"Rebuild": A Zombie Survival RP

[milkmaiden38]

Peter

Peter looked at Cramer, his face clouded in anger.

“You want the leader job? … DO YOU? It is fucking hard … I lost Lex and Thea … The women at the door … I have people complaining, not helping out and stealing food. I have a teacher locked in an audio room … and little kids with no parents. AND THEN SOME PEOPLE THAT WANT TO PLAY THE HERO … AND THEY ARE GOING TO GET US ALL KILLED!! And finally I have some asshole” Peter poked Cramer in the chest “… second guessing decisions that I make … I took the leader job to help out. That is it … TO HELP OUT!”

Peter stepped back and took a deep breathe. He was trying to calm down. He shook his head. His hand running through his thick hair again.

“Sorry Cramer … you did not deserve that outburst … please help out downstairs. Thanks” He said and turned to find Derry and Cassandra for roof duty. a minute later he found Max instead.

“The ladies with the pointy stick are already on the roof.” Max explained. “And I think we have everything ready down here.”

“OH” Peter said.

“Any word on the teacher in the audio room?” Max asked.

“No … I think Robert Riggs went up to try and talk to her”

Derry and Cassandra

“This is how the day started … WOW that seems like a year ago!” I whispered to Derry. She smiled and agreed “Yes …”

“Ok here comes the first team … are you ready?” I asked Derry in a hushed whisper. She had her bow ready and arrows fitted. “Let’s kill some Zombie!”

“Make deader!” I agreed ... catching on to the new term someone made up.

 

[dutchrain]

Team one
On the road

I wrote Peter a message, telling him we had wounded person with us, that we would arrive in about half an hour, that Lee was needed at the entrance; and that Peter should empty the shelves in the browsing room to store the food and things we had.

Looking up from my phone, I caught a glance of a motel in the mirror. A long, longingly sigh escaped my mouth. Beds … I couldn’t believe I miss that so much already after only two nights with a make-do bed. Maybe … Bart made a strange sound.

“Beds,” I sighed, thinking he wanted to know what I was sighing about. “Real beds, with pillows and bedding ...” My voice faded away when I realized he had fallen asleep. The arm he had stretched out on the backrest behind me twitched. I leaned my head against it. It felt good. The twitching didn’t stop though. His face was contorted and he kept making strange sounds. Gasps and growls. It seemed he had a nightmare.

“Bart!” he didn’t respond. I laid my hand on his thigh. Pressed it reassuringly, the twitching only increased. I shook his leg, repeated his name. Skip turned around with a questioning look on his face; in the mirror I caught Thomas’ eyes.

“Wake up! It is just a dream …” Slowly Bart opened his eyes. Suddenly his arm moved and wrapped it self around my neck, pulling me away and down. His other hand landed on my chest, pushing me back until I was turned with my back against his chest. I screamed, his face was still contorted, his eyes didn’t focus and the arm around my neck was choking me. Skip was on his knees on the seat, pulling at Bart’s arm.

“Are you nuts? Stop it!” he yelled. I was pulling at the arm around my neck with both my hands, my nails digging in his skin while yelling at him to wake up. I slapped his face. Hard.

“Wake up! You are dreaming!” at this his eyes became clear. He released the pressure on my neck, but the arm stayed there … He told Skip he was awake. Skip asked him if he was sure of that but sat himself the right way again. Bart kissed me on the top of my head.

“Did I hurt you? I had a nightmare I think. Zombies were groping at me, and me flesh melted … I couldn’t breath.”

“So you decided to choke the zombie that was killing you?” I couldn’t resist asking. He grinned. His other hand wandered over my waist. I took a deep breath …

“Yeah, kind of,” he whispered in my ear. “I rather enjoy it know. Choking this zombie here …” I rubbed my head against his chest, stroking the arm around my neck with my hand.

“This is gross!” Skip murmured, “Like walking in on your parents when they are making out. Officer! You need a car of your own!” I giggled.

“Nothing can destroy a mood as quickly as a teenager,” I still giggled, feeling Bart’s chest move against my back while he chuckled.

“I do need a car of my own,” he grinned, “That one to the right, Thomas, stop beside it will you?” He pointed at a bright red, gleaming pick-up. His arm slowly moved down my shoulders, his hand passing between my breasts, over my tummy before it landed on my thigh. The car stopped. Bart rubbed my thigh just when I started to righten myself and the rubbing moved up over my waist, his fingertips caressed the side of my breast before his arm was around my shoulders again. Only a moment though. We already were watching the scenery around us. The car Bart had selected was standing on the edge of the road, the door ajar. Behind it was little wall, and behind that a parking ground.

What followed already seemed routine: Check the car, drain others, fill our tanks, fill our jerricans and some other containers with gas, collect things we thought we could use, drop them in Bart’s or Vince’s pick-up. Carla kept a look out, as did Ann. First thing I did was to pick up pebbles and pocket them. Skip was breaking open the trunks of cars with open doors, he reckoned no alarm would sound. Bart did some other things to open closed cars. Suddenly I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. Catapult at the ready I turned and saw a waving hand inside a family car.

With Thomas, Bart and Vince I went over. I didn’t have to gag; I had to gulp down puke. What we saw inside was dreadful. Inside the car was a man. He had make-do bandages around one arm. He was lying on the backseat. Half lying, half sitting on the floor beside his feet was a woman. She tried to smile. On the front seat were the dead bodies of three children and an old lady. It took all my force to keep my stomach from turning itself inside out, when I realized the lady wasn’t smiling but grinning. A dead grin.

“You saw someone waving. You are sure of that.” Vince wasn’t really asking if I was sure of what I had said I had seen, he simply doubted I had seen anything. I was starting to do the same. A faint but ugly smell hung around the car.

“Look!” Thomas said almost apologizing, “Isn’t his chest moving?” He pointed at the man and pulled at the door handle.

“This is going to be nasty,” Vince said, shoving Thomas away with his shoulder. “Ready?” Bart was pulling a bandana over his mouth and nose and nodded. Vince hit the window with a big stone he had picked up, and the window bulged inward. Opaque with millions of lines but still mostly intact. Only through a very small gap an awful stench spread itself in the air around us. I worked a tip of my catapult in the small hole until it was buried till the crossing. I levered the windowpane towards me, and jerked it almost out of its frame.

We were immersed in the stench …
I reached in to pull the pin up. It didn’t move.

“Children’s safety lock,” Thomas murmured. Vince and I pulled all the remaining splinters out of the frame, and Bart dived inside. He grabbed the man under his armpits, stretched his arms around his head and moved back. As soon as the man’s head was out and I could reach around, I pulled at a handful fabric. Vince did the same at the other side. In seconds the man’s butt thumped on the ground. John and Skip had come over, spread a pick nick blanket out beside him.

“I wanted that,” Skip protested, but nevertheless he pushed the man on it with the tip of his shoe.

“In the back of my pick-up,” Vince said, and the men each took a tip of the blanket in their hands.

“I better call ahead,” I mumbled, walking behind them. “I hope Lee knows what to do with Carla and him here.”

 

[dutchrain]

Team one
At the Knight

Luckily the streets were almost free from zombies. With four cars in a convoy we made an awful lot of noise, when Thomas had to start his engine again, Bart, the last in the row, killed his to cruise. We made it to the Knight without getting in trouble. I saw Cassandra and Derry on the roof, only a few zombies around the still smoldering piles and we drove up to the entrances as silently as we could. Thomas and Vince to the right one, John and Bart to the left.

The doors opened. People came out. Lee was one of the first, he joined Thomas, Vince and me who already were pulling the stranger from the pickup. He took hold of a corner of the blanket and jerked his head when he saw we all had a good grip. We climbed the stairs, entered the door. I had to grip the blanket with my right hand too; the fabric was slipping out of my hand. It made walking awkward.

