When they finished interrogating Clyde, they’d pushed him out the loading dock. The young man had been sobbing again, begging to be allowed to stay. Curtis had handed him a spear and sent him on his way. Clyde had taken only a few steps before Katarina ended his life. Even though Bill had seen it coming, he flinched.
He lifted the beer to his lips and took another long drink. He was thinner now, but his beer belly persisted. Rosie was planning on brewing her own beer, so chances were it was not going away once the local supply was used up.
Katarina walked up to him, her sniper rifle cradled in her arms. “Shouldn’t you go to your room to sleep? Or maybe go up to the party?”
“Ever think we missed something important?”
She lifted an eyebrow, then shrugged. “No.”
Bill frowned. “How can you be so sure?”
“Well,” Katarina said, kneeling down. “We have all worked pretty damn hard to do everything we can do. At this point, we have covered everything possible. But—” She shrugged again. “—some-thing impossible may happen. We just deal with it as it comes. So I don’t worry about it.”
With a slow sigh, Bill reached down to his side for another beer. “The bandits sure weren’t the enemies we anticipated, eh?”
“Always go with the worst-case scenario,” Katarina answered.
“Nerit’s advice?”
Katarina nodded.
Bill popped open a fresh can, then said, “Well, then, I guess we’re doing okay, considering what has gone down.”
“We’re alive,” she agreed. “That’s saying a lot.”
With a laugh, Bill could only agree. “Yeah. Yeah, it is.” He stood up, his knees creaking. “I’m going to take this and go to bed now.”
“Good night, Bill.” Katarina moved on, her gaze returning to the perimeter.
He trudged down the stairs, all at once eager to sleep and not deal with reality. Maybe … if he was lucky … he would dream of Doreen and their wonderful day in Venice … .
And maybe, just this once time, he wouldn’t dream of everyone around him turning into zombies chasing him and Doreen into the ocean.
That would be nice, he thought. Very nice.
6.
Time of the Dead
Katarina watched the zombies beating against the wall. She knew that in the morning, they would be destroyed and the area around the fort cleared. She would be asleep by then, and that was fine with her. She had done enough killing to last her for a while.
The deadlands beyond the fort were dark and full of mystery. She had no idea what lurked out there and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. There was enough weirdness in her world as it was. She wasn’t sure when she’d first become aware of the ghost. At first, she’d thought she was dreaming. But recently she had overhead other people talking about dreaming of dead ones or thinking they saw them in darkened corners.
Her mother appeared more and more often now. The ghost didn’t speak to her, just stood there and glared at her with disapproval. That stern, angry face, so familiar from life, was unchanged in death.
Katarina rubbed her eyes and looked over her shoulder. Her mother stood in the shadows near the doorway.
“You’re not really here,” Katarina said.
The ghost remained, watching her. Shaking her head, Katarina looked back toward the street and the zombies.
“So, if hell is full and the dead are walking the earth, Mr. Romero, where are their souls?” Maybe she should ask Reverend Thomas. No—or at any rate, not now. She had too much work to do.
“Fuck the dead,” she whispered. “This is our world.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
1.
The Election
Travis was exhausted, but in good spirits. At first, he had been deeply bothered by the violence the fort had used to defeat their enemy. Yet he could not think of another way they could have won and ensured their continuing safety. It was difficult to accept the brutality of the zombie-infested world he now lived in, but he was acclimating.
Manny was recovering, slowly, but had decided not to run for reelection. With Steven Mann the only other candidate, Travis had had to embrace the inevitable. He might not have wanted to be the fort’s leader, but he had already taken on many of the responsibilities of the job. Today, he’d learn if he was going to get the title to go along with those responsibilities.
Heading to the dining room for the debate Steven Mann had insisted on, Travis glanced at the election posters a few people had taped to the walls. “Travis is the MAN! You don’t need a Mann!” one read. “Steven Mann—On YOUR Side” read another. A smile flitted across his lips. As he walked, he tucked in his shirt and smoothed back his hair. The lobby was fairly empty. Most of the fort’s inhabitants were already in the dining room.
