Without Law, page 13
“I assume you noticed the fire yesterday,” I started.
“Yup, it was hard to miss,” the old man replied.
“Could be nothing, but until we know for sure we should be on guard,” I said.
“Think it is more of the thugs that were here when you arrived?” he asked.
“Either them or another group like them. When things go to shit people like them tend to rise up to take advantage of the chaos,” I said somberly.
“What can I do to prepare?” Rolly asked as he stared at the embers of last night’s fire.
“Well, barricading the dorm building was a good start and, unless someone wants to sneak through the woods, we will see anyone coming,” I said.
“You think we should start making traps or something?” he asked.
I cracked a smile but shook my head. “You any good with a gun?”
“Might not be taking the wings off a fly but I can hit large enough targets,” he said with a shrug while he shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Good, if I can find some more of them I want you to help me teach the girls how to use them. Until then I think I am going to make sure the ladies know how to defend themselves with knives and those spears they carry.”
“Think that’ll be enough, chief?” Rolly said as he pulled out a toothpick and stuck it between his teeth.
“I think at the moment we don’t really have a choice, but I don’t want to wait for the trouble to come to us. How is it going with the vehicles? Once we get at least the motorcycle running I want to take a small trip and scout out the fire.”
“Still trying to figure out if anything other than age is the matter with the jeep. Motorcycle needs a part though. It runs, obviously, but not sure how reliable it is. Would barely trust it for a trip up the hill. You think going out scouting alone is safe?” he asked.
“It’s not a perfect plan, but I have had experience in hostile situations in enemy territory and have a better chance than anyone else,” I replied.
“True, just make sure you come back,” he said.
“I will, but do you think the bike I left in town might have the part we need to get this one patched up?” I asked
“Probably, yeah.”
“Good, I needed to go to town anyway. I want to see if I can find any more guns and a decent change of clothes. I’ll check our list before I head out and see if I should keep an eye out for anything else while I am there,” I said as I looked past the parking lot at the outline of the town.
“Well, the town hasn’t been picked clean yet. I bet you can pick up something you didn’t even know you needed,” the gray haired handyman said with a chuckle.
“Bet you’re right,” I agreed as I turned to him and gave him a smile. I clapped him on the shoulder and headed for the library. “Come on, the girls will be up soon.”
The two of us grabbed some canned breakfast for the group before we retired to the library in preparation for the day to come.
As the girls entered they all had a smile on their faces and appeared less tired than they had the previous days. They sat and started to eat breakfast as I passed around cups of plain hot water.
“No coffee?” Paige asked.
“We don’t want to use all of it up right away,” I explained.
“Makes sense,” Anna said. “So what’s on today's agenda?” As she ate she tried to look around me to see the day’s assignments.
“Paige, and Bailey will be bathing and grabbing us water. You are expected to bring back two full jugs,” I said as I stepped aside to allow the others to see my plans.
“Anna, you and Tara are going to head out and check the traps. If you find a rabbit in one you need to kill it cleanly, reset the trap, and bring it back here. Once Paige returns she can go over skinning and gutting them with you all,” I said.
“Why can’t you show us how?” Anna asked.
“I am heading into town this morning,” I explained. “I need to find a part for the motorcycle, and I want to go through a few more houses. Plus, Paige is more than capable of taking care of giving you instructions on how to butcher a rabbit. She has shown quite an aptitude for handling meat.”
All eyes turned to the brunette who, in turn, tried to hide her face as her cheeks went red at my unintended double entendre.
“What about the buddy system?” Tara asked.
I sighed. “Rolly has to stay up here and see if he can figure out the issue with the jeep. There simply are not enough people to go around. As long as you guys stay in pairs though I think we will be okay.”
“And if something happens to you?” Bailey asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Then you continue on with the knowledge you have gained so far,” I said.
“Well let’s hope that it doesn't come to that,” Anna commented.
“Don’t worry. I will come back, I have some good reasons to look after myself,” I admitted as I grinned at the ladies and gave them a wink. “Plus when I get back this afternoon I have big plans for the lot of you.”
“Fun plans?” Tara asked as she licked her lips.
“Not that fun,” I commented. “Though I figure it is time you lot learned how to wield the weapons you carry.”
“Ooooh, that sounds fun!” Bailey said and picked up her spear from where it sat beside her and grinned at it.
“I’m not usually the one doing the stabbing,” Tara snickered.
“Guess you can finally know what it feels like to be on the other end,” the sporty redhead said with a grin.
“Well listen, if anyone needs anything while I am in town now’s the time to tell me,” I said.
They all went silent a moment and shared some glances as they mulled over the idea. In the end I was met with only shaking heads.
“No, weirdly enough, I feel that I have more than I need right here,” Anna said with a warm smile. She looked around the table at all of us and then back to me. Her smile widened into a grin, and she gave me a nod. “Looks like it is time for us to get to work.”
The other three followed Anna’s lead and left the library leaving only me and Rolly sipping at our water.