“Over here,” Lee pointed to the library offices. “I set up a first aid station here. We have supplies enough for some casualties now.”

I thought this a bit a strange remark. But maybe typical for a military paramedic. Quickly we laid the man on a long table. Lee looked him over. John came in with Carla.

“A graze,” Vince said. “Clean it, stich it, bandage it. Nothing serious.” Lee nodded. He motioned for us to leave and that we did. Stuff was already coming in.

“Put all food in the browsing room. All non-food in the big classroom to the right,” I called loudly before I joined the line of coolies.

“No!” Peter yelled, rushing up to me. “Food in the room where the freezer is!” He pointed to the small storage room.

“Stop! Just put food down here, we will sort it out later. Peter, a word,” I pulled him with me. “We have too much to put it in there. Perishables would rot before we would find them between non-perishables. Food in the browsing room, Peter. That is big enough to sort it into perishable, semi , and non. That small room we can use for alcohol and such. Things we really want and need to keep behind a locked door.” I saw he was getting in a temper.

“Peter, please. I am really tired. I don’t want to argue. As soon as you see what we have you will know I am right. We have enough for three, four weeks without much rationing. Tomorrow we will get more. We need hat big room for food and cooking.”

“We can’t lock it!” he hissed. Pondering this I looked at him for a moment.

“Okay,” I said -he looked pleased, thought I would follow his decision- “No, not okay to what you think. It was just a word to start my sentence. Okay, we wont keep the food locked away. An emergency stack yes, but not the main load. If it isn’t locked away, they will think we have plenty. That way they won’t be tempted to rob some. On top of that, there will be almost always someone around here. Selecting, cooking, preparing, cleaning, setting the table and what not. Tell them to put all the food in the browsing room. Tomorrow you can select some stuff to put in the storage room behind a locked door. Okay?” This okay wasn’t really a question, and he knew it.

“I took responsibility to help, you know! And now all are hacking on me and telling me I am doing it wrong!” This made me mad.

“Yeah, life isn’t a picnic, welcome to it anyway!” I had lost my temper too. I counted down from five. Quickly; and wasn’t really calmed down when I continued, “Peter, that is what it is. First, you are not the sole leader. Max and I are as well. We agreed on that. Some others have taken responsibility for certain things too. Second, if you make yourself stand out, people will react. In one way or in an other. That is a fact. Look, we really need to get organized. Divide he responsibilities between the three of us or more but now, please get a grip and lets get on. It is late. We got to empty four cars. We have to select the food for tonight. Toast bread, salad and bacon I was thinking of. I want to shower. We need to find a cook and helpers. Don’t you think that is enough?” I started to walk away.

“Oh, by the way, this small classroom here (I looked around in the room we were standing in) will be my room from now on. Tomorrow I will organize myself some bedding, a drape, a wardrobe and other stuff. Candles would be nice, or a little solar powered chain of led-lights. The garden center certainly will have these.”

I walked in on Max. I was still steaming. Told him what would be my room from now on.

“Max, food in the browsing room. Dinner will be all the toast bread you can find, bacon, some eggs and salad. Breakfast tomorrow will be cornflakes, cereals and milk. We have lots of milk. Now I am going to shower. In your shower. Where are my things?”

Half an hour later I was showered and was in the small kitchen with Carol, Sandra (who understandingly refused to leave her mother) and Scotty and prepared dinner. Bart had showered too -was wearing a too short set of jogging pants and a hoody- and was talking with Peter, Max and Vince somewhere.

 

[Iscaa]

Cassandra and I watched as the convey of vehicles quietly made their way to the Knight. It all went well, I glanced at Cassie and nodded my head, still ready to draw my bow at a second's notice if needed. We carefully watched as Lee, Thomas and others poured out of the doors, they swiftly took out an injured man on a blanket and between them carefully as they could, hauled him inside.

We watched as the food was passed from the vehicles to the front door and inside. I quietly said to Cassie,

"Boy there is a massive load of food coming in....it looks like we have enough for weeks....maybe even a month or more....wow I'm impressed. They did good that is for sure. Look ..look...milk fresh produce...oh we are going to eat well for a while."

Cassie nodded looking down as I now looked further afield..to make sure all was still safe. Soon the food was all inside, nodding to Cassandra, we decided to go downstairs. As we walked I turned to her and asked,

"So what are you going to do about Peter? I want you to know I am on your side 100 % ....but I have been thinking. We really really need to have a meeting...get some kind of organization in leadership. I know Max and Ria are supposed to be helping Peter with decisions, but I think he is becoming overwhelmed by all the responsibilities. And on top of that we are getting more and more people. We need some kind of governing body to ....select different people for different jobs, what do you think?"

I let all this sink into Cassandra as we made our way to the front of the building where all the activity was still going on. I was hoping she wouldn't come down on Peter in too harsh a mode, but I wasn't forgetting that he had put her life in real jeopardy either. To lighten the mood a bit I grinned adding,

"By the way, next time we go out foraging, let's hit a boutique....I really need to get some decent outfits....what do you say?"

 

[milkmaiden38]

Cassandra and Derry

I laughed at Derry's joke. “Are you trying to say … my outfit” I look down at Kip’s shirt, the oversized pants I still had on and the tennis shoes “is not high end! … I’ll tell you... this is considered high fashion in New York right now!”

It was about this time that we ran into Dan … from the party van. He was looking so much better. “Dan … are you meeting everyone?” I asked

“Yes … this place feels like a castle … and everyone is pretty positive and helpful. Someone named Lola helped me find a charger … so my phone is changing … I’ll try calling my parents soon.” He said hopeful.

“That’s great … but prepare yourself for the worst.” I recommended.

He nodded and said “I know … but I want to know one way or another. You know what I mean?”

“Yes” I said. We move on and Derry leaned over to me and said “He’s cute!”

I giggled “Yes … and he has a nice big cock too” Derry just stared at me “NOOOO you didn’t fuck him … there was not enough time!” She gasped.

I giggled some more “You are right … I didn’t … but I did feel him up … and he has got a nice one!”

“CASSIE … you are SOO NAUGHTY?” Derry added smiling.

We made it to the ground floor and saw Carla (Who had her nose up in the air about something). I turned to Derry and whispered “she is a self-centered bitch! Her name is Carla” Just then Peter came up from behind us.

“What are you two whispering about?... probably about how good looking I am!” He said jokingly … with his best friendly smile on his face. I turned to him and said forcefully “Peter we need to talk right after dinner!”

He held up both his hands like he was surrendering “Yes … I promise … right after dinner” Then he walked away.

Derry smiled at me “You did the right thing Cassie” she said. I hope I had. As I looked at more of the new people I almost freaked out. I gasped and turned to Derry pointing at one of the new folks.

“OH shit Derry ... I know that guy! He's a cop!" I said to her.

As I turned back … the cop was walking right towards me. I tried to act cool as he arrived.

"Officer Bart ... you are alive! I'm ...glad?” I said still trying to act indifferent ... but I lost my cool act and wrapped my arms around him and gave him a big hug. "I'm sooo glad!!!" i was almost in tears. As we separated I regained my cool ... and I said with a clever smile on my face “... you know … you have not "LAPPED" me yet!"

 

[removed110513]

Daniel

The entire trip outside had been a bit... Overwhelming, you could say. It was going absolutely fine, until I had gotten some zombie blood onto a cut. I had told them it was alright, but Derry and Cassandra thought that injecting me with loads of antibiotics was the best thing to do. Knowing arguing with them was useless, I let them do it. Derry was the only one who had returned, and I worried for Cassandra at first, but I knew, for some reason, that she was fine.

Once both teams had returned, I had broken away from everyone. I needed to breath. I felt suffocated, like something was pushing down on my chest. I ran up tot he roof, the only safe place that was out of the building. Once I made it up there, I quickly began vomiting. I felt horrible. My head was pounding, my heart was racing, and my stomach was twisted.

