Main Homestead - 01.10.2010

Posted on Mon Nov 3rd, 2025 @ 7:50am by Survivor Chloe Rouen & Survivor Kimberley Hathaway & Survivor Joshua MacCallan & Survivor Carmen Harris & Survivor Mackenzie Ellis & Leader Serena Reynolds M.D. & Survivor Harley Bell & Council Member Vienna Quinn & Council Member Timothy Reynolds & Council Member Timothy Cotton & Survivor Thea Matthews & Survivor Edward Harrison Jr & Survivor Myles Harris & Survivor Jack Harris & Survivor Kelly Cardona & Survivor Roman Quinn

3,563 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: Winter's hope

Chloe was silent as she gathered vegetables from the garden patch with Carmen. They were the last real gathering of the late season Vegetables. Both girls knew that there would be no more vegies from the patch. But the Blaines had a lot stored in the basement. So..

"Kimberley said something about a vegie soup." Carmen said softly as she picked the last of the peas.

Chloe nodded. She pulled up the last of the carrots. "Be nice. Its getting colder. Soon only the pumpkins will remain to be picked." She pointed to the pumpkin patch.

Inside the homestead Thea had made the most of her room, turning it into a cosy den as best she could with what they had. She smiled as she walked into the kitchen area. “What can I do to help?”

Kimberley looked up from where she was making a list. She smiled. "How are you at lists?"

===

Vienna meanwhile was out hunting, just around the perimeter for now not wanting to go outside of it. She needed to prove that she could be as useful as everyone else.

TJ was out checking the perimeter/scouting the area when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly even more alert, he moved quietly through the underbrush circling around the whoever it was. As he got closer he relaxed as he saw Vienna with her bow. "You shouldn't be out here by yourself Vienna." He said softly."

"I'm armed" Vienna motioned to her bow. "Besides this is supposed to be a safe haven for us isn't it? Plus I'm a hunter, I can't hunt if I'm not out looking."

"She has a point" Kelly smiled as she stepped out of the tree line. "Right now we're all doing a good job of scaring away any possible prey though."

"Kelly!" TJ exclaimed softly as his fiancée stepped into view. "I know she has a point and I know she is armed and my point about being out here alone is suddenly moot." He grinned. "Yes, it is supposed to be a safe haven but we don't want to get lazy and just assume everything is okay and I'll be quiet now."

“That’s true” Kelly nodded offering a warm smile. “For now though all appears quiet so let’s let Vienna get on with her hunting.”

TJ gave an answering smile. "Absolutely." He agreed and grew silent to allow Vienna to hunt,

Before the group dispersed, a sudden presence could be felt behind them. Then, the voice spoke. "Are we having a tea party? Perhaps you all should make some more noise, I don't think the zombies in Florida heard you." The voice belonged to Timothy Reynolds, the group's chief of security and second in command. He had barely had to use any of his Army or Ranger training to approach the trio unnoticed. That fact was clearly evident, by the annoyed look on his face.

Vienna sighed. “I think that’s my chance of hunting done with for now.”

“We had already checked the area” Kelly offered from where she stood. “There aren’t any of the walker’s out there, at least not now.”

"No, you can keep hunting Vienna," TJ offered. "The Captain makes a good point on being quiet but as you and Kelly had already checked the area, it's good."

Timothy had a look of mild annoyance on his face. Ge had to keep reminding himself that these people did not have the training he did. Hell, most of them were pure civilians, unused to real hard living. He knew that this winter was going to be a very difficult one, for everyone. "I saw some deer scat and tracks over by the river," he said to Vienna as he pointed in the general direction. "Looks only a few hours old, so, it might still be in the area. If you dont get anything in the next two hours, head back to the house. I don't want anyone outside after sundown."

“Understood” Vienna nodded and headed off, she had noted the look of annoyance so made a mental note to speak to Timothy another time.

Kelly too had noted the look. “It’s awkward isn’t it? Having to work hand in hand with civilians after working with the military? It’s something we’re all going to have to get used to now, we’re all we have now.”

TJ had noticed Vienna's look as well but remained silent as Kelly spoke of the difficultly of military people having to work with civilians. Only thing was there was no military anymore though he still clung to ranks and military procedure as it was ingrained him as well as Kelly and Timothy. They were all now just one group...survivors and they needed to work together to survive.

