And Hell Followed: A Horror Novel

by Tatiana Xavi

  “Don’t you go shooting my boys and putting me in a bad mood,” a female voice said.

  We all looked around, our heads darting one way and then the other, trying to locate the speaker. The zombies remained stuck except for the mustached ones who stopped walking and now stared above our heads.

  Behind us, sitting crouched over a restaurant sign was a young woman. With pale skin, bright green eyes, and dark hair pulled back into a messy ponytail; she wore too much makeup. Bright pink lipstick and blush along with blue eye shadow reaching her hairline, the woman looked like a clown or a cheap prostitute. Dressed like the mustached zombies, she watched us for a moment and then smiled.

  “My, oh, my, that was a close one. I guess God likes you folks.”

  “Who are you?” Daddy asked, sounding perfectly calm, yet I knew by his expression he was freaked out.

  “Oh, it’s complicated. I used to be Anastasia,” she said, standing up on the sign and stretching. “Then the government blew up my family, and I became Bellamy. You can call me either, but my friends call me Death.”

  Glancing around, I wasn’t sure what to do. With the zombies still wanting to eat us, it felt strange to stand there. Surrounded by the enemy, we should at least attempt to escape, but instead, we waited to see what Bellamy did next.

  “Did you do that?” Zippy asked Bellamy who jumped off the sign.

  “Who else?”

  “But how?”

  Bellamy smiled, and it was a crazy smile. Walking past us, she sized up my group and then stopped in front of Morgan. Peering down at her baby bump, Bellamy shrugged and moved on.

  When Bellamy stopped in front of me, I felt the snapping sensation in my mind again. Studying me, she nodded.

  “When were you bitten?”

  “About two weeks ago,” I said and then added for no reason. “It was a zombie with a mustache.”

  Bellamy smiled. “Too bad. I assume one unpleasant experience has given you a poor view of mustaches. If you could think clearly though, you’d see how beautiful they were.”

  The mustached zombies moved closer, causing Daddy to lift his weapon again.

  “If you kill my friends, I’ll kill yours,” Bellamy said, smiling casually. “I can get new ones, but I’m not sure you can.”

  Daddy eyed the young woman who was probably in her early twenties. He lowered his weapon, and the zombies moved closer.

  “Magnum P.I. was so sexy,” Bellamy said, walking toward a female zombie with a gaping chest cavity. “The Bandit had a mustache too, and he sure did know how to drive. Dan Stark had a great ‘stashe and knew how to work a case. And, of course, Earl from my TV show had the best ‘stashe, and he was a beacon of hope.”

  Bellamy turned back to us with a big smile and announced, “I’m a fan of mustaches!”

  There was no nice way to put it. Bellamy was crazy. She could also make zombies behave, so I decided the crazy part wasn’t such a big deal.

  “Where are you fine people headed?” she asked, taking a bottle of water handed to her by one of the mustached zombies.

  “We’re trying to get to the Springfield area,” Daddy said.

  “How come?”

  “We have people waiting for us up there.”

  Bellamy handed the water bottle to the zombie who stuffed it into his backpack. I noticed her zombies were in decent shape. They had died from the infection, leaving them intact. A few of them looked almost human except for their bluish skin and glassy eyes.

  “I can help you get where you’re wanting to go, but you’ll need to remember how I come with an entourage. If you harm them, I’ll harm you. I’m not easy to kill, and I can draw zombies to me from miles away. If you mess with me, you mess with hell, my friends.”

  “As long as they behave,” Daddy said, “we’ll behave.”

  “Good deal. I’d suggest we get on the road, but the sun’s going down, and I get sleepy in the dark. I was planning on sleeping in one of those fancy townhomes. Want to join me?”

  “What about them?” Daddy asked, gesturing at the nearly hundred zombies around us.

  “What about them? They’ll behave, or Mama will punish them. Trust me when I say I can be a cruel mama. Isn’t that the truth, boys?”

  The mustached zombies nodded in unison. One of them even grinned which was pretty disturbing. Unable to stop myself, I smiled back at him. Bellamy noticed, and her pale green eyes stared lifelessly at me, making me feel small. Then she smiled slowly, and life returned to her eyes.

