After The End (10 page)

“Are you alright? What happened?”

She was unresponsive as the zombie made a
guttural noise. My concern grew as I took a hand from my sword and
touched her shoulder. Her eyes welled up with tears as she
stammered out a reply.

“It-it’s my brother-in-law, Kyle. I thought…I
thought he and his family had…I know it’s foolish, but I thought
they…left. Found somewhere safe. Chase and I hoped…maybe.” She
trailed off as the truth sank in and grief overtook her.

That was the recognition; he looked like
Chase. Sunny’s fortitude had crumbled. This was family. My heart
ached for her as the departed, formerly known as Kyle, dragged the
edged rails in our direction. I thought carefully before disturbing
that quiet.

“Turn around. I’ll put his body to rest.
Remember, that isn’t Kyle anymore; it’s the infection that took him
away. Just turn around and watch the horizon.”

She barely had the axe handle in her hands as
she fixated on his remains. I wasn’t even sure Sunny had understood
me.

“Sunny?”

She finally shifted her gaze to me.

“The rest of the family isn’t here. They
could still be fine. One day they may even wander here, safe and
sound. I’m sorry, but Kyle is long gone; that isn’t Kyle anymore.
Please just turn away and keep watch. I promise I’ll be quick. His
remains will be at rest and his spirit will be able to find
peace.”

I heard a sniffle as she rotated away and
dropped the weapon on the ground. Moving swiftly, I closed the
distance to the zombie and drove my blade through its skull.
Weeping instantly drowned the squelching sound of the blow; it was
over.

I waited a moment to be sure it wouldn’t rise
again before pulling the corpse free and dragging it to a dip in
the ground. There was nothing of use to remove; I pulled the
lighter from my pocket and cremated the body in the small trench.
There was no vegetation to catch fire, so I walked away.

Gathering Sunny from where she’d collapsed, I
half-carried her back up to the entrance of our village.

As we made our way past the field being
tended, all work stopped. The sentry shouted for Chase. Entering
the camp, the weapon dropped from Sunny’s trembling palms. Randolph
picked it up and took my sack as well; he tapped another man and
they left to do our task. Chase flitted through the meager crowd
and grabbed his wife. With panic etched on his face, he belted
questions at no one and everyone in a flurry.

“What happened? Are you all right? Is she
hurt? Was there an attack? Were you injured or bitten or something?
Sweetie, are you okay? What do I need to do?”

She hugged him and sobbed. Chase seemed to
lose his voice in her sorrow. I could see faces checking for wounds
around them.

“I’m sorry, Chase. There was a Dead in one of
the C-frame defenses; it was your brother. I, um, dealt with the
situation. Sunny isn’t hurt, but she’s devastated. I’m sorry for
you both. You two should take some time. The remains are being
cremated to the left side of camp if you want to say goodbye to
Kyle.”

It was disheartening to see our strongest
people in consummate agony. Chase held her to his chest and cried
with her. They rocked slightly as the rest of us peeled away,
afraid to bother the despondent couple. When I left, I saw the kids
near the second cabin.

Their play had halted while they watched
everyone’s worst fear striking low the toughest amongst our number.
Michael led the girls inside, hiding the sight from his sister with
his cupped palm. Ellen’s Mom scurried to hug her child. The rest of
the day, no one complained about hangovers or aches or their
work.

Chase eventually walked with Sunny to bid
farewell to his brother’s ashes. After that, they both remained
within the fort, cooking and cleaning until the Sun slept. Words
were sparse in the community as everybody threw themselves into
their errands. Where their thoughts were can only be guessed.

I forced visions of my loved ones in similar
state into that tiny compartment in my head. Two of my closest
friends were hurting, and nothing I could do or say would change
that. Instead, I went out to fix the traps with one of the Jamaican
men I could hardly understand – I called him Marley Guy.
Thankfully, he liked the nickname. We filed the spikes and lined
the rail walls up correctly. It was like preparing for the next bad
thing somehow made this one less painful.

