by Poe, S. B.
“Hey, listen up everyone.” Cody yelled. Most of the crowd was still shouting questions at Cotton.
“EVERYONE SHUT UP.” Vernon yelled. He fired his shotgun in the air.
“What the hell?” Cotton started to yell. Cody interrupted.
“Shut up. Listen to me. We need to find the other Austin boy. He’s out here somewhere. And be ready. I think he’s a goner.” Cody spoke loudly.
By the time he had finished what he said most of the remaining survivors of Collier had gathered around. A murmur went through the crowd. A goner? Inside the barricade? Then the questions came again.
“How did it happen? How did he…” Mildred started yelling.
“Goddammit I don’t know. But right now, either grab a damn flashlight and a weapon and help us find him or go back to your damned house.” Cody said. He pushed his way back through the crowd.
He found his way to Vernon. There were a few others following closely behind and when he stopped and turned he saw more than a few scared faces. He wondered if he mirrored their fear. He didn’t have time to think about it.
“What’s the plan?” Vernon asked.
“Everyone just spread out. Start looking.” Cody said.
Mildred Wilson stepped up on the stoop of her house. She wrinkled her nose and cursed under her breath.
“Smartass Smalls boy. Little prick just like yo daddy.”
She reached for the handle of the door. It swung open under her touch. She couldn’t remember if she closed it or not, what with all the excitement. She shook her head and walked inside, closing the door behind her.
Her eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room and she saw the thing turn in the doorway of the next room. The candle on the table cast a flittering light off the goners face. The skin looked black in the shadows and the only thing she could think of was it looked like the silky, leathery skin of a bat. She looked at the face with holes where the nose had been. The stringy hair hung down half covering its eyes. She could see bare patches on its head that looked like the wrinkled twisted scars of burn victims. As she stood, unable to move, the thing lowered its shoulders and made a sound from deep inside, like air escaping from a long sealed tomb.
“Oh lord Jesus.” She said as she brought her hand to her mouth. The thing leapt.
Cotton was left standing by the pole. He looked down again at the body. He took the handkerchief out of his pocket and covered his mouth. He turned away. His head shot up when he heard the scream. He looked around. Most of the people that were here a few minutes ago had gone home or joined Cody in the search. He was alone in the darkness. Another scream. He thought it sounded like Mildred Wilson so he started walking over to her house. He stepped up on the stoop and leaned next to the door. He put his ear against it but didn’t hear any sound. He knocked softly.
“Mildred.” He said. He knocked again. “Mildred, everything ok you dried up old coot?” He said the last part to himself.
He stood for another few seconds and decided that he hadn’t heard anything after all. He turned to leave and absentmindedly reached to rattle the door handle. Habit. It turned under his hand. He paused and looked back at it. He pushed the door open. He could see a little ways down the hall. He could see an overturned couch against the wall in the room directly in front of him. He stepped inside. As he made his way a little further he could see more of the room ahead. As he reached the doorframe he could see Mildred. She was lying on her back with both arms thrown over her head. Her face was turned towards the door and her eyes were open. She made no sound and did not move. He stood there watching her for another second and then stepped into the room. He started towards her and saw her leg twitch. He stopped. The other leg twitched and her arm shot up in the air. He watched as life found its way back, piece by piece, into her body. Finally the twitching stopped and her head turned. She rose at the hip and sat up facing him. Her eyes were already the milky white of the other goners he had seen. He raised his pistol and fired. Her right eye disappeared and a large red spot appeared on the wall behind her head. The body twitched one more time as it slammed backwards against the hardwood floor. He straightened up and started to turn around.
He felt the thing before he saw it. It moved from the shadow behind him. He thought it moved with the shadow. It came so fast. He felt it wrap its hand around his throat and lift him off the ground. His robe fell open. All he wore were his boxers and his boots. He felt its other hand rip into his abdomen. Its fingernails felt like razors tearing at his flesh. His eyes grew wide and he tried to raise the pistol in his hand but he had no oxygen left to power his muscles. The world started to go dark. The thing turned and as he heard the sound of his own intestines spilling onto the floor below, Cotton felt the goner bite into his throat.
Cody and Vernon stopped and listened. The screams had come from two directions. The first was from back towards the VFW. The second set from ahead of them. Followed quickly by gunshots. They started towards the sound of the gunfire.
“What the hell is going on?” Vernon asked.
“Something got in. Somehow it got in.” Cody said.
“But how?”
“I don’t…” He stopped as they rounded the corner.
On the ground just a few yards in front of them they saw two bodies. The first was Vernon’s uncle. His eyes were fixed towards the sky and the side of his neck oozed the last drops of blood. The other was Tatum Hardy, the doctor. He looked the same as Willie Taylor. Before they could even process what they were seeing another shriek pierced the sky. Their heads shot up and they saw Bernice Hardy, Tatum’s wife, running across the street. From the shadows came something neither of them had seen before.
The thing moved across the street after Bernice. It wasn’t quite running as much as galloping. It didn’t bounce up and down but it’s legs worked together to move. It leaned slightly forward and they could see the long matted hair hanging from its head. It disappeared into the shadows on the other side of the street as quickly as it appeared. They heard another scream.
