by S. B. Poe
“What do you mean you thought it would stay where you left it? What the fuck are you talking about?” Violet said, her anger slowly changing targets.
“Emma Grace?” Cody said as he stood over her, his voice softening. She just looked at her shoes. “I don’t understand. Stay where you left it? What does that mean?”
Emma Grace didn’t look up. She just sat there starring at the little spot of blood on her shoes. She scratched at with her fingernail.
“ANSWER HIM. NOW!!!” Violet screamed at her. Her rage fully focused on Emma Grace now, almost forgetting the stranger standing in the corner.
Emma Grace looked up. The person she saw standing in front of her didn’t look anything like the girl who used to sit behind her at church singing hymns. The anger had made her face ugly and distorted, all screwed up and red.
“NOW!!!” Violet screamed.
“Back off Violet.” Cody said.
Violet turned her anger towards Cody.
“Back off? Fuck you. I don’t give a shit if she is your goddam sister. I want to know what the fuck she is talking about. RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!” Violet screamed the last line at Emma Grace.
The tears rolled down Emma Grace’s cheeks. She looked around and realized both of them were standing over her. She felt trapped. She tried to stand. Violet stepped towards her and shoved her back down.
“NOW!!!” Violet screamed.
Cody had seen enough. He didn’t know what the hell was happening but he damn sure knew that he wasn’t going to let this bitch touch Emma Grace again.
“Get the fuck away from her. Right fucking now.” Cody said as he grabbed the back of Violet’s shoulders and threw her aside.
Violet stumbled as he pushed her and lost her balance. She teetered for a second and crashed into the wall. She hit the ground but jumped right back up. Devin didn’t think it was possible but her face got even redder. She came at Cody swinging wildly. Devin grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her and pinning her arms down against her body.
“LET GO OF ME RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!” She screamed but Devin held his grip.
She twisted and thrashed, throwing her legs up in the air hoping it would free her. It didn’t.
“No.” Devin said. “You need to calm down.”
“Fuck you, you bastard.”
“Stop. Stop it right now. I am done with all this bullshit. Violet shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down. If you don’t I will tie you up and throw you in a closet. Do you understand me?” Cody said. His voice was firm and it reminded him of Cotton. He was surprised.
Violet glared at Cody, trying to hurt him with her eyes. The struggle against Devin’s grip was beginning to take the wind out of her sails and Devin felt her relax. He didn’t let go. He kept her arms pinned against her side and squeezed them tight. Devin once had a pet snake and he thought about how it would squeeze the little white mice he fed it. Squeezing tighter and tighter until the things lungs couldn’t expand to draw in air. He wasn’t squeezing her that tight but he knew she was wearing out partially because he was restricting the oxygen she could process. He could feel her losing the ability to will herself to struggle.
“Ok. Ok. Let me go. I can’t fucking breath.” Violet said.
“If you touch Emma Grace again I will make sure you stop breathing for good.” Cody glared at her. “I mean it Violet, don’t fuck with me.”
“Ok, fine.” Violet said.
Devin looked at Cody and raised his eyebrows. Cody nodded at him. He let her go.
“See we can work together.” Devin said smiling.
Violet twisted as he released her and stepped back, rubbing her hand on the sore spots left from his grip.
“Fuck you, you son of a bitch.” Violet said.
“Don’t start Violet, I am not going to tell you again.” Cody looked hard at her and waited until he could see the surrender in her eyes. She looked around like a caged animal, first at Cody and then and Devin and finally at Emma Grace, who was still sitting on the floor.
“Fine.” She said and plopped down in the chair.
Cody turned back to Emma Grace.
“Emma Grace. Talk to me. Tell me what happened. What did you do?” Cody asked her.
Emma Grace looked down at her shoe again. She scratched at the blood on it and looked up at Cody. The tears in her eyes made him look like he was surrounded by broken light. She blinked and wiped her eyes, focusing on him. She reached down and slowly pulled the leg of her pants up revealing the mark. It was distinctive, a small scoop of missing flesh. The little grooves of teeth clearly visible.
“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?” Violet jumped backwards out of the chair and moved to the other wall. “ARE YOU FUCKING BIT? GODDAM IT CODY, SHE’S FUCKING BIT.”
Cody’s eyes widened at the sight and he stepped away from his sister too. He instinctively touched the gun strapped to his hip. He didn’t draw it out.
“What the hell is that Emma Grace? Are you bit?” Cody said, wavering between panic and sympathy in his voice.
“Yes. But it happened a long time ago.” Emma Grace said. “I didn’t turn.”
“Bullshit.” Violet said. “Everyone turns.”
“I didn’t.” Emma Grace said.
“That’s impossible.” Cody said.
“No it’s not.” Came a voice from the other corner.
Cody and Violet both turned and looked at him.
“It’s not. I’ve seen it before. We have a man back at our camp that was bit a couple of months ago. He didn’t turn. It’s true. I swear.” Devin said. “His name is Charlie Fair. He got bit and lived. I saw the scar with my own eyes. We have a doctor at our camp and he told me the story himself. He got bit and he lived.”
