Dead Man's Party
Chapter Six
The town of Forks was a battle zone. There was no denying it. The intermittent popping of gunshots interspersed with the clunking of metal breaking bones rent the air. The pungent odor emanating from the decomposing bodies of the walking dead contributed to the atmospheric miasma. Still, the citizens were energized, hellbent on purging their town of these creatures. As the zombies filled the streets, residents bravely charged at them with anything from baseball bats to axes. Some residents took the opportunity to rid their homes of clutter by tossing unneeded household goods at the creatures. More than one old toilet or box TV set littered the street. Oddly enough, there were also many curling irons and quesadilla makers hurled at the heads of the zombies.
Everyone capable of fighting was outside defending the town. The zombies were crumbling, but not quickly enough. On the bright side, the creatures had not managed to increase their population by much in Forks. Mr. Banner was turned because he tried to get a tissue sample off of a living zombie to study. The townspeople were doing a valiant job, but they were getting tired, hungry, and losing steam.
Sam Uley was also sick and tired of this bullshit. Currently, he and Jasper were handling the zombie situation using their caber and grenade method. They could quickly cull several groups of zombies with their natural speed, but they needed help. Fortunately, they ran into Paul Lahote and Jared Cameron. Using a chain saw, Paul took out the creatures while Jared slashed through them with a machete.
"What are you two doing out here? I thought you were assigned to La Push," Sam said.
"We were there, but La Push has been largely safe. Only one zombie got through, but Billy took care of her immediately. She seemed to have been the only one to have strayed away from the group. Anyway, once the shooting started in Forks, the zombies have been contained there. Jared's father formed a perimeter along the borders of La Push, but there has been no shots fired since Billy killed the single zombie. So, anyway, he brought a few of us with him to help in Forks and left Billy and others in charge of keeping any entry points to La Push guarded," Paul explained. "It's crazy here, though."
"It's a lot better here than it was earlier. Watch out!" Sam shouted as he popped off a zombie trying to take a bite out of Paul. "Come on! Help us out here. It'll be better if we work together."
"We'll be your wingmen," Jared said, putting his machete away and grabbing the rifle he had strapped to his back. "Paul, you're not seriously thinking of carrying the chainsaw around, are you?"
"Nah, I found this in Old Man Hinkley's junkyard anyway. I barely got it started. Besides, I think it might be out of gas." Just as the words left his mouth, the machine sputtered to a stop. Paul kissed the power tool. "We had a fun run, baby, but it's time for us to say goodbye. Then he took the chainsaw and hurled it at the zombies. The chainsaw hit one zombie directly on the forehead. It bounced off of him and then impaled a female zombie wearing a short, skintight, blue bodycon dress squarely in her chest. "Whoa! Look at that blood gushing out!"
"Jesus! She's still walking with the chainsaw lodged in her chest!" Sam noticed, pointing at the zombie. The chainsaw suddenly rumbled to life, causing the zombie to jiggle and convulse as she walked, agitating her innards.
"Yuck!" Jasper cried. Her entrails are spewing all over the place. They watched as what they were sure was part of her colon, whipped around in the air, and smacked another zombie in the face.
"Damn! She's still on her feet. What a trooper! And she's still in her high heels. Kim took her heels off the moment we hit the dance floor at the prom. She could learn a thing or two from zombie girl," Jared noted, speaking of his imprint.
"You know, I think if my mate ever became a zombie, she'd still be in her heels," Jasper remarked. "She's so self-conscious about her height."
"Man, if I ever get an imprint. I hope she doesn't wear heels all the time. You're lucky, Sam. Bella keeps it real."
Sam considered Paul's comment. He was correct about Bella. She was truly down to earth compared to many other girls. She was easy-going and optimistic in most situations. Sam sometimes wondered if the spirits made her his soul mate because he needed someone upbeat. He had a tendency to worry about everyone and everything around him. And now he was worried about his imprint. Where was she? Sam's eyes flickered to his surroundings. He knew he wouldn't be able to find her. After all, he had suggested she go into the house because she was covered in blood. Was she okay?
