Free New Title 1 by Bonnie Dee

to get an accurate and complete picture of what happened, perhaps some clue as to where this new influx is coming from. Can you tell us what you were doing when you were attacked?”
     
    I almost rolled my eyes at the obviousness of the answer. “Picking corn.”
     
    “ Yes. But where were you in relation to everyone else. Did you notice what direction the creatures came from? Did you have any sense that it was an organized?”
     
    I frowned. “You think they had a plan? They’re fucking zombies.”
     
    “ I’m just entertaining possibilities. I’m not suggesting conscious thought but something like an urge to swarm or to hunt together. It’s merely a theory that’s been suggested since they appeared in a group.”
     
    “ My theory,” Nancy spoke up. “If they’re capable of organizing, they’re that much more dangerous. We need to know if they can plan even a little.”
     
    “ Damn.” The idea of the undead being anything more than mindless robots was alarming. “It didn’t feel like we were being stalked if that’s what you’re getting at. It’s not as if they worked together to surround us or anything. They were just…there all of a sudden.”
     
    I shuddered as I recalled the eerie rustling of the cornfield and the moment when I’d realized the brown jacket wasn’t Brian’s. I quickly told them how I’d been chased and nearly bitten before Brian saved me and then I saved him. I described the scene in the Wilkins’s yard and how we’d cut down zombies with the harvester until we could get to the truck.
     
    “ A lot of my friends were killed today and most of that farmer’s family, but I’m still here. That’s about it,” I finished. “Can I go get my physical now so I can leave?”
     
    “ Thank you, Ms. …” Myers left a pause for me to fill in my name, but I didn’t bother. I was already out of my chair and heading back toward the holding cells.
     
    “ Ashleigh,” she called after me. “We’re only trying to get all the facts. If there is another wave coming, I’ll radio the provisional government in Topeka to send help.”
     
    Her confidence that anyone would come amused me. I thought about Brian’s talk of shifting paradigms. Janice Myers was clearly clinging to the old ways with her trust that government forces would save her town. She was deluded. Time to adjust to the new reality, lady and admit we’re all on our own.
     
    A half hour later, with checkups and interviews over, Fes dropped off Brian and me and the rest of the survivors at Brian’s house. He didn’t even say goodbye before driving away.
     
    I was dragging now, my body so weary I could hardly put one foot in front of the other. But Daylon came out of the house next door, followed by Lainie, and freaked out when he see the bloody state we were in. “What the hell happened?”
     
    “ A zombie attack.” Carl filled him in on the details and the lives lost. “Both Marys and George and Ellen Sytek are dead. I didn’t see Dale or Tanesha after the attack so we can assume they’re dead too. Richard’s got a broken arm which the vet is setting. Maureen got bit and they’re keeping her quarantined in jail. Jake stayed with her.” Carl gestured toward me, Aaron and Steve. “We’re all that’s left.”
     
    “ God damn it.” Daylon glared as if he’d like to rip somebody limb from limb. Since we were handy, he took his rage out by shouting at us as if we’d demanded to pick corn. “Damn it! I shouldn’t have let you go. Did these motherfuckers even post a guard? Was anybody keeping watch?”
     
    “ Yeah,” Brian answered. “A couple of the Wilkins women. But the zombies took them out first. None of us was being careful enough. This never should’ve happened.”
     
    “ How’s Jeff?” I changed the subject.
     
    “ Much better,” Lainie answered. “His fever broke a while ago. I think he’s going to pull through after all. I told you it wasn’t the A7 virus, just a regular