King of the Hill

King of the Hill

Matt Savarese

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. Uncertainty pervaded an ominous breeze that was chilling to my already icy bones causing my approach to become quick and anxious. I attempted to conceal myself by dodging behind the skeletons of atrophied cars littering the overpass. Taking cover I placed my hand on the car in front of me feeling coarse rust disintegrating under my fingers. I peered through the blown-out passenger window and saw a building upon a hill currently occupied by blood thirsty highwaymen. I took my rifle and slid it through the window and looked down its dirty scope for a closer look. Due to the lack of magnification I could only make out the silhouettes of those patrolling the structure. Turning to my right I waved at one of my companions indicating it was safe for him to move. He picked up his pack and fearfully crouched behind cars until he reached me. 

“What do you see?” He asked. He had his rifle held against his chest covered by a tattered fleece jacket. He began scratching his grimy blonde beard as he waited for my response. 

“A lot of raiders and no good way in.” I turned my attention to the building itself, noticing how pronounced it was sitting upon a hill overlooking the surrounding urban sprawl. The building appeared to be a grocery store when everything was in working order but now serves as a fortress for bandits. 

“We could approach along the road there?” He asked. I shook my head and pondered for a moment. He was talking about the road in front of us that ran alongside the hill next to the overpass.

“No, too direct.” I stated. The rear of the building faced our direction; it had no windows and two emergency exits that lead to a slim concrete path with only a row of bushes to separate it from the steep face of the hill. My companion looked to the hill then back at me and said,

“We don’t have much of a choice.” I continued looking through my scope for a moment refusing to acknowledge the truth in his statement. Putting my rifle down I looked at my companion saying,

“We’d get spotted takin that road in-” He persisted,

“Not in the dark.” 

“Yeah, well, doing this in the dark or not we can’t attack them head on like that. Thirteen fighters won’t cut it.” He shook his head in frustration and asked,

“How many they got?” 

“I counted ten so far. I’m assuming there’s a lot more inside.” He looked to the hill curiously and said,

“We couldn’t sneak up the face at night?” 

“They’d hear us.” I said.

“Maybe we sneak up on the west side. Go up from that shopping center over there.” He suggested.

“Possibly.” He coughed into his sleeve then reached for his plastic gallon jug and took a quick sip. 

“Why don’t we just head south and hop along the mesa until we reach the coast and continue on from there?” 

“To where, Mike?” He looked to the south as if it would reward him with an epiphany. He broke his silence by saying,

“Maybe we could make it to Vandenberg.” I shook my head.

“That’s out of the question.” 

“Then what? Go back? We can’t do that-” I cut him off. 

“We take this hill. That was the plan. We take this hill then we go from there.” We were quiet for a moment. I stared at the hill as Mike stared at me wondering what I was going to say. 

“Doesn’t look like they got anybody in that building to the left there.” I said. I stared at the old restaurant letting my gut sort things out. 

“I think approaching from that direction might be our best bet. We’ll come up from that shopping center down over there and a few of us will get inside that building and draw their fire while the rest flank around.” I turned to Mike and asked with an assertive tone, 

“Does that sound good?” Mike shrugged nervously saying,

“I guess.” He looked away, “I mean, are you sure this place is it, Jack?” I sat quietly picking at the calluses on my palms.

“Yeah… this is it.” Mike seemed just as unsure as he was before. Assuming Mike had nothing more to say I continued, 

“Alright then, tell everyone we attack after dusk.”

“You’re not coming with us?” 

“I’m going to stay and keep an eye on the place.”

“Alright.” Mike said reluctantly. 

“Stage everyone near that cemetery over there to the east.” I commanded. 

“That’s a little close don’t you think? You could probably see right down into the cemetery from up there.” He had a point. I took a deep breath and tried to find another suitable location for our people. I spotted a diner on the other side of the cemetery that may be far enough away.

“There, at that diner.” Mike nodded nervously.

“Ok.” 

“Time to get a move on then.” I said. Mike crouched back to our other two companions and began relaying the plan to them. 

After they left I watched the hill until the sun dipped below the horizon learning a very disconcerting fact I chose to keep to myself. We were outnumbered. In the time since my companions left I counted another twenty armed sentries patrolling the structure. I had about thirteen able fighters, less than half of them equipped with long to medium range weaponry, all of whom are lacking in ammunition. But we had no choice. 

