Wild Desperation

Chapter 41

                                       Sang

The next morning I woke up to find the boys already gathering our things together to head out. We all ate a quick breakfast as I gave some jerky to Arrow then we were carefully making our way out of the building and heading to collect our missing party members. Nightmare was easy enough to find and seemed happy to see me after the long night in town, I was quick to mount up as we headed towards West Ashley Park to round up the goats. It didn't take long for them to come running out to meet us as I handed out a treat of a small piece of an overly ripe apple to each of them. 

"So where is this compound based out of again?" I quizzed the boys as I glanced around the group. "Well it's actually out of an old tourist attraction called Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, but it's probably better if you see for yourself how great of a place it really is." Kota stated I could hear just the tiniest bit of pride and awe in his voice. "If it's so great then why did you boys ever leave it?" I quiz curiously but I can't help wondering if I should have opened my mouth by the frowns on their faces. 

"It's a little complicated but the compound has radios that keep in contact with outside communities like ours. When a distress signal was received and communication with that community couldn't be retrieved we were sent to investigate since we are one of the larger teams and since it was so far away." Kota explains slowly. "How far?" I ask curiously to his sigh. "The signal came from a community set up in Indianapolis but by the time we got there nothing was left." Owen states coldly. "The entire place had been burned down and destroyed, we couldn't find any survivors." Victor whispers sadly, my chest clenches at the pain in his voice. 

"We don't even know what really happened to them." Nate shook his head with a sad frown. "I have a few ideas about what might have happened, did you know of any other compounds or communities near where they were based?" I voice cautiously so I don't put them on the defensive at my question. "Yeah there were a few small ones further away, plus one of almost equal size and strength that was closer than the others, but still it wasn't like they were next door neighbors." Kota said uncertainty coating his words. "It wouldn't have to be, they call it gleaning or at least that's what I heard it called, really it's just a glorified term for join us or die." I spit out bitterly as the boys look to me in question.

 "What do you know about it, what do you mean?" North grunted out roughly. "Well it's pretty simple with how limited resources can be people do some pretty desperate things. The town I lived near had a fairly large compound and I would keep tabs on them when I had the time, I never let them catch me though." I start unsure how to explain something I'd learned so long ago. "I was spying on them one time when I heard them talking about a gleaning, apparently another large compound had strayed too close to their boundaries and had to be taken care of. I didn't witness what happened but I got enough of an understanding from what they said, they attacked and once they had them in a surrender they gave them a choice." I murmur softly, many of the boys tense at my tone.

"They could either join the compound that had just attacked and killed some of their family and friends or die, not many were willing to join the enemy." I shake my head sadly. "But why f***ing attack them in the first place?!" Gabe growled out. "If you don't have anyone to help you find safe meat to eat your resources dwindle down to whatever aquatic life and vegetation is edible in the area, plus whatever resources are leftover from before the outbreak. The simple fact is that when two large communities are relying on the same resources they don't last long so something has to give and in most cases that means killing the opposition." I state sadly. "You sure know plenty about it." Nate muttered.