the undead were pressed up against the windows clawing at the glass.

    The big metal door to the hunting store opened and an old man with thinning silver hair dressed in jeans and a plaid shirt motioned to them.

    Turning off the truck, grabbing the keys, and snagging Jack's collar all in one deft movement, Katie slid out of the truck and hurried into the shop.

    Jenni slid out of the truck behind her, looking flushed and anxious, and followed her through the doorway.

    "Name is Ralph. Wife is up top. Her name is Nerit," he said as he bolted the door behind them.

    "I'm Katie, this is Jenni, the dog is Jack," Katie said.

    "Nice to meet ya," Ralph said and immediately pet Jack, who gave him a big goofy doggy grin.

    "Thanks for letting us in. We're pretty desperate for more weapons. We didn't have much ammunition to begin with," Katie explained.

    "Got plenty here," Ralph said and motioned about the shop. "This is a hunting store."

    "I can pay," Katie offered.

    "Money means nothing now, missy. We can do business later. Come meet the missus. Relax. We're safe in here."

    The old man wandered past them and started up the stairs.

    All around them were racks and racks of rifles and cases full of guns. In the back of the store were all sorts of camping gear.

    Realizing they were staying awhile, Katie followed him. Her hand gripped her weapon a little less tightly as she felt the tension in her body drain out a little. Jenni followed and slipped her hand into Katie's other hand as they climbed.

    "Are you sure this is okay," Jenni whispered softly.

    Katie cast her a reassuring smile over her shoulder. "About as okay as anything is going to be today."

    When they came out onto the roof, the absolute beauty of the hills around them struck Katie. Endless, rolling green hills, lush and beautiful spread out around them.

    A thin woman with long yellowish white hair stood near the edge of the roof, rifle in hand. A large tent was set up as well as some chairs and a small table. The old woman leaned over the table crossed out three names written on a notepad.

    "That's the rest of the Greens," she informed her husband.

    Katie slowly realized that the scenery was dotted with dead bodies: halffallen into bushes, next to cars, in the doorways of nearby houses and of course, the little boy in the street.

    "Out of towner came here bitten. Went into the store. Now they're all dead. Some got out and ran home. Infected their families. Got seventy in the town. We've shot twenty dead. No accounting for tourists," the old man informed them, hands tucked into his pants.

    "You're both okay though," Katie said.

    "Yeah. Store closed today. It's my birthday.” Ralph shrugged.

    Nerit smiled at her spouse for a moment, then narrowed her eyes at something down the road and raised her rifle. Another shot rang out. She turned and crossed off another name.

    "Last of the Millers," she said in a rich accent.

    "Nerit is from Israel. She was a sniper in the Israeli army. Married her two years ago. Glad I did. Dead on shot."

    Katie laughed and looked at Jenni. She was glad to see the other woman was actually smiling. Jack sauntered over to an old hunting dog lying nearby.

    "That's Tucker. He won't mind the pup. He's too old." Ralph shook his head sadly. "Damn shame to happen on my birthday. Damn zombies."

    "Car coming, Ralph," Nerit said.

    They all drew close to the edge and saw a very fine silver car pull up. A man climbed out and looked around frantically. He was completely oblivious of the hungry zombies in the store behind him.

    "Hello!" He spotted the people on the roof and started waving.

    "Shit, it's the guy from the store," Katie said to Jenni.

    Jenni narrowed her eyes. It was obvious she remembered the man who had been such an ass earlier in the day.

    "Six-figure guy," Jenni murmured.

    "Yeah," Katie said. "Wonder how he made it out here."

    "Hello! I'm looking for Madison! The radio says that there is a rescue center there!" Six-Figure Guy kept waving at them, stirring up the zombies even more in the store behind him. He remained oblivious to their presence.

    Ralph raised the bullhorn slowly. "Are you bit?"

    Katie noticed the man's forearm was heavily bandaged. She looked at Jenni. The dark haired woman was staring at the man with a blank expression.

