Chapter 17 Mission

It has been a couple of days since Hayhay has been buried. I had never got a chance to plant flowers on her grave as the Blood Cult called us for action. I didn't understand as Jones seemed panicked about it. We had ordered about going to an old Sawmill in Cabool to cut down trees for base repairs. The area was covered with zombies and slowly falling apart from the elements. They gave us photos of the area around it to plan to clear it out. There were about a hundred of them, with a couple of bitches and brutes as the others were lower-class zombies.

I wouldn't have a problem being there, but I was worried about Jones being bitten. He wasn't like me and could turn. So, I looked at the photos and made a map with what I was given of the building. It was quite large, but I only have an outside look at the building and not the inside. There were four main doors, two large ones in the front and two smaller ones on the right side and back. The best way to get inside without being spotted is through the side doors, but since we are there to wipe them out. We could set up traps outside the area to kill some that could wander on in.

Jones told me that this was going to get us both killed as there were too many to deal with. I didn't think that it was something to matter as I was going to work on this alone. I could tell Jade that I was going to leave and take care of a few things. Jones wasn't going to be turned or killed by these zombies. That night I made sure that the bike had gas and a bag filled with ammo and other supplies for a couple of days.

"What do you want for dinner?" Jones asked in the kitchen.

"Ummm…" I thought for a bit, "What about vegetable soup."

"Sounds good," he smiled as I heard Squeaks hoped along behind him. He seems to hope to get something from Jones or to sneak some away from him. Tonight was going to be a long one as I would have to leave without him knowing what I was doing. He seemed happy and calm as he plays metal bands and country as he cooks. At this point, I took the bag I had in the closet and set it outside the front door.

I decided to walk in to see what Jones was doing. He seemed at peace with a knife as he cut potatoes. Squeaks on the other had been eating these blue-green berries that tasted very sweet. My hands wrapped around his waist as I listen to his calm heart rate.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a laugh.

"Hugging you," I answered.

"I heard the door open," he replied.

"Checking outside," I sighed, knowing he was starting to know what I was doing.

"You mean your bike," he said

"Yeah…." I said without a thought.

"You going to leave," he replied, "to the sawmill."

I didn't say anything as I knew I was caught red-handed. He turned to me and shook his head at the thought of me going. It was useless to stop me as I normally was hardheaded on some things. Fights weren't normal for us as would bicker about video games or who gets to cook dinner. He seemed happy to be with me as I do the same. We were like an old married couple who wanted to be with one another to the very end. But I could tell there was going to be a choice here as he looked me in the eyes. He was worried but knew what I was going to do no matter what.

"Come back for me please," he said with a soft voice, "I want you in my life."

"I promise," I replied

"I'll hold you to it," he answered as he went back to cooking. Squeaks seemed to leave out of the room with a few berries in hand. It didn't take long for him to be done with cooking and setting up two bowls for us. I felt guilty for not wanting him to go, but it was to keep him safe. Life and death were all I saw during this year, from Dawn to Hayhay's death. So, I walked out with fear inside. There was still a chance to die and the same with Jones following me as I head that way.

The sound of my bike made me sigh as I looked over to Jones standing at the doorway. He seemed worried and I did too as I walked over to give him a kiss. It felt like I wasn't going to come back, but there was nothing I could do. He held me there for what seemed like minutes or maybe hours. I looked into his eyes as he was telling me to stay but pulled back and started the bike for the trip. When I pulled out as I heard him saying that he loves me in the distance. The fear was still there as I watched the road. Zombies roam with nothing in their minds about eating flesh and drinking the blood of their victims.

The closer I got to the sawmill the more the area became from towns or cities to forests filled with wildlife and trees. I looked around as I saw smaller animals being sick with something. Rabbits were skinny to the point where it is looking like they were bones, and the squirrels were losing their fur. All I could see was teal-colored berries like we had at home as they were eating them as if their life depended on them. It made me worry as Squeaks was eating the same berries at home.

All I could do was hope that he was going to be okay from eating them, but my gut told me something else. But the sounds of moans and groans caught me off guard as I came to a stop, at the sawmill. It was covered with zombies and the smell of rotting corpses and blood was all around the area. It didn't look bad now, but I was going to wait a moment to see if anything was going to change. The outside of the building was falling apart, but the door placement was like my hand-made map as their movement got more uneased. It seemed like they were waiting for something as I watched from the distance. I could take them out, but traps seemed to be better to get a handle on things.

The sounds of movement worried me as it was more than one footstep heading that way. The sight of witches coming outside of the building made my heart sink as brutes brought in the bodies of both people and zombies. They seemed to be more territorial than the ones in West Plains. They seemed to be changing more in appearance and how they act between each other and outsiders. Change of this could make living for humans harder as they would have to avoid infested areas or their nest for a very long time. They sleep like human, but some seem to hunt at night as it was easier to catch humans off-guard. I watched them longer as some of the witches took most of the food and brought it inside the building. Blood Ones had to be there as they still had their motherly instincts to feed them. Everyone else would be feeding off one another to keep themselves alive for a very long time.

I finally decided to make my move when they are eating their fleshy meal. It seemed that they had potting soil for planting flowers at the nearby house and the dust from the mill would make a great reaction to one another. There was a pile of dust near the side of the building but wouldn't cause damage to the mill. I walked over to the house, making sure I wasn't spotted by them. Soon as I grabbed a bag and brought it back, pouring it on a side of it. Over time I learn that I was lucky to carry matches along with me as I normally go out to see about food. At those times I would be stuck out camping for the night till the morning. Lighting one was easy as I threw it and made a run for my life.

The further I got away the soon I heard the loud boom. Turning around to see that most of the zombies went over to see what has happened near their home. I took the time to walk to the building to deal with the Witches first and the Blood Ones inside. They were huddled against one another trying to protect the young. I pulled out my gun and kept shooting till most of them were dead. The smaller ones started to scream for their mothers or anyone in the fact. It didn't last long for them to be dead as well. The sounds of groans and moans from the outside made me laugh as they heard me shooting. I checked that I could take on a hoard, but it didn't last long for many of them to run on inside. The brutes were first in as I made a run for the tower of planks nearby.

I looked over to see that they were screaming about the loss of their females and children. Even if they were zombies they still had bits of human emotion left inside of them, but their minds were still blank for food. Watching them leave was all I could see as they walked out one by one, leaving the area. A couple stayed back looking to see if any of them were still alive but did the same. Taking the queens of the hive made them leave without a thought. Soon I walked closer to the door to see the hoard walking towards the clearing, away from the mill. Watched to see if they will ever turn back toward their home, but they never did. They are most likely going to a different place to make a home and to find more witches to follow willingly.

I took a deep breath as I look back at what I had done. The cult had their sawmill, and I could go home to Jones, without me being in a coffin. Walking over and starting it and making my way back to West Plains like before. I was tired and it seemed to take a lot out of me just by driving alone. Soon I'll be in bed and sleeping well for the next few hours.