Beautiful Death (Bella Morté Trilogy Book 1)

by Walker, L. Dee

  Opening his eyes, he snatched the binoculars off the window seat. Holding them to his face, he peered outside. “What in God’s name is that?”

  Bringing his hand up, he turned the dial. This brought the figure in for a closer look, but it didn’t help. It looked like a walking patch of leaves. It was obviously a person under all the muck. Sighing, he set the binoculars down. Picking up the rifle, he rested it comfortably in his hands. Pushing the barrel out the window, he looked through the scope. He lined it up in his view and pulled the trigger.

  It was pitch black. There wasn’t any light to help Frank find his way. His eyes grew accustomed to the darkness. It wasn’t enough to stop him from running into a few trees, which caused him to fall in his fair share of mud. Covered in leaves and mud made it hard to walk. He waddled from side to side as it hardened.

  He didn’t need light to recognize the massive building. It was the central headquarters where he spent most of his days. Breathing a sigh of relief, he headed in that direction. He was noisy, tromping through the leaves. He tripped over a limb and hit the ground just seconds before he heard a shot.

  BAM!

  The blast broke the quiet of the night. Frank threw himself behind a tree, hearing the shot ricochet. “Yo! Who’s shootin’ my ass?” He screamed.

  Trevor pulled back the rifle, arching a brow. Picking up the binoculars, he looked out again. He didn’t see anything. “Well, ‘at depends on who you are?”

  “Frank Martin! I work here! Who the hell are you?”

  The shot roused Brandon from sleep, who slept at Trevor’s feet. “What the fuck’s goin’ on?” Sitting up, he looked around curiously. Fingers rubbed his eyes. “Who are you yellin’ at?”

  Trevor gestured out the window. “The guy out there, who looks a lot like the swamp thing, says he’s Frank.” He turned back to the window. “How do I know you’re not a Freakazoid?”

  Frank looked confused. “What the fuck’s a Freakazoid?” Realizing he was going to have to prove who he was, he dug in his pocket. Pulling out his cell phone, he pushed a few buttons. Holding it above his head, he grinned. “Does ‘at prove it?”

  Smiling, Trevor looked down at Brandon. “Yeah, it’s Frank. You remember that app he got that put out the bat signal?” Brandon nodded. “Well, I’m lookin’ at it right now. So either Commissioner Gordon’s tryin’ to reach Batman or it’s Frank.”

  “Well alright then!” Brandon leaned up, yelling out the window. “Come around to the side. We’ll make sure ya get in.”

  Smiling, Frank pushed his cell phone back in his pocket, waddling in the direction of the building.

  Turning from the window, Trevor reached out, grabbing Brandon’s arm. “Ya think he’s safe? One person sick is enough.”

  Brandon shrugged, running a hand through his hair. “Well, there’s only one way to find out. Let’s go make sure he gets in okay.”

  “I wonder where he’s been.”

  He smirked. “Maybe he was up a tree.”

  They headed for the kitchen and stopped short, surprised to see Candice and Sophia awake. They were at the table with the ashtray between them overflowing.

  Trevor blinked. “Holy shit, give someone heart failure. What are you two still doin’ up?”

  Smirking, Candice looked at him. “Hmm, considering you are on watch, you should already know that.”

  Brandon opened the door. “How’s Erica doin’?”

  Sitting back, stretching, Sophia shrugged. “She doesn’t look good. She’s in a lotta pain. I feel bad cause there’s nothin’ I can do for her. She’s developed a rash on ‘er face. I can’t be sure what that’s from.”

  Candice shook her head. “I don’t remember Todd having a rash.”

  Trevor glanced in, looking at her from his post outside. “Are ya any closer to figurin’ out why this happened or how we can avoid it?”

  Sophia shook her head. “No, I won’t be able to do that until we get to a lab. For now, all I can do is watch an’ take notes.” She motioned to them with her hand. “What are ya doin’ out there?”

  Brandon smiled. “Our buddy Frank’s alive.”

  “He’s alive? Praise the lord! Where’s he been?”

  “I dunno, but we’re gonna find out.”

  Trevor sighed. “Hey Doc, ya wanna check ‘im out? Make sure he’s not carryin’ somethin’ in?”

