Chapter 12

"Hey, It's time to get up," said Megan, as she touched Amanda's shoulder.

Joe slowly opened his eyes and then he unwrapped his arms to let Amanda go. She rolled off of the bed, stood up, and stretched her muscles. Everyone else was up and they were gathering themselves, and getting ready to leave.

"Alright, let's get out of this place," said DJ, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Even though the people from the hotel were very helpful, they still didn't trust them, and they wanted to get out of there before they decided to turn their hospitality into animosity. They walked out of the room, and they saw that their welcoming hosts were still fast asleep. Quickly and quietly, they walked out of the room, down the stairwell, and down to the first floor.

Cautiously, they walked out of the building with their guns drawn, and they made their way toward the truck. The sun was almost fully risen, and Amanda sighed in relief as they got closer to the vehicle. Quickly, they ran past the chain of mutants, and got in the truck. DJ, Christie, Megan, and Josh got in the backseat while Amanda and Joe got in the front. Amanda started the vehicle, and they drove off.

"At least we got some much needed sleep," Megan stated, as she broke the silence.

"Yeah," Amanda agreed, as she yawned.

"Whoa! What is that?" asked Joe, and everyone looked out of the windshield.

Amanda slowed the truck to a stop, and they all stared in confusion. Seemingly, there was a huge sand dune, and it stretched across the highway.

"Shit!" Amanda said, as she put the gear shift in reverse.

"Guess, since there is no one to maintain the city, mother nature took over," said DJ, and Amanda glanced at him in the rearview mirror.

"We will cut through the side roads until the highway is clear," she said, and DJ nodded.

Amanda pulled off of the highway and she drove out of the city. She found an old country road, and she took that route.

"Not much out here for shelter," said Christie, as she looked out of the window.

As they drove down the road, the houses became fewer and fewer, and then there was nothing but open land and woods for miles.

"Well, we can always rebuild out in the middle of nowhere if California doesn't work out," suggested DJ, and everyone looked at him.

"What?" he asked.

"It's not a bad idea, but we would have to figure out how to get tools and materials out there," said Josh, and DJ gave him a knowing look.

"Trust me, Amanda, Megan and I can come up with some clever ideas," he said with a grin, and Amanda and Megan shook their heads.

"Can I have one of those?" asked Joe, as he pointed to the hair ties that were on the gear shift, and she nodded as she handed him one.

"Thanks," he said, as he pulled his hair back in a bun behind his head.

"Time for a haircut," she teased, and he smiled as he chuckled.

"Never," he said.

Suddenly, Amanda saw a weird looking structure that was just off the road. It was a chain linked fence that was connected to two side by side cliffs. Oddly, she looked at it as she took her foot off of the accelerator, and the truck slowed.

"What is this place?" she asked, as she stared at it through the window.

"I am not sure. Did someone make that?" asked DJ, as he stared at the structure.

"They had to of!" Josh said, as they pulled up in front of the gate, and then she put the truck in park.

"Do you think it's worth checking out?" Megan asked.

"Maybe. There might be supplies in there," said Joe, and Megan looked at him.

"Great thinking," she said, as she grinned at him.

Cautiously, they got out of the vehicle, and they walked towards the gate. At that moment, women stood on the cliff and aimed their guns at them. Amanda and the others looked around, and they put their hands in the air.

"Hold it right there!" said a stern voice, and they all looked at where the voice was coming from.

A heavy-set woman with dirty blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail glared down at them, as Amanda slowly holstered her gun, and she put her hands back up.

"Sorry, we didn't know that anyone was here," she said.

"Well, there is. Now, what can we help you with?" the woman asked, as she suspiciously eyed DJ, Joe, and Josh.

"Well, it is going to get dark soon, and we were looking for a place to hold up for the night," said Megan, as she slowly holstered her gun, and the woman looked at her thoughtfully.

"Maybe we can help you," said the woman, and then she disappeared.

Amanda and Megan looked at each other oddly, and then the gate began to open. The heavy-set woman and three other armed women stepped out towards them.

"You have men with you," stated one of the armed women, and Megan looked at her oddly.

"Yes, this is our team," said Amanda, as she eyed the woman suspiciously.

