your research in the right direction!”
“And I told you,” my father roared, swinging his cane at nothing in particular, “that solution would be too difficult and expensive—oh, not to mention stupid as hell ! What are you going to do, change the genetic makeup of everyone on earth because of one illness?”
“When that illness causes the dead to come back to life and hunger after the flesh of the living? Yes! ”
“Vaccination is the easiest and most robust method of combating the Laz!”
“It took us years to come up with a vaccine! We do not have years to come up with another! And what happens if a new strain arises? And another, and another? What do we do then, Dearly? Tell me!”
I started to stand up, and Bram followed suit. “Why is Dick challenging him all of a sudden?”
Elpinoy heard Bram, and finally turned to look at us. “I’ll tell you why!” He stormed into the kitchen and got right up in Bram’s face, forcing him back. “That bastard is going to get us all killed, that’s why!” Fido slipped from under the table, slicking his ears back and growling at Elpinoy. Bram caught him by the collar.
For the last few minutes I’d been numb. Now my entire body went hot. “Don’t you dare call him that!”
“I’ll call him whatever I like, missy!” Elpinoy rounded on me. “I’m leaving. I’m not about to march to that man’s insane drumbeat anymore. Unless drastic measures are taken, the Laz is just going to keep mutating until it’s turned the entire world into a graveyard. I’m not about to let that happen!” He turned to my father, who was entering after him. “I quit.”
Bram’s mouth dropped open. “Dr. Elpinoy, you can’t do this!”
“Oh, I can. I quit. Do you hear me, you stubborn rotter? I quit!” With that, Elpinoy started to stomp away. “I’m clearing out my room! I’m leaving this accursed house!”
“Go!” my father thundered a few steps closer, almost getting my foot with his cane. “I never want to see your face around here again, you hear me?”
“Papa!” I reached out to capture the sleeve of his coat. “Calm down. Please, just calm down and talk to us?”
“Nora?” My zombified father looked at me with his dark, milky eyes, his entire body going still.
“I’ve been trying to call you for days.” I traded his sleeve for his wrist, and felt how tense he was. Consciously or not, he was prepared for the hunt, for the fight. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I could tell he was trying to disguise his anger, but he wasn’t fully successful. “Go to your room, NoNo. I’ll be there soon.”
I shook my head. “Come with me. You need to rest.”
My father tossed off my hand. “I’m fine. And you don’t need to worry about me. You have Mr. Griswold to look after you.” He looked at Bram and uttered a short, phlegmy laugh. “I won’t be here forever, after all.”
Bram let go of the dog and stepped forward. “Sir, she’s right. You need—”
“I will tell you what I need if and when I need it!” Papa shouted. We were both taken aback, and said nothing in response. For a moment I saw despair wash over my father’s aristocratic features, before they hardened once more. He marched out without another word.
Bram took my hand again. I didn’t even feel it.
Bram didn’t ask questions. He knew that I needed to get away. He went upstairs and got a gun for himself and a hat for me, and took me outside. There he tucked me into Aunt Gene’s carriage, and together we headed for the surface.
The drive was slow and quiet, apprehension thickening the air between us. I was still trying to decide if I couldn’t believe what I’d just seen, or if I was only frightened by how easily I could believe it. Papa’s anger reminded me of Samedi’s fight with Wolfe. During that final encounter Samedi’d gone about his violent business so easily, so passionately—his reanimated mind and body aligning, like a series of dark stars, to the task of
“And I told you,” my father roared, swinging his cane at nothing in particular, “that solution would be too difficult and expensive—oh, not to mention stupid as hell ! What are you going to do, change the genetic makeup of everyone on earth because of one illness?”
“When that illness causes the dead to come back to life and hunger after the flesh of the living? Yes! ”
“Vaccination is the easiest and most robust method of combating the Laz!”
“It took us years to come up with a vaccine! We do not have years to come up with another! And what happens if a new strain arises? And another, and another? What do we do then, Dearly? Tell me!”
I started to stand up, and Bram followed suit. “Why is Dick challenging him all of a sudden?”
Elpinoy heard Bram, and finally turned to look at us. “I’ll tell you why!” He stormed into the kitchen and got right up in Bram’s face, forcing him back. “That bastard is going to get us all killed, that’s why!” Fido slipped from under the table, slicking his ears back and growling at Elpinoy. Bram caught him by the collar.
For the last few minutes I’d been numb. Now my entire body went hot. “Don’t you dare call him that!”
“I’ll call him whatever I like, missy!” Elpinoy rounded on me. “I’m leaving. I’m not about to march to that man’s insane drumbeat anymore. Unless drastic measures are taken, the Laz is just going to keep mutating until it’s turned the entire world into a graveyard. I’m not about to let that happen!” He turned to my father, who was entering after him. “I quit.”
Bram’s mouth dropped open. “Dr. Elpinoy, you can’t do this!”
“Oh, I can. I quit. Do you hear me, you stubborn rotter? I quit!” With that, Elpinoy started to stomp away. “I’m clearing out my room! I’m leaving this accursed house!”
“Go!” my father thundered a few steps closer, almost getting my foot with his cane. “I never want to see your face around here again, you hear me?”
“Papa!” I reached out to capture the sleeve of his coat. “Calm down. Please, just calm down and talk to us?”
“Nora?” My zombified father looked at me with his dark, milky eyes, his entire body going still.
“I’ve been trying to call you for days.” I traded his sleeve for his wrist, and felt how tense he was. Consciously or not, he was prepared for the hunt, for the fight. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I could tell he was trying to disguise his anger, but he wasn’t fully successful. “Go to your room, NoNo. I’ll be there soon.”
I shook my head. “Come with me. You need to rest.”
My father tossed off my hand. “I’m fine. And you don’t need to worry about me. You have Mr. Griswold to look after you.” He looked at Bram and uttered a short, phlegmy laugh. “I won’t be here forever, after all.”
Bram let go of the dog and stepped forward. “Sir, she’s right. You need—”
“I will tell you what I need if and when I need it!” Papa shouted. We were both taken aback, and said nothing in response. For a moment I saw despair wash over my father’s aristocratic features, before they hardened once more. He marched out without another word.
Bram took my hand again. I didn’t even feel it.
Bram didn’t ask questions. He knew that I needed to get away. He went upstairs and got a gun for himself and a hat for me, and took me outside. There he tucked me into Aunt Gene’s carriage, and together we headed for the surface.
The drive was slow and quiet, apprehension thickening the air between us. I was still trying to decide if I couldn’t believe what I’d just seen, or if I was only frightened by how easily I could believe it. Papa’s anger reminded me of Samedi’s fight with Wolfe. During that final encounter Samedi’d gone about his violent business so easily, so passionately—his reanimated mind and body aligning, like a series of dark stars, to the task of
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