Zombie Waltz (Book 2)

by Lynn E. Main

  I stand and rub my eyes and slowly walk into the room. The chair where I gave blood is still sitting by the door. Kevin lies on the lab table covered now with a sheetup to his shoulders and more rolled upto support his head. He doesn’t move but I imagine he must be alive.

  The room is mostly vacant; no one in here except the bigger guy, Phillip, sleeping up against the wall and his sister,Gretchen, sitting in her wheelchair behind the teacher’sdesk. Everyone else is gone. Iam alarmed at that but there could be a hundred explanations, so I don’t let myself panic immediately.

  “Where is everybody?” I ask Gretchen, in a moderate voice.

  “Ian took the doctor, Kim, Nick, and the other little boy to our stash. They are going to get food.”Gretchen replies, not looking up at me from what appears to be a comic book.

  “How is Kevin?”

  “The doctor said he is stable, for now.”

  “Why didn’t they wake me?”

  “Maybe they thought you were already dead…” She looks up at me now and stares intensely with that same look of loathing I saw on her face before. I want to say I don’t know what her problem is but I think I do know…I have been down this road before.

  “There something you want to say to me, Gretchen?”

  “No…but there is something I want to ask you.”

  “How can I possibly still be alive?”

  “Something along those lines…I mean…I’m glad…you know…that you are…alive I guess. I know your friends all think the sun shines out of your ass. They all swear you have personally saved their lives at least once. I don’t mean to be rude but how the hell are you possible? What the hell are you? I know that is a zombie bite. So…how are you still…you?”

  “I’m guessing I’m not the teacher’s pet? Most people are pointing guns at me whentheyask that. But Idon’t think a gun would get anymore out of me than an ‘I don’t know’ because I don’t.”

  “Do you think you are going to die?”

  “Someday.”

  “I mean…you know…soon?”

  “Maybe, I mean look at the situation we are in. But from this, I don’t think so. I was bitten so long ago that there is not even a scab on it anymore.” I use my left hand and point at my bicep.

  “Did the doctor save you?” She bites her lip and looks at my arm. The sleeve of my scrub shirt covers most of the scar but not all of it. What is visible is very visible; I lift my sleeve and hold my right bicep out for her to see well.

  “Yeah.” I say, and then pull my arm away and slide my sleeve back down.

  “Why aren’t you dead?”

  “I don’t know…let me ask you something. Do you want me to die?” I turn away from her. Mostly to hide my reddening face; I imagine that it looks ridiculous. My cheeks growing bright red patches like they always used to. Except now one of those red patches will have a lightning bolt of torn flesh through it.

  “No. I didn’t want my dad to die either. After everything started happening, my dad came to the school straight from work. He used to work as a dispatcher for Manatee Co. Sheriff’s Department. He knew…right away…something was majorly wrong. He came right to my class and picked me up right out of my chair. He carried me in his arms through the halls. They were eating people…students, teachers, and people that must have been other parents who came for their kids. Some people were fighting them off but most were just running or screaming or both. We got to the front doors but something had a hold of my ankle. He dropped me. At first I thought he dropped me by accident or the thing ripped me out of his hands…but now I know he turned around and grabbed her with both arms squeezing and screaming. He fell on her…the principal…and started pounding away with both arms. I screamed. There were more of them comingup the hall. Dad looked up in time to jump and push off the closest man.”

  “He ran at me leaning down and scooped me into his arms. I rememberhis face was white and his eyes were wide open. He hitthe door and another man covered in blood from head to toe stumbled away down the stairs.”

  “The bus I normally ride to school was pulled up right to the steps in front and Phillip was in the driver’s seat. Dad jumped on and then sat me gentlyin the front seat behind Phillip and was yelling drive…go…just get away!”

  “It took a few days…She had bit his chest. It wasn’t nearly as bad of a bite as you have there…but I could see the teeth marks. He got so sick he couldn’t get out of bed. We had the doors and windows barricaded at my house and we had been staying upstairs with him. We didn’t know…”

  “That’s enough.” I hear a harsh male voice say from behind me. I turn quickly and Phillip is sitting up blinking. He is looking at Gretchen angrily. “I told you…it isn’t his fault. You shouldn’t bother him with it.”

