“Darren, why are you wastin’ time askin’?” James spouted. “Let’s just kill them and search for the damn shit ourselves. It’s not like there’s any law around to send us back to prison.”
“I’m sorry. My brother gets a little anxious sometimes.” Darren shot James an angry look of disapproval. “Dennis, why don’t you take the children back outside to play, so us grownups can finish our chat.”
“I’m twenty-three. I ain’t no kid,” Dennis asserted under his breath, yet obeyed his brother’s instructions ushering Willie and Sasha outside, Frisbee in hand.
Cora moved out of reflex for the welfare of her children. James grabbed her wrist to prevent her getting up. “No, no. They’ll be just fine,” he said, with a controlling smirk on his face. “You stay.” His eyes were scanning her up and down.
“Look. I’m gonna level with you all ‘cause you seem like nice folks.” Darren’s menacing nature tainted the compliment. “I know you figured by now that we ain’t prison guards. Fact is, we were incarcerated in that prison over in Pike County. Hell, when all this zombie shit went down it was like a riot, except guards and inmates were all on the same side. Over two thousand men just trying to stay alive. Shoot, they had no choice but to unlock the cells. They needed the inmates to help fight them damn things.”
James was growing noticeable irritated. “You mean they chummed the waters. The guards used inmates as zombie food, so they could save their own skins. Anyway, what does it matter, Darren? That was over a fuckin’ year ago, man. Let’s just find the zombie drug already!”
Darren held up his hand for his brother to be silent. “We holed up in that prison. Seemed a safe a place as any after we secured it and all.”
“Like I said, I know that prison well, son,” Reverend Burke tried a conciliatory tack. “Had several church members lose their way from time to time. Maybe I can help you all... in a spiritual way, I mean. The world is a different place now and we all need each other more than ever. Wouldn’t you say?”
“Jesus!” James said out of exasperation. His attention strayed from what he saw as unnecessary jawing and settled on Cora’s svelte frame seated just two feet from him. He had noticed what a good-looking woman she was from the moment he entered the Burke home. Desire had been fighting against their objective, but as James’ attention strayed so did his hand across the sofa, stroking his fingers along Cora’s arm.
Cora pulled away trying not to be obvious enough to draw her husband’s attention from his attempt to dissuade Darren from his mission.
“Damn, girl. I’m just trying to be friendly.” James sidled closer and spoke slyly, “I think we could be reeeeeal friendly.” The brothers hadn’t been with women since before their incarceration, and this opportunity began to make certain carnal desires twitch. “Darren, if you and the preacher are gonna just stand there and shoot the breeze, I got better things I can be doin’.”
Spotting a record player in the corner, James placed the needle in the groove of the record still on the turntable. He smiled at the upbeat zydeco music, stamped his foot in rhythm, and snatched Cora up from the sofa to dance.
This music, that was the backdrop to the festive atmosphere of the Burke’s Christmas celebration, now tainted that memory as James pulled Cora in close. He ran his hands across her hips, forcing her to sway to the music along with his body.
Cora complied thinking it would appease and steer the brothers away from any violence. Her husband felt trapped, and could do nothing but watch the filthy man, who invaded their home, pressing and grinding himself inappropriately against his wife.
James reached around and grabbed Cora’s ass in both hands then closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feeling of a woman again. “Mmmmm. I ain’t done this in a long time,” he said, eyes still closed, a satisfied grin smeared across his face. A grin that turned roguish as he opens his eyes. “You know what else I ain’t done in a long time?” Without hesitating, he took Cora by the wrist, tugged her out of the living room and forced her down the hall.
“Ham!” Cora called with trepidation in her voice.
“Cora!” her husband called back, taking a step.
“Whoa. Hold on their, preacher,” Darren said. “We ain’t finished here. See? My brother is willing to play nice with your wife, so why can’t you play nice and tell me where them drugs are?”
“Okay, I...” Hamilton began.
“Ham! Don’t,” was all Cora said before the door to their bedroom slammed shut.
What was she doing? What was she trying to prove? Hamilton racked his brain for a legitimate reason why his wife would rather have a dirty criminal rape her on their bed than give up their stash of zombie serum. Perhaps it was because with men like these they both knew it’s never an either/or proposition.
“Don’t worry, preacher. My brother will be gentle with her.” Darren grinned, looking at Hamilton who felt powerless to do anything.
Reverend Burke could offer up the serum, but he knew the men would still have their way, and then kill him and his whole family. All Hamilton could do was pray. Pray for mercy. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for a miracle.
#
James taunted and teased Cora, as if the act of what he was about to do wasn’t disturbing enough. He hadn’t been with a woman in so long that his mind weighed the options of what to do first. He held her close to him, taking in her scent, feeling her soft cheek against his. That was a sensory pleasure in itself.
The stubble on his face was coarse against Cora’s skin, and his body bore a pungent stench from the lack of bathing. Even in the cold winter air the smell carried to her nostrils, fueling her hatred for this man she barely knew.
A gurgling wheezing noise from the hallway made Darren crane his neck in that direction.
“My father. He’s not well,” Hamilton explained. “I need to give him his sedative.”
