Surviving The Aftermath (Book 1): The Dead Linger (32 page)

“You have?” She asked shocked.

“Yes, and surprisingly he’s coming around because that’s who he is. And I will apologize to Jill too.” He closed his eyes while saying that last part. “There are so many things I need to tell you, but you need to know that I love you still and always will. If you never forgive me I understand, I still need to tell you these things. And I’ll always be there for you and Susie. .” Tom cupped Vikki’s face and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. And for the second time in his life he walked away from Vikki not knowing what lay ahead.

The men sat slouched down in their cars as the hordes passed by them and they went unnoticed. They had managed to trick the zombies, plus it helped with all the activity and fresh food in sight, the zombies were far more enticed by that. There moans of hunger grew louder.

“Man this shit it scary.” Luke punched the guy in the knee hard, eliciting a mumbled ouch.

“Shut your fucking mouth.” He whispered at the man. 15mins had passed and the core zombies had passed by, but stragglers still lingered back, Luke felt safe enough to sit up and take in the view. And what he saw was priceless and perfect. “Yes!” He said to know one but himself. Both men watched the zombies attack the barb wire and sides of the buildings, but nothing budged. The place looked good. Solid and impenetrable, good words in Luke’s mind. No more constantly fixing fences and walls, no more hearing that god forsaken bell when zombies broke in. This would be his new place.

Zombies had been intense all day, bombarding them relentlessly. No one knew why there was suddenly such an influx, but they were up for the challenge. The buildings farther out in the parking lot helped act as a natural break. They had planned on demolishing the buildings soon to serve this purpose better, but at the moment it still helped. Jill had been up on the roof with the others most the morning and into the afternoon trying to keep the hordes thinned out. With fall starting to knock on the door, they wanted to get everything finished before the weather and ground got too cold. It was already August, and there was still a ton to too. If a viable farm couldn’t be found, then plan B was to wall off a section further out from the apartments to turn into farm land. The farmers argued that the ground wouldn’t be workable for a few seasons, but Jill thought if they did it now, then it would be that much closer to being ready to grow stuff. Some thought that this was all just a waste of time, their we’re still some that  thought any day now the army might show up and save them. It was still a chore to convince people that they had to depend on themselves and each other for survival.

*Thwak*. Right through the eye. Jill was becoming deadly with a bow & arrow, they still used Molotovs to try and separate the zombies from each other, it really helped break up there numbers.

She was hot, sweaty and gritty, but she felt good and was alive. She loved this stuff, being useful, helping rid the world a zombies. She always thought of it has once less zombie in the world and she felt closer to the finish with each kill. *Thwack*.

“Damn girl, that’s two in a row. Slow down your making the rest of us look bad.”

“Can’t help it, you know how it is when you get in a zone.” She sent another arrow flying, this one hit between the eyes. Bull’s eye. Jill looked down the line of sand bags and people and saw a shaggy haired, still bearded Tom hurling spears down at the mass. She caught herself staring, she couldn’t help it. He seemed harder, gruffer but not as cocky, more humble somehow since his return. She couldn’t blame him, being out there all alone changes you, you do anything to survive out there. She wondered what he did.

“Jill focus!” She snapped her head back around and fired her arrow, still making the shot.

Dusk was settling in and the zombies had dwindled to a handful if that. Jill continued to sit on the roof, drinking a bottle of water and enjoying the sunset. She rolled her shoulder to work the kinks out, it was sore and a little tight, but considering she hadn’t used it properly in over 5 weeks, it was solid.

“What happened there?” Jill waited to answer, she looked up at Tom saw he intended to stand there until she answered.

“I dislocated it.”

“How?”

“Jack decided to go check out a hospital.” She quickly and briefly filled him in on the details involving that adventure.

“Wow. You did that for a complete stranger? I’m impressed.” Tom sat down next to her. “Not a lot of people would.” They sat in silence for a time.

“You know, I’m sorry for what I said to you right after Cindi died. I guess I didn’t want to believe . . . . that my baby girl could be capable of wanting to kill someone.” He stopped and paused. “I should have though. Known. I’m not blind.” He looked at Jill. “I saw her getting closer to that Tyler guy. It was just easier to ignore the whole situation.” Silence settled again.

“I do understand. I understood then and now.” She chuckled. “You don’t think I’ve been called worse names? I can handle the names, and even the slap to the face.” Tom winced having never hit a woman before, he still felt shame over that. “But I killed that girl, and it ruined several more lives when I pulled that trigger.” She was quiet for a moment. “I think what hurt the worst was knowing that I ruined your relationship with Casey. Here this chick comes along and in a matter of months I manage to make you guys hate each other and you abandon him, your wife and other child. Everything that you help build.” Jill hung her head. “And to make matters worse, Vikki told me Cindi might have been pregnant too.” Jill couldn’t keep the tears from her eyes.

“Yeah I heard that one too. I probably would have been pissed at that also, and flown off the handle. But I would have come around, like now, and I still shouldn’t have blamed you for her death. She was an adult. She hopped behind that wheel all on her own, probably with the intention to kill you. You had no choice.”

“I’m sorry Tom.”

“I’m sorry too Jill.” She held out her hand, but he opened his arms to indicate a hug. They hugged tentatively, but it was a start.

“Did Vikki ever tell you I knocked her up right outta high school?” He said with embarrassment in his voice.

“No.” She looked shocked.

“Yup. In fact I think it was that last day of school, that afternoon we went to hang out at her mom’s house before I had to go to work. Man we were stupid then. No condoms. I totally fooled her into thinking that it wouldn’t happen if we just did it once without protection.” He shook his head. “I was an idiot.”

