The Grave: A Zombie Novel

by Russ Watts

  “Fuck you, Sophie,” said Agnew angrily. “You think this is easy? You think it’s all fancy dinners and pretty dresses, parties and cocktails? You have no idea what I’m dealing with. Get dressed and start acting your age. You’re not sixteen anymore. I’ll see you later.”

  Agnew left Sophie with tears forming in her eyes on the bed and slammed the door behind him as he left. He stormed down the corridor, ignoring the men stationed outside his private room, and went directly to the Oval office. White was standing guard outside it and Agnew gave him a cursory nod as he went in. The room was quiet and empty. The curtains were drawn and the room was dark and soothing. A table lamp illuminated the room gently, enabling him to see what he needed to without having to look too hard. He needed a break.

  Agnew threw the papers he was carrying onto a chair and sat down in front of his huge mahogany desk. Aside from the lamp and an intercom, the desk was clear and he ran his fingers along the cool surface. He let out a sigh and pinched the frame of his nose. Ten years ago, this had all been a lot easier. With the anniversary coming up, it was going to open up a lot of fresh wounds and raise more questions. The liberals would probably want another damn inquiry, just as they did every year. The survivors would want more explanations and he could expect more recriminations from the media. He had to rule the country now with an iron fist, not a velvet glove. It was being soft that had led to these types of problems in the first place. He did not intend to give up power now he was here, but that did not make it any easier. Sophie was just another headache he had to endure. His advisors constantly reminded him that the people would never vote for a single man. The President had to be a family man, honest, truthful, kind and caring. He would smooth things over with her later, but right now, he needed to forget everything and relax. A migraine was definitely threatening to erupt and he needed something to take his mind of the job, just for a little while.

  Agnew pressed the intercom button. “White? Send in Verity Dawson and make sure we’re not disturbed for the next hour. By anyone. I mean it. Unless an alien lands on the White House lawn, it is imperative we are not interrupted. Understood?”

  “Yes sir,” was the quiet reply. The intercom went silent and Agnew could feel himself loosening up already. He sat in his chair, waiting patiently. He made a mental note to speak to White about Senator Collins later. The man was making too many noises, causing too much kerfuffle about the upcoming anniversary. He had forgotten whose side he was on. A sharp reminder was in order. White could see to it. Agnew knew he could rely on him.

  Three short knocks on the door broke his train of thought and the door opened. Verity Dawson, twenty five years old, a graduate of Stanford and now Senior Publicity advisor to the President, entered the room. She shut the door behind her and turned the lock.

  “I don’t believe our meeting is for another hour Mr President.” Verity walked slowly into the centre of the room. She was not fazed by the low level light or lack of people in the room. She knew exactly what she was doing.

  Agnew smiled. Verity was wearing a smart black suit and white blouse. She had her blonde hair bunched up as usual, tied at the back. Her natural brunette roots were just starting to show through. There was something about blondes that he just couldn’t resist. Agnew pulled at his tie. “Take your clothes off. Now.”

  Verity stood in the centre of the room and slowly unbuttoned her blouse. She cast off her jacket and shirt, exposing her firm breasts, cupped in a pure white bra. Then she undid her skirt and let it fall to the floor where she stood. All the time she was undressing, she stared at him, not speaking or making any sound.

  Agnew had removed his tie and he was in the process of taking his shirt off. He came from around the desk and walked up to her.

  Verity licked her lips and ran her hands down his chest. She smiled wickedly and in the dimness of the room, she caught the glint in Agnew’s eyes. “Just don’t leave any marks this time,” she said.

  THREE

  The small Dornier 228 drifted on the air current, jolted sharply in an air pocket, and then settled down to continue toward its destination. Its occupants settled down in their seats unaware of the danger thirty two thousand feet below them. They were cruising in a small but comfortable propeller plane, which had been chartered, organised and paid for many months ago by the American Museum of Natural History. The twelve men and women on board, excluding the two pilots, all worked for the museum in some capacity and had been picked up from American Samoa earlier in the day. They were on route to Scott Base, station FY3902-XX1 in the Antarctic, where they intended to spend the next three weeks observing and exploring the rapidly declining ice shelf. There were reports of new growths on the shelf and a host of interesting new specimens had been excavated already. They were all excited to be in on the possible new discoveries.

