Authors: Julie Cooper Brown
John and Tank finished getting gas from the abandoned cars and Tank ensured that everyone was in before getting in the driver seat himself and took a long look at the sky to see if maybe the birds would come back. He had hoped they would, he didn’t feel as safe without them flying overhead. It was only sixty two more miles to get to Dayton. Tank would be home sweet home, though he didn’t really feel it would be all that sweet because he was returning from his vacation without his wife and daughter. It weighed more heavily on his heart now that he was in familiar territory.
Deb and Stephanie
had been out shopping for souvenirs and never returned. He had waited there for them; not knowing where to look and when he finally decided to shoot his way out of the dead ridden motel, he thought he saw his wife but quickly looked away. He did not want to see her that way and he didn’t think he would have been able to shoot her as well of afraid of seeing her decomposing face. He had kept busy enough to distract himself from those thoughts by surviving and worrying about other people, pretending he was on a mission himself so he could block out the memories that threatened to break his calm.
He still had others to worry about, but it was really hitting home now and he was having a very hard time containing it. Just when he thought he would lose his composure, Angel extended her hand from the back seat of the mustang to put it on Tank’s shoulder. She didn’t say anything. It didn’t take away his sadness but it did remind him that he had a purpose at the moment and that was to remain levelheaded and get them safely to the bar. He had never been happier to see the sign that hung above the door. Tank’s Bar & Grill, EST. 1987.
He was very proud of his bar. When he bought it, the kitchen could fit only two people within it and sold only lunch. Now the kitchen was big enough to
accommodate several cooks and produced insane amounts of hot breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as wings and nachos during business hours. There was always a line out the door and a waiting list. It was strange for him to pull up into an empty lot at eight o’clock in the morning. He turned onto Anderson and entered the back parking lot. As hard as it should have been to get there, it should’ve been just as hard to get out of the car and into the place. When they arrived there was no infected surrounding the bar. They had driven through a small crowd of infected when exiting the highway and could see them at the other end of the block and up at the intersection of Wayne and Wilmington Avenues, but that was it. They were able to pull right up to the back door.
Tank got out his personal keys and rushed to the door to unlock it, and held it open while the rest of them filed in. Shutting the door and keeping his eye on the road leading between buildings to the secondary parking lot across the alley; where the dumpsters were standing, he got back in the mustang and parked it away from the door. Someone else may need easy access in. It was odd that all the infected had all gravitated away from there; he thought that they must be stalking a victim. The thought of driving up there to see if he could help came and went; he did not have the strength to be a hero right now. He entered the heavy steel door that was a direct entrance into the kitchen, and was pleased to finally be home. Everyone was waiting for him to come in and made a path for him to get by, except Mojo.
Mojo, who was a bit short for a man but carried an air of authority regardless of his size, adjusted his Ohio State cap on his head and scanned the faces of the people that Tank had brought back with him. The last he had heard, Deb and Stephanie had never returned and since they were not in the crowd, obviously that had not changed. He clasped Tank’s hand and clapped him on the back. “Good to have you back, boss.” He did not look Tank in the eyes, for he did not want to see the pain that he knew lingered there and no words needed to be said on the subject. Tank would not appreciate being coddled; he was a reserved type of man. With only a nodding of his head, Tank moved past him and exited the kitchen through the swinging doors and into the main bar. Mojo introduced himself along with Kristen and Belinda, the servers that had gotten stuck there.
Woody, the flamboyant and hilariously entertaining neighbor waved and Troy, a regular customer that preferred to be there over anywhere else, with the free liquor and olives, gave a thumb’s up. Tisha introduced herself and the rest of the crew that came with Tank.
“Well,” Mojo said, “You guys must be hungry. I’ll open a few cans of soup. You’ll have to eat it cold, and have your drinks hot but it’s better than nothing.” With that he went down into the basement storage to get the soup while Kristen led the rest of them into the main bar where Tank sat at his favorite table. She handed Tisha a few bowls and they set them in front of each person, Belinda
gave them spoons and crackers. Mojo returned from the basement and used the tabletop opener to remove the lids from the giant sized cans and dished out chicken noodle and vegetable soup. Everyone was grateful for the meal but Tank did not touch his.
He was lost in his thoughts, swigging Gentleman Jack straight from the bottle. He preferred it on the rocks, but did not have that luxury since the power was out. He looked around the bar as everyone was getting their bellies full. He was satisfied that they were all safe and content for the time being, however long that would last. He noticed Mojo and the others had moved the sports team tapestries to cover the windows but left a small gap at the top to let in the light. He saw the unlit candles on the floor; he was not looking forward to tonight. He watched Angel with curiosity and waited until she finished her last bite to ask her to come over.
“Sit with me, Angel.” Angel walked over, Teddy still in hand and jumped up in his lap.
“What did the birds give you Angel?” He asked because his curiosity had gotten the best of him. He knew it was a purple heart, he had seen it, but he didn’t know what it was for. It had to be important for the birds to have gotten involved. He had never seen anything like that happen ever in his life.
“My heart? My Daddy gave it to me. He said it was a key.” She answered.
“How did the birds get it?” She scrunched her face and threw out her arm and said “I don’t know! Maybe from my pocket when they played with me.” She scratched her head and shrugged her shoulders.
“Well, what does it go to?”
“I said the vewy same fing!” She out one hand on her hip and Tank laughed at her and tousled her hair. “Daddy said a safe place.”
“Can I see it?” He asked. Angel pulled the little heart out of her pocket and placed it in Tank’s hand. He turned it about, trying to see if there was anything different about it besides the small perforations in it. They created a Z pattern and it glimmered with the slightest touch of light. He tapped it on the table, it was sturdy. A little tougher than a dog tag. Maybe it had to be dropped down in a slot. He didn’t know. He couldn’t figure it out. It belonged to Angel. It was obviously meant for her. He gave it back.
