A Rational Zombie - Chapter 121

Yesterday was rough; a lot of people died, but somehow, Jen and I made it out okay. Jen might’ve been bit by a freaky infected that could jump really high, but the cure’s enough to prevent her from turning. I’m not sure whether the cure is a blessing or a curse. Obviously, it should be a blessing. However, would this many people have died if we didn’t have the cure? Would so many people have stayed and fought without the knowledge that they could be cured? I know I wouldn’t’ve. I’d have been the first to leave if the cure didn’t exist. Jen wouldn’t have even been bit in the first place.

So many people stayed and died because of the cure. Well, the cure and the drug addicts. Thankfully, I was smart and hid in the chief’s basement with Jen. We didn’t have to fight them at all. Fighting someone that feels ecstasy instead of pain is a nightmare. After the fight was over, there were a few drug addicts that we captured—I say we, but it was really everyone but Jen and I—and when someone asked what they were on, the response was “everything”. Every substance they could get their hands on, they mixed them together and went to town with it. What’s the worst thing that could happen to them? Dying of an overdose is probably better than being eaten alive.

“Yesterday was crazy.” Jen sat beside me. She had just finished changing into her camouflage clothes. “I’m shaking just thinking about it.”

“I know something that could help with that.”

Jen punched my shoulder for no reason. “Seriously? Everyone’s dead.”

“That’s why we have to do our duty as the survivors to repopulate the planet.” While Jen said everyone was dead, that wasn’t really the case. Just everyone that we knew and interacted with were dead, except the chief. Twenty-one people survived, including me and Jen and the three captured drug addicts. A lot of the survivors were the people who were supposed to be in quarantine since they came late to the fight and didn’t really join.

“We don’t have time for that.”

The chief was going to make an announcement today. I feel a little bad for him. What is he supposed to say after something like that happens? Sorry? Thanks for fighting? Let’s move on? It’s a miracle no one’s killed him in his sleep and claimed leadership of the garrison. Well, that could’ve happened. I’ll find out when we get to the bonfire. “Alright, you ready to go?”

“Yeah.” Jen nodded. “Do you think we’re getting promoted? We have to be, right? All the leadership positions were freed up.”

“Didn’t you say you were still shaking thinking about yesterday?”

“I mean, we have to move on eventually, right? The quicker we do, the better, and what better way to move on than to think of our future?” Jen led the way out of our building. It was a new one, further in to the center of the garrison instead of on the outskirts. Like Jen said, positions were freed—that included fancier living spaces with thicker walls.

“There you two are,” the chief said when we stepped outside. It was convenient being right next to the bonfire.

“Are we the last ones?” I asked. We were definitely on time. It seemed like everyone else was just early. They probably couldn’t that well sleep judging from the shadows on their faces.

“No,” the chief said. “We’re just waiting for one more person.”

“Zack? He’s a deep sleeper,” someone said. I recognized him from quarantine. He was pretty new to the garrison, came a little before the broadcasts started. If I remember correctly, he did come with somebody, probably Zack. “I’ll wake him up.”

“You didn’t share a room with him?” I asked.

“Shut up.” The man glared at me. “Not everyone sleeps together like you and Jen.”

Jealous bastard. Whatever. I just thought it was odd. After a night like that, who’d want to go to sleep alone? What if an infected was lurking around? Or even worse, a drug addict? Jen and I thoroughly searched our new building before finally relaxing enough to go to sleep, and even then, we kept watch: I stayed up half the night. Jen stayed up the other half. I’m not afraid of another infected herd invading, but people on the other side of that prison cell don’t like their wardens. It wouldn’t have surprised me if someone tried something funny.

“Alright, let’s wait a bit for Zack to arrive,” the chief said as the man whose name I can’t remember left the group and went into a building. “There’s a lot that needs to be done.”

Yep. The fence has to be repaired. We moved some vehicles in front of the gap in the fence, but the trees were still there. No one wanted to take care of it after fighting for that long, so the makeshift barrier was set instead. Along with the fence, the moat needed to be touched up so nothing could climb up the ramp that that large infected carved out. The kitchen still had to be fixed, and the prison was burnt down. In fact, the only thing we did after the battle was stabbing the dead and making sure they were dead for good: that and burning corpses. It took all evening to gather the bodies. We’re still not done. Twenty people to move a thousand or so bodies? That’s hours of work.

“What’s taking them so long?” The chief frowned. “Is he really that deep of a sleeper?” He walked over to the building and banged on the door. “Hey! Are you two coming or what?”

There was no response.

“Zack? Logan?”

There was still no response.

“What the hell.” The chief took a step back. “Something’s not right. Where’s my shield?”

Well, it looks like Jen and I were right to be paranoid last night. Something was lurking around and killed Zack. Then, when Logan went in to check on him, he was killed as well. What a rookie mistake. Never let someone be alone even if they’re going to take a shit. Maybe I’m just pessimistic. It’s possible those two are actually lovers and couldn’t hear the chief’s shouts over their throes of passion. Either way, I don’t want to see the scene inside that building.