Part VII: Close Proximity
One surefire way to hate your friends is to live in close proximity with little to no breaks in communication. Living in the survivor's compound was more than a little challenging.
The first few days were easy; almost exciting. They entered the compound in Franky's enormous and loud truck. Luffy and Chopper were hidden away, clinging to the axel. The truck was searched, almost, thoroughly as were the people. Only Usopp was allowed to keep his weapons. And, of course, Luffy and Chopper went unseen.
They were given a lot; a space of probably 300 square feet to live. They had one tent between them. Their outside 'recreation area' was now a designated parking space. The bathroom was a selection of multicolored porta-a-pottys that lined the outside perimeter. And the showers were pressurized hoses with hardly any cover.
The first issue was the neighbors. They had been assigned lot # 810. They had neighbors living in the lots on three sides. They were probably alright as far as people go, but they couldn't afford certain members to be seen and it was difficult living in such close proximity.
The second issue was the 'coupons' that were provided when they checked in. Each person received a booklet of coupons; food, clothes, medical care, etc. Each person was only allotted so much. A normal person would be starving and they would have to split their portions even more to provide for the two extra people.
But the thing that made them the most nervous was turning in their weapons. There were plenty of weapons in the compound; plenty of ammunition. The weapons seized were distributed between the militia in charge; the rest was stored for future use. It was unnerving being herded around from station to station by men with guns.
The next week was unbearable. The heat was overwhelming. Tension was high in the camp and the threat of infection loomed heavily. Any sort of odd behavior could get a person killed. Wounds were inspected critically and people were beyond distrusting.
"You know," Luffy sighed, fanning himself, "I don't think this place is helping me think at all."
"It's too hot to think," Nami groaned, pulling her cooper hair up in a messy bun.
"How do reindeers live in Texas?" Chopper whined, taking off his shirt.
"They don't," Sanji replied, taking one of his last cigarettes from his pack. "Jesus. I don't even wanna know how hard it is to get some smokes around here…"
"It's probably as easy as whose dick you're willing to suck," Franky replied, rubbing his scarred arm nub absently.
"Language," Robin groaned, kicking Franky softly with her bare foot.
"Guess it's time to quit then, huh?" Usopp laughed, shaking his head.
Sanji shrugged wordlessly. Franky nodded knowingly, "Depends on the dick, am I right?"
"Depends on if they're menthols or not," Sanji replied, his mouth twitching upward in the corner.
"Enough! Gross!" Nami cried out, jumping to her feet. She pulled her coupon book from her back pocket and ripped one of the sheets out, "Here. Good for one consumable luxury item."
"Ah, bless you," Sanji breathed out, taking the offered coupon.
"Hey, that ain't free," Nami clucked, rubbing her fingers together. "Whatchu got? What's it worth to you?"
Sanji sighed, pulling his coupon book from his jacket. He flipped through it before showing a page to Nami, "Good for one hour in the recreation center."
"Ooooh!" Usopp exclaimed. "That's air-conditioned."
"Sure, okay," Nami decided, taking the coupon. "Deal."
"Alright, I'm gonna go get some cigs, anyone need anything? Robin, Nami?" Sanji offered, sweeping his arm in gesture.
"Actually," Robin said, standing. "I need to pick up some items. Can I come with?"
"Whatcha need, Mama?" Franky asked, moving to stand as well. "I'll get it…"
Robin shook her head, "No, thank you, Franky. I've got it. I need to stretch my legs anyway."
"Sure, m'lady," Sanji breathed, offering his arm to Robin politely. "Let me be your escort…"
"Don't you be hittin' on my woman," Franky called after them, shaking his head.
"That's asking too much from Mister Steal Yo' Woman," Usopp murmured.
"Is he into, ya know, women?" Nami asked, making a face.
"Ain't no stealin' that woman," Franky argued. "She'd bend him over her knee and spank him if he tried anything funny…"
"He'd probably be into that," Nami decided.
Zoro nodded, "He's definitely into that."
"How… How would you, uh, know?" Usopp asked, his mouth agape.
"What?! I just was agreeing… What's that look for? Don't you dare! I'll kick your ass… Knock it off… Stop making that face… Usopp…. I mean it… Franky… Damn it…" Zoro growled in frustration. He balled his hands into threatening fists, "I'll destroy you."
"Oh relax," Nami sighed, placing her new coupon into her booklet. "We're just teasin' ya."
"I've got an idea," Luffy blurted out, sitting up. He smiled wide and nodded to himself. "We get a whole bunch of curtains. And we spell out 'Law' and we put it on the top of the shipping containers… And when he sees it, he'll know to check here…"
"That's a shit idea."
