The Decay

Chapter 5 - The Camp

Sheriff Jack Gray was a well built man in his early forties. He wore a sheriff's hat and a leather coat, with a pistol hanging from his right hip. He wore an eye patch on his left eye and his left cheek had a scar starting just below the eye moving diagonally down to his jaw. As he turned to face Sam and Mike, he had a stern look on his face. "Who are you?", he asked, his eyes piercing Mike. "I'm a survivor. My home up North from here was attacked by raiders. I'm the only one who made it out.", Mike replied, his eyes meeting the sheriff's. "What are you expecting exactly, a free meal? A free bed?", the sheriff asked. "I... I can hunt. I can kill. It's all I know. Perhaps I could earn my meal and bed.", replied Mike. "Unfortunately for you, we don't have room for someone else right now", the sheriff said. Mike bit his lip and briefly closed his eyes. "However.", the sheriff continued, "You clearly need money. And I need a job done." Hope glimpsed in Mike. "Whatever it is, I'll take it.", he quickly said. "Hold your horses boy. If it was something easy I'd have someone else do it.", the sheriff said. "If you survive, I'll make it worth your while, both in money and in information. I know where you might find people willing to take you in." "Where is that?", Mike asked. "As I said, if you make it back in one piece and managed to do as I asked, then I'll tell you. Useless giving information to a dead man.", the sheriff snickered. "Fair enough. Well, what is it then?", asked Mike.

"About a week ago, a group of us were heading South West when we were attacked by a group of raiders. They killed one of us and took another as hostage. Now they're demanding a ransom of 500 gold pieces." "And where do I come in?", asked Mike. "It's simple really.", said the Sheriff, his lips curling into a smile. "You said you were good at killing. So do it. Kill them all. If Cassandra is still alive, get her back here in one piece. The raiders are at Lyman Estate. It will be on your map." Mike took a deep breath. "I'll do it." "Good. It's dark outside so you'll have a better chance at sneaking up on them.", said the sheriff. Mike turned to walk out of the tent. "Ah, I almost forgot. Take these." The sheriff gave Mike two fully-loaded magazines, a bandage, a flashlight, and two syringes. "Just in case you run out of bullets. The syringes are filled with adrenaline. Just in case you don't want to... you know, bleed out too quickly." "Thanks sheriff. ", said Mike. "If you make it back, call me Gray. Steven Gray.", said the sheriff. Mike nodded, put the items in his backpack, and exited the tent. Outside the tent, Sam turned to Mike. "Kid, take these, they might come in handy." Sam handed Mike a pair of binoculars. "Thanks, Sam.", said Mike. "Good luck Mike.", said Sam, and with that he showed Mike out of town.

Mike pulled out his map, locating Lyman Estate. He estimated it was around two kilometers away. He opted for the most direct route, approaching the Estate from the North. It didn't take long to get there.

Mike went prone and pulled out the binoculars for a better view. Two raiders standing near the entrance. One guarding the perimeter.

He moved quickly and quietly. He stopped behind a tree trunk and located the man walking around the perimeter. He was moving towards the back of the estate, away from guards at the entrance. Mike picked up a small rock and threw it towards the nearest wall of the building, a few meters behind the guard. The guard turned in the direction of the sound. "Who's there?", he asked. Mike had already left his place. With a last, final sprint, he approached the man from behind and, with his knife drawn, sliced the man's throat. He let out a faint whimper as he collapsed on the ground. Mike quickly searched the man's body, taking from it a pistol, one magazine, and a couple of gold coins. He dragged the body behind the corner, away from sight, after which he moved up towards the main entrance.

He moved along the left wall. On reaching the corner, he stopped and listened for movement. "I'm tired man. How long till our shift is over?", he heard one of the guards ask. "Half an hour. Stop complaining and pay attention. Boss ain't going to be happy if something happens here."

