Tales From the Swollen Corpse (4 page)

“It’s Larry and he’s on the forklift. I think he’s trying to get to his car.”

“He really is crazy.” Barb said, looking up at Ryan with the rest of us.

“The crowd stretches through the parking lot and he’s just plowing through ‘
em
. Whenever one tries to climb on he knocks them off with the axe handle. I don’t know how he’s going to get from the lift to his jalopy.”

Dan tried to climb up on the tool box but it rocked and seemed too unstable for both of them.

“Oh shit! He had one between the forks and it went down. He tried to drive over it and almost turned the damn lift over. He’s stopped, now he’s backing up. He’s going too slowly, they’re rushing him, shit the lift is covered, and they got him for sure. He’s still backing up, fuck me, he’s…he’s past lights!” Quickly Ryan jumps down. “Everyone get the fuck out of the way, he’s not stopping!”

We all ran past the registers. I stopped off to the side of an aisle when I heard the crash. In an explosion of glass, the backend of the lift came through the door like a battling ram, sending the tool boxes flying and leaving an oil slick of blood. The lift toppled over, coming to rest on its side and pinning some dead. A few that had held on were munching on what was left of Larry. A few had fallen off but had already gotten back up and a procession was coming through what was left of the door.

Barb walked over and picked up Larry’s axe which had fallen from the lift onto the floor. She retrieved her keys from her pocket and threw them to me.

“Get everyone to the
roof,
I’ll buy you some time.” With her overalls and the axe in hand she looked like an angry female Paul Bunyan.

“Don’t be stupid, come on, come with us!” I yelled over the noise of zombies tripping over debris.

Looking red in the face she yelled back, “Get everyone to the fucking roof!”

Needing no more encouragement, I grabbed Heather’s hand and we ran towards the back with Ryan and Dan just behind us. As we got closer to the double doors we could hear a lot of racket on the other side. Each door had a little window to keep people from running into each other. Standing at a safe distance, we watched as Ryan peeked through one.

“Son of a bitch!” he screamed, just as the door opened a little and a decomposed arm stuck through. Ryan pushed but the arm blocked it from shutting all the way. I rushed over and helped Ryan push against the door. The arm wouldn’t give and more must have been on the other side because it started to get harder and harder to keep the door shut. I thought how lucky we were the other door is latched; since usually we leave it open to drag pallets in and out.

“That old asshole left the roll up wide open. The back’s full of zombies. I don’t know how we’re going to get to the ladder now.” Ryan pushed against the door.

Dan grabbed the arm by the wrist and told us to open the door just enough to let it through. Ryan told him to “f off” but I said if we don’t get it shut we won’t be able to pretty soon. We count to three and let the door open just enough for Dan to pull the dead guy through, then slam it as soon as he’s clear. Dan had the guy by the arm and spun him, slamming it into the wall. The dead guy bounced against the wall then fell to the floor, where Dan proceeded to kick the zombie’s head to a pulp with his steel toed boots.

When the thing stopped moving and each kick started sounding mushy Ryan yelled, “I think
ya
got ‘
em
Dan
,.
” with a hint of concern. “Can you find me a two by four or something to put between the handles?”

Dan ran over to the table saw. He stopped to look at the mess we left,
then
came running back with a piece of wood. Ryan tried it and it fit through the door handles perfect. We cautiously stood back to make sure it held and it did.

“Hey Dan, is there still a can of gas in the fire locker behind the contractor’s booth?” Ryan asked.

“Should be,” Dan replied, while wiping his boots off on the dead guy’s t-shirt.

“I’ve got an idea. You guys wait for me here; make sure they don’t get out.” Dan said. He wanted to go too but Ryan convinced him he’s faster and has less chance of being seen by himself. I reminded him to hurry because we should be getting bombarded any second.

