by S. B. Poe
“Where are you going?” Raj asked as she walked over to the top of the wooden staircase that led below.
“I’ll be right back.” She said.
“That’s not an answer.” He said.
He stood and followed her. Scott and Kate looked at each other and they decided to go down too. Charlie heard them all coming down the steps and stuck his head out of the saloon.
“Is it over?” He asked.
“I don’t know. There are some that found their way down the road and are at the gate. I’m going down there to take care of it.” Tilly said.
Jennifer saw the others coming down from the saloon and she turned to Evelyn.
“They’re coming down.” She said.
“Is it safe?” Ham asked.
“I don’t know.”
“The sound has died down a little.” Martin said. He strained to see in the darkness but couldn’t make out anything.
“We should wait until first light.” Evelyn said.
“They’re not.” Jennifer said as she pointed to the ground outside the saloon.
Evelyn walked to the edge and looked down. She saw all the others standing below her.
“I’m going down.” Jennifer said and without waiting to see if anyone approved or not she started down the ladder.
Evelyn turned back to Martin and shrugged her shoulders. She started down the ladder too. Martin walked to the edge of the roof and looked down. The group was standing together in the middle of the road between the Alamo and the saloon. He turned and looked back at Ham.
“I think we’ll stay here for a little longer.”
“Ok, Opa.”
7
Hiding in Plain Sight
Bridger and Jahda followed Vernon down the middle of the road. They could see the steel girders of the old bridge ahead. Bridger felt the warm afternoon sun beaming down but he could hear the rumbling to the west. He glanced skyward. The sun was going to dip behind the clouds soon and behind the horizon shortly after. The day had flown away but they still had an hour or so of light and he intended to use it.
“Let me ask you something.” Bridger said.
“What’s that?” Jahda asked as she glanced over at him.
“That story about what happened.”
“Which one?”
“Way back. When y’all were trapped in Lori’s house. When you let the deaduns inside?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Where’d you come up with that? I mean, what made you think to do that?”
“Probably saw it in some movie but there really wasn’t any other choice. We weren’t going out the front door. Why?” Jahda asked.
“It was a good call, but you took a risk. A big risk.”
“Not really.”
“Letting them in the house we pretty risky.”
“They were coming in. As soon as they got enough bodies against the door, they were coming in. It might have been minutes, or hours, or hell maybe even days but they were coming in. And either we were going to be in there when they did or we weren’t. It really was the only way we were getting out. So not risky at all.”
“You remind me of Josh’s dad.” Bridger said.
“Yeah, why’s that?”
“You think like he did. Around the corners. He was good at it.”
“But he died.”
“Yeah, he did. He just didn’t have time to figure this new world out. But you did.”
“Why do I feel like you’re trying to talk me into something? You seem to be buttering me up. In case you hadn’t figured it out, I don’t do the whole guy thing.”
“No, no. Nothing like that.” Bridger laughed. “We’ll talk about it later. I want to see this bridge.”
“Well here it is.” Vernon said as he turned back to them and raised his arms.
Bridger walked to the front of the fire truck and looked at the cables slung between the boom and bridge girders. He could see the ropes hanging from the cable.
“Y’all been lynchin folks round here.” Bridger raised an eyebrow and turned to Vernon.
“Not folks. Goners.”
“You hung dead folks up there or did the dead part come after.” Jahda asked.
“They were dead when they went up. Well dead for goners.”
“Why?” Jahda asked.
“It was Cotton’s idea, Cody’s daddy. We’d put them up there and they’d stay together for a few weeks but then they’d just kind of rot through the rope.”
“So again. Why?” He asked.
“It was meant to be warning. To trespassers.”
“Trespassers?”
“Weren’t no point though. No one ever tried to get in. Cept y’all.” Vernon said.
“And you hung em up there alive, so to speak?” Bridger asked. He was genuinely curious about the mechanics of that.
“Yep.”
“I bet that was fun.”
