Dead States | Year Zero | Nebraska

by Marty Brockschmidt

  “Yeah, yeah, … I like that. End the guy and pump the girl.”

  Zephram made his way back through the woods to where the camper was parked, all the time keeping a running dialogue with himself. As he closed Zephram noticed the campers had attracted the attention of others.

  “Zeph see those chompers. Change of plans, the only thing better than lookin desperate is comin in the hero.”

  Kip Lang was a network analyst. He understood computers, people not so much. It seemed like everyone he knew expected a certain behavior from him. If he ever broke that mold then his actions were questioned no end. On the couple of occasions he brought a young woman home to meet his mother she would come up with a long list of why she was unsuitable for him. When he stood up to the school yard bully and later the office loudmouth somehow he was always perceived as being in the wrong.

  Kip bought the camper to give an excuse to have something to do. To his surprise once he was around strangers he could be himself. Overtime he developed a small community of camping enthusiasts and found that he was invited to weekend camp outs and then to some of the more extended occasions. The day the shit hit the fan, Kip was preparing for the beginning of summer with a week long excursion. Proudly wearing his camp fest T-shirt, he had just finished packing his camper when his pal Chuck called.

  “Kip you about ready to leave man?”, Chuck asked.

  “Just finished packing. I was going to check in at work as I leave town and I'll see you in a couple of hours.”, Kip responded cheerfully.

  “Screw work, you haven't seen the news then? Kip there is some kinda super bug hit. Stay away from the city, pack up all the food and water you can and get out fast. Folks are going crazy.”, Chuck urged.

  As Chuck explained the situation Kip turned on his TV and was shocked by what he was seeing, “Holy crap Chuck is this for real?”

  Chuck let out a sigh, “Looks like. Kip you got any guns you might need em?”

  “You know I was never into guns all I got is my old target bow.”, Kip answered.

  “Better than nothin, grab it too. We are all going to try and meet up at the National Forest. Kip if we don't make it, it's been a real pleasure knowin you.”, Chuck said sadly.

  Kip who had spent so much of his life an outsider was brought near to tears by his friends statement, “Same here Chuck, but I'll be seeing you in a few hours.”

  Kip took an extra hour packing up extra of everything. When he first got in to camping he had bought a ton of MRE's and freeze dried foods. His camping friends ribbed him a bit about it and when he tasted it he understood why, but now it might be necessary. The roads even out where Kip lived were starting to get congested, but once Kip hit the back roads he saw almost no traffic. When he was closing on his destination, he saw a car pulled over to the side.

  Kip slowed in case someone needed help and as he did so a young woman stepped out of the car and waved him down. Kip brought the camper to a halt. He cautiously looked around in case the woman was bait, getting him to stop so her gang could take his camper.

  “Hey there open up. It's not safe outside. PLEASE!”, the woman called out as she vigorously pounded on the door.

  Seeing no one else Kip got up and let the young woman in.

  “Thank you ever so much”, declared the woman as she dashed past Kip and got into the front passenger seat.

  Kip secured the door and still trying to assess the situation, the woman commanded, “Well come on fella drive.”

  “You haven't seen those things yet have you? I never want to see another one as long as I live. You got some water. Oh I'm Malta by the way”, the woman spilled out in a flood.

  Kip handed her a bottle of water, “Kip.”

  Malta beamed a smile at him, “Your a lifesaver Kip I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along.”

  Malta paused to take a drink and then poured some of the water onto her face and let it run down between her generous breasts. “Oh that is good.”

  As Malta kept up a steady stream of conversation Kip surveyed his passenger. She wore a strong perfume, which normally he would have struggled with. So many smells, textures and tastes bothered him, but this one he found pleasing. Malta wasn't an attractive woman by most standards, she was short probably no more than five foot three, had a dark complexion and a mass of tightly curled black hair. Her body seemed to be out of proportion everywhere. Her nose was too large for her face and her tiny waist didn't match her large bosom. It was her piercing black eyes and clock stopping smile that really got to Kip. Within two miles Kip decided he liked this woman and her non-stop chatter kept the burden of conversation off of him.

  Just outside of the National Forest Kip found a gas station still open.

  “Cash only for some reason my credit card machine is down, along with my TV and radio.”, the attendant called out.

  After topping off his tank Kip took Malta inside and they bought up his soda, water and anything in the line of substantial snacks. Seeing some empty gas cans for sale Kip purchased those as well.

  “Dang looks like I get to close early today, I got some more stuff in back if your interested.”, the attendant grinned.

  “I think you should hold onto that for yourself. I'm not exactly sure what is happening, but if you got family get to them and look out for strangers that look infected.”, Kip informed the man.

  The man narrowed his eyes at Kip, “You shittin me boy?”

  “Sir I do not shit anybody, I have no idea what is going on, but I do know it is bad.”, Kip replied.