Checking the pits, we found two more fleshies
to destroy. A third had landed with the spike through its brain,
rendering it permanently deceased. The two of us gathered what was
left of the infected fiends in the burning patch and added some
more kindling.

When we returned, no one mentioned our
findings: the two children had resembled Chase and the other had
been a woman. Even though we couldn’t be sure of their identities,
we didn’t want to risk snatching away the last scraps of hope from
the grieving pair.

There was no scheming or plotting, just an
unspoken understanding that they’d be spared from that despair. I
saw the sparkle of the guard’s binoculars as we carried out our
dismal errand. If he saw our doings, he kept the knowledge to
himself.

Night fell and I realized Cal and Daemon
would be arriving soon. I strode to the portal in the wall to meet
them first and recount the day’s events; it seemed wrong not to
warn them of the change in our friends’ demeanors.

That night was as somber and cheerless as the
prior night had been enthused and jovial. Over the coming weeks,
the camp eased back into its routine and the couple transformed
gingerly into their old selves. Occasionally, a wisp of clouds
envelops their gaze, but they always returned to the present.

The spring was flying by and hurricane season
charged forward. There was a lot of work to be done if we would get
through the storms without a warning system. Our storage was full
of provisions to weather the potentially deadly season.

We stockpiled fresh water, salted meats,
tools, and medical supplies as well as extra arrows and stones for
the bows and slingshots. The weapons building brimmed with knives,
swords, spears, axes, and equipment for traps. We reinforced the
wall and rehearsed our emergency plans. (To die from a storm during
a zombie apocalypse would just be too pathetic for words.)

As preparation for natural disasters was in
full swing, the unnatural disasters continued to disrupt our
community. For some reason – Daemon guessed lack of food – the
Cadaver Fest began wandering out of the urban areas and into the
more deserted marshes, parks, fields, and forests. Every day a
handful of Dead had to be burnt in the clearing to the left of
camp; thankfully, it is far enough downhill that the stench doesn’t
drift into our home. The hard part was burning them as soon as the
sun was up so they’d be done before the afternoon downpour.

Undead training turned into a more practical,
on-the-job kind of thing for Daemon, since he and Cal had more
targets to practice their skills on. The pair never travelled out
of sight of our tower for long. Watching his progress from the
gateway or platform became one of my favorite things about sentry
detail.

Every so often, the elder vampire would give
me a look and speak to me with his mind; it was always the same
reminder to keep my feelings in check. Sometimes I’d see him give
Daemon the same expression and his protégé would nod. Despite the
warnings and restrictions on what our relationship could be, I felt
most connected with the young vampire.

One evening, as I finished reinforcing the
new awning to cover our meal tables, Randolph sprinted over.

“Chase needs you. There are a bunch of
strangers in the woods. Came back to tell you; he and Jamaican guy
went to keep tabs on them.” He wheezed and leaned on the table.
“The strangers have bats and pipes. Not sure if they plan to attack
or are just wandering around..”

The panting messenger jogged towards the
gate, urging me to follow. I yelled instructions to the guard on
the tower.

“Outsiders approaching from the woods. Get
everybody armed and ready. We’re going to meet up with Chase and
Marley-guy to see what these people are up to. If the vamps get
back here first, send one to check on us.”

The camp transformed into a swarm of movement
as we rushed away. As the sun dipped below the horizon, we found
the pair of allies. They lurched behind a copse of moss-laden oaks,
surveying the half dozen people several yards off. I waved to
Chase, informing him of our
Mission
Impossible
presence. Randolph and I scurried to their hiding
place, crouching as we ran. The theme to played in my head; making
me smile despite the gravity of the matter.

“What do you think; do they seem hostile?” I
whispered. Heads shook in unison as Chase answered in hushed
tones.

“Looks like a bunch of lost tourists. They’ve
got pipes and bats, and that short one is carrying a shovel, but
these days everyone is armed with something. No signs of guns or
that they’re aware of our village. These people don’t even seem to
have much gear.”