Timothy sighed quietly, then replied. "I've worked with civilians before," he shook his head as he continued tinued. "It just takes a while for our two ways of life to mix and start to work seamlessly." Then, as if picking upon what TJ was thinking, he added, "While I know that there is no longer a military, as we recognize it, we each still have the discipline and training that we fought to earn. At best, we are back to militias."

He adjusted the rifle he was carrying as he emphasized, "But I'll tell you what, the militia that we build here, will ensure any trespassers will regret stepping foot on this land."

TJ gave a silent nod of agreement and support of Tim's words. He had every confidence in Tim, Kelly Vienna and the others of the group that they would survive and thrive.


Harley stumbled out of the treeline, her boots heavy with mud, each step an act of will. She hadn't rested in what felt like days, only running, stopping to listen, and then running again. The exhaustion was a physical weight on her shoulders, a crushing pressure in her chest that had nothing to do with her ragged breathing. She was covered in a fine layer of dust and dried sweat, her clothes torn and stained from the frantic flight.

The outfit she wore had been cute just a few days before: a form-fitting, sleeveless top that showed off her chest, now ripped and grimy, and a pair of jean shorts. The last memory was a blur of chaos and fear. The dark figures, the glint of blades, the guttural snarls that weren't from the walkers. She remembered Patrick's panicked cry and Connor's fierce yell, and then... nothing but silence and the deafening pounding in her ears as she ran, ran, ran. She didn't know who or what the mysterious attackers were, only that they were not walkers, and they had taken her brothers.

Tears, long since dried on her cheeks, had left salt streaks in the grime. She was utterly alone, a ranch girl from West Texas, stranded in a world she didn't recognize, without the brothers she had always protected. She fell to her knees in a patch of tall, dead grass, the ache of loneliness and loss a physical agony in her gut. She was a lone deer, her antlers broken and her herd gone, and the only thing left was the will to survive. She had to. For them.

As she forced herself to her feet, her weary eyes scanned the horizon. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in fiery streaks of orange and purple. She pushed forward, not knowing where she was going, only that she couldn't stop. The land flattened out, and a peculiar scent hit her—woodsmoke, food, and... something else. Laughter? It couldn't be.

Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic, terrified drum. Were they the ones who had taken her brothers? She didn't know. Her mind, a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and feelings, screamed at her to turn and run. But her body, starved and exhausted, couldn't run away for the possibility of warmth, safety, and help. She needed to know more. With her mind made up, she crouched low and moved silently toward a large oak tree on the perimeter of the clearing, its massive trunk offering a perfect place to hide. She had to see, had to listen. She had to know.

TJ suddenly held a hand up. "Quiet. There's someone else out here." He said with quiet intensity. "Not an undead, a person." He clarified as his eyes swept the surrounding woods for the intruder. He unslung his rifle and held it in his hands ready to use if needed.

Timothy had heard the approaching individual already, and had started to move around to come up behind whomever it was. When he moved silently past the large oak, he heard the movement on the otherside. He also heard the rapid breathing of a woman, sounding like she was terrified. Slowly, with his rifle raised, he stepped out and pointed the barrel at the back of the woman's head. In a voice that portrayed a calm and commanding tone, he spoke. "One wrong move, and I'll put you down, Ma'am." He signaled TJ to come forward. "I dont know who you are, where you're from, but you are now on our land. If you do as you're told, you will not be hurt, do you understand me?"

TJ moved silently to Tim and the woman, he had discovered. His rifle like Tim's was pointed at the woman. He glanced at the woman, she was breathing rapidly and she was dirty with her clothes torn. "Kelly, Vienna. come up here please."

Kelly was ready for anything as her instincts went into soldier mode, ready to protect Vienna if she had to, though she didn’t really feel a threat. Stepping up with Vienna at her side she nodded to TJ and Timothy.

A jolt of pure adrenaline shot through Harley's veins, a jarring counterpoint to her bone-deep exhaustion. She froze, her breath catching in her throat as the sound of a voice—a human voice—pierced the twilight. It wasn't a friendly sound. It was cold, hard, and laced with authority. The words were a lifeline and a death sentence all at once. Harley’s heart hammered against her ribs. She was so close, yet so far.

