An Alternate Version

Chapter 16: Departure

When Kevin arrived at the inner wall, the crane operator had noticed the flag flying at the Governor's house and positioned a ramp on the inner wall. Kevin quickly climbed the fire escape style ladders to the top and hurried down the ramp.

George and Isabella, having already used the ramp, crossed the space between the walls, and climbed the ladders on the outer wall, waved encouragingly to him.

Kevin was breathing hard but redoubled his efforts and started the climb on the outer wall ladders. When Kevin neared the top, the crane operator moved the ramp from the inner wall to the outer one, allowing him an easy walk down to the ground outside the city. The ramp lifted up again after Kevin stepped off, ending all possibility of anyone entering or leaving Walton as long as the zombie threat endured. The city was now isolated but safe.

"This bag is heavy," Kevin said, setting it down and flexing his muscles where the strap had dug into his shoulder.

"What's in it?" Isabella asked.

"Weapons, ammunition, and equipment Walton wouldn't need any more," Kevin answered. "Consider it a parting gift from the Governor in regret for being unable to let us stay."

"Let's see what's in here," George said, opening the bag and digging through the contents.

"Where do we go from here?" Isabella questioned.

"George and I came up with an idea last night about throwing a net over a forest or jungle," Kevin answered while breathing deeply, trying to recover from sprinting across the width of Walton twice and jogging across it once while carrying a heavy bag of supplies. "We could establish a safe haven in the treetops, out of reach of the undead."

"Sounds interesting," Isabella complimented.

"A military base is around here somewhere," Kevin continued. "The map the Governor provided is in the bag and shows its location, and if it's not infested with undead or scavengers, we might be able to find what we need."

"Hello," George said admiringly as he pulled out a katana from the bag. "This is a sword, the best ever made."

"I think you're about to get a chance to test it," Isabella commented, pointing to something behind him.

George turned and saw twelve zombies slowly moving around the curve of the wall, looking for an entrance. George set down the pack he carried and unsheathed the Japanese blade, holding up the curved weapon. The gleaming metal flashed in the sun like a mirror. "Let me show you something about superior craftsmanship."

George walked calmly toward the approaching zombies. The first one reached out toward him, making a low moan as its desiccated lungs sucked in a partial breath of air. With a two handed grip on the sword, George used a single pass of blade and neatly removed the zombie's head from its shoulders.

Continuing his momentum, George took a step forward and spun. The sword followed his arms and downed a second zombie. The sunlight reflecting off the blade caused lighting intense flashes as George mowed through all twelve of the leading elements of the undead horde in mere seconds.

Seeing George so swiftly cut down the undead reminded Kevin of the unease he'd felt when first meeting the priest. The man was a natural with a blade, and the weapon moved as if it were a part of him. Although it wasn't impossible for a priest to be a skilled fighter, it was unusual, and Kevin made a mental note to keep a closer eye on George.

Despite the dozen undead returned to the ground, more followed slowly in their wake, and a darting glance in the opposing direction found them approaching from both sides.

"Time to go!" Kevin declared, picking up the heavy bag of supplies. He and Isabella hurried away from the wall, and George scooped up his dropped pack as he rushed to join them.

The three survivors moved quickly to put some distance between themselves and the wall of Walton, taking cover among the many trees of the surrounding forest. The undead, having not noticed their departure, ignored the trio and concentrated on their searching of the wall for an entrance, their decayed hands scratching at the metal as if seeking a hidden door.

"Where to from here?" Isabella whispered, not wanting to give away their position by speaking too loud.

Kevin reached into the side pocket of the bag and pulled out the map Clark had given to him. Spreading the document out, he held it in such a manner George and Isabella could both get a good look at it.

"We're here," George said, pointing to Walton's western border. He traced his finger along the map toward the military base to the south. "Oh no."

"What is it?" Isabella inquired.

"There's a scavenger base between here and there," Kevin explained. "We'll have to go around."

"If the scavengers have a base between here and the military outpost, what are the chances they've already taken what we need?" Isabella asked.

"It's certainly not good," George admitted. "But, I don't see any other choice. It's our best option."

"More like our only option," Kevin corrected. "You said it yourself last night. The undead from the east are surrounding Walton, how long until the zombies from the west show up? We're being squeezed in the middle. We have to take a chance and get in there while we still have the option."

"Alright," George agreed. "I'll take point, and give me some of those guns; it'll lighten your load."

Kevin opened the bag and transferred some weapons and ammunition to George's pack to more evenly distribute the weight between them.

As they prepared to leave, they glanced back toward Walton and the undead surrounding it. The sight resembled an ocean wave in slow motion, gradually moving to surround a rock on the beach until it was completely enveloped. With their attention so focused on the city, neither Kevin, George, nor Isabella noticed the scavengers watching them from a nearby hill, and they didn't see the savages as they began moving closer.