The Dead Hunger Series: Books 1 through 5 (115 page)

Charlie put her gun barrel to his forehead.  “Gem.  Now.”

Nelson smiled.  Big.  “You can, huh?” he said.  “You can talk to them.”

Charlie lowered her gun in frustration.  In a flash, Nelson’s hands moved so fast that Charlie never saw them.  Before she knew it, her gun was flying through the air, she was on her knees, and she felt a firm, yet soft chop to the back of her neck that dropped her the remainder of the way to the ground.

When she rolled over onto her back, choking the dust from her mouth, she saw that Dave was in the same position.

Flat on his back.

Nelson was barely winded.  “Sorry, guys.  Just wanted to make sure you knew I had skills.”

Charlie waved her hand at him, breathing hard.  “Skills,” she said.  “Agreed.”

“Mad skills,” said Dave.  “But what the fuck!  I didn’t even have my gun out.”

“You would’ve,” said Nelson.  “Anyway, Gem’s inside.  C’mon.”

“Gonna kick our asses anymore?” asked Charlie, realizing she actually liked the man-child named Nelson Moore.

“No.  You can bring your guns in, too.”

“No shit?” asked Dave.

“None.”

Dave got up and dusted himself off, then looked at Charlie and shrugged. 

Charlie retrieved her gun from the ground, blew the dust from it, and slid it back into her drop holster.  It just didn’t seem necessary to have it out.  Nelson was unarmed, and didn’t seem concerned, as he walked ahead of them.  Charlie could’ve clocked him if she’d wanted to. 

They entered the building, and Charlie saw it was a Tack store.  It smelled strongly of leather, hay and dust, and everything from bridles to leads to horse blankets and bags of feed lined every inch.

“Hey, guys,” said Gem. 

Charlie noticed her jeans were dusty, and there was a scratch on her arm, probably from getting dropped like the punk had done to her and Dave. 

“Sorry,” Gem added.  “Got a little hung up.  I told Nelson here you guys would be looking for me.”

Gem was sitting at a faded wood table that looked as though it had been around since the mid-1800s.  Her hands were cuffed to a post with a thick eye-bolt screwed into it.

“What the hell, Nelson?” asked Charlie.  “Really?  Prisoners?”

“Hey,” said the young man.  “I came up here from New York,” he said.  “Kinda lived in Central Park.  Not really just one place, but all over it.  I know better than to take any chances.  This one was talkin’ to zombies, and that shit means you know some shit that I gotta know.”

“I wasn’t, I repeat,
wasn’t
talking to him,” said Gem.  “I was fuckin’ with him.”

Gem turned to Dave and Charlie.  “I was sitting in the car with the radio in my hand.  I was just turning it on, when that skank zombie – the one beside the car – came up and smacked the window.  He was gnashing his teeth and shit – you know how they do.  I got my gun and got out of the car.”

“Okay, this is the part where she talked to him,” said Nelson, smiling.

“Jesus, Nelson.  Are you fucking dense?” asked Gem.  “I got out of the car, and being brain dead and all, the rotter didn’t realize it.  While he kept clawing at the passenger side window, I walked up behind him and said in his ear, “Get away from my car, asshole.”

“See?” said Nelson.

Gem rolled her eyes.  “So next thing I hear is this metallic ringing-whizzing sound, and the zombie’s head hits the glass, and he falls over.  I look and there’s this fucking ninja star in his head.”

“That was from like twenty feet,” said Nelson, obviously proud.  “Learned that shit when I was fifteen.  Big Tarantino fan.”

“Surprise,” said Charlie.  Then:  “Nelson, unless you plan to keep her, would you un-cuff her please?”

“Oh yeah, sure,” he said, as though he’d forgotten she was restrained.

He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small key ring.  There were only two keys on it; one that looked like a golf cart key and the other one a handcuff key.  Nelson leaned over and chewed his lower lip as he fitted the key in and unlocked the left one.  He repeated the action on the right cuff.  As the last one fell away, Gem brought her knee up hard into Nelson’s face, knocking him backward and onto his ass.

He was out cold.

“Fuckin’ A, Gem!” said Dave.  “Righteous!”

Charlie laughed.  “Righteous.  That’s funny.  What the hell, Gem?”

Gem stood and stretched her legs.  “He caught me with that fucking karate shit.”

“Jesus, Gem,” said Dave.  “Did he hurt you?”

He turned to stare at Charlie.  “Charlie, shit!  I’m so sorry, I forgot to even ask.  Are you okay?  The baby?”

