Here Without You - Three Doors Down
Tara laid down in her designated bunk, ready to get some much needed sleep. Her bunk mate, Jacob Henderson, was nice enough and she got along good with him. In fact, they had served together during Tara's first deployment so their friendship immediately started from where they left off.
When Tara first arrived in Virginia, she wasn't in much of a good mood. She had just left her heart in Georgia, climbed onto the military bus, and was now facing a life threatening virus which would probably get her killed. Henderson had showed her pictures of his wife and kids. Tara felt bad that he had to leave his family behind in Dallas to do this mission. Plus, there had been rumors among the selected snipers that a few cases had cropped up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Their higher ups were quick to squash any gossip, calling it nonsense.
Tara had been at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia for about four days and so far she hadn't seen the walker that Lieutenant Davis had said would be here. So far, the Sergeant just made her practice her long range precision shooting, which she didn't need but she didn't argue. Everyday there were new reports on the news about missing people in various cities like Cleveland, Houston, San Francisco, and Phoenix. Tara wondered how much of this virus the government really had under control.
Tara's favorite time of day was at night when she was able to call Maggie and listen to her heavenly voice. They would usually talk on the phone for a couple of hours until Maggie had to reluctantly go to sleep. Tara would always promise that she would be home soon, not knowing if that was promise she would be able to keep.
That night, Tara laid in her bunk, just having gotten off the phone with Maggie when Henderson came into their designated quarters. He took a look at his friend who was just laying there looking at a photo of her girlfriend. Jake shook his head amused, he had never seen Tara so into one girl. The small television was on but Tara wasn't paying any attention to the screen.
"Come on, Chambler! Get out of this funk you're in. I miss my wife too but I still want to have some kind of fun before we're sent to the big fuckin' sandbox. Come with me to Reyes and Handler's quarters, they have some Jack Daniels and some rum. Let's get some drinks...live a little," Henderson shook Tara by the shoulder causing her to sit up.
"I don't know..." Tara started to say but was interrupted. She had received some other news that day and was still trying to process it.
"Come on...it'll get your mind off of everything at least for a little while," Henderson tried to motivate Tara to get up and join him.
"Man...my ex-girlfriend just told me that she's pregnant with my kid. I'm not sure if I believe her though. I'm gonna call the clinic tomorrow and see what the results are for myself. I really think she's lying to me," Tara revealed what else was on her mind as Jake just let out a breath.
"Why would she lie about something like that?" Henderson asked. He was glad he wasn't in Tara's shoes, it sounded very complicated.
"To trap me. She's not very happy that I have Maggie," Tara guessed, not knowing what Alice's true motives could be.
"Well, that sucks that you put your dick in crazy. Hopefully, you find out the truth. A kid is nothin' to joke about," Jake said.
"Tell me about it," Tara agreed as she let her head hit the wall behind her. Tara knew she needed to tell Maggie but she wanted to be sure.
"Let's go get wasted. Forget all about the crazy bitch and just have some fun," Jake flashed Tara a smile.
"I don't know, man." Tara resisted though having a few drinks was looking more and more like a good idea.
"Come on, man. Live a little. Just a few drinks with some good company before we're faced with those undead things. Plus, it will help all six of us get reacquainted with each other," Henderson argued his point to going out that night.
Tara couldn't argue with that. After they were dropped off in Afghanistan, it would just be the six of them. She knew they would have her back no matter what, but it didn't hurt to spend some time with the guys before shit hit the fan.
"Fine. I'll have a few drinks with you guys," Tara finally relented as she put the photo of Maggie in her shirt pocket, keeping it close to her heart.
"Come on, playa." Henderson joked as Tara just smiled as she got off the bed and followed him to the other quarters where the small party was happening.
Henderson banged on the door, which was promptly answered by a tall Hispanic man who had a wide grin on his face.
"Henderson! Chambler! Quė pasa, you fuckers! Come in!" Miguel Reyes stepped aside to let Tara and Jake into the room where three other men were sitting around watching a boxing match on the small television. Tara immediately recognized all of them since she had been deployed with all of the guys at one point or another.
"Wanna drink?" Robert Handler handed Tara a large bottle of Jack Daniels which she gladly took a long drink from. She nodded acknowledgement to the other two Marines in the room as she sat down on a vacant fold-up chair.
"So when you do you think we're gonna get to fight these fuckin' walkers?" Reyes asked the others as he sat down on one of the beds in the room.
"Soon I hope. I'm curious to see what those fucks can do," Tara answered.
"Rip your throat out is what they'll do," Henderson replied as a couple of the Marines murmured in agreement.
"Yeah the government created a shit storm and we get to clean it up," Robert sighed as he thought about the family he was leaving behind.
"Well, we have each other's backs. That's all that matters," Tara said as she took a drink of liquor.
"We should play a game while we're over there. See who kills the most and whoever wins gets a free night at a strip club. The losers pay for everythin'...drinks, chicks," Reyes suggested as the others looked apprehensive at the idea.
"I don't think my wife would like that," Henderson laughed as Robert nodded in agreement.
"Yeah...I think Maggie would kill me if I went to a strip club," Tara took another drink of whisky.
"Man...you guys killin' my game," Miguel lamented as he glanced at his comrades with a smile on his face.
"You tryin' to get game with a stripper?" Tara laughed as Reyes nodded.
"Fuck yeah! They are the wildest in bed! They'll do whatever you want," Miguel wiggled his eyebrows as Tara just shook her head at his antics.
The six Marines spent the next couple of hours just joking around and getting tipsy with liquor. Tara decided she had had enough, deciding to go back to her bunk and fall asleep. She didn't want to get wasted knowing that her Lieutenant would probably make her squad run ten miles if he even suspected that any of them had been drinking.
Tara stumbled into her bunk and sprawled out on her bed. She took the photo of Maggie out of her pocket, missing her girl more than anything. Tara closed her eyes as she remembered their last night together before she had to leave...
