I wonder if I should be worried he’s so into theater...
The view from above is breathtaking. The snow may be melting, but there’s still a good bit of it on the ground. Frost glistens on the woods like diamonds against velvet. The air is fresh and clean. I can barely hear the droves of zombies meandering beneath me.
Thank God I can’t smell them from up here.
I swoop down and manage to land in the middle of a petite group of them. Four kids of varying ages in ruined pajamas, a teenage boy, and a pudgy woman spot me with clouded eyes. The camp shovel is in my right hand and I draw my dagger from its sheath on my side. I ignore who they might’ve been and spike the dagger into the temple of the teenager, spinning to bash the nearest child in the forehead.
Not waiting to see them collapse, I whirl around and bring both to bear on the rotund carcass to my left. A solid whack pushes her back and the blade leaves a nasty gash through the deceased woman’s sinuses. The youngest Dead digs its nails into my ankle and I kick my leg hard, shaking it off and into the snowbank a few yards away.
I force my panic down and focus on the two fleshies who are closer. I jab the shovel into the chest of one; I twist the blade to pull it loose and rear back to crush the skull with a second blow. She falls limp and lands on her back.
The boy is no more than ten but has had half his face worn off with a sander or been dragged on the road. My stomach lurches as he steps into the exposed ribcage of his predecessor and is stuck. The zombie boy drags the girl behind him as her ribs remain ensnared on his ankle. Desperate fingers reach for me.
The last Dead is approaching from my left. Irrational fear sets my instincts on full alert; I don’t want to be bitten again. I don’t know if they can infect me, but I’m still not right from before. The moment becomes clearer. I see that only one nail hasn’t been torn from the boy’s fingers. The girl to the side is fighting to walk on a shattered femur. I can’t hear the car on the road anymore. I am alone.
And I am enough to handle this.
I bare my fangs and scream out the fright.
I am the fright.
My hands drop my weapons in the muddy slush. I don’t need them. Clenching my fists I destroy the boy with a single uppercut, driving the jaw into the brainpan and reducing my pursuer to a string less marionette. An angry knee repeats the injury on the girl. Panting, I use the snow to wash the gore and grime from my face and hands.
I retrieve my weapons and wipe them on my pants leg before putting them away. The night is quiet again. The carnage around me looks too common and I don’t let it touch me. Directing the energy around me, I lift off the ground. I’ve got more signs to make before dawn arrives in a couple of hours.
CHAPTER 34 MARCH 11TH - YEAR 2
I can’t believe we ran into Quince again. The scrawny guy was just napping inside a pickup with his crossbow on his chest. I rapped on the window. He startled and fired the bolt at my head.
“What the hell!” I ducked.
I stood back up and could feel my eyes burning red. The bolt had stuck in the window. Quince hopped out the other side of the truck and apologized, oblivious to my state.
“I’m so sorry. Are you okay? I didn’t mean to shoot at you, the triggers a little touchy.”
He put his finger on the half inch that protruded from the spider web of glass.
“Oh my, that could’ve killed you. Are you all right? Hey your eyes are red.”
Cal stepped between us.
“No they aren’t.” His voice massaged the man’s mind in a deep timber. “You’ve never seen anyone with red eyes except in pictures. Squirrel just looked shocked.”
I hid my distended teeth with my upper lip and concentrated on relaxing. They retracted and he let Quince out of his reverie.
“Oh, my. I’m sorry I seem to have drifted off. Haven’t slept in a couple of days. Are you sure you aren’t mad at me?”
“No, it’s fine. Normal reaction these days.”
I shook his hand for good measure.
“Good. It’s nice to see you folks again. I don’t suppose you’ve seen anyone else?”
“Just you and some Dead.”
“Ah, well, guess that’s something. That car looks familiar...” Quince looked at our BMW with the engine running. “...I could swear I saw that same one a while back earlier this week.”
Daemon tossed him the keys.
