Godead

XXXVI

The next morning, the trio awoke around noon, Abby in an unusually chipper mood as the three finished breakfast and went to the porch. The number of zombies had increased dramatically in recent days, and it was now the group's routine to keep watch from outside.

"Damn these stinking zombies! I've killed hundreds of these things over the past weeks, yet they still just keep on coming!" Abby said in annoyance, hands on her hips as she surveyed the property with the others.

"I know. There really seems to be no end to them," Claude replied.

"What did you expect? I knew seven billion was too many," Zoe said cynically.

"Tell me about it! Ah, well. At least there's no limit to how many heads I can rip off!" Abby replied. Suddenly, she perked up. "Ooh! Look! There's one, now!" she said with glee, pointing at the distance as a thin female zombie approached.

"Wow. So skinny. Must have been bulimic or something," Zoe said.

"This one's mine!" Abby exclaimed.

"Wait," Claude said. Abby paused, suddenly turning to him.

"Hmm? What is it, darling?" she asked.

"...Look closely," he said, eyeing the steadily approaching zombie.

As it edged closer, the three looked on, noticing its skin was thin and pale. As the zombie crept toward the porch, it stopped, body twitching as maggots poured out of its eye sockets.

"Bleh! Gross!" Abby said, watching in disgust.

Moments later, the zombie opened its jaw, a high pitched screech filling the air. The three covered their ears, watching as the zombie's limbs started to twitch, head flinging back as its neck tore open. In an instant, a giant millipede shot out from inside, quickly slithering its way toward the group.

As Claude and Zoe readied their guns, Abby suddenly leapt forward, jumping off the porch and onto the insect's head. Her small foot squashed the creature, killing it in an instant as it came to a stop. Abby then swiveled around, casually smiling as Claude and Zoe looked on.

"...Wow. Nice one, Abby," Claude said in surprise.

"Why thank you, baby!" she replied with a cute wink.

"What the heck was that, anyway?" Zoe asked.

"I don't know. It looks like that millipede just burst out of that zombie like it was a cocoon or something. The same thing happened to Sara several weeks ago," Claude replied, taking a closer look at the bug and the zombie.

"It's buzzing with flies and maggots, too. But then, all corpses are, I suppose...," Zoe remarked, clamping her nose shut along with the others.

"Great. So these zombies have giant bugs in them now, too? As if they weren't disgusting enough already," Abby said in annoyance.

"Yeah. It could be trouble if more show up like this, though. At least you killed it quickly. Way to go, Abby," Claude said, rubbing her head as the girl lightly blushed and smiled.

The three returned to the porch, idling away the day as they kept watch for zombies. This had become their daily routine, and it was safe to say the three had formed a bond over the weeks they'd spent with each other. Though the world around them was troubled, the three passed their days in relative peace.

A peace they'd soon want back.

As the days dragged on, Abby's behavior became more and more erratic. She'd go off at the slightest occurrence, and would often talk to herself when the others weren't looking. As she grew increasingly irritable, Claude and Zoe kept their distance, careful not to wake her as she started sleeping later and later.

One afternoon, Claude sat on a sofa in the living room, looking to a clock on the nearby wall. As Zoe left the shower, she walked down the hall, wrapped in a towel as she dried her long black hair.

"...She awake yet?" Zoe asked.

"No. It's already quarter to three, too. She's been asleep for sixteen hours, now," Claude replied worriedly. "Maybe we should check on her."

"I don't know, Claude. You know how she hates to be woken up."

"Yeah. I'm worried about her, though. She's been sleeping too much lately. I'm going to look in on her real quick," Claude said, standing up.

"I'll go with you," Zoe said, getting dressed as the two convened outside Abby's room.

Abby was staying in the room that once belonged to Michelle. It was the largest room in the house, and much of Michelle's personal effects still decorated the interior. As Claude slowly pushed the door open, Zoe held her pistol by her side, Claude briefly eyeing her from nearby.

"...Is that really necessary?" he asked.

"...Who knows? We can't be too careful," she replied.

As the two entered the room, they looked to Abby, fast asleep on the large, disheveled bed. Claude and Zoe warily approached, looking her over as she slept dead to the world. Claude quietly leaned in.

"...Abby," he whispered, getting no response. "Abby. You okay?" he continued, lightly raising his hand and nudging her shoulder.

"Abby," Zoe said quietly, also receiving no reply.

The two slowly raised their voices, trying in vain to awaken the comatose Abby. They shook her shoulders, calling her name time and again. Despite their best efforts, however, the two couldn't wake her up.

"This isn't good. I have a bad feeling about this," Zoe said.

"Yeah. Her breathing seems shallow, too," Claude said, noticing the small breaths she was taking. "Abby!" Claude exclaimed loudly. Abby remained motionless, fast asleep as Claude and Zoe looked on.

"So? What do we do?" Zoe asked. Claude shook his head and sighed.

"I don't think there's much we can do. It's not like there's a doctor we can take her to. And even if there was, who knows if they could even help her," he replied. "We should keep an eye on her. Let's bring her downstairs."

As Claude lifted Abby up, Zoe cleared a path as she held the bedroom door open. Claude carried the teenage girl downstairs, looking to Abby as she lay unconscious in his arms. As Claude carried her light, tiny frame, he smiled. Seeing her like this, it was hard to believe she was the same Abby responsible for such death and destruction. A teenage girl, five foot four and barely over ninety pounds, the same girl responsible for dozens of deaths.

As Claude lay her down on the living room couch, he looked her over, gently covering her with a small quilt. As Zoe watched him, she smiled as Claude looked to her.

"...What?" he asked, noticing her expression.

"Nothing. It's just... you'd make a great mother," she teased.

"Very funny," Claude replied. "We need to be careful from now on, though. With Abby sleeping like this, the two of us are in far more danger without her help. I'll keep watch from the porch. Do you mind staying here and keeping an eye on Abby?"

"Fine by me. Just be careful out there. If something happens, yell," Zoe said.

"Yeah. You too," Claude replied, worriedly eyeing Abby before heading to the porch.