Life After The Undead Omnibus

by Pembroke Sinclair

  Pam was at one of the rings, setting a coffee pot in the coals. She nodded as I approached. “How’d you sleep?”

  I massaged my sore shoulder and pulled my head to one side, an attempt to stretch the muscles. “Not good. I don’t think my shoulder is ever going to stop hurting.”

  “Oh, sure it will. You’ve got to give it time.” She signaled for me to come closer. “Let’s have a look at it.”

  I sat next to her and slid the sling strap over my head.

  My arm felt weak and exposed, as if I removed its only protective layer. Sharp pains zipped through my back as I attempted to remove my shirt. Pam helped, but it was still excruciating. She ran her fingers over my skin. It felt like static electricity. Sparks of pain shot across my shoulder. Instinctively, I moved away.

  “You’ve still got some swelling back here. I would tell you the best course of action is to stay at camp and rest, but I’m sure I would just be wasting my breath.”

  I attempted to pull my shirt back on. “Yes, you would. You know I can’t just sit around.”

  Pam clicked her tongue. “Well, at least put an ice pack on it while you eat breakfast. I’ll get you one.” She stood.

  “Hey, Pam,” I called after her. She turned to look at me. “Where’s Tanya? I thought I told you to keep an eye on her?”

  “Why? What’s wrong with Tanya?” A voice asked behind me.

  I didn’t have to turn to know it was Quinn. Dang it! That was the last thing I wanted him to hear. I scrambled for an excuse.

  “She’s just been having a hard time adjusting,” Pam spoke. “Krista wanted me to make sure she’s all right.”

  I mouthed a thank you to her. Quinn sat down next to me.

  “Oh. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” He picked up a stick and stirred the fire.

  “I’ll go grab an ice pack.” Pam pointed over her shoulder, then left.

  “How are you doing this morning?” Concern laced his voice.

  I winced. “I’m all right. I just wish my stupid shoulder would heal.”

  He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close to him. I snuggled into his chest.

  “It’ll heal in time. You know, Pam was right. You really should stay here and rest.”

  I pushed myself up so I looked into his eyes. “I’m not staying in camp.”

  Quinn chuckled. “I am well aware of that. But if you won’t rest, then you can’t complain about the pain.” He raised his eyebrows.

  I rolled my eyes and settled back against his body. “Fine. I won’t complain about the pain.”

  Pam returned with the ice pack and an Ace bandage and strapped the pack to my shoulder. It was uncomfortable, but the coldness did take away some of the pain. Quinn opened a can of salmon and heated it over the fire. The salty aroma of fish filled the air, and my stomach growled. When it was heated through, he handed me a plate filled with pink meat and crackers. I greedily scooped the food into my mouth.

  Tanya showed up when I was half way through my breakfast. I stared at her as she sat across from me, my eyes narrowed. I hoped my brain waves penetrated her mind and she would remember our conversation from the night before. The last thing I needed was for her to say something to Quinn. He handed her a plate without saying a word. She picked at it delicately, her eyes flicking from me to Quinn. I knew she wanted to say something. I really hoped she didn’t.

  We finished eating, and Pam removed the ice pack from my back and helped me back into my sling. My arm felt better, the pain subsided. I knew it wasn’t going to last, though. I knew once I stood up and walked through the cave, the irritation would return. Maybe Pam and Quinn were right. Maybe I should stay in camp. I was tired, and I needed a nap. But I knew I wouldn’t sleep. I knew I would lay awake, wondering what Quinn was doing, hoping he was safe. The pain was intolerable, yeah, but it wasn’t as overbearing as worrying about Quinn. I had to go with him. I had to know he was safe. I couldn’t stand to lose him. He was all I had left.

  Quinn stood and stretched. “I guess we’d better head out. I want to take care of this in the daylight.”

  I nodded and grabbed his hand, pulling myself to my feet. “Good idea. Pam, Tanya, you ready?”

  Quinn glanced sideways at me. “I think we can handle this.”

  “Probably. But it’s always nice to have some backup.”

  He turned so his back was to Tanya and he was close to my ear. “I don’t think it’s a very good idea for her togo with us. She has no zombie-killing skills.”