  “I just…” She starts trying to defend herself and then a tear rolls down her cheek and she buries her face in her hands. I turn all the way around.

  “She was just telling me about your dad…”

  “I know…I had been awake for a while. She hadn’t gotten to the part, like she did with the doctor last night during her meltdown, where the story turns into an accusation.”

  “I just don’t understand!” She nearly screams at Phillip through snot and tears. “How is it possible? It isn’t fair. It isn’t…”

  “It isn’t.” I say. “I know your dad deserved to be alive more than me and I would have traded places with him if I…” Noise coming up the hallway interrupts me.

  Breakfast of Champions

  The door opens and Jason, Nick, Kim, Faith and Ian all walk in laughing and carrying supplies. They all come to an awkward halt when they see the three of us. Phillip stands, his arms folded, and his chest slightly puffed turned half way between me and Gretchen. Gretchen has a scowl on her face and wipes it dry with a Kleenex. I realize my arms were folded across my chest as well and I hang them awkwardly at my sides. Faith walks up to me carrying a single oversized box of Frosted Flakes. She asks, “What’s going on in here?”

  “Just getting to know each other.” Isay. I almost forget every time she is out of mysight how stunning she is. In a hurryto change the subject I add, “Where did you guys get all this?” I point at the box. Faith offers it to me and I inspect it as if it were a precious jewel. It is sealed and I can smell the sugar in it.

  “We have evaporated milk, and bottled water to go with it too.” She beams.

  “Yeah, Dead Boy, Ian took us to their secret stash. It was awesome! You should have seen it. This kid is a total genius.” Nick says, with much bravado despite the fact that one cheek is still twice the size of the other and his lips match. Even though both his eyes are blacker than a moonless night, he smiles.

  “It’s not a big deal…” Ian starts, pushing his glasses up on his nose. “I just…”

  “Ian!” Phillip interrupts and we all turn. He has moved around behind the teacher’s desk byhis sister. I wonder which drawer that gun of theirs is in. “Can we talk to you for a second privately?” He asks him.

  Ian seems to shrink in front of us. His shoulders slouch and his head droops and he has to slide his glasses up his nose twice more, crossing the room while staring at the floor. I turn back to Faith, content in trying to ignore them but unwilling to leave the room. A somewhat shocked look paints her face but her mouth closes and one corner lifts and she winks at me. I sit the box of cereal on the closest lab table and grab her hand, pull her to me and bury my face in her blonde locks.

  “I just thought…” I can hear Ian start defensively, after a lot of hushed whispering. Phillip shushes him. There is more whispering and then it is Gretchen that raises her voice.

  “That wasn’t your decision to make. There is a lot…but Ian how long can that much last all these people. We would have been able to…” Is all we get before Phillip shushes her.

  Ipull back from Faith. She is smilingagain. “Let’s mix some milk.” I offer and she nods.

  The three role-players argue while we search the cabinets under the l
ab tables and find their stash of bowls and silverware. We use a large beaker to mix the milk, and then I have the pleasure of breaking open the box of cereal. The stash raiders brought back a large box of graham crackers and a jar of peanut butter as well. We only have enough bowls for everyone if Faith and I and Nick and Kim share.

  We fill all the bowls to the brim, and the box of cereal, over-sized or not, is gone. Kim takes the beaker and starts measuring milk into the bowls. I slide a spoon into each bowl and Faith starts to pass them out. Jason gets his first. Then Faith takes the next three bowls to the teacher’s desk and offers the first to Gretchen who takes it and thanks her politely, eventhough Ican tell she is still upset about Ian revealing wheretheyhide their food.

  As we all eat the mood seems to lighten. It is mostly just the clanking of spoons on bowls but when I look up I see people smiling at each other between bites. I decide to venture a question, “So do you think we can be friends…if I don’t turn into a zombie and start attacking you?” I am looking at Gretchen and she smiles and then her cheeks puff and she turns red trying not to spit out her food laughing. The desired effect spreads from her to everyone else. When we calm, she nods her head at me.

