Sirens of the Zombie Apocalypse (Book 1): Since the Sirens (37 page)

“Grandma, you OK with that?”

She gave him a silent thumbs up sign.

Victoria got up to join Liam and the pair walked off, away from
the bridge.

Liam used the opportunity to look back in the direction they'd
come. Here and there living people were coming out of hiding, trying
to swim across the small river, trailed by zombies who sank to the
bottom as they entered the water. Most swimmers made it. Some were
unlucky and were snatched from below. All things considered, it was
about as hospitable as the moon on the far bank.

I'm never going to St. Louis again.

3

Liam walked side-by-side with Victoria further down the railroad
tracks, out of the immediate vicinity of all the police men and women
still around the bridge. It gave them some time to talk in peace. The
survivor instinct was well instilled in both of them as they walked
in the open they each noticed the other with their hands on their
guns.

“I guess we're veteran survivors now. Tending our weapons
like our lives depend on them huh?”

Liam guessed she was right, although he still didn't feel like a
survivor. More like a lottery winner after seeing all the people who
didn't make it. Where did that huge crowd at the Arch end up? He
couldn't even guess.

“So, what's next partner?” She had a broad smile as
she said it.

Liam gave her an exaggerated look from her feet up to her head. He
then shook his head at her.

“Nope. You aren't the same girl I found lying on the grass.
You've gotten over your guilt and have gone out of your way
repeatedly to save me, Grandma, and who knows how many others. I
think you've made up for any shortcomings you may have imagined for
yourself when this whole plague-thing started.”

Victoria winced at the word guilt, but was quick to respond, “And
you aren't the awkward boy who ran me over and practically hid behind
your Grandma. I've seen you do some amazing things the last couple
days that would have made most guys piss their own pants in fear.”

“Well it may surprise you to know that one thing that still
makes me whiz in my drawers is asking a pretty girl out on a date.”

She gave him a sideways glance but hid her reaction and just kept
walking and talking.

“What are you planning to do next? Do we stay with the
police we met at the Arch or strike out on our own with Grandma?”

Liam slowed down as he formulated on a response. “I have to
get to my parent's house. They live not far south of here. My dad is
kind of an expert at survival and stuff, so finding him will be key
to our long-term safety. Besides I can show you all my dorky rock n'
roll posters and my retainer and my pocket protector.”

They both laughed at the thought.

“My parents are in Denver. I don't know that I'll ever see
them again.” She walked ahead for a little before continuing,
“but maybe someday I'll try to get out there if things ever get
back to normal. I don't think they ever will though.”

Her body language conveyed a sense of deep despair.

Not that he blamed her. She obviously missed her family. That
would be a blow to just about anyone. He admitted to himself he would
follow her to Denver if she asked him to go. He found himself
suddenly unwilling to part from her.

He figured now was the time to cheer her up.

“I got you a present.”

It immediately brightened her face, bruises and all.

“Really? When did you have time to go shopping? The stores
are all closed.”

She gave him a painful-looking wink, but her smile didn't
diminish.

“Well, I didn't buy it, but I didn't steal it. I think it
was abandoned when I acquired it.”

“I'm intrigued.”

“Close your eyes and hold out your hands and I'll give it to
you.”

She peered into his eyes for a long moment, but did as he asked,
smiling happily. He pulled the item from the non-gun side of his
waistband. It had been hidden under his untucked shirt. He put it
gently in her hands and asked her to look at it.

It was a small travel-sized Bible.

“You were looking for one when we met, so naturally I've
been trying to find one for you every minute of the day since then.”
He smiled to be funny, but he admitted it was pretty near the truth.

Victoria was tongue-tied for several moments. Not an easy thing to
do.

“Thank you Liam.” She said it in almost a reverent
tone.

“It's only the New Testament. I'm working on getting you an
Old Testament. I've got scouts roving the countryside as we speak.”
Again he laughed at his joke to make himself feel less self-conscious
that he was trying to do something nice for this girl, and doing his
best to keep it casual and avoid any hint of guilt-tripping that
might make her sense he wanted anything from her in return. He really
just wanted to do something selfless for her that didn't involve
shooting sick people in the head.

“Liam it's absolutely perfect. Truly, this is the most
thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me.”

Whoa!

“Where did you get it?”

Should he tell her he risked his life to get it from inside the
train engine as they were running toward the bridge? He resolved to
never lie to her.

“I saw it in the train engine when we were up in there the
first time, and I ran up there—”

Here comes full disclosure.

“—I ran up there that last time we were running from
the zombies with Grandma. I figured it was the final chance I'd have
to get it for you. I didn't know we'd live past the bridge. I felt it
was worth the risk.”

“Well your feelings on this matter were completely wrong.
Nothing is worth risking your life like that. Consider this a slap on
the wrist. But I do 100% appreciate this gift and I will treasure
it.” Her smile was infectious.

They strolled on the gravel road for another couple minutes, then
turned around and walked back. They both agreed it felt weird to be
so far from Grandma, or lots of people with guns.

On the return trip Victoria surprised him by grabbing his hand.

Totally worth it.

4

When they reached Grandma she was done talking to Phil. He was
giving her a big hug, and he let go as they got close. He stood up to
meet them. His face was flushed red; he had been crying some more.

“I don't know how your grandma did it, but she answered my
prayers. She really did. Thank you both and good luck. I really need
some time alone to process this. Please excuse me.”

He walked off, avoiding eye contact as he moved away. Unwilling to
share his secret.

So they asked the one person who would know.

“Grandma, what did you tell Phil about his wife?”

“I don't know if I understand myself. Somehow I knew to call
out her name and the name of his daughter. I had one more message,
but that was just for Phil. I'm having trouble remembering how I knew
it though. I'm old you understand.”

