Thursday, November 13, 2014

Utility Part VII



“I told you I heard something!” Jason exclaimed.

Sam, “Pipe down, you didn’t hear shit.”

Wes jumped into the fray, before the bickering truly began, “Who are you with?”

Looking bemused, Franklin did his best to answer. “With? I’m not part of a rescue crew if that’s what you mean. I actually just busted in here to scavenge what I could. Figured you all were dead meat.” Franklin, raised a hand to slow himself, “No offense.”

“None taken,” Wes said and meant it. “So you’ve been surviving out there?” The final two words took on a dreadful tone as they left Wes’s mouth.

“No sir. ‘Out there’ as you call it is no place to survive. I have a house in the ‘burbs.”

The group look shocked. No one spoke for enough time, so Jason filled the gap. “You still live in a normal home? We thought people would be hiding out in bunkers or military controlled outposts or living in some Mad Max-style dystopia.” Jason, pushed up his glasses, snickered, and when he realized no one else was laughing, stopped. “Hey how’d you get in anyway?”

“Open window. And by the way, were all living in a Mad-Max style dystopia.” Franklin turned his attention back to Wes. “You must be the leader. What’s your name?”

“Wes.”

Franklin recalled the plaques that decorated the office through which he had entered. “Ah, okay then Wes, I was never one to waste time, and the current state of affairs has made me fairly impatient- what with dead people deciding to not stay dead and all, so I’m going to get right to it: Why do you have a room full of zombies locked up in room 124?”

Some of the group gasped in shock, others rolled their eyes. Sam cried out, “Thank goodness Warren isn’t here to hear that.”

Nancy, looked to the school principal for action, “Wes, we need to make a decision about this before it’s too late.”

That was the trigger; a flood of questions came, reigniting the debate yet again. How could you put us in danger like that? What gives you the right? Why didn’t you ask everyone’s opinion? Why leave them there? Are we safe?

With every inquiry, Wes began to feel the stress, like a greasy wet ball roiling in his gut. “Stop, shut up and let me explain.”

The crowd was agitated; Franklin pulled a pistol from his satchel, brandishing it so everyone saw. “Remember the impatient dynamite-wielding, well armed guy with the face paint….” The staff hushed in an instant. “Ya, thought so…let the man speak.”

Wes’s voice lost its frustrated edge, “The medical staff and infected children. They turned, became zombies…God, listen to me, it sounds so ridiculous…zombies. We had nothing to combat them with. No arms, so we corralled them, locked them up in the science room. Van, Jackie and I.” Wondering eyes went from the nurse, to the gym teacher, and back to Wes. “But you can’t blame them, it was my decision.” Wes’s head hung low as he finished.

“Who the hell put you in charge?” Sam leapt up from a cafeteria bench, shoving a finger in Wes’s face.

Wes pushed the school counselor in retaliation, “You did god damn it!” Wes quickly turned to the rest of the group, letting his words wash over them. “You all did because nobody else would stand up. If I hadn’t we’d all be dead by now.”

Amy, diminutive, but assured of her control over Sam, stepped between the two men. “Sam let it go, let it go please. He’s done a lot for us. Wes helped us get this far.”

Sam righted himself, but didn’t throw a punch, “Fuck you! You self righteous prick, you lay a hand on me again, I’ll bury your sorry ass.” Sam took a deep breath, slicking back his hair, “But you’re right Amy, you’re right.”

Franklin jumped at the opening, “Alright glad to know where you all stand on Wes’s leadership abilities. So let’s get down to it people, I only have two questions; are you all planning on staying here, and is this the whole group?”

Jason answered for everyone, “I don’t get it, why’s that important?”

 

 

“Because if you’re staying here, every creature in that room is a threat. And we’re going to need the entire group to deal with it efficiently, and safely.” Franklin minced no words, and punctuated by saying, “Since I’m here, I’ll help you do it, in exchange for supplies, food mainly.”

Wes thought it over, but only for a second. Extending his hand, “You’ve got a deal.”

 “Wait a second,” Bernadette, quiet until now finally spoke. The woman stood, walked confidently to the center of the floor where everyone was gathered. “Now wait a second, what makes you think you are still the leader?”

The group waited for Wes’s response, but it was Franklin that replied. Looking directly at the 3rd grade teacher, “Are you volunteering?”

 “No.”

                “Then sit back down.” Franklin watched as the woman returned to her lunch table bench. He then shook hands with Wes, sealing the deal. “Thanks. Hope you got some of that pizza left, but we’ll discuss specifics later. Back to my questions, answers please.”

                Wes looked around, at the group that he had managed to keep alive all this time. “The plan- if you can call it that was to hold up here until help arrived.”

                “There is no help out there, no cure.”

Wes didn’t seem surprised, and if the remaining staff members were, they didn’t question it.

                “Regarding the group, this is everybody.”

“No, Warren took off remember.” Jackie added.

“Oh yes how could I forget. We have one more.”

                “That the antsy looking guy, walks like he has a stick up his ass?”

Jackie giggled and affirmed with a nod.

                “Well then that’s a problem.” Jason seemed shocked at the sound of his own voice.

                “Why?” Franklin and Wes asked together.

                “Because where do you think the pissed off Mr. Warren Allen is likely headed right now…”