PRIME

by Samantha Boyette

  “He always does,” Tessa said. Simon looked up to see her smiling. “Just do me a favor and don’t turn into him, okay? You seem like a good kid.” Tessa reached out to take his face again. Simon winced, not from the pain, but from being called kid.

  “I’m thirteen, you know.” It was hard to speak with her holding his chin. Tessa dug out another small pebble and dropped it.

  “Yeah, I know.” Tessa leaned back to look at him again. “I just think of you as younger.” She took his chin and tilted his face into the sunlight.

  “Is that why you never talk to me?” Simon asked. The question had come out before he could stop himself.

  “No,” Tessa frowned. “I talk to you.” Leaning forward, she blew on his wound. Her breath felt cool on his hot skin.

  “You didn’t even smile at me yesterday when I saw you in the gym.” Simon wondered if he had somehow damaged his brain out there on the wall. Why was he asking her these things?

  “Not everything’s about you, Simon,” Tessa said. The words stung worse than his wounds did. “I’ll rinse this again, but I think I’ve gotten out everything I can.”

  Simon watched as she grabbed the bottle of water from the table, unsure how to respond to her words when she was acting like she hadn’t said anything. She stood over him and poured water slowly down his cheek. Most of it ended up soaking his pants, but it didn’t matter. The cool water was a relief to his face, which felt like it was on fire. Tessa sat back down and squeezed a large glob of ointment onto her fingers. Gingerly, she spread it across the cuts; it too was cool on his wounds. Next came a large bandage which she folded in half and taped awkwardly to his face. She sat back and looked at her work.

  “Well if you don’t smile it might stay in place,” she mused, which of course made him smile unwillingly. She smiled back at him, reaching over to pat his hand. “It’s going to be okay, Simon. We’re alright in here.”

  “Yeah,” he answered thickly, hoping he wouldn’t cry again. Then she really would think he was some crying baby. This time he was able to push the tears back. “It was just surprising, you know?”

  “I know.” Tessa turned, looking off toward the wall. The breeze lifted her hair, making red strands dance into her eyes. “I mostly try to forget what’s out there, but I guess that’s no better than you three climbing around on that stupid wall while those things snap at your heels.”

  “Safer though,” Simon admitted with a small smile. Tessa turned and smiled. It was a full smile lit up the yard, making everything else seem far away and unimportant. Simon savored the feeling and hoped he could find a reason to see Tessa more often, even if she did think of him as a kid.

  “Simon,” Zeke called solemnly from the front of the house. When Simon looked up the walkway, he saw Zeke standing by the sidewalk. “Dodge wants you to come with us.”

  Simon nodded. “Okay, I’m coming.” He pushed himself up from the chair and started toward Zeke. He turned back to Tessa, walking backwards a few steps. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Simon turned and hurried toward Zeke. Zeke slung an arm around Simon’s neck, slapping his chest a couple times before glancing back at Tessa. “You look like a screwed up mummy.” Zeke grinned as he turned back to Simon. “Dodge said you sliced yourself up good. Damn that’s a huge bandage.”

  “She said it’s going to scar.” Simon shrugged off Zeke’s arm and touched the bandage. “Where are we going?”

  “We gotta figure out what to do with the body.” Zeke stopped to light a joint before walking again.

  “You mean what to do with Noah,” Simon corrected him.

  “It’s easier for me to say the body, if you don’t mind,” Zeke said. “We pulled it over the wall and took it to the closest apartment. Luckily no one was in there. Matt saw us carrying it in though. Him and Dodge were starting to argue when I left.” Zeke glanced at Simon and grinned. “It was like leaving a couple of coked out grizzlies in a room with a pot of honey.”

  “Great,” Simon muttered.

  “So, Tessa?” Zeke raised an eyebrow at Simon as they walked. “How’d you get her to play nurse with you?”

  “Dodge asked her to clean me up.” Simon blushed.

  “Guess he wins wing man of the year,” Zeke said.

  “She thinks I’m a kid,” Simon said. He kicked a stone on the ground. “Whatever, I don’t like her anyway.”