Yolanda stood near the archway with the Reverend Thomas. A radiant smile graced her face and she exuded a quiet peace that Travis found refreshing. Working with Peggy had obviously given her a new purpose and he was glad to see her doing so well.
“Travis, come here!” she ordered.
He obliged her, wondering what she wanted. “Reverend Thomas, good to see you again. Sorry we haven’t had much of a chance to talk.”
“We’ll find time later on, I’m sure,” the reverend assured him.
Yolanda scowled as she fussed with the collar of Travis’s blue button-down shirt. “Why aren’t you wearing a tie?”
“Zombies are roaming the earth. Can’t a man do without a tie at times like these?” Reverend Thomas said teasingly.
Yolanda smiled slightly. “A mayor should always look respectable.”
“I’m not the mayor,” Travis reminded her.
“Yet.”
Travis laughed and shook his head. “I swear …”
“And in front of the reverend. What would your mama say?” Yolanda chided him.
“Are you going to help me out here?” Travis appealed to Reverend Thomas.
The reverend chuckled and patted his shoulder. “You’re doing fine.”
Ken and Lenore strolled up. As usual, Ken was smiling brilliantly while Lenore scowled. “I’m voting for you because you’re not as stupid as most people,” Lenore informed Travis in her usual monotone.
“Uh, thanks,” Travis replied, not certain if he had been complimented or not.
With a nod of her head, Lenore walked on, Ken trailing behind her.
“Well, there are two votes.” Travis rubbed his jaw. “Let’s see how the rest of this goes.”
“Good luck, Travis,” Yolanda said with a smile.
“I’ll be praying for you,” Reverend Thomas assured him.
“Thanks. I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
Every table in the dining room was packed with people ready to hear the two candidates speak. The buzz of conversation filled Travis’s ears as he wove through the maze of tables and chairs to the front of the room, where a podium and two chairs had been set up. A Texas flag had been hung on the wall behind the chairs.
Katie, Jenni, Nerit, and Juan were sitting at the table in the front. Blanche sat at a nearby table with a few of her husband’s supporters while Steven chatted with Manny and Peggy, who were seated at a third table. The soon-to-be-former mayor appeared to be in much better condition than he had been a few days earlier, and Travis was glad to see him.
Leaning over, Travis kissed Katie’s cheek. “Wish me luck?”
“Is that so you become mayor or so you don’t?” she asked.
“I’ve decided that I should be mayor,” Travis admitted.
“About damn time, dumb-ass,” Jenni chided him, grinning.
“You’re the man, man,” Juan declared.
“You made that poster, huh?” Travis laughed. “Nice play on his name.”
Juan shrugged but smiled proudly.
“I think we should start, don’t you?” Steven said, walking over with Peggy at his side.
Travis felt a little afraid, but his resolve was firm. He stra
ightened up. Peggy said, “We’re flipping a coin to see who gives the first opening statement. Heads or tails?” She pulled a quarter from her pocket and showed it to the two men.
“Heads,” Steven said firmly.
Peggy flipped the coin, caught it, and slapped it down on the back of her hand. “Steven, you’re up.”
Smugly, Steven stepped behind the podium and Travis sat in one of the candidates’ chairs. He rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans, then caught Yolanda’s disapproving look and stopped. Turning his attention to Katie, he focused on her serene green eyes and her tender smile of encouragement.
“What I have to say is very important to the future of this so-called fort.” Steven Mann was an imposing figure behind the podium. His height, rugged face, and startling blue eyes, matched with his cowboy attire, gave him a definite Texas charm. “As you know, my family was one of the first to settle in this area. This town was named for one of my great-great-grandmothers. We made our money from farming, ranching, and oil. We’re Texan through and through.”
There was a smattering of applause, and Blanche beamed with pride.
