Tainted Grace (9 page)

“We need to get out of here, kid,” he whispered.
“As soon as we can.”

“What’s going on, Boggs?” I asked just as quietly as he had spoken.

“We don’t want to panic Abbey or Kelsey. Aldo didn’t really have any bites. Gus is wondering if there’s something dangerous here. Something that might infect the rest of us.”

“Serious?” I asked.

“Yes. Serious. We’re each going to pack two boxes of food and get out of here. Don’t go near the bodies, ok?”

“No problem there,” I said.
I looked back to where each of the corpses lay. Pools of blood surrounded each, and the mess of human flesh splattered on the back wall was sickening.

“If you, Emilie, and Susan can each pack a box of canned goods we’ll carry them out to the step van.”

“Abbey wants her books,” I said without much emotion.

“Nathan already has them out there. Gus has packed up the guns they had stashed here. We’re going to take both the van and their Suburban back with us.
I’m hoping you can help Kelsey bring Abbey up the stairs and out to the vehicles in about ten minutes? Don’t let Abbey look at the mess.”

“
Yeah, sure. No problem.”

He hung his head.
“Abbey reminds me a lot of you at that age, Zoe.”

“Does she?”
I was surprised to hear that.

“
Yeah. She seems smart, kind, a bit oblivious…”

He leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips.

“Let’s go,” we heard Gus say as he was descending the stairs.

Boggs broke our embrace.
I looked around and saw Em and Susan already filling boxes with cans from the bar. They were both taking their jobs very seriously. It was uncannily quiet with everyone focused on a specific task.

“Done,” said Emilie quietly.

“Me too,” added Susan.

“Think you can carry them up the stairs?” asked Nathan.
“Or are they too heavy?”

Susan tested the weight of the box she had packed.
“It’s not bad. I can manage.”

“Zoe, is it safe for us to head out to the car?” asked Emilie.

I listened to my own head for a brief moment. “Yes,” I said. “I think so.”

Boggs looked at me as I was packing up supplies near the woodstove.
I smiled back weakly.

“Ok, mine’s full too,” I said.

“Here, I’ll carry it up for you,” answered Boggs.

“I’m fine, Boggs.
Really.” I looked at him sternly. “Let me get some fresh air.”

He studied my face for a moment.

“Oh, Ladies, will you make sure the seats in the suburban are all clear? The boxes should go in the van,” said Gus as he walked down the stairs toward us.

“Sure thing,” said Emilie as she and Susan began climbing the stairs with their boxes balanced in their arms.

I lifted my own box and situated it on my hip to help haul it outside. It was a bit heavier than I anticipated, but I didn’t dare let Boggs see that in my expression. “See you in a few,” I said as I followed the other girls up the stairs.

Finding my way to the front door and out of the house was easy.
Susan and Emilie had left the front door open, and daylight streamed in. The fresh air was a welcome relief from the stench in the basement.

“This thing is huge inside,” I heard Susan say.
She was referring to the old Suburban which had fading blue paint and several dents in its body.

“Think it’ll get us all the way to Puget Sound?” I asked.
Both women turned at the sound of my voice.

“I hope so, Zoe,” said Emilie.
“Let’s get these boxes into the van and make sure the SUV is ready to haul us out of here.”

I set the box I was carrying on a park bench that sat awkwardly at the edge of the yard, near the step van. The boards were weathered and sagging and I hoped it would support the weight of the box.
I walked to the van and carefully opened the swinging back doors.

“Here,” said Susan.
“I’ll climb in and haul the boxes forward.” She was becoming more and more useful as time went on, and along with it more and more likable.

“Thanks, Susan,” said Emilie.
“I suppose we should keep the path to the back door clear inside, huh?”

“
Yeah, I think so,” replied Susan.

“Zoe, let me lift the boxes ok?” said Emilie.

I nodded. “Sure. Thanks.” I smiled and tucked a few stray strands of hair behind my ear.

“No need,” said Nathan, appearing behind us and startling us all.
“I’ll get them.” I noticed for the first time that he had a very slight accent. Canadian, perhaps.

“I’ll tackle these boxes with Susan if you ladies would like to start in on the Suburban.
Sorry about the mess in there.”

“Ok,” said Emilie as she grabbed me by the elbow and drug me toward the old SUV.
“Thanks Nathan!” she called back as we got farther away.

“I think they make a cute couple,” said Em.

“I suppose so,” I replied.

