Marionette Zombie Series (Book 9): Ash and Bone

by Poe, S. B.

  “Yes, you get to keep her.” Cameron smiled.

  “Well squire, you might want to take a look at this.” Jahda said. She led him around beside the horse’s neck. She lifted up the mane and pointed.

  “What is that?” Cameron asked.

  “Look here.” Jahda pointed to several more marks on the horse’s hindquarters. “Bite marks.”

  “Are you sure?” Cameron looked closer.

  “Yeah, the ones on the butt have healed. There are a couple on its front shoulders that have healed too. But the one’s on its neck. Those are fresh. One of them is still tender to touch. She jumped a little when I put the water on it.” Jahda said.

  “What do you make of it?” Cameron asked.

  “That’s what I was asking you?” Jahda said. “But it looks like she’s been fighting them off the whole time she’s been out there. And it also looks like bites don’t do the same thing to horses that it does to us.”

  “You’re right. I hadn’t thought about that.” Cameron said.

  “Where did you find her?” Jahda asked. “Ham said you just rode up and gave her the horse to bring here.”

  “Ah, yes. You weren’t privy to the rest of the goings on. The horse was found with a gentleman.” Cameron told Jahda and Ham the story Ramey had told to Raj.

  “And you believe all that? Some kind of experiment on stringers? Really?” Jahda asked.

  “I see no reason not too. But of course you haven’t seen the man. I wouldn’t have believed the story myself but for the man. Truly remarkable.” Cameron said. “And terrifying.”

  “HEY, Hey y’all.” Devin came between the houses. “Have y’all heard yet?”

  “About the man on the horse? Yes, Cameron was just telling us.” Jahda said.

  “Yeah, Vernon and Cody told me, kinda weird. But no, that’s not what I’m talking about.”

  “So what are you talking about?” Ham asked.

  “Soldiers.”

  “What?” Cameron asked.

  “Yep. Five soldiers showed up at the gate.”

  “When?”

  “Just now. They just left.” Devin said. “They said they were here to take us to a safe zone.”

  “Where?” Jahda asked.

  “They didn’t say. Said it was classified.”

  “Where are they now?” Cameron asked.

  “They left. They said they would be back.” Devin said. “Kate wants everyone together at supper tonight. I guess we’ll figure out what comes next.”

  “Hmm. Okay.” Jahda said. A puzzled look swept across her face.

  “What’s wrong Jahda?” Cameron asked.

  “It’s just really odd.” Jahda said.

  “What, the soldiers?” Cameron said. “Odd is one word. Incredible is another.”

  “No. What’s odd is that the story you just told us about the man on the horse.” Jahda said.

  “Ramey.” Cameron interrupted.

  “Yes, Ramey. The story about Ramey and the news Devin just brought us all occurring on the same day and both having one thing in common.” Jahda said.

  “What’s that?” Devin asked.

  “Soldiers. It’s been a long time since I’ve even thought about the military being out there. Haven’t heard a helicopter or plane in a year. And all of a sudden, today, soldiers. Soldiers in Cameron’s story and now soldiers at the gate. Just odd.” Jahda said.

  “It is indeed.” Cameron said. “Perhaps you should include your observation during tonight’s discussions.”

  Charlie stood atop the bus and watched the SUV pull up to the gate. Jennifer swung it open and the vehicle pulled through. Charlie climbed down and met Bridger at the driver’s window.

  “You have missed everything.” Charlie smiled.

  “Not quite everything I don’t think but what did I miss.” Bridger asked.

  “Soldiers. There were soldiers here.” Charlie said.

  “Soldiers? Where are they now?” Bridger asked.

  “They left.”

  “Are they coming back?” Evelyn leaned over from her seat.

  “They said they are coming back tomorrow. And they will take us to a safe zone.” Jennifer said.

  “Where?” Bridger asked.

  “They said it was classified.” Charlie said.

  “What did Kate say?” Bridger asked.

  “She wants everyone together in a few hours. She said we will decide what to do.” Charlie said.

  “What’s there to decide?” Evelyn asked. “It’s a safe zone.”

  “I don’t think she trusts them.” Charlie said.

  “Why do you say that?” Bridger asked.

  “Just a feeling but she said we’d have to decide if we should go or fight.” Charlie said.

  “Fight? I better go talk to her.” Bridger said.

  “Yeah, you probably should.” Charlie stepped back as the SUV pulled away.

  Bridger turned and looked at Evelyn as the SUV crept towards the big house at the other end of town.

  “What do you think?” Evelyn asked.