“What part are we looking for?” I asked him.
“Air intake. You know what it looks like?” he asked.
“Seen a few before, yeah. Mind if I borrow the tools to take apart the old one? Might see about bringing up a few parts just in case.”
“Knock yourself out,” Rolly said as he reached into his pockets and pulled out the keyring. He tossed the noisy bundle towards me and finished his beverage. “You be careful out there today.”
I stood and followed him to the door but stopped him before we got outside. “Keep a close eye on the girls today, alright?”
“Of course,” the handyman said with a nod.
Then, without any more words, the two of us stepped out of the building and went our separate ways.
I made a stop in my still pink dorm room and gathered my kit for the day. The rifle stayed as I decided that a pistol would be more useful if I got into trouble while going through houses. I emptied my backpack of everything to give me maximum space and strapped on my vest. My knife was the most important part of it, but the lighter and wire stuffed into the pockets could be useful too. I pulled out my knife and frowned at the specks of rust that marred its surface. Not only did it need to be cleaned, but a good sharpening too. I flicked my thumb along the blade and frowned at how little edge seemed to be left.
After a quick stop at the shed to grab some wrenches, I marched my way into town. I kept the pistol tucked into my belt but there was a bullet in the chamber just in case I needed it quick. As the campus slipped away the strange quiet of the town took over. It looked like nothing had changed.
I started my day with the motorcycle. As I pulled out the borrowed tools and started to dismantle the machine, I noticed the smell of the rotting bikers. It was a strange comfort to know they were still there. Though as I worked the ever-present sound of buzzing flies stopped suddenly. It was instead replaced by a low growl and a wet tearing.
I slipped the air intake quietly into my backpack and pulled out the pistol. Then I crept to the edge of the farmhouse that I threw the bodies behind and peered around the corner to see a mangy brown dog rip a chunk of rotting flesh from the body of the small biker.
The dog looked like it was maybe thirty pounds, and it gobbled the meat down before it went back for more. It growled and shook its head as it tried to tear off the bikers arm.
I ducked back around the corner and quickly looked around since in situations like this there was never just one dog. Roaming packs of feral dogs were a danger I had faced before. It was amazing how fast our favorite creatures reverted back to a primal state when the world went to shit around them. They would do anything for food, and nothing short of death would stop them for long. I was just lucky he had found something to eat before he found me.
I headed back to the bike and decided to leave the rest of the parts for now. Then I crept away from the house and headed towards the general store, gun still in hand.
Attached to the general store was a small, two pump, gas station. The pumps looked old, but they still had a credit card reader. I walked up and pulled a pump off the machine and gave it a squeeze. As expected, nothing came out. If I could figure out a way to siphon it I suspected there would be plenty of fuel sitting in a reservoir under my feet. My eyes wandered as I mulled over the idea until they came to rest on a blue sedan sitting down the road. Maybe getting gas from the reservoir wasn’t the best way to go about getting fuel. At least not yet.
I walked down the road until I came to a two story forest green house. Like all the others, there were no broken windows or signs of distress. I moved through the empty house checking every cupboard, and closet. The kitchen was bare of all edible food, and what was left had started to stink and decay, and the fridge had started to become its own ecosystem. However, I did find a couple reusable water bottles and a box of matches. Confident that I didn’t need anything else from the kitchen I moved on.
The upstairs portion of the house held two bedrooms. As I stepped into the first, it was very clear that it was a child’s room. Toys littered the floor and the walls were a collage of multicolored pictures and cartoon posters. Though there, sat among the toys, was a small hand crank flashlight. I picked it up and spun the handle for a moment. The fluorescent bulb lit up dimly with every crank. I added the bright blue plastic light to my bag.
Next was the parents room. This was the place I was most interested in. I opened the closet and was pleasantly surprised to find a small selection of men’s workout and outdoor clothing. I pulled out a pair of blue jeans and held them up for a moment before giving a nod. They were not perfect but, with a belt, they would be a suitable replacement for what I was wearing.
I took the time to change before I continued the search. I put on some blue jeans, and a red flannel top. Both were a little loose but it felt nice to get out of the bloody, grime covered outfit I had arrived in. I pulled a gym bag from the closet and shoved as many clothes in it as I could before I turned my attention to the rest of the room.
I checked under the bed, between the mattress, and in every corner with the hope of finding a new gun. Though, sadly, the most useful thing to be gained from this room seemed to be the clothes and the bottle of painkillers that had been stuffed into the nightstand.
The upstairs bathroom held more first aid supplies. I topped off my backpack with a box of butterfly band-aids, a roll of gauze, some packaged bandages, and two tubes of neosporin. With the way the world was we could not take any chances with our injuries. Without proper antibiotics and actual surgical tools infection needed to be avoided at all costs.
I made my way downstairs and was just about to leave when I noticed a keyholder hanging beside the front door. A single set of keys still sat on one of the four pegs. Based on the Ram logo I guessed this would get me into one of the trucks I had seen around town. That seemed like the perfect place to look next, so I spun the key on my finger and exited the house.
