by Ben McElyea
“I’m too scared to do anything,” Melissa whined. “You all know that.”
“You’re being useless,” said an annoyed Dan.
“I can’t help it!”
“You can and will!”
“No.”
“From now on, you’re coming with us.”
“No, I’m not.”
“I’m tired of risking my ass for you, so I’m giving you an ultimatum. If you don’t come with us when we look for supplies, you get nothing.”
“You can’t do this to me!”
“It’s done.”
“No!”
“We need you to help. You’re helping us or fending for yourself.”
“What if I drop the gun?”
“Pick it back up. You’ve been taught how to use it, right?”
“Larry taught me how.”
“Be useful, then. Shoot zombies in the head. Shoot people when we shoot people.”
“I’m staying in the back.”
“That’s fine.”
“It’s been a long day already,” Jake said as he examined his pistol. “We have a lot of supplies. We’ll be good for a while. Melissa needs to stay here, though.”
“Why?” Dan asked.
“Think about it. There aren’t many of us. What do we do about that? You know we need more people. Let’s stop scavenging for a little while. We need to eat some of what we have. If we have to move again, we won’t be able to carry everything we have.”
“Fine.”
“We could see if people are willing to trade.”
“Trade food for what?”
“We could use ammo. Some people could have something we want or need.”
Jake and Dan walked around and asked people if they wanted to trade. Most declined. Pete, Thomas, Patrick, and Andy were more than happy to trade. Jake received nine millimeter ammunition in exchange for some canned vegetables. Andy traded one of his combat knives for a metal baseball bat. Dan traded a pistol for more ammunition for his assault rifle. Jake and Dan traded canned meat for leather gloves and more ammunition.
“We should be a team,” Jake said to Pete.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Pete said, tugging on his long white beard.
“I think we can trust each other. We all have the same goal. If we keep our group at nine, we’ll be good. The four of you will move in with us. Just leave Melissa and Courtney alone.”
“We’re not bad people. We’ll leave them alone. We’ll protect you and everyone in your group and you and your people will watch our backs. We’ll bring our stuff over.”
Melissa and Courtney were not happy with the new additions. Eric told them to adjust. With the two teams combined, they were a force to be reckoned with. They had the firepower, food, and water needed. Small talk was made throughout the night. All woke up just before noon. Jake, Eric, Pete, Andy, Dan, Patrick, and Thomas went searching around the rest of the neighborhood while Courtney and Melissa guarded their belongings.
“I’m glad we don’t have to do it,” Melissa said quietly.
“Me too. I could probably do it, but I sure as hell don’t want to.”
“I can’t do it.”
“Everyone’s getting tired of you not doing anything. They probably wouldn’t be so annoyed if you’d just quit freaking out.”
“Do you really think there’s a chance I’ll be cut off?”
“Maybe.”
“Jake and Eric don’t care about me. They’re always making crazy decisions.”
“The choices they’ve made have kept us alive.”
“They’d abandon me, a human being?”
“Eric doesn’t care at all. Jake is brutal but reasonable. Dan is a bit timid but strong when he needs to be.”
“I’ve been doing practically nothing. I guess I should make myself useful.”
“Go with them the next time they go out.”
“I will.”
The next search for supplies went somewhat well. The scavenging team found enough food to feed everyone for a day.
“We’re going to warm up and go out again,” said Jake.
“Melissa is going with you this time,” Courtney said.
“I don’t want to, but I’m going to.”
Jake handed Melissa a handful of bullets.
“You’ll need these.”
“It’ll take forever for me to reload this thing.”
“Practice makes perfect. Get a knife and meet us outside.”
“Okay. You’re going to protect me, right?”
“Yes. Don’t ever point that pistol at any of us at any time.”
“I won’t.”
35
Melissa met with the others outside and followed closely behind Dan. The eight stayed close together, speed walking down the street and to the first house. Like before, the house was full of the undead. Melissa screamed and cried as everyone else rushed in with melee weapons. They backed up and used their pistols when there were too many zombies clustered together.
In the master bedroom was a suicide note on an end table. On the bed laid a decomposing corpse. Dan picked up the note and read it.
“To whoever reads this, I was crazy. I was a bad person. I killed myself because I couldn’t get rid of the guilt. I shot myself in the head. I was with my friends. Their bodies are in the basement. Don’t go down there. There’s nothing worth taking. I killed my friends. I killed them because I was jealous of their clique they left me out of. God will forgive me for what I’ve done. People make mistakes.”
Dan passed the note around.
“We’re not going in the basement,” said Melissa.
“You’ve got that right,” said Thomas. “I doubt there’s anything down there.”
“We won’t go down there,” said Pete. “This house was no good. Let’s move on to the next one.”
The second, third, and fourth searches were also unsuccessful. Down the hill was a service station. It was surrounded by a large crowd of shambling corpses.
“Do you think it’s worth the ammo?” Dan asked quietly.
“Let’s take a vote on it,” Pete whispered. “Raise your hand if you think we should go for it.”