“Could be. We found it full of gas, but it had a zombie inside. Don’t worry we cleaned the upholstery before commandeering it. Do you want to drive for a while?”
Quince glanced at the key ring with the yellow and gold Bruins dangle and smiled.
“I’d love to. Thanks for the rescue. Again.”
We piled into the hybrid and rolled towards Pittsburgh. All four of us sat inside listening to music and chatting as our newcomer wove between obstructions. We only got out to move vehicles, kill zombies, or pee (the first two required more glamour for Quince and the third was only for him).
As we switched driving duties and Quince dozed in the back I whispered to the others.
“What are we supposed to do about the sunrise? It’s already 5AM and he’ll notice something is up if we park and throw the tarp over the car.”
“Why do anything?” Cal drove with one hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and the other resting on the door. “Just wake him enough to glamour him into sleeping until dusk. It should suffice.”
Daemon leaned forward.
“What if that makes him pee himself or something? Or if he has a wet dream or whatnot?”
“Jeez, Daemon. He’s a grown man I doubt he needs rubber sheets.”
“Okay, but I’m offering him a bathroom break before I glamour him; I don’t want to sit in a frozen puddle of urine all day.”
He shook the man softly and urged him to step out of the car for a few minutes. After writing some gibberish in the snow, he returned, was glamoured, and passed out against Daemon’s shoulder. Quince’s snoring was only interrupted when he drooled. I bless a kiss goodnight to Daemon as he squirmed under the assault of saliva.
CHAPTER 35 MARCH 12TH - YEAR 2
“Guys wake up.” A hand shook my elbow. “Squirrel, Cal wake up.”
I stirred and stretched as best I could in a car.
“What’s up? It’s mid-afternoon, we can’t go outside yet.”
“Squirrel’s right. Please go to sleep, Daemon.”
“Fine. But I thought you two might want to know that Quince is dead.”
We both turned to look in back and collided heads.
“Ouch.”
“Dammit to hell.”
We rubbed our knots and peered in back. Quince still lay against Daemon. His snoring had stopped and the drool spot was dry. His chest wasn’t moving.
“What happened?”
Daemon eased the body over against the opposite window and wiped his jacket of cooties.
“I don’t know. He was sleeping. Then we all went to sleep. Then I woke up and thought it was nice that he wasn’t blowing morning breath all over me. And then I kinda noticed he wasn’t blowing any breath.”
Cal put his fingers on his neck to find a pulse. Then he turned the head each way in search of bite marks. He lifted Quince’s fingertips and studied them intently before letting the hand drop.
“Well, he’s dead alright.”
“Wouldn’t have guessed it. What’s with checking his neck? Don’t you trust that I didn’t drain him?”
Daemon crossed his arms in a huff.
“I was being diligent. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time one of our kind had accidentally fed in their sleep.”
“Seriously?” I asked.
“Of course. I’m fairly certain our friend here died of natural causes. He was too malnourished, dehydrated, or ill to continue. Unfortunate for him, but no so for us.”
“I don’t follow.”
“The blood is still good for us to consume for a few hours after death.”
Cal
gestured for us to have the first draughts and I sat back in my seat.
“I’m good. You two go ahead.”
Daemon uncrossed his arms slowly and looked at both of us.
“I am pretty hungry.” His fangs had descended as soon as blood had been mentioned. “I guess it can’t hurt him now.”
I listened to his slow slurping of the coagulating blood.
“It’s a lot harder without the heartbeat.”
Daemon returned to his seat. The elder Undead pulled the body towards him.
“Yes, but we take what we can get in these circumstances. It’s not as restoring or delicious, but it will do.”
He tilted the body flat and drank as he thumped the chest. After a few minutes he paused.
“Squirrel, it isn’t great, but you must keep your strength up.”
“I’m okay right now. Thanks.”
“Don’t be squeamish. Think of it as eating a frozen dinner instead of a fresh steak.”
He sat back and waited. The hunger flared up and demanded to be satisfied.
