Zombie Hell Read online

  “I bet, look at the steering wheel dent in his chest. The x-ray showed a lot of rib fractures and trauma to the heart. It’s a good thing he won’t be needing it.”

  “Don’t they regain some heart function over time?” Leah asked.

  “Yes, but not usually enough to sustain themselves. That’s why they need dialysis.”

  “Have you ever seen one that didn’t need dialysis?”

  “I’ve seen a few. But they have to regain some kidney function as well. Without the kidneys, they seize up with toxins and die again. So we part out the kidneys usually anyway if we get them within twenty four hours of purchasing the body.”

  “Do the families know we do that?” Leah asked.

  “For ten grand, they don’t get to know,” Jake replied.

  “They’re paying fifteen grand now, due to low inventory.”

  “That’s nothing, they can sell a kidney for fifty.”

  “I didn’t know it was legal to sell body parts, just the repurposed unit as a whole.”

  “They don’t sell them for cash, they get it back as a tax credit, or some sort of refund. I’m not sure how it works, but they make money off the parts they sell.”

  “You know what I don’t understand? Why they keep the price of the repurpose a secret. I’ve worked her three years and I couldn't tell you how much they get for one of these.”

  “There’s a reason for that,” Jake replied. “It’s none of your fucking business.”

  “You don’t have to be so rude,” Leah said. “It’s not like we have any competition, nobody else is making zombies to work in factories in China.”

  “They sold three to a company in North Dakota last week. Remember those gang bangers that shot each other?”

  “Gang bangers always shoot each other, but yes, I remember them.”

  “They work on an oil rig now. They put them on the most dangerous jobs. The oil companies were getting in trouble for workplace accidents so they decided to replace some riggers with repurpose units.”

  “Isn’t that a lot to ask for a being with very limited brain function? I mean most of the bodies we get have major brain damage due to oxygen starvation.”

  “They seem to be doing fine, I haven’t heard anything they’ve done wrong and they haven’t been sent back,” Jake said.

  “Can they send them back? Is there a refund policy?”

  “Yeah, thirty days from date of purchase,” Jake replied. “They also sell a maintenance plan if they need repair after the warranty date.”

  “The company sure knows how to make a buck.”

  “They also sell the glucose and oxygen canisters for the units that start to fail. And the company has three dialysis stations and one mobile unit to service them as well. How do you not know this? You said you’ve been here three years.”

  “They don’t invite me to managers meetings like they do you. I’m just a flunky down here. I’m not sure you’re supposed to be telling me most of this stuff,” Leah replied.

  “I don’t think they care about that. Most of that is post sales stuff, we work in post-production.”

  “So what do you want to do with this one?” Leah asked.

  “Let’s hook him up and see what happens,” Jake replied.

  The two repeated the procedure they had performed on Sandy and sent the shock to Eric’s heart. He jolted like Sandy and bounced up once and settled back down on the table. Jake looked into the eyes and saw a twitch. Just enough to let him know the procedure had worked. “Give him the same calcium IV, he has a lot of healing to do.”

  Then the body spoke. “What am I doing here?” he asked.

  Leah looked down at the zombie in horror. She had never heard one speak before, only make vocal sounds. “You were in an accident,” Leah replied looking to Jake to judge her reply.

  “Accident, I don’t remember an accident,” he replied.

  “You crossed the centerline, hit a pickup truck head on.”

  The zombie looked around in a daze. It had no recollection of ever being in a car let alone being in an accident. “Where’s Sandy?” he asked.

  “Sandy?” Leah asked. She didn’t know how to respond. No zombie had ever asked her a question before. She struggled for an answer.

  “She’s dead,” Jake replied. “You killed her.”

  Leah was shocked at how brazen and rude Jake was. She gave him a look that said he was out of line.

  “What the fuck? You want me to lie to it?” Jake asked.

  “You could be more compassionate,” Leah replied.

  “He’s property now, I can treat him like I treat my dog.”

  “I’m sure you treat your dog better than this. What are you going to do?”

  “About what?”

  “He’s alive.”

  “They’re all alive to some extent.”

  “He’s conscious, and speaking.”

  “Maybe I should hit him over the head with a bat. That would fix the problem.”

  “You don’t see an issue with this?” Leah asked.

  “Let me talk to the medical director. He might be able to prescribe a psychotic that will shut him up.”

  “But won’t that mess up the rest of him? How can you train him if you use drugs on him like that?” Leah asked.

  “That’s why we have a medical director, to make decisions like that. I just do the grunt work. I could care less what happens as long as I get paid.”

  Eric the zombie slave looked at Jake with a confused look in his eye. “Who are you?” the zombie asked.

  “Shut the fuck up,” Jake replied. “Don’t talk to me again or I’ll beat you with a hammer.”

  “Can I see my wife?”

  “No.”

  “Where is she?”

  “She’s in the cooler, recovering.”

  “You said she was dead.”

  “She was, and still is in the eyes of the law. So are you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Why am I carrying on a conversation with a dead person?” Jake said and walked away.

  “Where are you going? Leah asked.

  “I’m going on break, then I’m calling the medical director. Do something with this thing.”

