Marionette Read online

  Marionette

  A Zombie Series

  S.B. Poe

  Copyright © 2018 S.B. Poe

  DEDICATION

  To My Wife. For My Kids.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  It would be wrong not to acknowledge all the people in my life who helped me throughout this journey

  When the Black Death hit it decimated nearly a fourth of all mankind. They were sure it was the end times. They were wrong but while it was happening, when people were dying all around and cries for help went unanswered, they had only one word for it, Apocalypse.

  ***

  “AP Report: The outbreak of rabies in Madagascar has spread to Africa. This current outbreak was recognized by the World Health Organization just 48 hours ago. The rapid spread of this outbreak has prompted US State Department officials to impose a strict NO/FLY policy for US citizens intending on traveling to or from Africa, Australia and Madagascar. The State Department letter says this restriction is temporary and that airlines will hopefully work with customers to reschedule flights. US Citizens within affected areas are advised to reach out to there nearest consulate with any questions.”

  ***

  1

  Whispers

  The weather was starting out just fine. A cold snap was rolling through at midday and the winds were picking up. The temps were already falling and JW Toles was looking forward to the afternoon. He was headed to his little 180/acre piece of Alabama timberland. Complete isolation. JW likes to have that at times. Kate, his wife, knows that and it’s why she encouraged him to buy the land in the middle of nowhere. The boys enjoy it during hunting season but this wasn’t hunting season, so he would be alone. JW had spent about ten years in the Army on the shiny part of the spear before he had to quit. Kate knew why he needed to be alone sometimes. She knew he was a really good man with some really bad demons. He never drank, rarely yelled, never hit, never abused but he was hard. He was not diplomatic. It made for awkward social interactions so he didn’t interact socially. Kate made excuses early in their marriage but as time wore on she would just say,

  “JW doesn’t get out much” and leave it at that.

  For his part, JW knew it made things hard for Kate and that is why he agreed to go to the VA. He found a pretty good doc who helped. He was a mostly normal dad at his kids’ soccer games when they were younger and as they went into high school he went to their football games and baseball games. Most dads went to practice too but JW didn’t enjoy standing around and talking. Well, mainly talking.

  But today wasn’t about any of that, today was about being alone and JW was excited. It was fall break and Kate, being a teacher, was out of school. Josh and Scott, being a junior and freshman respectively, were out too. Josh was going to leave tomorrow to head to a friends house on the lake for a few days and Scott and Kate were going to spend the week pulling out all the Christmas boxes including the lights that JW would be stringing up around the house in a few weeks. Everybody had his or her plans.

  They were having an early lunch. Josh was filling his backpack with Vienna sausage cans and long john underwear. He had his sleeping bag and fishing gear. Kate was mainly looking forward to having the house mostly empty. Kate enjoyed reading in quiet, which was rare with a house full of boys (JW included, she would joke).

  “Hey Dad”, Scott called from his room, “Can you come in here for a sec?”

  JW walked into Scott’s room. He was leaned back in an ergonomic computer chair in front of what looked to JW like some kind of multiscreen CIA spying display. Scott’s workstation was slightly impressive. Scott was a gamer. He liked coding and met some game creators online. He helped beta test games for them. He didn’t make much money doing it but they paid for all his gear and his Internet bill. Kate didn’t really love it but JW convinced her that if Scott could find a way to make a living playing video games, more power to him.

  “ Have you been watching this stuff out of Madagascar and the rabies thing?” Scott asked.

  “Not really, just heard some stuff on the news, sounds bad but they have dealt with this kind of stuff there for a while with plague outbreaks.”

  “Not this kind, Dad. Look”

  Scott pulled up a YouTube video and hit play. A cellphone video started playing. There was crowd of people walking down the street. Not marching, or chanting or holding signs but just walking all together. The video is shot over the shoulders of soldiers or policemen; they are pointing rifles at the crowd. They open fire and the first lines of people go down. They fire again and most of the rest hit the ground.

  “Watch this” Scott says.

  They all start to get up. Each one stands and starts shuffling towards the camera again. The police fire again. This is repeated at least two more times before the cameraman and the police break off running.

  Scott opened another video; this one is of a man standing on a dirt street in Africa. He is walking in the same aimless gait as the crowd in the other video. It looks like some kind of aid camp because you can see a white tent with a red cross on the hill. The person filming is speaking English.

  “This man died less than one hour ago. I saw him die. He came back and attacked a nurse. This is real. We need help.” The video ends.

  “If you have to say it’s real, it probably isn’t.” JW smirked

  “ No Dad, I think this may be bad.”

  “It’s bad Scott, but this isn’t real. You know that. Rabies doesn’t do this. I am sure there are some incidents of attacks but that (pointing at the monitor) isn’t what rabies does. Ok?”

  “Not really” Scott says as he turns back towards the large screen in the middle.

  JW walked back into the living room with a little smile on his face.

  “What is that look for?” asked Kate

  “Oh nothing, Scott just thinks zombie’s are on the loose”

  “Is that all?” Kate smiled.

