Tyler

 

The tires have been slashed and the keys are missing. Whoever did this to them wasn’t just eliminating them, but leaving a warning to anyone who came across them.

Who are these people?

“Should we bury them?” Gerry asks, shivering as he stares at dead bodies. “This is so screwed up, Kellen.”

Kellen casts a gaze toward Stovepipe Wells and sighs before looking at Gerry. “It is and, no, I don’t think we can afford to waste the time or energy.”

I certainly agree with that. It’s horrible what happened to Kyle and those girls, but we have to keep moving.

“We need to get off the road,” Aaron says, unable to take his eyes off the dead girl on the ground. “These monsters could be watching people who travel this way. Hell, we may already be in their sights.”

“You think this area is a trap?” I ask, alarm bells suddenly ringing in my head.

“We can’t exclude that thought,” Aaron mumbles. “It could just be a traveling group of marauders who encountered these three. But if it was something planned and far more sinister, I sure as hell don’t want to walk into something like this.” He glances over at Hope, who wears a worried frown. “We need to be smart.”

“Maybe the people at Stovepipe Wells will help,” Judy offers, voice raw from crying. “There has to be a military presence or policemen or FEMA. Something.”

Hailey, Jesse, Silas, and Pretzel all remain in a spot just out of eyesight of the carnage. My brother may be a little shit, but this would break him. Those kids don’t need to see the brutality we’re facing.

“Maybe,” Kellen mutters, but he doesn’t sound convinced.

I’m not convinced either.

Aaron opens up the map again. We decide to leave highway 190 we’ve been traveling on that’ll go straight through the small town, travel east along the southside of the area, and then come into Stovepipe Wells through an indirect route that’s off the beaten path. Coming in through a main road doesn’t seem wise, so we’re going to avoid it.

“Let’s see if we can use any supplies in the vehicle and check the radio before we head out,” I suggest, heading over to the driver’s seat.

Broken glass and Kyle’s cold, nearly frozen brain matter litters the seat. I tuck my hand inside the sleeve of my jacket and dust it off. Once it’s safe to sit, I climb inside, trying my best to ignore the rotting corpse beside me.

Though the keys are now gone, I manage to use my pocket knife to pull away the steering column so I can attempt to hot-wire the car. I’m not a savant like Jesse, but I manage to figure it out. Someone—Kellen—opens the back seat and starts rummaging through a bag he finds.

I can’t get the engine to turn over, which doesn’t matter, considering we can’t drive it on flat tires anyway, but I do get the radio going. Most of the channels are static, but I find one that has a repeating broadcast. I turn it up so everyone can hear.

“…we offer safety in numbers, food, water, and shelter. Bring your families and children, friends, and neighbors. Nevada Highway Patrol has posted here to aid in our efforts. For the safety of our zone, we’ll require all people seeking shelter to submit their weapons to the NHP. Should you desire to leave, they’ll be given back to you. It’s a scary place out there and it’s recommended you hunker down at one of the safe zones rather than making a go out there on your own. All are welcome.”

“Where?” Wayne asks just outside my window.

I hush him when the broadcast repeats itself.

“At Stovepipe Wells, we offer safety in numbers, food, and shelter.”

As soon as I realize it’s the same message, I turn it off and climb out of the vehicle, eager not to share the air with dead Kyle.

“What do you think?” I ask the group that’s now surrounded the vehicle.

“If we can just make it to Stovepipe Wells, we’ll be safe,” Judy says, swiping away a tear. “We’re almost there.”

Kellen and Aaron exchange a guarded look. I lift a brow when Kellen glances my way. He purses his lips for a moment before speaking his mind.

“I think we should proceed to our destination but take the indirect route as suggested before. If we can get a lay of the land before walking into that town, we can make a better decision as to stay or keep moving.”

“But they are a safe zone,” Judy argues weakly.

Dan hugs her to his side. “I’m hoping you’re right, sweetheart. But in the event it’s a trap and crawling with the people who did this to Kyle and the girls, then we need to be prepared.”

Silence hangs in the air.

Their daughter was almost taken once. Seeing what happened to Kyle and the girls especially is a reminder that people will brutally take what they want. Young females seem to be a favored commodity in this post-apocalyptic nightmare.

“Okay, yeah, of course,” Judy agrees. “We have to keep safe.”

