by Jasper Bark
Most of the Zombies ignored him. A small number stood and watched him for a moment. They sniffed the air for blood. When they realised there was nothing to feed on they too turned away.
Time to give Benjamin a reality check. Tatyana signalled that she was going to check out the new building and that he ought to follow her. He tried a few more grunts and poses and then admitted defeat. Sadly, the oppressed Zombies just weren't swayed by his revolutionary stance.
Tatyana remembered that one of Benjamin's favourite 'really bad Zombie movies' was Revolt of the Zombies. It was a shame for him that he didn't get to play it out in real life, but someone had to get on with the serious business of freeing the noble monsters.
Besides, he'd get over it so long as he remembered Rule Number Three: 'It doesn't matter and you don't care'.
The door to the building was locked. Luckily the lock was electronic. The Rolex Andy had fixed up did the business and got them in.
Chapter Twenty
It didn't smell right.
They'd never been far from the smell of death from the moment they had arrived on the island. Not surprising when you spend all day with walking corpses. But the smell inside the building wasn't like the mortuary smell of the noble monsters. It was much worse. It was like rotting meat mixed with chronic BO.
They walked through into a room that looked like an abattoir. There was a large stone block in the centre that was covered in congealed blood. Two metal drains ran along the floor either side of the block, both caked with dried blood.
Along the wall was a long row of knives and saws, many of which were covered in gore. In the far corner of the room was a pile of sou'westers next to another pile of dungarees and other clothes, a lot of which had badges and slogans painted on them.
"This doesn't feel right," said Benjamin. "We don't have time to go exploring. We need to round up the noble monsters before they come looking for us."
"Wait," Tatyana said. "This is important. There's something here that can help us. I know there is."
They moved into an adjacent room.
"Oh shit," said Benjamin and threw up.
Hanging from two rows of meat hooks in the ceiling were around twenty headless bodies with their hands and feet removed. To one side was a huge plastic container filled with human heads. All of them were missing their brains and the tops of their skulls.
Lined up against the far wall were three meat racks that looked like cages with wheels attached to their bases.
"You okay?" Tatyana said putting a hand on Benjamin's shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah fine. I think it's the smell. Caught me by surprise."
"After everything you've seen and done, this makes you puke?"
"Okay, don't go on about it."
"This must be how they feed the Zombies. I don't even want to think about where they get these bodies from."
Tatyana went to examine the cages against the wall. She reached through the bars experimentally.
"Okay we've seen what's inside here," said Benjamin. "Can we get back to rounding up the Zombies? That is what we're here for, in case you'd forgotten."
"This is how we're going to round them up," Tatyana said grabbing a large pole with a hook on the end. "Here, give me a hand getting one of these stiffs down."
The bodies hanging from the ceiling were heavier than they looked. Even with both of them holding the pole it took them four attempts to get one down.
Benjamin staggered backwards and the headless corpse landed on his foot. He yelped and fell on his butt. Tatyana put her hand over her mouth to stop from laughing.
"I'm glad you find this funny," he said.
"I'm sorry," she said trying to look sympathetic. "Here, we've got to get this body into one of those cages."
They lugged the headless corpse over to the cage. With a little effort and a lot of cussing they hung it from the middle bar. Tatyana shut and bolted the cage.
"Try reaching the corpse through the bars," she said. Benjamin stuck his arm through the bars. "You can't can you?"
"So?"
"So we can use it as bait to lure the Zombies. As soon as they smell the body they'll come running. But they won't be able to get at it."
"How's that gonna help us?"
"This cage thing is on wheels. If we keep pushing it round the compound they'll keep chasing it and we can round them all up. It's like the old carrot on a piece of string trick. Except this time it's a rotting corpse."
Benjamin shrugged. "It might work"
"If your Jedi mind powers fail, you mean?"
"There's no need to get snippy."
"You're right. Let's get this out of here. Don't know about you but I'll be glad to get away from this smell."
They pushed the cage with the body in it out of the building and into the compound. The rattling of the bars and the squeak of the wheels caused a few noble monsters to prick up their undead ears.
The stench of the rotting corpse soon began to waft out on the humid night air. Tatyana watched as the noble monsters caught its scent. It was like a transformation. Suddenly they had a purpose.
They stopped ambling and made straight for the corpse. Some of them began to chew in anticipation, grinding their dead teeth together. Others raised their arms and began grasping for the flesh they could smell.
The noble monsters got to the cage and pressed themselves up against the bars. The corpse was out of their reach. They groaned in frustration, pushing stale air up through dead throats.
Benjamin and Tatyana started to move the rack forward as more and more of the living dead joined them. They had to keep turning it to make certain the Zombies didn't crowd round all four sides and stop it moving.
As more Zombies joined the throng Tatyana found herself crushed up against the bars. All around her the walking dead were straining for the corpse that was just out of reach. They jostled her, groaning, flailing and gnashing their rotten teeth.
It took a lot of self control to keep from freaking out. One wrong move from her or Benjamin and the Zombies pressed up against them would realise they were right next to two living bodies and would forget the dead one in the cage.
