by Kris Weeks
Eric slowly made his way down the hall and finally to the breakroom where all of the women, except Jennifer, were throwing together a meal of some sort for dinner.
“Where are the men?” He stood at the doorway and asked. Mary shot around, pointed to the lobby and spun back around on her toes to the food.
“Where is Jennifer?” He asked.
Mary spun back around with a look of aggravation and pointed the other way down the hall when Adrianna turned and told Eric that Jennifer was not feeling well. Eric nodded and turned towards the lobby to see Willy, Andrew, and Nate cleaning up the lobbyfromthe dirt that had fallen from the tools. Eric was impressed at the initiative; he turned down the hall to the warehouse to see if there might be anything else that could be used when they make their way to somewhere better. Theywere going to have to pick up more food soon and find somewhere a little safer to be where he would be able to keep a better eye on everyone, especially the kids. He needed to be able to teach the kids how to fight and needed to make sure that the kids stayed close to him and Rue.
Eric got back to the breakroom as Mary was setting out a plethora of sandwiches and chips for each person on a small paper towel. He sat down and began eating without any appreciation to the preparers as usual. Mary looked at him for a moment expecting a thank you but then moved on to the doorway when no thanks came from him.
“Come and get it y’all!” She hollered out. Willy, Nate, and Andrew almost ran her over sliding around the corner into the breakroom. Rue pulled open the door a bit and peeked out watching everyone pile in.
“Would you like some brought to the room?” Mary lifted her head so the echo of her voice carried down the hall.
Rue nodded her head and closed the door. Mary pointed at the few napkins filled with food at the end of the back table and then pointed at Rue’s door. Adrianna and Karlin gathered enough for Rue and the kids, took them to the end of the hall and knocked. Rue opened the door, took the napkins one by one, set them on the desk nearby and then closed the door, also without a thank you. On their way back, Mary was entering into the room Jennifer was in andset down asandwich for her before tapping her on the shoulder and exiting the room.
Jennifer sluggishly gathered her thoughts as she wiped the sleep from her eyes, wrapped the food up, stuck it into a small bag and placed the bag with the rest of her belongings she had packedto takewith her. She could hear the group talking while they enjoyed their meal and was saddened with the loss of friends she would endure with her decision; but it was something that had to be done. She laid her head against the wall and again listened to the comradery coming from the break room through the wall. She watched the last bit of light diminish through the window and waited for the noise to quiet. She dozed off with the hope that she would wake up when Adrianna, Karlin, and Mary came to turn in for the night.
Mary was finally done cleaning up after the crew and sat at one of the tables.
Eric strolled by checking out the building to make sure all was secure when he saw Mary and stopped. “So have you become the group mom or what? Why do I need you here besides that you can make food? You can’t fight, you can’t really help in any way, why should I let you stay here?”
Mary kept her head dropped down as she listened to his ridiculous questions and took a moment to think before responding in her normal blunt sarcastic way she thought about responding in. “I guess you don’t, however I did make it on my own for a while before you found me, so apparently I can keep myself alive if need be. So if you don’t want me here, just say the word. I am sure I am worth nothing to you without kids, or a cute ass, or to be able to keep the zombies awayfromyou since you don’t seemto fend them off yourself very often!” Mary stated then stood and glared at Eric. “Because I’ll be damned if I will keep them from you if they come for your sorry ass!”
She moved towards him, placed her forearmsup in frontof her,pushed him out of the way and stepped towards the room when Eric reached out and grabbed the back of her flowered blouse and pulled her toward him. Her shoulder blades pressed into his sternum as her blouse started to choke her.
“You will not talkto your leader this way, do you understand?” Mary did not respond and stared straight ahead. Eric pulled tighter on the collar. “Do you understand me?”
Mary hesitantly nodded her head just to get away from the wretched man. He released her and pushed her away from him. Mary stumbled forward grasping her neck and rubbing the pain away. She contemplated on if she wanted to turn back to Eric in fear that she may say something rude that would give him a reason to push her out the door and lock it as he had done others.
