This Plague of Days, Season Two (The Zombie Apocalypse Serial) (32 page)

“But here’s the good news,” he said, pausing dramatically. “We will be showing some Disney movies tomorrow night for the kids.”

Groans rose from the crowd, but Xavier plunged forward, ignoring dissent. “I know our exodus is especially hard on the children, so we’ve got some DVDs someone donated. Disney may be just about the best darn thing the United States ever produced, so we’ll be taking that into New Israel.

“In closing, let me lay this heavy on you!” Xavier said. He seemed to wait for the customary three claps of approval but he’d lost his audience. He breezed on quickly. “Our new group total as of this morning is three-hundred and twenty-three people who dare to ask, ‘What’s in it for me?’”

He received three ragged claps for that announcement. “There is strength in numbers!” Xavier declared. “We’ll be fine as long as we stick together!

“Great!” A disembodied woman’s voice, thin and reedy, came out of the dark from somewhere in the middle of the tent. “But donations from a few new recruits can’t feed ten of us! When do we
eat
?”

A collective gasp rose and the searchlight momentarily left Xavier to find the speaker. Several large men stepped out of the shadows at the edges of the tent, searching faces.
 

A piercing whistle went up and the searchlight immediately left the crowd and focused back on Xavier. His head was down again as if he was studying the foot of the stage, searching for his next words. “There will be more food very soon,” he said. “Enough for everybody!”

More ragged applause broke out. It was unclear who the crowd was clapping for, Xavier or the woman who dared to ask when they would eat.

“One more thing and then we’ll finish up,” Xavier said. “Kids, ask your parents to check you for lice…in fact, everybody check each other for lice, will you? In fact, adults? Have some fun checking each other out in the tall grass if you’re of a mind to. See, we don’t want lice to spread or someone will say that’s a
new
plague from God. Can I get a witness?”

“Amen!”

The spotlights left Xavier and pointed toward the ceiling. They could just make out his white suit as he retreated to the rear tent flap alone.

Out of the darkness, Xavier yelled, “If we stay pure, we’re all going to make it! That’s received wisdom!”

* * *
 

The congregants gathered their things and began to make their way to the exit. They seemed in a rush. Everyone looked so painfully thin, she doubted many were headed for the tall grass. They looked as exhausted as she felt.

How long had the group chanted before Xavier appeared for his sermon? Chanting for hours and keeping the group perpetually hungry could break down psychological barriers and make people more malleable. Whether by design or by fate, these were a cult’s tactics.

Mrs. Bendham whispered in Dahlia’s ear urgently. Dahlia nodded and patted the old woman on the knee.
 

Jack grabbed Anna’s wrist. She hoped they could slip out with the grumbling crowd. She didn’t know what to do about Mrs. Bendham. In fact, Jack was so tired, she realized she didn’t care what happened to the old woman.
 

I’ve tried so hard to be good and forgiving,
Jack thought.
I can’t do it anymore. Screw good intentions.

“Anna, I’ve been thinking — ”

“Let’s get out of here and dump the old lady with Xavier,” Anna said.

Dahlia appeared before Jack, smiling, but blocking their way. “First night, you’re always closest to the light! Don’t go yet! Things aren’t yet set!”

Anna glowered at her. “I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, or crazy bitches with guns, either.”

Dahlia’s clown face melted, the smile destroyed by a sneer.
 

“What do you want from us?” Jack said.

“We want you to join us, of course!”

Jack turned. Xavier had reappeared. He sat on the desk on the stage, his legs swinging. Without the crowd to play to, he seemed smaller. The showman’s façade faded.
 

The old man who had spoken before pushed forward, limping around the guard with the huge biceps. Xavier’s bodyguard spoke in a surprisingly high voice. “This is the one, Xavier, came with a big convoy. Most of them newbies is with him.”

As if that was their signal, a large group peeled off from the remaining crowd. There appeared to be three generations of men and women standing behind the old man in solidarity.

The bodyguard looked perplexed, unused to being ignored. He stepped behind the old man and crossed his arms so his fists pushed his upper arms out, making them look even more inflated.
 

