"Rebuild": A Zombie Survival RP

Peter

Peter had cleaned up and found TD Silverman, Abe Roach, and Tersa Leaderman and pulled them into the conference room and closed the door. The 3 guards/lookouts and former “enforcers” looked at peter.

“How are you feeling boss” Abe asked in his simple way.

“Much better …" Peter answer with his charismatic smile back on his face. “I can tell you first hand, that you do not want to get the zombie virus. It starts making you do things … that are pretty insane. It ends in a really high fever … I’m glad I’m over it.” He explained.

“I need to talk to all of you” He continued “While I was sick I told you a few things that were not true … first off … I’m VERY sorry I misled you … If you are mad at me … I completely understand. All I can say is the virus was doing it not me. Now I need to clear up a few things … the first one is … no one is trying to take over the library. I just made that up.”

Tersa piped up “BULLSHIT … that Ria BITCH has been ordering everyone around … and Max does not say a thing. He NEVER stands up to her. That CUNT is the leader of this library.”

“Tersa … some decisions need to be made quickly … Ria is in the middle of the action … so she makes them. Max is not there … If you think the decision is a bad one … please bring it up later and we can discuss it. Also there is no reason why you can’t lead a project or area yourself. Then you are in charge and can make the decisions about that area.” Peter suggested.

“I know not everyone in the library is going to get along or even like each other. We are a bunch of people thrown together because of this zombie shit. But we need to work together if we are going to stay alive … ok!” Peter added.

Tersa was quiet … thinking about something.

“Ok secondly … no one is talking about changing your positions or jobs. All of you are doing well as guards/ lookouts. Please keep it up. And please work with everyone … including Ria. Ok?” He asked. Everyone nodded.

“Finally, if you think people are up to no good … or trying to screw the 4 of us over … please come to me and I get to the bottom of it. I promise you. Ok?” He asked again. Everyone nodded again.

“Thanks you understanding" Peter said and the meeting broke up.

Cassandra

Well … I finally got to leave the roof. It was nice to be outside … but I was up there a long time. I headed into the library and ran into Cramer … he needed some help with the third pond set up. So I jumped in … he did all the work … but kept asking me for stuff. I felt like a nurse in a southern operating room. “Darling, I need a wrench … Honey Bee, get me some more PVC … Sweetie, plug this in … Pumpkin, turn on the water …” I finally started to answered him with “whatever you say … stud-muffin”

We both laughed … and then he was done and headed off for to see Noah. I walked over to the first aid station and found Daniel. He was in good spirits and ready to leave the place. I asked Doc Lee if we could kiss. He shook his head “Fuck No” He said. I made a joke about it “No fucking … ok … but what about kissing?” I ask him again.

“NO” He said firmly. “Now get the hell out of here.”

I blew a kiss to Daniel, walking out of the aid station. I was wondering where Officer Bart was … maybe he could help me with the flame throwers?

Ria
Knitting loose ends and getting ready ...

Deacon had the most wonderful news to tell as he entered the sick bay. He and Derry brought back forty solar panels of different sizes and lots of other electric stuff we would need, and they brought back ammunition and means to build crossbows too.

We would have to set up a practicing room somewhere. On the roof? Something like desks we wouldn't need at the edge with targets painted on them? I shrugged my shoulders, I would 'threw' it out into the meeting tonight.

Cramer got his ribcage taped by Lee, the exchange between Lee and Cramer that was a part of it made all listening smile and grin, and I was sure I would make certain I was alone with Lee if I ever should need his help in a medical way.

Peter got up again, now wrapping his blanket himself like a toga as he did so, and I said my goodbyes to them all to collect the volunteers for the late afternoon raid.

I got delayed by several people who wanted to talk to me or show me something, so after a while I told everyone I encountered to tell all who wanted to come with me we would leave in half an hour. It was high time to leave if we wanted to be back at a reasonable time. One or two hours it would take to empty two houses from the things we needed even with a team of eight: four or five working inside and two or three packing the van and keeping a lookout.

At 04.15 thirteen people stood at the door; nine to leave with me and three to cover us while we boarded the party van and the Twix-truck. Edna had handed me her keys and had exactly explained to me where we could find the beds, the food and the piano and the guitars. I still hadn't promised her we would bring her her piano though, even if she seemed to feel that thing was a part of the deal.

Vince, Skip and John would drive in the cabin of the truck, TD (who had told me about Peter's talk to him, Abe and Tersa and who thought especially the last seemed to have a hard time about losing power; he was fine with it since he did like a leader who told him which goals were important but had been troubled with Peter's actions from Sunday), Paul, Andrea and Dan would ride in the back of the truck. The party van would transport Thomas, Bart and myself.

As always when an outer door was opened the stench hit me. I still wasn't sure what helped better against it until I got used to it: breath shallow for a while or to take some deep breaths. This time I tried a combination and had to cough. I wondered briefly if the children who had stood outside with John and Skip before really had wanted fresh air or if they had dared each other to see who would survive the smell.

It seemed we had cleaned the plaza in front of the Knight quite well, zombies were standing around the fires, some had wandered off, but to late and had made little piles all over the place. We would need a bulldozer or something similar to clean the walkway, street and grass from the yucky black ashes and debris.

"Luckily the trees haven't caught fire," I said to no-one in particular. "We do have to be more careful though."

Vince opened his mouth to answer me when gunshots sounded behind us. Not from the roof of the Knight, not from inside, but from a building behind the Knight. As one the zombies started to move towards it. Once again me eyes couldn't leave two zombies burning so badly they only could crawl. It was as fascinating as a train wreck. The moment one of the zombies lost a leg, I shivered. With disgust or delight I couldn't say, but my eyes couldn't dart fast enough from the one-legged crawling zombie to its blazing leg.

"Much better than every zombie movie I ever watched!" whispered Skip.

"We have to hurry," Vince said, "we need to be in the cars before those arriving (he nodded to the far end of the street) are here. Some are damm quick."

Minutes later we were seated, just in time, some of the quicker ones had started to move to us instead of following the gunshots.

The drive to Edna's house was without much danger. When we passed the Pancake House Bart mentioned his supplies which were still in there. At first I didn't understand him though, because there wasn't much space in the cabin of the van he had laid his arm around my shoulders and had whispered nice nonsensties into my arm between talking cars with Thomas.

Ria
Edna's place

The gunshots hadn't drawn the zombies away from the streets close to where Edna's house was, and the street she used to live in was quite filled with them too.

We drove some over, poured gas on them and set them alight, thus creating several small piles. Edna's house had a neat, small driveway to her garage, just big enough for the party van. It wouldn't enter the garage, and it wouldn't block the door completely either. John and I had our phones open and we decided both vehicles would drive up to the garage, one of us would have to crush a nice row of roses Edna had planted along the driveway though.

"Just don't tell her!" Vince warned us. "She won't mourn them and scold us if she doesn't know it. Or: We have to load her piano. If we tell her it would only fit in the truck, she will have to be grateful to us for driving over her roses."

Grinning I pressed on the button that would open the garage, and since the power was still working it opened without a noise. We made a lot of noise driving up to it though.

Some zombies already had gathered around the fires, others followed our cars. Those in the back of the truck couldn't open the doors from the inside, we couldn't get out without risking to attract more zombies.

"How many bolts do you have, John?"

"About ten," he said nervously. I had about that many too, so we decided to shoot as much zombies from inside the cars as possible, before we all would get out and put the others down with the clubs and machetes we had.

What followed was ... yucky and grim. It didn't take us too long to put those nearest to us down. We had quite a big fire going on in front of Edna's house before the zombies from farther up came towards us. A lot were very quick, it seemed they hadn't found much food here for the amount of zombies around. Most houses, at least what I could see from them, seemed undamaged.

Or nobody had been home, or the inhabitants had safe places to shelter in.

John and I scooped up handfuls of pebbles from Edna's garden path and shot as much zombies as possible, with just us two moving and the others forming a protective ring around us. We got most of them before the others had to use their machetes.

Only when the quick ones were down, we did what we had done before and cleaned the street.

Almost three quarters of an hour had passed before I could phone the desk to tell those inside the Knight we would be entering the house now.

A small gap between the cars was just big enough for us to squeeze through and enter the garage. my mouth almost fell open. Seldom I had seen such a neat, organized garage. Vince freed Dan, TD, Paul and Andrea out off their confinement. The large key with the red dot opened the door between the garage and a very neat and orderly ante-room to the kitchen. A big freezer with a blue tablecloth with red flowers printed on it over it stood against one wall, a small chest of drawers, a chair and a shoe rack stood against the opposite wall. On the chest of drawers lay the sister of the tablecloth on the freezer, a red one with blue flowers. On the shoe rack were several pairs of sturdy but quite elegant old-lady's shoes, and also some pairs of house-shoes and slippers.

Edna had a nicely filled freezer, meat, bread, pizzas and quite a lot of other junk food. Somehow I was surprised such a well-educated lady had so much junk food around. Emptying the freezer and fridge didn't take too long, transport everything through the garage neither. The men tackled the freezer and fridge while Andrea packed the contents of a really well-filled cellar in baskets and sacks and I went upstairs. The beds were wonderful, and I was tempted to sit down on one for a moment, but the soft sounds of the working men and my dirty coverall kept me from it. The quilts lying on them all were too lovely to spoil.