“The first time was kind of rough, but these things are pretty slow.”
Bridger looked across the bridge and walked a few yards out onto it. He gazed down at the stretch of bank scoured underneath. He could see the barricade coming to the edge and the sharp drop of about six feet down to the riprap rocks used to keep the erosion down. It would be pretty hard for something to crawl out of the water, cross the rocks and climb the bank. Even though it was only six or seven feet, it was almost vertical. He turned and walked back to Vernon. He looked up at the nooses swinging in the breeze.
“Well I guess everyone has their totems.”
“Their what?” Vernon asked.
“Totems. To keep evil spirits away. Like a crucifix or rabbits foot. Same thing.” Bridger said.
They walked back down the short street and turned towards the church. It was a half-mile away. Jahda reached into her pocket and pulled out the walkie.
“Josh, you there?”
Ed walked a little further ahead of Josh and Lori. Devin and Emma Grace followed behind. They had stuck their heads into a few houses that had the doors open but they hadn’t found any deaduns. They knocked on the doors that were closed and didn’t find any live ones either. They could see the parking lot ahead and the cross standing high above the steeple. Emma Grace paused.
“What’s wrong?” Devin asked as she stopped.
“I was there this morning. My daddy is still there. I don’t think I want to go over there.”
“We’ll just stop then.” Devin said. He turned and yelled ahead. “Hey. Hold up guys.”
The other stopped and turned around. Ed started walking back towards them.
“What’s up?” He said.
“We’re going to go back. We’ll see y’all back at the house.”
“What are you talking about?”
Devin turned to Emma Grace. He looked at her and could see she really didn’t want to go any farther.
“Wait here.” He said and trotted up to Josh, Lori and Ed.
“Hey guys. She’s still pretty broke up. This just happened to her, to all of them. They’re still hurting. They went through a lot of shit in the last twenty-four hours.”
“You’re right. But we still need to finish. Just to make sure.” Josh said. “Go on. We’ll finish up and meet up with Bridger and Jahda.”
Devin glanced back at Emma Grace. He turned back to Josh.
“Y’all be careful. We’ll see you back at the house.” Devin said. He turned and walked back to Emma Grace.
Josh turned and started towards the church. Just as Lori and Ed fell in beside him the walkie in his pocket crackled to life.
“Josh, you there?”
“Right here.” Josh replied.
“We’re heading for the church. Maybe ten minutes?”
“We’re basically here. We’ll be in the parking lot next to the tractor.”
“See ya in ten.” Jahda said.
The sun was starting its final dive as the bottom touched the tops of the trees. The air began to cool almost immediately and the clouds began to brea
k apart. Bridger could see Josh standing next to the big rear wheel of the tractor and Ed climbing up into the cab. He didn’t see Devin or the bit girl. Bridger had kept pretty close to Raj and Charlie the first few weeks after it happened but that was months ago. He hadn’t thought much about it after the initial news sunk in. Charlie was immune. Good for Charlie. But it had given rise to more questions than answers. How was he immune? Was he the only one? That last one had been answered. But it only gave him another to take its place. How many more?
“So? Anything?” Bridger asked as they approached the others.
“Nope. Nothing living or dead.” Josh said.
“Where’s Devin and the girl?” Jahda asked.
“They headed back.” Lori said. “I don’t think she wanted to see this again.”
“Yeah, I get that. When Jahda and I found her she was surrounded by them.”
“So did y’all find anything?” Lori asked.
“Not really. Which is a good thing. Everything looks pretty well locked down.” Bridger said. “It seems safe enough. As long as someone else doesn’t invite a deadun inside.”
“She didn’t mean it. I’m sure of that. Emma Grace wouldn’t hurt a soul. She’s still a kid. In here.” Vernon touched his head. “Not saying something’s wrong with her, she just never had to think about much. Her daddy did it for her.”
“That’ll change now.” Ed said.
“That’s kinda cruel.” Lori turned to him.
“It’s the truth.” Ed said.
