Respect for the Dead (Surviving the Dead Book 1) (33 page)

Kate and Steve had spent the last few hours getting to know one another better.  The more time Steve spent with her the more he liked her.  He found that he had many things in common with her but also that she shared many interest with Beth and Wes.  They talked movies, TV, music, even video games.  A conversation that Wes had joined in and spoke of with a distinct longing.

“Seriously, what I wouldn’t give to lose myself in a movie or a video game.”  He sighed.

“Looks like you’ll have to go back to playing D & D with graph paper and a dungeon manual.”  Steve laughed.

“Great, I’ll be the DM,”  Kate laughed, “oh and by the way, knowing how to play with the graph paper just makes you a geek like us.”  She finished by putting an arm around a smiling Wes. 

“You want to know one of Steve’s secrets?”  Wes asked.  Kate nodded enthusiastically.

“Wesley!”  Steve warned. 

“Steve used to make the dungeon maps for me and Beth.” 

“Only because the ones you guys came up with were incredibly lame.”  Their conversation was interrupted by Father Michael. 

“Can you join us in the church?  We need to meet.”  Father Michael called to them from the door leading back to the church. 

Wes looked over at Steve a distinct look of concern on his face.  Steve tried to reassure him. 

“What is it?”  Kate whispered as the three of them hung close to the back of the small group.  Bear joined them rubbing a paper towel over his wet hair and beard. 

“Sorry, trying to wash up a bit, what’ve I missed?”

“Nothing yet my son,” The priest responded. “We have been safe so far.  We have plenty of food and water, I have heard some of you want to leave the safety of the sanctuary to search for family and friends.  I don’t believe this is a wise course of action.” 

Steve and Wes exchange glances, “try to stop me.” Wes muttered so that only Steve and Kate heard him. 

“That being said I want to make it clear that this church will be open to anyone to come and go as they please.  If someone from our group decides to leave us, which is of course their decision.  If they decide to return we will welcome them but leaving and coming back multiple times could lead the dead following them back to us.  I simply have to forbid it.” 

“That seems a reasonable request.”  Kate spoke.

“I don’t disagree in principal, but I also don’t like the feeling I just got of being a prisoner.”  Steve noted.

“I will look for Beth not matter how many trips I have to make.  If that means he won’t let me back in then he can explain it to god, or the devil when he meets him.”  Wes stated with vigor, “And if you want to stay here while your sister is out there hiding then I’ll tell her you say hi when I find her.”

“Wes shhh, listen.  That is not what I am saying, come here.”  Steve pulled an angry Wes further back into the church.  Kate followed checking over her shoulder as they went.  Bear trailing a look of confusion on his face.  “What I am saying is we need to look like we agree and we need to plan this out.” 

Wes looked rebellious.  Kate blocked him from view of the front of the church.  “Wes relax, Steve has told me about your plans to find Beth.  I’m in.  I also agree with you that something feels off here.”

“Katie what are we talking about?”  Bear looked from face to face.

“Nothing big guy."  Wes and I are planning a trip to find my sister.  You and Kate will stay here and make sure that guy lets us back in.” 

“Hold up there.  You will not play that game with me.  I’ve started to like you don’t mess that up with the whole you’re a girl so you need to stay behind thing.”  Kate grabbed Steve by the arm.  He looked into her eyes.  He motioned with his eyes and a tilt to his head toward Bear.

“No, no, the dude’s right.  You’re staying here.”  Bear grunted.

Steve gave her a look that said “I have no intentions of leaving you”.  Kate caught on, knowing Bear would never quietly let her go.  “Fine, but
I
might not agree to letting you return.”  She stated and stormed from the church. 

Wes caught the exchange that had clearly done its job on Bear.  Steve waited a tick before following after Kate.  A few moments later he was sitting with her at the end of a dark hall.  “Thanks for offering to help.” 

“Well before you thank me you might want to teach me how to shoot a gun.  I’ve never shot one before.” 

“You’ve played video games though, it’s not too different from that except for the weight, noise, and aiming is a bit different and of course you don’t respawn if you get killed.”