“What’s wrong, Zoe?” she inquired.
“You seem so down.”

“I guess I’m just sick of all the running, all the dying, and just all the crap in general.”

“I think we all are. Abbey. She’s about the same age as Joey was,” she added. “It makes me wonder why some of us have made it this long, and others haven’t.”

Joey was Emilie’s little brother.
He died the night she found us. She had watched the zombies devour him and listened to his screams for help.

We were at the Suburban now, and I reached out to open the back passenger door.
“He wasn't kidding about the mess.”

“Gross.”

There were old clothes, dirty rags that looked like they might have been used to check oil levels, old food wrappers, and odds and ends of just weird little things strewn about.

“Should we just pile it all up somewhere outside and leave it?” I asked.

“Probably. I guess keep anything that looks usable, or personal?” suggested Emilie.

“Right.
I’ll tuck things under the seats.”

“Let’s sort through it all, put stuff on the seats that we think we should keep, and pile the rest
off in the brush,” suggested Emilie.

I nodded.
“’Kay. Sounds like a plan.”

We set to work.
The task was a welcome relief from the morning’s events. After a couple of minutes, we heard Susan call over to us.

“We’re going back in for more boxes of stuff.”

I gave her a “thumbs up” signal. She smiled back. I thought about how in time we might actually grow to like each other. Maybe.

After several minutes, we had piled up a considerable amount of throw-outs that now sat off in the brush and had only a few things to tuck under the seats.

“Maybe we should check with Nathan on all of it,” I said lazily. “I mean the things we set aside to keep.”

“Probably.”

“Did I hear my name?” asked Nathan as he came back from the house, a box tucked under his arm. He had added a heavy coat to his attire. It was red and black plaid, quilted, and a bit raggedy.

“
Yes. Do you want to look through the stuff we picked out to keep?”

“Nah.
You girls can pick and choose. If it seems useful we should keep it, if not toss it.”

“Ok,” said Em. “Great.”

“Boggs and Gus are headed up with the last of what we’re bringing. Zoe, Boggs wants to know if you can go down and help bring Abbey up.” He set the box down in the back of the step van.

“
Yes of course,” I answered. “Did you get all of her books?”

Nathan nodded.
“She only has four, the poor kid. If we come across any we should grab them for her. The kid loves reading.” He stretched and yawned. “Susan,” he called softly. “Do you want to ride in the SUV or the van?”

Susan popped her head out the side door of the step van.
“Can I ride in the Suburban? The van is starting to stink.”

“Sure you can.
I noticed the smell,” he said.

“Must be the deer,” I mumbled.
“Ok, I’ll be back with Abbey and Kelsey.” I turned and walked back into the house. Boggs and Gus were just reaching the front door, so I stepped aside and out of their way.

“Make it quick, Zo, ok?” said Boggs.
“And try to keep Abbey from looking at the mess?”

“You got it,” I said.
“Be right back.”

I walked downstairs and into the darkened common room. Kelsey was standing by the woodstove, holding Abbey to her.
I walked to them and helped guide Abbey to the stairway, making sure to block her view of the corpses that were ripening by the minute.

“C’mon, Abbey, let’s get you into the car,” said Kelsey. She led the way up the stairs, and I followed behind.

“Did Nate get my books?” asked the girl in a small, timid voice.

“He sure did.
They’re on the seat of the Suburban waiting for you. Susan’s up there arranging a blanket and pillow for you too.”

“I like her,” said Abbey, her tone suggesting she was either dazed or depressed.

“Yeah, she’s an ok person,” was all I could think of to say.

“Kelsey?
Will you sit by me?”

“Of course I will, Abs.
Of course I will.”

We reached the top of the stairway and entered the day-lit home proper.
We walked the rest of the way in relative silence, eventually making our way out through the front door. There was a chill in the air I hadn’t noticed just a few minutes before. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to warm myself.

“Just over there, Abbey.
Susan said she made a spot for you in the back seat. There’s room for you and Kelsey.”

The Suburban was roomy with three bench seats.
It was big enough to haul all eight of us if necessary. We were all hoping the step van would make it back over the pass, but I had my doubts. It wasn’t rugged and I figured it’d be bad in the snow or ice.

Abbey and Kelsey climbed into the SUV and made their way to the rearmost seats.
Gus and Boggs walked over to me.

“Looks like we’re good to go, Zo,” said Boggs. “We had to ditch the deer carcass.”

