Chapter 2: Those Left Behind VI

—People die every day, what makes him so different?

Nikolai looked angry after coming down from the rooftop. He was greeted by Jason who was standing with his arms crossed, quite serious.

—We have to prioritize our people. We can't keep bringing people like this into our shelter, Jason.

—I know, Nikolai. For a moment I thought Bobby... forgive me. We did what we had to do, the man went to a point of no return. It was him or us. We can't help people who can't help themselves. It's selfish.

Nikolai thought about what to say to Jason because he didn't expect him to say exactly what he wanted to hear.

—I'm glad we share a similar point of view. We should have another meeting. Michael, call all the council members, please. We need to discuss what happened and we also need to reassure the others. Apparently they don't believe the story that he was infected...

—Right away...

Michael left trying to find the other civilians while Nikolai and Jason went ahead to the room they designated for the meetings. There was silence between the two of them as they had nothing to talk about, at least not at that instant.

Soon the other members arrived... Ashley was accompanied by Megan, both of them had dark circles under their eyes. On the other hand and were wearing pajamas, George entered the room together with Lilly. Michael commented that Bryan would not be able to attend because he was taking care of his son Thomas.

—We need to talk about what happened with Bobby —Nikolai had taken some liquor and cigars from a display case that he had stolen from one of his trips to the mall.

—It was the same case as with the boy, Jimmy. We had no choice —Lilly tried to justify what had happened. —We can't have another girl who kills herself and comes back as a zombie, not anymore.

—There was no need to shoot him, Kalinic —Ashley expressed her displeasure. —All we did was finish the butchers' work.

—It wasn't Nikolai who shot him, it was me. —Jason raised his voice.

—What Hutch and Allen did is not our problem, what happens next ***is***. We can't keep bringing in suicidal survivors who just want to shoot themselves. Think about the girls who became our responsibility, think about them —Nikolai began to scratch his chin and looked angrily at Carter.

—Hutch Barman and Allen Human? They were the butchers at the mall... I never thought that...—Megan touched her chest and clasped her rosary in her hands. —No...

—You never seem to get to know people, Megan —Nikolai smiled, offering her a glass of vodka.

—Hutch was a lovely person... a little strange, but quite friendly and... he was the last person I talked to yesterday... if he stayed a little longer... —Megan felt a strange pain in her stomach. —If he... dear good Lord...

—I think we understand now, people who can't be with us... Should they die or be expelled? —George asked, crossing his arms and squinting at Nikolai and Jason.

—People who don't want to be part of our community should go back to the mall... although that worries me since they could simply go to other groups and tell them where we are. I wouldn't want other Raiders here, and now some really bad people have a safe place to operate quietly. We are safe here, and we have to prioritize that. I suggest that... for everyone's safety, we have the new people up on the roof for a while, and ask them questions. I am sure we can examine them up there or ask them all the necessary questions on the roof without the need to bring them into the shelter. If we see that they are suitable, then go ahead... let them come in.

—That's what I like to hear —Nikolai tapped Jason on one shoulder and shook him. —I refuse to let another Bobby in here. How are the other civilians from the butcher shop? Any news?

—The civilians are stable, Nikolai. They all seem to be aware of the current situation and, believe me... none of them want to die, especially this one guy... Danny Lennox, the one with the missing arm. They have all been through such traumatic things... but they say they have the courage to survive because they want to stay alive. They are all deeply grateful for your intervention —Lilly showed Nikolai three written reports in the hands of each civilian.

—Jason... I know this may sound a little... out of line, but I wish we could include Cindy on the committee. Apparently she has information on my friends, and can tell us where they are.

Ashley raised her hand to ask for the floor, drawing everyone's attention.

—What is the reason you are here? From what I understand you are not from Vallimorth... —Michael scratched his nose and looked suspiciously at Nikolai. —Especially you, Kalinic.

—I don't think we ever had a chance to properly introduce ourselves. We actually come from California... the reason we traveled all the way to Nevada, especially to a town as remote as Vallimorth, is because... I am a photographer and reporter. I majored in communication sciences and also in arts. I... I'm the one responsible for Jason and Nikolai getting trapped in this hellhole —Ashley looked down at the ground in sorrow. She looked serious, but still somewhat guilty for lying to them.

—What could a girl like you do to encourage two men like them to come here? I heard you came in the early morning, so that's something... suspicious —Lilly arranged her wig so it wouldn't fall off.

—I'm actually investigating the disappearance and murder of three of my friends. Doing some research with certain people... the last location of the device of one of my friends was here in Vallimorth. We were unaware of the existence of this city, so a certain air of mystery surrounded me and... I didn't want to come alone.

—Murder? Can you explain a little more? —George scratched his beard as he was interested in hearing what Ashley had to say.

—My friends were found in a shipping company warehouse, locked in barrels of acid. I had to come all the way to Nevada to recognize them because when they were identified, I was Mackenzie's emergency contact, she was suffering from epileptic seizures and she had no family, we were really close... Of the three emergency contacts, two were dead next to her and I was the only living person who could "claim" her. By the time I arrived the bodies had already been cremated, but I still had access to information regarding the nature of my friends death, which determined that there were signs of torture.

—So you did your research and came across Vallimorth... —Michael took a seat next to Ashley who nodded, embarrassed.

—My friends were after something or someone very big, and they gave their lives in the name of the truth. That's why I decided to come with Jason, Nikolai and... my boyfriend, Rocky. We were planning to do our own investigation, I wanted to find clues that would lead me to their whereabouts, their last steps... that's why I need Cindy to come and tell us everything she knows. Maybe... maybe with this information we will know what happened in this city and why the dead come back to life.

—If we get that information maybe we could understand the dead... —Lilly was thinking about the possibilities of being able to further prepare her people and make them understand the nature of the zombies. —If in any way your friends' decease and the outbreak have something in common.

—Michael, please get Cindy. If what Ashley says is true, maybe we could start doing something productive with our time.

—Right away.

Michael walked out of the room, leaving the rest of the committee members thinking.

—I think we have been too ignorant with something that has happened under our noses... we have to examine the dead, one way or another, we have to do it to prepare ourselves to create tactics that will help us understand them —George took one of those logs and started to write down what he knew about them so far.

—Are you suggesting we should kidnap a dead man? If we had known we would have used Bobby... —Nikolai laughed.

—I wouldn't want to do this now that it's late afternoon. I think it would be better if we started our investigations early tomorrow morning. —George remembered how susceptible to sound those creatures were, and he made a note of that, too.