Controlling the Dead (16 page)

For some reason, I like this idea. It’s a lot better than killing someone or feeding them to zombies.

A loud speaker comes on. “Five minutes to beat down, so place yo bet down!” Everyone yells the words with him. It all makes sense. Rudy is fighting for the first time in a while and everyone is excited. I never like that he fights—he doesn’t either—but he doesn’t do anything else for money. He fixes things and helps Stanley with the livestock, but he does those things for free. Out of the kindness of his heart since it helps the community as a whole.

Mac takes a sip of his shot before saying, “About time you showed.”

I glance behind me in confusion, and find all of five inches of space between Rudy and me. He takes in all the famished before gazing down at me.

Turning around, I grab another shot and hand it behind me. He takes it. I hold out a lime wedge, but he barely takes notice, still watching me with a heated gaze. My mind flashes a picture of him licking salt off my body. It must show all over my face because his body tenses as his eyes widen.

Mac flags down Bart. “Didn’t know you guys would be here,” Rudy says as he pulls his hoodie and T-shirt off in one motion. Catcalls erupt.

“Show off,” I smirk. His mouth opens to say something, but he shuts it.

“Good luck, Rudy doll! Not that yew need it,” Glinda smiles.

“Kick some ass,” Mac cheers him on. Rudy glances at me before walking toward the ring.

C
HAPTER
S
EVENTEEN

We gather around the ring and Rudy hops over the metal railing. Guido catches my eye on the other side. He tips his cane to his hat in salute with a weird grin. My stomach ties in knots. The other guy steps in, and it’s a big guy Rudy has fought before. Rudy says something to him, and the guy tenses all over, radiating animosity.

“Yo! Yew ready to rumble, tumble, and see some blood?” the announcer yells as the audience hypes into an exhilarated roar. Rudy’s stance isn’t relaxed and easy like he normally starts. He doesn’t ruffle his peacock feathers for easy bets, either. The unsettled feeling strengthens, and I tell Mac so.

“Um, yeah. I see it, too. Something is going on.”

Isaac glares in Rudy’s direction, cracking his knuckles and shaking out his legs.

“But what?” I ask as a cowbell rings.

Rudy waits for anything as Isaac stalks toward him, grabbing by the neck. He makes no move to protect himself. Isaac’s fist is as big as Rudy’s face when it connects. A cold chill sweeps down my spine as the crowd jeers and boos. He lets go of Rudy upon the contact and Rudy falls back. Isaac kicks him in the ribs. Rudy’s bloody face flashes with pain a brief moment before the flicker of a smirk.

Mac glances at me, knowing I’m stunned. The crowd boos wildly. Their acrimony shoves me from the ring. Mac grabs my arm and pulls me back into place as I jostle someone with my shoulder. Rudy’s lips move as he makes it to his knees. Isaac kicks him again. The impact brings Rudy’s torso in the air a few inches before he crashes to the ground.

“Rudy! Get up! What are you doing?” I scream at the top of my lungs—everyone screams at him. I grip the metal rail as he gets to his knees and lifts his head. A bloody toothed smile flashes at the crowd. Isaac’s barely able to pick him up around the waist, but he manages as he screams something at him and pushes him this way. Rudy tumbles right in front of us. Mac holds me from jumping over the rail. I bend down to Rudy’s level, but Isaac flips him over, slamming his fist into Rudy. My own blood pounds in my ears to the tune of the meaty smacks. I look away until Isaac finally stops. Rudy turns over like he’s getting up. His face is already swollen as blood drips down in streams, plopping to the ground from his chin. I can’t tell where it’s coming from. “Get up, Rudy! Please!”

“Stop being a complete fucking moron!” Mac snaps at him over the roar of the crowd. Rudy shakes his head at Mac. Strange movement catches my eye, and Guido paces back and forth. His eyes blaze into Rudy.

Isaac stalks to Rudy with a pissed off look on his face. He says something else and hocks phlegm on him. I squeeze my eyes closed and reopen them in time to see Isaac’s foot slam down on Rudy’s face. His head bounces off the floor and his body goes still.

I’ve never seen the place so hyped. The loud speaker comes on, but I barely hear it as I jump over the rail. I spare a glance around, and every eye is on the ring. Mac is right behind me when I kneel next to Rudy and use shaky hands to turn his face to check it out. When I do, I snatch my hand away, afraid to hurt him.

