Life After The Undead (Book 1)

by Pembroke Sinclair

  ***

  Dinner that night was chicken with fresh vegetables and potatoes. After my workout, I was starving, so I ate quickly. Liet studied me from across the table. What was going through his mind? Did he think I was a pig? I shrugged mentally. I was hungry. I didn’t care.

  “Where does all this food come from?” I asked between bites.

  “The workers tend a garden and raise a few animals. We tried to plunder the grocery stores, but all the frozen and refrigerated stuff had gone bad. Canned food is a bit more abundant, but we don’t have an eternal supply.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I know. I cook for the girls, remember?”

  Liet chuckled. “Of course.” He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “You know, Krista, I was pretty convinced I’d never see another member of our family. I accepted the fact they were all dead. And for a few of them, that doesn’t really hurt my feelings.”

  I lowered my gaze to the table. That last comment was a little creepy. You don’t always like your family, but you don’t wish them dead. I didn’t really know what to say, so I tried to ignore it.

  “I know what you mean.” I referred to the seeing my family part, not the last part, but I don’t think he caught that.

  “Since we’re all that’s left, we have to take care of each other. Watch each other’s back.”

  I choked down my food, staring at Liet. For any other family member, I would have agreed, but to hear it from him, it was weird. I would have found it more convincing if he actually took the time to teach me to fight. Or was involved in my life. How many times had he come to visit me in the house?

  He chuckled. “I know. It sounds like a line from a movie. All I’m saying is I’m glad I found you. When you’re finished, why don’t we go for a ride?”

  He was trying too hard, trying to force the relationship instead of letting it happen. My first reaction was to fight against it, to resist his advances.

  Liet took me to the river. Three soldiers escorted us, but they kept their distance and set up a perimeter around our location. Liet set a blanket on the beach, and I sat on it with my legs crossed. The smoke from the fire billowed, but the smell had dissipated. A few insects buzzed around our heads, and the air was thick with humidity. He took a seat next to me and reclined on his elbow. I guessed this was his way of making up for his absence.

  “I come here sometimes to get away from the stress. To be alone with my thoughts.”

  “You’re not really alone with the soldiers around you.” My hands started sweating, and I wiped them on my pants.

  Liet smiled. “The soldiers don’t bother me when I’m out here. Half the time I forget they’re even there.”

  “Why do you bring them with you? I thought all the zombies left this part of the country.”

  “The majority of them have, but you’ll still encounter some. I’ve seen a lot who have been locked in closets or houses, and when you go to get supplies, you let them out. Sometimes, the building falls down and they get out. It’s not completely clear.”

  I pulled my knees to my chest. “How long have you been out here?”

  He shrugged. “About six weeks.” He looked at me. “I was the only one willing to supervise the building of the wall.” He picked at the weeds. “Let’s not talk about that now. Let’s enjoy the evening.”

  I averted my gaze to the river and watched the water flow. I took a deep breath and set my chin on my knees. We sat quietly until the sun set and then headed back to the city. Liet walked me to the door of my house.

  “I really enjoyed the time with you.” He spoke softly. “I hope we can do it again sometime.”

  “I’d like that.” I really wouldn’t, but I thought it better to be polite.

  He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into a tight hug. He released me and smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  I sucked in the breath he’d crushed out of me and mumbled something not even I could understand. Liet walked back to the vehicle, which disappeared down the street. I went to my cot before I pulled on my pajamas. My head swam with the events that had just happened.

  I didn’t begrudge Liet for his absence the last few days. After all, he was busy. He was trying to organize workers and build a wall, but I did find his approach to our relationship a bit disconcerting. I wasn’t really one for hugs, especially from a guy I didn’t really know. Yeah, he was family, but I didn’t know him. He was still a stranger with a creepy past.

  I should have been fascinated by Liet. He was the guy I wanted to grow up and study, but he scared me. Partly it was the ex-con thing and part of it was something I couldn’t pin down. Something in his eyes and sneer. Bundy and Manson had the same look in their eyes. It would have been easy to say it was insanity or pure evil, but there was more to it than that. I didn’t know. Despite all that, things were changing, and a lot of it was because of his initiative. Even though he wasn’t there to teach me to fight, I was still learning, and I’d still be able to take care of myself. At least I had something to look forward to. I drifted to sleep for the first time in two years thinking there might actually be some hope for the future.

  CHAPTER 8

  A month after coming to North Platte, I moved out of the women’s house and into Liet’s place. He’d remodeled the top floor of the courthouse to be his very own apartment. It was three times the size of the house, and he had maids, so I didn’t have to clean anything if I didn’t want to. I had my own room with a bathroom, and was able to set up a stereo system with CDs I got from a local store. I decorated my room the way I liked, and I finally felt as if I had a space that was all mine. It’d been a long time since I had anything that was just for me. The last thing I’d owned was my iPod, and it would be worthless in North Platte, so I’d given it to Pearl. Even having CDs was frivolous, especially since electricity was spotty at best. Rolling blackouts would have been a luxury, but we made do. My room became my place of normalcy, and I cherished it.

