Marionette Zombie Series | Book 12 | Dead Reckoning

by Poe, S. B.

  Dead Reckoning

  Book 12

  The Marionette Zombie Series

  SB Poe

  Copyright © 2021 SB Poe

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental

  For My Family

  Contents

  Gathering Clouds

  A Day in Paradise

  Close to the Moment

  Dark

  Afterlife

  End of the Road

  Sins of the Past

  Daybreak

  The Book of Life

  Somewhere, Out There

  Long Ago, Twice Forgotten

  Gathering Clouds

  The curtain shifted as the breeze slipped under the door. The walls creaked at the slight change in pressure and the temperature in the house dipped slightly. Kate blinked and sat up in the bed. She looked at the curtain. The blackness of night was giving way to the next day as the world turned gray. She tried to think about how long she had been asleep. Not long. Minutes. She stood. As soon as her knees straightened, she thought about Scott and they weakened a little. She leaned against the doorframe and looked down the hallway. She had had him back under the same roof for a month, barely. But now, she felt her lip tremble. Stop it, she told herself. The cool air settled on her bare feet. She remembered.

  How long? The trees had been shedding their leaves. She remembered that. JW had been going camping. She pictured Scott tilted back in his chair, watching his screens. Everything had been normal. It was just like any other day. How long? She wondered again. Years. Two? More? It was all a blur. It had been a blur from the moment that first deadun crawled between the buses blocking the cul-de-sac, but everything had really fused together since the day JW died. Since then it had been automatic. Keep the boys safe. But even that was wrong. Keep Scott safe. She had let Josh leave right after JW died. She immediately regretted it, but she didn’t stop it. And now. She looked down. Her shoes were on her feet. She stood and walked out the front door. The tree in the yard swayed as the leaves yielded to the pull of the wind. A few of them flittered across the sidewalk in front of her.

  She paused and looked at the moon. It stood bright against the sky, even though the light of the coming morning was already peaking over the opposite horizon. A scrim of clouds drifted across its face, racing the darkness to the west. She felt the breeze calm as the first orange rays peaked through the gray. She started walking again.

  Bridger leaned against the little building and watched the two of them. He hadn’t slept much for the last two days, but he had managed a few hours last night. He had awoken just as Charlie was finishing the overnight guard shift. Charlie and Jennifer had taken almost every overnight shift since it had all begun. Bridger had asked him about it, but Charlie never did give him a straight answer. Jennifer had told Lori once that they both liked the night. Jennifer’s mother had been a nurse. She had often worked overnight. On the weekends, Charlie and Jennifer would stay up all night. Jennifer had been very young, two or three at most, and they would play games and build castles with pillows and watch cartoons. Anything to stay awake. When her mother came home on Sunday morning, they would all collapse in the big bed together and sleep. By the time her mother got sick, she understood that Charlie had done it all so her mother could have those few hours in bed with her family sleeping all around her. That was how she died. With them gathered around her. Jennifer had been ten.

  Bridger looked around the side of the building, but he didn’t see Jennifer. He did see Charlie and the visitor. Naomi. They were sitting in two lawn chairs opposite one another with the fire pit between them. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he could see Charlie’s face in the glow of the fire. He was smiling. Bridger heard someone behind him and turned.

  “What’s that?” Kate nodded towards the glowing fire.

  “Charlie and our guest.” Bridger said.

  “What are they talking about?” She asked.

  “Don’t know. Wanna go ask them?”

  “Should we?” Kate asked.

  “Hell if I know. I don’t think it really matters though. We’re not going to get any information out of her. At least not anything useful.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “Because we don’t know what’s useful and what’s not. Honestly, Kate, I am completely confused by all of this.” Bridger turned to her. “Seriously.”

  “I’m not. All I care about is getting my son back. Whatever she’s doing, whatever she’s looking for, as long as Scott comes home safe, I don’t care.” Kate said.

  “What did Emma Grace say?” Bridger changed the subject.

  “Same as yesterday. Just wanting to know about her bite.” Kate said. “You know it’s weird. I keep having the same thought.”

  “Yeah, what’s that?” Bridger asked.

  “I remember Charlie outside the gate at the compound. We were waiting for you to get back from here. Cameron was trying to get inside the fence. He had hurt his ankle. Charlie got caught outside. The dead ignored him. Scott saw it. They ignored him the same way those deaduns ignored her when they showed up. They’re all just alike.”

  “You think it’s that simple? They’re just looking for more like them. Immune people?” Bridger asked.

  “Maybe. But I’m not going to sit around and wonder.” Kate straightened her shoulders.

  “What are you…” Bridger started but stopped as Kate stepped around him and started across the open ground towards the fire pit. Bridger reached out for her but was too slow.

  He hesitated and then followed her.

  Josh stood on the roof of the bus with the binoculars to his face. The shadows danced across the street in the distance. He felt the wind pick up, and the smell traveled back into his nose.

  “Dammit.” He wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

  “Been awhile since we had this many around.” Lori said.

  “Those assholes brought them. We need to clear them out.”

