Four (Their Dead Lives,1) Read online

  Jeff shook. “Never mind, don’t want to know.”

  “Ha, fine, Homer. It’s something lovely, though. Anyways, look at Kale’s text, will you?”

  He glanced at the phone.

  DITCH CLASS. MUST MEET.

  “What do you think?” Alec asked.

  “I don’t know. Is he okay?”

  “It’s Kale! I’m sure he’s fine.” On his feet now, Alec looked for Nicole at the vending machines. He and Jeff were at the corner of the field furthest from the rest of campus, with the shade of a tree swaying back and forth over them.

  Alec lowered a hand to help Jeff rise. “Come on, let’s find out what he wants.”

  As Jeff stood, his stomach flooded with an ill feeling.

  I think I ate too much peanut butter.

  High up on cliffs, the Pelican Cove trail overlooked the glistening surface of the Pacific Ocean. The four friends stared at its beauty, and as a sea breeze whistled through Kale’s black hair, he thought, Today is a day we will never forget.

  On the weekends, the trail was crowded, and no smart kidnapper would have a hideout so close to here. But Kale had zero intentions of sticking to the trail. He would take his friends off soon enough, once he figured they were ready. And in the high chance they found nothing, at least they weren’t stuck at school.

  “Suck it in, boys,” said Kale. “This is what it’s all about.”

  Scot coughed. “Fag.”

  Alec laughed.

  “Whatever,” said Kale.

  Quieting his laughter, Alec grabbed Kale’s shoulder, stood about an inch taller. “Well, tell me why you dragged us out here.”

  “Not yet. We have a little bit to go.”

  “How much is a bit?” Jeff rubbed his arm. His silky blond hair flowed with a cool gust.

  Kale poked at Jeff’s belly. “You hungry?”

  Offended, Jeff swiped his hand away. “Not cool.”

  “Sorry, Homer.” Kale stepped down the trail. “Let’s keep moving, boys. Not much longer.”

  Jeff, Alec and Scot all exchanged glances. Alec shrugged, following Kale first. Scot and Jeff hesitated.

  “It’s times like these, Homer, times like these when I wish we stayed in Hebrew school,” said Scot.

  “Hey, I stayed. You left after your Bar Mitzvah.”

  “We can’t all be Moses.”

  They traveled along open cliffs before veering inland, heading for a tree line. Scot complained constantly. He adopted a joking tone, but everyone knew he was serious. He lacked the patience needed for such a task.

  Fate wants us here, I know it.

  A high ceiling of leafy green, with hints of light breaking through, arced over them. They headed deep into the forest. Soon there will be no trails. Excitement shot to Kale’s fingertips like lightning.

  “Okay, so it’s unanimous. We would all do Ms. Lasci,” Scot announced, following behind Kale and Alec. “But what about Miss Saxon?”

  “Oh, definitely Saxon, she’s got some big ol’ titties.” Kale smiled. “I jacked off to a picture of her one time.”

  “Too big for me. I like Nicole’s better.”

  Kale spun to Alec. “Well, we all knew you would say that.”

  Scot and Jeff giggled, but Scot paused. “Wait, you jack off already?”

  They all froze. Scot’s face reddened as they closed in around him.

  Kale struggled to keep a face that was sincere and caring. “Scotty, tell me you’re kidding. Do you not white water wrist it?”

  Alec leaned closer. “Do you not evict the testicular squatters?”

  Even Jeff chimed in, “Do you not drop stomach pancakes?”

  What—the—fuck?

  Staring at the ground, grimacing in embarrassment, Scot said, “I do. I do. You know me — just messing with you guys.”

  They all moved in closer, smothering their friend.

  Alec spoke in a light whisper, “Even I take Captain Picard to warp-speed, and I have Nicole.”

  Jeff and Kale lost it, falling back, hunching over as they choked on their laughter. This is the best day ever!

  Alec grabbed Scot’s shoulder. Scot squirmed away and said, “Don’t touch me with Picard’s spaceship.”

  Alec slapped him playfully. “You’re precious.”

  “All right, all right,” Kale started, catching his breath. “Let’s leave little Scotty alone and keep moving.”

