The Eliminators 1

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Thanks. And I’m sorry, I had to leave your …”

  Rachel cut him off with a wave of her hand and a nod that conveyed she understood.

  She sat back down, put the shuttle in gear and looked to her right.

  The doors opened and the once dead sauntered out in their delayed pursuit of Rigs and Len.

  “They open doors?” Rachel spoke softly.

  “What?” Rigs asked

  After a shake of her head, Rachel drove off.

  <><><><>

  It wasn’t far, maybe two blocks down the road, when Rachel jerked the wheel to the shuttle, pulled over and jumped out, racing to the side of the road.

  “I’m fine. I’m fine,” Len said to Rigs, holding the roll of paper towels to his injury. “Go see if she’s okay. Even if I wasn’t, you know, injured, you’re best one.”

  “Yeah,” Rigs said. He looked down at the wound on Len’s chest.

  “Look, you didn’t take out her kid. She needs to know that as well. And there may be more of those …” He cringed. “Sick people. I’m betting this is a turn of events no one saw coming.”

  “That’s true. I’ll be right back.” Rigs stood, grabbed a bottle of water from a seat and walked from the bus.

  Rachel was half bent over, hands on her knees, when he approached.

  “It’s not blood,” she said.

  “I know.”

  “I don’t have a towel or anything, I’m sorry,” Rigs told her.

  She spit a few times, stayed in that position for a second or two then lifted the bottom of her tee shirt to wipe her mouth. “Sorry, that’s gross. I know.”

  “It’s fine.” He handed her the bottle of water.

  “How is Len?” she asked.

  “Bleeding has stopped. The paper towels were the quicker picker upper.”

  She raised her eyes to him as she drank.

  “Sorry. Bad time for a joke. He’s not sick. Which is good. We know that virus hits instantly.”

  “I’m sorry my son did that to him.”

  “It’s horrible to say, but you know that wasn’t your son, right?”

  “Actually, I do. I mean my kid didn’t make a habit out of trying to kill people.” She closed her eyes and whispered out a painful. “Oh my God. How do I tell Cliff?”

  “You tell him the truth.”

  “What’s wrong with me, Rigs?” she asked. “Why am I handling this, not freaking out, not screaming? My kid … my son died. What’s wrong with me?”

  “Nothing. Nothing is wrong with you.”

  “I’m devastated, but when I saw it, it sounds like a lie.” Rachel lowered her head. “I’m so scared of when it hits me.”

  “It has hit you. You know what happened,” Rigs said. “Look … some of us freak right away, some compartmentalize our grief. There are those who sob and sob, scream and cry right away and those who do not. No reaction is right or wrong. I want to tell you it’s shock. And it is. But … it’s crushing. No, it’s soul crushing. You’ll be numb for a few days, trying to process it, and when it finally clicks, you’ll … you’ll feel a physical pain that is pretty much unbearable. You’ll wanna …” Rigs chuckled emotionally. “Quell it with anything you can to stop yourself from putting a fucking bullet to your head. Anger, booze, bad behavior ... sex. You name it. Just know, the pain doesn’t ever go away, you just learn to live with it. Maybe it’s early, too early to tell you this, just know, even though you don’t know me, I’m here. Come to me when you are searching for a way to get rid of the pain, not, you know, the sex thing. That that was just a way some people—"

  “I know.” Rachel held up her hand, gave him a gentle smile, then stared at him for a few seconds. “Thank you. I’m not … not going to ask you what happened, okay? Not because I don’t care, but because you’ll tell me when you want to. I get it. You’ve been here.”

  “Yep. More than you know, I’ve been where you are and I pulled over to vomit on the side of the road, as well.”

  “Thank you.” Rachel sighed. “We better go. We need to get Len some help.”

  Rigs started walking with her back to the shuttle. “Yeah, at least his wound isn’t fatal.”

  “Or is it?”

  Rigs stopped. “He isn’t bleeding anymore.” He started walking again.

