Amazons

Breakfast was oatmeal and beef jerky the next morning. Carol ate looking out at the front of the house. The yard was looking a little unkempt already and there hadn't been any vehicular or walker traffic. Andrea had taken a seat by a back window and every once in a while she pulled back the blanket and looked around. No one was talking much this morning. Bonnie had taken a walk outside this morning and had went back to sleep.

"Are any of you on any medications that need refilled? We still have my medicine bag but it is mostly first aid stuff and some antibiotics. We should start looking for pharmacies; you can tell me later if you were taking anything before." Carol turned slightly to look at her companions.

"I was taking water pill for my high blood pressure, "Jacqui admitted.

Carol grabbed her medicine bag, "Let's go to the bathroom and I'll check your blood pressure this morning."

Jacqui's blood pressure was a little high and Carol looked through her bag for a diuretic. There wasn't any in there and Jacqui hadn't taken any medication to lower her blood pressure since she had ran with them on the highway. Carol had asked when they started doing runs at the farm if anyone had needed any medications but Jacqui hadn't said anything.

Jacqui's weight wasn't a problem and she had no previous problems with diabetes. Carol gave her a quick but thorough checkup. Jacqui went back to the living room and tapped Beth. "You're up."

Beth didn't seem to have any problems though she asked Carol about birth control. She insisted that she wasn't sexually active but she wanted to be protected just in case that "something" happened. Carol promised her that she would add birth control pills to the list.

Carol sat for a moment thinking about "something". Her group could be overpowered at any time by marauders. They could be raped and held in captivity. Carol had went off birth control since she finished her residency. She and Daryl had hoped to have more children but it hadn't happened.

Andrea came back to the bathroom. "What's up, Doc?" Andrea's Bugs Bunny imitation was only funny because it was so terrible.

"Hopefully, not your temperature or your blood pressure. Sit down and let me check you out." Andrea's temperature and blood pressure were both fine.

Andrea laughed, "We are dodging walkers and human monsters and you are worried about my blood pressure?"

"Are you on any medications?" Carol was relieved to see that Andrea was dealing with the stress by being trying to be funny.

"I was taking an occasional over the counter sleep aid before all this happened, but after a day of being chased by blood thirsty walkers I am too tired to stay awake." Andrea smirked at her. "And those ten pounds that I just never go around to losing seem to have melted away on the ZA diet of oatmeal and barbecued squirrels and rabbits. Gotta find that silver lining. How are we doing on tampons because Martha Monthly should be visiting soon?"

Carol nodded, "I have a couple of boxes but with four women? And there is Michonne to consider." Michonne had a heavy flow for the first three days and painful cramps. "Oh, shit, do you think the walkers will smell us when we are menstruating? More than they usually do?"

Andrea grimaced, "It just keeps getting better and better. This whole end of the world thing is pissing me off big time. Lucky you, getting to talk all this over with Michonne. She seems a little on edge today. Oh shit, what if she has pms? She gets a little tense."

Carol decreed to Michonne that she was a marvel of health and asked if she had tampons packed.

"Andrea told you that I was going to start, didn't she?"

"She said that you might be, yes. I am making a list of things that we might need from a pharmacy and tampons is one of them. Can walkers smell menstrual blood?"

Michonne shrugged, "It's possible. I am due soon so we shall soon know. I am on edge because of where we are right now. Now if you can stop playing doctor, let's get started this morning."

Carol took Bonnie for another walk and then put the dog in the car. She was the quietest dog she had ever been around. Bonnie seemed to know that she needed to be quiet.

They were in farming country but they were going to be passing through small towns. Michonne cruised the main street looking for a pharmacy and they chose the one at the edge of town that seemed the least looted. Michonne and Andrea stood guard as Carol went through the medicines. She took all the blood pressure medicines that she could find and loaded up a cart with other pharmaceuticals that they might need later. Beth and Jacqui were gathering tampons, pads, toilet paper, and toiletries of all kinds.

Michonne had searched the parking lot and found a larger suv with a full tank of gasoline. The keys were still in the ignition. She and Andrea transferred their stuff to it while they stood guard. Carol grabbed some charcoal and a portable grill on the way out. They skipped the large superstore and looted a smaller grocery story. Carol and Michonne stood guard and they were kept busy killing walkers and Carol was exhausted by the time that the three women emerged with their carts.

