Marionette Zombie Series (Book 9): Ash and Bone

by Poe, S. B.

  “Oh hey, Kate.” Tilly said as she swung the door open.

  “Hey. You sound disappointed.” Kate said as she stepped inside.

  “No, sorry. Was just hoping you were Raj.”

  “They haven’t been gone that long.” Kate said. “You mind if I sit?”

  “No go ahead. I was hoping maybe Raj had changed his mind. Decided not to go out.” Tilly.

  “You know Raj can’t say no when someone needs help. I’m really surprised that you didn’t go with him. You always help too.” Kate said.

  “Well, Raj didn’t want me to go plus I knew that Bridger was going out and you said when you put me in charge of the walls that you wanted me in here if he was out there.” Tilly said. “Now you’re telling me you’re surprised I didn’t go and ignore what you said. I wish you would make up your mind.”

  Kate sat back a little in her seat. She looked at Tilly and smiled.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.” Tilly said.

  “I know you didn’t. I’m guessing Raj knows already. That’s why he didn’t want you to go.” Kate said.

  Tilly sat back a little in her seat. She looked at Kate with a puzzled expression.

  “Raj knows what?” Tilly asked.

  “That you’re pregnant.” Kate said.

  “I’m sorry?” Tilly said. “Who said I was pregnant?”

  “Sick this morning. Crying fits. Spontaneous anger. I’ve had two myself.” Kate said. “Are you keeping it a secret?”

  “I can’t believe you figured it out that easy. I only figured it out a week ago. And I was a month late then. I guess I didn’t want to figure it out.” Tilly said.

  “Afraid of how Raj would react?” Kate said.

  “Oh no. We talked about having kids a lot before all this. We had wanted to wait until he got established. We were going to start trying when we finally moved to New Orleans.” Tilly said. She started crying.

  “It’s okay.” Kate said. “It’s a wonderful thing. You and Raj will be great parents. We will make sure y’all have everything you need. All those things you and Raj talked about, you can still have them.”

  “That’s not why I’m crying. I’m crying because I was afraid of how you would react. You and Bridger. I was afraid y’all would be disappointed.” Tilly said.

  “Oh Tilly.” Kate wrapped her arms around her. “You and Raj are family. Bridger is family. Families share their joy. This is a happy day for everyone.”

  “Thank you.” Tilly said as she hugged her back. “I hope Bridger feels the same way. I can just hear him now, ‘a crying baby, that’s just what we need’.

  “He’ll be fine.” Kate said. “You’ll be fine. We’ll make sure of it.”

  “Raj will take some effort. I'm afraid he’s going to be hyper protective of me and the baby now.” Tilly said.

  “He probably will be. But that’s going to be a good thing. You’ll see.” Kate said. “He’s going to get to deliver his own child. That’s gonna be different.”

  “Oh shit. I haven’t even thought of that.” Tilly said. “Oops. I guess I can’t talk like that anymore. Since I’m gonna be a mom and all.”

  “Don’t change a thing. You’re gonna be great.” Kate said. “So when are you going to tell everyone else?”

  “I haven’t thought about it. Should I make an announcement? Like one of those reveal parties or something?” Tilly asked. “Do they have baby showers in the apocalypse?”

  “They do now. I would tell everyone tonight at supper. It’s really the only time most everyone is together.” Kate suggested.

  “We’ll do it then. I’ll talk to Raj and make sure but tonight sounds great. Get it over with.” Tilly said.

  “Well, you’re actually just getting started but I know what you’re saying.” Kate smiled and stood. “Rest. I’ll see you this evening.”

  The walkie on her hip crackled to life.

  “Kate, this is Charlie. Raj and the others are back.”

  “Is Bridger and Evelyn with them?” Kate asked.

  “Nope.”

  “Okay, we’re on our way.” Kate said.

  “You feel like walking over?” Kate turned to Tilly.

  “Let’s go.” Tilly jumped up and followed her out the door.

  Charlie stood by the gate until the truck made it through. Raj got out when the truck stopped.

  “Take us up to the house.” Cody called from the bed.

  “As you wish.” Cameron replied and they drove up the street.

  Kate and Tilly watched the truck pass by, then crossed the street to where Raj was waiting.

  “So? What did you find?” Tilly asked.

  “How are you feeling?” Raj asked.

  “She’s fine.” Kate said.

  “She knows.” Tilly said.

  “You told her?” Raj asked.

  “She figured it out.” Tilly said. “I want to tell everyone else tonight.”

  “Tell everyone else what?” Charlie called down from top of the bus.

  “Never mind Charlie. You’ll find out with the rest of them.” Kate said.

  “I bet I already know.” Charlie touched his nose and pointed at Tilly.

  “You’ll keep your damned mouth shut.” Tilly said.

