Afterworld: Into the Arms of Darkness Ch.21

[altfic]

Title: Afterworld: Into the Arms of Darkness
By: Pink Rabbit Productions
Chapter: 21
Date: 27 September, 2010
Rating: R (for sex and violence)

Disclaimer: Hmmm, characters, not mine, situation, mine, though with the proviso that certain scenarios owe a major debt of gratitude to George Romero. Sex? Likely. Genders involved? Likely all female (at least anything on camera). Also there are likely to be very bad things in this story. I'm not one for prodigious amounts of gore, but this is horror and there is likely to be ickiness and things that might disturb some folks. Seriously. If it's gonna bother you, move along.
Summary: When the dead rise, civilization falls.
Author's Notes: Awhile back, just for fun, I did a faux movie poster that set Otalia in a horror setting and used some elements from an idea I've had running around for ages (what can I say---it was the Halloween season). See the poster here: http://altfic.com/artgallery/otalia/glafterworld01b.htm . Sooo, at some point, it seemed like fun to take a gander at writing them in that universe. I've quite deliberately tried to break away from my usual style and make it a bit faster moving, with frequent chapter breaks, deliberate cliffhangers, shorter scenes and more directed pov. We'll see if I can keep to one pov per chapter (well, they are short chapters...lol).
Dedicated to: My mom. Seriously. All of my growing up years, she would constantly throw me these what-if scenarios and press me to figure out logical ways to survive/get out of various emergency situations. Now, she never mentioned the zombie apocalypse, but I'm sure that was just an oversight or a desire not to scare a little kid (because, really, I grew up as the daughter of a top secret type during the cold war...I already had enough fear issues), but really, that odd little game was the genesis of...well...not just this story, but a lot of my love of writing. So, thanks mom.
Previous Chapters: | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 |

Afterworld:
Into the Arms of Darkness
Chapter 21

Not alone.

Was scary.

It made a body weak and vulnerable.

And real.

And reality could be the scariest thing of all, Natalia thought as she pushed to her feet. Because reality included society in shambles, the dead hunting the living, and now an eight-year-old dependant on her for survival.

Which meant she needed to get herself under control and get moving.

She brushed a gentle hand over Emma's hair. "Stay behind me," she instructed, not letting herself think about the risk the girl had taken. They would have to discuss it later, but right now? Right now, she just wanted to get Emma back to some relative measure of safety and catch a breath.

"I cleared the house just like mommy taught me," Emma assured her, sounding more like an experienced combat officer than a small child.

Natalia winced under the influence of words that felt like a fresh blow. It would be dangerously easy to dissolve into tears once again over the wrongness of a world where a child could sound like that. "I know, sweetie," she said without arguing, "but I want to get you back upstairs, and then check the house myself. It has hidden places you don't know about." Josh had designed any number of tricks and traps into the house and the thought of Emma stumbling into a creature that had managed to get into one and hide unnoticed, scared the hell out of her.

Emma didn't argue this time, apparently sensing that she'd stepped over an unmovable line. Once upon a time that had probably meant sneaking out or staying up too late. Now it meant risking her life against the dead. Welcome to the dawning of a new age. Aquarius need not apply.

Natalia shook off that thought and purposely ignored the continued moaning from outside the window, not allowing herself to muse on his tone or the rhythm of the sounds. Josh had nothing left to say. He couldn't get to them from where he was, and she couldn't allow him back inside mentally. She glanced back at the child who was relying on her for protection. Emma had to take precedence.

Keeping close track of the small figure at her back, she moved quickly through the house, well aware of the blind spots and careful to clear herself with the shotgun. Nothing moved, but she checked each possible danger point all the same. With no electric lights and closed shutters, there were a lot of shadows and they could shift and dance in ways that fooled the eye and ramped up the uncertainty.

Finally though, she got Emma to the attic stairwell safely. The girl had figured out the lock well enough to seal it on her way out, so it was secure. The same with the trap door at the top of the stairs. She cast a quick glance Emma's way as she worked the mechanism, noting the way the girl watched everything, clearly doing her best to absorb every bit of information available. She needed to be careful and not show Emma anything she didn't want her knowing.

"How about something to eat?" she murmured when they were in the attic again and things were quiet and safe. Emma hadn't eaten since the night before and maybe it was time to concentrate on a few of the more mundane facts of life.

Sometimes mundane was the best possible option. It offered a little peace and normalcy, a respite for the mind when the world threatened to become too much.

Unfortunately, Emma only shrugged, apparently uninterested.

Natalia dug around a bit and came up with a snack pack of barbecue chips she still had squirreled away which brought a hint of a smile. "With a sandwich," she bargained, pleased when Emma nodded after a moment's thought. There was still a half left over from Olivia's earlier meal, but Natalia decided it probably wouldn't fly. Better to try again. The sourdough, dutch oven bread she was able to make probably wasn't at all what the kid had ever had before-it was tough and crusty with a distinctly tart taste to it-but with enough peanut butter and jelly, it was at least a little familiar. Emma seemed to consider arguing, but finally settled, using one crate as a makeshift table while she sat cross-legged on the floor, and started eating slowly. Natalia poured her a glass of water from a canteen that hung outside the window. Covered in terry cloth she kept damp, evaporation kept it cool if not cold. Emma drank thirstily.

