Chapter 151: 151
I smiled and said, “Hah! Pack everything then, what kind of vehicle do you have here? Did you manage to buy the camper you posted on social media before?”
“Yeah! I have the Westfalia I wanted to buy before. I finally bought it last year and we’ve been using it when we’re going on trips here.” he said.
“Okay, I know you guys could pack fast and we’ll be just waiting outside for you, okay? We’re burning daylight and we need to move even faster.” I said.
I opened the small gate at the side and I found out that a couple of people have followed us here. They’ve been asking a couple of questions to the group and they’re answering what they could. When they saw me, all heads turned towards me and they started to ask me instead.
“Do you know what the situation is outside?” someone asked.
“Worse than what we encountered here. You’re lucky that there are no specials here or you’d be having a harder time. Have you all been holed up here this whole time?” I replied then I gave them a brief explanation of the story outside.
“Uh, yes. We were secured here before but one of the residents here went outside and didn’t close the gate. That’s where a few started to come in and some houses got overrun. Are you guys planning to stay here?” they explained and then asked a question.
“As I said earlier, we’re just here to pick up a friend. I know what you all are thinking of asking, I can’t take all of you. This place is secure and you all could either stay at this place and make it something livable or go to the nearest DDR camp to seek refuge. There are people which are less fortunate than you trying to survive outside. Having this place as a start is more of an advantage.” I explained.
“B-but you need to protect me!” Someone shouted from behind.
“Excuse me?” I said.
“You all c-could easily take care of them! Why don’t you stay here and protect me from those things! I could pay you!” A guy that is covered by jewelry said. He has an air of arrogance and I just saw him now as the crowd gave way.
“By what? Money has no value now if you even know what is happening outside. I’m not your babysitter and we already did you all a favor by clearing that small herd. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” I said.
“You are already taking people, why not take us then? We could help in any way we can, please?” someone else chimed in.
“I don’t even know you, sorry. The people I have here are all people I’ve known over the years and I could trust. I’m not sure in taking a stranger would do me good don’t you think? I’m really sorry.” I replied as my group have solemn expressions.
“I can’t take all of the people here. They are too many.” I thought to myself.
“No! You will stay here!” the guy with jewelry interrupted the lady I was speaking to earlier before she has the chance to reply back at me. He started to speak in a commanding tone and he started to get in my face,
“Well, what will you do if we don’t comply? If you have the firepower you should’ve cleared them yourself. And who the f.u.c.k even are you to tell me what to do?” I said while getting a bit annoyed.
“Hah! You don’t know me?! I’m Benjamin Crisologo! I’m the f.u.c.k.i.n.g owner of this place and if I’m right, you’re f.u.c.k.i.n.g stepping on my property! Either you stay here and protect me, or you get out of this place before-” he shouted then I interrupted him.
“Before what? I think you didn’t f.u.c.k.i.n.g heard me the first time, what could ‘you’ do? Last time I checked the world has gone to shit and the laws have no meaning right now. You can only call something your own if you could f.u.c.k.i.n.g protect it. Titles and deeds mean nothing now if you don’t have the power to defend it. No law agency is present now to charge me of trespassing, and you’re forgetting something…” I trailed.
“What?” he replied.
“Don’t get into an argument with a guy with a gun yeah? Even more if he has a group that has too. Just a reminder. I could take this whole place and there is nothing you could do about it if I did.” I said as I looked at him straight in the eye.
His mustache quivered violently as he began to grind his teeth.
“So now you’re saying you’ll kill me and take over everything I’ve built?!” he rebuked.
“No. Like I said, I’m just here to pick someone up. Just take the clearing of the dead here and making this place secure again payment for letting me take them. I believe I didn’t ask for anything when we did that. Either take my advice I would be imparting or piss off a guy that is close to lopping your head off. The dead are not the only ones I’ve killed outside. There’s plenty of assholes like you I’ve already killed.” I said nonchalantly.
The crowd subconsciously took a step back when they heard that I’ve already killed someone.
The owner of this place has his hands clenched and his shaking a bit but it gradually stopped as he looked at me.
“What advice are you giving me then?” he said.
“Oh? At least you’re an arrogant prick with some common sense.” I thought to myself then I cleared my throat.
“First and foremost, burn the bodies to cinders. Don’t let any of their flesh or fluids remain intact and incinerate everything. Fortify this place and have people guard your gate at all times. Secure a stable source of food from scavenging and farming. A few of the houses here have solar panels so make use of that since the power is going out soon. Start on conserving your resources and begin to adjust. This thing could last longer than you think and the government can’t help everyone. You all need to be able to help yourselves too if you want to survive this thing.” I said.
“But how can we protect ourselves if we don’t have guns! Your group has several! You need to leave half of them here!” he retorted as some of the crowd started to agree with him.
“That’s not my problem and I’m not leaving half my guns here. I’m pretty sure that you’ve seen us clear the small herd with mostly our melee weapons and we’re only four when we did that. You’re over a hundred here and I think you could think for yourselves. Oh yeah, don’t even try to use force to make me submit yeah? I have enough bullets here for everyone. If you deny the carrot, you’ll get the stick. I don’t shoot people for sport but if you make, me I will.” I said.
“…” Their group is just silent, looking at me.
“Don’t look at me. Start on doing on what you need to get this place back up on its feet. This place just got a second chance, don’t waste it.” I said.
They all gave reluctant expressions and there is a mix of every expression on the owner of this whole place. He turned around grumbling and he started to order everyone present that is living in his compound. A few people cooperated and started on dragging some of the bodies together and they started on burning them.
Some of them pretended to not hear the guy barking orders out and a few already drove outside with their own vehicles. The owner started on cursing as his voice got louder and louder on ordering the other people that chose to stay here.
“Some of them must’ve already packed their belongings ready to leave the moment it presents itself. Well, I can’t blame them if they leave this good place since the one who would be running it is an asshole. I’d rather take my chances outside or kill this guy and take control if it was me.” I thought to myself.
Earnest and Kris walked out of their vehicles and they approached me.
“Hey.” I said as they nodded.
“You’re like a different person dude. You’re still weird sometimes though.” Earnest said.
“Hah! You could say that again.” I replied.
“Good going on that group, those ungrateful bastards, after what you guys have done…” Earnest said with a grumble in his voice.
“Hmm, I just don’t want to waste bullets.” I replied.
They were both shocked and Kris said, “You’ve really killed people dude?”
“Yeah, a lot of things happened. But those we killed really deserved it, they…” I repeated the story to him which Earnest has already heard.
“You really changed dude. Oh yeah, when did you and Kaley started? That surprised me the most.” Kris said.
“Like you’re one to talk.” I thought to myself.
Kaley looked at our direction and she started to blush faintly.
“It just happened dude.” I replied.
“Yeah, everything just happened. We need details man, details! Don’t say anything Kaley, I want to hear everything from Sky!” Earnest excitedly said.
Kaley and I locked eyes for a moment and her look almost telepathically said to not reveal everything.
“*gulp* I really can’t tell them that we got together because I pretended to be a zombie and I brought cake home and it just happened… Well…” I thought to myself.