Seeking Sanctuary (Walkers) (6 page)

     I was in the middle of telling Mason about the kids coming with us when Ken yelled in my head at me.  Mason jumped too, cause Ken yelled loud enough.  Lacy must've heard it too cause she and Joe came running out of the clinic.  Actually, Joe was being dragged along behind a white faced Lacy and when he turned his pale face to me I mouthed JILL, making him reach the door before Lacy.  Mason started to get up but I grabbed his hand.   “Remember, Melody, Mason?  Do you really want to go there?”  He slowly sat back down and reached a shaky hand for his mug.  “I don't envy Ken right now.  He must be a basket case.”

     “Ken?”  I asked, “What about Jill?  Leave it to a man to be worried about another man when it's the woman giving birth.”  I nodded towards Todd to keep talking to the kids. We didn't need to get them worked up right then. 

     She's giving birth in the cabin, JD.  Could you send Lucy or Angie over with the med pack and as much of the stuff we had ready for her to deliver in the clinic.  Leave it to her to do things differently.
 

       I located Lucy and gave her the news.  Angie was already in the clinic so we didn't have to go far to get things done.  Flynn offered to carry a lot of the stuff when they hurried to the cabin.  They were there a long time it seemed to me but we soon had a beautiful son for Ken.  He was a basket case when he finally came staggering into the cabin, a smile as big as the world on his face.  I don't know where he'd gotten them but he had a box of cigars that he handed out to everyone.  Duke was thrilled cause he was getting short of the things.  He always seemed to have one hanging out of his mouth.  Sarah threatened him with torture if he ever lit one, so he was happy to just chew on them.  After being congratulated to death he retreated to the cabin refusing supper to sit with his family.  Sarah took their dinner to them on a large tray, followed closely by me carrying the large bag with diapers, formula and bottles.    I just wanted to see the little guy that had Ken wrapped up in knots.

     Ken sat in a chair near the bed, where a pale but smiling Jill, sat sipping some broth. He was holding a blanket wrapped bundle in his arms, smiling down at it with wonder.  A tiny hand was wrapped around his index finger as Ken kissed the babies little nose.  Joe was drying his hands as he watched Ken with his son.  A strange look passed over his face and when he caught me watching he smiled and shook his head. 

     “Just a passing fancy, JD.  Nothing more.”

     “Yeah, Joe, I know what you mean. But in moments like this you can't help feeling what you're feeling.”  He nodded, gave Jill orders for rest and left quietly.  I stood behind Ken so I could see the guy better.  I wasn't going to ask to hold him yet.  He needed time with his dad first.  I didn't think Ken was going to share just yet anyway and that was fine.  I could wait a bit longer.

     The baby had his nose and chin.   A thin layer of fine brown hair with reddish highlights covered his head.  His eyes were closed but his lips kept flashing quick smiles  while his dad murmured nonsense near his ear.  I looked at Jill and the look of love on her face cause me to catch my breath.  To love so completely and deeply was a thing of wonder.  I didn't know what was more beautiful, that newborn baby or the mother watching him with his daddy.  I caught her eye and she smiled at me.  I winked at her and motioned I was leaving.  She nodded and went back to watching Ken while I stepped out and quietly closed the door.

     Mason was waiting for me on the steps. He enclosed me in his arms, holding me in the dusk, as the sky turned from pink, to purple, to dark blue.  He kissed me on the nose then we walked back to the dining room to watch 'Avatar' with the kids.  I cried then too.

                                                        Chapter 5

             
The flurry of activity surrounding the process of leaving had us running into each other left and right.  I was dropping things every time I turned around and it was getting downright aggravating. The campers and fuel truck were lined up and ready to go.  The guys had gone into town the day before and found the tanker. We'd fueled up all the outfits and was as ready as we ever would be.  All we had to do now was get past all the danged crying.