What did it matter if they had men in their group? She wondered.

"There are only women here in this camp, and it wouldn't be right for us to take in stray men," said the woman, and Amanda looked up at Joe.

"The females may enter the camp, but the men will have to stay out here."

At that moment, Amanda chuckled.

"We don't split our group. Thank you, for your time," said Megan, and she, Josh, Christie, and DJ hoped back in the vehicle.

Amanda looked at Joe, and he nodded. She glanced at the women one last time, and then they opened the door to get back in the truck.

"You know the mutants come out at night," yelled the woman, and Amanda and the others ignored her.

Amanda rolled her eyes, got in the truck and put it in reverse. Suddenly, as she was backing up, one of the women shot at her truck, and Amanda angrily slammed on the brakes. Everyone looked at her with wide eyes, but her attention was asphyxiated on the women standing on the cliffs.

"That bitch just shot at my truck!" Amanda exclaimed, and Megan put her hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Mand. They have more firepower than we do," said DJ.

Angrily, Amanda flipped her truck around and the woman shot at the vehicle again. This angered her even more, as she blew out a breath and she looked at Joe.

"Take the wheel," she said, as she climbed out onto the window frame, and she pulled her rifle with her.

Obediently, Joe slid into the driver's seat, and he pushed his thigh against her legs to hold her, as he grabbed the wheel.

"Bitch, you want to shoot at us," she whispered, as she aimed her weapon, and she saw her target through the sight.

"Got you. Joe, step on it," she said, and Joe stepped on the gas pedal.

Precisely, as they drove away, Amanda aimed and shot three of the women in the head. After they had gotten far enough away, Megan opened the back window, and Amanda handed her the rifle. She then climbed back inside, and she and Joe were face to face for a moment.

"It's all yours," he whispered, and then he scooted over, as she took the wheel back.

"Remind me not to piss you off," laughed Joe, and everyone laughed with him.

"Well, the dumb bitch shouldn't have shot at us as we were leaving," said Amanda, and Megan laughed.

"They got what they deserved. It's weird, though. A camp full of women, and they don't like men. What a bunch of weirdos," said Josh, and Megan nodded as she laughed.

"That place gave me the chills," said Christie, and DJ threw his arm around her.

"Well, you don't have to worry anymore," he said, and she smiled up at him.

"Mayday, mayday! Is there anyone out there? Anyone at all?"

A distressed voice came across the radio, and Joe and Amanda looked at each other as she grabbed it. She didn't say anything, but she pressed the mic button three times.

"Oh, thank god. Someone is alive out there. You must have military experience if you know about the three click signal. Very smart," said the voice, and Amanda rolled her eyes.

"That guy sounds like he is a nerd," snickered Megan, and Joe chuckled.

"This is Corporal Amanda of the Delta-A squadron, and you are?" asked Amanda.

"Oh, please forgive me, I am just so happy to hear someone is alive out there. I am lieutenant Harper of the Navy, and I am north. Far north," said the man, and DJ looked at Amanda.

"That guy must be at a base somewhere," he said, as he thought that the name Harper sounded familiar to him.

"How many of you are there?" Harper asked, and Amanda put the radio to her mouth.

"There are six of us, and we are headed to California. We heard a broadcast that there is a place out there that is free of mutants and infection," she said.

Seemingly, Harper was at a base that was on the north pole. He was part of a special tactics forces unit that monitored any air and land attacks on the country. Quickly, he pulled California up on his computer and his eyes widened. It was a complete mutant wasteland.

"Delta-A, be advised. California is a mutant monstrosity, I am looking at the live satellite feed and I can see a very large ship, and it looks like there are people on board."

"That must be where the broadcast is coming from," said Amanda.

"Okay, then to California it is," said Harper, and then the mic cut out.

"Delta-A, come in," he said, but there was no answer back, just static.

Angrily, he threw his head set, and then he sat back in his chair.

"Stupid apocalypse," he said, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

***************

"Harper, come in," said Amanda, but only static came back on the radio.

Aggravated, she threw the radio in the middle console, and she sighed. Noticeably, the sun was beginning to set, and the sky was getting darker. They passed a few houses, and then Megan sighed, as she looked out of the window.