“Fine,” she said.  “It was weird.  He moved really fast, and he disarmed me in a flash, but everything else was mostly touch moves that took me down without giving me a beating.”

“I noticed that shit, too!” said Gem.

“Same here,” said Dave.  “How the hell did he do that?”

“I call it Subdue-doe,” said Nelson, sitting up, rubbing his forehead.  An angry, red, raised mark blossomed there.

“Sub what?” asked Dave.

“Sub-due-doe,” he said again.  “Like Judo, but only for subduing and disarming.  I’m not out to hurt anyone, man.  I just want to keep from getting hurt.”

“Sorry for the knee to the head then,” said Gem.  “It’s just that we’ve been through some shit and we don’t take much from anyone else.”

“You two are pregnant?” asked Nelson.  “That’s cool.  You’re still hot, though.”

“We get that a lot,” said Gem.  “What’s your story, Nelson?”

Nelson withdrew a pack of something and pulled one out.  As Charlie watched him, he smiled and said, “Cloves.” 

Everyone smiled as he lit one and the pungent aroma of sweet spice filled the air.  He looked at Gem’s stomach.

“Charlie I can’t see at all yet.  You got a little bump going on now that I know.   Is this your first kid?”

“It is,” said Gem.

“So you’re what, about … five, six months?”

Charlie looked at Gem, confused.  “How would you guess that?”

“Lots of women don’t show much until later, especially during their first pregnancy.”

“Back to Charlie’s question,” said Gem.  “How do you know that?”

“My Gramps is a baby doctor,” he said.  “I used to spend the day at his office when I was a punk, and he’d let me sit in there while he checked some of the ladies out.  Not pussies or anything like that.  Just stomachs and ultrasounds and junk.”

“Very subtle,” said Gem, shaking her head.

“Where’s your Gramps now?” asked Dave.

“I’m heading to Concord,” he said.  “See if he made it.”

“There’s only one doctor in Concord,” said Gem.  “Jim Scofield.”

Nelson leapt to his feet, his face plastered with a big smile so contagious they found they were all smiling.

“That’s my Gramps!  Grampa Jim!  Holy shit!”

“How come you have different last names?” asked Dave.

“He’s my mom’s dad,” said Nelson.  “Her name is – was – Penelope.  He called her Penny.”

“Oh, duh,” said Dave.  “Sorry.  Sometimes I space.”

“We really need to call Flex now,” said Gem.  “Nelson, your Gramps is alive.  He’s been seeing us to make sure our babies are … well, okay, if you get my drift.”

“I get it.  And I’m sorry I took you guys down, but seriously, I was never going to hurt you, and no moves I did were intended to.  I’m a fuckin’ pacifist.  And an environmentalist.  I wouldn’t hurt anything or anyone.”

“What about the zombies?”

“They’re already dead, so I don’t have a problem with them,” he said.  “So, real quick.  How do you walk right up to them and they don’t know you’re there?”

Dave dug in his shirt pocket and withdrew a wafer.  “Take this.  It’ll give you six hours of Walk Among Them time.”

Nelson took it and looked it over.  “Any preservatives?” he asked.

“Not that I’m aware of,” said Dave.

“Cool,” said Nelson, popping it in his mouth and chewing.

“They’re not the best,” said Dave.  “Should’ve warned you.”

“Tastes natural,” said Nelson.  “Like cow pies.”

Dave shook his head and smiled, then stood up and prepared to catch him.

*****

While Nelson slept in the car, his meager duffle bag of possessions in the trunk for now, Gem, Charlie and Dave retrieved the bags of ammo and a few more high powered rifles with scopes.

The store sold cans of camouflage spray paint colors for do-it-yourself hunters, so Charlie grabbed a can of the black, along with a two-by-four from one of the displays.

After they all left the store, Charlie slid the two-by-four through the double handles of the front door and spray painted in very large letters on the outside of the front wall, “WARNING!  ZOMBIES INSIDE!”

“Clever,” said Dave.  “The rest of the stuff should be there next time we come.”

“It is a good idea,” said Gem.  “As long as nobody torches the building.”

Dave stepped into the street and looked up at the building for a few seconds.  “I have an idea.  Once we get in the car.”

Charlie looked into the back seat as Dave slid in beside Nelson and shook him gently awake.

“Wh – where the hell?”

“You’re in our car,” said Gem.  “It’s okay.  We’ll take you to your grandpa.”

“No way I’m leaving my scooter.  Not a chance.  That thing is great on gas and saves the environment.”

Gem rolled her eyes.  Charlie smiled and looked around.  She’d noticed the scooter, but didn’t tie it to Nelson.  “The silver and red one?”