  “That’s not what I mean, Rigs,” Rachel said, pausing before getting on the shuttle. “He was bit. Bit by my son who had a virus, died and came back. That makes my son a …”

  “Don’t say it.” Rigs cut her off. “Len will be fine. This isn’t a movie or a book. We’ll fix the wound, he’ll heal and be fine.” Rigs waited until Rachel stepped on board and then he muttered to himself, “I hope.”

  FIVE

  Baha Breeze Resort, Nassau Bahamas

  “Dude, dude, dude,” Kasper paced, one arm folded tightly across his body while he bit the nails on his other hand. “He’s gonna turn.”

  “He’s not gonna turn or whatever you want to call it,” Rigs argued. He poured a drink at the bar and downed it.

  They had tried the hospital, but not only was no one there, it was swarming with the recently risen. When Rigs called Barry to let him know Len was injured and no hospital was taking patients, Barry found a guest at the resort on a divorce retreat who was a doctor and would help. Even though she was an OBGYN, she was still a doctor and could examine and suture the wound.

  Len was walking, conscious and in good spirits when they returned. The doctor took him up to the health room to tend to him. She even called down to say he looked fine and it wouldn’t be long.

  They all waited in the lounge. With the exception of Ann who stayed with Len.

  “Where’s Rachel?” Kasper asked. “What does she have to say?”

  “She is with her family now. Telling them the truth and being with them.”

  “Telling them he turned. Just like Len will do.”

  Barry stepped forward. “What do you mean ... turned?”

  “He was bit by an infected,” Kasper said. “He will turn into one of them.”

  “The doctor said he’s fine.”

  “For now.”

  “Stop.” Rigs told him. “This is ridiculous.”

  “You said they were zombies,” Kasper said.

  “I never used that word.”

  “You didn’t have to. They died, they rose, they aren’t Jesus, they are zombies. Well, technically, Jesus probably was a zombie.”

  “Zombies?” Barry asked. “You’re saying Rachel’s son was a zombie and bit my son?”

  “Yeah, normal people don’t do that,” Kasper said. “Well, maybe they do if they’re on bath salts. But typically, if they die, get up and bite people, they’re zombies.”

  “Rachel’s son couldn’t have been dead,” Barry said.

  Kasper pointed to Rigs. “Ask him.”

  “He was,” Rigs replied. “So were the thousand other people in the stadium, they were dead, decomposing too, then they got up.”

  “Zombies,” Kasper said.

  Rigs spun to him. “There are no such things as zombies!”

  “What!” Kasper blasted. “Are you kidding me? Of course, there are. You think Romero just made up that word, said, ‘oh we have killer walking dead what should we call them, I know, zombie sounds good’. No! That word has been around because ... because zombies have been around a long time.”

  “Some say the black plague,” Barry added. “Was a zombie outbreak.”

  “Dude, I heard that, too. Zombie,” Kasper said smug to Rigs. “And Len was bit by one. Which means … he’ll turn.”

  “How do you know?” Rigs asked. “Even if they are ... zombies. How do you know if you're bit by one you’ll turn?”

  “Romero,” Kasper replied. “And many others who copied him.”

  “That was fiction.”

  Kasper laughed.

  “Why is that funny?’

  “Nothing.”

  Barry held up his hand. “Just because movies and books say a person will tu
rn doesn’t mean in real life they will. Hopefully, you’re wrong, and the books are wrong and Len won’t.”

  A clearing of throat caught their attention as Len entered the lounge. “Hopefully Len won’t what?”

  He stood waiting for an answer amongst the awkward. “Guys, I heard you. I know what happened. I know what you’re saying they are. I agree. I do …” He walked to the bar, looking at Rigs. “Zombies. But …” He accepted the drink his father gave him. “No worries. My bite wound is stitched, I have a course of antibiotics to take, a nice older baby doctor said I’m golden, and I feel fine.” He downed his drink. “I feel absolutely fine.”

  <><><><>

  Barry breathed heavily, running his hand down his face. He walked from his son’s bedside where he lay on the couch, brushing his hand down Ann’s back as he passed her in his journey to the balcony. He slid open the door and stepped out, taking in the warm breeze off the ocean.