“Ah, the challenger,” Xavier said. “You’re among friends, grandfather.”
 

“I choose my friends,” the old man said. “You chose me. You forced me and my family here against our will.”

“Forced?” Xavier looked genuinely concerned.

“What do you call that roadblock down on the highway?”

“Opportunity,” Xavier said. “But like all chances for good things, you have free will. You can turn away and leave a good thing behind.”

“So we’re free to go?” Jack said.

“Well, yes, but — ”

“We’ve heard the pitch,” Anna spoke up. “We have other plans. People to see, places to go. Anchors away.”

Xavier turned his smile on Anna. His eyes flicked down and up to drink her in. “But if we all stick together, princess — ”

“We’ll all be drinking poisoned Kool-Aid someday,” Jack finished for him.

“Wait a minute,” Mrs. Bendham said. “I think Mr. Xavier has a point. I almost got shot at that military roadblock! I’ve lost my husband. I saw the killings on the bridge. If we stay in a large group, we’ll be safer.”

“We’ve got family in the east,” Jack said. “We’re sticking with family.”

“What if your family isn’t there anymore?” Xavier asked. “You can’t be sure they’re still there.”

“They will be,” Jack said, surprised by how confident she sounded. Somehow, inexplicably, it was her conviction that her father-in-law was still alive and waiting for them.

Xavier looked up at the tent’s ceiling so long Jack was tempted to follow his gaze to see what he was staring at. It occurred to her that Xavier was waiting for God to give him the words to convince them to stay.
 

“Look,” Anna said. “It’s been a nice night and we liked the singing and I’m sure you’re a nice guy. But let’s not ruin the evening now. It’s been a fun date but let’s leave it at that.”

Xavier levelled his gaze at Anna. Jack seized Anna’s wrist again and began to pull her away but Anna resisted, stood her ground and stared back at Xavier.
 

He giggled. His giggle burst into a full-throated laugh. “It
has
been a nice night,” Xavier said when he could control himself again. “Dahlia, please see these folks back to their vehicles with God’s blessings and mine, too.”
 

He looked to the big bodyguard. “Lawrence, this man and his family want to leave us. Please see that they get back to the highway safely. And we have to have a talk about how we invite people to our meetings. You screw up my average in gaining converts with tonight’s tactics. I’ve got God’s answers in my hip pocket, but you’re handicapping me, man!”

“It wasn’t Larry,” Dahlia said. “It was me. We’ve got too many mouths to feed to be picky. We’re
hungry
, X! You keep pushing us north too fast and we don’t stop to — ”

“Steal food or raid farms,” Xavier interrupted her wearily. “No, we don’t. When we get to the New Promised Land, we need to stay pure. To find it, we have to be able to say with a clear conscience that we deserve it. I’m not going to be Moses, denied God’s promise for one moment of violence.”

Dahlia grimaced.
 

“It’s not me telling you this. You know who’s telling you this.”

“You get to beat us over the head with anything that comes to you as long as you say it’s coming from You Know Who,” Dahlia replied.

“Voldemort?” Anna said. Jack shot her a look but Xavier laughed again.
 

“I do wish you would stay, little princess. You are quick!”

“If I were quicker, we’d be gone by now.”

Xavier’s smile faded and he sighed heavily. “No converts tonight.” He made the sign of the cross. “Go in peace. Go with God.
Via con dios.
Burn in hell if that’s what you really want. I can’t save everyone.”

W
E
CANNOT
REFUSE
THIS
OVERFLOWING
CUP

M
isericordia paced the hospital lobby. Aside from the traitors who had failed to follow his orders, he had lost no one else from his tribe in the attack on Marion County Hospital. He’d gained one new recruit, but already the Alpha leader eyed the youngest and oldest vampires hungrily.

The Sutr-A virus had optimized them all, but the humans who were too young or past their prime could only be improved so much. The children were too small for combat and the old ones slowed the tribe.

In the melee of his attack at the Brickyard refugee camp, he had not been selective. To overcome his captors and build an army, he’d bitten the children first. Now he thought how succulent the littlest cannibals’ bone marrow would taste.

