by Castle, W. A
Before anything else happened I pushed her away and she fell backwards. I frantically looked around and picked up the top of a grill that had broken apart at some point. I lifted the heavy cover and brought it down on her head. I continued to do so until her screams died out. I felt numb. I knew it was a mercy act to kill her at this point but it still gnawed at me that she had been conscious of her own painful death. Oddly enough I felt like I had crossed that invisible drawn line when I killed her. The guilt I felt over killing the flesh eaters was nothing compared to how I was feeling now. I knew they were one in the same but… none of these people deserved to die, they had no control over the sickness that controlled their bodies and turned them into horrific cannibalistic puppets. The illness locked them deep in their sub-consciousness in a never ending cycle of horror, gore and pain.
I got up stiffly and lifted my eyes until I met mommas gaze. Her face was emotionless and her eyes kept shifting towards Trevor and back to me. Trevor was staring at me. I couldn’t see his expression behind the helmet but I knew he had seen what went down. He visibly shook himself off and finished off the last of the flesh eaters.
A sound coming from my house caused my body to whip around. I could hear Diego’s cries. The night was deadly quiet and the cries could be heard clearly all the way out into the street. A thunderous growl had me on alert again as I faced off with Janet. She broke on a full sprint towards me, but Trevor intercepted her, tackling her to the ground. Janet dug her teeth into Trevor’s protective gear and tore at it like a dog would on a length of rope. Momma stood a few feet away unsure on how to intervene.
I saw an unopened fireworks package next to some lighters. God bless America. I tore open the package and light one of the fireworks it up.
“Trevor, get back!” I yelled as I ran towards them. He snapped his eyes to me and saw the lighted firework in my hand. I had no idea what I planned to do with the explosive but I just let instincts guide me. With a grunt, he tore himself away from Janet. Janet scrambled to her feet and growled again.
“Hey!” I called out, getting her attention. “Come here, lassie.” I whispered as I sprinted towards her. The match was almost to the hilt of the firework. Crap on a cracker. She grabbed onto my shoulders and snapped her teeth at me. That gave me an idea. Open up, I thought, during one of her snaps I shoved the firework into her mouth (I might have shoved it as far down into her throat as well, cringe) and I pulled myself out of her grasp, falling to the ground, I tried to scramble backwards unable to get my footing. A few seconds later Janet’s head blew clear off, spraying me with gore, I threw my arms over my face to protect my face as much as possible. Janet’s body went ram-rod straight and fell straight back.
“Star spangled banner, bitch.”
Chapter Three: Dawn’s Early Light
Trevor rushed over to me and pulled me to my feet without even waiting for me to accept his hand. “What the hell was that?” He growled.
I pulled away from him and scowled, I knew what he was asking but I played dumb. “What are you talking about?”
“That zombie woman thing, she screamed, but it wasn’t like their regular screams…” Trevor took off his helmet and scratched his head. I immediately took in his beautiful, epicanthic hazel eyes, a rich gold around the irises blending into a deep green, even under just the lamppost lighting his eyes were dazzling. He was built like a linebacker and couldn’t be more than 20 years old, still a kid. I looked up at him (he was a few heads taller than my 5’5 stature) and wiped sweat from my brow. Momma gave us an assessing glance and made her way back towards the house without saying a word.
I clutched my chest and slowly made my way back home. The bombardment of stimulations to my senses and the coming down from an adrenaline overdose had me walking as if I was coming home from a night out at the bar.
“Are you okay?” Trevor’s voice quivered and rushed to my side, holding onto my elbow and arm. His gait was shaky as well. None of us could have ever prepared for what we’d had to do tonight. Not the physical exertion and the mental fuck we endured taking these flesh eaters out. I cringed at the knowledge that I was going to turn this kid’s world upside down…again. I almost wanted to lie by omission but I knew he had a right to be privy to this information.
“Where are your folks? They will need to know about this too.” I avoided his eyes as I led him into the house.
