Salazar

by Chariss K. Walker

  "We need a blood test," Salazar and Sam exclaimed at the exact same moment as they came to the identical conclusion.

  "What the hell is the matter with you two?" Jesse hoarsely shouted. "First you shut down on me and go into some kind of damn trance, and then you pop out the same exact phrase. You're both really beginning to piss me off!"

  "We came to the conclusion that neither of us can tell if a human will turn," Salazar quietly explained.

  "As good as our gifts are, we are not able to truly tell who will turn and who will not," Sam added.

  "Not yet anyway," Salazar quickly clarified. "With that in mind, we'll need a blood test to tell. I'm sure some of Phillip's blood and tissue is in the clinic. I'll ask Sue Ellen to run tests. Maybe she can determine whatever it is in the blood that changes and then compare it to our current residents."

  After Salazar had come to that realization, he realized that his grandfather had insisted that everyone who was in the tunnel that first night had a purpose. Maybe that had been Phillip's primary function – by examining and witnessing his transformation, they were more fully prepared to do battle with the Kolowa.

  "Perhaps," Sam added, "If Sue Ellen can isolate the cause, I can memorize the scent. Then, I might be able to tell who will change by smell."

  "OK," Jesse agreed, knowing that it took a lot of courage for each of them to admit their limitations. "I know you're talented, both of you, however, I also knew that you couldn't tell that Phillip would turn into a monster. I think I knew it better than either of you. There was something off about him from the beginning and, although I didn't know about the Kolowa at the time, I knew he was just wrong… not like us."

  "Perhaps you should interview each new resident," Salazar considered. "You have that Cop's instinct to detect things. I respect that." As he said the words, it became clear to him that he had not utilized Jesse's talents to their fullest potential. "From now on, you'll interview each adult and child before they are assigned housing, work, or school."

  "OK," Jesse agreed again, and then added, "as long as it doesn't take me away from these away duties with you and Sam. I don't want to be left behind and sitting at a table while you two are out here having all the fun."

  "You won't be," Salazar assured.

  "Then, both of you agree that we should name them?" Sam asked.

  "I'm tired of calling them mutated humans or monsters or creatures. Kolowa. That seems to fit," Salazar nodded at Sam.

  "All right," Jesse conceded, "but I have more worries. Why do they only hunt humans? Are they killing them to eat or turning them into more of their kind? And, last but not least, what will they do after they have eaten all the humans out here. Do you think they will come after the residents of Eden?"

  "I don't have an answer for all of that," Salazar admitted, "however; I think only the fumes can turn humans into Kolowa."

  "I have to agree with that," Sam added. "Even though Dinah calls them cannibals the word literally refers to animals that eat the flesh of its own species, they are eating humans not each other."

  "Still, she's a pretty smart young woman," Jesse acknowledged, "and we should have listened to her earlier. You admitted that the ones we killed got up and walked away, Sam. You said that you tracked them back to the ruins of a particular building where we have set up surveillance and have been watching them in the evenings ever since."

  "You're right, Jesse," Salazar admitted. "We really should have listened to Sondra earlier. However, the word 'Zombie' invariably scares the hell out of most people and should be avoided. I guess that is what put us off about her theory also. There's no need to cause such a panic."

  "As long as we keep Miki and the council informed about their true nature, then it should be all right," Sam added.

  "Hell yeah!" Jesse joked. "I certainly don't want to get on your mother's bad side. Her eyes cut right through me during that first meeting."

  "Yep," Sam agreed.

  "So, we call them Kolowa," Salazar announced.

  Sam and Jesse nodded.

  45| Packs

  For some time now, Salazar and his men had taken turns to keep watch from the highest surface near the tunnel entrance. Salazar knew that he had to understand everything he could about the monsters they now called Kolowa in order to protect Eden from them. They now knew a lot more than they did when Phillip turned.

  The Kolowa came out at sundown and were strong, agile, and aggressive. Their interactions with each other were egotistical and bold, often brutal. Many of the male Kolowa's grabbed the females by their hair and pushed them to the ground or into a corner to have sexual relations with them. It looked like rape to Salazar even though no one was punished for the deed and there was never any retaliation from the female Kolowas.

  As they observed the behavior of the Kolowa, it was apparent that they violated each other's rights without regard. It confirmed Salazar's original suspicions that, if humans were already prone to psychopathic tendencies, the fumes turned them into Kolowa.

  Although they seemed to avoid sunlight, Salazar's men had previously done battle with them during the late afternoon while the sun was still up. It had been a gruesome, bloody battle. Even though none of his men had died, a few of the newest recruits sustained serious injury and had then retired from his volunteer company of two-hundred men.

  Salazar couldn't afford to lose any more of his troops; he needed every soldier he could recruit. However, seeing the injuries of others who had volunteered didn't encourage many others to step-up for the assignment. After that incident, he had done the best he could by making certain that everyone was underground each evening before the sun set.

  Like other animals, the Kolowa preferred to be with their own kind. From the nightly observances, it appeared that humans were food to them and nothing more. The Kolowa simply killed their female captives and didn't molest them otherwise in any way.