  “I don’t know. If there really is a safe zone, we have to think about it. We’ve made it this far but…”

  “It's been so hard. But why now? It’s been a long time since we even cared about what was going on in the rest of the world. Could it really be true that we may see the end of this?” Evelyn asked. “All of this.”

  “Even if there is a safe zone, unless they have some kind of cure the dead aren’t going away.” Bridger said. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

  “We still need to tell them what happened.” Evelyn said. “We still need to unload Violet and Peter’s bodies.”

  “I almost forgot.” Bridger said. “Let’s go talk to Kate first. I don’t think they’re going anywhere.”

  The SUV pull against the curb in front of the house. Bridger knocked and Emma Grace called from down the hallway.

  “Come in.” She sang out. The screen door squealed.

  “Is Kate here?” Bridger said as he came through the door.

  “In here?” Kate’s voice came from the office area.

  Bridger and Evelyn rounded the corner and found Kate sitting in the big chair behind the desk. Cody and Devin were seated on the couch and Vernon and Ed sat against the back wall. Josh and Lori were in the chairs directly across from the desk.

  “Thank God you’re back.” Kate said as she stood.

  “I heard we missed all the excitement.” Bridger smiled as he half sat on the desk. Evelyn leaned against the doorframe to listen.

  “That’s an understatement.” Josh said.

  “So tell me.” Bridger said.

  “There were some soldiers. Five I think. They said that they were relocating people to a safe zone.” Kate started. “They wanted us to open the gate to do some kind of welfare inspection.”

  “And you didn’t?” Bridger said.

  “No.” Kate said.

  “What did they say to that?”

  “The guy talking seemed irritated but not surprised. He said he would be back tomorrow with transportation to take us out.” Kate said. “He didn't seem to be giving us a choice.”

  “So they left?” Evelyn asked. “Just like that?”

  “Yeah. They loaded up and drove away the way they came.” Kate said.

  “Which way was that?” Bridger asked.

  “Back towards the interstate. Oh, yeah. They also said they found Violet and Peter. Said they sent took them to the safe zone.” Kate said. Bridger cut his eyes to Evelyn. She started to speak but Bridger’s slight head nod stopped her.

  “They said they’re names?”

  “No, they said they found two people that matched the description I gave him.”

  “Where?”

  “Northbound on the interstate.” Kate said.

  “So what’s the problem?” Bridger asked. “Why don’t you have everyone packing?”

  “Maybe I should.” Kate said.

  “And yet?” Bridger asked.

/>   “I don’t trust them. I’m pretty sure they’re lying about it all but I just don’t know why?” Kate said.

  “Why would you think they’re lying?” Lori asked.

  “Mainly because they never asked how many people they would be transporting. That and they said they found Violet and Peter going northbound but Violet’s note said they were heading south.” Kate said.

  “Maybe they changed their minds, maybe it wasn’t them?” Cody said.

  “I need to show y’all something.” Bridger stood and started out of the room.

  “What?” Kate asked.

  “Come with me.”

  He led them out the front door and down the vehicle parked by the curb.

  “They either didn’t find Violet and Peter or they did and were lying.” Bridger said. “We found them” Bridger opened the back of the SUV.

  “Oh my god.” Emma Grace turned and ran back up the walk. Devin followed.

  “I’m sorry. Apparently they got in a wreck. They had turned by the time we got there.” Bridger said.

  “They got in a wreck?” Kate asked.

  “That’s what it looked like. She hit a concrete barrier. We don’t know why they were driving that fast or why they couldn’t avoid the barrier.” Evelyn said.

  “This is turning out to be a strange day.” Vernon said. “A sad day.”

  “We need to bury them. Josh, if you and Vernon will take care of them.” Kate said.

  “I’ll help.” Ed added.

  “Thank you.” Kate said.

  “I’ll drive them over to the church if y’all will grab the shovels. Grab one for me.” Bridger said.

  “Then I want everyone to get together at the fire pit. We will have a lot more to talk about now.” Kate said as she headed back up the walk.

  “Go with Kate, I’ll catch up with you later.” Bridger turned to Evelyn.

  The Blind Side

  9

  Charlie leaned back in the folding chair. Jennifer held the binoculars up to her face as they watched the road on the other side of the wall.

  “So, you think it’s real?” Jennifer asked. “The safe zone?”

  “I don’t know. Those soldiers were real.” Charlie said.

  “What if it is? I mean, what if this means this will end? If they have safe zones, maybe we’re winning.” Jennifer said.

  “You know it’s been a long time since we’ve even talked about what’s out there. When the radios went silent, we just kind of quit worrying about it.” Charlie said. “And that was a long time ago.”