  “Yes mam.” Charlie said. He laughed and turned his attention towards the road.

  “Come on.” Kate said.

  Kate turned and started walking back down the street with Tilly and Raj beside her.

  “You said you wanted to tell everyone tonight?” Raj asked.

  “At supper. Kate suggested it.” Tilly said.

  “If y’all want too. If you don’t want to, don’t.” Kate said.

  “Well, I don’t think we’re trying to keep it a secret. Are we?” Tilly asked Raj.

  “Not necessarily. There are always…” Raj started.

  “KATE. KATE.” Charlie yelled. “You might want to get back over here.”

  They all stopped and turned back towards the gate.

  “Why, what’s happening?” Kate said as she started walking.

  “There a truck coming.”

  “Bridger?”

  “No, this looks like one of those Humvees. You know like the army uses.” Charlie turned.

  Kate looked at Raj and Tilly. They all jogged over to the bus and climbed on top. Jennifer stood from her chair as the other piled on the roof. She handed Kate the binoculars. At the top of the hill about seventy-five yards away coming slowly down the middle of the street was a tan military Humvee. She lowered the binoculars.

  “Jennifer.” She said without looking. “Go find Josh and Scott. Now. Tell them to bring guns.”

  Cody came through the door with Ed and Vernon behind him. Devin was sitting in the big chair behind the desk.

  “Get your ass up. That’s my seat.” Cody said without slowing down.

  “Just keeping it warm for ya.” Devin said as he stood. Emma Grace came down the hallway and into the office.

  “So? Any cows?” She asked.

  “No cows. Found a deadun that talks.” Ed said. “But no cows.”

  “A what?” Devin asked.

  “He ain’t a deadun. He just looks like one.” Vernon said.

  “And smells like one.” Cody said.

  “What the hell are y’all talking about?” Devin asked again.

  “There’s a guy. He’s outside the gate. Down by the Skinner’s Gas and Go. He got turned into a half a goner or something. We found him out there. On the horse. Cameron’s horse apparently.” Vernon said.

  “Cameron had a horse?” Emma Grace asked as she came down the hallway.

  “Yeah, Red told me that when Cameron first showed up, he was on a horse. We were up here when he showed up. But they said he lost the horse when that horde came through.” Ed said.

  “It looks like it’s back.” Cody said.

  “And brought a deadun with it?” Devin asked. “What do you mean the guy got ‘turned into’ a deadun?”

  “Well he was dow
n at Spring Lake, or that’s where it sounded like he was at, he didn’t really know. Anyway…” Vernon started to tell the story but the screen door slammed open. They heard someone coming at a fast pace down the hall and before any of them could stand, Jennifer’s head appeared in the doorway.

  “Josh, Scott. Y’all seen em?” Jennifer asked.

  “Nope.” Cody said. “Why?”

  “I think Scott is across the street with Ham and the horse. Out in the grass.” Vernon said. “Haven’t seen Josh but he’s probably at his house. What’s going on?”

  “Soldiers.”

  “Soldiers?” Devin asked as he stood.

  “It looks like soldiers. Coming down the road. They may already be at the gate. Kate wanted me to find Josh and Scott. And guns.” Jennifer said.

  “She said that? Guns?” Ed asked.

  “She did.”

  “Come on boys. Let’s get down there and see what’s happening. If Kate wants guns, we’ll bring guns.” Ed said as he stood.

  They all filed out of the door. Jennifer turned to go find Scott and the rest turned towards the gate. They all broke out in a trot. Emma Grace stood on the porch and watched them go.

  Kate stood on top of the bus with the binoculars against her eyes. The Humvee had stopped about fifty yards beyond the gate. She thought about what it would look like from their vantage point. A fence behind a gate partially hidden behind a funeral home. She realized that unless they had seen her and the others standing on the bus, they wouldn’t know they were even there. She started to duck down but stopped when the Humvee started rolling towards them again. ‘Where are you Bridger?’ She thought to herself.

  “They’re still coming.” She said to Charlie. She lowered the binoculars.

  “What’s going on?” Cody said from behind and below her. She turned and saw Cody, Ed, Vernon and Devin standing on the ground.

  “Great. All four of you. Up here now.” Kate said. “Charlie and I are coming down.”

  Kate climbed down first and Charlie right behind her. Ed, Vernon and Devin all climbed up. Cody stood at the bottom of the ladder.

  “Sorry.” Kate said as she looked at his arm.

  “Oh, I can get up there. I’m just wanting to know why?” Cody said.

  “Four young men standing up there with guns is slightly more intimidating than me and Charlie.” Kate said. “I don’t know who that is out there, I want them to be as nervous as I am.”

  “Jennifer said it was soldiers.” Cody said.

