Impact (17 page)

“How did you put up with Claire? She was so whiny.”

“She’s grown, too, come a long way in a short time. She’s not the same girl anymore, and she’s like family to me. I’m so glad we met you guys.”

“We’ve all changed a little,” she said.

“Yeah. Remember how immature I was? My brother was livid, having to drag his baby brother around.”

“Well, you’re not a baby anymore. We’ve all grown, and we’ve been through so much.”

I gazed into her eyes. “I’ve lost you twice already, and I won’t let you go a third time.” I thought back to watching her take her last breath in Kingsville, and I’d lost her again when Charlie had taken her away. I gripped her hand, taking note of her bloody knuckles. “Yeah, we’ve definitely been through some tough times. I know we’re not out of the woods yet, but we’ll just keep fighting hard. That’s what survivors do. We can’t give up, no matter the odds.”

“I love your pep talks. You help me keep going, stay strong, and fight. I’ve learned so much from you.”

“We have no other choice but to fight. If we give up, we die.”

“I know.”

“I guess you’re right about waiting,” I said, glancing at the well-guarded door. “Let’s study the layout, learn the routine of the guards.”

“Eva has shown me around a little. I know we’re fenced in with barbed wire. We’d need tools to cut through it, but we could try to scale it or overtake the guards and unlock the gates. There are guard towers around the main perimeter, just like in prison. They monitor the perimeter for intruders, zombies, and escapees. They also patrol the area with Jeeps and trucks.”

“Ah, the final line of defense.”

“Yeah, and they’re all well armed and trigger happy. They’ll shoot anything that moves.”

“We can use the cover of darkness,” I said, “and we should study the length of time between passes.”

“They come hourly. We need to find holes in their security and take advantage of them.”

“They also make rounds and check us at regular intervals. We should all start making mental notes. We also need to get our hands on some weapons.”

She blinked. “Easier said than done, but I can try. Maybe we can rig up some homemade ones. Meanwhile, how good are you at artfully dodging shanks?”

“Hmm. Seen one too many prison movies, huh?”

“No, I’m serious. These people are crazy. You need to be just as crazy as they are.”

“You don’t think I’m crazy enough already?” I asked, winking at her.

“Well, that’s beside the point. You need...a nickname, like those wrestlers have. It’s gotta instill terror in your opponents.”

“So I’m thinking Deanie the Weenie is out of the question, right?”

She giggled and playfully smacked me. “Something a little more...intimidating. Maybe, uh... ‘The Beast’ or ‘The Body Snatcher’ or something.”

I sighed. “Is that really necessary? This isn’t the WWF.”

“You’re right. It’s not. Because if you lose here, you might get killed. People have to identify with you, bond with you. You have to create a memorable character, brand yourself. The more people root for you, the better Kirk will like you. I’m Raging Bull.”

“Hmm. You don’t look like Robert De Niro to me, but the raging part is right. I can tell you’re furious at these people.”

“Are you talkin’ to me?” she asked in her gruffest possible voice, then broke into laughter.

“Wrong movie, babe,” I said.

She touched my face. “I
am
mad, and I refuse to be kept here as a prisoner.”

“We’ll get out of this,” I whispered.

She nodded, then looked away.

“I can only imagine what they call Asia.”

“Bonecrusher,” she said, stifling a grin.

“Of course.”

“Hey, it works,” she said. “What about Zombie Slayer? It’s kinda true, and since everyone hates the zombies, you’ll be a hero. All you have to do is tell stories of all the zombies you’ve killed, and it wouldn’t hurt to exaggerate a little. In fact, play it up big time. If everyone likes you as a fighter, they’ll readily accept you into their community, and then you can move about more freely. It’s all about gaining their trust.”

The door opened, and Eva walked in. “Time’s up. Let’s go.”

I kissed Jackie goodbye.

Eva rolled her eyes. “I’d tell you to get a room, but you each already have one,” she said. “Can you just hurry up, before your make-out session earns me a broken nose?”

“Bye,” I said to Jackie. “You be careful out there.” I then reluctantly followed the limping Eva out of the building, with about six guards in tow to make sure we didn’t try anything funny. “Thanks for arranging that,” I said.

“It was no problem,” she said.

“So...what’s your story?” I asked as we walked.

