Free The Zom Diary by Eddie Austin Page B

Not too stale.  This stuff doesn’t come cheap, but you only live once.  One of life’s indulgences, right?”
         I chuckle, “Whatever.  Get it going.  I’ll get some cups!” 
         I run inside, grab two mugs, and trot back to the fire.  So that is how I find myself sipping coffee under the bright morning sky for the first time in years, with a big smile on my face.
         After a couple cups in silence, I ask him about his plans and the sack. He sits back in the chair and balances the cup on his lap.  “I do a little reconnaissance from time to time; this time was partly because of you.  I didn’t really buy the idea of a bunch of cannibals out this way, and I decided to satisfy my curiosity--both about that and a strange trend I have noticed.  I’ve seen a lot of zombies heading this direction and I thought there might be another town out here somewhere drawing them on.”
         I shake my head.  “Beyond those hills it’s all desert; salt pan.  I’ve been out there a bunch of times.  It’s barren; no people, no abandoned towns, nothing.  I run into a zombie once in awhile, but the area’s pretty clean.”
         “Are you sure?  I mean, we get our fair share of zombies wandering to town, but it’s like they are trying to get past us, out this way. Why they come out at all gives me the creeps, but I’m trying to make sense out of it.”
         “Yeah, I’m sure.  I wouldn’t have missed anything big like a town.  You can see forever from those hills.  I can tell you a good trail if you really need to go out there.  I wouldn’t go anytime soon, though.”
         “Oh?”
        “Well, the moon won’t be full for a couple weeks. Extra sense or not, you don’t want to be out there when it’s that dark.  You’ll get all kinds of turned around, or have to stay put at night.  That’s OK if you find a big boulder to sleep on, but trust me, there aren’t many of those.”
         “Right.  Would you mind if I come back when it’s full?  I’d like to see that trail and have a look around.  Maybe you would come out with me?  I don’t know much about the terrain out there.  I could really use your help.”
         I nod, “Sure.  I don’t really have any pressing engagements.”
         “Sounds like a plan, Kyle.  I’m going to head back now unless you can think of anything else.” 
         I nod.  “Yeah, what’s up with the sack?”
         “Whoops, I almost forgot.  So, you really didn’t notice its eyes?”
         Bryce gets up and goes over to where he has left the sack.  It still moves; more furiously as he approaches it.  I realize that the head’s jaws are still working.  He dumps the thing a few feet from the fire, noticing my distaste.  Bryce then produces a hunting knife, steps on the side of its white blotchy face, and proceeds to cut the tendons that lead to the jaw on both sides.  It stops chewing even as the muscles in the head still flex and relax.  He picks it up now and holds it for me to see.
         The eyes are fixed on me; solid black as night, full and moist as if brimming with tears.  “Spooky.”
         “You think so? The only ones we see coming back from your way almost always have these same black eyes.  We started to notice it a few months ago.  They are uncommonly vicious little buggers; almost seem intelligent.  More so than the average zombie, at least.  So, yes, spooky.”
         “So you’re going to study it?”
         “Yes, you know, I was a biologist before all this.  Maybe I can figure out what’s happening.  We need to keep pace with these things.”
         I agree, although I’m not sure what he can really do with it. We finish our coffee and he grabs his pack and other gear.  Before he leaves, I make him promise not to tell anyone that he’s found me out here.  He says he’ll keep it to himself if he can.  I don’t think he is the type to