  The Kolowa stressed their dominance in the pack hierarchy by continually pushing and shoving each other. Anyone who could not withstand the bullying moved further down the line of social rank.

  In packs, they congregated in the rubble of the bombed-out buildings that had become the new cityscape. They enjoyed the warmth of a fire and, when the embers finally died down in the rubble and ruins of the shattered buildings, the Kolowa retrieved large drums or banked up stones from the debris to start their own fires. Groups of them stood around the blaze talking to each other while others tussled for position in the background.

  They exerted their dominance over territory by either running off or killing any encroachers. Although the reason for it was not yet apparent to those who observed the Kolowa, the pack was particularly aggressive about an area that bordered Fallhaven and Winterhaven. They would kill other animals when they trespassed on the Kolowa perceived territory.

  Like Eden beneath them, the Kolowa formed a community.

  However, they never looked up and never discovered that they were being observed. Salazar heard Henry whisper, Knowledge comes from looking around while wisdom comes from looking up. What can you learn from this, Salazar?

  "They are not as evolved," Salazar silently replied.

  Yet, Henry added.

  As packs, part of their mentality meant that there was an alpha or leader. Salazar and Sam had already seen the alpha on several occasions. He was larger than the rest and almost entirely covered in red, fur-like hair. From what they could tell, Phillip had risen to the alpha's second in command.

  Although Salazar was sure Phillip's wounds had healed, his head was still bandaged with the white dressing Sue Ellen had securely attached. The white linen easily reflected the moonlight, making it easy to spot him in the crowd of Kolowa.

  As Salazar and Sam watched the pack, Sam jokingly asked, "I wonder how long it will take for Phillip to challenge that Alpha. You know that is why he hated you… He didn't think that you deserved to be our leader." Sam chuckled at the time, even though it wasn't really a laughing matter.

&nb
sp; They both knew that it was true.

  Phillip would eventually challenge the Kolowa Alpha if he hadn't already. He was too egotistical and arrogant to ever settle for being second best in any group.

  Jesse had a different take on the situation. When he saw Phillip was the second in command, he commented, "Looks like the Alpha wants to keep him close. That means he doesn't fully trust Phillip."

  Salazar considered Jesse's opinion and knew that Jesse had a different outlook on many of the problems they faced. He trusted both Sam and Jesse's opinions, different as they were. Salazar only hoped that, when the time came for the battle between the Alpha and Phillip, that he could use their wariness of each other to his advantage.

  46| Signs & Symbols

  Eden could have easily housed thousands more, nevertheless, after eight weeks, only 2, 121 people had survived the attack on August City to become its residents.

  Although the rest of the new residents didn't put much stock in her assessment, Sondra concluded that the year and the number of survivors being the same held great importance for Eden.

  "Numerologically," she ecstatically explained, "by adding the numbers together, the total is thirty-three. The master of all master numbers is thirty-three."

  As they had done before when she had tried to explain the study of numbers, the faces of the council members remained blank while they listened. Still, they nodded their heads as if they understood.

  "You have to realize that there are three master numbers," Sondra hurriedly continued, "Those three numbers are eleven, twenty-two, and thirty-three. When added together, eleven and twenty-two become thirty-three. And that, my dear friends, is the master of all master numbers."

  Freddy knew she had more to say on the topic and finally asked the only question anyone dared to ask, "What does that mean for Eden?"

  "It's a wonderful sign that our new home will be balanced and productive!" Sondra exclaimed. "It indicates that we will be a strong community with a spiritual inclination. At this time, after all the old things have been burned away, it is exactly the good news we need. It indicates that we have more opportunity than ever to reach our potential and set the example for others in a harmonious way. I am thrilled!"

  Sondra's prediction about the prosperity and harmony of Eden and her people seemed true. Life in Eden was enjoyable for most. The small city had achieved a much-needed semblance of order and routine while its residents felt valued.

  Most of the residents rose early in the morning and went to work or school during the week. After work, many had a few beers or shots at Henry's Pub before going home. On the weekends, the people held community gatherings to discuss their week and to relax in the park near the tunnel's entrance.

  The old-timey street lights now worked and their warm glow cast a calm and welcoming ambiance for the community to enjoy. The children played games, while the adults talked about their jobs and co-workers. The teenagers had discovered that reading was almost as much fun as gaming and it became their new pastime.

  Things rocked on that way for several months.

  For most, it was the closest thing to freedom and family that they had ever known and, even though the life they now had was one they could have never imagined, they were content.

  Two months after the air raids, it was a normal day in Eden as Salazar prepared to lead his men back topside and into Fallhaven to look for essential goods. Normally, everyone was grateful for whatever the men were able to scavenge and no one made special requests. However, now that Eden had settled into the daily routine of a real community, her residents had lost their fear of the disaster and the monsters that were out of sight.

  Very few of them had faced the dangers above and they left the protection of the community to their Commander and his men. The memories of the air raid had become distant and no longer felt as real or terrifying as it once had.

