What Zombies Fear 5: Declaration of War

Chapter 1

Kris never let go of Alicia’s hand as they disappeared from the desert. They traveled through space and time in an instant, and once Kris opened her eyes, she found that they had safely reached the front yard of the main house on Gander Acres. All of the air in her lungs rushed out in a loud WHOOSH.

We made it, she laughed, shaking her head.

I told you we would, Alicia said with a smile. She brought Kris’s hand up to her lips and placed a kiss on her soft skin. The two women locked eyes for only a moment before Alicia gestured up to the house. Let’s go check on Markus.

They trotted up the hill and pushed in the front door. Kris was immediately put at ease with the familiar, safe feeling of the house. The smell of boiled potatoes, green beans, and ham filled her nose, and Kris realized that it had been a long time since she had anything real to eat. Even though she had been here only yesterday, her stomach had been in anxious knots, and she hadn’t eaten anything the whole day. A wave of comfort came over Kris, and while she didn’t dare to hope for a change, she couldn’t help but believe that maybe, just maybe, this place would become her new normal. A new life was possible here, if she was willing to give it a shot. The faith that Kris had in Alicia made her truly believe that really living was possible. As Kris thought about all of the potential for her life, a huge smile spread across her face. It was time to breathe.

The two women rounded the corner into the kitchen. Liam was sitting at the kitchen table, pouring over a map of the farm and the surrounding area.

Hey, Liam, Alicia said.

The curly-haired redhead jumped in surprise as he looked up. Holy hell, you’re back! As he stood, he almost knocked the table and the chair to the floor. He launched himself across the room and warmly embraced Alicia. As he pulled back from the embrace, he looked at her carefully. We were worried you wouldn’t come back.

Alicia laughed. Why wouldn’t I come back?

Liam shrugged. You know the folks here. Paranoia is their way of life.

How’s Markus? Kris asked.

Conscious most of the day now. I don’t know what happened, but he managed to outgrow and break his bed overnight, he replied as the small group walked up the stairs and then down the hall to Markus’s room. They stopped just outside the door as Liam continued. And he’s eating everything in the house and then some. He looks like he’s healed, but he’s still really weak.

I can hear you, you know! a voice called from inside the room.

Alicia smiled broadly and opened the door. Markus was already laughing, and she leapt onto the bed, hugging her brother close to her. Good Lord, Markus. You’re huge! The siblings shared a laugh as Alicia poked Markus’s now-bulging muscles. The brother and sister rapidly spoke to each other, explaining what had happened the night Markus was bit and where Alicia had been for the past day and a half.

Liam tapped Kris on the shoulder and gestured for her to follow him back to the kitchen. The two of them made their way downstairs and sat down at the wooden table. Riley was in the kitchen now, large spoon in hand, stirring the pot of potatoes. The ginger pushed the map he was looking at towards Kris. He didn’t have a very happy look on his face.

Before he could speak, the tea kettle on the stove began whistling ostentatiously. Liam stood up, grabbed the kettle, a smaller stoneware tea kettle, and three cups. He placed the cups in front of them and sat back down. It would take a few minutes for the tea to fully steep. The silence between them seemed to stretch on forever.

I wish I had good news, Kris, Liam finally said. He reached towards the teapot and poured all three of them a cup of Earl Grey tea.

Kris held the mug tightly in her hands, breathing in the sweet smell of the dark tea. She shook her head and softly replied, Shit. I was afraid you’d say that. I had a feeling that things had been too easy.

We always have someone watching every square inch of this farm. And if they’re not watching the farm, someone is watching everything else.

Kris nodded, taking a short sip of the tea.

There’s a whole group of zombies on their way here as we speak. And we’re so unprepared. There’s no way we have enough ammo to take them all out. He pointed to the map on the table. From what we can see, they’re coming from where we were almost totally burnt out from the fires. Liam saw the look of confusion on Kris’s face and then clarified. Northeast.

Right. She paused again, deep in thought. So what do we do?

A smirk moved across Liam’s face, and he glanced over to Riley. The older man was smiling broadly. It was Riley’s idea. It’s a little risky, but I think it’ll work.

It was Neil’s shift to watch the main road. Given that the farm was so massive, they had developed a system to always have someone watching almost every square inch of the farm. He was perched up in a hand-built tree stand, slowly smoking the last of his tobacco. Neil had hand-rolled his cigarettes with his own home-grown tobacco since he was sixteen, just as his father before him had done. To his left, Neil had his hunting gun loaded and ready. It had been around a week since he had to fire a single shot, but he was no fool to think that the end was over.

