Benton: A Zombie Novel: Volume One Read online

  “We’re all in this together, right?” I say.

  “Right,” Mark says, giving me the smile I’m growing to love.

  We watch Gary and Eli wrap the dead zombie in plastic bags and carry it to the back door and out the garage.

  8.

  THERE’S NOT MUCH TO DO when you’re stuck inside concrete walls. No Internet. Cellphones don’t work. We’ve got two CB radios. But, basically, we’re keeping ourselves busy the way people used to do it before devices.

  I’ve played cards. The last time I played, Sara sat next to me. She was super supportive and laughed at all my jokes.

  I’ve got two books I’ve stashed in my backpack, but I just don’t feel like reading nowadays. I’ll lie on my sleeping bag and look up at the ceiling or I’ll sleep a lot more than usual. If I were eating as much as I did before this all happened, I’d be heavier, since I’m not moving much now.

  Sometimes, Eli will run up and down the aisles for exercise. But nobody else, including me, cares about exercise now.

  Today is the day we’re all going on our last supply run before moving on. It’s been two days since Andy died. I'm nervous about leaving this garage.

  * * *

  We’re right outside the garage and safe inside the van, the one we’re taking on the day we move from here. Mark is in the driver’s seat. Gary is sitting across from him. Sara and I are sitting behind Mark and Gary, and Eli and Katie are behind Sara and me.

  We’re all armed. Eli and I have rifles. Everyone else has handguns. Also, we each have shopping bags that we’ll fill when we get to the mart.

  I turn to look at Katie. She treats her gun as if it were a toy. “Can you please make sure that thing isn't pointed at any of us?”

  “Yeah, watch it,” Sara says. “I don’t want you blowing my fucking head off.”

  Katie looks at us with those spacey blue eyes. “I’m fine, guys. Stop worrying.”

  Even though Gary and Mark explained to Katie what to do with her gun, I took it upon myself to take Katie aside as well. But now, I feel like we wasted our efforts.

  “Be careful,” Eli says.

  Katie rolls her eyes.

  My heart is pounding and sweat forms on my forehead. I grip my rifle. Fortunately, no zombies are near us, just two farther down, zoned out and swaying like they do.

  “Okay, guys; let’s roll,” says Mark. “Those zombies don’t notice us, and I want to keep it that way.”

  “Yeah, dude, let’s do this!” says Gary.

  I look out my window, and I notice a dusty red sneaker resting on the curb. I swallow hard, because I know it belonged to Andy. I look at Sara. She doesn’t see the shoe.

  “When did your mom die?” Sara asks me as the van moves on. Her clothes are black, but her brown eyes are so dark they look black too. Her question is random, but it’s one more sign that shows me Sara no longer hates me.

  “A couple of months ago.”

  Sara stops looking at me, rests her head against the headrest, and closes her eyes. “Zombies came into my house and got my family. Got us when we were sleeping.” She turns her head and looks at me again. “They know how to open a door, you know? How else could they have gotten into my house?”

  I don’t know if zombies are smart enough to open doors, but I don’t want to argue with Sara. I just want to listen.

  “I heard Matthew screaming,” she continues. “He was my brother. But I didn’t help him. I just ran into my closet and hid. Fucking coward, right?”

  I shake my head. “No, I know what it’s like to hide in a closet.”

  “My parents treated me like shit. Matthew was the only one I cared about.” Sara balls her fists. “I want to get out of here so fucking bad. I’m so sick of this shit.”

  I don’t know what to say, but I can relate. We all can. I place my hand on Sara’s thigh.

  Sara looks at me again. “Do you think we can survive this?”

  I’m no good at lying, but I do it. “Sure we can.” Truth is, I think about dying constantly, but I push those thoughts from my head when they enter it.

  “What are you guys talking about?” Katie says, straining her neck to listen.

  “Nothing,” I say. Sara closes her eyes again, and I look out the window. We’ve entered the expressway. So far, I see no zombies.

  I look at Mark. “How far away is this place?”

  “We’ll be there in about ten minutes. Zombies may have taken over, but we’ll take our chances.” Just as Mark speaks, a zombie dashes onto the road.

