Chapter 47: Inside Operation Bullfrog

Chapter 47: Inside Operation Bullfrog

 

  “Look Doctor Redstone I see your point but  ...” The athletically built tall woman is acutely aware her words have no effect on the other woman seated at the table. That woman’s scowl alone makes her words feel about as meaningful as a recipe for butternut squash in the winter. She chews on her full lips in frustration at the others woman’s bully tactics. She catches herself staring down at the crease in the pants of her fatigues. They sit in a vast sterile white conference room. The room is identical to any one of a thousand nondescript such rooms in America. The one exception being is this room is part of a fortified installation sitting more than two thousand feet below ground. There is huge computer console against a wall to their left. The massive black screen dominates the room like a gaudy painting. A meek young soldier in fatigues and a black t-shirt sits bolt upright in a chair at the console. There is a wireless microphone perched on his buzz cut head. One a female scientist and the other a career solider the women sit eying each other with the unease of a pair of scavengers coming together over a carcass. At the far end of the table, four men in pristine white lab coats sporting clipboards flank the heavyset woman. “This isn’t a maybe Major Castleberry ….” The brutish woman at the opposite end of speaks with the air of a Wall Street executive. “ …. This isn’t a discussion this is me telling you and you doing it.” The last phrase comes with an open palm slap to the large faux mahogany table at which they sit. Doctor Redstone’s meaty hand moves up to push her thick black glasses back upon the bridge of her nose. “Doctor Redstone …” Major Donna Castleberry puts on her best diplomatic face. This buys her time to stifle the rage bubbling its way up inside her. The pressure increasing with every second she has to speak to this cow of a woman. Her instincts are urging her to stand up vault over the table and clamp her fingers around Dr. Redstone’s doughy neck. Major Castleberry’s emerald green eyes settle on the immense woman packed into the leather office chair.

 

  Major Donna Castleberry was not about to be bullied by some egghead from the CDC. “I assure we will offer you whatever help we can with your research doctor.” She pauses as the two women’s eyes lock somewhere near the center of the table. “One thing I can assure of is this Doctor.” Major Castleberry leans up onto the table feeling her brown hair in its no fuss ponytail tickle the back of her neck. “You are correct this discussion is not up for debate.” She says her breath exiting her lungs with such force her nostrils flare. Doctor Redstone leans back in her chair causing its metal spring to emit an almost helpless groan. “Doctor Redstone under no circumstances will we bring what you call specimens or what we call Rotters, Trotters or zombies into this secured base.” Doctor Redstone’s face is an unmoving mask of angry red blush rising up into her jolly pink cheeks. She maneuvers her meaty frame forward huffing angrily like an antagonized bull elephant. The highly intelligent Virologist despises having to wastes time dealing with soldiers. The Doctor starts to formulate a plan as the idea grows so does the smile on her face. Soon the devilish grin slides across her thin pink lips. “Look honey why don’t you run along and get your handler” the doctor says condescendingly waving a contemptuous hand towards the soldier. The dig clearly meant to antagonize the Major. A chorus of chuckles erupt from the men in white lab coats behind Dr. Redstone. They have the look of a high school chess club in the midst of giggling at a private joke. She uses her near genius level intelligent to turn the tables on the pretty Amazonian Barbie doll across the table. Major Castleberry’s eyes cut briefly to the young soldier sitting at computer console. Castleberry the decorated soldier fights to maintain her composure.

  “Attennnnnnhut” The door to the conference bangs open behind the Major. The anger drains from her face like water flushing down a toilet, as she stands bolt upright. Castleberry steps to the side snapping a crisp salute. “General O’Malley” as disembodied male’s voice shouts out. An old grandfatherly looking man strolls confidently in almost on cue. The General’s facial features are hard like granite. Weathered brown sunken eyes appear alert under pure white eyebrows, which is the only hair on his otherwise clean-shaven face. His fatigues neatly pressed and ornately decorated with patches and ribbons rustle as he strides in. On his feet, a pair of highly polished pair of black combat boots reflect the sterile white light in the room. He returns the salute to Major Castleberry passing the statuesque woman. The old man slips right into the seat his subordinate had previously occupied. “At ease” he says watching the young man take his seat at the monitor with the keen eye of a high school principal. The Major falls into a parade stance her well-toned arms behind her back. The door slams shut behind him “My apologies Dr. Redstone …” General O’Malley clears his throat. “I couldn’t attend your hastily called meeting earlier I was busy.” Across the long, table Dr. Redstone rolls her eyes in contempt adding a snort for good measure. “General O’Malley it’s no wonder your subordinates don’t take my mission seriously.” She huffs “clearly they see you do not place any importance on it.” Dr. Redstone spits. The two ranking members of the factions occupying the bunker square off as they usually do. If one were to remove the zombie threat, bunker, uniforms, lab coats, and place the pair in the kitchen of a rural farmhouse. They would look more like an old married couple. “Doctor I assure you I take your mission seriously.” Helping you research this plague and increase our understanding of what we face is one of my top priorities.” “There is where you are wrong General …,” Dr. Redstone blurts. “It should be your only priority!” General O’Malley’s lips press together in a sneer as he leans back in his chair. He glances up at his second in command. By the tension in her jaw, muscles he can tell the doctor must have been giving her hell. O’Malley feels a slight twinge of guilt at sending Major Castleberry into the lion’s den on his behalf. His thoughts go back to the young Private he’d spoken too over the radio. Then a spike of remorse drives itself into his heart turning it ice cold. Here they were placating this scientist and her desires around curing death. Meanwhile outside the dead were consuming more and more people every day. He had reached his fill of this woman and his orders from the President were clear when he took his post. Operation Bullfrog’s primary objective in the event of a total electrical failure was to help open a line of communication covering the entire continental United States. This Operation would allow for communications with U.S. forces and other humans across the globe. The five Bullfrog units would be strategically deployed Pennsylvania to California. “The Event” as they were calling it had all but crippled the entire global. Anything not running or in their case buried several stories underground was sparred.

 

  “Major Castleberry what was the current topic of conversation with the good doctor before I arrived?” Brigadier General O’Malley speaks running his tongue around the inside of his cheek eagerly waiting his answer. Castleberry responds barking her words aloud. “General Sir Doctor Redstone believes that soldiers here do not take the mission here seriously Sir.” The old man huffs crossing one leg over the other. “General Sir she believes as stated previously the reason soldiers do not take the mission seriously is because the General does not take the mission seriously Sir.” O’Malley turns to his subordinate in mock surprise. “Do tell …..” He muses. “General Sir her words not mine Sir.” Major Castleberry says her face a stone mask of discipline. “General Sir Doctor Redstone also demanded that we bring her team infected specimens from the surface for further study.” Deep down inside the undisciplined part of her soul Major Castleberry was enjoying this. She tells General O’Malley of the doctor’s transgressions with all the glee of a child telling her father about her evil stepmother’s indiscretions. “General O’Malley if you wanted to know what I said you could just as easily ask me.” Dr. Redstone calls from the end of the table. “Oh I’m getting to you Alberta,” he says throwing down a gauntlet with his intentional breech of etiquette by using her first name. “Please tell me what you think our mission is. Share with me why you think the government built this bunker and the Bullfrog unit?” The General speaks with all the grandeur of a condescending host at a family Christmas dinner. The look on Doctor Redstone’s face said it all. She was a seething cauldron of bubbling ire. She had finally met the one man in all of her fifty plus years of life who was immune to her tactics. “My orders were clear our goal is to find a cure for  ...,” “Wrong” O’Malley shouts repeatedly stabbing an accusing gnarled finger in the doctor’s direction. “My mission as ordered by the President of the United States was to ensure the deployment of the communications array atop the Bullfrog unit first.” He sits forward holding the finger aloft as if counting off a list. He now adds a second finger up with the first. “Second we were to assist and or rescue any civilians we could in the event of a national emergency.” The dull sound of the wheels echo off the carpeted floor as General O’Malley pushes the chair back rising to his feet. “They threw you eggheads in from the CDC at the last minute like unwanted houseguests.” He adds coming around his end of the tablet. “Washington was hoping we could cure this thing whatever it is but you can’t cure death can you doctor?” He says passing the kid at the console who squirms in his seat. Doctor Redstone looks thunderstruck for a moment her supreme confidence waivers. She settles back and says, “I wouldn’t know doctor you haven’t given us the opportunity to see what we are up against” with sarcastic a smile. “We don’t even know if we have a national emergency on our hands or not. We sit down her sequestered with only your word as to what is happening top side.” She continues as the officer gingerly closes the distance. “No you don’t doctor I do.” Stopping turning back to face the nervous teenager seated at the console against the wall besides him. “Corporal Jones I want the live feed from the Bullfrog’s drone we launched earlier today?” “Sir yes Sir.” The boy croaks startled into action. His hands be move with a well-practiced grace flowing over the large console before settling onto a large black joystick. Within seconds, he has taken over control of the drone from its autopilot. “Major the lights if you would.” He motions over to his subordinate. She moves over to the light switch with a silent nod. The room goes dark like a movie theater light casts off the massive wall sized monitor bathing the room’s occupants in its glow. “We purposely took the drone up this morning before the solar eclipse.” The gravelly voice calls out from the darkness. “We looked for the nearest major population center as instructed in our immediate vicinity.” He continues after clearing his throat. “Which was Pueblo Colorado forty four miles North, North East of our current location.” Slowly the General’s shadow materializes off to one side of the monitor.