  The town was going through several changes also. More workers were brought to the site from Florida, and the tents that housed the workers were being replaced with shanties. All the lumber and houses in the town that couldn’t be salvaged were reused to build better protection against the elements. Liet was frustrated that building the houses took the focus away from the wall, but he didn’t want a worker’s riot on his hands, so he didn’t say much.

  The fence itself hadn’t progressed far. A few yards of chain-link fence had been erected, but not much else. The workers were so busy hauling bodies to the fire and building their houses they didn’t have time for anything else. Liet was sure that would change in the coming year. He vowed he’d encourage the workers to get the wall finished within five years, but with all his good intentions, it came down to a matter of supplies, and we were running out.

  I sat in the jury box and watched as Liet looked over some reports. Pam and a few other soldiers stood in front of him and waited. I didn’t really have any duties in North Platte, so I drifted wherever I wanted. Most of the time I followed Pam around and helped her, but occasionally I watched Liet. That got boring pretty fast, so I practiced shooting. Having Pam and Liet in the room had the potential for something exciting to happen, and I wanted to be there.

  “How did we go through this much food?” He glanced at the soldiers and waited for an answer.

  Pam cleared her throat. “Um, I think we underestimated the amount of children. There were a lot more families in this last group.”

  “It looks like people are eating too much. Ration their food.”

  Confusion covered Pam’s face. “Excuse me, sir?”

  He slammed his fist onto his desk. “You heard me! Ration their food. Anyone who protests will be shot on sight.”

  Liet’s stress levels had been through the roof lately. The pressures of leadership were getting to him. I hoped he really didn’t want soldiers to shoot innocent people, but I never knew with him.

  Fear replaced the co
nfusion. “Yes, sir.”

  He glanced at another piece of paper. “You’ve got to be kidding me. How is this possible?” He turned it toward the soldiers. “They’ve gone through their concrete supply already? What are they doing?”

  “They’ve been using it to create or repair the foundations for their houses, sir.” Pam’s voice was barely over a whisper.

  Liet slammed the paper down. “They’re more concerned about their comfort than they are in keeping the zombies out. If one more person uses my construction supplies for personal use, they will be shot on sight!”

  “Yes, sir. In the meantime, what do you want us to do about the supplies?”

  “Get an excursion team together. See what you can find in the abandoned cities.”

  The soldiers responded with a “Yes, sir,” in unison before heading out of the courtroom. Well, I was right about it being exciting, but it was also a little more disturbing than I would have liked. Liet sat heavily in his chair and buried his face in his hands. I walked to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Things were getting a little better between us, and he didn’t scare me as much anymore. He didn’t have anyone else, so I thought I’d show him some empathy. He violently brushed it off.

  “It’ll be okay,” I said, surprised. It became readily apparent I’d overstepped my bounds.

  “How do you know that?”

  I shrugged and sat on his desk. “I don’t know, but it’ll work out the way it’s supposed to.”

  Liet jumped to his feet and shoved the papers onto the floor. “The way it’s supposed to? Do you have any idea what’s going on out there? Those people are using supplies that are supposed to keep the zombies at bay for their own personal gain.” He stuck his face inches from mine. “Do you know what will happen if one zombie gets in here? Huh? Do you?”

  I flinched. “We’ll all be dead.”

  He grabbed me roughly by the upper arms. “That’s right. We’ll all be dead. It’s not about them and their personal needs and wants, it’s about us, as a community. The sooner those people figure that out, the sooner we can get the wall built.” He released me and turned away.

  I rubbed my arms.

  “Why don’t you go with them on their supply mission? It might be a good idea for you to see what’s really going on.”

  I left the room without saying anything. I wanted to run, but thought it best to keep my composure.

  I was about finished packing when Liet came into my room.

  “I’m sorry for what happened downstairs. Sometimes I get so caught up in my job and stress out with everything that’s going on, I forget how to act. Do you forgive me?”

  Liet was so unpredictable. One minute he was sweet as pie, and the next he was ready to gouge your eyes out. My fear of him renewed. I thought it best to keep the situation calm and not do anything to upset him.

  “Of course. I understand how stressful your job is.”

  Liet smiled. “Thank you. You don’t have to go on the supply run if you don’t want to. In fact, I’d actually prefer it if you don’t.”

  “No, I think you’re right. I should get out there and see what’s going on.”

  He placed his hands on my shoulders. “Be careful. You’ll be in the East so there aren’t a lot of zombies, but there are still some. Keep your eyes open and use your head. I’ll be anxiously awaiting your return.”

  “I’ll see you soon.” I brushed past him and headed downstairs, never so thankful to be out of the house.