“So not at all like a video game.”  Kate laughed.  Steve shrugged but smiled.  Kate still grinning shook her head.  “Besides I always played the ones where I wield a sword so big it breaks the laws of physics.”

Steve looked at her in the long shadows.  “Well I guess I mean you should think of the zombies as the same as the video game enemies.  Soulless and never ending.”  He looked away.  She seemed disappointed.  Steve got to his feet and held out his hand.  “Let’s head up to the tower and I’ll show you the basics ok.” 

Kate took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet.  She shook his hand, “That sounds like a plan.” 

The night passed quietly in the apartment.  The bedroom was closed, everyone was camping in the living room.  Hector and Max had wrapped Bill’s body in the comforter and taken him outside.  Beth had followed to say goodbye to her former teacher and savior. 

“If it wasn’t for him I would have been killed…when was that?  How many days ago did this all start?”  Max patted her on the shoulder as he passed.  Hector looked her in the face, then turned her away from the body to face the building.  He then gave her a little push.  She allowed herself to be steered away.  When they had returned to the apartment, Hector had informed the group that they, all of them, would be going to the distribution center in the morning.  They would leave at first light.  All eyes turned to Stancy, who for once quietly consented.   

Morning broke and the apartment was again alive with action.  Devin and Trevor were moving supplies to the door just inside from the truck.  An exercise Stancy questioned without lending a hand. 

“Just in case we can’t get back here we want to have supplies.”  Matt explained coming down the stairs behind Devin. 

Max, Hector, and Beth double checked and triple checked weapons.  Gillian put together a medical bag in case they came a across anyone who was injured.  Then she changed the bandage on Beth’s hand.  First light had already seen the sun up and heading to mid morning by the time the last person crammed themselves into the back of the truck.  Beth felt edgy and excited.   

Stancy was the last one in and looked as if she sorely wanted to be returned her gun.  Everyone had already agreed she would have an old brass lamp body and not a gun.  As they passed the blood stained quilt that contained their fallen friend she seemed less apt to pursue the return of the fire arm. 

The trip to the distribution center was quiet and empty.  “I wonder where they all are today.”  Hector muttered.  He thought back to the previous day’s movements.  “They came from the ballpark area.” 

Beth was next to him.  “After they finished there they were at the hospital, it looked like they were heading to the retirement community.  They must have run out of…food…and are now on the move.” She shuddered.

Hector thought her theory was probably a very good one.  The buildings changed from shops and apartments to more industrial.  Thick smoke hung over the streets.  Finally the distribution center came into view.  A building close by had collapsed and was still smoldering.  One of the warehouses had heavy smoke coming from several windows another building was burning freely.  

Beth stuck her head between the front seats.  She surveyed the parking lot and was torn between relief and disappointment.  The lot was almost completely empty, only three cars remained.  Two sat idle and untouched the third, a van, sat with its driver’s door hanging open.  As the truck passed they could see the interior was stained in blood and various parts of a human’s vital organs.  What wasn’t in the lot was a beautiful well kept mustang. 

“If Steve is here it looks like he’ll be in the office.”  Beth pointed to building with several broken windows. 

“Ok Beth, you, Matt and Gillian check that out then meet us by the heavy equipment.  Max, Devin and I will secure some forklifts.  Trevor you and Stancy stay with the truck.”

“Is that the best idea?” Devin questioned Hector in an undertone.  “They’ve both panicked on us to extreme detriment.” 

“Better they stay here than panic out there.”  Hector jerked his thumb over his shoulder.  They pulled to a stop in front of the office.  The back doors opened, their shoes crunching on the gravel.  The air was cold and Beth shivered but not due to the temperature. 

What if Steve was here but….Shaking the thought.  “Keys to the lifts are in a case just inside the door to warehouse number 3.”   Beth pointed to the only building behind the office that wasn’t on fire or already destroyed. 

“Well that’s lucky.”  Hector stated and jogged toward the warehouse, Devin and Max following quickly. 

Beth ran to the front door of the office.  Gillian had to grab her hand to keep her from running right in.  “Take it slow just in case.”  She whispered. 