CHAPTER 2
MARY MADEher way slowly
to the room biting her tongue from saying a word. Her hand still rubbing on her neck she placed her hand onto the door, turned the knob and softly opened the door to the moonlit room. She quietly twisted the knob to close the door without making a noise and turned to see where everyone was lying. Adrianna and Karlin had their heads laid in the corner with their bodies stretched out against each wall. Jennifer was still sitting up against the wall under the window. Mary wanted so badly to get away from Eric, but knew deep down it was asking for death if she went back out on her own.
She looked at Jennifer who was starting to move her head back and forth working the stiffness out of her neck and looked up at Mary. “Still leaving?” Mary queried.
Jennifer stretched and stood looking out of the window with Mary. “I have no choice.”
Mary nodded not sure how she planned on getting her kids and sneaking out with them. “Do you have what you needto survive out there with those babies? I will help you, but Eric is roaming around the building right now, I will distract him while you go get your kids and get the hellout; make sure you have a lightweight weapon; the guys put some options of weapons by the front door. Take whatever food you need for those babies. Find somewhere safe to go and somewhere that maybe has some food for you to survive on.”
Jennifer stared at Maryin awe of her wanting to help. “Come with me?” She asked.
Mary shook her head no. “That would leave Karlin and Adriana alone to deal with Eric, I can’t leave them.”
Mary wrapped her arm around Jennifer, gently kissed her cheek and opened the door, she turned back to Jennifer and nodded a goodbye to her.
Mary rounded the corner to the lobby and stood still trying to figure out where Eric was. A sound came from down the hall that led to the warehouse, Mary jumped when something fell to the floor and hurried in that direction.
She pushed open the door and Eric stood with his back to her. “Eric, can I talk to you?”
“Busy.” Mary rolled her eyes and was thankful that his back was still turned to her. “I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I was a bit harsh and yes I believe that I am beneficial to the group. I can do lots of things.” She figured that would get some kind of lengthy conversation going with him.
Jennifer stuck her head out of the door and sat her things in the hallway. She tiptoed down the hall,pushed open the door to Rue’s room and peered in to see her sleeping on one side of the room with all of the children on a comfy looking palletof blanketson the other. She left the door open and quietly made her way to her sons. She picked up Caden, knowing that if he was asleep that he would stay that way if she positioned him right so she wrapped him in a blanket and cradled him in her arm. She then heaved Garrett up, laid his head on her shoulder and placed her arm under his butt. She slowly walked across the roomand back out thedoor. She turned and usedherhand thatwas cradling her babypulled the door towithoutclosing it all the way. Garrett was starting to stir with being jostled around and looked up to see his mom’s face.
Jennifer smiled at him. “Shhh baby, weare leaving, I amgoingto need your help.”
She bent over and placed him to stand,pulled the strapsof a smaller bag onto his shoulder and she began piling the rest of the bags onto her back. She pushed Garrett towards the lobby and turned the deadbolt to lea
d them outside. The click echoed through the building and she hoped that Eric and Mary were deep in conversation enough that they didn’t hear it. She pushed Garrett out of the door, let the door fall almost closed then pulled back on the handle so it did not make a noise. She breathed a sigh of relief of being outside, quickly gathered her braveryto face the world of the undead and keep her family alive.
*** Eric was still not speaking to Mary with any acceptance of her fake apology, when he turned quickly. “What the hell was that?”
Mary shrugged and continued on with trying to apologize and divert his attention to her. “Are you really not going to accept my apology?” She demanded.
Eric started making his way toward Mary and pushed her to the side. He took long strides to the lobby as Mary hurried to follow, hoping that Jennifer had gotten out and was out of sight.
Eric stopped and stood in the middle of the lobby searching for what could have made the sound he heard. He walked to the entrance of the hall and looked down it to see the door open to the last room.
