Chapter 21

Chapter 21




The earth shall tremble
Graves shall open
They shall come among the living
As messengers of death and there shall be
The nights of terror.




   “You’re late.” Barnes growled as Tom and Jack jogged up to the control tower. It was still dark out, but the sun would be rising soon. Tom was lightly panting as he slowed to a stop in front of the Sergeant. He took a deep breath before speaking.

“Sorry about that… sir.” Barnes looked at him sternly before cracking a grin and slapping him on the shoulder.

“Cut the formal shit, Williams.” Jack caught up to them, stopping just to the right of Tom. Barnes looked over at Jack. “Kingston, you’re on guard duty today.” Jack’s eyes narrowed as he took a second to catch his breath. They sprinted most of the way, only slowing down to a jog when they reached the control tower. For a small airport, it actually had a lot of ground.

“Taft said I was going to be a part of the raid today, sir.” Barnes shook his head and waved a hand.

“Change of plans, Private.” He turned to the other two men with them. “Same goes for you two.” He nodded at one of the soldiers, who was nudging his foot in the gravel. It was eerily loud, the only other sounds were of birds chirping. “Relieve Kingston of patrol in three hours, alternate shifts.” The soldier kicking away at dirt looked up.

“But what about the raid?” He asked, straightening himself up.

“Williams and I got this one.” Barnes looked outside the gates, there seemed to be less of the undead out there today. He then looked up at the sky, streaks of sunlight began penetrating the dark clouds above. “Looks like it’s going to be a nice day.” Tom decided to speak up, not particularly wanting to go out there with just one other person, with Barnes of all people.

“You sure about this Barnes?” The Sergeant nodded, running a hand over his freshly shaved faced.

“I’m positive. You know that truck you drove in here with? Well, I had some of the boys workin’ on it throughout the night.” He looked behind Tom at the Titan he’d overlooked when running up. Tom turned around and his eyes lit up with awe.

“We picked up a few auto boys from a shop not far from here about a week ago. They’re not too bad.” Tom grinned. The once plain green truck was now replaced with an urban camouflaged finish. In the bed of the truck, an M60 was rigged up. Crates of ammo were stacked up in the bed, with a belt of ammo already being fed into the gun straight from one of the crates.

“Not too bad, indeed…” Tom grinned. Barnes pulled a small radio out of his vest as the other soldiers walked off.

“Baby, you there?”





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“Oh my god, oh my god…” Katharina was curled up in the corner of the office, rocking back and forth. The pair of blood encrusted scissors glistened in the dim light from the lamp, the blood a dull red. Cindy was spread out on the floor, she’d stopped breathing around ten minutes ago. Her eyes were still open, her head turned towards Katharina. The tips of her blonde hair was soaked with blood, staining it forever, never to be washed again. The wounds in her chest had stopped pumping out blood, now just a bloody cavity. The girl’s hand was reaching out for the small radio, just out of reach.

But the eyes…

Katharina squeezed her eyes shut as she began to cry again. Hot tears flowed down her cheeks as she was forced to open her eyes and look at the woman she’d just murdered. Cindy’s eyes were looking right at her.

Katharina knew she was dead. It was only a matter of time before Barnes found out. She wasn’t really worried about that though, she was more worried about Tom, and how she’d just cost him his life. He’d risked his life by disobeying orders in New York, made it this far and helped so many… just for her to mess up and potentially kill him.

“So stupid…” She wept, looking away from Cindy’s body again. “Ugh!” She kicked the desk, knocking over the small coffee mug which held a few pencils and pens. It rolled off the desk, and shattered on the floor. More hot tears. Katharina opened her eyes and rubbed them away, drying blood streaking across her face as she did. Her eyes lazily rolled over to the scissors, and saw that they were gone. As her eyes slowly worked their way over to the body, she screamed. Cindy’s corpse was gone.

“What the-” Katharina’s throat locked up, and she choked. Cindy was standing upright in the corner of the room. She was eying the scissors with her cold eyes, glazed over and dead forever. Katharina’s breathing became shallow as Cindy continued her inspection, her once tan skin now a sickly pale gray. Her body was drenched in her own blood, but she took no notice to it. The dim lamp in the room cast shadows over her body.

Cindy slowly lowered the scissors and looked over at her. Katharina tried to scream, but found that she couldn’t. Her hands became cut on glass and she crab walked backwards, but she barely felt it. Her hands left bloody smears on the floor as her back hit the wall. Her eyes locked with Cindy’s.

The eyes…

Cindy moaned as the scissors fell from her hands, landing with a soft thud on the carpeted floor.

“No…” Katharina breathed as Cindy took a step forward. Her white sandal slipped in the pool of her own blood, causing her to fall down to one knee.

