Dead of Knight: A Zombie Apocalypse Survival Tale (26 page)

“You fucking idiot.  Why didn’t you drop your gun?  Dumbass bastard, now you’re gonna die.”  Having another one of my people injured and having to deal with these scumbags was just about all I could take.

“Fuck you.  You drew down on us.”

“I wasn’t looking for my next victim you piece of shit.”  I reached into my pack and pulled out some duct tape.  With it I wrapped the man’s hands and feet.

“Hey, asshole.  I need a doctor.  Fucking help me.”

“You don’t need a doctor, you need a priest.  Or, you will shortly.  If the zombies don’t get you first.”  He started screaming something but I’d had enough and taped his mouth.

When I got around to the other side of the SUV, I could see that Tom had disarmed the driver and the other guy was dead.  I tossed my duct tape to Tom.  Lois was tending to Tony.

“Tom, set up lookouts.  We made a lot of noise.”  He nodded and started giving out instructions.  “Lois, how is he?”

“Round went through his thigh.  Missed the bone and exited.  It looks pretty clean.  I’ve got some Quikclot in there and the bleeding is just about stopped.  I just need to get him to the house and get it bandaged properly.”

“Tony, how ya feeling?”

“Bastard got lucky.  I’ll live.”

“Let’s get you back to the house and get that cleaned up.  We can’t have it get infected... We’ve got plenty of antibiotics for now.  Don’t be shy.”

I turned my attention back to the front passenger.  Tom had wrapped his arms and legs with duct tape and covered his mouth as well.  There was a wound in the shoulder and one in the leg.  He’d live.

“You should’ve dropped your gun, fuckhead,” I was still pissed about all this.  It was gonna get taken out on him.  I pulled the duct tape from his mouth as roughly as I could manage.

“You’re gonna regret this, you piece of shit,” he said before I smacked him in the face with the butt of my AR.

“Two of yours dead, one dying.  Then there’s one of mine injured and you’re all tied up.  Tell me what the fuck we’re all doing out here?”

“Fuck you.”

“I think we’re past that point don’t you?  There’s plenty of supplies out there in stores just waiting to be taken.  Why are attacking other survivors?”

“Easier.”

“Bullshit.  We haven’t lost a single person to the zombies.  But you fuckers, that’s a different story.”

“Look asshole,” he said.  “People run when they’re scared.  Zombies don’t run.  They don’t get scared.  We roll up and start shooting and the people run away. Then we take their stuff.  Easy peasy.”

“Except you killed 3 people in his group,” I pointed at Tom.

“He didn’t run.”  Tom stepped over and kicked the guy.  I let him.

“You are not going to get away with this shithead,” said Tom.

“Sure we are,” he said, coughing.  “We’ve got 25 people on their way here right now.  When they get here, you’re gonna run or die.” 

“Fuck you.”  Tom kicked him again.  I reached into the SUV and took the walkie-talkie that was on the seat.  It looked intact.

“When I push this button, who’s going to answer on the other side?” I asked.

“Preston.  He’s my father.”

”Is he in charge of your group?”

“Yeah, and he’s gonna be pissed.”

“At you, scumbag,” I said.  “You’re the one tied up and bleeding on the road.  What’s your name?”

“Frankie,” he said.  I turned away from Frankie, took a deep breath and keyed the mic.  This bluff had better work.  It was our last chance.  Our last hope.

“Preston. Copy Preston.”  No answer.  “Preston, copy.  Preston.”

“Who the fuck is this?”

“I’m the guy you sent your boys to kill.  I’m Ryan Knight.”

“Well, Mr. Knight, where are my boys?”

“Two are dead, one’s dying and Frankie’s right here.  Say ‘Hi’ to your father, Frankie.

“Fuck you.  Kill em all, dad,” Frankie screamed.

“That’s about all we’ve gotten out of him, Preston.  Are all your children retarded?  Or just Frankie?”

“We’re on our way to kill you and all your people, Mr. Knight.”

“No you’re not, Preston.  It’s not your MO.  You like scared people.  We’re not scared.  When I kill Frankie here, that’ll be ten of yours that we’ve killed in the last 12 hours.  We’re not easy prey, Preston.”

