The man looked at Mike for a long moment before he nodded and turned back to the parking lot.
Mike looked at Martin. “Martin, do you have enough energy left to run back to the camp again?”
“Scouter Mike?” Martin asked, confused by the question.
“I want you to bring Ricky and Michael here. If this group has more infected, having those two might help.”
Martin grinned. “Sure thing, Scouter Mike!” He took off at a run.
Mike turned and watched the entry for the man’s return. They had some of his troop and those people were turned. Who were they? Was it just Scouts or had a Scouter make it through?
He didn’t have long to wait. The first man came back leading a group of people. Tied up and between pairs of men and stumbling toward him were three boys and a man. Mike didn’t recognize them until they were much, much closer as the four were actively trying to get at their jailers. Each one had the telltale pinhole pupils. Their clothing was torn and bloody and their faces were smeared with grime and gore.
“Jeremy?” Mike said. His voice was slightly more than a whisper as he recognized the creature that had once been a fellow leader. This had to be the group lost in Water Valley.
“Scouter Mike, I’ve got Ricky and Michael coming,” Martin shouted as he ran up. He stopped as soon as he saw the procession coming toward them. “Is that…is that Scouter Jeremy?”
“I think so,” Mike said. “Which means the boys are probably Harry, Jonathan, and Everett.” As he spoke, Mike looked more carefully at the shambling boys. They did indeed look like the Scouts he had just identified.
Michael and Ricky joined him and Steve. “Well, we’re here, Mike. What can we do to help?” Michael’s eyes were clear and he seemed almost eager.
Mike never took his eyes off the group approaching them when he spoke. “Well, Michael, I’m not sure if you can do anything, to be honest. I needed Ricky here in case his little trick of turning the dead to living might work on these poor creatures.”
“Scouter Mike, aren’t they….” Ricky didn’t get to finish his sentence.
“Yes, Ricky. They are members of our troop.”
He called out to the group. “That’s far enough!”
The people stopped and everyone was quiet for a few moments. The only sound was the moaning of the captive dead.
“Are any of your people injured?” Mike asked.
The man shook his head. “No! We all managed to get away without any injuries.” He gestured to the prisoners. “We found this group no more than a kilometre from here. They were in pretty bad shape. The adult here was still coherent but had bites all over his hands and arms. The younger ones were all tied up. He was the one who told us to look for you.”
“What’s your name?” Mike called. “My name is Mike. I’m leading this Scout troop.”
“Dave,” the man answered. “So, what do we do now, Mike?”
“Well, Dave, it looks like you have your hands full. And I can’t risk bringing any of the dead in here. Even if they were once my troop. I’ve got a lot of people to protect.”
“I can understand that,” Dave said, nodding. “But my people and I can’t simply stay out here either. There’s no protection. From what this guy told me, these are your folk. Can’t you just let us in?”
“Tell you what,” Mike began. “We have actually managed to cure one of the undead.” He pulled Michael forward. “This fellow was bitten by one of the creatures.”
Dave stepped forward, trying to get a clearer view of Michael. “That’s impossible! No one can be cured from death.”
“Michael, could you show Dave your neck, please?” Mike asked.
Michael nodded and exposed his neck while simultaneously pulling his collar down. The injury on his neck was scabbed over and the bruising was fading to a sickly yellow.
Dave shook his head. “You expect me to believe that the healing wounds you are showing me is evidence he was one of the dead?”
Mike shrugged. “Whether you believe it or not, he was turned. My guy Ricky, here,” Mike pulled Ricky forward, “suffered a head injury a few hours prior to us finding Michael. We found that the dead avoided him. He seemed to confuse them. We had him close to Michael after he turned and Michael came back. To prove our theory, we took Ricky away and Michael went dead again.”
Dave looked confused. “But, how can you cure death?”
“I don’t know, Dave,” Mike said. “But we proved that Michael had become one of the dead. And we proved that Ricky helped him come alive again.”
Dave looked at Michael. “And what happened when you turned into one of the dead?”
