by Brown, TW
Twice she had gone to see him and both times she was turned away. She was beginning to wonder if the man had not been able to round up enough of his men to make the trip. After all, the Beastie Boys were rumored to be a nasty bunch. Over the past few days, Catie had made it a point to go into public places and drop casual inquiries about them to the residents of this community. It was as if she had mentioned honest to goodness boogeymen.
“You need to put that down, Marty,” one of the men warned.
“You ain’t taking me no place,” the man, Marty apparently, said with a snarl. “If the administrator wants to talk to me, he can come down here his own damn self. And if you think that the two of you have what it takes to bring me in…” The man began to laugh, and it wasn’t pleasant sounding at all. There was serious menace and derision in that little outburst.
“This doesn’t have to be like this,” said one of the two men dressed in the black Catie had seen on the roving security that wandered the confines of the community.
In her own wanderings, Catie had discovered something rather curious. There was actually more security on the ground than up on the walls. No surprise, none of them wore the bracers of the immune. It began to remind Catie of a prison camp in many ways. She saw those wearing the bracers make way any time that the roving goons passed.
“All I am saying is that the first one of you that puts hands on me goes to the morgue.”
Catie leaned against the doorframe and watched the ordeal with growing interest. She appraised the situation and felt that it was very likely that this Marty would be more than capable of following up on his threat.
He was a massive man. His head was clean shaven and seemed to attach directly to his shoulders with no trace of a neck. He stood at least a foot taller than the tallest of his two antagonists. His arms were easily the size of a normal man’s legs and his legs were tree trunks. His torso was tapered from amazingly broad shoulders down to a surprisingly trim waist. In her experience, most men she met with that much size had either a solid but pronounced gut, or were just plain sloppy looking.
“Marty, what seems to be the problem?” another voice called out.
Catie glanced left to the voice and saw a man that was either Marty’s twin, or a clone. Catie blinked to be sure that she was not imagining things. She also noticed the two security personnel take a step back.
“Nothing, little brother,” Marty grumbled. “At least nothing I can’t handle.”
Little? Catie thought. There was absolutely nothing little about this man.
“We have been requested to escort Mister Sabonis to the administrator’s office,” one of the men managed, his voice squeaking and cracking like a pubescent young man.
“Just one of us?” the second behemoth asked with a surprising amount of mirth in his voice. He seemed more amused than anything else. “Now you guys know that we are a package deal. If Marty goes, I go.”
“We were only told to bring in Marty,” the security guard insisted.
“Tell ya what,” Marty’s twin said as he stepped up beside his brother, “I will accompany my brother. That way, you guys don’t get hurt and my brother doesn’t end up in the clink.”
“But—” one of the guards began, but his partner silenced him with an elbow.
“That would be fine.”
Catie watched the foursome head towards the chapel. That must mean that Dean was at the office. He had all but vanished since their initial meeting. She was sick of waiting. It couldn’t hurt to tag along. If nothing else, she could simply camp out across the street and wait for him to leave.
Catie was closing the door to the dorm when another pair of security guards arrived; this pair was making a beeline for her. Perhaps she would not have to wait outside after all.
“Missus Dreon?” one of the pair called out. This one was a woman and sounded like she was a two-pack a day chain smoker.
“Yeah?” Catie stepped back into the alcove of the entrance out of habit. She liked to have her back covered whenever possible. It wasn’t that she expected trouble, it was just her custom.
“We have been sent to escort you to the administrator’s office.” The woman took a few steps ahead of her partner.
“You guys must have won the coin toss,” Catie muttered.
“Excuse me?” the woman asked.
“Nothing,” Catie replied with a wave of her hand. “Let’s go.”
She walked the few blocks to the chapel, a sense of excitement building. Could this finally be it? And if so, were those two mountains of manflesh going to be accompanying her? If that was the case, it was almost too perfect.
She entered the chapel and was only a little surprised to discover Denise, Kalisha, and a dozen or so other people she did not recognize all seated in the pews. She did not need to see bracers to know that those seated on the left were part of the so-called unknown. Kalisha, Denise, Marty and his twin were seated on the right.
“Missus Dreon, you leave tonight,” Dean announced.
6
Superstitious Nonsense
“Why did she do it, Jim?” I sat by the fire, staring into it as my stomach churned.
The anger had not receded as the day drew on and we started up into the hills to the east of what had once been La Grande. If anything, it only intensified as we passed the still smoldering ruins of Island City. This was all Suzi’s doing. She and her people had come into our little valley and just decided to take it.
I thought all day about what Billy might be able to do against these people, but the more I really sorted things out, the more that I came to realize that we were helpless. This was an army. They took what they wanted because they could. Certainly the people of Platypus Creek were no match.
The more it sunk in, the more hurt, angry, and miserable I became. By the time we stopped for the night, I was desperate for somebody to tell me something good. And if that could not be the case, then at least perhaps I could gain some sort of understanding.
“I got no idea, cupcake,” Jim said with a lack of his usual optimism. “What I do know is that that Suzi broad is wackier than a football bat. Nothing good can come from having anything to do with her.”
