drove from Madison?” we were confused.
“No, from Sturgeon Bay. There are a couple of
hundred thousand people in Door County now. It’s the largest settlement in the
Midwest.”
We knew refugees were being collected in the
safety of Door County but two hundred thousand people being the largest
settlement in an area that encompassed Chicago, the Twin Cities and Milwaukee?
“What about the cities? What about the Twin
Cities, Chicago? Is it as bad as the radio says?” Ruth Ann asked.
“Worse, Mrs. Handsman. Cities belong to the
dead. I heard stories of people in tall buildings around the country that
destroyed the stairs below them. They grow food on their rooftops and
balconies. But that’s it. Bigger the city, bigger the horde that’s going to
come out of it once they eaten everything they can find.”
“Who is the Brute? Where is he?” Ruth Ann asked.
“His real name was Bert. He was regular Army. We
drove together. I had my car and he drove his motorcycle. He scouted ahead so
we could avoid getting stuck by wrecks.”
“Where is he now?”
“He got eaten a couple of nights ago. He told me
on the radio he saw some wrecks and was going to check them out. I said “OK”. I
followed behind him. I saw him skid out on some ice and he slid right into a
dozen of those fucks. Excuse me Mrs. Handsman. He never had a chance. It
happened just a few miles from here.”
“Were you using little FRS radios, like
walkie-talkies?” I asked.
“Yeah.” That must have been the “OK” I heard. It
was Ryan’s last words to his partner.
“Mr. Handsman?”
“Listen Ryan it’s the end of the world. You can
call me Doug.”
“OK. Doug?”
“Yes Ryan.”
“Do you have any toilet paper in here?”
Ruth Ann and I looked at each other blankly. We
stocked the garage with a lot of things, but no toilet paper.
“No, we forgot that. There is a box of
paperbacks in there. You can rip out the pages. Start with ‘A Clash of Kings.’
Take out a garbage bag to throw your waste in. You’ll only be in there for a
day.”
We figured we’d let Ryan do his business. We
wanted to know why he left the safety of Door County in the company of a
soldier but that would be another time.
R uth Ann and I went upstairs. She powered up the
laptop and accessed the surveillance camera DVR. We could see several undead in
the distance scattered in multiple directions. A couple of them were standing
still. Frozen in place, it was as if they were hibernating. More were in
motion. A few were still heading in our direction and some heading away.
The day’s radio update brought detailed information
about the horde that was moving east from the Twin Cities:
‘the central axis of the horde follows
Interstate 94. At noon today, the advancing face of the horde passed near Hammond
and Baldwin Wisconsin. Thinning operations where local terrain is favorable
will continue.
The next operation is scheduled to take
place tonight along the Red Cedar River near Menomonie Wisconsin. All persons
taking shelter in the area closest to the river or Lake Menomin are advised to
relocate away from the waterfront.
All other persons are advised to seek or
remain in the strongest shelter available. Persons camped on open ground or in
woods are advised to flee northeast towards unpopulated areas. Unreinforced
structures can be destroyed. If no suitable shelter can be found, seek high
broken ground that is difficult to climb. Bluffs or promontories facing the
direction of the oncoming horde are best.
Again, unreinforced structures such as
residential buildings may not survive the crushing forces of a passing horde.
You are advised to seek shelter on upper floors of reinforced commercial
structures or apartment buildings. Destroy staircases below you.
If no suitable shelter can be found, seek high
broken ground that is difficult to climb. Bluffs or promontories facing the direction
of the oncoming horde are best.”
“They will be here tomorrow
“No, from Sturgeon Bay. There are a couple of
hundred thousand people in Door County now. It’s the largest settlement in the
Midwest.”
We knew refugees were being collected in the
safety of Door County but two hundred thousand people being the largest
settlement in an area that encompassed Chicago, the Twin Cities and Milwaukee?
“What about the cities? What about the Twin
Cities, Chicago? Is it as bad as the radio says?” Ruth Ann asked.
“Worse, Mrs. Handsman. Cities belong to the
dead. I heard stories of people in tall buildings around the country that
destroyed the stairs below them. They grow food on their rooftops and
balconies. But that’s it. Bigger the city, bigger the horde that’s going to
come out of it once they eaten everything they can find.”
“Who is the Brute? Where is he?” Ruth Ann asked.
“His real name was Bert. He was regular Army. We
drove together. I had my car and he drove his motorcycle. He scouted ahead so
we could avoid getting stuck by wrecks.”
“Where is he now?”
“He got eaten a couple of nights ago. He told me
on the radio he saw some wrecks and was going to check them out. I said “OK”. I
followed behind him. I saw him skid out on some ice and he slid right into a
dozen of those fucks. Excuse me Mrs. Handsman. He never had a chance. It
happened just a few miles from here.”
“Were you using little FRS radios, like
walkie-talkies?” I asked.
“Yeah.” That must have been the “OK” I heard. It
was Ryan’s last words to his partner.
“Mr. Handsman?”
“Listen Ryan it’s the end of the world. You can
call me Doug.”
“OK. Doug?”
“Yes Ryan.”
“Do you have any toilet paper in here?”
Ruth Ann and I looked at each other blankly. We
stocked the garage with a lot of things, but no toilet paper.
“No, we forgot that. There is a box of
paperbacks in there. You can rip out the pages. Start with ‘A Clash of Kings.’
Take out a garbage bag to throw your waste in. You’ll only be in there for a
day.”
We figured we’d let Ryan do his business. We
wanted to know why he left the safety of Door County in the company of a
soldier but that would be another time.
R uth Ann and I went upstairs. She powered up the
laptop and accessed the surveillance camera DVR. We could see several undead in
the distance scattered in multiple directions. A couple of them were standing
still. Frozen in place, it was as if they were hibernating. More were in
motion. A few were still heading in our direction and some heading away.
The day’s radio update brought detailed information
about the horde that was moving east from the Twin Cities:
‘the central axis of the horde follows
Interstate 94. At noon today, the advancing face of the horde passed near Hammond
and Baldwin Wisconsin. Thinning operations where local terrain is favorable
will continue.
The next operation is scheduled to take
place tonight along the Red Cedar River near Menomonie Wisconsin. All persons
taking shelter in the area closest to the river or Lake Menomin are advised to
relocate away from the waterfront.
All other persons are advised to seek or
remain in the strongest shelter available. Persons camped on open ground or in
woods are advised to flee northeast towards unpopulated areas. Unreinforced
structures can be destroyed. If no suitable shelter can be found, seek high
broken ground that is difficult to climb. Bluffs or promontories facing the
direction of the oncoming horde are best.
Again, unreinforced structures such as
residential buildings may not survive the crushing forces of a passing horde.
You are advised to seek shelter on upper floors of reinforced commercial
structures or apartment buildings. Destroy staircases below you.
If no suitable shelter can be found, seek high
broken ground that is difficult to climb. Bluffs or promontories facing the direction
of the oncoming horde are best.”
“They will be here tomorrow
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