Girl Z: My Life As A Teenage Zombie (14 page)

“Honey, Main, and Forty-fifth,” my aunt stated. “Take it easy.”

“We're on Main and Forty-fifth,” Carm sputtered, her voice getting higher in her excitement. I squeezed her arm and tried to get her to calm down.

“Hurry, please, there's a bunch of them. They're yelling! They hit our car, they broke the window.” She bit back a sob. “Oh, please, hurry. Wait, yes-yes, I hear it. Thank you, thank you.”

We all sighed in relief at the scream of the police car siren headed our way. Carm and I watched out the window at people running all over the street like ants fleeing the approach of an anteater.

“Girls, are you all right? You're not hurt?”

“We're fine,
Tia.
Are you okay?”

“
Sí.
Not great, I'm a little shook up, but I'll be fine. All I want is to get home, lock the door, and curl up with a hot toddy. I've got hot chocolate and some hot cranberry juice for you, Becca. How's that sound?”

“
Bueno, Tia, muy bueno
, but aren't you going to stop and talk to
la policia?”

She shook her head and kept driving, leaning on the accelerator a little more. “No, not now. I'll call when we get home. We need to get you girls home safe.”

Carm motioned at the window, her worry showing in how she wrung her hands in her lap. “
Sí
, Becca? There's another group. Aunt Imelda, there's more of them up ahead.”

My aunt pursed her lips and stomped her foot on the accelerator. The car rocketed forward like it was super-powered. “I see them. Girls,
por favor,
until we get home get down, stay low.
Muchos locos. No comprende que pasa. Loco, muy loco.
”

I motioned Carm closer and whispered in her ear. “This is all getting to
Tia,
I think. She's muttering in Spanish. Where'd they all come from? What's going on?”

The earlier conversation my aunt and I had came back. I peeked from behind the seat. “
Tia
? Can you put the radio on? Maybe we missed something.”

She stopped muttering for a second, tuned in the news radio station and began to
tsk-tsk
and mumble again as the announcer came on. “
Ay, loco, niñas. Todo el mundo está loco.”

“Local police are reporting attacks on cars by flash mobs in response to recent reports about the spread of the Z virus,” the announcer said. “WHO officials state there is no cause for alarm. Updated vaccines are…”

“Which means there is, right?” Carm whispered.

“
Tia,
isn't that what we just talked about?”

“
Sí,
Becca. I am thinking
el gato
is out of the bag. The virus is spreading and people are going
loco.
I better call Franco again about the dog.”

I scrunched down as close to my cousin as possible and whispered, “Carm, I think it's time. This is getting too close to home.” I tried to prepare myself for her answer.

“I know, cuz, I know, but what're we going to do?” Carm clasped and unclasped her hands. “Where'll we go? This is so freaky. I-I don't know if we should go by ourselves. You scared?”

“Yeah, I'm scared. I'd be crazy if I wasn't.” This was more real than I'd imagined. I hadn't thought this far ahead.

I pondered everything for a minute and tried to figure out what we needed to do next. “Your mom was driving right? So my mom's car's still in the garage. We can take that.”

“Bec, neither of us have a driver's license.”

“C'mon, you think it really matters? I have my permit and I can drive well enough, I'm just a lousy parker. We'll take the side streets.” “Won't, you know, there be more of
them
be on the back roads? What about the soldiers?” Gulp.

She was probably right, but I had a hunch it would be the same no matter where we went. “I think the soldiers and police are too busy with the mobs to bother with much else. I guess we should stay off the main roads. We don't want to attract too much attention. Maybe we'll zigzag around. I don't know. We'll figure it out.”

“Where are we going?”

I fought off a flutter of panic. I didn't know. Where would we go?
Think.
Okay, where would my mother go if she couldn't get home? We didn't have any other family living around here. Who would she contact?

“Bec?”

“I'm thinking. Wait, I know. There's only one place my mom will think is safe. We should still go to her friend Grace's house in Lake Geneva. It's more isolated. Probably less of
them
around, I hope. I think Mr. Jensen lives near her, too. He can help us.