I wrapped the bedding in the quilts, knotted some bedsheets around them and let the packages roll down the stairs. Vince appeared at the foot of the stairs just as I gave the last of the four wraps a push.

"We need screwdrivers", I told him. "We won't be able to carry the beds down and to take all the turns through the doors otherwise." He nodded and disappeared. I had seen some suitcases on top of a closet in what I presumed was the guest room since it had much less bric-a-brac around than the other bedroom. I grabbed one and filled Edna's undies, pajamas and jersey drawers in it, added some pictures standing on top of the chest of drawers while John and Thomas, Skip and Andrea dragged mattresses down and Vince started to screw the feet of the beds.

I filled another big suitcase with some dresses, rocks, blouses and pants. Added the porcelain figurines standing on a small table. The table was very nice too, antique it seemed to me. I dithered a moment, and then dragged it to the top of stairs with one hand, the suitcase in the other. A third suitcase I filled with bedlinen out of the closet in the guest room. It is remarkable how quick one can pack suitcases if one isn't trying to put everything in in a neat manner. I carried a clothes-boy down and grabbed some sacks in the kitchen, ran back up. Edna's bathrobe hung on a peg in a big well-equiped bathroom, a small cupboard was filled with toiletries, a bigger one with towels and I stuffed it all in three sacks. Following Andrea and Skip who lugged a bed frame I carried them down, handed them to Bart who stacked everything into the vehicles with Dan.

The last of the bed frames was maneuvered through the doors while I threw the shoes and slippers in two sacks.

"Twenty minutes," Bart said contently. "The truck has only the bed frames in it, lots of space still, and the van is half full. If you want that piano I saw in the music room, there is space enough ..."

It seemed that settled it since nearly all of us trooped into the music room. Shelvings covered with music sheets, tuning forks and the famous, well know busts of Beethoven, Wagner, Strauss and some I didn't recognize along one wall, the piano, luckily not a grand but a small one against an other and eight guitars in three sizes on stands and a small commode along a third wall. I opened two of the three drawers of the commode, one was filled with neatly packed boxes with strings for the guitars, the other had equipment in it I wasn't sure about.

I lifted one corner of the commode. It wasn't heavy, but to bulky for one person could carry it. With Andrea I brought it to the van. The piano wasn't easy to carry it seemed, Bart and TD were huffing and puffing before the had it through the first door. They just put it down in the door, thereby bolcking all traffic, when Andrea and I came back with sacks to pack music sheets in. Andrea and I pulled it through the door. It screeched over the floorboards. TD, his face still red, wanted to lift it again.

"Why don't you men take turns in carrying it?" chuckled Andrea. "Take the chance to show Ria and me how strong you are while we carry the piano stools and the guitars?"

It took us twenty minutes to get the damm thing in the truck. I really hoped Edna could play better songs than just the melodies of Wagner & Co.

Dinner Date?

I walk into the dinning room I see Norah waiting for me, she smiles seeing me and waves shyly. Joining her on the same side of the table hugging her, one of the girls in the kitchen got wind of our supper plans. Unexpectedly Carla carried our plates to us, the muslim woman carried artificial flowers and a candle.

Norah looks at me and all I can manage is a shrug ''Wasn't my doin.'' our food was served and the candle lit. Carls says ''We though we'd help out on your first date.'' Mr.s lights the candle with a match smiling. ''Yes just for you two.'' Norah blushes profusely while I suddenly feel my face get warm ''Thanks ladies we really appreciate ya'll doin this.'' Norah quietly says the same in her shy way ofcourse.

''You're welcome you two'' The ladies say together and laughed over it ''We'll go and get your drinks for you now.'' and away they went to do just that. ''Cramer you planned this?'' Norah had a sweet smile on her face as she asks, I wish I'd asked for this fortunately ladies had. ''Uh wish I had thought of this.'' Norah just giggles and places a chaste kiss on my scruffy cheek.

I grin like an idiot without a thing to say again, well nothing that would have come out right anyway. Norah thankfully had the appropriate words to say, when I couldn't think of any ''Romantic isn't it? Very sweet of the ladies to do this.'' I nod as my stomach growls loudly, Norah giggles and we both went for our plasticware. The food was really good or was it because the company, I wisely chalked it up in the because of the company column.

Looking over to the pretty young woman beside me, Nora snickers pointing at a spot of rice on my chin. Wiping my mouth again quickly "Where did I get it? She reaches over with a napkin wiping my chin, right at that moment the ladies returned with our drinks. I believe I turned three shades of red, as I looked like a little boy getting his mouth wiped by his mom.

The ladies giggle at my embarrassment, set down the drinks on the table smiling and step away. ''That was embarrassing to say the least.'' Norah laughs out loud at my wry red faced statement, reaching out she pats my shoulder playfully. ''Poor baby...you'll recover your dignity I'm sure of it.'' Unable to keep from laughing I joined her with a belly laugh. ''Maybe...but I'm going to catch hell when this gets out.'' Norah just shook her pretty head.


Norah must have been hungry as I was, because we finished our candlelight dinner together. Right about then everyone that hadn't had dinner yet walked in, carrying trays to various tables sitting down. Norah and I got a few points, whispers, frowns and outright giggles. Norah began to look uncomfortable about it, so I jerk my head toward the door.

She mouths a thank you as we stood up, taking our empty plates and drink bottles to there appropriate places. ''Sorry about the others making you uncomfortable darlin.'' She turns to me with a warm endearing gaze, wrapping her arms around my body hugging tightly. Returning her hug with a light kiss to the top of her head, we just stood there in an out of the way secluded area.

''Cramer?...Mhm Norah?'' I said, it's all I could say ''where's this going?'' My reply was this ''Where you want it too.'' She nuzzles my chest slowly with a relaxing sigh ''No pressure Norah'' I feel her nod against my chest before she looks up into my eyes, our eyes met and she smiles shyly up at me. I return her smile touching my forehead softly to hers, Norah closes her beautiful eyes tilting her chin up for a kiss, I can't deny this sweet young woman so I place a real soul felt kiss upon her lips.

She almost purrs into our kiss as she leans into me, I mouth her lips slowly and she chose to deepen the kiss. Rubbing my hands slowly over her lower back, her hands would slip up my back to between my shoulder blades. Norah lightly traced her tongue along my lower lip with a quiet ''Mmmm.'' letting my tongue follow hers I wanted her to know she could choose what's next.

It was all I could do to maintain that control, as we kissed this intimate way together. We heard footsteps head our way, Norah broke the kiss as they turn to go upstairs. With little panting breaths she looks into my eyes again, as a bright blush colors her high cheekbones she smiles. I grin down at her as my eyes searched the depths of hers. ''That kiss was a nice unexpected surprise Norah.'' She sighs happily with a quick nod as her fingers stroke the back of my neck.

''I was afraid you would say no...you know because of my age?'' I slowly nod my head that I understood. ''You'll be eighteen in what four maybe five days darlin?'' It was her turn to slowly nod her head that she understood. ''Mhm five days.'' Placing a soft kiss on her nose before I spoke again, sliding my arms up her back to wrap around the shoulders. "No rush ok? It'll be your birthday before you know it gal.'' Her smile widens and she holds on tight to me, we spent the next thirty minutes that way just talking, deciding it was best to wait for eighteen.

Peter & Derry

I was headed for the shower with my clean T-shirt in hand, thinking about how well Deacon and I did with our foraging trip. I was feeling very satisfied with the results as well as with the man himself. He was certainly different from the usual guys you meet in the University or even in around town.

That is when I bumped into Peter, coming out of the shower room. Surprised I stepped back and looked at him, he seem to look like his old self. I smiled asking,

"What a surprise to bump into you, ....are you and Daniel over the virus now?"

He proceeded to tell me that yes Daniel, he and a man named Martin were pretty much as good as new. I was glad to hear that there was a treatment for that virus. It seemed that Peter wanted to talk a little longer, I checked my watch and interrupted him saying,

"Sorry Peter I am in a kind of hurry, can we have coffee one of these days? I am meeting someone for dinner and have to get cleaned up now."

He nodded his head saying it was good to see me again and yes ...coffee would be great. As he walked off I quickly slipped into the shower bolted the door, setting my clean T-shirt on a nearby chair. I then quickly stripped the gooey T-shirt off first followed by my boots and finally wiggled out of the tights. I grabbed my soap, shampoo and towel that was stored in the box with my name on it, setting the towel on a hook I now stepped into the shower.

In no time I was under the water and lathering up my hair and body. It felt too good, to get that Zombie blood and gore off. I did an extra rinse and lather just to make sure it was totally off my body. I sighed wishing I could stay there longer but knew I had to hurry if I wanted to be on time. I quickly towel dried my body before squeezing as much of the water out of my hair as I could. It would take awhile to dry so I reached for the new T-shirt and pants. Within a few minutes I was out the door and heading for the eating area while finger combing my hair.

As I entered the room I saw that Deacon was already seated, I smiled and waved at him as I walked across the room.

