Chapter 5
The caravan started to move again. Dem took a position on the left and Marcus took a position on the right side of the bus. They tried to come up with defendable locations.
Marcus asked, “There are a lot of small fishing islands off the coast of Michigan that we could easily defend. I think that they would be good places to hold because these people can be fed and we can go to the mainland to gather any supplies.”
“No,” said Dem, “What happens if the undead can swim? If they drown, then our water and fish will be poisoned. If they make it to the island…no, an island would not do. A plateau would be better, we could defend ourselves well enough and we would never be too far from the mainland should something happen.”
Marcus could feel Liz climb up the back of his neck. She sat on his head as they walked. Liz said, “While you were unconscious and Dem was going insane, I checked a military computer and apparently, we were hit the hardest. The west was only hit along the north and south Rocky’s. We could head for San Francisco and live on the islands around there. Alcatraz is over the water as it is.”
“That sounds like a brilliant way to kill all of these people off as we venture three thousand miles,” said Dem, “I’d do it as a last resort, but that’s it. What about you, Marcus?”
“I’d say it’s worth a try. I would much rather travel across the country to some unknown location than wander around aimlessly and wait for something to happen.”
“Then we’ll go there, but I should warn you that most of us will probably get killed by undead.”
“Then let us ask the people we are protecting. After all, it is their lives we are placing in danger,” Marcus said. He turned his head to the side of the bus. The eyes of every passenger were on him. He spoke in as high pitched a voice as he could muster, “We think that we have found a good place to go, but we need your opinion, as the journey is long and many of you will not survive the expedition. Tell me, does anyone present know of a safe way to travel to the west. It would be best to pass the Rocky Mountains and place our backs to the coast.”
The message was met with outright resentment. Each of the people expressed their own opinion, but their voices were undecipherable when massed together. Marcus roared, and they all went silent. The silence was music to Marcus’s ears; it also warned him that a behemoth had snuck behind him. He turned to breathe a flame, but it exploded before he could incinerate it. Marcus heard one of the boys yell, “Nice going. That was our last propane tank. Now how are we supposed to cook our food?”
“Dragon breath?”
“I’m not cooking all of your meals.”
Marcus turned back to the bus and said, “Now, if anyone has a better idea, or if you have a better method to reach the area than by road, speak now. If not and you raise your voices, I will silence you.”
No one spoke. The only person to raise his voice was the man Marcus recognized as the leader of the caravan before they joined. He yelled out, “I’m a pilot for American Airlines, and there’s a place not too far from here where there’s sure to be a few aircraft. There may even be something big enough for you two to fit in.”
“How far away is it; I don’t want to travel too far for false hope’s sake.”
“At this rate, we’ll be there in a few days’ drive. And we’ll need to go north of the Great Lakes instead of south.”
“Good enough. It is a good plan to keep our heading, as changing directions could place us in the arms of our pursuers. Get in the armored car and lead the way. We will-” Marcus was cut off as a roar was heard in the distant east. It did not sound like an undead; Marcus thought it sounded more like a tiger than anything else. He said, “Get those gun turrets up and keep an eye out for any possible threats. Dem, protect the east flank and change sides every five minutes. I’m going to find out what that was. It could be an ally.”
Marcus took flight in the direction of the noise. In all of the excitement, he forgot about Liz, who clung to his back; she reveled in the warmth and at how easy it was for her to loose her grip.
Marcus asked, “There are a lot of small fishing islands off the coast of Michigan that we could easily defend. I think that they would be good places to hold because these people can be fed and we can go to the mainland to gather any supplies.”
“No,” said Dem, “What happens if the undead can swim? If they drown, then our water and fish will be poisoned. If they make it to the island…no, an island would not do. A plateau would be better, we could defend ourselves well enough and we would never be too far from the mainland should something happen.”
Marcus could feel Liz climb up the back of his neck. She sat on his head as they walked. Liz said, “While you were unconscious and Dem was going insane, I checked a military computer and apparently, we were hit the hardest. The west was only hit along the north and south Rocky’s. We could head for San Francisco and live on the islands around there. Alcatraz is over the water as it is.”
“That sounds like a brilliant way to kill all of these people off as we venture three thousand miles,” said Dem, “I’d do it as a last resort, but that’s it. What about you, Marcus?”
“I’d say it’s worth a try. I would much rather travel across the country to some unknown location than wander around aimlessly and wait for something to happen.”
“Then we’ll go there, but I should warn you that most of us will probably get killed by undead.”
“Then let us ask the people we are protecting. After all, it is their lives we are placing in danger,” Marcus said. He turned his head to the side of the bus. The eyes of every passenger were on him. He spoke in as high pitched a voice as he could muster, “We think that we have found a good place to go, but we need your opinion, as the journey is long and many of you will not survive the expedition. Tell me, does anyone present know of a safe way to travel to the west. It would be best to pass the Rocky Mountains and place our backs to the coast.”
The message was met with outright resentment. Each of the people expressed their own opinion, but their voices were undecipherable when massed together. Marcus roared, and they all went silent. The silence was music to Marcus’s ears; it also warned him that a behemoth had snuck behind him. He turned to breathe a flame, but it exploded before he could incinerate it. Marcus heard one of the boys yell, “Nice going. That was our last propane tank. Now how are we supposed to cook our food?”
“Dragon breath?”
“I’m not cooking all of your meals.”
Marcus turned back to the bus and said, “Now, if anyone has a better idea, or if you have a better method to reach the area than by road, speak now. If not and you raise your voices, I will silence you.”
No one spoke. The only person to raise his voice was the man Marcus recognized as the leader of the caravan before they joined. He yelled out, “I’m a pilot for American Airlines, and there’s a place not too far from here where there’s sure to be a few aircraft. There may even be something big enough for you two to fit in.”
“How far away is it; I don’t want to travel too far for false hope’s sake.”
“At this rate, we’ll be there in a few days’ drive. And we’ll need to go north of the Great Lakes instead of south.”
“Good enough. It is a good plan to keep our heading, as changing directions could place us in the arms of our pursuers. Get in the armored car and lead the way. We will-” Marcus was cut off as a roar was heard in the distant east. It did not sound like an undead; Marcus thought it sounded more like a tiger than anything else. He said, “Get those gun turrets up and keep an eye out for any possible threats. Dem, protect the east flank and change sides every five minutes. I’m going to find out what that was. It could be an ally.”
Marcus took flight in the direction of the noise. In all of the excitement, he forgot about Liz, who clung to his back; she reveled in the warmth and at how easy it was for her to loose her grip.