“You must always exercise extraordinary caution around the infected, even after the brain has been destroyed and they are no longer animated. Every cell becomes resurrected, so they’re never truly dead.”
–Dr Ava Sherman. Manchester, New Hampshire. 3 Months After.
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Just a little further, Liam told himself. You’ll be fine.
He wiped the perspiration away. Leah had said that there’d be a car to take soon. If Liam could just make it over this hump, he could convince her to drive them to Aspen. On foot, the trip would take months, but by car, they could be there and back in less than a day, and then off to wherever else Mother wanted them to go.
He shielded himself from the sun and eyed the rising pillar of smoke on the horizon. The damn thing was getting larger by the second, and the smell was horrendous.
“What’s the deal with this ‘Larder’ place, anyway?” he asked. “Why is it so far from everywhere else?”
Leah stared into the horizon. “Even with all that’s been built in Pandemonium, there are some services that can’t be performed in the region, so we established a number of outposts to keep the city going, usually in other cities to make them easier to find, and each with a different purpose. Seaside is based in San Francisco, and combs the bay for fish. The Farm sits outside Fresno, and provides feed for cattle. Oasis was made in Phoenix, and recycles old world trash into usable materials.”
“And the Larder?”
“Exactly as it sounds. Turns meat into food… Among other things.”
“Doesn’t seem all that useful. I could’ve sworn you lot had all the meat you could get your hands on.”
“Not all flesh is edible to us. The Larder rectifies that.”
“What do you mean?”
Her magenta eyes met his. “Have you noticed that the moment we entered Reno, there hasn’t been a single hollow?”
He paused. Now that she mentioned it, it had seemed rather odd that they weren’t forced to sidestep the usual clusters of undead. Why, this part of the city was completely abandoned, and it might have been the first one they’d entered that was so destitute.
The smoke on the horizon rose without remorse, and Liam knew the truth. “You’re cooking the dead? How is that even possible?”
Leah shrugged. “Trust me, once you get near Vaughn, he’ll tell you everything you want to know, and plenty that you won’t. He’s a good guy, but working hundred-hour shifts tends to make rezzers fixate only on their jobs, until it becomes all that defines them. Happens a lot in Asphodel, and doubly so in outposts. There’s a reason why it’s so easy for us Hunters to get the best clothes and weapons. We can always find a guy willing to sink their soul into making high quality gear for us, to the point that they’ll forget about everything else. Vaughn’s like that, so it’s best to just nod along in silence to whatever he has to say. That’s what I do.”
Liam gulped. Whenever he started to get complacent with this new world, it had a habit of giving his sanity a jolt. As he watched the black veil of soot and death, he suspected that he might never fully adapt to this resurrected society.
* * *
The houses and shopping centers became fewer and farther in between, and the sprawling metropolis eroded into an industrial center. Collapsed warehouses and rusted shipping containers became a common sight. The smell of death mingled with an effluvium of chemicals and oils, as all the drums and silos had burst after years of neglect. Ash fell from the blackened sky like grey snow, turning the grease below into an iridescent sludge that clung more to their boots with each step.
Liam no longer felt the urge to fight the heavy clothes and respirator he’d been given. The discomfort of coughing into cloth was a small price to pay compared to the pain in his lungs by breathing these noxious fumes, and the sweat in his goggles paled in comparison to the sting that he felt whenever he took them off. Even his party seemed at odds with the toxicity they were wading through as they took regular detours throughout abandoned facilities to limit exposure.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
At least Liam no longer smelled the dung on his clothes to cover his scent. The oppressive force of burnt decay had overwhelmed every other sense.
Finally, they reached the source of pollution. The Larder was not a particularly massive building. The walls were grey and opaque, and stood no taller than two stories at any point, save for a giant tower in the middle that appeared to have been converted into an oversized smokestack. Even through the haze of ash spilling free, Liam could make out a faded, crimson ‘R’ – a reminder of the company that had been there before.
Leah ordered Buttercup and Mastermind to stay nearby, using her hand gestures. Liam had been around them enough to learn their silent code. It was a strange mix of the type used by the military, along with her own private blend, and seemed to account for everything from tactical commands to what type of undead were lying in wait. There. Hide. Keep Watch. She’d said.
