They Walk

Chapter Sixty Nine

As I come back to myself, a weak version of myself, I notice that the man with my mother is already with the others. The men with them seem to be glaring at the one with me, who coughs and shakes himself to stand up straighter.

“Alright princess, get a move on we haven’t got all night. Bip, bip, bip.” The man holding me says loud enough for the others to hear.

He gets me moving again, and before I know it we’re standing beside Gabe and my mother. I watch as the other four men with guns go about searching the car now. I can’t help to feel anger, as I see them taking out my ax and one of them flings it over his shoulder. The men dig through our belongings, and even scavenge around the items in the trunk, which sends Gabe over the edge.

Turning to the man holding him, he says, “Listen you guys can take whatever you want we don’t care. You have to know though, that there are bombs coming in less than a day to wipe out the dead. It’s not safe here anymore.”

The man laughs at him, and it sends the other men chuckling as well.

“Is that so? Well, that is a new one. Forgive me, if I don’t believe you son. And yes thank you, we plan on taking all you have regardless.”

Gabe forces the man back a step, as he turns in his hold and he stare at him intently.

“Listen me, you ingrate, this isn’t a joke! It doesn’t matter what you take from us, because we’ll all be dead tomorrow night after the bombs it. If you want a chance, you have to let us go so we can all get out of here.”

The man just shakes his head, and signals to the other men at the car for something. When the car lights go out, and we’re left standing in the dark, I know we don’t have a chance in hell in getting away. We’re all going to die and there is nothing we can do to stop it. The men regroup then, and they begin walking to the right of the car and towards an entrance of an alley between two buildings.

As we make our way after them and are crossing through the mouth of the alley, I see that there is a school back behind here. I’ve never been to this part of town, but clearly it’s not the best part, as the windows all have bars on them and a chain link fence surround the entire perimeter. Though, in retrospect, it’s the perfect hideout, if you’re a gangster thug, who likes to rough house little girls. So yeah, perfect for these ass hats.

When we finally walk out of the alley and are in a small courtyard, I realize we aren’t the only ones out here anymore. All around us are a handful of the dead, who were rushing the fence. As we get closer though, their attention turns to us, and as they start for us the men immediately fire into them. The dead didn’t even stand a chance, and before I can even take in another breath, our path is cleared and we make our way for a door in the fence.

It seems to be locked with a chain.

But one of the men produces a wicked looking key and opens it up with no problem.

We are guided through the opening, and walk towards the wide steps of the small school building. The fence is relocked behind us, and as we take a step onto the steps and are already going up them, I notice that the sky is already lightning, and it’ll be daylight soon. Knowing we’re running out of time, Gabe takes another chance at getting the men to see reason.

Or so I think, anyways.

“Man, you really need to believe me that the shit is going to hit the fan. I want to see whoever is in charge here, give me a chance to explain.” Gabe pleads.

The man holding him, to his credit, actually comes to a stop and stares intently at Gabe, and for a split second I think he is finally listening to him. But he laughs again, and the other men follow suit.

“Don’t worry pretty boy, you’ll get your chance to see the boss. We got some bargaining to do.”

Not being stupid, I really don’t like the sound of that, what kind of an operation do they have here anyways? I soon find out though, as we approach the school doors and they open the closer we get, I get a good look at its residence. There are a lot of men here similarly dressed to the ones holding us, but these ones don’t have masks on, and I can see how the weeks have been treating them.

Unlike some of the places I’ve been, this one obviously doesn’t have a generator or a supply of food. Everyone looks grungy and ravenous like they haven’t eaten in days. From the hollow looks on their faces, I’m guessing it’s been a while since they ate anything at all.

Once we are inside and walking down the wide corridor, I notice that the place isn’t all men. Standing at the back and hidden amongst them are varying ages of women, who look in worse shape than the men. This doesn’t exactly sit well with me, and I have a really bad feeling, as we’re lead down the hall and I can feel all the eyes of the silent people on me. We come to a stop at a set of double doors, and I know it’s the gym before the doors are even swung open and we’re forced inside.

In the middle of the empty room, is an exact copy of the actor Vin Diesel, I’m not eve kidding. Think about him being in the movie Fast and Furious, how he’s all bulging muscles and a dark attitude and complexion. Yeah, that’s the look the dude in here is giving off, and I almost wish Paul Walker would come moseying into the room with us.

That would be better than what is waiting for us.

The Vin look-a-like just watches us, as we are forced to a stop in the middle of the gym and right in front of him. He doesn’t say anything, just snaps his fingers, and the men around us not holding us, begin to show Vin our booty they stole. He doesn’t show any emotion still, but waves his hand. This must be a signal that he approves of our stuff, and the men take them over to a large rectangular table at the back of the room, that is already fully covered, by the by. When the men come back over to us, I notice they are holding those little plastic ties, you know the ones you can never open without breaking your scissors. They pass them to the men holding onto us, and I know then that we are going to be tied up.

Not good.

Vin smiles at us now, and paces the length of our little group and takes each of us as he does. On the fourth trip, one of the men stops him and hands him over Noah’s car keys. Wow, this day keeps getting better and better. This pleases the man immensely, and he takes up his pacing again as he pockets them. He comes to a stop in front of Gabe suddenly, and the man holding him forces him onto his knees. Gabe, to his credit, remains calm but doesn’t bother to hide his loathing look.

“Let me guess, you’re the leader of your small group? You don’t seem very touch little man, and we should get one thing straight right away. If you go against me, my men will have your women killed. Understand?” He says in a voice that really sounds like Vin Diesel.

Gabe glares up at him.

The men go about tying all of our hands now and one by one we all are on our knees.

“You want to be president, more power to you man. You should know, that your little tyrannical reign is about to have a glitch. The country is being bombed in less than a day, and if we stay here we’re all dead.”

Vin laughs, and looks to his men, who join in on his laughter. He leans over to Gabe, so that their faces are a breath apart.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah it is. Did you not hear the caravan of cars going through here just yesterday? What, you though some people were just grouping together in a vain escape attempt? They. Were. Fleeing.” Gabe seethes as he says this, and I swear he might have spat at Vin.

Vin stands back up straight, and gives Gabe a look of hatred. With a wave of his hand, the man holding Gabe forces him to his feet and Vin steps close to him again.

“You should know, the faster you listen to me, the easier things will be. I don’t tolerate lies, and thieves. Clearly all the items you had on you were all taken from my territory.”

He steps back with a smile, and waves in my direction, and I realize too late that he was motioning for the man holding me. I’m back on my feet now, and I notice the man holding me hands shake. I guess not everybody follows so blindly. He doesn’t let me go though, so maybe they do. Vin walks over to me, all the while giving a scary looking smirk to Gabe.

“I told you before, if you refuse to listen to me, your women will pay the price. Was I not clear?”

I watch as Gabe’s eyes go wide, and he and my parents struggle against their restraints. It doesn’t do any good though; Vin approaches me now and finally gives me the full effect of his seething. He takes me from the man holding me, and while gripping my tied hands together behind my back with one hand, he pulls me close.

With his free hand, he caresses my cheek, and I cringe away from him.

I don’t bother to fight or to say anything, what could I possibly do?

This man looks like the hulk next to me. I hear a loud smacking sound, my head swings to the side and only when my eyes begin to go grey, do I realize that he hit me. My body hangs limply in his arms, and as my world goes dark I don’t even feel any pain, I do hear the cries of the others though. It’s a comforting thought knowing they care.

Then there is nothing…again.