by catt dahman
But no one wrote effective rules for dealing with a world filled with flesh eaters.
Chapter 14
The Zoo Is Closed But Open for People
A quarter of a day’s ride brought them to a zoo that Julia and Rae were already looking over. “The zoo is closed. There may have been a very few here for the animals, but few is the key. It’s locked up tight, so the Zs haven’t been inside. We made some noise and didn’t get any moaning response.”
“A zoo?”
“Ladies, there aren’t any balloons and vanilla Cokes given out anymore at zoos,” Len quipped.
“Oh, that’s too bad since I wanted to get you a bunch of balloons,” Rae told him.
“I wanted cotton candy. Let’s check it out, slow and cautious,” Len suggested, “main walkways…look in the pens; then, we meet back here and go into the buildings. Be careful, but it does look secure.”
“Gotcha,” Matt agreed. Although he took over as head of security, it didn’t bother him at all to have Len issue commands and be in charge.Matt took it as another valuable chance to work with Len and to learn from the best.
“That’s sad,” Julia pointed out all the monkey areas to Matt, “they died of hunger and thirst. Pure torture. I wonder what they thought about no one’s feeding or caring for them…if they wondered where all the people went. I love monkeys.”
“They thought that humans ruined the world and left them to bear the cruelty we caused them,” Matt said, “poor little things.”
“Three days with no water and that was it; yep, it was a bad way to go. Don’t tell Beth, or she will cry for a week; you know she loves animals,” Kim said. She would cry, but he did miss her being here with them.
As they went right, Julia began to sniffle when she saw the massive lions with the ratty, rotten fur shrunken over bones.
A handy spring wound all about the zoo into the exhibits so the cats were able to drink water, and it looked as if some of the larger ones turned on the old lions, the weaker ones, the babies, and the non-alpha females. The bare bones were licked so clean that they shone like ivory with not a stain, sinew, or clump of hair left.
But after a few months, the rest succumbed to starvation and died, or maybe they were sick and died. But they were not here which was odd.
“It wasn’t enough to destroy them,” Teeg said softly.
“I love big cats,” Julia said.
“El tigre,” Matt hugged her.
The spotted leopards and black leopards didn’t fare any better. The tigers looked as if they had just attacked one another all at once and no one won. The catamount cage was empty, so they must have died back in their cages.
The giraffes were long skeletons, almost lost in the sand and dirt and looked like strange creatures; the hippos and rhinos were lumps along their section of the winding waterway, unrecognizable in their leathery, rotted states.
The once beautiful birds in yellows, blues, crimson, violet, emerald, turquoise, and flame were gone except for a few faded bits of feathers left in the corners of the cages.
“All the birds? They could have opened the cages and let them fly free…damn,” Julia complained,
Most of the bears were in their caves except for the brown bears.A mother bear and two cubs may have died only a couple of years back, based on their stench. Maybe they hibernated after they had eaten the rest of the bears; the sides of their little stream were deep in fish bones where presumably they had caught fish.
“They had this pond, well two, but this one would have been coming off the clean spring and into a huge tank where tons of fish were raised. From there, the water and some fish ran off into the streams that meandered into the bear-exhibits and the seal exhibit.”
“It’s possible the water system kept working, and the bears stayed alive a long time,” Matt explained as he reasoned it out in his head. Len was one who always wanted to figure out the stories. “Maybe old age or sickness caused their deaths.”
“That’s creepy, too,” Julia shuddered, “you said there was another pond?”
“Alligators, turtles, and fish, maybe we can skip that a while; knowing them, they’re still kicking.”
All the deer were long gone, the buffalo, kangaroos, camels, and zebras, as well. The rainforest area was completely dead as were all the Australian and African creatures.
Zipping through the building exhibits, they found neither dead nor living people. The reptiles and nocturnal animals were long dead. Julia didn’t feel an ounce of pity
for the dead snakes.
“I have lost my mind,” Kim said, “I swear I keep hearing elephants and big cats. Must be depression making me imagine it.”
“Then, I’m depressed, too. I know I heard an elephant,” Teeg said.
“There’s just that area behind the rock walls where equipment, staff apartments, and feed storage are located.”
“Hello?” Carl called. To his amazement, a large cat roared right back at him. “I am gonna need a straightjacket, too,” he said.
Rae frowned. “I doubt that. Hello, there.”
“Well, hello, Ma’am, how are you?”
“You’re alive.”
The man laughed. “I guess I am.”
“We have wagons and people out there, a whole small settlement. We need a place to rest and regroup,” Kim said, “we thought we heard…ummm…elephants.”
“Yup, that would be three cows, female elephants,” he said, explaining as everyone looked confused. “And we have a few kitties. Big cats.”
“Then, I’m not crazy.”
“You still may be, but not because of hearing elephants. We had bears and zebras…a few more, but the winters were hungry times. We have managed to keep a few breeding pairs, but they are in back.”
“I see.”
“If you aren’t bitten, then you can come in; I’m Dale. We don’t have a lot, but we can make do. We’ve been here a long time, and some company would be a real treat for us,” he said, grinning, “I bet you’ll love seeing the tame, clean animals we have hand-raised.”
