Induction

They were still slow and shambling, but their movements had taken on a stiff appearance. We had learned about the rate of decay in nursing school. There were two distinct steps in the process: Autolysis and Putrefaction. In Autolysis, the body’s enzymes start to digest themselves. Extreme temperatures affected this stage. In our situation, the heat would be speeding this up.

Putrefaction was the gross part. Bacteria from the intestinal tract is released and starts liquefying the body. It was easy to distinguish newly reanimated from the original bunch if you knew what to look for. Newer zombies were bloated and their skin took on a green complexion. Their eyes bulged and tongues protruded from the buildup of gas.

Corpses more than a few days old, however, showed significantly more decomposition. Their skin became marbled and blistered. Hair began to fall out. As the putrefaction continued, a greenish-black liquid oozed from their mouth and nose and any other orifice. The pressure of the gas would cause eruptions in the skin to create another opening for the liquid to escape. The science geek in me knew that the brain would eventually liquefy. Unfortunately, I didn’t know how long that would take or if it would even solve our zombie problem.

The depths of random stuff I thought about to take my mind off Jake’s absence never ceased to amaze me. I bet I could make a killing on Jeopardy, assuming Alex Trebek wasn’t roaming the streets as a mindless shuffler. There’s got to be some irony in there. I may never be on Jeopardy, but I definitely spent a lot of time in jeopardy.

Adam brought lunch out to me and I picked at it. I had no appetite and my stomach was in knots. Gabby had taken Daphne into the store and was no doubt chasing her around and giving her a good workout. “He’ll be okay, Emma. He’s got a good team at his back.”

“I know. It’s just that… I’ve been beyond the walls. It was bad out there. I know I don’t need to tell you that.”

He got a far off look in his eye, no doubt remembering his own personal experience of the outbreak. “You just need to find something to take your mind off it. A watched pot never boils, and all that shit.”

I feel bad for what I did next. I set him up and knew he wouldn’t be able to get out of it. “Are you willing to help me find something to take my mind off of it?”

“Anything, just name it.” Poor guy had no idea what was coming. I couldn’t turn back now.

And then I dropped the bomb. “Tell me about Janelle, and what happened during the first days of the outbreak.”

The mere mention of her name made him shudder. I knew he had been suppressing his feelings, still in denial about his family. The far off look returned and he began reciting his story. “I met Lany when I was twenty-three. We had moved in together after a month and were married after three. A year later, Janelle was born. Lany got really depressed after that. I didn’t realize how far apart we grew until she left for grocery shopping and never came back. Janelle was only a year old. Divorce papers were delivered a week later. At least I knew she was still alive.

“My neighbor, Sadie, watched Janelle at night so I could work. By the time my shift ended, I worked nights doing security for the Baker Museum in Naples, this thing was already out of control. It took me three hours to get home. Alive and dead people were all over the streets. Had it not been for the brute force of my truck, I wouldn’t have gotten out of a few nasty run-ins. I tried calling Sadie over and over, but it just went to voice mail. My condo complex was infested with them. It’s the first time I ever used my gun on anything but paper targets.”

He took a deep breath, stealing himself to utter what came next. I put my hand over his for support and waited until he was ready to begin.

“When I got to my neighbor’s door it was open, hanging from its hinges like someone had kicked it in. Bloody hand-prints smeared the white door and hallway leading into the living room. The unit was empty except for more blood than I had ever seen. It trailed through the apartment like someone had been dragged, or had been dragging themselves, all the way to the back door that faced the courtyard. The back door stood open too, and I could see my neighbor’s half eaten body as she propelled herself with her arms away from me. I looked down and saw a tiny figure in the pool. I knew right away that it was Janelle. Her favorite teddy bear was floating next to her. She was still wearing her Barney nightgown, and she was floating face down in the water.