For A Few Corpses More - Pt. 13

  Dine had taken over driving, better at dodging stalled vehicles and debris in the road. Pierce had switched to the back, laying down for a quick nap while they finished the seventy-six mile trek. It took him a moment to get comfortable back there, wondering how long the now beheaded ghoul had lain back there in waiting. He kept thinking he could smell it. It bothered him. He wasn’t feeling well though and sleep overpowered his uncomfortable situation.

               Nyx and Bronson were sitting in the middle. They had already checked their weapons, twice. There had been a small discussion between the conscious three about the best way to get into the city undetected by human or walker, get what they needed to and go. Now Nyx found herself wishing someone had brought a deck of cards or that she still kept a diary, like she used to when they would go planet side. Washington state had beautiful scenery, but something took away the scenic nature with the dead bodies along the road every few miles and destruction in some areas.

               She would usually bother Bronson, pester him with some conversation that was on her mind or make him share a story. If she didn’t do this he would just sit over there quietly contemplating what was to come, possibilities, and the past. She didn’t feel comfortable doing this with Dine and Pierce there though. There was nothing to do now but wait and realize the situation they were likely about to walk into. City’s were dangerous and as the sights along the side of the road changed it was evident they were getting closer. 

               “Wake Pierce up, we’re getting close,” Dine ordered. “I’m going to look for a safe place to stash our transport.”

               Bronson reached back and shook his leg, “let’s go, Pierce.”

               There was a strip of shops next to an old firehouse where the fire engine hung half out the door, a burned out husk now. Just past that was a gas station. The large faded yellow and green BP sign had fallen over and the glass on the front of the store had been broken out. There were two large eighteen wheelers in the parking lot that had crashed into each other. The sight looked like an accordion, a large amount of dried blood on the front and side of the crushed white truck cab.

               Dine pulled up facing the two trucks, hoping to make the SUV look like it had been a part of the wreckage for a while. Pierce rubbed his eyes and popped the back hatch open, the others piled out after him, weapons ready. Hand signals from the captain sent the squad into different directions, a quick search of the grounds. Each person spread out then came back, reporting nothing.

               “Alright, let’s get inside and start looking. Bronson, Pierce, get us gas for the two cans in the back. Nyx and I are on supplies.”

               Bronson nodded and grabbed the two large red plastic containers from the back. They had used the majority of the gas that was stolen with Griffin’s ride.

               “I’ll go check if the pumps are on, see what we can get,” Pierce told Bronson before heading inside after Dine and Nyx.

               Bronson took the two canisters over towards the pumps as the wind picked up. He pulled his rifle off of his shoulder and used the scope to look around. He could see Ephrata from where they were, there were some taller buildings and the tips of a few others, nothing too spectacular.

               Dine pushed open the metal frame of the shattered glass door that lead into the gas station. The smell inside was not as stale thanks to the broken glass, but it was still noticeable. There were two dead bodies near the front, one a twice dead corpse with dried blood and torn flesh on its teeth. The top of the bald skull had been bashed in by something blunt, blood splatter across the white linoleum floor showed how violent a second death it had been. The second individual was an older African American who hadn’t died as a ghoul, a gunshot to the side of his head left him dead with a shocked expression streaked across his face.

               The cash register was ajar, the tray hanging out of the drawer, tilted up. Change was scattered across the floor with broken glass and a bag of Pringles that had burst open. Dine watched the line of small black insects march past his size twelve boot, at least the ants were getting to eat.

               Pierce came in behind them and paused, looking at the sight before going behind the counter.

               “Looks like a robbery,” he said, flipping the switches for the gas pumps. “I guess it isn’t enough to just have to worry about the dead, huh?”

               Neither Dine nor Nyx responded, they were already looking through the few items that were left on the bare shelves, looking for anything that was salvageable. Most of the food and drinks had been taken or opened there on the spot. There was no beer or soda to speak of and all of the bottled water had been taken. Nyx found one bag of peanuts and an eighteen year old Dr. Pepper that had rolled underneath one of the sets of metal shelves. Dine had less luck, finding only a small box of matches and two unopened condoms that promised ultra pleasure. Dine pocketed the matches and Nyx offered him the peanuts in jest, they ended up back on the floor. 

               “No water at all,” Nyx said. “I’ll check the faucet outside but I’m pretty sure that will be a no, the plumbing hasn’t had upkeep in close to twenty years.”

               Dine nodded, “you go do that.”

               “As for food, I know we didn’t expect to find anything here really. There’s almost nothing that would survive this long, but still, was worth the look.”

               “Bronson was right,” Dine admitted begrudgingly, “we will either have to hunt, forage, or steal someone else’s food. We may end up having to take our chances with some of the local flora though.”

               Nyx nodded and headed out to check the water faucets, with no luck. Bronson was there to give her and Pierce the bad news about the empty tanks as well.

               “Dry,” was his only comment on them.

               Dine stepped out of the gas station, his forearm wiping sweat from his brow. Hot, even though it was barely mid-morning. This was one of those days where the sun as harsh as the scientists had warned them. It wasn’t looking good.

               “Pierce, Bronson, each of you grab a can. Nyx, you get some of those empty plastic bottles out of here to put water in, in case we find any. Let’s be walking in two minutes people.”

               No one argued with the commands, they simply acted upon them. The group was ready to go, walking down the hot paved road towards Ephrata, Washington.

               As the city got closer things became quieter, a deadly quiet. The further in they went the more abandoned cars and corpses they came across. Twenty years of age and wear thrusts upon them. There were no sounds from animals and the tall buildings blocked out the wind from where they were coming in. Bronson had trouble not imagining the sounds of a busy city, even though he hadn’t heard that in decades. Broken glass crunched underneath their boots. Nyx coughed. She covered her mouth as the smell of the dead city hit them.

               “I see two gas stations up ahead. If those don’t give you anything check these cars around here, they’ll be gas somewhere.” Dine pointed at Bronson and Pierce with two fingers and motioned them to go. “Nyx and I will look around for anything else and make sure there won’t be any surprises.”

               Bronson nodded and drew his .45; red metal gas can in his other hand. Looking to Pierce he motioned that he would lead the way. Pierce pulled his gray baseball cap down tight on his head. He was shielding his eyes, even though the sun was currently hidden behind the tall buildings and slow moving clouds. Pierce held the other gas canister in his right hand, his left resting lazily on the gun that rested at his side, hanging off his shoulder with the brown strap. He followed behind Bronson, happy to let him take the lead into the unknown.

               “So what do we do,” Nyx asked as she checked her MP5.

               “Keep an eye on them and out for threats.”

               “Sounds fun,” she said sarcastically with a smirk.

               “I can give you a hose and let you suck gas out of cars if you’d rather do that.”

               “I think I’ll go check these buildings up ahead, sir.”

               From the view up above it looked as if the group was playing pong. Bronson and Pierce moved through the center in a straight line as they zig-zagged back and forth between gas stations and cars that weren’t too damaged. Nyx had taken to the left flank and Dine to the right, watching their sides. The four made sure that they were constantly in eye line of each other.

               Unknown to the group, someone was enjoying their show, greatly amused. Sitting on the roof of the old bank building, Marcus hung his legs over the side letting them sway back and forth freely in the strong gusts of wind. He had no worry of falling. His irritation had been in trying to get the cigarette lit earlier that he was now sucking the last bit of life out of. His hand moved slowly with a pain in it, old bones and disfigured fingers that had dried blood under the fingernails. The smoke that he exhaled was rushed off briskly. He flicked the butt off the top of the building with a a thumb and forefinger thrust.