“With my support, this fine hotel was renovated. My money helped finance the reinvigoration of Ashley Oaks. In other words, I have been a force to be reckoned with around these parts.” His wide grin and Texas twang gave just the right spark to his words. A few people laughed and clapped.
Travis felt more than a little jealousy as Steven spoke. Travis was beginning to wonder how he could compete with Steven’s polished presentation.
“So, when I tell y’all that I believe in Ashley Oaks and its good people and that I am thinking about what is best for all of you, you know I’m telling the truth,” Steven said in a firm tone. “In the last few weeks, we have seen the violence that exists outside our walls. We understand that our enemies are not just the dead, but also the living. These are dire times. Which is why I want to tell you that this man—” He turned and pointed to Travis. “—is the right man to be your mayor.”
“What?” Blanche gasped.
Startled, Travis turned toward Steven, not sure he was hearing right.
“Travis Buchanan has proven himself to be a strong leader. From the initial construction of the fort to our fight with the bandits, he has proven without a shadow of a doubt that he is the one we should be following. Do I agree with everything he says and does? Not always. But he is building a better future for all of us, and right now, right here, he’s your man.”
“Steven!” Blanche sprang to her feet.
“I withdraw my candidacy.” Steven stepped away from the podium and offered Travis his hand.
“I don’t know what to say,” Travis said, shaking Steven’s hand. The room erupted into noise as people turned to each other in astonishment.
“Don’t fuck up,” Steven said simply. “And don’t think this means we’re friends or that we won’t find ourselves on opposite sides in the future. But I didn’t build a successful business by being a fool, and I can see that right now, you’re the man who needs to be in charge.”
Peggy hurried to the podium and raised her hands to quiet the din. “Okay, does anyone else want to run? Anyone?”
Silence filled the room. People turned in their chairs, craning their necks to see if anyone was going to step up.
“Are we still going to vote?” Ed called out.
“We should,” Travis said quickly. “And allow write-ins.”
Nodding, Peggy loudly explained how to cast the votes while Yolanda and Reverend Thomas took up positions by the ballot boxes.
A little shaken by the turn of events, Travis joined Katie at her table. She took his hand and kissed him.
“That was surprising,” Travis said, chuckling.
“He just woke up to the truth,” Juan decided.
“His wife is pissed, though,” Jenni said, gesturing at the side of the room, where Blanche was speaking forcefully to her husband.
“You’re the right man for the job, Travis,” Katie said. “Everyone knows that.”
Travis nodded, watching the lines forming in front of the ballot boxes. “We’ll see.”
Manny Reyes cast his vote, then crossed to Travis’s side and reached out his hand. Travis quickly stood and shook the former mayor’s hand.
“Manny, I want you to know—”
Manny waved his hand, dismissing Travis’s concerns. “My time is done. I voted for you because I believe in what Steven said tonight. In fact, we spoke about you earlier today and I had a feeling he would do the right thing.” Manny smiled. “I’m out of my depth now. Peggy is right. I’m a politician. You’re a leader.”
Travis felt a lump forming in his throat, and his voice was thick with emotion when he spoke. “Manny, you’re a good man and I will still ask you for advice.”
“And I’ll give it to you. Whether you want it or not,” Manny joked. He hugged Travis, patting his back.
As Manny walked on, Travis slumped down in his chair, and said, “This is one helluva night.”
Two hours later, Travis listened as Yolanda revealed the final tally to the waiting crowd. Both relieved and overwhelmed when he heard his name, he stood up and faced the people who believed in him.
“I’ll do my best,” was all he managed to say before the applause and cheers began.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
1.
The Good Things in Life
Jack, the German shepherd, wanted a cookie.
Lying on the floor, watching Jason on the phone, he wondered if the boy could see his hunger for a cookie.
Jason was talking and talking and talking … .