  Chapter 3

  Antonia Perez

  Karen slipped off her bra and tossed on a long shirt. Other than a pair of panties, she was nude underneath and comfortable relaxing from a stressful day at work. She was happy she made two buys in one day and felt if she could keep it up she could get off probation early. Finding a cup in her dishwasher, she poured some coffee and settled down to watch some Friends on Netflix. Then the doorbell rang.

  “Fuck,” she said under her breath and set the cup on the table next to her loveseat. A piece of furniture that was never used for its intended purpose at her place. At this hour she wondered who could be at her door. Nobody ever showed up unless they called first. Then the doorbell rang again. Karen looked through the peephole and saw a short Hispanic woman standing out in the dark on her porch. “Who the hell?” she asked herself and opened the door.

  The short Hispanic woman stepped back and tried to smile. She asked, “You’re the woman I saw at the hospital today, right?”

  “I was at the hospital yes, I don’t remember seeing you? Who are you?” Karen asked.

  “My name is Antonia Perez. I was there with my two boys.”

  “I heard kids yelling.”

  “That was them,” Antonia replied. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

  “Sure, go ahead.”

  “I overheard you talking to a lady. You offered her thirty thousand dollars for her dead child.”

  “No, that was for two dead children. It was fifteen thousand each,” Karen corrected her.

  Antonia looked disappointed for a moment, then added, “What do you do that you buy dead people?”

  “I can’t go into that,” Karen replied.

  “Do you work for the government?”

  “No, may I ask what you
want?”

  “Can I come inside?” Antonia asked.

  Karen looked down at what she was wearing and was hoping this woman would leave soon-not invite herself in. “Sure,” she said, and let the stranger inside. “Have a seat,” Karen said. “Would you like something to drink?”

  “No thank you,” Antonia replied. “If I know where to get dead bodies, would you buy them from me?” Antonia asked.

  The question perked Karen’s interest. “Maybe, do you have dead bodies to sell?”

  “I might,” Antonia replied. She was now nervous and less forthcoming.

  “What do you mean? How long have they been dead?”

  “He’s not dead yet, nor is she.”

  “Who are you talking about?”

  “My husband, Troy, and his girlfriend Denise.”

  “May I ask where they are now?” Karen asked.

  “He’s at her place, getting laid I imagine.”

  “My firm will not be an accessory to a murder, let alone two,” Karen stated.

  “Why does it matter where you get the bodies? If you’re paying fifteen grand each, you must need them.”

  “Yes, that’s true, but we can only purchase bodies that have died of natural causes. We can’t be culpable in a crime or profit from one. That is the law.”

  “No one would ever know. I can make it look like an accident,” Antonia said. “I need the money.”

  “We all need money, but I will have to decline your offer,” Karen replied.

  “What if they turned up dead and I called you. What would you do then?”

  “If the deaths were suspicious and law enforcement was involved, we’d pass on the purchase. Especially if they were doing an autopsy. We can’t use a body that’s been cut up like that.”

  Antonia looked disappointed as she looked at the dirty carpet. “There will be no autopsy. Nobody will know the difference. I will show you.”

  “If I get called to the hospital and find Tony and Denise both dead, I will leave. Now that you’ve been at my apartment they will make the connection. You should probably leave now,” Karen said. “Plus you can’t benefit from Denise’s death, her family would be the beneficiaries, not you. It’s not finder’s keepers.”

  Antonia sunk back in her chair and sulked. She looked at Karen who was sitting across the room on the couch with her legs crossed. “Where’s your husband?” she asked.

  “I’m not married,” Karen replied.

  “Do you have a man?”

  “That is none of your business. You can go now,” Karen said. She caught Antonia’s eye looking up her shirt and pulled the edge down over her knees.

  “You’re a nice looking woman,” Antonia said. “You ever been with a woman before?”

  “Are you crazy? First you come to my home at night asking me to be part of a murder plot, and now you come onto me? No wonder your husband is cheating on you.”

  “My husband is cheating on me because he’s a piece of shit. Don’t worry about him. He doesn’t know how to please a woman no way anyhow,” Antonia said.

  “And I bet you do,” Karen said flat.

  “Let me show you.”

  Karen sat and looked at the woman who was across the room drooling at her. She wanted her to leave but now was a bit aroused at her suggestion. She uncrossed her legs and let Antonia have a good view of her white cotton panties. “Tell me about it.”

  “You want me to tell you what I can do to a woman?” Antonia asked. “Cut to the chase and let me show you.”

  “I’m not a lesbian,” Karen said. She slid her hands across her thighs subconsciously arousing Antonia in the process.

  “I wasn’t a lesbian at first either. My cousin changed that.”

  “Tell me about it,” Karen said.

  Antonia smiled realizing she wasn’t going to get anywhere unless she played Karen’s game. “Fine, I was nineteen and she was twenty four. We were staying at a friend’s cabin and shared the same bedroom. About midnight, I feel Sherry reaching around me touching me between my legs. I thought it was an accident at first, until she started pulling down my panties.”

  “What did you do?” Karen asked.

  “I pretended I was sleeping.”

