A Good Distance From Dying (Book 2): Samantha's Song

by Carroll David

  “Yes. I know what I almost did.” I said.

  “If you cannot sleep you are a liability to the team and I will not allow you to take part in any missions.”

  “Guess my leader days are numbered.” I said laughing.

  “I hope that is not the case. You are a good leader. However, you must take care of yourself before you can take care of others.”

  She made sense, but still hearing it pissed me off. Amanda boarded the interior lift and I attempted to get Big Lou to go down into the store with her, but he refused to leave my side. Amanda said good night and sank into the darkness of the store while Lou and I walked over to the front edge. I looked out into the parking lot and saw that there were only three zombies close by. Out of those three only one was close enough to the building to remotely be considered a danger. I looked to my left, to where Wal-Mart sits. On the other side of those trees was my old home.

  “Hey.” I heard a voice say from the parking lot. I looked down and saw that the zombie standing close to the store was looking up at me. I looked closer at his face. Why was I surprised? It was Jim.

  “Hey Charlie. What are you doing up there?” Jim asked me.

  “I’m pulling first guard shift so none of your kind can get up here.” I said.

  The Jim zombie in the parking lot laughed at me. “Get up there? Why would we want to get up there? Down here is where all the action is. Down here is where all the fun happens.”

  “No offense Jim, but I feel much safer up here.”

  “But Charlie, it’s not safe off the ground. You taught me that when you caused me to fall into the window and rip my throat out. That was really painful, Charlie, did you know that?”

  “It looked pretty painful. Look Jim, no offense, but I don’t think I can talk to you anymore.”

  Jim looked hurt. “I thought you were a bigger guy than that Charlie. I mean, after everything you did to me I was still willing to try and be your friend and you just push me away. That’s cold man.”

  “Please go away Jim.”

  Jim laughed at me. “Come on Charlie. Come down and play. It’s so much fun down here; you can’t even imagine the things we do. Come on down Charlie. Come on down and be my friend.”

  I closed my eyes saying, “Please go away”.

  I heard Jim’s voice say, “So you don’t want to come out and play? That’s okay, I can wait. You’ll come down eventually. You all come down eventually and waiting is what we do. We’re really good at it. Waiting.”

  I shook my head and when I opened my eyes the Jim zombie was gone. In his place was the zombie I had originally seen when I had looked out across the parking lot. I looked over at Big Lou.

  “I have to get a handle on this. I think I’m going insane.”

  Big Lou barked his agreement and then licked my hand. I closed my eyes and could still hear Jim’s voice. “That’s okay, I can wait. You all come down eventually.” Big Lou licked my hand again as I felt the warm tears roll down my face.

  “I’ve got to get a handle on this Louie. How do I get a handle on this?”

  Lou never has the answers to the big questions. I guess I don’t either.

  I stood there with my eyes held shut. I could feel the cool morning breeze against my skin. I could smell the decay that is a constant part of this new world. And in my head I could still hear Jim saying, “Waiting is what we do. We’re really good at it. Everybody comes down eventually. Down here is where the action is.”

  The End