Deacon

I was busy inspecting the other people, it was kind of strange to be among so many people inside a room. Then my beacon came walking through the door and for some reason I smiled in return and waved back. I didn't kid myself, with the scarring it looked bad when I smiled. But also for some reason it didn't seem to bother Derry, nor Cassandra or Ria for that matter. Perhaps my assesment could have been wrong? But I remember most people's horrified eyes even as they plastered a smile on their faces, so perhaps not all that wrong. As she joined me, I slid one of the plates to her.

"Who is the guy who came out before you? People seem to like him and others to loathe him. I'm guessing he is one of the leaders?"

I listened to her and nodded, then turned my attention to my food.

Ria
At the neighbor's ...

Bart's idea of half full wasn't mine. The party van was almost filled. They had put the freezer and the drawers back into it in, the bedding, the suitcases, all the sacks with other stuff, the guitars on top of that, the small commode, the table, even a comfy fauteuil, the shoe rack, the fridge, a laundry basket and other smaller containers. There really wasn't much floorspace free.

"Lets tackle the neighbor's," I decided after some dithering about what to do since we had almost needed the two hours we had said we would be out to clean the street and to do Edna's place. "We are here now, the street is fairly safe now, so why take the risk someone else raids that place in the next two or three days? Just give me a minute to tell the knights we will be out a bit longer and to go ahead with dinner? We can grab some food after we come back? That alright with you all?"

TD's stomach grumbled but his head nodded okay, and with a big grin on my face I told Ann what was about to happen.

Boarding the cars, driving over to the neighbors was done as swiftly as it takes me to tell it.

They had a much bigger garage.

"The shopping car," Thomas pointed, "the family van, and his car will be at the airport. The keys will be around, so have a look folks, that van is big enough to fill with goodies and drive back. Maybe we should take the motorbike and those bicycles as well ..." He said while looking at an old, well kept or renovated Harley, two adult's and two children's bicycles.

"... ," Vince had opened a metal cupboard. When he moved away from it, we saw why he hadn't been able to say something. It was full with jerrycans, oilcans, spare parts for the cars, the bike and the bicycles. That decided it, and we loaded it all into the party van. Which only had some airspace left on top of the bicycles now.

The anteroom to the kitchen looked almost like Edna's; it was bigger, it had two freezers and a fridge in it, a shoe rack and a closet. In the closet were more shoes and all kinds of coats.

The big freezer was filled with vegetables and fruits, some sacks of potato-fries; the smaller one with meat, bread and some pizzas. The fridge was filled with water and some soft drinks.

"Andrea, TD, and Paul, you empty this room, the rest into the kitchen," I decided, "Except John and I, we will start in the bedrooms."

The rest was time-consuming and a lot of hard work, but the same as before. After three quarters of an hour all the food, some clothes -in a closet upstairs I had found some fur and leather coats, short and long, black and different shades of brown- the beds, the bedding, inflatable mattresses, sleeping bags, and two high-chairs for toddlers were loaded.

And just when we put the last things in, shit hit the fan, kind of:

Vince had needed quite some time to find the entrance to the emergency supplies -Edna had been so adamant about her neighbors had it in their cellar- room and only when he had pulled an over-manhigh wine rack to the side he had found it.

It wasn't a food-supplie though, but a veritable bunker with three small rooms, two with bunk-beds with sleeping bags on them in it, a small kitchen, a bathroom and a larder with durables. Enough for six people for a year I estimated, when Vince called me down and showed me what he had found.

In awe we looked over the shelfs in the larder. Row after row of freeze-dried vegetables, potato powder, powdered eggs and meat; one shelf was filled with sacks of milk powder and cans with condensed milk; also rows and rows of cans, again fruits, vegetables and meat, cartons and sacks with rice, flour and couscous; one shelf was filled with canned butter and olive oil in canisters. There were four cartons labeled "emergency meals" filled with cans that would heat upon tearing the top lid off. We even found some rows of sacks labeled "swiss cheese". Curious I opened one, and before I could look inside a very distinctive, almost distasteful smell entered my nose. The sack was filled with a green powder.

"I think those have gone bad, Vince," I told him when he asked me why I wrinkled my nose and looked so disappointed. "A shame, I love cheese."

Smiling he took the sack, sniffed at it and told me it was perfectly in order.

"That is green!" I told him, "Moldered!" He simply shook his head.

"Nope, that is just as it should be. Tastes great over some ham. There is no ham in those cans is there? Only pastrami and corned beef and such. No pork at all!" Why?"

"Edna told me they were Jews if I record it right," I said. "That would explain it."

He nodded. "Lets take a minute to look over the place, the wall between the bathroom and the kitchen is much too thick, and the bathroom not deep enough."

Behind the shower stall and the toilet opposite of it I found a sliding door. Behind it was a storage space, stacked with toiletries, lightbulbs, candles, medical supplies and a tank connected to a water filter-system.

"Get Dan!" I called to Vince, "there is a water-recycle system here!"

"Here is one as well, and a the rest of the space is one big tank!" Vince called back. "There is some food in some of the kitchen cupboards as well, and tanks with gas to cook upon, and washing powder. I'll get them down, Dan and some others, but then I'll first have a look in the dinner/sitting room, that is not deep enough as well. You start to pack the food, Ria, and the sleeping bags in the meantime?"

There were no sacks to pack anything in it down here and only after I had stuffed some sleeping bags into a dustbin it dawned on me I could fill the sleeping bags with the light, freeze-dried powdered food.

I had filled two of the sleeping bags when Vince, Dan, Thomas, TD and Skip came down, carrying sacks and some rolls of garbage sacks.

"Dan, if you are done with dismounting the water-recyclers, there is a generator in here, and fuel for it," Vince called out.

A little while later Andrea and I packed things -the cans were a bit difficult, until Thomas came down with some sports bags, shopping baskets and cartons. The others carried everything upstairs. Even the thin mattresses of the bunk beds, and the bed bases, with cans and sacks piled on top of them.

Only John and Bart stayed with the vehicles now, to guard us. The rest was busy packing and loading the supplies. It looked weird and macabre when two people carried a full sleeping bag. It looked almost like a body bag with a corpse in it.

"That was creepy, people!" John told us when we came up with the last bags. "The phone buzzed a little while ago and a man said "Hi Mom and Dad, I hope you made it back. I am only some miles away. If you are not at home, I hope the spare key is still at the same place as it was last month. Laura and Franky are dead, Simon is fine, and I have some people with me who need a place to stay." We need to get out!"

I slumped against a wall.

"We can't!" I said shocked, "That man ... He is a survivor like us! He has other survivors with him, and is heading to a safe, well equipped place with them! Or so he thinks. We have to wait! We simply have to wait, a little while at least, to tell him who we are, how many people are relying on the food we collected and invite him into the Knight. We simply have to! It is the only decent thing to do!"

Bart and Vince shared my opinion and together we could persuade the others to wait a bit longer.

"We might as well get some more stuff then," TD said, "there are lots of cushions in the living, and we could use those benches around the kitchen table in our dinner room for the kids. Or in the park ..."

John and Thomas kept watch with me, while the others collected more stuff, piling it on top of everything else.

I tried to establish how much food we had, how long it would last us if a man and some others would join us. Just a few weeks more I reckoned. I also decided to offer the man we would carry 'everything' back into his parents house if he didn't want to join us. We still would have Edna's supplies, those would last a week or so, and I reckoned the man wouldn't know exactly what his parents had stocked anyway.

At least one of the water-recylers I hoped to save for us. We would need it badly when the water would stop to run as soon as one opened a faucet.

Ria
Still at the neighbor's ...

My vibrating phone tore me out off my studies. I nearly screamed for joy seeing my daughter's name. They were doing fine. They were safe. A brother-in-law of mine had arrived with his one of his two sons, his wife and the other son had died. They had brought their hunting riffles with them, and some ammunition. I warned my daughter the zombies really liked gunfire. I chatted a bit with my other daughter, and my ex came on for a moment to tell me to take good care of myself, that he was taking care of our daughters and that he was sad he couldn't take care of me too.

He also told me they had been trying to reach me since about three in the morning. The phone just wouldn't connect. A cold ring laid itself around my heart.

I gave him the number of the Knight's landline.

I also told him not to worry, I was with a great group of capable people and that one man in special seemed to be determined to take care of me. His voice had a slight jealous undertone when he asked what that man's profession was, how old he was, and if he was healthy ... I giggled a bit when I told him about Bart.

He chuckled when he said me goodbye.

About half an hour had passed, the son of Edna's neighbors hadn't shown up.

We decided to make him a care-packet which would feed him and his companions for two or three days, and wrote him a letter, explaining who we were and why we had taken the food. We offered our excuses and invited him to join us in Knight.

I phoned the Knight, told Edna we would arrive in about a quarter of an hour or a little bit later and mounted the vehicles, John, Dan and Skip driving the neighbor's family van.

We wouldn't be three in each car for long if Vince was right though. He thought he had seen a military vehicle we could use. If it had diesel, he wanted to take it back.

"Even if the tank of the water-canon is empty, we can use it to store water in. We also could use it to defend ourselves. That tank can be filled with gas or some other flammable liquid also," he said with a grim face.

He (we) were lucky. When we drove into the side street we saw a water canon. And no zombies around it, just some milling around. We managed to coast up to it silently and Vince could inspect without much risk. The water-tank on top was empty, but there was diesel enough in the fuel-tank to drive it home and a lot further if we wanted. Vince gave me thumps up, indicating he had found a compartment with what he had called special supplies intact. He and Skip mounted the cabin and soon the roaring monster was a part of the convoy.