  “You completely like her. She makes your little preteen boy heart beat like a drum.”

  “I’m thirteen.” Simon scowled. “Teen as in teenager.”

  “I’m sorry, kid,” Zeke teased.

  Simon punched him lightly, but smiled. “I don’t like her,” he insisted again. He couldn’t like her, if he liked her something bad would happen. It was irrational, but he felt guilty to even think about liking her.

  Zeke shrugged. “She’s cute. And if you don’t start to like her soon, I might find myself liking her. Just giving you fair warning.”

  “Thanks.” Simon shook his head.

  They hurried down the empty streets toward where Noah had gone over the wall. As they drew closer all the levity drained from Simon. It was late afternoon, but the raspy breath and groan of zombies made its way over the wall. He stopped, staring at the wall.

  “Yeah, there’s more of them out there,” Zeke answered without forcing Simon to ask. “They showed up just as we got him over the wall.

  Simon nodded absently, imagining the reaching hands and half rotted bodies of the creatures on the other side of the wall. “How many?”

  Zeke squinted up into the sun. “A dozen or so when we left the wall. Who knows now.” He smacked Simon’s shoulder. “Come on.”

  Zeke pushed open the door of an apartment, holding it for Simon to step inside. Dodge and Matt were both quiet, staring daggers at each other over a rumpled, bloody white sheet. It didn’t look like there was much left of Noah.

  “He thinks you get to decide what we do about this,” Matt said bitterly when he saw Simon. “Like you were this scrab’s best friend or some shit.”

  Simon shook his head. “I hardly knew him.”

  “See? What the hell, Dodge? I say we drop this kid over the back wall and let the hostiles drag him away tonight.”

  “They’re zombies,” Simon said quietly.

  “The hell they are.” Matt wheeled on Simon. “There ain’t no such thing. They’re just sick.”

  “You are in so much denial, dude.” Zeke shook his head as he slumped onto the couch. He motioned for Simon to join him, but Simon remained standing. He felt small enough beside the older boys. Before Matt could answer Zeke, Simon started in on him.

  “Noah might not have been a close friend of mine, but he was one of us, and he has close friends here. The two boys he was always with, what are their names?”

  “Tyson and Red,” Zeke answered when no one else could. Again Simon wondered how Zeke could be so aware of everyone.

  “They deserve to know what happened,” Simon continued, anger building inside him. “I mean we didn’t even know their names. We’ve been with each other for the last month and we don’t know everyone’s names.”

  “It’s easier that way,” Matt mumbled, looking at his buddy who nodded.

  “Easier how?” Simon asked, filled with anger and on a roll.

  “Easier when we all start dying.” Matt’s voice rose with each word until he was yelling. “That’s how, you little scrab.” He took a step closer to Simon so they stood facing each other, both breathing heavily and Matt a good foot taller than Simon.

  “None of that is the point right now,” Dodge interrupted. “What are we going to do with this kid?”

  “Burn him,” Simon answered quickly, “let everyone be there.”

  “Burn him?” Matt gaped at them. “That’s how the virus spreads.”

  “Yeah and we all already had it so who cares?” Dodge snapped.

  “So we have a funeral?” Matt rolled his eyes. “This is beyond stupid.
”

  “Noah deserves it,” Simon insisted.

  “You’re right.” Dodge’s voice was soft. Simon was surprised by the change in Dodge. He was no longer the overly cocky teenager. He seemed like an adult. “And others here deserve a chance to see that we’re all still human. When we die, we’re treated with respect.”

  The room was silent as everyone thought that over. Finally Simon spoke. “So we do up a whole service for him. I like that.”

  “I’m not going to be there for that,” Matt spoke adamantly. His friend nodded in agreement.

  “Good. You scrabs can keep watch then,” Dodge snapped. “We’ll need armed watch twenty- four hours a day if these things are going to be out in the daytime.” Matt looked like he was going to disagree, but only nodded.

  “Fine, but we’re going to need more weapons.”

  “I’ll have them for you in the morning,” Dodge promised. “I’ll break the news to everyone once they’re all in for the night. Thank God no one was outside the base and the gates have been closed all day. We’ll get everything ready and do the funeral just after sunrise tomorrow.”

