The Feral Children [A Zombie Road Tale] Box Set | Books 1-3

by Simpson, David A.

  Swan needed her sharpening stones, the grizzly job her and Donny were doing was a lot more work than they had anticipated. The buffalo was huge, a thousand pounds at least, probably closer to two thousand. They had only dressed deer before and they weighed maybe a hundred and fifty pounds for a big one. Moving quietly had become second nature to her, something she did without thinking and her choice of armor and clothes helped her move silently when hunting. It was something she’d learned from Donny and her wolves. She stepped over the creaking second step on the porch out of habit. She avoided the warped board by the planter because it squeaked and before she opened the door, she stopped when she heard Gordons voice.

  “Wake up lazy ass.” he said and she heard a thwacking sound. She stepped to the side, peeked through the living room window and saw him hit Otis again with a poker from the fireplace.

  The bear grunted but didn’t open his eyes. He slept a lot, it was his hibernation season, but it wasn’t true hibernation. He’d wake up and mosey around every few days.

  “C’mon you big stupid idiot.” Gordon said. “Got something tasty for you. Yum yum yummy, it’s your favorite food.”

  He tossed a chunk of meat right in front of his nose and Otis grunted again then opened a bleary eye. Swan moved fast, ran back to the door and shoved it open. She heard the back-door slam and hurried over to see what Gordon had been trying to feed the bear. She snatched it up as his big tongue was reaching out for it and he snuffled a surprise when it wasn’t there. There were a handful of leaves stuffed into the greasy lump of Spam and her eyes narrowed. She double checked, made sure there were no more then carried the whole mess into the kitchen. She put it in a Tupperware container and snapped on the lid before she headed upstairs to the third floor. His door was locked but she kicked until it broke open. She wrinkled her nose and went immediately to the window to open it. The room reeked of unwashed body and something else. Something she couldn’t identify but it smelled dirty. The bed was unmade and the sheets were filthy and stained. There were nasty books on the floor and some of them were open to pictures of blonde girls spreading their legs wide. Some of them looked like he’d been spitting on them or something. She was thirteen, she wasn’t stupid but it took her a minute to realize what she was looking at. Her girlfriends had giggled over video clips on the internet of men and women doing the things men and women did but this was gross. This was disgusting. She looked around the room, averting her eyes from the disturbing images her mind was conjuring up of Gordon hunched over the pictures that looked like an older version of Harper and… and…

  She couldn’t even think it, shuddered and started opening drawers using her cloak so she wouldn’t have to touch the handles. If he had any more of the leaves, she wanted to find them. She didn’t know what they were but if he was trying to feed them to Otis, they had to be something bad.

  Swan wasn’t subtle. She dumped out the contents of the desk, the old chest of drawers and pulled everything off the hangers in the closet, everything off the shelves. She didn’t particularly try to smash his iPad but didn’t bother to step over it either. The screen shattered under her foot. When she was finished, she had a small collection of trinkets gathered on the desktop. One of her feathers she used to braid in her hair. It was jet black, a ravens, and she thought it must have come loose and she lost it in the woods. Vanessa’s bracelet she’d made from pieces of hand sanded oak beads. Harpers locket on a gold chain that went missing and they had blamed on one of the monkeys.

  She hadn’t found any more of the leaves but there was one more place to check. She went all the way back downstairs to get a fireplace poker to pull the blankets off and toss them aside. When she tipped the mattress over her eyes widened.

  “Bingo, you bastard.” she said.

  She ignored the other magazines and pulled out a Ziploc bag of leaves that had the same coloring as the ones in the Spam. She was surprised when she looked up to see Donny standing in the doorway. He was wondering what was taking her so long and now he knew. He had a question on his face and she held the bag up.

  “Know what these are?” she asked

  He shrugged and mimed smoking a cigarette.

  “No, I don’t think so. It’s not dope. Gordon was trying to feed some to Otis.”

  He raised an eyebrow and mimed the wheelchair sign and she nodded.

  “Yeah. Let’s ask Murray.”

  He pointed to a book she had tossed on the floor along with the sticky magazines and she picked it up. It was from the library downstairs and was about dangerous plants.