  Seeing the seriousness in Kip's face the man inquired, “How bout you help me load up my truck?”

  Kip and Malta helped the man clean out his store room and as they were about to depart the man held out a revolver., “Only got the six rounds in it, but I got my double barrel, if you get in a jam it might help.”

  Kip looked at the revolver like it was a serpent, but Malta quickly grabbed it and thanked the man.

  “How many are we expecting to show up?”, Malta queried.

  Kip enjoying her inclusive 'we',responded, “If they all make it twenty, though five are children.”

  As day wore into evening Kip began to worry about his friends. Even more so when Malta explained what she had seen to make her flee as fast as she could.

  “Your certain they were dead?”, asked Kip.

  “I am as serious as a heart attack, dead folks were up and moving around, it was like I was in the middle of a real life horror movie.”

  While Malta made a dinner for the two of them, Kip hung some pans on a rope and extension cords he strung around the camper. It might not give them much warning, but it was something. Once it got dark Kip put on the camper lights to help his friends find him. The two did their best to stay awake and look for the others, but eventually the long day wore them out and they fell asleep.

  “Damn it, I'm such a fool.”, Kip complained.

  “Calm down, tell me what's wrong Kip?”, Malta asked.

  Kip fumed, “The battery, its dead. I can't start the camper.”

  “Don't worry when your friends arrive you can get a jump.”, Malta said soothingly.

  Then a couple of days turned into a couple of weeks and still no one else showed up. Malta never lost her cheery outlook. Whenever Kip despaired on getting the camper running, she was quick to assure him that she had faith that he would figure it out. On occasion they would see the creepers, as they began calling the dead. Normally they would hide out in the camper until they moved on. but a couple of times Kip used his ax to end the creeper.

  One day Kip exclaimed happily, “Malta I figured it out. Well at least part of it.”

  “What Kip?”, Malta asked.

  “The alternator, it will charge the battery.”, Kip stated proudly.

  Malta almost seemed disappointed that they could be leaving soon, “So when you get the camper running where are we going to go?”

  Kip shrugged, “Well that I do not know, but we will figure i
t out before winter.”

  Initially Kip disconnected the belt from the alternator and tried spinning the alternator by hand for so long that his hands were blistered and bloody. Taking a break to cut some firewood he flashed on the solution. Just like when he was working on a network he could see in his minds eye exactly what he needed to do.

  Malta was seated on top of the camper keeping watch, well mostly she was watching Kip. She found him handsome and pleasant. At times he was so much smarter than her that she had trouble following what he said. Other times he seemed like a boy. She kept hoping he would make an advance on her, but he never did. She would catch him looking at her, she knew he was interested, but he had no idea how to proceed.

  Malta decided she would have to be the one to get the ball rolling. When they went to their bunks that night, Malta gathered up her courage, to be rejected by the last man on earth would just be the worst thing. She rose from her bunk and stood next to Kip's bed. With the light of the full moon illuminating her, she undressed. Kip let his eyes travel across the landscape of her body and then barely believing what was happening parted his sheets to invite her in. What he lacked in experience he more than made up for in enthusiasm so much so that the morning sun was beginning to make an appearance before the couple went to sleep.

  From that point their relationship was changed. They had been a good team from the get go, but now they were partners and lovers. Before starting on his plan to charge the battery, Kip needed to get some other tasks done first. Since the chainsaw was going to be out of commission for a bit he wanted to have plenty of firewood. To stretch there food stores they needed to gather the berries that were in season and they caught and smoked a large number of fish.

  Malta wasn't sure exactly what his plan was to charge the battery, but did understand that he planned to attach their chainsaw to drive the alternator.

  As he worked Kip explained his plans to Malta, “The first thing we will do when we have the camper running is to head to the Ranger's cabin. Worst case it will be a better place for us to ride out the winter. Hopefully there will be a radio there or even people.”

  Malta stroked his hair, “Your always thinking ahead sweetheart. We haven't seen any creepers in quite some time. Do you really think that the government could be getting things back to normal?”

  Kip stood and hugged her close, “Maybe, but there are parts of my old life I don't want back. If it weren't for this outbreak I would have never met you.”

  As he stooped to give her a kiss Malta screamed, “CREEPERS.”

  Kip turned to see two creepers advancing on them and he pushed Malta away, “Run”, he commanded.

  The nearest creeper was already between him and his ax leaving him to face the creeper with the wrench in his hand and a fierce desire to protect Malta.

  The second creeper went to follow Malta as Kip faced the first one. As Kip readied himself to strike out with the wrench in his hand, the creeper suddenly dropped. Its skull was cleaved in two and as it fell a somewhat disheveled stranger was standing there holding Kip's ax.

  Kip was relieved at the strangers help, “Thank you mister, lets....”

