Zombie Soap 3: Revolution

Six

Jayson: Part II

Monica sobbed into Jayson's chest. Between hiccups, she sent snot into the fabric, mixed with loud, messy tears.

"What the fuck? Taylor said you were dead; he heard it on the long range radio!"

"I'm sorry," he whispered, holding her by the waist with one arm while his other hung limp at his side. His voice was no less emotional and shaky as he kissed her forehead, nose, and lips. "Benson couldn't know; he sent his goons after me, and I would have died if it weren't for the survivors here. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Still shaking with sobs, Monica closed her fingers around Jayson's sweatshirt. "I can't decide if I'm angry or relieved. You're such a jerk sometimes!"

Eli, who'd been standing near Monica, cleared his throat and backed away. "I'm gonna give y'all some privacy."

His expression was both troubled and calm, as if sensing something but not sure yet what made him uneasy. Jayson still didn't understand how Eli's little mind thing worked, but didn't rule out the possibility of extrasensory abilities. Zombies had been considered impossible, yet now they were real, so why not psychics?

"Everything okay?" Jayson asked, wondering what Eli would reveal.

"For now," Eli returned cryptically. "There's definitely someone else on the way here, but I don't..." He paused to glance uneasily at Monica. "I think your friend will be okay. Maria will do everything she can to help, and she'd started fixin' him up before I went and brought your girl here."

Possible translation: Eli believed Taylor would pull through but was definitely concerned about pursuit and retaliation from the facility. The man wasn't familiar with Monica at all though, and Jayson wouldn't be surprised if that was why he wasn't forthright with an outsider. He'd seemed embarrassed when Jayson had found out, but that had been different because everyone here simply accepted whatever Eli's ability was as a quirky, yet acceptable trait.

Over Monica's hair, Jayson made eye contact with Eli and nodded. "Thanks, buddy. We won't be long."

Shuffling out of the room over the dusty floor, Eli left them alone.

Jayson closed his eyes as he stroked Monica's hair. "I know I was a jerk. It's one of the many things I'm trying to work on, and I don't deserve anyone's forgiveness: most of all yours or Taylor's." He paused for a moment, growing rigid as he rested his palm on the small of her back. "Where is he? Is... is he safe?"

She nodded, sniffing though heavy snot in the frigid air. "I think so. He's lost a lot of blood; Wheeler shot him during our escape. He passed out on the way here though, so we aren't sure how much longer he'll last without medical attention."

Maria was a capable nurse, and if Eli said Taylor would be okay, he had to hope for the best.

The assurance did little to help though, and Jayson cursed. The action pinched his rib though, and he gasped, making Monica step back and inspect him. She noticed he favored his side as he sucked in his breath and held it, clearly in pain. "What happened?"

Now that Monica had released him, Jayson winced when his ribs expanded to allow him to breathe. "It's a long story, but I spent the first day trekking across the high desert until I found a boarded up gas station. Hid out in the backroom for the night and woke up to two of Benson's soldiers outside. They couldn't get through the boards, and the door was locked, so they weren't able to find me, but they were killed not even five minutes later by a coyote."

Monica swallowed. "Um, was it... rabies, or...?"

Jayson knew what she was asking, and he nodded. "Yeah... it... I didn't have a choice." His throat turned dry, and he tried to swallow as gruesome images returned. The memory of rot and blood stung his nose as his ears rang from the shots he took to finish the coyote and the poor soldier screaming for his mother.