Rule Number Five: 'Master yourself and nothing can threaten you'.
Tatyana kept up her Zombie breathing. Rule Number One: 'Show no signs of life'. In this situation playing dead was the best way to stay alive.
As more and more Zombies joined the throng something weird started to happen. Tatyana was sure she could sense them all thinking. Not proper thoughts, but they seemed to arrive at some sort of instinctive consensus that got stronger as more of them joined the throng.
The more Tatyana acted like one of them the more she was aware of this group mind at the fringes of her own. If she thought as slowly and deliberately as she was moving, she found she could nudge the group mind in the direction she wanted.
She and Benjamin no longer had to steer the cage around the compound, the whole group just did it by instinct. Noble monsters started joining the group because it was a group, not just because they could smell the corpse.
The more they started acting in unison, the less frantic and purposeless the Zombies seemed. Benjamin and Tatyana were directing them. This was what Rule Number Four meant. They were following the herd but thinking ahead of it. They'd developed to such a degree they could take control of the noble monsters.
Eventually they reached the main gates to the compound. The group stopped. Tatyana willed them to step aside and let Benjamin get to the lock.
There was a slight pause then the Zombies stared to move out of his way. Shuffling a few steps at a time. Making just enough room for Benjamin to squeeze past them. He got away from the group and used the Rolex to unlock the huge security doors.
The gates slid back to reveal a dirt track that wound off into the scrubland surrounding the compound. This was it. The plan was working. They were practically out of there.
"What the fuck? Jesus Christ there's hundreds of them!"
Tatyana glanced up and saw two armed guards standing in front of the open gates. One of them spoke into his radio. "Central, this is Operative 154 come in Central. We have a Code Red security breach in Sector 1. I repeat, we have a Code Red security breach in Sector 1. There's hundreds of the fuckers. Send back up immediately!"
One of the guards raised his weapon and let off a few rounds. His fellow guard stopped the man.
"Are you fucking crazy?" he said. "Do you want to get us both killed? Do you know what they'd do to us if we harmed one of those things?" He turned and spotted Benjamin over by the gate. "Hey you! What the fuck are you playing at?"
"It's just one of the monsters," said the other guard. "What you talking to it for?"
"No it's not. I recognise that kid. He's one of the guests." The guard pointed his weapon at Benjamin. "Hey you, yes you, what the fuck are you playing at? Shut that fucking gate now. I said shut it!"
Benjamin froze. He looked over at Tatyana for help. She had no idea what to do either. The noble monsters were starting to get agitated. Tatyana could feel their group mind starting to fracture and come apart. The guard dropped a bullet into his barrel and aimed at Benjamin. "If you don't shut that gate I will shoot you, now do it!"
Tatyana reacted without thinking. The sight of someone threatening Benjamin's life enraged her. She pushed the cage and sent it careening into the guard.
The cage crashed into the man and sent him sprawling. He let off a shot as he fell. Benjamin screamed with pain and held his shoulder.
Tatyana felt a huge pang of grief. This wasn't happening. Benjamin couldn't be hurt. He couldn't. She ran to him without any thought for her own safety.
As she did, she felt the Zombies' group mind shatter. The noble monsters fell on the guards like a tidal wave.
Tatyana was oblivious to the guards' screams of pain and terror as she reached Benjamin. He was lying on the ground holding a bloody shoulder and whimpering.
Tatyana helped him to his feet.
"He shot me," Benjamin said.
Tatyana removed his hand from his shoulder and inspected the damage. "He just grazed the skin. I think you'll live." Then she threw her arms around him. "Thank God you're alright. Thank God, thank God, thank..." Did she really just thank God?
Benjamin stiffened. Tatyana let go of him. He was shaking. She turned to see what had scared him. Thirty or more of the Zombies were bearing down on them.
They could smell the blood. Tatyana stepped in front of Benjamin to protect him. She tried to do her Zombie breathing. Her heart was beating too fast. She was afraid for their safety. It wasn't working.
She grabbed Benjamin's hand and tried to run for it. They were surrounded. There were too many of them. There was no way through.
They were seconds away from being torn apart. Tatyana gripped Benjamin's hand. "I love you. You're a dickhead, but I love you."
She closed her eyes but she couldn't hold back the tears. She didn't want to die. Oh God please don't make it hurt. She was sorry for everything. She was so fucking sorry.
She felt a dead hand grip her arm. Will I come back as one of them? she thought. She pulled herself loose and buried her face in Benjamin's chest.
This was it. This was the end. This was...
"Rete," someone shouted. "Dans le nom de Baron Samedi rete!"
Tatyana clung to Benjamin. She waited for the teeth and the clawing fingers and the dead bodies to overwhelm her. But they never came.
She opened her eyes. The Zombies weren't moving. They were standing dead still.
"What's going on?" Tatyana said.
"I don't know," said Benjamin. "They just kinda stopped after that woman shouted something."
"What woman?"
The Zombies began to shuffle. Some to the left, others to the right until they formed a small path down the middle.
