Watching the stars Chapter 1
I held onto the steering wheel tightly of my green Ford Escape. The passengers in the vehicle sleeping away as I passed another sign for Terminus. My boyfriend, Dustin started grumbling in his sleep, I giggled a little before turning back to the road. It amazed me on how we've lasted this long together. We met in high school, then didn't see each other till six months before this apocalypse started. My now 4 year old son Jackson slept in his car seat in between my sister Danielle 18, and younger brother Nathan 13. Our parents were killed within the first month of the world turning to shit. Dustin brought up the idea of going to his family's lake house at the Lake of the Ozarks.
We packed up our things and left. The lake house lasted us about 5 months before a herd from Kansas City made its way to our area. We escaped luckily, our neighbors unfortunately weren't lucky. We stay on the run now. Dustin taught us how to hunt, fish, and use weapons. We wouldn't have lasted this long without him.
"Hey babe." I patted Dustin on the knee to wake him up. With sleepy eyes, he looked around at the area. "Terminus is 20 miles away. What do you want to do?"
"Pull off the road here, we'll make camp. I'll head there in a few hours and see if it's safe." I turned the car on a dirt road and we both got out. We scanned the area, guns raised the whole time and set up our alarm system of rope and cans on the trees.
"Nathan, Danielle, wake up." They did and saw we were gonna make camp. "Danielle, you got Jackson. Nathan, you are gonna gather some firewood. Stay close." They were cautious as they got out of the car and started their orders. Dustin opened up the back of the escape and checked on the guns and ammo. I joined him.
"You worried this one won't work out?" I said as I pulled the clip out of my gun and started loading bullets into it.
"it's only a matter of time before this one falls like all the others. I just want to make sure that we stay alive as long as possible." He said as he pulled his and my bows out. Jackson sat down in the dirt and Dani started teaching him how to spell his name. Dustin handed me my bow and some arrows. "Remember, try to stay quiet." I nodded before giving him a kiss and heading into the woods with Nathan.
Nathan was quiet most of the time in the woods. He stayed alert and on his feet whenever he saw a walker. But I was starting to notice a change in him. He wasn't a happy boy anymore. There was no light in his eye or sweet smile on his face. It killed me. He needed a home again. He needed people other than his family and Dustin.
We both looked up when we hear a twig snap. We stop and look around. I see movement ahead, I freeze and try to get a better look. I pull my bow back as soon as the walker walks up. It looks at me then another direction. I release and the arrow hits it in the eye, it falls with a soft thud. I walk over and bend over to pull the arrow out when a blade presses against my neck.
"Stand up slowly." I did as I was told and turned to see a woman standing there. She was taller than me, her short gray hair was messy and she wasn't alone. A big built black man holding a baby stood not too far away from her. My eyes went instantly to the baby. She was so small, not even a year old yet. Nathan dropped the wood and grabbed the knife out of his pocket. I hold my hand up to stop him.
"Your Welcome." I say with my hands up. "My name is Mena and this is my little brother, Nathan."
"I don't need to know your names." The woman said sternly.
"She looks hungry. There's food back at our camp if she needs something to eat." I said with a smile. They looked at each other nervously. "You look like you have been travelling a while. I'm just offering food and some company. We're on our way to Terminus."
"How many of you are there?" the woman orders.
"Five including a 4 year old. So please think twice before killing me." My words made the man come up and motion the woman to put the knife down. She did. I helped Nathan pick up the firewood and told them to follow us.
"Mena, are you sure?" Nathan asked nervously, occasionally looking at the people following.
"They look tired, hungry and plus they have a baby. It will be fine." We stepped over the can rope and they saw our little camp. Dustin stood up, alarmed that Nathan and I weren't alone. "It's fine, babe." The man and woman were cautious until they saw Jackson.
"This is my boyfriend Dustin, my son Jackson and my sister Danielle." Danielle eyes the strangers and lightens up when she sees the baby.
"Hi, she is so adorable. Is she hungry?" Danielle rummaged around her bag and pulled out her last can of peaches and offered it to them. The man smiled and took it. I went to the back of the escape and started looking for a can opener, bowl and spoon.
"I don't like that you brought them here." Dustin said joining me.
"Dustin, they have a baby. What was I supposed to do? Leave them out there?" I said finding what I was looking for.
"Yes, we don't know them. They could be dangerous." He said not taking his eyes off the woman who watched us intently. "There's a reason we have survived this long. We don't let strangers in."
