OUTNUMBERED (Book 4) Read online

  I said, "Give me a hand, but be careful to not get fluids on you." We grabbed the bottom hem of the tattered pink dress where it lay bunched above the female's knees and carefully pulled it upward to her hips. The placenta and fetal membranes lay halfway expelled from the female body. "Are you accepting the same thing I'm having to?"

  Frances dropped the pink material and straightened as she moved back several feet. "It's not possible for a zombie to give birth, is it? God almighty, tell me it's not possible. They're dead, they can't have sex and then have children. They're dead, damn it!"

  "Can't they? They're dead, but they walk and bite."

  Frances jerked when I laid my hand on her shoulder. "Don't freak out on me. Apparently it is possible. We've seen changes in the zombies from the rotting hulks we originally encountered to a new fast running type. Lately, we've come upon a few zombies that move fast, are more coordinated, and don't rot like the others. And they're silent when they attack. I suppose mating and birthing could be another step in the mutation or evolution taking place." I stepped back to the other two adult zombies and flipped them onto their backs with the toe of my heavy boot. Each looked almost normal except for the bloodshot eyes, filthy clothing and skin coupled with a complete lack of any form of personal hygiene or grooming. All three of the adult zombies had chunks of flesh missing where they had been attacked by other carnivorous zombies. The wounds looked old because the flesh had dried and cracked. But strangely, they hadn't begun to rot. I squatted between Barry and Carla. Each had big ugly depressions where flesh had been torn away. The wounds were still red meat but had begun to dry and turn dark

  We turned back to the naked, mucus covered infant. It was on all fours, crawling toward us. Its jaws worked as it looked up. It couldn't have been more than a few hours old, but it had teeth and snarled at us as it smacked its jaws together noisily.

  "Go out to the truck, there's a digital camera in the glove box. We'll take pictures to show everyone, or they won't grasp the full gravity of what this means." Frances turned to leave. "On second thought, I'll go with you incase there are more of these quiet fast movers hanging around out there. These are another new fact of life we need to be prepared for every minute."

  Minutes later we returned and found the baby had crawled back to the corner where we'd discovered it. We clicked off thirty-two photos before the batteries got too low to power the flash. It was time to quit because by then we had enough pictures to sicken and scare the hell of out everyone at Deliverance.

  Frances said, "I guess it's not impossible for the undead, but I swear that ugly little monster has grown several inches in the last half hour. It's already moving like a ten month old baby.

  "Well," I said, "I'll put a stop to that." The blast of my .45 caliber reverberated through the house as it ended the little monster's live cycle.

  Before leaving the house, we searched it and found Lindy's small stash of ammunition. It wasn't an important find, but in the right hands it could kill several hundred zombies. We entered the kitchen and found the back door wide open. It had recently been forced open because the wood doorframe was freshly busted. Lindy's two children didn't have a chance against the three fast running zombies. I couldn't imagine the terror they felt as they were attacked and mutilated until they died.

  In the garage, there were thirteen cases of cereal, fruit, vegetables and canned meat we could use. A piece of heavy gauge plastic sheeting from a roll above the ceiling joist was used to wrap Jeff's body for transport back home for a deserved proper burial.

  With heavy hearts we lugged Jeff's corpse to the top of the truck and bungeed it in place. Our last act was to take the children's books Lindy had gathered for her kids from the front seat of her car. They would be put to good use by some of our nine children.

  Our route home took us back through the Iowa State University campus. Near the Student Center, a group of zombies filled the road a block ahead. Several fast runners in front of the small mob approached us in a sprint. I stopped the Expedition and grabbed my customized M14 from the back seat. Through the moon roof, I pulled myself up and sighted on the lead zombie as Frances watched my back. In five shots the four lead zombies fell. The remaining sixteen or so slow stumblers took the remaining bullets in the first magazine and part of a new one. Frances tapped my leg and said, "Off to the right at three o'clock position, two more fast zombies are streaking this way."

