by Thomas Baker
"Hey fearless leader," Tyrone said, after Sheriff Randall had left. "How was your girlfriend? Ya know, I half expected not to see you again."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" JT was beyond in a sour mood now.
"If you had gotten Hannah, I thought you two would be out of here. Guess that didn't happen though, huh?"
"I wouldn't have left without you and Gus. Somehow, I would have found a way to get you out. We're a team, hell we're family."
"Are we now?" Tyrone had taken on a sarcastic tone. "It doesn't look like you came back with a black eye or a bloody lip. You look fineto me. What did you do, get on your knees and start praising Jesus?"
"What is your problem? I don't like this attitude, man. I'm back here, so no I didn't play nice either okay? I don't know why they beat you up, but they will pay for it. I promise you. We will get out of here. Our new buddy Charlie, he will pay. You might not see it on my face but he wasn't exactly a cuddly bear, almost breaking my arm."
"Yeah, right," Tyrone sounded even more sarcastic. "I was laying here thinking about my real family, my Mama. About how after I got to know all of you, I talked to you about her. Once we got someplace safe, I wanted you guys to help me. We would all go back and try to find her. Gus assured me we would. All we have done though is go further and further in the opposite direction. There's been no safehaven."
Tyrone let out a huge sigh. "I know something now. I need to give up on that thought. Not much chance she is still alive, anyway. You know what I mean? I think I would rather not go back and find her all zombified. Anyway, I think if we get out of here, I'm splits with you guys. Management here blows."
This was the last straw. First Hannah and now this. He was about ready to blow his top and tell Tyrone off, when the door to the cell room banged open again. Sheriff Randall was pushing a handcuffed long haired man in front of him. He shoved him into the cell directly across from JT and slammed the door.
"You have been warned before. Albright has been patient with you, but I wouldn't count on that lasting too much longer. You're lucky he sent you here and didn't let Charlie have his way with you. You'll be sleeping it off in here, while Albright confiscates and burns everything he finds in your room. Contemplate that man."
Sheriff Randall slammed the cell door and stalked out. JT stood and went to the bars, looking over. Between certain friends of his and his years as a bouncer, JT could tell their new roommate was high as a kite. The man gazed around the room like he wasn't sure where he was. He plopped down on the cot. He looked up and noticed JT and Tyrone for the first time.
"Whoa, Sheriff gots some noobs. Where did you guys come from? What did you do to piss Randall off and get thrown in here? Was it the same thing he keeps busting me for?"
"I doubt it. We are not from around here," JT said, calming down as he realized here was someone he could get information from. This guy might know what was going on here. "Are you?"
"Lived here all my life, man. In this boring backwards town. If I didn't have the internet growing up, I hate to think what would have happenedto me. What's your guyses names? You can call me Jelly."
"Jelly?" Tyrone asked his voice full of doubt.
"Yeah, Jelly."
"Like on your birth certificate, it says you legal first name is Jelly?"
"Sure, man."
"What, your Dad a big fan of jelly doughnuts?"
"No, but he loved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches," Jelly laughed like it was the best joke he ever heard. "Really my name is Jay, but everyone calls me Jelly."
"Jelly, are you high?" JT asked, after a pause.
"Oh yeah man," Jelly giggled. "Been hitting it a little more than normal. Can you blame me?"
"No man, no I can't. I'm JT and my friend here is Tyrone. We were just passing through when some people jumped us and brought us in here. He and Albright won't let us get on our way."
"Bummer dude," Jelly sounded genuinely concerned. "Sheriff can be a real buzzkill. Anyway, I'll be out of here again soon. There is no way Sheriff stick in the ass or Revered Killjoy are finding my stash either. He hasn't the other three times I have been in here. Dudes, maybe we will all get out together!"
"I don't know Jelly," Tyrone said. "The way it looks Sheriff takes his orders from Reverend Albright. What's his deal, anyway?"