That was her excuse when she was too tired to really think about
what she was saying.

“Grandma I think we just witnessed a miracle. There is no
other way to explain how that happened.”

“The Lord works in mysterious ways.”

Indeed. Liam had to admit it was nearly providential the way they
found Victoria from out of the tens of thousands of people in the
Arch grounds. That she would turn out to be such a critical person in
helping him and Grandma get out of the city. And the one big favor he
did in return was helping her find a Bible, and that a Bible turned
up where it did, when it did. Was it divine intervention, or just a
lot of amazing coincidences?

Liam still had trouble believing in God, but he wanted desperately
to believe in something. He wanted to have the same faith as these
two women.

Maybe Victoria was put here to help me find my way spiritually?

His anger at being “dumped” at Grandma's house by his
father had long since dissipated. If anything his parents had done
him a favor by putting the two of them together at precisely the same
time the world fell apart. It almost seemed his dad anticipated what
was going to happen. Almost like he knew.

Wait. What?

He dismissed it as absolute rubbish. His father was always
spouting off—he would claim he was “discussing
intelligently”—things like government conspiracies, media
collusion, and military-industrial scheming... But those were just
silly theories.

Right?

He was 99% sure it was all bunk. But the last 1% was elusive. His
whole worldview fell apart if that rounding error couldn't be sorted.
If his dad was correct it meant the government was the bad guy. It
meant he somehow knew what the government was up to. It meant he used
his knowledge to save Liam and Grandma while keeping his intentions
secret. It seemed believable if he were reading one of his books on
zombies, but in the real world it seemed completely insane. All his
book learnin' did nothing to help him recognize real zombies until
they got up in his face and tried to bite him—so he couldn't
necessary trust them as his guide anymore. He looked over to the
police back at the bridge—the people who just saved them—and
realized THEY were the government. He wanted to believe they
represented help, not some massive internet-fueled conspiracy. He
resolved to keep his eyes open; to prove his father wrong. He wanted
to toss out that last percent of doubt.

For now he was 100% sure he had to come up with a plan for their
next move. He still had a deep fear he'd end up being THAT GUY and
step on a rake at the worst possible time, but after all he'd just
seen and done—and survived—that irrational fear was
receding. But he had to be smart in looking ahead. And he had allies.

He'd been guiding Grandma the past four days and it looked as if
their time together would go on for a little longer. Even if they
arrived at his home this afternoon, he found himself wanting to spend
as much time as he could with her. After all, she wouldn't be around
for much longer. Would she? Just then he recalled her talking in her
sleep. She said something about living to be 120. Rather than fear of
spending much more time with her, he'd found anticipation. If things
got back to normal and she lived that long he'd celebrate each
birthday with real zest. If things got back to normal...

His thoughts turned back to the here and now as Victoria reminded
him of a missing person. “Do you see our friend Hayes
anywhere?”

Looking around, Liam said, “I can't say that I have. I don't
remember him being in the group crossing the bridge either, though I
wasn't taking a head count. He could have made it across and then run
off. Maybe he swam across. Or he could have run off when we were on
the other side. He seemed pretty pissed these police officers
wouldn't let him pass.”

“Well it would have been pretty stupid to run off alone just
because he felt slighted. No one can survive this thing alone.”

Liam and Victoria both let that percolate for a while. Grandma was
fast asleep again, up against the tree. She had one arm over Liam's
backpack, as if it needed protecting.

As they stood there, Victoria pulled Liam ever so gently from the
orbit of Grandma. She set down her new Bible next to the wonderful
old woman, where it would be safe.

“Grandma is sleeping against a tree, just like you were when
we met.”

Victoria laughed, “Does that mean I have to smash her
fingers, or do you?”

“I still feel horrible I did that to you. I don't think she
would like me if I let that happen to her.”

Victoria smiled broadly, a pretty look even if she was wearing too
much coal dust and bruises for makeup.

“I think she would forgive you, just like I did.”

She kept pulling him around the bulk of the massive tree trunk.

“There is a question I want to ask you now that it looks
like we might live beyond this conversation.”

The police and survivors near the bridge were being blocked from
view by the big tree.

She let herself lean back against the trunk, arms at her sides,
and put her right foot part way up the trunk, so her knee was
pointing directly at Liam. Her dress hiked up a little, revealing her
knee, and Liam noticed it was jet black with coal residue. A
testament to all they'd survived.

Her posture, positioning, and proximity had him completely
confused.

Victoria furthered his confusion by asking, “I was wondering
if you could tell me more about the shadow government?”

Her effusive smile was contradictory to the serious question she
was asking.

What in the hell does she mean?

And then he remembered their discussion earlier—it felt like
weeks ago—thousands of zombies ago —dozens of departed
acquaintances ago—thousands of dead bystanders ago—a
train ride from hell ago —he told her if she said the code
phrase “shadow government” he would kiss her on the lips.

Clueless Liam from four days ago would have never figured it out.

Survivor Liam of today returned the wide smile and kissed the
girl.

Maybe the Zombie Apocalypse won't be so bad.

For the first time since the sirens, he had some hope for the
future.

First and foremost I want to recognize my own 104-year-old grandmother
for being the inspiration for the character of Marty. Her passing was also the driving force
behind my desire to write this book in the first place. I had over 40 years
to enjoy her presence in my life, and she became my archetype for the
strengths and weaknesses of someone so advanced in age. I regret to say she passed
away in 2014 after living an incredibly long and healthy life. Right up until
the end she was witty and lively and...alive. I give my real grandma a single mention
in this book, when Al tells Marty that in a parallel universe she “passed away
peacefully in her sleep today.” That is my homage to her. The rest of the book
is written in the character of Marty, who only shares broad strokes with my late grandmother.
I couldn't hope to write faithfully in the voice of a real person.