  We finish our cereal and Ian walks over with a butter knife and the big jar of peanut butter to the box of graham crackers which sits next to the empty milk beaker. He opens the graham crackers first and I start to salivate. I ask him, “Come on, everyone else knows, tell me what is so special about your secret stash?”

  Gretchen tenses immediately and I wonder if I should have just let it die.Ianlooks over ather and pushes his glasses up on his nose and gulps. She rolls her eyes and turns away to stare at some nothing else.

  “Ijust thought that the school would be a prime target for looters.” Ian starts.

  “He was right.” Gretchen adds forcefully, almost growling.

  “Yeah, so we took all of the nonperishable food to the gym and tied it up on the walls in the volleyball nets.”

  “I would think that would make it easier to find.” I add.

  “The nets are behind the basketball goal in the rafters. They are high up and mostly I have noticed looters keep their eyes on the ground…looking under every rock but not up at the walls much.” Ian scratches the back of his neck shyly when he finishes.

  “That is pretty ingenious.” I say, with a friendly smile on my face and hold out a fist for him to smack with his own if he wants. He does, but weakly.

  I look over where Kevin lies. Jason has moved over beside him and silently holds his hand. I look back at Faith. She is staring at him too. “Is he going to be okay?” I ask.

  Her eyes grow misty but her stare doesn’t waver, “I don’t know.” Fat Shaun Titus

  Shaun belchesloudlyashe leans past Rodneyto pick up the coffee pot off the grating, teetering on the fire-pit on top of ashy logs. One of the bagged men moans. Shaun kicks the man in the leg and laughs while he pours coffee into the red plastic top of a thermos.

  “God, can you do that somewhere else, you pig?” Rodney asks. Shaun pours his coffee and looks back at Rodney.

  “Fuck you.” Shaun says and then farts as he walks past, most likely to crawl back into his tent and nap until noon. That would be fine except the piece of shit isn’t even courteous enough to be gross somewhereelse; somewhere real farfrom Rodney. Rodneyloses his smile and stands.

  Like his brother Thad, Rodneywears a sleeveless leather vest with a few old and worn patches on it. Most people would not bother to read the patches on Rodney’s jacket but if they had, they might have seen that he was not one of these weekend warriors; Rodney Schleck was a real biker.

  He hadbeen quiet for a lot of years but at one time he was the king of the Hell Raisers in southern Florida. He wears a police gun belt the same as his brother and in fact if it were not for his hair still clinging desperately to the black of his youth, the two would look nearly identical. They are not twins, though drunken strippers and hookers have guessed they were.

  Thad is 7 years older than his brother. A fact that Thad had reminded Rodney of repeatedly. In their youth, Thad was almost as nasty of a problem for Rodney as he was for anyone else. But Thaddeus Josiah Schleck has mellowed considerably since the time Rodney watched him put both thumbs in that guy’s eyes, out behind the Shiver Shack.

  In the past twenty years, neither rode very often. The old gang, once 20 choppers strong, were all either dead, in prison, found Jesus, or in prison and found Jesus. Only he and Thad survived the raid of 82’. Mean Angus Dupree was shot in the head when the pigs busted in on the lab. Carl Sunders was arrested and died in prison. Jack Whitley was also arrested and did 13 out of a 20-year stint. Jackie came back to Lakeland eventually. He might have even been sore but him and Rodney had been friends for 30 years and whether he was suspicious of Rod and Thad for not being there in the raid or not, he never mentioned it.

  Rodney pulls out his revolver and points it at the back of Shaun’s head. The biggest horse’s ass Rodneyhad ever seen. He had been nothing more than a greasy slimy bastard of a car salesman anyway, and Rodney figures now is a good a time as any to end the fucker.

  There was no way a worthless idiot like him would have survived if he hadn’t ridden in with RJ when the shit started hitting the fan. Rodney had never had any problem with RJ’s friends. They were all the type of wannabee’s that like to buy shinymotorcycles and hang out in the garage, wearing leather jackets and acting like real bikers. Of course, none of them were real bikers, not even RJ. None of them except Shaun. Shaun rode with a gang from the time he was 13 on a dirt bike. It was funny watching that fat kid tool around on his bike. He always had terrible acne and he was at least 40 pounds over what would be considered morbidly obese, even in his teens.

