Dying Days 5 (2 page)

“Because I’m no longer a mere zombie. I’m so much more. I have powers you can only imagine. I can sense things. I can control things. Read minds. Manipulate the world around me. Understand more than the human brain could ever hope to learn and process. I have become the evolution of the race, and there can only be one of me.”

“You sound more like a vampire than a zombie,” Mitchell said.

The man smiled. “If it helps you by putting a label on me, so be it. It doesn’t really mean anything. I am what I am. And I am offering you all a chance to live.”

“Keep talking,” a woman said.

“I am building a new life. A safe haven where the zombies won’t be able to touch us. A place with food and water and electricity. Somewhere you can raise your children without worry,” the man said. “And in return I ask for your loyalty. Nothing more.”

“Nothing more?” Mitchell asked. “Then what’s in it for you?”

“A community to help protect me, of course. There are millions of zombies and they’re all heading to Florida. I can’t destroy them all myself. I need people on the walls of the compound to keep them at bay. I need help in keeping the human race alive.”

“To what end?” a woman asked.

The man chuckled. “I no longer need human flesh to live. I no longer have the horrible sexual urges of my lesser brethren. But I do need the blood. I won’t die without it, but I will survive longer with it.”

“You are a fucking vampire,” Mitchell said. “Holy shit.”

“If you come with me tonight, I offer safe passage to Daytona Beach to live and flourish. I won’t force you. If you choose to stay, I have no problem with it. But then you will become an ongoing source of blood for me. I hope you understand. Our human numbers are dwindling and I have so many big plans to expand where we live. We have a garden but need more people to help with crops and to gather supplies. Does anyone have any construction experience?”

Three men held up their hands.

“Excellent. We’ll be starting expansion in the next week. We’d love to have you be a part of the team. I will protect you.  Will feed and clothe you. In return, you will help me. Any questions, or shall we go? I have a team waiting for you outside in a school bus to transport you to Main Street.”

“Who are you?” Mitchell asked.

“I am The Lich Lord.”

Chapter Two

Veronica watched as Claude and his crew came through the A1A Gate, counting their numbers. They hadn’t lost a man, which was a good thing. A really good thing.

Besides the large group that had abandoned their colony, they’d lost six fighters on patrol yesterday. She had no idea if they’d been killed or simply ran off. It didn’t matter. Their numbers were dwindling at an alarming rate.

Vee (as her friends called her) needed to have an audience with The Lich Lord. She wasn’t looking forward to it. But she knew they couldn’t hold out for much longer.

And with Jeff back and more volatile than ever, something was going to break at some point soon. She could feel it.

“We did as he told us to do. We counted the zombies coming out of the ocean. Now what?” Claude asked. He looked tired. An ex-Hell’s Angels member, he was looking older than his fifty-odd years.

Vee shrugged. “He didn’t tell me why he needed to know.”

“Tell him it was forty, which is half of what it was last week when we counted. I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing, and I don’t give a shit right now. I need a stiff drink,” Claude said.

She shook her head. “You need to go see Jeff. He was adamant, too. You know what that means.”

Claude smiled. “It means the bastard has some bullshit waiting for me. This is going to be fun. Do me a favor when you talk to The Lich Lord next… ask him if I can have permission to gut Jeff and throw him over the wall?”

Vee would ask if she thought there was a chance, because she couldn’t stand Jeff. He tried to micromanage every aspect of the fortifications whether they were needed or not. He got into everyone’s business and made stupid moves, all the while swearing The Lich Lord had commanded it so. He was also a pig and leered at all the women and dared the men to confront him.

It had been really quiet without Jeff around.

Vee knew she’d need to tread lightly now he was back. She didn’t think he had the ear of The Lich Lord quite the way he bragged or thought, but she didn’t want to take a chance. And no one was going to stand up to the former corrections officer and biker.

The main problem was what, coming out of Jeff’s mouth, was real and what was fiction. There was no real order to the compound and people were taking advantage by asking questions until they got the right answer, taking more than their share of stored food and squatting wherever they wanted. She knew of at least two rapes and one murder so far. The Lich Lord had turned a blind eye to what was going on under his nose and Vee knew she’d need to be the voice of reason tonight when she spoke to him. She needed to calm her nerves, because Jeff wasn’t going to try to stop any of this madness.

*   *   *   *   *

“You wanted to see me?”

Jeff turned to see Claude, looking old and worthless, standing in the doorway of the former bar. He simply nodded toward the seat across from him. Jeff poured himself the last of the vodka and pulled the shot glass close to him, grinning as Claude watched it move.
Fucking drunken bastard
, Jeff thought.

“I have a job for you,” Jeff said. When Claude didn’t sit down, he pointed at the chair again and nodded when Claude did as he was told.
I’ll eventually whip every one of these fucking cowboys into shape
, Jeff thought.
Every last one of them
. “You bored yet counting zombies?”

Claude didn’t reply.

“I have a busload of new recruits stashed at the parking garage under lock and key. We’re keeping them out of the compound until we’re sure no one is infected.”

“How many?”

Jeff shrugged. “I don’t know and I don’t care. Not my problem. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing, which is hunt for our enemies and lead the scavenger team. Vee will keep running the inside and being a bitch. You’ve been promoted to refugee coordinator.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means The Lich Lord is going out at night and bringing in people by the dozens. He has Bryan driving the bus for him,” Jeff said.