  Quinn was right. She didn’t have any experience killing the undead, but I wasn’t comfortable leaving her in camp. What if she ran away? What if she had a way to contact Florida? If she was with me, I knew she couldn’t do anything nefarious. I could’ve left her with Pam, but she didn’t seem to think keeping an eye on Tanya was top priority. I needed her by my side. I needed to know she wasn’t going to betray us again.

  “This will be a good opportunity to teach her some,” I whispered. “With any luck, there won’t be any creatures, and she’ll learn how to sweep an area. Worst-case scenario, there are a few creatures and she learns how to shoot them.”

  Quinn placed his hands on his hips and glanced over his shoulder at her, letting a slow breath out of his nose. He turned back to me.

  “Fine. But I’m not going to be responsible for her. If anything happens, that’s on you.”

  I nodded. “I can live with that.”

  “Where’s her gun?”

  Crap! I didn’t think of her needing a gun. If I had it my way, she wouldn’t have any weapon, but then Quinn would be suspicious, and I’d have to tell him about what she did. It’s not that I didn’t think Quinn should know, it was just that I didn’t know what he’d do. It was obvious he was upset his friends were prisoners in Florida. If he knew it was all Tanya’s fault, would he completely lose his mind? I needed him to be strong, to stay focused on what we had to do, I didn’t want to risk him leaving and heading back to the ranch. We still had a lot to do, and a lot of people counting on us. I needed his help.

  “I have a gun Krista gave me when we left North Platte,” Tanya spoke quietly. “I think I left it on my bed. I can grab it before we go into the tunnel.”

  Quinn nodded. “Okay, then. Let’s head out.”

  He headed toward the cave. Pam followed right behind him, staring at me with eyebrows raised, questioning what I was doing. I waved my hand, dismissing her concerns. Tanya looked up at me.

  “If any thought of harming us crosses your mind,” I pointed a finger at her, “be rest assured that I am faster and I will not hesitate.”

  She paled slightly. “I’m not going to do anything. I told you, I want to make it up to you.”

  I gestured with an open hand toward the cave. “After you.”

  She turned and stepped into the darkness. We went to her sleeping bag, and she grabbed her weapon. She fashioned the belt around her waist and adjusted the gun so it sat comfortably. We caught up to Pam and Quinn.

  The tunnels felt tighter, the air thinner. I was sure it was because I was nervous, wondering what Tanya was going to do. I wanted to believe I was being overly cautious, I really did. I mean, Tanya seemed to be genuine. She sounded like she truly wanted to help us, but I’d fallen for that before. I couldn’t ignore the fact that Pam left her alone, even after I told her not to, and Tanya didn’t run. She could have, and no one would have gone after her. Maybe she was scared. Maybe she knew her best chance was with us. Or maybe she had different orders. If Florida wanted to crush the rebellion, all Tanya had to do was get rid of Quinn and me. Without us, the rest of the survivors would scatter to the wind.

  It wouldn’t take much in the tunnels. She could hide behind a rock on one of the corners, waiting for me, then fire a bullet right into my stomach. Yeah, the others would hear it, but she’d have plenty of time to get away before they figured out what happened. She could shoot Pam in the back. Then, when Quinn came back to see what was going on, she could shoot him in the head. She wo
uldn’t get past me, but she would have inflicted extreme damage. My palms began to sweat and my heart rate increased. Why did I let her have a gun?

  I watched her silhouette as we wound our way through the tunnels. I wished I could read minds, it would make everything so much easier. I hated not knowing what was going on. I hated not being able to tell Quinn, too. If anyone knew what to do with Tanya, it would be him. Maybe I was being overly protective. It was possible I misjudged Quinn’s reaction. I mean, he’d never done anything in the past to make me believe he would be extremely angry or hurt Tanya. But there was that night at the fire, and he barely spoke to her. He blamed her. It was best to play it safe. I couldn’t risk pushing Quinn over the edge.

  The scraping of wood against rock echoed through the tunnel. Quinn was attempting to move the makeshift barricade. It was difficult to see over the others in front of me, but I heard him grunting and struggling. The light flooded in. He successfully removed the blockade. I squinted and blinked at the light, moving forward with the rest until I stood amongst the trees. We formed a semicircle with Quinn as our focus, waiting for instructions of what to do next. His back was toward us and he glanced through the trees, his hands over his eyes, shielding them from the sun.