  Time had done a lot to heal their wounds.

  On this particular day, Freddy approached Salazar and asked, "If it's not terribly inconvenient and, if you happen to see any paint supplies, brushes and cans or bottles of paint, could you add them to the supply run today?"

  "What on earth do you need paint supplies for?" Jesse groaned when he overheard the request. "Don't you realize that we risk our lives every time we go out there to look for the essentials?"

  "It's for a school project," Freddy weakly explained as he ducked his head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. You're right. I just thought if you happened to see such a thing, you could grab it for the children."

  Only a few minutes later, Miki asked for notebooks, pens, and ledgers; Sondra asked for candles and essential oils. Jesse gave the same response to each of them while Salazar made a mental note to collect their requests if he happened to see the items.

  Once topside, the pinkish mist greeted them as usual. It still floated in the air, clinging to every surface, as if it would never go away. As far as they could tell, the fumes had not affected anyone differently or increased their already heightened senses after the first week. Although it was a nuisance and cut visibility, Salazar and his men had learned to either side-step it or ignore it.

  As they scoured a new section of Fallhaven for any supplies they might need, something miraculous occurred.

  It began to rain.

  47| Hope or Despair?

  None of those present could remember the last time it had rained in August City.

  Had it been years or decades?

  At first, Salazar and his men were ecstatic. Some hooted as they lifted their faces up to the wet, rapidly-falling drops. Some danced a jig. Others simply stood in the street with their hands outstretched, catching as much of the liquid as possible before splashing it on their faces and each other.

  "Damn!" Jesse exclaimed, "I think Sondra's meditation group is actually changing the planet's future just like she said it would."

  "It looks that way," Sam agreed.

  While his men reveled in the newest change, Salazar thought about how rain could change everything for their community's future. Maybe, the rain indicated that they would once again have seasons. If that was true, they might be able to grow spring and fall gardens and have fresh food.

  Although they had already set up a hydroponic system to grow whatever seeds they could find to grow, Freddy had recently sent Salazar a stack of books on gardening. Salazar had spent what little free time he had studying the different farming techniques.

  He recalled that to the east and just outside the city limits there had been vacant land. The land, dotted with only dried up trees and scrub brush, had been barren for as long as he could remember; however, it was the one place that they wouldn't have to clear away massive amounts of rubble because there wasn't any.

  If rain was now part of their new weather pattern, it might change unproductive land into fertile soil. The mere thought of such a thing captured Salazar's imagination.

  Sam and Jesse were by his side, laughing and joking around as Salazar quickly and silently calculated what they would need to farm the land. First, they would need a team assigned to the task of tilling the soil and planting the seeds, if they could find any, and secondly, they would need a protection detail to guard them while they worked the soil. His calculations and the new possibilities gave him a great deal of hope.

  Salazar laughed out loud.

  "It's awesome, right?" Sam cheered. Having been entirely self-sufficient all of his life, he was quick to see the possibilities.

  "It could change everything for our futures," Salazar agreed.

  "How?" Jesse asked. As a city boy, Jesse had never considered how seasons could allow the earth to heal and rain was essential to the healing process. He didn't realize that the changes could, in turn, lead to the production of food. "We still have the monsters and mist with which to contend."

  "That's true," Sam agreed as he patted Jesse on the shoulder, "but for one moment, image what it would be like to have a root crop of potatoes and carrots. Envision corn stalks reac
hing to the sky. Imagine what it would be like to once again eat fresh tomatoes and watermelons."

  "I'm not sure I have ever had the opportunity to eat those things," Jesse replied. Neither had Salazar, however, he was quick to dream about it.

  "Does your tribe have seeds?" Salazar excitedly asked.

  "They do," Sam smiled before adding, "Maybe it's time I paid a visit to my people. First and foremost, to check on their welfare and secondly to gather some seeds for the crops we will need to plant. Do you know of an area to use as gardens?"

  Salazar, relieved that Sam would return, explained about the vacant land to the east; however, a few moments after Jesse had mentioned the mist and its contentious nature, Salazar turned his focus to the thick gases once again.

  Salazar noticed that as the raindrops hit the fumes, the pink gasses disintegrated. Sam and Jesse's eyes followed Salazar's distracted gaze. Then, they too saw that when the rain landed on the substance, it fell to the sidewalks, streets, and ground turning the rainwater-runoff pink.

  The three men watched closely as the now pink-stained water ran downhill into every crevice of broken pavement and into the exposed earth. It was quickly absorbed by the parched dirt. Then, as more accumulated, the pinkish-rain ran into the storm drains and into the sewers.

  Whatever plants had been in the earth before the long drought, immediately sprung to life. As if watching a time-lapse film series, the three men witnessed as pale green sprouts emerged from the soil. At first the growths were just thin, tiny things, nothing more than spidery wisps. Then, they grew at an incredible rate. Soon, while Salazar, Sam, and Jesse stood there in shock, the shoots were knee-high and as thick as their thumbs.