“They, uh, they were out of town when all this happened.” Trevor cleared his throat. I just nodded in acknowledgement.
When we entered my house momma was pacing around the living room trying to calm Diego down who was crying his little lungs out. My eyes narrowed in slight annoyance. Trevor, who looked a bit uncomfortable to be in my domain, took a step towards momma, “May I, ma’am?”
Momma tilted her head then assented, careful in transferring Diego’s’ squirming little body into Trevor’s arms. He expertly cocooned Diego and cooed softly. I raised an eyebrow at him and momma clapped excitedly. Trevor gave a boyish grin and shrugged, “I have a little brother, and I’ve had a lot of experience.”
Momma chuckled and made her way to the couch before plopping down with a sigh. I watched as Diego settled down and began to close his eyes.
“You’re really good at that.” I grinned.
“Will you tell me now what happened out there?” Trevor’s smile faded and gave way to a serious expression. “With that zombie thing.” He clarified. I sighed and motioned for him to follow me to the couch.
I took my time explaining as best that I could from what had happened with that woman who knocked on our door, to when Janet told us Marco’s symptoms, to what happened when Marcos broke through the door that’d held him captive. But I sensed I had lost him when I told him about that woman that had been at my door, that the flesh eaters sometimes came back to their minds. I could see the horror sketched into Trevor’s young face. He snapped back into focus when I talked about the symptoms Marcos and Janet had displayed.
“So at least we know it’s not airborne and it can’t be absorbed through the skin.” He spoke shakily, taking a deep breath that visually shook his large frame. My ‘Eh?’ face must’ve have been clear as day on my face because he went on to explain. “We have been face to face with those things, those… flesh eaters,” He said, adopting my ever changing nickname of those things, “and we have been splattered up and down with their gore,” he pointed at me and I glared at him at his reminder that Janet’s head had exploded all over me, “So, it must be only transmissible through bites…?” He finished with a thoughtful wrinkle of the brow.
“Your guess is as good as ours.” Momma interjected.
He took everything momma and I told him about what we knew about the flesh eaters without question (I’m sure he was bursting with questions just as we all were, but he never argued with what we told him). After all, he had seen it with his own eyes.
“This is all so fucked up.” He sighed, rubbing his free hand over his face. As he stood, momma and I stood as well.
“I have to go back to my little bro. I left Eli hidden in a closet.” Trevor gave me a small smile and moved to hand me Diego. I hesitated a second before moving closer to Trevor.
“Thank you again for your help.” Momma smiled at Trevor and patted his shoulder over his protective gear and grimaced when her hand came back with gore that was smeared on the gear.
“Yeah, thanks Trevor. You saved my ass out here.” I said quietly as Trevor’s hands brushed against me as he pulled away from Diego. I was almost more nervous about holding this little bundle than I was when I was out there kicking growler ass, almost. Diego was so small and so dependent, it scared me.
“I saw you guys out there, and saw what was happening. No one else was coming to help so I threw on my gear and told Eli to hide until I came back.” He gave me sheepish grin. “No biggie.”
I huffed a laugh then gave him a wry smile, “Thanks anyway.”
“If it’s just you and your brother, you are more than welc
ome to come and stay with us.” Momma said cautiously. I fought the oncoming glare and looked down at Diego instead.
“Thank you ma’am, I’ll give your generous offer some thinking. Right now I must get back to my little bro.”
I looked up to see momma reach up for Trevor, making him bend at the waist, to give him an embrace and a motherly pat on the cheek. Trevor’s red ears didn’t go unnoticed by me.
“If you need anything, Trev don’t hesitate.” Momma waved at Trevor as he left, he threw a smile and a wave over his shoulder at us.