    The guy looked at his arm. "I have lots of money! I can pay you for your help! I need to get to Madison and get medical attention." He took out his wallet and waved it around with his injured arm.

    "Are you bit, son? If you are, my wife here can help you out," Ralph said.

    "Well…" the man hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, but it is slight. I'm sure-"

    The crack of the rifle made Katie flinch.

    The man stood with a shocked look on his face for just a moment, then fell forward, revealing the exit wound of a nicely placed shot on the back of his head.

    "He wasn't turned. We just can't do that," Katie protested.

    Nerit looked at her. "Yes, we can."

    "And you're going to have to," Ralph said softly. "If you're going to survive."

    Katie stood, eyes blinking rapidly, and shook her head. "Oh, God." It was one thing to kill the ones who had already turned, but innocents who were infected? Could she do that?

    "His head just kinda popped," Jenni said in awe.

    "Anyone who is bit is going to be one of those things. Gotta shoot them and put them down. Only way." Ralph stood with his hands tucked into his jean pockets looking somber. "Only way to keep safe and keep their numbers down."

    Katie thought of Lydia once more and shivered.

    "Now come on downstairs for a bit to eat. Sun is about to start down and we don't wanna have empty stomachs," Nerit said and walked past them with her rifle.

    "She cooks good food. First we eat, then look at guns, maybe shoot a little, then sleep."

    Jenni sighed contentedly, obviously relaxing. "I'm so happy we are here.

    It feels good to be around real people, not dead ones. Or stupid ones. We saw a few of those on the road."

    "I'm sure you did," Nerit said sadly.

    Ralph smiled at Jenni and put a gentle arm around her shoulders. "Glad to have company. Glad to help you two out."

    The three of them walked back down the stairs leaving Katie standing in quiet contemplation. She looked down at Jack and returned her gaze. If she had a choice, to die quickly or turn into one of those things, which would she prefer?

    Letting out a soft sigh, she rubbed her forehead.

    "Jack, has the world gone crazy and everyone in it?"

    Jack slightly whined She nodded. "Thought so."

    Together they followed the others down the stairs.

    

    

3. The World Ends

    

    Katie followed the others down the stairs, Jack faithfully following her.

    Nerit and Jenni veered off into an old fashioned kitchen while Ralph continued down the hall to a comfortable living room. If not for the enormous flat screen TV it would have looked like the Norman Rockwell version of the perfect grandparent's home.

    On the screen scenes of violence were playing while in the corner in big green lettering it read "MUTE".

    "Got tired of watching. Too much talk, too little information," Ralph told her.

    Katie stood mesmerized as the scenes of mayhem played out. Dutifully recorded by the media, visions of destruction and violence played. A reporter came into view, motioning at the city, obviously standing high above street level and out of the range of the violence. It looked like New York City.

    Throngs of bloodied, crazed people were running down the street, attacking cars, buildings and the people within. The army was firing at will into the crowd.

    "This morning they called it race riots. When it hit more cities, they called it mob violence. Early this afternoon they started calling them "the infected"." Ralph sat down in a comfortable, over-stuffed chair.

    Katie sat slowly on a flowered sofa with big crocheted doilies decorating the back and armrests. Jack sat at her feet and yawned.

    "I never saw or heard the news," she said softly. "I was attacked during early morning rush hour. A man…he tried to rescue me but they got him.

    Jack belongs-belonged to him. On Jack's vet papers it says the owner was the Reverend William Hampton. He saved my life."

    Ralph nodded. "And you saved the girl with you."

    "Yes," Katie's gaze remained fixated on the screen. It was now showing a map of the United States highlighting where all the violence was occurring. "I had driven home to check on my…spouse." She hesitated, not really sure if she wanted to come out of the closet to this old-timer. "It was too late."

    "They got him," the old man said softly.

    Lydia rushing toward her, screaming, her chest torn open…

    Katie nodded mutely and wiped away a tear. "Yes."