Mad Swine (Book 2): Dead Winter

by Steven Pajak

  “What do you think is going on?” Lara asked, finally breaking the silence between us.

  “I have no idea. Sam sounded urgent, but she didn’t appear to be worried.”

  “Well, whatever it is, we could sure use some good news. It’s been a hell of a day.”

  I nodded my head as we neared to our destination. We could see all of the lights in the CP burning brightly behind curtained windows. As we drew near I noticed several of our neighbors standing around outside. A small group stood off to one side all sharing a rare cigarette. One of them waved to Lara and me before taking his drag on the smoke.

  “At least no one looks defeated,” Lara said. “That’s a good sign.”

  We entered through the main door as I was in no mood for Ray’s negativity at the moment. I still had to get my coffee pot, but that could wait. All of the council members were gathered around the dining room table in their usual spaces and other folks were standing around or sitting on furniture, wherever there was a place to sit. In the living room even more people were spread out on the furniture. On the sofa I saw a man and woman I didn’t know and two other men sat on the coffee table in front of them, with their backs toward us. In the kitchen, Ravi was working on a wounded man who sat at one of the chairs with his left arm on the table.

  Spotting Sam, I took her by the arm and led her a few steps away from the dining room. “Who’s that with Ravi?”

  Before Sam could answer, a voice spoke up from behind. “That’s Ian. He’s with me.”

  I turned to see who had addressed me and was shocked to see my brother, Brian. His face was a bit red and chapped and his beard and mustache had grown pretty thick since I’d last saw him. He wore a knit cap pulled down over his long brown hair. Although he wasn’t wearing a coat, he appeared to have just come in from the cold.

  “Holy shit,” was all I could manage. Sam smiled and gave my arm a squeeze before leaving me and my brother alone. We embraced, grabbing each other in great bear hugs and slapping each other on the back. I lifted him slightly off the ground and laughed when he told me to ease up, that he couldn’t breathe.

  “Good to see you, bro,” he said. “You’re looking fit.”

  I shook my head, still shocked that he was here. “I thought I was never going to see you again.”

  “That hurts, dude,” he said and punched me playfully in the chest. “I thought you had more faith in me than that.”

  “It’s been six weeks, man,” I said trying to explain my comment. “You said you’d be back in a few days. What was I supposed to think? Where the hell have you been?”

  “Don’t worry about that right now. We’ll talk all about that later,” he said and threw his arm over my shoulder and walked us to the threshold of the kitchen.

  I stared at him for a moment and then nodded. He was right; now that he was back we had plenty of time to catch up. “So who’s your friend?”

  “That’s Ian. He’s part of a small group I brought back with me. He’s a really cool guy. You’ll like him.”

  “What happened to Ian?”

  “We had to clear out a group of infected from the front gate before they’d open up and let us in. We were using blunt and edged weapons to keep it quiet. Maureen took a swing at one of the creatures but the thing tripped and fell and her blade caught Ian. It doesn’t look too bad, though.”

  As I watched Ravi finish stitching up Ian, she caught my eye and gave me a look that could only mean she wanted to talk. I was pretty sure Brian picked up on it, too. She wrapped fresh gauze around Ian’s wounded arm and finished taping it off. “Keep this dry. Please try to keep your arm elevated and stationary if possible.”

  “Aye,” Ian said in a fairly thick Irish accent that I wasn’t quite expecting. “I’ll be doing my best, doc, don’t you worry.”

  Ravi stared at him for a few seconds and then said, “Stay here for a little while and let the stitches get settled.”

  She did not wait for his response but instead went to the sink and stripped off her rubber gloves. She put the disposable gloves into a plastic bag which she tied tightly, dropped that into another plastic bag which she also double knotted. She placed the double bag into the sink and then ran the hot water and started to scrub her hands vigorously with dish detergent.

  “Hey doc, can I have something for the pain?” Ian asked.

  Ravi shook her head. “Not yet.”