 

  Clouds filter across the screen as the color starts to sharpen and come into focus. The view looks down on what they all now know is Pueblo Colorado. At this height, the lay of the land looks like it does from any transcontinental flight cross the middle of the country. The patchwork quilt of terrain that makes up southern Colorado farmlands and national parks give way to the city of Pueblo. Black smoke wafts up from several dozen unchecked fires partially obscuring the view from the drone’s camera. “We are minus two minutes and counting until the beginning of the eclipse.” He narrates the images before everyone gathered in the room. “Corporal maintain your current holding pattern and I want you to zoom in with the camera. I don’t want any civilians to hear the drone and compromise themselves believing this to be a rescue.” “Sir Yes Sir” Corporal Jones responds. The ground slowly comes into focus the lens of the camera adjusting in slight jerking motions. The air near the ground is clearer. The scene that greets them is a chaotic post-apocalyptic nightmare. Hundreds of figures shuffle aimlessly though wreck-strewn streets. They can see bodies littering the landscape in various states of desecration. Limbs lie torn from sockets scattered about like a demented little girl’s doll massacre. They witness large mobs hunched over shapeless mounds of once human meat. The entire scene before them had the look of a Jackson Pollack painting. The only difference the spatters and spays adorning almost everything in this macabre masterpiece were all a single color blood red. Corporal Jones feels the telltale sensation of a cold sweat dripping from the crown of his head. He absently wipes his clammy palms on his fatigues. He struggled to stench the flow of bile attempting to fight its way up his throat. From somewhere in the room comes an audible gasp “one of her peons no doubt” Castleberry thinks to herself. Although she herself could not blame whichever bespectacled, nerd had made the utterance. Based on what she knew from her discussions with the General. This scene in all of its brutal high definition color surpassed even what her imagination had concocted. She did not know about the others but her thoughts went to her parents. She prayed they had made it to their assigned Bullfrog bunker in rural Pennsylvania. A fact she would not able to confirm until they got their relay up and going. “Notice the large number of Rotters Doctor Redstone.” General O’Malley starts. “Infected General if you please?” The old man glances off in the darkness towards the woman’s voice. “Well I do and please don’t interrupt me again Alberta.” He says turning to the screen. “The limited intelligence we have received in the wake of the first three Bullfrog units’ successful deployments is as follows.” The old man folds his arms across his chest. “For reasons yet unknown these things …. These zombies cluster together.” He points to the screen at a large pack of the dead. They appear like confused humanoid insects meandering through Pueblo’s small downtown district. “Near as we can tell they don’t retain the ability to intentionally organize as a group in their current state. We believe the presence living humans and their individual drive to consume said humans is their driving motivation. This alone we feel allows the individuals to work together for a common goal.” Pausing to crane his neck to take in more of the giant screen General O’Malley continues. “However some of these walking corpses turn feral and display patterns of hyper aggression when the Sun goes down.” The pack of zombies seem to be in a constant motion. They bump into each other changing course only to repeat the same process over again. By his glowing watch face General O’Malley can see the eclipse has begun. “Now Pueblo is just a small city of over a hundred thousand people. Near as we can tell best case estimates have over eighty percent of the population is infected, turned or whatever we are calling it.” Blackness seeps into the picture becoming slowly visible on the outer edge of the camera’s field of vision. “Imagine how bad the destruction is New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles tightly packed metropolises once full of life. They now team with the undead like cockroaches not afraid of the light and emboldened by the night.” The camera grows darker still. “Corporal decease altitude by half” he orders. On screen, the effect is immediate as the unmanned aircraft’s nose begins to dip.   

 

  “Uh General Sir” A nasally male voice chirps from the darkness. “Sir what is the point of all this?” “We need to see their behavior during this rare chance to study them. We will pair what you with what we learn today.” He answers. On screen, the eclipse reaches its brief climactic total stage. In the gloom, they watch as sporadic zombies pulse to life from amid the horde. Like random frenetic kernels of exploding popcorn, they leap up pushing and shoving their slower kin about carelessly. “Now team I give you our enemies secret weapon the Trotter. A zombie menace complete with the powers of speech, coordinated movement, blood lust and most dangerous of all thought. They pursue humans with a relentless energy born from lungs that don’t need oxygen to breath and muscles that don’t fatigue.” The air in the room is suddenly stuffy, as those gathered there stare transfixed at the horror. The camera pans around catching a cluster of Trotters tearing away from the edge of the great teaming mass of zombies. From its perch above the undead, the drone buzzes on unable to render aid in any way. The Rotters turn on decayed limbs slowly stumbling behind the Trotters like nosy little brothers and sisters. Over a dozen of the corpses emboldened by the early gift of fleeting daylight descend upon a tiny red building. “What is that?” the General asks to nobody in particular. “General Sir it appears to be a fire station Sir?” Major Castleberry answers the rhetorical question. Surrounding the red brick building on every side the Trotters begin tearing at barricaded doors and boarded up windows. “Jesus there must be survivors in there.” The General moves to a spot in front of the screen to get a better look. He steals a glance down at his watch. The totality of the eclipse would end in seven minutes they had just passed the halfway point. Soon the dull Rotters join their intelligent kin in the assault on the tiny firehouse. The zombies attack the structure with the ferocity of unbridled feeding frenzy. Until with all the pressure of a dam bursting, the dead exploit a weak point gaining entry through a front window. “Good Lord can we help them?” A voice cries out. Major Castleberry breaks discipline turning her head towards Doctor Redstone’s voice. “The drone is unarmed.” Jones utters in a panic looking up to General O’Malley. On screen, the futility of their compassion plays out in stomach churning horror. Terrified frantic figures appear in various windows on the second floor. The wretched souls toss themselves out of the windows landing in the roiling horde below. They met their demise with gut wrenching silent screaming up turned faces. Putrid hands slowly pull the ensnared humans down devouring them alive in seconds. Zombies topple out the windows like lemmings behind their fleeing victims. The dead crash onto the pavement dragging themselves on decimated limbs towards the slaughter. They all lust for scraps of human meat. The firehouse is vomiting Rotters and Trotters out of the top floor as the dead pour in from the bottom. Without warning, the front door of the fire station explodes outward in a jagged spray of metal and splintered wood. A massive red fire truck with its lights blazing through the gloom plows from the building battering a swath through the walking dead. A few intrepid Rotters cling to the metal battering ram seeking the people inside. The truck makes a wild turn throwing some of the flesh leeches off in the process. The truck and its inhabitants break free of the densest part of the herd. It speeds towards the edge of town without stopping. As suddenly, as it had begun the eclipse’s hold on the town of Pueblo loosens. The Sun pulls itself slowly from behind the moon’s dark cloak. The dead short circuit whatever triggers that had been lighting up their decomposing brains ceasing for the time being. They stare skyward as the darkness fades some of them perplexed by the tiny flying object in the sky. The zombie’s diseased and decaying brains are unable to comprehend the meaning of the drone overhead. “Stay on that truck Corporal that’s an order.” The General screams. Jones nods he is too scared to speak. “Find the Pueblo’s emergency frequency list and try them all until you raise whoever’s in that truck.” He says leaning in so close he can see the red pores on the boy’s clean-shaven face.

