by Gayle Katz
“Stewart says it sounds like we have it handled,” said Zan, putting her smartphone away.
“He can’t have gone far. I’m going back to look at where we left him,” said Bourne.
Charlie and Zan looked at each other and shrugged.
“I’m pretty certain he’s no longer there,” said Zan.
“Really?” said Bourne. “We’ve seen some crazy shit this past year.”
He walked down the hall. It was dark, as only the lights from the other end worked. “Anyone got a light?”
“Like a lighter?” Zan asked, confused.
“I have my flashlight.” Charlie pulled it out and flicked it on. “OK, maybe he left a trail?” She shined it around the floor.
“Whoa. Hold on,” said Bourne. “What’s that?” He walked closer.
“Just some garbage, I think.” Charlie shined her light at a small piece of debris on the floor. It looked like a rotten carrot. She walked closer. “Yuck! That’s bad.”
Zan and Bourne joined her.
“What the?” asked Bourne, using the tip of his boot to touch it. “This might be the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen on the job, or off the job.”
“What is it?” asked Zan. “A carrot?”
“Cigar?” asked Charlie.
“No, it’s the zombie.”
Zan and Charlie looked at each other in awe.
“Go ahead and scrape it up off the floor. We have zombies to burn,” said Bourne.
“Wait a minute,” said Charlie. “I think Stewart will be interested in this mini zombie.”
“Fine. We’ll bag it.”
“Is that it?” moaned Zan. “Only two zombies?”
Chapter 4
________________________________________
“Hey. Thanks for meeting with me so early in the morning,” said Owen, sitting down at a table in the coffee shop.
“No problem. Glad to help,” said Julian.
Owen smiled at him. “You look way better than the last time I saw you. Unless you’re wearing makeup?”
He shook his head. “Just concealer for the dark circles under my eyes, but nothing else. My skin has regained its natural pink color. Also, my cat scratched me yesterday and today it’s almost healed.” He held up his hand.
Owen peered at it. “Wow, that’s great! It’s too bad someone can’t study you.” As soon as he said that, the smile disappeared from Julian’s face. “Oh no, I didn’t mean that,” he added.
“It’s OK. I know what you mean. But it’s not like anyone is alive who can study my blood and help save more zombies.”
“Yeah. Say, I remember my friend Zan telling me that even during the worst plagues on earth, Black Death, Red Plague, Ebola, even AIDS, that there are always some survivors. There has yet to be a plague that will 100% kill all the people.”
“Oh right, I remember Dr. Arora telling me something to that effect. People who have immunity can be tested to see if a vaccine can be developed.”
“Right, except Dr. Arora chose to do it in an illegal manner.”
“Yeah. Hey, I wonder why the FDA hasn’t descended on the city yet?” Julian laughed.
Owen looked at his watch. “I have to be in school in an hour so I hate to cut this short.”
Julian put his cup down on the table. “Right. Dr. Arora.”
“You have some info for me?”
His friend nodded. “Yes. You guys found her secret underground bunker, and then her HQ in the sewers. But you haven’t found all the things.”
Owen looked on with interest.
“Did anyone search her house?” he asked.
Owen shrugged. “I’m sure that Sergeant Bourne did a good search.”
“Has her house been sold? I mean, are all her things still in it?”
“Well, I think her funeral wasn’t that long ago. And I believe estate probate takes a year or two.”
“Good. That means that most of the stuff at her house should still be there.”
Owen looked puzzled. “I don’t think estate probate laws keep the family from disposing of her personal effects though. Clothing, kitchen stuff. I guess her jewelry and furniture would go to whomever she left them to in her will.”
Julian laughed. “That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about laboratory equipment, specifically stored vaccines and blood samples.”
Owen had a sip of his juice. “Right. But wouldn’t those things have shown up when Bourne did the search?”
Julian laughed again. “Remember that Dr. Arora was not only smart, she was also sneaky. I expect there might be something hidden in her house. Perhaps in the attic or basement.”
Owen thought a bit. “You may be right. So anything else?”
“Oh right. You’re not going to like this,” said Julian.
Owen looked at him. “What is it?”
“Well, I have a sneaking suspicion that Dr. Arora isn’t dead.”
Owen just looked at him. Then he laughed. “You can’t be serious! I was right there! She got caught up in the flames!”
“Yes, but did you watch her completely burn?”
Owen winced. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant subject, even when it was your enemy who died. “Well, when I climbed the ladder to the surface, I did look back. By then, she was fully engulfed in flames. If she had lived, she’d be severely scarred. She would have needed some serious medical attention. Oh, and there’s the fact that we collected her remains afterward, and that the morgue did a test and found the DNA to match that of her family.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I just have this feeling. Well, I thought I’d let you know. I really have to be on my way. It was great seeing you again.”
“Yeah. Same here. Stay well.” The two guys stood up and shook hands. Owen grabbed the garbage and placed it in the appropriate recycling bin by the counter.