               His show was leaving him, getting too far away into the city. Marcus stood with a groan and closed his eyes, listening. His hands outstretched as the wind beat against him in his Christ-like pose. He was listening to something no one else could hear. There were two figures standing behind him but he didn’t turn to look at them when he gave his commands.

               “Go on, take care of them.”

               The two figures slowly made their way through the metal door on the roof and down the fourteen flights of steps, leaving Marcus alone on the roof. His eyes hindered him. Mouth open, he tasted, smelled, and heard the city around him. He knew who was in his city and was interested to see what they were doing here.

              

               “Okay,” Bronson announced. “I think we’re full up.”

               Pierce nodded in agreement, holding his gas can that was full from the various cars they were able to siphon from and the last bit at the Chevron gas station on the corner of the intersection where they now stood. Bronson had filled his up almost to the top, convinced that Dine would think it was enough. They had spent over an hour in the city now, which to Bronson was too long for comfort. It was still so quiet there, it felt unnatural.

               “Think they’ve found anything?”

               “No,” Bronson said flatly, “they’ve been too busy keeping an eye on us and each other.”

               “Why? I don’t think we’re in any trouble.”

               Bronson shot Pierce a look that said enough, it questioned his intelligence.

               “Don’t you do this for a living,” Bronson didn’t wait for an answer to his question. “We should have run into at least one ghoul now, some. Hell, a city this size should be crawling with walkers.”

               Pierce stopped and looked around.

               “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

               Bronson narrowed his gaze at his companion slightly.

               “Are you alright? You look sick, you’re sweating and the sun hasn’t been out that much.”

               “Yeah, I’m fine,” Pierce shot back, “Just stressing a bit, ready to get out of here. I feel like, you know, this has been a lot rougher than it should have been. We just need to hurry, you know?”

               Bronson didn’t respond, he just stared at him for a moment as his mind took in what Pierce had said, analyzing everything. He was pondering a question, something to settle his mind, depending on Pierce’s answer. Nyx and Dine were approaching though and he thought it better to hold off. The grouped met next to a bus stop bench on one of the corners.

               “We full up,” Dine questioned, but he could smell the gasoline already.

               “Good to go, depending on the LZ location we shouldn’t need anymore for the rest of the trip.”

               Pierce nodded quickly, agreeing with Bronson. Dine was looking around the intersection, hand squeezing the grip on his rifle.

               “I suggest we start making our way out.”

               “Right,” Dine agreed with Bronson.

               “Did you want to check out any of these other buildings,” Nyx asked. “I doubt we’ll find any water or anything but maybe some first aid kits or something.”

               Dine wasn’t trying to dismiss her question but something had been nagging at him. He looked at Bronson.

               “How odd is it that we haven’t seen anyone here? I thought the files said most of these bigger cities were overrun with walkers. Did we just luck out?”

               “I doubt it.”

               “What are the chances of the pipes here still working?” Dine pointed to the near-by fire hydrant as he asked his question.

               “How clean would it be,” Nyx wondered.

               “We need to boil whatever we find.”

               Appropriately, Pierce had pulled out his water bottle and had taken the last drink from the container. Dine was focused on the hydrant, his fist clenching and shaking slightly. Bronson back up from him as Dine reared back. The captain’s boot flew at a downward angle and struck the side of the hydrant near the hanging small metal chain. There were two clanking sounds as the hub was dislodged and fell before bouncing off of the street corner. Water, precious water leaked out the sides with nothing else following. There was a moment of disappointment for all four individuals that watched. Before it could fully set in though the open hole of the hydrant began to surge and sputter as brown dirtied water exploded out in a low arch into the street. Hope restored, it looked like the water was starting to clear into a cleaner fresher liquid, but the slow stopped abruptly with only a series of gurgles in the pipes, like a burp after a big dinner.

               “Well, guess that’s our answer,” Pierce said.

               Dine nodded, “was worth a shot.” His hand was still shaking slightly. He waved it a bit loosely in the air and stretched out the muscles. “We should get going, look for a natural source.”

               Nyx turned to ask Bronson something but stopped abruptly when she saw that he had sat down the gas canister and his rifle was raised. He had it pointed up and was staring down the scope intently.

               “What’s going on,” She asked in a low tone.

               “Someone’s watching us.”                                                                    

               Dine, having overheard Bronson’s warning, brought his assault rifle up to his shoulder with the barrel still pointed at a downward angle. Nyx was reaching for her MP5 to bring the strap from around her neck when she saw something moving out of the corner of her eye. Over there, by the three abandoned cars, next to the red Honda with the shattered back window. She was sure she had seen a head bobbing between them.

               “Hey, guys….”

               “Shhh,” Dine ordered, trying to check the rooftops with Bronson but without the use of a scope.

               “No, really,” she insisted. “I think we’re surrounded.”

               Pierce had been slow to draw his weapon, the red container of gas still in one hand and his weapon in his other, still balanced on his shoulder. He was the first though to agree with Nyx. Off on the other side of the intersection, in the shadow of one of the taller buildings, he saw two figures standing still near the wall that he hadn’t noticed before—a third, or was there a fourth—they had been surrounded. Pierce let a word out that was mumbled and incoherent but it served its purpose as he pointed in front of him. Dine and Nyx saw them all now.

               “Fuck,” Dine grunted, “we have a lot of company, form up.”

               Bronson was still checking the rooftops. He knew what he saw and was convinced he would see it again any second now.

               “Bronson, I need you on point. Get us out of here and headed back to our transport, double time.”

               “We’ve got bigger problems. These things were everywhere, and they were hiding.”

               Dine checked his magazine and quickly readied the weapon again, taking aim at the ghoul closest on his side. More were popping up now from behind the cars and out of the different buildings. They were coming from everywhere. It was to the point that it almost looked, organized.

               “Let’s theorize about what happened later, live first.”

Dine popped off the first shot, it ripped through the air and burst through the back of what used to be an old woman’s skull. Blood and brain bits splattered against the windshield of a broken down yellow Gremlin. He knew it was a mistake as soon as the trigger was pulled, there were too many of them. The living dead were still pouring out of the buildings, a few even coming up from the sewers, and that bullet had been like the starting gun fired at the beginning of a very short race. The mob of undead ghouls was charging towards them now.

“I really need your head in the right place,” Dine yelled at Bronson.

Reluctantly, Bronson slung his rifle back over his shoulder. He was frustrated. Like lightning, his .45 was drawn as his free hand came across the hammer flat, pulling it back. Like Dine though, Bronson realized the futility of their situation. He picked up the gas can in his free hand, checking each side with a glance as he did.

“We can use the gas,” Pierce shouted out his suggestion.

“So we can deal with walkers that are on fire?”

Bronson’s comment was sharp. He didn’t really have anything better though.

“We run,” Bronson raised his .45 and shot to his right at the blonde with blood covering her face. “Dine, you and Pierce have the heavy weapons. Make us a path up this street.”

Dine hesitated. Pierce didn’t want to turn around, too afraid that one of the ghouls behind him would jump at him when his back was turned.

“Now!”

Dine’s thumb pushed the small metal switch on his rifle. The pointed flipped from it’s upward position near the word ‘semi’ down to ‘auto’. The sound of the bullets firing rapidly from the extended barrel of the rifle that was based off of the old M18 design rang out into the air over the groaning chants of the dead. Pierce finally spun around and using one hand fired from the hip, a spray of bullets across the wall of corpses in front of them. Nyx pulled the MP5 in tighter. It didn’t have the stopping power their weapons did. She released several bullets, headshots, doing her best to make every shot count. She and Bronson guarded the sides—it wasn’t going to be enough though.

