Zombie Revolution Page 9

  Once they were finished with dinner Damon, Chloe and Riley took turns taking their showers. By the time Riley was able to get one, most of the warm water was gone, thanks to Chloe. They gathered in the living room where the night passed with stories and jokes. Damon laughed, truly laughed for the first time since his wife and son were taken from him. Soon the three were shown to their rooms. Riley had to sleep on the couch in the living room. His bare feet hung over the arm of the small couch, but that did not bother him. It was much better than the stinking cot he had while under the rule of the mad General. He was definitely going to enjoy his time without the General.

  Damon tossed and turned in his bed unable to sleep. Finally surrendering to insomnia, he threw back the quilted covers. He crept through the dark cabin. He quietly opened the screen door making sure to not let it slam behind him. He stepped off the porch into the cool grass, but heard the screen door open and claws clicking across the wooden planks. “Going somewhere, Brother?” Keith’s hard voice was somewhat softened. Boomer whined. “Go on, boy.” He said to the dog. The bloodhound bounded happily through the tall grass with his ears flopping wildly. He immediately found something to roll in.

  “Can’t sleep.” Damon continued towards the fence. “Just needed some fresh air.” “Need some company?” He did not wait for a reply. The plump man followed his brother off the porch and into the silver moonlight. Damon and Keith strode around the perimeter of the cabin without saying a word to each other. Boomer trotted happily next to his owner as they walked side by side along the fence line peering out into the woods. He stopped and sniffed the ground a few times. There was no sign of zombies, not a moan to be heard. Damon sighed and breathed easy. He still couldn’t keep from looking over his shoulder. The night was cool a hint of fall in the air, and a gentle breeze rustled the pine trees. That was when Damon heard it. A symphony of insect noises rose from the trees. He could make out the distinct sound of crickets and locusts. His shoulders relaxed, he never realized how much he took for granted in his previous life. He always thought the sound of locusts was annoying, but now they were music, wonderful music.

  After an hour or so, Damon finally said goodnight to his brother and sank into his new bed. The moon rose over the log cabin shining rays of silver through Damon’s bedroom window. Damon slept more soundly and deeply than he had in a long time. The soft glow of light traced the faint lines on Damon’s face as he slept. Damon could feel the gnawing depression and anxiety slip away while he dreamed of that Fourth of July day. He saw his wife with her brilliant smile and golden curls softly blowing in the breeze, and his son with bright blue eyes staring deep into his. They both smiled back at him.

  Book II

  Chapter 1

  In the middle of an emerald lawn was a man with tangled brown hair lounging in an old canvas camping chair staring at the immense chain-link fence in front of him. The soft blades of grass felt good between his toes, like a thousand massaging fingers working out months of tension and strain. He let the bright sun warm his face. His mahogany eyes glittered in the sunlight as he took in the panoramic view. Summer was fading, and soon the leaves would change and then leave the trees naked for the winter’s biting cold. Damon sighed; it was going to be another lazy, uneventful day. Just like the many days before that, this was not necessarily a bad thing given the state of things. That’s when he heard it. His sensitive ears picked up the sound of shuffling feet through the forest brush. Zombie. The hair on his tan arms stood up. After the initial shock passed, he nonchalantly rocked himself out of his comfortable seat. Damon stood just less than six feet tall, his muscles rippled beneath his tight T-shirt as he stretched. His back popped. He waited in front of towering wall of galvanized steel for the zombie to appear from the thick tree line. His heart skipped a beat as usual when it finally pushed through into the clearing.

  The zombie looked different from all the others that had crossed his path. He had seen more zombies than he cared to remember, and they all looked like…well like…zombies. Rotting flesh, missing various appendages, lots of blood, and by God did they stink. Old smelly here was missing nearly all of his skin. His skull looked like it had been picked clean by buzzards, only one gelatinous eyeball remained. He could no longer determine if it was once male or female; it was just a dried out husk that once was human. It seemed weaker than the others like it barely had the strength to move anymore. It was nearly decomposed to a worm food state. Its unfocused stare fell on the fresh meat behind the fence.