  “Do you feel special?”

  I nodded, though mostly because I suspected she wanted me to say yes. Bellamy watched me for a while longer, her gaze fading from lifeless to animated. She finally grinned brightly.

  “I wonder if you’re the white horse I ride in on?” Bellamy asked me.

  Before I could answer or even figure out what she was talking about, Bellamy walked past me. Her zombies followed while the others stood where they were.

  “Getting late, friends,” Bellamy announced, without looking back. “Need to get fed, cleaned up, and ready for bed.”

  Without knowing why I followed Bellamy before everyone else. I didn’t trust her or even want to follow her. I wanted to walk with Daddy, yet I followed Bellamy like the mustached zombies. Was I part of her entourage now?

  Chapter Six

  The townhomes we stayed in were models. I hadn’t bunked in a house so nice since we spent a few weeks in a mansion next to a golf course. Our model townhome was smaller than the one Bellamy chose. After announcing she needed space for her boys, Bellamy instructed us to be ready to go shopping in an hour.

  Once inside our townhome, Daddy locked the door and shoved a couch against it. He searched the place for weaknesses and supplies. Based on his constant sighing, I sensed all the pretty windows were going to be a problem.

  Staring out of those pretty windows, I watched the zombies who were watching me. They were moving again, heading away from us. Many of them glanced back at the townhomes, growling and moaning in frustration. No matter their hunger, they left the parking lot.

  “We’ll need to barricade ourselves upstairs,” Daddy said as he headed up the stairs.

  “The zombies are leaving,” I told him quietly. “Even the ones in the stores are going.”

  Ryan left Morgan on a lush couch in the living room and joined me at the window.

  “Have you ever seen anything like that before?” he asked.

  Looking up at him, it was like I was seeing him for the first time since we were in the tent together. His gaze met mine and he just watched me. Even having gotten further with Ryan than I had with Braden, I didn’t know him, and I figured today wasn’t the day to learn his back story.

  “No,” I said, finally answering him.

  “Do you think she can be trusted?”

  “I don’t know, but she saved us.”

  In reality, Bellamy probably just saved Ryan and Morgan. Daddy and I would have likely gotten away, though we might not have gotten far. Somehow, Zippy would have made it too.

  Staring at the quiet parking lot, I noticed how the model townhomes faced the shopping complex while behind this building were more homes. I didn’t understand why people would want to live so close to stores and restaurants. There was no privacy, but maybe the people who once lived in this complex didn’t care about such things.

  Feeling Ryan still next to me, I realized he wasn’t looking out of the window. He was looking at me. I finally met his gaze again, and he looked like he wanted to say something. Instead, his gaze hardened as my father returned.

  “Ryan,” Daddy said in a tone which made me flinch. “Do you know how to barricade a two-story house?”

  Barely glancing at Daddy, Ryan shook his head. Daddy explained what to do if he was ever trapped and the downstairs wasn’t defensible which they rarely were. He said blocking the stairwell with large furniture could act as a barricade. He explained which furniture worked best and how hard it was for even a large number of
zombies to maneuver furniture up a tight stairwell.

  Ryan listened and nodded, but he was still angry at Daddy for ditching Morgan. While I didn’t blame Ryan for being mad, he hadn’t been in the world long enough to realize how far people would go to save the ones they loved.

  Daddy stood next to me, moving Ryan to the side. He studied the zombies who were in a holding pattern outside the parking lot. Some were bound to leave, especially those from other areas. The zombies who called this complex home weren’t going anywhere, though.

  “There’s a gun store next to the beauty salon,” Daddy said, and I smiled. “If the girl holds back those zombies, maybe we can stock up?”

  Nodding, I felt Zippy walk up behind us. She poked me and Daddy and then grinned.

  “Guess which pretty model home has hot water?”

  Embracing Daddy, I was so happy at the thought of him enjoying a hot shower after so long without one.

  “Stove is working too. We could cook food tonight.”

  “Oh, Daddy,” I whispered, nearly crying. “There’s a grocery store.”

  The small grocery store sat at the corner next to the front gate. On the other side of the gate, a hundred zombies waited. I didn’t want to think about the zombies, though. I wanted to think about finding tasty soups to warm up on the stove.

