“Yeah, Doc, that was cool,” I said. “We’ve seen that before on a couple of occasions, once in our battle with the Z horde over on Highway 11, and once over near my home we encountered several on the east side of the creek while we were on the west side. They wouldn’t cross the creek but wanted to get to us. We wound up shooting them.”
“I wonder what would happen to one of them if they fell into the water. Would they drown? Would they…dissolve or fall apart?”
“Maybe we should go shopping for a squirt gun and hose down one of them to see what happens.”
The Doc’s head spun around to me, his eyes wide, a huge smile on his face and said, “What a wonderful idea for experimentation. We should do that right away so I can add the findings to my notes. Where do you think we should go to find a squirt gun?”
“Doc, I’m sure we have something around here we could use to squirt a Z with some water.”
“We should try both fresh and saltwater mixtures and see what results we may get. This is a most interesting prospect for an experiment with these creatures. When can we get started?” he said with puppy-like eyes that were pleading.
“Well, right now I have to take a nap according to the boss,” I told him indicating the kitchen with my thumb. “If I don’t, she’ll kill me.”
“I fully understand my young friend. We’ll do something tomorrow as when you get up it’ll be too late to attempt something this evening.”
“We’ll discuss it at dinner tonight and get everyone’s input. How’s that sound?”
“That will be fine. You should go lie down now and rest. How is your rib feeling better?”
“Yes, getting better every day. Sneezing, laughing, and coughing still give me some pain, but I’m getting better, thanks for asking.”
“I’m glad to hear you are improving. Go rest, Douglas,” and he went back to his furious writing.
The next morning Dave, the Doc and I found a garden weed sprayer in the garage. We filled it with water, pumped it up and tried it out. It squirted a water stream about eight feet – not a very reassuring distance when dealing with a Z. The Doc, of course, was thrilled out of his mind and wanted to take off and try it out right then. Dave settled him down saying we needed to prepare. Not only that, the ladies wanted to tag along and see the action. We had decided last night at the table that we would find a few suitable items that squirt, pack a lunch and head out hunting for Zs for the experiment. We would as usual take the full gambit of weaponry along just in case.
Julia found a small bag of balloons and yep, you guessed it, water balloons. Throwable! We tried a few and found we could toss one about thirty feet. We went inside and put iodized salt and water in red balloons, sea salt and water in blue and filled green ones with plain water.
The girls had already made a lunch and packed a basket. That being done, we all went to Dave’s armory and loaded up - M4s, shotguns, handguns, extra ammo for each, knives, and grenades. Ruth grabbed a sword and Julia grabbed two spears. The Doc picked a .38 Smith & Wesson, an old-fashioned revolver. We looked at each other and were ready to experiment.
We loaded up in Dave’s Gray Ghost with Dave driving, me as shotgun, and the girls and Doc in the back. Dave headed west up the shortcut we made, and all eyes were watching for Zs, that is except mine as I had mine closed suffering through the agony of a bumpy road.
Dave would stop and honk the horn every five minutes or so and we would wait in hopes one would amble along. We had no luck all the way up to the main road that went in front of my place. I told Dave to turn left and we’d head around the south side and go past the rock quarry back to Highway 11.
Dave was into the middle of the curve that headed us back to the east when Julia yelled, “Talley ho! Z at three o’clock about three hundred yards out; honk the horn!”
Dave immediately honked the horn with a long blast then stopped the truck and the creature turned a bit and ambled in our direction. Dave and I got out and got into the bed of the truck. The Doc soon followed.
As the Z limped along, we had time to decide what to try first. Doc said, “We should try a regular water balloon first. That way we can hit it far enough out to see the reaction without really being in danger. If there is no reaction, we’ll hit it with one of the salted balloons.”
“That sounds fine, Doc,” Dave agreed. “Julia, get into the driver’s seat with the engine running just in case, would you?”
“Will do lover,” she answered with a smile.
“Women,” Dave said shaking his head.
“I heard that,” Julia yelled from up front.