“This way. We’ll cut it off.” Cody said as he turned and ran between the houses. Vernon followed.
Jahda stood in the bed of the truck. She climbed up on the roof of the cab and looked over the barricade.
“Are you sure?” Josh asked.
“I know I heard it. We heard that weird bell and one shot earlier and I swear when we came out of that last house I heard more gunfire. Just a few shots but I heard it.”
“I don’t hear anything.” Devin said.
“Y’all were all still in the house. Screw y’all. I heard it.” She said.
“What do you want us to do?” Lori asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe someone needs help.” She said.
“Or maybe someone needed target practice or to get rid of a rat.” Ed said.
“Shut up Ed.” Bridger said. “But he’s right you know. Even if you did hear what you heard, there’s no way to know.”
“I guess.” She said.
“Unless we go in there.” He said.
“Oh no. You said just to the barricade. Well this is the fucking barricade.” Ed said as he patted his hand on the pile of appliances in front of him.
“Shut up Ed.” The others said in unison.
“I’ll be glad when this trip is over.” He said.
Bridger climbed up on the roof with Jahda. He put the binoculars to his eyes and scanned the dark. The sky was beginning to give way to a hint of light in the east but just a little. He lowered the binoculars and looked at the blockage in front of them. He looked left and right. His eyes landed on Jahda. She was looking to her left.
“I think we can get through over there. Climb over that pile of furniture. We can’t get over that next pile but look at that truck. I think we can just go through one door and out the other.” She said.
“Your call. If you think it’s worth it, we’ll go.” Bridger said.
“I do. I don’t know why, but I do.” She smiled.
“A
lright Devin. We leave the vehicles and go on foot from here. Devin and Jahda with me. Josh, Lori and Ed stay with the vehicles. Give us two hours after sunrise. We should be back by then.”
“And if you’re not?” Josh said.
“You’ll have to decide but there are more people than just us three. Remember that. The folks back home need that stuff.” He nodded towards the full bed of the truck.
“Gotcha.” He said.
“Five minutes. Get light, get armed and get ready.” Bridger said. They did.
Emma Grace crossed the street and heard a scream. She started towards the VFW. She stopped long enough to duck down behind the car in Mrs. Wilson’s driveway just as Cody and Vernon came around the corner. They ran on towards Greene Ave. She stood and stepped around the car. As she started across the lawn she glanced up and stopped. The doorway to the house was filled with a shape in a bathrobe. She stepped closer and the thing moved across the stoop into the faint light.
“Daddy.” She said. “Oh daddy.” She started towards him. It stopped and tilted its head back and smelled the air. She stepped closer and reached out for the things hand. She took it and it let her. It stood there with its head back just smelling the air like it was perfume. A tear came down her cheek. She looked at the gore spilling from below his chest.
“I’m sorry.” She said. “I’m so sorry.”
She stood there for a few minutes holding the things hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and turned. As she did she saw another figure step from the shadow. She looked at it and the sadness turned to anger.
She looked around on the porch and saw the gardening trowel. She grabbed it and walked over to the thing. The rot at the edges of the black holes in its face shimmered as it inhaled her scent. She drove the trowel into the side of the things head but it glanced off the hardened temple. She stepped back but the thing did not react at all. It just stood there, inhaling her. She took the tip of the trowel and lined it up with the things eye.
“This is all YOUR FAULT!!!!!!!!!” She drove the trowel as deeply as she could. Pop.
The thing collapsed. She turned to her father and sighed. She started walking towards the church. After a few minutes the thing that used to be Cotton Smalls began to shuffle forward. It lifted its head and scented the air. It turned towards the church too.
Cody crossed over into the next yard. He saw someone lying on the ground. He approached it slowly. It was Bernice. She lay there looking up at the sky taking deep breaths. Her eyes were fixed on some distant star and she didn’t blink when he snapped his fingers in front of her face.
“Bernice. Mrs. Hardy. Are you ok?” He asked.
He looked her over. He rolled her onto her side. He didn’t see any wounds. No bite marks, no gunshots, nothing. He rolled her onto her back. She kept taking deep breaths. He heard twigs snapping to his left and wheeled, bringing the shotgun up with him.
“Whoa boy. It’s just me.” Vernon said as he crept forward.
“Did you see the thing?” Cody asked.
“I think it went back towards the VFW. But hell, I don’t know what the hell is going on so. She dead?”
“Nope. But she ain’t responding.”
The sky was brightening and the world was beginning to change over from the early dawn black and white into the muted sepia tones with splashes of color. As the color returned so did depth. Cody turned to his left when he saw movement.
“What the hell?” He stood.
Off to his left he saw them. That shorthaired chick, the skinny guy and the son of bitch that hit him. He grabbed his shotgun and stood. Vernon spun and looked at what had grabbed Cody’s attention. He stood and tried to grab Cody.
“Hey boy, chill. What are you doing?” Vernon said.
