“Uh, given away (with a charitable cause with the way he used the words) and I can’t fetch it,” Matt tried saying in German.
“Ah, so you’re a charitable dog then. How noble to have as a son,” Pieter said mocking the twelve year old in German quickly so Matt could only understand a few words. “You owe me five hundred dollars. And your friends, they aren’t welcome here.”
“I don’t understand you when you do that, dad,” Matt said in English. “I owe you how much, and what about my friends?”
“Such a simpleton, Matthew,” Pieter said in English. “I said you owe me five hundred dollars.”
“I didn’t take that much! I took fifty dollars, and you know that!”
“Since you are so naïve and trusting, they took it without you knowing.”
“You’re lying,” Matt growled.
“I don’t lie, Matt, unlike some people,” Pieter said in German again.
“Whatever. I owe what I took, and that’s all I’m going to give back. Go after them with your high-and-mighty Nazi self.”
“How small of you,” Pieter snarled. “You have no idea how little that means to me. Small minded too, you know boy, your mom and I should try for another son, to make up for how pathetic you are.”
“That is enough! How dare you speak to him that way, Pieter! He is your son!” Alexis said as she entered the room.
This had been a common occurrence for the last few months. Matthew may not understand what Pieter was saying, but Alexis did, and she had to come to Matt’s aid on a regular basis.
“I’ve just had about enough of this, Pieter. I don’t understand why you have to put all your anger into him. Why you take it all out on him,” she said in German.
Matt looked perplexedly between his parents, trying desperately to comprehend even a few of the words. The basics, such as “take” or “boy” he got without much difficulty, but what was that word that he used a couple of times. “Klein?”
“You know, dad. I may not know your language, maybe that’s ok. You may not like me. I don’t care. I don’t like you either. I’m not stupid, and you should know that. I know you insult me when you speak German. But I have a language you might understand.”
Matt gave his father the middle finger.
“And I meant every word,” Matt said coldly before he marched off to his room.
(Wie Klein der sie – How small you are.)
Matthew Carter stared at the ‘honor blade’ that lay on the Dresser. The blade had been cleansed from the blood that he had spilled.
(“You are not small,” Evan once said. “You are taller than most men.”)
‘I’m going to show you that I am not disappointing, Evan,’ Matt thought when he went to look at himself in the mirror. ‘I promise that I will be what you would want in a son.’
(Ihre mutter und ich sollte für einen weiteren sohn versuchen, nachholen, wie erbärmlich du bist - your mom and I should try for another son, to make up for how pathetic you are.)
‘I am not small, Pieter. I am not afraid anymore. I am not pathetic. I am loved, appreciated, and I am not the same person you knew. I have honor, too. I am going to help people,’ he thought, ‘You don’t have to worry about me. I forgive you for not loving me. Because I am the coolest twelve-year-old Evan has ever known. He may not be my real dad, but he’s done more for me than you ever did. I’m not Matthew Reid anymore. I am Matthew Carter.’
Matt was promised he could help when it came to clearing out the shamblers from Detroit. He had proven more than once that he was careful. He was also good at figuring out escape routes if things got bad. When Evan said Matt could help with the clearing of Beaumont, the boy celebrated by raising his arms into the air, and then jabbing the air with three mean right hooks.
“I’ll take the ‘honor blade,’” Matt said when Evan gave him the choice between his silenced hunting rifle and the blade.
“Remember, we have to do this silently,” Evan said.
“I won’t disappoint you,” Matt said.
Evan took Tyrone’s and Thomas’s platoons to help with the task, along with Cameron and Gina. Thomas would sustain areas that were taken as well as keep a watch for Spelasky.
It was just as Evan thought. Many bed-ridden patients were left behind during the evacuation. Most of them became shamblers after dying from hunger, their ailments or other shamblers. Outside, the squads split up to different buildings. The soldiers used air-horns to get the attention of the handfuls of fallen patients.
