Men and women, young and old, shambled toward them. There were no signs of runners and that was a relief.
“Dear God, Bill, one is in a wheelchair,” Katarina gasped.
A terribly eaten zombie was rolling its way down the road. It was being swept along by the other bodies around it.
Bill arched his neck to see, then began to laugh his huge bellowing chuckle. “Shit, babe, don’t that beat all. ”
A tiny little boy, a cap still on his head, baseball bat in one hand, his cherubic face somehow still cute in death, reached the Durango and banged on the door with his fist. Katarina leaned over into the backseat to look down at him. In another time, this little guy could be any little leaguer banging on his Mom’s SUV after a hard game. But this child didn’t whine or smile, it hissed and growled.
The boy began to hit the Durango with his baseball bat.
“Time to go,” Katarina said.
Bill watched as more zombies came within a few feet of the Durango. “I agree. ”
Slowly, the Durango moved forward onto the side road that would head into the west and away from the fort.
Almost in unison, the zombies turned to follow, the little boy dragging his baseball bat on the asphalt.
* * * * * “So why are lesbians hot but gay men aren’t to you Neanderthal straight men?” Ken asked. He felt contrary. He sat in the passenger seat, arms across his chest, staring out the window.
“Uh, cause women are hot,” Dale answered.
“I have it on good authority that I’m hot,” Ken responded. “By many many women and men. ”
“Eh,” was all Dale said, then shrugged. He was grinning. He enjoyed giving Ken a hard time.
“I’m so not eh. I am anything but eh. I am a good and solid hunk of a man.
Before I came out of the closet I had so many women after me, I was a stud. ” Ken frowned at Dale. “A total stud after I came out as well. It is not my freaking fault the world died and did not provide an adequate pool of gay men for me. ”
“I’m sure there are guys in the fort who are gay but aren’t out,” Dale answered.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure of it. My money is that you’re not the only Nancy boy. ”
Ken sighed. “Well, they’re so deep in the closet I can’t find them. ”
“It’ll happen. When the time is right,” Dale assured him.
“Are you sure you’re not gay?” Ken arched an eyebrow at him.
“Yep. Tried it. . . kinda. . . once. Well, actually I thought she was a girl. She was a guy. ”
“Real Crying Gamish, huh?”
“Yeah,” Dale nodded. “She was damn hot, too. Until you know. . . that. ”
“You brute! You turned her down over that?”
“Hey, I tried. I just couldn’t. ” Dale looked at Ken very solemnly. “I did try.
I really did. I just. . . ”
Ken let out a soft sigh. “I know. I feel the same way about girls. Love Lenore. She’s my girl. If she were a guy, maybe she’d be my groove thing, but. . . ”
“Sometimes love ain’t enough,” Dale sighed. “But at least I got laid last night. ”