“What am I doing? They caused this shit. Don’t you see that? It was all good until we ran into them. They did this.” He started across the yard. “HEY!!!” He yelled.
Bridger snapped his head to the sound. His eyes focused quickly.
“HEY!!!” He yelled back. Cody raised the shotgun.
“Get down.” He turned to Jahda and Devin. They did.
Cody leveled the bead at his target. He squeezed the trigger as he walked forward. As he applied the last pound of pressure the air suddenly went out of his lungs and his head snapped back as Vernon slammed into him. He went hard into the asphalt. He rolled over just in time to see butt of Vernon’s gun make contact with his forehead.
Bridger stayed down another second, still expecting the hail of pellets. He raised his head and saw the big guy standing over the guy that was just about to shoot at them. He saw him knock him cold with his gun. He stood.
“It’s ok.” Vernon yelled.
“You sure?” Bridger asked.
“Yeah. Come on out.”
Bridger looked down at Jahda and Devin. He shrugged his shoulders. They shrugged theirs back and stood. They all walked over.
10
Miles from Nowhere
Ham walked out of the shack. The sky was still dark but she could see the light rising over the trees in the distance. Martin wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. She looked at the gate.
“You think they’ll come back today?” She asked.
“Maybe.” He said.
“I miss Jahda and Devin. They’re the only family we got left.” Ham said.
“I think we’re all family now.” He said.
“I know. I meant they are the only people that we know from before. No one else is left.” She said.
They stood on the steps as the sky began to brighten. Tilly and Jennifer walked by. Martin knew he had the day shift on the fence. Jennifer and Scott alternated the night shift. Tilly was always on the night shift. He thought about how much he saw her around during the day too.
“I wonder if she ever sleeps.” Martin said to himself.
“Huh?” Ham asked.
“Nothing. Let’s go over and see if there is anyone working on breakfast yet. We can help.” He said.
Tilly and Jennifer waved as they passed by Martin and Ham. They walked past the barn and Tilly stuck her head in through the door. The horse was standing in the stall. She came back out.
“So does Raj talk to you about what him and my father have been doing?” Jennifer asked.
“Charlie? A little. Doesn’t he tell you?” Tilly said.
“Some. But I think he doesn’t want me to be worried. Should I be worried?”
“Not from what Raj told me. They are just trying to understand if there is anything about your father that made him the way he is.”
“You mean immune?” Jennifer asked.
“I guess they are trying to figure out why. See if it can help.”
“What like a vaccine or something?”
“Yeah, no. That’s not what I’m talking about. That would take, well; it’s not something we can do. No. But since the bite didn’t do to your father what it does to everyone else, they are trying to figure out what it did do.
“What it did do? Does that mean he could be like part zombie or something?” Jennifer nervously smiled a little.
“Probably not.” Tilly smiled at her. “Joking. He’s fine. Let’s finish this round and go get some breakfast.”
“Squirrel and rice? Ugh.” Jennifer said.
“I hear ya. Let’s hope that Bridger and them bring back some variety. Maybe some canned peaches or something.” Tilly said.
“That would be good. A candy bar would be better.” Jennifer said.
“Girl, don’t get me started.” They smiled as they walked on.
Vernon stood over Cody and watched him. He hated that he did it but he hadn’t seen any other way. He knew Cody was wrong. And he knew Cody would eventually know it too. And he’d hate himself for what he tried to do.
“Sorry about that.” Vernon said to Bridger.
“No harm.” Bridger said as he walked up.
“It’s been a hard day.” Vernon said. “He wasn’t thinking straight.”
&n
bsp; “Hey, we’ve all had them.” Bridger said. “Especially now.”
“He thought y’all had something to do with this.” Vernon said. “Y’all didn’t, did you?”
“Do with what? What happened here?” Jahda asked.
“Goners.” Vernon said. “Inside the barricade.”
“Goners?” Devin said.
“The dead.” Vernon said.
“Stringers.” Jahda said.
“Deaduns.” Bridger added.
“Well whatever you call them, they got inside. And so far we found one person alive.”
“Where?” Jahda asked.
“She’s right over here.” He pointed to the woman lying in the yard across the street.
“She’s alive?” Bridger asked.
“I think she’s in shock. She was running from something.”
“A goner?” Bridger asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe. I guess.” Vernon said.
“It’s ok. So what now?” Jahda asked.
“I don’t know.” Vernon said.
“What’s this house here? Does anyone live here?” Jahda asked, pointing to the house behind them.
“The guy I knocked out.”
“Is anyone there now?”
“I don’t know, his father maybe. Or his sister. I haven’t seen her all night.”
“Ok look. You and Devin here, carry that woman and this guy into that house. When you get them in there you stay. We’ll look around and see if we find anyone else.” Bridger said.
“What’s the address here so we can tell them where to go?” Jahda asked.
“Just tell them come to Cotton’s house. They’ll know it.” Vernon said.
“Alright, we’ll be back.” Bridger said. He turned to Devin and handed him the walkie.
“Josh will call you before he leaves. I promise. If we’re not back, go. Take these folks with you if they'll go too. If not, go. Ok?” He said.