"We need to stop at one of these houses, the next time we see one," she said, and Amanda nodded.

Suddenly, Joe saw a sign, and he pointed to it.

"Look, there is a town about five miles ahead," he said.

Amanda nodded, as she pushed her foot on the accelerator, and sped up. Towns and cities meant mutations, but she hoped that they would be able to find a safe, mutant free place to stay for the night. Surprisingly, as they drove into the town, there were people walking around. There was a small strip mall with a movie theater in it, and a small diner across from it on the other side of the street.

"What in the world?" asked DJ, as they all looked around in confusion, and Amanda slowed the truck down to a crawl.

"It's like they don't even know that the world has gone to shit," stated Christie, as Amanda stopped the truck, and she and Megan got out.

"Stay here, we will see what is going on," Amanda said to Joe and DJ, and they nodded as she closed the door.

At that moment, a woman came running up to them, and she had a grateful look on her face.

"Oh, thank god. The military has arrived. Are you here to take us somewhere safe?" she asked, nervously.

Amanda and Megan looked at each other and then they looked back at the woman.

"Yes, we are military, but we weren't sent here to rescue anybody," said Amanda, and the woman hung her head.

"They said on the radio that the military was going to come and take us to safety," she said, sadly, and Megan looked at her oddly.

"Why is everyone walking around unarmed, and it's about to be nightfall? Do you have any mutations here?" she asked, and the woman shook her head.

"We haven't seen anyone since the apocalypse started. We make everything on our own, so we don't have a lot of outside travel," she said, and Megan nodded.

"We are just passing through, and we are looking for a place to rest for the night," Amanda said, and the woman only nodded, as she pointed to a building on the corner of the next street.

"It's an old Inn," she said, and Amanda nodded as she placed her hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Thank you, and we are truly sorry, but I don't think there is anyone coming. Everything we have encountered has been nothing but death and destruction. We can show you ways to protect your town," she said, and the woman nodded, sadly, as she walked away.

Amanda and Megan looked at each other, as they walked back to the truck and got in.

"We have a place to crash for the night," said Amanda, and she slowly drove down the street to the Inn.

She parked the truck, and they all got out. The Inn was a white, old two story building, and the inside looked very antique with the wooden couches and cushions on the seats.

"Hello, welcome to the Old Inn, we don't get many visitors," said an older woman from behind the checkout counter.

"We are looking for a place to crash for the night," said Joe, and the older woman looked up at him.

The woman had curly gray hair that sat at the top of her head, and she had thick black-rimmed glasses on her face. She looked like she was someone's beloved grandmother.

"Sure, it is twenty-eight dollars per room, with a ten dollar cleaning fee," she said, with a smile, and DJ looked at her oddly.

"You are still using money after all this time?" he asked, and the woman smiled at him, uneasily.

"I am not sure where you come from, young man, but yes, in America, we use money," she stated, and DJ looked at her oddly.

Suddenly, they heard screaming coming from outside, and they looked out of the front window. Heavily, Amanda sighed at the sight. Horrified, they watched as the disgusting, mutated creatures staggered after the townspeople that were out on the streets. Nervously, DJ looked at Amanda and Megan with wide eyes, as he swallowed hard.

"We have a little problem," he blurted, and Amanda threw her hands in the air.

"When don't we?" she asked, as she pulled her gun out of its holster.

"What's going on?" asked the woman, nervously.

"Just stay here, and keep quiet," said Megan, as they all pulled their guns, and headed out into the street.

********************

Amanda's eyes widened as she began to shoot the hideous creatures. There were so many of them in the streets, and there was a hoard coming from the way that they had come into the town. It was too many at once to help defend the poor town, and Amanda sighed heavily.

"Get to the truck, now!" stated Amanda, and DJ, Christie, Josh, Megan, and Joe began backing toward the vehicle.

"Why are there so many of them? Where did they come from?" Megan asked, as they all piled in.

"I don't know, but we have to get out of here," said Amanda, as she started the truck, and slammed on the gas.

As they drove out of the small defenseless town, they saw that people were trying to run after them, but Amanda stepped on the gas even harder.