  “I don’t know. It looks like it could be though.” Kate said. Cody started up the ladder. He pulled himself up with one hand as quick as the others had with two.

  “If it is soldiers, I don’t think I’m gonna make them all that nervous.” Cody said as he got to the top of the bus. He looked out over the barricade. He turned to Kate. “It’s soldiers. Or at least dressed like them. Five of them. They are almost to the gate.”

  The knock against the wood sounded like a hammer. Kate stood on her side of the wooden gate, not being able to see the other side. She listened to the knock again.

  “What do you want?” Kate yelled over the gate.

  “Mam, we are from the US Army.” The voice boomed back.

  “What do you want?” Kate called again.

  “Mam, I want you to open your gates.” The voice called back.

  “I’m sorry, but we’re not going to do that.” Kate said.

  “Mam, you really need to open your gate. We are here to do a welfare inspection in preparation for moving survivors to a secure facility.” The voice.

  “Moving survivors?” Kate asked.

  “Yes, we are patrolling and relocating people to a safe zone.” The voice.

  “Where is this safe zone?” Kate asked.

  “That’s classified.” The voice.

  “We had two people leave. A young woman and her nephew. Did you relocate them?”

  Kate asked.

  “When did they leave?” The voice.

  “This morning.”

  “We intercepted two civilians matching your description northbound on the interstate. They have been relocated. Mam, if you would just open your gates and come with us, you can join them.” The voice.

  “We’re not opening our gates.” Kate said.

  “Mam, I understand. It has been a difficult time for us all and I can appreciate your skepticism. I don’t blame you.” The voice.

  “Good.” Kate said.

  “I will give you twenty-four hours.” The voice.

  “Twenty-four hours for what?” Kate asked.

  “Twenty-four hours from now I will come back and open this gate. I will bring transportation for your group and we will escort you to the secure location. This will not be a negotiation.” The voice.

  “If we don’t want to go?” Kate said.

  “Why the hell would you not want to go? But have it your way. If you decided not to take advantage of this opportunity, then I suggest you not be behind that wall when we return tomorrow.” The voice. “Have a pleasant day. I will be back at this time tomorrow.”

  Kate stood and listened to the sound of the Humvee as it drove back down the street away from the gate. She looked over at Charlie and then up at Cody.

  “What do y’all think?” Kate asked.

  “I don’t trust them.” Ed said.

  “Tilly?” Kate turned to her.

  “Maybe they’re telling the truth. Maybe there is a safe zone. Maybe this will be over.” Tilly unconsciously rubbed her belly.

  “Maybe.” Kate said. “We need to get everyone together. We need to talk about this. It looks like we have a decision to make.”

  “What’s that?” Charlie asked.

  “Well, if we trust them, we have to get ready to leave. If we don’t trust them or if we don’t want to leave, we have to get ready to fight.” Kate said.

  “Fight the Army?” Ed said as he climbed down.

  “Fight whatever army shows up.” Cody said. “I’m not leaving. This is my home. Y’all just visitors anyway.”

  “Like I said, we have a lot to talk about.” Kate said. “Charlie, you and Jennifer just pulled the short straw. I want y’all on this bus all night. I’ll send Josh and Lori out here with you but I am also going to have them walking the barricade. No one gets much sleep tonight, either way.” Kate turned and walked down the street.

  Revelations

  8

  Cameron walked between the hedges and found his way to the edge of the grass square between the houses. He could see the circle of chairs to his left, arranged around the ashes of the fire from the night before. Beyond that he could see the horse. And the little girl. He smiled as he watched her and Jahda take wet rags from a bucket and gently wipe the horse back. He walked across the field to join them.

  “She is home.” Cameron said as he approached.

  “She found us.” Ham said without looking back.

  “That’s not what I mean dear child.” Cameron said.

  Ham stopped and turned around. She looked at Cameron. Jahda stopped for a second too.

  “What did you mean?” Ham asked.

  “She is home with you. She is where she belongs. And seeing your smile confirms it.” Cameron said.

  “I don’t understand. Are you giving her to me?” Ham asked.

  “She is not mine to give. I don’t own her. I just rode her to you. She is yours and has been since she first showed up at your gate with me on her back.” Cameron said.

  “That doesn’t make sense.” Ham said.

  “It does to me.” Cameron said. “I shall be here to help you as best I can. Like a squire.”

  “A squire? What’s that?” Ham asked.

  “A squire was the right hand of a knight. He made sure the knight’s horse was ready, his weapons were ready and everything was as it should be. I shall be that for you. Your squire.”

  “Does that make me a knight?” Ham said.

  “Better. You’re now a warrior princess.” Came
ron said. “And I shall endeavor to serve you well.”

  “Ok. Thanks.” Ham said. “But I get to keep her right?”