  “How about some ibuprofen, Ravi?” Brian asked. “Just something to help him with the pain.”

  “No,” Ravi said adamantly. To me she said, “I need to speak to you. Now, please.”

  I looked at Brian and then back at Ravi, unsure about what was happening. Brian’s brow furrowed and he shrugged his shoulders slightly, indicating he had no idea either. I nodded my head and followed Ravi as she led us through the kitchen and into the laundry room. Brian followed us in and closed the door.

  “Ravi, what was that all about?” Brian started in. “If you don’t want to give him the good stuff, I understand, you want to keep that for our own folks, but—”

  “I think he might be infected,” Ravi said in her matter-of-fact, all business doctors’ voice.

  We all fell silent and the small room had suddenly grown very uncomfortable. I could see that Brian was considering his response carefully; his mouth was closed tight and his eyes flicked back and forth between me and Ravi.

  “You mean infected with…”

  “You know what I mean,” Ravi said loudly enough to surprise me. I saw Brian flinch as if struck.

  “Why do you think he’s infected?” Brian asked.

  “You have to ask?” Ravi questioned and gave him a look of incredulous contempt. “You should know better than anyone why I think he’s infected. He was sliced by a weapon used on those things out there. That blood is in his system now.”

  “We don’t know that’s true,” Brian said. I had never seen him so subdued. Ravi’s unusual attack was just as much a surprise to him and had likely thrown him off his game.

  “We don’t take chances here. He needs to be isolated immediately.”

  “Look, I brought him here so let me handle it,” Brian said.

  “I know he’s with you but that doesn’t mean shit around here anymore,” Ravi snapped. She turned to me and said, “I want him quarantined. He needs to be watched and dealt with. We need to follow protocol.”

  “What the hell is happening here?” Brian asked, obviously as confused as was I. “What exactly are you trying to say, Ravi?”

  “Okay, let’s all calm down here,” I finally said, raising my voice. “Everyone just take a damn breath and be quiet for a second.”

  “I don’t exactly know what the hell is going on right now,” Brian said, “but Ian is my problem, man, and I’ll handle this.”

  “He’s our problem,” I said, suddenly feeling like I was in the middle of a tennis match. This was an argument for which I would be forced to take sides. Making a conscious decision under pressure, I looked my brother in the eyes and continued, “Ravi’s right, we have procedures and we follow protocol, no exceptions.”

  “Dude, this is bullshit—“

  “You’ve been away for too long, brother, and maybe you forgot what happened the last time that fucking disease got inside of our walls. That shit is not going to happen again. Ian will be quarantined.”

  Brian shook his head and kicked his foot against the washing machine startling Ravi. He looked at her sharply for a second and then his face changed and he softened. “Sorry, Ravi. This isn’t your fault.”

  “Thank you,” Ravi said. “I appreciate your understanding.”

  “Do what you have to do. But at least let me stay with him. He doesn’t know anyone here.”

  “Not a good idea,” I said. “Listen, we need to do this quietly. I don’t want anyone getting spooked or panicked until we know for sure what happens with Ian one way or the other.”

  “What do you want us to do?” Ravi asked. Her anger had died down quick
ly now that Brian had apologized and was willing to follow her rules. Now, she just looked nervous.

  “How many folks are in your group, Brian?”

  “Four, including Ian.”

  “Okay, we need to put the other three up here in the CP. They can stay in one of the guest rooms. We’ll say that Ravi wants to keep Ian at the infirmary over night to make sure the stitches don’t come out during the night and she’s worried about an open wound becoming infected.”

  “Who will keep watch with me?” Ravi’s eyes wandered over to my brother and then back to me.

  “Kat will stand watch and handle things,” I said.

  “Matt, this is my mess. I should be the one to clean it up.”

  “You and me have a lot to talk about. Kat will handle this.”

  Brian looked at me with doubt for a second but then he relented. “Fine. But I want to know the minute anything changes. Ravi, you make sure someone finds me.”

