"Rebuild": A Zombie Survival RP

As soon as the three of us entered the main area....we saw people in different groups. Crammer quickly headed over towards Cassie who to my complete surprise was chomping on a giant pickle. I chuckled....thinking, (Now that's my Cassie....always the clown in a sticky situation...gods but I love that girl!) It looked like things were in hand so I quietly stood still just watching ...trying to piece together the recent events. I could see that Bart...and the new guy were fine...not hurt...and quickly getting over their fright. I sighed in satisfaction when I heard Deacon ask,

"Any idea when we will be going out again? There is something that I need to do...or should I ask Ria about that?"

I turned my head towards him...in all the ruckus I had forgotten he was just behind us when we came down the stairs. I smiled slightly replying,

"I don't really know when...but I do know that we should have a meeting ...about what just happened, we need to have a heads up when someone is coming in hot. I think this was just a little too close for comfort. As for the next foraging attempt...that will probably be planned at the same meeting. Let's go get some more food and find a place to talk....I have some thoughts I want to discuss with you. That is if it's all right with you, I know we just met and don't want to come off as too pushy."

I waited for Deacon to accept my invitation.



"

I looked around to Deacon to ask what he needed, thinking back to the familiar way he handled my AR-15. ''Ria don't really like guns she seems alright with suppressed weapons, I need to get .308 and .45 rounds''...What are ye lookin for Deacon? I'm sure we can go scavenge the local gun shops...I have my truck maybe after the Knights fortified we'll go?''

Turning back to watch where I was going I almost bowled Norah over, catching her around the waist with an embarrassed grin on my face. ''Now how in the world did I not see a purty gal like you huh?'' Norah blushed brightly and laughs hugging me around the neck. ''You're being a redneck talking about guns and your truck?...and just missed seeing little ole me walking along minding my own business?''

Her teasing words and pretty smile caused me to err um uh like an idiot, I did not know why I got like this around her but here I was at a loss for words. ''Cat got your tongue Cramer hmm?'' Norah just grinned knowing she'd got me flustered and tongue tied, so I real quickly thought I'll act like I'm urgently needed somewhere to fix something that's it.

''Oh shit I just about forgot Max needs help with a project or sumthin...gotta go Darlin take care now ye hear.'' I hugged her real quick, barely got the hell outta dodge with a shred of my dignity intact. Or so I though anyway, but the rumor mill was running at full tilt capacity, it would eventually catch up to me.

Deacon

He turned to answer Cramer, but the man almost ran over another of the group and after a quick witty comeback it seemed that Cramer forgot about his question and got out of Dodge. Deacon turned back to Derry and pointed a thumb after Cramer,

"What he said. I have been thinking about better weapons, but since sound attracts these things I wanted to go look for specific rifles and suppressors, just didn't get the time."

He tried a slight smile,

"Think we can even get more arrows and bolts."

He motioned at Derry,

"But please, lead the way, I will not see it as pushy if you wish to sit down and talk."

Ria

Bart opened his mouth to say something, but then he closed it again, as his eyes narrowed and wandered over my body. He nodded slightly when they returned to my face, a grin appeared on his face for a moment.

With bright red cheeks I watched him take a step closer to me.

"What happened outside, did you get trapped?" I asked him, eager to appear normal and worried about why they had banged on your door.

"Kind of, it seems you didn't expect us, didn't you get my message? The Doc got a little fright." A message? My hand flew to my hips, to the right pocket, and when I found it empty, I remembered I hadn't put my phone in, because it had been a bit low on energy.

"I am sorry, I left my phone in my room, loading. I am so sorry you had trouble reaching our door. We even forgot to build some piles, it was quite hairy when we came in too, and we had a lot of unloading to do. Doctor, I am glad nothing bad happened to you two. Welcome in the Knight. Lee, lets show them our patients."

Walking over, I introduced Bart and the Doc to some standing close by, my eyes fell on Cassandra, who munched a pickle. I smiled at her, introduced her to the Doc too, who let his eyes wander over her body a little while, and she joined us. The Doc and Lee talked shop, about supplies and what they both would like to have.

"Will he be running the show again?" Bart said, nodding at Peter who seemed to be deep asleep. Daniel seemed to be half awake like Martins too. They looked all really ill to me, but Doc and Lee talked some more gibberish and they seemed to agree the patients were recovering well enough.

"It was the fever which made him act like he did I hope. We, Max, I and all others will keep a close eye on him. If his character has changed definitive, we will need to have some serious discussions. He won't be running the show, like you called it, on his own again. We have three leaders, and several people in the planning group who are responsible for different tasks. If we can't take a decision together, Max, Peter and I will have to agree on what would be the best, in the worst case one of us would have to 'obey' to the two others. Would Peter want to overrule such discussions, we would have to replace him with someone else. What ...?" Suddenly I realized we had been walking, and found myself in the dining area again. Bart's hand on my the small of my back had been guiding me and now had traveled a bit further down.

"Your room? Do you want to show it to me?" he said quietly, his head leaned towards me. I looked at my watch. Of course I couldn't hide my once again bright red face this way.

"Hey everybody! Listen people, a short meeting in half an hour an then the next team leaves, tell all to meet here at 12.30, okay?" I hoped those looking at me now would think the shouting made my face red.

"My room ... it is just a small classroom over there, really, not much of a room yet, but I do have plans for it, I need a room where I am able to get some sleep without disturbances and it is a place more central than the classroom I have been sleeping in on the second floor with some others, and I would love to have at least a real mattress if I can't get a bed this afternoon ..." My voice stopped airing the drivel my brain had come up with, Bart's hand had been steering my body into the direction I had pointed in when I said "over there".

Crossbows and such

I was pleased when Deacon accepted my suggestion of having a talk. Ever since I had seen him and his cross bow....my mouth nearly watered with the notion of maybe...just maybe learning how to use one. The fact that Deacon is an interesting man was only a bonus...my gut told me he was a safe man....which made him even more appealing, smiling I asked,

"Why don't we find some food to replace what we lost, then a nice private place to finish our lunch and talk?"

Which is what we did, there wasn't very much in the way of leftovers...but we did manage to find some bread...peanutbutter, and jam. Quickly the sandwiches were thrown together, and two bottles of water were added to the tray, I looked at Deacon smiled before adding,

"Ok...I think we are set...now to find a vacant table and two chairs....oh...I see one now, let's get them before someone else does."

