 
# Zombie Hell

SMASHWORDS EDITION | COPYRIGHT 2015 Razor Blade

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# Chapter 1

# On the carpet

Karen Klein was in the middle of changing her tampon when her phone signaled a text. She sat back down on the toilet and checked the name on the screen. It was her boss Diane Garber asking her to come to her office as soon as possible. This was the message Karen had been dreading for a long time causing her to avoid her supervisor at all costs. Now she was stuck and began to sweat and shake.

Finishing what she came to do, she exited the stall, washed up and left the ladies room in a panic. She then headed down the short hall to Diane's office with her heart racing, pounding in her chest. She paused for a moment, knocked on the door and stepped inside the room where she saw the head of Human Resources Hermann Haas sitting to the side of Diane's desk. He was guarding some papers lying neatly in a stack in front of him.

"Come on in Karen," Diane said. She was flat, cold and didn't crack a smile.

Karen stepped over to the desk and took the only seat available. She crossed her arms and legs taking a defensive posture waiting for someone to speak. The other two pushed papers around and made sure Karen was comfortable before they spoke up.

"Do you know why we called you in here Karen?" Diane asked.

Karen shrugged her shoulders and didn't say a word trying to hide her nerves.

"As you know, you have failed to make quota again for the fourth month in a row. You were put on probation two months ago with the agreement you would make up the difference. As of now-you have not."

"Are you firing me?" Karen asked.

"What do you think we should do?" Diane asked. "We gave you ample time to make up for lost sales."

"Have you ever tried selling? Do you know what it's like to walk up to a family and ask them if they would sell their dead relative?"

"We provide all sales staff adequate training."

"Training is one thing, but seeing the look in their eyes when you offer up cash for the body of their loved one is something different. How many salespeople do you fire a month? I can't imagine anyone stays long. What you ask us to do is insane."

"If it's insane as you put it, why did you apply in the first place? If I remember correctly, you had a position in post-production."

"Post production pays minimum wage. Sales can be over a hundred grand a year. That's if you can convince anyone to sell."

"Sales isn't for everyone Karen," Diane replied.

"Is there any chance you can give me another chance?" Karen asked.

Hermann spoke up, "According to my documentation, you've been given more than your share of chances. You're costing us money."

"I've had some very hard cases, two of them were still teenagers. Can you imagine being a parent and having someone asking to buy your dead children for ten grand each? If they would have been older, or had some prior condition maybe. But these two were kids."

"We realize you've had your share of tough cases. But we can't offer you anymore chances. We can offer you a part time position in post-production for now and that's it," Hermann replied.

"Part time?" Karen asked.

"If you would have brought in more sales, we would have full time work available, but because you failed to bring in anything new, part time is all we can afford right now," Hermann said.

"Give me another chance," Karen said. She was begging.

"If we were to give you another chance, we'd have to take the commission away. You would make only base pay. You could earn your commission back once you have a proven track record."

"How long would that be?"

"Six months."

"Six months? What is base pay?"

"Two thousand per body," Hermann replied.

"I'd need to buy twice as many bodies as before just to make up the difference." Karen said. "You know, I never understood why you call it sales in the first place. I'm not selling anything, I'm buying dead bodies from families."

"They're selling, its semantics, but it means the same in the end. Yes, you are technically a buyer, not a seller."

"Is that my only option?"

"What do you mean?" Hermann asked.

"Is there any other way I can make more money?"

"Not at this time," Hermann replied. "If you want to continue your job with the new stipulations you need to sign this contract. It will be good for six months when we will again review it with you. If you fail to make your quota, there will not be another chance and you won't be allowed to work in post-production. In other words, you will be terminated."

Karen looked down at the contract that Hermann pushed towards her. There was a pen on top of the paper waiting for her to pick up and sign. She felt pressured, but was glad she wasn't being let go. So she picked up the pen and signed her name at the bottom of the contract and pushed it back towards Hermann.

Diane spoke up, "I just received a message of a possible fatality at Adams County Hospital. A car crossed the centerline and collided with a pickup truck. They have airlifted three and are sending two more by ambulance."

"Is that it?" Karen asked.

"Yes, I'll text you any new information I get. You better get going. Since we are low on inventory, we are authorizing you up to fifteen thousand per body for this situation. Do you understand?"

Karen nodded her head and headed out of the office, down the hall and to her car. She needed to get to the hospital and make sense of what was going on before she approached the family or families with any fatalities.

At the hospital, Karen exited her SUV, grabbed her work bag and headed into the emergency ward section of the hospital. With the passage of new laws, she was allowed to be in the emergency room as long as she stayed out of the way. When she located who she thought was the nurse in charge, she headed over and tried to get her attention. "What's the situation?" Karen asked.

The emergency room nurse looked at Karen and recognized her immediately as the vulture that hung out waiting for the dead. Karen didn't have to wear her name badge anymore since everyone there knew her and who she worked for. "One dead for sure, that's all I know." The hospital staff was obligated by law to cooperate with Karen, answer her questions and assist her with delivery of the body if needed.

"Sex? Age?" Karen asked.

"Male, I think. Don't quote me on that," the emergency room nurse replied.

Karen tried to walk through the polished metal doors that led back to the exam rooms but was cut off by the nurse and stopped in her tracks. "That's as far as you go, you know that," the nurse stated as fact.

Frustrated, Karen looked around for family members. She was good at picking them out, they were the ones that were usually distraught and crying. It didn't take long for her to find a group huddled together and she approached, more confident than ever.

"Hi, my name's Karen Klein, from Live Again LLC, is there someone I can speak too?"

The small crowd separated and looked at Karen like she was the strangest thing they had ever seen. Still in tears, a woman replied, "From where?"

"Live Again LLC, we repurpose the dead," Karen replied.

"What are you talking about?" the woman asked. "Repurpose the dead."

"Let me explain," Karen said as she fished a flyer out of her bag. She handed the flyer to the woman and turned it to the backside. "If you read there, it explains everything."

"No, you tell me," the woman said wiping away a tear from her eye.

Karen was hesitant, she never liked explaining the details out loud, but she needed to make a sale today or she would never be confident again. "We buy dead bodies," Karen replied with a nervous smile.

"What makes you think I have a dead body to sell?" the woman asked.

"I spoke to the RN, she said there was at least one fatality."

"Did she say who it was?" the woman asked.

"No, but I assumed since you were crying you knew him."

"Him?"

"She thought it was a male."

"You fucking bitch!" the woman shouted. "How dare you come up to me and offer to buy a dead family member from me!"

Just then a man from the group put his hand on Karen's arm and pulled her to the side. He shoved her away and told her to get lost.

"I have cash," Karen said. "I am authorized up to fifteen thousand per body."

"You can't put a price on my family," the woman said. "Get the hell out of here."

"That's fifteen thousand you won't have to spend on a funeral. That's money in your pocket. We pay for the service and you walk away with money in the bank. That's a lot better than you paying off a funeral for ten years."

"And what do you do with the bodies you buy?" the woman asked.

"That's confidential," Karen replied. "Once we purchase the body, it becomes the property of Live Again LLC."

"So you can make a department store mannequin out of it? So me and my family can find it selling clothes in a window display? Fuck you, get lost."

"I can't tell you what we do with the bodies, but I can assure you that you will never find it used in public," Karen replied.

"Used? That sounds so horrible," the woman said.

"Fifteen thousand dollars is a lot of money. Money you didn't have before. You get your service, you get your casket and plot. We keep the body. We even offer a replica to place in the coffin if you choose to display it."

As Karen finished her last word, the emergency room RN stepped over and called her away to the side of the room. "We have two confirmed dead. Both from the car."

"Do you have names?" Karen asked.

The nurse handed Karen a slip of paper and walked away, but before she could get too far, Karen asked if the family she had been speaking too were from the family in the car. The nurse nodded yes and continued on her way. Karen took the paper and walked back over to the family. She looked down at the sheet and then back up to the woman. "I can offer thirty thousand dollars," Karen said.

It took but a second for the woman to do the math and realize two of her family members were now dead. "Who?" she asked.

Karen looked down at the paper and replied, "Eric and Sandy,"

The woman dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands sobbing. The same man that pushed her away before grabbed Karen by the arm and dragged her back to the nurse's station yanking her back and forth as hard as he could. "You stay the fuck away from us, do you understand me?" the man asked. He glared at Karen letting her know he was all business. Then with a sudden change of heart and the prospect of thirty thousand dollars in cash the man whispered, "I'll sell you the bodies, but you have to let me talk to her first. Give me a chance to calm her down. What do I have to do to make this stick? Do you have a contract or something?"

Karen nodded her head and motioned towards her work bag.

"Good, give me an hour or so, I won't take a check, so you better have a way to wire this to my bank account."

"That's not a problem," Karen said quietly. She looked over the man's shoulder to the woman who was now being consoled by another lady. "I'll be here all day."

# Chapter 2

# Post Production

Two bodies were delivered to the post production department at Live Again LLC and stored temporarily in the cooler. Both were in marginal shape and slated to be examined by the transfer team captain for assessment. If the bodies were in good enough shape, they would begin the process of revival and reuse. This morning department head Jake Deepe was called in to check out the bodies and would bring in his staff if he felt the transfer would be a success. Written into the contract was a clause that stated if the process didn't work, the family would only receive ten percent of the total payout for the body and funeral costs. That would be a total of fifteen hundred dollars per body in this case plus expenses.

"What do you think?" Jake's assistant asked. Her name was Leah Karr. A twenty something tall Registered nurse with the looks of a model.

"Her x-rays showed a lot of trauma," Jake replied, "I'm not sure about her, or the male for that matter. Bones are hard to heal in live humans, it can take six months in a repurposed unit."

"Why don't you call them what they are?"

"I don't think it's professional to call them zombies."

"No one's around. Who are you going to offend?"

"No thanks, once I get in that habit, I'll say it to my boss and I'll be fucked."

"It's not like they can replace you," Leah said. "It takes a lot of skill to hook these bodies up and get them running again."

"Speaking of that, we need to start the flush," Jake said. "Hand me the IV set please."

Leah handed Jake an IV set and a box of sterile gloves. Jake donned a mask and swabbed the neck near the carotid artery. After cutting the skin, Jake located the artery and inserted the embalming cannula and taped it securely to the body. He then inserted another cannula into the jugular vein to allow the body fluids to drain out letting his mixture replace what was inside the body.

"Ok," Jake said to Leah letting her know to turn on the embalming machine. A machine that replaced the blood in the dead body not with formaldehyde, but with a proprietary mixture of glucose, dissolved oxygen, electrolytes and other trace chemicals to start the reanimation of the body. When the fluids were totally replaced, a twenty milliliter dose of gene spliced proteins would be added prior to the electric shock that would bring the body back to life. A life nothing like that before death, a kind of death in itself.

One hour after the proteins were added, Jake attached a console to the back of the body and fastened it with screws to the scapula. The console was large enough to hold a canister of concentrated glucose and a canister of liquid oxygen that would be infused into the body once alive. The glucose and oxygen would be enough to keep the body living and working for three days, then would be replaced up to three times allowing the body to acclimate to its new environment. Eventually the body would no longer need the glucose and would be able to survive on its own living off of specially prepared food made by the company. Another revenue stream created for the bottom line.

"I think we're ready," Jake said.

Leah grabbed two EKC leads and stuck them to the chest in a diagonal pattern that crossed the heart. She set the machine to four hundred and twenty joules and looked to Jake to let him know the system was ready.

"Go," Jake said and waited for the body to jolt.

As the shock hit the body, it seized up and bounced like a ball clearing the table. This always scared Leah and she never got used to it.

Jake looked at the face of the body lying on the slab and tried to see if there was any signs of life. Since the heart would not beat once revived, a heart monitor was useless. Because of this, a repurpose (a term the company coined) had to be put on dialysis every three days to remove the buildup waste and electrolytes that would reduce its function and return it to the state of death. "I see something," Jake said. One in ten bodies failed to come back from the dead and Jake was used to seeing something right away. Since they were only rejuvenating the cells, most bodies bounced back quickly if they were fresh.

The newly repurposed female opened its mouth like it was trying to speak. But then closed its mouth and looked around at the two staff that were hovering to the sides of the table looking down at her. Since the body was on concentrated oxygen, it didn't need to breathe, so the lung functions were diminished. This would change over time and after about two weeks would no longer require oxygen assistance. At that point the repurpose could make sounds. It had to as a new product in the slave line, it had to communicate somehow or it was worthless.

"Put her on calcium IV two thousand milligrams over two hours every day for a month. We need to get her bones healed," Jake said. Jake wasn't a doctor, but he didn't need to be a doctor to work on the dead. And once the dead were repurposed, they were still technically considered dead in the eyes of the law. They were also considered property. "Put her in the post op," Jake added. "And make sure her restraints are secure."

Leah tugged at the leather straps that held the repurpose down. The woman formerly known as Sandy was now labeled with a barcode like a product in a grocery store. She was destined for training to be sold as a slave worker for whomever would buy her. Most of the buyers were from the Far East where she would be put into a factory and eventually worked to death. Most repurposed dead lasted on average for five years if maintained. They cost twenty thousand each but made up for the cost after about eighteen months on average.

Twenty minutes later the second body was wheeled into the work area. The male was in far worse condition.

"Eric, you look like hell," Jake said looking down at the body. "This was a car wreck right?"

"Yes, they hit a truck going sixty miles an hour," Leah replied.

"Who hit who?"

"I think he hit them. He was the driver from what I heard. Crossed the median."

"I bet, look at the steering wheel dent in his chest. The x-ray showed a lot of rib fractures and trauma to the heart. It's a good thing he won't be needing it."

"Don't they regain some heart function over time?" Leah asked.

"Yes, but not usually enough to sustain themselves. That's why they need dialysis."

"Have you ever seen one that didn't need dialysis?"

"I've seen a few. But they have to regain some kidney function as well. Without the kidneys, they seize up with toxins and die again. So we part out the kidneys usually anyway if we get them within twenty four hours of purchasing the body."

"Do the families know we do that?" Leah asked.

"For ten grand, they don't get to know," Jake replied.

"They're paying fifteen grand now, due to low inventory."

"That's nothing, they can sell a kidney for fifty."

"I didn't know it was legal to sell body parts, just the repurposed unit as a whole."

"They don't sell them for cash, they get it back as a tax credit, or some sort of refund. I'm not sure how it works, but they make money off the parts they sell."

"You know what I don't understand? Why they keep the price of the repurpose a secret. I've worked her three years and I couldn't tell you how much they get for one of these."

"There's a reason for that," Jake replied. "It's none of your fucking business."

"You don't have to be so rude," Leah said. "It's not like we have any competition, nobody else is making zombies to work in factories in China."

"They sold three to a company in North Dakota last week. Remember those gang bangers that shot each other?"

"Gang bangers always shoot each other, but yes, I remember them."

"They work on an oil rig now. They put them on the most dangerous jobs. The oil companies were getting in trouble for workplace accidents so they decided to replace some riggers with repurpose units."

"Isn't that a lot to ask for a being with very limited brain function? I mean most of the bodies we get have major brain damage due to oxygen starvation."

"They seem to be doing fine, I haven't heard anything they've done wrong and they haven't been sent back," Jake said.

"Can they send them back? Is there a refund policy?"

"Yeah, thirty days from date of purchase," Jake replied. "They also sell a maintenance plan if they need repair after the warranty date."

"The company sure knows how to make a buck."

"They also sell the glucose and oxygen canisters for the units that start to fail. And the company has three dialysis stations and one mobile unit to service them as well. How do you not know this? You said you've been here three years."

"They don't invite me to managers meetings like they do you. I'm just a flunky down here. I'm not sure you're supposed to be telling me most of this stuff," Leah replied.

"I don't think they care about that. Most of that is post sales stuff, we work in post-production."

"So what do you want to do with this one?" Leah asked.

"Let's hook him up and see what happens," Jake replied.

The two repeated the procedure they had performed on Sandy and sent the shock to Eric's heart. He jolted like Sandy and bounced up once and settled back down on the table. Jake looked into the eyes and saw a twitch. Just enough to let him know the procedure had worked. "Give him the same calcium IV, he has a lot of healing to do."

Then the body spoke. "What am I doing here?" he asked.

Leah looked down at the zombie in horror. She had never heard one speak before, only make vocal sounds. "You were in an accident," Leah replied looking to Jake to judge her reply.

"Accident, I don't remember an accident," he replied.

"You crossed the centerline, hit a pickup truck head on."

The zombie looked around in a daze. It had no recollection of ever being in a car let alone being in an accident. "Where's Sandy?" he asked.

"Sandy?" Leah asked. She didn't know how to respond. No zombie had ever asked her a question before. She struggled for an answer.

"She's dead," Jake replied. "You killed her."

Leah was shocked at how brazen and rude Jake was. She gave him a look that said he was out of line.

"What the fuck? You want me to lie to it?" Jake asked.

"You could be more compassionate," Leah replied.

"He's property now, I can treat him like I treat my dog."

"I'm sure you treat your dog better than this. What are you going to do?"

"About what?"

"He's alive."

"They're all alive to some extent."

"He's conscious, and speaking."

"Maybe I should hit him over the head with a bat. That would fix the problem."

"You don't see an issue with this?" Leah asked.

"Let me talk to the medical director. He might be able to prescribe a psychotic that will shut him up."

"But won't that mess up the rest of him? How can you train him if you use drugs on him like that?" Leah asked.

"That's why we have a medical director, to make decisions like that. I just do the grunt work. I could care less what happens as long as I get paid."

Eric the zombie slave looked at Jake with a confused look in his eye. "Who are you?" the zombie asked.

"Shut the fuck up," Jake replied. "Don't talk to me again or I'll beat you with a hammer."

"Can I see my wife?"

"No."

"Where is she?"

"She's in the cooler, recovering."

"You said she was dead."

"She was, and still is in the eyes of the law. So are you."

"What do you mean?"

"Why am I carrying on a conversation with a dead person?" Jake said and walked away.

"Where are you going? Leah asked.

"I'm going on break, then I'm calling the medical director. Do something with this thing."

# Chapter 3

# Antonia Perez

Karen slipped off her bra and tossed on a long shirt. Other than a pair of panties, she was nude underneath and comfortable relaxing from a stressful day at work. She was happy she made two buys in one day and felt if she could keep it up she could get off probation early. Finding a cup in her dishwasher, she poured some coffee and settled down to watch some Friends on Netflix. Then the doorbell rang.

"Fuck," she said under her breath and set the cup on the table next to her loveseat. A piece of furniture that was never used for its intended purpose at her place. At this hour she wondered who could be at her door. Nobody ever showed up unless they called first. Then the doorbell rang again. Karen looked through the peephole and saw a short Hispanic woman standing out in the dark on her porch. "Who the hell?" she asked herself and opened the door.

The short Hispanic woman stepped back and tried to smile. She asked, "You're the woman I saw at the hospital today, right?"

"I was at the hospital yes, I don't remember seeing you? Who are you?" Karen asked.

"My name is Antonia Perez. I was there with my two boys."

"I heard kids yelling."

"That was them," Antonia replied. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"I overheard you talking to a lady. You offered her thirty thousand dollars for her dead child."

"No, that was for two dead children. It was fifteen thousand each," Karen corrected her.

Antonia looked disappointed for a moment, then added, "What do you do that you buy dead people?"

"I can't go into that," Karen replied.

"Do you work for the government?"

"No, may I ask what you want?"

"Can I come inside?" Antonia asked.

Karen looked down at what she was wearing and was hoping this woman would leave soon-not invite herself in. "Sure," she said, and let the stranger inside. "Have a seat," Karen said. "Would you like something to drink?"

"No thank you," Antonia replied. "If I know where to get dead bodies, would you buy them from me?" Antonia asked.

The question perked Karen's interest. "Maybe, do you have dead bodies to sell?"

"I might," Antonia replied. She was now nervous and less forthcoming.

"What do you mean? How long have they been dead?"

"He's not dead yet, nor is she."

"Who are you talking about?"

"My husband, Troy, and his girlfriend Denise."

"May I ask where they are now?" Karen asked.

"He's at her place, getting laid I imagine."

"My firm will not be an accessory to a murder, let alone two," Karen stated.

"Why does it matter where you get the bodies? If you're paying fifteen grand each, you must need them."

"Yes, that's true, but we can only purchase bodies that have died of natural causes. We can't be culpable in a crime or profit from one. That is the law."

"No one would ever know. I can make it look like an accident," Antonia said. "I need the money."

"We all need money, but I will have to decline your offer," Karen replied.

"What if they turned up dead and I called you. What would you do then?"

"If the deaths were suspicious and law enforcement was involved, we'd pass on the purchase. Especially if they were doing an autopsy. We can't use a body that's been cut up like that."

Antonia looked disappointed as she looked at the dirty carpet. "There will be no autopsy. Nobody will know the difference. I will show you."

"If I get called to the hospital and find Tony and Denise both dead, I will leave. Now that you've been at my apartment they will make the connection. You should probably leave now," Karen said. "Plus you can't benefit from Denise's death, her family would be the beneficiaries, not you. It's not finder's keepers."

Antonia sunk back in her chair and sulked. She looked at Karen who was sitting across the room on the couch with her legs crossed. "Where's your husband?" she asked.

"I'm not married," Karen replied.

"Do you have a man?"

"That is none of your business. You can go now," Karen said. She caught Antonia's eye looking up her shirt and pulled the edge down over her knees.

"You're a nice looking woman," Antonia said. "You ever been with a woman before?"

"Are you crazy? First you come to my home at night asking me to be part of a murder plot, and now you come onto me? No wonder your husband is cheating on you."

"My husband is cheating on me because he's a piece of shit. Don't worry about him. He doesn't know how to please a woman no way anyhow," Antonia said.

"And I bet you do," Karen said flat.

"Let me show you."

Karen sat and looked at the woman who was across the room drooling at her. She wanted her to leave but now was a bit aroused at her suggestion. She uncrossed her legs and let Antonia have a good view of her white cotton panties. "Tell me about it."

"You want me to tell you what I can do to a woman?" Antonia asked. "Cut to the chase and let me show you."

"I'm not a lesbian," Karen said. She slid her hands across her thighs subconsciously arousing Antonia in the process.

"I wasn't a lesbian at first either. My cousin changed that."

"Tell me about it," Karen said.

Antonia smiled realizing she wasn't going to get anywhere unless she played Karen's game. "Fine, I was nineteen and she was twenty four. We were staying at a friend's cabin and shared the same bedroom. About midnight, I feel Sherry reaching around me touching me between my legs. I thought it was an accident at first, until she started pulling down my panties."

"What did you do?" Karen asked.

"I pretended I was sleeping."

"Then what?"

"She fingered me, what do you think?" Antonia replied.

"Did you like it?"

"Yes, we didn't get much sleep for the next few hours. She did things to me that no woman has done since."

"And you want me to do those things to you?"

"Only if you want," Antonia replied.

"I'll think about it," Karen said. She sipped her coffee and looked at the clock on the wall. "It's late, I have to be at work by eight."

"Looks like you have Friends set up on Netflix, that's a half hour. We could do a lot in a half hour."

"Not tonight," I don't know you.

"What's to know?"

"I've never had a one night stand, let alone with a woman. Last time I had sex was two years ago."

"Let's change that," Antonia said.

"No, sorry. Maybe some other time." Karen got up and motioned for Antonia to get up as well. She grudgingly stood up and walked to the door.

"So when can we hook up?" Antonia asked. "Can I get your number?"

"No, I don't think it will work out. I am bi curious, but I prefer men."

"You don't know what you're missing out on."

"I'm sure," Karen said.

"If my husband turns up dead, I'll stop by again."

"Not unless he gets hit by a train or has a heart attack. If there is any foul play suspected, don't bother showing up at my doorstep."

Karen shut the door and turned off the television. She no longer wanted to watch Friends and had a better idea now that she was aroused. A half hour with her favorite vibrator was on the agenda and the fantasy of fucking the Hispanic woman who just turned her on. For a moment she regretted letting Antonia walk out the door, but who knew what diseases she may have or weird habits she'd bring along as baggage. For all she knew, she could be a psycho lesbian stalker. She was willing to kill her husband and his girlfriend. Last thing she needed was to be on the list.

Three thirty in the morning Karen was woke from her deep sleep by a pounding on the front door of her apartment. She heard yelling and got out of bed to see what the noise was all about. When she got to the door, she looked through the peephole and again saw Antonia standing under the porchlight panting and out of breath.

"What do you want?" Karen asked as she opened the door.

"Troy, he's dead!" Antonia yelled. "You have to come, now!"

"I'm not dressed to go anywhere, what do you mean he's dead?"

"He came back to the house, we got in a fight and he tried to kill me. I had no choice but to defend myself. You said if it was natural causes I could call you."

"I don't consider you killing him as a natural cause," Karen said.

"He would have killed me if I hadn't done something!"

"I see," Karen replied. She was becoming more lucid and Antonia was making more sense by the minute. "How did you kill him?"

"I stabbed the fucker in the neck. He bled all over the floor and died."

Karen thought for a moment. There were times when a body was no good to her. If the body was damaged too much, nobody would buy the repurposed unit. "How bad of a cut was it, how far into the neck did you cut?"

"Why does that matter?"

"If you damaged him too much, I can't use him. Did you try to decapitate him?"

"No, I didn't cut him like a steak, I stabbed him in the throat."

"You must have hit an artery or vein in the process if he bled out that bad. How far away do you live?"

"Two miles, by the Mall of the Bluffs.

"Did you call the police?"

"No, I came here, so you could buy his body."

"There are procedures we have to follow. We can't buy a body until the police and a doctor sign off that foul play wasn't committed. You need to call the police! We only have twenty four hours after death to use the body, and that's if it's been refrigerated. Right now the body is starting to decompose."

"Fine, I'll call the police!" Antonia yelled.

"I'm fairly certain they won't release the body in time, not with a knife wound to the neck. I'm sorry for your loss, but we won't be buying your ex-husband's body," Karen said.

"You fucking bitch," Antonia said. She pushed Karen back into her apartment and forced her way inside. She then pulled the same knife she used to kill her husband and raised it so Karen could see it.

"What are you going to do with that?" Karen asked.

"Take off your clothes bitch," Antonia said.

"You're crazy."

"Maybe so, but I'm not leaving without something. And if you won't give me money, I'll take it out with on you."

Karen looked around for something she could use as a weapon. She couldn't find anything close by that she could defend herself.

"Take it off bitch, or I'll cut you like I cut Troy," Antonia said. She had psycho in her eyes.

Fearing for her life, Karen lifted her shirt and pulled it off dropping it onto the floor. She stood in her white cotton panties and nothing else.

"On the floor," Antonia said. "And take off the panties."

"How are you going to rape me with a knife in your hand?" Karen asked.

"You'll see, this isn't my first time bitch."

# Chapter 4

# Leah

Leah punched in for work and no sooner did she get to her desk before her phone rang; it was her supervisor Jake texting her to get to the lab as soon as possible. She skipped her morning coffee and grabbed a lab coat, mandatory for any work done in the lab. She opened the door and saw Jake standing over a body lying on the cold steel slab covered from the waist down with a sheet. She immediately recognized the woman lying dead before her as Karen Klein, one of the staff that worked in sales. "What the fuck?" Leah asked.

"Came in this morning. Her parents signed the papers at the morgue and they transferred her here to be processed," Jake replied.

"That's ironic-I think," Leah said. "I can't believe her parents signed the papers."

"The company is still offering fifteen grand until we can get inventory back up. That's a lot of money, especially when you consider they pay for the funeral and provide a replica for the service."

"What happened to her?"

"She was attacked by some crazy woman last night. From what I read on the report, there was an attempted rape that led to a fight, then blunt force trauma and finally asphyxiation. They found her this morning when she failed to show up to work."

"It's eight in the morning, what time does she clock in?" Leah asked.

"I don't know, I don't work in sales," Jake replied.

"And her parents made the decision that fast?"

"Must have, they signed the papers," Jake said. He handed Leah the form and she looked at the two signatures at the bottom.

"Holy shit, I hope my parents don't do this to me."

"She worked for the company, her parents were aware of what we do here. Most people have no clue we even exist. I'm sure they spoke about it. Think of it as life insurance."

"I get that, but you and I both know she'll end up working in some factory in Asia eighty hours a week nonstop until she's dead. If her parents knew that, I bet they wouldn't have signed."

"It's a moot point now, we have the paperwork, we need to get her processed," Jake said. "I hope we don't have the same problem with her as we did with the last one."

"You mean Eric?" Leah asked.

"Don't call them by their names, you'll get attached to them that way."

"But he woke up, what did you do with him?"

"I put him on Ketamine and locked him in the cooler," Jake replied.

"Did you report what happened?"

"I charted it," Jake replied.

"I thought you were going to report him to the medical director?"

"I should have, I'll see what it's like when I thaw him out. We need to focus and get busy on her," Jake said. He pulled down the sheet exposing Karen's nude dead body.

Jake and Leah worked for an hour on Karen, draining her blood and replacing it with the zombie cocktail and gene spliced proteins that would bring her back to life and sustain her. They hooked up the shock pads and watched her bounce up and down as the power surged across her heart. Jake checked her eyes and saw her twitch like he had seen many times before. He knew she was back from the dead and picked up his clipboard to make some notes when Karen spoke. "It hurts," she said.

Jake lowered his clipboard and looked at Karen. "Fuck me, not another one," he said.

"I'm cold, so cold," Karen said.

Leah looked to Jake wondering what to do. "Should we put a blanket on her?"

"No, I'll get some Ketamine. When it kicks in, she goes in the cooler with the other one," Jake replied.

"What's going on Jake? Why are they so lucid?"

"You mean why are they talking?" Jake stated.

"Yes, something's wrong."

"No shit," Jake said.

"Call the medical director."

Jake hesitated and walked away. He stepped out of the lab leaving Leah and Karen alone. Leah hesitated to look down at the woman who was looking up at her from the slab.

"Help me," Karen said.

Leah didn't know what to say.

"I know you, I've seen you before," Karen said.

"I work here," Leah replied.

"Where am I?"

Leah didn't want to tell Karen anything.

Karen looked from side to side and noticed she was strapped down to the table. The cold steel made her shiver and her teeth began to chatter.

"I can get you a blanket if you want," Leah said. She forgot Jake told her not to and she really didn't care at this point. She looked around for a blanket and realized she didn't have one, all she had was the sheet so she pulled it back up covering Karen's cold body. The room temperature was in the high sixties, and since Karen had been dead for a few hours, her body temperature was now in the mid-eighties.

"Please tell me where I am," Karen pleaded.

"You're at Live Again LLC, in the lab," Leah replied.

"Why? What am I doing here?"

Leah scrambled for something to say. "What's the last thing you remember before you woke up here?" Leah asked.

Karen looked off in a daze as she tried to think. "I was at home."

"What else do you remember?"

"A woman came to my apartment. She wanted to kill her husband and sell me his body."

Leah was surprised when she heard what Karen had to say. She had no idea what it was like to be in sales and wondered if people often tried to kill people and sell them. "What else?"

"She had a knife, she tried to kill me," Karen said.

Leah didn't have the heart to tell Karen that the woman did in fact kill her. But she couldn't just let her lay there and wonder. "She did kill you," Leah replied.

"What do you mean? I'm not dead."

"Yes, but you're not alive either, not legally."

It took Karen but a moment to realize what Leah was getting at. As she became more lucid, the realization that she was brought back from the dead dawned upon her. "Am I? Did you bring me back?" Karen asked.

"Yes," Leah replied.

"How long was I dead?"

"A few hours, they found you when you didn't show up to work."

Karen looked off in a daze as she tried to take all this in. Now it made sense why she was strapped down to a table in the lab. As the confusion lifted, she began to cry. "My parents, where are they?"

"I don't know," Leah replied.

"Did they sign the papers?"

"Yes."

"I want to see them," Karen said.

"I can't do anything about that, I just work in the lab," Leah replied.

"Can't you call them?"

"I'll let my medical director take care of that. Jake went to go find him."

"Jake? He's a department head, right?"

"Yes."

"I met him before, at staff meetings."

"He should be back soon, you just rest until then," Leah said. As she moved around the table to leave the lab, Jake entered the room with the medical director Dr. Brandon Lee. The two men walked to the table and stood across from Leah.

"What do you mean she can talk?" Dr. Lee asked. The doctor looked down at Karen and she looked back making eye contact.

"Say something," Jake said.

Karen looked at Jake and said, "What do you want me to say?"

"Holy shit," Dr. Lee said. "How did this happen?"

"She's not the first one, I have another locked up in the cooler."

"When did that one happen?"

"Yesterday."

"When were you planning on telling me about this?"

"Sorry Dr. Lee, I was going to get to it today," Jake said.

"That's not something you just get around to doing. I need to know when things fuck up. There might be a problem with the procedure, or one of the drugs that needs to be addressed. Now we have two of these talking mules to deal with."

Leah perked up when she heard Dr. Lee refer to Karen and Eric as mules. "Why do you call them that?" she asked.

"We sell them to be used like mules, why else would I call them that?" Dr. Lee asked. "Who in the fuck are you to be asking me questions anyway?"

"My name's Leah Karr, I'm a nurse here," Leah replied.

"Not for much longer if you ask me another stupid question," Dr. Lee snapped. "How long have you worked here?"

"About three years."

"Why have I never seen you before?"

"I don't know," Leah replied.

Dr. Lee looked Leah over and started to walk away. He turned back and said, "I'll be back in an hour, get the other one thawed out. We need to have a meeting over this."

"Yes doctor," Leah replied. She looked to Jake to make sure she said the right thing.

Dr. Lee left the lab and the tension in the room subsided some. There was still the issue of Karen who was alive and strapped to the table to deal with.

"I'll get the male, you keep an eye on her while I'm gone," Jake said. He was visibly nervous.

Leah watched Jake go to the cooler and unlock the door. They kept most of the IV drugs there and it was necessary to keep it locked. He opened the door and propped it so he could wheel Eric out into the main lab area.

Karen then asked, "What are you going to do now?

"Please don't ask me any questions," Leah replied. She didn't want to be short with Karen, but she felt very uncomfortable speaking with her.

"You can't leave me like this," Karen said. She tried to work herself free of the straps that held her down but couldn't get loose. "Please, help me."

Leah stepped away from the table, but then stepped back. She was told to watch Karen and wasn't supposed to leave. After the beat down from Dr. Lee, she wasn't about to piss off Jake.

"I want to see my mom and dad," Karen pleaded.

"Shut up," Leah replied.

"I want them to know I'm alright."

"You're parents signed off on your papers. They sold you, don't you understand that?"

"Sold me?"

"You worked for the company, you bought bodies for use to turn into zombie slaves. You should know better than anyone what's going on. You're not going to see your family ever again. You'll be lucky if they can find a drug to erase your memory before they ship you off to the Philippines or some other Godforsaken hell hole."

"I'm no zombie!" Karen yelled.

"Shut up or I'll shut you up!" Leah snapped back. She walked to the medical cabinet looking for some Ativan IM she could inject. Then she realized she had better not mess with Karen before the staff meeting. If she sedated her and Dr. Lee wanted to talk to her she might not have a job afterwards.

"I'm no zombie," Karen said under her breath. She was now speaking to herself trying to calm herself down. She closed her eyes realizing that she was now someone's property and no one was going to let her leave.

Then the phone rang on the wall.

# Chapter 5

# Jet Airliner

Leah answered the phone, on the other side was Dr. Lee's assistant Linda Meyer who was manic and louder than she need be. "How many bodies do you have left?" she asked.

"What?" Leah asked. She was confused by the question and Linda was hard to understand.

"There is a jetliner that's about to make an emergency landing at Eppley airport in Omaha Nebraska. They have smoke in the cockpit and the hydraulics aren't working. If they don't make it, we anticipate we may have an influx of bodies, how many do you have in que?"

"None, we just finished up with the last one," Leah replied.

"Good, we're sending out a team in case the landing fails, I've contacted a cold storage facility in Lincoln if we need room to store bodies. I just wanted to give you the heads up if this works out."

Leah was disturbed by the term, "works out," as if the death of anyone on a passenger jet was a good thing. But in her business, it was a very good thing. "How long till you know anything?"

"Check out the news, it's online everywhere," Linda replied.

Leah hung up the phone and left the lab. She stepped into the office and found FOX NEWS on her computer and watched the live feed. She saw still pictures of an aircraft and heard the sounds of reporters talking about the size and type of plane. It was a Boeing 707 with two hundred and ten passengers aboard heading to Orlando Florida from Seattle Washington.

The reporters confirmed what Linda had said about smoke in the cockpit and the lack of hydraulics. The pilots were attempting to steer the plane with engine power alone as the ailerons were no longer functional. How in the world would the company ever be able to approach the families after the crash? Leah asked herself. That would have to be the worst job in the world. Worse than speaking to a dead woman strapped down on a cold steel slab.

Leah walked back into the lab and found Jake hovering over Karen. He was trying to fasten a gag in her mouth so she wouldn't speak. "What are you doing?" Leah asked.

"I'm trying to get her to shut up. I can't concentrate with her babbling on," Jake replied.

"We have worse problems than her."

"What are you talking about?"

"I just got a call from Linda Meyer. There's a plane near Omaha making an emergency landing. They think they might have fatalities. We're supposed to get ready in case there are."

"We aren't set up for mass casualties."

"They have cold storage set up if it becomes a problem."

"We have another problem, I think our gene splice serum is defective," Jake said.

"What do you mean?"

"I was trying to figure out why the last two conversions were different from the last. Why they were lucid and could speak. I checked the lot numbers on the bottles and they were from a different batch than the one previous. None of those had any problems. I think the new batch is either contaminated or not what it says on the label."

"What do you think it is?" Leah asked.

"Who the fuck knows? It brings them to life, but does something to the brain. The problem we have now is that if they bring in a bunch for us to convert, we only have that supply. And it takes a month to get a new batch."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that if we convert anyone from the plane, they will become lucid and speak as well. And that's not what we do around here. Nobody wants to buy a zombie slave that can understand and talk back. They can get that from any employee," Jake replied.

"What are you going to do?" Leah asked.

"I'll tell Dr. Lee, but there isn't much we can do about it now. Not unless the company that makes the serum has a batch ready to go. And there's nothing to say that any new batch they make isn't fucked up as well. As far as they know, nothing's wrong. We haven't reported anything."

"What if we can't get a normal batch? What will happen to all the bodies they bring in for us to convert?" Leah asked.

"They'll rot," Jake replied. "And the company will lose out on a shit load of money."

"Maybe it was a fluke," Leah said. "Something in their makeup didn't jive with the serum and they converted different. Two doesn't constitute proof of a bad batch, the rest might convert normally.

"Yeah, but am I willing to risk that? So far you and I are the only ones that know about the batch numbers. Dr. Lee hasn't been told. If I don't say anything and we convert a bunch of new lucid talking zombies, we're fucked," Jake said.

"I wouldn't want to be you," Leah said. "This isn't your company, I'd tell Dr. Lee if I were you."

Then a voice spoke up from behind them. It was Dr. Lee who had been listening to the entire conversation. "Use the serum, I'm sure it was an anomaly."

Jake turned around stunned. "Are you sure? We might create an entire population of talking, thinking zombies.

"If we do, we dispose of them. It's in the fine print of the contract the family signs. I'm planning on disposing of the two you have in here. Forget the staff meeting, I'm taking this upon myself to clean up."

"Dispose of them?" Jake asked. "How do you want to do that?"

"Take them to the incinerator-burn them," Dr. Lee replied.

"Shouldn't we kill them first sir? Before we burn them?

"Just toss them in as is. We own them," Dr. Lee replied.

Leah looked at Dr. Lee like he was nuts. "Toss them in?" she asked.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Dr. Lee asked.

"Yes I do, I can't toss a living being into a fire and watch them die."

"You're fired-Jake, you do it and find a new nurse. A nurse willing to do her job."

"But Dr. Lee, I need her help. If the plane crashes and we get an influx, I can't convert them all myself," Jake replied.

Dr. Lee was pissed, but realized Jake was right. "Fine, you're on probation. Fuck up again and I'll find someone else. Do you understand me?"

Leah backed away and nodded her head in agreement.

"Now take those two to the furnace," Dr. Lee said and stormed out of the lab.

Jake looked at Leah and rolled his eyes. "I've never seen him so pissed. You better do what he says and get it done now."

"How the hell am I supposed to put them in the furnace? They are way too heavy and she's awake. How about Eric? Is he still unconscious?"

"He's groggy, not alert," Jake replied.

"You do it."

"I'm need my job, no thanks. Dr. Lee told you to do it."

Leah looked over at Karen who was still lying on a gurney with a gag in her mouth. Leah shook her head and walked over. "I fucking hate this place," she said as she pushed the gurney towards the lab door. "Open the door please," she said and shoved Karen and the gurney out into the hall.

Leah knew there was no way in hell she was tossing anyone into an incinerator. She quickly formulated a plan and found her way to the door that led to the parking lot. She swiped her key card and forced the gurney out the door onto the sidewalk. She then got her SUV and backed it up to the door and popped the back hatch. She stepped around to the gurney and looked Karen in the eye. "I'm taking you home," she said and waited for her reaction.

Leah looked at Karen, still with a gag in her mouth. Leah was afraid Karen might yell and accidentally alert staff that she was trying to abduct a repurposed unit. Do you understand me?" Leah asked.

Karen nodded and waited to be set free.

"Don't try to run, I want you to get in my vehicle," Leah said. When she thought Karen understood, she loosened the restraints and assisted her off the gurney to a standing position wrapped in the sheet. She then motioned for her to get in the back and helped her climb inside. When Karen was fully in the SUV, Leah closed the hatch and pushed the gurney against the building. Scanning the area to see who might be watching, she saw no one near and headed to the driver's door. With her heart racing, she got inside the vehicle and drove across the lot to the street and left Live Again LLC behind. She wasn't sure if she was coming back or not.

When she arrived at home Leah parked in the garage and let Karen out the back hatch of the SUV. She brought her into the house and had her sit on the living room couch still wrapped in the white lab sheet. Then she heard her husband Lyle tromping down the hallway. He entered the living room and stopped in his tracks.

"What the fuck is going on?" Lyle asked. He was a beer drinking, gun loving redneck with a confederate flag trucker's cap and a can of chew in his shirt pocket. He looked at Karen and asked, "Is she a Muslim? I don't want no camel fucking Muslim in my house."

"No," Leah replied. "That's a sheet from work, she's not a Muslim."

"What are you doing home at this hour? And why are you bringing that Islamic terrorist looking bitch into my house?"

Leah didn't want to tell Lyle anything. He had been recently laid off from his job at the factory and telling him she just left her job wouldn't go over well. But she had to say something. "I quit my job," Leah replied.

"You fucking did what? We just put a big screen on layaway. How the hell are we supposed to pay for that? And the gas bill is due."

"I had to quit, they wanted me to put her in a furnace and kill her!" Leah yelled.

Lyle looked at Karen sitting on his couch wrapped in what he thought a terrorist would wear. "I'd toss that fucking Muslim in the furnace. I'll go back with you and do it myself!"

"She's not a Muslim!" Leah shouted. "She's a zombie!"

"A what?"

"A zombie, that's what I do at work. I help make zombies."

"You're shitting me, you told me you work in a lab," Lyle said.

"I do, it's a lab that makes zombies. I never told you that because I couldn't. It was part of my job that I couldn't tell anyone what I did."

Lyle walked over to Karen and ripped the sheet off of her. He looked at her naked body and noticed it looked grey and sickly. He also noticed the module attached to her back. "What's that box on her back?" Lyle asked.

"It's a glucose and oxygen delivery system. She has to wear it until she acclimates to being alive again," Leah replied.

"She don't breath?"

"Not like we do, not for three weeks," Leah replied. It was then she realized she didn't have any replacement cartridges for when Karen's ran out. "Fuck," she said under her breath.

"What's wrong?" Lyle asked.

"I need to go back and get some more glucose and oxygen canisters."

"Take her back and toss her in the furnace, maybe they didn't see you leave and you can keep you job."

"My job isn't worth burning a living being in a furnace," Leah replied.

"You are such a liberal cry baby. What if I shoot her first?"

"No, don't do anything! What kind of cold hearted asshole are you?"

"I'm a cold hearted asshole that doesn't want his heat shut off because his Muslim loving, America hating wife won't do what her boss tells her to do!" Lyle snapped.

"She's not a Muslim!" Leah shouted. "How fucking stupid are you! She's a human being who can feel pain. I'm not burning her alive no matter what anyone tells me!"

Lyle looked at Leah with daggers in his eyes. He shifted his gaze to Karen and shook his head in disgust. "What are you planning to do with her? We can't keep her, and if they find out you stole company property, you'll get twenty years."

"I haven't decided yet," Leah replied. Then she noticed a breaking news report on the television. Across the screen was a scene of smoke rising into the air and the words, "Plane crash" in bold letters. She knew the plane was down and there would be mass casualties coming to the lab soon. But she wouldn't go back now for anything.