“So you think Billy will have a way to deal with this?” I tried not to sound like a scared little girl pinning her hopes on some big, strong man to save the day, but damn if that was not exactly how I felt.
“Not likely.”
I turned to Jim with my mouth open in disbelief. He had never encountered a situation that he couldn’t handle or see a rosy side to—at least that I knew of anyway. Yet, there was no mistaking the sound of…defeat?
I felt my shoulders slump, and I returned my attention to the fire. Meanwhile, our so-called escorts were having a great time toying with Hunter’s still-animated head. They were playing a game of chicken where one of them would put his or her hand up to the mouth and yank it away just as the teeth clicked shut.
I watched for a while and eventually found myself getting up and wandering closer. They were so engrossed that they did not even notice once I stood right there in their midst. They were laughing and having a great time oblivious to anything so unimportant like their prisoner wandering around.
“Thalia!” I heard Jim hiss, but I pretended that I was too engrossed in what was going on.
My hand slipped down to my belt. We were not given anything really powerful like a crossbow, but we at least got to carry a belt knife and a machete. I slipped my knife free, trying my best not to draw any attention. I felt more than heard it slide from its sheath in a rasp of metal on leather. I also heard Jim growling my name. Just as the blade came free, one of the goons turned to regard me with a big, stupid grin on his face. I smiled sweetly.
Then I plunged my knife into the eye socket of Hunter’s head. It was over just that quick; at least for Hunter. From the look on the faces that turned my direction, it might just be starting for me.
“You stupid little cunt!” one of the men snarled and sen
t me flying backwards with a hard backhand. I think I landed right in front of where Jim sat.
“Hey!” Jim barked, jumping to his feet, but I couldn’t tell much through my blurred vision and ringing ears.
Somebody yelped, and it took me a second to clear my head enough and see that one of the women in our escort was standing over the man who had hit me. She had her fists balled up, and the man was actually on his back with his hands up in surrender.
“What have I told you about that word, Chick?” the woman spat, drawing one fist back for emphasis.
“Sorry, Maddy, it just slipped out,” Chick practically pleaded. Something told me that this Maddy could beat his ass, and he knew it.
“Next time it just slips out, I am gonna cut off those tiny things you try to pass off as your balls. We clear?” Maddy gave Chick a foot to the ribs for good measure and turned away.
I could already see what was going to happen. Part of me wanted to yell a warning. After all, even though I know she was not actually defending or protecting me, this Maddy had given that Chick guy a little bit of his own medicine. Still, I was also having fantasies about these people all turning on each other in a frenzy and killing one another in a quick but ferocious bloodbath, allowing me and Jim to escape to Platypus Creek and warn everybody.
Chick was coming up to a crouch, but he was not so much getting up as he was obviously getting ready to launch himself at Maddy’s back. I did not move for fear that anything I did might actually bring the attention my direction. Sure enough, Chick sprung, launching himself at Maddy’s exposed back.
There was a nasty crack and almost a yelp. Only, Chick was out cold before he landed, so he didn’t actually get the chance to finish that noise after Maddy’s elbow came back hard and smashed him in the jaw.
The rest of the camp was practically frozen in place. I waited, hoping that there would be this moment of silence, and then a massive brawl would erupt. No such luck. There was that moment of quiet; but then everybody started laughing. Well, almost everybody. Jim and I did not join in, and I doubted that Chick would be laughing for quite some time.
I was just getting to my feet when somebody shoved me hard in the back. I turned to see Maddy standing there with three of the men. They did not look at all happy now in contrast to that braying laughter of mere moments ago.
“Why did you do that?” Maddy demanded.
It took me a moment to know what it was that I had supposedly done. One of the men was holding Hunter’s head. Apparently that was the thing I had done that had them so peeved.
“He deserved better than that,” I said with a shrug.
“He was dead!” Maddy snapped. “And part of our instructions were to deliver this to your camp with our message.”
“So deliver it.” I sounded cool and calm, but inside I was shaking just a little. None of these people were something that I wanted to tangle with in a fight. And while I was confident that they were instructed to bring me to Platypus Creek alive, that did not mean I couldn’t show up with a few cuts and bruises like poor Jim.
“You are on the verge of really pissing me off, little girl,” Maddy growled.
“Look, folks,” Jim came up and put an arm around my shoulder, “I won’t tell. Thalia won’t tell. And unless that comes up in conversation, who is to know?”
“Suzi will know,” one of the men said, his voice holding a hint of awe like he believed that she would appear out of the darkness and punish them on the spot.
“What, does she have some sort of magic powers?” Jim teased. “Is she some sort of zombie apocalypse Randall Flagg?”
I had no idea what Jim was talking about, but it was clear that Maddy and one of the guys beside her did. They looked over their shoulders and then back to Jim. They actually appeared afraid. Personally, I was having a hard time not laughing.
“There is something about her. Nobody can say a word about one thing or another, but she finds out. She always finds out.” Maddy looked at the men beside her who were nodding vigorously.
