“Are you sure?” asked Jude.
“I’m sure,” she replied, returning to the foot of the bed. “I was a hospital volunteer for two years. She’s passed.”
“And I’m supposed to take the word of a candy striper? Is that it?” said Billy savagely as he turned to face them.
“Billy! There’s no call for that. She’s just trying to help.”
“It’s alright, Jude,” Penny said. “Billy, look at her eyes. They show no response. I may not be a doctor, but I know that when the eye is non responsive to light, it is over. I think she starved to death, Billy. She hung on as long as she could. She’s with God now.”
“But to come this far and lose her in front of me. What is God’s plan in that? Why did I have to see her die?”
“You’re looking at it the wrong way,” said Penny. “You didn’t get to see her die. You got to see her live. Shoot, Billy, you got to talk to her. That’s better than Jude or me and Rose. Be thankful her last memory is of you. For God’s sake, Billy, she called your name. You know what I’d give to hear my mother’s voice again?”
Billy was still sitting at his mother’s side. He lifted her frail limp body and held her head in his arms and began to rock back and forth on the bed. The others watched until Jude began to feel uneasy.
“Penny, please take Rose back to the living room while we do what has to be done,” he said. “As soon as the others get here we’ll have enough firepower to get back to our vehicle without too much danger I hope.”
Penny was tempted to argue with Jude, but decided that perhaps he was right. She took Rose by the hand and they trooped out of the room. Jude closed the door and walked over to Billy’s side.
“Billy, maybe you should go to. There’s no reason you should have to punish yourself.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Billy, you know what must be done. She’ll turn unless we put a stop to it. Do you want to see your mother like that?”
“Are you talking about putting a bullet in her head?” he asked hysterically. “Or do you want to chop her up like firewood? This is my mother, you lunatic.”
“Billy, you know the dead turn.”
“But she wasn’t bitten,” he protested. “We don’t know that all the dead turn unless they’ve been bitten.”
“Billy, I know this is a bitter pill, but she’s a danger to us now. Go on in the living room with the girls and I’ll do it fast and quick.”
Billy let his mother’s body fall back to the bed and he arose to face Jude. He yanked his Magnum from his belt and leveled it at Jude.
“No one is going to mutilate my mother’s body and I’ll kill anyone who tries,” he said in a cold voice.
“You won’t kill me, Billy. I don’t believe it for a second,” said Jude as he pulled out his own revolver. “Just step aside, Billy.”
Billy placed his body in between Jude and his mother and continued to point his revolver at his friend.
“Don’t push it, Jude,” he said, with menace as he pulled back the hammer on the weapon. “Just don’t push it.”
“Billy, you yourself said no mercy for zombies because we won’t get any mercy from them. Your mom is dead and when she moves again she won’t be your mom any longer. She’ll be one of them and I won’t let that happen.”
Both men were breathing hard and Jude could feel perspiration sting his eyes. As they stood staring at one another the tension began to rise. Suddenly, with no warning, Billy’s mother lunged out of her bed. In a brief moment before either of them could react, she had sunk her teeth into Billy’s neck. Blood gushed forth as she tore out a chunk of flesh.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jude fell back stunned. The savagery of the attack left him numb. He stared at Billy, as his friend toppled to the ground clawing at his wound. Jude took no notice that the creature was now focused on him. As it advanced towards him, a shot rang out and the zombie representation of Billy’s mother was hit in the chest. The creature staggered back and another shot hit it in the head. With an explosion of blood and brains the zombie crumpled to the floor. The body was so waif-like that to Jude it seemed that she floated down and softly landed. Jude suddenly snapped out of his dream state and turned to see Penny standing in the doorway. She held a smoking revolver and Rose was right behind her munching on a candy bar.
“Were you trying to get killed, Jude?” challenged Penny. She came to his side. “How in the world have you managed to live this long?”
