After The End

by Melissa Gibbo

  Silence.

  Simultaneously, all heads turned to view the furious woman at the center of attention. Other topics lay forgotten and book-marked as the words sank in.

  “Yes Dear.”

  Chase’s smile spread almost beyond his ears at the announcement. He reached out and pushed an escaped strand of hair from her face before kissing his wife.

  “Uh, guys, we’re going to need to arrange for another volunteer. My wife needs me in camp to help out until you guys get back. If that won’t work for anyone here, you can address the issue with my sweetheart.”

  I shook my head abruptly.

  Arguing with Sunny on a good day was iffy at best, I doubt there’s anyone insane enough to do so now that she’s pregnant and chock full of hormones. Oh and armed with her favorite spear… um, no thanks.

  Satisfied with the resulting acceptance of his withdrawal from the raid, Sunny nodded and sat down at the small table.

  “Okay, let’s work out a shopping list and get a location in mind. Does someone want to go get another volunteer in here so we can get a plan in motion before lunchtime? Daemon, you’re staying here and Cal will go with Squirrel and the others.”

  Hands were raised and mouths opened.

  “No Troy, your other two friends need to stay in the fort, they aren’t capable enough for this yet. Troy and Seth are going, deal with it Bubba or deal with me. Any other issues?”

  After a pause and a toothy grin, Forrest muttered “No ma’am. I’ll wrangle up another volunteer.”

  Seeing a break in the meeting, I hugged Sunny and soon she was engulfed in an outpouring of congratulations on the baby. Chase received pats on the back and a promise to keep an eye out for cigars. Bubba returned a few minutes later with Jake and a small bundle. The older man held out the tied square of cloth to Sunny and Chase.

  “Go ahead and open it. Just a little something I want ya’ll to have for the baby.”

  Sunny looked puzzled as she untied the corners of the light blue swatch, revealing a fuzzy stuffed frog with a tiny bow around its neck.

  “It was my daughter’s and eventually my grandson’s favorite dolly. I just thought it’d be nice for someone to be able to play with it again. I kept it clean, but it’s durable if ya’ll want to wash it.”

  Forrest smiled gently as a single drop of grief leaked down his face and disappeared into his gray beard.

  Daemon put a hand on his shoulder. Sunny burst into tears and almost knocked the poor man over hugging him.

  “This is the sweetest thing. Thank you so much Bubba.”

  After a couple of minutes, emotions were muffled. We gathered at the table and our scheme unfolded. We’d venture beyond the suburbs and vacation rentals and raid just inside town. Although we needed little in way of food or water, there was a great deal we still had to search for. The list was debated for twenty minutes, shrinking and growing like Alice in Wonderland.

  Finally we narrowed it down: linens, a basic tool set, coolers, storage bags or food containers, hunting knives, crossbows, arrows, medicines, books on delivering and caring for babies, axes, wind-up flashlights, rucksacks, another vehicle capable of holding a significant number of people, fuel, laundry soap, matches or lighters, a shovel, toilet paper, and canned foods that hadn’t expired.

  Our plan was basically to go to town, get fuel and another vehicle, load the SUV or truck with as much of the stuff on our list as possible, and come back with all of our people unharmed. If we could get two vehicles and enough fuel, that would be even better. No matter what, we didn’t want to interact with any others we found; we had to avoid any of the other bands of survivors who might harm or destroy our community. The group would stay together. There could be no heroics.

  Our camp had one real mechanic and three others who knew enough about cars to help him. They’d been maintaining our transportation in the event we had to use PLAN B. PLAN B was simply to load up the camp into vehicles and become nomads until we could rebuild a home should our current village become unlivable. We’d created the backup plan after hearing how many groups had been destroyed in the area.

  Our business concluded and everyone rose to continue his or her day. As the meeting broke, I brought up the topic that had been in the back of my mind.

  “There’s one other thing. Tomorrow is the anniversary. We don’t leave for town until the day after. Should we do anything to acknowledge the day?”