Tara and Maggie arrived at the apartment a few minutes before nine that night. Tara had spent the morning and afternoon with Lilly and Meghan before going over to the Greene farmhouse to spend time with Maggie's family.
The family gave Tara a little going away party which lasted a couple of hours. The seconds kept ticking away signaling the arrival of Tara's departure from her loved ones. Everyone was going to be at Fort Benning in the morning to say goodbye to Tara before she boarded the military bus to Virginia.
Finally, Tara and Maggie decided it was time to get going so they could spend some alone time together before being apart for over a year.
They quietly entered the apartment which was silent since Lilly and Meghan had gone to bed early. Everyone had to be up at five the next morning to leave to the military base.
The young couple walked to Tara's room, going in and quietly shutting the door. Tara looked at her clock, seeing that she only had about eight hours left with Maggie. She wanted to waste no time.
Tara could see the tears starting to mist in Maggie's eyes, a few stray ones falling down her cheek. Tara gently wiped away the tears.
"Hey...let's make the most of this night together. Let's not think about tomorrow. It's just me and you now," Tara whispered as Maggie nodded.
"I love you. I'm gonna miss you so much," Maggie said as she looked into Tara's eyes.
"I'm gonna miss you too, baby. I love you more than you'll ever know," Tara looked into Maggie's beautiful green eyes before leaning in for a sensual kiss.
Maggie's moist and supple lips tasted like heaven to Tara. Maggie wasted no time, letting her tongue slip into Tara's mouth. Tara could barely control herself as she tasted Maggie. She let her hands roam down Maggie's body, feeling her soft curves.
Tara watched as Maggie threw her shoes to one side and reached behind herself and pulled down the zipper for her dress. Maggie let the straps fall off her shoulders and the top half of her dress fell to her waist.
With a few quick and absurdly sexy movements of her hip, the dress fell to the floor. For a split second, Maggie stood there almost completely naked except for her black panties. Tara was standing by the door the whole time, watching the scene in front of her. Tara could barely contain her excitement as she watched Maggie.
Tara kept her eyes focused as Maggie laid on the bed in her panties, with one arm covering her breasts. She was just waiting for Tara to ravish her. The next few moments were a blur as Tara quickly discarded her clothes and climbed onto the bed with Maggie.
The first thing Tara did was gently pry Maggie's arm away from her chest so she could marvel at her breasts. Tara looked Maggie up and down, admiring her beautiful body being sure to memorize every curve.
Maggie stretched out across the bed, her breasts rising as she arched her back while a long slender leg brushed the side of Tara's body. Tara reached towards Maggie's hips, looping a finger around the waistband of her panties and pulled them down her legs, throwing them unceremoniously across the room. Tara sat there for a moment, utterly mesmerized by what was between Maggie's legs.
"Make love to me," Maggie said with lust in her voice, wanting this night to last forever.
Tara gave her an intense look that sent shivers down Maggie's spine. Tara placed her right hand on the inside of Maggie's thigh before slowly moving up. Tara felt Maggie's body shiver under her touch, knowing she wanted more and was ready.
Tara laid several fingers against Maggie's opening but didn't push inside. Maggie breathed in sharply and held her breath, anticipating Tara's next movement. Tara briefly ran her fingers through Maggie's neatly trimmed pubic hair before moving back to the warm pussy, that was begging for her touch. Tara slowly inserted two fingers into Maggie, feeling the wetness coat her fingers, making them slick. Maggie arched her head back and fell flat onto the mattress as Tara went to work.
Tara could feel the walls of Maggie's vagina tighten around her fingers. Tara marveled at how wet and tight Maggie felt. Tara worked both fingers in and out of Maggie, keeping up a nice rhythm as Maggie moved her hips. Maggie had her eyes shut, trying to breathe steadily the whole time as Tara touched her in ways only she could.
Tara wrapped her free arm around Maggie's waist, pulling her in close so she could take one of Maggie's nipple between her lips. Maggie moaned softly as Tara's tongue licked her stiff nipples which grew warm and supple in Tara's mouth. Tara elicited a gasp from between Maggie's lips as she began to suck on her nipples, moving from one to the other. The feel of Maggie's naked body against Tara's was indescribably amazing. Tara just wanted to hold Maggie's soft, smooth body and never let go.
The whole time, Tara continued to work her fingers inside of Maggie's excited pussy. Tara began to search inside of Maggie for that one area, that one spot that when stimulated always makes a girl cry out in pleasure. Maggie was a tight girl and she was squirming beneath Tara quite a lot.
Tara's fingers pumped in and out of her faster and faster, probing Maggie's insides. That act by itself made Maggie wetter and louder. But when Tara's fingers brushed against that particularly sensitive area on the roof of her vagina, she knew she had Maggie. With two fingers firmly planted at the spot, Tara began to firmly and quickly move her fingers inside of Maggie, making sure to stimulate the area as much as possible.
Maggie reacted slowly at first but then suddenly, she moved to close her legs. Tara moved to put the weight of her body against one leg and her free arm against the other. Tara pried open Maggie's legs until they were far apart and continued to assault Maggie's pussy with her fingers.
At last, Maggie cried out in pleasure. It was a sound of pure ecstasy. But it only lasted for a moment before Maggie went down to a persistent and pleasurable moaning. But Tara knew Maggie felt it, her pussy had suddenly become intensively wet causing Maggie to squirm almost violently beneath Tara.
Tara's fingers made a sloshing sound as they moved inside of Maggie, pumping back and forth while focusing on that one spot. Maggie's moans and the sounds of her juices squelching around inside of her filled the room.
Suddenly, Maggie shut her eyes tight and her body tensed up in Tara's arms. Tara could feel a fresh wave of moisture squirt out of Maggie, coating her fingers and causing it to dribble out of her pussy before seeping into the sheets below. All the while, the noises Maggie made could best be described as restrained ecstasy.
