Fear the Dead 9
"Slipping Away"
Author's notes: Continuing with the story, Z
*********** Slipping Away Into the Night ***********
Tobias Grant slipped through the gate and headed out into the night, his destination...anywhere safe.
"If Tobias is looking for someplace safe, then why didn't we just stay within the confines of the compound," Jessica was thinking? However, she held onto his hand...the hand of a person she knew had survived this long.
Jessica had talked with Tobias several times, and she had discovered that he had made it all the way to the outskirts of the city, an impressive feat considering all the craziness going on. Still she was a little skeptical about leaving the safety of the motel, it may not be an iron fortress, but at least it had a fence. She did follow him through the opening however.
Jessica Delray looked back and could see the image of Private Johnson standing there (silhouetted against the backdrop of some distant light). It was an image that would be etched into her memory. The Private looked like he was frozen in time, weapon at the ready, watching them leave. He stood as solid as stone. She returned her attention to Tobias and she considered whether or not she would regret this move? She wondered if she was doing the right thing.
Tobias knew...he knew that if Private Johnson had told them to leave, then staying at the motel may prove to be...unhealthy.
"Operation Cobalt"
He didn't know what to make of it or what it meant. He only knew that if a soldier told you to vacate, a soldier that you trusted...then the best thing for someone to do was to take that advice.
Clifton Johnson, Tibias had looked straight into the man's eyes, and he had seen something that he hadn't witnessed before, fear. He liked Clifton; however he wasn't sure that a single soldier could post safety and security over a group of folk with only a thin wire fence as their protection. No, Tobias felt it better to move out, move on, and find shelter in a new location, and the sooner the better.
He held onto Jessica's hand, and the pretty seventeen year old girl had a death grip around his fingers. He looked back, and even in the dim light of a crescent moon he could see that she was with him in this, maybe a little apprehensive, but with him. Putting her confidence in someone she'd only known for a short period of time, that made him feel good...
******************* Choice Cuts ****************
The streets were littered with corpses, too many to count. The two had to straddle many a dead soul to advance. Tobias was continuously making mental observations.
These creatures, or whatever one wanted to call them, the ones with their brains shot out, well, they weren't moving. However, some of the individuals which had been further away, and not sharp targets for the soldiers, were still moving.
If a corpse was missing its legs, or was only absent below the waist...then that body remained animated.
Tobias didn't linger, his mind registered the scene but he did not want to stick around to sort the details. He did reach the conclusion that whatever this virus, plague or contagion was, it may kill the body, but the brain remained active, but only to the point of delivering motor-function to the limbs.
...Looking down into the faces of these creatures he realized that these individuals were once people, and had loved ones. Still, Tobias could witness no cruelty, compassion, love or hate within those orbed sockets. It was as if these creatures were without emotion or care (and some had already developed the pungent odor of rot).
Those vacant windows in their faces, their eyes, said that nobody was home. Those callused lenses were as devoid of a soul as a fish looks whenever it is pulled from the waters of San Pedro Bay. There was nothing but hunger remaining to their temperament. And if he were fool enough stay around and ponder the idea longer, then he may be next on the menu.
The choice cuts, yeah, Tobias had noticed that whenever a creature pinned a captive it went straight for the brains first, or maybe the intestine. It was like the brains and guts were chocolate pudding compared to the nutritional snack of the rest of the body...and who does not prefers chocolate over a granola bar?
Anyway, Tobias was a quick study. He made many of these observations at an immediate glance. He looked back at Jessica; her eyes were wide, and even in the dimness of the night he could tell that they were set on him. He felt important, like he had been given the responsibility of protecting someone...and even with all this chaos, he would make sure that the two of them made it through this, through to safety.
******************* Blain *****************
After a time the streets cleared, with only the occasional creeper spotted walking around. They seemed lost, directionless, until a sound was heard.
Weapons fire in the distance, or a loud engine starting up blocks away would arouse their attention and send them scuttling off towards the disturbance. Military units were still roaming the area at this time but Tobias and Jessica avoided them. Tobias still had Operation Cobalt in the back of his brain, and until he learned what it meant he wanted to stay hidden.
During one of their break periods they noticed movement, and it wasn't the slow lumbering gait of an undead, it seemed more acute and perceptive, it was a living person. The individual would duck in and out of the shadows just as they were doing, and before long the two separate parties were close, almost side by side. Tobias had cautioned Jessica to remain quiet but before he could stop her she blurted out.
"I know that guy, that's Blain, Blain McElroy. BLAIN, COME HERE!"
The high school student from Paul Williams was a football player, a good one, and he hadn't been aware of Tobias or Jessica until her outburst.
The handsome fellow with the big muscles joined them.
"Jessica, hey girl how are you doing?"
Blain gave the pretty seventeen year old a hug, and then he held the girl at arm's length. Tobias felt like the invisible man.
"You look good, and you made it. You survived," Blain said looking straight into her eyes. Jessie was focused on him too.
"And you too," she spoke. Then each realized that Tobias was there. He then turned and looked over at her companion.
"Hey Tobias, you made it too, great."
It was one of the first times that the high school athlete had ever acknowledged his presents, guess a viral apocalypse can do that to people; they start to notice you when their fan-club is gone, maybe eaten alive.
"Yeah, great to see you too Blain," Toby said, but his heart really wasn't in his words.
END PART 9