Nelson swiped his dreads out of his face.  “Yeah.  Great bike.  I’ll ride that there, but where’s my duffel?”

“It’s in the trunk,” said Charlie.  “Safe and sound.”

“Cool,” he said.  “Don’t worry.  I can keep up.  She does about fifty, fifty-five.  That’s wide open, but I’ll get there.”

“We need to get gas first,” said Gem.  “There’s a station right up there on the right side.”

“Got it,” he said.  “I could use a top off myself.”

“Okay,” Gem said.  “After we fill up, I’ll lead, you hang behind us.  I might have to clear the road here and there.”

He got out and Gem rolled down the passenger window.  “Cool gun,” he said.  “If you’re into that stuff.”

“Oh, we are,” said Gem.  “Big time.”

“Which brings me to my idea,” said Dave.  “Gem, pull the car right beside the store before you hit the gas station.”

“Sure,” she said, and backed out of the lot.

“That’s good,” said Dave.  He leaned through the seats and hit the B button on the GPS screen, activating the gun sights on the AK-47.  Pulling the butt of the gun downward, he aimed directly at the sign.

“We have plenty of ammo for the AK now, right?”

“Now we do,” said Charlie.

“Okay, then.”

Dave pulled the handle and the rapid fire of the AK-47 filled the car.  The shells collected in the sack, and Gem and Charlie both covered their ears.

Dave focused his attention on the sign mounts, and put a horizontal and vertical line of rounds through the sign until it toppled from its frame, breaking into pieces as it fell to the ground below.

“Maybe nobody will give the building a second look now,” said Dave.  “Since the only sign they’ll probably notice is the zombie warning.”

“Great idea,” said Gem.  “Now let’s fill up and get back home.”

Nelson rode by them, flashed a peace sign and headed toward the gas station.

*****

Chapter Ten

Flex turned as Gem, Charlie and Dave came into the brewery with a stranger following behind.

A bit of a different looking stranger.  He approached them, and Gem opened her arms.  He hugged her, then pulled back to look at her. 

“What’s this scrape?” asked Flex, touching her arm tenderly.  “You okay?”

“Yes, fine.  We didn’t stop for food, though.  Ran into Nelson here.”

Flex held out his hand.  “I’m Flex Sheridan.  Good to meet you.”

Nelson held out his hand and put it in Flex’s.  It was a weak grip, but the young man, who smiled sheepishly, said, “You are a big dude.  They said you were.”

Flex laughed.  “Why would that come up?”

“’Cause I had your wife handcuffed to a post and they were tellin’ me –”

Flex’s hand shot out and gripped Nelson’s throat.  His words caught and became a gurgle.

“You
what
?”

“Argh…I…ngnh…” he choked.

“Let go of his throat, Flex,” said Gem.  “Let him talk.  Seriously, it’s okay.”

Flex looked at Gem, then back at Nelson, whose face was beet red.  He relaxed his grip and said, “This better be good.”

When Flex’s hand fell away, Nelson gasped for air, then took a deep breath.  His hand went to his neck and he rubbed it, looking at Gem and Charlie.

He turned back to Flex.  “Out of  respect for you, and because I get why you’re mad, I didn’t use Subdue-do just now, Mr. Sheridan.”

“Subdue what?” asked Flex.

“Never mind,” said Dave.  “He’s okay, Flex.  Really.  He took all of us down.”

Flex looked at the skinny hippy in front of him and said, “This guy?  Seriously?  Okay.  New respect.  Tell me your story, Nelson.”

“I just saw her talkin’ to a zombie and I wanted to know what she knew.  I’m all about survival, and it looked like a skill I could use.”

He stopped talking and looked around.  “Where’s my Gramps?”

Flex heard the words, but they didn’t click.  “What?”

“Flex,” said Gem, “Jim Scofield is his grandfather.”

“No shit,” said Flex.  “I guess you were pretty happy to learn he’s alive and well.”

“Hell yes,” said Nelson.  “He’s always been good to me.  Even when I was a stupid kid.”

“He was probably a stupid kid when he was young,” said Charlie.  “Some of us still are.”

“It’s that awkward moment when you’re positive the innuendo is directed toward you,” said Dave.

“You know better,” said Charlie.

“I know,” said Dave.  “But it’s been a while since I’ve had a good awkward moment joke.”

“And the clock still ticks, Dave,” said Flex, smiling at him.  “Okay.  How much ammo did you guys get?”

“Tons,” said Gem.  “Unfortunately, since I was being held prisoner, I didn’t help much, but it looked to me like they got most of the stock.”

