by catt dahman
“He says we need a miracle; she is so very ill.”
Johnny again checked. She smiled and motioned to be shown the child. The little girl was hardly breathing, fiery with fever, and had a bandage on her forehead that Johnny didn’t remove. Pus was dried about it, and the child’s face was purple with swelling and infection. “Infected,” she announced sadly, stepping back.
Juan looked at the rest. “What do we do?”
John put his hand on Beth’s shoulder. “I’ll try.”
He faced the newcomers,“You have two infected with the virus, and they can’t come into the compound. I’m sorry, but they will get sicker, turn, and be dangerous because they will bite.” He paused. “I know you love them, and they love you, but when the disease takes over, they will be gone, and their bodies will attack you and us.”
There was another back and forth of Mexican that no one understood, except that it made everyone upset, and the family seemed defeated. The pretty woman spoke finally, “I am Maria. The family said that if you will take us, we will work very hard and help.”
“We welcome you, but we can’t take any one infected,” John said. Juan stared at the ground.
“We understand. I will stay, as will Manuel, Theresa, Juan, Pedro, Juanita, and Jose. My brother-in-law, yes, he is Geraldo, and he will go away with the enfermizo, the sick ones.”
“Maria, they will turn…become one of those who bite. Geraldo will be in danger.”
“ Si, we understand. Muertos vivientes que muerden.” Maria had tears in her big eyes, but she wiped them away and hugged the man who had been driving, presumably Geraldo.
He looked long-suffering and sad, but his back was held straight and his head was high; it seemed he was about to do some kind of family duty. The teen put the little girl back in the van, and the family helped the old woman back into the van. The teen handed out some things of theirs, piling them up outside of the van.
Geraldo got back in the driver’s seat with a quick, “La vida loco.”
Juan opened the gate so the van could chug back out. Geraldo, with a sad look on his face, turned and then slowly drove away. A few zeds followed, but John and Jet sighted them and shot them.
“I’m sorry,” John said. Maria nodded.
“Okay, we’ll get you checked in and then find your rooms.You can get comfortable, wash up, have a good meal, and meet everyone else,” Johnny told them, motioning for them to follow her and Juan.
“We’ll get these corpses into that truck, check all, and burn them,” Beth explained to John, pointing to the dead corpses. “It would be impossible to bury so many, but we have kind of a pit, a dried up pond, and we burn them; it’s as humane and honorable as we can possibly be.”
“I think Jet and I can get some of the guys standing around to help; why don’t you go ride a while?” John offered.
For once, Beth accepted an offer and thanked him as she and Hannah went through the second gate.
“What do you think will happen?” Hannah asked Beth.
“To the grandma and the girl? They’ll turn and attack the man, and he’ll turn, and we’ll see all three in the van in a few days down the road,” Beth said.
“How long do you think?”
“I try not to think,” Beth snapped, then reconsidered, “thirty minutes or an hour for Granny, ten or fifteen for the girl.”
“Have you ever seen it happen?”
“Not really watched it, no….”
“Beth, I’m not being morbid, but we could learn things from that…from watching them change….”
Beth hugged Hannah,“Miss Silly, we know all we need to know. Once bitten, people change, and the person we cared for is gone, and a shell of the person will be left, used like a puppet. Bite = virus = zombie.”
“My curiosity gets the best of me.”
Beth smiled fondly, “Len is that way…always wondering about people’s stories and how they came to be in their present predicaments; he’s always curious. It’s because you’re both smart.”
“Jet and John were helpful but not like you who has the situation under control. You did the best.” Hannah noted, changing the topic for the time being.
Hannah had help finding clothing small enough for her to dress like Beth in cammo and boots, but she did her best and even braided her hair like Beth did as well. She had never admired anyone like she respected Beth.
“Yes, they were helpful.”
“Jet is a good shot,” Hannah said.
“And Jet is too old for you, in case you get any funny ideas.”
“Oh, Mom,” Hannah groaned.
Beth cocked her head, “Mom?”
“You’re Katie’s adopted mom. I was hoping…no, I am being presumptuous and pushy,” Hannah looked sad all at once.
Beth turned to Hannah, “If you want to be in my family, I would be thrilled to have another daughter, Kim, you, Katie, and me. But Andie is going to come back; I can feel that she is okay.”
“Kim?”
“He’s coming back one day; he just isn’t able to right now; I feel it,” Beth said with a smile.
Hannah smiled right back, “You know what? I believe that, too; we may very well see Kimball walk right through that gate one day.” She took Beth’s hand, and then they parted to mount their horses. “But I need a family now…to settle in. Is that okay?”
“It’s better than okay. I need that, too.”
In the second gate, things were moving. “Clear here,” Johnny said as she finished examining the new comers, the females.
“Clear here as well,” Juan told her of the males.
Alex was back after having stowed the cats.“Los gatos are eating their gato food.” The teen girl laughed hard. Alex just grinned happily, “So let’s go get you some food if you’re hungry and then get you comfy in your rooms…el piso.”
Maria giggled a little that time, letting go of some of her anguish. Alex wanted to see all of them relaxed and not so sad.
