REDNECK STARTE OF MIND

Ch. 1

My name is Samantha but for those who know me they call me Sam or Samuel. I know weird to be called a guy's name when Im a girl, but thats my pops for you.

You see I grew up in the backwoods or as some would say up in the mountains along the Ohio, West Virgina boarder and depending which patch of land you stood on Kentuckey.

For as long as Ive been alive I havent really came off of this mountain other than going to town for school or supplies.

Im the youngest of three. My parents had me pretty late in life, they were in their late forty's when I came along. My two older siblings were just getting ready to graduate high school and start their own lives at this point in everyone's lives.

Now Ma and Pop took joy in raising me, even knowing I was such a surprise that blessed them at such an age. By the time I hit my late teens, Ma and Pop were slowing down and couldnt keep up with the old homestead like they used to.

Me being me, when I wasnt at school, I would labor away in the fields to help Pops with the work. I had even arranged for biweekly deliveries of supplies needed that I couldnt get on the days I managed to go to school.

By the time I was in my early twenties, Ma had passed and Pops wasnt too far behind her. I knew it was only a matter of time. Pops knew his time was coming, so when he called for his other two children home, they for once arrived. I know what they were thinking, that they would inherit some of the property.

But like usual, by the time they decided to get off their ass, Pops had already passed. They did manage to make it to the funeral and of course the will reading.

By the end of everything, they left pissed that Ma and Pops didnt leave anything to them. Both stated in their wills that everything would go to me, since I was the only one who stayed to care for them in their later years, and care for the farm and animals when I shouldnt have had too.

Its been about three years since then. Things with my sibling didnt go to well, they more or less stopped talking to me since I got what they wanted.

Not much has really happened since then, I worked day in and day out keeping the old homestead going. I did make minor changes in those three years since the deed was placed in my name.

People thought I was crazy, but I pretty much made it where I was totally off the grid. I had solar panels insulted on top of the roofs of the house and many of the out building across the property. Made sure that extra wells were dug to decrees the need to hull so much water. I had access to the stream which was plentiful of fish, and the surrounding woods had plenty of game. With what I grew in the fields, I very rarely had to go into town.

After the first year, people thought they could do what they wanted, they started trespassing, destroying the property, and taking or killing livestock. I decided to end people intruding on my property. I build big iron electrified gate and fence surrounding the fifty acres of land. With the solar panels from the multiple outbuilding stationed across the land, I am able to power the fence with no problem.

The only thing I really have to go to town for these days was basic essentials such as laundry soap, clothes, and shoes, not to mention the fuel needed to run the tractors. Bacicly stuff I cant make myself. But when I do go, I always stock up to avoid having to make trips into town. You could say I am more or less a recluse.

I usually can get most of my fuel delivered. To think of it, the delivery is late, might only be by a day or so but still late. They usually call if there was some type of delay. When I called the station, all it did was ring, which was weird. Deciding what the Hell I need to go to town anyways. Loading up the bed of my old Dodge with fifty-gallon drums, I headed into town.

It took me a good half an hour to reach town. Pulling into the station, it looked pretty abandoned. Once I filled up all the drums, I headed inside to see what was going on with my regular delivery.

At first, I didnt see anyone manning the counter. I was looking down one of the isles when I noticed blood on the floor. Me being me, I followed the trail of blood toward the backroom. There on the ground was a very disturbing site. Pastor Brown was leaning over the body of the attendant bighting large chucks of flesh from the poor man and eating it. Pastor Brown didnt look like he normally did. He was deathly pale with dried blood cascading down from his throat, where a large bite mark. His eyes were dark and glassy, like there was no soul left inside.

I backed away quietly, making my way back to my truck and headed across town. On the way I noticed the many abandoned and empty cars, dead bodies lying on the ground.

Disturbed by the sighed in front of me, I continued driving till I reached the local Walmart. Pulling in, it was like the rest of the town, deserted. Running in I grabbed everything I could get my hands on weapon wise. The few guns they had were now mine, along with several arrows with a bow. I filled a cart with ammo, toiletries, and anything that really could become a weapon.

Once done loading everything into the truck I speed back towards home, knowing it would be safe from whatever this is.

When I reached the turn off for my road, I barely missed hitting an SUV in the blind turn. Swerving I came to a screeching hult, there laying on the ground was a woman, bleeding profusely from a wound on her side.

Jumping out of my rig, I rushed to the woman side, applying pressure to her wound. She slowly raised her hands to mine, moving them from her side. Holding them tightly she spoke in a raspy voice.

"Please, leave me. I am going to die anyways. Once your bit, you become one of them. Please just save my sons!"

By the time she finished speaking, I faintly heard whimpering coming from the SUV. There laying in two car seats was two blue eyed little boys, now more than a few months old.

Now I know nothing about kids, but I know I just couldnt leave them there on their own. Quicky, I grabbed their car seats and put them into the truck. I ran back to the SUV grabbing all the bags I could find. When I went to turn to leave the woman, weakly gripped my leg gaining my attention.

"Thank you, please raise them as your own, they are yours now. Be careful, dont get bit or scratched by one of the dead or youll become one of them. The only way to kill them is the head. Now go, care for my boys. as her eyes closed, I heard her whisper softly for the last time with tears streaming down her face. Jack, Ken, mommy loves you from here to the moon and back."

I watched as she took her last breath. Whispering softly to the unknown woman, I will do everything I can to raise your boys to the best of my abilities.

With that I raced back to my rig, climbing into the cab with my now precious cargo, we made our way back to the homestead. I vowed to not leave unless absolutely necessary. I will keep my promise, I thought. I will keep the boys safe.