Carol heard the sound of approaching vehicles. "We better hide." That all ran to the car and woke up Bonnie who had gone to sleep in the vehicle.

Michonne drove the vehicle onto the street and back toward a housing development they had just passed. She drove the suv into an open garage door and they all slid out of the vehicle and into the house. Carol put down the first walker inside and Andrea the second. They dragged them down the hall and went back to the dining area that had a view of the highway. Michonne had the rifle out, but Andrea took it from her. Andrea was the sharpshooter of the group. Beth and Jacqui were standing in kitchen but far enough back so that they could see out without being seen.

The raiders had pulled into the grocery parking lot. Three full size trucks carried six men and they were looking at their abandoned vehicle and the put down walkers scattered around the parking lot. Two of the men went in the store and came back with some carts of supplies. The others stood guard and Carol was very conscious of the open garage door. They couldn't risk pulling it down now because of the noise. Michonne had moved to the garage to make sure that walkers didn't get in there.

The men hung out on the parking lot and Carol assumed that they were waiting for someone. Their noisy weapons were attracting the local walkers and that was good to see. Finally, a blue truck pulled in and a tall man got out and there was a discussion. The tall man climbed into the bed of his truck and looked around. Carol held her breath. He was the smart one, the one to be feared, and he might have sensed that someone was watching him.

They had all stepped back even further into the shadows but eventually the tall man got back into the truck and all four trucks disappeared in the direction that they were traveling. Michonne came back into the house. "Let's go back the way we came in."

Carol shook her head, "There may be others. I think we need to stay put for a while. They are looking for us. Let's get that garage door down."

"I wish we were farther away from the road". Michonne had pulled into the closest house with an open garage.

The house was hot and they were soon sweating. Michonne had oiled the garage door hinges and gotten it closed almost quietly. The tall man's blue truck did not reappear but they did see two of the other trucks pass by within an hour. Carol held the pup knowing that if she began barking she would have to muzzle her. Bonnie whimpered and burrowed her face into Carol's armpit.

Jacqui said, "We need to find if there is another way out of this development. Walkers don't mess with other walkers. They might walk with them but they don't touch or try to kill them. It's all smell I think. If we could smell like them we could walk around and see if there was a way out. I can do that."

She went back to the hallway and found a housecoat and covered it with walker blood and intestines. Michonne vomited and everyone else was close. Carol found some rubber gloves in the kitchen and helped Jacqui who managed to turn herself into a presentable walker.

Michonne walked back to them, "I'll go with you."

Jacqui shook her head, "Walkers are lone creatures even in a herd. You are needed here. I'll be back but it will take a while. Walkers don't get in a hurry unless there is something to eat." She put on the long housecoat and put walker blood and intestine parts on her hair and face. "See you later." She cautiously opened the door and lurched out. Carol was amazed at how well Jacqui blended in with the walkers outside. She had the stagger and the blank look. They watched her from the front window until she went out of sight.

Hours passed and their fear for Jacqui increased. The world seemed to be sweltering in the heat and Carol wondered if the raiders were somewhere trying to stay cool during the hottest part of the day. Michonne was watching from the front window and she suddenly straightened up and eased toward the front door. She had oiled the hinges so that they were barely making a sound as she opened the door for a worn out Jacqui who threw off the housecoat and collapsed into a chair.

Carol handed her a glass of water and took a washcloth and wiped her face, hair, and hands. Jacqui looked dangerously close to heat exhaustion to her and she wanted to cool her down as fast as possible.

"I'll be alright once I get cooled down. There is a way out and I went down that road for a few miles. Most of the roads lead to the town of course but there was a sign for another highway out there. Nothing out that way but scattered farms, and I don't know it's safe but I think we better go now while it's so hot.

Carol looked at Michonne who nodded. The other women nodded too. "Let's go then, but we need to keep alert."

Carol sat in back with Jacqui and Beth while Andrea sat beside Michonne. She checked her vitals and Jacqui seemed reasonably fine. Carol was urging her to drink the warm Gatorade that they found in the refrigerator. Beth held Bonnie and watched through the back glass and reported that there wasn't anything moving but a few walkers.

