Darkness and The Grave: A Zombie Novel

by John Tolliver

  "Yeah, well you need sleep!" she replied, laughing as he kissed her neck.

  "Fine," he turned to Jill. "You staying up too Jillian?"

  "Yeah, I figure I slept all the way here, so I might as well stay up."

  "Okay, get some rest." He walked back to the back room alongside Randy and Jamie.

  Penny looked out the door. "I'm going to take a walk," she said.

  "Be careful," Missy said.

  Jill sat down on a bar stool behind the front counter next to Missy.

  "How you holding up?" Missy asked.

  Jill shrugged. "I don't know yet. I don't know if my family is still alive, I don't know if my co-workers are still alive, so I just don't know. You?"

  "Well, we were going to be losing the house either today or tomorrow, so there's that."

  She nodded. "So what happened? I mean, why did you guys enter foreclosure?"

  She frowned. "Casey lost his job about six months ago. The recording studio went under."

  "I'm sorry to hear that."

  "It happens, I guess. It just sucks.”

  "Yeah."

  "Where does your family live?" Missy asked.

  "Cleveland, Ohio."

  "Wow. How'd you end up in Chicago?"

  "I did my undergrad at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Adam got a job in Chicago when he graduated, so I did too."

  "What did you do?"

  "I was a music teacher at an elementary school." Jill frowned. She began to wonder what had happened to all the kids at Dan Ryan Elementary School. She thought about all the first graders in Mrs. Kirkpatrick's class. They had been so fascinated by woodwind instruments.

  "Do you know how to play any musical instruments?" Missy interrupted her sad thoughts.

  "Yeah, I can play a bunch of woodwind instruments and piano."

  "That's cool. I played clarinet in elementary school," she replied with a smile.

  Jill grinned. "I liked playing clarinet. How long did you play for?"

  "Until second grade. That was the year my dad died."

  "I'm so sorry honey!" Jill hugged her.

  She shrugged. "I was seven when it happened. I guess I've had time to get over it."

  "Still, that's got to be tough."

  "Yeah, I mean, after my dad died everything kind of fell apart. My mom couldn't find a good enough job so we lost the house and wound up living in a trailer. My mom dated several men throughout my childhood. Some were good men, most were trash."

  "That's awful."

  "Yeah, I mean, I guess I've tried to get over it, but haven't really succeeded."

  "Do you have any siblings?" Jill asked.

  "Yeah, I have an older brother and a younger brother. My older brother, Brian, wound up in prison about seven years ago after he murdered a rival meth dealer."

  Jill felt her eyes widen involuntarily. "Wow."

  "Yeah, he was a jerk anyway. My little brother Aaron joined the army after he graduated from high school last year and got killed in Somalia."

  "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

  "It's okay, I mean, you know, he was serving his country. My mom was actually able to buy a house with his death benefit."

  "So you and Casey have been dating for two years now, right?" Jill asked, changing the subject because she was becoming uncomfortable.

  She nodded. "Yeah."

  "How'd you guys meet?"

  "I went to a house show his band was playing at and I stayed for a while after they finished their set."

  "What did he play?"

  "Guitar. He used to play in a band with Randy, actually, back in high school."

  "That's cool.”

  "Yeah, anyway, he asked me to go on a date and we went to Applebee's a few nights later and yeah...I think it was a combination of his long hair and guitar playing ability that attracted me to him initially."

  Jill smiled.

  "How did you and Adam meet?"

  "We met at a social event U of I held at the beginning of my second year of college."

  "That's cool. You guys have been dating for a long time, huh?"

  She smiled again. "Yeah. Casey sounds like he’s a great guy.”

  "Yeah, he’s got his moments. He really helped me out when we started dating. I had this crazy ex-boyfriend who was stalking me and Casey took care of him."

  "What did he do? Spook him?"

  Missy frowned. "No, he waited outside of Matthew's work one night about a year and a half ago and beat him up after work."

  "Knocked some sense into him?"

  "I guess. I mean, Matthew left me alone after that, but Casey was lucky he didn't press charges. Casey put Matt in the hospital for a week!"

  Jill gasped. "Wow."

  "Yeah, I had mixed feelings about it at first, but I realized he just did what he thought was necessary to get Matthew to leave me alone."

