by Riva, Aline
“You really should wait for Rick!”
As her words echoed through the makeshift apartment, Rick entered the room and closed the door, looking in surprise at the sight of Maxie, who was not in the room across the hall but now in his own living area, with Lois, who looked at him apologetically.
“He gave you an hour. He wants to see his friends. He wants you to -”
“He can speak for himself, Lois,” Rick said, stepping closer to Maxie as he looked him in the eye, “You want me to release your friends? Okay, tomorrow. Until then you can be sure they will come to no harm – but they must understand I need proof of their loyalty if they want to stay here.”
“What makes you think we would want to stay?” Maxie exclaimed, “You beat me to a pulp! I don't think David and the girls will ever let that go!”
Rick gestured to the window shielded by a soft white curtain that hid the ugly world beyond it.
“But there's nothing out there!” he exclaimed, “Nothing but death and more death handed out by the dead!”
“And somewhere out there is something better,” he replied, “Hiding away in this plaza won't last forever – resources will run dry, what then? You'll have a community of people looking to you for more help that you can't give if you don't keep moving!”
There was a brief flicker of panic in Rick's eyes and then it was gone.
“That's bullshit!” he said sharply, “We are okay here for a few years. That's all we can take right now with the way this world is, don't you get that, Maxie?”
As a crash sounded from outside in the corridor, the two men broke off from their quarrel and looked to the open doorway.
“What was that?” Lois said nervously.
“Stay here,” Rick replied, pulling a gun from his pocket and grasping it firmly in his human hand as the other gestured to Maxie, beckoning as a flash of silver caught the light.
“You're with me...”
Then he left the room and Maxie followed close behind, thankful for what ever painkiller he had been shot full of – there was an ache in his arm, a deep bruising that suggested an injection, but he had not had time to check for a needle mark and now there was not time because he was following Rick out of the door, but at least the pain relief had not left him feeling light headed, which was a good thing, because that crash had sounded suspicious...
As they headed up the corridor, beyond it the balcony was visible and across the other side of the upper level, the lift was in full view, the doors open. Then as they stepped out and saw the river of scarlet shining bright and vivid under the lights, Rick drew in a shocked breath as he froze at the sight of the guard who had been on duty lying face down, blood flowing from a torn out throat...
“Oh no...” Maxie whispered as he looked about the place and saw nothing he could grab as a weapon, “That's a corpse kill... no doubt about it...”
Rick's face paled as he kept a tight grip on the gun and looked about the upper level, where he saw doors to closed offices on one side, on another a blank wall, and beside him...Beside him, something stank and it was like the grave...
As the creature gave a roar and sprang out from the open doorway beside him, it crashed into Rick, sending him off balance as the gun went off and the boom echoed about the upper level of the plaza, he slipped on the bloody floor, crashed into the balcony and barely had time to cling on to keep balance as the creature came at him, seizing the shocked man as it lunged for his throat.
Maxie made his move, diving on the creature from behind, clamping his hand on to dead flesh as he pulled it back and Rick struggled free, pushing the undead mass away. As he took aim with his gun the creature moved, then Maxie moved, both struggling as Rick tried to take a straight aim but Maxie kept getting caught in his line of fire.
“Move!”Rick yelled.
“I'm trying!” Maxie shouted back as he stayed behind the creature, his hand clamped to its face. Then as it lashed out at him and he deflected the blow, Maxie heard a snap, and the corpse's face came away, sliding into his hand as he shook it off in horror, the face hitting the puddle of blood with a splat as the creature turned around, skull features grinning as the mouth opened wide and it gave a snarl and lunged again at Maxie who suddenly crashed against the balcony.
As the corpse pinned him and wide open jaws dived for his throat, Maxie grabbed at the creature's ragged clothing, closed his eyes and gave a tug as he slipped backwards tumbling over the edge of the balcony, the corpse lost its grip and fell free, hitting the ground with a blow that severed the head from the body as the rotting neck snapped. But Maxie knew nothing of this victory as he had hit the ground first, landing on the floor below, on his back and with a crack of bones that echoed damage that could never be repaired as he lay there, eyes closed, and blood pooled from beneath him.
The news had not hit Maxie's companions the way he had expected – after unlocking the door and telling David and Tara and Maxie's woman Lauren about the corpse incident, he had fully expected to be confronted with rage, but instead, anger had blazed in David's eyes for a moment, then he had blinked back tears.
“This was not my fault,” he stated honestly, “I had decided to believe his version of events regarding the shooting – we heard something strange outside and found the guard dead and the creature just lunged at me. He saved my life. Maxie saved me. I want you to know we will do everything we possibly can for him, I promise you that and my word is good.”
“You're right,” David said as pain reflected in his eyes, “It's not your fault. It's mine. We never should have come here.”
Then Lauren stepped closer, her eyes glazed with tears as she thought on all Rick had explained. He had given it to them straight, told them the outcome of the fall and it couldn't have been worse...