             
The tears were flowing pretty good by the time I hugged and kissed everyone there was to hug and kiss.  Todd was going to stay to get the flight school going, then if he wanted to, he could fly back to Montana.  It was up to him.  He seemed like a likeable enough guy and he'd fit right in.  I'd finally finished with the farewells and went to the big truck we were pulling the tanker with, climbed inside and blew my nose while I awaited Mason.  Mikey and the Monster were riding with Howard and Samantha in the tow truck.  Bubba and the monkey had become friends and Mikey loved the tow truck. It was red, fire engine red and had a neat horn according to Mikey.  It sounded like a fog horn to me, but Howard suggested they ride with them and everyone was happy.  I think he knew how much me and the Monster didn't get along and wanted to spare us.  I don't know and didn't really care as long as 'it' was somewhere else.`

             
When we finally drove away, I tried really hard not to look in the mirror.  It had been our home for nine months and I would miss it.  I'd miss the cliff dwellings and the meadow where we trapped all the turkeys and the way the valley changed colors in the evening.  But I'd miss the people most.

             
Ken  had taken off before we left.  He made sure Jill and his son Anthony or 'Tony' was safely settled in the medical van with Joe and Sandy.  We'd picked the van up at a military installation right before we arrived.  It was all set up for Jill and Tony so they'd be comfortable.  Ken had buzzed out of the valley after nuzzling that baby and talking nonsense  to him for fifteen minutes. He'd radio back to us about how the roads looked ahead which would keep us from having to backtrack all the time.  When we left Montana we spent most of the time backtracking.  With Ken flying ahead of us, he would help us choose the best roads and eliminate most of the backtracking.  Then when he got low on fuel he planned to find a small airport close by and refuel. The first day would be a run through to see how it would work.  It may be a long day.

             
We pulled into a small town about mid afternoon.  It looked deserted, except for the hippo wandering around in the middle of main street.  We sat in the truck and just stared at it, trying to figure out if it was safe or not.  There was a time when Lacy and I was on our own, we came upon a buffalo who had an attitude problem.  I figured it was because it had been chased by walkers and hated all who walked on two feet.  It sure hated us and we didn't stick around to see what it would do,  watching it in the rear view mirror as it chased us out of town.  So when I was sitting there looking at the hippo, I was a bit hesitant.  Mason turned toward me, started to say something, changed his mind and went back to staring at the hippo, who was slowly chewing on a clump of grass.

             
“Well, hell.”  he finally managed to mutter.  Just then the radio went off scaring the crap out of both of us.  Mason juggled the radio before he answered it.  It was Duke asking what we planned to do. Mason looked at me.   I just shrugged my shoulders so he answered he didn't know.  Okay, that works for me.

             
“Anyone, have any ideas I'm open to them.”  The radio was quiet for a long time before  Lacy came back on and said, “Let's ignore him and do what we came here to do.”

             
I thought that idea had merit, so trying to ignore the elephant in the room, I mean hippo in the middle of the road we eased up to the 'General Merchandise' store.  It seemed out of place here in the middle of nowhere, but the windows and door was intact so we were fairly comfortable with the idea it was okay.  Ken had landed at the small airfield nearby to refuel. We could see him walking towards us in the distance as we pulled into the shade of the building next door.

             
The weather had turned off  hot.  Small dust devils popped up every time we turned around covering our sweaty bodies with dirt.  One was so big it shook the truck as we drove through it but at least we got the windows up before the dust billowed in.  As soon as we stepped out of the truck I started sweating.  The temperature gauge in the Dukemobile said it was 88 outside so that explained a lot.  We quickly stepped onto the shaded boardwalk in front of the store and waited for Ken.

             
The sky was a soft blue with no clouds.  Every once in a while a gentle breeze would brush against you cooling your skin so we looked forward to them. The birds were silent today so that made things a bit creepier and the sound of the wind you couldn't feel moaning through the buildings made you skin crawl.  The hippo didn't appear to notice us but I knew those crafty devils could turn on you in a New York minute, so I covertly watched him.  Flynn had found a fenced yard that he let the kids and dog loose in.