No one raised their hand.
“We’re going to have to travel further,” Jake said. “We’ll see what we can find a mile or two from here.”
A trailer park was found next to the highway. It was full of zombies, as was the trailer park.
“We can’t do this,” said Melissa. “It’s worse than the gas station.”
“We’ll go further and see what we can find,” said Pete.
They found a large house on a hill. Inside the house were six survivors. The six were shot when they reached for their guns.
“They would have killed us if they had the chance,” Jake said to Pete.
“You got that right,” Pete said with a sigh. “If they wouldn’t have reached for their weapons, we could have talked. They were stupid and scared. I don’t understand why someone who already has a gun on them would reach for their weapon.”
“They weren’t thinking.”
“Nope.”
The six had four boxes of stale crackers, firearms, a few bullets, three cans of mushroom soup, and five packs of noodles.
“Another meal for everybody,” Dan said with a smile.
“You all killed six people for enough food to feed nine people on time?”
“They would have killed us,” Dan said before he walked upstairs to look around.
“I didn’t shoot anyone.”
“You should have.”
“I will next time.”
“I’m tired of you.”
“I’m going to help. I promise.”
It began to snow again. A half mile down the road was a small house next to a big pond. It looked like it had been a resting place for many people.
“A lot of people have been here,” Thomas muttered. “I’m nervous about where we are.”
“I don’t like it either,�
�� said Andy.
They walked outside. A gunshot sounded. Thomas fell to the ground. He had been shot by a tranquilizer dart. Jake, Pete, and Dan were also put to sleep by darts. Andy, Patrick, Eric, and Melissa got away. They ran a far distance before stopping and gasping for air and continuing home.
“We couldn’t do anything about it,” Eric said to Courtney. “We couldn’t have carried them. Jake and the others were shot by a tranquilizer gun.”
Courtney dropped her cup of water and put her face in her hands.
36
“They might survive,” said Courtney. “They have to survive.”
“We might not get to find out,” said Eric. “Who knows what happened to them? We won’t go in that direction again.”
Jake awoke the next day in the dark. He was tied to a chair. A door in front of him opened. He was carried down the hallway and into a large room by two people dressed in white. Jake was in a house of worship.
He was put down next to Dan, Thomas, and Pete in the front of the room. Forty-nine people, all dressed in white t-shirts and blue jeans, were sitting in the pews. A man also dressed in white stood behind a podium.
“The dark god has bestowed these four people upon us!” the man announced. “What are your names?”
“I’m Jake. This is Dan, Thomas, and Pete.”
“It’s good to meet you all. Jake, how’s your life going?”
“Not so great right now. You have me tied up.”
“We just want to be safe, Jake. We don’t know what you’re capable of. We want to help you and your companions.”
“What do you plan to help us with?”
“We want to absolve you of your sins! Isn’t that right, everyone?”
“Yes!” yelled a middle aged woman in the front pew.
“Absolve them!” yelled a young man.
“Make him clean,” said an old woman.
“Have you sinned before, Jake?”
“Yes, I have. Everyone has.”
“Thank you for being honest with me, Jake. You pass. “What’s your name?”
“Pete.”
“Have you ever killed a person before, Pete?”
“Yes.”
“No worries, sinner! We can help! We can take care of that problem! We’ll have the dark god forgive you. With our expertise, you’ll be forgiven!”
The man behind the podium walked out in front of him and pulled a pocket knife out of his pocket. He unfolded the knife and deeply cut Pete’s face. Pete struggled, hoping to force his way out of the chair. He yelled in pain.
“You’ve been forgiven for that sin, Pete!”
“You’re crazy!” Dan yelled.
“We’re not crazy. We’ve embraced perfection! You must embrace perfection! If you don’t, you’ll be lost!”
“What is your name, pastor?” Jake asked.
“I am Steven. Through the dark god, I lead these people.”
“What have you and your people done to survive?”
“We’ve done everything we can to survive. So far, we’re all blessed enough to have what we need.”
“Will you let us go?”
“I’ll let you go if you atone for your sins.”
“What must I do to atone for my sins?”
“To show everyone in this room how wonderful and merciful the dark god is, I’m going to free you.”
“What about the others?”
“They haven’t atoned for their sins, Jake.”
“Will you be merciful enough to let my companions go?”
“I’m sorry Jake, but we can’t let them go until they’ve embraced perfection.”
Steven untied Jake. Jake slowly stood up and walked to the corner of the room.
“I’m going to wait here for my friends.”
“That’s perfectly fine, Jake. What’s your name?”
“Dan.”
“Hello, Dan. Have you ever stolen from anyone before?”
“I’ve never been a thief.”
“I find that very hard to believe, Dan. I don’t think you’re being honest with me.”
“I wouldn’t lie to you.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“No. I’m too scared to lie to you. I’m telling the truth.”
“A bold claim, Dan. Very well. I will believe you. Who are you?”
“Thomas.”
“Thomas. I don’t like that name. Therefore, I’ll have to cut you. Jake, Thomas isn’t perfect. He has to be shown that I’m right and he’s wrong. Do you understand?”