“Really?” Emma Grace said, her eyes a little brighter.
“Really.” Devin said. He walked over to her and stuck out his hand. She took it and stood.
“How?” Cody said. “I mean, how is that possible?”
“I don’t know dude. I just know it happened. And apparently he isn’t the only one.” Devin said nodding at Emma Grace.
“Does he move among the dead too?” Emma Grace asked as though she was asking if he knew how to dance.
“What?” Devin asked. “Move among the dead?”
“Yes. Since this happened I can be around them and they don’t do anything to me. Well they like my smell or something so they get kinda close but none of them bite me or even try.”
Cody’s head was swimming. He was trying to process the conversation but couldn’t. He finally took a step back and sat down in Cotton’s office chair. It was a big leather CEO chair Cotton had ordered from the same company that made the chairs in the White House. He spent more money on that chair than he had on the rest of the furniture in the room. He had forbid anyone else from using it. But he was gone now.
“When have you been around them Emma Grace? We haven't had any inside beyond the creek since this all started, until last night.” Cody asked as he put his hand up and rubbed his temples.
“I sneak out.” She said flatly.
“And go where?” Cody asked. He still couldn’t make his mind wrap itself around what she was saying. He barely heard her answer.
“I just walk around town. I go to the library a lot. It’s still there. Everything is still there. It’s just empty. Except for the goners. And me.” Emma Grace said.
Cody looked up at her. He just sat and studied her, trying to imagine her walking down Coker Street to the library surrounded by goners, smiling and nodding at them as they went by. He wiped his forehead and folded his hands together.
“I guess we owe you an apology.” He said to Devin.
“You think?” Devin said as he turned and looked at Violet.
Violet remained standing against the wall. Her anger slowly subsided and confusion began to take its place. She looked at the man she had just been ready to kill.
“I’m sorry. But..” She started.
“No, no buts. Let’s just move on. I get
it. I would have been suspicious too. Not sure I would have gone all WWE on you but hey, to each their own.” Devin said smiling as he touched the swollen part of his lip.
Emma Grace watched him accept her apology. None of the boys she knew would have done that so easily. And he had defended her too. She didn’t know this stranger but the soft blond hair that halfway covered his eyes and the crooked smile he gave her made her think she wanted too.
Cody stood and walked out of the room. Violet followed but when Cody turned to go out on the porch she turned into the living room. Peter had fallen asleep on the couch when they first arrived and was still sleeping when she sat down beside him. Devin guided Emma Grace to the big leather chair.
“Where do you keep the water?” Devin asked.
“Around the corner, in the kitchen. Why?” Emma Grace asked as she used the back of her hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks.
He didn’t answer. He just disappeared briefly through the door, returning a moment later with a bottle of water.
“Here” He said.
“Thank you, but I think you need it more than me.” She said.
He spun the top off and took a swig. He handed it to her.
“We can share.” He said. She took the bottle and downed a small sip. She wiped her mouth and smiled at him.
Josh pulled the SUV against the curb and they all got out. Bridger and Lori joined the others in the yard in front of the house. Ed leaned against the SUV and stopped.
“You coming?” Bridger asked.
“I think I’ll hang here for now.” Ed said.
“Come on, I settled all that yesterday.” Bridger said.
“Does he know that?” Ed asked as he nodded at the figure that had stepped out onto the porch.
“I’m sure he does, and if not, I’ll settle it again.” Bridger said.
“I think I’ll stay here for now.” Ed said.
“Ok.” Bridger said and turned to walk up to the house.
Cody stood on the porch as the big white SUV pulled up and parked. He watched them as they got out and approached the house. The memories of yesterday at the farm made him briefly flash with anger but he quelled it. The things that Emma Grace told him took up all the space in his head.
“We’re back.” Vernon said to Cody as he walked up the porch.
“Yeah, ok. I can see.” Cody said.
Vernon had known Cody his whole life. He knew when something was wrong.
“What happened while we were gone Cody?” He asked.
“A lot.” He said. “I know how this happened now. I know how it got in.”
“Really? And?” He said.
“You might want to come in and sit down. “ Cody said. He turned to the others standing at the bottom of the steps. “That goes for all of you. I think we all need to sit down and talk. Together. Things have changed.”
The sun had started to set in the west. He tried to wrap his head around how much things truly had changed since the sun had started its daily circuit across the sky this morning.
4
The Old World
Kate sat on top of the saloon watching the wood line. She had told Cameron what happened to Charlie, and what didn’t happen. From the look on his face she was sure he needed a few minutes alone to let his mind recover. She chuckled. Suddenly she saw the headlights of the truck bouncing wildly through the woods. She quickly climbed down from her perch. By the time the truck emerged from the trees she was halfway to the gate. Tilly didn’t slow down until they got to the fence. Kate hurried to get the latch open and Raj jumped out to help her swing it open.
“What happened out there?” Kate asked. The light shone on Raj’s face. She could see the fear in his eyes.
“What is it? What’s going on Raj?”
“They’re out there.”
“Who?”
“The dead.”