  I was staring at a trail of statues as they froze. Cal had already reclined on his bed, Daemon was actually mid-air as he’d been flying himself towards his bunk — he claims it was to practice control of his powers, and the others were in a staggered line for the door.

  “Any opinions? I just thought, maybe we should do a small memorial for all we’ve lost. Or look towards the progress we’ve made so far. It just feels like we should do something to, you know, mark the occasion.”

  I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans as confused stares burned through me. Chase spoke first.

  “We celebrate. We should have a small feast like we do for the holidays or the kids’ birthdays. We need to kick up our heels over the fact that we’re still here. This community hasn’t gone nearly as bad as most of the others. We aren’t harboring rapists, or pedophiles, or murdering others for their stuff.

  We’ve found a way to work together and live to see these kids grow a year older and in another six or seven months, we’ll even get to see a new life born. It may not be an ideal world for this child to enter, but it could be worse. I say we have a brief time of remembrance and grieving, then we push it aside to focus on all the good.”

  Smiles and nods answered his speech.

  “Okay then. Let’s tell everyone at dinner when we have our chill time. Until then, back to work all of us.”

  I joked as I prepared to do the least popular chore in camp: tote the large tubs from under the outhouses to the burning field for disposal with the day’s crop of fleshies. Sunny handed me her work gloves and wished me luck as I prepared to drag the first bin full of waste and vomit out the gate to be dumped and over the bodies and lit. I prayed we found some small chemical toilets on the raid as I opened the outhouse door.

  CHAPTER 19 SEPTEMBER 19th – OUTBREAK ANNIVERSARY

  Our remembrance time was somber and left me feeling hollow. We announced our plans at dinner and found that the majority of the village preferred to do the memorial immediately and start the celebration in the morning. It was like trying to leave the past losses behind us. The news that Sunny and Chase were expectant parents lifted everyone’s spirits.

  There was a good half hour of congratulations and hugs and baby advice. Chase couldn’t stop smiling while his wife worried about doing her part for the community. It took me all through dinner to convince her that, although she wouldn’t be scheduled on raids or latrine disposal, she would still be contributing plenty to the group.

  The night breezes blew out some of the candles and even a lantern as we dispersed to bed or to guard duty. Hopeful smiles and grieving frowns flickered as the shadows led everyone to their dreams. I fell asleep hearing sobbing from Marley Guy to my left and a recitation of stories to tell the baby from Bubba on my right.

  The morning brought a hearty breakfast, a quick bustle of essential chores, decorations made by the kids, clearing four fleshies and what looked like half a woman from the traps, packing for the raid, and a noontime feast. We played card games, had piggyback races with the children, wheelbarrow races, an archery contest, showing off with weapons, an art contest, sing-a-longs, and Sindbad displayed his tricks for a tin of treats the Nurse found on the last raid. As the sunlight tapered away, Daemon and Caelinus joined the fun with a display of sleight of hand, flying stunts, and stories from ages past — Daemon started to tell jokes, but was roundly popped by Jordy’s Mom after she heard the one about a box turtle and a pimp.

  Laughing and stretching our way to our beds, I realized the only thing that could make the day better would’ve been lying down wi
th Daemon at the end of it. He gave me a peck on the cheek before taking off for his patrol; Cal glared at each of us before storming off to his cabin.

  Maybe Troy or Sunny could lead and we could be free to be together.

  I checked my gear before falling into a restless sleep. My sword and knife were sharp and ready. Canteens were full. My quiver carried a dozen arrows and a crowbar.

  I’d eaten my fill in case the next few days would be scarce. I stowed a pen and small notepad in the bag in case I needed to get info to someone. We’d grab our rations of food before leaving. Something was forgotten, unplanned. I dozed off racking my mind for the answer.

  I dreamt about running through the dark, hitting a cement and stucco wall. Standing along the wall, feeling for a gap or a way over, holes appeared as shards erupted outwards. Each hole echoed by the sound of gunshots; each tiny cavern in the wall coming closer to me. Laughter grew from the obscurity as the bullets taunted me. The laughter became voices. They hung in the air beckoning me to feed them.

