Both Ivan and Vee sat in the van quiet. Ivan had pulled down a hanging bed and laid down. Vee sat nervous, but comfortable in another bed that was hanging on the opposite side. She looked over at Ivan, surprised that he could sleep in this van. Looking around she studied what was around in this small space. The shelves on top had supplies and some food. Weapons were in the front area of the van, with what looked like plenty of ammo. There was a small lantern burning now to light the van up. She had a small cup of water and was slowly sipping at it. The inside of the van was not made like the inside of any car. It was vacant of any seats, or even dashes and handles for doors. The only way in was the rear opening doors? The outside looked as though it was a van, but the inside very different. It maximized the space and allowed for plenty of room to move. This felt more like a bunker than any car Vee had ever been in.
“You know your awakness is keeping me awake”, said Ivan. Vee said, “Sorry, I feel like there right outside trying to get in.” “For someone that was so stoic out there, here you’re showing me someone else”, said Ivan. “Yeah, well out there, that had a plan, something I could follow. Now I’m lost and don’t know what to do”, she said. “Well for one thing, get some rest and be ready to move out late tomorrow”, said Ivan. “And what else”, she asked? “Not now, now sleep”, said Ivan. “Look I’m not going to sleep, so what else”, she said. “Fine”, said Ivan letting out a breath of irritation and rolling over to talk. “So what plan, why were you out there”, asked Ivan? “I was expecting this, but as we were leaving”, said Vee. “Why do I feel like I should know what’s happening? Your talking as if I’m a part of the plan that you seemed to have concocted with someone”, said Ivan. She smiled unhappily. “Hah”, said Ivan. “What”, she asked? “Whatever this plan was, you thought I was a part of it. You came out here blind”, said Ivan. She smiled with tears in her eyes, “It appears so. I don’t know why I came out here. I don’t know why I thought I could do this.” “Well, I’m sorry, and I know that is something big for you, but for me not so”, he said. “Thanks”, she said. “Look I don’t know you, or where you’re from, but apparently someone does know my location, and from the tale you are telling me I really don’t want someone of his caliber knowing about me.”
Vee sat straight up eyes wide. “So I now going to tell you something. Someone shows up looking for me, that means something. You’re not a friend, as I don’t have any. So I should consider you an enemy”, he said leaning over to her. She tensed up fearing what was about to happen. Ivan reached out and then under her bed. He pulled out canned fruit, and then sat back using his knife to pop it open. “You shouldn’t be so nervous around me. I’m the one that saved you, and brought you here. If I wanted you dead, all I had to do was sit back and watch. You were calling in death.” She sat silent not wanting to talk. “You seem smart enough, well not out here”, said Ivan waving his hand about. “I’m not field experienced as they would say. I know my way around our facility, and do well there, but out here, I’m nothing”, she said. “That’s no joke. You know guns, but survival out here is better left with no guns, except in desperation, or if a plans calls for them. A blade is quiet and doesn’t need to be reloaded. Sharpening yes, but for them out there, even a dull blade cuts”, he said. She didn’t say anything. “So it’s your turn. Who are you, and who supposedly sent you”, asked Ivan as he grabbed another can and popped it open, then handing it to Vee. She grabbed it, “Thanks, I’m Victoria Gladwell, and I’m from a region far north. Our company leader is Bradley Clifton. He is ex-military and has few people from that back ground with him. I’m a scientist in biology. We had a community formed after all hell broke loose. We were just surviving when Bradley showed up. We got stronger and started to thrive actually. Soon we created a fortress and so on, but soon things got bad as we got larger from more people finding us and joining”, she said. “Yeah, that’s how it was in the beginning. Supplies were there to be found in old stores and such, but soon that all ran out and as it did, things started to happen, a second apocalypse as to speak. Let me guess a horde showed up and no one could leave for supplies and such. You weren’t prepared for being cut off from the outside world. People had gotten to use to having things handed to them, and with generations not trained to live on their own. Survival was not there. So then you had mass moving’s, and so mass death once more. The zombies are slow and easy to get away from, so to speak. High enough wall and you’re good but if a horde hits you. Those wall becomes a prison for you, and eventually supplies run out and people die”, said Ivan.
“Speaking from experience”, Vee asked? “Speaking about a lot of things, you have more to talk about”, he said. “Well anyways, our fortress started to become a prison. More and more zombies started to show up. Bradley didn’t want to abandon the fortress, but we were running out of supplies. Finally it was coming to a breaking point. He had no choice he finally sent people out to scout the surrounding area. We lost a few lives in the attempt to get out. I begged Bradley to leave the fort and we just abandon it but, he refused whole heartedly. Even his men wouldn’t listen”, Vee said.