Flex glared at Nelson again and said, “I’m tempted to give you an opportunity to subdue me,” said Flex.

Nelson held both palms up and took a step backward.  “I’m a pacifist, dude.”

“Anyway, it was a packed store,” said Dave, redirecting the conversation.  “I’d guess there’s easily a thousand rifles and shotguns of all kinds, and bunches of ammo, too.  Definitely worth another run later on.”

“Cool,” said Flex.  “Glad you guys are alright.  Did you get gas?”

“Got it,” said Gem.  “From the station almost right across the street, thanks to our little hand-crank pump.”

“I filled my scooter, too,” said Nelson, flashing a thumbs up.

“Scooter?”

Charlie nudged Flex.  “He’s saving the environment.”

“Oh, right.  Good deal.  Anyway,” Flex said, “you guys were gone just long enough for us to ready the vehicles and organize the parties.  Dave, you’re going with Whit and Lisa.  I’m going with Hemp and Kev.”

“Wait a minute,” said Dave.  “Lisa’s going?  Thought she was with Hemp.”

“She wants to be involved,” said Flex.  “I don’t dictate to anyone, so it’s her call.”

“But the vapor crap.  Her eyes.  Are they cleared?”

“Almost,” said Lisa walking up behind her brother.  “Hey, Davey.”

He hugged her.  “Hey, sis.  You sure you’re ready for this?”

“Yes.  I feel fine, and I need to do something.  Serena’s next door.  She wants to see you.  I think she wants to go with us, too.”

“Definitely,” said Dave.  “I’ll go over in a minute.    What’s our route, Flex?”

Flex waved his hand and they followed him to an easel with a map of Concord propped on it.  Flex ran his finger along a corridor.

“You guys will start from here and go out here.  The buildings you need to check are marked in red, and the route is marked in blue.  We’ve got printouts.”

“Cool,” said Dave.  “How many groups are going out?”

“We’ve organized eight.  I don’t know all of the men and women, but Kev says they’re all sharp, and they’re instructed to get on the radio right away if they find a building full.”

“Full of what?” asked Nelson.

“Zombies,” said Gem. 

“Oh, yeah,” he said.  “Duh.”

“Okay.  You want to see your Grandpa, Dave?” asked Flex.  “Because if you do, he’s right next door at the bar.”

*****

Flex thought it would be nice to see the reconnection between grandfather and grandson, and it wouldn’t take very long to witness something that didn’t happen very often anymore.

A family reunion.

Gem, Charlie and Dave came too, and as they walked in, Dr. Scofield was nowhere in sight. 

“Where’s the doc?” asked Flex.

Kimberly Dodd looked around the room.  “He was here a minute ago,” she said.  “Oh, yeah.  I think he went to help Vikki get a case of water off the shelf in the storeroom.

“I’ll just wait,” said Nelson, smiling.  “I want to surprise him.

Serena stood up from behind the bar and saw Dave immediately.  Flex saw the light switch on in her eyes, and everything he’d been sure about before was confirmed again.  She was in love with that man.

Flex looked over at Gammon, and saw a big smile on his face, too.  Dave walked very fast to the bar and Serena ducked under the counter and hugged him.  He put his hand on the back of her head and held her close, then kissed her cheek and forehead.  Some words were exchanged between them that Flex didn’t hear, but he could guess they were words of relief that Dave was okay.

Flex got the distinct impression that Dave, unlike himself, was a bit embarrassed about public displays of affection.  Everything Flex needed to confirm the relationship between the two could be seen in their actions and their eyes, though.  He’d seen it before in Hemp and Charlie.

Two minutes later, Dr. Jim Scofield came in carrying a case of Fontana Springs water.  He looked up and spotted Flex, and smiled.

Then his face changed.  His eyes shifted to Nelson, and he appeared to grow very weak.  He sort of staggered to the pool table, dropped the case of water there, and ran across the room, his arms out. 

“Nel!” he said, and pulled his grandson to him, holding him tight.  His eyes were squeezed closed, and tears ran from them.  “My God, Nel,” he whispered.  “I never dreamed you’d still be alive.”

“I am, Gramps.  I’ve been making my way here to find you.”

Scofield pulled away and looked at him.  “You look like you could use a hot shower, young man.  Are you okay?  Not hurt?”

“No way, gramps.  I stayed away from those things.  None of ‘em laid a hand on me.  And yeah, a hot shower would be unbelievable.”