I grabbed his face and made him look at me, "We need other people. Eventually, being by ourselves will start messing with our minds and our luck will run out. The kids need this. I need this. There's safety in numbers too, not just dangers. They may not decide to stay with us tonight. The least we can do is offer some kindness. You remember what kindness is right?" I give him a quick kiss and walk to our guests and hand them the items before sitting down and starting a fire.
"Tyrese." I heard the man speak.
"Excuse me?" I ask.
"My name is Tyrese, this is Judith" He motioned to the baby girl. "and that's Carol." The gray haired woman nodded to me.
"it's nice to meet you all." I turn back to the fire. Dustin goes out for a hunt with Nathan and Danielle is sitting with Jackson playing with his cars.
"How old are all of you?" Carol finally speaks to me.
"I'm 25, Dustin is 26, she's 18, Nathan's 13 and Jackson there is 4." I answered as I bring a pot of water to boil.
"You're all so young."
"Yeah I know." I pulled some spaghetti noodles out. "now, I'm sorry we don't have much sauce but there should be enough noodles to fill up your stomachs."
"You don't sound like you are from around here." Tyrese replied as he mashed up peaches for Judith.
"We're all from Missouri, near Kansas City to be exact." Danielle answered.
"How did you make it out here?" He continued to question.
"We were at the Lake of the Ozarks, spent 5 months there. It was good until a huge herd from Kansas City came. Been on the road ever since." I said as I added the noodles. "What about you?"
"We're from here." Carol says as she finally sits down.
"Can I see her?" Danielle asks Tyrese with arms open.
"No, I'm gonna keep her." Tyrese replies not even looking at Danielle. She sits down and Jackson turns and looks at Judith as if he's seeing her for the first time. He grabs one of his cars, walks over and puts it in Judith's little hands. Everyone smiles. Dustin and Nathan come back empty handed and join us for dinner. We sit and listen as Tyrese tells us their journey. Danielle cleans up dinner while Dustin gets ready to go to Terminus.
"I just want to stake it out for a night. See if it's really as safe as the broadcast says. If I'm not back by tomorrow afternoon, consider me lost." He said as he grabs a gun.
"Don't talk like that. You're coming back." I kissed him and watched as he started running down the road. I watch until he's out of sight then turn back to my family and guests. A couple hours later the sun was shining overhead.
"How do you do sleeping arrangements?" Carol asked.
"The kids sleep in the car with the vehicle locked while an adult sits on top keeping guard. Picking off walkers quietly as they come. If there's too many, the one on the roof bangs, wakes the other one up, holds on tight and we take off." I said putting our supplies back in the truck.
"We've had to use that plan more than we've liked." Nathan states.
"You both are welcome to sleep in the truck with the kids while I keep watch." I suggested.
"You're not worried about us killing you and stealing everything?" Tyrese asked.
"I figured if you were gonna do that, you would've already done it." I answered with a smile. "You've both seen what we have. It's not much. I've exposed you to my family, fed you and given you no reason to trust me."
"Trust is a hard thing to do." Carol stated.
"That's true. But there's safety in numbers. You two seem like good people carrying around a baby that isn't yours." My eyes turn to Judith. "part of me knows that if something happens to Dustin or me, you'll both watch over these kids and take care of them the best you can."
"Mena?!" I stopped and looked at Nathan. His arm pointed down the road. A small herd of walkers were making their way towards us. "Shit. Get your bags." I said quickly. We grabbed what we could. Danielle grabbed Jackson as the walkers came around the corner and saw us. Their dead eyes looked our way and started walking around the truck preventing us from getting in.
I stabbed one in the head as we were backed into the woods. Nathan had his knife out and was standing in front of Danielle and Jackson. Carol had her knife out as well.
"There's too many we have to run for it." Carol ordered. I looked at the kids and nodded.
"Nathan, stay next to Jackson. Now move!" My voice was demanding. I brought up the rear, slicing any walker that got to close as we ran. Carol led the way to some railway tracks. We ran down the tracks a distance and hid behind some rocks as the walkers were making their way in our direction. My heart stopped and looked at the kids. Their eyes were wide with fear. This is not the end of them. I told myself. I gripped my knife and gun ready to take them on by myself when the sounds of gun shots went off a distance away. The walkers turned away and started heading towards Terminus.
