by Poe, S. B.
From the Darkness
Book 10
The Marionette Zombie Series
SB Poe
Copyright © 2020 SB Poe
All rights reserved.
For my family
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental
.
Contents
Clean Slate
Seeing and Believing
Drops of Rain
Happy Trails
Too Numb to Feel
Wanderings
Tables and Chairs
Tall Tales
A Wide Spot in the Road
Be Here in the Morning
Clean Slate
Tilly stood next to the window watching beads of rain race down the other side of the glass. As she followed one to the bottom with her finger her hand moved from the window and stroked her stomach. She could feel the spot under her navel that was just a little harder. She looked back over her shoulder. Raj’s arm stretched across the bare mattress to her side of the bed. She looked back out the window and watched the rain for a little while longer. She crawled back into the bed and pulled the blanket over her. She closed her eyes. Raj rolled over and started snoring. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye.
Evelyn held the door to the fellowship hall open as the boxes passed from hand to hand. Josh stood at the tailgate of the truck starting the chain of people steadily moving the gathered supplies into the building. Bridger and Kate stood inside, stacking the boxes as they came through the door.
“How much?” Kate asked.
“Not enough.” Bridger said.
“Not what I asked.” Kate said as she set a box down.
“I know. Maybe a few months. We’ll add to it hunting or rounding up cows, if they’re still out there.”
“Yeah, they didn’t find any last time. We’ve gone through every house inside the barricade. This is what we have. I’m not counting on anything that’s not in here.” Kate said.
“I’ll see if I can’t add to it today.” Bridger said.
“Today?”
“Yeah, I’m going outside. Just gonna ride out to the co-op and back.” Bridger said.
“Why?” Kate asked as she stacked another box.
“Because there is a truck full of something out there.”
“A truck? How do you know…oh? I didn’t know they had a truck.” Kate said. “I just saw their jeep. Or whatever it’s called.”
“Yeah, I intend on grabbing that too. It’s called a Humvee but jeep works.” Bridger said.
“It’s been a week. We don’t know if it’s even still there.” Kate said.
“It’s there. I’ve walked out there every morning.” Bridger said. “But starting tomorrow, we’ll use the Humvee.”
“Tomorrow?” Kate turned.
“Yeah, we have to keep an eye on what’s out there. We’re going to know what is going on around us. No one is going to sneak up on us again. Not if we can help it.” Bridger said.
“So you think this place is it? This is where we stay?” Kate asked.
“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” Bridger asked.
“It’s better than what we had.” Kate said.
“I don’t know. I kinda miss the smell of moldy linoleum in the saloon.” He smiled.
“I don’t.” Kate said.
“Look Kate, I don’t know if this is the place. The fences were safer than a wide spot in the road. This is better than just a fence. But I don’t think we can say that we’ll never have to leave. That’s somewhat out of our control.” He said.
“And you going out there?” Kate asked.
“We can’t stay behind the walls all the time. We need to know what’s going on out there. This may be a good place, but no matter how good it is we need to know what’s happening on our borders.” He said.
“And what are our borders?” Kate asked as she stacked another box.
“That’s what I plan on establishing. And once I figure that out, I’ll start figuring out a way to defend them.” Bridger said.
“It was hard enough just keeping watch while we were still in the woods, now you’re talking about defending borders?” Kate smiled.
“I’m working on a plan for that too. I need to figure out the lay of the land first.” Bridger said.
“You plan on including me?” Evelyn said as she walked up carrying a box
“If you wanna come along?” Bridger said.
“I do.” She smiled and handed the box to Kate. “Last one.”
“Seriously?” Kate asked as she stacked it in the corner. “You still think that’s a few month’s worth?”
“Two maybe three. But, no matter what, we’re going to need more before anything we plant comes up and I’m not sure we can count on our agricultural skills to keep us going.” Bridger said. “I couldn’t keep a houseplant alive.”
“I talked to Cody. They already had a plan for the seeds you brought back. He said when y’all ran into each other the first time he was out there looking for the seeds you found. I’m pretty sure that his and Emma Grace’s skills exceed the needs of the average houseplant. We should be fine. Problem solved.” Kate said.
“Really?” Bridger turned.
“Really.” Kate said. “You go put together your raiding party and see what they left out there. When you get back, we’ll talk some more about your plan. We still have to bridge that gap in our food supply. Having borders doesn’t matter much if you starve to death.”