“I was wondering where Bryan went off to. I just figured you took care of him…”

Jeff met Claude’s eyes and smiled when he saw the fear in the older man. Good. He still knew his place, despite his snide remarks.

“Bryan is still a valuable asset to our survival. As long as he remains so, he’ll live. Same with everyone else, right? The Lich Lord wants loyalty. Fealty, as he keeps calling it. He’s surrounding himself with people who can see long-term. Without him as our protector, we’re all just a zombie away from death. I’ve seen him hop the wall and return hours later covered in the blood of other zombies.”

“How do you know it isn’t the blood of the innocent and the living?”

“There’s no such thing as innocent. Those boring people died quickly and went to Heaven or whatever you believe in. We’re the outcasts and the rebels and the scum left on earth. I’m here to make the most of it. You should, too. Stop fighting it. Get in line. Take what is being offered to you.” Jeff pointed a finger. “Out there, we’re meat. You think The Lich Lord is the only one of his kind? Hardly. He’s told me… things. You ever hear the expression the enemy of my enemy is a friend? The Lich Lord may be dangerous but he’s protecting us from his kind. And all he asks is us to fight for him. Find more of the living and enforce his laws and stay alive. I don’t think it’s a bad tradeoff.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Claude asked, eyes darting to the shot glass every few seconds.

“Because he’s questioning your loyalty,” Jeff lied.

Claude shook his head. “No way. I’m doing everything I’ve been told to do. Without question. When you told me last week to round up the family hiding under the Dunlawton Bridge, I did it. I brought them to the Ocean Center and left them. Didn’t I?”

Jeff nodded. “And he sees flashes of brilliance in you. But you need to step up and do a great job with this next assignment. If so much as one infected person walks onto Main Street and attacks someone and spreads the disease, he’ll know it was you who failed. You don’t want that and neither do I. I’d rather you did a great job and added some really strong men and some fertile women to the compound. Do you understand what I’m saying? We need men to build and expand and we need women to keep the human race going.”

“What about old people?”

Jeff shook his head. “They’ll eat the food and need to be cared for. We don’t have time for that. The elders will be led to the rear entrance of the Ocean Center and handed off to whoever I place there. They’ll know what to do.”

Claude nodded his head slowly. His eyes went back to the drink.

“You understand what failure means, right?”

Claude nodded his head.

“You report to the parking garage at first light each morning. Sort through the refugees from the previous night. Clear out the weak and sick first. Then report back to me when you’re done with numbers. I want to know how many people are being added. I want a number for men and a number for women. Add the kids up together, it doesn’t really matter. And a separate number for the ones led to the Ocean Center.”

“You want them separated out, too?” Claude asked.

Jeff laughed. “What do I care about them? They’ll feed our boss and keep him happy. I only care about the people who can help us out. In fact, ask some questions. I want a few names. Anyone who has a skill like carpentry or construction I want sent directly here so I can interview them.” He smiled again. “Any woman with child-bearing hips and is a natural redhead I want to see, too.”

Claude nodded his head.

Jeff stood, glanced at the shot of alcohol, and turned his back. He walked slowly away and grinned again when he heard the shot glass click back to the table, obviously empty.

Chapter Three

Her legs were cramped and her gut felt like it would slide out onto the floor if she moved too fast. She rolled over onto her side and faced the darkness where the cinderblock wall should be, trying not to cry again. It was no use.

“How are you feeling this evening?”

Darlene held her breath. Had the monster been watching in the darkness?

“I brought you food. Eat.”

“I’m not hungry,” she lied. She struggled to sit up and winced when a strong hand gripped her arm and slid her onto the front of the bed.

“I made sure they brought you fish and vegetables. Also a gallon of water.”

Darlene could only see red glowing eyes in the dark.

“Am I supposed to guess where the food is?”

A chuckle was accompanied by a faint glow. An oil lamp was lit and set upon a card table, where the food was. “Forgive me. I forget you aren’t
exactly
like me.”

“I’m nothing like you,” Darlene said. “And I never will be, fucker.”

“Very well. I’ll leave you to your dinner. The girl will be back in the morning to attend to your needs. I trust everything is fine so far? Do you need anything?”

“You mean besides my freedom or my Desert Eagle and a bullet to shoot you in the fucking head? I think I’m fine for now,” Darlene said. “Actually, I could use some lemon for the fish.”

“I’ll be right back.”

Darlene couldn’t hear him leave but wasn’t surprised. Nothing shocked her anymore. She picked up the fork and began eating the carrots and broccoli on the plate, the steaming fresh veggies dancing in her mouth. She felt like she hadn’t eaten in days, and she probably hadn’t eaten a hot meal in far too long.

What was the game they were playing? She finished her vegetables as the glowing eyes returned and the man stepped back into the lamplight. He held out his hand, which held two halves of a lemon. “Here you go, ma’am.”

“Why are you being so nice to me? Why not just kill me? Or are you going to fatten me up and burst me like a tick?” Darlene asked. She took the lemon and squeezed it on the fish, which looked delicious. She doubted he’d be so lame as to poison her, and dying on a nice piece of fish wasn’t the worst way she could go, she figured.