Now the zombies were attracted to us ... Luckily Thomas' plan worked, he had decided all would kill the engines after 500 meters and coast as long as possible before starting again. We did have greater distances between the vehicles when they lost momentum, but since the drivers pressed the gas pedal a bit harder when they started again the gaps were closed as soon as it was time to stop the engines again.

Upon reaching the Knight we saw quite some people on the roof. As we had decided upon Vince drove the water-canon round the Knight to in force the block between the Knight and the theater, drawing the zombies away from us. He and Skip would wait until Thomas and John would pick them up with family van; Vince had said they would climb on top of the water-tank if the zombies started to bother them.

"Do we have a rope-ladder? No-one knows? Okay, ask as soon as you start unloading. If we don't have one, we need one."

Unloading went much quicker than before, someone had found the carts the librarians used to transport books and Martin, Dan and Peter were strong enough to cart them around, even if a freezer was lying on the top. Some unloaded the cars, putting everything on the garage floor, others moved the goodies from there.

John and Thomas were able to mount the new van after only six minutes and returned with Skip and Vince after only five.

Deacon and Cramer had put quite some zombies down that had followed the roaring of the water-canon, Cassandra and Derry protected us in until the van came back. They didn't have to put many zombies down though.

Vince and Skip had even collected most of Deacon's bolts before they had entered the van.

Some times Cassandra is a flaming bitch!!

As I was walking around looking for help with my flame thrower idea … I saw Noah and Cramer talking and hugging. Both of them looked like they needed me to come over and talk to them about flame throwers. Not really … but I needed to know how their date went … I’m such a curious bitch!

So I walked over and said “Hi Noah and Cramer …” sitting down in front of them.

“How was the date? Looks likes you two are getting to be an item!” I declared with a big smile.

“Cassandra … what do you want?” Noah asked show a bit of irritation with the interruption and my noisy attitude. But she had fallen into my trap ... just from her answer I knew all I needed to knew!

“Noah … first thing is I needed to warn you … Cramer can sing! He has a great voice” I said with a smile, then i looked over to Cramer who was not too happy with me. I thought I'd better start asking my real questions.

“Secondly … Cramer … on this flame thrower … I have thought up a few improvements … the first is they run out of fuel too quickly … so I remember in World War II … the flame thrower guys wore supply tanks on their backs. I was thinking of rigging the squirt gun up to a water camel. Thus increasing the supply of gas. Secondly … the flame dies too quickly … I need to add something to thicken it and make it burn longer … I was thinking flour? But is there something better? What do you think of my ideas?” I asked him.

I look up from Norah's face as Cassie walked up bold as brass, saying Hi Norah and Cramer as she sat down. Word had obviously spread fast but I didn't expect to be asked about it yet. With some women what happens others love lives is juicy gossip. ''Went just fine.'' That was all Cassie was getting from me on this subject, but Norah on the other hand blushes telling every single detail.

Flamethrowers made out of Super Soakers, Seriously we get rudely enterupted over a plastic death trap? ''Well ye lucky the damn thang didn't blow up in ye face! First off the gasoline will eat that grade of plastic up. Second...all this needs to be made of metal parts, plastic, and rubber that don't react with the gasoline.'' I knew it was Ok for a temporary Youtube video, but damn using one long term is outright suicide.

Cassie seemed to look disappointed in what I had to say, better to err on the side of caution. Norah unwraps her arms from around my waist, standing beside me she takes my hand. Giving her her delicate hand a gentle squeeze, flashing me a sweet smile listening. ''Cassandra you could have gotten burned really bad!...I would feel sad if that happened.''

"Yeah can't loose you darlin...besides you're hell with that Bow.'' Reaching to rub Cassie's upper left arm, Norah reaches out to take her hand as well. ''I hoped nobody would mess with the thangs anymore, that's all we needed our people getting burned to death. ''Let's talk to Deacon bout fixin up a dependable flamethrower...OK?''

Ria
Beds and things

It might have been a bit harsh on the others, but eight of the scavengers who went out with me, like me, claimed a bed, or at least a bed base and a thick mattress as their reward for going out on the second raid today. Bart was the only one not claiming one. He claimed food and made a pile at one of the garage doors.

Since the patients were well again, Lee got two of Edna's high beds for his ward; one for him to sleep in on the condition he would free it for a patient if he had more than one and one bed would stand empty for the moment. Edna got one, and the rest was divided amongst the Knights. The children got two of the three kingsize mattresses from the neighbors, three kids could sleep on each which meant all the children now slept on a mattress since they already had gotten one, and Sandra had moved out of the classroom to share a room with her mother and sister from now on.

While we showered the others were busy building beds, the two children's beds with the fences around them were carried up to the class room. Frederique would get one and the other one would be used as a laundry basket. Robert and Lola were a tiny bit fed up with running after the kids to collect their dirty laundry from all over the sleeping area now that they had three sets of clothing each.

Max told me the washing machine had been running almost the whole day. Just when he thought Scotty was finished with it, the five new ones had been found and delivered two full loads after they had showered.

Max and Scotty had rigged lines between the bookcases (which they had also set further apart from each other) of the oversized books on the third floor, and had carried load after load of wet laundry up there. They had also carried down a lot of the oversized books to stabilize the ponds filled with water or soil since most of these books were doubles anyway.

"I don't know how we will cope if the power fails," Max said me worried. "Now there are all the things people used as blankets and mattresses to wash!"

I didn't say anything, just pointed at the washing board I had brought back from the neighbor's place. It had been in the same kitchen cupboard as the washing powder which consisted only of soap flakes. I supposed they had chosen it because they planned on recycling all the water they would use.

"That reminds me of my grandmothers," Max sighed. "They spend hours bend over a washing board several days a week."

"It will take several people to wash all our things many hours a day as soon as we don't have power anymore. The power we can collect with the solar panels will be reserved for the fridges and freezers as long as we have stuff to put in them," I was worried too. "Maybe we should start to tell people not to change their clothing as often as they were used too. Back to the old days were one put on a clean pair of knickers and yesterday's clothes over it to start fresh and clean into a new day."

Edna was delighted we brought her piano and so many of her other belongings like clothes and some of her dear bric-a-brac. She charmed Mr. Asthuli, Phil and Louise into helping her to furnish her room.

"Max, you, Peter and I need to visit all the rooms tonight after I had dinner and before we start the meeting, just to establish who has a room, who has what furniture, and who would still need a bed or something else. Cassandra should accompany us to take notes."

John walked by with Edna's sewing machine on a cart and lots of curtains and throws he had ripped off in her house and the neighbor's.

"I'll make curtains for the windows closest to the blocks after I had dinner," he told us.

"Right," I said, "it would be nice if we could get them up tonight as well. But first, lets see what Carol and her helpers have for us to dine on."

Soon we found ourselves with the others who hadn't had dinner yet sitting at a table. Mrs. Asthuli and Amy hurried around with plates and cutlery and put some bowls with food and pitchers with water on the table.

"Much nicer this way," Mrs. Asthuli said contently. "Standing in a line to get food is so ... student-like or military-like. Sitting down from the start is much nicer!"

I nodded, I didn't know if was her doing, but the dinner area looked much more inviting, on the tables were vases with artificial flowers (I wondered who took them at the garden center, somehow Edna sprang to my mind), yoghurt containers with herbs in them, little baskets with salt and pepper sachets, a candle and sugar dispensers, all neatly arranged on colored paper napkins.

Dinner was eggs and bacon and rice.

Bye Norah, Doc Lee, Watch, a plan

Giving Norah one more kiss and a hug before excusing myself to her and Cassie, walking over to Doc Lee's sick bay to have my ribs tapped again. ''You're late asshole get your redneck ass over there and sit down.'' I really didn't feel like hearing his foul mouth, so just tolerated the guy till he got my ribs taped up good. ''No heavy lifting for a few more days you understand me?" I pull my camo tshirt down ''Yeah Doc I got it!'' Standing up from the makeshift examination table, I walked out without another word to the smartass.

Striding purposely to the place weapons were stored, grab my AR-15 a box of 308 cartridges and spare clip. Slung the strap over my head and shoulder to be more comfortable, taking the the stairs two steps at a time. I was up the three floors quickly with ease, climbing the ladder up through the hatch. Flipping on the starlight scope I walk the Knight rooftop perimeter, scanning the entire area 300 yards out. Not much zombie activity or much of anything else, except for a few stray dogs and cats roaming around.

My umbrella lounge chair hadn't been moved, so I flop lazily into it stretching my long legs out. Checking the old Sony Walkman cassette player, the batteries weren't dead so pressing play Redemption song plays. Shit I muttered to myself I should have asked to borrow one of Edna's nice Spanish guitars. If I'm expected to play anything I'd better pick awhile off to myself, the rust wouldn't take long to work off.

Times like this Kaitlyn and my missing sister come to mind, damn I feel twenty years older than I did. If it wasn't for everything that was needed done, I'd get drunk off my country ass till I passed the hell out. Then an idea hit me like a bolt out of the blue, fall harvest was here enough food for six months.