Was it the infection? Had the antibiotics not taken care of it? I thought while emptying the contents of my stomach. Which wasn't a whole lot, to be honest.mi finished quickly, the small amount of rations that hadn't been digested having left me.

I fell onto the ground, on my hands and knees, panting. After a moment, I began to feel better, my breathing returning to normal. My heart slowed down, and my head slowly stopped pounding. Slowly, the pain began ebbing away.

Once I felt better, I began to take deep breaths, retrieving my thoughts. After a moment, I felt good as new. No, that wasn't right. I felt better. I felt invincible. I was unstoppable. I rose, a newfound confidence within me, and returned inside. As I walked by everyone, I realized how pathetic they all were. I was above them! They weren't worthy of my help, my presence! I had risked my life, for these low lives!

It was then that I realized that, if anything, I should be the leader of this group! not Peter! He hadn't risked his life, he hadn't gone out and faced the zombies, almost dying! He was a coward, staying inside and telling others to sacrifice their lives for the "sake of the community". Bullshit! He was sending the strong out, those who opposed him, who were threats, so they would die and he would be the indisputable leader, with no opposition! And I was the only one who could see beyond his siren charms, behind that smile on his face! He was a dictator, a tyrant! And only I could stop him! No one else was worthy of being leader!

My ear, the one that had been "infected", as the girls on his team had worried, stung a bit, and I reached up to touch it. I didn't feel any liquid, so I didn't let it bother me. I had more important things to worry about, like overthrowing Peter.

 

[Wolfias]

After Cramer had stood with his hands on his hips, staring down Peter allowed him his little moment to vent his rant on him. "Yeah I know...It's forgotten already no argument from me.'' He shook his head as he rolled up his sleeves heads off to lend a hand, lord knows they sure as hell needed it. A slight grin curled upon his lips when an idea crossed his mind, maybe that pretty lil Norah gal has something too heavy to lift.

Reaching the doors Peter was having a cow for him to open, finding them already opened by someone with initiative of their own. ''Well hell lookie here...a feller ye ain't give a order beat me to it.'' This he muttered under his breath with a low chuckle, intercepting Nora struggling with a box the feisty little lady had was way to heavy for her.

With a smirk Cramer stops in front of her. ''I thank ye shud gitta bigger heavier box lil gal...Taking the box he shook his head at her. ''Hush now before we block traffic here I got this...c'mon ye can help unload this un.''

Turning around he heads back inside the Knight following the others looking like a trail of ants. Cramer's long legged strides would have had Norah at a quick trot to keep up with him. ''Keep up shorty daylights a burnin and you gotta unpack this un.''

 

[dutchrain]

In the kitchen

We worked well as a kitchen team, Carol, Scotty and I. Little Sandra was a help too, she was pleased to break two trays of eggs into a big bowl. She had to use all her concentration for this, with the tip of her tongue peeking out between her lips she knocked each egg a few times on a coffee cup; each time a bit harder, until it broke.

Carol selected vegetables, separated what had to be used now from things we could use in a day or two and handed them to Scotty and me, who washed and cut them up. We didn’t have salad bowls. It was Scotty’s idea to put all the chopped up lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and sweet peppers into one of the big pots.

“I love cooking,” Scotty chatted, “It is kind of nice to have lots of food in your hands.”

Someone came down with a big pot with the lid bound to the handles with a piece of rope. Lola! I had forgotten her! My face must have turned white as a sheet, all looked at me while I pulled the knots faster in my frenzy to open them.

“The insulin for Lola is in here,” I explained groaning and cursing with the effort to undo the knots I had made so many hours ago. Carol didn’t say anything, just took the knife I had been cutting the vegetables with and cut the rope. Quickly I took out the bread and the other things, packed all of Lola’s insulin, syringes and he rest in a towel -pleased the insulin was still cool to the touch- and told the others I would return as soon as I had handed it over to Lola. I headed up the stairs. Had to climb some more because someone told me Lola was on the fourth floor. When I couldn’t find her, and called her name loudly someone told me she was on the second floor. Finally I found her, and handed her the towel. She didn’t say anything, just looked at me, tears running over her face. I hugged her, and after a while she calmed down.

“I better check,” she said, wiping her fingertip with a disinfectant gauze. “I was so afraid I would die …” I watched her for a moment the smiles on both our faces gleaming with joy when the color beside her drop of blood indicated the sugar level in her blood was still on the safe side. Very high, but safe.

Immensely relieved I headed back to kitchen. Quite some people seemed to be working and debating in the browsing room, I noted when I passed. I stopped to listen. After a little while Peter came out. Smiling I called him.

“Peter! I just brought Lola the insulin. So much has happened today I forgot we had found some. Do you have a minute? I am calmed down now, and we should talk.”

 

[milkmaiden38]

Peter's Plan

Ria came out of the make shift kitchen area … and said “Peter! I just brought Lola the insulin. So much has happened today I forgot we had found some. Do you have a minute? I have calmed down now, and we should talk.”

Peter smiled placing a hand on Ria’s shoulder “you look very tried … you have done so much … I really want to thank you … you and your team have been awesome. How about we wait until after dinner. Would that be ok?” He suggested.

He thought he saw a small nod from her in agreement … that was good enough for him “Great” he said and hurried off to speak to the guards at the library.

Peter did not know it … but peter was scared. He was scared of losing power at the library. But how Peter was justifying his actions were with the following thoughts:

“Ria and Max wanted him. Peter, to take all the heat for bad decisions … while they controlled things from behind the scenes. Control him like he was a puppet! He was fed up with that. He needed to be in charge and get all the benefits and disadvantages associated with the leadership position. One benefit … lots of pussy! He needed to be the sole leader of the Library!”

Peter was not a bad person … but the recent events and the scatch on his arm from the zombie … was affecting him. He headed over to a small group meeting he had set up with TD Silverman, Abe Roach, and Tersa Leaderman. 3 of the guards/lookouts at the Library. Peter arrived at the meeting spot away everyone else in the library, where the four could talk in private. He looked at each of them:

First TD Silverman, TD was one of the guys that had said “I gotta risk my life to get food for someone who won't?" He was an asshole. No doubt about it. But he had not taken the food from Max, Peter was pretty sure of that. He was someone who only thought about themselves. Peter needed someone like that right now.

Then it was Abe Roach, a Judo black-belt and former wrestler, The guy looked like a bouncer. He was huge and he was not very smart. Peter could easily manipulate him.

Finally there was Tersa Leaderman, she was tough … so tough she had to be a dike. She wore camo pants, and a no sleeve tank top. Her hair was like a man’s, very short. She had tattoos down one arm. Peter thought she could be controlled by power … and particularly by givng her power over some of the women in the library. Peter could see her with a big strap-on banging away at Cassandra, while the stripper was tied up!

All of them had volunteered to be Lookout and/or Scavenger. Peter had not asked Kip to the meeting, the fourth lookout, fearing he would go tell Ria what he was about to tell them.

“Everyone … we have a big problem … there are people in this library trying to take over. They want to lead everyone … so they can take advantage of them. I only have to point to the missing food, the bump on Max’s head. Lex’s actions, to show you all the evidence. These people that want to take over … because they are scared … but scared people will do crazy things." He paused, then he continued

"I think they want to remove you all from your present jobs. They want to take control of all the weapon in the library. We need to stop them.” Peter said.

Abe was the first one to speak up “What do you need us to do boss?” he asked in his simple way.

“I’m going to make a little speech after dinner and I need you all to stand at the bottom of the staircase and look tough. This should be enough to straighten out the bad actors in the library. People like this are usually weak and cowardly. Show them a little force and they run and hide. Also during the next few days collect up all the weapons. I want us to have all the weapons … here in the library. That way we can maintain control.” Peter explained.

“But no one is going to give up their weapons!” TD pointed out.