“Women have superb hearing young man don’t you know that?” the Doc asked him with a mischievous grin.
“Let’s do this,” Dave answered and pointed to the Z. It had finally gotten within fifty feet or so and we got ready. Both Dave and I had balloons with regular water and were ready to send them down range when the Z was close enough. The thing was making that raspy, croaking sound they all make when they have prey in sight.
It finally got within range and Dave let his balloon fly. It hit the Z squarely in the chest and burst. The Z flailed its arms and stomped around for a moment then continued the hunt. As it once again headed our direction, I threw my balloon and hit it in the head. The water cascaded down the creature’s face and neck after the impact. It flailed its arms again but continued coming. I had a blue balloon and threw it, hitting the creature in the face. It flailed its arms again and staggering backwards, fell back onto the ground and rolled, reminiscent of the old stop, drop, and roll if one was on fire. After a few moments of thrashing around, it lay unmoving.
Had the salt water killed it? Had we found a new weapon to use against these things? The three of us stood in the back of the truck not moving and literally holding our breaths watching the Z on the ground.
When Julia said to get a spear and go check it, the three of us jumped hard enough to make the truck bounce.
“Julia, dear, you very nearly gave me a heart attack,” the Doc said holding his chest.
Dave said, “You do that again and I’ll shoot you.”
I just grabbed a spear and handed it to Dave. He jumped out of the back and cautiously approached the Z. I covered him with my M4, and the Doc followed on his heels with his .38 pulled. As he got close enough, Dave used the spear point and nudged the creature. It stirred but didn’t try to get up. He then used the butt of the spear and rolled the creature over onto its back. It immediately brought its arms up and attempted to grab whatever was moving it around.
“Look at the skin on its face,” the Doc, said. “It looks cracked and peeling from the bone.”
“That’s gross,” Dave commented. “Did the saltwater do that or was it already like that?”
“Very good question,” the Doc answered. “Doug, would you please squirt more salt water on it? That way we can watch the affect up close.”
“Not too close, Doc,” Dave said.
From the truck, Julia got a bottle of salty water and gave it to the Doc. He calmly walked over and poured a stream of the fluid onto the thing’s face. It immediately began to flail at its face and rock back and forth, emitting a hideous gurgling, raspy sound. After a few moments, it became still once again so Dave poked it with the spear tip. Nothing happened - no movement or reaction of any kind.
“You think the thing is dead, Doc?” Dave asked.
“I’ll try more water if you would think it may help,” he answered and poured the water on it. There was no reaction at all. Dave asked me to cover him and he used his foot to rock the thing, and once again there was no movement.
“Do you mind if we get back into the truck and just watch it for a while?” the Doc asked.
“Your experiment, Doc, you set the parameters,” Dave said and turned for the back of the truck. They climbed in and the girls got out and climbed in with us. We all sat on the bed rails and watched the critter. I kept my head on a swivel watching for more Zs.
After a half
hour, the Doc climbed back to the ground and walked over to the Z. He used his foot and stepped on the thing. It didn’t react at all. The Doc knelt beside it and was about to touch it when Dave yelled for him to stop. He jumped down and handed the Doc some gloves then held his M4 on the thing and Julia had a spear tip right next to the thing’s head ready to thrust if it reacted in any way.
“Okay, Doc, go ahead and do your examination,” Dave told him. The Doc put on the gloves then knelt and began to examine the thing.
After a few moments and with no reaction from the creature, he said, “I believe we’ve killed this creature. This is a fantastic discovery my young friends. We must try the fresh water on another subject and see the reaction and the other balloon with table salt. That way we will see if it is only the sea salt water or will the regular table saltwater kill these creatures. I’m already of a mind that it is the saltwater, but we should check to be sure.”
“What makes you think that, Doc?” Dave asked.
“Rain and snow doesn’t seem to kill them do they?” the Doc returned.
“Uh, right on, Doc, good thinking,” Dave answered. “Why does that make so much sense?”