“I do,” Jake lied.
“Good.”
Steven cut a cross into Thomas’s forehead. Thomas winced in pain as blood trickled down his face.
“You had to be punished for being imperfect, Thomas. It’s the way it has to be. Dan, you’re impressive. Only perfection is impressive. You’re free to go.”
Steven untied Dan, who stood in the corner with his brother.
“Pete, have you learned to embrace perfection?”
“I’ve seen the errors of my ways and now embrace perfection,” Pete lied. “I now know I should walk the path of truth.”
“Great!”
Steven untied Pete.
“Three of these people have been blessed by the dark god! The dark god is merciful. He handles everything. Thomas has yet to receive salvation. Thomas, you’re the most imperfect person I’ve ever met. You’re going to have to be one of our animals. Jake, Pete, Dan, you’re more than welcome to come with us to the back yard. Yes, come with us. Come with us before you go. Jerry, Ted, carry Thomas to the back yard.”
“What did you mean when you said Thomas had to be one of your animals?” Jake asked as he, Dan, and Pete followed Steven.
“Thomas is very imperfect. He has to be taken care of because he can’t take care of himself. The dark god wants this.”
Everyone in the church walked to the back yard. In the back yard were eleven naked people chained to the ground ten feet apart from each other.
“These are our animals,” Steven said as he waved at the six naked men and women.
In front of each person were two dishes. One dish was full of water, the other scraps and grass. Some of them cried.
“We’ve fed them well. We’ve been taking care of two of them for months. They’re good animals. We sometimes try to ride them. Unfortunately, they’re not broken in yet. Thomas, you’re going to be one of these animals. We’ll take good care of you.”
“Please don’t do this to me!”
“Oh, Thomas. You will be well taken care of by us, the followers of the dark god.”
Thomas was untied and held at gunpoint. Jerry and Ted forcefully ripped off his clothes. A chain was locked around his neck. On the other side of the chain was a railroad spike hammered into the ground.
“I’ll get your own water and food dish, Thomas. Let’s go back inside, everyone. Jake, Dan, Pete, say goodbye to Thomas. He’s staying with us.”
Jake, Pete, and Dan gave an apologetic look before turning away and walking back inside the church.
“Marvelous!” Steven yelled with his hands raised. “Your coming has blessed us with a new animal. Thank you for being followers of the right path. Your belongings will be given to you outside. Walk with the dark god!”
Jake, Dan, and Pete were given Thomas’s supplies as well as their own. No one said anything until they got back to safety. Melissa, Courtney, Andy, Eric, and Patrick noticed Thomas was missing.
“Where’s Thomas?” Courtney asked.
“He’s not coming back,” Jake answered. “He suffered a terrible fate.”
37
“Did he get eaten or shot?”
“No.”
“So he’s still alive?”
“Yes, he’s still alive.”
“Where is he?”
“It doesn’t matter. He’s not coming back.”
“I don’t understand.”
“We’re not going to talk about it.”
Pete and Dan shook th
eir heads.
“Is it that bad?”
“Yeah,” said Dan. “It’s inhumane.”
“Oh.”
“Let’s just sit here for a while. We just went through something far crazy.”
“What happened to Pete’s face?”
“I was cut by a man,” Pete said as he dabbed alcohol on the wound. “Let’s just sit back for a while.”
Courtney laid her head on Jake’s shoulder as they sat on the mattress. Melissa sewed up Pete’s facial wound with a sewing needle and thread. Jake stared into the fire and thought of everything they had been through.
“It’s too much,” said Jake.
“It is too much,” Eric agreed. “We’re probably going to die.”
“People are dying all the time now. It’s hard to keep people in your group.”
“We have to keep marching on.”
“How long will we have to live like this?”
“Maybe for the rest of our lives. Maybe it’ll change. I don’t know.”
“What we saw behind that church was too much.”
“Was it that bad?”
“I’ll say this much. Imagine a bunch of people naked and chained up like livestock.”
“I’m glad I didn’t have to see it. I’m assuming Thomas is one of the livestock now?”
“That’s right. We can never go back or near there. There are far more of them than us.”
“I don’t want to do this anymore,” Melissa whispered.
“We’ll get through it,” said Dan.
“There has to be a way to make it all stop. I just want my life back.”
“It won’t be simple.”
There was a knock on the front door. Jake answered. It was Jonathan.
“Hey, Jonathan.”
“Hey, Jake.”
“What’s up?”
“Just letting you know we’ve lost a few people.”
“We lost one recently.”
“Some of my friends and I found some of our people dead on our way back from a trip. None of you had anything to do with that, right?”
“None of us had anything to do with it.”
“I believe you. Someone has been shooting us in the back of the head. There aren’t a lot of us now.”
“We lost one of ours to a group of crazed religious fanatics.”
“Crazed religious fanatics?”
“Don’t go past the big house on the top of the hill. If you see it, turn back.”
“Thanks for telling me.”