  “I will,” she responded sheepishly. “Let’s hope I’m wrong about this.”

  Back in the kitchen, Ian remained seated where we’d left him. He smiled when we entered the room and said in his Irish accent, “So, did you decide if I live or die, doc?”

  “You’ll be fine, Ian,” Ravi said. She walked over to the sink and put on another pair of rubber gloves that she pulled from a box on the counter. “But I’ll need you to stay at our infirmary tonight so I can check your stitches.”

  “Aye, whatever you say, doc.” Ian flashed his big smile. I had to admit his smile was endearing. And the ease with which he agreed made me realize that, although I’d just met the man, I had already taken a liking to him.

  Brian walked over and knelt down beside Ian, placing one hand on the other man’s shoulder. “I’ll let Maureen and the others know where you’ll be and I’ll get them squared away here for the night. And I’ll stop by later and check on you during the night.”

  Ian looked over at Ravi who was putting on her coat. He watched her as she left the kitchen for the dining room and then he looked over at me. “She seems to be in a hurry.”

  I nodded but said nothing. I didn’t know what to say.

  “Let me help you get your coat on, man,” Brian said. “Just hold that arm still and I’ll zip your coat around you.”

  The Irishman looked at my brother now with wary eyes as though he suspected something else was going on. Just then Ravi returned with Kat and Ian’s eyes narrowed further.

  “Can I say goodbye to Maureen, brother?” he asked Brian.

  “I’ll let her know where you’re going and I’ll bring her by as soon as she gets her stuff settled here. No more than a half hour.” Brian helped Ian to his feet and finished zipping the coat. “No worries, bro. Just go on ahead with these two beautiful ladies and enjoy their company for a while.”

  “Aye, brother. I think I’d rather enjoy the company of these fine lassies over yours any day. No offense.”

  Brian smiled. I hoped Ian didn’t know Brian as well as I or he would see right through the fake smile. “See you soon, man. Stay warm.”

  Now, Ian smiled again, lighting up his whole face. I thought for a moment that I must have imagined the look suspicious look only moments ago. He nodded his head at me and offered his good arm. “Well ladies, looks like it’s just the three of us. Shall we?”

  Kat smiled, the scar tissue on her face welting up like a coiled snake. She took Ian’s waiting arm and together they left the kitchen through the garage. Ravi followed closely behind, but unlike Kat, she wasn’t smiling.

  “I feel like shit,” Brian said when the door closed.

  “Yeah, I know. Some welcome home, huh?”

  He nodded his head. “It’s good to be back, but it looks like this is just par for the course. What the hell happened in the last six weeks?”

  “Introduce me to the rest of your companions first and let’s get them set up for the night. We have a lot to discuss.”

  Chapter 7

  Revelations

  Brian settled down onto the cold carpet with a groan that sounded like the noise that always escaped my grandfather when he sat down or got up from his favorite chair. Without ceremony, Brian wriggled out of his back pack and set it down long enough to struggle out of his winter coat. He rolled his coat into a make-shift pillow and leaned on it with his elbow before grabbing his back pack again.

  I watched for a few minutes as he unzipped his bag and started to sift through the contents before I finally left him to his business. I shuffled up the stairs, pulling my own coat off along the way, draping it over the banister about midway up. The fire still burned in the living room fireplace and the warm draft of heated air that greeted me at the top of the stairs was welcomed against my cold cheeks and frigid ears. The walk from the CP to my house was just a short two-minute jaunt, but the temperature was dropping swiftly as evening came on and left me with a deeper chill.

  Leaving my boots on, I crossed the carpeted floor to the hallway linen closet (something I would never have attempted if my wife was still alive) and pulled open the bi-fold doors. From the top shelf I brought down the two large comforters that we used for guests. Both comforters—one brown with a copper weave pattern and one cobalt blue with gold leaves—were both still encased in their thick plastic bags for protection. I unzipped the blue one and took a quick whiff and smiled. Instead of the musty smell of stored garments the comforter smelled of fabric softener.

