Rot & Ruin 100 Page Excerpt

8/8/2019 Rot & Ruin 100 Page Excerpt

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New York LoNdoN ToroNTo SYdNeY

Jonathan Maberry


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An impint Simn & Schust Chilns Publishing divisin

1230 Avnu th Amicas, N Y, N Y 10020

This b is a ctin. Any ncs t histical vnts, al ppl,

al lcals a us ctitiusly. oth nams, chaacts, placs, an incints a

pucts th auths imaginatin, an any smblanc t actual vnts lcals

psns, living a, is ntily cincintal.

Cpyight 2010 by Jnathan Maby

All ights sv, incluing th ight puctin in hl in pat in any m.

is a tama Simn & Schust, Inc.F inmatin abut spcial iscunts bul puchass, plas cntact Simn &

Schust Spcial Sals at 1-866-506-1949 [email protected].

Th Simn & Schust Spas Buau can bing auths t yu liv vnt. F m

inmatin t b an vnt, cntact th Simn & Schust Spas Buau at

1-866-248-3049 visit u bsit at .simnspas.cm.

B sign by Launt Linn

enpap at by rb Sacchtt

Th txt this b is st in Augustal.

Manuactu in th Unit Stats Amica

2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1

Libay Cngss Catalging-in-Publicatin dataMaby, Jnathan.

rt & ruin / Jnathan Maby. 1st .

p. cm.

Summay: In a pst-apcalyptic l h ncs an b patls gua th

ppl lt m th zmbis that hav vtan civilizatin, tn-ya-l Bnny

Imua is nally cnvinc that h must ll in his l bths tstps an

bcm a bunty hunt.

ISBN 978-1-4424-0232-4 (hacv)

[1. ZmbisFictin. 2. SuvivalFictin. 3. Bunty huntsFictin.

4. BthsFictin.] I. Titl. II. Titl: rt an ruin.

PZ7.M11164r 2010[Fic]c22

2009046041

ISBN 978-1-4424-0234-8 (B)

ACkNowLedGMeNTS

Spcial thans t sm al-l ppl h illing t nt th l Bnny an

Tm Imua. I bliv that i th l ns, yull still b th. My agnts, Saa C anHavy kling; davi Gal an Navah wl at Simn & Schust; Nancy kim-Cmly, Tiany

Schmit, Gg Schau, rb an Ana Sacchtt, rany an Fan kisch, Jasn Mill, Sam

wst-Mnsch, kith Stun, Chali an Gina Mill, Athu Mnsch; an th Philly Lias Club:

Ggy Fst, dn Laty, L. A. Bans, Jn McGan, Slmn Jns, e Pttit, My Jns,

Maia Lamba, Saa Shph, klly Simmns, kith Stun, an dnnis Taya.

excpt m The Onion Girl by Chals d Lint us by pmissin th auth.

richa Pys cmmnt us by pmissin Jnni L Py.


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For the young writers in my Experimental Writing for Teens class:

Rachel Tafoya, Clint Johnston, Brandon Strauss, Brianna Whiteman,

Jessica Price, Tara Tosten, Jennifer Carr, Kellie Hollingsworth,

Nathanial Gage, Maggie Brennan, Kris Dugas, Evan Stahl, and

Jackson Toone. You always amaze and inspire me.

And, as always, for Sara Jo.

a

a


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1Benny imuraCoulDntholDajoB, sohetooktokilling.

It as the amily business. He barely liked his amilyand

by amily he meant his lder brther, Tmand he defnitely

didnt like the idea business. or rk. The nly part the

deal that sunded like it might be un as the actual killing.

Hed never dne it bere. Sure, hed gne thrugh a

hundred simulatins in gym class and in the Scuts, but they

never let kids d any real killing. Nt bere they hit fteen.

why nt? he asked his Scutmaster, a at guy named

Feeney h used t be a TV eatherman back in the day.

Benny as eleven at the time and bsessed ith zmbie hunt-

ing. H cme yu dnt let us hack sme real zms?

Because killings the srt thing yu shuld learn rm

yur lks, said Feeney.

I dnt have any lks, Benny cuntered. My mm and

dad died n First Night.

ouch. Srry, BennyI rgt. Pint is, yu got amily

sme kind, right?I guess. I gt Im Mr. Freaking Perect Tm Imura r a

brther, and I dnt ant t learn anything rm him.

Feeney had stared at him. w. I didnt kn yu ere


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lat t him. Hs yu bth, huh? wll, ths yu

ans, i. Nby btt t tach yu th at illingthan a pssinal ill li Tm Imua. Fny paus an

lic his lips nvusly. I guss bing his bth an all,

yuv sn him ta n a lt zms.

N, Bnny sai ith hug annyanc. H nv lts

m atch.

rally? Thats . wll, as him hn yu tun thitn.

Bnny ha as n his thitnth bithay, an Tm ha

sai n. Again. It asnt a iscussin. Just N.

That as m than t yas ag, an n Bnny as

six s past his tnth bithay. H ha u m s

gac t n a paying jb b tn inanc cut his

atins by hal. Bnny hat bing in that psitin, an i

n m psn gav him th tn an spch, h

as ging t scam. H hat that as much as hn ppl

sa smn ing ha an thy sai cap li, Hly

sms, hs ging at that li hs tn an ut .

Li it as smthing t b happy abut. Smthing t

b pu . wing yu butt th st yu li.

Bnny int s h th un as in that. oay, mayb it

as maginally ay bcaus it mant nly hal ays schl

m thn n, but it still suc.

His buy Lu Chng sai it as a sign th ging

cultual ppssin that as iving pstapcalyptic human-

ity ta accptanc a n slav stat. Bnny ha n

aing ia hat Chng mant i th as vn man-ing in anything h sai. But h n agmnt bcaus

th l n Chngs ac alays ma it sm li h n

xactly hat as hat.


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At hm, b h vn fnish ating his sst, Tm

ha sai, I I ant t talk abut yu jining th amily busi-nss, a yu ging t ch my ha ? Again?

Bnny sta vnmus ath at Tm an sai, vy

claly an istinctly, I. dnt. want. T. wk. In. Th.

Family. Businss.

Ill tak that as a n, thn.

dnt yu think its a littl lat n t ty an gt m all

xcit abut it? I ask yu a zillin tims t

Yu ask m t tak yu ut n kills.

right! An vy tim I i yu

Tm cut him . Ths a lt m t hat I , Bnny.

Yah, th pbably is, an mayb I ul hav thught

th st as smthing I cul al ith, but yu nv lt m

s th cl stu.

Ths nthing cl abut killing, Tm sai shaply.

Th is hn yu talking abut killing zms! Bnny

f back.

That stall th cnvsatin. Tm stalk ut th

m an bang aun th kitchn a hil, an Bnny

th himsl n n th cuch.

Tm an Bnny nv talk abut zmbis. Thy ha

vy asn t, but thy nv i. Bnny culnt un-

stan it. H hat zms. evyn hat thm, thugh ith

Bnny it as a hit-ht cnsuming hat that nt back t

his vy fst mmy. Bcaus it was his fst mmya night-

ma imag that as th vy night hn h cls hisys. It as an imag that as sa int him, vn thugh it

as smthing h ha sn as a tiny chil.

da an Mm.


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Mm scaming, unning ta Tm, shving a

squiming Bnnyall ightn mnthsint Tms ams.Scaming an scaming. Tlling him t un.

whil th thing that ha bn da push its ay thugh

th bm that Mm ha ti t blc ith a chai

an lamps an anything ls sh cul n.

Bnny mmb Mm scaming s, but th

mmy as s l an h ha bn s yung that h int

mmb hat any thm . Mayb th n

s. Mayb it as just h scaming.

Bnny mmb th t hat n his ac as Tms tas

ll n him as thy climb ut th bm in. Thy

ha liv in a anch-styl hus. on sty. Th in mp-

ti ut int a ya that as pulsing ith an blu plic

lights. Th m shuts an scams. Th nighbs.

Th cps. Mayb th amy. Thining bac, Bnny gu it

as pbably th amy. An th cnstant ppping gun,

na an a aay.

But all it, Bnny mmb a singl last imag. As

Tm clutch him t his chst, Bnny l v his bth-

s shul at th bm in. Mm lan ut

th in, scaming at thm as das pal hans ach

ut th shas th m an agg h bac ut

sight.

That as Bnnys lst mmy. I th ha bn l

mmis, thn that imag ha bun thm aay. Bcaus

h ha bn s yung th hl thing as littl m than acllag pictus an niss, but v th yas Bnny ha

bun his bain t claim ach agmnt, t assign man-

ing an sns t vy scap hat h cul call. Bnny


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rmmbr th hammring sun vibrating against his

chst that as Tms panick hartbat, an th lng ailthat as his n inarticulat cry r his mm an his a.

H hat Tm r running aay. H hat that Tm

hant stay an hlp Mm. H hat hat thir a

ha bcm n that First Night all ths yars ag. Just as h

hat hat da ha turn Mm int.

In his min thy r n lngr Mm an da. Thy

r th things that ha kill thm. Zms. An h hat

thm ith an intnsity that ma th sun l cl an small.

du, hat is it ith yu an zms? Chng nc ask

him. Yu act lik th zms hav a prsnal grug against

yu.

what, Im supps t hav uzzy bunny lings r

thm? Bnny ha snapp back.

N, Chng ha cnc, but a littl prspctiv

ul b nic. I man . . . vryby hats zms.

Yu nt.

Chng ha shrugg his bny shulrs an his ark

ys ha art aay. evryby hats zms.

Th ay Bnny sa it, hn yur frst mmry as zm-

bis killing yur parnts, thn yu ha a licns t hat thm

as much as yu ant. H tri t xplain that t Chng,

but his rin ulnt b ran back int th cnvrsatin.

A yars ag, hn Bnny un ut that Tm as a

zmbi huntr, h hant bn pru his brthr. As ar as

h as cncrn, i Tm rally ha hat it tk t b a zm-bi huntr, h hav ha th guts t hlp Mm. Insta, Tm

ha run aay an lt Mm t i. T bcm n them.

Tm cam back int th living rm, lk at th


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mains th sst n th tabl, thn l at Bnny n

th cuch.Th still stans, h sai. I yu ant t hat I

, thn Ill ta yu n as an appntic. Ill sign th paps

s yu can still gt ull atins.

Bnny gav him a lng, ithing sta.

I ath b atn by zms than hav yu as my bss,

Bnny sai.

Tm sigh, tun, an tug upstais. At that thy

int tal t ach th ays.


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the following weekenD Benny anD Chong haD piCkeD up the

Saturday edition o the Town Pump, because it had the big-

gest help wanted section. All o the easy jobs, like working in

stores, had been long-since snapped up. They didnt want to

work on the arms, because that meant getting up every morn-

ing at the crack o no way, Jos. Besides, it meant dropping

out o school completely. They didnt love school, but it wasnt

too bad, and school had sotball, ree lunches, and girls. The

ideal fx was a part-time job that paid pretty good and got the

ration board o their backs, so over the next several weeks,

they applied or anything that sounded easy.