She brushed her hands on her pants before wiping her hair back on her head. The rubber band was in her hand and in her mouth and back into her hair in a flash. Bridger marveled at the deftness. She walked across the room and out the door. He turned and looked at Evelyn.
“I guess she told you.” Evelyn said.
“Hell, I guess she did.” Bridger laughed. They headed out the door.
The reins dragged on the pavement as the horse rounded the corner. It wasn’t in a full gallop but wasn’t walking. Ham ran after it as fast as she could, but she was losing ground. She finally stopped and doubled over with her hands on her knees. She caught her breath just as Jahda caught up to her. She waited for Jahda to catch her breath too.
“She can’t go anywhere.” Jahda said.
“She could jump the barricade.” Ham said.
“Maybe. But she won’t. She’s just tired of being cooped up.” Jahda said.
“She needs some exercise.” Ham said. “Cameron said she was mine. I need to take her for a ride every day.”
“You will. We’re just trying to let her heal. Maybe tomorrow.” Jahda said.
“If she hasn’t jumped the wall.” Ham said. “Come on.”
Ham trotted off in the direction the horse went. Jahda started walking behind her. A sinking feeling hit her stomach as Ham turned the corner out of sight. She paused and looked around. The streets were quiet. She could see parts of the barricade between the houses. It had been a long time since she could walk down the middle of any street and not really worry about the dead. It was an odd feeling. She turned the corner and saw Ham standing in the yard a few houses down. The horse’s head disappeared into the tall grass as it grazed. Ham held the reins and patted the horse on the shoulder. She looked up to wave at Jahda.
“She stopped.” Ham said.
“I see.” Jahda said as she came closer.
“You think I can ride her today?” Ham asked.
�
��We’ll have to let Cameron answer that. And I’m sure he’ll ask Raj. We want to make sure she’s healed up enough.” Jahda said.
“Those bites on her neck are just about gone. Look.” Ham flipped up the horse’s mane.
“They weren’t very deep. And the ones on her hips were already old.” Ham said.
“I don’t get to decide.” Jahda said.
“Who does?” Ham asked.
“You.” Jahda said.
“Me?”
“Yes, you. She belongs to you. You get to decide, mostly, how she gets treated. You can treat her like a friend, a tool, a ride or just a plaything that doesn’t matter that much. Your choice.” Jahda said.
“I wouldn’t ever treat her like a plaything.” Ham said. She turned and patted her. “I’d treat her like a friend.”
“Then take another look at those marks, do they look healed enough?” Jahda asked.
She lifted the mane again.
“No, I guess they don’t.” She admitted. “You tricked me. But in a good way.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be. Opa used to do it all the time.” She said. “Let’s get her back to the shed. It’s kinda unfair though.”
“What’s that?” Jahda asked.
“If we were still in the woods, she woulda had a whole barn to herself, here she’s just got a little shed.” Ham said.
“I think we’re going to have to come up with something better. But honestly, she may just have to roam loose inside the barricade. It may be easier for her.” Jahda said.
“I won’t know where she is.” Ham objected.
“Well, maybe you could teach her to come to you when you whistle or something.” Jahda smiled.
“You think I could?” Ham asked as they walked back down the street.
“Sure.” Jahda said. “We’ll figure something out.”
Kate stood in the shadow on the porch of the big house, watching the gathering in the street below. Bridger and Evelyn sat on the tailgate of the truck. Josh and Lori sat on the curb, leaned back on their hands, under the shade of the big oak that Ed and Vernon leaned against. Charlie and Jennifer were standing at the back of the truck next to Raj and Tilly. Kate thumbed the walkie in her hand.
“Scott.” She released the button.
“Yes, mam, mom.” He said.
“Everything okay?”
“Yep. Cameron is watching a couple of deaduns stumble across the street right now, but other than that, all’s quiet.” Scott said.
“Cameron? I thought Ham and Jahda were with you this morning.” Kate said.
“They lost their horse, or at least that’s what Cameron said. He said you shouldn’t worry though.”
“Okay then. Just wanted you to know Bridger is about to head your way. Maybe keep an eye on those deaduns because y’all are going to have to open the gate.” Kate said.
“Bridger going out?” Scott asked.
“He is.”
“Okay. We’ll be ready.”
“I’ll let you know when they leave here.”
“So a thirty second warning.” Scott said.
“Better than no warning.” Kate said. She watched the conversation a dozen yards below her in the street.