The messenger had warned him about becoming a monster. Clearly, the dreamer did not understand the enormity of his needs. When he made the boy one of his tribe, he’d understand.

Contrary to what Misericordia expected, human flesh did not taste like chicken. It was like the most delicious pork. He’d eaten marinated duck at an expensive restaurant once. The meat had melted like warm butter in his mouth. But prey you brought down and ate fresh so the fear still pumped through it as you tore and ripped and sucked it down? Much better. Feeding while the food was still alive and trying to fight you off? Excellent.

But the rush from fresh vampire meat and blood? Best of all.

Our blood is a drug,
he thought.

Misericordia smiled, remembering the sweet taste of Cutter’s spleen. He looked around the lobby at his ravenous tribe as they pulled clothes from the dead to feed. The floor was slippery with wasted blood.

He’d have to keep his appetites secret from the tribe.

* * *
 

Vampires step lightly. When a human in heavy boots walked through the shattered glass at the front door, Misericordia knew without looking that a human invader had trudged onto their killing floor.

He turned to find a policeman with a shocked look on his face.

“Who…who are you people?” He pointed his Beretta 40-caliber pistol at Misericordia’s head.

The Alpha leader smiled. “As
God said to Moses,
I am who I am.”
 

The policeman looked around. Viewing the bloody carnage, he seemed to have forgotten why he was there. “What’s wrong with your eyes?”

Misericordia shrugged. “It’s more about what
not
right with your eyes, mate.”

The moment passed and the policeman shrugged off the shock. “Sheriff’s deputy! Everybody show me your hands!”
 

The tribe stood and turned slowly to reveal bloody grins and bright, white eyes. The tribe had faced a small army of soldiers. One deputy with a gun did not intimidate them.

“Dear Jesus! The inmates have taken over the asylum. Arms
up
, I said!”
 

A couple of child vampires raised their hands. That elicited a chuckle from the gathering, but the adults continued to ignore the human’s commands. Misericordia watched the policeman’s aura turn from red to yellow and sour apple green as the realization hit.
 

“You have made a tactical error,” Misericordia said. “You understand that now. There are hundreds of us. How many bullets does that pistol have?”

“Enough to take
you
down.”

“You aren’t used to anyone saying no to you, are you?”

“How about I shoot you first, creepy, naked guy?”

The vampires gave a full-throated laugh. They still sounded human when they laughed. Cognitive dissonance sent a jangling chill up the deputy’s spine.

Full from feeding on the hospital’s inhabitants, they watched the cop with mild amusement. “One bullet is enough!” someone called from the rear of the pack. “Save yourself! I’ve got room for dessert!”

Ax appeared at the bottom of the stairs. His chin dripped fresh blood.

“Chris?” The deputy’s muzzle dropped an inch. He looked at the thing who had been Chris Evans in horror. The new vampire looked back with a bright, white, steady gaze.
 

“Deputy Hawkins.” Ax smiled. He’d found another fire ax. He strode forward with no trace of a limp. “I’m sorry, Peter.”

“You look…different.”

“You, too, Pete. You smell different to me now. Too much cologne and too much stale food on your breath. You should try the meat. It’s delicious. I never ate meat so rare before.”

Deputy Hawkins pointed his pistol at his old friend, but the new vampire did not slow his step. The hip was already fixed. Ax would say he felt young again, but that didn’t describe the feeling. His body had never felt this fantastic.

“We were friends, Chris!”

“I know, Pete. Puckers the ol’ bunghole, doesn’t it?” Ax didn’t break stride until the moment he came alongside the vampire who’d made him. He turned smoothly and swung the ax blade at Misericordia’s neck, hard and fast.

F
ROM
J
OB
TO
JOB
,
WE
’
VE
SUFFERED
AND
FOUGHT

L
awrence led the old man and his group to their cars. Dahlia escorted Jack and Anna back to the van. Mrs. Bendham followed, her head down, unsure of her footing as she tottered over the uneven ground in the dark.