  By the time he got back, the bear should be dying or dead. Gordon practiced his surprised look, his concerned look and finally his commiserating sad look. Should he put an arm around Cody and say something like I’m so sorry, buddy? Would that be pushing it a little too far? He’d play it by ear. Meanwhile, he had enough leaves left to get rid of two or three more animals. The wolves for sure. They’d definitely be next. After that, if he had any left, he could get rid of the panther.

  He walked slowly along the trail worn along the fence line, taking his time and stopping to relax often. He was supposed to do some other stuff when he finished his rounds, he couldn’t remember exactly what, but whatever it was would be forgotten by everyone else when the bear got sick. Probably mucking out more stalls. It was cold when he was in the shadows but not too bad if he stayed in the sunlight. He moved away from the fence line, away from the overhanging branches and didn’t bother checking for holes from something burrowing under it. Zombies didn’t dig and he had always thought it was a waste of time to do the checks every day. A few times a month would be more than enough. His mind drifted back to how it would be in another few weeks. How he’d lead them all back to civilization inside the gated community. He walked right past a fallen branch bending the chain link fence nearly double. He had forgotten to bring the saw and ax in his hurry to get away from whoever had been coming in the house. Whatever. Whoever made the rounds tomorrow could cut it up and fix the fence if they wanted. He ambled along, lost in his delicious thoughts of Harper and the fun they would have once he got her away from the Park.

  It was nearing dinnertime when he got back, he had stretched the walk out as long as he could. He’d even gotten a little nap on one of the benches that was in a patch of sunshine. There wasn’t any commotion happening as he neared the house and he wondered if anyone had even discovered the bear was dead. All it did was sleep so maybe they hadn’t. He’d have to play it cool, maybe he could notice the bloody foam coming from his mouth when he went to the fire to warm up. He had the perfect alibi so why not? He could be the hero who tries to save the beast.

  When he stepped inside, they were gathered around the table and it wasn’t for dinner. They turned to stare at him and he saw the bag of leaves sitting on the polished wood. He froze and his mind raced. He should run. Right now.

  Donny ghosted in behind him with Yewan silent by his side.

  Running was out of the question.

  “What’s up?” he asked and started taking off his heavy winter jacket.

  “I ran into some trouble at the back of the Park,” he said. “There were some branches over the fence and it took me a while to fix everything.”

  No one answered, they just stared and they had hard looks on their painted faces. He had to think fast but he had to know what they knew so the lie would work. He adjusted his armor, settling it in to more comfortable positons.

  “We having salad for dinner?” he asked, buying time.

  “Come in and sit down.” Cody said.

  “Uh… sure, bud. We having a meeting?”

  As he approached the table, he saw a handful of the chewed up leaves they had cut out of Teddy’s stomach and the glob of Spam with the leaves still stuffed into it. The book he’d hidden under his mattress, Dangerous Plants of the Midwest was opened to the page he’d earmarked about chokecherries. The little pile of stolen treasures was there, too. He froze and a spear point prodded him forward. N
ot gently, either.

  “Have a seat.” Cody said coolly and Swan pulled the one at the end of the table out for him.

  She smiled a wicked smile and her teeth nearly glowed under her soot blackened face. Cody’s face was striped in war paint too. All of them were, even the little kids had their faces shaded so they looked like their fox companions.

  Gordon sat and swallowed hard. This had the feeling of a tribunal; some primitive court room and he was the one on trial. Whoever he’d heard on the porch had found the poisoned meat meant for Otis. They’d searched his room and found the rest of the leaves and then cut open the buffalo to see what killed him. There was no way he could lie his way out and that was why Swan was all smiley.

  Gordon feared the wild girl but tried not to let it show. Out of all of them, she had to be the craziest. The twins were tattooed up like circus freaks but they didn’t ooze crazy like she did. She had gone feral and like her wolves, he didn’t think she knew how to feel remorse or guilt. She would happily sink one of her tomahawks into his head if she had a good reason. He had only poisoned a stupid animal, though. They might be mad but you didn’t kill people for that. Normal people didn’t, anyway. You could never tell what this group would do.

