Darlings of Decay

by Chrissy Peebles

  I held up a finger. “Excuse me a second.” Shifting the brown bag from Jason’s Deli to my other arm, I slipped my phone out of my pocket while walking down the sloped driveway.

  “Yeeees,” she answered after the first ring in a conspiring voice.

  “You’re trying to set me up!” I gritted out in a low tone.

  “Why would you think that?” Innocence oozed out like honey from a jar.

  “You have a criteria. She meets it with flying colors. Except she looks like she’s on her death bed.” I looked out at the rolling hills that made up the streets of Chattanooga. The setting sun allowed the hills to cast shadows along the dips and curves.

  A sigh went through the phone. “Jaclyn doesn’t have anyone to help her, Mac. Like I said, she just moved here to go to the community college. I can’t get away from the store right now. So be kind to my newest cashier.” I didn’t say anything while I fumed. She knew it or else she wouldn’t have told me to be kind. Another sigh. This one sounded exasperated. “I’m getting old! Is it too much to ask for grandchildren from you? By the rate you’re going I’ll be 75!”

  My lips twitched. “You have grandchildren. And stop being dramatic, forty-nine isn’t old. I have it on good authority you’ll outlive the cockroaches.”

  She laughed, knowing I’m kidding. “At least she’s not a stripper.”

  The irritation that had dissipated returned ten-fold. “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you? I might as well go ahead and tell you… I can’t wait for you to meet your new daughter-in-law. Found her down at Saucy Sally’s, love at first sight. The pregnancy is going”

  “That’s not funny!” she interrupted. “I’m not saying get serious too soon. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to come home to? Besides me?”

  I blinked and scratched the scruff on my face. “Think my honey would get mad if I practice impregnating Jaclyn? Guess we’ll find out. Bye, Ma!” I snapped the top button on the phone, and slid my finger across it to shut it off. It wasn’t her fault she was lonely and wanted someone to coddle while I was gone. My brother and his wife lived two states away with the whole two point five kids and the white picket fence. Not that he ever invited me over to see. Anyway, I just didn’t want anyone waiting around for me.

  It wouldn’t be fair because I’d die in the field just like my dad. With honor, but I wouldn’t be leaving anyone behind. I wouldn’t subject anyone having to accept my death as heroism when it felt anything but.

  Jaclyn watched me from her small porch as I walked back up the drive. “Sorry about that.” I held up the bag. “Soup and Tylenol.”

  A small smile touched her lips. “You didn’t have to.” She opened her door and waved me in. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  I flinched and followed her into the kitchen. I doubted any of what she heard was bad, but I trusted she wasn’t hoping for anything my mom sprouted. Looking around the kitchen, the only things she had on the counters were a microwave, a jar of instant coffee—nasty but you got to do what you got to do—and a dish drainer with a lone coffee cup in it.

  Jaclyn looked at me as I set the bag on the table. “She’s proud of you and only wants someone else to be proud of you, too. Although, I don’t feel up for any baby making sessions.” The wry tone wasn’t lost on me.

  Trying not to wince, I said, “You heard that?”

  “The whole neighborhood heard it.” I guess I should feel relieved Jaclyn knew my mom’s antics, but I was endeared more than anything. She rubbed her forehead. “I really need that Tylenol. My body hurts all over.”

  “You have the flu?”

  She shook her head. “No, I had to get some vaccinations to start school. I went to the clinic yesterday, they were giving them out for free.”

  “You went to the free clinic? No wonder you feel like shit.”

  A glare shot from her brown eyes, but she rolled them. “Gee, I didn’t think to use my hard earned cash from working at the general store for a prestigious doctor. I don’t really need to eat after all.” The sarcasm flowing out of her endeared me just a little more. “Besides, I’ve never reacted well to vaccines. It won’t last.”

  “Need me to do anything? Warm up that soup?” I pointed to the container she put next to the microwave.

  “I’m not hungry, just tired. You can go. I know you only have a few days of leave left. You’re going overseas, right?”