He rushed to the door and pushed it open. “RUE!” Eric shouted scaring her awake, scanned the room and noticed Caden and Garrett were gone. “Where are the rest of the kids?”
Rue jumped up, ran to where the childrenalllaid. She lookedatEricand ran into the hallway. Eric followed closely.
Mary turned to the door outside and moved to it. She could see Jennifer holding Garrett’s hand hurrying across the parking lot, Mary turned the deadbolt to lock it, quickly moved away from the door and started down the hallway. Just before she was able to enter the room with Adrianna and Karlin, Eric threw his arm in front of her. Mary drew her head back and looked up at him with surprise.
His eyes were full of rage and his long tattooed arm was twitching from his hand clutching the door frame so hard. “You did this.” He half questioned, half accused.
Mary shook her head, ducked under his arm and plopped down on the floor where Jennifer had rested that day to get away from Eric.
Rue appeared in the doorway and both of them stood staring at Mary. “Where is she Mary?” Rue hoped for an answer.
Mary shrugged. “I just wanted to apologize to Eric for my attitude earlier. I had no idea she was going to take her kids and leave. What does it matter, if she wants to go, let her.”
Eric walked to the far wall and grabbed Mary up by her arm. “Tell me where they went!” He demanded.
Mary shrugged as he dragged her out of the room and to the lobby. Eric pulled on the door. “The door is locked, where is she?”
Mary shrugged again with a smirk that told Eric she knew otherwise. Eric unlocked the door and pushed Mary out in front of him to the edge of the sidewalk. He stood behind her, looked one way and then the other and saw them fading into the night. “I fucking knew it! You let her out didn’t you?”
“Why are you so angry, because someone wanted to leave your group or because she took the kids?” She asked.
Mary searched the area with her eyes and caught a glimpse of Jennifer and Garrett jogging down the road. Two stumbling drunks had already taken notice of them; Mary closed her eyes and prayed that she knew they were there and was taking precautions. Garrett tripped and landed on his knee as Jennifer pulled him up by his arm and kept moving while Caden let out a cry. The two zombies started moving closer to them with the confirmation that they would get their next meal.
Eric pushed Mary further into the small grassy area in front of the building. “You helped them escape, now you go help them live.”
Mary staggered out and turned to look back at Eric. “Are you really going to send someone else to their death Eric?”
He waved his hand at her to move along. Mary took a few steps and looked around to capture her surroundings. She did not see anything that was of danger nearby. She could see Rue out of the corner of her eye as she crossed her arms over her chest watching Mary and moving her head around Eric to see Jennifer and the boys.
“Shouldn’t you go get the boys?” Mary heard her ask Eric. Mary didn’t hear a response. She began to head toward the street slowly keeping a three sixty eye around her. She saw Jennifer look back at her and she saw the two zombies coming her way. Jennifer turned with the metal pipe she had taken with her and swung at the closest one to her. She made contact, but it did not stop him, she pushed Garrett behind her and swung again, this time hard enough that it fell to the ground. The second one was coming up on her faster than she was able to regain her balance when Garrett ran from behind her and yelled at the zombie to leave them alone. Jennifer screamed at Garrett and ran after him as he wrapped his arms around the flesh eater’s legs and tried to push him away.
“GET AWAY FROM MY MOMMY!” The zombie bent his body over in half, grabbed a hold of Garrett’s arm and pulled it to his mouth just as Jennifer approachedhimand hit himin the head. The man fell to the ground, Jennifer kicked him hard in the head three more times before bending down to gather her son. She pulled him up with ease to comfort him as he cried. She sat down on the ground and pulled her son close to her as blood puddled on the ground under her legs. Panic set in as she searched for his injury with her free hand, still cuddling Caden in her arms.
“Mommy, it hurts.” Garrett lifted his arm with a bite taken from it and the bone showing.
