The Dead Arrive (Part 2)

Posted on Sun Jun 23rd, 2024 @ 1:21am by Hale Stratton [Major, United States Army] & Serena Reynolds DR & Timothy Reynolds [Captain, US Army] & Alonzo Blazevic & René Rouen & Vienna Quinn & Civilian Thea Matthews
Edited on on Sun Jun 23rd, 2024 @ 1:25am

2,956 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Winter is Coming
Location: Dealership and Drug Store Outside of Blast Radius
Timeline: 6 September 2010 - 7:30 a.m.

Tim's eyes grew larger in excitement. It was true!! His friend was alive and here!! He looked up in the mirror and shared a look with Serena. Their chances of survival just tripled. For, as good a survivalist as Timothy was, Hale was just a bit better at it. Looking over at Ethan, Tim smiled broadly. "Kid, you just may live through this whole thing!" He then turned the wheel again, and within moments, he was pulling up into the dealership lot, hopping out of the truck, he shouted out, "REAPER ACTUAL, THIS IS GHOSTWALKER, HOW COPY, OVER?!"

As suddenly as they had arrived (and that was a mystery that needed solving or did they open doors now?), they departed. Moving among the bodies, he dropped the last one heading for the door and as she fell forward, the remains of an elderly woman with glasses swinging from a chain around her neck, he heard a familiar voice and grinned. Something he hadn't done in what seemed like forever. He hopped over the body and walked out into the sunlight. Dirty, blood-stained, still holding the pistol he'd emptied twice, and grinned at his friend.

"Now isn't it just like you," he said, laughing, as he headed in Tim's direction, "to come out of hiding after the action is all over."

Hearing his friend's voice raised Tim's spirits. When he looked over, he laughed out loud, partly by how his friend and brother-in-arms looked, and by his words. "What can I say? Snipers go for singular targets, which I did take, to save young Master Ethan there." He moved towards Hale as he spoke. When they were close enough, the two warriors embraced each other in a brotherly bear hug.

"Damn good to see you, Hale!" Timothy said after they released one another. Then a look of concern crossed his face. "Have you heard from anyone else?" He was meaning the close-knit brotherhood of elite warriors that had, until today, called the northern section of Ft Campbell, Kentucky, home.

"No," Hale said, with a sad shake of his head. It was one of the things that haunted him at night, not knowing what happened to them, where they were. "Haven't heard a thing. You? And Serena? The baby? They alright?"

Tim let out a sad breath at the reply that Hale gave him. Then, when he asked about his family, he smiled happily. "Come see for yourself." He then led him back to his Blazer. "Sweetheart, it's safe. Hale was asking about you and Patrick."

Serena stuck her head out of the window in the back of the blazer. "Major" she said, "Good to see you." She did not get their son out of his car seat, he was still, thankfully fast asleep. Her child could sleep through anything it seemed.

"Good to see you both," Hale said. "I'd give you a hug but .." He gestured toward his appearance. "But thanks, you know, for looking after Ethan. He's ... had it rough. What brought you here of all places?"

Serena replied "Passing through, we were at Tim's cabin just north of here, Walkers were about so we were looking to head to anywhere but there."

"Bout the same for me," Hale answered. He holstered his weapon and then reached up to run his hand through his hair, saw the blood, and then dropped it back down to his side. "Rented a cabin. We planning to hike part of the trail and then, all of this." He gestured toward the piles of dead and shook his head. "I have land out west, Wisconsin. I'm thinking it might be time to head there. Off the grid. Not many folk about."

Timothy nodded thoughtfully. Then, when he heard that Hale was heading back to his home in Wisconsin, he had an idea. He looked over at Serena, and saw, by the look in her eyes, that she knew what he was thinking. When she nodded, he looked back at Hale. "Well, originally, we were trying to get down to Virginia. I've got a cousin in Newport News that we might've been able to be safe with. However," he exhaled heavily as he looked around. "Even if Norfolk was spared the MOABs, I doubt my cousin is still there." He looked back at Hale. "If you don't mind three more bodies in your group, we'd love to join ya."

"I'd like that," Hale answered, nodding at both of them. "Between the two of us, we can certainly keep the group safe and the land, well, there's forty acres, and I think it will support us. There's a well already dug and I know of a lumber yard that's on the way. If we head straight there, I think we could have dry cabins built before winter sets in. Or maybe a some sort of a trailer."

Timothy nodded to himself as he considered things. "Well, if we can get enough vehicles, and fuel for everyone, then we should start first thing in the morning. My truck, as she sits right now, could be good to get as far as Boston, before I'd need to start thinking about finding more fuel. And that's if we are able to keep a decent pace going. We run into more cities like this, or who know what else, it'll slow us down. If I remember correctly, isn't your land about a thousand, 1500 miles from here?"

