“Under no circumstance should HBRS ever be used on a living subject.”
“Why is that?”
“Because a person cannot truly have been resurrected unless they have first died, and that is what this system is designed to bring.”
–Dr Ava Sherman. Manchester, New Hampshire. 3 Years Before.
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So hungry. So tired.
Leah couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this drained. She couldn’t remember a lot of things, lately. No matter how much she ate, she couldn’t patch the holes in her Rez fast enough.
Not that they were getting much better than squirrels and rabbits out here. Liam had been using the other hunting rifle they’d stashed, but he still was only awake for sixteen hours a day at most, and had neither the time nor the energy to hunt on top of traveling. That left the others to do the grunt work, and rifles weren’t the most reliable when a half-hollowed mind was handling them.
Worse yet, Leah’s weakness was starting to affect the others. Kurt rationed out anything they’d found, and given her the largest slice when it should’ve gone to him. Mastermind had barely been eating altogether. Now the color in their eyes was starting to fade as well, and the stutters wouldn’t be far behind. If they started needing assistance too, there’d be no one left to give it. Liam could only accomplish so much with his vulnerable, living frame.
There was no way out of it. Leah needed food. Real food.
That was what made this find so great. Nestled in a vale between two hills, a farmhouse sat at the edge of sight. The grass had been flattened into a verdant sheet, and the barn looked like it’d been coated in a fresh paint of scarlet. Even the fencing seemed to still be intact, with a herd of cattle walloping within. This place was an oasis in a desert, just waiting to be exploited.
If they fought for it.
“No way that could be empty, yeah?” Liam asked.
Leah shook her head.
“This one of yours?”
Again, she shook her head. Leah had avoided speaking unless necessary. The words would form correctly in her mind, but the neural connection to her vocal chords had degraded, and so some would inevitably come out stuttered. It was the cruelest form of torture. There was no way of knowing or preparing for which word would malfunction, making all speech awkward and inconsistent. Some of the poorer workers became acclimated, but Leah would never get used to feeling so broken.
Liam stroked his chin. “A place like this wouldn’t be bad to set up shop. If it’s not tied to Pandemonium, then it could be another survivor.”
Not this shit again. Would Liam ever get this delusion out of his head? How many more bodies would he have to see to know the truth?
“Unlikely,” Mastermind explained. “A single stray dreg would make short work of any humans here. The isolated location and favorable terrain would not compensate for the lack of defenses.”
“Then what do you think, mate?”
Before Mastermind could answer, someone wandered out of the barn. They were in the shape of a male, with a pair of overalls above a plaid shirt, covered in dung. The rifle strung behind his back was to be expected, but the gas mask was an interesting touch. As the group lay hidden in brush nearby, he began to walk back to the farmhouse, carrying a set of buckets.
“Looks human enough to me,” Liam said.
“We should form a plan,” Mastermind said.
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“Already got one.”
He shifted out of cover before Leah could hold him back. What the fuck are you doing!?
“Just follow my lead,” he said before stepping into the open. “Oy!”
The farmer immediately dropped the buckets and drew his rifle. “Who’s there!?” The voice was distorted below the mask.
“It’s okay,” Liam said, hands raised. “We mean you no harm.” He glanced back to the rest of them. “Come out. Let’s not make a bad first impression.”
Leah rolled her eyes and stepped into view. In the span of a minute, they’d gone from having the element of surprise to staring down the barrel of a gun as it was pointed against the most valuable man to ever walk the earth. She really regretted letting Liam call the shots.
The farmer began to wave his rifle about. “Don’t step closer. We don’t want trouble!”
Liam smiled. “Neither do we. We’re just looking for a place to rest, if you don’t mind.” The farmer stayed fixed, and Liam tilted his head. “Come on. If I wanted to hurt you, I would’ve done it from the safety of that bush, yeah?”
The farmer lowered his gun an inch. “You alive?”
“I am.”
Leah shifted one of her hands closer to her jacket. If this guy was about to try anything, she’d have her gun drawn before him.
