Die Dead Enough (5 page)

"Well, he's fat, too," Mina said, pointing to Klaus. "Just not as fat as you, but he's not giving up."

"Mina!" her father scolded.

"Don't worry about it, Vernon," Klaus said with a smile. "Guess my secret's out."

"He big, but he solid," said Bobo in reference to Klaus. "Uncle Leo... well...."

"I'm just fat," said Leo, placing both hands on his belly, jiggling it up and down.

"We're not going to leave you up here," Conor said. "We'll just take it slow."

"What if those things catch us?" Leo asked.

"Then - fat or skinny - we're all screwed," said Aiden. "Now everyone just relax for a few minutes, get a little rest before we head back down."

Aiden pulled Conor aside, shaking his head.

"This is fucked," he said.

"No shit," Conor replied, looking over the group as they sat on the rooftop, talking in hushed tones.

"These people are gonna get us all killed," Aiden said. "Young girls, old people, Uncle Leo..."

"What are you saying? You wanna ditch 'em?" asked Conor, with an accusatory look.

"No, no. I'm not heartless, but..."

"I know what you mean. I have a feeling that the next time the zombies find us, we won't be so lucky," said Conor.

"You ain't wrong," Aiden said with a mock-southern accent.

"I'm not sure what else to do. We have to get down from here if we're gonna survive," Conor said.

"Let's walk the edge, see if there are any other ways down," said Aiden. "Another building close enough to jump to or something."

"Sounds good," his brother answered.

"In the end, I'm not sacrificing myself for any of these people. Not to sound harsh, but... I care about you, Gibby and Klaus. That's it. If the rest get eaten, that sucks, but I'm not shedding any tears over it. I want to live."

"Hey, I'm your big brother. Been protecting you your whole life. I'm not stopping now," Conor said, slapping Aiden on the back.

CHAPTER THREE

There was no other way down. The brothers had walked the outer ledge for nearly thirty minutes, looking for possibilities, but finding nothing. As they came back around to the group, they stopped about fifty yards away and out of earshot.

"So back down the stairwell," Aiden said, studying the people, sitting in a few separate clusters. He found himself contemplating which might be the first to die. He could not decide between the sisters and the old people.

"Yep. If shit goes tits up and we get separated, find the van. Try to stay somewhere close to it and I'll make my way there as soon as I can."

"All right. Sounds like a plan."

"We need weapons, man," Conor said. "Anything to defend ourselves."

"We need cheeseburgers," said Aiden, closing his eyes. "I'm fuckin' starvin'"

"Heh, me too, brother."

"First, let's get out of this building, then we'll find a convenience store or gas station or something," said Aiden, his eyes now falling on Vernon who glared back at him with black eyes and scratched cheeks. "I do not trust that guy..."

"Vernon? Well, I did punch him in the face. That would piss me off, too," Conor said with a shrug.

"He keeps giving me the stink-eye like that, I'm gonna throw him off the roof," Aiden replied.

Conor just nodded with a smile.

They walked to the others, who looked up at them expectantly.

"See anything?" Klaus asked, squinting against the bright morning sun.

"Nothing. There's really no other way off this roof," said Conor as several of them dropped their heads in disappointment. "I think we should go now."

"Can't we rest just a bit more?" asked Mina in a tiny voice.

"I don't think we should," he replied. "The longer we wait, the more exhausted and hungry we will be. If I have to run or fight, I want to be as strong as possible."

"I'm still gone wait here, brother," said Uncle Leo, with a sidelong glance from Bobo. Leo turned to look him in the eyes. "You don't have to stay with me, Bo. I'm just gone give it a few days 'til everything clears out. Then when all those dead freaks disappear, I'll make my way down."

"Leo, come on, dog. You can't stay here. Those things could come up to the roof and then what?"

"I'll lock the door-"

"Door don't lock from the outside," Bobo said.

"I'll sit against it. Think they can push my fat ass out the way?"

"Leo-"

"I'm a be all right, Bo. Should be pretty obvious I can go without food for a couple days," Leo said with a chuckle and a hand on his belly.

"You sure about this?" Aiden asked. "We got your back, man. We'll go as slow as you need."

"I ain't gone be the reason everyone end up dead. I do appreciate the concern, though," said Uncle Leo.

"Mama said chocolate milk this time, Annie," Albert blurted out, his eyes crazed. "Chocolate, not white. I like chocolate..."

"That's gonna be a problem," Gibby said, standing to join Conor and Aiden. "He starts jabberin' when we're inside and they'll be on us in no time."