  She nodded. "Yeah."

  "Hey look! There's a zombie out there!" Missy pointed out the front door.

  Jill looked and saw a zombie staggering around in the parking lot.

  "Should I kill it?" she asked quietly.

  Jill shook her head. "No, let's wait. If you run out there and shoot it, the noise might attract more."

  "Good thinking Jillian!"

  "Just call me Jill," she said.

  "Okay Jill," she said, smiling.

  Chapter Twenty

  Andy Gibson

  Day 18

  When they had arrived at Becker's room, the man could still be heard clawing at the door. Robbie nodded at Sterling.

  "Who is in the deceased OIM's quarters?" Sterling demanded.

  "The OIM," Robbie said. "I think he's tripping on bath salts."

  "What?"

  "Sir, Mister Becker attacked Doctor Kulik and attempted to attack Robbie," Andy said.

  Sterling shook his head. "Open the door. Let me see."

  "Are you sure sir?" Robbie asked.

  Sterling nodded.

  "Can I at least stand in front of you sir? In case he tries to attack you?"

  Sterling sighed. "Go ahead."

  Tyrell inserted the key into the doorknob and turned it. Then he stepped back and Robbie turned the knob. He pushed the door open and Andy saw Becker standing by the opposite wall, facing it. An overwhelming stench wafted from the room.

  "Carl? You're alive?" Sterling asked, confused.

  Carl spun around and staggered forward, his entrails dangling from his abdomen.

  "Carl! You're badly hurt!" Sterling gasped.

  "Sir, now would be a good time to close the door," Robbie said nervously, readying his baton.

  Carl growled and stumbled forward, arms outstretched.

  "We have to help him!" Sterling yelled.

  Robbie raised the baton in a defensive gesture. "Get back sir! I don't want to hit you again!"

  Carl lunged forward, jaw snapping. Robbie bashed him in the forehead with the baton. Carl fell backwards as Sterling cried out.

  "Sterling, sir! Carl isn't normal anymore! He's a ravenous monster!" Andy yelled.

  Sterling looked at Andy as Robbie quickly pulled the door closed. "Did he really bite Dan?"

  He nodded.

  Sterling sighed. "Tyrell, write up your report. Andy, follow me."

  Suddenly the loudspeaker crackled. "Attention crew, I apologize for ringing you at this late hour but this is Carlos Rodriguez, acting OIM. All crew must report to the galley immediately. Any crew who do not attend will face disciplinary action.”

  Sterling looked at Andy. Andy looked at Sterling. They both ran to the galley.

  "It has come to my attention that there has been a fatal encounter with security by a member of our crew," Carlos said as Andy sat down near the wall. The acting OIM looked exhausted. "Sterling, do you have a report of what happened?"

  Sterling stood. "Yes, I think I do."

  "Let's have it then. I want to quell the panic that is rising," Carlos said.

  "OIM Becker is not dead, first, but he is incapable o
f continuing leadership."

  Everyone gasped.

  "What? How?" Carlos asked, confused.

  "Becker attacked Doctor Dan Kulik and bit him this morning. Security confined him to his room while trying to sort out what happened. He seems to be under the influence of some sort of psychoactive substance. Then about an hour ago, Doctor Kulik attacked and killed Doctor Claire Maclin. Security was forced to use deadly force to subdue him," he finished with a sigh.

  Carlos looked shocked. "Alright people, here's the deal. Whatever happened to Doctor Kulik and Master Becker, it has a logical, scientific explanation. There is no Voodoo being performed on this platform. However, do not go near the former OIM's cabin, or you will face discipline. Protocol indicates that we are to quarantine anyone displaying symptoms we cannot identify. That said, we are going to mourn the dead and we are going to continue attempting to make contact with someone on shore. Need I remind you it has been more than two weeks since we heard from the shore?"

  "We are going to continue our attempts until December First. If no contact is made by then, we will abandon ship and make for shore in the lifeboats. If we see any kind of disruptive behavior, discipline will be enacted. We are not just co-workers. We are family! We will live as such. Do I make myself clear?"

  The crew murmured their agreement.

  "Alright. Now, get back to work or bed, whichever you are scheduled to do," he said.