“Man, come on. Not really feeling it today.” Josh said. “Was kinda hoping to see if there were any fish in that creek.”
“So you’re saying you’d prefer not to go.” Bridger said.
“If I get a preference.” Josh said. “Tomorrow sounds so much better.”
“This’ll take an hour, tops.” Bridger said.
“Sorry, nope. Not gonna fall for that one. Been out too many times with you already. You like to, what did you call it Ed?” Josh said.
“Sightsee.” Ed said.
“That’s it. You like to sightsee, like a tourist. No disrespect or anything.” Josh smiled.
“He’s got a point.” Evelyn elbowed Bridger in the side.
“Fair enough. How about you Charlie? Wanna drive a vehicle back?” Bridger asked.
“Sure. Nothing else to do.” Charlie said.
“Do I have to come?” Jennifer asked.
“Not unless you want too.” Charlie said.
“I don’t.” She said.
“I do.” Raj said.
“I don’t.” Tilly said.
“So Raj, Charlie and Evelyn. Great. Let’s go.” Bridger said as he slid off the tailgate.
“I need a favor though.” Raj said.
“What’s that?”
“I need you to help me find that man again. Ramey. If he’s out there.” Raj said.
“Why?”
“Just wanted to check on him. He is unique.”
“That’s an understatement.” Bridger said.
“You met him?” Raj asked.
“I did. Briefly.” Bridger said.
“Will you help?”
“Of course.” Bridger said.
“Told ya, another sight to see.” Ed laughed. “Come on Vernon, let’s see if we can find nothing to do.”
“Let’s get loaded up.” Bridger climbed into the driver’s seat. Raj and Charlie jumped into the bed and Evelyn climbed in the other door. Kate watched the truck pull away from the curb. She thumbed the walkie.
“Scott, I guess he’s got his team together. They’re on their way.” She said.
“Thanks.” Scott replied. He climbed down from the top of the bus and stood by the gate, waiting.
Seeing and Believing
Bridger slowed the truck as they approached the gas station. They were almost a mile beyond the gate. He hung his head out of the window.
“That’s where I saw him last. That house right there.” Bridger pointed across the street.
“You think he’s still there?” Raj asked.
“We can go knock on the door. If he’s not there we’ll ride on out. We can stop on our way back and look for him.”
“Ok.” Raj said. “I’ll go knock.”
“Woah. Hold on.” Bridger said as Raj leapt from the bed of the truck. “We’ll all go. We don’t know what’s in there anymore. The last time I saw him he didn’t look like he was going to make it through the conversation and that was over a week ago.”
“Charlie and I will keep watch. Y’all two try the door.” Evelyn said as she climbed out of the passenger side.
Bridger and Raj crossed the street. The days of trimming hedges were long past and the house sat cloistered among the giant azaleas. The dandelions grew in clumps among the tall grass in the yard. Wisteria vines wrapped around the wrought iron bannisters lining the two steps up to the small porch and front door. Raj climbed the steps and knocked. He stepped back. There was no sound from inside for a few seconds. Then they both heard a raspy voice.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Raj. The uh doctor. We met, you were on a horse.” Raj said.
“Bridger Preston. We’ve met too.”
“Why are you here?”
“Just uh, came by to check on you. Make sure you were okay.” Raj said.
“Why?” Ramey asked.
“Well, we uh…” Raj started.
“We need to know you’re okay. Not for your sake, for ours. We won’t make a habit of it, but we’re still gonna check on you since you’re living outside our walls and are a bit more capable of getting inside those walls than the run-of-the-mill deadun.” Bridger said.
“There’s an honest answer.” Ramey said through the door.
They heard the latch click. A narrow slit fell between the frame and the door. Raj and Bridger both winced slightly at the smell coming through the opening. Ramey swung the door open halfway and stepped back into the darkness of the room. Bridger and Raj climbed the two steps and went inside.
“Please come inside. The sunlight is bright. It makes it harder to see.” Ramey said.
“It hurt your eyes?” Bridger said as they eased through the door.
“Not exactly. It’s just I see shapes better in dimmer light. Bright makes
everything kind of wash out.” Ramey said.
“Can you see us?” Raj asked as he looked at the yellowing film covering Ramey’s eyes.
“Sort of.” Ramey said.
A smell wafted through the room, the same smell that had greeted them at the door. Bridger put his hand to his nose.