We waited till the herd passed completely before moving. I came out from behind the rocks and motioned for the others to follow. My eyes scanned the area then rested on the small boy in my sister's arms. His eyes were big and watched me carefully.
"Those shots came from Terminus. We should check it out. Someone could be shooting at them." Tyrese said as he held the tiny infant.
"Or they could be shooting at someone." Carol replied coldly.
"Tyrese is right. We should check it out. Dustin is there and I'm not leaving him." My words only made her nod.
We made our way to the truck as quickly and quietly as possible. I pulled the car seat out and let everyone pile in.
"How long have you and Dustin been together?" Carol asked as I started the truck and we headed towards Terminus.
"We've been dating for 3 years. We first met in junior high, rode the same bus together." I said with a smile on my face.
"You're lucky to still have everyone." Her words made me look at my family in the rear view mirror and smile again. I was lucky. While most people were left alone. I still had my siblings, son and boyfriend. I would protect that with every inch of my being.
"Yes, I am." The gas light came on at my words. "We should probably find another place to park. If something is wrong, we'll have to make a quick get away." I pull off to the side of the road. "Danielle, take the driver seat while Carol and I do a quick swipe. She nodded as we got out. I held my 9 mm gun and knife as I followed Carol. She motioned to a dirt road up ahead. We followed the path and instantly got quiet when we saw a small hunting shack with a car parked out front. A man in a blue cap was running around talking on a walkie talkie.
"Alex, didn't get it. See, I knew the chicken with the sword was bad news. Bitch looked like a weapon with a weapon." He looked like he was setting up a firework.
"He was always a sloppy – ass mother." A female voice replied. Carol motioned me to stay silent. I nodded. I crept up beside the car and listened to him, gun ready.
"Yeah, I told Albert I want the kid's hat after they bleed him out." Carol pointed a gun pressing to the back of his head. He froze before lifting his hands up to surrender.
"Keep your finger off the button and drop it." Carol ordered.
"They're only doing eight before public face." The female voice continued to speak.
"Listen you don't have to do this. Whatever you want, we got a place where everyone's welcome." He tried to talk us out of it.
"We're friends with the chick with the sword and the kid with the hat." Carol stated. I came up beside her and hit the guy hard on the head knocking him out. Carol bound his hands and put him in the hunting shack while I headed back to the truck and led them to Carol's location. I quickly told Tyrese what the man said.
"That's Michonne and Carl. They were apart of the group we had before." He said as Carol walked up.
"Sounds like Terminus isn't what we thought. You're gonna need help getting them out." I said opening the back of the truck, exposing our weapon supply to them. It was a huge collection of guns, knives, arrows, and a couple compound bow.
"How did you get all this?" Carol seemed astonished as I handed her a sniper rifle.
"We raided a Bass Pro before the outbreak got too bad. Plus Dustin had a large assortment already at the lake. He's still in there. I'm gonna help you get him and your friends out." I pulled a knife out and stuck it in my boot.
"Do you have rain ponchos?" Her question made me raise an eyebrow. I shuffled through my things and found 2 and tossed them to her. She walked away with them.
"Tyrese." He looked at me and put a gun in his hands. "I am trusting you with my family. The most precious thing I have. Please protect them with your life if needed." I finished my words and he walked away. I armed myself with a machete and 2 handguns. Danielle, Nathan and Jackson stood not far away from me. "You both protect each other and listen to Tyrese. Stay armed and alert at all times. I'll be back soon with Dustin." They nodded and I kissed their foreheads before heading towards Carol.
She was hunched over a walker rubbing it's guts all over the ponchos. When she saw me, she handed me one of the disgusting ponchos. "This is gonna hide you from the walkers." I put it on without question. We were quiet as we walked to Terminus. It wasn't what I had expected. The large train station looked empty with a few train cars around it. The fencing was high but we would be able to climb them if necessary.
"I'm gonna go around the front and create a distraction. Once you hear it, all the people should come towards me, leaving time for you to sneak in and grab everyone." She laid out the simple plan. I only nodded to her before heading down the fencing a ways. I managed to grab a silencer from the truck before we left. I took the time now to put it on my gun.
Lookouts were on the roof patrolling the area. I sat in the tree line waiting carefully. Till finally the sound of gun shots came. I started climbing the fence. I ran as quickly as I could toward the main building. I opened the door, gun ready to use. I hid behind a dumpster as a man came running out.