Once we’ve picked the car clean of supplies, we all make our way back over to the kids. They eye us warily but don’t say much. There’s not much to say.

As a group, we start on our path off the main road. Aaron and Hope take the lead while me and Kellen bring up the rear. He’s still sickly looking from his bout of food-borne illness last night, but he’ll live.

“When we get closer to Stovepipe Wells, we’ll need to send a scout team in again ahead of our group,” Kellen says lowly. “I’m getting a bad feeling about this place.”

Despite the professional beacon of hope the radio offered, I can’t help but agree. My gut doesn’t usually guide me in the wrong direction. Right now, it twists at the idea we’re doing just that.

“Maybe we need to get away from these small towns,” I say with a sigh. “Country bumpkins doing whatever the hell they want is getting old. What’s the next big city?”

“Vegas,” Kellen says. “That could be worse or it could be perfectly fine. Vegas could mean shelter and supplies. Because of their size, they may even have FEMA posted there to help those coming from the west. It’s an option for sure.”

I know we’ll need to look at the map again soon.

As we get closer to Stovepipe Wells and structures can be seen in the darkness of night, we all slow to a halt. Me and Kellen bypass the group to make our way up to Aaron, Hope, and Dan, who are already looking at the map once more.

“I think we need to park our group here,” Aaron says, “and some of us go ahead to check things out.”

Jesse ambles over to us. “I’m going this time.”

Before me or Aaron can protest, he holds up a hand and shakes his head.

“Hear me out,” Jesse grits out. “The team should be small. One or two of us. It’ll be easier to get in and out.”

“Me and Aaron will go,” I say firmly.

Jesse rolls his eyes, reminding me he’s a sixteen-year-old brat. I guess since he’s been playing hide the sausage with Hailey, he thinks he’s a big man now.

“I know how to hot-wire a car,” Jesse continues with a grunt. “You tried back there and failed.” He hooks a thumb over his shoulder, indicating the car with the bodies. “I can actually make it run.”

He has a point there even though I don’t like it.

“I’m a fast runner,” I state to our group. “I’ll go with him. No offense, big bro, but your sea legs don’t go too quickly.”

“I’ll go too,” Kellen starts, but I wave him off.

“You’re still sick. Hell, Jesse is too, but you’re taking longer to recover than he and Hailey are. Stay back and protect everyone.”

Kellen and Aaron both scowl at being booted from the mission.

“I can go,” Hope offers. “I run fast and—”

“I need you here,” Aaron says, cutting her off. “Plus, if it’s women they’re after, we’re not going to serve you up on a platter.”

Hope frowns but nods in agreement.

“We’ll check it out,” I assure our group. “If it seems legit, we’ll come back and we can enter the town. If it’s a trap, we’ll obtain a vehicle and pick you all up on the way out of here.”

To Stovepipe Wells we go…

“What’s up with you and Hailey?” I ask as we creep toward our destination—a large metal building on the south part of the small tourist town.

Jesse grins over his shoulder at me. “We’re in love.”

“You’ve known her for five minutes,” I hiss. “You’re not in love.”

He grinds to a halt and faces off with me, a taunting smirk on his teenage face. “You’re one to talk.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know good and damn well what that means.” He pokes me in the center of the chest. “Everyone knows you and Kellen are fucking.”

Heat creeps up to my cheeks. It’s not like I’m embarrassed or that I’m unaware everyone knows we’re sharing a bed each night. I just haven’t ever spoken to Jesse about my sexual encounters.

“We’re not…fucking.” Yet.

Jesse rolls his eyes. “Okay, sure, dude.”

“But you and Hailey are? What does her dad think?”

“For your information,” Jesse says lowly, “we made love. Because we’re in love.”

I blink stupidly at my brother. He’s sixteen, barely knows this girl, and truly thinks he’s in love. I’d never realized how much he was like Aaron until this moment.

“Be careful,” I warn. “Don’t get her pregnant and try not to get shot by her dad.”

“Danny Boy loves me.”

I ignore him to trot the rest of the way to the building. He sidles up beside me, both of us breathing heavily from our jaunt. Cold air clouds in front of us with each exhalation we take.

I motion for him to stay behind me as I creep along the side of the building, sticking to the shadows, until I reach the front.