  “Hey, guys,” said Scot, “just so we’re clear, I do touch my penis and make the masturbation, okay? So don’t tell anyone otherwise.”

  Alec smiled. “Your phrasing tells your lies.”

  “Whatever.” Scot shook his head gruffly. “Kale, will you tell us where we’re going?”

  Alec nodded. “Yeah, I’m sick of this secretive stuff.”

  “Another mile, guys.” Not that I really know.

  “Another mile? We’ve already gone...like a billion,” the plump Jeff wheezed out.

  “Homer, we all know you need to eat. Hunt some squirrels or something,” teased Kale.

  Scot and Alec laughed.

  “Screw you, guys.” Jeff wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Hey, speaking of masturbation...”

  “That was like five minutes ago, you sloth,” snickered Kale.

  Jeff stopped. “Screw you, Kale! I’ll head back.”

  “Let Homer speak,” said Alec. “It’s always interesting when he talks about jacking off.”

  Jeff let out a fake laugh. “Anyway, what was that move Jimmy Miller told us about?”

  Kale chuckled. “Spraying the hose.”

  “Spraying the hose?” Scot asked.

  “You want to tell them, Homer, or should I?”

  “No way — you do it. It’s terrible.”

  “Spraying the hose”—Kale cleared his throat, bending his knees—“is when you ever so slightly press your finger against your pee-hole.” He mimicked the action. “Then when you jizz, well, semen sprays out as if you were blocking a real hose.” Kale shook his hands around, making gushing sounds, throwing invisible goo at Jeff’s face, who flinched out the way.

  Alec’s mouth shot open. “What the hell?”

  Scot broke into laughter, falling to the dirt. He pressed a hand to the ground, grabbed his stomach, finally catching his breath. “Wait, wouldn’t you need an enormous pee-hole?”

  “Yeah, that’s Jimmy Miller for you.”

  “What’s the correct term for the pee-hole, anyways?” Alec wondered aloud, following right behind Kale as he continued down the path.

  Jeff called out from the back, “A meatus!”

  “A meat-anus?” pondered Scot.

  Kale surprised himself by laughing at Scot’s stupid joke. The others joined him. All four friends landed in a chuckle fest until Alec furtively motioned for them to stop.

  “Did you guys hear that?”

  Scot rubbed his face. “Hear what?”

  Jeff and Kale, standing on opposite ends of the group, scanned the area.

  I hear or see nothing. More jokes, please. “Alec, I don’t—”

  “Shh,” Alec cut Kale off. “Listen.”

  Soft sighs of swaying trees graced Kale’s ears. Nothing else. “Seriously, Alec, you scared of trees?” Kale laughed, slapped his leg, and waited for a response like the one Scot’s joke had received.

  No one laughed. No one spoke.

  The good times had ended, Kale knew, and all four of them stood frozen, listening to the screams of a child in the distance.

  eight years later

  KALE

  Not again. He tugged at the handcuff on his wrist, bound to the headboard of the bed in the captain’s cabin.

  Slumping on the bed, he refused to look at the corpse next to him. All that remains of the life I took moments earlier. “How long do I have to sit here, Jimmy?”

  “Until you learn your lesson,” came the drawling reply. Deputy Miller paced by the doorway. “I can’t believe you did this.”

  “You think I wanted to? I thought
—”

  “No, Kale, you didn’t think.”

  Like he knows any better. Guy used to snort gummy bears for a dollar. Kale glanced at Erica’s body, avoiding her vacant face, focusing only on the amputated leg. “What the hell did they do to her?”

  Miller unholstered his pistol and put in the new clip Evans had given him. He examined the gun closely before holstering it again. “They said they saved her. Hell if I know.”

  “Maybe they didn’t. Maybe I did.”

  “Yeah, sure,” Miller scoffed and stood in the doorway. “Stay here.” He laughed quietly to himself.

  As if I have any other choice. “Jimmy, wait.”

  He kept going. What a prick. Kale cursed and stood. He tugged at his handcuffed wrist a few more times before giving up. He twisted around, eyeing the body speculatively.

  A voice came from the doorway. “You okay?”

  Kale spun and stared at the door, at Alec. Kale quickly broke eye contact. “Been better,” he muttered.