  I woke drenched in sweat and on the floor tangled in my blanket.

  Of course!

  I shook Forrest awake.

  “Bubba, Bubba wake up.”

  “Hummhhuh? What’s goin on?”

  “Forrest, the guns. Are the guns okay to fire? You’ve been keeping them in working order, right?”

  He sat up and wiped the crust from his weary eyes.

  “Yup, they work fine. Why the Hell are ya waking me up fer that? Are we in trouble?”

  Bubba pulled on his hunting jacket and reached for his machete. I laid a hand on his arm to stop him as a low chorus of “shhhs” rumbled from the rest of the cabin. I lowered my voice.

  “It’s fine. I just forgot to make sure. If we’re all gone and ransackers attack the camp, they’ll need real firepower; whether zombies are in the area or not. Sorry, go back to sleep.”

  His camouflage jacket half-off, Bubba slumped back onto his cot. By the time I got back in bed, he was snoring like a rusty chainsaw.

  CHAPTER 20 SEPTEMBER 20TH YEAR 2

  We trudged up to the clearing and loaded the trucks in good time. While Bubba and our mechanic double-checked the vehicles, the rest of us drank some water and stretched. Cal landed smoothly and immediately did a quick inventory of the arms we carried; there would be no other chances to go back for them. Satisfied that all preparations were complete, our team clamored into the truck beds and readied ourselves for the journey into the city outright.

  As we drove at a snail’s pace, I found myself thinking of how everything had looked just over a year ago. Disney gift shops, timeshares, Lynx buses, and tourists had dominated the scenery. Now there was stalled or overturned cars, scattered Dead, feral dogs, busted windows, and forgotten cartoon faces gathering dust in the stores. Stolen shopping carts laden with spoiled food sat alongside a pile of bones at the on ramp. I wondered if they were the remains of humans or fleshies.

  A skeletal form dragged itself towards us. Its leathery skin was pulled taut over its frame and half the teeth were missing or broken. Troy signaled the driver to stop and leapt out of the truck bed. I drew my bow and watched for others as he stomped on the creature’s head one time, sending a loud crack and dried up scalp fragments into the dim moonlight. As he climbed back in, I gave the man a nod and lowered my weapon. He looked puzzled and whispered to me.

  “That thing looked almost starved to death. Wonder if we could just wait for these corpses to rot to nothing.”

  “Doubt it, but maybe. It can take years for a body to rot away to dust, depending on the environment. Dude, that one was practically a mummy from sitting out here in the sun, but if it was still here during a hurricane, who knows? For all we know, some of them could get stuck somewhere and rooted up in a decade and start things all over again.”

  I shook my head and continued as we wove between abandoned vehicles.

  “I don’t think we can ever be sure they’re all gone.”

  “But there are fewer of them each day; you have to admit that. We’ve only seen a few dozen this whole drive and most of them have been so decrepit that we could put them down just as easily as that last one.”

  We stopped to check a Pathfinder to see if we could get it running. A brief look told us to ignore it and press on. Having gathered plenty of gas from it and the surrounding cars, we mounted back up.

  “Fair enough, Troy. But until we know for sure if these things can starve out, anyone who wants to survive will have to keep alert and prepared to fight them off.”

  He smirked.

  “Well then, I guess I’ll have to settle for trashing zombies and flirting with you. Could be worse.”

  I did a double take that popped my neck while Jake snorted in laughter. Troy kept smiling and looked around for any hazards. Blushing, I turned away and did the same. While we slowly wound through the graveyard of traffic, I wondered if he was serious. As we got out to check the sixth vehicle (thankfully an acceptable one), Cal chimed in his two cents.

  “If you are curious, yes, Troy is quite taken with you. I recommend you consider that. He seems to be a good man. More importantly, he is a human; not a vampire.”