We hurried over to a small table that had been used not too long before...it still had a half empty water bottle on it. I sat down, taking our food off the tray and putting it on the floor along with the the other water bottle. Sighing I took a bite of my sandwich looked at Deacon and decided to just jump in and ask about his crossbow.

"Deacon, as you saw, I am not bad with a bow and arrow....but seeing you with your crossbow...I would love to learn to use that weapon as well. Actually....as we speak there is only Cassandra and myself that know how to make and use the bows and arrows."

I paused for a minute letting this information sink in ...taking a drink of water before continuing,

"What we need is to train more people to not only use the bows but to make them and the arrows. Now if we could only add the crossbow and bolts to our arsenal of weapons...and well that is where you come in. Would you be willing to teach me how to make and use a crossbow?"

I watched him carefully as I waited with bated breath to hear his answer.

Then we heard Ria shout,

"Hey everybody! Listen people, a short meeting in half an hour an then the next team leaves, tell all to meet here at 12.30, okay?"

Lifting my eyebrow at Deacon I laughed,

"Well that answers your earlier question, doesn't it?"

Deacon

He sat with Derry and watched her as she spoke, taking in her movements, her eyes and even how her lips moved, all-in-all he was enthralled by her.

Now to understand Deacon's fascination with Derry, one has to look back at the life he lived before the outbreak. He lived in total seclusion, the only people he had come in contact with was the people who bought meat from him, all of them elder people. He had seen a lot of young people when he came to meet his niece, but where men usually found the curvy blonde to be the main attraction, Deacon did not. He wanted to be different from the crowd and on a subconcious level he resisted trends. But he was raised to respect other people and their feelings as long as it didn't prevent him from telling the truth. Cassandra was the epitome of the woman men want and Deacon could tell that she was used to the attention, so he respected her privacy. Ria was the kind of woman who took charge when it was needed, Deacon respected that and he would follow as long as the decisions made sense...but Derry, not only was she stunning in Deacon's eyes, she had this air about her that made him struggle to find the right words, the fact that she had singled him out to chat with already spoke volumes of what she thought of him and this confused him, but deep inside it made him happy.

He leaned onto his arms, his eyes locking on her own,

"With the materials I saw here a crude crossbow is all I will be able to make, like the ones they used in the Middle Ages. But get me to a gunshop and I can make you one that might rival this one."

He unslung the bow and placed it on the table,

"But this baby is a pure-bred hunter, I can teach you how to use it and how to make bolts. Long bows is not really my style, but I know how to make them and how to make arrows, so I can help with that, training will depend."

He pulled the bolt from the rail and held it up, the flat point glinted softly,

"You get naturals and then you get those that have to train every day almost the whole day just to hit a static target. That means we will have to get bows made with various draw strengths, different length arrows and get finger guards. Now I am new here, I have no idea who is in charge and how the politics of this all work, but I know that given time and material, I can make this group a force to be reckoned with."

His smile appeared lopsided because of the scars,

"So in short, yes I will train you and yes I will help."

Norah

I had been worried like never before when they left this morning, there seemed to be more zombies around, and I didn't know why. Had they been attracted to the heat the building radiated, the light shining out off some windows until very late at night, or the fires that had been glimmering quite long?

I hadn't been able to fully concentrate on the plans I had been working on, I spent more time browsing the web and printing pages that seemed of some interest to us, like recipes for making soap, face creams and body lotions, pages about herbs, and what they could be used for, to my astonishment out off rhubarb roots a healing potion could be made which would help against a lot of things, including menstruation pains and burns. I found sites about building bows, about natural water filters -apparently a system of vats with stones and sand in ten and a pond with different plants in it would clean the water completely- and a lot more. I even found some sites about chickens and ducks, and after I printed those, I checked on the ones John and Thomas had brought back yesterday.

They seemed to do fine inside the small room they had been locked in. The 'cage' someone had build with desks tipped onto their sides hadn't been a restriction to them though. They were cackling happily all over the room.

Now that John and the others had come back with an enormous load even more zombies than before had been around, and some had followed the convoy. It had been a massacre. I couldn't see the zombies as monsters, they still looked like perfect normal people, although a few had torn clothes now. Or maybe those few had been homeless people ... I simply didn't know.

Just looking out of the window they really seemed normal, only their faces changed that impression, they were or completely blank, or a mask of horror.

I ate lunch with John and Skip, when we were nearly done Thomas joined us.

"Ria has been remodeling her room," he grinned when he sat down, "I just had a peek at her working happily, humming and even talking to herself about what corner would be dedicated to what function. I would like a room for myself or maybe with someone else. Or a real big one, for us three which we could divide into separate bedrooms, with a kind of living room in the middle would be nice, what do you guys think? We get along well ..."

"Like share an apartment?" I asked him wondering if they would take me in too. "I would like that ..." John smiled at me.

"Of course we would share with you, sis, who else would do the cleaning?" Only when they started to giggle and grin as I told him what I thought about that, I checked he had been joking. We talked a bit more about that, and in the end we decided we would take a classroom on the second floor: the only one in the front part, separate from the rest of the building.

The room beside it -where now was a special collection on display- would be a good room to have an arms workshop in. The kids wouldn't wander in, it was separate from the rest of the building, it was big enough to work on different things in different corners, it would be light enough during the day even if the lamps would stop working because of the windows.

"I'll tell Cassandra, she and Derry are looking for a room to work in too, John, would you take my plate, she is there, at the door!"

I hurried over to her, and got nearly run over by someone. Cramer. His arms kept me upright.

"Now how in the world did I not see a purty gal like you huh?''

I blushed brightly and laughed while I hugged him around his neck.

"You're being a redneck talking about guns and your truck?...and just missed seeing little ole me walking along minding my own business?'' I teased him, to cover the shyness I suddenly felt. His arms felt too good around me ...

He stammered a bit, and I giggled asked him, if the cat had gotten his tongue. he made sure I was standing safe on my own feet and hurried away, saying something about Max wanting him.

Cassandra was walking with Ria and two men I hadn't seen before, one of them couldn't keep his eyes off of Ria. I giggled, and looked at Cassandra. She smiled when she caught my eyes and I looked quickly at Ria and the man. Cassandra's smile turned quite wicked and she opened her mouth to say something. The way her eyes gleamed I thought it better to interrupt what ever she was thinking about to say, and told her about the workshop and bedroom idea John, Thomas, Skip and I had.

