Chapter 2 the Dairy Farm

"Why are all farms on the outside of the city not that I mind being out here instead of surrounded by zombies." Kristy walked up to the gate of the Dairy Farm. "How do I convince them to sell me a cow on the spot. I have around five hours left and need to get to the pig farm too."

Kristy went to knock on the door. But it opened before she could knock and a little girl walked into her.

"Sorry I wasn't watching where I was going" the little girl around ten years old said, rubbing her forehead.

"That's ok are your parents' home" Kristy waved off almost getting bulldozed. 'I need to be more careful. If that was a zombie, I would be dead!'

"There in the barn Lucy is giving birth to a calf." she said showing the way.

"Is it ok if I go in there? I won't distract them, will I?" Kristy asked while the little girl jogged to the barn.

"It's the joy of life the more the merrier." She smiled at me.

Kristy was shocked, the baby calf was pulled out just as they got in the Barn. According to the vet the delivery took four hours.

Kristy introduced herself to the parents and followed them to the kitchen where they gave her some sweet tea.

"What brings you here Kristy?" The farmer who introduced himself as Bill was still laughing at her pale face. 'The delivery shocked me. I think I would have thrown up if I wasn't used to holding it in. Must not waste food in the apocalypse.'

"This is going to sound nuts and might be easier to show you than tell you." Kristy told them "If you take my hand I can show you."

"I'll play." the mother who introduced herself as Karen said and took Kristy's outstretched hand. Kristy looked at the farmer.

"I only hold my wife's hand." he told Kristy, slightly irritated but they were just in a good mood.

"That will work too as a chain" Kristy said, the little girl took her dads other hand so he decided to play along and took his wife's other hand.

Kristy brought them all into the space. To see the large grassland.

"What the fuck!" The farmer Bill fell, the wife looked bewildered, and the little girl ran after the bunny laughing.

"Ok we're listening." the wife spoke softly, different from her bubbly happiness from a few minutes ago.

"I came back in time. In a little more than four hours the Apocalypse will hit Earth. Everyone will pass out for a few hours. Twenty percent of the population will survive, the rest will become zombies. I lived for five years before coming back to this day. Food is hard to find in the apocalypse. This time I have my space ability a few hours sooner. And it is much larger, so I'm trying to prepare"

Kristy paused to see how they were taking it. They looked scared. The mother was almost hyperventilating and Bill looked like he was ready to punch Kristy for scaring his wife, he did not believe her.

"So," Kristy continued she needed them to believe her and quickly. "The first time I acquired my space ability it was no bigger than a closet and would not allow me to put living things here. This time is different and I'm trying to build a farm in a short amount of time."

"Milk eggs and bacon." Kristy said.

"Zombies." the Farmer Bill said to me.

"Is it crazier than popping into a land from your kitchen?" Kristy asked

"I did not do this last time. I can't tell you if you survived the change or not. This is the first time I'm meeting you." Karen, Bill's wife, got a bit paler at that remark "There are many bases, though maybe you were at a different one." Kristy consoled them.

"What are the chances of us turning into a zombie?" the mother asked

"Eighty percent of the world's population. Approximately twenty percent survive. of that five percent will be attacked before they can figure out what happened."

"One percent of those who wake up will have a power. Mine was space. Another five percent will acquire powers later while fighting zombies."

Kristy took a breath. "Mine is considered the worst power. Though useful in the beginning of the apocalypse, space is frowned upon later as it has no combat skill and the zombies get stronger gradually."

"Can we stay in the space." the mother Karen asked.

"You can but you would gradually lose the chance to leave."

"Explain!" The farmer Bill had a red face and was barely controlling his temper.

"The mana on earth is rising. This is what caused this. If you stay here longer than the initial 4 hours Blacking out will happen the moment you leave. The zombies get stronger as time goes. The shock to the body is so high that's what is believed to have killed the initial eighty percent. If the manna gets too high and your body has never experienced it to grow resistance you will turn into a zombie the moment you come out."

"So, I can confirm your survival in here but this place will collapse if I die, and the reason it is not a closet space anymore is from the crystal cores pulled from the dead zombies."