"Truly terrible."
"Are you fucking kidding? Like was that fucking serious?"
"You're not the smartest, are you?"
"You're an in the moment-thinker," Nami said with a kind smile, "Think about the bath tub. That was genius! Think about what you're good at. Think about what we know… We need to use our talents, not our luck…"
"But I think luck is my talent," Luffy sighed, crossing his legs under him.
"Your talent is your inability to give up," Zoro said simply. "No matter the odds."
"Is that a talent?" Luffy asked.
Zoro nodded, "I think it counts."
"Pretty soon Law is going to be looking for us," Chopper whispered, looking around suspiciously. "I mean, two assets are just wandering around on the loose."
"They sent goons and that didn't work," Franky reasoned, "It's only a matter of time before they send people that are your equal match."
"Equal match?" Luffy asked, scrunching up his nose.
"Yeah, ya know, someone like you. Special. Whatever. A rat can steal from humans but stands no chance against a Rat snake, but a Rat snake would be eaten up like it was nothing by a King snake… I think they're gonna fight special with special… Ya know what I'm saying?" Franky questioned. "Am I making sense here?"
"You're making sense," Usopp replied, nodding.
"There's no way to fight the D Foundation head on," Zoro said, shrugging. "If that's our only option, we've already lost."
"If we can get Law, we won't need to fight the D Foundation," Luffy insisted. "We can retreat to the Revolutionary Army secret base and escape. They can fight the D Foundation."
"The Revolutionary Army is what fucking started this whole God Damn fucking thing…" Franky angrily whispered. "Fuck them."
"We're not joining them," Luffy insisted. "But if they can get us somewhere safe where the bad guys can't find us, well, I'm using them."
"That's the problem," Nami sighed, "Who are the bad guys?"
"Everyone," Zoro said simply. "They're all bad. They've all done terrible things and killed innocent people. We don't want anything to do with any of them."
"My head hurts from thinking too much," Luffy complained, rubbing his temples.
"It's 'cause it's so damn hot," Franky complained, fanning himself.
"We just need to lie low for now. Get medical attention and heal up. Then we're out of here. Let's just hope we don't starve before we manage to see the fucking doctor," Zoro sighed.
"They said it was a week wait when I asked," Franky replied, chewing on his lip. "And I lost a fucking arm."
"Hellooooooo, neighbors!" a cheery voice rang out. They all looked up in shock as the man in the lot across from them approached. He was tall and broad and fairly fit, but he wore brightly colored clothes that were loud and too tight. He waved in greeting and posed, his hands on his hips, "I came over to introduce myself… but it seems I came at a bad time. Where ever did that handsome blondie go?"
"Commissary," Luffy said, squinting as he looked at the man.
"Anyway, my name is Clay," the man said with a grin. He gestured as he spoke, his legs swishing back and forth. "I live over in 7-10." He slid closer, "We haven't gotten any survivors in a while. We were starting to worry we were all that was left…"
"Hey, Clay," Usopp said, "I'm Usopp."
"Nami."
"Franky and, er, my Robin just walked off. Hottie with the black hair…"
"I'm Zoro."
"The blonde hottie is Sanji," Nami offered with a smile.
"I'm Chopper."
"And I'm…" Luffy paused, he looked from person to person guiltily before finally saying, "Josè."
"Josè."
"Josè?"
"Yeah. I'm Josè," Luffy lied, smiling at Clay. "That's always been my name. I didn't make it up."
"Yeah, okay, sure," Clay said, looking around at the others unsurely. "You've got quite a crew here. If you need some more space, you're welcome to come over anytime."
"Is it just you?" Usopp asked, instantly regretting the question.
Clay's thick eyelashes fluttered, tears beading down his cheeks. He turned around with a sob, waving his hands in gesture, "I'm sorry… yes… It's just me…" And then he walked back across the lane, heading into his tent.
"Oh my God, please forgive me," Usopp groaned. "I need you to shut my mouth sometimes… give me strength…"
"Good going, Usopp," Chopper reprimanded.
"Usopp's was an accident, but what the hell, Luffy?!" Zoro demanded, shaking his head.
"What? People might be looking for Luffy. Right? I probably shouldn't be using the name around people… who… could… be… spies…" Luffy whispered, leaning in closely.
"He's got a point," Franky agreed with a nod.
"Okay, but remember that your name is Josè. And don't take so long to say it. No one takes that long to say their own name," Zoro scolded.
"You're just jealous you didn't give yourself a super cool name," Luffy accused, his lips turning down in a pout.
"No way, Josè," Zoro snapped. "My name is fucking awesome."
"I should've changed mine to Scarlet Darling or Guinevere Capulet…" Nami groaned. "Damn it. Too late."