"I heard you, young man," said Albert's wife. "You're not leaving us here. I'll keep him quiet."

Gibby looked at Conor with a doubtful expression.

"You sure?" Conor asked of her.

"Yes. I can do it. He listens to me," she replied.

"I hope so," said Conor. "One outburst might be the end for us."

"He will listen," she said with confidence.

"All right," Conor reluctantly agreed. "Everyone ready?"

The others came to their feet, grumbling and with fear on their faces.

"The plan is to go back down exactly the way we came up. Get to that lobby area and out into the parking garage. Remember, anything could happen in there. Do not talk. Walk quietly. Use your texting if you need to communicate."

They nodded, following him with their eyes as he went to the metal door and placed his hand on the handle. Aiden was at his side, Klaus and Gibby just behind.

"Be safe, ya'll," Uncle Leo said, raising a hand.

"You, too, Leo," said Aiden. "Good luck." He then turned to Conor. "If there's anything behind that door, slam it and we'll put our weight against it."

"Right," Conor said, swallowing hard in anxiety. Something inside of him wanted to call the whole thing off. "Here goes," he said.

He turned the handle with an audible click, held his breath and slowly pulled the door open, staring into the darkness. He could see nothing inside, only the topmost steps and the metal railing that led down them. He pulled the door wide open, letting more of the morning light inside. All was silent within.

Conor turned, giving Aiden a reassuring nod. An emaciated arm reached out from the shadows to his left, tattered skin hanging from it as the dead hand came down hard on his shoulder.

"Conor!" Aiden called out, grabbing his brother by the shirt and yanking him out of the doorway. His action pulled the zombie out into the open as its fingers had become locked in the fabric of Conor's shirt. Conor spun, tearing the shirt and putting both forearms against the thing's chest. He shoved it backward, its rib bones cracking with the force.

The thing hit the doorframe and collapsed to its knees with a moan, then began to rise once more. Its yellowed skin was covered in open wounds that did not bleed, its eyes shot with red as it stared at them with an animalistic lust. Its rotten teeth clapped together once as it got its legs under it and shakily stood.

Gibby ran to the door and tried to push it closed, fearing the noise would draw more zombies. He shoved it hard, but it collided with the zombie as it stood and with a burst of speed, it leapt at him, getting its fingers around his throat.

"Shit! No, Gib!" Aiden screamed. Conor rushed forward and slammed his fist into the zombie's skull. He felt the bone sink in under the punch, the resistance soft and spongy. It did not react, as if it had not felt the punch. Conor seized the thing from behind, fingers grasping its protruding collarbones and pulled with all his might. He could hear Gibby gurgling, unable to breathe as the zombie struggled to bite him.

"Aaah! Let go of m-" Gibby called out, thrashing his head about in an attempt to free himself. There came a loud snapping sound as one of the creature's collarbones broke in two and caused Conor to lose his balance, spinning away and falling to the rooftop.

In the next heartbeat, the zombie threw its face forward, sinking its teeth into Gibby's throat as he screamed out in horror and pain.

Klaus threw himself against the monster, striking it with his shoulder and sending it back into the doorway, where it could be heard to tumble down the steps. Klaus slammed the door and dropped to the floor with his back against it as everyone else converged on Gibby, whose neck was now spurting blood.

One of the old ladies pulled a white scarf from her handbag and quickly gave it to Conor who folded it and placed it against Gibby's throat. He applied pressure, but the wound was massive and the blood would not stop flowing.

"Damn...D-dammit..." Gibby mumbled, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. "I'm gonna t-turn into one of those fuckin' things, man....D-don't let that h-happen, dude. You gotta do s-something..."

The scarf had already filled with blood, Conor's hands now red up to the wrist as Gibby's face grew pale and ghostly in color.

"Just hold on, Gib," said Conor. "It's gonna be all right," he lied as Gibby's hands began to violently shake.

The others began to back away, with Conor and Aiden remaining by his side.

"I... don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I d-don't wanna... oh, shit," Gibby muttered, bloody spittle running slowly down his chin. His eyes stopped their erratic movement and grew blank, his mouth falling open as his head fell forward. He sat motionless, his body growing limp.

Conor looked at Aiden with disbelief and uncertainty.

"He's gonna t-" he started.

"K-kill me..." Gibby suddenly spat, only his lips moving. Instantly the whites of his eyes darkened to a crimson red. "Kill....k-kill...k-kill. Kill!"

