Darlene starts to get up. I put my hand gently on her thigh and we lock eyes. That mental telepathy speaks. Darlene, she needs you as much as you need her. Be there for each other. And Darlene sits down again. She says she’s sorry to her mother. It’s just hard since Dad is dead and she saw him…as a zombie. The wound hasn’t even begun to heal.
Darlene’s mom says it never will heal, but she continues with the story because it’s vital to understand her choices.
“The women were thrown into groups. Men,” she says in a disgusted tone, “and there vile games. They were put into an order I’d rather not discuss, but I must. They were organized by the size of their breasts. Once, while witnessing a woman I’d befriended in one of these camps chosen, I’d heard Walt give her an ultimatum when she protested. He had said: ‘You can come back to my cabin or you can have your tits cut off and bleed out into the dirt like the pig you are.’ No quick deaths for the women. Only pain, only suffering.”
I find myself getting sick. The food I’ve eaten bubbles in my gut. It turns and writhes like snakes in the pit of my stomach. It’s anger. That’s all. Anger and disgust. If I ever saw this Walt Rockman, I’d kill him.
“The next day…I was chosen. The word from the women who’d survived was to not put up a fight. They liked when you did that and it almost always certainly ended in harm or death. So I did not fight it. As much as I hate to admit, I welcomed it. Walt had enjoyed his time with me so much, he asked for me to live in his cabin. I agreed — as if I had much of a choice. I don’t believe a monster like Walter Rockman was capable of love, but he had told me he loved me nonetheless. I was able to free Carmen not long after that.” She reaches out and brushes a fresh tear from Carmen’s face. “My poor, sweet Carmen.”
Carmen pulls her face away. “Mom, I’m okay,” she says.
“We lived in that cabin for months. People died from murder and starvation and disease. Time went on and the camp built itself up. We started trading with other camps. Merchants came. Merchants went. Walt sent men out to their deaths, but some came back with food, medicines, and weapons. Walt, for all his evilness, was a man who got things done. That, I’ll admit. But I never loved him, Darlene. I swear on my mother’s grave.”
Darlene nods, tries to smile.
I feel like I’m staring down from the top of a cliff, looking at my own death. Once upon a time, I was a storyteller and I know when there won’t be a happy ending. I can smell it a mile away. Eve’s story is one of those train wrecks, no matter what the current circumstances dictate.
“How did you survive?” Darlene manages to say.
“Yeah, I’m on the edge of my seat here,” Norm says. Both Abby and Tim hit him simultaneously, but I think Norm is being serious.
Mike lets out a weak chuckle.
“I survived,” Eve says, “by using what was used against me and the others who had suffered. I used violence.”
Tim nods and says, “It was the only way.”
“And I used Tim’s help,” Eve says.
Carmen leans over and kisses him on one scruffy cheek. He grins, but looks like he might cry, too.
47
Now it’s Tim’s turn to tell his tale. I see Eve passing the proverbial microphone just by the way she looks at him. Tim adjusts his posture and clears his throat.
“I’d met Walter three times. Each time he was more vile than the last,” Tim says. He visibly shakes. “I’d been a part of a neighboring group of missionaries on the edge of Oakland. We weren’t much and most of us died, but we were stocked pretty well with weapons. Food, not so much. We just wanted to survive.”
“How’d you wind up in San Francisco,” Norm asks. “Weren’t you in New York?”
Tim nods. He has a look on his face that longs for the good ol’ days. I sympathize with him.
“Yeah,” Abby says. “Norm talks about you a lot. He said you were an artist or a painter.”
“Yep,” Tim says. “That’s why I was in San Francisco. I’d met a man at one of my shows in this seedy place in Brooklyn. We’d fallen in love quick, got married even quicker. He was from Oakland. He didn’t…he didn’t make it.”
Norm puts an arm around Tim and pulls him close. He kisses him on the top of his head. I smile, feel the tears stinging my eyes. I have to remember one thing about them. Before they were lovers, they were friends — best friends. The type of friendship they shared lasts through the years. Will they ever be able to find the love they once had for one another? I’m not sure. People grow up, get older, and they change. So who can tell? But they’ll always be friends. That much I know.