Now to convince everyone that we needed to go to my farm, that was another kettle of fish on an entirely different level. My pickup pulling a refer (Refrigerated Trailer) trailer, along with the party van packed full of produce. Planning the logistics of it out in my head it's very doable, obviously another big box truck would need to be found.

Ria
Mind wandering

The eggs and the bacon tasted good with the rice though.

People around me were talking about the day behind them and my mind wandered off.

To the things we needed to do tomorrow, I still had to check with Norah and Cramer which trees they had marked for felling. I wanted as much people out there as possible, Cramer and Vince to fell the trees, some to dig big shallow holes and some to dig trenches, some on the roof to pull baskets of dirt up, some to transport the baskets from and to the diggers, I needed Deacon (maybe he would take Cramer's gun if Cramer would lent it to him) Cassandra and Derry (maybe with Deacon's crossbow) John and I with our slingshots to protect the diggers and Cramer and Vince. Some more who kept a look out. They could carry axes, to fight with and to chop big branches of the trees. Big branches put upright would protect a window somewhat too.

My mind wandered on to the garage doors, we would need a protection there too, one we could open; maybe a fence? Some parks would have fences, maybe we could use those. Pour cement in holes in the concrete of the walkway sink the fences in ...

Food. We were good for a little over three months now I reckoned. In the middle of the winter we would run out. We needed more. Much more.

About fifty people wanted food. Needed food.

Edna's neighbor's son crossed my mind. I wondered what had happened to him and his companions. I wondered if he would call the number we had written in the letter. We hadn't told him the name of the library. Only the phone number of the landline.

"Where is your mind?" Startled I looked up. I hadn't realized talking had subdued and Peter and Max had arrived.

Cassandra

It was really fun to bother Cramer and Noah. But both of them were way too in love. They were in the “goofy” stage of love at least that is what I called it. I had seen it before … People experiencing romantic love have some chemical in their brains similar to that of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. I read that in some article. Basically the two of them were insane. Love lights up the brain's link to reward and pleasure, it releases chemical messengers that provide intense energy, focused attention, recklessness and exhilaration. Reviewing Cramer’s behavior … he was a case study in intense energy and recklessness!!

Oh … and to make matters worse another article I read said that first dates that involve a nerve-wracking activity, like riding a roller coaster, are more likely to lead people to pursue a relationship. With all these Zombies trying to kill everyone … everyone on the planet was going through a nerve-wracking activity. I wonder if … like in nine months ... there is going to be all these babies being born. Like what happened after the New York City blackout?

I looked up and notice both Cramer and Noah had gone. “That was rude!” I said out loud. Well, Cramer might be insane with love … but he had one good idea … talk to Deacon about the flame throwers. So I headed over to find Deacon. I thought about what they had said about the plastic and did not totally agree. There are lots of examples of gas being stored in plastic containers. My dad’s lawn mower for example … or the milk jugs we had been using for Molotov cocktails.

Anyhow, I found Deacon and Derry eating their dinner and talking about Peter! I really needed to talk to Derry about not talking to her new boyfriend about her last boyfriend … really bad form. But I could not do that now. I also notice that “insane love” look in both their eyes. UGH … was I the only one not in love in this place? Then I thought about Ria … doubt UGH … she was in love with Bart. Crap … my theory about love in an zombie apocalypse seem to be validated. Anyhow, I could not worry about that now … I needed to get these flame throwers working better.

“Hi Deacon and Derry” I said. “Sorry to interrupt … but I’m working on these flame throwers and Cramer thought you might have a few good ideas about improving them?” I asked.

I grinned as I made my way across the room to where Deacon sat, it looked like he had our dinners already. He pushed my plate over to me as I slid into the chair, I looked it over...eggs, bacon and rice. I love bacon so looked up at him smiling,

"Thanks, this is a good meal...just needs a veggie and it would be pretty much complete."

As I dug into my meal Deacon nodded his head at my comment asking about Peter,

"Who is the guy who came out before you? People seem to like him and others to loathe him. I'm guessing he is one of the leaders?"

I set my fork down, thinking about what I wanted to tell Deacon. (I may as well be honest, I did have that one time with Peter.) I told him all about Peter, how he was when the Zombies first appeared and we were all so afraid. He held us together along with Max, we were a much smaller group back then. I looked at Deacon pausing before continuing,

"I had just broken up with my x....like I told you and well Peter was a one time distraction...then things got busy. Peter became infected with the virus which we didn't know about...and as a result started to act like a paranoid dictator. That is why you see mixed feelings about him, some of us didn't care for his behavior, while others were really into his power play."

I picked up my fork and started eating as I talked, the eggs were getting kind of cool, but at least they weren't slimy. Chewing thoughtfully I continued between bites,

"So I just want it understood, there is nothing between Peter and myself, he is a player and I knew it at the time, I just needed some comfort at that time...for all I knew I could have been dead in the next day or so."

When I was done talking I locked eyes with Deacon for what seemed like a very long time adding,

"Do you understand?"

That is the moment that Cassie stopped at our table with her,

“Hi Deacon and Derry... sorry to interrupt … but I’m working on these flame throwers and Cramer thought you might have a few good ideas about improving them?”

I sighed to myself, I was always happy to see Cassandra but this wasn't one of those times, I smiled up at her nodding as I finished my meal thinking, (I guess we can continue this conversation at a later time...and it will give Deacon time to think about things....I just hope he doesn't see me in a bad light now.)

Deacon

I looked up at Cassandra and tilted my head to one side, listening to her as she explained what they had as flamethrowers and what she had planned for them. I sighed and motioned for her to take a seat, it was a bit of an intrusion into Derry and my private time, but I guessed that the good of the many came before the good of the few. After Cassandra took a seat, I started to talk,

"Look Cramer may have a point, though plastics may hold out a bit longer than he thinks, the soft rubbers they use inside the squirter will not. What you need is a proper delivery system, mixing two chemicals to produce a reasonably safe flamethrower. Problem with placing force into a container is that you will have to make certain that all connections are tight, one mistake and you could blow up everything you seek to protect. If you can give me a day or two I can scavenge enough parts to create a delivery system for you, coupled with a compressor of some sort and a little heavy fuel like napalm I think you could have a weapon to make anybody think twice."

I paused and looked at Derry,

"You do of course know that burning isn't always the best way to kill a virus? You could cause it to become airborne...burning all those bodies this close to the Knight may also be what caused those men to get all messed up."

I shook myself,

"I don't want to cause paranoia or something, just...bring it under somebody's attention? I'm sure you two know more people in the higher ranks than I do."

I leaned back and rubbed my eyes, I needed sleep, but there was work to be done first. I looked over at Cassandra,

"Just be careful with those flamethrowers now and don't add too much pressure as to what they are designed for OK?"

I got up, collecting the empty plates and smiled at Derry,

"I understand, now if you two ladies will excuse me, I have a busy evening ahead of me."

With that I dumped the plates and cutlery where the other people had placed their own, succeeded in hunting down a bottle of water and headed for the storage shed which housed the gardening supplies, my clothes and bedding. First things first, I stripped out of the coverall and slipped on my jeans and boots, stripped to the waist I started working on the gun butt to create Derry's crossbow, the light overhead flickered at times, but I didn't take notice, if I wanted to finish everything by the time the next group goes out to scavenge, I needed to get as much bolts, machetes and perhaps even a few bombs ready for when that happens.

Cramer's Farm proposal.

After sitting through my watch it was finally over for the night, pressing stop on the Walkman pocketing it. I stood stretching my back and arms, with a wave goodnight at the other two on watch down the hatch I went. Walking downstairs all that was on my mind is my farm, had my friends and neighbors gathered in my crop in? Had hoards of zombies trampled everything, was my home a shelter for a family or thugs? What ifs on top of ifs was all that came to mind, it was worth the risk with fifty people to get through the winter.

Striding into the the room where Ria Peter and Max were conversing, upon reaching them I flip a chair around sitting down. ''I have a idea that just might help our food situation''...This got their attention real damned quick, with three set of eyes and ears now focused on me. Going through each point of my plan for the Farm mission, along with each possible danger that could be faced along the way. Everything the team would need to accomplish the mission, ofcourse fortifying the Knight would definitely come first.

So there I sat with my arms crossed over the back of the chair, watching Ria Max and Peter's reactions. Answering each question as clearly as I possibly could, with thoughtful nods and comments between them. ''There is no way we can grow enough produce indoors...to offset the demands of feedin fifty.'' I let that reality sink in before continuing, Ria's troubled expression had become even more so poor gal.

Seeing this I place my hand over hers resting on the table, giving Ria's hand a friendly reassuring pat. ''But...with a big ol' green house...this good ol' boy can grow a bunch of anythang imaginable Darlin.'' I gave my best charming southern gentlemen grin, when Ria rolls her eyes when I call her Darlin. I wink at Max and Peter as they know I'm trying to lift her spirits, Max chuckle telling her ''With Peter back it won't be all on your shoulders Ria.'' Peter grins with an obviously better attitude after being so dangerously ill. ''You had all the responsibility dumped in your lap...now I'm back to share the load when I'm 100% again.''