# Chapter 6

# 6 months later

Lyle was watching the door from behind the bar when he saw it open. He had to take a job as a bartender at the Tasty Taco strip club to make ends meet and was getting a free blow job when he saw the blinding light from outside flood into the bar and a female figure step inside. He pushed the stripper away and shoved his dick back in his pants when Leah stepped up to the bar with a letter in her hand. She didn't see the topless woman as she sneaked away and hid in the back room.

Leah tossed the letter on the counter and shook her head. "I knew this would happen," she said.

"What is it?" Lyle asked.

"It's a letter from the board of nursing, they're suspending my license because of job abandonment."

"They reported you to the nursing board?" Lyle asked.

"Yes, and now I have to quit my new job until I get my license back."

"Would your new job know you lost your license?"

"The state board will inform them I'm sure," Leah replied. She had found a new nursing job with a hospice company and was doing well until now.

"What the fuck are you going to do? We still have an extra mouth to feed at home. I'm surprised the cops haven't come yet and arrested you for theft."

"Keep it down, I know you're pissed but I'll find another job," Leah said. "I can still apply at the daycare. The ad is still in the paper."

"Part time? Give me a break, I don't make shit here," Lyle replied. "Is there any way we can make money off that freeloader in the basement?"

"She's not healthy yet. Without the correct glucose and oxygen she's healing slower than usual."

"Maybe you can get a job here," Lyle said. He was kidding, but at the same time not.

"You want me to strip?"

"No, I don't want any man to see you naked but me. I didn't mean it. Is there any way you could go back and beg for your old job back?"

"They turned me in, remember? I don't have a license anymore."

"Maybe you could do something besides nursing, they must have other jobs. That place is huge now since the plane crash."

"I know, but I'm sure they won't hire me back for any position. I wasn't going to burn her alive. Sorry," Leah replied. "I'm surprised they didn't shut it down with all the problems they were having."

"That place is as tight as Fort Knox, if they have problems, nobody is going to know about it."

Then a man approached the bar and sat down on a stool. He looked interested in what Lyle and Leah were talking about. "They have all sorts of problems there," the man said.

"How do you know?" Lyle asked.

"I know a rep that sells them pharmaceuticals. He says a bunch of the plane crash victims had to be destroyed after they changed them. Something about a bad batch of drugs."

"Did he lose his job because of the bad drugs?"

"No, there's only one company that makes them. It's not like they can shop around," the man said.

Leah asked, "How many did they kill?"

"He made it sound like twenty or so. Said they didn't change right. That they could speak. Scared the shit out of the management."

"How did they dispose of them?"

"He didn't say."

"How many were sent to the factory in the first place?"

"I think there was around sixty or so. Who knows?"

"I can't believe that sixty families signed over their loved ones for cash. That is so horrible."

"It's economics. Times are hard and cash speaks. With the insurance and the cash payout from the company, some of those families made out very well."

"So what did they do with the ones that didn't speak?" Lyle asked.

"I'm assuming they're in China making dildos or whatever the fuck they make over there," the man replied.

"I know that place is tight," Lyle said. "But not even they can keep that a secret."

"I'd trust this guy, I've known him for years."

"I don't suppose you know a place where my wife can get a job do you?" Lyle asked.

"My wife works in housekeeping at Travelers Inn, they're always hiring," the man replied.

"What do they pay?"

"Minimum I'm sure," the man replied.

"Fuck," Lyle said and pounded his fist on the counter. "We need to sell that bitch."

Leah gave Lyle a look that said shut up.

"I don't care anymore," Lyle said. "She's a commodity and we need the money."

The man perked up. "What are you talking about?"

Lyle paused for a moment, then replied, "We have one of those repurposed unit's at our house."

"No fucking way, those things cost thousands. How could you afford it?"

"We didn't," Lyle replied. "We sort of borrowed it."

"I don't think I want to know the details, but if you have one for sale, I could find someone who'd buy it."

"How much do you think you could sell her for?" Lyle asked.

Leah spoke up, "She's not for sale."

"Damn right she's for sale!" Lyle snapped. "I'm not paying to keep that freeloader one more day, not if I can sell her. We have bills to pay, and with you out of a job, we need money more than ever."

The man hesitated to reply while the married couple argued but said, "I'm guessing I could get a couple thousand."

"A couple thousand? They sell those for fifty grand or more," Lyle said.

"We're talking black market, I can't guarantee you anything until I make some calls," the man said. "And I'd get a cut, what condition is she in?"

Lyle looked to Leah, he didn't want her to tell the man she speaks. "She's healthy, can work hard," Lyle said.

"How old is she?"

"Twenties I think."

"That's good, the younger the better," the man said. "Anyway I can see her?"

"Yes, you can stop over after I get off my shift," Tom said.

That evening the stranger from the bar stopped over at Leah and Lyle's house as planned. Lyle met him at the door and brought him into the living room. "She's in the basement," Lyle said and led the man down the stairs into the game room where Karen sat waiting with Leah by her side. "That's her, my wife calls her Karen, and I call her property."

"Do you talk?" the man asked Karen. He was kidding.

Karen had healed well over the last six months and was able to take deep breaths and talk. Her color was still dusky, pale at times and her skin looked like leather. Without proper nutrition, she looked a bit sickly and had sores forming in various parts around her body and face. Her teeth were yellow and many had fallen out. Her hair was thin and balding. "Yes, I can talk," Karen replied.

"Holy shit, you got one of those," the man said. "How do you feel?"

"Fine, I think," Karen replied.

"How's your strength?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you able to lift anything? How long can you work before you get tired?"

"Not long, I'm always hungry," Karen replied.

"What do you feed it?" the man asked.

Lyle replied, "Sugar, mixed in molasses and some protein drink."

"She can't eat solid food?"

"She can, but she has a hard time digesting it, and without enough fluid intake, she gets constipated quickly."

The man looked to Leah and asked, "You used to be a nurse, what do you think about her condition?"

"She's not getting enough calories, and Lyle forgot to tell you I put vitamins in her food as well. With her slow digestion, it's hard for her to stay healthy."

"That's not what I wanted to hear," the man said. "In her condition, I don't know if I could sell her at all. I would think any company that had a repurposed unit in her condition would consider replacing her."

"Killing her you mean," Leah said.

"Yes, that's what I meant," the man replied.

"Fuck!" Lyle said. "We have to get rid of her, she's dying anyway."

Leah sulked and looked down at the shag carpet. She knew her husband was right and that Karen had become a burden to the family. She didn't know what to do and didn't have the heart to admit she was wrong. "I know," Leah said under her breath.

Karen was nervous. She knew her time was limited and shook her head in despair. "I'm sick, I'm sorry," was all she could say.

Lyle piped up, "I can shoot her, that's no problem, I have enough fire power in my gun room to fix this problem." Lyle was an avid gun enthusiast, he had high power rifles, shotguns, pistols, archery and knives stored in his own arsenal. He despised the government, trusted no one and hated anyone that wasn't white, Christian and Republican. On the wall was a six foot long confederate flag with a picture of Ronald Reagan and both Bush presidents underneath. Next to that was a photo shopped picture of Barack Obama dressed like a Muslim carrying a rifle.

"I'm sure you could," the man said. "How would you dispose of the body?"

Leah spoke up, "How can you talk about Karen like she isn't even here?"

Lyle looked over at Karen and stepped in close. He reeled back and punched her in the face sending another tooth flying across the room. It hit the wall and landed on the orange carpet. He looked at the zombie he had just struck to see its reaction. He expected it to be unconscious, but instead looked back at him with horror in its eyes.

"Why did you do that?" Leah asked. She checked Karen to see if she was injured.

"Fucking freeloader, that's why," Lyle replied. "I bet it's a Democrat. I can get rid of the body, that's no problem. I'll back my truck up to the side door, toss it in the back, what's left of it that is, and throw it in a ditch for the buzzards to finish off."

"That's murder!" Leah said.

"No, she's already dead, that's the law. I find it odd that I can get in trouble with the law for harboring a dead person. Probably some fucking Democrat made that up."

Then Lyle's phone rang. It was his boss from work. He took the call and hung up. "Check the television," Lyle said.

Leah clicked the remote and turned the station to FOX NEWS. On the screen was a picture of the Live Again LLC complex with smoke rising above the main building. The scroll on the bottom read something about a fire and a break out. Then a voice came on the speakers and said that a fire had broken out in the main building and fifty or more repurposed units had escaped when the fire doors opened. The commentator didn't know exactly what a repurposed unit was and was in the process of finding out. But his manic speech let everyone know something was very wrong.

"Did you hear that?" Leah asked. "Fifty of them escaped."

"Holy shit," Lyle said. "I wonder if those have the same problems this one did."

The man replied, "I'm sure they do. It could take a year to figure out what was wrong with the serum. I'm sure they used what they had on hand. They would go out of business if they stopped production for long."

"Won't they die without the food they supply them?" Lyle asked.

"Not if they were weaned. They'd search out for the best supply of the nutrients they needed.

"Where would they find that?"

"Any mammal would work, including human, the man replied.

# Chapter 7

# Tasty Taco

Lyle, Leah and the stranger watched the news unfold on the television as Karen sat on the couch shaking in fear. Her mind was clear and she knew what was going on, she was far more advanced than what the repurposed units were designed to be. The reporter on scene was talking about the fire and about the local police were unable to confine the repurposed units that were now scattering about the city. The camera panned about showing different zombies moving about and law enforcement firing at them trying to stop them from leaving the grounds.

The reporter wasn't exactly sure who the police were shooting at since the company did a great job keeping what they did a secret from the public. That didn't stop the police who were informed of the potential dangers and were advised to shoot on site any repurposed unit they found outside the building. On the bottom of the screen, the words, "Stay in your homes, lock your doors," scrolled across from right to left. Then public safety sirens blared across the city adding a new sense of fear and dread to all that heard them.

Leah said, "This is bad."

"No shit," Lyle replied. "We need to get to the bar."

"Why?" Leah asked.

"I moved my best guns down there."

"What are you talking about? You have enough guns here to arm your own army. And why did you take any of them to the bar?"

"I was selling them," Lyle said.

"To whom? Did your boss know this?"

"Yeah, Jerry knew, it was his idea."

"You're saying we can't defend ourselves with what we have in the house?" Leah asked.

"We could, for a while, but those are pellet guns compared to what I have at the bar. Plus I moved a lot of ammunition down there. Jerry and I were going to start our own underground gun shop."

The man asked, "By underground, I assume you mean illegal?"

"That's the only real way to make any money selling guns," Lyle replied. "And right now I'd rather have access to those. I could take out a dozen repurposed zombie fuckers with one clip. I have better guns and ammo than the cops do."

Leah replied, "But they said to stay inside."

"Live Again is two miles from here. The chances of us running into one of those zombies is slim to none. We can get in the truck and be down at the bar in less than five minutes."

"What about her?" Leah asked referring to Karen.

"I'll shoot her before we leave," Lyle replied.

"Just let her go."

"Why? So they can have one more freak running loose?"

"I know her, we've had her here for six months. You can't just kill her.  
"You want to bet?" Lyle asked with a grin on his face.

The man said, "Just let her go. Your wife asked and things will go better if you just do what she asks."

Lyle looked at the man and felt like he was being attacked from both sides. He didn't like being told he was wrong and was the type that would defend his position at all costs. But then he was frustrated and really wanted to get going. Maintaining a fight just for the sake of an argument wasn't getting him anywhere. "Fine, get her the fuck out before I change my mind."

Leah stood up and took Karen by the hand. "Come with me," Leah said and Karen followed. Up the stairs they went into the living room and to the front door. "This is your one chance to live, you need to leave," Leah said.

"Where will I go?" Karen asked.

"I don't know, I can't help you anymore. You need to stay away from the police, if they see you, they will shoot you. Do you understand?"

Karen nodded that she understood and looked blankly at the floor. She was confused and disoriented. She hadn't eaten for a while. "Can I eat before I go?" Karen asked.

Leah looked into Karen's eyes and saw she was having some sort of hypoglycemic episode. She needed glucose and needed it soon. "Wait a second, I'll get you something," Leah said and walked back to the kitchen. It was then she turned and saw Karen coming at her with a knife she had picked out of the butchers block.

As she came closer, Karen swung the knife down upon Leah stabbing her in the left shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Leah screamed.

Karen pulled the knife out and came in for another stab when Leah kicked at her and forced her backwards, tripping her and sending her to the floor. Lyle ran up the stairs and found Karen on the floor with the knife still in her hand. He grabbed the zombie by the wrist and forced the knife out, spun it around and stabbed Karen repeatedly until she stopped moving. She bled little as she was dehydrated.

The man stepped in close and said, "I told you this would happen. She was going to feed on you."

"What's your name?" Leah asked. She was out of breath but now found it useful to know with whom she was speaking.

"My name is Robert Nixon, glad to meet you," Robert said with a smile.

"What is it you do Robert Nixon? Besides buy and sell zombies?"

"I sell janitorial supplies," Robert replied.

Lyle said, "That's enough chit chat, we need to get this bitch out of the house and get down to the club."

"What if they locked the door?" Leah asked.

Lyle reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. Jerry gave me a set, now that we're partners. Now give me a hand."

Lyle and Robert picked up Karen's cut up body. She didn't weigh more than a hundred pounds and it was easy for them to carry her out the front door and toss her on the lawn like she was garbage. Lyle opened the garage door and found a gas can and brought it back to Karen and doused her body with gasoline. He stepped in close and lit the gas with his lighter and backed away as the flames jumped up towards the sky. As Karen burned, Lyle was transfixed on her flesh as it cooked under the cool grey skies. "That's fucking awesome," Lyle said with a smile a mile wide. "I wanted to do that for so long."

"We should go," Leah said. She didn't want to look at Karen's burning body. Although she had just tried to kill her, she had basic human compassion for someone she spent the last six months healing and caring for.

The three got into Lyle's truck and headed off towards the Tasty Taco strip club. It didn't take long before they arrived and Lyle parked in the back. They exited the truck and Lyle unlocked the back door letting the other two inside. He then locked the door and led Leah and Robert to the bar. When they got there they found the strippers, patrons and the bartender glued to the television watching the police shoot zombies.

"How's it going?" Lyle yelled. He wanted to announce his presence.

Jerry turned around and looked at Lyle. "Did you see this?" Jerry asked.

"Yeah, I came down because my best guns are in the basement."

Jerry made the motion that Lyle should keep his mouth shut, but Lyle didn't care anymore. "We're at war Jerry, this is no time to be timid."

"I wouldn't say we're at war," Jerry replied. "But something isn't right. What are these zombie's they're shooting at? Where did they come from?"

"My wife could tell you, she used to work there," Lyle replied.

Leah stepped past the bar and stood closer to Jerry and the television. "They bring the dead back to life and sell them as slaves," Leah said.

"You're shitting me," Jerry replied. "They do that here?"

"Yes, about fifty a year on average. At Live Again LLC."

"How is that legal?"

"I don't know the politics, I just know how it works. I used to help turn them."

"Turn them?" Jerry asked.

"From the dead to the almost dead. It's a long process."

"So they're not human? Or are they?"

"In the eyes of the law they're property. The family sells the bodies, the company turns them and sells them for a profit. Now that some have escaped the company is fucked. The publicity is going to kill the business."

"How come I've never heard of this before?" Jerry asked.

"They sell them to Asian countries usually. It would be bad business to sell them in the US. Nobody wants to run into a relative repurposed unit."

"So, how bad is this? Are we in danger?"

"Yes, without the food they give them, they will try to feed on any animals they can find, including us." Leah turned and looked at Lyle. She didn't know if she should mention what happened with Karen.

Lyle spoke up, "One of them tried to kill Leah on the way over. Look at her shoulder."

"I saw that, looks nasty, what happened?

"It tried to kill her with a knife. I cut it up and burned it."

"If you need a bandage, I have an emergency kit in my office," Jerry said.

Leah looked at the wound and saw how deep it actually was. "Where's your office?" Leah asked and Jerry pointed the way.

"How long is this going to last?" Jerry asked. "I can't keep this place locked up forever. We don't have much food or other supplies."

"We can break into the sandwich shop next door," Lyle said. "If it gets bad enough." Lyle was enjoying the commotion and now found a reason to use the guns he had been storing for years. To him, the idea of a zombie apocalypse was something he relished, not feared or dreaded.

"I know the owners, we can't break in."

"When you get hungry you won't care," Lyle said. "I think we should break in now."

"What? No, let's see how this plays out. We can watch it on television. I can't imagine this will take long."

Lyle looked around the room, he counted three strippers, five men sitting at various tables and a bartender. All of them were staring at the television watching the action unfold. They could hear the sirens outside and smell the smoke from the factory and it made it all too real to them.

Then one of the strippers stood up and walked over to Lyle, "I want a gun." Her name was Kim

"What? Do you know how to shoot a gun?" Lyle asked.

"I have four brothers, of course I know how to shoot a gun."

Kim was a rail thin woman, long dark hair and piercing brown eyes. Not the sort of woman you usually see stripping, she had few curves and had an attitude.

"I might be able to hook you up with a .22," Lyle said.

"I don't want a kid's gun, I want something I can defend myself with."

"What do you prefer? You look like you weigh ninety nine pounds."

"I want a shotgun, a twelve gauge," Kim said.

"What size shot?"

"Four if you got it," Kim replied.

"I got plenty- downstairs."

"What are you waiting for, let's go," Kim snapped.

"Maybe you should put a shirt on first," Lyle said. "I like tits as much as the next guy, but I think you should be dressed for this."

Kim stormed off to the dressing room to get dressed. In her six inch heels she looked six feet tall, but in all actuality, she was a rather average sized woman.

"Fucking bitches," Lyle said under his breath. He didn't like Kim to start with when he tended bar, she always complained she made no tips. He told her she needed to be nicer to the customers, but she always seemed to have an attitude.

"What about the rest of us?" another stripper asked.

"I'm not giving shooting lessons. Unless you know what you're doing, let the men take care of you."

Kim came up from behind Lyle and smacked him on the back of his head. She had on a top and heard what he said. "You fucking misogynistic prick! How can your wife stand you?"

"She knows who wears the pants bitch, you just lost your gun privileges," Lyle snapped.

#  Chapter 8

# Kim

The strip club rattled with the sound of helicopters flying overhead. Lyle and Jerry stepped over to the window at the front of the building and watched one spew a dark cloud of vapor behind as it swooped down over midtown. Then they saw another and then a row of crop dusters in the distance spraying the town from side to side.

"What the fuck?" Lyle asked. "They're exterminating us."

"You don't know that," Jerry replied. "They might be trying to put them to sleep. So they can come in and pick them up without being attacked."

"Either way, I don't like it, we need to get somewhere safe."

It was late afternoon, the sun was setting and soon it would be dark. Lyle didn't think they would spray at night but he still wanted to be where he wouldn't be killed. "I'm going to the basement," he said. The male patrons who had been at the bar when he arrived had all left as well as one of the strippers. That left Kim, another stripper named Helena and Mick the bartender in the group.

Jerry led everyone downstairs to the basement and was joined by Leah who had come back from dressing her wound. The stairs were dark, but once they arrived in the basement found it to be a large well-lit area with a separate room set aside for gun sales. There was a bathroom, a large main room and a table and chairs arranged like a dining room.

"What do you use this for?" Leah asked, "Besides selling illegal guns?"

"The guns aren't illegal, it's who we sell them to that's illegal," Jerry said. "The table and chairs were my wife's, we just store them down here."

Kim pulled out a chair and sat down. "You don't have a television down here?"

"No, this is mainly storage, and we don't have time to watch television when we're selling guns," Jerry replied.

"How are we going to know what's going on outside?"

"Use your phone."

"Kim didn't like being talked down to, but she pulled out her phone and tried to look up the news. "I can't get a signal, don't you have wifi?"

"I do," Jerry said.

"Then why can't I get anything on my phone?"

Jerry pulled out his phone, as well did most of everyone in the room. Nobody could get a signal. "Internet must be down, "Jerry said.

"Fucking great," Kim said. "How long am I stuck here with you assholes?"

"You can leave anytime you want," Lyle said. He hated mouthy bitches and Kim had no problem telling it like it was.

"I'll go when I'm damn ready."

"Why don't you go see if you can find us something to eat," Lyle said.

"What do I look like?" Kim asked. She stood up and poked at Lyle like she was going to stab him with her finger. "Your maid?"

Lyle looked at Kim dressed in her black skin tight capri leggings and tube top and grinned. "No, you look like a contestant in a camel toe contest," he replied. "Go fetch me some grub."

Kim was livid, she hated men as a rule and only stripped because she thought it was funny that she could make them pay to see her. To her, stripping was a joke and men were horny assholes she had to put up with. The pay was great, but the job sucked. "Get your own grub asshole," Kim said. She sat down and crossed her arms across her flat chest.

"Why did you ever hire her?" Lyle asked Jerry.

Jerry hesitated to answer. "She's my niece," he replied.

"Holy shit," Lyle replied. "Isn't that a bit close?"

"I did it as a favor to my sister, she asked."

"Why?"

"Kim has a tendency to piss off her employers," Jerry replied.

"Is that right?" Jerry asked, mocking Kim.

Kim replied, "You don't know me asshole, don't judge me."

"What was your last job?"

Kim didn't reply.

"I hope it wasn't in customer service."

Kim tried hard not to explode.

"She seems to be a little angry to be a stripper," Jerry said, ignoring Kim and her attitude.

"She doesn't like men," Helena replied. Nobody expected her to speak up.

"What?" Jerry asked. "I find that very odd considering her line of work. Is she a dyke?"

Kim barked, "Stop talking about me like I'm not here!"

"You tell me then, are you a lesbo?" Lyle asked with a grin.

"That's none of your fucking business," Kim replied. "And I don't hate men."

"You seem to hate me," Lyle said.

"You don't know when to shut up."

"I've had about enough of you and your mouth," Lyle said. "I'm done with you."

"Really? Who made you in charge? This is Jerry's business."

Lyle pointed to the room full of guns and smiled. "Not all of it," he said. "Why don't you go back upstairs and see what's going on?"

Kim shook her head and buried her face in her phone. There was still no service, so she read old texts and messages off of Facebook.

Lyle turned his attention to Jerry. "What do you think they're spraying?"

"Nerve gas," Jerry replied.

"That would kill anyone in contact, they wouldn't do that."

"I doubt they're spraying weeds."

"I'm going to go upstairs and see if I can get a signal off a tower." Lyle said. "I'll be right back. Lyle took off out of the room and up the stairs. In a flash, he was gone.

Kim spoke up, "I hope that fucker stays up there."

"If you don't like it here Kim, you can go home," Jerry said. "Nothing's keeping you here."

"You said they're spraying nerve gas. You want me to get killed?"

"It was a guess, I have no idea what they're spraying."

"Do you have a shower down here?" Kim asked.

"No, just a sink and a toilet, you need a shower?"

"In case I'm stuck here overnight."

"Do you have extra clothes?"

"Yes, I keep a set in my locker," Kim replied.

"Why?" Jerry asked.

"In case I need them, why else?" Kim asked as if she had just heard the most ridiculous question she had ever heard.

"What about soap, and shampoo?"

"In my locker," Kim replied.

"You never asked if I had a shower before, where were you planning on bathing?"

"I could go to mom's."

"Why not keep a set of clothes there?"

"I have a set there, why are you asking me so many stupid questions?"

Jerry shook his head. "Women," he said and turned to see Lyle return. "Find anything?"

"It's sarin gas according to FOX NEWS," Lyle said. "You were right, they are using nerve gas on us."

Mick the bartender asked, "Why are they gassing us? We didn't do anything wrong."

Lyle read from the news story. "Says here-'The US department of defense has begun spraying sarin gas over the city of Council Bluffs Iowa in an attempt to stop the spread of the undead released from Live Again LLC. Earlier today there was an explosion at the plant that allowed approximately sixty repurposed units to escape which are now loose in the city killing and injuring residents.

According to the CEO of Live Again LLC Alex Trexler, a new chemical used for the creation the repurposed units has changed the way the units process food and without a commercial food supply, will feed on any mammalian food source. The chemical creates an enzyme that if enters the bloodstream of a victim, will turn them into what is basically a copy of the repurposed unit. In other words, if a person would be bitten, they themselves would become some sort of zombie bent on feeding on the flesh of any mammal, including humans.

Because of this, the president and congress has authorized the use of sarin gas to eliminate all repurposed units in a fifty mile radius of the factory. This also includes any humans that failed to evacuate. Losses are expected to be in the tens of thousands. Council Bluffs Iowa has become a dead zone and will be off limits to the public for three months while the area is cleaned.'" Lyle looked up and slowly shook his head. "We're fucked," he said.

Jerry replied, "What are we supposed to do? They must have known there would be survivors."

"We're collateral damage," Lyle said.

Kim piped up, "See what your guns will do for you now,"

"You're going to die, don't bother picking a fight with me now."

"You gun nuts drive me crazy," Kim replied. It was as if she was distracting herself from the real news. The news that the city had been gassed and they had been left for dead.

"You want to get into a gun control debate now?" Lyle asked.

"What else do we have to do?" Kim asked. "We can't leave."

"Tell you what man-hater. When the time comes, and I'm starving. I'll use my gun on you and have you for dinner. Not that you have any meat on your bones I can see."

"What about that .22?" Kim asked.

"What about it?"

"You said I could use one."

"I also said you lost your gun privileges. Nobody but me and Jerry get a gun."

By this time Robert was getting annoyed. "What about me? What about the rest of us? If those zombies come in here looking for a meal, we should be allowed to defend ourselves."

"The zombies are gassed, nothing will come looking for us," Lyle said.

Leah spoke up, "You don't know that. I worked at the plant, I saw what they were pumping the repurposed units with. I don't think the gas will work on them. They don't have the same biology after they are revived. I wouldn't be so sure that they don't come a knocking on the front door. You should give us all a gun."

Lyle knew that Leah was right. She did work at Live Again LLC and if anyone knew how they worked, she did. "I don't care about the rest of you, but I don't want skinny bitch man-hater armed. I don't trust her. She's unstable."

Kim laughed, "Unstable? Are you kidding me?"

"No, I'm not," Lyle replied. "You remind me of my bipolar sister. Only she doesn't dress like a dime store whore."

"You like judging women by what they wear? Typical man, can't keep your hormones in check."

"You're practically naked. That's not a judgment, that's a fact. Go look in a mirror," Lyle said.

"Does my body intimidate you? Do I make you hard whenever you look at me?" Kim asked with a grin.

"You have the body of a teenage boy, you don't make me hard at all."

Kim grit her teeth and stood up. "Teenage boy?" she asked. She put her hands on her hips and tried to look sexy, it didn't work.

"If it weren't for your hair, I'd think you were a man," Lyle said. "Do you make any tips?"

Kim didn't make much in tips, she used to think it was her attitude coming through, not the body she was selling.

"I do alright," Kim replied. She lied.

"Sit the fuck back down, I'm done talking to you."

Kim continued to stand, no man was going to tell her what to do. Then Lyle shoved the table towards her and the edge struck her in the thighs. She buckled and sat down in pain. He looked down at her and grinned from ear to ear. "Stupid cunt, do what you're told. You don't get a gun and if you try to take one, I'll shoot you. Do you understand?"

Kim looked up at Lyle and shook her head. She didn't want to blow up again and be assaulted.

"Everyone else, come into the gun room and I'll assign you a weapon. Anyone giving a gun to the cunt gets shot. Anyone who tries to kill me gets shot. Do you understand? I'm an expert, you're food for the undead."

# Chapter 9

# Morning

Leah was awaken by the distant sounds of screaming. She was in the basement but could hear the sounds from up the stairs. She looked around the room and saw Robert, Helena and Kim lying on the floor sleeping but couldn't find anyone else and got up to look around. In the gun room she found Lyle and Jerry but no Mick, he was gone. "Where's Mick?" she asked aloud.

Jerry raised his head and asked, "Mick? I don't know. What time is it?"

Leah looked at her watch, "Six twenty," she replied.

Jerry sat up and stretched. "Is anyone else gone?"

"No, everyone else is in the other room. I heard screaming."

"Where?"

"Upstairs" Leah replied.

Jerry stood up and grabbed a pistol. He put it in his holster and grabbed a .223 rifle and three clips that he placed in his pocket. "Let's take a look," he said and led Leah to the stairs.

"What about them?" Leah asked.

"In a minute, I want to see what the screaming was about."

Jerry ran up the stairs keeping his pistol out front. Leah followed and they both entered the main room of the bar. There was no one in the room but the front door was wide open allowing a breeze to blow past them.

"Didn't you lock the door?" Leah asked.

"Yes," Jerry said. He stepped over to the door and stopped when he saw Mick's body lying in the street. He was in three pieces with his arms missing. "I found Mick," Jerry said. "I think I know who was screaming. I would be too if my arms were being ripped off."

"Lock the door," Leah said.

Jerry stepped over to the door and saw the door jamb was damaged, as if there was a tug of war and the door lost. He pulled the door shut and tried to lock it but the mechanism moved freely and failed to engage with the frame. The door swung open with a push. "Fuck, there goes our protection."

"We need to go," Leah said. "We can't stay here, we need to find a place with a lock."

"Like where? My house is twelve miles away and it's obvious the sarin gas had no effect on the zombies."

Leah stepped out onto the sidewalk and looked around. Normally at this time there were delivery trucks driving around as well as other traffic. There was nothing today. It was unusually quiet and creepy. "Worked on everyone else," she replied.

"How long does that gas stick around?" Jerry asked.

"I don't know, let me check my phone." Leah said. She tapped a few buttons and read what she found. "Sarin dissipates quickly, presenting an immediate but short-lived threat according to CNN," she said. "We should be fine."

"Maybe we can walk to where they didn't gas?" Jerry said.

"They sprayed a fifty mile radius of Council Bluffs. That's fifty miles in any direction," Leah said.

"We could cover that in less than a week," Jerry replied. "Ten miles a day."

"A week out in the open with hungry zombies looking to feed?" Leah asked. "That's like swimming in a shark tank."

"Yeah, but the swimmers don't carry the kind of firepower I have in the basement. We'd be well armed and able to fend off any attack that came at us. When you worked at the factory, did you notice if the zombies worked in groups or on their own?"

"We shipped them off, I have no idea what how they are socially. If they did studies, they didn't share them with me. I heard they kept them apart when they put them to work. They were so expensive that most companies only bought a few."

"So we have no idea if they would form gangs or not," Jerry said. "I'll take my chances, one week on the road and I'm back to civilization."

"You forget you have to sleep. You'd be a sitting duck at night."

"We post a guard, no problem."

"You have a lot of confidence for a man that just saw your bartender torn apart on the street," Leah said.

"I liked Mick, didn't love him. Bartenders come and go."

Leah was a bit distressed by Jerry's flippant comment. "What a prick," she said.

"I'm not the sentimental type. I've been told I'm a sociopath."

"What does your wife think about that?"

"I'm not married, not anymore," Jerry said.

Then a voice spoke out from behind them. It was Robert. "What's going on?" Robert asked.

"We have a problem," Jerry replied. "Mick's dead."

Robert stepped up and looked at Mick's dead body. "Where's his arms?"

"Don't know, took them for a snack I guess."

Leah replied, "Have some respect for the dead! Maybe you don't care, but I do."

Jerry stepped behind the bar and grabbed a clean glass. He filled it with water from the tap and took a drink. "Want some?" he asked.

"Yes," Leah replied and took a seat on a stool at the bar. Robert joined her and Jerry poured both a drink.

Robert asked, "I wonder how he ended up outside?"

"What do you mean?" Jerry asked.

"Did the zombies come into the bar and pull him out, or did he try to leave and they got him on the street. If they came inside, we need to get the fuck out of here fast."

"I think he tried to leave, and then tried to get back in when they found him. That would explain the damage to the door," Jerry said.

"In any case, we should go soon, we have no way to keep them out," Robert said.

Leah replied, "We were just discussing that. He wants to walk, I'm not sure."

"If they found one of us here, they might figure there are more. I'm not sure how smart these things are, but I'm not taking any chances. I'd rather try my luck outside. Or at least look for better shelter."

"Like where?" Leah asked.

"A bank, a jail, someplace that has security," Robert said.

"You're assuming there will be someone there to assist us. If I saw us coming I'd lock the door and keep us out. Human or zombie, nobody's going to help us."

"You're probably right," Robert said.

"We figure it's a week's walk to help," Leah said.

Robert took a sip of water and thought for a moment. "Walk? Don't you own a car?"

Leah looked at Jerry. "Why didn't we think of that? We can use our truck."

"Do you have the keys?"

"No, Lyle does," Leah replied.

"Go get him."

Leah took off and ran downstairs to get the truck keys from Lyle. Jerry walked around the bar to the back door and unlocked it. He kept his car parked in the back. Looking around, he skipped over to his car and unlocked it. He got inside and put in the key turning it to the start position. Nothing happened, not even the sound of the starter trying to engage the engine. He tried again and again nothing. He turned the key backwards to check to see if the radio would play and it didn't. The electrical power was gone.

Frustrated, he got out of his car and ran back to the bar locking the door.

"What's wrong?" Robert asked.

"Battery's dead."

"What are the odds?" Robert asked.

"Very poor actually, I've never had a dead battery. Something is up."

Leah ran over and stopped out of breath. "The truck won't start."

"Let me guess, dead battery?" Jerry asked.

"I think so, how did you know?"

"My battery is dead too," Jerry said.

Robert asked, "What would cause both batteries to be dead?"

"It's not the battery, it's an EMP," Lyle replied. He had come up from the basement to see what's going on scaring everyone.

"What's an EMP?" Robert asked.

"Electromagnetic pulse, they used it to fry all the electronics in town. No cars will work, and any electronics exposed outside."

"How do you know?"

"Ironically, I found out on my phone. Our phones were shielded because we were in the basement. We can get internet because it's a signal, like radio."

"Why did they fry all the electronics?" Leah asked.

"To keep people like us from escaping," Lyle said. "They don't want infected people getting out and infecting anyone else. It also says any humans trying to leave the affected zone will be shot on the spot. We're dead no matter what we do."

"Even if we're not infected?" Leah asked.

"They don't know what an infection looks like. They think it's best to kill everything in the zone and basically start over. We're a disease they are trying to eradicate. Even if we survive this, we die."

Kim and Helena climbed the stairs and entered the bar passing Lyle on his way down. Kim was dressed in a crop top, short denim skirt, knee high socks and orange and white tennis shoes. Helena had on what she wore last night. "What's going on?" Kim asked. "Why's the door open?"

"Go look, I'm not explaining this again," Jerry said.

Kim stepped over to the front door and saw Mick dead on the street. "I need a gun," she said. She took a few minutes to process and sat down with her back to the open door.

"We've discussed this," Jerry replied.

"That's between Lyle and me," Kim replied.

"Where did he go?"

"To his gun museum to jerk off," Kim replied. "He's already back."

"Talk to him about it," Jerry replied.

"Don't bother," Lyle said. "She isn't getting a gun." Lyle returned to the bar armored to the teeth. He had more guns on him than anyone knew about tucked into various parts of his clothing.

"I don't need a man to protect me," Kim said. "I can protect myself, all I need is a gun."

"You look like a clown, do you think I'm going to give a gun to someone who dresses Bozo the slut? You sure dress funny for a man hating woman. Where would you carry a gun?"

"Don't worry about that," Kim said.

Tired of Kim's shit, Lyle stepped over and handed her a 30-06 rifle and two clips. The rifle had a strap that she could sling over her shoulder. The gun looked odd on her small frail frame, more like a toy than a real gun. "There you go, now shut the fuck up. Do you know how it works?"

Kim didn't want to let Lyle know she was clueless and was going to figure it out on her own. So she lied. "Yes, thanks," she replied.

"Insert the clip and pull back the bolt. The bullet inserts. Push the bolt forward, take off the safety and you can fire. After each shot, pull back the bolt and eject the shell, then push the bolt forward and repeat. When it quits firing, pull out the clip, insert a new one and repeat. Got it?"

Kim nodded and asked, "How many shots do I have per clip?"

"Eight, so don't waste them."

"Give me a few more."

"You give me something first," Lyle said.

Leah perked up when she heard her husband. "What do you want Lyle?" Leah asked. "Do you expect this girl to blow you for bullets?"

"No, I thought maybe a please and a thank you would suffice," Lyle replied. He lied, he did want a blow job from this skinny bitch. He had Helena before, but Kim was the prize. He hated her so seeing her go down on him would be a prize.

"Please," Kim said. She hated the word, and hated saying it to Lyle. But she had no choice.

"I don't have any more on me, you can get a box of shells downstairs and fill your clips when they run out. Don't throw them away, you'll need them."

Kim took off back downstairs to get some shells. As she ran across the bar, Lyle watched her hair bounce like a basketball flying in all directions. If it wasn't for the clothes, he wouldn't have been sure it was a woman.

# Chapter 10

# Grocery store

By noon all the beef jerky and pickled eggs were gone. It didn't take long for the group to consume all the food the bar had to sell as they were in the business of selling sex, not food. Lyle was getting ancy and wanted to head outside to see what they could find to eat by breaking into a grocery store and gathering supplies. Crashing the sandwich shop next door was an option, but Lyle wanted supplies that would last, nonperishable food that would sustain them during a power outage.

"I wish the television worked," Leah said. "I want to know what's going on."

"The EMP fucks with the electronics. Nothing electric will work that wasn't underground or shielded," Lyle said.

"So why can't we turn on the lights? Why are the powerlines out?"

"I don't know, they probably cut the power."

"Why?"

"I don't know why!" Lyle snapped. "Maybe they don't want zombies having access to power."

"That makes sense," Robert said. "You don't want a zombie with a power saw."

"I'm starving," Lyle said. "I'm going out and getting supplies, who wants to go with me?"

"I do," Kim said.

"So do I Robert," added.

"What about you?" Lyle asked his wife.

"I don't want to go out," Leah replied. "I think it's too dangerous. You should stay here."

"I would but my diabetes disagrees with you. I feel hypoglycemic," Lyle said. "I want you to go with me."

Leah hung her head and then nodded in agreement.

"The rest of you can stay if you want. If we don't make it back by tonight, you better find your own supplies."

"Where are you going?" Jerry asked.

"There's a grocery store downtown. About ten blocks away. I think we should head there," Lyle replied.

"What if you're attacked?"

"You don't think I can defend myself? I've been planning for a day like this for years. Bring it on!" Lyle said. "Whoever's going along, let's go," Lyle said as he headed out the door.

Three blocks into their trek, Lyle came upon a body lying on the sidewalk. It was a man, lying on his side facing towards him looking like he was sleeping. He glanced at the body and then tried to ignore it pretending that it didn't bother him. He assumed the gas got to him.

As they walked further from the bar, they noticed cars setting in the street, some running, but most not. In the cars were people slumped over the steering wheels or lying on the passenger seat dead. There were a few people on the sidewalks lying motionless, but most of the dead were in vehicles.

"Looks like they died peaceful," Robert said.

Kim replied, "That's the only way to go."

"Keep an eye out for anything moving, there are zombies out here."

"We have nothing to worry about, there are plenty for them to eat lying on the streets," Kim replied.

Leah spoke up, "They prefer live food."

"How do you know?" Kim asked.

"It was in the service manual we sent. It contained feeding instructions."

"What are you talking about?"

"I worked at the plant that made them. I know more about them than most people do. They will eat the dead if that's all they have access too, but they prefer warm, live food. Like us."

"How did they come up with feeding instructions? Who tested them?" Kim asked.

"Wasn't my department. I just turned the dead into repurposed units."

"I don't think I want to know anymore," Kim said. Then she thought for a second. "So how do you kill them?"

Lyle replied, "Not with sarin gas, I can tell you that."

"I remember something about fire and or dismemberment," Leah replied.

"That's a gruesome way to kill them."

"Starvation was always an option, but could take a week."

"How much further to the grocery store?" Kim asked.

"P Street," Lyle replied. "We're on L."

Then Kim saw something move up ahead to her left. Under the awning of a clothing store, she saw a man, or zombie move out of the shadow and into an alley. "Did you see that?" Kim asked.

"What did you see?" Robert asked.

"The next block, I saw someone run into the alley."

"Was it human?"

"It was too fast, I don't know," Kim replied.

"If anyone sees anything, shout it out," Lyle said.

Leah asked, "Should we really be walking out in the street? I mean, we're sitting ducks out here."

"We have the best visibility from the street," Lyle replied. "They can't sneak up on us. And I don't think they are organized enough to gang up on us."

"I think you're right," Robert said.

"We're a fucking walking buffet," Kim said. "Maybe we should pick up the pace."

"Nobody's going to get full on you," Lyle snapped back. "They'd probably skip over you because you look sick."

"And you wonder why I don't like men," Kim said.

"So you admit it? I knew you liked girls."

"I don't like anyone, but I like men less."

"It must suck to be so bitter. What happened to you that made you so anti male?"

"None of your fucking business," Kim replied.

"Did you get stood up for a date?"

No reply.

"Did your husband leave you for a real woman?"

No reply.

"Did some guy mistake you for a boy?"

"Why is everything sex to you?" Kim asked.

"Sex? I didn't bring up sex, you did," Lyle replied.

"Leave me alone."

Lyle was more interested in picking on Kim than before. The more pissed she became, the more he wanted to dig at her. "If you want to play the modern independent woman, why don't you take off and do your own thing. We men can take care of ourselves."

"What about your wife?"

"What about her? She doesn't act like a feminist bitch."

"Don't be so hard on her," Leah said.

"What the hell? She dresses like a hippy whore and acts like I'm in the wrong for calling her out. Is she a man or a woman? She looks like a man, acts like a man and pretends she's some sort of Girl Scout. I've had about enough of her."

"You want me gone?" Kim said. "Fine, I'll leave!"

Leah spoke up, "No, don't go. Lyle is just a little testy. I want you to stay with us. There's power in numbers. Plus you have a better chance of getting killed on your own."

Kim took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She looked at the ground as she walked and stopped paying attention to the sides of the street where the zombies could be hiding.

"Watch for zombies," Lyle said. "I don't need a freeloader tagging along."

As the grocery store came into sight, the group sped up not realizing they were going any faster. The store had a large parking lot dotted with vehicles and a large glass panel with a sign that read, "Milk $2.99" above the door. It was eerie traversing the parking lot with all the empty cars and trucks sitting quiet waiting for their owners to return.

"This creeps me out," Leah said. She slowed down and looked in the driver's side of a truck expecting to see a dead body. When she saw no one there she moved on with the group.

"How are we getting in?" Robert asked. "Without power, the doors won't open."

Lyle raised his rifle and looked at Robert. "I'll shatter the glass and kick it in. Won't be a problem." Then Lyle saw something inside the store that moved. He held up his hand to motion everyone to stop keeping an eye on the storefront.

"Did you see another one?" Leah asked.

"I think so," Lyle replied.

"They're worse than mice," Leah said. She got a shiver down her spine.

"Now what are we going to do?" Robert asked. "They must have thought the same thing we did."

"It's a large store and we are armed. The reports said there were around sixty zombies that escaped and unless they are forming groups, we should be able to take out a few stragglers."

"I think we should form a plan," Robert said. "Is anyone here ex-military?"

Nobody replied.

Kim stepped forward and tried to get a closer look. "I think we'll be fine as long as we stick together. Mick was alone, that was his problem," she said.

"I agree," Lyle said. "I'll shoot out the door and we all go inside together. If we see anything-shoot. If there are a lot, I'll call retreat and we head back out into the parking lot."

Heads nodded in agreement and the group walked towards the front of the store keeping an eye for movement inside. When they were about ten feet from the door, Lyle pulled out a .45 pistol and shot the glass about a foot from the ground. He expected the glass to shatter and make a fracture pattern he could kick and break, but the bullet only made a single hole. He shot again and a third time. This time the glass made the pattern and he stepped up and kicked the glass shattering it and sending it raining down upon the entryway.

Using the butt of pistol, he broke out the rest of the glass from the frame and signaled he was moving inside the store. He looked to make sure the other three were behind him. As the group entered the grocery store, they noticed how quiet it was inside. No music, just the hollow sound of the room. On the floor, scattered around the building were the bodies of the customers who succumbed to the sarin gas.

"How did the gas get in here?" Kim asked.

"Air conditioning units," Robert replied.

"That must be some powerful shit," Kim said.

Lyle put up his hand again signaling for everyone to be quiet. He perked up his ears and listened for any movement. From somewhere in the building she could hear the sounds of intermittent footsteps. "Hear that?" he asked.

The rest of the group tried to hear what Lyle was hearing but couldn't.

"I don't hear anything," Leah replied.

Lyle put his .45 in a holster and brought up his .223 rifle. He took aim with the scope and took a shot. With the crack of the rifle, a thud could be heard in the dairy aisle across the room. "Got one," Lyle said.

"Are you sure? I didn't see anything," Kim said.

"Go take a look," Lyle replied.

"You might need to shoot it several times to make sure it's dead," Leah said. "They don't die like humans do. The gene splicing we use changes their DNA, they live by a different process."

"What do you mean?" Lyle asked.

"They have a much reduced circulatory system. Bleeding them out could take days or weeks. By then they usually heal."