But the farmer just withdrew his rifle altogether. “Holy Mackerel! Been a long time since I’ve seen this.” He bobbed his head about, as if they were expected company that he’d forgotten. “Crap. We should get my mom. She’ll know what to do. Quick, follow me!”
The farmer thrust his rifle over his shoulder again and started to scurry for the house. The others followed.
As they crossed the open pasture, Leah closed in on Liam. “Let me g-get this straight. Your brilliant plan w-was to just walk up and ask n-n-not to get shot?”
He shrugged. “Worked, didn’t it?”
She massaged the migraine from her scalp. “I think I hate you.”
“Don’t worry. I think it’s fair to say that anyone who doesn’t shoot us on sight is worlds nicer than what we’ll find out there.”
“Might we see your face and catch your name, my good friend?” Mastermind called out.
The farmer paused. “Right, almost forgot about this thing. Sorry, I just hate the smell of manure.”
He started to fidget with his mask before giving up and going for his gloves. Liam beamed at the sight of his exposed hands. They were smooth and colorful without the slightest ounce of rot. As the last buckles of the gas mask slipped free, Liam leaned forth, expecting to meet another of his kin.
…Only to watch his dream die again. The ‘farmer’ had hollowed in his teenage years, and though his skin was well-maintained and hair a vibrant orange, there was no denying the blackened gums and violet, beating eyes of a rezzer.
“Name’s Eric,” he said, holding out a hand. “Eric Clark.”
He looked to Liam first, but he was paralyzed in disappointment, so Leah stepped forth and shook his hand instead. “I’m Leah, and this is Mastermind, Kurt, and Liam.”
Eric Clark studied their party anew. “Can’t say I’ve ever seen live ones wandering out with us blackbloods.”
‘Blackbloods’. Wonder how many back home would’ve sprung for that. “We’re just p-p-passing through.”
“Got the stutters, huh? Don’t worry. Mom’ll whip up somethin’ for that.”
“Get many visitors?” Mastermind asked, still maintaining the faux innocence as he fished for information.
He shook his head. “Nope. Not unless you count rotters.”
“Of course not. Only us blackbloods matter anymore. That is why it is important that we stick together.”
“Heh, can’t say I disagree. Good company’s the only thing keeping you from rotting out. I’m just glad I’ve got my family.”
“Oh? You have a family? How marvelous!”
“Yessir. Just been the three of us, actually. Me, Mom, and Dad. Speaking of…” He thrust open the door. “Mom! We got company!”
They stepped indoors and outside time. The oaken walls were freshly varnished, and the carpeted floors were free from stains. The curtains were drawn and windows open, letting the cool mountain air flow free. The walls were littered with all sorts of trinkets, from stuffed deer to framed pics to old clocks. It reminded Leah of the way houses used to look, early in the outbreak and before time had eroded them all away.
“Mom” met them in the living room. There was no denying the physical similarities between her and Eric, but she was a rezzer like them, with the same violet eyes and pale, undead skin. She grinned through black lips when they approached.
“Told you there were still more of us,” Eric said.
“Well I’ll be damned.” She took a step closer to Liam and stared in his eyes. “And this one’s still got a heartbeat too.”
Leah interposed herself between the two. “Careful.”
She frowned. “I’m sorry, where are my manners? My name is Barbara, and I promise to not let him get too close.”
“Don’t worry so much, Leah,” Liam said. “Barbara here doesn’t look like the biting type. Isn’t that right?”
She chuckled. “Not for you, dear. Life’s a precious thing these days.” She waved them further in. “Come on in and make yourselves comfortable. We don’t let the end of the world get in the way of good manners around here.”
The crew found a place to put their baggage while Barbara got them food. Liam made a show of putting his weapons away, and the others complied to some degree, but Leah kept her suppressed M1911 hidden in her jacket, along with her black steel combat knife. Mastermind did the same for his Bowie. It didn't matter how safe the rest of them felt.
They weren’t about to be blindsided.