 

  “Lights” The General barks blindly. Most of those present squint furiously blinking away the spots before their eyes. “Major Castleberry” General O’Malley does not let up. Major Castleberry falls in before the General her body a rigid statue hands at her side. “How many scientist are there here in my bunker?” He quizzes “General Sir there are Sixty Sir.” O’Malley stares a hole into the doctor now “And how many soldiers are there in my bunker Major?” He stops crossing his arms over his muscular but bony chest once more like a kid daring another to hit him. “General Sir there are twelve hundred twenty soldiers with Operation Bullfrog in this bunker all under your command Sir.” He slowly moves on his heels towards the end of the table. He squats by Dr. Redstone’s chair. “Now doctor tell me again how you don’t think this is a military operation.” He smirks “I want the Bullfrog prepped and ready to move within the hour is that clear Major?” His eyes never leave the bulbous woman at the end of the table. “Sir yes Sir.” Castleberry responds and with a dismissive salute, he sends the soldier on her way to do as he instructed. “Doctor Redstone ….” He speaks wet spittle on his lips. “Alberta you are more concerned about bringing the dead into my bunker than the living.” The scientist and her cadre of yes men look around at each other. A few men vigorously shake their heads “no.” “Think about it all of you do you really want what we just saw down here with you in a locked bunker?” As with most “smart people” General Patrick O’Malley believes they are too smart for their or anyone else’s good. “Get this straight your mission and the mission of your dancing monkeys is to do as I say understand?” He looks around not seeing the response desires. “Okay let me put it this way is anybody ready to go top side and see how long they last?” One-man recoils back into the dry erase board behind them that his glasses topple to the floor. “Good I thought so.” The General gingerly stands up on his aching arthritic knees. “Doctor I made contact with a Private who was with the unit assigned to guard St. George’s the day after the turn. She says she is hold up with a few soldiers from her unit and some civilians.” His voice and tone are softer now. “By God I pray they survived this eclipse nightmare. Because if they did I will be bringing them back here once, we set up that array.” He places a hand on the woman’s thick shoulder. “I need you to stow all you data and samples. Form this point on you and all your people will be on medical detail is that clear?” Alberta Redstone bows her head in understanding and rakes her fingers nervously though her thick black hair. “Yes Patrick it is.” She speaks chest hitching with emotion. She claps her hand over his “For all of our sake Patrick put down anyone that gets bit don’t bring them back here.” She says all the pride gone from her face. “Finally doctor something we can both agree on.” The General exits the room without another word. On his orders, the bunker has become a beehive of activity. All around him, all soldiers hustle about making ready for the rescue mission. For the first time since “the Event,” they will be going topside.

 

 

Well  now we know something more about the folks heading up Operation Bullfrog!

 

 

 

 

Stay tuned for chapter 48 and as usual follow me on Twitter @TheLivingDark

 

 

 

and on Facebook www.Facebook.com/TheLivingDark

 

 

 

Sincerely

 

 

The Living Dark 

Chapter 45: Back in the Game

Chapter 45: Back in the Game

 

  Lawrence peeked under the thin bed sheet covering Willie O apprehension clearly etched on his face. The lean man fidgeted in the grip of a restless sleep under the thin veil of cover. Almost the entire right side of his chest covered in white gauze. Lawrence shakes his head unsure of Willie’s true condition. He gently lays the cover across the man’s sweaty chest before standing. Lawrence walks over to meet a now clothed Benjamin James. “Ben he might need more help than I can give’em.” Ben sighs as Sara exits the bathroom. “Lawrence doesn’t think Willie is doing well.” Ben informs her taking in the outfit Lawrence had provided her. She has tied a white t-shirt up in a knot and pair of blue boxers with which she had repeated the knotting process. He thanked the Lord he fit the roomy grey sweat pants better than Sara did. The white shirt he wore and plain white sneakers were at least clean. “Lawrence I don’t know what to say my friend” Ben leaned in. “I need to get back to my family and the church pronto. Willie …. Well he’s not my problem Lawrence.” Lawrence rubs his head reminding Ben of “Curly” from the three Stooges. The wheels in Lawrence’s head seem to turn just a bit slower than they did with an average person. “Ben don’t worry he can stay here with me. If he makes it well Willie can leave when he’s ready.” Lawrence feels beads of sweat popping up across his forehead. His stomach in knots he didn’t usually like company. “Where’s your family and friends Ben … Which church they at?” Ben draws a blank “Ummm.” He looks to Sara confused. “First New ….” Lawrence breaks in. “First New Faith aww hell y’all done run cross The Sin Preacher.” “Yeah that’s her” Ben all but barks. “Well she and her people are crazy as shit house rats’ buuuuut ….” Lawrence smiles rubbing his chin recalling his family’s past with The Sin Preacher. “I’m guessing y’all already know that.” Sara snorts she brings her new found pistol into view. “Well Lawrence tell us how to get there from here.” Lawrence mulls over the questions. “Its bout ten or eleven miles from here you go up the street make a left just head out you’ll see’em signs everywhere.” Ben shakes with rage. “We’ve already wasted two hours or so. Now we’ve got to hustle through ten miles of zombie infested cornfields.” Ben gives Sara the once over. “You don’t even have shoes fuck!” His frustration boiling over Sara makes to grab his arm. “Well now Ben you just need a few things.” Lawrence steps back. “Sara there are bags of new women’s clothes downstairs.” Lawrence turns from the conversation. “My mom she just shopped and shopped. She bought thangs she had no need for; she couldn’t even fit most of it.” They were staring at the darkened ladder that led back down stairs. “Sara …” Lawrence points to the girl. “You still got the keys you took off Sheriff Lee?” Sara nods. “Well then we need to get you some clothes then.” Sara can hear Lawrence Faulkner’s breathing as he pulls them close. “Sheriff’s car is parked up the block. There’s ya guns and ya transportation.” “Does it drive Lawrence?” Ben moves his hand up slowly. “Yes sir her drove down here to check on everyone the day after everything went haywire.” He clears his throat. It took Ben several seconds in the dim light to see the man holding a fat arm aloft for a well-deserved high five.