Benny and Chong clipped out a bunch o want ads and

tackled them one at a time, having frst categorized them by

most possible money, coolness, and I dont know what it

is, but it sounds okay. They passed on anything that sounded

bad right rom the get-go.

The frst on their list was or a locksmith apprentice.

That sounded okay, but it turned out to be humping acouple o heavy toolboxes rom house to house at the crack

o rigging dawn while an old German guy who could barely


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spa english pai nc lcs an install ial cmbi-

natins n bth sis bm s, as ll as installingbas an i gills.

It as in unny atching th l guy xplain t his

custms h t us th cmbinatin lcs. Bnny an

Chng bgan maing bts n h many tims p cnvsa-

tin a custm ul say hat, cul yu pat that,

bg pan.

Th as imptant, thugh. evyn ha t lc

thmslvs in thi ms at night an thn us a cmbina-

tin t gt ut. o a y; sm ppl still lc ith ys.

That ay, i thy i in thi slp an animat as a zm,

thy ulnt b abl t gt ut th m an attac th

st th amily. Th ha bn hl sttlmnts ip

ut bcaus smns ganath ppp in th mil

th night an thn stat ching n n th is an

ganis.

I nt gt this, Bnny cn t Chng hn thy

aln a minut. Zms cant a cmbinatin

lc any m than thy can tun a nb. Thy cant

ys, ith. why ppl vn buy this stu?

Chng shugg. My a says that lcs a taitinal.

Ppl unstan that lc s p ba things ut, s

ppl ant lcs thi s.

Thats stupi. Cls s ill p zms ut. Zms a

bain-a. Hamsts a smat.

Chng spa his hans in a hy, thats ppl yugstu.

Th Gman guy install ubl-si lcs, s that

th cul b pn m th th si in a al,


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nnzmbi mgncy; i th tn scuity guys had t

cm in and d a clanup n a n zm.Smh, Bnny and Chng had gttn it int thi

hads that lcksmiths gt t s this stu, but th ld guy

said that h hadnt v sn a singl living dad that as in

any ay cnnctd t his jb. Bing.

T mak it s, th Gman guy paid thm a littl m

than pckt lint and said that it uld tak th yas t

lan th actual tad. That mant that Bnny uldnt vn

pick up a scdiv six mnths and uldnt d any-

thing but cay stu a ya. Sc that.

I thught yu didnt ant t actually k, said Chng

as thy alkd aay m th Gman ith n intntin

tuning in th mning.

I dnt. But I dnt ant t b bd ut my aking

mind ith.

Nxt n thi list as a nc tst.

That as a littl m intsting, bcaus th

actual zms n th th sid th nc that kpt th tn

Muntainsid spaat m th gat rt and ruin. Mst

th zms a aay, standing in th ld and-

ing clumsily tad any mvmnt. Th s pls

ith bightly cld stams st a ut in th ld, and

ith vy bz th futting th stams attactd th

zms, cnstantly daing thm aay m th nc. whn

th ind calmd, th catus bgan lumbing in th dic-tin any mvmnt n th tn sid th nc. Bnny

antd t gt cls t a zm. Hd nv bn cls than a

hundd yads m an activ zm b. Th ld kids said


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that i yu l int a zms ys, yu fctin ul

sh yu h yu l as n th living a. Thatsun vy cl, but th as a guy ith a shtgun g-

ging Bnny all thugh th shit, an that ma him ttally

paani. H spnt m tim ling v his shul than

tying t n maning in a mns ys.

Th shtgun guy gt t i a hs. Bnny an Chng

ha t al th nc lin an stp vy six tn t, gip

th chain lins, an sha it t ma su th n

bas ust a spts. That as ay th st mil,

but ata th nis attact th zms, an by th mil

th thi mil, Bnny ha t gab, sha, an las ptty

ast t p his ngs m gtting bit. H ant a cls-up

l, but h int ant t ls a ng v it. I h gt bit,

th shtgun guy ul blast him n th spt. dpning

n its siz, a zm bit cul tun smn m halthy t

living a in anything m a hus t a minuts,

an in intatin, thy tl vyn that th as a z-

tlanc plicy n inctins.

I th gun bulls vn think yu gt nipp, thyll bl

yu all t hll an gn, sai th tain, s b caul!

By lat mning Bnny gt his st chanc t tst th

thy abut sing his zmbi fctin in th ys n

th living a. Th zm as a squat man in th ags hat

ha nc bn a mail cais unim. Bnny st as cls t

th sa si th nc as h a, an th zm lumb

ta him, muth ing as i ching, ac as pal as itysn. Bnny thught th zm must hav bn Hispanic. o

as still Hispanic. H asnt su h that ith th

living a. Mst th zms still tain nugh thi


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riginal skin clr r Benny t tell ne race rm anther, but

as the sun cntinue t bake them year ater year, the whlemass them seeme t be heaing twar a unirm grayness

as i the Living dea was a new ethnic categry.

Benny lke right int the creatures eyes, but all he saw

were ust an emptiness. N refectins any kin. N hun-

ger r hate r malice either. There was nthing. A lls eyes

ha mre lie.

He elt smething twist insie him. The ea mail car-

rier was nt as scary as he ha expecte. He was just there.

Benny trie t get a rea n him, t cnnect with whatever it

was that rve the mnster, but it was like lking int empty

hles. Nthing lke back.

Then the zm lunge at him an trie t bite its way

thrugh the chain links. The mvement was s suen that

it elt much aster than it actually was. There was n tensin,

n twitch acial muscles, nne the signs Benny ha been

taught t lk r in ppnents in basketball r wrestling.

The zm mve withut hesitatin r warning.

Benny yelpe an backpeale away rm the ence. Then

he steppe in a steaming pile hrse crap an ell har n

his butt.

All the guars burst ut laughing.

Benny an Chng quit at lunch.

The next mrning Benny an Chng went t the ar sie

twn an applie as ence technicians.The ence ran r hunres miles an encircle the

twn an its harveste els, s this meant a lt walking

while carrying yet anther grumpy l guys tlbx. In the


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st th hus thy gt chas by a zm h ha squz

thugh a ba in th nc.why nt thy just sht all th zms h cm up t

th nc? Bnny as thi supvis.

Caus ls ul gt upst, sai th man, a scuy-

ling guy ith bushy ybs an a tic at th cn

his muth. Sm thm zms a lativs ls in tn,

an ths ls hav ights gaing thi in. Bn all sts

tubl abut it, s p th nc in g shap, an

vy nc in a hil n th tnsl ill suc up nugh

intstinal titu t gant pmissin th nc guas

t hats ncssay.

Thats stupi, sai Bnny.

Thats ppl, sai th supvis.

That atnn Bnny an Chng al hat thy

su a millin mils, ha bn p n by a hs,

stal by a h zmsBnny culnt s anything at

all in thi usty ysan yll at by naly vyn.

At th n th ay, as thy shambl hm n ach-

ing t, Chng sai, That as abut as much un as gt-

ting batn up. H thught abut it a mmnt. N . . .

gtting batn up is m un.

Bnny int hav th ngy t agu.

Th as nly n pning th nxt jbcapt cat

salsmanhich as ay bcaus Chng ant t stay

hm an st his t. Chng hat aling. S Bnnysh up, natly ss in his bst jans an a clan T-shit,

an ith his hai as cmb as it ul v gt ithut glu.


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There asnt much danger in selling carpet coats, but

Benny asnt slick enough to get the patter don. Bennyas surprised theyd be hard to sell, because everybody had

a carpet coat or to. Best thing in the orld to have on i

some zoms ere around and eeling bitey. what he discov-

ered, though, as that everyone ho could thread a needle

as selling them, so the competition as ferce, and sales

ere e and ar beteen. The door-to-door guys orked on

straight commission, too.

The lead salesman, a greasy joker named Chick, ould

have Benny ear a long-sleeved carpet coatlo knap or

summer, shag or interand then use a device on him that

as supposed to simulate the ull-strength bite o an adult

male zom. This metal biter couldnt break the skin through

the coatand here Chick rolled into his spiel about human

bite strength, throing around terms like PSI, avulsion, and

postdecay dental-ligament strengthbut it pinched really

hard, and the coat as so hot, the seat ran don under

Bennys clothes. when he ent home that night, he eighed

himsel to see ho many pounds hed seated o. Just one,

but Benny didnt have a lot o pounds to spare.

This one looks good, said Chong over breakast the next

morning.

Benny read out loud rom the paper. Pit Throer.

whats that?

I dont kno, Chong said ith a mouth ull o toast. Ithink it has something to do ith barbecuing.

It didnt. Pit throers orked in teams, dragging dead


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zms th bacs cats an tssing thm int th cnstant

blaz at th bttm Bins Quay. Mst th zmsn th cats in pics. Th man h an intatin

pt taling abut pats, an nt n an n abut th is

scnay inctin; thn sh past n th ast smil

Bnny ha v sn an ti t sll th applicants n th

physical tnss bnts that cam m cnstant liting, tun-

ing, an thing. Sh vn pull up h slv an fx

h bicps. Sh ha pal sin ith cls as a as liv

spts, an th sun pp h bicps l li a slln

tum.

Chng a vmiting int his lunch bag.

Th th jbs by th quay inclu ash sa

bcaus nt ant zm sm iting v th tn,

n, ? as th cly muscl a. An pit a,

hich as xactly hat it sun li.

Bnny an Chng int ma it thugh intatin.

Thy snuc ut uing th sli sh smiling pit ths

hanling gay limbs an has.

on jb that as nith isgusting n physically man-

ing as can gnat paiman. ev sinc th lights nt

ut in th s lling Fist Night, th nly suc

lctical p as han-can ptabl gnats. Th

mayb ty in all Muntainsi, an Chng sai that

thy lt v m th mining ays th aly tntith

cntuy. Tn inanc ba th builing any thin gnat. elctnics an cmplx machins n

lng all in tn, bcaus a stng ligius mv-

mnt that assciat that in p ith th Glss


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bhavir that had brught abut th nd. Bnny hard

abut it all th tim, and vn sm his rinds parntstalkd that ay.

It mad n sns t Bnny. It asnt lctric lights and

cmputrs and autmbils that had mad th dad ris. or,

i it as, thn Bnny had nvr hard anyn mak a lgical r

san cnnctin btn th t. whn h askd Tm abut

it, his brthr lkd paind and rustratd. Ppl nd

smthing t blam, Tm said. I thy cant nd smthing

ratinal t blam, thn thyll vry happily blam smthing

irratinal. Back hn ppl didnt kn abut viruss and

bactria, thy blamd plagus n itchs and vampirs. But

dnt ask m h exactly th ppl in tn cam t quat

lctricity and thr rms nrgy ith th living dad.

That dsnt mak vn a littl bit sns.

I kn. But hat I think is th ral rasn is that i

start using lctricity again, and building back up again,

thn things ill kind g back th ay thy r. And

that this hl cycl ill start vr again. I guss t thir

ay thinkingi thy vn cnsciusly thought abut itit

uld b lik a prsn ith a badly brkn hart dciding t

risk alling in lv again. All thy can rmmbr is h bad

th hartbrak and gri lt, and thy cant imagin ging

thrugh that again.