Frozen dinner. You’re just having a frozen dinner, not drinking blood from a corpse. It’s just a frozen dinner.
I leaned down to finish the supply and he advised me.
“Don’t forget to whack the chest a little to move the blood. It makes things much easier.”
Not helping, Cal.
I closed my eyes and drank. Awkwardly hitting the man’s pecs every few seconds sent little bursts of nourishment to my waiting lips. My thirst dissipated but was far from quenched. I was reminded of drinking wonderful margaritas one day and then sipping stale mix only the next. The blood would hold me, but not very well.
Sitting back up was uncomfortable. I scanned the interior, meeting Daemon’s and Cal’s gaze in turn.
“What about the body?”
“Good question. Do we try to open a door and let it fall out or sit in the car with a dead guy for a few more hours?”
Cal stared at Daemon.
“Dump the remains outside. Why would we sit in an enclosed space with a decaying stiff?”
Daemon unlocked his door and shifted Quince.
“I don’t know. There are already three dead people in here, what’s one more?”
He slid to the side and cracked the door. Blistering light shot through the space like a uv laser searchlight. He pushed Quince out and slammed the daylight out.
“We’re not dead. We are merely a different species. If you make me explain this again I will break your fingers so you remember in the future.”
“Don’t be so touchy; it’s a matter of expression.” Half his mouth curled upward. “I for one like the term Undead.”
Cal faced forward and slouched.
“Go back to sleep.”
###
Tonight’s gone much better than expected. We buried Quince and set out as soon as the stars were out. The tug of my mind was dimmer than I’ve ever felt it. I set to work hauling car parts and shrapnel from the icy asphalt. Daemon flew overhead with his pouch of paint and markers. Cal bopped his head in tune with the music as he drove.
We followed the map and reached the junction with highway 86 by 2AM. Huddled in a caravan of bikes and tents were our friends. I ignored the few vehicles blocking the lane and ran to greet them.
“Hey guys, we’re back.”
I whistled and Daemon halted mid-air to check on me. Observing the camp, he shot back to earth like a meteor without the impact.
“Hey, Sunny and Chase, no hanky-panky; that’s how you got in your current predicament.” He strode over to the couple snuggled under a long blanket. “Garret, Allen, how’s it been? Where’s the Nurse?”
Sunny rubbed her stomach and answered while her husband added a log to the fire.
“Dead.”
“Oh. Sorry.”
“Don’t be. He tried to fight off some fleshies. They won, he got eaten, and we left.”
Cal turned off the car and joined us.
“I see someone’s missing.”
“Nurse. Fleshies.” I said.
“Ah.”
The three of us stood awkwardly while they gawked at the BMW. I ran my hand along the back of my neck.
I don’t remember things being so tense before.
“So, we have a ride and plenty of fuel. How about we load up and get out of here? You guys can take the car and we’ll fly. The heat works great and we already made a path.”
Allen jumped to his feet when I mentioned getting warm. Garret gathered belongings while Chase helped his wife to her feet. Her belly looked much larger than I recalled.
“Sunny, how long until you are due?”
She hit me with the glare.
“Not saying you’re fat or anything, just curious. Worried for your health and such. You look great by the way.”
Daemon took an exaggerated side-step away from me. I titled my head to look at him.
“What, I’ll face zombies for you, but not Sunny full of pregnancy hormones.” He reached over to give my bicep a little squeeze. “Love you though.”
“Nurse thought I was due around April, but it could be sooner. Glad to see you three again.”
Her expression softened and I saw the old Sunny again; the woman I knew in the beginning who was my best friend and fishing partner.
And in a few days she’ll have forgotten you and you will never see her or Chase again. You’ll never meet their child.
I mentally shrugged off the tug.
But they will be safe and happy. It’s what I promised. That will have to be enough.
She wobbled to ride shotgun. Chase held the door and I carried her bag to the trunk. Allen and Garret pile into the backseat like kids on vacation -- all grins and excitement. Cal handed Chase the keys and map.