Tilly stood in the middle of the compound while the others gathered around. She looked around in the group, making eye contact with each one as she spoke. Dottie sat on the porch of the saloon, straining to hear.
“We have no time. If they come this way, they’ll be here soon.”
“How many?” Martin asked.
“Too many.” Raj said.
“What do we need to do?” Scott asked.
“How many guns did Bridger leave us?” Evelyn asked.
“We have enough for everyone. I’ll get them. Give me a hand Scott?” Charlie said. The two of them trotted towards the Alamo.
“Are we just going to sit here and wait?” Cameron asked.
“I don’t think we have much choice. If we tried to drive away, we would run into them for sure. If they keep walking down the main road maybe they won’t find us but if they turn…” Tilly left it unfinished.
“Then I’ll make sure they stay on the road. Cheval and I will ride out there and lead them away.” He volunteered.
“It’s too dangerous.” Ham protested.
“I can’t ask you to do that. But I also can’t make you stay. If you want to go, whether it is to help us or to just get away doesn’t matter. You don’t know us, you don’t owe us and no one would blame you.” Tilly said.
“How long do we have?” Cameron asked.
“It’s a mile or so to the road and they were a few miles down the road, so maybe an hour, maybe.” Raj said.
“If they are still walking.” Evelyn said.
“What do you mean?” Jennifer asked.
“We saw one of the evolved ones.” Evelyn turned to Cameron.
“Really? Did it run? I saw one that actually…” He said.
“Yeah it did, but I don’t think we have time to sit here and compare notes.” Tilly cut him off. “We need a plan.”
“I will see what I can do.” Cameron said as he started towards the barn. He looked back over his shoulder at Tilly. “My weapons?”
“Get your horse, the weapons are in the Alamo. Raj?” Tilly nodded and Raj headed back to retrieve them.
They stood in the darkness of the compound. The rain had ended but the clouds still blocked out what little light came from the stars and moon. The world had gotten dark.
“Up.” Kate said as the others stood watching Cameron lead the horse out of the barn and hastily cinch the saddle.
“Huh?” Tilly asked.
“Up. We can go up. We can get to the top of the saloon and the Alamo. We can see all of the fence and if they do get in…” She didn’t finish.
“I think you may be onto something Kate.” Tilly added as she looked at the ladder against the side of the Alamo.
Scott and Charlie hustled up carrying the few shotguns and one rifle they had left. They had stuffed their pockets with ammunition. Everyone had either a shotgun or a pistol. Scott kept the rifle. It was Josh’s deer gun, a bolt action 30-06 with a scope. They dumped the ammunition on the ground and everyone reached down to grab a handful.
Raj walked past the group. He carried Cameron’s halberd, sword and rifle. Tilly followed him down to the gate.
“Here.” Raj said as he handed the rifle to Cameron.
“What are you going to do?” Tilly asked.
“What I said. I will try to lead them down the road.” He said as he mounted the rifle and sword in their scabbard.
“How?” Tilly asked.
“I shall attempt to persuade them with an audible stimuli.” He said.
“So you’re gonna make a lot of noise?” Tilly smirked.
“Precisely.” He said smiling, as he climbed into the saddle. He stretched out his hand and Raj handed him the halberd.
“If they do follow you, where will you lead them?” Raj asked.
“Farther down the road.” He said.
“And then?” Tilly asked.
“Then I will attempt to detach from their ranks and allow them to continue on. I shall then, if successful, return.” He said. “The gate?”
“How will we know if it worked?” Raj asked as he swung the gate open.
“I would suspect that depending on whether it is I or the dead that show up next at your fence, the answer would be obvious.” Cameron said as the horse walked through the open gate.
“Be careful. And thank you.” Tilly said.
“Nay, thank you. Your hospitality, as brief as it was, reinvigorated my faith in the living. And this is a moment that requires, above all else, faith.” He said as the horse slowly walked into the darkness.
Tilly closed the gate behind him, suddenly finding the chain link wholly inadequate. For months it seems as secure as any place she had ever known but now, as she stared into the darkness straining to see something she dreaded seeing, it felt as flimsy as a cardboard box against a raging winter storm. The little bit of starlight filtering down to the ground allowed her to watch as the horse and rider slowly slipped away until they were swallowed by the darkness. The others had come to join her and they all stood watching the trees in the distance.
“Well, I guess we’ll find out if it made a difference.” Martin said.
“What’s that?” Evelyn asked without turning her eyes from the dark.
“The trees we cut down. We’ll see if the stringers have as hard a time getting through it as we hoped.” He said.
“We need to get ready.” Tilly said.
“What else can we do?” Ham asked.
“Pray.” Dottie said from behind them.
They all turned and walked back toward the saloon. Tilly and Raj climbed up to the perch on the saloon. Kate and Scott joined them. Evelyn, Jennifer, Martin and Ham climbed the ladder to the flat roof of the Alamo.
Dottie walked into the saloon and sat down at the bar. Charlie followed her.
“You need to…” Charlie started.
“You’re kidding right?” Dottie said. “I can’t climb up there. And even if I could, I don’t want too.”