"Oh, the Rev? I don't really know him dude," Jelly said, words slurring slightly. "He didn't show up here till about the same time we started having that zombie shit. He gathered up everyone who didn't leave town, get turned or become zombie chow. Led them up to the church. Been there ever since. Everyone is supposed to stay up at the church, except Randall. Most of the time I sneak out and stay at my apartment. I'm no conformist. Fuck Albright. Guy acts like he is the Kim Jong of Gateway City. Says smoking weed is a sin, and the devil has tempted me on a path of damnation or some such stupid shit. If there is a God, then he's busy right now shaking the Etch a Sketch of Earth. Why the fuck would he be concerned about me and my plant habits?"
"What about the Sheriff then? Is he not from around here too?" JT asked.
"Oh no, Sheriff Randall is a born and raised GCer. He's the only one who stays down here in town that the Rev is cool with. I think he and the Rev have one of those mutual respect things going on. Randall keeps the town clear. He can be a hardass but he does love his town and the people in it with a serious hard on."
"What about the dead people hanging from the tree? Sheriff thinks that's okay?" Tyrone said. "I find it prettyoffensive, you know what I mean?"
"I don't know about that," Jelly said, stretching out onto his cot and putting his hands behind his head. "I really don't pay much attention to what goes on up there in the church. I am a loner man, I do myownthing. I am what you call independent. I am not into all the community kumbaya bullshit, I fake it enough tobe leftalone. Normally they don't even notice me. Unlessthe Rev or the Sheriff feelslikebusting my hump, I guess to make an example of me. I think the Rev and Sheriff Randall have some kind of a 'this is mine that is yours' type situation with the town and the church."
What he heard so far disappointed JT. He thought this guy would give him something useful. Nothing Jelly told him would help their situation.
"None of this sounds good. What the hell are we going to do now JT?" Tyrone growled. "Another fine mess you got us into."
"Huh?" JT asked, irritated. "How you going to pin this on me? How the hell was I supposed to know I was going to get jumped by church nuts. You think you can do better, go right ahead."
"I think I will," Tyrone said, raising his voice. "Like I said, I'm about done with all y'all."
"Hey hey, you are bringing a serious negative buzz on man," Jelly yawned. "If you guys don't mind, I'm going to catch some sleep. I'm feeling exhausted all of a sudden."
JT decided it was as good a time as any to catch some sleep. After he took some deep breaths to calm down. Maybe tomorrow Tyrone wouldn't act like such a stupid kid.
"Yeah, sure man," JT decided for now he would try to keep the peace with Tyrone. The kid might not realize it but they needed each other more than ever right now. "Hey Tyrone, don't worry. We will get out of here."
Tyrone grunted and was quiet. JT laid down on the cot, hands locked under his head, staring up at the ceiling. Not long after Randall came in and shut off the lantern.
Two days later, Charlie and his buddy came back. The Sheriff led them down to Tyrone's cell. Randall opened it up. Charlie and the other guy grabbed Tyrone by the arms and pushed and pulled him out of the cell.
"Get your hands off me," Tyrone yelled, twisting and turning in an attemptto get free. "Where are you taking me?"
JT sprang up from the cot.
"Sheriff, what the hell is going on here! We've had enough of this bullshit. When are you going to quit pretending what is going on here is legit and let us go?"
JT tried to reach through the bars at Charlie. Randall pulled his nightstick and swung at JT's arm. He pulled it backand the nightstick clanged off the
cell.
"Albright wants to talk to your friend again. Everything is going to be all right," Sheriff Randall projected over all the noise. "Calm down, both of you. I've been assured there won't be anymore misunderstandings like last time."
"Hey man, I am trying to sleep over here," Jelly called from across the hall.
JT moved down the bars towards Charlie. He reached out, stretching and dodging Randall's baton, wanting to grab a piece of Charlie. If he helped Tyrone get away, it would be one less thing to worry about.
"Damn it! Let's cut out this racket, unless you want me to take your food away," barked Sheriff Randall.
JT lunged one more time as they passed. All he got was a deadened arm when this time the Sheriff connected with his nightstick.
