“I don’t think this is a good idea, sis,” Henry spoke, touching her shoulder lightly.
“I know it’s not,” Raven responded. “But if we don’t help them, who will?” She felt so bad for the woman, not knowing that her husband was already doomed, already dead, she just had to do something.
The woman licked her lips and took a step closer to the truck, holding her husband’s hand loosely in her own. His fingers trembled. It was like he was getting sicker right in front of them. His face had an unhealthy pallor.
“I’m going to roll down the window,” Raven said, wrapping the bandages, pads and antibiotic cream in the socks. “Stay back and I’ll toss this to you.” Every fiber of her being screamed that this was a mistake but it was too late to stop now, she had made up her mind and once Raven decided on something she did not waver.
The woman nodded and took a few steps back, pulling her husband along with her.
Raven rolled down the window and just as she was about to toss the bundle the woman surged forward, grabbing Raven’s wrist in both of her hands. Her palms were fever hot and rough with callouses.
“Get the fuck off of me!” Raven exclaimed, yanking ineffectively at her arm.
Rocky growled and barked.
“Stay in the back, Rocky,” Henry commanded. The dog, good boy that he was, obeyed. He continued to growl and stare at the woman menacingly.
She dropped the bundle but the woman didn’t even look at it. Her eyes were wide in her wrinkled face, manic and desperate. “Get out of the truck!” she screamed. “Rob!” she hollered at her husband without looking back. “Get the other one.”
Raven glanced at Rob and saw with relief that his getting days were done. He swayed on his feet, eyes darting around, looking at everything and nothing. There were red lines creeping from beneath his collar like a virulent blood infection.
“What the hell lady?” Henry asked, laughing to himself. Her brother clearly didn’t think they were in any real danger.
Raven had to agree. While the old woman had surprised her all she was doing was yanking on Raven’s arm and none too hard either.
“Rob?” the woman questioned, turning.
Her grip loosened and Raven pulled her arm free, pushing the woman away with her palm. She fell back onto her butt with a thump inches away from a steep drop, feet splayed out in front of her. The makeshift shoe had fallen away, leaving her foot bare to the elements. Her toes were definitely blue, but the sight did not evoke further sympathy.
“Roll the window up, Raven,” Henry spoke quietly. His voice was charged.
She did, glancing at her brother and back to the woman. She looked defeated now and Raven didn’t think she’d cause them any more trouble. She said as much to her brother.
“Maybe not,” Henry replied. “But look at Rob.”
Movement caught her eye. Rob’s eyes glazed over, turning a hazy red. He swayed on his feet, taking one shuffling step toward his wife then another.
“We should leave,” Raven said, thinking of Moon Pie and her violent death. She did not want the same thing to happen to Rocky.
Henry glanced in the back of the truck. “He’s buried beneath the blanket again,” he said, clearly intuiting her concern. “If we move now we may attract the attention of Undead Rob.”
Raven snorted quietly. Her dog had pretty good survival instincts.
“Rob?” the woman asked, sounding unsure.
She picked herself up and dusted off her bum. Slipping, she nearly fell over the precipitous drop but hardly noticed; her attention focused on her husband. A large rock, displaced by her heel, tumbled down the steep face of the cliff, bouncing and ricocheting. The sounds it made echoed through the mountains.
Raven wondered what the woman’s screams would sound like with such reverberation. She was sure she would find out soon.
Rob moved disjointedly toward his wife, making a low growling noise. His head jerked back twice and he snarled, expression feral.
“Honey?” the woman asked, clearly slow to get the message. “Are you okay?” She reached for him halfheartedly, lifting her arms then letting them fall.
“Here it comes,” Henry spoke quietly.
Raven glanced at her brother then back at the Undead Rob. He scented something on the air, tipping his head back, nose wrinkling. It would’ve been a comical expression under different circumstances.
The woman’s face was stricken and she looked directly at Raven. “Help me,” she mouthed, eyes wide and frightened.
“Don’t open the door,” Henry cautioned. “Once these undead fuckers get going they’re wicked strong and fast.”
The woman opened her mouth to speak but Rob was on her, quick as a flash. He pushed her down to the ground, face in the gravel. She screamed and thrashed beneath him. He leaned in and bit the side of her neck, sending blood spurting in a wide arch. She shrieked and thrashed harder, but it was no use. Rob had a death grip on her neck, his hands dug into her hair, keeping her down. After a while she stilled, dress soaked in her own ichor. The zombie that used to be Rob was taking large mouthfuls of flesh from her throat, leaving bare glistening trachea and torn muscle. He moved down to feed on the fat flab of her arm.
Her screams echoed just like Raven had imagined.
Raven gulped audibly. Part of her was ashamed for not helping the woman but mostly she was grateful it wasn’t her out there.
“Let’s go,” she said, keeping her voice low.
Henry nodded and put the truck into gear, lightly pressing
