Apocalypsis 04 - Haven

whatever you call it.”
    “Why? I mean, I’m not questioning you, I just want to know what you’re thinking.”
    “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. We are a chain, and I don’t want to bite the big one because some dipshit on the laundry team can’t hold a gun.”
    “Uhhh, okay, Yoda. I’ll get on that.”
    “Why Yoda?”
    Peter studied me for a few seconds. “I think it’s the hair.” And then he walked away, clapping his hands to get everyone’s attention. “Okay, listen up, people …”
    I didn’t hear anymore. My body disposal group members had made their way over and looked like they were ready to go, so we all left the room, headed down the many hallways that would take us to the kitchen where the mass of corpses waited.
    ***
    Ronald led the way to the kitchen. It seemed only fitting, since he was the one who’d discovered the bodies and unleashed their horrible stink on our new compound. Halfway there he stopped, turning to face the rest of us.
    “I was wondering … shouldn’t we have some special gloves and clothes on when we do this? And get those bags?”
    My face burned with embarrassment. I totally should have thought of this myself. “Yes, of course we should. Sorry. I’m spacing out, I guess.”
    “Don’t worry about it,” said Jamal. “You have a lot on your mind, and we’re all tired. I remember where we saw a bunch of that kind of stuff in the other section. Want me to go get it?”
    I nodded. “Do you need help?”
    “I’ll take Gretchen.”
    “Yeah, no problem. I can carry stuff,” she agreed. “You guys go ahead. We’ll grab someone from the lobby if we need another set of hands.”
    “Go for it,” I said. “We’ll keep going and meet you in the kitchen.”
    Jamal waved over his head as he took off jogging in the opposite direction, Gretchen beside him.
    “How big is this fridge, anyway?” asked the guy who came with Derek.
    “Huge,” said Ronald. “Like the size of a work trailer.”
    Winky interrupted whatever Ronald was going to say next, addressing herself to the guy who came with Derek. “What’s your name, by the way?”
    “Flick. That’s what they call me, anyway. My real name is James.”
    I held my laughter in. All I could think about was how he must have gotten that nickname. I prayed if it was for booger-flicking that he’d given up the habit.
    “Flick?” Bodo was at the back of the group. “Dat’s a strangch name. What does dat mean?”
    “It’s just a nickname. It doesn’t mean anything,” said Flick.
    “It means this,” said Winky, reaching over and flicking my arm.
    I frowned at her and rubbed the spot that was now stinging. I was going to let her get away with it since soon I’d be getting my revenge in the kitchen. Winky hadn’t seen the inside of that fridge yet.
    “No, not that kind of flick,” said Derek. “It means he used to be in the flicks, but he’s not anymore obviously.” A ghost of a smile moved across his lips.
    “What is da flicks?” Bodo moved to stand nearer to Derek.
    I looked at Flick, studying his face closer. “The movies. Flicks are the movies. You were famous?”
    “I hardly ever watched ‘em,” said Winky, shrugging. She obviously wasn’t impressed.
    Flick shrugged, not saying anything. His hair was like a rat’s nest it had so many knots in it, and his face so dirty it was hard to see the guy beneath, but he had brilliant blue eyes and now that Derek mentioned it, I could see something there; like he was familiar or something. And possibly very cute underneath all the grime and stink.
    “Wait a minute …,” said Ronald, pointing at Flick’s face, “…I know you! You’re that kid! That kid!” He started snapping his fingers and looking up at the ceiling. “Come on, come on … dang my memory is full of holes these days.”
    Flick sighed heavily. “Any chance we could just let this drop?”
    “Nope, hmm-umm,” said Ronald. He looked back at Flick. “Don’t worry. I’ll figure this out. Unless you want to cut to the chase and enlighten us.”
    “No, thanks.”
    Ronald grinned. “Challenge accepted.” He looked at Derek. “Don’t tell me. I’ll remember eventually.”
    “Whatever you say, man. It’s Flick’s secret, not mine. If he wants to tell you that’s his thing.”
    Derek reminded me of a totally zen surfer or something. He was tall and probably blonde. It was hard to tell these days what was dirt and what was brown hair. He was the leader of