"You son of a bitch! You fuckers!" JT roared as they left the room with Tyrone, shaking his arm awake.
In a futile rage JT ripped the bedding from his cot and threw it across the cell. He tried to pull up the cot frame itself but it was bolted down. He screamed and cursed as he stalked around the cell. Sheriff Randall came back in a few moments later.
"Sheriff, can we cut the crap?" JT confronted him. "Where are they taking Tyrone? What are they going to do with him? We are never getting out of here are we?"
Randall put his hands on his hips. He looked at JT like he was a dumb child asking dumb questions. "I don't know what you are implying, but once Reverend Albright is sure you both are on the up and up, then you will be free to go."
"So you have done this before? Held people against their will? Let them be dragged off to become happy little brainwashed sheep of your church? What happens if we don't want to join them?"
"Listen here. I've spent most of my time lately stopping lowlifes who've come into town with guns blazing. I lost my last deputy to a looter's attack. My work's been capture or kill. Business boomed since the Outbreak. On top of that I've kept the town free of zombies. That's not so easy now I'm down to a one man operation, unless I ask Reverend Albright for some men." Sheriff Randall wagged one finger at JT. "What I'm saying is, try to calm down. Do that, then I can explain how this will all work. You can't listen hollering and acting like a five-year-old who can't get a piece of candy."
The Sheriff paused a moment. JT pretended he had calmed down, even though he still seethed inside. He stood there, rubbing his arm back to life.
"People like you, we've had come through here before. The last one was a woman named Linda. When I found her, she was walking out of a house down on seventh street I know wasn't hers. She came with me peacefully. Stayed in that verycell your black friend is in. I let Albright know, just like always. He met with her a few times. About a week after she became my guest, she agreed to stay with the church. That was, I guess, eight or nine weeks ago. I haven't heard a peep from her since. It might be hard for you to believe but she must be happy up there." Sheriff Randall threw some menace in his voice as he continued on."The bad people now. Once it's discovered a person is nothing but low base scum they stay here. After a few days with me, the Reverend will take them away for last rites and that is the last I see of them."
JT took what he was implying. That helped to settle him some, but he still wasn't done. The Sheriff seemed more...normal than Albright. If he was going to change someone's mind, it would be Randall's.
"So you expect me to believe this Linda lived happily ever after?" JT scoffed. "I saw the tree coming in. The other people, bad guys you say, even though neither of you are judges, he murdered them. You are okay with that? What kind of an officer are you?" JT could feel his anger getting away from him again.
Randall rubbed the side of his face, clearly getting agitated. "Look I have my town to look after and Albright has the church. It's been that way since the Outbreak and things have been just fine. I have cleared the town of zombies and troublemakers. It's been more peaceful around here now than the last twenty years. Maybe it would help your cause if you and your friend watched your lip while either of you are up there. You both have acted like nothing but a pair of punks to meand to Albright. Like how you're running your mouth right now. Keep doing it and I can tell you, it will get you nowhere. Show some goddamn respect!"
"I've gotten the impression Albright cares two fucks for Tyrone or me. I can tell you what Albright is really up to," JT said, all but shouting now. "All he did while I was up there was put his hands all over my friend Hannah and rub it right in my damn face and I was powerless to do anything about it. Sounds like if we had tits we would be out by now. He wants her and he wants me and Tyrone gone."
"I am done talking to you about this. You are clearlydelusional and paranoid," Randall ran his hand over his mustache. "Talk to Jay here, maybe he can help set you straight. I'm not some kind of monster. Sit tight and I'm sure in a day or two I'll be letting you all out. Then I can go back to my peaceand quiet."
Randall turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.
"Hey ya Gus, how are you doing?" Hannah asked, bending over the bed and giving Gus a light hug.
Gus was happy to see her. It felt like ages since someone from the old crew paid him a visit. He was getting along fine with Linda, but it was good to see a familiar face.
"I get to lay around all day and nap. What is there to complain about?" Gus replied. "If I was getting paid, this would be my dream job."
"That's great Gus," Hannah was cheery enough, but Gus thought she was a little distracted.
