SEASON TWO – CHAPTER 10
FIRST ENTRY Written 5/25/2015 8:45 PM)
The Cunningham family took their car and followed Roxanne, Lucky and Mary in their truck to the road of the fairground site. They promised Earl that they would replenish the gas in his car and that there would be plenty to go around when actually they had no idea how many of the cars on the side of the road still had gas. Other scavengers could have come through the town and syphoned the gas but Lucky was confident that the town had not been raided.
Roxanne and Earl both had hand-pumps to syphon but Lucky did it the old-fashioned way of drawing it by suction. They began to fill the household trash cans 3 quarters full so as not to spill any during the drive back to the dock. Once back at the dock they filled the large recycling cans and put the lids on. They worked quickly, wanting to finish before the heat of the day and made several trips.
Once Lucky looked down the fairground entrance off the highway and said, "I really would like to check that place. If it was for Evac then there could be military vehicles that we can syphon or drive."
Roxanne shook her head, "There is a herd in that vicinity. I hear them each time we come here. They must be fenced in or restrained in some way since the sound never comes nearer. The place reeks of death, violent death and is haunted," she said as she continued to load the truck.
Lucky looked at her and then back down the road again, "Why didn't you say something? I can't hear anything nor do I smell anything."
"I advised you not to go in the past. Whether you do or don't is your own decision."
"A herd should never be kept a secret. We need to know what we are dealing with here, especially if the Mill relocates," Lucky was becoming annoyed.
"If you are their scout then it is your responsibility to thoroughly investigate a town before relocating people. You have spent too much of your attention on me and not enough on the town either before or after meeting me here. And I understood that you have been here several times before Brandon told me about it." She got into the cab, "This is the last of it. Are you coming? I see walkers approaching from the town and don't want to spill any gas by running over them."
Mary still felt uncomfortable when she rode with Roxanne and Lucky and had to sit in the middle between them. The only conversation would be on survival or supply runs or items that were needed and hadn't been found yet. She felt that Lucky would have liked for a private conversation with Roxanne but other than working on the boat together Roxanne made sure that they were never alone. She felt sad for Roxanne and for the barrier she had put around her emotions and was sure it was because of the scars and what had happened to her. Although the scar was the first thing a person noticed, it didn't take long to get beyond that since Roxanne was such a fascinating person and captured your attention.
They were dumping the small cans of gas into the larger containers back at the dock when Mary noticed that Roxanne's attention kept turning to the river. As the last container was filled Roxanne turned to Lucky, "You riverboat will be here shortly and it is full of people."
"What!" Lucky was stunned. "I wasn't expecting them back so soon and surely not with people, unless he brought Toby, Gretchen and Larry this time."
Roxanne shook her head, "No, it is at full capacity. I can hear many voices and she is struggling in the water."
SEASON TWO – CHAPTER 10 – 2nd Entry
Brandon was relieved to see the dock come into view but was surprised to see Lucky standing there with a family at his side. He saw Roxanne's truck disappear around the corner and out of sight and was sorry that she had not waited to greet them.
As soon as Lucky saw the number of people on Jenny he knew that the Mill had been overrun. He panicked not knowing where to put all these people. None of the houses had been prepared and most on this street had been ransacked by them leaving only empty shells. He was relieved to see that Lance was the first person off and had plans since he knew the town. "I've already explained to them that we don't know the condition of the houses on several streets, but it will be up to them to secure them and select a place. I'm thinking of Richmond St and Elkins which are both closest to the dock," Lance told Lucky. He introduced Lance to the Cunningham family and since they had taken a house on Elkins Lance began working out a plan with Earl and using his help.
The people began pouring off Jenny and lining up on the sidewalk looking confused but were fully protected by the men who immediately went on alert. Morgan and Caleb were with Brandon and Lucky was finally able to get to the pilot house to ask Brandon what happened. Brandon was relieved to find that Lucky had already confiscated enough gas for both Jenny and Richard's cabin cruiser since he was concerned about the delay in getting back to the Mill.
"The only thing I don't have plans for," Brandon said, "is if the Mill is overrun by the time I get back. I assured the people who I left behind that if the yard has been breached by a herd that I would create a distraction to get the walkers away from the steel doors so they can run the distance to get on Jenny. And that I would have gas ready for Richard to take a group on his boat too. I was hoping that you could come up with something."
"Actually, I may have an idea," Lucky said. "Come with me and meet Earl Cunningham who is a demolition expert." Earl listened to the problem and admitted that he still had some dynamite left but he was worried when he heard that the situation involved people. "You don't throw that stuff right and you could damage the building so the people can't get out. I think you better let me come with you if you can assign someone to keep my family safe while I'm gone. Let me talk to Maria but I think she'll be okay now that she has seen the group. She's been really unhappy and afraid since we began traveling alone and has missed talking with other people. "
Brandon had some of the men begin to put the gas on Jenny while the men with families followed Lance to Elkins Street to be housed near Maria and Earl Jr. "I'll have Jenny travel back on gas instead of manual paddle and it will be faster. Besides, Jenny hasn't had gas in her tank for a long time and I want to keep everything in good working order. The rest we will put in Richards tank before we open the gates and let anyone board. When Richard comes out he can start his cabin cruiser without further delay."
Gretchen came over to them and told Lucky to keep a watch over Brandon. "He hasn't had any sleep or eaten except for a short break when Morgan was piloting. I think you should take over Jenny on the way back to the Mill and let him get some rest. I left some food for you and the group will be bringing more supplies with them." She looked around, "What about Roxanne? I don't see her here."
For the first time Lucky noticed that the truck was gone, along with Roxanne's entourage. He shook his head, "I doubt that you will ever see her. She's become a very strange person with a different set of skills."
