Ch2

The station was bare empty, no sign of life, neither human nor walker. Arnold kept his guard up though continuously as he climbed out of the truck and quietly shut the door. He treaded through the debris, kicking empty cans away from him or examining wrecked cars. Suddenly, a crow cried out from its perch on the station rooftop. He spun around, hand grasping his holstered pistol, thumb on the hammer. The crow cawed once more and took off from its resting spot. Arnold sighed with caution as he took his hand off the pistol. He turned back toward the station and began to walk toward its doors.

Inside, the realm of the whole store uttered recent death. The odor was foul and Arnold gagged at the sites. Shelfs were turned over, broken due to struggles between the living and the undead. A large pool of blood sat on the counter next to a tipped over cash register. The blood ran from the counter to the edge and dripped frequently on the floor. Arnold couldn't tell if the blood was infectious or not but he chose to steer clear either way. With caution still in his mind, Arnold took off the knapsack he had strung to his back and sifted through the shelves looking for leftover products and useful supplies.

After checking both the grocery and the backroom, Arnold was able to find two cans of soda, a bottled water, and two boxes of Excedrin. Dropping it all in the sack, Arnold flung it over his shoulder and walked out of the store. As he passed through the broken sliding doors, he was greeted by two guys in red bandanas.

"Greetings." Said one of them in a ripped jeans vest, Arnold figured he knew what trouble he was in. But he decided to play it cool.

"Hey guys." He said.

"Whatcha doing?" The other one, a smaller and heftier guy, asked.

"Passing through, I found this station and figured I'd pop in to see what they had."

"Well did you find anything?" The one in the vest asked.

"Actually yes I did." Arnold said with a fake but convincing smile.

"Really. Can you show us?" The hefty one asked.

"I actually can't, I kinda have somewhere to be." Arnold replied.

"What makes you think you've got a choice?" The hefty one asked again. At that point, Arnold knew his speech skills would fail him, and he slowly reached for the knapsack string. He pinched it and pulled the bag from his shoulder, setting it slowly on the ground.

"You're a smart guy." Said Vest-guy, he began to walk forward, "Now walk away. And we won't do anything 'irrational'." He then said.

"'Fraid I can't do that." Arnold responded, his voice slightly lower.

Vest-guy sighed with frustration, "Listen, kid-" "Pretty sure I'm not a kid." Arnold interrupted.

"Take off now, and we won't have trouble." Hefty guy said.

"You're talking to the wrong people." Arnold responded, his arm crept to his backside where on his belt was another holster with a butterfly knife inside.

"K fucker, you asked for it." Vest guy said as he approached Arnold, cracking his knuckles. Hefty guy followed slowly behind. Arnold squinted with delight, remembering Grandma's karate lessons all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, Arnold leapt up with both feet, sending them swinging into Vest guy's chest. He flew backwards and collapsed behind Hefty guy. Arnold landed back on his feet with his hand still in his back pocket.

Hefty guy charged at Arnold but he quickly dodged him and sent him crashing into one of the store windows. Vest guy regained his balance, but with a cut lip and stiff neck.

"You're dead." He grunted, reaching into his pocket and flinging out a switchblade. Arnold pulled out his butterfly knife and slightly bent his knees. Vest guy mistakenly charged him again, swinging his blade around this time, attempting to slice Arnold.

Arnold, not taking a hit, and easily anticipating his moves, flung from side to side till he had an open shot at Vest guy's leg. He took the shot and kicked him from the side, almost disjointing his leg. Vest guy cried out in pain but was able to use his good leg to swing back around with his knife, Arnold dodged him again but this time, Arnold did not hold back, taking his own butterfly knife and taking a swing at Vest guy's ear. The next few seconds were very bloody for Vest guy as Arnold had struck his ear, taking off a piece from the top. As Vest guy screeched in pain, Arnold stood there with a look of determination on his face, as if to say, "You asked for it."

Hefty guy stood back up again and dragged his feet from the broken glass. He looked at Arnold, then at Vest guy, seeing what Arnold had done. Over to his side, Hefty guy could see several walkers honing in on them. He walked over to vest guy, still clutching his ear.

"Come on Brig, we gotta scram. He's not worth it." Hefty guy said to Vest guy. Vest guy, named Brig looked at Arnold with fire in his eyes.

"I'll see you soon, and when I do, you're a dead man." He uttered. Hefty guy began to push him along. Arnold began to see the walkers as well, they caught eye of him and he quickly took off, picking up his knapsack, running opposite Brig and Hefty guy, sprinting toward the truck.

(Meanwhile, at the FTI station)

Suzie and Bob continued to be stunned at their newly arrived guest. Phil had been lying on his cot for three hours, still unconscious. The body started to stir. Suzie sighed with relief.

Phil opened his eyes but then squinted them to adjust to the brightness. He then clutched his head tightly with one hand, "Jiminy Christmas! How bad can a headache be?!" He cried.

"Phil!" Suzie called. Phil turned his head over facing toward Suzie's cell, "Suzie Kokashka, well I'll be, you made it!" He said as he began to sit up in the bed. He looked around his surroundings and observed. "Wait, why are we in cells?" He asked.

"Beats me, are you okay?" Suzie asked.

"Besides the old age and anvil migraine, yeah I'm just peachy. What about you? I remember seeing your chopper go down, where's Oscar?" Phil asked.

"I don't know. I figure the bastard woke up and ran off, leaving the rest of us behind. I haven't seen Hyunh here either. It's just me and Bob Pataki." Suzie said.

"Pataki? Where's he?" Phil asked.

"Over here, old man." Bob grumbled from the cell next to Phil's.