“Ugghh….” Cindy moaned as she slowly regained her balance.

“No…” Katharina slowly stood up, her back scraping against the wall. Cindy fell against the desk, leaving a small glob of gunk on the old calendar pad.

“No…” She breathed as Cindy wrapped her icy hands around her shoulders, now was inhuman strength. Cindy’s blue lips cracked into a smile as she leaned in close to Katharina, whispering in her ear.

“Boo.” She snarled as she buried her face in Katharina’s neck, her teeth sinking deep in.





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“No!” Katharina howled and kicked as her eyes shot open and she slapped Cindy away. “No! No! NOOO!” She shoved Cindy back, her hands instinctively reaching for her neck. There was… nothing. She slowly looked up, and saw Jessie standing in front of her.

“Shh! Hush down, hun!” She covered Katharina’s mouth with one hand as she looked back at Cindy, still lying prone on the ground. Katharina blinked her eyes a few times, blinking out tears. She noticed a small styrofoam plate on the table, some scrambled eggs on it. Jessie looked around the room, then back at her.

“Shug… what the hell happened…” Jessie asked as she pulled up the overturned chair and sat it upright, ushering Katharina to sit down. She did; Jessie took a seat on the cot. “You missed breakfast this morning… thought I’d save you some…” Katharina looked over at the scrambled eggs, and slowly grabbed the plate, her growling stomach just now becoming apparent. Katharina used the small plastic spork and shoveled a mouthful in. They didn’t taste the best, but it was the best damn food she’d had in a while. After swallowing, she began to talk.

“She’d attacked me after Tom left…” She began. “I had no choice…  she would have killed me! Then Barnes called… she had a radio or whatever, she tried answering it but I… I…” Katharina broke down again. Jessie stood up and went over to comfort her.

“There, there… it’s ok… shhh.” Jessie rubbed her shoulders as Katharina set the plate down.

“I messed everything up, Jess.” She cried. “Barnes is going to kill me, and he’s going to kill Tom…” She’d never felt so helpless in her life. Jessie patted her back.

“Look hun… nobody is going to kill anybody…” Katharina looked up, Jessie wiped away a tear dripping down her face.

“What?” Jessie smiled.

“We’re going to hide the body.” Katharina’s eyes widened as she looked down at Cindy, at all the blood.

“How? Barnes will know…” Jessie shook her head, pulling a long strand of hair behind her ear.

“It will only be temporary. Besides, nobody here liked that stuck-up bitch anyways.” A warm smile sent a shiver down Katharina’s spine as she began to question if Jessie was completely with it mentally. “This rug here… it’s a roll-up. There’s a similar one in all of the offices, so that will take care of the blood…”

“Jessie… have you ever killed anyone before?” Katharina asked, trying to avert her eyes away from the body. Jessie looked over at her, a grimace on her face. She sighed, rubbing her temples with her hand.

“Yes… my husband.” Katharina gasped.

“What?” Jessie nodded, continuing on.

“Was about two years ago, hun. Lived up in Louisiana. Boy, were those the days… I got off work early one night, and decided to do something nice for my “loving” husband. I stopped by the market and picked up some groceries for his favorite dinner.” Jessie chuckled at this. “So I came back to our house, and what do I see? That whore secretary of his…” She trailed off.

“So what did you do?” Katharina asked.


“I cried at first, but not for long.” Jessie said. “I waited until that wench of his left, then went in. I told him I’m give him a night he’d never forget. Oh, Roy was always the adventurous type.” Jessie laughed, wiping a small tear that had fallen. “So I tied him up, all dressed up in a schoolgirl outfit, his own little whore.” Katharina kept quiet as she listened and slowly ate some of the eggs.

“I told him I’d be right back, and grabbed a knife from the kitchen. When I came back to our room, the look on his face was just priceless. I looked into his eyes as I plunged the kitchen knife into his throat. I watched as the tip broke the bastard's skin. I watched his blood trickle out, slowly covering the fine steel of the blade, dying it a red. You see, shug, blood stains don't wash off your hands with soap and water, they are only removed with more blood…” Jessie looked over at Cindy. “Help me move the body.”





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Tom tossed the last duffel bag into the bed of the titan. There wasn’t much, most of the store had already been picked clean. They’d found a few rifles in the back, along with a few boxes of ammo. Barnes came out of the store, smoking a cigar he’d taken from the office in the back. He exhaled the smoke as he walked into the sunlight; he was now wearing a pair of aviators, which he’d also found. The door slammed behind him as he walked over to the titan.

“Beautiful day out, Williams.” Barnes said as took in another puff of smoke before tossing the cigar aside. Tom nodded, leaning against the truck with his arms folded. It was only about nine, yet the sun burned down on them.