Michael’s expression went sad. “I don’t remember anything. In fact, they tell me that I had forgotten things from minutes before I turned.”
Dave shook his head. “Now I don’t know what to think. I had hoped it might be possible; we all have friends and family who could be among the dead.”
“We had to keep Michael and Ricky together continuously. Both have been healing in that time; Ricky of his head injury and Michael of his infection. We don’t even know if they can be separated without Michael turning back.”
“Scouter Mike?” Ricky spoke up. “My headaches are almost gone now. I don’t get blurred vision or anything. I don’t know that I’m helping Michael at all.”
Mike looked at him. “I expected as much, Ricky. You couldn’t stay injured forever.” Mike thought for several moments before he spoke to Michael. “Are you ready to try something?”
“Um…what do you want me to do, Mike?” Michael asked.
“I want you to walk away from us toward the tower.”
“You mean, leave Ricky behind?” Michael looked shocked at the idea.
“It’s the only way we will know if you are cured,” Mike said.
“I…suppose I could try,” Michael said. “But could you make sure the guys are ready to restrain me, just in case? I don’t want to hurt any of you.”
Mike looked at Kyle. “Get your guys ready, just in case.”
“You got it, Dad,” Kyle said. He quickly gathered Scouts and ropes.
When they were ready, Mike nodded at Michael. “There’s no time like the present, Michael. If you aren’t cured, Ricky is here to bring you back. If you are, you will have more freedom and a road to your life back.”
Michael took a deep breath and took a tentative step away from Ricky. He stopped for a moment before taking the next step. Then the next and then another until he was striding away with purpose. He was more than fifteen metres away from Ricky before he stopped.
“Well?” Mike called to him.
Michael stood without answering, his back turned to the assembled group. Tension rose among the Scouts. He slowly turned to face everyone. Scouter Mike held his breath. Was Michael still okay?
The man looked out at everyone, his face expressionless. He stared at the Scouts for several moments before a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. His eyes remained normal.
Chapter 24
“Michael, how are you feeling?” Scouter Mike asked.
“Like myself,” Michael said. He shrugged and rejoined the group. “I guess the time I spent with Ricky did cure me.”
“So, what do we do now?” Dave asked from outside the gate. “We still need to either come in or find another safe place.”
Mike turned to face the man. “I think we should see if Ricky can help them out like he helped Michael.” Mike looked at Ricky. “Are you okay to try with them, Ricky?”
Ricky looked at the creatures that had once been Scouter Jeremy and his fellow Scouts. “Of course, Scouter Mike. I’ll do whatever I can to help them out.”
Mike put a hand on Ricky’s shoulder. “I was hoping you would say that, Ricky. Steve, unlock the gate.”
Steve was already on his way to the gate when Mike spoke. He pulled keys out of his pocket and unlocked the padlock. He pulled chain out of the gate and swung it open. “Ready when you are, Mike.”
>
“Come on in, Dave. It’s probably better if we do this in here than outside. If things don’t work out….” He stopped talking, not quite sure what to say next. “I guess we will have to figure it out, if it doesn’t work.”
Dave nodded. “Okay people. Let’s get these poor souls into the park. Bring all your gear too.”
The strangers came into the park, taking their time to carefully manoeuvre the former Scouts through the gates without harming them.
Mike watched the undead members of his troop come into the park. They were all much worse for wear. Jeremy had cuts all over his face and body. His right arm hung limply, looking like his shoulder might be dislocated. That same arm looked like it had been chewed along its entire length with blood staining his clothing.
The boys were only slightly better. Each one was pale and had obvious bites in various places on their bodies. The entire group had the trademark pinprick eyes. One of them had a large chunk bitten out of his arm. They all were trying vainly to reach their captors.
The new arrivals kept their dead charges held in the middle of a circle of ropes and people. When they were settled, Dave looked expectantly at Mike. “So, Mike. Show us how you cured Michael.”
