Page 5 of Perfectly Perplexing Zombie

Releasing her, I gave Muriel a wide grin. I’d never been physically strong, and turning into a zombie hadn’t improved my strength. Muriel was being kind, and I appreciated it.

“Come in,” I said, hustling her into my small space.

Johnny headed back down the stairs, the heavy clomp of his hooves growing distant the farther away he traveled.

As usual, Muriel had a refrigerated bag in her hands. “I brought you a little snack,” she sang. “We got a good call last night. Plenty of food to go around.”

“Thank you.” I rustled through the bag, pulling out my little disposable container and setting it in the fridge next to its cousins.

When I turned around, Muriel’s gaze tracked up and down my body. I knew the instant she located the decaying areas on my arm. Taking in a hissing breath, she stomped forward and grabbed my wrist, twisting my arm to get a better angle.

“How long has this been there?” Muriel demanded. When I was silent, she said, “Answer me, Wendall.”

I flinched. Muriel never used that harsh tone with me. I’d heard her speak to the other zombies that way, but never me.

“A few days,” I quietly answered, as if speaking low enough would make the words untrue. “It started off with just the one, but now there’re two.”

Muriel nodded. “Any others?”

“Not that I know of, but I can’t see my back.” I’d tried turning in my tiny bathroom but couldn’t get the angle right to see everything.

“Take your shirt off, Wendall. Let’s see all of you.”

I blushed but did as told. I turned, allowing Muriel to examine me. The whisper-light touch of her fingertips skated across my flesh. If I’d still been alive, I would have had gooseflesh.

I was scared to ask, but finally said, “Are there any others?”

“Not that I can see, but the ones you’ve got are two more than I’m happy about. You can put your shirt back on, but I want to know why you didn’t tell me.”

Stuffing my arms and head back through the appropriate t-shirt holes, my words were muffled. “I didn’t want to worry you.” That wasn’t completely true, and I added, “I just kind of hoped they’d go away on their own.”

“And how’s that working out for you?” she scolded.

“Not well,” I readily admitted. “I’ve been cleaning them, and I placed some antibiotic ointment on the skin, but it hasn’t really helped much. And they kind of smell.”

“Of course they smell. The tissue’s necrotic. It’s dying.” With a disappointed huff, Muriel walked to my love seat and plopped down. Patting the cushion beside her, Muriel said, “Have a seat and let’s talk, Wendall.”

Conversations that started out with “let’s talk” never ended well. Regardless, I sat and asked, “Do you know what’s happening? Am I dying? Again?”

“I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. I’m not exactly certain. First, have you been eating properly?” Muriel leaned toward me as she asked, a mix of hope and worry filling her deep brown eyes.

It was an easy question to answer. “I have. I mean, it took a little bit to get over the idea of what I was eating, but once I did, I’ve done exactly as you said.”

That tiny spark of hope dimmed. “Hmm, perhaps you need a little more brain and a little lessothertissue.” Muriel’s gaze drifted, staring through a nearby wall.

I had no idea what was going on in her mind and didn’t want to interrupt her train of thought.

With a weighty sigh, she sagged against the back of the couch. “I wish I knew for certain. We’re in unprecedented waters here. Tell me if I’m wrong, Wendall, but you seem happy as you are. Is that true?”

I didn’t have to consider her question long. “I am. I mean, I’d like to be alive again, but we both know that’s not possible.”

Muriel gave a sad, understanding headshake.

“Given the circumstances, I think things turned out well, and I’ve got you to thank for that.”

“Oh, don’t thank me,” she huffed. “You’re right. Things did turn out well, but they could and should have turned out a lot worse, and you sure as shit didn’t deserve that kind of fate.” Muriel patted my knee.

Most were afraid of the woman sitting to my right, but to me, Muriel was kinder than my biological grandmother.

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