This Plague of Days, Season Two (The Zombie Apocalypse Serial) by Robert Chazz Chute

we’ll tell stories around campfires,” Dayo said. “I don’t really know any stories, though.”
    “Funny, the dentist stole his boat from an Irishman. The Shepherd of Myddvai is a fairy tale really old people around here tell their grandchildren at bedtime. Most of the details are fuzzy to me. It has to do with three beautiful sisters walking out of a pond. Goddesses, actually. The shepherd passes some sort of test and gets to keep one of the goddesses for a wife.”
    “Do you think that’s what we’re doing now? Going through some sort of test?”
    “My town died around me. I think there was a test. We failed it and this is the punishment.”
    Dayo gathered the blanket tighter and put her head on Desi’s shoulder. “I don’t want to talk about punishments. Tell me the story about the shepherd.”
    “Not much to tell. She becomes his wife but there’s a catch.”
    “With gods and goddesses, there’s always a catch. Tell me.”
    Desi stared through the curtain, into the night, searching his memory for details as the first hint of the sun’s return lightened the sky almost imperceptibly. “The goddess said she’d stay with the shepherd as long as he never hit her. If he hits her three times, she’ll return to her sisters in the pond and take away the dowry of farm animals she brought with her.”
    “Sounds more than reasonable. I wouldn’t stay with a guy who hit me once.”
    “Yes, but the goddess had a very loose definition of hitting. He taps her on the shoulder to get her attention or something and she counts that for the first two times. I can’t remember those details, but the last time he grabs her shoulder roughly. I remember that part.”
    “Why?”
    “They’re at a funeral for a friend and the goddess won’t stop laughing. The shepherd’s upset she’s laughing at the grave of a dead friend. But the goddess takes the long view. She says she’s laughing because she’s happy for the dead friend. His mortal trials are over and now he finally has peace.”
    “That sounds like a luxury only immortals could appreciate.” Dayo raised her head, worry etching lines in her forehead. “Is that where we are, you think? Was it Khrushchev who said, ‘The living shall envy the dead’?”
    “No idea. Did he have anything to say about the zombie apocalypse?”
    Dayo smiled brightly and Desi found he had to smile back. “What does your name mean, Dayo?”
    “It means I bring happiness.”
    “I thought that the first time I saw you.”
    “The first time you saw me was day before yesterday, naked and almost dead.”
    “I focussed on the naked part.”
    “I know.”
    “Desi, do you think the doctor can really get us out of here?”
    “Why? Do you think he can’t?”
    “I don’t like him much. And he’s not as smart as he thinks he is. When I told him my theory about the spread of the virus, his eyes got big, as if his house cat stood up on its hind legs and started talking.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why do you think that is? Because I’m a woman or because I’m black? Or is it because I’m fat? Or because I was a mere security guard.”
    “Yes.”
    “What?”  
    “All of the above.”
    “You — ”
    “Sorry, I thought you were asking an honest question.”
    “I was, but I guess I expected you to soften the soddin’ blow, copper. Besides, he underestimates us. Aadi’s got a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Mumbai. I was two credits short of my sociology degree when everything went pear shaped. Working security was all we could get when the economy rotted inside out. Just because we’re poor immigrants doesn’t mean we don’t read. On the nightshift at Harrods, reading’s all I did.”
    “Whatever the doctor’s prejudices, I’m sure he’ll get over them. We can’t afford bigotry anymore, can we?”
    “And you don’t have those worries,” she said.
    “Well…I’m not desperately fond of the English, but we need them, too, don’t we? Who will