“I don’t care anymore, I want you dead.”

“Well, you’re an idiot, Preston.  You think it’s easier to steal form other survivors?  It’s not.  We have a year’s worth of supplies for 20 people and we’ve only killed zombies to get it.”

“I’ve got 25 fighters, Mr. Knight.  We don’t want to risk getting bitten by the zombies.  They’re vile creatures that are surely the work of the devil.  But I have no trouble stealing all that stuff you’ve worked so hard to get.”

“You’re forgetting something, Preston.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m not one of your scared survivors.  I’ve already killed ten of your people.”

“That just makes your supplies go further when I get them.”

“You’re sick Preston.  I don’t want to live in a world where people have to shoot first because everybody’s an asshole like you.  It can’t be a world where only the strongest survive.”

“That’s exactly what it will be Mr. Knight.  And, I’ll be the strongest.”

“I’ll make this very clear, Preston.  I’ll even use small words so even you and Frankie here can understand.  I will kill every person you send against me.  I’ll use bombs and booby traps and things you’ve never even thought of.  Then I’ll kill Frankie here.  Then I’ll kill you.  Then I’ll go to your house and I’ll kill anyone you left behind.  Because I will do anything, Preston, anything to keep my family safe.  And that includes killing every useless piece of shit pond scum like you.”

“Fuck you, Mr. Knight.  Fuck…”  I threw the radio to the pavement and smashed it with my heel.  Then I walked to Frankie and kicked him hard enough to get his attention.

“How long till he gets here?”

“Fuck you.”

“I told you already, Frankie.  We’re past that.  How long?”

“You want to know how long you have to live?  How long till my daddy gets here and kills your family?”  The Glock was in my hand before I knew it and I shot Frankie in his good leg.  He screamed and tried to move but couldn’t.

“Tell me Frankie, or so help me God, I will shoot you in the other leg and leave you for the zombies.”  That seemed to scare him more than death.

“Fuck you.”  I grabbed Frankie’s duct tape wrapped hands and held them up.

“You’re right handed aren’t you Frankie?  Tell me what I want to know or you will never jerk off again.”

“Mother Fuck…” 

Bang! 

I shot Frankie right through the palm of his right hand.  The exit hole was bigger than I thought it would be for such a thin piece of the body.  Frankie screamed and pulled his hands back towards his body.

“You fucker.  He’s 20 minutes away.  Okay.  20 minutes.  Fuck.”

I grabbed a walkie-talkie and keyed the mic.

“Attention everyone.  We are leaving in ten minutes.  If you want it grab it now.  If there’s someone who doesn’t have a radio, go get them and tell them what’s going on.  We take all the weapons and ammo.  Karen, please grab Thor for me.”

“Ryan, I don’t want to go,” said Sam.

“They are coming Sam.  There will be no place to hide.  I bluffed and it didn’t work.  Their rounds will go right through those walls.  If we stay here, we die here.  You now have 9 minutes.  Tom, make sure you get everything that the lookouts need.  They have to stay in place until the last minute.”

“10-4,” Tom replied.

“Beth and Lois make sure we have all our medical supplies.  Mike you’re in charge of the weapons.  Go.  Everybody, go.”  I looked down at Frankie again.  He was smiling.

“Running?” he asked smirking.

“I don’t have the people to fight your father, Frankie.  And three of my group are children.  So, yeah, I want to stay alive.  So, where’s your house, Frankie?” I asked.

“Fuck you.”  I kicked his gunshot wound on his leg.  He started screaming and crying at once.

“C’mon Frankie.  I keep telling you that we’re past the ‘fuck you’ stage.  Now, where’s your father coming from?”

“Ravenel, asshole.”

“Thanks Frankie.  You stay here, okay?”

I went back inside the house to grab anything that I thought needed grabbing.  Sam and the kids were crying but they were moving.  I needed them moving.  The vehicles were going to be packed pretty tightly.  Tom came up alongside me.

“Did you get everything for your lookouts?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he said.  “We didn’t escape with much.”