“Just turn it around and follow the signs we left for you. Stop a few miles before Buffalo, though. We cleared the stuff out of the way, but there are just too many Dead. We’ll have to camp outside the city for the day and get through it at night.”
“Sure. How long until we are across the border?”
The Roman vampire smiled wide.
“We’ll have you there within seventy-two hours. Barring major setbacks, of course.”
The one-armed man’s lip trembled and he engulfed Cal in a bear hug.
“I’m sorry we’ll have to say goodbye to you all so soon, but I can’t wait to get us to somewhere safe. Thank you...” He extended his embrace to Daemon and I. “...all of you for coming back for us. You are good people; good friends.”
Sunny and the others nodded their assent from the car. I let the hug last without pulling away. Cal had to get something out of his eye after and took to the sky. Daemon helped me load the last of the important gear into the trunk and top off the gas tank. Chase plopped into the BMW and gripped the wheel before turning the key.
Tonight’s trip has been perfect. We’ve only crossed nine Dead and we are setting up for the day a good twenty miles from Buffalo. Garret, Allen, and Chase offered to donate when we wake up. I’m lying between Daemon and Cal in the covered bed of an old Bronco and our friends are safe in the BMW until dark.
I let my mind wander as the land of Nod closed in. My memories swelled but I buried them again and rode the current to dreams of the future.
CHAPTER 36 MARCH 13TH - YEAR 2
The cover was pulled off, exposing us to the dry air. I shielded my eyes. Cal grumbled beside me.
“The sun is barely on the horizon. Couldn’t you wait another quarter hour?”
I sat up. Daemon arched his back and stretched his arms to the side, giving my left breast a playful squeeze on the sneak. His mentor popped him on the knuckles and crouched.
“No time.” Chase held a machete in his right hand and the others were beside him on the passenger side of the truck. “We’ve got company and your help is needed.”
I followed the direction of Allen’s rifle barrel and saw the problem. The crowd of urban Dead had swarmed down the highway and wa
s bearing down on us. The stream of dilapidated bodies stretched beyond the sightline.
Not good.
“Okay, new plan. Everyone get in the car and let’s go back a few miles. We can set some traps to cut down the numbers and fly you all to safety. It’ll take longer, but we can get through this if we leap frog it.”
The group sprang into movement. The car slid on black ice during the retreat, but Garret regained control and we held off the endless mass until the vehicle was out of view. I tossed rocks at the expressionless Dead and shouted to get their attention.
“Squirrel, what are you doing?”
“Now that they don’t see the car, maybe we can get them to follow us into the woods instead. See it you can lure some to the left side and I’ll try to get some to follow me to the right.”
Daemon started chucking junk at the zombie horde and wailing like a banshee. Cal aimed his throws and managed to take a dozen of them out of commission. That only left around a thousand to go.
The stream of shambling moaners split in pursuit of us. Cal rose over them and attempted to direct their attention back against the flow. Several were being trampled in the ordeal. I led my pack of hungry, lean-cheeked Dead into the trees and hid on top of one of the evergreens.
I watched as they followed the inertia and trod away after nothing. Once the first hundred or so had past, I knocked several of the boughs down to crush and encumber them. I moved further and further from the road killing as many as I could without getting in their midst.
I may be a vampire, but there are limits to what sort of numbers I can overcome.
After two hours, I slipped away and returned to the highway. It was midnight before we had all regrouped. Sunny rocked and held her stomach. She whispered to herself while Chase wrapped his arm around her and stroked her arm. Allen was in the bushes alternately puking and cursing about the whole world being infected. Garret sat beside Cal staring at the ground.
“Okay, someone needs to talk.”
Garret blinked like he’d forgotten he was near other people.
“About what?”
“About getting past that gathering of ugly dead folks.” I blurted out.
“Are they gone?”
Nova Nocte (Book 2): Quarantined in Chaos Page 19