I stepped out and listened for any sign of dogs before I continued my search. There was nothing, but I did notice a large white RAM pickup truck sitting across the street. It was still strange to see such a nice vehicle left abandoned. Based on what I had seen so far it looked like those who had left this town had every intention of returning after winter break.
Once across the street, I tried the key and found it to be a match. The door pulled open with a soft click, and I crawled inside. Then I closed myself in so that no one could sneak up on me while I was distracted. A plain brown paper bag sat in the passenger seat and both the console and glove compartment were locked. I checked the bag first and grinned at my good fortune. Inside was an unopened bottle of Grey Goose vodka that I knew the girls would love, and to be honest I was pretty interested in having a strong drink. I set it in my lap before unlocking both of the interior compartments.
The glove box held mostly paper records for the truck and a couple country cds. Though at the very bottom I did find three road flares that I added to my lap. Nothing I had found today was quite as exciting as what waited for me as I opened the middle console.
It was a 9mm Springfield XD (M) sitting in a fitted inside waistband holster with three full magazines tossed in around it.
I let out a low whistle, grabbed the gun, and pulled it from the holster. The gun held a fourth full magazine. A third gun was nice but the fact that each magazine held nineteen rounds was better. I slipped the holster into my pants and tucked the pistol inside. The magazines, alcohol, and flares were forced into my backpack. I was already running out of space.
I checked the backseat, but they were clear of all but a couple action figures. Satisfied with my search, I got out and climbed into the truck bed. It had a nice black liner and a toolbox tucked right behind the cab. Part of me hoped another gun was stored in the box. However, when I popped it open I saw it was filled to the brim with tools. Some of them were useless without power, but there were lots of screwdrivers, wrenches, and even some hand saws that could all be added to Rolly’s shed. I closed the toolbox but left it unlocked. These were worth coming back for, but both of the bags I now carried were already full.
As I started my walk back I could not help but feel a little lonely. These last few days had been a nice change from the past year, and I found myself enjoying the company of my companions more and more each day. It already felt comfortable being around them, and there was more about them to like than just their bodies.
Then a shaggy black dog stepped onto the street ahead of me and started to growl. Saliva dripping from its mouth as it bared its large yellow teeth, and I felt my heart start to hammer in my chest.
Three more dogs joined it a moment later. There was the brown dog I had seen earlier, a large rottweiler, and the one who moved to the front of the pack, was a large yellow lab. All of them had blood stuck to their muzzles as they growled and snapped at me.
Shit.
A pack like this could be worse than the bear we had found in the woods simply in numbers alone, and the fact that there were four of them meant that the bikers would not keep them satisfied long. Once they finished with the corpses, the smell of our cooking would undoubtedly draw them up the hill.
I pulled out my new gun and stood my ground. I didn’t want to kill these dogs, but they were no longer man’s best friends.
They were monsters.
Chapter 11
The alpha dog stopped a few feet away from me, and the others fanned out so they could surround me. Each of the feral dogs growled and snapped as they started to box me in.
I waited for the right time and kept my focus on the alpha. He was the one in charge and he was the one for me to worry about. The others had to wait for this one to take his shot before they were able to make one of their own.
“Fuck off,” I growled, and the dog stopped and bared gore covered teeth while blood dripped from its jaws onto the pavement. It stared at me with bloodshot eyes as the hair on the back of its neck stood straight up.
We stood like that for a while, and each of us simply stared at the other, but then I glanced to my side and noticed the black dog had slipped out of my line of sight. That’s when I realized the alpha was stalling as he waited for his pack to get in the right spot.
“Fucking clever.” I shook my head and raised the pistol.
The alpha growled louder and dropped closer to the ground at my action. Its muscles coiled as it went to leap for me, but I squeezed the trigger of my pistol, and a bullet tore through the mutt’s skull before the beast could leave the ground. A spray of blood and brain matter blew across the street, and the other dogs let out yelps of surprise.
I spun to target another dog, but they had scattered. With their alpha now dead they would need time to regroup and sort out the new order of things. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and holstered the pistol. It seemed, at least for the moment, that I was safe.
I walked over and knelt next to the fallen dog before I yanked the collar off it. A small blue metal heart dangled from the leather strap, and on it was engraved the name: Champ.
I patted what remained of the head and gave the fallen creature a sad smile. It was always sad to put down once good creatures.
“Sorry about this buddy,” I whispered.
I tossed the collar away and grabbed Champ by one of his back legs. The girls might not like it, but this was just as good a source of meat as the bears and rabbits of the forest. I hoped that getting rid of the collar, and thus the creature’s name, the girls would not find adjusting to the idea as difficult. But I actually had other plans for Champ than a meal for us. Dog meat chili could wait, at least for the time being.
I continued my trek towards the campus and dragged the dog along behind me. I didn’t make it far before I saw Anna and Tara running down the hill, spears in hand.
“Are you, like, okay?” Tara called out as she got close.