“So we waited on the scouts to come back, some did, and some didn’t. There was a couple that came back and said that they found something. One told of a place that had more people gathered and that their supplies were in good shape, but they weren’t large enough to support our group. The other told of a location that was not heavy in traffic, many zombies and other monsters. The city was actually pretty quiet and abandoned”, she said. “Well I wonder where that might be”, Ivan said,
“Question, as a biologist, what do you do to help? I mean why are you so important to Bradley, because it wasn’t your fighting survival skills?” “I studied the zombies, and was trying to break down what was causing them to be here. He wanted me to figure out how they worked and if there was a way to control them. From what I could tell they seemed linked in some way or another. I don’t know how they were linked, but I know they were. Bradley found that to be my most important job, but I had hit a dead end and couldn’t find anything else. I gave up mainly because things were getting to bad to do anything else”, she said, “One day though we got supplies. Bradley said it was from the village not too far from here, but from what the scout had said it looked as though it was everything they had.” It didn’t take long and we started to be right back where we were. Then things got worse. People started to disappear. At first we all thought they were just leaving, until I saw what was going on. Bradley and his men were taking people and using them as bait for the horde of zombies to open up a hole and escape for more supplies. He was killing people off, then he would say that they left. I knew better. I wanted to say something but knew that it would be my death if I did. I needed help, we needed help. So, it was me that decided to get out and get help. Some people helped me and sacrificed themselves to get me out. That’s why if I go back alone, I’m going to die anyways, that’s going to happen after all”, said Vee.
“So it’s not me you’re looking for, but this place”, said Ivan. “Yes, I was hoping for a group of people to help us. No one knows you are here or anything”, she said. “Why not go to the other village and get help there. They had supplies and would probably be able to help ease the zombie hordes there”, asked Ivan? “Hah, Bradley went to them. He killed them all, took the supplies and didn’t think twice about it. It was the first place I went to and found out what happened there. He didn’t tell anyone this, but I found out. I was afraid he was going to kill me if I came back”, she said tears in her eyes. “Well I can tell you a few things. First Bradley has lost his mind”, he said and she laughed ironically, “Second he knows you left, I’m sure of it, and doesn’t care. I bet he’s going to start killing off the people there if he hasn’t already. You said that some people already started to disappear, then he can do it again and probably without even hiding it. He’ll reduce the numbers to a more manageable number, but that won’t stop things. He’ll keep on killing. He’s going to use them, he’ll sacrifice every one of them to get that horde out of there and start a new.”
“Those people, my friends. We can’t let them die”, said Vee. “We”, asked Ivan, “And exactly why should I get involved in this fruit cake of a disaster?” “You would stand by and let this happen”, asked Vee? “No, more than likely stand a little, sit a little, and lay down a little”, said Ivan, “I mean come on. I don’t know you or your people. I’m living quiet well here and I’m fine with that.” Vee looked at him angrily. She wanted to say something but didn’t know what to say. “Look you all decided to follow this man, and now he’s leading you all to hell. I would say get out, but hell is outside your gates, from what you’re telling me.” ”We are all damned as it is, look at this world”, said Vee. “I have to ask since we are here. What is so goddamned important about this place anyways? Why does Bradley not want to leave it, and is willing to kill for it”, Ivan asked? “What do you mean”, she asked? “He’s gone mad, that’s for sure, but there is also an underlining reason there”, said Ivan. “I don’t Know”, said Vee. “Oh come on, this man is killing people, and the resources are completely gone. What the hell is keeping him there, madness”, he said? “Madness yes, and the fact that he has control there”, said Vee. “No, there’s got to be another reason”, said Ivan. “What are you thinking”, asked Vee? “Nothing”, he said with a pondering look on him. Vee wanted to persist but didn’t. “Get some sleep we still have hours before we can leave. Luckily we don’t have far to go”, said Ivan. “How far”, asked Vee? “See that building over there”, Ivan said motioning behind him. Vee stood and looked through the peep hole. The market center that housed Ivan’s home was on the far side of the parking lot. “That, there is your home”, she asked? “Indeed, that is our destination. Once inside we will be fine. You can get some sleep and rest. I’ll let you restock and then you can get on your way. I’ll give you some directions to help you get back to your home, as for getting in you’re on your own”, said Ivan. She wanted to protest, but Ivan had turned off the lamp and rolled over. She did the same, but with a new question, why was Bradley so hell bent on staying in that location?