Tara could tell Maggie wanted nothing more than to scream out in pleasure but Lilly and Meghan were in the rooms next to theirs. Tara thought Maggie looked so beautiful in the throes of passion.
"That was amazing," Maggie gasped between breaths.
Tara slowly pulled her fingers out of Maggie, quickly licking the wetness off of her fingers. Tara loved how good Maggie tasted, the taste alone made her harder with anticipation. Maggie still had her eyes closed and had relaxed, seemingly oblivious to the fact she had only felt Tara's fingers. Tara was still extremely hard, waiting for her own release.
Tara leaned in and whispered into Maggie's ear. "I'm not done with you yet."
Maggie opened her eyes, staring into Tara's intense brown ones. They didn't break eye contact as Maggie spread her legs open and Tara positioned herself between them.
Maggie pulled Tara's head down to hers and planted a soft, wet kiss on Tara's lips. Then Maggie moved her hands further down Tara's body, wrapping her fingers around Tara's extremely hard cock. Tara had to stop herself from almost cumming on Maggie's stomach right then and there; her touch felt that good.
Tara fought off the urge as Maggie guided the tip to her hot, wet pussy. She ran it up and down and teasingly pushed it just past the lips of her pussy but never entering her. Maggie's slender fingers kept casually stroking the length of Tara's penis; Tara needed to get inside of her immediately. The urge was all consuming, Tara's body on fire from the teasing.
Suddenly, they made eye contact again and once more, Tara was lost in those green eyes of Maggie's. Without even thinking, Tara lowered herself into Maggie, burying her cock all the way in. Maggie shut her eyes immediately and let out a low cry of pleasure.
Tara held herself there for several moments, perfectly locked in place between Maggie's legs. The walls of Maggie's pussy closed in tightly, but she was so wet inside there was barely any resistance. Tara pulled out and pushed back inside of Maggie, eliciting another cry of ecstasy. Another thrust and another cry of pleasure. Another thrust and another cry of bliss.
Tara supported herself on the bed with one hand, with the other, she roughly grabbed Maggie's left breast and squeezed it in her hand. Tara was beginning to move in and out of Maggie more quickly as Maggie's cries of pleasure began to blend together. Every motion inside of her was sheer pleasure.
Maggie laid there, keeping her legs open as wide as she could, allowing Tara maximum penetration. Every once in awhile, Tara would thrust into her just that little bit harder and each time that thrust was punctuated by a cry from Maggie that was much louder than the others. Tara's hands began to explore every corner of Maggie's body from her slender arms, her perky breasts, that beautiful long neck and that wonderfully tight ass. All the while, Tara continued to move in and out of her with long and pleasurable thrusts.
Maggie opened her eyes again and for a few moments, her cries subsided just a bit. Her brown hair was a tangled mess beneath her but Tara thought she looked absolutely stunning. Tara looked down at Maggie's chest to see her breasts bouncing wildly back and forth as she fucked her. Tara was moving her entire body with every thrust that penetrated her girlfriend. Maggie was clawing at the sheets with one hand while her other was pulled above her head and pushing against the headboard of the bed.
Eventually it became too much, Tara knew she wouldn't be able to last much longer. Tara made several final, rough thrusts inside of Maggie causing her to cry out louder than she had before. Tara could feel it all building up until finally, she couldn't hold it in any longer. With one final, hard and rough thrust into Maggie that shifted her entire body beneath Tara, she came inside of Maggie.
Tara felt the walls of Maggie's pussy convulse around her cock as Maggie had another intense orgasm. Maggie ran her nails down Tara's back as she cried out in pleasure. Tara felt her cock gush inside as it mixed with Maggie's juices. Tara all but collapsed on top of Maggie as her orgasm took all the energy from her body. Maggie's mouth was next to Tara's ear and she could hear every single heavy breath Maggie took.
Tara didn't know how long she remained on top of Maggie but eventually, she rolled to one side and they both laid side by side looking up at the ceiling. The ticking of the clock was a cruel reminder that their time together was coming to an end.
"I'm gonna miss you so much," Maggie whispered as she snuggled into Tara.
"I'm gonna miss you too, baby. But don't worry...I'll be home in no time. I'll always be thinking about you," Tara said as she some of Maggie's tears against her skin.
"It'll be ok...I'll always be with you one way or another," Tara tried to soothe Maggie's fears. The clock still ticking away the precious seconds.
"I love you," Maggie choked out as a sob.
"I love you more than anything," Tara placed a soft kiss on Maggie head.
"Let's just enjoy the night before tomorrow comes to take me away," Tara gently pushed Maggie so that she was underneath her again.
The young couple spent the rest of that night making love and remembering every second of their last night together. The clock continuing to tick away the seconds...
Tara was roughly shaken from her good dream of that night with Maggie. Henderson was looking at her with a look she couldn't quite read. Tara could tell the man was shaken by something. She briefly wondered how much he had had to drink.
"What's wrong, Jake?" Tara shook her head, trying to wake up from her slumber still. She looked at the clock on the wall seeing that it was almost three in the morning.
Henderson opened his mouth to talk but nothing came out. Tara realized something was really wrong at the point. She shook his shoulders, hard.
"What's wrong, dude?" Tara went to open the door to get some help when Jake stopped her.
"Don't open that door!" Henderson jumped to stop Tara from opening the door. She gave him a confused look.
"You sure you're alright? How much did you drink?" she asked as Jake shook his head.
"Those undead things from the video that Davis showed us...they're here...they're out there. We were drinkin' and all of a sudden we heard all this commotion. One of those things was killing a Marine..ripping his stomach open. Then it went after someone else and bit them. Reyes shot the bastard but the other men turned into those creatures. And before we knew it there had to be like twenty of those things. I ran to come get you but they're attackin whatever they see in sight. I don't know where the rest of our squad went," Jake recalled the events that happened just a few minutes ago feeling like he was in a dream.