“And you’re an asshole.” Jahda said.
“It’s the truth.” Bridger said.
Vernon smiled at this group of new people. Cody had been wrong. These folks were just like them. Trying to make it a little further along. He thought about all the people he had been standing around talking to a few days ago, before all this happened. It seemed like so long ago. He hadn’t felt any sadness at all when they found his uncle. He was just another asshole to Vernon. He felt that way about most of the town. Now that most of them were gone, he really didn’t feel anything at all. Cody and Emma Grace had been his only friends and even though he knew Cotton didn’t like him he knew Cotton approved of his and Cody’s friendship. Compared to Vernon, Cody looked like a movie star and his son having a toady made him look better in Cotton’s twisted mind. Vernon didn’t miss Cotton. Not one bit.
“We probably better head back. Getting dark fast.” Vernon said.
“What’s next?” Josh asked.
“We settle in for the night and tomorrow we head back.” Jahda said.
“Y’all don’t have to leave. Y’all could just stay.” Vernon volunteered.
“We got our own place Vernon. We just came out here to find some supplies. We didn’t mean to get involved.” Lori said.
“Yeah, but you did. And it made a difference.” Vernon said.
“From the looks of things back there” Bridger threw his thumb over his shoulder. “We didn’t make too much of a difference.”
“You tried to help. That’s enough of a difference for me.” Vernon said.
“Well that doesn’t change that we have to get back to our own folks.” Jahda said.
“Besides, we couldn’t just move here. Not without bringing the others.” Bridger said.
“So you’ll think about it.” Vernon said. He didn’t know where the idea had come from and even as he said it he couldn’t believe he was saying it. Now that he had he seemed excited at the prospect of these new folks coming in.
“We’ll think about it.” Bridger said.
“We will?” Josh and Jahda asked in unison.
“Yeah, tomorrow. We’ll think about a lot of things tomorrow.” Bridger said.
The sun had disappeared behind the trees and the shadows grew long. Back at the house Cody jerked awake in the darkened room. He stood and stretched his back. It popped once and he twisted to make it pop again. He looked through the open door and saw Violet and Pete still asleep on the couch. He didn’t see anyone else around. He rubbed his eyes as he walked towards the front porch. He held the screen door open and stood, watching the two people walking down the road.
Violet’s leg rolled off the couch and she jerked. She twisted and pulled it up, falling back asleep without opening her eyes. The thing that had been Bernice Hardy shuffled down the hall, passing by just as Violet became still again. It moved forward following the squeaking sound of the screen door.
Emma Grace walked slowly. She was enjoying his company and wasn’t in a hurry to have it end. The boy was funny in an awkwardly cute way. He seemed different from anyone she knew. He hadn’t said much to her as they walked back.
“So Willow Haven? Is that what you said? Is that near here?” She asked to get him to say something.
“Yeah. No. I mean yeah Willow Haven and no it’s not near here. It’s over by Talladega, near the Georgia line.” He said.
“That’s a long ways, even before all this.”
“It’s not that far.”
“I’ve never been far. I mean I’ve been to Atlanta and the beach but just to visit. I’ve never been anywhere other than right here for longer than a few days.”
“Same for me.”
“Not now. You’re here.”
She bumped into him with her shoulder as gently as she could and smiled. She ran a few feet ahead of him and turned around to face him. He looked at her and then his eyes were drawn to the man holding open the screen door just a few yards ahead of them. She saw his gaze drift over her shoulder and she turned. Cody was standing on the front porch half way through the door. She saw the thing move behind him when he raised his hand to wave. It reached up and jerked his arm, bringing it to its mouth.
“CODY!!!” She screamed. She started running.
The pain came in a rush as the things teeth bit the bottom of his forearm. He jerked his arm as the thing jerked its head backwards. Bits of flesh ripped loose and he stumbled to his knees screaming.