"What? They don't have blood?"

"No, they have blood, but they absorb nutrients from cell to cell by osmosis. They can transfer glucose across muscle cells without using blood at all for days," Leah replied.

"Why did you design them like that?"

"First of all, I didn't design them, and second, that's the only way they could find to bring the dead back to life. They don't have a fully beating heart- they're more like plants. They can live without blood for weeks, maybe years. But they still require food, the food they are fed or what we process in our liver. To them, we are food."

# Chapter 11

# Chocolate Syrup

Leah grabbed a shopping cart and led the group over to where Lyle claimed he shot a zombie. They stopped when they found what they were looking for in the dairy aisle trying to get back on its feet. Attempting to regain balance stood a five and a half foot tall repurposed unit covered in what looked like chocolate syrup with an industrial sized can in one hand. In the other hand was the claw hammer used to open it.

"I think you did hit one," Robert said. "But you didn't kill it."

The tile floor beneath the zombie was covered with a slick syrup making it difficult to get traction and maintain balance. It took a step and slipped and then stopped to get centered again. After a few tries it managed to step out of the puddle and grasp the handle of a freezer door close by. It then dropped the syrup can with a clunk and tried to wipe off its feet on the floor. The zombie didn't seem to notice the four people looking at it or hear what Robert had said.

"Is it deaf?" Lyle asked.

Leah replied, "No, they don't have the same cognitive function they did before they were turned. Sometimes you have to work to get their attention."

"What good is that? I mean, who'd buy a zombie slave that didn't pay attention to instructions?"

"When they learn a task, they never forget. They compared it to autism in a way. What they lacked in communicative and social skills, they make up for in industrial ability and memory. They never forget."

The zombie took notice of Leah and looked like it was going to speak. It hesitated and continued to wipe the chocolate from the bottom of its shoes.

"I see they changed the uniforms they dressed them in," Leah said. "They used to be blue, now they're grey. I wonder why they changed them?"

The zombie replied, "The repurposed units that could talk wear grey, the one's that can't still wear blue."

Lyle furrowed his eyebrows as he heard the zombie speak. "That is so weird," Lyle said. "I'm used to zombies that growled and made grunting noises."

"I'm not a true zombie, not like in the movies. I wasn't raised from the grave by some disease, I was designed in a lab to be a slave."

"Who are you?" Lyle asked.

"My name is Edwin Greenwood, what is yours?"

"Lyle Karr," Lyle replied. "What did you do before you became a zombie?"

"I was a reporter for the Seattle Times. And you?"

"Factory work mostly, currently laid off," Lyle replied. "Is it true you eat people?"

"That's an odd question to ask someone you just met."

"I think it's important to know, since you might want to eat me later."

Edwin wiped some chocolate from his grey jumpsuit and licked it from his finger. "I am perfectly happy with the chocolate syrup if you must know."

"You can live on chocolate syrup?" Lyle asked.

Leah replied, "His metabolism is setup for pure glucose. His liver can change the sucrose into glucose. It's a faster way to digest than eating solid food."

"So no eating me for desert," Lyle said.

"If a zombie can't find access to sugar, it will kill a human and filter the glucose from the blood and liver. It's a last resort, but it's also an option," Leah said.

"So as long as there is sugar available, I should be fine?"

"Depends on the zombie, I'm sure they all have different tastes. We don't all eat the same thing," Leah replied.

"He doesn't look all that good if you ask me," Lyle said. "He has pink eye, and some sort of rash on his neck."

Leah stepped up closer to Edwin being careful not to step on the mess on the floor. She looked closely at his eyes and neck. "I'm impressed, I'm a nurse and I didn't pick up on that."

"What do you think it is?" Lyle asked.

"Have you had that rash long?" Leah asked Edwin.

Edwin touched his neck and felt the bumps. "No, I didn't know I had one."

"Are you allergic to chocolate?"

"Not that I know of," Edwin replied.

"I wonder," Leah said out loud.

"What is it?" Edwin asked. He was getting nervous.

"I wonder if your body is able to convert the sucrose to glucose after all? If you can't you might be having an anaphylactic reaction. How is your breathing?"

Edwin began to panic and hyperventilate.

Leah could see his tongue was swollen and was getting hives on his arms and face. "Calm down, don't breath so fast," Leah said. "Does this store have a pharmacy?" she asked.

"I think so," Robert replied.

"Break in and get me an Epi pen, fast!" Leah said.

Robert took off and ran down the aisle heading to the pharmacy.

"What's going on?" Lyle asked.

"He's having an allergic reaction, the Epi pen will stop the swelling and allow him to breath. It should also stop the hives and some of the rash."

"Are you sure? He's not human anymore," Lyle said.

Leah thought for a moment. Without an intact circulatory system to transport the epinephrine, the injection might not work at all. Only at the injection site. "I'm not sure, all I can do is try."

Edwin put his hands to his neck as if he was choking. The reaction was a reflex in most people and he didn't even realize he was doing it. His skin turned from sickly green to dusky blue green and he began to lose strength. He then slid down the freezer door onto the floor where he sat with his back to the glass.

"I don't think he's going to make it," Lyle said.

"Shoot him," Kim said. She was silent up till now.

"Why?" Leah asked.

"It was his kind that killed Mick and tore his arms off," Kim replied.

Edwin looked up and Kim and shook his head no. In a whisper he replied, "It wasn't us, it was the military."

Kim looked at Edwin like he had just said the most absurd thing she ever heard. "The military? Are you insane? Why would they tear his arms off?"

"To make it look like we did it," Edwin replied.

"Why would they care?"

"To hide their presence. To lull you into a false sense of security. They are killing everyone that the gas didn't kill," Edwin said. "Go look for yourself."

"I walked half a mile to get here and I didn't see any military. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Look again," Edwin said.

Kim shrugged her shoulders and shook her head telling Edwin she thought he was crazy. "Fine, I'll go look," she said and walked back to the front of the store. When she got there, she stood between two cash registers and looked out the large glass storefront. She was shocked when she saw two army Humvees drive past the parking lot towards the bar. In a moment, they were gone and she headed back to the dairy aisle. "Holy fuck," she said as she rejoined the group. "He was right, the military is here."

"Too bad they won't rescue us," Lyle said.

Kim replied, "What if we reached out to them, let them know we aren't infected?"

"They carpet bombed Council Bluffs with sarin gas. They don't care. To them, we're just as much a threat as Edwin is here."

"I never thought I'd see the day when the US army was my enemy," Kim replied.

Just then Robert returned with three boxes in his hand. He handed them to Leah and she took them. On the box it read, "Epipen, (Epinephrine) Auto injector, 0.3 mg" She opened a box, pulled out the pen and stuck Edwin with it in his neck. She didn't think the hormone would travel far so she wanted it to be as close to his windpipe as she could get it.

"How long till that works?" Lyle asked.

"A minute or so," Leah replied. She was careful to stay out of the chocolate mess on the floor as she stood.

The group looked down at Edwin who was choking on the floor and waited to see if anything would happen. As time when by, he made less sounds and turned a darker shade of blue until he no longer made any sounds and stopped moving.

"Is he dead?" Lyle asked.

Leah bent down and put her finger on Edwin's neck checking for a pulse. Repurposed units as a whole had a very faint pulse and finding one now would be almost impossible. Finding nothing, she stood and wiped the chocolate from her finger onto her pants. "I can't find a pulse, I think he's dead."

"You gave it a good shot," Robert replied. "If anything like that happens to me, I'm glad we have you with us."

Lyle replied, "We should raid that pharmacy, I bet there's a lot of supplies we could use from there."

Kim spoke up," What are we going to do after we get loaded up? Stay here? Head back to the bar?"

"Head back to the bar, Lyle said. "They have a hardware section here. I can pick up a door latch lock to put on the front door to keep the zombies out. I want to be with my guns. Especially with the military out looking to kill whoever they can find."

"That's going to be a problem," Robert said. "How do we get back to the bar without being seen? They probably have infrared scanning the whole city looking for anyone alive. You ever seen those videos of helicopters shooting Iraqis like fish in a bowl? They turn them into soup from miles away."

"We can't hide out here," Lyle replied. "The storefront is glass, we have no weapons besides what we brought with us. We need to load up as many carts as we can and head back to the bar. I'll take my chances there. This place is practically an open field."

The group didn't say anything after that and they all grabbed shopping carts and headed out to pick up supplies. Canned goods, medications, some hardware and anything else they could think of to survive. The thought of bringing the guns back to the grocery store crossed Lyle's mind, but he didn't like the glass and felt there was no protection. He checked the manager's office and found it to be a door with a simple lock that anyone could break into with a hammer. And they sold hammers at the store.

The trip back to the bar was a fast one. The group decided to use an alley and stay close to the buildings as they could to hide from any surveillance that could be flying above them. The shopping carts ran smooth for the most part over the broken cement and gravel, and their legs burned for their efforts, but after less than an hour, they were back at the Tasty Taco strip club.

Before they entered the club, Lyle wanted to make a quick check to make sure nobody or anything had entered while they were gone. Jerry and Helena stayed behind, but that didn't mean much with zombies and the military after them. With his pistol drawn, he pushed the front door of the bar open and stepped inside. What he saw astounded him.

On the stage was a nude zombie pole dancing. On the side stage was another nude zombie and behind the bar was Jerry's dead body draped over with a bucket on the floor collecting his blood as it drained from a cut to his wrists. Helena was nowhere to be found.

Lyle slowly stepped towards the bar with his pistol drawn. There was no one tending bar, and now he noticed three zombies sitting at the front table watching the pole dancers perform, all dressed in their grey jumpsuits. Then he saw Helena's body on the floor between the stage and the three zombies. She was lying on her back with a large hole where her liver once was.

Scanning the bar again, he counted two dancers and three men at the table, no other beings were in his view. He stepped over to the doorway to the basement and looked down to see if he could hear anyone or see any movement. There was none. When they left the bar earlier, they had shut off the music and now he noticed it was back on playing KC and the Sunshine band. "That's the way, uh huh I like it," was blaring over the speakers and still no one noticed he was standing behind them ready to shoot.

Then the music stopped.

# Chapter 12

# Darnell

Kim shut off the music and walked past Lyle hopping up on the main stage and slapping the shit out of the zombie stripper trying to pole dance. "Get the fuck off my stage!" Kim yelled at the dancer as she jumped down to the floor. The zombie stripper banged its leg on a table and lost its balance but managed to walk away unharmed. "What the fuck is going on here?" Kim yelled. "Who said you could come in here and take over my stage?"

Lyle yelled, "Did you see what they did to Jerry and Helena?" pointing to Helena's dead body on the floor.

Kim looked down and stared at Helena's body in shock. She glared at the three zombie men who were sitting at the table looking up at her enjoying a drink from the bar. She then turned her focus to the second zombie stripper who was on the side stage and motioned for her to get off the stage. When she saw the other zombie stripper step down onto the floor she again looked at the men who were enjoying the show. "Get out of my bar now," Kim said as reserved as she could.

Sitting at the table were two Hispanic zombies and one black, all dressed in grey jumpsuits. All three had drinks and all three looked sickly thin and grey. "Make us," the black zombie said. He took a sip of his drink and set it down.

Lyle stepped over and pointed his pistol at the black zombie's face and said, "You get your black ass out of this bar."

The black zombie looked at Lyle and smiled.

"Do as the girl said and leave," Lyle said, this time a bit louder.

"When I finish my drink," the zombie said.

"You're a special kind of stupid," Lyle said. "I'll give you till the count of three."

"Before you shoot me, you might want to sit down and have a conversation with me."

"What would you have to say that I give a shit about? You came into my bar, killed my partner and one of my strippers."

"I'm sorry for that, we do have to survive as well. There wasn't anything else to eat at the bar."

"Eat? You make it sound like they were Thanksgiving turkeys. Jerry was my friend, not a snack."

"That's water under the bridge, let's talk about how we can help each other," the zombie said.

Lyle stood and held back from shooting the zombie. He hated black people to start with, but a black zombie was too much. For some reason unknown to him, Lyle sat down at the table and decided to talk. "What can you do for me I can't do for myself?" Lyle asked.

"Nothing really, but there is strength in numbers. The military is out to get all of us and we need to work together if we're going to survive."

"If that were the case you wouldn't have killed Jerry and Helena."

"I see your point, but we were starving. What would you have done in my situation?" the zombie asked.

"I'd of found a can of tuna, not eaten a person," Lyle replied.

"I can't live off of tuna, thanks to your scientists, I can only live off the blood and liver of living beings, such as yourself."

Lyle thought for a moment. "What's your name?" he asked.

The black zombie smiled when he heard the question. "Darnell Johnson," Darnell replied.

"And your spic friends?"

"For a racist bastard, you get right to the point. I have no idea what their names are, it's not like we hung out at the factory.

The zombie to the far right of the table spoke up, "My name is Javier, his name is Felipe," Javier said tilting his head towards Felipe.

"So tell me about the explosion at the factory, what happened?" Lyle asked.

"I heard about a plan to escape, never thought they'd go through with it," Darnell said.

"So some zombie blew the place up?"

"Most likely."

"That takes a lot of balls and brains for someone whose half dead."

"We're not as dead as you think we are. What do you know about the process that makes us?"

Leah had been listening and spoke up. "I used to work at the factory. It was part of my job to administer the drugs that changed you."

"Small world," Darnell replied.

"But none of the repurposed units I worked with could speak, or have the kind of rational thought you've displayed."

"Things have changed. When did you last work there?"

"It's been over six months now," Leah replied.

"That explains why you don't understand," Darnell said. "When they discovered the drug they were using was producing a higher level of cognitive functioning, they went back to the manufacturer to find out what happened. I don't know all the details, but I know when they found out what changed they kept the new mix for all new repurposed units. The company used to think that a smarter unit might rise up and revolt, but then found they could make more money if the unit could perform a higher level of work."

"So how did they fix the revolt problem?" Lyle asked.

"They didn't obviously, I'm sitting here talking to you," Darnell replied.

"Touché'," Lyle replied. "I didn't see that one coming. So you don't know which zombie actually blew the place up."

"I prefer the term 'Repurposed unit,' to zombie."

That's too hard to say, plus I prefer the term zombie nigger. Zombie spic for those two."

"You are a very hateful man," Darnell said.

"I come from a long line of very hateful men, my grandfather was a Klaliff in the brotherhood."

"Not sure what that means," Darnell replied.

"It's an office in the Klan.

"Are you a member?"

"Of course," Lyle replied.

"Is that going to cause a problem in our relationship?" Darnell said with a smile.

"I like you, you're not like most blacks. You seem intelligent."

Not wanting to piss off the man holding a gun, Darnell decided to play it down. "I was a school teacher before I was a zombie. I died on that plane crash and all that changed."

"What did you teach? Basketball?" Lyle asked laughing.

"American history and journalism."

"American history? So you know all about how the blacks tried to ruin this country and all that civil rights bullshit."

"I'm familiar with the civil rights movement."

"We should have shipped all those monkeys back to Africa after the Civil War. Now my taxes go to pay for food stamps and welfare while they sell drugs and fill our prisons with dealers."

"I really don't want a lesson on African American history, I used to teach it for a living," Darnell said.

"Did you teach about how inferior blacks are to whites? Or did you promote that liberal agenda and tell our white children that we're all equal?"

"I don't want to get into an argument with you. You have a gun and an advantage over me."

Lyle changed his focus to Javier who had been sitting quiet listening. "What about you spic? What did you do before you became a zombie?"

Javier hesitated to reply, but said, "Me and my brother Felipe owned a car lot. And we rented trailers and sold lawn equipment."

"He's your brother?" Lyle asked.

"Yes," Javier replied.

"Are you legal or did you sneak across and take jobs from hard working Americans?"

"We were born in Houston," Javier replied.

"Houston eh? What kinds of cars did you sell?"

"We had a used car lot, we bought and sold all kinds of cars and trucks."

"Any of that Japanese shit?"

"We sold Toyota's, but they make those in America you know."

Lyle had no idea that Toyota's were manufactured in America. Now he felt stupid. "So tell me Darnell, what can you do for me? Tell me why I shouldn't shoot you right here and now."

"There's power in numbers," Darnell replied.

"And as soon as I go to sleep you try to eat me, like you did Jerry and Helena, right?"

"No, we can survive off of any mammal, or straight glucose if we can find it."

"I saw one of your kind die trying to drink a can of chocolate syrup, you might want to watch what you eat."

"Where did you see that?"

"Grocery story, about a mile from here. We just got back with a load of supplies. And we weren't figuring on having company when we got back," Darnell said. "Looks like the only food source you have around here is me and my friends here. Do they even sell glucose in a bottle?"

"I don't know. We just fed and won't need to feed again for a few days. Our metabolism is slower than yours so we have time to work something out."

"What about your stripper friends there? Do you know them?"

"No, they followed us here," Darnell replied.

Lyle stood up and walked over to one of the strippers who was standing next to the bar. The one Kim had slapped and kicked off the stage. "What's your name?" Lyle asked.

"Shawna Rose," Shawna replied. She didn't look like a stripper, more like an office clerk.

"Been a stripper long?"

"No, just started."

"What did you do before you were a zombie stripper?"

"I stacked boxes in a warehouse, why do you care?"

"This is my bar, I like to know who's on my stage," Lyle replied.

"You own this place?"

"No, Jerry did before you butchered him. But I used to work here," Lyle replied. "Are you the one who cut him up?

Shawna didn't reply. "I assume from your silence that you did. How did he taste?"

"I was starving, I'm sorry."

"Tell that to his kids," Lyle said. "You should put on a shirt. You look like death, nobody should have to see that. "How about the other girl, do you know her?"

"No, she got up on the other stage when she saw me."

"She's way to fat to strip. Could probably live off her own blubber for a while. Did she help you kill Jerry?"

"Yes, he fought back hard."

"I bet, Jerry's no pussy. How did you manage to kill him?"

"He grabbed me and I held his arms while she stabbed him in the neck with a broken glass," Shawna replied.

"And then you hung him over the bar to bleed into a bucket?"

"We didn't want any of his blood to go to waste."

"Makes sense," Lyle said. "So what can you do for me?"

"What do you mean?"

"You have to earn your keep here or I blow your head off. I don't need more mouths to feed and we all have guns. So what can you do for me that I can't do for myself? Maybe you can run back to the store and get more supplies when these run out. That way I can avoid the military and other zombies."

"I could do that," Shawna replied.

"Good, you just earned your spot, for now," Lyle replied. "I don't think I need two of you so I think I'll dispose of her."

Lyle walked over to the other stripper who was sitting at a table shaking. She looked up at Lyle with puppy dog eyes and waited for him to speak to her. Instead he pointed his gun at her face and shot her in the forehead dropping her from her chair to the floor. Lyle knew that he needed to prove his dominance and that killing off one of the zombies would send the message that he wasn't to be fucked with.

As he turned back, he came face to face with Felipe, and he was pissed.

# Chapter 13

# Three days later

Kim stood in the bathroom washing her clothes in the sink when Leah approached. She didn't see Kim at first and tried to excuse herself. Wearing only a pair of panties, Kim took notice and said, "You can come in, I'm not shy."

Leah entered the bathroom. It wasn't large, with a toilet and a sink and not much else. Leah dropped her pants and sat down to do her business. "What do you think of Lyle?" Leah asked.

"I think he's funny, he's one hell of a bigot. I'm glad he doesn't know I'm part Indian."

Leah looked up at Kim and looked into her dark eyes. "Now that I look, I can see it. Your dark eyes and hair."

"That's actually from my German side," Kim replied.

"Is that where you get all your anger?"

"You haven't seen me angry yet," Kim replied with a smile. "Get me talking about my ex and you'll see me on fire."

"Does he live in Council Bluffs?"

"No, he and my kids live in Kearney Nebraska. They're safe. What do you see in Lyle anyway?"

"He's a good man, just has some strong views."

"I see that. He seems to have an issue with Blacks, Hispanics and anything not on the Republican agenda."

"Oh, that's just the start of it believe me," Leah said. Finishing her business, Leah wiped, and pulled up her pants as she stood up. "Can I wash my hands?" she asked and Kim backed away from the sink.

"My bra is in there, but go ahead," Kim said.

Leah washed her hands and wiped them on her shirt. There were no dry towels in the bathroom, Kim used them all for a wipe down bath before Leah showed up.

"Sorry about using all the towels, they should be dry in a few hours," Kim said.

"That's no problem, we have to make due. So tell me about you, are you seeing anyone?" The second Leah asked the question, she regretted it since most likely any many Kim was seeing was now dead.

"I was, but he's in jail now," Kim replied. "Not in Council Bluffs, he's in Omaha."

"What happened to him, why is he in jail?"

"Got busted for not paying child support. Owes over a hundred thousand. They took his driver's license and gave him ninety days."

"How is he supposed to earn any money to pay if he's in jail? That makes no sense," Leah said.

"He should have thought of that before he failed to pay. He won't be there forever, it's just to remind him to pay on time," Kim said.

"So what did you see in him in the first place?" Leah asked.

"I didn't know anything about his failure to pay. Do you think I'd date some asshole who won't support his kids? I hate men as it is."

"It's kind of hard to be in a relationship with that attitude," Leah replied.

"You don't know my history. I've been abused, seen abuse, I'm surprised I'm not more fucked up than I am. I'm very protective of my daughter."

"If you don't mind, can you tell me what happened?"

"Sure, when I was in high school, my family moved to California. Every day on my way to school there was a guy masturbating in his car asking me if I wanted a ride. I brought this up in class one day and everyone laughed at me like I was some yokel from Iowa. To them that was a normal day."

"You didn't get in the car with him did you?" Leah asked.

"Fuck no, but I never forgot that," Kim replied.

"What else happened?"

"Oh, I have guys that send me pictures of their dicks on a regular basis. I had a friend from high school post my picture on his Facebook page acting like we were dating. Guys always asking me for naked pictures, you know that sort of thing."

"But you strip for a living," Leah said flat.

"That's different, that's me earning a living to pay my child support. I'm no deadbeat mom," Kim said.

But aren't you feeding into these men's fantasies? Instead of sending them a nude picture, you're giving them what they want in person."

"But they pay me for it. I'm not going to sleep with any of those guys. Just take their money to the bank and spend it on rent and food. For me and my kids," Kim replied.

"Why not get a respectable job?" Leah asked.

"I don't know if you know anything about stripping, but the money is good, very good," Kim replied. "I don't mind selling out if my kids get to eat."

"But doesn't that affect your job performance? How can you look at these men when you know what they want to do with you?"

"That smile on my face is me getting paid, not lust for them. They're too stupid to know the difference. The fact that I hate men makes my job easier. If I liked them, I'd be too busy getting busy with them. On the contrary, I take their money and when me set is done, go back to the dressing room and read."

Leah shrugged her shoulders. "I see, so what do you plan to do when we get out of here?"

"I plan to get back to my kids and start over," Kim replied.

"Doing what? Stripping?"

"If I have too," Kim replied.

Then Lyle spoke up from the other room. "Leah, we need to get everyone ready, the groceries are low and we need to head back to the market.

Leah poked her head out of the bathroom and replied, "Ok honey." She looked at her watch and it read seven ten in the morning. The non-zombie humans had been sleeping in the gun room since it was the only room with a lock on the door. The zombies slept up in the bar.

"Are we taking the zombies with us?" Kim asked.

"I think Lyle wants them to come with us," Leah replied.

"I don't trust them at all."

"I don't think any of us do," Leah replied.

An hour later the four humans left the gun room and entered the club section. For the last three days the zombies had been living in the bar and Lyle expected one day to find them gone, but not today. All four zombies were up on the mainstage sleeping in different spots. They were quiet and looked like they were dead-Lyle wasn't so sure that a few were. So he stepped up onto the stage and yelled, "It's time to go to the store!" at the top of his lungs to see who would wake.

Javier turned over onto his back and looked up at Lyle. The zombie looked far worse today than he did three days ago as if he was dry rotting from the outside in. His skin was now peeling and he looked dehydrated. His gums and teeth were prominent as his lips pulled back and his eyes sunk into his skull.

"We have water at the bar, don't you guys drink?" Lyle asked.

Javier tried to mouth some words but his tongue was too dry to speak. He looked like he was on the verge of starvation. So Lyle found Felipe lying by the mirror at the back of the stage and nudged him with his foot trying to arouse him from his sleep. Only Felipe didn't respond. "I think you're brother's dead," Lyle said.

Javier tried to turn to face Lyle but didn't have the energy. He laid back and took slow shallow breaths, as if they would be his last.

"What about you other two?" Lyle asked out loud. He found Shawna curled up in a ball by the side steps and walked over to where she lie. He poked her with the tip of his boot and she said," Leave me alone! I'm trying to sleep."

"Get up, we're going grocery shopping you freeloading zombie whore," Lyle replied.

Then Lyle heard Darnell speak up. He was the most lucid and awake sounding of them all. "Let her stay, I'll go with you," he said.

Lyle saw the black zombie sitting on the edge of the stage. He didn't see him get up and was startled when he heard Darnell's voice. "What's wrong with the Mexicans?" Lyle asked, "Why don't you look like them?"

"They aren't Mexicans, they were born in America," Darnell said.

"All spics are Mexicans to me, now answer my question."

"They drank alcohol for the last three days. Alcohol will dry you out. That's what causes hangovers," Darnell replied.

"What did you drink?" Lyle asked.

"Water, and some soda. You're out," Darnell replied.

"I don't think the Mexicans will make it much longer. The one by the mirror is dead I think."

"I wouldn't be surprised. I told them repeatedly not to drink anything but water."

Lyle stepped in close and took a good look at Darnell. "You don't look so good either. I think you're starting to rot a little too."

"I probably am, I haven't eaten in three days," Darnell replied.

"It's a good half mile to the store, can you walk that?"

"All I can do is try," Darnell replied.

"Ok, get your shit together, we're leaving right now," Lyle said.

Lyle, Robert, Kim and Leah left the bar followed by Darnell who trailed behind. All the humans were well armed but Darnell was left to fend for himself. Barely able to keep up, Darnell didn't have the strength to carry a weapon let alone use one to defend himself. He was at the mercy of the humans who were protecting him, for now.

A block from the bar Kim spied a Humvee up ahead parked on a side street next to a car lot. "Stop," Kim said. "See that," she added pointing to the Humvee.

Lyle quickly moved the group out of the street and into an alley. "What are they doing?" Lyle asked. His vision wasn't the best and he had a hard time seeing anything but the block image of the military vehicle. He didn't see any personnel close by.

"I see three soldiers in hazmat suits," Leah replied.

"Where?" Lyle asked.

"On the sidewalk of the car lot. Next to the Jeep."

Lyle strained to see what Leah was seeing. "I don't see anyone."

"See those three yellow blobs?" Kim asked.

It took a second, but Lyle finally found the yellow blobs. "Shit, we need to go around," he said.

"I think we should find another market," Kim said. "They're too close to the one we use."

"I don't know about you, but my phone died yesterday and I don't have Google maps anymore," Lyle replied.

"You worked downtown and you don't know the layout? I can't believe you need your phone to find a fucking grocery store in downtown Council Bluffs Iowa," Kim snapped.

"I don't live downtown, and I've only worked at the bar for a few months. Get off my back whore," Lyle snapped back.

"You're calling me a whore?"

"I've seen what you do on stage," Lyle said. "Only a whore would parade around naked for pay."

Leah chimed in. "Lyle, let it go, you don't know her situation. We need to focus on finding food."

"She needs to focus on not being such a cunt," Lyle said. "You find me a store then."

"There's a gas station three blocks from the bar in the opposite direction," Kim replied.

"I don't need gas, my truck won't start," Lyle replied.

"They sell food dumbass."

Lyle spun around and faced Kim head on. "I could kick your skinny ass so hard..."

"Go ahead asshole-I dare you!"

Lyle moved in close, eye to eye, and ready to pounce in a heartbeat.

Leah stepped in between the two and pushed Lyle back. "You need to look at this," she said turning Lyle back towards the parked Humvee. Pulling up behind was a semi with an animal hauler trailer on the back. The same kind they use to transport hogs and cattle. Lyle could make out the semi easily and asked, "What are they using that for?"

"They're transporting something," Leah replied. "But what?"

"You mean who," Kim replied.

# Chapter 14

# Shell station

"Don't move," a voice called out from behind.

Lyle spun around and shot without thinking. He blasted two men in hazmat suits who were standing behind the group holding military assault rifles. One fell, the other tried to get away and landed on his face.

"I think you killed one," Robert said. "Shoot them again!"

"Not yet," Lyle said as he stepped over to the downed soldier. "What are you doing here?" Lyle snapped. "What's with the semi?"

The soldier turned over with a grenade in his hand. Before he could toss it, Lyle kicked it out of his hand and down the alley. It exploded rocking the sound back between the buildings. Lyle put a knee on the soldiers groin and pointed a pistol in his face. "You have ten seconds to tell me what I want to know."

Kim yelled, "We need to go, the army will be here any moment!"

Lyle stood back up and shot the soldier in the face. He stepped over to the other one and put two shots in his head. "Take the guns," Lyle said and dug through the soldier's pack looking for anything he could use. Finding what looked like a phone, Lyle shoved it in his pocket and led the rest of the group down the alley away from the semi. He was sure the soldier called in his location and they were now being hunted down by the US military.

Lyle stopped a few blocks away hiding the group behind a KFC between two dumpsters. He prayed there was no satellite above tracking their movements and figured if there was, hiding would be pointless anyway. If they knew where they were hiding, a missile would be tracking them and exploding any moment.

"What did you find?" Robert asked.

Lyle looked at the group and saw Darnell wasn't present. "Where's the nigger?" Lyle asked.

"I wish you wouldn't use that word," Kim said. "It's disrespectful."

"Do you think I give a shit what you think?" Lyle asked. "He's the only nigger I ever met that couldn't run."

"He was starving to death, do you expect him to keep up with us?" Kim asked.

"I don't give a shit if you want to know, I'm glad he's gone. I hope he doesn't find us."

Robert interrupted, "I asked you a question," he said.

Lyle turned his focus to the gadget he pulled off the dead soldier. He spun it around and pushed a button on the side. A screen lit up and words appeared in chat form. It was a conversation between the soldier and someone else.

"What does it say?" Robert asked.

Lyle read the conversation and replied, "Someone is giving directions, and then they say they saw us in the alley. The other guy tells them to engage us and then they confirm. That's it," Lyle said.

"Can you scroll up?" Kim asked.

Lyle scrolled up and read more from the communication device. "Holy shit," Lyle said. "They're collecting zombies!"

"For what?" Robert asked.

"Doesn't say, but that's what the semi is for."

"Why would the military want zombies?" Robert asked.

Leah replied, "They'd make good soldiers."

"No fucking way, that zombie nigger couldn't even keep up with us," Lyle said.

"Not foot soldiers, they could be used in place of human soldiers for special projects."

"Like what?" Lyle asked.

"They put out a reduced heat signature, infrared would pick them up as dead. They could last longer on less food, or could be fitted with a glucose concentrate that would allow them to survive weeks without refueling. They would make excellent suicide bombers."

"I didn't know that," Lyle said.

Kim replied, "You're a fucking redneck, I'm sure you didn't. How this woman ever married you I'll never understand."

"If it weren't for me, you'd be dead," Lyle barked back.

"You don't know that, if they wanted us dead, they'd of shot first and asked questions later! Now we're on the run!"

"If you don't like it, surrender. Go put up your hands and see what happens," Lyle said.

Robert chimed in, "Stop your bickering! We need to come up with a plan before they find us."

"We can go back to the bar," Leah said.

"Not before we find some food. I'm starving," Lyle replied. Then he saw what he was looking for, a Shell station across the street at the end of the block. "Over there," Lyle said pointing towards the station.

"Should we walk out in the open?" Leah asked.

"Let's cross the street and keep close to the buildings. If they're tracking us, they'll find us eventually and there isn't a thing we can do about it." Lyle took off across the street and the other three followed close behind. As they jogged towards the gas station, they kept an eye out for any military or zombies that might be near. They didn't see any and made their way quickly to the gas station where Lyle shot open the door and stepped inside.

Robert found the snack aisle and grabbed a box of chocolate donuts and a Snickers bar. The rest found a bounty in sugary snacks and bottled water and made a feast out of it. For the next hour the four used the gas station as a new home base waiting to see if the military would pull up to the pumps and drag them out. They didn't and Lyle decided that they weren't being tracked and somehow nobody managed to follow them after he shot the two soldiers.

Then Darnell showed up at the door.

"What the hell?" Lyle asked. "How did you find us?"

"I gave up a long time ago, then I saw Kim in the window and headed over here," Darnell replied.

"Did anyone follow you?" Lyle asked.

"Yes," Darnell replied and turned to look out the window.

To Lyle's shock and horror, a group of zombies were wandering around the gas pumps. They didn't have direction, and when Darnell stepped into the station, became lost.

"Don't make a sound, maybe they'll leave," Lyle said.

"What did you say?" Kim shouted from the back of the store. She had a bottle of Gatorade in one hand and a hotdog she skewered off the rotating grill with a toothpick.

"Quiet," Lyle whispered. He put his finger to his lips and scowled.

Kim stopped in the middle of the aisle and watched a zombie walk towards the glass door. It was obvious she was too loud and the zombie had heard her yell.

Lyle turned when he saw Kim staring past him and watched the zombie try to find where the sound came from. "Fuck," he said under his breath and exchanged his pistol for a rifle. The zombie stepped up to the glass window and felt its way to the doorway feeling the glass shards sticking out of the frame. It hesitated and peered inside the store and then backed up. It didn't seem to be sure what to do.

Then Lyle decided to act and walked to the doorway and pointed his rifle at the zombie's head. He clicked off the safety and shot the zombie in the head spurting blood and brains back onto the ground. The zombie turned and looked at Lyle, focusing on the rifle and then Lyle's face. It seemed curious, but not scared.

Lyle shot again and this time hit the zombie in the eye. It didn't die but instead bobbled around like it was dizzy and fell over hitting the ground near the blood spray.

"Is it dead?" Kim asked.

"I don't know, I think it's injured."

Robert asked, "What does it take to kill one of those things?"

"Rifle bullets go right through these things. The shells move too fast. I need to use a pistol."

"What difference does that make?" Robert asked.

Lyle stepped out of the gas station and took aim at one of the other zombies walking near the gas pumps. He took careful aim with a pistol and shot the zombie in the head tearing it apart in an explosion. He looked back at Robert and explained, "The slower velocity bullet stays in longer and interacts with the fluid in the brain causing a hydrostatic shock that explodes the braincase."

"I see," Robert replied. "Show me how that works again."

Lyle took aim at another zombie, one of two that were left. He pulled the trigger and blew off the top of the zombies head. It fell to the concrete in a heap and bled out.

"Why doesn't the other one leave?" Robert asked.

Lyle shot the last zombie in the head and watched it hit the ground. "I don't know, maybe it's deaf," Lyle replied.

Leah said, "I don't think they're deaf, I think they have a hard time processing the input from the auditory nerve. We had issues with that from the beginning. Like when you take too much aspirin."

"I think they're stupid," Lyle replied.

Darnell said, "No, she's right. I have a ringing in my ear all the time. It's hard to hear sometimes and it messes with my balance."

"So you're deaf?" Lyle asked.

"Obviously I can hear you," Darnell replied. "I'm just saying that I have auditory hallucinations sometimes, and sometimes I can't process what I've heard."

"And that's what you think is wrong with them?"

"I don't know what's wrong with them. You shot pretty fast and maybe they didn't hear the gun going off. We do have a slower metabolism and react to stimuli differently than we did when we were fully human."

"I don't really give a shit right now. We need to load up as much food as we can carry and leave, before the military comes looking for us."

No one spoke up, but everyone seemed to agree and grabbed as much food as they could stuff in their pockets. They put bottles of water in grocery bags and tied them to their belt loops and stuffed candy in their socks and anywhere else they could find.

"Ready to go?" Lyle asked.

"I think so," Robert replied and the group left the gas station.

"What direction do you think we should go?" Robert asked.

"It's the same fifty miles in any direction, but Omaha is the way to go. It's just across the river."

"That means Omaha was gassed as well," Robert replied.

"No, they wouldn't gas Omaha. The river would keep any zombies from crossing over."

"You're assuming zombies can't swim."

Lyle looked to Leah. "Can they?" he asked.

"I don't see why not," Leah replied.

Lyle thought for a moment. "I still think Omaha is the way to go. If that doesn't work out, we can head on down to Lincoln."

"Lincoln is another sixty miles," Kim said. "I know, I used to strip there."

"We can find a car in Lincoln."

"Not if they EMP'd the place," Robert said.

"What do you suggest?"

"We could try for Rock Port Missouri," Robert replied.

"Rock Port is a hole in the ground. There's nothing there but firework stands," Lyle replied.

"It's outside the radius and we might find a working vehicle."

"Omaha is twenty miles to the west, Rock Port is fifty miles to the south. I'd rather walk twenty miles than fifty."

"Who's in charge here?" Robert asked.

"I don't give a shit what you do, I'm heading to Omaha," Lyle replied.

Kim said, "I agree, we should try for Omaha. If the place is like this, we can still find food and move on. I don't want to walk fifty miles and find another gas station and dead bodies."

"You might find the same thing in Omaha," Robert replied.

"I know," Kim said. "But I choose the shorter route."

# Chapter 15

# Semi

Thirty minutes into the trek from Council Bluffs Iowa to Omaha Nebraska, Robert spied a semi heading towards them from the Omaha side. It was like the one they saw parked by the car lot on their trip to the grocery store, only this one was heading their way on the interstate. "We got to move!" Robert yelled. "It's a truck!"

The group scrambled to get off Highway 480 and into a ditch leaving Darnell to fend for himself. He was slow and got winded easily like an asthmatic tag along that no one cared about. "Get off the fucking road!" Lyle yelled. "Before they see you!"

It was too late as the truck slowed down and came to a stop fifty yards from where they had been when Robert first saw the truck. Nobody left, thinking if they stayed put in the tall grass in the ditch nobody would see them. They were wrong. A drone flew down from above and hovered over Kim and Leah letting the soldiers know exactly where they were. Another drone flew in and hovered over Lyle. Robert wasn't far away. And Darnel never made it to the ditch, he was out of breath and decided to stop when the truck pulled up.

"We're fucked," Lyle said as two soldiers yanked him out of the tall grass and dragged him back onto the highway. It didn't take long for all four humans and Darnell to be collected and gathered up on the center of the interstate. There were no other vehicles coming in either direction and it was odd to see a semi parked over the center line.

"Are there anymore?" someone asked and Lyle turned to see who was talking. Lyle didn't know the military ranks, but knew this guy was in charge. Then the soldier stopped in front of Lyle and held out his hand. "Give me the weapon," he said.

"You're one brave soldier," Lyle said. "If I'd of shot you, you'd of been dead."

The soldier wore a full protective body suit including an inclusive helmet that covered his face and neck. He didn't seem worried.

Lyle handed over his rifle, and then his pistol, and another pistol and another. "You want my ammo too?" Lyle asked with a grin.

The soldier handed off the weapons to another soldier and said, "Toss the ammo on the ground."

Lyle dug in his pockets and grabbed several clips and tossed them on the concrete. He dug in again and pulled out a handful of single bullets and let them fall on the ground as well. When he was done, the soldier instructed another soldier to scan him for metal and check him for anything he was hiding. The rest of the group were also checked and led to the back of the semi where they were forced inside at gunpoint.

"Are there zombies in there?" Lyle asked with a grin. "I don't want to ride with no zombies."

"Get in," a soldier said.

Lyle stepped inside and saw a group of zombies huddled at the front of the trailer. He guessed there were around ten and they looked like shit.

"Don't you feed these things?" Lyle yelled as the door was slammed shut on the trailer. "I don't want to be lunch."

The door was locked and the soldiers left their view from side of the trailer. The trailer was designed to haul livestock so there were slats all along the sides to allow for airflow. It also smelled like it had been used recently and was commandeered from a feedlot nearby. Then the engine revved up and the whole trailer jolted forward as the truck lurched forward sending everyone in the back falling to the cold, filthy, metal floor.

Kim regained her balance and stood up wiping off what looked like cow shit off the palms of her hands. The rest of the group, including the zombies stood up as well and felt air pass through the trailer blowing their hair around. As the semi approached sixty miles an hour, the wind in the back was like a hurricane blowing bits and pieces of cow shit all around pelting everyone inside. The only consolation was the smell was dissipated and everyone could breathe fresh air-that was as long as the truck was moving.

"Where are they taking us?" Leah yelled over the wind.

"Probably to some military processing station," Lyle replied.

"What are they going to do with us?"

"Fuck I don't know," Lyle replied. "Feed us to the zombies."

"We're American citizens! We have rights, they can't do that to us!"

"They gassed and murdered a million people, they can do what they want."

"But this isn't Germany, or China."

"Don't think America is any different than any of those places. We are all human and it was just a matter of time."

Twenty minutes later the semi pulled up to the back of the Mid America Center loading dock and parked. Normally a venue for rock concerts and sporting events, the arena was now repurposed to hold the zombies that were gathered up by the US military. The trailer door was opened and five men dressed in hazmat suits holding guns motioned for the occupants of the trailer to get out and enter the rear of the arena. The zombies at the front needed some additional prompting but eventually the trailer was emptied of its contents.

Lyle watched the trailer pull away and the door to the open bay close with a clank that bounced down the long hallway. He and the humans were now separated from Darnell and the other zombies who were escorted to the main auditorium.

"This way," a man said. He was dressed in yellow and pointed his gun in the direction they needed to go.

Down the hall they walked to an elevator and got in with three armed guards. With a push of a button, the car shot up four stories and stopped. When the door opened, they saw a military command post set up and personnel shuffling from right to left scurrying from place to place.

Lyle stepped out of the elevator and a guard led him to an office down the hall and let them in. The office was large with a conference table set up with twelve leather seated chairs surrounding it.

"Sit down, the commander will be here soon," the soldier said.

The group took seats and four guards took positions at different corners of the room.

"What's this all about?" Lyle asked. "And why are you dressed in hazmat suits?"

No one answered and for twenty minutes they sat there waiting for the commander to show up. When he did, he was also dressed in a hazmat suit and escorted by two similarly dressed soldiers. "Who are you?" the commander asked. He was looking at Lyle.

"Lyle Karr, who are you?" Lyle asked.

"Lt. Anderson, US Army," Lt. Anderson replied. "How did you manage to survive the gas attack?"

"We were in a basement," Lyle replied.

"I see," Lt. Anderson replied. "Have you had any contact with any repurposed units?"

"You mean zombies? Yes, I have. We all have."

"You need to be checked, take them to medical."

"Medical, what are you afraid of? Do they have some sort of disease?" Lyle asked.

"We think so, you may be infected."

"I don't think you know how this works Lieutenant. My wife used to work at the factory, she says they use gene splicing. There's no infection."

"Who's your wife?"

Lyle pointed to Leah. She raised her hand.

"Did you work for Live Again when the breakout occurred?" Lt. Anderson asked.

"No, I quit seven months before that."

"So you don't know what was going on at the time of the fire. You still need checked over. Take them to medical."

The commander left the room and the four were escorted down to the basement where the hospital was set up. The room was large and filled with beds, medical equipment and rooms for different kinds of labs. The four were separated into different areas behind curtains in an otherwise open room.

Kim was shown to a make shift room with partitions on three sides and a curtain on the front. In the center was a folding table and a cart with medical supplies and a tray for the hematology lab. A tech entered the room dressed in a hazmat suit holding a clipboard. It was hard to see his face behind the plastic face shield, but Kim could make out his eyes. "Strip and lay on the table," the tech said.

Kim looked at the cold hard table and shook her head. "I'm not putting my ass on that, it's freezing."

"We don't have enough supplies down here. I don't have a blanket, now strip and lay on the table," the tech said.

"Are you a doctor?" Kim asked.

"I'm qualified to do your exam, now strip or I'll have you stripped."

Kim pulled off her top and laid it on the table trying her best to make her own blanket.

"On the floor," the tech said.

Kim flicked her top onto the floor and grit her teeth.

The tech became impatient waiting for Kim to take off the rest of her clothes. "I'll give you to three or I'm calling in the guards."

Kim didn't hesitate as she slipped off her pants and panties to the floor.

"On the table, on your back," the tech said.

Kim got up on the table and laid on her back. The plastic was cold at first but warmed up. "Can you make this fast, this room is freezing."

"You're lucky they didn't shoot you on site, they had that option."

"Yeah, I'm lucky. Now I'm getting an exam from a guy dressed in a robot suit against my will in the basement of some place that holds hockey games."

"Spread your legs," the tech said.

"What? Why?"

"I need a vaginal swab."

"Bullshit."

"I'm not going to argue with you. I have three cultures to obtain and that is one of them. I also need a urine and stool sample."

"I don't have to shit, I haven't eaten in days," Kim replied.

"I can extract one digitally," the tech said.

"You mean stick your finger up my asshole?"

"Yes, I'll glove up and use lube, so don't worry."

"What are you expecting to find?"