  He surmised that this zombie, and maybe all the other zombies would eventually rot away. How long would it survive? Would one day they just die? Questions that he wasn’t sure he would live long enough to discover the answers. The fact that the zombie was actually decomposing was valuable information that he would share with the others, but for now he was going to end the retched creature’s life for good. He strode across the yard, bare feet silent on the earthy carpet. He reached the log cabin and jumped onto the porch, under the low porch roof was the red lever. The same lever his brother used to keep the flesh-eating monsters at bay. With a strong hand he flipped it down. In the next second electricity surged through the metallic grid and into the zombie’s decomposing form causing it to convulse. He could hear the sickening sizzle as the volts cooked what was left of its brain. When the zombie dropped with smoke emanating from every remaining pore, he pushed the lever back up and nodded his head in grim satisfaction.

  He heard the screen door squeak open. “I didn’t know we were having a barbeque…” Riley stopped mid-sentence. He peered around the corner of the cabin at the old grill. The ancient thing was cold and wasn’t cooking delicious saucy meats. “What’s that smell?”

  “What are you up to, Damon?” A gray-haired man stood against the door jam with his arms crossed. His cheeks were red from too much alcohol intake over the years.

  Damon looked at his brother then to the heap of flesh and bones on the other side of the barrier. “That’s the second one this week.” He heard Riley utter an obnoxious noise followed by Gross! The marine disappeared inside.

  Keith followed his brother’s gaze to the pile and shrugged his thick shoulders, “As long as they stay out there and us in here.” After that he disappeared inside. Damon sighed again and followed his older brother.

  Chapter 2

  It had been three months since a virus swept across America transforming the infected into mindless eating machines, with a hankering for human flesh. Damon had lost his wife, Amy and his son, Michael to the infection. Two months later he set out from his home in Dalville, Arkansas to find his brother in Colorado. On the abandoned streets filled with the undead he stumbled upon Chloe at a deserted gas station in McPherson, Kansas. Together they braved their way through Oklahoma to Vail, Colorado. In the once famous ski resort town they were kidnapped by a mad general and his marine cronies. While imprisoned in a church he met unexpected allies. Two of them were lost in the town after it was attacked by a horde of zombies. Damon and Chloe gained Riley as a companion when he saved them from a unique type of the undead, a fast mover. Or sprinter, the name was coined by Chloe and Riley because they thought it sounded better. He has been with them ever since.

  Once inside the cabin, Damon spied Chloe curled up on the couch watching an old western with half closed eyes. Boomer, the bloodhound and Chloe’s new best friend, was sprawled out on the ribbed area rug at her feet. His red paws twitched while he dreamed of the old days, chasing squirrels. Chloe’s blonde hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, revealing her pale face. Her green eyes were barely visible as her heavy eyelids opened and closed lazily. She was dressed in a baggy tank top that hung past her knees. She had long thrown away her Hannah Montana t-shirt and had not received new clothes since before the zombies came. Nothing that she packed in her sparkling purple bag was wearable. She was thirteen now. They celebrated her birthday one week ago. He was sorry he could not give her a better birthday. Since it was too dangerous to travel to the store f
or a present, he was unable to throw her a party with balloons, presents and cake. Keith did have one present for her. He carved her a wolf standing on a cliff face from a block of wood. She accepted to the gift appreciatively, even though her favorite animal was a penguin. Keith would never know the truth. She thanked them, for what Damon knew was a poor excuse for a party.

  “You standing over me like that is starting to creep me out…like I’m a science project or something.” She saw Damon jump out of the corner of her eye.

  “Sorry, I was just thinking.” His voice was gruff.

  She perked up. Chloe was always up for a conversation. “What about?” Her eyes studied his crinkled face. He did not want to bring up her birthday party. It was just another reminder about how different the world was now. “Aaah…It’s nothin’.” He plopped down on the couch next to her and sank into the soft cushions. Boomer shook awake and sniffed his leg with his thick black muzzle. Damon scratched the big dog’s floppy ears with his thick fingers.