Scouter Mike smiled. “Bring one of the boys out of the circle. There is no point risking my guys any more than necessary.”
“You heard him,” Dave said. “Bring one of them out.” He pointed at the Scout with the badly ravaged arm. “How about him?”
Mike shook his head at the choice. “Larry? I don’t know about picking the worst of the lot first. Steve, could you make sure we have the big first aid kit available? I have no idea what will happen when that boy turns back, but I expect bleeding and a lot of pain.”
Steve nodded and sent one of the Scouts running for the supplies. “Hang on a minute, then, Mike. It makes no sense to rush this now.”
“I agree,” Mike said.
They didn’t have long to wait. By the time Dave’s people had the lone boy pulled out of the group, the Scout had returned with the first aid kit and rolls of gauze and bandages.
“You ready, Ricky?” Mike asked. Steve and some of the Scouts had set up a first aid station and the undead boy was held away from the others, jerking and moaning in his ropes.
“I guess so, Scouter Mike.” Despite his brave words, Ricky looked nervous. He took a hesitant step toward his former comrade. The dead boy ignored him completely.
Ricky got closer to the Scout until he was almost within reach of him. There was no change. He remained as dead as when he had arrived.
Ricky stopped. “It’s not working, Scouter Mike.”
“Stay where you are for a moment, Ricky,” Mike said. He looked at Steve. “I don’t know what to make of it. Why isn’t it working this time?”
Steve considered the question for a moment. “Maybe whatever eggs that got scrambled when Ricky fell that first time are fixed now. If that’s what let him help Michael, then he might not be able to do anything now.”
“That’s possible. But if that’s the case, why isn’t Larry trying to reach Ricky?” Mike asked.
Steve watched the undead boy for several moments before answering. “That’s a very good question, Mike. But you’re right. Larry is completely ignoring Ricky. Maybe whatever happened to Ricky makes the dead think he’s one of them.”
“Could be,” Mike said. “But, if he can’t help them revert back, what are we going to do?”
“Hang on a second,” Dave said. “You really believed he would help this poor kid?”
Mike stared at the man for several seconds. “Why would I waste anyone’s time with a fantasy, Dave? Of course I expected him to help Larry!”
“Whoa, sorry!” Dave said taking a step back. “I was just starting to think you fellows had been cooped up here too long.”
“Let me try,” Michael said. He moved toward Ricky. “It’s the least I can do.”
“Just a minute, Michael! We’ve only just got you back to normal. Do you think it’s wise to tempt fate again?”
Michael nodded. “I do. If it hadn’t been for all of you, I would still be one of them. I need to do this to try and pay back what you have already done for me.”
“I understand,” Mike said. “But, be careful, okay?”
Michael smiled. “Oh, I intend to. I don’t want to become one of them again any more than you want me to. Less, even.”
Michael took a deep breath and walked toward the tied-up dead boy.
While Larry had ignored Ricky completely, his head turned toward Michael immediately. As Michael got closer to Larry, the boy triedto turn and get away from the man. The bonds held him snugly and he began to struggle.
Michael kept moving toward him.
Larry let out a low moan and sagged against his bonds when Michael was within reach. His eyes closed and he became dead weight against the ropes.
Michael touched him gently on the arm.
Nothing.
Larry lay very still.
“What’s going on, Michael?” Mike asked.
Michael, who had been leaning over the boy, straightened up. His face held an expression of deep sorrow. “I…I don’t know. If I didn’t know better, I would say this boy is dead. Not undead like he was a few minutes ago, but truly, completely, dead. I think I killed him.”
“You can’t kill what was already dead,” Steve said. “Kyle, could you run get a blanket to cover Larry up with, please?”
“Sure thing, Scouter Steve,” Kyle said. He took off at a run toward the camp.
“I really thought we could save them,” Mike said quietly. “It worked with Michael. Why didn’t it work with Larry?”
“Maybe Larry has been dead too long,” Steve suggested. “Remember, Michael had only just turned when we brought Ricky to him. And Ricky had only hurt himself an hour or so before. Maybe we just hit the perfect timing.”