"We're looking for infections, anything out of the norm."

"I had a UTI two weeks ago," Kim said.

"And if you still do, we'll find it. We're looking for anything you could have picked up from the repurposed units."

"Why do you think they're infected?"

"I just collect samples and send them to the lab. That decision comes from way above me."

Kim spread her legs like she was told and the tech swabbed her inside. He put the swab in a plastic container, labeled it and grabbed another.

"Open your mouth," he said and took a swab of the inside of Kim's cheek. "Now, if you can't produce a stool sample, turn over onto your stomach."

"I told you I don't have to go," Kim said.

The tech waited for Kim to comply. Frustrated, she turned over and lay with her backside in view. She gritted her teeth as the tech probed her rectum for a stool sample and when he was done relaxed.

"Are you about done?" Kim asked.

"I need a urine sample," the tech said and handed Kim a cup.

"Where's the bathroom?" Kim asked.

"Do it here," the lab tech replied.

"You want me to squat and piss in the cup while you watch?"

"I need a urine sample, if you don't provide me with one, I will straight cath you and get it the hard way. Now please fill the cup."

Kim hopped off the table and squatted down. She put the cup in place and produced a half cup sample. She stood up and handed the cup to the tech who then put on a cap, labeled it and put it in a clear plastic bag with a hazardous material label on the outside.

"Thanks, you're done," the tech said and called a guard to take Kim away.

As Kim left the station, she felt better about not being on the road, but in a way worse.

# Chapter 16

# Labtech-systems LLC

Partitioned off from the rest of the medical unit was a holding area for any outsiders awaiting the results of tests. The area was surrounded by razor wire that contained a section of cages put there to lock up anyone who hadn't been cleared by the medical team. Kim was led into this area to an empty cage and locked inside. A guard stood by and wrote something on a clipboard looking at Kim. It made her feel like an animal.

"What are you writing?" Kim asked.

The guard ignored Kim and turned away. It was obvious he was told not to interact with the captives and followed directions.

"How long do I have to stay here?" she asked.

Again the guard ignored Kim. Then she saw another person in a hazmat suit enter the holding area and walk over to her cage. "Name?" the man barked. He was also holding a clipboard and a pen.

"Kim Shaw," Kim replied. "Who are you?"

"Date of birth?"

"12-11-93," Kim replied.

"Any allergies?"

"Penicillin,"

"Surgeries?"

"C-section, twice," Kim replied. "Why are you asking me all this? I gave all this information to the guy who took my samples."

"It's procedure," the man replied.

"Procedure for what?"

"Preliminary results show you have a viral infection. Now I have to follow up," the man replied.

"What kind of infection?" Kim asked.

"A mixture of staphylococcus aureus and Ebola from what we see so far. We have to send it to the microbiology lab to confirm."

"Ebola?" Kim asked. "That shit will kill you!"

"Yes, and we are trying to find out why you're still alive."

"Where did I get Ebola? I thought they only had that in Africa."

"We think the repurposed units carry the virus. As part of the gene splicing process. It's possible they used the Ebola to trick the genes into the human cells as a carrier. We also think they used a live strain instead of a reduced strength strain. In any case, you now have the virus and from what we can tell, will be able to spread it to others."

"Is that why you gassed the city?"

"No, but it was a fortunate consequence that we did."

"So what does that mean for me?" Kim asked.

"If the rest of the tests come out positive, you will be exterminated," the man replied. He said it as if he was telling her she had a cold.

"I'm not some dog you can just shoot dead on the street," Kim replied.

"I'm sure they'll do it behind the building." the man said. He wrote some notes down on the clipboard and left Kim to think.

Hours later Kim sat in her cage waiting her results. Lyle, Leah, and Robert had joined her in the confinement area all locked in separate cages far apart from each other. As if to keep them from speaking and discussing what was going on. Then a man came into the area and stopped at Kim's cage. His name was Mark Pracht. Pracht was shorter and stockier but still wore a mask that made it hard for her to see his face.

"I have your results," the Pracht said. "You're all positive for the virus."

"I heard that before," Kim replied.

"We confirmed it, shut the fuck up bitch," Pracht said.

Kim was shocked at the words the man used and the tone as well. "I didn't know you army guys were assholes."

"I'm not army, I work for Labtech-systems LLC. They hired me to do this shit,"

"That doesn't mean you have to be such a prick."

Pracht stood and looked down at Kim sitting in her cage. He was pissed and wanted to toy with her since she talked back to him. "You know what girly? When I take a piss, I can piss in the water, or I can piss on the side of the bowl."

Kim looked up at the man with a quizzical look in her eye. "So?" she asked.

"Can you do that?" Pracht asked.

"No, I can't," Kim replied.

"You know why that is? It's because I have a dick. I have the power and control to piss anywhere I want. You on the other hand are a woman. You can only piss in one direction. You have no power or control. You get me?"

"Yeah, you like to play with your pecker," Kim replied.

"Funny, but no. My point is that they are going to take you outside and shoot you before it gets too dark out and I'll go back to my room and sleep on a nice comfortable bed. As comfortable as they can provide me here in the basement of this fine auditorium."

"You seem to be amused."

"I am, you're a virus spreading disease factory. You need to be rubbed out," Pracht replied.

"There isn't anything you can do to help me?"

"We don't have antivirals for what you've got," Pracht replied. "If we did I would try to save you. I bet you fuck real nice."

Kim was shocked at the last comment. "Another male asshole," Kim said.

"What? You hate men? What are you? Queer?"

"No, but you're right, I do hate men," Kim replied. "All you think about is sex."

"All you think about is being a bitch, goes both ways. Maybe if you put out you wouldn't have such a problem."

"I'm going to be dead in a few hours. I don't think putting out is anything I need to worry about anymore."

"You should feel lucky anyway. You survived the sarin gas, you should have been dead a week ago," Pracht said.

"I know, I survived for nothing," Kim replied.

"Look at it this way, you got to meet me," Pracht replied.

Kim looked away and waited for Pracht to leave. He didn't, it was as if he wanted to toy with her some more. Kim looked back and asked, "Is there something else you want?"

"If you make me happy, I might be able to keep you alive for a while. I could run some more lab tests and shit."

"Make you happy?" Kim asked. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll take you back to the lab and you can blow me, for that I can get you at least two more days."

"You said I have a disease."

"I've been vaccinated. In my line of work you have to be."

"Why don't they vaccinate everyone then?"

"It's twelve hundred dollars a series, and it takes three shots over eighteen months. It's too late for anyone who hasn't had them," Pracht replied. "Plus there isn't enough on hand and if there was it would be too expensive for the general public."

"So you're going to let all those people die?" Kim asked.

"It's not my choice," Pracht replied.

"Can you give me a shot?"

Pracht stood and thought about what Kim asked. A shot might keep her alive longer, for how long nobody knew. But she'd need the whole series to survive and that meant she'd need to live for a year and a half. "I could, but it probably wouldn't work," Pracht said.

"You can at least try. Call it an experiment."

Pracht paced around the cage and chewed on his pen. "If I do, I expect you to do whatever I ask. I won't give you the shot until I get what I want."

"What guarantee do I have that you'll give me the shot if I comply?" Kim asked.

"None," Pracht replied.

"Then go fuck yourself," Kim said. "I'm not putting out until I get the shot. What's the drug called?"

Pracht hesitated to tell her and thought about lying. But what harm would it do to give her one shot. He'd get laid and they'd probably shoot her anyway. It wasn't his drug supply, and he didn't have to pay for it. "Arbigen," Pracht replied. "I'll have a guard bring to my office, we can do it there."

Kim was escorted to Pracht's office by two armed guards. They let her into the room and stood outside until they were needed to take her back to her cage. She stood in front of Pracht's desk waiting for her shot while he looked her up and down like a piece of candy.

"Strip," Pracht said.

"This room is small, you expect to fuck me in here?"

"No, I have an exam room next door. Now take off your clothes."

Kim stripped off her clothes while Pracht watched. He smiled from ear to ear as she exposed herself to him and the power he had over her made him flush with excitement.

"Is this what you want?" Kim asked.

"Yes."

"Now give me the shot."

Pracht picked up a vial from his desktop and a syringe from his drawer. He popped the top off the vial and pulled back 1 milliliter of Arbigen into the syringe and pulled it out of the bottle. "I can put this in your arm or your hip, you choose."

Kim stepped around the desk and offered up her hip to Pracht. He ran his hand over her smooth skin and felt the contours of her hip before swabbing the injection site with alcohol. "You'll feel a prick," he said and poked the needle into the muscle of her hip like a dart. He pulled back to make sure there was no blood return and then pushed the plunger injecting the drug into her. "How did that feel?" he asked as he removed the needle.

Kim picked up the vial and read the label. She made sure to memorize what the drug was called and confirmed that Pracht did indeed give her the antiviral. "It stung, but I'm a big girl," she replied.

"Now for what I want," Pracht said. "On your knees."

All Kim wanted to do was put her clothes back on and leave. But she had an agreement with this letch and now she had to pay up. Or did she? If she yelled, the guards would come inside to check on what was going on. Then they'd take her back to her cell. That might work for the short run, but she'd probably be shot that night with the rest of her group. But then if she did do what Pracht said, what's to say he'd let her live any longer anyway? Once he got what he wanted, he could deny he gave the injection and again she'd be shot. The only way to ensure she lived was to make herself valuable to the one man who could save her. So she unbuttoned his pants, pulled out his penis and blew him till he came in her mouth.

"Swallow," Pracht said, and she did. "If you want to live, I'll expect you back here every night to do the same. If you refuse, I'll make sure you end up in the ditch along with your friends."

Kim nodded and stood up.

Pracht put his penis away, zipped up his pants and called for the guards. When they entered the room, he handed them a slip of paper. "These are my instructions for this patient. Make sure they are followed. I need to see her back in my office every night for the next week. She is not to be exterminated. You hear me?" Pracht asked.

"Yes sir," a guard replied and escorted Kim out of the office.

As Kim left, Pracht yelled, "If you have any reaction to the shot, tell someone so I can take a look at it." Then he shut the door and sat back down at his desk.

Kim was put back in her cage and her clothes were tossed inside. She got dressed and felt the ache of the shot in her hip trying to rub it out with her palm. From where she sat, she could see Leah about twenty feet away in a similar cage. Leah looked at Kim but was afraid to speak with the guards nearby so she mouthed the words, "Are you ok?" to Kim.

Kim smiled and nodded that she was fine. She didn't want to tell Leah that she just bought another week of life by giving the lab director a blow job.

# Chapter 17

# Defibrillator

After a week of Arbigen shots, Kim was satisfied Pracht was going to save her. She didn't know about the rest of her group but for some reason they hadn't been exterminated-yet. Then a group of guards came to the holding area and gathered everyone up, including Kim. They didn't say much, except to get in line and follow the lead guard. Kim didn't know what was going on, but she was sure it wouldn't end well.

When they got outside one of the guards pulled Kim aside and told her in a whisper, "When they shoot, fall down and play dead. Understand?"

Kim nodded and rejoined the group. She knew if she said anything to anyone else, she'd be dead as well. This must have been Pracht's way out for her. A way to escape with her life. She felt like she was betraying everyone else in a way and felt guilty for keeping the secret that she alone would survive the extermination.

Lyle, Robert, Leah and Kim were all loaded into a transport vehicle and driven a mile away to an open field and let out. They were lined up near a ditch and unceremoniously shot by a firing squad. Kim felt no bullet, but fell to the ground like she was told and played dead. As the guards left, the same one that spoke to her earlier leaned down pretending to check on her and whispered for her to stay until she was picked up later. Then he was gone.

Hearing the truck leave, Kim sat up and looked at the other three lying dead on the ground. In a way she felt sad, in another relieved she wasn't lying in a heap bleeding from multiple gun shots to the chest. Then she got an idea. An idea that would require the help of whoever was coming to pick her up. She hoped it was Pracht.

Ninety minutes later a van pulled up with the words Labtech Systems LLC printed on the side and Pracht got out. He was no longer dressed in a hazmat suit and was alone. He found Kim standing with the dead bodies and wondered why she wasn't coming over to him. He waved her over and she waved him back. Obviously she wanted him to see something.

As Pracht approached Kim he asked, "What's going on? We need to get going before they see me. They have drones all over this place."

"I need you to put Lyle in your van," Kim replied.

"What? Why?"

"I have an idea."

"Are you a scientist now?" Pracht asked.

"No, but I know enough about how they work from Leah to try to revive him."

Pracht looked down at Lyle's bullet ridden body and shook his head. "Revive that? I don't think so."

"She said that zombie's metabolism works different from normal humans. And you said he has the virus that the zombies have. Leah said they used a defibrillator to shock the dead back to life. All we have to do is find one."

"And where do you propose to find a defibrillator?" Pracht asked.

"They have them in hospitals, nursing homes, grocery stores, all sorts of places. They keep them on the wall so you can shock anyone. They come with instructions and everything," Kim replied.

"I think I know what you're talking about. They call them AED's or something. They had one in the breakroom at my office."

"So you can get one?" Kim asked.

"My office is in Kansas City," Pracht replied. "But you're right, they are around. If you can find one."

"There's a supermarket about a half mile away. I saw it when they drove us here. Let's go there and see if they have one."

"There are drones flying overhead as we speak looking down on the city. If they see us driving around shopping for defibrillators, they'll come looking for us. I think we should leave your friend here and go."

"Go where?"

"Back to my trailer."

"We can take Lyle to your trailer and look for a defibrillator later. We can pack him on ice in the meantime."

"I didn't sign on to save your friend here. I only planned on saving you."

"I'll make it worth your while," Kim said.

"Why do you have a hard on for this guy anyway? Is he your boyfriend? I thought he was married."

"He's not my boyfriend, he's the only person I know and I don't want to go through this alone."

"You said you'd make it worth my while, what did you mean by that?" Pracht asked.

"I'll do whatever you want."

"I want a lot," Pracht replied with a grin. "If I do this, I'll tear you apart."

Kim knew she had no choice but to give into this man's sexual perversions. But a bargain was a bargain and her body was all she had to offer. "Fine, you can fuck the shit out of me, now pick Lyle up and put him in your van!"

Pracht smiled and said, "You put him in the van."

Kim bit her lip and shook her head. It was fifty feet to the van across the field with a drainage ditch between her and the van. "You can at least help," she asked.

Pracht stepped up and took hold of Lyle's legs. Kim took his arms and together they dragged his bloody body to the van and loaded it up. "He is full of holes, how do you plan to keep him alive?"

"I can put bandages on the holes," Kim replied. "From what Leah told me, he won't need much blood anyway. Somehow the food he uses passes from cell to cell and doesn't require a lot of blood."

"I think that's right. We're still trying to figure out the process they used. Live Again LLC was burned up pretty bad in the fire and they kept most of the technical stuff locked up on servers we can't gain access too."

"You might want to bring Leah along with us, she used to work there," Kim said.

"She was a tech, she doesn't know any more than I do already," Pracht replied. "And if this works, I don't want a bunch of zombies living in my trailer."

"Fine," Kim said.

Kim found an AED unit behind the customer service counter at the supermarket. The entire building smelled of the rotting bodies that had died from the sarin gas attack. She was in and out as fast as should could be and got back in Pracht's van. From there they drove back to the arena to the parking area sectioned off for staff. Pracht had a trailer set up with power along with twenty other similar trailers lined up in a row. He had been to his enough times that he no longer had to check the numbers painted on the end.

"We have to do this fast. There are guards on the lot twenty four hours a day. I'll pull up to the door and unlock it. You run inside as fast as you can. They have cameras on us, but probably won't notice if you make it quick. Getting this asshole into the trailer will be another story," Pracht said.

Pracht opened the door and Kim ran into the trailer as fast as she could. Getting Lyle inside took some muscle, but Pracht pulled him out of the side of the van, heaved him over his shoulder and ran him up the steps and into the trailer in a matter of seconds. Lyle was dumped on a couch and Pracht left to park the van back where he got if from.

After the van was parked, Pracht returned with the AED in his hand. "Do you want to do this?" he asked.

Kim reached out and took the unit, popped open the lid and read the instructions. It seemed so easy a child could do it. "Open his shirt and wipe off his chest," Kim said.

"No, I'm taking a shower, let me know how this turns out. If you can't revive him, I have to find a way to dispose of his body. Again." With that said, Pracht left the room and headed down the hall to the bathroom.

Kim opened Lyle's shirt and looked at the bullet holes. There were three all in the area between his nipples in an odd triangle pattern. She then washed the blood off with a rag from the sink, taped them shut and placed the AED pads on his chest as shown in the diagram on the inside lid of the unit. She read the instructions and pressed the "Go" button. A woman's voice called out from the speaker telling the user to not touch the body while the unit examined the victim. Then the voice said, "No heartbeat detected, no shock required."

Kim didn't know how the unit worked but didn't expect it to tell her to do nothing. So she pressed the "Shock" button anyway and watched Lyle bounce up and lay back. The unit said, "Rechecking," and went silent. "Then it again said, "No heartbeat detected, no shock required," and again Kim pressed the "Shock" Button.

Lyle bounced up again but this time yelled, "Fuck that hurt!"

"Are you ok?" Kim asked.

"What are you doing to me?" Lyle asked.

"I brought you back to life," Kim replied.

"What do you mean, 'Back to life?''

"They shot you, don't you remember?" Kim asked.

Lyle looked at Kim like she was nuts. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Look at your chest."

Lyle did as Kim told him and looked at the three bullet holes in his chest. Then it came back to him. "Where's Leah?" he asked.

"We left her," Kim replied. "And Robert."

"Left her? You need to go get her!"

"I can't, I was only able to bring you."

Lyle sat up and tried to clear his head. "What did you do to me?"

"You had a virus, you caught it from a zombie and now you are one," Kim explained.

Lyle looked at his arm, then his hand. "How?"

Kim pulled the pads from Lyle's chest and held them up for him to see. "I used these to shock you back to life. Just like Leah said she did at the factory."

"We can use those on her,"

"We can't. It's hard to explain, but I was only able to bring you with me. There's nothing I can do for her or Robert. I'm sorry."

"Why me?" Lyle asked.

"It was either Leah or you and I thought maybe you could be more use to me," Kim replied.

"You brought me back so you could use me?"

"I don't want to be alone, and you can do more to help me than Leah or Robert. I had to make a choice and I chose you."

"I'll go back and save Leah myself, where is she?"

"I can't tell you that," Kim replied.

"You can't, or you won't?"

"It's too dangerous. There are guards all over this place. We're in hiding. If you leave, they'll take all of us back and kill us again. Just calm down and wait a while."

"The longer we wait, the harder it will be to bring Leah back," Lyle said.

"If you try to leave, you'll die," Kim said.

"How would I die?" Lyle asked.

Then Pracht spoke up from the hallway. He was dressed in a bathrobe and holding a shotgun. "I'll blow your fucking head off, that's how."

Lyle turned and looked at the man standing over him holding a gun. "And who the fuck are you?"

"I'm the man who saved your life, you should be more appreciative."

Lyle turned to Kim. "Is that right? Did he save me?"

"Yes, and he didn't have to, so be nice."

Lyle leaned back against the couch and tried to take this all in. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Kim replied. "We have to play this by ear until we can get away for good"

Pracht said, "Kim, I want you in the shower with me, tell your friend he needs to rest for a while. I'll see about his wife later. I might have a use for her."

"How long does she have before it's too late to turn her?"

"In this heat, eight hours I suppose," Pracht replied. "Now, to the shower."

# Chapter 18

# Four Iron

Kim undressed in the hallway while Pracht got in the shower. She could hear the tub curtain pull back, the water turn on and then the curtain pull back as Pracht got in. Kim hadn't been feeling well all day and had the kind of cramps that let her know this was a bad time to be with a man. Taking a deep breath, Kim opened the bathroom door and stepped into the shower. It was cramped and steam filled the room. It felt claustrophobic

Pracht stood with his back to the showerhead causing the water to spray in all directions hitting Kim in the face blinding her. She moved around and found a spot where she wasn't being pelted by water and noticed blood in the tub. In a panic, she tried to step out of the tub but was stopped when Pracht grabbed her by the arm. "Where are you going?" Pracht asked. .

Kim looked Pracht in the eye hoping he didn't notice the blood running down her leg into the tub water and replied, "I don't feel well."

"Don't worry, this won't take long," Pracht replied.

Kim stood like a statue waiting for Pracht to have his way with her. She wasn't going to assist him in any way and knew it would be just a matter of time before he noticed he was standing in her period blood.

"Turn around and bend over," Pracht said and Kim complied. It was then, when he looked down at her backside that he noticed blood streaming down her leg and the pink tinged water he was standing in. "What the fuck?" Pracht asked.

"I told you I wasn't feeling well," Kim replied. "I started today."

"Fuck, I don't have any pussy plugs in here."

"I can use a towel," Kim replied.

"I can still make this work, spread your legs and grab your ankles," Pracht said.

Kim bent over and groaned. Her cramps were exacerbated as she bent over and the pain was unbearable. "Make this fast, it hurts like hell," she said.

Pracht grabbed Kim by her hips and lined up to penetrate when he heard the bathroom door open. The only person it could be was Lyle who he thought was too weak to do anything in his condition. "Get the fuck out!" Pracht yelled.

For a moment it was quiet as Pracht waited for Lyle to leave the bathroom. All he could hear was the sound of the water splashing about and the groans of Kim from her menstrual cramps. Then in a flash the shower curtain ripped from the shower bar and pulled away revealing Lyle standing with golf club in his hand.

Pracht stood naked, looking at Lyle with a surprised look on his face. "What are you going to do with that?"

Lyle pulled the club back as to swing it at Pracht but didn't strike. Lyle didn't have the strength so he bluffed, hoping Pracht would give up without a fight.

"Go for it dead man," Pracht said.

Kim stood upright and turned to see what was happening. Seeing the club in Lyle's hand, she bolted out of the tub, grabbed the club from Lyle's hand, turned and began to beat Pracht mercilessly. Three good whacks and Pracht was down on his knees. The next hit to his skull sent him face first into the wallboard and then to the bottom of the tub. Now Pracht was bleeding into the water instead of Kim.

"Where did you find this?" Kim asked.

"It was in a closet," Lyle replied.

"Why did he bring clubs? Was he planning to go golfing after a gas attack?"

"I don't know, but I think the fucker was a Nazi."

"Why do you say that?"

Lyle took the club from Kim and showed her what he saw engraved on the metal head. On the back, by the brand name and size was a Nazi swastika.

"That's fucked up," Kim said.

"I'm keeping these," Lyle said.

"Why?"

"Are you kidding? If I'd of known he was from the brotherhood, I wouldn't have let you kill him."

"You racist fuck. You'd of let him rape me because you have some sick bond?" Kim asked. "I'm half German and I find that offensive."

"It's not my place to make judgments."

"Bullshit, you make judgements all the time. That's what bigots do. If you want to keep your sick souvenirs that's fine with me. I don't think you're strong enough to carry a set of Third Reich clubs with you but if you want to try, so be it."

Lyle looked at the club head. It had blood on the handle and some tissue stuck in the grooves. "Hand me a towel," Lyle said.

Kim grabbed the only towel she could find and wiped off the blood that was running down her leg. She then stuffed it in her crotch. "Look for one in the kitchen," she said and pointed to the door.

Lyle backed out of the bathroom and walked to the kitchen with his new Nazi gold club in his hand. He found a wash rag and wiped the club as clean as he could get it. He read the manufacturer's name as best he could. It was in German and read the club size. It was a four iron. He knew he couldn't keep the entire set of clubs, but figured one club would be enough so he set the club upright against the back of a recliner and stared at it. He knew his friends would be envious of his new toy, but then realized that most of them died in the gas attack.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," Kim said. She stood in the living room with her shirt on trying to work up a makeshift menstrual pad. "I'd kill for a box of Kotex right now," Kim said. "This is going to be a heavy one."

"I could go look for one for you," Lyle replied.

"We can't leave," Kim said. "There are armed guards patrolling the parking lot."

"Why did you bring me back here?"

"It belonged to the guy I just killed. He was a scientist hired to work on the zombie problem. Of which you are one now."

"How long can we stay here?"

"Until the food runs out I guess," Kim replied.

"I'm hungry," Lyle said.

Kim worked the towel into her panties and walked to the fridge like a baby wearing a diaper. She opened the door and found a milk, catsup, pickles and a half eaten sub sandwich. "Shit, there isn't anything here to eat. And I don't think you can eat this kind of stuff anymore."

"I want something sweet," Lyle said.

Kim looked on the kitchen counter and found a metal tin with the word "sugar" on the side next to a coffee maker. She picked up the tin and handed it to Lyle. This is all we have for now."

Lyle removed the lid, licked his finger and dipped it into the sugar. He put the sugar in his mouth and tried to swallow. He was severely dehydrated and had a difficult time getting the sugar down. Kim saw the trouble Lyle was having and filled a cup with tap water and handed it to him. "Wash it down with this," Kim said.

Lyle washed down the sugar and instantly felt better. Kim remembered the incident with the zombie and the chocolate syrup and told Lyle not to take too much at once. "I don't want you having an allergic reaction," she said.

Lyle sat on the recliner and found the remote to the television. He had a hard time making sense of all the buttons and finally clicked on what he thought was the power button. The screen came on and all he could see was a picture of the parking lot that changed every few seconds and the words, "For military use only" plastered in the top right corner. "Fuck, they don't get cable here!" Lyle said.

Kim stepped into the room from the bathroom and looked at the screen. "Give me the remote," She said and Lyle handed it to her. She pressed the guide button and a blank menu came up. She tried to move up and down the channels but they were all black. "Guess you have to talk to me," Kim said.

"How's your 'female' problems?" Lyle asked.

Kim sat down on the one other nice chair and crossed her legs. She was still wearing her diaper and not much else besides a shirt. "I think I'm anemic," she said.

"What does that mean?"

"I've lost a lot of iron from the bleeding. Look at my skin, I'm pale as a ghost."

"You do look sickly and pale. What can you do for that?" Lyle asked.

"I need some iron pills, or eat something with iron in it."

"Like what?"

"Meat, beans, I think spinach has a lot of iron," Kim replied.

"What will happen if you don't get some?"

"I suppose I could die. I feel weak as it is."

"Then we need to go out and find some food. Is there anything in the fridge that will help?"

"I supposed that sandwich will. I can douse it with catsup and whatever else is in there."

Lyle stood up and went to the fridge. He pulled out the sandwich, tossed it on a plate and brought it to Kim with the catsup and anything else he could find. "There you go," he said and handed her the plate.

"Thanks," Kim replied. "Can you get me some milk?"

Lyle went back and got Kim some milk.

"So how did you turn out to be such a racist fuck?" Kim asked. She was being sarcastic.

"I was raised in the south. My family has always been like that. I don't know any other way to be," Lyle replied. "If you grew up with niggers, spics and Jews like I did, you'd understand."

"I know lots of blacks, Hispanics and Jews so no, I don't understand," Kim replied.

"I bet you're one of those liberal crybabies that thinks we should pay the niggers for slavery and let the illegals take away our jobs."

"I think you're a bit extreme," Kim said. "I'm all for giving people a hand who need help, but no, I don't think we should pay reparations or give automatic citizenship to anyone, Hispanic or otherwise."

"You talk pretty fancy for a stripper," Lyle said with a grin. "What did you do before you were a dancer?"

"I was a college student," Kim replied "Stripping paid my room and board. But I did have a Pell grant, I suppose you call that welfare."

"What's a Pell grant?"

"It's money the government gives you to help pay for school. You don't have to pay it back."

"Yeah, sounds like welfare to me," Lyle replied.

"Not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth."

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"We're you raised in a cave? It means not everyone was born rich."

"I didn't go to college and I made out fine," Lyle replied.

"What did you do for a living?" Kim asked. She knew but wanted Lyle to say it out loud.

"I worked in a lawn mower factory, got laid off."

"What happened?"

"They sent part of our production to China."

"I thought when that happened they offered free schooling to the workers to get them back on their feet."

"They did," Lyle replied.

"Did you take it?"

"No," Lyle replied.

"Why not?"

"I don't take no welfare from anyone. I can make it on my own. I took that bartending job at the strip club."

"Don't you want to be more than a factory worker? Or a bartender?" Kim asked.

"I'm happy doing whatever I can. As long as I can pay my bills," Lyle replied.

"I guess that's all changed now anyway," Kim said. "Your life will never be the same."

"I suppose, what am I going to do now?"

"You're only job right now is to stay alive. The way it stands now, your family could sell you to work in a factory in China till you die."

"No, they'd never do that."

"I know people, when they see dollar signs, they change. Zombies are considered dead according to the law. You are now property that can be bought and sold."

Then they heard a knock at the door.

# Chapter 19

# Mall of the Bluffs

"Who the fuck is that?" Kim asked.

Lyle got up and went to the window, he looked through the blinds and saw an armed guard at the door and another in the driver's seat of a Humvee. "It's the army," Lyle replied. "Now what do we do?"

Kim was in no position to run dressed in only a shirt and makeshift diaper. "Don't answer the door," she replied.

Lyle kept an eye on the guard to see what he'd do. Again the guard knocked on the door and waited for a response. When he got no reply, he walked back to the Humvee and talked to the driver. Lyle watched them speak to each other, nod their heads and then the driver made a call on his radio.

"What's going on?" Kim asked.

"One of them is on the radio," Lyle replied. "Go put some clothes on, fast."

Kim got up and gathered her clothes from the floor. She put them on as fast as she could and waited to hear an update from Lyle. "They're coming back, we got to go," he said.

Lyle walked as fast as he could from the door into the hallway directing Kim to head to the back bedroom. "There must be an emergency fire door in this thing," he said. "Look around."

Kim scrambled in a mad rush looking at every wall for a door. Then she saw what looked like a dog door half hidden behind a dresser. "I think I found it," she said and pushed the dresser away revealing the door.

Lyle got down on his knees and read the instructions printed on the frame. In bold letters it read, "In case of fire, pull lever and push door out." That sounded pretty easy so Lyle pulled the lever and it snapped off in his hand. "Holy shit," Lyle said in a whisper. He could hear the guards at the side of the trailer opening the door. They must have a master key to all the trailers.

Kim got down on her butt and put her feet up against the door and shoved. Without the lever pulled, the locking mechanism was still engaged. It was like kicking out a deadbolt lock.

Lyle put his finger to his lips to signal Kim to be quiet. He pushed Kim towards the bed and pointed at the space underneath. Kim was a small frame woman, but didn't know if she'd be able to squeeze under the bed so Lyle assisted her by pushing her.

Kim managed to fit herself under the bed but Lyle was too large to fit and there wasn't enough room for both of them so he needed another plan. So he looked around and found a closet and crawled over to it. Before he opened the door, he heard the front door slam shut and paused. He listened and heard nothing in the trailer but his own breathing and the whine of the air conditioning unit mounted on the roof.

Then he heard the Humvee as it passed by the trailer and drive away. Not sure if there was anyone in the trailer, he decided to stay put and listen for a while. He could see Kim under the bed looking at him waiting for direction. He put up his hand to tell her to stay put for now. Kim nodded her head and rested it on the side looking down the hallway to see if she could see any guards. She didn't see any and she felt better. For now.

Lyle was confident the guards were gone but wasn't so confident they weren't coming back. It was a good thing they didn't need to use the bathroom or they would have found Pracht lying in the tub dead. "We need to go," Lyle said. "We're not safe here. We need to get to civilization."

Kim crawled out from under the bed and sat on it. "What do you think we should do?" she asked.

"Did that fucker have a car?" Lyle asked.

"He has a van," Kim replied.

"Go find his keys, we're driving out of here."

Kim got up and found Pracht's clothes lying where he left them a few feet away. She rifled through his pockets and found a set of van keys. "I found them," she said and held them up for Lyle to see.

"Good," Lyle said. "Let's go," he added and led Kim out of the bedroom to the front door. He checked the window again to make sure the area was clear and together they left the trailer and got into the van. Lyle handed Kim the keys as he felt sick and didn't want to cause an accident.

Kim started the van and pulled out away from the trailer. She was familiar with the auditorium as she had been to concerts few times before. But the military had taken it over and now she didn't know if she'd be able to drive the van off the lot and onto the highway without being caught. It was either take the chance with the van, or on foot and the van was faster. They could make it out of the dead zone in an hour.

As she scanned the parking lot ahead, she noticed there was no gate or guards at the entrance to the highway. It was as if they weren't expecting anyone so why put up a post? She felt a huge relief driving past the trailers and the military vehicles onto the highway and leaving the auditorium behind. "That was easy," Kim said.

"Yeah, I'm surprised there wasn't a gate or guards letting people in and out," Lyle replied.

"So now where?"

"I think Omaha is the best bet, its close."

"It's also the best place for us to get caught. We only need to drive fifty miles to get out of the dead zone. We can do that in any direction. Omaha is the worst place to go."

"Then why did you ask me?" Lyle asked.

"I don't know, maybe I thought you were smarter than that," Kim replied.

"Why don't we go pick up Leah? You can..."

"I left the defibrillator back at the trailer, and she's too far gone now to save."

"Can't you find another one?" Lyle asked.

"Even if I could, and I did manage to bring her back, she'd be in such pain she'd want to die again. Let her go. She's better off dead," Kim replied.

"You're one cold hearted bitch."

"I'm a realist."

"Somebody saved you."

"Yeah, so he could rape me at will."

"Oh, yeah," Lyle said.

"Yeah, that didn't turn out well. For him at least," Kim said with a smile. "Thanks for finding the golf club, I had a great time bashing that fuckers head in."

"No problem, you saved me, I saved you. We're even."

"It's not a competition," Kim said. "I don't know how I feel about saving a racist jackass like you. The less of your kind the better."

"Then why did you save me? You could have saved Leah, or Robert."

"It was either going to be you or your wife, but you were more interesting I guess. I just felt we got along better."

"You could have gone off on your own."

"Yes, but I thought I might need help. What are you bitching about? I saved you."

"I'm not complaining, I'm just curious. You could have left me to die. Maybe you have a hard on for me."

Kim laughed. "I don't have a hard on for any man. I'd become a lesbian first."

"You just haven't met the right man."

"Probably, but at my age, they don't exist."

"What are you? Twenty?" Lyle asked.

"Twenty four, divorced, two kids that live with their asshole father," Kim replied.

"How did that work out? Usually the mother gets the kids."

"I don't want to talk about it," Kim replied.

"Fine, at least he's still alive, my wife's dead."

"Sorry, there's nothing I can do about that," Kim said, and then she saw the lights on the dash blink repeatedly and the van start to slow down. "What the fuck?" she asked looking at the display.

"What's going on?" Lyle asked.

"The van shut off," Kim replied.

"Turn it back on!"

"They keys are still in it."

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. The dashboard lights blinked a few times and the power stopped."

"Is it out of gas?"

Kim looked at the fuel gauge. "No, it has over three quarters of a tank."

The van slowed from sixty miles an hour to twenty in less than a quarter mile. It coasted to a stop and Kim pulled over onto the shoulder. "Now what?" she asked.

Lyle looked at the dash and saw a red blinking light. There was no description near it. "I think I know what's going on. The van was shut off remotely."

"Remotely?"

"OnStar has it, they can kill the engine if the van's reported stolen," Lyle replied. "They can also track us with GPS."

"So they know where we are?" Kim asked. She immediately looked for a hiding place as a panic attack set in. They were on the outskirts of Council Bluffs on Interstate 80 near a shopping center and from where she sat, could see a McDonald's sign and KFC. "That's the Mall of the Bluffs, we could hide there," she said.

"Let's go," Lyle said and the two exited the van. Lyle wasn't strong, but what adrenaline he had was kicking in as he tried to keep up with Kim. "Slow down!" he yelled trying to catch his breath.

Kim stopped and waited for Lyle to catch up. "Are you ok?" she asked.

Lyle caught up with Kim and passed her. "Let's go, they'll be here anytime."

It was strange seeing no traffic on the interstate and when they crossed the grass into the mall parking lot, there were no customers coming or going, just parked cars and skeletonized bodies lying on the concrete. It have been long enough since the gas attack that birds and insects had finished off all the meat from the dead and now they were nothing but bones.

"Do you want to go inside?" Lyle asked. "The place if probably full of bodies."

"I think we should take a look. They can see us from the sky," Kim replied.

"Why don't they just let us go?"

"I have the virus and so do you. We are a disease to them."

"You know they could just gas us again."

"You're right, so we need to find a place where we can be safe. Like a basement, or an air tight room," Kim said.

"In a shopping mall?" Lyle asked.

"We can go to the food court, they have to have air tight coolers for the food."

"Airtight means we suffocate."

"Staying out here means we get caught or die. Let's go look," Kim said and walked into the Dillard's store.

The first thing Kim noticed when she entered the store was the stench of rot. It filled the warm air as the air conditioning was no longer working. She wondered if any of the electricity was running and saw that no lights were on anywhere. The further she looked into the store, the darker it was. "So much for using the freezer," she said. Then she saw movement in the main hall at the far end of the store. "Did you see that?" she asked.

Lyle stepped in close and looked across the racks of clothes to the doorway to the mall walkway. He didn't see anything. "No, what did you see?"

"Looked like someone walking," Kim replied.

Then Lyle saw what Kim had seen. A dark form of a person walking past the door. "There's someone in the hall," Lyle said.

"Someone or something," Kim replied. "What do you want to do?"

"Let's go see what it is," Lyle replied.

Then they heard a shuffle from the right and saw some clothes on a rack move. Or was it a person? Lyle backed up towards the exit and felt something bump him on his back. He turned and saw a zombie standing between him and the door. "Holy shit," Lyle said.

Kim spun around and saw the zombie. He was emaciated, dehydrated and falling apart. "Lyle, don't move," she said.

"There's two coming this way," Lyle said looking over Kim's shoulder. Kim spun around again and saw the two zombies Lyle was talking about. "I think we better run," she said.

# Chapter 20

# Edwin

Kim wasn't one to back down from a fight, but without thinking, she bolted to the door knocking the zombie into a clothing rack and onto the floor. Lyle was behind her as fast as he could muster. Together they made their way back into the parking lot and back into the safety of the open air.

Then they heard the loud sound of helicopter blades from above and looked up to see an Action News 7 chopper hovering above the lot. From what Kim could see, the side door was open and a camera operator was pointing the lens at them. "We're on the news!" Kim yelled over the sound of the aircraft.

Then in a flash, the helicopter exploded in a ball of flame and smoke. Bewildered by what they saw, the two stood and watched the debris fall to the ground landing on a group of cars. They were in shock and had no idea what caused the explosion. Then they heard the sounds of machine gun fire and saw the pavement begin to explode all around them.

"Run! They're shooting at us!" Lyle yelled. What they didn't see was the Apache helicopter a mile away shooting 30 mm bullets at them as they scrambled to get back into the mall.

Lyle ran as fast as he could, more of a jog as he was out of energy and out of breath. He followed Kim back into the mall and forced himself to follow her through Dillard's and into the hall in the center of the mall. There, Kim stood, bent over with her hands on her knees out of breath.

"What the hell?" Lyle asked. "Why did they shoot the news chopper? And us?"

There was no electricity in the mall and now way to get any information, but Kim had an idea why. "They don't want anyone to know what's going on. And they don't want us getting out and infecting anyone either."

"They can't just shoot down innocent people!"

"They gassed an entire city, and half of another. I think they're past that by now."

"Someone will get to us, they won't let the government exterminate all of us. Once this gets out, we'll be fine. We need to survive till then."

"The only people that are going to come into the city will be looters. Everyone else will sit at home and watch this on FOX NEWS, or CNN," Kim said. "We have zombies in here that want to kill us, and the US government outside that wants the same thing. Either way, we're fucked."

"I don't agree, there's a way, there's always a way," Lyle replied.

"Maybe you can call some of your bigot friends to come get us. Have them bring all their guns."

"I would if I had my phone," Lyle said.

"Do you actually think anyone we call would risk their lives to come get us? I didn't even see where they were shooting from."

"That's how they work, the choppers can shoot from a mile away and stay safe. My cousin flew on an Apache. He told me all about shooting Iraqis in the war."

"So now what?" Kim asked. She looked down the long hall and at the empty storefronts that lined both sides. Other than the occasional decomposing body, she didn't see anything unusual.

"We need to find a place we can defend, and then find food and water," Lyle replied.

"Maybe there's a sporting goods store in here. We could find all sorts of shit to defend ourselves with," Kim replied. She saw a mall directory kiosk and walked over to it. She saw two prospects, one that sold mostly game equipment, and another geared towards hunting. "We need to go here, to Outdoor Outfitters."

Lyle looked at the map and saw that they were close to the store. Up about fifty yards and down the hall to the right three stores. "Alright, let's go," he said and the two took off.

"Keep an eye out for zombies," Kim said.

"No shit," Lyle replied.

"Can you sense them?" Kim replied.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You are one."

"Just because I'm different doesn't mean I can feel them. We're not all alike you know."

"That's a funny thing coming from a racist," Kim replied.

"Zombie isn't a race," Lyle snapped back.

"No, but you stereotype people based on their color, or religion. Why not by their genetic make-up. You're no longer a human, you're gene spliced living death. For all I know, you're all alike."

"You're joking right?"

"I don't know, am I?" Kim asked.

The two made it to the sporting goods store and found more bodies piled up there than anyone else. It was as if everyone had the same idea at the same time when the sarin gas was unleashed on the city. There were knives and guns strewn all over the floor as well as archery gear and survival tools.

"It's been over a week and they still smell," Kim said.

Lyle didn't reply, just turned his head and looked around.

"Don't you smell that?"

"Not really," Lyle replied.

"Grab what you can use," Kim said. "You're a gun freak, you should have a fun time in here."

Lyle stepped over and around the bodies surveying the guns lying on the floor. It was as if the dead dropped in their tracks as they left the store spilling the guns and ammo all over. Locating a pistol and a shotgun he liked, Lyle picked them up and check to see if they were loaded. Neither were so he walked to the counter where the ammunition was stored and grabbed as many boxes as he could hold. The Plexiglas had been torn out so he had no problem gaining access to what he needed.

Kim found a long knife that felt good in her hand. She wasn't as confident with a gun and preferred something she knew would work every time.

"You better pick out a pistol," Lyle said.

Kim shook her head and looked around until she found one that she liked. She picked it up and showed it to Lyle. He knew from looking at it that it was a .38 caliber and pulled out a box of shells for Kim. He handed her the box and she took it. "What am I supposed to do with this? I can't carry around a box of bullets."

"Load the gun and put the rest of the shells in your pocket," Lyle replied.

"How do you load it," Kim asked.

"Are you serious?" Lyle asked. "Push the button on the side forward and the cylinder pops out, put in the bullets and close it. Then all you have to do is pull the trigger. You get five shots per load."

Kim did as Lyle directed and loaded the gun.

"Take a shot," Lyle said.

"Where?"

"Anywhere, just not towards me."

Kim pointed the gun out into the hall and pulled off a shot. With a bang and a little kick, the gun fired a shot into an empty clothing store.

"How does it feel?" Lyle asked.

"Not bad, I like it," Kim replied.

"Good, now reload that shot and put the gun where you can get to it."

Kim popped out the cylinder and replaced the shell. She put the cylinder back and tucked the gun in the back of her pants. "Now we need a place to call home - for a while."

"This place won't work, the doors are broken already," Lyle said. "We need to find a bank, or some place with a vault."

"I don't think that would be a good idea, we could suffocate. I saw a lot of empty stores, maybe we could use one of those."

"On second thought, anyplace we find will be hard to defend unless they have a pull down metal door. And we'd need keys to get access. This place is as good as any. All we need to do is remove the bodies."

"Gross, I'm not touching them," Kim said.

"We're in a store full of guns and ammo. There is no place better to be. Don't be such a pussy and help me move the bodies out."

Kim looked around and tried to count. She could tell right away there were at least ten if not more rotting carcasses lying about on the floor. "If I move them, they'll fall apart. I need a shovel," she said.

"Then get one, I'm sure there's a hardware store around somewhere. While you're at it, find some cleaning supplies. We can mop the blood off the floor."

"Did you forget there are zombies running around in here? I'm not running around without you."

"You have a gun."

"And I don't know if a gun will do anything. If I shot you, would you die? You're already technically dead as is."

"Fine, I see your point. Help me pull the bodies out into the hall and I'll go with you."

For the next two hours Lyle and Kim pulled the dead out of the sporting goods store and piled them up inside an empty storefront across the hall. When they were finished, they shut the door to keep the stench out and headed out looking for a hardware store or a maintenance closet. What they needed was a mop and a bucket and maybe a broom to get the little bits left behind on the floor.

Back in the main hall, Kim looked around to see if the area was clear of zombies. They hadn't seen but a few and thought that maybe that was all there was. But then they saw more movement at the food court and heard chairs sliding around. Together, they slowly walked to the food court to see what was going on. What they saw was a zombie sitting at a table eating. Eating what they didn't know.

"What do you want to do?" Kim asked.

"Shoot it," Lyle replied.

"Maybe we should try to talk to it first."

