Our Undead (43 page)

It is a picture, much like
her own of a family of three, except this photo is not a portrait.
It is taken on a beach, perhaps on a family vacation. Their faces
she knows, but they are slightly changed because of the age
difference from the time the photo was taken. In this photo they
are much younger, but Margaret recognizes Lynn as a little girl,
perched on her father's back, and Karen, Lynn's mother standing
beside the two of them in mid-laughter. The only face that isn't
familiar is the strapping young man that is holding Lynn on his
back. He has such kind eyes and a soft face, reminding her of a
young Johnny Depp, and it doesn't take long for her to realize who
it is. This is Abe's family, or what it used to be.

The night of the undead
ambush at the hostel plays back through her mind, specifically,
seeing Lynn frozen in despair, looking at her father who had
turned, and having to shake her out of it so that they could
escape. She remembers the family and when they first got to the
hostel, how sick Lynn's father had already become and the room
where they stayed and watched over him. Margaret swore inside that
that would never happen to her own father, but then it did, and on
the same night, she lost both Lynn
and
Lynn's mother.

The way things had worked
out, like some sort of sick joke, or maybe not. Both her and Abe
had lost their families, and although Abe had, in a more literal
sense, lost his life, Margaret had lost hers too. And somehow they
had found each other. In this moment, thinking about Lynn, Margaret
feels an even deeper connection with the infected father. She makes
an internal promise that she won't let anything happen to him, and
hopefully, someday there would be a cure. And she would tell him
about Lynn and Karen and how much they cared for and took after
him.

Margaret's emotions take
over and a few tears escape down each of her cheeks. How could she
not have known? How could she not have recognized who Abe was when
he arrived in the cabin that day? How did he find her? Was it
destiny? If only Lynn and Karen were still alive, they could have
been reunited. If only they could've made it to that cabin. But he
looks so different. Would it have even mattered?

There are just too many
questions, the majority of which she cannot answer. No one would
ever be able to answer them. Overwhelmed, she sniffs, and it
catches the attention of Sharp who is still awake; always awake and
always aware, most likely because there is an active goof sitting
in the same helicopter cabin as he is.

Sharp:
Hey, is everything all right? What is that?

The sound of his voice
surprises her, and she jumps slightly. She didn't realize anyone
else was still awake. Across from her diagonally, Kerrick is passed
out, mouth wide open and snores in full effect. Even Billy had
fallen asleep, opting also to rest his head against Abe's soft arm
rather than the helicopter's cold steel. She palms the photo and
quickly slides it into her own pocket.

Margaret:
(sniffs
) Yea, it's fine... It's
nothing.

She rests her head back
down on Abe's shoulder and closes her eyes, this time wrapping her
arms around his own that she lays upon. Sharp looks at her,
wondering, and then brings his eyes up to Abe's face. The
ever-alert zombie is already looking at him dead in the eyes, or
more so looking straight through them.

Denver Sharp is a classified super soldier. There
is nothing that can make him squirm in unease, and fear is an
emotion he has long forgotten and left behind, but the eerie sense
he gets when looking at Abe in the dim lighting of the cabin is
inescapable. He is the first to break eye contact and stares out
the window into the black of the night.

COME TOGETHER. RIGHT NOW. UNDER
ME.

Double doors blow open and
Holden steps through them into a large room with high ceilings and
many people seated at long foldable tables. Most everybody in this
cafeteria is stuffing food into their faces and Holden looks around
for the line to the food. He spots it and walks to the backend. The
line is disgustingly long, inhabited by parents with their whining,
indecisive children and couples caught up in small chat, paying no
mind to the moving line in front of them.

Holden has no time for
this, so he walks down the line beside all of the waiting patrons,
looking past them in through the display case at the food as he
goes along. He passes the plain looking salads, the Jell-O,
crackers and cheese, and then the more hearty stuff; the rice,
chicken, and some brown stuff that looks like it might be some sort
of meat. It is near the front of the line that Holden finds the
sandwiches he is looking for, but a young couple stands in his way.
As if they're not even there, he walks up and reaches in for his
food, bumping the young man unconsciously in the back.

YoungMan:
Hey, moron, can't you see the line? What're ya, some kind of
ass… hole?

When the young man, who's
height only reaches Holden's chest, turns and takes in the full
frame of the burly super soldier, his face is met by Holden's
naturally menacing grimace. He quickly changes his tune.

YoungMan:
Uhhh, I'm sorry about that, sir. Why reach over? What
sandwich can I get for you? Turkey Club? Meatball? They've got
everything here.

Maintaining his serious
glare, Holden takes the nervous young man by the shoulder with his
bear claw and moves him calmly out of the line.

YoungMan:
Yea, you just… take them yourself. You're a grown man. I'll
just… move outta your way.

Holden grabs one cold cuts
and two egg sandwiches, then turns back around. He looks at the
young man one more time, and the poor fellow can't seem to stop
shaking in his own skin. But having gotten what he came for, Holden
makes his way back to the cafeteria exit.

YoungMan:
Th-Thank you, sir!

As Holden walks toward the
exit, he takes in the variety of faces. All of these people had not
too long ago lived above ground and were forced into this
underworld because of a flaw in his bosses plan, a plan that Holden
doesn't even fully understand. If things had gone correctly,
whatever correctly means, they'd still be in their houses and
homes. They would be slaves to an army of super soldiers much like
himself, worker ants in a united world build for the strong. At
least they would be getting some sunlight. The artificial luminance
that spews itself throughout most of this sector like fake sunshine
is starting to get on the big man's nerves. He's beginning to see
why Doctor Alyster keeps most of the lights in his lab
off.