  For Tricia Willis, it was her first field trip in nearly six years. She was fifteen years Kelly’s senior, but worked under her at the museum. Unlike Kelly, she disliked field trips and she had managed to avoid them for the last four years. New York was home and her last trip was only to the Rockies, so she didn’t even class it as a real trip, if it wasn’t a different time-zone, it didn’t count. Her office was next to Kelly’s in the basement and she adored working there. She had swept through Philadelphia State and spent a year at a private research clinic before joining Kelly as an assistant. She knew being of African descent had raised a few eyebrows, but Kelly had never brought it up and had employed her for her skills, nothing else. Tricia lived on her own too, besides her cat, and despite being much older than Kelly, looked up to her. Tricia absorbed herself in her work, often stayed late, and appreciated the fact that she could use work as an excuse not to go out. Kelly on the other hand was a buzz of activity, never able to sit still for more than five minutes.

  Tricia drew her jacket up to her chin. When they had boarded the plane it had been hot, but Will had been right. There were no blankets or heating on board, and now it was quite cold. Where they were going was even colder and as soon as they landed, they needed to be rugged up and ready. She had her bag packed with essentials and the new gloves and scarves she had bought in the Macy’s sale on the empty seat next to her.

  “This rust bucket is bloody freezing,” said Tricia to herself. She had tried to convince Kelly that she didn’t need to go, but she knew when she was going to lose an argument and this had been one of those occasions. She was pleased Will had come along too. He was a reassuring presence. He had given her good advice back at the airport and she intended to gain every ounce of knowledge she could from him while he was around. She was sure that the second they got back to New York next month, he would be off straight away. Josef and Wilfred were sitting a little way behind her. She met Wilfred a few times before and they got on well. Wilfred had studied the site they were going to and was going to be invaluable. She did not know Josef very well, but if Wilfred and Rasmus trusted him, then she trusted him. When she thought about it, there wasn’t really anyone at the museum she didn’t get on with. It was like being part of a family. There were no rivalries or idiots there. Everyone just wanted what was best for the museum.

  The plane hit a patch of turbulence and the plane jolted from side to side. Tricia clasped her jacket tighter. She wasn’t afraid of flying, but it felt as if they were travelling in nothing more solid than a paper plane.

  “Any drink service on this flight, Suzy? I could do with a Gin and Tonic. Many more of those air pockets and I might just crap myself,” said Tricia.

  Suzy leaned over the aisle. “After last night, how can you even think about drinking? No, nothing until we reach the base. Should be another four or five hours yet.”

  “Great,” said Tricia. “Shame we couldn’t stay on the flight from JFK all the way, huh?”

  “You got that right,” said Suzy setting back in her chair. She was not looking forward to the next few hours. She had only flown a couple of times before today and had not particularly enjoyed either experience. S
he stretched her legs out and tried not to think about how they were flying thirty thousand feet up in the air, probably doing three hundred miles per hour in a tiny metal can filled with enough gasoline to blow Queens off the map.

  She stretched and pointed her toes under the seat in front, then pulled her dress, which had ridden up during the flight, down over her knees. She probably should have worn something more practical, but she liked to show off her long slim legs. In twenty years, she knew she would probably be as wide as she was tall, like Tricia, but right now, she was fit, healthy, and sexy and saw no reason to hide it. She was a museum director’s assistant, but that didn’t make her a nerd or force her to wear slacks and cardigans all day. Her breasts hadn’t gone south yet and her sense of adventure was still strong. She kept a coat under her seat for when it got really cold, but her thermals were in the overhead locker and they would stay there until they landed.

  Suzy had moved up to New York from Denver with her parents as a child and she had landed her dream job almost straight out of university. Kelly kept her very busy, always flying off around the country or overseas, so her diary was constantly full and changing. Suzy had to look after Tricia too and somehow she seemed to have become the help, constantly running after them both, running errands and making coffee. She put up with it because she knew if she bided her time she could work her way up the chain. She had majored in ecology and was trying to get sponsorship from Kelly for a PhD. Unluckily for her, Suzy was doing such a good job of being her EA, Kelly had no intention of letting her go anytime soon.

