zompocalypse

Ash pov a week ago

I opened the door and saw no dead around the back of the farmer's supply store. I saw a few down at the end of the street on the right. I looked to my left and saw a few more walking past. I nodded and looked back at Mac and Burn as they finished loading the trailer for the tractor. I stepped back in and closed the door as quietly as I could. A few of the guys set the pallet back, blocking the door. I sighed as I looked at Mac as he climbed into a closed tractor cabin. “You two sure you have enough gas for a ride like this?” Mac closed his door, and Burn did too. He looked at me with a smile on his face, and I sighed. I walked over to the door to let the tractors out. Brase grabbed the chains to both doors. “Don’t get eaten!” The doors flew up, and they started to drive out. I jumped into the tailor Mac was pulling and Brase up over the other side. I held my knife and hatcheted tight as we rode out the door.

“Here they come!”

I braced myself as they came running. I stood up and looked at Burn’s tracker and saw the dirt and boxes of seeds. Behind him was Flash standing with his AR ready to shoot if one got to the door. Dash was behind her twin, forty-fives in hand. We started to ride down the road heading for the cars. I looked over and saw a small hoard around us. “Protect Mac and Burn!”

“We know!”

I put my knife away and grabbed my forty-five. They crashed into the bucket, and they drove over them. I laughed as we drove over them and started to head for the jeep and the hum-v. I looked over at Rainbow, and she nodded as we turned the corner. I saw the jeep and smiled as Mac started to drive closer. I jumped onto the jeep and got in through the skylight, and Rainbow jumped onto the hum-v. She jumped on the fifty mounted and climbed into the hum-v. The hum-v roared to life, and I started to the jeep and slammed down on the horn. Some of the dead not already around us started our way. I threw the jeep in reverse and kept my hand on the horn as I tore ass, backing up and running a few over. I turned hard and gunned it, keeping it up with the horn Rainbow close behind. I heard an air horn as we drove down the street. We gunned it once we reached a straight road, and I let off the horn, and the air horn was gone. We turned at the end of the street and headed down the back way to the area they were heading. We made a few more turns before we rounded another corner and saw them coming our way with the much thinner hoard.

“Ready to go again?”

I grabbed the radio and hit the button. “Ya, bu…”

A gunshot ran out behind us, and the dead looked our way as a few more rang out. “Rainbow, kill your engine!” We killed them as what sounded like a gun battle started behind us. They started to run past us as the last few clung to the tracker and trailers. A few minutes later, the gunfire stopped, and we started back up the engines. We drove off as the others used some of the long-handled hammers we took to kill the few still around them. As they reached the forest, they killed the last few.

Ash current pov

"Anything out there, Ash?"

I took my eye off the scope and looked back at my crew. I nodded as I looked down, seeing the old-timer and his small working crew building a wall around the cabin with the leftover wood from the maid's house. "Nothing, which is worrying, but it is a nice sign the dead may be moving on."

"Maybe, but we still have a problem."

I looked at my crew and then over to the three cots he was looking at in the corner. "Oh ya, well, I'll be one of the first to stay the weekend here."

"I'll stay too."

I looked at Rainbow as she hadn't wanted much of anything to do with me since the night I slept with Gilda but worked with me.

"I'll guess I'll stay too."

Rosa spoke up, and I nodded as I set the rifle down. Then we walked downstairs, seeing the old-timer teaching some of the guys and a few girls basic construction. I walked up to the table and saw they'd also reinforced the window and had completely removed the back door. I cleared my throat, getting the attention of everyone. Someone called in the others, and once we had everyone in the house, I started to talk. "Alright, Me, Rainbow, and Rosa will be the first to stay the weekend here. So here is what I need everyone to do. Make sure the fence is fully set up. Had the extra wood set to the house's side with any tools you can spare for us? We'll work on more defenses over the weekend. As well as start a map of the area to find wood to be made into lumber for construction at the zone. If you have questions, please talk with me once the weekend is over as you only have an hour or two left to get back before the sun sets." They all looked at the older timer, and he laughed and then spoke up.