  Scott was incredibly smart. He thought about things in ways that made JW and Kate wonder if he made more sense than they were capable of understanding. JW said he thought logistically. He planned ahead. That was what made him a good game tester. He knew if getting from point A to point B made sense in the game and if it was worth the effort. But zombies? Kate smiled again.

  JW went out to his truck to make sure everything was ready to go. He had packed for a few days of camping. He always carried his pistol and on this trip he was carrying his little civilian version M4 style rifle so he could maybe shoot some wild hogs. They had recently been seen in the area and JW had read an article about how this rifle was almost perfect for pig hunting because it just was. So JW, not really needing an excuse but wanting to have one, used that as justification to buy one. He loved it. It felt familiar. Anyway he was looking forward to the week ahead.

  Kate had picked out three books to read and Josh was completely ready to get going, although he would have to wait till tomorrow because his buddy had to work today. He was going to spend the day relining his fishing reels. Kate also planned to take advantage of Josh and have him help bring everything down, so after he leaves she can just kick back and relax.

  JW came through the kitchen door just as Kate was informing Josh of his coming servitude. Josh didn’t seem surprised.

  “Well, guess I’ll be heading out” JW said.

  “Well, guess you need to give us a hug” Kate replied. He did

  JW went out to his truck and turned the key. He pulled out of the driveway and looked back through the rearview mirror. He caught Kate, Josh and Scott all standing in the big bay window of the kitchen waving at him.

  “Wish I could take a picture” JW thought as his eyes returned towards the street in front of him.

  In 76 miles, over one river and one lake and around a whole bunch of bends in the ro
ad and one 2.5 miles drive down a old dirt road he would be alone. He turned on the radio to his favorite station. It was talk radio and news. No music. Music put him in moods. Sometimes good moods, sometimes bad, so no music.

  All the way there he listened to the news. Between coverage of the latest political crises there was Madagascar. The virus had hit epidemic levels and the government was having difficulty responding. The UN and WHO had declared an emergency and the US was teaming with Britain to send a couple thousand troops to help with security. JW couldn’t help but keep thinking about Scott’s videos. He smiled as he turned down the dirt road. He stopped. He always stopped at this spot. The creek he stopped over marked the southern boundary of his property and he had spent a tiny fortune putting this bridge and road in. The gate was just across the bridge. JW liked to stop on the bridge. He looked at the creek running below and smiled. He moved on. He pulled up to the gate. He got out, unlocked it and drove the truck through. He got out again and locked it behind him.

  ***

  “The disease that has been ravaging Madagascar and Africa has spread to Europe and there are possible reports of cases in the West Coast, more to follow”

  ***

  The radio played as he drove towards the wide spot that served as his campground. Another 1/4 mile. His phone rang.

  “Hey honey” It was Kate “Just wanted to let you know we got all the lights down and they went straight into the trash. Only one strand lit up and we couldn’t trace anything out”

  “Ok, kind of a random reason to call, but Ok” JW said

  “Well, also, I have been watching TV and talking to Scott”

  “Oh this is gonna be good”

  “Stop it, John, I am more than a little nervous and now they say it has reached the US”

  “Yeah, I just heard that too. What do you want me to do?”

  “I want you to stop your truck before you get too far out for cell service and start calling anyone you know from your army days or your dad’s army days and find out what the hell is going on. I want you to do that right now and I want you to have an answer to me as quickly as you can. And I want you to consider coming home.” Kate’s voice rising through the phone.

  “Slow down, let me stop and” a deer crossed the road and JW slammed on the brakes, phone flying out of his hand and straight against the windshield.

  “Shit” reaching for the phone. ‘Hey, you still there”

  “Yes, what the hell just happened?”

  “A damn deer run across the road. I’m fine. Did you say you wanted me to come home?”

  “Yes”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes”

  “Let me call you back, I will stop and call a guy or two who may know something and call you back”

  “Ok, hurry” Kate said

  “Love you bye” and JW hung up the phone. He opened his contacts and found Bridger Preston. Bridger had eaten the same dirt as JW in the Army and had parlayed that into a part time analyst role on a major news network. He and JW had been tight but not in a while. They still exchanged phone numbers and Christmas cards. He called the number.

  “ Hey, JW, is that you?”

  “Yeah, it’s me Bridge. How you doing?’

  “Ok under the circumstances”

  “What does that mean Bridger?”

  “Well first of all my damn spot today got pushed to 5 am tomorrow, because of the damn news reports of this virus thing hitting the West Coast. It’s fake news and the government is about to make a formal statement on that and they are also going to tell folks that this is completely overblown”

  “And is it?” JW asked

  “I don’t know. Right now I am buying a couple of cans of beans to ride it out.” Bridger said half jokingly

  “But the virus, I have seen some videos”

  “Yeah I saw em too. Don’t know what to make of them. I mean come on. That looks like a zombie movie.”

  “That’s what my youngest said just a few hours ago.”

  “Well, I can’t argue with him. The only question is, was it real?”

  “Was it?” JW asked

  “JW, are you asking me if there are zombies in Madagascar?”

  He could hear the smirk on the other end of the phone.

