Chapter 15 Jebedaiha
They had finally reach Jebedaiha hometown , the memories he had made there , came rushing back to him , his first farming season, his first church attendance ,in highschool and the birth of every single one of his children , this town had been good to him , he was somehow glad to be back . The town had change , car had been turned around , stores had been looted , he began showing Pezzie around .
- Thats where Ive went to school , even met my wife there , this place here, had the best pizza , ah and this place ,this church made me the man I am today
- People must have been happy here , I always wondered what the life was out of the city she said, did you have a farm?
- I sure did , it was great , there nothing left unfortunately ,but here we will find old man Rickart and hopefully get a better chance out there , Jeb said
- Are you and that man friend? She ask ,you didnt talk about him a lot
- Euhm , started Jebedaiha , we went to the same highschool, and he was brilliant , a genius kid , we were best friend , but he started watching a lot of propaganda about how the government was taking advantage, then he changed and well we kinda stopped hanging out
- Did the government take advantage of us ? She asked
She was thirteen and in the apocalypse , this didnt matter anymore .
- The government was in charge ,it could do what it want , there is never anything completely right , or anything completely wrong so its hard to answer
- So im not completely evil for having wanted these man dead , she ask
Jebedaiha had practice this , the bible had held all of the answer , but god had abandons this world , what could he tell her, he forgot how he had explain morale to his kid but was sure they didnt exactly apply.
- Back in the days we had trial , did those men deserve death? Probably , but everyone deserve a trial , that the power of the people , and the people are all that this world have left .
- I still think they deserved death, she said , but I guess a trial can still had been held.
They had arrive to Rickart house , it had trenches at the entry filled with wooden spike, theyd have to be carefull . They got out of the car , never would she leave his line of sight again he promise himself. They got closer to the door , till he saw it a wire at the door , it was a trap he follow the wire to reveal an axe attached to the ceiling . That would have been lethal , he thought , he wanted to call out to Rickart but some dammed might have heard him .
- Who are you , and what do you want , said a familiar voice
- Sir please ,im a friend of Jebedaiha ,Pezzie said .
Pezzie , where was she ,Jebedaiha ran to the voice, the garage door had a slight opening , she must have crawled under and Rickart had been in the garage
-Rickart , its me , its Jebedaiha ,he started , listen man I just want to talk
- Who, sent you, answered Rickart , we havent talked in years
- In case you havent notice , the world has kinda went downhill , can we come in, its dangerous out there .
- Sure but first red flag your out , said Rickart
As he entered ,he could hardly believe his eyes the house was filled to the brink ,with food , with newspapers. Rickart had been preparing, he must have looted nearly every house of the neighborhood. It was rather impressive .
- Now here is something , I dont understand Jebedaiha ,started Rickart, you have a farm , you have constant source of food , you own the land so you can put anything you want , a good family , what brings you here ? And whos this ?
- We need to defend ourselves ,its rough out there ,you got these damned wanting to eat you, some of them are different stronger ,faster . If that wasnt enough the apocalypse change people you know that, Rickart.
- Ive already helped enough ,Jeb you have me to thank, for the traps around town , your family will be saved, just go back to your farming . He said clearly in a hurry
- The farm is gone and the family ,my family is dead man , this is Pezzie she is a survivor like us , we are looking for my son ,then we will join a survivor camp .
- Im sorry I had no idea , but I cant help you with defense , I mean yes I can build trap but those arent good on the road , as for the town gun shop im sorry to say that part of the town his off limit , I successfully blockade it , but the majority of this town infected are gathered here .
- If we will help you out .Can we win? said Pezzie
Rickart smiled , and took out a map , theyre an alleyway very small probably big enough for one of us to pass at a time , same goes for them , I have some steel wires if I can get close enough , for long enough to set it up , I can do major damage .
- But you havent ,why? Ask Jebedaiha
- Here the problem , the only way there is next to the town dinner and that place is filled with infected . If we can clean the diner we have a chance ,then we just need to bait them trough the alley to decapitated them and then we can get access to the gun shop.