“What? Why? Did it spoil?” I asked.

“It smelled off and had the same green streaks we’ve seen,” said Gus.
He sounded concerned.

“Seriously?” I asked.
“Do you think this is all affecting animals too?”

“Kind of looks that way,” said Gus.
“It’s sure something to watch for.”

“Ok, let’s hit the road.
Zoe, do you want to ride in the van with me?” asked Boggs.

“Sure.”

“I’ll go in the Suburban with the others,” said Gus. “Boggs, why don’t you lead in the van? If Zoe senses anything, tap your breaks a few times to warn us.”

“You bet,” said Boggs.

The two men fist-bumped and we all climbed into our respective vehicles. As the step van roared to life, I found myself excited about returning to the cabin that we had grown to call home.

Boggs and I sat side by side in the front of the step van, him behind the wheel and me a few feet away in the other seat. The sun shining in the morning had been brief, and rain started to fall again.
The snow on the road was gone, with only traces left here and there. Boggs drove slowly and I noticed he kept checking the rearview mirror to make sure the Suburban was still following.

“Boggs?”

“Hmm?”

“How’s your neck feeling?”

“It’s ok, Zo. It’s not hurting anymore.”

“Good.”

“I’m still taking the pills Gus gave me and I’ll have him look at it tonight. I promise.”

“Do you think we’re going to get
through all this?”

Boggs sighed heavily.
“I think we just have to take it one day at a time, Zoe. Hope for the best. There’s more of us now, and there’s safety in numbers.”

“Are you ok with Susan and Nathan?” I asked.

Boggs looked at me sideways like I was crazy. He chuckled before saying “Of course I am. Why would you ask?”

I shrugged my shoulders.
“Well, I know you guys were close before. If you still have feelings…”

I was interrupted at once.
“Zoe, stop it.”

“Sorry.”

“Trouble ahead,” he said.

I looked forward and saw the tree across the roadway.
Boggs pulled off to one side of the road and then brought the van to a slow stop.

“Crud,” I said.
“Now what?”

“Let me go talk to the guys.
We’ll have to move it. This is the only road to or from the house.”

I sighed and slumped back into my seat.
Boggs slid his door open and stepped down. I startled when there was a knock on the passenger door. I smiled when I saw it was Emilie.

I slid my own heavy metal door open with some effort.
“Hey Em.”

“Hey Zoe.
It’s not looking so hot, is it?”

“Nope.
Stupid trees,” I grumbled.

“It feels like it’s warmed up a bit,” she said.
“Let’s go see what the guys think about moving the tree?”

“Ok.”

Em held her hand out to me, and I took it while I stepped down from the van.

“Em?” I whispered.

“Yeah?”

“I’m so tired of seeing people die.”

“Me too,” she sighed. “Cheer up. Let’s go see if we can help.”

We walked hand in hand toward the fallen tree.
It wasn’t huge. Its diameter wasn't more than perhaps eight inches. Gus and Nathan were standing on the other side of the log. Boggs was kneeling down for a closer look, on our side with us.

“Are the other girls still in the car?” asked Emilie.

“Yup, I asked Susan to stay with Kelsey and Abbey. I thought Abbey might need the extra company. She seems a little freaked out,” said Nathan.

“How many saws did we bring?” asked Gus.

“Two,” replied Boggs. “We can try going over it, but I doubt the van will handle it very well. Too many branches that might get stuck in the tires.”

“I agree,” said Gus as he rubbed at his chin with his fingers.
It was a familiar gesture I’d seen him make during many moments of deep thought. “We may have to, though,” he said, looking directly at me.

Something about his gaze seemed off to me. I shrugged at him, using my body language to ask him ‘what?’

“Zoe? Anything?” he finally asked.

I shook my head side to side.
“Nothing, Gus. I’d let you know.”

“I see it too,” said Nathan, who had moved to where the tree had broken away from its roots.

Boggs stood, slowly.

“Boggs, don’t walk over there,” said Gus.
“I think we need to slowly walk back to the Suburban, all get in, and try to drive over it.”

I wanted to ask what they were talking about, but knew it wasn’t time to react openly.
I could sense that much. I closed my eyes and searched my brain, hard. It was there, but so very faint. Tucked into a tiny fold of my brain, so to speak, was the tiniest of tickles. Once I located it, I recognized it, very specifically as a Runner I had sensed in the past.

“We need to go. Now,” I stressed, although I spoke very quietly.