“Simple logic, my young friend,” the Doc answered. “It has rained many times since the plague began, snowed as well, and we still have millions upon millions of Zs walking around the planet. So simple logic dictates fresh water, while possibly making the Zs uncomfortable in some manner, do not die from it.”
“We have to test this then to make sure,” Dave said.
“Yes. The freshwater test will quantify the result and then we can make assumptions based on the test results. I’m confident with further testing we may have found another viable answer to combating the plague.”
“We need another Z,” I said looking around. “OK everyone, back in the truck and let’s go hunting.”
The girls and I climbed back into the cab of the truck. Dave and the Doc stayed in the back, standing for a better viewing advantage, and hanging on to the cab roof. Julia continued heading east and as we neared the gravel pit, we heard pounding on the cab’s top so stopped.
Dave leaned in and said, “There’s a pair of them about fifty meters to the south. Honk the horn to draw them in then get out here. Girls, stay in the truck for now please.”
Julia honked the horn, giving it several long blasts as I got out. Making sure my M4 was charged, I climbed, with Dave’s help into the bed. He had freshwater balloons ready and waiting for the creatures to close on our position. I stood to his right and Doc to his left. After waiting about ten minutes, the pair of Zs came stumbling out of the scrub oak. They were attempting to climb the bank up to the dirt road when Dave threw the first balloon. It was a miss, right over the lead Zs head.
“Throw the other one,” Doc said excitedly pointing towards the creatures.
Dave threw the second balloon and it hit the lead Z squarely in the face, bursting and completely covering the creature’s face with water. It hissed and flailed its arms for a moment then continued to climb the embankment. Dave retrieved another balloon from the iodized saltwater balloon bucket and threw it, hitting the same Z once again in the head. The salt water cascaded down the front of the creature. It hissed and gurgled. Its arms gyrated as it attempted to keep its balance, but it fell and soon became still.
The other Z continued to climb the embankment while the first Z succumbed to the saltwater blast. As the second one crested the bank onto the road, the Doc reached into the bucket and threw a saltwater balloon, hitting it in the chest. It fell to its knees and appeared trying to brush the water off with its hands. Doc got another balloon and threw it and it burst on the creature’s shoulder and neck. It fell back, rolled onto its chest, and soon became silent.
The first Z was still and soon we could see no movement from either. Dave said, “Cover me, brother,” and getting his spear, climbed down from the truck bed, and slowly moved towards the Z lying on the road. He poked it with the spear tip and got no reaction whatsoever. He looked up at us and said, “I think this thing is dead.”
The Doc and I climbed down, and Dave checked the Z that had fallen back down the embankment. It was dead. Dave looked up at the Doc and said, “Hey, Doc, I guess this pretty much confirms that saltwater will kill these things, huh.”
“I must say I believe I’m convinced and therefore must agree with you, Dave,” he answered. “I must continue my notes,” and climbed into the back seat of the truck, getting out his notebook and beginning to write.
“I guess we head back home, eh?” Dave said rhetorically.
“Guess so. Want to go up to our place first and have a bite to eat and some coffee?” I asked.
“Yes,” said Ruth from the truck.
Dave and I looked at her then back to each other. He shrugged and said, “I’ll drive.”
Back at our place, we fired up the coffee. The Doc had gone straight to the kitchen table, sat down and continued writing in his notebook. I started a fire to take the chill out of the front room and kitchen and Dave sat on the couch with Julia. Ruth sat on the hearth with me. For a time, the only sound was the crackling of the fire taking hold and sound the coffee maker made.
“Hey Doc,” Ruth said breaking the silence after a bit. “Doc,” she said a little louder.
His head popped up and he said, “Sorry, yes?”
“I was wondering, what will you, and for that matter us, do with the information about the saltwater?” Ruth asked. He sat there looking at her with his eyes unblinking, and she continued, “I mean we don’t have mail, email, phones or anything to get the word out. How can we let other people know about this?”
