What if R and Julie hadn't met outside the city? What if R had been captured and taken by soldier into 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.
A Dark Negative of Love
Chapter 25 – Battle Lines
And so it was that the three of us walked together towards our bunker. It felt strange but good to be mixing my friends from the two worlds, Living and Dead. Or maybe, "Living-Transitioning" would be a better term? Simple "Dead" no longer seemed an adequate term for our current state.
Looking at the Living on high alert all around me, I couldn't help but thinking about who was missing. The one whose fate seemed tied to all of our futures: John Grigio. Both as General, and as Julie's Dad.
Once we reached the guest quarters, I showed M around while Julie went out in search of clothes for him. M looked around the halls with barely concealed excitement, clearly enthusiastic about the prospect of being able to stay in such a place.
"Just like…living again," he said quietly. I nodded in response, understanding his longing for our old life, before we became Dead.
Once we gathered the towels and soap, I stayed in the bathroom while M took his shower. After he got out, I watched as he spent a little time trying to adjust his forehead in front of the mirror.
"Frigging Boneys," he said. Julie had come to the door while he was showering, and brought several pairs of the grey slacks that all of the men seemed to wear, and a polo-style shirt. After seeming to give up on his face, M spent a bit of time trying on several pairs, before he found one that almost fit, and then looked in the mirror again.
"Just need…my name back," he said softly.
I bit my lip, as I knew exactly what he meant. A name was such an essential part of one's being. Not having known it for so long…well, I hoped that would be over soon. Then I remembered something I thought he should know.
"Nora shot…Boney king," I told him.
He turned his head to me. "Really? Tough…lady. And pretty."
"You said 'beautiful'," I reminded him.
He looked at me. "You…didn't pause…just then."
I thought for a second and nodded. "Been working on…it." I shook my head in frustration at the pause that had crept back into my speech.
"Keep…working," he said with a laugh.
We both stared at the sound he had just made.
"You laughed?" I asked.
"I did," he replied. "Now you?"
So I tried. But I couldn't think of anything funny. I struggled, but couldn't.
"Later," said M. "Must go…to truck."
I nodded, and we went out together. It was still easier to just nod with M. He understood.
On our way back to the front gate, we took a few minutes to show M a little of the city. He was clearly taken, just as I had been, with the colorful layout of the city, and the small green parks scattered throughout. I noticed that women were pulling the children off of the playground equipment and holding them as we passed, but I tried not to get upset. Of course it would take time for them to get used to the idea of our being among them.
When we got back to the front gate, Miles was waiting by his truck, and he seemed relieved to see M. He looked at M curiously, taking in the wet hair.
"For…the ladies," M said.
Miles laughed. "And here I was counting on your stench to keep them off of me," he said, chuckling.
M just shrugged, and Miles helped him back in to the cab. "See you…soon," M called down to me from the cab as Miles climbed in on the driver side.
Miles put the truck in reverse, and the soldiers opened the gate to let him pass. As he drove through, I noticed that a few of the soldiers climbed inside the back of his truck, with extra guns slung over their shoulders.
"I wonder how many trips he can make before they notice?" said the General, startling me. He had come up so quietly I hadn't heard him. And not only that, I hadn't noticed his Living scent. Unconsciously, I bent my head towards him, taking a sniff, then jerking my head back when I realized what I was doing.
Which, of course, he noticed. "I don't smell as good as Miss Grigio?" he asked.
"Not that," I said. "It's just…didn't notice your…approach."
"Good," he said. "Humans, I mean, the Living, don't use our sense of smell that way. I think it's just another sign of your changing body."
As the soldiers rearranged the barricade after Miles left, I noticed that some Dead were standing patiently by the gate, swaying. They were being admitted in small group.
"How many?" I asked the General.
"Hmmm?" he asked. Following my glance, he said, "Not sure. They've been coming to the gates all day. That tunnel is big, so we can admit quite a few."
"We'll fight with you," I told him.
"I hoped you would say that," the General replied. "I'm not sure how quickly my soldiers will accept them, but our numbers are low, even with the Grigio Dome reinforcements, and the Boneys seem to be massing outside. I'll think they'll come around more quickly if they work side-by-side with your friends. They are well aware we need help in our defense of the city."
We watched the Dead slowly passing in front of us, looking around with curiosity mixed with amazement, just as M had done a short time before.
As the day passed, Miles and M returned with two more truckloads of evacuees. All of the children were now out, and the soldiers and remaining adults planned to do a convoy of vehicles in order to get needed equipment to us. The Lieutenant in charge of the evacuation suggested that on this last trip, M stay with us so that there would be more room for soldiers on this last trip.
M and Miles had a small conversation off to one side, and finally M stayed with us while Miles drove off with two soldiers in the cab.
I asked M if he minded being left behind on the last run.
Looking over at Nora, he said, "No. They know…the way now…"
But the idea of a final convoy sounded ominous to me. "Don't like it…attracting too much…attention," I told Julie.
"I agree, but they've decided the residents don't want to spend the night separated. There really aren't enough left in the other dome to maintain the necessary defense," she replied. "Guess this might lead to the big battle, huh?"
I agreed. This could be bad.
Everyone seemed to be anxious about this last transfer of people. From the radio, we heard General Rosso say that they were on the road, and were about one third of the way from their dome.
Twilight was falling, and restlessness was spreading through the city, as nearly the entire population of the Living had come outside to await the final convoy.
Suddenly there was a high-pitched mechanical squeal over the intercom system, following by a strange, rasping voice. The next words spoken brought my worst fears to life: "I want to talk to my daughter. Put Julie on."
It was John Grigio. And he clearly still had his Living memories.
PLEASE REVIEW. I WILL SEND AN EXCERPT FROM THE NEXT CHAPTER TO ALL REVIEWERS.
REVIEW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT CHAPTER!
REVIEW
V
V
V
V