“Just keep going,” Bronson yelled, Dine chimed in to hurry them. “Go! Go!”

It was almost a close quarter fight now, stuck in between the cars, debris, and now countless corpses. Dine and Pierce had to watch their fire. Nyx had pulled out her pistol, still aiming just for their heads.

Bronson leveled his .45 at the head of one of the ghouls. The bullet ripped through taking a chunk of bone with it as it plunged into the other walker behind him.

“Reloading,” Bronson warned his team.

His hand jerked to the side after the release was hit, letting the cylinder fall. Spent shells fell from the chambers as the figure of a young man with dark skin lunged at him. Striking the ghoul with the butt of his gun he rolled away across the hood of the near-by card. Landing, he dropped the red gas container on the pavement and pulled the speed loader from his belt and inserted the new ammo, quickly having to expend two of his six shots right afterwards. He retrieved the gas can without looking down at it.

“This isn’t working,” Dine yelled as he reached the bottom of his clip. “Reloading!”

“Not the best time to argue strategies,” Nyx said as she popped one of the walkers in the cheekbone with her 9mm, kicking it away from her afterwards.

Bronson jumped up on the car in front of them, he could see an end to the horde of undead. He looked back waving them forward. Pierce caught his eye though as he fired into the crowd of corpses. Hands reached out and grabbed at him, towards him at least. He only had one hand on his weapon, the other still holding the gas canister. The hands the wrapped their decrepid fingers around his gun pulled, their strip ripping it from his grasp. His hand flailed in front of him, trying to grab hold of the strap that had been yanked from his shoulders.

“MOVE!”

Bronson wasn’t sure if he had ever yelled that loud in his life. He was worried, he saw what was happening and it made no sense at all. He fired his revolver into the crowd twice again, two corpses fell in front of him..

Nyx swung the MP5 up in her left hand and pulled the trigger down hard, the spray was much more uncontrolled this time as she fired with the 9mm from her right hand. She was trying to follow Bronson, who had left off of the car and struck one of the ghouls, who was a small child when they were alive, over the head with the metal gas can hard. She could see the end of the crowd but wasn’t sure if they would make it. Nyx knew her clip was low, they were so much closer now and it was hard to see with all of the blood that had splattered onto her face.

Pierce was scared when they took his rifle. He backed up, bumping into Dine. He drew his 9mm quickly and fired three frantic shots, wanting to keep them away. Dine was pushing on his shoulder, yelling for him to go. Everything was moving around him and Pierce already didn’t feel well. He was becoming overwhelmed. He tried to step back and stumbled, falling back on the gas can. He felt a sharp pain in his back.

Looking up, there were two ghouls staring down at him hungrily licking their decayed lips. He could see Dine behind him when he turned his head quickly, dealing with his own problems, shells falling around him as he tried to keep them back. Pierce thought this was the end. He had already been bitten, he would not have been able to get through the scanners and chemical showers anyway in decontamination. He had thought there would have been more time to think of a way through. There were rumors of a few infected people that hadn’t been bit too badly that were cleaned up. The disease took a while to kill you, and you didn’t start trying to eat your friends until post mortem.

He had his pistol but he didn’t know how many shots were left. He’d take at least one more of them with him though, if that really meant anything. There was something that stuck in his mind though; how bad was it that his last thought was going to be about the money he wouldn’t get paid for this, all of that money they promised him. 

For A Few Corpses More - Pt. 12

               Bronson had been walking ahead of Dine, doing his job. He was keeping his eyes open and looking out for potential problems. His hand was on the strap of his rifle, his other hand rested on his belt near the handle of his .45, readied. There was the threat of what could come from ahead and what might come from behind. Bronson had considered it carefully. Dine had matched his paces one for one, both men trying to walk softly amidst the dried leaves.

               Dine was watching Bronson move in front of him with his rifle and black broad-rim hat, he hated that hat. His drill instructor had always told him that there was no room for cowboys in core. Dine didn’t like cowboys. Bronson was only as good as he was because of what the military had taught him, what they gave him. Dine’s hand was twitchy, his own taught instincts trying to take hold. He didn’t need his gun, just a fist and a small bit of surprise. The thought was there.

               “Are you going to say anything,” Dine asked moving up closer beside Bronson. There were still several feet between them, keeping a distance.

               “I think we understand each other pretty well, Captain.”

               “No, I don’t think so,” Dine corrected. “De Soto told me that you were down for this; that you’d work for us. That’s not what I’m seeing so far though. If you question my orders, she thinks she can too. If you knock Pierce around then he doesn’t fear me like he’s supposed to. You won’t pull the goddamned trigger like you’ve been taught to. You’ve gone soft.”

               Bronson paused and turned to look at Dine. He just looked past him though and turned left, continuing their perimeter.

               “I’m not a hired gun, I’m a guide.” Bronson sniffed the air and looked around them as he slowed. “My job is to lead you to the Vita Nova and keep everyone alive, safe from the dead and whatever else we encounter.” He motioned with two fingers the change in direction of their path, they began walking. “I heard what De Soto said, you’re in charge. I do my best not to undermine you or put your authority in question, but De Soto didn’t buy me, he purchased a service.”

               Dine stopped, smelling it now. He brought his rifle up at the ready, looking around. The two men were both quiet for a moment until it came into view, the carcass of a half-eaten deer. It’s ribs exposed, the tormented face of the animal that had been dinner to something vicious stared blankly with glossed over eyes at the two men.

               “Ghouls,” Dine asked.

               “Yea, old enough though that they won’t be in the immediate area.” He knelt down beside it. “Look at this though, the different angles of the bites.” He pointed at several points on the deers body, swatting away flies as he did. “There were several, moving in a pack and eating together.”

               “Is that odd?”

               “Usually see that in more populated areas. Places this far out are the areas we like because you mostly have loners.”

               Dine gazed back towards the camp, then up to the sun that was getting ready to retire for the evening.

               “Do we need to move the camp?”

               “Nope,” Bronson stood. “We make sure everyone stays awake for their guard duty and we should be fine.” He adjusted the collar around his jacket. “And it’s going to be cold tonight. We should head east a bit, check that way and then make sure they got enough wood for tonight.”

               “Right,” Dine said lowering the rifle to his side again.

               “Go ahead and finish whatever it is you want to get out, Captain.” Bronson encouraged Dine to say his piece before they got back to the others. He stepped over a large fallen branch and took the lead again towards to finish their circle.

               “I meant what I said at the beginning of our trip. If you become a liability, I won’t hesitate.”

               “Dine, you don’t seem like the type that repeats himself a lot, and I’m not the type that you have to repeat much to. I said it before and I’ll say it the last time, understood.”

               “Can you do it though? If Pierce got turned or tried to do something stupid, I’m sure you’d have no problem putting a bullet in him.”

               “There you go judging me again,” Bronson inserted.

               “What about your partner though? I know you care about her, and she’s a female. Will you hesitate? Can you do it? I’ve seen men do more than hesitate and pay pretty dearly for it. So I have to know if I can count on you if that happens.”

               Bronson paused and looked at Dine.

