by Mike Staton
“Two.” Morrbid’s voice from the study.
“Fuck you.” Percival released the button, then depressed it again. “Two people need it.”
“Is everything okay?” Karl’s voice crackled over the radio.
“Sarah’s been shot. It just nicked her ear though. Don’t know who else is hurt, or how bad. We’re in the kitchen.”
“Roger, we’re coming in,” Karl said.
Percival clipped the radio back onto his belt.
“Can you stand?” he asked.
“I feel sick and lightheaded.” Sarah shook lightly in his hold. “First I get jumped, then that asshole shoots me… It’s been a great day.”
“Good thing he’s a bad shot. Let’s get you up.” Percival slowly helped Sarah to her feet, and let her lean up against the island counter in the kitchen. “You’re going to be fine.”
“I’m sure.” Sarah turned away from him. She looked as though she might throw up again.
Karl appeared in the doorway. “Who’s hurt?”
“Help Sarah first, then Jessica. I am assuming.” Percival turned Sarah’s head back toward him. “Karl’s going to fix you up good as new.”
“Asshole shot me,” she muttered. “Karl, can I shoot him back?”
“Sure, hon. Let me see your ear and hold still. This is likely to sting.” Karl set to doctoring Sarah.
Percival stepped back to give Karl all the room he needed. He turned away and moved past Carlos and into the study. He looked down at Jessica. She was whimpering and cradling her left arm. He could see a set of holes near her shoulder and a fair portion of her arm was caked in blood.
Percival frowned. It was bad, and he suspected the stalker that had jumped Sarah was the one to blame. He pointed at Morrbid and crooked his finger in the universal ‘come here’ gesture.
“Come with me.” Percival waited just long enough for the other man to let his companion gently to the floor.
“I’ll be back, babe.” Morrbid stood and followed Percival out of the study and through the kitchen into the main entryway.
They passed Roy Joy and Andrina in the entryway. Percival kept walking into the living room. After Morrbid had followed him, he turned around to close the door.
“Is everything okay?” Andrina asked.
Percival closed the door and turned to face Morrbid. Rage and anger built up within Percival as he faced the former priest. He lashed out and snatched the hazmat helmet from the man’s head and followed it with a hook that crunched solidly into the man’s head.
Morrbid lurched to the side with the punch, stumbling two steps before regaining his balance. He rubbed his jaw where Percival’s fist had connected.
“Do you feel better?” Morrbid asked.
Percival took a step closer and slammed his fist into the bridge of Morrbid’s nose. There was a soft crunch.
Morrbid staggered back holding his nose as it began to leak blood. “First one was free.”
“You’re going to pay attention to what you’re shooting at,” Percival said. “Understand me?”
“I don’t give a flying fuck what you say.” Morrbid released his nose. It dripped crimson onto the hard wood floor.
“If you travel with us, you listen to what I say. No questions. You’re not carrying a gun until after we get back to campus.” Percival was amazed at how his voice sounded. He didn’t expect it to some out quite so authoritative.
“I eat punks like you for breakfast, asshole.” Morrbid threw a haymaker punch at Percival.
Percival dipped his head into it and allowed the punch to glance off the hard plastic of his helmet. He stepped into the man, grabbing his arm and the front of his black coat and threw him hard to the floor. He twisted the arm he still held so Morrbid rotated with his face on the ground. Those two semesters of Judo were finally paying off.
“Here you have two fucking choices. I recognize shooting Sarah was probably an accident. I still don’t want you carrying a gun, even if it was. So, your choices are: stay with my group and listen to my orders and we’ll do our best to protect you until we part ways. Or I break your arm right now, take the stuff that’s ours and send you and Jessica packing.” Percival was tired of this. He shouldn’t have to make such ultimatums. He was supposed to be helping people, saving people, not hurting them.
“What’s it going to be? I’m not in a patient mood.” Percival emphasized his impatience by pushing the other man’s arm in a way that would strain his elbow.