Everyone looked at me.

“It’s hiding from me.
Somehow it knows I can hear it and it’s hiding from me.” The tickle was growing. “When we left our cabin yesterday, I sensed one of them faintly. It’s the same one. C’mon, we need to go!” I urged. The pitch of my voice rose in alarm. “It knows we know it’s here now, and there’s more than one. They’ll all be here soon.”

I felt nauseous.
I briefly looked down at the log that stretched across the roadway. There were claw marks on it. So many claw marks. They had done this. They had been waiting for us. The buzzing in my brain was intensifying, quickly.

“We don’t have time to move the tree,” I snapped.

“Ok. Emilie, Nathan, back to the SUV,” barked Gus.

“Should we try to take the van over?” asked Boggs quickly.

“No,” Gus said simply. “Leave it. Get to the SUV - fast!”

Boggs grabbed my hand and we ran to the SUV, which was parked several feet behind the step van.
I was doing my best to not panic. The smell of death was now invading our space, strongly. I could hear the moaning of the dead. I could feel their hunger inside my head. I could sense their desperation deep down to my core.

Boggs hoisted me up to the passenger rear door, where I clambered to sit as close to Susan as I could.
Since Boggs still needed to get in, I ended up sitting on her lap. Emilie was on the other side of us, and I looked into her wide eyes with my own. We both bore the look of fear. Abbey was starting to cry in the rearmost seat, clinging to Kelsey for comfort. Nathan and Gus had made it to the front seat, where Nathan sat behind the wheel. As he turned the key, the first of the Roamers appeared at the edge of the road, in front of us and on the other side of the fallen tree. It was a medium sized pack compared to what we’d seen before. The zombie closest to us was badly decayed, its arms swinging limply at its sides. It was lacking in clothing, bare skin full of holes that looked festered to the bone. I wondered if perhaps it had been chewed on postmortem. I didn’t even want to consider what kind of monster might do that. It was missing an eyeball, the dark socket dripping thick black sludge. Its deathly grin showed teeth with long roots, exposed by the decay of gum tissue. Its nose was no longer present, revealing hollow sinuses.

“Go, Nathan, you have to go!
Run them over! Oh God, go!” It was my voice speaking, but I wasn't really aware that I had spoken. I could sense now that more of the creatures were approaching from behind us. “They’re surrounding us - go!”

Susan was holding me down to her, sensing that I was about to jump into the front seat to take over on driving. “Zoe, sit still.
You’re hurting me,” she said firmly. “Nate! Go!”

The SUV finally started moving forward, after what seemed an eternity.
Nate had to hug the left side of the road to pass the van, and then approached the fallen tree.

“Nate, just take the crossing itself real slow, and once we’re clear run through the crowd as hard as you can.
Don’t stop till we’re free of them, or it’ll give them a chance to swarm us,” directed Gus.

The herd of Roamers was nearly to the fallen tree now.
Nate sped then slowed as the front tires prepared to tackle the fallen tree before us. I could hear Abbey whimpering from the back seat, and begging Kelsey to not let the monsters eat her. She sounded so much younger than her actual age. The Suburban rocked and leaned as the front passenger tire hit the fallen tree first. I could hear the engine rev as Nate gave it more gas, and soon the tire hit ground with a jolt as the other tire found its target. My stomach lurched from the movement. It was all repeated with the back end of the vehicle. I opened my eyes wide as the SUV sped up, and watched as the dead grew closer. They were running now, straight toward us.

“Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop,” I could hear Emilie chanting quietly beside me, almost as if praying.

The impact with the first zombie wasn't what I expected. Instead of a ‘thud’ with a jolt, the one with the missing eye fell apart. The impact shattered its decayed body. The fresher ones that we hit next felt as if they were leaving dents. As Nate ran each of them over, the muck in my brain started to clear.

“Keep it steady, Nathan,” urged Gus.
“Just keep it steady.”

“I’ve got these fuckers!” shouted Nathan.
“Die you fuckers!”

A fist thumped against the window beside Boggs, leaving a trail of greenish slime flecked with globs of what had certainly once been flesh.
The creature that had beaten against the glass lurched forward alongside the SUV. I watched it, and realized there was very little separating us from it. This one was fresher than the first we collided with. Remains of lips hung from around its teeth. The nose was intact, but kinked off to one side. It had both of its eyes and for a moment I thought it actually locked its gaze with mine. Another thump came as it flung its torso against the door, trying to gain entry. As Nathan increased the speed of the vehicle, the dead monster fell behind us. I looked back and watched as those remaining, a good ten or so, grew smaller in the distance. Kelsey was doing her best to calm Abbey, who under the circumstances I thought was managing quite well. Tears were expected for one so young. Rightfully, tears would be expected from any of us, regardless of age.

