by TW Brown
“Oh…good,” I tried to force a laugh into my voice, “I thought maybe I’d taken one hit to the head too many.”
“There is this man…” her voice faded as she spoke and I remembered back to when she’d drawn a pistol on me right after I’d rescued her just hours ago. Now I felt even worse for having punched her in the face. She’d been afraid. Considering all I knew and much of what I’d read in books or seen in movies, perhaps she had good reason.
“Did he hurt you?” I asked, almost afraid of the answer.
“No, not with his actions, but the things he was saying, maybe it is better that those two didn’t make it. Something tells me that they wouldn’t have been welcome, and there is no telling what that might mean.” There was a moment of silence, and then she began to speak again, this time even more tentatively. “Do they know about your…condition?”
“Not that I know. I have to assume that my eyes still haven’t given me away.”
“If you start to turn in here with me—” she started, but I saved her the trouble.
“I will let you know the very moment that I feel the least bit sick. As soon as I lose consciousness, just tip one of the filing cabinets over on top of my head or something. I wouldn’t worry too much, though, supposedly I am being taken out tonight with a team of foragers. If I don’t feel anything, but they open the door and my eyes have changed, I imagine they will take care of me then. In any case, I won’t turn and attack you,” I promised.
We both sat down on the floor. For a while, we just sat in silence. I spent that time trying to search myself internally for any sign that I might be turning. It had to happen soon, I was certain of it. I would not allow that to happen in here since I doubted that any effort would be made to rescue Ariel if she started screaming for help.
As I sat there thinking, I felt her hands seek out mine again and grip one tightly. I couldn’t begrudge her this small measure of comfort. Whether due to exhaustion or the darkness, it was not more than a few moments before I heard the steady breathing and soft snores that told me Ariel was asleep.
I sat in the dark and fought off an onslaught of emotions that, if I let them leak through, might very well consume me beyond my ability to recover. I shoved away the sadness and the sense of loss as I waited for the door to open and my captors to summon me.
I started going over a variety of possible scenarios in my head that might lead to my escape. Of course, by the time I was brought out, whatever team they’d sent to retrieve Carl and the others would probably be back. My Newfie would be dead, and I would officially have nothing left to live for. Maybe once that moment came, perhaps that would give me the strength to just go out while attempting to take that maniac Don Evans with me.
I have no idea how long I sat in the darkness with Ariel slowly relaxing into my side, but eventually I heard a bit of a commotion out in the hall. I eased away from her as the sounds of footsteps grew nearer. If I was about to get snatched up, I didn’t want her caught in the madness or possible scuffle.
The door flew open and four figures rushed in with rifles, each with a high-powered flashlight mounted on the barrel. I just made out a fifth shape that had to be Don Evans standing behind his little goon squad.
“Get his ass out here!” Don snarled.
I was yanked to my feet as Ariel began to stir awake. Somebody gave me a nasty shove and sent me sprawling into the hallway where I landed on my stomach with a loud ‘oof’ as the air exploded from my lungs. A boot caught me in the ribs and put me almost onto my back. Before I could process that attack, another set of hands reached out and snatched me to my feet, spinning me around and slamming me hard into the wall.
“You set us up?” Don’s voice hissed in my ear. “Now three of my people are dead because of you. I’ve a good mind to take your ass over to that church and string you up with some of the other idiots who were fool enough to try and cross me.”
“What?” I managed as I fought to get air back into my lungs. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“My people were drawn in and then some sort of noisemaker was employed that brought in zombies from behind. They had snipers picking my people off from one side and a wall of rotten flesh from the other.”
Despite my pain, I had to struggle to keep a smile off my face. It seemed that Carl and the others had been busy in my absence. I just wish I could’ve seen it all play out.
“I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about,” I wheezed.
“You said there were just a few people and a couple of kids.” Don put his face right in mine as he spoke. “According to the one person who managed to make it back alive, there are quite a few more people than you led us to believe.”
“And they are using the undead like shock troops,” a familiar female voice added as Natasha stepped up beside Don. She had a few strips of cloth wrapped around her upper left arm and I could see a bloom of fresh blood already spreading across the fabric.
“That is all news to me,” I said honestly. “You sure that you were at the right place? That doesn’t sound like my people at all.”
All of this had me wondering exactly what was going on back there. Had more survivors been found and allowed to come inside the walls? And what about these so-called zombie “shock troops” that Natasha mentioned.? There had been no mention or discussion of such a thing. Whose idea had it been? How had they implemented it so fast?
“I think he’s telling the truth,” another voice offered up. I glanced over to see a man dressed in a combination of leather, heavy denim, football shoulder pads and several bits of equipment that you would find on a baseball catcher.
Don let go of me and was right in the face of this person before I could blink an eye. “And what gives you such incredible insight to human nature?”
To his credit, the man didn’t bat an eye as he flipped up the grill that was covering his face. “Not that it makes me an absolute expert on the subject, but I was a cop for one. I have had a bit of experience reading people. I was watching his face as you were relating what happened and he was absolutely surprised.”