  “But if this is it, if this is real. Maybe we can go home.” Jennifer said.

  Charlie thought about what she said. He hadn’t thought about their home in a long time. The memories of his dead wife had cursed the place in his mind for a long time and even when the pain faded, the house never brought him joy. He was looking at it from her vantage point for the first time. It was the only home she had ever known. They had moved there before she was born.

  “Do you want too? Go home?” Charlie asked.

  “I mean, yeah. I’d love to go back to the way things were.” Jennifer said. “Wouldn’t you?”

  “I guess. I mean yes. Going to the grocery store or to a restaurant and having a cheeseburger does sound quite appealing.” Charlie said. “But I don’t want to get too excited. Let’s just see what happens?”

  The sun was still in the sky but it had started its fall towards the horizon. Charlie looked up at the passing clouds. A few more hours until dark, he thought. He glanced down the road.

  “Hand me those binoculars.” He turned to Jennifer. She did.

  He scanned the road again. Maybe the clouds played a trick on him. He swept the binoculars up and down the street, trying to glimpse it again. There. He focused.

  “I think we’re going to have a very strange visitor.” Charlie said.

  She turned a looked down the street. All she saw was a deadun wandering towards them.

  “What are you talking about?” Jennifer asked.

  “That story. The one Raj told.” Charlie said.

  “Is that who they were talking about? That deadun out there?” Jennifer said.

  Jennifer watched as the deadun walked closer to the gate. Her mouth dropped open when the thing stopped in front of them and waved.

  “I hope so. I think I need to go outside the gate.” Charlie said.

  “You have to what?”

  “I have to go outside the gate. I’ll be fine. Remember, they don’t bother with me.” Charlie smiled as he pulled the collar of his shirt back, showing his daughter the bite he survived. “Just wait here.”

  He jumped down from the bus and went to the gate. He cracked it slightly and slipped through. The deadun was maybe fifteen yards away. Jennifer stood on the bus with the binoculars watching. Her father walked straight to the deadun and stopped. The deadun stopped too. She was too far away to hear but she could swear her father was talking to the deadun.

  “Are you the one? Some of our people said there was a man who looked like the dead living outside our gates now.” Charlie said. He reached down and hesitantly pulled the knife from its sheath. “I sure hope you’re him.”

  The dead spoke.

  “I’m him. My name is Ramey. Are you in charge?” Ramey asked. “Are you Bridger or Kate?”

  “How do you know Bridger and Kate?” Charlie asked.

  “The others mentioned their names. It made them sound like they were the decision makers.” Ramey said.

  “Well, I guess they kind of are. But I’m neither of them.” Charlie said.

  “I need give a message to Bridger or Kate.” Ramey said. “It’s important.”

  “I can give it to them.” Charlie said.

  “Tell them I came down the road to the gate earlier. No one noticed because I’m just another one of the rotters. I was in that house right over there when the soldiers arrived.” He pointed across the street. “I can’t see very well but I can hear. I heard the conversation.”

  “And what do you think?” Charlie asked.

  “Tell them I know who the soldier who did the talking is. He’s the same one who did all the talking where I came from.” Ramey said.

  “You’re talking about the place that did this to you?”

  “The same.”

  “And these soldiers were there? They were the ones who did it?”

  “They were. Them and a doctor. Tell Bridger or Kate the soldier who was talking has a name. It’s Bannon.” Ramey said. “I can’t help you. But I can warn you. Don’t trust anything he says.”

  “Are you sure it was him?”

  “Completely.”

  “So everything he said was a lie?” Charlie said.

  “Most definitely.”

  “Was that all the soldiers? Just those five.”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. There were at least a dozen when I was there, but I don’t know how many made it out or how many stayed with Bannon.”

  “What should we do?”

  “I can’t tell you that. But I can tell you that Bannon and his men are not here to help you.” Ramey said.

  “Come inside, tell them yourself.” Charlie said.

  “No. Even if I don’t ever turn completely, I’m not going behind any fences or walls ever again. Bad things happen behind fences.” Ramey said as he turned and shuffled back down the road. Charlie slipped back inside the gate.

  “Kate?” He thumbed the walkie. “Kate are you there?”

  “I’m here. What’s going on?” Kate said.

  “Where are you?”

  “Cody’s place.”

  “I’m on my way. What I need to tell you, I need to tell you in person.” Charlie said.

  “I’ll send Scott back to the gate as soon as they get back from the cemetery.” Kate said.

  “Cemetery? Why?”

  “I’ll tell you when you get up here.” Kate said.

  “On my way.” He looked up at Jennifer and handed her the walkie. “Here. Sco
tt will be here soon.”