Inside Ria's room ...

Bart questingly leaned his head towards my room and I opened the door which I had left slightly ajar fully.

"Here it is, please come in," I said stepping forward and turning around to face him. Losing contact with his hand had made me feel cold, and goosebumps appeared on my arms. I rubbed my left with my right, and crossed it over my stomach just under my breasts, my right elbow resting on my left hand while I pointed things out for Bart.

"Living room, furniture a bit sober at the moment, but I hope to replace those pesky chairs with some comfy sofas quite soon. The closet will be moved to start a real divider between living room and bedroom, as you see the desks aren't very decorative and useful tipped on their sides." Bart's hand rested on my bum again and strangely the goosebumps grew bigger. As did some bumps somewhere else I noticed when I looked down. That t-shirt was way to small for me, I would have to 'lose' it in the laundry tonight.

"The floor doesn't look very invitingly now, but some rugs would change that, I think." He murmured something and moved away from me to close the door. I took a deep breath and my brain went in overdrive to determine if I had understood what I had thought I had understood right. "Three on top of each other would be soft enough and really inviting." His hand was back on my butt.

"I like rugs," he said slowly, "they are inviting."

"Yes, so think I too. Sorry, dutch mode, Yes, I think so too. That is the correct english version. I would like a mattress if I can't get a real bed, I told you that before, didn't I? Yes. A mattress, a big one, I like space in bed ..." He had come closer to me, and his hand had moved. To my waist, his fingers touched the fingers of my hand just under my breast. And his arm was hugging me ... I took a minute to think over what I had just said. Stop rambling, I ordered myself.

"Over there, where the cushions are, that will be my bed. The curtain has to be fixed in front of the window, with some nails at first I think. I don't want to attract zombies when the light is on, I do have some chains of solar lights that will spread a nice soft light at night. Luckily I have only one window here. It is quite big though, and I don't know if the curtain will fit. I need a ladder later on ... to measure."

Suddenly he walked away from me, and came back with three chairs. Wondering I looked while he placed two on the desk under the window, and the third on top of those. He lifted his foot, and climbed on the desk as if it was just a step of a stair. He lifted his foot again, and placed it on one of the lower chairs.

"Stop! Bart, please, stop, you will break your neck!" I hurried over to him and laid my hand on his knee. He looked down at me, a smirky smile on his face.

"Don't push me, or I'll fall. And only then I would break my neck. Or my arm." My fingers moved down over his calf; not while I moved them, but because he lifted his leg and mounted the third chair.

"Hand me the curtain."

I grabbed it and clutched it at my chest while I looked at him openmouthed. Slowly he bend down a bit and reached out with his hand, motioning me with his fingers to hand him the curtain.

"Come down, Bart, I don't like heights! And you can't hang it anyway before I don't get some nails and a hammer from Max."

He chuckled.

"The curtain, please. The color doesn't suit you. It's much too red. There are some hooks or screws up here, they will hold it a while. Come on!" he added grinning when I only clenched my fingers firmer in the fabric. Reluctantly I rose on the tips of my toes and handed him the curtain. Leaning far to the right he could just throw it over a hook beside the window slightly under the top. Then he did the same at the left while he held the curtain pressed against the window to keep it from slipping from the hook it was dangling from.

He needed a few tries, and his face got a bit red with the effort. I just dithered if he would feel he failed if I would ask him to stop now, or if I would rip him out of his concentration and make him lose his equilibrium if I would ask him to stop and tried to determine what would do more harm, when he succeeded.

"Thank you very much, and now please come down!"

He chuckled a bit and climbed down, standing safely on the floor again he took the upper chair and placed it between the protruding legs of the desk at the top of bedroom.

"Bedside table," he announced while walking back to pick up the other chairs which he placed at what would be the foot of my bed. "Clothes racks," he said while he walked back to me.

"Two important items which were missing," he explained, standing in front of me as I watched him with wide open eyes.

"I came down," he said leaning his head a bit to the side. I nodded.

Slowly I reached up with my hands until I could lay them on his shoulders. I shook him. At least I tried to, he stood like a rock while I told him he could have broken his neck if his acrobatics had gone wrong.

The only thing moving was I because I stood on the tips of my toes, and the movement of my arms brought my face very close to his when I pulled at his shoulders. Suddenly he smirked a bit, and laid his hands on my shoulders.

"This way it is more effective," he murmured while he stopped my movement when my face was close to his again. Softly he pulled me even closer, and stopped when my lips were so close to his I could feel the warmth of his skin and his breath flowing over my face. My eyes locked on his I put my right foot in front of my left and felt the warmth of his legs against it.

My right hand wandered down from his shoulder, slipped under his arm to land low on his back.

"Thank you," I whispered breathless, "but please ..." Somehow talking had made my breasts touch his chest and suddenly my lips touched his.

Derry and Deacon

When Deacon begins to talk about his crossbow....his personality seems to come through...he is in his element. My eyes widen when he told me he could make me even a crude one....but then he said he would make one like his....and.....that he would teach me to not only draw one but to make everything that went with it as well......I sat back in my chair....I didn't know what to say except,

"Deacon, I just don't know how to thank you...this is so very exciting ...to learn how to use a weapon like yours and how to make the bolts....and your so very right, it would be a very great asset to me and to all of us here at Knights to learn to use them. Cassie and I have been thinking we need to hold some lessons on how to shoot the arrows. I really think everyone should be able to protect us...it's too dangerous to have just Cassie and I knowing how to use the bow and arrows as well as how to manufacture of them. Crude as they are, they have been invaluable."

I was quiet for a few minutes while I thought about what Deacon had said ...about the politics, leadership and all, then I continued,

"Yes...the leaders and politics in this place, it seems to be in transition, to say the least, but given some time I think it will work it self out...and hopefully to everyone's satisfaction. I would love to go out on the next foraging hunt with you...but am not sure...since there is only Cassie along with Crammer to man the roof. But two would do any ways...that is the way it was before Crammer came up with his rifle.."

I look around for Ria...then remember seeing her leave just before we sat down, glancing at my wrist watch I can see that it's nearing 12:25, so meeting time is coming up fast. I smile at Deacon and add,

"Look I will see if I can find Ria and tell her you and I need to go on a weapons hunt...get some parts for making more bows and arrows...as well as for some crossbows etc. I am hoping she will let the two of us go on our own...that way we can be quick about it...without having to worry about others. What do you think?"