“You just stay put, preacher. “What’s your old man got, anyway?”
“Cancer”
“It really chaps my ass that you’ll keep a dying man alive but won’t help protect three men like us that have their whole lives ahead of them. We’ve got big plans for this town, preacher, and if we had what you got... WOOOOOO MAN!”
The reverend’s mind left his father and went to Cora. He couldn’t decide if the silence from their bedroom was a relief or not. Each second that ticked by made him feel worthless.
“I’ve been as patient as I’m gonna be with you. Now, tell me where you keep that zombie drug, and all this will be over,” Darren’s face confirmed that his patience was indeed gone. He acknowledged the reverend’s pensive silence and stood behind Hamilton to whispered in his ear, “You’re thinking about your wife, huh? Wonder if she’s enjoyin’ it as much as my brother is?”
Cora’s shriek echoed down the hall. James had finally decided on how to proceed and made use of the handcuffs on his belt.
“Okay! Okay!” Hamilton shouted in a desperate attempt to stop what was happening in the other room. “I’ll tell you. Just make him stop.”
“Give it up first,” Darren said.
“The serum is in...”
Hamilton was cut off by James storming out of the bedroom, his pants undone. “She said it’s in the old man’s room!” James said excitedly, dangling the key in the air. “She says there’s a box under his bed.”
The two brothers hurried to the locked bedroom, a throaty sound that was a cross between snoring and drowning emanated from behind the door. “Might want to hold your nose,” James advised as he turned the key.
The two made a bee-line for the bed to drag out the box beneath it. Their tasty scent now filling the room to the delectation of its occupant.
A hand grabbed at Darren’s back. He presumed it was his brother trying to gain leverage until it began pulling from above. Thaddeus Burke snatched at the bulky coat until the body beneath it came up to investigate. Darren screamed, and in the struggle to get away the old man’s oxygen mask was tugged away from his mouth.
James had given up on the box once he discovered it only held folded blankets and rose the moment he heard his brother scream.
Now, he finally saw the dying old man for what he truly was. For all intents and purposes the old man was already dead, his dripping, gaping mouth now clamping onto his brother’s face.
Scrambling to his feet in horror, James ran for the bedroom door only to find that it had been pulled shut, locked from the outside by the key Hamilton kept in his pocket.
The banging became violent, accompanied by shouts for help—begging, pleading for mercy. Suddenly, it stopped. James tried another tack, selfishly hoping the zombie was distracted enough by devouring his brother that he could get to the window undetected.
Thaddeus was on the floor consuming his victim, when his new prey came near.
James sprung for the window as a bloody hand snagged his baggy trouser leg. The demon-looking monster that didn’t seem strong enough to even get out of bed, yanked James to the floor, ripping down the curtain he’d been gripping for dear life.
James was quickly eviscerated, ending the last of the savage screams of two of the Burke’s captors.
Hamilton found his wife handcuffed to their bed. Tears filled his eyes at the sight of her opened blouse, but thankful that her pants were still on. He ran to her side and held her.
“I’m sorry, Ham. I had no choice but to...,” Cora began.
“It’s okay. It’s okay. But, how long have you known about my father... that he was...?”
“I’ve known for a while. I’m so sorry, but I had to. I couldn’t risk you telling them where the serum is to save me.”“I’m sorry, Ham. I had no choice. I couldn’t risk you telling them where the serum is to save me.” Cora began.
“It’s okay. It’s okay. But…, how long have you known about daddy—that he was…?”
“Not long.”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you about him. I didn’t know how.”
It was in that moment that Hamilton knew that it was God’s providence that saved them. A miracle. Every unanswered prayer, every question he asked God about Thaddeus was answered by God himself in the events of the last fifteen minutes.
“We do what we have to do,” Hamilton said. “We don’t always know why God does what He does, but in the end it’s all revealed.”
Fumbling with the duty belt James had left on the bed, Hamilton located the key to un-cuff Cora from the headboard.
Now, they needed to quickly devise a plan to get their children away from the last brother out in the front yard.
Hamilton reached for the duty belt again, this time grabbing the gun from the holster.
#
Dennis tossed the Frisbee to each of the Burke children in turn. Although Sasha and Willie didn’t feel much like playing Frisbee, they played out of fear of what would happen if they didn’t. The last thing they heard before leaving their house was some stranger saying they should kill their family.
“So, what’s it feel like?” Dennis asked.
“How does what feel like?” Sasha responded indignantly.
“When you take the zombie serum. I’ll bet you feel like you have super powers, huh?”
“I guess so. Never really thought about it.”
“I can’t wait until I can do that,” Dennis smiled at the thought.
“Why do you hurt people?” Willie’s question was without filter.Willie’s question was without filter.
Dennis let the Frisbee sail past him. “I... I don’t hurt people.”
“Your brother said he wanted to kill us. How’s that not hurting people?” Sasha dove in.
“That’s my brother, not me. And, anyway... he was just trying to scare your folks,” Dennis said, retrieving the Frisbee.
Sasha thought for a moment, acknowledging that this man did seem different that his brothers. Not only did he not seem violent, but he seemed to be more like a big kid than a grownup.