As he was walking to his car, he thought about what Julian had told him. It was easy enough to do a search of Dr. Arora’s house. In fact, he was certain that Zan would be up to that task. But as for Dr. Arora still being alive? He had a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach that it was true. He’d have to mention what he learned from the good zombie at their next meeting.
As he pulled out of the driveway, he wondered how she could possibly still be alive. Dead was dead. No one came back from being burned alive.
zzz
The team was getting antsy during school. There was so much to talk about at their next meeting with Stewart. But instead of holding it at the school, they decided to hold it at Stewart’s apartment after school. This meant an even longer wait, as they had to drive there.
Charlie was anxiously awaiting the bell. Finally! All the students raced to their lockers. It was Thursday and there was only one school day left in the week.
“Hey, Charlie,” called out a voice.
“Oh. Hi! Sebastian, right?”
“That’s right, ma’am.”
She laughed. “No need to be formal.”
“I hope things are well with you,” he said.
“They are. I hope you are well too.” But when she stared at him, he didn’t seem well. It seemed as though his smile was forced. He must be having trouble sleeping, as he had dark circles under his eyes.
“No, um, can we talk in private?” he asked her.
“Ummm,” she said, not wanting to be late for the team meeting.
“I’m sorry. I wouldn’t ask, but I don’t feel confident telling my parents or even my best friend.”
Charlie’s eyes flitted around the hallway. “OK, we can chat in my car. I’ll drop you off wherever you want, then I have to head to a meeting.”
Sebastian followed after her. “Thanks. I really appreciate this.”
“No problem.” She led him to her car that was parked out back in the school’s parking lot. She unlocked her door, pressed the button to unlock the rest of the doors, and hopped in. He followed after her.
“OK, I’ve got about five minutes before I have to be on the road.” I
n the distance, she saw Zan, who looked at her in a curious manner. Charlie just shrugged and waved at her to go on ahead.
“I really appreciate this,” he repeated. “OK, so you’re not in my astronomy class, right?”
She shook her head. “No, nor are any of my friends. That’s Mrs. Duncan’s class, right?”
He nodded. “But she insists students call her by her first name of Keri.”
“I find her weird.”
“I know. And that’s why I’m here. I feel that she’s err, done inappropriate things.”
Charlie turned to look at him. “Inappropriate?”
“I mean, touching me inappropriately.” He looked down, embarrassed.
“What the?” Charlie said. “Do you want me to go and beat her up? Because I can do that!”
Sebastian looked worried. “Oh no! I don’t know if I have a valid complaint. That’s why I wanted to talk to someone first.”
“OK then, what exactly happened? I promise I’ll keep it to myself until we can figure out what to do.” Charlie decided that she’d have to be late to the meeting as this was far more important.
“Well, she called out that she wanted me to stay after class to go over some grades.”
“OK,” said Charlie, not feeling that was unusual in itself.
“It was last Tuesday. I waited while all the other students cleared out from the classroom. I watched as she watched. She kind of does this smirky thing, like she’s thinking of a joke as she’s watching you.”
“Yes, I get that. She’s creepy.”
“So, I go up to her desk. She stands up and puts her arms around me. Then she strokes my hair with her other hand.”
“That’s weird. Did she ask you first?”
“No. I started to back off, and then she grabbed my hair and pulled.”
“What? She pulled your hair?”
“Yes. I told her she was hurting me. Then she patted my butt and said, ‘Sorry, be a good boy and don’t tell anyone.’”
Charlie tried to stand up, but then hit her head on the ceiling of her car. “Oh my god. That is so wrong!”
“Do you think?” he asked, feeling hopeful.
“Yes, it is! Not only should she not be hugging you without your permission, or stroking or pulling your hair, but touching someone’s bottom is totally inappropriate.”
“I thought so.” He smiled, feeling much better for getting it all out.
“OK, so if you don’t mind, I will chat with Stewart, err, Mr. George, and we can help you file a complaint.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much, Charlie! I was too scared to go and speak to the principal or the vice principal alone.”
“No, don’t worry. We’ll get her fired or something.”
“Thank you so much!” He turned and smiled at her.
“No, thank you. I knew something was up with her. We’ll get rid of her just like all the other bad teachers.”
“There have been other bad teachers?” he asked.
“Yep. They don’t last long here.” She started her car. “Now, I hate to be abrupt, but where am I dropping you off?”
He gave her his address and they headed out.
zzz
“Thank you for the chat, Jane,” said Jay Bourne over the telephone. “I just wanted to be sure you’re fine.”
“I am and appreciate your call. I’m so glad that this zombie mess will soon be behind us. Oh, and don’t worry about me, I can look after myself.”
“Yes, I saw how you handled that gun at the Orzola factory,” he said, chuckling.
“And Dr. Arora is gone, as well as most of her minions, so I am no longer a target.”
“It’s such a relief,” said Jay. “I might have to go on vacation or something. Say, something else. What is the status of our police station?”
“Oh, it’s fine, Jay. You worry too much.”
“Well, because the zombie outbreak is nearly done, there are rumors that this station will be closed down because it’s not needed anymore.”