"That's not all," Henderson turned on the TV, the sound of the local news filling the room. "Those bastards have been lyin' to us. They didn't have shit under control," he said angrily as Tara looked at the screen.
"...we urge residents to stay in their homes as this strange epidemic takes place. Do not open your doors for anything. Stay off the streets...cities are crawling with these...I don't even know what to call them...monsters? Creatures? We have reports of these creatures in Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Vancouver, Seattle, Chicago, and the list is growing! The end of times is coming!" the overexcited news anchor announced as film from various cities filled the screen. The scenes showed walkers roaming around different cities, attacking whatever came into sight.
"Fuck! Atlanta? I need to get back to my family. I need to get back to my sister and Maggie," Tara cursed being in another state while her family could be danger.
"I need to get to my wife and kids in Dallas. I don't want to lose them," Henderson felt some tears escape his eyes at the thought of his family being torn apart by those vile creatures.
"Hey, man! You'll get to them. I'll get to my family and you'll get to yours. We just need to get the fuck out of here," Tara tried to keep Jake composed. This wasn't like being in Iraq, this was a whole other game of survival.
"We can take a couple of military Hummers. They're parked in the back behind the West Wing bunks. I doubt anyone will care if we take them in this panic," Henderson suggested as Tara nodded in agreement. They could hear the sound of gunfire and painful screams coming from behind their door.
"Davis keeps the keys in his temporary office. I'll go get the keys, some more weapons, and ammo while you secure the vehicles. Deal?" Tara told Henderson as she offered him a fist bump which he gladly gave back.
"Deal. Let's do this," Jake said as he got his automatic rifle ready. Tara took his lead, securing her weapons and making sure everything was loaded. She holstered her side arm and knife, before making sure her rifle was ready for the unknown waiting for them outside the door.
As the Marines were getting ready, quickly packing up their military backpacks, Tara could hear the news report saying that panic was being felt worldwide as the creatures made their appearance in London, Paris, Madrid, and other big cities overseas. Tara could only hope she wasn't too late for Lilly, Meghan, Maggie, and her family.
"Ready?" Jake asked as Tara nodded her head. She definitely wasn't expecting all this to happen when she went to bed just a few short hours earlier.
They went to the door, listening to the continuing gun shots and loud wails. Jake had his hand on the door, mentally preparing himself to open it. He gave Tara another look, both of them making eye contact, knowing this could be the last time they saw each other alive.
"Remember, head shot or some type of trauma to the head," Tara said as Jake solemnly nodded.
Jake took a deep breath. "May God be with us." He turned the knob, swinging the door open. Jake took off in one direction as Tara went off into the other.
Tara ran as fast as she could to Davis' temporary office which was a few blocks away from her quarters. Suddenly, a creature was standing in front of her, moving at a good speed towards her. Tara allowed herself to be in shock for a second at seeing a walker in front of her before reality set it. She raised her gun, shooting the creeper in the head, bringing it down forever.
Tara looked down at the body, seeing that its gray brain matter was seeping onto the pavement beneath it. From what the walker was wearing, Tara could see that it had been another Marine.
She let out a deep breath before moving on into the night. Chaos surrounded her on all sides with walkers attacking soldiers and soldiers fighting for their lives. Tara ran into a young Marine who was firing shot after shot into the body of an advancing walker. No matter how many bullets hit their mark, the walker kept upright, its teeth chopping, ready for flesh.
Tara took a shot, hitting it square in the head. The young Marine turned to see where the extra bullet had come from. He gave Tara a nod of thanks before running off before she could tell him that head shots brought them down.
She ran towards the Lieutenant's office, killing as many of those walkers as she could. Tara could see that no matter how many she shot down, there were five to replace the one taken out. Tara could only hope that Henderson was holding his own.
Tara stopped momentarily, seeing that the office was dead ahead. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see two walkers were practically on her. Tara hit one in the head with the butt of her rifle, causing it to fall to the ground before it could bite her arm. She dropped her rifle in the process, cursing to herself.
The other walker, this one a female, advanced towards her. Tara grabbed her knife, waiting for the creature to make a move. The walker grabbed for her, Tara responded by stabbing the knife through its eye. The movements of the walker stilled as the body went limp, falling to the floor. Tara retrieved her knife from the head of the creature, she quickly put her knife up. Adrenaline coursing through her body, Tara picked up her rifle and ran to the Lieutenant's office.
She was grateful when the door was unlocked. Tara ran into the dark room, the only light coming from a tiny television set on the corner of the desk.
"Chambler...you're still alive," Tara nearly jumped when she heard Davis' voice coming from behind the desk. She let her eyes adjust to the extra dark room, seeing that Davis was sitting in his chair. A bottle of some dark liquor and his pistol was on the desk.
"Yeah...I need to get back to my family. I need the keys to some Hummers," Tara told Davis as simply nodded.
"Where they at?" He asked as he opened his drawer, bringing out a few sets of keys. He threw them at Tara, who easily caught the keys.
"Atlanta," Tara said, not liking the look Davis gave her.
"Good luck, Chambler. You're goin' to need all the luck in the world. Atlanta is supposed to be especially crawlin' with those fuckin' creatures," Davis sighed as he unscrewed the top off of the liquor. He took a long drink, drinking almost a quarter of the bottle in one swig.
"Want some?" Davis offered. Tara was going to say no but thought better of it. She took the bottle, taking a drink almost as long as Davis'.
"What are you gonna do?" she asked her Lieutenant, fearing she already knew his answer.
"I'm gonna finish my bottle of liquor. Then I'm gonna blow my brains out. I'm partly the reason this whole damn thing happened. We just wanted a powerful weapon to protect our country. Plus, I don't have any family or a girl like you do. I have nothin'," Davis informed Tara with no emotion in his voice.
"You could come with me," Tara offered.