Laughter.

Craning my neck, I listen for the source of the muffled sound. I squint in the darkness until I see a small huddle of men standing in the road beside a police car in front of the saloon on the other side of the restaurant.

“NHP?” Jesse whispers near my ear.

“Looks that way.”

A couple of the men break off from the pack and start walking down the road in our direction. Me and Jesse crouch down. Soon, I can hear their boots slapping the pavement and their low voices become audible.

“Rio and Gator are in serious shit with the big guy,” the tall, lanky man says. “I understand getting rid of the man, but the chicks too? They fucked up.”

The shorter, pudgier guy grunts. “I’m surprised Ponce didn’t put them both down when they bragged about it.”

I don’t know much about the NHP, but these guys, dressed casually, don’t appear to be a part of them.

Thunder rumbles again in the distance. Both men stop to peer toward the easterly direction.

“It’s going to storm and we’re the lucky fuckers who have to clean up their mess. What’d we do to deserve this, Manny?”

Manny, the shorter guy, grunts again. “Low men on the totem pole. You haven’t been laid in a while.” He playfully ribs the other man. “You want some cold, dead pussy, Derek?”

Derek shoves at him. “Don’t be a sick fuck.”

The two of them start moving again down the road.

“After we take care of this shit, I’m going to visit the hotel. Surely it’ll earn us some warm, live, and kickin’ pussy.”

Derek snorts. “Now you’re talking. That one they captured yesterday on the highway had a nice pair of tits…”

Their voices grow muted again as they get out of earshot.

Turning, I motion for Jesse to head toward the back of the building. Once we’re hidden better, I let out a sharp breath.

“I knew it,” I grit out, grinding my teeth together. “It’s a trap to lure people here. Women specifically. Fuck.”

Jesse scowls. “Time for Plan B.”

“You think we can steal that police car?”

He shakes his head. “No, but there’re a few cars parked nearby at the hotel. I saw a Suburban big enough to hold our crew. It’s older looking too, which could mean easier to hot-wire.”

We make a plan that involves me being the lookout while Jesse crosses the road to try to steal the vehicle. If the guys near the police car hear him and go after him, I’m to pick them off with the shotgun.

Suddenly, I wish Aaron or Kellen were here. Me and my little brother aren’t exactly tactical dudes. I have no idea how this will go down.

“We can do this,” Jesse assures me, clutching my shoulder. “If I get it started, run back to the group and get them ready. I’ll make it over there to you guys and we’ll haul ass out of here.”

“If you can’t get it started?”

“We’ll move along to Plan C.”

“What’s Plan C?”

“Kill those guys and take their vehicle.”

I grimace at his new plan, which sounds horrible. I’m about to suggest my version of a Plan C, which involves going back to the group and getting the hell out of Dodge on foot, but my impatient brother is already hoofing it across the road before I can stop him.

Fuck.

I hustle after him, stopping just at the edge of the building. Miraculously, he makes his way across the road undetected. Aiming my shotgun at the guys, I wait, listening intently while my heart races in my chest.

I’ve never shot a gun before.

On one of our long walks, Kellen of all people, explained the basics of weaponry to me. It’s a little more than point and shoot, but I have a general understanding now. I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this, though.

Seconds turn into minutes and I start to worry. I would imagine if Jesse were caught, he’d raise all kinds of hell. But it’s been too quiet, which probably means he’s having trouble.

A loud rumble of thunder makes all the buildings rattle and beyond that I think I hear shattering of glass. The huddle isn’t running toward the Suburban, however, and are instead pointing at the storm lighting up the sky in the distance.

So far so good.

An eternity later, I hear the sound of the Suburban’s engine turning over. Then headlights flood the dark parking lot.

Holy shit.

He did it.

“Someone’s driving after curfew,” a man yells from close by. “We might have an escapee! Stop that vehicle!”

As much as I want to hang around to help my brother, I stick with the plan. Turning on my heel, I hightail it back the way I came, racing back toward our group.

Stovepipe Wells is a trap, and if we don’t get the hell out of here, we’ll no doubt meet the same fate as Kyle.

As for our women?

Something tells me these men won’t make the mistake of killing them and putting them out of their misery. They’ll keep them. And whatever that entails may be worse than death.

We have to get the hell out of here.