“We have bueno…ummm…food…bueno…el piso…you’ll find bueno amigos rapido. All will be your familia. We’ll find los gatos; they are looking for…umm Mickey raton? Umm…ratones.” Alex went on and on. All were laughing; he felt good that he had gotten their minds off of their lost relatives leaving, if even for a second.
The small boy was giggling now with Alex’s attempts, listening and slapping his own knees. Alex continued along the way with his mish mash of words, but then Julia came in for a break, and his fun was throttled as Julia took charge and explained everything, laughing at Alex and shaking her head in mock exasperation. “Loco.”
“ You saying that I am crazy? I had a great conversation going about los gatos. I was doing fine,” Alex said.
“Yep, the Micky ratones was priceless, that would be ratoncita Mickey. And the gato is hardly more than el gatito. Bebe.
Alex stood his ground. ”Oh, no, I did an excellent job at translating, and Maria here was greatly impressed.”
Maria giggled again. “Oh, yes, estupendo.”
“Sounds a lot like stupid to me,” said Julia laughing.
They passed the newcomers off so they could find housing and anything else they needed.The intake itself had gone fine although it would have been better not to have to turn anyone away.
10
Puzzle Pieces
Maryanne had been disturbed for some time although Pan and George often told her not to worry about not being able to get her usual feelings about things. Sometimes she had strong feelings about things to come, and sometimes she was like a dry well, with no idea what might happen. In a way, because of her blindness, this was like losing her vision all over again when she didn’t have her ‘visions’ of what might be.
It was frustrating.
She hadn’t seen the hospital being over-run with zombies or a dozen other important events; she hadn’t seen their friends lost to them the night in the parking lot or knew if any had survived or in what condition and where they were now. In ways, her gift was a
joke to her and almost useless.
She wasn’t able to tell them anything about Kim, Earl, Andie, or Mark which made her sad and feel as if she had let them down; even so, everyone hugged her and said it was all right.
She knew when Hagan and Bryan died although she was miles away; a feeling of warmth and peace passed through her, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that those two had left their friends. It was only that she felt them laughing and feeling proud of a sacrifice they made for others that comforted Maryanne.
In the last few days, they set George up as Governor and a board of people to help decide rules, and took in some survivors.Len’s team brought in more supplies from a trailer park.
In some ways, things were better except for the pall cast by losing their friends
Today, however, Maryanne had Toni’s help to lead her down to the gate where the intake of new survivors and of the ones returning from supply runs was conducted. The morning was lovely, and cheerful voices were all over as people worked.
For a long time, nothing was going on since no new people came in.
The groups erected security measures, patrolled, and had lunch, always lighter than breakfast and dinner.
Maryanne was so excited she could hardly eat. Usually Toni was studying with the other children, but today, Maryanne kept her close since she was so excited, too.
Everyone stopped by to visit with Marianne and ask if she had any more feelings, but she said, ‘not really, someone is coming who is very important.’ Pan and George stopped by the most often, and while they promised to come get her if she were needed, she refused to move, simply waiting patiently.
As the day went on, Toni told Maryanne that people cast doubtful glances at them and looked sad. George brought them cold lemonade made from the spring water and was tasty even if it were made from a mix. He said that the cooks sent pitchers out to everyone. Their reactions were as if they had received bags of gold:they went on and on about the lemonade and appreciated its sweet tartness.
“People appreciate things more, Maryanne.”
“I think so. I do, anyway.”
“Before, people kind of did a half-assed, oh, sorry Toni, and now, there’s no paycheck for these people, but they work like Trojan soldiers, volunteering for extra work.”
“Because everything we do here benefits all of us ten-fold, I don’t know…we look at it differently, maybe. I feel so much pride when I help Doc roll bandages or help peel potatoes; I feel like it matters.”
“Maybe that’s it. The gardens are going to yield well, and we have a much safer place. It’s pretty here.”
“I know. Toni described it to me,” Maryanne said.
“And people don’t hate one another for religion or skin color or stuff like that,” George added.
“For now, we fear and hate Pascal and the RA for what they did to people. When we no longer have them and the zombies to hate, there will be issues,” Maryanne said. “I don’t have to have visions to know human nature.”
George agreed and patted her knee as he enjoyed his lemonade. “I agree. Humans can be almost as bad as zombies, except the Zs don’t understand what they’re doing.We understand when we are hateful.”
Len decided his team would stay at the compound that day as he was so sure of Maryanne’s feeling that someone important was headed their way, yet as the sun sank lower in a cloudless sky, he wondered if anything really would happen. He didn’t want to doubt her.
Days earlier, he watched the sun’s progress and looked towards the gate and road. Luckily, the others needed him around that day.
Len sat down to rest next to Maryanne.
Finally, on one long look at the endless ribbon of road, he paused, wiping sweat from his face and finishing his glass of lemonade. He blinked.
“What is it?” Maryanne asked Len.
“How do you know there’s anything at all?”
Maryanne laughed, “Your body shifted: all tense and forward like you’re looking at something. Also, everyone changed tones; I can hear their voices and besides, Toni gasped.”
“SUVs and trucks, a motor home: a caravan of vehicles headed this way,” Len stared in amazement.