I kept my back against the door to make sure it wouldn’t move and so I could keep a lookout. I saw something move past the end of the aisle just in front of us. Dan walked and looked down a few rows but said he didn’t see anything. Heather leaned against the wall and slid against me. She held my hand firmly, and I could tell she’s scared. Expecting to see a hungry mob coming for us any minute, I was scared too, and couldn’t think of anything to say that would make us feel better. Dan leaned against the other door and looked around. He was thinking the same thing from the worried expression on his face.

We waited a few minutes but what seemed way too long. I started to think of a plan B but came up with nothing. Suddenly we heard something; a sound like a high pitch whine turning into a buzz, then it was gone.

“What was that?” Heather asked as she squeezed my hand to the point that it hurt.

“Sounds like a… oh hell yeah, look.” Dan was pointing past Heather and me at Ryan, who was walking quickly towards us with three chainsaws.

“Ok, you guys start these puppies up; we’ll make a line and keep Heather in the middle. When we get to the ladder unlock it; we’ll keep ‘
em
off you and Heather.” Ryan said, handing me a saw.

Heather took the saw from me and asked Ryan how I’m supposed to use a chainsaw and unlock the gate.

“Do you even know how to use it?” Ryan asked sarcastically.

Heather answered him by pushing the primer, then flicking the saw with one hand and pulling the cord with the other instantly starting it.

“What? My dad owns a landscaping company.” Heather said, revving the saw.

Looking at Heather, Dan elbowed me and told me he had a chubby again.

Walking over to the aisle in front of us, I grabbed a galvanized pipe. “Works for me, let’s do this. Ryan takes the lead, Dan you’re in back and Heather stay close. “

With everyone’s saw fired up and my pipe ready, I walked to the side of the door. Ryan looked at me and counted; one… two… three. Pulling the wood out, I opened the door quickly, before I could see what was on the other side, I heard Ryan’s saw motor whine and saw a spray of red. I got back next to Heather and we made our way into the back room. Looking behind me, I saw the others were on their way and wondered if Barb really held them off that long.

Heather and I stayed almost back to back as we walked. The pipe was working surprisingly well at busting heads wide open. Blood and chunks were flying all around me. I did my best to keep my mouth shut in fear something might land in it. When we got to the ladder, I took Barbs keys and got to work figuring out which one unlocks it. Fumbling, I found it and opened the guard that covers the lower rungs.

“Got it.”
I yelled and turned just in time to see a big, hairy Sasquatch-looking fucker pin Ryan to the table. The impact forced the saw into Ryan’s neck. He went limp and dropped before the mob engulfed him. Heather took a swing at the big fella. She missed the bastard’s head, digging the saw into its shoulder blade which seemed to piss it off. The hairy bastard turned around with the saw still stuck in him.

“Heather, climb up the ladder!” I screamed.

The fucker lunged at her but missed. She started up the ladder. When he tried again I smacked him home run style against his skull, which only stunned him. Dan’s on it and took a swipe with his saw to the back of the guy’s knees; Sasquatch went down. I cleared my way to the ladder, then dropped my pipe and climbed. Dan was just behind me, wielding the saw like he shouldn’t be allowed to watch any more horror movies. Once we were all up the ladder, out of reach, I looked out into the room. It’s packed from wall to wall with the dead. You can’t even see the fifty or so we had just taken out.

After a little fuss, Heather got the roof hatch open. We climbed onto the roof and heard the sound of machine guns off in the distance. I asked if anyone was bit, we looked ourselves over and seemed to be alright. Dan, Heather and I walked over to the side of the building. Looking down the street to the south, we saw a parade of soldiers and Humvees making their way slowly toward us.

Standing to my side, Dan threw his hands in the air and yelled, “The cavalry is coming, yeah!”

With Heather in my arms, we watched the sun rising from behind the foothills. Looking at the sky, turning from black then deep purple to blue, I was filled with hope. We made it; life might actually get back to normal.

“
Mikey
,” Heather squeezed me and looked up from my chest.