             
Lacy, Mercy, Melody and Sarah was standing guard while they played, while Sandy   and George was getting things ready for the night.  I don't know where the Monster was and didn't care.  I figured Mikey would keep an eye on him.   Ken jumped up on the end of the boardwalk, smiling big.  “You're not going to believe this but I could swear I saw a hippo...”

             
“Been there done that, Ken.  Big old hippo at the end of the street quietly eating a clump of dead grass.  Don't worry about it.”

             
He nodded, frowned, glanced down the street then got back on track.  “If y'all want to spend the night here, I can fly out farther and scope the area.  The airfield has a lot of fuel on hand so I could make several trips.”  He looked around at the store windows and said, “What we getting here?”

             
“We don't know yet.”  Mason said, “but it was too good an opportunity to pass up. We need some more baby wipes so I can get some of this sweat off.”  He was wiping his forehead and the back of his neck with a dirty napkin.  I  peeked into the building but it was too dark to see much.

             
“We'll need night goggles.  It's dark as pitch in there.”  I had my forehead to the glass, shading my eyes with both hands.  All I could see was the end-caps, and one was filled with Twinkies.  My stomach choose that moment to growl.  

             
“Duke is gonna love this.”  I said, locating Sarah across the street, gun in hand and leaning on the fence, watching the kids play.  It always surprised me to see her armed, since she was our mild mannered housekeeper/cook.  I smiled  when Duke swaggered over to her, gun and holster slapping against his hip.   He wore cut off jeans, Hawaiian print shirt and baseball cap with  red and green cowboy boots.  Oh and the ever present unlit cigar hanging out of his mouth.  

             
I looked at Mason and tilted my head in Dukes direction.  He looked, did a double take, then nudged Clint.  Randy came back with several goggles while this was going  on and as he handed one to Howard, he glanced at Duke and froze.  His hand was still out with the goggles as he stared at Duke. He started to laugh but I cut him off by covering his mouth.

             
“Don't laugh at him out loud.  It would break his heart.”  He nodded his head behind my hand but his eyes had teared up and his breathing became labored. 

             
Mason got hold of himself faster than the rest, grabbed his goggles, tossed me mine and turned towards the door.  I hung my goggles around my neck, cocked my bow, patted my handgun, which hung under my arm in a shoulder harness and got in line behind Mason.  The others managed to get hold of themselves, prepared to enter the building as the door was opened slowly. 

             
It was a double set of very old doors, with glass in the upper parts.  They didn't make a sound though as they were eased open so they'd been well taken care of.  The windows had small  shades pulled down so when the doors were opened, more light fell into the room but it was still dark enough to need goggles.  As a matter of habit, Mason and I took the right side of the room while Randy and Clint took the center and Flynn and Riley took the left side.

             
We crept silently down the isles to the end, then took up positions at the doorway leading to the back of the building.  It looked like a cluttered room with a greenish glow.  The goggles made everything appear green  which always gave me the creeps.  We started forward when we were stopped by a noise.  Scuffling came from the back of the room. Mason motioned for Clint to follow him but I stopped him with a shake of my head.
I can do this,
I thought at him,
its just another room.
  I looked at Clint who just shrugged his shoulders and stepped back.  Mason was still thinking about it when I stepped into the room and began to search it.  When its quiet and dark, and you're scared anyway a sigh sounds loud.  His sounded very loud.  I smiled and continued searching the room.

              Moving a box away with my toe, I jumped when a rat ran out.  I didn't turn to see what Mason was doing cause I pretty much thought he was watching me.  I heard him move behind me and knew he was shadowing me which irritated me to no end.  I can take care of myself.  I found a steel staircase in one corner of the room and started up.. Mason was right behind me again and a quick glance told me the rest of our team had spread out in the room.  I heard a growl then a thump and knew a walker had been dealt with.  Ken wandered through my mind and told me he was watching every ones back. Then he sent me a picture of Clint killing the walker.