The Week of the Dead (38 page)

He hoisted her up and down on the kitchen island. She let out a moan and a giggle as she watched her husband remove his guns and shirt. He looked down at his wife, and she back to him. They were both happy to have survived this long. Now that they had some space away from their children, they were going to put it to good use. The moment of serenity ended when Faith reached down and began stoking Clint’s genitals.

He was instantly aroused as he began to play with her naked body. She began to moan as they were feeling each other’s naked bodies. He placed a hand over her mouth, and he waved her legs open and began to penetrate her. He didn’t care that her legs had stubble on them. She didn’t care about how greasy his hair was. They both pretended they didn’t smell. This was how things had become. Her muffled moans were still heard through the kitchen swinging door. Her eyes were rolling back into her head with ecstasy. The muffles were met with an “Oh, for fuck’s sake!” coming from Gavin’s mouth as he rolled over in the opposite direction of the tiny booth. “Easy, kid. That’s how you were made,” Razor said to the boy. “Doesn’t mean I want to hear it!”

Clint and Faith were swapping spit and sweat as they embraced each other. Things got heavier and louder. With every thrust of Clint’s pelvis, the entire island scooted backward. Chaz began to chuckle at the sound of the scooting getting faster and faster until it stopped completely. “Be sure you wash that before breakfast!” Razor said toward the door. Everyone on the stools erupted in laughter except Devin and William who were both staring at the pistol on the bar. Raine looked away from the window to say “They’re not done yet.”

Clint hoisted Faith from her back and to her feet. They bumped foreheads and held each other close. Her premature gray bangs brushed against his face. They kissed. Clint took this time to spank his wife on her ass. This excited her again as she pushed him onto the kitchen floor and proceeded to go for round two. Only this time, she was in control. She moved her hips in every direction possible. He moved his hands up and down her soft skin. He took both breasts in his hands and held them. He took his thumbs and pinched her nipples. She let out a quiet grunt as she swatted his hands away and pushed his hands to the ground. Leaning forward and placing her body weight on her arms, which were holding him down. He didn’t struggle. He didn’t resist the pleasure.
God, I’m glad I picked a winner!
he thought. She removed herself from his body and spun around. She readjusted herself in the opposite direction of where she was previously. She was now facing his feet. All Clint could see was his wife’s ass bouncing up and down and the countless tattoos that filled her back. He ran his hands up her spine and grabbed a fist full of hair. He pulled her back to his chest. She was still rocking her hips. He held her down with his hands and began to vigorously leave a hickie on her shoulder.

All the while, William and Devin were both eyeing the gun. Redbeard caught the tension in between cheering on the Wesson’s in the kitchen. “What is it, boys?” Redbeard said in his booming voice. Redbeard, only seeing a revolver sitting between two men, quietly grabbed a bottle from behind the bar and held it by the neck. “This belonged to a dear friend of mine,” Devin began. William grabbed the pistol and looked down the side of it.

“You know who he was?” Erica said as she began to piece things together. She shook her head and raised her hand calmly to Redbeard who pretended to make himself another drink all the while eyeing the situation. Chaz finally looked at his companion who was holding the gun. He too took the situation wrongly. “Will, what are you doing?” he asked.

“What was his name?” Devin asked intently. William let out a quiet sob.

“He was my uncle…”

“We all called him Uncle Frank,” Chaz said.

“Ah shit!” Devin said under his breath. Erica walked around the bar.

She didn’t like the tension in the air. Chaz looked down at the bar and grabbed a handful of glasses. Erica bypassed him and Redbeard. She placed one hand on the gun, lowering it to the bar, and the other she placed on William’s shoulder. “He was a good man. He helped us get here,” she said.

“Was it quick?” Chaz asked. Devin watched him pour another round of shots.

“Yeah. Yeah, it was. But he went down fighting.”

“To Uncle Frank!” Chaz said as he raised his shot glass to the others. They all took one, even Redbeard, who didn’t know him.

They remained at the bar. Devin and Erica recounted old stories of Frank and then how he died. When the room fell silent, Clint and Faith walked back into the room fully clothed. They both had a weightless motion about them as they separated. She went to her children. He went back to the bar. Redbeard made the move to make him another margarita. He said no as he pointed at a bottle of water without speaking. “Get a good work out did you?” Tripod asked.

