ZombiePalooza - Anthology

#TeamClassic Pt. III - @BelitAm's "A Good Man"

A Good Man

by BelitAm

The road was blurring. Dorian shielded his eyes from the dust and grime the wind threw at him with a hand. Something had caught his attention - a glimmer of light in the dark. There had been nothing but hard earth and burnt grass for many days. The world was painted black wherever they went. The plague was in their blood and their blood was in the ground. Dorian wondered if the earth wasn't sick, too. The entire world, dying from the inside out.

The clouds shifted above. Dirty sunlight glinted off a hulk of metal, huddled in a curve in the road a good mile away. It looked like a van. Dorian frowned behind his mask. Trees fenced the horizon far into the distance. Dorian had hoped to make it to the forest and find a suitable shelter before nightfall. The van complicated matters.

Dorian's coat shifted. A small, blonde head pocked from under the coattail.

"Why we stoppin'?"

"We're not. Cover your face, Zoe."

Zoe ignored him. She leaned forward, little face scrunching up in concentration. "Is that a van?"

"Looks like it."

"You think there's someone there? Like, someone alive?"

Dorian didn't, not really. "It's possible," he hedged.

Zoe stared at the van, eyes wide. Her expression gradually darkened. She tugged at Dorian's coat, trying to pull him off the road. Dorian was surprised enough to stumble.

"Hey, now -"

"We're not going there," Zoe said. She tugged again, with more determination if not force.

Dorian got a hold of the girl's shoulder and held her in place. "Zoe." Zoe shook her head, face turned down. Dorian kneeled. "Zoe, look at me."

Zoe did, glaring mulishly. Dorian bit back a smile, reminded of the many times he had pulled the girl into time-out over some childish misstep.

"What's wrong?"

Zoe crossed her arms with a pout. Dorian sat back on his haunches and raised his brows at her, communicating his intent for them to remain right there until she stopped being stubborn. It was a trick that rarely failed with children her age. The thought of keeping still for an unknown period of time got to them in a way no reprimand could.

Zoe held out for longer than Dorian had counted on. He had just about resigned himself to giving in when she finally broke.

"They'll hurt you!"

Dorian stiffened. He took in Zoe's miserable face, the way her hands clenched into tiny fists at her sides, and felt his heart break. He swallowed back an apology. There was no helping their situation, but Zoe didn't need to know that. She was too young to face the hopelessness of their reality.

"I'll be fine, Z."

Zoe's jaw jutted out. "I'll protect you," she said.

Dorian had to swallow hard before he could speak. He kissed Zoe's forehead, the cloth covering his face a thick barrier between them. "Thank you."

The land ran flat and dry, offering neither shelter nor hidden threats. Dorian had them follow the road. Sturdy asphalt under their feet was a pleasant change from the uneven ground they often thread. Far easier on Zoe, certainly. The girl trailed a step behind. She clasped Dorian's coat with one small hand. The other might be playing a pacifier. Dorian had caught Zoe sucking on her thumb in sleep, the habit returning with greater and greater frequency. He had thought of mentioning it. He would have, a week, a month ago. Before they had lost Sarah and Colin and Matt. Before Dorian's heart stopped beating for good. Now, he was simply glad Zoe had the means of comforting herself.