  Sophia shrugged. “I can try. I’m not sure I can judge it on sight. I’m good, but I don’t think I’m that good.”

  Brandon smiled. “Well, just do the best ya can.”

  Frank rushed in and they quickly shut the door behind him. He tracked mud and leaves in with every step. “Oh my God, thank you, Lord, for ordinary people! Dude! Did you guys see Tiffany? She was chewin’ on a hand. An actual real human hand, ya know! She tried to get me. I didn’t stick around!”

  “I’ll turn the generator on so ya can get cleaned up. We’ll find ya somethin’ to wear. I’ll fix ya somethin’ to eat.”

  “Oh, that’s a good idea! I’m starvin’! I haven’t eaten anythin’ since,” he paused, thinking about when he ate last. “Well, since yesterday. I swear my stomach’s gnawin’ away at my backbone.” He walked off to the showers, leaving behind a trail of dirt, mud, and leaves.

  “I’m not cleaning that up,” Candice told Trevor and Brandon.

  Sophia grinned. “Neither am I.”

  Trevor waited until Frank left before turning to Sophia. “So, what do ya think? Does he have anythin’ we should be worried about?”

  “I can’t tell where he starts an’ the mud ends.”

  “I don’t think he’s got anything.” Candice stood, walking over to get more coffee.

  Sophia looked at her, curiously. “How can ya be so sure?”

  “Yeah, I couldn’t see anythin’ but mud an’ leaves,” Trevor agreed.

  She shrugged, pouring the sugar. “Well, look at the way he’s acting. He’s starving. Todd wouldn’t eat. Erica won’t touch food. That boy’s ready to chow down.”

  Nodding, Sophia blinked. “Wow. She’s right. He’s hungry.”

  “It’s just what I see.”

  “Well, it’s good to know he’s normal.” Trevor pointed at Brandon. “Hey, ya wanna go wake Justice. He’s on watch next. He slept longer ‘an four hours. I’m gonna get somethin’ to eat.”

  Shaking his head, Brandon snickered. “Hell no. You go wake grumpy. I’m startin’ breakfast. No snacks either. That’ll ruin your appetite.”

  “Dude, ya sound like my mom.”

  Candice laughed. “I thought the same thing!”

  Brandon looked at the two of them. “I know who wants to clean up after breakfast.”

  “Goin’… goin’… It was funny.” Trevor winked at Candice before walking down the hall.

  “I know who’s gonna be washin’ the dishes.” Candice continued to snicker. Sophia joined in. “Make that two of you,” Brandon yelled from the kitchen, which made them laugh harder.

  Frank joined them after his shower. “Does anyone know what the hell’s goin’ on?” He grabbed the bottle of water and cookie Brandon set out for him.

  “Nope. We’re just as confused as you are.” Candice pointed to the trail of leaves and mud. “We clean up after ourselves around here and that mess is yours.”

  “I know. I’m gonna clean it.”

  “Good man.”

  “I mean, what started all this? Tiffany looked like she ate the entire employee campground, ya know. It was like someone came in with a chipper, ya know, and started throwin’ people in.”

  “If he serves anything with Ketchup I’m going to have to pass.” Candice glared at Frank. “Must you be so graphic?”

  “I was lucky to get away, ya know. She looked an’ smelled like she was burnin’. I kept trippin’ over… ya know things. I swear I saw someone’s fingers.”

  “No sausage either.”

  Brandon popped out of the kitchen. He had a bowl in his hands, beating his egg mixture. “What do ya mean bur
nin’? Ya mean like on fire?”

  “No, it wasn’t that bad. I mean, ya know, it was like… I dunno. She looked like she went through fire. There was ‘is horrible trash-burnin’ stench comin’ off her, ya know.” Frank cringed. “It was really nasty.”

  Baffled, Sophia stared at him. “Ya mean the sun burned ‘er?”

  “She looked like she went, ya know, swimmin’ in a deep fryer.”

  Candice cringed. “So graphic.”

  “I dunno if it was from the sun. She was outside. It was sunny.”

  “Well, if the sun burns that would explain why Todd was so worried.”

  “Where were you?” Brandon asked.

  “Dude, I was in my sleepin’ bag,” he told him.

  “We looked in your tent. We even yelled for you.”