- How many are they're in the dinner , ask Pezzie .
-About ten ,he answered
- Thats a lot , said Jebedaiha
- Dont worry I got these , he said holding two molotov cocktail , we go in light the dinner up , kill the remaining damned , install the wire , put something to lure the infected wait a day then come back. We still have time to hit the dinner if we go now
-Pez can we talk ,said Jebedaiha
- Okay she said
- What do you think ,he ask
- I mean , we need the guns maybe not half of it , but still. Also it would be good ,if we could get some training .
The plan was too easy ,though the reward was great ,why didnt he do it already.
- Fine we will do it , said Jebedaiha .
- perfect ,he said ,handing the two baseball bat, listen id love to chat but we are working against time
And so they went to the dinner , that place hadnt change ,thought, Jebedaiha worst steak in the county but those chocolate milkshake were fabulous the last fifteen pound he had put on was because of them ,that place had change , a damned came to them , well I guess it change , Jebedaiha saw the molotov being thrown , it brought back memory of his own home being burn , no this town was lost , two damned lunged toward them
- I take the left ,you take the right said Jebedaiha
-he had done quick work of ms Robinson he meant the damned , after he looked to the right , it was not Rickart fighting it was Pezzie , his father heart begged him to join ,but no Pezzie had to learn , it took her three hit but the Barckley kid fell .
- Installing the wires , said Rickart , cover me !
- Pezzie ,cover my back Said Jeb
- You cover my back , she said , lets not forget about the gas station incident
What a courageous little women ,he tought, as he saw her bat in hand , she looked fierced ,very fierced . Maybe this world wouldnt destroy her , maybe she would adapt. Once Rickart was done installing the wires they went back home , when they had enter the house , Jebedaiha pushed Rickart into the walls .
- what the fuck man you letting kid fight for you now ?
- Jeb stop ,started Pezzie
- stay out of this , answer Jebedaiha
He heard soft sob , Rickart was crying
- we knew them man , we knew them , mrs Robinson would be the only one to sit next to me , that Barckley kid would deliver me my journal .
Jebedaiha released him , he understood . They ate in silence that night ,not even a goodnight was uttered. The next day they went to check if the trap it had worked , at least twenty damned were dead , they arrive to the street ,theyre was five damned theyre , to Jebedaiha surprise he heard .
- I know you knew them ,but they are suffering, they need your help and I know you know that too.said Pezzie
And theyre he was swinging at them ,swinging as hard as he could tears in his eyes , it gave Jeb courage . They did short work of them ,then arrived at the weapon store he was in for another surprise the shelves werent emptied but they werent full . What is it this time said Jeb
- I wasn't completely honest, started Rickart, when the pandemic started , people wanted to defend this place , I didnt bring them here , it was theyre last stand , we lost you see
Theyre was a tear forming in Jebedaiha eye , he had abandoned this town before god had abandon them ,he was guilty too . However they had managed a nice , no , a very nice haul , multiple weapon including a shotgun , an assault riffle , one handgun to replace Pezzie own little one , but the best find was a sniper riffle. Pezzie had insisted on owning it , this will be our victory spoils she said proudly , Jebedaiha wasnt exactly talented with gun so he didnt mind , the rest had went to Rickart in exchange for food , three carton worth , one full of ravioli , of course .
And now for target practice , he had setup a practice range in a farm nearby, it took a whole box of bullet for Pezzie to become good with the sniper but evetually she got the hang of it , Rickart had built her a nice bipod for the recoil , and he had install harness on all their weapon , he had even welded a blade on a metal bat for Jebedaiha , and a bowie knife for Pezzie . After a great meal , they got back on the road , for the next possible town Justin would be in .
- Arent you afraid Pezzie ,he said
- Afraid of what , ask Jeb switching off the radio
- Of having to kill a damned that you know , she said
He had a moment of reflection , then answer
- Of course I am , but I rather focus on the living, on the people that matters , they arent alive anymore , we are the living ,we are salvation . Right now you are my priority he told her
- What if Justin was a damned ,she said
He didnt answer , no he couldnt answer
