Working vehicles are harder to find. Many vehicles are electric and there is very little power left. Though the employees have long since abandoned their posts, power plants are still running. Those who believed that technology was the reason the Zeta infection were created began destroying these plants. Any gasoline that is found is immediately burned for fuel and heat. In Los Angeles heat is abundant. Very abundant.
“Its fucking hot” Ray moaned as he, Thomas, and Poe walked PCH. “Before either of you say anything, I know this is L.A and that it is always hot. But its too fucking hot right now.”
“Take a dip” Poe suggested. Ray stopped and stared at him. “What? You ain’t ever go swimming in the ocean?”
“Its too dangerous” Thomas said.
“Dangerous, my ass!” Poe laughed. “You hot you take a damned dip.”
“Who says ‘dip’?” Ray asked.
“I’m just saying that if you want to cool off you jump into the water” Poe replied.
“You first” Ray said. Poe scoffed and continued walking. “What? You scared to get wet?” Poe stopped. In a flash he was in Ray’s face.
“What you call me?” he asked.
“Nothing. I was just…”
“You were just calling me scared.”
“No, I just--Thomas!”
“Back off, Poe” Thomas said. Poe looked at Thomas from head to toe. “Back. Off.”
“Or what?” Poe asked. “Gonna kill me like you did the last guy you two hung with?”
“Hey, that isn’t fair!” Ray shouted. “He was--”
“Shut up, Ray” Thomas said. He and Poe had their eyes locked on one another. “Poe. Back. Off. Now.”
“Okay” Poe said as he raised his hands and slowly backed away. “Cowboy.”
“Thanks” Ray said. Thomas just watched as Poe continued up the road.
“Watch him” he said.
As the sun began to set Poe slowed his pace. He felt the blood rushing to his fists. He was used to constant battle. Ever since he could remember there was not a day he bled or caused someone else to. It had been hours since he killed anyone. And the voices of the dead that occupied his head were feeling lonely.
Later the moon rose and the temperature dropped they all decided to camp out on the beach. The reason Ray did not want to head into the sea even for a moment was because of the Floaters. As the Zeta infection spread many felt that they would be safest on boats, cruise ships, and planes. In almost every case one of the infected would be snuck aboard. Some did not know they were sick.
Some did.
As they began to panic and die thousands upon thousands of bodies filled the sea. Corpses, living dead and good old fashioned dead, washed ashore. Ray knew this and decided that he would not die this way. Before the Zeta attack his greatest fear was drowning which was replaced by Zeta attack. The two together did not comfort him.
“I’m gonna go for a dip” Poe said as he stretched and headed for the coast. Ray looked pleadingly at Thomas.
“I’m not stopping him” Thomas said and continued cleaning his guns.
“But…” Ray said.
“Look” Thomas said as he watched Poe undress.
“I’m not a pecker checker, man” Poe said.
“Jesus Christ” Thomas gasped. “His body…”
“I don’t wanna hear about what great shape Poe is--” and he stopped as he saw that every inch of Poe’s body was covered in scars. Claw marks, bite marks, and bullet wounds riddled his body. “What the fuck?”
“Look what I found!” Poe shouted as he chucked a torso onto the beach. “And its fresh!”
No comments:
Post a Comment