 

  Several minutes later, the trio is standing on the cramped back porch. Sara and Ben hold battery powered plastic green lanterns. The oil lit lantern with its dancing flame dancing swings in Lawrence’s grip. Light filters through various points in the old rickety house. The lanterns do little more than push the darkness back a few feet. “Ok Lawrence what the hell are we doing here?” Sara ask holding her lantern up. She scans the wall of garbage with a disgusted sneer. “Well now Sara there are bags and bags of clean new clothes piled up’n the kitchen.” Lawrence motions over the mountains of old newspapers and assorted trash. “I don’t know about this, we are really in a hurry my friend.” Ben breaks in waving his lantern around like a magic wand. “I preciate that you want to get to your family Ben but Ms. Sara …” Lawrence turns bashfully pointing to the young woman. “She can’t be much help to you runnin’ round mostly naked.” Ben could see his point. “Plus the more skin she shows the more she risks gettin’ bit by one of them zombies.” Ben gestures with his head massaging his temple. “Lawrence …. What’s …. Fastest … way to do this.” The last words trail from Benjamin’s mouth dripping with anger. “Well now Ben don’t be mad but I’m too big.” Lawrence stutters. “Y’all need to climb up carefully then just stay on top’a dem piles straight through to the kitchen.” Ben places the handle of his lantern between his teeth. Then hefts himself clumsily up the nearest dusty pile of refuse. The house is dank and heating up as the Sun bakes the rancid trash. Ben feels sweat break out all over his dark skin. Sara reluctantly hands her pistol to Lawrence before following Ben up the nearest pile. Ben gingerly makes his way across the trash heaps finding himself in the kitchen. He places each hand testing the trash heaps. The smell if stifling Ben feels woozy as the stench crawls down into his lungs with each breath. He gags causing the lantern to pin wheel from his mouth. Ben reaches for the lantern in a desperate attempt to keep his only source of light. He finds himself tumbling down in an avalanche of rubbish. “Ben!’ Sara shouts from behind him. Ben comes to rest flat on his back suddenly aware of something running across his ankle. “Fuck …” Panicking Ben’s mind races through the possibly. “Rats, spiders, roaches who the hell knows in this dump.” He scampers over seizing the softy glowing light. “Jesus ….” Ben whispers breathlessly his words barely heard as they fall from his trembling lips. He watches as dozens of filthy black rats scatter. The light illuminates a feeble zombie pawing helplessly at the air.

 

  Ben watches the zombie pinned beneath what he thinks is at least a decade’s worth of faded nature magazines. The dead man’s skin is molted and grey there are rat bite marks all over its dead flesh. Something moves near Ben’s other hand. He quickly shines the light down where he is sitting. “Shit!” Ben snatches his hand away seconds before a decaying woman closes her teeth around it. He clamors to his feet in a frenzy. Looking around the kitchen Ben stumbles over to a window ripping down a shade. Light bathes the area in front him. He looks up to Sara trembling. “Lawrence …” She calls the hostility in her words more than evident. “Yes” his voice comes back muffled by the wall-to-wall trash. “When you said your family was gone did you mean they left or that they are dead?” She rolls her eyes awaiting the man’s reply. “Umm well they’re gone cause they’s dead Ms. Sara. They got bit and turned into zombies after they died.” Sara huffs from atop the stack. “Lawrence what happened then?” The silence drags out as Ben presses back against the window. He sucks in stale air in big gulps. “Well I couldn’t put’em down so, I done pushed a bunch of stuff on’em and hid out upstairs. “Ohhhhhh.” Sara screams in anger. “And he didn’t think this was something we might fucking need to know?” She snarls at Ben. “Lawrence how many were there?” Sara shouts back into the darkness. “Three Ms. Sara my ... my mom.” “That’s all I needed Lawrence.” She cuts the man off. “This whole fucking town is nuts.” Sara brings her voice down just enough for Ben to hear. “Ok watch out Mr. James there’s one unaccounted for.” Sara Lockett whips her head around frantically scanning the immediate area. She sees no signs of their missing zombie. Her eyes land on a pile of bright yellow see through plastic bags. “Jackpot” Sara mouths. Ben did not know why he had frozen in place. He felt sweat cascading off his bald head down his back. Ben teetered on a mound of trash seized by vertigo. “Mr. James …. Ben!” Sara leaps down from her perch on the trash mound. Sara takes care to avoid the pawing arms of the two zombies. Their mouths move but no sound escape from their dead compressed lungs. Sara stumbles over to Ben steadying herself by grabbing his beefy forearm. “You ok bug guy?” Sara asks placing a hand on Ben’s chest. “I … I” Ben stammers. “It almost bit me.” Ben pines his eyes watering. Sara hands Ben her lantern as she untucks the shiv from the waistband of her boxers. She takes several unsteady steps over to the first zombie that had laid in wait for them. She plunges the metal into its empty left eye socket with a twisting motion. The undead eyeless man falls still in his trash littered grave. Sara wastes no time stomping over to shriveled dead female corpse. She lay pinned under the weight of garbage up to her neck with one arm exposed. Sara grits her teeth stabbing down hitting the zombie square in the center of its forehead. She leaves the crude weapon stuck in the woman’s forehead. Sara storms over to the pile of tied up bags sitting in what was the ram-shackled house’s kitchen sink. “Mr. James get back to Lawrence and watch your footing.” She calls out. “We’re still missing one.” She wishing the big rats scampering around the floor were their only concern. Sara rips into the first she bag and does not look back.

 

  Sara Lockett stood face to face with Lawrence Falkner twenty minutes later. She was dressed in blue jeans with a matching denim jacket, white shirt, and gym shoes. Sara was closing in on twenty years of age but even she knew one thing. Every piece of clothing she now wore was a throwback relic from the nineties. They itched and smelled like her grandmother’s attic but the beat being naked. “Again I’m sorry.” Lawrence wipes his face nervously. “I could put down a hundred zombies but not my Ma and Pa. Not my family I couldn’t do it.” She had stifled a deep desire to punch fat man. Once both she and Ben had crawled back over the trash to where Lawrence stood. “I understand Lawrence.” Ben looked at Sara hesitantly. Ben looked at the backdoor then back to Lawrence. “Look stay away from that open window Lawrence” Sara speaks up. “We are going to find our people then we’ll come back for you and Willie.” Lawrence raises his lantern letting the light wash over his face. “I appreciate it really I do but I’m home guys.” Ben nods his understanding. He is unwilling to debate the man any further. The only thing Ben James wants is his family and a generous helping of revenge. Sara moves to the backdoor hand on the knob. “Take care my friends” Lawrence smiles holding out a meaty hand. Sarah turns back to the man. “Thank you Lawrence you saved our lives for sure.” She tells him ignoring everything within her. Sara takes Lawrence in a polite embrace much to his surprise. “Yes thank you and we will be back my friend.” Ben shakes Lawrence’s free hand vigorously. “We’ll take care to deal with any zombies hanging around.” Sara releases the embrace. “This way they won’t work their way back to you guys.” She slowly pulls the pistol twisting the doorknob cautiously. “Ok and remember you go round the house’n down the block Sheriff Lee’s car is down the block middle of the street.” Lawrence covers his eyes as the light invades the dark cluttered house. Sara looks about no zombies coming over the field from the river. She also sees none in the immediate area around the back porch. She moves down the small steps blinking as the sun assaults her eyes causing them to water.

 

   The warm fresh air washes over the pair. Ben follows quickly behind her his hands empty. Pivoting his head Ben desperately looks for something he can use as a weapon. “God I don’t like being empty handed.” Ben whispers fiercely the round the house crouching. “It’s ok Mr. James.” Sara says as she scurries forward pistol at her side. “If what Lawrence says is true you should have a weapon pretty soon.” They come to rest on a large tree. “There we go Mr. James past the wreck.” Sara draws Ben’s attention down the block to a white police car. “I don’t see any zombies” She looks both ways up and down the block. “Yet” She adds sarcastically. There are cars by the dozen strewn about the spacious street. They can see a multicar crash that blocked the street between them and the patrol car. “We move low Sara and stay away from the wrecked cars.” Sara nods holding her pistol up at eye level. Together they move hunched over always on the lookout for the undead. “Almost there” Sara calls back to Ben they pick up the pace. Sara pulls the ring of keys from her pocket. “Mr. James I’ll drive and we’ll stop down the road and check the car for weapons.” Ben swings wide around the front of the car. He stares at the mangled cars. Ben’s mind goes to his son Chip. He wonders what he and Belinda must have gone through during their ordeal. He vowed to himself at that moment that he and his family would never be apart again. Sara whips her door open sliding into the car. She takes a split second to pop the lock on Ben’s Side. “Let’s go.” She slams the doors as Ben does the same. Stabbing the key into the ignition and turning it. Every flashing light in the car comes on followed a wailing siren. “Fuck turn it off” Ben panics. Sara slaps at the dashboard hitting the switches marked “siren” and “lights.” “Oh no” Sara cries looking out the car’s windshield. The dead came meandering out of hiding in droves. They came from houses, alleyways, parked cars and the shadows all along the street. A deep moan erupts from the back seat as the pair turn. In the back of the squad car sits a large biker zombie. The dead man with the long blood stringy black hair slams his head into the steel mesh between the front and back seat. “Shit” shouts Sara dropping the pistol to the floor. The dead thing growls again flinging itself forward again. Ben is so distracted he doesn’t see the walking corpses shamble up top his side of the car. The ghouls proceed to pound on the car seeking the soft warm flesh inside. “Sara we need to go now.” Ben recoils back from the window then slumps into the seat. “There’s a damn zombie in the back of the car.” Shouts Sara. She observes a growing mass of zombies slowly surrounding the car. “He’s handcuffed Sara get us the fuck out of here.” Needing no further prodding she throws the cars in reverse taking great care not to lean back against the metal grate. They clip a parked car as they take off down the street. Sara backs over several zombies lumbering up on their rear. With a yank of the car’s steering wheel Sara spins the car around. “Lawrence said end of the street the head left.” Ben reminds he panting as he cast a nervous glance at their snarling passenger.