Thats stupid, thugh, Bnny insistd. Its cardly.

wlcm t th ral rld, kidd.

Th tns nly prssinal lctrician, Vic Santrini,had lng sinc takn t drinking his ay thrugh th rst

his li.

whn Bnny and Chng shd up r th intrvi at


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th hus th guy h n th pai shp, h sat thm

n in th sha an aiy pch an gav thm glasss ic ta an mint cis. Bnny as thining that h ul

ta this jb n matt hat it as.

d yu n hy nly us han-can gnats

in tn, bys? th man as. His nam as M. Ml.

Su, sai Chng. Th amy pp nus n th

zms, an th eMPs bl ut all th lctnics.

Plus M. Santinis alays sauc, sai Bnny. H as

abut t a smthing biting abut th biza ligius

intlanc t lcticity hn M. Mls ac cas int

a i smil. Bnny shut his muth.

M. Ml smil at thm a lng tim. A ull minut.

Thn th man sh his ha. N, thats nt quit ight,

bys, Ml sai. Its bcaus han-can machins a

simpl, an ths th machins a stntatius. H p-

nunc ach syllabl as i it as a spaat .

Bnny an Chng glanc at ach th.

Yu s, bys, sai M. Ml, G lvs simplicity.

Its th vil h lvs stntatin. Its th vil h lvs

aganc an ganisity.

Uh-oh, Bnny thught.

M. Santini spnt th st pat his li installing

lctical appliancs int ppls hms, sai M. Ml.

That as th vils , an n hs sught th bliv-

in mn um t ty an hi m th act that hs ac-

ing a lng tim in hll hlping t incu th ath thAlmighty. I it asnt Glss mn li him, th Almighty

ul nt hav pn th gats hll an snt th lgins

th amn t vth th vain ingms manin.


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19

out th crnr his y, Bnny cul s Chngs fn-

grs turning bn whit as h gripp th arms his chair.I can s a littl ubt in yur ys, bys, an thats air

nugh, sai Mrkl, his muth twist int a smil that was

s tight, it lk painul. But thr ar a lt ppl wh

hav mbrac th rightus path. Thr ar mr us wh

believe than nt. H sni. evn i all thm nt yt

hav th curag thir aith t say s.

H lan rwar, an Bnny cul almst l th hat

rm th mans intns star.

Th schl, th hspitalvn th twn hallrun n

lctricity rm han-crank gnratrs, an as lng as

right-min ppl raw brath unr Gs wn havn,

thr wnt b any stntatius machinry in ourtwn.

Thr was a whl pitchr ic ta n th tabl, as wll

as quit a pil ckis, an Bnny raliz that Mr. Mrkl

prbably ha a lt t say n th subjct an want his aui-

nc cmrtabl r th whl ri. Bnny nur it r as

lng as h cul an thn ask i h cul us th bath-

rm. Mr. Mrkl, wh ha nw shit rm simpl lc-

tricity t th sul-crushing blasphmy that was hyrlctric

pwr, was nly milly thrwn his gam, an tl Bnny

whr t g insi th hus. Bnny wnt insi an all th

way thrugh an ut th back r. H wav t Chng as h

vault th wn nc.

Tw hurs latr Chng caught up with him utsi

Lartys, th lcal gnral str. H gav Bnny a lng anvil lk.

Yur such a g rin, Bnny, Ill rally miss yu

whn yur a.


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IN

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du, I gav yu an ut. whn I int cm bac, int

h g ling m?N. H sa yu g v th nc, but h pt smiling

that smil his an sai, Yu littl in is ging t bun

in hll, yu n that? But you ulnt spit in Gs y

li that, ul yu?

An yu stayed?

what cul I ? I as aai h pint at m an say

Him!, an thn lightning blts ul hit m smthing.

Scatch that jb th list?

Yu thin?

Sptt as th nxt jb, an that pv t b a g chic,

but nly n thm. Bnnys ysight as t p t

spt zms at th ight istanc. Chng as li an agl,

an thy him a jb as sn as h nish aing th

smallst numbs a chat. Bnny culnt vn tll thy

numbs.

Chng t th jb, an Bnny al aay aln,

thing ispiit ls bac at his in sitting nxt t his

tain in a high t.

Lat, Chng tl Bnny that h lv th jb. H sat

th all ay, staing ut v th vallys, int th rt an

ruin that sttch m Calinia, all th ay t th Atlantic.

Chng sai that h cul s tnty mils n a cla ay, sp-

cially i th n ins cming his ay m th quay.

Just him up th, aln ith his thughts. Bnny miss hisin, but pivatly h thught that th jb sun m

bing than s cul xpss.


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21

Benny like the soun o bottle, because he gue it o

a actoy job o lling soa bottles. Benny love soa, butit as sometimes ha to come by. Some pop as ol stu

bought in by taes, but that as too expensive. A bottle o

d Peppe cost ten ation ollas. The local stu came in all

sots o ecycle bottlesom jelly jas to bottles that ha

actually once been lle ith Coke o Mountain de. Benny

coul see himsel manning the han-canke geneato that

an the conveyo belt o tapping coks into the bottlenecks

ith a ubbe mallet. He as positive they oul let him ink

all the soa he ante. But as he alke up the oa, he met

an ole teenagehis pal Mogie Mitchells cousin Bet

ho oke at the plant. when Benny ell into step ith Bet,

he almost gagge. Bet smelle aul, like something oun

ea behin the baseboas. wose. He smelle like a zom.

Bet caught his look an shugge. well . . . hat o you

expect me to smell like? I bottle this stu eight hous a ay.

what stu?

Caaveine. what, you think I ok making soa pop?

I ish! Nah, I ok a pess to get the oils om the otting

meat.

Bennys heat sank. Caaveine as a nasty-smelling mole-

cule pouce by potein hyolysis uing puteaction o

animal tissue. Benny emembee that om science class, but

he int kno that it as mae om actual otting fesh.

Huntes an tackes abbe it on thei clothes to keep the

zoms om coming ate them, because the ea ee notattacte to otting fesh.

Benny aske Bet hat kind o fesh as use to pouce

the pouct, but Bet hemme an hae an nally change


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th subjct. Just as Bt as aching th t th plant,

Bnny spun aun an al bac t tn.

Th as n jb Bnny alay n abut: sin atist.

H sn sin ptaits tac n vy all th tns

nc utpsts an n th alls th builings that lin th

r Zn, th sttch pn lan that spaat th tn

m th nc.

This jb ha sm pmis, bcaus Bnny as a ptty

ai atist. Ppl ant t n hat thi lativs might

l li i thy zms, s sin atists t amily ph-

ts an zmbi thm. Bnny ha sn zns ths p-

taits in Tms c. A cupl tims h n i h

shul ta th pictu his pants t an atist an hav

thm an. H nv actually n it, thugh. Thining

abut his pants as zms ma him sic an angy.

But Sacchtt, th supvising atist, tl him t ty a pic-

tu a lativ st. H sai it pvi btt insight int

hat th clints ul b ling. S, as pat his auitin,

Bnny t th pictu his ls ut his allt an ti it.

Sacchtt n an sh his ha. Yu maing

thm l t man an scay.

H ti it again ith sval phts stangs th atist

ha n l.

Still man an scay, sai Sacchtt ith pus lips

an a isappving sha his ha.

Thy are man an scay, Bnny insist.Nt t custms thy nt, sai Sacchtt.

Bnny almst agu ith him abut it, saying that i h

cul accpt that his n ls fsh-ating zmbis


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23

an that th as nthing am an uzzy abut itthn

hy cant vyn ls gt it thugh thi has?H l yu hn yu pants pass? Sacchtt

ask.

eightn mnths.

S, yu nv ally kn thm.

Bnny hsitat, an that l imag fash in his ha

nc m. Mm scaming. Th pal an inhuman ac that

shul hav bn das smiling ac. An thn th aknss

as Tm cai him aay.

N, h sai bittly. But I kn hat thy lk lik. I

kn about thm. I kn that thy zms. o mayb thy

a n, but, I manzms a zms. right?

A thy? th atist ask.

Ys! Bnny snapp, ansing his n qustin. An

thy shul all t.

Th atist l his ams acss his chst an lan

against a paint-spatt all, ha cck as h assss

Bnny. Tll m smthing, ki, h sai. evyn lst am-

ily an ins t th zms. evyns ptty tn up abut

it. Yu int vn ally kn th ppl yu lstyu

t yungbut yu gt this -ht hat ging n. Iv nly

knn yu hal an hu, an I can s it cming ut yu

ps. whats that all abut? w sa h in tn. Hav a

li an lt g th stu yu cant chang.

Mayb Im t smat t just giv an gt.

N, sai Sacchtt, that aint it.At th auitin, h hant bn th jb.


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it was a 1967 pontiaC lemans ragtop. BlooDreD anD so

sup-up that sh utun any amn thing n th a.

An I man damned thing.

Thats h Chali Matthias alays scib his ca.

Thn h giv a big baying hslaugh, bcaus n matt

h many tims h sai it, h thught it as th unnist j

v. Ppl tn t laugh with him ath than at th actual

j, bcaus Chali ha a svnty-inch chst an tnty-

u-inch bicps, an his sat as a sup tststn,

anablic stis, an Jac danils. Yu nt laugh, h gts

ma an stats t thin yu mssing ith him. Smthing

ugly usually ll Chali bcming n.

Bnny alays laugh. Nt bcaus h as aai

hat Chali ul t him i h int, but bcaus Bnny

thught Chali as hilaius. An cl. H thught th

as n n cl n plant eath.

It int matt t Bnny that th ca Chali alays tal

abut ha un ut gas thitn yas ag an as a ustpic scap mtal smh ut in th rt an ruin. N

i it matt that th act th ca cul vn iv as at s

ith histy; nt at th eMPs. In Chalis stis, that ca


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25

ha liv thugh th bmbs an th ghuls an a thusan

avntus, an cul nv b gttn. Chali sai hbn a al a wai in th LMans, cuising th blactp

an bashing zms.

evyn ls at Latys Gnal St laugh t,

thugh Bnny was su a cupl thm might hav bn

aing it. Abut th nly psn wh int laugh at th j

was Main Hamm, nwn t vyn as th Mt City

Hamm. H wasnt as big as Chali, but h was bullg ugly

an ha pistl butts sticing ut vy pct, as wll as a

lngth blac pip that hung li a club m his blt. Th

Hamm int laugh much, but whn h was in a m, his

ys wul twinl li a my pig, an n cn his

muth wul tun up in what cul hav bn a smil but

pbably wasnt.

Bnny thught th Hamm was insanly cl t. . . .

Just nt as insanly cl as Chali. o cus, n n was as

cl as Chali Matthias. Chali was a six-t, six-inch albin

with n blu y an n pin n that was mily an blin.

Th was a um that whn Chali cls his blu y, h

cul s int th alm ghsts with his a y. Bnny

thught that was wic, t . . . vn i h pivatly wasnt s

su it was tu.

