The Living Dead 2 (The Living Dead, #2)(155)

Our next story also deals with a counseling scenario, albeit one that’s a bit more macabre. The author says, “Zombies are on my mind pretty often. I was also an addictions counselor for about seventeen years. A lot of my sessions bore some similarity to what takes place in this story—more so than you might think. There are a fair number of counselor in-jokes in this story, and one reader suggested that it be made into a short film for counselors in training, because of the way it illustrates proper responses to common issues, and illustrates how good counselors offer empathy and unconditional positive regard to their clients.”





Even if your client is a zombie.





Transcript of counseling session with Michael R.—May 12, 2019





Good afternoon, Michael. I see you have a new bucket with you.





Hi, Mr. Harper. You like the Hello Kitty on the side?





Very much. [Pause.] So, what would you like to talk about today, Michael?





Nothing much happening. Same old, same old, you know.





How’s your program going?





Um, work was pretty busy. I did a meeting on Thursday.





I think you told me last time that you might have found a new sponsor.





Yeah, he’s a good guy. Been clean three years now. You gotta respect that.





Yes.





It’s hard, you know. Sometimes I think about the old days. Back when I was all crazy. I’m a lot better now, but—



But what, Michael?





It’s like… I dunno… I just don’t feel… happy hardly ever any more.





That’s the brain changes, Michael. Everybody struggles with it. When you give up your bad habit, and all the intensity that goes with it, it takes time for your brain to adjust. It’s okay to not be happy while you’re working through it. You have to honor your loss, and learn to move onward. It takes time.





Yeah, I know… I just… Is this all there is? Just making it from day to day? Is this any way to live?





You’re still not sure it was worth it.





Yeah.





You’d probably be in the ground, Michael.





Sometimes I don’t remember so good, but I was wild and… and free, you know? Going balls to the wall like nothing else mattered. On a terminal buzz twenty-four seven.





I understand. You’re having euphoric recall. You’re remembering the good parts, but not the bad ones.





It was so great!





What about your family?





That part was great, too! [Pause.] Oh, shit. That’s awful, isn’t it?





You killed and ate them.





[Long pause.] Yeah. I’m ashamed.





The Colonel asked me to talk with you about something. On Saturday, an elderly couple was eaten a block away from your house.





That wasn’t me. No way.





I know. You were at work when it happened. I thought you might be able to help with whoever did it. You know how the Colonel is. It could get ugly.





I’m in the clear, Mr. Harper. I don’t hang out with those people no more.





You don’t want to go back to the bad old days, do you, Michael? That whole shoot-on-sight thing wasn’t good for anybody, was it?





Oh, hell, no. That’s when I lost this ear. Another inch to the left—



How about if we do a pee test? You think any DNA besides yours might show up?





[Long pause.]





I’m on your side, Michael. I want it to work as much as you do.





[Pause.] I had a bite. Just one bite. I swear.





How’d you get it?





Some guy. Over at the slaughterhouse. You know, when I took my bucket in for a refill.





The Colonel will want to talk to you after our session.





I swear, I didn’t know the guy. What the f*ck was I supposed to do, man? He just f*ckin’ walked up and gave it to me! If I wouldn’t have eaten it, somebody else would have. They were already dead, right?





And that’s called?





[Pause.] Shit… Rationalization….





There isn’t any vague “somebody” out there that you can put this off on. You’re the one that’s responsible for your own behavior. Nobody else.





It smelled so damn good. You can always smell the difference between human brains and cow brains. So damn good.