by Max Lockwood
The group sat in stunned silence. If Matthew couldn’t make them feel bad about how they had treated Sally, then she certainly could. However, she was so innocent that she didn’t mean to stab a dagger into their hearts. She just happened to say the right things to good people who had made an error.
Even Matthew, who admittedly was a little holier-than-thou in his approach, felt uncomfortable as he reflected upon his own views. He had been so adamant to see the zombies as monsters and not the people they once were. Every time he encountered a zombie, he just saw the beast that destroyed his wife. With every kill, he felt like he was getting payback. Now, he was beginning to think of them as the spouses, parents, and children of other decent people. He knew it wasn’t possible to stop killing them, but he still felt a little disappointment in his lack of compassion for those who had turned. They were beyond the point of redemption, but it didn’t make him any less cold for wanting them to suffer.
“I’m so sorry for how I treated you,” Pip said from the back of the group. “When I saw you standing next to the store with that knife in your hand, I lost it. You really scared me. I was expecting to see zombies, not a human who looked ready to attack.”
“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Sally responded.
“I know that. I get that you were scared too. I feel so stupid for making such a big deal out of that Bible. I don’t know why I would think it was anything dangerous. I said some pretty horrible things and I want you to know that’s not who I am.”
“Thanks,” Sally said, smiling. “That means a lot.”
“We all overreacted,” Carl said. “It was a mistake.”
Matthew nodded. “I think we all need to take a step back and think about what we want to accomplish here. If we want to be able to help more people, then maybe we should ask questions before we aim our weapons at strangers. It’s a scary time, but we can’t let fear ruin our lives. The world is a terrible place. That’s not going to change anytime soon. I think if we want to make it out of here alive, we can’t run from our fears. We have to face the scary stuff head on and make rational decisions. Can we agree to still be vigilant, but to treat survivors with a little more kindness from now on?”
“Yeah,” Carl agreed. “We let our fears get the best of us. When it comes down to it, we’ve got to be the best bunch of fighters in the area. If we come across any real danger, we can fight our way out. What we can’t do is freak out over a single stranger. I hate to say it, but we could have obliterated her without a struggle. I think we can all take a step back and calm down a little.”
The rest of the group nodded. Sergio stepped toward Sally and extended his hand. She tentatively accepted his handshake, her bony fingers enveloped in his large hand.
Matthew was relieved that they were coming to an agreement. He didn’t know what he would do if the group split up. When everyone was on the same page, they worked so well together. In one day, they had managed to gather bags full of necessary supplies. Plus, Carl and Sergio were able to clear the atrium of dead bodies and rigged the revolving door to lock. Big panels of cardboard covered the large windows, keeping peeking eyes from looking in.
“Lucas, will you go upstairs and let Genevieve know that everything is okay?” Matthew asked. “I bet she’s worried.”
“Make sure to give her a heads up before you go back to the room,” Carl added. “She’s packing heat.”
“Got it.” He grinned before racing up the stairs.
Ellie got up and scooted a little closer to Sally. She sat down and pulled a small book out of her pack.
“It’s just one of those little New Testaments that church groups hand out, but it’s given me a little comfort in these times too.” She smiled. “I found it when I was on the run. I think it was a sign.”
“I’m sure it was.” Sally smiled.
“Maybe we can read together?” Ellie suggested hopefully. “It might be nice to discuss this with someone else.”
“I would love that.” Sally beamed. “I think that would be great.”
Matthew couldn’t help but smile. The whole group was finally coming together. Sally finally felt welcome and the others had received a much-needed reality check. The tense situation had finally been diffused. He hoped it would stay that way. They worked so much better as a team.
“I think we should have a meal together,” Matthew suggested. “If it’s okay with everyone, I’d like to prepare something special with the supplies we gathered today.”
“Sounds good,” Carl said, getting up from his spot on the floor. “I’m pretty hungry. Who knew how much energy it would take to drag zombie bodies out of this place? You guys really outdid yourselves when you secured this joint.”
“Thanks,” Matthew said appreciatively.
“Ellie says you’re a chef,” Sergio added.
He laughed uncomfortably. “Not really. I wanted to go to school for it, but I didn’t even get the chance to finish my courses. I still like to play around in the kitchen, though.”
“By all means,” Sergio said. “I could use some decent food.”
Matthew grabbed his bag and made his way upstairs with the other men. Carl and Sergio were reminiscing about how disgusting the decaying zombies were that they cleared out of the building. Matthew tuned out when they started mentioning the slime that coated the floor.
Before they reached the stairs, Matthew heard Pip apologize to Sally again. He was never quite sure what to think of Pip. She had a feisty personality from the start, but Matthew had gotten the feeling that she was a bit of a loudmouth. Those personality types typically clashed with Matthew. Then, when she began to attack Sally and incited fear, he worried that she was not a good person after all. But hearing her meekly show remorse for her actions changed his mind. She was still loud and opinionated, but at least these opinions wouldn’t get them into more trouble. Matthew hoped she’d learned her lesson.