"Nah. I've made my decision, Chambler. You go find your family. I'm sure you will, you have that drive. You were always like a daughter I never had. I hope your folks are proud of you because I sure am," Davis rose from his chair to give Tara a quick hug.
"Thank you, sir," Tara simply said, not wanting to believe that this would be the last time she saw Davis alive.
"Good luck, Chambler. Take as many weapons as you need from the armory. The key is one of those that I gave you," Davis gave Tara a small smile as he took another drink.
"Thanks for everything, Lieutenant," Tara gave him one last look before opening the door, running back into danger. Tara ran to the armory, firing at every walker she encountered, hitting her mark every time.
She unlocked the door, almost tripping over herself in the rush to get in. Tara grabbed two duffel bags and quickly filled them up with rifles, handguns, and extra ammo that would last a while. Tara was sure that this would last her and Henderson for awhile. She knew Jake would be able to find more on his way to Dallas.
Tara threw both of the bags over her shoulder, getting used to the extra weight added to her body. She grabbed her handgun since she could only use one hand to fire a gun now. Tara took a deep breath as she kicked the door open, and ran out into the makeshift battlefield of humans and walkers.
She ran as fast as she could, dodging walkers and people. The only thing on Tara's mind was getting to her destination so she could get out of this hellhole and find her family. Buildings were on fire as chaos ran amuck around her. Soldiers were screaming as they were being ripped apart, gun shots rang out all around her.
Finally, Tara saw the Hummers that were parked in the back. She could see Henderson gunning down stray walkers that happened to wander by. Jake had a smile on his face as he caught sight of Tara as she ran up to him.
"Fuck...I thought you were a goner for sure," Henderson said as Tara dropped the duffel bags onto the floor. She reached into her pockets, pulling out the sets of keys.
"Here...try all of these," Tara tossed Jake a couple of the keys. They both tried the keys until they each found a Hummer that roared to life.
"Well, I guess this is where we part ways. Good luck, Chambler. Thanks for everything," Henderson wrapped his arms around Tara, giving her a big bear hug.
"Get to your wife and kids. Maybe we'll see each other again someday," Tara patted him on the back.
"I hope so," Jake said as he grabbed a duffel bag, tossing it into the passenger side of his Hummer. He climbed in, revving the engine a bit.
"Semper fi, Chambler!" Henderson yelled from the window as he started to drive out of the military base. Tara watched until she saw that he passed the gates in the front. She quickly grabbed her duffel bag, tossing it into the vehicle.
Tara climbed in, quickly putting the military vehicle in drive. It was about an eight to nine hour drive to Atlanta from her current destination. She knew it would probably take longer with everything that was going on. Tara could only hope that the highways weren't jam packed with people trying to flee infected cities. She just needed to get to her loved ones as fast as possible.
Tara drove out of the military base, running over a walker in the process. It gave her a small feeling of satisfaction though she knew she couldn't hit every walker she saw. If Tara did that, then the engine would probably become jammed up with walker guts.
Tara turned onto the highway, surprised that it wasn't full of cars just yet. She was sure that would change as morning arrived. Tara stepped on the gas, going a fast as she safety could. As she was driving, Tara suddenly remembered her phone in her pocket. She quickly fished it out, pressing the button to call Maggie. She needed to know that Maggie was okay and that she knew Tara was on her way to protect her from this nightmare. The phone line was dead, frustrated Tara threw the phone into the backseat.
Tara drove in silence for a few more minutes before trying the radio to see if there was any news on. She listened as a radio jockey excitedly told his listeners that there reports of the creatures in Mexico, Brazil, Ireland, and Germany. Newly infected cities included Sacramento, Richmond, Austin, Baton Rouge, and Las Vegas. He also told people to stay barricaded in their homes and that the government would send help.
Tara laughed to herself at that. She knew no help would coming for the people still stuck in the cities. The U.S. government had fucked up royally and humanity had paid the ultimate price. Tara decided she needed to get Lilly and Meghan first since they were the most vulnerable being so close to Atlanta. Then they could flee to the Greene farmhouse and Tara would have an easier time protecting everyone from monsters and strangers alike.
The sun started to rise as Tara passed a few abandoned cars on the highway. She saw a few walkers straggling around and she resisted the urge to shoot them. Tara knew she needed to conserve as much ammo as she could. Who knew how many walkers would be crawling around her apartment complex. Tara hoped Lilly could manage until she showed up. There were plenty of weapons at the house, but Lilly didn't know how to fire a gun. Tara decided that she would make sure Lilly, Maggie, and Beth knew how to operate a gun...it was a necessity now.
Tara looked at the fuel gauge knowing that there wasn't enough gasoline in the tank to get her home. She would have to find another vehicle or two on the way which would probably be easy with the amount of desolate cars she kept running into.
Tara kept her focus on driving, trying not to let her anxiousness get the best of her. She still had a long way to go before she got to Atlanta. She could only imagine how Jake was feeling since he had to travel all the way to Dallas. She was glad Atlanta was only a few hours away instead of a few days.
About halfway through the drive, Tara noticed that the gauge was getting close to empty. She cursed to herself and started to look for a replacement vehicle. She finally found a small truck that was on the side of the road. Tara parked the Hummer next to it, looking around to see if there were any stray walkers around. She observed three that were around the truck, walking mindlessly about. Tara lowered her passenger window, taking aim at all three of them, shooting them down one by one.
Seeing that all was clear now, Tara opened the truck door. Of course, no keys. That would have been too easy. Tara started to hot-wire the car, hoping that it would start easily. After a few unsuccessful attempts, the engine finally roared to life. Tara was glad to see the tank was almost full. She might be able to make it to the apartment with this truck after all.
She threw her duffle bag and backpack into the truck. Suddenly, she remembered her phone. Tara was pretty sure it was useless in this new world but it had pictures of Maggie and of them together. That's something she didn't want to lose.
