Respect for the Dead (Surviving the Dead Book 1) (39 page)

“You doing ok?”  Gillian asked.

“I’m ok.  I will be better when I find Steve and Wes.”  She sighed not looking up. “How are you?”  She raised her eyes to meet Gillian’s.

“I miss Matt.  He, I just, he was like the annoying little brother I never wanted but God I miss him already.”  Gillian smiled as a tear ran down her face.  “Oh I found this for you.”  She held out a couple of books and a new jacket, “And this is for Matt.”  In her other hand was a bunch of silk flowers.

“Thanks, can I come with you?” 

Gillian held out a hand, Beth grabbed it and was helped to her feet.  They slowly walked to the closed door.  Gillian put down the flowers, Devin and Hector Joined them.  Hector had made a cross out of some broken pallets and a scarf then scratched “Matt” on it.  “I didn’t know his last name.”  He muttered.  Beth blinked the tears out of her eyes. After a few moments they turned to a blanket, under which was the body of Trevor.  Devin said a few words and Hector placed another cross on the blanket. 

“I hope your brother and friend are safe.”  Gillian squeezed Beth’s uninjured arm.   

  “I’m sure they made it out of town.”  Beth said smiling.  She knew they didn’t believe they were alive but she knew.  She knew they were ok.  She laughed at herself as she imagined her brother and best friend running around like Rambo through the city.   

The group left their friends gravesite.  Hector found a can of paint and added a “do not open” sign to the loading dock door.  Devin hurried the others through the door as an ominous clang of a falling door roller sounded behind them through the pounding. 

They returned to the parking lot where they did a search of the cars, collecting as many useful items as they could.  Romero jumped and yipped at their heels.  He kept stopping and looking expectantly at the door to the warehouse.  Beth leaned over to the dog who licked her face.  “I’m sorry,  he’s not coming.”  Romero whimpered. 

She helped the little dog into the truck then tried to help load several boxes of supplies in the back of the armored car.  She took a moment to stare at the building.  She whispered a goodbye then climbed into their mobile fortress.  They left in search of a new, safe place that did not hold the death of two more of their friends. 

              “I don’t like the look of this.”  Steve stated looking out the front window.  Wes stirred from the back seat.  Kate stared over the steering wheel at the open gate.  Several cars and trucks littered the lot in front of them.  She turned to look at Steve, he shrugged.  Checking the rearview, Wes held up his hands to show he also did not know the best course of action.  Frowning she pulled forward into the lot.  Steve rolled his window down as they proceeded.  The moans of the dead filtered through the opening.  Even over the powerful V8 engine they could be heard.  “They’re near.  I don’t think this is a good idea.” 

              Kate slowed the car so they could look into the empty vehicles they passed.  Several had open doors.  They could see boxes and luggage that lay strewn and open all over the lot as if someone had hurriedly searched through the belongings.

“What were they looking for?”  Wes wondered aloud eyeing a box that lay on its side its contents spilled on the pavement.  He could see shiny gold chains and a pile of cash that blew around littering the lot with the faces of long dead presidents. 

              “Whatever it was I don’t think they were here too long ago.”  Steve watched a suitcase teeter and fall off the hood a car as the breeze caught the lid.  A couple of very small shirts and socks fell to the ground.  The tires crunched over another half empty suitcase on their way to the front of the building.  Kate eased the car to a stop. 

              No one spoke a word as Kate turned the key.  Silence filled the car for just a moment then the mournful moan of the dead mixed with the distant smell of death caused a shudder in every occupant.  The doors to the car creaked open while the three exited.   Kate slowly closed her door making sure the door latched then pushed it the rest of the way shut with her hip.  She scowled at Steve when he slammed his own door. 

“What?”  He hissed at the look on her face.  Wes just rolled his eyes then wandered toward an old Ford that sat close by with its driver’s door open.   “Wes!”  Steve called in a whisper.  Wes looked from the car’s interior to Steve, his confusion growing.  The glove box was open as was every other container in the vehicle.  Everything of value in the old world was still there, the things that were missing were clothes and personal grooming products.  On the ground next to the door was a tube of toothpaste.  The contents squished out the back, the top and cap crushed as if stepped on.  Wes kept looking at the blue paste as he rejoined the other two.    

              “Should we even bother going in?”  Kate questioned. 

              “We don’t know how long they were here.  They may have just ransacked the cars and left.  There might be something useful inside.”  Wes stated unconvinced.