Knight Meeting during the Day.

I found Max and went about explaining what happened with Norah, along with my inability to speak without sounding like a tongue tied teenager. He just grins saying something my Dad had when I was seventeen, I looked at him chuckling from the familiar advise he gave me. ''Yeah I know Max..thanks. Dad told me that.'' The resemblance between my Dad and Max was uncanny, except for hair color they could have been mistaken brothers. He said he would have my back with the ''Project'' yeah air quotes included the rascal, I did need his help with the Knight garden letting him know he was not having to fib.

Hearing Ria call for a meeting grin at Max slapping his shoulder lightly ''Age before old man.'' Shaking his head at he quickly replies ''Oh then by all means Kid...you should go first.'' I laughed out load at his comeback, as we walked into the room the meeting was to be in. Being Norah was the one in charge of communications she'd have to be there, seeing she was about to seat herself I quickly took a seat right beside her with a smile. ''Hope this meetings better than the last one with little Napoleon.'' Norah knew exactly who I was taking about stifling a giggle, chuckling with her I leaned my shoulder against hers.

Before the meeting began took Max's advice explaining to Norah why I tended to tongue tied around her, she blushed and I suddenly felt like the room was 100 degrees hotter as I dry my sweaty palms on my jeans. We sneak a glance at one another unable to keep from laughing at the other, several people saw us covered their mouths whispering to each other. With a sheepish grin and a slight shrug of my shoulders I spoke first. ''Anyway...that's why I turn into the Knights village idiot.'' It was out, I'd said it now it was Norah's turn to let me know her feelings about it.

No sooner had Norah opened her mouth to speak, Ria walked in with Bart an unmistakable smile upon their faces. Norah noticed it also as I wondered what she was thinking about this, figuring she would she'd think the way most females did. But I was as most men that did not have the slightest clue what women thought, actually I don't think they even knew what they're going to think from one minute to the next.

I had loved only one and that one was a mystery I'd truly enjoyed being surprised by for 13 years, those thoughts had quickly vanished as the meeting began, everyones attention was focused especially mine about the Knight garden. It wasn't a one person job I'd need help with this, volunteers would have to step up to assist me.

The kids would be good for little jobs, having a 3' x 3' plot should keep each one of them happy. They should like the colorful gardening kits, I'd personalize the handles for each kid, seeing how things grew would show them where food really came from. Hopefully being around kids would not bring about thoughts of the Son Kaitlyn and I never got to raise.

"Us two alone..."

He trailed off, of course various things could be read in the far off look on his face and the way the words trailed away. Then he snapped back,

"If she will allow it, I think it should work. We will need close-quarter protection though."

He withdrew the hunting knife he had stashed away in one of the jean pockets,

"This will only work as last resort. Got any machetes? Or by lack of that any longish metal will do along with a hammer and a few hours."

He grinned,

"Sorry, when I think about making dangerous stuff my mind tends to go running. If we do go out we will have to ask Cramer what he needs, I'll make sure to get those rounds he talked about."

He of course had his own reason for a weapon hunt, one that would not only make covering fire for teams easier, but also be able to work against other types of dangers. Ria just didn't have to know what he had planned, Derry would understand he believed, but she might just try and use it as another reason to get Ria to let them go and in that case it might sink their chances.

Ria
The meeting

For what seemed an endless time we just stood there, bodies touching, lips touching. Our breath flowed over our faces, it just felt absolutely good, absolutely right.

It felt even more right when his hands left my shoulders, to cup the back of my head and to caress my butt, pressing my stomach against his loins.

For a brief moment I thought about my ex, about how long it had been since it had felt so good and right to stand in the arms of a man and then I could only think about the man in who's embrace I was. I didn't know him. I had met him only twice, but it still felt absolutely right.

I took a deep breath, and suddenly our tongues touched. My moan was muffled in his mouth as our tongues started a hot dance around each other -mine without me willing it to do so- again it seemed time halted. Our hands moved over the body of the one in front of us, our bodies rubbed against each other, trying to get as much contact with the other one as possible.

Again a moan was muffled in the mouth of the other one, I didn't know if it was mine or his, it just vibrated in my mouth. His fingers in my hair released their grip somewhat and slowly the kiss ended. I kissed his lips, gasped for air and buried my face against his chest. Again time didn't pass as quickly as normally while I listened to his heartbeat, and felt the rising of his chest with each breath he took.

The fingers in my hair stopped stroking and tightened their grip again when someone knocked at the door.

"Nearly 12.30, the meeting?" a female voice announced outside the door. "Are you there, Ria?"

My voice was unsteady and soft when I answered her. I took a deep breath and tried again.

"Coming!

Sorry, I have to go," I whispered against Bart's chin after I had kissed him there.

It took willful force to take my hands from his body and take a step away from him. My fingers trailed over his body until I was standing so far away they didn't reach his chest anymore. His arms were longer than mine he cupped my face with hands. He leaned his head down and kissed me before he too took a step backwards and now his fingers trailed over my body until they lost contact.

He followed me to the door, and I am sure my lips formed a satisfied, silly, happy smile while I walked over to the people already gathered in the dining area.

"Okay. First things first. I want someone on this desk here at all times. I want all who go outside to ad the number of the Knight's landline to their list, and call that to tell whatever has to be told. I don't mind who is sitting here, it could be Ann and Amy doing schoolwork, or Lola playing with Frederique, or Carla working on a list, or Edna crocheting, or one of the patients, just make sure this phone is manned at all times. Those inside make sure they pass through here and tell if they are going up the roof, down the basement, or whatever.

I don't want to happen what happened to Bart and the Doc with someone else ever again.

Secondly, who exactly is leaving now?" Derry and Deacon raised their hands.

"Okay, you are still planning to go to the police station or some other place you expect to find weapons? Okay. Please, please make sure you bring back silenced weapons, otherwise we would attract zombies from all over the place even if we have to use the guns against intruders.

Although the plan someone had to do exactly that and let the intruders deal with the zombies has its merits.

If you happen to stumble over some walkie talkies, protective gear like helmets, bulletproof vests, do take them if it is possible or hide them in place so that we can collect them later. Would two to three hours be enough for you? Great. After that team one will leave with some volunteers to get bedding and stuff."