  “Hit that son-of-a-bitch!” Gary says.

  Katie screams as Mark swerves to avoid the zombie, but hits it with the front corner of the van. The zombie crashes into a dividing wall.

  “Shit!” says Eli.

  “Yeah,” Gary says. “You got that fucker!”

  “This is madness!” says Sara.

  I look at Mark. He doesn't speak as we continue down the expressway. Later, with no further zombies in our way, we exit the road.

  “Be ready for anything,” Mark says.

  The panic I feel deepens as we approach the mart. Zombies shamble in the parking lot, in no particular direction. I wonder how we’re supposed to leave the van and get inside without attracting them.

  “There’s a door around the back,” says Mark.

  “You’ve been here before?” I say.

  “Yeah,” says Gary. “May not be much left, but it’s worth a shot.”

  No zombies come after us. Mark parks at the back entrance and stops the van.

  He turns to look at me, Sara, Katie, and Eli. “Take your bags, have your guns ready, and let’s go.”

  We all file out, keeping our eyes peeled for the zombies. When we reach the door, Gary pulls on it. He doesn’t have to pull hard. It’s already open. We walk inside.

  As soon as we get in the door, we’re greeted by a guy with a Mohawk who is wearing black leather pants. Behind him, I see other people in the store, staring at us.

  “Private property.” He points his shotgun at us. “Get the fuck out of here.”

  “We don’t want any trouble,” says Mark, pointing his gun. “We just want to get some stuff and go.”

  “It’s ours now,” says a blond guy who’s built like a bodybuilder, pointing his gun as well. He walks over to the guy with the Mohawk. “We’ve taken it over.”

  “Fuck you!” says Gary.

  Suddenly, I realize zombies are the least of our problems. “Just let us get some stuff,” I say.

  “Shut up, bitch,” says Mr. Mohawk

  “We have just as much right to be here as you,” I say. Mark grabs my arm, trying to calm me down.

  “What do you guys need?” says the blond.

  “Food, medical supplies, water,” says Mark. “We’re heading south soon. So you don’t have to worry about us coming back.”

  “All right, make it quick,” says the blond, putting his gun back in its holster. “And then get the hell out of here.”

  Thanks to Mark, who I’ve concluded is the most organized, we each have a grocery list that we prepared before leaving the garage. We’ll each carry one bag, leaving our other hand free for weapon use, if needed. Sara’s and my job is to gather the medical supplies.

  The store is not as ransacked as I thought it would be. Although some shelves are bare or rummaged through, there are still plenty of supplies.

  “Can you believe that shit?” says Sara as we walk through the store. “Who do those guys think they are?”

  “I know. Let’s just get our stuff and go. The sooner we get out of here, the better.”

  Back at the door are Gary, Mark, Eli, and Katie. The blond, the Mohawk guy, and others in the store are guarding them. I guess they’re making sure we leave.

  “All right; let’s go. Keep your eyes peeled,” says Mark. He’s the first one to run outside. I can’t see him. Is he all right?

  “Come on out. Hurry!” I hear him say. We run out, but two zombies are coming for us. Eli shoots them. The
zombies fall, but then there are two more. Eli shoots them as well.

  Mark, Sara, and I are now in the van. But Eli, Gary, and Katie are still outside. Katie is screaming. She’s been screaming ever since Eli starting shooting the zombies.

  “Shut up!” Gary says. I hear another gunshot, and then I see more zombies coming toward the van. Gary gets into the van. Then, Eli.

  “Come on, Katie!” Mark shouts.

  Katie’s just standing there, holding her bag and screaming, her gun still in its holster.

  Mark and Gary rush outside the van, both shooting at more zombies. Gary grabs Katie and pushes her into the van. Then Gary gets back inside, followed by Mark. But there’s a zombie not quite disabled from its gun wounds. It tries to grab Mark’s leg, but Mark kicks it off and slams the van door. Then he hits the gas and we escape the zombies that are coming for us.

  I turn to look at Katie. “What’s the matter with you? Why didn’t you run into the van with everyone else?”

