“Also, you need to tell us a little bit about yourselves. Can’t have people we don’t know or trust hanging around, you understand. Any of them bad folk with malicious intent come in here and pick the place clean within a week.”
“Any of them bad folk won’t tell you they’re bad folk. They’ll tell you they’re Johnny Upstanding and smile and wave,” said Kim.
“Well I make a habit out of not trusting someone callin’ themselves Johnny Upstanding.”
“Excuse us, do you mind if we have a word?” Without waiting for a reply, Will grabbed Kim by the arm and walked her behind one of the vehicles.
One of the women came back and spoke to Ronnie. He said something about Joe and a car accident, but that’s all Kim could make out.
“What are you doing? This might be what we’ve been looking for,” Ronnie interrupted.
“We haven’t been looking for anything, you know that. Besides, we don’t know who these people are they dare demand to know about us.”
“It’s a fair question. Look, we’ll just tell them what they want to hear. No need to tell them about the first time we took a shit in the potty or anything. We get a feel for who these people are and then figure out what to do.”
Kim sighed, it’s not like she had much of a choice.
“Alright, but these defenses are pathetic. I’m not sure how long they’re going to make it like this.”
Will looked around at the shoddy fences and poorly armed… guards.
“No kidding. They’re going to need some help. I think Ronnie is their leader, at least the person everyone listens to. Once we stick around awhile, they’ll start to take orders from me. Maybe they’ll even start to listen to you.” He pushed her on the shoulder.
“We can’t just come in and take over someone’s settlement. We’re better off leaving.”
“It’s settled Kim, now make the best of it.”
Will walked away from Kim and back to Ronnie, who was now sitting alone on the hood of the car, smoking a cigar.
“We’re gonna stick around. Maybe you can get the camp together so we can start a fire, tell some bed time stories about ourselves. It’ll be a whole hell of a lot of fun.”
Kim joined the two and sat on the hood.
“Yeah, sounds great,” Ronnie climbed off the hood almost as an insult, “but we got a problem. Apparently, the zombies were on us the whole time. They’re heading this way now. I figured I’d tell you guys before anyone else. You guys seem like you know how to handle yourselves.”
“Oh yeah, we can take it from here.” Will smirked, sensing his opportunity to pounce. Kim saw it before, and knew Ronnie made his biggest mistake.
“First thing’s first we gotten strengthen the front gate. We need to be able to keep zombies out, and show bandits that we’re capable of defending ourselves. Start moving some of these cars.”
“You want us to use our cars as part of a barricade? We need those to travel to the city for supplies,” said the woman previously talking to Ronnie.
“Your vehicles aren’t going to do you any good if you’re dead. Plus, I have a sneaking suspicion you’re running out of gas.”
“No, we have plenty actually,” said the woman, this time even more hostile.
“Good, we’ll use it for Molotov cocktails. Move those cars, then use some rope to tie those tables together, we’ll use those as the gate itself. After we’re done here, we’ll go back into town sans cars and gather some wood and scrap metal to build a better fence.” Will clapped his hands and walked to the back of the camp.
For a moment Kim wondered if anyone was going to go along with it. Standing still with your mouth open tends to make one wonder what’s going through your mind. But soon enough they snapped to attention and in near unison started moving cars, bringing out jugs of gas, and tying tables together.
Being a leader is easy. As long as you speak and look like an authoritative person, people will obey. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about or if you’re talking nonsense, they’ll listen regardless. It’s not anyone’s fault, it’s just human nature to follow someone you think will keep you alive. At the very least there’s someone to blame other than you whenever something bad happens.
The woman who spoke out against Will watched as he walked away, and then approached Kim.
“What the hell do you people think you’re doing?”
“I don’t think I’m doing anything, ma’am.” Classic military answer, Kim thought.
“Ronnie’s the leader around here. He don’t need no one going around his back.” She looked over at Ronnie who only shrugged and walked in the opposite direction of Will. Kim also noticed the wedding ring for the first time.
“Look, Mrs. Ronnie, I don’t have any control over Will. He’s his own man, we just travel together. If you have a problem, bring it up with him. I don’t like this anymore than you do, ma’am.”
“Elizabeth, and I’ll appreciate it if you don’t lie about your boyfriend. We’re a tight knit community here, and the last thing we need is someone stirring up trouble.”
“There’s a bit of irony for you.”
Elizabeth sighed and rubbed her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “we’ve been under a lot of stress lately. That man who died in the truck was a close friend of ours. We’re worried… well we’re worried about our daughter, Anna. I’m sorry if I came across as a bitch, but these are terrible times.”
“Yes, they are. Now if you’ll excuse me.”
She pushed past Elizabeth without saying anymore. A bitch she could handle, just use a bit of common sense and wit and they’d be put in their place.
