What if R and Julie hadn't met outside the city? What if R had been captured, to be used to train the children inside the fortified city of the Living? A different version of the R/Julie story, one where they meet in her world, not his.

Isaac Marion owns Warm Bodies. I just enjoy playing with the characters.

I'm not dead personally, though I get awfully tired sometimes.

A Dark Negative of Love

Chapter 20 – John Grigio's Escape

As General Steiger lifted the blinds to look out his office window, I could see that one of the aids was outside, parking a Jeep. He knocked at the door, and when Colonel Rosso answered it, the man entered, appearing quite shaken. Seeing the group of civilians inside the office, he visibly collected himself.

"What is the situation outside?" asked the General, standing up and coming out from behind his desk.

"The Boneys, though they aren't attacking, are surrounding the city in large groups, Sir," the soldier said. "The guards think…"

But we never learned what the guards think because a gunshot rang out. It sounded close, as if it was inside the city. We all started at the sound and looked around, shaken. Nora pulled out her gun, which I hadn't even noticed she was carrying, and primed it. She flattened herself against the wall before carefully pulled down a few slats of the blinds to look outside.

Meanwhile, the General had turned on his radio and begun to call outside. "Who's firing?" he demanded. "Who's firing? Has there been a breach? Sector 1, report!"

A crackle came over the radio, and a voice said, "This is Sector 4, Sir. We have a Boney loose in the city. He flashed past me and climbed up one of the stairwells on the southeast wall."

Just then we saw spotlights begin flashing across the fortified walls. A lone, lanky figure appeared between the observation towers outside the 5:00 sector, scrambling along the guards' catwalk that extended on top of the walls. He paused momentarily, holding a hand in front of his eyes, seeming to have been temporarily blinded by the search light.

The most striking thing about this scene was that the Boney was identifiable not just because of his speed and distinctive skull shape, but because he was still wearing human clothing-a General's uniform. He turned back towards the city and seemed to stare right at the General's headquarters. Then he moved to the far ledge, grabbed the catwalk's handrails, swung himself over and disappeared from view.

General Steiger snapped his walkie-talkie to "mute," and set it down in front of him, seeming to try to collect his thoughts.

"That was Dad, wasn't it?" said Julie quietly.

"Yes…" I answered. What else could I say?

The General's walkie-talkie came back on. "Sir, General Grigio left quarantine. One of his own men was on duty, and the General convinced the man he should release him from the wrist restraints so that he could relieve himself. We don't know where he is, but we are sending out a search team. We expect to find him shortly."

The General paused, looking at Julie and me, before answering. "Was the soldier bitten by the General?"

There was a crackle then a long pause on the other end. Finally the voice came back. "That is a negative, Sir. The soldier does not report any injuries."

Rosy's shoulders relaxed on hearing this, though he shook his head and sighed, clearly worried. Nora had moved to Julie, and put an arm around her while the General paused momentarily, gathering his thoughts before giving his next order.

"Quarantine him for the time being, for his own safety," ordered General Steiger. "Copy please."

"Quarantine will be undertaken."

Rosy turned to Julie, putting a hand gently on her wrist. "I'm sorry, dear. I really am."

"Why didn't we see it before now, Rosy?" Julie asked, beginning to sob. "Once R told me, it seemed so obvious!"

"We didn't want to admit it was even a possibility," Colonel Rosso replied. "R, take her back to the guest quarters. We're going to institute curfew and a lockdown. We don't need a panic. And somehow, despite all of those Boneys outside, I need to get back to my dome." He screwed up his face slightly at that.

He and the General exchanged glances then walked over to the map on the office wall, with the various routes between the domes highlit in red and the construction zones highlit in green.

"I might…be able to help you…there…" I said.

They turned to me, surprised. General Steiger was the first to speak. "Go on, son."

"My friends…they can…take you…" How was I to explain? I had to try, as his dome would need him.

"Where are your friends?" he asked.

