by Raymond Lee
“She was a little girl.”
“Key word there is was. She was a little girl. Once the virus kicks in, people aren’t people. You’ve seen it. You know it. We kill them or they kill us. The size of the monster doesn’t matter.”
“Don’t call them that. Not that little girl, not Jeremy. Not my baby sister.”
Understanding dawned in Damian’s eyes and he pulled her into a hug. “Sweetheart, I lost all my family before this ever happened so I won’t pretend to know the pain you feel, but I do know this. Your sister wouldn’t want you to die like her. What was her name?”
“Sky.” Images of Sky’s mangled limbs plowed through Raven’s mind, bringing on the tears.
Damian hugged her tighter. “Sky is watching you now. She’s cheering you on. If you just give up and die, you fail her. Do you understand?”
“I already failed her. I made her run.”
“Why?”
“We were trapped,” she explained, pausing long enough to suck up a sob. “We were in a closet. There were too many of them and we didn’t have adequate weapons, just some brooms and my necklace. Sky thought I should use my sharpened cross necklace like a dagger. It wasn’t enough. I couldn’t close the door. They were pulling on it.”
“The two of you were alone and outnumbered.”
“Yes. I had to do something. I couldn’t close the door. They were going to get in.” The tears poured down, and she wiped her eyes on the fabric covering Damian’s shoulder.
“What happened?”
“I told her to run. They were slow. I thought she could outrun them and if I stood there they’d stay with me. It would give her a chance to escape.”
“You told her to run, thinking the zombies would kill you instead of her?”
“Yes.” She sobbed. “I was wrong. I heard her scream and I fought them off so I could get to her, but when I did it was too late. She made it to the street and they tore her apart.”
Raven’s knees buckled and Damian lowered her onto the bathroom floor, where he rocked her like a grieving child. “Your plan may have not worked, but that doesn’t change what your intent was. You were willing to give your life to save your sister. Where she is now, she knows that.”
“Where she is now, she hates me. She hates that I let her die. So does Jeremy.”
“No, but they hate what you just said. My mama always told me when people die and move on, they know way more than they knew here. They see more. Sky and Jeremy know how you feel. They see your tears. They feel your grief. They’re suffering with you.”
“I don’t want them to suffer. They suffered enough when they died. They didn’t deserve it.”
“No, they didn’t, and neither do you. You couldn’t help them here. It’s not your fault. You tried, but you just couldn’t. You can help them now.”
“How?”
“Live. Keep going. They’re rooting for you. Make them proud. Give their deaths honor. All of them, starting with Angela. Hal wants to bury her and we could use your help. You up to it?”
“She shouldn’t be going out there,” Cruz said, voice lowered as he stood close to Damian. “She’s not in the right headspace for this.”
“And you are?”
Cruz’s nostrils flared. “I never set my weapon aside and offered myself up to a zombie like a damn appetizer.”
“No, you just had a few chats with them.”
“She picked her weapon back up,” Hal said, trying to diffuse the argument before it escalated. Tempers inside the store were high enough. “We need four people. Two to dig, two to guard. This place has provided us with plenty enough weapons, ammo, shovels, all we need. It provided us with shelter, but it did not give us security.”
They all turned their heads toward the door marked MANAGER. According to Elijah, Kurt had taken control of the manager’s office early on. He had a television set in there and furniture, even a private bathroom. Worse, he had access to the security cameras so he could see everyone.
“He’s made it all too clear that he wants Raven,” Hal said. “She should never be left alone with him. The other two women are small. They won’t be much help with digging, and I’m not confident in their shooting skills.”
“Raven’s small,” Cruz said. “She’s not going to be much for digging.”
“You yourself said she’s good with the katana.”
“When her head’s right.”
“It’s right.” Damian looked over at where the women slept together in the bed Raven had nearly died in. They’d cleaned the area while the women were in the bathroom cleaning Raven up, changed the sheets, and mopped away the blood from the floor. The women had piled in like a pack of puppies, the sisters helping Raven feel secure enough to sleep. Damian, Hal, and Cruz had taken shifts watching over their group as others slept. “We had a good talk last night. Her head’s back on straight. I guarantee it.”
Hal studied the two men, noting Cruz’s reaction to Damian’s words. His fists tightened, his jaw popped. He didn’t like the fact that the other man helped Raven. Hal almost groaned with exasperation. Survival was hard enough without throwing in the drama of men fighting over a woman. He couldn’t blame Cruz for not trusting Kurt around the woman. He didn’t trust him either, but getting sore over their friend helping her was an unnecessary waste of anger, a distraction that could get someone killed.
“Cruz and I are the biggest,” he said. “We’ll dig. Raven and Pimjai will stand guard.”
“What?” Damian asked. “What about me?”
“You stay back to protect Janjai and make sure no one locks us out. They weren’t exactly happy to have our company, especially after Angela turned.”
Damian muttered a curse. “Why can’t Cruz stay back?”
“He’s bigger. We need to dig fast.”
“I can help.” Elijah stepped out from an aisle nearby, shotgun in hand. “I’m a good shot.”
“Your father said you weren’t allowed out there,” Hal told him.
