American Apocalypse IV - Heartland Chapter 6

A light bulb went off in my head as I ran. It said "Hey dumbass. You know thing on your back we call a rifle? Might be a good time to use it."

"No shit" I thought. Holstering the Ruger, making a sharp zig because it seemed like the house was a mile away still and I could see movement at the window, and trying to pull the 30-30 was difficult. I managed it and was shot at and missed again. This one hit, ricocheted, and I heard a dog yelp. I pushed the safety in and fired from my hip and took out the window next to who ever it was.

Cursing and getting seriously pissed I didn't stop for the front door. I got lucky, it wasn't steel framed or locked even. I kept going through it, leaped a coffee table, and bounced off the wall hard. The stairs were to my left. I levered a new round in and started shooting through drywall and whatever the hell else they used to make houses around here. It looked new so it was probably cardboard pulp and virgin nylon carpeting reinforced by pine boards.

The dogs went racing up the stairs. One of the Rottweilers was limping a bit. As he passed by he gave me a reproachful look. I wanted to yell "Not my fault!"but I was distracted by the sound of a door slamming shut. "Shit!" I thought "Lucky sonofabitch so far." I reloaded the 30-30 and listened to large dogs scratch at the door. I was going to have to go up there and finish this before one of them got hurt. I didn't bother to call them off. I doubted if they would listen and I couldn't think of a command that equaled "Get away from the door and get out of the way you dumb ass, rot breathed, stupid fuckers."

I fired another round where I thought I heard movement and rushed the stairs. I was about halfway up when I heard "I give up! I surrender!" I kept going, yelling at the dogs who were gathered around hallway at the top of the stairs trying to get in the bedroom door. I was surprised they hadn't. Those doors were usually as well built as the rest of the house. I kneed one of the dogs to get it to move and yelled "Come out now!" Then moved so they wouldn't place me by voice.

"Call off the dogs!"

Jeebus. This was getting tiresome. I had a town to burn and miles to go. I booted one of them and yelled "Move! Out! Now!" Woof looked at me like I was insane, snarled at the one who scratching at the door which looked like one more big dog jump against it would do it, and got them moving down the stairs. Well, Woof stopped halfway.

I yelled "All right! Come out!"

The door open cautiously and a skinny white guy who looked like he once weighed a great deal more came out slowly with his hands raised. "Okay. I surrender! Be cool buddy."

I shot him in the head. The 30-30 round was pretty close to a .357 round in what it did to his head. I levered another round in, stepped into the room and made sure he was alone, then looked down at the body and said "Fuck you. Fuck you and your town" and kicked him in the balls. I picked up my brass and left him to the dogs who pushed up hard against me as I went down the stairs.