SEASON TWO – CHAPTER 10
3RD ENTRY (Written 5/26/2015 7:22 PM)
Toby had stationed Smokey in the rafters high above the machinery where he could see out over the river. They knew that the walkers had broken through the fence and had surrounded the building but apparently the walkers did not know that people were inside. They did not attempt to get in although there would be an occasional pounding on the steel bay doors. Some of the women screamed but it didn't excite the walkers so they knew that they hadn't been heard. But that was yesterday and Brandon had been gone 2 ½ days now. He wasn't expected back for another day or two depending on how fast he was able to find gas. There was food and water but the place was beginning to smell since Lance insisted on housing his pigs in the same facility. At this point Toby knew that Lance would need to let the pigs go because no one wanted to be burdened with carrying one as they made the run for Jenny. Right now their own survival between here and Jenny was what mattered and the yard showed that it was filled with walkers.
Brandon had not come up with a plan to distract the walkers but Toby was hoping that Lucky may have had an idea. Otherwise, he did not see any way out of the situation without loss of life. The remaining people were some of the best fighters, no families or children were left although there were wives who had refused to leave their husband behind. But even the best would have difficulty fighting through that herd. He looked around and saw the hardened faces, some void of any emotion as they sharpened their weapons. In others he saw the knowledge that they were going to die, if not that day then another day soon. No one was going to stay and be forced into starvation. They would go out fighting and protecting one another.
Suddenly Smokey turned from his window and began waving a white flag. It was agreed that if he spotted Brandon that he would not whistle or yell down since the walkers could hear him even if they did not see him high above. Everyone became excited and some began to climb the machinery to join Smokey and confirm the sighting. Smokey then put the flag out the window as a signal to Brandon that everyone was still alive. People began to gather their belongings and Toby had to caution them that Brandon still needed time to dock and gas the cabin cruiser. Since Toby's tugboat was no longer feasible for transportation they wanted to have a boat smaller than Jenny to go out fishing or to enter smaller canals for food once they were free of the mill. The people who had left in sailboats may or may not be back, having settled for Florida as their destination.
The sight of Jenny docking drew the walkers toward the river and against the gated fence. Smokey started reporting back as to what was happening. He saw someone climb on Jenny's roof and toss something into the middle of the herd and he immediately hid behind the wall as an explosion shattered debris against the building. "I think its dynamite", he called down to the group who had hit the floor. "They're trying to keep the walkers at the fence to a minimum as they gas up Richard's boat. My guess is that they'll use dynamite to clear a path for us once they are set to go. We will only have those against the fence to kill and their backs will be to us."
People began to smile, liking the idea when Smokey said that Brandon already had about 10 people on the river side of the fence killing walkers through the links. They didn't know that Brandon saw that there were too many and that the fence was starting to buckle. There was another explosion, this time closer to the fence but far enough away not to injure their people who were protected by a double line of walkers gathered against the fence trying to reach them.
"They're leaving your boat," Smokey called down to Richard. "You must be refueled. Get ready to open the bay doors when I signal. Four of you stay behind to go out with me. I'll need time to get down there and join you once I signal."
Lucky and the others who had helped to refuel Richard's boat ran to the fence to help with the walkers while Brandon climbed up on the roof with Earl. "Clear a path for them to get out of the bay doors and I'll signal when it's the safest."
Earl shook his head, "Will be a lot of walkers to deal with but I can get the ones closest to the building and closest to the fence without hitting our guys. Still, gonna be a lot of killing though as the ones on each side start to close in." He took aim, everyone ducking as the explosion nearest them scattered walker debris through the air. Brandon frantically started waving his white flag hoping that they could see it through the dust cloud.
CHAPTER TEN - 4TH ENTRY:
The bay doors opened and a group of 30 people rushed out, one dragging a pig behind him on a rope. They had to jump over disabled walkers with limbs torn off, or torso's blown apart in their dash to the fence. They looked to each side as they ran and saw that the herd had scattered but was forming again. The few walkers remaining in their path were either pushed aside or killed as they ran past. Fifty yards had never felt so far as they kept their goal of reaching the gate to the docks.
Lucky took a moment from killing walkers at the gate to catch his breath and looked up to scan the group of 30 racing across the yard. He saw Toby running toward him with the others but did not see Smokey. As the group reached the fence they disposed of the walkers pressing against the gate and Lucky opened it to send Richard off to his boat to throw the lines and have it ready to leave. He grabbed Toby's arm while the others split up, some boarding Jenny and some running to Richard. "Where's Smokey?"
Stunned, Toby turned around and looked back to see that Smokey was being supported by 2 others as he was badly limped across the yard. Earl's skill with dynamite had managed to deplete the herd but the ratio was still against them. Smokey had a total of 4 men with him but they were much slower by surrounding Smokey to protect him. Toby barked orders at his team and when the rest of the group saw the situation they all dropped their backpacks or supplies and came back to the fence. They split up into 2 lines of 15 people in the yard keeping a clear path between them that Smokey could come through while they held off the walkers. The situation had become more critical but no one was going to leave those 4 men and Smokey behind.
Suddenly 3 wild pigs still in the factory came running out of the bay doors, squealing and running around the yard, dodging away from any walker who tried to pick it up. The distraction helped and as Smokey entered the safety path between the men those who had guns began firing at the nearest walker instead of breaking the line with hand-to-hand combat. A sow and her piglet darted past Smokey and out the gate to run aboard Jenny. Still firing the group closed in behind Smokey as he advanced and were finally able to gather on the dock where they managed to close the gate against the remaining walkers.
They heard the motor on Richard's boat finally turn over and 10 people picked up their things to run over there. Brandon was already in the pilothouse waiting for someone to give him the signal to shove off. The gate held better than the fence and both boats were able to leave the dock, Richard speeding off faster than Brandon and leaving him behind.
