"What's going on here?!", The commander asked aloud as he made his way through the crowd.
"Helen!", He said aloud noticing that the she was the center of attraction.
"What happened?", He asked her.
Just as she was about to speak, I cut in: "it was me!"
"You?", He said looking at me in confusion.
"Yes me!", I replied and turned to her.
He looked around at the faces who stood there looking at us.
"These people's attention can't be drawn by just your face alone!", He added aloud pointing his finger at me.
I turned to Helen who was now about to talk in rage as she pointed at the door.
"Cause, I did this!", I said as I rushed towards her and kissed her.
With this, the crowd went wild.
After unlocking lips, Helen became completely speechless.
The commander was even more confused.
"How?… In front of…you dare? You!", He said pointing a finger at me and walked up the stage immediately.
As soon as he got on the stage, he demanded for all attention once again and all's eyes was drawn to him.
"I was saving this for later, but I am not sure later can wait!", He added furiously looking at me more than often.
"The medical department have discovered a new drug, one capable of getting rid of the zombie bite's effect. A few lucky ones amongst us including myself, have been bitten by the zombies. It is been made know to us that 7years after this bite, one is converted to one of them; and that's what this drug is for!", He further spoke.
As soon as his voice fell, the entire crowd was astonished, myself included.
"Yes! But! The story isn't over yet. The drug requires a very rare breed of snakes, popularly known as the red burrow cobra.", He added.
Some among the crowd who knew it exclaimed.
"For those who don't know it, it's name was character drawn. It's a red cobra like creature which moves better under the ground, it experiences a type partial blindness during the day from the sun's light and so comes out only at night, usually by the river bank where the sands are soft.", He further explained.
He took a deep breath, turned to me and then back the crowd "It also occured to me that both my daughters and now of marrying age. So, if any man can get a red burrow cobra, they'll choose amongst my 2 daughters, the one they would like to have."
As soon as his voice fell the crowd was in an uproar.
"Commander you can't do this!", Xender who I hadn't seen in a while spoke out and the crowd slowly became quiet.
"You know the nature of these snakes! A bite can take out the African elephant in less than 2minutes. It's skin is extremely reactive with that if the humans… I thought Ms. Judith explained this to us.", Xender spoke.
And once again, the crowd began to murmur amongst themselves.
"Secondly, I and Helen's lives are not wine you can use to exchange for things you want.
"Who permitted you to speak?!", The commander replied her with a straight face.
Xender looked at me fiercely, shook and bowed with a frown.
"Any man who can get this cobra gets to choose which of my daughters they would like to have as a wife. Having my daughter as a wife, makes me your father-in-law, and you know what that makes you.", He added and once again the greed began to murmur, looking at Helen and Xender with lustful eyes.
Seeing this, the commander added with a smile: "A room has been prepared for that prince, well furnitured with servants at your disposal."
These words ignited the crowd once again.
"Those interested please step forward!", He said.
As soon as he said this, about 2/5 of the young men present stepped forward.
"Is that all?", The commander asked looking quite disappointed.
"Can't risk our lives over women and a place to live!", Some said.
"Yeah, the risk is too great! Sending us out on this obvious death mission for women; it just can't work", one said.
Hearing these things 1/2 of those who came forward withdrew.
"Yeah, you guys are right!", Some spoke.
"Besides there are other women in the fort!", Others spoke.
Suddenly, while the crowd murmured amongst themselves, a voice spoke: "Those who find women not worthy of your lives or have wives already, please come work for me. Get the snakes and I'll give you 2/3 of the wines I received from the commander, as well as the warehouse were they were kept. As well as armory for the mission."
As soon as his voice fell, they all turned to the speaker.
It was Ronald in his wheelchair, like one who experienced all zombie invasion first hand.
After this, 3/5 of the the young men were out.
2/3 of them with Ronald and the other 1/3 standing in front of the commander.
"Ronald the wise!", The commander added.
"Which ever way, the most important thing is the snake is brought back!", The commander said affirmatively.
……
Other than I and the commander, I don't know if any others have survived the zombie bite.
His objectives are very clear.
First get the cure for himself to extend his rulership. Second to get his daughters out of my hands to one of these morons who he can control.
To be continued……
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