  I was looking at the grocery store when Bellamy appeared on the sidewalk with her mustached entourage. They all turned to look at us, and Bellamy waved.

  “Ryan, stay with your sister,” Daddy said. “Get her cleaned up and we’ll see if we can find food and supplies. Maybe we can get everyone washed up and fed tonight.”

  Ryan again looked at me like he wanted to tell me something. I didn’t know him though, and I couldn’t figure out what he was saying.

  Daddy, Zippy, and I walked outside to where Bellamy was talking to the redheaded zombie.

  “And that’s why I don’t save vegans,” Bellamy said then studied my father. “Ever consider growing a mustache?”

  “Sure. What guy hasn’t?”

  Bellamy liked this answer, and her dead green eyes lit up with amusement.

  “Where would you fine people like to shop first? I’m assuming Pa wants to go gun hunting, but I’m hungry. I’d guess you’re hungry too, sub girl.”

  The sub girl comment was directed at me. While I didn’t understand what sub meant, I was hungry. Having eaten a bag of stale peanuts from my backpack as Daddy checked the townhome, I needed something better, and now I knew we could eat something hot.

  “Can we also get shampoo for the shower?” I timidly asked because not only was Bellamy staring at me but so were her dozen zombies.

  “Sister, you can get whatever bounty you can find in this lovely shopping center. Isn’t it grand what mankind built before the zombies took it away?”

  Nodding, I followed Bellamy. I couldn’t help myself. When she beckoned the mustaches, I felt the need to follow too.

  Daddy and Zippy weren’t very far behind me, and I could feel their tension. Not only at having the mustached zombies with us, but we could also hear the agitated noises from the horde at the gate.

  “Sometimes, they drive me batty with all their moaning,” Bellamy said, without looking back. “Like crying babies needing their mama to coddle them. I’m no coddler, though.”

  The zombies shut up at once, and I shivered at the suddenness of their silence. Daddy frowned, but I felt him relax just a tiny bit. Bellamy was something we had never seen before. While she was clearly crazy, her power was impressive.

  I tried not to imagine what having Bellamy around would mean for our safety. I’d gotten my hopes up at the camp, and some part of me wondered if I’d jinxed myself. I didn’t want to jinx myself again, not with a horde waiting to flood the complex. When we neared the grocery store, my stomach growled, and Bellamy paused. Turning toward me, she stared at my stomach and pursed her lips.

  “The hunger will make you mine, chickpea. Best get you fed because I suspect you can’t grow a mustache.”

  Bellamy found this funny and laughed loudly. Her zombies laughed too. It was a disturbing sound and Daddy gripped the gun in his side holster.

  All the worries about Bellamy and the horde faded when we entered the grocery store. Eco-friendly, this store had a lot of skylights and windows to cut down on lighting costs. Even with no electricity, we could see well enough to make our way around the dead bodies and destroyed inventory. No matter how well lit this place was, I didn’t want to be there when the sun went down.

  Daddy, Zippy, and I grabbed shopping carts. Some aisles were tough to maneuver, but Bellamy’s mustached zombies figured out how to do it, so I knew it was possible. I avoided looking at them and just focused on foods we could enjoy tonight.

  “This place is full of the Lord’s bounty,” Bellamy announced.

  Even suspecting she was talking to the zombies, I nodded anyway. The store was pretty full, and I figured this area fell quickly that looters never had a chance to strip it bare. Except for the rotten produce, meats, and corpses, the place looked rather pristine.

  I spent a lot of time filling my cart with soups, especially ones with beef and vegetables. The hunger growled at me, and I finally headed to the junk food aisle. After devouring a box of Twinkies, I ate nearly a dozen pouches of mini muffins before Daddy found me.

  “Better get going, Sami.”

  Embarrassed to have pigged out, I stood up quickly. The hunger didn’t appreciate all the sugar, but it knew more food was coming. Pushing my cart out of the store behind Daddy, we found Zippy with Bellamy and her zombies.

  I studied Bellamy’s carts which were full of jars of spaghetti sauce and boxes of noodles. Seeing my interest, Bellamy smiled.

