Robert had actually spotted the girl the moment she jumped on the truck, but he decided to allow her to hitch a ride with him. He figured he would see what she was made of. His intuition told him she wasn’t trouble. He could just tell by the way she moved that she was hardly a street smart criminal. Still, it was unclear exactly what she was, but he would be better able to handle her on his own and within his own compound where he had the advantage.
That had been months ago. The important part is that he had taken them in. Once he heard her story, it was a no-brainer, so to speak. It just made sense. He was lost in the revelry of thinking about their first meeting as he now searched throughout the compound to find her. He had a pretty good idea of where she was actually. Irritation seized him as he climbed a truck and finally located the girl on the opposite side of the perimeter, just where he thought she’d be. He slid down the truck and began walking toward her, shaking his head. She was so engrossed, she didn’t hear his approach. A familiar member of the undead had a length of cord round his ankle, tied to a peg secured deep in the ground. Britney was holding the creature’s rotting hand and trying to make eye contact. He couldn’t hear what she was saying, but she was deliberately keeping her speaking voice low and soothing.
Impulsively, he wanted to jump in and wretch her away from the vulgar anomaly. But if he startled the zombie, it might bite or lash out at her and that was the last thing he wanted.
“Britney,” he whispered.
Robert’s voice was equivalent to golden honey. Britney turned and dropped the zombie’s hand she’d been using to caress her cheek.
“Step back,” he ordered, his voice barely sounding.
The instant Britney stepped back, the zombie growled and reached for her. Britney fell to her rump, but Robert was there to catch her and drag her from the creature’s reach. Ensuring she was out of harm’s way, Robert sat next to her. He wanted to console her but didn’t know where to start.
“He doesn’t know you, Brit,” he said kindly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“You don’t know that.”
“No, I don’t. But whether he does or not, he still wants to eat you.”
“That’s because he’s starving.”
Robert studied Liam, or what was left of him. He was a shadow of a man, his jeans and shirt now in tatters. The baseball shirt he was wearing was oversized. He once had a sturdy frame, but it had wasted considerably since turning.
“I don’t think this is healthy, Brit. You gotta stop.”
“He’s my family.”
“Peggy’s your family. I’m your family now,” he reminded her.
His injured voice struck a chord with Britney. “I know. I thought maybe he might eat rats and feral animals or something.”
“Maybe he would if he wasn’t pegged to the site,” reasoned Robert. “But you know we need him here. He’s pegged to perimeter alongside the others to keep any stray zombies from coming near the ranch. You know how it works. For whatever reason, when the zombies see other zombies, they lose interest… They just don’t attack. Maybe it’s some weird undead territory thing. Hell, I have no fucking idea. Or maybe they just aren't smart enough to spot someone alive when you’re surrounded by the undead. Whatever it is, our little ring of zombie pets seems to be working.”
“I know. It’s just so hard to let go. I wish I could feel better about seeing him like this.”
“I know, hon. Britney, think of it like this. We’re on our own out here. If we were in a bigger town, maybe we would have the manpower to keep ourselves safe. But the nearest town is a two-hour drive away and its population was only 4700 people before the turn. No one came to our rescue at the Turn, and no one is coming to our rescue now. Liam, at least, is still helping us, and we get to see him around. Even if he’s a little…different now.
“You’d think your son would’ve done something to get the army out here to help,” said Britney bitterly.
The same thought had crossed Robert’s mind, but he didn’t want Britney disparaging his son. But he also knew it was ridiculous to think they could just send troops out into the middle of nowhere on one soldier’s whim. They had to defend the cities.
“Bobby was a private. Hardly the highest ranking. I don’t think he’d have the gall to sweet talk a general into rushing in to rescue his hometown with tanks and supplies.”
Liam took a step toward his sister and crumpled to his knees.
“Ahhh, Jesus,” cussed Robert at the pitiful sight.
Britney burst into tears.
“He’ll live forever and have no quality of life. He needs to eat.”
“What are we supposed to feed him?”
“So I just stay here for the rest of my life and watch my brother exist in this constant state of death?”
“Maybe, but at least you know where he is and what happened to him. It’s a darn sight better than wondering if one of your sons was killed in action. It’s better than wondering if your youngest son is dead, has turned or is desperately trying to make his way back to his old man. You know he promised to help me and sometimes I can’t help but wonder if he’s on his way home even now. Be thankful you know where your loved ones are and what happened to them. That’s all I’m saying.”
A silence settled between the two.
“Do you want me to put him out of his misery?” murmured Robert.
Britney shook her head. Standing up she walked over to Liam. Obtaining a pocket knife from the front pocket of her jeans, she set about cutting Liam’s cord and freeing him.
“They may find a cure one day. If I killed my brother and didn’t give him the chance to survive, I’d never forgive myself.”
Liam began to gather himself and stand. Again his frail legs couldn’t bear his weight and he crumbled. With a sickened expression, Britney watched as her step-brother crawled off towards the open plains.