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  “Of course we will,” Lupe said, even though she wasn’t sure that was possible.

  ***

  Klaus grabbed a knife from the kitchen, slowly heading upstairs. This was already going to be difficult, killing any human, no matter how inhuman they’d become. He couldn’t imagine what he’d do if this was his wife Elsa instead of Ian’s girlfriend.

  She greeted him at the landing at the top of the stairs, having moved out from the bedroom. Ashley was once a pretty blonde whose face was now partially gone. Her concave torso, opened from neck to waist, exposed ribs that had been cracked and pushed aside to get at her guts. All her internal organs were gone and he could see clear through to her spine. She walked unsteadily on legs that were missing chunks. No, she was not alive, but the fact that she was moving at all was preposterous, and beyond reason.

  His knife hand shook. She growled hungrily at the sight of him. How could she eat without a stomach? The entire scenario defied all logic, and it was this internal declaration, this glaring predicament that made his task easier. He couldn’t kill what didn’t, no, what couldn’t exist.

  He ran to the slow moving girl, jabbing the knife into her forehead. She shuddered a moment, trembling on her feet. He stabbed her again, angrily, bringing the knife down to bear on her again and again, stabbing her repeatedly in the head long after she stopped moving, crying out in indignation. At one point the knife was the only thing holding her body upright. When he pulled it out for the last time, her body collapsed on itself, crumpling to the floor like emptied clothes.

  He slowly made his way back to the car. Samir and Ian looked at him without saying anything. Klaus stood just outside the vehicle, sure some of the temporary madness he’d experienced still shone on his face.

  “Well?” Samir said finally.

  “It’s done,” Klaus said, getting into the car.

  ***

  They stood behind her as she knocked on the door. Kamara never felt such a powerful need to see her mom okay, alive and breathing. Even with her friend Lupe’s assertion that she and her sister were fine she had to see for herself. There came a cry of happiness from them when they saw her and she them. They hugged and Kamara disappeared inside.

  Xinga told Jomo more about the news she’d heard from Kenya as they lingered outside her door, as best she could in her broken English. This made him worry not just for his family here in Georgia but for his family overseas. After about twenty five minutes in which they all talked to each other, Kamara opened the door and invited them all in. She introduced them to her mother and sister and they sat around the kitchen to watch the news.

  There was a fire at the CDC which had destroyed most of the building before they’d been able to put it out. They believed that was where the outbreak in Atlanta started, but there were reports of other countries experiencing similar outbreaks, including India and Kenya. The disease was believed to have been spread by cows in what they were now calling Mad Cow Flu. It included symptoms that were similar to Mad Cow Disease- a deterioration of the brain, insanity, dementia- but it also sent signals through the failing brain to the rest of the body that ultimately weakened the immune system, resulting in flu like warning signs. Unlike Mad Cow Disease which worked through the body slowly, this disease could work through the body in a matter of hours, or minutes, dependent on the host’s own tolerance, resulting in death, and ultimately turning them into undead.

  The news reports wouldn’t call them undead or zombies. They would use terminology such as, “Giving them a semblance of life,” but those who had seen them knew it wasn’t just a semblance. They warned people to stay indoors, avoid being bitten or otherwise exposed to their fluids. Transmission from the infected could be through blood or saliva entering the body.

  “We’re going to find your father,” Kamara’s mom said.

  “Well, good luck with that,” she answered.

  “You’re not coming with us?”

  “You know how I feel about him.”

  “Yes, he’s gone down the wrong path. Drugs, and whatever other demons he’s dealt with, but he’s

  still your father; he’s still family.”

  “He’s not my family.”

  “Kamara.”

  She crossed her arms and didn’t respond.

  Finally, she spoke, saying, “Well, at least you’ll be out of Atlanta. It’s not safe here.”

  “Where will you go?” she said.

  “I don’t know. We need to find a vehicle for Jomo’s family.”

  She nodded. “I’ll call you when we find him.”

  “That’s fine.”

  “You should really be with us.”

  “Come on Kamara,” her sister said.

  Her eyes started to well up. “Please, you should leave as quickly as you can. It’s getting bad out there. Just drive. Don’t stop for anyone.”

  Her mom looked down. “All right Kamara. You know we love you.”

  “I know.”

  “I’ll pick up Bella, and take her with us.” Bella was her cat.

  She nodded, though it made her sad, but she knew it was for the best. They hugged and kissed, and the others walked with her to the door as they said their so longs.

  “We’ll see you soon Kamara,” her sister said.

  “You bet. Love.”

  “Love,” her sister said.

  “Love,” her mother echoed.

  “See ya,” Kamara waved, looking back as she exited the door, sadness clearly written on her face.

  “Where to now?” Lupe asked, trying to change the subject as they got in the car.

  “To see your family.”

  seven

  She hugged him tightly and then told him she had to go. Samir waited outside with the engine idling, in case they had to make a run for it.

  “Go? Go where?” Klaus asked.

  “I have to leave the city, go see my parents,” Elsa said.