Hale leaned against the side of the truck and called up what he remembered of the roads out to his land. "Maybe not that far," he said. "And I agree that we should stay away from major cities. Even Bangor, as small as it is, got dangerous. The end of the world doesn't bring out the best in people. Hey, what if we used a toll road? There would be rest stops along the route and abandoned vehicles so we'd have a shot and gas and food ..."

Timothy nodded again. Then, after seeing all of the civilian faces around them, he figured it was time to get the tough talk over with.

"Hale, I'm going to be honest with you. As both my brother and the guy who was about to be my superior officer, you deserve no less." He paused a beat, then continued. "Before we go any further, a plan needs to be agreed on, by all of us. You and I know, full well, what happens to the populous, when the society collapses. While I'm sure that there are still good people out there, in the name of survival, many who were our friends this morning, will now become our enemies tonight. We all need to agree to what rules we will live by. We also need to agree on how we choose to allow others into the community, if at all. And finally, we all need to agree how to treat our enemies." He let out a breath, knowing his friend had to have been thinking this already. It just needed to be said aloud, in front of everyone.

Hale nodded, because in truth, he had been thinking about it. "Let's get everyone together, get the vehicles ready to go, and then we'll talk before we move another step because you're right. If this is going to work, we need to set down some rules."

Timothy nodded, then looked over at the lot of damaged vehicles. While there were some that had their windows blown out, from the pressure wave of the explosions. The rest were in descent shape. Realizing that they needed an overwatch while they weren't moving, he pointed to the water tower that stood a block away. "I'll go up there. Should be able to see for miles." He looked over at Ethan and grinned. "I could use a spotter. How are you with heights?"

"A lot better than I am with sliding off the roof of a moving vehicle," Ethan said. The wind teased his curly hair, tendrils sliding across his face, as his green eyes lit with excitement. "Let's go."

"I'm going to walk over to the Walgreen's and see about the others," Hale said. He left the rest unsaid but there was worry lurking in the depths of his voice. He found his backpack and pulled out the remaining clip for his weapon and reloaded before setting off toward the pharmacy.

[Meanwhile, In the Pharmacy Storeroom]

In the pharmacy storeroom Vienna cautiously and quietly unlocked the door, opening it just a fraction she peered around the pharmacy noting no movement or sound. “I think they’re gone..” she motioned to Thea to follow her as they started moving in René’s direction.

[In the Pharmacy}

He entered and did a sweep of the place and finding it empty, started worrying in earnest. Think, he told himself. Vienna will go for Rene. No question. Pacing in time with his thoughts, he came across a few chunks of hacked up meat near the entrance and toed them with the tip of his boot. "Lured?" Maybe Rene tried to draw them off? And they followed? He ran his hand across his forehead. "Yeah, we definitely some rules."

[And then there's Rene Moving Away]

He'd been thinking, daydreaming mostly. His was an active, some might say overactive, and highly devious mind, restless and seldom content for long. He liked ... stirring things up. Yes, that was the word for it. He liked to stir the pot. As often as possible. The dog would be a problem but there were things he could do ...

The sound of someone singing, in French of all things, drew his attention and he moved out of sight behind the corner of a building. Apartment complex of some kind just beyond the pharmacy. One of those nondescript suburban things that held little interest for him. He quieted, his attention now on the singer and his trickle of followers. He watched them approach and smiled to himself. Now there, he thought, is a pot.

René was leading a sizeable group of the Soulless, not all that had been in the area between the car dealership and the Walgreens, but at least the ones interested in the Walgreens. He kept a lookout down alleyways and side streets as he walked and sang Frarajaca. He kept to the middle of the road so as not to be blindsided as he lead approximately 30 to 40 of the not-nearly-dead-enough away from Vienna and Thea.

The apartment complex was large enough, something of a rabbit warren, a boring, nondescript den of equally nondescript apartments, dumpsters, and parking spots, some with and some without vehicles. He wondered as he watched the young Pied Piper leading his merry band how many people hiding in their hutches, watching through blinds and curtains, at the odd precession. He turned a speculative eye toward the nearest set of windows and considered that there might be more he could add to the party but no, that would take time. And this was interesting. He lifted the hunting rifle he carried with him and sighted down the scope at the boy. Kill? Wound? Scare? So many choices.

René kept scanning the area. What had caused the Soulless to leave the hotel parking lot? That thought was dominating his mind. He glanced at the herd following him. Vienna, Thea and he had not made any loud noises except for the one broken liquor bottle and that would not have been heard passed a short distance outside the store.

Vienna & Thea watched albeit worriedly as René lead the soulless away from the shop, There was little they could do that wouldn’t disrupt his plans.

