by Diane Butler
The first building only had one window, a metal door and a garage door all at the front of the building facing the street. They stayed under cover of the building and watched the street before rounding the corner to take a look in the window. Brandon tested the doorknob but it was locked. Morgan shaded his eyes and tried to adjust to the darkness inside as he looked through the dirty window. “I think someone is in there,” he said. “I can see part of a mattress behind a dirty tarp that’s hanging from the ceiling and a pair of boots on the mattress as if someone is still wearing them.”
“Then it’s a zombie,” Lucky said. “Don’t you smell that?”
Morgan turned to look at him, “But zombies don’t lay down to rest and what part of the body I can see is in a position of sleep.”
“Then someone killed him,” Lucky said. “Come on Brandon, use the tire iron to break the lock.” Since it was a metal door and frame, it was not an easy task to open and somewhat noisy. Lucky and Morgan kept watch and soon a zombie came out from behind a building and began to cross the street toward them. “I got him.” Lucky approached the zombie to plunge his pickaxe across its ear, splitting the top of the head which flew off like a shattered watermelon. As he walked back Brandon finally popped the door open and everyone stepped away in case the body behind the tarp moved.
They tried to let their eyes adjust to the darkness but had to turn away because of the smell. “Do we really want to case this joint?” Morgan asked. “There are plenty of other places to search.”
“After all the trouble I went through to pop that lock, we are going in,” Brandon said while putting a kerchief across his mouth and nose. As Brandon and Lucky searched through the boxes and tools on the shelves, Morgan pulled back the tarp to see that the dead man was still holding a gun. Next to him was a white note pad in which the papers were starting to curl and yellow from age and humidity.
Morgan picked up the note pad and after reading it he looked closely at the dead man. He picked up the gun and saw that it was fully loaded then looked back at the dead man again. “Guys, listen to this,” he read from the note pad. “Too sick to pull the trigger. Don’t want to turn but at least I won’t be in pain anymore.” He turned to look at the men, “So…why didn’t he turn?” Brandon and Lucky walked over closer. “There’s no gunshot wound. I looked. No one else did it for him. No zombie got in and consumed him, so why didn’t he turn?”
The three of them stared down at the man, searching for an answer. “Maybe some people are immune.” Brandon said. “Or maybe the virus has run its course. Maybe it’s all over.” Everyone could feel their heart pounding with the implication.
“My God,” Morgan whispered. “Maybe it’s over. Maybe we have been putting a bullet in people’s head who have died and we never had to. Maybe the Z’s out there are the end of it and no more people will turn.”
“Is Roxanne coming?” Caleb asked after he and Mary settled down on a bench at the bow of the boat and shared a bottle of water.
“She’ll pick me up later before the rest of your group return. She was teaching me how to pole a pirogue on that trainer. Or at least she called it a trainer but I actually think it’s a pirogue for kids and she just didn’t want to say. Why didn’t they take you with them?”
Caleb was offended by the question. “You think I can’t handle myself? I’m good with a crossbow and I can take care of any problem that comes up while they are gone.”
Mary shook her head. “It’s the way they treat us, the adults. Always thinking that we need protection, always shoving us into the background. They don’t want us to see certain things and they don’t give us credit for surviving this long. Roxanne has treated me more as an equal than anyone I’ve met since the ZA, although she has reservations about a few things. But she’s willing to teach me and most times she offers to train me even before I reveal to her that I’m not knowledgeable about something.“ She shook her head again. “I don’t know how she knows, how she can see inside people like that and sometimes it’s scary but I like her a lot.”
Caleb relaxed and was starting to like Mary. “Yeah, Roxanne and I get along fine. We make a good team and she gives me credit for that. She doesn’t look down on me as a kid.”
Mary looked at him. “She likes you the most in the group, is very fond of you.” Caleb beamed and became more comfortable talking to Mary.
“It’s Lucky that makes her uncomfortable,” he said. “We keep cautioning him to back off. They used to have a thing together.” Mary leaned forward startled by the comment, “Oh?”
Caleb became nervous that he had spoken too soon. “Roxanne hasn’t mentioned us or Lucky or that she had a past with us?”, he asked. Mary was mesmerized by the possibility of hearing Roxanne’s story. She shook her head, “No, she hasn’t said anything.”
“Then I won’t say more,” Caleb backed off. “I feel that I would be breaking a trust. If Roxanne hasn’t said anything of her past then it is best that I left it alone. I don’t want to lose her friendship.”
But Mary pushed it, “Do you know how she got that scar on her face and why she has a slight limp? I’ve seen scars on her wrists too and sometimes she can’t hold a fork.”
“No, I wasn’t there. Just let it go Mary,” Caleb pleaded. Mary sat back and looked out over the bow, “A thing with Lucky, huh? Humm.”
“Don’t mention it to her. It’s the one thing that will set her off,” Caleb said. “If you want to stay on her good side you will avoid any mention of his name.”
They both looked up as they heard the rattle of the tailgate on Roxanne’s truck and saw it turn toward the pier. “We need to fix that tailgate,” Mary said. “It’s much too noisy.”