Jennifer began to sob as Mary took Caden from her. Jennifer wrapped her arms around Garrett knowing that there was nothing that she could do to save him. She buried her son into her bosom and bowed her head into his hair wishing that she could save him from turning to one of these beasts. Mary reached down and pulled Jennifer’s arm; she yanked it away, destined to stay with her son wishing that she would have just endured the pain of not having them with her and kept them safe.
Mary tried again as she held her only surviving son and tried to quiet her sobs when she heard a sound coming from behind her. “Jennifer, I needyou to getup and be quiet. Weare going to have to leavehimhere. Get up now!”
Jennifer sobbed even louder at the thought of leaving Garrett. She lifted her head at Mary, her eyes begged to be left there by shaking her head no, that she wanted to stay with her baby. Mary pulled her arm up as hard as she could while holding the baby. Jennifer rose from the ground holding her son while his cries subsided. His small body went limp in her arms and she sobbed even harder as she felt the life drain from him and he took his last breath. Mary tried again to pull her but Jennifer would not budge. Mary pulled her one last time, Jennifer stumbled and kept her son held tight to her. The two women began to run toward a small hut like building. It was enclosed, but did not look very stable, yet it was the closest choice for possible safetyfromthe horde that was headed their way.
“Jennifer run!” Mary hollered. Jennifer reached for the door knob just as her own son sank his teeth into her right breast. Jennifer threw him against the door she was reaching to open and stepped back. She knocked Mary down and grabbed her chest pulling back a handful of blood. Mary jumped back up trying to quiet the crying baby in her arms. Jennifer reached again for the door and stepped over her growling son into the small shack pulling Maryinbehindher. Both of them were safe inside but breathless when a slam came against the door. Mary took to her knees and peered out of the small window to see the small child glaring hatefully back up at her when the mob that was following them crushed him and began to surround the small building.
Mary dropped back down to the dirty plywood floor to try to catch their breath and wrap their minds around what had just happened. Jennifer closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the small counter that was built onto the wall. Mary searched a bag that Jennifer dropped to look for a bottle or something to quiet Caden.
“Jennifer, there was nothing you could have done for Garrett.” Mary tried to reassure her.
Mary pulled out a pacifier and gently rubbed the end against Caden’s tongue when he took it in and began sucking sending quietness into the air. Mary let out a sigh of relief, looked up and saw Jennifer holding the spot on her chest. “Y
ou have been bit?”
Jennifer hesitantly nodded, turned her head away from Mary to hide her pain and guilt, and suddenly fell over to the floor. Her head bounced and then her body rested what looked to be peacefully on the floor.
At that moment Mary realized she was stuck in a building surrounded by zombies along with someone that had already been bit. Many thoughts ran through her head on what exactly she should or could do. She quickly stood up, watched the zombies outside of the small serving windows that covered the front of the building trying to make their way inside and then looked back down at Jennifer.
Thiswas it, she either killed Jennifer or made a run for it. Those were the only two options she could come up with. She picked up the metal bar that Jennifer had kept a grip on as they ran. She raised it high in the air, closed her eyes and brought it down as hard as she could into Jennifer’s skull. She ran her hand over Caden’s head and apologized for what she had to do to his mother. She sat down away from Jennifer’s bleeding skull up against the door, caught her breath, laid the blanket he was wrapped in on the floor and placed Caden on top of it. She crawled over to Jennifer, stripped her of the remaining bags she was carrying, searched through them for any baby formula and some water that she was sure Jennifer had packed. She finally found everything needed to make a bottle and shook up the bottle then placed everything back in the bag. The undead were still surrounded around her and still constantly banging on the building walls. Mary knew that she was going to have to wait out these bastards hoping that come morning they would be long gone and she could make her getaway. She picked Caden back up and proceeded to give him his bottle with luck he would go to sleep so she could get some rest. After a few minutes of eating, Caden’s eyes drifted closed and Mary was also able to doze off.