We'd just suffered another senseless loss of life to some lowlife outlaw scum. And there wasn't a thing we could do about it. We had no idea who it was or where they were from. The worst part was it could happen again at anytime. There was no way we could stay close to Deliverance and not venture out for items we needed.
I went to the office and told Kira, Vivian, and Elsie Talbot what had happened. It was time to knock off for supper, so Vivian and Elsie left Kira and me alone.
I felt dejected and angry at the loss of Pops. "He was a great guy, always ready to tell a joke, take part in whatever was being done or help think of a better way of doing something. It's unfathomable that someone would murder him for no reason; in effect it was a thrill killing. I didn't know him very long, but I'll miss him."
Kira nodded as she sat in a chair to rest. Being on her feet for long periods was getting harder. "So will his family. They all loved him and looked up to him. He was an outstanding family patriarch. We'll all miss him. That said, you now have to put it behind you and move on."
"I know, and I will. But it's so senseless. I accept death at the hands of the zombies. They're our enemies and we know the danger of encountering them. It's a fact of life today. But there was no reason, except for plain meanness, to kill an innocent man who wasn't a threat to his killer. What the hell goes through the minds of people like that? If I had that bastard here right now I'd gladly put a bullet through his head and the heads of any more like him. That behavior is animalistic and disgusting. The sad truth is we're likely to see more of that kind of stupidity since protective authority is gone."
Kira moved to sit on my lap, and I rubbed her expansive belly. "There have always been people like that, and they'll always exist. They're called serial killers. Law enforcement couldn't prevent them in the past, and now without the law they feel free to do as they please. If there's such a thing as true justice, we'll eventually learn who they are and deal with them."
She kissed me, and I hugged her tightly. "I love you, woman. Thanks for letting me blow off pressure. I'm not real hungry, but let's grab a bite before the kitchen closes."
Barely a month later we were awakened just hours after going to bed when the inside emergency alarm sounded. It was ten minutes after two in the morning by the alarm clock beside our bed. Kira and I each swung out of bed and dressed as fast as possible. The guard in the northwest tower repeated the message that something was going on near the barn: dogs were going crazy, barking and growling and several howls ended in pitiful yelps.
Minutes later, we gathered with the other first arrivals at the north walk-in door. Everyone quieted as I surveyed the gathering and decided a course of action. "Shane, take charge here. Get everyone I don't take to battle stations on the second floor. This could be a diversion to draw us out and then attack. Spread out around the building. Don't let everyone watch us, check the whole area until we get back. When we get near the gate unlock it and then lock it behind us. Be ready to turn on the lights surrounding the barn when I call for it." He nodded. "I want Ed, Marcie, Martin Jr., Vince, Sam, Kelly and Vernon with me. Spread out ten feet apart, and don't bunch up. I don't know what we're up against so be ready to hit the ground in the gardens and crawl back here if we come under fire. Let's go."
We did a fast jog in the dark toward the small walk-in gate. A metallic click signaled that it unlocked as we drew close. The large horse and cattle barn sat two hundred yards off as we started our jog anew. The end of June temperature was mild, and a slight breeze blew from the southwest in the early morning hours under a full moon. Our pack of dogs was still raising Cain. They sounded to be past the barn and near the chicken pen. A hundred feet from the imposing two-story metal barn we stopped, and I closed my eyes as I called for the flood lights to be turned on. Slowly I raised my eyelids and squinted. Figures moving past the end of the barn were now bathed in light. They were near the chicken pen. We were close enough by then to hear the nervous sounds of livestock inside the barn. The presence of something they perceived to be a threat had upset them greatly as they pawed the ground and kicked the restraining boards to get free. My first thought was zombies; humans attacking wouldn't upset them to that degree. But that seemed unlikely since zombies usually