  “Alright.” Simon nodded.

  “Alright.” Dodge nodded back.

  8

  Haven Medical Base

  The sun crested the horizon, shedding a soft light over the world. Simon led the children to where Dodge and Tech had set up the ceremony. Without being told to, everyone had cleaned up. Simon’s eyes welled with tears when Zeke brought him the black suit and tie. It fit perfectly. The others wore nice shirts and pants or dresses; faces and hands scrubbed.

  Simon stood with Tyson and Red, working up the courage to go sit down. Already a few seats were filled, but most of the kids seemed as nervous as Simon felt. No one wanted to sit; as long as they stood, they could pretend nothing had changed.

  “Are you going to sit down?” Tessa asked, coming up beside Simon.

  “I don’t want to,” Simon said, not sure why he had spoken the truth. “I want to crawl back into bed and never come out.”

  “Noah would like this.” Red bit his lip and gave a short nod. “He would like that you made them do this for him.” Without another word, Red walked toward the front row. Tyson followed behind him.

  “Go sit down,” Tessa urged Simon.

  “I can’t.” Simon shook his head and looked down. “He was still a kid.”

  “He’d hate you for saying that,” Tessa said. “Just like you hate it when someone calls you that. Noah was a brave little guy, braver and smarter than a lot of the older kids who never stood a minute on that wall. He knew what he was doing every day he stood watch. If you don’t go sit down you’re insulting his memory.”

  Simon nodded, still looking at the ground. “Walk with me?” When Tessa didn’t answer right away, Simon looked up at her.

  “I don’t know,” Tessa hedged.

  “Please,” Simon said, his voice breaking.

  Tessa sighed. “Okay.”

  Together they started down the aisle. Tessa wore a thin white dress and sandals. Simon thought she must be cold, but she shrugged away his jacket when he offered. The funeral procession moved slowly; no one wanted to get there too quickly. Even the youngest of the children was quiet and somber. They grasped the situation in a way Simon knew he wouldn’t have at their age, but that had been a different time.

  Rows of mismatched chairs sat along an aisle leading up to the body. Tech had built a base of sticks and dry grass to lay Noah’s body on. It was wrapped in a clean black sheet, which Tech had painstakingly sewn shut. More wood was piled over him. The whole thing had been doused in kerosene.

  Everyone took their seats quietly as the morning sun began to soak the area. Tessa and Simon followed Tyson and Red to the front. Zeke had also found suits for both of them. They looked proud, if a little uncomfortable, as they sat beside Simon and Tessa. Once everyone was settled, a boy a couple years older than Simon stepped forward. He wore slacks and a gray button-up shirt a size too big for him. His dark hair fell past his shoulders, but was pulled back neatly with a rubber band. He stood directly in front of the group. Dodge and Tech stood ready with torches on either side of him. True to his word, Matt and four of his buddies were keeping watch.

  “My name is Adam,” the boy began. “I know some of you, though not as many as I should.” He smiled and looked down at his hands. He held a Bible, its cover worn and stained. He ran a hand over it. “When I woke up all I could remember was this book.” Adam looked back up at the crowd and held the Bible up for all to see. “Not any details, only that it was the key to salvation. I know most of you don’t feel the same way, and I admit that my faith has been tested in these last weeks since our awakening.” Simon glanced back at the small crowd; they were all listening intently as Adam spoke.

  “Red and Tyson asked me to speak, because Noah and I had become close lately. He was afraid of many things, and I did my best to soothe his fears. If I believe anything these days, it’s not so much from this book, but from what I feel in my heart. God has chosen us. For whatever reason, he believed that we should live.” Simon looked down, eyes clouding as Adam spoke. Tessa reached over to squeeze Simon’s hand, holding tight for a second before letting go. Simon told himself he didn’t miss her touch. A cool breeze ran over the group, blowing loose strands of Adam’s long hair into his face. He didn’t pause to brush them aside.

