would be sufficient to hold Henry’s heft. And, at least for the moment, Henry seemed content with everyone paying him so much attention.
“Let’s try this out,” BT said as Travis and Justin got Henry up onto his back. Stephanie and Tracy were adjusting the makeshift knots. BT was cinching the knots in front as tightly as was humanly possible, which in his case was nearly superhuman.
BT stood slowly, getting used to the added weight on his back. Henry was breathing on his neck and even once or twice let his thick tongue get a taste. “You keep doing that, dog, and I’m going to leave you here.” BT shivered.
Gary had been eyeing the tree. “It’s at least seven feet from the top of the hood to the lowermost branch.” Like everyone else that had survived this far his body had gone through immense changes, but he still couldn’t forget the little kid he’d been who had not been able to climb that rope back in grade school. His friends—and the gym teacher for that matter—had teased him mercilessly. He was now getting the cold sweats just thinking about that climb.
Trip moved past them all, with his ghost-white legs and untied shoes.
“Honey, what are you doing?” Stephanie asked as Trip jumped over the outstretched zombie hands and onto the roof of the cab.
“Looking for coconuts,” he told her as he dropped down onto the hood and within mere inches of zombies scrambling to get at him. “I could really go for a Mounds.” Trip reached up, grabbed the branch, jumped, placing his feet against the tree, and effortlessly pulled himself up. “I think I see some!” he said, looking up and shielding his eyes. “Come on! I could use some help when I knock them down.”
If not for the sound of more fabric tearing, they may have stayed there and looked at him for a much longer time.
“Go,” BT said to Travis who was next in line.
Trip reached down and helped Travis up, who quickly moved to another part of the tree. The closest call thus far had come when Stephanie and Trip had locked arms. He had swung her around like they were playing on the monkey bars at a playground.
“John, please!” she’d pleaded. It was safe to say that none of them had taken a breath as they waited to see if Trip would venture back from whatever dimension he had traveled to.
“I’m sorry; I was just trying to lighten up the mood. These people are SO serious.”
“I get it, honey, I do, but could you just maybe not do it with my life?”
“Your life? I’d never jeopardize your life,” he said in all seriousness as he hoisted her up.
“Alright, Gary, just you and me. We’ve got to go.” BT and Gary were standing on the cab roof, the canvas tarp now pretty much relegated to salvage as the zombies had torn half of it down.
“You go,” Gary urged.
BT stopped to truly look at Mike’s brother. “You’re scared.”
“Me? Naw. This way I can keep an eye on Henry when you climb.”
“Now normally that sounds like a good idea, but I’m thinking that if I go up that tree you won’t.”
“Pssh…come on,” Gary exclaimed. “You think I want to stay down here with the zombies?”
“I don’t think you want to, I just think you don’t want to climb that tree more. What’s going on?”
Gary paused. “I’ve had, umm, issues with climbing before.”
“FUCK!” BT roared, “What is it with Talbots and past events? Get your ass up there or I’m going to put you in the sling with Henry!”
“Something is going on!” Travis shouted.
During BT and Gary’s conversation the zombies had vacated the truck, leaving some room around the perimeter.
“Are they leaving?” Tracy asked.
BT looked around, “I don’t think so, they’re just standing there like they’re expecting something.”
“I think I know what it is.” Justin was pointing. A line of bulkers was forming.
“They’re going to try knocking the truck over. You guys need to get moving!” Travis shouted. He brought the barrel of his gun
“Let’s try this out,” BT said as Travis and Justin got Henry up onto his back. Stephanie and Tracy were adjusting the makeshift knots. BT was cinching the knots in front as tightly as was humanly possible, which in his case was nearly superhuman.
BT stood slowly, getting used to the added weight on his back. Henry was breathing on his neck and even once or twice let his thick tongue get a taste. “You keep doing that, dog, and I’m going to leave you here.” BT shivered.
Gary had been eyeing the tree. “It’s at least seven feet from the top of the hood to the lowermost branch.” Like everyone else that had survived this far his body had gone through immense changes, but he still couldn’t forget the little kid he’d been who had not been able to climb that rope back in grade school. His friends—and the gym teacher for that matter—had teased him mercilessly. He was now getting the cold sweats just thinking about that climb.
Trip moved past them all, with his ghost-white legs and untied shoes.
“Honey, what are you doing?” Stephanie asked as Trip jumped over the outstretched zombie hands and onto the roof of the cab.
“Looking for coconuts,” he told her as he dropped down onto the hood and within mere inches of zombies scrambling to get at him. “I could really go for a Mounds.” Trip reached up, grabbed the branch, jumped, placing his feet against the tree, and effortlessly pulled himself up. “I think I see some!” he said, looking up and shielding his eyes. “Come on! I could use some help when I knock them down.”
If not for the sound of more fabric tearing, they may have stayed there and looked at him for a much longer time.
“Go,” BT said to Travis who was next in line.
Trip reached down and helped Travis up, who quickly moved to another part of the tree. The closest call thus far had come when Stephanie and Trip had locked arms. He had swung her around like they were playing on the monkey bars at a playground.
“John, please!” she’d pleaded. It was safe to say that none of them had taken a breath as they waited to see if Trip would venture back from whatever dimension he had traveled to.
“I’m sorry; I was just trying to lighten up the mood. These people are SO serious.”
“I get it, honey, I do, but could you just maybe not do it with my life?”
“Your life? I’d never jeopardize your life,” he said in all seriousness as he hoisted her up.
“Alright, Gary, just you and me. We’ve got to go.” BT and Gary were standing on the cab roof, the canvas tarp now pretty much relegated to salvage as the zombies had torn half of it down.
“You go,” Gary urged.
BT stopped to truly look at Mike’s brother. “You’re scared.”
“Me? Naw. This way I can keep an eye on Henry when you climb.”
“Now normally that sounds like a good idea, but I’m thinking that if I go up that tree you won’t.”
“Pssh…come on,” Gary exclaimed. “You think I want to stay down here with the zombies?”
“I don’t think you want to, I just think you don’t want to climb that tree more. What’s going on?”
Gary paused. “I’ve had, umm, issues with climbing before.”
“FUCK!” BT roared, “What is it with Talbots and past events? Get your ass up there or I’m going to put you in the sling with Henry!”
“Something is going on!” Travis shouted.
During BT and Gary’s conversation the zombies had vacated the truck, leaving some room around the perimeter.
“Are they leaving?” Tracy asked.
BT looked around, “I don’t think so, they’re just standing there like they’re expecting something.”
“I think I know what it is.” Justin was pointing. A line of bulkers was forming.
“They’re going to try knocking the truck over. You guys need to get moving!” Travis shouted. He brought the barrel of his gun
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