Th pai thmChali an th Hammw th

tughst bunty hunts in th nti rt an ruin. evyn

sai s. excpt a w wis, li May kisch, wh

sai that Tm Imua was tugh. Bnny thught that was ala cap, bcaus Chali sai Tm was a bit t asy n

zms, an h sai it in a way that suggst Tm was ith

shy a al fght int hav th aw nv ncssay


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t b a st-class zmbi-hunting, balans baass. Bsis,

Tm asnt hal as big as Chali as man-ling as thHamm. N, Tm as a ca. Bnny n that sthan.

wing as a bunty hunt as a tugh an ang-

us businss. Nn tugh, as a as Bnny n. Mst

th hunts pai by th tn t cla zms ut th

aas aun th ta ut that lin Muntainsi t

th hanul th tns stung ut alng th muntain

ang. oths in pacs as mcnay amis t cla

ut tns, l shpping malls, ahuss, an vn a

small citis, s that th tas cul ai thm supplis.

Accing t Chali th li xpctancy a typical bunty

hunt as six mnths. Mst th yung mn h ti

that jb gav it a mnth t an thn quit, iscving

that actually illing zms as a lt int m hat thy

lan m amily mmbs h ha suviv Fist Night,

an a hl lt int m th stu thy taught in

schl th Scuts. Chali an th Hamm ha bn th

st th huntsagain, accing t Chalian thy

bn at it sinc th bginning, maing thi st pai ills

ight mnths at Fist Night.

w ilt m zms than th hl amy, navy, ai c,

an mains put tgth, th Hamm bagg at last nc

a mnth. An that inclus th pansy-ass Natinal Gua.

F all thi blust an ba s an vilnt tnn-

cis, Chali an th Hamm ppula all aun tn,

patly bcaus thy l t tugh an ugly t b sca anything. Mayb vn t ugly t ill. I vn hal thi

putatin as t b bliv, thn thy bn in m

cls-cmbat tussls ith th living a than anyn, an


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27

ctainly m than any th th bunty hunts ing

this pat th ruin. Thy vn tugh than lgn-ay hunts, li Hustn Jhn, wil Bill Faichil, J-dg an

d. Sillz, th Mng bths. Thn again, Bnny ha

t masu putatin against ality ith nly guss t

g n, an in th n it pbably int matt h n

th mst illing tan th mst has. Accing t dn

Laty, n th gnal st, Chali an th Hamm

ha bagg an tagg n hun an sixty-th nam

has an mayb t thusan namlss a. evy singl

ill ha bn a pai jb, t.

Chali an th Hamm als i clsu jbslcating

a zmbi amily mmb in a clint an putting

thm t nal st. May kisch sai thy ha as high a cl-

su at as Tm i, thugh Bnny ubt it. N ay Tms

at cul b anywhere na Chalis tally. Tm nv ha

xta atin llas t spa, an Chali as alays buying

b, pp, an i chicn ings th c h gath-

aun t listn t his stis.

whn yu gnna ti? as wigly Sputts, th

mail cai, as h pu Chali anth cup ic ta.

Yu bys hav t b ich as Mias by n.

Mias? as th Hamm. whs h?

I thin h sl mufs, Nbt, n th

tas h us am hss t pull agns scavng

gs m tn t tn, an thn bught a ingm.

Yah, sai Chali, ning as i h n that t b thtuth. king Mias. dnitly m dtit. Ma a tun

utta ca pats an such.

An vyn ag ith him, bcaus that as th smat


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thing t . Bnny n, vn thugh h ha n clu hat

a muf as. Lu Chng an Mgi Mitchll n t.wll, bys, sai Chali ith a in. I aint saying Im

as ich as a ing, but m an th Hamm gt us a hl pt

gl. Th ruins bn g t us.

Yah, it has, ag th Hamm, his pupl lips pus

ningly. w ilt us a mss zms.

My uncl Nic sai yu ill th u Mngl bths

last mnth, sai Mgi m th bac th c.

Chali an th Hamm bust ut laughing. Hll ys!

w ill thm an a. Th Hamm snuc up n

thi plac, hal-past sunis, an tss a Mltv nt th

. All u thm a sucs cm stagging ut int

th mning light. Sta ith l bl an hs cap

an h ns hat. Sinny an ttn, smll s than

saty pigs, an ty t aay.

whatcha ? as Bnny, his ys ablaz.

Th Hamm snt. w play sm.

Chali snic at that. Yah. w ant t hav sm

un. This businss is gtting ss illing ths citts is ay

t asy. Am I ight am I ight?

A ppl chucl n vaguly, but nby

sai anything spcic. It as n ths tims hn it asnt

cla hat th ight ans ul b.

Chali pl aha. S m an th Hamm ci t

ma this a bit m ai.

Fai, ag th Hamm.w lai n u apns.

All m? Chng gasp.


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29

evy last on. Guns, nivs, th Hamms avoit pip,

numchucs, vn thm ninja thoing stas that th Hammtoo o that dad zom ho usd to un that aat school on

th oth sid o th vally. w stippd don to ou jans

and bats and just nt in, mano a mano.

wnt in whut? asd Mogi.

It mans hand to hand, Chong said.

It mans man to man, Chali snappd.

evn Bnny n Chali as ong, but h didnt say so.

Not ight to Chalis ac, anyay. No on as that dumb.

Chali th Chong a quic, ugly loo and plungd bac

into his stoy. Anyays, cam up on thm ith just ou

nucls and nvs, and ai bat thm zoms so bad, thy

did supisd, o up, and did o sham all ov again.

evyon bust out laughing.

Somon clad his thoat, and thy all lood up to

s randy kisch, th ton mayo, standing th, his ams

oldd, bald had cocd to on sid as h lood om Bnny

to Chong to Mogi. I thought you boys supposd to

b out job hunting.

I got a job, Chong said quicly.

Im outn, said Mogi.

w just stoppd in o a cold bottl o pop, Bnny said.

And youv had it, Bnjamin Imua, said Mayo kisch.

No you th un along.

Bnny thought Chali as going to objct, but th

bounty hunt simply shuggd. Yah . . . you boys got toan you ations just li gon ols. Sdaddl.

Bnny and th oths got up and slouchd past th


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30

may. B thy vn ach th Chali as in ull

sti again, tlling anth his stis, an vyn aslaughing. Th may ll th bys utsi.

Bnny, h sai quitly, th ht sun glinting th pl-

ish cn his shav ha. ds Tm n yuv bn

hanging ut h?

I nt n, Bnny sai vasivly. H n an ll

that Tm ha n ia that h spnt a pat vy atnn

listning t Chali an th Hamm tll thi stis.

I nt thin h li it, sai May kisch.

Bnny mt his sta. I guss I ally nt ca much hat

Tm lis an snt li, h sai, thn a si t th

n it, as i that cul smh impv th tn

vic h just us.

May kisch scatch at his thic blac ba. H

pn his muth t say smthing an thn cls it again.

whatv h ant t say, h pt t himsl. That as n

ith Bnny, h asnt in th m a lctu.

Yu bys un alng n, kisch sai vntually. H

st n th pch th gnal st a hil, but hn

Bnny as all th ay n th stt an l bac, h

sa th may g bac int th st.

Th may an his amily liv nxt t Bnny, an

h an Tm ins. May kisch as alays taling

abut h tugh Tm as an hat a g hunt Tm as

an hat a n xampl Tm st all bunty hunts. Blah,

blah, blah. It ma Bnny ant t hul. I Tm st such a nxampl as a bunty hunt, thn hy int th otherbunty

hunts v tll stis abut him? Nn thm bagg

abut h thy sn Tm singl-hanly ic th butts


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u zmbis at nc. evn Tm int tal abut it. Nt nc

ha h v tl Bnny abut hat h i ut th in thruin. H bing as that? Bnny thught th May ha a

sc ls. Tm as n in l ml t anyn.

Chng sai h ha t gt ay . H as schul

a six-hu shit in his t, an l plas abut it.

Bnny an Mgi un thi in Nix rily, a ha

gil ith m cls than anyn cul cunt, sitting n a

c n by th c, iting in h lath-bun nt-

b. Sh ha h shs an h t in th at. Th

nail plish n h ts l li ubis un th ippling

at.

Hll, Bnny, sai Nix ith a smil, ping at him m

un h il -gl culs. Hs th jb hunting ging?

Bnny gunt an ic his shs. Th cl at

as li a happy paty n his ht t. Mgi sluch

aun an sat n Nixs th si, an bgan untying his

cluny bts.

Thy tl Nix abut Chali an th Hamm, an abut

th may usting thm.

My mm nt lt m anyh na ths guys, sai

Nix. Sh an h mth liv aln in a tiny hus by th

st all, v in th pst pat tn. Up until this past

int, Nix ha alays bn a sinny, gangly i h as

m n th guys than a gil. Li Chng, Nix as a b-

m an alays ha sval bs in h satchl, but unliChng, Nix ant t it bs h n. Sh as alays

scibbling pms an sht stis in h junal. o all

thm sh alays bn th al g, but that ha chang


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32

v th last tn mnths. N Nix asnt a stic gu any-

m, an Bnny un it i bing aun h. espciallyn ht ays hn sh a tight T-shit an shts. H pt

anting t l at hspcially at hat sh as ing t

that T-shitbut it ma him l ally aa. Nix ha

alays bn li Mgi an Chng. N sh as a girl.

Th as n ay t ign that act anym.

what ma it s as that Bnny as ptty su Nix

ha a cush n him. H li h, t, thugh h ath

hav an am cut than say s. evn t Chng. dating a

in as an l tab amng his c. H an Chng ha

sn a bl ath n it hn thy nin tn. Nix as

ally cut, an h li ling at h, but ating h ul

b li ating Chng. Bsis, ith a gil h h nn

sinc thy just ut iaps, th as n chanc at

all that sh thin h as mystius an intsting. Su,

sh alay li him, but hat ul happn i thy stat

ating an sh ti t iscv his scts, nly t n ut

that h int hav any? o, s, hat ul happn i

h as h ut an un ut that Nix ally int hav a

thing him? Bnny culnt imagin aling ith jctin

m smn h n vything abut him an h h

b sing all th tim. Th hl thing ma Bnny ant t

bang his ha against a all.

H cm? as Mgi. Th qustin bught Bnny

bac t th cnvsatin.

Its cmplicat, Nix sai, ling n at th sunlightn th ippling at. An Mm nt tll m all it, but I

thin sh an Chali ha sm in ght smthing.


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33

Sh really snt li him. Im nt all t b arun him

unlss Mms thr. or Mayr kirsch r Tm.Sh nug Bnny ith hr t hil sh tal.

Bnny prtn nt t ntic th nug. H as,

why Tm?

Mm lis Tm.

Lis? Yu man lis him li sh lis yur g, Pirat,

rlikes lis?

Lis lis. Sh cut him a siays l. Tms ht.

Thats sic, Bnny sai.

Yu l a lt ali, yu n, sai Nix.

Plas ill m n, Bnny as th havns.

why cant yu b arun Charli ithut yur mm

r Tm? Mrgi as. Unli Bnny, Mrgi ha bcm

inatuat ith Nix. An ith mr than hr n fgur. H

actually liked hr. Mrgi ha nvr ma that ath abut

nvr ating rins, an Bnny culnt quit grasp h h

as abl t fxat n Nix ithut ling ir abut it.