“You guys are being a bit silly,” Jim finally said, but I could tell that he was being swept in by whatever the heck had these guys spooked.
“Just go to bed,” one of the men finally barked.
They all went back over to their side of the camp, leaving me alone with Jim who had a look on his face like he was seriously concerned about something. I waited for a few minutes before I could not hold it in any longer.
“Who the hell is this Randall guy?”
“Huh?” Jim looked up at me, and it was clear that he had been lost in thought.
“You mentioned some guy named Randall something or other.”
“Randall Flagg.” Jim put his hands up to warm them in front of the fire. “He was a guy in a book. Don’t worry about it.”
“You obviously are,” I quipped.
“People can convince themselves of anything if they try. That is why there used to be telephone psychics and horoscopes. Something nice and vague can become prophecy if you want it to be. This Suzi is obviously cultivating some sense of mystical power. It’s absolute fiction, but the whole zombie thing has folks regressing to a Dark Ages mentality. Pretty soon we will be creating gods and all that nonsense…the sun will cross the sky in a chariot and crap like that.”
I had no idea what he was carrying on about. Perhaps we just needed a good night’s sleep. I went to my bedroll and climbed in. As my eyes drifted shut, I could see Jim still sitting by the fire. He was mulling over something in his mind.
***
We were actually making pretty good time. Jim was the biggest hold up as he limped along and had to take breaks way more often than our escorts liked. Chick looked like he had been beaten in the mouth with an entire forest of ugly trees. Still, it was easy to see his scowl. That expression had no trouble making its way to his eyes that did not ever seem to drift from me.
A few times, our scouts would return and they would swap out. Sometimes they would tell of a few zombies seen ahead and if they had been taken care of or might still need to be dispatched. I was actually surprised when Chick’s turn came. I thought he might be excused, but that was not the case. It felt nice not to have him glaring at me for a while. However, we came to a stop beside a small runoff creek to refresh, and apparently it was also time for him to swap back in, only, there was no sign of him. We waited a while longer, and eventually Maddy made us get up and push on. She had one of the other men run ahead to find out what the deal was.
I glanced at Jim when we were ordered to come to another stop. It was obvious that our escorts were rattled. They kept huddling together in little groups as we walked. They were not talking loud enough for me to hear, but I did not need to hear to know that they were upset. When I glanced over at Jim, he had just the slightest hint of a smile on his face.
I went and sat beside him, took a drink from my canteen and offered him one. He took it, and while he drank, I whispered, “Okay, spill it. What the hell is going on?”
“I don’t have any idea what you mean, cupcake.”
Jim shrugged and tore off a bite of some of the dried meat and stale travel bread that we’d been given. Two more of our escort spoke briefly with Maddy and then jogged off in the direction that we were headed.
It was not ten minutes when they returned with the one who had left earlier, and I could tell by the looks on their faces that the news was not good. Again there was a conference that consisted of everybody except me and Jim. Finally, and after many instances where they would stop talking and glance our direction, Maddy broke away from the group and came over to stand above me and Jim. I had taken his lead and was currently chewing some unidentifiable meat that had been turned into jerky.
“How far are we from your compound?” Maddy asked.
I am certainly no expert in reading people, but the sweat on her upper lip and the way her eyes seemed to dart everywhere, rest on us for a second, and then look around frantically again, had me pretty confident in my assump
tion that she was scared out of her mind.
“Still another day and a half.” Jim looked up, shading his eyes as he did so; although the sun was actually a bit behind us, so I had no idea why. “Probably two with my legs being the way they are. I am walking as fast as I can, but you guys did a number on me back in camp.”
He was still talking when she simply turned and walked away. Jim looked at me and shrugged. I kept waiting for us to be rousted to our feet and pushed ahead. After all, we still had a few good hours of daylight, and time was a factor. Suzi had given me three weeks. I would not abandon Jackson.
As the sun set behind us, it became clear that we were not moving on any more today. A fire had been built, but I noticed that this one was actually quite large. They even went off the road and cut down a couple of pines that were about eight or nine feet tall. The problem with the fire was that all the sap from the young trees popped and made noise. It wasn’t much, but if there were any zombies in the area, they would be coming this way.
We didn’t have to wait long for that first moan. I already had my machete in my hand and was deciding that I would likely not be sleeping tonight in any case. Something was strange. I climbed out of my bedroll and glanced at Jim’s. He was sleeping just fine. I was going to give him a piece of my mind when this was over. If I didn’t still feel so bad for having thought that he might be some sort of spy, I would have woke him right away. However, I could at least hold off until the zombie threat proved to be something worth worrying about.
I positioned myself so that I could intercept anything coming in from the direction we had traveled. So far, the moans were in the direction that we were headed. Maddy had sent two people out with torches as a precaution. They had laid them on the road at about ten and then twenty or so yards out. That would give us plenty of heads-up if this was a mob.
It only sounded like one, maybe two. A few zombies are really no big deal; but it was also clear that these guys were spooked. They obviously wanted to be ready for the worst case scenario. None of us were ready to see our missing scout come shambling into view.