  I swiveled and made sure they were zombies and not filthy humans. I took aim, but before firing I hesitated. Bile rose in my throat as I refocused and pulled the trigger three more times.

  Back in the driver's seat, I laid the rifle in the back seat as the roof panel slid shut. The gearshift lever dropped into drive, and I drove ahead at fifteen miles an hour to dodge the corpses in the road.

  I sensed Frances staring at me. "Are you alright?"

  I shook my head. "No, but I'll get over it. One of the last two zombies I shot was Matthew Holden. He and his wife Maureen left Deliverance voluntarily several months ago. They were drug addicts and couldn't adjust to our drug free rule. They chose death instead. If Matthew is dead, I can only assume Maureen is, too. I still can't grasp how they placed such a low value on their lives."

  ~*~*~*~

  We arrived at Deliverance well after supper had been served and the kitchen cleaned. Kira came running and we embraced passionately. Reluctantly, I broke away from her. "I've got to talk to Marcie. Jeff was attacked and killed by zombies earlier today in Ames. We brought his body back for burial. While I talk to her, there's something you could do for me if you feel like it." She nodded. "Will you get me some food from the kitchen; a couple of sandwiches, hot or cold will do. And a piece of pie if there is any.

  "After I talk with Marcie, I need a shower and clean clothes." I keyed my radio and asked the leadership committee, plus Ira and Frances, to meet at nine in the office conference room for an emergency session. They confirmed, then I kissed Kira and left.

  Forty-five minutes later, I sat at a small table in our room to eat. Briefly, I told Kira of the frightening zombie development. She was shocked and moved to stand beside me. "If large numbers of them become capable of reproduction we'll never see an end to them. I'd hoped in several generations at the most we survivors across the country might eradicate the damned things." I nodded with my mouth full as she continued, "Now that looks highly unlikely."

  "Don't get too upset. We don't know enough about what's happening to make judgments or predictions yet. Wait, learn and see. It may not be as bad as we imagine."

  I leaned over and kissed her belly. "When I finish eating we need to go to the office. There are pictures I want to print off so everyone at the meeting has a copy. You'll want to puke when you see them."

  I patted her belly. At four months it had started to show a little mound on her slender frame. Ira had detected two heartbeats and I' been thrilled at the thought of twins to spoil. We wouldn't know their sex until the birth. The leadership committee had declined to install x-ray machines or ultrasound equipment and had instead committed to a gradual lessening of our dependence on modern technology. Some of our people wanted to extend the way of life we'd enjoyed prior to the zombie influx, but we felt when the electrical power failed it would be like stepping off a cliff. It was deemed better to give up selected modern conveniences slowly rather than losing all of it abruptly.

  At eight-forty I walked into the office with Kira. We kissed, and I hugged her tight before sitting at a computer. I hit the start button on the machine, waited a minute, then plugged the card from the camera into the computer slot. When the pictures appeared on the screen, I scrolled through them. Kira gasped and groaned several times before I highlighted the entire file and hit the print button.

  Kira sat on my lap and clung to me fiercely as the printer rattled and banged while kicking out color prints of the baby monster, its mother, and the rest of the room.

  Shane, John and Ed walked through the office to enter the small meeting room be
side it. They wanted to know what the emergency meeting was about. I put them off by promising to show them something new and frightening after everyone arrived.

  Kira and I entered the meeting room almost at the appointed time. Everyone else was there. We'd separated the photos into eight stacks of thirty-two and Kira passed them around as I took my place at the head of the table. A digital recorder was in my shirt pocket. I laid it on the table and hit the record button. Andrea, Ira, Frances, and Morgan had entered through the primary entrance. They appeared as curious and apprehensive as the rest of the group.

  That curiosity caused everyone to flip through the pictures one by one, some faster than others. I heard, "Oh, my God!" "Holy Shit.", "What the hell?", and several bolder expletives voiced as total surprise and disbelief gave way to the gravity of what they saw.

  Side conversations broke out as several members went through the photos a second time. After a few more minutes, I banged my knuckles on the tables.