Walking towards them along the path, Tatyana was astonished to see Miriam Chevalier.
Chapter Twenty-One
"Just what do you think you're doing?" Miriam said.
"We were... err, trying to free the noble monsters," Benjamin said.
Miriam looked puzzled. "You were trying to free what?"
"He means the Zombies." Tatyana said.
Miriam threw back her head and laughed. "Noble monsters, is that what you call these poor creatures? After all the time you've spent with them, seeing what they've become. Do you honestly think they're noble?"
"Well no, not when you put it like that," said Benjamin. "But you don't understand. It's not what they've become it's what they represent, they..."
"Be quiet," said Miriam. She turned to Tatyana. "You haven't answered my question. What do you think you're doing?"
"We were trying to free them. Like Benjamin said."
"Free them? You mean you were just going to let them loose on this island. Do you have any idea how stupid that is?"
"No. We have a plan. We were going to guide them to the other side of the island. We've got a boat, I mean a yacht, waiting off-shore. A big one, it's a hundred foot."
"Two hundred foot," said Benjamin.
"And what were you going to do with them once you got them aboard this boat?"
"We were, erm, going to set them free in the wild, I think," said Tatyana. "Somewhere where they couldn't do any harm."
Miriam shook her head in disbelief. "You mean you were going to let most of them rot away to nothing. And those that did survive would have attacked innocent people."
"Look we weren't trying to do anything bad," Benjamin said. "You don't mean to tell me you think they should be locked up like this and exploited by these people? And what are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be at that ceremony with the rest of them?"
"That ceremony is a blasphemy and a perversion of Voodoo. I wouldn't have anything to do with it. And to answer your other question, no I don't think these victims should be locked up and exploited like this."
"Whoa, victims, that's a pretty harsh word," said Tatyana staring at the motionless Zombies. "What did you do to them? Those words that you shouted, that was some kind of spell right?"
"That's one way of describing it. I have stilled what Doc Papa calls their 'perfect hunger'. You are safe around them for the time being, but it is only temporary. You mentioned you have a yacht. Does it have a crew?"
"Yes it does and I've told them to meet us at the little harbour on the other side of the island. It's about five miles south west of here."
"I know where it is," said Miriam. "Ultimately, these victims cannot leave the island and I won't allow you to release them elsewhere. In the short term however, I think it would be useful to remove them from harm's way. I'll let you take them on board the yacht for a brief period."
"Wait a minute," said Benjamin. "We don't even know who you are and suddenly you turn up, start giving orders and try to take over our mission. Why the hell should we listen to you?"
"Do you want me to leave and let these poor wretches tear you apart?"
"No," said Tatyana. "We don't want that. I'm sorry, we seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. We're very grateful that you saved us and I think we want the same things. Maybe we can work together on this?"
"I'm prepared to let you come along on a temporary basis. So long as you do exactly as I tell you."
"Well that's mighty big of you," said Benjamin.
"Shut up," said Tatyana. "What he means is, just let us know how we can help."
Miriam nodded and turned away from them. She clicked her fingers and the Zombies began to follow her down the dirt track.
"What are you taking her side for?" said Benjamin. "And why did you tell me to shut up?"
"Because you were being a dick," Tatyana said. "C'mon they're going to leave us behind."
"You mean you're just going to follow her?"
"Well duh."
"How do we know she's not in league with Doc Papa? What if she's leading us straight into a trap?"
"Benjamin she's not leading us into a tra
p. She saved our lives. You heard how she speaks about the people that run this place. She doesn't like them anymore than we do and she cares about these Zombies."
"So she says. But she called them victims. They're not victims."
"They're being exploited and locked up. How are they not victims?"
"Well okay, they're victims of exploitation. But she's making out like it's a bad thing that they're noble monsters. You heard how she spoke about them. I just don't trust her."
"You know, I can hear every word you're saying," said Miriam. "For your own safety you should stay with me here at the front."
Tatyana started walking to catch her up. Benjamin stayed where he was. She turned and gave him a look. He stuck his hands in his pockets and skulked after them.
"Wait you're going the wrong way," said Benjamin, after five minutes of silence. "This isn't the road. I memorised the map."
"The one in the foyer?" said Miriam. "That's not a map. That's a pretty picture for tourists."
"So I suppose you know better?"
"I ought to. I've lived here most of my life."
Tatyana was stunned. "I thought this was a private island. I didn't know anyone still lived here."
"St Ignatius has been inhabited for as long as Haiti. Where do you think all these Zombies came from? How do you think they got here?"
Tatyana was stunned. "You mean all these Zombies..."
"Are my brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, friends and lovers. They're the people I grew up with. The people I have sworn, as a holy duty, to protect."
Chapter Twenty-Two
The guests were right where Doc Papa wanted them. They lay prone on the floor of the Peristyle, the holy space where the ceremony was conducted. Their souls were banked in the Pot-tets. The drummers beat on the stretched skins of their Asòtòs. The rhythms kept the guests in their deep trance. They also kept his acolytes in a heightened state of consciousness.