  “I can see that.” Alec stepped in but kept close to the doorway, his back pressed against a wall. “Anything I can do?”

  “Convince Miller to let me go.”

  Alec bit his lip, shook his head, and said, “I can’t do that.”

  “Why not?”

  “You murdered someone, Kale. You’re dangerous.”

  “Dangerous? How am I dangerous? It was a complete accident.”

  Alec sighed and pressed off the wall. “You get at me for not realizing my potential, for wasting away whatever you say I have. Well, what about you? Your desire to do something big, to be a hero, that’s the main problem. That’s what got us screwed in high school. That’s what got you here now.”

  “I don’t desire anything. It’s just — there was so much good we could’ve done. Hell, we still can. Now more than ever, we can do so much. But you won’t.”

  “I won’t? You think if I knew for sure, if I knew for a fact, I’m something special, I would be hiding out here?”

  “Easy answer: yes.”

  Alec folded his arms, eyeing Kale. “And what’s your reasoning?”

  “Simple. It’s Nicole. You won’t leave her. You won’t risk her safety.” Kale sat again, his cuffed arm arcing over his head. “Now, if you’re here to kick me while I’m down, go away and send Howard in. He’s a real friend.”

  “Kale, that’s not why I’m here. Despite everything, I still care about you. And Jeff and Scot. I pray for Jeff’s recovery, you know that.”

  “Then what do you want?”

  Alec averted his eyes. “I guess, I guess I simply wanted to check on you.”

  Kale’s reply was cold and dismissive. “Well, I don’t need you checking on me, brother. Bye.” With that, he turned his head to face the wall.

  Alec bit his lip again. Kale could feel his long stare but refused to face his friend.

  “You’re an idiot,” snapped Alec.

  Kale turned and Alec was gone. Angry, he smacked his thigh with his free hand and cursed.

  Alone.

  For housing such a large bed, the captain’s room was small with a dresser near the doorway and a small porthole across from a nightstand to let in some feeble light. The bathroom was cramped and white. Blood-stained rags clogged the sink.

  Kale grabbed his cuffed arm and leaned his face into his bicep. His arm grew numb and he was tempted to stand to relieve the strain. However, down the interior hall, he watched Alec and Nicole climb out to the main deck, sun and light surrounding them.

  Asshole. I never wanted to kill an innocent girl. I...I...

  He ignored his mental struggle and focused on Erica’s amputated leg. The stump was covered by bloodstained towels. His gaze ran up her lifeless body and for the first time since killing her, he looked at her face. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open, and her face mangled to shreds along the side. My doing. He wanted to apologize to her, but she was a corpse. He turned away, wiping sweat from his face. His limbs felt weak and his stomach roiled. If you’re going to be a hero, you have to be strong. So be strong.

  Kale looked at Erica’s face again and this time he gagged at the gruesome sight. Someone could at least cover her. He stretched past her arm, reaching for a towel on the other side of the bed. The only one he could reach had blood splotches on it but he figured she wouldn’t mind. He adjusted the towel with his free hand, which hovered over her open mouth, grazing her dead lips. He struggled to re-position and get a better angle. Damn cuffed arm. His finger accidentally slipped between her rough chapped lips: her mouth was still wetly warm. Gross, gross. He twisted all the way around to get a better view and angle. His eyes locked to hers, right as they opened.

  “No!”

  Her mouth clamped around Kale’s hand, her teeth impaling his flesh. He frantically yanked, his skin peeling away in bloody shreds. He launched off the bed, only to be tugged back hard by the cuffs. He fell, his arm straining out of its socket. He kicked back to his feet.

  Erica’s body stretched off the bed. The towel slipped from her face. Her head stiffly turned around to stare at Kale.

  No, no, no!

  Kale yanked at the headboard, crying out for help. He spun around and saw a hand-axe resting by the door to the head. His hand darted forward but he never stood a chance of reaching it. His fingers kept straining, and he kept tugging. Erica leaned forward, her mouth open and hungry, bullet shells dropping from her face to the floor. I missed the freaking brain! In Kale’s humble opinion, the operation clearly had not succeeded, and he realized he’d done well shooting her. Except I missed. And I’m trapped. Erica lunged for him.

