Better off Undead

Chapter 35: The Gathering of Six

"Thank you all for being here."

Marshall coughed and cleared his throat, suddenly feeling rather stupid for saying that. Of course they were there. Where else would they be? There were not exactly that many places they could have been otherwise. After leaving the basement he had asked everyone to gather together in the dining hall for an important announcement. Now he stood on a table in front of the whole group, twenty-eight pairs of eyes trained on him.

All in all, he felt he had done well. Most gathered here could tell stories of all they had lost since the outbreak: of the death of family and friends, of entire groups they had been with that all got cut down, of the nightmare of constant disease and death that had been merely a few weeks of being in the zombie apocalypse. But he had managed to save all these people, to keep them together, and to unite them together in the common goal of survival.

And now he was asking them to leave.

"I have a story to tell," he continued, "and it is bizarre, it is unbelievable, and it is maybe even somewhat terrifying. But you all need to hear this. It is important. I only ask that you refrain from interrupting or asking questions until I have told the entire story."

Marshall took a deep, steadying breath, and then launched into the story.

He started with the vampire that kidnapped them, explaining how it talked, and what its plans were. He continued to the night where they saw the zombie progression, including Eli's theory about the vampire's ability to control the zombies. He did not use the word "vampire," however, until he got to describing what they learned in the basement. Once he did, he tied everything together and ended by explaining Eli's plan to leave.

"Now, I'm not saying anyone should go," he was quick to add. "In fact, I agree with Amber that the whole idea is preposterous and stupid. But then again, as much as I hate to admit it, Eli hasn't really been wrong about anything. Maybe he's just grasping at straws, but can we really take the chance of not believing him when the alternative could mean an end to this nightmare? So if anyone wants to go with Eli, you have my blessing.

"Alternatively, whether Eli is right or wrong, whether he succeeds or fails, I think it would be foolish to abandon what we're doing here. So I'd like to ask most of you to stay here. I'm sure, given everything, most of you would anyway. But I just want to emphasize, especially for those of you considering leaving, just how important it is to stay here and keep working."

He paused and motioned toward Paul. "Paul is also working on a cure. This one doesn't come from fiction and mythology, but from actual, honest to God science. He said it might not cure the already dead, but it might prevent anyone else from turning. And that has to count for something. That has to be worth protecting. By staying here, you give us a chance to help him complete that cure. You give him the chance to continue his research and maybe in doing so save what is left of the world and give people a chance to fight back they wouldn't otherwise have.

"I can't help but feel that Eli's plan is nothing more than a suicide mission, but I am not in charge of any of you. You are all free to make up your own minds and go your own path. We will do everything we can to ensure that anyone who remains is as safe as can be. I can make no such promises for those who choose to go with Eli."

Marshall fell silent and waited for anyone to respond. He was met with only silence. "That is all," he added.

As if everyone had been waiting for that queue, the room suddenly came alive with voices. Everyone began talking at once and attempting to shout over each other. Marshall raised his arms and waved them downwards, trying to motion for quiet. "Please!" He called over the din. "Please! One at a time!"