  Andy stood.

  “Andy!” Royce called out.

  “What?”

  “Come with me.”

  Andy followed his friend away from the galley, down the hall to the infirmary.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “It’s Claire. She…she came back from the dead.”

  “What? Are you crazy?”

  Royce turned and gave him a look. “After everything else that’s happened today?”

  They reached the infirmary and Andy noticed that a bed had been knocked over.

  “What happened?”

  “She tried to attack Doctor Shah and Scott about ten minutes after we left the infirmary earlier.”

  “But Dan ripped her face off.”

  “Yeah, Scott told me that it was the most terrifying sight he had ever seen. He could see her bare skull.”

  Andy felt nauseous. “What did they do with her?”

  “Shah restrained her and they threw her overboard.”

  “What? Why? How?”

  Royce put his arm on Andy’s shoulder. “I’m just kidding man. What, do you think zombies are real?”

  Andy punched him in the chest. “That’s not funny!”

  “I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. No, they did throw her overboard earlier. They just boxed up her body and Dan’s body and did a little ceremony while Carlos addressed everybody. Then they threw the boxes overboard.”

  Andy nodded grimly. “Really though, that’s not funny man.”

  Royce shrugged. “Scott did say he thought he heard a noise coming from the box Claire was in right before they cast it overboard. He just thought he was hearing things.”

  Andy shook his head. “You’re a jerk.”

  The crew spent the next two weeks planning and preparing. A list of who would be on each lifeboat was published on the 18th.

  Andy was assigned to Lifeboat D, along with the rest of the Fire Team, the Geologists, and Security; Sterling was D’s designated coxswain and Andy was the backup. As he scanned the list he was glad to see he wouldn't be riding in Lifeboat A. Carl Becker was assigned to that boat. Andy assumed he would somehow be kept under lock and key, but still.

  He was sad to see that Milo was assigned to Lifeboat A. Milo was a good friend and Andy had a bad feeling about his being in the same boat as Mr. Becker. Whatever was wrong with Becker, Andy had concluded he didn't want to be locked in the same tiny boat as the former OIM.

  One night, a few days before Thanksgiving, Andy sat in his room playing poker with Royce and Milo. Milo laid down a Flush.

  "Read 'em and weep!" he said with a chuckle.

  "I would but I've got a Full House," Andy said as he laid his cards on the table.

  "Sorry ladies," Royce said, "I think four Aces beats both of your hands." He laid four Aces on the table.

  Milo sighed. "Man!"

  "There's always the next hand, if you have chips left," Andy said.

  Milo grumbled under his breath. "Alright, come on!" He placed more chips in the center of the table.

  "So, what do you think is really wrong with Becker?" Royce asked.

  "I don't know. There's no way it's drugs. He's been in his room for two weeks now, and he is still violent and moving around. I don't know, logic can't explain it," Andy said. "He's got a giant slit in his belly, his entrails are hanging out, and he has a broken jaw. There shouldn't be any way he's walking around. And when I wrestled him off Doctor Kulik, I thought he was so pale and so cold. It felt like I was wrestling a corpse off someone," he said as Milo placed the flop down.

  "I'm just going to come out and say it," Milo said. "He's a zombie. I think the man’s odor gives it away. He smells like rotting flesh."

  "A zombie?" Royce asked. "I think a better term for whatever he is and whatever Kulik became after being bitten is a creeper. Becker just creeps around his room. I mean, look at what Kulik did when he killed Doctor Maclin! He just crept around the Infirmary with her face in his hands."

  "That's disgusting!" Milo said as he placed the turn down; he laid down a Seven of Hearts.

  Andy looked at his own hand and frowned. "I agree with Royce," he said. "I think creeper is a better name. Zombie is just too corny."

  "Fine!" Milo said. "But you know, revenant might be a good term too."

  Royce laughed. "Revenant? Someone's been playing too much Dungeons and Dragons!"

  "Hey man! I was into role playing games when I was a kid, who cares?" Milo laughed.

  "Well, whatever he is, he's going to be in your lifeboat when we abandon ship," Andy said as he folded.

  "What?" Milo exclaimed. "No!"

  "Yup, so I'd be careful," Andy said.

  Milo shook his head. "That's crazy!"