  “I’m sure it’s not nothing, but whatever.”

  Damon sighed. “What are you watching?” “I don’t know…some old western. You know I really hate these types of movies. It’s always a damsel in distress and the socalled good looking cowboy always saves the day. And another thing…what’s up with all the whistles and whip sounds? I mean come on.” She let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. “Oh and don’t even get me started on the tumbleweeds.”

  “I was always loved a good damsel in distress. If you don’t like them, why are you watching them?” He pointed out. “’Cuz there is nothing else TO watch.” She pointed at the DVD rack. “It’s all guys like Clint Eastwood and John Wayne. I’m going crazy with this selection.” Chloe tossed the blanket aside and stood up. “I’m going crazy being locked up. Just a prisoner behind a fence. Every day is the same.”

  Damon gave her a harsh look. “At least we are not in danger of being torn apart by zombies. This life is way better, than the one we had before. You should be thankful. Plus, this is way bigger than a gas station bathroom.” He ignored her teenage eye rolling.

  “I know all that, but it’s just soooo boring…and yeah another thing…I don’t have any clothes that fit.” She whined, stomping her bare foot on the hardwood.

  “You are just going to have to get over it and find some way to entertain yourself.” With that Chloe stormed out of the living area and into her bedroom. She made sure to slam the door.

  Damon rubbed the bridge of his nose and let out another sigh. He knew exactly what Chloe was feeling because he was feeling it too. He had been locked up in his own house for two months without stepping foot outside. Now he was locked up in a log cabin. Of course now he could at least go outside, and they were safe behind the electrically reinforced fence around the compound. He did not want to side with Chloe mostly because he felt ashamed for feeling the way he did. He should be grateful that he was still alive and well fed for that matter. His journey to Colorado had been a goal, something to look forward to, but now what did he have to look forward to. They were all just existing, waiting for death to take them. Damon sucked in a deep breath and let it out. He did feel sorry for Chloe, but what could he do? He let his eyes wander back to the TV screen. The movie was just at the part when the Lone Ranger defeated the bad guys and saves the beautiful woman. He thought about his wife that was taken from him. His felt a pang in his heart. Hot tears stung his eyes, threatening to overflow the rims. The tears were interrupted when Damon heard heavy footsteps behind him.

  “What was all that about?” He recognized the voice immediately. The animated voice was none other than the marine, Riley. He was one of the reasons that he and Chloe escaped Vail in one piece and uninfected.

  Damon looked the marine over. He was no longer wearing his military issue garb. After washing his uniforms multiple times, Juleen was unable to get all the blood stains out. He had tucked them away along with the memories the held. He was now dressed in a white T-shirt and blue jeans. Damon had given him the clothes after they got to Keith’s place. Damon could see the marine’s ankles. He was a quite few inches taller than Damon but did not complain. Blond hair hung over his forehead in tight curls just above ice blue eyes. Those eyes studied Damon’s troubled face. “What’s on your mind, D?” He crossed his toned arms over his chest as he leaned up against the brown cobblestone fireplace.

  Damon cocked an eyebrow, “What do you mean?” He played dumb. The marine was very perceptive of emotions. Riley let out a laugh. “Damon. You’re kidding right? I mean you have been moping around this place for weeks. You hardly talk at dinner anymore, and you just park yourself in the same spot looking through the fence like you are waiting for something.”

  The marine was right; he did feel like he was waiting for something. What could he possibly be waiting for? Death? No. Damon did not feel like dying that much was true. Damon heaved a breath. Riley’s tall form slid into Chloe’s vacant spot. “I don’t know what it is. I can’t seem to put my finger on it.” He coughed. “It feels like I’m lost or like there is nothing left to do. You feel me?”

