Deal with a seal

Lesley sat on a bed in a small room that had been given to him, although calling it a bed was rather crude. The thing he sat on was made from cardboard, tissue paper and a steel beam headrest. He refused to lay down and sleep, and not just because he was scared of sleeping on something that was as comfortable as nails. His mind was processing things, the events that had happened since he was ' adopted '.

By who?

None other than Mama V.

After saying might decide to let them go, even though Mel broke their binds, Mama V offered a proposal to Lesley. It was not adoption at first...but marriage. The fat woman had suggested he marry her and they can rule her Queendom together.

This had been a total flip for Lesley's mind and he nearly laughed out loud but had enough sense to keep it in. So with a pokerface that would make the players in Las Vegas jealous, he had declined.

" Why? " She had asked in confusion, " My Queendom is far and I have many soldiers."

" Umm..." Lesley looked to Yur on the floor who had fainted and Mama V's eyes followed.

" What? No, not him. He's only a small grub. Honey, I've got men like these." She waved her left hand and two of the bodyguards who had been standing by her side stepped up to the light.

They were big burly men, nearly six feet tall and their muscles clenched with each move they made. Their chest's were bare and exposed to show juicy abs and a godly physique. Mama V's tongue had slipped out and she'd licked her lips eyeing the men infront of her with desire.

Lesley wasn't sure if she wanted to eat them or...eat them.

Either way, gross!

" It's not about the Queendom or power or anything like that. I don't swing that way." Lesley said meaningfully and Mama V's eyes grew wide like an owls.

" Oh...oh...oh," She said at least ten ' ohs ' before a bright smile landed on her face," Then how about we trade? You can have three of my soldiers here and- "

" Nope." Lesley said flatly, he wasn't willing to trade the zombie for three muscular hulks, they would not be as useful. Only be a bigger feast for zombie hordes and not to mention he did not trust her or her men.

" Okay, fine. " Mama V said with narrowed eyes," I'll give you safety, shelter and food. How about that?"

She's testing me, he realized. She wants to know my circumstances and what I need. Then when she does, she'll wiggle it infront of me and try to control me with it. A man can sell his family in the desert for a cup of water.

Lesley looked to the side at the zombie as it held it's head, it's black blood pooling where they stood. For a brief moment he wondered deeply how it could control it's body with it's head off but that would have to be shelved for later. He needed to find a middle ground with this serpent infront of them first and get them out of there.

" I- " he opened his mouth to talk but another voice soon rang around them. Mind you, the moans and groans were still ringing around them so this voice had to have a very important quality to draw their attention.

It was a child's voice.

"Ma!"

Bright light filled the space around them as multiple light bulbs came to life. The darkness that had surrounded them vanished and Lesley got to see where they were.

They stood in a clear and circular space, in the center of the warehouse. Around them were walls made of tin, metals, plastic bags, wood and other types of junk. But that was not the most peculiar thing.

Between the walls, were passages and roads that led to poorly made shelters and homes. Of course Lesley couldn't get a clear view of these homes, because their occupants were blocking the view. A large mass of people were gathered along the passages, staring at Lesley and Mel with blank gazes. Their mouths were open and groans, with horrid moans, flew to air from the throng.

Turn the lights back off, he thought with a shiver, he would have preferred not knowing the origin of the sounds. His eyes, roamed the people, noting their thin bodies, dirty complexion and ragged clothes. Add the blank stares, the haunting sound and you got a real horrific picture.

"Ma!"

Lesley turned to the source of the call; a girl of about thirteen stood in their little circle, with an aggressive pose of hands on hips, a brown eyed glare and with a pout that would make you relent. Next to her on the floor was a black and square device that had a cable running to the roof and that was connected to the bulbs. It was the light switch.

"Veranda, what is it now?" Mama V said sitting up for the first time since they'd met. Her voice held annoyance and frustration but on her face was a smile, and not a wicked one but one of motherly affection.

Was this her daughter?!

He couldn't believe it, and not just because she was slim and had no excess weight on her. The girl had rich brown hair, wore a pretty pink dress with pigtails. She didn't look like the victim of a zombie apocalypse.Hell she looked like the type of girl you'd meet in a junior highschool.

There was a reason for that but Lesley didn't dwell on it.

"You promised you'd play 'Sex, Magic and Mayhem' with me." She said skipping to the woman on the sofa," I've been waiting for two hours. Two whole hours."

" Mama is busy Veranda. Can't you see?" Mama V pointed at them and the girl turned towards them as if noticing them for the first time. Lesley noticed she had glitter on her face, making it slightly sparkle. Her head turned to the side and she looked at Mel, whereupon she gasped and ran to him without a second thought.

She doesn't belong here, Lesley thought, running towards a zombie? This girl is either really sheltered or crazy.

" Woah, woah, wooooah. He has no head." Veranda said with a giggle, she was looking at the headless body with eyes of wonder.

Or maybe she's just a dumb kid, Lesley thought again.

Veranda looked down at the head in Mel's arms and raised a small hand to touch it. Lesley instinctively tensed up ready to stop her but unfortunately he did not need to. Mel moved back from her reach and went to Lesley's other side, still holding his head in his hands.

" Hey! I didn't touch it yet." Veranda said sourly, why did the boy with no head move?

" He's shy. " Lesley said quickly," And this is the first time he's here, so he's really shy."

" Oh, okay." She said believing his words instantly.

Wow, this kid is just wow, Lesley thought, but whatever. It's Mama V we should be concerned about.

"How about I adopt you?"

"What?" Lesley and Veranda said and once, Lesley's face was filled with unease whilst Veranda was practically beaming.

" Look, you may have a high rank zombie but we could still bring him down with enough firepower, no?" Mama V said and Lesley opened his mouth but she carried on talking," Also, I know you have no full control of that thing. You tensed up when my little flower was about to touch him. Meaning you were afraid she'd get hurt, meaning he could have attacked her, MEANING you are not as useful as you say."

Shit, he cursed internally, this woman was smart and sharper than she looked. Seeing the look on Lesley's face, Mama V smiled wickedly before she carried on talking.

" But, you still have some control over it and although we could bring that thing to heel, it would destroy a lot of my things and my people. So you and I are on a fence here, but I offer a solution. My little flower gets lonely and being a queen means I am awfully busy. You can become her playmate and stay here with us. How's that sound?"

" What's the catch?" He asked and she laughed making the little girl wince.

" Smart, well aren't you? Simple really, you get that thing to fight for me when I want and whoever I want." She said eyeing Mel with narrowed eyes.

" He should not kill anyone." Lesley said," Only zombies."

" So you accept?" Mama V's teeth made an appearance as she smiled.

" He won't kill anyone, right?" He said adamantly and the woman nodded her head.

" Then...for a limited time...we will stay." He said and noticed that a dark flash of emotion appeared in her eyes but just as it appeared it disappeared.

" Yay, new friends, new brothers and finally new people to play with." Veranda said jumping to them and she grabbed Lesley's hand and turned to Mel with a frown," But, he can't play without a head."

Mel raised his head and placed on his severed neck and an unforseen miracle happened. The blood that had been pooling around them drew itself up and began to flow in reverse, going back to it's source. Like a black stream, it all went up to Mel's neck, sinking into his body. His flesh fletched and stretched like bubblegum and mended itself until not a single sign of the self injury was there. In less than ten seconds Mel stood whole and fine before them all.

"Cool." Veranda said and no one could disagree