  Suzy looked across to the window. Will was in the window seat and had drawn the shade down so that the sunlight only came in half way, streaking across his face below his nose. The seats didn’t move much, yet had had gotten his to recline slightly and had his eyes closed. Being practical, he had insisted on putting his winter gear on as soon as they boarded. He even wore his boots on the flight and she could see a half-eaten Snickers sticking out of his pocket.

  “How’s it going, Will? Asleep yet?” Suzy prodded him and he grunted.

  “Are you kidding me?” he said opening his eyes. “With this turbulence? I’m trying and failing. The pilot’s must have trained on the rollercoaster at Coney Island.”

  Suzy giggled. She wasn’t quite sure of Will yet. He had joined the museum only a year ago, but had proved to be something of a star pupil as far as Kelly was concerned. Half of his time, he spent giving guided tours around the museum. He knew everything there was to know about the museum and its exhibits, from the Akeley hall to the Saurischian dinosaur fossils, and he loved showing the museum off to anyone who cared. The other half of his time, he was employed to find new artefacts and exhibits, which meant he was often using up the museum’s air miles. He had proven himself to be very adept at securing important items for the museum already. He and Suzy had shared a very brief date last month and at the end of the night, he had given her a kiss before leaving. It had been a short one, but his lips had lingered long enough for her to know that he was interested. Since the, he had been so busy travelling, in and out of the office, that they had not had a chance to catch up. Last night had promised much, but delivered little. Ultimately, fate had taken him away from her. They had left together with the intention of finishing their first date only for Will to have to rush off. His mother was ill and Suzy had insisted he go. So the coffee date had been postponed yet again. She didn’t know what was wrong with Will’s mother, but when she asked about it, he clammed up or changed the subject, so she gathered it must be serious.

  The plane dropped abruptly and everyone gasped. This time, the bouncing was more prolonged and Suzy grabbed Will’s arm. The overhead lockers rattled with their contents and the aeroplane threw its passengers about violently for a minute before settling down. Will drew the shade up and peered outside, squinting. He could see the ground beneath them. There was the edge of land, a coastline far below, and he guessed where they were. This was the part of the journey he wished they could just fast forward. The sun was so bright he had to draw the shade again.

  “Sorry,” said Suzy withdrawing her hand. “I’m not a very good flyer.” She looked at his lined face. For someone so young, and with such a wild head of hair, he was already showing a lot of life on his face. Laughter lines creased around his blue eyes and when he looked at her, she could almost feel the years on his rippled forehead. He didn’t look old, but for twenty nine he looked well worn; weathered was how he put it. She’d told him he was grizzled, and she’d meant it in a good way. Too many men she had dated in New York were slimmer than she was and wore as much make-up. Real men were hard to find.

  Will looked at Suzy; her face frowned with concern. “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about,” he said. “If I had a dollar for every time my plane was caught up in turbulence I could’ve retired by now.”

  There were two short pings and the seatbelt sign above them lit up. Will clicked his belt together and noticed Suzy had not even undone hers. He could hear Tricia struggling with hers, trying to stretch it across her ample stomach. Nobody sat next to her.

  Kelly had kept the seat free, knowing it would only cause problems if she tried to sit anyone next to Tricia. Kelly had also purposefully seated Suzy and Will next to each other. She might be single, but she wasn’t stupid.

  “How does he do it?” Suzy asked Will.

  “Who?” said Will still looking at her eyes. He didn’t trust himself not to let his gaze drift down her body and forced himself to maintain eye contact. Why she had chosen to wear such a sexy dress on a trip like this was beyond him; a down jacket and cargo pants would’ve been far more suitable. Not that he was complaining. He had taken to Suzy as soon as they’d met. It was unfortunate he travelled so much as he really wanted to spend more time with her.

  “Professor Rasmus. Look, he’s sleeping like a lion that’s just eaten a whole gazelle. How does he do it? Lucky old man.” Suzy sat straight back in her seat and tried to forget the bumping and bouncing of the aircraft.