“Yes … they will ... the library is full of little kids … if I find one of the kids playing with a weapon … it will be the excuse I need to store them in a safe place. Teams going outside can get them back … but in the library they will be locked up for everyone’s safety!”

Everyone nodded in agreement to Peter’s plan.

 

[dutchrain]

Ria

It was difficult to keep the smile on my face when Peter laid his hand on my shoulder and complimented me in quite a patronizing way. I wasn't sure he really understood how dangerous it was outside. Scotty had chatted a lot in the quarter of an hour we had been working together. Amongst other things I now knew Peter hadn't helped Cassandra when the zombies hunted her (I was angry with myself as well when I heard that, I hadn't asked her why she had jumped into the river. I just had assumed she had been impulsive once again. And now I was asking myself what spontaneous action had caused the zombies hunting her ...) and that Miss Lowers had locked herself into a room.

Walking down the stairs to the kitchen I shook it of my shoulders, telling myself Peter was just under an awful lot of pressure. After dinner would be alright to talk things over. I was wondering why no-one had made a bow, and why no-one had at least made a stack of arrows for Cassandra and Derry. I wanted them on the roof on Wednesday when we hopefully would have a chainsaw or two to fell trees around the Knight to block the windows off.

"Ria!" Skip hollered and ran down the stairs with a big plastic sack in his hands. "You load the washing machine? This are mine, John's, Thomas' and Bart's clothes and towels." He held the sack out to me. I turned on the stairs and looked at him, my hands behind my back.

"You know where the washing machine is, don't you? Load it yourself and start it. Just sort the clothes on the two heaps I made of mine, the towels on the towel heap and put the biggest one in first." At my last words I turned and went into the kitchen. Skip followed me.

"You do it, Ria, I don't know how," he said with an innocent, helpless expression. The kitchen was full, Vince had come down too, and was chopping the bacon.

"I just told you," I grinned, "Put the biggest heap in first. You need more explanations? Turn the knob or push the button according to what the small thingies in the clothes say, and don't forget to put washing powder in."

"Please, Ria?" he tried again.

"Skip!" I said sternly.

"Okay!" he said, dropped the sack and turned.

"Come back! You young ... Take that sack with you and wash the stuff!" Sandra was giggling, whispered to her mother if she should do it, Carol shook her head trying to hide a smile, Scotty gleamed and Vince laughed.

"Come on soldier!" he said hiccuping, "Do as the lady told you. I can't believe it ..."

"You said yourself I should skip it!" protested Skip.

"I didn't! I called you by your name!"

"No, you aways call me Skip, but I am Kip," he said dignified.

"No way I will call you chicken!" I said disgusted. Blank stares met my eyes when I looked around me. Skip's was blankest of all. "Kip means chicken in Dutch," I explained. "I won't call you that!"

 

[DeathsKnight]

Deacon Frost

If only there had been more time, just a few minutes more, he might have found her. Deacon rested his arms on the window frame, looking down at the street. His mind wandering back down that shaky avenue of could-have-beens, he knew it was wrong and he shouldn't, but there wasn't much else to do when you're holed up on the second floor of a building.

He must have been one of the last to be able to flee the stadium, Lucy had gone to buy herself a beer, while she was gone the riots erupted and Deacon fled from the seats to find Lucy, but pretty soon he found that the stadium was being over run. The only consolation he could find for himself before running out of the stadium was that Lucy was a slender girl and would most likely get swept up with the milling crowd, also she knew this place better than him. The only thing he knew was where he had parked his truck and he headed for that.

But already the crazed people was on the outside as well, he met pockets of them as he tried to make his way to his truck. As the rest of the crazies started to over run the parking area, he had no other option than to head the same way most people had taken. He ran for as long as he could, making certain to stay out of the way of any person not heading in the same direction. It was a stroke of luck which made him find the house, a car swerved out of the way for a person, Deacon could not tell if it was a crazy, but by the way it stood in the middle of the road he thought that it must be. The car crashed into the side of a building, it was then that Deacon noticed that the front door was slightly ajar.

He rushed in, closed the door behind him and to his delight found a baseball bat in the umbrella holder. He carefully searched through the house, but it was empty, both ground and second floor, he sat down in the kitchen to take a breather, it had been quite a hectic run and he could feel the strain on himself. After a few minutes of trying to make sense from it all, he decided that for now the best move was to wait out the storm. He collected as much of the food that he could, raiding the adjoining garage he found camping supplies, then he lugged it all to the second floor, he picked a corner room which gave him a wide angled view. It was definitely a boy's room, as the half-naked posters, model cars and finally clothing strewn around proved.

If only he had a few minutes more...

 

[Wolfias]

Cramer stood gazing out a window of the library, the memory of his dear Katie's grizzly death replaying in his mind. She was by his side one moment, dragged down screaming his name the next, while he tried with all his might to save her. He told himself I was right there and those people...Oh my God they were devouring her. Clenching his right fist in anger grinding it into his left, wishing he'd either saved her or died with her. Damn you Cramer you could have saved her or die trying. Mind wrenched with extremely mixed emotions his eyes burned with unshed tears. Thinking where were you God he raged to the silent heavens, she worshipped you, cried out to you and where were you nowhere that's where. His head hung with slumped shoulders feeling lost, this wonderful life he shared with his beautiful Katie. The six week old baby boy she carried gone with her, life as he knew it turned into a horror he'd never imagined possible. Muttering under his breath in a voice barely audible, a swear of vengeance upon those things crossed his trembling lips. Clenching his teeth together a resolve begins to build, like a furnace it was stoked to a barely contained intense blaze. Katie girl...I know you'd want me to fight and live for on you and our baby boy. Wiping the last tears from tired bloodshot brown eyes, the man he was now gone with his wife and son. The man that remained would fight alright, like the survivors he was surrounded by now.

 

[typacritt]

Bart catches up....


Holding Ria close in the car felt good. She had woken me from my nightmare when I'd nearly choked her, but even then she'd stayed close. When my hand fell into her lap I Couldn't help but let the tips of my fingers stroke her thigh. She moved then. Straightening up her eyes darting to the 'kids' in the front who couldn't help but glance round every few minutes. As she sat up my hand rested on her flat stomach. I could feel the hard muscle jump at my touch. She turned and smiled as my fingertips pushed under her trouser belt. The smile was accompanied with a sharp nip from the hand resting on my thigh. I coughed to cover my laugh. My hand retreated up to her ribs, sliding under her arm do my fingers just touched the side of her beast. She tested her head on my chest and relaxed sliding jet hand further down towards my knee. All the while a steady rhythm was playing in my groin in time with my heart beat. It took all my concentration to keep an erection at bay. You wouldn't want to scare the kids would you? Meanwhile Ria lay back onto my chest eyes closed with the merest hint of a smirk.

As soon as the car speed Ria was in action getting ready to unload the food. Her parting shot was to slide her hand back up my thigh, veering away from my groin at the last second kissing my cheek and suggesting I sit here for a while regain my composure. Then she was gone!

It was good advise as it turned out. I moved out of the car towards the doors watching the team unload. As I walk through the doors I saw a blur of motion to my right. I turn just in time to be hit by a crush of soft flesh. I was squeezed so hard it knocked the breath out of me. I tried to move my groin at from her as she squeezed hoping she wouldn't notice anything amiss.

She let me go. Only then did I realise who it was. Cassie. What a wild girl she was! I hugged her back to me. "Lap you; I could never catch your fast ass!" I said with a smile. The only time I'd ever caught her was one night when she'd been street racing. She'd won the race and I'd chased her for miles before she stopped. I whispered in her ear " the only time you let me catch you, I think you were only trying to get a look at my night stick."

I'd given her a good talking to that night but had let her off with a fine. Later she'd not been so lucky and as a result she'd become well known to the local highway police and the HQ but that's another story.