Jasper peered at Sam with a concerned look. "Bella is okay. Don't worry." And then Sam was enveloped with a feeling of warmth followed by confidence. "Let's get these fuckers!" Major Whitlock exclaimed.
XOXO
"Seriously, Bella? I can't believe you're making me use my gift to locate Chief Swan." Alice rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. "Stop looking at me like that! You're making me nervous."
Bella simply huffed in response.
"Okay, okay. I found your father. He's on Division Street between the Rec Center and the Oxbow Apartments."
"Alright." Bella nodded her head decisively. "Thanks, Alice!" Fully geared up. Bella placed her hand on the doorknob, ready to leave the house.
"No!" Alice cried. "You are not taking my Porsche."
"It really is your fault for leaving your keys on the counter, Alice." Bella had a smug smile on her face.
"Your father said no vehicles on the road!" Alice protested.
Bella's eyes twinkled mischievously. "I know he did, but you're both perfectly aware that I have a problem with following rules."
"Bella, no! I refuse to let you take my car!" She held her hand out for the key.
"You're right. I'm sorry for worrying you." Bella gave Alice the keys. She opened the back door, closing it behind her. "I guess I'll have to go with Plan B," she shouted as she climbed onto Jasper's Ducati and took off.
"Oh my God! Jasper is going to kill me!" Alice screeched.
XOXO
"Hey, now, look at that fancy ride," Jared commented as he saw a silver motorcycle speed by. "Is that a Ducati?" He looked closer after firing at a few zombies. "I think it is a Ducati."
Meanwhile, Jasper, who was in the middle of pitching a corpse at a horde of zombies, stopped to look. He had a Ducati himself and was always interested in seeing another one in action. The rider slowed down just before the intersection of Forks Avenue and A Street. She popped off a gang of zombies one-by-one, expertly spin-cocking her shotgun between shots. The sight was sexy as hell.
"Funny, I have a helmet just like that," Jasper murmured. He knitted his brows together, pondering for a second before his eyes bugged out. Then, "Bella!" he hollered.
"Why are you yelling my girl's name?" Sam asked.
"Because the biker was your girl on my Ducati." Jasper infused an extra boost of confidence into his cohorts. "Come on, let's take out these zombies once and for all."
XOXO
"What the hell are you doing here? I told you no vehicles except for emergency ones!" Charlie snapped at his errant daughter. He was hiding between the recreation center and his cruiser, popping off passing zombies with a long-range rifle.
"Oh, I thought your rules only applied to vehicles with four wheels, not two-wheelers. Besides, this is pretty much a bicycle with a motor."
"Jesus Christ! I don't know where you get that attitude," Charlie grumbled.
"Mom says I get it from you," Bella nodded thoughtfully. "You have to admit, she'd be a nervous wreck in this situation."
"Get the hell back here right now, young lady!" Charlie pulled his daughter back behind him. "Why are you here?"
"I have an idea." She crouched down with her rifle at the ready, mirroring her father's position. "Well, it's sort of an idea. I'm not exactly sure how to work out the logistics, but it's an idea. So I thought I'd run it by you."
"Why don't we start with…" Charlie couldn't finish his sentence when two zombies, a redhead female and a blonde male, jumped on top of him. He managed to kick the male, shoving him away, but the female was still attempting to bite him.
"Let go of my father, Victoria!" Bella yelled. "For God's sake, first you become an undead vampire and then you turn into a zombie. Why can't you stay dead instead of coming back to haunt us incessantly?" The former vampire had an annoying raspy moan. She kept chomping her teeth, trying to take a bite out of Charlie, who was valiantly holding her at arms' length.