The poor fools have no idea
what they have in store. These super soldiers will be much like
himself, but better, for these impending soldiers would have the
ability to live forever. What good is a man, even a man like
Holden, whose strength can match that of any man or beast? What
good is his almighty power if put up against that which cannot die?
He must learn more about Eternity from the doctor. He must see how
human beings react with the new version of it. Hopefully the doctor
would be ready in time.

And then Holden's internal
monologue is interrupted by the sound of a woman calling out his
name. He knows the voice and pinpoints the woman sitting at the end
of one of the long plastic tables. It is his partner, Erika Blaze,
waving him over with a big toothy grin on her face. He goes to
where she is as to not look suspicious. He's had a pretty good
relationship with Erika over the years. She can be a little too
bubbly and playful for his taste, but much like Kerrick, a
destructive force hides behind her amicable attitude. She's
extremely intuitive and gets serious when the moment calls for it.
Plus, she's saved his life a few times. For all that, he respects
her. When he gets to her, he doesn't sit down. Erika is in the
middle of eating a huge bowl of salad.

Erika:
Hey, Kushy! I haven't seen you since we arrived. The General
just whisked you off to some far away corner of this subterranean
labyrinth.

Holden:
I've been very busy with assisting Doctor
Alyster.

Erika:
Yea, that guy. I've heard a lot of stuff about him, like how
crazy he is. What is the good doctor up to these
days?

Holden:
You know, I would tell you, but I have no idea. This science
stuff goes right over my head. Something about redeveloping a cure.
That much I understand. I'm mostly his lap dog, errand boy, as you
see.

He holds up the sandwiches
for her to see.

Erika:
Hah! I know how you feel there, buddy. I've been spending a
lot of time with Professor Gavine and the other doctors. I've never
felt so useless in my entire life.

Holden:
I'm sure. I don't suppose they have anything that needs
blowing up now, do they?

Erika:
Unfortunately, not. Hey, you wanna have a seat? Join me for a
meal? You seem well stocked.

Holden:
No, thank you. I'm actually quite full. These are for the
doctor, and I have to be getting them back to
him.

Erika:
Oh!
Well, I'm pretty full, myself. All the salads in this place taste
like cardboard paper anyway. I have a bit of time to waste before
Matthew and Denver get back in. Gwen gave me the go ahead to pick
them up from the surface, but that won't be for a while. I might as
well tag along with you until then. I'd love to see if what people
are saying about that crazy doctor is true.

She puts her fork down
beside the giant bowl of half eaten salad and makes ready to follow
Holden.

Holden:
That probably wouldn't be a good idea. Doctor Alyster is very
touchy about who he lets into his office, especially while he's
working. Which is why I have my orders. I'm sure you'll find
something else to do. You're… you. I'll see ya.

Holden ends the
conversation there and starts walking for the exit. Erika watches
his broad back as it heads for the double doors. It's obvious to
her that her partner knows more than he's leading her to believe he
does, so she gets up and follows him. She catches up to him just as
he gets out of the cafeteria and into the gigantic corridor.
Hundreds of people are hustling around, civilians and military
personnel alike, going from some point 'A' to some point
'B'.

Erika:
Hey, I'm gonna follow along anyway. No little crazy man is
gonna stop me from going where I please. Plus, maybe I'll learn
something. This whole situation is just…

Holden:
No!
…… Orders.

His fat right index finger
is up and in between them. It hops twice, to the syllables of the
word "orders". No little crazy man could control Erika, but the
mammoth in front of her keeps her in place.

Erika:
Uhh, sure. I'll just.. walk to the elevator… really slowly.
Should be about an hour away… It'll give me some time to work off
this salad.

She rubs her belly and nods
him off. He smiles in an attempt to disarm her saucy attitude, but
more so to throw her off his scent, then turns away and disappears
into the crowd. Satisfied, Erika makes a one-eighty and heads in
the opposite direction.

<><><>

About twenty minutes into
her trek, the crowds have cleared up, and the only other people
passing by are professionals and government workers; people who
wear their suits underground and other uniforms. Erika walks
casually along, taking in her surroundings as she goes, nodding
pleasantly at anyone she makes eye contact with, and then she sees
a familiar face.

Erika:
Hi!

Gwen:
Ms.
Blaze.

Erika:
Oh,
please. Call me, Erika… or Blaze… Just drop the,
"miss".

Gwen:
Heh.
Okay then, … Erika.

Erika:
Thank you. So, what are you up to on this fine day? The sun
is always shining when you're underground.

Gwen:
Very
funny… Or at least I
hope
that was sarcasm. I'm heading to D-9 to check in
with Keung and Rohan.

Erika:
Oh…
Well, that sounds boring…

Gwen:
Actually, Rohan sounded pretty anxious when he requested that
I come by, so let's just try and be positive, shall we? Where might
you be off to?

Erika:
To
pick up the boys.

Gwen:
Oh,
right. But that's all the way in Block-A. Why not take a
cart?

Erika:
I
can use the walk. But hey, listen to this. I ran into my other boy,
the bigger one, in the cafeteria.

Gwen:
The
one working with Alyster.

Erika:
Yea, and something's not right. Cause, I mean, Kushland is a
jerk, but he's not
that
big a jerk. I tried to follow him to Alyster's
lab, and he wouldn't have it. Like, if I pushed him any harder to
let me go with him, we would've fought right there. I've seen that
look. He gives it to Denver all the time. I'd have given him a run
for his money, but all those innocent people. Didn't wanna chance
them getting hurt. He told me this excuse about how the doctor is
picky with who he let's hang around. Not only that, but he
completely dodged it when I questioned him about what Alyster is
doing in there. He played dumb. It was really
strange.