Jack will live - Perry von Pickartz (different ereaders txt) 📗

CHAPTER 1 Chaos Cola.

There was no light, there was no water, there was nothing. Jack felt sleepy, hungry, and alone. Since nine years, there hasn't been a single visitor in Greenfield. Short after America was invaded by the communists, the curtain fell down. Radiated TV's flickered green light trough the neighbouring houses. Pretty much all of Green field's inhabitants where extinguished, for al Jack knew. Jack knew there where survivors, but they operated on ham-radio's, which are very expensive to purchase. Though money did not exist any more, it was still hard to find what you want-in the middle of nowhere. He sits down on his bed and lights a cigarette. He inhales deeply, and moans: “I have to get out!”

Today, Jack came to sense that survival is not a game. He had to see for himself if there was something out there. He stood up, grabbed his jacket and walked out of his room. He entered the hall, it looked so Gray and dusty now, so sad. The last time he enjoyed this scene, life was still flourishing in Greenfield. Jack lights another cigarette and bends over to peek trough the mailbox. The wind blows, making him feel comfortable that there is really nothing for him to worry about. Why should I go out? He thinks. ''No food there, no good there.''

His cigarette finished with a crackling burn. His heart pounds trough his throat. He opens the door and runs trough the street. He keeps on running until he stumbles on some rubbish. He falls. Jack hits the ground on his teeth, the pain shoots trough his head as he can her his teeth splitting. Tick..tick...Jack's watch hypnotizes his perception. He opens his eyes, and sees that it is autumn. Moss is growing every where; poles, cars, houses, even the roads. The rewarding look makes him anxious.

He stands up with a soar mouth, covered in blood. It just tastes like iron, he thinks. All that chewing on keys and coins gave him a taste for iron. Only if sparky was here, then he could scout the area for me. He looks baffled now, he simply doesn't now to handle reality. Stumbling on, he spots the grocery market. Cola. How could he forget the supermarket. ''Come on, lazy dog ! Come on !'' He tells himself. Jack stands in front of the supermarkets door and reaches for his lock-picks. Trying to force the gigantic steel lock, he considers to take his time and kneels down. Rattle.....rattle..rattle....squieeeek...click! He just broke into the supermarket. If only deputy Beckins would have seen me now ! He quickly rushes trough the entrance dropping his key chain behind.

Milk, bread, cookies, peanut-butter, its all there. Drool and some blood starts oozing out of his mouth as he sees the chocolate peppermint crisp tart. He can't take any more and lights another cigarette. Smoke gatherers in fumes around his face, his senses sharpen and he looks straight into the cooler. The moment was just to crazy; The calligraphic letters COKE A COLA flashed trough his eyes, he inhales his cigarette and hastes himself towards the cooler. He opens the door -grabs the bottle, and starts drinking. Twist..pshhhhhhhh! Total ecstasy runs trough his blood now, and never ever did cool-drink taste this good. He finished his cigarette and while plundering trough the racks, he pondered for a second and mumbled to himself;
''What is money good for anyway? You can't it eat.''

Chapter 2 A Strange dog.

There was silence there, for a while everything seemed as it was 9 years ago. No bombs, no Chinese invaders, no fuss. Jack enjoyed himself, and took as much food as he could. His pockets where full of cigarettes, chewing gum and cookies. He left the money. It was of no use now, or ever. He looked up to the sealing and closed his eyes for a second or two. Flash ! His memory started spinning, flashbacks shooting like needles trough his mind, and then...''That's it.'' He thought. I am going to leave this forsaken town. I am going to hit the road and find... find anyone. Giving up was not an option.

Jack played his favourite mp3 song, Metallica, Invisible kid. He felt one with the song, as it described his lifestyle. While banging his head on the beat, something made a sound behind the counter. He heard a loud barf sound echoing trough the supermarket. ''Shoot ! That's a dog !'' He thought. He started walking slowly to the counter. He looks behind the desk and sees a fat Rottweiler trying to digest some maple syrup tobacco. The smell of the tobacco must have attracted him from miles. But how did he came in ? Jack wondered. ''Here boy..try this.'' Whispered Jack. Jack was good with dogs, for he worked many stinking hours at an dog-asylum. Ever since then he saw dogs as servants, loyal soldier of the animal kingdom. The Rottweiler was careful now and gave Jack a little gnarl. He gladly snatched the cookie out of Jack's hand. Before you could close your eyes, the cookie went into his stomach. ''I can use a partner'' Jack said. ''Let's give you a name shall we ? What about...'' ''Oh please spare me the silly names'' Said the dog. Jack shocked and his face turned white. ''What the hell...a...talking..dog.'' Except for the silent moment, the only thing sounding there was the rottweilers breath, heheheheheh... ''No, I don't have time for nonsense like this.'' He said. He slapped himself hard in the face to see if all of this was real. And..yes, it was reality. The dog moved slightly towards jack, and started talking. ''Let's come to the point. I will assist you with my life but if you don't feed me, I will bite you, badly.'' Jack replied in confusion. ''But your a predator! How come you don't hunt yourself?'' The dog looked embarrassed now, and replied on a calm tone: ''I...sigh...am...i am a vegetarian. My old boss gave me nothing but beans and cauliflower. So, since then my taste for meat has faded.'' Jack looked with wide eyes open and a moment of silence came back again. 'Spontaneously Jack started laughing and the dog gnarled furious. The dog rose his proud voice know and warned him; ''Still it doesn't mean I can't change my diet...human.'' Jack wiped the tears of his eyes, he did not laugh for such a long time. “'For real he?..'' Jack asked quietly. ''We've got a deal here. I will supply your ''necessary'' food and you will follow my trail. Still I have to ask you, what's your name ? I hope it isn't fluffy or something!'' Jack started laughing again. The dog sighed again, and replied fierce: ''Reilly, just call me Reilly.''