  As the Roman finished speaking he pulled a gooey corpse from under a Buick and popped its head off like a defective Barbie doll. It’s gnawed tongue lolled around in the open mouth a moment before I drove my sword through the left eye socket. I watched the primitive need to consume fade out of the remaining eye. Wiping the tip of my blade on a nearby corpse in a McDonald’s uniform, I ignored the comment and searched for more wandering Dead to dispose of.

  As the SUV turned over, extra fuel was stored in the back and we split our party between our three vehicles. After another hour of picking our way down the highway, we found the remnants of an outlet mall. I remembered it being mostly deserted even before the outbreak. Except for the drivers, we got out and armed ourselves to explore the camping shop. I was hopeful that we’d be able to find most of our list items here; I just prayed that was all we’d find with such a small team.

  Within the first three steps, the fleshies took notice of our arrival and massed in a wobbly assault. Over twenty were in view by the time our swords and axes were drawn. Cal drew his own blade and charged into the sea of dismembered torsos and rotted faces. Seth drove his spear through a rancid woman, whose arms swung from shreds of skin and sinew, withdrew the point and spun to kill the crawling teenager riddled with bullet holes. A pocketknife was still embedded in the things neck, dripping thick black muck down the handle. My blade stuck in the temple of the ashen boy, forcing me to stand on his shoulder to pull the sword out.

  Turning in circles to destroy each new approaching Dead, revealed each member of our party fighting but unharmed. Cal stood surrounded by mounds of shattered remains one moment and the next he was by Bubba driving his fingers through the eyes and into the brain of a movie usher. Jake kept near the trucks, swinging his crowbar and cursing the bloated top half of a cop; grass and roadkill was tangled in its loose innards. Jake retched as the scent hit him. With shaking hands he caved in the thing’s skull, popping out a clouded eye and ripping off half the scalp in the process.

  Troy shot his arrows through lifeless faces and reclaimed them to be fired again. He wiped out the zombies without a sound or hesitation until our party stood alone in the parking lot. The ground was littered with vomit and bodies in various states of decay. Shuffling sounds grew closer as we moved the vehicles next to the outdoor sports store. Our weapons hastily cleaned, the eight of us took a silent moment before we’d take the next step.

  Jake, Forrest, Cal, Troy, and myself left the trucks and pried open the door. Seth and the other two drove slowly through the lot to lead away or run down any fleshies outside. I wound my flashlight and shone its beam across the near empty shelves. It appeared the shop had been untouched in months after a frantic rush during the initial outbreak. We spread out slowly in search of supplies and vigilant against the risen deceased.

&nbs
p; The cones of light helped me track the progress of all but the vampire; Cal saw fine without the aid of the electric torches. We only came across two corpses in the store. There was a shotgun between them and only fragments of their heads to keep their bones company. Troy gave a low hiss to signal us and the streaks of radiance converged. Most of the guns and ammunition had been taken from the counter, but nine crossbows and around a hundred arrows had been left behind.

  Smiling, we loaded ourselves and continued through the shop, gradually acquiring almost the entire list. We flashed our lights out the door three times. The trucks pulled up and we hurriedly unburdened ourselves. Cal flew up above us, assessing our situation. As the Roman touched down he frowned.

  “We should go. There are still many more on the way and the night is half spent.”

  Our team moved quickly into the vehicles in search of shelter for the day, far away from the outlet. Seth eyed the haul and nodded at Bubba and me.

  “Not bad. Is there anything we still need from there or are we moving on altogether?”

  “Place is about done cleared out fer now, but we should keep it in mind next trip.”

  Our convoy backtracked towards the edge of town as we scanned each passing home for livability. The tides of Dead seemed much fewer than they had been in months previous as we unloaded and examined three different places. Finally, coming upon an old cinderblock house, we set up to bed down for the day.

  The house sat back from the road and on a decent patch of land apart from its neighbors. There were even some of the items from our list inside and — best of all — it was free of carcasses. Cal made one last sweep of the area before we locked the door and retired.

  We paired off for shifts on watch, ate a simple dinner, and arranged our sleeping spots. The other female volunteer laid her sleeping bag next to my blankets although she continued locking eyes with Jake.