 

[Iscaa]

As we talked about Peter, Cassie suddenly caught sight of someone from her past. Pointing at a large man she cried,

“OH shit Derry ... I know that guy! He's a cop!"

My heart thudded at her words, (Oh geezz I hope there isn't going to be big troubles now!) With great relief I watched as Cassie pretended to be cold to the cop, but then her usual exuberance overcame her and she gave him a huge hug exclaiming,

"Officer Bart ... you are alive! I'm soooo...glad!”

I stood back, watching the warm reunion between Cassandra and Bart, it made me smile. They seemed to be very comfortable with each other, it was good, after all the tension of the last few hours. As they spoke I thought about the up coming meeting with Peter, (He seems to be different then at the start of all this. Hell we all are different now, we are living in a nightmare and if we are are to survive we have to change. That is all there is to it I am sure of that, I just hope it's a change for the better.)

Cassie finally turned towards me and introduced the officer,

"Derry I would like you to meet Officer Bart....you know I never can remember your last name! But it doesn't matter right now, ....Bart meet my good friend Derry."

I nodded my head and reached to shake his hand replying,

"Pleased to meet you Officer Bart.....?"

He took my hand saying,

"Bart....Bart Sanders at your service."

We all smiled at each other now, before Bart said,

"Well I think I better see if anyone needs a hand in the kitchen."

We watched as he walked away, it was good to have a police officer in our group, might help to keep things from getting out of control. I had a funny gut feeling about Peter. Turning towards Cassandra I said,

"Well, lets get some dinner and get on with that meeting with Peter, the sooner we get it over with the better."

Agreeing with me, Cassie and I went to see if any help was needed for dinner.

 

[milkmaiden38]

Cassandra

“Remember to stress that correctly … “fast ass” not “Fat Ass!” I said to Officer Bart. We both laughed. I intro’ed Derry and then we said good bye and headed in different directions.

The dinner was awesome. Real food, cooked and I would not say there was lots but there was enough. It had put everyone in a really good mood. At the end of the meal, Peter got up, climbed up the stairs a bit and asked everyone to be quiet. Three of the “Knight guards” that was their new name, for the watch team guarding the library took the steps below him.

Peter

Peter stood on the higher steps on the staircase. He did this to make sure everyone could hear him and also everyone had to look up to him. This location alone helped him seem more like their leader, their ONLY leader. Additionally he had ask the night guards to take the steps below him with their weapons in hand … it was subtle … but it kind of gave the impression he had a little guard force of his own.

“Everyone … I hope you enjoyed the meal today. I know the day started out badly with the news that everyone was only to get 2 candy bars … for the whole day to eat. Then the news got worse … Lex turned up missing and all the food was gone. But working together … as a team … we turned this day around. This is what this library community can do … we are best when we work as a team. We can do anything! I truly believe that.

I want to talk about something I saw today. After Cassandra bicycle ride … Lily turn to Kelly” Peter had learned the little girls’ names and he pointed them out in the eating area. “and said … When I grow up I’m going to be just as brave as Cassandra!

Do you know what I said to both those girls …” Peter paused for dramatic effect “I said … EVERYONE in this library has been very brave. And I thanked both those girls.

I truly believe that … Maybe you were inspired by President Abraham Lincoln or Peyton Manning or Maybe you think Spiderman is a hero … or maybe Mother Teresa for caring for orphans. But really … All these people are heroes …

Today both Team 1 and Team 2 … did some great things today. But so did Robert Riggs … and Max … Scotty … Lee Garner” He said and then smiling at the little girl named Lily “and even Lily … because Lily helped to remind us how everyone here in the library is a hero. EVERYONE.” Peter smiled looking out in the crowd.

“I’d like to give team 1 and team 2 a big round of applause for the food gathered … but also please give yourself a round as well … because everyone in this library is a hero in my book!”

Everyone in the library started clapping. A few people near Ria clapped her on the back. As the clapping slowed down. Peter waved for the clapping to stop.

“I have called for a meeting of the planning team tonight … I know they are tired … they did not want to have a meeting … but for the good of the other people here in the library it is important we meet. I have set up the 3rd floor conference room for the meeting … Let’s make it right after dinner … Thanks everyone!” Peter said … walking down the steps and going around the room …. Thanking each person individually. Shaking their hands … He was working the room like a good Politician!

 

[dutchrain]

Perplexed I looked at Peter climbing the stairs and three guards positioning themselves a few steps lower, just like bodyguards or a security. I shot a glance around the table and caught Andrea and Paul, staring questioning and unbelieving at each other, and how the shrugged their shoulders. So these two weren't invited to be part of Peter's Pretorians.

Peter's speech was okay. Although a bit patronizing. And then he asked everyone to applaud everyone. I shook my head and clapped my hands a few times. Shrugged my shoulders when some clapped me on my back. John, Norah and Skip were sitting opposite me and stopped clapping when I did. Max clapped a bit longer, but looked very astonied at what was happening. Vince shot inquiring glances at me and stopped clapping his hands when I did. Daniel seemed to steam with rage ... he hadn't even lifted his hands.

Like a cheesy politician hunting votes Peter started to shake hands with everyone. When he shook Daniel's hand his face went dark red. He recovered quickly though and continued shaking hands and praise people.

Finally he was done and started to walk away.

"I don't know of anyone on the planning team who has expressed he or she didn't want a meeting after dinner, Peter," I said loud enough to be heard over the ruckus started by people talking to each other. "I do know of quite some people who wanted to talk before dinner. Before we started to prepare dinner even. So why did you say the planning team didn't want a meeting? Why are you implying this to all those that are here now and not on the planning team?" He froze for a moment, continued his way up the stairs.

I watched him, and noted some agitated whispers around the table.

"Aren't you a leader too," Robert whispered into my ear, "didn't you know what he was going to say? Why?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"I honestly have no idea why he did this," both of us knew I meant the remark about the meeting and not the rest of Peter's speech.

"Stop a moment, please!" I said to Carol and her daughters who, with the help of some other children, had started to stack the plates together. "Scrape all the little rests onto one plate, and put it on the ground for the dog. He will love it."

A girl shuddered. "That is gross!" she exclaimed. At my "What is gross?" she explained: "The dog eating from a plate!" Quite some people grinned or giggled and some nodded their heads in agreement. I smiled.

"Well, you make sure that plate is washed extra careful then. I am sure we will find a more adapt vessel for Nana tomorrow. Maybe you could write her name on it then? That way no-one would use it to eat their cornflakes out of." Now she giggled and shuddered exaggerated. She promised me she would write 'Nana' all over the bowl to make sure nobody would eat from it.

Smiling I got up and made my way to the room Peter wanted us to meet. Cassandra and Derry already were on the stairs, Vince followed me, and Norah and Cramer followed him after some whispering. On the landing I looked down, and saw Skip climbing the stairs too.

 

[removed110513]

Daniel

I had gone to dinner, knowing everyone was heading their, and it was going fine. The food was pretty good, and it was satisfying to have a good meal after our paltry rations from this morning and the day before. I deserved it too; I had, after all, risked my life today. The least I could get was a good meal.

When Peter walked up a couple steps on the stairs for a speech, with a couple people carrying weapons in front of him, I immediately knew what he was doing. Peter wasn't just going to congratulate everyone for their "good work" and for "working together". He was trying to enforce his position as leader. His speech only confirmed my opinion. It was so patronizing, so condescending. I was seething with rage. He had no right to speak like that to me! He hadn't even left the library! He had no rights over anyone else whatsoever!

When Peter came around, shaking everyone's hand, I quickly composed myself. I had to wait for the meeting after dinner. Losing my cool in front of everyone wouldn't help me become the leader. When Peter made it to me, we shook hands, but I whispered to him.

"Nice speech, but when I leader, mine will be much better," I whispered to him. He turned red when he heard me, but he quickly regained himself, calming down. He didn't say anything; he just smiled at me, as if I had told him a joke. This set me positively fuming, but I choked down my anger. Now wasn't the time nor the place.