 

  They rocket down the center of the road. Sara expertly dodges stalled and wrecked cars strewn about the two-lane road. Ten minutes later, they find themselves encircled by empty open fields. “Look” Ben speaks up pointing to a plain white wooden sign. The black script reads “First New Faith 2 miles ahead.” The car skids to a stop sideways as Sara jams the breaks down. She is out of the car before Ben realizes it. Taking two strides Sara grabs the rear driver’s side door snatching it open. The sound of the gunshots startles Ben. The big zombie in the backseat slumps to the floor it’s brains splattered on the window of the opposite door. “That bastard was irritating the shit out of me.” She snaps. Ben takes the keys from the ignition and exits the car in a rush. He heads for the trunk of the long white car. As he opens the trunk, he watches Sara drag the dead body from the back of car. He looks down into the trunk and smiles. Ben takes up a tactical shotgun chambering a round. “Yes Lord thank you.” Sara says now besides him placing the pistol in her waistband. She unclips the AR-15 from inside of the trunk’s lid. “Grab the bands of shells.” Ben is glad to see Sara smiling again as she speaks. He takes the belts of shells as instructed and loops them across his chest. “It’s about noon Ben.” Private Lockett states looking skyward breathing deeply. “Let’s go Sara.” He tosses her the keys. They climb into the car and make their way towards The Sin Preacher’s house.

 

   The roads begin to look somewhat familiar from their drive in what seemed like forever ago. “Now remember Mr. James I get to bash that bitches head in.” Sara chuckles. Ben opens his mouth to speak but his words trail off. They watch the zombie dragging itself clumsily down the center strip of the road. The dead man is huge “as much as I’d love to run it down.” She looks to Ben “I think it will damage the car.” Sara turns the car wide around the burly walking corpse. The dead man stumbled on listlessly moving on heavy booted feet. “What the hell?” Sara can’t believe her eyes as they drive slowly past the big zombie with its head down. “Ben that’s that big old bastard” She points snapping her fingers. “Colonel … that was his name Colonel.” She swallows hard understanding the implications. Blood covers the front of the old soldier’s clothes. His face is an unrecognizable mask of lumps and bruises. The car’s occupants slowly realize the sinister implications of the dead man wandering down the road. “Ben …” She gazes back in the man pained face. “They got in Ben the church got overrun.” Sara feels her heart race her chest begins to burn. Ben’s eyes cloud over with pain. The car lurches forward as Sara mashes the gas pedal to the floor. Ben sits his mouth agape in shock. “Don’t worry Ben.” She calls him by his first name for a change. Sarah uses her free hand to place the two extra clips for the AR-15 into her lap. To her right Ben wrings his hands around the assault shotgun. Sara hopes he doesn’t cause the weapon to discharge in the car. They arrive just on the outskirts of the church property. “I don’t see any other zombies.” Sara takes her hand from the wheel and catches Ben by the arm. The big man stops one foot out the door. “Ben we do this the right way. We take care, we find out what happened to our …” She didn’t expect to choke up. The idea of having lost everyone washed over her unexpectedly. Ben takes Sara’s hand in his. They meet each other’s gaze “We take our time and do this right.” Sara says shaking her head. Sara’s eyes never leaving the white building in the distance sitting encircled behind a high wire fence. Sara takes the lead after thumbing the safety off her weapon. The pistol sits tucked in her pants. “Let’s head around back.” She whispers heading behind a tree. “Ben watch our back for Rotters.” Sara waves a hand dismissively at the dense wooded area. They begin to work a long wide arch around the back of the church. Ben and Sara keep to the tree line using it as cover. “Shit, shoot, damn.” Sara calls out in frustration upon seeing the rear of the property. The carport that they had entered that first day stood wide open. All of the cars once parked in the long barnlike structure were now gone. “That’s our way in.” Ben taps her on the shoulder noting the open doors were in line with the fence. They scamper across the open area Sara keeps her weapon held high. They both draw up against the interior wall of the dark carport. “Door’s open.” Ben motions with his shotgun. A thin shaft of light sneaks its way in via the door. They make their way to the door stealing a quick glance out. The rear of the church property is empty except for an unmoving female zombie. The body lays at the base of a small porch with its head caved in. “Looks clear ….” Sara starts. “Don’t ... don’t” a man’s voice croaks up from the darkness across the carport. They spin in unison bumping the door closed.  

 

“Who’s there?” Sara calls raising her rifle inching towards the voice. “Wait” Ben grabs her shoulder. He fumbles his hand up the weapon’s muzzle. With a snap, he flips on small flashlight affixed to the muzzle of the shotgun. He aims the beam into the darkened corner. There he sees a thick-bodied middle-aged Hispanic man. Ben uses the light on his gun to scan the man. There is a gaping tear along his right forearm. It makes the nasty bite leaking blood from his neck look like a cat scratch. “Who are you?” Ben asks the man whose skin is a sickly greasy yellow hue. “Don’t matter now.” The man struggles to speak holding up his wounded arm. Blood rolls down the man’s arm soaking his shirt. “You’re with that family and the soldiers?” He was having great difficulty breathing. His chest rose and fell unevenly but that didn’t stop Ben from moving over to his side. “Yes we are have you seen them?” Ben asks eagerly. “They … they got out.” He points with a pistol in his other hand. The man’s arm dangles weakly. He looks to Ben like a puppet whose master is tugging his strings ever so slightly. Ben’s eyes light up with hope. “They … uhhh” He contorts in agony before coughing up a wad of deep red blood. The dying man spits clearing his mouth. “They left in … a big ice...” He trails off weakly dropping his head to his chest. “Ice cream truck?” Ben shouts moving closer to the man in the corner. “Slow down Ben be careful.” Sara cautions Ben untucking the pistol bringing it to bear on the man. Ben notices the man’s sickly eyes seem dull and distant unable to focus on any one point. “I …. Was making sure …. Everyone got out.” He struggles to stay conscious. “Heard …. screams from other side of church. There were …..” He swallows pain etched on his face. “Somehow zombies were closed up in there with them.” His voice strained as he forces the words out. “They got to …. Me” The man says forcing himself to laugh. “I held door let …. Others es…. Escape.” Ben stares back at Sara. A look passes between them as they realize this man had been a hero. From the trees, they hear the crunching of leaves. The sound is as loud as a gunshot. “Shit.” Ben snaps his eyes going to back the way they had come. Ben counted at least six corpses making their way slowly towards the open end of the carport. “Ben we …” Mangled arms reach through the open door grabbing Sara’s long hair.