  “I think we can get to the complex over there.” He pointed off to his right before turning to face us. “Keep a sharp look out. Last time we went through here, we ran into two undead. Who knows how many more are out there.”

  Pam nodded and pulled out her gun. I did the same.

  Tanya hesitated, but she also followed suit. I eyed her cautiously. Again, I hoped to bore my thoughts deep into her skull, warning her what would happen if she turned on any of us. She glanced at me briefly, then flicked her eyes to the ground.

  Quinn headed off first, the rest of us flanking him. We stayed close together, within an arm’s length. Sweeping outside was just like clearing a building, you didn’t want to get too far away from each other, and you definitely didn’t want to split up. That was a good way for someone to get shot. We stepped lightly, trying as best as we could not to make too much noise. Our footsteps crunched on dead leaves and gravel, as well as an occasional twig. Birds tweeted overhead. In the distance, a squirrel chattered. I glanced in the direction every time I heard a sound, but it also made me feel better to know animals were out. If there was trouble, they would have high-tailed it to safety. Zombies weren’t known for their stealth abilities, and that distressed wildlife. I didn’t know if a zombie would eat a bird or a squirrel, but I highly doubted either animal stayed around to find out.

  We walked quite a way through the trees. I scanned the area and listened for anything out of place, I didn’t count steps. Eventually, we came to a chain link fence. If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have believed it. The trees didn’t open into a clearing. There wasn’t a logical reason for it to be there, but it encircled a large area of the forest. Signs posted at various intervals warned of electric shock, and razor wire adorned the top. To my left, a section had fallen down, or was maybe pushed over, it was hard to say. In the middle of it all was a small, metal shack. The trees hid it perfectly. If we hadn’t been looking for it, we wouldn’t have found it. We all stopped and stared at the place in awe and confusion.

  “What is this?” Pam asked.

  I shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  “Well,” said Quinn. “There’s only one way we’re going to find out. Let’s head in.”

  He walked toward the fallen part of the fence, and we all followed. We cautiously stepped over the fence, our senses heightened, the tension grew thicker. A bird flew between tree branches. I whipped around to stare at it. My stomach was in knots, my fingers tingled. To say I was uncomfortable in that area was an understatement. There was something creepy about the whole place, something I couldn’t put my finger on. Who had a secret shack in the woods surrounded by a chain link fence? An electrified fence. Where did they get the power? And where were they now?

  I knew the zombies we ran into days earlier had something to do with this place. But the way they were dressed, I knew it wasn’t a hunting cabin. My brain told me to get out, to run far away, but my curiosity told me it was just a few steps further. I’d made it that far, might as well find out what was going on.

  The four of us made it to the shack and stopped at the door. We looked at it, then at each other, then back at the sign on the door. It read: “Warning: Property of the United States Army. Trespassers will be shot on sight.”

  I took a deep breath. I knew whatever we were going to find behind the door wasn’t going to be good.

  CHAPTER 11

  “It’s just a scare tactic.”

  We all looked at Pam.

  “I highly doubt the U.S. Army has anything to do with this place. I’m sure it’s some crazy mountain guy who wants to be left alone.”

  “I don’t know.” My eyes scanned our surroundings again. “Why would he need an electric fence? And where would he get the power for it?”

  Pam chuckled and shook her head. “You have no idea how insane some of these people are. I’m sure he has generators hooked up somewhere.”

  I knew how crazy survivalists could get. We had our share of them in Oregon before all this happened. Still, it didn’t seem right. It seemed too high-tech, even for the most savvy of survivalists. I glanced around the trees.

  Hidden amongst the leaves were cameras, several of them pointed in our direction, while others stared onto the perimeter. Whoever owned the place didn’t want anyone approaching without them knowing.

  If it was the Army, I couldn’t figure out how they got to the building. There weren’t any roads, and it would be impossible to land a helicopter. It was possible they stopped in Dashton and hiked through the caves. Unless there was another opening somewhere else on the mountain. The building itself wasn’t large. The four of us would be able to fit in it, but we’d have to stand shoulder to shoulder in sets of two. Whether it was the Army or some nut job, the place was easily defendable. I just wondered where they were.

