Zuflucht

17

"Don't shoot don't shoot!" A deep voice pleaded quickly as a masculine hand now stuck out in surrender on my side of the truck. This only made Milly go even more crazy as she started running full speed to the stranger before Curt commanded her to stop (which she did). She halted on my side in front of the hand that was now shaking.

"Come out now or you're dog food." Stated Curt simply. He was now next to me with his pistol drawn forward at the strange man while I did the same with my revolver.
As soon as the man lowered his hand to move, Milly began barking loudly as drool pooled on the rough concrete below.

"Down Milly!" At this point Curt had his voice raised sternly from frustration. With a small whimper, Milly sat down and watched the scene in front of her unfold as the man was just now making his way out.

"I-I mean no harm." Said the man as he was now starting to stand up fully. He smiled an uneasy smile which regretfully showed his brown and grey rotting teeth.

"Name?" Asked Curt as he hiked his leg up on the step that's used to get into the large truck. He still had his pistol on the man as he lazily rested his arm on his hiked knee.

"My name's Richard. Most everyone calls me Dick though." He spoke as he held his hand for Curt to shake which he declined. He then looked over at me and tried to smile that of a gentleman but failed terribly. I opted to keep my gun on him despite his non-threatning demeanor.

"M'lady." He bowed.

"What were you doing under my truck." Curt spoke as if he demanded and answer. All signs of silliness were now gone and everything became serious again as the man cut his eyes back to Curt.

Silence was the only thing that filled the open air which started to wear Curt's patience thin. Within seconds, he had his pistol loaded and had the butt directly pointed inches away from Richard's head.

"I-I got on before y'all left at the motel. I hopped in the back and w-when y'all got that flat I crawled underneath to try and hide." He flicked his eyes over at me before glancing back over at Curt who looked determined as he listened.

"Why." Richard looked back at him quizzically.

"I beg your pardon'?" Richard asked in his heavy thick country accent. He was sweating heavily and nervous from how close the gun was.

"Why did you do it? What provoked you?"

"I-I needed to get away from some bandits. They raided my home and took all of my food and weapons." He cut his eyes back and fourth in nervousness.

"I fought them off the best I could before I had to get out of there. Before I knew it I was on the run in Kansas with infected chasin' my ass everywhere. I just needed a ride I don't mean any harm." By now I fully noticed his appearance. He looked to be around his fifties to sixties and had greasy dark brown hair that grew to his shoulders.
His ratted clothes consisted of some old jeans and a flannel with multiple holes through out it all topped off with some old worn out worker boots.

Curt thought hard before he lowered his weapon only slightly which allowed Richard to breath a sigh of relief. He now lowered his own hands which had been raised in surrender since a gun had been pointed at him.

"Think you can help me with that tire?" The darker-haired male motioned with his head over towards the flat that he hadn't fully finished. Richard glanced at the gun hesitantly which made Curt rolled his eyes before he placed it in his holster. Richard then cut his eyes at me and glanced at my revolver.

"No way in hell." I muttered sternly with my arm holding the gun fully extended out.

"I ain't changin' no tire with a gun pointed at me." He looked back over at Curt for defense which resulted in nothing.
Instead I cocked it and pressed my finger more towards the trigger which stopped all negotiations with him. He huffed in defeat before he turned around and began for the rear of the truck.

"Well, what did you hit?" He asked as he walked over towards the abandoned tire. I followed them and watched as Curt explained the situation.

"Sounds like a set up." Stated Richard as he gazed around the area.

"Better get this done quickly." While they began cranking the vehicle up to fix the tire, I made my way over towards the rear door to check on Ashanti. I couldn't help but have chills at the thought of her being outside by herself at the motel with a stranger like Richard. There's no way of truly being able to tell his intentions.

"Who's the old guy?" She asked almost immediately as I opened the door. I noticed she had now rolled her window back up.

"I'm not sure. He says his name is Richard and he hitched a ride with us from the motel." I looked out over towards the two men now taking the tire completely off.

"Just stay in the truck okay?" She nodded and squeezed her stuffed animal tighter to her as she got confirmable in her seat.

Before I went to leave and check and see how the tire was coming along, Ash stopped me and asked if I could get Milly in the truck with her which surprised me to say the least. After all I do happen to be terrified of her.

"Honey I think we should wait on Curt-"

"Come here Milly!" She shouted which made me flinch. Within seconds the large rottweiler jumped through the door that I opened and nestled herself beside my daughter.

Astonished to say the least, I went to open my mouth in wonder before Curt called and interrupted.

"We've got some infected!"

Here we go...