  He gripped the railing of the balcony trying to shake the image of his son’s wound from his mind. Two hours earlier, it was sutured and clean. Then it appeared to have festered and his entire chest was red and not only inflamed, but the wound seemed to spread.

  “Did you want to be alone?” a female voice asked.

  Barry shook his head, “No. I just ….” He paused when the older woman doctor emerged on the balcony with him. “It’s a hard pill to swallow.”

  “Losing someone always is,” she said.

  “Are you sure?”

  “No, I’m not. His blood pressure is low, heart rate and breathing have slowed down. The only thing quick on him is his wit. His mind is still very strong. I don’t know what this virus is. No one does. In my line of work I didn’t see many,” she said. “Also I retired eight years ago.”

  “You still know what you’re doing, Doctor …”

  “Sandy. Call me Sandy, and I’m trying, I really am.”

  “How long?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not leaving. I’ll be right in the other room and I’ll keep checking on him. But like I said, his mind is strong so don’t present a defeatist attitude, please.”

  “No, I won’t. Thank you.” Barry walked back into the suite and over to the living room area. “How are you doing, Len? Maybe you’d be more comfortable in bed.”

  “No. No bed. Right here is fine.”

  “If you say so,” Barry said. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’ve been better, it’s hard to move. I wish my body would do what my mind wants it to do. Then again, if Kasper is right, my body will be off this couch in no time.”

  “That’s not funny, son.”

  “Dad, now is the perfect time to joke. I love you both. Please don’t be sad like this.”

  “Well, that’s easier said than done.” Barry pulled up a chair and sat down.

  “Have you decided what you’re going to do?” Len asked

  Ann answered. “We’re not worried about that now.”

  “You should be. There is nowhere to go on this island,” Len said.

  “Greg the pilot wants to fly us out. Right now, Rigs is out with Kasper trying to find transportation.”

  “And how’s Rachel and her family?”

  “Sad, very sad. Cliff isn’t handling it well at all. And … I can see why that is.”

  “Of course you can,” Len winked.

  “Len, please.”

  “Let him joke.” Ann said. “Joke all you want.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” Len winced a little in pain.

  “You okay?” Barry asked. “You need something?”

  “Some whiskey from the mini bar?”

  “I’ll bring the big bottle.” Barry stood, when he did there was a knock at the door. “It’s open,” he called out.

  The door open and Rigs walked in speaking as he did. “Hey, I’m back, I wanted to let you know …” He froze when he saw Len laying on the couch. “What’s going on?"

  Ann stood. “I’m gonna … I’m gonna let you boys be and go check on Rachel.”

  Rigs watched her leave then stepped closer to the couch. “Len?”

  “Looks like I took a turn for the worst,” Len replied. “Surprise.”

  “What! No!” There was a lot of anger in Rigs’ voice. “What the fuck? Fuck. Are you fucking kidding me? Fuck!”

  “Hey, now,” Barry said handing Len his drink. “We don’t need to swear like that.”

  “Len, come on, for real?” Rigs asked.

  “Yeah, I can barely move. I feel like my legs weigh a hundred pounds each. Everything is different. Honestly, I think Kasper is right.”

  “Right about what?” Rigs asked.

  “About turning.”

  “No.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Jeremiah.”

  “Sorry. This sucks.” Rigs sat down. “It really sucks.”

  “Yeah, it does,” Len said. “Like I said. I can tell. My senses are different. I see things different, less color and things smell different.”

  “They smell different?” Rigs asked

  “Yeah, you smell.”

  “I smell? Like what? Like bad?’

  “Like a steak.”

  “For real?’

  “Lenard,” Barry scolded.

  “Dad, I’m not joking he smells like food.”

  Rigs inched back. “I don’t know whether to believe him or not, but … is the doctor sure?”

  “Look at him.” Barry said.

  Another single knock, only the door opened and Kasper walked in. “Hey I was …Whoa. Dude, you declined. You look like you’re gonna turn.”

  “See.” Len pointed. “Confirmation given.”