"Go to my house," Edna interrupted me. "I have good beds, and I live not far away, on Cheshire Avenue, I have a well stocked larder too, and a piano and some guitars."

I smiled, as did some others.

"That is very kind of you, Edna," I told her, "but we have already decided on houses closer by, if we have time in a few days or weeks, we will go to your place and I am sure John and Thomas and Skip and I would be as happy as I would be to get some of your things for you. Maybe even some of your guitars, music would be nice."

"I have good beds. Much higher than normal beds, they would be just right for Lee's sickbay, he wouldn't have to crouch on the floor to help sick people if he had them. I have four of those. My two and the guest room." She held her hand up, an enormous bunch of keys dangled from her fingers. "I do have the keys for some neighbor houses, my neighbors to the left are very well off, and have bedrooms for their grown children, and their grandchildren, all with the appropriate beds. A bed for the little one too. Two or three highchairs for little children. And they have an even better stocked larder than I have. They aren't home, they left last week for a holiday in Africa."

I was tempted. I looked at John, Thomas, Vince, and got nods from them, from some others too. In response I nodded too.

"Those houses might be free of zombies, if no-one was inside all these days. Your four beds, Edna, and how many do your neighbors have?"

"Eight normal beds and two for small children. You could fill those with linen and blankets. And they have a nice dining table with very comfortable chairs too."

I couldn't hide a smile. "Okay. We will go there in the late afternoon with a big truck and the party van. I don't suppose we would find trucks standing around in a well to-do neighborhood." I took a deep breath. Crossed my arms over my stomach protectively.

"But first, when Derry and Deacon leave, team one will go outside too, with as much volunteers as possible. I want our street cleaned from zombies. We will make some piles as far away as possible. You two should have a safe departure that way. I wish you good luck and a safe return."

Again I looked at the faces around me since some had started to applaud. When the clapping subdued, I opened my mouth again.

"From the right side of the Knight zombies won't be able to reach us, that side is blocked. I really want the windows close to the block completely covered by drapes this afternoon though, since zombies might like the light shining out off them because they are blocked from wandering around. Some people on the roof to put them down would be good too if some zombies are trapped."

I looked at the people around me. Mostly blank, some bitter faces looked back at me.

"I know no-one is looking forward to building yet some more piles. And building them farther away might seem a nuisance. But I really think two or three big blazing fires close to the Knight isn't a good idea. It might attract others than zombies who would love to have what we have. Tomorrow we will work on our defenses.

This afternoon though, after the yucky stuff is done, we will have some fun things to do. Build a little indoor park, plant flowers and seeds for vegetables, install the fishponds and more of that. Cramer will tell everyone what needs to be done where, but Cramer ... Cramer? Listen to me, you won't do anything yourself. Neither will you be one of the volunteers for pile building, you really have to take care of your ribs. Alright everybody?"

Looking around I now found people looking back at me more confidently. And some where whispering to Cramer, asking him what had happened I supposed or asking him how he was. I was sure they would stop him from lifting anything bigger or heavier than a small flowerpot or a sachet of seeds.

I shook my head. Lifted my hands to stop the talking that had started.

"One last thing for now, I am a teacher, and as a teacher I want all of you who are studying or in school to go through all the books here, collect everything that even remotely has a semblance to a schoolbook, or is connected with your studies and stack it in the schoolroom. You have until tuesday to finish this task. You will do it in your spare time. It is an assignment. Robert, you will stay on top of that? Thank you."

Some faces now showed an expression I knew all too well, and this sign of normality made me smile.

"Anyone wants to say something? Otherwise we meet in ten minutes at the doors. Get ready folks, get dressed in work clothes, get some of the machetes we brought back from the garden center and some shovels or snow shovels. Cassandra and Cramer on the roof, and maybe Thersa and Abe too, ready to throw Molotov's."

As Deacon pulls out the hunting knife, my eyes widen thinking...(Wow, now this guy really has it together, don't think I have much to fear when with him on a foraging trip. I nod in agreement as he continues to talk, just then Ria walked in, we both turn her way listening to what she has to say.

Her first announcement is on having someone at the desk at all times. I am certainly glad she has a plan so that no one is left outside the door again when those "things" are coming at you. I recalled what had happened to Cassie when Peter wouldn't let her in...I shook my head...if she wasn't such a fast thinker, she wouldn't be alive today.

My attention went back to Ria when she asked,

"Who exactly is leaving now?"

We both brought up our hands at the same time, I glanced at Deacon and had to laugh. We listened and nodded our understanding to Ria's instructions. I quickly found the note pad I kept in my pants pocket and jotted down some of the articles she wanted us to keep a look out for. She then went on about the plan for Team One...I only listened with half an ear. I was thinking of what we would need for our little expedition...(I think I will put on one of those coveralls that they had brought back from the garden centre.)

When Ria had finished speaking I turned to Deacon,

"Let's get ready....there are some machetes as well as coveralls that were picked up at the garden place yesterday. I hate to get green gore all over me if I can help it."

As everyone starts to get up and leave...Deacon and I head for the room where all the garden stuff was stored. My heart is beating a mile a minute with fear and excitement....what a rush!

Just a kiss?

Holding Ria in my arms felt so natural. So natural, but so intense. My whole body was alive, every touch electric. Her mouth so close to mine. Her breath hot, I drink her in, her lips so close, so close. Yet time stoped. I ached for her. The anticipation; I revel in it for a lifetime and more. Then I cannot, I would not wait. Our lips touched. Passion exploded. We were one, our souls entwined as if it had always been; us together, since the beginning of time us alone. I was at once found and lost in a sea of passion.

Her mouth was sweetness itself. I tasted her, her lips parted, opened wanting more. Her desire inflamed me. A moan is released from my inner core, deep within me she had awoken my most primal being. My tongue reached for her. Reached into her. She greated me with equal desire. I pulled her closer. For just a moment, maybe less, I felt her hesitate. I that moment my world teatered on the brink of collapse. I breathed what might have been my last. Then she moved. Her body pressed against mine. My fear released I breathed again.

Our bodies pressed together. I needed have all of her. My hands moved uncontrolled explored her, pulled her to me. The touch of her breasts against my stomach, released the sound of passion. My groin pulsed slowly against her stomach. My excitement building.