  "Yeah, the whole cook staff is assigned to that lifeboat."

  "Can I ride in yours?"

  Andy laughed. "I doubt Sterling will let you, but who knows?"

  On November 26th, the crew celebrated Thanksgiving. Andy stood up on the helideck while everyone waited for dinner to be ready. He watched the sun slowly set behind puffy cumulus clouds, painting the western sky a brilliant blend of fiery colors.

  "What are you thinking about?" Royce asked.

  "Shelly and Isaiah," he replied.

  "I guess you still can't get a hold of them?"

  Andy shook his head. "We might as well not even have phones on this rig. I don't know, I'm worried man. Even if Teddy was a catastrophic hurricane, why haven't we been able to get a hold of anyone? Surely there are ships out here in the Gulf within range of our broadcasts? Why can't we reach the Coast Guard? I mean, it's surprising we can't reach HQ or Ops, but it’s shocking that we can't even reach the Coast Guard!"

  "I know man. I mean, that fire a few weeks ago, what would have happened if it had been worse? We would have had to abandon ship!"

  "Yeah," Andy said as a warm breeze blew across the helideck. "I don't know man. I'm not sure what we're going to find when we get ashore. I'm wondering if I'll even find a plate from my house. And I'm worried sick about Shelly and Isaiah."

  "I'm sure they're fine Andy," Royce said, patting his shoulder.

  "Attention crew, Thanksgiving Dinner is ready. Please report to the galley at your convenience," Milo announced over the intercom.

  "Well? You up for some turkey?" Andy asked.

  "Sounds good man," Royce replied.

  They walked downstairs to the galley. A number of crew members were already there, sitting at tables. Andy saw that the food had been set up buffet style, with a line area for people to walk through. Cooks Pat McKinney and Newto
n Thomas stood behind the table, ready to assist.

  He looked around and saw Milo sitting at a table with Oscar, Fyodor and Well Services Tech David M'Kumbe. He walked over and Royce followed.

  "Andy! Royce! Have a seat guys!" Milo exclaimed, motioning to two seats.

  Andy and Royce both sat down.

  "Hello Andrew," David said, extending his hand.

  "Hey David, how's it going?" Andy asked, shaking his hand.

  "As well as can be expected I suppose. We were all, all of us in Well Services anyway, just crushed to learn of Mike's death. But, as they say, we are still alive, I am still alive. So I should rejoice," he replied.

  "It was pretty awful," Fyodor said. "I'm glad that Andy and Royce acted so quickly or we might all be dead."

  Andy shrugged. "We were just doing our job."

  "Yeah, but you saved us!" Milo said, laughing.

  "Yes," Oscar said. Oscar was a tall Hispanic man from Atlanta. He had moved his wife and children there from Mexico and had been hired by CPG as a Production Technician. His job was to make sure oil and gas kept flowing smoothly during normal operation.

  "How are you holding up Oscar?" Royce asked. "Your whole team got lost, didn't it?"

  Oscar shrugged. "Well, Raul died in that fire and Dave, I'm not really sure what happened to Dave Sappins. We think he went outside during the storm and must have fallen overboard. My supervisor Josh is okay though. And they'll hire more technicians when we get back home I'd imagine."

  "You really think there's anything left at home?" Fyodor asked.

  "I hope so," Andy said. "What do you think?"

  "Come on man, we haven't been able to contact anyone onshore since before the hurricane. I mean, I've checked the transmission equipment and our radio is in great condition! I can see the writing on the wall; something terrible and expansive happened onshore," he said. “Perhaps there was a nuclear war. Perhaps a meteor hit New York. I don’t know.”

  David nodded. "I hate to be a pessimist, but I have to agree with Fyodor's assessment. Something awful has happened, or at least so it would seem."

  “You think civilization has collapsed?” Andy asked.

  Fyodor shrugged. “I saw some terrible things growing up in Russia. But nothing I saw compared to this. Our radio has a great enough range that we should be able to hit any receiver on the Gulf Coast. At the very least, we should be able to listen to any unencrypted traffic along the Gulf Coast. Andy, you know as well as I do that there’s only been static since the evening we were supposed to be evac’d. I don’t know what happened, but it must be bad.”