“Fuck,” Morrbid groaned, slapping his free hand down on the floor. “Fine, fine. Fuck, ow. Just let me go.”
Percival let up enough to force the man to roll over. Percival reached down and hit the quick release on his rifle sling. Percival then took the pistol from his thigh holster.
“You might get these back at the campus.” Percival stood over Morrbid for a moment. “Keep this in mind. I won’t tolerate it again.”
Percival walked away from the fallen man. He pulled the door open and stepped into the entryway.
“What happened in there, Mister Polz?” Andrina asked.
“Teaching of a lesson that I didn’t want to have to teach.” Percival pulled the door to the living room closed and walked to Andrina. He held the rifle and pistol out for her to take.
“You know I’m no good with a rifle,” Andrina said.
“Take it for safe keeping, please. And keep your wits about you, we found one stalker in here. There might be more.”
Andrina nodded slowly. “Sure.”
She stuffed the pistol into her jacket where Percival heard it clatter softly against her other pistol. Andrina was the only member of his team that chose not to wear a holster of some sort for their weapon. She was also the only person to restrict herself solely to a pistol.
“What happened in the kitchen?” Andrina asked.
Percival looked past her to Roy Joy who was staring at a picture of himself and his family. “Is he going to be okay?”
“You’re avoiding my question. I didn’t like it when you did that in my class, and I don’t like it here,” Andrina said. She looked to Roy Joy as well. “I don’t think it’s healthy that he’s here, but I do think he’s going to be okay.”
“Good.” Percival looked back to Andrina. “We nailed a stalker in the kitchen. But not before it tore up Jessica’s arm. Morrbid nearly killed Sarah.”
“How did that happen?”
“He shot at her. Probably thought she was the stalker. But those things don’t move upright most the time.” Percival shook his head. “I’m going to check on her. Right after I get her a new helmet.”
Percival opened the door to the living room, and took a step inside. Morrbid had shuffled himself up against the couch and was sitting against its back, holding his nose again.
“Come to beat me again?”
Percival didn’t bother dignifying the question with a response. He just picked up the discarded hazmat helmet and started back through the door.
“Hey!” Morrbid shouted. “That’s mine!”
“Doesn’t look like yours. Yours has a bullet hole in it.” Percival stepped through the door and closed it behind him. It effectively cut off whatever response Morrbid had intended to give.
“That wasn’t very nice,” Andrina said.
Percival walked past her without saying a word. He didn’t look at her. He knew it wasn’t nice, but he didn’t entirely care. He walked through the dining room and back into the kitchen. He kicked the corpse of the stalker as he walked past it on his way to Sarah.
“Got you a new helmet.” Percival set the hazmat helmet on the island counter next to her. Her face was still spattered with blood, and gore still stained her neck, but her ear had a neat bandage on it.
“What did you do with Morrbid?” Sarah looked at the hazmat helmet and back at him.
“Had a talk with him,” Percival said. He looked over his shoulder at Karl. “Would you look in on him once you’re done? I think I broke his nose.”
Kar
l just nodded.
“Must have been some talk,” Sarah said. She sounded slightly dreamy. “Did it go in your favor?”
“Helps to wear a helmet.” Percival knocked on the motorcycle helmet he’d yet to take off. “Are you okay?”
“I’m a little lightheaded, and feel nauseous. And my ear hurts like a bitch. But other than that, I’m fine. Really.” Sarah forced a smile.
“I’m going to check on Jessica. You be alright here by your lonesome for a moment?”
Sarah nodded.
Percival cupped her left cheek and smiled, though he knew she’d not see it. It made him feel better to see her doing better.
He turned and walked to the door to the study. Karl was taping the last bandage into place. He stood up and moved past Percival. He stopped beside Percival.
“She’s going to need stitches, or she may never use the arm again,” Karl muttered quietly.
Percival thought it was an overstatement. Likelihood was that she was infected by the claws of the stalker anyway.