  I nodded, not really wanting to talk about it. She probably thought I’d rather spend the time with my high school buds at Saucy Sally’s only to leave with no money and bad case of blue balls. Even though the place would disgust me more than give me a hard-on. Casting a glance around her house, I caught sight of her little TV and the DVDs surrounding it. Her couch was in the middle of the space and the bedroom was beyond that. “We can watch a movie.”

  She peered at me, looking for any signs of pity or sympathy I assumed. “I don’t have cable, so it’s the only thing to watch.”

  Even though she felt like shit and obviously getting worse, we found ourselves laughing at our one-liners and sarcasm well into the night. I didn’t even remember falling asleep.

  *

  “No, Gwen! Ben didn’t want to, and I’m very proud of Mac’s decision. You should be, too.” My dad said, but it was muffled through the wall of their bedroom. I sat at the table eating Lucky Charms.

  “I’d be more proud if I thought it was his decision.” My mother threw back at him. I wished they’d shut up and not argue. He’d only be here for another week and we’re supposed to go fishing today.

  “Leave it alone. The ROTC program will prepare him.”

  Time disappeared. I sat on the couch with a mouth full of popcorn and my thumbs tapping the game controller rapidly in my hand, killing zombies on the screen. The phone rang and soon after a wail sounded throughout our house. I ran into the kitchen to see my mom crumbled in a ball on the floor. Looking back at the TV, the screen was red in hue from zombies feasting on my avatar. My mom growled from the floor. I snapped my attention to her, and she hurled herself at me with dead eyes.

  My eyes sprang open but squinted in the morning sunlight. Sweat gathered like dew on my upper lip. My mouth tasted like someone shit in it. I sat up from the couch, rubbing the burn from my eyes. The TV screen softly moved with the old-as-hills DVD player’s screensaver. The bedroom door was cracked open, but Jaclyn was probably still sleeping. I don’t even remember her going to bed.

  I walk into the kitchen and opened drawers to find a spoon. The jar of instant coffee was calling my name as I twisted it open and stuck the spoon in. Squeezing my eyes shut, I stuffed the spoonful into my mouth. The bitter grains rubbed against the roof of my mouth. I filled the coffee cup with water and downed it. I stood a moment. Fuck it. I took another giant spoonful with a water chaser.

  Walking back into the living room, I froze, noticing Jaclyn’s body on the floor behind the couch. Adrenaline pumped into my veins. “Shit! Jaclyn?” I bent, feeling for a pulse, and jerked my hand back when I found none. Goosebumps spread up my arms and my breathing became heavy. I ran to the other side of the couch plopping on it and reaching for my phone on the coffee table.

  It seemed to take a million years for it to boot up. When it did, numerous text and voice messages popped up. “What the hell?”

  Where are you?

  Answer your phone!

  Call me!

  An eerie groan came from behind the couch. As I lifted myself up to see what it was, Jaclyn flew over the couch, knocking us both to the floor. Pain splintered through my head when it hit the coffee table. Panic rose and almost seized me, but I grabbed her face. She kept screeching while snapping her teeth at my face with dried and cracked lips. The whites of her eyes were completely full of blood.

  “The fuck?” The thunder of my heartbeat plunged into my ears, making my voice seem far away. I kicked up my feet and threw her off me. She crashed over the coffee table and into the TV. DVDs scattered around her.

&n
bsp; I jumped up and went for the door, but she was right behind me. Her arm had twisted in a weird way, and she could only grab me with the other. She managed to throw herself at me, and we hit the wall. I maneuvered around and put her in a headlock. She immediately went to bite my arm, but I tightened my hold on a pressure point, hoping she’d pass out. Her muffled snarls and desperation kicked a chill up my spine as she struggled. Twisting her other arm to keep her from grabbing me, I realized how clammy and cold she felt.

  Snorting from the vileness of it all, I released and kicked her away from me, and she fell face first into the couch.

  I watched, dropping into stance as she righted herself without being stunned and came for me again. Punching her in the nose, thickened blood emerged out abnormally as her head snapped up right. I grabbed the large umbrella perched next to the front door and swung in an uppercut. The impact caused her to fall back on the floor, but she sat up. I swung it again hitting her in the head and finally stabbed her in the eye with the point of it. Pulling the umbrella from her eye socket with a sickening noise, bloody matter came with it, but she was still.

