The Wilder Side of Z

by S A Ison

  “Yeah, I get that. But you’ve never actually attacked anyone who lived, right?”

  “No, but I’m pretty sure you can’t turn into a fucking werewolf. It isn’t worth your life, Ethan. I might kill you, if the infection doesn’t. Everyone I’ve ever attacked, I’ve killed. My teeth are five inches long for fuck’s sake.”

  “You can do a controlled bite. Look, it will be worth it if I do live and I can become a werewolf. I can help protect Rose, the kids and the farm.”

  “Well, it sure as shit didn’t do anything for Shay’s parents,” Xander said, exasperated. The drive back to the farm and the next property was done in silence. Ethan knew he had to do this. As they passed numerous fields and farms, he saw the creatures wandering around in the fields. He thought that it would be prudent to go out on patrols in the farm’s vicinity and keep an eye out for the zombies. Also, maybe reinforce the fencing that surrounded Rose’s property. As much as he hated it, he’d have to talk to Reggie. Knowing that the man had been associated with the Klan burned his ass, but there wasn’t much Ethan could do about that. As long as Reggie didn’t start spouting racist bullshit, he’d be okay, he guessed.

  Ethan knew it was chancy to be bitten by Xander. He got that. But to have that ability to turn into a killing machine and protect Rose and the children was priceless. The ammo they’d used on those zombies at the gravel pit was now less for when or if zombies came to the farm. He’d also suggest to Xander to head to the nearest gun shop and pick up more guns and ammo. If not for him, then for Rose and the children. All these thoughts kept swirling in his brain and he felt as though he were drowning. The only way to stay above the hordes was to be well armed and well trained. He’d have to teach Rose and Lauren how to handle and uses weapons as well as their bodies to fight. It would at least give them a chance. Reggie seemed to know his way around weapons. It was just a matter of talking Xander into biting him. He’d ask Zahara, but he figured she’d kill him and be done with it. She seemed also wilder, less in control than Xander. Maybe because Xander was ten years older than her? No, it had to be Xander to bite him and that was all there was to it. He just needed to convince Xander.

  Ž

  The Hummer was loaded up and the fuel tank topped off. Bobby had several five-gallon cans of fuel in the back and the vehicle was filled with the fumes of gas. It was giving him a headache.

  “On our way out of town, I want to swing by Rigby’s Hardware. They’ve got trailers and I wanna put those gas cans on a trailer. I don’t think I can drive around sniffin’ gas fumes. Not to mention I’m afraid to smoke one of my stogies,” Bobby said and laughed.

  “We can also pick up more gas cans and strap them to the trailer. Hells bells, we could pick up a whole lot of supplies and pack it back there,” Avery said.

  “Slow down tiger, one thing at a time.” Bobby pulled down a treelined lane. The houses were well kept and expensive looking. There were zombies wandering around and Bobby snorted.

  “What?” Avery asked, looking over at him.

  “It don’t matter how rich or how poor you are. These damned zombies bring down the neighborhood,” Bobby said and laughed.

  “I ‘spect property values have dropped all across the country,” Avery said and sniggered. Bobby eyed the younger man and wondered if he were drunk. He smelled liquor on him but hell, he’d had a beer this morning himself. He mentally shrugged. He saw the house and a cruel smile slid across his face. There were several zombies in the yard. He slowed down and stopped the Humvee in front of a mid-century modern. There were several magnolias and their sweet scent competed with the stench of rot.

  “Where are we?” Avery asked, looking at Bobby.

  “This here is my ex’s house. Cost me a lot. Pretty, ain’t it?” Bobby said and his mouth twisted bitterly.

  “What are we doing here?”

  “Just stopped by, wanted to see if Esther got bit or not.” Bobby rolled down the window and honked the horn and waited. The zombies turned toward the vehicle and Avery shifted nervously. A slow smile crept over Bobby’s face when the front door to the house cracked open. Then he saw Esther and she looked a little worse for wear. There were dark circles under her eyes and her skinned appeared blotchy, from crying, he thought. Her mouth opened in a silent scream and she threw open the door and ran down the stairs.

  “My Lord, you came!” she cried as she ran toward the vehicle. Bobby lifted his gun and shot Esther in the thigh before Avery or Esther realized what he was doing. She let out a pain filled scream and fell hard to the manicured lawn, holding her leg and rolled in pain. The zombies turned from the Humvee and headed toward Esther.