               “I won’t hesitate,” he said plainly, “even if it’s you, Captain”

               Turning back, Bronson continued on to finish their perimeter. Dine popped his neck to the side after Bronson turned. It was a spasm of some sort, a nervous tick. Dine followed a ways behind Bronson, the hard case. Dine wasn’t a fan of people who thought they were harder than him. Neither one spoke again until they got back to the camp.

Patches of gold and purple matted the sky as the sun began it’s nightly ritual. The perimeter had been checked and supplies had been counted and divided up as best they could. There was a small fire that Bronson started after some discussion about how safe having a fire would be tonight. The heat from the sun was on its way out and they each shed some of the protective layers of their armor, becoming more comfortable for a while before the slight wind became too chilled. Nyx always felt cold, she was close to the fire and still wrapping her shawl close to her arms and shoulders.

               “Not to be a downer, but unless you guys are hiding a large crate of supplies somewhere we may have a problem.”

               Pierce nodded in agreement, pushing the logs around with one of the sticks from the fire. Bronson was quiet, but Dine had an answer.

               “We need supplies,” Dine admitted, “Which means we need to make a stop somewhere that we could possibly find something, without running into too much resistance.”

               “A big city, right,” Pierce asked.

               “Too risky; we need somewhere smaller, but not too small. There is a place near-by called Ephrata. I think it’s our best bet without taking us too much off of schedule.”

               Bronson finally spoke up, “but not the safest.”

               “We can handle it.”

               No one spoke for a while after Dine’s praise, they were all considering the future.

               “So, when do you want to leave,” Nyx asked curiously.

               Dine picked at the last bit of his food, though it was hard to call it that. He tightened his hand, fingers pulling on each other until they popped.

               “I want to leave here a bit before dawn. We’ll take shifts tonight, like last time, but without a hitch.”

               Pierce eyed Dine for the remark made at his expense. He said nothing though, choosing his battles.

               “Pierce will take first watch, Nyx second, I’ll do third and Bronson can take the last.”

               Nyx and Pierce nodded. Bronson didn’t object.

               “Then we’ll head out, drive to Ephrata and leave the car just outside the city. We’ll stick together and look for water, canned goods, anything we can use. If nothing else there are a lot of bodies of water around here, we can boil water.”

               “I haven’t seen anything around here that I’d trust to eat,” Bronson mentioned. “I’ve been keeping my eyes open for berries and other things, but so much of the plant life is dying or just not producing like it should. Though, I know there are stories of apple orchards still producing around this area. This place has definitely fared better than many of the other territories we’re used to. I’m confident we’ll find something.”

               “We will, and we’ll be quick about it, and we’ll move on.”

               “Let’s just be careful, if we can find other sources that would be great, even if we have to steal it from someone else, it might be better than taking a risk on untested flora, and I doubt you want to take the time to let us hunt.”

               “I don’t, we aren’t starving yet,” Dine stood.  “We get the Vita Nova, set off the call beacon for Tower, and I see us back on Elysium city in three days; and when that happens, the drinks are on me soldiers.”

               With the encouraging words taken care of, Dine headed away from the campfire. He was feeling around for the container that held his pills and didn’t hear Nyx follow behind him.

               “Dine,” she called out to get his attention. “I’m not one of your soldiers, I don’t work for you.”

               “Your point?”

               “Talk to me, are you alright?”

               Surprised, that was the word. He was surprised at her question. It was unexpected and he wasn’t sure how to answer it. He was sure that she would come over and talk to him about Bronson, to spare him or something like that. He studied her for a moment, fingers slowly opening the metal container.

               “Why do you ask?”

               She paused, watching him as he pulled the two pills from the octagon shaped metal. She wondered how many more of his magic pills he had left.

               “Your condition, the way you were shaking the other day without your pills. Or, were you shaking because of something you did? I’m not sure how this even works.”

               “Yes, there are disadvantages to smashing someones head in, yeah. It’s like overstressing, pushing yourself until a blood vessel pops. It can be painful, but it doesn’t cause the pain, the pain is from the experiments.”

               “I’m sorry,” she was sincere. “I didn’t know they were, I mean, I guess…”

               “Don’t, someone had to volunteer. The core has been good to me, they made me stronger, a better soldier.”

               Nyx nodded and looked away.

               “No one wants this to happen more than me,” she said. “I’ve never even had the opportunity to live here, I want to one day.” Her eyes looked up at the sky. “I just worry how much you’re willing to sacrifice.”

               “Maybe you should be.”

               Her head fell, she turned to leave.

               “I wouldn’t blame you if you left. I’ll do it by myself if I have to, might be safer for you, just creep out, no one would blame you.”

               “Goodnight, Captain.”

               She hoped he read her tone in that last part. Dine saying that didn’t sit well with her, Bronson had told her the same thing but it was different, she wouldn’t take it from Dine. Nyx went to bed angry.

               Pierce was sharpening his knife against a small wet stone. Nyx was already laying down, wrapped up tight, trying to sleep. Bronson was quiet, leaning against his pack with his hands running down the length of his black ponytail. He was thinking, his hands moving absently. He had a lot on his mind. Dine wasn’t too far into the woods where he couldn’t see him, staying close. He was thinking about Dine a lot lately, trying to gage how all of this might play out. His rifle was next to him. He pulled it close and began taking it apart. He would clean it tonight, it needed to be cleaned.

               “That’s a really nice gun, 7 mm. rifle right, with a custom scope?”

               Bronson nodded as he removed the barrel.

               “You seem like the type that makes a lot of customizations to your weapons, I hear you’re kind of a sharpshooter.”

               Bronson nodded once more, wiping the cloth down the side as he removed the stock of the gun.

               “What um, what did you do in the military before the world went to shit and all?”

               There was no response. Bronson continued to clean the weapon.

               “You should be on watch, hard to do when you’re chatting.”

               Pierce raised an eyebrow and then sighed out loud. Grabbing his gun, he stood. He paused, looking to where Dine was still standing off in the darkness. He wondered if he should go talk to him, it only took a second for him to dismiss that idea though.

               Bronson looked at Nyx. Her back was to him, whether she was asleep or not he decided not to bother her. He finished cleaning his weapon instead, giving Pierce and Dine one last look before leaning back fully onto his pack. He placed his hat over his chest and went to sleep.

               Small flames from the campfire licked at the darkness, violently rising and falling like a wave, trying to stay alive in the chilly air. The trees helped block the wind, but the cold air still prodded them.

               Bronson heard his name. He had slept more than he thought he would, used to not letting himself sleep too hard or long, even when he wasn’t planet side. What was strange was that Bronson hardly ever dreamed. When he did he couldn’t remember them. Tonight he had dreamed though, a nightmare.

               His name was said a second time, with more disdain. Dine was standing over him when things finally came into focus. He sat up quickly, his hand was had acted on instinct. He had to remove it from the grip of his .45; mostly sure there was no threat. It was just time for his watch.

               “You’re up?”

               He nodded in response to Dine, he was up. Bronson stood and dusted himself off, placing his hat back on. He and Dine exchanged a nod before Bronson picked up his rifle and walked off, the changing of the guard. Dine took a spot near where Bronson had been laying down and closing his eyes without hesitation. Dine knew he was in good hands. Bronson would protect him from anything that would approach their campsite, and why would he worry about Bronson doing anything to him? Dine thought that Bronson fancied himself a cowboy, a hero. He wouldn’t hurt him in his sleep. Dine pondered these things as he drifted off to sleep.

