Die Dead Enough

by Kenney, William

  The lock rattled and the door swung open, Jasper standing before them with an odd expression on his face. His eyes glanced left then right rapidly as Bo noticed the new bruising along one of his cheeks.

  "Jas-?"

  Two figures suddenly appeared from either side of the doorway with pistols in their hands.

  "Sorry, ya'll," Jasper said as the men roughly pulled Bo and Klaus into the room, stripping them of their weapons.

  "You said you were the only one here, you old motherfucker," said one of them, a short and muscular man with a blonde crew cut and goatee. "I should shoot you for lyin' to me."

  He put the barrel of his gun against Jasper's temple with a grin.

  "What d'ya think about that?" said the other one, a chubby, red-faced young man, maybe twenty-five. "Just blast 'im, Miller. Why we need this grandpa anyway?"

  Why do we need you, huh?" Miller asked of Jasper, shoving the gun against his head.

  "Whoa, whoa," Bo said, hands in the air. "We got those things outside to worry about. Let's not do this, ya'll. You kill him and there be less of us to fight those things off, right?"

  "Shut up, spook," Miller said, getting a laugh from his companion. "What you doin' in this neighborhood anyway? Come here to loot something?"

  Bo bit his lip and shook his head in anger.

  "Come on, man..." Klaus said, trying to calm the situation, while still suffering the after effects of his previous ailment. "You don't have to do this."

  "Nah, I don't have to," Miller said. "But I want to. Survival of the fittest, right? I think I'm the fitterst one here. So guess who's gonna survive?"

  "What do you want?" Klaus asked. "Why do you need to kill anyone?"

  "Because there's no one around to stop me now. No more cops. They were the first to die," Miller said with a laugh.

  Jasper swallowed hard, his neck craned far to one side from the force of Miller's gun.

  "I kill all of you and I got a fuckin' lifetime supply of brew, man," said Miller. "Look around. The rest of the world can have their zombie apocalypse. I'll have me a party."

  "Heh, heh. Only thing missin' is weed!" said the other one with a chuckle.

  "Ha, right! You got any weed in this place, old man? Don't hold out on me? Mary Jane? Chronic?" asked Miller.

  "No," said Jasper with a frown. "Just let us go, guys. You can have the store, I don't care. We'll just leave."

  "Place is surrounded right now, you dumbshit," the red-faced boy said, pointing to the windows, now filled with the faces of the undead. They ran their tongues across the windows and pulled at the bars. "Unless you can fly, you ain't gotta chance."

  Glancing out the window to the north, Bo noticed something above the heads of the zombies outside. In the window of the house next door, there was a white sign with a message scribbled across it in black magic marker.

  Conor. Aiden. Trish.

  He could see the shadow of someone standing in the window.

  They made it? Can they see us from up there?

  "You got some papers behind the counter, don't ya, Jasper?" Bo asked, getting a confounded look from the old man. "That'll get ya'll halfway there, right?"

  "Is he right?" asked Miller, shoving Jasper. "You got fuckin' papers back there? Holdin' out on me. I knew it. I bet where there's papers, there's weed. I know you liquor store dudes. I know you all sell the shit in secret."

  "I'll check it out," the red-faced boy said and walked over to the counter which backed the windows facing the house next door. The boy slipped through and behind the register, squatting down to examine the shelves. The others could hear him tossing items to the floor as he rummaged through each level. "I don't see shit, Miller. Ooooh, lottery tickets!"

  "Ain't no good now, Johnny," Miller said, annoyed. "Where are the papers, grandpa?"

  "Uh..." Jasper stuttered as he noticed the slight nod coming from Bo. "Bottom shelf, I believe."

  "I don't see any down here," Johnny said. "Whoa, dude. What's in this safe back here?"

  "Safe?" Miller asked. "Yeah, what's in the safe, old man?"

  "What do you think's in there?" Bo interrupted. "That's probably where the man stashes the real money. Probably thousands in there, right, Jasper?"

  Bo nodded vigorously at Jasper while Miller was looking away.

  "Uh, yeah. Yeah..." the old man agreed. "Secret stash. That's my damned life-savings in there, guys."

  "What's the combo?" asked Johnny, standing up, his face even more lobster-like than before.