"You heard him get moving!"

They did as they were told as I helped the old-timer gather his stuff in the house and then took them to the trucks. Once everything was done, we let them out the gate, then I shut and locked it, then bared the gate, then Rainbow and I set up the supports to make sure it stayed shut as Rosa moved the wood into the house as it was already a cold day, so the night was going to be freezing tonight. With the gate secure, we walked into the house. I bared the door and then looked at the two of them. They looked at me, and I sighed as I looked at the room lighted by the lanterns we had on. I nodded as I turned to the steps and then started up them. "Rainbow, get the fireplace set up, Rosa; you start on dinner for the three of us. I'll get the cots down, then make sure the whole lower level is locked up in case of someone thinking of jumping that big ass fence."

"Right."

I got to the top of the steps and walked over into the room. I grabbed the bags holding a few thick blankets and three pillows. I walked them back down, set them in the corner, then walked back up, got the cots, and walked back down with a bit of trouble carrying them down. I sat them down and then started to them up. Rainbow finished setting up the wood as Rosa opened a few cans of beef stew. I finished setting up the cots as Rainbow sat down in the recliner chair, let by whoever owned this place. I stood up and then walked around the room, checking the board windows with a second layer of fixed bars across them. Satisfied, I walked back to the living room and then closed the door to the side room to keep what heat the fire gives us over the night. Rosa had finished cooking and walked back in from the kitchen. I walked in, then made sure the windows were ok; I closed the door. We all took a wooden bowl full of stew and sat on a cot.

“What’s the first thing on the list?”

I looked at Rose and looked up at the roof. “Well, I guess you two can stay here tomorrow and set up marks for pit traps outside if you can scout out the woods near here. I’ll be heading into the woods to get a map started and do some hunting. I saw some dead hickory that looked dry. I’ll get as much of that as I can so we can smoke some meat whenever we get it.”

“Sounds like a plan but, I have to ask why you, Shining, and Filthy want to make this place an outpost?”

I chewed on a piece of meat as I looked at Rosa. I wiped my mouth as I sat the bowl down beside me and then reached for my bag. I grabbed the strap then, pulled it over, opened the front pocket, and pulled out my notebook. I opened the third page and turned to show them the small map I was making. “This area is near where four creeks intersect to become one. I’ve also found medical herbs around this area. There must be more, so Shining and Filthy asked me to get an outpost in this area so we can take control of the water and the herbs. If we have this, we may be able to make some meds as well as if we pull it off rerunning water.”

“That would be nice. If only now and then a warm bath would be nice.”

I laughed as I looked up at the roof. “I was also thinking of some of the fruit trees I’ve seen and some of the barriers bushes and blackberry patches around. My dad taught me how to make juice and wine. Both of which we could use for trade if there are other settlements out there. I even saw a lemon tree near here. Lemons can kill mold, germs, and some bacteria, but not all of them but that basic fruit could help save lives.”

“Alright, we got a plan then.”

I nodded as Rainbow finished her bowl, set it down beside her cot, and spoke for the first time.

“So, we’re going to mark sites for pits and some looking within the site of the cabin.”

I nodded as I looked at her. “Ya, But, if a lot of them surround this place, set off some kind of signal for me, so I know to find another way.”

“Right.”

“Say are you going to use that sword you brought?”

I looked over at my bag and saw the sword leaning on a chair. “Ya, I’ll be teaching myself to use it.” Rainbow laughed, and Rose nodded her head as she looked at me. “Alright, let's get some rest; we have an early day tomorrow.” They nodded, and Rose took all the bowls and set them up on the hearth. We laid down, and I set my Glock down on the ground beside me. I sighed as I locked my hands behind my head. I looked up at the roof. I closed my eyes with my guard up.