Bella fired two shots directly between Victoria's eyes, killing the redhead. Unfortunately, she was soon struggling when Riley and another zombie, the one with the pink scrunchie, called Emily, started clawing at her. Her pistol was knocked out of her hand, and the rifle was stuck under her shoulders. Her right arm was pinned under the zombies. She thrashed around, attempting to free herself. With her legs, she started flailing and kicking at their faces. She tried to reach for the gun, inching closer and closer, but the mouths of the two zombies were closing in on her. The zombies were slobbering and emitted a phlegmy noise as if they were gargling on their own blood.
Bella's breathing became erratic as her desperation increased. "Daddy!" she cried in anguish. Then, just as the pink-scrunchied zombie was about to take a bite out of Bella's leg, Chief Swan popped off two bullets, ending Emily and Riley's zombie existence.
"Bella!" Charlie pulled his daughter into his arms then checked her over for injuries, his chest rising and falling with rapid breaths as he held his daughter. The police chief was not easily frightened. However, the sheer terror he felt when he thought his only child was about to die was something he had never felt before. He never wanted to experience that feeling again.
The harsh, ear-splitting cawing of an approaching group of the undead could be heard in the distance. "We have to go, baby girl. Grab your gun, and get in the cruiser," Charlie urged. "Pull it together, Bella. You're a Swan!"
Bella nodded her head decisively and hopped into the cruiser, her gun at the ready.
"Come on, let's go," Charlie jetted away from the zombies to keep them safe. A part of him just wanted to drive away from Forks with his daughter, but he knew this situation had to be nipped in the bud, or it would spread all over the world. "Alright, tell me this idea of yours."
"You have to hear how I came up with the idea first, Dad, so don't interrupt me. Earlier today, a gargantuan zombie landed on top of Lauren and me when he died. We tried to push him off, but we couldn't, so Jasper and Sam lifted him off of us. They launched the zombie through the air, knocked down a horde of approaching ones, and lit them up with a grenade. It got rid of a ton of them at once. On the way here, an old sofa was thrown at a bunch of zombies from Mr. and Mrs. Cheney's porch. The zombies all dropped to the ground like dominos, so I took the opportunity to wipe them out with a grenade.
Bella had definitely captured Charlie's attention. "While Lauren and I were stuck under the zombie, we learned that their skin is easy to perforate because they are decaying. We tried to push him off of us, and our hands went right through him. I accidentally ripped his heart out. It was bizarre. We already know they can climb, but not very high—like, they can't scale buildings or anything like that. What if we figured out a way to box them in and then detonate them?"
"Bella, we can't launch a bomb in the middle of Forks," her father pointed out.
"I know that, but what if we used the grenades Alice and Peter stole? I've already been using them sporadically, and so have Sam and Jasper."
Charlie considered what Bella was saying. It would be a way to get rid of the creatures en masse. Although crude, his daughter's strategy was well thought-out, especially for a kid just out of high school. "We'd have to coordinate with the fire department, so they're aware of the plan, but before that, we need to develop a way to encircle them."
"Really, Dad? You don't think the idea is stupid."
"Not at all. I think there's merit to it. We just have to figure out a way to execute it. I want to coordinate with…" Charlie slammed on the brakes and unrolled his window. "What the hell are you doing out here?"
Peter Whitlock hopped into the backseat of the car. "Do you remember me telling you that my visions are sporadic but accurate?"
"Yeah."
"Well, Bella's plan will work, but we need vehicles. Big ones. Like those trash trucks."
"What about snow plows?" Bella asked.
"That brain of yours is going to take you far in life. Now, be a doll and take out those zombies up ahead," Peter suggested.
Bella unrolled her window and cleared the way by spraying bullets from her AR-15 rifle and three from her handgun.
"Where the hell are you getting all these guns from, little girl?" Charlie asked, noticing her daughter was reloading both firearms. She wielded several weapons on her person.
