Frustration is a constant companion

Well, it was a trap, kind of.
The streets were chocked with the ’dead. Getting to what amounted to be the center of town was not easy. We didn’t have enough ammo to clean out the town and the vans were not going to be able to crush our way there. Our radios cleared up for a while as it just kept pouring down the rain with very little lightning. Maria was telling us they called out again, but must not be able to receive, as here responses went unanswered.

Kelly (with his Southern draw sounds like Killee), who was driving said this feels like a trap. John in the back of this van echoed his words and my thoughts. I radioed to the second van to Peter, Jake and Ellien to get their vote on packing it in or not. We were a good 4 blocks away from the Bank and the streets literally crawling with zombies. That’s when the gunfire started. The vans’ windows blew out all around us, the tell tale scrape and scream of tortured metal told us we were under fire.
Now here were our choices, stay in the big targets or try to get out on foot. Neither which are great choices. Kelly spun the van in a circle on the slick street and pushed the old Ford’s engine for all it was worth. Sparks flew from nearby cars and chunks of pavement tore up around us as we motivated the result of automatic weapon fire.

The van following us had a worse time of it, several large holes in the grille and blood splattered windshield. John is yelling now he sees where they are and opens up on the roof tops about a block behind us. Kelly slides the van to a stop behind the other van and I jump out into the pouring rain to rip open the back door on the other van. Jake jumps out carrying Eillen who has a bloody head and deftly maneuvers them both inside our now windowless van. Peter lays slumped across the wheel, blood pooling over the dash. I move in to pull him out when Jake is yelling that he is dead. Bullets splang off of the metal of the van, return fire from John is joined in by fire from Jake at the back of our van. I reach in, grab Peter and drag him between the seats out onto the pavement. Grunting with the effort I toss Peter’s body into the van as a bullet slams the door next to my head, fragments of steel burn as they hit my face. All the while Kelly is screaming at me to get inside. The zombies smelling blood and hearing the noise start to close in on us. I jump in and didn’t have the door shut before we are careening down the street again. We turn the block and we are out of range and sight of the bandits who laid the trap.

I move up to the front seat again, and stare out into the rain which is blasting into the whole that was once our windshield. Peter at least won’t be coming back; he took a round in the forehead. Kelly is mumbling to himself about never volunteering again, I second the thought for a moment, but then I think if we just all gave up, then where would we be? Eileen is staring in shock at Peter’s body I notice when I turn around again to look over our group. Could have been worse I guess. John is reloading his rifle while Jake looks at a still staring Eileen’s head wound. Just a graze, bleeding will stop in a minute or so with a compression bandage Jake is administering. Damn this sucks. Like the world isn’t screwed up enough?

We meet the convoy along the road and I give my report to the Major. Nothing I could have done better he says. I want to take the APV back and root out these bastards, but the Major says we cannot delay and it could be a bigger trap waiting on us if we go back. He’s right. I just am pissed. We wrap up Peter in a canvas tarp and place him in one of the supply trucks. Eillen is still in shock but not bleeding anymore. Jake informs me her and Peter had a thing going. I didn’t know that. I am not much of a leader if I miss things like that. Jake claps me on the shoulder and walks away saying I did all that I could. Doesn’t feel that way to me. One of my crew is dead. I write this out in bitter frustration and if the bandits that did this can read this. I will be back. There are worse things than the zombies out there. Count on it.
Over.

Real MayDay

Well, just like the military, hurry up and wait. We were packed long before midnight but told to stand down until the morning. Another fitful night cramped up in the APV. Nothing like being stuck in a METAL box during a thunderstorm. Lightning flashing down all around you. Luckily base camp is in an abandoned barn just east of Lexington, all the trucks are pulled inside out of the weather.

The storms are making radio communications, especially the short wave, very erratic. We heard that someone had taken the 'castle' and fortified it further. For those not around here it is an honest to goodness modern built castle out near the airport. Something about this just warms my heart knowing it is finally being used for it's intended purpose. We made contact with them and they seem to be a wee bit paranoid about others, and can't say I blame them. Maybe if we ever get time to come up here again we could meet up with them. The Major says we don't have the time or resources to go gallivanting around the country. I guess it's my geek-ness showing through. They seem okay at the moment and I really would love to get back home.

We finally were on the road about at about 1120 hours and we have finally made our way back to route 27 to head home when the radio man, er, sorry radio PERSON, Maria, caught something through the static. The gist of it is this; Someone is calling for help in Nicholasville. Said there are 2 families trapped in the Farmers Bank on Main street.
Now Nicholasville is not a real large town (at least where I am from) but a fair size one for this area, and was densely populated. Which means one thing; A lot of Z in the town.

The Major just asked for volunteers. I said I would go, and five others from my crew said they would too. Watson told me under his breath it seems like a trap. I said I got that feeling too, but we are not taking the whole convoy into town, so if it is, they won't be getting much. We stopped in the pouring rain long enough to find two vans along the road. With Watson's help and a jump start both vans came to life. We checked the fuel situation and they both have more than enough to run a few miles into town and meet back up with the convoy on 27 to the South.

Since I do not know the town well enough I get to be shotgun. Fine by me, although the rain seems to be increasing in intensity again. Check list time; Let's see, AR-15, 10 mags of ammo, 9mm, 4 mags of ammo, no holes in the body armor, and a sunny disposition. Yeah, I am all set.
Got to put down the NetBook in the APV. Will report back later, I hope.
Over.