20
The first official family meal left a little to be desired, but overall, it was a success. Even though Matthew went highly experimental in his culinary approach, no one complained about what he’d made. Even Pip contributed a bottle of Chardonnay after Lucas accidentally outed her for taking it. From the look on her face when he mentioned it, Pip didn’t want the others to know. Save for Sally, the other adults enjoyed the few sips they got once it was divvied up between the group members.
Lucas surprised Matthew with the gift of lighters, matches, and Sterno warmers. After rigging a food heating system with wire coat hangers and a couple of old aluminum carryout containers, Matthew was able to serve hot food.
For his appetizer, he created his own take on lox with bagel chips, canned salmon, and capers. It wasn’t much of a departure from their usual tuna salad on crackers, but with a little special presentation and a fancy name, the group gobbled it up in seconds. It didn’t bother Matthew that he missed the bulk of conversation as he ran from his makeshift kitchen to the boardroom. He was far happier being able to cook for others.
For the main course, Matthew coated thin slices of Spam with a thin potato chip crust, then fried it in vegetable oil. While he initially felt stupid for grabbing things like oils and spices, specifically after telling the others not to get unnecessary items, he was grateful that he went against his better instinct. The salty meat plus a side of green beans had everyone talking. While it exceeded everyone’s suggested sodium content for the week, the hot food boosted everyone’s spirits.
For dessert, Matthew couldn’t decide what to make, so he offered a chocolate snack cake, cut into small triangles and topped with canned cherries. Next to it, he warmed canned pears and served each one with granola. It was a hit. The dessert was served with tiny cups of coffee, each with a small dribble of condensed milk.
When supper was over, the look of contentment on everyone’s faces was the brightest part of Matthew’s week. His creation wouldn’t have scored him any points in culinary school, but in an abandoned office space, he was treated like a four
-star chef.
“I’m not sure if we can eat like this for every meal,” Matthew said as Carl cleared the paper plates from the table. “For one, the bulk of our supplies are protein bars and energy shakes. Secondly, we would probably have to have a variation on the meal we had tonight. We can substitute beans for corn and Spam for tuna, but it’s all going to be the same after a while. You’ll be sick of my food in a week.”
“Damn,” Lucas said. “I’d consider going out on another supply run tomorrow just to eat like this every day.”
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Matthew chuckled. “I think we can use a few days of little excitement. Eventually, we will have to go back out there. I anticipate we can make it a few weeks, though. If you want to, we can eat the basics for the bulk of the week and I can try to make a special Sunday dinner where we can all eat together like this. I enjoyed this.”
“Me too,” Sergio said. “I like that idea.”
“That sounds amazing,” Carl said. “So, we never went over our inventory. What did you three manage to pick up?”
Matthew felt like it was Christmas morning. He presented a list of all the food items the three had stockpiled on the third-floor office-turned-pantry.
“Six cans of green beans, two boxes of macaroni and cheese, eight cans of tuna, and a jar of olives,” Matthew read, finishing off the food list.
“Nice,” Ellie replied, pleased with the variety. “What did you end up getting for medications?”
Matthew listed the various drugs they’d scored, purposefully omitting the quantity. He downplayed their supply to the whole group and emphasized the drugs they destroyed in case they needed bargaining power.
“There should be enough anti-inflammatory and pain meds for Genevieve’s injury. If anyone else needs them, it’s got to be for an emergency. I don’t anticipate anyone else needing antibiotics either. If anyone gets injured or sick, we have a pretty substantial first aid kit. I’ve left it in the cubicle next to our pantry.”
Carl gave him the thumbs-up. Lucas must have filled him in on their little talk. Matthew kept the more sought-after medications hidden in a desk drawer on the ninth floor. Genevieve had her own limited supply that she was using very responsibly. In fact, her leg was starting to heal to the point where she didn’t take them every chance she got.
“Pip, did you put all of your spoils in the pantry?” Matthew asked. “I just want to make sure we’re not missing anything.”
“No, everything is in there,” she said. “On second though, I’m not sure if spaghetti noodles and pasta sauce was a good idea. It might be hard to boil all of that water.”
“No, it’ll be fine,” Matthew replied. “The only other thing I didn’t put on the list were the things I got for the baby. That’s only because it didn’t really pertain to anyone else.”
“You got something for the baby?” Sally asked, looking confused.
“Sorry, I forgot to tell you,” he said sheepishly. “I got a little caught up in the cooking.”
He went to grab his bag with the rest of he contents he’d picked up for Marigold. One by one, he set the cans of formula, along with a bottle, on the table. Then, he pulled out the package of diapers and wipes he stuffed in the bag. Then, he unwrapped the pacifier and handed it directly to the baby, who instantly popped it into her mouth. She cooed with satisfaction.
Everyone laughed at the cute child’s reaction while Sally’s eyes went misty.
“You didn’t have to,” she started.
“We look out for each other,” Lucas said, “babies included.”
Pip excused herself from the table, saying she wanted to go on a little walk. Ellie got out the deck of cards once the table was clear. After a little persuasion, Sally agreed to take Pip’s spot until she returned.
“I don’t like Pip wandering around the building after dark,” Carl said as his team lost their hand. “I never know what she’s up to.”