  “Easy,” said Will. “He took two Diazepam tablets before we got on. I saw him knock them back with a cold one before we boarded. He knows what he’s doing. He’ll sleep right through it ‘til we get there. I’m afraid the air currents can get pretty strong around here. You might want to try to sleep. It’s not going to get any smoother, Suzy.”

  Professor Rasmus was snoring soundly. He was in the chair one up and over the aisle from them, and his head was lolling back on the neck rest. At sixty-one, he was the most experienced of the group and worked freelance for the museum. He liked to think of himself as semi-retired. The truth was he couldn’t stay away. His wife implored him every day to take a back seat, relax and let the younger ones pick up the strain. He enjoyed it too much though. The thrill of finding new species, exploring places he had not been to before. He had not been to Antarctica for twenty years so there was no way he was going to miss this one. In fact, he was the only one on the plane who had been before. That was a key factor in Kelly taking him along. This would be his last trip, he had promised her. Kelly had reminded him that he had been saying that for the last five years. With Will and Suzy along now, it was a bit like ‘out with the old and in with the new.’

  A journal fell to the floor from Rasmus’ lap and a hand reached down to pick it up. Claire folded the journal up and tucked it into the seat pocket in front of her. At eighteen, she was the baby of the group. She had won a place on the trip as part of a statewide competition run jointly by National Geographic and the museum. She had never been so excited about anything in her life, yet right now, she wished she had taken one of the pills the Professor had offered her. She didn’t mind flying, but all the bumping around was making her feel queasy. She tried to concentrate on her phone again. It was set to flight mode and she was drafting an email to her mother back in New Jersey.

  ‘Oh, Mom, you would not believe what the flight from JFK was like. We got business class all the way to Los Angeles. It was so nice and much be
tter than this crappy plane. I know, I know, I’m not complaining. If this turbulence doesn’t calm down though I think I’m going to throw up. My stomach feels like it’s been turned inside out. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, so from there we flew onto Jakarta and had a very brief stop overnight. We didn’t get to go out or anything. By the time we landed, we just went to bed and we were up at 5am this morning. We caught another flight to American Samoa and then finally this flight. We’re on our way to the base now. It is going to be totally amazing. I am going to take so many pictures and I’m going to send them to you all the time. I assume you can get reception in the Antarctic right? I can’t wait until we land!

  Shoot, I just heard Suzy say it’s going to be another four or five hours yet. I’m being jostled about in my seat and wishing I had taken one of the sleeping pills Rasmus had offered me. He looks like he’s out for the count. Do you remember him? We met at the gala function last night. He was the old guy with the beard. You know, I said he looked like Santa? Well he is super nice. He’s a bit like Granddad, always looking out for me. I swear he has a never-ending supply of mints in his jacket pocket. You remember Kelly and Tricia too, don’t you? They’re kind of in charge but I think everyone just does what the Professor says really.

  So I forgot to tell you who else is here. I’m sitting next to Tug. He’s like the guide. He’s here to cook and clean and look after everyone and carry the heavy bags. He’s okay and he’s also fast asleep right now. Seriously, men! Oh, but Mom, there’s this other guy on our trip, Will. He’s so cute. But don’t worry he’s way too old for me and I think he has the hots for Suzy anyway, Kelly’s assistant.

  Then there’s Mark. He seems quite nice, but he’s quiet so I haven’t spoken to him much. He’s a photographer for National Geographic. He keeps himself to himself. There’s a couple of older guys from the museum too, Wilfred and Josef. It’s so funny, they’re both so old and they’re like brothers, but they’re not! They bicker and squabble like little boys, but they’re as old as Dad. I haven’t had much to do with them really. They’re always reading or talking about stuff so I don’t want to disturb them. Suzy and Rasmus tend to look out for me the most. Suzy is so cool and beautiful and she even has her own apartment in New York. Oh Mom, this trip is going to be amazing, I’m going to learn so much. I’ll totally email you every day. Okay, gotta go now, this plane ride is making me feel sick. Love you, Claire x x x’