  The stinking fat kid had hung around RJ since they were still on bicycles. He always had some smart-assed comment. He always hadsome rude noise coming out of him. Rodneyneverreallycared forhim; couldn’t believe that people would buy cars from him. He was a slob even at work but Rodney guessed most of the posh rich old ladies in Lakeland saw him as an adorable grandchild figure or something stupid like that. A manchild is more like it, and one that’s idiocy is not worth dealing with in this end-of-the-world scenario. Rodney doesn’t really have much of a reason but he doesn’t really need one. He cocks back the hammer on his .44, “Shaun, you fat piece of shit, turn around.”

  Shaun stops and turns. Slowly his coffee cup tilts and the brown liquid pours on the roof. “Rodney…I... I’m sorry man.” Shaun throws his hands up and wavers as if he may involuntarily fall to his knees.

  “This world is disgusting enough now without dead weight like you farting on me.”

  Tears start to form in Shaun’s eyes. Rodney rolls his. The tent, Shaun just happened to freeze in front of, unzips and a bushy brown mop of bed-hair emerges. Jill, a strikingly pretty girl, looks over sharply at Rodney and then up at Shaun. She turns her stare back to Rodney and holds it on him. Her eyes only shift slowly between his and his gun. She is gorgeous. Rodney smiles, mentally noting I am going to have you, as she emerges. Her night shirt has a stretched neck that barely covers her large breasts. Jill had removed her bra to sleep and had burst out of the tent more suddenly than she meant to. After a moment of realization, she folds her arms in front of herself and stands.

  Another head pops out from the tent. If the girl with bouncy and curlybrown hair is gorgeous, but the one with black hair thatbarelycomes down to her neck would be even better looking if she didn’t scowl all the time; the end of the world just keeps getting better and better.

  Rodneythinks hemight have thembothtonight. Theyaren’tdykes, at least he doesn’t think so, but what does that matter? That’s never stopped him before. He smiles at the girls who both look back with deerin-headlights expressions. Really, both are looking at his gun. He uncocks the gun just as Shaun starts to sputter.

  “Rodney, please man you have to know…”

  “Shut up, Shaun.” Rodney says, now smiling at the
brunette. “Ladies, how are you this morning?”

  Jill looks up at Rodney and scowls. She can see the fear on Shaun’s face. This group was going to be trouble, of that she never had a doubt. This man, Rodney, could not be a worse type of person. She smiles up at him, “Good…we slept well. Um…is that coffee?”

  She points right past Rodney and he turns to look at the kettle sitting on the fire-pit. He also does not fail to notice his captives still sitting there like stumps; bagged. “Yes, can I get you a cup?” He smiles at her again. This little set up has made getting tail a lot easier. He really should thank the damn zombie bastards for handing the world to him on a silver platter.

  Sincethe freaks camewrithingout ofthe grave,it hasbeen simple: Jump on bike. Get the hell out of town. Find some group of survivors barely hanging on. Rescue them. Make camp. Add girls. Protect girls. Get tail…hopefully willingly, but either way after the camp is overrun, which inevitably they all are, jump on bike and ditch. Then, find another camp. Rinse and repeat.

  Rodney doesn’t really care for leaving people behind, especially girls (okay, really only girls) but tragically, his bitch seat is already occupied with his loot.

  Rodney walks over to the fire pit. Several half-way clean cups are strewn around it. He reaches down to pick one up bringing his ear only inches from the larger bagged man. The man whispers, “This is a mistake, mate.”

  Rodney stands straight and can feel the tightness in his back from when the chain snapped on him and shot him about 30 yards off the rig platform. He had been on disability for a few years but had to go back to work after he got caught riding a few too manytimes. He grabs the coffee kettle and pours it into the cup. After he takes the cup to the pretty girl, she smiles ruefully up at him. “What about those two men?” She asks and takes a sip.

  “Why don’t you come see for yourself?” Rodney smiles. Jill nods and follows him over to where the men are bound. Lynne is looking between the flap of the tent and Rodney. He doesn’t care about Rose, she is 6. Honest before god she would be safe with him; most of the guys really. If it were not for pieces of shit in his crew like Shaun, she would be safe; mostly safe anyway.