Brandon could hear cheering in the lounge but later Toby came to the pilot house and told him that they had lost 1 person to walkers in the scramble. Apparently when the pigs began to squeal and run about in the yard no one had heard the guy scream. Toby and Brandon were quiet looking out over the bow of Jenny then Toby changed the subject. "It feels good to be running on gas again. We weren't expecting you back this soon. How did you manage to find gas and load it so quick and who the hell was that throwing grenades?"
Brandon laughed, correcting Toby that it was dynamite, not grenades and let Lucky tell the story. "Sound like a good man to have around, this Earl," Toby said after hearing the story. "Same as Lance who is good with livestock. I imagine we will have a lot of work to do fortifying or blocking the streets off and trying to live in one section of town. I've never been there so I'm leaving it up to you two on what you think is best. The plantation was my idea and so was the paper mill, neither of which worked out but at least I saved a lot of stragglers that I found along the way and we have built up a pretty sizable group to defend ourselves. The drawback is that it is so difficult to move that many people which I hope to never do again."
Morgan came in and reported that Smokey had a sprained ankle from falling off the scaffolding. Morgan wrapped the ankle and advised Smokey to stay off of it and that he would not be available to help at the new settlement for a while.
Toby said he was pleased that Roxanne had helped in retrieving gas for the group and everyone became quiet. Finally Lucky spoke up, "She's so strange now that I wouldn't be surprised to find that she's gone by the time we get back." He hesitated before the next sentence. "I told her that we had a relationship in the past and it just made her more suspicious. She asked if I had traded for her."
Morgan was uncomfortable with the subject but spoke up, "Caleb was telling me about that. It appears that trading women is common in the bayou or at least with her group back there. That was one reason why she was trying to talk Mary into joining us, to protect her."
SEASON TWO – CHAPTER 10
5TH ENTRY (Written /28/2015 9:51PM)
Caleb asked Lance if he knew where Roxanne was staying. "No, and I suggest that you don't go looking for her if you know what's good for you. The only reason why I came back here was because of the larger group. By now she has made this town hers and I don't think that she will be pleased to find that it has been invaded."
But the next day the red truck came around the bend and began to slowly cruise the street until it reached the dock. People turned and watched, having heard that there were other settlers but no one tried to wave it down. Once it reached the dock it turned around and stopped where 2 people were standing on the sidewalk.
Mary rolled down the driver's window and asked if anyone knew where Caleb was staying and she was directed to the Cunningham's place. "Yeah, I know where that is, you don't need to give me directions. You're the ones who are new here, not me!" The couple stared after her as she drove off, wondering if that attitude was the norm for living here.
Mary could see activity in the houses as she drove up Elkins St. People were going in and out of houses, tossing damaged furniture and trading items that would be more useful to someone else. She saw some digging and assumed that they were graves for humans who had died inside the houses. Someone was pumping water from a well to fill buckets for other neighbors. It looked like people were organizing after a storm and not from a ZA. The only clues were that people were trying to be quiet, not yelling from house to house and were carrying weapons. Children did not squeal while playing and no pets were in sight.
She pulled up in front of the Cunningham's house but did not need to get out since Caleb immediately opened the front door. He must have been watching the activity from inside and spotted her since he came over to the cab without her signaling to him. He was surprised to see that it was Mary and not Roxanne and as he stood on the running board he could see that Mary was sitting on some pillows. "Can you see over the steering wheel?" he teased.
"Fourteen is old enough to drive in a ZA. I'm doing just fine!" she retorted. She looked around at the people, "Roxanne would like for you to visit. Do you trust me enough to drive you?"
"I don't know," Caleb hesitated. "Me and Lance are supposed to be protecting Maria and Earl Jr. while Earl Sr. is gone. He went with Lucky and Brandon along with my dad back to the paper mill to get more people."
Mary nodded, "Yeah, we saw. Looks like Lance is organizing things here. Can't he keep Maria and Earl under watch while running things? Put them to work too? After all, they know this town probably better than Lance does since their grandmother lived here. Roxanne would like an update and you're the only one who she trusts. Lance is too spooked by her to be any help."
Lance looked over to the truck trying to get a look at Mary while Caleb asked him if he could handle things on his own. "I guess it's all right. I don't think that your father would mind since he thinks highly of Roxanne and he would probably feel that you are in safe hands. But what about that Mary? Is she like Roxanne from the bayou? Does she have her wits about her?"
Caleb smiled, "I would say that they are both cut from the same cloth. Both fighters, both hard and both understanding the pitfalls of people in a ZA. They're my friends."
Lance looked at him, "Then you are more understanding of people than I am. Roxanne just confuses me. Go on with you then. I don't expect your dad back for another couple of days if all goes well."
Caleb was silent on the way back and wasn't critical of Mary's driving as she often hit the shoulder or making a turn too wide. "I think that Roxanne would like to teach you to drive," Mary said. When she did not receive an answer she knew that something was wrong. "What is it?"
Caleb sighed, "It's just something that Lance said about my dad not being back for a couple of days. This is the first time he has gone on a dangerous mission without me for a long period of time. And the situation back at the paper mill was bordering on the critical when we left. No telling what they will find when they get back there. I don't think that I will relax until I see Jenny pull up and not even then until I see that my dad's on board."
They pulled into the driveway and he looked up to see that Roxanne and her entourage were waiting on the porch for them. Roxanne was smiling with one hand on her hip and the other on the pole of the porch. Somehow just seeing her made him feel better.
CHAPTER 10 - 6TH ENTRY: Written 5/30/2015 9:02PM)
Roxanne listened as Caleb told her of the deteriorating condition at the paper mill and the plans that Brandon had to bring everyone back. "So it's a good thing that you had already started to gather gas for the run. That cut the turn-around time and Brandon could get right back on the river again. I know the people we left behind at the mill will be glad to see him earlier than expected."