“I admit I’d love to pet an elephant,” Rae said.
“You can do that and even ride one.”
Rae grinned like an excited little girl.
Every one pitched in to get Cal’s group inside while Dale directed them to use this pen or another for the cattle and sheep. The wagons gathered close to the gates of the zoo as Dale’s friends directed them.
They watched the wagons with slack-jaws, amazed at the supplies the people packed and brought along.
Dale chuckled, “And I thought taking all your people in was going to drain us horribly; little did I know you were far better off than we have been.”
Cal shook Dale’s hand. “What is ours is yours. A man’s selflessness should never be unrewarded. We’ll share and share alike and have a glorious day!”
“Oh, I am selfish; don’t discount that we’ve had no news for years,” he said as his eyes watered, “we have so many questions for you. Are like sponges waiting to soak up all you know.”
“These others know more than we do, but we’ll fill in as we can. I thank you for this hospitality,” Cal said, “you have the security, and we have some supplies.”
“We are glad to see all of you,” Dale told them.
They all answered questions later, sitting around a campfire, explaining what happened in the ten years since Z day.
The ones at the zoo scavenged for food and supplies and found a meal of fresh food to be an almost forgotten pleasure.
They were shocked that the US bombed itself to contain the infection, amazed that the President was alive and close in the year after Z day, and speechless with sadness that the entire United States was gone.
“What was the President like?”
“At the end, he was a real hero; he saved our lives, and he died in combat against the bad people.”
“That makes my day. Why’d he bomb us? Was it him or North Korea who got us?” Iran?”
&nbs
p; “He was forced by the remains of our own government to kill the massive amounts of Zs in the biggest cities. Our own government used big bombs.
The old man who was bitten was isolated and put down after dinner as he turned with the infection.
The child didn’t fare any better than the old man since its body wasn’t strong enough to throw off the shock to his system after Rae removed his foot.
He died of blood loss and shock, but they kind of pretended it was the bite that caused the infection to allow Rae a little peace, not that she had much choice but to try.
Everyone wanted to see the elephants, and some touched them carefully, in awe of the massive creatures. The cats were sleek pumas, raised from kittens and friendly enough, but still frightening to see.
“Beth would love petting them. Katie would love them, too,” Kim mused. He didn’t admit it, but he felt better when they were back in their cages, and he was away from them. “Katie would cry over the ones who died.”
“We couldn’t save many, but we did what we could,” Dale said. “The pumas are very protective and can kill the Sticks pretty fast.”
“Sticks?”
Dale laughed. “I still call them that at times…walking stick men…Sticks.”
“I want to get back to the business at hand as soon as we can,” Kim said as they made bedrolls for sleep. Despite being bone-weary, he didn’t think he would sleep because of jobs unfinished, the roars of the cats, and the fact that he was outside with so many people, but he did sleep: in a spot off to himself.
Chapter 15
The Dream Thing: Only One Choice, It’s Time for the Omega
He dreamed.
In Kim’s dream, he heard George giving last instructions to Bennie although Kim was not at George’s deathbed. He only heard what his friend told that George had said; it hadn’t made sense then or later.
“Tell them. Look to Zane. He is the Omega. Zane. My terms. This is George’s terms.”
What did George mean as he descended into death? Why would Zane be the Omega? The end? Kim wondered a million times. Now, in his dream, Kim heard George’s words and saw Zane watch the water below as he sat on the rocks. “Hi, Kim.”
“Hi, Zane. I didn’t expect to see you in my dreams.” The teen smiled happily at him, and the moon lit the water below as it rushed through the rocks.
“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it since I have done the dream things? Ten years? Sorry that I didn’t help you sooner, but I couldn’t do this until now.
After the fight at the airport, things changed; I couldn’t do my little tricks. I didn’t say much back then, but that took a lot out of me….”
“You were magic.”
“It’s nothing special, Kim; magic is all around, but we’ve forgotten how to use it, and maybe that’s for the best. Not everyone knows how to use it wisely.”
“Like Pascal.”
“Like him. I really couldn’t do anything until now; I had to save the little bit I had left, but now is the right time again.”
“I’m asleep, right?” Kim asked.
“That’s the only way we could talk,” said Zane laughing. “It isn’t like I can call you.”
“But you can be in my dream?”
“I’m not in your dream really; I just don’t think there’s any better way for this, and we aren’t talking so much as you are knowing my thinking….”
“I know your thoughts? Like mind reading?”
“No, I said my thinking. Honestly, Kim, you ask the most difficult things here. I could do this when you are awake, but you would get spooked, and it takes more energy, and like I said, ‘I’m not letting you read my mind. You are getting my thinking’.”
“I don’t quite understand.”
“That’s okay. By the way, Beth will be fine, Kim, if you can just do this last task the right way. You’ve had difficult situations before, and you will again, but this one is very important for you, for Beth, and for everyone. Try to do your best.
And no matter what happens, you will know you did your best because you need me very much, I am here, and you are there, so it’s the best we can do.”