"Those sound like porn names. Nami, no," Franky refused. "Those are porn names. Might as well go by Rosie Canyon or Alana Jug-Mountain."
"Those are not porn names, you filthy pervert!" Nami groaned, slapping at Franky. "And who are you to make fun of names, Francis?"
"Hey, now," Franky breathed, his eyes wide. "My name is not Francis. Only Robin calls me Francis… You can't…"
"Your name's not Francis?!" Nami groaned in disappointment, "Then why's she call you that when you're in trouble?"
Franky smiled, "Because even if I'm in trouble, she still loves me enough to never ever use my birth name…"
"What's your birth name?" Usopp asked curiously.
"It's a secret," Franky whispered. "I told someone once and their ears melted off their body. It's a bad name, a terrible name… a curse… It isn't something to be spoken aloud. I'm actually, literally, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Called-By-Name…"
"That's a bit dramatic, isn't it?" Zoro asked, his eyes hooded.
"No," Franky disagreed. "You weren't there. You didn't see the agony that man felt as his ears melted away…"
"Franklin?" Nami suggested.
Franky smiled, shaking his head, "Nope."
"Francisco."
"Okay, do I look like a Francisco, girlie?"
Nami smiled and shrugged, "Not really."
"Should someone go check on the crying guy?" Usopp asked, feeling guilty. Everyone looked at him, wordlessly, until finally he nodded. "Okay, got it. I'm going."
Usopp was only gone a short while before he returned with Clay. Clay seemed to cheer up immensely when he realized Sanji had returned. He waved his hand in front of his face and smiled, "The world is on fire and you're smoking…"
"Habits," Sanji replied, smiling politely.
"Didn't mean the cigarette," Clay replied, sitting down in the dirt beside Usopp and Nami. "Anyway, I'm Clay."
"Sanji."
"Hello, I'm Robin," Robin said, smiling. She opened a package of cookies and began to nibble, ignoring Franky's pouting and expectant face.
"How can you eat?" Nami asked, making a disgusted face, "It smells like sewer and it's as hot as Satan's ass."
"So, ya'll from around here?" Clay asked. "Family? Friends? Just survivors?"
"I'm from Tennessee," Franky said proudly, "Met Robin here when she was working at the Memphis Zoo. She got transferred and I came with. We're a thing."
"A thing?" Clay asked, arching a brow.
Robin wiggled her finger, "Any day now. I'm sure of it."
"They're so cute," Nami sighed dreamily.
"I'm originally from Blagoveshchensk," Robin said, wiping her mouth. "I came to America when I was twelve."
"I can't even pretend to pronounce that name," Usopp murmured, exchanging a look with Luffy.
"I'm from Louisiana," Sanji replied, puffing out a chain of smoke into the air.
"Uh, yeah, I'm from Georgia," Usopp added.
"Right here," Nami said, shrugging. "Nowhere special."
"I'm from right here too," Zoro said. "Via Japan, I guess. But, like, I was born here. In Kingwood, actually…"
"I'm from, er," Chopper froze, panicked.
"He's not from a lab," Luffy breathed out. "That would be weird and that sort of stuff doesn't happen…"
Usopp let out a tiny squeak. Everyone stared at him in horror, their mouths agape. But Clay simply laughed, "Oh, please, I'm from Montrose, I've seen stranger things." Clay smiled, "So you guys just formed a team, huh? That's amazing. It's amazing you survived so long on the outside…"
"Yeah, it's a miracle," Usopp breathed out, smacking Luffy when Clay looked the other way. "The good Lord is surely watching over us."
"If the 'good Lord' was real, there wouldn't be fucking zombies eating people," Zoro argued, shaking his head. "Dumbass."
"Do not smite him, O Lord, do not. As tempting as it may be…" Usopp prayed, his hands pressed together.
"I've been here a month, I think," Clay explained. "Everything seems straight forward enough. I was pretty resistant to coming here, but when… when… Since I was alone, I was too afraid not to." Clay shrugged, "It's kinda creepy though, right? It's not just me? I mean it's a camp. Camps are bad. Camps are scary. We should stay away from camps…"
Usopp laughed nervously, "Well, you got a point."
Zoro made a face, "Oh shit. I've probably shamed my ancestors. My great-grandpa was in an internment camp when he was young…"
"And suddenly I'm feeling super uncomfortable," Franky groaned.
"Oh, come on, don't be such babies," Luffy snickered. "There isn't a roof, so we can always escape if we need to. The sun is shining. We can see the sky and the clouds. And we're together… ya know, except for Law and all the friends who've died along the way…"
"For a minute I thought you actually had something," Usopp sighed shaking his head.