"We will wait long enough for Jenny to return and to make sure that your dad is okay before we leave," Roxanne said.
But Caleb protested, "You can't keep running like this Roxanne. Stay and meet these people, work with them as a team or just pick a small group and stay within that group. But traveling alone, it's not a safe or healthy environment, Roxanne. I would hate it if you disappeared again and we never knew what had become of you."
"I won't be traveling", Roxanne said. "I need to deliver supplies to my healer in the swamps. I will probably stay for a week to make sure that she has all that she needs then come back out again. I will be gone for 3 weeks. I would ask that you and your father check on my house occasionally and on Max so that squatters do not take up residence. I consider this to be my second home and I will return here. I would ask that you and your father move in here while I am gone, but I realize that it is further out of town than you should be from the rest of the group. It's perfect for me and Mary, but a group should not be separated. We are already packing the pirogue and as soon as I see that your father is safe we will be shoving off."
"You won't stay to say goodbye to anyone?" Caleb asked. "I think you will probably hurt a lot of feelings if you do that Roxanne."
Roxanne shook her head, "My concern is Mary. I want Mary to be sure of her decision to go with me. Until your father returns Mary will drive into town every day and meet you. She will work with you on any duties you are assigned. She will meet people, learn of their plans to fortify the place, decide who she would want to live with if she stayed. She will come home before dark each day."
"I wish you wouldn't talk about me as if I am not here," Mary protested.
"I want you to have options, Mary. If something should happen to me in the bayou, you would not know your way out. You would be stuck there unless some traders came through, and I wouldn't trust them to be honorable men. You may like these people, may like the plans they have to build a wall around 2 residential blocks and start from there. You may find other girls your age and feel comfortable with them. Just do this for me, please Mary and if you still want to come with me, I will gladly take you."
After lunch Roxanne and Caleb walked out on the back porch. "So this is how you see us come in on Jenny. I think Brandon was looking at houses on the river, but you're on a separate inlet paralleling the river."
"Yes, and unfortunately Lucky has also found the place. I knew he would eventually. He doesn't respect other people's wishes, their lifestyles or their differences." She changed the subject. "I am skeptical of this plan to build a wall consisting of trees, fences and brick intertwined with abandoned vehicles. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but it will be noisy doing it and will attract walkers. You have seen the numbers that were at the mansion and I know of a large number at a school. The fairground also has a large number of walkers although they are either caught by something or penned. But if all of them should gather and surge at once due to the noise, I don't know if you will be prepared to fight them off. What happens this time if everyone panics and tries to board Jenny? You will need to get more boats in here, or more running vehicles for people to use as an escape."
"I think they plan on going about it differently this time, than at the Mill. They were concentrating on making that place permanent with Brandon making supply runs. Toby was bringing in more people who were either on foot at the river banks, or stranded on boats without fuel. They stopped looking for fuel except for the generators and let Jenny run manually on her paddlewheels. This time the group will be divided into getting cars, boats and fuel, those who will build and those who will scavenge. It will need to be revised as they go along, but their goals are different this time." He hesitated, "What if Lucky wants to go with you?"
Roxanne laughed and patted Caleb on the shoulder.
CHAPTER 10 - 7TH ENTRY: (Written 5/31/2015 9:25PM)
Mary did as she was told and drove into town every day to spend it with Caleb. She followed him to whatever duty he was assigned and participated in the task. People were skeptical and watched her, some trying to form a conversation with her without success. They knew that a woman from the bayou had delivered Lance to Lucky's group when they were out on a supply run but since Lance would not talk about it they were suspicious of the woman call Roxanne. They had heard of a coyote and a dog as the woman's companion and now she had a 14 year old girl with her who also would not talk of the woman. Some were not sure that they would welcome her even if Roxanne decided to join the group. No one liked to travel alone and the fact that the woman stayed elusive told them that something was wrong with her. Only Caleb was welcome to visit and since he was also 14 some parents had decided that they would not let their children around her.
Mary and Roxanne stood on their back porch and watched Jenny come in from the river with approximately 30 people on board. Roxanne used her binoculars and could see Morgan on the bridge. "He's safe. I'm so glad for Caleb." She turned to Mary. "Are you sure that you want to do this?" Roxanne asked and Mary nodded. "Then we go at first light. I'm only sorry that we can't get past Jenny without someone hearing the motorboat. If it's part of Caleb's group I'm sure that they will yell out to us but I will not stop. Since I asked Caleb if he and his father would check the place I am going to leave Morgan a note. Perhaps you may want to leave Caleb one. We'll leave them on the kitchen table for them to see."
Mary went upstairs to her bedroom and had to think for a long time before writing her note. When she was 12 she learned that boys just giggle over a mushy letter so she decided to keep it short so as not to be embarrassed. "Dear Caleb. I will miss you while I am gone. I think you will make a good partner in a battle and I hope that you are still here when I get back." She signed it "Mary" and put it into an old yellowed envelope with Caleb's name on it.
It was still dark when Roxanne woke Mary the next morning. She could hear the crickets outside but could tell that the sun would soon rise above the horizon. They had breakfast of turtle eggs and Roxanne gave the animals' one of the few cans of dog food left. "You will both be eating off the land again soon," she warned them. Mary realized that she had a knot in her stomach and that she was afraid of this adventure although she did not want to stay. It was nice seeing people work together again, trying to build a life that would be secure. But she was skeptical that any life would be safe from walkers for a long time yet. And if she were to face walkers she would rather have Roxanne by her side. She had noticed how people looked at her until she realized that it was not her, but Roxanne who they were suspicious of. She was going into the unknown and it wasn't until the new group arrived with their attitude toward Roxanne that Mary had started to question who Roxanne was.