  "Okay folks, you've all had time to grasp the enormity of what Frances and I experienced today. Before we discuss the situation, take a moment to mourn the loss of Jeff Tanka. He and a new member to Deliverance stumbled into what we took photos of.

  A few seconds passed before I started on the meeting's agenda, "As you can see, these new zombies almost look human. The bloodshot red eyes and general grubbiness are the main features that set them apart from us. The close up shots of the baby indicate it was born a few hours preceding the photos being taken. The photos of the female zombie clearly indicate, without doubt in my opinion, that she was the birth mother." Several members spoke until I cut them off. "There's more you need to know before a discussion begins. Frances, will you give your opinion on the growth of the infant we found; remember everyone, the photos of the birth mother indicates the birth was very recent, a matter of hours." I looked to Ira. "Do you agree Ira?" He nodded and absently mumbled, yes, as he continued to stare at photos. I nodded to Frances.

  "In my opinion, Tom is correct in everything he's said, and I agree with him completely. While the baby was newly borne, it showed signs of being nine months to a year old. As the pictures show, it was crawling and had a full set of upper and lower teeth, and a full head of hair that needed to be cut. I didn't touch it because it was slimy and dirty. The thing looked healthy, and I guessed it weighed eighteen to twenty pounds." She looked at the individuals for questions.

  When none were forthcoming, I added, "There also was no stench like that we've encountered with the stumbling slow zombies because these hadn't rotted. Up close, they had an odor I associated with a homeless person who hadn't bathed in a year or more. Also, the wounds that killed them were dry; they appeared to have healed some time ago."

  Ira glanced around the table. "I believe I can speak for all of us when I say I'm in shock. I suppose I shouldn't be amazed at this latest development because the very idea of the living dead zombies is absurd to say the least. Medical science dictates that it can't happen; but we all know it has. To acknowledge these monsters are having intercourse and babies are being born is completely mind boggling. As unthinkable as it sounds we also must accept what Frances and Tom are telling us about the growth rate of the offspring. For a child several hours old to crawl and have the physical development described and documented in these photos, indicates an abnormal metabolism that leads to phenomenal growth. If that compresses the aging process it may also shorten the life cycle and cause them to age and die earlier than would be expected. That is the only hope I can offer. But don't take that as fact. I'm only guessing something like that could occur based on what I've heard here today." Ira leaned back in his chair and squinted, clearly in deep thought. Quickly he leaned forward again. "I'm not second guessing what the two of you did with that baby thing, but if the situation presents itself again it would be of enormous benefit to have that infant here in a cage for several months for us to observe and study."

  I thought Ira was finished but he added, "This also indicates the full bodied zombies, as we call them, have functioning digestive tracts. They may have evolved back toward being more human. At the first opportunity, I need to perform an autopsy on a recently killed specimen."

  Shane said, "Does everyone agree we need to share this new information with the adults in the group? Good! We currently have thirty-seven adults, nine are here now. That leaves twenty eight."

  Ira cut in. "I feel we should include anyone over the age of ten. They're old enough to grasp what this is about. That adds seven more from the group sixteen or younger. Only two children are below the age of ten."

  Andrea spoke, "I agree with Ira. In the world we live in, they need this information, too. Who knows when we could be overrun by these human looking zombies? This summer the kids will be working outside the security fence at the gardens and they could easily be approached there. We want them to know some zombies look like us. I also believe they can handle the birth part. Growing up fast is the order of the day from this point on. Our ancestors managed it and so must we."

  I looked around the table. Eventually everybody nodded. "Okay. I suggest we have Elsie split the thirty-five people into five groups of seven. I'd like Shane, John, Andrea, Morgan, and Ira to be presenters. If any of you want me to sit in on your sessions I'll be glad to help, and I'm sure Frances will also.

  The agenda was dealt with and I was about to end the meeting when Francis motioned to me. A look of great concern clouded her face.