“Or a horny teenager.”

“That too. I had always wondered if she would have stayed with me without the baby involved.”

“Yes, you dumbass, I love you.” Both Jill and Tom spun around to see Vikki sitting in a lawn chair looking cozy as could be.

“How long have you been here?” He asked.

“Long enough to see you make up.” She replied. “Oh and I wasn’t some ditzy blonde you fooled, I knew I could very easily get pregnant that day.” She was quiet a moment. “Don’t you think I’ve wondered over the years if you ever felt like I trapped you with the baby?” Silence grew between the trio.

“I think I’ll go see if the teams need help.” Jill stood and made her way down, figuring these two needed to talk more than ever.

“I never felt trapped.” Tom said standing up and walking to her.

“Me either.” They were each quiet for a minute, the quiet commotion of others cleaning up the area and finishing up with the remaining zombies didn’t affect them.

“All I ever wanted was to make you happy. Make the girls happy.” He replied.

“I know, and you did. You just didn’t realize it.” He wanted to reach out and touch her so bad, just a hug maybe, something to know that he had a chance.

“I’m gonna need some time. Susie might too. You should talk to her, she hasn’t been the same since you left.”

“I understand and I will. I’ve missed you both so much.”

“I’m not saying you’re forgiven.”

“I can wait as long as it takes.”

“Well, you’re on your way at least.” She walked forward and looked up at him. Lightly grabbing his beard she gave it a tug.

“And clean yourself up, you look like an old bum.”

Things had gone brilliantly, they stayed and watched the whole melee play out. The people were efficient and kept things simple, the weapons seemed basic, a few guns here and there, catapults and fire were all used in the defense. Now Luke just wondered how they would do against him and his crew.

“Alright were heading back. We need a plan and more people for what I have in mind.” He leaned his arm out the window and made a circle motion with his index finger pointed in the air as if to indicate they were wrapping it up. Burning out into a U-turn, both cars headed back off into the darkness.

Jill and Casey made it up to their place eventually, both were exhausted. Most the day had been spent fighting the unusually large amount of zombies. They had managed to conserve most of their resources and their defenses stayed intact. It gave them hope they could survive a potentially larger amount if needed.

“I’m so worried.”

“Why? Jack’s done recon stuff like this before.” Casey added.

“I know, but he hasn’t been out of here since the hospital incident. I’m just worried he’ll hesitate or something in a situation and he’ll get hurt, or worse.”

“You love that kid don’t you.”

“Like my brother.” She put her arms around him carefully they headed to bed.

Tom didn’t know what possessed him, but he’d showered, shaved. Gave himself a decent buzz cut with a little hair left to spike up on top. He still looked pretty good for being 37, even though he had noticed a fair amount of gray hair spurting through his beard. He left Brian sleeping in the room, the boy seemed to be acclimating to his new surroundings, there lots of teenagers of varying ages around and he appeared to fit in with them too. To think he almost killed this kid.

Tom wandered over to the apartments and sought out his wife’s door, gently knocking. I was late, almost midnight, and he had just about given up hope that Vikki might be awake when he heard the locks on the inside release. He’d never seen a more beautiful sight, there she stood, bed wrangled and with sleepy eyes, Vikki said.

“Tom what’s wrong?” She had concern in her eyes now. Tom hadn’t really thought of what he’d say if she answered the door.

“I shaved.” He blurted. “And cut my hair. Do you like it?” He ran his hand over his head.

“You woke me to show me your haircut?” He froze, what did he say now.

“Vikki I just really wanted to see you once more before I went to bed.” She shook her head and couldn’t hold back the smile. He waited with agonizing patience for what her next words would be.

“Did you want to talk some more?” She asked after waiting a bit.

“Oh yes, definitely.” And he entered the apartment behind her.

Chapter 12

The cold eyes searched the landscape, for the two vehicles that would be soon cresting over the horizon. His breathing hitched as the vehicles were spotted.

“Wait for the signal.” He repeated in the radio for the third time already. Others were hiding below on the street, with their bodies coiled and ready for some action. They were using guns, but they needed them alive, it was the only way to fish, with live bait. You always caught the biggest fish that way. Closer the unsuspecting victims drove, he could see the colors of the cars, black and burgundy. The engines of the vehicles could be heard now, they were cruising this way, they had spent hours moving wrecked cars and debris to funnel them down this block here. Who knew what their destination was but they were never going to make it there.

“AJ, go.” He radioed down to the man who ran out into the road to and began to flag the cars down. It was perfect, we was a survivor, no visible bite wounds or marks, they’d stop to help, take him in, offer food and shelter probably. He watched through binoculars as the cars began to slow down as it approached the man in the street and the one car had stopped about a block away, while the other proceeded slowly up to help the survivor. Shit! Well, at least they’d have one car to use as bait.

“Now!” he shouted down to the others in hiding, and they all sprang into action surrounding the one car.

“What do you mean they haven’t called in?”

“They just haven’t.” Carlton mumbled. He hated confrontation, and while he liked Jill as a person and new friend, she had moments when she was intimidating and he would really rather avoid talking to her.

“They’ve been gone almost 24hrs.”

“I know.”

“When was the last transmission?”

“Around 5 or 6 I think. It just sounded like they were checking in but having radio issues. Maybe that’s it, there radio is broken.”

“No, something is wrong. They might have had an accident. Did you record the transmission?”

“Yes, I’ll find it, give me a couple minutes.” Jill wondered around the revamped dollar store, people were slowly trickling in to put away weapons or grab new ones. Casey came in behind a group, he saw Jill and Carlton bent over the radio listening intently.