Welcome to the End

Chapter 14: Torment

Clark Webster, the former Governor of Walton, limped forward with the undead horde advancing on the scavenger encampment.

The scavengers held an impressive amount of firepower, but they were unable to stop the horde as it relentlessly continued its slow and unstoppable march forward.

The bright flashes of gunfire, punctuated by spurts of blood from the zombies as the bullets tore through their skulls looked beautiful to Clark. He wanted to reach out and be welcomed into death's embrace. He didn't care if the scavengers lived or died so long as they survived long enough to put him out of his misery.

***

Kevin led the way toward the military base. His palms were sweating against the grip of his bow, and he couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom.

Surrounded by sizable paved areas of concrete, the base was a collection of more than four dozen buildings. They varied in size, shape, and function. The smaller, square buildings were for base administration and the upper chain of command. Larger structures in rectangular shapes were barracks, and Kevin saw the neat rows of bunks when they passed by a window.

The large compound had been easy enough to spot when the refugees had crested the hill to the north. Kevin and George went ahead of the main group to be sure it was clear before bringing in the more vulnerable civilians.

Fitted with folding doors at both ends, the giant arch of an airplane hangar's roof was unmistakable at the far end of the compound. Kevin wondered if any aircraft were still available or if they'd been either taken by the fleeing military or stripped down by the scavengers. A flash of light caught his eye, and he forgot about the hangars as his attention centered in front of him. Moving around a burned out military truck with an arrow ready to fly, Kevin discovered the flash was from sunlight reflecting off the water of the bay.

Anchored in the base's private harbor, a massive transport ship floated silently. Equipped with a helipad on the forward deck, the transport ship looked seaworthy, and it made Kevin wonder why it had been abandoned.

"Think we can use that to get where we're going?" George asked as he appeared beside Kevin. His sudden arrival caused Kevin to flinch and nearly lose his hold on the bowstring.

"Could be," Kevin considered as he eased the tension on his weapon. "I wonder why it's still here. It could be filled with scavengers."

"Or zombies," George suggested. They kept their voices low to avoid drawing unwanted attention from either scavengers or the undead. They didn't know who or what might be around, but they didn't want to attract either.

"We need supplies first," Kevin stated, focusing on their immediate needs. "Let's divide our group into teams and search out the various buildings for the things we need to collect. We'll meet back here when finished."

"Sounds good," George agreed. "May I suggest something?"

"Certainly," Kevin agreed.

"No one should go alone," George said. "And every group should have at least one person who is armed. The rest should stay together and quiet in a central area where we can keep them moderately safe."

"Good ideas," Kevin concurred. "Let's do it."

Kevin moved back into position where he could be seen by Isabella and the refugees from Walton. He waved them down from the hill and toward the base.

***

"We'll need any unused or unspoiled medical supplies we can get," Kevin related to the group gathered in an abandoned aircraft hangar. "Someone needs to secure some climbing gear for getting into the trees and for moving about in the canopy. Any additional weapons or emergency supplies would also be helpful. Remember, just because your team will be looking for one type of thing, don't hesitate to grab something else if you think it will help. Pile everything here, and we'll regroup in twenty minutes."