DEAD FACTIONS - the Zombie War Narratives - a Novella

by Michael Carr

  Richards is right….happiness is only a distant thought. There is no foreseeable way to gain it. Currently, life is one horrible day after another and Corey is tired of it. As much as he wants to believe the Doctor, he wants an opportunity at a simpler way of life. But that thought is vague compared to Thomas’ recent words. A continuous phrase plays over again…“You are a pawn.”

  There is a moment of nothing. Everyone seems to freeze in place. A pause to rehash what has brought them to this point. Among the three, it is obviously different. Corey is angry and debating on performing an act of justice. Tonya sees a damaged soul to whom she relates, but one that needs help and Richards sees his campaign standing idle.

  The Doctor snarls, breaks free of Corey and hurls him 5 yards away, starts to approach but stops as Corey aims the gun at him, “So Thomas told you everything, huh? Which part did he say that upset you the most? Tell me?!! I am curious. Was it really the part about being used? (in a satirical tone) Is that what hurt you?! Are you such an ingrate for what I have given you? Oh, wait.

  Tell me it was when he told you about your brother and sister. What is done is done; it is not personal. It is science and you learn that not everyone is capable of such sensitive testing. That’s why you are special. Let’s face it, they were lousy subjects and couldn't handle the injections like you. Shit, they both died minutes after I injected them. It was pathetic. The way they convulsed and shook. I really thought they had a chance. We must think of the bright side to this, they didn’t die in vain. It was their gift that allowed me to perfect the Lu-Ci-4 injection and provided you, rather us, our uniqueness.” Corey grips the gun with both hands and pulls the hammer back. He cannot help but be emotional...the gun shakes as a tear runs down his cheek. “No, Thomas failed to tell me that part.”

  “Corey, you have to ask yourself…with what you have and with what you are now able to do, how much more capable am I of inflicting the same destruction on you?” The dead stare of Richards insured he was not bluffing. He had no problem now with proving it to Corey. “The power you have…I made sure I could do as well. Trust me kid, you are going to need more than a gun.”

  BAM!!!!

  A resonating blast is heard...almost to the point of making their ears ring. Richards drops to the ground in an awkward position, his fingers twitching, and blood pouring from the side of his head.

  Corey was on ground with the gun still pointed in Richards’ direction, sweating, but unable to move. Tonya weakly calls out, “Corey?” He looks to her….her arms still extended, but trembling, tears down her cheeks…the gun still in her hands. Their eyes meet and time stops…both of them unable to breathe. Corey shakes his head ‘I didn’t…’ His finger is positioned on the trigger of Richards’ confiscated gun. His finger has not moved. He looks at Tonya…disbelieving.

  Patrick approaches the scene with a smoking rifle resting on his shoulder, “I saw him time and time again watching Corey closely. You forget. I am the one you guys always left with this egomaniac. It’s no surprise that he was up to no good. Seriously, he was always talking about how much Corey had improved and how his powers were increasing. Thinking about what he did disgusts me…I don’t want to talk about it anymore. We are better off without him. Besides, we have the Doctor’s medical stash.” Patrick is puzzled why the two continue to look at him in disbelief.

  “I thought you would be impressed, thankful. Shit Corey, it was apparent he was about to mess your day up big time. What?! Was I wrong?”

  Tonya drops her gun and slowly walks to Corey. She drops to the ground beside Corey and cries, “I’m so ashamed! I thought he was going to help you. I was trying to stop you from killing him…I didn’t know what to do. Then, he admitted doing all those horrible things! I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you. I thought you weren’t thinking straight, that the drug had confused you and you were going to kill the man that would keep you alive. I’m so sorry…can you ever forgive me?”

  Corey reaches to Tonya and holds her, grateful she is there, “There is nothing to forgive.” Tonya clings to him and sobs. His embrace is more real than ever before. She knows he feels something for her. In typical Corey style, the embrace lasts only a moment, “Come on, let’s get out of here.” She hesitates, not wanting to let go. Corey understands, “Tonya, there’s things inside me that are broken.” He stands and pulls her to her feet. “They aren’t going to be fixed here or today.”

  He goes to Patrick and slaps him on the arm, “Way to step up to the plate, soldier. Just remember, as long as I have this thing on my arm, I call the shots!”

  Patrick replies, “Had to be done…I can’t fly that ship!”

  Tonya asks, “Where are we off to?”

  With a determined look on his face and sensing that an enemy is still alive, Corey replies, “Find Anders.” Corey and Tonya head towards the ship.

  Patrick, still standing in place puts one hand in the air to gain the attention of the two walking away, “Uh…Hello? Heroes first? Are you guys really going to leave me here?”

  There was no answer. Corey’s mind was on finding Anders and righting a bad decision…sometimes lessons are learned the hard way.

  “Crap!” Young Patrick hurries after his friends.

  Some distance away...Thomas' body lies motionless. Sand passing over his body from the thrust of the ship’s lift off is the only noticeable movement. Thomas’ hand slowly closes into a fist then extends rapidly. In slow motion, his hand and claw begin to spread across the flat ground. Pushing down, he tries to support the weight of his body and slowly tries to stand, struggling. Barely on his feet, Thomas with a large portion of his head gone, staggers in a circular motion desperately grasping for a bit of his undead existence. Nevertheless, it is slipping...slipping. His awkward motion slows, then stops. Still standing but slightly humped over he takes one last look at a despondent world, one he desperately wanted to control. Unsuccessful in any way to overcome his trauma, he falls back to the ground and his hope for resurgence expires.

  As for Corey, a new journey has unfolded. Though the future is still uncertain, he knows he is now with family…two people who have proven their concern for him. Their devotion has renewed some of Corey’s faith in humanity and he realizes he must return and extend what he has learned to one he left behind. Corey puts the ship on a path to a familiar area. As the ship nears its destination, Tonya moves in front of one of the ship’s control panels that projects images of the earth’s surface. “What’s going on down there? It looks like a city on fire?”

  “It is the place I first went after the infection began,” Corey looks at the decayed hand moving it in order to get the landing right.

  Patrick leaves his seat and moves closer to watch Corey. Patrick grabs a bar overhead to support himself during the shifty landing. “Are you seriously going to go in there? It looks like all Hell has broken loose.”

  As the ship lands, Corey looks over the weapons in the ship and decides which he is going to take.

  “It is important that you two stay here while I go and retrieve someone.” Corey hits a sensor with the mutant’s hand to open the hatch of the ship. Tonya unbuckles her restraint and moves close to Corey.

  With concern she speaks softly, “Who is worth risking anything else for? Why do this?”

  He looks back and smiles, “Relax, all should go well…shouldn’t be more than a minor skirmish.”