Necrocide

Chapter 9

Aaron almost pissed himself. If this Deadman could speak, then that meant either he's an Abnormal or Aaron was losing his mind.

"Are you okay, man?" the Deadman asked again. "Your legs seem like they took quite a beating."

"I surrender, Abnormal!" Aaron exclaimed fearfully. He covered his head with his arms as if to shield himself from...something that would detonate. "I swear I'm not a DZI! So please just get it over with! Painlessly, if you can!"

The Deadman raised his eyebrow. "What's an Abnormal?"

"You, you freak! Why the hell do you think I can understand what you're saying?!"

The Deadman shrugged. "I'm guessing because you're like me."

"In what way?"

"You're dead."

Aaron froze. He looked down at his left hand. Had the infection really spread that fast? Was there more Deadman blood in him than he thought?

"At least I think you're dead," the Deadman continued. "Somehow you seem to be simultaneously alive and dead at the same time. And not just because we're zombies."

"What do you mean?" Aaron asked, slightly relieved.

"You see, we Deadmen can tell who's our own kind. There's no heat signature. You'll feel cold and clammy."

He leaned in closer to Aaron with grit teeth. The sympathetic nature he seemed to be showing a few seconds ago was replaced with the behavior of a feral creature. His dead, colorless eyes gazed deep into Aaron's soul.

"And you'd be hungry for blood," he said in a sinister tone.

"What the bloody hell?" Aaron said, still holding a rock as defense.

The Deadman suddenly snapped out of its wild daze and stepped back. He shut his mouth and resumed a casual conversation with Aaron.

"Shit, I am so sorry about that," he said sheepishly. "It's just that I've never seen a Deadman still going through his turning process. I usually eat them before it can take over."

"Uh..." Aaron replied. "That's fine?"

"In fact, I'm sorry for swearing, too. Not sure if you're the kind of bloke who's okay with—"

"Nah, it's cool. Just...I'm still wondering if I'm going batshit crazy or you can actually speak."

"Pretty sure it's normal given the fact that you're turning. Bloodletter says humans hear hissing and stuff like that. He's one of the only Deadmen who can actually communicate with the living."

Aaron froze. The mention of the name Bloodletter sent a shiver down his spine. Not only was it considered the most dangerous Abnormal Deadman in existence, Aaron actually had an encounter with the monster before he even lived in Matheson.

"Bloodletter is still alive?" Aaron asked.

"Well, being a zombie, that's a trick question," the Deadman chuckled.

"That's not what I meant."

"Nah, I was just taking the piss. He's still up and running. Or rather killing."

Aaron rose from the ground as his legs had finally healed. "Is it true that Bloodletter can actually speak?"

"Well that's what he told me."

"Are you sure you're not an Abnormal?"

The Deadman thought about it for a few seconds. "If you're talking about the ultra-Deadmen with the superpowers and ability to speak to living people, then absolutely not. I only kill to eat, humans don't understand me, and I don't know who I was before I turned."

"Do you at least know your name?"

The Deadman scratched his head. "I do, but I need a few seconds. I remember I have the same name as some fictional magic guy...and that pretty boy musician I saw getting eaten alive by his own band mates." He continued pondering before he finally shrieked, "HARRY! My name's Harry."

Aaron held out his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Harry. I'm O'Connor. Aaron O'Connor."

Harry shook Aaron's hand. However, he hung on a little longer and slowly pulled Aaron's hand toward his mouth.

"No!" Aaron exclaimed, yanking his hand out of Harry's grip. "Friends don't eat each other!"

"Sorry," Harry replied. "But you actually consider me a friend?"

"Why not?"

"Cool. You want to make some new friends?"

"Uh...sure."

"Then follow me, mate."

The two began marching away from the tower. They slowly strolled down the green field surrounding Matheson. A calmly running stream dug through the field like a small valley and Aaron and Harry crossed over it.

"By the way," Harry said, "weren't you saying something earlier about Bloodletter?"

"Yeah, you know how you said he can talk to the living?"

Harry nodded his head.

"Do you think you can take me to him? I have a few questions for him."

"Uh..." Harry hesitated. "Sure, mate. Just gotta warn you. Never seen him deal with someone in their turning process. And he kills anything that's not a Deadman."

"I'll take my chances."

"All right. Your funeral. But don't expect a burial."