Choice Cut
By
George W. Parker
revised initial print edition
Copyright 2021 by George W. Parker
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
Chapter 1
The night was moonless. A hot, gusting, wind from the Northwest carried South Plains dust in it. On the crest of a rolling hilltop two kilometers from a highway, near a small travel trailer and a long bed pickup truck, a single glowing pole lamp was the only evidence of life between the towns of Haskell and Throckmorton.
Along the highway, following a steel fence line, a mob of Living Dead worked their way down a hill. They could smell Living Alive in the trailer.
Pressed up against the fence railings, they staggered along until they reached a “Texas Gate,” a metal grid of pipes that allowed cars gateless entrance onto the property. They flowed through the opening, the leading LDs moving quickly toward the trailer. Behind the surging frontline several hicog LDs followed at a slower pace.
***
The trailer swayed with the gusts of the wind. Crowded around the trailer’s built in dining table Jerome, his wife Kay, their oldest daughter Kate and the younger girls ‘the Twins’ sat eating soup under the unshaded ceiling light.
Jerome and Kate were in jeans, tee shirts and boots. Kay and the Twins were in pajama bottoms and tees.
Kay said, “I hope that wind don’t flip this thing over.”
“Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz?” one of the Twins asked excitedly.
Kate laughed.
“No, honey,” Jerome answered. “No flying to Oz. We’ll be okay. I got a couple of tie downs staked before the dirt hit. They’ll hold us.”
“Darn,” both Twins said together.
Kay did not look convinced.
There was the sound of glass smashed outside.
Jerome jumped up from the table. “Someone’s breaking into the truck! Kay, get the girls out of here!”
“Girls! To the bedroom! NOW!” Kay ordered pushing Kate toward the front bedroom with her right hand as she pulled the Twins out from behind the table with her left.
Jerome rushed to the countertop drawer next to the door. He pulled out a Colt automatic and two extra magazines. He moved to the door and secured a heavy bar across it.
“Kate, leave the lights off and get the mattress moved over,” Kay ordered as she hurried the Twins into the front bedroom.
Kate pushed the corner of the mattress off its platform exposing an empty, shallow storage area.
“Kate, get that piece of plywood out of the way so you and the Twins can get down under to the front storage. Just like we’ve practiced. You can go out either way then if you need to,” Kay instructed. She smiled at Kate.
Kate slid under the mattress and into the narrow storage area. She moved a small section of plywood aside as her mother had instructed.
“Girls, follow Sissy and do what she says. No arguing,” Kay told the Twins as she helped them into the space under the mattress.
“Get on down into that bottom storage. I am going to move the mattress back now. IF, you stay quiet, no one will ever know you’re there. Love you. Now hush,” she added and pulled the mattress back into place.
Kay smoothed out the bedspread so it was neat and went to the closet for the twelve gauge.
Someone beat on the door with a fist.
“I’ve got a gun and I’ll use it,” Jerome shouted.
Kay came in from the bedroom with the shotgun.
“You should be with the girls,” Jerome whispered loudly at her.
“I can shoot better than you,” Kay answered.
“That you can,” Jerome grinned. “Cover the windows behind us.”
“Yes, sir,” Kay replied.
Someone beat at the door again. Several voices chanted, “Open. Open. Open,”
Kate wiggled her way down into the lower storage compartment and onto some boxes of winter clothes. She pulled her sisters down beside her. “Stay hushed, like Momma said.”
The Twins nodded.
The outside access door to the storage area was forced open. Hands reached in and pulled out clothes until they touched one of the Twins. Hands pulled the girl out of Kate’s arms. Both twins screamed.
There were more gun and shotgun blasts. Then there was just the gusting wind.
Chapter 2
When the opening came, he cut across traffic and pulled into the orphanage. He stopped in front of the “Administration Building.”
A lean woman in a sleeveless dress came out of the building. Her hair was loosely pulled back into a ponytail. She walked quickly to the driver’s side window and tapped on it with her right hand. There was a small tattoo between her thumb and index finger.
The driver opened the window.
“You’re late!” the woman said.
“I got here as fast as I could after I got the pickup call,” the driver answered. “Should have given us some warning.”
“You get what I get,” she snapped back. “We never know when we’ll get the word to clear ’em out.”
“Where are they?” the driver asked.
“Back in Admin,” she answered. “They’re ready to tear the walls down. They can’t wait to go somewhere, anywhere.”
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
Chapter 3
“
“
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“Alice’s,
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“‘
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
Chapter 4
“
Alice’s
“
“
Alice’s.
Alice’s
Alice’s
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
Chapter 5
Alice’s
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“