“Never mind that,” said Jude. “We’ve gotta get this bleeding stopped on, Billy. Try and find something to use as a bandage.”
Penny began rummaging through the dresser of the woman as Jude knelt beside his friend. The blood flow had mostly subsided. Evidently no major blood vessel had been cut.
“You’re going to be okay, buddy. Just lie still.”
At that moment Penny returned with several cloth shirts and began tearing them into long strips.
“You guys have got to get out of here,” croaked Billy, as he sat up. “That gunfire will surely bring every zombie in the area”
“We’ll go when you’re fixed up,” insisted Jude.
“Buddy, I’m done and you know it.”
“Bull. It’s not that bad. You’ll be fine.”
Penny began to efficiently apply the bandages and secured them by tying the cloth strips gently around Billy’s neck. Jude thought it made Billy look like a whiplash victim, but it had stopped all the blood flow.
“That’ll have to do,” she said.
They both helped Billy to his feet and he turned to look at his mother’s lifeless corpse. Without another word Billy walked gingerly out of the room. The others followed and they gathered in the living room. Billy felt dizzy and sick to his stomach. His head was spinning as he gathered his thoughts.
“Listen, you guys,” he began. “I appreciate you fixing me up, but you have got to leave now. I get the feeling that things are going to get pretty hot pretty soon.”
“We’re not leaving you, Billy. Remember we don’t leave people behind,” protested Jude. “Besides, we have to wait for Harley and Turk.”
Billy fought off a wave of nausea and struggled to his feet.
“I’ll stay here and wait for the guys. I’ll hold out as long as I can.”
“Billy, we need to wait for your friends,” Penny said, clutching Rose to her side. “We aren’t going to be able to outrun a herd like the last one we saw. With the extra firepower from your friends we can fight off the monsters instead of running.”
“Listen to me,” said Billy grimly. “I don’t say this lightly, but I’m done and you all know it. Whether it’s a day or two or a matter of hours it doesn’t matter. As for running, I don’t think you’ll have to. My mom’s car is in the driveway. I saw the keys hanging from a peg by the kitchen door. With any luck it will start. You can get out of the area even if you have to abandon it like we did with the SUV if the roads are clogged. Get back there and wait a reasonable amount of time for the other guys and then decide for yourselves when you’ve waited long enough. When that times comes, or when the guys show up, you need to keep moving until you find someplace to rebuild.”
“Billy, maybe you won’t turn,” protested Jude. “Maybe the infection has burned itself out.”
“Don’t be a fool, Jude. You said it yourself. No mercy for zombies, because we won’t get any mercy from them. When I turn I won’t remember you’re my friend. You’ll just be food. Get out of here before it’s too late.”
Jude was rubbing his head with his hand as if he was in pain. Rose began to violently tug at Penny’s arm.
“Guys, I think it may already be too late.”
Jude acted quickly and went to the living room window and peeked outside. His blood froze as he saw the street and the yard were filling with zombies.
“Penny, quick,” he whispered. “See if we can get out the back.”
Penny swiftly made her way to the kitchen and peered through the wi
ndow over the sink and saw dozens of zombies making their way towards the house.
“We can’t get out the back way, Jude. What are we going to do?”
Jude looked to Billy, but his head had slumped to his chest and he seemed unsteady on his feet. I’ll have to decide, he thought.
“We don’t have any choice now. Maybe we should have left when Billy said, but we’re stuck now. Let’s just be quiet and hope that they’ll go away. Billy’s mom made it that way for months. Just be quiet. Let’s hope they aren’t sure where the shots came from.”
Billy sat back down, but had his Magnum in his hands. The two girls were huddled in the doorway leading to the hall. Jude positioned himself next to the front door and listened intently. The groans of the dead grew louder. Even with the curtains closed it was possible to see dark shapes passing by. There was a dull thud at the door and everyone tensed. Seconds turned into minutes and there were no further attempts at the door. Jude was beginning to relax just a bit when a much heavier blow fell on the door. The thud echoed through the silent house and was followed by several more blows in quick succession. Jude backed up several feet and leveled his gun at the door. He found Billy beside him.