Listening to Max and Peter's comments I nod in agreement, Max had done his fair share to help everyone. ''Max you have done your fair share of helping everyone. You too Pete until you unfortunately got that damned ol' Napoleon virus.'' The three of them gaze questioning at my reference to Napoleon, I couldn't help but chuckle from the looks I'd Received. ''The little dictator...Git it? folks git all weird and shit with it.''

Ria
Meetings

Max, Peter and I were bringing each other up to date when Cramer came in and explained his plan.

It took quite a while to talk it through. Peter had been pleased to hear exactly how much food we had now, but like and Max and me, he was very worried about it being only enough for three months, four if we started rationing now. Rationing would mean 1500 calories a head a day, not rationing 2000 or a bit more. Carla wouldn't lower the calories below 1500 a day, we would go down the hill to quickly with the work we would have to do on 1000, she decided. Even on 1500 there would be several days a week those who did heavy work would get a treat to bring their intake to 2000.

If we decided not to ration, those would still get a treat each day to increase their calorie intake. I had warned her a lot of people would be doing heavy work as soon as the power failed. She had sighed then.

"The contents of the Twix truck and the soda-pops are reserved for the scavengers and others who work hard. Please, Ria, bring back as much food every time you go out as you can."

It had been my turn to sigh then. I refused to tell her the obvious: We already did that.

Cramer's produces would make the difference. It would also mean about ten persons would be away for a week or ten days. Which would mean the others couldn't scavenge around town much during that time. Cramer's Napoleon reference made me grin.

"Nice one, Cramer, I like it. A much better name than "Zombie-virus" also."

"We need to use the next two or three days to work on our defense; the things we will do around the Knight tomorrow -by the way Cramer, we will haul a big part of the dirt that comes out off the trenches up to the roof, for your compost and to start a planting site/greenhouse with- building weapons and get all that are capable to, to exercise with them," I looked at the three men a sitting at the table with me, their concerned and worried faces. "I think it wouldn't be good to get down to 2000 calories now already.

Three reasons why: The work we have to do is hard, those doing it won't be able to grab a snack like they have done while scavenging the last few days. We still have some perishables which haven't been cooled properly for some time, they need to be used before they go bad anyway. Those ten that will go with Cramer will only need a breakfast on the day they leave, maybe a little snack for on the way, after that they will eat the produce they harvest. Which means the rest of Knights have their rations to share between them while the 'farmers' are gone.

Now to who will go with you, Cramer, have you made a list who you would like to join you? You only want to take two vehicles, I think you should take the Twix truck too. You could put some produce in it, but it would be good if you mainly planned it in for the non-food you want to bring back: tools you have, beds, some of your furniture, your clothes, what ever. And you could use it to transport things you stumble upon on the way, maybe you drive by a pharmacy or a drugstore; we also needs all the toothpaste and other toiletries, normal medical supplies like bandaids and aspirin -and lots of insulin for Lola- as we can find. Or some living animals. Or parts of your greenhouse or quick-starters for seeds. Only your pickup would be a bit small for all of that. It also would mean you have more security on the way out, what if, since you are planning most of those who will join you to ride in the back of the party van, it breaks down and all of you are left without a vehicle?

Will you have time enough to refine your plans while Peter, Max, Cassandra and I do a round of the Knight before we call everyone to the night meeting at nine? "

Cramer's Pitch

Listening Ria's suggestions they were extremely valid ones, this little gal sure understood the essence of my plan. ''Yeah sure...I have time to fix em Darlin. You, Pete, Max and Cassie have at it. I'll be right here...workin my ol' noggin off.'' Damn, I sure did sound like a hick from the sticks, especially around Ria with her faint Dutch accent. At least, that's what I thought it was anyway, I could be wrong about that though.

Scratching my head a second, I went back to studying over my plan. Satisfied with my answer she, Pete and Max filed out of the room. I needed a notepad, pencil and paper clips, me in front of fifty people without notes?, Jesus Christ on a bicycle what an idiotic plan it would sound like, luckily for my ass I did know where the office supply cabinet was. Finding what I needed return to my seat, writing out each detail of Operation Cramer's Corner. No one would know the Call Of Duty game was my guideline, so I banged out this plan like an expeditionary force mission.

Standing up gathering my notepad, paper clips, and pencil, sticking the pencil over my ear I head for the meeting room. Once inside the room I went up front to practice my pitch, never being good at public I went over my lines. Shit It was like being a sophomore back in high school, playing the part of Homer during Greek week in the Odyssey. Rehearsing quietly like everyone in the Knight was seated, all eyes and ears on me right this minute.

''No pressure Cramer it's just a trip with risks like people dying, or if it fails nobody returns and 50 people starve to death!'' After that mini rant Norah overheard me talking to myself, poking her pretty little head in the doorway. ''Knock Knock...whatcha doing Cramer?'' Aren't talking to yourself again...are you hmm? I couldn't help but chuckle from the sight of her head tilted sideways, looking at me with those big doe eyes.

''I have to pitch my plan to go to my Farm to bring in the fall harvest. It's going to be very dangerous Norah.'' She straitens up walking up to my side, putting her arm around my waist. ''It's dangerous even when the teams go out...everyone knows the risks and they do what's necessary Cramer.'' She's got a way about her, I don't know what it is, but I find myself at ease around her. ''Yeah I know sweety. I know.''

Right about then Ria, Pete, Max and Cassie file in, the Knights begin filling the meeting room, looks like it's about to be show time any minute. Norah rubs my back and with a soft pat, whispering in my ear ''Go get em tiger.'' With that said she takes a seat in the first row dead center, to listen with everyone else boosting my confidence. I join Ria a moment telling her I've written everything out, that I'll be ready after she speaks.

Ria
Night-meeting

So much had happened in only a few days. It was good to see people adjusting to it.

It was good to see several people had chosen a room, either a small one for them alone or a bigger one which they shared with two or three others. It was good to hear the plans the had for their rooms. I took it as a sign they were starting to feel at home in the Knight, didn't see it solely as I place to hide until life turned normal again or until they found a better place to stay in.

We were growing into a kind of family, not just a group of survivors who cooped because they had too.

One room even had some decoration on the walls already, someone had found some old maps of Eugene and tacked them to the wall panels.

I had to sigh as Bart and the twins from the garden center caught up with us on the third floor, and said their goodbyes.

"This will have to do until the next time", he whispered into my ear, kissed the spot just behind it before he turned and left. With blazing cheeks I watched him leave.

Peter, Max, Cassie and I finished our round in the pantry. Each of us looked around, astonished and in awe about the amount of food on the shelves and at the same time worried because we knew it wouldn't last long enough. A lot of cartons and sacks stood around just outside, Scotty and Carol were busy unpacking and sorting, Amy, Ann, Sandra and Mrs. Asthuli packed everything on shelves, in fridges and freezers as soon as Carla had added it to her lists.

"Carla, did you count the sweet stuff?" I asked longingly.

She looked uncomprehending at me.

"I mean, is it planned in already or could we have some for tonight? At the meeting, a treat for who wants to nibble on something sweet?"

Grinning she went over to a stack of cartons, ripped some open, and handed me a few boxes with Mars, Twix, Bounty and Snickers.

"You want to hand out treats?" Peter didn't really approve, I understood from his tone.

"Yes," I explained, "I think it would sweeten the blow so to speak. Some seem to think we don't have to ration food anymore now after the abundance of the last four meals. I have to tell them those days will be over as soon as the perishables are gone ...

And I hadn't a chocolate for days." I grinned as I added that, clutching the boxes Carla had handed me to my chest. "I might claim some sweets the next time we find some outside. For my personally stack in my room. To enjoy when I want to."

Faces were grinning back at me as I looked around me.

Carla and Carol didn't want to attend the meeting, they wanted to work until they were sure no perishables which would need cooling were left and so Scotty, Amy, Mrs. Asthuli, Sandra and Ann accompanied us.

As I expected, some people were very disappointed and upset when I told them we would have to start rationing quite soon again.

"However, plans to get more food are being worked on, some of you have helped to build the garden for example, and a promising one is Cramer's new plan. He will tell you himself. Cramer, if you are ready?"

He nodded and after some coughing and throat-scraping he started. At first he seemed a bit insecure but as soon as he realized people were really interested and listened closely to his explanations he relaxed.

A small debate followed, some points got explained better, some valuable critic refined the plans even more, and soon Cramer could ask for volunteers.

It wasn't really surprising Skip, TD, Vince, Paul, John, Thomas and I were the first to rise their hands, soon followed by the hands of Peter, Dan, Daniel, Derry, Cassandra, Deacon, Phil, Martin, Andrea, Robert, Mr. Asthuli, Lee, Abe and Stewart, who was still wearing his Garden Center uniform.

"Ten, people, only ten will accompany Cramer", Max said. "We appreciate you all want to go, but I think it is best Cramer decides and tells you who those will be in two or three days. He will be the leader of the party. Who of you has worked on a farm before? Who knows what harvesting means?"

Most hands went down, only two stayed up, Stewart's and mine.

"I think gardeners will know what is waiting at the farm too," Vince said, and put his hand up again. "Who else has done a lot of gardening, not just mowing a lawn once in a while?"

Edna's hand shot up as high as possible without it detaching itself from her arm, and quite some people had to stifle giggles. Some more hands came up, and I saw Cramer jotting down something on his cards. It looked as if he was putting marks behind names.