“I found myself in with these people. We were led by a wonderful woman named Diane. She helped me so much. She taught me how to handle a weapon, how to be stealthy, how to find my own food. I’d be dead without her. Things settled down in the city after a few months and I became someone I wasn’t quite proud of whenever I looked in the mirror.”
“We all have,” I say.
The table murmurs their agreement.
“We tried to establish a home as best as we could and I’m glad we never did. I think Walter would’ve wiped us off of the face of the earth, given the chance. We moved around a lot. We were nomads. We found a downed military convoy — loads of weapons. The type of stuff you use in video games. But we were half-starved. After a standoff with Walt’s men, we agreed to trade. I was the negotiator. I negotiated pretty well.” He swipes his hand through his hair, combing it back. It doesn’t lay flat like before. “I saw what went on in this camp firsthand. I wanted to do something about it, but I knew there wasn’t much I could do on my own. Diane wouldn’t budge. She wanted the food. She liked the trade. It wasn’t until I witnessed a pregnant woman, half-naked and bloody, executed in front of the same pavilion Walter, his ‘officers,’ and I did business under that I made up my mind to help. I’d seen a lot of death, true, but what really got me was how all the men didn’t even bat an eye while this woman begged and pleaded for her life and how none of them flinched when the executioner pulled the trigger. I’d asked Walt, coolly and calmly, why they’d done that to her — as a negotiator I had an image to uphold, though inside I was screaming. And Walter had shrugged, never looking me in the eye, still counting the rations of food he was trading me for the weapons. Then he’d said, ‘She was pregnant. That’s another mouth we can’t afford to feed.’ I about died inside.
“That same night I’d gone back to Diane and told her what I saw. It took some time, but I convinced her and the rest of the group that we needed to do something about it. I think she only agreed because of the fortification of Walt’s base. If we’d won that, we wouldn’t have to keep traveling. We’d save the day.”
I know all about traveling.
Tim goes on. “We attacked in the middle of the night, but they were prepared for us…or so it seemed. Turned out Eve here had plans of anarchy of her own.”
Eve nods. “I’d seen what they did with Amanda. She was barely Carmen’s age, pregnant, and just the sweetest girl. I wouldn’t stand for that anymore. I took Walt’s own gun and shot him while he was half asleep. He was naked, having fallen asleep after he’d taken me. I remember that night it had felt like he was stabbing me with an icicle, I remember feeling numb.”
“Mom,” Carmen and Darlene say simultaneously.
“Oh, hush, we’re all adults here,” Eve says.
“Did you kill him?” I ask.
“No,” Eve says. The surety in her voice unnerves me. “I could’ve shot him in the back of the head, but that would’ve been too easy. I wanted more than that, I wanted him to suffer. Of course, there was a rumor going around that whatever infected the masses had infected all of us. People had said they’d seen friends and relatives die and come back without a bite, without any signs of infection. That was my hope. It’s still my hope. I’d woken Walter up by tapping his pistol on his back. He’d turned over groggily, drool gleaming at the corners of his mouth and said ‘Huh?’ I’d shot him in the chest, ri
ght where his heart should’ve been, but I’m convinced there was no heart there. I’d never killed anyone before, zombie or human. He’d laid there convulsing in a pool of his own blood. I would’ve sat and watched him die if it hadn’t been for the guards bursting into the room. I’d blamed an intruder at first. It had bought me some time, enough to arm the woman I’d talked with about what I’d planned to do. We were not effective, but by some divine gift, most of us were spared because of Tim’s timely arrival.”
Eve looks up to the ceiling. I get chills. There it is, that otherworldly entity watching over us again, guiding us, saving them.
“It was a bloodbath,” Tim says. “Many died.”
“But we survived and we did what Walter couldn’t do. We built this place into what it is today. We brought back some of the old world.”