  “Do you realize what’s going on out there?” he said. “What I had to go through to get back to you?”

  “Yes, honey, but my parents are all out there alone.”

  “So are mine!”

  “Your parents are in South Carolina. Mine are two towns away. I’m sorry,” she said. “But I have to be with them. You should come with me.”

  “I would, but I can’t.”

  “Can’t?” She looked hurt.

  Oh great. He couldn’t and he didn’t entirely understand it himself. It was for a long time he considered Elsa his best friend, but now he just wanted to be with his friends from school. They’d made it through that mess back there unscathed. That was some sort of miracle. And she was too good. Too good for this world. She wouldn’t survive, and he couldn’t lose her on his watch. But how could he say all that to her?

  “You have to be with your mother and father, I understand that; and I have to be with my friends.”

  “Friends?” she laughed, looking out the window toward the waiting car. “You mean your study group? You’re choosing them over your wife?”

  “No, I’m not choosing them. You could come with me too, but...”

  You’re choosing your parents over me, he wanted to say, but he knew that wasn’t fair.

  “You won’t survive a minute out there on your own,” he said instead. “I don’t want to lose you.”

  That was as honest as he could possibly be, but it hit all the wrong nerves. She couldn’t hear the last part because she was too stuck on the first.

  “Fuck you,” she said, and finished packing her suitcase. “I’m going.”

  “FINE! GO!!”

  He watched her leave, packing her suitcase in the trunk of the car, their only car. What the hell just happened?

  She looked back at him once before getting in the car.

  “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you too,” she said, nearly breaking out in tears.

  “Be safe.”

  It was too simple. Too stupid a choice of words, but it was all he had left. Who co
uld really guarantee their safety from now on? But there they were, those words, hanging in the air, as she got in the car and drove off. She was gone. And he might never see her again.

  ***

  Lupe’s family was warm and welcoming to them all. The Sandoval’s already knew Kamara as she was Guadalupe’s best friend, and embraced her first. They proceeded to hug the rest of the group as they were introduced leading to some uneasiness, but it was just their way. They were a tight knit family, with both parents, her two sisters, and one brother living under the same roof.

  Lupe lived there with them, sharing a room with one of her younger sisters as she was not currently working.

  Ultimately she decided she was better off staying with her family.

  “I’m sorry,” she told Kamara.

  “Don’t be sorry, be with your family. I understand,” Kamara said.

  “You’re welcome to stay with us,” her mother said to her.

  “I know,” Kamara replied.

  “You’re all welcome to stay with us.”

  The group shook their heads vigorously. “Oh no, we couldn’t impose on you like that.”

  Kamara hugged her friend. “Bye Loopy. I’m gonna miss ya. Hope to see you soon.”

  Lupe smiled and nodded, trying hard not to cry. “Me too.”

  ***

  “What happened?” Samir asked.

  “Just drive,” Klaus said.

  Samir felt badly for Klaus and for Ian, and now had to steer his focus toward seeing his own family.

  “At least my family is in Virginia,” Ian said. “Don’t think there have been any outbreaks there.” He was trying hard to talk about anything else but the fact that his zombified girlfriend was now completely dead.

  “I’m sure they’re fine,” Klaus said.

  “They haven’t answered their phones,” he stated, as if he were speaking outside of his body.

  Samir couldn’t think of anything else to comfort him, so they drove in silence. They encountered a few zombies on the road. Samir swerved to avoid the first few, and then started driving into them any chance he got.

  “YEAH!!” Ian screamed, startling them. “Plow those fuckers over!”

  Soon Klaus joined in by cheering and hooting, waving his fist. Samir caught the fever, shouting as he ran over their bodies, laughing and crying and screaming madly. It didn’t matter anymore. The world had gone mad, and these weren’t people. And in a world gone mad it was the only thing that made sense at the moment.

  ***

  “Look,” Xinga said, pointing shyly, “Truck.”

  It was a van, but she could be forgiven for her mislabeling. It was halfway up on the curve, its front driver door open as if the owner had just stopped and abandoned ship. They parked on the side of the road, and approached the vehicle cautiously.

  A growl issued from the vehicle, as the zombified driver reached from the seat toward them, apparently having turned in mid ride. Marina took her letter opener to punch him in the temple. The zombie fell over off the seat to the pavement. Marina helped him along.

  The keys were still in the ignition. The driver at some point on his journey to the curb had kicked the gears into neutral. The four of them guided the van back onto the street, Marina taking the wheel.

  “Wait,” Kamara said, “I’m not leaving my car. I’ll follow you guys.” Even if it was a hunk of junk it was still hers and it had sentimental value.

  “All right,” Marina said, “Back to Jomo’s?”

  “Yes.”

  Jomo smiled. His friends were keeping their

  promise. He couldn’t be happier.

  ***

  Something was wrong. It was too quiet. He rang the doorbell for the third time; even tried calling his parents on his cell phone and was getting no answer. Samir began to shake. He went through the side gate into their backyard, and finally he found them. As they turned around on the grass he knew his parents were no longer his parents.