“Human nature,” Cameron said at the numbers of roaming shamblers. “They were too slow or too sick to be saved.”
“Don’t dwell on it,” Evan said. “We’ll save them by letting them rest.”
“Good way to put it,” Cameron said.
“Let’s check the main building,” Evan said. “Matt, do you have the cans ready?”
Matt elbowed the backpack he wore twice. The boy didn’t even look frightened.
Two squads fought their way to the entrance through a couple dozen shamblers. Some wore hospital gowns, while some wore nothing at all. Some crawled as they had broken bones, others had amputations from diabetes.
Regardless of their conditions, the only condition they were going to be was still after the squads were finished with them. Matt was asked to destroy the less mobile undead. He also made sure dormant appearing undead stayed dormant. Every skull was pierced by a spear, blade or bayonet.
Right inside the entrance was a horrific scene. Dried blood covered the walls from victims of the undead tearing into them. Bodies that were heavily eaten lay strewn about the entry and lobby. Shamblers had no chance to smell the living with how terribly the place stunk. A few of Evan’s soldiers vomited from the stench. Matt also vomited after the soldiers did. The bodies were passed the bloating period of decomposition.
“You ok?” Evan asked the four.
Matt gave Evan a thumbs-up.
Evan went in first. He had to carefully step over the decaying limbs of the dead. He held the blade that Cameron made for him, ready to take down any shambler inside.
His blade cleaved into a wakening hulk of a shambler. When the man slid sideways to the floor, Evan nearly lost his grip on the blade. He had to work to get the blade free from the man’s head. He propped his foot against the man’s chest to give him extra momentum.
Evan glanced up and down the halls. He motioned for Matt to come over to him.
“You came up with this idea,” Evan whispered. “Roll cans down these two halls.”
Matt nodded at Evan’s direction. He took out two full cans of expired fruit from the backpack. He tossed each one down the halls as instructed. They waited for results. Almost immediately, three shamblers went to the can he threw down the left hand hall from the entrance.
“Porcupine formation,” Evan whispered to five soldiers. “Take them out.”
The five soldiers obeyed. They straddled the spears they carried. Two spears were held at head height to jab at the shamblers’ heads, while the other three were at chest height to hold off the undead. The shamblers were taken down within minutes.
“Collect the can,” Matt mouthed to the soldiers once the shamblers were still.
After waiting a few more minutes, Matt went for the second can. Evan held a flashlight down the hall for Matt. He moved slowly and carefully. He had his back against the wall down the right side. He flinched when he saw a door open without any light inside. Evan came to his aid by searching the room with the flashlight. It turned out the supply room was empty of any danger.
Matt grabbed the can quickly. He hurried back to Evan’s side.
“We should bring in lanterns for each hall we’ve searched,” Matt whispered.
“Is this darkness getting to you?” Evan asked.
“I’m not afraid of the dark, but this I hate,” Matt replied.
“Me too,” Evan said. “Do you want to continue?”
“Yes,” Matt said. “The only way is forward.”
&
nbsp; The first floor was cleared using Matt’s trick. They also used glow sticks to light the areas they cleared, another idea of Matt’s. He was gaining respect from the soldiers each moment as he continued. They carried the bodies out after the floor was cleared. Multiple piles to burn were forming throughout the grounds. After the rest of the buildings were cleared, Tyrone’s platoon helped clear the rest of the main complex. Thomas’s platoon burned the piles and took defensive positions around the hospital.
There was next to no words spoken during the rest of the operation. The clatter of cans hitting the floors and walls were the loudest sounds made. Evan, Matt and two squads worked at clearing the third floor. Matt destroyed half-dozen shamblers that he came across while retrieving the cans. Most of the undead they found were frozen to one spot, either standing or slumped against a wall. Since they had reanimated, there was nothing to catch their attention. They came across no one living in any of the buildings. The hospital was now theirs.