Tara pulled out the photo of Maggie that she kept in her pocket. She looked at it momentarily wishing that Maggie was in her arms. She didn't even know if Maggie was safe at this point.
"Don't worry, Maggie. I'm almost there..." Tara said to no one in particular as she put the photo back into her pocket. She quickly climbed into her new truck and continued on her way. Tara stepped on the gas, the urge to make sure her family was alright consumed her body. She could only hope she would make it there in time.
Tara arrived in the Atlanta area around three that afternoon. She was glad the highway to get into the city was relatively empty. The highway leading out was jammed packed with cars though. She was going to have to find another way to Maggie's house.
As she drove down the deserted suburban streets, Tara could see walkers by the tens walking around with no regards. Some paid attention as her truck passed by. Some were too busy eating human flesh to pay the vehicle any mind.
Tara was amazed at what a few hours could do. If people were still around, they had barricaded themselves in their houses. If they hadn't done that, then they were either looting or walker chow. Tara passed an electronics store where a few burly men were breaking the window, intending to steal whatever was in there. Tara glared at them for a second as she passed by. She guessed a lot of looting was going on in the city now.
She was a few blocks away from her apartment when she heard a scream coming from an alley. Tara looked over and saw a young woman being held against a wall by three biker guys. A meek looking man was being restrained by another large biker guy.
Tara already knew what that biker gang was planning on doing to that girl and she couldn't let that happen.
Tara immediately stopped the truck, grabbing her rifle, she stood at the entry way of the alley. The men hadn't noticed her as they were too busy talking about what they were going to do to the girl in front of them. Tara could feel her blood boil as she heard those bastards.
"Hey fuckers!" Tara yelled to get the bikers' attention. Everyone in the alley turned to look at her.
"Just keep walkin'. This doesn't concern you," one of gruff bikers holding the woman muttered.
"Yeah it does. I'm not gonna let you hurt these people," Tara glared at the four bikers in front of her.
"What are you gonna do about it?" A biker with an overgrown beard laughed as the others joined in. Tara could see the young woman was silently crying.
"I'm a trained elite Marine sniper. I could kill all four of y'all in less than five seconds. If you want to try me, keep doin' what you're doin'. If not, let them go and walk away...alive," Tara was satisfied as she saw the bikers became a bit unraveled.
One of them, the leader she guessed, became angry, glaring at her. "Fuck that. You just all talk! Get goin' you little punk."
"Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you," Tara said as she raised her rifle. Before anyone could react, Tara fired four bullets that hit their mark perfectly. All four bikers hit the ground with holes in their brains.
The young woman opened her eyes, looking at the lifeless bodies on the floor. She immediately ran to Tara giving her a huge hug.
"Thank you so much! You saved us!" the young woman exclaimed as the man who was being restrained joined them.
"Thank you so much! I'm Ben by the way and this is my girlfriend, Carrie. Thank you..." Ben gave Tara a hug as soon as Carrie had let go.
"No problem. I couldn't let them hurt you but you guys need to get out of the city. Go into the country, it's safer," Tara grabbed her handgun, handing it to Ben. He shook his head as he tried to refuse it.
"Take it. You will need it. Be careful. Come on," Tara found an abandoned car and hot-wired it for the couple.
"Take the car and the gun and get the hell out of this city. Don't look back," Tara instructed the young couple as they nodded.
"Thank you. We owe you our lives," Carrie said as Tara simply shrugged.
"Don't mention it. Just get out of here," Tara hit the roof of the car a couple of times as they drove away. Tara watched until they were out of view before running back to her truck. She was so close to her apartment now, just a few blocks away.
Finally, Tara arrived at the apartment which looked the same on the outside. She looked around and saw a few walkers creeping towards her.
"Fuckin' things," Tara muttered as she shot all of the creatures dead. She slung the duffel bag and backpack over her shoulder, pulling out her handgun, finger on the trigger as she opened the door to the building.
The hallways were dark as Tara slowly descended up the stairs to the fourth floor where her apartment was located. She kept an eye out for any movement, ready to shoot at anything that stood between her and her family. Protective mode was in full swing as her eyes looked all around as she reached their hallway.
Finally, Tara reached her door. She pulled out her keys, searching for her house one. Tara slowly opened the door, and entered the dark apartment. There were a few candles that were lit throughout the place but she couldn't see Lilly or Meghan anywhere.
Suddenly, Tara saw some movement from the corner of her eye. She barely had time to duck out of the way as a baseball bat came swinging towards her head. Tara cursed as she fell onto the floor.
"Lilly! It's me!" Tara said as Lilly knelt down beside her.
"Jesus Christ, Tara! You scared me! I thought you were one of those things. Oh my god! I'm so happy you're here. I thought maybe...well, it doesn't matter what I thought, you're alive and here," Lilly wrapped her arms around Tara as Meghan cautiously walked into the room. When she saw it was her Aunt Tara, she bounded into the room and joined in on the hug.
"Yeah, and I almost got my head bashed in," Tara said but she was happy to see that Lilly and Meghan were fine and healthy.
"How is it out there? It started in the city a few hours ago. The news said this disease was spreading. I saw someone get attacked and I knew I needed to get out of the streets. So Meghan and I have been here since. I really didn't think I would see you again, Tara," Lilly let some stray tears fall down her face.
"It just started at the military base this morning. Those bastards knew what was goin' on and didn't tell us. I should've been here before shit hit the fan," Tara said as she got up off the floor.
"We need to get out of the city. Right now the walkers are manageable but soon Atlanta will be crawlin' with them," Tara looked out the window, already seeing a couple of walkers in the street below.
"Walkers?" Lilly asked.
"Yeah, that's what the military called them," Tara answered.
"You knew about them before all of this?" Lilly looked surprised as Tara simply nodded her head.
"That's why I was called for duty. They were running rampant Afghanistan after a failed biological weapon test. So I was going to go help exterminate all of the bastards. They were here in the U.S. but the government had it control or so we thought. Now it's pretty clear they didn't have shit under control," Tara said with some disdain in her voice.