“Fuck!” Mac spouts, “Let’s get him to his room.” I realize Reece and Bunyan are here, too. Mac casts me a grim expression. “Let’s go see to the damage.”

*

Bunyan and Reece help Rudy to his room. Rudy is large, not as big as Bunyan, but it takes both of them to carry him. Mac goes to get the medical supplies.

I go and get a few things of my own. When I return to Rudy’s room, he’s awake and sitting up on his bed against the wall. Some of the blood is gone and his hair is wet as if someone dumped water on him to wake him up. Glinda rushes in some hot water and leaves because she doesn’t want to be in the way. Reece tells me to let him know the outcome and goes out with Bunyan. Mac still isn’t here. What’s taking him so long? I immediately search for the painkillers we brought back from the base.

“Where’s the bag of pain medication?”

He points to the corner of the room. I find the canvas bag hidden from view between the small sofa and wall.

After digging up something good, I bend to Rudy. There’s so much blood, I don’t know where to start. I hold out my hand. “Can you swallow these?”

He sees the pills and nods. I put them to his mouth and give him some water. I go to stand, but he grabs my hand and squeezes.

Mac comes in with a load, including his bag of medical stuff. He gives me some clean flour-sack rags. “Sorry it took so long, I went to talk to Guido. He’s a disgusting human being. Help me clean him up, while I check his ribs, Sunshine.”

After we get him to lie flat, I soak one of the rags in hot water and start cleaning blood off his face. Both his eyes are swollen, but they shouldn’t swell shut. I watch Mac’s fingers run expertly along Rudy’s ribs. He grimaces.

“I gave him some pain pills. Maybe we should wait until they kick in.”

Mac shakes his head. “He can take it, and the pills are more than he deserves.” He looks Rudy in the eyes.

“He’s right, Kansas,” Rudy says hoarsely.

“Why?” I ask.

“He came to me today, wanting me to throw it, I did,” Rudy shrugs and winces.

Mac lets out a scoff, “He wanted you to make a good show of it. He’s beyond pissed.”

“I’m tired of fucking bending to his will.” Rudy’s jaw clenches tight from the pain and he continues, “He won’t ask me to do it again, will he?”

Mac nods. “Probably not.”

To Mac I say, “I think he might need stitches across the bridge of his nose.” It’s split wide open and the source of the blood. I dab it, and fresh blood wells up.

Mac finishes up with the ribs. “None broken, but bruised. You’re breathing easy at least.”

Rudy sighs, “I tried to angle myself so he wouldn’t break any.”

Mac gets a fresh rag. “Would have served you right.” He examines the split. “Yeah, it’s bad, but I can butterfly tape it. Most of the blood came out of your nose. You’re lucky it didn’t break, but your whole face is swollen.”

Mac stops the bleeding, cleans it with rubbing alcohol, and tapes it closed. He dabs ointment on it. I douse cold water on a rag to try to help the swelling, placing it across his eyes and nose. Fat good it will do, but it’s something. Mac cleans little cuts and splits with alcohol.

“All done, Rudy man. Don’t do that again. Even though it might seem like it, you aren’t made of steel. I’ll check on you in the morning.”

I shoot Mac a grateful smile, getting up to find a clean T-shirt for Rudy. “I’ll be back to work on your mural tomorrow, okay?”

He grins. “Sure, you know I enjoy your company.” Nodding to Rudy, he goes next door.

I help Rudy into his shirt as his eyes droop closed from the pain pills. I touch his face and put the cool washcloth back on.

I stand up and hear, “Stay.” Lifting the rag, he peeks an eye at me. I climb on the bed, lean against the wall, and guide his head to my lap. His arm circles around my waist. I run a hand through his hair. His swollen lips, the only thing I can see because of the rag, turn up to a smile.

“Don’t get cocky, Wolverine,” I joke, thinking of Mac’s
made of steel
comment. This only makes him smile wider.

Lighting the joint I brought from my room, I puff on it. He lifts the rag and raises a brow at me. “I need to calm my nerves,” I tell him, passing it over and he takes it.

A minute goes by before he mumbles, “I want to leave here.” After the situations we find ourselves in, I agree with him. Fighting? For what? Entertainment? It only drives home what I want to accomplish.

“That could have been real bad,” I whisper more to myself than to him. It lingers in the small space between us. He’d be better off somewhere else.