  “Chokecherry.” Murray said reading from the book. “Highly toxic and will kill animals who ingest it. Herbivores will eat it by mistake while grazing.”

  They all looked at him, waiting for a denial or an excuse or an apology. Something. Anything.

  “Yeah, it’s mine.” he finally said, grasping at an idea that might work. “I was doing some research on how to kill the Savage Ones. You know, we have to thin them out, more and more come every week and they’re getting aggressive. I was doing my part, trying to help out.”

  The more he spoke, the more plausible his story sounded. He slapped his hands on the table like he’d seen his father do and stood, raising his voice.

  “I don’t appreciate what you’re trying to do here.” he said indignantly. “It looks to me like you’re trying to blame me for Teddy’s death. I found those chokecherries and he could have too. If anything, blame Mother Nature.”

  Swan sat back in her chair and slow clapped a few times.

  “That’s admirable.” she said. “Except you left out the part where I saw you trying to feed them to Otis. You left out the part where you mixed the chokecherry leaves with the alfalfa during my birthday party and snuck out to feed it to Bert. You left out the part where Teddy followed you and ate it instead. And finally, you left out the part where you didn’t shut the gate behind you and the foxes killed half the chickens.”

  “And let us take the blame for it.” Landon added.

  Gordon stammered but couldn’t find words. His story had unraveled and there was nothing left to say. There was no lie he could come up with they would believe. Realizing the ruse was up, he went for the one thing he could always fall back on. Righteous anger.

  “Yes, I did it!” he exploded, yelling at them, trying to make them back down. “Ok, is that what you want to hear? Because I did and I’d do it again. I had to!”

  “You aren’t fit to lead!” he pointed at Cody and jabbed his finger at him. “You’re letting these people, YOUR so-called people turn into a bunch of cavemen! Look at them! You’re failing them in every way. We could be in nice houses with solar power and generators instead of this septic tank you call home!”

  He opened his arms to all of them, imploring them to understand.

  “I’m trying to save you from yourselves don’t you see? I did it to open your eyes. We have to get out of here! All I asked for was a scouting team to be sent to my old home. It’s safe, I know it is, but he won’t even allow it. He wants to keep you here and you are all gonna die if you stay! Follow me! Let him stay if he wants, I’ll show you a better life!” Spittle flew from his mouth as he ranted.

  He pointed to the youngest, the triplets, then at Swan.

  “Do you want them to grow up to be like her? Thinking they’re an animal? She thinks she’s part wolf now!”

  No one came to Gordon’s defense. No one nodded their heads in agreement. They sat there and stared, unmoved by his speech. He waited for someone to say or do something.

  Cody looked at the tribe. Gordon had made his case; it was up to them to decide.

  “Does anyone want Gordon to lead us?” Silence.

  “Does anyone want to leave and go with him?” More silence.

  “What do we do with him?” Cody asked.

  Swan spoke first. “Kill him.”

  Donny slammed the shaft of his spear on the floor in agreement.

  Gordon’s eyes got big and he looked around fearfully. They were crazy. They would do it and he couldn’t get away. He didn’t even have his machetes with him, they had been forgotten in his room.

  “Banishment.” Murray said

  There was a murmur of voices and a few heads nodded. No matter what Gordon had done or tried to do, they weren’t murderers. They wouldn’t hang him or cut his throat. Most of them, anyway.

  Cody gave them a moment then said “Show of hands. Who wants death?”

  Swan and Donny were the only two to raise them.

  “Banishment?” he asked

  Everyone else held their hands high.

  “It is agreed, then. Effective immediately.”

  “But you can’t.” Gordon blurted. “It’s getting dark. You have to wait until tomorrow at least. What am I going to eat?”

  Cody turned to the pale faced boy who had tried to ruin everything. Had tried to kill Otis.

  “Get out, Gordon.” he said. “You have five minutes. If you’re inside the fences after that, I’ll let Swan and Donny have you.”

  They both smiled at him, toothy grins in blackened faces, and Swan drew her tomahawks slowly out of their holsters.

  “What time is it, Murray?” she asked.

  He was the only one that still wore a watch.

  “It’s five fifty-seven.” he said.