He tilted his head and softened his eyebrows,
it was clear to me Chase thought we should help; he’d turned off
battle-mode once he assessed them as harmless. I thought for a
moment and agreed with his judgment.

“Should we all pop out and say hello now, or
head back to camp and make introductions in the morning with an
extra couple of people?”

Someone spoke gently into my ear,

“Let’s make friends now.”

Startled by the proximity, I twirled on my
heel as my fist made contact with flesh and I heard the bone
crackle beneath my clenched hand. I’d yelped with surprise at the
intrusion of my space. My knuckles throbbed as I instinctively
reached for my sword.

An icy hand grabbed my arm, preventing me
from drawing the weapon. Looking up, I realized Cal was the one
grasping my wrist to end my attack. He gazed down, scolding the
pale figure that knelt cradling his jaw.

“What exactly was accomplished by dashing
silent as a mouse if you then proceed to cause a ruckus with
foolish pranks? Serves you right, having your face fractured.”

The Roman assisted Daemon to his feet.

“Shake it off, the bone will mend in a few
minutes. Come now, you are making our species look embarrassingly
feeble.”

Relaxing my stance, I laughed loudly and
shook my head.

“Dude, you just got beat up by a human girl;
your macho vampire card is revoked.” I teased as I stepped towards
the encampment of outsiders. “Well, judging by the noise over
there, the tourists know we’re here now; may as well go make
nice.”

I led our little exploratory detail to
formally greet the intruders.

Once I stepped into the flickering
illumination of their small fire, the girl with the shovel stepped
forward; she held it as a lance with the metal edge aimed at my
chest. I paused and held my hands up with the palms openly facing
her. The other residents followed suit and gestured their peaceful
intent as they came alongside me into the light. After what seemed
like eons, their leader lowered her improvised spear to my great
relief.

“Sorry to scare you. We have no interest in
hurting any of you; we just want to make sure your group isn’t a
danger to us. You appear to be leading this bunch; they call me
Squirrel, what’s your name?”

I held my hand out to the petite young woman,
intending to make full introductions after inviting them up to our
encampment for a parley.

A lightning fast parade of foreign gibberish
ambushed my hearing.

Fuck my life, they don’t speak English and
have no idea what I’m saying.

Taking a closer look at the rag-tag
journeyers, I noticed they all wore green, yellow, and blue shirts,
as well as each being in their teens. The picture came together
immediately.

“Brazilian tour group? You all speak
Portuguese?” I asked as the faces of my fellows cringed and jaws
dropped with the revelation.

“Si, falamos Portuguese!”

The leader bombarded me with an avalanche of
words I couldn’t comprehend. I gestured to her to stop.

“I don’t speak Portuguese. Do any of you
speak English? Or maybe Spanish, someone in your bunch has to know
some Spanish, right?” I pleaded with the now frustrated head of the
turistas.

The lone male in the bunch stepped closer,
raising his hand.

“Hablo un poco Espanol.”

I turned to my compatriots.

“Okay anyone speak Spanish, or do we need to
get some backup?” I asked.

I wondered where the other Brazilians from
their original group were; these people always hit the theme parks
in droves of 60 to 80 with one or two translators/chaperones for
each pack. My thoughts were broken as Cal chimed in.

“I speak some Portuguese and fluent Spanish;
I acquired many tongues during my travels.”

Daemon chuckled and elbowed Chase.

“I’ll bet he got some tongue skills while
abroad.”

Cal glowered at the fledgling.

“I can translate if needed, however, I doubt
going through two translators for everything during the daytime
will be worthwhile. Perhaps we should simply offer them some basic
necessities and send them on their way. Being unable to communicate
effectively with these people will only increase the risk to our
group.”

He stood erect and gestured smoothly with his
hands as he elaborated on his advice; I stared in disbelief at his
suggestion.

“We’re risking the security and safety of
everyone – not to mention the increased demands on your food
supplies — if we admit them into the populace. Granted, it would
increase the source of sustenance for Daemon and myself, but I feel
it would be unwise on the whole.”