“Len, trust me; people will want to see these new comers,” Maryanne told him. “They’ll remember this day. It’s a good day for us. Finally.”
Julia and Beth thundered toward the gate on horseback with the rest of that team following at a more reasonable pace.
“Len,” Beth was calling.
“I see.” He stood.
Beth glanced at the teachers who allowed Katie, her step-daughter, and the other children to sit under a tree and watch; she was tempted to ask them to go back to a room where they would be safe, but Maryanne’s face was lit up with happiness, and Beth trusted the woman. This had to be something very good.
Because of the amount of cars facing them, Juan held up fingers and motioned the vehicles to enter three at a time. The Monster-truck entered, and several of the men, watching, expressed admiration at its size, whistling and making comments as if it were a sexy female.
Len, along with George, went to greet them.
“Nice truck you have there,” Len said to the man who climbed down from the big truck and stepped into the first holding area.
“Thank ya,” the man said, looking around with some nervousness and shock at all of the people watching them. “This is some kind of welcoming party. I’m Carl. I sure hope this is Hopetown.”
Len held back his shock. “Well, it is Hopetown and welcome.”
Carl shook hands with Len and still glanced at all the firepower everyone had. To his relief, Charles and Walt got out of the SUV and joined him, also shaking hands as they took in all the people watching them curiously.
“Charles!” a voice called. Jilly Montaine, looking very much like her famous mother, walked to the fence and smiled at them. “Look, it’s Charles; is Tory with you?”
“She sure is, Jilly. Glad to see you here,” Charles said. “We met Jilly and her crew back close to the river; we’re from Arkansas.”
“I’m so glad you made it,” Jilly called back.
“Have you any injured? Bitten?” Len asked.
“No way. We wouldn’t travel with any infected,” Walt said.
Charles explained how they had met Jilly and gave a very brief summary of their travels, adding that they were shot at on the State Line, wondered if the shooters were the Reconstruction Army’s followers.
Like Rev and Pan reported, Charles said that a stack of bodies lay where the RA had left them; those bodies were the remains of those who refused to join them.
Despite Jilly’s reaction and what Maryanne said, Len asked a few questions to be sure they weren’t connected to the RA but found it odd when all three men chuckled and looked at one another.
“Not only do we not care for those nuts in the RA, but we went head-to- head with a few.We have a story to tell you that you won’t even believe, not in a million years.”
“You might be surprised what we would believe,” Len said, “see that pretty lady there next to the girl? That’s Maryanne, and she told us we could expect some important newcomers today; we’ve been kind of waiting for you all day.”
“Wow,” Carl said.
“A half year ago, I would have wondered if you were taking drugs with that talk, but somehow I am not much surprised that someone knew we were coming. Once you hear our story, you’ll be amazed as much as we are to be a part of it,” Charles told Len.
“Let’s get an intake done, get some food, and hear your story; everyone will want to hear it, I guess?”
“I think so. It will be better than repeating it a dozen times.” Walt laughed.
Carl drove up in his truck; then, the rest followed in their own vehicles. Tory waved happily to Jilly.
After the new people were moved to the second enclosure and the passengers already there went for intake and a quick scan to make sure they were uninfected, the motor home pulled in. But
the truck passengers asked to stay and watch when Len saw the ones from the motor home.
Nick was driving, and a few placed him at once as the President’s brother, suspicious of him but more curious than anything else. Nick promised he would share all of his information about the bombs, his brother’s actions, and the virus after the other story was told. “The president, Alan my brother, is not with us,” he added.
Some women whispered he was handsome and some whispered he might be as bad as his brother since they did not vote for the man. But most were just curious to see someone in real life that they saw only a few times on television on late night shows where Nick was popular, funny, and seemingly down-to-earth.
Gabe and Zane stepped out with a few others, and every eye went to the boy for some reason.
“It’s him,” Maryanne said as Toni led her closer. The air seemed to change around them, a breeze blew up, cooling things off, but more than that, was a feeling that made everyone look at the boy. He was terribly cute, with an intelligent, sweet face, but for some reason, something else was in place.
Len, not used to the feeling, felt more nervous. What was going on? His scalp prickled, and every hair stood on end.
“This is Gabe, and the boy is Zane; he’s the one you’ve been waiting for.”
“Oh, he is?” Len asked, lips tight. He saw everyone watching the child and didn’t know what to think of the situation. “Hi, Zane.”
“Hi, Mr. Len.”
“Glad to meet you.”
“You’re not sure if I’m a good guy, right?”
Len laughed hollowly. “Well, I just met you, but I’m sure you’re a nice boy.”
“Some boys aren’t very nice.” Zane frowned a little. Then Zane crooked his finger at Len, whispered in his ear and stepped back with Nick.
Len stared.
Juan moved closer, wondering why Len was just staring. “Everything okay?”
Along the fence, almost imperceptibly, people tensed with Len’s change in posture, subconsciously reacting to the man’s discomfort.
“What’s up?” Julia asked Beth.
“Dunno.”
“Let’s get them through intake. Glad you all joined us,” Len said, “George, you wanna help Zane?”