And then in the far distance a voice was barely heard. It was the most vicious voice ever heard, it was the voice that split timelessness, crushed a perfect world, and replaced it with reality. It drew her away from me. My hands holding her as she fell away from me.

Suddenly Ria was back in the world of the apocalypse. Back in the business of survival. I stood, lost, alone, yet more alive than I had ever been.

Deacon followed Denny, he reflected that he followed her a lot since he had first met her. Perhaps it was her pert behind...he smiled at his private joke. They entered the room housing the gardening materials, there was machetes and coveralls, but what drew his attention was the chemicals. Of course nobody had thought that they had brought dangerous chemicals into the knight, it was just fertilizer and bug spray...he grinned, he could make a nice fire-bomb, not the molotov kind, oh no, a real napalm fire and brimstone deathbringer. He turned to find Derry bent over, busy rowsing through the coveralls. Well...perhaps her derrier had something to do with his fascination with her, but there was much more to her than a sexy ass.

He stepped over to the machetes, picking up three, he inspected them. They just didn't have that keen edge he would have preferred, he decided that he should sort that out when they returned. He turned to find Derry in a coverall already, he moved closer, handing her a machete,

"If we can, we should join the group going to the Police station, they are sure to have the protective clothing that Ria spoke about."

He hefted a machete,

"We have a few minutes, I could make sheathes for these, interested?"

Ria

People got up and wandered off to different directions as soon as I had finished, without the discussion I had expected. I turned towards Bart, who stood beside me.

"I better put my shoes on. It wouldn't make a good impression if I would be late at the doors." I looked longingly at him. "I would rather ..." A blush and my shyness hindered me to tell him what I rather wanted: get back in my room with you and kiss some more.

I hurried back to my room and admired the curtain for a moment. The light shining in around through the gap and from below where the curtain hung loose made the room look friendlier. Less classroom, more home. My home. Suddenly I felt my losses, my daughters, alive, safe, with their father and their great-uncle, but I didn't think I would ever see them again, and I didn't expect to hear them or from them anymore once the phones stopped working. Not even a letter would be a possibility. I would never know what happened to them. I would never know if they felt happy, if they fell in love, if they married, if they had children of their own. With the back of my hand I wiped my eyes. Only after a moment I had realized the droplets that fell on my shoes were my tears.

I blew my nose in my last tissue. As I dropped it in the waste-bin, the empty plastic too, I shook my head. Something else I would have to do without. I always had hated to use real handkerchiefs. And now I would have too. Luckily a was nearing menopause; it meant I wouldn't have to cope with washable sanitary towels for very long. A few years at the most.

Quickly I went to the small bathroom beside the hospital, sickbay, what should we call it, and yet another thought crossed my mind.

Andrea came in when I was washing my hands.

"Wait a moment please, we need to check the off-limits area behind us, I have no idea how it is laid out, if there are offices with windows which would make nice bedrooms for one or two, or a play room, or crèche or if there are rooms which we could store things in, the surplus books, or desks or weapons or whatever. Maybe there are even people inside somewhere who are still hiding ..." I talked while I put my arms in the sleeves of my coverall, closed the buttons and waved my arms around finding I could move them around well enough, even if the fabric was a bit tight around my chest and butt.

"I need a bigger one, don't you think?"

She grinned.

"Yes we should, and nah, but maybe you should open a few buttons if you plan to imitate a windmill in public." She walked over to a stall. "Do you really think people could be hiding in here still? Who? Those rooms have been locked all the time. It was a saturday after all, no employees around except those who manned the counters. And they all left when the security told us to go home."

Standing at the door, I shrugged my shoulders.

"Some could have been too afraid to leave, and hid themselves behind locked doors. They would have the keys, I suppose. Or one or two could have been inside on overtime, working at a project or whatever. If there are workshops there they would have water, and certainly an employees-only toilet would be around there somewhere. There might be fridges where they store chemicals to impregnate old books with, and some might store food there too. I know a pathologist who stores his sandwiches in a free drawer in the morgue." She yelped.

"Ria, that is gross! Don't tell me he eats them there also!"

I giggled.

"When the weather is nice enough he goes outside for lunch."

Her face was contorted in a disgusted expression when she washed her hands. Then she looked at herself in the mirror and started to laugh.

Giggling and laughing out loud when we looked at each other we found ourselves at the door a few minutes later.

Cassandra ... SWAT material!!

As I walked out of the meeting room … I was feeling a bit left out. Derry and Deacon were going on the police station mission. That was kind of my idea. I was the one that saw the police station near Taylor’s Bar and Grille. I was the one that suggested getting some weapons … and police cars with the radios, and the hand held radios as well.

But I guess what really bothered me … was without Derry and Daniel, Team 2 was just Dan and me … so the “The triple D’s and Me!” was out … it was now … D and Me! And that just did not have the same ring to it. It bummed me out.

But then I saw Officer Bart and my attitude turned around completely. He had such a big goofy grin on his face, I just knew he and Ria had been doing the naughty thing! Love is always so uplifting … (particular for guys! LOL)

Anyhow, I needed to tease him about it. So walked right over to see him. “So officer … is Ria “Busted”?” I asked.

He smiled at me “Ok Cassandra … don’t start” He warned me. Of course that just made me want to tease him more.

“I hope a detailed search of her was “warranted”?” I giggled at my pun. He was frowning at me now.

“I think she stole your heart, because you are in cardiac arrest.” I said

“Ok Cassandra these are really bad puns … I’m going to arrest you in a second if you don’t stop!” he said more seriously

“I’m planning on staying awake … I’m going to resist a rest!”

“Ok that does it” He said and grab my arm and cuffed it to the hand rail of the staircase. I yelled “HEY … police brutality … I want a lawyer!!” I was stuck i tugged at the cuffs ... those things really work!

“Too bad I don’t have something to secure your unfunny … puny mouth!!” He said.

I tugged at the cuffs again “Ahhh … are you going to free me?” I asked him

He smiled “No! … but while I have you uncontrol … I need someone to go through a nearby house complex on Frank street. Remember when you were working off the community service …. We did that training with the SWAT team.”

“Oh yes … one of those guys was super-HOT … a real cutie … that was fun training” I said.

“Do you remember how to do it?” He asked.

“Oh sure” I answered … “I must have been kill ten times … before I got it right.”

He shook “Twenty!”