“Yeah. Stairs. Ugh,” he said with a playful tone.

Devin moved back to Chaz and William. “I want to know about Phoenix,” he said in a serious tone.

The Next Day

Chapter 78

Saturday 0650 CST

Elizabethtown

W
alker and William took turns keeping watch while the others slept. The city outside seemed motionless after they finished off those construction workers. The sun was rising from the windows. Clint was already busy in the kitchen with his kids. They were eating anything that required refrigeration. The rest they were planning on taking with them. Mr. Harrison was banging on the coffeemaker. The noise had woken Devin who was laying halfways off a booth bench. He wiggled his toes and looked forward. In the booth across him was Erica. Her red hair was covering her face, and his jacket was covering her. He looked in between them and realized they were holding hands. He quietly and easily removed his hand from hers and placed hers back to her chest. She let out a sleepy noise and brought the hand under the jacket.

Chaz had passed out across the bar itself. Tara shook Redbeard awake because of his snoring. The smell of breakfast and coffee filled his nostrils. Razor had positioned his shield against the wall and leaned against it. “At least he took off his shoes,” Devin said pointing at Chaz on the bar.

“Not from where I’m standing,” Tripod said groggily smelling Chaz’s musty feet. Rune came around the corner to greet everyone. He made a polite wave, ushering everyone toward the kitchen. “Yeah,” Redbeard said. He had taken his armor off during the night. He was shirtless. He kept his boxers on. Tara got up wrapping her naked body in a blanket they had taken from the armored car. She cleared her throat as Redbeard had remembered what they had done under the blanket while everyone was asleep. “You know, for a big dude, you’re
almost
stealthy,” Walker said as he recalled listening to Redbeard and Tara make quiet love under the blanket.

“Situational causality, Mr. Walker,” Redbeard said as he brought his wife’s underwear to her from the floor. Redbeard didn’t know what that meant, but it sounded good.

“You’re almost as bad as them two!” Walker said pointing at Ethan and Jenna.

“Hey man, a broom closet is a broom closet,” Ethan said with a kiss to Jenna’s forehead.

“By the way, what was the clatter?” Walker asked half sarcastically, half curiously.

“I went to lift my leg, but I got it stuck in a mop bucket. But we were
really
going strong, so I used it like a skate and tried to power thrust. But it was dark, and I couldn’t see,” Ethan said as he left the situation to rattle in Walker’s mind.

“What is this, the fucking love parade? Why don’t we start an orgy right now?” Walker said in a jealous tone.

“Daddy, what’s an ‘orgy’?” Paul asked his father as they were going toward the kitchen. The mood was suddenly killed by the cute little voice coming from the boy. Jamison just shook his head and motioned for Walker and William to be relieved. Jamison himself and the recently awoken Chaz took watch, without putting his shoes back on.

Ashley looked around and saw Ethan and Jenna ahead of her in the food line. She tapped Tripod on the shoulder. He turned to see the early thirties looking blonde behind him. She spoke in a whisper. “Why do they call you ‘Tripod’?” He looked around. Everyone else seemed busy doing stuff. He flexed his eyebrows, and she returned the gesture. She didn’t want Ethan or Jenna to see her. After Josh, she didn’t feel safe anymore. She wanted to feel the security of something with a gun watching over her. She pulled him close by the shirt and led him to the broom closet. Chaz and Jamison turned to watch them walk around the bar. Jamison shook his head in disbelief. Tripod wore an excited look on his face. “She looks like trouble,” Jamison said. On top of feeling safe, sex seemed like a distant reality; a reality that was soon remembered. She didn’t weep for Josh while she was in Tripod’s arms.

After breakfast and after Tripod and Ashley left the closet fully dressed without being noticed by Ethan or Jenna, everyone began getting things together. Jamison and Chaz pushed the barricade away from the door. They opened the door with ease and walked into the cool morning air. Jamison took to the left, and Chaz took the right. They both motioned the “all clear” as everyone began to load back into the vehicles. Redbeard took whatever spirits were left from the bar. The Wesson’s and Erica loaded up the canned food and whatever they could take from the kitchen. Walker made sure every weapon had ammunition before they started driving.