Eva turned to the guards. “I’m fine,” she said. “You guys can go. I’ll get him back to his room.”

One of the guards looked at me suspiciously. “It’s against protocol to leave a rookie unguarded, but I owe Eva,” he said. “If you so much as hurt her, that pretty little girlfriend of yours is all mine. You got that?”

“Loud and clear.”

“He’s harmless,” said Ned. “There’s no need to treat Dean like a prisoner, and we can give him a little space. We want him to feel comfortable here.”

The other guard backed off. “Fine.”

I shot a nod to Ned as he and the others walked away.

“Wow. A moment alone.”

“They like you,” she said. “They want you to stay, to fall in love with this community so you never want to leave. At least Ned does. Kirk too.”

“Speaking of that, why are you here?” I asked.

“Does it matter? Just get me out of here.” She stopped and looked at me, with snow slowly falling into her hair. “Sorry. That was rude of me.”

“It’s okay. I shouldn’t be prying. You don’t have to tell me anything.”

“No, it’s all right. I’m asking you to risk your life to rescue me. The least I can do is fill you in a little on who you’re dealing with. I was in a car accident. I was hurt, thirsty, starving, and at death’s door. A herd of zombies took full advantage and attacked, ripped up the other passengers in no time. Kirk and his group brought me here about six months ago. They stitched me up and gave me hope. They told me I’d have to fight if I wanted to stay, and it didn’t seem like a bad gig at the time. After all, they gave me shelter and food. I was safe here, and I was so tired of running. I wanted a home, a place to fit in. I agreed to stay and fight, but it didn’t take long for me to realize just how horrible it is. The fights are beyond vicious and not fair. That’s how I injured my leg, and it will never heal right.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Kirk is just using people. This sanctuary isn’t worth the risk, and while it took me a while to realize it, I know now that I’d rather survive in the outside world. Since I was their best female fighter at the time, they wouldn’t let me leave. I couldn’t believe I’d gotten myself into this mess, but once you join the club, you can never leave. It’s like the mafia. When I got hurt, I started losing fights, and Kirk punished me by beating me a few times. They decided I was no use as a warrior anymore, so they gave me other duties, new responsibilities. Kirk assigns me all the dirty work, as payback. I’d hoped he’d just let me go, but he’ll never do that. He told me the same thing he told you, that death is the only escape. He said, ‘Get used to it...or we’ll happily put you out of your misery.’”

“The dude is crazy,” I said.

“For sure, but I have met some friends here. Some of the guards are even okay. Kirk is spiteful, though, and he holds a grudge against me because I got injured and couldn’t fight anymore. I’ve had to cooperate, to just do whatever I have to do to survive. For months, though, I’ve been watching for my opportunity, a chance to escape. I’ve made it a point to get chummy with all the guards, developing relationships with them and making them think I am trustworthy. That’s the only reason they left me alone with you now.”

“Where will you go after we get away from here?” I asked.

“Well, Jackie said I can come with you guys, but I really just want to find my own family in the next state over. I hope they are still alive. I was scared out there, but I’m not scared anymore. I’ve been through too much here, and I just want out. I wish I could just find a car and drive away. Once we’re away from here, you guys can go your way, and I’ll go mine.”

“Sounds like a plan. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

“I’ll be okay. I’m a survivor, like you.”

“That you are.”

* * *

I
sat in my dorm room, fuming angry that we had to be so patient and let them push us around. They kept me under constant security and threatened Asia’s and Jackie’s life if I even tried any escape or refused to obey their orders. I did my best to assure them that I wasn’t a flight risk.

Over the next week, I trained hard every single day, like a good little gladiator. I sparred with other opponents, some I’d met on my first day there. I honed my combat skills and focused on strike delivery, reaction, and speed of recovery.

At three p.m., they took me to the ring for a mock fight.

Kirk motioned around the room. “This is where you will fight. It is important to get a feel for the place.” When the door opened, he looked across the room and smiled like a kid on Christmas morning. “Ah! Your competition has arrived.”

A big, burly man with a bushy beard climbed under the ropes. He was dressed in orange shorts and matching tennis shoes. He was ripped, with multiple tattoos across his arms, shoulders, and chest, and he instantly instilled fear into me. When he smiled, I noticed he had one gold tooth.