  “What did you do?” Avery screamed, his hands twisted in his hair and his eyes wide with horror.

  “I paid the bitch back,” Bobby said and smiled over at Avery. They both looked over when Esther’s screams became howls as three zombies attacked her. One had fallen to his knees and was biting her bloody thigh, while another was chewing on her hand as she tried to fend it off. The third zombie fell to the ground in front of Esther and dug his hands into Esther’s soft middle and her screams reached an unimaginable pitch. She thrashed about wildly and Bobby heard Avery whimpering beside him.

  “Die slow, you old cow,” Bobby said and spit out the window. He turned and smiled at a terrified and stunned Avery, who was shaking his head in denial. Avery shrank down in his seat. His mouth opened and closed but no words came out.

  “Let’s get this show on the road,” Bobby said in a jovial voice and pulled away from the still struggling Esther.

  Avery sat completely numb in the seat; his brain was frozen with absolute horror. How could Bobby do that to his wife? He thought the zombies were monsters but it was looking more and more like Bobby was the living breathing monster. He needed to get away. Avery knew deep down that Bobby would throw him into the pits of hell if it served his purpose. Bobby was a bully and he was evil. Avery saw that now.

  Bobby had done nothing when that little girl screamed in the store. He’d helped no one but himself. When Avery got his chance, he’d leave the old bastard and head for his cousin’s house. If he stayed with Bobby, he would either die or his soul would end up in hell.

  Ž

  Zahara sat in one of the rocking chairs on the veranda, she was sipping sweet ice tea and watched the shit show in front of her. A slight smile creased her lips as Ethan and Xander argued. They’d come back a few hours ago and she’d helped Xander clean out the back of the truck which was full of old blood, fresh blood and gore. She’d also cleaned her sword and placed it back in the truck, she would sharpen it later. They held the burial for Rose’s uncle and Rose had wept as had the children. Shay and the boys had been put down for a nap, they seemed drain after the funeral. Rose had gone to lay down as well. Lauren was sitting on the porch swing watching the two men argue.

  She and Xander planned on leaving soon and she was glad. She liked Rose but she longed for the cabin in the woods. This was not her home. Neither was the cabin, but she was now feeling territorial over it. The week she’d spent at the cabin with Xander had been the happiest time she could remember in years and years.

  “I’d be happy to bite the shit out of you Ethan,” she said, grinning from the porch. She let her canines slide down a few inches.

  “This is ridiculous. We can’t turn him,” Xander said.

  “We could try. Again, I don’t mind biting the hell out of him,” Zahara said and sniggered when Ethan narrowed his eyes and shot her a filthy look. She got up out of her rocking chair and set her drink down and stepped off the porch. The argument was becoming heated and she was afraid Shay would be woken up.

  “Stay out of this Zahara,” Xander said, looking over at her. She could see that he was irritated but not angry. She could understand why Ethan wanted to try. She personally didn’t believe they could turn the man, but what the hell. It was up to him.

  “I wouldn’t let you touch me with a ten-foot pole,” Ethan said, looking hard at Zaha
ra.

  “Oh, I don’t need a ten-foot pole,” Zahara said and laughed as she pulled out a pink straw and stuck it in her mouth.

  “Don’t Zahara,” Xander started but she blew hard. Ethan’s eyes grew wide as he slapped a hand to his neck and pulled the tiny dart out and he looked at her stunned.

  “You fucking bitc…” Ethan fell to the ground, his body bouncing once and Xander stared at her.

  “You can’t keep doing that,” Xander said and started laughing. A wide grin crossed her face and she shrugged.

  “It seemed the easiest way to shut him up and we might as well bite him. I can do it since my teeth are smaller. You got sabretooth teeth; you’d puncture his whole body.”

  “Your teeth are just as long. I’ll do it, otherwise he’ll say you were really trying to kill him. Let’s have Rose hook him up to an IV. Make sure it’s all sterile as possible. He won’t change though. That’s just some wishful fairytale fantasy horseshit,” Xander said, shaking his head as he squatted to lift Ethan under the arms. They looked up as Rose came out of the house, a worried look on her face.