"The tunnel. I found them earlier…" I took a deep breath, struggling not to stammer. "They are…hiding from Boneys…but will help."

I got it out. Now to see how the Living would react.

The two men exchanged glances, and then turned away, heads bowed close together, to exchange a few low words. Finally they turned back.

"How would they help us, do you propose?" the General asked.

"They could disguise him…and walk him back," I said.

"Yes. That could work!" Julie exclaimed. "That's how R got me out of the building during the salvage. He…" here she shuddered, remembering the blood I had used "…used his scent to mask mine. It worked. Several times."

The four Living looked between themselves, then finally nodded. "All right, we'll try it," said Rosy. "I'll go with them, if they'll take me."

I opened the office door and started heading in the direction of the tunnel, with the others following. I could hear Rosy and the General talking together in low voices as they kept a few paces behind us.

Once we arrived at the tunnel entrance, I gestured for the others to wait outside, and for only Rosy to enter with me. Just before we opened the gate, I turned to him. "Leave…weapon. Too…obvious," I told him. "Dead don't carry…guns."

He looked at me for several long seconds, then unholstered his pistol and handed it to Nora.

As Nora took the weapon, General Steiger said to both of them, "It's time you ladies to go back to your rooms."

The girls started to protest, but he only shook his head and stated firmly, "That's an order, for security reasons. We'll wait for your two to get there before opening the tunnel."

Nora nodded, as she understood. "We'll see you in a bit, R. Colonel Rosso, we'll hear from you tomorrow, when you get back to the other dome. Julie, let's go."

Stunned, Julie let Nora drag her away, saying, "Good-bye, R. I'll see you in a little bit," before leaving.

As soon as they were gone, we dragged back the heavy gate, and Rosy and I started down into the darkness together. As we descended further into the construction site, Rosy turned the lights on in each sector, which made our finding our path easier. But with the all the lights on, I was stunned to see how large a crowd M had brought. They all stood swaying, looking at us expectantly.

"My God," said Rosy in amazement. "All of these? They're all like you?"

"Yes." I walked up to M. "Take him…to other dome?"

M gestured to the construction worker from earlier. "Back to…other dome?" I asked, gesturing to Colonel.

The construction worker nodded and gave a slight bow, gesturing for Rosy to move ahead of him with his hand.

As Rosy stepped forward, he looked more closely at the Dead. "Fred?" he said slowly, recognition spreading across his face.

The man nodded sadly.

"You were on the crew when the tunnel collapsed and Kelvin died, weren't you?" Rosy said softly.

The man nodded again.

The Colonel looked over at me. "He can't talk, can he?"

"Not everybody…not yet," I stressed, looking at the worker. I envied him. He knew his own name at least, as Rosy had just told him.

Rosy took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and smiled bravely. "Gentleman, lead on," he said. Turning back to me, he said, "Take care of Julie and the others?"

I nodded. I turned to M. "Half here…half with you?"

M looked at me and said, "Agreed." Then he clapped me on the back and turned towards his group. Dividing them down the middle with a hand gesture in the air, he said, "You…with R. You…with me." There was moaning and nodding, and the group split in half.

I watched as M turned to leave with Colonel Rosso, the Dead surrounding them as they began walking back down the dark tunnel. As I watched them leaving, I realized what an incredibly brave man Rosy was, and how trusting he was. I wasn't sure I could have done what he did. I was worried for him, as I was worried for us all. But somehow his act of trust gave me confidence that hope was possible for all of us, Living and Dead.

Shaking my head to clear it, I looked out at the remaining group, who were standing patiently in front of me. I pointed up, and said, "Back soon." They shuffled, but seemed content to stay.

So I headed back up the tunnel towards the city, and out under the night sky, where Julie, Nora and General Steiger waited for me. And where somewhere, on the other side of the wall, I was sure the former General John Grigio was waiting for me as well.

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(Did you notice Rosy gave his gun to Nora? Because she really needs another gun, right?)

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