They could hear gunshots and screams from outside. It was clear that total chaos was taking over the city and they needed to get out fast.
"Listen, we need to get out here. So pack up some clothes for you and Meghan. Pack up some non-perishable food items. We're going out to the country where it's safer," Tara directed as Lilly listened to her plan carefully.
"Where in the country?" Lilly asked although she already knew the answer.
"Maggie's farmhouse. I need to make sure her family is alright. I can protect everyone from there relatively easily since there should be fewer walkers around," Tara said as she walked to her room to pack up some clothes. Lilly took her lead, going to the closet to grab a couple of suitcases.
Tara opened her closet, throwing a few clothes into her backpack. She then grabbed her gym bag and went over to her gun safe. Tara punched the combination in, the door clicking open.
She quickly packed up her whole gun collection, knives, and ammunition into the gym bag. Tara hoped that all these weapons would last them awhile before she had to find more.
Tara looked around her room, seeing if there was anything she was forgetting. Her father's framed burial flag and picture on the wall caught her eye as she took it down and stuck it in her backpack.
Satisfied that she had everything she needed, Tara took her bags to the living room where Lilly and Meghan were waiting. Both of them looked scared about the journey ahead of them.
"We're gonna have to take the long way to the farmhouse. It will add a couple of hours to the drive but the highway is jam packed right now," Tara told them as she picked up a few of the bags.
"You guys stay here. I'm gonna go put these in the Camaro. I'll be right back," Tara promised as she slowly opened the door. She made sure nothing was in the hallway before stepping out and closing the door behind her.
Tara raised her handgun, ready for anything to pop out at her as she made her way to the garage. A smile crossed her face as she saw her Camaro sitting there, unharmed. She took a look at her prized motorcycle, feeling a bit disappointed that it would have to be left behind but Tara figured she could always get another one.
Tara quickly unlocked her car, throwing the bags into the trunk but making sure the duffel bags that contained the weapons stayed in the passenger seat where she had easy access to them. As Tara stepped back into the hallway leading back to her apartment, she heard a low groan. She turned to see a walker quickly advancing towards her, its jaw snapping, waiting for the taste of human flesh.
"Fuck you," Tara told the undead creature as she raised her gun firing a shot that hit its mark perfectly. The walker fell to the ground, no more noise or movements could be heard except for Tara's beating heart that was running on extra adrenaline.
She quickly made her way back to the apartment after making sure all the hallways and pathways to the garage were clear of walkers. Tara didn't want Lilly or Meghan to have to be faced with one while in the dark hallways.
Tara opened the door, finding Lilly with the baseball bat, ready for whatever came through the door. Lilly quickly lowered the bat as Tara raised her hands in surrender.
"I surrender," Tara said sarcastically with a small smile on her face.
"Sorry, I just wanted to be prepared in case something else came through the door," Lilly kept the bat at her side, deciding to take it along just in case.
"It's cool. We gotta protect each other now. I'm gonna teach you how to shoot a gun though. It's a must for survival now," Tara said as Lilly gave her an apprehensive look.
"I made sure the way to the garage was clear but just in case stay behind me. Here take this," Tara handed Lilly a small revolver.
"I can't shoot this," Lilly tried to refuse the gun.
"It's easy. The safety is off so don't point it at anyone. But you just pull the trigger. That's it...just in case there are more than one walker roaming the hallways. It has about six bullets so use them wisely," Tara quickly instructed her sister on how to use the small revolver. Lilly nodded that she understood Tara's directions.
"Ok...we're just going to the garage. It should be easy, but let's get moving. The longer we stay here, the more crazy this city will get," Tara quickly scooped Meghan into her arms.
Tara took a deep breath, one arm holding Meghan close, the other holding her gun steady. "Ready?"
Lilly nodded as she raised the revolver in front of her. The gun feeling foreign and heavy in her hands.
Tara pushed the door open, sticking her head out to see an empty, quiet hallway. She stepped out, waiting for Lilly to take her lead. Her sister quietly shut the door, staying close to her younger sister as they maneuvered down the dark pathway.
After a couple of tense minutes which were spent with Lilly nearly jumping out of her skin with every sound they heard, they finally made it to the garage area. Tara dared anything to get in their way, she was in full protection mode now.
The small family finally made it to the Camaro. Tara opened the passenger door and gently placed Meghan in the backseat.
"Get in the back with Meghan. I don't want her to see anything she shouldn't see. I might have to kill walkers and people to get us out of this city," Tara gave Lilly a serious look, telling her she meant business.
"People?" Lilly questioned.
Tara nodded as they climbed into the car. "There's no law and order anymore. No police. People are running amuck; looting and killing people at will. I had to kill a few guys on the way here cuz they were gonna rape a girl and do who knows what else with her. It's kill or be killed now," Tara said with no real emotion.
"You killed them? How many?" Lilly asked in complete shock.
"Four. It was nothin' to me. I just didn't want them to hurt that girl. And I gave them warnings but they didn't listen," Tara shrugged her shoulders as she started the sports car and pulled out into the street.
"Has being out in Iraq desensitized you that much?" Lilly questioned.
"Well, yeah I guess. The way I figured they were bad people and needed to be stopped. So I did what I had to do. Less people left to hurt you, Maggie and Beth," Tara paid attention to the road ahead of her, maneuvering around stalled cars.
"I hope they are alright," Lilly held Meghan close, thankful that all three of them were safe for now.
"I hope so too," Tara simply said as she shifted gears. She didn't know what she would do if Maggie had been hurt during this. Tara could only pray to a god she didn't believe in that she would make it there in time.
Lilly looked at the already desecrated city that was up in flames as they passed buildings that had broken windows and sidewalks that had dried blood. She saw bodies of walkers and humans alike that filled some of the streets. This definitely had to be the end of times.