I had a great time, though, seeing Ria tell Peter off. Finally, somebody agreed with me! She saw, too, that Peter was attempting to control everyone! She would be most useful in his uprising. Everyone knew that she was one of the leaders, and she had done nothing but helped everyone survive. She also had been part of Team 2, thus increasing everyone's respect for her. She would be most useful indeed.

I had immediately decided, once Peter had finished his speech, that I would go to that meeting he had mentioned. I saw Peter was climbing the steps, and followed after him. Everyone else was downstairs, talking. I put my hand in my pants pocket,and felt my fathers knife there. It was a switchblade, which would be most useful if I needed to injure someone. Hopefully it wouldn't come down to that, but if it did, I wouldn't hesitate to use the knife.

 

[Wolfias]

Having taken a seat alongside Norah I enjoyed the meal, the smell of dinner cooking had my stomach growling. As my food just begins to digest, it's time for the great Leaders little act.

Oh joy...time for the 5th grade play to start...where's the camcorder? My delivery was classic deadpan, from Pop I had picked up part of his dry wit. In better moods the playful sarcasm of Mom, well it would have been very evident.

The longer Peter spoke the rebel side of me grew even more riled up, as a future society this bullshit ain't how it's done I thought. Thankfully the patronizing speech ended but Peter's act wasn't over yet.

Aww hell and damnation here he comes. I wanted to tell the little Napoleon off right then and there, in my seat a heartbeat too long for effect before standing to shake his hand hard. Nice show oh great leader. Ending the handshake Peters palm was sweaty, I clapped him on the shoulder a little too hard as well.

Heading of with Norah trailing along behind Cassandra, several others I didn't know except by name. My bicep would brush against Norah's shoulder, glancing down to her she was about the same size as my Kaitlyn. Well...lil gal what wus yer opinion of that dog and pony show?

With my heartbroken the resemblance between Kaitlyn and Norah was unnoticed, but just now it would hit me like a ton of bricks and choked me up. Clearing my throat hoping none had noticed my emotional state, pinching the bridge of my nose to appear as if I had a headache. This was just a way to hide the tears welling up in my eyes, shaking it off to pull myself together once more.

Knowing there was a shit load of trouble brewing over leadership, I was damned sure not going to get used by anyone with ulterior motives. Nobody else was either if I had a any say in the matter, as a group survival was at the forefront of everything we did and it wasn't coming at the cost of freedom.

 

[milkmaiden38]

Cassandra

Peter was the first one in the conference room. He took the head spot on the long table like he was the chairman of the board or something. Then Max went in, then Ria, John, Kip, Thomas and finally Derry, Daniel and I entered the conference room.

“This is for the planning team only” Peter said to Derry, Daniel and me.

I was the first to reply to peter’s statement. “Peter … you promised to meet with us after dinner. You can have your planning meeting in a minute. But each team learned a lot today and I think we need to share the information.” Peter was upset.

“How can I help get things organized around here … if people don’t follow the rules. I’ll talk to the food gathering teams … AFTER the planning meeting.” Peter said

But I was not going to back down. “Look Peter … I almost got eaten today … damn it! It is dangerous out there.” That seemed to quiet him down. I decided to give some ground on my side too. I took a deep breath.

“Ok, the teams can share information at another time … But both teams need to understand when it is ok to return to the library. How many zombies can be on our tail before it is unsafe to return?” I asked.

Peter shook his head “I can’t give you a simple number. If there was only one on your tail … but it was a really tough one … then one is too many.”

I looked at him “How about … the teams use their best judgment? I think I have a good idea how many zombies the Library can hold back and eradicate.” I suggested.

Peter shook his head “NO … the team’s judgment is clouded by zombies chasing them. They will always think it is safe to bring the hordes back here. It needs to be someone here at the library. How about a planning cell leader. Today that would have been Max or I.”

“That did not work out so well” I pointed out.

“In fact, Cassandra it did work out well. You survived as did everyone in the library. The bigger problem is why you felt it was necessary to endanger everyone here in the library!’ Peter said accusingly

“WHAT … shut the fuck up Peter” I said pretty upset now. Derry and Daniel were also getting pissed. But I knew if I kept swearing I’d lose this argument. I took a deep breath and forced myself not to get upset at Peter’s comment.

“Peter” I said in a calmer voice “I did not going outside to bring zombie back here. I when outside to get food. We knew there was risk that more zombies would come to the library as a result. But the gain was much needed food. I weighed the risk of the zombies following me, the strength of the walls of the library, the fire bomb effects and felt I could easily get inside before the zombies. Thus the risk to everyone here was very small. You waved me off the library even before you knew how many followed me or how close they were to me.”

“You said it was a horde. That is too many!” Peter said firmly.

“Peter, you said NO … and when I tried to explain you said NO before I could. That does not sound reasoned or rational … if the teams in the field can’t trust the leaders at the library … we do have a BIG PROBLEM” I told him

Everyone in the room could see that this argument might tear the library community apart. Max decided to jump in and smooth things over.

“It was a pretty wild situation; Cassandra you have to admit that … things were happening fast … Peter needed to make a quick decision … There was not that much time to discuss stuff.” Max said and added “I can tell you this … Peter has your back. He even told me afterwards … he was worried about all the teams out there. Now how about the planning committee write up a few options on the zombie following rule and we have a library wide vote. Does that sound fair?” Max proposed.

“Ok” I agreed.

Peter said "Good ... now everyone not on the planning committee please leave the room."

 

[dutchrain]

Ria
At the meeting

I had listened to the exchange between Peter and Cassandra and Max' solution to the problem silently and studying them all. The moment Peter dismissed all but us three from the room I opened my mouth.

"Just a moment, Peter. I think at least one of them should stay. As should Cramer since he is head of the agricultural devision, Norah, head of the communications and power department and information department, Daniel since he is a hunter, Thomas as transportation manager, I would like Lee to be here as well, but that might be a bit problematic for him just now. Robert or Susan should be here too. We need to have a meeting with all of them once a day, most practical would be in the evening so everyone is able to discuss what has been learned during the day. After that a discussion between us three would be fine." Looking around I saw some tense faces and some, who had been heading for the door, turned. I took a deep breath. I had more to say, a lot more. Carefully to appear calm and at ease I had pulled a chair from the table, and seated myself.

"Concerning the security: I for one, am wondering why there were no guards on the roof with bows and arrows, or Molotovs ready to defend the teams outside when they came back," I said, pensively looking around me. "Why has no guard build a bow, why wasn't a new stack of arrows waiting for Cassandra and Derry when they came back?"

While I talked I had taken my phone out off my pocket and opened the mail I had gotten in the late afternoon.

"Concerning information: This is a mail from a friend's husband, a renown german microbiologist who got called in by the government -Saturday in the middle of the night there, Saturday afternoon here- when the zombies first appeared here. He has been part of a team of six, hidden in some bunker with his wife and the families of the others, started to work on the zombies nearly as soon as they appeared in Germany too. What I gathered, is that he sent the paper in the attachment to all mail addresses he could take hold of, wanting to know who was still around and who could work with them or who could sent the message to other microbiologists or specialists on viruses and bacteria, medical researchers and so on."

I looked at Cassandra and Derry. "Isn't one or aren't both of you studying fields connected with microbiology? Kurt tells us, they found a virus on and in all three of the zombies they could capture which violently attacks all other viruses and bacteria which normally are found on a human being. It doesn't seem to be the cause of zombie-ism though at this point, but in his opinion it is connected with it."

Some where still standing, some had seated themselves around the table. Peter looked livid, but that didn't interest me much. His three guards where standing in the door, blocking Skip from entering again and the girl was hissing at Cassandra, Derry and Norah to come out and leave. She used other words and not their names but descriptions not fit to call any human by though. Daniel was seething again but kept his composure, as did Cramer. Vince stood behind Skip, a hand on his shoulder to keep him calm, using a stage whisper to tell him to just listen for the moment.