 

  Ben moves without thinking. He plows into the door hearing the crunch of bones as he lays his full weight into the door. Sara fights loose rolling backwards on the ground. She struggles to compose herself slowing her breathing. She sights down the AR-15 firing three quick bursts dropping the Rotters entering the carport’s open end. Undead guttural moans rise up from behind the door Ben struggles to hold. “There are more coming from the woods Ben.” She shouts they both know if they don’t move now they’ll die here. The weight pushing against the door begins to cause Ben’s shoes to slide in the dirt. “Go …” The man croaks from the corner. Sara raises her pistol aiming at the tortured dying man. Ben releases the door sprinting for Sara; he snatches her up causing her shot hit the wall above the man’s head. Ben drops Sara the door behind them slamming open. She takes a quick look at the man in the corner. He lifts the pistol up to his temple just as the first walking corpse drops to it’s knees before him. Ben throws the butt of the big black shotgun forward crushing a zombie’s face. He skirts the wall out of the carport Sara trailing him. Rounding the corner their need for stealth gone they hear one lone gunshot from inside the carport. “We’re the only game in town now Ben.” Sarah says prodding Ben onward. They head left into the sunlight running along the fence. “Ben it’s her ….” Sara’s words trail off. Ben turns back following Sara’s line of sight. He is dumbfounded at the sheer number of undead pouring from the church basement. The Rotters shuffle in formation line ants one after the other drawn to the sounds of the living. Near the front of the crowd almost lost is the Sin Preacher her throat torn out. “You deserved worse bitch!” Sara screams enraged she aims at The Sin Preacher wobbling among the crowd of zombies. The Rotters shuffle in unison heading for the fence. “No time for that now!” Ben grabs Sara pulling her with him as he heads for the Sheriff’s cruiser. The undead seem to come from everywhere now but they have a straight shot to their way out. They cover the distance sprinting the dead hounding them every step of the way. “I got the keys.” Panting Sara shouts opening the driver’s side door hopping in. Ben throws his gun in the car before sliding in. Sara takes a quick peak in the rearview as she starts the car. She knows the Rotters will soon overtake the car from the front. The last thing Sara wanted was to back into a tree and end up lunch for the rampaging rotten horde. “Go .. Go ...” Ben beats on the dashboards. The car lurches backwards out of reach the zombies. “If they are with the ice cream guy, I think they went back to the farm with Magic.” Sara shouts as the car bounces back on to the road. Ben smiles for the first time in recent memory. Sara prods the car down the road heading back the way they had come. The dead burst forth from First New Faith and the surrounding area. The last thought in their diseased putrid brains is the living flesh in the car. They follow on decaying limbs shuffling down the road long after the car disappears from sight. “If I get home, I will make them pay.” He chants to himself in his head repeatedly. Colonel drags his bruised body across a dry field of wild grass. An evil sneer races across his face like a jagged bolt of lightning. With his head down, he slouches past a pack of zombies. He gives them a wide berth not changing his stance so as not to arouse their interest.

  Ben and Sara get back into the game attempting to locate the rest of the group. They make it back to the church only to find things have taken a turn for the worst for the members of The First New Faith Church. Even the Sin Preacher herself has met with a grisly fate.




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The Living Dark

Chapter 44: Coming to a Head

Chapter 44: Coming to a Head

 

  Miriam cannot stifle the yawn pulling her jaws apart. She stands facing out the back window of her church on a small wooden porch. The Sun teases the horizon tinting the retreating thunderclouds a breathtaking shade of magenta. A few stray beads of water on the glass catch the early morning sunlight each creating brilliant miniature rainbows. Miriam smiles broadly at the wonderment before her. Behind her, she can hear her own voice softened by a closed wooden door. A tape-looped sermon is playing over the loudspeakers in the church’s nave. This would pacify her flock until she could return to them tonight. The “Unclean” as she had labeled them were the least of her concerns. Miriam was finally able to breathe a deep sigh of relief upon seeing two shadowy figures emerge from besides the church. “You did not come straight back I see” She says aloud through the screen door. Even though she is fully aware zombies, intelligence has retreated with the rising of the Sun. They both turn towards the sound of her voice. The dead men stumble about milky eyed ensnared by the effects of the new day sun. The zombies are each soaked in rich crimson blood. She knew they would disobey her word but she did not care. For as long as the Benjamin James and Sarah Lockett were dead. The Sin Preacher had no fear of any reprisals. Those of their party she held in the basement were now at her mercy. Still she ponders to herself “you were both disobedient, and my word cannot be broken.” Speaking audibly now “For that Brothers Lawson and Hobart” Miriam opens the screen door. “You will not enjoy the morsel of flesh I had promised unto you.” Her attention finds its way to the bastardized infant sleeping in her quarters. Miriam moves onto the porch grasping the rain slicked railing. She is not afraid of her wayward sheep as they stagger about well within the locked gated of the church’s compound. Miriam had given Lawson a key before he left to complete his ordained task. She clears her throat ready to speak her hypnotic words to these her most useful of sheep. Miriam did not see the third Rotter that had remained unseen hidden in shadows until it pounced.

 

 “My Lord” The Sin Preacher cries out. Snatching her hand back off the white banister, the female zombie’s mangled teeth narrowly misses her hand. Miriam slips down the two small stairs plowing into Lawson. The bald zombie tumbles backwards knocking his undead sidekick to the wet ground with a grunt. Miriam loses her footing on the damp grass and falls on her backside. “My child … my child” She says calmly to the growling walking corpse making its way around from the other side of the porch. “Listen to my voice for it is I who the Lord almighty have allowed to hear your cries and ease your suffering.” The Sin Preacher implores her arms outstretched; her palms turned up like a beggar. The Rotter snarls a ropy mixture of blood and saliva spilling from its blackened maw. Miriam does not panic she is more concerned with the dampness seeping through her robe. “It will have to be cleaned before tonight.” She ponders to herself. “Please my child” Miriam’s voice breaks ever so slightly. She steals a glance back at Lawson and Hobart each ghoul struggling to his feet. Her face sports a mask of disapproval. Same way a mother does when she catches her son with a girl whom she does not care for. “You brought this Jezebel to my house.” She barks through clinched teeth. The Sin Preacher whips her head back around facing the zombie. “Do you hear not my words foul heathen?” She asks the feral hissing decaying walking corpse. “For you are truly lost then child.” Miriam scoots back on her rump a few inches waiting for the Rotter to lung once more. When the dead woman does Miriam kicks out her leg catching the zombie under her chin. The thing’s teeth clack together as it reels backwards landing face up on the bottom step of the porch. The Sin Preacher is on her feet trudging forward towards her unwanted guest. Her wet dirty once white robe billows out behind her. “There are the workers of iniquity fallen” She huffs breathlessly. Moving to a standing position over the undead woman Miriam places a hand on either side of the woman’s head. It is like holding a squirming alligator swaying in a vain attempt to get loose and strike. “They are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.” The rage bottled up in the darkest recesses of Miriam now bubbles over. She lets her fingers slide over the jellied white eyes of the zombie. Miriam slowly pushes her thumbs into the thing’s eye sockets. Her digits sink deeper into the mushy wetness as she clasps her fingers behind the corpse’s skull like a spider’s legs. The zombie’s eyes pop like overripe fruit but it still snarls sensing the warm flesh hovering above it. The Sin Preacher lowers her forehead down to the creatures. Miriam does not shy away from the damp rotten smell wafting up from the zombie. “You are banished from this place.” She rages leaning in Miriam slams the Rotter’s head against the bottom step. The Sin Preacher repeats this process until the zombie ceases its relentless attack. Miriam has lost herself in the sight before her eyes. The sun now beams brightly from the East. She smiles raising her hands gooey matter plops from her fingertips onto the ground. “Now my sons” she speaks without turning to face Lawson or Hobart. The ghouls sway in place made more docile by the fullness of daylight and The Sin Preacher’s voice. “Let us seek shelter for tonight you will make amends to me for your transgressions.” Miriam leads the zombies up the stairs and into First New Faith’s rectory. She does so pushing and prodding the dead men as a mother with unruly teenage boys. She has no idea Brother Gustavo has just witnessed her coming unhinged for the second time.