He was a good shot and the apocalypse had been great for target practice. And so, he found himself a place of relative safety, lined up his shot and took oh so careful aim. He didn't want to kill anyone. Nooooo. Fear was so much better. A little gift, if you will, to remember ole' Whistler by. And so, he lined up his shot and fired at Rene.

René was walking backwards looking at the herd following him and spotted Vienna and Thea exiting the Walgreens. He took a step forward and felt a burning pain in his left thigh. He heard the loud report of a rifle shot as he stumbled forward to the ground. The lead few Soulless surged forward knowing as if knowing their prey was helpless.

“NO!” Vienna looked towards Thea. “Get back inside where it’s safe! I’m going for René!” She rushed forward the only plan in her head was to get René away from the dead, she wasn’t willing to lose him now.”

René scrambled back to his feet. His leg hurt, but not nearly as much as he thought it would after being shot. He pulled both his rapier and dirk from their scabbards and met the closest three Soulless with quick thrusts and slashes that left them motionless on the ground. He backed away and called out to Vienna to get Hale and the others. After that he was busy with fighting off the Soulless creatures marching relentlessly towards him.

[Meanwhile Back at the Dealership]

Hale returned at a brisk job and stopped Tim and Ethan who were already on their way to the water tower. "Pharmacy is empty. See if you can spot them when you get up there. Give me a direction to go. I'll get Alonzo and Reuben, they can stay with Serena."

Tim nodded, then looked over at Ethan. "Lets go, kid. Double time it!" He then took off at a rin to the water tower. When they finally reached the base of the tower, he broke the lock on the fence line, then he led Ethsn closer. Slinging his rifle onto his back, he started climbing the ladder. A few moments later, he reached the gangway that ran along the middle of the bulbous part of the tower. "Eyes open, kid!"

Serena shot a hard look at Tim's back as she slid into the drivers seat. She looked at the Major and said "The Pharmacy is where I need to go. We need supplies from there." She started the blazer and added. "If it's clear then I can go and get the supplies."

"I cleared it," Hale said. "You should be fine. I'll let Reuben and Alonzo know that you're over there. They can help if you need it."

Serena nodded and drove over to the building that housed Walgreens.

He reentered the dealership, dropping almost at once back into operator-mode. Watchful, alert, silent. All was quiet. The one thing he had learned about the not-dead-enough-by-half-in-his-opinion was that they couldn't help but make noise. That weird sort of rattle. He heard a sound and swiveled, bringing his weapon to bear, and saw Alonzo standing up. "You alright?"

Alonzo's tone was laced with emotion, but constrained as though he had a lot more to say than he felt like he could, but coming face-to-face with the weapon. "I will be when you kindly point that elsewhere," quipped Alonzo Blazevic. "I'm not dead yet and I do not plan on dying here by those things or by friendly fire." Truth be told he was not alright, but when he could see Hale and be alone with him again, then he would work on being better.

"Sorry," Hale said as he lowered his weapon. "Check on Reuben, would you? I have to go track down Rene, Vienna and ... what's her name? ... Thea. Friends of mine showed up -- Tim and Serena and their 10-month-old. Tim and Ethan are in the water tower, Serena and PJ are in their vehicle." He came closer, mindful of the blood and who knew what all else that covered him, and leaned in to kiss Alonzo lightly. "Be back soon."

== WALGREENS==

Serena had placed Patrick in the baby sling that she and Tim used when they were hiking, it set him on her back and allowed him to fall back asleep against her shoulders. She was glad he was sleepy. He needed not to see so much at a young age.

She slowly entered the Walgreens and looked around. Empty of persons dead or alive but trashed. Things tumbled off of shelves, mostly panic related she bet.

Slowly she walked the isles and began pulling items off of shelves and placing them in a pile at the end of the Isles. She found two overturned trolleys and quickly stacked the stuff in there. She grabbed as many boxes as she could of over the counter medications for colds, flus, pain and such. She grabbed bandages and three large first aide kits.- Items piled into the trolleys are as follows: 

* Childcare items - Nappies
* Childcare items - Formula
* Childcare items - Baby care and feeding items like bottles, pacifiers.
* Baby food
* Healthcare items - skincare creams 
* Healthcare items - Antiseptic creams
* Band-aides
* Bandages
* Support braces for arms, legs, feet, knees in various sizes
* Burn Care kits
* Burn Gel
* Cold and Flue Tablets, from various brands
* Pain relief tablets - Various Brands
* Child medicine in liquid form - Various brands

Then she moved to the pharmacy desk and carefully walked into the drug dispensary. 

Serena moved slowly, carefully and tried very hard not to make a sound as she searched drawers and finally found a set of keys that let her open the drug safe. 

She knew whatever was in it, if it had stuff in it, would be hardcore stuff. And in these days, better she knew, that they had it rather than they didn't. 

 

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