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road at the southeastern end of town, following it up into the forested mountainside. This in turn had accessed another off-road trail used by 4x4 trucks. The sedan had gotten stuck a handful of times, and Stan had been required to get out and push while Tina worked the gas and steering. During those times, Stan had expected a mob of deadfucks to burst out of the trees, swarm upon him and eat him alive while his wife and eight year old son watched helplessly. But despite his overactive imagination, they had encountered no zombies. After a full day and night across the mountainside, they came down and into the town of Wanship. Wanship was crawling with zombies so he quickly drove across town to the Interstate entrance ramp. They were almost out of gas, and desperation was beginning to set in when they came across a group of three other vehicles parked along the side of the highway. It was more survivors from Park City. They were headed to the Town of Kittewa. They'd heard a rumor that the Military had an outpost at Rainbow Lake. As they were headed to a military outpost the group naturally deferred leadership to Lt. Larsen. It turned out there was no Military outpost, just the small Militia led by General Jenkins. He had been a Colonel when Lt. Larsen had served under him in Park City, but that didn’t matter now. Larsen presented his US Army and Park City Militia credentials and Jenkins had taken him into the Militia immediately, honoring his rank of Lt. and making him second in command of Alpha Company.
    His family was safe, living in a cluster of cabins to the north of the Main House with four other Militia families. Every morning when he woke and every evening before he went to bed he prayed to God, thanking him for the good fortune he had shown his family, and asked for his continued blessing.
    Pvt. Law was just wrapping up his tale of sexual exploits in one of Park City’s finest brothels, to the laughter of the rest of the squad. Lt. Larsen’s horse brought up the rear of the line, allowing him to size up his men.
    Pvt. Law rode point. He was a young man in his mid twenties. He wore his dishwater blond hair shoulder length and his green eyes and handsome features had no doubt been a hit with the whores of Park City. He had been a ski-bum pre-plague, but had proven a competent soldier in the Rainbow Lake Militia.
    Pvt. Brad Potter was a compact, stocky man, with light brown hair, brown eyes and a tense, coiled air about him. He kept to himself; speaking only when spoken too, and Lt. Larsen suspected he had lost his family, possibly a wife and kids, before he had found the safety of Rainbow Lake.
    The third rider in line was Cpl. Donald Wilcox. He was a big, burly man, nearly Larsen’s size, with a head of thick black hair, a baby fat face, and thick black glasses. A family man like Larsen, Wilcox had been in the Army Reserves pre-plague, and had served in the Park City Militia. He had escaped with his family, a wife and two young daughters. A fellow Militiaman had told him of the rendezvous point at Rainbow Lake. It had taken them almost three days of going cross- country on a pair of horses, but they had made it to Kittewa safe and secure.
    They were good men. Law was a cocky punk, and Parker was too uptight for his own good, but they were a good squad all the same. A few more weeks and Larsen planned on having them whipped into crack shape. These routine patrols helped, but it wouldn’t be long until they were sent down to Kittewa or Summittown for a three-day rotation. Those assignments really tested their nerve. Although Larsen would miss his family, he was also looking forward to taking his squad away from the base, out in the field.
    Up ahead Pvt. Potter’s horse gave a snort, stomping its feet and giving its rider trouble.
    “What’s the problem Private?” Lt. Larsen asked, bringing his own horse to a halt.
    “I’m not sure sir.” Pvt. Potter was still fighting to keep his horse under control. It had