               Bronson started by walking the perimeter he and Dine had established. He kept the camp within sight though as he made his way around, ears open and observant. The cold air helped him stay alert. After he was convinced that the area was safe he went to sit by the fire for a moment. Bronson didn’t mind the time alone in the quiet night, it allowed him to think and reflect.

               The light that the fire still cast though made him too much of a target. He needed to fall back, put his back to a tree where he could see the most of the camp around him. Bronson did so, because he was a good sentry.

               He leaned his head back against the tree and pulled the rifle up next to him, the barrel leaning against his cheek. He felt its cold embrace, metal on his growing five o’clock shadow. There was something else though. It was also cold. Bronson’s finger came to rest on the trigger, his thumb removing the safety. His body rose from being seated, eyes darting back and forth.

               As far as uncomfortable feelings went, he ranked this one pretty high. The hairs were standing up on the back of his neck as the scope on his rifle searched through the darkness. He didn’t see anything though. The darkness held no answers to this feeling. He couldn’t see the figure that watched him off in the distances with the glossy yellowed eyes.

               Bronson was still uneasy. He saw nothing though. Perhaps his nightmare had thrown him off more than he thought. He wished there had been water near-by to splash on his face, to make sure that he was awake, but the water they had was too precious to waste on that. He stood in silence instead--his grip tightening around the rifle—he guarded them until just before dawn.

               When they were all up it didn’t take long to pack and be ready to move. Bronson though was taking an extra precaution, getting rid of the evidence that they were there. He brushed over their boot prints that were near the camp and cleared out where the fire had been. Anyone finding the camp—if they were even good enough to notice a camp had been there—would think that it had been there longer ago then what the truth was. Dine thought this added security was not needed, but he didn’t stop him either. Bronson was still uneasy from last night. The last thing would be the tire tracks and he gave Pierce a specific set of instructions on how to get out and which way to lead the tracks.

               “Let’s pick up the pace,” Dine commanded in his drill sergeant voice. “Pierce, load up the packs and check the gas cans in the back. I want to be on the road before the sky starts getting light.”

               Pierce grumbled something about the sun not even being stupid enough to be up yet. The night was still cool but that would change soon, the sky was starting to lighten in color just slightly at the edge in the East. Nyx paused, taking note of the level of Bronson’s caution. Even for him, this seemed overly cautious.

               “Everything alright?”

               “Yea,” he nodded to her. “I just want to make sure the rest of our trip is a smooth one.”

               She nodded in agreement.

               “We should go. Dine is over there checking his map impatiently.”

               Nyx smiled at her partner who nodded in return. Dine stood facing them but his eyes were focused on the black and green lines of the holographic map in front of him. The white line that had been drawn to show their best path to Ephrata was being scrutinized. Nyx saw that behind Dine, by the SUV, Pierce was opening up the door on the back begrudgingly to fulfill Dine’s orders.

               Bronson was looking at the map with Dine, both not speaking. Nyx tried to think of something to say to break the tension. Just when she thought she might have something her voice caught in her throat. What was that? In the darkness she saw something move next to Pierce.

               “Oh, shit!”

               She wasn’t sure if her words came out or not as Pierce fell back and made a noise as he hit the ground. A figure had lunged out at him from the back of the SUV where he had been checking. It was on him and the two were rolling on the ground in a struggle. The guttural hiss confirmed Nyx’ fear as she pulled her machete from the sheath. Bronson and Dine were right behind her.

               “Get it quick!”

               Nyx almost slid to a stop with the blade raised and ready. There was no sure shot though, they were still struggling. Pierce’s knee and elbow were raised, trying to force the demented ghoul off of him. The tip of his elbow barely keeping the dead drooling maw from his face which was turned away, pushing further into the dirt trying to get away when he was on bottom.

               “Do something!”

               Nyx screamed. It all happened so fast. Dine pulled at the old purple sweatshirt the walker was wearing, his strength lifting it high as he spun it away from Pierce. Bronson grabbed Pierce’s legs, pulling him away as this happened, to safety. When the ravaging creature was up straight Nyx took her shot at its pale neck, swinging hard with both hands on the handle. In the dark she wasn’t sure how close she had actually come to hitting Dine but she knew she had struck her target.

               She was reassured by the two thuds from the bouncing head to her left. Dine had stepped back and dropped the body, cursing, sure he had seen the blade come through the back of the dead neck and almost touch his. Dine’s boot kicked the head away to make sure, it bounced a few more times and collected dirt and sprinkled dried dead blood as it moved.

               “Are you alright,” Dine asked her, a hint of concern.

               “I’m good, it’s dead.”

               Bronson was looking over Pierce, fumbling for the small flashlight from his backpack.

               “Are you hurt? Were you bitten?”

               Pierce winced first; then his hands came up feeling his chest, forearms, then the back of his head. He groaned and then nodded to Bronson as the small flashlight with the bright blue light came on.

               “Yeah, yeah, I’m okay. He just scared the shit out of me.”

               “Don’t think you were the only one,” Bronson offered him a hand and took the light out of his face. He kept the light near Pierce though so he could check himself. He used it more for brushing himself off and catching his breath though.

               “Is he alright,” Dine asked after taking a good look around, expecting to find more walkers.

               “I’m good, I’m good now.”

               Nyx was glad to hear Pierce wasn’t hurt. She removed her own flashlight and was looking around before asking her question, one that was on all of their minds.

               “Isn’t it odd for it to just hide back there,” she posed the question but another struck her. “How did it get in quietly enough that we didn’t notice?”

               “Both good questions that I am not sure of the answer to,” Bronson admitted.

               Dine exhaled a sigh and looked around the vehicle, he checked it once more.

               “More reason to get out of here, we can theorize about ghoul behavior on the way.” Dine looked to Pierce. “Are you still okay to drive?”

               “Yeah,” Pierce agreed, “let’s get out of here.”

               They each climbed in their seats in the black SUV, each being more cautious now. Bronson was almost sure now that his feelings from the night before of concern and unease had just been justified, even if they hadn’t been answered. They each knew that the ghouls would be an issue, the dead controlled so much of the Earth’s surface, and this was a sign of what Ephrata could hold for them.

               The engine turned over and Pierce made one of his usual quips about making sure all of the kiddies were buckled up. He backed the car back onto the road and adjusted the sleeves of his jacket before heading off down the dirt road back towards civilization, trying not to think about the pain and itching from the bite just under his sleeve. 

Poems

The Story of the West

 A free verse poem

A new square box

on the fifth floor of the former hotel,

long dull halls,

wrought iron rails with vintage lighting, ass old, slightly broken.

The yellow hue and repetition

remind me of The Shining.

Building manager and resident of nine years,

Charlie, he talks a lot,

spewing, ejaculating words, more than I possibly need.

Braggadociously showing more,

fifth apartment now, says it has the best view from the terra cotta terrace.

but rooftops and trees are all I see.

Charlie has chosen to regale me with the story of Don West,

blind local celebrity,

I don’t know him but I’m told I should,

what-the-fuck-ever.

Their local celebrity worked at the post office.

Too excited about the apt.

Wasted on the blind man, this brilliant view,

his friends come over to appreciate the best view in the building.

Dressed in their expensive best they speak through puffs of cigarette smoke

For Macon’s elite, if you want to use that term.

Charlie says,

Don greeted everyone with a Yallow!

I didn’t take that one.

My eyes could do the view, little more justice.

If I’m lucky, I suppose,

Charlie will tell the next guy the story of the albino in 5I.

It’s new, it’s mine.

This is the highest I’ve been allowed to live.