Peter was the next to speak, he made his excuses to everyone -I would have to tell him to stop that, one can overdo excuses as well- he thanked everyone for the work done so far and then he explained what we knew about the virus. He told everyone it only entered the body through wounds made by zombies as the research of the CDC and other institutes had shown.

"The virus only makes you ill, it doesn't turn you into a zombie. The illness starts with the wounds swelling somewhat, they itch and hurt for a while. That happens to a lot of wounds when they are healing though; the telling symptom is the fact infected people get paranoid and think they are the most important and the only intelligent ones on the world before the fever really starts."

He also told them the CDC didn't know yet what had caused the big outbreak.

I was next, I explained what was planned for the next few days and asked who would volunteer to teach others how to build weapons and how to shoot. Seeing the hands that rose, I smiled. I had expected those hands to rise, kind of.

"Well, before Peter will close the meeting, how are the students doing with the task I set them, Robert?"

Smiling Robert reported he and his classes had found some books, but that he hadn't received any from the elder students yet.

"Well folks, get it going then, thursday is only two days away." I harvested quite some groans with that and had a hard time not to giggle.

"You told us to do collect the books in our spare time", Lola said solemnly. "I hadn't any spare time. And now we have to exercise our marksmanship over the next days, as well as doing our chores and help where ever it is needed. You could at least allow us a few more days to collect those books if you keep filling our days with more and more things to do?"

Now I couldn't hide my grin.

"Okay. I prolong the time by two days. Saturday evening there are bookcases in the classroom, dividing the classroom from the bedroom, filled with textbooks or books related to studies on the classroom side, and with children's books, games and toys on the bedroom side. Okay?"

Cramer's Pitch

Taking the pencil from over my ear touching the lead to my tongue, jotting down names glancing up now and again. TD, Deacon, Vince, Paul, John, and Thomas were definitely going, I wanted a gun crossbow or compound bow for my team. ''I have selected TD, John, Deacon, Vince, Paul and Thomas, including me that leaves four. I havn't excluded the very capable women of the Knight...Pun intended. I let the laughs this got settle down a bit, with a big ol' mule eating briars grin I couldn't help but chuckle.

''I'm just not sure who to pick except for Cassie and Derry, Ria I think you're needed more right here. As Max said only folks with common sense bout farmin, so my list ain't chiseled in stone.'' I look each man in the eye when I spoke their name, not to exclude the women I picked two. ''I would like to have suppressed guns for my team, Deacon and me can't turn nine suppressors out quickly. That's even if we had the rifles, pistols, and proper metal bar stock, a few crossbows and compound bows would do nicely though.''

''Ya'll...we know the dangers we're going to face, others we won't until we run across em. Now look here I don't want to sound alarmist, but some of us might not return. We face this every time we put our ass on the line, if anyone can't deal with this speak up now!'' I let the seriousness of what we were undertaking sink in a minute or two, there were many frightened looks cast around from quite a few.

I'd like those of you that have volunteered for this, to join me to go over every aspect of our mission.'' Man oh man was the beginning shaking but thankfully, very thankfully I did manage to make my pitch like a pro. I noticed Norah looked very worried now, almost on the verge of tears as Edna hugged her, assuring her. Hell, I was worried too as everyone else was, this was some seriously dangerous shit we're getting ourselves into here.

Lex

Lex had been bored. But as they say … “Idle hands are the devil's playthings” And the devil had possessed him and given him a plan … an evil plan … a very evil plan!!

His new nightly ritual was to go outside and make perpetration for the execution of his plan. In his careful search of the Gerlinger Annex … he had found lots of zombies … too many for him to kill. So there were many rooms he could not explore. But he had found the Dougherty Dance Theater inside the Annex. Lex hated the theater so never knew this theater was here. But it was in one of the storage areas he had found the costumes and the make-up. He had developed a new “zombie” look so in the dark … if the roof guards saw him … they would think he was a slow moving zombie.

So unseen or unnoticed by the roof guards at the Knight. He could check on their progress. He had thought that by stealing all the food … they would all be weak and dying by now. But the Dutch slut … had organized them and made successful food runs. He thought it was almost funny. After his plan was done … all the food they had collected would be his … and he could live like a king for months and months! The people in the library WERE JUST TOO STUPID.

He had even taken some food from the refrigerator by the front door of the library. But it had not been much food … and had gone unnoticed. Like he said before THESE PEOPLE WERE STUPID!! His really focus had been on the fire escape door on the northeast side of the building. It had no handle and so it had taken some work to get it open. He had thought of maybe sneaking into the library in disguise and then opening the door from the inside. But he had decided there was too much risk in that. But now the door was open.

The other thing the stupid Dutch slut had done was arrange the cars around the library. But there was a wall and a narrow gap between the Annex and the Library. No cars where there. She had thought no zombies could come out of the Annex and attack the Knight … STUPID. Now the cars were a nice barrier to guide the zombie he released from the Annex to the Library. She had saved him lots of work!

He had also watched looking through a window with pulled down blinds. It reminded him of the time when he was younger … and he had been a peeking tom. He had watched as the sexy college student next door to their house started to taking off her clothes. She had closed her blinds … but from his angle he could see her. He could see everything! And he jacked off to the scene. But what he really liked was the next night he had told his mother … the girl had undressed in front of the window on purpose … to seduce him. She had even winked at him … and spread her legs for him. His mother had gone over to the next door house and had gotten the innocent girl into big trouble. Lex had jacked off to that too! Lex loved to screw people over … He had a bigger orgasm knowing he had screwed over that innocent girl than just watching her!

Anyhow, he watched through the blinds as the fires were started and how the zombies seemed to like to go to them. The movement of the flames and maybe the heat. It was a good way to herd them. So he returned to the Theater prop room and found two “fake” camp fires which included lights and moving flames. They would be perfect for his plan.

He developed an escape plan and a new hiding place. Which he had taken care of earlier tonight. He had found a new building to hide in. So everything was set. He now just needed to wait until everyone was a sleep. Then fill the Library with almost 50 hungry zombies … he could just see it now … the little baby being eaten! Or that stripper slut Cassandra screaming … her big boobs bouncing as the zombies chased her down and ate her brain! HA HA … what a stupid SLUT she was.

THE OLD RULES OF SOCIETY WERE OVER! Those STUPID ASSHOLES in the library just did not realize it. It was survival of the fittest. And that meant Lex was going to WIN.

Ahhh this was going to be AWESOME!

It was 2:00 o’clock in the morning … and he propped open the fire door to level one of the library … he placed the fake fires there and turned them on … then he went to the annex and opened to side door … releasing the 50 zombies … he ran back to the library as the zombies followed him… he ran into the library and fipped off the master light switch for the bottom floor. Killing all the lights … he heard barking and a voice say “hey … what happened?” And then he ran out the opposite fire door. He just wished he could have stuck around and listen to all the people being eaten … that would have been fun … OH WELL.

Cassandra

I was sleeping soundly when I started to hear barking … it was our dog … then I heard “Hey … what happened?” I opened my eyes … I saw the lower lights to the library had gone out. The upper floors were still lite. I heard Max yelling … as he came up from the basement. Then there was a yell that got me fully up.

“SHITTTTT … THERE ARE ZOMBIES IN THE LIBRARY!”

I sprang off my bed and ran to the railing, I was on the second level and we still had some lights. I could see ghostly figures running around on the main level … they were zombies …. A SHITLOAD of them … I had no clue how they got in … but they were there … I grabbed my two squirt gun flame throwers … and ran to the top of the stairs … I needed to stop the zombies from moving to the second floor. I lit the ends and was ready for them.

Up the stairs came 4 zombies … I let them have it … a nice jet of flame lit the fuckers on fire. “TAKE THAT ASSHOLES!” I yelled …. But then I realized how STUPID I had been. Zombies like fire!! … more started to moving up the stairs … also the smoke inside the library might set off the water sprinklers! I saw Daniel coming out of the aid station … he used a chair on one of the zombies. Broke its neck … People were coming off the roof … but they could not stop the zombies coming up the stairs. I blasted another 5 five with flames … and then I realized one of the guns was leaking badly … Cramer was right … I threw the gun at the remaining zombies and blasted it with my remaining good flame thrower … there was an explosion that knock me on my butt.

The sprinkler system lit off after that … water was raining down everywhere … the explosion cleared the staircase of zombies ... the water put out the fires … but there were 40 zombies still looking for food on the first floor of the library!

Ria
Attacked

After the meeting pretty much everyone had gone to bed quickly. The younger children were already in bed only the teenagers had attended the meeting.

When I finally entered my room, I looked around it. My bed stood ready for me to jump into it. I didn't jump into it though. I undressed, happy to be able to sleep as I liked to: nude, no fabric limiting my movements, no fabric getting itself into a roll around my waist, nothing like that. After a few seconds I thought it might be better to put something on, a pair of panties at least, in case I had to rise for some other reason than to go to the toilet.

I put an oversized shirt beside my bed, my machete and my slingshot already were in my writing desk.

I lighted a candle beside my bed before I put the main light out and found my way back to my bed easily. Laying down with my head on my arms, I enjoyed the playing shadows the candle flame threw at the walls.

