The Truth

He turned to see Judy holding a large duffle bag.

“I didn’t know you kept pets in the house.” Roy said.

“They ARE NOT pets!” she yelled.

Roy looked back and forth the between the men and Judy. Then, it clicked. “These are those men from the picture.” he said, “This is your family!”

“Yes… they are.” she said. “And this is my husband’s secret study. It only makes sense that they stay here, close to me and out of harm’s way.”

“Out of harm’s way? They ARE the harm! Wait, does no one know they’re here? You can’t just keep flesh eating men here! If they get out, someone will get hurt!”

“They’re just sick! They don’t mean what they do! They’ll get better! And now thanks to you, everything can go back to normal!”’

I thought this place was a little off, but this bitch is crazy! he thought. “Normal? Things can’t ever go back to normal.” he said. “Besides, it seems you only have one daughter left.”

Judy’s face changed. A few tears rolled on her cheek before her face grew dark. “You don’t know anything. You don’t know anything at all! I will do anything for my family!” she screamed. “They were and still are good people! 

I can save them! I’m just as smart as my husband. Anything he could do, I can do way better! I survived the apocalypse! I built a perfect town and become their leader, I’ve done way more than he’s ever dreamed of! So this one tiny little thing shouldn’t be that hard.”

“But I understand how you feel. It happened to me too. It happened to everybody. This thing didn’t only effect your family.” his eyes grew hollow. “I know how it is when your family turns. It’s not fast. It’s slow. A slow progression of madness. At first, they just seem sick. But then their mind begins to change. 

And then you start smelling them rot from the inside. Then one day you come home and your father and 6-year-old brother are in the kitchen eating your mother. It’s horrifying. You can do nothing but watch. And what is there to do? She’s already dead.

And there’s a pain deep within you. Not in your heart, but in your soul. The deepest part of your core. It’s a ripping hot pain that makes your stomach rattle and your eyes hazy. But after a moment or so, you get it. This is what life is now. So, you take your father’s gun from the garage. The one that he said was only for emergencies. You load it just the way he showed you. You go back in the kitchen and shoot him in the back of the head. 

The sound only startles your brother. He looks at you in your eyes for only a moment, before he goes back to devouring.” His eyes became glassy. “You look at Thomas. Who was always smiling. Who was always laughing. Who drove you so crazy that you had to love. Who you cared for since you first heard him crying early in the morning and stayed up till the sun rises staring into his soft eyes rocking him back to sleep…. and you realize that you can’t do it. Even though this monster is no longer your brother, you just can’t do it. You just walk out the house and don’t look back. I get it. Trust me I do. But it doesn’t make it an excuse to know that they are dangerous.”

Judy wiped her eyes. “I know it’s wrong. But I’m keeping them here for study. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else. I don’t want this to happen again… without a cure, we are all doomed.”

“I know.” He paused. “I will help you. This needs to end.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

They shared a silence collecting themselves. Wiping their faces and taking deep breaths.

“So,” said Roy. “I assume no one else knows they are here.”

“A couple people, but not many. Everyone would probably freak out if they knew they knew they were down here.” she laughed.

“Oh, I meant to ask. What have you done to keep them from decaying? They look like the spread only happened almost a year ago!”

“Oh, that’s easy, sweetie, you just have to keep them fed.”

“F-Fed?”

“Yeah, fed. I discovered long ago that as long as they stay fed, they don’t decay that much.”

“But they only enjoy fresh meat…” he took a small step backwards. The room suddenly got warmer. “Judy… what that in the bag?’

“Like I said, I will do anything for my family.” she said with a smile. “What? That doesn’t bother you does it?”

“That’s… That’s insane! You’re a psychopath! You’ve been murdering your residents for them?!? THEY ARE DEAD! I… you won’t get away with this, I’ll- “

“You’ll what? Tell everyone? Who’s going to believe you over me? Those on the higher end of the food chain are already aware. I own this whole community and it costs to live here. Now, you have two choices: you can either keep quiet and continue to help us, or you can be a problem and things are going to have to get drastic.”