  “Try the door.” Pam motioned with her gun. “See if it’s unlocked.”

  Quinn stepped forward and turned the handle. The door popped silently open. Dang! I really hoped we wouldn’t be able to get it. But I knew at the back of my brain I wasn’t that lucky. The zombies had to come from somewhere, and I was convinced it was this place. A shard of sun illuminated a small portion of the building. I peeked in. A set of stairs angled down into darkness. Great. It couldn’t just be a tool shed.

  Quinn glanced at us. “I’ll head down first. The rest of you stay close.”

  “Should one of us stay out here and keep guard?” Tanya asked.

  Well, wouldn’t that be convenient? It would make it much easier for her to run away. I wanted to say that, to snap at her for even suggesting such a thing, but I bit my tongue.

  Quinn shook his head. “No, we all go together. If someone stays up here, and we all run out, someone might get shot.”

  She swallowed thickly, her head bobbing slightly. She tightened her grip on the gun. “Okay.”

  “You ready for this?” Quinn asked.

  “No. But I’ll be fine.”

  His jaw tightened and he took a deep breath. “Pam, you go behind me. Krista, keep an eye on Tanya.”

  He didn’t have to tell me twice. I didn’t plan on letting her too far out of my sight.

  Quinn stepped through the door and down the stairs. Pam followed behind, then Tanya. She hesitated, staring at me, her eyes glistened with fear. For a brief moment, I felt sorry for her. I remembered how scary the unknown was, how nerve-racking it was to think we would run into a zombie. I pushed it down. I couldn’t show empathy, especially after what she did to us. I jerked my head toward the stairs, encouraging her to go. She took a deep breath and headed in.

  The air was cool. The faint stench of rot tickled my nose. The light from outside illuminated the first few steps, then we plunged into darkness. That was why we always kept flashli
ghts on us. We never knew when we would be forced into some dark space, and we always wanted to be prepared. Quinn and Pam had theirs on, and I clicked mine on. I illuminated the walls. Boring, smooth concrete, and nothing else. No signs, no graffiti, no indication of what we headed into. I flexed my fingers around the handle of the gun and chewed on my lip.

  Quinn’s light disappeared. He must have reached the end of the stairs. I stepped onto the concrete floor with everyone else, and we shone our beams around the room. Again, concrete walls surrounded us. A single desk was on the right, and behind it, a short corridor to another door. Pam stepped to her left and flipped a switch. Fluorescent lights flickered on, casting a sterile white glow into the room.

  “Power’s still on,” Pam commented.

  “Yeah. But where’s it coming from?” I glanced at the others. They shrugged as my eyes fell on them.

  “I don’t like this.” Tanya’s voice quaked.

  I nodded. I didn’t like it either.

  “I don’t think anyone is comfortable.” Quinn tried to keep the irritation out of his voice, but a little crept through. “But we have to find out what we’re dealing with here.” He pointed to the door at the end of the hall. “Looks like our only option.”

  He stepped forward and grabbed the handle. Pam stood next to him, while Tanya and I had his back. Please don’t let anything pop out of that door. Please.

  Quinn made a silent count with his head, bobbing it three times before pulling open the door. Pam went low, pointing her gun through the opening. The door opened onto a larger room adorned with computer stations. The lights were already on, leading me to believe the switch controlled both rooms. They stepped through the door, scanning the room. Tanya and I waited at the door, ready to fire should anything pop out of a hiding place. Three computer stations lined the right and left sides in front of smaller rooms with windows. I swallowed thickly. They were observation centers. But what were they observing?

  I could only imagine. Pam and Quinn finished their sweep and holstered their weapons. Tanya and I did the same before stepping into the room. My thoughts drifted to what they did in that room. I remembered the conversation I had so long ago with the soldier on the back of the transport truck. He told me the civilians at the military base thought the government created the zombies. Could it be true? Did they use these rooms in their experiments? Did they put unsuspecting victims into the chambers, then turn them into zombies? Jotting down notes on their computers? It made sense to me. And it made my stomach churn.