“It’s been nice knowing you, Billy. Let’s save as many souls as we can before we go.”
Before Billy could reply, the door was wrenched from its frame. The wood splintered and cracked. The door was flung open and a rush of the dead filled the doorway. Billy and Jude’s guns exploded in fury and the first wave went down. Each man frantically attempted to reload as the zombies continued their attack. Two zombies made it over the top of their fallen comrades and neared the now defenseless men. Penny fired twice. Both were headshots and both of the monsters crashed to the floor. One fell with a hand on Billy’s boot. More of the creatures were fighting their way in. Billy heard the back door crash open and saw the shadow of dark shapes from the kitchen. Jude also saw it and he shouted.
“Back to the bedroom! We can’t stay here!”
The girls rushed back to the bedroom as Billy and Jude attempted to give them cover. A wave of zombies went down before their combined fire, but the numbers were too great. They fell back to the bedroom with the girls and managed to shut the door just as the mob reached them. Clutching hands were within inches of the door as Jude shut it.
“The dresser!” he screamed.
Billy leaned against the door breathing heavily as Penny and Jude dragged the heavy dresser in front of the door. Blows were raining on the door from without.
“That’ll hold them for a while anyway,” said Jude. “The hallway is kind of small so only a few of them at a time can be shoving on it, but it won’t hold forever.”
“Then what can we do?” asked Penny, with tears in her eyes. “What about Rose?”
“All we can do now is to make sure we don’t become them,” said Jude firmly.
“We’re not scared, Jude,” said Penny.
She looked down at her sister and Rose nodded back at her. Billy meanwhile was looking out the window. It was the only window in the room and since Penny had opened the curtain the side yard was in full view.
“There may be one chance,” he said. “It looks like the yard is thinning out. They are all trying to get in the doors. Before anymore get here we move the dresser away and let them in. I’ll hold them off while you guys get out the window. When I go down they will go wild if they hold to form. While they are feeding on me maybe you three can get away.”
Billy had spoken in a matter of fact tone, but Jude was appalled.
“I won’t use you as bait to save myself,” he declared.
“Jude, listen to me and listen close. I’m already dead and you won’t just be saving yourself. You’ll be saving Penny and Rose too. Do you want them to die? Let me do this. I want to die for something.”
Jude and Billy stood facing each other and then they embraced. Jude nodded to Penny and she tried to open the window quietly. The window would not budge no matter how hard she tried to lift it.
“I think it’s painted shut, Jude.”
The pounding at the door increased. The frame splintered and the door began to be pushed back in spite of the dresser. Scaly hands were curled around the door and frantic groans came from the hall.
“No time!” Billy screamed. “Bust it!”
Jude grabbed a pillow from the bed and held it in front of the window. With a punch the pane shattered and he quickly tried to clear the jagged pieces away.
“Here they come,” shouted Billy, over the eager groans of the dead.
Jude motioned for Penny and Rose to go first.
“I’ll cover you.”
Penny nodded and grasped Rose’s hand tightly. The little girl smiled at her sister. Just as they were about to make the attempted escape the door burst open and the dresser was thrown back. Zombies poured into the room. Billy stepped forward to meet them. He held his gun out in front of him and fired quickly and accurately. A giant zombie in a postman’s uniform rushed Billy and swatted at the gun. It flew from Billy’s hand and he went down in the rush. The mob pounced upon him and Billy could be heard screaming over the noise of their feeding. Jude was sickened, but was prepared to follow Billy’s last plan and he lifted Rose up to set her outside.
