Part Nine

The Creeper’s of McCall Ridge

Part Nine

            Preacher had allowed Grover into his home only after he had taken his battered and muddied boots off at the door, explaining to the young man that, “my old lady will flip her lid if you track mud in her home.” Grover stepped into his home and found that there were dead birds dangling from the ceiling; hundreds of them. He paused staring at the scene while the old man pushed passed him and shouted into the home, “Hey old woman! We got us a guest!”

“What?” A female’s voice shouted from the back of the home.

“You heard me you ornery old bat! I said we got a guest!”

A woman in a red checkered dress darted from around the corner, her steely gaze locked on Preacher. “What did you call me?” She snarled.

“I said you heard me and I love you a whole bunch!” He said smiling.

Grover fought back a smile as the old woman never blinked. “That isn’t what you said. You’re lucky I love you or I would have already put a pillow over your head in your sleep. Hello young man. Have a seat. Would you like some tea?”

“Yes ma’am. That would be great.”

The old woman disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve Grover’s tea.

“I would like some too honey poo!” Preacher shouted.

“Get it yourself!” She shouted back.

“Boy. You would think the man would be the king of his castle.”

Grover started laughing as Preacher walked into the kitchen to retrieve his own cup of sassafras tea. He was left alone to wonder how he was going to live without his brother. Though they had argued often, it had been small squabbles and always on a brotherly level. Now, without him, the world seemed empty and alone. Grover stared at the floor and thought about the soldiers gathered around the lake and began to plan his attack.

 

            He could hear the creepers chewing. Though his eyes were open, at least he thought they were open, he couldn’t see anything. There was a heavy weight lying on top of him and it smelled horribly. The creepers growled at each other and continued to chew. It was if they were eating beef jerky and spaghetti right next to his ears. His body ached and throbbed with pain as he tried to remember what had happened to him. He remembered the explosion and the jet flying in but there was nothing after that. He pushed the heavy weight that covered him with his arms until he could see the failing day light streaking past the dead creeper that he held in his arms. The large caliber bullets had made a mess of its body creating a soupy mess that spilled out on Ernie’s body. He fought back the bile that tried to escape his stomach and slowly scanned the area around him.

            He could see five creepers eating what was left of a soldier a few feet from him. None of them acted as if they had seen the movement of him lifting the dead creeper from his position. Ernie groped around him and could not find a weapon. He slowly wiggled from his prison of several other dead creepers and then stood. The cool air of the forest gave him goose bumps as well as seeing the creepers slowly turning their heads to focus on him. Ernie froze. The creepers, like cows, slowly chewed the meat that dangled from their lips but never let their eyes move from Ernie. Ernie slowly raised his arms out in front of him, mimicking a classic zombie and said, “Braaaiinns.”

The creepers snarled and stood from the dead soldier and began shuffling towards Ernie.

“Crap. I totally thought that was going to work.”