  “Oh dude, it’s just from being locked up behind that fence, eating the same food, doing the same shit over and over. It’s the repetition. Guys in the marines would get that way too. You just need a little release that’s all.” Riley punched his shoulder. The shoulder had fully healed, thankfully. “Perk up a little; at least we’re not dead.” With that the marine stood from the couch. “Now I have a pressing meeting with Mr. Daniels and a lounge chair.” He disappeared into the kitchen. Damon heard the screen door shut to the back porch.

  Chapter 3

  Finding himself alone once again, Damon stared at the blank TV screen. The movie had ended…Happily ever after every time. What was his ending going to be? Happy or one of those movies that make you want to jump off a bridge after. Probably the later. Damon did not feel much better after his conversation with Riley. He felt that all too familiar feeling wash over him. The weight was crushing him. Damon was beginning to think that he needed antidepressants. The depression made his skin itch, his mind tense. It was the same way he felt before he left Dalville. He just hoped he did not do something crazy.

  “Damon we have to talk.” Damon was so engrossed in his own thoughts he did not hear his brother walk into the living room. Keith’s red face was serious, and when he sat in the chair across from him, Damon knew it was going to be a serious talk. Damon prepared himself for whatever he could possibly want to talk about. “I’m not going to lie to you. We have a problem.” Just one. Damon thought silently. The chair creaked under his brother’s weight.

  “Problem?” A sick feeling entered Damon’s empty stomach. A dry cough escaped Keith’s lips. “Ever since you and your friends showed up we have been burning through food and fuel like a California wild fire.” His voice was gruff.

  “What’s your point?” Damon felt himself getting angry. “Are you kicking us out?” He tried to hide his astonishment. The plump man rocked back in his chair letting out a loud laugh. “Don’t get your panties in a twist, boy. I’m not kickin’ ya’ll out.” He slapped his knee. “Are you kidding? Juleen loves Chloe and the marine does his part around making sure the fence stays secure and such.”

  Damon shoveled his jaw off the wood floor and chuckled awkwardly. “Oh…yeah…I knew that.” He felt his blood pressure drop back to normal. He did not have to ask his brother what he was thinking. He already knew the answer. The only thing he did not know was how they were going to pull it off. “So, what’s the plan?”

  “Ain’t got one. All I know is that we need food and fuel otherwise we ain’t gonna make it for too much longer.”

  “I suppose you aren’t going to volunteer?” He dared to ask.

  “I ‘spect you know the answer to that already.” The brothers were silent for a while. Damon was angry with his brother for expecting him to put his own life of the line while he remained safe behind his wall. He tried to see it from Keith’s point of
view. Damon did show up unannounced with two hungry companions that required both food and shelter, but hell he was his brother. Damon’s neck was getting red. His pulse quickened. “Since you aren’t volunteering, I’m at least going to need a vehicle and more than my good looks to defend myself.”

  Keith slapped his knees and leaned forward. The chair creaked under his weight. “That much, I can help you with, now all you need is a plan.”

  “I got one.” The marine had slipped back into the room unnoticed. His blue eyes were ablaze with excitement. They rested on Damon. “Do you honestly think I would let you go out there alone?”

  Damon grasped Riley on the shoulder. “Thanks Riley. It would make me feel better if you were out there with me watching my back.” He stopped for a minute, but then he remembered something. “Oh, before I forget. That zombie from earlier--”

  “The one that you roasted?” “Well yeah. Anyway, it was rotten.” He saw both of their faces like Duh. “No, I mean it was like falling apart. Like when a body goes in the ground and decomposes.”

  “So?” Riley cocked an eyebrow. “So…I’m wondering if the zombies will just eventually fall apart and die.” He made quotation marks with his hands. “I mean they got to, right?”

  The two other men nodded in unison. “We just have to outlive them.” The marine said.

  “It would be nice to know for sure. Like an experiment or something.” Damon rubbed the bridge of his nose.

  Keith clucked. “Now, don’t start talkin’ crazy.”

  “I know…I just--”