  Katie doesn’t speak. She puts her head in her hands and cries. Eli wraps his arm around Katie. “It’s okay. We’re safe now.”

  I don’t apologize to Katie. I just stare out the window as we return to the expressway, and I wonder how many zombies will be waiting for us when we get back to the garage.

  * * *

  The trip back was uneventful. After our escape from the store, we met no zombies on the expressway. There were no zombies waiting for us at the garage, either.

  Once we parked the van inside the garage and shuffled out, I apologized to Katie. She was okay, and she hugged me. Katie loves to hug.

  * * *

  It’s evening. Katie, Sara, Eli, and Gary are all playing cards, but Mark is sitting on the floor, drinking one of the beers we got from the store.

  I go sit with him. “How ya doin’?”

  He looks at me with tired eyes. “I’m okay, I guess.”

  I put my hand on his leg and, to my surprise, he puts his hand in mine.

  “I can’t wait to get to Texas,” says Mark. “I’m glad you’re coming with us.”

  “Me too. I’ve never been.”

  “It’s a nice house on about 200 acres.”

  “You’re not worried about zombies being there, are you?”

  “I am a little. But I can just picture it in my mind. Quiet. I bet it’s still quiet.” Mark holds my hand a little tighter. Then he sets down his beer and takes his other hand to my hair and brushes a bit of it away from my face. “You’re beautiful, Jen.”

  I smile, but before I can speak, Gary comes over. “You two gonna join in the card game, or what?”

  I grit my teeth. Gary stands there, staring at me.

  Mark releases my hand, grabs his beer, and stands up. “Ah . . . yeah, what are you guys playing?” He walks over to the table.

  Gary is still staring at me. “You like him?” he says.

  “It’s none of your business who I like.” I get up and walk past Gary, heading for the card game. The entire time I walk, I can feel him staring at my ass.

  9.

  ABANDONED PEOPLE LIVED ON THE STREETS, or they were the elderly, who were shut off in nursing homes, or they were hermits who refused to cope with other humans. Before our world changed, I never thought I’d be one.

  Cancer killed my dad, zombies killed my mother, and my attempts to contact my family and friends had failed.

  The day I left my bedroom, I didn’t know if I’d survive, or, if I did survive, whom I would meet. But I have a new family now.

  We’re leaving this garage for good today. We’ve stocked the van with as many supplies as we could fit. There’s enough food and water to last us for at least a month; we’re stocked on gasoline and ammunition, and we’ve got plenty of medical supplies and personal products.

  We’re taking a chance that Mark’s vacation home in Texas is still okay. You would think it would be since, from what I understand, it’s practically out in the middle of nowhere. Besides, since there is a lot of land, apparently, the actual home is large and cozy. It sounds great, but Mark hasn’t been back there since this all happened.

  Honestly, I’m more worried about humans who may have found it than any zombies wandering around it.

  But Mark, who never seems to stress much, says we can’t worry. We just need to take our chances.

  Here in Illinois, when winter arrives, it will be cold, and the power will likely be gone in most areas. At least in Texas, we’ll be in a warmer climate, and if Mark’s house is still safe, we’ll have a place to call home.

  In the garage, I’m standing behind the van. Sara is sitting at the table. Eli is in the van, organizing. Gary and Katie are in the storage room.

  Mark walks up to me and kisses me on the forehead. He’s been flirting with me ever since yesterday, and last night, when he told me, despite everything that’s going on, he looks forward to our spending time together in Texas.

  His eyes have perked up ever since he started flirting with me. And I’m flirting back, of course. Falling for Mark doesn’t scare me. I’m not afraid of what might happen. It gives me something to think about other than the undead and staying alive.

  And I’m not afraid of losing Mark to this, either, because if anyone is going to survive, it’s Mark. No one calls him the leader, but he may as well be. He’s the smartest and the one with the most logical mind. When he decides, no one questions it. He’s always so serious and organized. But I loosen him up, and it’s nice to see him loosen up.

  “We’re ready to leave. How are you feeling?” says Mark.

