Katie looked at the image replaying once more on the grainy black and white set. Sighing, she said to Travis, "Get ready."
He blinked, confused.
Katie twisted around and ejected the tape from the VCR.
There was a hoarse scream and almost immediately the woman was on her. Her bony, desperate hands clawed at Katie's, trying to wrest the tape from her fingers. Travis grabbed the bone-thin woman about the waist and lifted her up into the air and over the desk.
Kicking and screaming, the woman languished in his arms. Her body twisted into odd angles and dried bits of excrement fell from her dress and legs.
Katie gagged but managed to get to her feet despite the woman's kicks.
The woman's eyes were wide, terrified, uncomprehending. Katie handed her the tape.
The woman instantly went limp, holding the tape against her heaving chest along with the remote control. Her eyes wide, staring, unseeing of anything beyond the black and white image replaying in her mind's eye, she began to murmur, "…not fast…enough."
Katie took hold of the woman's arm and Travis set the woman down slowly. The woman swayed, but stood, staring blankly.
Ralph and Bill stood in the doorway, both wearing looks of utter shock and revulsion. Finally, Bill said, "It's Laura Matthews."
"Shit, I opened the door and nothing ran at me or answered when I called out. I didn't think to look under the desk," Ralph said remorsefully.
"I'm sorry, Laura hon. I didn't know you were hiding."
Laura didn't move. She showed no recognition of her name.
"She had a son?"
"Younger brother. She basically raised him after their mom died." Bill shook his head sadly. "We dumped his body with the rest of them a few days back."
"How did she live?" Bill looked amazed.
Ralph pointed toward a water dispenser tucked near the desk. "Probably drank water. Don't need food as long as you got water. At least for awhile."
Laura just stared, slightly swaying.
Katie gently pulled on her arm and Laura stumbled forward, but managed to walk. Katie carefully led her through the store, trying to not smell the utter reek of the girl or look into her blank eyes.
Once outside, the girl shuddered and grabbed tighter to the tape and the remote. Katie looked at Travis to see that he was quite ashen. She somewhat smiled at him and they began to walk across the road.
The shriek was what made her jump and drop the girl's arm. A flash of movement had her twirling around, gun raised.
"Shit!" Travis fumbled with the safety on his gun.
Katie's gaze took in the form of something streaking toward her, a flash of red, black and white. She raised the rifle effortlessly and fired. Fine red spray splattered her and the girl and the headless zombie sprawled onto the ground a few feet from them.
"Yep. Still not safe," Ralph said as he stepped into the road.
Katie took hold of the young woman's arm. Laura was staring at the zombie, blood splatter decorating her drawn features and scrawny body.
"…not…fast…enough…" she said.
Katie sighed. "Yes, we were. We were fast enough. We're safe. You're safe."
She pulled the girl along toward safety. But as they walked, she realized that the young woman so desperately clutching the videotape of her brother's death would never truly be safe again.
3. Down the Rabbit Hole
Katie pulled Laura into the hunting store behind her then looked toward the guys. "I have her. You guys can finish up."
Travis reached in and took Katie's arm gently and looked into her eyes.
"Katie…" He faltered, as if he wanted to say something, but he wasn't sure what.
"I'll take care of her with Nerit."
He nodded, let go of her, and left the store. The door shut behind him with a loud click.
Laura was shivering violently, her teeth chattering. Katie gently lead her along, trying not to think too hard of the sweaty, greasy feel of the woman's skin."Nerit!"
The older woman appeared at the top of the stairs and exclaimed,
"Laura!" and rushed down to them.
"She was holed up in the grocery store. Hiding under the manager's desk,” Katie explained as she helped Nerit guide the catatonic girl up the stairs.
"But Ralph…"
"She's in shock. She probably gave no indication that she was hiding in there. She just kept watching the security tape of her brother dying over and over again."
"…not fast…enough…" Laura whispered.