  “Mother? Father?”

  Their eyes were dead, their faces drawn out into a silent scream that turned into a growl as they moved toward him.

  “No, no,” Samir denied.

  Their arms reached for him, as he shuffled backward. He’d dropped the scissors he had back somewhere near the school, as most of them had dropped their weapons. He couldn’t even imagine beginning to strike against them, but he had to keep them away. The only thing he could think of was to undo his belt. He whipped at the air in front of them, making them stagger back as he made his way back toward the gate. He left the backyard, running toward the car.

  He got in, with Ian and Klaus noting his look of panic. He turned the key in the ignition.

  “What is it?” Ian said.

  “They’ve turned, like the others,” Samir said.

  Ian grabbed his arm before he could drive off. Samir turned to him.

  “Then we have to deal with them like the rest,” he told him.

  “No,” Samir said, “They’re not like the rest.”

  “Yes,” Klaus said, “They are. You stay here.

  Ian and I will get this.”

  Samir stayed silent, but he didn’t drive off. They took his silence as consent. He turned the key again, shutting the car off, and waited as they walked toward the house.

  “They’re in the backyard,” Samir said.

  Klaus looked back, nodding sadly.

  “We need weapons,” Ian said as they moved toward the gate.

  “I’ve still got this,” Klaus said, brandishing the bloody kitchen knife.

  Ian winced. The knife that had killed his girlfriend.

  “I’m sorry.” He tucked it back into his belt loop.

  “I need something,” Ian said. He looked around. There were loose planks underneath the house stairs leading to a crawlspace. He broke one of them off- a hefty piece with rusted nails still sticking out of it. “This’ll do.”

  They went into the backyard and the zombies moved toward them smelling fresh meat.

  “Bloody hell,” Ian said, “I’ve never seen Indian zombies. Not even in the movies.”

  Klaus turned to him, unsure if he was joking or not. He disregarded the comment and set forth to the task at hand.

  They rushed the slow moving man and woman. Klaus stabbed the father in the forehead. Ian whacked the mother on the side of the head, the nails embedding in the flesh at her temple, causing her to stick to them before they tore free and she fell over. Ian hit her again on the grass, caving her skull in. She was facing him when he did it.

  Ian wretched.

  Klaus identified with him. “Come on, let’s go.”

  Samir looked at them as they approached the

  car, the question on his face.

  Klaus nodded, and Samir simply bowed his head down.

  “I’m sorry,” he said.

  Samir smiled through a tear-streaked face. “No, thank you my friend for doing what I could not. May they find the eternal rest that they deserve.”

  MUSEUM AND ROADWAYS

  We know we are capable of removing from the sanctuary of the earth shards and fragments, and gently placing them in museums. Great museums in great cities—the hallmarks of civilisation.

  - Kathleen Jamie

  “I woke the same as any other day

  Except a voice was in my head

  It said seize the day, pull the trigger, drop the blade

  And watch the rolling heads.”

  - Soundgarden

  eight

  “What’s going on?” Kamara asked, as the van Marina drove stopped ahead of them. Xinga and Jomo remained with her in the car.

  “I don’t know,” Jomo said.

  It wasn’t long before they saw. Zombies were spilling over onto the street not far from the vehicle, blocking the center of the road, and both sidewalks. The group had mistakenly taken a back road thinking things would go smoother, but the factories lining the street were filled with undead workers who’d punched out indefinitely, and were emptying out
into the roadway. There was no way through.

  “Not good,” Xinga said.

  “No, not good at all,” Kamara agreed. “Make sure your windows are rolled up and your doors are locked.”

  Marina tried to back up. There were too many to just drive through. Kamara followed suit, but as she began to back up she swore. “Shit!”

  “What?” Xinga said, raising her hands, fingers splayed in frustration, “What?”

  Kamara saw it before them, looking in her rearview mirror. “Behind you.”

  Xinga and Jomo turned. More of them, called out of their work environments by the noise of the vehicles and the other zombies. It was the same whichever way they went, backwards or forwards. Marina saw this and shifted gears again. She decided, as Kamara already had, that it would be a lot easier driving forward through them than backward, if those were their only choices.

  The zombies swarmed Marina’s van.

  “Jesus H. Christ,” Marina said. They were pushing up against the side windows, obliterating her view through the windshield. As much as she wanted to rev the engine she would probably only get three deep, if that, before the van got stuck, so she had to keep driving forward at about five miles an hour, gently nudging them along.

  Ravenous faces pressed against the glass. The van only succeeded in pushing the zombies forward, but they still held on. For the first time Marina truly felt afraid. When she was sure it was over for her, she heard a man’s voice shout loudly over the mob, “Hey!”

  Some of the zombies turned in the direction of the shout which was somewhere beyond the ocean of walking corpses. The air suddenly filled with the racket of machinegun fire, as some of the heads of the zombies began to explode about her. Bodies fell around the van. When they had cleared a path through the mob, Marina, and Kamara in the vehicle behind her could see three men in full camo. Military!