  Pam drove the semi east on I-80. We traveled all the way through Nebraska and into Iowa. At Des Moines, we stopped for gas at the military checkpoint. I got out and stretched while she filled up and talked to the soldiers. The air was sticky with humidity, and the sky was gray and threatened to rain. I stared at the ruins of the city, wondering how many zombies hid in closets or locked cars. Pam called my name, so I headed back to the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat. She pulled a map out of the glove compartment.

  “We’re going to have to head to International Falls. According to the soldiers, there’s nothing left around here. Between our needs and the demands of Florida, they’ve been picked clean.”

  I leaned forward and stared at the map. “International Falls? Where is that?”

  “In Minnesota. Near the Canadian border.”

  “Why International Falls?”

  Pam sighed. “It was some kind of international port of entry. It’s on the border near Canada, so he thinks it might have supplies.”

  “We’re not supposed to go to the border.”

  Liet had told us that once at a meeting a few weeks ago when the possibility of supply trips became inevitable. I think everyone was curious as to why, but no one asked.

  “I know.”

  I furrowed my brow. “Why aren’t we supposed to go to the border?”

  Pam shrugged.

  “How far away is it?”

  “Another six to seven hours. If you drive halfway, I’ll drive the other half. They weren’t too optimistic that we’d find anything, though.”

  I frowned. “How could all of these places be picked clean? There aren’t that many of us left.”

  Pam squinted and stared out the windshield. “I know, but nothing new is being made. There is a finite amount of usable material out here. We’ll have to make do with what we can find.” She folded the map and then put it back. “Let’s head out.”

  I turned the key before we headed down the road. I was still a little inexperienced at driving a semi, and Pam had to coach me for the first few miles, but once I got into our cruising speed and didn’t have to shift anymore, it was smooth sailing.

  After four hours, I relinquished my driving rights, and Pam took over. We fueled up when we needed to and kept a vigilant eye out for zombies. We reached International Falls at two in the morning.

  Pam parked the vehicle on the outskirts of town. The full moon illuminated the buildings. We both stared out the windshield.

  Nothing. Not even a stray cat or dog.

  “Do you want to try it?” Pam’s voice was barely over a whisper.

  “I don’t know. We can’t be the only ones who know about this place. It might have been looted by both sides right after the outbreak.”

  “It might have. There’s only one way to find out.” Pam looked at me.

  “True, but it might be better to wait until daylight. I’m not going into an unfamiliar town in the dark.” I returned Pam’s gaze.

  “Good point. You take first shift.” She climbed over the driver’s seat into the sleeping cab.

  I placed my feet on the dashboard and stared out the window. Pam’s rhythmic breathing resounded from the back. I rested my chin on my knees. Staring at the silhouettes of the buildings, I sighed. For a brief second, I thought I saw a flash of light, like a light switch being flipped on and off. I lowered my feet to the floor and leaned forward. I strained my eyes, and out of the corner, I was sure I saw it again. When I tried to look at it directly, I saw nothing. A knot developed in the pit of my stomach, and I was suddenly very uncomfortable. I pulled my gun out of its holster and set it on the dashboard. I rubbed my palms on my thighs. I waited for the flash. Nothing.

  All I could think of when I stared out the window was the military base. The lights clicking on and illuminating the horizon were still fresh in my memory, along with the explosions and zombies. I hoped we weren’t walking into a zombie infestation, but the coincidences were too close to be ignored. A voice at the back of my brain told me we should find another place, but logic told me there weren’t any other places. I pushed the fear deep into my gut, knowing we didn’t have any other choice.

  Pam awoke a few hours later, and told me to try to get some sleep. The sun skimmed over the horizon, and I told her I’d be all right. She climbed into the driver’s seat before starting the engine.

  “You ready to chance it?”

  “I don’t know. Something weird is going on over there.”

  “Weird? What do you
mean?”

  “I saw flashes of lights last night while you were sleeping. I don’t know what they were from, but I don’t like it. I have a strange feeling about this place.”

  Pam grimaced. “Did you see any people or zombies?”

  I shook my head.

  “Then I’m sure it will be fine. You have your weapons?”

  I fastened my arm swords onto my forearms and then pulled the gun off the dashboard.

  Pam put the truck into gear. We crept into town. Both of us were surprised the streets had been cleared of abandoned vehicles. That either meant someone was still there and had cleared the roads, or they were all dead or zombies, or everyone was lucky and had gotten out when they could. I told myself it was the latter. We drove toward the port, which was near the bridge, and then stopped the truck. The bridge had been destroyed in the middle, more than likely by some sort of bomb. The debris was piled in the river. The banks, on both the U.S. and Canadian sides, were lined with coils of razor wire and pikes, with bodies tangled in the wire. Well, I told myself, that explains what happened to some of them, but where are the rest? I adjusted my grip on my gun.

  “It looks like there are some warehouses over there.” Pam pointed to her right. “The gate looks locked, but I can climb over and see if there is anything we can use.”

  “I don’t like this. We should leave.”

  The voice at the back of my mind talked again, telling me something was wrong. It wasn’t screaming yet, but it was very insistent.