Survivor Steve

Taxed Survivors

I immediately didn't trust them, and I didn't want my friends to get in trouble, so I decided to run.

"Pretend you don't know me!" I whispered to McKenna, who nodded. I pulled my hat low and covered my face with my bandana before grabbing my gun and running. I heard a gun discharge and bullets hitting the ground behind me and I thought, I'm gonna die. But I managed to turn around a corner before they could hit me, and with any luck, they wouldn't follow. I came around the back of the gym and looked for a place to climb up to the roof. I wanted to make sure nothing went wrong. I found a pipe that went up and climbed up it after putting my gun away. After that it was pretty easy to get up on top and crouched behind a low wall. I heard car doors open and close as the men got out of their cars.

"Where's the gun?" one of them said.

"There was this guy who came with it and ran off when you came," McKenna said.

"You will call me sir," the man said menacingly.

"Yes sir," McKenna said begrudgingly.

"Fine. If you see him again, kill him. And your tax is due in a week," the man said. I heard a car door opening.

"How do you expect us to get you that? It's only been 2 weeks!" McKenna yelled. I heard the car door close and the car drive away, so I knew there was no answer. I waited for the cars to fade into the distance before returning to taking care of Tim's wound. I finally finished and helped put him on a stretcher before turning to McKenna quizzically.

"You pay taxes?" I asked.

"We had no choice! They threatened to kidnap one of us for every day we don't pay when it's due!" McKenna said frustrated.

"What do you have to pay?" I asked, more kindly this time.

"Food. They demanded a part of our crop," Katie said, who had walked up and stood next to McKenna.

"Oh, and this crop isn't ready for a while is it?" I said, realizing the problem.

"That or our own stores, which are already running low," McKenna said. I stood and thought for a moment.

"How far have you salvaged?" I asked.

"About a 1 mile radius I think," McKenna said.

"Hmm. How's the area by my old house?" I asked.

"It's a zombie zone," Katie said.

"Good. Is it alright if I take a team of four, travel there, gathering all the food I can, then come back in say 3 days?" I asked McKenna.

"I don't mind, but you'll have to find volunteers," she said.

"Excellent," I said with a grin.