  The silence that followed was deafening. I dropped the umbrella, keeping an eye on her corpse. Blood seeped out onto the cream carpeting. My arms shook and the shaking took over my body. I just killed a civilian. Dropping to my knees, I stared at her one-eyed corpse. Maybe it was just self-defense? No, it was instinct. I’d never hurt a civilian, let alone a girl. I’d spent the past four years of my life protecting them and planned on doing it until I die. She should have passed out from lack of blood flow, but she didn’t.

  As the adrenaline calmed down, someone screamed in the distance. I ran to the front window and peered out. There was a car crashed into a brick mailbox down the road. Other than that, I couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but I could hear it.

  My phone trembled as I looked at the messages again. A few of them were from my mom and even more from my commanding officer.

  Putting the phone to my ear, I started with the first received at three o’clock this morning. This wasn’t out of the ordinary. She passed on the Collin’s Curse to me. Insomnia. Although, mine wasn’t as bad as hers, she said it would get worse in time. “Mac? Sorry to bother you, but I’m out in the garage working on my project and the neighbor is banging on the door. I called the police, but there’s a busy signal. Could you come home please? He’s scaring me.” The heavy metallic banging could be heard in the background. Beep. Next one received at four-thirty six. “Honey, where are you?” Her voice shook and my body broke out into a sweat. “I’m barricaded in my bedroom. I tried calling your brother, but…just stay where you are. I love you.” The last one at received at five oh four. “Please be OK,” she whispered and barely audible from crying.

  I hit the call back button. It went straight to voicemail. By this point, I gasped for breath. I dialed my brother, Ben. Another voicemail. I didn’t bother checking the messages from Sarge. I dialed him instead. “Collins. You’re alive.”

  *

  Four years later…

  A tap sounds at my door. “Go away! I’m sleeping!” I snap the lie because at least I’m trying to. It’s in the middle of the night for fuck’s sake. The door opens, which only pisses me off more. “What?”

  Guido’s disgusting form darkens the doorway. He stands sideways and his chest glitters from all the gold he wears there. “Git up Mac boy. Git yer little bag of goodies. I need yer services.”

  “For what? Unless someone is dying, it can wait till tomorrow.” The only person I’d get up in the middle of the night for isn’t here. My best friend is on his own death wish mission.

  “Might be too late, see? Purty boy done brought back some dame. She’s sick. Infection.” He wrinkles his nose. “Nasty cut. Yew should see it.”

  Pretty boy. He’s talking about Rudy. I sit up and try not to show how relieved I am the bastard is still alive. I’m trying not to think of the implications of how he got to Julie, let alone get her out. I’m assuming it’s her that’s sick. “She’s not going to turn, is she?”

  He shakes his head. “She wrecked ‘er car. Didn’t know she had a gash on ‘er head. Now, she all feverish. She could heat the place up.”

  “Fine.”

  After putting on a T-shirt and straightening my dog tags underneath it, I slip on my boots and tie them quickly. My medicine bag is already by the door when I pick it up and glance at my bed. No need to make it, I’ll be right back.

  He takes me to the women’s dormitory of the community he’s been building on for around three years. The room I walk into automatically makes me want a tetanus shot. It smells like someone had a sex marathon in a puddle of vomit. The chick on the bare mattress catches my attention. The heat on her face emanates to my skin before I touch it. Flushed with fever hell… she needs pain reliever and IV antibiotics. I sigh, I have a lot of work to do. “Where’s Rudy?”

  Guido smiles and shows his need for dental hygiene. “Gettin’ me some dead ‘ems.”

  I repress the urge to look revolted. This cockroach and I have a very loose, uneasy truce. Keeping my mouth shut on his extra curricular activities with zombies is important. “This isn’t Julie.” I state.

  Guido’s eyes draw together. “Who’s Julie? Chickie is Kan, purty boy told me. Don’t want nothin’ happenin’ to ‘er. Won’t be happy he said.”

  I bend down in front of her. No, she is not Julie. The complete opposite, really. Who is this girl? The position she’s in on the bed causes her T-shirt to stretch across her chest. Nicely rounded—a little more than a handful, I’d bet money on it.

