“Down there. He must have ridden through the creek a ways.” Roosevelt said, pointing to a gravel bar fifty yards away. Deep tire tracks sank into the gravel indicating that there had been a rider that drove through the creek. Johnny turned the wheel and eased the UTV down into the water. He guided the machine up the creek and followed the tracks out of the other side. They were headed back toward the opposite side of the town now and they knew they needed to stop long before they got there to avoid catching the attention of the zeds or anyone that wished to do them harm.
Chapter Eleven
6:22 a.m. January 3, 2049
Somewhere in Georgia
“Looks like he headed over to those houses.” Roosevelt said. Johnny brought the machine to a stop behind a small group of trees. They continued on foot following the tracks directly deep into the subdivision. They ran along the back sides of the homes until Johnny spotted the big wheeler sitting under a carport.
“Got him!” Johnny said in a low voice, pointing a finger at the home. He pulled one of the revolvers from the small of his back and flipped open the cylinder checking to see that he had the fully loaded gun in his hand. Roosevelt held his shotgun at a low ready as the pair rounded the corner of the home they were using as cover and sprinted across the street. They were now four houses up from the one that the four-wheeler was parked at. They peeked around the back of the houses and then eased around into the first open backyard. An above ground pool sat in the center of the yard churning from the filter pumping water through constantly. They moved with purpose through the first two yards, stopping only when they reached a chain link fence.
“Last one before dickheads house. Let’s move around to the front so we don’t make ourselves known climbing over the fence.” Roosevelt said from a kneeling position under a window. Unnatural growls sounded from the home they were next to causing them both to jump and spin around, almost firing on the trapped zeds. Johnny shook his head and waived Roosevelt forward, moving around to the front corner of the next home. They sat there for a while, watching and listening for Keith or anyone else that would be a problem. Hearing and seeing nothing they decided to go for it. They moved quickly around the home and took cover behind the four-wheeler. The young fat kid had left nothing on the wheeler, not even a single bag of jerky.
“Little bastard! I could choke the shit out of him for making us lose all of our damn food!” Roosevelt stated after his stomach gave an audible growl.
“Come on!” Johnny hissed as he got to his feet and darted past the wheeler to the side of the house where Keith was holed up. They stopped under a window on the side of the house, gathering their thoughts. A small high-pitched laugh caught their attention and the two men looked at the other with wide eyes.
“What the hell was that?” Johnny asked, turning to face the wall so he could get a quick peek inside. Johnny eased up just far enough to look through the window, his jaw dropping open when he saw inside. He motioned for Roosevelt to have a peek and then the two men sat stunned under the window. Inside sat the fat kid named Keith along with several others. An old gray-haired woman sat in a wheelchair towards the front of the room as she read aloud to three small children. The kids laughed and giggled as they all took turns reaching in and pulling strips of meat from the bag as they listened. The kids devoured the jerky in a short time and then turned to Keith for more. Johnny looked over at Roosevelt and shook his head no before moving back behind one of the other homes.
“Let them have it.” Johnny said, watching all around for threats. Roosevelt looked at Johnny with surprise.
“Let them have it? Hell no! That's our food and I am not going to starve out here for some thieving little shit like him.” Roosevelt said, aiming a finger back to the house.
“Did you not see how happy those kids were? Have you ever stopped to think that maybe they were already starving and needed it worse than we do? Just leave it! We’re perfectly able to find more food and weapons now let’s get the hell out of here!” Johnny scolded, not believing the words that had just left his friends’ mouth.
“Fine but when we haven't eaten in days and our guts are doing backflips, I don’t want to hear a peep out of you!” Roosevelt shot back as the two past the final house and picked up their pace across the short field. They climbed back in the side by side and Johnny twisted their key, the engine firing on the first time.
“We have to get our asses out of Georgia and to Colorado. No more sightseeing.” Johnny said as he stomped down on the throttle, feeling the side by side shoot forward, gaining speed with each passing second.
Chapter Twelve
1:36 p.m. January 3, 2049
Southeast Tennessee
"Sign said gas half a mile."
