a big unrest in the population and it was the first and only time Maddix had to deal with a problem directly. The brief conversation the two men had had been enough for Maddix to understand the real depth to the man's evil. The human race was nothing short of a work in progress and Dr. Deryck Himmelreich considered himself a chief architect. Aside from his brilliantly diabolical mind, there was nothing supernatural about the man at all. How he came to become a resident of Malevolent instead of being executed as a war criminal was a mystery to everyone.
"Zombies," said Maddix.
Tara and Ephrain both looked at each other, confused.
"You said the wasp turns cockroaches into zombies?"
"Oh yeah, says it right here. Injects venom into the brain."
"Breakfast is over," Maddix stated. "We need to look at those bodies before the constables burn them,"
After the arrival of the zombie population to Malevolent, there also came a new set of guidelines involving possible infection from being bitten. One of the more unpleasant of these guidelines was the burning of all bodies exposed to the infected. It was supposed to be handled on a volunteer basis, but all that meant most of the time was the chief 'volunteered' people for assignments. Larouche did not consider the constables to be a democracy or civilian security force. It was paramilitary from his perspective and he would be the final word on everything.
The main strip ran along the southern part of Malevolent and ended just a few miles shy of the eastern edge. Kept in a secluded area out of sight of the town was the makeshift crematorium made out of rock and some rusted metal. It was crude but practical and got the job done. The few constables that were still there from when it was built spoke of how much of a pain in the ass it was to put together. They had tried to get some help from the residents, but the idea of helping their jailers build something to potentially burn their families with was not something they were keen on.
The weather was hot that morning and the flames from the fire didn't help matters much. Rick and Jackson practically begged Larouche to pick someone else, but the chief was not someone who second-guessed or pulled favors. When he gave someone a command, they followed it or faced repercussions, and Javier was really good at coming up with punishments that made you think twice.
"Feels kind of wrong, doesn't it? Just burning his body like this," said Rick
"Maybe, but it's the rules. We don't know if he's contagious still," Jackson replied.
"I just wish there was another way, you know?"
"Yep. But fuck it. At least we get to burn one of those furry fucks."
"Yeah," he laughed. "If this damn fire will start to burn."
When Maddix and company arrived, they could see two bodies were wrapped up in white sheets and laying in a small wagon. They were piled on top of each other and spilling out over either side. No respect for the dead, Maddix thought.
"Hey fellas," Maddix called.
"Christ," said Jackson. "What the hell you want, Benbrook? We're busy laying our friend to rest."
"I see that. Larouche spared no expense for the service, did he?"
"Watch it, Overseer."
"We don't have time for this. I need to inspect the bodies before you dispose of them."
Tara and Ephrain were already taking the two bodies from the wagon and laying them next to each other on the ground. Ephrain removed the covering from their faces. It was almost hard to tell the zombie from the bitten constable by now. The infection continued to decay the body even after the brain was destroyed. The dead constable was still dressed in his uniform, sans his protective badge.
"Hey now! You can't do that!"
"Thanks for your help." Maddix patted the two men on the back and joined his friends by the bodies.
The two overseers looked over every inch of the two bodies, occasionally breaking a bone trying to move the limbs where rigor mortis had set in. The smell was strong and got
"Zombies," said Maddix.
Tara and Ephrain both looked at each other, confused.
"You said the wasp turns cockroaches into zombies?"
"Oh yeah, says it right here. Injects venom into the brain."
"Breakfast is over," Maddix stated. "We need to look at those bodies before the constables burn them,"
After the arrival of the zombie population to Malevolent, there also came a new set of guidelines involving possible infection from being bitten. One of the more unpleasant of these guidelines was the burning of all bodies exposed to the infected. It was supposed to be handled on a volunteer basis, but all that meant most of the time was the chief 'volunteered' people for assignments. Larouche did not consider the constables to be a democracy or civilian security force. It was paramilitary from his perspective and he would be the final word on everything.
The main strip ran along the southern part of Malevolent and ended just a few miles shy of the eastern edge. Kept in a secluded area out of sight of the town was the makeshift crematorium made out of rock and some rusted metal. It was crude but practical and got the job done. The few constables that were still there from when it was built spoke of how much of a pain in the ass it was to put together. They had tried to get some help from the residents, but the idea of helping their jailers build something to potentially burn their families with was not something they were keen on.
The weather was hot that morning and the flames from the fire didn't help matters much. Rick and Jackson practically begged Larouche to pick someone else, but the chief was not someone who second-guessed or pulled favors. When he gave someone a command, they followed it or faced repercussions, and Javier was really good at coming up with punishments that made you think twice.
"Feels kind of wrong, doesn't it? Just burning his body like this," said Rick
"Maybe, but it's the rules. We don't know if he's contagious still," Jackson replied.
"I just wish there was another way, you know?"
"Yep. But fuck it. At least we get to burn one of those furry fucks."
"Yeah," he laughed. "If this damn fire will start to burn."
When Maddix and company arrived, they could see two bodies were wrapped up in white sheets and laying in a small wagon. They were piled on top of each other and spilling out over either side. No respect for the dead, Maddix thought.
"Hey fellas," Maddix called.
"Christ," said Jackson. "What the hell you want, Benbrook? We're busy laying our friend to rest."
"I see that. Larouche spared no expense for the service, did he?"
"Watch it, Overseer."
"We don't have time for this. I need to inspect the bodies before you dispose of them."
Tara and Ephrain were already taking the two bodies from the wagon and laying them next to each other on the ground. Ephrain removed the covering from their faces. It was almost hard to tell the zombie from the bitten constable by now. The infection continued to decay the body even after the brain was destroyed. The dead constable was still dressed in his uniform, sans his protective badge.
"Hey now! You can't do that!"
"Thanks for your help." Maddix patted the two men on the back and joined his friends by the bodies.
The two overseers looked over every inch of the two bodies, occasionally breaking a bone trying to move the limbs where rigor mortis had set in. The smell was strong and got
Similar Books