“But he will live?”
“Danny is a very experienced paramedic. He's very sure Maxie will survive – he's also sure he's got spinal damage. Maxie won't walk again – at least, not for a very long time and that's a very big guess. I'm sorry, but there's no good news, he's going to need someone to look after him – he cant fight any more. Which is all the more reason for all of you to stay here with us.”
David looked at him in disgust.
“I'd rather take my chances with the undead,” Tara stated.
“I want to see him,” Lauren said.
Rick caught the look of hostility on the eyes of the others and then he addressed the armed guard beside him.
“Lauren and David are coming with us. Tara will stay here.”
Tara glared at him.
“Sorry,” Rick said, “But while the pair of you are looking at me like you want to fill me with lead over your friend's accident I really think it's best if we exercise caution. I'm not being a bastard, this is more to do with me wanting to stay alive.”
Then the guard led David and Lauren out of the room, Rick followed and the door closed, leaving Tara locked in the secured cell. She sat down in silence, her thoughts turning to Maxie and all Rick had told them as she wondered how the hell Maxie would manage to cope and survive now in this savage world. It was easy before because he could run, but he would never be able to stand and fight or out run the starving dead, not now, not with a broken back...
Maxie had been given a spare bed in a room that branched off from the main suite where Rick lived. It meant he was in the most comfortable part of the building now, and the paramedic had attended to him, fed him with more pain killers and broken the news that he had not needed confirming after waking up following the fall and realising he could barely move his legs without severe pain – this was intermittent with a strange kind of numbness that told him before the diagnosis had been made that he was unlikely to ever walk again.
As he lay in bed wishing that he had been able to lay his hands on a gun because blowing out his brains seemed like a reasonable option, that thought had evaporated as Lauren had come into the room.
“It's okay,” she said, and her voice trembled but her words
sounded like a promise that would be kept no matter what lie ahead.
“I can't walk,” he replied, looking up at her as he held back on the urge to weep.
“And I'm here and I'm not leaving you,” she promised him as she took hold of his hand.
Suddenly Maxie's eyes were filled with tears.
“Why would you want to waste your life on an old man? Not just an old man but a crippled old man!”
“Because I love you,” she said, and she ran her hand over his hair as she leant over him and kissed his cheek. Then she wiped away a tear that had run down his face as she forced a smile.
“I'm just glad you're still alive,” she told him, “Because now you can hear me out: No, you're not too old for me and yes, I do love you, so that's confirmed. Now we need to sit tight until David and Tara make plans to move on from here and we are going with them, we're going to find somewhere safe to stay and I'm staying with you – that's a permanent arrangement, in case you were wondering -”
“But I've got nothing to offer you -”
“Shut up and listen,” she said softly, “You love me, right? I love you too. There is no debate here.”
Then she kissed his cheek and as he looked into her eyes he smiled as hope sprung in his heart and tears stung at his eyes and he gave her hand a squeeze.
“I will walk again,” he vowed.
“Of course you will,” she replied, “Or at least try to, because you're like that. You don't give up and neither do I.”
David turned away from their intimate moment, feeling in the way. Then he met Rick's gaze and anger blazed in his dark eyes.
“As soon as he's well enough, we're leaving!” he said bitterly, “Coming here was the worst mistake I ever made! And he wouldn't have been in that fight if you hadn't battered him senseless in the first place!”
“And he shot and killed one of my guards!” Rick exclaimed, “Was I supposed to let that go?”
“Do something for me.”
On hearing Maxie speak, they both turned around.
“Stop this,” Maxie said to the two men, “It was my fault. I fired the shot. I pulled that corpse over the balcony with me today. I figured take it out instead of becoming one of them, taking a dive was all I could do. Stop blaming and start working together. Do it for me, David. Rick's not a bad guy. Shake his hand.”
David looked at Maxie, into the eyes of the man who had travelled with them and been through so much as they had fought their way across the now savage land, and then he nodded, guessing his words made sense. It was not what he wanted to do, but it was the right thing to do.
He held out his hand and Rick accepted it without hesitation, placing his human hand in his grip, giving a firm handshake.
“Let's start again, shall we?” said Rick as he let go of his hand and David nodded, wondering exactly what this would lead to now they had called a truce...
Chapter 6: Water under the Bridge
As the door to the secure room opened and David and Lauren were returned unharmed, Tara breathed a sigh of relief.
“We've come to an understanding,” David said, looking to Rick, “We called a truce. Maxie asked us to. It made sense to take his advice.”
“So we can go?” Lauren asked as she looked to the Mall King, the man she still held ultimately responsible for Maxie's accident.