  “Clear them out?” Lori asked.

  “We have to at some point. We ain’t just gonna wait for one of them to find a weak spot in the barricade.” Josh said.

  “I guess you’re right. Who do we need to talk to? Your mom?”

  “About what?”

  “Doing it. Clearing them out.” Lori looked at him.

  “Like permission or something?” Josh smiled at her. “I think we’re past all that.”

  “When do you want to get started?” She smiled back.

  “Let’s get started today. I’m sick of just sitting here waiting for the next whatever to happen anyway.” Josh said. “Tilly and Raj come on in a few hours. We can get something to eat and then go.”

  “Just you and me?”

  “We’ll see if Jahda or Devin want to help.” Josh said.

  “I’ll help.” A voice called from below their feet. Josh and Lori looked over the side of the bus. Jennifer stuck her head out of the driver’s window. “I’ll help.”

  “You wanna help us? Clear the dead?” Lori asked.

  “Sure.”

  “Why?” Josh asked.

  “I just do. I’m bored.” Jennifer said.

  “It will be dangerous.” Josh said.

  “You think I’m scared?” Jennifer asked.

  “Really Jen, why?” Lori asked. “You haven’t been out there. Not like we have.”

  “I just do okay. Now do you want my h
elp or not. I guess I could just go by myself.” She said.

  “You can come with us.” Lori said. “Jen?”

  “Yes.”

  “What were you doing in the bus?” Lori asked.

  “I guess dad didn’t wake me up when y’all showed up for your shift.” Jennifer said. “I wasn’t spying on you, if that’s what you think.”

  “No, just wondering.” Lori said.

  “So after lunch?” Jennifer asked.

  “We’ll meet right here.” Josh pointed to the gate.

  “See ya then.” Jennifer said as she stepped off the bus and headed up the still dark street.

  She passed the last house before the field opened up to her right. She could see the low orange fire on the other side of the expanse and her father silhouetted in the glow. She took a step towards him and hesitated. She turned and kept walking in the shadow of the street. The sound of the horse startled her as she rounded the corner and turned towards her house.

  “Good morning, Jennifer.” Ham said. She held the loops in her hand as Cheval nibbled at the weeds poking through the dirt.

  “You’re up early.” Jennifer said.

  “Yeah, kinda. I’ve been taking her for a walk every morning. I think we started a little early today, but I couldn’t sleep too good last night anyway. All the deaduns outside are starting to smell.” Ham said.

  “Well, I’m going to help fix that.” Jennifer said.

  “How?”

  “I’m going with Josh and Lori to start clearing the deaduns.” She said.

  “I wanna go.” Ham said.

  “Uh, okay. I mean, I guess it’s okay. I guess Josh…no. No it’s okay.” Jennifer said.

  “When are you going?” Ham asked.

  “After lunch. We’re gonna meet at the gate.” Jennifer smiled.

  “Are they going to ask Jahda?” Ham asked.

  “I think so. Is something wrong?”

  “No. I mean, she’ll probably not want me to go but.”

  “But what?”

  “I’m still going.” Ham said. “I got pretty good with this.” She lifted the spear from the holder on the side of the saddle.

  “Nice. I had a pitchfork with two of the pointy things broke off but it got left out at the compound. It was like a spear. I liked it.” Jennifer said.

  “I think Cameron made some more. We can go see if he’ll give you one.” Ham said.

  “You think he would.” Jennifer said.

  “Probably. I mean, he gave me a horse.” Ham smiled as she turned Cheval down the road. They started walking.

  Kate stepped into the light of the fire pit and cleared her throat. Naomi turned in her seat to face her. Charlie smiled.

  “Morning Kate.” He said.

  “Morning Charlie. Don’t let me interrupt.” She said.

  “Interrupt what?” Naomi asked.

  “This. Or would you rather have more discussions with Charlie and Emma Grace in private?” Kate said.

  “Look, I know that there is a lot of suspicion in the air right now.” Naomi said. “And I don’t blame you either.”

  “You have my son.”

  “Yeah, there’s that. But maybe things are working their way out. I mean, I’ve only got one more thing before I’ve finished what Noah asked me to do. Then I’ll go talk to him. And if he’s satisfied, things will work out.” Naomi said.

  “What’s the one thing you have left?” Kate asked.

  “The man outside your walls. Ramey?” She looked at Charlie. He nodded. “I need to talk to Ramey.”

  “We haven’t seen him in a few weeks.” Bridger said as he stepped to Kate’s side. “But we haven’t been looking for him either. What if we can’t find him?”

  “That’s a question for later. At least until after we try.” Naomi said. “This morning. Charlie has offered to help.”

  “I’ll help too.” Bridger said.

  “No, you won’t. You’d be more trouble than anything.” Naomi said. “The only help you offer isn’t any kind of help I need. I don’t need anyone to help with the dead. Neither does Charlie. The dead won’t even know we’re there.”

