The crowd parted to reveal Brandon Jeeter, vocalist and every teen girl’s heartthrob.
“Good question,” Athena said, her hands on her hips. “What are you doing in here?”
“I wanted to go with the guys,” Brandon said, holding up his hands helplessly. “This cop just kept pushing me into the girl group.”
“Figures,” Sarah said, laughing. “Nobody believes you’re a guy. Even French cops can figure out the truth.”
“I am totally a dude,” Brandon said shrilly. “And, by the way, got nothing for any of you. That’s why I wanted to be with the guys. I told him, ‘Do you know who I am?’ and he, like, said ‘Nun’ or something. I am not a nun! I’m not even a chick!”
Athena, Anna and at least three of the other women dropped their heads into their hands. Athena got enough of a look to know which had at least some clue.
“The word is ‘non,’” Athena said. “French for ‘no.’ Meaning that he didn’t know who you were and could care less. Sarah and Janet help Brenda get an inventory of the water. Anna and… Oh, hello, Your Highness.”
“Hello again, Athena,” Princess Julianna Gustavason said. “Nice of you to finally notice.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t raise your hand is all,” Athena said sweetly.
“Like I wish to be in charge of this?” Princess Julianna said. “Why don’t Anna and I take the food stores?”
“Thank you,” Athena said. “But hold off for a second. Any thoughts on how we’re going to keep from biting each other when one of us turns? Seeing Hector go all Hulk was really fucking unpleasant. It took half the crew to subdue him and he bit Terry and Phillip in the process. And it could happen any second.”
There were a series of prettily furrowed brows, then Christy tentatively raised her hand.
“Yes,” Athena said, pointing. “Christy.”
“We could tie each other up?” Christy said tentatively.
“This isn’t a porn flick, Christy,” Athena said with a sigh.
“No…” Anna said. “She has a point. If we’re secured, the…afflicted is easier to subdue. Or she should be.”
“I’m not going to be tied up when one of you goes nuts,” Sarah Cassill said. “Not going to happen. And besides who is the last to get tied? Leaves one untied, right?”
“Possibly light restraints?” Princess Julianna said. “Easily removed on the wrists. When we’re not moving around, tight on the feet. Possibly comes sort of hobble when we are forced to move. That way, at least, the afflicted isn’t free to move around. When one of us turns, we can pile on?”
“What’s this we shit?” Sarah said. “I’m not getting bit.”
“It’s a thought,” Athena said. “I’m just having a hard time with it being Christy’s good idea. No offense, Christy.”
“It’s okay,” Christy said.
“Is there any rope? Yes…Christy,” she said, pointing as the girl raised her hand again.
“I gotta pee,” Christy said.
“Why didn’t you go before we left?” Athena said angrily.
“It was a long walk,” Christy said, hanging her head.
“Fine,” Athena said. “Somebody bang on the door for our friendly—”
She paused as there was a clearly heard shot in the corridor beyond the door. Then screaming.
“Or…perhaps not,” Athena said, running over to one of the partially empty shelves. “Julianna, Anna, Sarah, Christy! Help me push!”
There was a loud bang against the door followed by a series of irregular thumps and a keening howl.
“PUSH DAMNIT!” Athena yelled.
The shelving section tipped over and effectively barricaded the door. Whatever was on the other side just kept banging, though. And now there were ration boxes all over the floor.
“Now I really gotta pee,” Christy whimpered. She had her hands over her crotch.
“I think we all do,” Athena said. She walked over to a pallet of five gallon buckets and read the labels. “Sarah, Brenda, new job. Get into this pallet and get out a bucket. It’s semolina, basically cream of wheat. Dump it on the floor. Keep some in the bottom for absorption. Christy, use that. Everybody else, start looking for anything that resembles rope before one of us turns…”
“Fuck you, you pampered bitch!” Snoopi Lucessa suddenly screamed.
“What did you say?” Athena said, raising one eyebrow.
“I said fuck you!” Snoop screamed. “I don’t take orders from some…what the fuck is on me? WHAT THE FUCK IS ON ME…?”
“TURNING!” Princess Julianna yelled.
Most of the women scattered, screaming, but Julianna, who was slightly behind the smaller woman, height-wise anyway, hit her with an expert rugby tackle and drove the New Jersey native facedown to the floor.
“Rope! String! Anything!” Athena yelled, grabbing Snoopi by the hair and holding her gnashing teeth away from the princess.
Christy, who hadn’t run but only because she was standing dumbstruck, reached under her blouse and whipped out a Texas-small bikini top at the speed of light. There was a tidal-wave of objects. Cash, change, lipstick and make-up, a tiny Bible, a micro bottle of Hennessy brandy, four packages of peanut M&Ms, a bottle of mouthwash, a package of nylons and three Trojan “SuperMax” unlubricated condoms all tumbled out. After a moment a small gold bar clinked to the floor.
“Yeah,” Athena said, taking a moment to boggle. “That works.”
It eventually took six women to subdue the “afflicted” but with various bits of underwear, bathing suits and strips of cloth ripped from blouses and sundresses, they finally had her hogtied. Christy also turned out to be surprisingly good at knots.
“That caught me off guard,” Athena admitted. She was sitting on the struggling Jersey City star since it was the only pillow around. “I’m still not sure she’s actually turned. Is there a difference between this and her regular personality…?”
“God, Athena, you are such a bitch,” Brenda McCartney said.
“Takes one to know one,” Athena said. “And, yeah, I am. I’m such a bitch I’ve already thought about what happens next. Like, what the fuck do we do with her, now?”
“Wait till the guy outside seems to be gone and throw her out the door?” Sarah Cassill said after a long moment of contemplative silence.
“Do we untie her first?” Athens said. “No? Think that’s a bad idea? Me too. So we turn her into zombie chow? That’s the same as killing her. Worse, really. Not saying no, but be clear about it. That’s killing her. And letting her be eaten. Votes on throwing Snoopi off the island?”
“We have to take care of her,” Brenda McCartney said definitely. “She’s sick. We have to take care of her.”
“That’s so…paladin of you, Brenda,” Athena said. “Fine. You do it. How are you going to keep her from getting free and biting the rest of us? In here. We don’t even have a fucking mattress. You going to feed her? Clean up when she craps and pisses? You want the Snoopi puppy, you have to take care of it. Speaking of which: What do I smell?”
“I don’t have to pee anymore,” Christy said, wiping her eyes. Her makeup was smeared all over her face.
“Do we have anything to clean it up?” Julianna said. “Don’t worry about it, Christy. I think I peed myself, too.”
“Snoopi’s clothes?” Anna said. “And you obviously know what to do, Athena. You’re using Socratic Dialectic to lead us to your conclusion.”