"You're nuts."

Kim pulled out her .38 and approached the zombie. She took deliberate slow steps trying not to spook it as she came closer. Lyle followed with a 12 gauge shotgun at his hip ready to blow the zombie away.

Then the zombie noticed Kim and kicked back from the table trying to flee.

"Stop!" Kim yelled and the zombie froze. "I want to talk to you."

The zombie looked Kim in the eye, chewing on the food in its mouth. The zombie was male, about thirty, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. It was in mid decay. "What do you want to talk about?" the zombie asked. Its voice was hard to understand as the tissue around its jaw was starting to slough off.

"What's your name?" Kim asked.

"Edwin," the zombie replied. "It sounded more like Ehwin."

"Are there any more like you around here?"

"I don't know,"

"What are you eating?"

"I found this at the Mexican place," Edwin replied.

"I think he's eating a Mexican." Lyle said.

Edwin stood up and took a step towards Kim.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kim asked.

Lyle asked, "Are you still bleeding?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I think he can smell it."

"So?"

"If I remember correctly, zombies can feed off the sugar in your blood. It's like candy to them."

Edwin took another step and then another towards Kim.

"Back off or I'll put a hole in your brain," Kim said.

Edwin stopped and licked his lips. He had eaten, but the glucose in Kim's blood was driving the zombie crazy.

"What are you going to do now?" Lyle asked.

# Chapter 21

# Leah

Leah sat up and looked around. She found herself sitting in a grassy field out in the middle of nowhere on a cool and cloudy day. To the left of her lying in the grass was Robert, only recognizable by his clothes, and to her right was a view of the interstate. Both her husband Lyle and Kim were gone and the memory of what occurred came rushing back to her.

She tried to stand but she felt weak and had an incredible pain in her chest. When she stood, she pulled apart her blouse and saw two holes in the center and one in her right breast. The blood was long dried and the wound was no longer draining. It was then she realized she had died and was reborn a zombie.

"But how?" she asked herself. She didn't receive a shock to the heart. Then it came to her that a shock may not always be needed if a person has the gene spliced virus. She was now a "repurposed" unit as they called them at work. Or a "zombie" as the public liked to call them.

She looked around and tried to gain her bearings. She could see the auditorium in the distance, and the Mall of the Bluffs as well. She was a less than a hundred yards from the interstate and headed that way across the grassy field. As she walked she noticed the lack of traffic, and above were no trails from airliners that usually cross the sky.

Then she saw a vehicle on the interstate coming her way. It was a mile or so away, but she could make it out to be a military vehicle. She didn't have much chance for survival without help so she decided to quicken her pace and flag down whoever was driving. The faster she moved, the harder it was. Her muscles ached and she winded quickly with each additional step.

She made it to the roadside and watched as the military vehicle pass her by. They didn't notice her standing there and she was too weak to wave at them, but from above she could now hear the soft beating sounds of helicopter blades. She looked up and saw what looked like a transport helicopter slowly lower towards her and hover fifty feet away kicking up dust and blowing the grass away from the blades.

Leah watched the helicopter lower to the ground and two men dressed in hazmat suits with guns jump off and run towards her. All she could hear was the sound of the wind and beating blades, but she could tell what the men wanted when they motioned for her to get on the ground. She complied and one of the men ran over and placed his knee on her back, forcing her down while the other checked her for weapons. She had none.

The men pulled Leah up and dragged her back to the helicopter and tossed her in like a sack of potatoes. She landed inside and another soldier strapped her to the bulkhead like she was baggage. To her right were two other zombies - also strapped down, alive, breathing and looking at her. "What's going on?" she mouthed and was met with a slap across the face.

"Keep quiet!" a soldier yelled.

Before she could mouth another word, the helicopter took off and rose into the air. One of the soldier's spoke to the pilot and they headed off away from they found her. Leah looked out the open side and watched the ground pass by field by field until they were back over the auditorium parking lot. Then the helicopter lowered again and Leah was removed along with the two other zombies. One male, the other female. They were met by two guards driving a Humvee who forced them into the back by gunpoint and drove them to a different part of the building. To the entrance where the main zombie population was housed.

As they entered the main doors, Leah could see that the army had taken over and set up an elaborate staging post. But she didn't stay there long as she and the others were dragged past the rows of desks and computers to the auditorium part where a check in station was set up. She was fingerprinted, photographed and branded on her neck with a red hot iron. She couldn't see what the brand said, but she could read numbers on other zombies in charred flesh.

After check in, she and the others were led to an open area and let go. All around her, surrounding her in all directions were zombies. Zombies roaming around like they were lost, looking for a way out, looking for food. One side of the auditorium, where the basketball backboard would be up for games was a station set up for feeding. Three armed guards held watch over what looked like a giant tit with nipples sprouting forth and spewing something the zombies drank with a passion.

There wasn't a line to the feed, there was a mob that fought to the front and fights broke out left and right. The liquid splashed onto the floor creating a sticky yet slick mess that made standing difficult. Leah watched in horror at what was going on, but inside wanted to join. She was starving and could smell what was on the other side of the mob. For a moment she thought about getting down on all fours and licking the floor to get some nourishment. But there was only a slick shine with a greasy consistency.

Then she felt a shove from the back. She expected to see a soldier shoving her forward, but instead was a zombie who had backed into her and slipped on the wet floor. Leah tried to step away but the zombie grabbed her by the leg attempting to stand causing her to lose her balance and fall to the floor herself. She hit with a thud and cracked her tailbone on the hardwood basketball floorboards.

Now she was on the floor, face to face with a flesh eating zombie. This one was well worn and far into the decaying process. It looked at Leah and licked what lips it had left. It had now focused on her as a meal instead of fighting its way to the front of the line.

Leah pulled back her right leg and kicked at the zombie hitting it square in the face. It bolted back and recoiled towards Leah. She noticed right away that she had part of the zombie's face attached to her foot and shook it loose dropping bits of flesh on the floor. "Get the fuck away from me you piece of shit!" Leah yelled and kicked the zombie in the face again. This time its neck snapped and the head dropped down hitting the floor. As the zombie tried to get up, its head dangled down on its chest and faced into itself.

Leah took this opportunity to get away and did a crabwalk backwards away from the main group. As she did, she kept an eye on the zombie she'd kicked watching it do a sick dance trying to stand up. The more it tried, the more confused and lost it became falling down repeatedly. Then another zombie came up to it and took it away. Leah watched the second zombie rip of the head of the first and try to drink whatever came out of its neck like a bowl of soup.

She was disgusted, but intrigued at the same time. She was hungry, and for some reason that zombie's spinal fluid and blood looked and smelled like heaven.

"Excuse me," a voice called out.

Leah stood up and spun around to see who called it out to her. It was another half decomposed zombie, this one with an arm in its hand. 'What?" Leah asked.

"Do you know where I can find the bathroom? The zombie asked. It was male.

Leah looked at the monster like it was stupid. "I have no idea where the bathroom is," she replied.

"I really need to use the toilet," he said.

"I'm sorry, I just got here. Go ask someone else."

"Everyone else is busy, and I need to pee."

"Go in the corner," Leah said pointed to the corner of the basketball court.

The zombie looked to where Leah was pointing and then back to her. "I can't possibly go there. People will see me."

"What are you? Twelve?" Leah asked. "This is a major auditorium, they have concerts, sporting events, all sorts of shit. There should be bathrooms all over the place. Go look!"

The zombie wasn't happy with Leah's response and he let her know. "I don't like you," he said and shook his head in disgust.

Leah stepped towards the zombie to give it a shove towards the exit, but instead it backed up and raised a hand waving a finger at her.

"No, no, no, you don't touch me, you understand?" the zombie asked.

Frustrated, Leah walked away from the zombie only to be confronted by another zombie, only this one was female dressed only in her bra and panties.

"Where do you think you're going missy?" the female zombie asked.

"Somewhere where I can think," Leah replied.

"You can't leave, none of us can. You have to stay here with the rest of us."

"Where are your clothes?" Leah asked.

"I took them off, they were burning my skin."

"You look like death, but you don't look burned," Leah replied.

"You don't think I know what I'm talking about?" the zombie asked.

"I think the virus messes with brain function. I don't feel right in the head myself."

"Where did you come from? I don't remember seeing you here before?"

"I just got here," Leah replied.

"Who was that you were talking too?"

Leah turned and saw the male zombie was gone.

"I don't know, we just met."

"He's my boyfriend, you trying to steal my boyfriend?" she asked.

"No, I'm a married woman," Leah replied.

"Where's your husband then?"

"We got separated."

"Separated? Bullshit, you want my man. I'll kill you if you touch him again!"

"Don't worry, I won't."

The female zombie stepped in close and poked Leah in the chest. With fire in her good eye, she growled the words, "No bitch fucks with my man, do you got me?"

"I got you, now can I go?" Leah asked.

The female zombie shook her head and waited for Leah to flinch so she could punch her in the face. Leah was stoic and didn't move, and tried to avert her eyes as to reduce the tension. "What's your name?" she asked.

Leah didn't want to get into a lengthy conversation with this half dead woman, but didn't want to set her off either. "Leah," Leah replied.

"Aren't you going to ask me my name?"

"What's your name?"

"Tessa," Tessa replied. "I'm getting married soon, did you know that?"

"No, I didn't," Leah replied.

"That was my fiancé you were flirting with over there. Did he ask you to hook up?"

"No, he asked where the bathroom was."

"No shit, he wanted to take you into the bathroom and fuck you, I know it. That's how we met."

"That sounds special," Leah replied.

"Are you making fun of me? I can tell if you are. I'm good at reading people."

"No, not at all. That's how I met my husband. He asked me to go to the bathroom to have sex as well. We've been married twelve years now."

"I like that, we have something in common."

"Yes, now may I go?" Leah asked.

"No, I want to know what you told him when he asked you to fuck in the bathroom."

"I didn't tell him anything, he didn't ask me."

"I don't believe you. That's all men want is sex."

"Go ask him yourself if you don't believe me," Leah said.

"That fucker won't tell me the truth. He's probably in the bathroom right now fucking some other girl."

"Then maybe you should go find him and find out."

"Yeah, maybe I better," she replied. "Do you know which way he went?"

Leah decided to lie. "Yes, he went that way," and pointed to the nearest exit.

"I'll be right back, don't go anywhere," the female zombie said. She took off towards where Leah directed her and was gone. For now.

Now hungrier than ever, Leah decided to find her way to the fluid dispenser and feed. How she'd make it past the crowd she didn't know, but she had to try. Then she felt a tap on the shoulder and turned to find the male zombie back with a cup in his hand. He held it out to Leah and she took it. "Is that your pee?" Leah asked.

"No, I got you a drink from the fountain. I knew you were new and wanted to show you some thanks for showing me where the bathroom was.

Leah put the cup to her nose and took a whiff. It was sweet smelling but had a strange odor to it. "Are you sure you got this from the fountain?" Leah asked.

The zombie smiled and looked at her. "No, I got it from a friend."

"A friend?"

"Yeah, I met him in the bathroom. He's dead now."

Leah handed the cup back. "No thanks," she said and smiled.

The zombie looked offended and pushed the cup back. "Try it," he said.

# Chapter 22

# Concentration Camp

Before Leah could refuse the cup, a group of soldiers approached and singled her out. They checked the code branded into her neck and led her out of the auditorium to hall and then to a large room. In the room were several folding tables and chairs and army personnel in lab coats and hazmat suits. Leah was brought to a table and told to sit down across from a woman with a clipboard and a pen.

"What did you do for a living?" the woman asked. She didn't introduce herself and acted like she had asked this many times before."

"I worked at Live Again LLC in the repurposing unit," Leah replied.

"What was your job duties?"

"I was a Registered Nurse and a lab assistant, I processed the dead."

"How long were you at that job?"

"Three years."

"What are your job skills?"

"I can do anything in the nursing scope of practice," Leah replied.

"Can you elaborate?" the woman asked.

"There are a hundred things I could mention. Can't you look it up online?"

The woman was annoyed with Leah's reply. "Based on this survey, if you're chosen, we will be sending you off for work."

"But you're the government, why would you be selling anything?" Leah asked.

"I didn't say we were selling anything, you will be sent to a concentration camp and live out the rest of your unnatural life there. I need to know if you're qualified to do anything once you get there. And I don't think nursing will be of much use."

"Who'll take care of the sick and injured?" Leah asked.

"A gun, that's who. Once you're no longer useful, they dispose of you."

"Then why not kill me now?" Leah asked. She regretted asking the question as soon as she asked it.

"I might if I determine you're too far gone. Most of these are, you seem a bit more lucid. When did you turn?"

"Today I think," Leah replied. "I woke up in a field and I was alive."

"Yeah, that's happening way too often now that the virus is out there in the public. We can't control the spread anymore. What was your name?"

"Was?" Leah asked.

"Yes, the undead no longer have legal names, just numbers."

"Like the one you branded on the back of my neck?"

"Yes, like that. What was your name?"

"What's my number?"

The woman looked at the paper and read, "#761Z". Z stands for Zombie. Now what was your name?"

"Leah Karr," Leah replied. "If I no longer have a name, why do you want to know what it was?"

"The IRS needs to know," the woman replied.

"Why..."

"Anyone who dies has to be reported to the IRS. That has to be done even if you're not a blood sucking zombie," the woman said.

"Did you have to add 'blood sucking' to your dig?" Leah asked.

"My job is boring, I have to lighten it up somehow," she replied.

"How long will it take before you know if I get to live?"

"I don't make those kind of decisions, that's way above me. I just fill out the forms."

"I didn't ask you if I'd get to live, just how long it would take."

"I'd say three to five days," she replied.

"So what do I do in the meantime?" Leah asked.

"Live with the rest of the undead."

"I don't understand something. It's obvious that some of the repurposed units are far worse off than the others. Why don't you separate them so the healthy ones stay healthy?" Leah asked.

The woman pointed to her name badge and replied, "I'm a glorified office clerk. Do you think they ask me my opinion on how to deal with the zombie population?"

"You don't have to be so rude."

"I have a few more questions for you if you don't mind," the woman snapped back. "What is your age?"

"Twenty eight."

"Marital status?"

"Married."

"Children?"

"None."

"Ethnic background?"

"White, mixed German and Italian."

"Any health issues?"

"I had an ovarian cyst removed three years ago, and I take Lisinopril for high blood pressure and Lipitor for Cholesterol. It runs in my family."

"Ok, I think I have what I need. Do you have any questions?"

Leah sat and thought for a moment. "This concentration camp, are we talking like what they did to the Jews during WW2?"

"From what I understand, it's like a giant holding pen. They will house and feed you until a final solution can be found."

"That sounds like something Hitler would say," Leah said.

"I think he did. Let's be honest here lady. You're an anomaly. If you worked at that factory like you said you did, you know they sold off the zombies to factories in China. They never thought a virus would get out and create new zombies. That's why they gassed this city. When congress can figure out what your status is, they will either put you to work or exterminate you. Most likely you won't survive."

"How did they manage to gas and kill so many people so fast? Did congress act on that as well?"

"Yes, there was an emergency session of congress and they voted to kill everyone within fifty miles of Council Bluffs in order to stop the spread of the disease. How did you manage to survive?"

"I was in the basement of a strip club," Leah replied.

"Lucky for you. Most of the people died instantly."

"Maybe I would have been better off if I had as well."

The woman removed Leah's form from her clipboard and set it in a pile. "You will be notified of your fate but until then, you will be put back into the general population. The guard will take you to another tagging station before you are let go."

A guard stood over Leah and motioned for her to stand. He led her to a table with a nurse holding what looked like a hot glue gun. The nurse told Leah to lift her shirt sleeve and injected a tracking microchip. Using a handheld scanner, the nurse checked to make sure the chip worked and entered the number branded into her back into the computer. Without looking up, then nurse waved the guard on and he led Leah out of the room, through the hall and back into the main auditorium.

Leah could see that the feeding machine was back on from the crowd fighting to get to it. She was still hungry but didn't want to fight her way to the front but had no choice. It was either feed or die, so she headed towards the crowd and started pushing. She had a slight advantage because she turned later than most of the other zombies and had more strength. That allowed her to push harder and get closer to the tits spouting the glucose rich fluid.

Leah found a seat after feeding and dozed off. She was awaken by two armed guards, one holding a sheet of paper and a chip scanner. "Let's go," the guards said.

"What time is it?" Leah asked.

"Three thirty," the guard replied.

Leah realized she had been napping for hours and was groggy. She always had a hard time waking up, even when she was human. "Where're you taking me?"

"To the camp," the guard replied.

"That woman told me it would be days before they made that decision."

"I'm following orders, now get up or we'll get you up."

Leah stood up and shook her head. She was pissed and tired of being treated so rudely. "A please or thank you would go a long way you know," she snapped.

The other guard poked her in the midsection with his rifle to let her know they weren't messing around.

"We have four more waiting on you in the truck, so please do as we say," the guard replied.

Leah followed one guard and the other followed her keeping his gun on her as she walked between the seats. They made it to the aisle and stepped down to the main floor where the other zombies were still fighting each other to feed at the machine. As she crossed the hardwood basketball court, she saw a group of well-armed soldiers enter the main auditorium. She passed them noticing they seemed to be in a rush, dressed with bright yellow rain gear over their regular riot gear.

"What's going on?" Leah asked.

"Extermination," the guard behind her replied. "The rest aren't worth keeping."

Leah looked back at the doorway to see what was going on but quickly lost sight of the main hall. As she was led out of the building, she heard shots and knew the zombies in the auditorium were being gunned down like fish in a barrel.

The cool breeze outside and fresh air was a relief to Leah. The smell of rot and the noise of the feeding frenzy was replaced by the sounds of the wind blowing on the grass and the sound of the transport truck pulling up to load her inside. One of the guards led Leah to the rear of the truck and helped her climb into the back where she was shackled to the seat and met by four other zombies sitting inside. They were in better condition than most and were also headed to the concentration camp.

"Hi, my name is Leah," Leah said. She didn't know if she'd get a response.

"Hi," one of the zombies replied. He was a male and his name was Kaleb.

"What's your name?" Leah asked.

"Kaleb."

"Did they tell you where we're going?"

"Yes, to be dissected."

"What? No, they're taking us to a camp."

"They told you that? Fuckers," Kaleb replied.

"What do you mean?"

"We've been selected to be dissected, to see why we turned into zombies."

"They know why, it's a virus."

"Yeah, but they want to know how it works. They want to cut us up and look at our insides."

Leah didn't know if Kaleb was lying, or if he was retelling a rumor or if he knew something she didn't. But she began to panic and hyperventilate. "Who told you this?" Leah asked.

"A guard, after he locked me to the seat," Kaleb replied.

Leah looked to the other zombies for confirmation. "Is he telling the truth?"

A female zombie nodded her head and looked away.

"No way, if that were the case, they would have shot us first and loaded our bodies in the truck."

"They'll dissect us alive," Kaleb replied.

"The guard told you that?" Leah asked. Her voice was higher pitched and manic.

"Yes."

"Why would he tell you?"

"He's a sadistic asshole, that's why."

"Maybe he was fucking with you."

"He showed us pictures on his phone. He wasn't kidding," Kaleb replied.

Leah leaned back and closed her eyes. She was being led to her own slaughter, only she'd be alive while it happened.

# Chapter 23

# Sambo

Kim fired a warning shot. Edwin the zombie slowed but didn't stop his approach towards her.

"Don't waste your bullets, shoot it," Lyle said.

Kim gave Edwin a chance to stop but when he made another step towards her she pointed the gun at his face and pulled the trigger. Edwin stopped for a moment, shook his head like he was trying to fling a spider off his face and took another step. Kim shot again, this time in the zombie's mid-section. This shot didn't make Edwin flinch at all.

"In the head, in the head!" Lyle shouted and then raised his shotgun and took aim.

"No!" Kim yelled. "Let me do it."

Lyle backed off and watched Kim take aim for a third time. Edwin was getting within ten feet and she needed to shoot fast.

"Hurry!" Lyle yelled and Kim took two shots in a row. Both in Edwin's head and he stopped and tried to shake it off. Only this time it was too much and he buckled to his knees. Feeling brave, Kim stepped forward and kicked Edwin over and shot him one more time in the head.

"That's five, you need to reload," Lyle said.

Kim dug five shells out of her pocket and reloaded her .38. She had plenty of shells left. "Let's head over to that kiosk and see if we can find a hardware store," Kim said.

Lyle nodded in agreement and the two left the food court back to the kiosk. But before they made it around the corner, they spied three more zombies trying to break into a sports medicine store. The kind that sold protein powder and pills that helped athletes perform better. "Look, its three niggers trying to break the window," Lyle said with a grin.

"I don't like that word," Kim said.

"I don't give a shit what you like, I see three nigger zombies trying to break into a store. Looks like nothing changes when you turn into one of those freaks."

"You are one of those freaks, remember?" Kim asked.

"I don't feel like a freak."

"No, but you sure look like one. Have you looked in the mirror lately?" Kim asked.

Lyle walked over to the nearest glass storefront and looked at his reflection. He had lost a lot of hair and his skin was starting to shrink due to dehydration. It was also peeling in the areas where it stretched the most, around his mouth and eyes. "Fuck, I look like shit," Lyle said.

"Let's find the hardware store," Kim said.

"We need to take care of those thieves first."

"You do realize that if we find a hardware store, we'll have to break in as well. We'll be no better than they are."

The irony struck Lyle for a moment, but he didn't really care. He hated black people and what he would do could be justified. But he was sure the blacks were breaking in to steal cash. "They're looking for money, we're trying to stay alive. Even Jesus said it was ok to steal bread if you're starving." Lyle said.

"We're not looking for bread, we're looking for a shovel and a mop. At least that store sells supplements. Maybe we should be breaking into that store instead."

"Are you saying those niggers are smarter than us?" Lyle asked.

"I don't know, they'll be full soon, how hungry are you?"

"Son of a bitch," Lyle said under his breath. "I'm gonna get some, fuck those monkey's" Lyle took off as fast as he could towards the nutrition store with his shotgun leading the way. Kim followed at a slower pace to see what would happen. She knew there was no stopping Lyle the bigot when he was on a kick so she decided to sit back and watch the show.

It took Lyle much longer to get to the store than Kim thought it would. He was hungry and didn't have a lot of energy. If it weren't for his gun, he'd be a sitting duck for anyone that wanted to take him out. By the time Lyle got to the nutrition store, the three black zombies had broken the glass and entered. Kim found a good place off to the side where she could see through the glass storefront without entering. She heard shouting and a gunshot blast. Then another and one of the black zombies jogged out of the store. It seemed the zombie was also weak and unable to run.

Lyle walked over to the door and stepped out into the hall. He had a smile on his face and waved for Kim to come over. As she did, she saw blood splatter all over Lyle's body.

"Why are you covered in blood?" Kim asked.

"Come take a look," Lyle said.

Kim followed Lyle into the store to where the zombies lay on the floor. One was missing his head and the other was trying to stand. But it was missing most of a leg from the knee down and couldn't get up.

"Look, I got a head shot. Took his head clean off from the neck," Lyle said. It was like he was describing a deer he shot to a friend.

"Why is the other one missing a leg?" Kim asked.

"Fucker tried to run, and my gun slipped. Got him in the foot, and most of his lower leg," Lyle replied.

"He's still alive, are you getting soft?"

"No, I wanted you to see me kill it."

"You didn't have to."

"You gotta kill one, I wanted you to see I'm no pussy."

"I've never thought of you as a pussy Lyle," Kim said.

Lyle aimed his shotgun at the zombie on the floor.

Then it spoke, "Don't man, don't kill me. I was just trying to find something to eat."

"Bullshit, you were going to rob the place."

"Rob? Are you insane, there isn't anyone here to rob," the zombie said.

Kim said, "Breaking in isn't robbery, you have to have someone to rob first. He was just stealing."

"Fine," Lyle said. "Stealing then. In any case, you've been caught and now you're going to pay!"

Kim said, "A minute ago you said it was ok to steal if you're starving."

"That was Jesus," Lyle said. "I'm no Jesus," he added and shot the zombie in the head.

"Remind me never to piss you off," Kim said. She looked at her shirt and saw blood splatter and brain bits. She wiped her face and saw blood smears on her fingers mixed with pulverized bone and grey matter.

"I don't hurt women, that's a matter of pride for me. My daddy taught me that."

"That's surprises me, I took you for the redneck that sits in his double wide all day watching NASCAR, drinking beer and beating his wife."

"I do like NASCAR and beer, but I live in a house and I don't beat women," Lyle replied. "Thanks for the stereotype."

"You do it all the time. You thought these guys were stealing because they were black."

"My mother told me about black people, she hated them worse than I do. Don't blame me for how I was raised," Lyle said.

"Just out of curiosity, what was your mother's problem with black people?" Kim asked.

"I don't know why she hated them. But you should have heard he go off anytime she saw any. She could cuss up a storm. She'd call them lazy porch monkeys, jungle bunnies, Sambo and all sorts of shit. She used to walk across the street just so she wouldn't have to walk past one."

"Have you ever met a black person?" Kim asked.

"More than I ever wanted to," Lyle replied. "You can't hang them now like you used to be able to."

Kim paused and looked at Lyle. She was now regretting turning him and was disgusted by his backwards bigoted ways. "Grab some protein powder and let's go," she said.

Lyle looked at the shelf of prepackaged supplements and took a ten pound canister. He tucked it under his arm. He also found a bottle of glucose and stuffed it in his pocket.

"What was that?" Kim asked.

"Said 'glucose' on the label."

Kim took a bottle from the shelf and opened it. She took a taste and the sweetness felt good on her tongue. "That's not bad," she added. It had been a long time since either one had eaten. Kim took a drink and swallowed. In large quantities it was like drinking sugar water and was a bit strong but still felt good. She handed Lyle the bottle and he took a drink. "Not too much, I don't want you having a reaction. You need to drink more water as well. You're starting to look like a dried up prune."

The two left the nutrition store and found a water fountain. They both took drinks and filled with the cool clean liquid. Then Kim saw a door marked maintenance and headed over. Lyle followed and they managed to open the door and find what they were looking for. Kim filled a mop bucket with soap and water and grabbed a mop. Lyle found a broom and a shovel and the two headed back to the sporting goods store to finish cleaning.

The trip back to the sporting goods store was quick and both Kim and Lyle had a renewed energy with the glucose they consumed at the sporting goods store. Lyle took his shovel and scooped up the body parts that weren't large enough to grab by hand and Kim swept behind him. They dumped the body bits into a large trash can and put into the storefront across the hall where they placed the dead.

As they returned to the sporting goods store to mop up the floor, Kim saw movement towards the back. Then she noticed a woman step out from around the counter with a pistol in her hand. It wasn't clear if she was a zombie or not, she looked to be in better shape than most they had run into, but she didn't look quite human either.

"Do you see her?" Kim asked.

Lyle looked into the store and immediately saw the woman cross from the counter to the archery display. She was looking at them and kept walking towards them. Both Lyle and Kim raised their guns in a defense posture but didn't fire. "Stop!" Lyle shouted.

The woman stopped half way between the back and the front of the store in the center aisle.

"How long has she been in there?" Kim asked under her breath. "I didn't hear anything."

"Who are you?" Lyle yelled.

"The woman didn't answer.

"How did you get in there?"

"I've been in here the whole time," she replied. "I could have shot you anytime, so don't shoot me."

"Are you a zombie?"

"No," she replied.

"How did you survive the gas attack?"

"I don't know, I just did."

"Are there any more like you?"

"Maybe. Can I come closer?" the woman asked.

"Not until I get some questions answered. I asked, are there any more like you?"

"I don't think so."

"You've been living here all this time?" Lyle asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid to go outside."

Kim whispered to Lyle, "She looks familiar."

"Why?"

"I think I used to work with her, at a bar dancing," Kim whispered. Then she spoke out to the woman, "Do I know you?" Kim asked.

The woman looked hard at Kim and became angry. She recognized her from her past and from her expression it wasn't a pleasant experience. "I remember you now," she said. "It was at the Back Alley Office Bar, about four years ago. You were the cunt that got me fired."

Kim nodded her head when the memory came back. "Your name is Anita something. From Omaha."

Anita lowered the gun and walked closer to Kim and Lyle. She didn't look right for some reason, a bit sickly but not like the zombies they had seen in the mall.

"If you're not a zombie, what's wrong with you?" Kim asked.

"I have Multiple sclerosis," Anita replied. "Came on two years ago."

"Sorry to hear that," Kim said. "She still wasn't convinced Anita was telling the truth, but for now that's all she had to go on.

# Chapter 24

# Pre op

The army transport vehicle pulled up to Mercy Hospital with Leah and the four other zombies inside. They were unloaded, taken to the surgical ward and held under armed guard. Leah had been to this hospital before undergoing a Cholecystectomy and was familiar with the layout but had never seen this room before. It was more like a store room than a medical holding area. Then she saw someone she recognized. It was Dr. Lee, her medical director from Live Again LLC and with him was Jake, her former supervisor. She hadn't seen them since she stole Karen Klein and saved her from the incinerator.

As soon as she saw the two men, they were gone, and in came a nurse escorted by another armed guard. She checked her clipboard and pointed at one of the zombies sitting next to Leah. The guard told the zombie to get up and he did, and they followed the nurse and the guard out of the room. This happened two more times before Leah was called. She was shaking and in tears waiting to be cut up on an exam table.

Leah followed the nurse and guard to a surgical ward and was brought into an exam room for a pre op exam. The nurse took Leah's vitals, punched them into a computer and left her with the guard. For the next half hour she sat there on the exam table trembling in fear. All she wanted to do was get it over with.

Then Dr. Lee walked in the room holding a folder in his hand. He immediately recognized Leah. "Well I'm surprised to see you here," Dr. Lee said. "After you stole my body I thought you'd be long gone. What happened?"

"I caught the virus," Leah replied. "Why else would I be here?"

"I see."

"I didn't know there was a virus."

"It was in the Ebola they used to insert the gene. Nobody caught it till it was too late."

"Is that why they burned down the factory?" Leah asked.

"No, that was a zombie uprising. One of the guards left the door to a unit open and wham, next thing you know the place is on fire. After the oxygen tanks heated up, half the building exploded," Dr. Lee replied. "Next thing you know they're gassing the city and here we are today."

"If you know what caused me to turn into a zombie, why cut me up?"

"We want to know how the virus affects your internal organs, that's all," Dr. Lee replied.

"And who will be performing the exam?"

"I will, and Jake Deepe will be assisting me," Dr. Lee replied.

"Jake? He's not a doctor."

"He doesn't have to be. You're not considered human anymore. Technically I could have a couple PA's perform the dissection. Hell, I could get an APRN if I thought she was competent."

"That's nice to know I've been deemed the same as a dog," Leah snapped back.

"No, I'd need a veterinarian for a dog, and veterinarians are doctors. You my dear, are property."

"I wasn't turned by the company, I turned on my own because I was infected with your defective serum. I should be suing you and the fucking company!"

"Congress has determined that no zombie has rights. Once you turned, you were fucked," Dr. Lee said.

"Even if it was against my will?"

"Yes, even if it was against your will. Only humans have civil rights."

"Then how did they get away with gassing the whole city?"

"Some people have more civil rights than others. The government had to stop the spread. Because of their quick action, millions of lives were saved. What would you have done? Let the virus spread?"

"It is spreading. You killed humans, not the zombies, they're still alive!" Leah barked.

"We didn't know that at the time. But since the hosts are dead, it did slow the spread considerably. They made the right choice regardless, and the zombie population is being rounded up and exterminated. I expect this contamination to be over within three weeks."

Leah shook her head and looked at the floor. She knew she had only minutes to live.

"I'm going to send Jake in here to do your pre op exam. You should be on the table within thirty minutes," Dr. Lee said.

"What kind of anesthesia are you going to use? Now that I'm a zombie, my circulatory system has been compromised and doesn't work the same."

"Oh, there will be no anesthesia, and the dissection will happen while you're awake so we can monitor your reaction."

"What?" Leah asked. She was shocked and livid. "Alive?"

"I told you that you were property, and not considered human. The fact that I spent the last ten minutes wasting my time talking to you is really starting to piss me off," Dr. Lee said and he left the room.

Leah swallowed hard, as hard as she could as dehydrated as she felt. The clock on the wall seemed to move slower than usual as she pondered her fate. The guard at the door seemed bored and for a moment Leah considered engaging him in conversation. But she knew he wouldn't respond.

The room was quiet except for the hum of the lights. Leah looked at them and wondered how the hospital had lights when the rest of the city was without electricity. Then she remembered that hospitals ran on emergency power. Obviously enough power to run the surgical suite so Dr. Lee could cut her up.

Then Jake stepped into the exam room. "Holy shit Leah," Jake said. "Dr. Lee told me you were here. How are you doing?"

"You're going to cut me up, how do you think I'm feeling?" Leah replied.

"Yeah, about that, I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? We used to work together."

"I know, and I always liked you. But this is my job," Jake replied.

"You're job? What kind of compassion is that?"

Jake didn't know how to reply so he went on the defensive. "You did steal Karen."

"Yes, I did have some compassion. I couldn't toss a living being into a furnace. But you seem to have no problem cutting me up while I'm still alive."

"Technically you're not..."

"I don't give a shit what your technical manuals say. I can breathe, I can talk, I can think for myself. Congress may have voted that I'm subhuman, but I feel as human as I ever was," Leah replied.

"I don't know what to say Leah, if I don't do my job they will replace me. Either way, you're going on the table whether it's me assisting or someone else. And I'm not losing my job. I'm sorry, but that's how it is."

Leah looked Jake in the eye. "Let me go," she said slow and determined.

"I can't, you know that."

"Yes you can, prove to me you're above this. Prove to me you give a shit about more than just your job."

Jake looked at the guard and back at Leah. Leah picked up on his movements and realized that he was telling her not to be saying anything in front of the guard. But she had to get it out. Jake looked at the guard again and asked, "Do you mind leaving? I'd rather be with her alone."

The guard replied, "My orders state I have to be within ten feet of it at all times."

"What about when she goes into surgery?"

"I'll have to ask my commander," the guard replied.

"You can stand outside the door and still be within ten feet."

The guard thought for a moment and left the room.

"Now we can talk," Jake said. "If I could get you out of here I would."

"Do what I did and sneak me out," Leah said.

"No thanks, look how that turned out for you."

"It won't be the same, have you had the vaccine?" Leah asked.

"Yes, but I'd be on the run for the rest of my life. Or put in prison."

"But you'd of saved my life, isn't that worth it?"

Jake paused to think. If he could he would save Leah, but he wasn't willing to sacrifice himself to save her. She was probably going to die of the virus anyway and was in the process of rotting away. Leah's voice had changed and she was turning an ashen grey. "You're dying, you don't have long to live anyway. Maybe it's better this way."

"Please, save me," Leah pleaded.

Jake was visibly shaken, but he had a duty to perform. He made the decision to do what his employers asked of him and continue with the exam. "Lie back on the table," Jake said. His tone was professional, not personal like before. Leah picked up on the change and knew she hadn't gotten to him. So she accepted her fate and laid back on the table.

"Will this hurt?" she asked.

Jake manipulated Leah's arms and wrote notes on a pad. He didn't respond to her question.

"I asked you a question, will it hurt?"

Jake poked and prodded Leah's midsection feeling for her major organs. He found them shrunk, and thick to the touch.

"Have you dissected anyone else?" Leah asked.

Jake looked at Leah in the eye for a moment and then looked away again choosing not to reply.

"How many have you cut up?"

"One other," Jake replied. He spoke quietly.

"Tell me about it."

"You don't want to know."

"Did he scream?"

"It was female," Jake replied.

"Did she scream?"

"No, it had an endotracheal tube."

"What did it do while you cut her up?"

"Will you stop asking me questions?" Jake snapped.

"I need to know!" Leah barked back.

"She buckled, and shook. We had to strap her to the table when we cut her open. She tried to spit out the tube and banged her head up and down. It was horrible," Jake replied. "Are you glad to know now?"

Leah lay silent.

"We can't give any pain meds because we need to monitor your reaction. Anything we learn we might be able to use later on."

"So I'm your guinea pig?"

"In so many words, yes," Jake replied.

"You are so evil, it's like WW2 all over again. You follow orders like a fucking robot. Be a man and do what's right, not what you're told."

Jake took a deep breath. "Do you have any history of diabetes?"

"Fuck you," Leah replied.

"Any prior surgeries?"

Leah didn't respond.

"Are you allergic to anything?"

"Yes, being cut up."

"My exam is done. The nurse will be in to get you in about ten minutes. You'll change into a surgical gown and be prepared once they get you into surgery. Once there, they will insert an IV and the endotracheal tube."

"Why do I need the endotracheal tube?"

"In case you stop breathing, we can keep you alive while we're dissecting," Jake replied. "Do you have any other questions?"

Leah didn't respond and Jake left the room. The guard reentered and stood by the door.

"I know you won't answer me," Leah said to the guard. "But how can you stand there knowing what they're going to do to me?"

The guard was stoic and kept his eye on the wall across the room.

"Don't you have a soul?"

The guard flushed red but didn't reply. Leah knew she got to him, but he held back the best he could. "I'm sorry," he said.

# Chapter 25

# Mylar

"So you've been living in this sporting goods store since the gas attack?" Lyle asked.

"Yes, and other places," Anita replied. "I liked this store because I felt safe."

"Where were you went the gas attack happened?"

"In the mall shopping."

"Were you alone?"

"No, my boyfriend was with me."

"Did he survive?"

"No," Anita replied. "I dragged him outside after he died and left him. I couldn't stand to see him lying in the hallway."

Lyle looked across the hall to the store where they put the bodies. "Did you kill any zombies?"

"No, I hid mostly. They are very hard to kill with a pistol."

Then Kim spoke up and said, "You're lying."

Lyle was taken aback with Kim's abrupt and rude comment. "What do you mean she's lying?"

"I don't believe she lived in this store, or has Multiple Sclerosis. She lied constantly at the bar and that's why she got fired," Kim said.

"Why would I lie? What do I have to gain?" Anita asked.

"I don't know, yet. But I remember how you'd tell Ron about how sick your kids were to get out of working. Fuck, you didn't have kids."

Lyle furrowed his brow and said, "That takes a lot of balls, why did she you do that?"

"They were her sister's kids," Kim said. "She used them to play on Ron's sympathy."

"Is that how you got fired? Did Ron find out?" Lyle asked.

Kim replied, "No, when Ron got upset, she'd take him in the back room and blow him. She got away with murder at that place."

"So how did you get her fired?" Lyle asked.

"She was stealing from the bar and I caught her. No blowjob would save her after that," Kim replied.

"Is that right?" Lyle asked.

Anita was still holding a gun and for a moment Lyle regretted asking anything that might piss her off. "Yeah, that's right, the stupid little bitch caught me. I ended up spending a hundred and twenty days in jail thanks to her," Anita replied.

"That was four years ago, water under the bridge," Lyle said. He was trying to calm the situation down before Anita decided to pop Kim for turning her in. "Would you mind putting the gun away?" Lyle asked.

"I keep it on me at all times," Anita replied. "Don't worry, I won't shoot the bitch."

Kim had a knife in her pocket and the .38 in another, but not in her hand. She thought about bringing it out, but then decided against it when she saw Anita put her pistol in her waistband.

"You have a lot of growing up to do," Anita said out of the blue.

"What does that mean?" Kim asked. She was pissed but trying to keep it under control. She thought the tiff was over, but Anita couldn't let a good fight die.

"I heard you were fucking Ron too, and all the bouncers. Fuck, I heard you were doing most of the guys that came in for extra tips."

"I never laid a finger on anyone in that bar. Employees or customers. It was a job to me and nothing more," Kim replied.

"Oh, that's right. You were known as Kim the man hater. I remember now. Most of the girls thought you were a lesbian," Anita replied.

"Lesbian?" Kim asked. "I have two kids."

"Really? Where are they?"

"With their dad, safe in Kearney Nebraska," Kim replied.

"I bet they're proud of their mommy the stripper," Anita said with a grin. "Do you have a daughter?" Anita asked.

"Yes," Kim replied. "Don't fucking go there."

"What a great role model you are? Shake your tits for cash. Not that you have any tits to shake."

"That's the pot calling the kettle black, you danced there too."

"I don't have any kids, and if I did, I'd find a different job," Anita said. "I'm sure your kids get bullied at school because of what you do."

"I've had it with this conversation. Nobody but God judges me, you got that?" Kim barked.

"I'll judge you all I want. You got in my business and got me fired, so you can take your just reward."

"You got fired because you're a thief. There is at least one commandment against stealing," Kim said.

"I didn't realize you were so religious. Kind of strange for someone who sells her flesh. Isn't that called 'adultery?'"

"I'm divorced idiot," Kim snapped back.

"Doesn't matter in the eyes of the Lord. You should know that since you're such an expert on the bible."

"I never said I was an expert on the bible," Kim replied.

"You sure act like it."

Lyle decided it was time to interrupt. "Ladies, we need to focus here. We need to find some real food if we're going to survive. We can't live on protein powder and glucose."

"There's a KFC close by, but the power has been out and I'm sure everything has started to rot," Anita replied.

"Then we need to think about getting out of the dead zone and to civilization," Kim replied.

"How? They're monitoring everything from the sky. If we try to leave, they'll shoot us down in the parking lot," Kim said.

"I have an idea," Lyle said. "We can get some of those Mylar sleeping bags from the camping section and use them to hide our heat signature from the infrared scanners."

"That won't work or somebody else would have thought about it," Kim said.

"The Mylar reflects heat, that's how they work. I'm sure someone else has thought about it, but they don't have access to a sporting goods store."

"How do you propose we use a sleeping bag? Roll fifty miles to safety?" Kim asked.

"No, we cut eye holes in them and wear them like Halloween costumes," Lyle replied.

Kim looked at Lyle like he made the most stupid suggestion she had ever heard. "And then we walk fifty miles dressed like silver ghosts? And nobody is going to see us?"

"Do you have a better idea?" Lyle asked.

"No, but if you're right and these metal sleeping bags reflect the heat, won't we get too hot to walk? I mean, they're designed for sleeping, not walking."

"We'd have to move at night when it's cooler," Lyle replied.

"That won't work either, if any heat did escape, it would make it easier to detect. The best time would be during the heat of the day. We'd blend in better."

Anita had an idea. "Why don't we give ourselves up?"

"They shot at us from a helicopter in the parking lot. I don't think giving ourselves up is an option. If it were, they'd be calling down to us telling us."

"Has anyone tried? Maybe they thought you were zombies."

"What do you propose we do? Go write a SOS on the parking lot in spray paint?" Kim asked.

"Yes, why not?" Anita asked.

"Alright, go do it," Kim said. She was being a bitch and knew it.

"You know what? You two can do whatever you want, I survived this long alone and I'll survive without you. You can get out of my store anytime."

"Your store?" Lyle asked. "I don't think so."

"I was here first, you can leave."

"I didn't see you when we were cleaning out bodies and putting them across the hall."

Kim said, "I told you she was lying."

Lyle looked at the gun in Anita's waistband. He didn't want to piss her off too much and get into a shooting match. "We can share this store, until we decide to leave."

"There are fifty stores in the mall, you can find another place to stay," Anita replied.

"This is the only one with weapons and ammunition. I don't need clothing, or jewelry, I need access to firepower."

"I'm sorry, I can't help you," Anita said and folded her arms across her chest.

Seeing that Anita was vulnerable, Kim pulled out her .38 and pointed it at Anita's face. Kim stepped in close enough that she could see Anita was far sicker than she was pretending to be. "Multiple sclerosis? Bullshit. You're a zombie."

Anita knew she was fucked as Kim pulled the pistol from her pants. "You have some explaining to do."

Realizing she had no recourse, Anita decided to confess. "Yes, I'm a 'zombie' as you put it. But when I was turned, they called me a 'repurposed unit.' I died seven months ago and my family sold me off to the factory. I was slated to be sold to a company in North Korea but escaped when the factory blew up."

"How did you die?" Kim asked.

"My boyfriend suffocated me," Anita replied.

"Sorry to hear that. What kind of family sells off a dead family member?"

"They got ten thousand for me, that's what kind," Anita replied.

"And you've been out on your own ever since?"

"Yes, you're the first non-zombie humans I've come across."

"What are you surviving on?"

"Dogs and cats mostly. Anything with blood will sustain me," Anita replied.

"So we would make a nice meal wouldn't we?" Kim asked.

"It's not my fault I have to live off of blood and sugar. That's how they designed me."

"I'm not blaming you, but I'm also not letting you drink my blood like some sort of zombie vampire. What's to say you wouldn't decide to kill me and drink my blood while I'm sleeping? You did lie when we met you, is that why? So you could kill us later?"

Anita hesitated to answer. "No, I didn't want you to kill me because of what I am. I had no intention of killing you."

"You're lying again."

"Do what you want, I've been dead before, I can do it again."

Kim felt guilty about ending Anita's life. She also didn't feel safe around her. Now that she knew she died at the hands of another, the thought of killing her again was a bit much. Nobody deserved to die twice, not that way. "I won't kill you if you leave."