He made firm eye contact with me and laughed. ‘Boy, I’m gonna rule this ring...and you!”

The look of death in the intimidating man’s eyes made me feel instantly uneasy, but I refused to show any weakness by looking away. It didn’t matter how tough he was, because I knew the right pressure points to take him down.

Kirk crossed his arms. “What do you think, Anthony?”

“I’m not sure. This was your pick from that massive talent pool we have?”

Kirk nodded. “He can fight. I’ve seen him in action.”

The fighter walked over to me. “You don’t look like a contender for my throne.”

I just rolled my eyes. Frankly, I didn’t want his throne. I just wanted out of that place and their apocalyptic coliseum. 

“I’m gonna put you in a body bag,” he said in a gruff, hostile tone. Then, without warning, he punched me in the stomach, dropping me like a sack of potatoes.

Kirk looked down at me. “Get up!”

I couldn’t breathe. And the pain...uh...

“Get up!” he repeated.

Breathing through the pain, I tried to do as ordered. But I fell back down again.  

“This fight is over,” Kirk said.

“No,” I said.

He looked at my opponent. “Get out, Anthony!”

“Sure thing, boss.”

Anthony scurried away, laughing. “I told you he weren’t nothin’! Don’t go sendin’ a boy to do a man’s job.”

Kirk stood over me, shaking his head. “Zombie Slayer my butt! That was pitiful!”

The wind had been so brutally knocked out of me that I couldn’t even respond. 

“I had no idea you were such a weakling,” he said. ”And to think, you did so well in my test!”

“Those were zombies,” I said, gasping for air. “This guy is just...outta my league.”

“What was all that talk about pressure points then?” Kirk demanded. “Your girlfriend would have stood a better chance in there!”

“I’m sorry. I’ll try to do better. He’s so fast. He just...caught me off guard.”

“You’ll try?” he roared.  He kicked me, and pain exploded in my back. “I don’t need another disappointment! I suppose I can cut you a break, since this is only a practice one, but you should know that you have failed to meet my expectations. That is not wise to do.”

“Bring him back in,” I said. “I’ll show you I’m no weakling. I just wasn’t ready for a sucker-punch.”

“I won’t waste Anthony’s time on you again today, but I advise you not to lose your first fight. I have a lot riding on you. I am only giving you a chance because of what I saw in that zombie field. If you let me down again...well, I will let you down as well.” He called for a handful of security to escort me back to my room.  “I expect more, Dean,” he said, then walked away in a huff.

One of the guys reached out his arm and helped me up. “You okay?” he asked sincerely.

I held my stomach. “I’m fine.”

“You’d better be. Kirk has a lot invested in you, and he won’t put up with you losing your first fight.”

I sighed. “I’m not a trained professional. That guy was way bigger than me and an experienced fighter. My moves work on the average guy, but I really only know a few things my brother and his best friend taught me and the little training I’ve gotten here.”

“Well, Anthony’s the champ. He’s practically untouchable.”

“We’ll see about that,” I said, breathing through the pain. “He might not be so lucky next time.”

T
he day of my big fight came, and I was pitted against Marcus, a far fairer fight since we were both rookies. I wore shiny red shorts, tennis shoes, and no shirt. While I waited for my bout, I watched intently as the other fighters exchanged blows. When I peered closer, I noticed that they were girls, and one of them was Asia. My stomach clenched. I knew how vicious the girls could be, and I feared for her safety. Nonetheless, she was fighting like a pro, living up to her Bonecrusher name, and I couldn’t have been more proud.

Asia dropped her back hand to give her opponent the impression that a heavy hook was coming up. The trick worked, because the girl’s eyes gravitated to the dropped hand. Asia then went at the brunette with her lead hand, using a wide, sweeping uppercut. She sucker-punched the stick-thin girl, and it was lights out in one devastating blow.

The bell rang three times, and the crowd cheered and shouted. “Bonecrusher! Bonecrusher!” they chimed in excitement.

“And we have a winner,” the announcer said, holding up Asia’s hand.

After the excitement died down, the unconscious girl was carried out of the ring, and Asia was led out with all the fanfare of Rocky Balboa. As she walked up the aisle, she grabbed my arm, met my gaze, and spoke between gasping breaths, “Good luck.”