  “That was insensitive of me.” Kasper held up his hand. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to let you know that we can fit everyone in the buses. We have sixty-four people, only forty are going with us. Greg said we may be able to get them all on the plane.”

  “Did you two see …” Barry asked. “Any … you know out there?”

  “Zombies?” Kasper asked.

  Barry cringed. “Yeah.”

  “Lots.”

  Barry looked at Rigs. “Were there really?”

  Rigs nodded. “They’re everywhere. Pretty soon they’ll be here. The one good thing is they move slow.”

  “For now,” Kasper said. “They won’t be slow for long, only when they’re fresh.”

  “How do you know?” Rigs asked with an edge to his voice.

  “Science. They die. Rigor mortis sets in, they try to walk with the RM, that’s why they’re all jerky and stuff. But once that lets loose.” Kasper whistled. “Run.”

  “Why am I even listening to you?” Rigs waved him off. “Your information and expertise are purely based on how much time you sat in front of the TV.”

  “Jeremiah, be nice.”

  “I’m mad,” Rigs said. “So mad. This is my best friend.”

  “And he is my son. Len, do you want us to behave like this?”

  “Yeah, actually, argue, it’s pretty cool,” Len said.

  Kasper smiled. “I love this guy. That’s a really good attitude. I’m sorry you’re gonna turn.”

  Rigs blasted. “We don’t know that!”

  “Ow.” Kasper grabbed his ear. “I’m gonna just get a drink from the bar.”

  Rigs shook his head. “Unbelievable. Can’t anyone be serious?”

  “Why?” Len asked. “When have you and I ever been serious other then … well.”

  Rigs nodded.

  “I’ll see them you know,” Len said softly. “Jealous?”

  “A little.”

  “I’ll watch them for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “But on a serious note,” Len changed his tone. “There is something I have to ask.”

  “Anything.”

  “If … If I really do turn into a ... you know.”

  Rigs nodded.

  “I need you to …”

  Rigs closed his eyes tight. “I get it …”
>
  “Make me like your pet.”

  Rigs opened his eyes. “What?’

  “Yeah, you know, like put me on a leash or something, try to get through to me. Train me.”

  “You want me to make you my zombie pet?”

  From across the room, Kasper said. “You’ll have to remove his teeth or cut off his jaw.”

  “Whatever works.” Len said

  “I have to go check on the buses.” Rigs stood. “I’ll be back and we’ll talk about this.” Hurriedly, Rigs walked out of the suite.

  Barry looked down to his son. “He believed you.”

  “I know.”

  Barry sat down. “You’re feeling worse, aren’t you?” Len nodded

  “You always did use humor to cover your pain.”

  Len reached out and placed his hand over his father’s arm. “I’m scared, Dad.”

  Barry pressed his lips together tightly, and covered Len’s hand with his own. “So am I.”

  <><><><>

  Rigs paced in the hall. It wasn’t long after Kasper emerged from the suite.

  “Hey,” Kasper said softly.

  “Hey.”

  “Drink?” He handed him a tiny bottle.

  “Thanks.”

  “You know I …” Kasper paused when Ann returned. “Ma’am.”

  Ann stepped before Rigs placing her palm flush against his cheek. “How are you?”

  “I’m dying here. He’s no less my brother. I love him to death.”

  “I know you do. We’ll all get through this. We always do.”

  Rigs nodded. “How’s Rachel?”

  “Surprisingly the way she is right now, she reminds me a lot of you and how you were. Trying to be strong.”

  “We’ll just make sure our new friend doesn’t follow the same self destructive path I did.”

  “We all grieve in our own ways, whatever gets us through. You got through.” Ann kissed him. “So will I. I’m going to go enjoy time with my son.”

  After she slipped into the suite, Kasper turned to Rigs. “Wow, what happened with you?”

  Rigs only glanced at him.

  “I won’t ask, but I will say this. I know we just met. I know we aren’t even friends. But …. as fun and interesting as it sounds, you can’t make Len your zombie pet.”

  “I have no intention of making him my pet.”