“Got that right. Wonder where all the undead are? Haven’t really seen many, and this place is dead.” Rex shook his head.

“Beats me, maybe they don’t like the sun.”

“Can’t argue with that…” Tom trailed off. “So why me?” Barnes looked over at him, lowering his new shades a bit so that he could see his eyes.

“What do ya mean?” Barnes asked.

“Well, why did you choose me for this raid? What about the others?” Barnes cracked a smile, as if he knew something that Tom didn’t.

“Because, Tom, we’re not done yet.” Tom was a bit surprised when Barnes called him by his first name. He’d never heard him call anyone by their first names, for that matter. Barnes hopped in the truck, getting behind the wheel. “Get in.” Tom unfolded his arms and walked hopped in the truck. Barnes started the engine and slowly drove off.

“Where we going, sir?”

“I told ya, cut the formal shit.” Barnes said as he took a turn off the main road. They pulled up to a small outlet of stores and shops. Yet again, Tom was surprised. Back at the airbase, Barnes was some prick walking around like he was the king turd of shit mountain. Out here, he seemed almost normal. Barnes pulled the truck to a stop outside of a women’s boutique. Tom shivered when he saw it, remembering how he was almost torn apart the last time he’d visited one in the city. The smooth hum of the truck stopped as Barnes killed the engine and turned to face him.

“Look,” He took his glasses off and put the rim of them in his shirt, letting them dangle loosely. “unlike a lot of the guys here, you and I actually have somebody.” Tom nodded slightly as  he listened. “Even in the fucked up place and time that we’re in, I always have my Cindy to look forward to at the end of the day. And you have your Kathy.”

“I couldn’t agree more. But what are we doing here?” Barnes smiled.

“We’re going to do something nice for our women.” Barnes left the keys in the ignition as he hopped out of the truck, wasn’t like there was anybody around to steal it. Tom finally understood- they were going clothes shopping. He chuckled as they both drew their sidearms upon walking up the boutique.

“Wow Barnes, never figured you to be the romantic type.” His hands tightened on the .357 as Barnes slowly pushed the door open. Tom swung around and aimed the magnum through the doorway; all clear.

“I’m hard as nails, Williams. But I’ve got a soft heart for my girl. Haven’t known her all that long, but she understands me.” Tom stepped through the doorway, sweeping his magnum over shelves and clothing racks. Barnes walked in, taking the other side of the store with his M9.

“I hear that.” Tom said, walking over to the counter and peaking over, there was a small dried area of blood. But other then that, nothing. “Clear.”

“Clear.” Barnes said, holstering his M9. “Grab whatever you’d like Tom, I don’t know when we’ll be able to do this again.” Tom turned around to reply- and froze. As Barnes was looking at a short dress, he failed to notice or hear the shambler stumbling out of the dressing room… which they’d failed to check.

His hand tightened on the .357, so hard that his knuckles went white. Here it was, a chance to kill the man he’d grown to despise. He could simply just sit back, and watch the stiff do his dirty work. Barnes looked up and smiled at him, holding the dress up to his massive frame.

“How’s it look?” He laughed. The shambler took another step forward as time seemed to slow down. Tom saw it was a young woman, dressed dup in some sort of business attire. There was a large wound in her neck, the blood long since coagulated. She took another step forward, silent as ever. Tom noticed she wasn’t wearing any shoes, her rotting feet barely made a sound on the carpeted interior.

Tom looked back at Barnes, smiling to himself as he lowered the dress. He thought of how Cindy would be waiting for him, only to never return. He thought of how nice Barnes had actually been treating him compared to some of the other people. His mind raced to when he’d thrown that soldier out of the chopper, laughing manically as he was torn limb from limb.

“You alright, Williams? You’re looking kind of pale.” The shambler was just another step behind him now, her mouth slowly opening and closing. It was now or never.

“Barnes- get the fuck down!” Tom raised his .357 as Barnes’ eyes widened as the shambler moaned. He was a trained soldier, and wasted no time dropping to his knees as Tom pulled the trigger. His aim was dead on, the woman’s head snapped back as the .357 rounds blasted through her skull. Her greasy hair fluttered as she fell back. Brain matter and gore exploded out of the back of her skull and splattered a shelf lined with jeans as her legs finally gave out. The woman’s head cracked down hard on the wooden shelf, knocking over multiple pairs of jeans. As her head finally cracked against the floor, her body spasmed as her skull split and thick globs of gunk began to leak out.

Barnes quickly stood up, his M9 already in his hands. He looked over at the shambler, back at Tom, then back at the shambler.

“Holy shit…” Barnes breathed as he walked into the dressing room, his Beretta trained in front of him. He stepped back out a second later, his sidearm trembling in his hands.