It had become an especially tense night drenched in cold rain and snow creating a rather ominous atmosphere. We moved closer to the restaurant trying not to reveal our position by stepping in large puddles or patches of snow. I noticed something I wasn’t able to see from the highway. They had made a barricade blocking the entrance to the parking lot. The barricade stretched from an overgrown hedge covering the side of the grocery store all the way to an old bank on the opposite side of the shopping center. It was made from cars, dumpsters, sheets of metal and shelving salvaged from the grocery store. 

When we made it to the abandoned restaurant we entered and dug in. My fighters were at my side all prepared to initiate the attack on my orders. I trembled not from the cold but from intense fear as we watched bandit sentries patrol their makeshift barricade. Mike sat to my left struggling as he tried to load his rusted rifle causing me a great deal of anxiety. He was able to chamber his weapon, reinstating my confidence in the operation. I whispered to him,

“Lead the charge to the barricade and break it down with the sledgehammer.” Mike nodded without a word and shouldered his rifle. He was staring at me as if he didn’t know what to think about everything we were about to do. I didn’t either. Mike’s face always spoke louder than his words capitulating every thought to his observers without him even knowing. 

My heart raced and my palms were sweaty. The choice I was about to make would seal the fate of my people, regardless of what happens. I began to question every decision I've made up until this point and whether or not I was a gifted tactician or a delusional moron about to get his people killed. Today would put me to the ultimate test and I prayed to a god who abandoned us long ago to insure my victory. Taking a deep breath I closed my eyes and calmed myself down. Soon vigor and rage replaced my anxiety. 

“Open fire on my mark.” I whispered to my fighters. There was a man sitting on the ramparts of the makeshift barricade illuminated by a bonfire behind him. He was armed with a longrifle and a pre apocalyptic kepler vest. I took my rifle and lined up his head with my scope and placed my finger on the trigger. Primal lust for battle filled my heart as I slowly squeezed the trigger. If I shoot, my life and the lives of my people may become forfeit, I thought to myself. Before I could reconsider my instinct took over and the man on the other side of my sights slumped to the floor. 

I watched as the two highwaymen patrolling the outside of the barricade collapsed from an accurate volley of fire. Just as they fell Mike made it to the barricade with his team and began breaking through. 

“Hold your positions.” I commanded, surprised by the slow response from the highwaymen. A full thirty seconds passed until more bandits arrived on the ramparts of the barricade. During this time Mike and three others ferociously tore apart the barricade with their sledgehammer. Two bandits covered in dirty snow jackets and beanies popped their heads over the barricade and were immediately neutralized. My ears rang as we sent another volley towards the barricade in order to suppress any bandits who may have the same idea as their fallen comrades. 

Finally, Mike managed to remove a sheet of metal welded to a shopping cart allowing light from the bonfire to pour through the barricade. I stood and said,

“Everyone, on me!” As we ran across the street to the barricade Mike and his team preemptively took positions on the other side and engaged the bandits. I was the first of my group to pass through the opening as bullets racked the barricade around me. Once we were on the other side we took cover behind dilapidated cars and opened fire on the bandits. They flowed out of the grocery store but many of them were shot before they could become a threat on the battlefield. The bonfire in the middle of the parking lot made them easy targets on a moonless night. 

We maintained fire superiority and successfully suppressed our enemy. I slung my rifle across my back and unholstered my side arm sending multiple rounds down range. Suddenly the mass of starving bandits began running towards the other side of the parking lot as they retreated. 

“Don’t let up!” I screamed as we exhausted the remainder of our ammunition. After the last bandit had fled the battle was over. I ran towards the entrance of the grocery store ready to neutralize any bandits who may have survived. I was relieved to find they were all dead. 

“Rally on me!” I screamed. When my people made their way to the entrance I could see that they were still riding the high of combat. I decided to keep the momentum going and commanded Mike and his team to clear the grocery store. I instructed the rest of the group to loot the corpses for weapons and ammunition. 

I took it upon myself to check the rear of the grocery store to make sure there were no bandits hiding there. When I came around I saw the narrow path I had seen from the highway and it was clear of enemies. I decided to look out towards the city below expecting to see a bright and bustling conurbation but all I saw was darkness. That was until I noticed the headlights of three vehicles peaking over the highway. My heart began to race as I considered whom it may be and how they managed to get three vehicles running under post apocalyptic conditions. I hesitated, believing they may turn and head another direction but I was wrong. I considered running and putting out the bonfire but it was too late. Fear consumed my body as I watched them use the offramp at the bottom of the hill. Please God, keep heading north, I said to myself.