章 297: fd3
Arc 1: Arrival
Part 3: Search
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I woke with the sun the following morning. It was reflecting off the diner's sign across the way and straight in through my window. I'd left the blinds open, and it shot straight into my eyes. I groaned as I woke up, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. In the corner, my armor sat disassembled on a chair and against a dresser. It was a comforting sight. A sobering one as well.
I had died, most likely. The world had gone to absolute hell, perhaps figuratively perhaps literally. Either way, I was proper fucked if I didn't work things out. Even more, I was only one man. I could only do so much on my own. Only maintain so much on my own. If it hadn't been for the group here before me, this place would not be remotely as secure as it now is, and I would probably be sleeping holed up inside a locked big rig with my armor on and a gun in my hand.
But I couldn't sit around being depressed. I had to survive. I had to, there was no other choice. And that meant getting up, putting on armor, eating and facing the day. I looked at my hands, again noticing the faint hint of...something momentarily floating around them in the direct sunlight. Some part of me hoped it was just dust floating in the air. The part of me who had grown up on scifi knew it wouldn't turn out to be dust. It just hoped that whatever it was, it would be beneficial.
Shep perked up as I got to my feet and began to unblock the door. The lack of growling or whining told me that it was probably safe. At the very least, no zombies had gotten into the main room. I still kept my carbine ready as I swept the room and checked my blockades. I moved to the bathroom and quickly relieved myself. I was going to spend at least the next six hours in my armor, it was best I drained the lizard now before I sealed myself in.
A few minutes later and after giving Shep some head scratches, I slipped back into my armor and secured it. Examining its systems using the built in omni-tool, I found that I still had ninety-six percent power. Considering that it had been full when I first got it, that meant I probably had another three weeks, give or take, before its power ran out. I had that long to find alternatives, figure out how I had made it in the first place, and secure my mini-fortress here.
Subject Examining Hardware::Issuing Challenge:: Discover Origin of ArmorAs I closed my omni-tool and got to my feet, I grinned to myself. Challenge accepted.
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The fresh, cool air made me smile despite my situation. At least it wasn't horrendous weather, too. However, I should probably prepare for that eventuality. Best to create supply stocks and beds in each of the buildings, in case I ever had to take shelter against a sudden storm or blizzard. That could come later though. For now, I had shit to do.
Thankfully the armor enhanced my strength, and the few exercises I had done before my shower the night before had shown my body was stronger and my stamina better than before my death. It took me the entire morning to move the corpses of the dead out of the compound. Sure as I'd thought the day before the pit off the side of the road had been dug, probably with the bulldozer inside the compound, to be a disposal site for the dead. For now, I simply dumped the bodies onto the top of the pile of smoldering ash in the pit.
Only a few zombies had shown up overnight, and they had been easily dispatched as well. I figured more would show, so it was better to wait a few days. I'd only have so much fuel for burning them, and I'd have to be careful how I spent it. I made a note to actually look at how much fuel was in the trucks and the gas station's tanks. In fact, it would probably be a good idea once I had the time to start gathering firewood. The lounge of the motel had included a proper fireplace. If I was still here come winter, I was probably going to be thankful I had stocked up. The motel did have a shed for firewood afterall.
Shep had stayed by my side throughout, watching for threats and altering me when any zombies were near. Admittedly, they couldn't actually hurt me when I was sealed in my armor but still appreciated it. Her companionship was probably the one thing truly keeping me sane at the moment, fighting off that part of me that wanted to crawl into a corner and gibber in terror.
Instead, I made a side trip to the diner and found the big whiteboard they wrote the daily specials on. I made a notation.
Advent, Day 1. First day of the rest of my life.
Calendar Notation Updated: Date of Arrival Designated AdventWith a smile and a call to Shep, I slipped into the kitchen. There were some fresh vegetables in the fridge that surely wouldn't last long, and I was hungry. Might as well use the eggs while I still had them, and some bell peppers would go great in scrambled eggs.
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After Shep and I had both eaten our breakfast I began taking stock of the vehicles in the compound. The pumps at the station were still working, and a check inside had revealed the reservoirs were almost fully topped off. In addition, there were a couple of tankers full of gasoline and diesel sitting off to one side of the parking lot. I spent a couple hours gassing up all of the vehicles, including the unhitched big rigs, and parking them in a more organized manner. Sedans and other smaller cars in an out of the way spot so they are accessible but not my primary use vehicles. Five SUVs sat in a corner of the gas station parking lot, waiting for me to turn them into my emergency getaway vehicles. One would be my primary, the others backups in case the situation was so bad I had to make a run for the nearest gate and just book it.
The big rigs were all reattached to several empty trailers, positioned so that I could drive them out later. I figured that if I did find a good source of supplies I could take my time and fully load up a truck before returning. The army vehicles I had gathered in formation at the strip mall. If I did need to use them for any reason, I figured that was the best place to have them. The humvee and armored personnel carriers were appealing to me now that I got a better look at them. Glancing back at my planned emergency SUVs I adjusted my plans. I would turn a few of these vehicles into my getaway rides as well. Best case scenario, I never needed any of them. Worst case, I booked it out of here and maybe some other survivors live to see another day because they stumble upon them.