“I got Frankie to give up the direction that they’re coming from.  But we still need the lookouts out till the last minute.  We’ll be gone in five anyway.”

“It kills me, ya know,” he said.  “That they’re gonna win anyway.  They’re gonna get a lot of supplies.”

I was quiet for a moment then I looked over at Tom.

“Will you help me with something?”

“Sure.”  I keyed my mic.

“We’re leaving in 3 minutes.  Make sure you’ve got what you need.  Somebody get all our batteries.”

Tom and I went out into the garage and grabbed one of the propane tanks and both gas cans.

“You start upstairs,” I said.  Make sure you douse whatever we are leaving.  I’m gonna leave the propane tank in the craft room.”  It only took a minute.  I saved a little gas and took it with me out front.

“Let’s load up,” I said into the radio.  “Tom you’ve got the Land Cruiser.  Mike, can you drive the RV?”

“10-4, boss,” he replied.

“Okay, when it’s time we’ll put 2 lookouts in the bus and 2 in the RV.”

I watched as people climbed into the vehicles.  The sound three engines starting was loud in the quiet of the zombie apocalypse.  I pulled the bus out into the street and turned right.  Behind me was the RV and the Land Cruiser in the rear.  As I pulled over so we could collect the lookouts I looked back and found Sam and the kids huddled together, crying.  Stepping back, I joined in the hug and kissed every one of them.

“We are together.  We are alive.  We look forward, not back.”  Sam nodded and the kids sort of nodded.  I knew they would come around it would just take time.

I ran back to the house after jumping out of the bus.  It took just moments to light the fuel that Tom and I had spread.  I headed back out to the garage and grabbed the gas can I had left there.  Then, I stopped myself and walked back in the garage to grab a half empty can of spray paint we used to paint some lawn furniture last fall.

“Lookouts, report,” I said leaving the garage.

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

“Okay, pull it in.”  I walked over to where Frankie was still taped up, sitting against the wheel of the SUV and knelt down next him.

“Frankie I have just one more question for you before we leave.”

“I thought you’d run, you fucker.”

“Well, Frankie, I care about my family unlike your Father who doesn’t seem to give a shit about you.”

“He’s coming,” said Frankie.

“Nah,” I said.  “If he left when you first called, he’d be here by now.  Bedside’s he’s not going to get a damn thing from us.  It’s gonna be lose, lose for him.”  Frankie wasn’t getting it.  I looked up as the lookouts from that direction ran by.  I stood and painted the word ‘looters’ on the pavement in front of the SUV.  I continued talking to Frankie as I did.  “Here’s my question Frankie.  Think real hard now.  Did you lose 4 guys in a white pickup truck about a week ago?”

“Mother fucker, was that you?” said Frankie.  “Two of those guys were my uncles.  Oh, shit.  The bus.”

“That’s right, the bus.  I figured they called us in.”  I knelt back down next to the taped up young man.

“My dad is gonna kill you deader than dead for that,” Frankie spat out.

“Oh, were they you’re favorite uncles Frankie?”  I was really pissed now that I was sure.  “Are they the ones that sat you on their knee when you were little and fondled you?  Do you miss them, Frankie?  Do you miss their big, strong hands on your little pecker?”

“Fuck you, fuck you.”  I scooted forward and put my right knee on Frankie’s gunshot thigh and shifted my weight onto that side.  He screamed.

“Please, Frankie.  I told you; we’re past the ‘fuck you’s’ aren’t we?”  I leaned in and that got his attention.  “Your pecker fondling uncles?  They killed one of my people.  A good person.  Not some piece of shit like you and your father and your pedophile uncles.  His name was Michael.”  I stood and reached for the gas can.  Opening the top, I poured the little bit of gas I saved on Frankie.  He struggled as best he could.  The fuel had to burn like shit.  “I just wanted you to know his name, Frankie.  I wanted you to know why I’m not gonna spare you, even though I’m a good person.”  I lit a match.  “Say hello to your uncles.”  I tossed the match onto Frankie’s lap and he lit right away.  As I walked back to the bus, I was so angry with the world, the zombies and myself that I didn’t even hear Frankie screaming.