Knock in the Night

Posted on Sun Jun 11th, 2023 @ 6:14am by Hale Stratton & Alonzo Blazevic & Vienna Quinn & René Rouen

1,862 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Bangor or Bust
Location: Trout Mountain Cabin, Twin Pines at NEOC, Millinocket, ME
Timeline: 26 AUG 2010 - 10:00 p.m.

No hot water, something that would need to be resolved if the teen didn't get packed off to her family tomorrow (as he dearly hoped she would be), but not something to address at the moment. Selfish and spoiled, Courtney was working at the top of her game, Hale thought. Choosing herself over others. An attitude that was going to get her killed if she didn't wake up to the realities.

But all that fell away when he heard the knock at the door; he was out of his seat and heading for the sole entrance to the cabin at once. He assumed it would be Andy an so, he wasn't particularly worried when he opened the door and saw ... not Andy ... standing outside.

With a bustling smile on his face was a small stout man in a vest with a an embroidered rainbow dragon on the back of it. He was carrying a wide brown box in his arms with two large brown paper bags sitting in the box. His eyes barely looking over the tall sides of the box. "Peekaboo!" proclaimed the short man.

"Hello there, Avon calling" the man continued as he stood there jovial as could be amid the backdrop of calm behind him, but beyond that calm lurked more than could be imagines. The reanimated were out there... somewhere. "Just kidding just kidding. Rainbow Dragon, you order?" the man sat the box down and rummaged through a bag.

Bringing up a white quart sized Chinese take out container with the dragon emblem printed on it, the man looked up at Hale. "Yes, one order of princess tofu for you?"

As hungry as he was, as tempted as he was to just say 'yes', and as crazy as it seemed in the middle of all that was going on, Hale reluctantly shook his head. "Not me," he said as he turned toward the group. "Anyone order takeout?"

Bao looked concerned, a bit worried that he had messed up one of the last orders of the night. Father is going to be upset. So much food wasted thought the delivery driver standing at the door. He quickly pulled the printed receipt from the side of the bag. "Order for Ethel Meyers?"

Alonzo came forward and stood beside Hale, glancing over at Captain Stratton. "Yes, grandma Ethel is in the bedroom in her rocker. She was looking so hungry she could eat a person. Ordered a bunch of food for us all, bless her" the journalist said picking up the box.

Alonzo then sat the box of food down on a table inside before fetching his wallet from his pocket and giving the delivery driver an extra cash tip.

"Thank you kindly" replied the delivery driver, and he began returning to his car, the door closing shut.

"Your grandma is a saint among women," Hale said as he breathed in the scent of food. Actual food. "So, what do we owe you for all of this?"

Alonzo looked at Hale and pulled out a gold Visa card with the name Ethel Meyers on it. "Took it off a reanimated old lady back at the church. Dinners on her tonight" reported Alonzo. "Alright, there's a little something for everyone. Grab what you like, share, and enjoy."

"Thank you, Mrs. Meyers," Hale said as he grinned at Alonzo.

Coming downstairs from the attic room Vienna smelt the delicious whiff of food in the air. “Do I smell takeout?” She offered a smile as she joined the others at the table.

Makeshift Medical

Victoire’s nose twitched as the food was brought in past the doorway to the bedroom she was working on converting into a functional infirmary and she looked to René and Nicole who were helping her with a peaked brow and a small smile. “It seems that Brother Loki has smiled upon us this evening… food has managed to bring itself to us."

Rene inhaled deeply. The aroma of the food reminded him of how hungry he was. He looked at both the women. "Please, go eat. I only have one more thing to grab from your vehicle. I will join you all after that."

She thought for just a moment while she got her field kit settled on top of a dresser in the room before turning to him. "D'accord, mais fais attention à toi"

René nodded. "Bien sûr."

Nicole didn't speak french but she had taken a few classes in high school and she put together what Victoire was saying to Rene. She looked at the Lieutenant and then at Rene. "I'll go outside too in case anything happens" she was a sailor in the Navy and it was her duty to help others.

Rene looked at Nicole. He was about to say that wouldn't be necessary, but he knew it was the prudent thing to do. "Merci."

Vic herself nodded and waited for the two of them to clear the doorway of the infirmary and then stepped out of it herself, stretching which produced audible pops from her back that brought a grimace to her face as she walked into the kitchen to investigate what had been produced.