              “Yeah and we might find out why they left, still hiding inside.”  Steve nodded at the front door.  The three stood watching the doors.  Nothing happened.  After several minutes Wes and Kate looked at each other across Steve.  They nodded and pushed him closer to the door.  “Whoa Whoa hold on.”  He grunted turning and fighting his way out of their grasp.  “I still don’t know if it is a good….”

              “Let’s go in or get out of here, but make a decision as it is starting to get late and just standing here isn’t getting us food or a place to spend the night.”  Kate admonished.  Wes snickered at the over six foot tall burley athlete cowered slightly under the glare from the five foot nothing woman.  He paid for this by being hit hard on the arm by Steve. 

              “Come on scrawny, let’s check it out.”  Wes and Kate followed closely as Steve stepped up to the door.  He peered through the dusty window at the dimly lit entrance, “looks ok.”  He whispered pushing the door open.  Quietly they inspected the empty offices and cubicles.  “It’s as picked over in here as out there.”  Steve grumbled.  Moving toward the splintered doors that lead from the office to the warehouse Steve turned questioningly to the others. 

              Shaking slightly Kate whispered, “This looks bad, is it really worth it?” 

              Steve pushed the broken door out of his way, glancing over his shoulder, “They may have missed something, or left a note as to where they are going.” 

             
“Do we want
to know where they are going?”  Wes asked, inspecting the broken hinges.  Steve didn’t answer.  Passing through the splintered doors they looked around at the large open warehouse.  There were several places where it looked like people had set up camp like areas.  These had obviously been rummaged through.  Wes sighed as Kate passed him to check further into the warehouse.

“It looks like they really went through this place.  I doubt we’ll find much of anything.”  He kicked an empty suitcase in frustration.  He was tired and hungry and someone had beaten them to what he was sure was a place that had held food.  Steve ignored Wes’ grumblings, something had caught his eye.  He slowly approached an area of the floor that was shiny in the late afternoon light. 

              Steve knelt down next to the dark liquid, dipping his finger into the small puddle he quickly wiped it off.  It was blood and it hadn’t been there too long.  Wes stood over Steve’s shoulder, “Why the hell did you put your fingers in…HEY look!”  Wes pointed to just past the blood to a jacket.  He recognized it at once.  Steve was barely standing before Wes pushed past him, grabbing up the piece of clothing. 

              “Wes, man it could be anybody’s.”

              “No! No this is hers I know it!” 

              “Seriously?  I doubt it.”  Looking at the sleeve and the dark stain and hole he prayed it wasn’t hers. 

              “Dude it is her’s look, right here.”  Wes was pointing to a mark just below the shoulder on the right side.  “Beth was so pissed when this happened.”

              Steve moved closer, “Yeah, yeah that is where you wrote on her with a sharpie.  It never came out no matter how many times I washed it.”  Wes raised his eyebrows. “What?  Dad was too busy and Beth did the vacuuming, so what?  I did laundry.”  Wes just shrugged and smiled but his smile faded as he took the bloody sleeve in his hand. 

              “This didn’t happen too long ago.”  Wes let go of the sleeve his hand was red with blood, “She better be ok.”

              “Guys, I think you need to see this.”  Kate called.  The two looked at each other, Steve let go of the jacket but Wes grabbed it.  They hesitated for a second before Steve nodded and Wes began rolling up Beth’s jacket.  They raced to Kate’s side.  She was standing over a blanket that obviously held a body.  A makeshift wooden cross lay on the blanket.  “That’s not all.”  Kate spoke, pointing to a closed loading dock door.  Another cross, bearing the name Matt was resting against it, as was a sign that read “DO NOT OPEN”. 

              Wes looked at the blood stained sleeve then at the blanket then to Steve.  He could see he was thinking the same thing.  Kate took a deep breath then crouched beside the blanket.  Steve grabbed Wes’ shoulder.  They held their breath as Kate lifted the corner and peered underneath.  She exhaled first and pulled back the edge to reveal a face none of them knew.  “Shot through the head, but it looks like he got a hold of someone first.”  Kate noted pointing at the blood drying on Trevor’s mouth.  Wes looked at the sleeve again.   Steve lifted it up, poking a finger through a small hole. 

              “I think, I think she got shot.”  He was relieved but only slightly. 