  Scott’s foot slid off the side and the cool air hit his toes. His eyes blinked. The cot squeaked as he rolled over onto his back and sat up. He pulled the blanket up around his shoulders and swung his feet over to the floor. He reached under the cot and grabbed his socks and boots. He glanced up at the little window in the door and could see the gray sky outside. He looked back over his shoulder through the bigger window and could still the moon as it slid towards the horizon. He grabbed his boots and put them on. A new MRE was sitting on the counter. He grabbed it and pulled it open. He dumped out the contents on the table and rummaged out the vegetable cracker. He ripped the package open and nibbled on the exposed corner.

  The trailer had become his new home. He had neighbors, too. Not right next door, but he could hear voices at times and the flicker of light would filter between the other trailers. He had been shuttled exclusively between here and the slits since the exchange took place. The meeting place and the trailers set up with tables and chairs were a memory now. He had seen Noah only for moments, and Hannah had been the only other person that had spoken to him. The others just turned and walked away whenever they saw Hannah escorting him to the bathroom. He reached across the counter and grabbed the water bottle. He spun the top off and stood. He rummaged through the pieces of the MRE again and found the drink mix-grape packet. The sound of voices came to his ear. He held his breath and listened. Mumbling, mostly. He crept to the other end of the trailer and sat down on the bench. The voices were clearer through the open screen window.

  “Do you think it’s possible? After all this time?” A man’s voice.

  “I don’t know. But she does.” A woman’s voice.

  “If they find her, what then?” The man asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Jesus, my head is spinning. I thought all that was over. Gone.” The man said.

  “Apparently he doesn't think it is.”

  “What does that mean for us? For all of it.”

  “I don’t know.” She said.

  “What does she say? He asked.

  “She doesn’t want to wait to find out.” She said.

  “Does he know?”

  “I don’t think we’d still be talking if he did.”

  “We don’t have much time left to…”

  The voices trailed off into the darkness. Scott held the bottle to his lips, straining to hear more, but only heard the sound of the breeze. He reached down and tied the laces of his boots. The latch clicked under his grip and he swung the door open. He stepped out into the morning gray. He pulled his jacket a little tighter and exhaled through his mouth. He couldn’t see his breath, so apparently it wasn’t as cold as it felt. He looked up at the clear sky. The light of the coming sun had dimmed the stars and the sky was empty and gray except for the stark white moon diving for the trees behind him. He turned to make his way to the slits. He wasn’t going to wait for an escort.

  A Day in Paradise

  “You seem nervous.” Naomi said.

  “I can’t say I’m not.” Charlie said as he glanced back over his shoulder. Raj stood on top of the bus, watching as the morning sun climbed behind him. He heard Tilly work the latch and he turned back towards Naomi. “I guess we go that way.”

  They walked down the middle of the street. He could also see a dozen or so deadun between him and the turn to the last place they saw Ramey.

  “You’ve never been out here. With them?” She nodded towards the dead.

  “Not like this. Not on purpose.” He said.

  “How about when it wasn’t on purpose?” Naomi asked.

  “Well, I guess the time I got bit was on purpose and we see how that turned out.” He tapped his shoulder. “But the next time it was a bunch of them and the gate just slammed shut. It was a busy minute for sure. They ignored me, though. Like I wasn’t even there. Like I was one
of em.” He said.

  “And?”

  “And I guess I made it out okay.”

  “But they still frighten you?” Naomi asked.

  “Yeah, I mean, I’ve seen what they can do.”

  “But they won’t do it to you.”

  “You say that. And the fella we’re going to meet tells me that I look like one of them and have no smell, like a hole in the air is what he said. I know all that. But still, I ain’t anxious to go test all that on one of them bastards. Rather pop them in the head and move on.” Charlie said.

  “What else did he tell you?”

  “Not much.”

  “He didn’t tell you how he came to be the way he was?” Naomi asked.

  “Not me, he didn’t. He told some others. But I ain’t sure they told it to me right.” Charlie said.

  “Why’s that?”

  “It sounds too wild. Says he was at some secret lab with the military, well there were soldiers so maybe the rest is true too. But they said he told them there was a doctor there performing experiments on the dead. Gave him some kind of injection. Made him that way.” Charlie said. “Wild.”

  “Did he say where the secret lab was?” Naomi asked.

  “Maybe. But no one told me. Just told me that it all fell apart and the guy woke up with the place over run with the dead.” Charlie said. He looked ahead and paused.

  One deadun stood facing towards them, eyes towards the ground. Another stood almost at its shoulder, looking away from them. He looked at her.

  “Come on. You’ll see. Just walk by.” Naomi said.

  “I’ll follow you.” He said.

  “Fine. Let’s go.” She turned and started walking.

  Charlie crept forward. He paused as his shoes scuffed the asphalt. The deaduns didn’t react. He looked up at her. She turned around.

  “Don’t worry about being quiet.”

  Both the deaduns reacted to her voice but only turned, looked, and then turned back. Charlie froze.

  “They won’t bother you.” Naomi turned and kept walking. He watched the deadun mark her, passing with nothing beyond a glance. He followed and the same deadun turned as he passed by, but again gave him nothing more than a pale-eyed glance. He smiled and kept walking.