Tech Zombie Effect Chapter 17

Tech: Zombie Effect
Characters: Logan/Carter
POV: Logan

Logan watched as Shelly and Jimmy ran up the stairs. As soon as he heard the bedroom door shut, he turned to Robert. Before he could signal to the man to open the door, a loud, belligerent voice rang out.

“Hey! I know someone is in there! Open up!”

The sound of the voice triggered the dog who started growling. Thankfully, Carter had quick reflexes and picked up the irate pup. Logan met Robert’s eyes as Carter stepped into their bedroom and shut the door.

Robert nodded then slowly opened the door. A disheveled man stood in the doorframe. What Logan saw of the man didn’t impress him. Shelly’s husband wore a rumpled dress shirt and slacks, his hair disheveled, and his eyes were bloodshot.

In contrast to the man at the door, Robert's grey hair was always tidy with a crew cut. Even with as little sleep as the old army sergeant had gotten the night before, he was dressed in durable work pants and a grey flannel shirt. Robert’s stance-he didn’t give the other man an inch.

“Hey. I was wondering if you’d seen a woman and a boy? My wife seems to be missing.”

“No. Haven’t seen anyone around.” Robert’s voice wasn’t rude, but it wasn’t welcoming either.

His tone must have baffled the other man as he tried to turn on the charm. “Oh pardon me. I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Don. Donald Harris. I’m an investor. I’ve opened up a shop in town to help you all increase your net worth.” 

Logan rolled his eyes discreetly. Then he jumped when Robert started laughing. Really laughing. Big, belly laugh.

“Boy, my net worth is just fine. But there’s a heap of trouble going on, so I’m not sure you’ll be fine.” Robert’s threat wasn’t discreet or subtle.

But Don was so hungover he didn’t notice. Patting his shirt, he said, “It seems I’m out of business cards. I’m heading on into town, so I’ll stop at my office and pick some up.” He looked Robert up and down condescendingly. “I’m sure your worth can only be helped.”

Logan saw Robert’s face go tight and stepped closer. “Sir, I’ve heard there’s some trouble in town. It might not be a good idea to go.” 

The condescending look Don had given Robert was transferred to Logan. “No one would think to bother me. Everyone knows how important I am. I’ve got a few errands to run, so I’ll be going. But if you see my wife, please, tell her I’m very disappointed.”

“Definitely,” Robert called out and then shut the door. “Not.”

Logan chuckled at Robert’s reply. “Maybe we should have tried a little harder to stop him from going into town.”

“He never would have listened. He thinks he’s smarter because he came from the city and makes more money. Or at least he thinks he makes more money. I bet he lives off credit cards.” Then he looked at Logan with horror on his face. “Awww, crap! I bet the eggs are burned!”

Logan followed Robert toward the fireplace. The older man was right, the eggs were burnt. “We have cereal. And we need to use up the milk before it spoils.”

“We’ll need to get a cow,” Carter said coming out of the bedroom. Scaggs followed him out and then ran up the stairs. “I’d rather milk a cow every morning than use that powdered junk you had me buy.”

“We have to have a fence first,” Robert replied as he carried the skillet into the kitchen. “We have to protect any livestock we get. And the first thing we get is a cow. The powdered stuff tastes like crap!” 

Logan shook his head at Robert and Carter. He heard the squeak of a door coming from the stairs. “Shelly, Jimmy, you can come down. It’s safe. He’s gone.”

Jimmy came running down the stairs with the little dog following on his heels. Shelly, Jimmy’s mom, came down much slower.

“We should leave. He’ll just come back.” Hopelessness was etched on her face. 

Walking with the mother and son into the kitchen, Logan said, “No. You should stay here. Remember what we told you. People are getting sick and attacking each other. You won’t be safe out on the road.”

Shelly sighed. “We’ll go home. Everything we have is there anyway.”

“No! Mom, you promised!” Jimmy yelled. “We got our bags and everything!”

Shelly knelt in front of the angry boy. “Jimmy. We can’t stay here. He’ll just keep coming back.”

Before Jimmy could yell again, Robert’s loud voice came from the kitchen. “Hey, all you all need to get in here and eat! Decisions have to be made on a full stomach.”

Logan reached down to help Shelly up. In the kitchen, he saw the almost full gallon of milk on the table and it seemed every box of cereal they had sitting on the table. Even the Boo Berry cereal he had bought at Halloween. Hoping to defuse the situation a little, he turned to Jimmy. “I’ll even be nice this morning and offer you a bowl of my Boo Berry. After I get my bowl first!”

The boy gave a hesitant smile, then nodded. “I love the marshmallows in that cereal.”

“Ugh! They’re stale! I don’t know how you guys stand that!” Carter joined in.

“They’re not stale! Are they, Jimmy!” Logan encouraged the mock argument between Carter and Jimmy. It would give him time to talk to Shelly.

Carter knew what Logan was trying to do, so he played along. “Jimmy, I’m going to have to educate you! Frosted Flakes are where it’s at. Haven’t you heard, they’re GRRRREAT!”

“What would you like?” Logan asked Shelly.

“Oh. Um. Cheerios is fine.”

Logan handed her the box. “If you really want to leave, and believe you’ll be safe, I won’t stop you. But I do think you and your son would be safer and happier here.”

She looked at him with worry filling her eyes. “I can’t put you all out. Especially now. With all that’s going on. You don’t need two more mouths to feed.”

“In all honesty, you’d be doing us a favor by staying,” Robert leaned over and said. “We don’t need a lot of people here, but we do need more than just us three. Safety in numbers.”

Relief flooded the woman. “Thank you. I think Jimmy would be happier here. And I’ll cook and keep the house clean and…”

“No!” Logan’s voice startled everyone. “Sorry. I mean, no. You aren’t being asked to stay to do all the ‘women's work. We all know how to cook and clean. But we are asking you to be part of us. Like a team.”

“Please, mama? I’ll be good,” Jimmy pleaded.

Shelly ran her hand over his head. “You are always good, baby. And yes. We’ll stay.”

“It’s settled. Let’s eat a good breakfast because we have a lot to do.” Logan looked at Carter and smiled. He couldn’t save everyone, but he could save a few, to make up for not telling anyone about where this nightmare started.

TBC