Gibby jumped to his feet, his face contorting as he bit at the air and lunged for Aiden. Conor stepped behind him and grabbed his arms as Klaus rushed in to help.

He-who-was-Gibby twisted about like mad, trying his best to sink his teeth into them, a deafening scream coming from his newborn throat.

"Fuck!" Aiden shouted, backing away. "Hold him!"

"He's too damned strong!" Klaus called out, struggling to keep the zombies arms locked.

Gibby began to drag Conor and Klaus, moving closer and closer to Aiden, bent on consuming his flesh. Klaus reached into his back pocket, pulled out the scissors he had previously used and tossed them to Aiden.

"Blind him! Just like I did to that other one!" Klaus shouted, his feet skidding across the rooftop. He would never have imagined the scrawny Gibby having this sort of strength. Together Klaus and Conor must weigh near five hundred pounds and Gibby pulled them as if they were children.

Aiden caught the scissors mid-air and tentatively stepped forward, holding them overhead. Gibby shuffled across the roof, now-black tongue running across his teeth, wide eyes crazed with maniacal hunger. Aiden stepped in, waiting for the right moment, keeping track of Gibby's unpredictable movements.

"Shit, I don't wanna do this..." AIden mumbled, gripping the scissor handles tightly. "I mean... it's Gibby, man..."

He hesitated, backing farther away, now dangerously close to the edge of the roof.

"You have to do it, Aiden," said Conor, his voice straining as he pulled against Gibby's momentum. "He's gonna kill us all, turn us into zombies. Forget who he used to be. Gibby's gone now. This thing is... something else."

"You're right," Aiden said, nodding in agreement. "Fucking hard, though. Never really jammed a blade into someone's fucking eyeball before, ya know?"

"Just do it, dammit!" Vernon called out, stepping up, pointing at Gibby. "You're putting us all in danger. Man up, boy or give those scissors to someone who ain't afraid."

Aiden's calves hit up against the ledge. He could go no farther and Gibby kept coming, dragging the others behind him.

"Sorry, Gib," Aiden said and brought the scissors down hard. At the last moment, Gibby jerked his head slightly, causing the blades to strike the bridge of his nose, gouging out a chunk of flesh and wrenching the scissors from Aiden's hand.

They had fallen out of his reach and Gibby was too close.

"Oh, fuck," Aiden said, sliding to his left as Gibby's arms swept out for him, narrowly missing his head as he ducked away.

"Heads up!"

In the blink of an eye, Bobo rushed in, throwing his shoulder against Gibby and sending him off of the roof to fall, limbs flailing, to the street below.

It took a few moments before someone spoke, but finally Klaus cleared his throat.

"Everyone OK?" he asked and received nods in response.

"No thanks to this guy," Vernon said, pointing at Aiden. "Grow a pair of balls, will ya?"

Aiden jumped to his feet.

"You got a fuckin' problem, asshole? I didn't see you jump in and help," he said, walking toward the man, whose girls stood behind him.

"Didn't think I needed to. Thought you were a man. Guess I was wrong," said Vernon, adjusting his worn ball cap with a smirk.

Aiden rushed at him.

"Mother fucker, I'm gonna break your goddamned jaw," he said, but Bobo stepped in between them.

"Brother, take care of this later," he said, looking Aiden square in the eyes. "Don't worry 'bout him right now. We got to get off this roof. Right now. Ain't no time for fightin'"

"Fuck that. Let me kick the shit outta him first, then we can go," said Aiden, trying to step around Bobo.

Bobo grabbed his shoulder and Aiden drew back his fist in anger, threatening him with it.

"Shhh... you don't wanna do that, playah. I ain't the one yo pissed at. Let's take care of business first. When we outta here, I'll help ya kick his ass."

Aiden chewed his lip, fuming.

"All right. Vernon, when we're clear, you and I are gonna go a few rounds," he said, spitting on the roof.

"Fine by me..." said Vernon as Aiden turned to walk away.

"I'm gonna kill that bastard," Aiden said as he rejoined his brother. "You watch him. He'll turn on us as soon as he gets a chance."

"Yep," Conor replied. "He's a problem."

"Jesus. I can't believe what just happened here. Is Gibby really dead? I mean - fuckin' hell!"

"I know. I can't process it. Turned right in front of my eyes and I still can't accept it. Is this really happening right now?"

"Gibby, man. We made fun of him all the time, but... he was cool," Aiden said, shaking his head.

"He was one of us," Conor added. "He may have been a shitty drummer, but he was
our
shitty drummer."