The Long Road Home

Chapter Seven

'Wicked!' Daniel said wide eyed as Pig entered the camp carrying five good sized steel head on a sting. It was more then enough to feed the whole group.

'Oh, how wonderful.' Gwen sighed accepting the string. 'You caught them, I will clean them.' She paused 'Oh, you already cleaned them.' She shook her head grinning.

'Martha's right kid.' Lenard chuckled 'You are a godsend. All we have been eating is rabbit or canned meat.' He looked apologetic to Bret and Tucker. 'It's good and all, but it's nice to have something a little different.'

'It's ok.' Tucker chuckled. 'I was getting a little tired of rabbit too.'

'There are fishing areas all along this road.' Pig told them. 'If we can find a tackle shop, we can get you some fishing gear. Until then, I have extra line and tackle. We can jerry rig poles for who ever wants to fish.'

'Can you teach me?' Daniel asked excited. Pig smiled and ruffled his hair.

'I would be happy to.' She told him 'You can come with me tomorrow morning.' He grinned wide and Pig returned his smile before she went to her spot to put her stuff away.

She scanned the fields along the road for any sign of trouble as the group continued east. The others chatted around her keeping their voices down.

On the walk from the rest stop to the scenic view, she had had trouble keeping pace with the group. Now she was walking with out the added weight of food and water, she was happy she could keep up with them with no problem.

Daniel fell back from where he had been walking with Gwen. Pig could not help but to smile to the boy. They had such a great time fishing in the river yesterday, that they had spent the whole day there. Tucker had shown up around noon with some food for them.

As he chatted excited about a book he had found, Pig continued to scan the fields. A slight movement caught her eye and she stopped. There was a man hidden in the tall grass of the field less then two hundred feet from the road. She could not tell if he was human or a monster.

'What's the matter Pig?' Bret called from the back of the group. 'Tired already?'

The man in the field let out a gut wrenching scream and lunched to his feet running right for Bret. Pig drew back the arrow she had sitting on the string and fired. The arrow slammed into the monster's head and sent it thrashing into the ditch.

'Holy shit!' Tucker said shocked. 'Nice shot.'

'Shh.' Pig hissed and again scanned the fields. She was wondering how these people have survived so long. There was no more movement in the high grass and no more screams. She closed her eyes and heard nothing but the sound of the wind rustling the grass. Pig looked to Tucker and whispered, 'I don't hear anymore of them, but they seem to like to travel in groups. There maybe more around.' Tucker nodded and motioned everyone to continue on.

Pig went to the dead monster and found her arrow had gone all the way though his head. The sight and smell brought a lump into her throat. She needed that arrow though. Pig pulled it free and used an extra rag to wipe it down before setting it back on the string ready.

She rejoined the group watching the sides of the road for any signs of the monster's friends. Pig could not help but to keep looking back the way they had come. She was afraid she will see more of the monsters running after them. It wasn't until they were over a mile away did she relax.

'How did you know that infected guy was there?' Tucker whispered. He had been walking with her since she killed the man. Pig looked to him frowning confused.

'I saw him moving.' She told him 'You didn't see him?' Tucker shook his head.

'No, sad to say I didn't and I was looking. He said looking to the field.