“I always do my best. I just don’t understand much.”
“I can’t tell you as much as I wish I could, but those are the rules.”
“Who made the rules, Zane?”
The teenager laughed. “I can’t tell you, Kim, but it doesn’t matter. Just listen to me. When you awaken, you will need to go to the waterfall that runs into the stream that goes all around the zoo. It’s like the one at Hopetown, isn’t it?
Where I am? Once you are there, you will have one choice and only one choice to make. Don’t forget that, Kim. One.”
“What kind of choice?”
“I can’t tell you that, but you’ll understand it. And Kim? I sent you my very best weapon to help you; I hope you will appreciate the sacrifice. And….” He laughed again.
“I also have one last little trick to do. It isn’t a lot, and it won’t help if you make a wrong choice. It’s a small thing I hope I can do for you, and it’s all I have left. I saved this one last bit of energy for this moment.”
“I don’t understand this, Zane. Why? What choice? What trick? Is this real? And why me?”
“I can answer two of those questions, but time is short. Yes, this is very real. And why is it you? Who else would it be? Do you think each of us has no purpose? You, like me, have a great purpose and a part to play.
This was not supposed to happen: that all humans should inherit such a diseased world and be faced with this, but it happened, and now the insanity must end. It’s time for the Omega, Kimball.”
“I’m just a regular man and not a great one at that, Zane.”
“Not everyone would agree,” Zane told him as he stood on the rocks and looked around, “I hope things work out, Kim. I hope you make the right choice.”
“I don’t understand….”
“I know, but you will. Remember, Kim, only one choice. One. And it’s time to awaken.”
“Zane?”
“One.”
Kim awoke.
Chapter 16
Zombie Infestation--Stupid Is Dangerous
Cory had heard the noise of someone’s breaking into the house they were in; he was on his feet, gun ready in a split second as he whispered to alert the others.
In what world did the pair of nuts think they were in that they could sneak back and try to retake the supplies and house for their own? What kind of idiots were the two men that they were thrown out? It made Cory angry to have to defend the safety that they found against two rude, selfish pricks.
The second Tim stood up, after having climbed through the window and fallen to the floor, Cory had his gun pointed on him; Tim had even looked surprised, which had been even more idiotic to Cory. “Get your ass up, and keep your hands where I can see ‘em, dumb ass.”
“You would’ve done the same in my place,” Tim said.
Cory laughed. “No, I have more sense.”
While Robert and Bella tied the other man securely to a chair and then to the banister of the stairs, Cory and DeVon tied Tim. The other man still ranted, calling
them a variety of names.
“They are stupid. Stupid is very dangerous,” Wheeler declared.
It was almost sun up, and the survivors had spent that time making whispered plans, voting, and getting ready to get out as soon as they could after a cold breakfast.
“They chose to come back,” Robert added. “They made a bad choice.”
“What are you doing?” Tim demanded when they dragged his chair and the chair of the other man in to the kitchen. He pulled fruitlessly at his ropes.
“We gave you food and hospitality. You, in turn, are accused of pushing women in front of zoms to get away safely, you beat a scared, injured woman in her head right on our porch when we could have handled it more humanely on her own terms.
You brought zoms to our yard, left fighting them to us, an
d you broke in here to steal from us.You have insulted all of us. Is that about right?”Wheeler asked.
“That’s the least of it,” Cory said to Wheeler.
Wheeler nodded. “I bet they have done far worse. In a world like this, some bad sorts have no business running about hurting other people.”
“Too many good people have died, and you don’t deserve the life you have, but we aren’t murderers yet,” Robert added, “so we did vote, and it wasn’t too good for you two.”
“You aren’t killers,” Tim muttered, “we didn’t do anything so bad. We put the girl down before she could attack anyone. We were too tired to fight, and yes, you helped us. We did sneak back, but it wasn’t to steal but join up with you.”
“Add lying to their offenses.”
“But you are not killers,” Tim said again.
Robert sighed. “Nope. We aren’t. But we’re also not fools and not prone to giving you any more chances. And those things you carelessly brought into the yard and to our back door when you broke in, they are killers.”
“And we have to get by them to get on with where we’re going,” Bella added, “that’s your own bad choices, causing us to have to make hard choices.”
“My conscience is clear with whatever happens to you,” DeVon spat at the two men. She knew Tim, despite his situation, still leered at her.
“You did it,” Wheeler said, “let’s go on and get ready.” He followed Lucy Ann, Bella, DeVon, and Cory out of the kitchen. The two men, who were tied to chairs, looked perplexed. They looked more confused as Robert and Kevin began to tap on the back door and call outside to the creatures that shambled about the back yard.
Kevin looked out the window and nodded. “They are coming around.” He didn’t need to say it because the stench came like a cloud, making the people inside feel sick. The creatures moaned and shuffled towards the door.
“Clear,” Wheeler called from the front, “front yard is all clear now.”
“Hey, you don’t wanna do this….” Tim argued.
“Didn’t we say we wanted to, but you left no choices for us, and we couldn’t let you go where you could hurt others.”