  “He wants us to turn him. I just knocked him out for the procedure,” Zahara said and smiled.

  An hour later, Ethan was lying in a bed with an IV hooked up to his arm. Xander began to strip out of his clothing while Zahara stood leaning against the door. They were alone in the room. Neither wanted anyone to witness the bite. Xander thought it was actually kindness that Zahara had darted Ethan, though she would deny it. To be bitten was going to be agony for Ethan, no matter how bad he wanted it. Zahara had saved him that trauma. He would wake up in pain but he’d not feel the initial bite. Xander hoped the man would wake up. He couldn’t call Ethan a friend exactly, but they were becoming friends. I was odd because for most of his life, Xander had never had a friend. He was sure that Zahara was the same. Deep down, he just didn’t want to kill the man. He was truly afraid this would be the case. He didn’t want that burden on Zahara.

  “You ready?” Zahara asked, her face serious, all humor gone. He nodded and turned to the unconscious man. He let his body begin and felt himself heat up and expand. The familiar pain raced through his body and he let the ripping and tearing take over. His eyes were on Zahara and he noticed that her eyes were glowing gold and a soft wolf smile on her face. It was a comfort and he felt as though she were his mate. Mate. That was the wolf thinking. The bedroom seemed to grow smaller around him and he was now towering over Zahara. Her smell filled his senses and he looked from the man in the bed to her. Looking down at his hands, Xander saw the long-curved claws. It was time.

  Zahara stepped forward and drew down the sheet from the man, who had no shirt on. Xander didn’t like to see her touch the man and a snarl rumbled up through his chest and out his throat. Zahara looked up at him and smiled.

  “Easy boy, just remember why we’re here and don’t tear him to pieces. I just need you to bite him on the shoulder. Not too deep and make sure you slobber a lot,” she said as she moved aside, holding Ethan’s arm.

  Zahara watched as Xander moved closer and she’d seen his eyes shift from gold to bloody gold. Having to remind Xander that they didn’t want to kill Ethan made her smile. The animal sometimes had its own thoughts. It was an odd feeling being a werewolf. Your consciousness was present and even in charge, but then, the animal was also there and having solid control of the beast side was a slippery slope sometimes.

  Zahara laid a gentle hand on the back of Xander’s head, petting him. She wanted him to be fairly docile as he bit Ethan. She didn’t want the animal’s bloodlust to burst forth, otherwise Xander could easily kill Ethan. Xander’s mouth opened and his long teeth dripped with thick saliva. She watched as his mouth covered Ethan’s naked shoulder. Xander’s jaws began to close slowly and she heard the skin rip and tear as the fangs punctured flesh. She could hear as the bones were rubbed and she squeezed Xander’s shoulder. She liked the feel of his animal beneath her hand.

  “Stop applying pressure, you’ll break his bones. Now let go and we’ll see if he changes,” Zahara said softly and watched as Xander let go of the man and stepped back. His eye glowed with hunger and she felt a stirring within. Now was not the time to get freaky. Maybe later, they could go into the woods for a little roughhousing. Her wolf really did like his wolf, she felt it bone deep and she grinned as Xander began to turn back into his human form. She wiped the blood away from the puncture wounds. She used wet wash cloth and didn’t use any kind of disinfectant. She was afraid that it might kill whatever it was that was in the saliva that might turn Ethan.

  “How do the punctures look?” Xander asked as he got dressed. She liked his voice just after he changed. It was rough and deep and sent delicious shivers through her.

  “Pretty good, though you nearly shattered his scapula and snapped his clavicle.”

  “I barely put any pressure on it at all,” Xander said, scratching his cheek. There was a bit of fur there and she watched as it slowly disappeared. His fur was nearly black with red highlights. He had just a bit of silver going through it as well. He looked very dashing as a werewolf. Besides her father, he was the only one she’d ever seen in full wolf. She’d sniffed out others at the agency, but they’d only looked at her as she’d done the same, nodding in acknowledgment, a slight knowing smile crossing their faces. A secret found and kept.

  There was a tapping on the door and Zahara opened it, Xander buttoning his shirt.

  “How is he?” Rose asked, uncertain.

  “It’s done. I was as gentle as I could be. I don’t think he’ll turn, Rose and honestly, I think this was a mistake.”