"Sorry."
"No, no, it's not your fault," Usopp said, "it's mine."
"I'm too hungry," Luffy decided, rubbing his stomach. "I'm dying."
"I don't have an appetite, like at all," Nami groaned. "If you can eat in this heat and stench just take one of my coupons and go."
"Nami doesn't do shit for free," Sanji reminded him. "And you don't have any coupons, so best not to deal." Sanji shook his head, "Who knows what she'll ask for in return."
"It was gonna be a foot rub and thanks a lot, Sanji," Nami sighed.
"The woman in 7-o-9 makes some seriously delicious kafta kebab things," Clay said suddenly.
"What's a kafta kebab?" Luffy asked with wide eyes.
"I don't actually know," Clay admitted, "But I promise you. It's a delightful mystery."
"Wow. I love delightful mysteries," Luffy exhaled, drooling on himself. He pushed himself to his feet, walking over to lot #709 as if in a trance. "Hello, woman? Yes, hello?"
"Luffy! Quit it!" Zoro snapped, shaking his head.
"Josè," Sanji groaned, kicking Zoro in the side. "Our dear Latino friend."
Luffy turned around and smiled, "Yeah… yeah… Josè… Josè Lu-chi… Josè Lucy…" Luffy nodded. "That's my name…"
"Josè… Lucy…?" Clay asked, his head nodding and shaking simultaneously.
"Josè… Lu-chi-año…?" Luffy asked, screwing up his face in confusion.
"Why are you asking me?" Clay asked, batting his eyelashes and smiling. "Am I supposed to know?"
"No. I mean, well, I'm Josè Luciaño," Luffy decided, smiling. "But my friends can call me Josè Lucy, ya know?"
"Jesus have mercy," Usopp cried out, licking his lips.
"Isn't that the name of the guy who sings 'Feliz Navidad'?" Robin asked, turning to Franky.
"Ah, close, super close, but it's something else," Franky answered.
"Hello, woman?" Luffy called out again, walking across the narrow lane. "Do you have kebabs today?"
"I think her name is Dyah," Clay offered. "Her husband is Arshad? Arshal? Arshad, I think…" Clay shrugged, "Close enough."
Luffy stopped once he approached the tent, his hand held awkwardly in front of him. He didn't need to open the tent to know. The smell was unbearable from where he stood. He turned around, a look of panic on his face.
"What is it?" Zoro asked, standing up.
Sanji was there first. He extinguished his cigarette on the ground, tucking it behind his ear. He shook his head and murmured, "I'll take a look. You go back to our lot."
Luffy already knew what was inside and he'd seen enough death in his short life to satiate any curiosity he might have otherwise felt. He passed Zoro and sat back down beside Usopp.
"You okay?" Usopp asked, placing his hand comfortingly on Luffy's shoulder.
"What's wrong?" Clay asked, looking from Luffy to the tent in confusion.
When Sanji unzipped the tent the stench hit them full force. Sanji gagged, covering his nose and mouth. Zoro stepped forward, steeling himself against the pungent perfume of death. He looked from body to body before moving forward to inspect them.
The husband and wife had been dead for several hours, at the least. They were beginning to bloat and the heat only intensified the decomposition. They appeared peaceful, thankfully, but their skin was covered with strange blotches of amelanistic pigment.
"What is this?" Zoro asked Sanji.
Sanji shook his head, peering inside the tent, "Is it a rash? I don't understand…"
"Think it's contagious?" Zoro asked.
Sanji made a face as Zoro backed away. Zoro zipped the tent back up and they both retreated back to their lot. "If anyone asks," Zoro whispered, "None of us went over there…"
"What's going on?" Nami asked.
"Seriously," Sanji pressed. "We weren't just over there…"
"What's the matter?!" Usopp began to panic.
"They're dead," Luffy said, drawing pictures in the dirt beneath him.
"What? How? I don't understand?" Clay gasped.
"We should report the odor," Robin said, standing. "And have someone else discover them."
"I'll come with," Franky offered.
Robin smiled, "No. You stay here and rest. Nami, wanna take a walk with me?"
"Sure," Nami breathed out, "It'll be nice to not breathe in the dead person air."
Robin laughed and then felt terrible about it, "Oh, poor things. Bless their souls."
"Usopp, brother," Franky rumbled. "Go with them."
"Huh?"
Franky made a face, serious and dangerous, "I don't want them going anywhere alone. Got it?"
Usopp stood up and nodded, "Got it."
"We're not helpless," Robin replied, rolling her eyes in annoyance.
Franky smiled tightly, bitterly, "Robbie, right now we're all helpless."