They’d been trapped on the roof for three days and nights. Each moment was filled with the awful sights, smells, and sounds that only the undead could produce in such nauseating volume.
By the time it was safe to come down, they had faced a difficult choice: Stay and enjoy relative freedom from the undead until the following winter, or cut around the horde and make a run for the border.
Tom was all for staying. He knew what they faced where they were while Canada was an unknown quantity.
In the end, it was Wanda that made the decision. “I don’t want to go through this again next year, Tom. I’m tired. Tired of running and fighting with no end in sight. How long until one of us falls? What then?”
Unable to resist her pleas, Tom agreed. They hunted for a reliable vehicle and plotted a route around the migrating undead. With the back loaded with supplies, they embarked on their journey. Knoxville became their primary target. They stood a good chance of making it all the way if they could reach that before the zombies.
And now, we’re here, Wanda thought, unable to stop smiling. Tom reached over and squeezed her leg. It was a good moment. One of the few they got to experience during the apocalypse.
She leaned back in her seat, her eyes drifting shut once more. Then a flash of light caught her attention, and she jerked upright. “What was that?”
“What? I don’t see anything,” Tom asked, his poor eyesight once again counting against him.
“There’s a car up ahead by the side of the road. People too,” Wanda cautioned, reaching for her Glock. She removed it from its holster and checked the load. “Slow down. I want to get a good look before we reach them.”
Tom complied and dropped their speed until they were almost crawling. Squinting into the distance, Wanda was able to discern four figures. A man was on his knees next to the vehicle while the others crowded around it in a protective circle.
“There are four of them, and it looks like they’ve got a flat tire,” Wanda said.
“What should I do?” Tom asked, his brow furrowed.
“I don’t know,” Wanda replied as they drew closer. “Two of them look like teens to me. A boy and a girl. There’s an older woman too.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Tom said, relaxing behind the wheel.
“Maybe, but you never know. Be careful,” Wanda cautioned, opening her window half-way. “Let me talk to them, but be ready to go at a moment’s notice. Got it?”
Tom nodded. “Got it.”
Wanda kept her gun ready on her lap, studying the strangers with a keen eye. She was prepared for trouble. As they drew closer, the man stood up, and the group gathered into a tight knot. They were all armed, but none made any overt gestures of threat.
They looked alright, and Wanda decided to take a chance. “Hi there. Do you need any help?”
The man studied her with a closed look, his shaven head gleaming in the sun. The material of his shirt strained against the bulging muscles that covered his torso, and she swore he had to be seven feet tall.
The man shook his head. “No, thank you. It’s just a flat tire. We’ll be on our way soon.”
“Are you sure? We could help,” Wanda offered, eyeing the woman that stood by his side. She seemed kindly, her eyes and mouth creased with laughter lines.
“We’re sure,” the man replied. “You’d best be on your way.”
The strange woman jabbed him in the side with an elbow, and said, “Don’t be rude, Joe. They seem friendly.”
To Wanda’s great amusement, the big man blushed at her words. “Er, right. Sorry, Sandy.”
Sandy looked at Wanda, and she smiled. “We don’t need any help, but perhaps we could have supper together? I make a mean stew, and we’d love the company.”
Wanda hesitated. An invitation to dinner was more than she’d bargained for, especially under the circumstances. “I don’t know.”
“We could exchange information,” Sandy added. “Besides, it’ll be dark soon.”
Wanda looked at Tom. “What do you think?”
Tom shrugged. “They seem okay, and information is always welcome.”
Wanda turned back to Sandy. “Alright. It’s a deal. Where do you want to set up?”
“Why not right here?” Sandy asked, pointing to an open field. “The area is clear, and we’d have a wide field of fire and a ready escape route in case of attack.”
“Then, it’s settled. We’re spending the night here. Pull up Tom,” Wanda said, waiting for him to find a spot to park. Once he did, she got out and walked toward Sandy with her hand extended. “I’m Wanda, and this is Tom, my husband.”
Sandy smiled and pointed at the other three with her. “This is Big Joe, Xavier, and Candy. We’re not related, but we’re family.”
“I get that,” Wanda said, smiling at each of them.
“Where are you from?” Wanda asked.
“We’re from Tyler, Texas. At least, we were until…” Sandy trailed off, her expression pained.
“Until what?” Wanda pressed.
“Until we were driven off by a horde of zombies,” Sandy said. “It looks like they are pushing north with the coming of spring.”
“Yeah, they prefer warmer weather,” Big Joe confirmed.
Wanda exchanged a careful look with Tom. “In that case, we have a lot to talk about. A whole lot.”
“Indeed, we do,” Tom agreed. “Let’s get settled for the night, shall we?”
As they readied their campsite, Wanda wondered how many others they’d encounter on their way to the border. People like them running from the undead. The last of the survivors. Tom’s words came back to her, and she shuddered. Maybe this is the end of humanity.
Chapter 9 - Nick
Nick studied the roadside with keen attention. He didn’t want to miss a single detail. Anything, no matter how trivial, could be important in the days to come. He had the feeling that dark times waited ahead, and he wanted