  Miller shoved Jasper, tapping him on the head with his gun.

  "You heard him, fucker. The combo," he ordered as he walked Jasper over to the counter.

  "Twenty-two, three, fourteen," Jasper said reluctantly.

  Johnny repeated the digits as he spun the dial, right then left. He completed the sequence and lifted the handle. It remained locked.

  "Shit. What the hell, dude? Not workin'," Johnny said.

  "That's the combination. I swear! Twenty-two, three, fourteen. That's it!" Jasper said.

  Abruptly Miller pistol-whipped Jasper, sending him to the floor in a heap.

  "You better not be lyin'," Miller said and moved behind the counter, shoving Johnny aside. "Look out. Let me try it. You probably don't even know your numbers yet."

  "Oh, shit," Conor said, squinting through the binoculars at the liquor store. He could see Bo and Klaus within and three others that he did not recognize, two holding the others at gunpoint. "They got trouble over there. Get over, Aiden. Bring that rifle."

  Aiden stepped up and grabbed the binocs. He could see the backs of two strangers, one fat, one muscular with a gun trained on their friends.

  "Son of a bitch!" Aiden said and tossed the binocs to his brother, pulling his rifle up to his shoulder. He set his eye to the scope and studied the scene closely. The strangers were messing about with something behind the store counter while Bo and Klaus stood on the other side, hands in the air. "What do I do? Do I shoot those guys?"

  Just then, they could see Bo look up, directly at them, desperation in his eyes. He looked to the strangers and drew a finger across his throat. He nodded slightly and stepped to the side, pulling Klaus with him against the wall.

  "What the fuck you doin'?" Miller said, hearing their movement and standing to investigate.

  "Shit," Conor said. "Do it, Aiden. Take 'em out!"

  Aiden shoved the barrel of his rifle through the glass in front of him, breaking a hole and steadied himself as he pulled Miller into the crosshairs. He let out a long breath and pulled the trigger just as Miller started toward Bo.

  Miller's arms flew up as the bullet hit him in the back, between the shoulder blades. Aiden moved the crosshair slightly to the right and squeezed the trigger again, the sound so loud in the attic. The round missed Johnny, shattering a display and blowing it off the counter.

  "Godammit!" Aiden said, taking aim once more, but Johnny hit the floor, dropping out of his sight. Then Aiden saw the boy scramble out from behind the counter and charge toward Bo and Klaus. He dove for Miller's gun, lying on the floor next to his dead body. Bo dove as well, the two of them colliding as they landed, their heads bouncing off one another with a loud cracking sound.

  They both got a grip on the weapon and a frantic struggle ensued.

  "What's goin' on down there?" Conor asked, no longer able to see any of them."

  "Don't know. I can't see shit. Can't believe I missed that second shot," Aiden replied.

  Klaus jumped into the fight, kicking Johnny hard in the ribs, rolling him to one side.

  "He's got the gun!" Bo shouted, jumping at Johnny again, grabbing his forearms and twisting them away. A shot rang out as Bo threw him to the floor once more.

  Klaus felt the bullet graze his cheek as it went by, breaking the window in the beverage cooler behind him.

  Suddenly Jasper came around the end of an aisle, head bloody and shotgun in his hands. He stepped up to the two struggling on the floor and once he found an opening he str
uck Johnny in the back of the head with the butt of the gun. Johnny was immediately unconscious.

  "Shit!" Bo said, shaking his head. "Muthafucka was stronger than he looked."

  "Everybody okay?" Jasper asked, touching the wound on his head, the blood caked in his unruly white hair.

  Bo and Klaus nodded.

  "Good. Now tell me what the hell just happened," Jasper said.

  "You see anything?" Aiden asked, still studying the store through his scope.

  "No..." Conor answered. "Wait... is that Bo? Yeah, it is!"

  Bo moved over toward the window, hands in the air. He gave a thumbs-up and wiped his hand across his forehead. He then put his hands together and shouted, "Thank you!"

  There were now thousands of zombies surrounding the two buildings, the gunfire drawing them close. With the liquor store window shattered, they reached their filthy hands through, trying to reach the people inside. Luckily the iron bars kept them at bay for the time being.

