Second {Z Nation}

Chapter 18

Season 2, Episode 9 [RoZwell]

(By now you know the drill, descriptions of sign language will be in brackets, skip them if you wish)

     We drive through the desert, the sky pitch black and dotted with small light pricks. We found a sandy coloured, roofless Jeep shortly after our car died and now we cruise along in it. Warren is driving with Vasquez in the passenger seat, Addy and Doc sit in the back seats with Murphy between them. 10k and I hang in the back of the vehicle he stands and faces the road ahead while I sit with my knees close to my chest as I watch the road behind us. Music plays from the stereo system of the car; Warren found a tape labelled 'Super Sweet Mix' and she put it in- it's not actually that bad, mostly classic rock which is what I grew up with, my dad loved Bon Jovi and Led Zepplin. I try not to think about him or my mom too much. The volume of the music increases a bit and I close my tired eyes, resting my chin on my knees.

     "We need to get off the road," Vasquez advises Warren.

     "I don't like being so far into Zero's territory, but I guess we really don't have a choice," she sighs.

     Just as the lyrics of a folk-style song start to kick in, it cuts out and comes back on for a second before cutting out again and coming back on a second later. I open my eyes and lift my chin, looking up at 10k with a confused expression, he shrugs (before bringing an open hand down into a fist.) 'Old?' I nod (before spreading my palms to the sky, motioning one up as the other goes down- I do this action twice;) 'maybe.' 

     "Wait," I hear Murphy say and I turn to the man who sits up, ahead of him there's what looks to be the sliced up body of a Z lying to the side of the road.

     "What the hell?" I ask as we near it.

     "What is that?" He asks.

     "It's a chopped up body," I say to no one in particular.

     10k shines a flashlight on the body, it is, in fact, a Z- its legs have been severed from his hips which have been severed from his chest. The Z is trying to sit up, swinging its arms towards us as it gnashes its teeth and growls.  

     "That is a new one," Addy comments as we drive by slowly.

     "Well, I want whatever did that," 10k says in awe, a dorky smile blooming on his lips.

     "Like some kind of a Samurai surgeon," Doc adds.

     "Some things you just can't unsee," Addy sighs.

     "Tell me about it," I mutter, flashes of golden, broken eyes draining to be coffee coloured, empty ones, dance tauntingly in my head.

     10k draws a handgun and Addy ducks, plugging her ears as he takes the Z out. "4234," 10k counts as he stashes the gun away. "And a third."

     "Take the whole kill, you deserve it, kid," Doc tells him.

     "Thirty-five," 10k corrects himself proudly as we continue to cruise along. "You know they used to find mutilated cattle out here, back pre-Z," he informs us.

     "Mutilated cattle?" Warren repeats. "Like X-files mutilated cattle?"

     "Yeah, my uncle knew all about it. Aliens did it."

     "Have you been smoking my Z weed?" Doc asks jokingly.

     "No," 10k informs him a little suspiciously.

     "Ah come on Doc, give him a break- you'd have said the same thing five years ago if someone told you zombies were real," I defend him.

     "I'm just saying- maybe he better start," Doc jokes.