  With an elbow I closed the closet doors and carried the two comforters downstairs with the sound of the thick plastic bags squeaking against each other. In the lower level family room I dropped the load onto the sectional sofa. Brian had emptied the contents of his back pack and was now organizing the items in a half-circle around where he sat.

  “How was it on the road?” I asked as I unpacked the blue comforter, my lame attempt at a conversation starter.

  Brian leaned back on his elbow, dug into his pants pocket and fished out a half-crushed pack of smokes. I could tell they weren’t his usual brand. He tucked one of the cigarettes into the corner of his mouth, lit it up and took a deep drag. Finally, without looking over at me, he said, “It was not as bad as you might think. In fact, I kind of liked it.”

  I finished unpacking the brown comforter and stared at my brother as I processed his words. His hair was longer than it was when I’d last saw him; it was beyond his shoulders now. He’d lost a little weight, too, I could tell. I could see his shoulder blades poking against his black T-shirt when he reached forward and picked up a long handled flashlight and stuffed it back into his back pack.

  “What did you like about being alone?”

  He turned his head, the cigarette still poking out of the corner of his mouth and his eyes squinted against the billowing smoke. “It’s easier. Heavy lies the crown, brother, when you’re responsible for others. On the road, I just had to worry about myself. It was almost…therapeutic, dude.”

  “I guess you’re right,” I said. I folded the brown comforter and dropped it on the carpet next to him. “How did you pass the time?”

  Brian plucked the cigarette from his lips and looked around for a place to dump his ash. He finally settled on the barren hearth of the cold fireplace and leaned forward on one knee, flicking his cigarette. He resumed his position, propped onto his left elbow and seemed to give serious thought to my question.

  “Mostly I thought about what I was going to do next, where I was going to go, how far I would travel, what I was going to eat. I kept focused on my mission.”

  “And that got you through the cold nights?”

  I sat down next to Brian and then lay down with the blue comforter beneath me. I could feel the cold already creeping into my bones and making me sleepy. Although Brian had already unpacked his gear, we were more than likely going to have to break camp and move upstairs where the fire would last through most of the night.

  He shook his head but didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed a dark gray pullover sweatshirt and slipped into
it. I waited for his response. He snatched up the crumpled pack of cigarettes and tapped one out slightly and offered it to me. When I declined, he grabbed it between clenched teeth and then lit up with the butt of his first cigarette.

  After a long drag, Brian nodded his head and then turned to look at me. When our eyes met he said, “I thought about Bob a lot. I thought about the look in his eyes when we charged the grain loft. He was scared. We were all scared, man. But he didn’t hesitate.”

  I could see the haunted look in his eyes and I had to look away. I suddenly felt like a coward. After all, I had asked the question. “I’m sorry for that.”

  Brian shook his head again and his long brown locks whipped soundlessly across his shoulders. “It was our only play. We knew the risks and we accepted them. That’s on us.”

  I didn’t have a response for that so I just kept quiet. I reached over and grabbed the pack of cigarettes, suddenly changing my mind, and pulled one out just to keep from looking at him. I lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply, feeling a rush of lightheadedness as the smoke filled my lungs.

  “You want to know what I really thought about most nights?”

  I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know now, but I really had no choice. I watched smoke rise from the cigarette clenched tightly between my fingers and listened to my brother.

  “Revenge, dude. I lay awake at night thinking about Comedian and that fat fuck Senior and what they did to the people I love. I would just lay awake at night, staring at the ceiling, thinking about Charlie laying on the dining room table in the CP bleeding and I’d think about the fear in Bob’s eyes when we attacked the grain tower and the way his body fell when he got hit. I would think about the scars on Kat’s beautiful face and that boy, Wesley, growing up without his parents and I would just burn with rage, man.”

  He sat up now and flicked his cigarette into the fireplace and grabbed the pack again. He tore it open to get to the last smoke and then crumpled the foil pack forcefully in his fist.