An Undead Invasion

Two - Part 1

"Come on, Penny," said Steve.

He held the door open and waved her inside. They ran down the hall toward Howie's cries. He was in a room that looked like a bar. Leon and Jerry were standing over him as he sat on a counter. Steve rushed ver to them. Penny couldn't properly see Howie, and it was frustrating her. Was he turning? She knew the transition was mighty painful. Fear and devastation tangoed within her.

"No," she begged. "No, please-"

"Stay back," said Zora. She stepped in front of Penny. Her hair was short and curly for the most part. The left side was shaved. She always wore a tank top of some various color. Today she was wearing dingy white. Forest green cargo pants. Black boots. She had a tattoo of a snake that started on her hand and curled around her arm, all the way to her shoulder.

"He's my brother!" Penny shouted.

"And he could be infected," Zora argued, her eyes burned in her hardened face.

"He's not infected," Jerry said. "His shoulder has just come out of place."

Zora stood aside, giving Penny a regretful look that said, sorry, but I did what I had to do. Penny could respect that, but right now, she would look over about anything, such was the strength of her concern for her little brother.

"What do we need to do?" Penny asked, moving closer. She bounced a bit to calm Will, still strapped to her back.

Steve was staring openly at her chest. Leon kept his concern locked on the kid and Jerry met her gaze eye to eye.

"Just pop it back into place," Jerry said. "But it's going to hurt...for a moment."

Leon placed both hands around Howie's small bicep. "Breathe deep, little guy," he said.

Howie dragged in a harsh, deep breath and Leon yanked. Howie howled. Penny rushed forward and shoved Leon backward.

"What the hell, dude?" she demanded.

Leon stepped back and raised his hands as if in a wordless sorry.

Howie moved his arm timidly, as though testing it. "It's okay, Penny, look," he declared. He flapped it like a chicken. "Thanks, Leon!"

Leon grinned and shrugged.

"Th-thanks," Penny said. She hugged Howie, but continued to look at Leon.

"Welcome," he said, then he blended back in with the others, just how he liked to be. A low key kind of guy.

Penny slipped her hand from around Howie and moved down to his ankle. Gently, she tugged the bottom of his pant leg up to reveal his tender skin. A fresh blue bruise had already formed around it. There were no cuts or scrapes.

Thank God! Penny thought. She felt a weight instantly lifted. And it was time to tackle another weight.

Will didn't calm down for a while, but with help from April, Penny was able to get him and Rose playing with some old toys the older woman had rustled up from somewhere.

"I'll get some food together," April said. "You all go check out the rooms, see if there are any supplies. Howie, you'll stay and help Missy with the babes, won't you?"

Howie frowned but nodded. He seemed to regard April like a grandmother. The way he spoke to her and helped her with things reminded Penny of how he was with her granny back home. Home, she thought with a pang. It was all the way across the sea. Her father was there as well. Was it as bad there as it was here?

Someone whistled. "Hey!" It was Zora. "C'mon."

She handed Penny a large kitchen knife she must have found in the kitchen of the hotel. She was always the first to think of weapons. The knife looked clean, a good indication it hadn't been used to kill any the undead yet. It would now. That is, if Penny happened to stumble upon any. Zora walked around with her big green duffle bag, giving out various weapons and flashlights. She handed Penny a flashlight.

"I think there's a generator here somewhere," Jerry said. "I'll get to work on that."

Zora nodded. "Okay. The rest of you," she said looking at Penny, Steve, Leon, Newton and a handful of others, "slow, quiet, alert. Kill anything that moves."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Newton asked. He pushed his glasses up on his narrow nose. "There could be a healthy human hiding in here."

Zora seemed to consider it, then nodded. "Could be. They could also kill you first. Or they could kill us all while we sleep."

Newton's mouth dropped open. The possibility had either never crossed his mind, or he was surprised that Zora had been so blunt about it.

Zora gave him a serious look, but raised her voice as she spoke to the group. Pair up. All of you."

Penny saw Steve coming toward her, looking very assertive. She didn't feel good about this. She didn't really like the way he looked at her sometimes. Hoping for a way out, she looked away and saw Leon. He was standing near her quietly. Before Steve could open his mouth, she took Leon's arm.

"Partner with me?" she asked.

He grunted and nodded as if to say Why not? Steve was clearly angry, but Penny pretended not to notice his reddened face or tight lips.

"Oh, hi, Steve. I think Marla is looking for a partner," she said plastering on a smile and pointing.

Marla was standing alone near a corner. She was the kind of girl that wore flower dresses and cardigans. Not even the undead apocalypse could change her fashion style. Her dress had big purple tulips with bright green stems scattered about, however more than a few dirt and blood stains marred it. From what Penny knew, Marla had lost her new husband and her parents in the outbreak. She was the sole survivor. She looked timid, but she was tough. You had to be to make it this far. Either tough or agile like Howie. If you're like Zora, you could be both. Penny knew Marla was tough, because she'd seen the girl wipe out a number of undeads.

She could handle Steve just fine.