Ashes to Ashes (Book 1 of 2) A ZOMBIE FICTION

Chapter 7: Camp Pendleton Reunion

We walked to the truck, me in the back of the group to keep myself alive; it was an early model Ford Ranger with a rusting body and chipping blue paint job. I jumped into the bed of it as they got in the cab, starting the truck and driving into one of the residential areas of the base. The homes were covered in muck and grime from months of zero maintenance; the glass was no longer clear and you couldn't see inside of them.

Something that I had noticed was a red stripe on each of the doors, the same houses that had already been looted I assumed. It wasn't a long drive until we reached their camp; set up in a seemingly abandoned church building with a small open courtyard in the middle.

We just drove straight down the hallway, stopping in front of one of the rooms.

"They're just in here stranger." Joe told me as they lead the way, me still keeping my M4 in my hands; untrusting of these people.

It was a large room and as I looked around I saw that they were just like us, surviving on what they had. Women and children sitting and playing. They were normal.

"Everybody! This is a new friend who we found in the old Mini Mart by the field. We don't know his name but he has medicine for us and wants our Big Blue in return."

I could only assume Big Blue was the name of their truck. One of the smaller children ran up to me and tugged on my ghille suit, I looked down at him and saw that he was trying to hand me something. I knelt down, letting my rifle hang around my chest.

"Hi!" He said, his voice high pitched and childish, "I'm Henry! What's your name?"

I hadn't realized exactly how deep my voice really was until now, "I'm Alex. Alex Ashton."

"Here, I've collected a few things around here and I want you to have them." This kid was overly trusting of strangers, something I had been taught to avoid.

I pulled my mask down over my face, then took the small notebook and pens, "Thanks! Here, you hungry?" 

He replied by nodding at me.

"Here." I handed him four granola bars that I had found in the store.

"Thanks Mister Ashton!" He replied, taking the granola bars back to a small group of children.

"Too bad you can't stay; I think the children would love you here." A woman told me, her hair long and curly, "Oh, pardon me. I'm Veronica; I try to take care of these people."

"So, a doctor?"

"Well, no. I use old manuals that we've scavenged from the hospital to try to help them, but manuals only go so far..."

"Alright, look. I've got a larger group of survivors based out of a C-5M. We have enough room for maybe two more trucks inside and supplies to last a small army. If you want I can give them a call and clear it?"

"Wait, really?! With doctors on board?"

"Yes, a trained doctor and then a friend who might as well be one."

"Please do call!" She begged.

"Alright, give me a few minutes."

I stepped out of the room and tried to raise the plane, being met with some static but they could still hear me.

"Josh! Come in!" I called over.

"Hey, this isn't Josh; it's Sadie. What's up?"

"Alright, Sadie? I'm gonna need you to get Josh on really quick."

"He's working on the truck again."

"Just get him on."

The radio stayed silent for a minute or two, then rang up again; "Yeah?" It was Josh.

"I've got a small group of survivors with Women and children down here. Now they're sayin' that they'll let us have one of their pick-ups if I helped get them meds, but now I'm thinking that we could get two more vehicles if we let them on board."

"Two more vehicles for a bunch of survivors?" Crystal came onto the radio, clearly taking it from Josh, "Let's do it."

"Alright, where are we meeting?"

This time it was Sadie on the radio, "A couple miles off the coast is a military airbase, we could land there."

"Alright, I'll try to find it. Alex out."

I walked back into the room and nodded. They all began cheering and all ran out towards the vehicles, one of which looked very...very familiar. 

A lifted blue F-350 with black rims and a rhino lined lower half and tinted windows. I looked to my key chain, spotting my Ford key.

I took it off then tested it in the door; perfect fit. "BABE!" I know it's a stupid name, but I used to call this truck Babe the Big Blue Ox. I stuck the key into the ignition and was greeted with a sound unlike any other; the beautiful sound of a diesel being reunited with it's best friend.

"How did you?" Joe asked as he got into the passenger seat.

"This is my baby! This was my truck before the apocalypse! Mine!" I nearly shouted, coming to tears as I looked and felt over the interior.

"Really?" 

"Yeah! I love this fucking truck!" I cried as I hugged the steering wheel and threw it into Drive. I slammed on the gas, leaving the other truck in the dust. Babe spat dirt from the tires as she got onto the street; "YEEHAW MOTHERFUCKERS!" I shouted as I threw it into a donut.

"Alright! Calm down buddy! Let's go find that airfield." Joe said, laughing at my reunion.

I let the SUV behind us catch up, then drove in land.