Sh says that h snt trat girls th right ay

smtims.

whats that supps t man? as Bnny, his vic

sharpr than intn.

Nix gav him a lng cnsiring star. Yu can b s

naiv smtims.

I rpat, hats that supps t man?

It mans that guys li Charli sm t thin that any-

thing thy put thir hans n blngs t thm. Mms arait b aln ith ithr thm, an I ulnt ant t b

caught in a ar ally ith thm ithr.


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34

Yu nuts.

Yu nt a gil, Nix sai. o lt m put it anthay: Yu a by, s th yu pbably incapabl

unstaning.

I unstan, sai Mgi, but Nix an Bnny bth

ign him.

Is yu mm just saying this stu i smthing actu-

ally happn? as Bnny. His vic as havy ith spti-

cism, an Nix simply sh h ha an tun aay. Sh

pt staing at th istant nc lin.

wll, I thin Chali an thm a ally cl, sai

Bnny.

Th mmnt sttch t thin t suppt any m cn-

vsatin, at last n that tpic, s thy lt it g an sai nth-

ing. At a hil a cl bz cam alng, an thy all lai

bac an cls thi ys. Th bz bl th tnsin aay

li n gains san.

withut ling at Bnny, Nix sai, di yu gt a jb

yt?

Nah. H tl thm abut all th jbs h appli

an h ach n ha tun ut.

Nix an Mgi nt yt tn. Thy hat th

thught gtting jbs naly as much as Bnny hat th

pcss ning n, but at last thy ha a cupl

mnths b thy ha t g ling.

what a yu ging t ? Nix as, ppping hsl

up n h lbs. Th sunlight n th at fic lifcs gl in h gn ys, an hn Bnny aliz h

as thining that, h ma himsl l aay.

I nt n.


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35

why nt yu ask yur brther r a jb? she sai.

I rather be tie n ver an anthill.what is it ith yu t?

why es everyne ask me that? Benny snappe. Tms

a lser, kay? He alks arun like hes Mr. High an Mighty,

but I kn hat he really is.

what? aske Mrgie.

Benny almst sai it, almst calle his brther a car

t his riens. But that as a line he hant ever crsse. on

sme level he elt that i he calle Tm a car, then it might

make peple ner i he as ne t. They ere nly hal

brthers, but they ere still relate, an Benny int kn

i carice as smething that cul be passe n thrugh

bl.

Just leave it alne as all he sai. He sat up an she

n the bank r stnes that he cul thr. He un a e,

but nne them ere fat enugh t skip, s he plunke

them ar ut int the stream. Mrgie hear the nise, sat up,

an jine him.

Nix grabbe her ntebk an rte r a hile. Benny

trie very har nt t lk at her. He mstly succeee, but

it tk ert.

well, sai Nix smetime later, summers almst ver,

an i yu nt get a jb by the start schl, theyll cut

My ratins, he barke. I kn, I kn. Geez.

Nix ell silent. Mrgie pretene t kick her t, but she

kicke him back r real, an they gt int a lu argument.Benny, isguste ith them an ith everything, gt up an

stalke aay, hans in his pckets, shulers hunche uner

the August heat.


43/110

4septemBerwastenDaysaway, anD BennystillhaDntfounDajoB.

H asnt g nugh ith a if t b a nc gua; h

asnt l nugh t jin th tn atch; h asnt patint

nugh aming; an h asnt stng nugh t as

a hitt a cuttnt that smashing in zmbi has ith a

slghamm cutting thm up th quay agns as

much a a him, vn ith his stng hat th

mnsts. Ys, it as illing, but it als l li ha ,

an Bnny asnt all that intst in smthing scib

in th paps as maning physical lab. was that sup-

ps t attact applicants?

S, at sul-saching a , uing hich Chng

lctu him ptty nlssly abut taching himsl m

pcnciv ntins an alling himsl t bcm pat

th ccativ pcss th univs ( smthing li that),

Bnny nt an as Tm t ta him n as an appntic.

At st Tm stui him ith na-y suspicin.

Thn his ys in in shc hn h aliz Bnnyasnt playing a j.

As th ality san in, Tm l li h ant t cy.


44/110

FamilyBusiness

37

He tried to hug Benny, but that asnt going to happen in

this lietime, so they shook hands on it.Benny let a smiling Tom and ent upstairs to take a nap

beore dinner. He sat don and stared out the indo, as i

he could see tomorro and the tomorro ater that and the

one ater that. Just him and Tom.

This is really going to suck, he said.


45/110

thatevening tomanD BennysatonthefrontstepsanDwatCheD

th sun st v th muntains. Bnny as pss. H

l at th sunst as i it as a in int th utu, an

all h sa as c clsnss ith Tm an th pblms

that nt ith it. H als int unstan Tm. H n

Tm ha un aay an yt h n ma his living illing

zms. Tm nv tal abut it at hm. H nv bagg

abut his ills, int hang ut ith th th bunty hunts,

int anything t sh h tugh h as.

on n han, zms nt supps t b ha t ill

in a n-n-n situatinnt against a smat an ll-am

psn. on th th han, th as n m mistas

ith thm. Thy alays hungy, alays angus. N

matt h h ti t it ut in his ha, Bnny cul

nt s Tm as th in psn h cul ul hunt

th living a. It as li a hnhus chicn hunting xs.

ov th last cupl yas Bnny ha almst as

Tm abut this, but ach tim, h lt his qustins unsp-n. Mayb th anss ul smh sh m Tms

anss. Mayb Tm as lying an ally ing smthing

ls. Bnny ha ut a numb biza an unlily


46/110

FamilyBusiness

39

scnais t ty an xplain chicnshit Tm as a zmbi

ill. Nn thm hl at. N, ith th ality hatthy ging t tm mning as cla an al as

th stting sun, Bnny nally put th qustin ut th.

why yu this stu?

Tm cut a quic l at him, but h cntinu t sip his

c an as a lng tim ansing. Tll m, i, hat

is it yu thin I ?

duh! Yu ill zms.

rally?

Thats hat yu say, Bnny sai, thn gugingly

a, Thats hat vyn says. Tm Imua, th gat zm-

bi ill.

Tm n, as i Bnny ha sai smthing intsting.

S, a as yu s it, thats all I ? I just al up t any zm-

bi I s anpow!

Uh . . . yeah.

Uh . . . no. Tm sh his ha. H can yu liv in

this hus an nt n hat I , hat my jb invlvs?

whats it matt? evyby I n has a bth, sist,

ath, mth, haggy l ganmth hs ill zms.

whats th big? H ant t say that h thught Tm pb-

ably us a high-p if ith a scp an ill thm

m a sa istanc; nt li Chali an Hamm, h ha

th stns t it man a man.

killing th living a is a pat hat I , Bnny. But

yu n hy I it? An hm?F un? Bnny suggst, hping Tm ul b at

last that cl.

Ty again.


47/110

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IN

40

oay . . . thn mny . . . an hvs gnna

pay yu.A yu ptning t b a p yu ally nt

unstan?

what, yu thin I nt n yu a bunty hunt?

evyby ns that. Za Matthiass uncl Chali is n

t. I ha him tll stis abut ging p int th ruin

t hunt zms.

Tm paus ith his c cup halay t his lips.

Chali? Yu n Chali Pin-y?

H gts ma i ppl call him that.

Chali Pin-y shulnt b around ppl.

why nt? man Bnny. H tlls th bst stis.

Hs unny.

Hs a ill.

S a yu.

Tms smil as gn. G, Im an iit. I hav t b th

st bth in th histy th l i I lt yu thin that

Im th sam as Chali Pin-y.

wll . . . yu nt xactly li Chali.

oh . . . thats smthing thn . . .

Chalis th man.

Chalis th man, ch Tm. H sat bac an ubb

his ys. G G. what cul yu pssibly n intsting

abut a thug li Chali?

Bcaus h tlls it li it is, Bnny sai. I man, its in

i that suun by, li, a zillin zms, lan abut Fist Night an zmbis in schl, but thy just

tal aun it th mst pat. Thy nt tll us about it. Its


48/110

FamilyBusiness

41

cazy. w hav all ths salvag txtbks m b Fist

Night that tll us abut th lplitics an cas an allthatbut yu kn hat hav Fist Night? A pamphlt.

ds that mak any sns? I can tll yu th mak an ml

vy ca that v ll ut dtit, but I cant tll

yu abut h dtit ll uing Fist Night. I kn abut

cll phns an cmputs an all that before stu. . . . But I

nt kn anything abut hats n th th si th

nc. . . . excpt hat I lan m Chali. Tic a mnth

pactic zmbi killing in gym class by hitting sta tagts

ith sticks, an sm that kin cap in th Scuts,

but nbyI man nobodyxcpt Chali an th Hamm

v ally talks abut zms. ou tachs must think all

laning abut zmbis m u lks, but nn my ins

hav ha squat at hm. Yu vn s bcaus killing

zms is yu jb, an yu nv talk abut it. Nv. Yah,

yull hlp m ith math an histy an all that stu, but

hn it cms t zms . . . I lan m th back Zmbi

Cas than I v m yu. evyn v tnty yas

l in this stupi tn acts lik living n Mas. I man,

h many ppl vn g t th r Zn lt aln all th

ay t th nc? evn th nc guas nt talk abut th

zms. Thy talk abut stball an hat thy ha inn

last night, but thy all ptn th zms ant vn th.

Ppl g t th r Zn, Bnny. Thy g th t

pst sin ptaits th bunty hunts.

oh, yah? wll, I kn a act that mst ppl paykis t pst th ptaits thm. H I kn? Bcaus

Iv put up abut a hun thm.


49/110

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IN

42

Yu?

Zmbi Cas nt buy thmslvs, Tm. An hnppl as is t put th pictus up, thy nt vn say

hat thy a. I man, staning th, bth ling at

an sin ptait, an n n v mntins th zm.

Mst ppl just say, Hy, i, ant t hang this m?

Thy nv say h. Thy n that n, but thy cant

actually cm ut an say it. Its aing i, man.

Ppl a sca, Bnny. Thy in nial. Yu nly

tn, s yu an yu ins nt ally unstan hat

it as li uing Fist Night.

N j, M. wiza. Thats my hl pint! w want t

n.

Tm pus his lips. I guss . . . ppl pbably ant t

shlt yu m it.

Bnny ant t th smthing at Tm. H y a

havy b; that might a him up. H th hc can

anyn shlt us? w liv bhin ncs, suun by th

rt an ruin. Mayb yuv ha it? Big plac, us t

b call Amica? Fill ith zms? Its nt ai that ppl

nt tll us th tuth.

Bnny, I

Its u l t, Bnny snapp. His s hit Tm

li a slap. Thn int th silnc Bnny pp anth

bmb. dnt gt n my cas listning t Chali i hs

th nly n h thins ught t n tuth.

Tm sta at him a lng tim as int mtinsf li at v his ac. Finally h th th last his

c int th bushs bsi th pch, an st up.