 

  Under the small porch, kneeling in the dirt Gustavo raises old metal hatch. Chills blossom up his spine as the Sin Preacher along with her undead soldiers pass overhead. He holds his breath staring down at the baby girl in his arm. She was gorgeous her little blue eyes meet his. Baby Cammy grins showing her tiny pink gums. For the first time in a long time, he does not feel like he is a bad person. Above him, he hears a door lock. “Please God be with us” He whispers his first genuine prayer in recent memory. Brother Gustavo climbs down a spider wed metal ladder into the darkness. “We have to hurry” the thought runs frantically through his mind. He pulls the closet door open less than a minute later. Bianca Fullerton is running full tilt towards him. Her arms are open almost as wide as he eyes. Gustavo holds up a finger to silence her a cold sweat has settled upon his skin. “We have to go now.” He says with as much emphasis as he can muster without raising his voice. He surrenders the baby girl to her mother’s embrace. Bianca weeps softly Dakota sits by her mother’s immediately she finds herself swept up into a hug. “Please we need to go now,” Gustavo urges pulling Bianca to her feet. They disappear into the closet Anne James hustles Brandon and Belinda along to the hidden tunnel. Any other day they would look like typical sleepy kids ushered around by a mother with a schedule to keep. Private Medina checks her pocket for the handheld radio. Overnight she had briefly spoken with White Magic. Unlike their initial meeting, he would be waiting for them today. She cocks an eyebrow at Private Carson clutching her ribs. They both look down at a Chip sitting on the floor sans his wheelchair. “Come on bro spare me some dignity.” Chip says just above a whisper. “Don’t let the chick carry me please I’m begging” He chuckles. “Besides I got the only gun” Chip produces the revolver waving it around like a toy. “I got him go Carlita.” Carson lowers himself to the floor scooping up Chip. The boy rakes his shoulder length sandy curls back with one gloved hand. The pair head for the exit watching Private Medina as she vanishes into the dark tunnel. “What the fuck!” Private Carson hears as Chip draws the hammer back on the pistol next to his ear. Carson knew the owner of the deep overly harsh voice. They had not heard the door open behind them. Chip kept the pistol leveled at Colonel’s chest. The two young men he had assigned to guard the door flanked him on either side. “Drop your weapons or Colonel Mustard gets two in the chest.” Chip orders. Colonel ignores the two cowards who show no hesitation tossing their guns to the floor. “You too big man” Carson says to the old soldier. “You look like the type of pussy who’d leave without saying good bye Son.” Colonel spits the barb designed to bait the younger man. He squats placing his heavy pistol gently down on the floor. Chip and Private Carson exchange glances hunching their shoulders in unison. “Oh no Sir we were just on our way to see you.” Carson grins he walks over to one of the tables setting Chip down. “Now you Chip points to the guard on the right close that door and lock it please.” Chip uses the gun like a pointer. “You …” Carson points the second guard. “Bring those weapons over to my friend on the table here.” Carson pulls off his camouflaged uniform shirt flexing his shoulders. His physique is even more impressive as the olive green t-shirt fits tight against his chiseled chest. The smaller of the guards sheepishly deposits the guns on the table next to Chip. “You boys go ahead and take a front row seat on that couch over there.” He tells the pair pointing to the battered old couch that had been a bed the previous night. All the while Colonel stands breathing in deeply cracking his knuckles. An evil grin etched upon his harsh features. He never takes his eyes off Carson. “What the hell is taking …?” Medina burst back out the closet. “Aw fuck.” Her eyes bug out comically as her jaw hangs open. “Go Medina” Carson orders now refusing to drop his gaze from Colonel. “We’ll be along in a few this won’t take long.” She looks to Chip who gives her thumbs up with a toothy smile. “Run along missy this is man’s business.” Colonel laughs. Medina backs her way down to the tunnel entrance. “Carson ….” She calls out. “Yeah what up Carlita?” He responds staring down his foe. “Will you please beat that sadistic motherfucker to death for me?” Private Cody Carson licks his lips. “Sure thing Kid” he assured her as she goes up the secret tunnel.

 

 Cody stood unblinking sizing up his opponent. He knew the man was older but the bulk of his weight was muscle. In the Army, they had drilled into his head that with age came wisdom. This he knew meant Colonel was a better tactician than he was. This fact alone let him know that he could not get into a brawl or a wrestling match with the grey haired former Marine. The scars Colonel bore on face and arms were a testament to his toughness. Cody was so lost in thought he blinked twice before he realized Colonel was rushing him. Colonel came stomping forward head lowered making it tougher to land a shot to the face. Private Carson spun out of the way of his charging foe. He stopped facing Colonel’s side as the man’s momentum kept him from stopping on a dime. Carson delivers a swift kick to the back of Colonel’s leg dropping him to his knees. He follows up with a spinning backhand to Colonel’s exposed face. The Colonel’s nose breaks with a “crunch” the sound carries across the room. Colonel pitches face first on the floor Carson and he have switched places in the room. Carson dances on his feet nimbly. He allows Colonel slowly get up to a standing position. “Carson don’t stop fuck’em up.” Chip shouts motioning towards Colonel with the gun. “Nah bro gotta do this right prove a point to this motherfucker.” Carson responds looking at the other two men sitting stunned on the couch. “I …..” Colonel wheezes sucking back some of the deep red blood flowing from his nose. “I forgot they don’t teach you Army girls how to fight a man straight up.” He spits a wad of blood on the floor moving his hands up like a boxer in front of his face. “Come on princess let’s see all that trendy dancing Jap shit y’all call fighting now.” Colonel was well aware he had underestimated the young bull. He was also knew the boy had made a mistake not finishing him off when he had the chance. The two men slowly encroached one another guard up in a pugilist stance. Colonel saw the private holding his guard high covering his pretty face. He delivered two quick brutal body shots. The first catches Carson on his left side the next punishes his right side driving the air from his lungs. Carson throws a feeble jab connecting with Colonel’s chin. It was more of a love tap with no force behind it. Carson cannot draw a breath he does not see the savage upper cut coming. For a brief moment, Private Carson feels as though he has left his feet. Before he knows it, he is reeling backwards his vision doubling. The only reason Carson does not hit the floor is the support pole he slams into back first. Colonel bares down upon him his eyes are calm and distant like those of a shark. To him this is a natural as eating nothing personal just nature. Colonel throws a right hook Cody blocks the punch ducking in the same direction as he catches movement to his left. The two guards who were sitting on the couch are sneaking up on Chip. The boy sits on the table eyes glued to the fight. “Chip look out!” he cries out. The distraction allows Colonel to pivot up a knee into his gut. Colonel has him trapped and takes the opportunity to land a solid left hook. Carson gets his bearings focusing on Colonel. He fights through the pain whipping his elbow straight up smashing it into Colonel’s exposed chin. Carson exploits the opening pulling the Colonel’s head down into his own knee. When the two meet Colonel’s arms go limp he is out on his feet. Carson sidesteps the groggy man teetering on the edge of consciousness. Taking Colonel by the back of his head Carson slams the man forward. Colonel’s head connects with the support pole with an audible “dong.” The Sin Preacher’s enforcer slides down the brown steel pole until the man simply slumps to the floor unconscious.