"I won't survive outside the mall," Anita replied.

"You won't survive in the mall either. I'm giving you a way out. Take it or leave it."

"You want me to dress like a metal ghost and take my chances on the outside?"

"I don't care how you do it, as long as you do it," Kim said. "I won't let you kill me in my sleep. I don't trust any zombie. Especially you. I'll give you your gun back, only if you go."

"I need time to think on it."

"What do you think Lyle?" Kim asked.

"I'm a zombie too, are you afraid I'll try to kill you in your sleep as well?"

The irony hit Kim hard. She didn't think of Lyle as a zombie in the same way as Anita. Lyle was turned by a virus after the explosion, Anita was turned as a commodity to be sold. "You're not like her, I know her past. She's nothing but a lying, thieving cunt."

"And I'm a bigot, you tell me that all the time," Lyle said.

"I can handle a bigot, I can't handle a woman who lies to my face. You've never lied to me, that I know of."

Anita looked at Lyle and said, "We can stand together, against her."

That was enough to piss Kim off. She pulled the trigger on her .38 and put five shots into Anita's skull. As Anita fell to the ground Kim backed up and then watched the zombie seizure on the tile floor and then stop moving. She bled just a little, as she was also dehydrated.

"Fucking cunt," Kim said. She pulled more shells from her pocket and reloaded. "Don't worry, I won't do that to you. For now."

# Chapter 26

# Surgery

Leah was led to the surgical suite and told to lie down on the table. She was strapped down like she was told and a nurse anesthesiologist inserted an endotracheal tube and hooked it to a ventilator. From this point on she couldn't speak, just make expressions with her eyes that the doctor would use to gauge her reactions to being cut up alive. Under normal conditions, she'd be put under anesthesia and her eyes would be taped shut, but not this time, part of the assessment was her reaction to the knife.

The room was cool and the nurses were silent as they went about the business of performing experimental research surgery. Leah's gown was open and her abdomen was cleaned with a large quantity of betadine to help reduce infections. Why? Out of habit as Leah would not survive.

When Leah was finished being prepped, Dr. Lee and Jake entered the room ready to begin the procedure. Both men were dressed in surgical scrubs but neither wore masks as they had both been vaccinated. To Dr. Lee, the procedure was more like cutting up a frog in high school biology than an actual surgery. Dr. Lee took his position on one side of the table and donned sterile gloves. He only used sterile so he wouldn't cross contaminate any organs he removed.

Jake also donned sterile gloves and stood on the opposite side of the table awaiting instructions from his supervisor. He had a hard time looking down at Leah and tried to pretend it was someone else. If he could, he'd put a towel over her head so he didn't have to see her face, but it was his job to monitor her expressions and write the data down.

"Are you ready?" Dr. Lee asked.

"Yes," Jake replied. He lied, he wanted nothing more than to save Leah from the knife.

"Scalpel," Dr. Lee said and the scrub nurse handed him the knife.

Before Dr. Lee made his first cut, Jake spoke up and asked, "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" Dr. Lee asked. He didn't like to be second guessed by a tech.

"Are you sure you're doing that right? I mean, you've worked in administration for so long, I'm sure you're a bit rusty."

Normally Dr. Lee would shout and kick any subordinate out of surgery but he needed Jake. There was only two nurses and they were both busy, and Jake was the only other person who could assist and take data. Livid, Dr. Lee replied, "I was a surgeon before you were born."

"Yes I know, but you've spent the last twenty five years in an office."

"How many bodies have you worked on?" Dr. Lee asked.

"I used to turn three or four a week," Jake replied.

"You mean your assistant, this woman, would put in an IV and place the pads while you watched. You were nothing more than a pencil pusher. Don't dictate to me what I can or can't do. It's not like she matters anyway. If I did fuck up, she'd die faster, but we'd still collect the information we are looking for."

"I think it would be best if we got a real surgeon in here to perform the exam," Jake said.

The tension in the room was like a bomb waiting to go off. The nurses expected Dr. Lee to explode any second but he didn't. He was unusually calm. "I am a real surgeon," Dr. Lee explained. "Now we need to get on with the procedure."

Then Jake noticed something else odd besides Dr. Lee's attitude. He was shaking.

"What's wrong doctor? You look like you're nervous," Jake asked.

Dr. Lee tried to steady his hand but it only got worse. "I have tremors now and then, nothing to worry about."

"Are you epileptic?"

"No."

"Do you take seizure meds?"

"Don't be absurd," Dr. Lee replied.

Jake had a hunch and grabbed the light from above and aimed it at Dr. Lee's face. It was then he saw the abrasions and sloughing of skin around his eyes. "Holy shit," Jake said. "You have the virus."

Dr. Lee stepped back, and then forward almost losing his balance. "I've been vaccinated. I don't have the virus."

"You need to stop, now!" Jake barked. "We need to take a culture to check if you're infected."

"This exam will go on with or without you," Dr. Lee said. "You can leave anytime."

Jake looked at the scrub nurse. "Do you see that?" Jake asked.

The scrub nurse was leery to reply as she knew the wrath of pissing off a doctor but she took a look and nodded her head.

"She sees it too, you have to stop now!" Jake barked.

Dr. Lee placed the scalpel on Leah's chest and pushed down to make his first cut. But before he could slide the blade and cut into her flesh, Jake shoved the doctor away from the table and tried to grab the knife out of his hand. Dr. Lee stepped back and tried to cut Leah again but this time he acted as if he was drunk. This made grabbing the knife easier and Jake managed to grab ahold of it.

"Grab him," Jake said to the scrub nurse. "He isn't right."

The scrub nurse grabbed Dr. Lee by his left arm and tried to restrain him. But Dr. Lee became livid and grabbed another knife from the surgical supply tray and sliced the nurse across the bridge of her nose. Feeling the pain, the nurse let go and screamed backing away from the table searching for a towel. That left Jake and Dr. Lee alone to fight over Leah.

Thinking fast, Jake shoved the tray of surgical instruments onto the floor with a loud crash and grabbed Dr. Lee by his scrub top pulling him over Leah on onto the floor on his side. From there Jake was able to shove a knee on Dr. Lee's neck and cut off his air. Already an older man, Dr. Lee didn't have much fight in him, and being an infected zombie made it hard to fight back. In a matter of minutes, Dr. Lee was dead and Jake was now in charge. Except for the guards standing outside the room now taking notice of what was going on.

Jake ran to the door and opened it. He told the guards that Dr. Lee was infected with the zombie virus and that he needed to take Leah out of the building to keep her from getting contaminated. Jake played on the fact that the guards didn't know that Leah was already infected and needed the guards to go along with whatever he told them to do. Jake told the anesthesiologist to remove the breathing tube and remove the straps that held Leah to the table. The nurses helped Leah sit up and get off the table and assisted her to the door where Jake was waiting. "I need a wheelchair." Jake snapped and a nurse left the room and found one. When she returned, Leah sat down and Jake pushed her into the hallway and to the elevator where he found the guards waiting. "I need a vehicle," Jake snapped.

"We can transport you anywhere you need to go," a guard replied.

"No, you can't be inside. Every minute you spend around she can pick up the virus. I need to quarantine her."

"I thought she already had the virus. Isn't that why you were cutting her up?" the guard asked.

"We were doing exploratory to see what was wrong with her. Why am I explaining this to you anyway? You're a guard. Get me a truck!" Jake didn't know if his lie would work and hoped the guards were too stupid to know the difference. As long as he used a loud voice and barked orders at them, he figured they'd comply.

Jake, Leah and two guards used the elevator to get to the ground floor. From there Jake wheeled Leah out to the door and the guards let them out. "Where is my truck?" Jake asked.

"It's coming now," a guard replied.

Jake was nervous waiting for the truck to arrive. At any moment his lies could be discovered and they could be hauled back into the hospital. Then the truck pulled up and Jake helped Leah stand and get into the passenger's seat. Jake ran around to the driver's side expecting the guard at the wheel to give up his keys, but he didn't. He remained in his seat as if he was going to drive them where they wanted to go. "I need the keys," Jake said.

"This is government property, I can't give it to you," the driver said.

"If you don't, you could get sick, now give me the keys."

"Not without proper authorization."

"Who does that?"

"My commander."

"Get on the radio and get permission!" Jake snapped.

"It doesn't work that way," the guard replied.

"How does it work?"

"They call me, I don't call them."

Jake was pissed but he needed to get moving. "Fine, I'll get in back." Jake got in the back of the truck behind the driver and slammed the door.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

Jake didn't even think about where he wanted to go. He just wanted to leave the hospital and get lost. He needed to think on his feet and think fast. "Drive, I'll make some calls and find a suitable location."

"All the cell towers are down. Do you have satellite phone?"

Jake needed the questions to stop. He didn't have a satellite phone but decided to lie. "Yes, I have a satellite phone, now get on the interstate before she gets worse."

The truck pulled away from the hospital onto highway six heading for Interstate eighty. For the next twelve minutes things were going smoothly, until an Apache helicopter lowered from the sky blocking their path just outside of the Mall of the Bluffs.

"What's going on?" Jake asked.

"We've been ordered to return to the hospital," the driver replied.

"Why?"

"Didn't say, but we're heading back."

Before Jake could say another word, the helicopter exploded in a ball of fire and smoke that filled their entire view. The shockwave and debris hit the truck and shattered the windshield into little bits that crumbled onto the dashboard, Leah and the driver. Jake tried to open the door but it was locked and the driver wasn't moving or talking.

"He's dead," Leah said.

"Try to open the door," Jake barked back.

Leah leaned over the driver and pressed the unlock button on the door panel. The sound of the unlocking mechanism let them both know they could leave and they both exited the truck. In the mayhem and confusion, Leah spun around not knowing where to go. Then she saw the Mall of the Bluffs and pointed towards it. "Over there," she shouted and Jake agreed.

The trip mall was slow. Leah was lethargic from lack of food and Jake tried his best to keep her going. The grass was tall and hard to run across and the parking lot was filled with cars and decomposed bodies. But they made it to the front door and got inside. When they got their breath, Leah asked, "What happened to the helicopter?"

"I have no idea," Jake replied. "I didn't see anyone go near it."

"Could have been a lot of things I suppose," Leah replied. But at least we got away."

"Almost seems like too much of a coincidence," Jake replied. "But what the hell, at least you're still alive."

"Thank you," Leah replied. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know, but I couldn't let that prick cut you up. How are you doing otherwise?"

"I feel sick, I need to eat something or this will all be for nothing."

"What have you been living on?"

"I had some sort of glucose juice back at the auditorium, nothing since then."

"Yeah, I heard about that. They killed off all those zombies. Maybe they still have some of the juice there."

"I don't want to go back there. This place is huge, there must be food I can eat here."

Then a familiar voice called out. It was Lyle, "There's a nutrition supplement store that has bottled glucose, and you can eat that."

Leah spun around to see Lyle and Kim standing in the hallway, both armed and glad to see her.

"Lyle!" Leah yelled. She had a sudden bounce of energy seeing her husband still alive. She hobbled over the best she could and hugged him. "I thought you were dead," Lyle said.

"I would have been if it weren't for Jake," Leah replied.

Lyle shook Jake's hand and said, "I owe you."

# Chapter 27

# Kasim

"Where did you guys come from?" Lyle asked.

"We escaped from the army, they wanted to dissect Leah and I couldn't let that happen," Jake replied.

"All the time that she worked at the zombie factory, I never met you before," Lyle said. "You were her boss right?"

"Her supervisor, I guess boss would be right."

"So how did you get away?"

"I killed Dr. Lee and convinced a guard to let us go before she infected everyone in the hospital." Jake replied.

"And they let you go?"

"Not only that, they provided us with a ride, until the helicopter showed up."

"I heard the explosion, that's why we headed over here," Lyle said. "What caused that?"

"I don't know, one minute the damn thing came down and blocked our path, and the next it exploded."

Lyle stepped over towards the main doors and looked out to the interstate where the helicopter was now smoldering. "Look at that," Lyle said pointing at the fire and smoke. "See them?"

The rest of the group joined Lyle and looked out at the burning helicopter.

"Zombies," Kim said.

"Yeah, and there's a lot of them."

"Do you think they caused the explosion?" Leah asked.

"Probably," Lyle replied. "They probably attacked when they weren't looking."

"How can a zombie attack a military helicopter?" Leah asked.

"One could have crawled into the jet engine."

"That would make sense, but why?"

"Who knows? I don't make the best decisions now that I'm one."

"How did you become one?" Leah asked.

"Long story, you can thank Kim for that. But we need to form a plan, if those zombies decide to break into the mall, we're fucked."

Kim stepped a little closer to the front door and watched as a group of zombies left the helicopter and headed towards the mall onto the grassy knoll. "They are coming over here," Kim said.

Jake stepped up next to Kim and looked for himself. "Fuck, they are."

"How many do you see?" Lyle asked. His vision wasn't the best now and he became dehydrated easily which blurred his vision.

"A dozen or so. Maybe more," Jake replied.

"Then we have about ten minutes to prepare," Lyle said.

Leah asked, "What are we going to do?"

"The sporting goods store has guns," Lyle replied. "Kim can take you there and find you something. I'll stay here and keep an eye on the zombies."

"All by yourself? What if they come through the door?" Leah asked.

"I have a shotgun and a pistol. I'll be alright."

"No, come with us. You can't take on twelve zombies all by yourself. Stop trying to be a hero."

Lyle knew Leah was right so he gave in. "Fine, let's go," he replied and the group headed back to the sporting goods store.

Jake didn't know a lot about guns so Lyle helped him pick out a pistol and a rifle. Leah had lived with guns around ever since she married Lyle, but she avoided them at all costs. She was familiar with how they worked, but needed a quick lesson. When Lyle was satisfied that Leah could shoot, he handed her two pistols fully loaded and ready to fire.

"Are you guys ready?" Lyle asked.

"Yes, but what are we going to do? Wait here for them to show up?" Jake asked.

"We can defend this store. As long as we keep them out, this will be our base of operations. Do you understand? I need for you to go out in the hall with me, the women can stay in here and defend the store if we're compromised."

"You mean killed," Jake said.

"Yes, but they are unarmed and most likely far weaker than we are. This should be easy."

"Ok," Jake replied and the two men left the store to stand in the hallway waiting for the zombie horde to show up. Then one did.

"Don't shoot yet," Lyle said. "Wait until a few more show up. I want to get them into a group and mow them down."

Jake looked at Lyle and then back down the hall at the one zombie who was mulling around aimlessly. "What's it doing?" Jake asked.

"Getting ready to be shot," Lyle replied.

"I think we should shoot it."

"No, I said wait."

Then Jake heard a sound from behind him. He turned around and saw three zombies coming from the opposite direction behind them. He lifted his pistol, took aim and shot the middle zombie.

Lyle was started by the shot and turned around. "What the fuck?" he asked and then saw what Jake was shooting at. Seeing the three zombies walking towards him, Lyle aimed his shotgun at the zombie on his right and waited until he was about ten feet away. The zombie didn't seem to notice the gun or care. Even up to the point when Lyle blew it's head off.

"Good shot," Jake said. "Can you get the other two?"

"You take a shot," Lyle said.

Jake shot a few times at the middle zombie and was sure he hit his mark but the zombie seemed unaffected. "I'm not doing any damage," Jake said.

Then Kim stepped into the hall and shot the middle zombie with a shotgun and tore most of the back of its skull away.

"Get out of the hall!" Lyle shouted. "You want to get shot?"

"You can't kill them with a pistol, I was trying to help," Kim shouted back. "Look behind you!"

Lyle turned around and found the original zombie they were tracking was now within arm's reach. Lyle took aim and shot this zombie in the chest splattering guts on the floor, walls and ceiling. The zombie backed up but didn't stop. It felt the cavity in its midsection and seemed confused. Then another blast to the head and it dropped to the floor. "Fucking zombie," Lyle said. "Trying to sneak up on me."

"There's one left," Jake said. "I want a shotgun."

"Go get one," Lyle said.

Jake took off to the sporting goods store, running past the zombie like a linebacker on a touchdown run. The zombie watched Jake run past and then focused on Lyle.

"You want to fuck with me too?" Lyle asked. Then Lyle noticed the zombie looked Mid-Eastern. Dark skinned with a dark beard. Lyle hated anyone he thought was a Muslim. That was worse than being a nigger or a spic combined. "Where's your towel Mohamed?" Lyle asked.

The zombie took slow purposeful steps towards Lyle. And didn't seem to understand or care what he was saying.

Lyle was going to have fun with this one. "I asked you a question towel head. Where's your towel?"

"I don't have a towel," the zombie replied. It had a hard time speaking, but the words could be understood.

"Where you from? Afghanistan? Pakistan? Saudi Arabia?"

"No," the zombie replied.

"Then where are you from?"

"Lincoln," the zombie replied.

"Lincoln Nebraska?" Lyle asked.

"Yes."

"You're telling me you're an American citizen?"

"Yes, I was born in America."

"Then why do you look like you just fell off a camel?" Lyle asked with a smile. He enjoyed taunting the zombie he was about to kill.

"I am from Lincoln."

"What's your name?"

"Kasim," Kasim replied.

"Is that your first or last name?"

"My first."

"What's your last name?"

"Bishara," Kasim replied.

"Sounds like a fucking Muslim to me. I think it's time for you to return to Allah."

Before Lyle could raise his shotgun, Kasim pulled a pistol and shot at Lyle hitting him in the chest and right ear. Lyle lost control of his shotgun and it fell to the floor. Kasim pulled off another two shots before Kim came out of the store and blew his head off from the right side. Kasim was dead and Lyle was bleeding and deaf from the right side.

"Are you alright?" Leah asked as she ran over to Lyle.

Lyle looked at Leah but could only hear a loud ringing in his head. "What?" Lyle asked.

"Are you alright?"

"Fuck no, he shot me in the ear," Lyle replied.

"Why didn't you shoot him when you had the chance instead of playing with him?"

"That's what I do," Lyle replied. "All this time we've been married and you haven't noticed I hate everybody."

Jake spoke up. "Not everybody, just anyone who isn't white."

"I hate most white people too," Lyle said. "Don't get me started on the Democrats."

"We have more important things than Democrats to deal with, there are more zombies heading down the hall."

Lyle looked to where Jake was referring and saw the hall was now packed with zombies. These looked sicklier, more dehydrated and drier rotted than any he'd seen before. They must have been from the original group and had the most exposure to the elements. "Ok, we need everyone in the hall, this is not a drill."

Kim, Jake and Leah joined Lyle in the hall. Lyle motioned for them to spread out and form a defensive line. "When I say shoot, everyone shoot, you got me?" Lyle asked.

Jake started shooting right away and the zombies began to scatter as the pellets hit from afar.

"Not yet!" Lye yelled. "Wait for me to say 'shoot!'"

Jake stopped firing and the zombies again mulled towards the four keeping guard over the sporting goods store.

"How long do we have to wait?" Leah asked.

"When they get about ten yards away. A shotgun isn't effective at long distances."

At this point, everyone in the group had at least one shotgun and a pistol. And everyone was ready to fire on command. Then the zombies stopped moving forward.

"What's going on?" Leah asked.

"I don't know," Lyle replied. "I'm seeing the same thing you are. You're just as much a zombie as they are. You tell me."

Then one of the zombies stepped forward with its arms outstretched in a defenseless posture. He was dressed in an army riot helmet, a torn gas mask and clown make up. "Can we talk?" the zombie asked. "Its voice was muffled and hard to understand."

"I've had enough zombies to last me a lifetime," Lyle said. "And what's up with the costume?"

"I want to help."

Kim said softly, "Help what?"

"I think he wants to help himself to us, for a meal," Lyle replied.

The zombie couldn't hear what Kim and Lyle were saying. "We can help each other," he said.

"I don't think we need any help, thanks but no thanks," Lyle said.

"I don't want to harm you, I just want to survive, like you."

Kim said, "I don't trust him."

"Let's see what he has to say first," Lyle said, and he lowered his shotgun.

# Chapter 28

# Ron Zombie

"Who are you?" Lyle asked.

"My name isn't important," the clown zombie replied.

"Why are you dressed like that, where did you get the helmet? And the gas mask?  
"From a dead soldier."

"What else did you get from him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you get a gun?"

The clown zombie didn't reply.

"What's up with the clown makeup?" Lyle asked.

"I was dressed for my child's party," the zombie clown replied.

Then Kim had an epiphany. The zombie's voice was raspy and low in pitch, but she recognized him as her ex-husband Ron. The same ex-husband that was supposed to have her kids back in Kearney Nebraska. In a safe place.

"Ron, is that you?" Kim asked.

The clown zombie looked at Kim and realized who she was. "Kim, what are you doing here?"

"I want to ask you the same thing. Where are Tim and Amber?"

Ron hesitated to answer.

"I asked you a question, where are Tim and Amber?"

"I left them," Ron replied.

"Left them where?"

"In the car."

"Where is the car and how long have they been there?" Kim asked. She was starting to freak out.

"I don't know where the car is," Ron replied.

"How long have they been alone?"

Ron thought hard. "A week maybe?"

"Are you serious? You left our kids abandon in a car a week ago."

"Yes, was that wrong?" Ron asked.

"You stupid mother fucker, I'm going to kill you myself if you don't find those kids!"

"I don't think they are there anymore."

"Why do you say that? Where did they go?"

"They were eaten," Ron replied.

"Eaten! Oh my God!" Kim snapped. "By who?" Kim knew the answer but she had to say something.

"By me," Ron replied.

Kim pulled out her shotgun and fired at Ron but he was too far away to sustain any kind of real damage so she dropped the shotgun and pulled out her .38 and ran up to him shooting. When she got close enough to see the rot in his face, he pulled out an assault rifle from behind his back and shot Kim in the right femur sending her crashing to the ground.

"What are you doing Kim? Don't make me hurt you," Ron said.

Kim fired off the last two rounds from her .38 and set the gun on the tile floor. She had no weapons and she was too far away to grab Ron and beat him to death. "You sick son of a bitch," she said and cried on the floor.

"They didn't suffer," Ron said. "They died in the gas attack."

"Why did you come here in the first place?" Kim asked sobbing. "You were supposed to be in Kearney."

"They wanted to surprise you," Ron said. "It was Amber's birthday. You knew that."

"I want you to die, die!" Kim said. She couldn't bring herself to look at Ron. "What happened to you? Why did you live and they didn't?"

"When I saw the vapor cloud I ran to safety," Ron replied.

"And you left your kids alone?"

"I was scared."

"Do you think maybe they were scared too? And depended on their father to save them?"

"I can't save everyone," Ron replied.

"You're supposed to sacrifice yourself for your children. That's what parents do!"

"I didn't want to die."

"Why are you a zombie?" Kim asked. The question was a jarring change of subject, but Kim needed to know. "What happened to you?"

"I'm not sure. I hid in a building for days and I came across several zombies along the way. I think I may have had contact with them when I fed."

"What?"

"I was starving. I found a body they had fed on and I ate from it. They may have spread a disease to me.," Ron replied.

"You let our children die and you want help from me?"

"The gas killed them, not me. And if I'd of brought them with me into the building, they may too have become zombies. Either way the children were doomed."

Kim saw the irony in Ron's words and realized he was probably right. He brought the kids as a surprise and there was no way he would know of the gas attack in advance. And he was right that if he'd of tried to save the children, they might have suffered a worse fate than death. But that didn't change the fact her children were now dead. Then she said, "Shoot me again."

"What?" Ron asked.

"I don't want to live if my kids are dead. Shoot me, please. And this time make sure I'm dead."

Ron stepped over closer to Kim and looked down upon her bleeding body. "Are you sure?" Ron asked.

"Yes," Kim replied.

Ron pointed the rifle at Kim and hesitated.

"Don't shoot you zombie fucker!" Lyle yelled. "Leave her alone."

"She wants me to kill her," Ron replied. "And frankly, I'm starving."

"You can find other food, let her go. She's the mother of your children for God's sake."

"God? Funny you say that. What God would turn humans in zombies? What God?" Ron asked.

Leah replied, "The same God that would allow people to sell off their loved ones into slavery once they die."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that God is an asshole, that's what," Leah snapped back.

"I don't want to get into a debate on God. I want to eat. And she is willing to sacrifice herself so I can. And for my brothers and sisters behind me," Ron said. He pulled the trigger and shot Kim in the head. She fell limp and lay flat on the floor bleeding from the wound.

Seeing what had happened, the other zombies moved closer to feed on Kim, but before any of them could, Ron bent down and took Kim by the hand. He pulled a knife he had stolen from a dead guard and cut her wrists open and drank from the blood he could suck out. The glucose in her blood tasted like candy and Ron felt adrenaline pump through his slow circulation.

Then a feeding frenzy broke out and the rest of the zombies jumped onto Kim and began to tear her apart and feed on her internal organs. The sight of the attack sickened everyone who watched. But there wasn't anything they could do now. Kim was dead.

Jake stepped back into the sporting goods store and looked to see if he could find anything to barricade the door. There was nothing, just display racks and merchandise. Leah followed and then Lyle as they left Kim to be eaten in the hallway.

"Now what?" Leah asked.

"There must be a back door, or a loading dock," Lyle replied. "We can escape from there."

Jake took off to the back of the store followed by Lyle and Leah. It didn't take long to find the exit door and Jake shoved it open revealing the cool calm grey sky and the smell of fresh air. Then they saw the zombie hoard in all directions homing in on the mall like it was a buffet.

"What's going on? Why are they all coming here?" Jake asked.

"We need to get to higher ground," Lyle said. "We can't defend ourselves from here."

"Do you have any idea how to get on the roof?" Jake asked.

"Fuck no," Lyle said. "It would take an hour to find the right stairs."

"I'd say we have ten minutes before we're over run."

Leah said, "We could take a car, the lot's full of them."

"None of them will start, the electromagnetic pulse took out the electronics," Jake said. "Unless you were shielded, like at the hospital, you're fucked."

"I think we're fucked regardless," Lyle said. "We can't run, we can't hide and they will be here in a few minutes. We could go back inside and try to hide, but what's the point. There are at least a hundred of them."

"You can stand here and die without a fight, but I'm going to try," Jake said. "You are a zombie, I'm the only one here who is still human. Why don't you try to protect me?"

Then Jake saw the look in Lyle's eye. He wasn't who he had been before. It was as if saying the words had changed him. Yes, Jake was the only human left in the group, and Lyle and Leah hadn't eaten and were severely dehydrated. Maybe it was in their best interest to feed on Jake before the rest of the zombies got to the mall. "I'm leaving," Jake said and he tried to leave, but Lyle stopped him at the door.

"I think you better stay," Lyle said.

"I don't have time to discuss this Lyle, move aside," Jake said. He was looking over his shoulder and getting anxious.

Lyle shut the door and grabbed Jake by the arm. Leah grabbed him by his other arm and together they held him keeping him from getting back into the mall.

"What are you doing?" Jake asked.

"We can't let you go, you have what we need to survive," Lyle replied.

"Come on! I saved you Leah! I could have let them dissect you!" Jake yelled.

Leah looked distracted, like she couldn't understand everything that Jake was saying to her. It was like she was hypoglycemic and confused. All she could focus on was eating. Jake could see the look of confusion in Leah's face and pulled away from her as hard as he could. In her weakened condition, she let go leaving Jake to get out of Lyle's grasp. But before he could get away from Lyle, the crowd of zombies took ahold of Jake and pulled him into the crowd and tore him apart to feed.

# Zombie Sheriff

(Bonus Story)

# Prologue

In 1843, a large wagon train of over eight hundred people set off on the Oregon Trail to the west to find new land to colonize. During this trip, a cholera epidemic struck at the intersection of the Snake River in Idaho and the Oregon Trail that wiped out over one hundred and fifty men, women and children. In order to stop the spread of the contagion, the bodies were quickly buried using the materials from the wagons and the contents they held. All in all, the spread was contained and the pioneers continued onward towards the west coast.

One hundred and twenty years later, a catastrophic flood covered southeast Idaho and filled the Snake River to overflow. The pressure caused the Teton dam to burst sending thousands of gallons of water downstream killing hundreds of people and thousands of cattle. The resulting catastrophe covered the now lost cholera graveyard with ten feet of water allowing the caskets to percolate to the surface and expose the once buried bodies again to the surface.

Months after the flood, bodies were still being found strewn along the countryside tangled in fencing and piled in ditches. They were then gathered up and buried deep enough to never see the light of day again in a new cemetery on higher ground. That is except for the three zombies found at a campsite feasting on a family of vacationing campers. The former pioneers were now the undead and surviving on their own until they were captured and held for study at the University of Idaho department of biology.

Twenty years later, the ACLU sued for the zombie's civil rights and won the three their freedom. After two years of community college, the zombies were reintroduced into society as free people. One was immediately burned by an angry mob upon release and another ran for Sheriff of Pine Bridge Idaho. Once elected, the third zombie was hired as chief deputy. This is their story.

# Chapter 1

# October 16, 1976

Sheriff Ed Pool drove down the highway like he did every night checking for speeders, drunks and whatever came his way. He had been the Sheriff of Colfax County for two years and usually worked the evening shift by choice. This made it difficult for his staff to do the basic work needed at the department since he wasn't around during the day, but it worked best for Ed. He liked the evening shift and that allowed at least one deputy to work days that would have had to work evenings.

Keeping an eye on the radar mounted to his dash, Ed kept track of the speed of the cars that drove past him in the other lane. His car was dirty brown with a rack of lights on top and could be easily seen from a distance. Most nights were slow, especially during the week, but tonight a car sped around him to his surprise and took off doing at least seventy in a fifty five mile and hour zone weaving in and out of the lane. Ed didn't need his radar to know this car was doing something illegal and put on his lights and siren.

As he picked up speed, Ed caught up with the car and called the license into the dispatch. He had seen this car before and had an idea who it might be, but was surprised when he heard back from dispatch that the car belonged to a county commissioner, one of his bosses. "What the fuck?" Ed said out loud. The car pulled over to the side of the road and stopped. Ed kept his headlights on the car and gathered his ticket pad and flashlight.

Outside the car, Ed slowly approached on the driver's side and shined his light into the window. What he saw was an obese woman digging through her purse looking for something. This made Ed very nervous. "Ma'am, please put down your purse," Ed said.

The woman looked up at Ed and squinted in the bright light from the flashlight. "I'm looking for my driver's license," she replied. Her name was Anita Cole, the wife of county Commissioner David Cole.

"Ok," Ed said, "Take your time."

Anita pulled her driver's license from her pocketbook and handed it to Ed. She looked up at the sheriff and saw his grey skin and white eyes. "You're that zombie sheriff aren't you?" Anita asked.

"Yes ma'am, have you been drinking tonight?" Ed asked.

"What kind of a freak are you?" Anita asked.

"I'm asking the questions," Ed replied. "Have you been drinking tonight?" Ed smelled alcohol on the woman's breath and she was acting erratic.

"I had a few drinks at cards tonight," Anita replied. "But I'm fine to drive."

"I'd like for you to step out of the car," Ed said.

"You're kidding, I'm not getting out."

"I need to do a field sobriety test and a breathalyzer."

"You only have that contraption because my husband voted for the funds to buy it."

"Yes, and I'm grateful for that, now will you please step out of the car."

"No, I won't, and when my husband hears about this, you'll be out of a job."

Frustrated, Ed stood back for a moment to think. He could call dispatch, but there wasn't another officer to send for backup. His other choice was to haul this woman out of the car and arrest her for interference with a law enforcement officer. He wanted to make this as easy as possible and as smooth as he could. "Ma'am, I'm doing my job, you passed me doing at least seventy, swerved in and out of your lane and now I can obviously tell you're intoxicated. You can either get out of the car willingly, or I will be forced to remove you from the vehicle."

"I'm leaving," Anita said. She put her hands back on the keys and turned the engine back on.

Thinking quickly, Ed reached into the car and tried to grab for the keys. As his cold dead skin touched Anita, her reaction was to pull back and try to get as far away from his as she could.

"Get off me you sick freak!" Anita yelled.

Ed grabbed the keys, turned off the engine and removed them from the car. "Get out now or I will arrest you for failure to comply with an officer of the law during the execution of his duty!"

Anita opened the door and stepped out. Her two hundred and fifty pound body exited the car leaving it an inch higher off the ground. She then grabbed for the side of the car when she became dizzy from the effects of the alcohol. Her heels didn't help much. "Help me you zombie bastard!" she yelled as she regained her balance.

Ed moved in close and she backed away when she saw his white eyes coming at her. Distancing herself, she lost her balance again and fell to the ground in a heap. She then threw up and tried to avoid laying in her own vomit. "See what you've done!" Anita yelled.

Ed pulled his handcuffs and bent down. He grabbed her right hand and placed the cuff around her hand while she was distracted trying to scoot away from her mess on the highway.

"What are you doing?" Anita asked.

"I'm cuffing you, give me your other hand," Ed replied.

"Fuck you," Anita said and pulled away.

Ed wrestled for her left hand and grabbed it. He pulled it in close and cuffed that hand as well leaving Anita lying on her belly, on the highway cuffed next to a pile of her own vomit.

"You zombie bastard, when my husband gets through with you, you won't be able to get a job anywhere in this state, let alone this county."

"Where is your husband?" Ed asked.

"None of your fucking business."

"I'll need to call him when I get you down to the station."

"He's busy."

"Too busy to come down and pick up his wife? Guess you'll be spending the night in jail."

"He's too busy fucking that new waitress he hired."

"Really? Sorry to hear that," Ed said. He wasn't really sorry at all. "Now I need to get you in my car, can you stand?"

Anita rocked back and forth, and with Ed's assistance was able to get to her feet. "What about my car?" Anita asked.

"I'll lock it before we leave and send a tow truck to pick it up. It will be at the impound lot until you pick it up," Ed replied.

"Tell me something first," Anita said. "How can you be dead and sheriff at the same time?"

"Honesty, nobody knows. And this isn't the time to discuss it anyway," Ed replied.

Anita was led to the sheriff's car and put in the back seat. She smelled like booze and vomit which made Ed wretch. Ed locked Anita's car, got back in his and turned off the lights.

"I want to get that fucker back," Anita said.

"What do you mean?"

"My husband, he thinks he can go fuck any girl he wants. I've been married to that loser for twenty three years and he's screwed around on me more times than I can count."

"Why don't you divorce him?" Ed asked as he drove back onto the highway.

"I'm planning too," Anita said.

"Well, that should fix that."

"No, I want to get that fucker back."

"Revenge will get you nowhere," Ed said.

"You ever been cheated on?"

"No, I was happily married before the disease wiped out my family."

"You married now?"

"No."

"I don't suppose anyone would want to marry a dead guy," Anita said.

"I don't suppose," Ed said.

"If you weren't so gross I'd fuck you, to get back at David. Do you even have a cock anymore or did that fall off?"

"I'd rather not discuss my personal life if you don't mind," Ed said.

"What else do you have to do? It's forty miles to town."

"You said you were playing cards tonight?" Ed asked.

"Yeah, me and my girlfriends play cards twice a week at Shirley's place."

"Do you always drink so much when you play cards?"

"No, this was special. I got in a fight with David and I was pissed."

"What did you fight about?"

"His fucking whore girlfriend."

"Did you tell him about the divorce?" Ed asked.

"Oh yeah, and how I was taking his money, and the business. My dad loaned him the money to start that fucking restaurant in the first place."

"How did that go?"

"He told me I was a fat cow and that I deserved to be cheated on. He said sex with me was like fucking a dead whale," Anita replied. "Bet you never knew your boss was such a prick."

"Oh, I've been at plenty of commissioners meetings. I know what he's like," Ed replied.

"Yeah, I know, he said they tried to fire you a few times but you got a lawyer and stopped them," Anita said.

"That's true, they tried to say I wasn't qualified once, then said I was doing a lousy job. Then one time they tried to blame me for some money problems down at the station. All bullshit."

"Did you know they set you up?" Anita asked.

"What do you mean?"

"That money, they took it and tried to blame it on you."

"How do you know?"

"David had the county clerk take it."

"Where's the money now?"

"I'm pretty sure David kept it and used it at the restaurant," Anita replied.

Ed was livid, he went through hell when that money came up missing and now he knew exactly where it went. "Can you find it?" Ed asked.

"It's long gone I'm sure. They cashed it out from the bank so there's no record," Anita replied.

"I think I might be paying a visit to your husband," Ed said.

"Oh, please do, and tell him I sent you," Anita said. Then she felt nauseous again and threw up on the back seat floor boards.

At the station, Ed set up Anita for her booking photo. Her hair was a mess, she had scratches from falling on the asphalt and was smudged with vomit. She seemed to be less pissed and was willing to take whatever was coming her way. Then her husband and county Commissioner David showed up. Dispatch called Ed out of booking to meet David at the desk.

"I heard you have my wife here?" David asked. He was trying to act calm but was pissed and embarrassed.

"Yes, I was in the process of booking her when I got called out here," Ed said.

"What did she do? You're dispatcher wouldn't tell me."

"Speeding, reckless driving, driving while intoxicated," Ed replied.

"You're kidding right?"

"No, she blew a .10 percent on the breathalyzer."

"Holy shit," David said as he shook his head in disbelief. "This will be front page news."

"I can't help that."

"Yes you can," David said.

"What do you mean?"

"Cover this up, whatever you do, don't put her in jail."

"Too late for that, I've already started the booking process. And dispatch knows all about it. Plus, why would I cover this up for you?" Ed asked.

"I sign your paycheck," David said.

"So do three other guys," Ed replied.

"Not for much longer if you ignore what I say."

# Chapter 2

# Meeting

The next morning a special meeting with the county Commissioners was scheduled at the courthouse concerning an allegation made against Sheriff Ed Pool by Anita Cole. Once she sobered up, she reported to her husband, county Commissioner David Cole that the sheriff had made sexual advances towards her during her DUI arrest. Mrs. Cole was not present, but she submitted a written statement that was to be read during the executive session. No press were allowed during the meeting due to personnel issues.

At the front of a long room set a desk with four men sitting behind facing back towards a gallery made up of folding tables and chairs. To the side of the desk the county clerk sat with a laptop ready to take meeting notes. Sitting a few seats back was Sheriff Ed Pool and the county attorney Cindy Kubrick.

"We call this meeting to order," the county clerk said. Her name was Gail Scott.

Commissioner Cole lifted a sheet of paper from the old wood desk and adjusted his glasses to read the statement made by his wife. "Before I read this, I want to make it perfectly clear that this statement was not coerced in any way."

"What statement is that?" the county attorney asked.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Ed asked.

"Seems the sheriff here has been accused of sexual misconduct with a citizen of this county. I have her statement here and I'm going to read it into the record if you don't mind," Cole replied.

"Should I have a lawyer?" Ed asked. He was in a panic.

"You're not being charged with anything," Cole said. "Yet. This is a hearing to get the facts out."

The county attorney spoke up, "Can I read that before you enter it into the record?"

"No, you may not. Now let me proceed," Cole said as he pulled the paper close to his eyes. "On the night of July twenty-fifth, Sheriff Ed Pool attempted to gain sexual favors from me in exchange for being let off for a bogus DUI charge. I told Sheriff Pool many times that I would take no part in any sexual favors and he then became belligerent towards me using my profane words in an attempt to persuade me differently."

"That's bullshit and you know it!" Ed yelled.

"There's more," Cole said. "After much argument, the sheriff then forced me into the back seat of his patrol car where he then handcuffed me and molested me against my will. When he was finished, I tried to escape and fell to the ground scraping my skin and causing bruises."

"She fell down alright! Fell down drunk," Ed replied. "I had the breathalyzer to prove it."

"Where is this breathalyzer you speak of?" Cole asked.

"I keep it in the glove box of my patrol car."

"Does this breathalyzer maintain a history?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Then you have no way to prove that Mrs. Cole was indeed intoxicated do you?" Cole asked.

"I use that breathalyzer all the time in court and it holds up fine. Hell, you guys paid for it!"

"I do believe we did," Cole said.

"I don't know what's going on, but I didn't lay a finger on your wife and you know it."

"She has the scrapes and bruises, I've seen them myself."

"You weren't there. She fell down drunk!"

"That's your word against hers."

"Yes it is," Ed replied.

"I don't see much choice other than to put you on suspension until a full investigation can be conducted."

"You're just doing this to get back at me for her making the paper. I was doing my job, that's all."

"I'll have to admit, I never understood why the fine people of this county would vote in a dead man to be their sheriff, but that's not for me to decide. But when I get allegations like this, I have to act. I can't leave a potential sex offender on the payroll with authority granted by this county who might be pursuing women in exchange for leniency."

"I can't believe this. Last night I probably saved your wife from an accident and this is how you repay me?" Ed asked.

"You have your job, I have mine."

"This has to be voted on by all four of you, I can't believe that you all four believe these lies."

"You'll still be on the payroll, don't worry," Cole said.

"Is that right?" another commissioner asked.

The county attorney spoke up. "Yes, that's policy during an investigation."

Pissed, Ed replied, "You're doing this to punish me. I didn't lay a finger on her except to help her off the ground and cuff her. Where is she? I should be able to face my accuser."

Cole replied, "She doesn't feel safe around you."

"Around me? There are six other people in this room besides me. That's insane."

"It's a safety issue, sorry," Cole said.

Ed turned to the county attorney. "I know I have the right to face her, I know it!"

"I'll look into it," the county attorney replied. "Something here doesn't seem right."

Cole looked to his left and to his right. "Let's put this to a vote."

The county clerk then stated, "All in favor of suspending the sheriff with pay during the investigation raise your hand."

The only hand to raise was Cole's to his surprise. The other four commissioners kept their hands down and waited for the count.

"One for, three against," the county clerk stated. "Motion denied."

Ed smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Fuck yeah," Ed said.

"This is an official meeting, please use proper language," the county clerk stated.

Cole shook his head and pushed the paper across his desk towards the county clerk. "I still want this in the record."

"It already is," the clerk replied.

"If that's all, I'm leaving," Ed said and stood up from the table. "You can conduct your witch hunt without me."

"You're still under investigation, I will have someone interviewing you soon so don't get too comfortable," Cole said.

"I gave you my side of the story, there's nothing else to say."

"I want it official, not something you said at a commissioners meeting."

"Fine, do what you want, the answer's the same," Ed said. "And I do have some advice for you commissioner, you might want to keep your wife in check. She's an accident waiting to happen."

Ed walked to the end of the room and didn't look back. He entered the hallway and walked towards the exit when he heard his name called out to him. He turned to see Commissioner Cole with a briefcase in his hand working the lock. Not sure what was going on, Ed looked at Cole who was exasperated, poking at the keys of the lock until the case opened and the top popped open spilling papers all over the floor. In the flurry of white sheets flying through the air, Ed didn't see Cole pull out a pistol and point it at him.

In a blur, Ed noticed the gun in Cole's hand and saw the muzzle flashes as the commissioner shot at the sheriff repeatedly in the face and chest. The bullets did no harm as the sheriff was not a living being and Ed just stood there watching until the entire clip was spent. As smoke rose into the air, Ed stepped over to Cole and pulled his handcuffs off his belt. "You're under arrest for the attempted murder of the sheriff of Colfax County.

"You can't arrest me for attempted murder, you're already dead," Cole said.

"That's for the lawyers to decide, you're going to join you wife in jail so put out your hands," Ed said.

Cole smiled and dropped the briefcase on the wood floor. He put out his hands and let the sheriff cuff him. "I bet you're loving this aren't you?" Cole asked.

"I have a job to do," Ed replied.

"Yeah, harassing my wife and forcing me to get revenge."

"Force? I have a half a dozen witnesses that saw what happened. I'm surprised you didn't shoot me in the back," Ed said.

"Fucking zombie, you should have never been voted into office."

"My car is this way," Ed said as he pointed down the hall.

At the law enforcement center, Cole was brought into the booking room for his mug shot. At the counter was Deputy Pam Reed. She was Ed's first hire as sheriff and his biggest regret. "What do you have sheriff?" Pam asked as she stepped around the counter. She was dressed in a low cut custom made uniform top and a matching brown skirt that would make a stripper blush and heels. On her hip was her gun belt with her deputy badge attached.

"You didn't hear from dispatch? This is county commissioner David Cole. He tried to kill me down at the courthouse this morning," Ed said. He pointed to a bullet hole on his shirt and at one above his eye."

"No, I didn't hear anything," Pam replied. "I was late for work."

"Again?" Ed asked. "What this time?"

"Lady problems," Pam replied.

"You always say that, I'm going to have you tested at the clinic if you're late again. Now can you book Mr. Cole?"

"Yes sir," Pam said. She didn't like getting barked at by her boss.

"And what did I tell you about wearing heels to work?"

"I don't have anything else that matches this uniform."

"You can't run in heels, what if you had to do a pursuit on foot?"

"I'd kick them off," Pam said.

"I don't think that would work," Ed replied.

Then Cole spoke up. "Why do you let your deputy dress like a hooker? What kind of fucked up sheriff are you?"

"I'll deal with my employee," Ed said. "You worry about what you're going to say to the judge."

"Are you fucking the help?" Cole asked with a grin.