A huge explosion knocked me on my ass. Shit, I guess that was the actual signal. Another man came running out, walkie talkie in hand.
"Everyone armed get as many of the those walkers as you can!" He took off in the other direction as I ran my way into the building. I held my gun up as I scanned the first room. I heard voices nearby and took a quick peek. Men were on the floor in front of a metal trough, it looked like their hands and feet were bound. Two men walked around in what looked like butcher outfits. I ran in and shot the butchers.
The four men still alive looked at me. I ran to them and cut the zip ties that bound them. The Asian managed to get out a thank you before one of the white guys grabbed me and slammed me on the floor. He had a beard and blood on half of his face. His eyes looked like he was going to murder me.
"Who are you?" He said forcefully.
"A friend. I'm looking for my boyfriend, Dustin." I looked him in the eyes.
"Rick!" the other white guy pulled him off of me. He looked older maybe in his early 40s. His leather vest was dirty and torn. The brown hair hung down to almost his blue eyes.
"Dustin is with our friends." The Asian helped me up.
"We have to get them. Walkers are heading into Terminus now." I said as I handed my knife and gun to the Asian and black guy. I pulled the poncho off and ran with them through the meat locker. I stopped when I realized what was hanging up. Human bodies. "These people were fucking cannibals." My voice was smothered in disgust. By the look on the men's faces, they were just as disgusted.
"You cross any of these people, you kill them. Don't hesitate. They won't." The one who jumped me ordered. Guess he's the leader of the group. The redneck in the vest busted a pipe to use as defense. We headed to the exit, peeking out the window. Four or five walkers were surrounding a train car.
"If we move fast, we can get around them while they're distracted." The leader stated.
"We gotta let those people out. It's who were are. It's gotta be." The Asian said to the leader. I stood beside the black man, gun at the ready.
"I'm Bob." He said before glancing at the chaos outside.
"Mena." I kept my eyes looking around us. The leader threw open the door and the walkers headed for us. I shot one in the head and hit the train car, while the Asian opened it. A man came screaming out.
"We're the same! We're them." The man grabbed ahold of the leader and smiled.
"Back off." The leader said as he pushed the man off.
"We're the same." The man laughed backing away before getting bit by a walker and thrown to the ground. The Asian came up and hit the walker in the head.
"Come on!" I pulled the Asian back. We watched as walkers headed down an alley.
"We got to double back." Bob said.
"A is that way." The leader replied. "We double back, we won't know where we are."
"Ain't like we got a choice, do we?" The redneck joined. Walkers were still heading down the alley, when gun shots started up. A group of Terminus people were heading the walkers. Killing each one in sight.
"Wait." The leader headed out and hid behind a car. The redneck followed when a walker tried sneaking up behind the leader. The leader killed one of the gunners and shot the others. "Come on!" We took off. The gunners had taken out most of the walkers that were down the alley.
We ended up doubling back but they soon let me to the train car. I took out the machete and battled the dead as the leader opened up the train car. "Fight to the fence!" The walkers started surrounding us. Dustin was one of the last one to exit. I tossed the gun to him and we started to the fence. I took out a walker headed for the redneck and another near a kid in a sheriff hat.
They tossed a tarp over the fence and people started to go over. I fought while they did. I looked back at Dustin. He killed a walker but didn't notice another behind him. "Shit!" He screamed as it bit his shoulder, he ripped out of its grasp and shot it. He started running to me when Terminus people started shooting at us. I was one of the last ones left to go over when Dustin reached me.
"Come on, babe. You're next." I tried pulling him over the fence.
"No, you go!" He pushed me off.
"You can make it! Don't leave me." I pleaded with him.
"I'm bit, I can hold them off. GET OUT OF HERE! DARYL, TAKE HER!" He turned and started shooting the walkers. I felt arms around me as I screamed for him. A red headed man tossed me over.
"Dustin! Please you can still make it!" I screamed as the last person made it over.
"No! You take care of the kids! I love you!" He yelled as another one bit him. He took one last look at me before putting the gun to his head and pulling the trigger. I screamed as his dead body was over taken by walkers. Tears streamed down my face as I felt myself being pulled away.
These new people dragged me into the woods, when we finally stopped, I broken down crying in one of the men's arms. Through tear filled eyes I saw who it was. The man in the dirty leather vest held me tight as I cried. His hand held my head as I digged my face into his shoulder.