***
“I think he was just immune,” Lucky said. “A fluke. I wouldn’t put much store in it that he didn’t turn.”
“How can you say that?” Morgan asked. “The possibilities are too great. This is an exciting find and has given me more hope than I’ve had in a long, long time. A scientist would love to get their hands on this guy to do an autopsy.” He sighed. “I’d take some skin tissue if we had the equipment or the knowledge of what to look for. Such a waste,” he shook his head.
“I am more inclined to agree with Morgan, “ Brandon said. “The Z’s aren’t as strong now as in the beginning, indicating that there haven’t been any new turns. Perhaps the people still alive are those who are immune which would include us.”
“I wouldn’t want to put that theory to the test, Brandon” Lucky said. “Let’s get back. This took us longer than I thought and I don’t like leaving Caleb alone. We found a few things, plus a loaded gun. It wasn’t a complete loss.”
***
Mary and Roxanne loaded the small pirogue into the back of the truck and Caleb helped them to cut strips off a mattress in one of the abandoned homes to use as padding around the tailgate of the truck. Mutt jumped into the front seat and waited for Mary to join him. “Thanks for your help Caleb,” Roxanne said. “You dad will be here shortly. I’ll see you again in a couple of days.”
“But Roxanne, Lucky is getting anxious. We can’t stay here too much longer. We have obligations back at the Mill. People count on us to bring in supplies that they can’t get elsewhere.”
Roxanne looked confused, “You indicated a large group at the Mill. Are you telling me that no one has a vehicle to go in-land or that no one else goes on supply runs?”
“Toby still has his tug-boat but he ran out of fuel a long time ago. We have the only water vessel except for a few fishing boats that we found and towed back. But those don’t go out of sight of the Mill. They’re trying to grow a few vegetables but we’ve already lost three cars that went out on supply runs and never came back. So we are their major source.”
Roxanne shook her head, “These people don’t sound very capable. Alright, day after tomorrow I will be back and we will do the run. But tell them to go on a test run tomorrow and get familiar with the terrain.”
Roxanne had
bathed and dressed but had not put her shirt on when she stood in front of the full-length mirror and studied her back. She had not seen her back until she had arrived at this house and all that Shoes would say was that she was scarred. She had expected slashes and the first time she saw herself in the mirror she was horrified. This was not the violence of raiders or bandits, these marks meant something to her and were put there for a reason. She was sure that she had been rejected by a group, marked and left to die. She did not know what sins she had committed or what group laws that she had broken but she knew that she would always be in danger because of her lack of memory. She hadn’t forgotten what Shoes had said, that she could unknowingly walk into the very group that had banished her. Shoes had taught her how to mark a trail in the bayou and how to read marks that others put on trails before her. Roxanne knew that the circle with a star could be ‘danger’ or even ‘death’ if you go any further. Whoever did this wanted to kill her, perhaps thought that they already had.
She heard a “gasp” behind her and turned to see Mary standing in the doorway. She quickly put her shirt on while Mary apologized. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude. The door was open and I was passing by.”
Roxanne ignored the apology as if nothing had happened. “Let’s go downstairs and make plans for tomorrow.”
At the kitchen table Roxanne got out a map of town and they studied it together as Roxanne drew an outline of how she wanted to proceed toward the mansion. “We will let their car go through first and as I come through two of them should have jumped out of their car to close the gates while I back up to them. If they’re fast enough none of the Z’s should get through and if they do, it would only be stragglers. The Z’s can’t move that fast to catch up to us and they don’t appear to congregate around the gate. Even if the gate does latch behind us it’s a good idea not to rely on whatever lock it has.”
“They will proceed toward the mansion at a slow pace since we are following behind on foot along with Mutt. I will leave Cowboy here. She doesn’t like large crowds and would prefer to be the protector back here, watching over our safe house. I would like for them to drive to the back of the house to get out of sight of the zombies on the street and at the gate. I hope they are agreeable to this but Lucky seems to be their leader and he may object.”
Mary noticed that Roxanne had a ‘tone’ in her voice when she said Lucky’s name. “You don’t like Lucky do you?”
Roxanne got up from the table and poured each of them a glass of water. She put Mary’s on the table but she leaned against the sink drinking hers while having thoughts of her own. After what seemed a long pause Roxanne said, “What you saw upstairs….you are never to mention it to anyone….least of all to anyone in that group.”
Mary remembered Caleb’s words and began to tread carefully, “Caleb said that he’s known you for a long time. He said that you trained him how to use the crossbow.”
Roxanne laughed. “No, in fact it was he who trained m……” The look on Roxanne’s face changed and she never finished the sentence. Mary could see that she was struggling with something and it was painful to watch. When the glass slipped out of Roxanne’s hand and shattered to the floor Mary jumped up and went to her, calling her name. She put her hands on Roxanne’s arms and noticed that Roxanne had gone into a cold sweat while still standing at the sink.