"Something wrong there darlin'?" Gus asked.
"What?" Hannah said, brushing back her dark blonde hair. It had grown long in the time since they first met. "Oh, I have just been having some deep thoughts. Trying to wrestle with a decision."
"About?" Gus said, curious. "Or do you not want to talk about it yet? Can't say you normally beat around the bush."
"Well..." she hesitated. "Gus, I am thinking about staying here. About us staying here, joining the church." She said it in a rush, like she was nervous Gus would explode.
He wouldn'tof course. It surprised him though. After what had happened at Harold's place. After losing Ashley. Now to be so trusting of these people whowere by all measures strangers? He didn't think Hannah would be up for joining anyone else. Sure, Linda helped fix up his busted old body, but these church people were also holding JT and Tyrone prisoner. Linda had told him it wasn't like that. The same thing was done to her when she got to the church. To Gus though, that sounded like splitting hairs. He wasn't too sure about the Reverend either. Maybe he was being overly paranoid after all that had happened, but the guy was throwing up red flags in his mind. Still, he tried to be delicate with his answer. The girl had been through so, so much already.
"Seems nice does it?" Gus asked. "All I have seen are curtains, IV tubes and inside of my eyelids, which are mighty drab. Oh and Linda, who is much easier on the eyes."
"It is Gus," Hannah said, perking up. "Everyone has been so helpful. They have a wonderful community and camaraderie going here. They seem like good people, who follow the morals that The Bible teaches. We could be safe here. For real."
There must have been something on his face, even though he tried to remain neutral, because before he could say anything she plowed on.
"Look what they have done for you, Gus. They will ask you for nothing in return. I promise you. We can all leave if we want, after you have healed. Doesn't that prove it?"
The pleading look in her eyes hurt Gus to the core. She so desperately needed this to be true, Gus could tell. Maybe this church would let her cope with her loss. Hell what did he know anyway, stuck in this bed? For now he couldn't bear to do anything else but humor her.
"You know what darlin, maybe you are right? I get out of this joint, get JT and Tyrone up here with us, and then we can talk about it."
"Sounds great Gus," Hannah said, a smile breaking like the sun through thick clouds. "I gotta go. Service is starting soon. Anything special you want me to bring you next time I visit?"
"Yeah but they're things I don't think you
will find in a church," Gus chuckled. "Or the Rev would approve of. Your smiling face will do."
"Gus, you can't know how happy I am to hear you sounding like your old self." Hannah gave him another light hug and bounced off out of sight.
Not a minute passed before Linda came over to Gus.
"Your friend there, she's reallysweet," Linda commented.
"She really is. We are lucky to have her in our group." Gus laid back in the bed, feeling a little weary now. "She's also got steel in her spine, with all she has been through. You might not be able totell right now but it's there."
"I am sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I was coming back down with your next antibiotic and heard the last bit of what you two were talking about. Are you serious about staying here?" Gus sat back up. Even though he was feeling tired, something in Linda's voice worried him.
"Let me ask you something Linda," Gus said, leaning forward. "Reverend Albright. Talk to mestraight. Is he on the up and up?"
Linda swung her head back and forth around the room before replying in a soft voice. "Let's just say, I would think very hard about staying here."
"Go on. I'm more wiseass than wise. I'm gonna need some straight and narrow here." Gus pried.
There was the sound of people shuffling around above them. Linda glanced over her shoulder at the stairs. She quickly changed her demeanor and patted Gus on the arm giving him a clear look of concern. Gus opened his mouth. She stuck the two pills in it and left before Gus could press her any more.
Gus laid back and tried to rest, but now thoughts of Albright and Hannah filled his mind. He kept going over them like a dog chewing on an old bone. He felt like he was about to drift off when he felt a pressure on his arm. He opened his eyes and was startled to find Reverend Albright standing over him. Speak of the devil he almost said in his half daze. Instead, he lightly grunted.
"Gus," Albright said, speaking a level above a whisper. "How are you doing this morning my friend?"