To The Dryer Repair Attendant

A sonnet

Your machine is broke and took my money.

He says no one else has had these issues.

Being nice I say it could be misuse

and he gives a short laugh, it’s not funny.

Sir, this is making my clothes smell stale.

He says that a cord may be unplugged,

my clothes sit here in a pile, water logged.

The clothes will have to be hung over rails.

I certainly don’t want to smell or stink,

but this machine likes to swallow my change.

He tells me I have to fill out a form.

One more reason to send me to the brink.

He tells me to stay calm—quit acting—strange,

but here I sit nude as when I was born.

My Family Home

A Sestina

A place I remember but have not called home

in years. It sits as a reminder of how I measure time;

years spent in that home, and those that came later. Now,

I realize that I never truly knew what I had there,

curled up on the floor with my early morning

heroes. I learned good and evil from those cartoons.

There were lessons about geography through tunes

sung by cartoons. I eagerly listened to their

messages. Some will stick with me through all time.

There has also been much pain in my home;

when Will ran away and Lynn was arrested. Even now,

like then, my mother cries loudly when she mourns.

In the past I felt nothing bad could happen on Saturday morning

though, even if I was out, at the flea market and not at home.

I’d go see cheap knives, comics, and puppies with my brother.

I don’t have time for any of these activities now,

but even at the bowling alley where we spent much time,

between my turns I could sit and watch cartoons.

When I was young I wished I was a cartoon

character. Dreams like those didn’t seem silly there

and don’t feel out of place on Saturday mornings;

content in those precious moments. Time

is the fire in which we burn. Times like now,

I remember with detail the day I moved from home.

Change begins when we move away from that home.

Work and school take over, there is no time

left to laze, play, and watch our cartoons.

Things change, and the more that I see now,

makes me worry about what is out there

not having the comfort of Saturday mornings.

It’s not the same, but I still have my Saturday mornings

that are spent at work or rushing around now,

to see what I can get done before Monday; so little time.

I miss the days of waking up early at home,

carefree, not wanting to miss the cartoons.

I can’t, but I want to go back to that, back to there,

to my home. It’s gone though, destroyed, not there

anymore. The only way to see it now is with a time

machine from one of my Saturday morning cartoons. 

[Game Review] - Borderlands 2

Head over to Blank Man Inc. and read my review for Borderlands 2 - Level Up: Relationships
http://www.blankmaninc.com/borderlands-2-level-up-relationships

For A Few Corpses More - Pt. 11

               “This is THE WORST plan I have ever heard of!”   

               “Nyx,” Bronson said calmly. “You were in agreement; we try to do this with as little bloodshed as possible.”

               “So you put me at risk? Remind me again why I’m your partner?”

               “Because you didn’t want to sit at home and be a housewife,” he whispered.

               “Or a-“

               Dine cut Nyx off, “Keep it quiet, we’re close.”

               The group fell silent as they came to the end of the trees and paused at the old dirt road. The same two guards that had been posted at the front gate stood there again. The four intruders circled around, checking the rest of the defenses. They were almost non-existent. It probably didn’t help that because of Bronson and Dine they were two men down now. They saw James patrolling up near the top ring of the onion shape. Keeping low, they avoided his round of the ring and moved into position.

               “Are you sure about this,” Nyx asked her partner one last time.

               They sat near the top of the camp, hidden behind the metal layered fence with the concrete pillars to each side. Dine and Pierce had already moved down into position, avoiding the few patrolling guards.

               “You really think I’d ask you to do this if I thought it wasn’t worth a shot?”

               She looked into Bronson’s eyes, knowing he wouldn’t. Letting out a long sigh she stood up and slid the strap holding her weapon off of her shoulder. Her knapsack and flak vest followed next to it on the ground. Nyx handed Bronson her sidearm.

               “Let’s get this over with.”

               Nyx stood up on the concrete backing of the fence; it wasn’t much room to work with. The moon was almost full behind her, it was bright and the night was clear. Nyx took a deep breath, praying Bronson was right and she wasn’t about to get shot. Her fingers clenched the zipper on her vest and pulled it down slowly. A loud piercing whistle escaped Bronson’s lips from behind Nyx, hidden behind the wall.

               Down in the center of the onion, the walls hid three small fires that the majority of the camp members had huddled around with light conversation. The Zhegans who had been preparing to sleep off a long and stressful day. Griffin was sitting the furthest away from the fires with one arm wrapped around Laura, holding the older woman close to his body and his other arm holding Bronson’s rifle close to him. The camp leader had a lot on his mind.

               When the whistle came they all turned, some jumped up thinking it was a warning of danger. James hand went for his knife on his belt. Paul thought he heard something from the front gate and pulled his pistol, walking up to the center. The cause for alarm seemed to dissipate when they saw that it was just Nyx, no weapons, and almost no clothes. They didn’t see Dine and Pierce sneaking in over the wall on the backside with the stolen SUV keys; where Sam’s severed head waited to greet them.

               Nyx was nervous. She closed her eyes and did her best to pretend she was just at her other job. She was stripped down to the black underwear and vest that she had placed back over her chest when she had discarded the rest of her clothes. Her bare feet moved across the concrete, sending the rest of her body into the familiar routine. Her body moved in the circle of the moon, slow and precise, not to the normal beat she was used to. Her head dipped and she tried to smile as she turned and lean back with a heavy shrug of her shoulders, letting the best fall back behind her. She stretched out her hands and let herself be seen in a bird like pose.

               The people below her were stunned, confused. Many of the men were captivated by what they were seeing, something they hadn’t seen in almost two decades, and for some, ever. The only person seemingly not enchanted or at least interested by Nyx’s show was Griffin. He pushed Laura off of him and pulled the rifle up from his side with anger striking his face. Nyx came into view of the scope, he paused to aim.

               Bronson rose in time to peak over the wall, just enough to see what was about to happen as Nyx danced beside him. He readied his pistol. Rising, he was about to send a warning shot to the side of Griffin to save his partner. That was when Griffin’s face split open. The two rounds from Dine’s assault rifle barely had a a muzzle flash against the night sky, but the noise overtook everything else.

               “fucking-“, Bronson didn’t finish his own string of curse words. He pulled Nyx down, “get dressed.”

               Bronson leapt over the wall as Laura let out unnerving scream. Griffin’s body was still holding the rifle, but the right side of his head had slid down, chunks of red in what was left of his brown-grey beard. Griffin Macquire, Griff to his friends, fell over and clumsily slid down to the next layer of ground. Laura screamed again and one of the other women joined her.

               “Stay back,” Dine warned as he swung his weapon around and rested his sights on Paul, who had the only other visible gun.

               The people of the camp held steady, watching Dine with looks of shock and anger written on them. Bronson leapt down another ring of the quarry, sliding down and kicking rocks and sand aside as he broke out into a sprint. His hand wrapped around the barrel of his rifle, his girl Friday. He pulled it up quick to his shoulder. Bronson took one last look over the crowd that wanted to move towards their fallen leader’s body. They shouldn’t have had to see that.

               Sheathing his pistol to his side, Bronson headed up the ramp. He paused, thinking he should say something to them, but he was a man of few words and he thought few of those he spoke were actually inspirational. He made it to the top layer and would jump the fence to join Dine and Pierce. There was a loud pop though and he saw the slight flash of the muzzle from Dine’s assault rifle.