“We’ll do it tonight after we check the rest of the house and toss the body of the stalker out.”
Karl nodded. “Where’s Morrbid?”
“Living room. Door to the right of the stairs.”
Karl nodded again and left.
Percival turned back to Jessica. She was stripped to the waist, sitting in her bra. Small individual bandages were plastered over four small wounds centered around her shoulder. The left arm was almost entirely bandaged.
Percival could imagine the stalker grabbing the woman with one clawed hand and ripping down her arm with the other.
“How’re you feeling?” he asked.
“How’s it look like I’m feeling?”
“Like shit. Want to correct me?”
Jessica shook her head. “You didn’t mentioned they liked to hide.”
“Think I did. Sorry it nailed you.” Percival was entirely honest on that note. He was sorry it had gotten her. If it hadn’t, he’d not had his altercation with Morrbid. It also meant she was likely now infected.
“Yeah, so am I. It fucked up my arm. Makes it rather difficult to shoot a gun.” Jessica made a lame attempt to lift the injured limb and didn’t get it very far. “Hey, don’t feel too bad about hittin’ Morrbid. He probably had it coming.”
“He did shoot my second in command.”
“Yeah, he should have been more careful. But hey, he was reactin’ kind of how you reacted when she was shot,” Jessica said with a wink.
“I’ve got bad news.”
“Let me guess. I’m never going to use my arm ‘gain.” Jessica let out a sigh. “I think I’ll live.”
“That may be, we don’t know yet. Karl and I are going to stitch you closed tonight after we’re settled,” Percival said.
“You’re going to waste time on me despite what accident happened earlier?” Jessica asked.
“Yeah. I probably overreacted a little bit. There’s no reason to risk losin’ your arm over this.”
“Then what’s the bad news?”
“You’re probably infected,” Percival said. He watched her.
“Scratches usually don’t cause infections. And I don’t think it bit me or nothin’,” Jessica said after a few silent moments. She looked up and away from Percival, seemingly trying to remember. “Felt more like it stabbed me than anything.”
“That’s because stalkers chew their fingertips down to the bone and form little claws out of that.” Percival remembered the encounter with the stalkers in the dealership all too well. “We don’t know if it’s enough to cause infection or not. Our friend who was attacked by one didn’t make it through the night, but he got it a lot worse than you.”
Jessica was silent for a long time, watching him, her head slowly drifting down.
“Well. Shit,” she said at last. “Look, I don’t want to be shot or nothing. Just let me turn first. Okay? I want to last as long as I can.”
“Of course.” Percival nodded. “As long as you can.”
“Don’t tell Morrbid.”
Percival was silent. He turned to leave.
“Please? I’m the last of his ‘flock’ and his lover to boot.” Jessica’s voice took on a pleading tone.
“He’ll find out anyways.” Percival didn’t turn back to face Jessica. If he were in Morrbid’s shoes and Sarah was infected, he’d want to know as soon as possible. At least he thought he did.
“Let me tell him then. Tonight after you and Karl stitch me up.”
“You realize that means we can’t put you under, right?” Percival lied.
“Yeah. Give me something to knock out the pain and that’s it. I’ll tell him tonight. It’ll be better coming from me anyways,” Jessica said.
“Sure. A little difficult to deny you what could be something like a dying wish.” Percival stopped at the doorway. “Remember, you might not be infected. It’s just a probability.”
Jessica nodded.
“I’ll send Morrbid this way.” Percival left the study.
Sarah was standing near the door to the dining room, both arms out wide to keep her balance.
“You okay?” Percival walked over to her and slipped his arm around her waist.
“Case of vertigo.” She looped her arm across his shoulders. “Help me to wherever everyone else is.”
Percival guided her through the doorway and through the dining room. He found Roy Joy, Andrina, and Morrbid in the entryway. Percival let Sarah go beside the wall.
She pressed her hand against it and slid down to a seated position.