Nikki and her staff of fifteen were moved in the following day after the piles of bodies were thoroughly burned. She spent the entire rest of the week gathering everything the staff needed onto one floor. Nikki held training sessions for things they would immediately encounter, from births to stitching to broken limbs.
When the C Company platoons turned the defense to Captain Gage’s B Company, Evan’s men and women held a celebration in retaking another part of the undead word. They did it without taking any losses.
Evan told his troops to be proud of their accomplishments, but not to become over-confident.
“Cockiness will be the death of you. Work together as a family. No man or woman is greater than the other in this company. I’m even equal to the rest of you. I may be your captain, but we’re doing this as a team.”
Matt was already asleep in his new room when there was a light knock on the door. Evan had been awake, thinking quietly at his desk. He only wore boxers because his room wasn’t air conditioned. He put on some pants, so he didn’t embarrass the late visitor. He opened the door to find Mary with red rimmed eyes.
“I can’t sleep,” Mary said with a trembling voice.
Evan hugged her and kissed her forehead. He led her in so they could sit down in the cool living room by the windows. He didn’t know what to say other than he knew how she felt.
“It’ll be ok. I promise you.”
“I’m sorry,” Mary said. “I don’t believe you.”
“I never said you had to. I’m just trying to be here for you,” Evan said, although a bit hurt. “I wish John, Doug, Simon and Adam were still here with us.”
“I-I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just want to talk I guess, a kind word or a hug. That’s all I need from you, you can’t ever replace my dad, only his.”
“Mary, what’s going on?”
“Nothing, everything, I’m really confused right now,” Mary said. “I have no one else. A part of me just wants to run.”
Evan was confused himself.
“And the other part,” he asked. “What does it want?”
“Not to see Matthew hurt. He is one hundred percent sold on you. I will do my act that everything is wonderful and be courteous when he’s around. If it were completely up to me, I would have just said I would raise him. He loves you, because he hated our father. And our father really did hate him.”
“Jesus, Mary,” Evan said. He began to feel sick to his stomach. He stood up and began to pace.
'What kind of man could hate his own kid?' he thought.
“It’s the way it was,” Mary said.
“Mary, he can never know that. You say that you love him? He would likely grow up to hate you if you told him.”
“I would never, like I said, I would never see him hurt. But you, you are careless! You let a twelve-year-old go out, and you all do this crazy shit!”
“Don’t wake him up,” Evan said sharply. He was getting angry. “I don’t know what I did to make you so mad at me. I am trying to teach him how to survive, to live in this messed up world. What would you think would happen if I didn’t teach him that? I’m not sure if you are on the same planet that I’m on, but I recall seeing children as shamblers too. You don’t want him hurt, but not letting him learn how to take on those things could kill him, or worse. Don’t you get that? He’s old enough to make that decision.”
“I get it, Evan,” Mary said calmly. “I get it. I hate it too, almost as much as I hate living in this world.”
Mary was silent for a moment.
“I don’t know why I said that. I’m sorry.”
“I know this world is crazy, and I hate what’s happened too. All of this is just so broken! But it happened, and we have to adapt and live on.”
“Is this about John?” Evan asked.
“A part of it,” Mary said. “I really liked him.”
“Colleen was in my life for seventeen years. She was my life. I was the first to hold both of my dead children. My brother and I were close as we grew up. I know all about the different kinds of love. I will forever hurt from losing them, but I took him in despite that. I took him in after I lost my entire family. I did that with ten times the pain you’re feeling. You barely knew John.”
Mary didn’t reply.
“Do you think this is easy?” Evan asked. “I let Edward in our group. I backed Edward, after Doug warned me. That’s on me. Do you know what else is on me?”
“What?” Mary asked bitterly.
“I will not give up on you, Matt, Cameron, Nikki, Eliot or Mandy. No matter what you say to try and hurt me. Be angry at me, if that makes you feel better. The fact of the matter is. I am truly sorry about John. He was a great guy, and he died too young. You liked him, and I am happy that you shared that with him, truly. Mourn the dead, but think about the living. I will not allow anything to happen to Matt and I will take whatever steps necessary to teach him whatever I think he needs to learn to live.