Loud barking woke me up. I took me a few moments to realize where I was. Then a few more to realize it was Nana who was barking. She never had barked in the nights before ...

Getting out off bed and pulling the t-shirt over my head was a matter of seconds, I had had to do that quite often when the twins were babies and toddlers. As I opened my door a crack, I saw nothing but I heard voices and the sounds of fights.

My heart skipped a beat.

I stumbled back to my desk, grabbed my slingshot and my machete, cutting myself in the faint candlelight. Once outside my door I took a moment to orientate myself. Some sounds came from the far left. I heard Vince yelling at Carol to barricade herself and the girls in. I heard voices and sounds of two people to my right, quite near. Lee and Daniel. My eyes adjusted to the light streaming down from the second floor, and I to my horror I saw zombies inside the library. The light was too faint to use my slingshot. I dropped it, threw the stones I had in my left hand wildly into the mayhem in front of me.

Two zombies were closing up to me. One I stroke with a blow to his head, the other one had his hands on me before I could cut its throat. I smelled burning zombies, but I couldn't see were the fire was, somewhere behind the off-limits behind the check-out desk I thought. No zombies where very close to me, but Lee and Daniel were fighting some with bare hands and a chair.

I ran over to them and struck one zombie in the back. It fell, and I almost fell down with it since my machete was stuck in a bone.

"Never aim for the back with a machete," Vince had told us at the Garden Center I remembered, "too much risk of it getting stuck in the ribcage or the spine. Use the handle to butt your opponent on the head, or cut his throat from behind."

Daniel or Lee kicked a zombie in the head which was clawing at me as I tried to wrench my machete free, grunting and cursing at my own stupidity. Finally it was free and I cut the throat of a zombie Daniel was wrestling down. Lee was dealing out blows at two other zombies, one was laying on the ground, I stabbed it in the chest. I stumbled over an other one, and cut its throat. In the midst of the fight water started to pour from the ceiling, making the floor slippery at once.

I couldn't see Daniel anymore, helped Lee to kill the two remaining zombies as Daniel came out off the sickbay with a glistening something in his hand.

He handed something to Lee, who grunted.

"A fucking scalpel! You give me a fucking scalpel and keep the hunting knife I gave back to your fucking self?"

"Better than your bare hands!" I hissed at him. "What now? How did they come in? There are more, people are still fighting!" My heart was pounding fast, adrenalin surged through my veins and an eternity seemed to pass before we were able to think and decide to stay together and move to the noise just in front of us.

On the stairs leading to the separate special collections section some were fighting. As one we headed towards it. Lee pulled a zombie down, dropping it at my feet, before it could get up again I cut its throat and followed Lee and Daniel up the stairs.

In the light streaming down I saw Skip and Thomas swinging a golf club and a machete. John was laying on the stairs, under two zombies. I pulled them off of him, as Lee and Daniel killed two of the zombies behind the ones attacking Thomas and Skip. It was fairly easy to kill them since they were fixated on reaching Thomas and Skip. I didn't see what happened then because John was bleeding hard from several wounds in his arm.

I saw big gaps in his upper arm. They had been eating him! The blood didn't just flow, it pulsed out off some of the wounds, so he must be alive. I put my machete down and pulled my t-shirt over my head, pressed it hard on the wounds. A grunt told me he felt what I did.

Suddenly Lee was beside me, he had something in his hand which he knotted around my t-shirt, telling me "to take your hands fucking away".

"You and Daniel stay here, while we bring John to Norah", Skip panted. Daniel and I turned around, watching the stairs and listening to the sounds from all over the library. Dead zombies all the way to the floor below. I had killed two on my own, helped Lee and Daniel to kill four or five and there were at least six on the stairs. Just minutes later Thomas and Lee came back. The water had stopped to rain down on us I realized. It was running down the stairs, taking some of the bile around us with it.

"Skip has some fucking bite wounds in his thighs", Lee hissed. "He'll stay with the girl and John behind locked and barricaded doors." He paused a moment.

"So it is us four against a fucking invasion as far as I know", he looked us over. "You lot will survive. If you don't get more fucking wounds. I'll run fucking low on IV fluid before this is over. Oh, fucking nice tits. I'd better make sure the blood on them is the bloke's not yours."

Before he finished talking his hands were on my breasts. I gasped for air as his fingers caressed them. Something more than adrenalin surged through my body immediately.

"I am fine, thank you!" I hissed at him, "lets help the others!"

Being to keyed up to sleep I'd decided to clear out the supply room, as Ria said it was mine to fix it up. Suddenly the lights went out, someone yell ''What happened?'' and Max screaming ''SHIT ZOMBIES IN THE LIBRARY!'' Grabbing my AR-15 and slung the strap over my head and shoulder, finding my bats handle in the dark finally. Turning my braves cap around backwards, then gripping the bat in both hands I look out.

Fire lights up the staircase and I see zombies lit by the glow of flames, looking like a hellish nightmare I wade into the fray. ''Hearing Cassie yelling TAKE THAT ASSHOLES!'' With powerful swings zombie limbs and heads depart rotting animated corpses. Soon after an earsplitting explosion rocks the Knight, the concussion slams me into the wall. Shaking me head to clear the cobwebs feel the fire alarm, breaking the glass with the handle of my bat and yank the alarm rings out.

Luckily the emergency lighting came on as well, quickly dodging a fast zombie, I beat it's skull in with a satisfying gory crunch. Turning from one frail the hell out of three more, by now covered in foul smelling zombie shit. Tucking the bat under my arm I flip over a bench, it gives me a little space to raise the AR-15. Popping off head shots as rapidly as I possibly can, quickly dropping ten of the ugly nasty fuckers.

''CASSIE...MAX...YA'LL ALRIGHT?!'' I hear Cassie yell yeah over the fire alarm, a not hearing anything out of Max worried me. The deader zombies lay in a twisted up pile on the other side of the overturned desk. The zombies behind that turn to walk into the fire, it was at the foot of the staircase as they feel into it. Still plenty left I hear a blood curdling screams, growls from zombies along with the snapping of bones. ''WE NEED HELP DOWN HERE GOD DAMNIT!''

Climbing onto the desk, bashing a zombie crawling over other deader ones. I can see better on the desk to tell they're twenty five more coming in. Battering my way past three as I jump from the desk, tucking and rolling over rotting corpses. Slipping along the wall slowly but fast enough to avoid clawing hands, I take a look into the room the screams came from. TD and Vince are hacking away with axes, over what little is left of one of us.

Knights are shouting, children are crying, it's bedlam in our assumed safe haven, at least from zombies getting in. Seeing what seems like a zombie watching through a window, firing my AR-15 I wing it in the shoulder. That was weird it let out a high pitched broken shriek, almost like a teenage boy during puberty. Lex! It's that little sombitch he let the fuckin zombies in!

Deacon

I was busy working on a batch of napalm, it was late, I had gotten halfway with Derry's crossbow, had sharpened all the machetes that I found in the room and I felt kind of sluggish by now. There was some shouting from outside and I shook my head, would these people never stop argueing? Then an explosion rattled the door and the sprinklers came to life.

"What the?"

Then it occured to me that Cassie still had those firesquirters, did one explode? I quickly slipped on my shirt and opened the door, finding the bottom floor dark, the light from behind me spilling out. A zombie lurched into my view, hands extended, jaw open and ready to bite. The reaction was instictive, I grabbed the zombie by it's throat, pulled it into a headbutt, releasing it to stagger backwards and delivered a thrust kick to it's sternum, sending it careening back into the other's attracted to the light.

I closed the door and casted around, I grabbed up the make-shift harness I made earlier when Derry and I went out, slipped two machetes into it and grabbed the bottle of napalm, gripping another machete in my other hand. Loud slams on the door drew my attention, of course, light escaped through the cracks. I flicked off the light, waited for my eyes to adjust to the dark and yanked open the door.

The roar had to be heard through the whole building, I didn't even know I had it in me, but the first three zombies found out that with the roar came a razor sharp machete. I waded into the knot of attackers, they may have been more than I could handle, but as I flung open the door, my mind was settled on one person: Derry

Sure she could look after herself, but I had to make sure that she was safe. Body parts flew away, heads, arms, hands, blood sprayed everywhere, coating me in seconds. But when the madness broke for a few seconds I stood over seven of their corpses. I did think that they were more, but what lay at my feet was the evidence.

More of their number converged on me, I could make out Cramer and the AR-15, I could see zombies crouched over two or three figures, in the gloom it was hard to make out. Then I saw the open door, a door which wasn't supposed to be open. I rushed for it, bowling any zombie that stepped into my way over. I slammed into the door at full-speed, bodies pushed up against it and then gave way, the door slammed shut and I threw the security latch. Turning I attacked the nearest zombie,

"CRAMER! NEXT TIME YOU ORGANIZE A PARTY, REMEMBER THE BEER!!"

Getting frustrated with the clanging just behind me I swung around and killed the alarm with the machete, it stuck. I released it and drew another one, meeting an attack from a zombie, decapitating it in one sweep. I could feel the efforts from loading the truck earlier was catching up with me. I fell back to where Cramer was,

"Cramer! It's me!"

I didn't bother to look, I knew he'd cover my back as I drew the second machete and did the same for him.