Page 21 of Her Shadow

“We—you—can’t afford not to act. Do you know something? Out there, I’ve seen whole towns rotting from the inside out, entire streets clogged with bodies that no one’s there to bury. Their stenchdraws the infected for miles. If they can’t find anyone living to attack, they eat the corpses. They thrive on decay. These are the sorts of things we need to be talking about. We need to beat them, not hide from them. That was our motto when I was with my tribe.”

Another council member, a younger woman with deep-set eyes, frowned. “Go back to your tribe. Nobody wanted you here except Kara. And I think we all know what’s going on there.Fort Haven is all about the living. Those of us who haven’t turned yet and who don’t particularly want to spend much time with thosewho have. Why don’t you two go off and play with the zombies and leave the rest of us to it?”

“I don’t think you realize just how much people have suffered out there,” Sam said, unable to hide her anger as she banged her fist down on the table and threw her head back. “Everything’s gone. There’s no infrastructure. Nothing. No power. No clean water. I’ve seen pregnant women giving birth out on the street with no medical help. I’ve met families who are starving. Literally starving! It all happened so fast. And there’s no one left to pick up the pieces.”

Laeticia tapped her fingers against the table, her expression unreadable. “We saw it ourselves, you know. You show up here acting as if none of us knows what’s going on. We’ve heard the stories. Some people say it all started in a lab. It's a bioweapon gone wrong.”

Sam nodded. “I think they could be right. Perhaps it’s a virus that escaped from a research facility. Something maybe to control the population? Or maybe it was just nature, a virus that jumped from animals to humans in some remote corner of the world. Who knows? Maybe they meant to contain it, and they fucked it up.”

“We weren’t prepared. That’s all I know,” Kara added. “By the time people realized what was happening, it was too late.”

Sam’s thoughts drifted for a moment. She remembered the early days of the outbreak and how quickly everything had spiraled out of control. She remembered the emergency broadcasts which only served to fuel the growing hysteria. The infected were like an unstoppable force.

“The problem is,” Sam said, dragging herself back to the present, “and I hope you don’t mind me saying this—you’re all still clinging to the old ways. What are you doing here? What’s the long-term plan? Are you hoping that someone will come andrescue you all? Because the truth is, we’re on our own. No one’s coming.”

Laeticia’s angry eyes flicked over to Kara, then back to Sam. “I think we’ve got a great set-up here. Are you saying we don’t?”

Sam hesitated for a second before she spoke. She didn’t quite know how to word what she wanted to say. All she knew for sure was that she was pissing these people off. And they didn’t want to admit their faults or consider evolving.“I’ve seen entire settlements wiped out. People who thought they had it sorted. Fort Haven is one of the last places left standing around here, but if you don’t start adapting, you’ll fall, too. It’s just a matter of time.”

Another murmur rippled through the room.

“What we need to be working on are outposts. You’ve got gates, you’ve got security, and it works fine up to a point.” Sam said, her voice gaining strength. “But we need to be outside these walls. I’m talking about small, mobile teams that can track the infected, study them, and take them out before they get too close. We need to learn how they moveandhow they think—if that’s what they’re actually doing. Plus, and this is really important, we need to start working with natural medicines.”

Laeticia frowned. “How, though? I’m not sending people out to join your nomadic tribe, Sam. It’s too big an ask. I’m sorry. Like it’s been said, if you want to leave, you’re welcome to.”

Sam glanced at Kara, then back at the captain. “I’ve seen survivors who’ve been exposed to the virus but haven’t turned. We’re talking about immunity here. If we can understand how their bodies are fighting the infection, we can find ways in nature to replicate it. I’m sure we can. Okay, so it’s not a cure, but it could buy us all some time. And thanks. I get it, it’s definitely something I’ll consider, but honestly, I just want you to hear me out and really listen to what I’m trying to say. I have respectfor you guys, and I care deeply about Kara, but I can see where you’re heading.”

