Zombies'n'S**t Ep. 60

Turncoat

There is a certain amount of punishment someone can take before they break down.  Some last longer than others.  Some people would say it is strength, or tenacity or something far less simple.  Others say you gotta have a spine of steel, for example.  But in reality, I think it would be fairer to say it depends on the type of punishment being dealt as well as the individual.  Both are important, see.  In this case, perhaps I should not be the one to bring this up.

Sophia gagged and I released everyone posthaste, as Sophia covered her nose and tried to keep from vomiting.  I grimaced and Carl laughed, "I guess we are a little ripe!  I can never tell."  Sophia took a minute to get control of herself and looked at us, eyes watering, "One hug, okay.  A group of you in an open room with a breeze, okay.  But three of you, in very close proximity, ripe is not the word I would have chosen!"

Kat sniggered, "Sorry, dear.  It's not really something we consider that often."  I snorted, "Why would we, we're literally rotting away every second."  Sophia straightened and gave me a more serious look, "Are you doing okay?"  I shrugged and looked down at myself, "I suppose so.  Nothing I can do about this now.  Nothing anyone can do, anymore."  Carl frowned, "Except we just proved one theory false.  So far, nothing major has happened.  That's not insignificant.  What if everything we believed was wrong?  We may actually be able to get back to our previous lives; at least in part."

I gave Carl a shrewd look, "Now, hold on a minnit.  You was the only other skeptic here.  What made you pull a 180?"  He stuck his tongue out at me, "Believe it or not, John, I'm an optimist.  I prefer to see the silver lining, it's just that most of the time, there isn't one.  You've been around this human for two days now, and only forgot about her once."

I flinched and he grimaced.  Kat stepped forward and watched me closely, "We don't need to get into it."  I looked up at her and felt my eyes harden, "No.  We do."  Carl and Kat gave each other a significant look and Sophia whispered, "Guys, we never really talked about this much.  But you mentioned his memory issues could be an indication he's going feral.  Is that what this is about?"  I had flinched again when she said the word, but nodded.

"I didn't forget this time.  They didn't forget you.  This means this issue is likely the result of my own problems.  That means I could potentially lose all of my remaining memories.  I would be a true zombie, if you will.  A mindless, hungry creature.  Feral's will eat anything, they don't distinguish friend from foe, they simple attack anything whenever.  No rhyme or reason to speak of.  The only fate worse than what we have now."

I looked at her and fought back the urge to laugh bitterly, "Remember how I told you we would be glad for death?  A proper end to all of this?  Well, that should put things into perspective for you.  The feral is a complete loss of your personality, intelligence and all the little things that make you, well, you."

Kat nodded, "Have you heard tales of some of us that don't die when the head is damaged?"  When Sophia nodded, Kat went on, "I assure you, some of those are true.  They are most likely the feral ones.  They don't act like that, they are that.  They have no interest in letting people go, they kill and eat."

Sophia shuddered, "I realize this is a touchy subject, but how do you stop them?  If you can't kill them."  Again silence filled the room.  Much to my own surprise I spoke, "We only know of a few ways to stop them." Shut the hell up, dude!  She doesn't need to know this!  Shutupshutupshutup!  "We dump them in the sewers.  A maze with no easy way out.  They can't climb the ladders and if any do find their way out, they're far away and typically don't group together.  As for the other way..."  SHADDUP!!  "We destroy them.  The only sure way we have is to chop them into little pieces and burn the remains over and over."

Kat gave me a horrified look and Carl looked furious.  Sophia saw their expressions and blanched.  Carl grabbed my shirt and angrily shook me, "What the F**K, dude!"  I let him shake me and Kat whispered, "John...why?"

I shoved Carl back and glared at both of them, "She trusted us with everything!  I think she needs to know!"  The little gibbering voice in my head became frothingly hysterical, sympathetic to their reactions.  The lousy jerk.  "She wouldn't harm us."  We looked at Sophia as one and she sat down heavily, "My god!  You guys can be destroyed."  She looked up at us, "But if your existence is so bad, why not let that happen, especially if becoming feral is worse?"

I twitched.  What, now I have a nervous tick about this, too?  Freaking bullshit.  First pianos, now feral.  Ain't life grand?

Heheee.  Get it?  Grand?  As in piano?  Eh?

.........

Bite me.

Author's Note

What the hell am I going on about?