  “You may be right. I’ll sit with him now and watch,” Rose said, her gray eyes large with concern and hope.

  “I wiped him down but didn’t clean the wounds. We’re in the realm of the unknown. I don’t know if you should give him antibiotics and if you do, will that negate the ability for him to turn?” Zahara said.

  “We can perhaps wait and watch. If he starts to become infected around the puncture wounds, I can put antibiotic ointment around that. If he starts to run a fever, I’ll give him a broad-spectrum antibiotic,” Rose said.

  Xander took Zahara’s hand and they left Rose to watch over Ethan. Only time would tell if it worked.

  “If this does work, how long do you think it will take before we know?” she asked as they made their way downstairs.

  “Maybe a day or so? Hell, the zombies turn people in a few hours, there’s no telling with werewolves,” Xander said as he opened the door to the porch. It was a warm afternoon and both went to the porch swing. Shay and Lauren were over at the tire swing and they saw Reggie with the boys. Mike was carrying a basket of red tomatoes and Luke was carrying a basket of green beans.

  “I don’t suppose you know how to grow vegetables?” Xander asked. That brought a snort from Zahara and she eyed him.

  “Oh, you were serious? That’s a laugh, I don’t even know how to cook, why?”

  “Once we get to the cabin, I’ve a feeling we’re going to have to figure out how to grow our own food. Not this year, it’s too late in the season, but next spring, we’re gonna have to try.”

  “How in the hell do we do that? I’ve no clue,” she said.

  “Guess we hit up the bookstore and seed store and also pick up more long-term storage food as well. I think we’ll have a couple of years of trial and error to figure it out, but we need to really think about the future. Shay’s going to need to learn as well.”

  “Shit. I guess you’re right. I’ve been so caught up with zombies and Shay that I guess I forgot that we’ve got years and years ahead of us since I suspect this zombie crap won’t end.”

  “At least Reggie seems to know what he’s doing. He’s taking care of the animals here. Maybe we can take a couple of chickens with us, you know, so we can have fresh eggs?” Xander said as he eyed the trio walking toward them.

  “Hey Reg, you know anything about raising chickens?” Xander asked as the man
walked up onto the steps.

  “Sure. Pretty easy. Just make sure they got a place that’s secure at night, so the predators don’t get to them. If you want more than what you got and want to grow your flock, you’ll need a rooster. My grandfather used to keep the feed in metal garbage cans, kept the mice and such out. You could build a little fenced in chicken yard if you don’t want them to free range. They’ll find their way back to the coop at night, just make sure they’re locked in. Other than that, chickens take care of themselves.” Reggie opened the door so the boys could take the baskets in.

  “Sounds good. I think Zahara and I’ll run into town and take a look and see if there’s a feed store and pick up supplies. Should I pick up more feed?”

  “Sure, could always use more. Maybe pick up a few metal trashcans while you’re at it. How did it go with Ethan?”

  “Only time will tell,” Xander said and watched the man disappear into the house. He could hear the twins arguing and he heard Reggie say something to them and they stopped. It seemed like the boys were starting to adjust to their new environment. He thought it was good that children seemed to heal faster. His eyes shifted to Lauren, who stared out into space. Hopefully she’d heal as well.

  Ž

  Rose laid her hand over Ethan’s forehead. He was hot and running a temperature. She had cleaned up the puncture wounds on his chest and back and shuddered at the thought of the werewolf doing this. She understood Ethan’s reasons but she wasn’t sure she agreed with them. He’d talked to her about staying on at the farm. To help guard it.

  “Over time, it may not be just the zombies we have to worry about. There will be people out there, maybe desperate or bad people that will see your farm as a prize and want to take it from you. You’ve got some solar panels on the barn and I’m pretty sure that once the power goes out, those will be helpful,” Ethan had said.

  Uncle Dickie had been trying to go completely off-grid but hadn’t as of yet. It was a costly process and he’d been doing it in stages. There was some power to the house from the panels, but that only ran the lights and the washing machine, along with a few other smaller appliances. It did not run the water heater or dryer nor the water pump. There was an old well by the barn and a handpump out back, so they could use those. Rose wasn’t sure if they would have to boil the water from the well. It had been boarded up for years and she’d never seen it used. She wasn’t even sure if it was a working well.