Once momma locked the door and placed the little table back in front of the door she came and sat next to me. She pressed her shoulder against mine and leaned in close to have a look at Diego who was sleeping peacefully. I didn’t have it in me to shed tears for Diego; he had lost both his parents tonight. Momma knew how to handle a baby, but I just felt sorry he was stuck with me now too. I didn’t know the first thing about taking care of a baby. I never cared enough to even learn the basics with my cousin’s kids. I had nothing against kids, I just never imagined myself with any of my own. Sure, the odd thought here and there made me imagine what it would be like to carry a baby in me, but then I thought of my fucked up mind and I instantly squashed those maternal feelings. No kid deserves to have me as a momma. I’m too fucked up and would end up fucking them up too. Thanks but nah.
But here we were, momma and I with a baby in our arms. Life had a twisted sense of humor. A 48 year old woman, a 27 year old and a 4 month old baby. Where’s the punchline in this joke?
“Your head’s bothering you?” Momma whispered as to not wake up Diego.
“Like you wouldn’t believe.” I sighed. The headache had spread from the bridge of my nose to my whole head.
“Go rest, sweetheart.” Momma made to take Diego from my arms. I pulled him closer to me. “It’s alright momma, I’m fine.” I was tired and achy but I bet momma was too. So I decided to just hunker down and suck it up. If there’s ever a good time to tell your mental illnesses to fuck off it had to be during the goddamn apocalypse. Right?
There was a soft knock at the door. I sat up instantly in alert and momma ran to the door. She looked through the peep hole. I wanted to tell her to be careful but I bit my lip instead, she was a smart woman, she knew to be careful.
“Who is it?” I whispered. Momma frowned, not taking her eye away from the peep hole. “I don’t know. I don’t see anyone.” She pushed the table away and unlocked the door. At this, I stood up and quickly put Diego on the floor behind the couch.
“What are you doing, momma?” I asked in a half whisper half yell.
Momma opened the door a slit, smiled, then opened it enough to reach out and pick something from the ground. She turned around with two overfilled diaper bags on her arms and a package of diapers in a hand. I ran to the door and looked around the cul-de-sac. Only Trevor could have done this. Bless his heart; I smiled as I closed the door again. We hadn’t had time to get any of Diego’s things when we ran out of the house and, honestly, I hadn’t thought about going back to Janet’s to get them.
It’s stupid but it felt like Christmas morning as momma and I sat on the living room floor playing with Diego and emptying out the contents of the diaper bags. Formula, bottles, pacifiers, some fuzzy blankets, lots of cute baby clothes and other miscellaneous thing were in the diaper bags.
Diego gurgled and played with his little feet, feasting on his stubby little toes. I stared at him for a few seconds before going back to my own dark thoughts. Momma had gone to bed a few hours ago.
I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t even close my eyes. When all this was over I would need to call Dr. Ivanov and have a sit down with the shrink. I was pretty sure I had PTSD after all of this… most likely what was left of humanity all had PTSD by now. Dr. Ivanov was going to make bank from the apocalypse (If he was still alive). I shook my head at my train of thought and lay down on my stomach next to Diego who looked happy and carefree, even though he had lost everything today. Well, he had me and momma, so he wasn’t completely alone in this world. I ran the pad of my index finger softly over a chubby cheek.
My mind wandered over to Jax. What would he think about the new addition to our group? Would it be better if the neighbors banded together and made this cul-de-sac safe? Or at least flesh eater free? I mean, it was possible.
No. Jax was safer. We would go with him, all three of us.
“Anata wa dokoni ita?” Eli clung to me as soon as I called out for him to come out of the closet. I made sure to take off the football gear and wash up a bit before coming to get him.
“You know where I was buddy. I’m here now though.” I wipped Eli’s tears away. Poor little guy. I didn’t like leaving my little brother alone, but when I saw Maddie being taken down by that zomb-… flesh eater, as Maddie and her mama called them… I couldn’t stand by and let her be killed. I knew mama would approve of this… if she was still here. I had hope that she was still alive, but even if she was I would probably never see her again, she had left for Japan a few weeks ago to visit a sick auntie.
Maybe, maybe Japan was unscathed by whatever this was. Yeah, maybe.