“Sorry.” Morrbid’s apology sounded strained and forced. His nose was straightened with a piece of gauze taped over the bridge. He held a bloody scrap of fabric that he occasionally dabbed at his nose.
Percival was silent. He looked to Sarah. In his mind, tension was building and could be carved with a spoon.
“Just don’t do it again,” Sarah said after what felt like a lifetime.
“Morrbid, Jessica wants you in the study,” Percival said.
Morrbid rose without a word and left the room.
“Where’re Carlos and Karl?” Percival looked to Andrina.
“They’re checking the second floor. If it’s clear, they think it would be the best place to stay,” Andrina said.
Percival nodded. “Sure thing.”
It was as though he’d said the magic word. Two heavy sets of footsteps came thumping down the stairs.
“Hey, Percival. There’s something you should see,” Carlos said.
“Is the second floor clear?” Percival asked.
“Yeah. It’s clear. There’s still something you should see.”
Percival nodded and climbed the stairs, passing Karl on his way up. He then followed Carlos the rest of the way up the stairs. It ended at a hallway that split right and left.
“Where’re we going?” Percival asked.
“Bedrooms.” Carlos led him down the right-hand branch of the hallway.
Percival followed him. More pictures and a couple paintings adorned the walls. Carlos led him into a bedroom. It seemed to have belonged to the boy. Various sports memorabilia decorated the walls and furniture. What drew Percival’s attention, however, was the bed itself. It looked as though the boy had curled up and gone to sleep and someone had tucked him in.
Percival walked over to the bed and pulled the corner of the comforter back. Percival couldn’t withhold his gasp. The boy had been infected before he was killed and put to rest here in the bed. He had also been a stalker.
“No wonder Roy Joy got so freaked out about talking about the damned stalkers,” Percival muttered to himself. He pulled the comforter back over the corpse.
“The wife is the same way,” Carlos said. “She was tucked into bed and has the same chewed fingertips.”
Percival was suddenly regretting his decision to stay in this house. It was more for Roy Joy’s sake than anything else that he was suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He frowned. “What els
e is up here?”
“Game room with a pool table and a bathroom.” Carlos pointed to the respective doors on the hallway.
Percival nodded slowly. He thought for a few moments. He walked to the room identified as the ‘game room’ and peered inside. It had a pool table in the middle with a rack with pool cues mounted to the wall. One cue was missing and the pool table looked as though someone had stopped playing mid-game to solve some problem. In Percival’s mind, Roy Joy had been playing and stopped to handle a wife and son who had turned.
He settled his flashlight on a bin across the room against the far wall and walked to it. He opened the lid and found an assortment of baseball bats and sports equipment.
“I’m going to say we stay downstairs. I don’t want to move the bodies from the beds, and be disrespectful to how Roy Joy left them.” Percival walked away from the bin and back to the door.
“You realize that most people would jus’ say ‘fuck it’ right?” Carlos moved out of the way to let Percival exit.
“I’m not most people and I like to consider myself better than most people. This is a friend’s home. It is a living memory for him. We’re not going to despoil it. Well, any more than we already have.” Percival walked toward the stairs.
“So, downstairs then?” Carlos asked.
“The living room can be blocked to three entrances, and since we’ll only be here one night, the window should be fine. We just need to move the stalker’s body out of the kitchen. Preferably the backyard, since that way the zombies will be drawn to it and not to us.”
“You know, there weren’t any zombies anywhere near the dealership,” Carlos said.
Percival stopped mid-stair. “Maybe something about the stalkers drives other zombies away. We’ll put it out in the front yard then. Hopefully it’ll be just as effective redead as it was undead.”
Carlos nodded and thumped down the stairs past Percival.
“Hey Carlos, good thinking.” Percival followed him down into the entryway. He then announced, “We’re staying in the living room.”
“All of us?” Sarah asked. She slowly got up.
“Yeah, all of us.” Percival opened the door to the living room. “Do you need help?”
Sarah shook her head and walked across the living room. Andrina helped Roy Joy to his feet and coaxed him in as well.