  “I feel good; I mean, as good as I can. All I know is, I can’t imagine where I’d be without you guys, especially without a car or anything. How are you doing?”

  “Good, now that you’re here.” Mark runs his hand through his hair. I notice he does it when he’s shy or nervous around me, and it makes me smile. “You came into my life for a reason, I guess.”

  It does not escape me that Mark said I came into his life. Mark is a quiet soul, someone who hides his feelings.

  I step closer to Mark. “I’m happy I met you.”

  Mark looks into my eyes. “Same here.” He kisses me on the forehead again. Then, he takes a deep breath and looks around the room. Now he’s back in leader and organizer mode.

  Eli exits the van and approaches Mark and me. “I think we’re pretty much done with packing,” says Eli. “Are we ready?”

  “Yeah, Gary and Katie are just checking the office to make sure we got everything,” says Mark. “I think we’re cool.”

  Gary leaves the office and walks up to Mark. “You want me to drive, bro?”

  “No, I’ll take the wheel for now.” Mark looks at me. “I’ve got Jen to keep me company.”

  “Or I can drive and she can keep me company,” says Gary with that grin.

  “No, thanks,” I say, and then I walk away to go sit next to Sara over at the table.

  * * *

  Driving on an expressway is a good way to avoid zombies. I wonder if they can sense the expressway is not the place for them. Probably not, but it sure seems like it.

  Right now, I feel about as peaceful as I’ve ever felt. I’m sitting up front in the passenger seat next to Mark. Mark is in the driver’s seat. Behind us, Gary, Eli, and Katie are sleeping. They’re like kids in a car who fall asleep on a long road trip. Sara is reading another book. I don’t know how many books she has, but this has to be the third book I’ve seen her reading since I met her.

  Mark turns to smile at me sometimes, but he mainly stares straight ahead, driving while on the look-out for zombies. We’ve been on the road for about forty-five minutes. Mark doesn’t talk, but I’m enjoying the silence and being with him, despite the presence of four other people in the van.

  We escaped the garage for good. The only issue was a pileup we met soon after we got on the expressway. I’m not sure how it happened, but there were three cars crashed. Two cars were empty with their front doors open, as if whoever was inside dashed off.
The third car was mangled pretty badly. The bodies inside the mangled car appeared dead. There were also two zombies circling the car. We didn’t stop to investigate the crash, so I don’t know if they ever got inside the car to get at the humans or not.

  I look over at Mark again. All I want to do is bask in the quiet and pretend we’re all on an innocent road trip. But I have to stop pretending.

  “It’s going to be a long time before we reach Texas. Do you think we’ll make it?”

  Mark shrugs his shoulders. I’m stunned.

  “I was a person who planned for the future. Now, I just take it one day at a time.” He looks at me. “I believe in God, and I believe he’ll fix this.”

  I don’t know a lot about Mark or his religious background, but it doesn’t surprise me that he’s spiritual. Yet, just because he’s all into God doesn’t mean I have to be. “It’s God who got us into this mess in the first place.”

  Mark shakes his head. “That’s not what I believe.”

  “God didn’t save Andy.”

  Mark isn’t rattled. “We don’t know God’s plans, but that doesn’t mean they’re evil plans.”

  “Let’s not talk about this. I don’t want you to hate me for not being as religious as you.”

  Mark smiles and grabs my knee. “I could never hate you. I’m not preaching or anything, and I’m not super religious. I just believe in God, that’s all.”

  Sometimes I say things I regret, especially when I’m with someone so composed. “I’m sorry. I know you’re not preaching. I suppose some faith could help me now.”

  “What are you guys talking about?” Katie says, stretching her arms.

  I smile. “Nothing, Katie! Go back to sleep.”

  10.

  EVERYONE IS AWAKE IN THE VAN NOW. It’s been three hours, and we need to stop. We have our eyes set on an old, white farmhouse sitting next to a cornfield. Mark suggested we go check it out.

  We could keep driving, but inching our way to Texas and stopping at places that look safe along the way is the best thing to do. We can cross our fingers and hope for the best by trying to make it there in one long drive, but that wouldn’t be wise.