The four of us looked at him expectantly, waiting for an answer of some sort but he just continued to stare open eyed. He finally blinked a few times then went back to writing in his notebook.
Ruth looked at me with a funny look and I just shrugged my shoulders. I looked at Dave, and he had a “who knows” kind of grin on his face. I whispered to Ruth, “He’ll think of something, I’m sure.”
The coffee had finished brewing, so the ladies got up and started to make some sandwiches for all of us. I poured the coffee and began passing out the mugs. When I sat one in front of the Doc, he continued to write, so I tapped him on the shoulder. He almost jumped out of the chair.
“Sorry, Doc, I didn’t mean to startle you, just letting you know there’s some hot coffee for you and the ladies are making sandwiches for us if you want to take a break,” I said.
“Break…yes, go right ahead,” is all he said and continued his writing.
I nodded to the gang that we should take our coffee and sandwiches into the living area and leave the Doc to his writing. We ate and drank in silence each I’m sure wondering about the Doc’s behavior and wondering what all he was writing in that notebook of his. The dude was definitely in his own world – talk about focused.
I finished my sandwich and saw that Dave had as well, got his attention and pointed to the door. We rose and went out onto the front porch, down the steps and I purposely headed for the garage. I wanted to get as far away from the Doc as I could and talk with Dave. We went in the side door and I closed it behind us and said, “He’s nuts.”
“I agree with you…dude’s just plain weird,” Dave said. “I wonder what all he’s writing in that book…makes me nervous.”
“Nervous is the right word I’d use, too,” I agreed. “You think we should head back to your place, give him a full tank of gas and supplies and let him head back to his facility?”
“I was wondering the same thing, actually,” he said nodding.
“I’m beginning to get the creeps around him and it’s driving me up the wall with worry. The only thing we needed to worry about for a long time was surviving and watching out for Zs. Now this! I’m as jittery as a mouse in a cat farm.”
“I am too. I feel like I have to keep one eye on him all the time.”
“You notice all three of those Zs were still heading nort
h?”
“Yeah, I did, why?”
“Nothing, just thinkin’ the Doc’s signal is still going strong. I wonder if they’ll really nuke them like he said and if so, what impact will it have on us if any?”
“Don’t really think we can answer that with any certainty, but it is nice not having all those things running around. All we need to worry about now are buildings and fenced in areas, as with the new weapon saltwater has become, we should be OK. We do need to go shopping, though.”
“Shopping for what?”
“Squirt guns, sprayers, anything like that we can get our hands on, and all the salt we can find.”
Ruth and Julia came out right then and Ruth said, “That guy is freaking me out!”
I said, “That’s what we were talking about. What do you suggest we do about it?”
“Let’s pack him up, give him a full tank of gas and let him go somewhere else,” Julia answered.
“That’s exactly what we talked about doing,” Dave told them. “We need to go back to our place and along the way we can gently suggest that.” The four of us nodded in agreement and we turned for the doorway. I took out my nine-millimeter and chambered a round and as I re-holstered the pistol, Dave looked at me then did likewise.
Back in the house, we cleaned up and told Doc we were heading back, and he quietly closed his notebook and got up. “Anything you want to do before we go back?” Dave asked him.
“No, I think we’ve proven the saltwater kills these creatures. I do not know why and that intrigues me. I should have kept one of the bodies to conduct tests on but will have to do that at another time and elsewhere, as you have no facilities or equipment for use in testing. There must be an explanation. If we can answer that question, we can better formulate a plan of action for the world to take.”
“Do you all have that kind of equipment back at your facility you came from?” Dave asked.
“Yes, there is more than enough equipment to make a proper examination after experimentation,” the Doc answered. “I believe I should go back to Wellington as soon as possible and see if I can contact the authorities in Washington. They may want to reconsider the use of nuclear weapons and use aircraft to spray the creatures with seawater. I shall leave tomorrow if you don’t mind.”
I'm Tired of Zombies | Book 2 | Full Scale War Page 5