“That many?” I said … he shook his head up and down. “Crap … I guess I lost count” I said

He smiled “I didn’t … we had bet going about you … I went high. Pretty profitable day for me!”

“Well … you going to release me now” I asked. He got the keys out and undid the cuffs “No more bad puns!” he warned me and then adding “Go up to the roof … you need to provide cover fire”

“Officer Bart!” I said rubbing my wrists “… are you saying … I’m so high … I’m going through the Roof … to the here rafter?” I did not wait for an answer as I turned and ran up the stairs to the roof … before he could catch me.

Getting Ready

As I rummaged around in the box of coveralls I heard Deacon mention that we should join the group going to the police station, I paused for a second mumbling my agreement,

"Good idea...protective clothing...yes....we could use that."

Then I finally found what I was looking for....most of the coveralls were either medium, large or extra large...I would swim in those. I straightened up with my prize....a small. I looked back at Deacon who was busy examining some machetes...and said,

"I'll be right back...just going to put these coveralls on."

I went around some stacked boxes and quickly slipped out of my sweat pants....hesitated about the T-shirt then pulled it over my head dropping it on top of my sweats. Standing there in my undies,I glanced behind me...to make sure Deacon didn't see me, he seemed to still be busy with the machetes. I swiftly pulled on the coveralls wiggling them over my hips then pulled the rest of it on before straightening up. As it turned out they were a tight fit, so it was good I took off my outer clothing first. I snapped the buttons on, finishing just at my cleavage as I walked back to where Deacon was, with one of the machetes in his hand.

Smiling as I twisted my long red hair into a ...not so tidy bun, I stuck one of my handy pins in before asking,

"Well what do you think? Will these coveralls do? Or should I get a bigger size?

He walked towards me holding two machetes, then handed one to me asking his own question,

"We have a few minutes, I could make sheaths for these, interested?"

I nodded my head,

"Sure...sheaths ......that way we can loop them onto the coveralls. You should get one before we leave. But you never did tell me what you think of my coveralls"

He gave her a once-over and with that directness which he was hated for he replied,

"You found a way to make something drab look hot."

He gave her a grin, then as she had told him to do he looked for a coverall. Slipping off his boots he slipped into it, taking the knife from his jeans. He felt uncomfortable, so he slipped the top off and without further thought he slipped off his shirts and vest, revealing his muscled yet scarred torso. He folded the clothing up, then slid the coverall on again, it was a good fit now. He spotted his bedding discarded in one corner,

"Ah there you are."

He dumped his clothing on the bedding and motioned for Derry to follow. He took her up to the roof, there he packed his materials for making bolts away and using twine, wire and bits of metal he fashioned sheathes for them.

"Hold still"

He secured her sheath, making her machete ride on her hip, but out of the way. He secured his own machetes and then shouldered his crossbow, taking all the bolts he had left. He looked at Derry and smiled slightly,

"All set?"

Cramer's Night Garden requests and Norah.

As soon as Ria offered that if anyone had something to say they should now, this was when I stood to speak up. "Yes Mama hen I'll be good boy...honest.'' Grinning at Ria and the following laughter that soon followed, getting the usual grim smirk out of Ria I was satisfied with myself. ''Seriously now I do have a few things to say...but I won't talk ya'lls ears off.''

''1'' I need volunteers with green thumbs...if not that can follow directions ''2'' The kids would benefit feelin they're helpin out a lil...a sense of pride in their own lil garden ''3'' ''I have a plan for a greenhouse on the roof, with the compressor we'll have pneumatic nail guns, as long as power holds out power drills.'' Thinking of another important thing I am quick to point it out. ''4'' Those lil water bottles are great seedling starters...so ya'll that don't go out on missions could make one...hell call it adopt a seed day.''

''Any ideas on how to place the right sized mirrors to redirect sunlight? I was thankin from the Knight's skylight to the staircase railing for growling running plants would really help...By the way I thank at's Cassie's original idea.'' Having said everything about the Knight Garden or Cramer's Farm as some might call it I sat down.

''Guess I better do as Ria says I certainly don't want to be grounded...I have absolutely no doubt she would do it too.'' Norah tilts her and gave me a nodding look seeming to agree with me, her eyes were beautiful to me with her hair framing a lovely heart shaped face. Everyone was filing out of the meeting as it ended I didn't really notice anyone but Norah, it appeared she wasn't paying much attention to anyone besides me either which I enjoyed.

A smile played across Norah's lips as she sat at an angle with her arm over the back of her chair, when she finally spoke it took awhile for me to hear her as I was busy admiring her. ''Cramer...Cramer? hello are you still with me?'' Mischievously she waves her delicate hand back and forth in front of my face.

''Huh? Oh yeah I'm listening...uh what did you say just before I was distracted?'' This got a husky giggle out of Norah as I had gotten distracted just from looking at her. ''I said how long have you gotten tongue tied around me?'' I had my right hand resting on my knee at an angle, in my chair with my left elbow over the back of it.

Norah reaches to just run her fingertips over my hand, turning my hand over to capture her delicate fingers gently smiling ''Just after you got upset up on the roof of the Knight...I held you as you cried a moment.'' I cleared my throat as I got little choked up ''You pulled it all together quickly though.'' Looking down at our hands I rub my thumb across her fingers, my eyes returned to hers catching her smiling at me.

''That was only yesterday Cramer'' I chuckled softly that I'd obviously made a fool myself more than once. ''Yep a whole day'' That got another laugh out of Norah which I enjoyed being the cause of, it was a good beginning even if all we might ever be was just friends.

I suddenly remember I'm supposed to be up on the roof ''Oh shit I'm supposed to be up on the roof!...wanna go with me?'' Quickly hugging Norah jumping up heads out of the room with a wave to her, he has a new spring in his step I grabs his AR-15 snapping another 20 round clip into the rifle. Trotting into the room with the Garden Center supplies get a lawn chair with attached umbrella, up the stairs to the hatch I sling the weapon of my shoulder climbing through the hatch.

Walking the perimeter of the roof I find Cassie and ask about Zombie activity, she just grins saying she's taken out two Uglies as I unfold my umbrella lounge chair. Seating my ass down close enough to see over to edge, unslung the AR-15 from my shoulder with the stock resting on my thigh. Setting down an old walkman cassette player I click play, as Bob Marley is heard singing No woman no cry quietly. ''Great song huh?...all I need is a lil home grown. I missed my Farm and the layed back life that might as well be ancient history now.

