Dead Hunger IV: Evolution by Eric A. Shelman Page B

outward.  She did not gnash, nor did she moan or growl.  Her eyes were open and pink.  Her teeth were yellowed, but not rotting from her gums, and her hands and skin, while darkened, was not chunking off or heavily blistered and covered with pustules. 
    “I can’t tell, Hemp.  Are you sure?  Normally that melts them into nothing.”
    “ It got her in the face and neck,” said Hemp.  “Dave was spraying it around and got careless.”
    “That’s not good, babe,” said Charlie.  “This shit has to kill them or all we’ve got is WAT-6, and that’s not a weapon.  It’s more of a shield.”
    “It does kill most of them, Charlie.  We have to figure out why it didn’t kill her.”
    “It had damned sure better keep killing the rat z .  Guns are wasted on them.”
    “I didn’t even think of that,” said Hemp.
    “Let’s mist the other one with it, ” said Charlie.
    “My thoughts exactly.”
    “Should we get her inside with Red Dress first ?”
    “Yes.  I want to see if they mimic one another or exhibit similar behavior.”
    Hemp looked at the one on the table and leaned close to her face.  Her blue eyes stared back, obscured by red , but intent on his.  Her lips were parted enough to see that her teeth were also in fair shape, and her skin was also in similar condition to the other one . 
    Hemp once again analyzed her hair, and while some was gone, most remained.  It was impossible to know whether the missing hair had been pulled out by her own hands during the change from human to zombie, or if another of the zombies – perhaps a guard or another inmate – ripped it out for her.   It was possible their transformati ons began while somewhere else in the prison, and the prison staff was able to corral some of them back into their cells before everything went to hell .
    “Let’s unstrap her,” said Hemp.
    Charlie got on the other side and slowly unbuckled the ankle strap.  They rolled the gurney next to the acrylic door and locked the roller wheels.
    Once the hip and chest straps were off, they released the head strap.  The last two wrist cuffs were released, and Hemp and Charlie lifted her into a sitting position.  Her feet hit the floor and she stood.
    She did not fight or attack.  They led her to the acrylic room and put her inside.
    Red Dress did not approach the doors.
    Once she was inside, Hemp closed the door and locked it again.
    “I fucking hate that,” said Charlie.  “I keep thinking any second they’re going to turn on me and eat my ass.”
    “ That would be m y job,” said Hemp.
    “ How did you know I’m horny right now?”
    “I didn’t know.  Well, beyond the fact that you’re pretty much always horny, I didn’t have specific knowledge of your particular horniness at this moment in time.”
    “Cut the scientific shit.  There is a time and place for that,” she said, looking at her wristwatch.  “Well, you are on official notice that at this moment, which would be 3:25 PM on whatever the hell day it is right now, that I am horny as fuck. ”
    “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” said Hemp, smiling.
    Charlie eyed the door of the lab.  She went to it, peeled back the curtains, and looked.  “Clear.”
    “What?  Oh, Charlie.  Here?  In front of them?”
    “Lights out, babe.  They won’t see a thing.”
    “Where?”
    She nodded at the clean gurney that had not held the zombie.  “Right there.”
    “It’s not going to be completely dark,” said Hemp.
    Charlie pulled her tee shirt off and dropped it onto the floor.  She smiled at Hemp as she lifted her feet, pulled the laces and kicked off her shoes, one at a time . 
    “Very pert,” he said.
    “I’m twenty-six,” she said, pulling the nitrile gloves off and dropping them into a stainless wastebasket.   She followed by unbuckling the drop holster and placing it with the gun on the stainless steel countertop.
    “Hell yes, you are.”  Hemp pulled off his own gloves with two quick snaps