“I owe you Tom… I owe you big time.” Tom slowly nodded, not sure if he made the right decision, but not regretting it either.

“Don’t worry about it.” He placed his .357 in his hip holster, but left the strap open… just in case.

“Grab whatever your woman may like, but double time it… I think we should head back.”


Katharina paced around the office, biting her nails. She’d heard the Titan pull back into the airbase, and knew that Tom would be back soon… along with Barnes. Jessie had really been a big help. They’d rolled up the carpet on the floor, and retrieved a similar one from an abandoned office. They’d ditched the old carpet in that office, and replaced the new one in her room. Jessie had helped her scrub out most of the blood on the floor, and simply placed the carpet over the spots they couldn’t get. Cindy on the other hand… Jessie had a plan, but it couldn’t be implemented until late in the night. For now, Cindy’s corpse was shoved behind the desk.

Katharina stopped when she came to a small mirror on the wall. She looked into it, lifting her shirt up. She frowned at the various bruises caused by Cindy, and lowered the shirt. She grimaced as she read the small writing about the mirror.

~Today Is The Day~

“Yeah, right.” She paced back in forth, her hands shaking as she waited impatiently. She needed to tell Tom before-

“Hey!” Tom entered the room, smiling as he hugged her and held a large bag underneath his right arm.

“Tom… I really need to-” She started, but was cut off as Barnes entered the room as well. Her heart sank.

“Hey Kath, have you seen Cindy? I can’t find her anywhere.” Katharina bit her tongue as she felt blood rushing to her face. Keep your cool, Kath… keep your cool.

“I haven’t seen her all day.” Katharina lied. Barnes shrugged as he sat down on the cot. Katharina watched as he did, and cursed herself. There was a spot of blood on the sheets that she didn’t notice before.

“Hmm, that’s odd. She’s always there for me…” Barnes shook his head. “It’s probably nothing.” Tom walked over to the desk as he opened up the bag. He pulled out a few pairs of nice jeans, along with some shirts and a dress.

“We stopped at an outlet on the way back,” Tom said, as he pulled the things out of the bag and laid them on the desk. Katharina felt herself shaking as Tom walked around the desk and sat down on the chair.

“We- we…” Tom caught himself in mid sentence as he looked down. As he saw the corpse of Cindy, crumpled up underneath the desk. Tom shot her a quick look, his eyes wide and surprised. “We thought we’d do something nice for you and Cindy…” Katharina looked back at Barnes, who was watching them intently. She gave him the warmest smile she could.

“Wow, I love it! Thank you!” She walked over to Barnes and gave him a big hug. This seemed to surprise him, and as he wrapped his arms around her she reached over his back and folded the bed sheet over the blood stain. She then walked over to Tom, giving him the same big hug and kissing him on the cheek. She saw Tom was a bit pale, and kept looking under the desk.

“No prob, figured you and Cindy could use some new clothes.” Barnes said as she pulled away from Tom, looking deep into his eyes, wanting to say so much yet not being able to. Barnes stood up, and walked over to the desk. His boots caught on the rug, and slightly inched it forward, revealing a large blood stain. Tom noticed this, and quickly walked over to it. Barnes began to turn around, and Katharina spoke up.

“You know, I think I did see Cindy this morning, at breakfast.” She lied. Barnes looked over at her.

“Really?” He asked, she nodded.

“Yeah, She’s probably just chatting it up with a few other people now…” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tom slowly moving the rug over the bloodstain with his boot. Barnes simply nodded as he walked over to the desk. He walked around it, and leaned against it, looking at the various photos lining the office wall. Katharina closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying not to break down when she saw Cindy’s hand sticking out from underneath the desk, almost touching Barnes boot.

“Hey Sergeant, how about you check around the grounds for Cindy? I was kind of hoping Kath could try on what I got her…” Barnes continued looking at the pictures lining the wall. After a brief moment, he simply nodded.

“Sure…” He sat up and turned around, stepping on Cindy’s hand as he walked away from the desk. Katharina was close, and quickly kicked it under. She heard a dull flap as Cindy’s hand landed on her chest.

“Ow!” Katharina exclaimed, hopping away from the desk and holding her foot like Barnes had stepped on it.

“Ah shit, I’m sorr-”

“It’s ok.” Katharina cut him off. Barnes smiled and nodded, then turned to Tom.

“Remember, cut the formal shit Williams.” He patted him on the shoulder. “Me and the boys are playing some poker tonight, why don’t you stop by?” Tom nodded.

“Yeah, sure thing.” With that, Barnes turned away and exited the room. Tom looked over at Katharina with wide eyes as she ran over and jumped into his arms, breaking down. He held her as she cried, stroking her hair and whispering in her ear.

“Kath… what the hell happened?”