The tank though, that I left smack dab where it was in the middle of the intersection. I could, just barely, maneuver the big rigs and their trailers around it if I needed to go past it. What was more important was that if I ever needed it, say against marauders, it was able to fairly quickly aim at any of the main roads. Probably wouldn't be as much help as I was hoping for, but it was clearly what had taken out that SUV which had breached the gates.
Once the vehicles were finished the sun was already high in the sky, past noon for sure. Digging around in one of the military transports had yielded a welding rig, and I had found a stack of construction supplies near one of the gates the day before. I figured that while chainlink gates gave a better field of view from the ground, they weren't as durable or secure. The metal plates though, those I could rig up and weld with chains to the gates. Would at least provide some minimal strength to it, and block view. Would mean less visible movement to attract any walkers that stumbled nearby.
I set to work while whistling an idle tune, Shep sitting on top of a nearby pile of crates used to reach the top of one of the trailers in the wall. She was making a good lookout, so I lost myself in the work. It took a while. I'd never welded before. Soldered some simple circuits, sure but never welded. I was trying not to think about where the knowledge of how to do so was coming from. I was probably better off not knowing. That way led madness.
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Shep and I did another loop around the walls after we finished reinforcing the gates. One zombie had shown up in that time, but I was sure if there were any others within hearing distance they would begin congregating as well. I'd deal with them in the morning. We disposed of that single corpse and called a break. We were both hungry and it was hot and sweaty work, even with my armor. We headed into the diner again to see what we could make.
I decided to keep it simple for lunch. I fixed myself a salad with some of the fresh veggies while I dumped some raw chicken into a pan with some oil and let it cook. When it was done I chopped it in half, feeding half to Shep while I chopped the rest up into the salad. It was a simple meal, but given the future ahead of me I probably wasn't going to be making much more elaborate fare anytime soon.
As I sat eating my meal in the dining area, I looked out at the cloud-touched sky and contemplated my options. There was a lot to do, and proverbial miles to go before I could sleep. It would take me days to fully organize and shore up the supplies here at the camp. Longer to put together my emergency kits and prepare all my escape routes. On the other hand, the longer I waited to start scavenging, the harder it would be. Animals getting into stores would eat dry goods that I could take and store for a few years. Other scavengers would come through as well, looking for food and medicine on their hunt for somewhere safe.
I looked out the window at the compound. Any group arriving here would find this an attractive prospect. This was the other reason I was planning my escape. Worst case scenario is that I was faced with hostile forces I couldn't stand up to and I'd have to book it out of here. Best case was that I encountered a group of good people, just trying to survive. I looked towards the nearest visible wall of the compound.
Whoever had arranged it had been thinking long term with this place. The walls were far enough out to leave part of the dirt and grass, terrain which could be converted into fields or gardens for vegetables and tubers. If the compound had lasted, I suspect they would have worked to build a second layer of walls further out, perhaps start with each quadrant of field between the compound and forest to lay out more fields.
I began calculating just what materials I'd need to make that a reality. I guess it depended partly on whether there was a construction store in the nearby towns, or if I could find easily broken down materials to scavenge from buildings. Truth was, if it was only ever me this compound was probably enough room. If I fenced in one of the fields properly I could graze some cattle or sheep or goats on it, I guessed. Chickens could be raised in the compound itself if I used some of the spare rolls of fencing to make a chicken coop. Maybe the back area behind the diner?
I guess I'd give it more thought later. For now, I had supplies to catalogue and emergency kits to put together.
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The remainder of the afternoon was spent moving a cart from building to building, putting together supplies for several first aid kits along with emergency stashes. I figured that in the event shit went down, whether it be weather, a large mass of zombies I couldn't deal with or that broke down the gate, or an attack of some sort I would be wanting emergency supplies to be on hand. So I had raided what bags were left in the survival store and used them to put together a few kits. Food, bottled water, some aspirin or similar over the counter painkillers. All these and more were tucked away into packs and secured. Five hiking packs full went into the SUVs I'd left parked by the gas station. Another three were put into the two APCs and one of the Humvees. The last, comprised partly of my original pack and a more balanced selection of supplies, I stuck back into my room at the motel.
Just in case.
By the time I was completely done and had positioned the SUVs in getaway positions near the gates, the sun was getting low in the sky. Shep had remained by my side, providing mostly silent company and comfort throughout the day. It was helpful, to a degree. The work had kept me busy, my mind occupied. It could be a very long time before I saw another living human face. Potentially longer than that before I saw a friendly one.
Returning to the environs of the motel I examined the structure of the building and the terrain. If I could spare the time, I could probably use some of the building supplies to reinforce the fence around the pool and to create swinging barricades on either side of it. Someone had already boarded up the first floor windows, so some of my trouble was already covered. Might be a good idea in the long run, would at least provide a bit more security against a potential zombie incursion while I slept. Would also make using the pool or hot tub less of a risk. Despite my body's physical condition, I was sure that after a few more days of this work I was going to start feeling it.
Shep started whining beside me and I looked down at her. She was looking right up at me, giving me those silly and oh so effective puppy dog eyes. Looked like she was hungry, too. I scratched her behind the ears before leading her to the diner. I was thinking steak tonight. Maybe with some of those mushrooms and parmesan cheese that were in the fridge. Afterall, that stuff wouldn't stay fresh forever. Might as well eat like a king while I still could.
With a grin, I began to whistle as we entered the diner. Silently I sent a small thank you to whatever twisted deity had brought me here. At least if I was going to die, I'd hopefully have one hell of a last meal.
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