Pam was livid. "I'm no hooker you asshole!" Pam snapped.

"Where did our fine sheriff dig you up?"

"None of your business," Pam replied.

"I heard you were a stripper before he hired you."

"What I did is none of your business."

"I know what's going on down here, everyone in town does too."

Ed spoke up, "Don't let this asshole get to you. Book him and put him in a cell. Preferably one next to his wife."

"Yes sir," Pam said.

Ed left the room and Pam directed Cole to stand against the wall for his mug shot. She walked back behind the counter and made sure Cole was centered on the screen. Once she was satisfied, she clicked the "Ok" button on the screen and entered his photo into the booking database. This picture would end up on the front page of the paper the next day. Once she entered the booking information, she led Cole out into the jail area of the law enforcement center and put him in a cell next to his wife Anita.

"When do I get my phone call?" Cole asked.

"Whenever you want," Pam replied.

"Why didn't you say that when you were booking me?"

"You didn't ask."

"What a dumb bitch."

"Yeah, well I'm not the one in jail now am I?" Pam asked.

"I want my call now!" Cole snapped.

Anita heard the conversation and spoke up. "David, is that you?"

"Yes dear, it's me," Cole replied.

"What are you doing in jail?" Anita asked.

"Don't say anything, I'll let our lawyer tell you."

# Chapter 3

# Dr. Doom

Dr. Dorn sat in the conference room of the clinic he and his three partners owned. It was seven at night and the clinic was closed but the three other partners called a meeting to discuss something important that they didn't want to say over the phone. Dr. Dorn was a bit nervous and had an idea what the meeting was about, but was hoping for the best. He had recently had a string of medical errors that put the clinic in a bad light and caused an investigation by the state that hurt the clinic's reputation.

The doctor looked at his watch and tapped his foot repeatedly. Then he heard voices in the hall and four men entered the room, his three partners and what looked like a lawyer with a briefcase. The men sat down at the other end of the long wood table as far away as they could. It sent a visual signal that didn't sit well with the doctor in the hot seat.

"Brent, this is Eric Day, he's an attorney we hired." Dr. Newman said.

"We have an attorney," Dr. Dorn replied.

"Yes, but Eric specializes in corporate law."

"What's going on John? What's with all the cloak and dagger bullshit?"

"Brent, we've decided to remove you as a partner in the clinic."

"I see," Dr. Dorn said.

"You had to know this was coming," Dr. Newman said.

"No, not really, I thought you were bigger than this."

"Brent, everyone in town is talking about what you did. We have long time patients that are driving a half hour to Clarks to doctor. We're losing money."

"It was a mistake," Dr. Dorn replied.

"You know that, and I know that, but they don't know the details. All they know is that one of your patients ended up in ICU because of something you did."

"Yeah, and how the fuck did they find out? Who at the clinic has the mouth? Did you bother to find out?"

"That's water under the bridge, what matters now is that as long as you're associated with the clinic, we'll continue to lose revenue," Dr. Newman said.

Dr. Dorn leaned back in his chair and looked at the other two doctors who were too spineless to speak up. "What about you two? Usually you don't shut the fuck up, now you won't say a word."

"Our attorney advised us not to say anything," Dr. Newman said.

"What a bunch of fucks," Dr. Dorn said. "I make a mistake, a mistake you probably made a million times, but when there is an adverse reaction, I get nailed. How many times have you missed a lab and didn't change the dose? Probably happens a few times a year."

"Yes, and I'm sorry, but you got nailed. It's not fair, but shit happens," Dr. Newman said.

The attorney spoke up, "I wouldn't offer any information," the attorney said. "Just keep to the facts as we discussed."

"So that's it?" Dr. Dorn asked. "No meeting to try to fix this problem? Just toss me out like garbage?"

The attorney replied, "You are terminated as of this point, your partners have voted you out of the corporation and you will be paid for your services up to this date. They have included two weeks' severance as well."

"Two weeks? Jesus John, I've worked here for sixteen years," Dr. Dorn said.

"And in those sixteen years you've made a lot of money."

"I'll sue you fuckers if that's all you're offering."

The attorney stated, "According to your corporate agreement, they don't have to pay you anything beyond what you earned. The two weeks' pay is an act of kindness."

"Tossing me out on the street isn't an act of kindness, its bullshit and you know it. In six months nobody would remember what happened and the clinic would be fine. You're scared and acting like idiots. Just let it go."

"No Brent," Dr. Newman said. "The mistake was the straw that broke the camel's back. We had been considering removing you for some time."

"For what?" Dr. Dorn asked. He was pissed.

"Your conduct was below what we consider professional. We had many complaints from patients who said you were rude. Some said downright mean. They said you were sexist, condescending and short with them."

"I tell it like it is, I'm not a pussy doctor like you that lets your patients run you around."

"Pussy?"

"I've seen you give antibiotics to people who don't need them just to shut them up. I've seen family members tell you how to treat their parents, I've seen you kiss so much ass it's embarrassing. I never let anyone push me around. If someone comes in with a cold, they don't leave with 500mg of Levaquin, they leave with a lecture on how antibiotics don't work on viruses."

"Most doctors give antibiotics for colds," Dr. Newman said. He was starting to shake.

"And most of them are wrong, but do you see them getting fired for doing their jobs?"

"You're being fired for not checking an INR and not changing a Coumadin dose. Because of that, the patient bled out so much they had to be hospitalized in the ICU."

"That was the nurse's fault, they didn't get the lab."

"You didn't order it."

"How am I supposed to keep track of every fucking lab draw?"

"You're supposed to order it, we all have to do this," Dr. Newman stated.

Dr. Dorn shook his head, he knew he wasn't going to win or keep his job. "Do you know how hard it will be for me to get new patients? This is a death sentence for me. I'll have to get a job waiting tables after this."

"Sorry Brent, you did it to yourself."

Dr. Dorn swallowed hard and tapped his fingers on the conference room table looking at the ceiling. "So now what?"

The attorney slid a sheet of paper across the long table. "We need you to sign at the bottom of the sheet and initial each section."

Dr. Dorn pulled the sheet in close and read it. It was very official looking and read like a legal document. "No, I won't sign, if you're kicking me out, I want more than two weeks' severance. I'll take you to court and that will cost you way more than that. If you want me gone, I want ten thousand."

"That's not going to happen," the attorney said.

"You'll pay more than ten grand fighting me, give in and pay me."

Dr. Newman signaled to the attorney that he wanted to speak in private. Leaning in, he whispered in the attorney's ear. Once the conversation was done, the attorney addressed Dr. Dorn. "Would you mind stepping out for a while, Dr. Newman has requested a private meeting with the rest of the board."

"I'm still on the board, I haven't signed anything," Dr. Dorn said.

"Please, if you don't step out, we will. It will make things run smoother if you do as we ask."

"Fine," Dr. Dorn said. Frustrated, Dr. Dorn got up and left the room. On his way he had an idea, left the building and walked to his car. At his car, he popped open the trunk and fished out the rifle he kept next to his shotgun and spare tire. This was going to go his way or no way.

Two hours later Dr. Dorn got a call on his cell from the University Hospital. He was the surgeon on call and was needed for an emergency operation to save the life of a man who had been shot in the chest with a rifle. Three other men didn't survive the attack at the clinic he worked at but one was still hanging on for life and now Dr. Dorn was charged to save him.

At the hospital, Dr. Dorn learned that the surviving man was Dr. Newman, who had received three shots to his upper torso, and one that had nicked his descending aorta filling his chest cavity with blood. Once the x rays were examined, and the doctor was scrubbed in, he took his place at the operating table. Laying on his back, draped, tubed and ready to go, was Dr. Newman who was getting closer and closer to his death.

"Scalpel," Dr. Dorn said aloud and the OR nurse handed him a scalpel. With one continuous cut, Dr. Dorn split the skin and tissue along Dr. Newman's sternum to the bone. "Saw," Dr. Dorn said and he was handed a bone saw. With a sharp buzzing sound the saw cut the sternum splitting it in two allowing the doctor access to the chest. "Retractor," Dr. Dorn stated and the nurse handed him the rib splitter. Once in place, Dr. Dorn turned the crank and opened the chest revealing a large pool of blood that had filled the chest cavity. "Suction," the doctor said and the nurse put the tip of the catheter in the pool of blood and sucked the cavity as dry as she could.

"Blood pressure 70/50 and dropping," a nurse said.

"Hang Lactated Ringers, run wide open," Dr. Dorn said. "And another unit of whole blood."

The nurse adjusted the rate on the I.V. and then called the lab for a unit of whole blood to be delivered stat.

Then the doctor stopped what he was doing and leaned back as if he was confused or thinking about something. He looked over to the anesthesiologist and shook his head.

"Something wrong?" the anesthesiologist asked.

"No," Dr. Dorn said as he returned to his patient. "Kelly clamp," the doctor said and the nurse handed him a clamp. Quickly, Dr. Dorn cut open the pericardium and clamped off one of the four main large vessels connected to the heart. Immediately a warning buzzer sounded alerting the staff to an emergency. "Kelly clamp," the doctor said and the nurse handed him another. Once again he clamped off a vessel. He continued this until all four large vessels were occluded.

"What are you doing?" one of the nurses asked. She had never seen a doctor do this before.

"Scalpel," Dr. Dorn said.

The nurse handed the doctor another scalpel and watched as he cut the four vessels, pulled the heart out of the chest and threw it against the wall. It fell to the floor with a wet plop sound.

In shock, the nurse screamed as Dr. Dorn pulled off his surgical mask and tossed it on the floor heading back to the scrub room.

The nurse didn't know what to do so she ran to the phone and called a code. It was too late and emergency measures wouldn't do anything at this point but she followed her training anyway. As she walked back to the operating table, she leaned down and picked up the heart and dropped it in a sterile bucket. The monitor showed asystole.

"Somebody call the police!" one of the other nurses yelled.

Dr. Dorn left the hospital and drove away leaving Dr. Newman dead on the table. He was sure he had killed him back at the meeting but now he was positive. It would only be a matter of time before the law caught up with him, so the doctor decided to go for a nice ride until they did. How about seeing the countryside? The doctor thought to himself. Once he was away from the hospital, he drove down the highway leaving town to head towards the lake. The same lake he and his partners held their annual 4th of July party.

On the radio played some country song that took his mind away from his stressful day as he waited for the lights and sirens to come up from behind him anytime. It took longer than he thought, but eventually he saw the flashing lights of the deputy's car and heard the sirens. He might be fucked, but at least he managed to take down the rest of the assholes with him. That alone put a smile on his face as he recalled throwing Dr. Newman's heart across the room.

Up in the distance, the entrance to the lake came into view. Dr. Dorn slowed down and pulled into the drive that led to the camping area with the patrol car a few feet behind him. He didn't try to run, he just drove slowly looking at the nice trees and grass and he moved closer to the lake. He was planning on giving himself up, but he wanted to do it on his time, not on the law's side. Once he drove to the parking area by the lake, he stopped his car, and rolled down the window anticipating the sheriff, or whoever was working today.

As he looked in his rearview mirror, he watched a deputy step out of the car with his gun drawn. The deputy looked grey and dead, like the sheriff, he too was a zombie, the only other zombie on the force and lead deputy.

"Out of the car!" the deputy yelled. "Hands where I can see them!"

Dr. Dorn opened the door and stepped out facing the deputy. He wondered how this officer could function as a dead man. As a surgeon it made no sense, but here he was face to face with a zombie with a gun and a badge.

# Chapter 4

# Questioning

Sheriff Ed Pool pulled into the driveway at the law enforcement center and stepped out of his patrol car. He had been called in early to work to deal with the capture of Dr. Dorn who had been arrested for the murder of Dr. John Newman and his business associates. He knew he was in for a long haul unless the doctor lawyered up which he half expected. Then a call over the radio from dispatch. "Sheriff, you're appointment is ready."

"10-4," Ed said and entered the building.

Through the bulletproof glass, Ed nodded to the dispatcher who was busy on a call sitting at her station behind a row of computer monitors. She buzzed the sheriff into the interrogation room and went back to her work. Sitting at a table in the small room was Dr. Dorn and across the table sat deputy Pam Reed, still dressed like a hooker in uniform. Ed pulled out a writing pad from the cabinet and sat down across from the doctor. He clicked his microphone and told the dispatcher to start recording of the interview.

"What's going on?" Ed asked. He had only knew a little from what he heard from dispatch. He knew it was a murder case, but that's all.

Pam spoke up, "Dr. Brent Dorn has been arrested for the alleged murder of Dr. John Newman and three other doctors as well as an attorney."

"That's quite the charge Dr. Dorn, what can you tell me about the incident?" Ed asked.

"What are you?" Dr. Dorn asked.

"I'm the sheriff of Colfax County, see my name tag?"

"No, I heard about you, but I never imagined you were for real."

"We're here to discuss your alleged murders, not me," Ed said.

"I'm a doctor, can't you see how strange this seems? I mean, you're dead."

"According to medical standards yes, but there is more to it than that. Now, tell me what happened."

"We have time for that later, I want my questions answered first," Dr. Dorn said. "You won't get anywhere with me until I'm satisfied."

Realizing that this man was not going to cooperate unless he got what he wanted, the sheriff decided to play along. Normally if someone asked him about his past he would refuse, but since this man was a doctor and had a lifelong interest in medicine, Ed decided to answer. "I'll answer your question, but you will answer mine when we're done, right?" Ed asked.

"Absolutely," Dr. Dorn replied.

"So you want to know what I am? I'm a zombie, that's what everyone calls me," Ed replied.

"How? Medically you make no sense."

"The great state of Idaho decided to keep me a prisoner for twenty years while they figured this out. It's on the internet, I'm surprised you haven't looked it up."

"I wasn't interested until I met you face to face," Dr. Dorn replied. "Now tell me how you survive?"

Ed sat back in his chair. He had given this talk a zillion times and almost had it memorized. "I have a gene mutation," was his reply.

"I figured it would be something like that. Go on."

Ed thought he could get away with the simple version, but no, the doctor wanted more. "Fine, we have plenty of time. Pam, can you get some coffee?" Ed asked. Pam didn't like being used as a secretary, but Ed was her boss so she got up and left the room. Her ass sashayed all the way to the door. "Spring of 1843 I was part of a wagon train heading from Missouri to Oregon. We had around two hundred in our section when we came to a pond to water our animals. From what I read years later, this pond was used constantly for watering animals and drinking and never caused a problem, but something was different this time. The water was infested with cholera bacteria. We had no idea what cholera was at the time, but by that night three people were dead."

"That fast?" Dr. Dorn asked.

"Yeah, we were all shocked. By the next day over thirty more were dead and we didn't know what to do. We were used to a rough life, but this was off the charts."

"I studied infectious diseases in school, I don't remember much about cholera. I know it's a water based bacteria."

"I had plenty of time at the university to look it up during those twenty years, and you're right, it lived in the pond water. Anyway, a few hours later I had the shits like you wouldn't believe. I couldn't drink enough to keep me hydrated and then I died. I don't remember dying, it's all surreal to me now. But there were over a hundred that followed me."

"It must have been hell to live back then," Dr. Dorn said.

"Yeah, there I was on a wagon train heading to somewhere I never been before with no money, no plan and then a month later I'm dead."

"Did your family die as well?"

"Yes. We went with another family as sort of a hired hands. I helped with the animals, that sort of thing."

"I see, so then what happened?"

"Next thing I know I'm floating in a river. Turns out it was over a century later and there was a flood that covered the land and caused a bunch of bodies to rise to the surface. Back then they couldn't dig six feet down, they were lucky to dig one foot down. I ended up washed up in a mud pit next to a highway. Things had changed a lot."

"I bet."

"Well I knew something wasn't right, my skin was all grey and I felt weird. All the land around me looked different, it didn't look wild anymore. Not like the prairie I was used to seeing. I dug myself out of the mud and walked till I found a campground. I was starving and looking for help when they attacked me. Looking back I can tell why, I must have looked like something from a horror movie. I managed to kill a man who attacked me and dragged him off into the woods and ate part of him."

"Cannibalism was common back in those days, ever hear of the Donner party?"

"No, but it don't surprise me," Ed said. "So the next thing I know, I'm captured by the state police and hauled to the University of Idaho for study. I spent twenty years there locked up in a lab."

"What did they find out?" Dr. Dorn asked.

"Turns out I have a gene coded for reptilian tooth replication that was turned on. Very rare. Because of that gene, my body changed the way it processed oxygen and my body regenerated itself."

"But you were in the ground for over a hundred years? How did you survive?"

"They said it was hibernation due to the conditions I was in. It was a low oxygen, low light atmosphere. Once I was exposed to fresh air, I snapped out and essentially became alive. Although technically I never died in the first place."

"If that's the case, why don't we have more zombies around now?"

"There were two others from my party that also had the same condition. Thing is, you guys bury your dead so fast and so deep that you never see them. There are probably thousands of zombies buried right now that would be walking around if they could get to the surface."

"That's scary," Dr. Dorn said. "Do you eat?"

"Yes, I have a very slow metabolism. I only require about a thousand calories a month. Because of that I also have less energy than most. I probably couldn't chase down a perp if I had too."

"Do you have a special diet?"

"Man you ask a lot of questions. Yes, I have to eat human tissue, don't know why, but anything else makes me sick," Ed replied.

"And where do you get your food?"

"I get it from a hospital waste facility. They usually burn most of the body parts sent to them, but they save me enough to live on."

"You mean the leg I chopped off a diabetic might end up in your oven?" Dr. Dorn asked.

"I've never eaten a leg, usually I get placentas and gall bladders. Things that are more common."

Dr. Dorn gagged a little. "I've seen a lot in my day as a surgeon, and that makes me sick."

"I might have one placenta a month, come on, it's not that big of a deal," Ed said. "Now are you satisfied?"

"Yeah, thanks," Dr. Dorn replied.

"Now let's get on with my questions. Can you tell me what happened?" Ed asked.

Dr. Dorn smiled and gave a smirk. "I killed those fuckers."

"So you confess?"

"Four operating nurses and an anesthesiologist saw my cut the heart out of Dr. Newman, I don't think I really have a chance to deny it," Dr. Dorn replied.

"Would you like to write out your confession?"

"Sure, no problem," Dr. Dorn replied.

Ed handed Dr. Dorn his notepad and a pen. "I'll have to stay here with you until you're done. In case you try to stab yourself with my pen."

"Good idea, in my condition, I don't know what I'll do," Dr. Dorn said.

Once the doctor was done writing his confession, he slid the pad and pen over to the sheriff and leaned back in his chair. "There you go, oh, and I want immunity from the death penalty."

"That's up to a judge," Ed said.

"What? I'll take back my confession."

"It's on video."

"I don't care. I was joking, I didn't kill anyone."

"I'm giving this to the county attorney. He can sort this out. My job is done," Ed said.

"Wait, I can help you with your condition," Dr. Dorn said.

"Are you trying to bribe me?" Ed asked with a smile. "I had the best doctors at the university studying me and they couldn't change me back. Why should I think you can do anything?"

"I might not be able to change you back, but I can make your life much easier."

"We're still on video, you might want to cut your losses and shut the fuck up now," Ed said.

"Your loss," Dr. Dorn said.

"No, I've been like this long enough to know what I can and can't do. I'll be fine."

"That bullet hole in your head, how long is that going to take to heal only taking in a thousand calories a month?"

"A while," Ed said.

"You're like a diabetic that can't heal, there are ways to fix that."

"If I were a normal human yes, there would be. But not with my condition. Sorry, but you can't help me. And if you could, I wouldn't let you. I don't want someone who rips the heart of a patient on the operating table as my personal physician."

"Fine, you won't last forever. One good trauma and you won't recover."

"I know, that's something I deal with every day."

"You don't have too,"

"I'll have Pam book you and put you in a cell. You'll see the judge in the morning," Ed said as he walked to the door. Ed clicked his radio and told dispatch to send Pam back. "If you have anything else to add, tell my jailor," Ed said.

Ed heard a knock on the door and Pam came back in the room. "Book him, I got what I needed," Ed said as he left Pam to do her work.

"Hey sheriff," Dr. Dorn said. "Don't forget my offer, it's good anytime."

"I'll think about it," Ed said as he left the room. The idea of becoming more human did appeal to Ed, but he knew the doctor was grasping at straws after he realized his screw up not asking for immunity from the death penalty at first. In a way, what the doctor said to him pissed him off, making him feel less human that he already was.

# Chapter 5

# The road to hell

Dr. Dorn stood before the judge dressed in an orange jumpsuit, leg and waist cuffs. Standing beside him was his lawyer Cara Hamilton, a tall thin lanky woman with a long ponytail. The bailiff called out the case and the judge asked the defendant's plea.

"Not guilty your honor," Hamilton replied.

"From what I understand, your client made a full confession yesterday, why are you pleading not guilty today?" the judge asked.

"We contend his confession was coerced your honor,"

"Fair enough, I set bond at one million dollars," the judge said and struck his gavel. "Next case."

Dr. Dorn was led back to the courtroom exit by deputies Pam Reed and zombie officer Matthew Shultz followed by his lawyer. As they left, Hamilton made some comments to Dr. Dorn and they parted ways. The two officers and Dr. Dorn walked down the hallway surrounded by reporters trying to get interviews and pictures. Dr. Dorn reveled in the attention.

One of the reporters shouted, "Dr. Dorn, why did you do it?"

Dr. Dorn paused to address the reporter. "Do what?" Dr. Dorn asked with a grin.

"They call you the surgeon of death, how does that make you feel?" another reporter asked.

"I feel fine, how about you?" Dr. Dorn replied as if he didn't have a care in the world.

The deputies rushed Dr. Dorn down the hall and to the staircase to get away from the reporters who were following close behind. Down the stairs they went and out the front door to the waiting patrol car.

"Is it true you cut out Dr. Newman's heart and threw it against the wall?" a reporter shouted.

Dr. Dorn raised his hands as far as the chains would let him and shrugged his shoulders. "You'll have to ask him," Dr. Dorn replied.

Once in the patrol car, Pam pulled out and drove away from the courthouse towards the jail. She liked the excitement of her job and hoped her makeup and outfit looked good on camera. She wore an especially short skirt today and her favorite six inch black heels. "How did I look?" Pam asked Matthew.

"Like a whore," Matthew replied.

"You're jealous because you look like death," Pam replied pissed.

"Back in my day, a woman who dressed like you would have been treated much differently."

"I bet, back in those days you owned everyone and everything. Things have changed zombie boy, get used to it," Pam replied.

Dr. Dorn decided to get in the conversation. "I think you look great," Dr. Dorn said.

"Thank you," Pam said with a smile. She looked back at the doctor in her rear view mirror through the steel mesh that separated the front and back seats.

"Didn't Dr. Newman do some work on you at some point?" Dr. Dorn asked.

"Don't get me started," Pam replied. She turned and was no longer heading towards the jail.

"Where are you going?" Matthew asked.

"I need to stop at home and get something," Pam replied.

"You can't do that, we need to get him back in his cell."

"I'm on the rag and need to get my tampons, ok?" Pam asked.

"Don't they have those in the women's bathroom?"

"I have an extra heavy flow, I can't use those."

"You can go to the store after we put him back," Matthew said. He was getting nervous and a bit angry.

"If I don't get them now, you'll be washing blood off these seats," Pam said. She was lying, she wasn't on her period at all, and she was attempting to kidnap Dr. Dorn.

"You better call the sheriff then."

"I won't take long, keep your panties on."

"Its procedure to call dispatch, and you know that!"

Pam refused to reply and kept driving towards the edge of town.

"You don't live anywhere near here," Matthew said as he looked out his window.

Pam kept going, heading out of town and onto the gravel road that took her farther and farther away from the law enforcement center.

"What's going on?" Dr. Dorn asked.

"I'm taking you somewhere safe," Pam replied.

Matthew didn't know what to do. Should he pull his gun on his coworker? "Pam, you need to turn this car around now!"

"Matthew, you can go along with me or get the fuck out of my car."

"Explain to me what you are doing," Matthew said.

"Fine, Dr. Dorn did me a huge favor, he killed that fucker who botched my boob job."

"What are you talking about?"

"I had my tits done two years ago, Dr. Newman did the surgery and fucked it up bad. When he was done I had one D cup and one DD. Almost an E cup. He refused to correct the problem and I tried to sue him but I couldn't afford a lawyer on my pay."

"That's malpractice, what lawyer wouldn't jump at that?" Matthew asked.

"Dr. Newman fixed it in his charting to make it look like it was my fault. He wrote a note stating that I was told that there might be a difference in the size and that I agreed anyway."

"Did you sign anything?"

"I signed the authorization for the surgery, but he put the note in after he fucked up," Pam said. "So I was screwed."

"Are you serious?"

Dr. Dorn spoke up, "I remember that, he fucked up those augmentations all the time. You weren't the only woman he pissed off."

"I heard," Pam said. "It would cost me another six grand to fix what he did and I didn't have the money. I cursed that fucker every day after I got out of the shower and looked in the mirror."

"But you don't look uneven to me," Matthew said.

"I wear pads to even them out," Pam said.

"Oh, I never noticed."

"So Dr. Dorn did me a huge favor in killing that fuck. I think I own him something for that," Pam said.

"You'll never get away with this, he'll get captured and you'll go to jail for kidnapping. And what do you think I'm going to do? Just sit here and let you do this?" Matthew asked.

"I'll admit I haven't thought this all the way through, but I can't let my hero die for doing what needed to be done."

"You need to stop the car," Matthew said.

"If I do, you're getting out," Pam said. "You can't use deadly force to stop me, I'm not threatening your life."

"What makes you think I'll get out?"

"I don't think you will, that's why I'm not stopping the car."

"This is pointless. Stop while you're behind. This will only get worse."

Pam thought about what Matthew said. In her heart she knew he was right and that her ill-conceived plan would fail. At this point, she'd be arrested for kidnapping and would be put in a cell next to Dr. Dorn. "This isn't right, when people get what's coming to them that should be it. Dr. Dorn doesn't deserve to be punished."

"Dr. Dorn also killed four other people that night."

Pam pulled over to the side of the road and put the car in park. Frustrated, she hit the steering wheel with her hand and began to cry. "This is so fucked up," Pam said in tears.

"I'm calling for backup," Matthew said.

"Who are you going to call? We only have one patrol car and the sheriff doesn't come on duty till six."

"I'll call dispatch."

"No, don't," Pam said.

"Why not?"

"I'm too far gone to go back now. I'm not going to spend the next ten years of my life in prison," Pam said and clicked the unlock button on her door. Once the button was pushed, all the doors in the patrol car were unlocked, including the doors that held Dr. Dorn prisoner.

"What are you doing?" Matthew asked.

"I'm letting him go," Pam replied.

Matthew fished for his gun and pulled it out. He tried to relock the door but Pam blocked his access. "Nobody move," Matthew said.

The doctor spoke up, "We seem to be at a standstill."

Matthew reached for his radio microphone keeping an eye on Pam and his gun pointed at her chest. He pressed the button and said, "Dispatch, I need assistance on 745 road one mile north of town. Send backup, I have an officer attempting to kidnap Dr. Dorn."

"Please repeat," the dispatcher said over the radio.

"I have an officer attempting to kidnap Dr. Dorn, please send back up to 745 road one mile north of town."

"10-4" the dispatcher replied.

Dr. Dorn smiled and rattled his chains. "Did you know the sheriff before he hired you? I mean back when you guys were on the wagon trail?"

"No, I never met him before," Matthew replied.

"I talked to your sheriff, offered to help him out with your zombie condition."

"I know, he told me."

"I can help you too," Dr. Dorn said.

"No thanks, I'm fine," Matthew replied.

"You realize you won't last forever. With your delayed healing, one good trauma and you won't heal back."

"I'm aware of that."

"I can help you."

"I spent twenty years at the university, they treated me like I was an eggshell. They said there was no way to fix what happened."

"If that's the case, why take a job with such a high risk for injury?"

"There wasn't a lot of opportunities out there for zombies, I took what I could get," Matthew said.

"I'm offering you an opportunity now," Dr. Dorn said.

"What can you do that the university doctors couldn't?"

"Gene therapy."

"They tried that."

"Things have come a long way in the last few years. I know people who can help."

"You're bullshitting me to get away," Matthew said.

"Once I'm back in jail, there won't be another chance. One good fight and you'll be living in pieces."

Matthew knew the doctor was right. If his arm was cut off it would continue to live on due to the way his cells used oxygen. He could in fact live on indefinitely in many pieces. This would be a life beyond hell, living on forever in separate parts. As long as his parts found a food source, he would become the monster he dreaded. "Pull out," Matthew said.

"What?" Pam asked.

"Drive, now, before they get here!"

Pam put the patrol car in drive and took off down the gravel road. "Where am I going" Pam asked.

"In two miles, turn right, head seven miles till we get to the Henderson hog farm and pull in."

Pam followed Matthews's directions and headed towards the Hog operation. "What are we going to do there?"  
"I know the owner, he'll hide us," Matthew replied.

"So will everyone else that's working there today," Pam said.

"It's all I have right now," Matthew said.

# Chapter 6

# Fence post

The next day Ed was high above the ground in a state patrol helicopter searching for the missing fugitive doctor and his two deputies. Nobody knew if the doctor somehow subdued the two officers and escaped or if they took off as a group. Then a call came from a state patrol officer on the ground, they had found the deputies vehicle abandon on the side of the road nine miles from town.

The helicopter landed and Ed got out along with another state patrol officer. They approached the abandon car that was being taped off by state patrol officers at the scene. As Ed approached, he noticed the tires were covered with mud which stood out as odd since it hadn't rained in weeks.

"We didn't find anyone in the car," an officer said. He was writing down information on a notepad. His name was Alan Wagner.

"Did you notice the mud on the tires?" Ed asked.

"Yes, it's a red clay, very common around here."

"I know, but it hasn't rained in weeks."

"They must have been driving near a pond or the river, who knows?" Wagner asked.

"Hopefully you will soon," Ed replied. The sheriff felt groggy and tired. It had been weeks since he had last eaten and knew he should contact the hospital for supplies.

"You alright?" Wagner asked. He noticed Ed was having a hard time focusing on what was going on.

"I need to eat," Ed replied.

"You're diabetic?"

"No, but I get the same way if I don't eat enough."

"I got some gum, will that help?"

"No, sorry, I have to make a call," Ed said as he took out his phone to dial the hospital. Once he had someone on the line, he had the call transferred to the morgue to speak to his contact. Wagner listened to Ed as he spoke. "Yeah, could you send me out something, I'm not feeling my best," Ed said. Then silence while the tech on the other side replied. "That'll be fine, you can send it to my house." Another pause and they said their goodbyes.

"What did you order?" Wagner asked.

"They have two hysterectomies scheduled for today, they're overnighting the results to my house. I should have them by morning."

"Hysterectomies?" Wagner asked.

"Uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes," Ed replied.

"What are you going to do with them? Use them as fish bait?"

"No, I eat them," Ed replied.

"That's fucking sick."

"No more sick than fast food if you ask me," Ed said.

"You're eating human flesh, how can you do that? Isn't that illegal?"

"I have special permission. Most people don't know about it because I don't make it public. Sorry you had to hear that," Ed said.

"What? You have a permit?"

"No, they passed it as part of some farm bill, hid it in there so nobody would know. You can look it up online."

"They passed a law just for you?" Wagner asked.

"Yes, sort of, it was one line in a huge farm bill. They mix up shit all the time in different bills. It's all legal, I have connections to three hospitals for supplies. I call, they deliver and they send me a bill."

"Like ordering pizza?" Wagner asked with a grin.

"Yes, like ordering pizza," Ed said shaking his head. "Now about this car, what have you found out?"

"Well, nobody was in the car, we haven't found anyone or anybody nearby. Like you said, the tires are covered in mud but there are no other obvious marks to be found. Our crime lab truck in on the way to dust for prints and do a fiber search. Nobody's been in the vehicle, we taped it off as soon as we got here."

"Very good, so no signs of foul play, just an abandon deputy's vehicle with mud on its tires and no sign of the passengers," Ed said.

At the Henderson hog farm, Dr. Dorn and the two deputies sat on the ground tied to a metal gate that led to a three acre hog pen. It seems Deputy Shultz contact wasn't as friendly as he thought they would be.

Then a farm hand approached. "Mr. Henderson is coming out to see you," the worker said. He was Hispanic and spoke in a broken accent. Once the worker said what he came to say, he walked off and left the three sitting by themselves.

"I thought you had a friend here?" Pam asked.

"So did I," Schultz replied. "He was always nice to me before."

"Maybe there's a reason why he was nice to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe he had something to hide? Did you ever think of that? He was kissing your ass."

"How would I know?" Schultz asked.

Dr. Dorn spoke up, "Stop arguing, we'll find out soon enough, here he comes."

A large farm truck pulled up and parked next to the fence kicking up dust that blew in everyone's face. The driver's side door opened and a short thin man stepped down onto the ground and approached the three tied to the fence. It was Henderson's son Jason. "What's going on?" Jason asked. He was holding a shotgun.

"Hey, where's your old man?" Schultz asked.

"Out cleaning hog shit, why do you care?"

"Why the hostility?"

"Maybe because a patrol car pulls up on my property."

"You got something to hide?"

It was silent for a moment as Schultz realized he may have hit on something.

"I don't like uninvited guests on my property, especially the cops," Jason replied.

"Sorry, I wanted to talk to your dad about something and I didn't have his number to call first."

"Why would you want to talk to my dad?" Jason asked.

"I needed some help, and still do," Schultz replied. "And may I ask what you did with my patrol car?"

"I had Carlos get rid of it."

"Get rid of it? Why? We didn't do anything wrong."

"You came onto my property uninvited that in my book is wrong. Now what did you want to talk to my old man about?" Jason asked.

"We needed help disappearing," Schultz replied. Once he said the words he regretted them.

"My hogs can make you disappear in about a day."

"We came for help, not to rob you."

"You're trespassing, I have rights."

"You don't have the right to kill us and feed us to your hogs."

"I don't think they'd eat you anyway, you look like you have a disease."

"Technically I do," Shultz said. "They call it zombification."

"If the hogs won't eat you, I'll grind you up and spread you in the field."

"Why are you so hell bend on killing us? Can I speak with your father please?"

"He told me to take care of you myself," Jason replied.

"What's going on? What are you hiding out here?"

Jason got a shit eating grin on his face. "Wouldn't you like to know," Jason stated.

"Yes I would," Schultz replied.

"You don't get to know, it's feeding time in two hours," Jason said. He turned around and got back in his truck. As he drove away, the truck kicked up more dust that blew in their faces.

"Now what?" Pam asked. She had lost a heel as she was pulled from the patrol car and dragged over the ground that covered her in dirt.

"We only have once chance," Dr. Dorn replied. "Matthew will have to tear off an arm in order to get loose from our bindings."

"What the fuck?" Schultz asked. "You want me to rip off my arm?"

"That's the only way, then you can free us," Dr. Dorn replied.

"My other hand will still be tied up."

"Yes, but you will have the freedom to use your free arm to untie us."

"No, I'll still be tied to the fence, just with a torn off arm."

Dr. Dorn thought for a second. "Maybe you're right. "But if you're arm is torn off, you can loop it around the fence and escape."

"Yeah, so I'm free but my hands are still tied together and I have my whole arm dragging behind me tied to my other hand by a rope."

"Run to the shed and find a saw, you can cut off the rope and come back and free us," Dr. Dorn said.

"That still leaves me with a missing arm," Schultz said.

"Better a missing arm than ground up and spread on a corn field," Pam said.

"What makes you think I can tear my arm off like that?" Schultz asked.

"You're a zombie, you were practically dead for a hundred years. You have so much rot that I can't believe you held together in the first place," Dr. Dorn replied.

"Yeah, but they did stuff to me at the university, pumped me full of drugs and did rehab. I'm not like that anymore."

"I still think you should try," Dr. Dorn said.

"I'm sure you do," Schultz said. "It's not your arm."

"Even if I wanted to, I don't have a knife to cut with and I can't chew off my own arm, not like you can."

Pam spoke up. "I agree with the doctor, you should chew off your arm."

"Fuck you both! I'm not chewing off anything."

"Then I guess we're hog food," Pam said.

Schultz sat there shaking his head. He couldn't believe what these two were asking him to do. But at the same time, that seemed to be the only option. He swallowed hard and leaned his head back against the fence thinking about what to do. He desperately wanted a second option."

"We can jump them when they try to feed us to the hogs," Schultz said.

"They'll shoot us while we're tied to the fence," Pam replied. "We won't get that far."

"Is there any way you can get loose?" Schultz asked Pam. "You have smaller hands."

"No, they're tied so tight I can't feel my fingers anymore."

"What about you doc?"

"If I could get out I'd be out by now. Now stop asking stupid questions and start chewing!"

Schultz realized there was no other option. "Fine!" he shouted and turned his head to the right to start chewing.

"Are you right or left handed?" Dr. Dorn asked.

"Right," Schultz replied.

"Then chew off your left arm, you'll need your right."

"I'm really starting to hate you," Schultz said.

"You won't hate me when you're free."

Schultz turned to his left and dug his teeth into his shirt. His teeth weren't strong and ripping through the fabric was very difficult. Tug after tug he managed to make a small hole and get the shirt to tear.

"There you go, good job," Dr. Dorn said.

"Fucking shut up, I don't need a cheering section," Schultz said and continued to tear his shirt apart until he had enough skin exposed to start chewing his arm off. After taking a good long look at the grey dead looking skin on his shoulder, Schultz dug his teeth into his skin and tried to take a bite. It hurt like hell but he knew it was either take off the arm or be hog food.

For the next half hour, Schultz bit into his shoulder and took out chunks of flesh, tendons, veins, arteries and whatever else he could find.

"God that smells," Pam said.

Pissed, Schultz turned and spit some tissue into Pam's hair. "Fuck you Miss America,"

# Chapter 7

# Pam

Ed heard a click on his radio, then his Deputy Matthew's voice. "Sheriff, 10-25 Henderson hog operation, 10-33!"

"10-4," Ed replied into his microphone. "I got him!" Ed yelled to the state patrol officers at the abandoned patrol car. "Henderson hog farm!"

Deputy Matthew Schultz stood inside a large steel building searching frantically for a vehicle to use to escape his captors. Instead, he found his and Pam's guns setting on a bench unattended and empty. After the call to the sheriff he found to his amazement, row after row of what looked like horse tanks filled with seaweed. Above the tanks hung rows of fluorescent grow lights like he'd seen at indoor hydroponic marijuana operations. He stepped in close and looked down into the water trying to figure out what they were growing. Then he heard a gunshot and felt a pelt in his chest. He looked down and saw a hole in his shirt but felt only a prick.

"Get back!" a voice called out.

Matthew didn't move, but spied the man who was yelling at him from across the building standing in an office doorway. "What's this stuff?" Matthew asked.

The man stepped out of the office and walked towards Matthew with his gun pointed at him. "How did you get in here?" the man asked. "And what happened to your arm?"

Matthew looked down at the ground where his left arm lay still tied to his right wrist by a rope. "I chewed it off," Matthew replied.

"Did you call someone?" the man asked as he looked at the radio in Matthew's right hand.

"The sheriff."

"No fucking way!" the man yelled. He aimed his pistol at Matthew's face and shot him in the forehead. Matthew didn't budge. Since he no longer processed oxygen the same way he used to, a lack of blood supply didn't really phase him. Noticing that the deputy was relatively unharmed, the man shot again, and again until he had three shots in Matthew's face. "Why don't you die?" the man asked.

"It will take a while, but I can explain it to you if you'd like," Matthew replied.

"No thanks, I got to get the fuck out of here," the man said. He then turned and took off running out the door leaving Matthew behind.

Once again Matthew bent over and looked at the green leafy plants growing in the horse tank. He reached in and pulled some out to look at it. It looked like the kind of crap he used to clean off his boat propeller if he got too close to the shore when fishing. Nothing special. Then he heard shouting and the sound of cars rushing by the building on the way out to the road. It sounded like the rats were abandoning a sinking ship. At least now he knew something was up and the reason why Dan Henderson was always so nice to him and why his son wasn't.

Walking outside, Matthew saw Pam and Dr. Dorn still tied to the fence and still alive. In the distance, he could hear the sounds of sirens and the sound of a helicopter above. Shielding his eyes, he looked up and saw the state patrol chopper fly in close and touch down in a clear area between the house and the building he was standing by.

Then he heard Pam shout out, "Untie us!"

Matthew stepped over as he dragged his arm on the ground behind him. He could still move the fingers on the hand to his amazement, but then realized he forgot to find a knife to cut Pam and the doctor loose. "Wait a second, I need to find a knife!" Matthew yelled over the sound of the chopper blades. The wind the helicopter kicked up spread dust all over making it hard to see. It also spread the smell of the hogs which caused a huge stink.

Before he knew it, Ed was running up to Matthew waving his arms stopping him from going back into the building. The chopper was shutting down so they could now hear each other. "What's going on?" Ed asked.

"We found some sort of illegal drug operation," Matthew replied.

"What happened to your arm?"

"Had to chew it off to escape."

"What were you doing out here looking for drugs? You were supposed to be transporting the doctor back to jail," Ed asked.

Matthew had to scramble for a good lie. "On the way back, I noticed suspicious activity in one of the hog trucks. I decided to follow."

"Why didn't you call dispatch and tell them?" Ed asked.

Matthew knew his lie was a longshot. "I don't know, I guess I forgot."

"You forgot?" Ed asked.

"I was caught up in what I was doing."

"We can sort this out later, what did you find?"

"In the building, they're growing something in water."

"Show me," Ed said.

"What about Pam and the doctor? They're still tied up."

"They can wait."

Realizing that the troops were on the way, Matthew decided to play along and try to make himself out to be the good guy. He didn't know how long or if it would work at all, because he was sure Pam or the doctor would eventually tell the truth. Returning his focus to police work, he picked up his arm and led Ed into the building.

"Holy shit!" Ed said with his jaw hanging in awe as he looked into a tank.

"You know what this is?" Matthew asked.

"No, but it looks big. You might have stumbled onto something gigantic."

Matthew smiled knowing his stock just went up. "Thanks boss."

"Just so you know, I don't believe any of your story. But this does look good."

"What do you mean?"

"I know about Pam's boob job, she complained about it nonstop. And one of the janitors filled me in on her plan to kidnap the doctor. I just never thought she had the balls to follow through, especially with you in the car."

"You left me alone with her knowing what she had planned? I could have been killed!"

"You're a zombie like me, we don't die that easy."

"Maybe not, but we fall apart, look at my arm!" Matthew said.

"That can be sewn back on," Ed said.

"It will take six months to heal!"

"So you get six months of workers comp. Don't complain."

"What about Pam?"

"What about her?" Ed asked.

"She is just as responsible for this find as I am."

"Was it was her idea to follow the truck?"

"Actually there was no truck, I made that up. We came out here because I knew Dan Henderson, or at least I thought I did. The doctor promised to make me more human."

"So Pam had nothing to do with it."

"I guess not," Matthew replied.

"I think she'll get ten years in the women's prison," Ed said. "Too bad, she wasn't a bad deputy, just held too much of a grudge."

"So now what?"

"First, we get Dr. Dorn back to jail, book Pam and get this, whatever it is looked at."

"What about me?" Matthew asked.

"Depends on what Pam and the doc say. If they toss you under the buss, there isn't much I can do. I can play dumb until then," Ed replied. "As far as I'm concerned, she kidnapped you as well."

Back at the station Ed personally decided to book Pam. He brought along a female officer from the police department to cover him for sexual harassment claims. Once Pam was brought into the booking room, Ed told her to undress.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Pam asked.

"What do you mean?" Ed asked.

"You've been stripping me down with your eyes ever since you hired me, now you get to see it all for free."

"How many perps have you done the exact same thing too?" Ed asked.

"Doesn't matter, it's me that you want to see. Probably jack off after we're done, if you still have a dick."

"Why so hostile? I'm not out to get you," Ed said.

"It's not just you, it's all men. You all want to fuck me anyway you can," Pam replied.

"I know I'm going to get hell for saying this, but you do dress like a dime store whore most of the time, you even had your uniform custom made so your ass would hang out as much as your tits. What do you expect?" Ed asked.

"Just like a man to blame a woman for what she wears. I bet you think women deserve to be raped as well," Pam said.

"No, I don't think anyone deserves to be raped period. But I do think you get what you put out there."

"See, just like a man."

"Take your clothes off, I have to do a full body search before I put you in a cell, you know the procedure, you've done it yourself," Ed said.

"You just want the chance to put your fingers in me," Pam said.

"No, Jill here is going to do that," Ed said.

"While you watch."

"Yep, while I watch, I'm the sheriff, that's my responsibility."

"Like I said, an hour later you'll be in the patrol car jerking off thinking about what you saw. You'd like nothing more than seeing a woman with another woman's finger inside her. You fucking pervert."

"I'm not going to argue with you Pam, you kidnapped the doctor, and this is all on you. I'm the sheriff of Colfax County and you're under arrest. I have a female officer here to do the search and here as a witness. If you won't comply, I'll have you restrained while she does her job," Ed said.