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FamilyBusiness

43

Tell you hat, Benny . . . Tomoo ee going to stat

ealy an hea out into the rot an ruin. well go eep, likeChalie oes. I ant you to see sthan hat he oes an

hat I o, an then you can make you on ecisions.

decisions about hat?

About a lot o things, kio.

An ith that Tom ent insie an to be.


51/110

tom anD Benny left at Dawn anD heaDeD Down to the

suthastn gat. Th gatp ha Tm sign th usual

aiv that abslv th tn an th gatping sta

all liability i anything unta happn nc thy css

int th ruin. A vn sl Tm a zn bttls caav-

in, hich thy spinl n thi clthing, an a ja pp-

pmint g that thy abb n thi upp lips, t ill thi

n sns smll.

will this stu stp th zms?

Nthing stps thm, sai Tm. But this sls thm

n, mas mst thm hsitat b biting. evn ivs

sm aay. It givs yu an g an a littl bathing m,

but nt thin yu can stll thugh a c thm ith

n is.

Thats ncuaging, Bnny sai un his bath.

Thy ss a lng hi. Tm ha instuct

Bnny t a g aling shs, jans, a uabl shit, an

a hat t p th sun m biling his bains.I its nt alay t lat, Tm sai.

Bnny ma a u gstu hn Tm asnt ling.


52/110

FamilyBusiness

45

dspit th hat, Tom o a lightight jackt ith

lots o pockts. H ha an ol amy gun blt aoun his na-o aist, ith a pistol snugg into a on lath holst.

Bnny asnt allo to hav a gun yt.

evntually, Tom sai, thn a, Mayb.

I lan gun saty in school, Bnny potst.

You int lan it om m, Tom sai ith fnality.

Th last thing Tom stapp on as a so. Bnny

atch ith intst as Tom slung a long stap iagonally

acoss his boy, om lt shoul to ight hip, ith th hilt

staning abov his shoul so that h coul ach up an

ov o a ast ight-han a.

Th so as a katana, a Japans long so that

Bnny ha sn Tom pactic ith vy ay o as long as

h coul mmb. That so as th only thing about his

both that Bnny thought as cool. Bnnys mom, ho as

Toms aopt moth, as Iish, but thi ath ha bn

Japans. Tom onc tol Bnny that th Imua amily nt all

th ay back to th samuai ays o ancint Japan. H sho

Bnny pictu books o fc-looking Japans mn in amo.

Samuai aios.

A you a samuai? Bnny ha ask hn h as nin.

Th a no samuai anymo, Tom sai, but vn back

thn Bnny thought that Tom ha a unny look on his ac

hn h sai that. Lik mayb th as mo to say on th

subjct, but h int ant to say it ight thn. whn Bnny

bought th subjct up a coupl o tims sinc, th ansas alays th sam.

evn so, Tom as ptty amn goo ith th so. H


53/110

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IN

46

cul a ast as lightning, an Bnny ha sn him a

tic nc hn Tm thught n n ls as ling. Hth a hanul gaps int th ai, thn his s

an cut v thm in hal b thy ll t th gass. Th

bla as a blu. Lat, at Tm ha gn t a st,

Bnny cunt th gaps. Tm ha thn six int th ai.

H nly miss n. That as st.

o cus, Bnny ul sn at bn glass than tll

Tm h impssiv h thught it as.

why a yu binging that? h as as Tm ajust

th lay th stap.

Its quit, Tm sai.

Bnny unst that. Nis attact zms. A s

as quit than a gun, but it als mant gtting cls. Bnny

int thin that as a vy smat ia. H sai as much, an

Tm just shugg.

Thn hy bing th gun? Bnny psist.

Caus smtims quit snt matt. Tm patt his

pcts t a quic invnty t ma su h ha vy-

thing h n. oay, h sai, lts g. w buning

aylight.

Tm tipp a cupl nc unns t bang n ums

six hun yas nth, an as sn as that aay th

aning zms, Tm an Bnny slipp ut int th gat

rt an ruin an ha th t lin.

Chng av t thm m th cn t.

w n t mv ast th st hal mil, cautinTm, an h b int a jg-tt that as ast nugh t gt

thm ut scnt ang but sl nugh Bnny t match.


54/110

FamilyBusiness

47

A e the zmbies staggeed ate them, but the ence

unnes banged n the dums again, and the zmbies, inca-pable hlding n t me than ne eactin at a time,

tuned back tad the nise. The Imua bthes vanished

int the shads unde the tees.

when they nally sled t a alk, Benny as seating. It as

a ht stat t hat uld be a scche a day. The ai as

thick ith msquites and fies, and the tees ee alive

ith the sund chatteing bids. Fa abve them the sun

as a hite hle in the sky.

wee nt being lled, Tm said.

wh said e ee?

well . . . eve since e let yu keep lking back tad

the ence line.

N, I dnt.

o ae yu lking t see i any yu iends came t

see yu ? othe than Chng, I mean. Maybe a cetain ed-

haied gil?

Benny staed at him. Yu ae cmpletely delusinal.

Yue ging t tell me that yu dnt have a thing

Nix riley?

A ld n.

H cme I und a sheet pape ith he name it-

ten n it maybe a millin times?

Must have been Mgies.

It as yu handiting.Then I guess I as pacticing my penmanship. what is it

ith yu? I tld yu, I dnt have a thing Nix. Let it g.


55/110

ROT&RU

IN

48

Tm tun aay ithut anth , but Bnny caught

his smil. H cus un his bath th nxt mil.H a a ging? Bnny as.

Fa. But nt y, th a ay statins h can

cash i nt ma it bac tnight.

Bnny l at him as i h just suggst thy st

thmslvs n an g simming in gaslin. wait

Yu saying cul b ut all night?

Su. Yu n Im ut th ays at a tim. Yu

ging t hav t hat I . Bsis, xcpt sm an-

s, mst th a in this aa hav lng sinc bn

clan ut. evy I hav t g ath aay.

dnt thy just cm t yu?

Tm sh his ha. Th a anshat th

nc guas call nms, sht nmaic zmbisbut

mst nt tavl. Yull s.

Th st as l but supisingly lush in th lat August

hat. Tm un uit ts, an thy at thi ll st

pas as thy al. Bnny bgan lling his pcts ith

thm, but Tm sh his ha.

Thy havy an thyll sl yu. Bsis, I pic a

ut thatll ta us thugh hat us t b am cunty.

Lts uit ging il. Sm vgtabls, t. wil bans

an such.

Bnny l at th uit in his han, sigh, an lt

thm all.

H cm nby cms ut h t am this stu?h as.

Ppl a sca.


56/110

FamilyBusiness

49

why? Thrs gt t b rty guys rking th nc.

N, its nt th a that scar thm. Ppl in tnnt trust anything ut hr. Thy think thrs a isas

insting vrything. F, th livstck that hav run il

vr th last urtn yarsvrything.

Yah . . . , Bnny sai ifntly. H har that talk.

S . . . its nt tru?

Yu at ths pars ithut a thught.

Yu han thm t m.

Tm smil. oh, s yu trust m n?

Yur a rk, but I nt think yu ant t turn m int

a zm.

wulnt hav t gt n yu abut claning yur rm,

s lts nt rul it ut.

Yur s unny, I almst p my pants, Bnny sai

ithut xprssin, thn sai, wait, I nt gt it. Trars

bring in all th tim, an all th cs an chickns an

stu. . . . Thy r brught t tn by travlrs an huntrs

an ppl lik that, right? S . . .

S, hy ppl think its sa t at that stu an nt

th gring il ut hr?

Yah.

G qustin.

wll, hats th ansr?

Th ppl in tn trust hats insi th nc.

Currently insi th nc. I it cam rm utsi, thy rmark

n it. Lik, n th scn wnsay vry mnth, lksill say, But tim r th agns, aint it?, but thy nt

rally acknlg hr th agns cm rm r hy th


57/110

ROT&RU

IN

50

agns a cv in sht mtal an th hss app in

capt an chain mail. Thy n, but thy nt n. ont ant t n.

That snt ma any sns.

Tm al a bit b h sai, Ths tn an thn

ths th rt an ruin. Mst th tim thy ant in th

sam l, yu n?

Bnny n. I guss I .

H stpp an sta aha ith na ys. Bnny

culnt s anything, but thn Tm gabb his am an

pull him quicly th a an l him in a i cicl

thugh th gvs ts. Bnny p btn th hun-

s t tuns an nally caught a glimps th zms,

shufing slly alng th a. on as hl; th th t

ha agg fsh h th zms ha ast n thm hil

thy still aliv.

Bnny pn his muth an almst as Tm h h

n thy th, but Tm ma a shushing gstu an

cntinu n, mving sunlssly thugh th st summ

gass.

whn thy ll cla, Tm t thm bac up t th

a.

I int vn s thm! Bnny gasp, tuning t l

bac.

Nith i I.

Thn h . . . ?

Yu gt a l this st thing.Bnny hl his gun, still ling bac. I nt gt

it. Th nly th thm. Culnt yu hav . . . yu

n . . .


58/110

FamilyBusiness

51

what?

killed them, said Benny fatly. Chalie Matthias saidhell g ut his ay t chp a zm t. He desnt un

m anything.

Is that hat he says? Tm mumued, then cntinued

dn the ad.

Benny shugged, then lled.


59/110

twiCemore tompulleD BennyofftheroaDsotheyCoulDCirCle

aun aning zmbis. At th scn tim, nc thy

cla th catus lacty ang, Bnny gabb

Tms am an man, whynt yu just pp a cap in

thm?

Tm gntly pull his am . H sh his ha an

int ans.

what, a yu aai thm? Bnny yll.

kp yu vic n.

why? Yu aai a zm ill cm at yu? Big, tugh

zmbi ill hs aai t ill a zmbi.

Bnny, sai Tm ith thin patinc, smtims yu say

sm tuly stupi things.

whatv, Bnny sai, an push past him.

d yu n h yu ging? Tm sai hn

Bnny as a zn pacs alng th a.

This ay.

Im nt, sai Tm, an h bgan climbing th slp ahill that s gntly m th lt-han si th a. Bnny

st in th mil th a an sth a ull minut.


60/110

FamilyBusiness

53

H as muttring th orst ors h n all th hil h

climb up th hill atr Tom.Thr as a narror roa at th top o th hill, an thy

ollo that in silnc. By tn ocloc thy ntr a sris

o stpr hills an vallys that r sha by massiv oa

trs ith cool grn lavs. Tom caution Bnny to b quit

as thy climb to th top o a rig that ovrloo a small

country lan. At th curv o th roa as a small cottag ith

a nc yar an an lm tr so gnarl an ancint that it

loo li th orl ha gron up aroun it. To gurs

stoo in th yar, but thy r too small to s. Tom fat-

tn out at th top o th rig an motion or Bnny to

join him.

Tom pull his l glasss rom a blt holstr an stu-

i th gurs or a long minut.

what o you thin thy ar? H han th binoculars

to Bnny, ho snatch thm ith mor orc than as ncs-

sary. Bnny pr through th lnss in th irction Tom

point.

Thyr zoms, Bnny sai.