Keeping an eye on her young charge, Natalia removed the pistol still tucked in her waistband and stored it away. With no real experience with handguns, it did little to enhance to her sense of security, and carrying it around that way seemed hideously unsafe.

Emma, meanwhile, had tucked her small pistol into a pocket upon arriving in the attic. Natalia considered taking it away, only to conclude that they didn't need the conflict. She also noted the injury on Emma's forearm. It wasn't deep, just enough to draw a few trickles of blood, but the ragged tear would need to be sealed and treated.

That too could wait.

She wasn't alone anymore. Now she was responsible for this small bastion of life. It meant she was vested in her continued existence, in someone else, in survival, in all of the normal ties that had faded away bit by bit as everyone around her left and died and died but didn't leave.

Blake had been the last of her responsibilities and God help her, there'd been the tiniest bit of her soul that was relieved that she could finally stop fighting so hard to get through every day. God's law denied her a self-administered peace, but even God couldn't find fault if she didn't survive long alone in this place and time.

But now...

The impulsive promise to Olivia had brought her back to life just when she was letting go.

Moving stand in front of Emma, Natalia crouched down to put them more on level. "I wanted to thank you for what you did earlier...throwing the toys to distract them. It was very smart and very brave...and it made things a lot easier."

She got a small nod and even a hint of shy smile between bites.

Okay, that was easy. Now for the hard part. "But Emma, you shouldn't have gone downstairs like you did...that was much too dangerous."

"But you mighta been in trouble," the child argued.

Thinking of the likely uselessness of the weapon the girl had been carrying, Natalia had to fight a shudder. "I'm pretty good at taking care of myself...and you could've been-"

"Yeah, killed," Emma bit out. "So could you...'n' if you die..." she trailed off for a moment while Natalia remained silent, certain she needed to say whatever was on her mind. "Kids don't survive alone in Afterworld," she finally mumbled.

Natalia blinked in confusion. "Afterworld?" she questioned uncertainly.

Emma shrugged. "That's what my mom calls it." Another shrug. "This." A small, sweeping hand motion to gesture to the world around them. "Everything."

A small shudder slid down Natalia's spine and she nodded, not needing any further explanation. It wasn't a term she'd heard before, but in the months after the first incidents and the later collapse of government, there'd been plenty of slang created to keep up with the ever shifting description of death and society.

But really, the nomenclature of the dead wasn't all that important. Semantics discussions could wait for another day. Reaching out, she caught a small hand in her own. "I promise you, I know what I'm doing."

"You didn't down there..." the girl accused harshly enough to make Natalia flinch. "You weren't even trying to kill that zed...'n' he was close enough to-"

"He's a friend," Natalia snapped more impatiently than intended without realizing she'd used the present tense until she saw green eyes go wide as Emma shook her head sharply.

"No," the girl denied angrily. "He was dead. The dead are dead 'n' it's a kindness to put 'em outa their misery 'n' whatever makes 'em get up, it's not the person anymore." Her eyes blazed. "It's not," she said again, her voice shakier this time. "It's not..."

She was coming apart. Natalia knew the signs all too well. She'd seen them and experienced them enough times. "No, you're right," she admitted, careful to keep her voice low and gentle. This child was up against things that had broken more than a few adults. "It's not," she agreed and was relieved to see Emma relax ever so slightly. She swallowed hard, forcing her own emotional response down as she reminded herself that she needed to focus on Emma now. "But sometimes it can be hard to remember that when you...when you look at someone you..." This was harder than she'd expected, and couldn't quite keep her voice even as her throat tightened, making speech difficult. "...someone you cared for...and you can see...bits of who they were..." She looked down for a moment, needing a second's escape from the eyes watching her so closely. Finally feeling centered again, she looked back up, meeting Emma's frightened gaze with a determined one of her own. "But you are right," she sighed. "I screwed up...all I can do is promise you, I won't make that mistake again."

Thin shoulders slumped with relief.

"And in return, I need a promise from you," Natalia continued, back to that carefully controlled, parental tone. "I need to go downstairs and completely check the house...make sure there are no more of them inside and that everything's secure." She waited a beat.

Emma managed a small nod, confirming her understanding, but her eyes showed her fear.

"But before I do that," Natalia continued, careful to keep her voice level and her body language confident, "I need you to promise that you'll stay up here...no matter what."

"But-"

"I mean it, Emma," Natalia said just firmly enough to over-ride any argument. "I do know what I'm doing and I can take care of myself...but not if I have to worry about you too...or worry about making a mistake and accidentally hurting you because you haven't done what you're supposed to." She needed the child to understand it wasn't just for her safety. If she thought there was any chance it was Emma, Natalia knew she'd hold off shooting, and a second or two's delay could be the difference between life and death. "I need your word."

Emma swallowed hard and her gaze fell away.

Natalia didn't want to think about how powerless she had to feel.

"You'll be careful?" the child asked seriously.

Reminded of the responsibility on her shoulders, Natalia nodded. "I promise." She waited while Emma appeared to consider the sincerity of the pledge.

Finally, the girl nodded. "I won't come down unless you say to," she promised at last.

"Okay," Natalia said as she pushed to her feet. "It'll take me a little while, so try not to worry." Reaching out, she ruffled the girl's hair with a tender hand. "But I'll be back as fast as possible. If you hear any noises, don't let it scare you. I may have to make some repairs to the house."

Natalia waited long enough to see another small nod, then she was moving...

* * * * * *
TBC