“Yeah babe?”
I said, looking down into her angelic eyes.

“I’m pregnant.”

Dan laughed.

Pa said the well was contaminated. I told Emily that meant it had gone bad. Mama didn’t know how water could go bad. I don’t think Dad knew neither. He sure didn’t have a good answer from the look on Ma’s face.
Grands
said we were cursed by the heathens for taking their land. She had Billy scared and Mama didn’t like that one bit. Didn’t matter one way or the next, the water was bad.

I found it turned before my chores. Ma caught me at the door and told me to fetch water so she could start breakfast. Told her cooking was women’s work. I grinned so she’d know I was joking. She told me if I ever wanted to eat again I better fetch the water.

Ol
‘
Shep
(bless his heart) was sleeping on the porch like always. He woke when he heard me.
Shep
followed me to the well; he looked thirsty so I gave him a sip from the bucket. Mama didn’t like me doing that, but she wasn’t around. Last time she caught me, I told her
Shep
was cleaner and less hairy than
Grands
so she shouldn’t pay
no
mind; boy did I get a beating.

It weren’t no more than a minute after he drank that
Ol
‘
Shep
started scratching at himself. First he started clawing and biting, then he found a rock and started rubbing against it real hard. I ran inside to get Pa. When we got back, he was still at it. The rock was bloody, an eye and most of the side of his face was gone. Pa went back in the house to get the shotgun. I knew what he meant to do and turned to go back in before he could. Passing Pa, I walked quicker so he wouldn’t see my face. Pa didn’t like it when I cried.

Inside, it took
awhile
before I heard the shot, it sounded more distant then I expected. Pa must have taken
Shep
out to the far field. Mama came running. I told her
Shep
was sick and Pa had to put him down. She wiped a tear from my cheek and gave me a big hug. I laid my head on her shoulder. Ma told me she didn’t know what to tell the twins. Billy and Emily loved that dog, we all did.

I went back out to help Pa. He didn’t say what he had done with
Shep
and I knew better than to ask. I told him about giving
Shep
a drink and how he went crazy right after. Pa had me bring up another pail. He looked and sniffed at it, putting his face closer to the water than I liked. We took it over to the old sow since she was already sick and dying. We had her separated from the other hogs. Pa didn’t know why she was sick so he hadn’t made up his mind what to do with her.

Pa and I climbed into her pen. She laid in the shade of the sty. Her eyes followed us but she didn’t move a muscle. I couldn’t get her to drink so Pa held her head back and I poured the water down her throat. It didn’t take long before she started squealing, it was the loudest sound I ever heard. Mustering her strength, she got up. The sow started rubbing against the pen leaving bits of red on the old coarse wood. She was rubbing like she wanted to take her skin off! Pa took the shotgun he had left leaning against the pen and shot her. I didn’t turn away this time, I had seen Pa butcher so many pigs it didn’t bother me like
Shep
.

We walked back to the house. I saw the sun had taken away the morning blue and knew we were going to get a late start today. Pa told Ma what happened and not to let anyone near the well. He had me get Greta saddled to go up to the McCray’s to fetch enough water for the day. The troughs were full with good water. We just needed enough for drinking and so Mama could cook. Pa said I would be making daily trips until the irrigation ditch was dug from the stream above the McCray’s.

I grabbed two canteens including the big one that hung by the door. I also grabbed Pa’s drinking bag, Pa called it his boot, and I found it under their bed. Unlike the half day rides to town, it’s a short trip to the McCray’s. They were nice older folks. They were the only other ones out here besides us. Pa didn’t know how they managed out here with no young ones to help out, but the two of ‘
em
seemed to get along just fine.

The ride back seemed even faster. Coming down the last small hill I could see our farm out in the meadow. Our house looked like a little brown boat on golden sea. The little hills behind it looked like rolling waves. It made me miss the ocean. I grew up by the sea. Every morning I started the day hoping Pa would change his mind and take us back.