Don stepped back from the man and returned his attention to me. I saw his eyes flick to Natasha with what I almost believed might be suspicion. Maybe there was a fracture here that I could use to my advantage. Of course, at the moment, I didn’t have any idea how to even begin to go about that, but I could at least add it to the list of things to ponder if I was shoved back into that dark room.
“Get him fitted for a collar and assemble the group that was supposed to take our newbie here out on his first foraging run,” Don announced. “Natasha, I want you cleaned up and with them as well. You guys are going back to this stronghold with Evan. He will be the one to broker the surrender of his friends or they can watch as we feed his miserable ass to the undead.”
I felt a hand grab me by the arm and I was surprised to see that it was the supposedly former policeman who had me just above the elbow. He pulled me down the corridor to another one of the empty classrooms, stopped long enough to open the door, and then shoved me inside.
“You wanna get yourself and your little girlfriend killed, you just keep screwing with Donnie,” the man snarled as he turned on a small battery-powered lantern to reveal a room that had several heavy collars hanging on the walls. Each had a coil of what appeared to be nylon boating line attached to them.
“Is it true that you used to be a cop?” I asked as the man reached up and grabbed one of the collars.
When he turned to face me, I took the time to really look at this guy. He did sort of look like a cop. His haircut was of the high-and-tight style, but I could tell that he had dark hair that was changing over to gray as those lighter hairs glinted in the light cast by the lantern. He had hard eyes that looked at me with equal parts distrust and disdain. They looked to be a dark brown and a bit squinty which made the wrinkles around the edges of them seem that much deeper. I guessed him to be right around six feet tall and maybe a shade ove
r two hundred pounds making up his muscular frame.
“You don’t get to ask questions, newbie,” the man said as he nodded at his choice of collars and then turned back to face me.
“So, I get to wear a collar and be treated like an animal. Is that what you guys do with every new arrival?” I asked as the leather strap was fastened around my neck.
“No, most of the people we’ve found so far have not made it past the indoctrination process,” he answered flatly as he clipped something in place with an audible click.
“And you’re okay with all this?”
“You don’t have any idea what you’re talking about, kid,” the cop said as he grabbed one of the coils of nylon line and attached it to my collar.
“Is that right? You think I am missing some part of the bigger picture? Well then, why don’t you fill in the gaps.”
“That’s not my job,” the man said as he stepped back and gave me a look up and down. “And this conversation is over. Here’s how things are gonna work. You are going out into the local neighborhood just a couple of blocks away. We have been collecting resources from the area, but with it looking like we will be moving to someplace more permanent, we want to grab a few select items that will make the trip easier. On our way to your friends’ place, we will be stopping in a few of the homes and marking them if they have anything worth grabbing on the way back.”
“So I will have some sort of shopping list?”
“In a manner of speaking.” The man stepped closer to me and I seriously doubted that you could slide a piece of paper between us at the moment. I was about to step back and try to reestablish some of my own personal space when he grabbed me by the arm again. “You need to keep your mouth shut and refrain from making any statements that question what Don has going on here. If you want to have any chance of surviving, you will fall in and do what you’re told without question.”
“And you’re okay with what is happening?” I challenged.
I saw something flash behind the man’s eyes for just a moment. It was just a fleeting shadow, but his hard façade had cracked for a split second. I was certain of that much.
“There is a new rule book being written. If you are trying to live, you are going to have to adapt.”
With that, he jerked the door open and shoved me back out into the hallway. Apparently, the conversation was over. I staggered forward and then skidded to a stop.
“What the hell,” I yelped.
“You say that you just met this person, but something tells me that you are either lying, or that you are the sort of person who forms quick attachments.” Don leered at me over Ariel’s shoulder. Her arms were lashed behind her back and she had a gag tied tightly around her head that looked like it might be cutting into the corners of her mouth. She was crying, and tears ran down her cheeks, carving tracks in the dirt and grime.
“What are you going to do to her?” I demanded.
“Nothing, as long as you come back from your little run with my team. I don’t buy anything you’ve told us. I think you sent my people into a trap, and now I imagine that you’ve been churning things over in your mind as to how you might be able to slip away from my team instead of doing your part and contributing to the community.” Don jerked back on Ariel’s hair, causing her to let out a muffled cry around the gag. “So, we will take your little friend here down to the basement. She will be waiting for your return, but if you should somehow not make it back for whatever reason, then we allow some of the current residents we have staying down in that basement to come out of their rooms and pay your friend here a visit.”
“You’re keeping zombies in the basement?” I blurted.
“Well we sure as hell don’t want them up here with us,” Don snorted.
I opened my mouth and felt a nudge in the middle of my back. I shut my mouth and then locked eyes with Ariel.
“I will be back. Don’t you worry about that at all.” I saw her give a shudder that might’ve also been a nod. Then I returned my attention to Don. “What if something happens to me out there and I get torn apart or something? Hardly seems fair to kill her if I die trying to help.”
