Days of Love and Blood

here soon. I put on the leather jacket and gloves, zipped up and pulled on my double scabbards. Then I grabbed another bag full of swords and my helmet and went looking for Solomon.
    They were set up on a picnic table nearby and I threw the bag at their feet.
    “This will help.”
    “What is it?” Solomon asked.
    “Swords. How many people are going to help fight?”
    “Just five of us. Me, Cooper here, Johnson, Brigham and Tasha. You make number six.”
    “Is the house locked up? Is it sealed?”
    “Let us worry ‘bout that, little girl,” Cooper remarked.
    “Cooper!”
    “What’s your problem?” I yelled. “My son is in there!”
    “Who does sh e think she is, Solomon? Comin’ in here and disruptin’ the place, tellin’ people what to do. And swords? Really?”
    “I don’t think she’s …” began the older man Solomon had identified as Brigham.
    “ Don’t talk like I’m not here. And I’m not trying to cause problems; I’m trying to help. If I hadn’t of come along here when I did, this herd would have snuck up on you. Christ. It’s not like I led ‘em here; they were already on the way. And I use swords because I know how and because I’m afraid of the noise guns make. Any homicidals close enough will hear the shots and come to investigate. Ever consider that? Trust me; I’ll be gone as soon as this is over.”
    “Yeah, sure.”
    “Whatever. You know what? Since it’s such an inconvenience for you to be in the presence of a woman with an opinion, I’m gonna keep talking just to piss you off.” He tried to say something but I ignored him and looked straight at Solomon. “I’m going to hide in the field across the road. Hopefully, they’ll just walk on by. But if they start to veer onto the property, it’s over. They know you’re here. That’s when I’ll run out and make some noise. I’ll get them to follow me into the field and away from the house - and most of them will. You take out the rest. If you run out of bullets, use the swords.”
    “But what if you get overwhelmed?” he asked.
    “I won’t. If there are too many around me, I’ll keep running until I get them separated. That’s the key. Running. Those homicidals are weak. They’re not the best runners.”
    “Ma ybe someone should go with you,” he offered. “I don’t like the idea of…”
    “No. Just stay here and protect that house.” I didn’t give him a chance to object and ran quickly to the end of the driveway. I looked behind the line of trees and not seeing anyone yet, I took the chance to dart across the road. The grass in the field was high enough and made it easy to hide as long as I ducked down.
    Ten minutes went by before I heard the audible groans that preceded the dragging footsteps. The wind carried their scent through the tall grass and small stalks of cotton still waiting to be harvested. I held my breath and tried to envision the plan in my head over and over again. I knew they would veer for the house. If they were close enough, they would know that people lived there. There were too many people. It was inevitable and homicidals could sense living souls.
    Doubt crept into my mind. I shouldn’t have risked it. This would end up being a fight to the death. I could be killed. My son could be killed, or be forced to survive without me. This was a stupid idea. I should have ran. But for Ivy. How could I have turned my back on her?
    The scream caught me off guard and I jumped. The shuffling of feet erupted into a stampede. That was it - the signal of the beginning. I heard Solomon yell to someone else. I donned my black motorcycle helmet and walked out into the middle of the road.
    “Here!” I screamed. A few of the homicidals had already broken away from the pack and were jogging down the Fielding’s dirt driveway. “Over here, you freaks! Right here!” Several homicidals bellowed out their monstrous screeches and suddenly I had a giant herd running straight in my direction. The chase began and I leapt back over the ditch and into the field, wild wisps of green licking at my hips. I would have to run a good distance and get separation between the fast runners and the slower ones.
    “Keep coming!” I screamed. “Follow me, assholes!” I didn’t want them to give up, especially the ones in the back. I screamed louder and harder to make sure they all heard me. I turned my course to the left, going deeper into the field. If I kept running straight, I’d reach the giant