  "You guys all right?" Bo shouted over the moans and growls.

  "Trish was shot," Conor called down. "She can't be moved for a few days. She went to shock, but she's going to be okay."

  "Ah, shit..." Bo said to himself. "We just gone wait it out, then? What's the plan?"

  "You guys got food over there? Enough for three days or so?" asked Conor.

  Bo looked at Jasper questioningly. Jasper nodded.

  "We got enough," Jasper said.

  "Yeah, we good," Bo shouted to Conor.

  "We're good, too," Conor replied. "All right. Just stay put and be safe."

  "You, too," Bo said. He waved and moved away from the rotten hands that strove to get a piece of him.

  He walked over to the others, both sitting with their backs against a wall, both nursing injuries.

  Guess we need to get settled, ya'll," Bo said. "Gone be a few days. Then we can get the hell outta here."

  "And go where?" Jasper asked. "You know someplace safe?"

  Bo was speechless for a moment.

  "I don't know," he said, unsure.

  Where did they intend to run?

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  "Okay, I'm tired of beef jerky," Klaus said, reclining against a wall of the walk-in freezer. They had taken to remaining there, hoping that their absence would send the gathered zombies elsewhere. For the most part, the plan had worked, the monsters distracted by other sights and sounds, many wondering off to search for flesh in other parts.

  After three days, a few dozen still hung about outside, filling the air with the occasional grunt or groan, scratching the outside walls as if they smelled the humans inside.

  "Yeah, Jasper. When you said they was plenty of food, dis ain't what I was expectin'," Bo said, pulling another hunk of meat off with his teeth. "This shit's makin' my stomach hurt."

  "Just be thankful we have this, boys," Jasper said, sipping on a Heineken. "And remember, there's a Taco Bell a few blocks over if you wanna make a run for the border. Look, we got jerky, Slim Jims and chips. It's a freaking smorgasbord!"

  "You sure they ain't nothin' else?" Bo asked, tossing a wrapper into an empty box.

  "Look at it this way - it'll help you both with your diets," Jasper said with a smile.

  "Very funny, you old fart," Klaus said. "If this goes on much longer, I'll be as scrawny as you."

  Their laughter was interrupted by a loud thud from the front of the store.

  "What was that?" Klaus asked as they all stared at one another.

  Jasper grabbed his shotgun and stood.

  "Let's check it out. Probably just that Johnny asshole again," he said and pulled the freezer door open. The others were behind him as he approached the door leading to the sales floor. Jasper put his ear against it for a moment.

  "Something moving around in there..." Jasper said.

  "You think the zombies got in?" Klaus said.

  "Nah, I think we would've heard that. The way we blocked the front door? If they came through that, it would've caused one hell of a racket."

  "Open the door," Bo said. "It's gotta be Johnny. Ima shut him up fo' good."

  "All right. Everybody ready?" Jasper asked, sliding the bolt to the side and reaching for the door handle.

  "Go for it," said Klaus, still chewing on jerky.

  Jasper slowly pulled the door open, peering inside. As he got a wider view of the room, he could see Johnny behind the counter attempting to remove the bars from the broken window there.

  "What the hell you doin'?" Jasper asked, stepping into the room. "And how'd you get loose, goddammit? Bo, you didn't tie him up very well, did ya?"

  "All I had was extension cords, brutha..." said Bo with a shrug.

  "You really wanna go out there, boy?" Jasper asked as Johnny turned to face him. His eyes were sunken and shadowed, skin now void of its customary redness. There was nothing Human about they boy anymore. Looking down, Jasper saw a large bite mark on his hand.

  Then Johnny rushed them with a garbled screech.

  His speed was unbelievable, the zombie in their faces so fast that Jasper could only raise his shotgun enough to blow a hole through the boy's right thigh. Johnny staggered a bit, but his forward momentum sent him into Jasper, knocking the old man to the floor. Jasper landed hard on his back, hands locking around Johnny's throat, keeping the chomping teeth away. The boy's fingernails dug into his face, tearing the flesh to the bone before the others could come to his assistance.

  Bo put two rounds in the zombie's head but it barely reacted, its concentration unwavering as it continued to rip at Jasper's face and neck. The old man screamed in agony, twisting his head to the side and trying to throw the zombie off of his chest.