“He’s asleep. We’ll be out there before he knows.”
“And what do you think he’ll say when we come back?” Hal shook his head. “We’re here without an invitation. Taking you out there with us would only make things worse for us. You can help Damian here.”
“How?”
“Kurt has made it known how he feels. He doesn’t want us here. You can help Damian in case he tries anything to keep us out.”
Elijah nodded. “I can do that.”
“It’s settled. Wake Raven and Pimjai, and let’s go.”
“I’ll wake her.” Cruz stepped away from the group to wake the women.
“You be careful out there,” Damian said, voice low. “I have confidence in Raven, and Pimjai’s a good shot from what I’ve seen, but Cruz ain’t all right.”
Hal frowned. “In what way?”
“He’s sick.” Damian pointed to his own temple. “He sees and talks to dead people, zombies. I’ve seen him do it. I found his meds in the pharmacy and gave them to him, but I don’t know how long it takes for them to kick in. He’s got a thing for Raven too, in case you didn’t notice. He gets a little focused on her. If something happens out there, watch your back, He’ll be watching his and Raven’s.”
Hal nodded. “Gotcha.”
“What’s the plan?” Raven asked as they stepped out into the gardening area of the large superstore. The morning air crept over their exposed skin, cooling them, but they could maneuver better without jackets.
“We sent Elijah up to the roof with some fireworks,” Hal explained. He’ll light them at the front, draw all the zombies that way while we go up this way.” He pointed up the hill in the opposite direction. From where they stood inside the fenced-in garden area, they had full view of the land surrounding the back of the store.
“Damian and Janjai will stay just inside the back door, making sure no one does anything to prevent us from getting back in.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t be here,” Raven suggested. “If we ha
ve to leave someone behind just to make sure we don’t get locked out, and we have to deal with that scumbag in there leering at us all the time, maybe we’re better off staying on the move.”
“The helicopter’s not going to get us anywhere,” Cruz said. “We don’t have a vehicle and this place is crawling with zombies.”
“We’re going out there now. We can just do the fireworks trick again to buy us time and keep moving once we’re packed for the trip. This place has tons of supplies we can take.”
“You really think they’re going to let us take their stuff?” Cruz asked. “Carlos and Elijah would, but not that greedy bastard, Kurt.”
“So we’re going to stay here, keeping one eye open at all times because we’re stuck inside with that creep?”
“We won’t let him hurt you, any of you,” Cruz promised. “This place is a good shelter. It’s loaded with food and weapons. It’s going to get really cold soon. You can feel the morning chill already. This is a good place to spend the winter.”
“Elijah should be at the rooftop,” Hal interrupted. “Let’s be ready to move.”
Pimjai removed her gun from its holster and walked with them to the gate. Hal lifted Angela’s body from where he’d left it the night before, wrapped in a sheet. Raven was spared the sight of the dead girl, but she’d already started to smell. She breathed through her mouth and kept her eyes averted as Hal shouldered the body and grabbed a shovel propped against the gate. Cruz grabbed the other.
Loud pops sounded from the front of the building, followed by the scream of Black Cat fireworks.
“That’s our cue,” Hal murmured, his hand on the gate.
They watched in silence as the zombies littering the back parking lot started making their way to the front, drawn by the noise.
“Everyone ready?” Hal asked after the last of the zombies moved beyond their line of sight.
“Ready,” Cruz answered, looking at Raven.
“Ready,” Pimjai said, her hands shaking around her gun.
“Ready,” Raven chimed in, her voice stronger than she felt, but she needed to help. Sky and Jeremy hadn’t been buried and that fact would haunt her for eternity. She may have not been responsible for Angela turning, she may not have even known the girl, but she had the opportunity to do the right thing and help give this little girl the proper burial her sister and friend had both been deprived of.
Hal pulled back the latch and swung open the gate. “Let’s move.”
“What the fuck is all that noise?” Kurt barreled out of the manager’s office, zipping his jeans. Bare-chested, a huge tattoo of the Grim Reaper covered his thin, milky white chest.
Damian flexed his hands and moved his head from left to right, loosening up. “A little belated Fourth of July celebration,” he answered as he braced himself for a fight.
Kurt stilled, narrowing his eyes. “What are you assholes up to?”
“We told you we were burying our dead. You didn’t expect us to just casually stroll out there among the zombies, did you?”
“I’d hoped you would.” Kurt looked around. “Where are the rest?”
“Elijah set off the fireworks in the front so they could make it out the back. They’ll be back once Angela is buried.”
“And they left you here. Why?”
“To make sure you behaved.”
Kurt grinned. “You’re going to make me behave?”
“I am.” Damian placed his hand over the handle of the machete sheathed at his hip. “By any means necessary.”
“What was that?”
Raven scanned the area as the men paused digging. They all listened for the noise that had spooked Pimjai. Raven released the breath she’d been unaware of holding as another small scuffle sounded.
“Squirrel,” she answered. “A zombie or a person would make a louder sound due to their larger size.”
