Day 17

Midway through Iowa and heading towards Nebraska we stop at an abandoned RV park. There's a smaller RV, burned to a crisp, more than one with blood on their doors and streaked handprints. One with blood all over it but the door is closed. Nathan, Billy, and I climb down out of the cab to investigate.

We unlock the trailer first and let everyone in the trailer get out and stretch their legs and scavenge anything we'll need. A.J. loads his .45 and comes with us to look over the big bus type RV. There is a curtain drawn over the windshield on the inside.

We knock on the locked entrance door. Nothing. Billy, turns out, is a man of many skills and gets a lock pick kit out. He starts to pick the lock when it turns and the door bursts open! We are looking at three armed people pointing their weapons at us. Taken by surprise we step back.

"Don't loot our place, move along," they tell us.
"We aren't looters," A.J. says, "We're survivors and we're heading to Alaska to start over. If you have skills, supplies, and a will to live you are welcome to come with us. We're fully stocked with everything rebuilding will need for a while but people are hard to come by."

"Alaska? What makes you think Alaska is a better place to live than here?"
"It's better, it's more isolated, the population is minimal even when it was at it's highest, food and game are abundant. The cold will keep the infected from coming for us. It's just safer right now, we might get there and think differently but on paper this looks like our best chance right now." A.J. responded.

"We've got more than three of us. When they came through here they were raging crazy. Everyone had heard the stories on what news channels we could get but I'm not sure if anyone really believed them fully. Then the attacks happened, they broke into trailers with the weaker doors, the people were..."

"We know," A.J. replied, "We've seen it too, a hundred times. How many survivors?"

"Some older and less able to arm themselves, myself and brother and our families, maybe a dozen all together. My name's Mark. My brother Mike has you in his sites from that window. If something happens he'll make this all very messy."

"No need. We're peaceful survivors moving to a new life now. Nothing is left so pack up and follow us if you want. We'll share food and supplies. We've got builders, engineers, even a butcher, there's room for everyone of you too."

"Sounds great but we're our of fuel."

"Funny you mention that," said I,"I was just going to suggest finding a tanker to haul with us."

"Then let's find a tanker," A.J. said, "We're going to be a caravan after all."

Then it erupted, sounds of many people crashing through the trees. Running, sprinting, staggering and falling. We were surrounded by infected!