"In other words, I need those crystal cores to keep oxygen here. I must fight zombies. My safety cannot be guaranteed and you would lose your chance of awakening a power if you're in here." Kristy took a breath. "I cannot make the decision for your life but I would love it if you helped me farm. since I really have no idea what I'm doing."

"So, to be able to come and go we must pass the initial apocalypse to gain resistance. If we have no resistance the chances of us turning into a zombie increase with time. if we chose to avoid the apocalypse when the manna is at its lowest. Which is our best shot of survival even with those shitty odds. Is my understanding correct?" Bill asked.

"Yes." Kristy nodded. 'Thank God I explained ok.'

"You will have to fight but if we survive the apocalypse, we don't need to be in there to risk our lives with yours, right?" Karen asked.

"That's correct there are many bases we can go to live but each has different jobs. The best paying is fighting zombies and scavenging though." Kristy explained. "They charge rent per person"

"How long do we have?" Bill questioned.

"7:45 everyone is unconscious, we wake up at different times. This is believed to have killed many who would have been survivors. They were eaten by those close to them before they could wake up."

"You didn't tell anyone?" Karen asked me.

"I had 8 hours when I came back in time. I'm not a reporter, I don't have access to that, and who would believe me?" Kristy asked her. "I told you, my cousin, and two men from the feed store."

"On a scale of one to ten how important are these powers?" the farmer Bill asked.

"My last time going through the apocalypse my fiancée protected me to the base and I never left. This was my worst mistake. I never killed a zombie. I don't know if I can awaken a second power by fighting but by the time I wanted to try the zombies were too strong for me. I was a sitting duck."

"Before my base fell, and I came back in time, in a span of three months five other bases fell before ours. Most of the survivors were power users. Very few regular people can escape that. I would rate the need as extreme."

"Powers are important." the wife looked at her husband.

There is no guarantee on your ability to live longer than five years so we would be trapped if we stay here." Bill said thinking out loud.

He held Karen's hand which was shaking. "We will leave it to fate then. Let us out" the farmer said. Everyone was back in the kitchen.

"Are the animals affected too?" Bill asked me

"Yes, they change too." Kristy said "their survival rate is around the same as ours. But most animals can't fight without biting their prey which will infect them too, so many will die." Kristy paused. "The animals that do survive gain intelligence that rises with the manna they can understand the same as humans and soon will also fight humans because to them we're no different than the zombies we want to eat them."

Bill and Karen looked at her, they raised dairy cows to milk not to slotter! In fact, they hated the idea of their cows passing away.

"Well, finding meat to eat when surrounded by rotten flesh is hard." Kristy explained to Bill and Karen.

"Let's go move the animals they don't need powers to feed us." Bill took Kristy to the farm; they collected all 38 cows on the property, one bull and the new calf.

Bill walked back into the house. Karen was in the kitchen. "I will get dinner done and make a to-do list" she was obviously trying to stay calm and optimistic. She had little Lilly helping in the kitchen.

Bill Picked up the landline "We will acquire pigs and be back for dinner love." he dialed a number he knew by heart "Hay Jim I'll be at yours in twenty minutes unlock the gate for me." he paused hearing some response from the phone. And hung up.

"Let's go." Bill waved to Kristy to hurry her along. Well can't blame him he might only have four hours with his family and he is spending it acquiring pigs.

Kristy hopped in the passenger seat of the truck. This was a nice four-wheel drive Toyota Tacoma deep blue four doors. He is good to his daughter. Plenty of legroom.

A much better zombie vehicle than the little red Kia Kristy was driving. "Leave the talking about purchasing pigs to me Jim's mother-in-law is a stingy person and we haven't got all night." Bill told Kristy

"Got it." Kristy responded relieved that she won't have the awkward explain the apocalypse to get the pigs.

 We pulled into the driveway of an ugly yellow farmhouse and Bill hopped out.

"Why are there so many cars here?" Kristy asked Bill.

"Dan decided to hold a family BBQ today of all days" Bill shook his head knowing how dangerous that was for today.

We could hear the noise of a party going on in the back yard. And the smell of cooking meat in the air.

He knocked on the door. A man in a blue and gray flannel shirt opened the door.

"Hey Jim Let me introduce you to my sister-in-law, this is Kristy." Bill pointed for his introductions.