They threw their backpacks behind their seat in the Pebbles boat because it was not big enough to hold the two animals. Cowboy and Mutt would ride on the pirogue with the supplies. This meant that Cowboy would not be up front to guide Roxanne if she made a wrong turn so they worked out a plan to keep the motorboat at a very low speed so Roxanne could hear Cowboy if she disagreed with the route.
They looked everywhere for Max before they left, wanting to say goodbye but did not find him. It wasn't until they left the porch to board the boat that Roxanne heard the tree limbs rattle above her head. She turned around and looked up but in the dark she only saw 2 orange eyes staring at her. "Goodbye Max. Thank you for the use of the house and be good to Caleb while we are gone." The eyes blinked and with more leaves shaking on the tree, they suddenly disappeared.
Roxanne was right. No matter how low they tried to keep the motor, sound travels on the water and as they approached Jenny two people came on deck with rifles. Mary heard her name called out and looked over to see the shadow of an arm waving at her and knew it was Caleb. She waved back and then jumped as a voice yelled, "Roxanne, damn you!" She looked over at Roxanne who kept her eyes on the channel and did not turn to acknowledge the group. After a moment Mary turned around in her seat to see Jenny disappearing into the darkness and realized that a few tears were running down her cheek.
SEASON TWO – CHAPTER 10 - 8TH ENTRY
On the second day Mary asked, "Why is it so hot in here? I can hardly breathe."
"The trees take all the oxygen," Roxanne said. "It will get better. It's just this area." She looked over at Mary who was wiping her face with an old t-shirt. "Did you rub peppermint on your skin for those misquote bites this morning?" Mary nodded. "Well, look into your duffle bag for long sleeves. The Asian Tiger Misquote can sting through clothing so the more you have on the better."
"But it's too hot to put on more clothes!"
Roxanne smiled, "Sorry you came? I warned you that living off the land would not be like living in the cottage. At least you are sleeping on the pirogue with Mutt to protect you and not on the ground." She laughed, "By the time we reach Shoe's cabin you will think it to be luxury and we will be sleeping on the floor and using a chamber pot. She is not set up for guests and I slept on the floor the whole time I was there. I found one airbag that I brought back with me but I hadn't counted on coming back with another person."
"Are you sorry that you brought me?"
"No, I'm just sorry that you are so miserable. To be honest, I only spent the winter in the bayou so I'm surprised at the heat this early. Shoes will say that I'm a wimp."
"Do you think that she will be mad that you brought me along? She sounds like a tough old lady to be living out here all alone."
Roxanne was silent for a moment as she guided the motorboat making sure not to take a corner too short for the pirogue that was being towed. She glanced behind her to make sure the canines were still steady. They had both objected to being delegated on the pirogue so Roxanne started to alternate at lunchtime, putting one of the animals up front with her while Mary rode the pirogue with the other. It was not comfortable for Mary either with all the supplies on board.
"She won't be mad. I'm sure that she will be delighted but she won't come across that way. She can be very gruff, but I think it's all a show. She depleted her supplies saving my life when she could have set the canoe adrift and forgotten what she had seen. She is, however, very superstitious and follows old traditions. I don't want you to laugh or scoff at her if you see that side of her. She is a very powerful priestess in the bayou and it is best not to offend her."
"Priestess?" Mary's raised her eyebrows. "Are we talking Voodoo here?"
"So some have said."
"Jesus! I'm not going to have my hair cut off am I?"
Roxanne smiled and took her eyes off the channel long enough to look at Mary. "She may take a lock. She thinks that she did it secretly while I slept but I know that she took a lock of mine, and I'm still safe." She put her attention back on the waterway and grew quiet. "Sometimes I think that she is with me when I am scavenging with Cowboy and Mutt. There have been times when fortune found me or I found a weapon at the right time, the right place or in a tight situation. Whatever magic she uses to be with me I think that it is draining her and that's why I must go back. She is weakening so I hope to spend a week and let her gain her strength again. The next time I leave perhaps she will have more confidence in me and spend less time spying."
Mary stared at Roxanne and wondered what the hell she had gotten herself into. Her stomach suddenly turned and she leaned over the motorboat to vomit her lunch.
Morgan and Caleb each picked up their envelope from the kitchen table, Caleb going out on the back porch to read his. After reading it he stood looking out over the river until his father joined him. "I did everything I could Dad, but Mary never planned on staying. She had an attitude the whole time she worked with me. Not an attitude toward me, but one against the group and what they were trying to do, yet at other times I saw her looking around as if she liked what she saw. I guess she is as confusing to me as Roxanne is to the others."
Morgan put his hand on his son's shoulders. "It's not your fault Caleb. It's no one's fault. I never expected Roxanne to stay and join us. For Roxanne to join a group would be like breaking the spirit of a wild horse." He sighed, "It's sad though. I hate the thought of her dying alone while in battle against walkers but I don't know what else to do."
They looked throughout the house but didn't find signs of the black cat that Roxanne mentioned in her letter.
CHAPTER 10 - 9TH ENTRY (Written 6/2/2015 7:16PM
When Mary and Roxanne woke up one morning Cowboy was gone. "We are only a half day from the cabin and I know my way. I think that Cowboy has gone to be with her own pack since she is in familiar territory. I have always felt guilty about taking her away from her family." But Mary noticed that Roxanne was sad to be without the coyote.
"We are leaving the motorboat here so as not to disturb Shoes when we arrive. She hates the noise of modern society breaking into her domain. It will be hard work with both of us poling, but we can do it." They pulled the motorboat onto land and covered it with brush and vines but some of the red paint still showed through.
Once they were on the marsh Mary noticed that Roxanne constantly looked from shore to shore. At first she thought that Roxanne had lost her way but when she heard a heavy sigh escape from Roxanne Mary knew that she was still looking for Cowboy. After the sigh Roxanne started to concentrate more on her destination and moving the pirogue through the algae.