Jane had a good laugh. “That station has been around since the start of Portland and it will be around to the end of Portland.”
Jay laughed. “That sounds ominous.”
“Ergh, that’s not what I meant!” she said in protest. “Anyway, once the gangs and the criminals get word that zombies aren’t prowling the streets at night, they’ll be back out there again. So don’t worry, Jay. As long as I’m mayor, your police station is safe.”
Jay frowned at his telephone. “And that is what really, really worries me.”
“Oh, now you’re the funny one! Might I suggest that you create a bit of criminal activity to keep your station alive?”
Jay sighed loudly. “This is why we can’t be together anymore.”
“Oh, you know what I mean. Stay busy. They won’t shut you down if you’re busy.” Then she hung up.
Jay frowned at his phone in exasperation. He always looked forward to talking to her or seeing her, and then he remembered that she would say stupid things to annoy him.
zzz
“Sorry, I’m late,” said Charlie, taking a seat on Stewart’s couch. Zan, Owen, and Stewart were already there waiting for her.
“We were just discussing the miniature zombie,” said Stewart.
“Oh right. Eww. Did you figure out what that was?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Stewart. “I had a look at it under a microscope and scraped some samples and had them tested.”
Everyone looked at him.
He looked serious. “It was a cloth doll with some real human hair attached.”
“Huh? I don’t understand,” Zan said.
“So, it wasn’t a zombie then?” asked Owen.
“It’s what you would call a voodoo doll,” said Stewart. “It’s used for magic.”
“Um, so someone used a voodoo doll to create a fake zombie giant?” asked Charlie.
Chapter 5
________________________________________
Julian was just leaving the house for his job.
“Hey, Julian! You’re looking well,” called out the guy next door.
“Thanks! It’s this new treatment.” He looked over. “How are you doing, Sebastian?”
“Pretty good too. I got a problem fixed, so I’m happy.”
“Hey, that’s great!” Julian headed to his car. He needed to get to work.
“Yep, except I feel like I’m coming down with something. Atchoo!”
“Look after yourself. What I do is pour elderberry syrup into a cup of hot tea and mix with manuka honey. You’ll feel better in three days.”
Sebastian scowled. “Three days? How about now?” He coughed.
“Get some rest. I hope you feel better soon.” Julian got in his car and drove away.
Sebastian was happy it was nearly the weekend. He went to put away the lawn mower. “I feel like I’m getting a fever or something,” he muttered to himself.
zzz
Keri smirked and rubbed her hands together. She was standing on the corner of the street, in the bad part of Portland, or what had been the bad part before the zombie outbreak of the past year or so had cleared out most of the criminal activity.
“Hey, want a bite?” she called out to two young men as they walked past.
They frowned at her. “Hey, lady. It’s time to retire.”
She walked anxiously up and down the street. She needed a victim. She was getting hungry.
“Hey, Keri, what are you doing out here?” asked Julian. “You’re Sebastian’s teacher, right?”
“Oh, hi! Yes, I’m the astronomy teacher. I’m waiting for a friend.”
“Really? You shouldn’t be out here at night. It’s not safe.”
She stopped in front of him. “It’s not that bad. It’s not like I have any money. And, I’m old. And my friend never showed.”
“Well, I can drive you anywhere you like,” he said.
“OK, lead the way.” She followed him to his car
. “And what are you doing out here?”
“Me? I’m on my way to work. I was trying to find a parking space. I have to park three blocks away from the pizza place as they won’t let me park in the customer spaces.”
“I see. Thank you for the lift.”
They got in his car. “So? Where to?”
“Back to the high school is fine. I left something there. From there, I can get my car.”
“All right, school it is.”
Julian was turning his key trying to get the car started. Sometimes it was stubborn and took some extra effort. “Hey! What the?” he asked, as Keri got closer.
“Oh my god!” she cried out. “You’re a zombie!”
He looked at her teeth and into her eyes. “And so are you!”
zzz
“Yes, that’s right,” said Stewart, explaining about the small cloth doll he held in his hands. “Voodoo dolls are made in a basic likeness of the victim. Usually voodoo is done to harm a person. Someone actually took hair from this person and attached it to the doll.”
Zan eyed it more closely. “That’s creepy.”
“Whoa. That’s crazy!” Owen put his drink down.
“So that zombie giant wasn’t real then?”
Stewart dropped the doll back into the plastic bag. “It was, if only for an hour or so.”
“Does that mean it couldn’t have hurt us?” asked Charlie.
He shook his head. “No, it could have hurt you. Now it can’t. And, once I finish studying it, I’ll release the hair and burn the doll.”
“What was the point of making fake zombies?” asked Zan.
He shrugged.
“Well, I guess we have to ask Keri, as I’m sure she was the one who did it.”
“Wait a minute,” said Charlie. “Does this mean that the other zombie at the school was also created?”
Stewart shook his head. “No, that was a real zombie, and its body was burned by the cops.”
“So, could there be other dolls out there?”