"What ya doing?" another man asked from in the house as he put his arm over Jim's shoulder to peek at who was at the door.

"Red sweater guy." Kristy pointed at him.

"Where here to look at piglets Dan" Bill told the red sweater guy.

"That's great Jim, I'll take them for a look." the red sweater guy now known as Dan said.

"I don't see why this couldn't have waited for later Bill" Jim complained, "the piglets won't be weaned for another three weeks."

Jim shook his head and turned around to go back to the gathering.

"This way." Dan said and led the way to the barn. When we got far enough away from the house he asked "do the animals change too?"

"You know?" Bill was pissed Dan had thrown a party and he knew the apocalypse was coming.

"He is one of the two from the feed store." Kristy explained it to Bill.

"What the hell are you throwing a party for?" Bill was fuming, well Jim was his friend and there are no less than twenty people in the house right now.

"I know the time we pass out." Dan told Bill. "I'm going to bribe Samantha to read a book in her room with ice cream. And at seven thirty I'm asking Jim to help me carry up the second keg from the basement where I will pause in the bathroom to shit till, we pass out. The three of us will be in different closed rooms."

Dan took a breath. "You know the shit most of my family is into. They are not good people before the world goes to shit. I have the ammo stashed in the bathroom. Let them finish each other off and save the world some trouble." Dan explained himself to Bill.

"Jim won't appreciate you killing off his wife." Bill said.

"I disagree. I think he will get over that quickly for his daughter. They are both better off without her." Dan said.

"The only two people who know, that I know, are in this barn and now Kristy is it? you owe me a favor." Dan pointed to the sows and piglets.

Kristy went over and started placing them in her space most of the piglets were attached to the mother making transferring them easy. There were seven mommy pigs and 87 piglets.

Dan took us to the shed after the barn to gather the feed. When we were done Bill patted Dan on the shoulder. "When I leave my house at noon tomorrow, be there." Bill invited Dan to go with us.

Dan smiled, "you got it."

We left. Kristy watched the rearview mirror as Dan went back into the house. 'These people are way too trusting. I guess this is still the beginning of the apocalypse. These are good people. Wait Dan is killing off 20 people and I'm thinking of him as good because he gave me some pigs?'

"Drugs, gambling, and Gangs. If you're wondering why Dan said they aren't good people, some of them have literally gotten away with murder. We all know about it. There is just no evidence for the police and our families would not survive the gang retaliation if we snitch." Bill enlightened me.

'I guess the witness protection plan wouldn't work so well for people attached to their farm. Or does that stop after the trial? In that case it sucks if not all the bad guys are caught at the same time. Old world laws are hard.'

Kristy nodded that she understood as they got back Karen had cooked an early dinner and was gathering supplies from around the house.

"Your back I made a list of things to get to build a new barn since we can't rip ours from the foundation. I included solar panels. Do you think the sun in your space would work for them?" Karen asked really fast, showing how nervous she was in the hour we were gone.

"I don't know the space upgraded on my return in time when I knocked over a box of crystal cores so I haven't fully explored it yet." Kristy explained.

"Ok we will try it anyway, what's the worst that can happen if we have more solar panels?" Bill walked over and hugged his wife.

"I will put together anything you want me to. I'll even build a swing set for Lilly." Bill whispered loudly in her ear.

Lilly had just walked into the kitchen carrying the baby rabbit, "I get a swing!"

Bill took the rabbit from Lilly laughing and handed it to Kristy to put back in the space. "Yes, I will build you a swing. Now go wash your hands for dinner."

The mood was up, still nervous but we had a good meal.

"Alright Lilly, come rub some luck from auntie Kristy." Bill told his daughter.

"Lilly went to rub Kristy's head. We all need a bit of her luck tonight. Where lucky she is here, the animals are lucky, she is here."

Bill placed his wife's hand on Kristy's head and started rubbing too. "You didn't mess up her hair enough Lilly rub harder."

We were all laughing.

"Ok Lilly we're going for a drive with aunty Kristy in the morning so brush your teeth we're going to bed early sweetheart."

Kristy pulled out her phone. It was almost seven. "I need to call my mom." She told Bill and Karen.