“Roxanne? Roxanne! Are you okay?” Both Mutt and Cowboy came running in when they heard Mary shouting. Cowboy went over to Roxanne and began licking her hand. Mutt jumped up on the chair and began licking Roxanne’s face while Mary backed off and watched. She knew not to interfere with either animal that seemed to know what Roxanne needed at all times. In only moments Roxanne came out of her daze to notice the animals and began to chuckle.
“It’s alright my precious ones,” she said still smiling. Mutt jumped off the chair and Cowboy grabbed Roxanne’s sleeve to pull her toward the table. “Okay, I get the hint. I’ll sit down but don’t either of you drink that water on the floor. It has broken glass in it.”
Mary quickly got the broom and dust bin to sweep up while Roxanne reached over and began to drink Mary’s water. Roxanne noticed for the first time that she was sweating and put the cold glass to her forehead and cheek. She had almost grasped it, that fragmented image which had flashed across her mind. A picture of her and Caleb walking together, her with the staff that Brandon had recently returned to her and Caleb with his crossbow. They were both laughing, but she did not know the place or time, the when or the how, but it explained her affinity with Caleb.
“I must caution you Mary, not to say anything about what you saw in my bedroom,” Roxanne said again as if not remembering that she had just previously said it. Mary sat back down at the table. “Nor about what you just witnessed. I may be in danger but I do not know from who. That was one reason why I wanted to send you to the Mill because I do not want to represent a danger to you either.”
“I’m confused,” Mary said. “Are you being hunted down? If you don’t know who it is wouldn’t it be safer to join Caleb’s group? Or is it Lucky who you fear?”
“Fear? No, I wouldn’t say that’s the right word. Cautious is closer to the truth,” Roxanne answered. “The truth is that I don’t remember anything of how I received my injuries. My first memory is of the bayou although Lucky’s group claims that I once traveled with them. I stay away from them because they muddle things up in my head. When people find out that you have lost your memory, some could tell you falsehoods because they are trying to mold you into who they want you to be. Do you understand that?”
Mary nodded. “Yes, I understand that exactly. My parents were always pushing me to become a lawyer when all I wanted to do was to become a dancer. They wanted me to become someone that I wasn’t. Molding me….”she looked away. “Yes, I understand you exactly.”
“Each one of them saw me differently when I traveled with them, if I traveled with them,” Roxanne said. “At the plantation they brought another couple who I refused to meet because I knew they would also have a different opinion of who I was and it all becomes too confusing. I know who I am. I am Roxanne of the bayou since that is where my first memories are. I am no one else and I will not be anyone else just to satisfy their need to recognize the person who they once knew. Are you still following me?”
Mary nodded, mesmerized by the story. Mutt and Cowboy still sat on each side of her, Mutt with his head on Roxanne’s leg. “But most important is the danger from whoever beat me like this for they will be counting on my loss of memory to hide from me, and they will slip up. Only he, or they, will know of the marks on my back. Any signal between two people could be a clue to me, any off-hand remark with double meaning could be a clue. I am watching closely and listening carefully and I can’t have the scars on my back to become common knowledge to this group or any other group. Those scars mean something and only the person who put them there will know that. I want that person. He’s mine. And if you are with me when I find him you will not interfere,” Roxanne leaned across the table and narrowed her eyes. “Do you understand?”
Mary shivered and felt a chill go up her spine. She had seen how callously Roxanne had killed Jim Bob and had brushed her hands off as she threw his body down the well, as if it was a good-riddance. And Roxanne didn’t even know Jim Bob. What would she be like while killing a person who she had that much hatred toward? Mary was pretty sure that she would need to walk away and hide and that Roxanne’s orders that she not interfere would never come to surface. She only hoped that Roxanne made it quick and did not torture the guy for Mary couldn’t stand hearing screams anymore. There had been too much screaming since the ZA started.
Mutt started to growl and trotted from the room followed by Cowboy. Mary and Roxanne got up and went to the porch to see a zombie stumbling down the driveway. “Why is he coming this way?” Mary asked. “We weren’t making any noise.” Then they saw Max running in and around the zombie’s legs as if making a game of it. “Damn him,�
� Mary said. “That cat is leading it right to us. What the hell is he doing? He knows better.”
“He’s telling us that we have more important things to do than sit around and chat all day.” Roxanne loaded a bolt into her crossbow and stepped out onto the porch to take aim. As the zombie reached her truck she pulled the trigger to shoot him in the head. Max scrambled out from under the truck and came in with a low hiss as he passed Roxanne.
“What’s his problem?” Mary asked, watching Max run upstairs.
Roxanne smiled, “I think he’s mad that I took the easy way out instead of engaging in hand-to-hand combat. Max thinks I’m soft and that I still have a lot to learn.”
***
Lucky, Brandon, Morgan and Caleb spent the next day driving around searching and syphoning gas from other cars or finding gas cans with small amounts of gas in residential garages. “I wish we had gotten that remote control from Mary or I would try to go in there today rather than wait on Roxanne,” Lucky said.