It felt good to be out of the house and on the move again. They were soon traveling through pine forests and occasional small farms. Carol was relieved to see that the area looked run down. She wouldn't have picked this place to loot. Andrea had navigated them farther west than the route they had previously chosen but they would intersect in a couple of hours with a highway that would take them northwest.

They stopped before they entered the highway. It was getting late enough to think about stopping. There were hours of daylight left but Carol was beginning to trust her instincts. The highway would be busier and she wanted to scout it out a little before they jumped in.

Michonne pointed at an old dilapidated farmhouse with a barn nearby that looked as if a good wind would blow it down. Carol nodded. There was nothing in that dwelling to attract a walker. It had been abandoned from the looks of things. There was a gravel road and their vehicle wouldn't leave any signs to a casual passerby. Michonne parked behind the barn and they got out. There was water from the grocery store to drink and it looked as if it might rain later on. Carol gave Bonnie water and gave her some puppy food. Beth promised to keep her from barking. It was very quiet here and sounds would carry.

Carol and Michonne left the others to prepare the camp and they walked toward the highway through the pine forest. Carol was glad that Michonne was with her. Carol's spidery senses were raging and she was hyper aware of her surroundings. A quick look at Michonne assured her that she felt the same way. They moved stealthily but steadily and Carol could smell smoke before she saw anything. Michonne headed right toward some thicker brush at the side of the highway and Carol followed. The four trucks were parked in front of them and she could see the tall man off to the side watching the others. The other six men were laughing and drinking while they watched four women build the fire. The women's ankles were bound with rope and they were obviously being held captive. They were more girls than women to Carol and she imagined from the looks of their clothing they had been raped already.

The tall man stood didn't seem interested in the carousing men. He was looking over their supplies. Carol knew he was the leader of this group but there was something about him that told her that he wanted more than to lead a bunch of rapists and killers. He was a war lord in the making. He would gather more men and then one day he would settle somewhere and send his men out to pillage at will and they would bring their tribute to him, their leader. He would start with a small town and then leap to a county size kingdom and then more because he would never be satisfied until he had real power. He was clean on the outside but inside he was worse than any of those men. He was Ed posing as an aspiring banker and hiding his trophies in his secret hideaway. She had killed Ed all those years ago and she would kill this man today because he stood between her and her family.

Carol took one more look at the camp site and wondered at their bravado to stay out here in the open. These men were going to ambush anyone that came along. She backed away not even waiting for Michonne and headed toward their campsite. She moved quickly now and Michonne kept pace. They didn't talk until they were back at the old farm.

"We are going to have to kill them." Carol met Michonne's eyes.

"Better get to it while they are getting drunk and sloppy. The tall man has to die first. He is the only one with any brains." Michonne was matter of fact.

It took a few minutes to gather their weapons together. Andrea took one rifle and Beth took the other. Michonne took her katana and a pistol. Jacqui had a pistol and knife. Carol had her pistol, a knife, and a jug of gasoline and a match. The plan was set. Carol hugged Bonnie goodbye and put her in the vehicle. They wouldn't be gone long.

They slipped back in the woods. There was loud music now which helped to mask their sounds as they moved through the woods. They had discussed the plan but Carol was worried about Andrea and Beth. Michonne was solid and Jacqui seemed resigned to it. Her part was first, create a distraction and then the others would do their part.

Carol hugged them goodbye and slipped off to the right. She had her jug with her and her lighter. There was a truck facing south and she moved toward it. One of the men was standing at the truck's tailgate having what she would believe to be non-consensual sex with a woman. For a second Carol was staggered with a vivid memory of Ed raping her and then she pulled herself together.

The woman's eyes were squeezed shut and he was grunting and cursing, "Fuck, this feels good. Big dog is just gonna take what he wants." He was thrusting savagely and Carol closed the gap between them with her knife ready. She grabbed his long hair and pulled him backward while her right hand moved up and around his body to his neck. Carol cut his throat as he had Ed's. He fell down behind the truck and the woman opened her eyes.

