《Bug Bytes》41. Bygone Era

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Spark Plug rolls into view. Paddling himself towards us with a mop handle. From the chest down he's still submerged in a bucket on wheels. Wearing his signature cowboy hat and gas mask.

Germaine takes in the sight and can't help but blurt out.

"Who the hell is this."

"Spark Plug, he was the leader of this whole operation."

I explain.

"But you said you killed them all?"

Spark Plug chimes in to answer that one.

"He made the same mistake I did. Leaving the other for dead. Never quite works out how you plan. You know it's a bad idea, but just can't resist it, Ya know?"

Germaine turns to me and continues.

"So you disfigured him and left him to die?"

Ashamed I answer.

"Yes."

Spark Plug forces himself back into the conversation.

"A real pain in the ass that was too. Ruined all my plans. I even had to drop the whole "Spark Plug" thing. Figured if I get running the generators in my state. I'd be painting a hell of a target on my back. Everyone wants power. And they'd have no problem walking over a cripple like me, to get it. So I had to axe the persona. I'm going by the name Cement Mixer now."

"I'm not falling for that again."

"Nah, it's not like that this time. This time, I really mean it. Look I even filled my bucket here with cement. Got a hose running out the back for when I gotta rock a piss. And another for... well, I ain't gonna say that one in front of a lady."

"Why would you encase yourself in cement?"

I ask

"It's the end of the world baby! Gotta have a gimmick right? You two have them. Amish dude, and, let me guess. Wheel chair technology geek girl? Unlikely combination, but that's what's great about the apocalypse. So why should you two get to have all the fun. I needed a gimmick, and this is what I landed on. I thought it was pretty cool."

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"But the apocalypse is over."

I inform him.

"What?"

Germaine explains.

"The zombies stopped. They're turning back into normal people."

"Oh... I uh... I guess I should go to a hospital. Get outta this thing and into a proper wheel chair."

"The hospitals aren't open yet.

I think it's going to take a while to get everything up and running again."

Germaine further explains.

Turning his attention back to me Spark Plug continues.

"Well son, what do you say we let bygones be bygones then. Leave all that ugliness behind us, hell you can even have me over to dinner sometime. Bet you got a real nice set up, don't cha?"

Now Germaine turns to me.

"Don't trust him Levi."

Spark Plug jumps back in.

"Listen girly. I didn't kill your sister alright. I brought her here for safety. She was gonna live real comfortable. I already explained this all to the boy here. The over dose was entirely her own fault. In fact, we were all living peacefully and happy until he showed back up."

Then Germaine again.

"Levi I'm serious. Don't trust him."

Finally I speak.

"Trust him for what? I just want to go back home. I don't really care what he does."

Then Spark Plug.

"See, we're all friends now, Let's go back home together."

Germaine again.

"Don't do it Levi. We can't bring him home with us."

"I wasn't going to!"

I say.

Spark Plug wheels real close to us. Now all standing in a triangle Practically pressed against each other. He pulls out a handgun that must have been tucked under his arm. And presses it against my stomach.

"Listen, I got no where else to go. You take me home with you. Let me stay for a bit and when the hospitals are opened back up. And I can start collecting disability cheques. I'll be out of your hair for good. You won't even know I'm there. I'm a joy to live with, you have my word."

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"Levi, look at this man. He was a villain before. Now he claims a truce. But it's too late. Everyone knows once you've been physically disfigured as a villain there's no going back, no switching sides. I've seen it countless times. Comics, movies, TV. If they have a physical disfigurement, they stay evil. Period."

"But this isn't one of your stories. This is real life. And even then, It's not like I have a choice right now."

I nod my head down, indicating the gun pressed into my stomach.

"Who cares if it's real-life or not. Media influences real life all the time. Look at him. Look at what he's wearing. Look at the names he's chosen for himself. Do you really think if he hadn't been watching and reading all the same things I had. He would have done any of this? Deep down Spark Plug is just a big nerd."

"Hey."

Spark Plug interrupts.

Germaine Continues.

"He had no real-life frame of reference for what to do in this scenario. None of us did. What most of us did have is a foundation of fiction, from which to draw guidance. Hell, even us all calling them zombies comes from our obsession with fiction. No one stopped to question if they were really the dead come back to life. We all just rolled with it. Life imitates art just as much as art imitates life."

Spark Plug raises the gun and waves it around a bit as he speaks.

"I think we're getting a little off topic here."

"Oh for God's sake."

Germaine says, as she grabbed the gun out of his hand. Points it at his face and pulls the trigger. In an instant, his head is gone.

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