Darlene wipes her eyes. She gets up, but not hurriedly like before. Cupcake quickly takes her seat to watch the show (or to sniff at our empty plates). Eve gets up, too, shortly followed by Carmen. All three of them hug for a long moment. I feel my heart swell in my chest.
“What happened to Walter?” Abby says. The three women part. “Did he die? I’m assuming he did, but you were rushed out of the room.”
“Smart girl,” Eve says.
She is, it’s true.
Mike smiles at that. Like he’s known Abby for years. I see something close to love in his eyes. I see it in Abby’s eyes, too. Young love, I think.
“If Walter didn’t die, then it’s by some miracle,” Tim says. “A group of men had retreated after the worst of the fighting was over.”
“I hope he is somewhere out there, roaming the streets as an undead monster. I hope it hurts,” Eve says.
“What if he’s not?” Abby asks. I give her a look that says Quit being rude. She doesn’t listen.
“Well, if he’s not,” Eve says, her arm around Darlene, “then I am not afraid. I have handled him once, I will do it again.”
“Hell yeah,” Norm says.
Cupcake barks in agreement.
We all get up, dinner is over.
48
“I’m sure you’re all very tired,” Eve says.
Through the window, I see it’s almost completely dark outside. I no longer hear the sounds of the bustling downtown area of this safe haven we ran past. Hearts of celebrity heartthrobs! Lungs from world class singers!
There are torches lit along the streets. Lights on in some buildings. There are people walking hand in hand. There are no zombies. A guy could get used to this. Almost absentmindedly, my hand finds Darlene’s. It’s warm in here, but her flesh is cold.
“Yeah, I’m tired,” Darlene says. “I’m always tired.”
Amen to that.
“You lovebirds can stay in the council’s quarters,” Eve says. “Carmen’s room will be right across from yours. It’ll be like you’re kids again with rooms across from each other — ”
“Darlene sneaking in boys through the upstairs window?” Carmen interrupts.
Darlene lets out an exasperated sigh and smiles. Carmen hits her playfully on the shoulder. They giggle.
Don’t wanna know.
“I’m staying with Tim,” Norm says.
“Ooh,” Abby says, making kissing noises.
“My room won’t be too far from your quarters,” Mike whispers.
“Ooh,” Norm says, returning the favor. He makes kissing noises and takes it a little too far as his index finger and thumb of his left hand make a circle and his nubbed forefinger on his right hand enters the circle.
“Okay…that’s enough,” I say, not wanting to think about that. Abby is like my little sister for God’s sake.
Norm says, “She started it.”
I shake my head. Some people never grow up.
“It’ll be awhile before I come to bed,” Tim says, a smile on his face
“No problem,” Norm says, but he looks a bit disappointed.
“Abby, you can stay a couple doors down if that’s all right,” Eve says. She looks at Mike. “Curfew goes for you, too.”
He puts both hands up, smiling that infectious smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
Abby shrugs it off, but the color in her cheeks gives her away. “Gimme a pillow and a blanket and I’ll sleep on the roof,” Abby says.
Eve smiles. “How about a queen sized bed and a television?”
Abby’s grin melts and her eyes blossom. “Television?” she says, barely audible.
“Correct. With a DVD player. We have quite a collection, I might add.”
Abby doesn’t say anything else. She crosses the hall and hugs Eve tight. We all laugh. Man, I can’t tell you how much I missed electricity.
“Carmen will show you all to your rooms. I’m afraid Tim and I have a meeting with the other members of the council. And Mike must be getting back to his post on the wall…right, Mike?” He nods. Eve continues. “You will meet the rest of the council tomorrow,” Eve says. She kisses Darlene and shakes Norm’s hand, then she does something she’s never done before; she hugs me and says, “Thank you for keeping my Darlene safe.”
“She kept me safe, too,” I say back.
Tim, Mike, and her leave, disappearing down the corridor. Carmen leads us the opposite way, toward beds, TV, and electricity.
Haven? No, they should call this place Heaven.