  Zephram swung the ax again splitting Kip's skull, then went after Malta. Malta ran until her lungs began to burn then hid behind a tree to catch her breath. Just as she got her wind back she could hear the creeper closing in. As she weighed her choices of running or staying hid she heard a thud and the now headless creeper dropped next to her.

  “Oh thank God Kip.... NOOOOO”, Malta screamed seeing the ax wielding man.

  Zephram wasted no time on conversation, but threw Malta to the ground, ripped away her clothes. He stood over her, pinning her to the ground with the ax head placed between her breasts. Malta squirmed, fearing what was coming next. Zephram looked at the decapitated head lying a few feet away, its eyes were fixed on Zephram and its mouth instinctively opened and closed.

  In Zephram's addled mind the head was speaking to him in a rapid, staccato voice, “Fuck her, fuck her, fuck her.”

  Zephram rubbed himself through his pants feeling himself swell with arousal. He kicked Malta's legs apart and positioned himself between them. Undoing his pants he let them slide down to his ankles and enjoyed the brisk, tickling feeling of the cool autumn breeze, blowing over his exposed genitals.

  Once again Zephram looked down at the disembodied head and this time it spoke to him in a breathy, drawn out tone, “Fuuuck hhhher.”

  Zephram giggled, “You just watch my friend, you might learn a trick or two.”

  Zephram set the ax aside and climbed atop Malta. Now fully aroused Zephram wasted no more time, but forced himself on her hard and fast.

  “Zeph put it away boy. There may be more chompers around. Take this into the camper.”

  “I ain't had nothin but Annie Palmer for weeks and your going to begrudge me a few minutes of fun.”

  “You get bit dumb ass and we don't get what belongs us.”

  Zephram got himself up grabbed a handful of Malta's thick curly hair in one hand and picked up the ax with the other. He dragged Malta back to the camper, where to her horror she saw Kip laying there his head a bloody mess. Zephram threw Malta onto the bunk, which until recently she had shared with Kip. Through out the rest of the day and the night Zephram inflicted his dark desires on her.

  “Alright Zeph stop wastin time, get this bucket started up and lets get out of here.”

  Zephram tied up Malta and with the keys to the camper already in the ignition he climbed behind the wheel and tried to turn over the motor.

  Click.

  Click.

  Click, click, click.

  Zephram stormed back to Malta and violently slapped her across the face, “Bitch what is wrong with this heap?”

  In tears, her lips rapidly beginning to swell and fearing further attack Malta stammered out, “The... the...the battery is dead.”

  “Well that is just great. What was you folks doin to fix that?”, Zephram demanded.

  “Kip, Kip he had a plan. I'm not sure about all of it, but he was going to use the chainsaw to spin the alternator.”, Malta sputtered.

  “Show me what he was up to.”, Zephram demanded.

  Malta showed Zephram Kip's progress and Zephram seemed to understand what Kip was planning.

  “Yeah that should work it'll take a while to make some kind of bracket to hold the saw in place. Especially with this crap you got to work with.”, Zephram grumbled.

  “Its all there is sorry we didn't pack for the end of the world.”, Malta replied pleased that he was inconvenienced.

  Zephram back handed Malta again, “Keep your trap shut. These bodies are going to stink. Get busy digging girl.”

  Malta was in a pit of despair. The horrors inflicted upon her the past couple of weeks were far worse than dying at the snapping jaws of the creepers. At least that would be quick, this torment just went on and on. Her wrists and ankles were raw from the hours she was kept tied up. Her face covered in bruises from the slaps and punches this madman would throw if she displeased him. The worst part was when he raped her, and that happened a number of times each day, he liked to bite and pinch her, so that her breasts and buttocks were swollen with bruises.

  A week ago he thought he had the bracket complete, but it was too flimsy to stand up to the running chainsaw and the bracket fell to pieces in moments. The following two days Zephram took out his frustration and anger in an even more frightful and perverse manner. Malta first feared then prayed that she wouldn't survive.

  This day Zephram believed he had a bracket sturdy enough for the job. Since Malta was nearly comatose from the repeated abuse, Zephram only bound her hands and attached a tether around her neck. Malta came to enough to realize she could move about a bit and by standing on the bunk she could wrap the lead going to her neck around a coat hook.

  “I'm coming Kip.”, Malta stated simply and stepped off the bunk snapping her neck.

  A while later Zephram came in and this time wh
en he tried starting the camper it fired on the third attempt.

  Zephram went back to Malta, “Time for a little celebration now girly. Ah shit why'd you wanna go and do a fool thing like that.”

  For a moment the idea of having his way with the chomper hanging from the coat hook appealed to him.

  “Don't be a damn fool. You cannot be that hard up. We'll get out of here and soon enough we'll have cooze to spare.”

  “Yeah you may be right.”

  With the maps he found in the camper he had a fair idea where to go. The one problem he had was the compound was a ways from the main road and Joyce had the directions for that last bit. No matter he would be able to get close and figure it out from there.