“If you die, what do you care? You’ll be dead.” With that, Don yanked Ariel around and shoved her up the corridor, around a corner, and out of sight.
I spun on the man who now held the end of my leash. “And you’re okay with this?” I asked again. “What the hell sort of cop were you?”
“Just shut up, do what you’re told, and everything will be fine.” He gave me a nod, indicating that I needed to start moving. “This is a milk run. We’ve been to this neighborhood a dozen times or more. Haven’t lost a soul since the third or fourth time. And if these friends of yours care about you at all, they will come out when we arrive and just surrender. Easy-peasy, lemon squeasy.”
I headed up the hallway, my mind churning over any way that I could take these people down, get Ariel out of here alive, grab the stuff for my dog, and then go someplace to die in peace. It didn’t take me long to realize that I had zero chance of accomplishing all these goals.
As I walked outside into the cool air of the late afternoon, I sent an unspoken apology to Ariel. If the chance to get away from these lunatics presented itself, I would absolutely take it. I was pretty sure that meant I was now officially going to Hell. I could perhaps soothe my conscience about it later by reminding myself that she’d put a gun in my face right after I’d saved her ass. Somehow, I didn’t give myself much of a shot at convincing myself of that lie.
Now that I was outside what had once been a massive church, I could see the measures that Don and his people had put in place. Besides the wall of corpses out on the road, they’d parked a few dozen school busses end to end around the perimeter of the parking lot. Also, the street on one side was jammed with cars. The thing is, it looked like they’d been on their way here. There were a few fender benders in the mix and the driveway entries were a disaster. In a few of the vehicles, I could see movement.
It took about five minutes, but eventually, it seemed that the team was assembled. Including Natasha and the former cop, five more followers of the megalomaniacal Don Evans joined us. I was surprised when two more people on leashes were brought out to be part of this as well. Natasha was the last to arrive and she had three wire cage-like boxes containing what looked like, of all things, some sort of MP3 player. I was confused as to what they were for until one was attached to each of the collars of those of us with leashes.
“Here is how it works,” the woman said, a nasty edge to her voice that intensified when her eyes stopped on me. She produced a small device and held it out. There were four green indicator lights showing. “If you try to run, I will simply activate the devices that each of you is wearing. Any zombie for miles around will hear them.”
To make her point, she pressed a button on the small device that I had already assumed to be the remote activator. It was confirmed a moment later when music blared from each of the cages. The unholy aural onslaught of Britney Spears, Josh Grobin, and Barry Manilow erupted at volumes none of those musical artists should ever be played. I had what I considered the worst of the draws as an overly processed voice begged me to “Hit me baby one more time…”
A few seconds of the torture was enough to make the point and Natasha shut them off. The silence flooded back like the tide, and seconds later was shattered again by moans of the undead coming from several locations.
“It has been observed that the zombies are attracted to sound. If you try to escape, then I will activate the devices. And I should probably share here and now that we don’t have it figured out yet so that each of the MP3 players has its own remote. The one I have is paired to all three, so, if one of you makes a run for it…you basically condemn the others.” Natasha smiled that evil shark smile of hers again like she’d just sighted an injured seal and was moving in for the kill. “Each of the buckles closes a circuit that is displayed here as being intact by these little green lights.
Any attempt to unfasten the device will open the circuit and the light changes to red.”
I felt the stain on my conscience already starting to grow. My escape was now condemning three living, breathing human beings to a terrible death.
“Let’s get moving,” the former cop said, giving me a shove.
Our group headed down the side of the church. There were a variety of well-manicured bushes that were evenly spaced in the strip that ran between the building and the sidewalk, but I noticed that a few of them had been scorched pretty bad and were already starting to wilt.
We reached the end of the building and I discovered what was the likely culprit. There was a burn pile with more than a few skulls and charred bone. Currently, a trio of zombie children had been torched to the point that the bodies were almost totally blackened. Their various limbs were stiff and jutting from the bodies at odd angles as they continued to smolder.
“I thought those bodies were supposed to be disposed of,” the former cop groused as we reached a brick wall that was just a little bit taller than waist-high.
“How about you just grab them and toss them over the wall before we leave, Arlo?” Natasha said as she threw one leg over the brick wall.
A few of the other members of the group made poor attempts at hiding their smirks and chuckles. I saw the former cop’s face flush just a little. He locked eyes with Natasha as he picked up one of the two small bodies. I heard it make crackling noises as he handled it, and then tossed it over the brick wall just a few feet away from where Natasha was now straddling it. The sound it made when it hit the ground almost made me want to be sick.
“That’s right,” Arlo said as he grabbed the second body, “your little pet Tommy was tasked to do the job.” Now it was Natasha’s turn to have her face flush. “Wasn’t he with your task force earlier today? I guess he probably won’t be able to do his job now.”
In a flash, the woman was in the much larger man’s face, but it didn’t seem that she cared a whit that he had so much of a size advantage. The knife that appeared out of nowhere in her hand and up to his throat with a flash might’ve had something to do with it.