The doctor hugged his grandson again.  “Good to hear it, Nel.  God, I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you.  You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

Nelson pulled back, his face concerned.  “Sorry to hear your eyes are sore, Gramps,” said Nelson.  “But other than that, you look fine.  Really good to see you, too.”

Scofield laughed, along with the others.  Flex wasn’t sure if Nelson was joking or if he’d never heard the expression, but it didn’t matter.  In a world of strife and fear, family made things that much better.

“There’s a shower in the storeroom,” said Kimberly.  I’ll crank up the generator so you get pressure.  After, you should stay here and spend time with your grandpa.”

“He’s going to stay with me, so yes, I’ll get him oriented.  How are you ladies doing?  Any issues to report?”

“I’m fine,” said Gem.  “Baby’s moving, I’m glowing, by all reports.  Perfect.”

“Me too,” said Charlie.  “Nothing to report.”

“Okay, but I want to see both of you day after tomorrow anyway.  Maybe we should do another ultrasound.  See if you want to know the sex yet.”

Gem and Charlie looked at each other and shrugged.

“Yeah, we gotta talk about that again,” said Flex.  “Okay, we’ve got to get going.  We’ll take a bunch of those waters, too.”

“That’s why they’re here,” said Vikki.  “Load up.”

*****

Whit drove with Lisa in front, and Dave and Serena sat in back.  Dave held her hand, even as he scanned the sidewalks and alleys for movement.  He was monitoring the map, too.

Dave wanted to say something to Serena about being careful.  He realized she was living in ZFZ4 for quite a while, and going out on patrols with Tony Mallette, so she knew her shit and didn’t need him worrying.  But it didn’t matter.  That was before he fell in love with her.  All that shit was out of his control.

And, if he was honest with himself, it still was.  Serena was no less strong in spirit than Gem or Charlie – which is exactly what drew him to her, in part – and he just needed to watch her back and know that she would watch his.  Of that he had no doubt.

A street sweeping truck was up ahead, throwing the urushiol mix across the roadway, its residue building up and making any sort of trek impossible for the ratz.

The undead rodents had not ended up being the threat everyone had initially believed they would be, primarily due to the defenses concocted by Hemp to defeat them, and the residual effect of the urushiol oil.

“Right up here, Whit,” said Dave.  “On the right.  This Costco.”

“Got it,” said Whit.  “I never shopped at a Costco.  What’s the best way in?”

“Shit if I know,” said Dave.  “I run in, get my stuff, and get out.  Serena?  Lisa?”

Lisa spoke:  “The back of the store has some corridors, because that’s where the restrooms and storage areas are located.  As for getting in, I don’t think that’s going to be too easy.  Maybe just the front.  There’s a pretty good view of the store from where you walk in.”

“Has anyone from the State House been in this store before?” asked Serena.

“Yeah, I’m positive they have,” said Dave.

“They have,” said Whit.  “One of the first places we hit because of all the food.  The meat was rotten by the time we got here, but we took a ton of dry goods.  We left lots of rice and beans and stuff, because here was as good as anyplace to store it. Pastas, too.”

Whit parked the truck near the front of the store.  After looking carefully in all directions, they got out, radios clipped on belts, headlamps on, and machine guns in hand.  Even Lisa, who had emulated Gem by choosing an Uzi.

“It’s going to smell,” said Lisa.  “Especially by the meats.”

“I think we’ll know if they’re hiding here before we make it that far back,” said Dave.

Once they had determined the coast was clear, they walked away from the truck side-by-side, like four gunfighters walking through the center of a dusty main street into town.

The windows of the Costco were tinted, and they could not see in at all.

“Let me poke my head in, guys,” said Dave.  “I don’t want us to walk into anything.”

As the group of four stood a mere six feet from the entrance, every door crashed open, each immediately filled with zombies moving fast toward them.

Their clothing was tattered and stained, their dead faces pure putrefaction.  This group was mostly female, with perhaps about fifteen to twenty percent men interspersed among them.  Of the women, roughly a quarter of them had intense, red eyes.

“Don’t move,” called Whit, over the noise of the shambling feet dragging on the sidewalk.  “We’re on WAT-5!”

“Something’s wrong with this!” said Dave, his voice raised so he could be heard over the din of the approaching horde.  “They’re coming like they know
exactly
what we are!  Run, everyone, back to the truck!”

Serena and Lisa turned tail, and Dave followed behind. 

Whit did not heed his warning.

The odor that accompanied the dead walkers was pure sickness, and as Dave shot a glance behind him, he saw extended arms and gnashing teeth, telling him that despite the WAT-5, something had worked the zombies into a frenzy, and the only logical option was them.