  Guido interrupts my prognosis. “You gonna help her or keep staring at her? Yew boy is paying me good to nurse her sweet ass back to health.”

  “Shut up and get out.” I wave my hand towards the general direction of the door.

  When the door closes behind him, I glance at a huge pack at the end of the bed. First things first, I search for the gash. It looks like it’s been cleaned recently, but puffs around the edges in an angry red. The gash itself is raw and bleeds a bit. Her body trembles when I feel it. Her flushed cheeks round into a heart-shaped face. Breaths come out of her in soft pants. The biggest problem is her dread locks. They’re crusted over with blood around the gash. They soak it up like sponges. She trembles again, giving me a show down her V-neck shirt.

  “Better be glad you have nice cleavage going on, or I’d shave these fuckers off.”

  I reach for my bag as she responds. “I have to put the fire out.” Drowsiness thickens her voice. “It will draw zombies while I sleep.” Her eyes open to look at me. They are light surrounded by thick lashes. Nice.

  She tries to get up, but I gently push her back down. “I’ll put your fire out.” I say, only half joking. After giving her a little dose of fever reducer in her arm, I begin setting up an IV of antibiotics and look back at her to find her still looking at me.

  She smiles, touching my face with surprisingly rough fingertips. “I miss the beach.” She says as her eyes drift closed.

  I blink at her sickness-induced conversation and inject some heavy narcotic for any pain she might have, which I should try and ask her about, but all I can mange is, “The beach?” Didn’t we all?

  Her eyes pop open and she shakes her head a little. “Your eyes, dumbass. They remind me of the beach.”

  “Think I’m handsome, do you?” That’d be no less than awesome.

  “Maybe.” Too bad the medication makes its way through her system. She passes out on me.

  As I clean her wound and rinse her hair of encrusted blood, I study the rest of her. Her boots are caked with dirt, dried blood and famished debris. Lean and cut with feminine muscle, her arms have thin threads of scabs all over them. I swallow, taking in the rest of her.

  I suture the gash closed not really paying attention to it. She needs clean sheets on the bed. I have half of mind to take her to my room, but think better of it. I don’t know her, and her sweet face isn’t enough
to convince me she isn’t crazy. You have to be to have survived this long. Not to mention, the very familiar bandana tied around her dreads.

  I run to my room to use an iron to sterilize sheets. When I get back, I have to lay her in the floor while I put them on the bed. She’s not all muscle but soft in the right places. When I put her onto the clean sheets her face falls toward me. Her lips are parted as a thick thread of drool drips from the corner of her mouth onto the sheet. I laugh, but after all the medication I’ve pumped into her she doesn’t respond.

  I go to the end of the bed, picking up the pack. Underneath it sits a pistol crossbow. There was an arrow in it ready to be shot. They are store bought and look as old as everything else she has. The pack has a double-sided axe and a machete hanging from it. They both look worn from use. Where the hell did Rudy find this girl?

  I’m almost reluctant to see what else this girl has, but I have to find out. I dig through it, coming up with canned food, clothing and at the very bottom, a laptop. I almost dismiss it as a means for pictures and home movies from before the outbreak, but the massive amounts of different cables give me pause. Why would she have these? I open the laptop and power it up. A strange screen pops up. A strange logo stares at me, waiting for a command. It tells me to push escape for the operating system. I expect the desktop to be a picture, but it’s a plain blue with dozens of unrecognizable icons.

  When I open one, an intricate line of babble looks back at me. Upon opening the other ones more babble I don’t understand, but I know enough to know this isn’t an ordinary laptop. The question is, what should I do with it?

  I look to Kan still sleeping and hardly looking like a computer geek, but the best ones don’t look nerdy nor do they speak of what they can do. If I turn her in, she’ll be thrust into doing whatever they want from her. My stomach drops at this thought, especially since she’s the perfect candidate they’re looking for. I can always just turn in her name as alive and active. Nothing else, but what if she has something against her? Am I willing to take that chance before getting to know more about her? And what the fuck is it anyway? I usually wouldn’t have a problem turning this in, but I never thought I’d come across the likely person. Especially considering the morons that surround me on a daily basis.