Suddenly automatic rifle fire began to hit the house. Bullets were whizzing through the walls. Jude threw himself to the floor and dragged Penny and Rose with him. It sounded as though a hundred weapons were firing and soon the fire was coming from inside the house. Jude pulled the girls close to him so as to shield them when he saw men in combat gear enter the room. With their heavy weapons they dispatched the zombies that were feeding on the now lifeless Billy. One of the men casually walked over to Billy and put a bullet in his brain. He turned to the huddled group.
“You’re safe now. Welcome to the Dominion.”
****************
“What is the Dominion?” asked Jude.
They had exited the house and Jude was blinking in the bright sunshine. The slaughter of the past few minutes was evident as zombie bodies were laying in haphazard groups in the street and in yards. The soldiers were stacking the bodies and Jude could see that they were waiting with cans of gasoline to incinerate them. Jude began to notice that the soldiers were not uniformly dressed. Their outfits were a mash up of different types of uniforms. The man he was speaking to wore the insignia of a first lieutenant. There were two buses in the street that had obviously been school buses once upon a time.
Each bus now was painted green with bars over the windows. The front of the bus had what appeared to be an old time cowcatcher like the western locomotives had. Jude could see that it had been fashioned out of steel bars and plates and welded to the frame of the vehicle.
Jude glanced at Penny for her reaction and she simply shrugged.
“Sir, I asked a question.”
“What was that, son?” asked the man.
“I asked what the Dominion was?”
“The Dominion isn’t a was, boy, it’s an is.”
Penny laughed in spite of herself and the situation.
“Okay,” she said. “Then tell us what the Dominion is.”
The lieutenant rubbed his hands together as though he was preparing a speech.
“You young people are very lucky that we found you and that you are now a part of the Dominion of Ohio. You will now be protected. Of course, in return for this protection the Dominion asks that you contribute to the greater good of the Dominion either by labor or skill. I was a wanderer myself once early in this crisis and the Dominion has served me well and now I serve it.”
“What if we don’t want to be a part of this benevolent union?” asked Penny.
“My dear girl you were already a part of the Dominion. You just didn’t know it. We claim all this territory,” he said with a sweep of his hands. “In fact, that is why my men and I are here today. Our assignment was to find survivors and transport them back to New Columbus.”
“Speaking
of survivors. Two of our friends are either on the south end of town or on their way here,” said Jude.
“I know, son. We have already found them. They are the ones who told us you were here. The young man with the beard knew the street name, but not the address.”
“Where are they?” asked Jude quickly. “Are they okay?”
“They’re fine,” laughed the lieutenant. “They are on another of our buses. They are on their way to New Columbus to be processed as you will be.”
Jude and Penny began talking at once.
“What about other survivors?”
“Is there a cure for the infection?”
“How did it start?”
The lieutenant laughed and held up his hand.
“Please, please, please,” he said. “So many questions you have. They will all be answered in time, but for now we need you to get on the bus.”
“Listen we are grateful lieutenant,” stated Jude. “But this is all happening pretty fast.”
“Circumstances force us to act with dispatch, young man, and I do not have time for a debate. Please board the bus and also,” he said, as if remembering a trivial item, “I need you to surrender your weapons.”
As quickly as a snake Penny had her revolver in her hands.
“That’s not gonna happen.”
The lieutenant sighed and motioned to a small knot of soldiers standing in the street. They trotted to his side and leveled their automatic weapons at the group. Jude felt a bead of perspiration fall down his forehead. Rose was holding Penny’s sleeve and Penny was staring straight at the lieutenant.
“Enough of this nonsense,” said the soldier. “You will surrender your weapons now. You cannot win this fight.”
“I might not be able to win, but I can blow your head off before your boys get me,” said Penny evenly.
“And then what of your friends?” he asked.
Penny considered it and her body slumped. She turned the revolver over and handed it butt first to the lieutenant. After a moments hesitation Jude did the same.
“And now you will please board,” said the officer, with no malice in his voice.
Zombie Civilization: Exodus (Zombie Civilization Saga Book 2) Page 15