The rest made the slow march down the street, past the dead trees and grey grass, and into a maze of chain-link fencing capped with barbed wire. Sections of the yard had been cordoned off into dozens of mass holding cells, with many containing several hundred hollows each. As the group marched by, the dead hissed and scraped vainly against metal grates.
If Auschwitz had been made for zombies… Liam shuddered.
A lone rezzer stood guard at the main gate. His face was hidden beneath a gas mask and helmet, contrasted by the orange hue of a construction costume that gleamed under the fluorescent bulbs of the facility. When the group drew near, he gripped the handle of a pistol strapped to his waist.
“State your business,” he said.
Leah held her hands to the sides, with one holding the silver badge shaped into a wolf’s skull with crossbones. “We have none. We’re just a couple Hunters looking to pass through.”
“What do you think this is? A hotel?”
“I’m thinking you’re a group of friendlies who’ll throw us a bone.” She took a step forward. “Vaughn in?”
“Know the boss?”
“It’s been a while, but we go back. Tell him that his old friend in the red scarf has come knocking. He’ll know who you’re talking about.”
The guard relaxed a beat. “Alright, I’ll go get him. But do me a favor and don’t touch anything. There’s talk of outlaw Hunters in the region. Can’t be too careful.”
She nodded. “I understand.”
The guard wandered off, leaving Leah, Kurt, and Liam alone.
“Sure this is a good idea?” Kurt asked. “We’ve been on the road a while. Wouldn’t be hard for them to set up a trap.”
“I don’t like being exposed either, but Vaughn is solid, and he’s the only one with long-range transport at his disposal.”
“The guard did say there’s outlaws in the area,” Liam pointed out. “Your friend might have already picked the other side.”
“No doubt Hades will have spread his propaganda, but if Mother got here first, then Vaughn will know not to believe it, even if his people don’t.” She turned to Liam. “Be sure to keep your voice low, just to be safe.”
He made his voice more brusque in compliance. “You really trust her on this?” Liam had only had a single conversation with her, and couldn’t help but feel that she never revealed more than half of what was in her mind.
Leah chuckled. “I wouldn’t trust Mother with a dead rat. She’d cut us all to pieces if she could get something out of it. But Vaughn? I used to do runs for him back when he helped set up the solar grid, and he never, ever reneged on a deal. He’s a man of his word. We can trust that he’d keep us in confidence.”
“Why do you hate Mother?” Liam suddenly asked.
Leah paused for a moment, her brow hardened. “Because we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her. And I don’t just mean here.”
Liam opened his mouth to probe further, but the door to the factory opened again, and a few more workers popped out first. Like the guard, all were dressed in construction outfits with reflective lining, but one stood apart from the rest. His helmet was white while theirs were orange, and his toolbelt dragged against the bones of his hips as he strolled forth. Though his skin was as shriveled as a hollow and his cheeks were gaunt, his eyes had a heavy maroon tint, and his lips could still twist into a smile.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” he said. “And here I thought you’d never come visit.” He opened the gate and turned to the others. “We’re good here. You guys can get back to work.” They wandered off.
Leah nodded. “Good to see you, Vaughn.”
“Likewise, Leah.” He embraced her. “Glad to see you’re keepin’ yourself together, all things considered.”
“What have you been hearing?”
“Nothing good from the big man, but enough from our mutual associate to know better.” He scanned the yard one last time. “Let’s get inside. I’ll give your friends a little tour, and then we can talk shop.”
“Make it quick,” Leah said. “I want to be rolling out within the hour.”
“Afraid it’ll be longer. We just threw the car on the charger. It’ll be a bit until the genny has her back up.” Vaughn winked. “Don’t worry though. You’re gonna love what we’ve done with the place, and will be begging to stay by the time it’s ready.”
The group moved to follow Vaughn inside. Leah flashed the All Clear signal to Buttercup and Mastermind when no one else was looking, and Liam once again prepared for whatever madness was about to come.