He had spent the majority of his time outside, working on a farm of his own. It had been in the family for five generations. All of that was lost the day that the military came through, thinking that bombing the area was the fastest way to destroy the undead. All of his hard work, and everything that he had ever called his, was burned to the ground. The plan to burn the zombies had dramatically backfired; instead of destroying the zombies, they had only destroyed farmland and forest. It had taken a week for the fires to burn themselves out. Once the ash had cleared, there were at least a hundred people that had nowhere else to go.

Alicia and Markus had saved them. Neil had no doubt about that. Markus had showed up in a huge truck and offered them all a chance to survive on Gander Acres. Everyone had agreed. The siblings were well known in the town and highly respected. Now, they were more than respected. They were revered.

The horde was covering ground, slowly but steadily, pushing towards the farm. Neil shouted encouragement over to Joey, who was digging pits with the backhoe. They had a large amount of diesel, but it was still a precious commodity. You’re doing great, Joey! Keep it up; don’t burn that ‘hoe up; replacement parts are going to get real rare!

Neil looked through his binoculars, counting the zombies. He knew there was no way he could count them all, but he knew every parcel of land on this farm. If he knew how many could fit in an area the size of the farmhouse yard, he’d know roughly how many there were. After some quick figuring in his head, he called out to Martin, Looks like about two hundred and twenty-five of 'em. They’re coming slow and steady; we got about half an hour. Run and fetch the Kubota and that spool of wire. I’ll ride the Ford. We’ll run out a trot-line and wrangle ‘em into Joey’s pits. If we get lucky, we won’t have to fire a shot tonight!

Neil squinted into the sun. The finely-lined crow’s feet stood out at his temples, the product of years of working out in the bright summer sunlight. His favorite old John Deere cap sat atop his head, the bill worn threadbare from years of being stuck in his back pocket when he went inside. No real man wore his hat inside. He worried about the two boys he loved almost as his own sons. The three men had been working the land together since they were small children. They were good men to have around, though. Solid, sturdy-framed boys, rugged from an outdoorsman’s life. Both could grow anything, and Martin was the best hunter and tracker Neil had ever known. Neither boy had been much for school; all either of them wanted was to be outside working. Both had quit high school as soon as the local constable would allow and hadn’t gone much before that.

The sound of the new Kubota running up the hill woke Neil from his memories. Martin had the front bucket low to the ground and full of a scoop of dirt to offset the weight of the barbed wire on the back spooler. Pull up next to the Ford, Neil yelled over the sound of the diesel engine. I’ll attach the wire to the PTO, and we can run off about a hundred yards and then run it back. When we have six or eight wires running between the tractors, I’ll use the tractor’s PTO to spin them all together into a barbed cable.

Martin looked over at Neil. Ya reckon’ this is gonna work?

Of course it’ll work, Martin. Just like runnin’ a net through the lake. Some few stragglers might make it through, but they shouldn’t be too hard to mop up. We need to thin the herd; taking them out one at a time is too long.

What if it’s some of them fast ones? yelled Joey.

Then we’ll deal with them, like we have before. No way of knowin’, so we might as well follow the plan until we have to abandon it. You boys know there ain’t no sense in bein’ worried about somethin’ we can’t control.

Yes sir, they both said at the same time.

Joey dumped one more scoop of dirt and then backed the tractor over the rise. A few seconds later, he came trotting over to Martin on the big Kubota tractor and got straight to work. The three of them were so practiced at working together; none of them really needed instruction. Joey attached the barbed wire to the back of the Ford. Martin took off, looped it around a tree, then back to the Ford. Joey cut the wire, attached the looped end and a fresh wire to the PTO on the tractor, and Martin was off again. In no time, eight lengths of barbed wire stretched between the tractor and the tree. Neil cut the wire against the tree with his hatchet and attached those ends to the Kubota.

The Ford’s PTO was powerful, designed to spin huge cultivator blades through hard dirt. The wire was no match for the engine; it spun into an inch-thick cable with deadly, flesh-ripping barbs sticking out at every angle. The three men shut down the tractors and waited, wondering if the sun would set before the zombies got to them. It was always worse fighting them in the dark. Neil reached into his back pocket and pulled out a smooshed sandwich.

Might as well grab a bite, boys. Gonna be a fair piece before we get somethin’ else to eat, he said as he bit into his sandwich.

The three of them ate a small supper standing between the tractors and waited. When they were done eating and had all taken a long pull from the water jug, they mounted their tractors and started them up.