“Hey, Willie,” Sasha called to her brother.
“Yeah?”
“Remember when we first got our super powers?”
“What?”
“You know... how we felt different. Stronger.” Sasha’s eyes flared open at her brother silently threatening him to go along with what she was saying, or else.
“Oh, yeah. And we...”
“That’s right, Willie,” she had to cut him off, sensing he was going to exaggerate too wildly, giving them the ability to fly or some such nonsense. “We really did feel like super heroes. But now, we’re just used to it, I guess. You’ll find out,” she said to Dennis.
“Wait,” Dennis said. “You mean that serum gives you other super powers, too?”
This is almost too easy, Sasha thought. “Well, yeah. Not like we can fly or anything like that,” Sasha cut her eyes to Willie, “but, we can run faster. You, know... so we can outrun zombies.”
“No way.” Dennis was in awe.
“Wanna see?”
“YES! No, wait. I’m supposed to be watching you guys, and I don’t think Darren would like...”
“You can come with us. We won’t go far. Just to the edge of our property and back.”
Dennis bit his lip as he weighed the options to see the super power or remain obedient to his brother.
“Here.” Sasha held out her hand. “You can hold our hands, so you can run faster with us. It’ll be like you have the super power with us” How could he resist?
Willie took Dennis’ hand and peered around him to look at Sasha questioningly.
“Okay. Ready?” Sasha asked, implying one thing to Dennis and another to her brother, to which they both nodded their heads. “Ready... set... GO!”
Dennis was so wrapped up in the promise of super powers that he truly believed he was running faster than he’d ever had before; that these kids were running faster than any kids he’d ever known. His longer legs were moving him ahead of them in the snow and his grip slacked a bit. His broad smile turned to joyous laughter. He didn’t want to stop, but ahead he could see the edge of the property was coming up, and beyond that was the ticket of bushes before the woods began.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him fell away. Sasha and Willie let go of Dennis’ hands as he broke through the snow-covered camouflage, falling into the twelve-foot deep pit.
#
Hamilton burst out of the front door, gun raised. Cora was a step behind him, but the front yard was empty. Only a Frisbee lay on top of the snow. Their hearts leapt into their throats as they feared the worst.
“Look,” Hamilton said, pointing at three sets of foot prints in the snow heading around the side of the property. The couple ran to follow the prints when their kids came racing toward them from around the side of the house.
“Wegothim,” Willie puffed, all out of breath as his mother snatched him up into her arms, thankful that her children were safe.
“Whoa. Slow down,” Hamilton said.
“Dad, we got that man trapped in one of the pits,” Sasha said, panting with a hand on one hip.
“Wha...? That’s my girl.” Her father pulled her close with affectionate pride. “Now, you kids stay here with your ma.”
“You’re not going to kill him, are you dad?” Sasha shouted after him, spotting the gun he was carrying.
Cora knelt and embraced her children and Hamilton knew what had to be done.
Continuing around the side of the house, Hamilton peered through the window, now with its curtain torn down. The interior of the room held a horrifying scene that Hamilton hoped he’d never have to witness. Thaddeus Burke, on his hands and knees, covered in blood and eating the innards of a man that a short while ago was prepared to rape his wife.
It didn’t feel like justice. It didn’t feel like anything. Hamilton was numb inside. He watched transfixed for a good five minutes before raising the six-shooter and pulling back the hammer.
The sharp click made Thaddeus turn from his meal to squint into the light of the window. Blood dripped from his chin, his head bobb
ed left to right trying to focus, but then simply turned back to his meal.
“God forgive me,” Hamilton said before pulling the trigger, tears in his eyes.
Thaddeus slumped to the blood-soaked floor, finally at peace.
Part 8
Tom’s figure was dark and imposing descending down the hatch into the Matthews’s bunker.
“Sherry,” Tom called so as not to startle her if she came out to see him suddenly standing there. His eyes scanned the room recalling how the corrugated walls always reminded him of the cargo container he was trapped in aboard the ship bound for Iceland. He shook off the memory.
Out of courtesy, Tom reached for the Medi-aire spray from the shelf.
“I thought my husband was the only one who needed that stuff,” Sherry said as she entered from the bedroom.
Tom chuckled, “I know. But, I just didn’t want my smell to be lingering down here when they all get back from chores. I wanted to thank you for the peaches.” He produced the empty jar, setting it on the table.
“Oh,” Sherry waved a dismissive hand. “It was nothing. I just hope you enjoyed them.”
Tom nodded that he did. “I’ve also been meaning to come by to check on Eva. How’s she doing?”
“Just got her down for a nap. Although, I think she’s starting to outgrow those.”
“Have you...?”
“No. I haven’t told Kenny about the accident,” Sherry assured him. “I won’t. He’d never let Eva out of the bunker again.”
“For the best.”
Sherry admitted to Tom that, because of the incident at the pond, she did give in and decided to allow Kenny to give Eva the serum injection. “She’s getting around so well on her own now that it’s for her own safety. He said he’d give it to her when he did the rest of us; coming up in a couple of week, actually.”
Zombie Survival Page 7
