A Rational Zombie

Chapter 57

Its been six days since Ive proposed my plan to Matt. Im afraid its worthless now. What are the chances well be able to find the infected leader now that six days have gone by? I was planning on heading back to the ranger station to look for its tracks. A herd of that many infected would leave behind a lot of traces. It didnt rain or snow, so the tracks should still be in place. But thats not the issue. The longer we wait, the further itll have traveled. The further it travels, the more food well need, and the more amount of time wed spend away from the Breakfast in Bed. Sleeping outside with predators around, it wears down on a man psychologically. Buildings are safe. Beds are safe. No one wants to sleep out in the open to hunt down a threat that may or may not exist.

Bern, you still with us?

Matts voice came from the other side of the door. They didnt tie me up, but the door is locked from the other side. Even if I did turn into an infected, they wouldnt be daunted. When youre wearing thick clothes that are nearly impossible to bite through, an unarmed infected isnt scary at all. You can let it grab and bite your arm to steady its head, then plunge a knife through its eye. Yes, Im still here.

The door swung open. Matt paused in the hallway, inspecting me before letting out a breath. Then he stepped inside, bringing with him a tray of food. Todays your last day of quarantine.

The tray didnt have much: a can of peaches, a bottle of water, scrambled eggs. The people here are raising chickens, another reason why they cant leave the place alone for a week to go hunting for a smart infected. Any news on the herd?

Joey hasnt heard anything on the radio about it. Theres only been a few things, Matt said, setting the tray down on the sliding bedtable. He took a seat on the edge of the bed. The Truck Stop spotted a herd of deer heading south. Matt took off his helmet and scratched his head. What else was there? I think the Fortress was sending out a group of ten hunters east towards the city; they wanted to raid a pharmacy I believe. Oh! The Lake House lost their goats. There were cat prints around; they suspect it was a lynx or bobcat.

There really wasnt anything about the herd? A herd of two hundred infected. Its hard to believe no ones spotted it. Did it not leave the ranger station? Or it couldve left, heading back in the direction of the Log Cabins. There arent anymore camps heading east. If the herd went any other direction, someones bound to have noticed. Would it really head back to the Log Cabins?

Matt shook his head. Nothing. Its like it vanished. Matt grinned. Didnt you have a bunch of tripwires and noose traps? Maybe you caught them all as they were leaving.

I dont believe it. While I was fleeing, I hadnt seen a single noose trap in the forest. I set up a lot of them, but it was as if someone took them all down. The infected herd had wooden stakes tied to their hands with rope; I suspect it was the rope from my traps. Theres no way that herd died to the tripwires I had lying around, and they were even less likely to die from the caltrops. Its easier to believe that the herd went east again.

Matt shrugged. So whats your plan? Still thinking of killing the smart one?

Ideally. I nodded. The scrambled eggs were bland, lacking salt. I was thinking of going back to the ranger station. If the infected herd is still there, Ill kill it. If it left, Ill track the way it went. If it went east, Ill loot the ranger station and come back. If it went any other direction, Ill track it down.

Youre holding a pretty big grudge, huh? Matt asked and frowned. Are you planning on rebuilding the station? Or are you going to integrate with our group?

I suppose thatll depend on how much damage has been done to the place. But you know fixing a place isnt the hardest part of running a camp. Without anyone else, I dont think I can bring it back to its former glory. Ill probably join your group, if youll have me, of course.

Matt chuckled. Who wouldnt want a wise old man? Ill send some hunters with you to the ranger station. Having more supplies cant hurt.

Having people come with me, even if its not the whole camp, is reassuring. A herd of infected that large cant move very fast. It took me a couple of days to get here, traveling at full speed. Im not the fastest around, but Im still spry enough to compete with others despite my age. Even if six days have passed, Im not sure if thats enough time for the herd to have made contact with any camp even if they headed in the right direction. But its hard to believe a hunter hasnt seen it and radioed back in to their home to let them know.

If, by chance, the herd happens to be heading west, towards us, we wouldnt know. The hunters here dont travel far to look for food, only setting a few noose traps here and there for rabbits. They have chickens that lay eggs and a few butchered deer preserved for the winter. If I encounter the herd with the hunters while heading to the ranger station, thats the worst-case scenario. Out in the open with no fortifications, well get overrun. But if we run fast enough and escape back here, therell be a chance to fight back. But the Breakfast in Bed isnt as fortified as my place was. Even if we do make it back here, isnt that just asking for this place to be destroyed? But the thing is, if the herd is heading west, itll end up here sooner or later. Its better to find out earlier, so at least some preparations can be made.