Nerit coughed on the harsh smell emanating from the girl, then whispered, "It's okay, Laura. You're safe now."
Laura did not even glance in Nerit's direction.
Together, they got the girl up the stairs and into a shower. They put her in fully clothed. Her dress was plastered to her skin with her own urine and excrement making a foul paste. The water soon ran hot and cleansing over the girls emaciated form. But she barely blinked, barely acknowledged what was happening. She just clung to the VCR tape and the remote control and stared straight ahead whispering, "…not fast…enough…"
Once the water ran clear, Katie and Nerit undressed the girl. They both winced at her wizened body. Her ribs stood out sharply and her pelvis stuck out harshly beneath her pale skin. Nerit and Katie didn't speak as they worked on bathing the girl. Cleaning her up with clinical aloofness it was if they both could not allow themselves to feel the sheer horror of this woman's mental and physical condition.
Finally, when they were done, they dressed her in one of Nerit's nightgowns and gently guided her to the kitchen. The entire time, the girl did not release the tape or the remote control.
"Sit down, Laura," Nerit said softly.
The woman obeyed.
Katie sat down across from the girl and finally let herself feel the brutal reality of it all. The girl had been starving to death slowly since this had all begun. While she and Jenni had taken refuge with Nerit and Ralph, this girl had been in that office. It was awful, terrible, and Katie felt guilty that she was relieved that she was not this young woman.
Nerit sat down with a small container of pudding in her hand. She opened it and spooned a little out. "Laura, it’s time to eat."
Laura turned toward Nerit, finally acknowledging her, and opened her mouth.
Katie guessed hunger had finally made Nerit's voice register with the girl. She watched Nerit tenderly shovel a little bit into the girl's mouth. The girl slowly closed her mouth and her jaw worked slightly. For some reason, it was too much to bear. "I need a breather." Katie stood.
Nerit nodded. "I know. You go. I will stay with her."
Katie walked out of the kitchen and out onto the balcony. She stood there, gripping the railing, taking deep breaths. She felt like a bitch, but she couldn't deal with this right now. She just couldn't. Yet she couldn't just stand out here and not do anything at all.
Moving through the living room, she snagged her rifle and went downstairs to help the men load the pallet. They were surprised to see her, but she simply said, "I need to help" and no one protested. She immediately began to help pack up the boxes with supplies while Ralph stood watch over the street.
Everything was boxed, labeled and taped shut. Once the load was done being packed onto the pallet, they began securing it down with ropes, a large hunting net, nails and wire. By the time they got done, Katie was certain nothing would be tumbling off the thick pallet. Travis had made it complete with a thick, heavy metal wire in the frame that hooked into thick towing chains in all four corners. They all connected to a large metal loop. Katie knew that the plan was to hook the pallet unto the crane's hook back at the fortress and use it basically as an elevator to lift them all up and over the wall.
She had felt leery about this plan at first, but seeing what Travis had concocted, she felt a bit more secure.
As they walked inside, Travis took hold of her arm and drew her back.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, sure…" Katie started to pull away, but Travis held firm.
"I don't think you are."
She pressed her lips together, then sighed. "That girl…Jenni was like her in the beginning. Staring ahead, not talking, just blank. Then she snapped out of it."
Travis flinched. "Oh."
"I see what Jenni could have been in that girl. If she hadn't run outside but had holed up in a bathroom or a bedroom…"
"Oh." Travis rubbed her arm lightly and kissed her forehead very tenderly. "But Jenni's okay."
Katie closed her eyes and nodded. "It's sheer luck, Travis. You, me, Jenni, all of us…being alive. Being okay. We were just lucky to get to safety.
We could have all been Laura."
His fingers were very tender as he stroked her hair, trying to calm her.
"Yes, but that reverend saved you and you saved Jenni."
"And you saved us," Katie added. She fastened her gaze on him and sighed. "This world is fragile. It hurts so deep. I can't bear to think too far, too much, of what it would be like to lose…" She faltered.