  “Alright, I get ya. Be safe and thanks.”

  “Don’t get bit” JW could hear Bridger’s laugh even after he hung up the phone.

  JW sat there processing what he had just been told. His buddy was as skeptical as he was but it was becoming more and more apparent that this virus might become a problem. Ok, that is not unreasonable. The next step, reanimated corpses, was unreasonable. And reason wins.

  “Hey honey, I just got off the phone with Bridger Preston.”

  “And?”

  “Well he says the virus has not spread to the US and the government is about to say that and that the government will also say that everything is under control.”

  “We’re screwed”

  “KATE, I’m shocked”

  “Yeah right, anyway, what did Bridger say?”

  “He said it’s a virus, they spread, we find a cure or something, life goes on. I know you said you wanted me to come home, and I will but I am going to go ahead and stay up here tonight. I won’t make camp, I’ll just build a fire and sleep in the bed of the truck.”

  “What about Josh leaving tomorrow?” she asked

  “Let me sleep on it. I’ll keep my phone charged with the truck and keep tabs on the news but you can try and have him stay home.”

  “What do you mean try, I will just tell him,” Kate sounded exasperated

  “He’s seventeen and even if you tell him you can’t physically make him. Catching flies requires honey”

  “Who the hell would want to catch a fly?” Kate said

  They said their goodnights and JW assured Kate he would be home before noon. He parked and plugged his phone into to the truck. He kept the key in the radio position to give juice to his phone and he turned up the volume to hear the news. He got out in the wide spot of the road and started to build a campfire. He had brought along several larger logs that he had chopped and stacked for these occasions last spring. He had enough for the week. He needed all the little stuff to get the fire going and the woods can provide plenty. He had gathered an armful and was turning to head back when he lost his footing. He had managed to step right into a small rodent hole that he hadn’t seen and it was just enough that when he turned his weight shifted the wrong way and he fell. He was laughing at himself on the way down, right until the moment his head made contact with the rock he also hadn’t seen.

  ***

  “Reports of virus outbreak in US were in error. US government spokesman says the virus is being monitored. The spokesman also says the US government is confident in its abilities to combat this through educational efforts and expects the general public to understand the mild threat and to take appropriate precautions should that become necessary”

  ***

  The news played through the entire night across the wide spot on the road. JW slept.

  When JW finally woke it was quiet. And dark. He looked at his watch. 4:15. He assumed it was morning. Damn his head hurt. And he was cold. And dressed.

  “What the hell happened?” he thought.

  Then he started to remember. He remembered tripping. He remembered gathering wood. It was like his memory was coming back in pieces. Then he remembered his conversation with Kate.

  Kate, oh shit. He thought

  He stumbled towards the truck and reached up to touch what was causing his head to hurt and he saw the blood on his hand. Not much but definitely blood. He wondered if he had a concussion. He didn’t feel sick but he was a little wobbly. When he got to the truck he opened the door expecting to hear the bong bong bong of the door chime but instead only silence. He saw his phone with the charger cable attached and realized the radio was no longer playing.

  “Great” he thought, knowing a dead battery m
eant he would have to get someone to come rescue him.

  He hated that. He picked up the phone to call his family and realized it was still 4:30 in the morning. He could wait. Instead he opened up his newsfeed and started reading about Madagascar.

  2

  Morning

  Kate was lying awake. She had drifted off for a little while, nervously. Now she was awake again and the clock said 4:20 so she knew she hadn’t slept much. She turned the TV back on and saw test bars. She panicked a little, and realized it was local and flipped the channel to national news. Madagascar.

  ***

  “AP sources are reporting widespread power outages throughout Australia and Eastern Africa. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are reporting cases of the rabies virus, now being dubbed the Marionette virus. Reports of multiple attacks by mobs of infected wreaking havoc throughout some parts of Madagascar have yet to be confirmed. US officials are monitoring the situation and as of now there are still no confirmed reports of the Marionette virus in the US despite earlier reports from West Coast news sources. Those sources have not been able to confirm any treatment at any hospitals. We will continue to monitor the situation. In other news, President Wilson canceled a planned trip to Texas and instead will fly to Camp David to start a long holiday weekend.”

  ***

  Kate relaxed a little. After listening to Scott last night and watching his “news” videos she had expected to awaken to the trumpets sounding and some kind of dragon thing crawling out of the ocean with a tattoo of some numbers on its head or hand. The details on that part had escaped her apparently. But presidents don’t go on long weekend trips if the end times are upon us. Or do they. She was pretty sure they didn’t so she felt a bit more relaxed. She climbed out of bed and made her way into the bathroom to do her morning business. She walked into the kitchen and flipped on her single serve coffee maker. It always took it a minute to warm up so she picked up her phone to check her e-mail. 47 new messages. As she was performing the ritual of cleaning out her inbox one of the subjects caught her eye. “Family Preparedness Plan” She opened it up. It was some kind of survival/canning device as best she could tell. It looked like a camo pressure cooker and Kate giggled a little. She was pretty sure that if things got so bad that you needed to camouflage your kitchen ware, there wasn’t any coming back.