  “I’m not going to try and tell you that we are a second coming, or any nonsense like that,” Adam continued, looking sincerely out at the crowd. “Only that we are alive. When many are dead, we are alive, and so we must fight to stay alive. But when one of us does fall, it is because God has called him back. Noah suffers no longer. Everyone please join hands for a moment of silence.” Adam bowed his head. Everyone else did the same.

  Simon sat, head bowed. He looked over at Tessa’s hand and reached to take it before he shut his eyes. He let himself fall into the silence of the morning. He could feel the sun starting to warm his back and the gentle breeze brushing over his face. More than anything, he felt Tessa’s warm hand in his own. For the first time he didn’t feel guilty for enjoying the feeling. He sat for a moment of peace, knowing it was Adam’s words which had led them to this quiet moment, far from the torment their lives had become, and he was grateful. When Adam spoke again, it felt to Simon as if Adam were inside his head, speaking only to him.

  “I am going to read from the prayer of St. Francis. Noah seemed to enjoy it when I shared it with him.” Adam took a deep breath. “Lord, where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. Amen.”

  “Amen,” everyone said. Adam stepped aside.

  Dodge stepped forward. “Everyone follow Simon and Tessa back to the rec center. We’ll finish up here.”

  Simon stood, reluctantly letting go of Tessa’s hand. He looked back in time to see Dodge and Tech both plunge their torches into the wood. The kerosene ignited quickly, and in seconds the whole pile was on fire. Tech and Dodge stepped back to keep an eye on the fire. Simon turned and continued leading the others back.

  The gym was as near to silent as Simon had ever seen it. The only noise came from the littlest kids who were playing a game in the corner. To Simon’s surprise, Tessa sat with Zeke and him on the couch. No one bothered turning on the overhead lights, so the only light came from the huge windows that lined the gym. They were dirt covered, and only a grimy half light forced its way through.

  Dodge stepped into the gym, followed by Matt and his friends. They filed past him into the rec center and stood near the stage at the front of the room. Lara went to stand beside Matt, leaning into him and speaking softly as she touched his wrist. Dodge motioned to Zeke. Zeke stood and loped over to him. He inclined his head as Dodge spoke quickly and quietly into his ear. After a moment, Zeke stepped back and nodded before leaving the gym. Simon knew he wasn’t the only one whose
eyes followed Dodge as he walked across the gym.

  Dodge had taken off his tie and untucked his shirt with the first few buttons undone, but his suit jacket remained on. As he walked past Simon and Tessa, the sharp smell of burnt wood and something more acrid assaulted Simon’s senses. Dodge didn’t meet anyone’s eyes. He walked straight to the small stage at the front of the room, put his back to the stage, and hefted himself up. He sat, legs dangling over the edge, looking out on the room.

  “That’s done.” Dodge nodded once. “Tech and Zeke are taking guard for the next few minutes. They know what I’m about to say. I wanted to be sure everyone else was here to hear it.” Matt and his friends shifted uncomfortably, eyeing each other with questioning glances to see if the others knew what was coming. Simon kept his eyes on Dodge, listening carefully to every word.

  “What happened to Noah was my fault.” There were small sounds of surprise from around the room, and Matt smirked. Simon was as surprised as anyone to hear Dodge start his speech that way. Dodge looked down at his hands as he spoke. “I’ve been treating this whole thing like an adventure. Yesterday was no different. I should have been more careful when I climbed onto that wall. Noah died needlessly.”

  “I could have told you that,” Matt sneered.

  “Just shut up and let him finish,” Tessa snapped. Simon and Dodge both gave her grateful smiles. Lara let her hand slip into Matt’s and glared at Tessa.

  “I believe that few of you would have acted differently; there are only a few of us like Simon who have seen the last few weeks for what they are. For all purposes we are in the middle of a war zone.” Simon nodded, as did Tessa. Dodge stood slowly and looked out at the group. “I want you all to help me make sure Noah’s death is not without purpose. We gotta stop running around here like we’re the lost boys, or the kids in ‘Lord of the Flies’. Today we need to start acting like we are at war.” Dodge paused, looking out over the silent crowd. Even Matt was silent, which he took as permission to continue. He began to pace back and forth across the stage.