"From the stash that Alice and Peter stole. Lucky you taught me how to hunt," she replied. It was true that her father had initially taught her how to handle guns. She had grown up around them because of her father. Like most townspeople, Charlie had taken his kid hunting with him from a young age. He had taught her how to handle firearms responsibly despite her mom's constant protests. Bella was undoubtedly happy for the knowledge now.
Forks was a town where the townspeople hunted out of necessity. There were times when the deer population would grow so exponentially that they would become a public nuisance. Instead of staying in the forests, they'd come out into the town to forage for food because there wasn't enough to sustain them in their natural habitat. These deer were a significant cause of accidents—over 1.5 million car accidents involving deer occurred yearly in the United States. Hunting helped to maintain the overgrowth so the deer could remain in their own environment.
"Amen to that," Peter agreed as he covered the driver's side from behind the police chief. "My daddy taught me how to hunt when I was a kid. Mind you, I was born in Oklahoma before it even became a state, but we needed to know how to hunt in order to eat back then."
"One day, when this all settles down, you'll have to tell me about what life was like back then," Charlie said.
XOXO
Charlie parked his cruiser in front of the police station and assessed the situation. Three zombies lumbered around the area separately. If they were lucky, they'd be able to make it into the station without attracting any attention. He placed two fingers on his lips, warning his passengers to be silent, then motioned to the driver's side doors, indicating that they should all leave by those doors on the count of three. Peter saluted him while Bella fiddled with her gun, threading a suppressor onto it.
Chief Swan counted with his fingers: one, two, three, and opened the driver's side door while Peter did the same with the rear door. They crept out of their doors simultaneously and waited for Bella to crawl out of the driver's side. Instead, she opened her own door.
"Bella, no!" Charlie whispered harshly. "You were supposed to come out on this side, Bella!"
His daughter pointed her gun at the first zombie and pulled the trigger, destroying it. She dispatched the other two before the creatures realized they were even there. In no time at all, she had taken out all three zombies.
"Exactly when did you get a silencer?" Charlie asked.
"Oh, it was in a case together with this gun here. Pretty snazzy, don't you think?"
Charlie sighed. "We'll need to have a long talk after this crisis is over, Bella." His daughter's fascination with firearms was beginning to frighten him. But that was neither here nor there. "Right now, we need to focus on assembling a team to drive the vehicles we're going to use to box in the zombies. We also need the residents to shelter indoors while executing our plan."
Lieutenant Marshall, who had been listening nearby, joined the conversation. He introduced himself to Peter and crooked an eyebrow at Charlie when he noticed Bella was armed to the hilt.
"Trust me, she's a better shot than half the people on the force."
"I'm not surprised, Charlie. She's your kid. Besides, she had enough hutzpah to date that Cullen vampire. I'm glad she's with a wolf now. Katie is relieved for sure."
"How come you and Katie know?" Bella asked suspiciously.
"Because Jacob imprinted on Katie yesterday when we delivered supplies to the Marshall's house. It was actually an opportune time for it to happen because I could confide in Ken," Charlie explained. "It also helps to have Gene Lahote on the force. Where is he anyway?"
"I'm right here. I just checked up on Paul. He's still on Forks Avenue with Jared, Jasper, and Sam."
"Hey, why isn't Katie fighting?" Bella inquired.
"Oh, she doesn't know how to handle a gun, and she would be a hindrance in any sort of battle. If you consider what happened to Jessica Stanley today, Katie would fare much worse. She'd be too worried about ruining her nails. She's in La Push, where it's safe with the other imprint named Kim."
"Oh, I see." Bella wasn't surprised at all. Katie Marshall's chief focus was keeping her eyes glued to fashion magazines for tips on anything to do with style. She was always touching up her make-up and whatnot during class, lunch, anywhere really. She wondered how her friendship with Jake would fare now that he had imprinted on Katie.
Bella was nudged from her thoughts when her father ushered everyone inside his office. "Alrighty, let's go into my office and discuss logistics." They needed to get back to the business of eliminating the zombies. It was critical that they succeed if there was to be any future at all.