  “Then what?”

  “She fingered me, what do you think?” Antonia replied.

  “Did you like it?”

  “Yes, we didn’t get much sleep for the next few hours. She did things to me that no woman has done since.”

  “And you want me to do those things to you?”

  “Only if you want,” Antonia replied.

  “I’ll think about it,” Karen said. She sipped her coffee and looked at the clock on the wall. “It’s late, I have to be at work by eight.”

  “Looks like you have Friends set up on Netflix, that’s a half hour. We could do a lot in a half hour.”

  “Not tonight,” I don’t know you.

  “What’s to know?”

  “I’ve never had a one night stand, let alone with a woman. Last time I had sex was two years ago.”

  “Let’s change that,” Antonia said.

  “No, sorry. Maybe some other time.” Karen got up and motioned for Antonia to get up as well. She grudgingly stood up and walked to the door.

  “So when can we hook up?” Antonia asked. “Can I get your number?”

  “No, I don’t think it will work out. I am bi curious, but I prefer men.”

  “You don’t know what you’re missing out on.”

  “I’m sure,” Karen said.

  “If my husband turns up dead, I’ll stop by again.”

  “Not unless he gets hit by a train or has a heart attack. If there is any foul play suspected, don’t bother showing up at my doorstep.”

  Karen shut the door and turned off the television. She no longer wanted to watch Friends and had a better idea now that she was aroused. A half hour with her favorite vibrator was on the agenda and the fantasy of fucking the Hispanic woman who just turned her on. For a moment she regretted letting Antonia walk out the door, but who knew what diseases she may have or weird habits she’d bring along as baggage. For all she knew, she could be a psycho lesbian stalker. She was willing to kill her husband and his girlfriend. Last thing she needed was to be on the list.

  Three thirty in the morning Karen was woke from her deep sleep by a pounding on the front door of her apartment. She heard yelling and got out of bed to see what the noise was all about. When she got to the door, she looked through the peephole and again saw Antonia standing under the porchlight panting and out of breath.

  “What do you want?” Karen asked as she opened the door.

  “Troy, he’s dead!” Antonia yelled. “You have to come, now!”

  “I’m not dressed to go anywhere, what do you mean he’s dead?”

  “He came back to the house, we got in a fight and he tried to kill me. I had no choice but to defend myself. You said if it was natural causes I could call you.”

  “I don’t consider you killing him as a natural cause,” Karen said.

  “He would have killed me if I hadn’t done something!”

  “I see,” Karen replied. She was becoming more lucid and Antonia was making more sense by the minute. “How did you kill him?”

  “I stabbed the fucker in the neck. He bled all over the floor and died.”

  Karen thought for a moment. There were times when a body was no good to her. If the body was damaged too much, nobody would buy the repurposed unit. “How bad of a cut was it, how far into the neck did you cut?”

  “Why does that matter?”

  “If you damaged him too much, I can’t use him. Did you try to decapitate him?”

  “No, I didn’t cut him like a steak, I stabbed him in the throat.”

  “You must have hit an artery or vein in the process if he bled out that bad. How far away do you live?”

  “Two miles, by the Mall of the Bluffs.

  “Did you call the police?”

  “No, I came here, s
o you could buy his body.”

  “There are procedures we have to follow. We can’t buy a body until the police and a doctor sign off that foul play wasn’t committed. You need to call the police! We only have twenty four hours after death to use the body, and that’s if it’s been refrigerated. Right now the body is starting to decompose.”

  “Fine, I’ll call the police!” Antonia yelled.

  “I’m fairly certain they won’t release the body in time, not with a knife wound to the neck. I’m sorry for your loss, but we won’t be buying your ex-husband’s body,” Karen said.

  “You fucking bitch,” Antonia said. She pushed Karen back into her apartment and forced her way inside. She then pulled the same knife she used to kill her husband and raised it so Karen could see it.

  “What are you going to do with that?” Karen asked.

  “Take off your clothes bitch,” Antonia said.

  “You’re crazy.”

  “Maybe so, but I’m not leaving without something. And if you won’t give me money, I’ll take it out with on you.”

  Karen looked around for something she could use as a weapon. She couldn’t find anything close by that she could defend herself.

  “Take it off bitch, or I’ll cut you like I cut Troy,” Antonia said. She had psycho in her eyes.

  Fearing for her life, Karen lifted her shirt and pulled it off dropping it onto the floor. She stood in her white cotton panties and nothing else.

  “On the floor,” Antonia said. “And take off the panties.”

  “How are you going to rape me with a knife in your hand?” Karen asked.

  “You’ll see, this isn’t my first time bitch.”

  Chapter 4

  Leah

  Leah punched in for work and no sooner did she get to her desk before her phone rang; it was her supervisor Jake texting her to get to the lab as soon as possible. She skipped her morning coffee and grabbed a lab coat, mandatory for any work done in the lab. She opened the door and saw Jake standing over a body lying on the cold steel slab covered from the waist down with a sheet. She immediately recognized the woman lying dead before her as Karen Klein, one of the staff that worked in sales. “What the fuck?” Leah asked.