  “No. I mean I was deep inside my sleepin’ bag. I had those heavy-duty earplugs. I couldn’t hear shit.”

  Brandon shrugged. “I guess ‘at’s legit. They block out most noise.”

  “It was really gross. I thought for sure it was a, ya know, chipper accident.”

  Candice grumbled. “Must we be so graphic before breakfast? Wait till we’re finished eating then get gross!”

  “When ya sample my cookin’, ya won’t worry about not eatin’,” Brandon told her. “I’m that damn good.”

  “As long as you’re not cooking mice.”

  Frank cringed. “Ew, is ‘at even on the menu?”

  “No.” Brandon chuckled. “Well, we’re happy ya made it back safely, Frank.”

  Sophia sipped her coffee. “I wanna know what triggered ‘is. Was it government related?”

  Staggering in, Justice headed for the coffee. “It must be the end o’ the world. Everyone said zombies would rise up an’ eat the livin’.”

  “Didn’t someone else say that?” Trevor asked, following him.

  Candice nodded. “I think it was Rachel because there’s no internet.”

  Sophia shook her head. “That may be so, but they’re not dead.”

  “What’s not? I thought zombies were definitely dead?”

  Brandon nodded. “So did I.”

  “No. I’m talkin’ about the Freakazoids.” Sophia shook her head. “When we drove by ‘em, I got a good glance at more ‘an my fair share an’ they appear to be livin’ human bein’s. Watchin’ those girls when ‘ey attacked, I can only guess ‘at they’re really sick, but what of, I have no clue. I have to figure out what causes ‘is virus. Once I find that, I have to figure out how to stop it or at least protect us.”

  “Talk about a lotta pressure.” Justice sat down with his coffee. “So is it really necessary for us to keep watch durin’ the day?”

  “I dunno.” Brandon walked out, bringing the plate of bacon and pancakes. “Even the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park learned how to open doors. I’m sure Freakazoids could figure it out.”

  Frank looked over curiously. “What did you call ‘em?”

  “Freakazoids. It’s what we agreed to call ‘em so everyone knows what we’re talkin’ about.”

  “Ah. So that’s what Trevor meant.” He nodded. “Gotcha.”

  “Yeah, but those doors were child’s play. They pushed the handle down and shoved it open. If they had doorknobs, it would be a different story,” Candice argued.

  Sophia shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. Once the sun comes up, we should go get my medical bag. I have a feelin’ I’m gonna need it.”

  “So you think one or more of us might get it?”

  “There’s no tellin’. My motto is: think safe as opposed to fixin’ sorry.”

  Frank nodded. “It’s good havin’ a doctor around.”

  It didn’t take long for everyone to join the others as the smell wafted through the air. Those still sleeping quickly woke up smelling the food. Breakfast was on the table: pancakes, bacon, fruit, butter, and syrup.

  Brandon put the plates on the table. “Breakfast is on! I figured out how to stretch it for the rations.”

  “If at all possible, everyone should stay far away from ‘em,” Sophia said.

  Trevor sat down. “I agree. I don’t think ya should go down alone to check on Erica.”

  “I wasn’t alone. Candice went down with me.”

  He smirked. “I meant more like one o’ us guides with a gun.”

  Brandon grabbed a plate of food. He sat down between Trevor and Candice. He nodded to Sophia. “Good call. There’s no tellin’ how many people might filter through here hurt. People around here know of ‘is place. They know this buildin’ so this’ll be the first place ‘ey come. However, first we must eat. We need to keep up our strength. The best way is with a good breakfast. That’s the most important meal o’ the day.”

  Trevor chuckled. “Dude, are ya tryin’ to sound like Mom?”

  “No, but everyone should eat a healthy breakfast. We can’t let it go to waste.”

  Candice giggled. “That doesn’t sound like a mother at all.”

  “I meant to do it that time.”

  Montana sat down. “Damn Brandon, ya made this?”

  He smiled, puffing out his chest. “I’m bachelor. We learn how to fend for ourselves.”

  Trevor grinned. “For a second I thought ya were gonna say, Batman.”

  Candice chortled. “I know right? So did I!”

  Brandon looked from one to the other. “Well, in my spare time,” he wriggled his brows before taking a bite of pancakes.

  “Batman themed footie pajamas don’t count,” Trevor teased.

