A Rational Zombie

Chapter 67

Theres a hole in my stomach. Actually, I think there are two. They remind me of something. Hey, do you twoit hurts to speakremember that story.

Bern.

The one about the soldier. Its hard to keep my eyes open. I swear Im widening them as much as I can, but the edges of my vision keep getting darker. Im dying, arent I? That one soldier in the American Civil War.

Which soldier?

My bodys heavy. I think Vlads applying pressure to my stomach. I dont think thatll work. The hole is two ways, through the front and back.

Which soldier, Bern? Stay with us.

The soldier? Right, the soldier. The one with the hole in his stomach. About digestion. There was a doctor; he tied meat to a string, lowered it into the hole, found out about digestion that way.

I think I heard about it.

Do you remember if he survived? It doesnt seem likely. The poor guy was used as an experiment on his deathbed. At least he contributed to society upon his death.

He lived, Bern.

Did he? Are you sure?

Yes. He absolutely survived.

Youre saying that to make me feel better, arent you? How can someone survive with a hole in their stomach? Itd leak stomach acid into places stomach acid shouldnt be. Not to mention the internal bleeding or the problems with digestion. He was on a battlefield, wasnt he? The risk of infection with a gaping wound in an unsterile environment.

Nothing that couldnt be washed away with a little bit of vodka.

Its bright. Did Vlad lift my visor? My eyes are open, but I cant see. Something cold, metallic, touched my lips. A cold liquid entered my mouth. But it burned when I swallowed. It tasted familiar too. I drank a lot of this when my wife divorced me. I wonder how shes doing. Did she survive the initial outbreak?

Dont you wash the wound with alcohol?

Thats Perry. Just a second ago, he was standing. I think the smart infected was shooting at us. Did Perry give it more arrows?

Im washing the insides too. Itll numb the pain, dont you think?

If it doesnt leak out of him. Pass me that? An arrow grazed my hand, tore my glove too.

Theres rubbing alcohol in the kit.

The cold sensation disappeared from my lips. I drank a lot. It seemed like a lot, at least. My stomach burns. It usually burns after drinking, but its different this time. I think the vodkas seeping out of the hole in the back, into the ground. That soldier, was there only one hole?

One, two, it doesnt matter. Youre going to make it, Bern.

How old was he, do you know? How old am I? Birthdays dont really matter once youre older than forty. But I have to be at least sixty. Maybe sixty-five. What year is it? I doubt anyone still knows with the outbreak and all. Younger people are sturdier. Us old folk, we fall down once and our hips break.

I, I think theres a problem. Something splashed on my hand. Perry?

Other than the obvious one in front of us? My stomach felt heavy again. Vlad was using both hands to apply pressure. But my wound isnt one thatll stop bleeding by adding pressure. If the hole were anywhere else, itd work. Blood clots form in tight spaces, stopping the bleeding, but the stomachs a cavern. Blood wont clot there; the bleeding wont stop.

The arrow I used to kill what I thought was the smart infected, I, I think thats the one that scratched my hand. Washing it with alcohol shouldve saved me, right? Right?

Theres an axe in my bag.

An axe?

Your hand or your life. Pick one.

The pressure disappeared again. Something hit the ground beside me. I think it was Vlads axe. Was Perry going to cut his hand off? Why did this happen?

Abundance of misinformation. We didnt have anyone scout ahead. It was the caltrops at the start. If Brett had watched where he was going, he wouldnt have stepped on one and shouted. The smart infected wouldnt have shot at us.

D-do I really have to do this?

If you want, I can cut it off for you. The longer you wait, the lower the chance itll work. The infection might be traveling through your bloodstream right now.

Thats not what I meant. I know why we failed. It was my fault. If only I hadnt been so eager to hunt down that infected. I meant why did the infection happen? Why did it spread? The world, why did it end?

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. Revelation 15:1.

I didnt know you were religious, Vlad.

Im not. Someone was shouting that at the start of the outbreak. Are you cutting your hand off or not?

With only one hand, do you think Ill be able to live from now on? In this kind of world?

If the arrow was infected like you thought, youre certainly not going to live even with both hands.

The smart infected did it. Its still alive. Look at it, it put us in such a shitty situation, theres no way its not sentient.

So, what? You want to become like it? A monster that eats humans?

Who says infected have to eat humans? If I die and retain my sanity, I wont eat humans. Ill hunt and eat animals like a normal person.

How many infected have you seen? Hundreds? Thousands? Now, among those, how many were smart? One. And you think that could be you?

My, my mom always said I was a bright kid.

I bet your mother called you handsome too, but have you seen yourself in a mirror?

Thats asshole.

Dont me for right.

Their voices are fading. I cant see anymore, not even the unidentifiable brightness. Its dark. Im cold. Its the only thing I feel. Is this what Brett meant? He said he was cold, didnt he? Like frost traveling up my limbs, stealing my warmth, stealing all sensations. Wasnt my life supposed to flash before my eyes? Instead, theres just nothing.