“You say Matt’s one hundred percent into me? I’m one hundred and ten percent invested on his survival. He deserves that, and he deserves the two most loved people in his world not to have these kinds of conversations. Whatever you want, Mary, that’s what I will give you. Just stop this damn pity party. You’re not the only one who’s lost someone.”
“I know,” Mary said. “Thank you, Evan. I thank you with everything that I am for taking us with you. Thank you for treating him better than our father has. Thank you for being in our lives.”
Evan stood up. He took Mary into his arms to hold her like a father.
“No Ma!” Matthew screamed at the top of his lungs. They went to his room where he was sitting straight up.
“Matt, I’m right here,” Mary said.
Matt was soaked with sweat that ran like rivers down his face and chest. Evan put his arm around Matt’s shoulders.
“Where am I? Where’s Mary?” Matt set his frightened gaze on his sister. He grabbed her hand tightly.
“Hope your night hasn’t been as rough as mine,” Mandy said when Even went outside for fresh air.
Evan instantly saw how beautiful she was with the soft glow casting off of her from his lantern. She was naturally attractive, but Evan continued to stand behind the wall he created. Mandy was playing with Brewster. The pup was on his back, biting and clawing at her hand while she rough housed with him.
“I had Mary breakdown on me, and Matt woke up to a horrible dream about his mother reanimating,” Evan told her after a deep sigh. “It’s just been a really long day. We cleared out Beaumont though, and without any losses.”
“I heard,” Mandy said. “You are doing a great job, Evan. These people love you.”
“You think so?” Evan asked.
“I confess,” Mandy said. “I’m glad you’re not in uniform right now. I like seeing the comic book writer every once and awhile.”
“Me too,” Evan said, looking at the night sky. “How are you doing?”
“I’m well, but this little guy peed on my floor. I’ll ge
t that problem fixed quickly, won’t I little fuzz ball?” Mandy replied. A quiet moment passed by. “Can I tell you something?”
“You can tell me anything,” Evan said.
Evan knelt down to pat the coyote pup.
“For the first time in my life, I’m actually feeling like I have a home,” Mandy said. A sudden bashfulness appeared from her. “I feel safe knowing you’re here.”
‘Yeah, Cameron is right,’ Evan told himself. ‘She has feelings for me.’
“You drove halfway across the country to come here,” Evan said. “I’d hope that you didn’t have any regrets. If you ever feel alone, you’re not.”
‘Was that too forward?’ Evan thought with a tinge of fear and embarrassment.
Mandy moved closer to him. She took his hand into both of hers.
“I’m an ear for you if you ever need one, Evan,” Mandy said with the bashful smile.
They looked at each other for a long minute. The playful pup nipped at his hand for attention.
“I’m a shoulder if you need one,” Evan replied.
‘Dammit, rip that damn wall down, Evan! Colleen is gone! Do this right!’
“I need time, and I just, I want to have a…” Evan began before Mandy placed an index finger on his mouth to shush him.
“I know,” Mandy said softly. “My heart is yours, when you’re ready for it. I’m not going anywhere.”
She lightly kissed him on the mouth. When he was about to kiss her back, she pulled away. After she picked up Brewster, she went inside with a look back at him.
He placed his thumb and a balled hand against his mouth to think about what just happened.
‘That is the woman who will destroy this wall.’
-----
It was sunny, extremely warm, and oppressively humid on the Sunday C Company planned to complete the eradication of the remaining few thousand Farmington Hills undead.
The country club's property was now devastated. Multiple tents had fallen from the few severe storms that marched through. Most of them were ripped and tattered. Among the sounds in the camp was a chorus of fabric from the tents rippling in the wind, a few groans from the lethargic and docile herd, and nature itself.
Detroit Reanimated Page 36