No iing, boy gnius. But hat are thy?

da popl.

Ah.

Ah . . . what?

You just sai it. Thyr a people. Thy r onc liv-

ing popl.

So hat? evryboy is.Tru, amitt Tom. Ho many a popl hav you

sn?


61/110

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IN

54

what in a? Living a, li thm, a a,

li Aunt Cathy?eith. Bth.

I nt n. Th zmbis at th nc . . . an a cupl

ppl in tn, I guss. Aunt Cathy as th st psn I

v n h i. I as, li, six hn sh i. I mmb

th unal an all. Bnny cntinu t atch th zmbis.

on as a tall man, th th a yung man tnag gil.

An . . . Mgi Mitchlls a i at that scaling cl-

laps. I nt t his unal t.

di yu s ith thm quit?

Quit as th accptabl tm th ncssay act

insting a mtal spi, call a sliv, int th bas th

sull t sv th bain stm. Sinc Fist Night, anyn h

i ul animat as a zmbi. Bits ma it happn t,

but ally any cntly cas psn ul cm bac.

evy ault in tn cai at last n sliv, thugh Bnny

ha nv sn n us.

N, h sai. Yu ulnt lt m stay in th m hn

Aunt Cathy i. An I asnt th hn Mgis a i.

I just nt t th unals.

what th unals li? F yu, I man.

I unn. kin quic. kin sa. An thn vyn

nt t a paty at smns hus an at a lt .

Mgis mm gt ttally shitac

Languag.

Mgis mm gt un, Bnny sai in ay that sug-gst having his languag cct as as icult as hav-

ing his tth pull. Mgis uncl sat in th cn singing

Iish sngs an cying ith th guys m th am.


62/110

FamilyBusiness

55

That as a yar, yar an a hal ag, right? First spring

planting?Yah. Thy r builing a crn sil, an Mr. Mitchll

as using th rp hist t sn sm tls up t th cr

ring n th sil r. on th scaling pips br,

an a hl bunch stu cam crashing n n him.

It as an accint.

wll, yah, sur.

H Mrgi ta it?

H yu thin h t it? H as uI man, h as

scr up. Bnny han bac th glasss. Hs still a littl

scr up.

Hs h scr up?

I nt n. H misss his a. Thy us t hang ut

a lt. Mr. Mitchll as prtty cl, I guss.

d yu miss Aunt Cathy?

Sur, but I as littl. I nt rmmbr that much. I

rmmbr sh smil a lt. Sh as prtty. I rmmbr sh

us t sna m xtra ic cram rm th str hr sh

r. Hal an xtra ratin.

Tm n. d yu rmmbr hat sh l li?

Li Mm, sai Bnny. Sh l a lt li Mm.

Yu r t littl t rmmbr Mm.

I rmmbr hr, Bnny sai ith an g in his vic.

H t ut his allt an sh Tm th imag bhin th

glassin cvr. Mayb I nt rmmbr hr rally ll, but I

thin abut hr. All th tim. da, t. I can vn rmmbrhat sh r n First Night. A hit rss ith r slvs.

I rmmbr th slvs.

Tm cls his ys an sigh, an his lips mv. Bnny


63/110

ROT&RU

IN

56

thught h ch th s slvs. Tm pn his

ys. I int n yu cai this. His smil as small ansa. I mmb Mm. Shs as m a mth t m

than my mm v as. I as s happy hn da mai

h. I can mmb vy lin n h ac. Th cl h

hai. H smil. Cathy as a ya yung, but thy cul hav

bn tins.

Bnny sat up an app his ams aun his ns. His

bain lt tist aun. Th s many mtins i

int mmis, l an n. H glanc at his bth. Yu

l than I am n hn, yn, it happn.

I tun tnty a ays b Fist Night. I as in th

plic acamy. da mai yu mm hn I as sixtn.

Yu gt t n thm. I nv i. I ish I . . . H lt

th st unsai.

Tm n. M t, i.

Thy sat in th sha thi pivat mmis.

Tll m smthing, Bnny, sai Tm. what ul yu

hav n i n yu inssay, Chng Mgiha

cm t Aunt Cathys unal an t a la in h cn?

Bnny as s statl by th qustin that his ans

as ungua. I hav jac thm up. I man, jacked

thm up.

Tm n.

Bnny sta at him. what in qustin is that,

thugh?

Inulg m. why ul yu hav a ut n yuins?

Bcaus thy iss Aunt Cathy, hy yu thin?

But shs a.


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what the hell es that matter? Pissing in her cfn? I

ul so ic their asses.But hy? Aunt Cathy as beyn caring.

This is her uneral! Maybe shes still, I nt n, there

in sme ay. Lie Pastr kellgg alays says.

what es he say?

That the spirits thse e lve are alays ith us.

oay. what i yu int believe that? what i yu

believe that Aunt Cathy as nly a by in a bx? An yur

riens pee n her?

what yu thin? Benny snappe. I still ic their

asses.

I believe yu. But hy?

Because, Benny began, but then hesitate, unsure

h t express hat he as eeling. Because Aunt Cathy as

mine, yu n? Shes my aunt. My amily. They nt have

any right t isrespect my amily.

N mre than yu g tae a crap n Mrgie Mitchells

athers grave. or ig him up an pur garbage n his bnes.

Yu ulnt anything lie that?

Benny as appalle. whats yur amage, man? where

yu cme up ith this crap? o curse I ulnt any-

thing sic lie that! G, h yu thin I am?

Shhh . . . eep yur vice n, cautine Tm. S . . .

yu ulnt isrespect Mrgies a . . . alive r ea?

Hell, n.

Language.Benny sai it sler an ith mre emphasis. Hell. N.

Gla t hear it. Tm hel ut the fel glasses. Tae a

l at the t ea peple n there. Tell me hat yu see.


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S bac t businss n? Bnny gav him a l.

Yu ply i, man.Just l.

Bnny sigh an gabb th binculas ut Tms

han, put thm t his ys. Sta. Sigh.

Yp. T zms. Sam t zms.

B spcic.

oay. oay, t zms. on man, n man. Staning

in th sam plac as b. Big yan.

Tm sai, Ths a ppl . . .

what abut thm?

Thy us t b smbys amily, sai Tm quitly.

Th mal ls l nugh t hav bn smns gan-

a. H ha a amily, ins. A nam. H as smby.

Bnny l th glasss an stat t spa.

N, sai Tm. kp ling. L at th man. Sh

as, hat? eightn yas l hn sh i. Might hav

bn ptty. Ths ags shs aing might hav bn a

aitsss unim nc. Sh cul hav at a in

ight nxt t Aunt Cathy. Sh ha ppl at hm h lv

h. . . .

Cmn, man, nt

Ppl h i hn sh as lat gtting hm.

Ppl h ant h t g up happy. Ppla mm

an a a. Mayb bths an sists. Ganpants. Ppl

h bliv that gil ha a li in nt h. That l man

might b h gana.But shs n them, man. Shs a, Bnny sai

nsivly.

Su. Almst vyn h v liv is a. M than


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59

six billin ppl ar a. An vry last n thm ha

amily nc. evry last n thmwere

amily nc. At ntim thr as smn li yu h ul hav ic th

crap ut anynstrangr r bst rinh harm r

isrspct that girl. or th l man.

Bnny as shaing his ha. N, n, n. Its nt th sam.

Ths ar zms, man. Thy ill ppl. Thy at ppl.

Thy us t be ppl.

But thy i!

Sur. Li Aunt Cathy an Mr. Mitchll.

N . . . Aunt Cathy gt cancr. Mr. Mitchll i in an

accint.

Sur, but i smn in tn hant quit thm, thy

hav bcm living a, t. dnt vn prtn yu nt

n that. dnt prtn yu havnt thught abut that

happning t Aunt Cathy. H n n th hill. Ths

t n thr caught a isas.

Bnny sai nthing. H larn abut it in schl,

thugh n n n r sur hat ha actually happn.

Sm surcs sai it as a virus that as mutat by raia-

tin rm a rturning spac prb. othrs sai it as a n

typ fu that cam vr rm China. Chng bliv it as

smthing that gt ut a lab smhr. Th nly thing

vryn agr n as that it as a isas sm in.

That guy n thr as prbably a armr, Tm sai.

Th girl as a aitrss. Im prtty sur nithr thm as

invlv in th spac prgram. or r in sm lab hrthy rsarch viruss. what happn t thm as an acci-

nt. Thy gt sic, Bnny, an thy i.

Bnny sai nthing.


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60

H yu thin Mm an da i?

N ans.Bnny? H yu thin?

Thy i n Fist Night, Bnny sai iitably.

Thy i. But h?

Bnny sai nthing.

H?

Yu lt thm i! Bnny sai in a savag hisp.

ws tumbl ut him in a isjint sputt. da gt

sic an . . . an . . . thn Mm ti t . . . an yu . . . yu

just an aay!

Tm sai nthing, but sanss an his ys, an h

sh ha slly.

I mmb it, Bnny gl. I mmb yu un-

ning aay.

Yu a baby.

I mmb it.

Yu shul hav tl m, Bnny.

why? S yu cul ma up a li abut hy yu just an

aay an lt my mm li that?

Th s my mm hung in th ai btn thm. Tm

inc.

Yu thin I just an aay? h sai.

I nt think it, Tm. I mmb it.

d yu mmb hy I an?

Yah, caus yu a aing ca is hy!

Jsus, Tm hisp. H ajust th stap that hlth s in plac, an sigh again. Bnny, this isnt th

tim plac this, but smtim sn ging t hav


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61

a serius talk abut the ay things ere back then an the

ay things are n.Theres nthing yu can say thats ging t change the

truth.

N. The truth is the truth. what changes is hat e

kn abut it an hat ere illing t believe.

Yeah, yeah, hatever.

If yu ever ant t kn my sie f things, sai Tm,

Ill tell yu. Theres a lt yu ere t yung t kn then,

an maybe yure still t yung n.

Silence ashe back an frth beteen them.

Fr right n, Benny, I ant yu t unerstan that

hen Mm an da ie, it as frm the same thing that

kille thse t n there.

Benny sai nthing.

Tm plucke a stalk f seet grass an put it beteen his

teeth. Yu int really kn Mm an da, but let me ask

yu this: If smene as t piss n them r abuse themeven

n, even cnsiering hat they ha t have becme uring

First Nightul it be kay ith yu?

Scre yu.

Tell me.

N. okay? N, it ulnt freaking be kay ith me. Yu

happy n?

why nt, Benny?

Because.

why nt? Theyre nly zms.Benny abruptly gt up an alke n the hill, aay

frm the farm an aay frm Tm. He st lking back


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alng th a thy tavl, as i h cul still s th nc

lin. Tm ait a lng tim b h gt up an jin him.I n this is ha, i, h sai gntly, but liv in

a ptty ha l. w stuggl t liv. w alays n u

gua, an hav t tughn uslvs just t gt thugh

ach ay. An ach night.

I hat yu.

Mayb. I ubt it, but it snt matt ight n. H

gstu ta th path that l bac hm. evyby

st h has lst smn. Mayb smn cls

mayb a istant cusin th tims mv. But vyby

lst smn.