The rest of our planning would have to wait as my aunt's frantic call grabbed our attention. “Girls? Stay down,
más locos
ahead. Darn. Hang on.
Aieee…
darn, I don't have any more patience with this.”

In response, she leaned on the horn and revved the car, sending us speeding by like we'd gotten caught up in the Indy 500. A few swerves and more beeping, we barreled down the road leaving a group of protestors eating our dust, yelling and cursing in our wake.

With a curse, my aunt warned us to hang on. “More
idiotas
ahead girls, I'm going around and parking behind the house.”

She swerved again, sending me and Carm banging off each other and against the seats like bumper cars. Poor Carm had turned positively green. On top of that, she'd be a colorful black and blue
mañana.

Me? I didn't want to think about what repeated bruising and banging did to my eroding and weakened flesh. The possibility I might need a larger bandage on the weird spot on my leg crossed my mind.

Best not think about any of this right now. The group of
locos
on the corner screamed at us, but stayed put as we rounded the corner. “Must be our lucky day,” I muttered. The car bumped and rocked slowly down the narrow alleyway.

My aunt pulled in next to the garage and flicked off the ignition. “C'mon, hurry, let's get inside. I'll pull the car out front later once the crazies go home.
Locos idiotas. Morons.”

Carm and I exchanged glances as we followed my aunt through the back yard and into the house. Slamming the gate, she locked it and rechecked it several times. She repeated the process inside, locking and rechecking the doors, her muttered monologue growing with each step she took toward the kitchen.

“Girls, I'm having a glass of wine and calling my cousin. He told me he'll bring his dog, Chico, over whenever I wanted. I think it's time.”

Not knowing what else to do with ourselves, Carm and I went upstairs, and watched out the window for my cousin. I love dogs, but I still wondered…“Carm?”

“
Hmm
?”

“Will, you know, the dog hate me?”

“Hate you? Why?”

“You know, because I'm, uh, different? I must smell different, don't you think?”

Carm stared at me, then glanced away, but not fast enough for me to miss the flash of guilt. “Well, maybe. You do, um, kind of smell a little sometimes.”

Her comment made me jump like she'd stabbed me. “Wh-what? You-you mean I'm starting to smell like-like…” I gulped. The idea repulsed me. “Like one of
them
?”

Carm gave me a sheepish look before she answered. “Bec, I didn't want to say anything. But don't worry. You're nothing like them. It's only a little. A real little. It's hardly noticeable.”

“You noticed.”

“Uh, ah, it's because I'm by you all the time,” she sputtered. “Don't worry about it.”

“Easy for you to say. You don't smell like rotten eggs.”

“You don't either.”

“Oh.” I paused and gave it some thought. I sniffed one arm, smelled my hand, and shrugged. “Okay. Truth. What do I smell like? I don't smell a thing.”

“Um, it's hard to describe. I hate to say this. You know the garbage landfill? It's a little like that. It's like you pass by it real fast and smelled something, but you can't tell what it is and then it's gone. It's real faint and it's not around all the time.”

“Garbage? I smell like garbage?”

Carm gave an exasperated sigh and folded her arms. “No, you don't. I just, uh, don't know how to describe it. It's a weird smell. It's hard to describe, but it's not really noticeable and it's not bad. Honest.”

“Wow, well, it's nice to know what you think, cuz. Thanks a lot.”

“Hey, c'mon, Bec. Don't get mad at me. This wasn't my idea. You brought it up.”

“And you had to tell me, right?”

“What did you want me to say? Don't be mad.”

“I suppose you have something to say about that, too?”

Carm took a deep breath and glared at me. “Cuz, forget it, okay? I'm sorry, I really am.”

“You know what? I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry I messed up your life. I'm sorry I got in the way when
your brother
decided to come and share his wonderful secrets with us.”

Carm stared at me, her lips compressed in a thin line. “I guess there's nothing else to say. I'll be in my room.”

As she turned away, the space suddenly felt smaller. I watched her go to the door, the feeling of being abandoned almost suffocating me. “Carm? You-you're not bailing out on me, are you? We're still going out there, together?”

