The war is on between the radical Undead Liberation Army and the Human Volunteer Force, and while the Vicar hoped for a second rising, his heart attack enabled Vicus Maxine to steal the book and the names of Roarton’s re-animated. Kieren is not only on that list, but out of a job thanks to Gary, a bounty hunter who hunts the rabid dead. Will Amy and Simon, both disciples of the Undead Prophet, convert Kieren to their radical beliefs? Let’s visit the merry town of Roarton to find out.
Ticket to Ride
Although Jem is plagued with flashbacks, she readily joins in the going away party for Kieren. Her parents and Kieren, decked out in berets and eating French food. Ooh la la! The party is for Kieren’s trip to France, where Kieren hopes the French people will welcome the partially dead with open arms. After the party, Kieren heads out to the station to buy a seat on the train. I love Kieren’s mom and dad, and especially their enthusiasm in trying to make everything seem normal in the most abnormal of situations. If I had a zombie child I guess I would do the same thing. Your child is your child, enough said.
Not everyone is happy about Kieren’s leaving. Amy and Simon think Kieren would be an important addition to the Prophet’s Undead Liberation Army. Amy goes to the train station to change Kieren’s mind about leaving town, but she needn’t bother because Kieren is refused a ticket. Why? I’m worried about Amy. She hasn’t been taking the government issued meds to keep from becoming rabid. She’s taking a black market drug that is causing serious symptoms.
Maxine
The Vicar is dead and Maxine has taken over. Her first duty is to make sure that Vicar Oddie doesn’t climb out of the grave. She has an iron grate positioned over the Vicar’s grave site, but not all the parishioners are happy with this extreme measure. Maxine has gone power mad and is on a roll with her new rules that are aimed at controlling and isolating the partially dead. Her rules are upsetting. No, let me rephrase this; her rules are a throwback to Nazi Germany.
Here are just some of Maxine’s draconian rules: no PDS victims are allowed to leave town, they are required to wear a bright easily identifiable vest, they are required to do manual labor as a payback for the apocalypse, and the partially dead have to make believe that they are doing this voluntarily.
HA! I don’t know about you, but when there are men armed with cattle prods or weapons are forcing you to build a fence that will keep you from escaping from the town, it’s no longer a voluntary job, but slavery. Kieren might as well burn that beret because he’s not leaving Roarton, not with Philip (Stephen Thompson) and Gary (Kevin Sutton) overlooking the building of the fence.
Simon
Simon is a disciple of the Undead Prophet, but we’re never sure what his real intentions are. Amy may have a crush on Simon, but I don’t think he feels the same about her. So why is he leading her on? I was curious as to why Simon kept asking the PDS survivors where they were when they arose from the dead. Why was it so important for the PDS survivors to arrive at the party wearing the clothing they wore when they rose from the grave? Kieren shows up to the party and wonders why his friends are acting so strangely. They’re high, but it’s not drugs or booze. They’re eating sheep brains. That’s not good. Will this tidbit bring on a hunger for more brains?
Jem
Not only does Jem have troubling flashbacks to her days in the Human Volunteer Force, but her classmates are treating her like a war hero for killing the zombies. I loved how some of the students were carrying weapons just in case a partially dead student went rabid. Poor Henry (Charlie Kenyon) may have been sweet on Jem when he was warm-blooded, but she has no time for him now that she’s the cool kid in class. Later, when Jem isn’t able to kill a rabid PDS student, her new BFF’s drop her like a dirty sock.
Conclusion
Things are not going well for the partially dead in Roarton. Jem has rejoined the HVF and kills poor little Henry on her first outing. Simon is investigating if Roarton is where the apocalypse began and if Kieren was the first zombie. Why is this so important to Simon?
Philip is a strange duck. He won’t let mom fix him up with a live date, but at the end of a busy day bossing the partially dead around, he’s absolutely fine sleeping with a PDS hooker. You have to watch out for those holier than thou people.
Maxine has photos of partially dead survivors on her wall. Are they her trophies? I hope not because Kieren is among her photos. See you all next week and keep away from the fence