I smiled at Deacon's off hand compliment, but it still made me feel good. He then went to find a set of coveralls, as he took his clothes off, I couldn't help but notice he was in excellent shape, on closer look I saw his scars thinking, (I will have to ask him how he got them one of these days. Oh my but, he is certainly an attractive man...scars and all.)

Spotting some bedding in the corner of the room, Deacon took his clothes over to it and dropped them on top. Muttering something about,

"There you are."

He motioned me to follow him, I didn't bother asking where we were going, figuring he knew what he was doing. We ended up on the roof, where his weapons materials were kept in a pile. He then proceeded to make the promised sheaths just using some wire, twine ( everyone knows besides vise grips pliers, twine is what keeps the world working...lol ) and some bits of metal. Coming over to me he told me to hold still as he attached the machete to the belt loop on my coveralls.

When Deacon had the machete firmly attached on my hip, I felt like I could take anyone of those beastly things on. He had two machetes, plus his crossbow, he looked like a one man army. Deacon glanced at me and asked if I was set to go, I nodded my head giving him the thumbs up before replying,

"Oh..I am all set, let's go see if Team one has the street cleared yet, if not, I just may get the chance to try out my new weapon."

We quickly made our way towards the outer doors, stopping at the desk to see how things were progressing. It seemed that Team one had gone out about three minutes before, so I lifted my eyebrow as I looked at Deacon suggesting,

" Shall we we go see if the coast is clear? I can't wait to get going. We will need a vehicle though, what do you think we should get? I would suppose something that will have lots of room for the supplies we intend on getting."

I give a wave to Deacon and Derry to get their attention seeing they don't have a vehicle, I stand reaching into my pocket to toss a set of keys down to the steps at their feet. They were for the quieter gasoline engined Ford truck, knowing they would look his way I give them a thumbs up with a big grin. Cassie stood to walk over with her bow at the ready, I click the the safety off my AR-15 as we scan for Zombies anywhere.

A few would surely head for the vehicle when Deacon and Derry started the pickup, Cassie and I fire taking down two Zombies simultaneously. ''One Ugly down a piece Darlin.'' I expected a really bad pun from Cassie at any moment, while I waited I fired an uglies head explodes in green gore. Cassie fired two arrows in quick succession eye shots for each Ugly, squeezing off another round take out the last one.

Deacon

OOC: Changing writing style to First Person

I looked up to find Cramer waving, after tossing us keys he gave us a thumbs-up, I guess that meant that we had to take his truck and I picked up the keys as they defenses started to kill approaching zombies. I looked over at Derry,

"You know which truck is Cramer's? I'm guessing that the lumbering diesel I came here with is not the one he just tossed us keys for."

Well of course Derry knew, we headed for the truck and slipped in, starting it up, I realized that I missed my own truck. I slipped the truck into gear and started off after the others,

"Keep a look-out for a gunshop, it shouldn't take long to get what we're looking for."

Ria
Building piles ...

We had been hard at work for a little while, always two dragging a zombie to the other side of the street, or onto the parking lot opposite the Knight, and one guarding them, when Derry and Deacon came out.

Not many 'living' zombies where left, it seemed quite a lot that had been attracted had wandered off, and as soon as we had one pile going, others simply passed us to reach the fire. Only one or two quicker ones had to be dealt with after Cassandra and Cramer had put some down.

Hearing a motor start far behind me I asked Thomas to watch out and turned around, too my great surprise Deacon maneuvered Cramer's truck out from between the trees. My mouth dropped open.

That was the block! The right side was open again!

"Calm down!" "Stop it!" Simultaneously Bart and Thomas hissed at me.

"Stop the dammed cursing!"

"But, but," I stammered, "Bart, Look! They ruined the block! I wonder who's bright idea that was!"

"Lets take the family cars, it is easier to maneuver with them between the trees anyway, and build a new block between the Museum and the Knight," Thomas sighed. "Dan! Come over, I need you to drive a car. Officer, would you come with me, and Ria, you get in with Dan?"

I nodded. I looked up at the roof, Abe and Thersa were just standing there, Cassandra and Cramer kept their arms ready.

"If we take the family cars, we won't have much protection in front of the doors. They are both covered now."

"Then new cars!" Thomas decided and we headed over to the parking lot. We would need at least two cars to fill the gap the removed truck had left open. I was fuming.

Is Cassandra actually Dolly Parton?

I was still giggling to myself from the puns I had told Officer Bart. I was also really happy for him. He was a nice man and it seemed him and Ria were getting along. There were so many horrible stories related to this zombie apocalypse … at least there was one happy one … two people had found each other and seemed happy within all this craziness.

Cramer had joined me on the roof. He had really been making a difference with our survival needs. A man that knew how to use his hands to grow things or cut big tree down or build a small pond eco-system. I knew how to go to the super market and pick a fresh vegetable from the bin or find the cheapest pasta box on-sale. Growing pasta from scratch and picking it off the paste tree was a skill I just did not have. (Did paste grow on trees? How do you make that stuff?)

We needed to take out some zombies … Derry and I had developed a system and could divide up the zombie automatically as they came in. However, I forgot Cramer did not know that system, but out of luck … we picked different zombies and took them both down at the same time. It was very cool. Cramer said with his southern accent ''One Ugly down a piece Darlin.''

As I continued to take down zombies with some really awesome eye socket shots I sang a little song quietly in tune with the plucking of my bow … Cramer join in too ... and started to sing … squeezing off shots in time with the little song. The song went like this:

(sing to Dolly Parton’s tune “9 to 5”)

Workin' 9 to 5,
What a way to make a livin'
Barely gettin' by
It's all shootin' and no givin'
The zombies coming that a givin
And they never stop they never stop it
It's enough to drive you crazy
If you let it
9 to 5, for shootin and implosion
You would think that I
Would deserve a fat ibuprofen
Want to move ahead
But the ugles won't seem to let me
I swear sometimes those bastards are out to get me

At the end of the silly song both Cramer and I were laughing. I smiled at him
“Cramer ''Homer'' Grimes … you have a very nice singing voice!” I told him and he did. Prefect for country music. “I picked a country song … I figured you’d like that!”

We had to keep watch as the second group of people went out and pulled all the dead bodies into large piles for burning. Oh what fun!!