Zoey and the Zombies (A Mondamin Court Adventure)

Part Three: Bugging Out: Chapter 30

"It's kind of our central command post," Jack said as he ushered Ryan and his friend up the steps to Lydia's house. "Come on, we'll get you some breakfast and catch each other up."

"Breakfast?" Ryan said. "You guys have food?"

"Not much, and hard won, let me tell you," Jack replied with a grim pride. "Last raiding trip, we kicked in the door of some Asian immigrants a few blocks north of here. Nearly a half dozen infected inside. But they had a nearly full fifty-pound bag of rice, so it was worth it."

Ryan introduced his buddy, Craig, while Holly went and got them each a bowl of rice pudding, leftover from the community breakfast. While they ate, Jack talked, telling them whom they had lost and whom they had saved. Ruth and Esther sat near to their dad, frequently interrupting with bits and pieces from their perspectives.

"So what was that about deserting?" Jack asked when they were done. "What's going on out there?"

"A joke," Craig said. "We left with permission. The Army, we made our last stand in Colorado, as the big hordes from the East Coast rolled over us."

"And?"

"We survived," Ryan said.

"Barely," Craig muttered.

"Barely," Ryan agreed, "but we survived. We broke up and destroyed most of the big hordes. Those we didn't, they made it into the mountains, but them damn things ain't no good on rough terrain, fall and break limbs and whatnot. Rest sort of got turned back. It's mostly small groups now, wandering this way and that, searching for fresh meat.

"Command made a big decision, oh, about a week ago," Ryan continued. "Man for man, they ain't no match for the living. Out in the country, with some space to plan and the giant hordes down, most of the survivors are holding their own. They'll probably even beat this thing eventually. But the cities . . . they're a huge danger. Big hordes in the center. Going house to house to fight, we just don't have the manpower left to do it."

"So what's the plan?" Jack asked.

"We gotta try, don't we?" Ryan said. "It's been nothing but radio silence from the rest of the world for months. Don't know if they've quarantined us off, or if they got infected too. But we got to assume the worst. So it's lights out on the human race unless we can beat this.

"They figure the best chance is for the Army to take back the cities, or torch them. We're heading east, burnt-earth policy the whole way. Command doesn't know if we've got the ammo or manpower to make it to the sea, but they'll get as close as they can.

"Since it's pretty much a suicide run, they gave everyone leave to go. If they thought they had family left or they thought they had hope enough to make it with the surviving groups, Command won't stop them."

"Are there many?" Philip asked. "Surviving groups?"

Craig nodded. "Yeah, the cities, man . . . the estimated casualties are in the range of ninety-eight percent. There are a few scattered groups like this, getting by but not much. The countryside is a little better off. Like we said, if you've got some space and there aren't any big hordes, the dead don't stand a chance against the living.

"Anyway," Ryan wrapped up, "Craig and I left. Came back with some buddies from Iowa."

"So now what?" Jack asked. "You going to stay with us?"

"I will stay with the group, sure, but we can't stay here. Craig, too, if you don't mind. We scouted his home on the south side yesterday. Nothing left. No sign of his family."