  “My boys love spaghetti. You fine people should come to dinner tomorrow night.”

  “Tomorrow night?” Daddy asked.

  “Oh, I’ve decided not to leave tomorrow. My home is too lovely. With hot water and a stove that’ll allow me to create some yummy grub for my fellas, I’m planning to stay awhile. Why, were you folks in a hurry?”

  Daddy shook his head, and I saw something in his eyes. Hope maybe. Or maybe it was just relief at the prospect of relaxing for a short time. I was mostly excited about eating well and having Daddy enjoy a hot shower.

  We pushed our carts back to the townhomes and brought the food and supplies inside. Daddy was smart enough to remember to stock up on toilet paper and other supplies these fake homes wouldn’t have. Zippy had filled her cart with luxury type items and medicines. I just went for food.

  Bellamy waited on the sidewalk while her zombies carried the food and supplies inside. Staring at the stores, she suddenly looked at me.

  “Tomorrow we’ll explore. Have someone wake me up around ten. My boys aren’t good about telling time, and I get cranky with alarm clocks. Get some rest, Sub Sami. Make sure to feed the hunger too.”

  “Wait,” Daddy said to Bellamy before she disappeared inside. “What happens with the zombies while you’re sleeping?”

  “Worried they’ll tear you apart while I’m conked out, daddy bear?”

  “Yeah, actually.”

  “But if they got their control back while I slept, how would I ever get any sleep? Would God devise such a silly loophole?”

  Daddy stared at Bellamy who stared back at him.

  “See you in the morning, Papa Evan. Look at me, learning your names!” she said with a big crazy smile before slamming the door.

  Taking one last look at the line of zombies at the gate before Daddy locked the door, I tried to feel optimistic. Despite what Bellamy said about her control, Daddy shoved a hutch in front of the door. If all those zombies came for us though, the hutch would do nothing besides fall over and alert us to how we were about to die.

  While Daddy fortified the townhouse, Zippy made it feel more like home. In every room, she lit a candle from the store. The model home had been closed up for nearly a year, leaving it stale and dusty. Those candles made it sme
ll like home, though. Made it smell a little like Christmas too.

  We warmed up a dozen cans of soup in the pots Daddy found at the store. Making enough for us to get full, I laughed at how much Daddy burped once he finished eating and drinking. Zippy laughed too, but Ryan was tense, and Morgan hadn’t come downstairs.

  Eventually, I went upstairs to check on Morgan. I knew part of my strong feelings for her was because she resembled Kayla. They didn’t share many features, but they were tall, blonde, and tanned. They both had blue eyes too. I remembered the way Kayla’s blue eyes watched me as she died smiling.

  Morgan was crying quietly in one of the smaller bedrooms. Lying on the bed, she held her breath when I entered.

  “Did you get a shower?” I asked softly.

  “Yes.”

  “We found shampoo and soap at the store. Do you want to take a hot bath and wash your hair?”

  When Morgan turned to look at me, her gaze was angry, and then she sighed. “You’re just a kid, aren’t you? Ryan doesn’t see it. He tells himself you’ve grown up out here, but you’re still just a kid.”

  Unsure if she was insulting me, I backed away and planned to leave her alone.

  “Do you want to feel my baby kick?” she asked, sitting up against the headboard.

  Glancing around the room, I saw it was decorated for a child like the pretty one I had growing up.

  “Yes, please.”

  Sitting next to her, I let Morgan take my hand and place it on her belly. The baby kicked immediately, and I smiled. I couldn’t believe a little person was inside her or a little person would soon be out of her. A perfect little baby born into a world waiting to eat it.

  Morgan needed me to feel close to her baby, so I would be willing to risk myself to save her. Knowing she was manipulating me, I was proud of her. After the last day, I’d worried she was ready to give up. Depression was common with stragglers and the main reason that so many of them didn’t make it past a week.

  I convinced Morgan to take a bath in the master bathroom’s jet tub. While the jets didn’t work, the water rushed out nice and hot. As Morgan washed her hair and soaped up her body, I suspected she wanted to wash off the feel of the zombies that touched her earlier.