Chatter

Chapter 5

A hush fell across the motel room as the door knob moved slightly back and forth. A slam was heard, probably from the butt of a rifle and the door flew open. One man entered without checking his corners. He stood in the middle of the room.

"Nothin here again Clyde," whispered the man in front.

"You aint even looked," said the man entering behind him. 

Both held shotguns sloppily at their sides as if expecting no danger. As soon as Clyde was out of the door frame Cade cocked the managers pistol and planted it on the man's temple.

"Do NOT move."

Both men froze in terror. Cade followed this with, "What are you doing here? You looking for us?"

The man in the middle replied, "Who in the hell are ya? We just looting for supplies."

Vick crept out from his spot and took the man's shotgun. "Then why are we finding people murdered by guns around here?" 

Clyde tried to back step out the door but Cade pushed the gun deeper into his temple. They would get some questions answered. He kicked over the other gun to Dwayne who scooped it up and aimed it at the men. 

"I think you saw us pull in and saw us as easy marks. Didn't you," said Vick. "You kill any chatterer's or just real men and women?" Vick was fast becoming pissed off and things were looking ugly.

"God damn I seen you on the tv haven't I," said the man.

"No," replied Vick in a mean tone.

"Yeah I remember this.."

"Quiet Ben, he said it ain't him, so shut it," yelled Clyde.

Cade stood at the door thinking a minute. They could not just kill the men. The group were not killers. Not yet. "Ok guys. See that fire truck down there. The keys are in it. Take it and get out of here." He looked straight at Clyde, "If we see you again, we kill you. End of story."

The two men backed out of the room. Dwayne, Cade, and Vick all followed to the door with guns aimed. They watched Ben and Clyde make their way down to the truck stop and enter the truck.

A middle finger came out of the window as the truck started. Cade chuckled remembering the gas was almost empty. 

The rest of the group met the men in the room. "We cannot stay here now," said Keiko. "It is not safe."

Cade looked around and saw every door kicked in. "You are right, we need to get a van or truck and move on down the road a ways before sleeping."

Suddenly it started. Click click click click of the teeth. Four chatterers had come from behind the motel.

Bam bam, Cade shot one of them and it dropped. Boom, Vick and Dwayne shot in unison and decapitated another chatterer. Two more remained walking towards them, eyes white and teeth chattering.

"Let's run towards the store. There was a van and a few cars," said Cade. "We need to save ammo." The seven ran as fast as possible in the night. Some of the street lights were still on but it was hard to see anything.

Rounding the corner of the third block they all stopped and ducked behind a dumpster. There was a red minivan about fifty feet to their left. Luck had to be on their side. Chatterers lined the sidewalks and several were in the road. 

"Alright, Vick and I will check the van. Dwayne, you cover us and the others," whispered Cade. 

Vick and Cade ran slowly in a crouched position towards the van. One chatterer was smashed in the temple and reeled to the ground. Vick wiped the butt of his shotgun off and kept moving.

"So what's in that freaking bag dude," whispered Cade.

Vick frowned but kept moving. "Mind your business, we are not friends."

"Yeah yeah," chuckled Cade, "it was worth a try."

The two easily made the rest of the way to the van. It was parked just outside the market Cade and Keiko had looked through earlier. They tried the doors and Cade's on the driver's side popped open. He opened Vicks and they sat. "ok good start," said Vick. "Now we need keys."

They searched through the van, mirrors, glove box, and found nothing. "Shit," said Cade. "Now what?"

The men sat a moment as sniffers and chatterers both lumbered by the van. "We need to check the bodies in the store. I bet one has the keys," said Vick.

"Alright good call," said Cade. "Take a couple of these knives I found, they are quieter than the guns."

Vick grabbed two good kitchen knives from the bag Cade had gathered earlier. They exited the van and went inside the market. Nothing much had changed since he had been in earlier.

Vick went to the deli and office looking through employee pockets. The poor deli slicer was chattering in a corner, scraping his nails against the wall. Vick crept up behind him and leveled the knife through the skull of the poor slicer. He then kneeled and went through his pockets. "Nothing here."

Cade went right for the shooting victim and also kneeled. He searched every pocket until finally in his jacket he found a set of keys that matched the model of the van outside. "I think were good," he said waving the keys.

They exited the market and as they did Vick grabbed a whole cardboard cutout of chips.

"I'm hungry."

Cade laughed, "whatever you say big man," and they went to the van. 

They sat in silence and Cade turned the key. Vrooooooom. It started on the first turn. He put it in gear and pulled up to the dumpster, "All aboard."

The seven were now on the road again. Heading north they had about six hours nonstop of travel before hitting Michigan. All of them devoured chips like they were fine cuisine. "Everyone lookout for another motel or something." He kept his eyes on the road as cars and trucks were stopped everywhere. Chatterers littered the interstate worse than the vehicles. Many times one of them would wakeup to a splat when Cade had crushed one at high speed. Goo on the window made Autumn vomit once or twice.

About thirty minutes had passed and Trina said, "theres one." They looked to their right and sure enough lights were on in a pull barn of some sort. They took the next exit and pulled in the lot.

Vick and Dwayne held guns at ready and crept to the door. Vick kicked it open and they both jumped in.

"WTF," said Vick.

*If you enjoyed this chapter please vote and comment. If you didn't tell me what I can improve. Thanks!*