Jack yawned, his sharp teeth flashing in the early morning light. He couldn’t understand why his boy was always talking on that stupid phone with Michelle. She lived just a few doors down. Jack could hear her voice without the phone. Girls were loud.
The dog whimpered a little and was rewarded, not with a cookie, but a pat on the head.
Jason finally hung up and walked out of their very untidy bedroom into the small living room. Jack followed, head down and tail limp, trying to show Jason how desperately he needed a cookie. He could hear Jenni and Juan snoring in the other bedroom. He had heard them wrestling a lot last night, but despite his scratching on the door, they had not let him in to play.
Jason leaned down and hugged the dog tight, kissing his head and nuzzling him. Jack forgot his cookie for a moment. He loved his boy very much.
They left their rooms and went to the strange little room Jack wasn’t too sure about. There were never cookies in it, and the doors always opened to a different room. He didn’t like the way the little room seemed to move. It made his head swim. Still, his boy went in there a lot, and where his boy went, Jack went. With a doggy sigh, he walked into the small room, head down, and endured the strange noises and feelings.
Happily, after they left the nasty little room, they went to the dining room. Jack inhaled the rich fragrance of food and felt much better. As he walked through the room, many people gave him pats on the head and nibbles of bacon. He gave them his biggest grin and wagged his tail extra hard. Surely someone had a cookie.
But no one did.
With a certain amount of grumpiness, he wandered over to his dish and was happy to see a few pieces of bacon and some of that good yellow stuff on top of his kibble. Tucker was already at his bowl. Jack knew that Tucker was very old and that he liked to sleep a lot, but when Tucker was awake, he enjoyed Jack’s occasional companionship. The two dogs touched noses briefly in greeting, then went back to eating.
Jack gulped down his food and drank a bit of water. Tucker ambled away, rubbing against the young shepherd as he passed, and they sniffed each other, mostly as a courtesy. Licking his muzzle, Jack trotted away, searching for someone who might give him a cookie.
Glancing back at Jason, he noticed that the boy was holding Michelle’s hand under the table. Ah, his human puppy wanted to mate. Well, that was okay, but he really needed to be better ab
out cookies.
Jack strolled down the hallway, looking for one of his many human friends.
“They took my Hummer, and now I have to scrub floors and toilets! My nails are broken and there is not a decent manicurist to be found!” a woman shrieked from the stairwell. “And now Travis is mayor and you’re nothing!”
“You need to keep your whoring mouth shut,” her mate answered in a terse voice.
“Don’t you dare bring up Shane again!”
“So you admit it?”
Jack kept walking. He didn’t like that woman. She smelled too clean and kicked him when no one was looking. He wanted a cookie, not a kick.
Around the corner, Jack found the smelly man, who was holding up what he called a camera and talking to himself. Jack thought the man smelled great, like chickens, dogs, and other good stuff. Jack wondered, if he rolled around with Calhoun, would he get that great scent on him? But if he did, Jenni would probably give him a bath, like she had when he had managed to play with a dead squirrel before she caught him.
Jack pushed past Calhoun and into a room where Travis was talking to Pepe’s man. Pepe’s man had nice leather shoes that Jack wanted to chew on. Peggy was there, too, and Jack looked around for her puppy, who usually had cookies or candies. But to his disappointment, he didn’t see the human puppy with goodies in his pockets.
“ … had just received a grant for community development. We were trying very hard to improve the city,” Peggy was saying.
“So,” Pepe’s man said thoughtfully, “most of the city is on septic tanks or rudimentary sewer systems.”
“Exactly. We didn’t start actually zoning the city until a year ago. It pissed off a lot of people, that’s for sure.”
Jack stared at Peggy. Surely she would realize he needed a cookie.
Travis sighed. “We’re dealing with an archaic system for the hotel and city hall. We’ll have to come up with something else soon. This isn’t a big city with a network of underground systems. Sewers will become an issue sooner or later.”
As The World Dies Trilogy Box Set [Books 1-3] Page 64
