I have said it before and I have said
it again. Stealth is the key. There are times where having the advantage of
numbers gives you strength and a certain level of defensive capability. But you
could also argue that avoiding a fight by going undetected makes you even
safer.
This is how we met Kyndall and Wesley
Reyes. Wesley, 26, and Kyndall, 22, is a brother and sister pair that has made
it up from Houston, TX. They did not bring good news with them. They escaped
Houston and Dallas is gone. They made it from Highway 75 to Highway 69 and were
heading north when they diverted onto Highway 28 when they came across too many
zoms in Adair to plow through.
I would not go so far as to call them
heavily armed but they did carry a decent stash of weapons. Some of the first
questions they were asked is how they have survived as long as they have. They
are utilizing stealth and speed to navigate their way north. And Wes’
techniques should not work. In theory, they go against every conventional and logical
thought process but, dammit, they work and he and Kyndall are living proof of
it. I am serious. Wes is like a freaking Jedi Knight.
The duo arrived driving a car in broad
daylight. They are driving a small Honda Civic hybrid so the car is pretty quiet.
We spotted them quickly from the roof. Kyndall had a white T-shirt flapping out
the passenger window for a show of peace. Wes pulled the car very slowly up
along the front of the store where the doors are barricaded with vehicles. In a
very calm and soothing voice, he asked if we had any spare food we could share.
Maybe a bed for the night. So, we motioned them around back.
They pulled the Civic up to the
produce dock and actually parked it close. (He even pulled the parking break.)
As Kyndall was hefting two hiking backpacks out of the back of the car, Wes
calmly got out and walked around to help his sister. By now, a few zoms had
taken note of their presence and had started shuffling towards the dock door.
I remember Hobbit Judy was waving
frantically and motioning for them to hurry. It almost looked like Wes could
have broken out into a whistle. Pistol in hand, Wes simply went into a shooting
stance to rival someone like Eric or Fred. He actually waited. He waited until
the zom was close. Not so close that he was in danger but close enough where he
could shoot and not miss.
Putting three zoms down, Wes helped
his sister up onto the dock and then actually took the time to smile, shake our
hands, and introduce himself before wanting to come inside. I don’t think this
guy is crazy. When you talk to him, it is clear he doesn’t have a death wish.
But he has no fear. Zero.
I asked him, point blank, how he does
it. He looked right at me and said, “They don’t have any fear. Why should we?”
When he elaborated, he called the zoms
cattle because that is what he thinks of them as. Cattle are large, dumb
animals. I am not hating on them. They taste great. But cattle are dumb and
easily spooked. Being out in the fields with them, I was never really afraid of
them unless they got to moving quickly in my direction. As long as they stay at
bay, they aren’t a threat.
Now, zoms in a pack are very deadly
but only if they can get to you. They have no magical powers, no ranged
weapons, and it is pretty obvious that they can be outsmarted, tricked, and
even herded (just like cattle) into the kill box. They are not fast. In fact,
they shamble along pretty slowly. So if a zombie is chasing you at 1 mile per
hour, all you have to do is walk 1.25 miles per hour. There is no need to
scream at the top of your lungs and sprint like a leading lady in a horror
movie through the forest where you end up fumbling the clip out of your hand
when trying to reload.
Be calm. Keep that heart rate down.
You are a better shot that way anyway. Panic when it is time to panic. And when
they are 100 yards away… you have time.
Now, I don’t want to downplay the
threat. These things are still wicked dangerous and relentless but Wes and
Kyndall’s attitude is something we seriously need to work on adopting. I mean
we are surviving right now but I think we need to start changing gears and
actually get comfortable fighting these things…
Until then, we have invited Wes and
Kyndall to stay and rest. They have agreed to stay in quarantine but I feel
like it is just a formality at this point. Have you ever looked into someone’s
eyes and just instantly felt a trust? They are good kids and I feel like we are
going to learn more from them than they are from us…