They had to duck a few times to avoid the Spanish moss and Mary prayed that a spider would not get caught in her hair. "Everything is so green and lush than when I left over a month ago," Roxanne said. "It is very beautiful with the lilies and wisteria in bloom." She didn't receive an answer from Mary and turned to see that Mary was struggling. They had been poling for 2 hours so Roxanne called for a stop for water. "We won't eat lunch. I want to get there quickly. I'm sorry Mary. I can see that you are miserable."
Mary's hair was plastered to her face and neck from the heat and her face was dripping sweat. Her skin was sprinkled with dirt and residue from the hanging moss and she could feel sweat in her boots. She teetered for a moment, "I just need to sit down" and collapsed on some boxes. Roxanne poured water over Mary's face and gave her a bottle to drink. Then she poured water in a bowl for Mutt before taking any for herself. Mary noticed that Roxanne only had a few beads of moisture on her forehead and upper lip. Her white shirt was sticking to the middle of her back but she wasn't drenched like Mary was.
"How do you manage to stay so cool?"
"I've had more practice with a pirogue than you. You're making it hard work on yourself. It will be easier coming back with an empty load. Perhaps I should have kept the motorboat but Shoes would have found it very disrespectful to the environment and local animals. Just stay put and rest. I can handle this." Mary watched as Roxanne pushed the pirogue away from shore where it had drifted and before long the gentle lapping of the water soothed her to sleep.
Roxanne turned around to look at Mary several times over the next hour and decided to let the young girl sleep. Finally she could see Shoe's cabin up ahead and smiled when Shoes came out on the porch to watch her approach. She was holding onto the porch pole and looked much thinner but steady on her feet.
Roxanne did not wait to tie up the pirogue but rowed directly to the porch and reached up to take Shoe's hand. "Hello, Mother."
"Hello, Girl."
CHAPTER 10 - 10TH ENTRY: (Written 6/5/2015 3:30PM)
Subconsciously Mary felt the pirogue hit something solid with a 'thump' although it was very gentle. She thought she could hear low voices and struggled to come awake. She looked around to see that she was still on the pirogue and that Mutt was sitting quietly beside her but was concentrating on something on shore. She looked over to see Roxanne still in the pirogue talking to an old woman standing on a porch above her. The woman caught her eye and nodded at Mary, "She's awake."
Roxanne turned and told Mary and Mutt to stay put until she docked the pirogue. Mary could feel the woman's eyes studying her and she pulled Mutt closer to her for comfort. After securing the pirogue Roxanne held out her hand to help Mary ashore. Mutt studied the shore and then found a place to jump over, following Roxanne and Mary to the porch.
"This is Mary. She has been a good partner and we make a good team."
"Then you should have taught her how to pole a pirogue," Shoes said and walked into the cabin.
"Mutt, do your business while we unload the pirogue but do not go far," Roxanne instructed. "Come Mary help me while Shoes makes our lunch." They made several trips and Mary realized that she was hungry when she smelled the fish frying. She wondered why Roxanne was so quiet and not conversing with Shoes but she took on the same attitude and kept silent. She glanced around the room and noticed how sparse it was. A wooden bed was against the wall, a table in the middle of the floor and the iron-cast stove with a counter on each side. Hooks on the walls held the few clothes that Shoes had. They piled the boxes and trash bags up against one wall and Roxanne began to set the table. Mary was surprised that Shoes had 3 plates although they were all different and each was chipped except for the tin plate.
Roxanne retrieved her backpack to pull out a bowl and can of dog food for Mutt and set it just inside the door. "Mutt and Cowboy both sleep with me," she explained to Shoes. "I don't want him to think that he is banned from the house," Roxanne said as she sat down to lunch.
"Cowboy was never banned but thank you for the show of respect," Shoes answered. "Where is Cowboy?"
"She left us this morning. I believe she went back to her pack. I doubt that she will visit during the short time that I am here. Perhaps she will meet us back at the motorboat that I hid in the foliage. I used it to tow the pirogue most of the way. I brought an air-mattress that Mary and I can use to sleep on. I would like to leave it behind for my visits."
"Can't promise you that it will still be here. You know how I make use of everything as need be."
Roxanne smiled, "I think you will like some of the supplies I brought. If you can't use them they will make good trade." She put down her fork and went to the boxes where she rummaged around, then came to the table with a bottle. "How about that? Lou will pay good money for that!"
Shoes stared at the bottle of beer for a moment and then reached out for it. "The hell with Lou," she said and opened it to take a good swig. She let out a sigh, "Damn! Forgot how good beer was. What else you got?"
Mary and Roxanne began to unpack the boxes and bags, putting the smaller items on the table while Mutt sat at the door looking out. Sometimes he would go out on the porch and walk to both ends looking over the sides and Roxanne felt that he was trying to become familiar with so much surrounding water. Shoes' was delighted with Roxanne's finds and Mary was a little less intimidated once she saw Shoes smile.
"There was one thing that I found," Roxanne said, "that I don't know why I took it. I know of no use for it yet it beckoned to me." She fished in her backpack and sat down at the table to present Shoes with the diamond ring that she had found at the bait shop. When Roxanne opened the case and held it out Shoes gasped and backed away from the table.
CHAPTER 10 - 11TH ENTRY
"Take it out of its setting," Shoes asked nervously. Roxanne was confused and closed the box with the ring still in it.
"I don't understand. Have I done something wrong?"
"No, in fact you did wonderfully. That is my stone of power yet I have never come by a diamond that was not in a setting. I cannot touch the setting for the previous owners life will consume me and reduce the very power that I seek. Take it out of the setting and then you can put it into my hands. I must have something that you can use as a tool. When you leave here take the setting and box with you to a land that I never travel."
