Tech: Zombie Effect Chapter 14

Title: Tech: Zombie Effect chapter 14
POV: Logan


As soon as both men were safely in, Robert held out a small handgun with a strange metal tube on it. “I let them go in peace. By the way, you have to shoot them in the head.”

Great, Logan thought. He could barely hit a tree. Now he’d be expected to shoot someone in the head. Starting the truck, he looked at Robert. “When we get home, I want to write all this down. I’ve got a feeling I’m going to need to do some studying. My master’s degree in biology didn’t prepare me for the apocalypse.”

“Your degree in biology may come in handy to end all this, but for the here and now, yeah, you got some stuff to learn,” Robert agreed.

“You want me to circle back so you can get your Jeep?”

“Naw, leavin’ it here is probably for the best. That way no one knows I’m hanging at your place. We can get your place secure.”

Logan squinted through the windshield. The darkness seemed overwhelming. The clouds that had spit snow all day long hung around obscuring the stars and the small sliver of moon. He was keeping an eye out for deer and any wandering people. “Secure how?”

“Well, I’ll need to get a good look around tomorrow. I just saw a bit of your backyard and just your kitchen. But just off the top of my head, I’m thinking a fence needs to be built.”

Robert talking about just seeing the backyard and kitchen drove home to Logan all that had happened in less than 24 hours. Breaking into the farm and home store, Carter shooting off the tip of his finger, and getting the supplies from Robert's house. Suddenly, Logan felt exhaustion overwhelm him. “Can it wait until tomorrow? I’m beyond exhausted. I’d like to just grab Carter and fall into bed.”

“Agreed. A good night’s sleep is what we all need. The next few days are going to be a test of strength for us all. Just getting the materials to fortify your place could be hard. We’ll need someone on the look out for these zombies as well as other survivors wanting to get the same materials.”

Logan took his eyes off the dark road for a moment to glance at Robert. “I want us to be safe. I want our home to be a sanctuary. But other’s will want that too. I don’t want to be an asshole and not let other people get what they need.”

“Eyes on the road!” Robert barked.

Turning back to the windshield, Logan jerked the wheel to the right. He’d gone over the center line and was driving down the middle of the road. “Sorry.”

“I didn’t just escape some zombies to be killed in a car crash. Just be careful,” Robert groused. “Listen, I won’t take from other survivors, but I’m damn sure not going to let anyone take from me either. Morals change when people become desperate. A sweet, lil grandma can become the angel of death when protecting her family. We just have to be extra cautious.”

Logan thought on Robert’s words. People did lose their morals when they become desperate. His own morals had started to change when he first learn of what was happening. He didn’t warn anyone else. Instead, he made sure he and Carter were prepared. He didn’t tell anyone else in the lab or the company. As everyone else who did know died, Logan became even more guarded. With a sigh, he agreed with the old army man. “Yeah. We’ll be extra cautious. Get the house safe and then we’ll be in a position to help others.”

The old farmhouse he and Carter lived at came into to view, Logan felt all the adrenaline fade away. All he wanted to do was fall in bed and sleep this nightmare away. Turning into the driveway, he noticed the kitchen light was on. “Carter waited up. He’ll be just as exhausted as we are. The gunshot wound will have taken its toll on him.”

“Hopefully, he’ll have a cup of coffee waiting for us.”

Logan doubted that Carter would have made a pot of coffee, but he didn’t want to say anything to Robert. His voice had been full of hope. “Well, if not, you can make one. We’ve plenty of coffee. I made sure to stock up on the essentials.”

Throwing the truck in park and turning off the engine, Logan said, “Let’s throw a tarp over the stuff in the back and unload in the morning.”

“I’d rather not do that. I want to make sure it’s safe. A tarp won’t keep anyone looking to steal whatever they can get.”

With a sigh, Logan got out of the truck. Robert was right. They need to make sure their supplies were always under lock and key. “Let’s put it all in the barn. There’s a pretty sturdy chain and lock on it. We can sort it all out tomorrow and get organized.”

Although he wasn’t a gym-rat, Logan thought he was in pretty good shape, but Robert carried twice as much as he did. He shook his head as he noticed Robert also made twice as many trips back and forth from the truck and the barn. When the last of the supplies were in the barn, Logan wrapped the chain around the metal door handles and attached the lock.

“I think you need a key to this too. I should have the spare somewhere in the junk drawer. As much as I want to get to bed, I dig through it tonight and get it to you,” Logan said as they walked to the house.

“Good idea. Maybe if it’s the right kind of lock, we can scrounge up some metal and make a couple more. At least one more for your guy.”

Logan nodded even though he had no idea how to make a key. He had no doubt Robert would figure something out. It was a godsend that they were becoming friends. The older man had a lot of knowledge of basic survival. Together they’d work on getting the place set up and then bring in other survivors who had other skills. That might be a week or even more.

Stepping into the kitchen, Logan changed his mind. It might be tonight they bring in someone else. There at the table sat a woman. A woman with a bloodied lip and a black eye.

“Here we go. I found our first aid kit. We’ll get you-oh! Logan. You’re back.” Carter came to a complete stop when he saw Logan.

“Yeah. We’re back. Care to explain?”

On to Chapter 15