“STOP!” I yelled suddenly.
“Nathan, stop the car!” He continued to drive. “Damn it, Nathan, stop the freaking car NOW!”

“Zoe?” asked Gus, a bit sternly.
“What’s wrong?”

I didn’t feel like explaining. I was angry.
Angrier than I had been in a long time. Flashes of lost friends came to mind, flashes of the horrors we’d seen. Worries about our survival now flooded my head. “Just stop the car!”

“Nathan, do it,” said Gus.

The car came to a rough stop. I looked through the back window, and saw the Roamers gaining on us.

“Zoe, what the hell?” asked Boggs.

“They’re not getting it,” I said sharply. “They’re not getting our van!” I could feel my face flushed with fury. Boggs held onto my right arm as I scrambled to crawl over Emilie. I knew if I tried to get out on Boggs’ side I would fail. “Adam, let my arm go!” I said with venom. It was a tone I don’t recall ever using with him before, and I saw the hurt in his eyes.

“Zoe, stop!” said Emilie firmly.

“We can take them,” I said as I looked at her eye-to-eye. “If we do it now. There’s not that many and we need the supplies in the van.”

“You’re not going out there, Zo. No way,” said Boggs firmly.

“Yes, I am. Let go.” I was already reaching into the back of my waistband, where I had grown accustomed to tucking my revolver.

“Boggs, she’s right,” said Gus.
I heard the familiar click of a gun being cocked. I didn’t look up front to see if it was Nathan or Gus. I didn’t need to, hearing a second gun being readied and the front doors opening.

“Christ,” said Boggs as he let go of my arm.

I was out the door quickly, leaving Emilie behind. Boggs must have gotten out after me. It happened so fast I only had time to visualize my companions in my peripheral vision. I knew there were three others beside myself outside of the SUV. The dead were approaching more quickly than I had bargained on. The stench was that of putrid meat and stagnant bodily excretions. Something like sewer, death, and strong mold rolled into one. As badly as I wanted to lean over and throw up, I raised my revolver, cocked it, aimed at the zombie closest and fired. My aim was true, hitting it somewhere on the top of its head. It fell forward, landing only about ten feet from the back bumper of the Suburban. It still wore one high heel and the remains of a sheer dress, now torn and dirtied from time. Its hair was long and tangled. The sound of the others shooting and the cries of the dead filled the air. There were several other decomposed bodies now littering the ground. Some were what I would call ‘dry,’ and others began leaking various colors of slime and fluid. I picked my head up and looked for my next target. I could hear the grunts and screams of the dead growing. There were more than I had anticipated. I found myself doubting my ability to gauge the situation accurately. Maybe I had been wrong. I was unsure of how these monsters were manipulating my mind, but I had no doubt they were.

“Gus!
Shoot it!” I heard Boggs yell.

I wanted to look over to see what was going on, but knew I needed to focus on the dead in my own line of sight.
I steadied my gun, aimed at a child that was crawling toward me. It wanted me to look at it closely. It wanted me to pity it. It wanted me to be sucked in. Something was wrong. I was suddenly sure it was purposely distracting me. I imagined it had been a cute little boy of about five or six, based on its size. I aimed at its head and squeezed the trigger. I knew as soon as I blew its head off that more of the dead were upon us. There were three. They were the fast ones, the smart ones. Runners. They were uphill from us, looking down. I could see the SUV, the four of us shooters, and the remainder of the herd of rotting dead through their eyes. I stopped for a moment and aimed at the Roamers before us, but instead of focusing on killing them I took a gamble and let my unusual senses see through the eyes of the three above us. When I was fairly certain exactly where they were congregated, I raised my revolver, cocked it, and turned quickly to my left. I found my targets quickly, and aimed at the closest. I shot it in the gut, way off mark, but caused it to fall backward. While it was righting itself, I cocked my gun again and aimed to the creature’s side, where another Runner was crouched. I took a deep breath in, and as I slowly exhaled I squeezed the trigger. At first I thought I had missed altogether, but the crouching Runner slowly fell to its side. The other two were already running down the hill, and nearly on top of us.