Hometown Hell part 4

“Are you human?” A familiar voice asked from behind. “No we’re Molemen.” Todd said turning around smugly.

“Shut up Todd!” I smacked him in the back of the head. “Hi Uncle Landon.”

“Dillon? Hurry up get inside here!” He lowered his gun and motioned us in, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

We did as we were told and stole into the shop hurriedly. Inside there were two others of my extended family. My uncle’s girlfriend Tommy and my cousin Thomas, both of which had red frazzled hair and an acne problem, were standing in the back of the shop with weapons at the ready. My uncles dark brown hair was styled in a mullet that was true to his redneck style, and he wore a hat he acquired from his job along with his uniform shirt.

“Are you boys alright?” Tommy asked dropping her shotgun to come look us over, and gave me a big hug.

“Yeah we are fine. What about you guys? How have you all been?”

“Well we’ve been holed up in here since Friday night.” Thomas answered coming to shake my hand. “It’s good to see you.”

“Uncle, I’m sorry but we had to take down Shanowa earlier… and grandma and grandpa were already dead. We buried them before coming down.”

“I figured they would be. I wasn’t able to tell them in time.” He shook his head solemnly.

“But grandpa took several with him. He didn’t get dropped without a fight.” I told him and a small smile played at his lips.

“He always was a stubborn one.” Love filled his voice as he said this, and then he added. “I love you mom and

dad.” I gave him a hug. Tommy and Thomas did the same.

“So how’d you guys end up here?” Thomas asked breaking off the hug with his father.
We told our story up to the point with Todd leading the way since he had been the first to encounter the zombies. Then to Hunter and me to fill in the rest of it. I think the talking helped us cope with this new and unexpected situation as well as with the grieving.

“I’m so sorry.” Tommy said.

“Its nothing compared to what it will be like.” I said with sorrow heavy in my voice. A nod of agreement came from Todd and Hunter just stared blankly at nothing in particular. “What supplies do you have?”

“We’ve been going to the house for water, but we have a couple weeks worth of canned food, and several first aid kits.” My uncle replied. “We also have quite a few boxes of ammo for all my different guns.”

“What guns do you have?”

“Well I have my 12 gauge, my 20 gauge, a 30.30, a 270, and my 357 mag. “

“Thomas do you have any of your bladed weapons?”

“When don’t I?” He pulled several knives from his homemade harness as well as 4 or 5 machetes from behind a 55 gallon drum.

“I shouldn’t have asked.” I said rolling my eyes while he laughed. “We’ll have to stay here tonight. It’s getting dark.”

“Do you have a plan?” Landon asked. Everyone’s eyes were on me.

“I do. None of you will like it though.” I said with downcast eyes. “I don’t want to be a leader, so anything that affects everybody will be left to a vote. If we need a leader later he or she will be chosen by popular vote. As long as no one votes for Todd.” I said trying to be humorous. There was slight nervous laughing. “If you don’t like my plan I will not bring it up again.” Silence from all. “I propose that we retake the school and fortify the gym”

“It’s overrun. Are you insane?” Todd.

“I’m not going back there.” Hunter.

“Just hear me out. The gym is its own building, there are no windows, and three possible exits, plus plenty of room for moving things in and out of it.”

“No w-“ Hunter began.

“I’m in.” Todd put his hand out and I grabbed it.

“Me too.” Thomas added his hand to ours.

Tommy and Landon stepped forward adding their hand to the mix. “And us.”

“Sorry Hunter you’ve been out voted. Unless you wanna leave.” I said in a monotone, hoping he would not leave.

He was silent for a moment. “Fine.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank You. We’ll need you.”

“Yeah whatever.”

“Let’s get some sleep. We’ll need rest for tomorrow.”

I was not as fortunate as I had been the night before. My dreams were a chaos of the events from the two previous days. I awoke with a scream as I shot my mother again. My uncle stared as I sat bolt upright.

“Nightmare?” He asked.

I nodded.

“Don’t worry nothings happened so far. What was your dream?”

“I had to shoot my mom again. Why are you still awake?”

“I can’t sleep. I feel like it’s my fault Mom and Dad are dead.” He shook his head.

“Well it’s not and you shouldn’t blame yourself.”

“Go back to sleep, and I’ll try to as well.”

I slipped back to sleep, but the dreams persisted and continued to plague me throughout the night. Over and over again I shot my mother. The grisly details even more defined each time it repeated. This continued until I was awakened by a loud banging. I rubbed my eyes confused at the new invading sound. It was the door being hit pretty hard. I moved cautiously to it with one of Thomas’s machetes. Then a voice entered the mix of banging.

“Help! Let us in!” A feminine voice called.