Moving into the shadowy reception area Beth took in the scene.  She had worked here for two summers and she hardly recognized the place.  Chairs were over turned as were several tables.  Papers covered the floor along with a dark brownish red stain that ran up one of the walls. 

“Steve?”  Beth hissed.  Matt and Gillian joined her in the open room.  They listened for any reply but only heard the papers underfoot and their own loud breathing.  “This way.”  Beth motioned. 

They slowly made their way down the hall.  Every door they looked through caused Beth to become increasingly frightened and hopeless.  Room after room was covered in horror.  Blood, and pieces of victims mixed with broken furniture and papers.  Reaching the back office Beth could only gasp and turn her back on it.  On the floor lay half of a woman that Beth was sure she had once worked for.  Through the broken window they could hear one of the forklifts firing up in the yard. 

“I don’t think Steve was here.”  Beth sighed leaning heavily against the wall.  “His car was not in the lot.” 

“That thing is making a lot of noise.”  Matt anxiously noticed.  The truck’s horn blared out a warning.  Matt ran to the window.  He could see the zombies starting to become visible down the road.  “Not good, they know we are here.”  He called to the others. 

Gillian joined Matt at the window, Beth couldn’t bring herself to enter the room.  “Beth we’re in trouble, where is the back door?” 

“This way.”  Beth called.  They barreled halfway down the hall.  Beth hit the panic bar on the heavy door.  They burst out into the yard.   Beth sucked in the cold air.  It stank of death and smoke but felt less oppressive than the building they just left. 

Devin was pulling a forklift to the gate.  He waved to them, but the wave faltered when he noticed the looks and the panicked movements.  He pointed to the standing warehouse.  Gillian nodded and pulled the others with her.   They saw Hector and Max as they approached the building.  Beth and Matt skirted a pile of burning pallets.  Gillian went the opposite way around.  Reaching the threshold Gillian tripped and fell over concert block.  Looking behind her to see what she fell over she screamed.  The undead poured through the doors from the office.

Matt cried out while pulling Gillian to her feet.  Beth leveled her weapon and fired several shots.  Hector tugged on her collar urging her to follow.  The first of the zombies had reached the fire.  Beth was stunned to see it walk right through the flames.    She ran through the door and tried to shut it but the piece of wood was blocking the door. 

“I thought these things were afraid of fire!”   She yelled giving up on the door and running from the now flaming ghoul.

Matt ran next to her speaking in-between gasps for breath, “that is actually a common…Misconception…Whoa!”  A zombie lunged for them. Matt dodged as Beth smashed it with the butt of her gun.  She grabbed his sleeve swung him around and pushed him ahead of her. 

“You see people fear fire because of getting burned….”  Matt clutched at his side. “A zombie doesn’t feel pain so why would it fear fire.” 

The flaming zombie was now stumbling around setting several other undead on fire.  “So why is it still moving?   I thought fire would kill it.”  Beth shouted as she put down two of its comrades.

“Well the body is something like 90% water so it doesn’t burn all that well.”  Matt weaved around some creates.  “To get a body to burn you need a large amount of accelerant or a very hot flame.”  Matt grabbed Beth’s shoulders spinning her at a too close for comfort zombie. 

She fired the gun’s chamber locked back showing the magazine was empty.  Matt pulled one from her back pocket.  Beth slapped it in the gun and fired again.  “I seriously want to know…Why do you know this shit?” She shouted.

“People think bodies are easy to burn because people used to use mummies for firewood.  If the body was all dried out…” 

“Seriously?  There is something wrong with you.”  Beth pushed Matt toward a door near back of the warehouse.

“Yeah I heard that a lot.” 

“Didn’t date much, did you?”  Hector asked as he joined them.  Three rounds left his rifle covering his laugh.

Matt, Hector and Beth pushed through the heavy steel door into an office.  The three waited as Gillian rushed through, turned and slammed it shut.  The crunch of several zombie fingers was immediately drowned out by the rhythmic pounding of undead fists.

“Why in the world do you know this?  I mean really?  Why?”  Beth asked again.