Outside the Cabin

While the others took the food to the table, Hale slipped outside to talk to the delivery driver. "Excuse me," he called out. "Are you going to be alright on the way back. It's not exactly safe right now."

Bao nervously looker around. It was getting dark and things had gotten strange lately. "Driving over here I had to swerve for a deer lying in the road" explained Bao. "It wasn't until I got closer that I noticed the man crouched beside it, eating..." Bao didn't need to say more.

"People aren't acting like people anymore. Not all of us" stated the delivery driver. Some rustling in the woods nearby caused Bao to get behind Hale.

"No they aren't," Hale said quietly. "Just how far away were you when you saw someone eating the deer?"

Bao swallowed hard and his voice went up and octave. "Too close" he added. "It was only about a mile down the road."

As they spoke, Hale led Bao back to the porch so that he could get inside to safety if anything bad came their way. He had no right to hold the man here and yet, it didn't feel safe sending him off on to the road by himself either.

Bao smiled "Okay then, I guess I am staying the night."

René stepped out on to the porch and attempted to maneuver around Hale and Bao. "Excusez-moi. Doctor Oloffson wants the last of her medical equipment from her vehicle."

Nicole stepped onto the porch as well and leaned up against the wall next to the door. She kept an eye on those who were outside given the fact that the reanimated were an actual threat to everyone and their safety. Something that she and pretty much everyone else saw first hand.

"Rene, why don't you take Bao inside," Hale said. "I'll get the medical equipment for Vic." He turned to look the teenager directly in the eyes for a moment. "Go on and if you don't mind, send Vic out."

René shrugged and handed the keys to Hale. He turned to Bao. "Follow me please." He stepped back into the lodge and led the way to the dining room.

Bao nodded and followed the boy as instructed.

Inside the Cabin

René spotted Vic. "Doctor Oloffson, Captain Stratton asked for you to join him on the porch."

Looked up from the bowl of food she had prepped for herself with a raised brow and nodded, setting it down and heading for the front door. "Thanks, René"

Rene stepped up next to Vienna and looked at the array of food on the table. It all smelled unfamiliar, but very delicious. "I've never had food like this before. What is it all?"

Vienna offered René a smile. “It’s Chinese food, I can’t say I’m mad on it myself but if it’s what we’ve got for tonight it’ll do.” She chose a little from the various array on offer and put it out on her plate. “Feel free to dig in, I’m not that hungry right now anyway.”

René glanced at Vienna's plate and started adding the same types of food to his own. He then joined her at the end of the table not cluttered with food boxes. He skewered a piece of meat and took a bite. "Wow, that's...rather spicy."

“Uh huh” Vienna nodded as she picked away at her food. “I don’t really like Chinese, but I’m going to have to get used to eating what’s available if this outbreak, or whatever it is, isn’t sorted.”

Vic stopped at the door for a second, checking her Sig and reassuring herself of the location of her Knife before opening the door and stepping out; though Vienna's words rung in her ears for a moment as she did so

Outside the Cabin

She stood quiet for a moment; letting her eyes adjust to the completely different scheme of light before moving a single muscle then looked around for Hale, taking the opportunity to watch the perimeter for movement.

Hale had been moving quietly in the direction of the sounds he'd heard and, once he spotted the problem, circled back to where Vic stood. Pitching his voice as low as possible, he said, "there's three of them coming down the road. Maybe the sound of the car drew them. Anyways, let's take care of them."

Nodded grimly and with her voice low and pitched for concealment simply asked. "You have a knife on you? I've got a tactical folder in the center console if you need to borrow it... firearms might just attract more if there are any others in the proximity."

Leaning against the exterior of the cabin just outside the door on the porch he made a small audible noise to purposely alert them both. "I didn't mean to..." he began to say then decided there was no need for pleasant lies. "No, I did. I was eavesdropping. Can't help it, journalist. The two of you breaking away from the group talking in hushed voices is more than enough to get me snooping."

Hale turned and gestured Alonzo forward, motioning as he did so, for him to be quiet. "We have visitors," Hale said. "Three of them on the road. Vic and I are going to take them out. If you want to help, there's a knife in the console of her Armada."

"Fun," Alonzo said and stayed where he was. "Thank you, but I'll leave it to the two of you. In case you both die or don't make it back safely, someone's going to have to take care of the kids and lead them, and not to disrespect our holy friends in there, but I don't have much faith in their leadership abilities, and the little dumpling in there doesn't scream apocalyptic survivor to me."

 

RSS Feed