Martin, you take the inside arc. I’ll swing out and come through the middle. It’s going to take a couple of trips.

The three men pushed their tractors into their high gear and started off towards the horde, ready to lasso them and drag them into the pits.

Just over the grassy hillside, at the edge of the field, two zombies lay on their stomachs watching below.

‘They’re smart, this group,’ said one.

‘We are stronger,’ said the other.

Chapter 2

Kris only heard the tail-end of a conversation as she was coming up the stairs.  Markus, I know you think you can do this.  But I swear to God, you’ll be more of a pain in the ass than an asset.  You can hardly walk, for Pete’s sake.

Alicia, come on.  I can do this.

Bullshit.  You’re sitting this one out, and that’s the last I’m going to say about it.

Jesus Christ, Alicia.  I’m--

Markus stop being a prick and just listen to me for once in your life!

As Kris peered around the corner, the brother and sister were standing across from each other.  Even though Markus now stood a foot and a half taller than Alicia, she didn’t back down.  Having been a U.S. Marshall, she was used to making herself appear to be the largest person in the room.  Although it was almost comical to watch the big man versus the petite woman, there was no doubt who would win this argument.  The two of them continued to yell at each other.  Alicia’s hand gestures were getting increasingly more and more dramatic, and Kris knew she had to interject.

She’s right, Markus, Kris said from the doorway.  I know you think you can help, but for fuck’s sake, please listen to her.  We don’t have time for this.  You’re staying, even if I have to hold you here.

Hold me? he said, walking over to her.  Have you seen me?

Yeah, I have, she replied, placing a hand on his upper arm, but I can still knock your stubborn ass down.

Markus started to laugh, but before he got the chance, Alicia disappeared and then reappeared behind her brother.  She placed her hand on Markus as well, and in a swirl of chilly darkness, Alicia transported the three of them out of the house and to the opposite side of the farm.  She was only there long enough to drop Kris and Markus off before disappearing again.

Alicia had dropped them off at one of the spring houses on the property.  She had chosen the one that was farthest away from the house and the battle.  The stones had all been hand-laid by Riley’s grandfather decades ago, and even so, the small building was in excellent condition.  Of the three spring houses on the property, this one was the least used.  There was no furniture inside the single-room, save a couple of sections of an old tree trunk that were roughly the right height for sitting on.  The spring bubbled up through the stone floor, creating a small pond right in the middle, before flowing out of a channel built into the middle of the floor.  The air inside the small building was almost chilly, and Kris wrapped her arms around her body and sat down on one of the small retaining walls.

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me, Markus said, throwing his head back.  He sighed heavily and began limping over to the doorway of the little house.  I’m going to fight.

No, you’re not, Kris said.  She tilted her head to the side and threw her dome across the floor and over to the door.  She pulled it taut across the opening, making sure to seal the edges.  He tried to take another step and ran into the dome.

Markus drew his fist back and slammed it into the shield.  Kris felt her brain vibrate with the force of the blow.  He pounded on the shield over and over, lighting Kris’s brain on fire.  She wasn’t about to let him win, no matter how strong he was.

She sealed the dome to the floor and whispered as softly as she could, Keep on goin’, big man.  I’ll be here all day. She trailed off and watched Markus closely.  He was hell bent on getting out.  He hated not being next to his sister, especially now that an attack was imminent.  Knowing the land as well as he did would have been a huge asset, and Markus refused to believe that he would have been nothing but a help to his sister.  And now that she had gotten her way without a fair fight, he was angry.

Markus continued to beat on the inside of the shield for a full thirty seconds while Kris’s message bounced around, reverberating and gaining volume.  She had separated the dome for only a moment to create a second barrier around her own ears; she knew how loud it would get.

The strength of the sound continued to grow, and as it did, Markus’s speed dramatically slowed down.  The large man shook his head, trying to ignore the pressure building inside his ears.  Before long, he brought his hands up to cover his ears, and he grimaced in pain.  Markus slowly sank to his knees, resigning himself to his fate. Stop, he muttered.  He took a breath and then yelled, Kris, stop!

As the words exploded from his mouth, Kris collapsed the dome.  In a second, she snuffed out all of the sound that was reverberating inside the small house.  Moments later, the soft sounds of the woods and the gentle trickle of the spring filtered back into the air.  Kris’s eyes never left Markus, but she continued to maintain a look of neutral indifference.  The man stayed on his knees and sighed again.  Glancing over his shoulder, he met Kris’s gaze.