Mike rubbed his eyes. “You could be right. We were probably too late to help him. I’m guessing we are too late to help any of them.” Mike waved his hand toward the other, tied up Scouts and Scouter. Then he noticed that a pool of blood was forming under Larry. “Could one of you Scouts grab a bucket of water and a mop please? We’d better get this blood cleaned up before it gets tracked around the camp. Martin, Todd, could you form a burial….”
“What did you just say?” Dave asked, interrupting Mike.
“I was just getting a burial detail together,” Mike said, annoyed at being interrupted.
“No, no! Before that.”
“I asked for someone to clean up the blood.”
“That’s what I thought you said,” Dave replied. “Where is the blood coming from?”
“Probably from Larry’s arm,” Steve answered.
“But your boy hasn’t bled the entire time he was undead,” Dave said very slowly. “Why is he bleeding now?”
As if in answer, Larry, still lying on the ground in an ever-expanding pool of blood, groaned.
“What are you saying?” Mike asked.
“I’m saying that this is something new,” Dave said. “Your boy there has not bled the entire time he was with us. I’m guessing that was because he was dead and his heart wasn’t beating.”
That sounded promising, and Larry’s groaning was getting louder and louder. Mike looked closely at him. Tiny droplets of tears were appearing at the corner of the boy’s eyes.
His lips moved but no sound came out.
“Guys! Do one of you have a canteen of water here?” Steve said.
Carl stepped forward and handed Steve a small plastic canteen that sloshed when it moved.
“Thank you, Carl.” Steve cautiously went over to the groaning boy and knelt down beside him. He dribbled some of the contents of the canteen onto the Scout’s cracked, dry lips.
The first droplets of water dripped down the Scout’s face, leaving a trail through the dust on his cheek. Steve tried again.
This time a tiny bit of the water seeped into the boy’s mouth.<
br />
The change was almost instantaneous. Like a hungry bird, Larry’s mouth opened to welcome more of the water. Steve continued to kneel beside the Scout, slowly rehydrating him.
While Steve was giving Larry water, Mike bandaged his wounds to stop the flow of blood.
Three canteens of water later, Larry’s chest began to rise and fall in what could only be breathing. The air coming from his mouth and nose was foul at first. Steve kept giving him as much water as he could handle.
Almost an hour after they began, Larry opened his eyes for the first time. The pupils were no longer the tiny pinpoints they had been. They were glazed and unfocused, but they were closer to normal than before.
His eyes remained open for only a few seconds before they closed again. A sigh escaped his lips and he slumped.
“What happened? Is he still alive?” Mike asked.
Steve carefully felt Larry’s wrist. He looked up at Mike his face inscrutable. “He has a pulse. It’s weak, but it’s there.” Steve put a hand on the boy’s chest. “He’s still breathing.” He grinned. “I think he’s back in the land of the living.”
The Scouts, who had been watching the whole thing in awed silence, cheered. Larry jerked at the sound before settling more deeply into sleep.
Steve stood and clapped Michael on the shoulder. “Well, Michael. It appears that, whatever has happened to you, you are now some sort of antidote to this undead problem.”
He looked over at Ricky, who had started edging away from the group. “And you, Ricky! Without you, we could never have done this.”
Ricky stopped. His eyes were filled with tears. He wiped his nose. “What do you mean, Scouter Steve?”
“I mean, if you hadn’t been here, Michael couldn’t have been saved. It was because of you and your care of Michael that we now have a hope to rescue more people.”
“But Scouter Steve, I can’t save them like I did Michael. They just ignore me now. What good can I possibly be?”
Mike spoke up then. “We need you more than ever now, Ricky. You know better than anyone how to look after someone who has come back. We need that knowledge. And if they ignore you, even better. It means you won’t be attacked if they come around you. Maybe that will work to our advantage too.”
Scouts of the Apocalypse: Zombie Plague Page 14