The Ground Quaketh

Chapter 79

Saturday 1037 CST

Elizabethtown

T
hey made it to the other side of Elizabethtown. The dump truck led by Tripod was still carrying an army of rednecks. They were out front. The vehicles were becoming cramped spaces as the new survivors joined. Isaac even had people in the back of the ambulance with him and the fat nurse. “We’re getting closer,” William’s voice came over the radio.

“Been here before, huh?” Devin’s voice called him out over the radio.

“Yeah, spent a few Christmases here. Phoenix has a good setup. Don’t let the underground stuff bother you. He has a farm and his own water-filtration system,” he explained.

“What’s he talking about?” Erica asked Devin from inside the van.

“Long story short. This guy, Phoenix. He’s got a hidden base under the old abandoned movie theater. The underground part is under the drive-in theater. He grows pot. Hence all the kids had pot at the bar last night. Apparently, they’re dealers. This guy runs the show. The tall kid, William, said that Phoenix is a cool guy, and he welcomes everyone. He sounds like a hippie. William has been in contact with him as well. Hence the burn phones like ours. He told Phoenix that we are all cool people and that he should bring us in to help secure the place.”

Erica looked at him with wide eyes. “That is the craziest thing I’ve ever fucking heard,” escaped her puzzled mouth. The others in the van were also intrigued.

“You mean to tell me that we’re going to hang out with a bunch of drug users and shitheads?” Phil asked from the back of the van.

“Yeah, it looks that way. Stay sharp. We’re not out of this yet,” he said to them. “So, William, should we expect any resistance around the destination? Over.” The dump truck slammed on its breaks. “Herd ahead. Full speed!” He heard from afar as William was holding the talk button of the CB in Tripod’s truck. Suddenly, there was a violent shake on the ground beneath their wheels. Everyone watched as the shifting earth got closer.

The Church

Chapter 80

Saturday 0800 CST

Mississippi

E
arlier, Richard and Raven had successfully landed the helicopter and made their way inside the dilapidated church. Their helicopter had caught the attention of the recently turned townsfolk not too far away. The moving corpses of the small Mississippi town began to converge toward the church. Richard and Raven both picked up a church pew and pressed it against the French-style doors of the one-chamber church.

The reverend came out of a small office. His once black skin had turned a pasty gray color. “Fuck!” Raven said as he fired a round into the reverend’s head. “Jimmy!” Richard called out as he saw the man in the reverend outfit. Three more came out of the same room. Richard took out his .45 and floored all three of them as Raven picked up a new pew. “What’s your plan, old man?” Raven said as he finished the pew against the door. Richard knelt at the man in the reverend outfit. “He was one of ours from the beginning.” This was replied with a “What?” from Raven as he moved things across the old wooden floors causing a scrapping noise.

“Watch my back.” The old man said as he went to the podium and pushed it aside with the power of his leg. Raven kept next to the old man as he went to work. Raven took a duffel bag off back. He unzipped it and began bringing weapons out and laying them in a circle around him. Under the podium was a basement of sorts for the church. Old useless crap and figurines had been stored down there since the church was erected. Richard went to the back of the basement and waved his flashlight and found a broken floor piece. “Hello there!” He went to the missing floor tile and moved one down, and there was a new spot missing and then one from the left to cover that hole. Richard hurried as he heard Raven popping off rounds from above. Three more movements later, a loud creak was heard as the final tile popped up. It was an illuminated keypad. “Just as we left it.”

Richard pressed a series of buttons. He cursed the CIA for always having ridiculous codes to remember. After a series of
beeps
and
whirls
, an entire wall of garden tools began to move with a hiss of air coming from the inside. Richard jumped through the broken wall to find what looked like an emergency hatch on a submarine. He spun the wheel and climbed the ladder down. The air was frigidly cold down there. They kept the temperature down so the machines wouldn’t overheat since no one had been down there since the 1970s.

Raven had fired entire magazines of pop shots. He pulled a submachine gun by the strap and unloaded the full magazine at the door. He went to load a new magazine when the whole front door was ripped off its frame abruptly. “Fuck this shit!” Raven said as he went into the basement and closed the podium lid behind him. He was looking for the old man. All he could see was a light coming from the floor and another one coming from the wall. “Colonel?” Raven said into the darkness. No response. The podium above him began to rip from side to side. The sunlight began to show in small beams with every twist. “Hurry it up!” he shouted down the tunnel hatch. Raven released another magazine of continuous lead at the ceiling of the basement and reloaded.