Jack looked in sympathy at the Rottweiler, and his heart became soft for a moment. ''Come on Reilly, Lets go!'' Reilly gave a fake ''woof'' in confirmation, and ran together with Jack out of the supermarket into distance. ''Jack, ..Happy birthday.''Said Reilly softly.
''How did you know my birthday Reilly ?'' Asked Jack staggered.
''I knew your old friend.'' Reilly answered.

CHAPTER 3 You are not alone.

''There, another piece of debris.'' said Jack disappointed. While he Left Greenfield together with Reilly, He figured out that he had to rise to the occasion. It was now, or never. The ham radio's would not be located anywhere in these farmlands. If he wanted to contact anyone out there, then he needed a radio. Searching trough the wasted cars, he struggles to find a decent intact radio. The Motherboard-chip is completely fried. Jack throws the radio against a Yellow Beatle, still intact. The radio hits the car's hood with a loud ''dunk'' and makes the alarm go of. ''Well what the heck..'' Jack said. He looks trough the cabin, and spots a brand new truck intercom, not a ham but good enough.. Maybe the last owner was a undercover cop or something. If the alarm was still working, then the battery should still be fine. Reilly jumps around the car and starts sniffing around, at least he was showing some animal instincts. ''.Check this out. There's a gun stuck between the back-seat.'' Reilly said. Jack reached his hand to the car's door lever to open it, but it was locked. ''Shoot!''
''I left my key chain at the sup-market.'' Reilly moaned a little bit, and offered to get the key chain. '' I will be back in minute, stay here and don't do anything stupid.'' After 5 minutes, Jack couldn't wait to smash the window open, so he did. After he chipped all the sharp glass pieces of (bloody mess), he wormed himself trough the window. ''Aaah'' better. He lit a cigarette and sat back for a while. The car's seats where pretty comfortable and gave a relaxed feeling for someone who slept the last nine years on a spring-spiral bed. It was getting dark, and Jack started got worried now. Where is Reilly, what is he doing ? Crunching on his last few cookies, he looked in side mirror, and reckoned he should shave.
When jack turned his face up, Reilly jumped on the car with sonic speed and started barking and shouting; '' RUN, NOW ! '' Jack almost wet himself from shock and Yelled back in a paranoid way.'' What?, but..'' Reilly got pissed of now and grinned his teeth and looked severely irritated '' There is a hoard of wild animals coming upward the road, we HAVE to get out off here, NOW! '' Jack replied quickly'' Give me the key's ! do you got the key''s ? you better ha...'' Reilly Started looking pale now and suddenly barfed Jack's key chain out. It was covered in drool and maple-rum syrup. He took the keys and started picking the car lock. The first key broke of. The second got stuck. One key was left, And Jack started sweating now. Click...click...........kraak..The key broke off, but the front lights turned on. Jack realised now that the cars power is on, so he stuck the chipped key piece in the lock and turned it. The car started, it worked! While jack Pushed the poke into the reverse, Reilly jumped in and little did they know that the horde was close; up to 2 minutes distance. The car started shaking now, and windows vibrated of stampeding. Jack managed to turn, Shifted into the second gear (to early) and slowly build up speed towards the dark forward laying road. Jack looked back in the mirror, and saw that Reilly was not looking healthy, he give him his last cookie. Looking side the mirrors he saw the first horses running in front of a big dusty mass, followed by something what looked as elephants. Speeding up and entering the 3 shift now, he suddenly felt the stampeding coming closer and closer now. The first horses strafed by and miraculously the horse kept up with the car and turned his head, Jack guessed what was going to happen next.

Chapter 4.

Reilly was barking like crazy, and Jack felt the pressure rising. All this intense concentration, cranked up his stamina, but in a heavy way. His mp3player kept hanging in rewind, and Metallica sounded as a broken TV now. The horses ran by, in front of the car kicking the bumper heavily. The car slipped for a while, but the Beatle maintained.