Bnny sai nthing.

I nt bliv that yu ul isspct anyn in u

tn in th hl st. I als nt blivI nt ant t

blivthat yu isspct th mths an aths, sns

an aughts, sists an bths h liv ut h in th

gat rt an ruin.

H put his hans n Bnnys shuls an tun him

aun. Bnny sist, but Tm Imua as stng. whn

thy bth acing ast, Tm sai, evy a psn

ut th svs spct. evn in ath. evn hn a

thm. evn hn hav t ill thm. Thy ant just zms,

Bnny. Thats a si ct a isas m sm in

aiatin smthing ls that nt unstan. Im n

scintist, Bnny. Im a simpl man ing a jb.

Yah? Yu tying t sun all nbl, but yu kill thm.Bnny ha tas in his ys.

Ys, Tm sai stly, I . Iv ill huns thm.

I Im smat an caulan lucyIll ill huns m.


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63

Bnny shovd him ith both hands. It only pushd Tom

back a half stp. I dont undstand!No, you dont. I hop you ill, though.

You talk about spct fo th dad and yt you kill

thm.

This isnt about th killing. It isnt, and nv should b,

about th killing.

Thn hat? Bnny snd. Th mony?

A ich?

No.

Thn its obviously not about th mony.

Thn what?

Its about th why of th killing. Fo th living . . . fo th

dad, Tom said. Its about closu.

Bnny shook his had.

Com ith m, kiddo. Its tim you undstood ho th

old oks. Its tim you land hat th family businss is

all about.


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theywalkeDformilesunDerthehotsun. thepeppermintgelran

ith thi sat, an ha t b appli huly. Bnny

as quit mst th tip, but as his t gt s an his

stmach stat t umbl, h tun cany.

A th yt?

N.

H a is it?

A bit.

Im hungy.

wll stp sn.

whats lunch?

Bans an jy.

I hat jy.

Yu bing anything ls? Tm as.

N.

Jy it is, thn.

Th as Tm pic na an tn tun m

asphalt t gavl t it.w havnt sn a zm in a cupl hus, Bnny sai.

H cm?


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65

Unless they hear or smell something that dras them,

they tend to stick close to home.Home?

well . . . to the places they used to live or ork.

why?

Tom took a couple of minutes on that. There are lots of

theories, but thats all e havejust theories. Some folks say

that the dead lack the intelligence to think that theres any-

here other than here theyre standing. If nothing attracts

them or dras them, theyll just stay right here they are.

But they need to hunt, dont they?

Need is a tricky ord. Most experts agree that the dead

ill attack and kill, but its not been established that they

actually hunt. Hunting implies need, and e dont kno that

the dead need to do anything.

I dont understand.

They crested a hill and looked don a dirt road to here

an old gas station sat beneath a eeping illo.

Have you ever heard of one of them just asting aay

and dying of hunger? Tom asked.

No, but

The people in ton think that the dead survive by eating

the living, right?

well, sure, but

what living do you think theyre eating?

Huh?

Think about it. Therere more than three hundred mil-lion living dead in America alone. Thro in another thirty-

odd million in Canada and a hundred ten million in Mexico,


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an yu hav smthing li u hun an ty millin

living a. Th Fall happn utn yas ag. Shata thy ating t stay aliv?

Bnny thught abut it. M. Fny says thy at ach

th.

Thy nt, sai Tm. onc a by has stat t cl,

thy stp ing n it. Thats hy th a s many patially

atn living a. Thy nt attac at n anth vn

i yu lc thm in th sam hus yas n n. Ppl

hav n it.

what happns t thm?

Th tapp ns? Nthing.

Nthing? Thy nt t aay an i?

Thy alay a, Bnny. A sha pass v th

vally an mmntaily an Tms ac. But thats n

th mystis. Thy nt t. Nt cmpltly. Thy cay

t a ctain pint, an thn thy just stp tting. N n

ns hy.

what yu man? H can smthing just stp t-

ting? Thats stupi.

Its nt stupi, i. Its a mysty. Its as much a mys-

ty as hy th a is in th st plac. why thy attac

humans. why thy nt attac n anth. All mystis.

Mayb thy at, li, cs an stu.

Tm shugg. Sm , i thy can catch thm. A lt

ppl nt n that, by th ay, but its tu. . . . Thyll

at anything aliv that thy can catch. dgs, cats, bisvnbugs.

wll, thn, that xplains

N, Tm intupt. Mst animals a t ast. ev


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try t catch a cat h snt ant t b caught? N imag-

in ing that i yur nly abl t shuf alng slly ancant stratgiz. I a bunch th a cam upn cs in a

pn r nc l, thy might b abl t kill thm an at.

But all th pnn animals hav ithr lng-sinc scap r

thy i in th rst mnths. N . . . th a nt

need t at all. Thy just xist.

Mrgi says that ut hr il animals turn int zms.

Np. As ar as anyns bn abl t tll, nly humans

turn int th living a. w nt hav th scinc t try an

gur ut hy, an I nt kn i its tru vryhr, but

kn it t b tru hr. othris vry tim yu bit int

a chili g, it bit back.

Thy rach th gas statin. Tm stpp by th l

pump an knck n th mtal casing thr tims, thn

tic, an thn ur mr tims.

what ar yu ing?

Saying hll.

Hll t . . . ?

Thr as a l man, an Bnny turn t s a gray-

skinn man shufing slly arun th crnr th buil-

ing. H r ancint cvralls that r stain ith ark

bltchs an, incngruusly, a garlan rsh frs

arun his nck. Marigls an hnysuckl. Th mans ac

as sha r a stps, but thn h crss int th sun-

light, an Bnny narly scram. Th mans ys r miss-

ing, an th sckts gap mptily. Th maning muth astthlss, th lips an chks sunkn in. wrst all, as th

zmbi rais its hans tar thm, Bnny sa that all its

ngrs ha bn clipp at th primary knuckls.


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Bnny gagg an stpp bac, his muscls tns t

tun an un, but Tm put a han n his shul an gavhim a assuing squz.

wait, sai Tm.

A mmnt lat th t th gas statin pn, an

a pai slpy-y yung mn cam utsi, ll

by a slightly l man ith a lng, bn ba. Thy

all thin an ss in tunics that l li thy ha bn

ma m l b shts. each a thic galan f-

s. Th ti l at Bnny an Tm an thn at th zmbi.

Lav him b! ci th yungst, a blac gil in h lat

tns, as sh an acss th it t th a man an st

btn him an th Imua bths, h t plant, h

ams spa t shil th zmbi.

Tm ais a han an t his hat s thy cul s

his ac.

Pac, littl sist, h sai. N ns h t ham.

Th ba man sh yglasss m a pct bnath

his tunic, an squint thugh ity lnss.

Tm . . . ? h sai. Tm Imua?

Hy, Bth davi. H put his han n Bnnys shul-

. This is my bth, Bnjamin.

what a yu ing h?

Passing thugh, sai Tm. But I ant t pay my

spcts. An t tach Bnny th ays this l. Hs

nv bn utsi th nc b.

Bnny caught th ay Tm put mphasis n th this.

Bth davi al v, scatching his ba. Up

cls h as l than h l. Mayb ty, ith p


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bn ys an a missing tth. His clthing as clan

but thaba. H smll fs, galic, an mint. Thman stui Bnny a lng mmnt, uing hich Tm i

nthing an Bnny gt.

Hs nt a bliv, sai Bth davi.

Bli is tugh t cm by in ths tims, sai Tm.

Yu bliv.

Sing is bliving.

Bnny thught that thi xchang ha th canc a

chuch litany, as i it as smthing th t thm ha sai

b an ul say again.

Bth davi bnt ta Bnny. Tll m, yung

bth, yu cm h binging hut an ham t th

Chiln G?

Um . . . n?

d yu bing hut an ham t th Chiln Lazaus?

I nt kn h thy a, mist. Im just h ith my

bth.

Bth davi tun ta th mn, h using

gntl pushs t st th zmbi back aun th a si

th builing. ol rg th is n Lazauss Chiln.

what? Yu man hs nt a zm

Tm ma a nis t stp him.

A tlant smil fick v Bth davis ac. w

nt us that , littl bth.

Bnny int kn h t ans that, s Tm cam t

his scu.Th nam cms m Lazaus Bthany, a man h

as ais m th a by Jsus.

Yah, I mmb haing abut that in chuch.


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IN

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Th mntin chuch bightn Bth davis smil.

Yu bliv in G? h as hpully.I guss. . . .

In ths tims, sai Bth davi, thats btt than

mst. H th a cvt in at Tm.

Bnny l past Bth davi t h th gils ha

tan th zmbi. Im, li, ttally cnus h. That guy

as a . . . yu n. Hs a, ight?

Living a, cct Bth davi.

right. why asnt h tying t . . . yu n. H mim

gabbing an biting.

H snt hav tth, sai Tm. An yu sa his

hans.

Bnny n. di yu guys that? h as Bth

davi.

N, littl bth, Bth davi sai ith a gimac.

N, th ppl i that t ol rg.

wh? man Bnny.

dnt yu man hy?

N . . . who. wh smthing li that?

Bth davi sai, ol rg is nly n th Chiln

h hav bn ttu li that. Yu can s thm all v

this cunty. Mn an mn ith thi ys cut ut, thi

tth pull, jas sht aay. Mst thm missing ngs

hl hans. An I nt tal abut sm th th

things Iv sn n. Stu yu t yung t n abut,

littl bth.Im tn, sai Bnny.

Yu t yung. I can mmb hn bing tn

mant yu still a chil. Bth davi tun an


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atche the t yung men etun ithut the l zmbie.

Hes in the she, sai the blac gil.But hes agitate, sai the the, a pale-sinne e-

hea in he mi-tenties.

Hell quiet n ate a spell, sai Bthe davi.

The men st by the gas pump an eye Tm,

althugh Tm seeme t suenly n smething ascinat-

ing abut the mvement the clus. Bennys usual inclina-

tin as t mae a je at Tms expense, but he int eel

lie it. He tune bac t the beae man.

whs ing all this stu yue taling abut? T that

l man. T thse . . . thes yu mentine. what in

itbags ae ut hee ing that stu?

Bunty huntes, sai the ehea.

killes, sai the blac gil.

why?

I I ha an anse t that, sai Bthe davi, I be a

saint instea a ay-statin mn.

Benny tune t Tm. I nt get it. . . . Youre a bunty

hunte.

I guess t sme peple thats hat I am.

d yu this in stu?

what yu thin? Tm ase, but Benny as aleay

shaing his hea. Tm queie, what yu even n

abut bunty huntes?

They ill zmbies, Benny sai, then finche as he sa

the ls istaste n the aces Bthe davi an thet men. well . . . they ! Thats hat bunty huntes ae

thee . They g ut hee int the rt an ruin, an they

hunt the, um, yu n . . . the living ea.


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why? as Tm.

F mny.wh pays thm? as Bth davi.

Ppl in tn. Ppl in th tns, sai Bnny. I

ha th gvnmnt pays thm smtims. Mst

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Rot & Ruin 100 Page Excerpt