She heard the soft footfalls of someone circling around her position, a silent, predatory dance. A new voice spoke from right behind her, a calm, chilling command that made her muscles lock up. The cold press of a rifle barrel against the back of her head. The voice was as steady as stone. Harley's mind screamed at her to fight, to run, to yell. But her body, battered and broken from the last few days, refused to obey. She was outmatched, out of options, and out of strength. The words "our land" echoed in her ears. A part of her was relieved to find other people. A bigger part of her was terrified that these people might be the ones who had taken her brothers, or had plans for her that were less than wholesome.

Her back was still to them where she knelt in the cool dirt, and all she knew was the harshness of the voice and the cold steel on her. With a shaky breath, she slowly raised her hands, palms open, a gesture of surrender. "I understand," she rasped, her voice a dry, unused thing with a West Texas lilt.. "Please... I'm not lookin’ for trouble. I'm just tired."

TJ kept his rifle trained on her as he spoke. "Glad to hear you aren't looking for trouble because we don't want any. Now what's your name and what's your story? How did you end up here?"

Harley's mind raced, trying to formulate a response that was both truthful and non-threatening. Lying was a risk. These people were clearly experienced, and they'd probably see right through it. But telling the whole truth—the story of the mysterious assailant, the loss of her brothers—felt too vulnerable, too raw.

She took a shaky breath, the dust in the air scratching at her throat. "My name's Harley," she said, her voice still a dry rasp. "I'm from West Texas. We were... we were tryin’ to make it home when we got separated. I've been alone for a few days."

She licked her full lips, now dry and cracked. “Can I get up now? I’m not here to threaten you, just..just lookin’ for some safety.”

TJ looked over her shoulder at Tim then spoke. " Yes, you can get up Harley." He then continued, "Who is the we you got separated from?"

Timothy kept his distance from the woman, Harley, and his rifle pointed at her heart. Even from the distance of five feet away that he was standing, there was nowhere she could move and not get hit, especially with TJ as close as he was, with his own rifle pressed against her. While Timothy didnt approve of how close TJ had put himself, especially in this day of only a bite being the difference between life and death, now was not the time to say anything. They would talk later.

"Answer the question," he said, his voice quiet, and full of experience, making it clear that he wouldn't miss a beat. "It's getting close to winter. Why are you dressed like you were at a nightclub?"

“My brothers.” She said, doing her best to look at them through the intense mess of the situation. “I had a jacket but I lost it. Being cold is my consequence.”

Timothy frowned slightly, then tilted his head toward the barn. "Let's go. You can wait in the barn, out of the cold, until we decide what to do with you." He then stepped aside, indicating that she should start walking, his rifle still pointed at her, while his finely-honed senses reached out around them, in an attempt to detect if there were any other eyes, or guns, trained on them. As they walked, his instincts did not pick up any further threats.

“I’m Kelly, are you injured? Do you need medical attention?” Kelly asked the new arrival as they all walked together. “We’ve got plenty of blankets and there’s enough food to spare, we’ll get you warm once we’re inside but I’m afraid you’ll have to be checked over for any signs of a bite or infection.”

Vienna offered a warm smile. “Don’t worry it’s nothing personal, just the rules. Better to be safe than sorry. I’m Vienna by the way.”

With Kelly and Vienna flanking Harley and Captain Reynolds behind her, TJ walked silently in front of the groups as they headed to the barn. Once Harley was inside they, the group would discuss her.

Harley swallowed hard, her throat painfully dry. She couldn't tell them about the cuts, not yet; she needed to look completely uninjured, completely safe, or else they might just turn her out into the cold again.

"No, I'm not hurt," she said, stretching the truth without breaking it, ignoring the burning scrapes. "Just scrapes. I haven't been bitten. Haven't been around... any of them... for a while."

She knew the inspection was coming; it was the only rule that made sense. "I understand. I'll let you check."

When the reached the barn, Timothy indicated that the ladies should head inside together for the physical exam. Though the world had ended, he still believed that civilization was built on manners. "Head back out to the fence line," he told TJ. "Make sure the trip wires are still in place. Take Ed with you. Remember, no one moves our there alone."

