Surviving an Endless War

We got out of Las Vegas with everyone in tact and now we're heading to one place I know has plently of camping gear...Walmart. It really didn't take long to find one and when Zacky pulled into the parking lot, I was expecting to see more cars but there were only a few scattered here and there. I motioned to Zacky to park right up at the doors so we could get out with no problem and he did. We got out as the others were parking right behind us.

"Why are we here?" Michelle asked kind of smugly.

"Blaze doesn't want us going into the cities anymore unless we have to so we'll be camping out in the woods from now on."

"We better find a cabin then because I am not sleeping on the ground." she said again rolling her eyes. I scoffed at her demeanor. Some things never change.

"Michelle, one cabin isn't going to fit all of us in it. We would have to find some kind of campground to get enough cabins for all of us. I know for sure that we shouldn't be making a bunch of noise driving around just find you a cabin." I looked at Payge for standing up like that. I guess the world changes everyone.

"Everyone needs at least another person with them. Jerry you'll be coming with me and Larry you stick with the Berry brothers." I said and we went into the building. Zacky, Jerry, and I walked over to the sporting goods section and while Zacky was grabbing the camping gear we needed, Jerry and I were looking at fishing equipment.

"Do you know how to fish?" Jerry asked as I grabbed some poles.

"Yeah. Payge and I would go with dad to a lake for a vacation away from home. You know the best fishing place is Tennessee. I've caught more there than anywhere."

"Do you prefer the poles that come apart?" he asked and I nodded. Jerry handed me one and it had a good feel to it. I grabbed one for me and another for Payge. I mean if she hadn't gotten out of the idea of fishing.

Jerry went over to a tacklebox and filled it with everything we would need to fish with plus put some extra packs in the bottom. I'm glad he spotted the hemostats because I didn't until he asked me about them. I helped him pick out the right rooster tails and top water poppers and he placed them into the tackle box. When his was filled up, I made one for me. You can never have too much fishing stuff. I grabbed a hunting vest and trot line before Zacky came around the corner.

"What are you 2 gathering up?"

"Fishing gear just in case we come across a lake." I said smiling as I filled the bottom part of the tackle box with fishing line and reel oil.

"Do you know how to clean them?"

"Yeah. My dad taught me." I said nodding. I was about to leave the isle with them when I spotted some weapons. I grabbed several packaged knives to fillet with before joining them. Zacky and Jerry decided to follow me so we went over to where the pillows were kept and we grabbed some along with blankets to keep us warm at night.

They again followed me as I walked around to find the others. I spotted Payge going around a corner and then a shrill scream. I ran in the direction and seen Payge on the ground with a biter trying to get her. I unclipped my knife and kicked it off of her before plunging the knife deep into it's forehead over and over again until it was no longer moving.

"Payge are you alright?" I asked helping her up.

"I'm fine. He didn't get me."

"Where's Matt?" I asked looking around.

"He went that way. I stopped to look at something and when I tried to catch up with him the biter came out of no where." I could see the tears forming in her eyes so I held her close to me.

"What happened?" I looked up to see Matt and the others standing around the biter.

"She was almost bitten by a biter but Blaze got it." Zacky said and I glared at Matt.

"Why didn't you wait for her?"

"I didn't know she stopped. I got up to the front and I was about to say something to her when I heard the scream. I ran over here as fast as I could." Matt explained.

"From now on everyone keeps their eyes on the person they are with. You don't let them go anywhere alone." I let Payge go and she went over to Matt where she cried on his shoulder. I walked back over to where I had left the shopping cart full of our stuff for the camping with Jerry and Zacky following right behind me. I started pushing it up to the front when I spotted the hygiene section. Jerry and Zacky followed right behind me as I went down the isle and grabbed bottle after bottle of shampoo and conditioner plus deoderant.

"Don't grab cologne. That's a dead give away to them." I said and Zacky placed the can of AXE back down on the shelf. Before we left the hygiene section, I grabbed a few bottles of shaving cream and all the packs of razors that were left. We pushed the cart up to the front and went outside with the others and loaded everything into the trunk of out cars. I put the fishing equipment into the back of Jerry's truck.

"So where are we going?"

"A friend of mine who was in the service used to live around here and he said there's a quarry about 3 miles up the road. He used to go there to practice shooting and go hunting and fishing with his dad. We'll try there." I explained and everyone was in agreement but the look on Michelle's face was disgust. I kept quiet as I got into the driver's seat and cranked up the car. Everyone followed behind me as I led them down the road to the quarry.

A graveled up drive came into the view along with a no trespassing sign on a wooden post. I turned into the gravel and followed it. The driveway went around the quarry before ending at the top of a hill where you could see everything. I looked over as I stopped and seen someone standing next to a small fire cooking something. I smiled when I recognized his face. I stepped out of the car and the man stood to his feet.

"Major Rossi!"

"No need for the salute anymore Ranger. How the hell are you doing?" I said giving the man a hug.

"I'm doing better. There's nothing like spending all your time outdoors and killing those infested douchebags."

"Yeah I hear ya. I have some people I want you to meet." I said and I waved the others over.

"This is my husband Zacky Baker and my friend and fellow vetern Jerry Kyltowsky, my sister Payge and her husband Matt Sanders, Brian and Michelle Haner, Johnny Seward and his girlfriend Lacey, and finally this giant of fun is Jimmy Sullivan and his wife Leana." I watched his face change from a smile to utter shock.

"Why didn't you tell me you were married into Avenged Sevenfold?" Ranger said in a slight whisper.

''I wasn't married in the service. I got married a year after I was home."

"I heard about your accident. I tried to get your address from the commanding officer but we were moving around so much I didn't really have time." he said in an apologetic tone.

"It's alright Ranger. So are you out here by yourself?"

"No I have my son. My wife was killed when the outbreak hit. Skyler come out here and say hello!" he yelled and I watched as a boy came out of the tent with a gun strapped to his leg. He couldn't be more that 10 years old.

"Son this is my good friend Blaze Rossi and her husband Zacky."

"So you're the Major my dad talked about all the time. It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am." the boy said shaking my hand.

"It's great to meet you as well. I remember your dad talking about you when you were just a little baby."

"I know I shouldn't be asking this but would you all happen to have some food? We're running low and I haven't been able to make a run into town." Ranger said in asking.

"Of course we have food and you're welcome to have some."

"Thank you. You can set up your tents and maybe later we can sit around the fire and tell old war stories." he said and I laughed while nodding my head. I went over to the car and started pulling out the camping gear and started getting the tent set up.

I was going back over to my car to get the food out of the trunk when I heard whispering. I rounded the car and seen Michelle quietly arguing with Brian.

"Is there a problem here?" I asked curiously. Their head whipped around to me and Michelle cocked her hip to one side and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah there's a problem here. Why aren't we sleeping in cabins on beds? I'm not sleeping on the ground."

"I already told you. Campgrounds mean people and if they've turned into biters then that puts the whole group in danger and besides one cabin won't fit 13 people. If we wanted separate cabins then most likely they wouldn't be all together. We need to stay together." I explained but she rolled her eyes.

"I'm still not sleeping on the ground."

"Alright then while Brian is sleeping in the tent you can stay in the fucking car and keep watch while everyone else is sleeping. The world you know is gone Michelle and it's about time you understood that and accepted it." I said before walking back over to my car and grabbing a box of food from the trunk and going over to the campfire. God I swear she get's on my everlasting nerves lately. She's just another frustration I'm going to have to deal with.