A heavy silence fell over the room as the group processed her words. Sam could feel their reluctance to believe her, but she also saw the flicker of admiration in their eyes. They wanted to trust her, even if they were scared to admit it.

“We’ve listened to you, Sam. We’ve heard you out. Give us a couple of days to talk it over, will you? In the meantime, perhaps you could gauge the mood of the others. See if you can find people who may be willing to take on board what you’ve said here today,” Leticia said as she nodded her head and gazed around at the others, their expressions deep in thought.

Kara glanced around the room, her face contemplative. “Definitely. We should start by talking to some of the hunters. They know the land around here better than anyone. They let us know where some of the safer routes are. It could help us gather what we need to test.”

“Good idea,” Sam replied, her mind racing. “If we can gather the right plants and herbs, though I don’t know how much I can remember. I wish there was an easy way to get in touch with my people. But maybe we can develop something that boosts immunity. Something to give people hope. We need everyone to believe that change is possible. Thank you for trying, and if it doesn’t work, you can turf me out into the dead.”

As they made their way back to their cabin, they passed a group of children playing with scraps of wood. The sight warmed Sam’s heart, reminding her of the innocence that still existed amid all the horrors. She wanted these children to have a future, a world to grow into rather than one left in ruins.

“Do you really think there are some bigwigs somewhere working on a vaccine?” Kara asked Sam tentatively. “I’d love to find out more if we can. I think there must be. Someone somewhere must be trying to sort this out. I don’t have any concrete evidence or anything. But I’d like to believe that nerds still rule the world. So we have to keep our eyes and ears open. If we can establish a connection with anyone who may have useful information, it could save us.”

They made their way to the communal area. Several community members were gathered there. The wooden tables, battered and worn, were strewn with a handful of paltry supplies. Sam felt a pang of loss as she thought back to how easy it used to be to walk into a mall and get everything you could possibly need, how supermarkets were overflowing with fresh produce, and how friends and families could gather together without any sense of fear.

As they approached the group, a tall woman with shaggy hair and sharp features looked up. It was Marla, a seasoned hunter and a fierce protector of Fort Haven. “Sam. Kara. Hey. So, how did the big meeting go?” she asked, her voice low and gravelly.

“It had its ups and downs,” Sam began. “We’re hoping to find out more about the lay of the land around Fort Haven. We have a couple of ideas about using some natural remedies to help with immunity, but we need access to the right plants. And my knowledge is kind of scrappy.”

Marla’s eyes widened with interest, and she scratched her forehead with fingernails caked in dirt. “Natural remedies, huh? You mean like what people used to do before all this?” She nodded toward a nearby table where a small collection of herbs lay drying in the sun. “I’ve been trying to keep some of the old knowledge alive. You’ve definitely come to the right woman.”

Kara stepped forward, her eyes bright with curiosity. “Wow! I don’t believe this. We want to build on your knowledge, Marla.If we can find a way to create something that boosts immunity or helps slow the progression of the virus, we could really make a difference. That’s what Sam’s just been talking about. They helped someone fight off the virus when she was with her nomads.”

Marla studied them for a moment, a frown creasing across her forehead in a ripple. “You realize that it’s a dangerous game, though, right? Some plants can be super toxic if misused, especially around here. You can’t always trust a mushroom, for example. Not at this time of year. I wouldn’t want to go making people sick. Or dead.”

Sam flashed the older woman an earnest smile. “I understand. We won’t rush into anything. We want to take this slowly and know what we’re doing. But we have to do something. If we sit back and do nothing, we’re dooming ourselves.”

Marla let out a long sigh and shuffled from one foot to the other. “Fair point. I guess things are kind of at a standstill here. You know, if people get infected we leave them outside. It makes me feel crazy just thinking about it. You kill them, don’t you, ma’am?”

“I do,” replied Sam bluntly, for what else could she say?

“Right,” interjected Kara. “Let’s start by scouting some of the nearby areas where we can find herbs and plants. We’ll go in small groups—less chance of running into the infected that way. And thank you, Marla. This is perfect.”

---