She stared at me, both angry and sad at the same time. “Bec, no matter what, I have to find out where my mother went and see if she needs any help. I'm going even if we have to spend every minute together from now on being quiet. If we don't say one word to each other for days or weeks or whatever, I'm not giving up on what we need to do.”

It wasn't what I wanted to hear, but I knew it could've been much worse. I plopped on the bed and wondered how we'd manage if we weren't even on speaking terms.

Jumping up, I trudged over to the staircase at my aunt's call from downstairs.

“Becca, honey? Come talk to me.”

I joined my aunt in the kitchen. She sat at the table, packing a large cooler with ice packs and other items. “
Tia?
What're you doing?”

“Honey, did you forget? Your juice bars and your snacks. You'll need to eat, right? I found a bigger cooler. Everything is frozen. You may need to get new ice packs and replace your food.”

Then she told me about a new high protein powder she'd found made from ground chicken. The hospital gave its okay. All I had to do was mix it with water, she directed.

I made a face. “Ick, it sounds horrible. Liquid chicken?”

My aunt pushed a glass of pink liquid across the table. “Here, try it. It's pink lemonade flavored.”

Tia
ignored my protests. She raised her eyebrows and urged me on. “Go ahead. I tasted it. I wouldn't know it wasn't regular pink lemonade if someone didn't tell me.”

The glass in front of me, I eyed the liquid, grabbed a straw, and took a tentative sip. “
Mmm
, I like it. I'm so tired of cranberry. Can I drink it anytime?”

“All they said was because it's a high protein, use as needed. You'll know what works.”

The wall phone gave a shrill blast. I ran to answer it, my hopes high. “Hello? Mom? Hello?” I hung up, feeling more dejected. “Nobody there.”

“Maybe a telemarketer, honey,” Tia responded. “Don't worry, she'll call.”

I didn't feel ready for all this. Instead, I felt like Dorothy in Oz—lost, and scared. My shoulders shook as I hiccup-cried. “
Tia?
Why did God do this, why? I'm scared and Carm's mad at me and what if…”

I babbled on until she enveloped me in a big hug.

“Honey, honey, take it easy. You know I don't want you to leave. I'd prefer you didn't, at least not unless we hear from your mother first. I'd love to go with you, but someone has to be here, just in case. You and Carm'll do fine. You're strong girls, both of you. Remember, God didn't do this, people did. I'll be praying until you and your mamas all come home safe. I know you'll be okay,
Sí?
”

I sniffled and wiped my too-dry eyes. “
Sí
.” Her warm lips pressed against my cool skin and rested there for a moment, the warmth sizzling like a hot coal in the center of my forehead until the feeling faded. The doorbell's ring prompted my aunt to get back to work.

“Now, in case we don't have time, remember you always have all my love and prayers. If you need anything, don't be afraid to call whenever you need to, don't worry about the time. If I can't help you, I'll find someone who can. I already told Carm.” She slid the cooler shut and carried it out into the hall. “That must be Franco. Put this with your things, and then come say hello to your uncle.”

I braced myself as she opened the door to a big man and an even bigger, scary-looking black dog.

I was dead meat.

My Uncle Franco greeted me warmly. Lucky for me, he must've sensed my uneasiness and assured me not to be afraid of his German Shepherd dog, Chico, despite the dog's huge feet, big head, and even bigger teeth.

“Don't worry,
chica
,” Franco reassured.

“This dog, what can I say? He is
un amante.
He loves the ladies, but he'll be on guard, especially if anyone tries to hurt or threaten you, your aunt, or anyone else
en su casa
.”

I thanked him and tried to appear at ease, though I couldn't get out of sight fast enough. To my surprise, the dog glanced my way only once and kept his distance, preferring instead to greet my aunt with slobbery kisses, his interest centered on the cookies in her pocket.

Tia
winked when I backed out of the room.

My pace quickened once I hit the stairs, the fear of hearing the thump of big dog feet making me move faster. Once again my aunt had understood how I'd felt without my saying a word. Something else I'd miss. A lot.