“I don’t know, weird hobby I guess.  I thought about becoming a mortician for a little while.  I guess those guys are out of a job…if they haven’t been eaten by their work that is.”  Matt rested his back against the door.  “This would be kinda nice, like a back rub, if the ones on the other side of the door didn’t want to kill and eat me that is.” 

Beth just stared at him.  She really couldn’t understand him.  I smile played at the corners of her mouth.  “You and my boyfriend will get along really well.” 

“I look forward to meeting him.”  Matt smiled even though he doubted introductions would ever be made. 

Beth could sense what he was thinking.  “You’ll see, you guys will be playing dungeons and dragons and whatever…”  The door lurched forward, Hector and Beth slammed against it. 

“We’ll work on character sheets later.  Let’s get out of here.”  Hector shouted.

Beth and Matt looked over at him.

“What?” He asked.

“Nerd.”  Beth and Matt said in unison.

“Bite me.” 

“That might be what they are thinking.  Where is Max?”  Gillian asked. 

Several shots sounded answering her question.  The horn of the truck blared.  It was joined by a second horn.  “That the forklift’s horn.  He must be with the truck.”  Beth informed the others. 

Gillian was on a desk in the small office looking out a window set high in the wall.  “It looks clear back here.  I can see the truck, I think we can make it.  Oh Max is heading for the forklift, Devin is coming to meet…Oh! Oh my god!”  Beth and Hector ran to the desk.  Beth jumped up her hands pressed against the glass. 

Max stumbled, a zombie crawled after him.  He clutched at his neck, even from a distance they could see his hand was covered in glistening red.  He turned and fired at the undead, its head exploded.  Max waved Devin away.  He turned and waved the group in the warehouse to come out.  He then headed away from both the warehouse and the vehicles. 

“Damn it. Come on!”  Hector banged his head on the window then threw it open.  Matt scrambled up on the desk.  Gillian was through and already running to the truck.  Beth was out next followed by Matt with help from Hector.  The door to office burst open, a hand clawed at Hector’s boot as it slipped over the sill.  Hector landed in a heap next to Matt, who helped him up.  Beth was running toward Max.  Max was screaming at her to get away while calling for the undead to come get him. 

“BETH!  Get over HERE!” 

The truck crashed through the gate, a wild eyed Trevor at the wheel, Stancy screaming and pointing behind them in the passenger seat.  Matt jumped up onto the forklift.  Devin had chosen one with an enclosed cab.  Beth knew this glass was meant to be heavy duty incase anything fell on it.  It should hold off the fist of the dead.  Matt slipped in beside Devin. 

“Good thing he is so small.”  She thought.  Hector appeared by her side.  Her arm nearly separated from her shoulder.  Hector pulled her to the back of the truck. 

Max fired three more shots then threw his rifle at the zombies.  He pulled his side arm, turned gave Beth a wave and ran at the oncoming horde.   Beth tried to pull free from Hector but his grip held firm.  He was barely able to keep her in the back of the truck and shut the doors. 

“He’s a hero.  He saved us.  Don’t mess that up by getting killed now.” Hector yelled as he pushed Beth against the wall of the truck.  She pushed him off and looked out the back window.  The forklift pulled in behind them blocking her view. 

“We are out of time.  Let’s get what we need and get out of here.”  Hector stated shakily as he looked from Beth to Trevor.  Trevor nodded terror evident from his face to his white knuckles. 

Heading down the road they noticed the zombies were flooding in from only one direction. Unfortunately it was the direction they had come from that morning.  “I don’t think we can get back the apartment.”  Trevor whimpered.

“It looks as if they have massed in one place and were now moving as one through the city.”  Hector pointed at the huge group.  “Maybe it is like you thought.”  He looked over at Beth.  “Like they are following the food.” 

“Now where do we go?” Stancy angrily hit the dashboard. 

“We need a new place to hide until we can figure a way out of here.”  Trevor exclaimed.     

“It will need to be someplace defendable if they are coming at us in mass now.”  Hector noted.

“Why wait?  Let’s get the hell out of this town.”  Beth cried.

“What about your precious brother?”  Stancy shouted.

“He’s smart enough to get out of this insanity.  There is no place safe here.  Did you see them.  No matter where we go it will never hold up to their assault.”