“Okay, it’s a pretty key, none the less. You go on back over with the others. I’ll see you after I’ve had my rest.” Angel hugged him and walked away. Tank took another swig from the bottle. The liquor warmed his guts, but it did not serve to cloud his mind. It made the memories more vivid. He just could not take anymore. He really needed to sleep, a body can only take so much and at this point; his mind could take even less. He wondered if he had a pillow and blanket in his office, which was located on the second floor and was mainly used for storage, but one room had been converted into an office that Tank had furnished with a big comfy couch. He excused himself and told everyone to make themselves at home. Standing at the foot of the staircase, he looked up and he had a powerful experience of déjà vu and he knew he would not be coming back down those stairs alive.
He unlocked the office door and it revealed to him the great big couch that he so loved and yes, he had left a blanket and pillow there the last time he stayed. He kicked off his Nikes and removed his aviator shades from his head, placed them on the desk and lay back on the pillow. It was only a few seconds before he was sleeping soundly.
Chapter Twenty Seven
“Okay, so the Big Man went up to get some rest. I know you’re all tired, but as you know we can’t all sleep at the same time. There are blankets and pillows in the upper dining room just up those five stairs there.” He pointed to them because if you weren’t really looking, you wouldn’t see them. “There are only enough for three, so those of you who choose to wait can wander the bar. Do not go outside for any reason, that’s a given. Help yourself to drinks, but no one is allowed to get sacked. I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but it’s best if we all keep a clear head on our shoulders.”
Allen, Tisha and Angel went to the upper dining room to sleep first. John sat at the bar near Troy, wondering why the guy was still wearing his fishing hat and vest. He thought maybe he’d been fishing just before he came here. Woody sat at the end of the bar nursing a glass of Patron. Mojo looked over at the soup bowls left on the tables and turned to Kristen and Belinda with a smirk, “Chop, chop, bitches. Clean this shit up. What do we pay you for?” They both giggled for they really loved it when he talked to them like that. It was not disrespect but an inside joke and Kristen had a comeback. “Okay Tiny Tim. I need that bus tray off top of the beer cooler. It’s been a while since we’ve had guests and I have everything put away. Hop up on my shoulders and I’ll give you a lift.” He didn’t let too many people get away with the short jokes. He was short for a guy, but stout and strong. It didn’t bother him at all when Kristen did it. She’s even shorter than him and built nice as well, plump in all the right places; he thought. They have a history.
They were in love with each other and had been a long time. On again off again relationship, both of them lived with other people. Over one little thing they couldn’t get their shit together, so they stayed apart. Remaining frenemies, both angry with the other because of the distance they have to keep, but keeping their cool in the presence of others.
The girls cleaned up the bowls and cups and Mojo sat at the bar on the left of John. When the girls returned, they sat with Woody who was going on about his ex he threw out just befor
e
the infection outbreak.
“Oh, no Giiirl! I told his skanky ass if he wanted his clothes he better bring himself a fire extinguisher! I cut it all up, I mean all of it, and threw out into the street and lit that motherfucker with my pretty pink Bic lighter. This one right here,” he held up his lighter to show them and they giggled. “That shit went up in flames like Aqua Net. Bitch, I was out there making smores, drinkin’ Bud Light! I laughed till I thought I was gonna crack my sack! I was having a fantastic time watching that shit go up in flames!” He guffawed and continued “He is lucky I didn’t have a gun, I’d have popped a cap off in his ass for sure!” The girls gasped at this and he said, “No, Bitches. I literally mean his ass. I wouldn’t have killed him. I just wanted to show him that this bitch, don’t play. Uh uhn. He was supposed to tell his wife about me months ago! And I am so mad girl, because he made the
best
pine apple upside down cake, that shit will make your pussy speak in tongues.” He continued to entertain the girls with more of his hilarious break up stories while Mojo had a chat with John and Troy continued to eat olives as he listened to all that was going on around him.
“So, how’d you end up meeting up with Tank?” Mojo asked John.
“Allen and I were on our way back to mineral springs… we had a shelter set up there. I had been out looking for survivors and supplies. I drove past a motel and saw a horde surrounding him. He was shooting the dead left and right but they were gaining on him, they were gonna get him. So I drove through the horde, running the closest ones to him over and threw my door open, he jumped in. He thanked me and he didn’t really have much to say after that. It took a while for me to get him to open up.”
“Yea, he’s that way. He doesn’t wear his feelings on his sleeve and it’s like pulling teeth to get something out of him. I’ve known him for five years now. He’s a good man. Do anything for you as long as you’re good to him.”
“
I figured that out, and a hell of a shot too. How’d you end up in here instead of at home, I mean, there couldn’t have been much business to keep you here.”
Mojo nodded over at Troy. “See, ole Troy over there? He’s a regular. You would be surprised the things people will brave just to get out of the house and get a drink or a hot meal. Rain, snow, tornados, zombie outbreaks… it’s all the same. The customers want a familiar place to be and honestly, I’ve been here a long time and I spend most of my hours of the day here anyway, why not? It’s much safer here. I came in for my regular shift, the walkers started getting bad so I stayed, and the girls stayed. Everyone else went home and I haven’t heard from any of them since. Troy showed up just three days ago. He’d been on a fishing trip with his buddies. They had no idea what was going on, until of course they got closer to the city. Troy just drove his truck on through. We heard a crash and looked out the window to see him crash into Cousin Vinnie’s pizza parlor window, luckily he didn’t get hurt, but I went out with my shot gun and helped him out of the truck and we got back in here, just by the skin of our teeth. There were pretty many out there and we shot quite a few. If you look out that window above the table over there, you’ll see his truck and the bodies of the walkers on the ground.”