  Klaus dropped to his knees, snatching up Jasper's shotgun. He put the barrel against the thing's skull and pulled the trigger. Brains and blood sprayed the items on the nearby shelves and the head fell forward on its neck. Its arms and hands were not affected, however, and Bo kicked it hard in the chest over and over, shouting curses.

  Klaus put the barrel of the gun against the creature's left shoulder joint and let loose another blast. It nearly separated the arm from the torso, thin strands of flesh the only thing holding it together.

  "Back up!" Bo screamed and kicked the zombie again, tearing the arm free. The fingers were still buried in the loose flesh of Jasper's cheek and when Bo pulled it away it ripped wide open, Jasper's teeth clearly visible through the jagged gash. "Do it again!" Bo yelled to Klaus. "Blow his other arm off. Quick!"

  Klaus did as instructed, the shotgun booming like a cannon, keeping their ears ringing. The zombie's body fell backward, the legs kicking about in an attempt to stand. Without arms it simply flopped about like a fish, its shoulder sockets pumping blood all over the floor.

  The zombie's fingers nearly tore Jasper's ear from his head when they managed to wrench the other arm free. Jasper was in sorry shape, his face covered in blood as he fell to his side, wrapping his hands around his head.

  "Jesus, Jesus..." he whimpered as Bo and Klaus came to his aid. Bo reached behind him and pulled several novelty t-shirts from a clothing rack. He folded one several times to form a makeshift bandage and touched Jasper's shoulder.

  "Let me see, brutha," Bo said, rolling the old man onto his back. He tried not to gasp, but Jasper's face was in shreds. Three diagonal lacerations crossed from forehead to jaw line, the white of his skull visible in places.

  "I'm gonna get sick like Klaus did, dammit," Jasper said, blood from his injured lips bubbling down his chin.

  "Shhh... chill, Jasper. Don't worry 'bout that right now. Here, hold this against your cheek," Bo said, placing the shirt against the loose flaps of flesh.

  "We need needle and thread, man," Klaus said, shaking his head. "He needs stitches, lots of 'em."

  "I know," said Bo. "Got any idea where we can get some thread and a needle, Jasper?"

  "Yeah... in my Jeep," he replied, his voice growing weak and muffled with the cotton against his mouth. "Got a bug-out bag in the
back seat."

  Bo stood up and stared out the front windows. A black Jeep sat in the parking lot, a jumping deer airbrushed across the spare tire cover. There were also a dozen zombies shuffling around in the area and more advancing from across the street, attracted by the recent gunfire.

  "Muthafucka..." Bo said, running a hand over his face. The Jeep was not far from the building, but he was still apprehensive about stepping outside. As soon as they saw him, they would be on him. Bo was big and very strong, but not fast. He looked at Klaus who was in the same situation. He did not believe that either of them could get to the Jeep and back without being caught. "What do we do?"

  "It's all right, fellas," Jasper said, the shirt against his face now crimson red. "Don't risk it. I've cut myself worse shavin'."

  Klaus and Bo locked eyes, both shrugging their uncertainty.

  Suddenly, Conor's voice came from outside.

  "Hey! What the hell was that?" he shouted.

  Klaus made his way over to the shattered window behind the counter, the zombies starting to amble away in response to hearing Conor's shouts.

  "That young guy got bitten trying to get out. Turned into a zombie and came at us. He tore Jasper up, man. He needs help, needs stitches," Klaus said.

  "He was bitten?" Conor asked.

  "No, just scratched to shit. He's got first aid supplies in that Jeep out front, but..." Klaus said.

  "We've got a first aid kit up here, too. Not sure how to get it to you... hang on, let me think."

  "What's the plan or do we have one?" Aiden asked, staring through the window at the black Jeep. "If they step into the parking lot, they're dead. Must be thirty zombies out there and more on the way. I could give them cover fire, but I don't think it would make much difference."

  "Could we throw our kit over?" asked Conor.

  "They'd still have to leave the store to get it, wouldn't they?"

  "No, I mean throw it on the roof. Maybe they can get to the roof from inside the store?" said Conor.

  "I don't know. That's pretty far. I don't think we can throw it that far, man."