"Fine, do what you want, you call it a search, and I call it rape. Woman or not."

Ed nodded to Jill to get started.

"Please remove your uniform," Jill said.

Pam begrudgingly yanked off her top, then slid down her skirt. From there she removed her bra showing her different sized breasts to Jill and the sheriff. "See, I told you he screwed up my surgery!"

"I'm not contesting that Pam," Ed said. "I'm doing my job."

Pam slid off her panties and stood naked.

"Please turn, bend over and touch your toes," Jill said as she put on a pair of gloves.

Pam did as Jill said and the female police officer did an anal cavity search. Then a vaginal search. Pam stood up and turned around. "Are you happy?" Pam said.

"I'm satisfied, let's put it that way," Ed replied. "Now put on your jumpsuit so I can get you in a cell."

Pam put on the jumpsuit and was led to her cell. She stepped inside and the door was shut electronically by the dispatcher. "I want a lawyer," Pam said.

"I figured you would, that's why we skipped the interview room and put you straight in the cell. Who is your lawyer?"

"My ex sister-in-law, Susan Hanson," Pam replied.

"I'll call her for you, sit tight, no hard feelings. This is strictly business."

In the hallway on the way back to the dispatch, the female officer stopped Ed and pulled him aside. "I need to tell you something," Jill said. "I didn't find anything during the cavity search, but there was something very odd going on."

"What do you mean?" Ed asked.

"When I had my finger inside her, she felt cold."

"What do you mean cold?"

"I can't explain, have you ever touched her before?" Jill asked.

"No, she'd probably sue me for harassment. She's that kind of woman."

"Did you notice she seems to wear an awful lot of make up?"

"Yeah, but I thought that was because she used to be a stripper."

"She's covering up something, I'm not sure what."

# Chapter 8

# 18 months later

Pam stood upon the gallows dressed in a custom made outfit she had designed for her execution. Kidnapping had become a capital offense which carried the death penalty even without the death of the kidnap victim. Her intent to subvert the law by freeing a man who was being tried for the murder of four people was enough to be charged and found guilty. Today, in her low cut shirt, mini skirt and heels, she waited for the executioner to fulfil his duty.

Specially built for the occasion, the gallows stood on the lawn at the corner of the courthouse facing a huge crowd who came to witness the hanging. Along the edges were protesters and vendors both taking advantage of the publicity. And standing next to Pam was the county clerk who was holding a script to read to the crowd. Once the courthouse bells chimed twice signaling it was two in the afternoon, the crowd hushed and the clerk raised the paper to read aloud into a microphone. "Here ye, Here ye, we are gathered today to witness the execution of one Pam Reed, convicted of the kidnapping of Dr. Brent Dorn and Sheriff's Deputy Matthew Schultz."

"She didn't do it!" a voice yelled out from the crowd. "She was framed!"

"Please be silent," the clerk replied. "The ruling of the court is final."

Matthew stood in the crowd off to the side not getting involved in the execution. The sheriff gave him the day off on purpose so he could stay away but decided to come anyway. There was a lot of contention on whether or not Shultz had anything to do with the kidnapping or not. Dr. Dorn wasn't allowed to testify so it was a he said she said between Pam and Schultz.

"Are there any final words you'd like to say?" the clerk asked Pam.

"Yes, I do," Pam said.

The clerk picked up the microphone stand and brought it over to where Pam was standing over the trap door. "Say your peace," the clerk said.

"Ok, first of all, yeah, I kidnapped the doctor. So fucking what? He did the world a favor killing that asshole who botched up my surgery. As far as I'm concerned, he's a hero, not a murderer. And second, I didn't do this alone. Deputy Schultz should be right behind me and he got off with no punishment. Do you think I could kidnap a grown man with a gun?"

"Are you finished?" the clerk asked.

"Screw you!" Pam said to the clerk. "I got two minutes to live and you can't spare me a second of it?"

The clerk backed off.

"I want all of you to know that I was royally screwed over. You will see one day I will be vindicated, but by then I'll be in the ground!" Pam stopped talking and looked away.

The clerk took the microphone and nodded to the executioner to go ahead with his job. Grabbing a black sack from a satchel, the executioner placed it over Pam's head and then placed the noose around her neck pulling it snug. Once he was happy with the placement of the rope, he backed away and walked to the lever that controlled the trap door. Checking with the clerk to make sure it was alright to proceed, the executioner pulled the lever sending Pam down through the trap door towards the ground. Then everyone heard a popping sound and watched Pam's body hit the dirt without her head. Looking up, they saw her head as it dangled from the rope.

The crowd gasped in horror as Pam's body moved on its own without a head.

"It's alive!" someone yelled. "Kill it!"

Pam's body continued to crawl around until it reached one of the upright posts that was part of the gallows structure. The body grabbed the post with both hands and used it to guide itself into a standing position. A bit wobbly, the body managed to right itself and stand facing towards the right side of the crowd trying to keep its balance.

Once the executioner heard the crowd and saw what happened, he pulled up on the rope until the head was back above the trap door and resting on the wood floor. He then leaned down, pulled the rope off the neck and removed the black sack revealing Pam's living head. Her eyes looked at the executioner and her lips and jaw moved, but no sound came from her. Shocked, the executioner pushed Pam's head on the walkway and backed away.

"What's going on?" the clerk asked.

"She's not dead!" the executioner yelled.

"What do you mean not dead?"

"Look for yourself."

The clerk stepped over to Pam's head and moved around until he could see her face. It was then he saw her blink and then her mouth move. "Call the sheriff," the clerk said.

"I'm already here," Ed said as he climbed the stairs of the gallows. Once to the top, he ran over to where the clerk was standing and looked down at Pam. "What the fuck?" Ed asked.

"Do something," the clerk said.

"Do what? This looks more like a medical issue."

"She's supposed to be dead."

"What am I supposed to do about it?"

"Kill her."

"You tried that, I think it's illegal to do it twice," Ed said.

"Then remove her, we can't have a scene. The television people will put this on the news."

"I'm sure it already is, those are live trucks parked around the courthouse."

The clerk shook her head in disgust. "This is your problem, I'm a clerk, and you're the sheriff, take care of it."

"Maybe you should get a judge on the phone, or maybe the mayor," Ed said.

"I don't have time for such nonsense. My job is done, good day," the clerk said and she walked away to the steps and left Ed behind to figure this mess out for himself.

The first thing Ed thought of was to address the crowd so he walked over to the microphone and raised his arms to get everyone's attention. "Excuse me!" he yelled. "I need your attention. We seem to have a situation here and I need for all of you to please vacate the area. We have a possibility of biological contamination and for your own safety, you need to go." Ed thought that was a pretty good lie and might actually work until he could figure out what was going on.

Then a reporter ran up to the front of the dispersing crowd with a camera person yelling, "Sheriff! What can you tell us about this botched execution?"

"Botched execution? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Look down here, her body is still alive!"

"Don't believe everything you see, now get back in your truck before you get sick."

"What kind of contamination are you talking about?" the reporter asked.

"What kind of stupid are you? I said get back in your truck. You want to die?"

"Does this have something to do with you being a zombie? Did you spread some sort of virus that brings back people from the dead?"

"No comment, now move along."

"Are you spreading a disease?"

Ed was at the end of his rope and about ready to shoot the reporter for being a pest. "If you don't leave now, I will have you arrested for unlawful gathering. I told you this area is unsafe and you need to leave!"

Ed looked down and watched as the reporter told his camera person to get a good close up of Pam's body as she balanced herself against the gallows uprights.

"You got to the count of ten to move or I'll do what I have to, to make you leave!" Ed yelled.

"We have rights!" the reporter yelled. Then the reporter told the camera person to point the camera up at Ed. "You do anything to us and it will be live on television!"

Ed knew he was fucked and decided to back off. He then reached down and picked up Pam's head and noticed something he never saw before. With her make up smudged, she looked a lot like him. Like a zombie. "Pam, I hope you can hear me, is there something you want to tell me?" Ed asked.

Pam moved her lips but no sound came out.

"Stop," Ed said. "I'm going to ask you a question, if the answer is yes, blink once, if it's no, blink twice."

Pam blinked once.

"Are you a zombie?"

Pam stared at Ed and didn't blink at first, then she blinked once.

"So there were more than three of us that survived the cholera?"

"Pam blinked once again.

"Where have you been living all this time? Never mind, I'll figure that part out later."

That night, Ed came to the hospital where a surgeon had attached a hose from where Pam's trachea tore apart on her body to the same spot on her head so she could talk. Her head rest between two pillows on a bench while her body sat in a chair next to it. Although raspy, she could be heard and understood.

Ed sat down beside her on a hospital bed with a notepad in his hand. "Hi Pam, I see they got you all hooked up."

"Yes," she replied.

"Earlier I asked you about where you've been all this time, I'd like you to fill me in if you could," Ed said.

"While you were being held prisoner at the university, I was out living a life," Pam replied.

"Did you look like me or Matthew? I mean we don't blend in well."

"I learned how to use make up fast. At first I played like I was sick, but it wasn't hard to blend in," Pam replied.

"How did you support yourself? Where did you live?" Ed asked.

"I did what I did before I got the disease. I found a job doing housework and cooking for families. I got paid under the table and there was no trace of me."

"Why didn't you seek help? You could have gone to a hospital."

"I spent my life living on my own and making my own way. Going for help wasn't something I was comfortable doing. Plus I wasn't that hungry most of the time and only required a roof over my head."

"Then how did you get into law enforcement? Why did you apply for the deputy job?"

"To get close to my own kind. You and Matthew never hid what you were, and I admired that. So in a way I wanted to share what I was going through with people who also were going through it."

"Why didn't you come out and tell me right away?"

"I figured you'd find out eventually," Pam said.

"And what about this boob job? You were asking to be found out."

"I was found out, but the doctors can't legally say anything."

"So Dr. Newman knew all along you were a zombie."

"Yes. And so did his partner Dr. Dorn."

"Is that why you kidnapped him?"

"No, I kidnapped him because he killed that fucker Dr. Newman."

"How did you expect any doctor to do surgery on someone whose body no longer functions like a regular person? You set him up to fail."

"He could have fixed what he did, he refused," Pam said. She was pissed.

"We don't heal at the same rate as normal humans. It would take years for your boob job to look right."

"I gave him long enough."

"How long?"

"I said long enough."

"You've never been a patient woman."

"He got what he deserved, I didn't kill him," Pam said.

"You said Dr. Dorn also knew, why didn't you blame him?"

"I did at first, for not sticking up for me, but when he blew that fucker away, he became my hero."

"Interesting, so now your head and your body is connected by a tube. That's going to take years to heal as well."

"They can put in rods till it's healed, you won't be able to tell the difference," Pam said.

"Yeah, but you're also supposed to be dead, by court order."

"No, double jeopardy, I'm a free woman," Pam replied.

"I don't think it works that way," Ed replied.

# Chapter 9

# The next week

Pam sat in a cell at the courthouse awaiting her fate. The county attorney put in a request that the execution be held again, this time by a method that would be sure to end Pam's life. From what she heard, the recommendation was burning at the stake or put in a wood chipper. Then she heard the sheriff walking down the hall talking to a woman, the voice she recognized as her lawyer and ex sister-in-law Susan Hanson.

"How are you doing today?" Hanson asked as she approached the cell.

"They reattached my head, temporarily," Pam replied. "They have to order some parts to make it permanent."

"I have news for you," Hanson said.

"Are you coming in the cell?" Pam asked.

"Yes," Susan said as she looked to the sheriff.

"Sorry," Ed said and signaled the dispatch to open the door.

With a clink and a clunk, the door slid open and Hansen stepped inside. Ed signaled for the door to shut and walked away leaving the two women to discuss Pam's case.

"What's the news?" Pam asked.

"Well, the bad news is that the county attorney wants to hold a second execution as soon as possible, tomorrow if he can get away with it."

"Is there good news?"

"Yes, the ACLU called and offered their services. They are in agreement that since you are one of only three known zombies that your sentence should be commuted to life. They also disagree with the decision to make kidnapping a capital offense."

"Why is it a capital offense? Nobody died," Pam asked.

"It wasn't always like that, the law was changed a few years back due to some knee jerk reaction to some crybaby politician who was kidnapped. He made it his mission to change the law and got his way. You have protesters outside the jail right now."

"I do? Cool," Pam said. "So now what?"

"So now I go down to the courthouse and put in a motion to have your execution stayed until we can get this straightened out," Hanson said.

"What if he says no?"

"They always say yes, if he says no the ACLU will file and if the judge loses on appeal he won't get reelected."

"So I'm safe for now," Pam stated.

"Yes, for now," Hanson replied. "But I do have to say that there are protesters out there who are against you as well."

"What? Why?"

"They think you're going to get special treatment because you're a zombie. They don't think you should be able to get around the law just because of what you are. To them, the law is the law," Hanson said.

"Fuck them," Pam said.

"I'm not here to agree or disagree with them, I'm here to serve my client to the best of my abilities. But I'd watch out if I were you. If any reporters get ahold of you, don't say a word. If it gets out that you're a belligerent bitch, they'll roast you out on the courthouse lawn in a second."

"Will I have another trial?" Pam asked.

"No, you've been convicted, the issue is the punishment. We'll stand before a judge again to argue, but you will serve some sort of punishment. Just depends on what the judge says," Hanson replied.

Two days later Pam and her lawyer were in the courtroom of Judge Vern Bramhall ready to make the argument that another attempt at killing Pam was double jeopardy. They were also going to claim that Pam was no longer human and therefore human laws no longer applied to her. The last argument was that she was rare and that killing her would be tantamount to species extinction. They were confident that one of the arguments would work and that Pam would receive life in prison and not execution.

"All rise," the bailiff said and everyone stood as the judge entered the chambers.

"You may be seated," the judge said and everyone sat down.

"Your honor, we have Reed versus the county of Colfax," the bailiff said aloud.

"What does the county have to say?" Judge Bramhall asked.

The county attorney stood up and walked away from his table. "The county asserts that the condemned serve out her sentence of death immediately that is all."

"How does the defendant respond?' the judge asked.

Hanson stood up and stated, "We contend that another attempt at killing my client would put her in double jeopardy, we also contend that since she's a zombie and no longer human, that human laws no longer apply to her. And lastly, we call upon the court to realize that as a zombie, she is one of only three living examples alive today. Killing her would be a tragedy of epic proportions."

"Thank you, the county will begin arguments," the judge said.

The county attorney stood again and found a spot to stand halfway between his table and the judge's bench. "I would like to address all three points made by the defendant one at a time. First, double jeopardy does not apply to the punishment phase of a court action. It only applies to the trial itself, once the defendant was found guilty of the capital crime of kidnapping, her options were gone. In double jeopardy, you can't be tried for the same crime twice, but there is no provisions for not being executed twice.

The second point I will address will be the contention that the defendant is no longer human and no longer is subject to human laws. The defendant has not brought in any medical experts to establish her claim as fact. Just saying the defendant isn't human doesn't make it so. She may be different than the rest of us, but that doesn't make her anything else. She had human parents, I've never heard of anything but a human born from a human. She may be a zombie, but to me that's neither here nor there.

The third point I want to address is the claim that executing the defendant would be the same as exterminating a species. There is no scientific proof that zombism creates a different species. From what I have read, it's more like a medical condition, like leprosy or flesh eating bacteria. I don't claim to be an expert in the medical field, but I believe it is apparent that the defendant is not a separate species and in fact is as human as the rest of us," the county attorney said.

"How do you reply?" the judge asked Hanson as the county attorney sat down.

Hanson stood up with papers in her hand. "I have medical studies that proves the county wrong," Hanson said as she held the paper up for everyone to see.

"Did you provide those to the county?" the judge asked.

"Yes your honor," Hanson replied.

"Go on."

"According to the studies done at the University of Idaho, zombism is more than a medical condition. It actually changes the persons DNA. It creates a new species. Zombies can't breed with other humans that is one of the hallmarks of what makes a species."

"If this is true, why didn't you bring it up at trial?" the judge asked.

"I didn't know this evidence existed at trial. It wasn't until yesterday that one of the professors at the university read about the trial and brought me this information."

"Let me see that," the judge said. The bailiff took the paperwork from Hansen and set it on the bench. "I'll read this in my chambers later, what else do you have?"

"We do contend that attempting to execute my client would be double jeopardy. There is a case in Ohio right now of convicted killer Romell Broom who was repeatedly stuck with IV needles at his execution. They couldn't find a vein and survived and is now suing to have his execution stayed permanently due to double jeopardy," Hanson stated.

"Objection!" the county attorney stated. "I've read about that case, they never got the injection started so there is a claim that there was no execution to start with. You can't have double jeopardy if the procedure didn't occur. If the lethal injection made it into his body and still survived, I'd see your point, but they never got that far."

"I'll take that into consideration," the judge said. "I can't rule on that until I do some research. Is there anything else you want to say?"

"We rest your honor," Hanson said.

"Does the county have any further arguments?"

"No your honor," the county attorney stated.

"We will recess until tomorrow at two, I should have my decision by then," the judge said.

Back at the law enforcement center, Ed came to Pam's cell with some papers in his hand. He was smiling and trying not to freak his former deputy out. He rattled the papers and got her attention. "How's it going?" Ed asked.

Pam sat up from lying on the cold steel bench dressed in her orange jumpsuit. "I don't know, I think I have a good chance, but it could go either way. What do you have there?" Pam asked.

"This is the report from the Henderson hog farm. Remember those water tanks filled with pond scum? Turns out the Henderson's were trying to cross lake plants with pot and make some sort of hybrid."

"What the fuck?" Pam asked.

"They had some ingenious plan to hide a drug operation by growing it in lakes and ponds. They figured nobody would look for it there."

"What did they find?"

"Turns out hog farmers should stick to farming hogs. All they did was get busted for growing the pot. The water plants didn't do anything. They would have been better off putting fish in those tanks, at least then they could have started a bait shop," Ed said.

"They shot Matthew over some stupid science experiment?" Pam said with a smile.

"Yes, and because of that, the Henderson's are now either in jail or the state penitentiary. The farm was seized and the hogs were sold off."

"What a bunch of dumb fucks," Pam said.

"I thought that might cheer you up."

"Yeah, thanks," Pam said. "Have you heard anything about my case? Are they putting up a wooden stake outside the courthouse to burn me up?"

"I hear rumors, but rumors don't mean shit," Ed said.

"What kind of rumors?"

"Coffee shop rumors, I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, you brought it up, what have you heard?" Pam asked.

Ed hesitated and shuffled around. "Just some assholes saying you're not going to win, you know how people talk in this town."

"Yeah, I do," Pam said. "They're probably printing t shirts right now that say burn the zombie. People are assholes."

"Exactly, so don't get worked up about it. I'm sure the judge will do the right thing," Ed said.

"I've been on the stand in his court plenty of times testifying. I'm not a big fan of his," Pam said.

"Then why didn't your lawyer ask for a different judge?"

"Because Judge Bailey would have been ten times worse," Pam replied.

"You're probably right about that," Ed said. "I think you have a great case, don't worry about it, you'll be fine."

"That's easy for you to say, you're on the other side of the bars."

"Hey now, they did say I'm a freak too you know. This affects me as well."

"Like how?" Pam asked.

"If they rule you're not human, that means I could lose my social security, not be able to have a driver's license, all sorts of shit. I might lose my job as sheriff and end up living on the street begging for food."

"You eat human flesh, who's going to give you that?" Pam asked.

"That brings up an interesting question, where did you get your food all these years? You didn't have a contract with a hospital,"

Pam looked away and didn't answer.

# Chapter 10

# Trinity

Pam was called to stand to hear the decision the judge made in the argument on whether or not a second execution would be double jeopardy. Standing beside her was her lawyer and ex sister-in-law Susan Hanson.

"All rise," the bailiff stated and the judge took his seat.

"Be seated," the judge said as he gathered his papers before him. "This was a first a difficult decision but became very clear to me once I looked at the law and the evidence. The issue that led me to my decision was whether or not the defendant was in fact a human and fell under the umbrella of human law. The issue is what makes a human a human? Is it how you were born? Can that change over time? It leads to the very idea of having a soul. If indeed the defendant was born human and somehow evolved or morphed into something else, did her soul stay with her or leave?

I do realize I am speaking from a religious point of view, but science has not defined what a human is now that we have zombies living amongst us. It is obvious from the science that something has changed, but the very definition of human no longer covers the zombie population. Yet they exist and have most of the human characteristics we humans do. So I had to abandon that line of thinking and go with what I consider to be the law. I had to do this because in my gut I feel that zombies are not human and are not covered by human law. In saying that, the trial that sent her to the gallows should never have taken place. But it did and we can't go back and change that.

Therefore, as I see it, since the defendant did go through with the execution, an illegal execution at that. She should not be executed again. Not under the law as it reads. Until the lawmakers can address the zombie population, and include them in our laws, I rule that the defendant, Pam Reed be allowed her freedom."

The crowd erupted once the judge's decision was read. It was a bombshell as most people expected to see Pam burned at the stake later that day. A wooden pole had been erected in the courthouse lawn just to accommodate that very event.

Sheriff Ed Pool stood at the back of the gallery and felt very nervous. He could see he had a mob in the making who were planning on seeing a zombie burn to death and now were very disappointed. As a zombie himself, Ed felt like his life was in danger. Then he heard a voice on his radio, it was Matthew. "Sheriff, you better come out here, there's a group of kids messing with your patrol car."

"10-4" Ed said and took off out the door and out of the courthouse. What he saw was a group of ten or so high school aged kids rocking his patrol car side to side as if they were trying to tip it on its side. With a rush of adrenaline, Ed took off running across the lawn, past the wood stake and over to his car. He drew his gun and pointed it in the direction of the crowd. "Back away!" Ed yelled.

The mob stopped rocking the sheriff vehicle and turned to face Ed. One of the kids stepped close and raised his arms as to say shoot me.

"Get away from the vehicle," Ed said. He tried to use a calm steady voice.

"You're not human, I don't have to do anything you say," the kid said. His name was Mike.

"That's not what the judge meant, and he doesn't have the ability to make that ruling. I'm as much a human as you are."

"You're in denial, he said you're not human, don't you listen? If you're a human, why do you look like a freak?"

"It's part of the disease process, I have an illness, that's all."

"Illness my ass you're an aberration of nature," Mike said.

"You need to back off and disperse, this is an illegal gathering," Ed said.

"You don't have the right to tell me what to do anymore, you're not the sheriff."

"Until I am recalled by the county, or I quit, I'm the sheriff, now I said disperse!"

"How are you going to make us do anything? There's one of you and ten of us."

Ed knew the kid was right, how he was going to stop them when he was so greatly outnumbered. Looking back, rushing the scene was a bad decision. He called dispatch. "I need backup at the courthouse, send state patrol," Ed said.

The dispatcher replied, "10-4."

Then Ed saw a pickup pull up to the curb and two men jump out and walk to the back. They pulled out two more long wood poles and dragged them across the lawn to where the first pole was erected for the burning of Pam. In his mind he had an idea that those two new poles were for him and Matthew. Once the mob turned into a riot, he wouldn't stand a chance. But his vehicle was blocked and he had nowhere to go.

"See that?" Mike asked. "You and your deputy are going to join that bitch on the pole."

Now Ed began to panic, he needed to get away before these kids grabbed him. "You lay a finger on me and I'll put a bullet in your brain," Ed said as he pointed the gun at Mike's face.

"Somebody shoot the fucker, he won't die so aim for his gun," the Mike said.

One of the kids ran over to his truck and pulled a deer rifle out of the back seat. He brought the rifle back and tried to hand it to Mike. "No, you shoot him," Mike said.

"He's the sheriff," the kid with the gun said.

"Not anymore."

Then a shot rang out and the gunman bolted to the right. He turned back with a draining bullet wound in his chest. The sheriff didn't shoot so they knew someone else did but no one knew who it was. Then a call from Ed's radio. "Tell them if they don't back off I'll shoot again," Matthew said.

Ed spoke into his radio, "They hear you loud and clear."

The kids knew the deputy was hiding somewhere taking aim at them. And they knew it was time to go. "If I were you, I'd be leaving soon," the Mike said. "On second thought," Mike added as he looked over Ed's shoulder.

Ed turned to see another mob coming his way. This group was armed and was made up of mainly pissed off adults. "Tie him up," one of the men yelled. "They got the poles in the ground."

Ed looked over at the courthouse and saw that the spot where the single pole was erected now had three side by side.

"What are you doing Stan?" Ed asked.

"We expected a roast and damn if we're not going to have one!" Stan replied.

"That's murder and you know it!"

"I don't see it that way Ed, I see it as exterminating a diseased freak. You never should have been voted in as sheriff in the first place. I don't know what the people of this county were thinking."

"My deputy has a rifle and he's going to shoot you if you touch me," Ed said.

"No, he's being dragged down off the clock tower as we speak. He'll be tied up soon," Stan replied.

"I didn't commit a crime, neither did Matthew."

"Like I said, you have a disease and I don't want you infecting everyone. We're doing the world a favor."

"I had a disease, I had cholera, I don't have it anymore."

"You look like a dead man, you scare the kids when you come around. People despise you and your kind," Stan said.

"That's no reason to kill me," Ed said. "According to the university, I'm not contagious."

"What about the woman?"

"Didn't you read the papers? She was a zombie to start with, she was hiding this whole time!"

"No, she was in your jail and you infected her. Now she's like you," Stan said.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. You're going to burn me to death based on incorrect information! You're letting your emotions get to you!" Ed yelled.

"I'm not stupid sheriff," Stan said. "Now give me the gun."

Ed raised the gun and pointed it at Stan's face. "No," Ed said. "Take it from me if you're so smart."

"You're prolonging the inevitable, give me the gun."

"You think I'm going to give up that easy? I died once, I've been through more hell than you'll ever know and I never gave up. Fuck you Stan," Ed replied.

Then Ed felt someone slam into his side and tackle him to the ground. Before he could let off a shot his gun was pulled from his hand and he was dragged across the lawn to where Pam and Matthew were being tied to poles. Raised up on a ladder, a group of men held Ed against the last erect pole while another man wrapped rope around his body securing him. All around the base of the poles was chopped wood that was scattered around and piled up for the fire.

It took only a few minutes to tie up the three zombies to the wood stakes. It took less time than that for a huge crowd to form to watch the show. No one stood up to speak on behalf of the crowd and no one spoke on behalf of the three zombies that were about to meet their fate. Two men poured gasoline on the wood and another tossed on a match lighting up the fuel in a blaze that consumed the three in an instant.

The next day in the paper, it read that a mob had taken the three zombies and murdered them in cold blood on the courthouse lawn. The state patrol came in and found the men who had set the fire and placed them into custody. In the ashes of the fire, a single arm was found, still moving on its own. It was determined that the arm belonged to deputy sheriff Matthew Schultz and was sent to the University of Idaho to be kept for study. It was true that zombism is not a disease and that it can't be transmitted like the flu, but it did scare a lot of people. The same people who found it so easy to murder three innocent victims because they looked different than anyone else.

In the law enforcement center, a plaque was hung to commemorate the three zombies who had worked for the sheriff's department and how they died that morning. The county commissioners considered for a time renaming the law enforcement center the "Ed Pool memorial law enforcement center" but it was decided not too since it would remind everyone around what a horrible atrocity was done. The last thing Colfax County needed was bad publicity that made the towns people seem less human than the zombies they killed.

# Sorority Haze

(Bonus Story)

## Chapter1

## Grandview Cemetery - 1969

Sarah Elliott stepped out of the back of the van and joined her fellow sorority pledges who had gathered by an old weathered mausoleum. It was eleven forty at night at the top of the Grandview Cemetery and the girls were nervous and scared awaiting what the sorority sisters had planned for them. Hazing was always frowned upon, but seemed to be a normal part of Greek life and a tradition that was hard to break.

"Off with your clothes," Justine Carrington said. She was the self-appointed leader of the sorority sisters for tonight, and she reveled in her imaginary power.

She watched as the group of five pledges undressed. "Not all, keep your bra and panties on. And put your shoes back on when you're done," she added.

The girls complied and undressed down to their underwear.

"Put your clothes in a pile over there," Justine said pointing to a spot between the pathway and the van. "Then line up on the side of the road."

The cemetery was large, almost a half mile long at its longest. It dipped down and rose across the uneven contour cut into sections by the roadways that crossed from side to side. The only light came from the mercury vapor bulbs on the light poles that lit the various roadways. Other than a few lamps here and there, the area was dimly lit and dark in most areas.

"Listen up girls," Justine said. "You are to walk across the cemetery and meet at the front gates. You will each go alone. If I catch you walking together, you will be punished. Do you understand me?"

The girls nodded and said, "Yes sister," in unison.

"At midnight, I will let you go one at a time. I expect you at the gate by twelve thirty. If you chicken out, or come back to the van, you're out."

Justine checked her watch and went back to the van. She sat on the back and talked to another sorority sister keeping an eye on the five girls who were now shaking in fear. One was in tears and sobbing.

"No crying!" Justine yelled. She stood up and walked over to the girl in tears. "What's your name?" Justine asked.

"Sarah," she replied.

"Sarah who?"

"Sarah Elliot."

"Why are you bawling?"

"I'm scared," Sarah replied.

"What? You're afraid of the dark?

"Yes sister," Sarah replied.

"What pledge is afraid of the dark? All you have to do is walk to the front gate. How hard is that?"

"I can't see anything, and cemeteries scare me."

Justine looked down at Sarah trying to intimidate her. "You go first," Justine said.

"Please, no," Sarah replied.

Justine looked out to the graveyard and saw how dark it actually was. The section they were on was one of the highest parts of the cemetery and dipped down quickly towards the middle. The lights that did shine on the headstones was harsh and left long dark shadows that hid what was behind.

"If you want to quit, now's your chance," Justine said. "Are you a quitter?"

Sarah looked from side to side and saw the other girls looking at her. She wanted to fit in so bad and knew that she was going to be kicked out if she didn't comply. "No sister, I'm not a quitter," Sarah replied.

"You better get back on the van, I don't want the other girls to have to see you cry."

"I'll stop," Sarah replied.

Justine stepped in close and looked Sarah in the eye. "If I see another tear on your cheek, you're done. You can pledge some other sorority. You got me?"

"Yes sister," Sarah replied.

Justine looked at her watch. "Close enough, you can go," she said and pointed to the gates across the cemetery. They were well lit and easy to spot.

Sarah took a few steps and stopped. She hesitated for a moment and then left the driveway for the grass of the cemetery. It didn't take long for her to disappear into the darkness and out of view of the other girls.

Twelve forty came and left without any sight of Sarah. She didn't make it to the front gates with the other four pledges and Abby Morris was getting nervous. Abby was a sorority sister and next in line behind Justine. "We need to go find her," Abby said.

"Give her time, she'll make it," Justine said.

"The other girls made it here in less than fifteen minutes. Something's wrong."

"Ten more minutes, then we go look."

"She might be hurt, I don't think we should wait."

"Fine, go look," Justine said and Abby left with another sister.

Justine walked to the van and leaned against it. She should have cared more about Sarah, but she was a self-proclaimed bitch.

"I think we should call the sheriff," Lucy Holloway said, she was another sister.

"Are you kidding? I'm not going to jail. She'll turn up sooner or later."

"Do we have a flashlight?"

"I didn't bring one, this should have been easy. When I pledged, I made it across the cemetery easy. Once you get used to the dark, you can see fine."

"Maybe someone got her."

"Who? We're the only ones out here."

"No, there's the caretaker house," Lucy said pointing to the house to the right. The lights were on and a lamp lit the grounds.

"They had no idea we were coming. I didn't call them in advance," Justine said. "We are trespassing you know."

"Yeah, maybe they saw us drive through the gates and decided to check on us for themselves. Who knows what kind of creeps live there?"

Justine looked at her watch. She was getting a bit antsy and was hoping Sara would be found soon. Then she heard the voice of Abby speaking manically as she neared.

"What's going on?" Justine asked.

"I found her bra and panties!" Abby replied. "She didn't get fifty yards before they got to her."

"Who is 'they'" Justine asked.

"I don't fucking know! They took her and left her clothes behind!"

Now visibly nervous, Justine had a change of heart. "Ok, let's get the sheriff" she said.

"About fucking time," Abby said.

"I told you." Lucy replied. "Now it might be too late.

"Everyone get in the van!" Justine said. She got in the driver's seat, turned on the van, hit the lights and headed down the path out the front gates onto the main road.

Six in the morning the sun was rose over the horizon and the sheriff and his deputies were again scouring the cemetery looking for any trace of Sarah. Justine sat on the back edge of the open van with her head in her hands trying to stay awake. She had been up since the police arrived five hours ago and was exhausted.

"I don't think they're going to find her," Abby said. "I think she got lost and is in some ditch dead."

"No, she got scared and took off, that's all. She'll show up in town."

"Naked?" Abby asked.

"Yes, naked. She freaked out and ripped her underwear off and took off running. I'm sure she's in town by now. Don't worry."

The sheriff drove his car up the car path and parked behind the sorority van. He got out with a clipboard in his hand and a very determined look on his face. He had spoken with Justine several times since arriving at the cemetery, but with no leads, he needed to talk to her again." Did you or any of the other sorority girls know Sarah prior to tonight?"

"I've seen her at the house, but I was never introduced to her," Justine replied.

"Is that normal? I mean don't you gals get to know your pledges before you try to fuck with them?" the sheriff asked.

"Sometimes yes, this was a last minute activity and I was conned into doing it."

"Activity?" the sheriff asked. "You mean hazing. There is difference."

"I went through the exact same thing three years ago, nobody ever got hurt."

"Something was bound to eventually go wrong. You were living on borrowed time. I think I may have to take you down to the station for to be booked," the sheriff said.

"Booked? You don't even know if a crime has been committed, how can you book me?" Justine asked.

"We have a missing person and you are directly responsible. The other members said you were in charge."

"But I didn't do anything!"

"You sent a girl into the dark, after she expressed she was scared. I was told you bullied her into going. Is that correct?" the sheriff asked.

"She could have said no, or refused," Justine said.

"You coerced her, not the same thing. I need for you to get in my car."

"This is bullshit."

"I need to do a formal interrogation. We'll see how it goes from there. I might release you if I don't feel I have the evidence to book you. Ok?"

Justine got up off the back of the van and walked to the sheriff's car. He came up behind her and said, "Hands behind your back."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"I have to treat this like any other arrest for now," the sheriff explained.

Justine put her hands behind her and was handcuffed. The sheriff opened the back door and placed her inside. With a slam of the door, he got in the driver's seat and took off down the car path out of the cemetery and towards the law enforcement center.

The other girls watched in horror as Justine was taken into custody. They didn't have much else to do to help and wanted to go home. The trip to the law enforcement center was long and slow as they drove past the half mile length towards town. The drive gave Justine the chance to look at the cemetery as it passed by at twenty miles an hour. The one thing that caught her eye was a backhoe that was digging out a new grave on the north side. She didn't remember seeing it on her way to the cemetery last night, but it was very obvious in the daylight.

"Did you check there?" Justine asked from the backseat?

"Check where?" the sheriff asked.

"That new grave, did you check to see if she is in there?"

"Of course not, it's a new grave. It's not like the grounds crew is going to toss a body they found into a new hole they just dug."

"That would be the perfect place to hide her."

"No, that would be terrible place to hide her," the sheriff replied. "You're assuming the grounds crew is in on a murder. All we have now is a missing person's case."

"You need to go back and look."

"If it's a new grave it will be open until the funeral. I can check back later. We need to get your interview done first."

"But it may be too late by then!"

From what I was told, you didn't really give a shit about her all that much last night. Now all of a sudden you care?"

"You're blaming me for her disappearance."

"As well I should," the sheriff said. "From what I've learned, it is your fault."

"I didn't take her!"

"Maybe not, but you're the responsible party. You put her in harm's way. The jury will see it that way and if they don't find her alive, you will spend the rest of your life in prison. Or get the chair.

# Chapter2

#

# Grandview Cemetery - Present day

Standing at the highest point of the cemetery, the same place the sorority has been hazing the pledges for over forty years, Ellen Scott read from a tablet. "In September of 1969, pledge Sarah Elliott disappeared during an initiation ceremony held at the very spot you are standing. Her body was never found and former sister Justine Carrington spent four years in prison for manslaughter until she committed suicide by hanging herself in her cell in 1972."

The six new pledges stood in a line, like all pledges before them dressed only in their bra's, panties and shoes ready to traverse the cemetery at midnight. The hazing event was always scary, but now with the true legend of Sara Elliott and Justine Carrington hanging over them, the ceremony took on a monumental life of its own.

"Just so you all know, we've never lost a pledge since then so don't worry your pretty little heads," Ellen said. "All you have to do is walk to the front gates over there, and they are well lit. I'm not going to hold your hand, but this isn't hard. Just to make sure this is a safe event, I want you all to carry your cell phones with you, in case you get lost."

The girls grabbed their cell phones from their clothes and held them close.

"Now, the first pledge to go will be Julie Carter, are you ready?"

Julie replied, "Yes sister."

"You can go," Ellen said and Julie took off into the dark towards the gates.

"Next, Angela Brown," Ellen said and read through the list of six girls until they were all on their way to the other side of the cemetery.

An hour later all the girls had made it to the front gates except for Julia Carter. Ellen paced back and forth waiting for her to show up but didn't. "Where the fuck is she?" Ellen asked.

"I don't know," Jackie Anderson replied. Jackie was a member of the sorority as well and was just as freaked out by Julia's absence.

"I'm not going to jail for this," Ellen said. "We better find her. How hard is it to walk across a fucking cemetery?"

"We've looked everywhere," Jackie said.

"Is she fucking with us? Does she think this is funny?"

"I don't know her, maybe she thinks this is funny. Or a way to get back at us."

"Back at us?"

"For hazing her."

"If and when I find her, she's going to pay for doing this to me."

"Maybe we should call the sheriff," Jackie said.

"Not until we've looked again. I know she's out there hiding somewhere."

For the next hour the sorority members and the pledges scoured the cemetery searching for Julia. But they found no trace of her. Eventually Ellen called the sheriff and he and a deputy came out to investigate.

"I can't believe you girls are still pulling that stunt after all these years," Sheriff Leo Ford said. "After what happened back in the sixties."

"We gave them cell phones and I called the number a bunch of times. It's not like we left them alone to fend for themselves."

"What happened when you called?"

"It went to voicemail."

"So the phone was turned off," the sheriff said.

"I suppose so."

"Did you check to make sure the phones were working before you let them go?"

"No, why would I do that?" Ellen asked.

"To cover your ass. If I remember correctly, one of your sorority sisters ended up in prison pulling the same stunt."

"That's why I gave them their phones, to make sure we could find them if they got lost."

"Well, that might save you when you go to trial, but maybe not."

"Trial? Are you kidding?"

"If she doesn't show up soon, I'll have to book you for reckless endangerment. If she turns up dead, that's manslaughter."

Just then Ellen's phone buzzed. She looked at the screen and pressed a button. What popped up was a blurry picture of the side of a female's face. From the picture, it wasn't clear who it was. But Ellen was sure it was Julia. "Look, I got a message," Ellen said. She held the phone up so the sheriff could see.

"Whose number is that?" the sheriff asked.

"I don't recognize the number," Ellen replied.

"Did you have Julia's number programmed into your phone?"

"No."

"Try sending a message back."

Ellen typed in the message, "Who are you?" and sent it. No reply. "Then she typed, "I can't tell who you are from the picture, please tell me who you are." Still nothing. "This is really weird," Ellen said.

"Read me off the number," the sheriff said.

Ellen read off the number and the sheriff plugged it into his phone. He then sent a message and received a message that the number was no longer in service. "Are you sure you gave me the right number?" the sheriff asked.

Ellen read if off again and the sheriff confirmed. Then Ellen's phone buzzed again and another picture popped up on her screen. It was of Julia still dressed in her bra and panties. Only this picture had been taken in a well-lit room and was taken by Julia herself. "Look, she's fucking with us," Ellen said. "She took this at home and sent it to me."

The sheriff looked at the picture and was convinced that Ellen was right, that Julia had gone home and took the picture in her house or apartment. "Send her a note back asking where she is."

Ellen sent the message and waited for a reply. Then her phone buzzed and a picture popped up of Julia, this time splattered with blood, lying on the ground outside in the dark. The picture was not a selfie, but had been taken by someone a few feet away looking down upon her. The lighting was dim, but Julia's features could be made out and it shown blood splattered on her chest, neck and face. "Oh my God!" Ellen said.

"What is it?" the sheriff asked.

Ellen held the phone so the sheriff could see. "Is this some sort of joke?" the sheriff asked. "Is she trying to get back at you?"

"I don't know how she'd of got my cell number," Ellen said.

Then the phone buzzed again and a picture of Julia popped up. Only this time she was lying on her back in what looked like a coffin. The picture was taken from a side angle, and the only light was that from the cell phone itself. In the background, was a mummified body. Female.

The sheriff saw the picture and shook his head in disgust. Now he didn't know what to think. Was Julia pulling a prank or not. If she were, the pictures would have had to been taken far in advance. If not, she was now buried in one of the graves in the cemetery. "Is there a way to track her phone? Like with a GPS?"

"I don't think it's that specific," Ellen replied.

"Send her one more message, tell her she has to tell us where she is or we can't help."

"She's fucking with us," Ellen said.

"I'm not willing to take that chance," the sheriff said. "Your phone is the only one that gets through to her so send the message."

Ellen typed what the sheriff told her to and waited. Then she got a message back instead of a photo. It read, "Help me, I'm buried alive."

"That's bullshit," Ellen said. "Says she'd buried alive. You can't get a phone signal through six feet of dirt. And we didn't see anyone out here with a backhoe or shovel. She's lying."

"Ask her if she knows where she is?"

Ellen typed the message and received a response. "By the north side."

"This cemetery is half a mile long. If she's buried it will take some time to find the grave," the sheriff said. He called on his radio for all his men to search the north side looking for any graves with disturbed soil on top.

"If she is buried, how long can she survive?" Ellen asked.

"Half hour, maybe an hour," the sheriff replied. "I wonder who that dead body was in the picture?"

"I'll ask," Ellen said. The reply shocked Ellen to her core. "She says it's her mother, Sarah Elliott, from 1969."

"Her mother? How can she be sure who it is?"

Ellen typed the message and a photo popped up. It was a school ID card with Sarah's name on it.

"So she's telling me that two pledges, mother and daughter were abducted over forty years apart and buried in the same grave? Who would have done that?"

"I don't see how they could have anyway, it takes a long time to bury someone, doesn't it?" Ellen asked.

"If the grave was already exhumed, they could have tossed her in the casket and put enough dirt on in to keep her from getting out. I'm guessing we're looking for a half filled grave at this point. Should be easy to find.

Then a message came across the radio. "Sheriff, we found something."

"What is it?" the sheriff asked.

"We found a pickup truck with shovels in the back, parked by the caretaker's house."

"Go wake him up and find out what he knows," the sheriff said.

"The house is abandoned. There hasn't been a caretaker on the grounds for twenty years. I think the guy who takes care of the grounds lives in town."

"Then go find him!" the sheriff snapped.

"Yes sir," the deputy said.

Then another picture popped up on Ellen's phone. It was a close up of Julia's face. She was visibly scared with tears running down her cheeks. Under the picture, the words, "Save me, please." were typed.

"At least we know she's still alive," Ellen said.

"Is there any other connection between Sarah Elliott and Julia Carter?" the sheriff asked.

"What do you mean?"

"All this time has passed, yet those two were singled out for abduction and to buried alive. There must be a connection."

"They were both sorority pledges, that's all I know. And no one knew Sarah was pregnant that I know of."

"I can't imagine it was a random act," the sheriff said.

Then a squawk on the sheriff's radio. "Sheriff, we found something," a deputy said. "On the north side, like you said."

"I'll be right there," the sheriff said.

Julia climbed into the patrol car and the sheriff drove over to the deputy's car. In the dark, it was easy to find. When the sheriff climbed out of his car, he saw the deputy shining a high beam light down inside a recently dug grave. It was about half full and looked like it had been disturbed recently.

"You got a shovel?" the sheriff asked.

"I got some tools on the way," the deputy replied.

When the digging equipment arrived, the sheriff and his crew dug out the hole and exposed the casket. It was old, old enough to have been there in 1969. The sheriff straddled the coffin and tried to pull back the lid, but it wouldn't budge. He then used the handle of a pickaxe to wedge between the sides of the grave and the lid and got it to move. When he pulled the lid all the way back, he found two well decomposed bodies lying side by side. Both female, one nude, the other dressed in their bra and panties.

"What the fuck?" the sheriff asked. He was shocked to see that both bodies were of equal decomposition. As if they were both laid to rest on the same day.

"That is what Julie was wearing," Ellen said. She recognized the underwear right away.

On top of her body was the student ID card that was in the cell phone picture. The sheriff picked up the card and read the name. It was Sara Elliott.

Scratched on the dust of Julia's abdomen, was the words, "My baby, Julia has come back to me."

The End