“Sorry, but no,” he replied, “You may stay here tonight as my guests – I have to keep you secure in this room until it's made public that you're all accepted here and the shooting is forgiven. Maxie has more than redeemed himself and I have one last request for you, David...a small favour to ask, something that will show beyond all doubt that you are trustworthy...I need to know that as much as the people who look to me for support. It's important that you're seen as a friend in the eyes of my people. But more about that in the morning. Sleep well. I'll have the guards bring you some food and water very soon, and some blankets... this floor looks rather uncomfortable.” Then he left the room and the door was shut and locked behind him.
Tara had wanted to throw her arms around David out of sheer relief to know the one she loved was still alive and unharmed, but instead she looked at him in utter bewilderment as she thought on all Rick had said.
“He wants you to prove yourself?” she exclaimed, “To prove you can be trusted? Why is he talking like he expects us to want to stay?”
David gave her a brief hug and then stepped back.
“I have no idea,” he replied, “Maybe it's because he sees this place just like the others do – some kind of castle keep, something the enemy can't penetrate. I don't think I've met one person who hasn't been traumatised in some way by all that's happened in this messed up world...He's no exception, cut off his own hand after being bitten by a corpse...can you imagine doing that? I can't.”
“Me neither,” Tara replied, “It's too horrific to think about...no wonder he's slightly unbalanced.”
“Slightly?” Lauren echoed as she sat at the table in the same seat where Maxie had sat before his collapse, “If he hadn't beat Maxie, he never would have been up there when that undead thing attacked! He'd still be here with us, instead he's up there, on his own, he's never going to walk again -”
“Rick didn't ask him to take that fall,” David reminded her, “The corpse was on him and the only way out was to take a dive. It was that or let the thing rip out his throat. He made the right choice.”
“But he won't walk again,” Lauren replied, “Maxie will never walk again, David. Think about that for a moment.”
Lauren looked shocked, devastated. That was the only reason he didn't let his temper fly and yell at her, asking which part of the facts she had failed to understand.
“It was no one''s fault,” he said calmly, “It was bad luck. But at least he has you and that makes all the difference to him.”
Lauren looked down at the table, her thoughts with Maxie as she gave a quiet reply.
“Yes, he does have me,” she replied, “I'm with him all the way...I won't let him down.”
Then the guards entered the room, bringing food and water and as it was set down on the table, the prisoners felt less like prisoners and more like guests as they looked in sheer surprise at the amount of food being laid out before them – this was something reminiscent of the world before the dead had risen, this was pure luxury, it was a feast...
“I think our friend will be okay,” Rick said as he pulled on a silken rope and the drapes closed on the curtain that shielded the apartment on the top floor from the lit car park where beyond, now and then a dead figure would emerge from nearby trees and a shot would ring out. Closing the curtains on it all brought with it a sense of relief for both of them as in the lamplight, Lois sat comfortably on the bed in a long t shirt that was both new and clean – it was a little too big but it was a sleep shirt, and to have so many new things after months of scavenging was as welcome as the shower she had enjoyed a short while before in the basic but welcoming bathroom that now served as an en suite to the large bedroom.
“You live up here alone?” she asked.
Rick took off his jacket, draped it over a chair and then sat down beside her, leaving a gap between them as he turned slightly, wondering why he still felt awkward about taking off the hand in front of her. He pressed the release mechanism and separated the metallic hand from his wrist then placed it on the cabinet next to the bed, pulling down his cuff to cover the stump at the end of his wrist as he turned back to Lois.
“Yes, I do live up here by myself,” he replied, “and by the way – don't worry about any more stinkers getting in. I got my men on to it and found out why the breach happened.”
He paused for thought and shook his head.
“The sewerage system runs far out past the plaza...it had a grille over it and the area should have been manned. I set out a map and told every man and woman on watch that every area marked with an X needed guarding on shift. Do you know what the former security head told me?”
H
e paused again and she shook her head.
“I have no idea.”
“I'll tell you what he said...He told me, no one thought a stinker would get in that way because of the stink of shit! Can you believe that? We got breached because some prick actually thought a zombie would be put off by the smell of a sewer? I've heard of vampires being repelled by garlic, but never the undead running from shit and piss!”
She stifled a giggle, then as she saw the look on his face, Lois stopped laughing – Rick was deadly serious.
“I mean, how could anyone be so stupid as to leave it unguarded because it stank? Since when did shitty water offer protection against reanimated corpses?”
She nodded in agreement, saying nothing as he repeated again how he'd never known a flesh eating corpse to run from shit. He began to pace the room, blatantly still unhinged by the unwelcome visitor. “If it was that simple,” he added, “We'd all be throwing turds at the bastards to keep them away!”
Then she giggled.
“It's not funny.”
“I know,” she replied, “It's just the way you said it...”
“Well, I had the guy in charge replaced and the grille should be fixed in the next day or so – until then I have eight extra men on guard down there, all armed, and more to rotate on the next shift. I've made arrangements for a couple of people who help out in the basement sometimes to sort out some suitable material and replace that grille and have it welded. I could do it myself but they can do just as good a job as me, it's only a grille...And we've never had a breach before, there's no reason to think it will happen again.”