"Does she know?" Karen asked.

"The last time this happened my cousin told me she didn't make it. There was not enough time to drive there and see her. So, this will be the last time I get to tell her I love her." Kristy had tears falling down her face. "Her chances are smaller than yours, because I know last time she didn't make it. She is blissfully unaware."

"We won't interrupt your call." Karen told Kristy. She and Bill went to give Lilly a kiss goodnight.

In Portland Matty was sitting on the couch in his living room with the whole family. "Kristy is going to call us at seven then I have a task for everyone." "don't give me weird looks Brenda, it will be fun."

"Like I'm the weird one you have been crying tears of joy since dinner even your eyes are puffy." Brenda complained.

The rest of the family was laughing "Matty has always had a soft spot who knew winning the lottery would turn him into such a baby" Matty's mom hugged him from the side while making fun of him.

Aunt Carol's phone started ringing. She burst into a smile. "Kristy love, we knew you were going to call. Just a second, I'm going to put you on speaker."

"Matty, you didn't forget the auspicious time is 7:40 the Doors close and don't open again till 8." Kristy said over the phone. She had to stress this first as she was nervous for them all being together.

"I was just about to go over that. I have a pen and paper for everyone. We each need a separate room with a closed door. Write everything you want to buy and invest in on the list and we will compare and adjust them later." Matty said to everyone.

"Why do I have to sit in the Pantry? Isn't the kitchen a different room than the living room?" Brenda whined.

Mat sighed "my house is small I don't have enough rooms with doors. Dad is sitting in the bathroom. Don't complain. It's only 20 minutes and I put a chair in there."

"I have never heard of this closed-door thing before Matty said something." Matty's mom said.

Kristy laughed. "It's for luck also you need to make your list where no one can influence it, if we all have different things, we can spend all of Matty's money before he blows it on his friends."

Matty's dad laughed "I'll think of investment plans, you think of things to buy for both of us Dear." he told his wife and gave her a kiss.

"Oh, on the top of your page write your favorite flower." Kristy asked them.

"Why sweetie if you're thinking of a garden, give up you couldn't keep a houseplant alive." Carol laughed.

"Why do I have to be the one gardening?" Kristy whined.

 Time passed filled with laughter, everyone took their pen and paper. Brenda switched with her dad and took the bathroom instead of the pantry they said goodbye to Kristy and went to write their wish list.

Matty's dad Looked at him from the other side of the couch. "Ok boy you want to tell me what's really going on now."

"What do you mean Dad?" Matty played Dum.

"Your cousin showered us with love to the point it almost sounded like she was saying goodbye and I saw the Glock you tucked in the back of your pants when your mother was hugging you."

"You just won the lottery as you said, why are you bawling your eyes out and strapped as if someone is trying to kill you." Matty's dad stared him down.

"Let's talk on the balcony." Matty said

When his dad followed him out, they closed the door.

"Kristy said the Zombie Apocalypse is happening at 7:45 tonight. She came back in time, and I found you last time, but when I did all of you were zombies. We don't know if you were bitten later or didn't survive the turn. In four minutes, we will all pass out all over the world."

"Kristy would never joke about us dying not after her dad passed away so I must take what she said as a fact. She will be on her way here tomorrow. I'm just hoping that when I called her last time, you were bitten and turned instead of not surviving the change. I'm trying to keep us all alive." Matty spilled out everything he had been feeling; he knew his dad would not let things rest. Unless he told the truth and there was not much time.

"Kristy is the one who told you this?" his dad asked

"Yes." Matty replied. 'Kristy's inability to joke about her family dying was the only reason Matty went so far with his lie.'

"So, if nothing happens and we all come out at 8 are you going to tell everyone you didn't win the lottery?" Matty's dad asked him.

"Yes, if nothing happens, I'm throwing Kristy to mom and Auntie. Maybe we will all laugh about it later." Matty Smiled. "Kristy might have had a bad dream but she won't lie so..." Matty trailed off.

"Ok, I'll sit in the pantry. I guess there is no need for investments." Mat's dad paused by the door. "If this crazy thing does happen and I don't make it. Take care of yourself son."

"I love you, Dad." Matty was balling again as his dad closed himself in the small pantry.