               Bronson turned. His pistol was drawn quickly and aimed. The bullet had struck Alex, a slender pregnant woman with a small .38 in her hand. Her clothes were stained with blood from her chest as she fell backwards, the small black pistol still gripped tightly in her shaky grip. Her face was a tapestry of painful lines and stretches. The shot was fatal. It killed her within seconds.

               Bronson froze. He wanted to run to her and help. He knew that look though, she was gone. Horrified, the members of the camp watched as they lost their fourth family members, all within two days. Their expressions faded. Anger crawled over most of them in the presence of the two dead bodies.

               They turned. Before Bronson could get over the fence the camp goers were charging up towards the two men. Their near-stampede came up the mound quick and Dine had to help pull Bronson over the fence at the first few there had grabbed at his legs. They were yelling at them both, calling for blood. The roar of the mob picked up, yelling Alex’s and Griffin’s names. Nyx peeked back over the wall while she re-attached her flak vest. She didn’t see it at first, distracted by the raging mob, Alex’ body caused her to curse loudly. No one heard her over the yelling though.

Bronson fell on top of Dine with a grunt. He rolled off of the captain shot up drawing his pistol.

“We have to go,” Bronson shouted as Pierce cranked up the SUV.

Dine didn’t argue. He aimed behind him as he ran, spraying the chain-link fence and sheet metal with a line of bullets that popped loudly into the night.

“Stop shooting and get in,” Bronson ordered with a bite to his voice, still processing everything that was going on. “Get ready to gun it, Pierce.”

They swung the doors to the SUV open. At that same moment the fence broke as the mob pushed in on it.

“Kill them!”

“Get them!”

“Don’t let them get away!”

“That one killed Griffin!”

The mob rushed towards their SUV, which was in the process of being stolen. When Dine and Bronson were halfway in, legs still hanging out the sides squirming to get in, Pierce hit the gas. The tires spun wildly. Dirt and rocks were kicked up back in the faces of the enraged assailants. James raised a knife between his fingers. He tried to throw it but people pushed him forward and on the sides. The small dagger made a metallic tinc sound as it bounced off the back of the vehicle.

Paul was in the lead. He fired a shot with his pistol that broke the back window. It hit the front windshield and left a hole in the class that cracked it into a spider web. Pierce flinched and leaned forward as the SUV shot forward. One of the camp members tried to jump on the car, being thrown off instantly when it propelled forward. Pierce and Dine had moved the table and concrete blocks that sat in front of the fence, less for the vehicle to break through.

“GO!”

The tires of the black SUV pulled at the ground with the engine screaming its grinding sound to all that would listen. The chain broke, sending the two gates flying apart while the escape vehicle bounced over the rocky terrain outside of the quarry. Dust raised up as the car banked and shot around the side. Bronson opened the back doors.

“Slow down,” Bronson said as they got closer.

The utility vehicle reduced its speed, giving time for Nyx to run up to it. She jumped forward, grabbing on. Bronson helped her in, holding tight to her arm.

“I’ve got you,” he assured her before turning to Pierce. “Get us out of here.”

Pierce was behind that idea all the way.. His foot pushed the gas pedal as far down as it would go. The group sped off down the dirt road under the bright moon. There was a sense of relief, leaving that camp.

Dine pulled up the map, the green lines of the map the only light on inside the vehicle. Silence sat on the four several minutes, all of them collecting their thoughts and coming down from the excitement.

“Who shot her?”

Dine and Bronson turned to look at Nyx. Pierce glanced up at her in the rearview mirror with a raised eyebrow after she asked her question.

“I did,” Dine answered. He knew there had only been one female that he shot. It was then that he realized she and Nyx had spend a good bit of time together back at the camp.

“She was pregnant, why did you-“

Bronson cut her off, coming to Dine’s defense.

“She had a gun pointed at me, Nyx.”

“She was going to shoot him,” Dine said, answering for himself. “I had to take the value of our lives over the fact that she was pregnant.”

Pierce opened his mouth but only the ‘p’ sound escaped. He was going to say that it was probably better for the baby anyway. He stopped himself, realizing that she probably wouldn’t take that well and not really wanting to get hit anymore this trip.

“You shouldn’t have shot her, there had to be another way.”

“If I had hesitated your partner might be dead, or at least hurt. I didn’t have the luxury of shooting to wound.”

“You,” Nyx teeth clenched, her hand was on the back of the seat, ready to reach over at him. “You don’t give a fuck about anything other than your damn mission.”

Bronson put a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her.

“The mission is to save the future of our race, to save the planet we should all be living on. I think I have more to worry about than the well being of one woman who was going to last out because one of the men who-“

“Enough,” Bronson said finally. “You had probable cause, she had a weapon aimed and most likely would have used it had you not shot her.”

Nyx face was red but no one could see it in the dark, she was angry.

“I hate to interrupt,” Pierce said, even though it wasn’t true. “Where am I going?”

Dine looked at the map for a moment longer, expanding the view to check where the roads went. After a moment he looked over Pierce’s shoulder at the gas gage. They had put the two extra containers of gas they found by the SUV in the back as well. He was doing some of the math in his head.

“Let’s stick to the back roads. Double back and take the next right, I’m not sure I want to risk the highway.”

Bronson gave it a moment before he said his piece.

“I thought we agreed to try this plan with as few casualties as possible. I know Griffin was aiming at Nyx,” Bronson’s words were news to her, “but you didn’t say anything or try to wound him did you? You saw him as a threat. Might even go as far as to say he wounded your pride a little, catching your unit off guard and taking away your weapons. We were basically his prisoners and you and I both knew he wasn’t just going to let us walk out of there alive. Am I right?”

The map vanished and Dine closed the computer on his forearm.

“I did what was efficient. Just like with the pregnant woman-“

“Alex,” Nyx corrected.

“Just like with Alex. I had to calculate the value of Nyx’ life over Griffin’s. I didn’t think they would give me any trouble after that.”

“After your show of force,” Bronson asked. “Yeah, I’ve never known anyone to fight back when they think we had already killed two of their people and then their leader. Who know what Griffin told them when we left?”

“They were dangerous, no matter the truth.”

“Your military mindset could get a lot more people killed.”

“Well Bronson, at least I don’t ignore what I am soldier.”

He cut his eyes at Dine.

“Don’t be so hasty to compare us, Captain.”

Dine turned away and stretched out across the seat.

“We’ll see.”

               The group traveled east. The vehicles they were originally supposed to be making this journey on now rested in a watery graveyard. Packed away and unassembled, the ATV style rovers would have been able to cut out the need for most roads all together and taken them on a path through the woods or dirt paths, keeping them concealed from the rest of the world. It was a good plan for this particular operation. Captain Dine didn’t let that little setback stop him. He was determined. They would get there on foot in the allotted time if they had to. Even if it was a little bit afterwards De Soto would still be proud of him; as long as the mission was complete. He had decided that they could find a working vehicle or use Pierce’s limited electrician skills to repair one if need be. He was sure an opportunity would present itself, and as he knew fate would have it, it had.

               Their near four hundred and ten mile journey had begun just off of the Smith Creek State Wildlife Recreation Area. More accurately, they had landed in the water almost a quarter mile away from there and began their actual walk on the shore with its dead grass and stripped trees. They had run into the late Griffin Macquire and his group about fifteen miles outside of some little place called Yelm, at least that was what Dine’s map said. Everything was still decently accurate but after twenty years some of the information had become obsolete and borderlines were often hazy. They were back on track now though. Dine had programmed their new route to their goal, which was still unknown to Bronson and Nyx, and he had been giving very specific instructions on which exact routes to take. Dine didn’t want any more hiccups like with Griffin and the camp of Zhegans.

