Dead Sea

    I jumped up. "Remember when the dead first started coming back to life? There were cross-species jumps. Well, that's happened again. Hamelin's Re venge has spread to the fish. It's in the rucking ocean now. The tuna was already dead. We just didn't realize it. Remember that sore on its tail? We thought it was some kind of fungus or parasite, but you were right. You said it was a bite, Mitch. We should have listened to you. We should have paid attention, especially after all we've seen. Horses were supposed to be immune, but the other day, the chief said he'd seen a zombie horse. It can jump species. We should have lucking thought.'"

    "Lamar." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Get a… grip on yourself, man. You're hysterical, and that's not… going to help us… right now."

    "Lamar," Tasha pleaded. "You're scaring Malik. Please help."

    "Sorry." I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, guys. It's just not fair."

    "No," Mitch said. "It's not. But it happened anyway, and we can't… change that. Right now, we need to stop it before anyone else gets… killed. Please, Lamar-while I can still think and move?"

    "Okay." I forced myself to calm down.

    Mitch smiled. "You keep… asking everyone why we fight to survive when… it all seems so hopeless. Why we continue to go on? This is why. Because you're a hero… and that's what heroes do. They rise to the… occasion."

    I nodded, unable to speak around the lump in my throat.

    "What are we gonna do now?" Malik asked, running his fingers over the grenades.

    Mitch struggled to sit up farther. "Well, the first thing is that… you're not to use those grenades. Set it off in the wrong spot and you'll… sink this boat. They are a last resort, and I'm going to keep them… on me."

    "Well then what the hell am I gonna use? I need something, too. I want to blow stuff up again."

    "We'll find something for you. For now, reach into my locker and pull out that big bayonet."

    "Man, I don't want no stupid knife. Give that to Tasha."

    "I've already got his pocketknife," Tasha said.

    "Malik," Mitch groaned. "Don't… argue with me."

    Sulking, Malik did as he was told. His attitude changed when he saw the size of the bayonet- military-issue and nearly twelve inches long. It looked very sharp. Until now, I hadn't even known Mitch had it.

    "Now, that's a knife," Malik said, his demeanor changed.

    Mitch grinned. "We cool now?"

    "Hell, yeah!"

    "Good. Now, Lamar, slide me the… weapons and the ammo. Tasha, go listen at the door… and tell us what you hear."

    While he checked and loaded the guns-carefully, so as not to bleed on them-Tasha crept to the hatch and listened. Her upper lip quivered with fear, and her eyes were wide.

    "Miss Joan is still out there," she whispered. "1 can hear her scratching on the door. Sounds like when our teacher at school, Ms. Price, used to run her fingers down the chalkboard. And there's a banging noise too, but it sounds far away."

    Mitch slid bullets into the pistol's magazine. "No screams or gunshots?"

    Tasha shook her head.

    "How about… Carol? Do you hear her?"

    "No."

    "Good. That means… she listened to Lamar and is still inside her compartment. Okay, Joan is infected… so we have to assume that Alicia is, as well. That means there are at least… four zombies onboard."

    "Four?" I was confused. "There's Joan, Professor Williams, and maybe Alicia."

    "Right."

    "So then who's the fourth?"

    "Basil. He had the… tuna's blood on him, too."

    "Shit. I'd forgotten about that. But if he didn't have an open cut and didn't get it in his mouth, he might be okay."

    "Maybe, but we have to… assume he's one of them… now."

    Carol called out and we yelled back, telling her to stay inside.

    "The professor and Basil are probably mobile," Mitch continued. "They died from the disease, rather than from… an actual attack by an infected corpse. Alicia's the wild card. Maybe they… tore her to pieces, or maybe… she's still mobile, too."

    "Or maybe she got away from them," Malik offered. "Maybe she made it up to the bridge and warned the chief."

    I could tell from the expression on his face that Mitch's pain was growing worse, and when he spoke again, we heard it in his voice.

    "I hope… that you're right. But… we've got to assume… o-otherwise. So… here's the p-plan. We're going to… open that d-door, take care of Joan, and then… s-search the ship… Let me go into the passageway f-first… I'm already infected, so I s-should be… on point. Once we're sure the… passageway is clear, we'll… w-work our way f-forward… Lamar, if we get separated… we'll meet back here. K-kids, once we're g-gone, I want you to… s-shut the hatch behind us and don't open it f-for… anybody."

    "Screw that," Tasha yelled. "We ain't staying behind. We're going with you. Look at you-you can barely talk at this point."

    "Yeah," Malik said, moving to her side. "Ya'll are gonna need our help."

    Groaning, Mitch stumbled to his feet. "It's n-not… open f-for… debate. Now Tasha, come… here and let me… t-teach you how to use this… r-rifle. When you f-fire it, it'll… knock you… over if you're n-not… careful."