You weren’t kidding, he said simply.

Kris shook her head. No, I wasn’t.

Alicia was telling me about what happened in Atlanta.  Is that what... His voice trailed off.  Markus didn’t need to finish his thought - Kris already knew what he was going to say.

Something like that, yeah.

Fuck me, he muttered with a look of slight bewilderment on his face.  He pushed himself up off of the floor, and as he stood, a grimace of pain flickered across his face. Man, just trying to get the hell outta here wiped me out.  Maybe Alicia was right.  He looked over to Kris and smiled weakly.  But don’t tell her I said that.

Kris laughed and said, We’ll keep it between you and me.  She patted the stones next to her and said, Come on.  Sit next to me.  Alicia would kill both our asses if something else happened to you.

You have no idea, he replied with a laugh.

Martin and Neil took off on the two tractors, heading towards the oncoming horde of zombies.  When they were about twenty feet away, Martin slowed dramatically and turned left.  At the same time, Neil sped up, pushing his tractor to its maximum speed.  The wire caught the outer edge of the zombies at waist height and dragged them inward.  Neil arced around the walking dead and then rocketed down through the middle, closing the loop.  He slowed down to match Martin’s speed as the two tractors dragged a hundred zombies towards one of the pits Joey had dug.

It’s not gonna hold ‘em all! yelled Martin over the sound of the two tractors.

It’ll hold em’! yelled Neil.  It has to.  We can gather up the stragglers later.

The two men dragged their haul of zombies into a pit, where they separated the tractors and raked them in with the line.  Martin circled around and reset beside Neil, and the two of them started over.

This time, you take the outside.  You’re gonna have to gun the hell outta that tractor to keep up.

I know how this works, Neil, said Martin.  Joey!  Watch your ass; there’s a few stragglers.

Joey hefted a spear over his head and charged one of the few zombies that managed to avoid being dragged into the pit.

I got ‘em, Mart! he yelled.

The two tractors rocketed off, repeating the same maneuver, and dragged the rest of the horde into the pit.  When they were done, the two men parked their tractors and walked over toward where Joey was spearing zombies.

It’s like fishin’ in a barrel, Neil, Joey exclaimed with a broad smile on his face.

Neil patted Joey gently on his shoulder and then said, It was too easy. He looked to Martin now.  Did that feel right to you? There’s gotta be somethin’ else going on here, he said as he speared a zombie through the top of the skull.  Something off to his left caught his attention.  It was pitch black now, and a small sliver of moon barely lit the landscape.  On the ridge, silhouetted against the thin moonlight, were two lumps that shouldn’t be there.

Joey, there’s two on the ridge watching us, Neil said after several minutes of watching them.  They’re not doing anything. They’re just laying there.  One of ‘em just moved his head; otherwise I mighta missed ‘em. The older man pushed the brim of his baseball hat up off of his forehead, deep in thought. Whaddya think they’re up to?

Looks like they’re fixin’ to start somethin’.  No way to know.  The younger man shrugged.  Weren’t no other zombies anywhere ‘round when I was scoutin’.  We got em all, Neil.  Joey pointed behind the older man.  Watch behind ya.  One comin’ up.

Neil spun.  With a grunt, he speared the zombie through the face and then put his foot on its chest to pull the spear out.  He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was way too easy.  Were the two smart ones sizing them up?

Alicia spoke from behind Neil.  Is it just the two of them?

Neil jumped in surprise.  Holy shit. Err... crap, Alicia.  When did you get back? Neil asked quietly.  Sorry ‘bout my language.  And yea, just two of ‘em.

He heard her chuckle softly, but she didn’t reappear. No problem, Neil.  You guys handle these.  You’re doing an awesome job. She put her hand on Neil’s shoulder.  It was like a ghost was touching him.  I’ll go take care of the two supers.

Neil heard Alicia’s holster click, and then he heard her work the slide, chambering a round.

Alicia, I gotta tell ya.  This whole ‘invisible’ thing is weird, said Neil, spearing another zombie in the hole.

Sorry, Neil.  I don’t want them to know I’m coming.  You three be safe, she said.  She lifted her hand from his shoulder and left the three men.

Alicia ran up the hill as fast as she could, cloaked in her invisibility.  She knew nothing could see her.  Other than Kris, she thought.  Kris was such a mystery to her, but on the other hand, she’d never known someone so well.  Their minds had been merged not once but twice.  Kris’s mind was elegant, if slightly disorganized.  She was the most beautiful person Alicia had ever known.