               Now the SUV rambled down an old road that was littered with rocks, branches, and various cans and broken bottles. Pierce had already been warned twice since getting on the road about how much he needed to be careful, a flat tire would not do well for making up lost time. Almost a full day had passed. Pierce and Dine had been taking turns driving. Nyx didn’t know how to drive the older types of vehicles and hadn’t had much training or experience operating machinery back in Elysium City. They didn’t ask Bronson to drive and he hadn’t offered. In fact, Dine and Bronson hadn’t spoken to each other for the majority of the trip that day. It wasn’t until Dine told Pierce to pull over off of the dirt road as he checked the map that Bronson spoke up.

               “This may be a good spot to stop and camp. We need to stretch, eat, and refuel. This looks like a good place.”

               Dine didn’t look at him as he spoke. He kept looking at the numbers on his computer projected image, calculating.

               “Alright, we’ll break for camp and a three hour rest. Then we get back on the way.”

               “Three hours, how generous,” Pierce said turning the vehicle off.

               “You want to be sarcastic, I can make it two.”

               Pierce laughed off Dine’s threat. He was more smug now knowing that the captain was angry and Bronson and not him. He didn’t mind taking advantage of that. Pierce made a good lackey. He was the teacher’s pet when he was younger and a brown-noser with his sarcastic remarks up until the apocalypse. Now he just pissed everyone off and worked for the highest bidder. He wasn’t the best head-hunter by any stretch of the imagination. Bronson’s skills at hunting ghouls and navigating the perils of Earth made Pierce seem like a boy-scout still working on his first merit badge.

               Pierce was more in tune with the business side of taking advantage of a dangerous situation. He’d lost at least ten men he had hired to go with him and frankly, he felt that was what they had been paid for. He acquired heads and items from Earth that people didn’t have anymore and wanted. Personal effects had been a specialty of his for a while, but those who really wanted their keepsakes usually didn’t have the money to pay for them, at least not the prices he quoted. That was when he realized how much the military was willing to pay for someone who could operate outside of their normal parameters. General De Soto needed a snake in the grass and Pierce had been happy to oblige.

               He was all smiles as he unloaded his gear. He was half tempted to whistle a tune as he followed the others to the clearing, thinking about all of the credits that would fill his bank chip when this was over. He didn’t whistle of course, remembering Bronson’s warning about noise. He had a good feeling about the rest of this trip though.

               “Alright,” Dine said getting everyone’s attention. “Nyx and Pierce, you’re on camp duty. Clear this place out and get us a fire started. Use what we have left of the MRE rations and take an inventory of what food and water we’ll have left after tonight.” He looked at Bronson. “You and I will do a wide perimeter search around the cam to avoid any problems like last time and look for possible food and water sources.”

               Bronson nodded. Nyx didn’t like it though. She looked between her partner and Captain Dine. She took a step forward, ready to dispute her instructions but Bronson had already turned to head into the woods. Nyx paused, his fist clenched. Dine gave her one last glance and motioned for her to get to it before adjusting the strap on his rifle and following after Bronson.

               Nyx stood there staring into the woods for a moment, even after the two had disappeared between the trees. The evening sun was cascading down on the clearing. She looked up at it but not directly. Pulling the hood back up over her to protect her face she pushed the thought that she’d hear gunfire coming from the woods out of her mind. Bronson knew what he was doing.

               “So I’m guessing you want to do the cooking part?”

               Nyx almost didn’t register Pierce’s sexist comment at first. She turned back to him and tilted her head slightly in confusion, her mind a jumble.

               “Oh fuck you.”

               “What,” Pierce laughed. “I was trying to give you the easy job. I’ll go out and get the heavy wood while you clean up and cook.”

               “Last time we sent you out to get firewood you screamed like a child and alerted Griffin and his men. I think maybe you should clean and cook.”

               Pierce shook his head.

               “I think Dine wanted us to stay together, we’ll both go. Lots of trees here, this won’t be hard.”

               Nyx nodded and took one last look at the direction the other two had walked.

               “Yeah, lets’ go.”

               Only a few minutes later the pair had acquired enough firewood for the night and the morning. They had done this mostly in silence but Nyx had begun to notice that Pierce kept looking over at her with a half-smirk on his face. She sighed out loud finally.

               “What? What are you grinning so stupidly about?”

               “Oh,” his smirk did in fact turn into a full-on grin now. “I was just thinking about your little show earlier.”

               “Seriously,” she rolled her eyes. “You were supposed to be keeping an eye out for Dine, not watching me dance.”

               “Can you blame me? I like to watch you dance.”

               “Yeah I know,” Nyx said picking up another stick. “I see you in the White Tiger on the nights I perform. You never approach me about a private room though. I always figured you for a lover of blonds with big fake tits.”

               Pierce just looked at her for a moment, he didn’t respond to her comment. He instead cleared his throat and tied the bundle of sticks together with one of the vines he ripped from the bottom of a near-by tree.

               “Yeah well, last night wasn’t your best dancing.”

               Her head shot around towards him.

               “What?”

               Pierce laughed. Nyx wasn’t sure if she should be offended or not.

               “I didn’t have any music! I wasn’t prepared, Pierce,” she stopped herself. “You know what? I’m not having this conversation with you. How did I let you sucker me into this…” She trailed off as she picked up a couple more sticks, also bundling the sticks together with a piece of vine that she cut off with her machete.

               Pierce paused again. Bundle in his hands he stared at her as she finished up. His grin was gone. His upper lip just playfully curled on the right side. His fingers, sticking out of the fingerless leather gloves tightened around the sticks as he sat there pondering. Nyx was about to ask if he was ready to go until she noticed his stare.

               “What is it now? Something else offensive you forgot to say?”

               “I don’t get you,” Pierce said. “You’re one of the most beautiful women in Elysium City. You’re a prostitute-“ He quickly corrected himself, “stripper, whatever. You know how to please a man. You could be set for life if you found someone up there to take care of you. Yet here you are, down here risking your life for some credits, taking your clothes off for free for your partner’s hair brained schemes and risking becoming the prettiest corpse on Earth. Why?”

               Nyx didn’t answer him immediately, she wasn’t sure how. She could have easily told him off right there or given him a hundred reasons why what he said was wrong. She realized that a lot of those words would have made her a hypocrite.

               “Pierce, I’m not going to lie and pretend I completely understand it myself, but I sure as hell know you couldn’t.”

               Nyx turned away from Pierce. She wasn’t sure if she was more disgusted by the man or somewhat endeared that he had the capability of thinking about others than himself for five minutes. She threw her bundle over her shoulder and began to walk back towards the camp. Nyx heard him come after her, also throwing his bundle over his shoulder.

               “Don’t get me wrong,” he continued without invitation. “I was surprised Bronson’s plan worked. At first, I thought he was just trying to see if you’d dance for us.”

               Her teeth clenched, “Bronson hasn’t even seen me dance before. I don’t think he cares about that.”

               “What? Partnering up with a hot thing like you, our here in the midst of danger and he’s never even gone to the club just to see what you look like under all of these layers?”

               “I didn’t say he hadn’t seen me naked, I said he hasn’t ever seen me dance before.”

               Pierce raised an eyebrow questioningly.

               “First time we met was a fight in the club, I was already topless.” She shook her head before he could even ask, “long story and not one for you.”

               “Fucking tease,” he said with a smile.

               For some reason, Nyx laughed at that as they walked back.