Joseph Talluto - White Flag of the Dead

There was a big forest preserve to West, and Charlie eyed it for a minute.

“If we had a place in the middle of that, the Z’s wouldn’t ever get close ‘cause of the brush.” he said.

I chanced a glance. “If you like that, you’ll love where we are going.” I said, moving towards the SUV. I was hopeful we could move it without too much trouble. I came up on the driver’s side, unholstering my SIG, just in case. I checked the mirror, but didn’t see anything. I looked over at Charlie, but he couldn’t see anything on his side either. When I got within reach, I tapped the glass, trying to activate any “sleepers”, zombies who had gone quiet and were just waiting for stimulus.

No response. I tried the rear door, but it was locked. I went to the driver’s door, and was surprised when it opened. I was even more surprised when a female zombie fell out and started crawling towards me, scrambling to get to her feet. She had blood over her face and hands, and it completely covered her clothes. I could see a crude bandage on her arm, indicating how she got infected.

I danced back, bringing up my SIG. She followed me, rising to her feet and shuffling forward, her blood-covered mouth opening in a deep moan. She raised her hands towards me and reached out with blackened fingernails to rend and tear.

I sidled backwards and was about to fire when I managed to trip and fall on my butt. I kept my gun, but the zombie had closed in and was about to fall on me. Shit and damn. I thought. Gotta move, NOW! I hooked the zombie’s ankle with my left foot while I pushed on her knee with my right. That was a trick they taught us in administrator’s school to keep uncontrollable kids from getting on top of us. She fell backwards and gave me a chance to get to my feet and back away. I was about to shoot when Charlie stepped up and put a round through her head. Her face was a mask of rage and would stay that way forever.

“Graceful.” Charlie said, lowering his rifle. “Can I get dinner with the show?” he asked.

I flipped him off. “Only if you kiss me first, sweetie.” I said, smiling.

My smile faded as I looked at the subdivision across the retention pond. Zombies were literally pouring out from between the houses, falling over each other as they stumbled down the retention walls in search of prey. Their collective moan was disturbing to say the least, and we needed to get the hell out of there right now.

“Get the car, I’ll move the SUV!” I yelled at Charlie. He bolted for the driver’s side while Kristen dove for the back seat and I ran for the SUV. I jumped into the seat and looked for the key. Thankfully, it was still in the ignition. I turned it, not expecting anything, and was proven right. But the key allowed me to put the big vehicle in gear. I signaled to Charlie to push with the CR-V, and he bumped me in reply. I steered the vehicle while being pushed, and Charlie came to a stop and let me drift out of the way. I glanced at the back seat of the SUV as I climbed out and immediately wished I hadn’t. There were two car seats back there and a lot of blood and bits of decaying gore. Two small heads were slowly rising out of the cargo area, and I wasn’t sticking around.

No time for commiserating. I ran back to the CR-V and saw that the zombies had closed the distance and were starting to swarm through the cars at us. I shot one in the head that was too close to the car and shot another that was starting to pound on the windows of the truck. I missed his head, but hit him in the neck, severing his spine and dropping him in his tracks. A hit’s a hit. I dove for the passenger door and managed to close the door almost completely. Another zombie got his hand in the door and was trying desperately clawing at me. I was holding the door closed and shouting at Charlie. “Go, go, go!” The zombies were starting to surround the cars, and I could see they had the numbers to overwhelm us and get a new meal. Charlie hammered the gas, and shot away, knocking over two smaller zombies and flattening a third. The other cars followed our lead and escaped through the hole we made. The swarm howled in protest and started a shambling pursuit.

We raced away as fast as we could, still dragging a corpse with us who refused to let go. I shifted in my seat until I was facing backwards, then pushed the door open. The zombie, a skinny kid in black clothing, hissed and snapped at me and tried to claw with his other hand. I shot him in the face and he fell away, spinning under the wheels of the Jeep behind us. Jakey screamed in protest at the noise, and Kristen had a time comforting him.

“Sorry, little buddy.” I said, returning to my seat. I glanced at Charlie and he just shook his head. I told him to take the next turn left. We needed to avoid population centers as best as we could. I figured the side roads might be passable. If not, at least there was less chance of a swarm. I exhaled loudly and Charlie just nodded.

We headed down the side street and I motioned for Charlie to head north again at the second road. There weren’t any cars there, and the community to the south was gated and fenced, so the zombies in there were effectively trapped. If anyone was in there, they were trapped as well. Not that we could do anything about it at this point.

We headed through a wooded area, and I once again hoped to hell I was right about where we were going. I had a backup, but it was going to be tight if it came to that. We passed several houses, and a few more high-end subdivisions. I could see several occupied homes, but none living.

I saw a small home tucked away in the woods and told Charlie to head for it. It was away from the road for a bit and something about it made me want to take a closer look. Maybe it was the handwritten sign that said ‘If you can read this: Welcome.’ The two vehicles behind us swung down the same driveway. The driveway was flanked and gated by two stone pillars, and the property was ringed by an unkempt hedge. It made as effective a fence as our cargo containers. Any zombie horde would never get through that, only adding to its strength with their numbers. Charlie pulled to a stop and turned off the CR-V. We all got out, and stretched a little. I used the small rest to replenish the magazine in my SIG.

Tommy and Duncan strolled up from the Jeep. “So what’s up? You planning another gymnastics show?” Tommy said, punching me on the arm. Duncan snickered.

“No, moron, I just wanted a closer look here.” I said, indicating the property with a sweep of my hand.

Duncan scowled. “Why? There’s nobody here. Don’t matter what the sign said.”

I pointed to the chimney. “Then who lit the fire? Zombie’s don’t feel the cold.”

That changed the equation. Duncan and Tommy went to alert and Charlie started a slow recon around the house, stopping when I held out a hand. “Wait here.”

I walked toward the small dwelling, taking off my hat and gloves. I started whistling, and was rewarded with a moaning from out back. I looked back at Tommy, and he and Duncan circled around the garage, guns at the ready.

I continued walking towards the house, and when I was about fifteen feet away, spoke out.

“Hello the house! Anyone in there?” I didn’t want to yell too loudly, but I didn’t want to get shot by mistake, either.

The door opened and a woman stepped out. She was roughly fifty years old, wearing a big flannel jacket and work boots. Her hair was curly red, and she had calloused, work-hardened hands. A big smile lit up her face when she saw us, and she set aside the rifle she had been carrying.

“Hello yourself. Now who might you folks be?” Her voice had a slight Irish lilt to it, and her eyes twinkled a bit as she spoke, like she was the only one who was going to get the joke. I liked her immediately.