Mike tapped on the wall, attracting the attention of the guards. "What was that?", one of them asked. "What was what?", replied the other, looking at him skeptically. "I heard a noise.", said the first one. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Go check it out then.", said the other one.

The first guard drew his pistol and started making his way towards the side of the estate. The second he reached the corner, hands grabbed him over the neck and mouth. After a strong pull around the corner, Mike turned his hands in opposite directions and, with a cracking sound, the man's neck snapped. He dragged the body away. After searching the man for anything of value, he drew his knife and turned the corner. As he rushed at the second guard, the man drew his pistol. Before he managed to take a shot however, Mike was upon him struggling to take the pistol from his hands. A shot went off.

With one hand, Mike twisted the man's arm and, with the other, he quickly drew his knife and stabbed the man in the chest. The guard collapsed in a pool of blood, but Mike was too busy running for cover now that the rest of the raiders had been alerted of his presence.

Mike threw himself against the wall on the right, next to the door. Two bullets flew by, missing him only by a few centimeters. He pulled out his pistol. After peeking around the corner of the doorway, he moved quickly to the other side of the door for a better angle. Another shot went past. He raised his pistol and, after quickly aiming, took one shot at a man. The man fell backward and was dead before touching ground.

Another two raiders were coming toward him from a broken door. Mike ran inside and dived behind a pillar. The raiders took cover behind a turned over table and a pillar, respectively. He fired a shot at the person behind the table. The bullet didn't penetrate. He quickly retreated behind cover as a bullet flew towards him, chipping the side of the pillar. Firing another shot to keep the person behind the table to stay in cover, he quickly turned past the other side of the pillar and, sprinting, managed to flank the second person. The woman barely saw him before he pulled his knife, slicing her throat.

The second person had his pistol drawn and took a shot at Mike. The bullet hit his arm. Grunting, Mike took cover behind the pillar. The wound didn't seem to be deep. The bullet had passed straight through. Mike picked up the pistol near the woman's body and, both guns in hand, turned past the other side of the pillar. As the man got out of cover, Mike launched himself sideways and shot four bullets in the man's direction. Two of them missed, but two hit the man square in the chest, who fell to the ground lifelessly.

Mike opened his backpack and took out the bandage. He winced as he tied it around his upper arm where the bullet had hit. The bleeding started slowing down after a couple of minutes. He noticed the stairs were blocked by rubble, and so started through the corridor ahead of him, deeper into the estate.

The first two rooms on the right were empty apart from some mattresses, presumably where the dead raiders had slept. At the end of the corridor, a large staircase lead underground. Mike pulled out his flashlight and moved cautiously down the stairs. As he reached the bottom, he heard someone talking which caused him to instinctively turn it off. It was dark down here, so not knowing the place put him at a disadvantage. He moved forward slowly in a crouched position, gun drawn in one hand, the turned off flashlight in the other. As he turned a corner a raider charged him. They both went down hard, with Mike cushioning the landing for the raider. His gun had fallen away from him with the impact together with the flashlight. As he struggled to get up, he felt a grip around his throat. A woman was standing over him, both hands on his throat, choking him. She looked scared, yet angry. Different from the other raiders. "C... Cass...Andra?", he gasped, struggling to maintain consciousness. The grip loosened slightly. "Who are you? How do you know my name?", said the woman. "Speak now or I'll kill you!" Mike took a moment to breathe in deeply, then said "Steven sent me. The sheriff. I was meant to get you out of here." "Seems like you don't need to. At least you took care of the rest of the raiders. I guess you deserve a thank you for that." "Oh yeah, don't mention it. I pretty much put my life on the line for a stranger. I even got shot.", said Mike, half-smiling. "Oh yes, my true hero.", said Cassandra, sarcastically. Cassandra was in her mid thirties, a tall, skinny brunette with brown eyes, her hair in a ponytail. Behind Cassandra, Mike saw two dead raiders. "Well, let's get out of here, shall we?", said Mike. "You got it.", she replied. With that, they ran upstairs, out, and back towards Mountain Side.