  “Tick tock, Gordy.” Swan said and her smile grew more animalistic.

  34

  Gordon

  Gordon ran from the painted faces. The grim ones and the smiling ones. He didn’t even think to grab his jacket as he bolted for the front gate. When he rounded the corner of the snack shack, he skidded to a halt. There were dozens of the undead pawing at him through the bars and he suddenly remembered what his other job had been today. Spearing the zombies. It was starting to get dark and the savage ones were coming out for their evening meal. A coyote ragged viciously on a keening woman’s leg and tore a chunk out, peeling skin away all the way up to her knee. It slunk off to feed in peace but he would be back for another bite. The red eyed possums were wallowing in from their hidey holes for the walking buffet. Their mouthful of sharp little teeth slashed and tore at the foul-smelling meal as they grew fat and lazy with such a plentiful supply.

  Donny and Swan moved quiet as shadows but he saw them and their horrible companions move into position and watch him. Swan had Murrays watch in her hand and she tapped a finger on it, reminding him time was ticking away fast. The back gate was the only way out, there weren’t any of the undead around it. Was there? He couldn’t remember. He hadn’t been paying any attention when he walked past it this afternoon. It was too far away, though. He’d never make it before they caught and killed him, he couldn’t outrun them and he knew it. They knew it too by the looks of satisfaction on their faces. The others were coming out on the porch to watch. He wanted to pull his hair in frustration but there was no time.

  “It’s not fair!” he screamed. “It’s not fair!”

  “Should have done your job today.” Swan said.

  “Shouldn’t have tried to kill Otis.” Cody said, raising his voice to be heard over the screeching of the undead.

  Gordon turned in circles, feeling trapped. Caged and about to be executed. He saw the golf carts by the nurse’s station and ran for them. He could make it to the back gate with one of them, he could get
away. Murray yelled a warning but it was too late, he was in the first one and had his foot to the floor. There was a crashing sound as he sped off and when he glanced over his shoulder, he saw dangling cords and solar panels smashing along the trail behind him. Murray had wired all the panels together to charge one battery at a time otherwise it took days of good sun just to get a few hours drive time. Gordon didn’t slow, he only had minutes to cover miles. Wolf girl and Panther boy wouldn’t be able to keep up with the cart but if they turned their animals loose, they probably could.

  The clattering and banging of the panels finally stopped when the last cord broke and the cart seemed to pick up speed. He kept it floored and stayed on the trail that was the most direct route to the back gate. It was a service entrance that had long been out of use. The gravel driveway that led up to it off the main road was over grown and filled with potholes. It took him long minutes driving full out to make it through the winding paths and across the open field. The gazelle and antelope ran from the bouncing cart and he knew his five minutes were up. He knew the two biggest psychos of the tribe were hot on his trail, running like the wind with wolves and an inky black panther tracking his scent. The sun had dipped behind the spidery branches of the winter trees and it was getting dark fast. Cold, too. He topped a gentle rise and spotted the gate a quarter mile off and turned towards it. In the distance he thought he heard the howl of a wolf and he urged the cart to go faster.

  He slid to a stop next to the gate and jumped out. It was locked. The fragging gate was locked! He’d never noticed the chain and padlock before but it must have always been there, it was old and well worn. He looked up and knew he’d never be able to climb over. He’d never make it through the barbed wire at the top.

  Maybe the river. He could make it down to the river and swim around the end of the fence.

  Right. And die of hypothermia. It was already down in the forties and would probably drop below freezing again tonight. He grabbed the gate and shook it, noticed the bottom was loose. The wires holding the chain link to the metal frame were rusted and some of them broken. He looked back over his shoulder and saw two dark figures top the rise. The animals could be anywhere in the tall grass, they might only be yards away. He ran for the cart and backed it up about thirty feet then slammed it into the forward gear. It picked up speed slowly but it hit the gate in the weak spot and punched its way through. The metal fencing dragged along the roof, ripping the last solar panel off and gouging holes in the plastic but he was on the driveway and picking up speed. He turned around and flipped them off, nearly plowed into a tree when he hit a big pothole and cursed as he swerved back on the road.