Dead Hunger IV: Evolution by Eric A. Shelman

they’re headed toward the kids’ house.  I don’t know that they’ll be smart enough to let them pass.”
    “Do they have any WAT-6?”
    “They did, but who knows if they squandered it?  Took it when there was no threat.”
    “Good point.  Do they have their radios on?”
    “Not usually.  I’ll try,” said Hemp.  He pulled the radio from his belt and turned to chan nel 16, the one the kids used.
    “Jimmy Dickson, you there?  Come in,” said Hemp.
    Nothing. 
    “Try again,” said Charlie, keeping her eye on the distant zombie pack.  She walked around and sprayed a barrier on the ground around their feet with the urushiol mix.  Two ratz imploded into black-blooded fur balls, getting hit directly, while the others who ventured too close squealed as their legs disappeared from underneath them.
    “Jimmy!  Come in.  There are zombies out, my friend.  Keep everyone inside, and if you have WAT-6, take it.”
    “Do they have .22 rifles?”
    “Some of them,” said Hemp.  “Mostly baseball bats and traps.”
    “Mouse traps?” asked Charlie.
    Hemp shook his head, understanding why she might think so.  “No.  Pits, stuff in the trees.  Swinging spikes and the like.”
    “They ought to just give them guns.”
    “ I c an’t say that I disagree,” said Hemp.  “It’s up to Kev and his guys , and they’re more comfortable with the kids minimally armed , at least for now .”
    “I hate politics,” said Charlie.
    “Because you’re anti-establishment.  Hence the love of the Sex Pistols.”
    “We need to go over there and see if they’re okay, baby.”
    “Agreed, but I don’t want to leave the girls alone, and we shouldn’t go there alone, either.”
    Cha rlie was right, of course.  The kids were smart – they had to be in order to survive, even in a place that was formerly as calm as Concord – but things had gotten exponentially worse in a hurry.  They could be in trouble if they had used up their WAT-6 supply.
    “Let’s go get Flex and Dave at least.”
    “Gem’s going to be upset.”
    Hemp thought for a moment.  He looked at Charlie.  “I’ve seen Trina shoot lately.  Taylor , too.  They can handle it, I think.  Let’s arm them and bring them along.”
    “Oh, shit,” said Charlie.  “Jimmy’s going to be pissed !”
    “Grandfather clause,” said Hemp.  “They’ll have to understand for now.”
    “Let’s go get the others,” said Charlie.  “I’m worried about them.”
    “I don’t think Nikki will let them do anything stupid,” said Hemp.  “She’s got Jimmy wrapped around her finger, I’m betting.”
    “She’s a little pepper, that one,” said Charlie, walking ahead, sending out a mist of urushiol.
    Now and then Hemp sighted in on a nearby zombie and blew his or her brains out.   When they got back to the house, he pulled his radio and switched it back to 19.
    “We’re coming in.  Don’t fire.”
    “It’s don’t shoot,” came back Flex’s voice.
    Hemp opened the door and Flex stood there staring at him, the radio to his mouth.  “I thought you’d be a proper cowboy by now, Hemp, my boy.”
    “Not yet, I suppose.  But in all seriousness, we need to drive over and see about Jimmy and the other kids.  As much as I want to get testing the female in there, there was a heck of a group of infecteds heading their way.”
    The girls looked at them, hope in their eyes.
    “They’ll need to come, I suppose.  Or Gem can stay.”
    Gem knelt down beside the girls and put their guns in their hands.  “Ready to kill some zombies, girls?”
    “Yea!” said Trina.”
    Gem’s face grew extremely serious.  She put a hand on each girls’ shoulder.  “This is real, you understand.  They’re already dead, so you’re not killing anything.  You’re merely putting them to rest.  Where they should be.  Understood?”
    “I know that, mommy,” said Trina.  “ They’re like puppets on a string.”
    “That’s right.  Remember.  Always