"Peter, maybe you should calm the guards. And I think you should stop to disguise your questions and proposals as orders. I would have told you this in private, but I have seen no possibility to do so so far."

 

[Wolfias]

I just stood beside Norah with my arms crossed, jaw clenched the muscles twitched just slightly. This power playing had gotten old and I'd had enough, clearing my throat loud enough to get everyone's attention. I do not want to be the leader round here, but this is...as wreaked as it is it's still America damn it. This juvenile power play ain't going to fly anymore, anyone that thinks it will is just a deluded fool.

Peter a real leader puts others needs ahead of there own man, It's pretty damned clear what you are and that's a dictator. We have three people here that's joint leadership, so we could avoid all this bullshit to begin with. Keeping Peter's thugs in sight out of the corner of my eye, I didn't want a fight but definitely would if there was a need to.

I shouldn't have to be tellin any of this to anyone of you, we're all adults here how bout ya'll start actin like it? Stepping closer to Norah putting my arm around her shoulders, he didn't want her injured is some hothead lost their temper and started a fight.

I have one more thing I'm goin to say...and that's watch your mouth when you talk to a woman. I know I ain't got the cleanest mouth but that's uncalled for, we ain't beyond the point of being civil to each other.

 

[milkmaiden38]

Peter

Peter stood up, looking at Ria “I know how you work Ria … the people that don’t agree with you ... you want removed from the meeting. That is why you want the Knight Guards to leave.

“Another interesting thing Ria … you say there are three leaders of the library … but you ordered where the food went … when I disagreed. The food went where you want it to. Then … very interestingly … you tell Max that the room on the first floor is now yours. NO ONE ELSE in this library has a private room but YOU. Interesting how the REAL dictator gets everything she wants. Now in this meeting YOU decided we need more members in the planning meeting. You have not discussed this with anyone … you just decide right now. INTERESTING how the REAL dictator got what she wanted again.

“Ria … I have been nothing but flexible. Bending and helping … and thanking people. I have not heard you thank ANYONE. It is also interesting that you want more weapons now. First, I would like to point out the people in the library have been busy all day. So sorry ... we did not get around to a mass a bunch of weapons for you.”

Peter turned to everyone else in the room “Dictators need weapons … so they can fight wars against their own people.”

Peter turned to the 3 knight guards (TD Silverman, Abe Roach, and Tersa Leaderman) “TD, Abe, Tersa … please leave for now … I’ll let EVERYONE in the library know what was agreed upon by the planning committee. No secrets from me … unlike some people in this room.” Peter said looking at Ria.

The three knight guards left.

“Now I can address your concerns Cramer! You said … a real leader puts others needs ahead of their own… Now that you know which leader has their own private room … I think you know who the dictator is.

Secondly, you said We have three people here that's joint leadership … I see two puppet assistants” Peter pointed to Max and himself “and one dictator!” he pointed to Ria.

Peter took a deep breath. Looking at Ria again. Talking in a more quiet voice "I'm sorry I had to say all that Ria ... I'm sorry I hurt your feelings ... but you have been acting like a dictator ... You need to stop. I'm just as much a leader here as you." Peter sat back down.

 

[dutchrain]

Ria
At the meeting

I raised my eyebrows at Peter's attack on me. All around people opened their eyes wide, gasped and/or clenched their fists. Some opened their mouth, ready to tell him or me a piece of their mind. I raised my hand in the old 'stop' manner.

"I would be pleased if everyone now around would stay a moment. Peter, you call me a dictator? The one and only time I overrode your decision was about the food storage this evening. Because I had sent you a message saying we had an enormous lot of food and needed an easily assessable place big enough to store it all in. Preferable a place we also could use as kitchen in the future, because the only kitchen we have now is downstairs and very small. In that message I suggested to use the browsing room for that. I still have it on my phone and could show it anyone who wants to see it. How about you? I never got an answer from you telling you and Max had talked it over and went along with my idea, or that you two had an other place in mind. Which makes this accusation from you obsolete.

We need weapons. That is a fact. I didn't say I want weapons to strengthen myself or my position here, I said I wanted armed people on the roof whenever a team is outside and especially when they are coming in again. This makes your second accusation obsolete. About people being too busy to build more weapons, this is nonsense! Two or three guards could easily have positioned themselves on the roof -maybe even with some other people- or in front of a window, listen to someone reading a how-to aloud and keep a look out. It also would have been very easy to make more arrows, and keep a lookout at same time. One cuts a bit, looks out off the window, or down from the roof, cuts a bit, takes a look again.

Now the third one: Me having a room of my own doesn't make me a dictator, lots of people have been talking about wanting a room for themselves and planning which one to take, or to share one with only two or three others. I only was the one claiming one first. Max already had a room of his own, and no-one told him to leave it. You could have chosen a room, and no-one would have said anything against it. This makes this accusation obsolete too.

You didn't hurt my feelings, but I am afraid, Peter, you showed how young you still are in some ways, how much you are used to getting what you want, how used you are to turn the truth a little bit around to get what you want. Now I am not sorry if I just hurt your feelings. We already talked about this yesterday. I told you people could look at your actions thinking you were a dictator. Not with these words, but I was the one saying a shared leadership between three would be the best for. the. moment." I started to lose my temper and looked around me. Seeing people nodding and others studying my words, I sorted my thoughts briefly.

"You expressed your disdain for being the sole responsible for the lives of all the people here in the Knight yesterday evening. I told you we all were responsible for all our lives. I told you to look upon it as being a parent to them. I repeat what I said yesterday: Parents listen to everyone and then take their decisions. We agreed on Max, you and me acting as parents for the moment until we all were safe enough and had the leisure to decide on how we would lead ourselves in the future. We agreed on a planning committee. We agreed to meet with them everyday and we agreed on us three meeting every morning to discuss the day ahead.

The only things that hurt me a bit are those: You said you see two puppets assistants and pointed at Max and yourself while I have the feeling you would like to be the one in charge and earn the final laurels for everything. You have quite a patronizing way of handing out some laurel to others. I think you are too used too getting away this kind of thing, Peter, because some people you had too do with in the past were too much in awe over and with you to oppose you. I think you made enough people that opposed you leave a committee or board you were on in the past until you were left with a board in which your plans wouldn't meet real opposition. This has to change, Peter. Those old ways won't do anymore.

The second one: you said I was the one keeping secrets. Go and ask with how many people I have talked, explained what was decided by who -most of Saturday evening and Sunday defending decisions you had taken until we agreed on a triumverate, and even after that- and why, asked their opinion on it, asked who would take responsibility for something and take care of it. All that while I did chores, build my catapult, exercised with it, helped others to master it as well. I haven't been walking around idle and look at people who were working, thanking them for it while I took credit for the planning of all of it. I don't only say thank you to everyone who helps me in some way, or who has handed me something, I also say please.

Something else: I never said the guards should leave. I only asked you, Peter, to calm them down since you claimed responsibility for guarding the Knight and made yourself head of the guards. They were quite a bit hasty and nasty in doing what you wanted: For all that weren't on the planning committee -with what you meant only the three of us- to leave. I never wanted anyone to leave. I named some I wanted to stay especially because you were ushering people out as soon as you were finished with Cassandra. Now could we please go on with the meeting? Listen to what all have found out, what all want to do tomorrow, plans for the future and decide on that, everyone?"

 

[dutchrain]

Vince

After the endless time spent in the Pancake House not doing much else than keeping a watch over his daughter and grandchild, eat some food and talk about Sandra and Tim, trying to downsize Carol’s hopes of being reunited with them every second, things had taken a change to being almost overwhelming fast. Vince was still trying to come to grip with the new situation, trying to decide if they would be better of when they stayed here or if they would move on to a place for themselves, maybe even get back home, at dinner.