TJ nodded, "Roger. we'll get it done. You, Kelly and Vienna stay safe and watch our visitor." TJ replied before he turned and went to find Ed, the groups hulking mechanic.

“Looks like it’s just us” Kelly smiled warmly as she motioned Vienna to go in first to show their newest arrival where to go. As they all entered she gave Harley a look. “So I’m guessing there are injuries? I’ve seen that look on other peoples faces when they’ve said there’s nothing wrong.”

Harley looked down, her face drawn by the fear of being discovered and the embarrassment of having been suspected. She shifted her weight on her feet, looking into Kelly's eyes warily.

"Yeah, there are." she admitted. "But they're nothing serious, I swear. Just some scratches I got from falling against a tree. I just...I just didn't want to take any chances you'd see 'em and turn me away...or worse."

“We’re not going to turn you away over scratches” Kelly added. “But you will need to have them treated, last thing you need is an infection creeping in.”

Harley looked at the other woman, her expression understandably scheptical. They expected them to trust them, even in the midst of the end of the world, and she didn’t even know who they were. She considered them for a long moment, then decided she didn’t really have a choice. She nodded her assent and pulled at the base of the fabric of a shirt that used to be white, pulling it over her head. She had a beautiful body, and underneath she wore a black bra which barely supported her from wear. Her abdomen underneath her right breast had a long, angry red line.

“Fell against a jagged part of a tree yesterday. Burns like shit.” She said, her West Texas drawl distinctive. “So, uh…what are your names, since we’re gettin’ personal in here?”

Kelly gave the wounds a good look over. “We’ll need to get some antibiotics into you to be safe, and to answer your question I’m Kelly Cardona, and this is Vienna Quinn.”

Vienna nodded politely. “I’ll get a nice bath run for you, it’ll do those wounds good to get them clean.”

Harley blinked. It seemed like she was safe at last, and though she didn’t know these people, she at least would be getting a bath. She thought about her younger brothers and wondered where they were. Did they even survive that attack on their camp? Would she ever see them again?

“That would be just the best, thank you.” She said, forcing a tired smile. After her shower, she would have to figure out just who these people are..

==

After leaving Captain Reynolds, TJ went in search of Ed the groups mechanic. He found the big man working on some piece of equipment for group. "Ed, I need you to come with me to make sure all the trip wires are up and place. We had a visitor." He added.

Looking uo from the motor he was cleaning, Edward paused a beat, then nodded. "Okay," he said amicably. After wiping his hands with a rag, before grabbing his prybar. Nodding to TJ, he said, "I'm ready. Lets go."

TJ looked at the prybar and knew instantly it was a lethal weapon in the big man's hand. "This hopefully shouldn't take long." He said as they walked out to check the trip wires.

Edward merely grinned and nodded, before replying. "Whatever it takes to keep everyone safe." He then followed TJ out into the treeline, to check on the tripwires and traps. As they walked, he spoke softly. "I hope we are able to get a proper wall started come spring. That way, we will be able to relax a little."

TJ walked through the woods drawing ever closer to the tripwires and traps that were scattered through the woods.. "I couldn't agree more. A wall would add another level of security for us and I'm sure all of us would breathe easier. I know I would."

The big man nodded as the walked. He then whispered, "I saw a few semi trucks and trailers in town, when qw went for supplies last time. Of we could get them here dome how, they could be used as a foundation of sorts for the wall."

"It's an interesting idea to be sure but I'm not sure it's very practical. I'm sure those trucks and trailers are under tight lock and key. I think it may be better to build/make a wall out od what we have here." TJ answered.

Edward chuckled at this. "You think I dont know how to get around missing keys, to both get into and start a truck? Heck, if we can find a heavy wrecker out there, I could just as easily tow the units back here."

"Can you fly and become invisible? They aren't going to let you or anyone just waltz in there and start taking trucks." TJ replied with a grin of his own.

Edward grinned. "Where there's a will, theres a way, my friend." They then continued on their patrol, whispering quietly to each other, until the finished their circuit and headed back to the house.

"I don't disagree with that it just isn't going to be as simple as asking dad for the keys to the car." TJ replied grinning as they checked the tripwire and traps and finding all in order, headed back to the house and the others.

 

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