Look there is more blood and, oh is that, oh god,” Kate covered her mouth gagging slightly, “Is that brain?” 

              Wes bent over and looked closely.  Standing up with a look of disgust on his face, “Yep that’s brain alright.”  Kate backed away looking revolted.  She was almost at the loading dock door when she turned around. 

She was looking at the wooden cross, “Did you guys know a Matt?”  Neither of them could recall knowing one real well.  Kate then looked up and out through the window.  She gave a yelp of fright that had an instantaneous effect.  The warehouse was filled with the sound of pounding as hundreds of fist slammed into the door.   The metal railing gave way as did the left side of the door.  Several hands reached around the edge.  Kate ran back to join Steve and Wes, “They’re all over out there and there’s a bunch on the dock.”

“How did they get up there?”  Wes yelled as the first zombie squeezed through the opening, the top rail fell as did the rest of the door crushing the zombie that had made it through.  Unfortunately its companions now had free access.  To answer Wes’ question the undead had pressed and clawed their way over the other undead, building a ramp of broken and crushed bodies.  Kate grabbed briefly both of the boys’ arms as she flew back across the warehouse.  Steve and Wes glanced at each other then followed as fast as they could.  It was if a dam of the undead had burst, they were everywhere at once.  Kate screamed finding her way blocked by a heavyset woman with a filthy bloody shirt half hanging off of her shoulder.  The large ghoul lunged at Kate.  She dodged and grabbed Wes by the collar to keep him from running right into the creature.  Steve grabbed Kate’s arm and she still held Wes as Steve pulled her toward the exit. 

“Where are they coming from?”  Kate cried.  Crashing through the broken doors the three sprinted across the office space then out the front doors.  Kate was in the driver’s seat with the engine running before Steve had the door open.  Wes dived into the back and Steve in the front.  The door banged painfully on his leg as Kate threw the car in reverse.  Cursing Steve pulled his leg in and slammed the door as the first zombie stumbled and fell off the step leading to the office door. 

“Right next time it looks picked over…we just keep going.”  Steve said rubbing his bruised leg.

“You're damn right.”  Kate agreed.

“Absofu…”

“Wes!”  Kate laughed nervously.

Night had fallen, Beth bounced along in the back of the truck bumping into one of the boxes they had taken from the warehouse.  It took a few moments for her to realize the hard object that kept poking painfully into her rib was her cell phone.   She frowned as she tried to angle her uninjured arm to get to the inside pocket of the new jacket she was wearing.  It had been the pocket she always carried the phone in so it just ended up there during the transfer. 

“Why did I even keep this?”  She mumbled, “There is no one left to call.”  Opening the phone she noticed it was 9:30pm. Smiling at the thought of time and it mattering, she also saw there was still no service and her battery was almost dead. Thinking quickly she opened her picture files and scrolled through them.  She smiled to herself as the memories filled her mind.  Her Dad and Steve bar be queuing in the back yard and arguing over who was a better cook.  Wes at the Ren Faire, Steve with his Mustang.  The battery icon began to flash.  This might be the last time she ever saw these pictures.  She studied everyone trying to burn the images into her brain.  Trying to crowd out all the things she had seen over the last several days and especially the last few hours. 

The screen blinked out at 9:37pm.  She closed the phone started to throw it aside, stopped looked at it, then put it in her pocket.  The back of the truck was dark but roomier than it had been.  The added space only served to remind her of what they had lost. She was out back with Steve, Wes and her Dad.  It was a beautiful day she was having a great time.  She was laughing with Steve and Wes had just put his arms around her and was spinning her around.  She woke with a start.   Where was she?  What was happening?  It all flooded back and she fought to keep the tears from falling.   

Hector slowed as they approached a small truck that was off in the median.  Gillian was staring blankly out the side window, Devin shuffled to his feet, “What’s up?” 

“Looks like we need a gas station.”  Hector frowned.  Beth was on her feet and pulling her gun.  Devin followed Hector out to the truck while Gillian hoped over into the driver’s seat.  Beth exited the passenger side door.  Hector tapped the tank of the other truck.  “Wow, full.  That may mean trouble.”  Beth was tense but after several long minutes of filling empty gas cans and then filling their own tank nothing moved.

Returning to the back of the truck Beth put her head on her uninjured arm and rested it on her knees.  “I just want to go home.  Is that too much?”  She wept. 

“I think it is…for now.”  Hector sniffed from across the darkness.