 

  A woozy Carson turns his attention to Chip. “Alright bro” Chip grins. Carson’s confusion clearly etched on his face. Chip sits with holding the back of one guards head. He has the revolver placed just inside the man’s open mouth. The other guard stands behind him his hands raised comically in the air as if he was on some old cop show. Carson follows the man’s wide eyes gaze back to its source. “Good work pretty boy lets go.” Medina says. She keeps her weapon in on hand pointing at the man. She tosses Carson his M4 assault rifle. Carson catches the weapon nursing his ribs as he steadies himself. “Boys we need to go we’re loaded and waiting on Brother Gustavo.” Private Medina says crossing the room. “Let’s go,” She says pointing her rifle at the two men. Carlita takes the pistols off the table by Chip with her free hand. “Carlita what are you doing?” Chips asks. “I’m being a good Christian by not holding a grudge. Now open the door,” She orders waving the rifle one of the Sin Preacher’s men. Chip and Private Carson look to each other confused. “Carson you and Chip head up the ladder and follow the footprints in the dirt under the porch. Head for the big ratty shed across the yard I’ll be right behind you.” Medina cranes her head looking out the open doorway. “Is he dead or out cold” Private Medina looks to Carson tilting her head in Colonel’s direction. “Um out cold I think,” he says unsure of his answer. Carlita unleashes a kick aimed between Colonel’s legs. The man emits a low weak groan, she marches the two men hands held high out into the midst of the captives. Carlita ignores the stunned faces as they had ignored her the day before as she passes them. Standing in the middle of the room her eye catches the hole in the wall made by her body yesterday. “Listen up people” she speaks to no one in particular. “Fortunately for all of you my mother raised me to be compassionate or I’d leave all you cowards here to die.” Private Medina drops the three guns in the middle of the floor. “I suggest you formulate a plan to get the fuck out of here.” She kicks the back of each man’s knees they drop to all fours. “You need to be quite head back through this room. There is a back way out in the closet you need to get to the carport all your keys and vehicles are there.” She looks to each face stopping on the chubby Hispanic man who spoke up when Anne attempted to rally them. “I suggest you fight like your lives and the lives of those around you depended on it because they do.” She does not look away from the man until he drops his head. “These two I leave up to you.” She says prodding one of the men with her gun. Medina heads back down the hallway stopping briefly. “Oh for any of you planning on staying you should know one important thing.” She extends her index finger pointing upward. “Your great benefactor the Sin Preacher has a legion of zombies locked in the main part of the church. She fancies them her personal army.” Shocked gasps swirl around the room. Medina turns back with a television game show host smile. “Have a good life” She mocks sprinting through the back room up the ladder and to her people in the shed.

 

   Miriam toughly enjoyed her hot shower. She had thanked God daily that the church was standing empty when ‘The Event’ had happened. In the wake of the cosmic onslaught, everything electrical that was without power that night still functioned properly. She stood before the foggy mirror now dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt. She has her hair wrapped in a towel and left to dry. Miriam swiped a hand over the mirror cutting a swath through the condensation. She could not help but smile at herself after last night. Her flock was ready; she had gotten rid of the Son of Lot, which she had found personally invigorating. Tasting the blood of the sinner had left her in an almost euphoric. She had the traitors dealt with and the fatherless child would be done away with tonight. “By this time tomorrow I will lead my flock on a cleansing purge through man’s army.” She told her reflection knowing the military would never expect a coordinated attack from a mass of zombies. Miriam strolls carefree from the bathroom back into her office drying her hair with the towel. “Good morning Miriam.” She jumps startled at the sound of the voice. She knows its owner all too well “Good morning Brother Gustavo.” Miriam Jacob answers tossing her damp hair back out of her face. Brother Gustavo sits in her chair behind her desk. His hair is all over his head; his once pristine white uniform is filthy covered in dirt from head to toe. What troubled her the most? The smile plastered on the man’s long face. “Please have seat Miriam” He gestures towards the chair Benjamin James had taken during their initial meeting. “Brother Gustavo why are you in my seat?” Miriam lowers herself down into the chair. She glances over at the pile of blankets on her cot. “Brother Gustavo where is the bastard child?” Gustavo rakes his fingers through his hair leaning back. “Brother Gustavo have you sunk back to your sick ways?” Miriam brings her head back around in a slow mechanical manner. “Miriam I assure you the child is safe and as for my ways.” The man swallows hard leaning forward his palms planting on the desk. “Years ago I told you I felt like a child on the inside.” He trembles as if he caught in the grip of a chill. “When I told you that I was molested as a child you used it and my faith against me. All you wanted was a sheep to do your bidding.” He wiped a stray tear from his eye. “All I wanted to do was to relive my youth one where I wasn’t hurt. One where I was not demeaned and degraded you ….” He stabs a long index finger in her direction. “You are not woman of God. This is no house of God. Sin Preacher …” He scoffs. “I saw you last night.” Gustavo snarls he shakes barely able to contain his rage. The Sin Preacher’s face is a pale shade of pink. She swallows hard pulling the acid rising in her throat back down. Here’s one for the road.” He chuckles. “I just wish I had understood it earlier.” Their eyes meet and Miriam sees no fear, no respect just cold emptiness. “Beware of false Prophets, Which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Matthew chapter seven verse fifteen.” Gustavo finishes with a shout. There is a knock at the door. Miriam glares at the door behind her. Miriam turns towards the door “Not now” She calls out. “Is that it all it takes Gustavo the sweet words of a Jezebel for you to turn on me?” Miriam’s anger rises as the knocking comes again. “Not nowwww.” She seethes stretching the last word out. “I opened my eyes pastor.” Gustavo says rising slowly placing his hands in his pockets. “You told me I had to do what you said to earn the Lord’s mercy.” He continued a bit more calmly. “You said God helps those who help themselves and it was you …” He exhales rubbing one hand on his temple leaving the other in his pocket. “You who claimed to speak for God not me.” The knocking came again harder this time. He noticed color had returned Miriam’s face from the neck up it was beet red. He watched her storm off towards the door through which they had drug the James family. The Sin Preacher grabs the doorknob in disgust “I said not…..” Her words trail off as she stares at the empty hallway. Miriam looks across her office Brother Gustavo stands at the rear of the office. He is between two doors facing her. The door to his right leads up to the body of the church behind the pulpit. The door to Gustavo’s left leads out the back of the church. He points to the battered brown desk between the two of them with a sneer. The left pocket on his dirty pants appears pulled inside out. Miriam sees a jumble of red white and brown wires laying tangled in a rat’s nest on her desk. Brother Gustavo projects his voice across the office. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he with me.” He opens the door leading up to the main body of the church wide and in the same motion disappears through the church’s rear exit. Miriam’s eyes dart to the desk “the intercom system he tore the wires out” she mouths in disbelief.

 

 The undead Rotters pour from the open door. They are sheep no more snarling like hungry wolves. Their milky orange tinted eyes settle on the only warm human flesh they can find. That flesh belongs to the Sin Preacher. Miriam cannot move her feet feel locked into the creaky wood floor. “Ma’am everything otay?” Silas Proctor asks through his swollen damaged jaw as he hobbles up. Miriam snaps to watching the walking corpses ransack her office. The place seems far more cramped as it is quickly filling with the Unclean. She knocks Silas aside running for the front exit. The bulbous man teeters on his aching wounded foot before he falls forward. He is the first church member to feel the jagged teeth of “the Flock.” His screams panic the church members even more than their pastor sprinting past them for the door. More screams start as the zombies come into view down the hall. Miriam hits the locked door full force and it does not budge. She turns the knob forcefully side to side and it simply clicks. She is unaware that BC and Jim Hosstrum lie on the other side dead by Brother Gustavo’s hand. He had murdered both men while they dozed on guard duty earlier then snuck down and barred the door as the members slept. “Sin Preacher please …” Please a horrified woman grabs her arm. Miriam slaps her hands away and shoves the portly woman backwards turning to see the Rotters crowding towards the panicked mass of people surging towards the door. More screams as those on the outer ring fall into the mouths of the undead. The sounds of tearing flesh drives the undead into a frenzy and the living into a panic. “Shut up” Miriam commands composing herself lift her hands high. “Be still my children for they are my flock.” The horrified church members ignore her words. “I will sooth them my children fall to your knees in prayer!” She screams over the sounds of slaughter. The Sin Preacher feels a tickle in her throat as she starts a sermon. Around the room, Rotters rise from their feasting on the living. They stand some still chewing gobs of torn human flesh. The zombies sway in place placated by the Sin Preacher’s soothing voice. Miriam does not know how long her voice will hold up. She curses under her breath hearing the sound of the massive ice cream truck’s engine outside fading into the distance. “Judas” her mind screams.

 

 

In a rather interesting change of events. Brother Gustavo has helped the survivors escape. Looks like he has finally seen The Sin Preacher for the false prophet she is. It appears to me at least that hell hath no furry like a demented ice cream man scorned.

 

 

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The Living Dark