  “You told! Ya said you’d never tell!”

  “Oops, it got away from me.”

  He scoffed. “Yeah, she twisted your arm.”

  Zach rushed in, looking over each face until he saw Candice, before grabbing a plate. He sat down beside Rachel. “Morning, sweetheart. How did you sleep last night?”

  “Mornin’ doll. I slept like a baby.” Brandon winked, taking a bite of his bacon before looking from Candice to Zach, smirking. “Oh, ya meant her!”

  Candice laughed, shaking her head. “Who slept? It was like being in the middle of a snore zone.”

  Zach looked confused. “I didn’t hear a thing. I slept like a baby.”

  “Yes, the nursery was pretty loud last night.”

  Ian entered, leaning against the doorframe. He had one hand wrapped tightly around his stomach. His face contorted in pain. “I’m not feeling good. Do you have something for an upset stomach?”

  Quiet settled over the table as everyone looked at him. Each one of them had one thought on their mind. It was slowly infecting them all. Each person looked around the table at one of the others, before looking back to Ian and Sophia.

  She watched him. “Ya look pale. Is it just your stomach?”

  “I don’t know if it’s just a tummy ache. I spent all night shitting and puking. By the way, you might want to hit the generator this morning. I hit all the toilets.”

  Sighing, Candice shook her head. “People are so graphic before breakfast around here.”

  “You’re the doctor. What’s wrong with me?”

  Brandon looked over at him. “Were ya scratched?”

  “No.”

  Trevor watched him. “How about bitten?”

  “No. I just feel sick to my stomach.”

  Sopping his pancakes with syrup, Justice watched him. “What did ya eat?”

  “Eating. I haven’t felt like eating since I hid out in my tent. When I’m scared, I have a tendency to eat. It relaxes me.”

  “Hmm, check ‘at out. We learn a lot about the people we hang out with,” Brandon said. “A doctor who smokes an’ a psychiatrist with an eatin’ disorder. Interestin’.”

  “Oh hush you,” Sophia said.

  Justice took another bite of his pancakes, waving his fork at him. “That doesn’t answer what you ate, which could have everythin’ to do with how you’re feelin’.”

  Ian thought about it. “I had a cooler of food, but the ice melted. The sandwiches were still cold so I figu
red they were good.”

  Candice took a bite of her bacon. “What kind of sandwiches?”

  “I think they were chicken salad.”

  Montana looked over. “How long had it been since the ice melted?”

  “I put the ice in when I first got here. It was hot during the day, so… a long time.”

  Sophia nodded. “Made with mayonnaise?”

  “Miracle Whip, ‘cause my wife lived and breathed that stuff. So, guilty by association, since she was the one who cooked.”

  “Sounds like food poisonin’. Ya never eat anythin’ with warm mayonnaise. If the ice melted, that’s probably what it is.”

  “Really? I cook with it all the time. It cooks then cools. I’ve never gotten sick.” Brandon slapped his stomach a few times. “I have a rock gut that can handle anythin’.”

  “Heatin’ an’ cookin’ are entirely different ‘an when it sets out an’ gets warm. One kills the germs whereas the other breeds them like an incubator. Then when it digests it just goes viral in the system causin’ explosive vomitin’ an’ diarrhea as all the bacteria an’ growth ascend upon--”

  “There’s this whole thing I like to call breakfast going on,” Candice reminded them. “And that’s not proper dining conversation.”

  Sophia smirked. “Ian, ya should go lay down. I’ll fix you a BRAT diet. After we get my bag, I have an elixir that’ll help.”

  Ian and Trevor both asked the same question. “What’s a Brat diet?”

  Brandon grinned. “I dunno, but it sounds like she told ya to go scarf down a few kids.”

  Sophia cleared her throat. “Brat diet is made up of; bananas, rice, apples, tea, an’ toast. Usually, it’s the only thing to stay down. It helps bulk ya up when you’re feelin’… loose. You’ll feel better if you can get somethin’ in your stomach.”

  “I’m laying back down,” Ian turned away. “Just come get me when you get back.”

  “Okay.” She looked at Montana. “I need my bag.”

  He nodded. “Okay, tell us where it is an’ we’ll get it. It’s too dangerous for you out there.”