“What could she possibly be doing?” Jennifer groaned, rolling her eyes at Carl. “She’s just wandering around an empty building. There aren’t any zombies in here. It’s not like she could possibly get into any trouble.”
“But if she could possibly get into trouble, she would,” he replied.
Jennifer shrugged. “She doesn’t like to be babied.”
“Then maybe she shouldn’t act like a child.” Carl sighed. “She’s had a lack of structure for a lot of her life. I’m not sure what to do to straighten her out. Maybe I should go check on her.”
Jennifer frowned. “But what if she wants some space? To be honest, I think she embarrassed herself today. I know she feels bad about how things went down. Maybe we should respect her privacy. We all handle stress differently.”
“Yeah, but I know my sister better than everyone. You guys may handle stress in a healthy way, but Pip never does. She’s the most self-destructive person I know. I should find her.”
“And I’m saying you shouldn’t,” Jennifer warned. “You know Pip—if someone pushes her to do something, she pushes back even harder. You force her to talk to us and make her sit around here with us, and she’s going to act out. Do you really think it’s going to go well for you?”
Carl looked at the table. “Probably not. I don’t know what else to do. She makes me nervous.”
“Why don’t I check up on her?” Matthew suggested. “I promise I won’t make it obvious or anything. I’ll pretend that I’m looking for something, ask her if she’s doing okay, then I’ll come back down and report back to you. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Carl looked relieved. “Could you? That will help.”
Jennifer shook her head but didn’t vocalize her displeasure. Matthew took this as a sign to proceed.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, exiting the conference room. As he patrolled the floors, he racked his brain to figure out what he was going to say once he found her. Matthew didn’t want to blow his cover and develop a bad relationship with Pip.
As he climbed the floors, Matthew began to get nervous. He had already climbed eight stories and hadn’t seen Pip. He decided that when he saw her, he would say that he was looking for a plastic bag to hold the leftover food. Of course, there were no leftovers, but no one needed to know that.
He was about to bypass the ninth floor to go to the top of the building when he heard a noise. Matthew loudly cleared his throat in case it was Pip. Then, he felt for the knife in his pocket if it wasn’t. Luckily, he spotted Pip at the end of the hall, gazing out the window.
“Oh, hey, Pip,” Matthew said awkwardly. “I was just looking for a bag or a storage container for some leftover food. “Have you seen anything like that up here?” he asked, slowly inching toward her.
Pip jumped, whipping around to face him. She stumbled toward him, hiding something behind her back.
“Nope, I didn’t,” she slurred. “Maybe the next floor. Next time, don’t sneak up on someone when they’re in the middle of the apocalypse.”
Matthew sensed that something was amiss. Pip turned away and plopped down on the ground. She stared out the window, pressing her nose to the glass.
“Sorry, I suppose you’re right. What’s up?” Matthew asked.
“Just sitting,” she said. “It makes it easier for me to think when I’m all alone.”
“Yeah, I get it,” he replied, sitting next to her. She squirmed in her seat, dislodging a bottle from under her shirt. Before she could pick it back up, Matthew reached over her and grabbed it. The vodka bottle was nearly empty. In the last hour, she had consumed what probably equated to about ten shots. Luckily, she was drinking on a full stomach. Unfortunately, she lost her tolerance for alcohol during their fortnight of unintentional detox.
“I thought you put everything in the pantry,” Matthew said, tilting the bottle back and forth like an hourglass.
“I left something for me,” she slurred. “I know it’s wrong to hide this, but Carl wouldn’t be happy about it.”
“He doe
sn’t like when you drink?” Matthew asked.
“He thinks I’ve got problems with alcohol. I disagree, but it’s easiest for everyone if he thinks I’m on my best behavior.”
“You’re shaking,” he said, looking at her hands. ”Did I really scare you that bad?”
“Only because I thought you were Carl,” she said. “I don’t really care if you know that I’m drinking. You wouldn’t tattle on me.”
She stared him in the eyes as if she were challenging him to blab. Matthew was a little afraid of Pip. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to let Carl in on his sister’s little secret.
“Don’t you think you’re overdoing it?” Matthew asked. The stench of booze on Pip’s breath was overpowering. She had to have been tanked. Matthew would have been vomiting if he drank so much so soon, and he was at least fifty pounds heavier than Pip. “If you drank a few normal drinks of this every night, it would last you much longer. You’ve nearly killed the bottle.”
“You sound like Carl,” she groaned. “I thought you were going to be cool.”
“What would you do if zombies ambushed us and you were tanked? You wouldn’t be able to fight, let alone run away. You’d be toast and we’d all be in trouble if we tried to help you.”
“Maybe I don’t want to fight anymore.” She sniffed. “Maybe I’m sick and tired of fighting and I just want to relax.”
She snatched the bottle from Matthew’s hand and took another sip, slopping half of the mouthful down her chin.
“It won’t be like this forever,” Matthew said, grabbing the bottle back. “If we lay low and make careful kills, we can survive this thing, I think the zombies will eventually die off. Then, you can restart your life. You can drink a twelve-pack a day if you like. Just try to keep it under control until then. We need you to stay sharp.”