  "Tom, I thought of something else that I think is important. Jeff, Lindy and her children were all bitten inside the house, yet we didn't see any hunks of flesh as we usually find lying around the bodies. Look at the photos; they're not near Jeff or Lindy. This picture shows Jeff was bitten at least twice. What happened to the flesh that was removed?"

  Ira frantically shuffled through the photos. "Thank you, Frances. That's what was bugging me and I couldn't put my finger on it." He stopped briefly several times before moving a picture closer to his glasses. He turned it to catch the light better. For several long seconds he studied the image before closing his eyes and laying the photo down on the table.

  Everyone around the table was silent. I asked, "What is it Ira."

  His complexion was ashen. His glasses were laid on top of the stack of photos. "You approached quite close for the second picture of the baby. There's something laying there near where its head had been in the first picture. I believe it's a chunk of flesh. The damn thing was being fed human flesh. Look closely in the later photos, I believe there is a ring of blood around the little monster's lips and smeared on its cheeks." There was murmuring around the table.

  Morgan cleared his throat. "If you're right, then it follows that the other zombies ate the pieces of flesh they tore from Jeff and that other lady. That's why the flesh isn't anywhere to be seen. Is that what we're saying?"

  Ira glanced around the table and stopped at me, then switched and stopped at Frances. "Someone argue with me, tell me I'm full of shit. Please find another explanation."

  I motioned to Kira. "Will you go to the armory. I laid Jeff's .45 caliber Glock on the work table to be cleaned and put back in stock. It's the only one there. Will you check the magazine and see if it's been fired?"

  I turned back to the others. "Let's backtrack and start at the beginning," I said. "Frances, help me here, especially if I draw a conclusion you don't agree with. Close your eyes to concentrate on what we saw this afternoon, and I will, too.

  I started, "When Jeff and Lindy walked to the porch the front door was shut. She had her keys out to unlock it. I backed down the driveway no more than thirty feet and stopped. We both immediately jumped out. As my door shut, there was a commotion from inside the house, like someone hitting a wall hard and then two shots followed. All of that was close together. There was no moaning or screeching. We ran to the front of the house and stood at the open doorway. What do you see Frances?"

  "The room was dim, looking inside from the bright sunshine behind me. A male zombi
e was on top of Jeff and three others were on Lindy. There—"

  "Jeff and Lindy," I asked, "What were their positions, what were they doing?" I asked.

  "Jeff was on his stomach, his right arm is outstretched, I can't see the left. His pistol is a few feet from his right hand. Blood is flowing from the back right side of his neck. Jeff's screaming and kicking his legs. The zombie on his back is biting on the other side of Jeff's neck. As it raised its head another chunk was ripped from Jeff's neck and blood spurted in the air. Jeff stopped screaming. The zombie chewed something as it sat on his back. We both shot the zombie and it fell forward onto Jeff."

  Frances called my name and I opened my eyes. "It was chewing and the first chunk torn from Jeff's neck wasn't anywhere around."

  Everyone stared at me or Frances as I said, "I agree with that. Now Lindy. She was on her back with the adult zombie and two smaller ones biting her. There were no pieces of meat near-by. The female who gave birth was in the middle of the room with her brain destroyed." I looked to Frances as she nodded. She stated, "I agree and also, neither of Lindy's revolvers were drawn. She must have been caught by surprise."

  Kira entered and closed the door behind her. "Jeff's handgun had been fired and two bullets are missing from the magazine."

  "Okay," I said, "it looks like Lindy unlocked the door and they entered. Since she had the key, I can only assume she entered first. We heard a scuffle from outside and then two shots. When Frances and I reached the front door a big zombie had Jeff face down on the carpet biting him on the left side of his neck and down into his shoulder area."

  Ira injected, "That would be the trapezius or the lavator scapulae muscles."

  "It makes sense that Jeff got two shots off before he was attacked from behind. It's likely he was ambushed and knocked forward and down onto his stomach. Frances, there was a small coat closet built into the left side of the entry. If the other three zombies were beyond that they may have attacked Lindy and knocked her to the floor. The big zombie that attacked Jeff must have been behind the door. "She agreed.