We sit in the dim light of the little lamp. We don’t talk, but enjoy each other’s presence without complication. I watch him breathe in my skin and memorize the feel of me. I trace his swollen face even as I feel the shift. A shift I’m not sure I’m ready for.

*

I wake up breathing someone else’s air, entangled with large limbs, bringing back a familiar feeling of waking like this several times before. When I open my eyes to see Rudy watching me, I go to sit up.

He tightens his grip around my waist. “Not yet.”

I smile. “I’m doing another mural. And if you don’t want me to make your face look like lunch meat in it, you’ll let me go.” I’ll never do that, but it’s fun to tease him. And lighten the mood a little.

“You’re painting me?”

“I’m painting everyone, even famished.”

He gives me a little smile, but it quickly falls. “I need to tell you something.”

Uh oh, when someone tells you that…it is never good. “You can tell me anything,” I say, because it is the truth.

“I’m going—”

“How cozy?” I tense before lifting my head. Julie stands over Rudy’s shoulder, not caring she interrupted a seemingly important conversation.

Rudy doesn’t look, but he knows who it is. “What do you need, Julie?”

“Nothing, I just came to see how you were. I heard you were beat up badly.” She fidgets, trying to see him. I attempt to sit up, but Rudy squeezes me and turns his head to address her. She gasps. “How long is this going to take to heal?”

Heat scorches my face. I tap at Rudy’s arm and sit up. “Why—”

Rudy stiffens. “Don’t,” he whispers, so only I’ll hear him. I give him a questioning gaze. Without taking his eyes off me, he says, “However long it takes. I’m not in a hurry.”

She scoffs, “You’ve got to be—”

 The baby starts crying, cutting her off. The sound is a little odd, but then again, what do I know about babies? Biting my tongue and climbing out of bed, I look at Ariella. She is all cute and stuff as she wiggles around, red faced, and innocent. Little fists toss about while her mouth is open and trembling. Her actions aren’t quite matching up to her sounds. Although, I can clearly see she is crying in the way babies do to let us know they need something.

“She’s beautiful, Julie,” I say, transforming Julie’s face into something that I don’t think I can ever be. She coos at Ariella and sticks her finger in the baby’s mouth so she can suck on it. She quiets as she sucks for dear life. “Didn’t Rudy get a pacifier?” I remember him grabbing a bunch of them.

Julie peers at me in a way she hasn’t before and nods her head. “But I have to hold it in her mouth. This is easier.” Dark rings circle Julie’s tired eyes. I glance at Rudy, feeling him watching me.

“I’ll speak with you later, Rudy. Get some rest.” I offer a smile and leave them to hash out whatever they need to. I’m scurrying across the courtyard to my loft when Julie catches up to me. She doesn’t have Ariella. I guess she left her with Rudy. The image this conjures in my mind gives me strange feelings.

“Thanks for helping us. With the loot. And helping Rudy last night,” Julie tells me.

“No problem.” Her mouth opens like she wants to say something, but nothing comes out. “Did you need something else?” I prompt.

She sniffs, shifting her weight. “It’s better this way. For us to go to Arizona. He’ll never hurt you.”

I’m at a loss for what to say. I don’t quite believe she has the audacity to show concern or pretense. Turns out, I don’t have to say anything because she keeps going. “I’ve been around him a long time. I know how relationships with other women go. If you can call what he has with other women relationships.”

I know what she is trying to do and damn if I don’t want to play into it, but I’m not going to give her the satisfaction. She must think we don’t talk about anything. “Listen Gem Stones, I know what you’re trying to do. If you knew anything about mine and Rudy’s relationship, you wouldn’t be wasting your time implying Rudy is incapable of a commitment.” She’s wrong. After all, he puts up with her.

*

The next few days consist of painting and zombie hoarding. Two days after the fight, Rudy’s up and getting around. I keep a distance because I now suspect he bought time because he wants me to go to Arizona, in the form of getting his ass kicked.

The mural is coming along smoothly. I’ve added background and still need to work on finishing touches, but it’s almost complete.

At the warehouse, my zombies stay put and don’t attack me when I open the dock doors. I collect about twenty every day. Only a few of them come after me in the real famished way and need to be killed. Right now, I walk with a cooperating hoard behind me. They follow obediently, but it’s still hard getting used to them. Not being comfortable enough to go in the middle of them and count, I’ve no idea how many are in there. If they decide to turn on me, it’ll get messy.