"Well, Big Bob Pataki, locked up in a cage eh? Last time I saw you was in the front seat of a Ferrari, I assume yours? You were making a fortune before all this mess!" Phil exclaimed.

"Yeah, not so much anymore." Bob said, looking up at the ceiling and the one flickering bulb that hung over his head.

Phil started to chuckle to lighten the mood, but then his chest started to tighten up and he coughed a few times. He clinched his fist and held it to his mouth to keep from spraying. After his chest started to loosen again, he looked down at his hand and saw a couple of small drops of red on his fingers. His eyes widened but he casually wiped his hand on his overalls, ignoring it. He looked back at the wall next to his cot and his eyes darted back and forth.

(Back at the house)

Arnold had just got back from his scavenging trip; he pulled up in the driveway beside the Humvee and hopped out. He gripped the handle at the bottom of the garage door and lifted the door up high, pulling it back down shut when he entered the garage. He came in through the door and set the knapsack down on the kitchen counter.

"I'm back. Harold, you're up for patrol!" He called. When there was no answer, Arnold walked over to the stairs. "Hello?" He called again. No answer for a few seconds.

"Arnold!" A feminine voice called from below Arnold's feet. He walked back to the flight of stairs that led to the basement. He went down and entered the deeper part of the basement that housed the furnace and all the utilities. There he saw Nadine, poking at a bolt on a pipe that led to the air conditioning unit on the outside of the house. Hyunh was at her side, assisting.

"What's up Nadine?"

"Charlie's gone." She uttered. Arnold felt instant shock.

"What?!" He exclaimed.

"Gerald and the others are upstairs in my room checking out his cell. The window was open when Eugene went up to give him food."

"What're you guys doing down here?" Arnold asked.

"Well, we've got bigger headaches, that's what. The vacuum pipe we've got pumping slop outside the house is starting to corrode. Soon it'll be useless and the slop odor will slowly wear off outside the house."

"Can it be fixed?" Arnold asked.

"Not sure, but if the corrosion doesn't get cleaned off soon, the pipe will basically crack till the point of disintegration, then we won't have anything to cover the house from walkers outside. They'll come around from miles to find out where we are."

Arnold sighed in frustration, "Ok, do what you can. Make up another batch and put four buckets out in front of the garage. Buy us some time till we can go out to get what we need, kay?"

"Already ahead of you Arnold." Hyunh chimed in.

"Thanks Mr. Hyunh," Arnold smiled back, "Nadine, I know I've told you this before, but I'm glad you came with us. For someone who loves bugs and engineering at the same time, you've really pulled your weight. Thank you for that." Arnold said.

"You're welcome Arnold, I'd head upstairs, Gerald's on edge waiting for you." She said. Arnold nodded and dashed all the way up the basement stairs, through the living room and up the main stairs to the top floor. Phoebe and Eugene were on the couch in the loft room reading and occasionally making moves in a card game. Arnold went into Nadine's room where Harold and Stinky and continued into the small room Charlie was in to find Gerald examining the window and sticking his head out to look down at the driveway, almost 20 feet up.

"What happened to Charlie?" Arnold asked.

"Bout damn time Arnold. We've got a problem. Charlie disappeared last night."

"Why would he do that?" Arnold asked.

"Don't know, but he was pretty fucking quiet for a tiny kid on edge from so much chocolate in his brain."

"He's been sober from that stuff for years Gerald. Take it easy with the prejudice." Arnold said.

"Whatever dude, listen, I know I've been a prick about him and his 'immunity' whatever you want to call it, but I don't want him running around out there trying to figure stuff out on his own. We gonna get him back one way or another." Gerald said.

"Alright alright, just relax, I'll go. He may be young but he knows how to get around the walkers. Think I might be able to pick up a track if we get to the main road outside the neighborhood."

"And who's gonna watch your back?" Gerald asked. Arnold nodded with a smug look and walked out, Gerald right behind. They went back down to the basement and walked up to a large cabinet, inside on the shelves were all their weapons. 12 gauge shotgun and Ar-15 rifle on the top, three Berettas on the middle, and at the bottom, a .38 pea shooter next to Charlie's sling shot.

Arnold took the rifle, and Gerald took the shotgun, "We doin this?" Gerald asked, Arnold nodded. The two walked over to the front door, unlocked it and exited the house. They got to the front of the driveway and started to ponder which direction to take.

"Which way we goin Arnold?" Gerald asked.

"I don't know." Arnold responded. Gerald let the shotgun hang in his arm out of frustration. Just then, Arnold noticed something in the dirt.

"Gerald, look!" Arnold said, he walked over to a spot of dirt where embedded in the earth was a shoe footprint. The toe end of the print faced north.

"Looks like we're going this way." Arnold said. The two looked toward their new heading and began to hike. Out of error, Arnold stepped on the footprint as he walked.

As soon as his foot contacted the print in the dirt, light and images shot through Arnold's head, he grunted in pain. His last conversation with Charlie echoed.

"Thanks for the peanut butter- thanks for the peanut butter – thanks for the" Then new images started to invade Arnold's head, a shadowy figure had Charlie in his hand, he could see the figure, slim and feminine looking, dragging Charlie in the direction they were walking. He could see the figure turning toward the house but could not make out who it was. Just then, the rush of imagery stopped. Arnold took a deep breath and stumbled.

"You alright buddy? Looked like a seizure there." Gerald said, concerned.

Arnold clutched his head, "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

Arnold shook his head again, "Gerald, ungh, I don't think Charlie ran off, "He turned toward Gerald and looked directly at him, "He was taken."

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To be continued.