As Roxanne worked on the setting with a knife Shoes looked over at Mary. "Do you not talk kidlet? Or do you find me strange?"
Mary took the best defense she could think of, "I try to learn from each person I meet. You can learn more by staying quiet sometimes."
Shoes smiled, "Yes, I can see that you chose the right partner, Girl."
"Why do you call her Girl?"
"Because she did not know my name when she met me and I could not give her one," Roxanne said looking up from her task. "It is Roxanne, Shoes. I found that out and Mutt was mine at one time in my past. Those are the only 2 things that I am sure of so far. The rest is speculation and some stories by others I have met, but I can't say that I believe everything that I am told."
"It is up to you to sort it out, child. Only you can know who your enemies are. Stay in touch with your inner feelings. Never doubt them regardless of any logic that contradicts those feelings. Are you becoming citified? Have you lost your ability to communicate with animals? Is that why Cowboy left?"
Mary sat up with a jolt and looked at Roxanne who smiled back at her. "No, it is not true," Roxanne said. "I don't communicate with animals. I just have a very keen insight on reading Mutt and Cowboy."
Shoes sighed, "You just need more practice. You would notice more if you paid attention. It is there within you if you would stop fighting it." The diamond suddenly plopped out of the setting that Roxanne was working on and rolled across the table toward Shoes. She stared at it for a moment and then put one wrinkled hand over it and closed her eyes. She remained that way until Roxanne and Mary looked at one another wondering if they should remain quiet and not move to break any spell that Shoes could be under.
Shoes opened her eyes and smiled. "You did good Girl. The stone is clean and no matter what food or supplies you have brought me, this is the most precious and I will always treasure it. Well, that and the beer," she laughed.
That night Roxanne woke to see Shoes standing out on her porch with Mutt beside her. Shoes and Roxanne were both wearing granny dresses to sleep in and when Roxanne joined her they resembled ghosts standing together. "You haven't been eating right," Roxanne said. "You are very thin and I feel that it is my fault for taking so much from you to keep me alive while I lived here."
"I know how to survive, girl. Don't put that guilt on yourself." She turned and saw the sleeping figure of Mary. "That's a big responsibility you have taken on. Best to find her a good home and be rid of her. You will be tested on your journey and although she makes a good partner I'm not so sure that you are ready for one. She could be used against you."
CHAPTER 10 - 12TH ENTRY
By the 3rd day Mary knew that she could not live in the bayou with its isolation. She needed to be on the road, needed to be moving instead of constantly gathering herbs, berries, fishing or catching crawfish. It provided steady meals but it was also boring and there were just too many snakes, spiders and other insects to deal with. She would be glad when Roxanne said it was time to go and she often wondered what Caleb was doing.
Roxanne had been gone over a week and Caleb still occasionally watched the canal where Jenny was docked to see if Roxanne's pirogue was coming into sight. The group had decided that it would be easier to block off the city streets to keep the walkers from spreading into the residential area than to build a wall around so much open land. If they managed to kill off the walkers within the city they could move away from the roads coming in from the north. That part was still open although Earl was convinced that the blown bridge would not allow a herd to get through to travel the road south into Mamou.
They started gathering what vehicles would still run and used them to block the streets traveled the most by walkers, starting with the streets closest to the mansion. Whenever they found a boat they hauled it to the tackle shop and put it into the canal with enough gas to get away from shore and to the River. Other than Richard's cabin cruiser they wanted to have at least 2 more so that 30 people could be evacuated quickly while Jenny loaded with the rest.
They were taking the remaining cars from the fairground road when Lucky told Brandon that he still wanted to check out the military evacuation site. He did not tell Brandon that Roxanne said there was a herd of walkers within the grounds. She admitted that she had never been down that road and if she heard walkers then they were restrained somehow.
"There could be military vehicles, perhaps buses and buses would be the best to use to block the streets. Remember how we had that one set up at The Park? We would enter the doors on one side and go out the back to the other side of the wall. We could go in and out of the city blocks that way to kill a few more walkers and to scavenge. Roxanne hadn't checked any of those stores. Besides, maybe I'll find a vehicle for us to use so I can return Roxanne's."
Against Morgan's objections Lucky had confiscated Roxanne's truck, saying that he would replace it once they found another, but since they were using all the vehicles to block streets Lucky was still using Roxanne's to haul people around to other sites. Morgan did not feel that Lucky's claim of finding another vehicle for the group was his real motive in wanting to go to the fairground but he hoped that Lucky would keep his promise.
Lucky gathered a team of 8 including Brandon while Morgan drove the last vehicle back with Smokey. Smokey's ankle was healing nicely but he was still on light duty and driving cars was a task he could do.
Lucky drove slowly, looking on both sides for signs of walkers for it was out of these woods that walkers showed up at the parked cars that they were confiscating from the roads. One of the team leaders in the back also spotted the walkers and silently pointed them out to the rest of the crew. "When we get there, watch our backs that they don't turn and come up behind us." They started to pass an occasional jeep, truck and once a tank on the side of the road. Ivan looked at the rest of the crew in confusion. "Why would they be parked out here and not within the fairgrounds?" he asked. Then they heard the moans above the sound of the truck engine and some of them stood up to look over the cab.
Lucky brought the truck to a stop before approaching the gates. "Shit," he whispered. "What the hell happened here?" There were hundreds of walkers but most were on the ground torn into pieces. They were so thin that it was obvious that they hadn't eaten and were almost skeletons. A few were still walking around but were too weak to do more than grab the fence and look at them. They didn't have the strength to rattle the fence but their moans were fierce with desire.
CHAPTER 10 - 13TH ENTRY
"It looks like a fire fight of some kind," Brandon said. "Or something blew up killing them and after they turned they couldn't get out because of the fence." He pointed, "That building looks like it was shelled and something caught on fire."