The men went back to digging, flinging mounds of dirt aside as they furiously tore away at the earth. No one wanted to be in the woods longer than necessary. Elijah had been instructed to watch them through binoculars from the rooftop, then light fireworks at the front of the building again to clear a way for them to get across the rear parking lot and back into the store. Unfortunately, Elijah wouldn’t be able to see them until they broke the tree line on their way back. Until they did that, they were on their own.
“I’m sorry I’m jumpy,” Pimjai apologized.
“I’d rather you be jumpy than overly confident,” Raven told her. “A little fear is good. It keeps us on our toes. It makes us more observant, more perceptive of little things that would go unnoticed by those who feel safe in their environment.”
“It makes us more perceptive of squirrels?”
“Small noises aren’t always squirrels. I’m glad you’re focused enough to listen for signs of danger. Like I said, a little fear is a good thing.”
“And a lot of fear?”
The sound of Sky’s screams echoed through Raven’s mind. “A lot of fear gets you killed.”
“How do you control your fear?”
Raven thought about that. “I don’t know.”
“You control it by not letting it control you,” Hal answered, wiping his brow with his forearm before tossing his shovel aside. “This is deep enough.”
The men climbed out of the grave as a loud series of pops sounded from the building they’d left behind. Through the canopy of trees, they saw a myriad of colors explode in the distance.
“I thought he was supposed to wait for us to reach the tree line,” Pimjai said.
“He was,” Cruz answered, climbing out of the freshly dug hole. “Something must have happened.”
“Like what?” Raven asked, reaching back to grip the hilt of the katana.
“The point of the fireworks was to draw the zombies to the front parking lot,” Hal answered. “They must have found their way to the back again.”
“We knew they would. That was why we told Elijah to watch for us and light more fireworks to clear the way when we were on our way back. He’s not supposed to light them before he sees us.”
“Maybe he wanted to see them?” Pimjai suggested hopefully.
“Most people wait until nightfall to get the full effect,” Raven responded, dread growing in her gut. “Guys, we need to get Angela buried and get out of here.”
“What’s happening?” Pimjai’s voice shook.
“Remember, Pimjai. A little fear is good. Too much gets us killed.” Raven nodded toward the woman’s shaking hands. “Relax so you don’t misfire.”
Pimjai nodded, slowly blowing out a breath.
The men lifted Angela’s body and gently lowered it into the grave before reclaiming their shovels.
A twig snapped farther down the hill, followed by shuffling.
“Another squirrel?” Pimjai asked, her eyes darting from side to side.
Raven shook her head. “Pick up the pace, guys.”
The men didn’t need to be told twice. They met each other’s gazes and a silent understanding passed between them as they quit scooping mounds of dirt to drop over the body in the ground and quickly switched to sliding it in, using the shovels more in the style of a rake.
More pops sounded as another round of fireworks exploded.
“We need to go,” Pimjai said.
“Not until Angela is buried,” Hal huffed, his voice labored as he and Cruz pushed themselves to quickly fill in the hole they’d created. “We’re almost done.”
Another twig snapped, closer, then another. More shuffling sounded, from three different areas. Raven took a deep breath as she realized what was happening. Glancing behind her, she saw the men busily working on the grave. To her right, she saw Pimjai’s shaking hands holding the gun in a vise grip.
“Put the gun away, Pimjai.”
“What?” The woman looked at her with wide eyes. “Why?”
“Listen carefully. The zombies must have started to enter the woods. Elijah saw and he used the fireworks to draw t
hem away, but it didn’t work on all of them. They’re coming this way.”
Pimjai gulped. “I know. That is why I have the gun.”
“The gun is loud. If you shoot it you’ll undo everything Elijah has done to draw the rest of the zombies away. We can fight off however many are coming to us with our blades. We can’t fight off all those zombies in the parking lot if we draw them to us.”
“We don’t know how many are coming to us.”
“We know it isn’t as many as are in that parking lot. Hal and his people made it through them and into the building without anyone watching out for them. We’ll make it.”
“They didn’t all make it.” Pimjai looked at the grave.
Hal stilled for a moment as regret etched lines into his face.
“They couldn’t see each other to watch each others’ backs,” Raven said. “Nobody did anything wrong. They just got unlucky.”
Hal looked at her. A small upturn of his mouth too sad to classify as a smile silently thanked her before he continued covering Angela’s body with dirt.
“We can see each other,” Raven continued. “We can see them. We’ll be able to protect one another and make sure no one goes down in this fight. Now put the gun away and take that blade at your hip. You haven’t survived this long by being a coward. You’re stronger than you know and you’ll get through this. You’ll help us and we’ll help you.”
Pimjai squared her shoulders and did as instructed, tucking away the gun to unsheathe the large knife at her hip. She followed Raven’s lead and kept an eye out before them, waiting for the first enemy to show its rotting face, as Raven prayed her words were true.
“Hey!” Janjai yelled as she gripped the metal fence and rattled it like a prisoner, only instead of grabbing the guards’ attention, she wished to grab the attention of the dead people heading into the trees.
Elijah had also noticed the dilemma, judging by the fireworks she heard near the front of the superstore. It worked on most of the zombies, drawing them back to the front lot, but a group of them had broken off, drawn by something in the woods. She feared her sister and friends were that something.
