Who Lies Beneath

A thousand years ago there was a city here.

And people. So many people. They're still here, their bones are, under the water, ten feet down, covered in silt. There was a Warlord who ruled one of the big, mostly-intact buildings — he had his people dive down, bring up the skulls, and he made an immense sculpture out of them to intimidate his enemies.

We don't have Warlords anymore. We're building again: boats to fish in the deeper water and homes that won't crumble with age.

Our children, or their children, will drain the city. Maybe bury the bones.

Zombie Drabble #412 "Lucerne"

"This thing is on."

Surya turned, focused her flashlight on Marion, who was standing with his shotgun resting on his shoulder and his other hand flat on the closed lid of a chest freezer.

"Where's it getting power?"

It was just plugged into the wall. Maybe the house had solar panels. "I dunno. I dunno." He  opened the lid: it was empty except for a box of ice cream sandwiches. "There's ice cream."

"What?" She was suddenly at his elbow.

He opened the box, counted. "Eight. Four each."

"Eat one now. We'll come back once a week for the others."