This is the second part of my FREE SHORT STORY. If you missed part one see the post from last week below. My zombie lawyer dark comedy is divided into 4 parts and will finalize just before Halloween.

When we last left our hero, Jeremy was about to defend a client in a very warm Courtroom. Rotting corpses don’t like warm rooms. There was still a crack in his ear that threatened to come lose and he had a mad craving for meat.  Will Jeremy be able to keep it together until he gets some new meds from Dr. Smith?

       The prosecuting attorney droned on and on about the not-so-glorious life of Dirk Cummings in the last few years.  His arrest for driving under the influence was of course at the top of his list.  Perhaps it was not just alcohol that was in his system when he was pulled over.  Maybe he was a drug user too.  It was also inferred, but not proven, that he was a habitual gambler. At least gambling was legal in the state of Nevada so that was a charge that could never be brought.

        Dirk might have mentioned that maybe he was in trouble with the Russian mob. Jeremy tried not to ask too many questions.  There were some things about your client you didn’t want to know. Besides that had no bearing on this charge.  Getting Dirk sober was the main goal after keeping him out of jail.

            “Your honor, I object to the prosecution stating he THINKS my client MIGHT have been abusing illicit drugs when he was arrested.  Where is the proof of that?  Were the drugs found in his system when he was arrested?”

            Not that anyone bothered to look at that problem – but Jeremy never knew Dirk to do drugs.  Drugs were not the issue here.  The issue was his drinking and then driving after the fact.  It was the prosecutor’s job to make Dirk look bad, and Jeremy’s job to make him look like the sad little puppy he really was after the car accident took his family.

            The morning dragged on and the courtroom warmed.  Was it his imagination or was the room actually shrinking?   Jeremy tugged at his tie, and then remembered not to pull too hard.  A finger coming off could be embarrassing. 

            “Let’s break for lunch and we’ll begin again at 1:30.” The judge banged his gavel and rose.  Everyone in the room rose in unison and gathered their paperwork.  Nadia instantly appeared at Jeremy’s side.  He jumped, startled then rubbed his head.  How did she do that?  She always knew when he needed her and was there in an instant.

            “Will you quit that?”  He looked her up and down and her body seemed to waiver in the sunlight that poured through the huge windows of the ancient courthouse. “How do you instinctively know when court is over?”

            She smiled showing pearly white pointed teeth.  “Get some lunch, I’ll take care of the table while you’re gone. By the way, I phoned your doctor and he is waiting for your call back.  I placed his number in your contacts, so you can call him on the way to the car.  He needs to talk to you.”

            Even the parking garage was cooler than the courtroom.  He made his way to the aging Chevy.  He needed a new car but the money hadn’t exactly been rolling in lately.  He touched the name of his GP in the phone contacts and a voice quickly answered.  Sometimes the doc returned calls on his lunch hour. Dr. John Smith – Jeremy always wondered if the name was an alias – picked up quickly after Jeremy gave his name to the receptionist.

            “Jeremy, how goes it?  Nadia says some of the symptoms are back.”

            “Yeah, my ear keeps falling off.  I’ve glued it several times now, and I just can’t get enough meat in my diet. I’m starving all the time – and losing weight.”

            “Well, a high protein diet will do that to you.  Eat some starch.  Potatoes, maybe some bread with the meat.  Have some pretzels and beer after work.  The carbs will slow down the weight loss. I’m calling in a new prescription for you.  It’ll be ready within the hour.  I was afraid this would happen and you would have to continually take more of the drug.  It’s not been proven how much the human body can tolerate and how high the dosage will eventually have to be.  Like I’ve said before, this is new territory and you, and a bunch of others, are guinea pigs.”

            “I prefer lab rat.”

            “Whatever. Send your assistant to get the pills and start them this afternoon.  Be sure to eat before you take them and then call me if the symptoms don’t subside in a day or two.”

            “Thanks doc.”  Whether John Smith was his real name or not – there were a lot of new doctors in the country these days with all the problems cropping up lately – he took good care of Jeremy.  He would make a mental note to add him to the office Christmas list.   

            A quick call to Nadia and a run through the closest burger joint for a triple burger and he would be ready for the afternoon.  If the expert witness could convince the judge that Dirk was a viable candidate for rehab, they would have a chance.  Dirk was ready, willing, and able to turn his life around.  Now if the judge would just let him.

Two more episodes left of the zombie lawyer which will finish it up before Halloween.  Will Jeremy win this case and have a beer and pretzels?  Will the Russian Mob let him? Please keep reading and let me know your thoughts. Because, zombies are people too.