During preparation he had the change to listen to the chatter between Ria and Scotty. Things seemed okay, although he thought it a bit alarming Scotty wasn’t very supportive of the guy who was the leader of the bunch. Ria had calmed Scotty, told him Peter wasn’t the sole leader and maybe a bit overwhelmed by the situation and not always as tactful as he certainly would be under normal circumstances. When Ria had left to bring insulin to a diabetic young woman, he had used this time to get some more information from Scotty and Sandra. To ninety percent he was leaning towards staying after what he learned from them.

Peter’s after-dinner speech had made him leaning towards moving out again, especially the sight of the bodyguards below the young man. In earlier days he wouldn’t have recommended him for a position of power. Would he have been stuck with an officer like that under his command he would have shoved him off to some other unit –preferably one he didn’t like the CO of- or he himself would have applied for another position. Preferably in a unit he appreciated the CO of and/or the officers who would be under his command.

Ten years had passed since he had retired before they would have asked him to leave because the army was downsizing in a massive way. At first he had traveled a bit. Then he had worked as a detective in Springfield for a year, thinking his past as a CO of the MP would have almost predetermined this choice. I hadn’t. His forensic abilities were excellent, but his ways to use them didn’t really fit in with the civil ways. He had been traveling a bit more when his son-in-law lost his job a little while after his daughter had lost hers, and Vince came back. He knew they wouldn’t be able to keep their house without help if they didn’t at least find one good paying job soon. Tim had found one, but didn’t earn enough to keep things going for long. Then he had lost that job too due to the company going bankrupt. Savings kept them going for a little while, and Carol working as a cleaner out of town helped too. Vince then had taken drastic measurements: he had sold his house and moved in with his daughter’s family, paying them rent for Tim’s former den and the children’s former playroom.

He had taught himself to keep their garden in shape since they hadn’t been able to afford a gardener to come in once a week for two years. He even did the gardens of some neighbors, telling them it was a hobby of him and making only little money from it because his daughter wanted to keep up the appearance they still were quite well off, even if all neighbors knew Tim had only found a mediocre job in Brownsville and Carol cleaned in Springfield. The people she cleaned for had introduced her to the owner of the Pancake House who was looking for a trustworthy person who would come in on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Vince often accompanied her, as did the girls. When they arrived early the cooks often made the girls a pancake, all adults pretending the girls would only eat and play while their mom cleaned the toilets and vacuumed the restaurant.

His hand pressed Skip’s shoulder a bit harder when Peter accused Ria of being a dictator. The guards displaced themselves a bit from the door. After Ria had answered Vince decided he had heard and seen enough.

“Lets go,” he whispered to Skip, “I want to look this place over. Talk with some people. You introduce me to them.” He put a bit more pressure on his hand when Skip tried to shake his hand of.

“It is alright, things are going okay here. Peter will swallow it or make himself ridiculous, one of the two. If he learns from it, is another matter. Lets go before they close the door in our faces.”

Still reluctantly the young man followed him.

 

[typacritt]

Nightmare on hell street.

"Cassandra there is now way that your ass is fat!" I said looking down. Cassie introduced me to Derry and we chatted for a short while. I could see they wanted to be on their way so goodbyes were said and we went our separate ways. I headed for the roof to check the defencive set up. When I got there no-one was there. No lookout and no means to raise the alarm if needed. Sloppy, even for the castle these guys lived in. Looking out over the campus things looked quiet. No zombie motion far as far as I could see. I thought how a couple of sniper rifles from the station house could be useful. They would need some training, but it would make the returning teams much safer, if they didn't shoot their own. I would put silencers on them too to minimize noise. I'd drop two off next time I was here. It would be enough to protect the approaches.

Sitting up on the roof was peaceful. My thoughts turned to earlier in the day, seeing that girl being chased by the group of zombies. I hoped she'd escaped; I barely had. Something bothered me about it. There was something, something, but I didn't know what, at least not yet.

My stomach rumbled and I realised I had not eaten since the dry cereal I had snacked on this morning. I had headed down the staircase and was a floor above the main area when I heard the speach. I didn't know who the guys was but he looked in charge. The guards on the steps below him was a worry. Disconcerting after only a few days. I couldn't see Rias face but I could see her head shaking. I could feel trouble brewing. On second thought. They would survive without the rifles.

Just as I had the thought the phone now jammed in my boxer shorts at my hip vibrated. It was Frank Parker. His voice full of panic. There was a problem on the street. Over his voice I could hear shots and screams. I had to go. The group had broken up. As the gaurds moved up the stairs I took one by the arm. "I need to get out of here now. ". The tone was forceful but calm. It wasn't a question. At the door I handed him a note. Please give this to Ria.

One outside I took the new pick up. No lights. I hurried through the traffic of stationery cars. They sat like toys abandoned by inattentive children in the road.
My mind focused on the task I hand, determined not to be too late, but resolved not to take more unnecessary risks this day. I pulled the truck up one block out from the defensive perimeter of cars. It took some time to understand the scene, the horror before me. A black pickup wedged into the parked cars seemingly floating on a sea of blood. Two what used to be human bodies were being fought over by zombies high on blood and fresh flesh. Inside the cab the driver was blasting the horn to get help, but only attracting more zombies. Fifty or sixty zombies in various states thronged round the car. From the roof tops of the street saw the hunter light up an arrow. He let it fly in a smooth high arc. It hit the zombie on the hood of the pickup. It went down heavily, its head opening and spilling green bile and blood as it hit the windshield.

The fire excited the zombies even further. Pushing closer they began to rock the truck. More climbed on the hood and beat against the windows. All the while I could see the panic in the cab rising. I reached behind the seats and pulled the long bag into the cab laying it over my knee. Opening it I checked the action, loaded a clip of red tipped rounds before checking the immediate area. I left the engine running, climbed from the cab into the flatbed and set up the rifle. I knew I had to get them away from the truck, but what could distract the zombies? It set the sights on the car to the right, estimated the point of the fuel tank on the opposite side of the car and fired. The bullet zipped through the soft metal of the door and punched out through the fuel tank. Nothing for a second . Then a flash of light as the incendiary ignited the fuel vapor. A ball of fire whipped into the night. Some of the zombies were caught by the fire and others moved towards it. Not enough.

The hunter caught the idea and sent a flaming arrow into the car on the left. I followed with another single round. Whomph. The flames licked at the sky, its tongue bright orange with teeth of black soot. Still it wasn't enough. The passenger and driver were trapped in hell now. Zombies beating on every door and window. Fire on both sides lighting the night in its wicked glow.

Then it happened. The driver side window smashed. I quickly shot the first zombie to reach inside. Its head disintegrated instantly spraying greens brain debris over its fellow attackers. The second and third and fourth quickly followed body parts flying from the undead corpses in a grotesque jitterbug. Wave after wave still came. When I reloaded it was too late. I saw the driver pulled through the window. Teeth ripping at his flesh instantly. His screams piercing the night, ripping at my ears. I saw the zombie leaning towards his neck through the sights, teeth bared gums black. The head was in my sights now. A slow squeeze. The gun coughed. The zombies face splattered in thick red blood.

I passed my attention back to the passenger. Zombies were already in the truck. He tried to burst out of the door, but too many were already pressing. Flayed flesh fought to feed on him. Dragging him out backwards. I had him in my sights. I waited, I waited, took a breath. Then the window at the back of the car momentarily flashed red, then shattered into a millon pieces. The zombies howling wildly over their prey. Dropping the rifle two inches I shot and shot. The full fuel tank gave up. The explosion lifted the pickup into the sky. Shattered zombie bodies flew in all directions. The huge fireball ignited everything within tweny yards of the pickup. The zombies were either vaporised or burning, but I shot them. I shot every one until I had nothing left to shoot.