Anything?
Nope? Nothing?
Okay.
49
“What’s all this council business?” Norm asks. I almost tell him to shut up, we don’t need to worry about anything. Give us a break, right? But I don’t.
Carmen shrugs. “Ever been to a city council meeting in some small town?”
We all shake our heads, except Abby. She says, “I had to go to one for government class. I didn’t think anything could be more boring than the class itself. I was wrong.”
Carmen chuckles, swipes her reddish bangs out of her face, and says, “Exactly. But I’m betting my mom’s council meetings are five times more boring. They talk about infrastructure and food and safety and all that crap. Sometimes, an occasional meeting on rival territories, but there hasn’t been lately. Believe me, I’m always at those meetings. They get heated sometime. Zack Hawkins fusses about violence and stepping on your enemy’s throat before they can step on ours. After what happened here a few months ago, Mom doesn’t want anymore violence.”
“The other groups any threat?” I ask, thinking about the clergymen we ran into on our way here.
“There’s really only one who gives us a problem. But they’re weak and crazy as all hell,” Carmen answers.
“Seems like everyone’s crazy these days,” Darlene says.
“Did they happen to wear red robes?” I ask.
Carmen nods. “How did you know?”
“Uh…well, we’re acquainted,” I say, feeling the dread from our meeting with these red robed assholes.
“Yeah, they attacked and I blew one of their heads off,” Norm says smiling.
Abby rolls her eyes and shakes her head.
Carmen looks confused, maybe a tad frightened. “Attacked? They’re mostly harmless,” she says.
Norm snorts. “Honey, anytime you’re out there in that wasteland and you see a cult coming for you with an armory of weapons, mostly harmless is the last thing you’re thinking.”
“They were vicious,” Darlene says. She squeezes my hand as we turn to the right and the corridor ends at a set of stone steps. There’s a painting on the wall of George Washington, but in the dim light, I can see the faint red creeping out beneath it. Blood stain. They tried to cover it up with a picture of our first president. I don’t let anyone know what I notice and I hope they don’t notice it, either.
We go up the steps.
“Not to mention the bodies…” Darlene continues.
“Bodies?” Carmen says, her mouth hanging open.
“Some kind of sacrifice,” I say. “You guys don’t know about this.”
Carmen goes pale. “I don’t
. The council probably does.”
“Should go to more of those meetings, my friend,” Norm says and walks past her seeing the doors to the rooms after we round the last flight of stairs.
“Yeah, yeah, we can talk about villains and crazy bastards until our jaws fall off, but the real question is…” Abby says.
We all stare at her in anticipation.
She smirks. “What’s the deal with that Mike guy? Is he single? Is there anything wrong with him?”
Young love, I think again. Whether I approve of them or not, I'm happy for Abby.
Norm chuckles. “If he’s interested in you, then there’s something wrong with him, yeah.”
“Eat it,” Abby says.
Norm sticks his tongue out at her.
Cupcake barks and I think tries to do the same thing without much success. I’m smiling. Banter. I love it. Like the good old days.
Carmen leads Abby into her room. “I’ll tell you all about Mike soon.” She winks.
I get a peek through the cracked door. The room’s not much, but it’s a hell of a lot better than the cramped backseat or the hard ground. There’s a TV with a twenty inch screen. There’s a bed with flowered sheets. The floor is carpeted. The window offers a good view of the front gates and the roads beyond which are barricaded and guarded by three men with guns — one of them Mike. Abby about drops to her knees and cries. Cupcake looks at her crookedly and tries licking her face to make her feel better. Abby pushes him away saying, “Yuck!” but after the shock passes, she hops onto the bed and sighs pleasantly.
“Can I get a do not disturb sign for the door?” she asks, smiling.
We laugh and say good night and head toward our room. Carmen points out Tim’s room just down the hall. Norm practically skips to it.
Then we get to ours. It looks a lot like Abby’s — one bed, TV, bathroom.
Jack Zombie (Book 5): Dead End Page 11