"Things are never gonna be the same, are they?" Lilly asked as Tara looked at her through the rearview mirror.
"No...things definitely won't be," Tara said solemnly as she returned her attention to the road.
Maggie sighed sadly as she sat in the rocking chair on the front porch. It had been a few days since the start of the outbreak. Her father had shut off the television after trying to find a station that had some kind of signal. Last thing Maggie had seen on the screen was bulletins of city after city that had become infected. There was an all out panic as people tried to flee the urban areas.
They had encountered a couple of the creatures on their land, but they were few and far between. Unfortunately, the Greene family hadn't come out unscathed from this new epidemic. Her step-mother and brother had gotten bitten by their neighbor who had turned into one of those undead things.
They had turned into creatures themselves after a few minutes. Hershel's farm helper Otis and his wife, Patricia, came to stay with the Greene family, living in the guest house. Hershel and Otis had corralled the walker versions of Hershel's wife and son into the barn. Otis had managed to find other townspeople they knew and put them in the barn.
Maggie wasn't sure what her father was trying to accomplish by keeping those things in the barn. Maggie was sure that her mother and brother were gone forever. Hershel was besides himself with grief, hoping to keep his wife and son alive as long as he could. Even if they weren't in their human form anymore, he still loved them and couldn't lose them.
Beth and Maggie comforted each other over the deaths of their loved ones. Maggie thought about Tara often, not sure if she was even still alive. Maggie in her heart felt like Tara was still out there somewhere, but a part of her figured it was wishful thinking. Maggie had seen on the news that the military base where Tara had been was overrun with monsters.
When Maggie had seen that news report, she had ran to her room, needing to be alone. She cried for a few hours, her boxer puppy comforting her. Maggie reached down, touching the pendant of the necklace Tara had given her.
Beth tried to give Maggie a pep talk about how Tara was on her way to their house. That Tara wouldn't leave them unprotected in these troubled times. Maggie tried to force herself to believe that what her sister was saying was true. Maggie longed to be in Tara's arms and to see that adorable smile again. Maggie was sure she could survive the end of the world with Tara by her side.
As the days went by though, Maggie tried to face reality - that Tara was probably gone. She became depressed, losing someone else that she loved. Plus, Maggie was sure that Tara's family was gone also.
Hershel tried to keep his daughter's spirits up, telling her that Tara was probably on her way. That she was tough and she wouldn't leave Maggie to fend for herself. Hershel was hoping that Tara would show up eventually. He needed her around to help protect his daughters, especially if Mark came sniffing around. Otis was good to have around but he doubted the man would do what was needed to be done to keep his girls safe. Maggie and Beth were all that Hershel had left, and he would stop at nothing to protect them.
Hershel stepped onto the porch, watching as Maggie sat on the rocking chair, looking out onto the long driveway. Waiting for that familiar black Camaro to race up the dirt road. He sighed as he took in his older daughter's appearance. She hadn't eaten or slept much the past couple of days. Maggie spent most of her time on the porch just waiting for her knight in shining armor to arrive.
"She'll be here," Hershel simply said as Maggie nodded in silent agreement.
"I know she will be," Maggie tried to convince herself, knowing the odds were against Tara.
Hershel took another look at his sorrowful daughter before heading back into the house. Beth walked out the door, sitting in the chair next to her sister. The boxer puppy laid lazily between them without a care in the world. Beth reached down to pet Harley's soft coat.
The sisters sat in silence. Beth was not sure what else she could say to make Maggie feel better. She watched as Maggie absentmindedly played with the pendant on her necklace, her eyes on the road.
"Tara will be here. I know she's out there somewhere. It's just a matter of time," Maggie said softly to no one in particular.
"I know," Beth simply said as she watched Otis out in the distance. He was busy checking one of the wells to make sure it was in working order.
Suddenly, they heard a vehicle racing their way. Maggie felt her heart stop as she jumped up, praying that it was Tara's Camaro. Harley barked at the strange vehicle as it came closer to the house.
Maggie felt her heart drop as she realized a blue truck was driving up the driveway. Beth called for Hershel and Otis as Maggie felt fear take over her body. She was pretty sure Mark was in the truck that had become familiar to her.
The truck parked behind Maggie's car as Mark climbed out of the front seat. He had a look of determination on his face as he made eye contact with Maggie. Mark gave her a smug smile of contempt as Hershel and Otis rushed to the front, both with rifles in their hands.
"Take another step and I'll shoot you," Hershel threatened as he raised his gun in Mark's direction.
"You don't have it in you, old man. And I see that Marine isn't around anymore, such a shame. Police are nothin' now. It's pretty much take whatever you want," Mark smiled showing his teeth like lion seeing prey.
"What do you want?" Otis asked, his finger on the trigger.
"You know. Maggie," Mark simply said.
"No way in hell are you getting her," Hershel muttered as Mark just laughed.
"If you don't hand her over, I'll kill your whole family. I'll give you awhile to think about it before I come back with reinforcements. It will be when you least expect it. I'll see y'all later," Mark gave a sinister laugh as he walked back to his truck.
He gave the family one last look before he climbed into his truck and took off. Maggie couldn't believe what Mark was demanding. She looked at her father who was seething with anger. Maggie knew the only person who could really take on Mark was Tara. She could only hope that Tara arrived before Mark came back for his prize.
Where's Tara? She should have been there by now...right? What's taking so long? And Mark? Wtf? Will Tara make it in time?
As always thanks for all the reviews! You guys always make my day! I hope you all had a great week. Mine was a lot better than last week. :D
Random guest: thanks for always reviewing like every chapter of my stories. *fistbump* :D
Gabriela: thank you for all the compliments! I'm glad you like my imagination so much. It's the only one I have haha. :P hope you liked this chapter.
Just a fan: nope! I'm very inexperienced in that department...I just have a good, detailed imagination lol.