Carol held her finger to her lips and helped the woman off the truck. "Please go back into the woods and be quiet." The woman grabbed her clothes and stepped back from the truck. Carol went back and grabbed the jug of gasoline and poured a line of gasoline to the gas tank and she got underneath the gas tank and put the jug there. She crawled back to the woman and lit the gasoline line. She pushed the woman toward the woods. "it's going to blow". The flame moved up toward the gas tank and Carol took careful aim and put a bullet into the bottom half of the tank. She ran toward the woods and there was a resounding boom and the gasoline in the jug ignited the gas in the tank.

Carol used the trees as a cover and ran to the main part of the camp. There was the sound of steady rifle fire to reassure her that her friends were doing their part. She stopped at the edge of the woods when she saw one of the men come out of the truck with his rifle. She aimed carefully at his body and hit his arm and leg. He fell down and there was a burst of rifle fire at him and then everything was silent.

The man she had killed was staggering their way and Carol cursed herself for not putting him down. She put one more bullet to his brain and he lay still. Michonne was walking around the dead men stabbing her katana through their eye sockets.

Michonne had decapitated the tall man and finished off one man that Andrea had shot. Andrea had taken down one on her own and finished off the man Carol had wounded. Beth and Jacqui had killed one each. All seven were dead.

The women had been taken captive from a town about an hour away. Carol had given each of them a "morning after pill" that she had collected that morning and all the help she could render on the side of a highway. Michonne handed the women two rifles and two pistols and the truck they left in was loaded with supplies. The women had been in a camp ground while the men of the group were out looking for a safer place to stay. They wanted to get back there to rejoin their group.

Michonne drove one of the trucks back to their campsite. It had weapons and ammunition and gasoline stored in it. Walkers had been attracted to the gunfire and they quickly moved the new supplies into their vehicle. Michonne drove to the highway and they headed north for another hour. The North Carolina border was less than an hour away when they decided to quit for the night.

Home that evening was a log cabin set back in in the woods. Michonne had veered away from the main highway and down a side road to find it. The cabin was clean enough and the outhouse was functional. A thunderstorm raged overhead but they collected rainwater for washing. They cooked dinner on the porch while it was still daylight. They heated water to wash with and then settled down inside the cabin. Their vehicle was stashed behind and out of sight.

The cabin had some blankets and they settled inside. Beth had confiscated a bottle from the raider's loot and she insisted that she wanted a drink. She poured everyone a cup and they all toasted each other. Beth wound up drinking two cups and getting drunk but after all she was still a kid.

Bonnie decided to play and her antics delighted all the women. The pup had been penned up most of the day and being able to scamper around the room wound her up. She stopped once and looked intently at Carol and then went to the door and whined softly. Carol handed Bonnie to Andrea and she and Michonne went to the door. They stood on the porch for a bit and then saw the walkers coming up the driveway. Andrea came out with her machete and they worked together to clear them out.

Bonnie needed a walk after that and she insisted on moving toward the walkers. She sniffed them and growled and Carol knew that the dog instinctively was learning the scent of the enemy to her people. Michonne and Andrea watched over Carol and Bonnie as they walked in the dusk. Beth was on the porch puking as they came back to the cabin. Carol gave her one of the gatorades and sent her to bed. The kid had had quite a day.

That night Jacqui took the first watch. She had recovered from her walker stroll today and Carol saw a new confidence in the older woman. Jacqui had lathered herself in walker blood and guts to find a way out. She had used a weapon to kill for them today. Jacqui had chosen to fight for her own survival today.

Carol took second watch and Bonnie slept on her lap. She had been too busy today staying alive to be lonesome but now sitting in the darkness listening and watching for trouble she found herself talking to Daryl in her mind.

You were with me every step of the day, Daryl. You taught me to trust my instincts and how to use weapons. I had to kill people and I may have to tomorrow. We are going to make it home soon and I will fall asleep close to you. Protect our family, and I'll be home soon. I love you and I always will.

AN

Apparently gas tanks don't blow up just because you shoot them with a gun, but I think Carol's method would cause enough of a distraction.

Beth wanted to drink and Carol didn't stop her. Beth got drunk and threw up. It happens.

I just wanted Philip Blake to die an early death by Michonne's hand.

Review please.