There were a few limousines parked with the doors open and skeletons partially hanging out. There was a helicopter with a smashed window and a walker in the pilot seat still wearing his seatbelt and unable to get out. The skeletons of dead bodies were surrounding the chopper and it appeared that the helicopter had been swarmed by people trying to board it. How they died was unknown. A jeep was overturned, pinning the driver who had turned walker. A few walkers still wandering about were charred beyond recognition.
Everyone stared silently, trying to take it all in. Finally Lucky spoke up, "I don't think that we are in great danger here but we would need to walk carefully because there are so many on the ground and still moving." He opened his door to get out and Ivan's crew jumped out of the back with 3 of them watching the surrounding woods. Lucky walked up to the gates and saw that they were chained. "Well, someone escaped and had the foresight to lock the gates."
"Or maybe they were locked in and then killed," Brandon said.
"Regardless, we can use those limo's, that jeep if we can get it back on its wheels and I know how to pilot a helicopter," Lucky looked longingly at the chopper. "If it has gas it would be great for surveillance to spot a herd or to locate another safe site. Let's kill off these walkers at the gate and get the lock cutters."
As they were using their staffs to kill the walkers through the chain-links they began to notice other minor things. "There's a shit-load of suitcases on the ground but no backpacks or duffle bags. These people thought that they were going somewhere safe," Ivan said.
"Look beyond the chopper out in the field," Brandon said. "I see several small buses with more walkers out there and one of them is wearing what's left of a fur coat. Looks like Andy's fears were right. This was a pickup for the wealthy and no one was coming back to the mansion for him or for the citizens in town."
They finished with the walkers at the gate and managed to cut the lock. A few walkers in the woods had heard the truck and circled back but Ivan's men took them out with silencers. Brandon drove the truck into the compound running over as many ground walkers as he could and turned the truck around to face the entrance out. "Be careful of your feet," he warned as he got out of the truck. "Just because they can't move around it doesn't mean one can't grab your foot. If you don't have boots on I suggest that you stay in the truck." He pointed at the scattered suitcases, especially the large number of them near the helicopter where the bodies were the heaviest. "I don't think we will find anything usable in those, but start throwing the suitcases in the back of the truck. We'll go through them when we get back."
Lucky reached up and with difficulty opened the pilot's door. It had so many bullet holes in the door that rust had set in and jammed the lock. The pilot walker reached for him and Lucky had to chop both arms off before he could reach up to grab the pilot's helmet and yank his head back to stab him in the throat. Lucky unfastened the seatbelt and pulled the carcass out of the seat then climbed in to study the gauges.
Everywhere they looked were signs of gunfire. Whether the people panicked thinking that they were going to be left behind and began to fire which caused the military to fire back, or the military saw danger approaching and locked them in to flee themselves. The story would never be told since there was a mixture of walkers wearing uniforms and those who were civilians.
The group approached the buses that were on the outskirts and concentrated on walkers emptying out of the vehicles when they heard the chopper sputtered several times behind them.
CHAPTER 10 - 14TH ENTRY (Written 6/6/2015 10:18PM)
Caleb was on Jenny when he saw the dark shadow in the water and at first thought it was an alligator. Morgan had just come back with Smokey and was helping him aboard the riverboat when Caleb called him over. They studied the shadow as it circled the canal to return to Jenny's hull and bypass once again. "I don't think it's an alligator," Morgan said. "It has the snout like one but the body is more of a torpedo shape and doesn't have the same type of tail."
Smokey leaned over to see what they were looking at and recognized it right away. "It's an Alligator Gar and too big for our fishing rods to catch it. That one looks to be about 7'. Would feed a lot of people but don't waste your time on it."
Caleb loaded a bolt into his crossbow and took aim, "I don't like how it keeps coming back to Jenny and rubbing up against the hull. It's creepy, like he's waiting for someone to fall in."
"He's waiting for a crane or some bird to land on the water. His jaw is like an alligator and I've known people to lose a hand trying to catch one," Smokey said. "Your arrow will just bounce off it Caleb. His scales are like steel."
But Caleb let a bolt fly only to see it ricochet off the fish and skim across the water. "I'll get the grappling hook," Morgan said. "Maybe I can hook it behind the gills when it comes by again."
"I'll stay," Smokey said. "Not that I believe that you will catch it but it will take the two of us to pull it on board. Must weight 200 lbs., but I'll watch your folly."
Morgan practiced swinging the grappling hook and wrapping it around one of the pier pilings several times before he attempted to snag the Gar. On his first try he only succeeded in hitting Jenny's hull. "For God's sake, don't put a hole in her!" Smokey pleaded. After that the Gar stayed further out in the canal, not coming up against the riverboat.
"I think I can still reach it from here," Morgan said, "if my accuracy is right and then we can pull it to the boat to haul it aboard. Caleb if I manage this I suggest you shoot it in the eye as we pull its head out of the water."
At that moment they heard a helicopter and stopped all activity to look up. Everyone in their homes or going about their duties ran out into the street to look up. No one had heard a helicopter in years and their hearts pounded with hope. Suddenly it came in low over Jenny and followed the canal out toward the Bayou.
The women were in the cabin when, in the distance, they could hear the sound of a motor. They knew it was not a motorboat by the low thumping sound it created against the water. The tree tops began to sway and Shoes became frightened. "It's not a tornado! The weather isn't right."
Roxanne put her arms around Shoes and they all went out on the porch as the sound became deafening. Lucky was coming in so low and fast that they only caught a glimpse of the chopper and it was suddenly gone. The sound started to diminished and Shoes heard Roxanne swear under her breath. She turned to Roxanne and asked in a sarcastic tone, "Friend of yours?"
END OF CHAPTER 10