“Hey sport, are you hungry?” I stood up lifting Eli into my arms. Eli was 8 years old but mama and I have always babied him, trying to love him enough so he never resented not having a father in his life. Now that mama was gone responsibility fell on my shoulders to make sure Eli was safe. A responsibility I had always carried anyway, ever since papa died six years ago.
Eli buried his face on my neck and I tried not to flinch. I was sore all over, years of conditionment gave me an edge against these things, as in brute force, but using all that brute force was a killer on my muscles and flared up old football injuries. I ignored the popping of my knee as I made our way to the kitchen. I sat Eli down on the counter and as I made him a sandwhich I let myself think for a few moments.
I haven’t let myself digest everything that Maddie and Sue-Anne had told me about these flesh eaters, the word still felt foreign in my mouth.
But it made sense. I guess. I shook my head, shaking the thoughts away. Hai, it was what it was. This was the new way of things and Eli and I were going to adapt and learn to survive.
As Eli ate, I walked around the house making sure windows and doors were locked and all the blinds were down. Once I was satisfied I sat back and stretched my sore muscles.
Maddie. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I blew out a breath as I recalled her shoving a firework into that screetching flesh eaters mouth. I don’t think I will or could ever get used to those things. Maddie said their consciousness was locked away while the virus took over the person’s body. I couldn’t begin to imagine what that’s like and I don’t want to . I can’t. I have Eli to think about instead, I need to keep him safe above all else.
Still I couldn’t help but circle back to Maddie and her mom and that little baby they rescued. Maybe… maybe Sue-Anne was right and we should band together. Strength in numbers and all that, as they say. More people to help keep Eli safe.
“When will I be able to go to Billy’s? Will Mrs. Heffernan be mad I missed so much school? When will mama be back? I miss her. ” Eli’s prying questions broke through my thoughts. I sighed as I rubbed my eyes, I can’t remember the last time I had a full night’s sleep. Even before all of this, sleep was a rarity to me. I mustered a smile for Eli’s sake.
“Mama went to Japan, Eli, remember?” I couldn’t help but chuckle at the face expression Eli sent my way, as if I was an imbecile for thinking he’d forget such a thing.
“I know that. But she used to call every night to tell me oyasumi.” Eli whined.
“I know bud. But with the sickness going around maybe she’s haven’t got the time.” Even to my ears that sounded implausible. Mama would call no matter what. But what else could I tell my little brother?
“You think she got sick like those people out there?” Eli asked, tears swelling up in his eyes.
“Nah, ma
ma is a superhero. Remember how when you and I get sick she never does? She’s alright bud. She’ll call soon.”
“Promise?”
All I could do was to give him a smile. Luckily he changed the subject.
“Do you think I could go out and play with Billy tomorrow?” He asked hopeful. I didn’t have the heart to squelch the hope that shone in his eyes.
“We will see how things are tomorrow lil’ bro.” I cleaned up the dirty dishes and readied Eli for bed.
Once he was fast asleep I sat at my usual spot in front of the living room window with a bat resting on my legs. My house was right at the end of the cul-de-sac so I could see all the way down the street to where the intersection began and a bit further away still. All the lights in the house were off so I could open the curtain and look out at the neighborhood. Tonight it was clear of flesh eaters, even the ones I usually caught lurking in the darkest shadows between the houses were gone. A small seed of hope flourished in my chest. Maybe, we could make it.
I must have dosed off for a few hours because when I startled awake, light was beginning to filter in through the dawn’s early light. I quickly rose to close the curtains when something in the distance caught my eye.
My heart was hammering hard in my chest (harder than when I spent hours at practice in the summer heat) as I pressed my hands and face to the window. My mouth opened in a silent scream.
A horde.
A horde of flesh eaters was slowly making their way towards us!
Chapter Four: Bright Stars
There was frantic knocking at the front door just as the sun was rising. The sound startled me and my eyes snapped towards Diego to make sure he was there, and even though I had been awake all night and hadn’t taken my eyes off of him I still needed to make sure he was still fine.