Emma Grace ran up the steps to him. As she looked up at the thing in the doorway it dropped to the floor. She saw Violet standing over it with her knife still wet with rot as Cody stuck his arm out trying to turn it over to see the bite. She felt something push her violently aside and out of the corner of her eye she saw Devin swinging his machete as hard as he could at Cody.
“NOOOOO!!!!” She screamed, as his arm flopped onto the porch next to her.
Cody let out a short scream as his eyes rolled back in his head from the pain. Devin threw his machete aside and ripped off his belt. He wrapped it around Cody’s arm to try and stop the blood flow. He could hear footsteps running up behind him.
“What happened? Is everything ok?” He heard Bridger yell from the road.
“HURRY!!!!!” He yelled.
Emma Grace crawled over next to Cody and cradled him in her arms. She was covered in blood. They all were covered in blood. Violet stood behind her, watching.
8
From the Inside Out
Tilly stood in the dark a few feet away from the gate. The deaduns couldn’t see her in the shadow but they knew she was there. They sensed her when she first approached, throwing their heads back to catch the smell. They started to scrape harder at the chain link separating them from her. Raj stood a little behind her holding his machete in his hand.
“Real quick. I’ll take the one on the left. Ok? And be quiet.” Tilly said as she pulled her machete out.
“Say when.” He looked at her.
She took a few breaths and looked down the muddy track on the other side of the gate. She didn’t see any more but she couldn’t see very far. She looked over a Raj.
“Let’s go.” She stepped towards the gate. Raj followed close behind.
They arrived at almost the same time and both of them drove the tips of their blades into the eyes of the dead. The muffled pop was followed by the sound of two bodies slumping to the ground. They both looked through the gate. The muddy path shimmered like a ribbon across the open ground. The moon shone lo
w over the trees as the clouds finally parted. The dark parts of the ground were still in shadow. As they looked closer they could see the shadows move. They stood there and listened. The sounds were loud but no closer.
“They haven’t found us yet.” Raj said.
Tilly reached down and took Raj’s hand in hers.
“What’s going to happen when the sun comes up?” She said.
“We’ll find out soon enough. Look.” He nodded to the east. The black veil of night was beginning to turn indigo.
“Let’s get up the hill.” Tilly turned and started walking back towards the saloon.
The others were standing around the picnic table. They had watched from there as Tilly and Raj had snuck down to the fence and now watched them walk back. Tilly put her finger up to her lips as she stepped over and opened the door to the saloon. She waved them all inside. As they shuffled in they all lined up against the bar. Dottie sat at the big table by herself.
“Well?” Kate asked.
“Shadows and sound. Still too dark to see anything.”
“The sun will come up and we’ll be able to see.” Jennifer said.
“Yeah, but so will they.” Tilly said.
“What now?” Scott asked.
“Well, stay in here or go back up top. Not many choices.” Raj said.
“Whatever you decide to do, do it quietly.” Tilly said.
Jennifer, Charlie and Dottie stayed below. The rest went back up. Tilly sat down at the edge of the platform with the binoculars by her side. Evelyn sat next to Martin and Ham. They all tilted their heads to the east, watching the sky slowly get less dark.
Cameron opened his eyes. The sky seemed brighter but he wasn’t sure. He stood and the fresh pain shot up his leg. He reached down and felt the ankle. It was swollen and tender. He put some weight on it and almost fell. He used the halberd as a crutch to walk a few feet away from the tree. The dead in the creek were still struggling but had not progressed any closer.
The sky was definitely getting brighter. The deep indigo to his left was melting away. He spun around and put the light at his right side, it was the only way he could picture the compass in his head. The sun rises in the east; east is on the right side of the map. Put east on the right side of you and your facing pretty much north. He got his bearings and thought about where he was. He hadn’t crossed the asphalt, he was sure of that. He had crossed the creek, which was now on his left. He knew if he just followed the creek south, he would eventually find the water wheel he had seen outside the fence. He turned around and started limping. The few days of warmth had brought some of the underbrush back to life and his ankle throbbed with each misstep.