  A bullet slammed into her, throwing her head back against the board of the bed. Kale spun to see Deputy Jimmy Miller in the doorway.

  “Jimmy?” The dumb bastard came through!

  Miller stepped in, gun still raised, Howard behind him.

  “Jimmy, thank God. She came back, man. I told you she would.”

  “She came back because you killed her. You couldn’t even kill her properly.” Miller stared at the slain Erica. He was about to lower the gun when he saw the bite wound on Kale’s hand. He swung the gun around to aim at Kale’s head.

  No. No. Kale raised his infected hand. “Wait, now wait.”

  “Your turn, bud.”

  Howard looked at Miller then Kale then back at Miller. “You can’t. You can’t!”

  “Stand back.” Miller shoved Howard to the doorway.

  “You said you guys fixed her. Can’t you do the same for me? Come on!”

  “Yeah, come on!” Howard chimed from the hall.

  Miller smiled. “Goodbye, Kale.”

  Kale shut his eyes. Killed by Jimmy Miller? A tragedy!

  “Bang bang!” Miller yelled, shaking the gun around. Kale opened his eyes to the sight of Miller hunched over, roaring with laughter. “Your face was priceless!”

  “You bitch.” Kale sighed with relief and dropped to the bed. His head lowered to his leg, breathless. “You son of a bitch.”

  “Not funny, man.” Howard squirmed past Miller and went for Kale.

  “Oh, come on, guys.” Miller looked at them, his eyes hopeful. “Kinda funny?”

  “No,” they both said.

  “All right, sit tight. I’ll get the doctors.”

  Howard stared at Kale’s hand and he took a single, cautious step. Gulping, he said, “It actually happened.”

  “What actually happened?”

  “You actually got bit by a zombie.”

  “I’m so screwed, Howard. Shit.”

  Howard gulped again and scratched his greasy head. “This—this might be too much.”

  “Too much?” Kale looked up from his hand and could see the fear in his friend’s eyes. “Too much what?”

  “Too much for me to handle.” Howard took a step back. “I didn’t think this could happen.”

  “Too much for you? The other day you were stoked about a damn apocalypse!”

  Howard cringed. “I was drunk playin
g that game. I was drunk last night. You’ve been bit, man.”

  What’s his problem? “Howie...I need you, man.”

  Howard swallowed, his eyes blinking furiously. “I—I’m going outside.”

  Kale stiffened. “Let me get this straight. You can’t stay with me right now because you’re finally realizing what a zombie apocalypse is really like?”

  Howard shrugged, a bit sheepishly. “More or less.”

  “Howard, you’re such a stupid shit.”

  “Name calling isn’t nice.”

  Kale leapt off the bed in a rage, but the handcuffs yanked his arm back. Howard rushed to the door, pausing before fleeing. “I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”

  “You’re sorry? I’m the one handcuffed, bitten, helpless, and you’re sorry?” Kale spat at the ground. “Listen to me and listen good. You’re a worse human being than you are a friend. Worthless is what you are, the scum between my toes. You belong on the genitals of society, stuck in the nastiest, scratchiest, crabs-filled-pube-patch there is!”

  Howard whispered, “I’m gay.”

  That would be their final conversation.

  ALEC

  Was only a matter of time before Kale got someone killed.

  In the past, Scot had pointed out on several occasions how Kale was delusional. Alec now realized just how delusional Kale really was. He’d taken a girl’s life with little hesitation. And for what? To be a hero? To be something special?

  Alec was reminded about how easy it’d been to lose touch with Kale after high school. He didn’t want to be around the guy, so he crawled back in the alcove to be with Nicole again. He brushed her light brown hair to the side. Her eyes opened dreamily and she whispered, “Hey, there.”

  He pressed his lips to hers, thankful to have her to keep him sane. “Let’s go outside. I can’t stand it in here anymore.”

  Nicole stretched and gave a luxurious yawn. “That deck did look pretty relaxing.”

  Alec smiled. “We might as well enjoy ourselves, right?” He pulled back but Nicole grabbed his arm.

  “Hey,” she said.

  “Yeah?”

  “You know if you want to talk about your brother, I—”

  “I love you.” Alec’s lips locked on hers again, cutting off her words. “Let’s go.”